Snapshots (8/08/2012)

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Bradley Collins and Jim Beavers. Photo: Drew Maynard

Songwriter Jim Beavers received two Million-Air certificates from BMI, celebrating his hits “Watching Airplanes” (Gary Allan) and “Don’t” (Billy Currington), for amassing more than one million performances each.

The presentation took in Nashville August 1, after the songwriter treated BMI licensing employees to an acoustic set.

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Pictured (L-R): Michael Johns, K'naan, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Chevy Chase, Norm Crosby, Starkey Co-Founder Tani Austin, President Clinton, Starkey Founder Bill Austin, Billy Crystal, Forest Whitaker, Billy Ray Cyrus, Glenn Frey, Okello Sam

Billy Ray Cyrus recently attended and performed at the Starkey Hearing Foundation’s 12th annual So The World May Hear Gala on August 4 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. The event brings awareness and funds to the organization’s efforts of fitting more than 100,000 hearing aids globally.

“It is about the gift of love,” said Cyrus. “It is just incredible that they go all around the world to give people their first chance ever to hear, to sing, to dance, to communicate. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of it.”

Cyrus is currently finalizing his forthcoming album, Change My Mind to be released October 23. He is set to make his debut in the Broadway play Chicago on Nov. 5, and will continue his run through Dec. 23.

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Tim McGraw and Mike Shepherd

Tim McGraw was surprised with an induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame during the middle of his concert set at the Superdome in New Orleans on Friday, (8/3).

Louisiana Music Hall of Fame President Mike Shepherd presented a plaque honoring the Louisiana native for contributions to the state’s musical heritage.

McGraw joins the ranks of Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dr. John and Allen Toussaint, among others.

Maggie Rose to Make Opry Debut

RPM Entertainment’s Maggie Rose will make her Grand Ole Opry debut this Friday, August 10.

“I am honored and excited to join the many amazing artists that have come before me to perform on that hallowed stage,” says Rose. “I am beyond words to explain my excitement and all I can say to everyone that asks me how I feel is that dreams really do come true.”

Rose recently wrapped up her first big summer tour and her new single “I Ain’t Your Mama” has climbed up into the top 40. The single was produced by James Stroud and written by Judson Spence and Candy Cameron.

For a complete list of tour dates, visit www.maggierosemusic.com.

Songwriters Join Inaugural South Dakota Festival

Deadwood, SD, will host a wagon train of over 20 songwriters for the inaugural Wild West Songwriters Festival October 11-14.

Songwriters and artists participating include Wayne Kirkpatrick, Jaren Johnston, Steven Dale Jones, Brandy Clark, Tyler Hilton, Bonnie Baker, Danny Myrick, Shane McAnally, Cary Barlowe, Josh Osborne, Carl Bell (of Fuel), Emerson Hart (of Tonic), Marc Beeson, Billy Burnette, Andrew McMahon, and Catilyn Smith.

The Festival will be held day and night at Deadwood’s historic establishments, including The Deadwood Mountain Grand, Saloon #10, The Bullock Hotel, and The Deadwood Loading Dock.

The weekend-long festival will host Nightcap Socials, Happy Hours, and other events for Weekend Pass Holders, available for $75. Single-Day tickets are available for $25-35. For more information, click here.

Artist Growth Launches Concert Series

Nashville-based artist platform Artist Growth has announced the first of its Celebrate the City series to be held Friday, September 28. The monthly event will bring touring and emerging artists together at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium.

The September showcase will feature performances by Reptar, Rubblebucket, and Cherub. Tickets are $15, and go on sale Friday, August 17 at www.tpac.org.

Launched in early 2012 by musician/entrepreneurs Matt Urmy and Jonathan Sexton, Artist Growth offers cloud-based business management tools for artists. Joe Galante, Dr. Harry Jacobson, Mark Montgomery, and Moontoast’s Joe Glaser are also investors in the company.

Bentley to Play CMA Songwriters Series in NYC

The CMA Songwriters Series will return to New York City’s Joe’s Pub on Thursday, September 13, and singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley will headline the evening’s 6:30 and 9 pm songwriter rounds.

“The CMA Songwriter series is a really cool gig,” said Bentley. “Joe’s Pub is so intimate and the audience is a huge part of those shows because they’re so close. It’s like everybody in the room is in on a secret or something. You’ve got four guys with guitars, telling stories and drinking whiskey…anything can happen!”

Joining Bentley for the performances will be songwriters Jim Beavers (Dierks’ “5-1-5-0,” Josh Turner’s “Why Don’t We Just Dance”), Jaren Johnston (Keith Urban’s “You Gonna Fly,” Sara Evans’ “Anywhere”), and series host Bob DiPiero.

Tickets are $35 and $40. Visit www.joespub.com for more info.

Bentley also recently announced the release of his Country & Cold Cans EP, available Aug. 21, which features his new single “Tip It On Back.” Bentley will kick off college football season with the Country & Cold Cans: Back to College Tour, which includes performances by Jaren Johnston’s band The Cadillac Black. Dates here.

Swift To Host Live Webcast

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift will host a live webcast on YouTube Monday, August 13 at 7 p.m. ET. The superstar artist will speak directly to fans and answer questions in real time. The webcast will also include a Google + Hangout with fans around the world.

“I want to share some news with you, some really cool news,” said Swift in a video announcement of the webcast.

The webcast will air live on www.youtube.com/TaylorSwift.

Vegas Bets on McGraw and Hill

When Vegas bets on you, odds are in your favor to win big. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw like those odds, just like any sane superstar artists with some business savvy should.

Billed as “The biggest musical event in Venetian history,” McGraw and Hill’s famed Soul2Soul show will begin its limited engagement run at the Venetian Theatre on Dec 7 and go 10 weekends through April 2013.

“It’s thrilling for us to be a part of this extraordinary experience,” commented Hill at a town hall style press conference in the 1815-seat theater where the production will be staged. “We are creating a show that is going to be remarkable for our fans… and for us as well.” The theater and the hotel are currently undergoing renovations to accommodate the state of the art show.

Flanked by writer David Wild and Venetian COO and President John Caparella, the country couple answered questions from the national music media about the show, their marriage and Vegas. Caparella, by the way, is a former Gaylord Entertainment executive.

One stipulation for the couple’s participation was that The Venetian allow them to work around their daughters’ school schedules. They have no plans to relocate to Las Vegas full-time.

“We’re parachuting in and out too,” quipped Hill.

Ticket prices start at $95.50 and are already on sale to Venetian Grazie members, Clear Channel subscribers, and Tim and Faith fan club members. The general public gets to purchase them beginning at 10 am Monday, August 13.

But exactly what the show will entail remains unclear. McGraw noted it would feature “a lot of us together. We’re doing some things you can’t do with a different show in a different place every night.” Hill joked that she would be singing all of her hits, and McGraw would do about half of his.

McGraw made an even more intriguing comment by saying, “The chances of us not being onstage together, other than a song or two, are very slim.” The couple has collaborated on hits “Let’s Make Love,” “It’s Your Love,” “I Need You,” and “Like We Never Loved At All” but most of each artist’s hits have been solo endeavors.

“This is us together,” said McGraw. “That’s what this whole show is about.”

McGraw didn’t elaborate whether they would be helping one another on solo material or trying out new collaborative material. Though fans have long hoped for a Hill-McGraw duets album, it does not appear to be in the works for this set of performances. Hill has reportedly finished recording her long-awaited new studio album, and McGraw is in the process of recording his first collection as a Big Machine artist.

Soul2Soul will be the third country show to hit the Vegas strip, following Garth Brooks’ ongoing residency at the Wynn and Shania Twain’s upcoming residency at Caesars Palace. McGraw stressed their show was, “not trying to counterbalance anything Garth is doing.” The pair and Caparella left it open-ended as to whether they might consider extending the performances past April.

“We will certainly give fans what they want,” explained Hill, “but this gives us the opportunity to be creative together like we never have before.”

Which will, undoubtedly, be a necessity. At less than 2000 seats, the opulent Venetian Theatre is a much more intimate venue than the stadiums and arenas both artists are used to playing. It’s also likely a different audience than the rowdy stadium crowd, which will call for some adjustments in presentation.

The Venetian, by the way, was an incredibly gracious host. Media visitors from Nashville and beyond were wined and dined in true Vegas style, including an extravagant dinner at the hotel’s Tao Asian Bistro, and a delicious lunch reception following the press conference. The building also offers oodles of high-end shopping, modeled on the winding streets and canals of Venice. The well-appointed, comfortable guest suites made for a relaxing retreat away from the excitement of the gaming rooms downstairs. A complimentary tray of chocolates (including a chocolate gondola and a marbled chocolate column) was sent to the visitors’ rooms upon arrival, which this writer quickly devoured in its entirety.

After all, what happens in Vegas is supposed to stay there.

SESAC Selling $300 Million Bond

SESAC is preparing a $300 million bond sale as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The bond offering is being marketed to both institutional investors and high net worth individuals and is backed by the revenues it receives that broadcast their music. The bonds are only available to “qualified institutional buyers,” or those who have $100 million or more of investable assets.

Based in Nashville, SESAC has the exclusive rights to the public broadcast or performance of such legendary artists as Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond.

This is the fourth time SESAC has issued bonds with proceeds going toward paying dividends to shareholders and being used to refinance existing debt among others.

Goldman Sachs is representing the bond offering. Click here for the full article.

T.J. Martell Foundation Announces 37th Annual Gala and Honorees

The T.J. Martell Foundation will hold its 37th Annual Honors Gala on Tues., October 23 at the Cipriani in New York City.

This year, the foundation will present the Humanitarian of the Year Award to Russell Simmons, the American music business magnate and producer. The Lifetime Music Industry Award will be presented to producer, Randy Jackson. The Spirit of Excellence Award to Del Bryant, President/CEO of BMI and the T.J. Martell Spirit of Life Award to Edward Walson, producer of film and television with Sunrider Productions, Service Electric Cable TV and Regis and Friends TV.

Regis Philbin will present the award to Walson and entertainment attorney, Joel Katz will present the award for Bryant. Other presenters and performers will be announced over the next few weeks along with red carpet attendees.

The evening includes a red carpet, cocktail reception, dinner, awards presentation, musical performances and silent auction to raise funds for cancer and AIDS research.

Tickets and tables are available for purchase on the TJ Martell Foundation website, or by calling (646) 841-1394.

Industry Ink: Signings (8/08/12)

(L-R): Kent Wolfenbarger, Heather Cook; CEO Cook'n Up Music, Simone Simonton (songwriter), Tyler Middleton, and Ryan Beuschel: ASCAP Creative Manager

Cook’n Up Music Publishing signed a worldwide publishing and administrative agreement with songwriter, Simone Simonton. Simonton’s songwriting successes include Sugarland cuts “Baby Girl,” “Down in Mississippi,” “Speed of Life” and “Fly Away.” Simonton’s talent as a drummer/percussionist has also earned her album credits on Indigo Girls/Rites of Passage, Rarities, Retrospective: The Best of the Indigo Girls, Live: Back on the Bus, Y’all from the Indigo Girls.

CEO, Heather Cook says, “We’re excited to have Simone on the team! She brings an edge with her experience of five years as the drummer and primary songwriter for South 70 (Red Light Management), opening for Miranda Lambert, Gretchen Wilson, Chris Young, Styx and others.”

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The Orchard recently announced the signing of the quartet Lonestar. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the band is uniting once again with their original lead vocalist, Richie McDonald, on their upcoming album release.

“Lonestar and The Orchard’s relationship reflects the synergy that is the new model for what bands are doing now and in the future,” says Lonestar’s manager, Corey Wagner. “The band is able to pick all of its partners—management, agent, distribution, promotion—to properly promote and share their new music and intense touring plans.”

“Twenty years ago, when I put this little band together to play in some bars and make a little money, I dreamed it pretty good but I never dreamed it quite this good,” says keyboard player and songwriter Dean Sams.

Lonestar is set to release its new album this fall through The Orchard. The first single “The Countdown” is currently available. Check their website www.lonestarnow.com for band updates.

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L–R: BLA’s Matt McGuire and Zinnia Martinez; RJ Stillwell; The Devious Angels’ Jon Decious and Steevie Steeves; and BLA’s Kevin Neal, Jake Kennedy, David Kiswiney.

Buddy Lee Attractions (BLA) has announced the addition of duo The Devious Angels to its roster. The duo, consisting of Jon Decious and Steevie Steeves, have been in the studio working on its debut album with producers Chad Jeffers and RJ Stillwell; Stillwell also manages the act.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to represent The Devious Angels and to be part of their team,” shared Kevin Neal, President of BLA. “Their songwriting and live performance is undeniable.”

The Devious Angels will perform on Tuesday, August 7 beginning at 7 p.m. at Mercy Lounge as part of The Billy Block Show. For more information, please visit www.thedeviousangels.com and www.buddyleeattractions.com.

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The Bobby Roberts Company recently signed John Anderson for exclusive booking representation.