There is zero major-label product in the country reviewing stack this week, but there’s still plenty of quality listening to be had.
Even if there were big-time stars on hand, I doubt that any could match the excellence of the new His and Hers CD by Joey + Rory and its lead track “Josephine.” This would be a Disc of the Day winner no matter what or who the competition was.
I am also happy to report that there are a number of promising newcomers with us today. They include Kris Gordon, J.D. Shelburne and our DisCovery Award winning band Cash Creek.
BRITT & BLAIRE/Young Summer
Writer: Blaire Hanks; Producer: Dean Scallan; Publisher: Coast of Del Mar, BMI; Mt. Juliet (615-288-4234 ext 101)
—They look like such nice young kids. I hate to be the one to tell them that they’re not yet ready to play ball in the Big Leagues.
FLYNNVILLE TRAIN/The One You Love
Writer: Doug Phelps/Fred Young/Richard Young; Producer: none listed; Publisher: I B Headed/Them Young Boys/Bug, BMI/ASCAP; Whiskey Bent (www.flynnvilletrain.com)
—Note that this is written by The Kentucky HeadHunters. The Flynnville boys’ performance of the dreamy ballad is appropriately languid and lovely. The slightly bluesy melody is another plus. Highly programmable.
CRIS CUDDY/The Boy From Beaumont
Writer: Cuddy; Producer: Cris Cuddy; Publisher: Cris Cuddy, SOCAN; Factor (Canada)(track) (www.criscuddy.com)
—Subtitled “The Kid from Bakersfield,” this title tune to Cuddy’s Canadian CD is a salute to George Jones and Merle Haggard. The musical setting has an oddly Tex-Mex vibe, which doesn’t have much to do with either of those legends. For that matter, neither does Cuddy’s singing style. But it all goes down smoothly.
JOEY + RORY/Josephine
Writer: Rory Feek; Producer: Gary Paczosa; Publisher: A Sling and a Prayer/Chrysalis One, ASCAP; Sugar Hill (track)
—Joey + Rory’s new His and Hers CD kicks off with this stirring, driving saga of a frightened Civil War soldier yearning for the wife and family he left behind. It will quicken your pulse, tickle your ears and fire your brain. Gary’s production is sonic excellence. Rory’s lead vocal just about rips your heart out. A mini masterpiece. Do your ears a favor and listen to this entire awesome album with no distractions.
KRIS GORDON/The Upside of Down
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Frio (www.krisgordon.net)
—Jaunty, relaxed and breezy, this has an undeniable charm. He’s nursing a busted heart, but getting by with the help of the band and the booze. The session playing is absolutely top drawer, and he has an earnest, winning, easy-to-like vocal style.
THE MARKSMEN QUARTET/Don’t Take Your Life
Writer: Lance Carpenter/Ricky Atkinson; Producer: Mark Wheeler; Publisher: Ricky Atkinson, BMI; Rural Rhythm (track) (www.marksmenquartet.com)
—The quartet takes on a honky-tonk waltz. In classic Southern-gospel fashion, it starts off slowly with a solo vocalist telling the tale of a would-be suicide, followed by full-throated harmonizing on the choruses. Redemptive, for sure. The Marksmen have been at this for some 40 years, so they certainly know how to deliver the goods by now.
CASH CREEK/It’s All About the Money
Writer: Joseph Harris/Donald Kees; Producer: Kimo Forrest & Chris Latham; Publisher: Sixteen Stars/Sony-ATV Acuff Rose, BMI; Omaha/Tristar (track) (www.cashcreekband.com)
—The title tune to the debut Cash Creek CD is a bluesy, dobro-laced, rocking social statement about lawyers, politics and hypocrisy. It is also very, very cool. Check these boys out.
AMY AMES/Do Drop In
Writer: Amy Ames/Eddie Hedges; Producer: Eddie Hedges; Publisher: Amy Ames/Eddie Hedges, BMI; Grand Channel (CDX) (www.amyames.com)
—The drummer sounds like he’s pounding on an aluminum frying pan. The band is shouting the lines loudly back at her. Perhaps they’re trying to drown out her pitch-challenged vocal.
LUCAS HOGE/Do What Makes You Feel Good
Writer: Lucas Hoge/Keesy Timmer/Corey Barker; Producer: Lucas Hoge & Chris Latham; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP/BMI; AHMG (CDX) (818-429-3655)
—The track is rollicking, with plenty of energetic guitar work. His voice isn’t particularly distinctive or memorable, but he gives the performance his all.
J.D. SHELBURNE/Farmboy
Writer: J.D. Shelburne/Bob Stewart; Producer: Greg Cole; Publisher: GiraffeKey, BMI; Star Base (CDX) (www.jdshelburne.com)
—He inherits his dad’s down-home values and is super happy about it. The track rocks, and he belts out his lyric like a pro. This has plenty of get-up-and-go, and the spelling of “F-A-R-M-B-O-Y” is ear catchingly clever.
Spotify Claims 4 Million Paid Subscribers
/by FreemanSpotify executive Ken Parks revealed the figures yesterday (7/31) at the Global Business Summit in London. The most recent figures released by Spotify in January 2012 indicated a total user base of 10 million, 3 million of which were paid subscribers.
Spotify founder/CEO Daniel Ek stated in April that he is aiming for a turnover goal of $888 million for 2012, following reported growth of 160% in 2011. On the other hand, Billboard points out it might be impossible to reach that goal given the current rate of growth. In fact, it may have taken Spotify longer to go from 3-4 million subscribers than the 2-3 million climb.
Still, the subscriber growth has to be encouraging for label partners, who have been uncertain about Spotify’s royalty payment structure and apprehensive that it might hinder paid download sales. More labels have indeed been expressing approval of the site as of late, including metal label Century Media Group, which had previously withheld its entire catalog from the service. Additionally, Beggars Group chairman Martin Mills told the Telegraph earlier today (7/31) that streaming services have brought in much needed revenue for Beggars Group artists with large catalogs and little new material.
Spotify also announced the release of a free streaming radio service for Android devices at the Summit, with which it ultimately hopes to convert more of its free users into paid subscribers. Spotify became available to US customers in July 2011 and is available in 15 countries.
Christian Singer Mac Powell Releasing Country Album
/by Eric T. ParkerThe CD features twelve songs from the songwriter including his first single, “June Bug,” which he released last month through his Twitter account. The full digital CD is currently available on his website as a pre-release limited pressing.
Powell worked with producer Jason Hoard, who has been touring with Third Day since 2010. Hoard contributed to the songwriting credits along with Brett James.
“I grew up listening to country music,” said Powell. “It was a big part of shaping me musically and I think that’s pretty evident in Third Day music. There’s always been little tinge of it. I started writing with Brett. He was really the first step. We just hit it off really well and came up with a lot of ideas in a short amount of time.”
Powell made his debut country performance at this year’s CMA Music Festival and is already booked for over two dozen shows this summer and fall, backed by a group of Country musicians named The Backsliders.
The singer will continue to work with Third Day, as the band is finalizing a new album due later in 2012 with producer Brendan O’Brien. A Spring 2013 tour will follow.
Mac Powell Track List:
Sweet Georgia Girl
Saturday Night
Carry You
Mississippi
Julia Ann
This Ain’t No Hobby
Hold On To Me
June Bug
Do You Love Me
Trying To Get Over You
Carolina
My Love For You Remains
Aaron Lewis to Host Charity Golf Tournament
/by MichelleThe event is hosted by It Takes A Community Foundation, the charitable 501c3 organization started by multi-Platinum recording artist Aaron Lewis and his wife Vanessa, along with Crumpin-Fox Golf Club and Zeke’s Smokehouse Grill. All the proceeds will benefit the R.H. Conwell Community Education Center in Worthington, MA.
The tournament entry fee includes a round of golf with cart, a tee gift package, contests, lunch, a cocktail and dinner reception plus an evening concert featuring a performance from Lewis. Sponsorship packages are available. Please visit www.itacf.org for more information.
Mark Your Calendar (August 2012)
/by Eric T. ParkerAugust 7
Colt Ford/Declaration of Independence/Average Joe’s
The Trishas/High, Wide, & Handsome/Trishas Music
August 14
Blackberry Smoke/The Whippoorwill/Southern Ground
Susan Catteneo/Little Big Sky/Jersey Girl
August 21
JT Hodges/JT Hodges/Show Dog-Universal
Dierks Bentley/Country & Cold Cans EP/Capitol
Dustin Lynch/Dustin Lynch/Broken Bow
The World Famous Headliners (Big Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, Pat McLaughlin, Michael Rhodes, Greg Morrow)/The World Famous Headliners/Big Yellow Dog Music
August 28
Caroline Herring/Camilla/Signature Sounds
Jerry Salley/Showing My Age/Very Jerry
The Flatlanders/The Odessa Tapes/New West
The Roys/New Day Dawning/Rural Rhythm
August 6
Lucas Hoge/Do What Makes You Feel Good/Animal House
Florida Georgia Line/Cruise/Republic Nashville
Chelsea Bain/What If I/Rock Ridge-InstiGator
Her & Kings County/Family Tree/Elektra Nashville-WMN
Heidi Newfield/Why’d You Have To Be So Good/Sidewalk
Rich O’Toole/Red Wine On Your Lipstick
August 13
One Night Rodeo/Real Good/Fox Hill
Bucky Covington with Shooter Jennings/Drinking Side of Country/eOne
August 20
Flynnville Train/The One You Love/Whiskey Bent-Flying Island
August 27
Claudia Lee/Take My Hand/CLM Enterprises
Aretha Franklin
Industry Events
August 2
Full Moon Festival outdoor concert series
August 14
Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductions at Trinity Music City Auditorium in Hendersonville, TN at 6:00 PM. Aretha Franklin, Ricky Skaggs, Dallas Holm, The Hoppers, Love Song and Rex Humbard. Admission is free to the public
August 23
WMN Pickin’ on the Patio
August 27
Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament at Old Natchez Country Club in Nashville benefiting United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee
August 30
Full Moon Festival outdoor concert series
Gloriana Releases Sophomore Album
/by Eric T. ParkerFollowing an appearance on Good Morning America yesterday (7/31), the band will be back in New York City to perform on the Fox & Friends All-American Summer Concert Series Fri., August 3. Fans in New York can see the concert outside the Fox studios or tune in at 7:30 am ET.
On Sat., August 4 at 10:30 pm ET Gloriana will celebrate the album release with a special concert at Joe’s Bar in Chicago, IL. The show will be streamed live by UV2Live.
A Thousand Miles Left Behind tracks:
“Wanna Take You Home”
“Sunset Lovin’”
“Go On…Miss Me”
“Doin’ It Our Way”
“(Kissed You) Good Night”
“Can’t Shake You”
“Turn My World Around”
“Carolina Rose”
“Soldier Song”
Miller and Lauderdale to Co-Host New Radio Show
/by FreemanThe weekly program will premiere Saturday, August at 10 pm ET and be re-broadcast Sundays at 10:00 am ET, Mondays at 2:00 am and 2:00 pm ET and Wednesdays 12:00 am and 10:00 pm ET. Lucinda Williams guests on the debut episode and performs songs by Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie. Check out a clip at americansongwriter.com. Future guests include Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, and the North Mississippi Allstars.
Miller and Lauderdale are friends and frequent musical collaborators. At the annual Americana Honors and Awards show, Lauderdale hosts the proceedings and Miller leads the all-star house band. Both are repeat winners at the event, which is also broadcast live on SiriusXM Outlaw Country.
Gaylord To Lay Off Almost 200 Employees
/by Sarah SkatesThe $210 million transaction was announced in May and is pending shareholder approval. The Nashville Post reports Gaylord is fending off opposition from its largest shareholder, TRT Holdings.
Gaylord, which will still own the hotels, hopes to save money by becoming a real estate investment trust and letting Marriott operate the properties.
When the deal is complete, it is expected that Gaylord will employ about 4,000 workers in the Nashville area, including its operations at Opry Mills, the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium, WSM-AM and the newly formed Real Estate Investment Trust.
DISClaimer Single Reviews (8/01/12)
/by Robert K OermannEven if there were big-time stars on hand, I doubt that any could match the excellence of the new His and Hers CD by Joey + Rory and its lead track “Josephine.” This would be a Disc of the Day winner no matter what or who the competition was.
BRITT & BLAIRE/Young Summer
Writer: Blaire Hanks; Producer: Dean Scallan; Publisher: Coast of Del Mar, BMI; Mt. Juliet (615-288-4234 ext 101)
—They look like such nice young kids. I hate to be the one to tell them that they’re not yet ready to play ball in the Big Leagues.
FLYNNVILLE TRAIN/The One You Love
Writer: Doug Phelps/Fred Young/Richard Young; Producer: none listed; Publisher: I B Headed/Them Young Boys/Bug, BMI/ASCAP; Whiskey Bent (www.flynnvilletrain.com)
—Note that this is written by The Kentucky HeadHunters. The Flynnville boys’ performance of the dreamy ballad is appropriately languid and lovely. The slightly bluesy melody is another plus. Highly programmable.
CRIS CUDDY/The Boy From Beaumont
Writer: Cuddy; Producer: Cris Cuddy; Publisher: Cris Cuddy, SOCAN; Factor (Canada)(track) (www.criscuddy.com)
—Subtitled “The Kid from Bakersfield,” this title tune to Cuddy’s Canadian CD is a salute to George Jones and Merle Haggard. The musical setting has an oddly Tex-Mex vibe, which doesn’t have much to do with either of those legends. For that matter, neither does Cuddy’s singing style. But it all goes down smoothly.
JOEY + RORY/Josephine
Writer: Rory Feek; Producer: Gary Paczosa; Publisher: A Sling and a Prayer/Chrysalis One, ASCAP; Sugar Hill (track)
—Joey + Rory’s new His and Hers CD kicks off with this stirring, driving saga of a frightened Civil War soldier yearning for the wife and family he left behind. It will quicken your pulse, tickle your ears and fire your brain. Gary’s production is sonic excellence. Rory’s lead vocal just about rips your heart out. A mini masterpiece. Do your ears a favor and listen to this entire awesome album with no distractions.
KRIS GORDON/The Upside of Down
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Frio (www.krisgordon.net)
—Jaunty, relaxed and breezy, this has an undeniable charm. He’s nursing a busted heart, but getting by with the help of the band and the booze. The session playing is absolutely top drawer, and he has an earnest, winning, easy-to-like vocal style.
THE MARKSMEN QUARTET/Don’t Take Your Life
Writer: Lance Carpenter/Ricky Atkinson; Producer: Mark Wheeler; Publisher: Ricky Atkinson, BMI; Rural Rhythm (track) (www.marksmenquartet.com)
—The quartet takes on a honky-tonk waltz. In classic Southern-gospel fashion, it starts off slowly with a solo vocalist telling the tale of a would-be suicide, followed by full-throated harmonizing on the choruses. Redemptive, for sure. The Marksmen have been at this for some 40 years, so they certainly know how to deliver the goods by now.
CASH CREEK/It’s All About the Money
Writer: Joseph Harris/Donald Kees; Producer: Kimo Forrest & Chris Latham; Publisher: Sixteen Stars/Sony-ATV Acuff Rose, BMI; Omaha/Tristar (track) (www.cashcreekband.com)
—The title tune to the debut Cash Creek CD is a bluesy, dobro-laced, rocking social statement about lawyers, politics and hypocrisy. It is also very, very cool. Check these boys out.
AMY AMES/Do Drop In
Writer: Amy Ames/Eddie Hedges; Producer: Eddie Hedges; Publisher: Amy Ames/Eddie Hedges, BMI; Grand Channel (CDX) (www.amyames.com)
—The drummer sounds like he’s pounding on an aluminum frying pan. The band is shouting the lines loudly back at her. Perhaps they’re trying to drown out her pitch-challenged vocal.
LUCAS HOGE/Do What Makes You Feel Good
Writer: Lucas Hoge/Keesy Timmer/Corey Barker; Producer: Lucas Hoge & Chris Latham; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP/BMI; AHMG (CDX) (818-429-3655)
—The track is rollicking, with plenty of energetic guitar work. His voice isn’t particularly distinctive or memorable, but he gives the performance his all.
J.D. SHELBURNE/Farmboy
Writer: J.D. Shelburne/Bob Stewart; Producer: Greg Cole; Publisher: GiraffeKey, BMI; Star Base (CDX) (www.jdshelburne.com)
—He inherits his dad’s down-home values and is super happy about it. The track rocks, and he belts out his lyric like a pro. This has plenty of get-up-and-go, and the spelling of “F-A-R-M-B-O-Y” is ear catchingly clever.
Industry Ink (7/31/12)
/by FreemanSuzanne Spooner-Faulk
Suzanne Spooner-Faulk has joined the staff of CDX in the newly created role of Production Manager. Her previous experience in the music industry includes time with CMA, rpm Management, Tom-Leis Music, and the Bluebird Cafe. Contact her at 615-292-0123 or suzanne@cdxcd.com.
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Country Radio Seminar’s special $349 “Crazy Days of Summer” registration rate ends tonight (7/31) at midnight CT. Beginning August 1, registration will increase to the $399 Early Bird rate. CRS 2013 is scheduled for Feb. 27 – March 1 in downtown Nashville. Register here.
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Chris Keaton Presents and Keaton Music Ventures have relocated to Catch This Music recording studio at 1008 17th Ave. S. in Nashville. The company’s new telephone number is 615-341-0177 and Chris Keaton can be reached at chriskeaton@bellsouth.net.
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Evolution PR has moved to its new offices at 38 Music Sq. E., Ste 116, Nashville, TN 37203. Phone number is still 615-852-6076, and Tiffany Bearden’s email is tiffany@evolutionprnashville.com.
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Berkleemusic, the online education division of Berklee College of Music, has named Debbie Cavalier as its new CEO. She will oversee strategy and vision for the online school, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Cavalier was previously Dean of Continuing Education and oversaw development of the school’s online curriculum, which has enrolled 30,000 students from more than 150 countries. Its YouTube channel ranks fifth among 400 universities in the US and Canada. More info here.
Samsung Launches Music Hub Streaming Service
/by FreemanPowered by Samsung-owned cloud content provider mSpot, Music Hub claims a database of 19 million high quality MP3 tracks. The basic, free version allows users to purchase songs and albums directly from the Music Hub shop managed by 7digital, and keep them in the cloud. The Premium version is $9.99/month and offers unlimited streaming and customized radio stations.
Currently the service is only available on the flagship Galaxy S3 handset, but will expand to other devices soon. According to IDC, Samsung smartphone headsets sold twice as many units as Apple smartphones in the second quarter of 2012.