Teen Choice Award Country Nominees

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The Teen Choice 2012 awards will air live Sun., July 22 on FOX. Among the country stars scoring nominations in all-genre categories are Blake Shelton (Choice Male Artist), Lady Antebellum (Choice Group), Eli Young Band (Choice Music: Breakout Group) and Taylor Swift (Choice Female Artist and Choice Single by a Female Artist).

Glee‘s Kevin McHale is set to co-host alongside Demi Lovato. Fans ages 13-19 can vote once each day per category for their favorite nominees at www.teenchoiceawards.com.

Choice Male Country Artist
Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Hunter Hayes, Scotty McCreery, Blake Shelton

Choice Female Country Artist
Lauren Alaina, Miranda Lambert, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, 
Carrie Underwood

Choice Country Song
“Tattoos on This Town,” Jason Aldean
“Crazy Girl,” Eli Young Band
“Storm Warning,” Hunter Hayes
“God Gave Me You,” Blake Shelton
“Sparks Fly,” Taylor Swift

Choice Country Group
The Band Perry, Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Thompson Square

Choice Male Artist
Justin Bieber, Drake,
 Bruno Mars, Pitbull, Blake Shelton

Choice Female Artist
Adele, 
Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Taylor Swift

Choice Music Group
Selena Gomez & The Scene, Gym Class Heroes,
 Lady Antebellum, 
LMFAO, The Wanted

Choice Single by a Female Artist
“Set Fire to the Rain,” Adele
“Stronger,” Kelly Clarkson
“Dance Again,” Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull
“Part of Me,” Katy Perry
“Eyes Open,” Taylor Swift

Choice Single by a Male Artist
“Boyfriend,” Justin Bieber
“Take Care,” Drake featuring Rihanna
“Good Feeling,” Flo Rida
“It Will Rain,” Bruno Mars
“Give Me Everything (Tonight),” Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, AfroJack & Nayer

Choice Music: Breakout Group
Eli Young Band, fun., Karmin, One Direction, The Wanted

Choice Break-Up Song
“Climax,” Usher
“Payphone,” Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa
“Somebody That I Used to Know,” Gotye featuring Kimbra
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” Kelly Clarkson
“Wide Awake,” Katy Perry

“Nashville” to Hold Open Casting Call

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ABC is looking to cast extras for its new series, Nashville, scheduled to premiere this fall.

An open casting call will be held this Saturday (7/14) from 10 am – 2 pm at Franklin Industries (612 10th Ave N., Nashville, Tennessee 37203).

The positions are paid and are open to men and women of all ages and ethnicities. While no previous acting experience is required, participants are asked to bring a recent 4″ x 6″ headshot (taken within the last 7 days).

Nashville stars Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere. Rayna James (Britton) is a country legend who’s had a career any singer would envy, though lately her popularity is starting to wane. Fans still line up to get her autograph, but she’s not packing the arenas like she used to. Rayna’s record label thinks a concert tour, opening for up-and-comer Juliette Barnes (Panettiere), the young and sexy future of country music, is just what Rayna needs. But scheming Juliette can’t wait to steal Rayna’s spotlight. Sharing a stage is the last thing Rayna wants to do, which sets up a power struggle for popularity.

The series begins shooting at the end of July.

Marlee Scott at NASCAR’s The Glen Race Weekend

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The latest installment of her “Make It or Bake It” webisode cooking series is a Watkins Glen-inspired racing drink called “Zoom-By-Ya.” View it by clicking the photo above.

Marlee Scott will make multiple appearances at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at The Glen race weekend, which runs Aug. 9-12 in Watkins Glen, New York.

Scott will help kick off the weekend festivities with a concert on Friday night, Aug. 10, at the Red Cat Summer Stage. Then she will make a private VIP appearance on Saturday and on Sunday she is slated to perform the U.S. and Canadian national anthems live on ESPN immediately prior to the race. This year’s Watkins Glen International NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is expected to attract approximately 5 million viewers on ESPN.

Scott has performed at numerous high-profile sporting events over the past year, including the 2011 ACC Football Championship game, the Unbridled Eve Gala at the 138th Kentucky Derby weekend, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and several Major League Baseball and National Hockey League games.

Marlee Scott released her U.S. debut album, Beautiful Maybe, on June 19. She has released two singles and music videos from the project to date: 2011’s “Beautiful Maybe” and 2012’s “Train Wreck.”

For more details visit www.TheGlen.com and www.MarleeScott.com.

Hosts Announced For 23rd IBMA Awards

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Laurie Lewis and Del McCoury

Award-winning fiddler Laurie Lewis and Bluegrass Hall of Famer Del McCoury have been announced as hosts for the 23rd Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, scheduled for 7:30 pm Sept. 27 at the Ryman Auditorium.

The IBMA Awards take place during the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Business Conference and Fan Fest week, which runs September 24-30 in Nashville. Nominated talent, voted by members of the IBMA, will be announced next month (8/15) at a special press conference at The Loveless Barn.

“This will be a very significant and poignant event, as the bluegrass community comes together to recognize and honor its own, and to pay tribute to some of the pioneers we’ve lost this year, including the great Earl Scruggs,” said Lewis.

The IBMA Awards Show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks. Program directors and station managers are able to sign up as affiliates here. For more information, including tickets, visit www.ibma.org.

As previously announced, the series of IBMA events will move to Raleigh, NC for three years, from 2013-2015.

Industry Ink (7/12/12)

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(L-R): Josh Elliott, Josh Turner and Robin Roberts on the set of Good Morning America. Photo: Courtesy ABC News / Fred Lee

Josh Turner Enjoys a Dozen… Million
Josh Turner performed his current hit single “Time Is Love” on ABC’s Good Morning America yesterday (7/11), to help promote his fifth studio album Punching Bag. During his visit, GMA co-hosts Robin Roberts and Josh Elliott surprised Josh by presenting him with a plaque to commemorate over 12 million units sold for MCA Nashville. See the presentation here. Turner also has upcoming appearances on ABC’s The Chew and CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman on August 23.

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BuzzMedia Goes For A Spin
Digital media company BuzzMedia has acquired Spin Media, which includes Spin Magazine and its related properties such as the Spin Play app, Spin.com and more. Buzzmedia now owns popular music websites Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Idolator as well as the official websites for the Kardashian sisters and Britney Spears. Hypebot reports that BuzzMedia is now the fourth largest digital content publisher in the U.S.

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KCA Inks Crowell
KCA Artists has announced the addition of Rodney Crowell to its roster for exclusive booking representation. Crowell is currently touring to support his project KIN (Vanguard Records), a musical collaboration with Mary Karr, Norah Jones, Lee Ann Womack, Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill, Lucinda Williams, Kris Kristofferson, and Emmylou Harris. See upcoming dates here.

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Strange Arrange Remixes On the Fly
On Saturday (7/14), Limelight Nashville will host Strange Arrange, a live Hip-Hop and R&B arrangement competition. Hosted by Courtney “Coko Korinne” Eason and Nashville radio personality Joe Major, the event will pit five bands against one another to perform big radio hits with new, inventive arrangements.

Bands competing include 7.0 of Charlotte, NC; Traq Planet of Jacksonville, FL; 911 Reporters of Huntsville, AL; Nerdy Tunes of Miami, FL; and Second Nature of Chicago, IL. Judging the competition are bassist Adam Blackstone, bassist Ethan Farmer, drummer Gerald Heyward, and Grammy nominated artist Musiq Soulchild. The winner will receive $10,000 cash, a magazine feature, and recording session/video shoot with Musiq Soulchild. The competition begins at 7 pm. More info here.

HarperCollins Publishers Acquires Thomas Nelson

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Yesterday (7/11), HarperCollins Publishers announced it has acquired Nashville-based Thomas Nelson, leading publisher of inspirational Christian content including books, Bibles, e-books, journals, audio, video, reference curriculum, digital apps and live events.

Thomas Nelson will continue to operate as an independent company with its unique editorial focus on inspirational and Christian content. Details, such as how Thomas Nelson will benefit from HarperCollins’ global print and digital platform, are forthcoming.

BMLG Adds Three Staffers

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Pictured (L-R): Meg Gregg, Christine Drexel and Lara Lane

The Big Machine Label Group announced three new staff hires today (7/11). Christine Drexel recently joined the team as Coordinator of Promotion & Media Strategy, while Meg Gregg and Lara Lane have been added as Finance & Accounting Coordinators.

In 2010, Drexel began interning at BMLG, working with various departments while attending Loyola Marymount University. In her new role at the company, she is managing the Outnumber Hunger On Tour bus on Rascal Flatts’ Changed Tour. She will report to VP/Promotion & Media Strategy John Zarling. Drexel will be based in Nashville and can be reached at 972-965-8977 or christine.drexel@bmlg.net.

“I am thrilled Christine is joining our team,” says Zarling. “Her passion, work ethic and broad understanding of the promotional landscape make there the perfect addition to the department.”

Gregg and Lane will report to Director of Finance Brad Kash in the Administration Department. Previously, Gregg worked at the business management firm Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy. She can be reached at meg.gregg@bmlg.net and 615-324-7792. Lane’s background is also in business management, working most recently at Haber Corporation. She can be reached at lara.lane@bmlg.net and 615-324-7781.

“As Big Machine Label Group continues to grow, I’m really excited about the strong music industry business management and finance background both Meg and Lara bring to our team,” adds Kash. “Their contributions will allow us to provide an even greater level of support to our roster of artists, songwriters and business partners.”

Chesney to Appear on ESPY Awards, Leno

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Photo: Jill Trunnell

Kenny Chesney is still riding a wave of sales success with his new album Welcome to the Fishbowl in the No. 1 spot of Billboard’s Country Album Chart for the third week, and he will head to California for a string of appearances this week.

Tonight (7/11), Chesney will appear as a presenter on ESPN’s ESPY Awards. Chesney has long had a close relationship with the sports network, which aired his films Boys of Fall and The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story. Chesney also appears in the latest “This Is SportsCenter” ad. The Awards, hosted by comedian Rob Riggle, air tonight at 8 pm/CT.

On Thursday (7/12), Chesney will perform his current hit single “Come Over” on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.

Over the weekend, The Brothers of the Sun Tour with Tim McGraw will play a sold-out Angels Stadium in Anaheim for the first of its two California shows. On Sunday, the stadium tour will move north to O.co Coliseum in Oakland.

Industry Updates (7/11/12)

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RCA Nashville’s Love and Theft recently stopped by CMT to visit with CMT Radio Live host Cody Alan and discuss the duo’s hit single “Angel Eyes.” LNT’s upcoming self-titled album hits stores July 24.

(L-R): LNT’s Stephen Barker Liles, Cody Alan, LNT’s Eric Gunderson Photo: Dingo O’Brien

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(L-R): EYB’s Jon Jones, Mike Eli, CMT Canada’s Casey Clarke, EYB’s James Young and Chris Thompson. Photo: Republic Nashville

Eli Young Band just notched its first ever Canadian No. 1 with the red-hot single “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” which topped both Billboard and Mediabase Canada Country Charts as well as CMT Canada’s Top 20. The group is still celebrating the recent news that its breakout hit “Crazy Girl” was certified Gold.

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently paid tribute to Chet Atkins’ thumbpicking inspiration, Merle Travis, by hosting the “Muhlenburg County Thumbpickers” concert. Named for Travis’ birthplace in Kentucky, the show featured award-winning Muhlenburg Country guitarists. The program was presented as part of the exhibit Chet Atkins: Certified Guitar Player, Made Possible by the Gretsch Company, which closes July 15.

(L-R): Joe Hudson, Freddie Russell, Eddie Pennington, Paul Moseley, and Vice President of Museum Programs Jay Orr. Photo: Donn Jones

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One Night Rodeo

Country duo One Night Rodeo, which won Next GAC Star in 2008, has been tapped to headline the Hooters Summer on Ice Tour in Florida during July and August. The group and its label Fox Hill Records have partnered with Abaco Beach Resort in the Bahamas for the big tour finale. Dates here.

 

Jana Kramer To Perform on The Tonight Show

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Jana Kramer will perform her lead single, “Why Ya Wanna,” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this evening (7/11) at 11:35/10:35 pm CT. The single appears on Kramer’s self-titled debut album, which was released June 5 on Elektra Nashville.

Kramer is currently on Brad Paisley’s Virtual Reality Tour performing on the Virtual Opry Stage – dates run through the Fall and can be found on her website.