Morris Artists Management Announces Promotions

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Clint Higham, Mike Betterton

Morris Artists Management, which directs the careers of Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Jake Owen and more, has announced the promotions of several staff members.

Nineteen year company vet Clint Higham has been named President. The longtime manager of Chesney, Higham oversees careers of all Morris artists. Dale Morris remains as Chairman.

“My entire adult life and career has been spent being tutored and mentored by my hero, best friend and our chairman Dale Morris,” said Higham. “He’s instilled in me to always put our artist first and focus on long term careers.”

Mike Betterton, who joined the company in 1993, has been promoted to General Manager. He serves as day to day manager for Jake Owen and is involved with booking show dates for Chesney and McBride. Brandon Gill has been elevated to Vice President and works day to day with Owen and McBride. Matt Petty has been promoted to VP Digital and is responsible for all artists’ social properties. Tiffany Benken has been promoted to Senior Director, assisting with Chesney and McBride, tour marketing for Owen, and daily activities with Higham.

Morris Artists Management also include Vice President Promotion Buffy Cooper and Senior Director Kyle Quigley, both of whom joined late in 2011.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (7/05/12)

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Kip Moore is a star.

That is all you need to know this week. His entire Up All Night album is a joy from start to finish. Its track, “Beer Money,” wins Kip Moore an undeniable Disc of the Day award. It’s his second such nod in a row from this column, and we all know what happened last time.

If you must have a Female and a Group winner, they would be Lauren Alaina and The Lost Trailers. Both of them also have fine new releases this week.

The DisCovery Award goes to Runaway Home. This new trio reminds us how refreshing a dash of harmony-laced folk can be in a country-music diet.

TRACE ADKINS/Them Lips (On Mine)
Writer: Jim Beavers/Tom Shapiro; Producer: Kenny Beard, Mark Wright & Mickey Jack Cones; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Beavertime/EMI Blackwood/Little Dooey, BMI; Show Dog Universal (CDX)
—Lightly funky, with a cool, wah-wah guitar and a drawling, bluesy lead vocal. There’s a dandy instrumental break and a similar instrumental fade at the end. Very listenable.

MARTY STUART & BUCK TRENT/Tear This Woodpile Down
Writer: Marty Stuart; Producer: Marty Stuart; Publisher: Marty Stuart, BMI; Sugar Hill (CDX)
—Romping and rousing. Embellished with lickety-split electric guitar work and double-time drumming.

SHOOTER JENNINGS/The Real Me
Writer: Shooter Jennings; Producer: Shooter Jennings; Publisher: Wolf’s Tale, ASCAP; eOne (CDX) (615-861-4232)
—Loping through the barroom, a little unsteady of foot and weaving to and fro. Relaxed and charming, even when it picks up speed and volume at the finale.

SARA EVANS/Anywhere
Writer: Matt Evans/Jaren Johnston; Producer: Nathan Chapman & Sara Evans; Publisher: EMI Blackwood/Uncle Matt/Sony ATV Harmony/Texa Rae, BMI/ASCAP; RCA
—“Heads Carolina, Tails California” explored this topic earlier, and better.

JASON CASSIDY/Ride of Your Life
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; A-Blake/Smith Music Group (www.jasoncassidymusic.com)
—All amped up and nowhere to go. It’s the one about a hot gal, a cold beer and a truck on a red-dirt country road. Again.

LAUREN ALAINA/Eighteen Inches
Writer: Kelley Lovelace/Ashley Gorley/Carrie Underwood; Producer: Byron Gallimore; Publisher: EMI April/Taperoom/Bug/Music of Windswept/Songs of Southside Independent/Carrie-Okie, ASCAP/BMI; Mercury/19/
Interscope (track)
—Sweetly soaring and irresistible. Two crazy kids elope and head for California without a dime and no prospects in sight. You see, when you’re young and in love “there ain’t no greater distance than the 18 inches between your head and your heart.” It’s a lovely piece of songwriting, and she sings the fire out of it. So nice I played it twice.

JASON STURGEON/Time Bomb
Writer: Jason Sturgeon; Producer: Greg Archilla & Jason Sturgeon; Publisher: Jason Sturgeon, BMI; Tool Pusher (www.jasonsturgeonmusic.com)
—The title refers to a high-performance car. He doesn’t actually “sing” this. It’s more like alternating between growling and screaming. Before it was even half over, I was yelling, myself: “Shut Up!”

KIP MOORE/Beer Money
Writer: Kip Moore/Blair Daly/Troy Verges; Producer: Brett James; Publisher: Warner-Tamerlane/Against the Wind/Songs of the Corn/Southside Independent/Internal Combustion/Kickin Grids/Songs of Universal/Songs From the Engine Room, BMI; MCA Nashville (track)
—He sings with such conviction and passion. The track rumbles with muscular energy. And the lyric of escape from the stifling everyday routine will resonate with anyone who has ever been young. This rocks my world.

THE LOST TRAILERS/American Beauty
Writer: Mason Douglas/Josh Osborn/Matt Jenkins; Producer: Stokes Nielson; Publisher: none listed; HRT/New Revolution/Stokes Tunes (615-331-9631)
—Wonderfully catchy and melodic. This lilting, smiling performance sounds exactly like summertime and deserves massive radio airplay.

RUNAWAY HOME/Bye Bye Baby Jane
Writer: none listed; Producer: Runaway Home; Publisher: none listed; Cub Creek (track) (www.runawayhomemusic.com)
—Remember The McCarters? Lisa, one of the trio’s twin sisters, is now a vocalist in  this delightful, folkie, acoustic-based, harmony-happy ensemble. The other two Runaway Home members — Mark Elliott and Gary Culley — provide the group with a clutch of hearty, well-penned songs, including this highly tuneful lead-off track of its debut CD. Extremely promising.

Austen Adams Joins Crownover, Blevins

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Austen Adams

Derek Crownover and Allen Blevins, shareholders in Crownover, Blevins, P.C., recently welcomed entertainment and intellectual property attorney Austen Adams to the firm.

Adams, who is also an adjunct professor at Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, has been working in the Nashville music industry since 2003. He was an attorney at Lyon and Phillips, and later opened his own practice where he worked as a contract lawyer with Crownover Blevins. Adams merged his practice with Crownover Blevins earlier this year. Prior to that, he worked in artist management, including stints with Monty Hitchcock, Bert Stein at Gold Mountain Entertainment, and Faith Quesenberry at Curiosita Entertainment.

“I have always tried to take a pro-active approach to representing clients by looking forward instead of reacting to the past,” said Adams. “It has been a blessing to find other lawyers like Derek and Allen who share that belief and put it into practice every day. I think we all make a great team.”

“I have respected Austen’s work for quite a while,” Crownover said. “His experience and knowledge not only as a dealmaker but as a previous litigator gives us more capacity and upper level service for our niche and growing client base.”

After obtaining his J.D. from the Louisiana State University School of Law in 1999, Adams worked as a federal law clerk and then as an associate with the Baton Rouge law firm Taylor, Porter, Brooks and Phillips.

News From Rodney Crowell, Brad Paisley, Little Big Town

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Rodney Crowell

• Rodney Crowell will participate in the Nashville Public Library Nashville Writers Circle on July 15 at 3 p.m. Songwriter Crowell is author of his memoir Chinaberry Sidewalks. The gathering of serious writers features lively conversation about the craft, and will also welcome Jack Hurst, author of Born to Battle. John Seigenthaler and William M. Akers will host. The event will be at the downtown library, beginning with a reception at 2:30 p.m. followed by discussion at 3 p.m. For more information, click here.

• Little Big Town, Natalie Hemby and Bob DiPiero will perform at the CMA Songwriters Series at New York City’s Joe’s Pub on Wed., Aug. 1, with shows at 6:30 and 9:00 p.m./ET.

• Due to his highly successful 2011 tour in Scandinavia, Brad Paisley has added four international dates to his Virtual Reality World Tour for 2012. The Band Perry will join him for the run, Nov. 8-11, which will visit two cities each in Sweden and Norway.

• For a recap of 4th of July events click here. Highlights include Music City’s riverfront festivities, Kenny Chesney and Katy Perry on Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular on NBC, and A Capitol Fourth on PBS featuring Josh Turner.

Gloriana Featured in CMT Exclusive Web Series

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Gloriana is celebrating the release of its new album A Thousand Miles Left Behind with an online video series that launched today (7/3), exclusively on CMT.com. The band will share new videos each Tuesday throughout the month, highlighting the stories and songs behind new album A Thousand Miles Left Behind, which will be released July 31.

In the first video filmed from the group’s tour bus, the country music trio shares why “Soldier Song” holds a special place in their hearts and offers an exclusive performance that can be seen only on CMT.com. The series concludes Tuesday, July 31 with the launch of Gloriana’s new album and a special LIVE @ CMT performance, the CMT.com series that lets fans take a front row seat as artists play their latest songs live in the CMT studio.

Hank Jr. Offering Free Downloads With New Widget

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Hank Williams, Jr. will give fans free downloads of his new single, “That Ain’t Good,” from his July 10 album release, Old School, New Rules through the “Free Music for a Free America” program.

Bocephus Records and Blaster Entertainment will offer the single to fans through specially designed widgets for local stations, Radio network Dial Global and satellite radio Sirius XM until Fri., July 13. Fans will be able to click through the widget to learn more about Old School, New Rules and download “That Ain’t Good.” Radio stations wishing to participate in the program, should contact The Hot Seat.

The 12-song Old School, New Rules, available for pre-sale at www.hankjr.com, includes a duet with Brad Paisley,“I’m Gonna Get Drunk And Play Hank Williams,” as well as a new duet with Merle Haggard on his classic “I Think I’ll Just Sit Here and Drink.”

Track Listing:
1. Takin’ Back The Country
2. I’m Gonna Get Drunk And Play Hank Williams (with Brad Paisley)
3. Three Day Trip
4. Old School
5. We Don’t Apologize for America
6. You Win Again
7. Cow Turd Blues
8. Who’s Takin’ Care of Number One
9. That Ain’t Good
10. Keep The Change
11. Stock Market Blues
12. I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink (with Merle Haggard)

Artist Baby Boom

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Lacey and Jake Owen

It’s a big news week for artists and their offspring.

• Jake Owen and his new wife, Lacey Buchanan Owen, are expecting a baby girl this fall. The couple was married in May in Owen’s hometown of Vero Beach, Fla.

• The Civil Wars’ Joy Williams and her husband/manager Nate Yetton welcomed their first child on Saturday (6/30) in Nashville. Mom and son Miles Alexander are doing well.

• Emily Robison is expecting her fourth child, which will be her first with boyfriend Martin Strayer. Robison’s other children are with former husband Charlie Robison.

• Grammy-nominated Christian singer Francesca Battistelli and husband Matthew Goodwin welcomed their second child today (7/3). Audrey Jane Goodwin joins big brother Matthew Elijah.

• Big Ride Records artist Craig Wayne Boyd and longtime girlfriend Natalie Hoover welcomed a healthy baby boy, Jaxon Wayne Boyd on Saturday (6/30) in Nashville.

• Adele is expecting her first child with boyfriend Simon Konecki, co-founder of U.K bottled water company Life Water.

Worley and Friends Fundraiser In Murfreesboro

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(L-R): Darryl Worley, Walt Aldridge, Brett Jones, and Jim "Moose" Brown

Darryl Worley has tapped fellow hit songwriters Walt Aldridge, Brett Jones and Jim “Moose” Brown for a benefit Tuesday, July 10, 7 p.m. at Bumpus Harley-Davidson in Murfreesboro. Proceeds will go to the Darryl Worley Foundation which supports organizations including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center and the Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center.

This is one of three songwriter events Worley is hosting leading up to his Tennessee River Run. A recent show in Collierville raised more than $33,400, and Bumpus Harley-Davidson of Jackson will host an event on Tues., July 31.

The 2012 Tennessee River Run, planned for Sept. 13-15 in Savannah, Tenn., includes a downtown concert, golf tournament, bass tournament, motorcycle ride, boat poker run, kids’ fishing tournament, 5k and arts and crafts fair. Details at www.darrylworley.com.

Ben Vaughn Exits EMI Music Publishing

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It remains unofficial, but MusicRow has learned that EMI Music Publishing Nashville Executive VP/GM Ben Vaughn has exited the company in the wake of the completed merger with Sony/ATV.

Vaughn became the youngest publisher to lead a major Nashville organization such as EMI, where he has spent the last 10 years and helmed the company since 2010. During this time EMI’s market share has grown from 7.3% in Q1 2010 when Vaughn took over, to 14.1% in Q1 2012. He personally signed songwriters such as Dallas Davidson (current ACM/BMI Songwriter of the Year), Rhett Akins (BMI Songwriter of the Year), Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott (SESAC Songwriter of the Year) and others.

Vaughn got an early start in the publishing game being named GM at Big Tractor Music at just 20 years old. He currently serves on the Board of the Academy of Country Music, is a Governor on the Nashville NARAS Board and an active member of the CMA and NMPA.

Reach him at nashvaughn@yahoo.com.

Actor and Singer Andy Griffith Dies

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Andy Griffith and Marty Stuart collaborating in 2003. Photo: Alan Mayor

Beloved television actor and singer Andy Griffith passed away earlier today (7/3) at his home in Dare County, NC. He was 86. The news was confirmed to North Carolina’s WITN News by Griffith’s friend, UNC President Bill Friday.

Known for his down-to-earth leading roles in The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) and Matlock (1986-1995), Griffith became a symbol of small town America as Sheriff Andy Taylor. Also a talented vocalist and musician, Griffith recorded several country and gospel albums throughout his lengthy career. In 2005, Griffith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush.

Andrew Samuel Griffith was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Griffith was originally studying to be a preacher, but changed his major to music. Following graduation, he taught high school English before launching his entertainment career.

His first forays into entertainment were comedic monologues, including “What it Was, Was Football” which charted in 1954. He landed a role in the teleplay No Time For Sergeants in 1955, and made his film debut as a darker, less wholesome character in A Face in the Crowd (1957).

The Andy Griffith Show began airing on CBS in 1960, when the Sheriff Andy Taylor character was spun off from Make Room For Daddy. The highly successful show set in fictionalized Mayberry, NC, ran eight years, earning multiple Emmy Awards for the comedic performances of Griffith’s co-star Don Knotts. Griffith later found success in 1986 with the legal drama Matlock, in which he starred as a country lawyer with a knack for winning his cases.

In addition to his humorous monologues, Griffith also recorded an album of country and gospel songs while The Andy Griffith Show was in production, which included a version of the show’s iconic theme song “The Fishin’ Hole.” He later recorded several albums of hymns for Sparrow Records, including the successful 1996 release I Love To Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns which won a Grammy Award for Best Southern Gospel Album. In 2003, Griffith recorded The Christmas Guest with producer Marty Stuart. In 2008, he appeared in Brad Paisley’s video for “Waitin’ On a Woman.”

Turner Classic Movies will pay tribute to Griffith’s career by showing four of his films on July 18. Starting at 7 pm CT, TCM will show A Face In The Crowd, No Time For Sargeants, Hearts of the West, and Onionhead.