Joanna Smith visited with WDKN recently to promote her new single, “We Can’t Be Friends.” The song lands at No. 26 on this week’s CountryBreakout Chart. Pictured (L-R): Dale Turner (WDKN), Smith, RG Jones (Sony Music Nashville)
SPIN ZONE
This summer’s heat wave continues its grip on us just as Dierks Bentley’s “5-1-5-0″ continues holding CountryBreakout Chart’s No. 1 spot for the third consecutive week. The Band Perry’s “Postcard From Paris” maintains the No. 2 spot while Keith Urban’s “For You” jumps another step to No. 3. In its 8th week on the chart, Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over” skips up one to No. 4 followed by Gloriana‘s “Kissed You” at No. 5.
Judging by the high number of frozen reports below, many radio people are vacationing or just enjoying some Independence Day time off. Nevertheless, Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” paddles up another 3 spots entering the Top 10 at No. 9 with a 245 spin gain this week. Zac Brown Band‘s “The Wind” blows by another 3 spots to No. 20 while Carrie Underwood‘s “Blown Away” leaps from No. 73 to No. 44 in its 2nd week on the chart with 362 additional spins.
Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” at No. 60 is both the highest chart debut and the largest increase in spins this week. Other debuts include Andy Gibson‘s “Summer Back” at No. 63, Candy Coburn‘s “That Thing You Do” at No. 77, Eric Church‘s “Creepin'” at No. 78, Glen Templeton‘s “That’s My Job” at No. 79, and Randy Travis‘ “More Life” at No. 80.
Frozen Reports: KCJC, KFTX, KGMN, KICR, KMKS, KTTI, KVOM, KVVP, KXBZ, KYEZ, KYYK, KYTN, KZTL, WDHR, WEIO, WKDZ, WLJE, WOWF, WQNZ, WRHT, WTCM, WTHO
RADIO NEWS
KBXB/Sikeston, MO PD C.J. Cruze has announced he is exiting his position with the station, effective July 13. Taking up his duties will be Brian Taylor, who will take music calls Tuesdays 11 am – 12 pm. Reach him at btaylor@withersradio.net.
Upcoming Singles
July 9
Carrie Underwood/Blown Away/19-Arista Nashville
The Lost Trailers/American Beauty/Stokes-HRT-New Revolution
Lisa Torres/Car That Runs/Render Records
Miss Willie Brown/You’re All That Matters To Me/A&M Octone-Rodeowave
Parmalee/Musta Had A Good Time/Stoney Creek
Kip Moore/Beer Money/MCA
Steve Richard/Toothbrush/Force MP-GrassRoots
Marty Stuart with Buck Trent/Tear The Woodpile Down/Sugar Hill
Joanna Mosca/Dream On Savannah/Dolce Diva
July 16
Lauren Alaina/Eighteen Inches/Mercury Nashville-19 Recordings-Interscope
Kelleigh Bannen/Sorry on the Rocks/EMI Nashville
Levi Riggs/There’s Still A Place For That/Flying Island
Lonestar/The Countdown/4 Star Records
Shooter Jennings/The Real Me/eOne
Levi Riggs/There’s Still A Place For That/Windridge
John Karl/Redneck Rich (Hillbilly Happy)/Pour Boy
Don Williams feat. Alison Krauss/I Just Come Here For The Music/Sugar Hill
• • • •
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Tim McGraw/Truck Yeah/Big Machine – 60
Andy Gibson/Summer Back/Curb – 63
Candy Coburn/That Thing You Do/LomaJean – 77
Eric Church/Creepin’/EMI Nashville – 78
Glen Templeton/That’s My Job/Black River Entertainment – 79
Randy Travis/More Life/Warner Bros. – 80
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Tim McGraw/Truck Yeah/Big Machine – 364
Carrie Underwood/Blown Away/19-Arista Nashville – 362
Little Big Town/Pontoon/Capitol – 245
Zac Brown Band/The Wind/Southern Ground-Atlantic – 207
Lady Antebellum/Wanted You More/Capitol – 198
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Carrie Underwood/Blown Away/19-Arista Nashville – 16
Miranda Lambert/Fastest Girl In Town/RCA Nashville – 16
Tim McGraw/Right Back Atcha Babe/Curb – 12
Aaron Lewis/Endless Summer/Blaster Records – 12
Trace Adkins/Them Lips (On Mine)/Show Dog-Universal – 10
Casey James/Crying On A Suitcase/19-Columbia Nashville – 9
Heidi Newfield/Why’d You Have To Be So Good/Sidewalk Records – 8
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Bill Gentry/That Kind of Life/Tenacity Records – 184
Brandon Holland/Man In The Moon – 167
Britt & Blaire/Young Summer/Mt. Juliet Records – 165
Bobby Dean/Me and George Strait/Lamon – 165
Sawyer Brown/Ain’t Goin’ Out That Way/Beach Street Records – 161
Trace Adkins made a stop in Bakersfield as part of his "Songs and Stories Tour" Pictured (L-R): KUZZ/Bakersfield PD Tom Jordan, Jordan's wife Lori Giamanco, Adkins and Show Dog-Universal’s Lisa Owen
Scotty McCreery and Jana Kramer played WKLB/Boston’s Rockin’ Country Music Series on Monday night (7/2). Pictured (L-R) W.A.R. MW/NE regionals Lindsay Walleman, WKLB’s Dawn Santolucito, Kramer, McCreery, WKLB’s Ginny Rogers, and Mercury’s Sally Green
Artist Updates (7/6/12)
/by Freeman• • • • •
Carrie Underwood has wrapped up a successful string of shows in the United Kingdom and Australia, including a sold-out concert at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall. Underwood’s latest album Blown Away debuted at No. 1 in both countries.
• • • • •
Lady Antebellum recently finished the North American leg of its headlining Own The Night World Tour, sponsored by GAC. The 85 city run reached a major milestone for the trio, as it brought out over one million fans to venues. Lady A will continue through Europe and Australia this summer.
• • • • •
Trace Adkins has released his latest single “Them Lips (On Mine),” which is currently climbing the CountryBreakout Chart at No. 38. The song appears on Adkins’ forthcoming Show Dog-Universal album, due for a fall release. Adkins’ team has put together an online campaign allowing fans to give a “virtual kiss” to the singer. Check it out here.
• • • • •
Clint Black and History Detectives' Elyse Luray (R) uncover the secrets of Black's antique book. Photo: Jon-Paul Photography
Clint Black recently appeared on an episode of Lifetime’s Coming Home, where he helped two children write a song about their Army captain father who returned from Afghanistan. Black is also featured in an upcoming episode of the PBS series History Detectives, which will air Tuesday, July 24 at 8 pm CT. The episode will center on the history of an artifact Black was given by his wife. Clint Black and History Detectives’ Elyse Luray uncover the secrets of Black’s antique book. Airing July 24, 2012 on PBS. Photo: Jon-Paul Photography
• • • • •
Teen Hoot is presenting HootFest, a concert outlet for teenage performers and musicians, at Rocketown in Nashville today (7/6) and tomorrow (7/7). Twenty-two artists from five countries are performing, including Dylan Holland, Peyton Sanders, AJ Silva, Tyler Matl, and more. Music starts at 6 pm and tickets are $35 here.
• • • • •
(L-R): Sarah Darling; Madison Cain; Jonathan Cain
Black River Entertainment’s Sarah Darling had a surprise guest performer during her set at Wednesday’s “Music City July 4th” celebration when Journey’s Jonathan Cain joined her to perform “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
• • • • •
Jo Dee Messina has joined the Babble Voices Team on babble.com as a blog contributor, and is the first musician to write for the website. Messina debuted her “Backstage With Fumbling Mom” blog on the site July 1. See it here.
• • • • •
HLN Morning Express host Robin Meade (L) with Angie Johnson.
The Voice contestant Angie Johnson recently performed her self-penned song “Outlaw Spirit” on HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade. The two also chatted about Johnson’s career in the military and performing at Warner-Robbins AFB “Independence Day Concert” with Josh Turner. Johnson also has a Kickstarter.com campaign for her upcoming album here.
Signings: Tora Fisher, Josh Kerr
/by Caitlin RantalaL–R: Chris Keaton (Chris Keaton Presents), Tora Fisher, and Lee Lessack (President, LML Music)
New York City singer/songwriter Tora Fisher, who recently signed with manager Chris Keaton, is anticipating the release of her debut album Spilling Over next Tuesday (7/10). The album was produced by Tora and Michael Mugrage, who also co-wrote several tracks on the CD. It will be released via LML Music/Allegro.
“This entire album is about men,” says Tora. “I guess I find that somewhat ironic because I’m such a strong independent woman who can provide for herself and in the process act like a father figure to many of my friends and family. But that’s probably why it dominates my art. In life I am all of the things a strong woman should be. In music, I’m just a fragile girl who’s had her heart broken by the men I’ve lost both in life and in love.”
••••
L-R: Black River's Celia Froehlig, Josh Kerr and Black River's Robert Carlton
Black River Publishing has added to its songwriter roster with the signing of Josh Kerr. “I believe Josh Kerr has a very bright future ahead and I am happy to have him on our Black River Publishing roster,” said Black River’s VP Publishing, Celia Froehlig.
Photo Friday (7/6/12)
/by MichelleThe Academy of Country Music recently welcomed Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville recording artist Jerrod Niemann to its offices while he was in Los Angeles. He is gearing up for the October 2 release of his sophomore album, Free The Music. While at the Academy he performed his current single “Shinin’ On Me,” and previewed songs from Free The Music for the staff.
(L-R): Paul Barnabee, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sony Music Nashville; Jerrod Niemann; Tiffany Moon, ACM Executive Vice President/Managing Director; Steve Emley, Fitzgerald Hartley Photo: Michel Bourquard/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music
• • • •
Grammy award-winning guitarist Earl Klugh performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame ® and Museum on Saturday (6/30). Klugh performed and shared memories of his friend and mentor, Chet Atkins. The exhibit Chet Atkins: Certified Guitar Player, will close on July 15.
(L-R): Curatorial Director Mick Buck, Steve Wariner, c.g.p., Earl Klugh, John Knowles, c.g.p., and Mark Pritcher, president of the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society. Photo: Donn Jones
Steel Magnolia's Joshua Scott Jones, Governor Roy Barnes and Steel Magnolia's Meghan Linsey Photo: Dan Harr/MusicNewsNashville.com
Creative Nation and Preston Taylor Ministries Partner For Benefit
/by Eric T. ParkerThe evening will begin at 6 pm with performances by songwriters Luke Laird, Rhett Akins, Dave Berg, Ashley Gorley, Ann Marie, Danny Myrick and a special performance from The Little Preston Taylor Ministries Rockers.
Tickets are $5 and support Preston Taylor Ministries mission to provide hope for children and families living in environments of drug use, gang involvement, teenage pregnancy, illiteracy, poor school performance and crime through mentoring programs, after school activities and Bible studies.
For additional information on Preston Taylor Ministries, visit www.ptmweb.ik.org
CountryBreakout No. 1 Song
/by FreemanAnd yet, the song (written by Bentley with Brett and Jim Beavers) sounds like concentrated summertime, riding a twangy, uptempo groove that screams “Party!” Which is one good reason it’s the CountryBreakout Chart No. 1 song for the third consecutive week. Extending this theme, the Wes Edwards-directed video clip features copious amounts of ATVs, jacked up trucks, mud, scantily clad women, dust clouds and a high speed police chase. So this particular state of mental distress actually seems like a pretty happenin’ way to be, all things considered.
“I have never had so much fun…or gotten so dirty…at a video shoot,” said Bentley. “It’s hard to call it ‘work’ when you get to drive trucks and four wheelers through the mud all day. The fans who came out to this shoot were ready to get 5-1-5-0, so we basically just pulled up a bunch of trucks, threw some gear in the back, turned up the speakers and then let them do their thing. It was pretty wild!”
Bentley also recently played CMT’s Unplugged series, where he unveiled his new signature HD Dierks Bentley Martin guitar, which will be available in stores fall. For tour dates, check www.dierks.com.
Weekly Chart Report (7/5/2012)
/by Sherod RobertsonJoanna Smith visited with WDKN recently to promote her new single, “We Can’t Be Friends.” The song lands at No. 26 on this week’s CountryBreakout Chart. Pictured (L-R): Dale Turner (WDKN), Smith, RG Jones (Sony Music Nashville)
SPIN ZONE
This summer’s heat wave continues its grip on us just as Dierks Bentley’s “5-1-5-0″ continues holding CountryBreakout Chart’s No. 1 spot for the third consecutive week. The Band Perry’s “Postcard From Paris” maintains the No. 2 spot while Keith Urban’s “For You” jumps another step to No. 3. In its 8th week on the chart, Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over” skips up one to No. 4 followed by Gloriana‘s “Kissed You” at No. 5.
Judging by the high number of frozen reports below, many radio people are vacationing or just enjoying some Independence Day time off. Nevertheless, Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” paddles up another 3 spots entering the Top 10 at No. 9 with a 245 spin gain this week. Zac Brown Band‘s “The Wind” blows by another 3 spots to No. 20 while Carrie Underwood‘s “Blown Away” leaps from No. 73 to No. 44 in its 2nd week on the chart with 362 additional spins.
Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” at No. 60 is both the highest chart debut and the largest increase in spins this week. Other debuts include Andy Gibson‘s “Summer Back” at No. 63, Candy Coburn‘s “That Thing You Do” at No. 77, Eric Church‘s “Creepin'” at No. 78, Glen Templeton‘s “That’s My Job” at No. 79, and Randy Travis‘ “More Life” at No. 80.
Frozen Reports: KCJC, KFTX, KGMN, KICR, KMKS, KTTI, KVOM, KVVP, KXBZ, KYEZ, KYYK, KYTN, KZTL, WDHR, WEIO, WKDZ, WLJE, WOWF, WQNZ, WRHT, WTCM, WTHO
RADIO NEWS
KBXB/Sikeston, MO PD C.J. Cruze has announced he is exiting his position with the station, effective July 13. Taking up his duties will be Brian Taylor, who will take music calls Tuesdays 11 am – 12 pm. Reach him at btaylor@withersradio.net.
Upcoming Singles
July 9
Carrie Underwood/Blown Away/19-Arista Nashville
The Lost Trailers/American Beauty/Stokes-HRT-New Revolution
Lisa Torres/Car That Runs/Render Records
Miss Willie Brown/You’re All That Matters To Me/A&M Octone-Rodeowave
Parmalee/Musta Had A Good Time/Stoney Creek
Kip Moore/Beer Money/MCA
Steve Richard/Toothbrush/Force MP-GrassRoots
Marty Stuart with Buck Trent/Tear The Woodpile Down/Sugar Hill
Joanna Mosca/Dream On Savannah/Dolce Diva
July 16
Lauren Alaina/Eighteen Inches/Mercury Nashville-19 Recordings-Interscope
Kelleigh Bannen/Sorry on the Rocks/EMI Nashville
Levi Riggs/There’s Still A Place For That/Flying Island
Lonestar/The Countdown/4 Star Records
Shooter Jennings/The Real Me/eOne
Levi Riggs/There’s Still A Place For That/Windridge
John Karl/Redneck Rich (Hillbilly Happy)/Pour Boy
Don Williams feat. Alison Krauss/I Just Come Here For The Music/Sugar Hill
• • • •
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Tim McGraw/Truck Yeah/Big Machine – 60
Andy Gibson/Summer Back/Curb – 63
Candy Coburn/That Thing You Do/LomaJean – 77
Eric Church/Creepin’/EMI Nashville – 78
Glen Templeton/That’s My Job/Black River Entertainment – 79
Randy Travis/More Life/Warner Bros. – 80
Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Tim McGraw/Truck Yeah/Big Machine – 364
Carrie Underwood/Blown Away/19-Arista Nashville – 362
Little Big Town/Pontoon/Capitol – 245
Zac Brown Band/The Wind/Southern Ground-Atlantic – 207
Lady Antebellum/Wanted You More/Capitol – 198
Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Carrie Underwood/Blown Away/19-Arista Nashville – 16
Miranda Lambert/Fastest Girl In Town/RCA Nashville – 16
Tim McGraw/Right Back Atcha Babe/Curb – 12
Aaron Lewis/Endless Summer/Blaster Records – 12
Trace Adkins/Them Lips (On Mine)/Show Dog-Universal – 10
Casey James/Crying On A Suitcase/19-Columbia Nashville – 9
Heidi Newfield/Why’d You Have To Be So Good/Sidewalk Records – 8
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Bill Gentry/That Kind of Life/Tenacity Records – 184
Brandon Holland/Man In The Moon – 167
Britt & Blaire/Young Summer/Mt. Juliet Records – 165
Bobby Dean/Me and George Strait/Lamon – 165
Sawyer Brown/Ain’t Goin’ Out That Way/Beach Street Records – 161
Trace Adkins made a stop in Bakersfield as part of his "Songs and Stories Tour" Pictured (L-R): KUZZ/Bakersfield PD Tom Jordan, Jordan's wife Lori Giamanco, Adkins and Show Dog-Universal’s Lisa Owen
Scotty McCreery and Jana Kramer played WKLB/Boston’s Rockin’ Country Music Series on Monday night (7/2). Pictured (L-R) W.A.R. MW/NE regionals Lindsay Walleman, WKLB’s Dawn Santolucito, Kramer, McCreery, WKLB’s Ginny Rogers, and Mercury’s Sally Green
Two Old Hippies Fundraiser Features John Oates, Drake White and More
/by FreemanThe special event begins at 6:30 pm, is open to the public and features a free buffet dinner, cash bar, and silent auction. Performers for the evening include Little Kids Rock Band, John Oates, Gary Morris, Drake White, Danielle Peck, and The Nashville Alternators.
The silent auction features items such as signed lyrics from Vince Gill and Amy Grant, an autographed Peter Frampton Hatch Show Print, an autographed Monday Night Football from Faith Hill, backstage passes to an Alabama show, and more. Proceeds will benefit the Two Old Hippies Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to support Nashville schools and students.
Check here for more info.
Weekly Register: Mid-Year Country Stats Shine
/by bossrossDistribution Groups
UMG is the big story here, owning a full 37% of country product in our Top 20 mid-year group. (Note that if the EMI merger was already completed, the new entity would have 64%.) Counted in UMG’s distribution share is Mercury, MCA, ShowDog and Big Machine. Sony distributes BNA, RCA, Arista and Broken Bow (RED) while Warner includes Curb and Atlantic. The Top 20 Country titles sold 6.298 million units or about 33% of the total YTD album sales of 19.467 units.
Mid-year YTD sales of the top country albums ranges from Lionel Richie (No. 1; 900k) to Alan Jackson (No. 20; 149k). In between we find new names such Luke Bryan (No. 3; 575k), Eric Church (No. 6; 363k), The Band Perry (No. 8; 262k), Scott McCreery (No. 11; 224k), Brantley Gilbert (No. 12; 219k) and Lee Brice (No. 19; 149k). Stalwarts who scanned highly include Carrie Underwood (No. 2; 602k), Lady Antebellum (No. 4; 465k), Jason Aldean (No. 5;399k), Rascal Flatts (No. 7; 303k), Kenny Chesney (No. 9; 255k), Tim McGraw (No. 10; 249k), Blake Shelton (No. 13; 217k), Miranda Lambert (No. 14; 210k) and Toby Keith (No. 15; 209k).
The above rankings will likely change quite a bit by year end as new product is released. For example Chesney’s album at No. 9 YTD is only two weeks old. And Taylor Swift currently at No. 16 will likely climb much higher on our list if she releases a new album before year end. Zac Brown (No. 19; 149k) has new product coming out next week.
By Label Groups
The Top 20 wheel of fortune shows a tale of three basic groupings. At the top we have Capitol Records proudly showing a healthy margin with 27% of our Top 20 sales. Universal, Sony and Big Machine follow respectfully about 10 points behind and the remaining labels trail behind another 10 percentage points.
Country was the best performing album sales genre for the first six months of 2012 climbing 5.6%. Metal jumped 3.2%, Jazz increased 2.6% and Rock edged up .2%, but all other formats fell. Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan made the Mid-Year Top 10 Album Sales All Genre list at numbers 2, 6 and 7 respectively. According to Nielsen Soundscan, SME has the largest overall album sales market share with 30.41% this year. UMG follows with 28.98%. WMG captured 18.26% and unlike in the country format EMI is at the bottom of the list with 10.08%. (Others gets the remaining 12.26%). The pie graph to the right shows Total Country Album Distribution. Note that EMI’s country division at 16.34% is a lot stronger than the company’s all genre showing (10.08%).
David Nail Suits Up For MLB All-Star Celeb Softball
/by Eric T. ParkerNail will join MLB greats Ernie Banks, Andre Dawson, Rollie Fingers, Ozzie Smith and Mike Piazza as well as Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet, Mad Men‘s Jon Hamm, Glee’s Chord Overstreet and Kansas City Royals favorites George Brett, Bo Jackson and Mike Sweeney. Other celebrity participants include US National Soccer Team captain Carlos Bocanegra, US Softball Gold Medalist Jennie Finch and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel.
“They get on the field to play hard – and they do,” says Nail of his fellow players. “I know I’m honored to get out there with those folks and play softball… because they’re not joking around, and that’s the best kind of game.”
ESPN will broadcast the Softball Game immediately after the Home Run Derby on Mon., July 9 at approximately 10:30 pm ET. It will also be available through ESPN3.com, ESPN Mobile and the Watch ESPN app. For more information visit www.allstargame.com.
Nail also recently announced the release of his digital EP later this month.
Charlie Cook On Air: Andy Griffith
/by contributorMost people start their careers as journeyman. I have read that some starting as newspaper journalists begin by writing obituaries.
I am one of those weird people who read obits and visits cemeteries from time to time. I know that this sounds morbid but visiting grave sites is like reading abbreviated biographies.
The week before Independence Day I visited Arlington National Cemetery and a local cemetery here in Morgantown, West Virginia.
There are 300,000 stories at Arlington and some of them we know. President Kennedy, the Challenger astronauts and more heroes than I could ever list here.
The cemetery here in Morgantown includes the grave of Zacquill Morgan, who founded this city. I ran across the grave of Thomas F. Brooks who was born in 1770. He died in 1836. I stood above the grave of Mr. Brooks realizing that he was born before the Revolutionary War and died before the Civil War.
That made me stop and think about our history and to appreciate what we have done for the world in those 236 years.
Then just three days ago someone who has been part of almost everyone’s history died. Andy Griffith.
We talk about six degrees of separation but it was much closer here in Morgantown. You see, Morgantown was the hometown of Don Knotts.
And then as a Country Music fan we all appreciated what Mr. Griffith contributed to another West Virginian’s body of work. “Waiting on a Woman” was a great song but a spectacular video for Brad Paisley and Andy Griffith was the reason.
Raise your hand if you have ever watched The Andy Griffith Show. Or Matlock. And don’t forget that Andy was associated with Gospel and Country Music during his early career.
I am not here to write an obituary for Andy Griffith. I could never do that and you can find one online if you want one.
But what I wanted to do is say thanks to Andy, to Jack Lameier, to Frances Preston and Donna Hilley and Rusty Walker.
It has been a tough couple of months for those of us in and around Country Music. It should make all of us think about how much of a family we all are.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)