Sixth Annual Songwriters Series Announced

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The Sixth Annual Songwriters Series is set for June 7-9 at the Hard Rock Café in Nashville, and as in years past, will benefit Musicians On Call (MOC) Nashville. The three night event, hosted by the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville and presented by SiriusXM Radio, features many of country music’s best songwriters.

Tickets start at $10 and are available here. 

ASCAP – June 7

Kyle Jacobs, Rivers Rutherford, Brett James, Tony Lane

BMI – June 8

Phil O’Donnell, Tim James, Kendell Marvel, Bob DiPiero

SESAC- June 9

Cledus T Judd, Rob Hatch, Lance Miller, Cary Barlowe

 

Country Throwdown and The Boot Campaign Honor Military Families

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The Country Throwdown Tour and The Boot Campaign have announced the Country Throwdown Tour Contest sponsored by Southwest Airlines. Anyone in the United States can nominate an eligible military family to win a pack of four VIP tickets to one of five stops on the summer 2012 Country Throwdown Tour.

The public can nominate a military family whose family member is active duty military or received an honorable discharge within the last two years, resides in the continental United States, and served or is serving any branch of service, including the Guard and Reserve. Nominations will be received from May 24 through June 25.  Check contest rules for specific entry periods.

Concert locations include Glen Allen, VA (June 13), Pittsburgh (June 16), Milwaukee, WI (June 28), Chicago (June 30), and Nashville (July 8). Winners selected for each city will be flown courtesy of Southwest Airlines, receive hotel accommodations, four tickets to the concert, a chance to stand side stage, a meet and greet with Gary Allan, and a pair of the Boot Campaign’s “Give Back Boots.”

Nominate a military family for the Boot Campaign “Country Throwdown Tour Contest” here.

At the Nashville Country Throwdown tour stop on July 8, Headliner Gary Allan will be joined by performers Corey Smith, Sunny Sweeney, Eric Paslay, Florida Georgia Line, Maggie Rose as well as special guests Drake White and Jonathan Singleton and the Grove for a combination of classic and innovative country music. The Bluebird Cafe tent will feature emerging singer-songwriters Channing Wilson, Rose Falcon, Carly Pearce and Mama’s Blue Dress.

“As we roll into our third summer of Country Throwdown, the team put together a can’t-miss package for true country fans, and we’re excited to spotlight some of country music’s greatest acts,” said tour co-founder and co-producer Sarah Baer.

Tickets can be purchased here.

Weekly Chart Report (5/25/2012)

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Brad Paisley got to visit with Hank-FM/WLHK PD, Bob Richards (L), before Saturday's Virtual Reality Tour stop in Indianapolis. Between tour stops, Paisley is also in the studio working on his upcoming album project.

SPIN ZONE
It’s like the Wild West out here this week–anything goes. We’ve got a new CountryBreakout No. 1 with Carrie Underwood’s “Good Girl” and serious movement all over the chart. Dierks Bentley’s “5-1-5-0” picks up 276 spins and leaps 11-6, with sights set on the top of the chart. The Band Perry’s “Postcard From Paris” is just a couple ticks behind at No. 7. Also new to the top 10 are Alan Jackson’s “So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore” at No. 9 and Keith Urban’s “For You” at No. 10.

Things get even wilder near the middle of the chart. Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over” is already to No. 33 in its second week charting, earning a staggering 644 spin gain. Both Blake Shelton’s “Over” (No. 21) and Lady Antebellum’s “Wanted You More” (No. 26) gained more than 400 spins. Newcomer Greg Bates adds over 250 new spins to his “Did It For The Girl,” which flies up to No. 31. Also moving quickly: Lee Brice’s “Hard To Love” (No. 41), Jake Owen’s “The One That Got Away” (No. 42), Rascal Flatts’ “Come Wake Me Up” (No. 47), and Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” (No. 50).

New to the chart this week is the very timely “Military Man,” from Show Dog-Universal new artist Jessie James. She will head into the Memorial Day weekend at No. 57. Behind her and leading a huge pack of new singles are Heidi Newfield’s “Why’d You Have To Be So Good” at No. 69, Craig Wayne Boyd’s “I Ain’t No Quitter” at No. 70, and Glen Templeton’s “Sing That Song Again” at No. 71.

Frozen Reports: KAIR, KDXY, KYEZ, WOWF

Upcoming Singles
May 29
Jason Charles Miller/Up To Me/Render
Mavericks/Born to Be Blue/Valory
Big & Rich/That’s Why I Pray/WMN

May 31
JJ McCoy/Sunshine State

June 4
Corey Wagar/Take Ya Back
Matt Gary/City Lights/17/Quarterback
Rodney Atkins/Just Wanna Rock N’ Roll/Curb
Bill Gentry/That Kind of Life/Tenacity

• • • • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Jessie James/Military Man/Show Dog – Universal – 57
Heidi Newfield/Why’d You Have To Be So Good/Sidewalk Records – 69
Craig Wayne Boyd/I Ain’t No Quitter/Big Ride – 70
Glen Templeton/Sing That Song Again/Black River Entertainment – 71
Jason Sturgeon/Time Bomb/Toolpusher – 74
Randy Houser/How Country Feels/Stoney Creek Records – 76
Sean Patrick McGraw/Git Yer Cowboy On/Little Engine Records – 77
Rodney Atkins/Just Wanna Rock N’ Roll/Curb – 78
After The Reign/Burning Down The Farm – 79
Rachele Lynae/Party Til The Cows Come Home – 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Kenny Chesney/Come Over/BNA – 644
Lady Antebellum/Wanted You More/Capitol – 458
Blake Shelton/Over/Warner Bros. – 407
Keith Urban/For You/Capitol – 364
Rascal Flatts/Come Wake Me Up/Big Machine – 355

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
Kenny Chesney/Come Over/BNA – 40
Rascal Flatts/Come Wake Me Up/Big Machine – 27
Lady Antebellum/Wanted You More/Capitol – 19
Jake Owen/The One That Got Away/BNA – 17
Little Big Town/Pontoon/Capitol – 16
Florida Georgia Line/Cruise/Big Loud Mountain – 16
Lee Brice/Hard To Love/Curb – 16
Taylor Made/Some Things You Never Grow Out Of – 15
Jessie James/Military Man/Show Dog-Universal – 13
Blake Shelton/Over/Warner Bros. – 12
Greg Bates/Did It For The Girl/Republic Nashville – 10

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Marty McIntosh/Looking For Reasons/Nashville America – 177
Taylor Made/Some Things You Never Grow Out Of – 168
JB & The Moonshine Band/Beer For Breakfast/Average Joe’s – 167
Lathan Moore/Nothin Like A Woman/Render Records – 159
Mark Wayne Glasmire/I Like You/Traceway – 153

Lofton Creek Records President Mike Borchetta stopped by with new act Britt & Blaire to visit Captain Jack and Laura Lynn at Renegade Radio Nashville for an on-air interview. (L-R): Borchetta, Lynn, Blaire, Britt, Captain Jack

Republic Nashville’s Greg Bates took to Denver this week to visit with Dial Global and the KYGO staff. (L-R): Jimmy Harnen, Garret Doll (KYGO MD), Greg Bates, Stacy Blythe (Republic Nashville) and John Thomas (KYGO PD)

Sunny Country Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo California is closing in on raising one-million dollars from 13-years of St. Jude Radiothons. Justin Moore helped present the check when he performed a private concert for the station. (L-R): Moore, Jay Turner (Sunny Country PD/Morning), Lauren Davis (ALSAC/St. Jude), and Niki Kozak (Sunny Country)

Charlie Cook On Air: Rusty Walker

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I was not going to write anything about Rusty Walker’s death this week. There will be many words written, Facebook posts, emotions expressed and hugs exchanged that will be more eloquent than anything I can say. That is still true but this is a small fraternity and I want to thank Rusty for being who he was.

This is all about recollections and it is going to come from my perspective. I read some things this week that kind of disappointed me. Not anything about Rusty but about others making it about them. Then when I sat down to jot some notes for this column I realized that writing from “my” perspective is the only way you can do it. So excuse me. This is not a eulogy.

Like so many of us in the industry, I have known Rusty for 20-plus years. I never worked with Rusty at a radio station but I have worked with him on CMA projects as committee members and I saw why he was so successful at his radio stations. He was focused. He could see through a problem and he saw all angles of the issue.

When the committee assignments come out at the beginning of the CMA term I know that everyone looks for their name. But honestly I look for others on the committee just as quickly. I was always excited to be paired with Rusty. I knew that the committee was going to get things done.

Last summer, while in Chicago for a CMA Board meeting, Rusty, Lon Helton, Jaye Albright and I had dinner at Lon’s favorite Italian restaurant. Lon paid. Rusty was Rusty. He knew the history of everyone he ever worked with, and maybe ever met. It was great to hear his stories. It was great to learn about how he moved people around and built more careers than Monster.com.

I know because as I try to staff radio stations for West Virginia Radio Corp. and consulting client stations I see Rusty’s name as a reference time after time. People were proud to include his name on their resume because they knew potential employers were aware that they got first class training and coaching as part of their work life.

In fact, while chatting about Rusty with Lon this week, I mentioned that what is lost, along with the obvious, is that history. Lost is a chronicle of Country Radio in the southeast United States over the last quarter century. Nothing can ever replace this.

Rusty had his hands on almost every move over that period of time. There is an army of Rusty protégés that will keep him alive at radio and we are fortunate for that influence.

Luckily for me I was seated next to Rusty at the CMA Awards show for the last three years. We sat together for three hours commenting on performances and artists. We would discuss the strength of a record as a recurrent or oldie at client stations. Think about that for a second. Carrie Underwood would blow away the crowd with an amazing performance and we’re discussing whether the song should be a Power Recurrent or just a Recurrent.

We would notice if an artist thanked Country Radio during their acceptance speech. That was filed away by both of us. We would discuss the business for three hours, most likely being pests to those around us but Rusty saw everything as it impacts radio listeners.

I can tell you that Country Radio got better in heaven on Monday. Let’s see how Rusty incorporates the required harp music into the playlist.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)

McGraw Launches Initiative To Aid Military Service Members

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Tim McGraw is launching a new program called HomeFront in partnership with Chase and Operation Homefront to award mortgage-free homes to wounded warriors and service members at each of the 25 concert dates on his summer tour.

To launch the HomeFront program, McGraw will perform a special Memorial Day concert at New York City’s Beacon Theatre during Fleet Week in partnership with Chase and USO. The show will be streamed live at livefromthehomefront.com, youtube.com/countrynow, and pentagonchannel.mil.

“My sister’s a veteran of the first Gulf War. My uncle was a Vietnam veteran and my grandfather was a World War II veteran. I’ve always felt a deep sense of respect and obligation to our troops,” says McGraw. “Being able to reward them for their dedicated work with a new home will be even more rewarding for us. It feels so good to give back to them, and to have the opportunity to entertain them on Memorial Day is something I’m honored to do.”

Additionally, McGraw will be on hand for the Tug McGraw Foundation’s inaugural Celebrity Sporting Clay Shootout presented by DeltaSports.TV taking place June 5 at Nashville Gun Club. Proceeds from the event will beneft the Tug McGraw Foundation’s efforts to improve the lives of military service members suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Joining McGraw for the Shootout will be Keith Anderson, Luke Bryan, Craig Campbell, Troy Gentry, Brantley Gilbert, Josh Gracin, JT Hodges, Steve Holy, Jeff McMahon, Eddie Montgomery, Jon Pardi, Josh Thompson, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, and the Nashville Predators’ Mike Fisher. Several sporting clay professionals will also be present to add their expertise to the 15 competing teams. More info here.

McGraw’s co-headlining Brothers of the Sun Tour with Kenny Chesney kicks off June 2 in Tampa and will be filling stadiums all summer. Dates here.

Momentum Partners with GrassRoots

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Momentum Label Group has partnered with Nashville’s GrassRoots Promotion for the label’s secondary country radio promotion to markets across the country.

Backed by award-winning country star and now producer, Jamie O’Neal, Momentum Label Group launched earlier this year, along with the help of her managing partner and father, Jimmy Murphy. The first music from the label comes from its flagship artist Rachele Lynae.

Led by industry veterans Teresa Johnston and Nancy Tunick, GrassRoots Promotion has worked with numerous superstar artists and major labels, as well as many of the leading independent artists and companies since forming in 1997.

JEFF The Brotherhood Signs With Warner Bros. Records

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(L-R): Jamin and Jake Orrall of JEFF The Brotherhood

Nashville’s JEFF The Brotherhood, featuring Jake and Jamin Orrall, have been signed to Warner Bros. Records in CA.

The duo is known for its musical talents, relentless work and touring schedule, as well as its family-owned, vinyl-centered record label, Infinity Cat Recordings. Jake and Jamin, sons of successful producer/singer/songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall, formed JEFF The Brotherhood in 2001 while still in high school.

They have released five original LPs on the label Infinity Cat Recordings and one live album on Third Man Records.

JEFF The Brotherhood’s first release for Warner Bros. Records is Hypnotic Knights EP. All four songs are taken from the band’s upcoming album Hypnotic Nights, slated for a July 17 release and co-produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and JEFF The Brotherhood. It was recorded at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville.

The band will celebrate release day with a performance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Track list of Hypnotic Knights EP
“Sixpack”
“Mystic Portal II”
“Hypnotic Mind”
“Leave Me Out”

Track list of Hypnotic Nights
“Country Life”
“Sixpack”
“Mystic Portal II”
“Hypnotic Mind”
“Wood Ox”
“Staring At The Wall”
“Leave Me Out”
“Region Of Fire”
“Hypnotic Winter”
“Dark Energy”
“Changes”

Tour
With Best Coast:
05/24 / Salt Lake City, UT / Kilby Court Gallery
05/25 / Aspen, CO / Belly Up Aspen
05/26 / Boulder, CO / Fox Theatre
05/27 / Lawrence, KS / Granada Theater
05/29 / Omaha, NE / Slowdown
05/30 / St. Louis, MO / The Firebird
06/01 / Dallas, TX / Granada Theatre
06/02 / Houston, TX / Free Press Summer Fest

Headlining Dates
06/13 / Raleigh, NC / Berkeley Café
06/14 / Richmond, VA / Strange Matter
06/15 / Washington, DC / Red Palace
06/16 / Philadelphia, PA / First Unitarian
06/17 / New York, NY / Bowery Ballroom
06/18 / Hoboken, NJ / Maxwell’s
06/20 / New Haven, CT / Café Nine
06/21 / Boston, MA / TT The Bears
06/22 / Montreal, QC / Il Motore
06/23 / Toronto, ON / Wrong Bar
06/24 / Detroit, MI / Small’s
06/25 / Indianapolis, IN / Radio Radio
07/13 / Louisville, KY / Forecastle Festival
07/27 / Rock Land, IL / Rock Island Brewing Co.
07/28 / Somerset, WI / SoundTown Festival
07/29 / Des Moines, IA / Vaudeville Mews
08/01 / Columbus, OH / The Basement
08/02 / Cleveland, OH / Grog Shop
08/05 / Chicago, IL / Lollapalooza

jeffthebrotherhood.com

 

Rodney Crowell Opens Frist Fridays on Eve of Album Release

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Rodney Crowell is set for a Nashville performance tomorrow night (5/25) as he prepares for the June 5 release of his next album. The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee will kick off this summer’s Frist Fridays concert series at the art museum.

For his latest project, Crowell teamed with best selling poet and author Mary Karr (Cherry, The Liar’s Club, Lit). The Vanguard Records release, Kin, was produced by Joe Henry and features a stellar lineup of guest vocalists including Norah Jones, Vince Gill, Lucinda Williams, Lee Ann Womack, Rosanne Cash, Chely Wright, Kris Kristofferson, and Emmylou Harris.

Frist Fridays runs May through August on the last Friday of each month from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Later this summer:

June 29—Sam Bush with special guest Lera Lynn
July 27—The Band of Heathens with special guest Humming House
Aug. 31—The Dynamites & Charles Walker

Musicians Jimmy Capps, Bob Babbitt To Be Honored

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Jimmy Capps

Separate events will highlight the achievements of renowned studio musicians Jimmy Capps and Bob Babbitt.

Acclaimed guitarist Jimmy Capps will take a seat on Sat., June 16 in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s popular series “Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Musicians.” A first-call session guitarist for over five decades, Capps has contributed to classic hits and contemporary favorites by John Denver, Alan Jackson, George Jones, the Louvin Brothers, Barbara Mandrell, Ronnie Milsap, the Oak Ridge Boys, George Strait and Tammy Wynette.

Hosted by Bill Lloyd, the program will include a brief performance and an interview illustrated with vintage recordings, photos and film clips.

The program will be held in the museum’s Ford Theater, and is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and program passes are required for admittance.  Immediately following, Capps will sign limited edition, commemorative Hatch Show Print posters. Visit the museum’s website for admission and signing details. The program will be streamed live at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

• • • •

Bob Babbitt

Music City, Inc. will unveil its 60th commemorative sidewalk marker when bassist icon Bob Babbitt is inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame. Babbitt will join Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Steve Winwood for the induction ceremony on Tues., June 5 at 12:30 p.m. in Walk of Fame Park in downtown Nashville.

Babbitt is most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records’ studio band, the Funk Brothers, from 1966-1972. The group has received three Grammy Awards and played on hit songs including “My Girl,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Separately, Babbitt contributed bass licks to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” by Stevie Wonder, “Mercy Mercy Me” by Marvin Gaye, and “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight and the Pips.

The induction ceremony, which is sponsored by GAC, is free and open to the public. Durango Boot Company and Black River Entertainment are also supporting sponsors of the event.

CMA’s SRO Awards Nominees Announced

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The finalists have been determined for CMA’s touring industry honors known as the SRO (Standing Room Only) Awards and the final ballot will be emailed to voters tomorrow, Friday, May 25.

Ballots will be sent to CMA members in the following categories: Affiliated, Artist, Engineer, Entertainment Services, Musician, Personal Manager, Publicist, Record Label, Talent Agent, Talent Buyer/Promoter, TV/Video/Media, and Venue. Final voting for the SRO Awards will take place online from May 25-June 11. Ballots will be tabulated by the international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche, LLP.

Finalists were determined during the first step of the balloting process when voters submitted nominations in each category.

CMA’s SRO Awards 2012 Final Nominees are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Business Manager of the Year

  • Jamie Cheek (Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.)
  • Mary Ann McCready (Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.)
  • Dwight Wiles (Smith, Wiles & Co., P.C.)

Coach/Truck Driver of the Year

  • Ken Lyons  (Dierks Bentley)
  • Herschel Shelton  (Eric Church)
  • John Stalder  (Kenny Chesney)

FOH (Front of House) Engineer

  • John McBride  (Martina McBride)
  • Brent Sparks  (Eric Church)
  • Chris Stephens  (Jason Aldean)

Lighting Director of the Year

  • Ryan Hodge (Eric Church)
  • Aaron Swetland (Jason Aldean)
  • Mike Swinford (UpLate Design, Inc.)

Manager of the Year

  • Narvel Blackstock (Starstruck Entertainment)
  • Clint Higham (Morris Artists Management)
  • Clarence Spalding (Spalding Entertainment)

Monitor Engineer of the Year

  • Robert Bull (Clair Bros. Audio Entertainment, Inc.)
  • Mark Earp (Eric Church)
  • Evan Richner (Jason Aldean)

Production Manager of the Year

  • Marshall Alexander (Eric Church)
  • John Fritz (Jason Aldean)
  • Ed Wannebo (Kenny Chesney)

Publicist of the Year

  • Mary Hilliard Harrington (The Green Room PR)
  • Marilyn Laverty (Shore Fire Media)
  • Ebie McFarland (Essential Broadcast Media, LLC)

Talent Agent of the Year

  • Mike Betterton (Dale Morris & Associates, Inc.)
  • Greg Oswald (William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC)
  • Jay Williams (William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC)

Tour Caterer of the Year

  • Dega Catering
  • Hightopps Catering
  • TomKats Catering

Tour Manager of the Year

  • Todd Bunch (Eric Church)
  • David Farmer (Kenny Chesney)
  • David Milam (Toby Keith)

Touring Musician of the Year

  • Nick Hoffman (Kenny Chesney)
  • Myron Howell (Jake Owen)
  • Driver Williams (Eric Church)

Venue of the Year

  • Alabama Theater (North Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
  • Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, Tenn.)
  • Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, Tenn.)

Video Director of the Year

  • Trey Fanjoy (Big Feather)
  • Shaun Silva (Tacklebox Films)
  • Peter Zavadil (Tailight TV)

An individual or company cannot win two consecutive years in the same category.