Underwood to Headline International Summer Tour Dates

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Carrie Underwood will head overseas this summer to perform her first headlining concert dates in Australia and the United Kingdom. Her latest album Blown Away was released May 4 in Australia, and a special UK edition will be released on June 18.

Underwood’s UK show, which sold out in 90 minutes, will be held at London’s Royal Albert Hall on June 21.

Her Australia tour stops include Melbourne, Tamworth and Brisbane before wrapping at the Sydney Opera House. Underwood made her first promotional visit to Australia last summer in support of the release of Play On: Deluxe Edition, which went on to reach Gold certification status in Australia.

International dates on The Blown Away Tour include:

6-21 London, England: Royal Albert Hall
6-26 Melbourne, VIC Australia: Palais Theatre www.ticketmaster.com.au
6-29 Tamworth, NSW Australia: Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre www.visittamworth.com  
6-30 Brisbane, QLD Australia: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC)  www.ticketek.com.au
7-2 Sydney, NSW Australia: Sydney Opera House www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Underwood previously announced 54 arena shows in the U.S. and Canada for the fall leg of The Blown Away Tour. Special guest Hunter Hayes will open on the North American dates. Tickets will be available beginning Friday, May 11. Please go to www.carrieunderwood.fm or www.carrieunderwoodofficial.com for additional on sale information.

Full schedule of 2012 shows listed below including The Blown Away Tour dates and additional festival* shows.

5-26     Baton Rouge, LA                     Bayou Country Superfest*
6-21     London, England                      Royal Albert Hall
6-26     Melbourne, VIC Australia        Palais Theatre
6-29     Tamworth, NSW Australia      Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre
6-30     Brisbane, QLD Australia          Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Center
7-2       Sydney, NSW Australia           Sydney Opera House
8-12     Toronto, ON Canada               Boots & Hearts Music Festival*
9-14     Manchester, NH                       Verizon Wireless Arena
9-15     Bridgeport, CT                         Webster Bank Arena
9-17     Providence, RI                         Dunkin’ Donuts Center
9-19     Worcester, MA                        DCU Center
9-20     Reading, PA                             Sovereign Center
9-22     Louisville, KY                         KFC Yum! Center
9-23     Nashville, TN                          Bridgestone Arena
9-26     Green Bay, WI                         Resch Center
9-27     Minneapolis, MN                     Target Center
9-29     Fargo, ND                                FARGODOME
10-1     Saskatoon, SK Canada             Credit Union Centre
10-2     Calgary, AB Canada                Scotiabank Saddledome
10-4     Vancouver, BC Canada            Rogers Arena
10-6     Seattle, WA                              Key Arena at Seattle Center
10-7     Portland, OR                            Rose Garden
10-10   West Valley City, UT               Maverik Center
10-12   Reno, NV                                Reno Events Center
10-13   Sacramento, CA                       Power Balance Pavilion
10-14   San Jose, CA                           HP Pavilion at San Jose
10-16   Los Angeles, CA                      STAPLES Center
10-18   Bakersfield, CA                        Rabobank Arena
10-20   San Diego, CA                         Valley View Casino Center
10-21   Glendale, AZ                           jobing.com Arena
10-24   Dallas, TX                               American Airlines Arena
10-25   Oklahoma City, OK                 Chesapeake Energy Arena
10-27   Wichita, KS                             INTRUST Bank Arena
10-28   Springfield, MO                       JQH Arena
11-3     Charlotte, NC                           Time Warner Cable Arena
11-4     Greensboro, NC                       Greensboro Coliseum
11-7     Baltimore, MD                         1st Mariner Arena
11-9     Atlantic City, NJ                      Boardwalk Hall
11-10   Hartford, CT                            XL Center
11-13   University Park, PA                 Bryce Jordan Center
11-15   Grand Rapids, MI                    Van Andel Arena
11-16   Moline, IL                                i wireless Center
11-20   St. Louis, MO                          Scottrade Center
11-21   Tulsa, OK                                BOK Center
11-24   Indianapolis, IN                       Bankers Life Fieldhouse
11-25   Auburn Hills, MI                     The Palace of Auburn Hills
11-27   Pittsburgh, PA                          Consol Energy Center
11-28   Philadelphia, PA                      Wells Fargo Center
11-30   Long Island, NY                      Nassau Coliseum
12-1     Newark, NJ                              Prudential Center
12-4     Albany, NY                             Times Union Center
12-6     London, ON Canada                John Labatt Centre
12-8     Kanata, ON Canada                 Scotiabank Place
12-11   Columbus, OH                         Schottenstein Center
12-12   Chicago, IL                              United Center
12-14   Des Moines, IA                       Iowa Events Center
12-15   Kansas City, MO                     Sprint Center
12-18   Memphis, TN                           FedExForum
12-19   Duluth, GA                              Arena at Gwinnett Center
12-21   Orlando, FL                             Amway Center
12-22   Sunrise, FL                              BankAtlantic Center

Lange Exits EMI Records Nashville

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MusicRow has confirmed that EMI Records Nashville VP/Promotion Angela Lange has exited her position with the label.

Lange joined Capitol Records Nashville in 2002, where she served as a regional promotion representative until Capitol’s sister label EMI was launched in 2010 and she was named VP/Promotion. At EMI, she was a part of Eric Church’s first No. 1 hit “Drink In My Hand” as well as singles by Alan Jackson, Eric Paslay, and Troy Olsen. Lange was also part of the team that launched Lyric Street Records in 1998.

Reach her here.

Mark D. Sanders to be Saluted as “Poet and Prophet”

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Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Mark D. Sanders will take a seat at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday, May 26, as the latest subject of the quarterly programming series “Poets and Prophets: Legendary Country Songwriters.”

The 1:30 pm in-depth interview and performance, held in the museum’s Ford Theater, is included with museum admission and free to museum members. The program will be streamed live at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

Sanders’ body of work includes contemporary country classics such as “I Hope You Dance,” “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “It Matters to Me” and “Blue Clear Sky.” Artists who have recorded Sanders’ songs include Trace Adkins, John Anderson, Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Lonestar, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Jo Dee Messina, John Michael Montgomery, George Strait, Josh Turner, Clay Walker, Lee Ann Womack and more.

The 90-minute program, hosted by Museum Editor Michael Gray, will include recordings, photos and film clips from the museum’s Frist Library and Archive. Seating for the program is limited, and program passes are required for admittance. Immediately following, Sanders will sign limited edition, commemorative Hatch Show Print posters. Visit the museum’s website for complete admission and signing details.

Bradley Collier Passes [Updated]

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Bradley Collier

MusicRow extends sincere condolences to publicist Susan Collier and her family on the passing of son Bradley Aaron Collier. He was 35 and died May 2, 2012, in a motorcycle accident on Woodlawn Drive in Nashville.

Collier, a former Marine, was the recipient of a Medal of Valor and a Purple Heart. He was severely injured during his 2004 tour of duty in Iraq.

He was interviewed by The Tennessean in November 2011 for an article about veteran medical care.

He is survived by his mother Susan, father Rex, brother Christian, and stepmother Malvina Collier, all of Nashville, plus numerous extended family members in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.

A family and friends visitation will be held at West Harpeth Funeral Home (6962 Charlotte Pike) on Monday, May 7, 4 – 7 pm; and on Tuesday, May 8, 10 – 11 am with a Celebration of Life service at 11 am. Burial Service will take place May 8 at 1 pm at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on McCrory Lane, with a reception to follow at 2:30 pm at Brookmeade Congregational Church.

Bill Ivey To Receive Honorary Doctorate From Watkins

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Photo: Steve Green (Vanderbilt University)

Bill Ivey will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film on May 12 when he delivers the commencement address for the 2012 graduating class.

The ceremony is free and open to the public starting at 2 pm at the Downtown Presbyterian Church.

Ivey, one of the nation’s leading scholars and writers on art, expression and cultural policy, was director of the Country Music Foundation in Nashville (1971-1998) and was twice elected board chairman of NARAS. He is also a four-time Grammy nominee (best album notes category) and author of numerous articles on U.S. cultural policy and folk and popular music.

Additionally, Ivey is the founding director of Vanderbilt’s Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy, of which he directs the Arts Industries Policy Forum. The Center is dedicated to designing a new road map for cultural policy in America.

Ivey served on Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential Transition Team for the arts and humanities, and as seventh chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts where his Challenge America Initiative has garnered more than $20 million to date for the arts endowment.

“Bill Ivey’s contributions to the arts and cultural policy are large and ground-breaking,” said Ellen L. Meyer, president of Watkins College of Art, Design & Film. “His insights will certainly benefit the graduating seniors as they pursue their careers and consider issues of cultural life and heritage.”

A former president of the American Folklore Society, Ivey holds a B.A. in history from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in folklore and ethnomusicology from Indiana University.

Musicians Corner Kicks Off Cinco de Mayo Tomorrow

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Sugar & the Hi Lows

Musicians Corner will kick off its third season tomorrow Sat., May 5 with a beer & wine garden and Cinco de Mayo celebration with main stage performances from 3 – 6 pm.

The afternoon of music will include Latin Salsa band Afinke, Sugar & The Hi Lows, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, Escondido, Anderson East, Rayvon Owen and Punchinello. Additionally, a mobile food court lunch is available from 11 am – 3 pm with The Dog of the Day Award presentation, Kidsville activities including decorating maracas, and giveaways.

The Musicians Corner Seasonal Beer Garden opens at 2 pm, one hour before the main stage performances each Saturday. The garden will be located next to the main performance stage for attendees 21 and up.

Next week’s May 11 performances feature Emily West, k.s. Roads, Julie Lee, Jason Eskridge, Cyndy Fike, Cassie Peterson, and Coleman.

The 2012 Spring Season will also involve Capitol Records artist Lighter Ray (June 9), The Hogslop String Band (June 17), Kopecky Family Band (June 23) and The Farewell Drifters (June 30).

For more information, click here.

Vince Gill Gathers All-Star Band For Bluegrass Tour

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Vince Gill and an all-star band will take to the road for a dozen bluegrass shows in June. Joining him will be fiddler Stuart Duncan, guitarist Jeff White, banjoist Jim Mills and bassist Dennis Crouch. Gill will round out the band on guitar, mandolin and vocals.

Bluegrass prodigy Sarah Jarosz will open dates June 13-23.

“After the passing of Earl Scruggs [on March 28],” Gill says, “it means the world to me to do these dates with this world-class band playing the music that Earl defined. I absolutely adore this music.”

The tour opens June 13 and runs through June 30. It includes a June 21 stop at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

Duncan, a four-time Grammy winner and member of the Nashville Bluegrass Band, has recorded with Alison Krauss, Yo Yo Ma, Elvis Costello, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. Jeff White, a regular member of Gill’s band, has also made records with Del McCoury, Lyle Lovett, The Chieftains and Keith Whitley. Mills, who earned five Grammys as a member of Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder, appears too on albums by Doyle Lawson, Bruce Hornsby and Garrison Keillor. Crouch, like Gill, is a member of the Nashville cult band, The Time Jumpers, and has recorded with such luminaries as Ralph Stanley, John Fogerty, Steve Earle, Johnny Cash and Elton John.

Photo Friday (5/4/12)

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To celebrate the recent release of her fourth album, Blown Away,  Carrie Underwood performed an exclusive, private show for Clear Channel listeners at the iHeartRadio Theater presented by P.C. Richard & Son. The show was also streamed live on iHeartRadio’s website.

(L-R): Ann Edelblute (XIX Entertainment), Lesly Tyson (Arista Nashville VP National Promotion), Tim Castelli (Clear Channel Media and Entertainment President of National Sales, Marketing and Partnerships), Underwood, Gary Overton (Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO), Andrew Berkowitz (Sony Music Entertainment VP Artist Relations)

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Justin Timberlake along with his best friend/WilliamRast business partner Trace Ayala were recently hanging backstage with country music legend Hank Williams Jr. Williams was in town doing a concert in Southhaven, Mississippi, where Timberlake along with fiancée Jessica Biel, mother Lynn Timberlake, and Ayala all took in a night of some ‘Rockin Randall.’

(L-R): Timberlake, Williams Jr., Ayala

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A mix of Country stars and former football players gathered at The Governor’s Club in Nashville, Tenn., recently to show support for ex-NFL player Kevin Turner at the Kevin Turner Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament. The fundraising event was held to help further ALS research efforts.

(L-R): Randy Merrill (Winterset Concert Events), Mike McGuire (Shenandoah), Louis Newman (Flying Island Entertainment), Brian Eckert (Verge Management).

Artist Updates (5/4/12)

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Darryl Worley will conduct his first live chat via Twitter on Monday (5/7) at 8 pm CT, using #CMchat, one of the site’s largest hashtag communities. Jessica Northey, creator of #CMchat, will host the talk. Worley’s brand new single “You Still Got It” (Tenacity/Crazytown Records) is currently at No. 33 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart.

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Grammy-winning artist Dwight Yoakam has signed with Paradigm for booking representation, reports Billboard. Yoakam is also planning to release his first album since 2005’s Blame The Vain.

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Joe Nichols will discuss his musical journey, the abuse he suffered in childhood, and his ongoing struggles with alcoholism in Backstory: Joe Nichols, which will premiere on GAC Saturday, May 12 at 10 pm CT. Featured in the special are Nichols’ brother, wife, manager, producer and more.

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Show Dog-Universal has released newcomer Rose Falcon’s 19th Avenue EP to iTunes, and she’s already finding some high profile fans. Bon Jovi leader Jon Bon Jovi recently updated the band’s Facebook page and called Falcon a “true artist who has the ability to make you listen as well as feel.” Grab the EP here.

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Sony Music Nashville’s Joanna Smith ran 13.1 miles at the St. Jude Country Music Marathon and 1/2 Marathon presented by Nissan on Saturday (4/28), and started the morning off by singing the National Anthem for the runners. Prior to the race, she visited with St. Jude executives at the start line.

(L-R): ALSAC/St. Jude’s Teri Watson, Sr. Director, Radio &Music Industry Marketing; Chris Boysen, VP Field Operations; CEO RickShadyac; and Joanna.

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WMN’s The Dirt Drifters have canceled all upcoming tour appearances, according to a Facebook status update. Yesterday, the band posted the following: “Hi all…we hate to disappoint you guys, especially after all the support you have given us over the past few years, but due to some private, personal issues we will not be going out on the road and will be canceling all upcoming shows and appearances. We apologize for any inconvenience to anyone who had plans to come see us this summer, you know there is nothing we love more than playing music and we will miss you. We cannot thank you enough for your support and for standing by us. Peace. The Dirt Drifters.”

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Trace Adkins will help send 33 World War II veterans to Washington, DC, courtesy of Brookshire’s/Super 1 Foods WWII Heroes Flight on May 31. That day, Adkins will perform the national anthem at a public sendoff in Tyler, TX, and the veterans will fly to DC to visit the WWII Memorial, Capitol, and more through June 2. Brookshire Grocery Company, the exclusive retailer of Adkins’ Hightower’s Country Smoked Sausage, is sponsoring the trip.

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University of South Carolina alumna Julie Roberts has written and recorded “Sweet Carolina,” a song honoring her home state and university, as part of USC’s “Carolina Promise” campaign. Roberts will perform the song live Thursday, May 10, in Columbia, SC, at the official kick off for the campaign. More info here.

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Singer and actress Claudia Lee will present at the 33rd Annual Young Artist Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday (5/6). The program honors performing artists under the age of 18 in TV, film, theater, and music and raises scholarship money for physically and financially challenged young performers. Lee’s “Hollywood Sunset” recently charted on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart, and she also plays Magnolia Breeland on the CW Network’s Hart of Dixie.

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Cody Collins, the former singer of Lonestar and now headliner of Country Superstars in Las Vegas, recently released his self-titled solo EP to iTunes. The collection was produced by John Edwards in Nashville at Benchmark Sound.

CountryBreakout No. 1 Song

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It’s well established that sound and memory are tied together. A snippet of an old TN show theme, a car’s horn, a grandfather clock’s chime–they can transport you to another time and place.

Eric Church gets it, and the new CountryBreakout No. 1 song “Springsteen” is a fine example of the phenomenon. It’s not about the titular rockstar so much as it’s about how his extensive body of work conjures up a sacred (and enduring) memory for the song’s narrator. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t relate to that idea, Springsteen fan or not.

The No. 1 is well-timed for Church, who is returning home to perform at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Saturday (5/5). Church’s Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour with Brantley Gilbert has been selling out venues nationwide, and he will also play CMA Music Fest at LP Field on Saturday, June 9.