Pearl-Cohn students eagerly look on, waiting for the announcement.
Nashville’s Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School received some exciting news this morning (3/8) during a student body gathering. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Warner Music Nashville President/CEO John Esposito, and Metro Schools Director Jesse Register were present to unveil a a student-run record label that is a key component of the Mayor’s “Music Makes Us” program.
The students of Pearl-Cohn will run the multi-genre record label—the first of its kind—recruiting the talent of their student peers across the Metro Schools district. The label, which will named in the following months, will mimic the operations of a real music label by signing, recording and promoting student artists. Students will be in charge of A&R, brand management, publicity, royalty collection and distribution, marketing, promotion, HR and sales. Warner Music Nashville will digitally distribute the music on iTunes, and have the first opportunity to sign artists upon their graduation. Money made from the tracks will be funneled back into the record label, in hopes of making it a self-sustainable program. Metro Schools student artists will be required to audition to join the label.
Warner Music Nashville president and CEO, John Esposito discusses Warner's role in the program
“These students are going to get a first hand look at why music shouldn’t be free on the internet,” laughed The Recording Academy’s Nancy Shapiro.
As part of the program, Pearl-Cohn will also introduce songwriting classes, a multi-media pathway for students to learn about promoting artists, an audio recording pathway for students to learn about recording music, a styling and imaging pathway, and an expanded audio engineering lab.
“With this record label, along with classes about songwriting, audio engineering and other facets of the music industry, we will for the first time take full advantage of the many talented individuals on both the creative and business side of the industry who live and work in Music City,” said Mayor Dean.
Warner Music Nashville will play a major role in the new program, not only by distributing the students’ music, but inviting students and teachers into their label. Both faculty and students will have opportunities to learn about the record business from executives and Warner Music Nashville through shadowing mentors.
“Music had a profound effect on me,” said Esposito. “As a skinny little kid who didn’t fit into any niches, I found playing instruments or singing in a production gave me confidence.”
Mayor Karl Dean and Warner Music Nashville's John Esposito answer questions following the press conference
Students across the district will soon be invited to find their confidence. The record label is scheduled to launch in August, for the 2012-2013 school year. Before the launch, NARAS producers and engineers will aid Pearl-Cohn in building a new live room and Metro Schools students will have the opportunity to submit for one of twenty free summer demo sessions.
Following the announcement, Pearl-Cohn senior Leona Turner performed “The Greatest Love of All.” She was accompanied on the keyboard by Llewellyn Peter, the Visual and Performing Arts Content Chair at Pearl-Cohn.
Leona Turner and Llewellyn Peter perform "The Greatest Love of All"
Film-Com To Bring Movie Biz To Music City
/by Sarah SkatesMusic highlights include:
• Score-Com—A Film/TV Composer’s Symposium: To be held at Ocean Way Studios, and produced in partnership with the Nashville Composers Association. Featured guests include Richard Glasser, President of Music for the Weinstein Company, and Aaron Zigman, composer for motion pictures including The Notebook, John Q and Bridge to Terabithia. Details at www.nashvillecomposers.org
• The Film/TV Songwriters Forum: The event at Douglas Corner will feature performances by Greg Barnhill, Jeremy Lister, Aaron Espe, Regie Hamm, Rick Elias, Ronnie McDowell, and others who have had music placed in film or TV. Actress Jennifer O’Neill will emcee.
Other music related initiatives include the Music In Film Onstage clinic at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center; the New Project Expo Ensemble featuring swinging versions of famous movie and television themes; and an MP3 player with songs from local artists selected by composer Leonard Wolf to be distributed to registrants.
“The core focus of Film-Com is commerce,” said Chairman Andy van Roon. “The key is to encourage creators of new film and television concepts to intelligently control the packaging, financing and distribution of their own projects. Score and songs are completely integral to the packaging of any film and television property. A mistake still prevalent with many filmmakers is to think about music last, often with whatever minimized budget allocation is left over after everything else has been done. So a large part of Film-Com’s expanding focus is to not only provide connectivity for songwriters and composers to new film and television projects in the critical packaging phase, but to make clear the importance of factoring music into creative and business planning from the point of conception.”
Film-Com events will take place throughout Nashville, such as the New Project Expo at Titans Stadium; Faith in Film Conference at Nashville City Club; film and television business seminars at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Ford Theater; new project presentations at the AT&T Tower; Script-Com, partner event with the Tennessee Screenwriting Association at Watkins Film School; screenwriter Tom Schulman (The Dead Poets Society) at Montgomery Bell Academy; and a book signing by Michael Uslan, Executive Producer of The Dark Knight Rises and the Batman movie franchise.
Among those scheduled to attend are Rosemary Tarquinio, CBS; Mat Baxt, TruTV; Larry Namer, founder E! Entertainment Network; Fred Grinstein, A&E; Nikki Levy, Wedgeworks / Fox Features; Diego Martinez, Nu Image / Millennium; Collin Reno, William Morris Endeavor; Mitchell Galin, producer of over 30 film/television projects; Anthony Zerbe, actor in Cool Hand Luke, Star Trek and over 100 projects; Dan Stutz, EMG Entertainment; Joseph Carello, CEO AmeriComm Capital; Ben Howard, Provident Films; Dan Johnson, Idea Agency; Rich Peluso, Sony Affirm Films, and Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
For more information go to www.film-com.com.
Key West Songwriters Festival Expands Lineup
/by FreemanJoining the lineup are Robert Earl Keen, Patrice Pike, Billy Burnette, Matraca Berg, Blue Mother Tupelo, Hillary Lindsay, Paul Overstreet, Joey + Rory, LoCash Cowboys, Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band); 2012 ACM Songwriter of the Year nominees Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Luke Laird; as well as singer/songwriters Kyle Park, Jon Randall, Josh Thompson, Lori McKenna, Even Stevens, Liz Rose, Cary Barlowe, Bob DiPiero, Bobby Pinson, Marti Fredericksen, Steve Bogard, James Slater, Dennis Morgan, Chuck Cannon, Chris Gantry, Billy Yates, Doug Johnson, Suzi Ragsdale, Kylie Sackley, Danny Myrick, Bridgette Tatum, Will Rambeaux, Jon Mabe and many others.
Previously announced performers include The World Famous Headliners (Al Anderson, Pat McLaughlin, and Shawn Camp) and the Jeffrey Steele Band.
Presented by BMI, the event benefits Operation Homefront and boasts five nights of music around Key West. Additional sponsors include SunTrust Bandk, Comcast, Beam Global Wine and Spirits, The Recording Academy / Nashville Chapter, and Hearts Bluff Music.
Artists Added To CMA Music Fest Evening Concerts
/by Eric T. ParkerThe evening concerts will run from Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10.
These additions join previously announced performers Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, and Zac Brown Band. Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
Fans can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster or by calling 1-(800)-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices range from $125 to $325 plus handling fees. Children 3 years and younger are admitted free.
For the ninth consecutive year, CMA Music Festival will be filmed for a national television special to air at a later date on ABC.
Warner Music Nashville, Mayor, Metro Schools Align For Student-Run Label
/by Caitlin RantalaPearl-Cohn students eagerly look on, waiting for the announcement.
Nashville’s Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School received some exciting news this morning (3/8) during a student body gathering. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Warner Music Nashville President/CEO John Esposito, and Metro Schools Director Jesse Register were present to unveil a a student-run record label that is a key component of the Mayor’s “Music Makes Us” program.
The students of Pearl-Cohn will run the multi-genre record label—the first of its kind—recruiting the talent of their student peers across the Metro Schools district. The label, which will named in the following months, will mimic the operations of a real music label by signing, recording and promoting student artists. Students will be in charge of A&R, brand management, publicity, royalty collection and distribution, marketing, promotion, HR and sales. Warner Music Nashville will digitally distribute the music on iTunes, and have the first opportunity to sign artists upon their graduation. Money made from the tracks will be funneled back into the record label, in hopes of making it a self-sustainable program. Metro Schools student artists will be required to audition to join the label.
Warner Music Nashville president and CEO, John Esposito discusses Warner's role in the program
“These students are going to get a first hand look at why music shouldn’t be free on the internet,” laughed The Recording Academy’s Nancy Shapiro.
As part of the program, Pearl-Cohn will also introduce songwriting classes, a multi-media pathway for students to learn about promoting artists, an audio recording pathway for students to learn about recording music, a styling and imaging pathway, and an expanded audio engineering lab.
“With this record label, along with classes about songwriting, audio engineering and other facets of the music industry, we will for the first time take full advantage of the many talented individuals on both the creative and business side of the industry who live and work in Music City,” said Mayor Dean.
Warner Music Nashville will play a major role in the new program, not only by distributing the students’ music, but inviting students and teachers into their label. Both faculty and students will have opportunities to learn about the record business from executives and Warner Music Nashville through shadowing mentors.
“Music had a profound effect on me,” said Esposito. “As a skinny little kid who didn’t fit into any niches, I found playing instruments or singing in a production gave me confidence.”
Mayor Karl Dean and Warner Music Nashville's John Esposito answer questions following the press conference
Students across the district will soon be invited to find their confidence. The record label is scheduled to launch in August, for the 2012-2013 school year. Before the launch, NARAS producers and engineers will aid Pearl-Cohn in building a new live room and Metro Schools students will have the opportunity to submit for one of twenty free summer demo sessions.
Following the announcement, Pearl-Cohn senior Leona Turner performed “The Greatest Love of All.” She was accompanied on the keyboard by Llewellyn Peter, the Visual and Performing Arts Content Chair at Pearl-Cohn.
Leona Turner and Llewellyn Peter perform "The Greatest Love of All"
First Performers Announced For ACM Awards
/by FreemanAmong these performers, Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean lead ACM Award nominees this year with 9 and 6 nominations, respectively, and are both competing for Entertainer of the Year. Toby Keith picked up three nominations, including a Single of the Year nod as artist and producer of “Red Solo Cup.” Miranda Lambert is up for two awards, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Four The Record. Eric Church is also vying for two awards, including Video of the Year (for “Homeboy”) and Album of the Year for Chief.
The ACM Awards is produced for television by dick clark productions and is the centerpiece of the ACM Experience in Las Vegas that also includes the ACM BBQ throwdown, ACM Expo, and ACM Fan Jam with Zac Brown Band.
Tin Pan South Schedule Posted, Passes On Sale
/by Eric T. ParkerFast Access Passes provide priority admission and are good for entry to all Tin Pan South shows, but only about 100 of them remain for sale. Over 350 songwriters will perform at the festival, for a total of 90 shows in 10 Nashville venues. Participating venues include Belcourt Taps and Tapas, The Bluebird Café, The Commodore Grille (Holiday Inn Vanderbilt), Douglas Corner Café, eat Restaurant (Loews Vanderbilt Plaza), Hard Rock Café, The Listening Room Café, The Rutledge, Station Inn and 3rd & Lindsley. Individual club admission is available at each venue, space permitting, and ranges from $8-20. In certain instances, reservations at the venue will be required.
Regions Bank returns as Tin Pan South’s presenting sponsor for the sixth consecutive year. The Faith Family Medical Clinic has been selected to receive proceeds from the Pat Alger, Wayland Holyfield, Jon Vezner and Paul Williams show Thursday, March 29 at 6:00 PM at The Bluebird Cafe.
These announcements follow NSAI’s Tin Pan South Preview Party yesterday afternoon (March 6) at The Rutledge. The party featured performances from Lionel Cartwright, J. Fred Knobloch, Richard Leigh, Angaleena Presley, and Charlie Worsham.
ACM Experience Is Latest Addition To The Week Vegas Goes Country
/by Sarah SkatesThe latest addition to The Week Vegas Goes Country is the first ACM Experience. The free, open-to-the public, country music lifestyle event will be held March 30-April 1 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
“Las Vegas is already a destination for so many country music fans and The ACM Experience is a natural extension of the Academy’s focus on bringing them the best in free, family-friendly events that promote the genre and provide additional exposure for both established acts and new artists,” said Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.
Highlights of The ACM Experience include the ACM BBQ Throwdown and the ACM Expo. Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the ACM BBQ Throwdown presented by Bull, will bring together some of the most recognizable names in the competitive barbeque circuit, competing for a $50,000 purse. The ACM Expo presented by Roper, is a 200,000 sq. ft. marketplace of shopping, gaming and eating.
As previously announced, the 2nd Annual ACM Fan Jam, a ticketed event hosted by Zac Brown Band, will round out the festivities at Mandalay Bay on Sunday, April 1. The live ACM Awards telecast will occur simultaneously at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and air on CBS. Live performances, via remote, from Mandalay Bay will be interspersed with the Awards telecast.
Trisha Yearwood Officially Announces Food Network Show
/by Eric T. ParkerBehind The Scenes Filming at Trisha's Southern Cooking Taping
Trisha Yearwood and the Food Network have released official details for the new daytime series, Trisha’s Southern Kitchen. The first of the six-episode series will air Saturday, April 14th on the Food Network. The episodes are being shot in Nashville and produced by former Oprah Winfrey Show’s Ellen Rakieten and RelativityREAL.
The Spring series invites viewers into the music star and cookbook author’s kitchen for her favorite meals, nostalgic stories and visits from family and friends. Themed shows range from preparing traditional dishes from her childhood to planning a baby shower and a family reunion barbecue to offering tips on lightening up standard Southern recipes.
“For me, cooking is very connected to my family and friends,” said Yearwood. “Every recipe on the show carries wonderful memories with my loved ones and I can’t wait to share my meals, stories and family photos with Food Network viewers.”
Yearwood released her first cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen (Clarkson Potter) in 2008. Her second book Cooking for Family and Friends (Clarkson Potter) followed in 2010. Both books reached the No. 1 position on the New York Times best-seller list in the Advice, How-To and Miscellaneous category.
Yearwood accompanied her husband Garth Brooks to the Country Music Hall of Fame Announcement Tuesday, March 6, where Brooks was revealed as a 2012 inductee. Yearwood is also scheduled to perform at the Paul Newman’s Association of Hole in the Wall Camps benefit April 2 at Lincoln Center in New York.
Sawyer Brown’s Miller Producing First Film
/by FreemanTitled Ring The Bell (Whitney Beach Pictures), the film tells the story of a high-powered sports agent looking for his next recruit. As he works to secure the country’s top baseball prospect, he encounters characters that teach him the value of life beyond making money. A handful of well known Christian artists are featured in the flick, including Mark Hall and Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Matthew West. Former Major League Baseball players John Kruk and Rick Sutcliffe also appear.
Miller wrote the script for Ring The Bell with Thomas Weber, and Weber is directing. Provident Films is also a partner in marketing and distribution.
McCreery Covers McGraw Song for “Idol”
/by Caitlin Rantala“It’s always a sad time whenever this song is played, but it’s definitely a really big part of the show,” says McCreery. “I never had to experience that feeling personally, but I always felt the pain because we became such a close family on the show…The send-off song was always a way to stay connected to the show. I’m glad they chose me to do it.”
McCreery’s first album Clear As Day (Mercury Nashville/19 Recordings/Interscope) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts and garnered the highest sales of any country solo album released in 2011. The album’s first two singles, “I Love You This Big” and “The Trouble With Girls,” have been certified gold and he is currently playing to massive crowds on Brad Paisley’s Virtual Reality World Tour 2012. McCreery is also nominated for the 2012 Academy of Country Music New Artist of the Year Award, which will be presented April 1 at the 47th Annual ACM Awards in Las Vegas.