Acclaimed keyboardist John Hobbs be featured Sat., March 10, as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s popular series “Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Musicians.”
The program, which begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum’s Ford Theater, is hosted by Bill Lloyd and will include a brief performance and an in-depth interview.
Illustrations from vintage recordings, photos and film clips from the museum’s Frist Library and Archive will decorate the event, which is free with admission to the museum.
For over three decades, Hobbs has contributed his talents to modern country classics such as “Whoever’s in New England,” “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind,” “You’re Still the One,” “Strawberry Wine,” and “I Try to Think About Elvis.”
Hobbs made a name for himself in the L.A. music scene early on before moving to Nashville, scoring music for TV shows and films as well as playing on records for George Jones, Tom Jones, Barry Manilow, Olivia Newton-John, Charlie Rich and Lionel Richie.
In addition to playing keyboards for Nashville’s biggest stars, Hobbs is also a talented songwriter and producer. He has written songs recorded by Ray Charles, Diamond Rio, Vince Gill, Collin Raye, McEntire and Pam Tillis. His production credits include seven records for Raye; Gill’s These Days, for which Hobbs won a Grammy in 2007; and LeAnn Rimes’ Lady & Gentlemen. Hobbs has earned Keyboard Player of the Year 10 times from the ACM. In 2000, Hobbs began his ongoing tenure as Gill’s bandleader.
Hobbs is to sign autographs in the Museum Store immediately following the program, which is to be streamed live on the Hall of Fame’s website.
Internet Magazine To Debut at CRS
/by Eric T. ParkerLiving Country, a product of DSC, was created by Dan Swensson and Stewart Day as a way to connect broadcasters and consumers with exclusive content. The monthly publication is available to broadcasters for free.
Swensson was a broadcaster in Cincinnati during the early 1980s and GSM of WYHY Nashville. Day founded Nashville Parent Magazine for Middle Tennessee and was the former president of Parenting Publications of America. Together, Day and Swensson created teen lifestyle publication Blast Magazine, and Warm 98 Family Magazine.
For a sample of Living Country in action, click here.
SESAC Up For Sale?
/by FreemanCurrent owners of SESAC include investment bank Allen & Co. and hedge fund Och-Ziff, who are seeking close to $500 million in the sale. The company has reportedly hired Goldman Sachs to scout for potential purchasers.
Current SESAC songwriters include Bob Dylan, Jim Lauderdale, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, and Gary Burr among many others.
SESAC representatives could not be immediately reached for comment.
ACM Reveals Radio Winners
/by FreemanIndividual On-Air Personality of the Year winners (or an individual from a winning team) will again be invited to participate in the ACM Awards telecast. The 47th Annual ACM Awards airs live at 7 PM/CT April 1 on CBS from the MGM Garden Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
On-Air Personality of the Year Winners (Note tie in Medium Market):
National: Lon Helton – CMT Country Countdown USA
Major Market: Kelly Ford & Rider – KYGO-FM – Denver, CO
Large Market: Big Dave and Chelsie – WUBE-FM – Cincinnati, OH
Medium Market: Steve & Geoff in the Morning – KUZZ AM/FM – Bakersfield, CA (tie)
Medium Market: Roger, Tom & Melissa – WPCV-FM – Lakeland, FL (tie)
Small Market: Bill Barrett, Tim Fox and Tracy Berry – KKNU-FM – Eugene, OR
Radio Station of the Year Winners
Major Market: WQYK-FM – Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL
Large Market: WQDR-FM – Raleigh, NC
Medium Market: KATM-FM – Stockton, CA
Small Market: WUSY-FM – Chattanooga, TN
Songwriter Danny Morrison Passes [Updated w/ Arrangements]
/by Sarah SkatesSongwriter Danny Morrison, who also produced and managed country singer Joe Diffie, has died. He had a heart attack yesterday (2/14) while visiting his country home in Erin, Tennessee.
Among his hits as a writer are “Blaze of Glory,” Kenny Rogers; “Is It Cold In Here,” Diffie; “You’ve Got A Good Love Comin’ On,” Lee Greenwood; “Loving Up A Storm,” Razzy Bailey; “I Ain’t Got No Business Doin’ Business Today,” Alabama; and “She’s Got A Drinking Problem,” Johnny Paycheck.
His career included music publishing, as a partner of Johnny Slate and Larry Gatlin in publishing company API.
Tom Long, Morrison’s longtime golfing buddy, says, “Danny was a very unique and creative individual. He had an inspiring wit, a huge heart, and a love for music and especially songwriters. He carved his own notch in Music Row history.”
Survivors include wife Sherri West.
Visitation will be Sunday, Feb. 19, 2-6 p.m. at Phillips Robinson Funeral Home (2707 Gallatin Rd. Nashville), and Monday, Feb. 20, 10 a.m.-12 noon at Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn. The funeral will follow at noon at the church.
Industry Ink (2/15/12)
/by Eric T. ParkerPLA Media Adds Justin Moore
Moore has delivered two No. 1 singles and has been named Billboard’s “New Country Artist of the Year.” “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” the lead single from Moore’s 2011 sophomore album Outlaws Like Me was the fastest rising of his career. His next single, “Till My Last Day,” will hit country radio in March. Moore is currently on tour with Blake Shelton
Moore joins existing PLA clients Lynn Anderson, William Lee Golden, Bryan White and Jessica Frech.
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Chick Singer Night Celebrates 10th Anniversary at The Bluebird
The show will feature Curb recording artist Christy McDonald, Jamie Floyd, Erisa Rei, and Taylor Wagner.
CSN is a non-profit organization founded by Lori Maier to promotes women in music by providing a house band and a venue for new and established artists to perform. Nashville director Jaclyn Brown features a bi-monthly gathering at the Bluebird.
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MTS Management Inks Doug Briney
Country artist Doug Briney has hired MTS Management to handle publicity for his March 9th debut CD release, It’s All Country. Briney, a two-time finalist in the KBear Alaskan Country Idol, will release his debut single, “More Than Just a Farm” through Triplestrand promotions.
CRS Single-Day Passes Available
/by Caitlin RantalaAdditionally, an on-site $99 Unemployment Rate will be available for walk-up registrants. For more information, contact Kristen McRary at (615) 327-4487 or Kristen@CRB.org. Proof of unemployment may be subject to verification.
CRS 2012 will be held Feb. 22-24, 2012, in downtown Nashville, TN at the Nashville Convention Center. Visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com for more information.
3rd Annual CountryMusicIsLove Benefit Announced
/by FreemanSlated to perform at the benefit are JT Hodges, Craig Campbell, Casey James, Chuck Wicks, Micheal Ray, Chris Cavanaugh, Kristen Kelly, THE FARM, and Love and Theft. Whitney Duncan will host the event for a second year, in addition to performing.
For Casey James, the cause is a personal one. “My family has been massively affected by cancer,” James shares. “My Paw-Paw passed away last year from cancer. My Nana passed away from cancer and my mother is a two-time cancer survivor, thyroid and breast. It was an honor to be asked to come out and play.”
Tickets are $15 and 100% of sales will be donated to City of Hope. Purchase tickets here.
CMT and Southern Living Announce Partnership
/by Eric T. ParkerThe partnership will focus on cross-promotional opportunities and attempt to leverage both brands on print, television, and digital media.
SouthernLiving.com will generate coverage around the CMT Music Awards, the network’s highest rated show of the year, including video from the red carpet and editorial content related to CMT programming.
CMT will cross-promote related Southern Living through its digital content, which reaches more than 1.7 million fans. In addition, the network will document country music news from Southern Living on its weekly series CMT Insider. An upcoming episode of the CMT series Sweet Home Alabama, will include an appearance by Southern Living Test Kitchen Professional Norman King.
“Southern Living is a rich, vibrant brand and a perfect complement to CMT’s programming and digital extensions,” says Lisa Chader, SVP, Corporate Communications, CMT. “We’re huge fans of the magazine and look forward to creating new editorial opportunities that are unique across the media landscape.”
Southern Living is headquartered in Birmingham, AL and is part of Time Inc., a Time Warner company. It reaches more than 16 million consumers each month through a variety of print, digital, mobile, tablet and event platforms. CMT, reaches more than 92 million homes in the U.S.
Keyboardist John Hobbs Honored by CMHoF
/by Eric T. ParkerThe program, which begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum’s Ford Theater, is hosted by Bill Lloyd and will include a brief performance and an in-depth interview.
Illustrations from vintage recordings, photos and film clips from the museum’s Frist Library and Archive will decorate the event, which is free with admission to the museum.
For over three decades, Hobbs has contributed his talents to modern country classics such as “Whoever’s in New England,” “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind,” “You’re Still the One,” “Strawberry Wine,” and “I Try to Think About Elvis.”
Hobbs made a name for himself in the L.A. music scene early on before moving to Nashville, scoring music for TV shows and films as well as playing on records for George Jones, Tom Jones, Barry Manilow, Olivia Newton-John, Charlie Rich and Lionel Richie.
In addition to playing keyboards for Nashville’s biggest stars, Hobbs is also a talented songwriter and producer. He has written songs recorded by Ray Charles, Diamond Rio, Vince Gill, Collin Raye, McEntire and Pam Tillis. His production credits include seven records for Raye; Gill’s These Days, for which Hobbs won a Grammy in 2007; and LeAnn Rimes’ Lady & Gentlemen. Hobbs has earned Keyboard Player of the Year 10 times from the ACM. In 2000, Hobbs began his ongoing tenure as Gill’s bandleader.
Hobbs is to sign autographs in the Museum Store immediately following the program, which is to be streamed live on the Hall of Fame’s website.
Big 98 Presents Free Lee Brice Show
/by FreemanBrice has earned back-to-back recognition for Billboard’s most popular songs in 2010 and 2011 for his own smash single “Love Like Crazy” as well as Eli Young Band’s recent hit “Crazy Girl.” Brice’s current single “A Woman Like You” is currently at No. 12 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout chart and will be included on his upcoming sophomore album due out in April.