Rodney Crowell’s upcoming release is a project of songs co-written with author Mary Karr, which features star guests Norah Jones, Vince Gill, Lucinda Williams, Lee Ann Womack, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Emmylou Harris.
Kin, Songs By Mary Karr and Rodney Crowell is coming via Vanguard Records on June 5. Produced by Joe Henry, Kin marks the first collaboration between the two writers and is Karr’s entry into the world of music.
After reading Karr’s memoirs, Cherry and The Liar’s Club, which spent over a year on the New York Times Best Sellers list, Crowell name-checked her in “Earthbound,” a track off his critically acclaimed album Fates’ Right Hand.
In recent years, Crowell also debuted memoir Chinaberry Sidewalks (Random House), and Karr released Lit (Harper).
“I called out to her in the darkness because she was a bona fide poet I knew could write songs,” Crowell says, “and despite her professor’s pedigree, she’d ridden a bike in a mosquito truck’s fog.” Karr has taught at Harvard and Syracuse University, where she still holds a chair in literature.
Upon hearing Crowell’s songs, Karr recognized her own less than perfect family. “We grew up about 100 miles apart in the same stretch of east Texas Ringworm Belt,” she explains, adding that both childhood homes had bullet holes in them from their parents’ drunken rampages.
So, as Crowell puts it, “We settled down and raised a record.”
His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Norah Jones. He was recently inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame.
EMI Extends Publishing Agreement With Young
/by FreemanYoung has notched five consecutive No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart including his self-penned “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song),” “Voices,” and “Tomorrow.” He also co-wrote his current single “You,” which just recently hit No. 1. The new co-publishing agreement allows EMI to continue representing Young’s existing song catalog and future works.
“As we celebrate our fifth No. 1 single together I’m excited to continue my relationship with EMI Music Publishing and look forward to continuing to craft and create great new music,” says Young.
EMI Music Publishing Nashville Exec. VP Ben Vaughn adds, “Chris has such respect for country music’s history, it’s very gratifying to see him play an integral part of writing country’s next chapter. Topping the charts five times in a row shows how fans and radio react to his style of modern day country music and is a real testament to his drive and the team that supports him.”
2011 was a big year for Young, who landed CMA and American Country Awards nominations, in addition to his first Grammy nomination. His sophomore album The Man I Want To Be and single “Tomorrow” (from current album Neon) have both been certified Gold. Starting in January, Young joined up with Miranda Lambert’s On Fire tour.
ACM New Artist Nominees Revealed
/by Sarah SkatesVoting for New Artist of the Year will take place at www.VoteACM.com beginning March 19, at 12:00 noon ET/9:00 AM PT and will continue until 5:00 PM PT on Sunday, April 1, before the start of the live awards show.
The New Artist of the Year final nominees were selected by a combined vote of the fans and professional members of the Academy of Country Music. Professional member votes will be combined with fan votes to determine the winner of the category.
Leading up to the show, fans can watch interviews and exclusive performances with the three nominees on GAC’s ACM New Artist of the Year special, premiering Monday, March 19 at 9:00 PM ET and re-airing multiple times. Additional air times and dates can be found at GACtv.com/ACM.
Haggard Resumes Tour
/by Freeman“I’m feeling good and ready to get back on the bus,” says Haggard. “Thanks to all for their powerful prayers that led to my speedy recovery. I’m rehearsing with the band and looking forward to playin’ and singin’ again.”
Merle Haggard tour dates:
2/28 — Tucson, Arizona — Fox Theatre
2/29 — Anaheim, CA — The Grove
3/1 — San Diego, CA — Balboa Theatre
3/2 — Laughlin, NV — Edgewater Casino
3/3 — Rancho Mirage, CA — Agua Caliente Casino
3/5 & 3/6 — Folsom, CA — Three Stages at Folsom Lake College
4/11 — Nashville, TN — The Ryman Auditorium
4/12 — Pigeon Forge, TN — Country Tonite Theatre
4/13 — Florence, IN — Ballerra Casino & Resort
4/14 — Greensboro, NC — War Memorial Auditorium
4/15 — Columbia, SC — The Township Auditorium
4/16 — Annapolis, MD — Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts
4/17 — Shippensburg, PA — The H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center
4/19 — Torrington, CT — Warner Theatre
4/20 — Portsmouth, NH — The Music Hall
4/21 — Atlantic City, NJ — Harrah’s Atlantic City-The Concert Venue
4/22 — Springfield, OH — Clark State Performing Arts Center
4/25 — Macon, GA — Macon City Auditorium
4/26 — Paducah, KY — Four Rivers Center
4/27 — Lula, MS — Isle of Capri Casino
Rodney Crowell Teams With Author Mary Karr For New Album
/by Sarah SkatesKin, Songs By Mary Karr and Rodney Crowell is coming via Vanguard Records on June 5. Produced by Joe Henry, Kin marks the first collaboration between the two writers and is Karr’s entry into the world of music.
After reading Karr’s memoirs, Cherry and The Liar’s Club, which spent over a year on the New York Times Best Sellers list, Crowell name-checked her in “Earthbound,” a track off his critically acclaimed album Fates’ Right Hand.
In recent years, Crowell also debuted memoir Chinaberry Sidewalks (Random House), and Karr released Lit (Harper).
“I called out to her in the darkness because she was a bona fide poet I knew could write songs,” Crowell says, “and despite her professor’s pedigree, she’d ridden a bike in a mosquito truck’s fog.” Karr has taught at Harvard and Syracuse University, where she still holds a chair in literature.
Upon hearing Crowell’s songs, Karr recognized her own less than perfect family. “We grew up about 100 miles apart in the same stretch of east Texas Ringworm Belt,” she explains, adding that both childhood homes had bullet holes in them from their parents’ drunken rampages.
So, as Crowell puts it, “We settled down and raised a record.”
His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Norah Jones. He was recently inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame.
Taylor Swift Video To Debut Globally
/by Eric T. ParkerTaylor Swift performing with the Civil Wars at the Ryman. Photo Credit: Ed Rode
Taylor Swift and Viacom have partnered to introduce the new music video for “Safe and Sound,” featuring the Civil Wars, across multiple global platforms on Mon., Feb., 13. The debut is expected to reach more than 600 million households in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America, Australia, Asia and Africa.
The “Safe and Sound” clip will premiere at 7:54 PM/ET during the MTV News special MTV First: Taylor Swift, and air simultaneously across all MTV channels including taylorswift.mtv.com. Swift will introduce the video on-air before sitting for an exclusive 30-minute interview with MTV News’ Sway Calloway. Afterward, the video will premiere on VH1 and CMT.
Fans can submit questions for the interview by Twittering to @MTVNews with hashtags: #AskTaylor and #MTVFirst.
The single is featured on the companion soundtrack for The Hunger Games film, due in theaters March 23. The soundtrack will be released for purchase in advance of the film. “Safe and Sound” was produced by T Bone Burnett and has been available for purchase since Dec. 23, 2011.
First Investigation Into Indiana State Fair Tragedy Concludes
/by Sarah SkatesA six-month investigation into the Indiana State Fair tragedy has determined that the company which built the roof and rigging, the stagehands union, and fair officials share blame for the Aug. 13 stage collapse which killed seven people and injured 58 others. As a result of the findings, relatively minimal fines were issued to these three parties, the largest of which was $63,000 and went to the staging company, Mid-America Sound Corp.
The query was conducted by the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and is the first of three independent investigations.
According to the AP and other news outlets, fair officials were informed of the stage’s limitations, and should have evacuated the area. Mid-America maintains that fair representatives knew the temporary roof structure and rigging being used that night would not sustain winds of 25 mph or severe weather.
Newly released testimony also shows that Sugarland and their representatives refused offers to delay the start of the concert that night. Indiana State Fair Commission executive director Cindy Hoye testified as part of a lawsuit against Mid-America. According to the AP:
T.J. Martell Foundation Announces Honorees
/by FreemanIndividuals being honored at the 2012 gala:
Songwriter Kris Kristofferson — Frances William Preston Lifetime Music Industry Award
Executive Joe Galante — Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award
Colin Reed, Gaylord Entertainment Chairman/CEO — Lifetime Humanitarian Award
Tom Cigarran, Healthways Co-Founder and Nashville Predators Chairman/Co-Owner — Spirit of Nashville Award
C. Wright Pinson, M.B.A., MD, deputy vice chancellor for Health Affairs and CEO of Vanderbilt Health System — Lifetime Medical Achievement Award
The Honors Gala brings together leaders from the business, medical, sports, and entertainment communities to raise funds and awareness for cancer research at top US hospitals, including the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
“This event is truly special. It is one of the only times such a diverse group of professionals, entertainers and civic leaders come together for an evening that benefits such a vital cause. Through this signature event, the T.J. Martell Foundation has raised approximately $1.3 million for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research,” said Laura Heatherly, CEO of the T.J. Martell Foundation.
Co-chairs for the gala include David Corlew, Blue Hat Records/Charlie Daniels Band; Kitty Moon Emery, KittyMoon Enterprises; and Steve Hauser, WME. Table sponsorships start at $10,000, and individual tickets are $1,000. More info here.
ACM to Host Week-Long Vegas Experience
/by Eric T. ParkerThe three-day event was created to immerse fans in the country music lifestyle, allowing enthusiasts to ‘shop country, taste country, ride country, and hear country.’
The Experience includes the ACM BBQ Throwdown competition for competitive barbecue circuit champions, vendors, and interactive booths; the ACM Expo includes 200K square feet of shopping, gaming and eating with ‘town square’ performances from yet to be announced artists; and the Ram Ride and Drive will demonstrate the capabilities of the truck outside the resort.
All these events will culminate around the previously-announced ACM Fan Jam, a ticketed event hosted by Zac Brown Band at the Mandalay Bay Events Center during the ACM Awards show at the MGM Grand across the street. This live concert event will continue after the Awards telecasts on CBS and is to feature special appearances and giveaways.
“The ACM Experience is a natural extension of the Academy’s focus on bringing fans the best events to promote the genre and provide additional exposure for both established and new artists,” said Bob Romeo, CEO of the ACM.
Additionally, the ACM has announced its monthly My Cause February web feature as “Country Sings for Cancer,” supporting Sarah Darling’s Women and Cancer fund. For more information, click here.
Emmylou Harris To Be Honored
/by Sarah SkatesTo be held at the Belcourt Theater, the event titled “How About Dinner And A Movie?” will salute her generous philanthropic spirit.
Tipper Gore is serving as Honorary Chair of the evening.
Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30. A silent auction will run from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The movie starts at 7:45 p.m.; organizers are keeping the name of the flick a secret.
Tickets are $100 each ($70 tax deductible). Details here.
In keeping with Harris’ philanthropic endeavors, she is the honorary chair for the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 17th annual Equality Dinner, to be held Sat., Feb. 25 at Nashville’s Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.
Songwriting Snapshots (2/08/12)
/by FreemanBMI and ASCAP celebrated the team behind Jason Aldean’s No. 1 hit “Tattoos On This Town” with a party at Nashville’s Bound’ry last night (Feb. 7). The song was penned by Wendell Mobley, Michael Dulaney and Neil Thrasher and marks Aldean’s eighth No. 1 hit. Thrasher and Dulaney also co-wrote Aldean’s current single “Fly Over States.”
(L-R): ASCAP’s Marc Driskill, producer Michael Knox, co-writer Neil Thrasher, Jason Aldean, co-writers Wendell Mobley and Michael Dulaney, and BMI’s Clay Bradley. Photo: Erika Goldring
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SESAC has announced the signing songwriter/producer Jon Stone for representation. As a songwriter, Stone has cuts by Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, and Rascal Flatts. He also produced Lee Brice’s upcoming album and co-wrote his current single “A Woman Like You.”
(L-R): SESAC’s Tim Fink, Stone, SESAC’s Shannan Hatch. Photo: Bev Moser
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Some of Nashville’s top songwriting and publishing talent came together last night (Feb. 7) at the Singles Only American Heart Association fundraiser. The event, held at 3rd & Lindsley, raised over $1500 for the organization. Performers included Bob DiPiero, Kendell Marvel, Angaleena Presley, Liz Rose, Lori McKenna, and Hillary Lindsey.
(L-R) On Stage: Josh Martin, Neal Carpenter, Dakota Bradley; Back Row: Shane Barrett (Shane Barrett Music), Denny Carr (Roots Three Music), Scott Ponce (Liz Rose Music), Daniel Lee (formerly Ten Ten Music Group), Eric Gallimore (Red Vinyl Music), and Brad Peterson (Fifth-Third Bank); Front Row: Penny Everhard (BMI, formerly of Love Monkey/Tom-Leis Music), Natalie Harker (Cal IV Entertainment), Taylor Lindsey (BMG Chrysalis), American Heart Association spokeswoman Patty Clements.