Carrie and Faith Appear in Tony Bennett Special

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Carrie Underwood performs with Tony Bennett

A host of country and Nashville-related artists will appear with the legendary Tony Bennett for the January PBS special Tony Bennett: Duets II, a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of his acclaimed album Duets II.

Joining Bennett for performances of his greatest hits are Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Michael Buble, k.d. lang, Queen Latifah, Norah Jones, Josh Groban, Alejandro Sanz and more. The special is being shown as part of PBS’ Great Performances Series, and features stars singing with Bennett on his greatest hits during the Duets II recording sessions. In Music City, several sessions took place at Ben’s Studio on 17th Ave. S.

Highlights include Bennett and Faith Hill on “The Way You Look Tonight,” as well as Amy Winehouse’s final recording on “Body & Soul.” Full song program is included below.

Released in September 2011, Duets II topped sales charts and earned heaps of critical praise. It is currently nominated for Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Pop Vocal, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).

Tony Bennett: Duets II is scheduled to air Friday, January 27. Check local listings for time.

Song Program:

“The Lady Is a Tramp” (Lady Gaga)
“One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” (John Mayer)
“Body and Soul” (Amy Winehouse)
“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” (Michael Bublé)
“Blue Velvet” (k.d. lang)
“How Do You Keep the Music Playing” (Aretha Franklin)
“The Girl I Love” (Sheryl Crow)
“On the Sunny Side of the Street” (Willie Nelson)
“Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” (Queen Latifah)
“Speak Low” (Norah Jones)
“This Is All I Ask” (Josh Groban)
“Watch What Happens” (Natalie Cole)
“Stranger in Paradise” (Andrea Bocelli)
“The Way You Look Tonight” (Faith Hill)
“Yesterday I Heard the Rain” (Alejandro Sanz)
“It Had to Be You” (Carrie Underwood)

Miranda McDonald Joins MCA Promo Team

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Miranda McDonald

Miranda (Williams) McDonald has been named director of regional promotion-Southwest for MCA Nashville. She most recently held a similar post at The Valory Music Co.

McDonald fills the vacancy left by EJ Bernas’ recent move to Tin Roof Corporation.

Royce Risser, senior vice president of promotion, Universal Music Group Nashville announced her hiring. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Miranda join MCA Nashville,” he says. “Her reputation is killer, her passion for the music is obvious, and her interpersonal skills are second to none. If you know her, you know that she is going to fit right in here. If you don’t know her, well, you will soon.”

She’ll handle promotion for the roster which includes Gary Allan, Vince Gill, Mallary Hope, Josh Kelley, Kip Moore, David Nail, Randy Rogers Band, George Strait, Josh Turner and Lee Ann Womack.

“I am so happy to be joining the MCA/Universal Family as the Southwest Director of Regional Promotion,” McDonald says. “I’ve been a fan of their roster and staff from afar, so it feels great to be part of the team.”

McDonald’s career also includes four years at CMT Radio. The Newcastle, Wyoming native has one daughter, Charlie.

All-Star Lineup Announced for WCRS Live!

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Natalie Hemby, Matraca Berg, Lori McKenna

Country Radio Seminar recently announced its WCRS Live! songwriter showcase will feature Matraca Berg, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna. The event, sponsored by BMI and Country Aircheck, is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 during CRS 2012 on the second floor of the Nashville Convention Center.

Berg’s songs have been cut by artists including Reba McEntire (“The Last One to Know”), Patty Loveless (“I’m That Kind of Girl”), Trisha Yearwood (“Wrong Side of Memphis”) and Martina McBride (“Wild Angels”). She has also released three albums as a solo artist, including her 2011 release, The Dreaming Fields. Hemby’s recent successes include work with Miranda Lambert (“Baggage Claim,” “Fine Tune,” “White Liar,” “Only Prettier,” “The Airstream Song,” “Virginia Bluebell”) and Eli Young Band (“Mystery in the Making,” “The Fight,” “How Quickly You Forget”). Meanwhile, McKenna has not only had cuts by Faith Hill (“Stealing Kisses,” “Fireflies,” “If You Ask”) and Tim McGraw (“I’m Workin’”), she also toured with them both. Her studio albums include Bittertown, Unglamorous and 2011’s Lorraine.

“This lineup presents a rare opportunity to experience the work of three of Nashville’s best,” says BMI Assistant VP Dan Spears. “To have Matraca Berg, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna sharing the same stage is incredible. But the event will also serve to highlight the vital contributions made by women throughout the music and radio industries, while acting as the perfect complement to ‘Rising Through the Ranks,’ a program that BMI pioneered with the Radio Advertising Bureau. Each year, BMI awards 25 scholarships to female radio executives to attend a Nashville workshop on executive management best practices. The tremendous success of Matraca, Natalie and Lori will be a great reminder of the enormous successes enjoyed—and driven—by women throughout our industries.”

CRS 2012 is held Feb. 22-24, 2012, in downtown Nashville, TN.  $499 registration is currently available at www.CountryRadioSeminar.com.

Loveless Barn Hosts “Pa’s Fiddle” Tribute Concert

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The songs loved by Charles “Pa” Ingalls from the Little House on the Prairie series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder will be celebrated by some of country music’s favorite artists with “Pa’s Fiddle: America’s Music,” a special concert on Friday, January 6 at the Loveless Barn. The show is being taped for broadcast on PBS stations during June.

Artists performing at the event include musical director Randy Scruggs, Randy Travis, Rodney Atkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ashton Shepherd, The Roys, Natalie Grant and NBC’s Sing Off champions Committed. Rounding out the all-star string band will be Matt Combs, Dennis Crouch, Chad Cromwell, Hoot Hester and Shad Cobb.

To coincide with the show, Pa’s Fiddle Recordings will release an album titled Pa’s Fiddle: American Fiddler on June 5. Included on the CD are “Buffalo Gals,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “Polly Put The Kettle On,” and more performed by Bryan Sutton, Matt Flinner, Matt Combs, David Grier, Jeff Taylor, Dennis Crouch and others. Pre-order here.

Dean Butler (“Almanzo” from the Little House tv show) and Pa’s Fiddle Recordings President Dale Cockrell have teamed to produce the event, which aims to spotlight the musical influence of 19th century fiddler Pa Ingalls through modern interpretations of his favorite songs. Ingalls’ musical tastes and talents were documented by his daughter Laura in the autobiographical Little House series, and his fiddle hangs in the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home & Museum in Mansfield, Mo.

Valory Music Hires Shari Roth

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Shari Roth

The Valory Music Co. has announced the hire of Shari Roth as the label’s Northeast Regional Promotion Director. Roth will lead northeast promotions for the label’s roster of artists including Reba, Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert and the newly signed Thomas Rhett.

Most recently, Roth served as the Northeast/Midwest Regional Promotion for the Republic Nashville label which she joined for its 2009 launch. While at Republic Nashville, Roth was part of team helping elevate the careers of artists like Martina McBride, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band and Sunny Sweeney.

George Briner, VP of Promotion for Valory, said, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Shari join the Valory team. 2011 was a good year for Valory and with the team we have on board for 2012, we are poised for nothing less than greatness.”

Roth also expressed her excitement about joining the Valory team. “I am tremendously excited to join George and the entire Valory team and to work with such an incredibly talented roster of artists,” she said.

Roth can be reached at Shari.Roth@ValoryMail.com or at 312-590-3229.

Gibson Guitar Announces Strategic Partnership

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The Gibson Guitar Corp. is continuing to diversify its range of products, following the announcement of a strategic partnership with consumer audio leader Onkyo Corporation. The arrangement will add technology resources to Gibson’s Pro Audio Division, which also includes KRK, Cerwin-Vega! and Stanton.

Through the arrangement, Gibson will acquire a majority of Onkyo USA and become the corporation’s second largest shareholder. Additionally, Gibson Chairman/CEO Henry Juszkiewicz will join the Onkyo board of directors and Onkyo CEO/President Munenori Otsuki will join Gibson’s board. The two entities will create a Hong Kong-based venture to design and develop consumer audio products.

“Onkyo makes some of the world’s best audio equipment, and this partnership will give Gibson the ability to bring a deeper and more enhanced audio experience to music lovers around the world,” says Juszkiewicz. “While people may be listening to more music, they are listening to it primarily in a severely compressed format. The aural disparity between a real system and compressed sound is vast, and as a result, they are simply not hearing tremendously rich sounds. With Onkyo, our goal is to bring the same exceptional experience artists demand in the studio to a larger consumer base.”

The agreements are still subject to Japanese regulatory clearance.

In other Gibson news, the New York Times is reporting that rocker (and Nashville resident) Peter Frampton was recently reunited with the Les Paul he played on his classic Frampton Comes Alive album. The guitar was previously thought destroyed in a plane crash in Venezuela, but was apparently removed from the wreckage and sold to a musician in Curacao who has been using it since then. Currently the instrument is at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville for minor repairs.

Swift Returning To Big Screen?

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Taylor Swift has been offered a role in the film adaptation of Broadway’s Les Miserables, according to numerous outlets including BroadwayWorld.

No word on whether or not she will accept the part of Eponine, a tragic street urchin who sings the classic “On My Own” in the Broadway musical. Cast members of the movie will reportedly sing their parts live to film.

Along with Swift, an offer is also out to actress Amanda Seyfried for the role of Cosette.

Big-name stars who have signed on for the flick include Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Helena Bonham Carter, Russell Crowe and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Filming will begin in March under the direction of Tom Hooper (King’s Speech) with a release date of Dec. 7, 2012.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (1/04/12)

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Let’s start the New Year with some star power, shall we?

Today for your listening pleasure, we have first-rate efforts from Blake, Miranda, Lady A, Ronnie Dunn and Tim McGraw. Tim definitely has the ballad of the day.

Our newcomers are Jana Kramer, Tim Dugger and Ann Claire. Wait a minute, Tim had a record out back in 2009. So that leaves Jana Kramer as our DisCovery Award winner.

The Disc of the Day prize is a tie between two of our band entries, Lady Antebellum and Eli Young Band. Long may they sing.

Here’s to a prosperous, healthy and happy 2012 to one and all.

ELI YOUNG BAND/Even If It Breaks Your Heart
Writer: Will Hoge/Eric Paslay; Producer: Mike Wrucke; Publisher: Will Hoge/Cal IV, BMI/ASCAP; Republic (track)
—Majestic. It has a melody to get lost in and production dynamics that pound and swirl. The lyric is for aspiring musicians everywhere. I’m way, way into this anthem.

LADY ANTEBELLUM/Dancin’ Away with My Heart
Writer: Dave Haywood/Charles Kelley/Hillary Scott/Josh Kear; Producer: Paul Worley & Lady Antebellum; Publisher: Warner Tamerlane/DWHaywood/Radiobullets/EMI Foray/Hillary Dawn/Global Dog/Big Yellow Dog/Lunalight, BMI/SESAC/ASCAP; Capitol (track)
—Individually, their voices are enchanting. But when these kids harmonize, magic happens. This wafts through the room’s atmosphere like incense smoke. In a word, dreamy.

TIM DUGGER/Way Past My Beer Time
Writer: Tim Dugger/Billy Aerts/Scott Lynch/Justin Pritchett; Producer: Jim Ed Norman & Mike Curb; Publisher: Mike Curb/Stormey/Baby Gray/BMG Chrysalis, BMI; Curb
—Loaded with fiddle and steel, this wobbles and weaves its merry way to the barroom. Lotsa sing-along hillbilly fun.

RONNIE DUNN/Let the Cowboy Rock
Writer: Ronnie Dunn/Dallas Davidson; Producer: Ronnie Dunn; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Showbilly/EMI Blackwood/String Stretcher, BMI/ASCAP; Arista (track)
—The lovelorn redneck is drowning his sorrows, and the band is rollicking.

TIM McGRAW/Better Than I Used to Be
Writer: Bryan Sampson/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Byron Gallimore & Tim McGraw; Publisher: How Bout That Skyline/BMG Chrysalis/Encore Entertainment/Mr. Noise/Writers of Sea Gayle/Gorleysongs/Bug/Music of Windswept/Songs of Southside Independent, BMI/ASCAP; Curb
—The man in this ballad is far from perfect, and he knows it. He’s cleaning up his act, little by little. Movingly performed and beautifully written.

JANA KRAMER/Why Ya Wanna
Writer: Catt Gravitt/Christopher DeStefano/Ashley Gorley; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publisher: Ink Pen Mama/Songs of Max/Tunes of R&T Direct/Razor & Tie/EMI April/Sugar Glider/External Combustion/Out of the Taperoom/Songs of Southside Independent, SESAC/ASCAP; Elektra Nashville
—It’s a heartache lyric wrapped up in a jaunty, country-pop arrangement. It may not be a hit, but it certainly shows promise.

MIRANDA LAMBERT/Over You
Writer: Miranda Lambert/Blake Shelton; Producer: Frank Liddell & Mike Wrucke; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Pink Dog, BMI; RCA
—This trembling ode to loss has a deeply contemplative vibe, but the track packs enough energy to keep it from being completely mournful. Miranda’s vocal, as usual, is perfect.

BLAKE SHELTON/Drink on It
Writer: Jon Randall/Jessi Alexander/Rodney Clawson; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publisher: Reynsong/Why Ya Say/Vistaville/Happy Tears/Big Red Toe/Amarillo Sky, BMI/ASCAP; Warner Bros.
—He’s such a fine country singer, and this swaying, honky-tonk come-on fits him like a glove. Winning in the extreme.

ANN CLAIRE/Better Girl
Writer: none listed; Producer: Travis Howard & Maxwell Abams; Publisher: none listed; Prosody (track) (www.princessannclaire.com)
—She’s some kind of princess in Iran, since she’s the niece of the late Shah. Hence, her CD title, Honkytonk Princess. Its debut single isn’t a honky-tonk tune, however. It’s a sunny, bright, upbeat bopper. Her breezy soprano vocal delivery is adequate, if unexceptional.

ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION/My Love Follows You Where You Go
Writer: Lori McKenna/Barry Dean/Liz Rose; Producer: Alison Krauss & Union Station; Publisher: Barrytones/Universal Music Careers/Wagnerville, BMI; Rounder (track) (www.alisonkrauss.com)
—Captivating. Every instrumental break, every vocal lick and every thing about this production is crystal acoustic perfection. And it doesn’t hurt that the song is such an evocative minor masterpiece.

Attorneys Page Kelley, Natalya Rose Named Partner

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Page Kelley and Natalya Rose

Esteemed entertainment law firm Milom Horsnell Crow has added new partners Natalya Rose and Page Kelley. “They have not only contributed greatly to our intellectual property capabilities, they are also trusted colleagues and friends,” says attorney Mike Milom.

Going forward, the firm will be named Milom Horsnell Crow Rose Kelley.

Page Kelley was already a veteran music business attorney when he joined the firm in August 2010. His career includes tenures at Baker & Kelley, Arista Records and Word Records.

Natalya Rose joined the firm more than three years ago as an established intellectual property lawyer. She has been selected by Super Lawyers as a Mid-South Rising Star – Intellectual Property each year since 2008. Rose and her colleagues are frequent contributors to MusicRow magazine.

Milom, Joyce, Horsnell and Crow launched in October 2007. The firm is currently located at 3310 West End Avenue. Reach them at www.milomlaw.com.

Rider Exits Stoney Creek

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Stoney Creek Records GM April Rider has exited her position with the label after two years. She joined the label in 2009 after more than a decade with Curb Records. During her tenure, the Stoney Creek duo Thompson Square experienced an impressive breakout with “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” Mediabase’s most played single of 2011.

“I have learned so much over the last two years as GM for the label and I cherish every moment,” comments Rider. “I am thankful to Benny Brown for the opportunity. I really enjoyed my time running the record label and watching it grow.”

Rider is currently looking for her next opportunity and can be reached at 615-714-1749 or here.