Houston’s Icehouse Music recently released the double-CD set, This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark, to celebrate Clark’s 70th birthday. Clark was born in Monahans, Texas on November 6, 1941.
The collection was co-produced by Tamara Saviano (Grammy winner for Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster) and frequent Clark co-writer Shawn Camp (“Sis Draper,” “Magnolia Wind”). Saviano is also working with Clark on his definitive biography.
The tribute features 30 tracks by 33 Americana favorites such as Rodney Crowell, Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Shawn Colvin, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris & John Prine, Patty Griffin, Ron Sexsmith, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, Jerry Jeff Walker, Robert Earl Keen, and more. The collection was mixed and mastered by Austin’s Cedar Creek Records principal Fred Remmert. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.
For more information click here.
Volume 1
1. That Old Time Feeling – Rodney Crowell
2. Anyhow I Love You – Lyle Lovett
3. All He Wants Is You – Shawn Colvin
4. Homeless – Shawn Camp
5. Broken Hearted People – Ron Sexsmith
6. Better Days – Rosanne Cash
7. Desperadoes Waiting For A Train – Willie Nelson
8. Baby Took A Limo To Memphis – Rosie Flores
9. Magdalene – Kevin Welch
10. Instant Coffee Blues – Suzy Bogguss
11. Homegrown Tomatoes – Ray Wylie Hubbard
12. Let Him Roll – John Townes Van Zandt II
13. The Guitar – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
14. Cold Dog Soup – James McMurtry
15. Worry B Gone – Hayes Carll
Volume 2
1. Dublin Blues – Joe Ely
2. Magnolia Wind – Emmylou Harris & John Prine
3. The Last Gunfighter Ballad – Steve Earle
4. All Through Throwing Good Love After Bad – Verlon Thompson
5. The Dark – Terri Hendrix
6. LA Freeway – Radney Foster
7. The Cape – Patty Griffin
8. Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kris Kristofferson
9. Texas Cookin’ – Gary Nicholson, Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien
10. Stuff That Works – Jack Ingram
11. Randall Knife – Vince Gill
12. Texas 1947 – Robert Earl Keen
13. Old Friends – Terry Allen
14. She Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere – The Trishas
15. My Favorite Picture of You – Jerry Jeff Walker
Industry Vets Launch Wrinkled Records
/by FreemanThe label’s founders say: “Wrinkled Records is a stimulating and nurturing home for unique artists who defy classification, catering to listeners with discerning taste, curious minds and adventurous spirits.”
BJ Thomas is the legendary hitmaker behind “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” among others, and performer of the Growing Pains theme “As Long As We Got Each Other.” Buffy Lawson was formerly one half of the duo Bomshel and has also recorded with Neil Diamond. Etta Britt was previously a member of Dave & Sugar, and her new album is called Out of the Shadows. Jimbeau Hinson is an ASCAP award-winning songwriter whose credits include David Lee Murphy’s “Party Crowd,” Oak Ridge Boys’ “(I’m Settin’) Fancy Free,” Steve Earle’s “Hillbilly Highway,” and Patty Loveless’ “After All.”
Android 4.0: In Time For The Holidays
/by bossrossRelease dates for this phone have been as elusive as Santa Claus on Christmas eve. Since Thanksgiving there have been reports and rumors of U.S. release dates which came and went with no phone. It is the first phone to run on Android 4.0. The handset was released in the UK in mid-November and a few weeks later in Canada, but Americans were left without access unless they ordered a high-priced unlocked version from overseas.
This writer will present a hands-on review of the new handset soon, but in the meantime critics’ reports are strongly positive. For details about the phone’s features click here and here.
Emmylou Harris To Celebrate Opry Anniversary
/by Sherod RobertsonPhoto: Joel Dennis, Hollo Photograhics, Inc.
Emmylou Harris will be honored by the Grand Ole Opry on her 20th anniversary as an Opry member Sat., Jan. 21, 2012 at the historic Ryman Auditorium. Harris was inducted into the Opry on Jan. 25, 1992.
Harris’ 20-year milestone will be celebrated with performances by the honoree, fellow 20-year Opry veteran Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, with whom Harris is currently working on a duets album and Grammy winner Shawn Colvin (in her Opry debut).
“Emmylou is treasured not just by all of us at the Grand Ole Opry, but also by fans around the world,” said Pete Fisher, Opry VP/GM. “She’s shared so many great musical moments with us over the past 20 years, singing with and introducing us to some of her favorite musical collaborators. We’re excited to celebrate her Opry anniversary at the Ryman, a stage on which she’s displayed such incredible artistry through the years.”
With her early singing partner Gram Parsons, Harris was at the forefront of the ’70s country rock movement. Over her career, she has enjoyed seven No. 1 and 27 Top 10 hits. Among her most memorable releases: “If I Could Only Win Your Love,” “Together Again,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Making Believe,” “To Daddy,” and “Heartbreak Hill.” In 1999 Billboard Magazine recognized her distinguished career achievements with its highest honor – the Century Award. Harris was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008 and has won 12 Grammy Awards.
Tickets can be purchased at www.opry.com.
Live Nation Uncorks BigChampagne Data
/by bossrossMichael Rapino, Live Nation Chief Executive told the New York Times, “We love the basics of what they’ve created, and love the idea of taking an incredible amount of fan data off-and-online and merging that into a relevant database of what artists are most popular and relevant to today’s consumer.”
Eric Garland, founder of BigChampagne, said: “BigChampagne now collects and analyzes more information about entertainment and online audiences than anyone in our sector’s history. From my first conversation with Live Nation, it was clear to me that this is the right place to dramatically evolve and extend what we’ve built. We’re connecting fans with things they’ll love that are happening nearby or soon, or both. Most importantly, Live Nation has assembled an extraordinary team and we are honored to be invited to join them.”
Included in the deal, BigChampagne founder Eric Garland will be named General Manager of livenation.com and co-founder Joe Fleischer will be Sr. VP of content and product strategy. All of BigChampagne’s 26 employees will now work for Live Nation. Terms of the deal have not been released.
MusicRow has enjoyed an informal alliance with BigChampagne for many years. The publication interviewed Eric Garland last year and has been running Internet charts/country format powered by BigChampagne for many years.
Rapino, in a prepared statement, said, “BigChampagne brings us a great technology platform and an innovative team to help us better understand our fans and deliver insights across all areas of our business. Its expertise will accelerate our mission to drive deeper fan engagement throughout Live Nation…”
Guy Clark Tribute Released
/by MichelleThe collection was co-produced by Tamara Saviano (Grammy winner for Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster) and frequent Clark co-writer Shawn Camp (“Sis Draper,” “Magnolia Wind”). Saviano is also working with Clark on his definitive biography.
The tribute features 30 tracks by 33 Americana favorites such as Rodney Crowell, Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Shawn Colvin, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris & John Prine, Patty Griffin, Ron Sexsmith, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, Jerry Jeff Walker, Robert Earl Keen, and more. The collection was mixed and mastered by Austin’s Cedar Creek Records principal Fred Remmert. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.
For more information click here.
Volume 1
1. That Old Time Feeling – Rodney Crowell
2. Anyhow I Love You – Lyle Lovett
3. All He Wants Is You – Shawn Colvin
4. Homeless – Shawn Camp
5. Broken Hearted People – Ron Sexsmith
6. Better Days – Rosanne Cash
7. Desperadoes Waiting For A Train – Willie Nelson
8. Baby Took A Limo To Memphis – Rosie Flores
9. Magdalene – Kevin Welch
10. Instant Coffee Blues – Suzy Bogguss
11. Homegrown Tomatoes – Ray Wylie Hubbard
12. Let Him Roll – John Townes Van Zandt II
13. The Guitar – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
14. Cold Dog Soup – James McMurtry
15. Worry B Gone – Hayes Carll
Volume 2
1. Dublin Blues – Joe Ely
2. Magnolia Wind – Emmylou Harris & John Prine
3. The Last Gunfighter Ballad – Steve Earle
4. All Through Throwing Good Love After Bad – Verlon Thompson
5. The Dark – Terri Hendrix
6. LA Freeway – Radney Foster
7. The Cape – Patty Griffin
8. Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kris Kristofferson
9. Texas Cookin’ – Gary Nicholson, Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien
10. Stuff That Works – Jack Ingram
11. Randall Knife – Vince Gill
12. Texas 1947 – Robert Earl Keen
13. Old Friends – Terry Allen
14. She Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere – The Trishas
15. My Favorite Picture of You – Jerry Jeff Walker
Skip Bishop Exits Sony
/by FreemanPrior to joining Sony he served as President and CEO of his own Bishop Bait & Tackle, a large independent marketing and promotion firm. Bishop’s career also includes time as Sr. VP MCA Los Angeles and Sr. VP Pop Promotion for RCA in New York.
No further details regarding Bishop’s plans or his replacement at Sony are available at this time.
For Sony Music Nashville promotion inquiries, please contact lesly.tyson@sonymusic.com (Arista Nashville), keith.gale@sonymusic.com (RCA), or norbert.nix@sonymusic.com (Columbia/BNA).
Martina’s “Hits and More” Due In January
/by FreemanGAC recently premiered Martina McBride: The Road To Eleven, an hour-long special following the singer from her signing with Republic Nashville through her four day train journey to promote the release of her new album Eleven. The special is set to re-air December 18, at 10 PM/CT. McBride’s current single “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” is at No. 6 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart.
Hits and More tracklist:
1. “My Baby Loves Me”
2. “Independence Day”
3. “Wild Angels”
4. “A Broken Wing”
5. “Valentine” (with Jim Brickman)
6. “Happy Girl”
7. “Whatever You Say”
8. “I Love You”
9. “Love’s the Only House”
10. “Blessed”
11. “Where Would You Be”
12. “Concrete Angel”
13. “This One’s For the Girls”
14. “In My Daughter’s Eyes”
15. “Anyway”
16. “Ride”
17. “Wrong Baby Wrong”
18. “Surrender” – NEW
19. “Straight to the Bone” – NEW
20. “Being Myself” – NEW
Messina, Warren Play St. Jude Country Music Marathon Party
/by FreemanGuests will receive two complimentary drink tickets and the first 100 guests get to take home an official event t-shirt. Additionally, runners who register for the St. Jude Country Music Marathon or 1/2 Marathon on site will get a $10 discount. 25 raffle prizes, including local restaurant gift certificates, will be given out and attendees are encouraged to wear their wackiest running attire for the Tacky Christmas Runner Costume Contest.
Faith Hill To Perform On People’s Choice Awards
/by Eric T. Parker“We are so lucky to have Faith Hill on board to perform at the People’s Choice Awards,” said Executive Producer Mark Burnett. “Her experience, mainstream appeal and status as one of the top female performers of our time make her the perfect addition.”
2012 nominees for Favorite Country Artist are Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, and Taylor Swift. Swift will also compete with mainstream artists for Favorite Tour Headliner and Favorite Female Artist, while Lady Antebellum competes for Favorite Album of the Year. Voting remains open for only Favorite New TV Comedy and Favorite New TV Drama online.
Faith’s new single, “Come Home,” is No. 33 on the most recent MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart. Her new album is expected in early 2012.
Good Works: Rodney Atkins
/by MichelleRodney Atkins Photo: Jeremy Harris
As part of the Crown Royal Heroes Project—an ongoing initiative by the whisky brand to honor and give back to everyday heroes—Rodney Atkins provided a free performance to show support for local volunteer firefighters at the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys game in Texas on Dec. 11.
Atkins took the stage one hour prior to kick-off with a special performance dedicated to members of the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund. Adult fans were able to show their support for the Texas-based charity by packing commemorative versions of the Crown Royal purple bags with items to be sent overseas. Crown Royal is donating $10 to the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund for every bag packed by fans before the start of the game. The Texas Wildfire Relief Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating awareness for volunteer firefighters in Texas.
• • • • •
Atkins also performed during the inaugural American Giving Awards in Los Angeles, which aired Dec. 10 on NBC. The audience gathered at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to find out which five charities will be chosen to receive additional funds from Chase Community Giving (CCG). Other featured guests included Miley Cyrus, motivational speaker J.R. Martinez, Will.i.am, Jesse Tyler Ferguson of NBC’s Modern Family, Colin Farrell, and host Bob Costas.