Weekly Chart Report (11/11/11)

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Chuck Wicks (L) recently stopped by Nashville’s WSIX to catch up with Mid Day host Amy Paige (R) and to talk about his St. Jude benefit show next Monday (11/14) at 3rd & Lindsley.

RADIO NEWS
As part of Clear Channel’s recent reorganization, WTCR/Huntington, WV MD Scott Hesson has departed after nearly 10 years with the company. Hesson’s 25-plus year radio career also includes time at Hilton Head’s WGZR, and Tri Cities TN-VA’s WXBQ. Reach him at 304-521-9831 or here. WTCR PD Judy Eaton will assume music duties in the meantime. Reach her here.

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KCBN/Harrison, AR MD Lisa Johnson will exit the station Nov. 15, where she has worked for 11 years. Her career in radio spans 26 years and includes time with WTXT/Tuscaloosa and KTXY Y107/Columbia, Mo. Contact her here.

Corey Wagar (R) and KCJC/Russellville, Arkansas MD Jarrett Jackson (L) mug for the camera during a recent station visit. Wagar’s single “I Hate My Boyfriend” is up to No. 65 this week on the chart.

SPIN ZONE
Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned The Night” remains unchallenged as the CountryBreakout Chart’s No. 1 song, followed once again by Miranda Lambert’s “Baggage Claim.” CMA Album of the Year winner Jason Aldean’s “Tattoos On This Town” moves up a spot to No. 3, followed by Eric Church’s “Drink In My Hand” at No. 4 and The Band Perry’s “All Your Life” at No. 5.

Mostly, it’s a molasses-slow week for movement. Even hot new singles like Kenny Chesney’s “Reality,” Brad Paisley’s “Camouflage,” and Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” don’t make much more progress than one position or two, despite impressive triple digit gains in spins. New debuts include McGuffey Lane’s “Bartender” at No. 76, Gloriana’s “(Kissed You) Good Night” at No. 77, Shane Yellowbird’s “Bare Feet On The Blacktop” at No. 79 and Johnny Rivers’ “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” at No. 80.

Frozen Playlists: KFAV, KTWI, KWWR, KYYK, WAKG, WBKR, WBYZ, WCMS, WKWS, WPPL, WRHT, WYBL

Upcoming Singles
November 14
Faith Hill/Come Home/Warner Bros./WMN
Wade Bowen/Saturday Night/Sea Gayle/BNA
Love and Theft/Angel Eyes/RCA
Mark Cooke/Any Way The wind Blows/CVR/Quarterback

November 28
Shawna Russell/Waitin’ On Sunrise/Way Out West

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New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
McGuffey Lane/Bartender/Lick — 76
Gloriana/(Kissed You) Good Night/Emblem/WMN — 77
Shane Yellowbird / Bare Feet On The Blacktop/On Ramp — 79
Johnny Rivers/I’ve Got To Use My Imagination/Soul City — 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Brad Paisley/Camouflage/Arista — 306
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA — 281
Keith Urban/You Gonna Fly/Capitol — 255
Kenny Chesney/Reality/BNA — 213
Toby Keith/Red Solo Cup/Show Dog-Univeral — 202

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA — 16
David Bradley/If You Can’t Make Money/Gecko Music Productions — 10
Trace Adkins/Million Dollar View/Show Dog-Universal — 8
Rodney Atkins/He’s Mine/Curb — 8
Keith Urban/You Gonna Fly/Capitol — 8
Faith Hill/Come Home/Warner Bros. — 7
Kevin Fowler/That Girl/Average Joe’s — 7
Billy Currington/Like My Dog/Mercury — 6

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Joanna Mosca w/Richie McDonald/Where Does Good Love Go?/Dolce Diva — 134
Lauren Alaina/Georgia Peaches/19/Mercury — 132
Brent Anderson/Amy’s Song/Arista — 126
Chris Weaver Band/Go Easy On Me — 119
Mockingbird Sun/Lucky Guy/Toomey Starks — 116
Bryan Cole/Pride & Passion/Perfect Vision — 114

FUNL Music artist Ty Herndon stopped by Premiere Radio’s CMA Awards remotes recently to promote his new single, “Stones.” Herndon is currently recording the follow-up effort to his 2010 Grammy-nominated album, Journey On, slated for an early 2012 release. (L-R): Shadow Stevens (MD – WWKA/Orlando, FL), Travis Moon (PD – KAJA/San Antonio, TX), Ty Herndon, radio vet Becky Brenner

Average Joe’s duo Montgomery Gentry recently stopped to congratulate Moby, host of syndicated Moby in the Morning, on his induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame. (L-R): Eddie Montgomery, Moby, Troy Gentry

NARM: Back Announcing Could Improve Music Discovery And Sales

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NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) recently unveiled new research on how consumers discover music completed by the NPD Group. This topic was last examined in 2007 and the current findings have “changed significantly,” due to the introduction, since that time, of social media, TV and other digital services as major influencers.

Top line findings show music discovery remains vital to the industry, but “applies differently to various consumer groups.” Interestingly, “80% of all respondents were interested in learning about new music from artists they were already fans of, and 60% were interested in learning about unfamiliar artists in genres that they usually buy.”

The most common means of music discovery is via am/fm radio plus family, friends and co-workers. For active music fans, online radio and web videos were also important. The report notes that TV (competitions, awards, online video outlets, scripted series) were extremely influential overall. Not unexpectedly, the importance of retail has lessened since 2007 when the previous study was completed.

“We have identified several areas where we believe we can move the needle and convert that discovery to a retail experience of some kind,” said Jim Donio, President of NARM. “For example, people hear music they like, but because of lack of identification, they don’t learn the artist’s name or the song title, so they cannot seek out that track again – more promotion of song recognition apps and stressing the importance of back announcing could go a long way to improve that situation.”

This is not the first study to urge radio to adopt more back announcing (the naming of a previous song) to increase music sales. The CMA segmentation studies in 2009 and 2010 also reached that conclusion. However, radio still does not seem to have incorporated back announcing on any wide scale.

The study also segmented consumers into five groups; “Committed,” “Convert,” “Comfortable,” “Casual,” and “Content,” plus examines various discovery tools.

[Press Release Excerpt] “Committed” consumers are the youngest group, with a mean age of 32 (20 percent are age 13 to 17; 42 percent are 18 to 35).  They represent 10 percent of all consumers who listened to or purchased music within the prior three months. “Committed” consumers also account for 46 percent of per-capita spending on music, and they are the most engaged consumers in the report. While they use a variety of discovery sources – including radio, video, streaming, and movies – they also value ownership, and they are the most open to discovering new artists. They find their current means to discover new music is good, but still wonder if they are missing something.

“Converts,” who make up 30 percent of musically active consumers and account for 34 percent of per-capita spending, are the second youngest group, with a mean age of 34 (13 percent teens; 23 percent are 18 to 25 years old). They also listen to music in a variety of ways and are more likely than the average consumer to purchase CDs or digital downloads. They are generally satisfied with their means of music discovery, but they would still consider other options.

Those in the “Comfortable” group make up 30 percent of musically active consumers and account for 15 percent of per-capita spending on music. With a mean age of 50, they are considered the mainstream segment. These individuals mostly listen to music on CD or on AM/FM radio, and they prefer to discover new music from familiar artists. They also rely primarily on television and radio to find new music, and they feel those methods are adequate for their needs; they are not interested in new ways to discover music.

“Casual” listeners, who make up 14 percent of musically active listeners and account for 3 percent of per-capita music spending, have a mean age of 43. They are also lighter listeners than average, they rarely buy music, and they have low interest in digital sources and discovery.

The “Content” group, which make up 11 percent of musically active consumers and account for 2 percent of per-capita music spending, have a mean age of 55. They are the lightest buyers and listeners, and while they periodically buy CDs, they do not find current music engaging.

 

Consumers cited TV as the second most influential tool for music discovery, trumped by am/fm radio, which was most important. According to the study, “most of those who cited radio also reported they would wait to hear a new song again, rather than purchase the track. This finding suggests a need for more back announcing, since three out of four of those who said they would wait also said they would shop more if there were more announcements revealing artist names and track titles.”

“As technology and music distribution has evolved, it’s fascinating how diverse the music fan base has adapted since the last time we conducted this study,” said Russ Crupnick, Sr. VP of The NPD Group. “On one hand you have fans who can’t find enough ways to learn about new music, whether it’s at retail, through apps and social networks, or on radio and TV. On the other hand there is still a large core group who learns by listening to AM/FM radio and on family shopping trips. Regardless of the type of music fan, there are actions the industry can take to improve the discovery process, and help drive revenue.”

The study was conducted by NPD Group in August 2011 and based upon 3,771 completed online surveys. The full research deck is available to NARM members only.

Curb Music Publishing Promotes Colt Cameron

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Curb Music Publishing has announced the promotion of Colt Cameron to Creative Director. He is responsible for overseeing the creative direction of the publishing division’s roster that includes writers Lee Brice, Kyle Jacobs, Joe Leathers, Billy Montana, LeAnn Rimes and others.

Cameron is a graduate of Belmont University and has been with the company since 2006, most recently serving as Creative Manager. He has placed songs with Steve Holy, Josh Kelley, Randy Rogers Band, Blake Wise, Emily West and Terri Clark. Congratulate him at ccameron@curb.com.

Charlie Cook On Air

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If you ask people the most important qualities in a friend, a spouse or even a co-worker, I’ll bet loyalty is among them. According to Karol Ladd’s bestselling book The Power of a Positive Woman, loyalty is number three.

Loyalty is not only important to friendships–it’s important to radio stations, station personalities, artists and musical genres. The record companies get kind of a pass in their brand on this one but they are tightly tied to the artist brand, of course.

How do you build loyalty? How do you build loyalty that lasts for a long time?

I remember asking Conway Twitty why he left a Rock & Roll career behind, when he could have been huge around the time Elvis was the King. He told me he knew Country fans were loyal to their heroes. He told me that he wanted a 25 year career. Conway read it right and lasted longer than just 25 years. No one could have anticipated the loyalty Elvis engendered.

I am always amazed to see where one of the format’s longer lasting artists is still out on the road many nights while not having a radio hit or a current CD for years. But they can support themselves, a band and a bus because they have built a base of loyal fans. Maybe they don’t sell out Madison Square Garden but they make a living doing what they love doing.

This is the same for pop groups, often rejiggered with one or less of the original members. Is loyalty illusionary in some cases? Are we loyal to what we think we remember?

I am a loyal Detroit Red Wing fan. Am I loyal to the uniform? Not so much to the players anymore, many of whose names I cannot even pronounce. I don’t get to Red Wing games anymore but I check CBSsports.com every morning to see how they performed last night.

Borders Books recently crashed after a good run. They came out of Ann Arbor about the time I lived there and had a 40 year run. How does a 40 year business just fold up? They failed to take advantage of managing loyalty to their brand.

I don’t go to a book store to buy candy bars and candles. I would bring my daughter to Borders to help her build a love of books and instead I had to fight my way through stuffed animals and trinkets that would catch her eye.

What happens then? In my case I would think twice before bringing her with me. Then because I would rather spend time with her I stopped going to Borders. Multiply that by 1 million and all of a sudden Borders has a real problem.

What built your loyalty? Hammer those qualities home day after day, week after week.

Lee Greenwood was a player in our format but “God Bless the USA” is his brand. That song built a loyal following for Lee. What if he made an appearance and decided not to sing that song?

Artists like to stretch and discover new avenues with their music. I guess that this is what makes them special. I will bet that singing the same music, the same style, night after night makes you want to climb a tower, but at the same time the fan has an expectation that needs to be satisfied.

Artists like Taylor, who understands her fan base as much as anyone ever has, can push the envelope more during her live shows. Heck, who would have thought 14 year old girls would spend two hours entranced by what is a Broadway like musical. Taylor did. This gives her the opportunity to stretch musically and tell a visual story with her music. Her shows build a connection with the fans and loyalty because it is visual along with being musical.

Radio stations should be loyalty machines. They have so many things to hook the listener with. Music is the number one thing. If there are two country stations in town you have to be the choice with more music, better music, more targeted music. Then you can build loyalty with a morning show.

Do you think Baltimore country music fans would feel the same about WPOC if Laurie DeYoung wasn’t waking them up? Laurie has built a loyal fan base by being consistently good every day. Laurie doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel every morning. She tries to deliver a morning show that has made her a Hall of Famer.

Some stations try to buy loyalty. Nothing wrong with that. Contests work just fine. Stations are actually trying to buy ratings but sometimes loyalty comes along as a secondary benefit.

I hear from stations that times change. In the consumer arena it is a zero sum game. If I listened to WXXX and now I listen to WZZZ something made me change my mind. My sixteen hours a week of listening is now either distributed differently or gone to the new guy.

The bottom line is that in order to build loyalty with your friends, your co-workers, you customers, or fans you need to add to the community every day. Just hanging around is not good enough. Contribute something every day.

You must do something that ingratiates you to your target.

According to Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys, “If you’re a retailer, loyal and engaged customers are six times more likely to visit your locations.”

I am going to stretch that and say if you really care about building loyalty with your target you’re many times more likely to have them listen to your radio station, buy your CD or attend your concert.

Finally, a couple weeks ago my friend Cindi Hoelzle posted on Facebook a thank you card Taylor sent to her and family for attending her show. That is stretching and that is what Ms. Swift does every day.

Have a great weekend.

Universal Nabs EMI Recorded Music

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[Developing Story] According to reports from the Guardian, Universal Music is set to purchase EMI’s recorded music division for around  £1.2bn. The publication also names Sony as most likely to be the new owner of EMI’s music publishing division at a price estimated to be approximately £1.26bn, over $2 billion dollars.

This deal will give Universal over a third of all music sales worldwide. Regulatory hurdles are expected to be overcome due to the severe decline of the music industry overall.

Citigroup is brokering EMI’s breakup and sale after grabbing back control of the company from Guy Hands and Terra Firma.

A key part of the deal, reports the Guardian is that “Citigroup is retaining in deficit EMI’s pension fund which has 21,500 members.”

The Wall Street Journal reported this morning at 7:25 CT 11/11, “Barring a last-minute hitch, EMI’s recorded-music unit will be sold to Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group for $1.9 billion, while a group spearheaded by Sony Corp.’s music division will buy the publishing operation for $2.2 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal, valued at $4.1 billion in total, could be announced later Friday, but the bank may wait until the weekend, the person said.”

Grant And Gill Announce Christmas Tour

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With the impending holiday season, Amy Grant and Vince Gill will embark on their sixth Christmas tour, which spans twelve dates. The Twelve Days Of Christmas – Amy Grant & Vince Gill kicks off Dec. 7 in Baltimore, MD and wraps with two shows in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium.

In their two hour program, the Grammy-winning husband-and-wife team will present cherished standards and as well as newer seasonal fare.

“Christmas audiences are special,” explains Grant. “They tend to involve the whole family, and their emotions are a wonderful mix of anticipation and reverence. It’s a thrilling experience for both of us.”

Complete list of dates:
December 7 – Baltimore, MD – Lyric Opera House
December 8 – Norfolk, VA – Constant Convocation Center
December 9 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Landmark Theater
December 10 – Augusta, GA – Bell Auditorium
December 11 – Savannah, GA – Johnny Mercer Theater
December 12 – Roanoke, VA – Roanoke Civic Center
December 15 – Louisville, KY – Palace Theatre
December 16 – Evansville, IN – The Centre
December 17 – Muncie, IN – Emens Auditorium – Ball State
December 19  – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
December 20-21 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium

Ronnie Dunn Performs a Stealth Show at The Stage

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Ronnie Dunn strapped on his guitar at The Stage and surprised a crowd from the streets of Lower Broadway on Tuesday (11/8), the night before the CMA broadcast. His performance is said to have been recorded, but no further details were available.

“I figured I’d play beer joints for free,” Dunn said during his set, which featured a mariachi and a few songs from his former life, including “Neon Moon,” “Red Dirt Road,” “Something Bout You” and “Play Something Country.”

“Getting the music back to the people, back to the bars makes me feel more alive,” says the man who made his mark playing beer joints around Oklahoma before chasing a dream to Music City in the late 80s. “Country music is real life, where it’s lived and breathed… and you don’t get much real-er than playing for people packed in a bar that’s too hot, too loud and are too ready to forget everything that’s troubling them.”

Star-Packed CMA Show Ropes In Viewers

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Aldean wins Album of the Year.

A strong performance line-up scored top ratings for last night’s (11/9) CMA Awards, making ABC the most-watched network of the night with an average of 16.3 million viewers tuning in, according to Zap2It. This comes following a 10-year contract extension between the CMA and ABC, announced yesterday. By comparison, last year the show drew about 16.45 million viewers.

First time nominees and winners The Band Perry and Jason Aldean scored multiple honors, but otherwise no act walked away with more than a single trophy, meaning more artists, and their teams are merrily basking in today’s post-CMA glow. For the audience at home and in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the evening played mostly like a super-cool three-hour concert where they happened to hand out a few awards. The amazing stage set cascaded in waves of warm gold, glowing like the lights of a Las Vegas casino.

Aldean’s hard-earned and much deserved wins included Album of the Year. He shared the honor with longtime producer Michael Knox for the double platinum, envelope-pushing My Kinda Party. Accepting proudly, Aldean recalled first meeting the producer who would prove so impactful on his career: “This guy found me in a club in Atlanta, Georgia, brought me to Nashville 15 years ago and has made every record I’ve ever done.” Aldean and Kelly Clarkson’s super duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” was a shoo-in for Vocal Event.

His performance of “Tattoos On This Town” showcased what he does best: no frills, what-you-see-is-what-you-get, amped up country rock. Onstage he delivers a straight-ahead, full-throttle concert, in the studio he’s a little more adventurous, such as invoking country rap for the mega hit “Dirt Road Anthem.”

Swift receives a standing ovation from her peers. Photo: Caitlin Rantala

A monumental world tour and a gazillion album sales earned Taylor Swift her second Entertainer of the Year trophy. From the acceptance stage she thanked artists from Usher to Tim McGraw who joined her as surprise guests on the road. This entertainment mastermind doesn’t do anything halfway, so it was fitting that her extremely stripped down performance of “Ours” came with a sparse set and modest “what-I-wear-around-the-house” wardrobe. For the star it was a leap forward, showcasing the song without the distracting over-the-top theatrics that have boggled happy fans on her Speak Now tour. Still, given Swift’s M.O., I was waiting for the costume tear-away that never came.

Hot husband and wife Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert continued their respective reigns as Male and Female Vocalists of the Year. Shelton turned the fun loose from the get-go with opening number “Footloose,” featuring the song’s original hitmaker Kenny Loggins and offering the first of many pyrotechnic spectacles.

When Lambert marched onstage to perform current single “Baggage Claim” she came off like an artist in charge, completely in command of the stage, band and crowd. And no country awards show would be complete without ‘Ran setting something on fire, so she obliged with some pyro for the finale. And for the record, her newest album Four The Record has already secured my vote for 2012 CMA Album of the Year.

The Band Perry wins Single of the Year as presenter Kellie Pickler applauds.

The Band Perry and their monster hit “If I Die Young” swept the MusicRow Awards earlier this year, and the sibling trio continued the trophy take-homes last night, winning Single and New Artist. As sole writer, Kimberly Perry also received Song of the Year. Enduringly elegant, she explained to the fans, “Thank you for bringing ‘If I Die Young’ to life…I truly believe that ‘If I Die Young’ would have been written with or without me, it was a song that was meant to be. But I was so excited to have pen and paper in hand when it was ready to come to earth.” She stunned during their performance of “All Your Life,” oozing confidence in a red-sequined floor-length sheath. It was a bold look we haven’t seen from her before, maybe she taking notes from show-stopping tourmate Reba. Word is, Mom Perry handles wardrobe for the siblings.

Wardrobe was also a key part of Lady Antebellum’s performance of “We Owned The Night.” The band led an onstage chorus in the song, with everyone dressed in striking black and white contrast.

Zac Brown Band’s take on “Georgia On My Mind” featuring Gregg Allman warmed this Georgian’s heart, but left me wondering why they chose a cover song for the second time in three years. Either way, ZBB kills it on the classics.

Fellow Georgian Luke Bryan kept the stage hot with “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).” The routine involved a crew of dancers and even had the star busting out a few dance moves of his own…oh, and more pyro.

Co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood kept the banter lively, exchanging Tim and Faith Barbie dolls, joking about Bradcephus with Hank Jr., and carousing with Little Jimmy Dickens dressed as Justin Bieber.

Keith Urban was the first of several great performers to pop up on a stage in the middle of the crowd. Following suit was sunny Scotty McCreery, fine voiced Chris Young, and party-hearty Eric Church. (He is one of my faves, but needs to lose the shades in the dark.) Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter offered mid-audience acoustic matrimony on “You And Tequila.” With director Shaun Silva, it won Video of the Year.

Accepting the Duo award, Sugarland’s Kristian Bush explained, “Our fans saved us this year.” Indeed, the Indiana State Fair tragedy made it a difficult year for the band and crew. They recently returned to the area for a benefit concert. Sugarland’s stage show is something of power, and they turned in a passionate set last night with pop rocker Matt Nathanson.

Fantastic pairings helped fuel the extravaganza. Lionel Richie was joined by Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, and Darius Rucker on some of his biggest hits. The Flatts also teamed with soaring pop vocalist Natasha Bedingfield. Faith Hill looked outside of country to find her latest song, “Come Home,” which was first recorded by OneRepublic. She gave a dramatic read of the single during her first CMA Awards performance in five years. Also joining forces were Urban, Paisley and Vince Gill for a tribute to ailing Glen Campbell. And producers tapped twirling acrobats to accent Sara Evans’ performance of “Stronger.”

Fiery opening number "Footloose." Photo: Caitlin Rantala

Songwriting Benefits – Mark Your Calendar

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Tim Nichols

Grammy Award winning songwriter Tim Nichols has enlisted Bob DiPiero and Rivers Rutherford along with Barry Dean, Danny Orton and Madison Cain for an evening benefiting High Hopes this Saturday (11/12) at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs. The ‘Smart Casual Attire’ event will feature a silent auction at 6pm followed by dinner with wine and entertainment.

High Hopes preschool and pediatric therapy clinic has served Middle Tennessee for over 25 years equipping children and youth with skills necessary to achieve success through education, rehabilitation and loving support.

Tickets are available at www.highhopesnash.com or by phone at (615) 522-5616 and are $150 each or $1,500 for tables of ten.

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Nashville-based Women Rock For The Cure will host a writers round at The Listening Room Café’s signature “Sound Good Do Good” evening on Monday (11/14). The event will feature singer/songwriters Bonnie Baker, Lisa Carver, Coldwater Jane, Stephanie Lambring, Caitlin Lynn, Mark Irwin and Kate York helping to raise funds and awareness for Women Rock For The Cure’s mission to connect and aid young adults fighting breast cancer.

Tickets are available at www.listeningroomcafe.com or at the door for $10. Show starts at 6pm. Women Rock For The Cure was founded as a nonprofit in 2007 by four friends with ties to the music industry.

Americana Special To Air On PBS

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The Avett Brothers perform during the 10th Annual Americana Honors & Awards. Photo: Erika Goldring

ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival will air Nov. 19 on PBS, featuring performances by Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris, Gregg Allman, Alison Krauss, The Avett Brothers and The Civil Wars. Check local listings for times.

The hour long special, hosted by Jim Lauderdale, was filmed live at the Ryman Auditorium on Oct. 13 during the Americana Music Association’s Honors and Awards. The show opens with a performance of “I’ll Fly Away,” in tribute to the 10th anniversary of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, with Harris, Krauss and others, and closes with a finale spotlighting rock legend Allman.

Also included are performances from Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Robert Plant and The Band of Joy, Candi Staton,  Lucinda Williams, Elizabeth Cook, Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and Amos Lee. Many artists are backed by Miller’s all-star band, featuring Don Was, Greg Leisz, the McCrary Sisters, along with John Deaderick and brothers Cody and Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars.

“It was time to bring the Americana Honors to another level,” said Jed Hilly, executive director of the Americana Music Association. “We could not have better partners than Nashville Public Television president and CEO Beth Curley for our Middle Tennessee premiere, and Austin City Limits executive producer Terry Lickona to take this to a national audience.”

Included Performances:
Emmylou Harris Alison Krauss Buddy Miller, Jerry Douglas and Don Was / I’ll Fly Away, “O Brother” Tribute Performance
The Avett Brothers / The Once And Future Carpenter
Lucinda Williams / Blessed
Amos Lee / Cup of Sorrow
Elizabeth Cook / El Camino
The Civil Wars / Barton Hollow
Justin Townes Earle / Harlem River Blues
Jessica Lea Mayfield / For Today
Buddy Miller / Gasoline And Matches
Candi Staton / Heart On A String
Jim Lauderdale / Life By Numbers
Robert Plant / Monkey
Gregg Allman / Melissa