Chapter 380
Photos: Alan Mayor
On Tuesday evening (10/25), it was all about “giving back” at the Ben Folds Studio on Music Row.
The occasion was the fourth annual presentation of The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award. The salute was to the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University. The honorees were Norbert Putnam and David Briggs. Both of them, especially Norbert, were so kind to me when I was a pup in Music City.
LaQuela Scaife Cude, Sherytha Scaife, Norbert Putnam, David Briggs, LaRawn Scaife Rhea and Joe Scaife.
Cecil’s daughter, LaRawn Scaife Rhea, welcomed everyone and introduced music journalist Dan Daley as the evening’s host. He, in turn, introduced Jaci Wisot. The singer/pianist was the inaugural recipient of Cecil Scaife Belmont scholarship money and proved her worth by performing her original and award-winning ballad “Firefly.”
Second daughter LaQuela Scaife Cude recounted her late father’s vision for a music-business school in Nashville. She said that Cecil helped create the first Belmont music curriculum with his 1971 class on music marketing.
Tony Brown
Tony Brown praised Norbert and David as pioneers of non-country recording on Music Row. “Nashville is more than country music,” he said. “These two guys did it years ago and didn’t need to tell anybody.” Neil Young, Joan Baez, Dan Fogelberg and Jimmy Buffett all recorded at their Quadraphonic Studio, not to mention R.E.M. David’s House of David publishing company was the home of hits for Whitney Houston, Steve Winwood and more.
Tony called the honorees, “two of my heroes and two of my best friends.” He was also hilarious, recalling Elvis Presley anecdotes from the days when he and David both played in The King’s band.
Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens called the honorees, “some of the major boys who made the noise on 16th Avenue.” John Briggs and Dan Daley read letters of congratulation from Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez and Barbara Mandrell, plus a proclamation from Rep. Marsha Blackburn.
The 2011 Cecil Scaife Scholarship recipient is singer and mandolin player Jena Rickards. She performed her lovely pop song “Waiting Up.”
“I had a nightmare last night, because I dreamed I would follow Tony Brown and Ray Stevens and two beautiful singing ladies,” said Harold Bradley. “And it was true.” He presented David’s award.
“Thanks to all the guys who told all the lies about us,” David said. “Thanks to all you people tonight for coming, but you’re not here for us. You’re here for the future.” He sagely remarked that there aren’t enough jobs in the music business for the Belmont grads, but added that there weren’t enough slots when he and Norbert arrived, either.
Cecil’s widow Sherytha Scaife and son Joe Scaife presented Norbert’s award. David Pomeroy presented an AFM 50th anniversary pin to David. “The thing that makes Nashville unique is the give-back and the pass-through,” he noted.
Jena Rickards, Harold Brdley and Jaci Wisot.
Cecil Scaife, who died in 2009 at age 81, was the first sales and promotion director at Sun Records in Memphis when Elvis began his career there in 1954. In Nashville, he co-founded the Gospel Music Association, worked as a CBS executive, was a radio entrepreneur, served as a president of the NARAS chapter (1971-72), established one of the city’s first multi-track studios, produced records, was a song publisher and urged the creation of the Belmont music-biz program.
The prior winners of the Visionary award in his name have been Mike Curb, Tony Brown and Wynonna Judd. The honor is given annually, “to a an individual whose life and work have made it possible for future generations to realize careers in the music industry.”
The historic host studio, formerly RCA Studio A and Javalena, was transformed into a nightclub for the eve. Black-draped tables with turquoise-hued candle centerpieces were arrayed in front of a stage set with elegant living-room furniture. The invitations said that this was to be a “reception” from 6-8 p.m. That turned out to mean continuous hors d’oeuvres. To wit: burger sliders, chicken skewers, pork sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, spicy hot cheese mini-balls, cupcakes and bacon, basil and tomato on toast points.
Working the room were Don Goodman, Don Cusic, Susan Stewart, Suzi Ragsdale, Becky Judd, Bob Fisher, Ben Folds (it was, after all, the pop star and Sing Off TV judge’s studio), Sharon Corbitt-House (she manages it), Diane Pearson, Harold Shedd, Lisa Harless, Lori Badgett, Rick Sanjek, Pamela Johnson, Gilles Godard, Steve Gibson, Jay Orr, Randy Moore, Pat Alger and Fletcher Foster.
Bobby Karl Works The Room
/by Bobby KarlChapter 380
Photos: Alan Mayor
On Tuesday evening (10/25), it was all about “giving back” at the Ben Folds Studio on Music Row.
The occasion was the fourth annual presentation of The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award. The salute was to the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University. The honorees were Norbert Putnam and David Briggs. Both of them, especially Norbert, were so kind to me when I was a pup in Music City.
LaQuela Scaife Cude, Sherytha Scaife, Norbert Putnam, David Briggs, LaRawn Scaife Rhea and Joe Scaife.
Cecil’s daughter, LaRawn Scaife Rhea, welcomed everyone and introduced music journalist Dan Daley as the evening’s host. He, in turn, introduced Jaci Wisot. The singer/pianist was the inaugural recipient of Cecil Scaife Belmont scholarship money and proved her worth by performing her original and award-winning ballad “Firefly.”
Second daughter LaQuela Scaife Cude recounted her late father’s vision for a music-business school in Nashville. She said that Cecil helped create the first Belmont music curriculum with his 1971 class on music marketing.
Tony Brown
Tony Brown praised Norbert and David as pioneers of non-country recording on Music Row. “Nashville is more than country music,” he said. “These two guys did it years ago and didn’t need to tell anybody.” Neil Young, Joan Baez, Dan Fogelberg and Jimmy Buffett all recorded at their Quadraphonic Studio, not to mention R.E.M. David’s House of David publishing company was the home of hits for Whitney Houston, Steve Winwood and more.
Tony called the honorees, “two of my heroes and two of my best friends.” He was also hilarious, recalling Elvis Presley anecdotes from the days when he and David both played in The King’s band.
Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens called the honorees, “some of the major boys who made the noise on 16th Avenue.” John Briggs and Dan Daley read letters of congratulation from Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez and Barbara Mandrell, plus a proclamation from Rep. Marsha Blackburn.
The 2011 Cecil Scaife Scholarship recipient is singer and mandolin player Jena Rickards. She performed her lovely pop song “Waiting Up.”
“I had a nightmare last night, because I dreamed I would follow Tony Brown and Ray Stevens and two beautiful singing ladies,” said Harold Bradley. “And it was true.” He presented David’s award.
“Thanks to all the guys who told all the lies about us,” David said. “Thanks to all you people tonight for coming, but you’re not here for us. You’re here for the future.” He sagely remarked that there aren’t enough jobs in the music business for the Belmont grads, but added that there weren’t enough slots when he and Norbert arrived, either.
Cecil’s widow Sherytha Scaife and son Joe Scaife presented Norbert’s award. David Pomeroy presented an AFM 50th anniversary pin to David. “The thing that makes Nashville unique is the give-back and the pass-through,” he noted.
Jena Rickards, Harold Brdley and Jaci Wisot.
Cecil Scaife, who died in 2009 at age 81, was the first sales and promotion director at Sun Records in Memphis when Elvis began his career there in 1954. In Nashville, he co-founded the Gospel Music Association, worked as a CBS executive, was a radio entrepreneur, served as a president of the NARAS chapter (1971-72), established one of the city’s first multi-track studios, produced records, was a song publisher and urged the creation of the Belmont music-biz program.
The prior winners of the Visionary award in his name have been Mike Curb, Tony Brown and Wynonna Judd. The honor is given annually, “to a an individual whose life and work have made it possible for future generations to realize careers in the music industry.”
The historic host studio, formerly RCA Studio A and Javalena, was transformed into a nightclub for the eve. Black-draped tables with turquoise-hued candle centerpieces were arrayed in front of a stage set with elegant living-room furniture. The invitations said that this was to be a “reception” from 6-8 p.m. That turned out to mean continuous hors d’oeuvres. To wit: burger sliders, chicken skewers, pork sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, spicy hot cheese mini-balls, cupcakes and bacon, basil and tomato on toast points.
Working the room were Don Goodman, Don Cusic, Susan Stewart, Suzi Ragsdale, Becky Judd, Bob Fisher, Ben Folds (it was, after all, the pop star and Sing Off TV judge’s studio), Sharon Corbitt-House (she manages it), Diane Pearson, Harold Shedd, Lisa Harless, Lori Badgett, Rick Sanjek, Pamela Johnson, Gilles Godard, Steve Gibson, Jay Orr, Randy Moore, Pat Alger and Fletcher Foster.
McCreery’s Big Grin Lifts Country Sales
/by adminLady Antebellum’s Own The Night, No. 2 this week, has been out for six weeks shifting a total of 687k units. (The trio’s last outing, Need You Now sold 1,285,000 in its first six weeks.)
Power duo Montgomery Gentry are back with a new album, Rebels On The Run and a new label Average Joes Entertainment. Their debut lands at No. 9 on the country list with sales of almost 12k units.
Looking at the remaining ten weeks till the end of the sales year, it is hard to predict exactly how the numbers will end up. YTD country has moved 31.18 million albums. The 2010 full year total was 43.72 million. That means we need to sell an average of 1.25 million for each of the ten weeks till year end. (This week we sold 706k.)
Number crunchers know that country album sales are YTD ahead 9.3%. (All genre is ahead 3.3%) But next week’s tally (week ending 10/30/11) will be up against a slam bam outing by Taylor Swift who sold 1.05 million units (10/31/10). Next week will be bolstered by new debuts from Toby Keith and Vince Gill, but it is unlikely they will completely offset Swift’s impact in calculating the comparison percentage. The following week’s numbers will contain Miranda Lambert’s new collection. So stay tuned.
Tracking
The top five selling country track downloads are Blake Shelton “God Gave Me You” (50k); Luke Bryan “…This Night To End” (39.5k); Band Perry “If I Die Young” (36.7k); Lady Antebellum “Just A Kiss” (35k); and Eli Young Band “Crazy Girl” (34.5k).
YTD country coffers have received payments on 118 million track downloads. TEA albums (11.8 million) added to regular album sales would yield a YTD country total of 42.98 million.
Atkins and Applebee’s Thank Troops With New Campaign
/by Caitlin RantalaAdditionally, Atkins is scheduled to participate in a USO tour of military bases abroad in 2012.
Atkins and Randy Houser will also perform at the upcoming Third Annual Josie’s Birthday Bash. As previously announced, the annual charity event was created by Thompson Square to benefit children living with Cystic Fibrosis. The concert will be held at the Wildhorse Saloon on Nov. 16.
Big Vinny Competes On “The Biggest Loser”
/by Caitlin RantalaAlong with fourteen other competitors, Vinny is currently competing for a chance at $250,000 and is working with this season’s trainers Bob Harper, Dolvett Quine and Anna Kournikova.
The singer/songwriter weighed in last night at 367 lbs, losing 59 lbs since the beginning of the season.
In the past, Trailer Choice has opened for Toby Keith, Sugarland and ZZ Top. Their music video “Rockin’ The Beer Gut” was nominated in 2010 for CMT Best Group Video of the Year.
To follow Vinny’s progress on The Biggest Loser, tune into NBC on Tuesday night’s at 8/7c.
Industry Ink Wednesday
/by Sarah SkatesSea Gayle Records / Arista Nashville recording artist Brent Anderson visited MusicRow last week for an acoustic set. He is busy promoting debut single “Amy’s Song,” which includes snippets of the Pure Praire League classic "Amie." Former PPL members Vince Gill and Craig Fuller joined Anderson on the new track.
• A memorial service for songwriter Don Wayne will be held Fri., Nov. 11 at Nashville’s Texas Troubadour Theatre from 7:00-9:30 p.m.
• The Fall 2011 Curb Creative Leadership Lecture will feature Robert Levine, the former executive editor of Billboard, and contributor to Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and the New York Times. In his first book, Free Ride, Levine charts how companies like YouTube built businesses on copyrighted content, and how Apple and Amazon drove down the price of music and books. The event is free and open to the public. See him Nov. 2, at 4:30 p.m. at Vanderbilt’s First Amendment Center Lecture Hall. More at www.vanderbilt.edu/curbcenter.
• Racecar driver Dan Wheldon was laid to rest Saturday (10/29) in St. Petersburg, Fla. and a public memorial was held Sunday at Indianapolis’ Conesco Fieldhouse, in the city where Wheldon won the 2011 Indy 500 championship. Special guests included Garth Brooks who performed “The Dance,” Reba who performed “If I Had Only Known” and The Band Perry who delivered a medley of “Go Rest High On This Mountain/Amazing Grace.” Wheldon was sponsored by Big Machine Records and Curb Records.
Donna Botts
• Lamon Records Nashville welcomes Donna Botts as Director of Media Relations and Promotions, and Josh Moody as Vice President of Creative Operations. Lamon Records Nashville will soon be celebrating 50 years in the music industry, and is home to Bobby Dean, Kathryn Scheldt, Kimberly Patrick, Courtney Stewart, George Hamilton IV, The Moody Brothers and more. www.lamonrecords.com
• Celeste Kellogg, a 17-year-old actress and singer, will host a music video premiere party and perform an acoustic set on Thurs., Nov. 3, 5:00 pm at Nashville’s Gibson Guitar Showroom. Kellogg is a former member of teen pop groups RD7 and No Limit. Her solo debut, This is Where I Wanna Be, was produced by multi-platinum producer Andrew Lane (Miley Cyrus, Backstreet Boys, High School Musical). The free event is open to the public.
Good Works: Jake Owen, Jerry Douglas
/by FreemanEvergreen is devoted to serving people with developmental disabilities in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. At present the organization works with over 1,000 individuals. The Nov. 1 fundraiser at the Wildhorse will be Evergreen’s Nashville debut.
• • • • •
“Jerry Christmas” will be held in honor of Witt “Baby Witt” Deane, a Franklin-area child who had a heart transplant in 2010, and proceeds will help with transplant-related expenses. Tickets are on sale here and range from $35 to $55, or $500 for a table.
Chesney’s Video, Gloriana’s Single, Durante’s Scream Stream
/by Sarah SkatesChesney's new video.
Kenny Chesney’s high-octane live show is the centerpiece of the music video for new single “Reality.” Directed by longtime collaborator Shaun Silva, the four-minute reel highlights the star’s summer Goin’ Coastal Tour. See it here.
Over the weekend, Chesney performed an intimate acoustic set for former President Bill Clinton at the “Decade of Difference” event, celebrating 10 years of the William J. Clinton Foundation. Grace Potter joined Chesney for “You and Tequila.” Other performers included Lady Gaga, Usher, and Bono. Watch the concert on Yahoo!
• • •
Gloriana released new single, “(Kissed You) Good Night,” to iTunes on Monday (10/24). Written by band member Tom Gossin with hit writer Josh Kear, the song is from Gloriana’s forthcoming second studio album on Emblem Music Group/ Warner Bros. Records. Gloriana, made up of brothers Tom and Mike Gossin, along with Rachel Reinert, is on the road through the end of the year.
• • •
On Sun., Oct. 30, Margaret Durante will host her first live online broadcast called Margaret’s Halloween Scream Stream LIVE! The party celebration will take place at 7pm ET / 6pm CT and will feature lots of Halloween fun, music, giveaways and a chance to chat with Margaret. Watch it here.
DISClaimer Single Reviews (10/26/11)
/by Robert K OermannOur Female Vocalist Disc of the Day goes to the indomitable Dolly Parton. Long may she sing. Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Merle Haggard and our surprise winner, Billy Currington, vied for the Male Disc of the Day. Billy was the one who was smart enough to dip into the catalog of the late, great Harley Allen for his new single.
Owing to the glut of big-name record makers, there was, alas, no room for any worthy DisCovery Award.
TOBY KEITH/Red Solo Cup
Writer: Jim Beavers/Brett Beavers/Brad Warren/Brett Warren; Producer: Toby Keith; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Beavertime/BMG/Chestnut Barn/Chrysalis One/EMI Blackwood/StyleSonic, BMI; Show Dog (track)
—It’s sing-along drinking song with a spare banjo-guitar accompaniment. The recording sounds strikingly “live” and un-produced, and is therefore quite refreshing.
RODNEY ATKINS/He’s Mine
Writer: Casey Beathard/Phil O’Donnell/Tim James; Producer: Ted Hewitt & Rodney Atkins; Publisher: Sony-ATV Acuff-Rose/Sixteen Stars/Immokalee/Hodges House of Songwriters/Warner-Tamerlane/T-Bird’s, BMI; Curb (track)
—This, on the other hand, is totally compressed, auto-tuned and electro-produced within an inch of its life. The lyric has the Dad showing pride in his boy no matter what happens, good or bad.
KEITH URBAN/You Gonna Fly
Writer: Jaren Johnston/Chris Lucas/Preston Brust; Producer: Dann Huff & Keith Urban; Publisher: Sony-ATV Harmony/Texa Rae/Sony-ATV Cross Keys/Sony-ATV Tree, ASCAP/BMI; Capitol Nashville (track)
—The fourth single from Keith’s Get Closer collection is an upbeat, uplifting ode to escape and hope. His singing is super convincing, and the guitar solo blisters.
DOLLY PARTON/The Sacrifice
Writer: Dolly Parton; Producer: Kent Wells; Publisher: Velvet Apple, BMI; Dolly/Warner (track) (www.dollypartonmusic.net)
—The woman’s ongoing creativity is one of the wonders of our time. Five decades into her career, she is still writing and singing as powerfully as ever. This pulse-quickening little rocker is an autobiographical tale of how she willed herself to be a winner. And, boy, did she.
BILLY CURRINGTON/Like My Dog
Writer: Scotty Emerick/Harley Allen; Producer: Carson Chamberlain & Billy Currington; Publisher: Florida Room/BPJ/Coburn/Harley Allen, BMI; Mercury Nashville (track)
—For locating great songs, Currington has some of the best ears in Music City. This wickedly clever ditty praises the affections of a pooch, as compared to the judgmental attitudes of his gal. I grinned. So will you.
MERLE HAGGARD/Working In Tennessee
Writer: Merle Haggard; Producer: Merle Haggard & Lou Bradley; Publisher: Merle Haggard, BMI; Hag/Vanguard (track) (www.merlehaggard.com)
—The title tune to the Hag’s new CD is a quick-step western swinger. Guitarist Reggie Young, pianist Doug Colosio and fiddler Scott Joss all get in some hot licks while the vocalist offers some light-hearted, bluesy digs at Tune Town.
TRACE ADKINS/Million Dollar View
Writer: David Lee Murphy/George Teren; Producer: Kenny Beard & Mark Wright; Publisher: Old Desperados/Carol Vincent & Associates/EMI Blackwood/Terenator/Done and Dusted, ASCAP/BMI; Show Dog Universal
—As you might expect, the finest view isn’t from a beach, a mountaintop, a high rise or a vacation spot. It’s gazing at his baby in their humble, little living room. The band cooks with gas on this mid-tempo bopper, and Trace totally owns it, vocally.
HAYES CARLL/Stomp And Holler
Writer: Hayes Carll; Producer: Brad Jones; Publisher: Highway 87/Bug, SESAC; Lost Highway
—Perennial Americana fave Carll wails the bad-boy lyric like a wounded honky-tonk survivor. Guitars crash and scream all around this catchy rocker.
BLAKE SHELTON/Footloose
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Warner Bros. (track)
—I have said it before, many times: There is absolutely no point to remaking an oldie unless you’re going to put your own stamp on it and reinvent it. This merely apes the 1984 Kenny Loggins arrangement, right down to the grinding guitar licks.
CLAY DUSTIN/I’ll Take That Job
Writer: David Chamberlain/Mark Sherrill; Producer: David Chamberlain; Publisher: Handle It/Key/Mark, SESAC; PureHeart (track)
—The full title is “I’ll Take That Job That Johnny Paycheck Shoved.” His singing isn’t particularly distinctive, but Dustin is country right down to his boots.
CMA Country Christmas, New Awards Merch
/by Freeman“The recurring themes you find in Country Music are the foundation of what makes the holidays so meaningful – the comfort of home, family, and friends,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. “‘CMA Country Christmas’ will be wrapped in those traditions.”
Tickets for the taping are $25 for upper level seating and $50 for club level.
Additionally, CMA Awards co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood had to beat some tough competition for their hosting gig, if a video on Paisley’s website is to be believed.
SoundExchange Distributions Continue Growing
/by admin“We’ve processed an unprecedented amount of digital performance data this quarter, which is proof positive that consumers are listening, purchasing and enjoying music in more ways than ever,” said SoundExchange President Michael Huppe. “These payments are the result of billions of digital performances by thousands of music services every month. It is our responsibility to ensure that this upsurge of digital performances can be converted into a reliable revenue stream for those who created the music.”
SoundExchange has seen a dramatic increase in payments to artists and labels since it began, as the accompanying graph shows. In 2010, total distributions were $249.2 million up from $155.5 million in 2009.