NBN SoundLand: Day 1

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Taylor Goldsmith/Dawes. Photo: Next Big Nashville

SoundLand, presented by Next Big Nashville kicked off last night (9/21) with an opening VIP reception at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall. Complimentary beverages were provided by Starr Hill brewery and Firefly Skinny Vodka.

The first series of musical performances were held across the courtyard at War Memorial Auditorium. Sometime Nashville resident Jonny Corndawg began the proceedings with a set of good-humored, frequently filthy country songs reminiscent of the Tom T. Hall era. Los Angeles folk-rockers Dawes played the middle set, showcasing soaring melodies and Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith’s instrumental chops.

M. Ward. Photo: Next Big Nashville

In addition to its own set, Dawes served as the backing band for Corndawg and the evening’s closer M. Ward. The Portland-based folkie (also known for being one-half of She & Him with Zooey Deschanel) played solo tracks including “Sad, Sad Song” and “Poor Boy, Minor Key” before being joined for a full band setup with Dawes. Guests during the evening included Deer Tick singer John McCauley, fiddle player Josh Hedley, and members of Nashville’s own Lambchop.

There’s a lot more to come. We’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, check out more pictures from last night here.

 

Jonny Corndawg. Photo: Next Big Nashville

Industry Ink (9/22)

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Pictured seated (L-R): Razor & Tie’s Beka Tischker and Catt Gravitt. Standing: Razor & Tie’s Ross Asher & Lisa Johnson; SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Peyton Hoge

SESAC songwriter Catt Gravitt has signed with Razor & Tie Publishing. Gravitt has writing credits on the current singles from Eden’s Edge (“Amen”) and Jake Owen (“Alone With You”). The Coal Valley, Pa. native has written songs recorded by Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert and Kenny Rogers. Gravitt is also a successful songwriter in the Christian Music genre having written “In Better Hands,” which Natalie Grant took to No. 1.

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Tiffany Bearden

Tiffany Bearden is launching Evolution PR, offering full-scale publicity campaigns as well as individual services including press releases, tour press and social media marketing. Bearden previously spent four years at FrontPage Publicity working with clients Martina McBride, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town and more. FrontPage Publicity owner Kathy Best praises, “I consider anyone very lucky to have her on their team.” Contact Tiffany Bearden at tiffany@evolutionprnashville.com or (615) 852-6076 www.evolutionprnashville.com.

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Sue Fabisch and Ilene Angel won the Avon Voices songwriting competition. They will receive a trip to New York City in November, and attend the Avon Foundation for Women Gala where their winning songs will be performed in front of a tastemaker audience.

(L-R): Sue Fabisch and Ilene Angel

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Melissa Schleicher

Make-up artist Melissa Schleicher, with clients including Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, and Rascal Flatts, is opening a full-service salon and make-up boutique this fall. Parlour 3 will be located at 144 Franklin Rd, Brentwood, TN.

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Sugar Hill Records released Kenny Vaughan’s solo debut V earlier this month. Vaughan is a member of Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives, who also play on the album. Vaughan is a 2006 Instrumentalist of the Year award winner from the Americana Music Association. Veta Cicolello and Theo Antoniadis of Ovvio Arte created the album artwork for V.

Celebrating Vaughan's album release at Earnest Tubb Record Shop (L-R): Vaughn, Stuart and Manuel

Highest Paid Country Stars

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*Urban wasn't ranked in 2011, and Sugarland wasn't ranked in 2010.

 

Forbes’ latest list of “Country Music’s Highest Paid Stars” was released this week, covering gross income earned between May 2010 to May 2011. Major revenue streams for most of the acts on the list includes sponsorships/endorsement deals, touring, publishing income and album sales.

For comparison, MusicRow looked back to the 2010 rankings. Most of the same stars are on both lists, though the graph above shows fluctuations in gross earnings. Ranking for the first time in 2011 is Sugarland.

Forbes reports, “We talked to agents, managers, publishers, lawyers and others in the know to come up with our estimates, which are gross earnings. We do not deduct for taxes or things like agent and manager fees.” See full story here.

2011 Highest Earners
1. Toby Keith $50 million
2. Taylor Swift $45 million
3. Brad Paisley $40 million
4. Tim McGraw $35 million
5. Rascal Flatts $34 million
6. Kenny Chesney $30 million
7. George Strait $24 million
8. Alan Jackson $22 million
9. Carrie Underwood $20 million
10. Sugarland $18 million

2010 Highest Earners
1. Kenny Chesney $50 million
2. Toby Keith $48 million
3. Taylor Swift $45 million
3. Rascal Flatts $45 million
5. Tim McGraw $30 million
6. Keith Urban $28 million
7. George Strait $25 million
8. Brad Paisley $22 million
9. Alan Jackson $15 million
10. Carrie Underwood $13 million

Darren Warren Working Debut EP

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Randy Owen and Darren Warren in the studio.

Darren Warren’s debut EP Cowboy Up And Party Down was released digitally last month and has already sold more than 6500 downloads. The title cut single broke the Top 40 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout chart last week, and the corresponding music video is in rotation at The Country Network (TCN).

The project was released through NuCorp Entertainment under the direction of Chuck Rhodes.

Warren heads to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis today (9/22) to perform for the Hospital’s Volunteer Service Centers Summit. Warren spent almost three years of his life there while being treated for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Darren Warren visited MR reporter WLLX/Lawrenceburg, TN in support of his debut single, “Cowboy Up and Party Down." Pictured (L-R): midday air personality Zack Wright, and Darren Warren

It was his experience at St. Jude that provided the inspiration for his song “Go Get My Angel,” featuring guest vocals from Alabama’s Randy Owen, founder of Country Cares for St. Jude.

Portions of the proceeds from both his EP and from his label NuCorp Entertainment will go directly to St. Jude.

Jake Owen’s “Barefoot” Goes Platinum

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Owen and members of his Sony and Morris Management teams. Photo: Alan Poizner

RCA recording artist Jake Owen celebrated multiple achievements this week. His single “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” was certified platinum by the RIAA, based on sales in excess of one million downloads. The song also recently held the No. 1 spot for two consecutive weeks. In addition, Owen’s new album, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, recently debuted at No. 1.

Sony Music Nashville’s Chairman and CEO Gary Overton presented plaques to Owen commemorating these three accomplishments.

“I had never received a plaque until ‘Barefoot’ was certified gold and that was maybe two months ago,” says Owen. “Then, I couldn’t believe it when I got one for ‘Eight Second Ride’ going gold, which was a song I wrote when I was in college at Florida State. And now, to be standing here with three plaques is just wild. I’m just so grateful to so many people.”

Owen is the special guest on the U.S. leg of Keith Urban’s Get Closer 2011 World Tour.

Artists Give Back With Benefit Concerts And More

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Jeff Bates spent a week in Colombia with Compassion International.

The Judds Benefit for The Franklin Theater
The Judds are playing a concert on Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. to benefit the Franklin Theater. Tickets start at $85 and will go on sale Sept. 23 at www.franklintheatre.com.

Holiday Notes From Home
Nan Kelley and Clay Walker host Holiday Notes From Home at the Opry House with performances by Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack and a pre-show set by Adam Fisher. Set to tape Thurs., Oct. 6, at 7 p.m., the concert will air as a Christmas special for Armed Forces Radio & Television on Christmas day. Tickets are available here and free parking will be available in the Opry Mills lots.

Jimmy Wayne and VH1 Save The Music
Jimmy Wayne and the Energizer Bunny surprised students at Nashville’s Norman Binkley Elementary School with a keyboard grant worth $30,000, donated by Energizer and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. The grant will provide 16 new keyboards for the school. To learn more, please click here.

America’s Greatest Picnic
Music City Honor Flight will hold America’s Greatest Picnic on Sunday, Oct. 2 from noon to 6 p.m. Enjoyed at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet, TN, the new annual fundraiser supports and honors surviving Middle Tennessee veterans of WWII. The event will feature performances by Bo Bice, Martin Ramey, John Ford Coley, Reverend Zack and the Good News Blues and Greez Monkeez. Along with a children’s carnival and field games, there will also be a public guitar pull, Pickin’ for Patriot. Ticket sales and individual contributions will be donated to the Music City Honor Flight. To learn more or purchase tickets please visit, www.nowplayingnashville.com and www.musiccityhf.org.

30 Days Of Hope
The Listening Room Cafe is hosting a free 30 Days Of Hope event on Wed., Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. The writer’s round will feature more than a dozen successful singer/songwriters such as Brice Long, Bridgette Tatum, Wynn Varble, and Billy Yates. The 30 Days Of Hope show and month-long campaign is to help raise awareness for childhood cancer.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
A group from the Martina McBride Fan Club is coming from five states to walk at LP Field for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on Oct 15. They are inviting members of the industry to walk with them to support the American Cancer Society and breast cancer research. For details, contact Sheila Jones on 
Twitter @teammartina2011 or http://www.teammartina.com
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Photography Book Follows Jamey Johnson’s Journey

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A new photography book follows country artist Jamey Johnson’s career from 2008 to 2010 and features over 450 images. This Ride…In Color, And In Pictures, by photographer Melinda J.P. Harlan, is set to release as a 2,500 copy, limited edition run on Sept. 25.

Harlan compliments the photographs with stories, quotes and observations from some of Johnson’s closest friends and mentors. George Jones, Bill Anderson, Jim “Moose” Brown, Rob Hatch, T.W. Cargile, Sharon Corbitt-House, Keith Bilbrey and Bill Cody are among those who share their experiences throughout the book. These insights give fans a rare peek into the life of Johnson. Of his life, Johnson says, “My dream already came true…All I ever wanted was to get to just ride around and sing country music.”

The books sells for $125 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to five charities: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Hatch Show Print, Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center, Southeastern Beefmaster Breeders Association’s College Scholarship Fund, Alabama School of the Deaf and Blind’s Music Education Program, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Each copy is personally signed and numbered by Harlan.

For more information or to order the book, please visit www.thisride.us.

Grammy Museum, Opry To Honor Randy Travis

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Randy Travis is celebrating 25 years in country music and to mark the milestone, the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles welcomes him tonight (9/21) to perform an acoustic set and participate in a discussion.

The Grand Ole Opry continues the celebration on Tues, Oct. 4, inviting Travis to the stage alongside Carrie Underwood, John Anderson, Josh Turner, Gene Watson, Connie Smith and more. GAC is scheduled to feature several performances from the concert in an episode of Opry Live on Sat., Oct. 15, at 8 p.m.

“Randy’s impact on country music over the past 25 years is evident both in the array of celebrated artists who have joined him on this acclaimed anniversary album as well those who will be accompanying him on the Opry stage next month. It will be a great show, celebrating the legacy of a truly special artist,” said Pete Fisher, Opry vice president and general manager.

Travis released his Anniversary Celebration album in June, which features the voices of Zac Brown Band, Kristin Chenoweth, Kenny Chesney, Don Henley, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson and Brad Paisley.

IEBA Reveals Award Noms, Adds Showcases

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Nominees for the International Entertainment Buyers Association Industry (IEBA) Awards were revealed today. Voting is underway, and winners will be announced at a luncheon on Oct. 4 at the annual IEBA conference, running Oct. 2 – Oct. 4 in Nashville, TN. Complete nominations below.

IEBA Chairman of the Board Linda Smith, of Glenn Smith Presents, explains a few changes to this year’s awards: “Since IEBA represents a wide variety of all types of entertainment buyers, we revamped the awards this year to better reflect that diversity. This was accomplished by creating separate awards for the different Buyer categories— Corporate, Casino, Fair, Festival, Club, College—as well as recognition of Venue Executive of the Year, Talent Agent of the Year, and a special board of directors award honoring the International Buyer of the Year. Nominees were carefully considered by a nominating committee of their industry peers based on the simple criteria of individual excellence and leadership. In addition to the other changes, awards are given to individuals, not companies; after all, it’s the people that make it all happen!”

IEBA’s showcase line-up and educational panels are growing. BLA’s showcase on Mon., Oct. 3 will include Bush Hawg, Sarah Darling, Josh Gracin, Mark Chesnutt, Corey Smith and LoCash Cowboys. The Paradise Artists Agency’s Tues., Oct. 4 showcase will feature Paul Revere and the Raiders, Uriah Heep, Dave Mason, Glen Templeton, Blackhawk and the Outlaws.

IEBA’s new workshop, “Back to Basics,” is geared toward younger professionals. It discusses the best way for artists to book venues, market their event and show up ready to perform. “We are excited to announce the addition of IEBA’s ‘Back to the Basics’ session. This three part program—highlighting the booking, pre-show, and day-of-show processes—will be a great opportunity for everyone to hear from industry veterans on the fundamentals of live entertainment,” stated IEBA Board Member, Nicole Hardy of Neste Event Marketing.

To learn more or register visit www.ieba.org.

Nominees for IEBA Industry Awards:
Fair Buyer of the Year
John Juliano, The Big E!
Renee Pearson, Minnesota State Fair
Paul Schober, America’s Fair – The Erie County Fair
Suzanne Wilson, Wilson Events, Inc.

Festival Buyer of the Year
ACL – Charles Attal, C3 Presents
Bonnaroo – Ashley Capps, AC Entertainment, Inc.
Coachella – Paul Tollett, Goldenvoice, LLC
Lollapalooza – Charles Attal, C3 Presents
Summerfest – Bob Babisch

Club Buyer of the Year
Allen Anders, AEG Live SE, LLC
Scott Mason, That’s Entertainment Int’l
Gary Osier, Gary Osier Presents
Alan Presley, Kaleidoscope Promotions, Inc.
Ed Warm, Joe’s Bar Chicago

College Buyer of the Year
Susan Garner, Yavapai College
Ari Nisman, Degy Booking Int’l, Inc.
Rick Stowe, East Coast Entertainment, Inc
Adam Tobey, Concert Ideas
Michael Wright, The Music Garden

Corporate Buyer of the Year
Matt Barnett, OnStage Talent Group
Paul Creighton, T Skorman Productions, Inc.
Ray Gosselin, Epic Entertainment
Fred Suss, Talent Source, Inc.
Barry Weisblatt, WhiteLeaf Entertainment Group

Casino Buyer of the Year
Billy Brill, Billy Alan Productions, LLC
Josh Flom, Mystic Lake Casino
Peter Manning, C3 Presents
Shena Sawyer, Grand Casino Hinckley
Robyn Smith, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Anna Zappala, Mohegan Sun / Live Nation Worldwide, Inc.

Talent Agent of the Year
Stan Barnett, CAA
Rob Beckham, WME
Greg Janese, Paradigm
Barry Jeffrey, WME
Nick Meinema, The Agency Group

Venue Executive of the Year
John Bolton, BOK Center
Brian Gale, Prudential Center
Arvind Manocha, Hollywood Bowl
Ralph Marchetta, US Airways Arena
Patti-Anne Tarlton, Air Canada Centre

International Buyer of the Year
Recipient will be announced October 4

Swift Package Due In Time For Holidays

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Taylor Swift’s Broadway inspired Speak Now World Tour is coming to a living room near you. Swift announced today that the show will be released as CD/DVD and CD/Blu-ray sets. The sets can be purchased in stores and through online retailers starting Monday, Nov. 21, in time for the holiday season. Click here to watch Swift’s video announcement for her fans.

Speak Now World Tour – Live will also be available as CD/DVD or CD/Blu-ray combo paks on Big Machine Records’ website, www.bigmachinemusic.com.

Swift finishes up the U.S. leg of her Speak Now Tour Tuesday, Nov 22. The show is already sold out.