Owen Opens At No. 1 On Country Albums Chart

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Jake Owen and The Band Perry, in the midst of strong sales weeks, announce nominees for "The 45th Annual CMA Awards" yesterday (9/6) live on "Good Morning America" in New York City. Pictured with ABC's Robin Roberts. Photo: ABC/Ida Mae Astute

Jake Owen’s third album Barefoot Blue Jean Night is shaping up to be his biggest yet, debuting at No. 1 on the Country Albums chart (SoundScan) this week with 55K units sold. Sales were fueled largely by the charttopping title track, which has moved over 900K downloads to date. The album scored 34% digital sales.

“I’ve never had a No. 1 anything before,” says Owen. “This is an amazing feeling that is hard to describe. I’m just so grateful that I was able to record a song like ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ that truly represents who I am and I’m even more grateful that people liked it.”

Yesterday (9/6), he performed “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” live on ABC’s Good Morning America following the announcement of final nominees for the CMA Awards.

Also on hand to make the announcement was The Band Perry, whose monster hit “If I Die Young” shows no signs of passing. For weeks it’s been sitting firmly at No. 1 on the Digital Country downloads chart, selling 68K this week, and heading beyond the 3 million mark next week.

Elsewhere in download-land, Lady A’s new single “Dancin’ Away With My Heart” danced away with fans to the tune of 57K units.

Country digital sales are burgeoning, with albums up 38% YTD, and tracks passing the 100 million milestone. This is part of country’s 7% YTD album sales bump.

Entering the country chart this week are releases from Glen Campbell (14K), Stoney LaRue (8K) and Robert Earl Keen (7K).

Outside the Country

By comparison, pop/rock/hip-hop albums still move more units than country. The new album from Lil Wayne almost reached the 1 million mark (964K), followed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers with 229K.

Adele offers further proof of the immediate impact of television exposure, as her track “Someone Like You” scored almost a 200% week-over-week increase (275K) after her performance on the MTV VMAs.

IBMA Awards Performers Revealed

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Initial performers for IBMA’s 22nd International Bluegrass Music Awards at the Ryman Auditorium Thursday, Sept. 29 have been confirmed.

The event will feature performances from Balsam Range, The Boxcars, Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, The Gibson Brothers, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Sierra Hull & Highway 111 and Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers. Show host Sam Bush, who just received his first CMA Award nomination, will also perform. More performers, as well as award presenters, will be announced soon. The show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM (Bluegrass Junction, Ch. 61) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets.

“Stephen Ruffo and I are thrilled to be working with host Sam Bush and with the team of professionals in place for the biggest night in bluegrass,” says Claire Armbruster, who is co-producing the Awards Show with Ruffo. “Our main focus will be honoring the nominees but we’ll also pay homage to Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass, on the 100th anniversary of his birth.”

“Both Claire and I are excited to produce the Awards Show during the year of this important Monroe anniversary,” agrees Ruffo. “The artists that we have invited to perform on the Ryman stage all recognize the importance of this celebration, and they are as honored as we are to be part of that.”

The International Bluegrass Music Awards Show is the centerpiece of the World of Bluegrass Week, which runs September 26-October 2 in Nashville and includes the IBMA Business Conference and Fan Fest. See a complete list of the nominees here.

Artists Mark 10th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks

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Numerous artists are commemorating the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 with patriotic music and fundraisers to benefit members of the armed forces.

• On Sunday, Sept. 11, the United We Sing fundraiser will feature performances by Jamie O’Neal, Buddy Jewell, Bo Bice and many more at Nashville’s Tin Roof. Proceeds will benefit The Fisher House at Fort Campbell, Ky. and the Nashville Fire Department. Items being collected that night include new and used clothing, old cell phones, and personal hygiene products for Operation Stand Down Nashville. The Tin Roof will donate 10% of sales to the cause. Doors at 5:30 p.m., with a $5 donation, and military/emergency personnel admitted free.

• Alan Jackson will perform his now-classic song about the tragedy, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” at A Concert For Hope on Sept. 11. The event at Washington National Cathedral will also feature a speech by President Obama.

• Katie Armiger compiled a tribute video to mark the anniversary (embedded below). She explains, “The tragedy of 9-11 was the defining moment of my generation. I wanted to pay tribute and respect to the Responders, the Victims, their Families and the Soldiers that went to war because of these attacks. Thank you and God Bless you!!”

Curtis and Luckey sending cigars and CDs to troops.

• Curtis and Luckey are shipping copies of debut album The Hard Way, along with Palma Cigars to US military serving overseas.

• Singer and active-duty U.S. Marine Mike Corrado is raising awareness with his latest single and video, “Still In The Fight.” Corrado wrote the song to draw attention to the struggles of those wounded in combat, and tapped injured Marines for the video. Proceeds from the song benefit the USO’s Wounded Warrior Family Centers initiative.

• Mark Wayne Glasmire celebrates the safe return of a soldier in his newest single, “Going Home.” The track is from his upcoming self-titled EP, which was co-produced by Glasmire and John Albani (Steve Azar, Monty Holmes, Randy Boudreaux).

 

Mark Willis visits a soldier at Fort Hood.

• Mark Wills, the son of a Vietnam veteran, has made more than seven trips to entertain troops overseas, and continues a slew of recent stateside appearances. His new single “Crazy Being Home” is a tribute to military, and he also started CrazyBeingHome.com to foster support for America’s post-9/11 veterans.

• Eddie Money is giving all proceeds from new single “One More Soldier Coming Home” to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a non-profit organization which pays tribute to those who have sacrificed for the United States.

Michaels Launches InstiGator

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Gator Michaels

Longtime music industry executive Gator Michaels has opened full-service radio promotion company InstiGator Entertainment. “As I look to the future, I have decided to get back to what I do best,” he says. “Radio airplay is crucial for an artist’s career, and InstiGator will be the key to making that happen.”

Michaels’ extensive background includes a decade in country radio, followed by a long tenure in radio promotion. He spent eight years in the promo team at Warner Bros. Nashville, orchestrating hits for Faith Hill, Blake Shelton, Randy Travis, The Eagles, Big & Rich, Kid Rock, The Wreckers and many more. Michaels began his promotion career working as an independent promoter with Young-Olsen & Associates. While VP of promotion for Dreamcatcher Entertainment, his success included driving Kenny Rogers’ single “Buy Me A Rose” to No. 1, the first for an independent country act in over 15 years.

Mallory Opheim

Mallory Opheim will join InstiGator Entertainment as promotion coordinator, with more staff announcements expected to follow.

Contact them at Gator@musicinstigator.com and Mallory@musicinstigator.com.

InstiGator Entertainment
205 Powell Place
Suite 215
Brentwood, TN 37027

Office: (615) 312-8284
Fax: (615) 312-8285
www.musicinstigator.com

Swift to Receive Symphony’s Harmony Award

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Taylor Swift will receive the Nashville Symphony’s 2011 Harmony Award during the Symphony Ball on Sat., Dec. 10 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The honor is bestowed on an individual who exemplifies the harmonious spirit of Nashville’s thriving musical community.

“We are proud to call our home Music City, and Taylor Swift is the perfect person to receive this award, because she has contributed so tremendously to promoting this amazing community of which we are all a part,” says Nashville Symphony CEO and President Alan Valentine. “From classical to country to pop, a wide variety of genres of music thrive in Nashville, and Swift embodies the all-encompassing spirit that makes our city such a uniquely special place.”

Now in its 27th year, the Symphony Ball is Nashville’s premier winter social event and one of the Nashville Symphony’s two annual fundraisers. Since its inception in 1985, the ball has raised a total of more than $6.5 million for the Symphony. This year’s event is chaired by Laurie Eskind and Vicki Horne.

Past recipients of the prestigious Harmony Award include Amy Grant, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith, Mike & Linda Curb, Lyle Lovett, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, The Judds, Steve Winwood, Vince Gill, Wynonna and Naomi Judd, Chet Atkins, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood and Marty Stuart.

Signings: Odie Blackmon, Garret Noel, Coy Taylor

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MPR Entertainment Group subsidiary Root Forty-Nine Music has signed Grammy-nominated songwriter Odie Blackmon to a multi-year publishing and songwriting agreement. “We could not be more excited to have Odie join us here at Root 49 Music,” says MPR COO Matthew Beckett. “He brings a talent and a reputation that is second to none. We look forward to a lasting and successful relationship.” Blackmon wrote Lee Ann Womack’s 2005 CMA Single of the Year and No. 1 “I May Hate Myself In The Morning,” co-wrote George Strait’s “She’ll Leave You With A Smile,” and co-wrote Gary Allan’s “Nothing On But The Radio.” His songs have also been recorded by Martina McBride, Del McCoury, Tracy Lawrence and more. He recently released his instructional DVD The Craft of Writing Hit Songs and is a music lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music.

(L-R) Front: Root Forty-Nine creative director Mark Brown; Odie Blackmon; and MPR Entertainment Group president Carolyn Miller; Back: attorney Chip Petree; ASCAP’s Leann Phelan; and MPR Entertainment Group chief operating officer Matthew Beckett

• • • • •

Actor/director Garret Noel and actress Terin Alba have signed with BMI for performance representation. Noel’s onscreen credits include Jon Favreau’s Iron Man and this summer’s Cowboys Vs. Aliens. As a director, he has finished a documentary called Desert Saints which will be released internationally. He also wrote and directed feature length drama Promised Land, which will premiere at Sundance Film Festival. Noel has been in Nashville working on post production and the soundtrack with BMI writer/associate producer Paul Reeves, who has been working with female lead Terin Alba on songs for the soundtrack.

(L-R) Seated: Jody Williams, BMI; Garret Noel; Standing: David Preston, BMI; Terin Alba; Paul Reeves

• • • • •

Coy Taylor

Country artist Coy Taylor has signed with Flying Island Entertainment to promote his single “Fall For You” at country radio. The song was recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville with an all-star cast of session players and the accompanying video was shot by director Thien Phan. Since arriving in Nashville two years ago, Cincinnati native Taylor has worked with Brady Seals and Little Jimmie Dickens and opened shows for Jason Aldean, Mark Chesnutt, Craig Morgan and Joe Diffie.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (9/7/11)

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This edition of DisClaimer has exactly the right mixture of superstars, mid-levels and unknowns.

In the first column, we have Vince Gill, Jason Aldean and Zac Brown Band, the last-named of whom wins our Disc of the Day award.

Strong second-tier acts with winners in this stack of platters include Kevin Fowler, Lantana, Coldwater Jane and Ashley Gearing. All are worth your spins.

The three unknowns vying for this week’s DisCovery Award are Roy Solis, Jessica Caylyn and Tim Foust. I’m going with rumble-tonsiled Tim, whoever he is.

ROY SOLIS/Tailgate Party
Writer: Roy Solis/Johnny Garcia/Troy Powers; Producer: Johnny Garcia; Publisher: Avenue 1/Busy at Play/Mia’s Pub, BMI/ASCAP; RSM (www.roysolismusic.com)
—Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: It’s about parking the four-wheel drive pick-up out in the country with beer and friends and girls. The electric guitar work rocks righteously. Maybe that’s because producer Garcia is a top-notch guitarist, noted for his longtime work with Trisha Yearwood.

ZAC BROWN BAND/Keep Me In Mind
Writer: Zac Brown/Wyatt Durrette/Nic Cowan; Producer: Keith Stegall & Zac Brown; Publisher: Weimerhound/Lil’ Dub/Angelika/Souhern Ground, BMI; Atlantic (track)
—Their trademark group harmonies are right up front-and-center. And they get to the hook almost instantly, in a matter of seconds. It has a delightfully funky little back beat that bops infectiously up to a strikingly languid bridge, then returns brighter than ever. The whole thing, including the closing guitar solo, is dazzling.

LANTANA/A Few Little Things
Writer: Aimee Mayo/Tommy Lee James; Producer: Beau Bedford; Publisher: Universal Careers/Silverkiss/Still Working for the Man/Ballad Boy/BMG Chrysalis, BMI; Millijewel  (www.lantanamusic.com)
—This female Texas trio harmonizes brightly on this chugging toe tapper with a lyric of love lessons. Pleasant, if not exactly life changing.

VINCE GILL/Threaten Me With Heaven
Writer: Vince Gill/Amy Grant/Will Owlsley/Dillon O’Brian; Producer: Vince Gill, John Hobbs & Justin Niebank; Publisher: Vinny Mae/Grant Girls/The Loving Company/Willie-O/Dillon O’Brian, BMI; MCA Nashville (CDX)
—Deeply soulful. Gooebump inducing. I reviewed this last spring, but now is its time. To recap: This gorgeous meditation would be heart melting even acoustic and unadorned. As it happens, the production swells with inspiring choral backing, celestial guitar work and echoey ambiance. If it doesn’t produce a lump in your throat, you are made of stone.

TIM FOUST/You’re So Yesterday
Writer: Tim Foust/Joe Bilotta/Biran Pothier; Producer: Brian Pothier; Publisher: Soaring Swans, BMI/ASCAP; Flying Pig (CDX) (www.flyingpigproductions.com)
—He has one of those Josh Turner low-dipping vocal registers. The track thumps in all the right places, and as you might guess from the title, the lyric is a clever one. Recommended.

COLDWATER JANE/Marionette
Writer: none listed; Producer: Kevin Kadish & Wayne Kirkpatrick; Publisher: none listed; Mercury (track)
—I was quite fond of this act’s debut single, “Bring on the Love.” The follow-up sophomore effort has a little less crunch but a lot more breeze. Their vocals are enchanting, and the production sails along over the audio waves with marvelous clarity and energy. I remain a fan.

ASHLEY GEARING/Me, My Heart And I
Writer: Brian Davis/Ashley Gearing/Kyle Jacobs; Producer: The Fringe; Publisher: Mike Curb/Melrose Nashville/Curb Songs/Jacobsong, BMI/ASCAP; Curb
—So long, buster: She’s hitting the road, and rocking righteously while she’s at it.

JASON ALDEAN/Tattoos On This Town
Writer: Neil Thrasher/Wendell Mobley/Michael Dulaney; Producer: Michael Knox; Publisher: Warner Tamerlane/Boatwright Baby/Desert Treasure/Feet in the Creek/BMG Gold, BMI/ASCAP; Borken Bow (track)
—The follow-up to the mega crossover hit “Dirt Road Anthem” is a power ballad with a mighty audio undertow. His drawled vocal is mixed hot, the better to deliver the nostalgic message, yet the guitars are screaming and the rhythm is pounding right behind him. Strong stuff. Completely undeniable.

KEVIN FOWLER/That Girl
Writer: Kevin Fowler/Trent Willmon/Clint Ingersol; Producer: David Lee Murphy; Publisher: Kevin Fowler/Mayes County/Happy Cattle, BMI/ASCAP; Average Joes (track) (www.kevinfowler.com)
—I dig this guy’s voice with its slight touch of grit. The song is super solid. But the real star here is a frothing, lathered-up, ferocious, whiplash-rocker production. This thing will pin your ears back, for sure.

JESSICA CAYLYN/Just Can’t Help Myself
Writer: Emily Shackelton/Jessica Caylyn/Boh Cooper/Steffon Hamulak; Producer: Steffon Hamulak; Publisher: Liz Rose/Kobalt/Oceanwaveheart/Little Boh/Mousam River/Sea the Desert, BMI/ASCAP; JC (track) (www.jessicacaylyn.com)
—She tackles the melody and stays atop the crashing track like a pro. It’s not an especially memorable voice, but this is still a promising debut.

Discovering BossRoss Web Read

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Imagine BossRoss Web Read as being your own personal information curator quietly selecting articles of interest  from varied sources around the internet. Topics include all facets of the music world plus technology, social networking, business, touring and more. It’s all linked so you can glance down the headlines and travel fast to investigate. A good short cut is to click first on the View All link at the bottom —you’ll see why.

As this article is written, Amazon’s new website design test is at the top of the list, followed by the news that Groupon, after turning down Google’s $6.5 billion offer a few months ago (completely crazy) are finding the IPO market more complex than they imagined. In fact Groupon’s IPO has now been postponed due to “market volatility.”

Also on the list are fascinating reads from Wired magazine and Vulture about the recent Starz-Netflix divorce and what the future may hold for Netflix’s streaming business. If you’ve been following the WebRead then you already know about the recent content renewal negotiations breaking down.

“It’s not about age, it’s about how you present yourself,” says an article from FINS.com titled, Age Proofing Your Job Application. Good advice if you are on the hunt for a new chair, and worth a quick read…

How Do I Find BossRoss Web Read?
You’ve probably already found it, but if not, a sample is pasted below. You can also find it about half way down the right side “widget” column on MusicRow.com…

If there are additional topics you’d like to see included or general comments, please leave ‘em below… Thanks


Dude, Where’s My CMA Nomination?

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Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean both earned their first CMA Award nominations for Entertainer of the Year.

Nominations for the 45th Annual CMA Awards are here, and there are a few discussion-worthy items, including new entries in Entertainer of the Year, the lengthening time of artist development, and the omission of Miranda Lambert from two expected categories.

First let’s examine the Entertainer of the Year Category.

It’s obviously a big year for Jason Aldean, who scored five total nominations. The Entertainer of the Year nod (his first) might seem surprising, but Aldean has been on this trajectory for some time. His Album of the Year-nominated My Kinda Party was the No. 1 selling country album for the first half of 2011 and No. 4 in all genres, and the My Kinda Party tour has sold out major markets nationwide. Yet his only nominations to date have been the Horizon Award in 2007 and 2008. Today’s results, particularly the Entertainer of the Year acknowledgment, affirm his status as one of country music’s brightest new stars.

Also getting his first Entertainer of the Year nomination is reigning Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton, who also earned five nominations. While Shelton’s sales and touring statistics may not match all the other Entertainer contenders, his judging role on NBC’s The Voice has made him a highly visible personality and might signal that CMA voters are starting to place more weight on media celebrity in addition to the usual criteria.

But Aldean, Shelton, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban will all face some heavy-duty competition from reigning Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley. Also with five nominations this year, Paisley maintains his status as the third most nominated artist in CMA Awards history. He’s been nominated every year since 2000, making 57 total. Only George Strait and Alan Jackson have more.

Curiously absent from the Entertainer category is Kenny Chesney, whose recent spate of hits (“Somewhere With You,” “Live A Little,” “You and Tequila”) and gigantic Goin’ Coastal stadium tour are compelling arguments in his favor.

The New Artist of the Year category (formerly the Horizon Award) also presents an interesting discussion on artist development.

Nominees Luke Bryan and Chris Young previously received New Artist nominations in 2010 but they, along with 2011 nominee Eric Church, are all currently supporting their third albums. While they technically don’t meet the definition of a “new” artist, all three are beginning to experience widespread commercial success for the first time. Does this indicate  the development period for new artists is increasing?

Filling out the New Artist category are Thompson Square, whose breakout success with “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” makes their inclusion a no-brainer, and The Band Perry, who were strangely omitted from the ballot in 2010. The New Artist criteria states that an artist can only be included in the category twice, so win or lose this will the last year for Bryan and Young.

Finally, there’s Miranda Lambert.

She had major CMA wins in 2010, including Album of the Year (Revolution) and Female Vocalist, and a nomination for Entertainer of the Year. This year she’s only up for two awards: Musical Event for “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and Female Vocalist of the Year. All well deserved, but her success has only continued upward in 2011. She had yet another No. 1 with “Heart Like Mine,” which could have been a Single of the Year hopeful, and mounted her first headlining tour. Additionally, the Video of the Year category seems incomplete without the clever clip for “Only Prettier” which placed Lambert, Kellie Pickler, Hillary Scott and Laura Bell Bundy in dual good girl/bad girl roles. Then again, Revolution was over a year old at the 2010 awards and “Heart Like Mine” was its 5th single, which may explain her reduced visibility.

The show goes on November 9, live from the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville.  No doubt, we’re in for a night full of surprises…

BMI Names SVP/General Counsel

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Stuart Rosen

BMI has promoted Stuart Rosen to Senior Vice President and General Counsel, overseeing global operations of the BMI legal department, directing the organization’s legal affairs and positions, as well as all attorneys working within the company. He was previously Vice President, Legal at the performing rights organization and is based in the New York office.

Rosen will report directly to BMI President & CEO Del Bryant. In making today’s announcement, Bryant said, “Stuart has been a key member of the legal department since joining BMI in 1996. He has played an instrumental role in a wide range of activities, representing BMI in rate court litigation, leading the litigation team in key infringement actions, advising our information services group and human resources areas, and representing the legal department in a variety of company-wide initiatives.”

Rosen joined BMI in 1996 as Associate Attorney, and has steadily risen through the ranks. Since 2004, he has also served the board of directors and the company in his capacity as corporate secretary. Prior to BMI, Rosen was in private practice. He received his undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College in 1981, and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1984.