Xtreme Muzik The Tour, starring co-headliners Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich, has seen parades, gunslingers, gamblers and outlaws in addition to their thousands of fans.
The tour was the first to play the newly opened Deadwood Mountain Grand Casino and Event Center and sold out two nights that started with a parade down Main Street. Gretchen drove her own John Deere Gator in the parade, John Rich and Big Kenny were on horseback, and special guest Cowboy Troy led the high school marching band.
(L-R): Big Kenny, Cowboy Troy, Gretchen Wilson and John Rich take a bow after their second sold-out show at Deadwood Mountain Grand.
• • • •
Joe Nichols (L) and video director Potsy Ponciroli (R) share a fist bump during a break in filming.
recently took over part of downtown Nashville for a video shoot, changing the ‘business as usual’ scene to bikini clad women, a tiki bar and a swimming pool as the Show Dog – Universal Music artist encouraged everyone to “Take It Off.”
The video crew enlisted the aid of a dozen plus “business men and women.” “It was a pretty warm summer day when we shot, so I don’t think it was too hard for them to step out of those business suits, and into their bathing suits,” Nichols says. The video was directed by
Potsy Ponciroli with TackleBox Films, and will begin airing this week on CMT, GAC and other music video outlets. The Top 30 and climbing song is Nichols’ lead single from his new studio album, set for release this November.
• • • •
Country music duo and USO tour veterans
Montgomery Gentry delivered a foot-stomping USO concert at Louisville, Kentucky’s KFC Yum! Center on July 26. The concert coincided with the National Guard’s National Volunteer Workshop and Youth Symposium, and honored troops, military families and volunteers who support them.
The concert was broadcast live to deployed troops around the world on the Pentagon Channel. The duo performed their new single, “Where I Come From,” and gave the military crowd a sneak peak at other cuts from their upcoming album set to release in October.
Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry greet Gen. Craig McKinley, Director of the National Guard Bureau before taking stage.
• • • •
(L-R): Caroline Cutbirth, Ozzie Guillen, Jennifer Wayne and Tayla Lynn
sang the national anthem recently at the Minnesota Twins vs. the Chicago White Sox game, and spent a moment with White Sox Manager
Ozzie Guillen.
Pinpointing 2011 Country Sales
/by adminCountry album sales are up an astounding 4% YTD as of 8/7/2011 with 22,930,000 units scanned. That is some good news. However, before we open the second bottle of Cristal Champagne (on sale HERE for $295 ea.) it seems appropriate to survey 2010 and compare it with possible expectations and release schedules for 2011.
Graph 2 (right): This shows how the rate of sales increased last year (2010) during the same period covered in Graph 1. Note that late Oct and Nov. show particularly steep increases generated by Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban debuts.
Table 1: This table shows the albums and debut week sales totals that occurred between data points on Graph 1.
Table 1: 2010 High Roller Album Debuts
8/15/2010: Blake Shelton-33k
9/5/10: Little Big Town-42k, Trace Adkins-50k
9/19/10: Jamey Johnson-63k
10/3/10: Kenny Chesney-184k, ZBB 153, Billy Currington-45k
10/17/10: Darius Rucker-101k, Band Perry-53k, Toby Keith-71k
10/31/10: Taylor Swift-1,047, Sugarland-202.7
11/21/10: Jason Aldean-193k, Rascal Flatts-165k, Keith Urban-162k, Reba-64k, Brad Paisley Hits-31
Looking at 2010 there are 17 “heavy hitter” releases on our list including Taylor Swift’s million plus effort and Sugarland’s 200k+ debut. Then we had Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and Zak Brown Band all in the 150-200k range.
This year’s schedule is not completely revealed, but MusicRow’s upcoming Album Release Calendar currently shows only six power titles ahead— Luke Bryan, Jake Owen, George Strait, Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes and Miranda Lambert. However, Trace Adkins just debuted (8/7/2011), with 47k (pretty close to last year’s 50k showing) and there are some newcomers on the list like Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alina that are shifting product nicely. Also contributing to 2011’s early lead are solid recent debuts from Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Chris Young and Justin Moore. However, to surpass 2010 country will need to find additional sales ammunition with which to entice consumers especially during this uncooperative economy.
Reader Challenge
Cook up some math-based scenarios and ring in below with your year-end prognostications in the comment area. Country scanned 43.718 million album units in 2010. Guess the correct first three digits of the 2011 sales total and win a free MusicRow subscription! Ready, set, GO!
All For The Hall Gives LA Taste Of Nashville
/by Sarah SkatesThe Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s All for the Hall event will return to Los Angeles for a third consecutive year, featuring performances by Hall of Fame inductees Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris, and superstars Sheryl Crow and Zac Brown. The guitar pull-style fundraiser will take place Tuesday, Sept. 13 at Club Nokia.
Since launching the All for the Hall initiative in 2005, the Museum has hosted events in New York and Los Angeles. Museum Director Kyle Young explains, “Our 2009 All for the Hall Los Angeles debut gave us an opportunity to focus on West Coast country music history and remind our guests that these artists and executives and their songs are a part of the story we both preserve and teach at the Museum. We built on that with last year’s event, during which we announced that the Museum’s next major exhibition will focus on Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and the Bakersfield Sound. We are very grateful for our warm welcome the past two years and look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones in September.”
All for the Hall Los Angeles is chaired by AEG Live Chairman Tim Leiweke and produced by CAA’s Rod Essig, Vector Management’s Ken Levitan and BMI’s Jody Williams. The event is made possible by the generosity of AEG Live and Club Nokia LA Live. The 2011 host committee for All for the Hall Los Angeles includes Mark Bloom (UBS Financial Services), John Frankenheimer (Loeb & Loeb), Gary Haber (Haber Corporation), Neil Portnow (The Recording Academy) and Bob Romeo (Academy of Country Music).
All for the Hall Los Angeles patrons are offered their choice of seating for 10 for $10,000, or seating for five for $5,000. Individual tickets are available at $1,000 per seat. A cocktail reception and dinner will precede the guitar pull. To purchase tickets, patrons may contact Rachel Shapiro at rshapiro@countrymusichalloffame.org or telephone (615) 416-2069 or (800) 852-6437.
DISClaimer Single Reviews (8/10/11)
/by Robert K OermannIn weather like this, who the heck feels like making the effort to find new music?
I do. I always do, especially when folks are playing at the top of their games.
This week, those folks include Reba, Jeff Bates and, especially, Danny Gokey. As for Miranda Lambert, she is completely in another league. As excellent as she has been so many times before, she outdoes herself with “Baggage Claim.” Give that Texas Tornado a Disc of the Day.
Newcomer Andy Gibson is off to a flying start. I don’t know when I have heard a debut single as terrific as his “Wanna Make You Love Me.” Welcome to the party, pal. You definitely have what it takes. Here’s a DisCovery Award to wish you well and send you on your way.
RELUCTANT SAINTS/Right Behind You
Writer: B.C. Wilson; Producer: Reluctant Saints & Jonathan Beckner; Publisher: none listed; Inio (track) (www.reluctantsaints.com)
—These roots rockers are receiving airplay on Atlanta’s biggest country station with this choppy, blue-eyed-soul bopper. The playing is cool, and the song is solid. What is lacking is a charismatic lead vocal.
REBA /Somebody’s Chelsea
Writer: Reba/Liz Hengber/Will Robinson; Producer: Dann Huff; Publisher: Zavitson/Red Sox Fan/Sony-ATV Cross Keys/Texoma Ten/Detect An Intruder/Big Loud Bucks, ASCAP/BMI; Starstruck/Valory (track)
—Lovely. A woman yearns to be part of a never-ending love story in this aching, heart-in-throat ballad.
COLTON JAMES/Date With Dixie
Writer: Colton James/Greg Crowe; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed, BMI; Ride ‘N’ High
—Trashy sounding. The too-busy rhythm track is irritating. His vocal tries to hard. The crowd whistling and shouting is overload. The lyric shamelessly name-checks “Free Bird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Keep Your Hands to Yourself,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “Whiskey River,” “Dixieland Delight” and other Southern staples.
MIRANDA LAMBERT/Baggage Claim
Writer: Miranda Lambert/Natalie Hemby/Luke Laird; Producer: Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainley & Glenn Worf; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Pink Dog/Tiltawhirl/Universal-Careers/High Powered Machine, BMI; Columbia
—She’s wise to his “business trip” and is giving him his walking papers. The crunchy track is beyond cool with its chugging acoustic guitar, organ solo and slapped drumming. And it goes without saying that her vocal is busting with piping-hot personality. Play it again. And again.
TYLER DEAN/That Smile
Writer: Doug Johnson; Producer: Doug Johnson; Publisher: Mike Curb/Sweet Radical, BMI; Curb (CDX)
—Young sounding. The track is as breezy as his soft, romantic vocal.
DANNY GOKEY/Second Hand Heart
Writer: Cary Barlowe/Josh Kear/Shane Stevens; Producer: Mark Bright; Publisher: none listed, SESAC/ASCAP/BMI; 19/RCA (CDX)
—I love this guy’s voice. Here, he’s throaty and slightly raspy on the verses, then brightly mighty and skyward soaring on the choruses of this mid-tempo heart song. An absolutely stirring single.
JEFF BATES/He Wasn’t Like Us
Writer: Jeff Bates/Ben Hayslip/Brandon Kinney; Producer: Mickey Jack Cones & Kenny Beard; Publisher: Warner-Tamerlane/How ‘Bout That Skyline/Kinney Empire/WB/Melissa’s Money/Get a Load of This, BMI/ASCAP; Black River (CDX)
—Jeff returns with a terrific message song about bullying. The ballad follows the progress of a picked-on “slow” kid who grows up to be Jesus. This man’s gripping, deeply soulful voice is particularly potent here.
ANDY GIBSON/Wanna Make You Love Me
Writer: Jim Collins/Bobby Pinson; Producer: James Stroud; Publisher: Music of Cal IV/Music of Stage Three/Bobby’s Song and Salvage/BMG Chrysalis, BMI; R & J (CDX)
—Now here’s a toe tapper with a relentless, heartbeat rhythm. The production is totally in the pocket, the song craftsmanship is superb and, best of all, the singer’s delivery completely owns it with heartfelt tenor honesty. Who is this guy? Why isn’t this on a major label?
SUSAN HERNDON/Land Of The Living
Writer: Herndon; Producer: Lloyd Maines, Bob Livingston & Susan Herndon; Publisher: Okie Turtle, ASCAP; SH (track) (www.susanherndon.com)
—The groove has bopping panache. Her songwriting is characterized by simple charms. She won’t take home any vocal blue ribbons, but still has a sweetly innocent style.
FOLK FAMILY REVIVAL/Come Get Me
Writer: Mason Lankford/Barrett Lankford; Producer: Jeffrey Armstreet; Publisher: Magnolia Red/Poodawalamus, ASCAP; Magnolia Red (track) (www.folkfamilyrevival.com)
—This country rocker takes hold and never lets go. The hallmarks of the band are take-no-prisoners drumming, twanging guitar work and a drawling, conversational lead vocalist with chesty, out-of-breath phrasing. Rootsy and winning.
Loretta Lynn Postpones Tour Dates
/by Sherod RobertsonThe iconic entertainer will undergo knee reconstruction surgery and her physician has ordered her to allow time for a full recovery. According to her website, Lynn will return for her performance on Sept 3.
In July, Lynn was also forced to cancel shows from her 2011 tour after severe dehydration caused her to be hospitalized.
Fans can watch for rescheduled concert dates on her website at www.lorettalynn.com.
Smoking Country Gets Fightin’ Hot
/by adminTracy Lawrence
The Smokin’ Country Concert (8/5,6,7) in Bloomville, Ohio got a bit hotter than promoters imagined after rain, mud and a stuck bus contributed to a fistfight between Tracy Lawrence and promoter Elmer Cole Jr. who also owns Cole Farms, the concert site.
According to the Advertiser-Tribune, “Seneca County Sheriff Bill Eckelberry said there was a misunderstanding between Elmer Cole Jr., the concert’s promoter, and Tracy Lawrence, one of the performers.”
Both Cole and Lawrence were charged with disorderly conduct, taken to Mercy Tiffin Hospital and released. According to one witness, there were problems getting Lawrence’s bus out of the mud right away which may have been what sparked the fight.
The venue is said to hold up to 30,000 people, but estimated ticket sales were pegged below 5,000. Rain forced Lawrence to cancel the last song in his set and Randy Houser, scheduled to perform after Lawrence, was canceled completely.
Smoking Country Gets Fightin' Hot
/by adminTracy Lawrence
The Smokin’ Country Concert (8/5,6,7) in Bloomville, Ohio got a bit hotter than promoters imagined after rain, mud and a stuck bus contributed to a fistfight between Tracy Lawrence and promoter Elmer Cole Jr. who also owns Cole Farms, the concert site.
According to the Advertiser-Tribune, “Seneca County Sheriff Bill Eckelberry said there was a misunderstanding between Elmer Cole Jr., the concert’s promoter, and Tracy Lawrence, one of the performers.”
Both Cole and Lawrence were charged with disorderly conduct, taken to Mercy Tiffin Hospital and released. According to one witness, there were problems getting Lawrence’s bus out of the mud right away which may have been what sparked the fight.
The venue is said to hold up to 30,000 people, but estimated ticket sales were pegged below 5,000. Rain forced Lawrence to cancel the last song in his set and Randy Houser, scheduled to perform after Lawrence, was canceled completely.
Photos: Xtreme Muzik, Nichols, Gentry, Angels
/by Sherod RobertsonXtreme Muzik The Tour, starring co-headliners Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich, has seen parades, gunslingers, gamblers and outlaws in addition to their thousands of fans.
The tour was the first to play the newly opened Deadwood Mountain Grand Casino and Event Center and sold out two nights that started with a parade down Main Street. Gretchen drove her own John Deere Gator in the parade, John Rich and Big Kenny were on horseback, and special guest Cowboy Troy led the high school marching band.
(L-R): Big Kenny, Cowboy Troy, Gretchen Wilson and John Rich take a bow after their second sold-out show at Deadwood Mountain Grand.
• • • •
Joe Nichols (L) and video director Potsy Ponciroli (R) share a fist bump during a break in filming.
Joe Nichols recently took over part of downtown Nashville for a video shoot, changing the ‘business as usual’ scene to bikini clad women, a tiki bar and a swimming pool as the Show Dog – Universal Music artist encouraged everyone to “Take It Off.”
The video crew enlisted the aid of a dozen plus “business men and women.” “It was a pretty warm summer day when we shot, so I don’t think it was too hard for them to step out of those business suits, and into their bathing suits,” Nichols says. The video was directed by Potsy Ponciroli with TackleBox Films, and will begin airing this week on CMT, GAC and other music video outlets. The Top 30 and climbing song is Nichols’ lead single from his new studio album, set for release this November.
• • • •
Country music duo and USO tour veterans Montgomery Gentry delivered a foot-stomping USO concert at Louisville, Kentucky’s KFC Yum! Center on July 26. The concert coincided with the National Guard’s National Volunteer Workshop and Youth Symposium, and honored troops, military families and volunteers who support them.
The concert was broadcast live to deployed troops around the world on the Pentagon Channel. The duo performed their new single, “Where I Come From,” and gave the military crowd a sneak peak at other cuts from their upcoming album set to release in October.
Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry greet Gen. Craig McKinley, Director of the National Guard Bureau before taking stage.
• • • •
(L-R): Caroline Cutbirth, Ozzie Guillen, Jennifer Wayne and Tayla Lynn
Stealing Angels sang the national anthem recently at the Minnesota Twins vs. the Chicago White Sox game, and spent a moment with White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen.
Shelton Remakes “Footloose” For Warner Soundtrack
/by Sarah SkatesComing Sept. 27, the album includes eight new songs from Big & Rich ft. Gretchen Wilson, Cee Lo Green ft. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Smashing Pumpkins, David Banner, Whitney Duncan, Lissie, Zac Brown, and A Thousand Horses.
Memphis-bred writer/director Craig Brewer remade Footloose, following his success with films Hustle & Flow, and Black Snake Moan. The storyline recalls the 1984 Kevin Bacon flick, with Bacon’s part being reprised by Kenny Wormald. The new teen in the small town falls in love with Julianne Hough’s character Ariel, the daughter of Dennis Quaid’s character Reverend Shaw Moore.
Footloose Soundtrack tracklisting
1. Footloose – Blake Shelton
2. Where The River Goes – Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band
3. Little Lovin’ – Lissie
4. Holding Out For A Hero – Ella Mae Bowen
5. Let’s Hear It For The Boy – Jana Kramer
6. So Sorry Mama – Whitney Duncan
7. Fake I.D. – Big & Rich feat. Gretchen Wilson
8. Almost Paradise – Victoria Justice & Hunter Hayes
9. Walkin’ Blues – Cee Lo Green feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd
10. Window Paine – The Smashing Pumpkins
11. Suicide Eyes – A Thousand Horses
12. Dance The Night Away – David Banner
Shelton Remakes "Footloose" For Warner Soundtrack
/by Sarah SkatesComing Sept. 27, the album includes eight new songs from Big & Rich ft. Gretchen Wilson, Cee Lo Green ft. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Smashing Pumpkins, David Banner, Whitney Duncan, Lissie, Zac Brown, and A Thousand Horses.
Memphis-bred writer/director Craig Brewer remade Footloose, following his success with films Hustle & Flow, and Black Snake Moan. The storyline recalls the 1984 Kevin Bacon flick, with Bacon’s part being reprised by Kenny Wormald. The new teen in the small town falls in love with Julianne Hough’s character Ariel, the daughter of Dennis Quaid’s character Reverend Shaw Moore.
Footloose Soundtrack tracklisting
1. Footloose – Blake Shelton
2. Where The River Goes – Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band
3. Little Lovin’ – Lissie
4. Holding Out For A Hero – Ella Mae Bowen
5. Let’s Hear It For The Boy – Jana Kramer
6. So Sorry Mama – Whitney Duncan
7. Fake I.D. – Big & Rich feat. Gretchen Wilson
8. Almost Paradise – Victoria Justice & Hunter Hayes
9. Walkin’ Blues – Cee Lo Green feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd
10. Window Paine – The Smashing Pumpkins
11. Suicide Eyes – A Thousand Horses
12. Dance The Night Away – David Banner
Album News: Luke Bryan, Kevin Fowler, McClymonts
/by FreemanLuke Bryan’s highly anticipated new album Tailgates & Tanlines hit stores today (8/9) and he kicked off release day by performing “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” on Live! With Regis & Kelly (pictured below). Bryan will also be performing on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! later tonight. Tomorrow (8/10), he’ll appear on the Today Show and then be featured in ABC’s special “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock” Sunday, August 14.
Photo: Michael Monaco
• • • •
Fowler wrote eight of the collection’s 11 tracks and the second single, “That Girl,” will be impacting country radio later this month. A weekly web series following Fowler’s life at home and on the road, “The Good Life,” also started this week and is available for viewing here. Fowler and band are currently on the road in Texas and surrounding areas. Concert dates are available here.
• • •
The sisters–Sam, Mollie, and Brooke–started their own imprint BSM Music in partnership with Universal Music Group. They also recently set out on a nationwide tour of county and state fairs, having wrapped up a stint on Jason Aldean’s fall 2010 tour.
Eleven of the 12 songs on Wrapped Up Good were co-written by the sisters, and production was handled by Nathan Chapman and Adam Anders (Glee, Backstreet Boys, Nick Jonas). The Australian release of Wrapped Up Good was a Top 5 Best Selling Country Album in 2010, and its first four singles were No. 1 on the Australian country charts.