Google Goes Social With Google+

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Google has revealed details of its new social networking service, Google+, which is now in limited use by invitation only. The service aims to integrate seamlessly with Google’s other products like maps and images, while enriching the experience of online interaction.
According to Google’s official blog, online sharing is “awkward,” and Google+ is an attempt to correct that. By adding selective features such as +Circles for organizing friends into niche groups (work, music buddies, running partners, etc.) and +Sparks for easy discovery and sharing of web content that matches user interests, Google+ is addressing what it deems Facebook’s problem of being too “rigid.”
Other features in Google+ include +Hangouts, which hopes to promote group video chat and encourage easy, low-pressure interaction with friend circles. Mobile apps, starting with Android, are also in development.
If successful, the service could be serious competition for social king Facebook. The appearance and operation (see screen shots here) are similar enough that users should have little trouble making the transition. The Google navigation bar has been redesigned and will now appear black instead of the usual gray. Once the service is ready, Google+ icons with options for profile access, notifications, and content sharing will appear in this area.
At present membership is invitation-only, but interested parties can request an account here. There is also a Twitter feed to keep everyone informed about developments with the service. The limited invite rollout is not unlike Google’s introduction of Gmail a few years back, which successfully drove demand for addresses sky high.

BE Music & Entertainment Opens in Nashville

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Dallas-based London Broadcasting Company has opened BE Music & Entertainment, headed by executives Terry London, Carl Kornmeyer and Michael Blanton. With offices in Dallas and Nashville, the full-service artist development agency provides management, production and publishing services to clients across a range of music genres, as well as in film, television, visual art, and literature.
All three executives have more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including time at Gaylord Entertainment, where London previously served as President and CEO.
Today he is President and CEO of London Broadcasting, which owns and operates 12 television stations in Texas and also owns 41 Entertainment, a Dallas-based television production company.
Kornmeyer is COO of the company’s Content Group, and Blanton is on board as President of BE Music & Entertainment.
Blanton’s background in production and management has been instrumental in developing the careers of Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith.
For more information, visit www.BEMusicEntertainment.com or call them at (866) 339-8686.

Michael Blanton, Carl Kornmeyer and Terry London

New Music Coming From Milsap

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Ronnie Milsap will release his first new country album in five years next month. Country Again will be available July 26, with lead single “If You Don’t Want Me To (The Freeze)” going for adds July 18. He has already finished the music video for the song, which highlights a dance called “The Freeze.”
Country Again is being released as a joint venture between Milsap Music Group and Bigger Picture Group. Milsap will celebrate the release July 16 with a performance on the Grand Ole Opry.
Among the singer’s best known 40 No. 1 hits are ”Smoky Mountain Rain,” “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me,” “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It for the World,” “Any Day Now,” and “Stranger in My House”.
In 2009, he released Then Sings My Soul: 24 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Favorites.
Tracks on Country Again:
A Better Word For Love
Country Again
Cry Cry Darling
You’re The Reason I’m Living
Almost Mine
Oh Linda
Even Fools Get Lucky
For A Minute There
Fireworks
On My Own
Trapped In An Old Country Song
If You Don’t Want Me To (The Freeze)

DISClaimer Single Reviews (6/29/11)

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This listening session was dominated by hit makers of yore.
Ricky Skaggs, Tracy Lawrence, Sawyer Brown, Michael Martin Murphey and Roy Head with Jeff Chance are all on board with new sounds. Ricky and Tracy, in particular, are audio delights.
For those of you of a more contemporary mindset, I present this season’s top two finalists from the 2011 edition of American Idol. Ironically, it’s the number-two finisher who finishes first in this column. Give Lauren Alaina a Disc of the Day.
My DisCovery Award winner has been knocking them dead at folk festivals, bluegrass conventions, cowboy poetry gatherings and Lone Star State gigs for several years now. Not to mention having guested on the Grand Ole Opry, appeared on Marty Stuart’s TV show and at The Kennedy Center, The Birchmere, The Ernest Tubb Record Shop’s Midnight Jamboree and fiddle contests galore. It is The Quebe Sisters Band. This group swings, western style. It is acoustic and cool. Listen and believe.
SCOTTY McCREERY/I Love You This Big
Writer: L. Ronnie/E. Dean/B. James; Producer: Mark Bright; Publisher: none listed; 19/Interscope/Mercury (CDX)
—This debut single by the American Idol champ is well sung, beautifully produced and unmistakably country. But the ballad is simplistic, predictable and ultimately dreary.
GEORGE STRAIT/Here For A Good Time
Writer: George Strait/Bubba Strait/Dean Dillon; Producer: Tony Brown & George Strait; Publisher: Day Money/HoriPro/Living for the Night/Sixteen Stars/Tenorado, ASCAP/BMI; MCA Nashville (CDX)
—George Strait goes uptempo! And with words to live by: “I ain’t here for a long time/I’m here for a good time.”
THE QUEBE SISTERS BAND/Along The Navajo Trail
Writer: Dick Charles/Larry Markes/Eddie DeLange; Producer: Joey McKenzie; Publisher: Scarsdale/Universal MCA, ASCAP; Fiddletone (track) (www.quebesistersband.com)
—The Quebe Sisters Band is anchored by three sisters—Grace, Sophia and Hulda Quebe–who hail from the Fort Worth suburb of Burleson, Texas. They have two CDs to date, an all-instrumental effort from 2003 called Texas Fiddlers, and a newer one titled Timeless. The latter includes this track that demonstrates their dazzling instrumental prowess, their lovely trio harmony vocals and their total swing-ability. The band (which also includes guitarist/producer Joey McKenzie and upright bass man Drew Phelps) is occasionally featured on Marty Stuart’s RFD-TV show. It draws loads of fan mail whenever it does.
SAWYER BROWN/Smokin’ Hot Wife
Writer: Mark Miller; Producer: Mark Miller; Publisher: Travelin’ Zoo, no performance rights listed; Beach Street
—Country music’s upteen-millionth rip off of Jimmy Buffett’s groove.
TRACY LAWRENCE/The Singer
Writer: Rick Huckaby/Kenneth Wright; Producer: Tracy Lawrence & Flip Anderson; Publisher: 13thAve/I-40/Songs of Nicholson/Kenneth Wright, BMI; LMG (CDX) (615-347-9563)
—His voice is more resonant and rich than ever. The well-constructed song reflects on a life that isn’t perfect—all the narrator wishes to be remembered for is the fact that he is/was simply a fine singer. And this man certainly is.
ROY HEAD & JEFF CHANCE/Can’t Turn ‘Em Down At All
Writer: Sam Lee/Luther Goff; Producer: Sam Lee & Roy Head; Publisher: Stages@Players, ASCAP; Music Master (CDX) (979-849-5131)
—Head was a steady presence on the country charts in 1974-85. Although never a major hit maker, he generally turned in genial, upbeat, lightly rocking fare. This comeback single, recorded with fellow Texan Jeff Chance, is very much in his classic style.
MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY/The James Gang Trilogy
Writer: Michael Martin Murphey, plus Hal Ketchum/Gary Burr; Producer: Ryan Murphey & Pat Flynn; Publisher: Rocking 3M, BMI, plus Universal, BMI; Rural Rhythm (track) (www.michaelmartinmurphey.com)
—For the past several years, Murphey has been combining his love of western songs with bluegrass instrumentation. His third CD in this vein is titled Tall Grass & Cool Water. In addition to a clutch of standards (”Cool Water,” “Way Out There,” “Blue Prairie”), it includes a number of the singer’s reworkings of public-domain cowboy numbers. Two of the songs in this trilogy—“The Ballad of Cole Younger” and “The Ballad of Jesse James”—are Murphey’s versions of folk songs that tell the story of the Missouri/Kansas outlaws of the James Gang. The third, a lilting ballad called “Frank James Farewell,” comes from highly respected Nashville singer-songwriters Hal Ketchum and Gary Burr. Frank James was the gang member who survived, and in this lyric he wistfully recalls his colorful past.
RICKY SKAGGS/Don’t Get Above Your Raising
Writer: Lester Flatt/Earl Scruggs; Producer: Ricky Skaggs; Publisher: APRS/Peer, BMI; Skaggs Family (track) (www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com)
—Speaking of bluegrass, Ricky’s latest CD is titled Country Hits Bluegrass Style. It recasts his own singles of the 1980s as bluegrass tunes. But, hello, songs like this (plus “Uncle Pen,” “Crying My Heart Out Over You” and “I Wouldn’t Change You If I Could”) were originally bluegrass tunes that he turned into mainstream country, so he’s just taking them back to where they were in the first place. That said, the whole album is brilliantly performed. Something like eight out of his last 10 projects have been oldie remakes of one sort or another. Can we please have a set of new bluegrass songs from this top-tier artist?
TEEA GOANS/Letter From God
Writer: Angela Kaset/Rob Crosby; Producer: Terry Choate; Publisher: Ten Ten/Friday Records/Evergreen/Palmetto Moon, ASCAP/BMI; Crosswind (CDX) (615-467-3860)
—I am an enormous fan of this sublimely country vocalist. As usual, she nails every note of the performance. She dreams she gets a letter from the Almighty that tells her to live right. I have that dream all the time. Only it’s an email.
LAUREN ALAINA/Like My Mother Does
Writer: Nathan Chapman/Liz Rose/Nicole Williams; Producer: C. “Tricky” Stewart; Publisher: none listed; 19/Interscope/Mercury (CDX)
—The second-place finisher on this year’s edition of American Idol stages her disc debut with a power ballad. It tugs at the heart strings as it celebrates the strength, love and guidance of a beloved mom. Hang on for the soaring, goose-bumpy key change at the finale. You’d have to be made of stone to resist this. Coincidentally, this song appeared as a track on the debut CD by Kristy Lee Cook, an Idol alumna of 2008. (It was also a single for Atlantic newcomer Jesse Lee last year.)

ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp

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Last year's ACM Lifting Lives campers perform at the Grand Ole Opry.


The 2nd Annual ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp is going on this week in Nashville, helping campers with developmental disabilities who are talented in music.
Among the fun activities on the itinerary is songwriting with Gary Allan, Odie Blackmon, and Brett James; Art N’Music with Little Big Town; and karaoke with Wynonna. The week culminates when the campers perform onstage with Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry.
The Camp has a dual purpose of studying Williams syndrome and other developmental disabilities and providing music enrichment through performance and education. In 2010, ACM Lifting Lives began fully funding what was previously called the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Music Camp.

Diane Warren Teams With Universal Music

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Diane Warren


Revered songwriter Diane Warren has entered into a new agreement with Universal Music Group, which includes a publishing administration component, and has her working as a global A&R consultant for the company’s artists.
UMPG will handle administration of Warren’s Realsongs catalog outside of North America, while she continues to self-administer her copyrights in the U.S.
Among her evergreen hits are “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” “If You Asked Me To,” “Because You Loved Me,” “UnBreak My Heart,” “How Do I Live,” “Don’t Turn Around,” and “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” She has won countless awards, including a 2001 induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“On the recorded music side, she will now become UMG’s ‘go-to-creative’ person—available to our labels and artists around the globe to write songs that will help to fully realize their potential,” said UMG Chairman & CEO Lucian Grainge.
Today’s announcement was made by Grainge, Universal President & COO Zach Horowitz, Warren, and her manager Merck Mercuriadis.
Warren’s work spans genres and decades, from Beyonce’s new single “I Was Here,” to collaborations with superstars Aerosmith, Elton John, Tina Turner, Faith Hill, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, LeAnn Rimes, Rod Stewart, Whitney Houston, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears.

Chris Young's "Neon" Shining Soon

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Chris Young’s third studio album Neon is due for release Tuesday, July 12 and he’s giving fans some incentive to pre-order the album’s deluxe version on iTunes.
The deluxe and regular versions of Neon are available for pre-order on iTunes starting today (6/28). The deluxe version features two bonus tracks not found on the regular album– “I’m Gonna Change That” and “Don’t Leave Her (If You Can’t Let Her Go)”–as well as a photo gallery containing new images of Young. As an added bonus, fans who pre-order the deluxe version will receive an immediate download of Neon’s title track.
Neon’s lead single, “Tomorrow,” co-written by Young with Anthony Smith and Frank Myers, is the fastest-rising song of his career. Seven tracks on the James Stroud-produced album were co-written by Young. The singer will spent most of the summer on the road building his audience as part of Jason Aldean’s sold out My Kinda Party Tour.

Rucker Leads Nashville 4th of July Festivities

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Darius Rucker will headline Nashville’s Independence Day celebration on the downtown riverfront. The day-long event will close with a grand finale fireworks spectacular accompanied by music from the Nashville Symphony.
Lower Broad will be lined with family activities including inflatables, giveaways, food, drinks and souvenirs. The music kicks off at 1:30 p.m. with performers including Ayla Brown, The Willis Clan, The Cleverlys, The Dirty Guv’Nahs and Street Corner Symphony.
Details at musiccityjuly4th.com.

Shelton Wraps “The Voice,” Preps Album Release

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Blake Shelton’s coaching gig on NBC singing competition The Voice is coming to a close as the star gears up for a perfectly timed album release. The two-part season finale of The Voice starts tonight (6/28), where he will team with Brad Paisley to perform “Don’t Drink The Water,” a song written by Paisley and Tim Owens. Tomorrow night (6/29), Shelton will bring wife Miranda Lambert to the stage to sing with his team’s finalist Dia Frampton, who is competing for the crown against Javier Colon, Beverly McClellan and Vicci Martinez.
Shelton performed “Honey Bee” on the show last week, a perfect promotional push for his album set to drop July 12. The lead single is already a major hit, nearing the one million paid digital downloads mark, as the fastest selling Gold digital single from a country male.
Pre-orders for Red River Blue opened today, offering bonus and live tracks. Wal-Mart will have a CD/DVD exclusive package. Pre-sales at www.BlakeShelton.com offer consumers a range of options from the $14.99 digital download package, to an autographed plaque for $250
.
Shelton’s release is the latest in a string of projects from Warner Music Nashville that have been timed to coincide with TV coverage. John Rich’s Six Paks hit streets a week before his win on The Celebrity Apprentice, and Shelton scored big downloads when “Honey Bee” was released immediately following his performance and hosting slot on the ACM Awards.

Songwriter News: Combustion Signing

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Combustion Music Adds Writer
Combustion Music has signed Russell Dickerson to an exclusive songwriting agreement. The recent Belmont University graduate has been playing the Nashville scene for the last two years. He is a native of Franklin, Tenn.

Sitting: Russell Dickerson; Standing (L-R): Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom, Chris Farren, and Kenley Flynn; BMI’s Bradley Collins; CAA’s Jim Butler; Dennis Entertainment’s John Dennis, and Aaron Kinssies.


 
CMA Songwriter Series In Boston, New York
The CMA Songwriters Series will make its Boston debut with a performance by Kenny Chesney on Thursday, Aug. 25 at the Royale Nightclub. Chesney’s songwriting credits include his hits “Beer In Mexico,” “You Had Me From Hello,” “Out Last Night,” “I Go Back,” and “I’m Alive” (a duet with Dave Matthews). Joining Chesney will be hit tunesmiths Matraca Berg, Brett James, Wendell Mobley, Craig Wiseman and host Bob DiPiero.
When the CMA Songwriter Series played at Joe’s Pub in New York City on June 21, Easton Corbin was the featured artist/writer. DiPiero hosted the event with fellow hitmakers Carson Chamberlain, and Mark D. Sanders.

Pictured in New York (L-R): Bob DiPiero, Mark D. Sanders, Easton Corbin, Carson Chamberlain. Photo: Chris Tate


 
Sandestin Songwriters Festival
The weekend of August 12-13, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort will host the 2nd Annual Sandestin Music Festival on multiple stages throughout the Village of Baytowne Wharf.
Co-sponsored by BMI, the free, open-to-the-public event will feature BMI contemporary country trendsetters Jeffrey Steele and James Slater; powerhouse country vocalist and Broadway star Lari White; and promising up-and-comers Kree Harrison, Thomas Rhett, Joanna Cotten, Tyler Farr, and the Pernikoff Brothers.