Microsoft Pays $8.5 Billion For Skype

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Microsoft has jumped squarely into the communication sector with its purchase of Skype Technologies SA for $8.5 billion in cash. The VOIP phone service will headline a new division at the aging tech giant under the leadership of Skype’s Tony Bates. Bates will report directly to Microsoft’s Steve Balmer. News of the sale was first reported by the Wall Street Journal and is scheduled to be officially announced mid-day today (5/10).
Analysts believe the purchase will give Microsoft more top level online recognition which will also help strengthen the company’s Bing search engine. Microsoft said it plans to connect Skype with its Xbox and Kinect game consoles. Skype users rung up about 207 billion minutes of voice and video calls during 2010.

According to the WSJ, “Mr. Ballmer, though, sees the Internet as an essential battleground for Microsoft, a company that still makes the vast bulk of its profits from Windows and Office software systems. Investors have become increasingly concerned about Microsoft’s ability to squeeze continued growth out of those businesses, as rival technologies from Apple Inc., Google and others put more pressure on profits.”

Interestingly, Skype’s VOIP technology has netted only small profits to date. In 2010 the company received revenue of $860 million with $264 million in operating profits but had a loss of $7 million due to its long term debt of $686 million.
The earnings multiple of approximately 32 illustrates that Microsoft is extremely bullish about Skype’s future.
 

Tickets For Swift's "Speak Now…Help Now" Benefit

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Taylor Swift is opening the final dress rehearsal for her Speak Now Tour to the public, with 100 percent of ticket proceeds going to tornado relief efforts. She announced the benefit last week and has now revealed ticketing details.
Tickets to “Speak Now…Help Now” will go on sale Thursday, May 12, at 10 a.m. CT. All tickets are $50, and will be available through TaylorSwift.com, and Ticketmaster.com.
The show will be held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, May 21. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the rehearsal will start at 7:30 p.m. Attendees will receive a complimentary commemorative event T-shirt.
Through this unprecedented step of opening the last dress rehearsal to the public, 13,000 fans will get a first look at Swift’s new show almost a week early. “We’ll probably still be doing some fine-tuning to the show that night, since this will be a true rehearsal,” she says, “but I feel like it is so important for me and my fans to help if we can.”
100% of ticket sales will go directly to help victims of the recent tornadoes in the southeast via the Speak Now … Help Now Fund established through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
“I was watching the coverage of the tornadoes backstage at rehearsals, and I wanted to do something for the families affected by the damage,” explains the star. “I’ve never opened a rehearsal to the public before, but I felt that inviting my fans to the last rehearsal for the Speak Now Tour would be a great way to raise money. So, tickets will be available for people to come see us in the Bridgestone Arena, where we’ve been rehearsing for the last five weeks.”
The North American portion of the Taylor Swift Speak Now World Tour 2011 kicks off May 27 in Omaha, Nebraska.
“Speak Now…Help Now” event details will be updated daily on TaylorSwift.com.

Burns & Poe – Second Chance

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Thank You For a Great Add Day: KBCN, KCNY, KFAV, KGRT, KLMJ, KREK, KSMA, KTJJ, KVVP, WATZ, WGGC, WKBQ, WKSR, WMEV, WPPL, WTHO, WUCZ, WUPY, WYBL
MusicRow’s Independent Artists of the Year Burns & Poe is releasing their latest single “Second Chance” to country radio; the track is going for adds May 16. The duo’s self-titled debut album (produced by Mark Oliverius) for Blue Steel Records hit stores May 10, 2011.
Written by members Keith Burns and Michelle Poe with Tom Stipe, “Second Chance” is a conversation between two ex-lovers revisiting their shared history.
“Is there a more relatable sentiment than hoping for a second chance with someone you love?” asks Michelle Poe. “It’s a beautifully romantic notion that we hope strikes a chord with country radio and the listeners.”
Burns & Poe have been very active in the last year, touring the country and landing Top 20 singles like “How Long Is Long Enough” and “Don’t Get No Better Than That” on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart. Many media outlets have praised their dynamic chemistry, even comparing them to classic country duos such as George and Tammy or Conway and Loretta. They currently have numerous live dates scheduled through summer, so check their website for show details.
www.burnsandpoe.com
www.facebook.com/burnsandpoe
Burns & Poe – Second Chance

Average Joe's Inks Kevin Fowler

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Kevin Fowler


Kevin Fowler is the newest addition to the Average Joe’s Entertainment roster. Like the rest of the label’s artists, Fowler has built a strong fan base the grassroots way. He’s sold over 330,000 albums and regularly sells 2,000-4,000 tickets per night for his headlining shows.
“I couldn’t be more excited about Kevin coming to Average Joe’s Entertainment,” said President, Tom Baldrica. “He’s the perfect fit for our roster–great music, constant touring and loyal fans! Can’t wait to share his new music with the fans and our friends at country radio.”
Fowler joins fellow Average Joe’s artists Colt Ford, Corey Smith, Montgomery Gentry, Josh Gracin and more.
Average Joe’s Entertainment, an Atlanta and Nashville-based record label, launched with flagship artist Colt Ford in 2008. Average Joe’s focuses on a grassroots approach, availability of product, and cross-promotional opportunities that expand artist visibility.

CMA Establishes Touring Musician Award

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The inaugural CMA Touring Musician Award will be presented during the 2011 CMA Music Festival, running Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12, in downtown Nashville.
Established by the CMA Board of Directors and its Awards and Recognition Committee chaired by GAC Pres. Ed Hardy, the honor will be presented annually at CMA Music Festival. This Award will be given in recognition of a touring musician who is known primarily as an instrumentalist or background vocalist in a non-headlining capacity. In order to qualify, a musician must have toured with an artist in the Country Music industry.
Beginning tomorrow (5/10), CMA members in the Affiliated, Artist, Musician, Personal Manager, Talent Agent/Promoter, and Talent Buyer categories will be able to nominate and vote for the award recipient. Final ballots must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, May 24.
In more CMA Music Festival news, Kroger is now selling single-night tickets to the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. They are available at Kroger stores in Middle Tennessee and Bowling Green and Hopkinsville, Ky. at the stores’ Ticketmaster outlet at the Customer Service desk. Shoppers with a Kroger Plus Card receive a $10 discount, making the tickets $25 each, plus applicable fees.
Artists currently scheduled to appear at LP Field include (in alphabetical order):
Thursday, June 9: Jason Aldean (with special guest Kelly Clarkson), Easton Corbin, Sara Evans, Brad Paisley, and Zac Brown Band (with special guest Alan Jackson)
Friday, June 10: Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Reba, Ashton Shepherd, Sugarland, and Keith Urban
Saturday, June 11: Trace Adkins, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Josh Turner, and Chris Young
Sunday, June 12: The Band Perry, the JaneDear girls, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift

Operation Bloodhound Sniffs Out The Hits

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Newly launched Flying Island Entertainment has revealed Operation Bloodhound, a music and radio testing service for its clients.
Developed by veteran radio consultant Keith Hill, Operation Bloodhound will survey radio professionals directly responsible for adding music to station playlists. A minimum of 20 panelists will be participating, representing Mediabase, Billboard or Indicator reporting stations. Each panelist will listen to an entire song and anonymously evaluate, score, and provide feedback on the song. Operation Bloodhound will be available as a standalone or package service through Flying Island.
“Operation Bloodhound is based on a panel of real decision makers,” says Hill.  “The results are genuinely meaningful and honest, because the identity of the panelists isn’t disclosed along with their comments. Therefore, they are free to be completely honest in either a negative or a positive way.”
For more information on Operation Bloodhound contact Keith Hill at 252-453-8888.

Global Talent To Shine During CMA Music Festival

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Eighteen country artists representing five different countries will perform at the Global Events showcases on June 6 and 7 during CMA Music Festival week in downtown Nashville.
Chevrolet Presents The CMA Global Artist Party will be Monday, June 6, at The Stage on Broadway. Kicking off at 6:30 PM/CST with a special performance from legendary guitarist and Australian native Tommy Emmanuel, the evening also features performances from Kaylee Bell (New Zealand), Dean Brody (Canada), Chad Brownlee (Canada), Diana Corcoran (Australia), Luke Dickens (Australia), McAlister Kemp (Australia), O’Shea (Australia), Raintown (UK) and Marlee Scott (Canada). Duo O’Shea is hosting the event. Sponsors include Chevrolet, CMA, The Stage on Broadway, Billboard, AristoWorks, and Four Seasons Coach Leasing.
The AristoMedia Global Show will be Tuesday, June 7, at noon/CST at famed downtown honky-tonk The Second Fiddle. Hosted by trio The McClymonts, performers at the AristoMedia Global Show include High Valley (Canada), Brett Kissel (Canada), Ryan Laird (Canada), Mike & Ashley (New Zealand), Craig Morrison (Australia), Six West (Canada), Springfield (Australia), and Steve & Heather (France). Event sponsors include AristoMedia, CMA, The Second Fiddle, Billboard and Four Seasons Coach Leasing. A free lunch will be offered for attendees.

Hosting the Global Events will be Aussie husband and wife duo O’Shea (L), and Australian sister trio The McClymonts (R)


 

Lending A Hand

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Savannah Burns


Benefit for Savannah Burns
Darryl Worley, Heidi Newfield, Billy Dean, Ira Dean, Josh Thompson, The Roys, Bridgette Tatum, Rivers Rutherford and more will perform at a benefit for Savannah Burns tomorrow night (5/10) at The Listening Room. Savannah is the daughter of artist Keith Burns and is fighting a rare form of Leukemia. Read about her story at savannahbwell.com. Doors open at 6 PM; $15 donation.
Music City Tennis Invitational Kick-off Party
BMI hosted the kick-off reception for the 38th Annual Music City Tennis Invitational on Friday, April 29 at the organization’s Music Row office. A favorite event of the entire Nashville community, the Music City Tennis Invitational, held annually at Vanderbilt University, benefits the Center for Child Development at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital.

Pictured (L-R): MCTI organizer Greg Travis, MCTI co-chairs Phran Galante and Patsy Bradley, Billy Block, BMI’s Patsy Wells, Fox 17’s Kelly Sutton, MCTI co-chair Bill Riddle, and BMI’s Jody Williams. Photo: Steve Lowry


ReTune Raises $35,000
ReTune Nashville’s Anniversary Celebration brought in $35,000 for musician’s flood relief through the sale of artwork created from flood damaged instruments. The art items included collector’s pieces such as a Nashville Predators themed guitar autographed by the 2010-11 team, a Brad Paisley guitar reworked by Steve Wariner, and a Peter Frampton guitar body with a drawing by Nashville cartoonist Guy Gilchrist.
NSAI Supports Eating Disorders Coalition of TN
Each year the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) chooses a local non-profit to promote and support during the Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival. This year’s community partner was the Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee. A Tin Pan South show featuring Dave Berg, Sarah Buxton, Jedd Hughes and Eric Paslay benefited the organization.

Front row (L-R): NSAI Sponsorship Director Susan Myers; EDCT Executive Director Liz Llewellyn; NSAI Finance Director/Tin Pan South Co-Dir. Jennifer Purdon Turnbow. Back row (L-R): NSAI Assc. Exec. Dir./Tin Pan South Shows Coordinator Mark Ford; EDCT's Courtney Cuden and Jennifer Katzenmiller; Bluebird Café COO/Tin Pan South Co-Dir. Erika Wollam Nichols, and NSAI Exec. Dir. Bart Herbison.


Little Big Town and Country Financial Support Music In Schools
Country Financial helped fans at Friday night’s (5/6) Little Big Town show in Chicago support Little Kids Rock-Chicago. A $1000 donation will provide free lessons and music instruments to underprivileged students, and symbolizes fans’ support of the initiative who “like” the Road Trips and Guitar Picks page on Facebook.

MusicRow Awards Final Nominations

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Click to Download the Final Nominees


It’s time again for the annual MusicRow Awards, where industry peers salute the very best among Nashville’s thriving musical culture. Now in its 23rd year, this revered event is Nashville’s longest-running industry trade awards show.
MusicRow’s editorial team selects the nominees which are then voted on by magazine readers. Outside nominations are accepted only in the Breakthrough Songwriter category.
The 2011 MusicRow Awards will be hosted by ASCAP at the organization’s offices on Tues., June 21 at 5:30 PM. All magazine readers are welcome.
Readers will receive ballots later today (5/9). Ballots must be returned before voting closes at the end of the day on Friday, May 13.
Scroll down to see the complete nominations list or Click here to download the PDF.

Industry Ink Monday (5/9)

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The recent Key West Songwriters Festival, presented by BMI, offered inspired lineups, and relaxed mixing and mingling. One such line-up was at the historic San Carlos Theatre, which hosted sets by pop-spiced singer/songwriters Courtney Jaye and Jason White; wry troubadours Robert Earl Keen, Jamey Johnson and Raul Malo; and the World Famous Headliners, comprised of Al Anderson, Shawn Camp and Pat McLaughlin.

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Mark Mason and Tom Annastas, Raul Malo, Robert Earl Keen, BMI’s Clay Bradley, Key West Songwriters Festival director Charlie Bauer and Jamey Johnson. Photo: Kay Clary


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Hot Dog Day returns to SunTrust’s Music Row branch on Thurs., June 9 from 11:30 AM-2 PM. Co-hosted by the bank and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the 13th annual event will have plenty of food and music provided by Cal IV Entertainment.
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SOLID’s 14th Annual Crawfish Boil will be Wed., May 18 in the SESAC parking lot, from 5:30 PM until the food and beer run out.
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Save The Dates: Tin Pan South 2012 will be held March 27–31, 2012 in Nashville.
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House of Bryant Publications has entered a licensing agreement with Nashville based product development company IdeaBang to develop and extend the Official Rocky Top brand and the classic song “Rocky Top.”
Penned by legendary songwriters Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967, the song is published by The House of Bryant and their son Dane Bryant.
IdeaBang owner Scott Rouse has a history of working with “Rocky Top.” The multi-platinum producer helmed Rocky Top ’96, a recording that included a remix of the song for Decca Records.

Dane Bryant of House of Bryant (L) and Scott Rouse of IdeaBang (R) sign a multi-year licensing agreement for the Official Rocky Top brand.


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Humanitarian and relief organization World Vision hosted a reception at the CMA headquarters for Music Row executives to meet World Vision U.S. President Rich Stearns. World Vision has had success with its “Use Your Voice: Do Good” campaign in the Christian touring industry and is expanding into the Country marketplace by partnering with artists through tour sponsorships and development. Artists who have been involved include Ricky Skaggs, Wynonna, Patty Griffin, Kenny Rogers, Terri Clark, Chuck Wicks, and Jordyn Shellhart.
The “host committee” for the event included John Huie (CAA), Kathy Olen (WME), Lynn Morrow (Adams & Reese, LLP) and Steve Moore (CMA).

Pictured (L-R): Charles Dorris (World Vision, Consultant), Richard Stearns (World Vision, President), Jenny Lockwald (World Vision), and Sheri Warnke (CMA)