Lambert Working On TV Show, New Trio

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Pistol Annies on ACM's Girls' Night Out. (L-R): Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley, Miranda Lambert


Miranda Lambert’s star just keeps rising. The singer, who won four trophies at the Sunday night (4/3) ACM Awards, debuted her new project Pistol Annies the following evening, and has also announced plans to team with ABC Family for a television show.
Lambert is working with the network on a scripted series based loosely on her childhood experiences. She is executive producing the series with manager Marion Kraft, and Hollywood producer Aaron Kaplan. Her mother, Bev Lambert, will serve as a consultant for the project. The series is being executive produced by Kapital Entertainment.
Lambert, 27, had an exciting early life in Lindale, Texas, where her parents were private investigators. Her dad Rick Lambert is a one-time police office who later worked with wife Bev as P.I.s.
Though still in the early stages, the hour-long show is expected to revolve around a Texas family where the kids help the parents solve cases. Scott Kaufer (TNT’s Memphis Beat) will write and executive produce.
In more Lambert news, her new trio with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, Pistol Annies, gave its debut performance at the Monday (4/4) taping of ACM’s Girls’ Night Out. According to reports, they sang “Hell on Heels.”

Q1 Country Album Sales Down 13%

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Q1 2011 YTD Digital/Physical Album Sales. (Source: Nielsen SoundScan)


Country music sales results for the first quarter of 2011 are now complete and while the picture isn’t pretty, there are bright spots and some hopeful signs for later in the year.
Framing the Big Picture
According to Nielsen SoundScan, the country sales picture is suffering more than the all-genre industry by percentage, and its fans seem slower to adopt and adapt to buying digital music. This is especially inconvenient, since many of the retailers that country has traditionally depended upon to service its physical customers, are systematically shrinking shelf space and physical inventory. Other forms of music went through this transition in previous years when as a result country outperformed the overall industry, but unfortunately, it is now country music’s turn to navigate.
For the week ending 4/3/2011: All genre album sales (physical and digital) are down 5.1% YTD while country is down 13%. All genre digital album sales are tracking at 32% YTD of total album sales. For country the number is a lower 19.7%.
Country Specific
Sales rely upon release schedules, and Q1-11 has been CD-lite with regard to major releases from Nashville. For example, this week’s Top Ten Current Country titles were all released prior to 2011 except for the recent projects from Sara Evans and Aaron Lewis. The top selling CDs each week continue to be Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum.
Next week’s numbers should receive added love from consumers motivated by last Sunday evening’s ACM Awards (4/3). (SoundScan results are logged from Monday through Sunday.)
The top 100 Digital Genre Country tracks list is heating up with country selling over 1.1 million downloads this week. Thompson Square (“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not?;” 54,000 units) and Zac Brown Band (“Colder Weather”; 53,000 units) are in the No. 1 and 2 spots respectively. Filling out the Top 5 are Jason Aldean w/Kelly Clarkson (“Don’t You Wanna Stay”; 40,000), Sara Evans (“A Little Bit Stronger”; 38,000), and Rascal Flatts (“I Won’t Let Go”; 37,000).
 

All-Star Performers For Leadership Music Gala

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Martina McBride, Ronnie Milsap, and Little Big Town will perform at the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award gala dinner honoring the Country Music Association. McBride will also host the Tuesday, May 17 event at the Renaissance Hotel downtown, and noted Nashville musician Steve Gibson will lead the house band.
The CMA will be recognized that night for exemplary leadership in country music. The organization promotes the genre through the annual CMA Awards, CMA Music Festival, and CMA Songwriter Series across the country. It focuses on the community by funding music in public schools, and last year gave a substantial donation to flood relief efforts. The CMA also encourages continuing education in the music industry through its online educational series and championing of Leadership Music.
In coming weeks more performers will be added to the gala’s musical salute being produced by Robert Deaton. Honorary Chairs for the 2011 event are Phran and Joe Galante, and June and Bill Denny.
Individual patron tickets start at $200 each for LM alumni. Tables of 10 are also available. Proceeds from the evening benefit Leadership Music, an educational 501(c)(3) organization.
Reservations to attend the invitation-only fundraiser must be made by May 1. For more information, contact the Leadership Music office at LM@leadershipmusic.org or (615) 770-7090.
The Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award, named for the first executive director of Leadership Music, was created in 2004 “to recognize music industry leaders who exemplify the highest quality of leadership and leading by example.” The CMA joins previous honorees Tony Brown (2004), Gerry House (2005), Emmylou Harris (2006), Frances W. Preston (2007), The Bradley Family:  Owen, Harold, Jerry, Connie and Patsy (2008), Jim Foglesong, Allen Reynolds and Garth Brooks (2009), and Fred Foster, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson (2010).

Radio Veteran Coyote McCloud Dies

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Coyote McCloud 1943-2011


Music City radio icon Coyote McCloud died Wednesday afternoon, April 6 at age 68.
A veteran of the Nashville airwaves for more than 30 years, McCloud’s slogan when he broadcast pop oldies was, “He played them when they were new.”
He served on-air stints at WMAK, WYHY, WZPZ and WRQQ. He was also the first off-camera voice of CMT. One of his best-known jobs was as the leader of “The Zoo Crew” on Y107. As such, he was profiled on the CBS-TV show 48 Hours in an episode about radio’s so-called “shock jocks.”
He was also notable as the host of “Coyote and Cathy in the Morning” on WMAK-FM and WRQQ. That show ended in 2006.
Coyote McCloud died of cirrhosis of the liver at home on his houseboat on Percy Priest Lake. Ex-wife Susan Thomas, a former Tennessean newspaper reporter, was by his side with his dog Sawyer Black. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

McCloud wrote the 1984 hit song "Where's The Beef?," a play on the Wendy's slogan

Lady A and Swift Fight Over Most Downloaded; Wynette Added To Registry

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>>Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” is now the most downloaded country song of all time, beating out Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” by a little over 9,000 downloads. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the Lady track which has been battling with Swift for the title just edged out the Big Machine artist this week. In reality the two highly successful tracks are extremely close in sales and the bragging rights of being No. 1 are likely to seesaw over coming weeks as both tracks prepare to break the 5 million download mark. Swift took Entertainer of the Year honors at last week’s ACM Awards and Lady A walked to the podium to accept Album and Vocal Group trophies. Lady A will be in Australia April 8 to join Keith Urban’s Get Closer 2011 World tour.
>>Tammy Wynette’s 1968 hit “Stand By Your Man” has been selected to become part of the National Recording Registry, a collection of recorded sounds, music documentaries and radio broadcasts that captures the cultural history of America and the technical advancements in audio recording. Songs judged to be culturally, historically or aesthetically significant are selected by the librarian with advice from the Library’s National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB). Nominations for next year are being accepted here.
 

Sony Hires Strategic Partnership Exec Kevin Kay

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Kevin Kay


Sony Music Nashville Senior Vice President, Promotion, Skip Bishop today (4/6) officially welcomes Kevin Kay to the promotion department as National Director of Strategic Partnerships. In his new role, Kay will focus on promotion opportunities, bringing together artists, radio, and major brands.
Based in Nashville and reporting to Bishop, Kay was most recently based in Detroit, MI, where he was founder and president of The Entertainment Sponsorship Group, a full-service marketing and strategic partnership company.
With the announcement, Bishop said, “Kevin is an innovative pioneer with an impressive résumé from both music promotion and brand development. He has been a leader in bringing artists into partnership opportunities with major brands for years. In a rapidly shifting marketplace, Kevin represents new ideas and energy for Sony promotion strategies!”
Kay’s background includes extensive experience in marketing and promotion within the music industry, with prior tenures at Virgin Records, DreamWorks Records, Mercury Records, V2 Records, and Island Records in Detroit, as well as PLG / Island Records and Polydor Records in Houston.
Kay may be reached at (615) 301-4449 or via e-mail at kevin.kay@sonymusic.com.

Live Nation Bids On Warner Music Group

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Live Nation is among the bidders for Warner Music Group the Wall Street Journal reports. The concert promoter is mainly interested in Warner’s recorded music division, not its publishing arm.
Live Nation has been growing vigorously in recent years, purchasing Front Line artist management as well as Ticketmaster.
The Warner sell-out saga has been going on for over a month. BMG, Sony and several investment groups are said to be among the other bidders participating in the auction, which is now in its second round and expected to bring more than $2 billion.
Don’t forget that EMI Music Group is also on the market, after being seized by Citigroup.
More about the factors influencing the sale from the WSJ here.

Memorial Scheduled For Mel McDaniel

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A public memorial service for Grand Ole Opry star Mel McDaniel will be held Wed., April 13 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Grand Ole Opry House.
McDaniel lost his battle with lung cancer on March 31 at his home in Hendersonville, Tenn. The 68-year-old had been a member of the Opry since 1986. His last Opry appearance was during an all-cast sing at the Sept. 28, 2010 re-opening of the Opry House. McDaniel is survived by one daughter and one grandson.
In lieu of flowers, McDaniel’s family requests memorial donations be made to the Opry Trust Fund at this address: Opry Trust Fund, 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN  37214.

Artist Action Wednesday (4/6)

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Onstage at the Kick The Crap Outta Cancer Benefit for Jayne Rogovin at Cabana. (L-R): Steve Cropper, Jonell Mosser, Jayne Rogovin, Harry Stinson and Beth Hooker. Photo: Alan Mayor


>>>Lee Ann Womack will perform April 12 at Radio City Music Hall at Good Housekeeping’s Shine On event to salute the contributions of women. Also set to appear are Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Eve. The night, hosted by Rebecca Romijn, will benefit Washington, DC’s National Women’s History Museum. Womack is currently in the final weeks of the George Strait/Reba McEntire supertour.
>>>Montgomery Gentry will headline the nighttime concert at Bridgestone Arena following the April 30 Country Music Marathon & ½ Marathon.
>>>Jason Michael Carroll’s upcoming album will be released exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. The title track and lead single “Numbers” is being worked at radio by Quarterback Records and GrassRoots Promotion.
>>>Ty Stone is setting sail tomorrow (4/7) on Kid Rock’s 2011 “Chillin’ the Most” Cruise. Fresh off the road with Kid Rock and Jamey Johnson, Stone was discovered by Kid Rock who helped him sign with Atlantic.
>>>The late Keith Whitley, Patty Loveless, Steve Wariner, and John Michael Montgomery will be inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum tomorrow night (4/7) in Lexington. Presenters confirmed for the ceremony include Crystal Gayle, John Conlee, Eddie Montgomery, Norro Wilson, Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall.
>>>The country version of Lady Gaga’s hit “Born This Way” has been released to iTunes, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
>>>More than 30 celebrities including artists, athletes, and media personalities will participate in the Waddell & Reed Charity Golf Tournament Benefiting Christmas 4 Kids tomorrow (4/7). Among those on the schedule are Andy Griggs, Cortland Finnegan, Jake Owen, Storme Warren, Jeff Bates, Bryan White, Brad Hopkins, Brad Lebo, Randy Fuller, Neil Orne, Joe Dubin, Terry Bulger, and The Roys. The tournament will be at the Hermitage Golf Course.

Grammy Categories Restructured For 2012

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Fewer trophies will be handed out at next year’s Grammy Awards, just one of several changes announced today (4/5) by The Recording Academy. Going forward there will be 78 Grammy award categories, down from 109 at the 2011 ceremony.
Country Field Changes—As in the other Mainstream Fields (Pop, Rock, R&B, Rap, Country), the male and female performance category has been consolidated, and collaborations now go to the duo/group category. Country Instrumental was eliminated both due to the exceedingly low number of entries and the move of Bluegrass Album to the American Roots field (which bars bluegrass tracks from being entered here).

American Roots Music Field—The traditional and contemporary blues categories and the traditional and contemporary folk categories each were consolidated into one per genre. Regional Roots Music is a new category including Regional Mexican Music, Hawaiian, Cajun/Zydeco, Native American, and Polka music.
Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Field—Four fields have been renamed, including the Gospel Field to Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music. As to category restructuring within this field, it was determined that album and songwriting categories are of highest importance; Gospel and CCM each now have one category for each. For The Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance category, it was determined that this was an area in which the two branches of the field could participate together.
No changes have been made to the all-genre General Field which includes Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist.
Entry Changes—A minimum of 40 distinct artist entries will be required in each Category (up from 25). If a Category receives between 25 – 39 entries, only three recordings would receive nominations that year. Should there be fewer than 25 entries in a Category, that Category would immediately go on hiatus for the current year — no award given — and entries would be screened into the next most logical Category. If a Category receives fewer than 25 entries for three consecutive years, the Category would be discontinued, and submissions would be entered in the next most appropriate Category.
Voting Rule Change—Previously, voting members were allowed to vote in up to nine genre Fields plus the General Field on the first ballot and eight genre Fields plus the General Field on the second ballot, including every category within each chosen Field. Now, on each ballot, voters may vote in up to 20 Categories in the genre Fields plus the four Categories of the General Field — which includes Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist.
For more information, including FAQ, Helpline, Explanation for Category Restructuring and Category Mapper visit Grammy.org.