Capitol Promotes Allison Hardy

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Allison Hardy


Capitol/EMI Records Nashville has promoted Allison Hardy to Manager, Media & Public Relations. She has been part of the label’s team since interning with the company in 2008 and has worked in the promotion and marketing teams over the last three years. Her most recent stint was Coordinator of the Marketing Department, reporting to Cindy Mabe, SVP, Marketing.
“Allison Hardy is such a valuable team member at Capitol, having experience within promotion, marketing, and digital and social media,” explains Mabe. “Her work ethic, love for the music and artists and desire to learn and grow make her the perfect candidate for the job. I really believe she will bring a unique perspective and skill set to our aggressive media team. I am really excited and proud to have Allison join Lori and Taryn as we take the media department in a new focused direction with our incredible roster of talent.”
In her new role, Hardy will report to Lori Genes Christian, Senior Director, Media & Public Relations and help to oversee media campaigns for the artists on Capitol/EMI Nashville which include Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Walker Hayes, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Jennette McCurdy, Troy Olsen, Jon Pardi, Eric Paslay, Roy D. Mercer, Kenny Rogers, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban and Tim Wilson.
Hardy can be reached at allison.hardy@emimusic.com or 615-269-2031.
Capitol/EMI is now looking to fill the New Media Coordinator position. Resumes can be sent to dawn.gates@emimusic.com.

Flying Island Entertainment Plans For Launch

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Entertainment attorney Nancy Eckert and booking veteran Louis Newman have announced the formation of Flying Island Entertainment, a Nashville-based artist services company to address the needs of both up-and-coming and established artists.
GrassRoots Promotion’s Nancy Tunick will oversee the staffing of Flying Island’s radio division, as well as serving as its label and promotion consultant. Tunick will also maintain her role as managing partner and co-owner of GrassRoots.
“We are excited to have someone with Nancy Tunick’s experience and reputation to guide our promotion efforts,” says Eckert. “We are developing some strategic partnerships that we will announce very soon, but right now we are looking for several highly-motivated radio promotion vets to round out our in-house staff.”
Those interested in applying should direct inquiries and resumes to Nancy Tunick at: 615-353-2778 or nancy@grassrootspromotion.com.

"Rolling Stone" Declares Nashville "Best Music Scene"

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In its new Best of Rock issue, Rolling Stone lists Nashville as the nation’s Best Music Scene. The one-page spread covers Music City restaurants, bars, venues, shopping and record stores, with quotes from local rockers about their favorite hangs.
Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill prefers Losers, and Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney can be found at the Station Inn or the 12 South Taproom.
Taylor Swift shares her love for yogurt parfait from Fido.
And most of the interviewees agree that Grimey’s is the best record store, except for Jack White’s wife Karen Elson who prefers Third Man for obvious reasons.
See the complete PDF article here.

Photo Spread: Judds, Lunabelles, SOLID

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The Judds donated proceeds from VIP packages sold during their final farewell tour, The Last Encore, to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Naomi Judd and manager Kerry Hansen were on hand to present the donation to St. Jude representatives.

(L-R): Kerry Hansen of Big Enterprises, Jackie Profitt of St. Jude, Naomi Judd, Teri Watson of St. Jude Photo: Aaron Crisler/The Judy Nelon Group

• • •

Show Dog-Universal President Mark Wright appeared as a guest speaker at the Society of Leaders in Development’s (SOLID) General Assembly meeting recently at Belmont University. Wright shared with the group of young music business professionals the challenges of record label consolidation while managing a team, his perspective on the producer of the future, and his experience of balancing being a songwriter, producer and label head.

(L-R): Show Dog- Universal Music A&R/Production Coordinator Laurel Kittleson, Show Dog-Universal Music President Mark Wright, SOLID President Ian Wolczyk, and SOLID Vice President Jon Romero

• • •

The Lunabelles, BNA Records newest act, stopped by the April 4 meeting of the Belmont University chapter of CMA EDU. Comprised of Alex Kline and sisters Dominque, Gabby, and Olivia Arciero, the group gave the students an inside look at what it is like to be a new act on a major label.

(L-R) The Lunabelles' Olivia, Dominque, and Gabby Arciero, CMA Sr. Coordinator of Partner Programs Sarah McGrady, The Lunabelles' Alex Klein, and Producer Jeff Coplan. Photo: Ben Bennett/CMA.


 

Nine North Adds Two Staffers

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Will Robinson (L) and Jim Dorman (R)


Nine North Records has added Jim Dorman and Will Robinson to its staff, effective May 2. Dorman takes over the Director of Promotion, West Coast/Southwest region from the departing Dave Collins and Robinson will be Director of Promotion, Northeast/Midwest region as Stan Marczewski exits.
Dorman has over 21 years experience in radio including stops at KTOM/Monterey, KRLL/Sacramento and KMIX/Modesto, and another 12 years on the records side with Epic, Atlantic, Warner Bros. and Black River.
Robinson brings 16 years of radio experience to the, including gigs with WRBQ/Tampa, WNEW/New York, WCAT/Harrisburg and WFRE/Frederick, MD.
Reach Dorman at Jim@ninenorthmail.com and Robinson at will@ninenorthmail.com

Sugarland Added To CMA Music Fest Lineup

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Sugarland joins the growing list of performers for the 2011 CMA Music Festival’s Nightly Concerts at LP Field. The award-winning Mercury Records duo will take the stage Friday, June 10.
Special guests are also expected to make appearances during the Nightly Concerts. American Idol winner and multi-platinum artist Kelly Clarkson is scheduled to join Jason Aldean during his Thursday, June 9 performance for their duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” The same night, Alan Jackson is slated to join Zac Brown Band for their hit “As She’s Walking Away.”
CMA Music Festival takes place June 9-12 in downtown Nashville. Previously announced performers for the Nightly Concerts include Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum, Easton Corbin, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and many more.

Kenny Chesney Joins BMI

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Pictured at Texas Stadium during the Dallas stop on Chesney’s 2011 Going Coastal Tour are (l-r): Phil Graham, Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI; Clay Bradley, Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI Nashville ; Kenny Chesney; Troy Tomlinson, President & CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville; and Jody Williams, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI Nashville. Photo by Glen Rose


Kenny Chesney has joined the BMI family of songwriters. The superstar has been building a repertoire of hits for more than a decade, leading to his recent twenty-first No. 1 “Somewhere With You.”
His long list of hits includes “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems,” “The Good Stuff,” “I Go Back,” “Don’t Blink,” “There Goes My Life,” “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” “Living in Fast Forward,” and “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven.”
After taking a break from full-scale touring last year, Chesney recently launched his biggest outing to-date with numerous stadium shows on the schedule.

Study Finds DVDs And BluRay Discs Dominate Digital Video Options

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Consumers are still using DVDs and Blu-ray Discs (BD) more than all other digital  video options combined reports market research group NPD. According to the company’s March 2011 study that included 9636 completed surveys from U.S. consumers, 77% of those surveyed reported watching a movie via DVD or BD for an average of four hours per week, unchanged from last year. 68% watched a movie on a TV or cable network, 49% at a theatre and 21% used paid video on demand (VOD) on their TV.
“With the well publicized struggles of Blockbuster and retail video stores closing around the country, and with media attention increasingly focused on the newest digital home-video offerings, the value and importance of physical formats to the home video industry and to consumers is often overlooked,” said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for The NPD Group. “Even though DVD sales and rentals are slowing, there is no evidence that consumers are abandoning physical discs for watching movies, even as the choices for viewing are expanding.”
With regard to spending, the study reports that 78% of home video budgets are spent for purchase/rental of DVD and BD. Video subscription services like Netflix offering a mix of VOD and physical discs accounted for about 15%. Digital video downloads, paid streaming, paid transactional video on demand (VOD), and pay per view (PPV) comprised the remaining 8 percent. Overall per-capita spending on home video fell by 2 percent.
“We expect strong growth from many digital sectors, driven by connected devices, improving selection, and the consumer’s endless quest for convenience,” Crupnick said. “For now, though, physical discs continue to lead overall engagement and spending by home video viewers; and even with increasing use of VOD and other digital formats, the primacy of DVD and Blu-ray in home video will continue for the foreseeable future.”

Star-Studded Events Calendar

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Martina McBride is putting on her party shoes...she'll be attending the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award Gala, and the Best Cellars Dinner.


Best Cellars Dinner—April 25
The twelfth annual Eco-Energy Best Cellars Dinner will be Monday, April 25 at the Hutton Hotel with celebrity guests Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Kix Brooks, Amy Grant, Big Kenny, Jonathan Cain, Lisa Hartman Black and Clint Black, Kellie Pickler and Dierks Bentley.
These best sellers will team with some of wine’s best cellars for the fundraiser for the TJ Martell Foundation. Among the wine collectors participating are Mary and Sam Beall (Blackberry Farm), Jamie and Larry Beckwith, Tom Black, Jim Clendenen, Chantel and John Esposito, Patricia and Joe Harbison, Nancy and Billy Ray Hearn, Jeff Hopmayer, Irv Lingo, Eliza Kraft Olander, Deby and Keith Pitts and Bill Shea. The wines will be paired with a four course, gourmet dinner prepared by guest chef Ken Frank from La Toque in Napa, California.
The event will begin with an “All Things That Sparkle” reception and silent auction sponsored by David Yurman with sparkling wine provided by Italian Wine Merchants. During dinner, Big Kenny will conduct a live auction.
Music Supervisor Speed Networking—April 19
A limited number of tickets are still available for the Nashville Film Festival and CMA speed networking event featuring top music supervisors. Set for tomorrow (4/19) from 6:30-9 PM at the CMA offices, the event includes food and drinks in an informal setting. This is NOT a pitch session, so please do NOT bring CDs. Tickets are $150/person. Call Ted Crockett (615) 742-2500 with credit card information. More info here.
Grammy Block Party—May 10
The Recording Academy® Nashville Chapter will host its 13th annual Grammy Block Party on Tuesday, May 10 at Owen Bradley Park adjacent to the Music Row roundabout. The performance line-up is a showcase for Nashville’s musical diversity, featuring Laura Bell Bundy, The Civil Wars, Denny Jiosa, Jerrod Niemann, Old Crow Medicine Show, Royal Tailor band and Chancellor Warhol. The event is free for Recording Academy members and $20 for non-members; those signing up for membership at the event will also be admitted for free. Gates open at 4:30 and live music begins at 5:00.
Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award Gala—May 17
Brad Paisley and Keith Urban have been added to the list of superstars set to salute the Country Music Association when the organization is honored at the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award gala dinner on Tuesday, May 17 at the Renaissance Hotel. They join previously announced performers Little Big Town, Martina McBride, and Ronnie Milsap, as well as special guests Mayor Karl Dean and Metro Nashville Director of Schools Dr. Jesse Register. 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.
 

Signings at EMI CMG and Bluewater

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EMI CMG Publishing is pleased to announce two songwriter signings that round out its new crew of country writers. Megan James and Fred Wilhelm are the latest additions to the country roster that already included Ben Glover, making up a small, but talented team.

Pictured (L-R): Ben Glover, EMI CMG Publishing Pres. Eddie DeGarmo, Megan James, EMI CMG Creative Mgr. Jeremy Ash, and Fred Wilhelm.

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Cody Canada


Bluewater Music is proud to announce a worldwide administration and creative placements agreement with prolific singer/songwriter and artist Cody Canada. Bluewater Music will license and collect for Canada’s catalog, Shan Can Music (BMI), in addition to soliciting the music for TV and film placements. Canada is known as frontman for Cross Canadian Ragweed, and has recently started a new solo project under the moniker Cody Canada & The Departed. Bluewater Music’s Benom Plumb says, “We are so excited to be working with Cody. His music has inspired and helped define a new generation of southern rock and country music artists, songwriters and fans alike.” Licensing inquiries may be directed to benom@bluewatermusic.com.