Kristofferson Flick To Open Nashville Film Festival

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Kris Kristofferson in "Bloodworth."


The Nashville Film Festival is always stacked with music-related events, ranging from screenings to the annual music supervisors panel. This year’s just-announced films include appearances by artists/actors Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakam, and Chely Wright. The festival takes place April 14-21 at the Regal Green Hills Cinemas.
Making its Southeastern U.S. Premiere on NaFF opening night flick is Bloodworth, starring Kristofferson as E. F. Bloodworth, an aging musician returning home to Tennessee to a disgruntled family. He has wandered the world for forty years, leaving behind a wife and three sons. Adapted from the William Gay novel “Provinces of Night” by W. Earl Brown, the movie also stars Brown, Val Kilmer, Dwight Yoakam, Frances Conroy, Hillary Duff and Reece Thompson.
Also on the NaFF schedule is the world premiere of Wish Me Away, the story of Chely Wright, who came out as openly gay in 2010. Over a two year period, the filmmakers follow her process as she reveals her inner story.
Panels, jurors, music showcases and a complete schedule will be announced in the weeks ahead.

Flatts Fest Tour Starts June 18

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Rascal Flatts


Rascal Flatts will join with opening acts Sara Evans, Easton Corbin and Justin Moore on a 24-show tour that starts June 18 in Bristow, VA and ends Sept. 18 in san Diego, CA.
Included will be an interactive, high-energy stage design plus a unique pre-show festival atmosphere and tailgating experience. Activities will be spread throughout the plaza and parking areas for all fans who want to make the show an afternoon/evening event.
Flatts Fest attendees will also enjoy a mobile karaoke vehicle, carnival games, photo booths, putt putt golf, food vendors, and plenty of exciting contests.

Sara Evans


Rascal Flatts – Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney – debuted their first album on Big Machine Records, Nothing Like This, last November at #1 on the country album sales chart and became one of only four country acts to debut six consecutive studio albums at #1.  Since their musical debut in 2000, the band has sold 20 million albums and 25 million digital downloads and delivered 12 #1 singles to the top of the chart.
For additional information on Rascal Flatts and their tour go to www.rascalflatts.com or www.livenation.com
2011 “FLATTS FEST” dates
6-18                  Bristow, VA                             Jiffy Lube Live
6-19                  Virginia Beach, VA                   Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
6-24                  Oshkosh, WI**                         Country Festival USA
6-25                  Chicago, IL                               First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
6-26                  Maryland Heights, MO              Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
7-8                   Cuyahoga Falls, OH                  Blossom Music Center
7-9                   Camden, NJ                              Susquehanna Bank Center
7-17                  Craven, SK**                           Craven Country Jamboree
7-22                  Cincinnati, OH                          Riverbend Music Center
7-23                  Noblesville, IN                          Verizon Wireless Music Center
7-24                  Twin Lakes, WI**                     Country Thunder Festival
7-28                  Atlanta, GA                              Lakewood
7-29                  Charlotte, NC                            Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
7-30                  Raleigh, NC                              TWC Music Pavilion
8-4                   Detroit, MI                                DTE Energy Music Theatre
8-6                   Detroit Lakes, MN**                 WE Fest
8-11                  Hartford, CT                             Comcast Theatre
8-12                  Darien Lake, MN                      Darien Lakes PAC
8-13                  Ottawa, ONT**                        Rideau Carelton Raceway-OLG Slots Casino
8-19                  Tampa, FL                                1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre
8-20                  West Palm Beach, FL               Cruzan Amphitheatre
8-27                  Oro Station, ONT**                  Burls Creek Family Event Park
9-9                   Salt Lake City, UT                    USANA Amphitheatre
9-10                  Denver, CO                              Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
9-11                  Albuquerque, NM                      Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion
9-15                  Sacramento, CA                        Sleep Train Amphitheatre
9-16                  Mountain View, CA                  Shoreline Amphitheatre
9-17                  San Bernardino, CA                  San Manuel Amphitheatre
9-18                  San Diego, CA                          Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
**Not a “Flatts Fest” date

Lifenotes: Mark Russo

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Longtime tour production manager Mark Russo has died at age 55. The Albuquerque, NM native passed away on Sunday, March 13, 2011.
Russo spent several years with the Tim McGraw tour, and later worked at Production Impact. His career also included time as a lighting director, and entrepreneur. Loved ones describe him as a father, artist, friend and mentor.
In the summer of 2000, Russo even got tossed in jail with McGraw and Kenny Chesney during a beef with the Erie County, New York sheriff’s officers which started when Chesney rode one of their horses.
Russo is survived by son Aaron, and daughter Kristin. A memorial will take place Sun., March 27 in Albuquerque. Details are yet to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for contributions to the “Mark Russo Burial Account” at Bank of America, account # 439004431288. For questions please contact Marco Nunez at thearkiteks@aol.com.

Ferlin Husky Passes

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Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Ferlin Husky has died, according to a report from The Tennessean. The 85-year-old had been suffering from congestive heart failure and hospitalized in recent weeks.
From 1953-1975, he charted almost 50 singles, including signature songs “Wings of a Dove,” and “Gone.”
The Missouri native got his start in the music business with a DJ gig in Bakersfield, CA, where he would become an architect of that area’s country music scene.
He signed his first record deal in 1949, and by ’51 had replaced Tennessee Ernie Ford on the Hometown Jamboree television show. It was in this way that he met Cliffie Stone, who helped him sign with Capitol Records a year later. His first singles were recorded under the stage name Terry Preston. He was also known to go by the comedic alter ego, Simon Crum.
Husky’s career breakthrough came from his part in the Jean Shepard hit “A Dear John Letter.” The two reunited later for the follow up answer song, “Forgive Me John.”
Husky topped the Billboard Country singles chart for 10 weeks in 1957 with “Gone,” featuring the production work of Ken Nelson and backing vocals by the revered Jordanaires and songstress Millie Kirkham. In retrospect, historians would deem that track one of the earliest examples of the Nashville Sound production style.
In 1960, Husky released his signature hit, “Wings of a Dove,” which was No. 1 on the Billboard Country singles chart for 10 weeks.
Husky dabbled in acting and made appearances on several of the top television variety shows of the time, including The Steve Allen Show and Toast of the Town.

NYT Paywall Starts March 28

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After months of speculation, The New York Times has announced a plan to charge  for digital subscriptions. In a letter sent to readers, the publication said, “Today marks a significant transition…[one] we hope you will see as an investment in The Times, one that will strengthen our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers around the world and on any platform. The change will primarily affect those who are heavy consumers of the content on our Web site and on mobile applications.”
The changes began for Canadian readers today (3/17) and are expected to impact U.S. readers and the rest of the world on March 28. Home delivery subscribers will continue to receive full access across print, computer, smartphone and tablet platforms. For those who are not paid print subscribers, here’s how the rules will work.

  • On NYTimes.com, you can view 20 articles each month at no charge (including slide shows, videos and other features). After 20 articles, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber, with full access to our site.
  • On our smartphone and tablet apps, the Top News section will remain free of charge. For access to all other sections within the apps, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber.
  • The Times is offering three digital subscription packages that allow you to choose from a variety of devices (computer, smartphone, tablet). More information about these plans is available at nytimes.com/access.
  • Again, all New York Times home delivery subscribers will receive free access to NYTimes.com and to all content on our apps. If you are a home delivery subscriber, go to homedelivery.nytimes.com to sign up for free access.
  • Readers who come to Times articles through links from search, blogs and social media like Facebook and Twitter will be able to read those articles, even if they have reached their monthly reading limit. For some search engines, users will have a daily limit of free links to Times articles.
  • The home page at NYTimes.com and all section fronts will remain free to browse for all users at all times.

Access to web and smartphone app is $15 every four weeks. Web and tablet app is $20 every four weeks and Access across all apps and web is $35 every four weeks.
“Our decision to begin charging for digital access will result in another source of revenue, strengthening our ability to continue to invest in the journalism and digital innovation on which our readers have come to depend,” said New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. “This move will enhance The Times’s position as a source of trustworthy news, information and high-quality opinion for many years to come.”
Newspapers, not unlike the music industry have been suffering as they grapple with how to monetize in the digital era. At first, newspapers and other news sites believed that high traffic would create advertising demand that would make up for lost subscription revenue and print advertising. Unfortunately, that has not worked in most cases. Similarly, in the music industry digital download sales have not made up for the loss in physical sales.
The New York Times paywall will be a closely watched experiment by many other journalistic endeavors who will be carefully measuring if consumers are willing to pay for news and stories.

Miranda Lambert On Raging Tour, Redbook Cover

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Miranda Lambert is in the middle of a successful tour, including a sold-out show at the Houston Rodeo last night (3/16).
With almost 74,000 in attendance, it was the rodeo’s largest crowd this year, and the third largest in its 79-year history.
Lambert’s Revolution Continues tour opened earlier this year at famed Billy Bob’s Texas, where she became the first artist to sell out back-to-back shows in the history of the venue.
Fans can read more about the singer and her fiancee Blake Shelton, in her cover story for the April issue of Redbook (on newsstands now). Under the headline “Country Glamour and True Grit,” Redbook talks to Lambert about her pending nuptials, performing onstage, exercise, and getting advice from Reba. Shelton also participated in the exclusive interview, sharing his insight about their careers and romance.
Lambert is up for seven ACMs at the April 3 awards show.

Photos from the April issue of Redbook. (R): Publisher Ree Guyer-Buchanan admires Lambert's ring.

Gaga Passes Rihanna And Swift In Digital Single Sales

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Lady Gaga is named by the R.I.A.A. in its February 2011 report as the highest-certified artist of digital singles in Gold & Platinum history. Gaga has tallied 20 million downloads sold and her 6X Platinum “Just Dance” ties with the Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” also at 6X Platinum. Closely following Lady Gaga is Rihanna and Taylor Swift with 19 and 18.5 million downloads respectively. Black Eyed Peas are the group with the most digital singles certs (17.5 million).
The Recording Industry Association of America is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. A complete chart of the criteria for digital and physical sales certs can be found here. In addition an online searchable database with aritsts and awards can be found here.
RIAA February 2011 Certifications
Digital—Gold Single
Billy Currington/Pretty Good At Drinkin Beer/Merc-9/21/2010
Thompson Square/Are You Gonna Kiss Me…/Stoney Creek-8/3/2010
Gold Albums
Alan Jackson/34 Number Ones.Arista Nash-11/22/2010
Brad Paisley/Hits Alive/Arista Nash-11/2/2010
The Band Perry/TBP/Big Machine-10/12/2010

Publishing Notes

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Jeremy Spillman (L) has signed Jared Crump (R) to his new company.

Hit songwriter Jeremy Spillman has launched his own publishing and production outfit, Brave Music Company. With cuts by Josh Turner, Lee Ann Womack, Trace Adkins, and Brantley Gilbert, Spillman is celebrating his most successful single yet, Eric Church’s “Hell On The Heart.”

Now Spillman has signed Jared Crump to Brave Music. The new artist/songwriter moved to Nashville two years ago from Texas, and recently celebrated his first cut. Spillman is also working with and producing rising artist Carly Pearce. Contact him at info@bravemusiccompany.com.
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Brittany Spyksma


Brittany Spyksma has returned to her post as Creative Manager at Dan Hodges Music following a year-plus hiatus, during which Anthony Corder held the job.
In turn, Corder has left DHM to become office manager/creative head at Anchor Down Entertainment.
Spyksma can be reached at brittany@danhodgesmusic.com.
Corder can be reached at anthony@anchordownent.com.

Cassandra Tormes Joins Cotton Valley Records

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Cassandra Tormes


Cotton Valley Records (CVR) has hired Cassandra Tormes as Creative Director where she will be responsible for developing and exploiting the Cotton Valley Worldwide Publishing catalogue. In addition to working with songs and songwriters, she will assist CVR’s management and label divisions to raise the company’s profile.
Producers J. Gary Smith and John Smith founded Cotton Valley Music, LLC, in 2010. It is comprised of CVR, CVR Management and Cotton Valley Worldwide Publishing. The roster includes Mark Cooke, rock band Goodbye June, and Steve Holy.
Longtime music publishing exec. Tormes was most recently Creative Director at Cherry Heart Music.
She can be reached at Cassandra@cvrmusic.com or 615-730-9845. The company is located at 713 18th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37203.

Toby Keith Building Retreat For Pediatric Cancer Patients And Families

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The upcoming Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic will raise money to build a home away from home for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
Now in its eighth year, the event is set for May 20-21 in Norman, Oklahoma. With a “Denim & Diamonds” theme, it will again feature live and silent auctions, dinner, entertainment and golfing.
Proceeds benefit the Toby Keith Foundation’s efforts to build the OK Kids Korral, which will provide a home for pediatric cancer patients and their families while they receive treatment in Oklahoma City.
“We are doing our best to address issues that arise while a child is in treatment such as weakened immune systems and sensitivity to light,” says Keith of the house. “More than anything, we want it to be a home of inspiration, encouragement and hope.”
Keith’s personal connection to the cause dates to 2003 and the devastating loss of Allison Webb, the young daughter of close friends. In Webb’s memory, the singer helped her family create Ally’s House, which provides financial assistance to families of children with cancer. He extended his efforts last year by turning his foundation’s focus to creating a cost-free, state-of-the-art overnight lodging facility where multiple families can enjoy a relaxing haven as they work to get their little ones healed.