>>Friday, Feb. 18, is the deadline to purchase $399 CRS registrations, to be held March 2-4, 2011. The current CRS registration price was cut back to its $399 Early Bird Rate after the New Faces of Country Music Show sold out in January. As a result, all registrations purchased after Jan. 24 through the opening of CRS 2011 on March 2 will not include a ticket to the New Faces show. The $499 On-Site Registration Rate begins Saturday, Feb. 19.
>>Feb. 18 is also the last day to submit an artist for the Artist/Attendee Welcome Reception. To be considered for the event, an artist must have a career Top 10 single or a Top 75 single within the last year on the Country Aircheck or Music Row chart. Artists must be self-registered at CRS 2011 or have at least three people registered from their label or management to qualify for Artist/Attendee reception consideration. To submit an artist, contact CRB’s Chasity Crouch at chasity@crb.org or (615) 327-4487.
>>Tickets to the Country Radio Hall of Fame Dinner, held March 1, at the Nashville Convention Center are now sold out. Additionally, the downtown Renaissance Hotel has reportedly reached full capacity, although there are numerous hotels still available within walking distance of CRS 2011.
>> The KCRS Live! lineup has been revised. Due to an unforeseen personal commitment, Bob DiPiero will be replaced by Rivers Rutherford as one of the songwriter showcase’s featured performers. Rutherford will perform along with Aaron Lewis, LoCash Cowboys and Jeffrey Steele at the Stroudavarious-sponsored event, held March 2, at 4 p.m. inside the downtown Nashville Convention Center during CRS 2011.
>>The three-day Country Radio Seminar 2011 will feature a variety of panels on topics including social media and digital innovations, PPM, music video, brand strategies, leadership skills, consumer research studies, concert promotions and revenue, ad sales, PD multi-tasking, the relationships and economics of the radio and record industries, on-air interviews and much more.
Here is a quick look at five highlighted CRS 2011 panels:
Wednesday, March 2:
The Digital Life: Doing Business In An Increasingly Digital World (11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.) – Media and technology expert Shelly Palmer presents the latest info on what consumers are doing in terms of using tech-gadgets, websites and mobile devices, as well as an overview of media consumption trends. Presenter: Shelly Palmer (Live Digital with Shelly Palmer).
Show Me The Money: The Economics of the Radio and Music Industry (3 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.) – Everything you want to know about the economics of the radio and music industry will be revealed in this in-depth look at the bottom line for both industries. Moderator: Erica Farber (The Farber Connection, LLC). Panelists: Ken Robold (UMG), Chuck Flood (Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.), Tom English (Clear Channel Radio).
Thursday, March 3:
Strengthening Partnerships Through Social Media with Radio P1s (2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) – This panel provides specific knowledge about how social media can help stations build brand loyalty, ratings and a sense of community. Moderator: Dan Halyburton (McVay Media). Panelists: Sloane Cavitt (Show Dog-Universal), Pinky Gonzales (Carazel Inc.), Stephen Linn (CMT), Jennie Smythe (Girlilla Marketing), Roy Elkins (Broadjam).
Friday, March 4:
The Art of War: Strategies for Offense and Defense (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) – This panel offers both a historic look and mentoring approach on how to program in a heated format battle. Moderator: Dan Halyburton (McVay Media). Panelists: Kevin Christopher (Tyler Media/KJKE), William B. Fletcher (Fletcher, Rowley and Riddle, Inc.), Lee Abrams.
Concerts: Connecting the Dots Between Ratings, Revenue and Promotions (2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.) – This panel demonstrates how concert promotion is a winning situation for all involved and covers many platforms. Panelists: Natalie Conner (WXTU), Tim Roberts (WYCD), Brian O’Connell (Live Nation).
Visit www.CRB.org for more information.
CRS Updates, Deadlines, and Panels
/by Michelle>>Feb. 18 is also the last day to submit an artist for the Artist/Attendee Welcome Reception. To be considered for the event, an artist must have a career Top 10 single or a Top 75 single within the last year on the Country Aircheck or Music Row chart. Artists must be self-registered at CRS 2011 or have at least three people registered from their label or management to qualify for Artist/Attendee reception consideration. To submit an artist, contact CRB’s Chasity Crouch at chasity@crb.org or (615) 327-4487.
>>Tickets to the Country Radio Hall of Fame Dinner, held March 1, at the Nashville Convention Center are now sold out. Additionally, the downtown Renaissance Hotel has reportedly reached full capacity, although there are numerous hotels still available within walking distance of CRS 2011.
>> The KCRS Live! lineup has been revised. Due to an unforeseen personal commitment, Bob DiPiero will be replaced by Rivers Rutherford as one of the songwriter showcase’s featured performers. Rutherford will perform along with Aaron Lewis, LoCash Cowboys and Jeffrey Steele at the Stroudavarious-sponsored event, held March 2, at 4 p.m. inside the downtown Nashville Convention Center during CRS 2011.
>>The three-day Country Radio Seminar 2011 will feature a variety of panels on topics including social media and digital innovations, PPM, music video, brand strategies, leadership skills, consumer research studies, concert promotions and revenue, ad sales, PD multi-tasking, the relationships and economics of the radio and record industries, on-air interviews and much more.
Here is a quick look at five highlighted CRS 2011 panels:
Wednesday, March 2:
The Digital Life: Doing Business In An Increasingly Digital World (11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.) – Media and technology expert Shelly Palmer presents the latest info on what consumers are doing in terms of using tech-gadgets, websites and mobile devices, as well as an overview of media consumption trends. Presenter: Shelly Palmer (Live Digital with Shelly Palmer).
Show Me The Money: The Economics of the Radio and Music Industry (3 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.) – Everything you want to know about the economics of the radio and music industry will be revealed in this in-depth look at the bottom line for both industries. Moderator: Erica Farber (The Farber Connection, LLC). Panelists: Ken Robold (UMG), Chuck Flood (Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.), Tom English (Clear Channel Radio).
Thursday, March 3:
Strengthening Partnerships Through Social Media with Radio P1s (2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) – This panel provides specific knowledge about how social media can help stations build brand loyalty, ratings and a sense of community. Moderator: Dan Halyburton (McVay Media). Panelists: Sloane Cavitt (Show Dog-Universal), Pinky Gonzales (Carazel Inc.), Stephen Linn (CMT), Jennie Smythe (Girlilla Marketing), Roy Elkins (Broadjam).
Friday, March 4:
The Art of War: Strategies for Offense and Defense (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) – This panel offers both a historic look and mentoring approach on how to program in a heated format battle. Moderator: Dan Halyburton (McVay Media). Panelists: Kevin Christopher (Tyler Media/KJKE), William B. Fletcher (Fletcher, Rowley and Riddle, Inc.), Lee Abrams.
Concerts: Connecting the Dots Between Ratings, Revenue and Promotions (2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.) – This panel demonstrates how concert promotion is a winning situation for all involved and covers many platforms. Panelists: Natalie Conner (WXTU), Tim Roberts (WYCD), Brian O’Connell (Live Nation).
Visit www.CRB.org for more information.
YouTube Videos Lead Dupre To Deal With Warner
/by Sarah SkatesLast March Dupre visited the fellow Louisiana native’s show and sang the Matchbox Twenty hit, “3 AM” (see video below). That put him on the radar of Warner Bros., which signed him to a record deal.
Dupre has posted over 100 YouTube videos and garnered over 500,000 channel views.
He is working with producers Kyle Lehning and Jerry Douglas, and has an album available at iTunes and CDbaby .com.
Bonnaroo Line-Up Revealed On Vevo
/by Sarah SkatesAlison Krauss and Union Station are among the first acts announced for this year's Bonnaroo Festival.
Bonnaroo revealed its 2011 festival line-up this morning exclusively on music video site Vevo.
Conan O’Brien helped with the big announcement (see video below).
Taking the stage at the 10th annual event in Manchester, Tennessee will be Eminem, Arcade Fire, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Loretta Lynn, Buffalo Springfield, Widespread Panic, Robert Plant & Band of Joy, the Black Keys, The Del McCoury Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, My Morning Jacket, Karen Elson and many more.
The party runs June 9-12. As usual, that’s the same time as CMA Music Festival.
Faith Hill Set For Symphony Fashion Show
/by Sarah SkatesAll proceeds will benefit the Nashville Symphony and its music education programs, including the Thor Johnson Scholarship Fund.
The fashion show will be presented by Marissa Collections of Naples, Fla., and the fundraiser is being co-chaired by Janet Bentz and Johnna Watson.
In related Nashville Symphony news, the upcoming Pops Series will showcase the talents of country artists Wynonna (September 15-17, 2011), Kathy Mattea (March 22-24, 2012) and Steve Wariner (April 5-7, 2012).
Grammy Party Pics [updated 2/16]
/by Sarah SkatesOn February 12, 2011 Bigger Picture Group and its partners hosted a Pre-Grammy Celebration in The Foundation Room at The House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard. (L-R): Shane Victorino (Philadelphia Phillies), Melissa Victorino, Alana Grace, Rod Essig (CAA). Photo: Stefanie Keenan
On Saturday night, February 12, 2011 Bigger Picture Group and its partners hosted a Pre-Grammy Celebration in The Foundation Room at The House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard. (L-R): Gary Veloric (Bigger Picture Group), Bob Ezrin (Bigger Picture Group), Dan Aykroyd, Alan Kates (Bigger Picture Group). Photo: Stefanie Keenan
the JaneDear girls with Warner Music Nashville’s President & CEO John Esposito and Sr. VP of A&R Scott Hendricks at the Warner Music Group’s 2011 Grammy After Party. (L-R): Danelle Leverett (the JaneDear girls), WMN’s President & CEO John Esposito, Susie Brown (the JaneDear girls) and WMN’s Sr. VP of A&R Scott Hendrick. Photo: Picture Group
RCA Nashville's Chris Young was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “Gettin’ You Home” at the Grammy Awards. Pictured at Sony Music Entertainment’s post-show reception at Bar Nineteen 12 (L-R): Young, Sony Music Entertainment CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, and Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Gary Overton. Photo credit: Larry Busacca/WireImage
Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman at the Patron Tequila VIP room at the EMI Grammys After-Party in Los Angeles, held at Milk Studios. Other attendees included Little Big Town, Katy Perry, Natasha Bedingfield, Dave Navaro and Lady Antebellum. Photo: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup
On Feb. 12 Bigger Picture Group and its partners hosted a Pre-Grammy Celebration toasting Zac Brown Band' nominations at House of Blues on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Guests in attendance included Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino, actor Dan Akroyd and Bigger Picture Group sibling trio The Harters. Pictured (L-R): Bill Hein (Bigger Picture Group), Keith Stegall (Bigger Picture Group), Michael Harter (The Harters), Scott Harter (The Harters), Alan Kates (Bigger Picture Group), Leslie Harter (The Harters), Bob Ezrin (Bigger Picture Group), Gary Veloric (RS Planes). Photo: Stefanie Keenan
ACM Reveals Radio Winners
/by Sarah SkatesThis marks the third ACM National On-Air Personality of the Year Award win for Blair Garner, for his show After MidNite with Blair Garner. With nearly 260 affiliates, Garner is recognized as being one of the Top 10 Most Listened To Disc Jockeys in America.
On-Air Personality Of The Year Winners
National – Blair Garner – After Midnight With Blair Garner
Major Market – Cliff And Brooks (Cliff, Brooks And Tori) – KSON-FM – San Diego, CA
Large Market – Chris Carr, Jason Statt And Maverick – WUBE-FM – Cincinnati, OH
Medium Market – Andy Ritchie, Alison Mencer And Jimmy Holt – WIVK-FM – Knoxville, TN
Small Market – Dex And Mo – WUSY-FM – Chattanooga, TN
Radio Station Of The Year Winners: (Note Tie In Major)
Major Market – KEEY-FM – St. Louis Park, MN (Tie)
Major Market – KNIX-FM – Phoenix, AZ (Tie)
Large Market – WGH-FM – Virginia Beach, VA
Medium Market – WIVK-FM – Knoxville, TN
Small Market – WYCT-FM – Pensacola, FL
New Paisley Project Coming In May
/by Sarah SkatesReigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley is slated to release his new album, This Is Country Music, on May 24 via Arista. Paisley once again teamed with longtime producer Frank Rogers for the upcoming release, which will be his first all-new studio album since 2009’s acclaimed American Saturday Night. In between studio efforts, he also released Hits Alive in November 2010.
The lead single and title track is already a hit at radio, climbing to No. 4 on MusicRow’s Country Breakout chart this week.
The digital single for “This Is Country Music” is available, and fans who pre-order the album for $9.99, will also receive an immediate download of the single. In addition, pre-orders will entitle purchasers periodic access to exclusive content.
Amid work on the new album, Paisley is currently headlining his H2O Frozen Over Tour.
Paisley has proven to be a consistent hitmaker, with 18 No. 1 singles to his credit (including the last 14 in a row) and career sales in excess of 12 million albums.
Matraca Berg Plans New Release
/by Sarah SkatesPlus news on projects from George Jones, Ralph Stanley, Jeff Bates and Kenny Rogers.
>>Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Matraca Berg will release her first album in fourteen years on May 17. “I knew when I was writing these songs that they where a bit deeper and darker,” she says of The Dreaming Fields, “so I knew it was up to me [to share them]. When I perform and look at the audience, I realized these stories I’m writing are their stories too.”
>>George Jones is back with new material for the first time in more than 5 years. “I Ain’t Ever Slowin Down,” written by Al Anderson and Stephen Bruton; and “I Should Have Called,” by Eddie Raven, are on a new greatest hits compilation. The tracks were produced by Jones’ longtime producer Keith Stegall in 2006. From Bandit Records, George Jones: The Hits will be available exclusively at WalMart starting today (2/15).
>>Kenny Rogers will become the first artist to release a second album through the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® exclusive music program when The Love of God becomes available March 7. The CD is an inspirational collection of classic songs, along with new recordings of contemporary songs. Guests include The Whites, Winfield’s Locket, and Point of Grace.
>>Black River artist Jeff Bates’ new release hits the streets today (2/14). One Day Closer, his second album for the label, covers the circle of life he has experienced in recent years with the deaths of his parents and the birth of his daughter. In addition to the six song EP, Bates recorded a live DVD that features all the music from One Day Closer with bonus tracks highlighting previous singles.
>>Ralph Stanley will release A Mother’s Prayer, a newly recorded collection of hymns and spirituals, April 19 on Rebel Records. Among the project’s contributors are Sara Evans, Billy and Terry Smith, Clinch Mountain Boys’ fiddler Dewey Brown, and grandson Nathan Stanley.
Berg’s new collection covers sensitive issues like domestic violence (“If I Had Wings”), fading beauty (“Silver and Glass”), selling the family farm (“The Dreaming Fields”), and a son sent off to war (“South of Heaven”).
Berg scored her first No. 1 at age 18, and has since provided pivotal hits for the Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Gretchen Wilson, Linda Ronstadt and Dusty Springfield. Her most recent 1997 release Sunday Morning To Saturday Night was critically acclaimed.
TV Round-up with Red, Steel Magnolia, Aaron Lewis
/by Michelle>>Nashville-based rock group Red performed “Faceless” on Conan last week (2/8). The Provident Label Group act will also perform on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tomorrow (2/16). Red’s latest release, Until We Have Faces (2/1/2011) was the highest debut in the country, claiming the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Top 200 its first week out. Further, it remained in the Top 5 on both iTunes’ Overall Album and Rock Album charts its entire street week. www.redmusiconline.com.
Pictured on Conan (L-R): RED band members: Joe Rickard, Randy Armstrong; Host Conan O'Brien; Anthony Armstrong, and Michael Barnes. Photo: Meghan Sinclair/Team Coco
>>Stroudavarious Records artist Aaron Lewis recently stopped by CMT for a series of interviews in support of his debut solo single, “Country Boy,” from his forthcoming Town Line EP, due for a March 1 release.
Pictured (l-r): Jordan Berliant, Partner, The Collective; Derek Simon, Vice President, Marketing & Artist Development, Stroudavarious Records; Stephen Linn, Sr. Director Music Programming & Promotion, CMT; Aaron Lewis; and Jay Frank, Sr. Vice President Music Strategy, CMT.
>>Steel Magnolia performed on The Late Show with David Letterman Monday, Feb. 7.
Pictured: Meghan Linsey (R) and Joshua Scott Jones (L) of Steel Magnolia hang with Green Bay Packers quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers (C) backstage.
Morning News From The Web
/by Sarah Skates>>A post-Grammy sales bump is expected for Lady A, Mumford & Sons, Arcade Fire, and more, according to HitsDailyDouble.
>> Rumors of an Apple streaming music service have been circulating for a while. The latest clues are an expected upgrade of its cloud-based MobileMe media storage service, and the debut of a smaller, less expensive version of the iPhone. Read more from the Wall Street Journal.
>>Bonnaroo promoter AC Entertainment has signed on to present the Louisville Forecastle Festival. Read on.
>>CAA has teamed with Qualcomm to launch Creative Mobile Labs. The company will pair the creative minds CAA represents with mobile app developers. More here.