Nashville Lands 73rd National Folk Festival

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The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) announced that the 73rd National Folk Festival will take place Labor Day Weekend (September 2-4, 2011) in Nashville, TN. The NCTA made this announcement with Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Compass Records Group on October 20th.

Nationally known as one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious celebrations of traditional music and culture, The National Folk Festival will take place in downtown Nashville from 2011-2013. This event is free to the public and is expected to draw upwards of 100,000 people to Nashville, with a projected economic impact of $10-15 million for the city.

“You can’t have too much live music in Music City,” Mayor Dean said. “The National Folk Festival is going to be a great addition to the music festivals already held in Nashville. It’s a chance to display not only the traditional cultures and art of our city, but also the growing diversity of musical genres that call Nashville home.”

The NCTA created the National Folk Festival in 1934 and is presenting the 2011 event in partnership with Nashville’s local National Folk Festival group, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville, the Community Foundation, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the Compass Records Group.

Braddock Helps Fete Legendary Newsman

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(L-R) Bobby Braddock and Bob Schieffer.

Songwriter Bobby Braddock made a special appearance on Friday (10/15) to honor legendary CBS newsman, Bob Schieffer at the National Press Club’s annual Fourth Estate Award Dinner. Schieffer was honored for his lifetime contribution to American Journalism.

Appropriately Schieffer, a native Texan and avid country music fan chose country music as a theme for the event, which featured a reception, dinner and roast, with entertainment from Braddock’s catalog including “He Stopped Loving Her Today”. The band Honkey Tonk Confidential accompanied Braddock as well as Scheffer, who also stepped in to perform songs of his own.

Among others in attendance were Schieffer’s wife Pat, Sen. Lindsey Graham, former senator Sam Nunn, CBS News President Sean McManus, former White House Press Corp reporter Helen Thomas and syndicated columnists David Broder, and William Raspberry.

Early Swift Raves; JetBlue, Target and Royal Caribbean Exclusives

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Taylor Swift‘s upcoming Speak Now is earning early raves from critics before the October 25th release date. Swift’s highly-anticipated third album will be released by Big Machine Records in over 40 countries. The Hollywood Reporter calls the album “brilliant” and The New York Times states that Speak Now is “The most musically diverse [album] of her career … possibly her best.”

Taylor bested her own Billboard record this week with the release of the track “Mean,” giving her the Most Top 10 debuts on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Her busy upcoming schedule includes appearances on The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Live! With Regis & Kelly, Ellen and Dancing With the Stars.

Taylor will perform an exclusive show for JetBlue Airways on Wednesday, October 27th at the state-of-the-art Terminal 5 at New York’s JFK airport. This performance is part of the “Live From T5” concert series presented by JetBlue, which has featured performances from Sarah McLachlan, Daughtry and Justin Townes Earle. After her JFK performance, Taylor will conduct a promotional in-flight  concert while en route to Los Angeles  in a “Flight Across America” charter flight through JetBlue.

Retail giant Target will offer an exclusive version of Speak Now, which will feature three new music tracks, three remixed tracks, and 30 minutes of video content. This special deluxe version of Speak Now will be available at Target Stores nationwide and Target.com beginning October 25th.

In addition to these initial promotional appearances and exclusives, Taylor has partnered with Royal Caribbean International to perform live on board the world’s largest and newest ship. On January 21, 2011, Taylor will perform in the AquaTheater on the Allure of the Seas ship. Big Machine Records, Clear Channel Radio, Pop2Life and Royal Caribbean International have joined forces to give 100 lucky winners and their invited guests access to this unprecedented event. The seven-night Western Caribbean cruise will take place January 16 – 23.

Contest winners will receive VIP seating in the AquaTheater for the concert, roundtrip flights and accommodations.  Fans can enter the contest by tuning in to participating Clear Channel radio stations (see www.TheAllureofTaylor.com/stations)  until October 29th or by entering online at www.TheAllureofTaylor.com. Fans can book their Taylor Swift experience for the January trip at www.royalcaribbean.com.

Nettles To Host CMA Country Christmas

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Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles

CMA’s new holiday broadcast continues to take form with the announcement that it will be hosted by Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles. “I am thrilled to have been asked to host the CMA Christmas Special,” Nettles said. “I love the holidays and, as my first time hosting a show, I am sure it will be full of laughs and surprises both for myself and for the folks watching.”

CMA Country Christmas is set to tape in front of a live audience on Nov. 11 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Tickets are available to CMA Sterling and Organizational members plus through various CMA sponsors, partners and local and regional radio stations.

The first-year special will air Monday Nov. 29 on ABC and is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer, Paul Miller is the director and David Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

Artists expected to be performing and sharing holiday traditions with fans include Kellie Pickler, Sheryl Crow, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Reba, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, and Sugarland.

Jason Aldean Gets Ready for His “Party”

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Platinum artist Jason Aldean will release his fourth album My Kinda Party on November 2nd. Fans can pre-order the album at www.jasonaldean.com, where they can also purchase an exclusive signed version. The 15-track album is also available for pre-order at Amazon.com and will be on iTunes on October 26th.

In the days leading up to the album release, Aldean’s Facebook page will preview five exclusive videos of the making of My Kinda Party. Aldean will host his first live video chat with fans on 6:00pm CST at his website, Facebook page and UStream. Other interactive opportunities include a national mobile check-in program, allowing fans to check in at concerts and retail locations nationwide to earn rewards. Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter users will compete to win an iPad loaded with My Kinda Party, other digital gift certificates and a Wrangler wardrobe. More information is available here.

Photos: Colt Ford, Harlem Globetrotters at the Opry, and Joe Nichols

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Colt Ford hits Kix 106 in Memphis … The Harlem Globetrotters hit the Opry … Joe Nichols performs at a benefit concert in Knoxville.

Average Joes Entertainment's Colt Ford and Kix 106 Memphis' Music Director Kay Manley backstage at the Desoto Civic Center for the Rowdy Friends tour stop on Friday, October 15th.

Both the Harlem Globetrotters and the Grand Ole Opry are celebrating their 85th birthdays, so the Harlem Globetrotters joined Charlie Daniels for a surprise collaboration on October 19th. Harlem Globetrotter ballhandling wizard Scooter Christensen helps country legend Charlie Daniels spin a basketball on the tip of his fiddle bow during a performance of Daniels’ signature “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” onstage at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry.

Show Dog – Universal Music’s Jordan Pettit, WIVK’s Mike Hammond, and Joe Nichols after a benefit concert in Knoxville, TN for Horse Haven, a local charity that rescues abused & neglected horses.

Slicing The Nashville Sales Pie

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There are many ways to measure country music sales, but it all boils down to the fundamental question, how big is my slice of the pie? So first let’s talk about the overall pizza pie and then we’ll address some of the recent slices being cut up and handed out. (Source: Nielsen Soundscan.)

For the week ending 10/17/2010 country album sales are off 12.5% YTD compared with the same period last year. As always in our reports, this includes both physical and digital album sales. With only 11 shopping weeks remaining in 2010, the industry overall is now down 13.6%. Country YTD sales are 27.753 million units. For 2009 country sold 46.13 million units. To equal 2009, we have 11 weeks to scan 18.377 million more units or 1.67 million per week. (That’s a tall order considering that this week we sold a total of only 718k.)

However, before anyone runs out to Pizza Perfect to order more slices (not a bad idea), remember the holiday fever will greatly increase the rings of registers and there is a pile of platters yet to launch which are destined to entice consumers.

Now let’s look at how some of the individual slices are shaping up this week. Capitol Nashville served up Darius Rucker’s sophomore country set which tops the country chart and gets second place overall, selling almost 101,000 units. Rucker moved 31% of those in digital format. And then there is The Band Perry. The sibling trio storms this week’s list with over 52,000 units, placing them in the second spot on the current country album list. Personally it feels a bit early to start humming holiday carols, Lady Antebellum’s Merry Little Christmas (Target exclusive) hit the bins with debut sales of about 18k units, a number which is sure to grow as the holidays loom.

It’s hard to gauge how the previous week debuts are faring in terms of drop offs, but one clue is that even with recent releases—four weeks old or less—from Darius, TBP, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Zac Brown Band and Billy Currington, this week’s current country 75 still tallies an underperforming 470,368 units total.

Competing for this week’s debut slices are Sugarland who insiders are now predicting will notch sales of 200-225k and have an excellent chance of topping both the country and all genre album sales charts. And finally all Nashville is wishing Taylor luck with fingers crossed and breath held for what is sure to be the largest launch of the season for any genre (10/25). Stay tuned.

Garner Renews Contract, Kobalt Launches New Service, and BMI Board Announced

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Blair Garner Renews Radio  Contract

Blair Garner has renewed his contract with Premiere Radio Networks. Garner, a two-time recipient of the ACM’s “On-Air Personality of the Year,” hosts After MidNite with Blair Garner, which is heard by 2.7 million weekly listeners. The show will continue to broadcast daily from midnight to 6 a.m. on over 260 stations. Garner has been in national syndication for 17 years.

“I’m very pleased to continue my relationship with Premiere,” Garner says. “It’s an exciting time for radio and the opportunities for engagement that Premiere continues to develop–from on-air and digital to off-air events–are tremendous and benefit our listeners, artists, affiliates, record labels and advertisers. I look forward to breaking new ground with the Premiere team!”

Kobalt Launches Balance Updates

Kobalt Music Group launched a revolutionary service which will allow its clients to individually monitor their global royalty account balances online. The service, called Kobalt Weekly Online Balance Updates, allows clients to view current balances for their next quarterly statement period. Additionally, they will be able to request an online advance, allowing almost immediate access to their accruing royalties.

“With our new Weekly Online Balance Updates and Kobalt’s direct global collection infrastructure, copyright owners for the first time in history can get their money up to 2.5 years faster than the traditional industry standard,” explains Willard Ahdritz, CEO and Founder of Kobalt Music Group. “This gives our clients a significant advantage in transparency and value.”

Formed in 2001, Kobalt Music Group administers more than 175,000 copyrights worldwide on behalf of over 900 content holders.

BMI Board of Directors Announced

BMI announced new and re-elected members to its Board of Directors at the company’s annual shareholder meeting, held in Nashville on October 19th. Jack Sander, former Vice-Chairman of Belo Corporation in Dallas, Texas, was re-elected as Chairman of the Board, and Cecil L. Walker, former Chairman & CEO, Gannett Broadcasting, Atlanta, GA, was re-elected Presiding Director. Both will serve one-year terms.

New Board members are Michael J. Fiorile, Vice Chairman and CEO of Dispatch Broadcast Group and President & COO of The Dispatch Printing Company, Columbus, OH; and Mark P. Mays, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clear Channel Communications, Inc., San Antonio, TX. Re-elected Board members are Catherine L. Hughes, Founder & Chairperson, Radio One, Inc., Lanham, MD; and Jerome L. Kersting, President, Tribune Broadcasting Company, Chicago, IL.

Those continuing in their terms on the Board are: Del R. Bryant, President & CEO, BMI, New York, NY; Amador Bustos, President & CEO, Bustos Media Holdings, LLC, Granite Bay, CA; Susan Davenport Austin, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation and President, Sheridan Gospel Network, New York, NY; N. John Douglas, President/CEO, AIM Broadcasting, LLC, Palo Alto, CA; Craig A. Dubow, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gannett Co., Inc., McLean, VA; Kenneth J. Elkins, President & CEO, Pulitzer Broadcasting and Senior Vice President, Broadcasting, Pulitzer Publishing Co. (retired); Philip A. Jones, Mission Hills, KS; Paul Karpowicz, President, Meredith Broadcasting Group, Rocky Hill, CT; Virginia Hubbard Morris, President, Hubbard Radio and Vice President, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., St. Paul, MN; Mark Pedowitz, Founder and Chairman, Pine Street Entertainment, Burbank CA; G. Neil Smith, President, GNS Media, LLC, Liberty, SC.

Republic Nashville Goes Ape

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Click for larger image

Republic Nashville went “Ape” today after hearing that The Band Perry’s new release scanned a total of 52,500 albums this week. There’s no way to tell who is wearing the monkey suits, but note that Republic Nashville President Jimmy Harnen and Big Machine Founder/CEO Scott Borchetta both seem to curiously be missing????

TBP debuted on the Billboard Country Album chart at No. 2 this week. The young sibling group has been nominated for CMA Vocal Group of the Year plus received three nominations for the new American Country Awards set to air Dec. 6 from Las Vegas on FOX.

“If I Die Young” TBP’s hit single was recently certified Gold by the RIAA.

Flatts Wrap Tour Leg; Apple Debuts New Goodies

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Rascal Flatts

The first leg of the Rascal Flatts tour ended a week ago in Irvine, California closing out 2010 with 650,000 fans and 56 shows. In addition to the current “Nothing Like This” tour the numbers were also added to from the “Unstoppable” tour which took place in the early months of 2010.

“Nothing Like This” showcases the last ten years of hits for the trio and will continue in 2011 with special guests Chris Young and Luke Bryan. “Their easy rapport on stage- and Gary LeVox’s voice- makes it so great to see this band live,” shared the Palm Beach Post.

For the remainder of 2010 Rascal Flatts will promote its Nov. 16 album release on Big Machine Records—Nothing Like This— and new single “Why Wait.” They are also set to appear on the CMA Awards (11/10) and the American Country Awards on 12/6.

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MacBook Air Laptop

Apple this morning announced a series of new products and software. The Cupertino-based shop now accounts for one in five PCs sold in the US. In addition to unveiling sleek new ultralight MacBook Air laptops, the next generation operating system OS X Lion was also announced with an availability date of summer 2011. A Mac App Store will go live in 90 days. Significant for social networking and possible artist/fan relationships is a giant expansion of Facetime, the video conferencing app that became available for iOS4 recently (iPhone and iPodTouch). Facetime for OS X is now available in beta format. On Monday (10/18) Apple announced its earnings. Net revenue surged almost 70% over the same quarter last year.