Last week’s article “Appraising The Strategic Value of Airplay For Indie Artists,” featuring Tom Baldrica, generated a number of heated responses. One person who has been connected with Indie careers and was especially passionate about the challenges outlined in the article had a lot to say, but wished to do so anonymously. We agreed, let’s call him Mr. X.
Baldrica cautioned, “You’re out of your mind to play the national chart game as an independent.” Mr. X agrees. “Baldrica sure pulled the curtains back on this subject. The country music economy is probably a Top 15 or Top 10 marketplace. When you get to those numbers you might start to see sales. It goes back to something I heard Joe Galante say on some panel a while ago. Talking to an artist he said, ‘I can take you to the audience, but I can’t make the audience take you.’ I can’t think of a better line to describe what happens. Between nowhere and No. 25 there’s not a lot of difference on the monitored chart. I’ve had promoters get us to No. 45 and say ‘congratulations.’ But realistically, congratulations on what? The record wasn’t played in morning drive or mid-day, in fact it was completely invisible. So tons of money later there’s little to show.”
But Mr. X is a bit stoic about the fight to break an indie artist. “You know what? Knowing the chart facts of life isn’t likely to keep most people from doing anything any differently,” X says. “The allure of the Nashville dream is so bright and blinding, you could write this article and pin it on every door in America, but there still will be another crop of people coming to Nashville saying, ‘I’m different. It only applies to all those people that weren’t good enough’.”
In last week’s article Baldrica also suggested that independents might be better served working toward a regional approach. But Mr. X takes exception to this idea. “The problem is while it sounds good to build a story regionally, it’s actually used against you and it then becomes impossible to break out nationally. For example great acts that were branded regional such as Jack Ingram, Pat Green and Cross Canadian Ragweed. This is a major label game and that’s a fact. As an industry we need to admit it’s far more label focused than artist, or song focused. If it was based on the song, then you would have more acts in the Top 20 actually selling records. The inherent monopoly of the majors makes it easy for them to chart a Top 20, even if it has almost no relation to audience acceptance. Miranda Lambert sold over a million units before she ever had a Top 15, which means the chart didn’t reflect her audience acceptance. While the chart does launch more careers than any other vehicle, the monopoly of the majors allows for a lot of misses, too.”
And indies also get shut out of a lot of exposure opportunities according to Mr. X. “The majors dug this pond and we’re just asking to fish in it. But they own the fishing rights and as an independent you are relegated to the corners of the pond. Rarely, you might pull in a big fish, but mostly you are just net casting for minnows. We’re trying to say, ‘Our music is good enough to be a part of the system,’ but it’s not our pond. You can’t believe the leverage the majors have. Opportunities for valuable added exposure from vehicles such as Award shows or duets with artists on major labels, for example, are completely shut out for us. I don’t want to sound bitter, but these are just the facts. If there is any frustration in my voice it is the romance they put around a great song, and not near enough emphasis on the leverage of the label which is the reality of the actual forces needed to get to the starting line.”
Photos: Tyler Reeve, Troy Olsen, Benefit Drive
/by Sarah SkatesSESAC hosted a “Give + Love” blood drive and spare change/canned food donation event for the American Red Cross and Second Harvest Food Bank at its Nashville headquarters. A steady stream of artists, songwriters and Music Row personnel stopped by to lend a hand with donations. The event, which was sponsored by Urban Flats, Provence Bread & Café, vitaminwater and MusicRow Magazine, helped raise enough blood to help over 80 patients and provide over 500 meals for Nashville’s hungry.
Pictured (L-R): American Red Cross’s Raquel Reed, SESAC’s Tim Fink, songwriter Lance Miller, songwriter Easton Hamlin, SESAC’s Shannan Hatch, songwriter Rob Hatch and Second Harvest Food Bank’s Betsega Bakele & Leigh Clark. Photo: Peyton Hoge
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A mix of Nashville executives and artists turned out for rising country singer Tyler Reeve‘s industry showcase at the Mercy Lounge. Reeve delivered an eight-song set before jumping back on his tour bus and heading to Tallahassee, Fla. The husky-voiced singer performed a mix of material from his 2008 debut, Whiskey Down, as well as several songs from his upcoming release, to be co-produced this fall by hit songwriter and producer Jonathan Singleton. Reeve was the only independent artist featured on the Country Throwdown Tour’s Outlaw Stage this summer, following a breakout year that saw him perform nearly 250 shows in 2009.
Tyler Reeve (l) after his industry showcase at Mercy Lounge with fellow 2010 Country Throwdown Tour performers Emily West and Jonathan Singleton. Photo: Bev Moser
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Troy Olsen was overwhelmed when he got to meet legendary Grand Ole Opry member Little Jimmy Dickens backstage at the Ryman.
EMI Records Nashville’s Troy Olsen made his debut on the famed Ryman Auditorium stage recently. The Arizona native performed his new single “Good Hands” as well as “Tumbleweed” and “Summer Thing” for the crowd. Click here to check out Troy’s GAC Webisode series “Livin’ The Dream with Troy Olsen.”
Olsen is currently on his headlining “Get Right Tonight Tour” in advance of the October 5 release of his self-titled debut EP. The club tour hits over 40 cities before the tour concludes on November 20 in Denver, CO.
Capitol Promotes Melissa Spillman
/by Sarah Skates“Melissa has always kept her ears to the street and her eyes on the goal-line,” says Capitol Pres./CEO Mike Dungan. “I am happy to recognize her contribution with this promotion to A&R Manager.”
Prior to working at Capitol, Spillman was a management assistant at Dreamcatcher Entertainment with artists Kenny Rogers, Jo Dee Messina, and others. The University of Texas at Austin graduate is also active with philanthropic causes and coordinating fundraisers with songwriters for charitable initiatives.
Fontanel Venue To Host Rich, Wilson, MG
/by Sarah Skates“This is the kind of star-studded event we built The Woods for,” said Marc Oswald, who co-owns the venue with fellow superstar manager Dale Morris. “It’s outdoors, it’s intimate, and fans get to see an amazing concert in a setting they just can’t see anywhere else.” Morris and Oswald count Wilson and Rich among their clients.
The concert wraps up the month-long “Fontanel Fall Festival” on the grounds of the Fontanel Mansion and Farm, which also houses The Woods music venue. The free festival will run the first three weekends in October, and will feature a pumpkin patch, family activities and a variety of local vendors. They will be collecting canned food donations for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee throughout the month and at the concert.
The concert on Oct. 24 will be presented by Logan’s Roadhouse, with The Farm as the opening act. Tickets will go on sale to the public through www.ticketmaster.com on Saturday, October 2, at 10:00 a.m. CT, starting at $25.00 for general admission.
The Indie Facts of Life
/by adminBaldrica cautioned, “You’re out of your mind to play the national chart game as an independent.” Mr. X agrees. “Baldrica sure pulled the curtains back on this subject. The country music economy is probably a Top 15 or Top 10 marketplace. When you get to those numbers you might start to see sales. It goes back to something I heard Joe Galante say on some panel a while ago. Talking to an artist he said, ‘I can take you to the audience, but I can’t make the audience take you.’ I can’t think of a better line to describe what happens. Between nowhere and No. 25 there’s not a lot of difference on the monitored chart. I’ve had promoters get us to No. 45 and say ‘congratulations.’ But realistically, congratulations on what? The record wasn’t played in morning drive or mid-day, in fact it was completely invisible. So tons of money later there’s little to show.”
But Mr. X is a bit stoic about the fight to break an indie artist. “You know what? Knowing the chart facts of life isn’t likely to keep most people from doing anything any differently,” X says. “The allure of the Nashville dream is so bright and blinding, you could write this article and pin it on every door in America, but there still will be another crop of people coming to Nashville saying, ‘I’m different. It only applies to all those people that weren’t good enough’.”
In last week’s article Baldrica also suggested that independents might be better served working toward a regional approach. But Mr. X takes exception to this idea. “The problem is while it sounds good to build a story regionally, it’s actually used against you and it then becomes impossible to break out nationally. For example great acts that were branded regional such as Jack Ingram, Pat Green and Cross Canadian Ragweed. This is a major label game and that’s a fact. As an industry we need to admit it’s far more label focused than artist, or song focused. If it was based on the song, then you would have more acts in the Top 20 actually selling records. The inherent monopoly of the majors makes it easy for them to chart a Top 20, even if it has almost no relation to audience acceptance. Miranda Lambert sold over a million units before she ever had a Top 15, which means the chart didn’t reflect her audience acceptance. While the chart does launch more careers than any other vehicle, the monopoly of the majors allows for a lot of misses, too.”
And indies also get shut out of a lot of exposure opportunities according to Mr. X. “The majors dug this pond and we’re just asking to fish in it. But they own the fishing rights and as an independent you are relegated to the corners of the pond. Rarely, you might pull in a big fish, but mostly you are just net casting for minnows. We’re trying to say, ‘Our music is good enough to be a part of the system,’ but it’s not our pond. You can’t believe the leverage the majors have. Opportunities for valuable added exposure from vehicles such as Award shows or duets with artists on major labels, for example, are completely shut out for us. I don’t want to sound bitter, but these are just the facts. If there is any frustration in my voice it is the romance they put around a great song, and not near enough emphasis on the leverage of the label which is the reality of the actual forces needed to get to the starting line.”
Jim King Joins BMI As Sr. VP
/by Sarah SkatesAt BMI King will report directly to Pres. and CEO Del Bryant. “Technology occupies a pivotal role for BMI,” explains Bryant. “Jim’s extensive experience in strategic planning and product platform development, including social media/mobile and data management, will be a strong asset to BMI. His knowledge of how rights need to be married to media systems and tracking data is the perfect fit for the needs of our songwriters and publishers in this increasingly digital world.”
King has held CIO, CTO, and COO positions with leading global information services, media and publishing companies including McGraw-Hill, Brightpoint, and Reed Elsvier PLC. He also has held leadership roles with top IT companies including Microsoft and AT&T Bell Labs. He is recognized as a leader in media, online and technology industries with more than 25 years of innovative strategic product development and business operations experience.
Photo Friday: Ashley Gearing, George Strait
/by FreemanCurb Records artist Ashley Gearing performed for the Country Radio Broadcasters Board of Directors during their annual meetings September 16 and 17. Gearing’s current single is “What You Think About Us?” (L-R): New Revolution Entertainment’s Rob Dalton, CRB Executive Director Bill Mayne, CRB President Mike Culotta, Gearing, Curb Records’ Dennis Hannon and Adrian Michaels and producer Byron Gallimore. Photo: Kristen England.
George Strait spent some time with his friends in radio after a recent tour stop in Birmingham, Alabama. (L-R): WDRM/Huntsville PD Jim Tice, Cumulus Broadcasting's Bill Jones, Strait, WDXB/Birmingham PD Tom Hanrahan, WZZK/Birmingham PD Casey Carter, MCA southeast rep Louie Newman
Colt Ford And Bellamy Brothers Hit Social Media Milestones
/by adminSocial media has become a staple in the artist development/exposure toolkit, especially for country music. Howard and David Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers harnessed the power of YouTube to promote the duo’s somewhat controversial “Jalapenos” video which has now garnered over 1 million user views. “I am truly amazed we have had over a million hits on the lowest budget video we have ever done and in such a short period of time” says Howard Bellamy. “Our timing was perfect for today’s political environment.” The low budget video, shot in a sleepy middle-Texas cantina, is laced with politically charged humor and preaches the message:
Colt Ford has also found success following the soc-net pathway. Just recently (9/24) he passed the 100,000 fans on Facebook mark. The Average Joes Entertainment artist has asked fans to finish the phrase, “This is more exciting that …..” and getting lots of congrats and humor from fans. One fan submitted “more exciting than a 2 story Wal-Mart. Ford is currently touring to support his Chicken and Biscuits CD.
Messina Opens Marathon; Lady A Sells Out Tour Dates
/by MichelleFor more details about the Women’s Running Magazine event, click here.
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Lady Antebellum kicked off their first headlining Need You Now 2010 Tour this week with four consecutive sold out concerts. The run began in Orlando, FL on Monday, Sept. 20 and included stops in Clearwater and St. Augustine, FL and finishing in Raleigh, NC.
Photo from Orlando, Fl performance.
IEBA Reveals Additional Conference Performers
/by FreemanKevin Costner
“We are thrilled to have such a renowned entertainer as Kevin Costner not only perform, but spend time with our attendees in an intimate setting. It is a rare, but very special gift to our members, and it will be a top highlight of our 40th anniversary,” says IEBA Executive Director Tiffany Davis.
Also on Monday, Oct. 4, Rockhouse Partners has sponsored an educational panel called “12 Ways To Sponsorship Success: Innovative & Integrated Ways To Create, Sell, and Measure Sponsorships” featuring the Rockhouse executive team of Tawn Albright, Joe Kustelski and Chrysty Fort. Later that evening at 7:15 pm, Buddy Lee Attractions will host its annual showcase in the Hilton ballroom, featuring performances by Bush Hog, The McClymonts, Here Come The Mummies, and Colt Ford.
Previously announced performers for IEBA’s 40th year include Gloria Gaynor, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Danny Gokey, Tonic, Edwin McCain, and Adam Brand. Morey Management’s Jim Morey will deliver the event’s keynote address Monday, October 4, and panel topics include “How The Power Players Continue Making Money,” “Country Music In Corporate America,” and “Behind The Curtain At Today’s Record Label.”
Gold Glitters On Gloriana; Diamond On Kimball
/by admin(L to R) Gloriana's Rachel Reinert, Tom Gossin and Mike Gossin; John Esposito, WMN President/CEO; Peter Strickland, WMN Sr. VP of Brand Management & Sales; Dean Serletic, Emblem President; Gloriana's Cheyenne Kimball; Gary Bowen, Emblem A&R; and Deb Haus, Emblem Marketing.
“Wild At Heart,” the debut single from Gloriana has been certified Gold (500,000) by the R.I.A.A. The group was presented with plaques by Emblem President Dean Serletic during the recent Pickin’ On The Patio event (7/23) at Warner’s Nashville headquarters.
“Wild at Heart” was written by Stephanie Bentley, Josh Kear and Matt Serletic, and named the best selling single from a new country act in 2009.
“The band is starting work on their sophomore release,” said Warner Music Nashville’s President and CEO, John Esposito. “This will be the next step in further paving their long and successful career path in country music. We’re proud to have them in our family!”
Gloriana is a four-member vocal group featuring brothers Tom and Mike Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Cheyenne Kimball. The group has won the fan-voted awards for ACM Top New Vocal Group of the Year, the 2009 AMA for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and the “Nationwide On Your Side Award” at the 2009 CMT Awards. Gloriana, is currently on the road finishing up its Long Hot Summer Tour, and has again teamed with seasoned producer Matt Serletic (Willie Nelson, Matchbox Twenty, Collective Soul, and Rob Thomas), to work on its second album.
Also of note was the announcement before the group performed that band member Cheyenne Kimball had become engaged to Casey Twist. Kimball told press she was planning to change her name to Twist, saying, “I’m old fashioned that way.”