It’s high time we checked up on Nashville’s ever-expanding pop/rock community.
There’s a little big of everything to sample, from the hard rock of November to the singer-songwriter vibe of Alyssa Bonagura, from the over-the-top personality of Joanna Cotten to the introspective-and-hooky Dave Barnes, from the soul sisters of Kentucky Thunder to the new-wavey Jeff the Brotherhood.
The Disc of the Day unquestionably belongs to the pounding, mighty American Bang. I’m giving a DisCovery Award to the marvelously melodic Brooke Waggoner.
BROOKE WAGGONER/Go Easy Little Doves, I’ll Be Fine
Writer: Brooke Waggoner; Producer: Brooke Waggoner; Publisher: Swoon Moon/Brooke Waggoner, BMI; BW (track) (www.brookewaggoner.com)
—Last year’s winner of the Next Big Nashville Emerging Artist award at the Nashville Music Awards has a stunning pop collection full of gorgeous string arrangements and sweeping sonic landscapes. On the CD’s title ballad, she layers her soprano vocals and wafts airily amid piano and violin washes. Invite this woman into your life.
AMERICAN BANG/Wild And Young
Writer: Jaren Johnston/Neil Mason/James Michael; Producer: Bob Rock; Publisher: Sony-ATV Harmony/Texa Rae/Silent Cue/Music of Combustion/Bug/Songs of Windswept Pacific/Little Big Guy/Warner-Tamerlane, ASCAP/BMI; Reprise (track) (www.americanbang.com)
—I am addicted to this album. American Bang is aiming to join Paramore, Jack White and Kings of Leon as Nashville-based, major-label rock stars. This ultra-catchy, rocking new single has a pile-driving Springsteeny vibe, but with more youthful vocals. Buy American Bang at once. I guarantee you will dig ‘em.
JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD/Heavy Days
Writer: Jeff the Brotherhood; Producer: Jeff the Brotherhood; Publisher: Jeff the Brotherhood, ASCAP; Infinity Cat (track)
—Jeff the Brotherhood is comprised of Robert Ellis Orrall’s sons Jake and Jamin Orrall. This title tune to their CD begins with bees buzzing over a steady Jamin beat and then romps into a jittery, new-wavey party piece. Quirky and loads of fun.
NOVEMBER/Sugarfree
Writer: Michael Dale; Producer: The One and Onlys; Publisher: none listed; 55BC (track) (www.novembernow.com)
—The title tune to this Nashville rock band’s CD is a mighty slab of sound. If you like it loud and proud and in your face, November is the act for you. This is aggressively hard rocking, screaming-guitars stuff.
JOANNA COTTEN/Sexy Rich
Writer: Joanna Cotten/Angie Russell/Daryl Burgess; Producer: Joanna Cotten; Publisher: none listed; JC (track) (www.joannacotten.com)
—Joanna made a marvelous CD for Warners country division, but it never came out. So she turned around and made a pop album for herself. This bopping track bubbles with personality and effervescent attitude. The lyric is all about our celeb/tabloid world. You will smile while you tap your toes.
KENTUCKY THUNDER/Paper Thin
Writer: J. Hiatt; Producer: Kentucky Thunder; Publisher: Universal, BMI; KT (track) (www.kentuckythundergirls.com)
—For the past 14 years, these four sizzling soul sisters from the Blue Grass State have been burning down Nashville nightclubs. Now, finally, Etta Britt, Vicki Carrico, Sheila Lawrence and Jonell Mosser have recorded a CD. It documents one of their rafter raising performances at 3rd & Lindsley last April and is titled, fittingly, ‘Bout Damn Time. The four come blazing out of the starting gate with this rocking Hiatt number. Other extra hot slabs of soul include Mosser’s “One Thing I Know” and Britt’s “Baton Rouge.” Their a cappella, set-closing quartet harmony vocal on Stephen Foster’s “My Old Kentucky Home” will leave you with your jaw ajar.
ALYSSA BONAGURA/Leaving This Heartache For A Song
Writer: Alyssa Bonagura; Producer: Alyssa Bonagura; Publisher: Alright Love, ASCAP; AB (track) (www.myspace.com/alyssabonaguramusic)
—Alyssa is the daughter of Kathie Baillie and Michael Bonagura of Baillie & The Boys fame. So you know she’s got singing in her genes. Here’s the rest of it. She got a scholarship to Paul McCartney’s music school in Liverpool. When she played her original songs there, she was told she was already too good to be a songwriting major, so why didn’t she study audio engineering instead? And that’s how she came to create her The English Diaries CD, on which she plays, sings and produces everything. I am particularly taken with this acoustic ballad on it. The thing sounds exactly like a hit.
DAVE BARNES /God Gave Me You
Writer: Dave Barnes; Producer: Ed Cash & Dave Barnes; Publisher: No Gang/Razor & Tie, ASCAP; Razor & Tie (track) (www.davebarnes.com)
—I remain a fan. This single from Dave’s What We Want, What We Get collection manages to be both crunchy and twinkling at the same time. The buzzing guitars in the choruses are cool, too. The brilliant dynamics in this record’s production prove beyond any doubt whatsoever that Nashville is so much more than country music.
Worley’s Tennessee River Run A Big Success
/by contributorDarryl Worley’s ninth annual Tennessee River Run took place this past weekend (9/16 through 9/18). Once again, the singer/songwriter put together an all-star cast to participate in the three-day festival. Worley performed with a stellar lineup including hit songwriters Wynn Varble, Jim “Moose” Brown and Phil O’ Donnell, and artists including The Marshall Tucker Band, Danny Gokey, Joe Diffie and Lee Brice.
Proceeds benefited the Darryl Worley Foundation, which has provided more than a million dollars to help numerous charitable organizations and thousands of people in need throughout his community. The foundation is also funding the new Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center that’s presently being built in Savannah, TN as part of the Hardin Medical Center.
(l-r): Danny Gokey, Joe Diffie, Darryl Worley and Lee Brice.
DISClaimer Pop/Rock Single Reviews (9/20/10)
/by Robert K OermannThere’s a little big of everything to sample, from the hard rock of November to the singer-songwriter vibe of Alyssa Bonagura, from the over-the-top personality of Joanna Cotten to the introspective-and-hooky Dave Barnes, from the soul sisters of Kentucky Thunder to the new-wavey Jeff the Brotherhood.
The Disc of the Day unquestionably belongs to the pounding, mighty American Bang. I’m giving a DisCovery Award to the marvelously melodic Brooke Waggoner.
BROOKE WAGGONER/Go Easy Little Doves, I’ll Be Fine
Writer: Brooke Waggoner; Producer: Brooke Waggoner; Publisher: Swoon Moon/Brooke Waggoner, BMI; BW (track) (www.brookewaggoner.com)
—Last year’s winner of the Next Big Nashville Emerging Artist award at the Nashville Music Awards has a stunning pop collection full of gorgeous string arrangements and sweeping sonic landscapes. On the CD’s title ballad, she layers her soprano vocals and wafts airily amid piano and violin washes. Invite this woman into your life.
AMERICAN BANG/Wild And Young
Writer: Jaren Johnston/Neil Mason/James Michael; Producer: Bob Rock; Publisher: Sony-ATV Harmony/Texa Rae/Silent Cue/Music of Combustion/Bug/Songs of Windswept Pacific/Little Big Guy/Warner-Tamerlane, ASCAP/BMI; Reprise (track) (www.americanbang.com)
—I am addicted to this album. American Bang is aiming to join Paramore, Jack White and Kings of Leon as Nashville-based, major-label rock stars. This ultra-catchy, rocking new single has a pile-driving Springsteeny vibe, but with more youthful vocals. Buy American Bang at once. I guarantee you will dig ‘em.
JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD/Heavy Days
Writer: Jeff the Brotherhood; Producer: Jeff the Brotherhood; Publisher: Jeff the Brotherhood, ASCAP; Infinity Cat (track)
—Jeff the Brotherhood is comprised of Robert Ellis Orrall’s sons Jake and Jamin Orrall. This title tune to their CD begins with bees buzzing over a steady Jamin beat and then romps into a jittery, new-wavey party piece. Quirky and loads of fun.
NOVEMBER/Sugarfree
Writer: Michael Dale; Producer: The One and Onlys; Publisher: none listed; 55BC (track) (www.novembernow.com)
—The title tune to this Nashville rock band’s CD is a mighty slab of sound. If you like it loud and proud and in your face, November is the act for you. This is aggressively hard rocking, screaming-guitars stuff.
JOANNA COTTEN/Sexy Rich
Writer: Joanna Cotten/Angie Russell/Daryl Burgess; Producer: Joanna Cotten; Publisher: none listed; JC (track) (www.joannacotten.com)
—Joanna made a marvelous CD for Warners country division, but it never came out. So she turned around and made a pop album for herself. This bopping track bubbles with personality and effervescent attitude. The lyric is all about our celeb/tabloid world. You will smile while you tap your toes.
KENTUCKY THUNDER/Paper Thin
Writer: J. Hiatt; Producer: Kentucky Thunder; Publisher: Universal, BMI; KT (track) (www.kentuckythundergirls.com)
—For the past 14 years, these four sizzling soul sisters from the Blue Grass State have been burning down Nashville nightclubs. Now, finally, Etta Britt, Vicki Carrico, Sheila Lawrence and Jonell Mosser have recorded a CD. It documents one of their rafter raising performances at 3rd & Lindsley last April and is titled, fittingly, ‘Bout Damn Time. The four come blazing out of the starting gate with this rocking Hiatt number. Other extra hot slabs of soul include Mosser’s “One Thing I Know” and Britt’s “Baton Rouge.” Their a cappella, set-closing quartet harmony vocal on Stephen Foster’s “My Old Kentucky Home” will leave you with your jaw ajar.
ALYSSA BONAGURA/Leaving This Heartache For A Song
Writer: Alyssa Bonagura; Producer: Alyssa Bonagura; Publisher: Alright Love, ASCAP; AB (track) (www.myspace.com/alyssabonaguramusic)
—Alyssa is the daughter of Kathie Baillie and Michael Bonagura of Baillie & The Boys fame. So you know she’s got singing in her genes. Here’s the rest of it. She got a scholarship to Paul McCartney’s music school in Liverpool. When she played her original songs there, she was told she was already too good to be a songwriting major, so why didn’t she study audio engineering instead? And that’s how she came to create her The English Diaries CD, on which she plays, sings and produces everything. I am particularly taken with this acoustic ballad on it. The thing sounds exactly like a hit.
DAVE BARNES /God Gave Me You
Writer: Dave Barnes; Producer: Ed Cash & Dave Barnes; Publisher: No Gang/Razor & Tie, ASCAP; Razor & Tie (track) (www.davebarnes.com)
—I remain a fan. This single from Dave’s What We Want, What We Get collection manages to be both crunchy and twinkling at the same time. The buzzing guitars in the choruses are cool, too. The brilliant dynamics in this record’s production prove beyond any doubt whatsoever that Nashville is so much more than country music.
BMG Rights Adds Evergreen
/by adminJoel Katz
In a deal reportedly valued at $80 million, KKR-backed BMG Rights Management has gone shopping, gobbling Evergreen Copyright Acquisitions, its fourth company this year.
Earlier this year BMG Rights snagged Cherry Lane Music, Adage IV and Stage Three music.
Richard Perna
According to reports in the New York Post, Evergreen was founded in 2006 and owns rights to over 65,000 songs. It’s run by co-founder and co-CEO David Schulhof. Additional senior management includes Co-Chief Executive Richard Perna; co-founder and music lawyer Joel Katz; and Chief Financial Officer John Lipman, a principal, of Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking which provided the firm’s founding investment.
Schulhof and Perna, Co-CEOs of Evergreen, stated: “We are proud of the company we have built and thank all of the great songwriters and artists we’ve had the opportunity to work with. We wish to thank Trilantic Capital Partners for their unwavering support as we built Evergreen into the well-established global music publisher it is today. Most of all, we would like to thank all of our exceptional employees, without whom we could not have built this great company. We wish BMG continued success. We are very honored that they have selected Evergreen to join their growing family.”
Controlling Evergreen shareholder, Trilantic Capital Partners becomes a BMG co-investor under the deal, reports NYP.
Billboard reports, BMG Rights recently received equity injections of over $260 million for acquisitions from shareholders KKR investments and Bertelsmann.
Bone Collector CD Melds Hunting and Country
/by contributorMichael Waddell
Noted outdoorsman Michael Waddell (Bone Collector) has joined forces with country songwriters Rhett Akins (“Gimme That Girl,” “All About Tonight”) and Dallas Davidson (“Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” “Start a Band”). The resulting collaboration, a “hunting album” entitled, Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector: The Brotherhood Album featuring Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson comes out on Reprise Records on September 28. Produced by Akins, Davidson and Brian Kolb, Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector: The Brotherhood Album featuring Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson is squarely aimed at the hunting crowd.
The project evolved out of Waddell, Akins and Davidson’s love for hunting and the outdoors. The three began performing cuts from the album at Waddell’s Brotherhood Jam, a fan club concert which follows a day of hunting. The album is a collection of hunting and outdoor related tunes with some of the songs layered with humorous lyrics. From the playfully
Rhett Akins
titled “Weapons of Bass Destruction” to the stripped down balladry of “Granddaddy’s Gun,” the album combines catchy melodies and country twang.
Michael Waddell is the host of Realtree Road Trips and co-host of the popular Outdoors Channel hunting show, Bone Collector. The success of Bone Collector has been due in part to Waddell’s reputation as one of the most successful hunters and outdoorsmen in the industry. Singer/songwriter Akins’ first album, A Thousand Memories, released in 1995 on Decca Records and spawned his first No. 1 single, “That Ain’t My Truck.” More recently, Akins has had cuts and singles with Brooks & Dunn, Rodney Atkins, Luke Bryan, Montgomery Gentry, Blake Shelton and many more. He currently has five singles on the charts: “Farmer’s Daughter” recorded by Rodney Atkins, “Chicken & Biscuits” by Colt Ford, “Gimme That
Dallas Davidson
Girl” by Joe Nichols, “All About Tonight” by Blake Shelton and “All Over Me” by Josh Turner.
Davidson is an award-winning songwriter whose No. 1 songs include “Rain is a Good Thing,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll” “Gimmie That Girl,” “All About Tonight” and “Start A Band.” He also has two No. 2 hits with Trace Adkins’ “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” and Brooks & Dunn’s “Put A Girl In It.”
Track listing for Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector: The Brotherhood Album Featuring Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson:
1. My Baby Looks Good In Camouflage (Rhett Akins/Bobby Pinson)
2. Weapons Of Bass Destruction (Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson/Luke Bryan)
3. Yella Acorns (Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson)
4. Granddaddy’s Gun (Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson/Bobby Pinson)
5. Buck Fever (Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson)
6. Hawgs (Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson)
7. Duck Blind (Dallas Davidson)
8. Keepers (Bob Dipiero/Rivers Rutherford)
9. Hung Up (Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson)
10. Openin’ Day (Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson)
Katie Armiger is a “Nice Girl” in GAC Sweepstakes
/by contributorConfessions will be released on October 5th. Fans can pre-order an autographed version of the album now at www.katiearmiger.com and can preview all tracks from the forthcoming album. Confessions includes Armiger’s latest single, “Leaving Home,” currently in the Top 40 on the Billboard Indicator Chart and the Top 20 on GAC.
IEBA Adds Conference Performers
/by contributor“IEBA is in the midst of celebrating its 40th anniversary and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the talent assembled for this year,” says IEBA Executive Director Tiffany Davis. “We have an amazing keynote speaker with Jim Morey, and the list just keeps getting stronger on talent everyday. We are thrilled to see so many of the agencies involved in showcasing, and they are always here to see that the buyers are having a great time watching some of the touring industry’s top talent.”
Brentwood Skatepark To Be Dedicated to Alex LeVasseur
/by contributorSongwriter Jeffrey Steele has announced that the official groundbreaking for the the new Alex LeVasseur Memorial Skatepark at the Brentwood YMCA. The Y’s current skatepark, which is over 10 years old, was completely submerged during the Nashville flood in early May. The park, in desperate need of repair and renovation, will be torn out, re-designed, re-built, and re-named after Alex LeVasseur, Steele’s son who tragically passed away on Sunday, January 28, 2007. Volunteers are needed.
The demolition of the current park will take place all day September 24-26. A crew will start construction on the park first thing Monday morning September 27th. Any amount of time, labor, tools, food & water, and resources will be a huge help.
What is needed:
Demolition Weekend (September 24th – 26th)
For more information contact Casey at Rememberalex.com@gmail.com.
Target And Taylor Offer Deluxe “Speak Now”
/by contributor“I’m so excited about the deluxe edition of Speak Now that will be at Target!” said Swift. “I’m all about being able to give the fans special extras whenever I can, so I love that this version has video footage and even some additional songs.”
With countless partnerships with some of the most celebrated names in music including The Black Eyed Peas, Christina Aguilera, Prince and John Legend, Target is devoted to joining forces with artists who are committed to offering their fans exclusive and diverse albums.
“Target is very excited to partner with Taylor Swift on her new, and much anticipated, album Speak Now,” said Mark Schindele, Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Target. “Taylor is a dynamic artist that has developed a strong fan base that spans across all ages and geographies and we are proud to be the only retailer to carry this exclusive new content. Knowing how important Taylor’s fans are to her, we are pleased to be able to deliver three new songs, plus exclusive remixed tracks and video footage, at a great price.”
Warner Bros. Readies Song Demo Collection
/by Bobby Karl“I’ve always questioned why we couldn’t do something with these great demo performances,” says Scott Hendricks, Senior VP of A&R at Warner Music Nashville and executive producer of the album. “This is a fantastic collection of music that, for the first time, allows the audience to peek behind the curtain and hear the songwriters’ original visions and recordings of the most popular country songs from the last 20 years. These are the exact recordings the artists heard, fell in love with and consequently made into the hits we all know today.”
The Original Songwriter Demos gives a fresh perspective of the original intent each creator had in penning their song. Highlights in volume one include hits such as, Deanna Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” (Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison), Miranda Lambert’s “The House that Built Me” (Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin) and Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” (Mark Sanders, Tia Sillers). Volume two includes classics like, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill’s “It’s Your Love” (Stephony Smith), John Michael Montgomery’s “I Swear” (Gary Baker, Frank Meyers) and Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel” (Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, Brett James).
Track listing for The Original Songwriter Demos:
Volume 1
1. The Dance – Garth Brooks (Tony Arata)
2. Strawberry Wine – Deanna Carter (Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison)
3. Something Like That – Tim McGraw (Rick Ferrell, Keith Follese)
4. Independence Day – Martina McBride (Gretchen Peters)
5. Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts (Jeff Hanna, Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd)
6. It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson (Jim Brown, Donald Rollins)
7. She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy – Kenny Chesney (Jim Collins, Paul Overstreet)
8. I Hope You Dance – LeAnn Womack (Mark Sanders, Tia Sillers)
9. Amazed – Lonestar (Marv Green, Chris Lindsey, Aimme Mayo)
10. The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert (Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin)
Volume 2
1. Check Yes Or No – George Strait (Dana Hunt, Danny Wells)
2. If Tomorrow Never Comes – Garth Brooks (Kent Blazy, Garth Brooks)
3. It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (Stephony Smith)
4. If You’re Going Through Hell – Rodney Atkins (Dave Berg, Annie Tate, Sam Tate)
5. I Swear – John Michael Montgomery (Gary Baker, Frank Myers)
6. How Do I Live – LeAnn Rimes (Diane Warren)
7. Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You – Brooks and Dunn (Rivers Rutherford, Tom Shapiro)
8. Every Day – Rascal Flatts (Alissa Moreno, Jeffrey Steele)
9. How Forever Feels – Kenny Chesney (Wendell Mobley, Tony Mullins)
10. Jesus Take the Wheel – Carrie Underwood (Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, Brett James)
Zac Brown Band Goes “Live” Online With Ustream
/by contributorThe band will perform songs from their new album You Get What You Give, as well as material from their double platinum major label debut The Foundation.
The concert will debut the new Ustream Multiview technology and mark the first concert to stream live with five simultaneous camera angles, allowing users to pick their own view of the show starting at 9:00 PM/CT at zacbrownband.com and ustream.tv/zacbrownband. Ustream Multiview gives viewers control of the experience with the ability to enjoy live entertainment from their favorite angle. Coupled with Social Stream, Ustream will enable live user comments from Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and AIM, Multiview will deliver the most interactive experience in live video available today.
“Every show gets bigger and better, and we’ve been working hard to create an experience that’s unlike any other,” says Zac Brown. “When people come to our show, we want to blow them away every time. So for us, this is no different. Except that for the first time we’re coming to the fans that can’t make it out to see us.”