Bridgette Tatum Seeks Extras For Video Shoot

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Root 49 Records artist Bridgette Tatum is calling  for music and sports fans to appear as extras in a music video for the upcoming 2010 Atlantic Coast Conference Football season. Tatum’s song, “Loud,” was recently named the 2010 ACC Football theme song. The shoot, performed for ACC Advanced Media and Raycom Sports Productions, will  take place tomorrow (7/8) at 12th and Porter at 1:30 PM. To  RSVP to the video shoot as an extra, email BTLOUD@gmail.com.

Tatum hasn’t slowed down this year as she crisscrosses the states promoting her music and six-song EP entitled A Taste Of Sex, Church & Chicken throughout the summer. Her current single, “Thats Love Y’all,” just debuted at #51 on the  Billboard Indicator chart and is climbing steadily. For more  information on  Tatum, visit www.bridgettetatum.com.

The Atlantic Coast  Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. The ACC sponsors competition as a Division I member of the National  Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member institutions:  Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland,  Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake  Forest.

DISClaimer Reviews (7/7/10)

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Company, halt!

Rockie Lynne, Cory Walker and Jadi Norris all want you to stop whatever you’re doing and salute our armed services. Alas, only Rockie’s song is a fitting and listenable soldier tribute.

Lacking any other newcomer competition this week, the Canadian trio Hey Romeo nails down a DisCovery Award. They have Byron Hill to thank for it, because he is at least partly why they sound so good.

Competing for Disc of the Day were Georgette Jones, Joe Nichols and Burns & Poe. All three are well worth your attention. But the Joe Nichols single has the extra finesse it takes to finish first.

BURNS & POE/How Long Is Long Enough
Writer: Keith Burns/Frankie Golden; Producer: Hal Oliverius; Publisher: none listed; Blue Steel (track) (www.burnsandpoe.com)
—In a word, “Wow.” LOVE the track: It pulses like a heartbeat. Michelle aches exquisitely in her lead vocal. The chorus has monstrous hooks. This thing has the wings of a mighty angel.

HEY ROMEO/Searchin’ For You
Writer: Rob Shapiro/Darren Gusnowsky/Stacie Roper/Victoria Banks; Producer: Byron Hill & Hey Romeo; Publisher: Rob Shapiro/Darren Gusnowsky/Stacy Roper/Little Spoon/Victoria Banks/Sony ATV Cross Keys, SOCAN/ASCAP; Royalty (Canada)(track) (www.heyromeo.com)
—Hey Romeo is a pop-country trio from western Canada. The CD is titled That’s the Way I Am. Stacie Roper’s lead vocal on its bopping lead-off single is assured if somewhat whitebread and bland. The production and instrumental support are both absolutely superb.

GEORGETTE JONES/Slightly Used Woman
Writer: Tammy Wynette/Melvin Powers/Tommy Boyce; Producer: Justin Trevino; Publisher: Songs of Universal, no performance rights listed; Heart of Texas (track) (www.heartoftexascountry.com)
—The title tune to Georgette’s new CD is one of her mother’s lesser known songs. True to her heritage, she wrings every drop of emotion out of the steel-soaked ballad. This woman can sure-enough sing. She also covers “I Don’t Wanna Play House” and her father’s “The Race Is On” on the collection. If you love country music, this is essential listening.

ROCKIE LYNNE/Proud To Be A Soldier
Writer: Rockie Lynne/Mark Prentice; Producer: Mark Prentice & Rockie Lynne; Publisher: Carolina Blue Sky/Song for John, BMI; CBSR (track) (www.rockielynne.com)
—Rockie’s current project is called Songs for Soldiers. It kicks off with this thumping rocker that will make you want to stand and salute our fighting men and women. Spirited, to say the least.

VINCE HATFIELD/Through That Glass
Writer: Jeff Jackson; Producer: Eric Paul & Vince Hatfield; Publisher: Judy Harris/Launch Her, ASCAP; Blue Moon (track) (www.vincehatfield.com)
—If they ever give out an award for the indie act who puts out the most singles, this guy is going to win it. This morbid ballad concerns a drinking driver who kills and winds up in prison. Guess what? He reforms himself. Betcha didn’t see that one coming.

GEORGE STRAIT/The Breath You Take
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; MCA Nashville
—It sounds like he’s rehearsing for a gig fronting the New York Philharmonic.

CORY WALKER/Soldier’s Last Letter
Writer: none listed; Producer: Eric Paul; Publisher: none lited; Walker (track) (www.corywalkermusic.com)
—How on earth a teenager even knows this 1944 Ernest Tubb chestnut is beyond me. I can tell you this much, he doesn’t have the vocal maturity to pull it off.

JADI NORRIS/Hail The American Soldier
Writer: none listed; Producer: Gabriel Farago; Publisher: none listed; NSD (track)
—It begins with the John F. Kennedy sound clip, “Ask not what your country can do for you/Ask what you can do for your country.” Vocally, it’s all down hill after that.

JOE NICHOLS/The Shape I’m In
Writer: Rhett Akins/Dallas Davidson/Ben Hayslip; Producer: Mark Wright; Publisher: EMI Blackwood/Rhettneck/String Stretcher/WB/Melissa’s Money/Get a Load of This, BMI/ASCAP; Show Dog Universal
—Heartbreak never sounded groovier. He’s lost her, but the cool backbeat, electric guitar work, harmonica touches and choppy-rhythm-happy track all help the aching vocal performance go down smoothly. What a class act this guy is.

GORD BAMFORD/Day Job
Writer: Gord Bamford/Byron Hill; Producer: Gord Bamford & Byron Hill; Publisher: God Bamford/Almo/Great Escape, SOCAN/ASCAP; Cache Entertainment (Canada) (track) (www.gordbamford.com)
—Gord is a big star north of the border. His trip to Music City last year resulted in a dandy and very country CD whose twanging, uptempo title tune is bound to liven up dance floors everywhere. Grab hold and hang on.

Women Rock For The Cure Plans Pink Benefit

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Women Rock For The Cure  (WRFTC) is once again turning up the pink this summer with the second annual Pink Trash Ball on Saturday, August 28 at local hot spot Mad Donna’s Restaurant in East Nashville (1313 Woodland St., Nashville, TN).  Doors open at 8:00 PM.  

This hot pink-themed evening features a live DJ spinning music favorites from all decades, dancing, pink carpet arrival and the delicious signature WRFTC pink cocktails. Come decked out in your best festive pink attire, as there will be a king and queen of the ball crowned that night. Tickets are $10 and on sale beginning today (7/7) at nowplayingnashville.com.

All of the proceeds will benefit Women Rock For The Cure and the Greater Nashville affiliate of Susan G. Komen For The Cure®. The funds raised by the Komen Race for the Cure® Series help support breast cancer research grants, meritorious awards, and community outreach programs. The Komen foundation, raises awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship, and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease.

Chesney To Present on ESPY Awards

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He’s taken batting practice with the Boston Red Sox, been drafted and cut by the New Orleans Saints and is now in the final stages of co-producing and co-directing The Boys of Fall, a 90 minute documentary on high school football. And now, country superstar Kenny Chesney has been chosen as a presenter at the 18th Annual ESPY Awards, broadcast live July 14 at 8:00 PM/CT on ESPN.

“Obviously, I’m friends with an awful lot of coaches and athletes, so being able to do this, is being able to honor a lot of my friends – and that’s always nice,” Chesney says. “I’ve always tried to run my career like an athlete: have that discipline, that work ethic and gamesmanship. To be able to be a part of honoring people who’ve achieved at this level…the honor is all mine.”

A varsity member of the Gibbs High Fighting Eagles, Chesney stopped growing in his freshman year of high school, limiting his ability to play college sports. But growing up in East Tennessee, he never lost his passion for the game.

“When we’re on the road, we wake up with SportsCenter and leave ESPN on all day,” Chesney says. “It’s the one thing on the road that remains a constant for us out there… no matter where we are, it’s the one thing that is always on. So being asked to be a part of something with Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and Terrell Owens is cool.”

Among the other celebrities taking part in the night to honor the year’s greatest sports achievements are actors Samuel L. Jackson, Will Ferrell, Zac Efron, Tracy Morgan, Ashley Greene and Emmanuelle Chriqui, ESPN’s Chris Berman and Stuart Scott, action sports legend Shaun White, driver Danica Patrick, Evan Lysacek, Jorge Posas, Aaron Rodgers, Jeremy Shockey, Dara Torres and more.

Hemingway’s Whiskey, Chesney’s first new studio project in almost three years, arrives in-stores on Sept. 28.

Clay Walker Fights MS With BAMS

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Last Wednesday (6/30) multi-platinum recording artist Clay Walker and his charity organization, Band Against MS (BAMS), made a $50,000 donation to Dr. Lauren Krupp during the Third Annual Clay Walker Charity Classics Gala event at the world-renown Pebble Beach Resorts.

The BAMS donation will help support Krupp’s research on childhood multiple sclerosis (MS) at Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, N.Y. With this donation, BAMS has contributed more than $150,000 to Krupp and the National Pediatric MS Center.

The tournaments Gala event raised more than $100,000 from live and silent auctions which will be used to fund education for those living with MS, research and to further support the mission and goals of BAMS. To date, BAMS has raised more than $2 million to fight MS.

Chrysalis Music Signs Jim McCormick

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Chrysalis Music Executive Vice President Dale Bobo has announced the signing of Nashville songwriter Jim McCormick to the publishing company. The day after McCormick signed with Chrysalis, the songwriter received the good news that new Columbia Records artist Joanna Smith had cut his song, “Georgia Mud.”

(l-r) Patricia Wittmer, Emily Byrd, Jim McCormick, Dale Bobo, Abbe Nameche, and Jersey Ross.

Shelton Readies Sophomore Six Pak CD

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Reprise Records artist Blake Shelton is getting ready to release his second SIX PAK collection, and the singer has unveiled the track listing for the highly anticipated, Scott Hendricks-produced project. With an August 10 release date, All About Tonight will feature six new tracks from Shelton, including the title song, his fastest rising single to date.

The video for “All About Tonight” is currently available from all digital service providers, and the single is currently at No. 11 on the country charts.

Shelton’s first SIX PACK collection, Hillbilly Bone, was released earlier this year and debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart and No. 2 on the Top Country Albums Chart. It also featured the No. 1 title track with longtime friend Trace Adkins. Shelton hits include his back-to-back multi-week No. 1 singles, “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” and “Home,” his six-week No. 1 debut single, “Austin,” and two additional multi-week No. 1 singles with “The Baby” and “Some Beach.”

For more information, visit www.blakeshelton.com

All About Tonight Track Listing:

1. All About Tonight
2. Who Are You When I’m Not Looking
3. That Thing We Do
4. Draggin’ The River (featuring Miranda Lambert)
5. Suffocating
6. Got A Little Country

Worley’s “Hitmakers & Harleys” a Big Success

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Stroudavarious Records artist Darryl Worley’s annual Hitmakers & Harley’s concert series raised over $120,000 to support The Darryl Worley Foundation this year. Each event included a live auction and audiences were treated to star-studded performances by Nashville’s songwriters Walt Aldridge, Jim “Moose” Brown, Phil O’Donnell, Wynn Varble, and Steve Wariner.

“Every penny raised will go straight to the cause, whether it’s helping people in need, our new cancer treatment center or donating to national charities,” says Worley. “I’m always astonished at the continued generosity of people, especially in these tough economic times.”

Worley is currently readying his annual Tennessee River Run Festival, a four-day festival that takes place September 16-18 in West Tennessee.

The Darryl Worley Foundation was created in 2002 and supports various charities throughout his hometown community. Over the past eight years, the foundation has provided assistance to dozens of statewide beneficiaries including hospitals, schools and the new Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center, which will open in early 2011.

In addition to touring this summer, Worley will release God & Country, a new six-pack (EP) scheduled for release in September on Stroudavarious Records. The project’s first single is “Keep The Change,” which is presently climbing the country music charts. For more information visit www.darrylworley.com.

Marks To Lead SIRIUS XM Country

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John Marks

SIRIUS XM Radio has named John Marks Senior Director, Country Music Programming. He will be responsible for overseeing the company’s five commercial-free country music channels, plus Elvis Radio, The Village, Bluegrass Junction and two Christian music channels. Marks was previously the Program Director for KSON/San Diego, Calif. He will report to Steve Blatter, Sr. VP and General Manager, Music Programming, when he begins work at the company’s Nashville studios on August 2.

“We are thrilled to welcome John to the SIRIUS XM team,” said Blatter. “His years of leadership, programming creativity and passion for country music will further enhance the listening experience for our millions of subscribers across our national platform.”

“I’m eager to work on a more broad spectrum of country music through the many channels available on SIRIUS XM,” said Marks. “I’m also looking forward to representing the SIRIUS XM brands of country music to the Nashville music community.”

Show Dog – Universal Signs JT Hodges

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Pictured L to R: Cliff Audretch III, SDU Sr. Director A&R/Staff Producer; Mark Collie; Mark Wright, SDU President; JT Hodges; and Don Cook

Show Dog – Universal Music announced today (7/6) the signing of JT Hodges. The Ft. Worth, Texas native is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who hails from a musical family—his father opened the town’s first recording studio and his mother was signed to MCA in the ’80s. Hodges is represented by TKO Artist Management and is currently recording his debut album with Show Dog–Universal Music Pres. Mark Wright, Don Cook and Mark Collie.

“JT is a perfect example of an artist who has great musical bones,” said Wright. “His instincts could only be this natural by being raised in a family of serious musicians. He can knock you out with just his guitar and his voice. We are thankful he decided to come to SDU Music.”

“What I love most about this label is they truly believe in their artists and the music they make,” added Hodges. “I really couldn’t have found a better home. I’m very excited about this opportunity.”

“The first time I heard and saw JT perform was when I made up my mind I wanted to work with him,” commented TK Kimbrell, TKO Artist Management. “It’s rare that one person can write, sing, play and perform at JT’s level. He will appeal to a lot of people.”