Magic Mustang’s Creative Director Juli Newton- Griffith has announced the signing of singer/songwriter Sherrie Austin to a publishing deal.
“I am thrilled to have such a talented and respected writer back on our team,” explains Newton-Griffith. “Sherrie has a unique approach to writing and we are very excited about her return to Magic Mustang.”
Magic Mustang’s current roster of writers includes Jason Aldean, Rob Hatch, John Edwards, Westin Davis, Garrett Parris, Angie Broberg, Ash Bowers, Blake Wise and Thompson Square.
(l-r): Broken Bow Records CEO/President Benny Brown; Austin; Magic Mustang Music Creative Director Juli Newton-Griffith.
SPIN ZONE There’s a new CountryBreakout No. 1 song this week, and it comes courtesy of the same label who was on top last week. Keith Urban’s “I’m In,” one of the fastest rising singles we’ve seen in some time, now sits in the No. 1 position after only eight weeks charting. Little Big Town’s “Little White Church” slips back to No. 2 despite a healthy 110 spin gain. Rounding out the top 5 are sure-to-be contenders Carrie Underwood’s “Undo It” at No. 3, Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight” at No. 4 and Jerrod Niemann’s “Lover, Lover” at No. 5.
Speaking of contenders, Darius Rucker has returned to the chart and posted the week’s biggest debut at No. 47. His new single “Come Back Song” is from an upcoming album, and its gain of 546 spins suggests that he will continue to enjoy his chart-topping success through another album. Following in the wake of a couple of smash hits Miranda Lambert wastes no time returning to the chart with the rowdy “Only Prettier,” which lands at No. 57. Other new arrivals include John Rich’s “Country Done Come To Town,” Leah Seawright’s “Country Girl 101,” Susan Hickman’s “Hell Still Ain’t Frozen Over,” and Frankie Ballard’s “Tell Me You Get Lonely.”
Though the middle section of the chart is a tough grind at times, singles like Toby Keith’s “Trailerhood” (No. 31) are sailing right through with ease. Not far behind at No. 33, The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” is bucking the feel-good summer single trend and faring even better for it. And lastly, Eric Church’s “Smoke A Little Smoke” is blazing at No. 40 as it picks up an additional 235 spins.
Frozen Playlists: KNCQ, WATZ, WDHR, WOOZ, WTCR
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week Artist/song/label/chart pos.
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 47
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia 57
John Rich/Country Done Come To Town/Reprise/WMN 68
Leah Seawright/Country Girl 101/Skytone Records 71
Susan Hickman/Hell Still Ain’t Frozen Over/4L Clover/Prickly Pear 72
Frankie Ballard/Tell Me You Get Lonely/Reprise/WMN 75
Lucky Seven Greatest Spin Increase Artist/song/label/spin+
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 546
Billy Currington/Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer/Mercury 368
Toby Keith/Trailerhood/Show Dog – Universal 332
Lady Antebellum/Our Kind Of Love/Capitol 315
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia 285
Eric Church/Smoke A Little Smoke/Capitol 235
Keith Urban/I’m In/Capitol 215
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting Artist/song/label/spins
Randy Rogers Band/Too Late For Goodbye/MCA 256
Nathan Lee Jackson/Inside 253
Darren Kozelsky/Somebody Find Me a Preacher/Major 7th/Spinville 230
Sean Hogan/Suck It Up/Lakeland Heart 221
Chelsea Field/Things I Should Have Said/Moxy Records 215
James Wesley/Real/Broken Bow 209
Charlie Allen/Grandpa’s Recipe/River Run 198
Braden Gray/I’m Not Hungover/ATP Records 195
George Strait/The Breath You Take/MCA Nashville 182
Jimmy White and Jonell Mosser/Just What I Need/Tone Box Records 177
Two Week Most Added* Artist/song/label/new adds
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 38
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia 20
John Rich/Country Done Come To Town/Reprise/WMN 16
Toby Keith/Trailerhood/Show Dog – Universal 15
Sunny Sweeney/From A Table Away/Republic Nashville 12
George Strait/The Breath You Take/MCA 11
Blaine Larsen/Chillin’/Treehouse 11
Joe Nichols/The Shape I’m In/Show Dog – Universal 11 *Total Adds rec’d over two weeks
Upcoming Singles: Going For Adds July 6, 2010
The Warren Brothers/Dear Mr. God/CO5
Sherry Lynn/What A Day To Shake A Heartache/Steal Heart
Blake Wise/Cornfields/Broken Bow
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol
July 12, 2010
Stealing Angels/He Better Be Dead/Skyville/Nine North
Thompson Square/Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not/Stoney Creek
George Strait/The Breath You Take/MCA
Jessie James/Boys In The Summer/Mercury
July 19, 2010
Chris Young/Voices/RCA
Joe Nichols/The Shape I’m In/Show Dog – Universal
July 26, 2010
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia
Sugarland/Stuck Like Glue/Mercury
August 16, 2010
Emerson Drive/That Kind of Beautiful/AMDIAN Music Co./Nine North
With the summer touring season in full swing and seasonal singles lighting up country radio, MusicRow checked in with some busy country artists to find out what’s on their minds and what’s motivating their music and their life on the road. Check out the audio clips below to hear their responses.
Danny Gokey
Danny Gokey talks about the feelings behind his powerful new single, “I Will Not Say Goodbye,” the power of faith and how it can reach out and affect the people in your life.
Chuck Wicks
Chuck Wicks loves to surprise the fans, and performing his new single, “Hold That Thought” at his shows usually does the trick. Listen to Chuck explain why.
Jerrod Niemann
Jerrod Niemann’s debut album is getting ready to drop and, as the big day approaches, the singer talks about keeping his expectations in check.
Alan Jackson
As you might imagine, Alan Jackson’s got lots of cars in his garage(s), but there’s one set of wheels that means more than all the others.
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png00contributorhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngcontributor2010-07-02 11:39:452010-07-02 11:39:45Artists Step Up and Speak Out
Terrestrial radio, like many media properties, has recently faced sobering economic challenges, not the least of which could be a fast approaching showdown with Internet radio. There are those that cry the sky is falling for terrestrial radio—because Internet radio in cars is already on the horizon and because the costs of setting up a pure-play online signal are significantly lower than the cost of entry into the land-based radio business.
However, radio’s future may still be very much alive. “One of Internet radio’s greatest challenges has been brand awareness,” says a Bridge Ratings Report titled Is Terrestrial Radio Ready For A Digital Future? “Compared to its terrestrial simulcast brothers whose Internet brands are well-known to a good percentage of its AM/FM audience, pure-play Internet radio can get lost in the mix of over 65,000 streams around the world.”
But the Bridge Ratings report warns that social media networking can be very effective and warns stations that fail to harness its power of being left behind. “Terrestrial radio management in general seem to be getting the message that leveraging the Internet’s tools to further its business is a critical component of future growth and success. Intellectually it is clear. In the old days, the speed of change was manageable in an environment where the ability to act was sometimes detained due to operational limitations. In 2010 the luxury of waiting to act is more of a detriment.” The Bridge Ratings study cites that 91% of Americans own cell phones and names Internet radio streaming as the fourth most popular activity used with those phones after social networking (29%), text messaging (25%), and Tweeting (22%).
Edison Research VP Tom Webster’s recent study (with Arbitron) The Infinite Dial 2010 claims, “The Internet has nearly usurped radio as the primary source for music discovery.” Webster comforts programmers saying they too can, “put up a website.” He also adds, “The curation of music is still based upon credibility and branding. Terrestrial radio brands have every bit as much right to earn and retain a credible claim to an image for music discovery as Internet outlets.” He cites music discovery as being important because, “Music is important.”
What Are You Waiting For?
Bridge Ratings spoke with 242 GMs at the top 150 radio markets to find out what might be preventing them from transitioning or transitioning faster toward a digital future. Budget was the most popular response (92%). Another concern was “having the know-how or specially trained personnel dedicated to digital efforts (91%).” However, considering the stacks of research which prove the growing importance of a coordinated digital strategy, should these answers be viewed as justifiable roadblocks, or merely excuses for poor implementation?
Country Radio Broadcasters, which will host its annual CRS country radio event again on March 2-4, 2011 recently held a One-on-One event devoted to New Media marketing opportunities. It’s encouraging that CRB is using its leadership role to focus on the future. According to its new website, CRB’s event is “an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas in the Country music industry.” One can only hope that included in the CRS 2011 Agenda will be ample time devoted to understanding the challenge of Internet radio, social networking and discussion of various strategies for leveraging your brand and staying competitive in this about-to-explode new marketplace.
According to CRB Executive Director Bill Mayne, “The 2011 agenda is taking shape, but not yet complete.” Mayne insists however, that social networking and Internet Radio are on the Agenda Committee’s radar. That’s great news, because country radio’s support for the country music industry remains critical and the record industry has a vested interest in its continued health. But just like Gulf Coast store front owners who board the windows when a hurricane approaches, country radio had best begin facing tomorrow head on, lest the future sweep it off its feet.
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png00adminhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngadmin2010-07-02 10:28:362010-07-02 10:28:36Terrestrial Radio Technology Challenge Rising
Longtime competitors BC Powder and Goody’s Headache Powders have recruited country star Trace Adkins and NASCAR legend Richard Petty for what has been dubbed the Pick A Powder campaign. As part of the campaign, the two celebrities will play out a humorous rivalry of one-upsmanship about who experiences the toughest pain, with their respective brands leading the charge. The BC and Goody’s Pick A Powder campaign plays off the fierce and generational loyalty users have to either Goody’s or BC.
Both Adkins and Petty will try to get their fans around the country to pick their team online at www.pickapowder.com to support either Team Richard for Goody’s or Team Trace for BC. The man who gets the most fans to join his team will get to see the other “perform” live at the Goody’s 500 in Martinsville, VA next spring. The campaign also features a charity component with a donation being made to the Wounded Warrior Project on behalf of Adkins and BC, and Victory Junction Camp for seriously ill children on behalf of Petty and Goody’s.
Through a series of spoofs, jabs, challenges and contests, Adkins and Petty take on new experiences in each other’s profession that sometimes work and sometimes don’t. The funny moments were captured on film and will be posted to www.pickapowder.com. Fans will be able to watch 6-foot-6 Trace try to get in and out of Petty’s race car, and you’ll be able to hear Petty sing Karaoke. Fans of either or both men will be brought into the fold to help decide which brand is the favorite among powders users and which one of the two men truly suffers from the toughest pain.
Once registered, fans can vote daily through September 30, 2010. Fans and supporters will be able to participate in various contests and win prizes, including an all expense paid VIP trip for four to The Goody’s 500 at Martinsville Speedway (race tickets, air and hotel) for the Team Richard winner, and an all-expense paid VIP trip for four to a Trace Adkins concert stop (concert tickets, air and hotel) in early 2011 (location TBD) for the Team Trace winner. Winners will be announced in early October.
“I want to win and I want my fans to win, so I encourage everyone to join Team Trace,” said Adkins. “I want to see Richard feel some of my pain for a change. He thinks we have it so easy out here on the road, but he has no idea.”
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png00contributorhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngcontributor2010-07-02 09:38:122010-07-02 09:38:12Adkins and Petty Go Head to Head For Headache Powder
The Nashville Music Council is made up of 50 of the industry’s most experienced players who are working with Mayor Karl Dean’s office to turn this city into a “Global Music Capital.” After a year of assessing the situation, the Mayor and Music Council leaders presented their goals to a group assembled at the W.O. Smith Music School Tuesday (6/29) afternoon.
The Mayor organized the council to spur communication between the industry and the government; to work together to build Nashville’s brand as Music City. Council head Mary Ann McCready credits him with unprecedented efforts in reaching out to the music industry.
McCready said that the Council quickly realized one of its main functions would be as a place for “ideas to land and be vetted and implemented.” Dean highlighted the Music Council’s four focuses: music education, branding and jobs, live music, and creative talent. “Nashville’s music business attracts the kind of creative people our city needs to build a strong future,” he explained.
As co-head of the Branding and Jobs subcommittee, Mark Montgomery is also honed in on the future. “Nashville has the potential to be the epicenter of the new music business,” he said. One way he wants to achieve that is to nurture the relationship between music and technology.
Tim Dubois, co-head of the Creative Talent subcommittee, explained his group’s initiatives which include starting a one-stop resource center for those interested in relocating to Nashville, and then providing them with a support infrastructure once they arrive, such as housing. To that end, meetings with the Metro Development and Housing Authority have already taken place. Helping people maintain employment is another focus. However, during the Q&A, a struggling musician in the crowd questioned how the city can support an influx of more creative types when many who are already here are struggling to make a living.
Rod Essig’s Live Music subcommittee exemplifies the diversity of the Council, and is made up of genre-spanning artists like Emmylou Harris, Kix Brooks, and Jack White and industry stalwarts such as producer Tony Brown. Essig noted that a variety of genres already host annual conferences and festivals here, and for three years starting in 2011, Nashville can add the National Folk Festival to that list. He touted the city’s desperate need for an amphitheater for outdoor summer music, as well as the need for a 1500-seat venue, adding that the latter void could be filled as early as six months from now. As for immediate progress, the Council’s Musician’s Corner opens July 10 at Centennial Park.
Essig noted that sponsorships and partnerships would be important to many of the Council’s projects, and Music Education subcommittee head Nancy Shapiro has already scored in that area. She raised enough funding to hire a consultant for her cause, which is to make Nashville public school music education the best in the world. “When we found the right people to achieve this, and brought them to the table,” she said, “the energy was palpable.” She admitted she was preaching to the choir, but still explained the importance of music education, specifically to lowering the drop-out rate. One way to do this she added “is to reach kids where their interests are, with a variety of genres and options.”
The interested crowd represented all facets of the industry, such as publicity guru Jeff Walker, business manager Charles Sussman, GAC boss Ed Hardy, publisher Tracy Gershon, manager Denise Stiff and songwriter Bob Regan.
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png00Sarah Skateshttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngSarah Skates2010-07-02 07:25:142010-07-02 07:25:14Nashville Music Council Outlines Goals For Future
Former Lyric Street artist, singer/songwriter Joshua Ragsdale passed away today in a Nashville hospital after battling leukemia. He was 32.
Ragsdale was a staff writer with Sony/ATV. His song, “Ain’t Much Left Of Lovin’ You,” was the recent debut for Mercury Records artist Randy Montana. Along with legendary songwriter Bill Anderson, Ragsdale co-wrote “Papaw’s Sunday Boots,” which Anderson recently released.
“I’ve never seen anybody that remains so positive and so concerned about others through such personal adversity,” said Ragsdale’s manager, Bob Titley. “With every bit of bad news, he’ll react with three minutes of crying and praying, and then it’s back to this positive energy.”
Ragsdale inspired many people to be tested as potential bone marrow donors during his illness, saying that he knew of five people who had been told they were matches for someone because of his encouragement. Visit www.marrow.org to find out more about joining the bone marrow registry.
Journalist Peter Cooper has written a tribute to Joshua Ragsdale in the Tennessean. Read it here.
Last month, Executive Director John Simson announced to the SoundExchange Board that he would be leaving the role he’s held for the past ten years in order to return to his creative roots. The Board has requested that he remain in his current position until a successor can be found and Simson said he would he would be pleased to assist in the
transition to new leadership.
“After ten years of working with digital services, we’ve achieved many of our important goals,” Simson says. “We’ve established fair rates for performers and labels and built the largest performer and recording label society in the world. It is time for me to return to different creative pursuits that I‘ve been putting off these past few years. This has been a thrilling journey, blazing a brand new path, but I know I’m leaving a strong organization poised for continued success.”
Simson also informed the Board that the second quarter distribution would be the largest in the organization’s history.
“In the past 10 months we’ve distributed over $220 million to artists and labels and this will only continue to grow in the coming months and years,” Simson adds.
“For the last ten years and more, John Simson has been a critically important force for uniting artists, session performers, indie labels and major labels as we worked together for our common good,” says American Federation of Musicians International President Thomas F. Lee. “We are grateful to him for all his pioneering work.”
Simson, the first full-time employee of SoundExchange, was hired to launch the new collecting society in 2000. As a manager in the 1990’s, Simson had assisted in the lobbying to pass the Digital Performance Rights in Sound Recording Act of 1995 and a terrestrial performance right has been a key goal all throughout his career working as an artist manager.
“We are hopeful that we will finally get what’s rightfully owed to America’s recording artists and copyright owners,” Simson says. “I’ve told the Board that I will be there to finish this task whenever required.”
Simson was instrumental in making SoundExchange an independent, free-standing non-profit trade association governed by a Board of 18, an equal number of artist and label representatives.
“John and his team have built from nothing, the first true coalition of artists and indies and majors working towards the same goal,” said Tom Silverman, founder of Tommy Boy Records and SoundExchange Board member. “The many hurdles they have overcome and the momentum that SoundExchange enjoys are a tribute to his hard work and vision.”
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png00contributorhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngcontributor2010-07-01 15:05:452010-07-01 15:05:45John Simson To Exit SoundExchange
On Saturday, July 17 between 4:30 PM and 8:00 PM, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members will gather at Fontanel Mansion for “Songwriters Sing For Nashville,” a benefit for flood relief. The benefit show will also serve as the inaugural event for the new Woods at Fontanel amphitheater.
Currently confirmed performers include Matraca Berg, Kye Fleming, Dallas Frazier, Dickey Lee, Dennis Morgan, Roger Murrah, Hugh Prestwood, Mark D. Sanders, Don Wayne, Jim Weatherly and Mike Reid, and there will likely be a few surprise celebrities hitting the stage as well.
In addition to those Hall of Famers, hit songwriters Chuck Cannon, Rafe Van Hoy, Lari White, Billy Burnette, Danny Myrick, James Slater, Marc Beeson, James House and more will playing their songs that same day on the “Gibson Tunesmith Stage” at the Farmhouse Restaurant on between 12:00 PM-4:00 PM before the main concert at The Woods. Admission to the Gibson Tunesmith Stage is free.
The Woods at Fontanel has a capacity of 2500, and a quick sell out is anticipated. Tickets are $19.99 per person and children under 12 are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased here. All ticket proceeds and all receipts from the day’s tours at the Fontanel Mansion will be donated to First Tennessee Bank for flood relief.
(l-r): Marc Oswald, co-owner of Fontanel Mansion and Farm; Karen Graves of First Tennessee Bank; Councilman Walter Hunt; Ken Hoskins CPA; John Stancil of Anchor Trailways & Tours; Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors; Alex Marks of Tower Investments; Jared Stancil of Anchor Trailways & Tours; Tom Morales of TomKats, Inc.; and Roger Murrah of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation.
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png00contributorhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngcontributor2010-07-01 14:19:172010-07-01 14:19:17Fontanel To Host Songwriters Flood Benefit
When the holiday season comes around, superstar couple Amy Grant and Vince Gill will embark on their fifth Christmas tour. The Twelve Days of Christmas Tour kicks off December 8 in Sarasota, FL and wraps with two shows in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium.
“Christmas audiences are special,” explains Grant. “They tend to involve the whole family, and their emotions are a wonderful mix of anticipation and reverence. It’s a thrilling experience for both of us.”
“These holiday tours have become our favorites,” Gill agrees. In their two hour program, the Grammy-winning team will present cherished standards and newer seasonal fare as well as some of their biggest hits.
Grant’s career spans over 30 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality, and philanthropist. She has sold more than 30 million albums and won six Grammy® Awards in multiple categories, beginning with the platinum selling Age to Age in 1982.
One of the most popular singers in modern country music, Gill has a love for country music, top-notch songwriting, and world-class guitar playing, all wrapped in a warm tenor and a quick and easy wit. He achieved his breakthrough with “When I Call Your Name,” which won the CMA’s Single of the Year award. Since then, he has won 17 more CMA honors, including Song of the Year four times. Since 1990, Gill has walked away with 20 Grammy awards and has racked up sales in excess of 26 million.
2010 Christmas Tour Dates:
Dec. 8 Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall / Sarasota, FL www.vanwezel.org
Dec. 9 King Center For The Performing Arts / Melbourne, FL www.kingcenter.com
Dec.10 Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall / Ft. Myers, FL www.bbmannpah.com
Dec.11 Ruth Eckerd Hall / Clearwater, FL www.rutheckerdhall.com
Dec.13 Peace Center For The Performing Arts /Greenville, SC www.peacecenter.org
Dec.14 Durham Performing Arts Center / Durham, NC www.dpacnc.com/
Dec.17 Crown Theatre / Fayetteville, NC www.crowncoliseum.com
Dec.18 War Memorial Auditorium / Greensboro, NC www.greensborocoliseum.com
Dec.19 Cabarrus Arena / Concord, NC www.cabarrusarena.com
Dec.20 Fox Theatre / Atlanta, GA www.foxtheatre.org
Dec.21 Ryman Auditorium / Nashville, TN www.ryman.com
Dec.22 Ryman Auditorium / Nashville, TN www.ryman.com
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png00contributorhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngcontributor2010-07-01 11:40:522010-07-01 11:40:52Grant And Gill Plan Christmas Tour
Sherrie Austin Rejoins Magic Mustang
/by contributor“I am thrilled to have such a talented and respected writer back on our team,” explains Newton-Griffith. “Sherrie has a unique approach to writing and we are very excited about her return to Magic Mustang.”
Magic Mustang’s current roster of writers includes Jason Aldean, Rob Hatch, John Edwards, Westin Davis, Garrett Parris, Angie Broberg, Ash Bowers, Blake Wise and Thompson Square.
(l-r): Broken Bow Records CEO/President Benny Brown; Austin; Magic Mustang Music Creative Director Juli Newton-Griffith.
Weekly Chart Report 7/02/10
/by FreemanSPIN ZONE
There’s a new CountryBreakout No. 1 song this week, and it comes courtesy of the same label who was on top last week. Keith Urban’s “I’m In,” one of the fastest rising singles we’ve seen in some time, now sits in the No. 1 position after only eight weeks charting. Little Big Town’s “Little White Church” slips back to No. 2 despite a healthy 110 spin gain. Rounding out the top 5 are sure-to-be contenders Carrie Underwood’s “Undo It” at No. 3, Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight” at No. 4 and Jerrod Niemann’s “Lover, Lover” at No. 5.
Speaking of contenders, Darius Rucker has returned to the chart and posted the week’s biggest debut at No. 47. His new single “Come Back Song” is from an upcoming album, and its gain of 546 spins suggests that he will continue to enjoy his chart-topping success through another album. Following in the wake of a couple of smash hits Miranda Lambert wastes no time returning to the chart with the rowdy “Only Prettier,” which lands at No. 57. Other new arrivals include John Rich’s “Country Done Come To Town,” Leah Seawright’s “Country Girl 101,” Susan Hickman’s “Hell Still Ain’t Frozen Over,” and Frankie Ballard’s “Tell Me You Get Lonely.”
Though the middle section of the chart is a tough grind at times, singles like Toby Keith’s “Trailerhood” (No. 31) are sailing right through with ease. Not far behind at No. 33, The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” is bucking the feel-good summer single trend and faring even better for it. And lastly, Eric Church’s “Smoke A Little Smoke” is blazing at No. 40 as it picks up an additional 235 spins.
Frozen Playlists: KNCQ, WATZ, WDHR, WOOZ, WTCR
New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label/chart pos.
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 47
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia 57
John Rich/Country Done Come To Town/Reprise/WMN 68
Leah Seawright/Country Girl 101/Skytone Records 71
Susan Hickman/Hell Still Ain’t Frozen Over/4L Clover/Prickly Pear 72
Frankie Ballard/Tell Me You Get Lonely/Reprise/WMN 75
Lucky Seven Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label/spin+
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 546
Billy Currington/Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer/Mercury 368
Toby Keith/Trailerhood/Show Dog – Universal 332
Lady Antebellum/Our Kind Of Love/Capitol 315
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia 285
Eric Church/Smoke A Little Smoke/Capitol 235
Keith Urban/I’m In/Capitol 215
On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label/spins
Randy Rogers Band/Too Late For Goodbye/MCA 256
Nathan Lee Jackson/Inside 253
Darren Kozelsky/Somebody Find Me a Preacher/Major 7th/Spinville 230
Sean Hogan/Suck It Up/Lakeland Heart 221
Chelsea Field/Things I Should Have Said/Moxy Records 215
James Wesley/Real/Broken Bow 209
Charlie Allen/Grandpa’s Recipe/River Run 198
Braden Gray/I’m Not Hungover/ATP Records 195
George Strait/The Breath You Take/MCA Nashville 182
Jimmy White and Jonell Mosser/Just What I Need/Tone Box Records 177
Two Week Most Added*
Artist/song/label/new adds
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol 38
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia 20
John Rich/Country Done Come To Town/Reprise/WMN 16
Toby Keith/Trailerhood/Show Dog – Universal 15
Sunny Sweeney/From A Table Away/Republic Nashville 12
George Strait/The Breath You Take/MCA 11
Blaine Larsen/Chillin’/Treehouse 11
Joe Nichols/The Shape I’m In/Show Dog – Universal 11
*Total Adds rec’d over two weeks
Upcoming Singles: Going For Adds
July 6, 2010
The Warren Brothers/Dear Mr. God/CO5
Sherry Lynn/What A Day To Shake A Heartache/Steal Heart
Blake Wise/Cornfields/Broken Bow
Darius Rucker/Come Back Song/Capitol
July 12, 2010
Stealing Angels/He Better Be Dead/Skyville/Nine North
Thompson Square/Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not/Stoney Creek
George Strait/The Breath You Take/MCA
Jessie James/Boys In The Summer/Mercury
July 19, 2010
Chris Young/Voices/RCA
Joe Nichols/The Shape I’m In/Show Dog – Universal
July 26, 2010
Miranda Lambert/Only Prettier/Columbia
Sugarland/Stuck Like Glue/Mercury
August 16, 2010
Emerson Drive/That Kind of Beautiful/AMDIAN Music Co./Nine North
Artists Step Up and Speak Out
/by contributorWith the summer touring season in full swing and seasonal singles lighting up country radio, MusicRow checked in with some busy country artists to find out what’s on their minds and what’s motivating their music and their life on the road. Check out the audio clips below to hear their responses.
Danny Gokey talks about the feelings behind his powerful new single, “I Will Not Say Goodbye,” the power of faith and how it can reach out and affect the people in your life.
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Chuck Wicks
Chuck Wicks loves to surprise the fans, and performing his new single, “Hold That Thought” at his shows usually does the trick. Listen to Chuck explain why.
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Jerrod Niemann
Jerrod Niemann’s debut album is getting ready to drop and, as the big day approaches, the singer talks about keeping his expectations in check.
[wpaudio url=” http://prep.hearsomethingcountry.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/070110-jerrod-niemann-21.mp3″ text=”JERROD NIEMANN” dl=”0″ autoplay=”0″]
Alan Jackson
As you might imagine, Alan Jackson’s got lots of cars in his garage(s), but there’s one set of wheels that means more than all the others.
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Terrestrial Radio Technology Challenge Rising
/by adminTerrestrial radio, like many media properties, has recently faced sobering economic challenges, not the least of which could be a fast approaching showdown with Internet radio. There are those that cry the sky is falling for terrestrial radio—because Internet radio in cars is already on the horizon and because the costs of setting up a pure-play online signal are significantly lower than the cost of entry into the land-based radio business.
However, radio’s future may still be very much alive. “One of Internet radio’s greatest challenges has been brand awareness,” says a Bridge Ratings Report titled Is Terrestrial Radio Ready For A Digital Future? “Compared to its terrestrial simulcast brothers whose Internet brands are well-known to a good percentage of its AM/FM audience, pure-play Internet radio can get lost in the mix of over 65,000 streams around the world.”
But the Bridge Ratings report warns that social media networking can be very effective and warns stations that fail to harness its power of being left behind. “Terrestrial radio management in general seem to be getting the message that leveraging the Internet’s tools to further its business is a critical component of future growth and success. Intellectually it is clear. In the old days, the speed of change was manageable in an environment where the ability to act was sometimes detained due to operational limitations. In 2010 the luxury of waiting to act is more of a detriment.” The Bridge Ratings study cites that 91% of Americans own cell phones and names Internet radio streaming as the fourth most popular activity used with those phones after social networking (29%), text messaging (25%), and Tweeting (22%).
Edison Research VP Tom Webster’s recent study (with Arbitron) The Infinite Dial 2010 claims, “The Internet has nearly usurped radio as the primary source for music discovery.” Webster comforts programmers saying they too can, “put up a website.” He also adds, “The curation of music is still based upon credibility and branding. Terrestrial radio brands have every bit as much right to earn and retain a credible claim to an image for music discovery as Internet outlets.” He cites music discovery as being important because, “Music is important.”
What Are You Waiting For?
Bridge Ratings spoke with 242 GMs at the top 150 radio markets to find out what might be preventing them from transitioning or transitioning faster toward a digital future. Budget was the most popular response (92%). Another concern was “having the know-how or specially trained personnel dedicated to digital efforts (91%).” However, considering the stacks of research which prove the growing importance of a coordinated digital strategy, should these answers be viewed as justifiable roadblocks, or merely excuses for poor implementation?
Country Radio Broadcasters, which will host its annual CRS country radio event again on March 2-4, 2011 recently held a One-on-One event devoted to New Media marketing opportunities. It’s encouraging that CRB is using its leadership role to focus on the future. According to its new website, CRB’s event is “an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas in the Country music industry.” One can only hope that included in the CRS 2011 Agenda will be ample time devoted to understanding the challenge of Internet radio, social networking and discussion of various strategies for leveraging your brand and staying competitive in this about-to-explode new marketplace.
According to CRB Executive Director Bill Mayne, “The 2011 agenda is taking shape, but not yet complete.” Mayne insists however, that social networking and Internet Radio are on the Agenda Committee’s radar. That’s great news, because country radio’s support for the country music industry remains critical and the record industry has a vested interest in its continued health. But just like Gulf Coast store front owners who board the windows when a hurricane approaches, country radio had best begin facing tomorrow head on, lest the future sweep it off its feet.
Adkins and Petty Go Head to Head For Headache Powder
/by contributorLongtime competitors BC Powder and Goody’s Headache Powders have recruited country star Trace Adkins and NASCAR legend Richard Petty for what has been dubbed the Pick A Powder campaign. As part of the campaign, the two celebrities will play out a humorous rivalry of one-upsmanship about who experiences the toughest pain, with their respective brands leading the charge. The BC and Goody’s Pick A Powder campaign plays off the fierce and generational loyalty users have to either Goody’s or BC.
Once registered, fans can vote daily through September 30, 2010. Fans and supporters will be able to participate in various contests and win prizes, including an all expense paid VIP trip for four to The Goody’s 500 at Martinsville Speedway (race tickets, air and hotel) for the Team Richard winner, and an all-expense paid VIP trip for four to a Trace Adkins concert stop (concert tickets, air and hotel) in early 2011 (location TBD) for the Team Trace winner. Winners will be announced in early October.
“I want to win and I want my fans to win, so I encourage everyone to join Team Trace,” said Adkins. “I want to see Richard feel some of my pain for a change. He thinks we have it so easy out here on the road, but he has no idea.”
Nashville Music Council Outlines Goals For Future
/by Sarah SkatesMayor Karl Dean Photo: Alan Mayor
The Mayor organized the council to spur communication between the industry and the government; to work together to build Nashville’s brand as Music City. Council head Mary Ann McCready credits him with unprecedented efforts in reaching out to the music industry.
McCready said that the Council quickly realized one of its main functions would be as a place for “ideas to land and be vetted and implemented.” Dean highlighted the Music Council’s four focuses: music education, branding and jobs, live music, and creative talent. “Nashville’s music business attracts the kind of creative people our city needs to build a strong future,” he explained.
As co-head of the Branding and Jobs subcommittee, Mark Montgomery is also honed in on the future. “Nashville has the potential to be the epicenter of the new music business,” he said. One way he wants to achieve that is to nurture the relationship between music and technology.
Tim Dubois, co-head of the Creative Talent subcommittee, explained his group’s initiatives which include starting a one-stop resource center for those interested in relocating to Nashville, and then providing them with a support infrastructure once they arrive, such as housing. To that end, meetings with the Metro Development and Housing Authority have already taken place. Helping people maintain employment is another focus. However, during the Q&A, a struggling musician in the crowd questioned how the city can support an influx of more creative types when many who are already here are struggling to make a living.
Rod Essig’s Live Music subcommittee exemplifies the diversity of the Council, and is made up of genre-spanning artists like Emmylou Harris, Kix Brooks, and Jack White and industry stalwarts such as producer Tony Brown. Essig noted that a variety of genres already host annual conferences and festivals here, and for three years starting in 2011, Nashville can add the National Folk Festival to that list. He touted the city’s desperate need for an amphitheater for outdoor summer music, as well as the need for a 1500-seat venue, adding that the latter void could be filled as early as six months from now. As for immediate progress, the Council’s Musician’s Corner opens July 10 at Centennial Park.
Essig noted that sponsorships and partnerships would be important to many of the Council’s projects, and Music Education subcommittee head Nancy Shapiro has already scored in that area. She raised enough funding to hire a consultant for her cause, which is to make Nashville public school music education the best in the world. “When we found the right people to achieve this, and brought them to the table,” she said, “the energy was palpable.” She admitted she was preaching to the choir, but still explained the importance of music education, specifically to lowering the drop-out rate. One way to do this she added “is to reach kids where their interests are, with a variety of genres and options.”
The interested crowd represented all facets of the industry, such as publicity guru Jeff Walker, business manager Charles Sussman, GAC boss Ed Hardy, publisher Tracy Gershon, manager Denise Stiff and songwriter Bob Regan.
Read additional reactions to the meeting here:
Craig Havighurst on String Theory Media
Nashville Scene’s Nashville Cream blog
This NMC video was recently posted on YouTube
Songwriter Joshua Ragsdale Passes
/by contributorJoshua Ragsdale
Former Lyric Street artist, singer/songwriter Joshua Ragsdale passed away today in a Nashville hospital after battling leukemia. He was 32.
Ragsdale was a staff writer with Sony/ATV. His song, “Ain’t Much Left Of Lovin’ You,” was the recent debut for Mercury Records artist Randy Montana. Along with legendary songwriter Bill Anderson, Ragsdale co-wrote “Papaw’s Sunday Boots,” which Anderson recently released.
“I’ve never seen anybody that remains so positive and so concerned about others through such personal adversity,” said Ragsdale’s manager, Bob Titley. “With every bit of bad news, he’ll react with three minutes of crying and praying, and then it’s back to this positive energy.”
Ragsdale inspired many people to be tested as potential bone marrow donors during his illness, saying that he knew of five people who had been told they were matches for someone because of his encouragement. Visit www.marrow.org to find out more about joining the bone marrow registry.
Journalist Peter Cooper has written a tribute to Joshua Ragsdale in the Tennessean. Read it here.
John Simson To Exit SoundExchange
/by contributorJohn Simson
Last month, Executive Director John Simson announced to the SoundExchange Board that he would be leaving the role he’s held for the past ten years in order to return to his creative roots. The Board has requested that he remain in his current position until a successor can be found and Simson said he would he would be pleased to assist in the
transition to new leadership.
“After ten years of working with digital services, we’ve achieved many of our important goals,” Simson says. “We’ve established fair rates for performers and labels and built the largest performer and recording label society in the world. It is time for me to return to different creative pursuits that I‘ve been putting off these past few years. This has been a thrilling journey, blazing a brand new path, but I know I’m leaving a strong organization poised for continued success.”
Simson also informed the Board that the second quarter distribution would be the largest in the organization’s history.
“In the past 10 months we’ve distributed over $220 million to artists and labels and this will only continue to grow in the coming months and years,” Simson adds.
Simson, the first full-time employee of SoundExchange, was hired to launch the new collecting society in 2000. As a manager in the 1990’s, Simson had assisted in the lobbying to pass the Digital Performance Rights in Sound Recording Act of 1995 and a terrestrial performance right has been a key goal all throughout his career working as an artist manager.
“We are hopeful that we will finally get what’s rightfully owed to America’s recording artists and copyright owners,” Simson says. “I’ve told the Board that I will be there to finish this task whenever required.”
Simson was instrumental in making SoundExchange an independent, free-standing non-profit trade association governed by a Board of 18, an equal number of artist and label representatives.
“John and his team have built from nothing, the first true coalition of artists and indies and majors working towards the same goal,” said Tom Silverman, founder of Tommy Boy Records and SoundExchange Board member. “The many hurdles they have overcome and the momentum that SoundExchange enjoys are a tribute to his hard work and vision.”
Fontanel To Host Songwriters Flood Benefit
/by contributorCurrently confirmed performers include Matraca Berg, Kye Fleming, Dallas Frazier, Dickey Lee, Dennis Morgan, Roger Murrah, Hugh Prestwood, Mark D. Sanders, Don Wayne, Jim Weatherly and Mike Reid, and there will likely be a few surprise celebrities hitting the stage as well.
In addition to those Hall of Famers, hit songwriters Chuck Cannon, Rafe Van Hoy, Lari White, Billy Burnette, Danny Myrick, James Slater, Marc Beeson, James House and more will playing their songs that same day on the “Gibson Tunesmith Stage” at the Farmhouse Restaurant on between 12:00 PM-4:00 PM before the main concert at The Woods. Admission to the Gibson Tunesmith Stage is free.
The Woods at Fontanel has a capacity of 2500, and a quick sell out is anticipated. Tickets are $19.99 per person and children under 12 are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased here. All ticket proceeds and all receipts from the day’s tours at the Fontanel Mansion will be donated to First Tennessee Bank for flood relief.
(l-r): Marc Oswald, co-owner of Fontanel Mansion and Farm; Karen Graves of First Tennessee Bank; Councilman Walter Hunt; Ken Hoskins CPA; John Stancil of Anchor Trailways & Tours; Vice Mayor Diane Neighbors; Alex Marks of Tower Investments; Jared Stancil of Anchor Trailways & Tours; Tom Morales of TomKats, Inc.; and Roger Murrah of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation.
Grant And Gill Plan Christmas Tour
/by contributor“Christmas audiences are special,” explains Grant. “They tend to involve the whole family, and their emotions are a wonderful mix of anticipation and reverence. It’s a thrilling experience for both of us.”
“These holiday tours have become our favorites,” Gill agrees. In their two hour program, the Grammy-winning team will present cherished standards and newer seasonal fare as well as some of their biggest hits.
Grant’s career spans over 30 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality, and philanthropist. She has sold more than 30 million albums and won six Grammy® Awards in multiple categories, beginning with the platinum selling Age to Age in 1982.
One of the most popular singers in modern country music, Gill has a love for country music, top-notch songwriting, and world-class guitar playing, all wrapped in a warm tenor and a quick and easy wit. He achieved his breakthrough with “When I Call Your Name,” which won the CMA’s Single of the Year award. Since then, he has won 17 more CMA honors, including Song of the Year four times. Since 1990, Gill has walked away with 20 Grammy awards and has racked up sales in excess of 26 million.
2010 Christmas Tour Dates:
Dec. 8 Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall / Sarasota, FL www.vanwezel.org
Dec. 9 King Center For The Performing Arts / Melbourne, FL www.kingcenter.com
Dec.10 Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall / Ft. Myers, FL www.bbmannpah.com
Dec.11 Ruth Eckerd Hall / Clearwater, FL www.rutheckerdhall.com
Dec.13 Peace Center For The Performing Arts /Greenville, SC www.peacecenter.org
Dec.14 Durham Performing Arts Center / Durham, NC www.dpacnc.com/
Dec.17 Crown Theatre / Fayetteville, NC www.crowncoliseum.com
Dec.18 War Memorial Auditorium / Greensboro, NC www.greensborocoliseum.com
Dec.19 Cabarrus Arena / Concord, NC www.cabarrusarena.com
Dec.20 Fox Theatre / Atlanta, GA www.foxtheatre.org
Dec.21 Ryman Auditorium / Nashville, TN www.ryman.com
Dec.22 Ryman Auditorium / Nashville, TN www.ryman.com