Jason Blume Songwriters’ Workshop

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BMI Nashville will once again host the Jason Blume Songwriters’ Workshop Series. The 2010/2011 season kicks off July 20 with hit songwriter and best-selling author Blume offering creative tips and business counsel.

Each session will conclude with either a one-song pitch to an established music publisher or a thorough critique from Blume. Individuals who wish to participate in the pitch or critique option are encouraged to bring a recording or lyric sheet, or to be prepared to perform the song live. The series is open to all songwriters. Register online at BMI.com/events.

2010/2011 Schedule:
July 20 – Hit Lyric Analysis
August 24 – The Secrets of Successful Demos
September 21 – How to Publish or Self Publish Your Songs
October 26 – Writing Memorable Melodies
January 11 – Song Rodeo (In-Depth Critiques)
February 8 – How to Publish or Self Publish Your Songs
March 8 – Writing Hit Lyrics
April 5 – The Secrets of Successful Demos
May 10 – Creating Melodies Listeners Can’t Forget
June 21 – Song Rodeo (In-Depth Critiques)

Pat Finch Representing Big Borassa Music

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(L-R): Brett Jones and Pat Finch

Hit songwriter Brett Jones has recruited publishing veteran Pat Finch to represent his catalog and publishing company, Big Borassa. Finch was most recently Senior Vice President/General Manager of S1 Songs in Nashville, where the company’s latest achievements included No. 1’s by Easton Corbin (“Little More Country Than That”), Rascal Flatts (“Unstoppable”), and George Strait (“I Gotta Get To You”).

Big Borassa is home to songwriters Jones, Dallas Davidson, Joanna Smith, and Martin McDaniel. Among Jones’ recent charttoppers are Billy Currington’s “That’s How Country Boys Roll” and Jason Aldean’s “Crazy Town.”

Finch and Jones first worked together on the late ’90s hits “A Little Past Little Rock,” “Better Man, Better Off” and “You Won’t Ever Be Lonely.”

Finch can be reached at patrickfinchmusicpublishing@gmail.com or 615-400-3197.

Brad Paisley Underwater

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A new GAC special premiering tonight (6/21) at 9 PM/CT explores Brad Paisley’s H2O Tour and how his team rallied together to launch the show as scheduled after the Nashville floods ravaged most of his stage and equipment.

Viewers get rare behind-the-scenes access to production meetings and rehearsals that were on track prior to the major flooding that filled his storage facility with four feet of water. Paisley’s stage set drowned and half of his video production rig was under water. Brad Paisley Underwater shows the extent of the damage and how the massive tour was put together again in only three weeks.

The H20 World Tour features six acts on two stages and every component was in place when the outing launched in Virginia Beach on May 21.

Bon Jovi, Vector Management Part Ways

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Bon Jovi and Vector Management have ended their relationship after five years, according to the New York Post. The report says Jack Rovner was handling management duties for the rockers who were signed to the powerhouse roster.

Jon Bon Jovi tells the Post: “The boring truth is we decided to go in different directions and thanked both Jack and his team for a great job. He is and will remain a close friend and someone who I will be very grateful to for his dedication.”

A spokeswoman for Vector Management sent this statement: “Jack and everyone at Vector are very proud of the work they did [with Bon Jovi] together over the last five years, including their first Grammy awards, first No. 1 chart debuts globally, and even a No. 1 on the country charts. Vector continues to represent the nation’s top-selling acts, including Kings of Leon, Kid Rock, Dierks Bentley and many others.”

Veronica Ballestrini

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Veronica Ballestrini is returning to country radio with her latest single “Don’t Say,” which the young artist co-penned with producer Cliff Downs. The net savvy singer recently parlayed her Myspace popularity into an appearance on the Simon Fuller-created internet program If I Can Dream after a video of her performing “Bless The Broken Road” became one a favorite on the show’s social media page. The episode aired June 4 and is available on hulu.com.

A media darling, Ballestrini’s first single “Amazing” climbed up the charts in the fall of 2009. Since her initial introduction, she has made a big impression with music industry executives and peers who have applauded and supported her universally. She was the featured artist in the 2009 Digital Rodeo CMA Fest Contest, has one of the most visited artist pages on CMT.com and has endorsements with InTune Guitar Picks (InTuneGP) and Sennheiser.

With a dream and an Internet connection, the teenager from Waterford, Connecticut has raised eyebrows with her self-made success story. The staggering numbers on her social network sites are proof that Veronica has that special ability to connect with people.

“It’s important that people know that I’m not trying to be anyone else,” adds Veronica. “I’m just trying to be who I am. I’m writing from the heart about issues and things I’m experiencing, and hopefully people can identify with that.”

http://www.veronicaballestrini.net/
http://www.myspace.com/veronicaballestrini
http://twitter.com/veronicabal

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Friday Photos: Young, Niemann, Gokey and More

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RCA Nashville artist Chris Young brought his back-to-back No. 1 hits to the Riverfront Park Stage for a performance on Friday afternoon (6/11) of the CMA Music Festival.

(l-r) William Morris Endeavor Entertainment’s Rick Shipp; Young; and Young’s manager, John Lytle

Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville’s Jerrod Niemann was in Florida recently to play for a packed house of Cat Country 107.1/WCKT listeners at the Hot Spot. While in town, the singer caught up with WCKT MD Super Dave Logan. Niemann is currently climbing the Top 10 with his smash, “Lover, Lover,” from his July 13 album release, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury.

(l-r) Jerrod Niemann, Super Dave Logan

19/RCA Nashville Records artist Danny Gokey made his debut appearance at the CMA Music Festival this year, including a main stage LP Field performance on Thursday night. Here, Gokey is pictured with managers Rendy Lovelady and Tracy McGlocklin, along with Sony Music Nashville Marketing VP Tom Baldrica and Promo VP Skip Bishop.

(l-r) Tom Baldrica, Rendy Lovelady, Danny Gokey, Skip Bishop and Tracy McGlocklin

Reprise Records artists the JaneDear girls recently visited with Mike Hammond of WIVK in Knoxville.

(l-r) Danelle Leverett (tJDg), Mike Hammond (WIVK), Susie Brown (tJDg), Bob Reeves (VP Promotion Warner Music Nashville)

Kenny Chesney Preps Football Documentary

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Country superstar Kenny Chesney may have sold millions of records, won countless awards and played sold-out stadium shows for legions of fans, but anyone who knows the singer from Luttrell, Tennessee knows that his success is rooted in the discipline, the teamwork and sense of purpose he came to learn as teenager playing football at Gibbs High.

“I was the starting wide receiver, which tells you how great we were,” Chesney says. “And I quit growing my freshman year. But I now know why we practiced longer, why our coach put us through double practices in the summer heat… all those things he put us through. It was to teach us things me and everybody on our team has used to become the people we are.”

For the past year, Chesney has been shooting The Boys of Fall, a documentary about the power and passion of high school football. He has drawn on his longstanding relationships with some of football’s most successful players and coaches – including winning Superbowl coach Sean Payton, John Madden, Brett Favre, Troy Aikman, former UT coach Phil Fulmer and University of Alabama’s Nick Saban and Bobby Bowden – as well as high school coaches from Illinois, Texas and Tennessee.

“When I was looking for songs for my album, someone pitched me “The Boys of Fall” and it struck me as everything I think and feel about that experience,” Chesney says. “That song was like striking a match!”

Negotiations to find a distributor for The Boys of Fall are close to being finalized.

Jennette McCurdy To Open For Faith Hill

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Capitol Records Nashville newcomer and star of the hit Nickelodeon show, iCarly, Jennette McCurdy will be opening for Faith Hill on July 23 at the Ironstone Amphitheatre in Murphys, California and July 24 at the OC Fair and Event Centre in Costa Mesa, California.

McCurdy’s first acting job at 8 years old was the Faith Hill music video for “The Way You Love Me,” where she not only caught the acting bug but also realized her desire to pursue a career in music. A fan of country music since being introduced to Patsy Cline by her grandmother at an early age, she began writing songs and poetry at 7 years old.

“Faith Hill was a huge influence in my desire to pursue a career in country music,” McCurdy says. “To open for her is an honor and I’m so thrilled!”

Last summer McCurdy signed to Capitol Nashville on her 17th Birthday and has been writing for and recording her debut album, The Story Of My Life, in Nashville over the last year. Produced by Paul Worley (Lady Antebellum), McCurdy co-wrote nine of the 11 tracks on the album including debut single “Not That Far Away” which she co-wrote with Rachel Proctor and Blair Daly.

iCarly, currently in production on its third season, airs on Saturdays at 7:00 PM/CT on Nickelodeon.

For more information visit www.jennettemccurdy.com.

Leadership Music Selects 22nd Class

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Fifty-two new members have been selected to participate in the 22nd class of Leadership Music. The annual program is designed to create a forum for established music community leaders to identify and explore issues currently affecting the music industry.

“The selection committee, composed of Leadership Music alumni from all areas of the industry, has carefully chosen an outstanding group of leaders from hundreds of candidates for the Class of 2011,” said J. Fred Knobloch, immediate past president of the board of directors and owner of J. Fred Knobloch Music, LLC., who chaired the committee. “This is the most important and rewarding work we do all year, and I applaud the committee’s dedication in putting together the next ‘best class ever’.”

Members of the Class of 2011 are: Lainie Allbee, general manager, Martin, Allbee & Associates, LLC; Claire Armbruster, artist support, Keith Case & Associates; Jeff Balding, producer; Jeff Black, artist/songwriter, Jeff Black Music/Lotos Nile Music; Brad Bissell, agent, Creative Artists Agency; Duff Berschback, vice president, business affairs, Sony/ATV Music Publishing; Ashley Capps, president/founder, AC Entertainment (Knoxville, TN); Jim Catino, vice president, A&R, Sony Music Nashville; Ramon Cisneros, president/CEO, Millennium Marketing; Ben Cissell, outreach director, Rocketown; Eric Conn, president, Independent Mastering; Ron Cox, senior vice president/head of entertainment division, Avenue Bank; Robin Eaton, president, Alex the Great/Club Roar;

J. Tod Fetherling, president/CEO, Nashville Technology Council; Keith Follese, president, Bigger Dog Productions; Keith Gale, vice president, promotion, RCA Records Nashville; Rusty Gaston, partner/general manager, This Music; Ken Gay, video designer/artist, XL Video USA; Jesse Goldstein, president, The TomKats Group; David Hamilton, producer/arranger/conductor, Hamilton Music Production; Dan E. Harrell, president, Fore Artist Management; Jim Houser, partner, Management Operations, Creative Trust, Inc.; Misha Hunke, assistant vice president, performing rights, BMI; Michael J. Huppe, executive vice president/general counsel, SoundExchange, Inc. (Washington, DC); Ariel Hyatt, president, Ariel Publicity & Cyber PR (Brooklyn, NY); John Ingrassia, general manager, Vector Management;

John R. Jacobson, attorney, Riley Warnock & Jacobson, PLC; Barry Jeffrey, WME; Brock Jones, senior director, booking, Powers Management (Bridgestone Arena); Dennis F. Jones, Jr., president/general manager, RadioJones, LLC (Atlanta, GA); Will Kimbrough, president, Will Kimbrough Music; Chandra LaPlume-Pereira, vice president/partner, Taillight TV; Wayne Leeloy, senior director, artist services, Topspin Media; Lori Mechem, executive director, Nashville Jazz Workshop; Andrew Mendelson, owner/chief mastering engineer, Georgetown Masters; Wendell Moore, president/CEO, The Capitol Group, LLC; Molly Nagel, senior director, artist development, Sugar Hill Records; Jill Napier, executive vice president, Big Loud Bucks Administration & Information, LLC; Suzanne Norman, senior vice president, strategy & business operations, CMT;

Cliff O’Sullivan, senior vice president, Group Marketing, Universal Music Group Distribution (Universal City, CA); Joe Palmaccio, president, The Place. . .for Mastering, PC; Glenn Peoples, senior editorial analyst, Billboard; Chip Petree, general manager/vice president, business affairs, Copyright Exchange, LLC; Rod Riley, chief operating officer, Word Entertainment; Carla Sacks, president, Sacks & Co (New York, NY).; Paul Schatzkin, owner, Cohesion Arts; Jennifer Schott, songwriter, Big Schott Songs; Michael Spriggs, Incredisongs; Lester Turner, Jr., president, Tuned In Broadcasting, Inc.; Melissa Wald, assistant professor, Middle Tennessee State University; Jon Weisberger, proprietor, Use Your Words Music; Marcus Whitney, chief technology officer, Moontoast.

Leadership Music is a non-profit 501(c)3 educational organization whose mission is to nurture a knowledgeable, issue-oriented of music industry professionals. The Program, which begins with an orientation and alumni reception in September, totals 10 days in eight sessions over eight months.  It launches with a two-day opening retreat weekend in October; then presents six monthly themed days targeting the latest issues regarding songwriting, publishing, artists and their teams, studios and production, record companies, distribution, media, and touring; and closes with a two-day closing retreat in May.  The Program is produced by alumni, and features worldwide experts as speakers and participants, to provide relevance to the future with context from the past. More than 800 alumni have graduated from the annual Program since its founding in 1989 in Nashville.

Veronica Ballestrini Lives Her “Dream”

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Timbob Records artist Veronica Ballestrini headed to Hollywood recently to be a part of the Internet program If I Can Dream. As a result of her posted MySpace video and performance of Rascal Flatts’ “Bless The Broken Road,” Ballestrini became a favorite on the show’s social media page and was selected as a “MySpace Dream Break Winner.” The episode aired on June 4.

If I Can Dream utilizes a variety of platforms to reach audiences and break new talent. Created by Simon Fuller (producer of the American Idol franchise), the show documents the struggle of five young people who dream of success in Hollywood. It allows viewers to interact with the individuals and the narrative in real time, giving audiences open access to a show in a way that has not been attempted before.

If I Can Dream utilizes the Internet to broadcast the video feed live from the house (full episodes are available on Hulu), and social networking sites are incorporated to audition new cast members and vote for the hopefuls.

Ballestrini’s first single, “Amazing,” climbed the charts in the fall of 2009, and this summer she releases her third single “Don’t Say.” She was the featured artist in the 2009 Digital Rodeo CMA Fest Contest, has one of the most visited artist pages on CMT.com and has endorsements with InTune Guitar Picks (InTuneGP) and Sennheiser. For more information visit www.veronicaballestrini.net. Below, Ballestrini performs “Don’t Say” with Dream cast member Alex.