Carrie Underwood at Thursday's LP Field concert. Photo: John Russell, provided by CMA.
Chapter 339—My kingdom for a parking space.
Downtown Nashville is a sea of humanity. If this year’s CMA Music Festival doesn’t set another attendance record, I will be very much surprised. There were moments during my first tour of the “campus” on Thursday (6/10) when I was literally inching along in the packed pedestrian traffic.
Probably because so much more of the fest is now free, the crowds are not only larger, they are more diverse. At the Riverfront stage, there were grandmas, toddlers, teen-age twins, body builders, wheelchair people, bikini-topped babes, plus-size suburbanites, African-American children, bikers, tourists from overseas and just about any other type of individual you can imagine.
Joey + Rory were giving them quite a show, everything from “A Little More Country Than That,” which Rory co-wrote, to their clever set closer, “Buy Our CD.” Rowdy Colt Ford followed the duo.
Tim McGraw, LP Field Thursday. Photo: Donn Jones; provided by CMA
A youngster was being thrown from the mechanical bull at the foot of Broadway as I passed it (The First Aid Tent is conveniently nearby). Next to the bull was one of several convenient water-misting tents.
In the Fun Zone, CMT was rounding up contestants for its cute “Singing Bee” contest, right across from the Manwich Open Mic Contest. Trevor Finlay was holding forth at the Hard Rock stage. Later in the afternoon, Eden’s Edge left a Music Row event to head down for a set on that same stage.
Full-dress Marines manned a recruiting booth. Ocean Spray had set up a cranberry bog. There were food give-aways and wheel-spinning games of chance galore.
The Sports Zone included the ever-popular bungee jumping station. In the Famiily Zone, there were giant inflatables, kiddie slides and bean-bag tossing. In the big tent, the Josh Turner Dance Contest was underway, with the star being joined by fellow judges from UMG, Royce “Siman” Risser and Van “Abdul” Haze. Nearby was Chuck Wicks with a roving CMT crew. Behind the tent, were the delightful “K-9” doggies diving into a big pool chasing Frisbees.
Fans in the Fun Zone! Photo: Amanda Eckard, provided by CMA
Across the street from Walk of Fame Park, the Country Music Hall of Fame was offering $6 barbeque lunches. Inside, fans were gathering for a Dierks Bentley autograph session. Dierks staged his fan club party on Wednesday night (6/9) at Limelight.
Charlie Monk was hosting the Chevy Stage in front of the Bridgestone Arena. Blaine Larsen, Randy Montana and The Kentucky HeadHunters performed and accommodated autograph seekers who gathered at the fence behind the stage. Strolling in the vicinity were such industry figures as Rod Essig, Troy Tomlinson and Regina Stuve.
In the Fan Fair exhibit hall in the Convention Center, you could have your pick of any number of celebrity encounters. Signing and smiling were Doug Stone, Danny Gokey, Richard Petty, Con Hunley, Bucky Covington, Lulu Roman, Love & Theft, Jack Greene, Julie Roberts, Gretchen Wilson, Joe Dee Messina, Jesse Lee, Kix Brooks, Diamond Rio, Josh Thompson and Julianne Hough. After Pam Tillis put in some autograph time, she headed upstairs and turned in a sizzling set in the Durango Acoustic Corner. The Judds were signing in the Fan Fair hall, too, having announced their 18-city “The Last Encore” tour at a press conference that morning. Chris Young headed from his #1 party on Music Row to downtown to delight the Fan Fair fans.
Jimmie Van Zant and songwriter Charlie Craig were signing in the Tootsie’s booth. Fans were making videos with a digital Rodney Atkins or singing Shania songs with a real-life Laura Bell Bundy. There were free arcade games, stations for playing electronic checkers and a real Air Force fighter jet on display.
Upstairs from the exhibit hall, T. Graham Brown had them yelling for more in the Durango Acoustic Corner. Meanwhile, back at Riverfront, Keith Anderson hollered, “Man, it’s hot!” at the thousands gathered there, and they roared in response. “Just drink more beer,” he suggested before romping through “Pickin’ Wildflowers.”
Wednesday’s downpour (6/9), alas, cancelled Randy Houser’s gig at the Block Party. But Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam at the Ryman went on as scheduled that night. This year, he had Vince Gill, Keith Urban, Ralph Mooney, announcer/fiddler Eddie Stubbs and Connie Smith, among others.
In addition to the folks I saw, others slated to sing in Thursday’s blazing sunshine on the various free stages included Bomshel, Clay Walker, Neal McCoy, Jeannie Seely, Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius, The Band Perry, Jaron & The Long Road to Love, Tyler Dickerson and Ash Bowers.
If you decide to experience the Festival, take along some Patience. It is crowded and muggy down there.
CMA Music Fest Photos
/by Sarah SkatesBlake Shelton’s fan club party, Judds reunion tour, Martina McBride at the Premiere Radio remote, Blair Garner’s After Midnite party, Riverstages and more…
Blake Shelton hosted his annual fan club party at the Wildhorse Saloon. The sold-out crowd requested songs and for every song he didn't know, Shelton donated $20 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. His final tally was $510. Miranda Lambert's mother, Beverly, requested the Black Crowes song, "She Talks To Angels," telling the singer, "I have a $100 request. If you don't know it, you have to double the donation." After conferring with his band, Shelton performed the Black Crowes hit. "Dancing With The Stars" finalist and ESPN correspondent, Erin Andrews, requested "Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound" by Hank Williams Jr. However, she told Shelton that she wanted Dierks Bentley to sing it. Surprise guest Bentley then took the stage. Other surprise guests were Laura Bell Bundy and Miranda Lambert. In all, Shelton's fan club raised over $31,000 for LLS that evening. Pictured (L to R) – Blake Shelton and Erin Andrews.
The Country Music Association presented The Judds with a 25th Anniversary plaque during their “The Final Encore” tour announcement at the 2010 CMA Music Festival. (L-R) CMA’s Bobette Dudley, Wynonna Judd, acting CMA Executive Director Steve Moore, Naomi Judd, Kerry Hansen of Big E Enterprises Management, and WME agent Greg Oswald.
Premiere Radio Networks, the official radio partner of The 2010 CMA Music Festival, hosted 18 of Country radio’s biggest stations, and the syndicated show, After MidNite with Blair Garner, at the Nashville Convention Center last week. More than 60 artists and celebrities stopped by, including Martina McBride (pictured above).
Blair Garner's After Midnite party, held Friday night at the Wildhorse Saloon. Pictured (l-r): Jaron of Jaron And The Long Road To Love, Laura Bell Bundy, Blair Garner, Miranda Lambert and Jarrod Neimann.
Point of Grace with Brenda Lee at the CMA Music Festival opening parade. Brenda Lee was the Grand Marshall. Pictured (L-R): POG members Dana Cappillino and Denise Jones, Brenda Lee, and POG member Shelley Breen.
Sammy Kershaw prior to his performance on the River Stages on Sunday. Pictured (L-R): CMA’s Kyle Quigley, Sammy and Jake Kennedy of BLA.
Jimmy Dean Passes [Updated: Arrangements]
/by Sarah SkatesPictured with Elvis Presley at the "Jimmy Dean Show."
Country star and sausage king Jimmy Dean died last night, June 13, at age 81. As a member of the newest class of inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Dean left his mark on the genre, most notably with his trademark song “Big Bad John.” He passed away at his home in Virginia.
Born in Plainview, Texas in 1928, Dean had a string of hits as a country singer in the 1960s, including “Big Bad John” in 1961. Throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s he attracted fans as host of his own television show, and often as a guest host for The Tonight Show. He made his feature film debut in the James Bond classic Diamonds Are Forever.
He went on to found the Jimmy Dean Sausage company in 1968.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Meade Dean.
Visitation:
Sunday, June 20
12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Nelsen Funeral Home
4650 S. Laburnum Avenue
Richmond, VA 23231
Tel. (804) 222-8601
Funeral:
Monday, June 21
11:00 AM
Grove Avenue Baptist Church
8701 Ridge Road
Richmond, VA 23229
Interment: Private
CMT Awards Yield Record-breaking Viewership
/by MichelleTV by the Numbers reports that the Awards show had 3.04 million viewers.
Hosted by Kid Rock, the 2010 CMT Music Awards featured performances from country music stars, including Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban with John Mayer and Zac Brown Band. Presenters included Dancing With the Stars competitors Erin Andrews and Maks Chmerkovskiy, Laura Bell Bundy, Sheryl Crow, Paula Deen, Kara Dioguardi, Gloriana, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Terrell Owens, Hayden Panettiere, Richard Petty, Kellie Pickler, Jada Pinkett-Smith, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Jersey Shore’s Snooki and The Situation, David Spade, Taylor Swift, Kenan Thompson, Carrie Underwood, Luke Wilson, Trisha Yearwood and Zac Brown Band.
Congratulations Mr. Chairman, Job Well Done!
/by adminThe transition was first announced in April when Galante noted, “As a 21-year-old kid from Queens starting out at RCA Records in New York, I never dreamed of the nearly 40-year journey that was before me. In 1974, a temporary Nashville assignment turned permanent, and it changed my life – I thank God for it every day. I have been inspired by so many exceptional artists and songwriters and feel privileged to be a part of their careers. I’ve worked with unique managers and executives who helped me learn more about this business and how to better my craft. My RCA, BMG and Sony family’s support and passion for our artists’ music helped us build the label group of the year for seven of the last eight years. This is solely my decision and I’m excited to begin my journey down another road. Nashville is my home and will continue to be.”
Marking today’s official changeover, the entire Sony Music Nashville staff assembled to recognize and pay tribute to Galante in what was undoubtedly a very emotional and private gathering for all involved.
Galante has helped launch the careers of such stars as Alabama, Carrie Underwood, Keith Whitley, Chris Young, The Judds, Martina McBride, K.T. Oslin, Kellie Pickler, Clint Black, Jake Owen, Lonestar and Sara Evans. He and his Nashville team have bolstered the careers of superstars Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry, among others; and, in addition, he has worked with icons including Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and Ronnie Milsap. He has also been a driving force serving and leading industry organizations such as CMA, Leadership Music, NARAS and others.
Sony Music Nashville currently includes four country label operations – RCA, Columbia, BNA and Arista Nashville – and Provident Music Group, one of the world’s leading Christian music companies. Sony Music Nashville is a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Reading, Writing and Rhythm Concert Raises Funds
/by MichellePhoto L-R: Bucky Covington, Chely Wright, Buxton Hughes. Photo Credit: Melinda Norris
The recent 10th Annual Reading, Writing and Rhythm benefit concert donated over one ton of food to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and raised thousands of dollars for Kingston Springs Elementary, a local school affected badly by the floods.
The event included performances by Trisha Yearwood, Rodney Crowell, SHeDAISY, Jamey Johnson, Bucky Covington, Justin Moore, Buxton Hughes, Jann Arden, and Reading, Writing & Rhythm’s Founder, Chely Wright. Items were auctioned off throughout the evening including a shopping spree with Wright to Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams furniture store and a Fly Away trip to a Keith Urban show.
Toby Keith On Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular
/by MichelleMcGraw To Host Music Fest TV Special
/by MichelleThis will be McGraw’s first appearance at the event since 2001, when he was a surprise guest during Kenny Chesney’s performance as part of the Nightly Concerts at LP Field and the event was still known as Fan Fair. His last announced appearance was in 2000, the last year Fan Fair was held at the Nashville Fairgrounds. He has participated in the event eight times since his Fan Fair debut in 1993.
The primetime television special, CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, debuted in 2004 as a two-hour special highlighting the Festival and Music City. In 2005, the special moved to ABC.
In 2009, the special expanded to three hours boosting ABC ahead of CBS, NBC and FOX with the network’s second biggest audience during the summer season. With 7.4 million viewers and a 4.7/8 overall rating, it outperformed its broadcast rivals in total viewers topping CBS by 6 percent, NBC by 32 percent and FOX by 85 percent.
The special had a 43 percent increase in viewers compared to 2008, generating the biggest audience in four years and tallied its highest Adult 18-49 rating (2.0/6) in three years.
CMA Sues Fest Shirt Sellers
/by admin[Nashville Post] The Country Music Association has asked a court’s help to stop trademark infringement on the sale of CMA Music Festival merchandise.
The CMA filed suit in U.S. District Court Wednesday, the day before the start of its headline event, claiming that various vendors have at past CMA Music Festivals have sold counterfeit T-shirts and other merchandise of inferior quality using the CMA Music Festival trademark and logos.
CMA is seeking a temporary restraining order, a permanent injunction and a court order enabling law enforcement officers to seize counterfeit merchandise on sale during this week’s festival. The organization also is asking for damages…
Read More
KE$HA Flood Benefit June 16
/by admin“I’m thrilled to be playing a show to help benefit Nashville, my hometown. 100% of the profits from ticket sales will go to help the victims of these devastating floods,” says Ke$ha “Nashville helped shape me as an artist and as a person and my love for this city is beyond words. I will continue to do anything I can to help rebuild this city and support the families and animals who have been affected by this tragedy.”
Ke$ha, who hits the road with Rihanna for a nationwide tour starting July 2nd, released her debut album Animal (RCA Records / Kemosabe Entertainment) in January 2010 where it entered at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart as well as the Digital Albums chart. Animal holds the record for the best-ever digital-album sales for a new artist and is the third-biggest digital-album debut by a female. It also marked the biggest first week in SoundScan history for an artist’s debut album released in January. Animal has scanned 600k units and has been in the Top 20 albums every week since release in January. Ke$ha has sold over 8.5 million tracks and ringtones in the U.S. alone.
BOBBY KARL Works The Room–CMA 6/10
/by adminCarrie Underwood at Thursday's LP Field concert. Photo: John Russell, provided by CMA.
Chapter 339—My kingdom for a parking space.
Downtown Nashville is a sea of humanity. If this year’s CMA Music Festival doesn’t set another attendance record, I will be very much surprised. There were moments during my first tour of the “campus” on Thursday (6/10) when I was literally inching along in the packed pedestrian traffic.
Probably because so much more of the fest is now free, the crowds are not only larger, they are more diverse. At the Riverfront stage, there were grandmas, toddlers, teen-age twins, body builders, wheelchair people, bikini-topped babes, plus-size suburbanites, African-American children, bikers, tourists from overseas and just about any other type of individual you can imagine.
Joey + Rory were giving them quite a show, everything from “A Little More Country Than That,” which Rory co-wrote, to their clever set closer, “Buy Our CD.” Rowdy Colt Ford followed the duo.
Tim McGraw, LP Field Thursday. Photo: Donn Jones; provided by CMA
A youngster was being thrown from the mechanical bull at the foot of Broadway as I passed it (The First Aid Tent is conveniently nearby). Next to the bull was one of several convenient water-misting tents.
In the Fun Zone, CMT was rounding up contestants for its cute “Singing Bee” contest, right across from the Manwich Open Mic Contest. Trevor Finlay was holding forth at the Hard Rock stage. Later in the afternoon, Eden’s Edge left a Music Row event to head down for a set on that same stage.
Full-dress Marines manned a recruiting booth. Ocean Spray had set up a cranberry bog. There were food give-aways and wheel-spinning games of chance galore.
The Sports Zone included the ever-popular bungee jumping station. In the Famiily Zone, there were giant inflatables, kiddie slides and bean-bag tossing. In the big tent, the Josh Turner Dance Contest was underway, with the star being joined by fellow judges from UMG, Royce “Siman” Risser and Van “Abdul” Haze. Nearby was Chuck Wicks with a roving CMT crew. Behind the tent, were the delightful “K-9” doggies diving into a big pool chasing Frisbees.
Fans in the Fun Zone! Photo: Amanda Eckard, provided by CMA
Across the street from Walk of Fame Park, the Country Music Hall of Fame was offering $6 barbeque lunches. Inside, fans were gathering for a Dierks Bentley autograph session. Dierks staged his fan club party on Wednesday night (6/9) at Limelight.
Charlie Monk was hosting the Chevy Stage in front of the Bridgestone Arena. Blaine Larsen, Randy Montana and The Kentucky HeadHunters performed and accommodated autograph seekers who gathered at the fence behind the stage. Strolling in the vicinity were such industry figures as Rod Essig, Troy Tomlinson and Regina Stuve.
In the Fan Fair exhibit hall in the Convention Center, you could have your pick of any number of celebrity encounters. Signing and smiling were Doug Stone, Danny Gokey, Richard Petty, Con Hunley, Bucky Covington, Lulu Roman, Love & Theft, Jack Greene, Julie Roberts, Gretchen Wilson, Joe Dee Messina, Jesse Lee, Kix Brooks, Diamond Rio, Josh Thompson and Julianne Hough. After Pam Tillis put in some autograph time, she headed upstairs and turned in a sizzling set in the Durango Acoustic Corner. The Judds were signing in the Fan Fair hall, too, having announced their 18-city “The Last Encore” tour at a press conference that morning. Chris Young headed from his #1 party on Music Row to downtown to delight the Fan Fair fans.
Jimmie Van Zant and songwriter Charlie Craig were signing in the Tootsie’s booth. Fans were making videos with a digital Rodney Atkins or singing Shania songs with a real-life Laura Bell Bundy. There were free arcade games, stations for playing electronic checkers and a real Air Force fighter jet on display.
Upstairs from the exhibit hall, T. Graham Brown had them yelling for more in the Durango Acoustic Corner. Meanwhile, back at Riverfront, Keith Anderson hollered, “Man, it’s hot!” at the thousands gathered there, and they roared in response. “Just drink more beer,” he suggested before romping through “Pickin’ Wildflowers.”
Wednesday’s downpour (6/9), alas, cancelled Randy Houser’s gig at the Block Party. But Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam at the Ryman went on as scheduled that night. This year, he had Vince Gill, Keith Urban, Ralph Mooney, announcer/fiddler Eddie Stubbs and Connie Smith, among others.
In addition to the folks I saw, others slated to sing in Thursday’s blazing sunshine on the various free stages included Bomshel, Clay Walker, Neal McCoy, Jeannie Seely, Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius, The Band Perry, Jaron & The Long Road to Love, Tyler Dickerson and Ash Bowers.
If you decide to experience the Festival, take along some Patience. It is crowded and muggy down there.