Lambert and Lady A Join Chesney Outing

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Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum will join Kenny Chesney for his entire Sun City Carnival 2009 Tour. Known for numerous guest artists and a party atmosphere, Chesney is expected to announce more openers and a complete schedule soon. A few tour dates have been revealed and tickets have already gone on sale for stops including Boston’s Gillette Stadium, which sold out in less than 10 minutes. Chesney’s Poets & Pirates Tour was the most attended tour in any genre of music for 2008, according to Pollstar.

GAC Changes Name of Show, Adds New Producer

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Though GAC is changing the name of Country Music Across America to Headline Country, the show’s format will stay the same and Storme Warren will remain as host. Former CNN Entertainment coordinating producer Jeremy Weber has been named producer, and comes to GAC after nine years in Los Angeles.

The first episode of Headline Country airs Thurs., Jan. 15, at 8 PM/CT, showing all the action from this weekend’s Sound & Speed 2009; discussions with Billy Ray Cyrus and John Rich; and more. The show is produced by Surfing Moose Productions, with executive producers Larry Fitzgerald and Mark Hartley.

1720 Hires New VP Promotion

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Tim Burruss is on board as the new VP Promotion (Nashville) for 1720 Entertainment, replacing Bill Macky who has exited the company. Most recently, Burruss was VP Promotion and Marketing for Capitol Records, based in Los Angeles. His more than 25 years of experience also includes time as Columbia Records’ Regional Promotion Director for the Southeast, and VP Promotion for Interscope Records and Hollywood Records. 1720 is home to Jamie O’Neal, Rissi Palmer, and newly signed singer-songwriter Jesse Walker.

RAC To Team With Grammys On The Hill

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The Recording Artists’ Coalition (RAC) will soon become part of The Recording Academy’s “GRAMMYs on the Hill” initiative. Because both organizations have similar missions and focus on advancing the rights of music creators, they have been working together for years.

The alliance will be effective immediately to coincide with the beginning of the 111th Congress and the Obama administration. The first objective of the GRAMMYs on the Hill/RAC program will be to educate new and returning policy makers about issues facing music creators and the need to ensure their fair compensation.
On behalf of its membership of more than 150 recording artists, RAC has addressed issues such as artist contract reform, media consolidation and artist compensation. Longtime RAC proponents Irving Azoff and Simon Renshaw will serve as advisors to The Academy’s RAC program. Former RAC National Director Rebecca Greenberg has moved to a senior position reporting to Azoff at Ticketmaster Entertainment and Front Line Management.

Rascal Flatts Reveal New Release Info

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In a unique promotion, Rascal Flatts used a text message to alert fans this afternoon about its new album. Those who sent a text message to a number provided by the band received a text reply, stating that the new album will be called Unstoppable, and will be released April 7 by Lyric Street. The band is also holding a contest to design the project’s cover art in conjunction with tonight’s (1/7) People’s Choice Awards at http://www.pcavote.com.

DISClaimer—Happy New Year

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We’re starting things off just right here at DisClaimer. I am happy to report that The Bellamy Brothers, Tim McGraw, Darren Kozelsky and Trent Tomlinson are all ringing in the new year with excellent 2009 singles.

Let’s face it, 2008 was no banner year for country sales. I’m suggesting that we start looking off the beaten path for success stories. Thus, Rounder’s Grammy-nominated The SteelDrivers have the first Disc of the Day award for the new year.

And it’s always healthy when we have a DisCovery Award winner as potent as Bluefield. This duo is very promising indeed.

Here’s to a happy and prosperous new beginning for us all.

BLUEFIELD/Ready To Love You Now
Writer: Rick Ferrell; Producer: Rick Ferrell & Herbert Graham; Publisher: Warner-Tamerlane/Rick Ferrell/Rockin’ Rodeo, BMI; Country Thunder (615-327-2788)
 —Bluefield is a duo consisting of songwriter Rick Ferrell (Martina’s ”Where Would You Be,” Tim’s “Something Like That”) and former Nashville Star competitor Jennifer Hicks. The debut single is enchanting, featuring her plaintive lead and his hearty harmony on a mid-tempo production with plenty of wooshing atmosphere and heartbeat rhythm. I think I’m in love.

STEVE HOLY/Might Have Been
Writer: Doug Johnson/Pat Bunch; Producer: Phil Gernhard & Lee Miller; Publisher: Mike Curb/Sweet Radical/Pat Price/Songs of Mighty Isis/Kobalt, BMI; Curb
—Co-produced by the late Phil Gernhard, Steve Holy returns to the fray with a tender ballad about the saving grace of love. Touching.

TODD FRITSCH/Texas Talkin’
Writer: John Ramey/Tony Colton; Producer: Butch Baker; Publisher: Sixteen Stars/Dixie Stars/Horipro, BMI/ASCAP; Diamond Music Group (www.toddfritsch.com)
 —Well written. He’s a polite, gentleman cowboy because that’s the way he was raised. Todd’s performance is on the money, but the pace feels like it’s plodding a bit. Goose the tempo.

TIM McGRAW/Nothin’ To Die For
Writer: Craig Wiseman/Lee Thomas Miller; Producer: Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw & Darran Smith; Publisher: Big Loud Shirt/Big Loud Bucks/EMI Blackwood/New Songs of Sea Gayle/Noah’s Little Boat, ASCAP/BMI; Curb
—The mighty Tim knocks another one out of the ballpark. In the midst of a chiming production, he delivers a morality tale of a man who heedlessly risks his life. I got completely swept up in its audio excellence.

JONALEE WHITE/Wake Me
Writer: Pauken/Harris/White; Producer: Jeff Tweel; Publisher: none listed; Lick (www.jonaleewhite.com)
 —It’s a snappy bopper that she delivers with panache. But the overall sound is thin and malnourished.

CHUCK WICKS/Man Of The House
Writer: Chuck Wicks/Michael Mobley; Producer: Dann Huff & Monty Powell; Publisher: Universal-MGB/CEW/Castle Street, ASCAP; RCA
—The little 10-year-old shoulders household responsibilities because his dad’s away at war, and he’s now the “Man of the House.” Great storytelling has always been what country music does best.

THE STEELDRIVERS/Blue Side Of The Mountain
Writer: Mike Henderson/Chris Stapleton; Producer: Luke Wooten & The SteelDrivers; Publisher: EMI April/Sea Gayle/Iriving/Chicken Shack, ASCAP/BMI; Rounder (track) (www.steeldrivers.com)
 —Hey country radio, why don’t you try playing something that people will actually want to run out and buy? This slab of raw soul singing meeting for-real country acoustic instrumental work is like discovering a banquet when you’ve been eating Jello for years. Thrilling is the only word that will do. This track is also well-deservedly nominated for a mainstream country Grammy Award. Play it now!

TRENT TOMLINSON/That’s How It Still Oughta Be
Writer: Trent Tomlinson/Jim Collins/Tom Shapiro; Producer: Leigh Reynolds & Trent Tomlinson; Publisher: Hope-N-Cal/Trent Tomlinson/Sexy Tractor/Big Loud Bucks/EMI Blackwood/Little Dooey/Cal IV, BMI; Carolwood
—Back in the day, when kids got into fights, there weren’t any guns or knives involved. Dinner was eaten as a family without TV. Jobs weren’t sent overseas. Preachers and teachers were trusted role models. This song yearns for all kinds of perceived bygone values. I know, I know. On paper, it sounds ridiculously corny. But the writing is so sturdy, and Trent’s delivery is so sincere, that it all works.

DARREN KOZELSKY/Good Day To Get Gone
Writer: Jason Blaine/Willie Mack/Noah A. Gordon; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Anchor Down/Red Cape/Ole/New Millennium/NMM Tunes, SOCAN/BMI/ASCAP; 9 North/Spinville (www.darrenkozelsky.com)
 —This Texas roadhouse regular has a “driving” tune that makes you want to hit the open road and throw caution to the wind. It may be winter outside, but this sounds just like summer sunshine. Turn it up and sing along. Somebody get the name of that producer, ‘cause he’s got a little Springsteen in his blood. An absolute winner.

THE BELLAMY BROTHERS/Lord Help Me Be The Kind Of Person (My Dog Thinks I Am)
Writer: David Bellamy; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Curb/Spinville/Bellamy Brothers (www.bellamybrothers.com)
 —This lopes rhythmically along with the steel guitar answering the vocal lines brilliantly. As is usual with the Bellamys, the whole thing is wildly catchy.

iTunes Gets Competitive As Digital Sales Growth Slows

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As reported yesterday in @MusicRow, the iTunes Store is now offering DRM-free music from all four major labels—Universal, Sony, Warner, and EMI—as well as thousands of independent labels. The move will please consumers because downloads without copy protection software are interoperable with a variety of programs and devices.

However, today’s (1/7/09) Wall Street Journal suggests that Apple may be adopting this user-friendly format in order to stay competitive in the changing digital music marketplace. While more than one billion songs were legally purchased in 2008, the rate of growth in paid downloads slowed significantly year over year. In 2007, paid downloads grew 45% from 2006, but between 2007 and 2008 that number slowed to a 27% increase (Nielsen SoundScan). Tough competition could also be a contributing factor to Apple’s new strategy, the newspaper points out. Amazon.com and others have been undercutting iTunes prices for months, and doing so without the burden of copy protection.
Beginning in April, iTunes is also offering three new price points. Songs will sell for 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29, with most albums still priced at $9.99. It currently uses the 99 cents price almost exclusively for every track.

The iTunes Store began offering eight million of its 10 million songs in the higher-quality, DRM-free iTunes Plus format yesterday, with the remaining two million songs offered in iTunes Plus by the end of March. Customers can also upgrade their library of previously purchased songs to iTunes Plus for 30 cents each or 30 percent of the album price.

Country On Tomorrow’s People’s Choice Awards

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Many country artists are among the nominees at tomorrow night’s (1/7) People’s Choice Awards. In the all-genre categories, Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney are up for Favorite Male Singer against R&B star Chris Brown; Carrie Underwood will vie for Favorite Female Singer; and Rascal Flatts is nominated in the Favorite Group slot.

Elsewhere, Underwood (“Last Name”), Flatts (“Take Me There”) and Taylor Swift (“Love Story”) are in the running for Favorite Country Song; and Kid Rock (“All Summer Long”) is up for Favorite Rock Song.

Jewel will make a special appearance at the 35th annual event at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Hosted by Queen Latifah, the show airs live at 8PM/CT on CBS. Voting was done at www.pcaVOTE.com, where some film categories are open until show time tomorrow.

Lady A To Perform New Single on Conan

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Lady Antebellum will debut its upcoming single, “I Run To You,” this Thurs., Jan. 8 on NBC’s Late Night With Conan O’Brien. It is the third single from the band’s debut album, which has also spawned hits “Love Don’t Live Here” and “Looking For A Good Time.” The single will be available for airplay at country radio early next week.

Lady Antebellum, the reigning CMA New Artist of the Year, is nominated for two GRAMMYS at next month’s awards: the all-genre Best New Artist and Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocals.

In other Lady A news, Us magazine reports that band member Charles Kelley became engaged to longtime girlfriend Cassie McConnell on Christmas morning.

Country 2008: A Year End Report

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Click to download report.

The country music record business was especially hard hit as the previous year’s drop of 16.3% rose to 24% in 2008. Actual country album sales (physical and digital) toppled from 62.7 to 47.6 million, a new all time low under the SoundScan era.

Country 2008: A Year End Report asks questions and presents much of the past year’s key data.