Jackson To Play For West Virginia Miners

/by

Country music superstar Alan Jackson will dedicate his May 22nd show at the Charleston, WV Civic Center to the families who lost loved ones in the Upper Big Branch Mining Disaster in Montcoal, West Virginia. Profits from the show will go to the Montcoal Mining Disaster Fund administrated by the West Virginia Council of Churches.

“This is a very wonderful donation from Alan and, on behalf of our state, I’m honored for our miners, their families and the rescue workers,” said West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin. “Alan is a world-famous entertainer who has never forgotten his small-town roots and the importance of family.”

“We are thrilled that Alan Jackson, an entertainer who sings about the working family, has committed his upcoming show in Charleston to the families of the fallen miners at the Upper Big Branch mine,” said The Rev. Dennis Sparks, Ex. Dir. WV Council of Churches. “On behalf of the Montcoal Mining Disaster Fund, thank you Alan and we look forward to a great concert in West Virginia.”

On April 5th, 2010, 29 miners lost their lives and two were injured in the tragedy at the Upper Big Branch Mine, about 30 miles south of Charleston.  It was the country’s worst mining disaster in four decades.

Douglas Corner Hosts Tribute to Norro Wilson

/by

An SRO crowd of Nashville music industry figures came out to Douglas Corner Wednesday night (4-28) to salute famed writer/producer/Grammy winner and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Norro Wilson. The evening featured music from Wilson backed by retro-country band, 45 RPM.

Wilson, who has produced or co-produced such stars as Reba McEntire, Kenny Chesney, Shania Twain, John Anderson, Sammy Kershaw and George Jones, thrilled the crowd when he got up to sing a few of his self-penned hits – “The Grand Tour,” “A Picture of Me Without You” (both made famous by George Jones) and the No. 1 hit by Charlie Rich, “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World,” among others.

Wilson teased his former business partner and co-producer, Buddy Cannon, who was in the audience, saying, “There’s no way you’ll tune this!” Also sighted in the  crowd were Cannon’s daughter, the bluegrass singer Melonie Cannon, producer Garth Fundis, singer Darryle Singletary and former Music Row executives Chuck and Sandy Neese.

The 45 RPM band is entirely made up of either Nashville session players and/or songwriters. The band’s mission is to play only classic, traditional country music, performing nothing released later than the ‘70s.

Among the evening’s performers were Jimmy Melton, Dirk Johnson, Mark Johnson, Mike Johnson, Joanie Keller Johnson, Gregg Galbraith, Joe Spivey and Eddy Anderson.

Norro Wilson (center at the mic) is pictured performing with the 45 RPM Band

Int’l Country Music Festival Returns to Belmont

/by

The 27th Annual International Country Music Festival will be held at Belmont University Thursday, May 27 through Saturday, May 29. Co-Chairs for the event are Don Cusic and James Akenson.

This year’s program features over 40 scholars of country music from across the nation presenting a wide variety of topics. 

The Keynote, Rounder Records at 40: History, Present and Future by Ken Irwin and Marian Levy, co-founders of Rounder, and scholar Dr. Michael Scully, will be on Thursday evening.

On Friday evening, there will be a panel, Backing the Hits: Backup Singers Reflect On Their Role in Making Hits Happen, moderated by Dr. John Rumble, Senior Historian at the Country Music Hall of Fame. This event will be held at Historic RCA Studio B and feature background singers Gordon Stoker, Millie Kirkham, Delores Edgin and Louis Nunley.

At the Friday luncheon, the Belmont Book Award, given annually for the Best Book on Country Music published the preceding year and the Lifetime Achievement award “for linking books with country music” will be given along with the Charlie Lamb Excellence in Country Music Journalism Awards.

Scholars and writers speaking at the conference include Dr. Bill Malone, Dr. Neil Rosenberg, Dr. David Pruett, Dr. Don Cusic, Dr. Ray White, Mr. Packy Smith, Dr. Jocelyn Neal, Dr. Wayne Daniel, and Mr. Tony Russell.

Stage Three Music Signs Dean Alexander

/by

Stage Three Music, Inc. has announced the signing of writer/artist Dean Alexander to their writer roster. Alexander continues to play various stages across the country opening up for artists such as Josh Turner. Also, he currently performs as part of Laura Bell Bundy’s band and has performed live with her at the ACM’s, Good Morning America and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

(l-r) Tim Hunze, Stage Three Music; Dean Alexander; Missy Roberts, Stage Three Music.

Opry Unveils 85th Birthday Plans

/by

Grand Ole Opry stars Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, and Steve Wariner will take the Opry stage Tuesday, May 25 to officially launch a months-long celebration of the Opry’s 85th birthday with an all-star guitar jam. As a part of the Tuesday Night Opry, each Opry member will take the stage individually followed by a guitar jam finale featuring the group’s take on some of the most popular songs in Opry history.

The night will signal the start of a celebration that will continue throughout the year as the Opry celebrates its 85th birthday with country music’s most popular artists and biggest fans.

Among the highlights of the celebration launching May 25:

  • Two new 20-foot, 3,000-pound steel and aluminum Opry 85th guitars will be unveiled outside the Grand Ole Opry House, officially welcoming visitors to the Opry party. Both fans and superstars will also be invited to sign other oversized guitars on display throughout the landmark birthday year. In addition, larger-than-life Opry 85th décor featuring Opry members including Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels, Loretta Lynn, and others will cover much of the front façade of the Grand Ole Opry House.
  • Opry performances are scheduled for up to four days a week this summer (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) with upcoming performances by Lady Antebellum, Oak Ridge Boys, Charley Pride, Josh Turner, and more.  Opry Country Classics runs Thursdays through June 17 and again this fall at the historic Ryman Auditorium, and Hee Haw alum Mike Snider honors the Opry’s rich country comedy traditions in Pickin’ & Grinnin’:  A Grand Ole Comedy Revue on select dates June through October in Studio A at the Opry House. Meanwhile, the popular show, Always…Patsy Cline will return to the Ryman this summer.
  • A gallery showcasing some of the Opry’s most memorable moments captured by Opry photographers Chris Hollo and Les Leverett is one of three new exhibits set to open in celebration of the Opry’s 85th in the Grand Ole Opry Museum.
  • In celebration of the Opry’s 85th, a who’s-who of celebrities will appear as guest announcers while the show will also launch an I’m With The Band series. I’m With The Band will invite personalities from outside the country world who have an interest in music to sit in with the Opry band for a song on country music’s most revered stage.
  • As fans come to Nashville for CMA Music Fest, a  June 11 Guitars of the Stars Benefit Auction will give fans the unique opportunity to bid on acoustic guitars decorated by some of country music’s most popular stars including award-winners Luke Bryan, The Judds, and Darius Rucker. Proceeds will benefit the Opry Trust Fund, which has for more than 40 years assisted members of the country music community in need.

The Opry’s 85th Birthday Bash weekend featuring Opry Birthday Shows and an Opry Plaza Birthday Party is scheduled for Oct. 8–9.
For more information call (800) SEE-OPRY or visit opry.com/85.

Joe Nichols Broadway Role Unlikely

/by

CMT.com is reporting that Joe Nichols may not be part of the Broadway musical, Pure Country. Nichols had been cast as Rusty, the lead role in the Broadway version of the 1992 George Strait film. Rehearsals were scheduled to begin earlier this year for the production which was also to star Lorrie Morgan.

“The status is, I don’t think it’s gonna happen for me,” said Nichols, who pointed to the economy as a reason for the delay of the production. “When they backed up the show, it put us in a difficult situation because we had blocked off about six to eight months of time just for that show. That’s without touring, no media, no nothing. So now I just don’t see that we could probably take another six-month gap in our schedule, especially with how hot ‘Gimmie That Girl’ is and the album.”

Nichols did say he believes the production will go forward, but added, “If we’re in it, it might be a long shot.”

CMA Music Festival Adds Hough, Announces Riverfront Lineup


/by

CMA announced today (4/29) that additional artists were added to the 2010 CMA Music Festival, scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, June 10-13, in downtown Nashville.

Former Dancing with the Stars dancer Julianne Hough has been added to the artist lineup for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field on Friday, June 11. Artists already announced for the Nightly Concerts include Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, Danny Gokey, Randy Houser, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Justin Moore, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and
.
As previously announced, The Judds will kick off the concerts on the Riverfront Park Stage on Thursday, June 10 at 10:00 AM. The current daily artist lineups are revealed below in alphabetical order:

Thursday, June 10: The Judds, Keith Anderson, Diamond Rio, Colt Ford, Joey + Rory, Love and Theft, Neal McCoy, Jake Owen, Josh Thompson, and Clay Walker.

Friday, June 11:  Rodney Atkins, The Band Perry, Bucky Covington, Eli Young Band, Jack Ingram, Patty Loveless, Craig Morgan, Sawyer Brown, Gretchen Wilson, and Chris Young.

Saturday, June 12:  Big Kenny, Lee Brice, Mark Chesnutt, Emerson Drive, Gloriana, Josh Gracin, Lorrie Morgan, David Lee Murphy, Joe Nichols, and Mel Tillis.

Sunday, June 13:  The Bellamy Brothers, Sammy Kershaw, Lonestar, Jo Dee Messina, James Otto, Restless Heart, Steel Magnolia, Pam Tillis, Uncle Kracker, and Darryl Worley.

Performance order will be listed on www.CMAfest.com closer to the event. Artists and dates subject to change.

Admittance to the Riverfront Park Stage is free, but four-day ticket holders have an exclusive 45-minute, early-entrance window before the gates open to the general public.

For up-to-the-minute information visit www.CMAfest.com.

Urban and Mayer To Reunite Live Onstage

/by

John Mayer and Keith Urban on "CMT Crossroads."

Keith Urban and John Mayer have announced that their summer tour plans will intersect on August 28 for a special live performance together at The Gorge in  Spokane, Washington. A pre-sale window via CMT.com will run from May 3 at 8:00 AM CT through May 7 at 8:00 PM CT. Tickets will become available to the public on Saturday, May 8th at 8”00 AM CT.

Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public exclusively offered by each artists by visiting www.JohnMayer.com and www.KeithUrban.net. Both artist pre-sales begin on Saturday, May 1 at 8:00 AM CT.

Last January, Mayer and Urban met for the first time in Nashville last January for the taping of a CMT Crossroads special. After just hours of rehearsal time, the two Grammy Award-winning musicians took to the stage to collaborate on Urban’s hits “If Ever Could I Love,” “‘Til Summer Comes Around” and “Sweet Thing.”  The duo traded off when Urban backed Mayer on his “Perfectly Lonely” and “Gravity.”

“CMT Crossroads was the first time I performed with Keith but the creative rapport was there right away,” said Mayer. “I’m looking forward to performing together again and I hope it’s one of many opportunities to work together in the future.”

“I had the best time playing with John on CMT Crossroads. There’s a  certain simpatico between us as guitar players that, I think, comes from sharing the same desire to express the unwritten. Playing together at the Gorge will be like  adding a musical score to the most magnificent setting in a film.”

Both musicians are renowned as songwriters, guitar players and vocalists, and their seamless collaborations can be seen when their CMT Crossroads special airs on Friday, June 18 at 8:00 p.m. CT on CMT.

Radio Personalities Play ‘Key Role’ in ACM Success

/by

Blair Garner addresses a sea of fans during ACM Concerts on Fremont Street

Country music radio luminaries Blair Garner, Shawn Parr and Storme Warren – along with winners in ACM radio categories and Westwood One – played a key role in the success of the Week Vegas Goes Country® preceding the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. The telecast reached more than 13 million viewers and won the night for the CBS Television Network.

Two-time ACM National On-Air Personality of the Year Award winner Blair Garner, of After MidNite with Blair Garner, emceed the Academy’s two days of free, open-to-the-public all-star concerts held on two stages at Fremont Street Experience, a five-block entertainment zone in downtown Las Vegas.  On-air talent including from both local Las Vegas country radio stations, KCYE and KWNR also co-emceed on one night each. Rick Kelly and Jason Rooney from KCYE and Bob Bishop from KWNR participated on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Shawn Parr with artist Joe Nichols onstage at the post-Awards ACM All-Star Jam

A record 45,000 fans crowded the stages on Friday and Saturday night, April 16 and 17 to see headliners Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert, and performances by newcomer category winners Luke Bryan, Joey + Rory and Gloriana. The concerts also featured Danny Gokey, David Nail, Emily West, The Band Perry and Randy Rogers Band. ACM Weekend on Fremont Street Experience is sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Shawn Parr, KKGO-FM Go Country 105 Los Angeles’ morning man and host of the nationally syndicated The Country’s Hotlist, was back for the 18th consecutive year as the official voice of the Academy of Country Music Awards. In addition, Parr hosted the ACM All-Star Jam after the live Sunday telecast, which featured performances by Jason Aldean, Ash Bowers, Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Eric Church, Billy Currington, Jack Ingram, Jaron and The Long Road To Love, Joey + Rory, Lady Antebellum, Montgomery Gentry, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols, James Otto, John Rich, Darius Rucker, Jordyn Shellhart, Steel Magnolia, Glenn Templeton, The Band Perry, Thompson Square, Trailer Choir, Cowboy Troy, Carrie Underwood, Clay Walker, James Westley, Gretchen Wilson, Chris Young, Eli Young Band and more.

Storme Warren with Montgomery Gentry at the USO Concert in Partnership with ACM Lifting Lives™

Parr also hosted and played in the KKGO-FM listener poker tournament held Saturday, April 17 at the MGM Grand Poker Room. Participants of the tournament were selected in a pre-Awards on-air station promotion, winning a spot to play in the tournament with artist Joe Nichols and tickets to the ACM Awards, with the tournament winner receiving VIP fan pit tickets for the ceremony.

Storme Warren, host of GAC’s Headline Country, SiriusXM Highway Channel’s Music Row Happy Hour and co-host of the recently launched radio show Music City Saturday Night, rode in the ACM Chairman’s Ride and then emceed the USO Concert in Partnership with ACM Lifting Lives™ on Saturday, April 17 at Nellis Air Force Base. The free, private con

cert for the troops and their families featured Dierks Bentley, LeAnn Rimes, Josh Thompson and USO tour veterans Randy Houser, James Otto, Anthony Smith and Montgomery Gentry, who were also honored with the 2010 ACM/The Home Depot Humanitarian Award.

The event was the first-ever partnership for ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music, and the USO. It was open to all military ID holders and their families and was attended by approximately 3,000 people.

Radio Station of the Year and On-Air Personality of the Year Winners with Miranda Lambert at the radio winners’ reception.

Radio category winners attended an Academy reception in their honor at the MGM Grand on Saturday, April 17, where Miranda Lambert presented them with their trophies. Attendees included CMT Radio Live’s Cody Alan, KIIM’s Buzz Jackson, KIZN’s Rich Summers, KMPS’ Becky Brenner & Erica Hall, KNIX’s Ben Campbell & Matt McAllister, KSCS’ Chris Huff & Cari Swartzell, KUZZ’s Evan Bridwell, Toni Marie & Mel Owens, WFRE’s Jess Wright, WGSQ’s Gator Harrison, WQDR’s Janie Carothers, Billy Dukes, J.J. Herr, Lisa McKay, Dede Wakefield & Mike Wheless, WSIX’s Keith Kaufman (winner Gerry House, Mike Bohan, Al Voecks, Duncan Stewart and Richard Falken were regretfully unable to attend), and WUSY’s Jay Cruze, Jared Stehney & Brian Stewart.

Reception hosts Bill Mayne, President of the Academy of Country Music, Charlie Cook, Chairman of the ACM Radio Task Force and Bob Romeo, ACM Executive Director, in turn encouraged the radio winners to surprise Lambert with her trophy and the news she had won the Video of the Year category for “White Liar.”  Video producer Tameron Hedge and director Chris Hicky were regretfully unable to attend but were notified of their win that night via telephone by the Academy.

Westwood One, an Academy corporate partner for almost a decade, brought out 26 radio stations from across the country to participate in radio remotes on Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17, driving tune-in and consumer awareness of the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.  Artists who participated include Dierks Bentley, Billy Currington, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Jake Owen, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood and more.

ACM Sales Bump The Lucky Few

/by

Laura Bell Bundy performed "Giddy On Up" on the ACM show.

Einstein’s theory of relativity may have been misinterpreted all these years. Perhaps it’s really about shows such as last week’s Academy of Country Music Awards. In this case, E=MC2 may mean that the the Energy of Sales generated by the show will equal the Music quality times the index of Consumer Confidence.

According to my Einsteinian calculations country should score an 18% weekly sales increase compared with the previous week. Strangely enough (some might groan coincidentally), 18% is also the precise result generated by carefully prescribing to SoundScan math. (Can we say Nobel prize for econometric sales model?—ok maybe not…)

ACM’s high energy three hour show grabbed pretty strong ratings, off slightly from last year, about 6%. That was perhaps due to strong competition from the other networks, including some country-themed programming deliberately aimed at snagging away viewers. The Awards, however peaked with 14 million viewers at 9 p.m.

For some time, Nielsen SoundScan followers have observed that sales increases are not enjoyed evenly across the board by all artists. Certain acts reap the lion’s share of the bounty, and this year’s ACM sales bump continued that trend. Only the top 10 titles on the Current Country 75 scanned over 10k product. Here’s a summary of how they fared:

Lady Antebellum (No. 1, +27%, +17.5k unit)
Zac Brown Band (No. 2, +26%, +6k unit)
Miranda Lambert (No. 3, +105%, +13k unit)
Willie Nelson (No. 4, debut 18k)
Carrie Underwood (No. 5, +54%, +6k unit)
Crazy Heart Sdtrk (No. 6, +200%, +11.5k unit)
Taylor Swift (No. 7, +1%, flat)
Colt Ford (No. 8, debut 14.5k)
Laura Bell Bundy (No. 9, -9%, -1.5k)
Alan Jackson (No. 10, -33%, -5.5k)

The above list separates along the following lines. The two debuts, Willie and Colt were likely helped by robust post-ACM traffic, but were not part of the telecast and therefore not directly effected. Colt Ford also had a free chicken promotion with Zaxbys that gave him a leg up…

Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, the Crazy Heart soundtrack, Zac Brown Band and Carrie Underwood were the big unit increase winners (in that order.) All were part of the broadcast in some way. Gains for Laura Bell Bundy, featured prominently in the first ACM half hour, are harder to gauge since it was the second week for her new CD which normally would be expected to plummet 50-65%. Instead it dropped only 9% which means her performance definitely helped. Alan Jackson, didn’t appear at the show, and suffered this week as consumer’s attention was directed to the bright lights on the silver screen.

Somewhat confusing is Taylor Swift’s 1% increase. This marks the first time we have seen a flat response from her fans after an elaborate TV performance. Indeed, her CD is now mature at 76 weeks and has already sold a whopping 5.8 million copies. However, ZBB’s CD (RTD sales 1.85 million) is 75 weeks and jumped 26%. Swift’s digital track sales were also off as her top ranking track “Today Was A Fairytale” rode down the Country Digital Tracks list to No. 7 with a drop of 18%.

A few shout-outs are in order for ACM performers outside the Top Ten, but who received encouraging sales reactions; Brad Paisley (36%), Luke Bryan (49%), Gloriana (36%) and Joey + Rory (117%).

Digital Only
Of note are digital only releases from The Band Perry (wk 3, 1,600) up 225% due to strong iTunes banner support for the CD and single; and Whitney Duncan (debut 1,800) who performed at MusicRow’s CRS CountryBreakout™ meet and greet last month.