Videos and Pics: Lady A, Buddy Jewell, Better Angels, Baldrica

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Buddy Jewell was recently in Hot Springs, Arkansas where he was a guest of the city for the big Apple Blossom Invitational Horse Race. Pictured with Bo Derek and a Johnny Depp look-alike, following the "World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade" in Hot Springs.


Better Angels Music writers at Gary Hannan’s Beer For Breakfast at Tootsie’s. (L-R): Jay Brunswick, David Byrnes, Ashley White (Creative Asst.), Gary Hannan, Ward Davis, special guest Deanna Bryant and Creative Director Todd Wilkes.

Tom Baldrica, Sony Music Nashville Marketing VP and huge Batman fan, meets TV's Batman, Adam West.

ASCAP Reorganization Continues

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ascap we create music1There has been no official word, but MusicRow has heard that the realignment at ASCAP Nashville included a number of personnel changes today, most notably in the writer rep department. Thought to be exiting due to this re-organization are Herky Williams, John Briggs, Pat Rolfe, Dan Keen and Charlene Wilhite. Remaining on board are Ralph Murphy, Mike Sistad, and Jesse Willoughby.

On Feb. 22 ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento announced an expansion of the company’s Nashville operations to become a Regional Office serving all genres of music. Industry veteran Tim DuBois was appointed Vice President and Managing Executive of the operations. On April 6, LeAnn Phelan, most recently a Writer Producer/Manager with 19 Entertainment, was tapped as Senior Creative Director at ASCAP’s Nashville Regional Office. She reports to DuBois.

New Music From Jo Dee Messina, Marty Raybon

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Raybon celebrated the release with a party at The Rutledge. Photo: Alan Mayor

Marty Raybon, best known for a long string of hits with former band Shenandoah, has a new album that landed on shelves April 6. At His Best was released through Grand Vista Records.

JoAn Anderson Fox heads up Grand Vista Records and is working with Grassroots Promotion and Quarterback Records for radio promotion. Webster & Associates is handling publicity and marketing.

With Shenandoah, Raybon had 13 No. 1 singles, such as: “The Church on Cumberland Road” (1989), “Sunday in the South” (1989), “Two Dozen Roses” (1989), “Next to You, Next to Me” (1990) and “Butterfly Kisses” (1997).

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Jo Dee Messina will release her first new material in six years on April 27 as the first in a trilogy of EPs coming throughout the year.

The initial installment, Unmistakable: Love, is a nine-track release comprising seven new songs and two live acoustic cuts. It will be followed later this year by Unmistakable: Drive and Unmistakable: Inspiration. The three EPs (Curb Records) include new music that she co-wrote and co-produced. Fans can pre-order Love at http://www.jodeemessina.com.

Last Tuesday, April 6, Messina debuted her inspirational USTREAM series, Make Something Of It With Jo Dee Messina, via a live feed on her official web site. The series can be seen every Tuesday and Thursday during April and showcases uplifting and positive stories submitted by fans.

On the live front, Messina plans to be on the road through October.

File Sharing Site Disses UK’s Digital Economy Bill

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The UK recently enacted the Digital Economy Bill (Digital Economy Bill another report) to restrict music piracy by giving copyright holders the ability to “spy” on those infringing their rights via file sharing. The idea is that after being identified, the offending parties will then be disconnected from the Internet. In effect, this plan, which many in the U. S. champion, asks the ISPs to police copyrights by finding the identity of the pirates and shutting them off.

Torrentfreak.com, a site dedicated to bringing the latest news about BitTorrent and everything closely related to this popular filesharing protocol, notes the bill’s good intentions, but dismisses the new legislation as simply another misguided attempt to use DRM—digital rights management.

“It has already been shown numerous times that DRM has not prevented anyone from sharing files, and the Digital Economy Act – with all the extra powers it gives to copyright holders – wont be successful either,” writes Ernesto. “For those who don’t want to give up their habit of downloading copyrighted material, there are simply dozens of ways to download music and movies without being at risk. Much like DRM, the Act will not stop tech savvy file-sharers, it will only change the rules of the game.”

For a detailed report on why and how TorrentFreak.com believes that technology will render the bill useless read the story here.

Stars Set For Music Saves Mtns. Concert; Steele Plans Skate Festival

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Alison Krauss

Alison Krauss and Big Kenny recently joined the already star-studded lineup of Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea and more for the Music Saves Mountains concert. Presented by the Gibson Foundation and set for May 19 at 8 p.m. at the Ryman Auditorium, proceeds will go to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The show is promoted by The Messina Group/AEG Live.

The Music Saves Mountains concert will serve as a fundraiser for NRDC’s campaign to end mountain top removal coal mining in Appalachia.

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The 4th Annual Alex LeVasseur Memorial Skate & Music Festival, in memory of hit songwriter Jeffrey Steele’s late son, will take place 
Sunday, June 27 at Jim Warren Park in Franklin, TN 2pm – 9pm. 

This is a free, family friendly event, and will take place rain or shine. There will be live music all day, skate demos, giveaways, food vendors, airbrush tattoos, game booths, autographed auction items, and more.

If you are interested in sponsoring this event or lending your time as a volunteer please contact Casey LeVasseur at RememberAlex.com@gmail.com

Over 2,500 people attended this event last year and organizers believe it will continue to grow. Proceeds will go to 

The Alex LeVasseur Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, a 501-c3 organization which benefits the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Scholarship Program and other initiatives. To learn more about Alex and the programs in his name please visit RememberAlex.com.

Colt Ford Concert Live In HD

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When Colt Ford takes the stage April 30 at Murray State University in Kentucky, fans at home will be able to stream the show live via media delivery portal True View Live. The Tampa-based interactive company will film and broadcast the show in a streaming, High-Definition format with no buffering or stream interruption.

Fans can catch the show through Ford’s official website (www.ColtFord.com) and his social media sites, including Facebook, Myspace and iLike.

In order to view the concert online, fans must purchase an advance virtual ticket at TrueViewLive.com for $9.95. The price also includes bonus live backstage footage and a $10 merchandise coupon.

The True View Live/Colt Ford concert event is produced by 350 Ventures’ Paul Whitehead. Nashville-based marketing and consultancy firm, The Consortium, is directing the project’s marketing efforts.

CMT Awards Tap Top Producer and Director; GRAMMY Awards Date

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Jesse Ignjatovic

CMT has tapped Executive Producer Jesse Ignjatovic, (MTV Video Music Awards) and Director Hamish Hamilton (The 82nd Annual Academy Awards 2010) to produce and direct the 2010 CMT Music Awards, it was announced today (4/13) by John Hamlin, SVP Production, Development and Talent, CMT. When the CMT Music Awards are broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, June 9, on CMT and CMT.com, it will be the third collaboration between Ignjatovic and Hamilton. The duo previously worked together on the 2007 and 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

Since 2007, when Jesse Ignjatovic founded Den of Thieves, he has Executive Produced the MTV Video Music Awards, drawing increased ratings each year, and capturing 27 million viewers last year alone. Ignjatovic also Executive Produced the 2010 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, which saw a 39% ratings increase, and is currently in production of Season 2 of The T.O. Show for VH1. Ignjatovic spent 14 years at MTV where he co-created, produced and developed such programming as Meet the Barkers, Diary, mtvICON, and Dancelife with Jennifer Lopez.

British creative director Hamish Hamilton is a globally respected, multi-camera award show and concert film director. Most recently he directed The 82nd Annual Academy Awards, with this year’s show garnering its highest ratings since 2005. Just one month earlier, Hamilton created the visually arresting Super Bowl halftime show featuring The Who. Other Hamilton credits include six years on the The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and live concert films by Madonna, U2, Rolling Stones, Christina Aguilera and Amy Winehouse.

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The 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards will take place at the Los Angeles STAPLES Center on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, and will air live on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The date for the GRAMMY nominations announcement will be revealed soon.

As a result of last year’s earlier show and Awards process dates, this year the eligibility dates for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards are Sept. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010. (This year will mark a 13-month eligibility period.)

GRAMMY Week — a weeklong series of cultural events culminating in Music’s Biggest Night — will again feature celebrations of music, fashion, arts education and philanthropy, including the Salute To series, GRAMMY Style Studio, GRAMMY Career Day, Clive Davis and The Recording Academy’s Pre-GRAMMY Gala, the annual MusiCares® Person of the Year tribute, the GRAMMY Foundation’s Music Preservation Project, the Entertainment Law Initiative luncheon, a Producers & Engineers Wing event, and GRAMMY Museum programs, among others.

Chesney Covers “People Country,” Gives Fans Film Preview

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Kenny Chesney covers the May issue of PEOPLE Country, and in an exclusive interview talks about his break from touring, his girlfriend, and his concert film Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D. In conjunction with the film, Chesney is giving fan club members in the cities where the movie was made—Boston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and San Francisco— private VIP screenings on Monday, April 19, two days before the flick opens nationwide.

This issue of PEOPLE Country also features Trisha Yearwood’s new food column, in which she shares recipes and personal anecdotes, and answers questions from readers. Readers can email country@peoplemag.com now with questions for Trisha and/or a food-related topic you’d like her to discuss in PEOPLE Country’s July issue.

Also in the May issue is a Summer Tours Preview, highlighting Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood and others. PEOPLE Country is also offering free downloads of songs from Colt Ford, Katie Armiger, Danny Gokey, Coldwater Jane and more at www.people.com/free.

This is the second of six PEOPLE Country issues to be published this year. These newsstand-only issues are available for four weeks, with a cover price of $3.99. PEOPLE Country’s frequency has steadily increased since first appearing on the newsstand in 2006.

Lambert Added To CMA Fest; Summer Tours Name Supporting Acts

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Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert is the latest addition to the performance line-up at the CMA Music Festival. Single-night tickets to the Festival’s Nightly Concerts at LP Field go on sale Sat., April 17, for the event running Thursday through Saturday, June 10-13, in downtown Nashville. Individual nightly concert tickets start at $30 and are available by calling 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378) or via www.ticketmaster.com.

Artists currently scheduled to appear at LP Field include (in alphabetical order):
Thursday, June 10: Jason Aldean, Danny Gokey, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, and Carrie Underwood.
Friday, June 11: Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.
Saturday, June 12: Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, Randy Houser, Martina McBride, and Rascal Flatts.
Sunday, June 13: Trace Adkins, Justin Moore, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker, and Blake Shelton.
Artists and schedules are subject to change. Additional artists will be announced soon.

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Toby Keith’s American Ride Tour launches June 19 with James Otto on board for 16 dates across the U.S. Otto will join Keith, and special guest Trace Adkins, at select shows through August 22.

Chris Young hit the road with Alan Jackson last week (4/8) when the tour kicked-off in Estero, FL. Between dates on the Jackson outing, Young will join Platinum-selling headliner Miranda Lambert, opening a pair of dates May 7 and May 8 on her Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars Tour.

Radney Foster will join Jewel on her acoustic Star Light Café Tour in June. He will open the shows with a solo set in 14 cities beginning June 11 in Atlanta and ending June 27 in Seattle. Foster’s latest CD, Revival, was released in September 2009. 

Genovese To Head New Country Video Network

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Tammy Genovese has been tapped by new video network, The Country Network (“TCN”), to serve as President, TCN Nashville. She has already consolidated the company’s operations to Nashville and will open the principle office at 40 Music Square West, Nashville, Tennessee 37212 on Monday, April 19.

The Country Network is currently airing in HD on WIYC-DT Montgomery, AL and will begin national and international rollout during CMA Music Festival June 10, 2010.

TCN broadcast network will be programmed solely with country music videos, and original programs focusing on artists and fans. The fan-centric, interactive network will offer videos from current and rising stars, as well as heritage artists. Owned and operated by Artists and Fans Network, Inc., TCN is striving to blend local and national broadcasting, mobile devices, and the web, into a seamless music video experience.

Genovese, who was most recently CEO of the Country Music Association, replaces TCN Co-Founder, President and COO Warren Hansen. She will report directly to the executive committee. In this new position, Genovese will be responsible for all non-broadcast operations and will work laterally to the president of the TCN Stations Group. Reporting directly to Genovese will be Kim Bullard, EVP of production; Chad Brock, programming director; and Hansen.

Genovese says the network’s mission is to generate a fan/artist-centric interactive programming schedule with three primary goals: become a primary venue for helping establish successful careers for new artists; provide additional opportunities for country’s mainstream commercial artists to engage their fans; and pay respect to the legends who are still viable and working in the industry today.

Immediately prior to joining TCN she served as the CEO of the CMA, achieving unprecedented growth for the trade organization. She has many honors to her credit including Billboard’s Top Women in Music from 2006-2009, representing the 20 most influential female executives in the music industry, as well as Nashville’s Forward 50 List. She received the Canadian Country Music Association’s Leonard T. Rambeau International Award and the 2009 NAPE award for work on behalf of the CMA for music education in the Davidson Country Public Schools. She is currently serving on the TCN Board of Directors, The Nashville Sports Council, the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville and the Music Business Advisory Council, to name a few.

She can be reached at tgenovese@tcncountry.com.