Free Downloads From CMA Music Fest; Celeb Softball Challenge

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It’s hard to believe the CMA Music Festival is only a few months away. As line-ups are finalized, the CMA is working to get fans excited about the event running June 10-13 in Nashville. The Country Music Association and iTunes® have teamed up to offer a free digital music sampler, available through May 1 here.

The sampler includes Trailer Choir “Rolling Through the Sunshine,” Burns & Poe “Don’t Get No Better Than That,” Ash Bowers “Stuck,” Derek Sholl “When They Come Back,” and Veronica Ballestrini “Don’t Say.”

Plans are also underway for the 20th Annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge. Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan have already signed on to play in the fundraiser for City of Hope which unofficially kicks-off the 2010 CMA Music Festival. The game is Monday, June 6, 2010, 7 PM at Greer Stadium  in Nashville. A special package via Ticketmaster offers four tickets for $60. To date, the Celebrity Softball Challenge has raised over $2 million, with all proceeds benefiting City of Hope.

Show Dog-Universal Moves Under One Roof

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The Show Dog – Universal staff is now united under one roof. The label is operating out of offices at 2303 21st Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37212. See the updated contact information below. Email addresses for out-of-state Regionals Greg Sax and Lisa Owen are unchanged.

The two labels announced plans to merge in December 2009.

Lambert, Lady A To Headline ACM Fremont St. Experience

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The Academy of Country Music is hosting two days of entertainment leading up to the April 18 ACM Awards in Las Vegas, with Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert set to headline the Fremont Street Experience.

Two stages will be set up to offer fans free concerts on April 15-16 as part of “The Week Vegas Goes Country!” Scheduled to perform on April 16 are Lady A, Emily West, The Band Perry, Danny Gokey, and David Nail. The following night offers Lambert with Randy Rogers Band and ACM top newcomer category award winners Luke Bryan, Joey + Rory, and Gloriana.

The ACM Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 18, 2010 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS.

Local Experts Weigh In On “Idol”

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Fox reporter Stacy McCloud with Mansfield, Kennedy and Freeman

For all you American Idol junkies, Nashville’s Fox 17 is hosting a panel of music biz experts each Tues. night after the show to weigh in on what happened that evening. On the panel each week until the end of the season are MusicRow Chart Director Jon Freeman, USA Today Nashville correspondent Brian Mansfield and Cherry Heart Sr. VP Shelby Kennedy, all returning for the second year in a row to offer thoughts and analysis. See the clip from week 1 here, and tune in tomorrow night (3/30) during the 9 PM news.

Mansfield, who also writes USA Today’s Idol Chatter blog, posted an interesting thought over the weekend: “The doomsday scenario: How Tim Urban wins ‘American Idol'”

By all rights, this ought to be the week that Tim Urban finally goes home. The dreamy-eyed, questionably talented 20-year-old from Duncanville, Texas, who owes his American Idol spot to Chris Golightly’s dodgy interpretation of contract questions, has made the bottom three the first two weeks of the finals. The other contestants in the initial trio — Lacey Brown and Paige Miles — already have sung their farewell songs. Logic says, then, that this should be the week Tim’s luck finally runs out.

But what if it’s not?

What if Tim’s repeated brushes with obscurity have served only to energize his fan base? And what if a week of Disney Channel stars on Idol actually expanded that base?

What if 12-year-old girls — you remember, the ones that supposedly mass-texted Kris Allen to victory last season — actually exist in the numbers Kris’ detractors imagined? And what if they’ve formed some unholy alliance with a more-powerful-than-expected Vote for the Worst faction?

What if Tim can ride that bottom-three wave all season long, managing to eke out a few more votes each week than just one other contestant until, finally, there are no other contestants left?

Finish reading.

Carpenter To Be Honored By AMA, Play Schermerhorn

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The Americana Music Association and Washington D.C.’s Newseum will present Mary Chapin Carpenter with the “Spirit of Americana” Free Speech in Music Award on April 27. The heralded singer will be honored during the “Freedom Sings” event in the nation’s capital, which will include a conversation with Carpenter, and performances by Grammy winners Judy Collins and Rodney Crowell.

“Ms. Carpenter is an artist in the truest sense of the word,” said Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly. “With her live performance and studio albums, her music has touched and inspired so many. We are honored to bestow this prestigious award on her.” The Newseum is presenting the honor via its First Amendment Center, which also has an office at Vanderbilt University. Past recipients include Collins, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez, Mavis Staples, Charlie Daniels and Steve Earle. Ticket details at www.newseum.org.

Carpenter is a fitting honoree because in addition to her Grammy winning music career, she is a dedicated supporter of Campaign for a Landmine-Free World, Artists Against Hunger and Poverty, Voters for Choice, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and other groups.

She has been making music consistently since her breakthrough to mainstream country in the ’90s with such memorable hits as “Down at the Twist and Shout,” “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” and “Shut Up and Kiss Me.” Now she is planning the April 27 release of her album The Age of Miracles on Zoe/Rounder Records. Carpenter will perform at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on July 16. Tickets start at $27.50 and may be purchased online at NashvilleSymphony.org.

In more Americana Music Association news, the organization is about to begin the nominations process for its annual Honors & Awards. Only eligible members can vote. This year’s Awards show will take place on Thurs., Sept. 9, as part of the festival and conference running Sept. 8-11, 2010.

More Stars Added to Rogers Tribute

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Smokey Robinson, Tim McGraw, Chris Isaak, Darius Rucker, Billy Currington and Sheena Easton have now signed on to perform on the television special Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years, joining previously announced guests Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Alison Krauss, Wynonna and The Oak Ridge Boys. The array of artists will perform, along with Rogers, and a few will host different segments of the show at the special taping on April 10th at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Ledyard, CT.

Parton, Richie, Krauss, Robinson, Isaak, Judd, The Oak Ridge Boys, Easton, original members of The First Edition and Rogers will perform live at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods. McGraw, Rucker and Currington will be performing for the show from remote locations.

Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years, will celebrate Rogers’ stellar career and 50 years of making music. Shot in hi-definition, this special will find the viewer “visually surrounded and fully immersed” in the concert. Mark Lucas, who recently directed the concert films for Dave Matthews and Kings of Leon, will direct, and songwriter Monty Powell will serve as Musical Director. Details on the network airing the special, even more guest stars and other surprises will be announced leading up to the event.

St. Jude Road Race Comes to CMA Fest

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On Saturday, June 12, Curb Records artist Jo Dee Messina will serve as host for the St. Jude Music Fest Road Race, the first family run to be included in the 39-year history of the CMA Music Festival. Country music fans will walk and run in support of patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital who are battling cancer and other deadly diseases. Race participants can register for the 5K race at www.musicfestroadrace.org. Registration fees are $20 through May 28. Fees increase to $25 beginning May 29 through June 11; race day registration is $30. In addition, a one mile Fun Run for kids will be held prior to the 5K.

Jo Dee Messina

St. Jude Music Fest Road Race participants can become St. Jude Heroes and raise additional funds for St. Jude by collecting donations from friends and family as they train for the race. St. Jude Heroes receive helpful resources including fundraising tips, free online training at Active.com and a personalized fundraising Web page.

St. Jude Heroes who raise $250 will receive two tickets to the CMA Music Festival Saturday night concert. Those who raise $500 will be invited to an exclusive brunch with Jo Dee Messina. All funds collected from race registration and raised by St. Jude Heroes benefit St. Jude, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers. To learn more about the St. Jude Heroes program, click here.

Artist News: Walker Cares, Daniels Rings, Wilson Rocks and More

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Clay Walker, multi-platinum artist and founder of Band Against MS (BAMS), received the Robert M. Barg Memorial Achievement Award during the Fearless Caregiver Conference in Nashville on Wednesday, March 10. Today’s Caregiver magazine awarded Walker with its highest honor after his keynote speech on how to become a fearless caregiver.

This is only the fourth time an individual has received this honor in the organization’s history. He was on hand during the conference to help field questions about multiple sclerosis as well as caring for loved ones with the disease. Walker was featured on the cover of the magazine’s October 2009 Rural Caregiver issue, as well as in a full, four-page spread about his family, his battle with MS and his involvement with BAMS.

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GAC President Ed Hardy and Alan Jackson

Urban and Jackson Visit GAC
Superstars Keith Urban and Alan Jackson are both featured on GAC’s Top 20 Countdown in the coming week. The artists stopped by GAC’s Music Row studios for a chat with show host Nan Kelley. Urban talked about his ACM Entertainer of the Year nomination as well as life on the road and with his family. Jackson shared info about Freight Train, his soon to be released 18th album and his excitement at getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame later next month. The show will air on Friday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. CT.

Also airing on GAC several times over the coming week is Alan Jackson: Aquapalooza, the singer’s live lakeside concert special.

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Download Daniels
Charlie Daniels fans can now download a free ringtone of the music heard in the venerable country star’s recent GEICO commercial here or at www.charliedaniels.com. The ringtone features the fiddle solo Daniels plays in the restaurant during the commercial. The ad is one of four spots currently airing as part of GEICO’s “Rhetorical Questions” campaign.

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Rascal Flatts Visit Ellen
ACM Vocal Group of The Year nominee Rascal Flatts will travel to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida this weekend to tape an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, set to air on April 2. The trio will perform their rapidly rising hit single, “Unstoppable,” which is currently #12 and climbing on Billboard.

The band, who recently wrapped up its Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour, is currently in the studio working on a new album and will soon announce a new summer tour.

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Another Gold Cert For Keith
Toby Keith is already two hits into his new album American Ride, but one of the biggest hits from his last album is still making noise. “God Love Her,” Keith’s multi-week No. 1 from That Don’t Make Me A Bad Guy has achieved RIAA Gold certification for sales of more than 500,000 copies. Meanwhile, Keith’s upcoming American Ride Tour is expected to pack venues
this summer. The new tour will echo last year’s America’s Toughest Tour with the inclusion of his new labelmate Trace Adkins.

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Rich Fetes Wilson
The party was on once again this past Thursday (3/25) at Mt. Richmore, John Rich’s hilltop monument in the middle of Nashville. Rich himself hosted the bash dedicated to now-indie artist Gretchen Wilson. The crowd enjoyed drinks from the fully stocked bar and cigars from Rich’s own humidor as Wilson rocked the house with songs from her new release, I Got Your Country Right Here, along with selections from Led Zeppelin, Foreigner and Patsy Cline.

CEO Group Spotlights Music City Publishing Mechanics

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Josh Kear (with mic) addresses a meeting of CEOs from the World Presidents' Organization about songwriting and publishing in Nashville. Also in attendance at the on March 4, Los Angeles gathering were Kear's Big Yellow Dog publishers Carla Wallace (L) and Kerry O'Neil (R).

“World Presidents’ Organization (http://www.WPO.org) is composed of CEOs,” says Big Yellow Dog co-owner Kerry O’Neil. “About one third of them are entrepreneurs, a third run significant family businesses and the others have become CEOs or key executives through large corporations. The group’s recent March 4 meeting was in Los Angeles at the house of Chris Gorog, who, until recently, headed the new Napster.”

WPO hosts seminars about a variety of subjects. Gorog had become aware of the unique environment in which Nashville’s publishing community operates through his Music City visits and had asked O’Neil to address the group.

“Generally this group is interested in the mechanics of business,” says O’Neil. “In this case they were fascinated with the orientation of publishing houses where the writers are a central part of the process, similar in a way to the old Tin Pan Alley concepts. I’ve started two of these companies already and therefore came prepared to talk about where the money is made, how you capitalize the business and how long it takes before you can make any money.  But I told Chris, ‘If I can bring our writer Josh Kear and he tells people about what writing a song is like and they can ask him about the songwriting process, then you won’t hear many questions addressed to me.’ Chris had followed Josh’s career and loved the idea. So we played the “Before He Cheats” video and Josh talked about the writing of the song and how it was first pitched to Gretchen Wilson who turned it down. Next it went to Carrie Underwood and soon became both a lightning rod for her career and a game changer for Josh. Sure enough, I was right about Josh getting the bulk of the attention.”

But O’Neil did focus on a few macro level ideas such as the changes in mechanical revenue that in many cases have impacted people adversely. “If you have catalogs of significant size and age then you’ve probably begun to experience a dramatic drop in mechanicals,” ONeil related. “Also the shrinking mechanical earnings are even more skewed because a larger portion of them are now derived from singles which really weren’t a significant source of mechanicals 8-10 years ago. Singles are also the source of most performance income, so more than ever it’s a winner take all process. The single is all-important.”

BMG Rights Mgt. Acquires Cherry Lane

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BMG Rights Management has entered into an agreement to acquire Cherry Lane Music Publishing. Cherry Lane’s roster of songwriters includes Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Black Eyed Peas, Will.i.am, John Legend, Quincy Jones, Warren Haynes, Jordin Sparks, Ashford & Simpson and Hans Zimmer.

The acquisition gives BMG Rights Management a major presence in the U.S., where it launched last December with offices in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, following the July 2009 acquisition of Crosstown Songs America.

BMG Rights Management was established October, 2008 by former BMG Music Publishing Germany CEO Hartwig Masuch shortly after Bertelsmann sold its 50% stake in the Sony BMG joint venture to Sony. Universal Music Group agreed to acquire BMG Music Publishing in 2006.

“Having already established itself once as a leader in the music publishing industry over several decades, BMG, via its partnership with KKR, has quickly begun to take on a leadership position again on a global basis,” says Peter Primont, Cherry Lane’s CEO and a major shareholder. “We are excited to be part of the team that will continue to grow the business at this important juncture in music publishing’s evolution.”

BMG’s Masuch added: “We chose to acquire Cherry Lane given its highly-regarded, service-oriented approach with its artist/songwriter clients, its extensive catalog of legendary songs, and its breadth of relationships within the music, television, and filmed entertainment communities.”

London’s Financial Times today cited a selling price of between $85 million and $100 million in a report today (3/26).