Artists Use Music Fest To Spread Message

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Many artists and songwriters are using upcoming CMA Music Festival appearances to benefit their charitable initiatives. Here’s some of the latest:

••••••Musicians On Call, which brings music to the bedsides of hospital patients, will be the beneficiary of two big events this week. Today’s (6/8) 4th Annual Country Weekly Fashion Show and Concert begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Wildhorse Saloon. Luke Bryan will perform, and Joe Nichols will be interviewed. Among the fashion models and/or performers are Bucky Covington, Love and Theft, Bo Bice, Pam Tillis, Trailer Choir, Whitney Duncan, Julie Reeves and others. Clay Walker is hosting the event alongside emcee Suzanne Alexander (GAC).

••••••The Songwriters Series at the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville’s Reverb Room also benefits Musicians On Call. The three night event starts off with a tribute to Kenny Chesney on June 10 with Mac McAnally, Craig Wiseman, and Brett James, airing live on Chesney’s No Shoes Radio. The June 11 evening will feature Chris Tomkins, Dave Berg, and Marc Beeson. Then Dallas Davidson, Tom Douglas, and Wynn Varble will close the series on Sat., June 12. Expect surprise guests. Shows take place at 8:00 PM, with tickets starting at $10 at www.TicketAlternative.com.  Visit www.hardrock.com for additional information.

•••••Chely Wright’s Reading, Writing & Rhythm Benefit Concert has lined up Trisha Yearwood, Rodney Crowell, SHeDAISY, Jamey Johnson, Bucky Covington, Justin Moore, and others to support music education in public schools. Show is today, Tuesday, June 8 at 8:00 PM at TPAC.

••••• Sarah Buxton, Jedd Hughes, Buddy Jewell, Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers, Jim Femino, Tailgate South, Devin Belle, Mike Willis, and Danny Mitchell, will play a benefit for songwriter Tony Lopacinski tonight (6/8) at Dan McGuiness pub from 6 to 10pm.

••••••In its third year as an official CMA Music Festival event, Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam takes place Wednesday (10:00 PM) at the Ryman Auditorium. Benefiting the MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief Fund, this event will feature Keith Urban, Cowboy Jack Clement, Dallas Frazier, Ronnie Milsap, Ralph Mooney, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives, The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, and more. www.ticketmaster.com

•••••Online social network and country music lifestyle destination Digital Rodeo is sponsoring the second annual Andy Griggs Celebrity Poker Tournament, to be held Thursday, June 10, at Cadillac Ranch. Winnings will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Middle Tennessee flood victims.

••••Blake Shelton will host the National Rifle Association’s inaugural sporting clay shoot, with proceeds benefiting flood relief efforts through The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. June 10, 2010 at the Tennessee Clay Target Complex from 8:00 am – 1:30 pm.

••••The Teddy Gentry & Friends Benefit for Flood Relief is Thursday, June 10, 7-10pm at 2nd Avenue Live. No cover, all ages.

•••••On Wed., June 9 the Ty Herndon & Friends benefit concert will raise money for the Middle Tennessee chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Michael Peterson, Julie Roberts, Anita Cochran, Diana DeGarmo, Amber Hayes, Herndon and more will perform. Nashville Palace, 7 p.m.

••••• Bo Bice will take the stage of the Tin Roof on Wednesday, June 9 to help raise funds and awareness for Not Alone, a non-profit organization which assists military families. Joining Bice will be Thom Shepherd, Wynn Varble, Rob Crosby, and more. The show starts at 8 PM. Tickets are $10.

••••••••Patty Loveless will be spreading awareness of COPD, the lung disease that took the life of her older sister Dottie, during CMA Music Fest. Throughout the Festival, there will be free screenings offered at the DRIVE4COPD booths at the Sports Zone and Fan Fair Hall.

Tootsies Turns 50

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Tootsies Orchid Lounge will mark its 50th anniversary with a concert at the Ryman Auditorium starring Kris Kristofferson. With more artists announcements coming, the line-up for the November 7 show will highlight the Nashville institution’s rich history.

The concert will be part of a network television special and documentary to be produced by Nashville-based Travis Television.

From 1960 when she took over Mom’s bar and named Tootsies, until her death in 1978, Hattie Louise “Tootsie” Bess helped nurture many struggling singers and songwriters. Thanks to its location by the Ryman, her beloved bar was frequented by Grand Ole Opry stars. Legend has it that Kristofferson and Willie Nelson may have lived in the watering hole’s upstairs before their careers took off.

Today Steve Smith is Tootsies’ proprietor, he will host the official VIP after-party at Tootsies following the anniversary show at the Ryman.

Details on $150 VIP packages, and $40 show tickets can be found at www.tootsies.net.

V-Albums Offer Swift Giveaway

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ScatterTunes™ new V-album technology gains added traction in country markets with the June 8 release of product from Big Machine and Valory Music artists Taylor Swift, Reba, Jewel and Justin Moore. Other albums listed on the ScatterTunes website as available in the new V-Album format include artists Lee Ann Womack, Trace Adkins, Darius Rucker and Dierks Bentley. As part of a special introductory offer, ScatterTunes plans to give away 100,000 copies of the Taylor Swift Fearless V-Wrap which contains the added features but not the music.

The new format relies upon proprietary software which must first be downloaded and installed before one can purchase and/or enjoy the V-Album features. In addition to MP3 tracks, consumers can find lyrics, photos, videos and links to artist merchandise plus concert tickets. In order to move purchased MP3 files via this new format onto an iPod, iPhone or other MP3 player it is necessary to import the tracks into iTunes. It is possible to set a preference so that newly purchased songs always get imported, but either way it seems to create a double entry organization strategy that seems to make the process more complicated, not less.

ScatterTunes describes itself as a “unique digital kiosk…a rich media tool to purchase and manage your MP3 music. The main attractions are the immersible and interactive V-Albums that can only be purchased from ScatterTunes.” The company says its iBoard software, “will quickly become your favorite tool for purchasing and managing MP3 music.”

Well, maybe this will become a favorite tool for some, but considering how difficult country fans find it just to download a track from iTunes or Amazon, this multi-program digital software installation may pose a challenge many aren’t quite ready to overcome. In many ways ScatterTunes seems to be like an iPhone App, except that it lacks portability—you have to be at your computer to use it. That is a serious drawback to adoption. And isn’t the single biggest challenge to make purchasing easier so consumers can enjoy the music however, wherever and whenever they want?

Pricing for the V-Album features for the Lee Ann Womack, Darius Rucker and Dierks Bentley albums was $12.99—$3 more than the same albums at iTunes.

Click on the V-Albums promo video below and make up your own mind. Better yet go download the proprietary software…

Photos: LBT Wedding, Lonestar On Price Is Right

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Little Big Town hosted two weddings last weekend in their “Little White Church” tent on the Country Throwdown tour. Inspired by the group’s current single, the tent offers couples the chance to get married or renew their vows through their local country radio stations. The band not only attended the ceremonies but also signed the marriage licenses as official witnesses.

The first wedding was held Friday in Cincinnati, OH for Anne Zimmerman & Josh York. (L-R): Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, Anne & Josh York, WUBE's Statt, and Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild & Jimi Westbrook.

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CBS’s The Price Is Right and host Drew Carey welcomed Lonestar recently for a show set to air Thursday, June 16. Lonestar will play throughout the show as the house band and contestants will compete for Lonestar experiences and merchandise.

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Artists/songwriters Elvis Costello and Hank Cochran caught up during the filming of the Cochran biography, Livin’ For A Song. Costello recorded Cochran’s “He’s Got You” for his Almost Blue album in 1981. Livin’ For A Song was helmed by Wesley Pryor, and previews are available here.

(L-R): Costello and Cochran, Photo: Kaye Pryor

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19/RCA Nashville’s Danny Gokey recently stepped into the kitchen with the always wonderful Hazel Smith for a visit and some good country cookin’ on her CMT series, Southern Fried Flicks with Hazel Smith.

Pictured (L-R): Smith, Gokey


Rubin First Nancy Saturn Award Recipient

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Ronna Rubin

Ronna Rubin, owner of Rubin Media will become the first recipient of the Nancy Saturn Award of Inspiration. The honor is set to be presented June 24 during the American Artisan Dinner Party & Art Auction at Nashville’s Noah Liff Opera Center.

Nancy Saturn’s involvement with Gilda’s Club Nashville and other cancer-related organizations helped her to make a difference in many people’s lives. The Award bearing her name was created to perpetuate her memory by honoring an individual who, like her, has used their time, energy and talents to further the organization’s mission.

Gilda’s was formed in 1998 to offer free lectures, workshops, classes, support groups and social activities in a non-residential, homelike setting. It provides a gathering place where people living with cancer and their families and friends can join with others to actively involve themselves in building social and emotional support as a supplement to regular medical care.

Ronna Rubin served on the Gilda’s Club Nashville Board of Directors for eight years and gave of her time and talent on countless projects. She also worked side by side with Nancy Saturn on many of those efforts.

HonkyTonk TV Spots, Webchat With Urban, See Flatts On Today

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Honky Tonk TV is scheduling artist interview slots for June 7-13. Through a partnership with Microsoft, artists are also invited to come by the Microsoft booth at Fan Fair Hall to mingle with fans, play XBOX, explore gadgets like Zune, and tour Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8, Office 2010, Silverlight, Bing, Windows Phone and the Surface. Artist reps should contact Honky Tonk TV at 615-206-3463 or watchus@HonkyTonkTV.com for details.

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Rascal Flatts will head to New York City to perform on NBC’s Today show “Summer Concert Series” on Friday, June 11. This appearance is the day prior to their visit to the CMA Music Festival where the band will sign autographs for fans at the Greased Lightning® Fan Fair® Hall in the CMT booth and will also perform at LP Field later that evening on Saturday, June 12. Rascal Flatts will launch a new tour in two weeks, the “Nothing Like This Tour,” on June 25 in Raleigh, North Caroline with opening acts Chris Young and Kellie Pickler.

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Keith Urban will web chat tonight (Monday, June 7th at 5:00pm CST/6:00pm EST) with fans about his current tour Summer Lovin’ 2010, appearing at CMA Fest, his performance with John Mayer at the CMT Awards, and his new single “I’m In.” Fans can submit questions in advance at www.keithurban.net/live or via Facebook or Twitter. The chat will be streamed live at www.keithurban.net/live.

Latest iPhone Debuts June 24

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“Stop me if you’ve seen this,” joked Apple CEO Steve Jobs, referencing the highly publicized version of the new phone that was found in the wild and leaked on blogs all over the Internet several weeks ago. “It’s the most beautiful thing we’ve ever created.” The new iPhone is glass on both sides with a metal band that binds it together and acts as an antenna. In addition to the phone and its numerous new features, the iPhone operating system’s newest version—4—will now be named iOS4 and drop the word iPhone from its title. Jobs noted that the iOS also powers the iPad which made the name change necessary.

While the Apple faithful will no doubt study the exact tech specs, suffice to say the new phone is faster, smaller, thinner, has an improved 5 megapixel camera with flash, improved battery life, sports a front facing camera which makes video chat possible and a higher resolution screen. It also has a gyroscope which will ad untold new possibilities for gaming programmers. The new phone will be available on June 24.

For complete iPhone 4 tech specs click here...

Stay tuned for more

Benefit For Songwriter Larry Wayne Clark

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Larry Wayne Clark, a longtime Nashville songwriter and MusicRow contributor, has been undergoing cancer treatment in his native Canada. Among Clark’s catalog is Chris Young’s first single, “Drinking Me Lonely,” and cuts by the Statler Brothers, Lee Greenwood, Anne Murray, and many others.

Music City friends and colleagues are staging the benefit concert “Nashville Sings for Larry Wayne Clark” to help pay for his medical expenses. The show is set for Monday, June 14, from 6-9 PM at the Red Rooster Bar & Music Hall on Demonbreun. Buddy Jewell, who wrote “Addicted to the Rain” with Clark and included it on his sophomore album, will headline. Also on the line-up are Robin English, Andrea Pearson, Lauren Lucas, Chelsee Oaks, Adam Gregory, Jared Blake, Ryan Laird, Erinn Bates, Cassidy Lynn and renowned guitarist Ladd Smith. Many will perform songs they wrote with Clark.

There will be live and silent auctions. Admission is free, but donations will taken at the door. Everyone who makes a donation of $20 or more will receive a copy of LWC Favorites: Songs of Larry Wayne Clark. The CD is available for purchase at www.larrywayneclark.com/cd.html with all proceeds going to his medical expenses.

Friends who cannot attend the benefit will be able to view streaming video at UARadio. Online donations may be made via PayPal. The “send to” address to use in the US is the1mag@comcast.net and in Canada it’s canuckmag@comcast.net

For more information, call Robyn Taylor-Drake at 615-726-5810 or robynt11@comcast.net.

Sony Promotes Scott McDaniel To VP Creative

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Scott McDaniel

Scott McDaniel has been promoted to Vice President, Creative Services, for Sony Music Nashville. He joined the company in March 2008 as Sr. Director, Creative Services with 15 years of design and production experience to his credit.

In his new post, McDaniel will continue to head the Sony Music Nashville creative team, overseeing artist imaging and all operations related to print and video creation, including video production, album packaging, photography, and design for the label group and its four recording imprints: Arista Nashville, BNA Records, Columbia Nashville, and RCA Nashville.

VP, Marketing Tom Baldrica announced the promotion. “Scott has made an impact on all aspects of our creative process from the day he came to Sony Music Nashville,” said Baldrica. “He has raised the bar on videos, album packaging, and photo shoots, all while dealing with the changing economics of our business. He inspires his team, our artists, and our company on a daily basis.”

McDaniel remarked, “It is a privilege to serve with such an innovative creative department, the Sony Music Nashville team, world renowned photographers, landmark directors, artist managers, and our collective family of recording artists. To be entrusted in executing the visual art that will best communicate our artists’ music is a treasure. Without question, this career benchmark is humbling.”

McDaniel’s prior tenures include LifeWay, EMI Christian Music Label, CCM Communications, and ForeFront Records.

ASCAP Hires Two In Creative Dept.

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L-R: Michael Martin, Robert Filhart

ASCAP’s Nashville office today announced the hiring of Michael Martin as Sr. Creative Director and Robert Filhart as Creative Manager. Over the last several months the performing rights organization has reworked its Nashville operations to serve as a regional headquarters.

Martin comes to ASCAP from Extreme Writers Group (EWG) where he was Partner and Co-Founder with Jason Houser and shared responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of the publishing and content development companies. EWG has enjoyed numerous No. 1’s, including the recent success of Rascal Flatts’ “Here Comes Goodbye” and George Strait’s “I Saw God Today,” as well as the current Top 5 single “Crazy Town” by Jason Aldean. Since launching in 2000, EWG also had the 14-week Christian chart-topper “The Motions” by Matthew West, and hits with Big & Rich’s “Lost In This Moment” and Jason Aldean’s “Johnny Cash” and “Why.” As a graduate of University of Texas Arlington, Martin began his career in music publishing as VP of Creative Services at Moraine Music.

Filhart joins ASCAP from his most recent post as an Associate Manager at Dottore-DuBois Artist Management. In this position, he handled day-to-day activities for Matt Jenkins and Connie Smith. He was previously employed with Still Working Music, where he worked primarily as a songplugger while also handling day-to-day logistics for Danielle Peck. He began his career interning for Universal South Records and, later, at Major Bob Music/Bob Doyle & Associates. Filhart graduated with a B.S. in Business/Music Industry Management from Ferris State University in Michigan.

“We’re delighted to bring the diverse talents of Michael and Robert to our organization,” said Tim DuBois, VP and Managing Executive of operations at ASCAP Nashville. “Their experience, passion for the craft, and dedication to writers and artists wonderfully complement the overall vision of ASCAP, as well as the new elevated role in expanding and enhancing our relationships with our writers and publishers across all musical genres.”

“I have loved being a music publisher, and working closely with writers and artists and the songs they create is an amazing process,” added Martin. “To continue to be a part of this process while working with the ASCAP community and its members is an opportunity I am thrilled to be taking.”

“I am very excited to be a part of this amazing creative team that is ASCAP Nashville,” said Filhart. “The foundation for a successful music industry has always been great songs created by great writers, and I am looking forward to creating opportunities to help our members do what they do best.”