Rockhouse Partners (l-r): Tawn Albright, Kevin Brown, and Joe Kustelski
Former echo/Ticketmaster executives Tawn Albright, Kevin Brown and Joe Kustelski have formed sponsorship agency Rockhouse Partners, which officially launches today (2/2) with a full slate of clients. The Nashville based company will focus on connecting sponsor brands to consumers in the music and sports industries through digital marketing strategy, online/offline activation programs, and new digital products, along with data aggregation and analysis.
Rockhouse Partners’ initial clients include C3 Presents (Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival), Lance Armstrong and the RadioShack Pro Cycling Team, Next BIG Nashville, the Tennessee State Fair, Nashville agencies like redpepper, and other entities across the entertainment vertical. The company’s target clients are sponsorship brokers, live entertainment properties, brands and their agencies, sports entities, advertising/marketing firms, and media companies.
In addition to Rockhouse Partners’ initial clients, the company has formed partnerships with Nashville entities including American Songwriter magazine and email marketing firm Emma; along with Austin-based design/development shop Smith & Robot.
Co-founders Albright, Brown, and Kustelski bring to Rockhouse Partners over 40 years combined experience in technology, digital media, consumer products, ticketing, live entertainment, artist management, promotions, start-ups, advertising, and Fortune 500 brands. The trio met at Echo, Ticketmaster Entertainment’s digital marketing firm, where Albright served as CEO, Brown led Strategic Marketing, and Kustelski was Vice President of Product & Technology. While collaborating at Ticketmaster/Echo, the Rockhouse Partners founders fine tuned their eye toward data by managing 15 million consumer database relationships, 200,000 paid fan club subscriptions, one million mobile fan records, and more than $25 million in ticket sales annually.
“From my days at The Coca-Cola Company in corporate development to Ticketmaster and Echo where we managed the digital presence for more than 250 artists, festivals, and properties; sponsorships have become the glue in connecting brands to the entertainment industry. The way the industry is moving, brands are demanding more value in the form of measuring data and proving ROI. We see a major opportunity to activate brands and fans in a meaningful, relevant, and interactive way,” stated Albright.
“We launched this venture hell-bent on not creating just another digital marketing firm. We’re creating scalable technology products that address specific business opportunities, we understand the value of data, and we bake measurement into everything we do,” said Kustelski.
“The response so far to our unique model has exceeded all expectations. We’re busy growing the team, building out our technology platform, and we’re beyond excited to take this next step,” said Brown. “2010 looks bright as we’ll be focusing on business development, with programs planned at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin and the annual IEG Sponsorship Conference in Chicago.”
“We can’t say enough great things about Rockhouse,” offers Courtney Graber, Director of Sponsorships for C3 Presents. “They have the unique ability to grasp digital strategy and technology at the highest level, combine that knowledge with an in-depth understanding of brand sponsorships, all the while being able to manage and measure the most critical success metrics.”
Contact Rockhouse at hello@rockhousepartners.com or 615-772-4326. The Rockhouse offices are located at 2120 8th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37204.
Arts & Business Council Sponsors Law Clinic
/by contributorJewel And Aldean Team With Country Financial
/by contributor“We’re thrilled to be partnering with these two amazing artists,” says Doyle Williams, Chief Marketing Officer at Country Financial. “Jason and Jewel share our down-to-earth personality, and like Country, they’re involved in their communities.”
Aldean’s first Country Financial concert is March 10 in Ames, Iowa. Jewel will kick off her performances in June. As part of “Road Trips and Guitar Picks,” concert-goers will be able to text for seat upgrades, enter mobile sweepstakes and win VIP backstage opportunities.
“I’m stoked to partner with Country,” says Aldean. “Their customers and my fan base are very similar, so it’s awesome that we can get together and offer all of these cool extras that my fans can’t get anywhere else.”
CMT Names Farmer Top 20 Countdown Host
/by contributor“Evan is a gifted broadcaster with music in his DNA,” says Hamlin. “He is also a one-of-a-kind talent with an impressively unique resume. We’re thrilled to have him at CMT.”
“Hosting CMT Top 20 Countdown is a dream job for me,” says Farmer. “I get to interview inspiring people, surround myself with great music and stay close to my family here in Nashville. CMT already feels like home.”
Brady Seals
/by ProgrammerPlaylistStarCity/Nine North
Full of laughs and highly entertaining. The lyric is wildly clever, and the track rocks splendidly. “Set ‘em all up—put ‘em on the table I can tell you what it is without looking at the label.” Woo-hoo. Larry Franklin’ fiddle sizzles, and Jeff King’s guitar is frothing.
—Robert K. Oermann, MusicRow
Brady Seals’ “Been There, Drunk That” is currently impacting country radio, and is already earning praise from critics. More than 20 years after he rise to the heights of country music fame as the long-haired Little Texas heartthrob on keys, Seals continues to thrive on the edge of the genre, easing effortlessly into the role of the slightly subversive renegade. His latest solo effort, Play Time, is a no-holds-barred celebration of “long-legged, half-wasted” party girls, dance club debauchery, and illicit smoke breaks. “There’s no question of this being a really adult record,” Seals says. “It gets raunchy and raw. But I’ve always wanted to make music that affects people. Love it, hate it. But you can’t ignore it.”
Seals had planned to independently release Play Time online when StarCity Recording Company entered the picture. An industry friend had passed the album advance to StarCity head Jeff Glixman, best known as producer of 1970’s progressive rock band Kansas, among others. The StarCity team promised Seals a level of creative control that he’d never before experienced with a label. “I was thrilled,” Seals explains, “to hear from this boutique indie label that wanted to release my album exactly as I had hoped to on my own…only with more money to put behind it.”
Seals has successfully managed to reinvent himself throughout his career, while always remaining true to his musical roots in rock-tinged country. At 16, Seals left his home in Ohio as a touring musician, and by 21 had scored three No. 1 hits with Little Texas—all of which he’d co-written, winning him the ASCAP Triple Play award. He went on to release three solo albums in the late ‘90s before forming and fronting the quartet of player’s players known as Hot Apple Pie, with whom he scored a top 20 hit (“Hillbillies”) and opened for such superstars as Keith Urban and Tim McGraw.
http://www.bradyseals.com/
Madeleine Parlatore and Shirley Collie LifeNotes
/by Robert K Oermann(Updated 2/3/10) Madeleine Parlatore, longtime administrator and office manager of Big Tractor Music, has passed away. The company’s Jason Krupek says she was “Mom” to everyone at the publishing company, where she spent 13 years. The funeral will be Friday, February 5 at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens, located at 9090 Highway 100. Visitation will be at 12:30 pm, followed by the service at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made In Memory of Madeleine Parlatore to Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 210830, Nashville, TN 37221
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Born Shirley Caddell in 1931, she initially gained prominence by performing in the 1950s on the nationally telecast Ozark Jubilee. She married and divorced Disc Jockey Hall of Fame member Biff Collie, which is how she acquired her performing name.
Signing with Liberty Records, Shirley Collie made her chart debut in 1961 with the Harlan Howard song “Dime a Dozen.” She and Warren Smith revived the George Jones classic “Why Baby Why” as a duet later that same year.
Her next duet partner was Willie Nelson. In fact, their version of “Willingly” in 1962 marked his debut on the country charts. It was also her only top-10 hit. She married Nelson as her second husband in 1963. She was his second wife and was married to him when he was a member of the Grand Ole Opry. They resided north of Nashville in Ridgetop, TN in the 1960s. They had no children and divorced in 1971.
They co-wrote his 1968 single “Little Things,” and she is also credited with writing his singles “I Hope So” (1969) and “Once More with Feeling” (1970). Shirley Caddell Collie Nelson published Scrapbooks in My Mind as her autobiography in 2009. She was 78 when she died on Wednesday, January 27.
BBR Adds Ferris; Capitol CRS Lunch
/by Sarah SkatesDawn Ferris
Broken Bow Records VP of Promotion Lee Adams and SVP of Promotion Carson James have added Dawn Ferris as Manager Regional Promotion, Midwest. She takes office Monday, Feb. 8 and will report directly to Adams. Ferris is a veteran of the Midwest region, having worked over 10 years at Arista Nashville, followed by a year at Equity Records. She can be reached at dawn@brokenbowrecords.com or via phone at 214-924-1020.
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Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® has announced Eric Church and Emily West as this year’s performers for the Capitol Nashville luncheon during CRS 2010, to be held Feb. 24-26, 2010. The Capitol Nashville luncheon will be held on Friday, Feb. 26, from noon – 1:50 p.m. in the newly renovated CMA Performance Hall inside the Nashville Convention Center.
Church recently released his sophomore effort, Carolina, which yielded the Top 10 single, “Love Your Love the Most,” and the current single, “Hell on the Heart,” which is Top 25 and climbing.
West is known for powerful vocals and an energetic and engaging stage presence. Her new single “Blue Sky” features Keith Urban. She co-wrote the song with Gary Burr.
Registration for Country Radio Seminar 2010 is available at www.CRB.org.
Oscar Noms; Grammy Ratings Spur Digital Sales; CMT Special
/by Sarah Skates———————-
GRAMMY Ratings Hit High Note: The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards posted the highest ratings since 2004 with an average audience of 25.8 million viewers, up 35 percent from last year’s telecast, and marked increases across key demographics, according to preliminary ratings results from Nielsen. Compared to last year’s telecast, the GRAMMYs posted a 36 percent increase in adults 25–54, and a 32 percent increase in adults 18–34 and 18–49.
GRAMMY Songs Dominate iTunes Top 20: Yesterday, following the Sunday night Grammys, fans flocked to iTunes to download the songs performed on the show. Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now,” hit No. 1 on iTunes’ Top Songs chart. The Black Eyed Peas had two songs in the Top 10 with “Imma Be” and “I Gotta Feeling.” Andrea Bocelli and Mary J. Blige’s duet of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was No. 11, with all proceeds benefitting Haiti relief. Other GRAMMY-performed songs charting included tracks from Taylor Swift, Pink, Dave Matthews Band, Lady Gaga and the 2010 GRAMMY Nominees collection.
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MTV, VH1 and CMT say “Save The Date.” On 10-10-10 the networks will host a special live musical event highlighting the top artists of the decade as selected by the viewers. For the first time ever, these powerful music brands will come together to celebrate the decade in music on one big night, across all 3 networks.
Sanford And Nichols At Sound Kitchen; Celeb Softball
/by MichelleChas Sandford
Tim Nichols
Chas Sandford, Tim Nichols and friends will perform at Strings and Stories: A Night of Songwriter’s Tales on Feb. 20 at the Sound Kitchen in Franklin. The event will benefit the children of High Hopes Inclusive Preschool and Pediatric Therapy Clinic, and in addition to the performances, will include a “Meet the Artist” session with wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres. To make reservations please send a check for $125 per person payable to High Hopes, Inc., c/o High Hopes Fund Development, 1647 Mallory Lane, Suite 103, Brentwood, TN 37027. You may also make reservations by phone at (615) 522-5611.
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The 20th annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge is set for June 7 at Greer Stadium in Nashville. Considered as an unofficial kickoff to the CMA Music Festival, this high-profile game features country stars, athletes and celebrities taking the field to represent team sponsors Grand Ole Opry Live and After MidNite with Blair Garner. Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Clint Black and many others have all stepped up to the plate in past years to help raise funds and awareness for City of Hope’s lifesaving mission.
Carrie Underwood at a past Celebrity Softball Challenge.
Underwood Video Debut; No Shoes Radio Live From Miami
/by FreemanUnderwood will be at South Florida’s Sun Life Stadium Sunday (2/7) to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl XLIV between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. Queen Latifah will also be present to sing “America The Beautiful.” The performances will be broadcast live on CBS Sports prior to kickoff.
===============
“Miami is strictly VIP, invitation only,” says Chesney. “But we’re gonna take my friends to hang out by way of No Shoes Radio. There’ll be people stopping by… a party going on… and all of the post-long-day-in-the-sun vibe that is South Beach in full swing. I can’t get you in, but that doesn’t mean I can’t bring you along.”
Chesney’s latest single “Ain’t Back Yet” will be arriving at country radio February 8, and fans across America will soon be able to experience his national film release Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3-D.
Former Echo Execs Launch Sponsorship Agency
/by Sarah SkatesRockhouse Partners (l-r): Tawn Albright, Kevin Brown, and Joe Kustelski
Former echo/Ticketmaster executives Tawn Albright, Kevin Brown and Joe Kustelski have formed sponsorship agency Rockhouse Partners, which officially launches today (2/2) with a full slate of clients. The Nashville based company will focus on connecting sponsor brands to consumers in the music and sports industries through digital marketing strategy, online/offline activation programs, and new digital products, along with data aggregation and analysis.
Rockhouse Partners’ initial clients include C3 Presents (Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival), Lance Armstrong and the RadioShack Pro Cycling Team, Next BIG Nashville, the Tennessee State Fair, Nashville agencies like redpepper, and other entities across the entertainment vertical. The company’s target clients are sponsorship brokers, live entertainment properties, brands and their agencies, sports entities, advertising/marketing firms, and media companies.
Co-founders Albright, Brown, and Kustelski bring to Rockhouse Partners over 40 years combined experience in technology, digital media, consumer products, ticketing, live entertainment, artist management, promotions, start-ups, advertising, and Fortune 500 brands. The trio met at Echo, Ticketmaster Entertainment’s digital marketing firm, where Albright served as CEO, Brown led Strategic Marketing, and Kustelski was Vice President of Product & Technology. While collaborating at Ticketmaster/Echo, the Rockhouse Partners founders fine tuned their eye toward data by managing 15 million consumer database relationships, 200,000 paid fan club subscriptions, one million mobile fan records, and more than $25 million in ticket sales annually.
“From my days at The Coca-Cola Company in corporate development to Ticketmaster and Echo where we managed the digital presence for more than 250 artists, festivals, and properties; sponsorships have become the glue in connecting brands to the entertainment industry. The way the industry is moving, brands are demanding more value in the form of measuring data and proving ROI. We see a major opportunity to activate brands and fans in a meaningful, relevant, and interactive way,” stated Albright.
“We launched this venture hell-bent on not creating just another digital marketing firm. We’re creating scalable technology products that address specific business opportunities, we understand the value of data, and we bake measurement into everything we do,” said Kustelski.
“The response so far to our unique model has exceeded all expectations. We’re busy growing the team, building out our technology platform, and we’re beyond excited to take this next step,” said Brown. “2010 looks bright as we’ll be focusing on business development, with programs planned at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin and the annual IEG Sponsorship Conference in Chicago.”
“We can’t say enough great things about Rockhouse,” offers Courtney Graber, Director of Sponsorships for C3 Presents. “They have the unique ability to grasp digital strategy and technology at the highest level, combine that knowledge with an in-depth understanding of brand sponsorships, all the while being able to manage and measure the most critical success metrics.”
Contact Rockhouse at hello@rockhousepartners.com or 615-772-4326. The Rockhouse offices are located at 2120 8th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37204.