Tim McGraw
Acclaimed PBS music show Soundstage has a Country-packed line up for its eighth season, kicking-off Jan. 21 with a concert from superstar Tim McGraw.
On Feb. 18 Faith Hill is backed by a full orchestra, to perform selections from her greatest hits. Filmed at the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, Hill’s performance includes “The Kiss, “ “The Way You Love Me,” and Grammy Award winning songs “Breathe,” and “Cry.”
Faith Hill
On Feb. 4 Three Girls and Their Buddy: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller play an episode that captures the group’s special bond, having been in each other’s bands, produced and played on each other’s albums, covered each other’s songs, and sat in on each other’s shows over the years.
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson guests on Feb. 25 with his eight-piece band gathered round the stage to highlight songs from his first-ever bluegrass album, produced in collaboration with T-Bone Burnett. Tipping his hat to the genre, Willie puts his stamp on standards like Bob Wills’ “Trouble In Mind,” and Al Dexter’s “Pistol Packin’ Mamma,” as well as his own hits like “Whiskey River.”
The new season will also include performances from Lynyrd Skynyrd (Feb. 11) and The Fray (Jan. 28).
Three Girls and Their Buddy: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller
Jason Aldean Goes Platinum
/by Sarah SkatesAldean’s first live DVD Wide Open Live & More has also been certified Gold as he wraps up the best year of his career. And he shows no signs of slowing down as his single “The Truth” hits No. 15 on MusicRow’s Country Breakout chart this week.
“Getting my first platinum album back in 2006 was one of the proudest moments in my career so far,” said the Broken Bow Records artist. “Put this one at the top of that list too. 2009 was a really special year for me, and I have so much to be thankful for going into the holidays!”
Brooks And Dunn Map “Last Rodeo”
/by Sarah SkatesBrian O’Connell, concert promoter Live Nation’s President of Nashville Touring, is helping oversee the nationwide run. The tour follows the recent release of Brooks & Dunn’s career-spanning double-disc collection, #1s … and then some.
Hall of Fame Extends Williams Family Exhibition
/by MichelleThe museum is also preparing to unveil additions and revisions to its core exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, in May 2010. It will be expanded, updated, and reinvigorated with new exhibits, new themes, new content, a new look, and more video and audio.
Check out the Hall’s updated Web site here.
Martell Fun Run A Big Success
/by Sarah SkatesThe T.J. Martell Foundation recently surprised the CAA staff with Dunkin' Donuts as a reward for leading the Music Industry Challenge in support of the Dunkin' Donuts Family Fun Run & Walk-A-Thon.
The 2nd Annual Dunkin’ Donuts Family Fun Run & Walk-A-Thon was a sweet success, drawing a crowd of over 600 families for the recent 5K race in Nashville’s Centennial Park, and netting $30,000 for the T.J. Martell Foundation. Hosted by Eddie and Taj George and Family, the event featured energetic performances by teen favorites pureNRG, Madison Cain and actor/singer Luke Benward, plus a family picnic and games.
Organizers Taj and Eriq George with Star Wars characters at the Family Fun Run
On race day, the final tallies came in for the T.J. Martell Music Industry Challenge and Creative Artist Agency (CAA) was named the winner for recruiting the largest team with over 34 individuals participating. As the grand prize winner, CAA is receiving the music industry team trophy and a Dunkin’ Donuts breakfast bash.
“I give the credit to CAA agent and team coach Blake McDaniel who is an avid runner and daily inspired our staff to rally around such a great cause,” said John Huie, Co-Head of CAA Nashville and T.J. Martell Foundation Board Member. “I challenge anyone else in the music business to try and beat us next year!”
Proceeds will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation’s mission of funding innovative cancer research at the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
Rascal Flatts Opt For Digital-Only Holiday EP
/by Sarah SkatesHuffman Rice Open Bus Driver Training Program
/by Sarah SkatesA transportation executive for 20 years, Huffman co-founded Nitetrain Coach in 1986. The company provides 50-60 buses (all Prevost Le Mirage XL II’s, primarily slide-outs) as year-round tour transportation for artists including Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Kings of Leon, Korn and Tool.
Rice has owned Top Billing, Inc. since 1968, and has worked with such superstars as Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. More recently he helped start the George Jones University, and was an adjunct music business professor at Belmont University.
Read more from the Nashville Post. For more information or to apply to the Academy, contact Rice at 615-297-2771 or log on to www.huffman-rice.com.
John Rich, Steel Magnolia, Carter’s Chord at Christmas Parade Tonight
/by Sarah SkatesCarter's Chord
Steel Magnolia and Carter’s Chord are among the performers at tonight’s (12/4) tree lighting ceremony to kick off the Nashville Christmas Parade, where John Rich will serve as grand marshal. The tree lighting ceremony is at 6 p.m., with Rich and Mayor Karl Dean at the Public Square, near the intersection of Second Avenue and Union Street. Fireworks will follow at 7 p.m., and then the parade at 7:15 p.m.
Hosted by Piedmont Natural Gas, the parade starts at 6th and Broadway and continues east to 2nd Avenue before crossing the Woodland Street Bridge to the LP Field. The entire event will be recorded for later broadcast on Nashville TV station, Metro Channel 3.
The parade will cause road closures starting at 4 p.m. Adding to downtown traffic tie-ups tonight will a 5K run, the Gaither Homecoming concert, and regular rush hour.
The 2009 parade theme is “Share the Warmth of the Holidays.” Proceeds benefit Share The Warmth, an energy assistance program that helps those who struggle to pay their home energy bills.
“Soundstage” Sets Country Line-up
/by Sarah SkatesTim McGraw
Acclaimed PBS music show Soundstage has a Country-packed line up for its eighth season, kicking-off Jan. 21 with a concert from superstar Tim McGraw.
On Feb. 18 Faith Hill is backed by a full orchestra, to perform selections from her greatest hits. Filmed at the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, Hill’s performance includes “The Kiss, “ “The Way You Love Me,” and Grammy Award winning songs “Breathe,” and “Cry.”
Faith Hill
On Feb. 4 Three Girls and Their Buddy: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller play an episode that captures the group’s special bond, having been in each other’s bands, produced and played on each other’s albums, covered each other’s songs, and sat in on each other’s shows over the years.
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson guests on Feb. 25 with his eight-piece band gathered round the stage to highlight songs from his first-ever bluegrass album, produced in collaboration with T-Bone Burnett. Tipping his hat to the genre, Willie puts his stamp on standards like Bob Wills’ “Trouble In Mind,” and Al Dexter’s “Pistol Packin’ Mamma,” as well as his own hits like “Whiskey River.”
The new season will also include performances from Lynyrd Skynyrd (Feb. 11) and The Fray (Jan. 28).
Three Girls and Their Buddy: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller
“Time” Readies Tablet Prototype [video]
/by adminThe news media, including newspapers, magazines and more is going through a time of intense change, much like the music industry. Time has proactively been developing a new interactive distribution prototype that seemingly is being groomed for a new touch screen tablet class of hardware. To date unconfirmed rumors have been flying that Apple is planning to release a similar gadget early next year.
Reports indicate that publishers are concerned they might end up with an iTunes like situation and thereby lose control of distribution. Shown below is a Sports Illustrated sample…
Charlie Daniels Christmas With Friends
/by Sarah SkatesChad Denning of Gamma Blast directed the shoot back in June when the temperature was in the mid ’90s. He says the artists rehearsed in shorts and T-shirts then changed into Christmas sweaters. “When we began it felt a little surreal creating Christmas in June, but it wasn’t hard to get into the Christmas spirit with such great music,” he recalls. “Dan Tyminski’s version of ‘The Christmas Song’ left the entire crew speechless because it was spot on. We shot it in one take. And, of course, Charlie was wonderful.”
Charlie Daniels and director Chad Denning
The features Daniels, backed by the Grascals and three of his band members, performing original holiday tunes “Mississippi Christmas Eve” and “Hallelujah” before he shares the stage with Mattea for “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and Tyminski for the Nat King Cole standard “The Christmas Song.” Also included are The Grascals’ take on the Bill Monroe classic “Christmas Time’s A Comin’,” Tippin’s performance of the Daniels-penned “Christmas Time Down South,” Evelyn Cox’s “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and Suzanne Cox’s “Silent Night.”
Denning edited the concert with Grand Ole Opry veteran Tim Weeks acting as producer. And Gamma Blast created a DVD version of the concert that is part of Daniels’ Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas CD/DVD package.