Ashley Gorley, credit Tucker Photography
More than 1500 songwriters, industry VIPs and big name artists such as Kenny Chesney and Martina McBride gathered last night (10/19) at the ASCAP Country Awards to celebrate its most performed songs of the year.
Ashley Gorley was named Songwriter of the Year for his hits “Start A Band,” and “You’re Gonna Miss This.” The latter of which was also named ASCAP Country Song of the Year, an award going to publishers Songs of Combustion Music and Bug Music/Windswept.
The Songwriter/Artist of the Year honors went to Alan Jackson who had major hits with the self-penned “Good Time” and “Country Boy.” Gibson presented Jackson and Gorley limited edition Les Paul guitars as part of the ceremony.
EMI Music, was named Publisher of the Year, thanks to its share in the Jackson hits, as well as other smashes including “All Summer Long,” “I’m Still a Guy,” “Country Man,” “Relentless,” “I Still Miss You” and “Start a Band.”
Alan Jackson
Sharing hosting duties on the Ryman stage were ASCAP Sr. VP Connie Bradley and ASCAP president and chairman of the board Paul Williams, who opened the show with a medley of his songs “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” and “Just An Old Fashioned Love Song.” Artist David Nail offered the lead-in prior to the awards presentation.
The writers behind ASCAP’s five most played songs of the year performed their hits including “Good Time” by Alan Jackson; “You’re Gonna Miss This” (Trace Adkins) performed by Ashley Gorley; “Waitin’ on a Woman” (Brad Paisley) performed by Don Sampson; “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” (Darius Rucker) performed by Clay Mills; and “Roll With Me” (Montgomery Gentry) performed by Tommy Karlas.
A highlight was revered songwriter JD Souther receiving the prestigious Golden Note Award. Known for numerous Eagles classics, and many others, Souther was saluted by Lee Ann Womack performing his song “Faithless Love,” Rodney Crowell singing “New Kid in Town,” and Love and Theft’s take on “You’re Only Lonely.” Longtime friend Jackson Browne offered a moving speech about Souther before the honoree gave his own interpretation of the Eagles’ “Best of My Love.”
Artists in attendance included Dierks Bentley, Trace Adkins, Keith Anderson, Darryl Worley, Jason Michael Carroll, Eric Church, Bucky Covington, Heidi Newfield, Jimmy Webb, Chuck Wicks, Danny Gokey and Billy Currington.
McBride presented Gerry House and the House Foundation (Richard Falklen, Al Voecks, Mike Bohan, Duncan Stewart) the ASCAP Partners in Music Award for their contributions toward the promotion and support of songwriters, musicians and artists.
Following the show, guests strolled the red carpet to the AT&T building for the official Post Awards Party. ASCAP at the Ryman was co-produced by Terry Bumgarner and Josh Jackson, with Keith Beck of BSA as associate producer. Additional planning for the evening was provided by ASCAP staffers John Briggs, Marc Driskill, Chad Green, Dan Keen, Suzanne Lee, Anna Maki, Ralph Murphy, Meghan Muse, Pat Rolfe, Mary Self, Earle Simmons, Mike Sistad, Charline Wilhite, Herky Williams, and Jesse Willoughby.
Look for more in depth coverage later in Bobby Karl Works The Room.
On The Cover: Jason Michael Carroll
/by contributorClick to Purchase
Label: Arista Nashville
Current Album: Growing Up Is Getting Old
Current Single/Video: “Hurry Home”
Current Producer: Don Gehman
Hometown: Youngsville, NC
Management: Red Light Management
Booking: Creative Artists Agency
Recent Hits: “Hurry Home” and the Top 10 “Where I’m From” are the first two hit singles from his sophomore album, Growing Up Is Getting Old.
RIAA Certifications: Gold Mobile Mastertone, “Livin’ Our Love Song”
Special TV/Film Appearances: Good Morning America, 2009 CMT Music Awards
Birthday: June 13
Interesting Facts: Carroll’s single, “Hurry Home,” addresses the subject of runaways, and the music video includes a closing tag bringing attention to the work and services of the National Runaway Switchboard (1-800-RUNAWAY). During Carroll’s childhood, his aunt was a runaway.
Outside Interests: Family time with his wife and four children; motorcycle riding
Musical Influences: Garth Brooks, George Strait, Billy Ray Cyrus, Radney Foster, Aerosmith and tons of the big hair ‘80s rock.
Charities: Brittany’s Battle Foundation, National Runaway Switchboard
Jason Michael Carroll
Jason Michael Carroll grew up in North Carolina as the son of a preacher, in a strict household that did not allow secular music. However, through friends and later his job in a motor shop, Carroll immersed himself in music and found himself drawn to country. After winning a radio station’s karaoke contest, Carroll was asked to join a local country band in need of a singer. He began paying his dues in clubs, and his mother, who was by then encouraging his dream, signed him up for a televised talent show in Raleigh/Durham. He won, and the visibility opened doors that led to being able to work with producer Don Gehman.
Carroll’s debut album, Waitin’ in the Country, has reached nearly a half-million in sales and also boasts three hit singles (all of which he wrote or co-wrote), as well as a Gold ringtone certification for “Livin’ Our Love Song.” The new artist has opened for top acts such as Brooks & Dunn, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, and also became part of the 2008 tours of Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride. He was also featured on Good Morning America, the CMA Music Festival and the Grand Ole Opry.
Carroll’s latest album, Growing Up Is Getting Old, was released in April 2009 and produced by Don Gehman, who is known for his work with Hootie and The Blowfish, John Mellencamp, Tracy Chapman and R.E.M. The album fulfills the promise of his first record and takes his career a big step forward. “You have a responsibility to your fans,” Carroll says, “not only to record songs that are hits but also to record songs that mean something to you and convey to your fans who you are.” Carroll’s songs aptly depict him as country’s Gen-Y family man, reflecting his generation’s transition from party to parenthood. His life experiences, including tension between experience and responsibility, and the hard-won wisdom that grows out of the maturing process have always infused the music he makes.
Country Overseas: Underwood, Lady A
/by Sarah SkatesCarrie Underwood spent last week visiting with Asian media and promoting her upcoming album, Play On, set for US release Nov. 3. While in Singapore, she performed as part of the grand opening of ION Orchard, a futuristic shopping center with luxury retailers, and internationally award-winning architecture. It is also the largest open-air sheltered venue in the city. The concert was broadcast live throughout the city and screened on the ION Orchard’s façade.
Kenny Rogers and Lady Antebellum last month performed at the Gstaad Festival in Switzerland. It was part of Lady A’s first overseas concert tour. Nashvillian Trisha Walker-Cunningham is the Talent Buyer/Producer of “Country Night Gstaad” in Switzerland and the Festival de Craponne in France.
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Lady Antebellum with Gstaad promoter Marcel Bach
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Heading across the ocean next are Craig Morgan, Chris Young, and GAC host Nan Kelley. They are going on the Stars for Stripes tour to bring devoted service members stationed overseas a much-needed taste of home. The outing will visit military bases and hospitals in Iraq and Germany this month for a series of acoustic concerts featuring Morgan and Young with Kelley serving as emcee.
Google Making Music?
/by Sarah SkatesRally For Rocketown With Gill, McBride, More
/by Sarah SkatesVince Gill
Vince Gill and Martina McBride will perform Tuesday (10/20) at the Rally For Rocketown. The fundraiser for the teen music venue/skate park will be hosted by its founder, Christian artist Michael W. Smith. Super Bowl-winning coach and best-selling author Tony Dungy will be the keynote speaker during the 11:30 AM luncheon at Lipscomb Univerity’s Allen Arena. Special guest appearances include Titans’ Coach Jeff Fisher.
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Tickets are available only at the arena box office starting at $50. For more details, click here.
CMA Songwriters Series In Nashville
/by Sarah SkatesRandy Houser
The CMA Songwriters Series, which usually shares the Nashville songwriting tradition with other cities, is set to play the home turf on Nov. 10, the night before the CMA Awards. Universal Records South artist Randy Houser will be the featured artist/songwriter when the 9:30 PM show takes place at Limelight. Hit tunesmiths Brett James, Rivers Rutherford and Victoria Shaw will join Houser in performing and also sharing the stories behind the hits.
The series, which has played to sell-out shows in New York City for the past five years and recently held performances in Los Angeles and Chicago, is known for its intimate setting and allowing fans to hear songs by the people who wrote them.
Tickets for the Nov. 10 CMA Songwriters Series, $10, are on sale at www.limelightnashville.com or by calling (615) 780-3098.
The CMA Awards are set for Nov. 11 at the Sommet Center.
Ashley Gorley, Alan Jackson Big Winners At ASCAP Awards
/by Sarah SkatesAshley Gorley, credit Tucker Photography
More than 1500 songwriters, industry VIPs and big name artists such as Kenny Chesney and Martina McBride gathered last night (10/19) at the ASCAP Country Awards to celebrate its most performed songs of the year.
Ashley Gorley was named Songwriter of the Year for his hits “Start A Band,” and “You’re Gonna Miss This.” The latter of which was also named ASCAP Country Song of the Year, an award going to publishers Songs of Combustion Music and Bug Music/Windswept.
The Songwriter/Artist of the Year honors went to Alan Jackson who had major hits with the self-penned “Good Time” and “Country Boy.” Gibson presented Jackson and Gorley limited edition Les Paul guitars as part of the ceremony.
EMI Music, was named Publisher of the Year, thanks to its share in the Jackson hits, as well as other smashes including “All Summer Long,” “I’m Still a Guy,” “Country Man,” “Relentless,” “I Still Miss You” and “Start a Band.”
Alan Jackson
Sharing hosting duties on the Ryman stage were ASCAP Sr. VP Connie Bradley and ASCAP president and chairman of the board Paul Williams, who opened the show with a medley of his songs “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” and “Just An Old Fashioned Love Song.” Artist David Nail offered the lead-in prior to the awards presentation.
The writers behind ASCAP’s five most played songs of the year performed their hits including “Good Time” by Alan Jackson; “You’re Gonna Miss This” (Trace Adkins) performed by Ashley Gorley; “Waitin’ on a Woman” (Brad Paisley) performed by Don Sampson; “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” (Darius Rucker) performed by Clay Mills; and “Roll With Me” (Montgomery Gentry) performed by Tommy Karlas.
A highlight was revered songwriter JD Souther receiving the prestigious Golden Note Award. Known for numerous Eagles classics, and many others, Souther was saluted by Lee Ann Womack performing his song “Faithless Love,” Rodney Crowell singing “New Kid in Town,” and Love and Theft’s take on “You’re Only Lonely.” Longtime friend Jackson Browne offered a moving speech about Souther before the honoree gave his own interpretation of the Eagles’ “Best of My Love.”
Artists in attendance included Dierks Bentley, Trace Adkins, Keith Anderson, Darryl Worley, Jason Michael Carroll, Eric Church, Bucky Covington, Heidi Newfield, Jimmy Webb, Chuck Wicks, Danny Gokey and Billy Currington.
McBride presented Gerry House and the House Foundation (Richard Falklen, Al Voecks, Mike Bohan, Duncan Stewart) the ASCAP Partners in Music Award for their contributions toward the promotion and support of songwriters, musicians and artists.
Following the show, guests strolled the red carpet to the AT&T building for the official Post Awards Party. ASCAP at the Ryman was co-produced by Terry Bumgarner and Josh Jackson, with Keith Beck of BSA as associate producer. Additional planning for the evening was provided by ASCAP staffers John Briggs, Marc Driskill, Chad Green, Dan Keen, Suzanne Lee, Anna Maki, Ralph Murphy, Meghan Muse, Pat Rolfe, Mary Self, Earle Simmons, Mike Sistad, Charline Wilhite, Herky Williams, and Jesse Willoughby.
Look for more in depth coverage later in Bobby Karl Works The Room.
Faith Launches Fragrance, Taylor Gets Signature Guitar
/by Sarah Skates——————————–
New CMA Research Will Be A CRS Highlight
/by Sarah SkatesThe CMA’s timely research concludes just months before CRS 41 is held, Feb. 24-26, 2010, making it particularly relevant to the current Country Radio and Music industry. The study also includes results from an upcoming fourth quarter Annual Tracking Study.
Last year’s CMA Research Presentation surveyed more than 7,500 consumers in an effort to define key trending statistics for Country music fans, including listener and viewership habits, revenue drivers (“Core” and “Low-Funding”), economic factors and further profile studies of its “CountryPhiles” and “MusicPhiles.”
A detailed schedule of the CRS 41 agenda and confirmed panelists can be found at the Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. Web site. The CRS early bird registration rate of $499 ends Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. Registration is currently available at the CRB Web site or by contacting the Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. offices at 615-327-4487.
Celebrity-Studded Charity Auction Fights Cancer
/by Sarah SkatesAshley Ray with her mother at Race For The Cure. Her mother was diagnosed with three different kinds of breast cancer nearly a year ago.
October is breast cancer awareness month and several country stars are stepping up to fight the disease. Universal Records South artist Ashley Ray led her “A Ray of Hope” team to raise over $5500 at Race For The Cure.
Women Rock For The Cure is hosting an eBay auction with hot ticket items including a Carrie Underwood autographed Daisy Rock Guitar and a one-of-a-kind PRS Guitar autographed by several legends who performed at this year’s Opry Goes Pink concert. The auction also includes guitars autographed by Mindy Smith, Jason Aldean and Montgomery Gentry; a custom Sherwood B dress worn by Veronica Ballestrini during the Third Annual Women For The Cure Benefit Concert; autographed posters and much more. Keep watch on the site as new coveted items – such as signed guitars by Keith Urban and Little Big Town – will be added throughout the month of October. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Women Rock For The Cure and Greater Nashville Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
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Stars’ wives are also doing their part to fight cancer, with a group turning out for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 10th annual Light the Night Walk on Oct. 1 at LP Field. They are pictured below with GAC host and cancer survivor Nan Kelley. During the event, thousands of participants carried illuminated balloons in memory of lost loved ones and in tribute to survivors. The walk raises funds for research to fight leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
Photo: (L-R) Members of the “Real Wives of Country Music” team: Katherine Church (wife of Eric Church), Caroline Bryan (wife of Luke Bryan), Cassie Kelley (wife of Charles Kelley), GAC host Nan Kelley, Cara Owen, and Rebecca Sweet (wife of Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town).
Droid To Battle iPhone
/by bossrossSome of the new handset’s features include a 3.7-inch touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 5-megapixel autofocus camera with flash, Wifi, bluetooth 2.0 and GPS. According to BoyGeniusReport.com this is the best Android phone yet with “an amazing screen.” BGR also states, “It’s the Android device to beat, and easily the most impressive. From what we’ve been told, Google had a direct hand in the Motorola Droid. Something to the point of almost dictating every move Motorola made when designing and making the phone.”
Techcrunch’s Michael Arrington offers this analysis. “Make no mistake, this is Android’s flagship product, and the first phone that will pose a significant threat to Apple’s iPhone.”
The continued rise of smartphones is good news for the entertainment industry, since the new hardware tends to boost consumption of movies, music, TV and web data.