Big and Rich Greatest Hits Includes DTC Piece

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Big225Big & Rich will release the duo’s first greatest hits collection on Sept. 29. The DVD/CD combo Big & Rich: Greatest Hits, will include 15 hits plus the unreleased track, “The Man I Am Right Now.” The DVD includes nine music videos. A specially created direct-to-consumer piece will also be available only from the band’s website, www.bigandrich.com and will include all the above mentioned highlights plus three additional bonus tracks.

Big & Rich’s debut triple-platinum CD Horse Of A Different Color arrived in May 2004 and contained hits such as “Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)” and “Holy Water,” both of which are contained on the Greatest Hits outing. John Rich was awarded the ASCAP Songwriter/Artist Of The Year Award in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and has penned No.1 hits for Gretchen Wilson, Faith Hill, and Jason Aldean. Big Kenny was the 2005 BMI Songwriter Of The Year, and scored a No. 1 hit for Tim McGraw’s “Last Dollar.” The duo has also garnered multiple Grammy, ACM, CMA and CMT Music Award nominations.

Worley’s River Run Raises $175k

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Worley presenting a check from the Darryl Worley Foundation in the amount of $100,000 to Charlotte Burns of Hardin County Medical Center, where the Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center will be built.

Worley presenting a check from the Darryl Worley Foundation in the amount of $100,000 to Charlotte Burns of Hardin County Medical Center, where the Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center will be built.

Darryl Worley’s 8th Annual Tennessee River Run, which took place Sept. 10-13 near Savannah, Tennessee, raised $175,000 for the Darryl Worley Foundation. The benefit included numerous events spread over four days, and benefited the building of a cancer treatment center at the Hardin County (Tennessee) Medical Center.

Tennessee River Run 2009 kicked off with an “Evening with Darryl Worley & Friends Fish Fry,” which featured a sold-out acoustic in-the-round concert and dinner with Worley and hit tunesmiths Walt Aldridge, Jim “Moose” Brown, Steve Leslie and Wynn Varble. Performers at the country concert on Saturday (9/12) included Coon Dog Funeral, Jonathan Singleton & the Grove, Caitlin & Will, Craig Morgan and Worley. Sunday’s community sing and picnic featured perennial favorites Geron Davis & Kindred Souls and Jason Crabb of The Crabb Family.

The next event to benefit the Darryl Worley Foundation is the Tennessee River Run Bass Fishing Tournament, Saturday, November 7 on Pickwick Lake. Interested anglers and sponsors can contact www.fishteamtrails.com for registration information, entrance fees, rules and payouts.

Tech Update: Ringtones and Spotify

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iphone-07-01-09-1According to an article on digitalmusicnews.com, researcher IBISWorld says that ringtone revenues in the United States are at $750 million, down from the 2007 peak of $880 million.

The shift can possibly be attributed to a mobile consumer base that prefers full-track downloads as substitutes, as well as the uploading of unpaid full-length tracks that can be easily converted to ringtones.

Though the ringtone business is still alive and well, IBIS predicts that it will be completely gone in 15 years.

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logoAdvertising Age contends that Spotify might not be the music industry’s great savior, at least not without overcoming some difficult odds. The much-hyped Swedish company is gearing up for its U.S. launch and provides a technology capable of streaming music as quickly as most players can load an mp3. The Spotify business model includes both free (ad-supported) and an ad-free subscription service (price not yet determined) with access to all recorded music. If successful, it could offer a new way going forward to monetize digital music, as well as provide Apple’s iTunes with some viable competition.

However, the piece points out that subscription-based services in the U.S.—such as Rhapsody and Napster—haven’t fared incredibly well. Rhapsody leads the pack with under 800,000 subscribers, and Napster slightly above 700,000. Ad-supported digital music has also been slow to catch on, but shows some promise: Pandora has raised $56 million and CBS paid $280 million for last.fm in 2007.

But this could also pose a barrier for Spotify, because these ad-supported companies have millions of users for leverage with Fortune 100 agencies, and Spotify will be starting at zero.

Hall of Fame to Expand?

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cmhof-smallThe Tennessean reports that the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum would like to double its size. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean reported the Hall’s ambitions yesterday (9/21) during a speech to the Rotary Club of Nashville. Museum Dir. Kyle Young acknowledged in an interview after the event that expanding the museum’s size is a possibility.

“We really need to expand,” Young told the Tennessean. “We know what happens when you don’t do that. … It’s good business to want to build on success.” Young and Dean reportedly met recently to discuss the idea of expansion, but Young did not request government funding for the project.

The Hall has also had a flurry of high-profile booster meetings lately. Keith Urban recently announced his We’re All For The Hall benefit October 13 at the Sommet Center featuring Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, and Little Big Town, which sold out almost immediately. A Los Angeles version of the benefit, featuring Gill, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, and Melissa Etheridge is set for Oct. 1 at Club Nokia.

ACM Lifting Lives Raises $750k

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The Academy of Country Music has announced a $750,000 endowment to its philanthropic arm ACM Lifting Lives, thanks to ticket sales from the “George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert.” The gift is the second disbursement of a three-year funding commitment and fundraising campaign begun by the ACM last fall. ACM Lifting Lives works to improve lives through music.

Taped before a sold out Las Vegas crowd in April, “George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert” featured Strait along with ACM Artist of the Decade for the ‘90s Garth Brooks and other performers including Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Lee Ann Womack. More than 10 million viewers tuned in for the CBS television special in May.

“The artists who gave of their time in April are the reason we can make this announcement today,” said Bob Romeo, Executive Director of the Academy of Country Music. “They put their time and energy into the Artist of the Decade taping, and they asked for nothing in return. They showed up, they blew the doors off the house and the ratings through the roof, reaching millions of fans with the message of ACM Lifting Lives.”

“The artists work every day to improve the lives of others with their craft,” said Erin Spahn, Director of ACM Lifting Lives. “With this endowment, their good work continues through the programs Lifting Lives supports. We are so thankful to them.”

Clary Promoted at BMI

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claryBMI has announced the promotion of Kay Clary to Senior Director, Media Relations. Clary will continue to be based in Nashville, but will report directly to BMI Assistant VP, Corporate & Media Relations Hanna Pantle, who is based in Los Angeles.

“Since joining BMI, Kay has brought her own style and verve to the task of increasing awareness of BMI’s affiliates and activities,” said Pantle. “She is a leader in the Nashville music community and an expert at creating media opportunities and campaigns that serve the essence of the creative process and the performing right. She is an effective and valued executive at BMI, and this promotion is a result of the outstanding work she’s done on behalf of the company and its affiliates.”

Clary joined BMI in 2005, after running her own Commotion PR since 2002 where her clients included Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury Band, Rodney Crowell and more. She also spent time at PR firms AristoMedia and Front Page Publicity, working on media campaigns for artists like Radney Foster and Jack Ingram. Throughout the ‘80s she was a partner in Praxis International, where she was involved with the careers of Jason & the Scorchers, the Georgia Satellites and others. She is a graduate of Belmont University and serves on the boards of the Americana Music Association and Nashville Film Festival.

Love and Theft Joins Aldean’s Tour

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Carolwood Records trio Love and Theft willl join Jason Aldean’s Wide Open tour this fall, to support the trio’s recently released album World Wide Open. They will play a total of fourteen shows on the tour, beginning in Lexington, KY Sept. 25 and ending Nov. 14 in Southhaven, MS.

Love and Theft

Love and Theft

Love And Theft recently performed its single, “Runaway,” live on The Today Show and has also been featured on Access Hollywood and in the pages of Country Weekly and People. Their debut album, released August 25, was produced by Robert Ellis Orrall and Jeff Coplan, and features a collection of 11 songs all co-written by Love And Theft’s Brian Bandas, Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles.

Root 49 Records Launches With Bridgette Tatum

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Bridgette Tatum

The close ties between NASCAR and Music Row insiders get a little closer with the formation of MPR Entertainment Group, a collaboration between NASCAR driver Ryan Newman and his wife Krissie with Nashville publisher Carolyn Miller. As a part of the arrangement the company will launch a record label division, Root 49 Records, which plans to release an album by artist Bridgette Tatum in early 2010. As a songwriter, Tatum has already experienced No. 1 success with Jason Aldean’s “She’s Country,” which she co-wrote with Danny Myrick. The song was the first cut for Miller’s Root 49 Music publishing company, which now also falls under MPR Entertainment Group. The Newmans will take an active role in the company as CEOs working along with Miller.

“We have watched Bridgette grow over the past few years and she has a natural talent, a strong voice and driven nature,” says Krissie Newman. “Our business experiences, as well as Carolyn’s amazing accomplishments with her company, can only fuel the momentum surrounding Bridgette. We look forward to a long career in country music.”

Ryan Newman adds, “Krissie and I are involved in all aspects of my racing career—from marketing and promotion to creative and PR; we can help bring new opportunities to Bridgette’s already skyrocketing career.”

Tatum is already visiting country radio promoting her first single, “I Like My Cowboys Dirty.” Additional team members helping Root 49 Records efforts will be Grassroots Promotion, Nine North Records, Wortman Works Media & Marketing and Artisanal Management.

Nashville Music Award Voting Begins

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nma300Revived in a partnership with Next Big Nashville (NBN) and Leadership Music, Inc. (LM), the Nashville Music Awards (NMA), were first produced by LM from 1995 through 2000. The NMAs recognize outstanding contributions in all genres of music. The 2009 Nashville Music Award winners will be announced at a reception on the first evening of NBN, Wednesday, October 7 at the Cannery Ballroom (Time TBA) followed by a special NBN Opening Night Showcase. Online balloting will continue until Sept. 30. For a complete list of nominees visit nashvillemusicawards.com.


 CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!

2009 FINAL NOMINEES

For voting by the public – one vote per category, one ballot per person

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kings of Leon
Alison Krauss
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Jack White

BEST NEW ARTIST
Mat Kearney
Lady Antebellum
Erin McCarley
SafetySuit
The SteelDrivers

SONG OF THE YEAR
“The Climb” Miley Cyrus
Writers: Jessi Alexander / Jon Mabe
“Decode” Paramore
Writers: Josh Farro / Hayley Williams / Taylor York
“Give Me Your Eyes” Brandon Heath
Writer: Brandon Heath / Jason Ingram
“I Run to You” Lady Antebellum
Writers: Dave Haywood / Charles Kelley / Hillary Scott / Tom Douglas
“In Color” Jamey Johnson
Writers: Jamey Johnson / Lee Thomas Miller / James Otto
“The Motions” Matthew West
Writer: Jason Houser / San Mizell / Matthew West
“Old Enough” The Raconteurs
Writers: Brendan Benson / Jack White III
“Sex on Fire” Kings of Leon
Writers: The Followills (Caleb, Nathan, Jared, Matthew)
“The Time of My Life” David Cook
Writer: Regie Hamm
“White Horse” Taylor Swift
Writers: Taylor Swift / Liz Rose

NEXT BIG NASHVILLE AWARD (Emerging Artists)
AutoVaughn
Madi Diaz
Mikky Ekko
Those Darlins
Brooke Waggoner

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Brett James
Ashley Gorley
Hillary Lindsey
Bobby Pinson
Liz Rose

SONGWRITER-ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kings of Leon (Caleb, Nathan, Jared and Matthew Followill)
Jamey Johnson
Dolly Parton
Taylor Swift
Matthew West

POSTER / ALBUM ARTWORK / PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
Dave Barnes  Me + You + The World
Leeland  Opposite Way
Roy Orbison  The Soul Of Rock And Roll Boxed Set
Joel Rugé  On The Blue
Third Day  Revelation

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Bela Fleck
Edgar Meyer
Jeff Taylor
Steve Wariner
Jack White

MUSIC VIDEO / FILM OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean “She’s Country” – Directed by Wes Edwards
Justin Townes Earle “Midnight At The Movies” – Directed by Ryan Newman
Jars Of Clay “Two Hands” – Directed by Eric Welch
Rascal Flatts “Here Comes Goodbye” – Directed by Shaun Silva
John Rich “Shuttin’ Detroit Down” – Directed by Deaton-Flanigan

MADE IN MUSIC CITY AWARD (for a recording made in Nashville by a non-Nashville artist)
Joan Baez, The Day After Tomorrow
Steve Earle – producer, Sound Emporium studio/Room and Board studio
Cage the Elephant, Cage the Elephant
Jay Joyce – producer, Tragedy & Da House studios
Elvis Costello, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
T Bone Burnett – producer, Sound Emporium studio
John Oates, 1,000 Miles of Life
John Oates & Jed Leiber – producers; Ronnie’s Place studio
Trivium, Shogun
Nick Raskulinecz – producer, Sound Kitchen studio

BLUEGRASS ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Dale Ann Bradley, Don’t Turn Your Back, Compass Records
Dailey & Vincent, Brothers from Different Mothers, Rounder Records
The Grascals, Keep on Walkin’, Rounder Records
The Infamous Stringdusters, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sugar Hill Records
The Steeldrivers, The Steeldrivers, Rounder Records

COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Eric Church, Carolina, Capitol Nashville Records
Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Song, Mercury Records
Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night, Arista Records
Taylor Swift, Fearless, Big Machine Records
Lee Ann Womack, Call Me Crazy, MCA Nashville Records

AMERICANA ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Justin Townes Earle, Midnight at the Movies, Bloodshot Records
Chuck Mead, Journeyman’s Wager, Grassy Knoll Records
Buddy & Julie Miller, Written in Chalk, New West Records
Sarah Siskind, Say It Louder, Request/Thirty Tigers Records
Todd Snider, The Excitement Plan, Yep Roc Records

URBAN RECORDING OF THE YEAR
All-Star, Starlito’s Way, Grind Hard Records
William Davenport, William Davenport (EP), Self Released
FUTURE, Sci Fly Project (EP), Clean Cut Recordings
Kloud9, Enjoy the Ride, Shanachie Entertainment
April Rucker, Here I Stand, One Staj Music Group

GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Francesca Battistelli, My Paper Heart, Fervent Records
Ashley Cleveland, God Don’t Never Change, Koch Records/E1 Entertainment
Brandon Heath, What If We, Reunion Records
Jars of Clay, The Long Fall Back To Earth, Gray Matters/Essential Records
RED, Innocence & Instinct, Essential Records

JAZZ / BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Pat Coil Sextet, Bird House, Liberty Hill Records
Jonell Mosser, Trust Yourself, Better Angels Records
Jason Ricci & New Blood, Done with the Devil, Eclecto Groove Records
Take 6, The Standard, Heads Up Records (Telarc)
Victor Wooten, Palmystery, Heads Up Records (Telarc)

POP / ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Gabe Dixon Band, The Gabe Dixon Band, Fantasy
The Features, Some Kind of Salvation, 429 Records/Bug
Kings of Leon, Only By The Night, RCA
Erin McCarley, Love, Save the Empty, Universal Republic
The Raconteurs, Consolers of the Lonely, Third Man/Warner Bros.

Live Nation Offers Ticket Specials

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366Concert fans have just been gifted with a flat fee “passport ticket” for admittance to shows at Live Nation clubs for the remainder of 2009. The $49.99 cost includes complete admittance, subject to availability. Tickets to individual shows can be reserved online, every Monday. Complete details are available at livenation.com.

Approximately 26 clubs are participating in the offer. Some of them are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Miami.

The mega-concert producer is also offering 24-hour discounts on other shows beginning Sept 23. Specials include $10, $20 and $30 tickets to see artists such as Rob Thomas, Creed, Colbie Callait, blink-182 and others.

Los Angeles-based Live Nation produces over 22,000 concerts annually for 1,600 artists in 33 countries. During 2008 the company claims it sold over 50 million tickets. It trades on the New York Stock Exchange with the symbol LYV.