Suffering from a respiratory infection, Tracy Lawrence was hospitalized yesterday in Nashville. He has been diagnosed with early signs of pneumonia and is receiving treatment. He was forced him to cancel his August 13 appearance at the Wildhorse Saloon in Lufkin, TX. The status of his remaining shows this weekend in San Antonio, TX and Norman, OK will be determined early Thursday.
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Darius Rucker is the latest addition to LongHorn Steakhouse’s “Live at LongHorn” country music program, in partnership with Coke Zero and Capitol Records Nashville. An accompanying “Tee Off & Tunes with Darius Rucker” will giving LongHorn diners a chance to win backstage access to a private concert and VIP tickets to this year’s The Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
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Clint Black is an executive producer for a new TV anthology series, American Storytellers, from ITV Studios, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Roberts/David Films, according to Variety. The article says it will “take current and classic country music songs and turn them into drama episodes for TV.” Producers are seeking other artists to get involved in front of and behind the camera. A network home hasn’t been secured.
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Sony Pictures and Sony Music are releasing a Michael Jackson film, This Is It, to theaters on Oct. 30. It will include rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage of the late singer preparing for his upcoming concert series, as well as interviews with some of his closest friends and creative collaborators. The film is captured in high definition and will also offer select sequences in 3-D…. Also, a major MJ tribute concert will be held on the grounds of a palace in Vienna next month. The organizer, World Awards Media GmbH, told the Associated Press to expect global television distribution of roughly one billion.
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Jason Aldean’s hit “She’s Country,” and its songwriter Bridgette Tatum (co-writer with Danny Myrick) were mentioned in the “Nancy”® comic strip yesterday (8/11). The strip can be viewed in over 350 U.S. newspapers and runs in approximately 80 countries. Says Tatum, “It just so happens that a lady once told me, ‘I’ll see you in the funny papers’…since then, I close my show with that quote. How ironic it came true!” She is currently on tour supporting her first single, “I Like My Cowboys Dirty.”
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iPhones Go Country: Emerson Drive just joined the growing list of music artists with an iPhone Application. Officially available today, it is free in the App store and contains more than 30 videos including live performances, episodes of E-Drive TV, and music videos, lots of band photos, more than 40 songs available for streaming, blog messages from the band, games and much more.
Big Kenny is giving fans a chance to win his iPhone and an 8GB custom flash drive at www.bigkenny.tv, where they can also download the free single, “Long After I’m Gone.” It is from the Oct. 27 release, The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy and was written by Big Kenny, Marc Beeson and Richie Supa, and produced by Big Kenny and Chris Stone.
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Acclaimed bluegrass quintet Steep Canyon Rangers will launch a new tour and new album this fall. In September they will embark on a 15-city tour with Grammy® and Emmy® winning actor, comedian and musician Steve Martin. The Rangers will release their fourth studio album for Rebel Records, Deep in the Shade, on October 6. That day they will perform with Martin at world-renowned Carnegie Hall and on ABC’s The View. The tour will make a October 11 stop at the Ryman Auditorium.
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Jack Ingram and his band can be seen performing on Lifetime’s hit show Army Wives this weekend. In the episode airing Sunday, Aug. 16, he will be the house band at the local bar, singing his latest single “Barefoot And Crazy.”
Hall Hosts Cindy Walker Donation Ceremony, Reveals Project
/by Sarah Skates(L-R) Vince Gill, Fred Foster, Kyle Young and David Conrad. photo: Donn Jones
When songwriter Cindy Walker died in March 2006, she left the writer’s share of her cherished catalog of songs to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Befittingly, the organization celebrated her life and work with a donation ceremony yesterday (8/12) and also revealed plans for a new Walker project.
The 1997 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee’s bequest included files and notebooks related to the songs, sheet music, photographs and business documents. Museum Director Kyle Young explained that Walker, who was once married briefly and had no children, thought of her songs as her “babies.” In one of her files, curators found Walker’s farewell note to her songs. “Goodbye my darling,” she wrote. “You have been so good to me. You have made me rich and famous. I love you, you are the reason I am, and you are in the Hall of Fame. I will miss you. Goodbye, your girl, Cindy Walker.”
“Few things have served as a more emotional reminder of our responsibilities here than Cindy Walker’s note to her ‘babies,’” said Young.
Museum trustee David Conrad described the Museum’s plans for the Walker songs. Crediting the idea to Sony/ATV Music Publishing President-CEO Troy Tomlinson, also a Board member, Conrad announced plans for a 12-song Walker demo to be shopped to film and television music supervisors. Conrad will executive produce, while Tony Brown, Fred Foster and Vince Gill have each volunteered to produce four songs for the project. Artists from different genres will create new arrangements of Walker’s songs which will then be pitched to Sony/ATV’s list of 450 film and television supervisors via MySpace. The publishers will contribute to the recording budget.
The celebration concluded with a musical salute to Walker presented by Nashville’s premier western swing unit, the Time Jumpers. The band presented four songs from their standard repertoire including “Sugar Moon” with Kenny Sears on vocals, “You Don’t Know Me” with vocals by Carolyn Martin, “Miss Molly” with vocals by Ranger Doug, and “I Don’t Care” featuring the voice of Dawn Sears. Museum President Vince Gill joined the Time Jumpers to sing “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream).”
Toby Keith Releases Animated Video, Receives Million Air Awards
/by Sarah SkatesPhoto (L to R): Varnell Enterprises’ Ben Farrell, TKO Artist Management TK Kimbrell, BMI’s Director Writer/Publisher Relations David Preston, Toby Keith, BMI’s VP Writer/Publisher Relations Jody Williams and attorney Rusty Jones
Toby Keith is spending the summer on his America’s Toughest Tour and has released an animated music video. BMI’s David Preston and Jody Williams recently traveled through severe weather conditions to join Keith at his Memphis stop. There they presented him with two awards, one as a publisher and one as a writer, for his hit song “As Good As I Once Was” surpassing the two million broadcast mark.
His current single, “American Ride” from his upcoming album of the same name, is one of the fastest rising songs of his career. Keith is premiering the animated music video exclusively on www.cmt.com. The politically-charged video will make its world television debut on CMT tomorrow, Friday, August 14, beginning at 6 a.m. ET/PT, and will air every hour on the hour during CMT’s music video hours throughout the weekend. “I’m a ‘right-wrong guy’ not a ‘right-left guy’ and this video shows that,” Keith says of the Michael Salamon directed video. “We took our shots at everyone.”
Keith’s America’s Toughest Tour heads out west this weekend with dates in San Diego, CA (8/13); Phoenix, AZ (8/14); San Bernadino, CA (8/15); and Mountain View, CA (8/16).
Keith's new animated video for "American Ride."
Michelle Branch
/by ProgrammerPlaylist“Sooner Or Later”
Warner Bros. Nashville
“Sooner or Later,” produced by John Leventhal and John Shanks for Warner Bros. Nashville, is the first single from her upcoming CD Everything Comes And Goes. The single recently sold over 27,000 copies during its first week on iTunes, and is impacting radio now.
Her new project was recorded in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles with a great supporting cast of musicians, including Dwight Yoakam (who is featured on “Long Goodbye”). Everything Comes And Goes offers the sound of a gifted singer-songwriter who left some pieces of her heart behind, but found some new pieces along the way too. “I never consider what an album’s about while I’m recording it,” says Branch. “But in the end, I guess that Everything Comes And Goes is really a record about passion–about wanting it, about losing it and then finding it all over again.”
In 2001, Branch released The Spirit Room, which went multi-platinum and produced three hits including “Everywhere,” “All You Wanted,” and “Goodbye to You.” Branch’s reputation for grown-up talent was further solidified in 2002 when she teamed with Santana to record “The Game of Love,” which became an international smash and won a Grammy for “Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.” In 2003, Branch released the platinum Hotel Paper, which debuted at No. 2 and spawned the Grammy-nominated hit “Are You Happy Now?” After winding down from a headlining world tour supporting Hotel Paper, her 2003 solo CD, Branch took some time off to get married and give birth to her first child.
http://www.michellebranch.com/
http://www.myspace.com/michellebranch
http://www.twitter.com/michellebranch
Due West Rocks The MR Conference Room
/by Sarah SkatesNine North’s Larry Pareigis brought the trio to MR’s conference room for an unplugged performance. “I Get That All Time” is No. 33 this week on the Country Breakout Chart.
EYB, Larry, Dierks, Tracy and Reba News
/by MichelleDierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley will host his fourth annual “Miles & Music for Kids” celebrity motorcycle ride and concert on Sunday, Oct. 11 in Nashville. Sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, all proceeds from the event will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. The hour-long ride will weave through Williamson County and end at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville with a concert featuring Bentley and special guests including his label-mates Darius Rucker, Eric Church and others. Tickets go on sale August 15 at Ticketmaster.
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Reba McEntire will perform songs from her upcoming album, Keep On Loving You, on an upcoming one hour television special on CMT. Invitation Only: Reba McEntire, will premiere Aug. 21 at 8 p.m CT and will feature McEntire singing new songs and greatest hits before a small studio audience in Nashville.
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Universal Records South recording artist the Eli Young Band have been headlining shows across the country. Recent ticket sales include 1,400 in Denver, 900 in Atlanta, 1,700 in Witchita (sell out), 1,400 in Hankinson (ND), 800 in Columbia (sell out), 1,000 in Kansas City and 700 in Chicago. They also sold 3,500 tickets in San Antonio (sell out), 5,055 in Houston and a massive 18,686 paid tickets in Dallas/Fort Worth at Texas Motor Speedway (the largest number the venue has seen thus far in 2009).
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Larry the Cable Guy’s July 4 performance in Lincoln, Nebraska, was recorded for a Comedy Central Special. The show is called Larry The Cable Guy—Tailgate Party, and will air in February, the weekend before the Super Bowl. The audio from Tailgate Party will be released on Sept. 15. In November, the Larry the Cable Guy’s Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau is set to air, featuring performances from Zac Brown Band, Billy Currington and much more.
Lawrence Hospitalized, Rucker, Clint Black, And More
/by Sarah Skates——————————-
Darius Rucker is the latest addition to LongHorn Steakhouse’s “Live at LongHorn” country music program, in partnership with Coke Zero and Capitol Records Nashville. An accompanying “Tee Off & Tunes with Darius Rucker” will giving LongHorn diners a chance to win backstage access to a private concert and VIP tickets to this year’s The Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
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Clint Black is an executive producer for a new TV anthology series, American Storytellers, from ITV Studios, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Roberts/David Films, according to Variety. The article says it will “take current and classic country music songs and turn them into drama episodes for TV.” Producers are seeking other artists to get involved in front of and behind the camera. A network home hasn’t been secured.
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Sony Pictures and Sony Music are releasing a Michael Jackson film, This Is It, to theaters on Oct. 30. It will include rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage of the late singer preparing for his upcoming concert series, as well as interviews with some of his closest friends and creative collaborators. The film is captured in high definition and will also offer select sequences in 3-D…. Also, a major MJ tribute concert will be held on the grounds of a palace in Vienna next month. The organizer, World Awards Media GmbH, told the Associated Press to expect global television distribution of roughly one billion.
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Jason Aldean’s hit “She’s Country,” and its songwriter Bridgette Tatum (co-writer with Danny Myrick) were mentioned in the “Nancy”® comic strip yesterday (8/11). The strip can be viewed in over 350 U.S. newspapers and runs in approximately 80 countries. Says Tatum, “It just so happens that a lady once told me, ‘I’ll see you in the funny papers’…since then, I close my show with that quote. How ironic it came true!” She is currently on tour supporting her first single, “I Like My Cowboys Dirty.”
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iPhones Go Country: Emerson Drive just joined the growing list of music artists with an iPhone Application. Officially available today, it is free in the App store and contains more than 30 videos including live performances, episodes of E-Drive TV, and music videos, lots of band photos, more than 40 songs available for streaming, blog messages from the band, games and much more.
Big Kenny is giving fans a chance to win his iPhone and an 8GB custom flash drive at www.bigkenny.tv, where they can also download the free single, “Long After I’m Gone.” It is from the Oct. 27 release, The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy and was written by Big Kenny, Marc Beeson and Richie Supa, and produced by Big Kenny and Chris Stone.
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Acclaimed bluegrass quintet Steep Canyon Rangers will launch a new tour and new album this fall. In September they will embark on a 15-city tour with Grammy® and Emmy® winning actor, comedian and musician Steve Martin. The Rangers will release their fourth studio album for Rebel Records, Deep in the Shade, on October 6. That day they will perform with Martin at world-renowned Carnegie Hall and on ABC’s The View. The tour will make a October 11 stop at the Ryman Auditorium.
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Jack Ingram and his band can be seen performing on Lifetime’s hit show Army Wives this weekend. In the episode airing Sunday, Aug. 16, he will be the house band at the local bar, singing his latest single “Barefoot And Crazy.”
Songwriter Shows To Benefit NSAI
/by Sarah SkatesNSAI’s successful concert series, “It All Begins With A Song,” continues with the Charlie Daniels Band on Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Wildhorse Saloon. Prior to the CDB, Old Union will take the stage. Tickets are on sale now and available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com, as well as at www.wildhorsesaloon.com. General Admission tickets start at $25. Reserved Seating tickets are $40. A limited number of $100 tickets are available and include a Meet & Greet with the Charlie Daniels Band. Show begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Elevation Music Publishing presents “An Evening of Music in Support of NSAI” on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Listening Room (209 10th Ave. S., #200 in Nashville). There will be a $10 cover for the 8 p.m. show, which features George Teren (“When I Get Where I’m Goin’” / “Stealing Cinderella”), Dave Berg (“If You’re Goin’ Through Hell” / “Stupid Boy”), Luke Laird (“So Small” / “Last Name”) Kelley Lovelace (“I’m Still A Guy” / “All American Girl”), Rivers Rutherford (“Livin’ In Fast Forward” / “Ain’t Nothin’ About You”) and Aaron Scherz (“The Rock” by Tracy Lawrence).
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On Thursday, Aug. 20 there will be a Legislative fundraiser at the Bluebird with James T. Slater (“Forever” by John Michael Montgomery / “High Cost Of Living” by Jamey Johnson) hosting the show called “Mothers and Fathers of Invention.” It will feature local artists and their musical parents, including James and his parents, Los Perdidos; Leslie Satcher and her mother; Jennifer Hanson and her father; along with special guests. Proceeds benefit the NSAI Legislative Fund. $35 Gold Circle seats / $15 regular seats. Reservations at www.bluebirdcafe.com.
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ASCAP Planning Songwriters Workshops
/by Sarah SkatesServing as moderator for the Pop workshop will be songwriter/artist Robert Ellis Orrall. He is writer of three No. 1 songs and three hundred cuts recorded by artists like Lindsay Lohan and Taylor Swift. He also started Nashville’s rock label Infinity Cat Recordings which was previously home to Be Your Own Pet.
Confirmed presenters at the Christian workshop include the co-writers of ASCAP’s 2009 Christian Song of the Year, Matthew West and Sam Mizell. Also featured will be skilled music executives from EMI, Word, INO Records and others. Music businesswoman Cindy Wilt-Colville will facilitate.
The workshops are provided by the ASCAP Foundation free of charge to promising new songwriters who are ASCAP members or non-members. Attendance is limited.
How to apply: Submissions must two original songs (may be co-written)on a CD only, with typed lyrics and a brief bio/resume. CD must be labeled, including song titles, writer’s name, address, phone number and email; mailed or dropped off to ASCAP Nashville, Attention: 2009 ASCAP Foundation Pop or Christian Songwriters Workshop, Two Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. Submissions will not be returned. Pop submissions should be marked attention: Jesse Willoughby.
For details on the Pop Workshop, click here, or contact Jesse Willoughby at (615) 742-5000. Deadline for submissions is Sept. 4.
Submissions for the Christian Workshop are due Mon., Aug. 31. For questions, call ASCAP at (615) 742-5000.
Web Initiatives Help Nichols Support Troops, Single
/by Sarah SkatesWhile he was on a tour in Iraq performing for the servicemen and women, he had the video crew documenting the excursion also interview the soldiers about what they believe in. The result is a moving video posted on YouTube titled Believers Challenge From Iraq. “Believers” is the lead single from Nichols’ new CD Old Things New, scheduled for release later this year by Universal Records South.
He also has e-cards and Web site banners (shown below) available featuring the song and the troops. Send an e-card by clicking the banner, or click here to add the banner to your own site.
Nichols has also been making the promotional rounds, including a recent visit to Crook & Chase.
Nichols will perform music from his upcoming CD release "Old Things New" on "The Crook & Chase Show" this week. Recorded in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the episode will premiere on RFD-TV Thurs., Aug. 13 at 7 PM/CT. Pictured (l-r): Nichols, Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase.
Dierks Celebrates “Sideways” With Tailgate Party
/by Sarah SkatesDierks Bentley’s team celebrated his latest No. 1, “Sideways,” with a Summer Tailgate Party outside the Sony/ATV offices on Monday, August 10th. Bentley co-wrote the hit with Jim Beavers and it is the second consecutive chart-topper form his album Feel That Fire. His new single is the romantic tune “I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes.” Bentley is currently on Brad Paisley’s American Saturday Night tour.