Chapter 310
The CMA Music Festival always starts before it’s supposed to. There has already been plenty of activity, including a superstar sighting.
Alan Jackson isn’t “officially” playing the fest this year, but Wednesday night (6/10) he took over Cadillac Ranch on Lower Broadway to celebrate his 20th anniversary. It was this month in 1989 that he signed his recording contract with Arista Records.
“This is a great way to start the CMA Music Festival,” said Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. “He’s a great artist with a great career.” Dean brought on the CMA’s Tammy Genovese, who in turn introduced the crowd to Kix Brooks.
“We’re on the same record label,” said Kix. He recalled that Alan was already at Arista when he arrived. The company didn’t want two more male solo acts, so Kix and Ronnie were combined to create Brooks & Dunn. “I’m proud to call him my labelmate.”
Kix introduced a CMA video tribute and presented the superstar with a framed photo collage of great Alan Jackson CMA awards show moments.
“We’ve been down a lot of roads together at Arista Records,” responded Alan. “This is too much attention for an ol’ country boy – 20 years at Arista, it’s hard to believe. We’re gonna play you some music, keep it laid back and see what happens.”
While cell phones and cameras flashed, he kicked things off with “Here in the Real World,” “Gone Country,” “I Don’t Even Know Your Name,” “Living on Love,” “Tall Tall Trees” and “Like Red on a Rose.” By the way, Alan’s current “Sissy’s Song” is his 50th top-10 hit.
V.I.P. attendees included Peter Cooper, Diane Pearson, Diana Baron, Hank Adam Locklin, Chuck Ainlay, Allen Brown, Deborah Evans Price, John Huie, Lon Helton, Tom Baldrica, Karen Clark and Rod Essig.
Fans got in on a first-come, first-serve basis. Dozens who didn’t make the cut, stood outside on the sidewalk listening and hoping for a glimpse of the towering Alan.
Every honky tonk on Lower Broad was blasting music out the doors into the breezy evening air. In addition to Cadillac Ranch, the one to be inside was Robert’s Western World. That’s where former BR5-49 frontman Chuck Mead was celebrating his solo CD.
Ah, the humanity. From toddlers in strollers to grannies in wheelchairs, the CMA Music Festival attracts ‘em all. In the downtown crowd for the festival’s kick-off parade (6/10) were hot young chicks in short-shorts, tattooed bikers, fat mall people, shirtless body builders, giddy teens, senior citizens, Latinos, blacks and LOTS of whites.
(L-R): Lonestar's Cody Collins and Michael Britt, Diamond Music Group's Megan Munroe, and Lonestar's Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams. Photo: Martha Moore
The throng stretched along both sides of Broadway from 8th to 3rd Avenues. After rounding the corner of 3rd and Demonbreun, the paraders were greeted by another large crowd at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame park. This event drew far more fans than ever before.
Storme Warren and Jon Anthony co-hosted for a national broadcast on Sirius XM radio. “Make some noise!” yelled Jon. The crowd hollered back loudly.
Nashville motorcycle cops came down Broadway in formation, with blue lights flashing. Mounted patrolmen followed. The Music City Drum & Bugle Corps marched in crisp red and white uniforms, playing, appropriately, “Strike Up the Band.” Parade grand marshal Rodney Atkins waved from the bed of a red Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Nearly all the stars in the parade rode either in the beds of Silverados or in convertible Corvettes, since Chevy is the sponsor.
Gliding by were LoCash Cowboys (tossing spongy softballs to the fans), Trent Tomlinson, Due West (at their first CMA Fest), NASCAR star Jeff Burton and Shawn Patrick McGraw (who’s landed a spot on the Toby Keith tour). The Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee walked and waved.
Storme introduced Deborah Allen as “the country-music Charro,” adding that, “she’s a one-woman party machine.” “You’re ageless,” he exclaimed to The Oak Ridge Boys. Oak Joe Bonsall was taking cell-phone movies of the crowd from their perch on the pickup. The Lost Trailers tossed chap sticks into the sea of waving hands. Ricochet, Lonestar, Mandy Barnett, Megan Munroe (who is writing a novel) and a t-shirt tossing Chris Young delighted the crowd.
Michael Peterson rode the FFA float being pulled by a New Holland tractor, one of the few non-Chevy vehicles. A banner-waving crew, blow-up streamers and giant red balloons led the way for racer Robert Richardson, Lynn Anderson (singing “Rose Garden” for Storme’s mic), Steve Holy, Bo Bice (he’s gone country) and The Carter Twins.
Predators mascot Gnash and Titans mascot T-Rac hammed it up for onlookers. When clown Ronald McDonald appeared, Storme hilariously and unintentionally introduced him as “Richie McDonald.” The motorcycle-roaring Operation Troop Aid rolled by, trailed by an army Humvee, another non-Chevy entrant.
Jypsi, Bomshel, Sunny Sweeney, Caitlin & Will, The Roys, Brady Seals, Dan Evans (of TV’s The Biggest Loser), Rio Grand, Colt Ford and Heartland were next. Louisiana native Sammy Kershaw tossed Mardi Gras beads. One Flew South were trio harmonizing as they breezed by. The Championship Bull Riders shared a truck with Trent Willmon. The next vehicles held Brad Cotter, Katie Armiger, Sarah Darling, Ty Herndon, somebody in a giraffe costume, Kate & Kacey and “Minnie Pearl.” Mounted patrolmen brought up the rear.
Meanwhile, in the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway, Stan Hitchcock was autographing copies of his new book, At the Corner of Music Row and Memory Lane. The longtime TV personality and former country record maker drew a nice crowd of snapshot takers and autograph seekers. The new Opry Originals gift shop was also packed.
After the parade came the kick-off concert at the Sommet Center stage. This, too, was carried by Sirius XM. Booked to star were Jason Michael Carroll, James Otto, Emerson Drive, LoCash Cowboys, The Lost Trailers, Rodney Atkins, Trent Tomlinson and Eric Church.
This was not the first Festival noise made by either Trent or Eric. During Lonestar’s fifth annual bowling tournament on Monday (6/8), Trent Tomlinson bowled a stunning 215. The event, which raises funds for St. Jude’s, also featured Buddy Jewell, Meagan Mullins, Bo Bice, Chris Young and more. Meanwhile, at the second annual Porter Wagoner fishing tournament held Tuesday (6/9), the Eric Church team came in first, landing a whopping 18.43 pounds of bass.
Eric’s current “Love Your Love the Most” single contains the line, “smallmouth bass have got me hooked.” “In just this one instance, I’ll allow for a lyric change, to ‘largemouth bass have got me hooked,’” says Eric. “Or maybe we could just say that, right now, I love the whole species.” Jeff Cook’s team came in second. Dean Brody’s team placed third. Veteran anglers Mel Tillis and Bobby Bare also competed. The event grew this year from 27 to 37 boats. The fish, by the way, are returned to Percy Priest Lake to swim away.
Winning fisherman Eric might set the CMA Music Festival performance record this year. In addition to the Sommet Center show on Wednesday, he’s playing at Riverfront on Friday afternoon and three late-night, sold-out shows at The Rutledge on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Also on Tuesday (6/9), a capacity crowd filled The Nashville Palace for the Loretta Johnson Memorial Concert. Dubbed “For the Love of IFCO,” the gig replaced the annual IFCO Fan Fair show to honor the late Loretta, who co-founded IFCO and died of bone marrow cancer on April 13. More than 20 acts were booked, and every single one of them and more showed up, on time, to perform. Bryan White, Linda Davis, Jimmie Van Zant, Steve Hall & Shotgun Red, Moore & Moore, new Hall of Famer Charlie McCoy, Billy Yates, Jack Greene and David Ball signed on, as did host Keith Bilbrey.
In Color: Jeffrey Steele, Nashville In Napa, and Dierks Bentley
/by Sarah SkatesPictured (L-R): BMI’s Mark Mason, Jody Williams, Mary Loving, and David Preston, with (seated) 3 Ring Circus’s Casey LeVasseur, Jeffrey Steele, and Stephanie LeVasseur
Perennial hitmaker Jeffrey Steele carved time out of his busy schedule to celebrate the success of his No. 1 single “Here” at a private dinner hosted by BMI at Fleming’s on Monday, June 8. Recorded by Rascal Flatts, “Here” marks Steele’s eighth No. 1 hit, four of which have been recorded by the band. Steele and the top-selling trio’s past collaborations include “These Days,” “My Wish,” and “What Hurts the Most.”
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(L-R): ASCAP's Mike Sistad, SunTrust's Lori Stone, songwriters Jessi Alexander and Jon Randall, Jessica & Frank Rogers, and Debi Cali, Photo: Alan Mayor
Producer Frank Rogers is spearheading a new charity called NOTES that will fund programs that bring music, art and literacy to school age children. He co-founded the initiative with Debi Cali of Baldacci Family Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA. Rogers announced the first fundraiser yesterday at ASCAP. Nashville in Napa will take place Sat., Aug. 1 at the Baldacci Family Vineyards, including performances by Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall and others, and food and wine by Napa chefs and winemakers. www.NashvilleInNapa.com
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(L-R): CMT Host Lance Smith; CMT One Country Dir. of Public Affairs Lucia Folk; and Dierks Bentley; Photo: Ben Wilder
Dierks Bentley stopped by CMT Top 20 Countdown to chat with host Lance Smith about his latest video, “Sideways,” which is making its way up the countdown, as well as his new partnership with CMT One Country to bring his annual “Miles & Music For Kids” fundraiser nationwide, with proceeds benefiting Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. The “Miles & Music For Kids” kick off event will be held at Nashville’s Riverfront Park on Sun., Oct. 11.
Evergreen: Barker Leaves, Drops ICG Moniker
/by Sarah SkatesFollowing that, today Evergreen co-CEOs David Schulhof and Richard Perna announced that ICG has formally changed its company name to EverGreen Copyrights. All ICG remaining staff will continue as employees of EverGreen.
ICG, the Nashville-based global independent administration company now in its nineteenth year, was built by Barker and purchased by Evergreen more than three years ago. During this time he says, “many positive changes have occurred, including adding a number of very talented and experienced personnel. This progression has brought us to the point where I can now step away and know that the company will continue to provide the excellent services it always has.”
Barker will remain a stock holder in Evergreen Copyrights, and will stay on as a consultant for them for at least 12 months. His old email addresses should also continue to work.
Bobby Karl Works Music Fest (6/10)
/by Bobby KarlChapter 310
The CMA Music Festival always starts before it’s supposed to. There has already been plenty of activity, including a superstar sighting.
Alan Jackson isn’t “officially” playing the fest this year, but Wednesday night (6/10) he took over Cadillac Ranch on Lower Broadway to celebrate his 20th anniversary. It was this month in 1989 that he signed his recording contract with Arista Records.
“This is a great way to start the CMA Music Festival,” said Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. “He’s a great artist with a great career.” Dean brought on the CMA’s Tammy Genovese, who in turn introduced the crowd to Kix Brooks.
“We’re on the same record label,” said Kix. He recalled that Alan was already at Arista when he arrived. The company didn’t want two more male solo acts, so Kix and Ronnie were combined to create Brooks & Dunn. “I’m proud to call him my labelmate.”
Kix introduced a CMA video tribute and presented the superstar with a framed photo collage of great Alan Jackson CMA awards show moments.
“We’ve been down a lot of roads together at Arista Records,” responded Alan. “This is too much attention for an ol’ country boy – 20 years at Arista, it’s hard to believe. We’re gonna play you some music, keep it laid back and see what happens.”
While cell phones and cameras flashed, he kicked things off with “Here in the Real World,” “Gone Country,” “I Don’t Even Know Your Name,” “Living on Love,” “Tall Tall Trees” and “Like Red on a Rose.” By the way, Alan’s current “Sissy’s Song” is his 50th top-10 hit.
V.I.P. attendees included Peter Cooper, Diane Pearson, Diana Baron, Hank Adam Locklin, Chuck Ainlay, Allen Brown, Deborah Evans Price, John Huie, Lon Helton, Tom Baldrica, Karen Clark and Rod Essig.
Fans got in on a first-come, first-serve basis. Dozens who didn’t make the cut, stood outside on the sidewalk listening and hoping for a glimpse of the towering Alan.
Every honky tonk on Lower Broad was blasting music out the doors into the breezy evening air. In addition to Cadillac Ranch, the one to be inside was Robert’s Western World. That’s where former BR5-49 frontman Chuck Mead was celebrating his solo CD.
Ah, the humanity. From toddlers in strollers to grannies in wheelchairs, the CMA Music Festival attracts ‘em all. In the downtown crowd for the festival’s kick-off parade (6/10) were hot young chicks in short-shorts, tattooed bikers, fat mall people, shirtless body builders, giddy teens, senior citizens, Latinos, blacks and LOTS of whites.
(L-R): Lonestar's Cody Collins and Michael Britt, Diamond Music Group's Megan Munroe, and Lonestar's Keech Rainwater and Dean Sams. Photo: Martha Moore
The throng stretched along both sides of Broadway from 8th to 3rd Avenues. After rounding the corner of 3rd and Demonbreun, the paraders were greeted by another large crowd at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Hall of Fame park. This event drew far more fans than ever before.
Storme Warren and Jon Anthony co-hosted for a national broadcast on Sirius XM radio. “Make some noise!” yelled Jon. The crowd hollered back loudly.
Nashville motorcycle cops came down Broadway in formation, with blue lights flashing. Mounted patrolmen followed. The Music City Drum & Bugle Corps marched in crisp red and white uniforms, playing, appropriately, “Strike Up the Band.” Parade grand marshal Rodney Atkins waved from the bed of a red Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Nearly all the stars in the parade rode either in the beds of Silverados or in convertible Corvettes, since Chevy is the sponsor.
Gliding by were LoCash Cowboys (tossing spongy softballs to the fans), Trent Tomlinson, Due West (at their first CMA Fest), NASCAR star Jeff Burton and Shawn Patrick McGraw (who’s landed a spot on the Toby Keith tour). The Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee walked and waved.
Storme introduced Deborah Allen as “the country-music Charro,” adding that, “she’s a one-woman party machine.” “You’re ageless,” he exclaimed to The Oak Ridge Boys. Oak Joe Bonsall was taking cell-phone movies of the crowd from their perch on the pickup. The Lost Trailers tossed chap sticks into the sea of waving hands. Ricochet, Lonestar, Mandy Barnett, Megan Munroe (who is writing a novel) and a t-shirt tossing Chris Young delighted the crowd.
Michael Peterson rode the FFA float being pulled by a New Holland tractor, one of the few non-Chevy vehicles. A banner-waving crew, blow-up streamers and giant red balloons led the way for racer Robert Richardson, Lynn Anderson (singing “Rose Garden” for Storme’s mic), Steve Holy, Bo Bice (he’s gone country) and The Carter Twins.
Predators mascot Gnash and Titans mascot T-Rac hammed it up for onlookers. When clown Ronald McDonald appeared, Storme hilariously and unintentionally introduced him as “Richie McDonald.” The motorcycle-roaring Operation Troop Aid rolled by, trailed by an army Humvee, another non-Chevy entrant.
Jypsi, Bomshel, Sunny Sweeney, Caitlin & Will, The Roys, Brady Seals, Dan Evans (of TV’s The Biggest Loser), Rio Grand, Colt Ford and Heartland were next. Louisiana native Sammy Kershaw tossed Mardi Gras beads. One Flew South were trio harmonizing as they breezed by. The Championship Bull Riders shared a truck with Trent Willmon. The next vehicles held Brad Cotter, Katie Armiger, Sarah Darling, Ty Herndon, somebody in a giraffe costume, Kate & Kacey and “Minnie Pearl.” Mounted patrolmen brought up the rear.
Meanwhile, in the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Broadway, Stan Hitchcock was autographing copies of his new book, At the Corner of Music Row and Memory Lane. The longtime TV personality and former country record maker drew a nice crowd of snapshot takers and autograph seekers. The new Opry Originals gift shop was also packed.
After the parade came the kick-off concert at the Sommet Center stage. This, too, was carried by Sirius XM. Booked to star were Jason Michael Carroll, James Otto, Emerson Drive, LoCash Cowboys, The Lost Trailers, Rodney Atkins, Trent Tomlinson and Eric Church.
This was not the first Festival noise made by either Trent or Eric. During Lonestar’s fifth annual bowling tournament on Monday (6/8), Trent Tomlinson bowled a stunning 215. The event, which raises funds for St. Jude’s, also featured Buddy Jewell, Meagan Mullins, Bo Bice, Chris Young and more. Meanwhile, at the second annual Porter Wagoner fishing tournament held Tuesday (6/9), the Eric Church team came in first, landing a whopping 18.43 pounds of bass.
Eric’s current “Love Your Love the Most” single contains the line, “smallmouth bass have got me hooked.” “In just this one instance, I’ll allow for a lyric change, to ‘largemouth bass have got me hooked,’” says Eric. “Or maybe we could just say that, right now, I love the whole species.” Jeff Cook’s team came in second. Dean Brody’s team placed third. Veteran anglers Mel Tillis and Bobby Bare also competed. The event grew this year from 27 to 37 boats. The fish, by the way, are returned to Percy Priest Lake to swim away.
Winning fisherman Eric might set the CMA Music Festival performance record this year. In addition to the Sommet Center show on Wednesday, he’s playing at Riverfront on Friday afternoon and three late-night, sold-out shows at The Rutledge on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Also on Tuesday (6/9), a capacity crowd filled The Nashville Palace for the Loretta Johnson Memorial Concert. Dubbed “For the Love of IFCO,” the gig replaced the annual IFCO Fan Fair show to honor the late Loretta, who co-founded IFCO and died of bone marrow cancer on April 13. More than 20 acts were booked, and every single one of them and more showed up, on time, to perform. Bryan White, Linda Davis, Jimmie Van Zant, Steve Hall & Shotgun Red, Moore & Moore, new Hall of Famer Charlie McCoy, Billy Yates, Jack Greene and David Ball signed on, as did host Keith Bilbrey.
Lifenotes: Barry Beckett
/by Sarah SkatesBeckett was born February 4, 1943 in Birmingham, Alabama. He spent many years as part of the house band at acclaimed Fame studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, originally stepping in to fill the keyboard slot vacated by Spooner Oldham. In the late sixties he became part of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.
While at Fame in the seventies and eighties, he played keys on hits including “I’m Your Puppet” (James and Bobby Purify), and “When A Man Loves A Woman” (Percy Sledge), as well as classics by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, Paul Simon, Joe Cocker, Joan Baez, Dire Straits, and the Oak Ridge Boys.
He began his production career with acts like Seger, Dylan “Slow Train Coming,” Dire Straits “Communiqué,” Delbert McClinton “The Jealous Kind,” and Glenn Frey. Beckett’s first hit came with The Sanford Townsend Band’s “Smoke From A Distant Fire.” Mary MacGregor’s “Torn Between Two Lovers” was his first No. 1 record on the pop charts.
Beckett moved to Nashville to head Warner Bros.’s A&R department, during which time he co-produced Hank Williams Jr. alongside Jim Ed Norman. “Montana Café’” and “Hank Live” both went Gold, and “Born To Boogie” went Platinum, winning CMA Album Of The Year in 1988. Beckett left Warner in 1987 to concentrate on his production career. He has had No. 1 Country records with Eddy Raven, Lorrie Morgan, Alabama, Lionel Cartwright, and Lee Roy Parnell. He also helmed production for Asleep At The Wheel, Kenny Chesney, Jason & The Scorchers, Neal McCoy, KT Oslin, Lee Roy Parnell, and others.
Barry eventually merged back into Rock ‘n’ Roll, producing Grammy nominated Etta James as well as Lynyrd Skynrd, Phish, and Ian Moore. In the early ‘90s, he began producing international acts. He also had much success with the multi-Platinum group Confederate Railroad and Neal McCoy. And in 1994, produced the late Tammy Wynette’s album of duets “Without Walls,” which included such great artists as Sting, Elton John, Aaron Neville, Smokey Robinson, and Wynonna among others.
He is survived by wife Diane and their two sons Matthew, and Mark.
Save The Date: Leadership Music Awards
/by Sarah SkatesLeadership Music will honor Country Music Hall of Fame member/legendary label executive Jim Foglesong, superstar artist Garth Brooks, and Brooks’ longtime producer Allen Reynolds with its 6th annual Dale Franklin Awards, to be given out Sun., Aug. 23 at the Renaissance Hotel. Cocktails start at 5:30 PM, followed by dinner at 6:30 PM. Invitation only.
(L-R): Foglesong, Reynolds, and Brooks
Miranda Lambert Starting A Revolution
/by Sarah SkatesOf her upcoming Sony Nashville release Miranda said, “I think this record is truly the most artistic project I have ever done. I really put my entire being into the making of it. From the writing to the recording to finding the perfect mixture of things I wanted to say. The inspiration was easy to come by, because it’s a compilation of everything I have ever listened to and fell in love with. It’s not an album where you listen from song to song, it’s a state of mind, a way of life. I hope people have as much fun getting to know me through listening as I did getting to know myself in recording it. And maybe it will do just as its title says….start a Revolution.”
The two-time Grammy nominee has seen both of her previous albums debut at No. 1 on the Country Album Chart. Her sophomore album Crazy Ex- Girlfriend won the 2008 ACM Album of the Year Award. Miranda continues to tour the country with superstar Kenny Chesney and will help closeout The CMA Music Festival on Sunday night with a performance at LP Field.
RIAA Under Fire, Beaming Up Bonnaroo, World Copyright Summit
/by Sarah SkatesMinnesota lawyer Kiwi Camara and Harvard Law professor Charles Nesson have signaled their intention to file a class action lawsuit against the recording industry demanding the return over $100 million that the RIAA supposedly has collected as penalties from file-sharing cases with consumers. Camara is also in a high-profile Minnesota RIAA case later this month. According to Arstechnica.com, Camara will seek to disallow evidence from MediaSentry which tracks IP addresses of file-sharers on the basis that it is not licensed as a private investigator in Minnesota. There is also an issue regarding certified copyright registrations which the RIAA admits, “will be difficult and expensive to obtain in time for the trial.” Arstechnica says that the “Nesson/Camara tag team have a couple more eyepoppers to make: P2P file-sharing of copyrighted material is fair use and huge statutory damage awards against noncommercial users are unconstitutional.”
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Verizon Wireless technicians have deployed two COLTS (Cell On Light Trucks) for Bonnaroo Music Festival to ensure that the 80,000+ music fans can make and receive calls, send messages and stay connected during the festivities from June 11-14. COLTS have the same call capacity as a freestanding cell site and can handle both voice and wireless data service, allowing music fans and residents to rely on their phones before, during, and after the festival.
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CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) today continues the World Copyright Summit: New Frontiers for Creators in the Marketplace. The second day of the program focuses on finding common ground and new revenue streams on which to build the future of creative industries. Today’s activities opened with Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with other segments featuring legendary singer and songwriter from the Bee Gees and President of CISAC, Robin Gibb; National Music Publishers Association President and CEO David Israelite; and chairman and CEO of EMI Music Publishing, Roger Faxon.
Country Sales Outpace Overall Industry
/by bossrossSoundScan’s inner numerics held few surprises this week as sales on Country’s Current Top 75 remained flat (-2% to be precise). For the week ended 6/7/09 country sales are down 3.3% Y/Y which continues to compare favorably with the industry overall now down 14%. Lost Highway’s Ryan Bingham debuts on the country list at No. 17, scanning 7,710 units. Dave Matthews’ debut easily captured the No. 1 position on the Top 200 chart with 424,089 units sold (31.61% digital).
Jason Aldean and Keith Urban are fighting it out sales wise. Urban debuted one week before Aldean and is currently 105,308 units ahead of the Broken Bow newcomer. However, Aldean’s CD is gaining ground on the Aussie guitar master. This week Aldean moved 18,222 units and Urban sold 14,974. (Urban’s album sales are 17.75% digital; Aldean’s are 7.35%.)
Top 10 iTunes country track sales include No. 1 Kenny Chesney “Out Last Night” (71k); No. 5 Billy Currington “People Are Crazy” (30k); and No. 10 Jason Aldean “She’s Country” (25k).
New artists with a debut album in the Country Top 30 this week include Zac Brown Band (23,178 units this week), Lady Antebellum (13,533), and Universal South artists Randy Houser (3,062) and Eli Young Band (2,606).
Early Music Fest Events: Radio Remotes, Bowling, Fishing And More
/by Sarah Skates(L-R): Julie Talbott, Exec. VP of Affiliate Marketing, Premiere Radio Networks; Reba McEntire; Tammy Genovese, Chief Executive Officer, CMA
Reba McEntire was the surprise guest at last night’s (Tuesday) orientation session for the radio stations participating in the Premiere Radio Networks’ Official CMA Music Festival Radio Remote. During CMA Music Festival, McEntire will perform on the Nightly Concerts on the VAULT™ Concert Stage at LP Field on Thurs., June 11. That afternoon she will also sign autographs in the Greased Lightning® Fan Fair Hall for the first time in 13 years.
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Photo: Alan Mayor
The fifth annual “Lonestar & Friends Strike Out For The Kids” was held Monday (6/8) at Hermitage Lanes. At the sold-out event, fans bowled alongside Country artists to raise money and awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. Among the numerous celebs participating at the GAC sponsored party were Justin Moore, Bo Bice, Chris Young, Buddy Jewell and Meagan Mullins.
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(L-R): WMBA Officers: Kama Upton, Brandi Simms, Betsy Walker and Cindy Collins
The Women’s Music Business Association (WMBA) has declared today “I’m So Music Row Day.” Members and supporters of the organization will be sporting T-shirts with the slogan on the Row and throughout the CMA Music Festival Kick-off parade this afternoon.
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(L-R): Marty Smith, Bill McGuire and Eric Church
The Porter Wagoner Memorial Artists & Anglers Fishing Tournament, which pairs country music artists with professional anglers for a day of fishing, took place yesterday at Percy Priest Lake. Eric Church, ESPN NASCAR reporter Marty Smith and champion shotgun marksman Bill McGuire won the grand prize. In just its second year, the event grew from 27 to 37 boats, with other artists including Emerson Drive, Rodney Atkins, Katie Armiger, Trent Willmon, Bo Bice and Carter’s Chord.
Kellie Pickler, Gretchen Wilson Have USA Weekend Covered
/by Sarah SkatesIn the cover story, Pickler and Wilson reveal their favorite music videos, as do other artists including Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), Jack Ingram, Taylor Swift and Darius Rucker.