Dierks and CMT Partner For Charity Events

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dierksDierks Bentley’s annual “Miles & Music For Kids” fundraiser is expanding beyond Nashville with the help of CMT One Country. The motorcycle ride and concert featuring Bentley and friends will grow to include six markets in 2009 and 2010, with proceeds benefiting Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. As part of CMT’s involvement, “Miles & Music For Kids” and Children’s Miracle Network will be promoted on all of its media channels—on-air, online and via radio.

The series of events will take place in Phoenix (Bentley’s hometown), Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, and, of course, Nashville. Each fundraiser will benefit the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in that area. The 2009 kick off fundraiser will be held at Nashville’s Riverfront Park on Sunday, October 11 and, as always, will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, which is part of the Children’s Miracle Network.

“Miles & Music For Kids” began in 2006 in Nashville and since that time has raised more than half a million dollars for Vanderbilt’s Children’s Hospital.

Chesney Hits Louisville; Houser & Johnson Benefit Opry; Caitlin & Will Opry Debut

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With Kenny Chesney’s Sun City Carnival Tour taking over Louisville’s Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, some of Nashville’s music industry folks headed north for the festivities. (L-R): CMT Pres. and CMA Board Member Brian Philips, Chesney, Sony Nashville Chairman Joe Galante and CMA CEO Tammy Genovese.
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Co-headliners Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson filled the Ryman Auditorium Thursday night (5/28) as the Traler Park Revival was officially unveiled.  The concert, which also featured singer/songwriter Jerrod Niemann, was a benefit for the Opry Trust Fund. (L-R): Houser and Johnson.

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Caitlin & Will made their debut on the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage on May 22. They performed their current single “Address In The Stars.”  (L-R): Will Snyder, Caitlin Lynn and Little Jimmy Dickens.

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Paisley Starts American Saturday Night Tour

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asn-tour-banner-splash1Brad Paisley will kick off his American Saturday Night Tour this Friday in Charlotte, NC. Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne are special guests on the outing which has more than 40 dates scheduled through the end of October. The run consists mainly of amphitheaters and arenas as well as a stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden, and dates at a number of big music festivals.

His new album, also titled American Saturday Night, will be released June 30 by longtime label home Sony.

Free Events Mark Music Festival Opening

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Photo: Erick Anderson

Photo: Erick Anderson

The CMA Music Festival will open with a free Kick-Off Parade and Block Party beginning at 2 PM on Wed., June 10. Hosted by Grand Marshal Rodney Atkins, “The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade” will feature artists riding in Chevy vehicles, including Deborah Allen, Lynn Anderson, Katie Armiger, Mandy Barnett, Bo Bice, Bomshel, NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, Caitlin & Will, Carter Twins, Jeff Cook, Brad Cotter, Sarah Darling, Due West, The Biggest Loser’s Dan Evans, Colt Ford, The Grascals, Halfway to Hazard, Heartland, Ty Herndon, Steve Holy, Jypsi, Kate & Kacey, Sammy Kershaw, Brenda Lee, LoCash Cowboys, Lonestar, The Lost Trailers, Justin Moore, Megan Munroe, Oak Ridge Boys, One Flew South, Michael Peterson, Collin Raye, NASCAR driver Robert Richardson, Ricochet, Rio Grand, Brady Seals, Sunny Sweeney, Trent Tomlinson, Trent Willmon, and Chris Young.

The parade will begin at the corner of Broadway and Sixth Avenue North and end at the Sommet Center where “The Fourth Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party” will take place on the Sommet Center Plaza Stage with a lineup running from 3:05 until 7:50 and including (in order of appearance) Trent Tomlinson, LoCash Cowboys, Jason Michael Carroll, The Lost Trailers, James Otto, Emerson Drive, Eric Church and Atkins. The Block Party is just the start of four days of live music on the Sommet Center Plaza Stage.

Jackson To Give Free 20th Anniversary Concert

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goodtimecd_lrgAlan Jackson will thrill fans next week with a free concert marking his 20 years in country music. The performance and party is set for Wed., June 10 at Nashville’s Cadillac Ranch, following that afternoon’s parade kicking off the CMA Music Festival. Industry guests are welcome as well. Doors will open at 6:30 PM. Show starts at 8 PM.

Jackson signed his recording deal with Arista Nashville 20 years ago this month and has since amassed albums sales in excess of 50 million. From his debut Here In The Real World (1990), which produced four Top 5 hits, to his most recent album Good Time, which has produced three No. 1 hits, Jackson’s career hasn’t slowed. His latest, “Sissy’s Song,” is still climbing the charts.

Flatts Make Most of Sponsorships

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flattsThe Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour opens this weekend with shows in St. Louis, Missouri and Indianapolis, Indiana. The band garnered sponsorship from JCPenney which is promoting its affordable, clothing brand called American Living. An associate sponsorship from Hersheys was also negotiated. Also on the tour are Darius Rucker and Cledus T Judd.

In conjunction with the sponsorship, Rascal Flatts has written a song to be used in American Living commercials and which will be available only on a special version of the band’s new CD Unstoppable sold at JCPenney. Net proceeds from the sale of albums will be donated to the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, which provides children in need with access to life-enriching after school programs.

Bruce Rodgers created the new set for the tour, with lighting design by Bob Peterson. The outing requires 55 crew members traveling in 13 trucks and 10 buses.

Happy Birthday Bluebird Cafe

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The Bluebird Café is celebrating its 27th year in business tonight with a Birthday Bash featuring The Jay Patten Band and special guests Jonell Mosser, Cowboy Jack Clement, Deborah Allen, Shawn Camp, and more. The 9:00 PM event benefits Happy Endings Animal Rescue (H.E.A.R.). The cost is $15.00.

Wilson To Open CMA Music Festival

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Gretchen Wilson will kick off 2009 CMA Music Festival on the Daytime Stage at Riverfront Park ongretchen_wilson_10692 Thursday, June 11 (10:00 AM/CT). The performance by the Sony Nashville recording artist will open the four-day event which runs through Sunday, June 14.

Love and Theft, John Michael Montgomery, and Craig Morgan have also been added to the Riverfront lineup. In addition, One Flew South will sing the national anthem on Thursday, June 11, and Peter McWhirter, winner of Australia’s Telstra competition, will perform on Friday, June 12 as part of his grand prize. Montgomery will close the daytime party as the last performer at Riverfront Park on Sunday, June 14.

Admittance to the Daytime Stage at Riverfront Park is free, but four-day ticket holders have early entrance privileges.

Lambert Hosts Hit Event For Humane Society

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Miranda and Delilah, a Humane Society of East Texas alumnus.

Miranda and Delilah, a Humane Society of East Texas alumnus.

Miranda Lambert’s second annual “Cause for the Paws” event raised $120,000 for the Humane Society of East Texas. Joining her in concert at the Tyler, Texas fundraiser were Blake Shelton, Kasey Musgraves and Adam Hood. The event also included a silent and live auction, food and wine tasting, and a cocktail reception for sponsors.

Lambert is spending the summer on Kenny Chesney’s Sun City Carnival Tour. Her new record is due out in September, with lead single “Dead Flowers” already working its way up the charts.

Martina Poster, Matchless Debuts, Mullins Video, Lyric Advances

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Photo: Fred Pierson

As CMA Music Festival draws near, workers install the final components of the GAC wrap on the Sommet Center’s glass tower. A 50 foot tall Martina McBride will welcome fans to next week’s event.

Shawn Pennington, formerly of Dale Morris & Associates, has launched his own artist management and consulting company called Matchless Management. Details, including the client roster, are pending. The Pittsburgh, PA native spent close to 10 years with Morris, working closely with such artists as John Rich, Big & Rich, Randy Owen, and Cowboy Troy. He can be reached at scpenn@me.com or (615) 491-8285.

mullinMegan Mullins’ new video “Long Past Gone” has been added to GAC, CMT and CMT Pure. The shoot took place on California’s Pacific Coast and was created by Feewill Films in association with Picture Vision Pictures. Directed by Curt Apanovich, produced by William Shockley, David Bennett and executive produced by John Small of Picture Visions, the clip was filmed with the RED camera. Mullins is on Stoney Creek Records, a Broken Bow Records imprint.

LYRIC Financial announces it has begun funding advances for writers and publishers who have agreements with major publishers UMG, Warner Chappell, EMI and Sony. The company is now working with mechanical royalty revenue streams in addition to performance royalties. Lyric founder Eli Ball stated, “While mechanical royalties are not as strong as they once were, they are still a significant source of income to many writers and publishers. We have worked diligently to create the same simple, safe and transparent process as we have for performance royalty advances.” www.lyricfinancial.com