Sixteen prominent international country artists will convene in Music City next month to participate in a series of global country music events, beginning June 8 in downtown Nashville. The CMA Global Artist Party (presented by CMA and sponsored by NiteTrain Coaches) will once again serve as the unofficial start to the 2009 CMA Music Festival with its annual showcase on Monday, June 8. The event, hosted by Jace Everett, will feature a total of eight artists from Australia, Ireland, U.K., Canada and New Zealand, including Australia’s “Telstra Road to Tamworth” winner, Peter McWhirter. The showcase begins at 6:15 PM at The Stage on Broadway.
CMA Global Artist Party performers include Kirsty Lee Akers (Australia), Colm Kirwan (Ireland), Lucie Silvas (U.K.), Alex J. Robinson (Canada), Peter McWhirter (Australia), Ashley Cooper (New Zealand), The McClymonts (Australia) and George Canyon (Canada).
The annual AristoMedia Global Showcase (presented by AristoMedia and sponsored by CMA, NiteTrain Coaches and Digital Rodeo) will be held Tuesday, June 9 at 3 p.m. at The Second Fiddle. International artists from France, U.K., Norway, Switzerland, Australia and Canada will perform, including the “Telstra Road to Tamworth” Songwriter’s Award winner Corey Colum. Former Mavericks bassist and Digital Rodeo Director of Industry Relations Robert Reynolds will host the event, which will feature Pierre Lorry (France), Brianie (U.K.), Tore Andersen (Norway), Rolf Fritschi (Switzerland), Dianna Corcoran (Australia), Codie Prevost (Canada), Corey Colum (Australia) and David Bradley (U.K.).
“Both of these events are certainly a highlight for the global Country Music community each year,” says AristoMedia President Jeff Walker. “Music City is regarded as the heart of Country Music and the CMA Music Festival is one of the best live events in the world. The chance for these artists to travel and perform here is not only an exciting opportunity for the artists, but for the city of Nashville and the entire international country music movement as well.”
CMA Awards on ABC Nov. 11
/by LB CantrellThe eligibility period for the 2009 CMA Awards is July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. All voting for “The 43rd Annual CMA Awards” will be conducted online. The first ballot and instructions will be e-mailed June 30 to CMA members in good standing who are eligible to vote. Voting for the first ballot closes at 5:00 PM/CT, July 16.
The second ballot will be e-mailed to CMA members Aug. 11. Voting for the second ballot closes at 5:00 PM/CT, Aug. 24. The final nominees in each of the 12 categories will be announced in early September.
The third and final ballot will be e-mailed to CMA members Oct. 16. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends at 5:00 PM/CT, Nov. 3.
The 43rd Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer. Paul Miller is the Director. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards, including a stereo-radio simulcast of the gala event. American Airlines is the official airline of the 2009 CMA Awards, and Chevy is the Official Ride of Country Music.
CMT Partners With Dish Network
/by LB CantrellRCA Names Elizabeth Sledge Mgr. Regional Promotion
/by LB CantrellOnce Again Underwood’s a 10
/by LB CantrellJoe Nichols Issues “‘Believers’ Challenge”
/by LB Cantrell“It’s just amazing the kind of feedback we’re getting from this song,” Nichols said. “I wanted to give people a way to share with each other what inspires them and makes them believers.”
Nichols explains the “Believers” site below.
CMA Launches “CMA Industry Insite”
/by LB Cantrell“Initially, this information was available to new artists on DVD, but the format made the information obsolete very quickly and did not allow us to keep pace with the changing face of the industry,” Brooks said. “Housing the series online and archiving the episodes once they are posted enables us to routinely update the material to stay current with changing business trends.”
It was also important to the Artist Relations Committee that the project reach beyond the artist community and become a tool that could be easily accessed at any time by CMA’s entire membership. Each segment, which is 8-10 minutes long, features specialists from that field. Each month, a new segment will be rolled out to the community with the opportunity to submit questions to the experts with the answers posted online.
Participants in the publishing episode include: Chris DuBois, Partner, Sea Gayle Music; Rusty Gaston, General Manager/Partner, This Music; Ree Guyer Buchanan, President/Owner Wrensong Publishing/WE Records; Pat Higdon, President, Universal Music Publishing Group; Victoria Shaw, President/Owner AvaRu Music; Troy Tomlinson, President/CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville.
Global Events Kick Off CMA Fest
/by LB CantrellCMA Global Artist Party performers include Kirsty Lee Akers (Australia), Colm Kirwan (Ireland), Lucie Silvas (U.K.), Alex J. Robinson (Canada), Peter McWhirter (Australia), Ashley Cooper (New Zealand), The McClymonts (Australia) and George Canyon (Canada).
“Both of these events are certainly a highlight for the global Country Music community each year,” says AristoMedia President Jeff Walker. “Music City is regarded as the heart of Country Music and the CMA Music Festival is one of the best live events in the world. The chance for these artists to travel and perform here is not only an exciting opportunity for the artists, but for the city of Nashville and the entire international country music movement as well.”
Austin Guitarist Stephen Bruton Dies
/by LB CantrellTurner Stephen Bruton was born Nov. 7, 1948, in Wilmington, Delaware, but moved with his family to Texas when he was 2. As a teenager, he won banjo competitions, switching to guitar in his teens. Shortly after graduating from Texas Christian University, Bruton joined Kristofferson’s band just as the singer/songwriter’s career was getting started and toured with him on and off for decades.
He recorded five critically acclaimed solo albums, and his songs were recorded by artists including Raitt, The Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kristofferson), Jimmy Buffett, Patty Loveless and numerous others. He died at the home of his childhood friend, producer T Bone Burnett, with whom he had been working on Crazy Heart, a film being produced by Burnett. Bruton produced the music for the film.
“We finished it about two weeks ago,” Burnett said. “I’m deeply grateful he got to complete his work on the film. It meant a tremendous amount for him to get it finished. In the last 72 hours things just started shutting down. I think everybody thought he would kick it quickly because he was Stephen Bruton. We all thought he was invincible.”
Prime Time Press Conferences Irk Broadcasters
/by bossrossExecutives at the largest broadcast networks claim that the new president has already cost them $30 million in ad revenue as a result of his three prime-time news conferences. The Hollywood Reporter story notes that none of the broadcasters mentioned in the article were willing to go on the record, but says that the Fox network’s decision not to carry the last news conference, might serve as a precedent. The Hollywood Reporter quotes one unnamed broadcast exec who says, “We will continue to make our decisions on White House requests on a case-by-case basis, but the Fox decision gives us cover to reject a request if we feel that there is no urgent breaking news that is going to be discussed.”
[Hollywood Reporter]
“The Session Players” Announces Online Chat
/by LB Cantrell