Leaders of the Country Music Association, the Metro Government of Nashville, and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau gathered at the Metro Courthouse today (3/11), to announce new plans for 2009 CMA Music Festival including the addition of a new stage on the Public Square in front of the Courthouse and free access for the first time to the concerts at Riverfront Park. Increased local attendance at the Festival has long been a goal of CMA, and the announcement of free daytime admission could be just the ticket for local residents.
“We have always enjoyed a great relationship with the City, but this takes our partnership to a whole new level,” said CMA CEO Tammy Genovese. “We are now able to offer the residents of Nashville and the surrounding communities even more opportunities to access free music, family-friendly activities, and more.”
In addition, CMA has announced that Trace Adkins, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, and Reba McEntire will join the long list of stars already announced for this year’s Festival.
The addition of a stage at the Public Square provides residents and visitors with a new venue to enjoy the diverse musical styles found in Music City. Dubbed the Music City Zone, and programmed by the NCVB, the area will be free and open to the public each day.
“Adding the Music City Zone gives us a chance to showcase even more local stars and gives us an opportunity to broaden the styles of music that are readily available any day in this city,” said NCVB President Butch Spyridon.
In another first, residents of Middle Tennessee can support music education beyond their Music Festival ticket purchase. The Nashville Alliance for Public Education will be collecting “gently used” band instruments during the Festival to be provided to students and music programs in need. The instruments can be dropped off daily during the Festival in the Dr Pepper®-McDonald’s® Family Zone in Hilton Park.
CMA Music Festival will be held Thursday through Sunday, June 11-14. Nashville’s signature music event features four days of music, with concerts, autograph signings, family activities, and more throughout Downtown. Each year, CMA donates half the net profits of CMA Music Festival for music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools, via the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, through the “Keep the Music Playing” program.
Pictured (l-r) President of the NCVB Butch Spyridon, CMA CEO Tammy Genovese, CMA President and Chairman of the Music Festival Steering Committee Steve Moore, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, President of The Mathews Company and Vice Chairman of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Bert Matthews and CMA Chairman Randy Goodman.
Jack White Debuts Nashville HQ and New Band
/by LB CantrellWhite’s new band, The Dead Weather features lead singer Alison Mosshart of The Kills, Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Dean Fertita and White’s fellow Raconteur Jack Lawrence on bass. White plays drums and sings in the new band. Last night (3/11), in their first public performance, The Dead Weather played songs from their already-completed debut album, the White-produced Horehound, for about 150 fans. Among those fans was another Nashville-based rocker, Sheryl Crow and country star Martina McBride. In yet another country music connection, The Oak Ridge Boys have recorded a version of the White Stripes hit, “Seven Nation Army.”
Third Man plans a June release for Horehound. “This band is the first project to come out of this new system, which is our new studio in town and this building,” White said.
Idol Audience Presents Marketing Bonanza
/by bossrossJoe Galante
American Idol will feature the Grand Ole Opry on March 17/18 and showcase Opry members Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley plus Randy Travis who is also serving as the show’s musical mentor. Sony and Warner Bros. are leveraging the show’s 24+ million audience in some interesting and unconventional ways.
Underwood’s recording of Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home” was chosen as the season’s soundtrack for its Idol going home segment each week. It is currently on sale as a digital track.
Underwood will also sing “I Told You So” with Travis and the digital duet will immediately be available for sale online. This track appears concurrently with her hit solo version of the song now climbing the charts.
Paisley’s new single, “Then” will also be performed for the first time on Idol and immediately offered as a digital single.
Also taking advantage of this mass market bonanza, Travis will release his new CD on March 17 to capitalize on the coverage.
Surely all these marketing hooks are no coincidence. Music Row checked in with Sony Music Chairman Joe Galante to get a read on how it came about and what the expectations are…
MR: Joe is this the first time that you have released a digital-only single right after American Idol?
JG: Actually we did it last year for the charity single that Carrie performed on the Idol Gives Back show. Late last year the idea presented itself for Carrie to work on developing a song for the show this year. She demoed “Home Sweet Home,” everyone loved it, and it wound up being the song for the “going home” segment. It debuts on sale March 16. And the Randy/Carrie duet
came about because it is a special occasion. Randy was the one that introduced her on the Opry and asked her to join. The idea became a natural after the Idol folks decided to do Opry week and Randy became the mentor.
MR: Are you expecting sales to resemble a big spike curve?
JG: There’s no doubt in my mind that the fans are going to want to capture this moment. Carrie and Brad’s audience plus other musicphiles. It’s great that Idol is tipping their hat to the Opry and giving us this kind of platform.
MR: This plan leverages the power of a unique TV property with a mass audience in much that way that you traditionally hope to leverage the power of country radio.
JG: Yes. FremantleMedia and 19 have always been great about country. Every chance Carrie got when she was competiting on the show she was singing country. I remember Simon asking, “Why do you sing that stuff?” But my last conversation with Simon showed that he is getting it now. Carrie has been a tremendous spokeswoman for all of us in this format. We saw in the CMA research, that people are walking through the country door because of this show. It’s a great opportunity for everybody in the format to participate.”
Read more here and also here!
Doug Baker Exits RCA
/by LB CantrellEffective today (3/12), RCA Nashville Director of National Promotion Doug Baker has exited the company. With RCA for the past eight years, Baker served as the label’s Director of Southeast Regional Promotion before rising to Director of National Promotion in 2006. Baker’s resume includes stints as National Director of Promotion for Virgin Nashville and Director of Radio Marketing for Capitol Nashville. He also spent more than 15 years in country radio, with tenures at KNIX Phoenix, WFMS Indianapolis, and Nashville’s WSIX. He can be reached at 615-496-5236.
Grand Ole Opry Goes Idol
/by LB CantrellAn Opry member for 8 years, reigning ACM and CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Paisley will be making his first-ever Idol appearance during Opry Week and will make the most of the occasion, unveiling his upcoming single, “Then,” a song he previewed for radio executives at last week’s Country Radio Seminar. The song, which is
the debut single from Paisley’s upcoming album, American Saturday Night, will be available at online music stores to coincide with his Idol appearance.
Paisley’s labelmate Underwood, of course, is no stranger to the show, having launched her career from the Idol stage back in 2005. Shortly after winning that competition, the singer released her debut album, Some Hearts, which sold over 7 million copies and established the Oklahoma native as one of country music’s first 21st century superstars. She will perform her current hit single, “I Told You So,” as a duet with Travis, who will also serve as “Opry mentor” for current Idol competitors. While Underwood’s hit version of the Travis classic appears on her sophomore album, Carnival Ride, the two performers have already recorded a duet version of “I Told You So” which is scheduled to arrive at country radio next week. A digital version of the duet single will be available for sale at various online outlets just in time for American Idol’s Opry Week. Underwood has also recorded a cover of Mötley Crüe’s “Home Sweet Home,” which will air each week as the farewell theme for contestants leaving the show. On a related note, Travis’ Idol appearance will coincide with the release of a greatest hits package with the same title. I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of
Randy Travis hits stores on March 17.
She’s returned to the show several times since her victory, but for Underwood, even in a career filled with Platinum awards and accolades, this appearance is something special. “I am always thrilled to return to the Idol stage, and am so proud to this time be bringing with me one of my heroes, Randy Travis,” she said. “I knew the Opry first, but Idol gave me my start and helped lead me to the Opry stage. It’s a great feeling to be able to help bring these two worlds together.”
American Idol airs on FOX Tuesday, March 17, 7:00-9:00 PM CT and Wednesday, March 18, 8:00-9:00 CT.
Digital Summit—High Tech Insights and Great Value
/by LB CantrellThis year’s conference will bring together over 600 artists, ISPs, songwriters, venture capitalists, managers, content aggregators, labels, digital music services, publishers, service providers, mobile operators, consumer product developers, retailers, and various media. With keynote presentations from Rio Caraeff, Executive Vice President of eLabs for Universal Music Group, and Michael Masnick, Editor of Techdirt Blog and President/CEO of Floor 64, and a host of informational sessions covering the wide range of issues and challenges associated with the ongoing digital revolution, 2009’s Digital Summit is shaping up to be the best and best-attended ever. Incidentally, sponsorship opportunities — also a great value — are still available.
Robbins Nashville Drops In-House Promo Dept.; Moves To Outsource
/by bossrossObservers may interpret this move to mean that the label’s life line is shrinking, but Music Row has learned it is more likely an economic-driven leap toward a more cost effective business strategy. It remains unofficial, but Robbins is expected to announce shortly it has signed artist, Ward Davis and will release a single on the artist early next month. Also of interest is the fact that Robbins President Cory Robbins was in Nashville during CRS meeting with at least four promo companies that outsource services.
Sales Down, Hopes Up—3/11/09
/by bossrossOnce again the country sales story was a parable of lowered expectations evidenced by Top 75 Current Country total sales totaling a mere 302,853 units. Sales of the two Swift CDs (both Top 10) accounted for almost 22% of the total Top 75 list. Plant/Krauss (15,165), Darius Rucker (14,490), Zac Brown (14,092), Sugarland (10,899), Carrie Underwood (9,628), Dierks Bentley (9,087), Jamey Johnson (8,906) and Jake Owen (8,452) rounded out the Top 10. Overall 2009 YTD country album sales are off 15.3%, but country’s overall market share is holding steady at about 10% compared to 10.5% at this time last year.
Sales numbers do not always tell the entire story. One must also look behind the stats to see product releases both present, past and future. Therefore on a more upbeat note, CD hope is on the horizon. March 24 will bring upcoming discs from Martina McBride, John Rich and Eric Church. New Keith Urban and Rodney Atkins CDs drop March 31 and on April 7 fans will hopefully also lineup for new music from Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean and Emerson Drive.
More Stars, Local Access Come To CMA Fest
/by LB Cantrell“We have always enjoyed a great relationship with the City, but this takes our partnership to a whole new level,” said CMA CEO Tammy Genovese. “We are now able to offer the residents of Nashville and the surrounding communities even more opportunities to access free music, family-friendly activities, and more.”
In addition, CMA has announced that Trace Adkins, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, and Reba McEntire will join the long list of stars already announced for this year’s Festival.
The addition of a stage at the Public Square provides residents and visitors with a new venue to enjoy the diverse musical styles found in Music City. Dubbed the Music City Zone, and programmed by the NCVB, the area will be free and open to the public each day.
“Adding the Music City Zone gives us a chance to showcase even more local stars and gives us an opportunity to broaden the styles of music that are readily available any day in this city,” said NCVB President Butch Spyridon.
In another first, residents of Middle Tennessee can support music education beyond their Music Festival ticket purchase. The Nashville Alliance for Public Education will be collecting “gently used” band instruments during the Festival to be provided to students and music programs in need. The instruments can be dropped off daily during the Festival in the Dr Pepper®-McDonald’s® Family Zone in Hilton Park.
CMA Music Festival will be held Thursday through Sunday, June 11-14. Nashville’s signature music event features four days of music, with concerts, autograph signings, family activities, and more throughout Downtown. Each year, CMA donates half the net profits of CMA Music Festival for music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools, via the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, through the “Keep the Music Playing” program.
Pictured (l-r) President of the NCVB Butch Spyridon, CMA CEO Tammy Genovese, CMA President and Chairman of the Music Festival Steering Committee Steve Moore, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, President of The Mathews Company and Vice Chairman of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Bert Matthews and CMA Chairman Randy Goodman.
Mark Chesnutt
/by ProgrammerPlaylist“She Never Got Me Over You”
Lofton Creek
Responding to demand from radio, Mark Chesnutt‘s new single “She Never Got Me Over You” is being rush-released. Several stations, including WFMS/Indianapolis and KFTX/Corpus Christi, have already added it. It garnered 21 adds on MusicRow‘s CountryBreakout™ chart in its first week of being reported.
Beaumont, Texas, native Mark Chesnutt left his stamp on the ‘90s, recording some of the decade’s most memorable hits—“Bubba Shot The Jukebox,” “Going Through The Big D,” and “It’s A Little Too Late” among many others.
Chesnutt’s current album Rollin’ With The Flow was released in 2008 and features the hit title track, plus “Things To Do In Wichita” and his new single “She Never Got Me Over You.” His fruitful career boasts 14 No. 1s, 23 top ten singles, four platinum albums and five gold records.
Known as one of the industry’s hardest-working concert performers, Chesnutt has been on the road since 1990, maintaining a hefty tour schedule and steady presence in front of his fans. “The clubs and honky tonks are home for me; it’s comfortable and I’m always with friends,” says the singer.
Chesnutt has a string of live dates in his future, including the October 23-25 Beaumont Boys Bash. Hosted with his fellow hometown singers Tracy Byrd and Zona Jones, the charity festival offers a weekend of music, food and fun unlike any other.
www.markchesnutt.com
www.myspace.com/officialmarkchesnutt
Are Ticketers Getting Greedy?
/by bossrossA Britney Spears concert in Pittsburgh offered seats for $39.50 to $125 on Ticketmaster.com, but a link saying “Browse premium seats plus tickets posted by fans” was offering the same classes of seats for as high as $1,188.60 each. According to the article the Spears camp refused to comment when asked by WSJ for an explanation, but soon afterwards, the wording “tickets posted by fans” was removed from the TicketExchange Marketplace website and prices were reduced. Bruce Springsteen recently made headlines by criticizing Ticketmaster for a practice similar to this involving tickets to his shows that was done without his permission.