Dailey & Vincent celebrated the release of their new Statler Brothers tribute album at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville. The new CD, featuring bluegrass versions of 12 of the Statlers' best-loved songs, is available exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and www.crackerbarrel.com. (L-R): Rounder Records co-founder Ken Irwin; Dailey & Vincent's manager, Don Light; Harold Reid, Jimmy Fortune, Jamie Dailey, Darrin Vincent, Don Reid, Phil Balsley; Peter Keiser, Cracker Barrel's Vice President of Marketing; and Julie Craig, Cracker Barrel Marketing Manager. Photo credit: Randi Radcliff
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Lipscomb University presents the inaugural “Music From The Mountain” show, an evening honoring Mother Maybelle Carter. It will be hosted by Larry Gatlin on Feb. 11 at the Collins Alumni Auditorium, featuring the Del McCoury Band, The Whites, Tom T. & Dixie Hall, the Gatlins, Heather Berry, and The Carter Family III with Dale Jett, Laura Cash and John Carter Cash. Proceeds benefit the Nashville Rescue Mission. Tickets available at Lipscomb box office (966-7075) and Ticketmaster.
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The Grascals were named Overall Bluegrass Group of the Year during the 36th annual SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards Show & Convention, held at the Sheraton Music City in Nashville Feb. 4-7. The band is currently preparing for the upcoming Hank Williams Jr. Rowdy Friends tour, featuring Eric Church, Jamey Johnson and Hank Williams, Jr.
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IBMA’s Leadership Bluegrass Class of 2010 has been announced. Among the Nashvillians in the group are Kissy Black, Lotos Nile; Linda Bonner, Grassland Elementary; Thad Keim, Compass Records Group; Patty Mitchell, Artist; Jess Norburg, IBMA; Andrew Stokes, McLachlan Management International; and Donna Ulisse, Donna Ulisse & the Poor Mountain Boys/Hadley Music Group. Click here to see the entire list.
Recommendations Sought for Board Nominations: IBMA is currently seeking written recommendations for members interested in serving on the organization’s board of directors. The four seats to be filled by election by fellow members during 2010 include representatives for:
-Artists, Composers & Publishers
-International (non-US members)
-Associations
-Merchandisers & Luthiers
Click here for details.
The IBMA will host the World of Bluegrass Convention in Nashville, September 27 – October 3, 2010.
Deadline to submit for the IBMA Songwriter Showcase is May 1, 2010.
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Roe Entertainment has signed 3-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year Dale Ann Bradley for exclusive booking representation. Roe can be reached at 877-688-5885 or roeent@bellsouth.net.
Lyric Street Creates Off Cycle Flatts Holiday Song Bundle
/by adminAshley Heron
“Ultimately, in the business of digital music we live in a very a la carte world,” says Lyric Street Sr. Manager of Marketing, Ashley Heron. “Sometimes customers don’t get the opportunity to discover album tracks that they otherwise may have looked over. It’s not unusual to purchase the CD for a specific song, and later fall in love with an additional album cut. In today’s digital marketplace we aren’t force feeding these other tracks which are potentially new fan favorites. The love songs compilation allows us to not only wrap a bundle around a theme of songs, but also reintroduce some tracks to Flatts fans. It’s also a way to partner with iTunes and our other digital retailers and say, “We don’t have new product right now, but here’s a way for us to give something new to the fans. We’re not trying to confuse them, but want to make sure that if they were creating a play list then we gave them an easy way to bundle them together.”
The fourteen song bundle has special pricing. MusicRow found it on iTunes for $9.99 and Amazon at $9.49. “It’s up to the retailer,” says Heron. “We have a wholesale price which determines our cost, then it is up to the retailer to assign a price. This kind of package is still an experiment. I expect we’ll get both good and bad feedback. In the future you might see packages like this with added new tracks or a pdf file. But this bundle is a good step toward taking advantage of the digital format and the ability to release products off cycle.”
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Here’s some actual reviews lifted from iTunes this morning that illustrate different fan reactions
by the_heights
…of course if you’re a Flatts fan then you probably already have all of these songs. So just go make a play list to match. If you’re new though this would be an excellent album to buy because the songs are some of their best stuff.
by Gabe 19
I’m a big fan of Rascal Flatts, but this seems like an unnecessaaryu release. Anyways all songs on here are great.
Gill, Flatts, Steele, and Walker Headline Big Benefit Shows
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NashvillePost: Gibson goes on defensive against price-fixing claims
/by contributorFrom the NashvillePost.com:
“Pete” Peterson Passes
/by Robert K OermannVanderbilt University professor Richard “Pete” Peterson—one of the first sociologists to seriously study country music—has died at age 77.
During his career, Peterson studied the Nashville music industry, popular culture, the definition of musical genres, the aging of the fine-arts audience and the impact of digital technology on music. In addition, he was a former consultant to National Public Radio.
When he arrived at Vanderbilt in 1965, he realized that the campus was just a few blocks away from the center of Nashville’s music business. So he began a scholarly quest to explore the development of country music.
He befriended artists such as Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings, Hank Snow and Charley Pride and went on the road with The Oak Ridge Boys when they were still a gospel act.
One of his first studies was of Fan Fair (now known as the CMA Music Festival). After many years of further study and numerous articles and scholarly convention presentations, in 1997 he published Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity (University of Chicago Press). At the time, the late Eddy Arnold said that Peterson, “appreciates the importance of country music and respects how it achieves that importance.”
Peterson passed away on Thursday, February 4. He is survived by his wife, Claire Clark, and three children, Michael, David and Ruth. A campus memorial service is being planned.
Josh Turner Goes Haywire Feb. 9
/by adminJosh Turner’s latest release Haywire hits streets Feb. 9 with a standard and deluxe version. Deluxe includes the 11 tracks that appear on the standard release plus two unreleased songs and live versions of “Your Man,” and “Long Black Train.” Deluxe also includes music video “Why Don’t We Just Dance” plus behind-the-scenes recording studio footage.
Turner will also be featured on the Great American Country network’s Origins series where the baritone singer shares personal stories about career and family.
Rider Named Stoney Creek GM
/by Sarah SkatesRider recently exited her position as Curb Records VP Promotion after ten years with the label. She now joins fellow former Curb promo exec Carson James at Stoney Creek, an imprint of Broken Bow Records.
“We are excited to have April join the Stoney Creek family. Her extensive knowledge and successful background will continue to move the Stoney Creek imprint to new levels of success,” says Brown.
Rider adds, “With such a great staff and artist roster to work with, I am thrilled for this exciting opportunity to grow my career. I look forward to working with my longtime colleague and friend Carson James, and the rest of the Stoney Creek family.”
April Rider can be reached at april@stoneycreekrecords.com and by phone at 615-320-1372.
Turner On Letterman; Lambert Meets Foxx; Steel Magnolia In LA
/by Sarah Skates———————————-
Turns out that actor/singer Jamie Foxx is big fan of Miranda Lambert. The two celebs met for the first time in LA recently at Foxx’s post-Grammy party at the Conga Room. She was celebrating her first Number One single, “White Liar,” and a presenting slot on the Grammys where she was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
Jamie Foxx and Miranda Lambert
When Lambert walked in the room, Foxx grabbed a microphone and rapped a few lines of, “White Liar” and said, “Everybody, Miranda Lambert’s in the house!” A fan of country music, Foxx has performed on the CMA Awards and last year, sang on the George Strait Artist of the Decade All-Star Concert.
Lambert will return to the City of Angeles this month on tour with Brad Paisley and she will also perform “White Liar” on Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson.
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Warner Ups Reeves To VP Promotion
/by FreemanBob Reeves
Warner Music Nashville announced today (2/8) the promotion of Bob Reeves from National Promotion Director to VP Promotion. In this new role, Reeves will continue to work with artists in the Warner Music Nashville family, which includes Atlantic Nashville, Reprise and Warner Bros. Nashville.
“When I came on board and saw all of the terrific A&R team we had working to develop our wonderful roster of artists, I also saw that we have in Bob an incredibly talented executive with the breadth of experience and creativity to help us take WMN to the next level,” says WMN Pres. John Esposito. “Throughout the course of his 20-year career, Bob has exhibited entrepreneurial initiative and has brought a very creative approach to getting the music of so many great artists to their fans. I look forward to working with him to drive even greater success for all of Warner Music Nashville artists.”
Reeves’ career includes time at Albany, NY’s WPTR radio; promotion gigs with CORE Records, River North, and Sony Music’s Monument and Epic; his own marketing and promotion partnership Integrity Nashville; and National Promotion Director stints with Midas and Montage. Since joining Warner Bros. Nashville in 2006, Reeves has been a part of No. 1 singles by Big & Rich, James Otto, and Blake Shelton.