UMG Sales/Marketing To Restructure

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According to a Universal Music Group spokesperson, Executive VP Sales and Marketing Ben Kline is leaving the company, effective immediately, to pursue  a new opportunity. Kline was a fixture at the Nashville label for 11 years and with Universal for a total of 17 years. He was a frequent voice in many Music Row articles dealing with his area of expertise. Kline was in charge of all sales, marketing and new media functions for Mercury, MCA Nashville and Lost Highway.

Kline’s departure is effective immediately. It is expected that as soon as next week UMGN will announce a restructuring plan for its Sales/Marketing department which is not expected to include any new hires.

RIAA Reveals Year-End Stats

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Only three albums released in 2008 were certified multi-platinum in the same year, according to the RIAA’s year-end tally. The year’s top certifications—all double platinum—went to rapper Lil Wayne (Tha Carter, Vol. 3), Brit rockers Coldplay (Viva La Vida), and metal masters AC/DC (Black Ice).

Lil Wayne’s June release reached double-Platinum prestige within only one month. AC/DC’s first commercial outing in eight years debuted in late October and hit the 2x Platinum mark in November. Meanwhile, Coldplay’s album came out in June and reached Platinum by August.

Twenty-one albums released last year received Platinum certification in 2008, with Sugarland and Toby Keith being the only Country crooners in the group. Helping the Mercury Nashville duo move a million units was its third release Love on the Inside. For Keith it was That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy, released in October on Show Dog Nashville and certified Platinum in December. That pushed his career total to more than 23 million albums sold since his 1993 debut.

As for December RIAA certifications, Faith Hill’s Joy to the World was certified Gold, and Miranda Lambert earned a Gold Single and Gold Mastertone for “Gunpowder & Lead.”

Little Jimmy Recovering

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“Little” Jimmy Dickens has been moved from the hospital into a rehabilitation center to recuperate from a recent brain surgery. His stay at the center is expected to be short. The 88-year-old Grand Ole Opry star underwent surgery Jan. 13 to repair a subdural hematoma.

Pickler Scores Sexy Endorsement Deal

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Kellie Pickler has signed on as a 2009 celebrity spokesperson for Sexy Hair products. As part of the multi-million dollar endorsement agreement, Pickler and fellow celeb Cheryl Burke will appear in the company’s consumer and trade publication ads, promotional materials, and publicity campaign. Advertising roll-outs will begin in April and run through December in Allure magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Launchpad, Modern Salon, American Salon and Canadian Hairdresser.

Pickler, who will specifically represent products including Big Sexy Hair and Short Sexy Hair, says she has been a fan of the line for years and jokes, “I need all the Sexy I can get!”

Sony Nashville Layoffs

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(Updated 6:40 pm) With country music sales dropping from 75 to 47 million units over the last two years, ”restructuring” has become a dreaded and unfortunately, all too familiar term on Music Row streets. Sony Music Nashville is the latest label to be affected by the softness in the CD marketplace and the weakness in the overall economy.

The layoffs began late in the afternoon today (1/22). They all occurred under the marketing department umbrella, and consisted of artist development and media employees mostly at the Director level. Three of the label’s four imprints were affected.

Confirmed exits include RCA Media Director, Lori Genes (615-715-5922 lgenes@gmail.com); Jensen Sussman, Columbia Associate Media Director (615-915-9318 sussmanj@mac.com); and Media Coordinator Michelle Lorge (615-587-4980 michelle_lorge @ yahoo.com).

BNA Director Artist Development/Marketing Dan Anderson (615-294-8432 danHanderson@comcast.net) and RCA Director Artist Development/Marketing Rachel Fontenot 615-516-2803 rachel.fontenot@comcast.net) were also impacted.

The cuts coincided today with the announcement that worldwide electronics and software giant Sony Corp. would report an annual loss for the first time in 14 years. The company says that due to global economic conditions it would post a company-wide net loss of $1.7 billion.

Americana Series Set For Bluebird

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The Americana Music Association will host a new “Live at The Bluebird Cafe” concert series every Thursday beginning Feb. 19 and running through March 26.

Celebrating some of the genre’s best-loved and most influential performers, the six-show series sponsored by the Gibson Foundation will feature Jim Lauderdale (2/19), Sam Bush (2/26), Nanci Griffith (3/5), and Foster & Lloyd (3/26). Surprise performers are likely to sit in during many of the dates. Artists for the March 12 and 19 shows will be announced soon. A series pass is $125 and available through Feb. 11 by calling the AMA at 615-386-6936. Reservations for individual shows ($25) can be made at www.bluebirdcafe.com a week before each show.

Urban Planning To Defy Gravity

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Keith Urban’s new album Defying Gravity will be released March 31 on Capitol Records Nashville. The project’s lead single “Sweet Thing” has already reached No. 3 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart and is still climbing.

“Defying Gravity comes from the lyrics of a song on the album and it just struck me at the time as a phrase that really defined the joyous, optimistic and uplifting spirit that seemed to show itself while making the album,” Urban explains.

In May he’ll launch the Escape Together World Tour, which will visit 58 cities across North America. Urban will team with a different touring partner in each city, with guests including Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and The Zac Brown Band.

Nashville Screenwriters Conference Returns In 2009

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The eleventh annual Nashville Screenwriters Conference (NSC) is set to take place May 29-31 at the historic Union Station hotel. The open-to-the-public conference will bring some of Hollywood’s top writers, producers, directors, managers, agents and studio executives to Nashville to network and share their experiences with local aspiring screenwriters and other interested individuals.

The popular “Music in Film & TV Luncheon” is returning to give songwriters, composers and artists an opportunity to learn how to place their music in films and TV.  Attendees can purchase to tickets to all or just some of the conference’s events. More details will be announced soon.

New Hiring At NSAI

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Erin Burr

NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) has added Erin Burr as Communications Director. She most recently spent more than three years handling publicity for the Colgate Country Showdown talent competition. At the new gig, Burr will report to NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. She can be reached at erin@nashvillesongwriters.com or (615) 256-3354, ext. 233.

Next up: NSAI hosts Spring Training, a songwriter’s symposium, running April 3-4 at Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville. There will be panels, seminars, and performances, with songwriters including Ray Stevens, Kelley Lovelace, and Kye Fleming.

Little Big Town Lets Fans Pick Opening Act

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Little Big Town has partnered with Web site Eventful to find aspiring country artists to open its upcoming A Place to Land tour. Starting today, fans can use Eventful’s “Demand” service to vote for artists they think should open the shows. The four performers with the most Demands will perform at different stops on the March tour. Little Big Town has already recruited Zac Brown Band, Ashton Shepherd and Kate & Kacey for support on its first headlining outing. The competition will continue through Feb. 27.