[Updated] McBride Signs With Republic Nashville

Martina McBride has joined the Republic Nashville roster. The signing was announced earlier today (11/8) at a press conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “We’ve been busy orchestrating Martina’s long-term business plan, and today’s signing is a major component,” explained her manager Clint Higham. “Working with Martina has been especially gratifying […]

The Country Network Names Executive Staff

  The Country Network (TCN) hit airwaves last month and is staffing up accordingly. TCN is available in 23 markets, including on WNAB Channel 58.2 in Nashville. It has agreements in place to add several more markets by early next year, which will provide it coverage of 25% of US television homes. TCN embraces its […]

Anna Wilson Jazzes Up “Countrypolitan Duets”

Nashville jazz chanteuse Anna Wilson paired with some of country’s biggest stars for her upcoming release Countrypolitan Duets. Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers, Ray Price, and Connie Smith all make appearances on the project, which is scheduled for release Feb. 1, 2011. For the album, Wilson and husband/producer Monty Powell chose to […]

CMAawards.com Streaming Loads of Live Coverage; Post-party Plans

CMAawards.com is streaming with activity surrounding Wednesday’s (11/10) Awards. For the first time, the official site will offer live footage from the CMA Awards Black Carpet presented by Jack Daniel’s, the Pre-Telecast ceremonies, and the backstage Press Room. Black Carpet coverage will begin at 5:00 PM/ET, followed by Pre-Telecast cermonies between approximately 7:25-7:55 PM/ET, and […]

Brooks Benefit Sells Out Nine Dates

Garth Brooks has sold out a record-breaking nine concerts at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in one day, marking the first time that any performer ever sold that number of tickets in the state of Tennessee. Over 140,000 tickets were sold raising an incredible $3.5 million for Nashville flood victims. (Michael Jackson held the previous record of […]

Stagecoach Country Music Festival Tickets On Sale

Tickets for the fifth annual Stagecoach Country Music Festival, to take place Saturday, April 30th and Sunday, May 1st, 2011, are now on sale. For a limited time, general admission passes for the entire weekend are only $99. Reserved seating with exclusive VIP access is also available. The popular festival, which is held at Empire […]

Reba’s 34th Album Release Week

Reba will be promoting the November 9th release of her 34th album, All The Women I Am, with a week of media appearances such as Good Morning America, CMA Awards and the Late Show with David Letterman. Reba will appear on ABC’s Good Morning America on November 9th at 7:00 am; following this, she will […]

CMT and ABC Are All About the CMA Awards

CMT is dedicating special coverage leading up to “The 44th Annual CMA Awards,” giving fans an in-depth look at the nominees. CMT Insider host Katie Cook will conduct exclusive interviews with nominees including Miranda Lambert on Saturday, November 6th at 1:30 pm ET/PT. The music network will also air a special Stacked featuring videos from […]

Election Results Spur Changes in Entertainment Law

On Tuesday, November 9th, NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) and the CMA will hold an Entertainment Law Conference to explore how the recent Congressional changes will impact the way in which Congress addresses entertainment industry issues. An “Election Results” panel, comprised of a bipartisan group of Washington, D.C. veterans representing many music industry stakeholders, […]

Jim Lauderdale to Receive SESAC’s Inspiration Award

Jim Lauderdale will be honored with SESAC’s “Inspiration Award” at their upcoming Nashville  Music Awards, to be held on November 8th at the SESAC Nashville headquarters. This invitation-only event honors the top country and Americana songwriters and publishers. Two-time Grammy winner Lauderdale, who is being recognized for his timeless, genre-defying music, has penned songs for […]

Weekly Chart Report (11/05/10)

SPIN ZONE There is movement at the top of the CountryBreakout Chart, as The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” capitalizes on its 23 week climb by taking the No. 1 spot. Rascal Flatts’ “Why Wait” makes a big jump from No. 6 – 2, picking up 136 new spins in the process. Brad Paisley’s […]

Jury Says Hands Off in EMI Fraud Case

Terra Firma Chairman Guy Hands has lost his multibillion dollar legal suit against lender Citigroup yesterday.  The trial explored Hands’ 2007 purchase of EMI and Hands’ alleged claim that Citigroup’s Chairman of U.K. banking David Wormsley “duped” him into overpaying for EMI. The jury unanimously voted that Citigroup was not liable in the buyout. The […]

Live Nation Suffers Concert Decline

The Associated Press is reporting that Live Nation Entertainment 3rd quarter net income fell to $51.4 million or 30 cents per share compared with $69.2 million/78 cents per share during the same period last year. The disappointing results were blamed upon heavy discounting of summer ticket prices. Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster in Jan. 2010. […]

Chrysalis Draws Admiring Glances

Chrysalis Music Group, an independent British music publishing company is beginning to draw admiring glances from a number of interested suitors according to the New York Post. Interested parties named by the publication include BMG Rights Management and Warner Music Group. Chrysalis has confirmed that it has been discussing “merger opportunities,” but failed to disclose […]

Howard and Sebastian Accomplish “Nothing”

Producer Chuck Howard’s studio sessions with new artist Gwen Sebastian have produced what they hope might become the perfect tear jerker for 2011, country’s latest breakup song, “Nothing.” The song, co-written by Jason Matthews, Lisa Carver and Sebastian, is the third release from her six-song EP V.I.P. on Open Road Records. Sebastian was selected as […]

Songwriter Ronny Scaife Passes

Hit country songwriter Ronny Scaife died Wednesday, November 3 at age 63. The creator of such hits as “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin,’” and “Hearts Are Gonna Roll,” suffered a brain hemorrhage at his home in Perry Country on October 25 and was life-flighted to St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. He never regained consciousness. “He was […]

SESAC Signs Armiger

SESAC has signed singer/songwriter Katie Armiger for representation.  Armiger recently released her third album, Confessions Of A Nice Girl, on Cold River Records. Armiger stopped by the Nashville SESAC office to celebrate her signing with Craig Hayes (Zumwalt, Almon & Hayes), Tim Fink (SESAC), and Kates Robinson (Cold River). Confessions debuted at No. 6 on […]

Liz Rose Launches Independent Publishing Company

Award-winning songwriter Liz Rose has launched her own publishing company, Liz Rose Music, Inc. (BMI). Scott Ponce will serve as General Manager/Creative Director, and Kobalt Music will provide administrative services for the boutique publishing house, which will focus on signing uniquely talented and driven writers. “I am finally doing this,” says Rose about the opening […]

Kenny Chesney to Co-Headline Stadium Tour with Zac Brown Band

Kenny Chesney announced his return to the stage for a nine stadium “Goin’ Coastal Tour”. When the four time CMA/ACM Entertainer of the year sets out on the 2011 tour, he will be joined by co-headliners The Zac Brown Band, plus special guests Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker. “With four acts on the bill, we’ve […]

SESAC Promotes Edwards

SESAC has announced the appointment of Maxine Edwards to Vice President, Broadcast Operations. Edwards previously served as Vice President, Licensing Administration & Process Development. In her new position, she will be responsible for directing and evaluating strategic licensing initiatives within the broadcast and digital media industries. She will continue to work out of the SESAC […]

Big Machine Publicity Adds Burr

Big Machine announces it has added Erin D.D. Burr to its publicity department as PR Account Manager. Burr’s primary focus will be the day-to-day facilitation of publicity initiatives for the Republic Nashville label roster, which includes The Band Perry, Eli Young Band, Jaron And The Long Road To Love, Sunny Sweeney and SHEL. “I am […]

NYC Songwriters Series, Aldean’s Kind of Party, and Currington in Georgia

Eric Church, Bob DiPiero, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Luke Laird recently performed a sold-out show for CMA’s Songwriters Series at Joe’s Pub in New York City. Broken Bow Records’ Jason Aldean celebrated with publishers, producers and writers for the release of his latest album, My Kinda Party, at Red Rooster’s in Nashville. Mercury artist Billy […]

Sara Evans Presents; Kid Rock Performs

Kid Rock is back, and set to perform on the 44th Annual CMA Awards set to air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 10. The show will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. Kid Rock is nominated for Musical Event of the Year for “Don’t You See,” his duet with the Zac […]

Brown Opens Nashville Format Office

Anastasia Brown has joined LA/NY based Format Entertainment, which specializes in music supervision, production and soundtracks for film. Format has worked on films such as Iron Man 1 & 2, Sex and the City 1 &2, The Blindside, Alvin and The Chipmunks 1 & 2, and Swingers. Brown will head up a Nashville Format branch, […]

Pinecastle Records Reopens Under New Ownership

The bluegrass label Pinecastle Records has been reactivated by its new owner, physician Dr. Lonnie Lassiter. One of the leading bluegrass imprints, the company was closed last February because of the health issues of its previous owner, Col. Tom Riggs. Lassiter purchased the company from the Riggs family in August, and the label began rebuilding […]

Duets for Juice, Viewer Poll at GACTV.com

Juice Newton‘s Duets Album Grammy and CMA award-winning artist Juice Newton will release a duets record, Duets: Friends & Memories, on November 16th, featuring a soulful twist on classic pop songs. Newton’s first single, “Funny How Time Slips Away,” with Willie Nelson, is out now. Newton also joins forces with Glen Campbell, Frankie Valli, Melissa […]

Rascal Flatts as “Real Heroes,” NAMM stays in Nashville

Rascal Flatts Honored in Nashville Lifestyles Nashville Lifestyles magazine recently honored Rascal Flatts as the cover subject for their November issue, highlighting the supergroup as “real heroes” for their considerable charitable contributions in Nashville area. Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus serve as spokespersons for Hendersonville-based the Jason Foundation, a nonprofit […]

No. 1 Parties in Nashville, More Photos

BMI and ASCAP joined forces to throw a party at Rooster’s in Nashville, celebrating Josh Turner’s #1 hit, “All Over Me.” The song was co-written by the “Peach Pickers”—the songwriting power trio of Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip. The Pickers have also collaborated on Joe Nichols’ “Gimmie That Girl,” and Blake Shelton’s “All […]

Gloriana To Perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Gloriana will perform their hit single “Wild At Heart” at the 84th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The foursome will ride aboard a float and sing their R.I.A.A. Gold single for more than 3.5 million attendees and a projected TV viewing audience of 50 million. “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is such an iconic holiday […]

Facebook to Offer Places Deals

Facebook announced today it will soon update its mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, reports Mashable.com. Among the good news is that Android users will now be integrated into the Places and Groups functionality. Apple users will also soon be able to add photos. Also part of today’s announcement, it was revealed that Deals […]

Moving Swift-ly To No. 1

Music industry pundits at desks across the major music centers will be pounding out the story of Taylor Swift’s great debut week sales numbers—1.047 million! But maybe the real story is how Swift’s success flies in the face of conventional industry wisdom. “Album sales are falling, consumers only want to buy single tracks, piracy has destroyed sales, you can’t compete with free…” These are the current excuses for an industry in dire straits. So how does one explain Swift’s incredible result? What prompted over one million consumers to engage and relate to this young lady from Hendersonville, TN?

Unlike many of the top charting female artists of today, Ms. Swift eschews tabloid behavior and asks fans to focus on her music. With Speak Now she offers an emotion-packed journey bursting with insight into real life events. In some universal way her life contests connect with similar moments that have brushed the fabric of others as well.

Bill Anderson Salute, “My Country” Book Party, More Photos

••••Over 30 stars turned out to honor Bill Anderson with a special episode of Country Music’s Family Reunion Show on RFD-TV. Anderson, who regularly hosts the show, found himself switching roles with Vince Gill for the salute featuring Roy Clark, Jamey Johnson, Jon Randall, Jessi Alexander, Rhonda Vincent, Con Hunley, Jeannie Seely, Jean Shepard, The […]

Radio Use Shrinks; Concert Industry Faltering

Radio’s Future II: The 2010 American Youth Study conducted by Edison Research and sponsored by Radio-info.com contains a multitude of slides showing changes in attitude toward radio and other media since the study was conducted a decade ago in 2000. Results are based upon 1,533 interviews nationwide, split almost evenly between age 12-24 demo and […]

Ticket Details For Garth Brooks In Nashville

Fans who want to get in to see Garth Brooks’ first full-scale concert in 10 years will be manning their computers and phones on Saturday morning (11/6). The die-hard devotees will be hitting the box office tomorrow (11/4). As announced last week, Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood are set for a flood relief benefit at […]

DISClaimer Single Reviews (11/03/10)

There is nothing particularly earth shattering to report this week. The column is very much a mixed bag, everything from rocking Elvis to bluegrass Rhonda. Steven Dale Jones is holding down the singer-songwriter slot. Katie Armiger is here with youth appeal. Rosehill, Lathan Moore and Bill Rice have returned and confirmed themselves as promising. Our […]

Events At The Hall: Williams Family Exhibit, Marshall Chapman

Marshall Chapman performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Oct. 30 to celebrate the official release of her new book, They Came To Nashville. The book features Chapman’s conversations with fifteen artist-songwriters, including Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson and Miranda Lambert, about their first forays to Music City. ••• The Country Music […]

Worley’s Cancer Center; Lawrence’s Turkey Fry; Tippin/Stroud Benefit CD

I WANNA PLAY!: An Album To Put Musical Instruments Into The Hands Of Every Child In America was co-produced by Aaron Tippin and James Stroud, and features Lorrie Morgan, George Jones, Ronnie Milsap, Ray Price, Neal Sedaka and more. And making a special vocal appearance are the students of W.O. Smith Music School. Tippin is also […]

Kelly Parkes

“Nothing” Edge Records/Lofton Creek Kelly Parkes is releasing her new single “Nothing” to country radio. The feisty 23 year-old from rural Lancaster County, Penn., loves performing and cites Carrie Underwood as her favorite vocalist. Her recording session was produced by Darran Smith (Tim McGraw) and Lofton Creek Records chief Mike Borchetta. Parkes also recently sang […]

ACM Names New Board

The Academy of Country Music is announcing its new board of directors. This year, there are 13 qualifying professional categories that are elected by the Academy’s membership. In addition to the elected positions, director-at-large positions have been appointed by Chairman Bill Mayne, President Sarah Trahern and Vice President Butch Waugh. Directors are elected from each […]

Steve Richard

“Eighty Acre Church” Force MP “Steve Richard paints a warm picture of rural America with ‘Eighty Acre Church’ and our listeners can truly relate. It’s a great song, and I know I’ll never look at an old man on a tractor the same way again!” Lee Richey, PD/MD, WCJW/Warsaw, NY “Steve Richard is one of the most talented, insightful singer/songwriters […]

The Songwriter Agency Opens In Nashville

The Songwriter Agency, a firm centered on booking hit songwriters in mainstream venues, has opened its doors in Nashville. Music industry veterans Paul Compton, Randy Harrell, and Rod Parkin co-founded the agency, which already has a roster of over 30 country, rock, and pop writers. Among those on the roster are Regie Hamm (David Cook’s […]

Aldean’s “Party” Starts Today

It’s street day for Broken Bow star Jason Aldean, who is wrapping a successful 2010 with the release of his fourth studio album My Kinda Party. “We took more time to make this record than any other we’ve done, and I definitely think you can hear that in the singing,” says Aldean. Among the album’s […]

Reba Previews New Album; McGraw Single Out Today

The Valory promotion team is traveling across the country letting fans and radio preview the new album from Reba. All The Women I Am lands in stores Nov. 9, and until then the ‘Rate The Reba’ tour is hitting anywhere from 2-5 cities per day. The dates are a mix of VIP listening sessions for […]

Bentley To Kick-off CMA Awards Day; Last Day For Voting

•••Reminder: Voting for the final ballot of the CMA Awards closes today (11/2).••• Dierks Bentley will kick-off CMA Awards day (11/10) with a performance on ABC News’ Good Morning America, and will take the stage again that night on The 44th Annual CMA Awards. Also on Good Morning America, CMA Awards co-host Brad Paisley and […]

The Judds and Shania Twain Set For TV Series

The Judds and Shania Twain will each star in new original series for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, a multi-platform media company that will debut Jan 1, 2011 on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel. The Judds follows the lives of duo Naomi and Wynonna Judd as they prepare for their first tour in ten […]

Sound Exchange Offers New Artist Checklist

SoundExchange is a non-profit performance rights organization appointed by congress to pay digital royalties earned through play on Internet radio, satellite radio, cable TV music channels plus revenue collections from foreign societies. The organization recently distributed $54.8 million to recording artists and sound recording copyright holders in Q2 2010 payments, its largest ever quarterly payments. […]

ACM Awards Voting Timeline

The Academy of Country Music has announced the ballot timeline for professional membership voting for the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, to be held in Spring 2011 on an as-yet-unannounced date. Details and timeline for fan voting will be announced at a later date. In addition, the Academy is announcing that new membership […]

Photos: Warner Patio Party; Jamey Johnson; Joe Diffie

••••Warner Music Nashville hosted its final Pickin’ On The Patio party of the inaugural season last Thursday. Over 300 attendees were treated to a songwriter round with tunesmiths Jim Collins (“She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”), Tony Arata (“The Dance”) and Marv Green (“Amazed”), whose demos of these smash hits are featured on the recent Warner […]

Underwood Performs/Writes Narnia Title Track

Carrie Underwood will be on the silver screen this holiday season, well at least her voice will. Underwood, has co-written the title song, “There’s A Place For Us” from the upcoming film The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, scheduled to hit theaters on Dec. 10. A rough cut of the film […]

Industry Items: Rondal Richardson, Rob Crosby, Third Coast

••••Rondal Richardson has been named entertainment industry relations manager for Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In this newly created position, Richardson will develop and strengthen relations between VUMC and professionals in music, athletics and performing arts. Richardson was previously the manager for Wynonna Judd. Throughout his career and with his business, Greater Purpose Productions, he has […]