Photos: Underwood Starts Tour; Lambert Scores Gold Single

Carrie Underwood’s Play On Tour opened March 11 in front of a sold-out crowd at the Sovereign Center in Reading, PA with special guests Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia. The Play On Tour, hydrated by vitaminwater® and sponsored by PEDIGREE® Brand, is currently slated to run through June 20 in Saskatoon, SK at the […]

Cauley Music Partners With Cool Vibe

Cauley Music Group, the company founded by Lane Caudell and Bob Crumley, has entered a joint publishing partnership with Cool Vibe Publishing. The deal covering current and future songwriters has Cauley purchasing a stake in Cool Vibe, and providing administrative services. As part of the agreement covering current and future songwriters, Cauley adds tunesmiths Vencent […]

John Rich At Marathon Post-Show; Local Cumulus Radiothon

On Saturday, April 24, 2010, the Country Music Marathon & 1/2 Marathon will celebrate its 11th annual running in Music City. John Rich will headline the post-race concert at the Bridgestone Arena that night at 7:00 p.m., joined by special guest Cowboy Troy, and opening acts Heidi Newfield and Jerrod Niemann. The concert is open to […]

Mayne Named Exec. Dir. of CRB

The Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) Board of Directors has named Bill Mayne CRB Executive Director, effective April 1, 2010. Mayne, a radio veteran and owner of Nashville-based Mayne Street Consulting, had been serving as the organization’s interim director in recent months. Mayne says he is “honored by this opportunity…and the confidence shown in me by […]

Dierks To Debut Music On Tour

Dierks Bentley will debut music from his upcoming bluegrass/roots album at dates across the country this spring. His Up On The Ridge Tour opens in Portland, OR on April 21 and will make more than 24 stops before the end of May. He is set for a hometown show on May 22 at Nashville’s Ryman […]

“Scene” Digs Into McGraw Movie

Nashville Scene writer D. Patrick Rodgers on the local songwriters and musicians featured in the upcoming Gwyenth Paltrow, Tim McGraw flick, Love Don’t Let Me Down. A Hollywood feature employs locals to tell a Music City story the right way — for once It’s a Thursday night at Skyline recording studio, just off Eighth Avenue, […]

Strait Adds Nashville Date; Victoria Shaw And Friends At Limelight

On April 28 George Strait will bring his full tour to Nashville for the first time since 2004. With guests Reba and Lee Ann Womack, the Strait tour hits the newly renamed Bridgestone Arena, where he set an attendance record during his last visit. Tickets for the Nashville show go on sale March 20 at […]

Gloriana’s Milk-Based Promotion

ACM’s Top New Vocal Group nominee and AMA Award winners Gloriana will be featured on over 50 million milk containers in schools across the U.S. as part of the Milk Rocks! campaign. The Gloriana Milk Rocks! campaign is going on now, and students can enter at www.milkrocks.com for a chance to win a $10,000 prize […]

Americana Artists Mix It Up

Levon Helm’s Ryman Ramble Returns Grammy winner Levon Helm will bring his heralded Ramble on the Road back to the Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday April 21. Tickets are on sale now and available at all Ticketmaster locations and at the Ryman box office. Helm’s first Ramble at the Ryman in July of 2007 was picked as […]

FCC Chairman Reveals Broadband Plan Elements To CMA

The FCC’s long-awaited National Broadband Plan is due to be revealed next Tuesday (3/16) then presented to Congress the following day. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, nominated by President Barack Obama and sworn into office on June 29, 2009, met with Country Music Association Board members in Washington DC at the Capitol Building 3/10. Genachowski has […]

Love and Theft Celebrate “Single Best Town”

Kraft Singles and Disney ABC have announced the top ten finalists in their search for America’s “Single Best Town” and invite America to vote for the winner. With more than 400 submissions coast to coast, the top ten towns boast one-of-a-kind features that make them special and uniquely American. Now through April 11, consumers can vote […]

New Artists Ignite at Radio

Steel Magnolia Making History Big Machine duo  Steel Magnolia’s Top 15 hit, “Keep On Lovin’ You,” has become the highest charting debut single from a male/female country duet act in the 66-year history of Billboard’s Top Country Songs Chart. The song currently sits at No. 14. Steel Magnolia is a multiple ACM Award nominee (Top […]

Bobby Karl Works Lady Antebellum at The Ryman

Chapter 334 Photo: Jamey Walls Lady Antebellum concluded its two-night stand at The Ryman Auditorium on Thursday (3/11) by demonstrating to a sold-out, A-List crowd that it is one terrific little party band. The set was peppered with bright, tightly harmonized rockers, including the concert opening “Stars Tonight” and such radio favorites as “Love Don’t […]

Bryan and West To “Celebrity Apprentice”

Capitol Nashville artists Luke Bryan and Emily West have been chosen to appear in an episode of the new season of NBC-TV’s Celebrity Apprentice. The two artists will take part in a Nashville-themed challenge that will have the celebrity teams trying to figure out what it takes to make a country music superstar. West says […]

Capitol Announces EMI Records Nashville

Building on its continued success in the country genre, EMI Music’s Capitol Nashville is forming a new imprint. Designed to be a sister label to Capitol Nashville, which includes artists Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban and Emily West, the new imprint, to be called EMI Records […]

ACM Announces Radio Award Winners

Today (3/12) the Academy of Country Music announced the full list of radio award winners that will not be televised on the upcoming ACM Awards due to time constraints. The ceremony will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 18 at 7:00 PM CT on CBS. Cody Alan, the […]

Rucker and Vassar Step Up For St. Jude

Capitol Nashville’s Darius Rucker will host his 1st Annual Darius and Friends concert at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon on June 7 to benefit the groundbreaking research and lifesaving care of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The concert will include performances by Rucker and some of his country music friends, with additional performers to be announced at […]

Trisha Yearwood Releases Second Cookbook

Trisha Yearwood will release Home Cooking, the follow-up to her best-selling 2008 cookbook, Georgia Cooking In An Oklahoma Kitchen, on April 6th from Publisher Clarkson Potter. She again teamed with her mother Gwen Yearwood and sister Beth Yearwood Bernard on the project. Husband Garth Brooks is also featured. Yearwood will appear on an upcoming episode of […]

News From Willie and Wynonna…and Fred

Fred Eaglesmith To Perform at the Bluebird Singer/songwriter Fred Eaglesmith is back in Nashville to celebrate his recent success with a show at the Bluebird Cafe on Friday, March 19. The acclaimed Canadian has enjoyed some mainstream country success of late with cuts from Miranda Lambert (“Time To Get a Gun”) and Alan Jackson (“Freight […]

Stars To Pay Tribute To Brooks & Dunn 

The Academy of Country Music has announced that Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Jennifer Hudson, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Taylor Swift, and Sugarland will perform at the television taping of the all-star concert special, ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn – The Last Rodeo on Monday, April 19. The show will tape the day after […]

Fogerty To Be Named “BMI Icon”

BMI will honor John Fogerty as a BMI Icon at its 58th Annual Pop Awards, slated for Tuesday, May 18 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Barbara Cane, BMI Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, the invitation-only event will also honor […]

Gill Joins Clapton At Sommet

Eric Clapton and his band hit the stage at Nashville’s Sommet Center on Saturday night, February 27. Among the concert attendees was Country Music Hall of Famer and longtime Clapton fan Vince Gill, who brought his guitar to the party and sat in with the British rock/blues master. The two traded licks on acoustic versions […]

Adams Named Robertson Taylor VP 

London-based insurance broker Robertson Taylor International has promoted Reba Adams to Vice President of the company’s Nashville operation. Adams has been an entertainment, film and live event insurance specialist for over thirty years.

Jeffrey Steele’s “Alex LeVasseur” Benefit Tonight

Tonight (3/11), the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Scholarship Program will present Jeffrey Steele and Friends, an intimate evening with Jeffrey Steele, Danny Gokey, Heidi Newfield, Sarah Buxton, Bob Dipiero, LoCash Cowboys and Pearl Heart at Nashville’s Rocketown. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Fund of The Community Foundation and its scholarship program, which helps […]

Source Joins Lee at Hall of Fame

Country and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee got together with members of Source, Nashville’s music business executive women’s group, to conduct a personal tour of Brenda Lee: Dynamite, the Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit dedicated to the long and successful career of the legendary singer. The exhibit, which runs through […]

Washington Dignitaries Turn Out For CMA Board

Yesterday (3/9), the Library of Congress and the Country Music Association hosted a day-long program for the CMA Board of Directors at the nation’s library, including a comprehensive tour of the historic Jefferson Building; an extensive orientation to the Library’s music, sound recording, and folk collections; a reception with members of the House of Representatives, […]

Alabama Music Hall Honors Johnson, MacAnally

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board has announced the selection of seven people to be inducted during the 13th Induction Banquet and Awards Show to be held in the Convention Center in Montgomery, Ala. on Thursday, March 25. Included among this year’s inductees is Mercury Records artist Jamey Johnson, who will be honored with […]

Martina Joins With SunnyD To Helps Kids

Martina McBride is partnering with Cincinnati-based Sunny Delight Beverages Co. (SunnyD) for Time To Shine, a national marketing campaign designed to encourage “the shining moments of children.” This marks SunnyD’s first music and entertainment partnership, and the company promises a sponsorship that will “connect with Martina’s fans who share an optimistic and youthful outlook with the […]

National Folk Festival Heads To Nashville

The National Council for the Traditional Arts, along with Mayor Karl Dean and Compass Records Group, announced today (3/10) that Nashville has been selected as the host city for the National Folk Festival in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The National Folk Festival is the oldest and longest-running multi-ethnic traditional arts festival in the nation. The […]

Nation’s Capitol Embraces Country

Reports from the the CMA board meeting, currently underway in Washington DC, have been very positive, with Story Tellers and Story Keepers: Creating and Preserving Country Music, a day-long program for the CMA Board at the nation’s library, garnering some very positive press in today’s (3/10) Washington Post. The day concluded with a special concert […]

Alan Jackson Starts iTunes Countdown; Lady A Adds To Ryman Line-up

One new track per week from Alan Jackson’s upcoming 18th album will be available for purchase exclusively on iTunes starting today (3/9) and leading up to the March 30 release of Freight Train. First up on the iTunes Countdown is “Hard Hat and a Hammer.” Each track downloaded ahead of March 30 will count toward […]

Underwood’s “Play On Tour” Opens Thursday

Carrie Underwood’s Play On Tour will kick off this Thursday, March 11 in Reading, PA with special guests Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia. The Play On Tour, hydrated by vitaminwater® and sponsored by PEDIGREE® Brand, is currently slated for more than 50 dates running through June 20. She is scheduled mostly for arenas in […]

Luke Bryan Recruits Celeb Friends For ACM Support

Fan voting is open for the ACM Awards in the new artist categories and singers are coming up with unique ways to reach out for votes. Luke Bryan rounded up celebrity friends for a video for his bid for ACM Top New Solo Vocalist. His spoof of the “Don’t Vote” video used during the 2008 […]

UMPG Re-Signs Two Hit Songwriters

UMPG has recently re-signed Rivers Rutherford and Luke Laird to exclusive world-wide publishing agreements.

Parton Opens Nashville Store; New Wynette Biography

Dolly Parton will celebrate the official grand opening/ribbon-cutting ceremony for her first retail store, Trinkets & Treasures, on Friday, March 12. The 1000 sq. ft. space at 126 2nd Ave. N. in downtown Nashville is designed to reflect Dolly’s classic song “Coat of Many Colors,” with a mix of pink, yellow, red, blue, green and […]

Swift Launches iPhone App, Brings Tour Back To US

Taylor Swift’s Fearless 2010 Tour began its run through the US over the weekend, with sold-out shows in Tampa, Orlando, and Ft. Lauderdale/Sunrise, FL. The 39-date tour is visiting arenas and stadiums in 31 cities throughout the US and Canada over the next three months. Last month, she took the Fearless tour overseas, playing eight […]

Bentley Explores Bluegrass Roots On New Album

Dierks Bentley today (3/8) revealed details about his upcoming album, which has him delving deep into bluegrass and roots music. Up On The Ridge will be released this summer and features Bentley working with some of the finest acoustic musicians in the world. For the album he joined with longtime collaborators the Del McCoury Band […]

Oscars Score In Ratings, “Weary Kind” Wins Song

Country music had a much deserved moment in the Hollywood spotlight last night (3/7). “The Weary Kind,” written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song during the telecast which drew the highest ratings since 2005. Bingham, a Lost Highway artist, and Burnett penned the song for Crazy […]

FBMM Names New VP and Owner/Shareholder

Carmen Romano, Jr., managing director of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. has become a vice president and owner/shareholder of the company. Romano joins founding owners Chuck Flood, Frank Bumstead, and Mary Ann McCready together with owners Jamie Cheek (2006) and Duane Clark (2008). Romano has been an entertainment industry business manager for the past […]

Leadership Music Accepting Applications

Leadership Music is accepting applications for its next class of entertainment industry professionals. The eight-month-long education program, which starts in September 2010 and ends in May 2011, will continue be based in Nashville. Participants are required to attend orientation and monthly day-long sessions on Fridays, as well as two-day opening and closing weekend retreats. Application […]

Country Acts Throwdown On Multi-Stage Tour

This summer the Country Throwdown Tour will make its way across the U.S. with a star line-up, festival atmosphere and affordable tickets. Kevin Lyman of 4Fini Inc. modeled the country outing after his successful Vans Warped Tour, which is the longest running traveling music and extreme sports festival in the world today. The Country Throwdown […]

DVD Set Coming From ZBB And Friends

Zac Brown Band is prepping the May 4 release of a DVD/2-CD package called Pass the Jar. The concert DVD is from the band’s Oct. 30, 2009 superstar show at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre which benefited the rebuilding of Athens, GA landmark, the Georgia Theatre. The Pass the Jar DVD will feature eighteen performances, with ZBB […]

NSAI Ready For “Spring Training”

The Nashville Songwriters Association International’s (NSAI) will present its largest and longest-running event, Spring Training, Thursday, April 1 and Friday, April 2. NSAI promises “a high-energy event that includes exclusive performances by the biggest names in the music industry, vital information on how to launch your career from the hitmakers and an opportunity to pitch […]

Facebook For Musicians—Artist Primer

by Jon Walker Like it or not, the world wide web has become a cornerstone of ‘who you know’ in the 21st century. Facebook has become extremely popular over the past four years and a must-have in every marketing mix. It can connect a willing public with a brand, or a band or artist they love. Facebook […]

Musicstartshere.org Starts Here


Musicstartshere.org, touted as “Nashville’s community, city and industry sponsored initiative designed to help artists, songwriters, musicians, technicians and industry professionals simplify and streamline the craft and business of making music,” celebrated its launch on Tuesday (3/2) at the Red Rooster near Music Row. Over 250 music industry folks gathered to celebrate the launch of the […]

Who’s That Girl?

Country music fans checking out the cover of the latest issue of Elle will have no trouble recognizing country superstar/cover girl Taylor Swift. However, the artistically rendered photo shoot inside the magazine may leave those same fans scratching their heads. As famous and ubiquitous a face as she is these days, her newly straightened hair […]

Cowboy Jack’s Digital Milestone

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member “Cowboy” Jack Clement celebrated yet another milestone on February 26 when Apple’s iTunes store announced their 10 billionth download: “Guess Things Happen That Way,” a song penned by Clement and sung by Johnny Cash. When Cash’s hit was released in 1957, Clement was working at Sun Records, launching a […]

Juno Noms Spotlight Country

Country music made a proud showing yesterday (5/4) as the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced the nominees for the 2010 Juno Awards. Among the nominees were soul/country crooner Johnny Reid (Fan Choice Award, Artist of the Year and Country Album of the Year for Dance With Me); Taylor Swift (International Album […]

Penuell To PD at WSM-FM

Cumulus Nashville has announced the promotion of Russell Penuell (Russell P.) to Program Director of WSM-FM, effective immediately. Penuell replaces Charley Connolly, who departs the company to pursue other opportunities. 

Penuell began his career in radio at the age of 13 and by the age of 21, became one of the youngest Program Directors in the […]

CMA Board Brings Country Music History to Washington

The Library of Congress and the Country Music Association (CMA) today announced Story Tellers and Story Keepers: Creating and Preserving Country Music, a day-long program for the CMA Board of Directors at the nation’s library, including a comprehensive tour of the historic Jefferson Building, an extensive orientation to the Library’s music, sound recording, and folk […]