This week’s SoundScan action centers on the amazing power of American Idol. Execs will recall that AI featured the Grand Ole Opry last week and more specifically, Randy Travis, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley. So how did they do? Probably no surprise to anyone, Carrie led the sales pack. Her duet with Randy Travis, “I […]
The Country Music Association has added five more artists to the CMA Music Festival lineup for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, and Taylor Swift will join previously announced LP Field performers Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, […]
Nashville Earth Hour 2009 celebrity spokeswoman Jo Dee Messina will debut her new single, “Shine,” in the dark. The Curb artist will perform for the crowd gathered at Nashville’s Sommet Center Plaza moments after Nashville’s Lower Broadway and major skyscrapers go dark to celebrate Earth Hour this Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 PM/CT. More than […]
Gibson Guitar has announced that it will lay off 70 workers. News of these additional layoffs comes on the heels of an earlier announcement that the company would lay off 50 workers worldwide. At the time of that announcement, the company pointed out that the move involved less than 5 percent of the company’s total […]
Oprah is calling it the country lineup of the year. She will be be taping a special country music themed show later this week featuring Sugarland, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood and Darius Rucker. “Are you a fan of good country music?” she asks. “Is country music the soundtrack of your life?” All four acts will […]
Universal Records South artist Phil Vassar will be featured on Feed The Children’s one-hour special on Hallmark Channel’s Americans Feeding Americans this Wednesday (3/25) at 6 PM/CT. Americans Feeding Americans reaches out to viewers to help Feed The Children in their ongoing effort to get emergency food to families caught in the current economic crisis. […]
The ever-youthful Dolly Parton is no stranger to magazine covers, but the singer’s appearance on the cover of the May/June issue of AARP Magazine may turn a few grey heads. In the cover story, Parton, 63, is candid about growing up poor, never having children, and clearing up rumors about her closest relationships. She also […]
U.S. music rights licensing organization The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA), announced today that its 2008 royalty collections from all sources was $307.1 million, a 22% decline from 2007. Also in 2008, HFA issued over 2.44 million mechanical licenses, a 62% increase over 2007. Digital downloads also increased, by almost 47% over 2007, bringing the […]
EMI Music announced today (3/23), that its President of Digital Music, Douglas Merrill will leave the company as its digital unit is integrated into its main operations. Formerly with Google, Inc., Merrill has been with EMI less than a year. EMI has promoted Cory Ondrejka to the newly created title of Executive Vice President of […]
Ted Jarrett As a recording artist, songwriter, producer, manager and record label executive, Ted Jarrett was one of the leading figures of the Nashville R&B community. He died Saturday, March 21, at age 83. Jarrett’s many contributions were highlighted by the award-winning 2004-2005 Night Train to Nashville exhibit and record albums by the Country Music […]