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Hartigan Joins Rodeowave, Arista Appoints West Coast Regional

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Lori Hartigan


Promotion veteran Lori Hartigan has joined newly formed Rodeowave Entertainment as Partner. In this role Hartigan will serve as key principal for the label in sales, marketing, radio, management, and promotion. She comes to Rodeowave from Arista Nashville, where she served 19 years directing West Coast promotion.
The move reunites Hartigan with Rodeowave’s flagship artist Phil Vassar, with whom she worked during his tenure with Arista. During this period, Hartigan was a part of 13 Phil Vassar singles, including three No. 1s. She was a part of the original team to launch the label and, in addition to Vassar, worked with Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Jerrod Niemann and many more.
“I think everyone knows about my admiration for Phil Vassar and his music,” says Hartigan. “The potential for Rodeowave Entertainment is limitless. To be a part of  a high performance team with an innovative spirit and a focus on integrity in music is a dream come true for me.”

Lauren Thomas


Reach Hartigan at 760-929-1019 or here.
Following Hartigan’s departure, Arista Nashville has appointed Lauren Thomas to the West Coast regional position. Thomas joined Arista’s promotion department in 2009 and was promoted to Midwest regional in December 2010. She will continue to be based in Nashville.
“Lauren has proven herself as a rising star in the Midwest,” says Arista Nashville VP Promotion Lesly Tyson, “and we are very excited to give her the opportunity to head back to her old stomping grounds and lead the way for Arista Nashville on the West Coast.”

Phil Vassar recently performed on the outdoor Chevy Stage during CMA Music Festival. Fans braving the heat were treated to his old hits as well as his new single “Let’s Get Together,” which is climbing charts right now. (L-R): Stephanie Flick (CAA), Stan Marczewski (Rodeowave), Phil Vassar, Teddi Bonadies (Rodeowave), Rod Essig (CAA), Bill Macky (Rodeowave), Jim Butler (CAA,) Jeff Gregg (CAA) and Angie Perrault (CAA).

Entertainment Attorneys Launch New Firm

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Pictured front row (L-R): Jennifer Ghanem, Jason Turner, Jaime Heller; Back row (L-R): TD Ruth, Chris Andrews, Jordan Keller


Attorneys Jordan Keller, Jason Turner, TD Ruth, Chris Andrews, Jennifer Ghanem and Jaime Heller have started a new, full-service entertainment law firm.
Keller Turner Ruth Andrews Ghanem & Heller, PLLC opened June 1, serving clients in the music, film, television and sports industries. They provide transactional and litigation services for entertainment and sports, as well as real estate, corporate, tax and estate planning. Some of the partners are making the move from firm Lassiter Tidwell.
Their offices will be located in The Terrazzo in The Gulch.
Contact them at:
Keller, Turner, Ruth, Andrews, Ghanem & Heller, pllc
700 12th Avenue South, Suite 302
Nashville, TN 37203
p: (615) 244-7600
f: (855) 344-7600
emails are [email protected]
www.ktrlawgroup.com

DISClaimer Single Reviews (6/15/11)

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You can tickle my dancing feet or dazzle my brain with word play, but if you really want to get my attention, pierce my heart.
That’s what Ronnie Dunn did this week with “Cost of Livin.’” Not since Shenandoah’s “Hey Mister I Need This Job” has a country song so directly addressed the pain of our times. Give that veteran a Disc of the Day.
We have some sophomore singles this week, notably from Brett Eldredge, DJ Miller and The Dirt Drifters, but there are no disc debuts. So instead of a DisCovery honor, how about a re-DisCovery Award for Dolly Parton?
It would appear that in the wake of the CMA Music Fest, we have a star shower on our hands. In addition to Ronnie and Dolly, we suddenly have stellar product from Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes and Alan Jackson. And all of them are playing at the top of their games.
LEANN RIMES/Give
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Curb (MPE)
—Her voice has never sounded more powerful or womanly. The “golden rule” message is right on and so is the production of this majestic power ballad. In a word, gorgeous.
ALAN JACKSON/Long Way To Go
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; EMI (MPE)
—Entirely lovable. It has plenty of summertime bounce and a merry little lyric to make you smile. He’s got a bug in his margarita, a woman he’s trying to drink off his mind and a long, long way to go. Hang on for the happy mariachi trumpets at the finale.
RONNIE DUNN/Cost Of Livin’
Writer: Phillip Coleman/Ronnie Dunn; Producer: Ronnie Dunn; Publisher: Tractor Radio/Sony-ATV Tree/Showbilly, SESAC/BMI; Arista (track)
—Doing what country music does best, giving a voice to the powerless. In this case, a man who aches for a job. Understated and immensely moving.
TOBY KEITH/Made In America
Writer: Toby Keith/Bobby Pinson/Gregory Scott Reeves; Producer: Toby Keith; Publisher: Tokeco Tunes/Bobby’s Lyrics/Land and Livestock/Do Write/Sweetwater Jams/Reynsong, BMI; Show Dog Universal
—Heartland sentiments, from a man who is a master at them. The stirring, pounding production underlines every straight-from-the heart lyric. My favorite: “He won’t buy nothin’ he can’t fix/With WD-40 and a Craftsman wrench.”
COLT FORD/She Likes To Ride In Trucks
Writer: Thom Shepherd/Colt Ford/Noah Gordon; Producer: Jayson Chance; Publisher: Bourbon Street French Quarter/Words and Music/Average ZJS/New Millennium, SESAC/ASCAP; Average Joe (CDX) (615-733-9983)
—He’s losing his little girl to womanhood. The rapping is actually soft and gentle. The sung chorus is a wafting and wistful. Surprisingly effective.
DOLLY PARTON/Together You And I
Writer: Dolly Parton; Producer: Kent Wells; Publisher: Velvet Apple, BMI; Dolly/Warner (www.dollypartonmusic.net)
—Strikingly contemporary sounding. The surging pop production values, relentless rhythm, keening guitars and deft electronic touches are all just yummy. It goes without saying that her voice remains a thing of wonder. And talk about a positive, uptempo love song…
BRETT ELDREDGE/It Ain’t Gotta Be Love
Writer: Brett Eldredge/Ben Daniel/Wayd Battle; Producer: Byron Gallimore; Publisher: FSMGI, English Ivy/Brett Eldredge/Chrysalis One/Bug, IMRO/BMI; Atlantic/Warner
—This whole song is one big ol’ pick-up line. Everything from, “Can I bum a light?” to “Is that seat taken?” to “What’re ya drinkin?’” and “Do you wanna dance?” Also, the track seriously rocks.
THE DIRT DRIFTERS/Always A Reason
Writer: Ryan Fleener/Jeff Middleton/Justin Wilson; Producer: Justin Niebank; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Buddy Lloyd/Music of Stage Three/Jersey South/BMG Chrysalis, BMI; Warner Bros.
—You can go to the bar to dance, fight, celebrate, drown your sorrows or have a ball. As this righteous, blue-collar rocker says, “There’s always a reason to drink around here.” I like these guys.
DJ MILLER/Between Sundays
Writer: Richard A. Alves/Gary Duffy/John Colgin/Reid Brannon; Producer: Johnny Morris; Publisher: Big Hitmakers/Magic Penny/Rainy Graham/Three Bar/Christopher Scott, BMI/ASCAP; Evergreen/9 North/Spinville (615-327-3213)
—His voice isn’t very memorable here, kind of a generic honky-tonk baritone performance. But the song is a solid winner about life lessons learned at the foot of a wise mechanic.
KATIE ARMIGER /I Do, But Do I
Writer: Rhean Boyer/Greg Jones; Producer: Chad Carlson; Publisher: Major Bob/Rio Bravo/Castle Bound, ASCAP/BMI/SESAC; Cold River
—The extra “bottom” in the production competes with her curiously “dry” sounding vocal. A little echo on her high end would have pulled it together, sonically. Tune-wise, it is undeniably catchy.

Elements Align For Sony/ATV Success

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Troy Tomlinson


Just like the weather, Sony/ATV is on a hot-streak. The publishing company has scored the top spot on Billboard’s Country Publishers Airplay Chart for four of the last five quarters. The most recent chart (issue date 5/28/11) measures country radio airplay during the first quarter of 2011, showing Sony/ATV with 15.9% market share.

Troy Tomlinson, Pres./CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville, says his office has had about 20 singles on the chart each quarter for the last several quarters. The rankings measure airplay of the top 100 songs from 197 monitored country stations, as compiled by the Harry Fox Agency.
Numerous factors have to align to achieve this kind of track record, explains Tomlinson. “No individual act can make a publisher No. 1 in airplay. In order to consistently be No. 1, or even in the top 2 or 3, it takes a combination of a quality writer roster and quality creative team. In addition to that, it takes the artists, A&R people, and producers seeking out the very best songs. Success is a culmination of all of those elements.”
Because the life of a radio single is often more than the 12 weeks in a quarter, an artist might have only have one single per quarter. Sometimes two singles from the same act will chart in the same quarter, particularly if one is past its peak and heading down, while the follow-up is starting to climb.
Tomlinson adds, “No one can set out to be publisher of the quarter, because we don’t have control of which songs get released. That is at the discretion of the record labels and the artists.”
Among the first quarter country hits that helped boost Sony/ATV to the top: “Don’t You Wanna Stay” (Jason Aldean w/ Kelly Clarkson), “I Won’t Let Go” (Rascal Flatts), “Back To December” (Taylor Swift), “Let Me Down Easy” (Billy Currington), “Hello World” (Lady Antebellum), “Heart Like Mine” (Miranda Lambert) and “Felt Good On My Lips” (Tim McGraw).

Ride For A Cure Raises $70,000 for T.J. Martell

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Little Big Town


 
Photos: Christie King
This past Sunday (6/12) over 450 riders rallied at the Roundabout Plaza in downtown Nashville for Ride For a Cure in support of the T.J. Martell Foundation. The event was a huge success, raising $70,000.
Riders were entertained throughout the day, beginning with registration at the Music Row round-about, as performers Bo Bice, Eric Paslay, Dean Alexander, Kalleigh Bannen, and Cali Rodi took the stage. At 10:30 a.m. riders headed south to Harley-Davidson of Columbia where Little Big Town hosted an afternoon jam. Storme Warren of GAC’s Headline Country, and WSIX’s Big D, co-host of syndicated radio show Big D and Bubba joined the event as emcees, and additional artists appearing included Jake Owen, David Nail, Jarrod Niemann, and Laura Bell Bundy.


The T.J. Martell Foundation is a national non-profit organization that supports innovative research for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research through eleven top research hospitals in the United States. In Nashville, the Foundation annually supports cancer research through the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The Frances Williams Preston Laboratories were established in 1993 in honor of Frances Williams Preston, past President of the T.J. Martell Foundation and former President and CEO of BMI. For more information about the T.J. Martell Foundation, log onto www.tjmartellfoundation.org

 

Jake Owen and Jarrod Niemann

Swift and Underwood Among Best Paid Celebs Under 30

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Ahh, to be young and wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.
Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood are part of an elite group of young celebrities who know what that feels like, according to Forbes (“The Best Paid Celebrities Under 30”).
Swift’s earnings in the previous year totaled approximately $45 million, according to the feature. Her third album Speak Now was triple platinum mere weeks after its release and her live shows bring in $750k per engagement. Underwood collected $15 million, courtesy of a successful tour and her starring role in the big budget film Soul Surfer.
Topping the list is Lady Gaga, whose international touring success and massive record sales from May 2010 to May 2011 (prior to release of new album Born This Way) earned her an estimated $90 million. Seventeen-year-old Justin Bieber lands at No. 2 with a reported $53 million, thanks to his concert movie Never Say Never, platinum album My Life 2.0, and wildly popular touring base. NBA star LeBron James is at No. 3 with $48 million, followed by tennis champ Roger Federer at No. 4 ($47 million) and Swift at No. 5.
Other celebs on the list include Katy Perry ($44 million), soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo ($38 million), Beyonce Knowles ($35 million), and Rihanna ($29 million).

750 Heat Sufferers • Jones House For Sale • Facebook Growth Slowing?

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>>>The Tennessean reports that 750 people were treated for the heat at this year’s CMA MusicFest, according to a spokesperson from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. At last year’s festival 400 were treated. The record breaking heat wave that accompanied MusicFest this year was named as the obvious cause for the huge increase.
>>>George Jones’ home is officially on the market for sale reports Nashville Post. The 9,700 sq. ft. property sits on 78 acres and includes four bedrooms, six full bathrooms, stables and lots more. You can see photos here, or check out the real estate website. Asking price is $15 million.
>>>According to various news reports sources are claiming that Facebook traffic in the U.S. has started to fall off and stopped growing. For the inside story we suggest reading this post on Inside Facebook by Eric Eldon. Loaded with graphs and details, Eldon concludes, “There do appear to be some overriding trends here. Canada, the United Kingdom and a few other early adopting countries have alternately shown gains and losses starting in 2010. Up until then, growth had generally been much steadier. There’s an especially odd mix of data about the US. Most third parties showed Facebook with fewer monthly active users in January and February, but Facebook’s own data didn’t reflect that. Meanwhile, for May, the only third party to report numbers so far is showing growth, in contrast to the loss that Facebook is showing.”

CMA Fest By The Numbers

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The Country Music Association released its preliminary statistics on its 40th annual fan festival on Monday, and the results are impressive.
There is no official estimate on how much economic impact this year’s festival had on downtown, but it is a safe bet that it surpassed last year’s $24 million. Here is what we do know.

  • 65,000 was the average daily attendance. For the second year in a row, every night was a sell-out at LP Field.
  • 25,000 attended the concerts at the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage on Saturday, setting a new record.
  • 16,000 jammed Lower Broadway for the CMA Music Festival Parade last Wednesday, setting a new record.
  • 14,000 was the average daily attendance at the Fan Fair booths in the Convention Center.
  • More than 770 media credentials were issued, representing more than 210 domestic and international media.
  • 30,000 unique fans texted comments to the Jumbotrons in LP Field.
  • 30,000 downloads of the CMA app for Android and iPhone took place during the festival, a 566% increase over 2010.
  • 27 nations sent fans to the fest. In addition to the U.S., these were Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K. All 50 states were also represented.
  • 80% of the four-day ticket holders were from outside of Tennessee.
  • More than 45 different brands participated, including Chevrolet, Gildan, Jack Daniels, Bud Light, Blue Bell, Ocean Spray, American Airlines, Roper, Waggin’ Train and Field & Stream.
  • More than 400 people volunteered to help run the various festival activities.
  • 51 Nashville music teachers volunteered to drive the press vans. For every Chevy test drive, the company donated $25 to the “Keep the Music Playing” music-education charity. To date, the fest has donated $4.7 million to this fund.
  • 43 artists performed at LP Field. An additional 35 acts played 26 hours of shows on the Lay’s Stage at Bridgestone Arena; 45 acts performed 31 hours of concerts at the Riverfront stage; 46 artists played 20 hours of music at the Durango Acoustic Corner. In addition, 443 artists and celebrities appeared at the Exhibit Hall in the Convention Center.
  • Fans camped out on the street to get into the Hall starting at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, in anticipation of the building opening at 10:00 a.m. the following day. This set a record.
  • More than 70 artists participated in radio remotes, reaching 13.5 million listeners.
  • $154,000 in bids was raised at the YWCA Celebrity Auction, an increase of 50% over last year. In addition, the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund guitars auction raised $23,000.
  • The CMA’s 2011 survey indicated that the average fan age was 38.6, that 69% of the fans are college educated, and 85% are active on Facebook. The average travel party size was 3.2.
  • 94% of the respondents said they plan to return next year.

Fans watch Daily Concerts at the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage during the 2011 CMA Music Festival in Downtown Nashville. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

MusicFest Sellout Sets New Attendance Record

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CMA is reporting its second consecutive CMA MusicFest sellout. The country music organizations which puts on the massive downtown event has released the following informatin. Average daily attendance over the four days was 65,000.
In 2010, Festival attendance jumped 16.7 percent over 2009 when attendance was 56,000. The 65,000 attendance in 2011 includes four-day ticket packages, promotional and single night tickets, as well as attendance in non-ticketed zones and events.
“To meet the outstanding sell out of 2010 again in 2011 speaks volumes about the strength of this event, the dedication of our fans, the support of our local community, and the popularity of our music and artists,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer.
Despite record-setting temperatures in Nashville, attendance in the numerous free Zones, public events, and concert venues was equally strong. In fact, there was record attendance Saturday at Chevrolet Riverfront Park with more than 25,000 fans attending the free concerts throughout the day on the sloping bank of the Cumberland River.
According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the direct visitor spending generated by CMA Music Festival in 2010 was approximately $24 million, about $1 million above the 2009 figure, easily the top annual generator of tourist income in Nashville. And it appears that 2011 was a boon to business again. Figures for 2011 will be released by the NCVB at a later date.
“Eighty percent of our four-day ticket holders come from outside of Tennessee,” said Moore. “And we are seeing gains with our locals who are coming out to support our free areas and purchasing a growing number of tickets to attend the single night concerts at LP Field.”
CMA Music Festival was a boon to downtown businesses, but it also benefits music education in Music City. The artists and celebrities participating in CMA Music Festival donate their time. They are not compensated for the hours they spend signing autographs and performing. In appreciation of their exhaustive efforts, CMA donates half the net proceeds from the event to music education on their behalf through a partnership with the Nashville Alliance for Public Education called “Keep the Music Playing.” To date, CMA has donated $4.7 million.
Tickets for 2012 CMA Music Festival which will be held Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10, go on saleSaturday, July 30 (10:00 AM/CT). (Call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or 1-800-CMA-FEST [262-3378]). To purchase tickets online, visit www.CMAfest.com or www.Ticketmaster.com. Prices do not include applicable handling fees. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of seating at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted free.
2012 CMA Music Festival Four Day Ticket Package Prices
Seating Level                                      Price
Gold Circle                                          $325
Floor                                                    $225
Lower Level Premium                         $225
Lower Level                                         $180
Club Level Premium                           $180
Club Level                                           $160
Upper Level Reserved                         $125
Upper Level General Admission         $115
 

Industry Watch

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>>>The Association Of Independent Music Publishers is presenting a panel (6/14) to introduce itself to the Nashville publishing community. Representatives from the AIMP National Board of Directors will be on hand before and after the panel to discuss the formation of a local Nashville chapter. The panel called, Music Supervision: Tips On Getting Songs Placed In Film & TV will feature Gary Calamar (True Blood), Andrea von Foerster (OC, Grey’s Anatomy, 500 Days of Summer), Tony Von Pervieux (TV Music/ABC Entertainment Group), Jace Everett, (Theme For True Blood) and Michelle Belcher, Moderator (District 9). The event takes place June 14, 6-8 p.m. at the Embassy Suites at Vanderbilt (commodore A&B). Click here to register…
>>>Billboard’s Ed Christman pulls back the curtain concerning Amazon’s recent GaGa 99¢ sale and the effect it’s having on physical retailers. While there were many positive results from Amazon’s marketing move, it seemed to catch Universal Music Group Distribution by surprise. According to the article, UMGD shipped 2.1 million units. With today’s inventory efficiencies, stores aim to sell about half the shipment in the first week. Since so many of the GaGa sales were digital, stores sold less than a quarter of the total shipment. Result: UMGD is facing returns liability…. For Christman’s complete analysis [Billboard]
>>>All Things Digital reports that European music service Spotify has signed a deal with Universal giving it three of the four major U.S. labels in its deal folder. Warner is the sole holdout. Spotify has been attempting to cross the Atlantic for amost two years and pundits are now speculating that it may actually happen later this summer. The space has been heating up of late, with Apple, Amazon and Google all tossing up cloud systems and Pandora uppin the price for its upcoming IPO.