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Americana Music Association Reveals Lifetime Achievement Honorees

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(L-R): Lucinda Williams, Gregg Allman, Jerry Douglas, Rick Hall, and Bob Harris

The Americana Music Association will honor Lucinda Williams, Gregg Allman, Jerry Douglas, Rick Hall, and Bob Harris with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Association’s Honors & Awards show Thurs., Oct. 13, 2011 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

Lifetime Achievement for Songwriter—Songstress Lucinda Williams continues to make musical inroads as an artist, performer and celebrated tunesmith with her roots-grounded sound, influencing countless others along the way.

Lifetime Achievement for Performer—Living legend Gregg Allman has captivated audiences since his early days with The Allman Brothers Band, and continues to lead the charge of genre-melding Southern-bred rockers.

Lifetime Achievement for Instrumentalist—Dobro master Jerry Douglas is equally revered for his solo work, session playing, and as a longtime member of Alison Krauss and Union Station.

Lifetime Achievement for Executive (Jack Emerson Award)—Rick Hall fostered the seminal Muscle Shoals through his groundbreaking production work at FAME Studios, recording Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Etta James, The Osmonds, and Bobbie Gentry.

Trailblazer Award—Bob Harris is a celebrated radio host and journalist who advocates exceptional artistry via shows on the BBC and other outlets.

The Honors & Awards is the capstone event of the Americana Music Association’s Festival and Conference presented by Nissan, running October 12-15 in Nashville. Jim Lauderdale will again serve as master of ceremonies for the Honors & Awards, while Buddy Miller will lead an all-star house band. Among the other artists attending are Robert Plant and the Band of Joy, Hayes Carll, The Civil Wars, Elizabeth Cook, Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Secret Sisters, and more to be announced.

A limited number of awards show tickets, $35 and $65, are available through the Ryman Box Office or ryman.com.

Full Festival & Conference registration includes access to all panels and presentations, the revamped exhibit hall, invitations to all sanctioned parties, a ticket to the Honors and Awards Show, and priority admission to the evening performances. Registration is currently $350 for AMA members and $450 for non-members at americanamusic.org.

CMA Nominations Revealed

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(L-R): Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift each earned five CMA Award nominations, and will all vie for the Entertainer trophy.

Topping the list of final nominees for The 45th Annual CMA Awards are Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift with five nods each. Right on their heels are The Band Perry and Zac Brown Band, who each received four nominations as a group while individual members Kimberly Perry (of The Band Perry), Coy Bowles and Zac Brown (of Zac Brown Band) each earned a solo nod as a songwriter.

This is a huge step forward for Aldean, who earned first-time nominations in five categories including the coveted Entertainer prize, as well as Male Vocalist, Album, Single and Musical Event. Aldean’s two prior nominations are for the Horizon Award in 2007, and in 2008 when the category changed names to CMA New Artist of the Year.

For the sixth year, the announcement of the final nominees in five of the 12 categories was made live on ABC News’ Good Morning America with The Band Perry and Jake Owen delivering the news from the heart of New York City’s Times Square. Finalists in the other seven categories were announced by Jerrod Niemann, and CMA Vocal Duo and New Artist of the Year nominees Thompson Square from the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, which was home to the first broadcast of the CMA Awards in 1968.

Broadcast Awards finalists were also revealed at the Ryman, click here to see the list.

The 45th Annual CMA Awards air live on ABC November 9, 2011.

Entertainer of the Year
Jason Aldean
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban

Male Vocalist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year
Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Carrie Underwood
Taylor Swift

New Artist of the Year
The Band Perry
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Thompson Square
Chris Young

Vocal Group of the Year
The Band Perry
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

Album of the Year (Award to Artist and Producer(s))
All About Tonight, Blake Shelton, Produced by Scott Hendricks, Warner Bros. Nashville
My Kinda Party, Jason Aldean, Produced by Michael Knox, Broken Bow Records
Speak Now, Taylor Swift, Produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records
This Is Country Music, Brad Paisley, Produced by Frank Rogers, Arista Nashville
You Get What You Give, Zac Brown Band, Produced by Keith Stegall and Zac Brown, Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records

Single of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))
“A Little Bit Stronger” Sara Evans, Produced by Tony Brown, RCA Nashville
“Colder Weather” Zac Brown Band, Produced by Keith Stegall and Zac Brown,
Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records
“Don’t You Wanna Stay” Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, Produced by Michael Knox, Broken Bow Records
“Honey Bee” Blake Shelton, Produced by Scott Hendricks, Warner Bros. Nashville
“If I Die Young” The Band Perry, Produced by Paul Worley, Republic Nashville

Song of the Year
“Colder Weather,” Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Levi Lowrey, and Coy Bowles
“Dirt Road Anthem,” Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford
“If I Die Young,” Kimberly Perry
“Mean,” Taylor Swift
“You and Tequila,” Matraca Berg and Deana Carter

Musical Event of the Year
“As She’s Walking Away” Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson, Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert, Columbia Records Nashville
“Don’t You Wanna Stay” Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, Broken Bow Records
“Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, Arista Nashville
“You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, BNA Records

Vocal Duo of the Year
Civil Wars
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Thompson Square

Music Video of the Year
“Honey Bee” Blake Shelton, Directed by Trey Fanjoy
“If I Die Young” The Band Perry, Directed by David McClister
“Mean” Taylor Swift, Directed by Declan Whitebloom
“Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, Directed by Jim Shea
“You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, Directed by Shaun Silva

Musician of the Year
Sam Bush – Mandolin
Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Dann Huff – Guitar
Mac McAnally – Guitar

Chesney Ends Tour With Hurricane of Activity

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(l-r): Morris Artists Management Group Executive Vice President and CMA Board member Clint Higham, CMA Board member Connie Bradley, CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore, CMA Board member Bob DiPiero, Matraca Berg, Kenny Chesney, Brett James, Wendell Mobley, and Craig Wiseman. Photo credit: Natasha Moustache


Kenny Chesney’s 2011 Goin’ Coastal Tour celebrated its last weekend, in Boston, with a two-show hurricane of activity. To be exact, the Sunday 8/28 performance was rescheduled for Friday 8/26 because of approaching hurricane Irene and Saturday went on as scheduled. Together, the two shows sold over 106,000 tickets at the Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. Chesney called the crowd, “one of the loudest and most loving crowds of the tour.”

Guests included Billy Currington and Zac Brown Band. Mid-show, CMA President Steve Moore presented Chesney keyboardist Wyatt Beard with the organization’s first-ever Touring Musician of the Year Award.

While in Boston the Luttrell, TN homeboy appeared with hit songwriters Bob DiPiero, Matraca Berg, Brett James, Wendell Mobley and Craig Wiseman as part of the CMA’s sold-out Songwriter Series at the Royale Nightclub. The show was streamed live on Chesney’s Noshoesradio Internet station. Chesney also visited with Boston College football team, the Eagles and later spent an hour practicing with the New England Patriots. (Reportedly he missed a pass from quarterback Tom Brady…)

The weekend capped an incredible run with over 1.1 million tickets sold for the Goin’ Coastal Tour.

 

 

Four-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney and CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore presented the inaugural CMA Touring Musician Award to Chesney keyboard player Wyatt Beard Saturday during the Foxboro Stadium concert date in Boston. (l-r): Wyatt Beard; Shirley Beard, mother; Chesney; Karyn Beard, wife; Moore; and RD Beard, father. Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Names New Class

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(L-R): Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, John Bettis, Allen Shamblin and Thom Schuyler


The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NaSHOF) today (8/22) announced this year’s inductees for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, with John Bettis, Thom Schuyler and Allen Shamblin joining in the Songwriter category, and Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson being inducted in the Songwriter/Artist category.
They will be honored at the 41st Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony, presented by AT&T, on Sunday, October 16 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.
Bettis’ songwriter credits include pop/country crossover hits such as “Top Of The World” (The Carpenters, Lynn Anderson) and “Slow Hand” (The Pointer Sisters, Conway Twitty). Schuyler’s resume is known for hits such as “Love Will Turn You Around” (Kenny Rogers) and “A Long Line Of Love” (Michael Martin Murphey). Shamblin is the tunesmith behind “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (Bonnie Raitt) and “The House That Built Me” (Miranda Lambert). Brooks popularized many of his own compositions such as “The Thunder Rolls” and “The River.” Jackson created hits from many of his self-penned songs such as “Chattahoochee” and “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning).” For more biographical info click here.
John Van Mol, chairman of NaSHOF, notes the organization’s board of directors increased the number of inductees this year to five from the traditional three. “These five very talented individuals are among an era of powerhouse writers and artists who propelled country music to unparalleled heights beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and also made substantial contributions to popular and rock music,” he added. “We look forward to a fantastic evening of recognition for our inductees, and great entertainment for all who attend.”
Also at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner, sister organization Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), presents awards for the year’s best Song, Songwriter and Songwriter/Artist, as well as the Top 10 “Songs I Wish I Had Written,” as determined by the professional songwriters division.
Tickets for the event are $200 each. A limited number of seats are available to the public this year and may be purchased by contacting event director Mark Ford at [email protected] or 615-256-3354.

ACM Announces $661,000 Endowment

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Honorees from “Girls Night Out: Superstar Women of Country” (Getty Images/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music & dick clark productions)


The Academy of Country Music has announced a $661,000 endowment to ACM Lifting Lives, on behalf of the artists who participated in Girls Night Out: Superstar Women of Country. Ticket proceeds from the taping of the Las Vegas concert special in April benefited ACM Lifting Lives.
Honorees The Judds, Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, Jennifer Nettles, Reba and Carrie Underwood along with special performers Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, the JaneDear girls, Little Big Town, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts and Blake Shelton all participated in the taping, with more than 8 million viewers tuning in to the special on CBS.
“ACM Lifting Lives thanks these artists for generously donating their time and talent for the taping,” says ACM Lifting Lives Chair Gayle Holcomb. “We are grateful to them and for the opportunity to continue serving our many wonderful beneficiaries.”
ACM Lifting Lives is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through music by providing and serving members of the country music community who face unexpected medical or financial hardship.

(L-R): ACM Vice President Butch Waugh, ACM President Sarah Trahern, ACM Chairman Bill Mayne, ACM Lifting Lives Chairman Gayle Holcomb, ACM Lifting Lives President Mark Hartley, ACM Lifting Lives Vice-President Gary Gilbert and ACM Parliamentarian Paul Moore.

Sales Strategy Shakedown

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Every album launch has a different set of objectives for marketers on Music Row. Influencing these goals are the artist’s past sales, level of stardom, lead single success and more. With new albums coming from Blake Shelton, Chris Young and Ashton Shepherd, Tuesday’s (7/12) release schedule is a prime example of why sales expectations are different for every act.
Blake Shelton
After a decade of hard work, he’s at the pinnacle of his career thus far. And Soundscan watchers expect Red River Blue to bring big debut week sales. A key indicator is that lead single “Honey Bee” has already sold one million digital downloads.
Shelton has a lot going in his favor. As he releases his eighth project, he is Warner Nashville’s biggest active star and has full label team support. 2010 and 2011 have been his best years yet: winning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, and putting out two successful Six Paks. Not to mention the boat load of publicity from his coaching gig on The Voice, and marrying fellow star Miranda Lambert.
Chris Young
Young’s career has been building steam over the last year and could be set to explode. He is primed for solid sales of Neon, given that lead single “Tomorrow” has already moved 550,000-plus downloads.
Young is on a roll at radio, with three consecutive No. 1’s, including “Voices,” which made an unlikely climb to the top of the charts more than two years after its original release. His sophomore RCA album The Man I Want To Be is approaching Gold sales status.
Ashton Shepherd
With the pending release of her sophomore effort, MCA’s Ashton Shepherd is still building her career. Just like her 2008 debut, the new Where Country Grows is getting great reviews from high profile outlets like Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly.
What she has in her favor is critical praise, what she is lacking is a blockbuster hit. Lead single “Look It Up” made it into the Top 20, and the title track follow-up is going for adds Monday (7/11).
It’s been about three years since the release of her debut album Sounds So Good. Waiting so long between projects doesn’t help keep fans hooked, hence Shelton’s Six Pak strategy.
• • •
All three artists are offering pre-order incentives to drive first-week sales. And all are set for high-profile television appearances. Shelton will perform tomorrow (7/8) on the Today Show’s Summer Concert Series. Also tomorrow, catch Shepherd on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Young is set for Good Morning America on release day (7/12) and Jimmy Kimmel Live! later this month (7/27). Do TV performances influence sales? Weigh-in with a comment below.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (7/6/11)

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Superstars Taylor Swift and Shania Twain are in the mix this week, but both were trumped by lesser lights.
Challenging the two divas for supremacy were excellent new sounds from Craig Morgan, Robin Meade, Royal Wade Kimes and Jody Jenkins. Kasey Chambers and Billy Ray Cyrus were so good that they finished in a dead heat for Disc of the Day.
Atlantic/Warner newcomer Ty Stone sings in a soulfully strangulated tenor voice. But his real reason for earning a DisCovery Award is his remarkable, truth-telling song, “American Style.”
TY STONE/American Style
Writer: Ty Stone/Marlon Young; Producer: Marlon Young; Publisher: Ty Stone/Jo Ray Dean/Sony-ATV, BMI; Top Dog/Atlantic/Warner
—This solid little blue-collar rocker echoes the classic work done by folks like John Mellencamp, Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen. Stone chronicles the hard times faced by working-class Americans, yet concludes that we’re still all standing together. Sing it, brother.
MARTY McINTOSH/The American Night
Writer: Dennis Knutson/Roger Alan Wade; Producer: David Frizzell; Publisher: Major Bob/Rio Bravo/Castle Bound, BMI/SESAC; Nashville America (CDX) (615-654-4909)
—The well-produced track packs plenty of punch, and the song is very well written. The vocalist has a two-note range.
CRAIG MORGAN/This Ole Boy
Writer: Ben Hayslip/Dallas Davidson/Rhett Akins; Producer: Phil O’Donnell; Publisher: WB/Melissa’s Money/Get a Load of This/EMI Blackwood/Song Stretcher/Rhettneck, ASCAP/BMI; Black River (CDX)
—This Grand Ole Opry star remains one of the finest pure-country singers of ‘em all. This toe tapper celebrates hillbilly love with joy poured into every note. Absolutely radio ready.
ROYAL WADE KIMES/500 Miles Away From Home
Writer: Bobby Bare/Charlie Williams/Hedy West; Producer: George Bradfute & Mike Noble; Publisher: EMI/Warner-Unichappell/Central Songs, BMI; Wonderment (CDX) (www.royalwadekimes.com)
—This 1963 Bobby Bare pop-crossover smash now serves as Royal’s finest single in recent memory. Like Bare, he lets the song’s inherent sadness carry the day rather than engaging in any vocal histrionics. His hang-dog delivery, the note-perfect instrumental support and the sweetly retro backing vocalists are all audio delights.
SHANIA TWAIN/Today Is Your Day
Writer: Shania Twain; Producer: Nathan Chapman & Shania Twain; Publisher: Loon Echo/Songs of Universal, BMI; Mercury (CDX)
—The lyrics of this ballad sound cribbed from the self-help-book cliche encyclopedia. But the memorable melody, crystalline production and vocal performance are all sterling.
ROBIN MEADE/Dirty Laundry
Writer: Don Henley/Danny Kortchmar; Producer: Victoria Shaw; Publisher: Woody Creek/Warner Tamerlane/WB, BMI/ASCAP; Robin Meade/Somerset Entertainment (track)
—How deliciously ironic that this HLN TV newswoman’s country single debut is Don Henley’s famed 1982 screed against TV journalism. Bo Bice, Kix Brooks, Gary Burr, Sarah Buxton and Victoria Shaw join her on the choruses, but this is Robin’s feisty vocal showcase all the way. This gal has moxie.
BILLY RAY CYRUS/Runway Lights
Writer: Josh Kear/Mark Irwin/Jameson Clark; Producer: Buddy Cannon; Publisher: Sony-ATV Cross Keys/Big Purple Dog/Universal/MGB, ASCAP; Buena Vista (track) (www.billyraycyrus.com)
—Billy Ray’s new I’m American CD is dedicated to our men and women in uniform. Its lead-off single is the stirring saga of a Navy flier overseas who yearns for the sights, sounds and sensations of home. Brilliantly written and performed with sincerity and passion.
JODY JENKINS/Brings Back Amarillo
Writer: Bart Butler/Frank Solesbee; Producer: Bart Butler; Publisher: Bill Butler, BMI; Zone 7 (210-497-7908)
—Very dusty and western sounding. The track has a wide-open-spaces vibe, but the song is almost claustrophobic in its yearning misery of lost love. Very echoey and evocative.
TAYLOR SWIFT/Sparks Fly
Writer: Taylor Swift; Producer: Nathan Chapman & Taylor Swift; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Taylor Swift, BMI; Big Machine (track)
—Delirious pop romance. As usual with this artist, the hooks are impossibly catchy.
KASEY CHAMBERS/Little Bird
Writer: Kasey Chambers; Producer: Kasey Chambers & The Millionaires; Publisher: Essence/Mushroom, no performance rights listed; Essence/Sugar Hill (track) (www.kaseychambers.com)
—This gifted Aussie seems to grow more creative with each release. The title tune to her latest offers a birdie’s lilting advice about how to win him back. She retorts in a sweetly snarky soprano that she doesn’t want him that badly anyhow. The twinkling production, her layered vocals and the swirling mood are all ear tickling in the extreme. Play it again.

BE Music & Entertainment Opens in Nashville

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Dallas-based London Broadcasting Company has opened BE Music & Entertainment, headed by executives Terry London, Carl Kornmeyer and Michael Blanton. With offices in Dallas and Nashville, the full-service artist development agency provides management, production and publishing services to clients across a range of music genres, as well as in film, television, visual art, and literature.
All three executives have more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including time at Gaylord Entertainment, where London previously served as President and CEO.
Today he is President and CEO of London Broadcasting, which owns and operates 12 television stations in Texas and also owns 41 Entertainment, a Dallas-based television production company.
Kornmeyer is COO of the company’s Content Group, and Blanton is on board as President of BE Music & Entertainment.
Blanton’s background in production and management has been instrumental in developing the careers of Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith.
For more information, visit www.BEMusicEntertainment.com or call them at (866) 339-8686.

Michael Blanton, Carl Kornmeyer and Terry London

Jason Delkou Signs With SESAC

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(L-R) Bigger Picture’s Alan Kates, SESAC’s John Mullins, Jason Delkou, SESAC’s Tim Fink and Bigger Picture’s Jeff Carlton. Photo: Ed Rode


Singer/songwriter Jason Delkou, who is signed to Bigger Picture Group, affiliated with SESAC during a recent visit to its Nashville headquarters.

Which Nashville Musicians are Highest Paid?

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Lately Forbes magazine is rivaling even Santa Claus when it comes to list making. The financial sheet compiles all kinds of entertainer lists, including highest paid bosses, Top Celebs, and more. This week’s revelation comes in the form of the World’s 25 Highest Paid Musicians.
Six Nashville notables grace the list along with brief descriptions of how they amass all the loot. Here’s a brief synopsis of our local boys (and girls) who made good. For the complete list click here, but be prepared to wade through an annoying photo slider that makes you click 25 times to see the entire list.
11. Toby Keith ($50 million)
Keith profits from music plus an endorsement deal with Ford, a mezcal line and a restaurant chain called I Love This Bar And Grill.
13. Taylor Swift ($45 million)
Swift’s new album Speak Now is certified triple-platinum; touring grosses some $750,000 per night.
15. Brad Paisley ($40 million)
Country star had a banner year, thanks to strong touring backed by sponsorships from Chevy, Skinny Water, and Sea Ray boats.
18. Tim McGraw ($35 million, tie)
McGraw made big bucks in 2010 despite his label’s decision to delay his new album. In addition to a lucrative tour, McGraw starred in Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow and his line of cologne is among the best selling celebrity scents.
23. Rascal Flatts ($34 million)
The country stars grossed $45 million on 61 shows over the past 12 months, adding to their coffers with heavy radio play and endorsements from JC Penny and others.
24. Kenny Chesney ($30 million)
Chesney grossed nearly $40 million on 24 shows in support of his new album, Hemingway’sWhiskey.