Robin Roberts Joins “Opry Goes Pink”

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Robin Roberts

When the Grand Ole Opry joins the fight against cancer in this Friday’s (10/2) special “Opry Goes Pink,” one of America’s favorite morning news personalities will be on hand to help. Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts, who is a breast cancer survivor, will serve as a special guest announcer for part of the night’s first show. Roberts will introduce acts as well as the Greater Nashville Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure® 2009 Honorary Survivor of the Year Tracie Shelby to the crowd.

During each of Friday’s shows, Carrie Underwood will “flip the switch,” turning the Opry’s signature barn backdrop pink in support of Women Rock for the Cure and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. These shows include performances from Underwood, Terri Clark, Jo Dee Messina, Lorrie Morgan, Mindy Smith and more. Tickets are available at opry.com or by calling 800-SEE-OPRY. Mention code OPRYPINK when ordering to have $5 of the sale donated to Women Rock for the Cure and the Greater Nashville Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Music Video Debuts From Nichols, Adkins, Bowers & Covington

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The video for Trace Adkins’ “All I Ask For Anymore” made its premiere on CMT and GAC earlier this week. The video was directed by the award-winning team of Robert Deaton and George Flanigen of Deaton Flanigen Productions, and was shot on location at the Tennessee Air National Guard in Nashville. The video features soldiers and their families as well as cameo’s by Adkins’ family.

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Filming the music video for Ash Bower's "Stuck."

The video for Stoney Creek Records’ Ash Bowers’ debut single, “Stuck,” debuted recently on CMT. Directed by Curt Apanovich, produced by William Shockley, David Bennett and executive produced by John Small of Picture Visions, the video was shot in two days from three different locations in Southern California. Part of the video was shot on a helipad atop a 28-story building in downtown L.A. Bower’s debut album is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2010.

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AOL’s TheBoot.com is premiering the Joe Nichols’ video for “An Old Friend of Mine” today (9/30) The video was directed by Rob Dennis and Mason Dixon and was filmed with one camera in one take. Nichols’ sixth studio recording for Universal Records South, Old Things New, will be released Oct. 27.

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The music video for Bucky Covington’s “Gotta Be Somebody,” was shot during a hometown concert in Rockingham, North Carolina and is expected to hit online and TV within the next month. The single is from his upcoming sophomore album, I’m Alright, releasing spring 2010.

YouTube Music, Aristo Int’l Report, And Unpaid Royalties

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YouTubers in the U.S. watched more than 10 billion videos during the month of August, many of which were music videos, reports the latest data from comScore. Worldwide, the site hit an all time high of 25 billion videos watched by 161 million pairs of eyes. The popularity of music related content on YouTube is clear with a scan of the list of top videos and channels.

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Nashville-based PR/marketing firm The AristoMedia Group has released the fall 2009 edition of its Aristo International Report. The current issue features a recap of several recent international awards shows, including the record-setting CCMA Awards in Canada, as well as events in Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and the Americana Music Association Awards in Nashville.  Also included is a feature on the encouraging trend of younger Country artists touring abroad this year. The quarterly, digital newsletter is available for online viewing at here.
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More than $300 million is marked as ‘pending and unmatched’ mechanical royalties according to the latest from Digital Music News. Publisher sources say that this money is being held by record labels. Digital Music News reports that this information is supported by numerous internal documents. The issue was brought to the forefront when the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) set new rates which included a late fee for royalties held by majors.

All For The Hall In LA Tomorrow

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Vince Gill will play tonight on Leno and tomorrow at All For The Hall LA.

The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s All for the Hall Los Angeles benefit takes place tomorrow (10/1) night at Club Nokia with a fantastic line-up set to perform. Multi-talented writer and artist Chris Isaak has been confirmed to host the one-of-a-kind musical evening, the centerpiece of which will be a guitar pull featuring Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Melissa Etheridge and Isaak himself.

While in Los Angelels, Harris and Gill will visit NBC’s new primetime Jay Leno Show for a duet performance, airing tonight (9/30).

Once back in Nashville, the Museum’s fundraising campaign will rage on with Keith Urban’s superstar We’re All for the Hall concert event. It will take place on Oct. 13 at Nashville’s Sommet Center with performances by Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift. Additional big name special guests are also expected.

All Star Concert Hopes To Save The GMA

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Amy Grant

Christian and Gospel music’s premier artists will gather in Nashville on Monday night, Oct. 12, for the Save The GMA concert at the Loveless Cafe Barn. Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Natalie Grant, Kirk Franklin, Point of Grace, Fisk Jubilee Singers and The Booth Brothers are all on board for the show to be produced by five-time Dove Award Producer of the Year Brown Bannister.

Under increasing financial pressure, the Gospel Music Association is hoping this all star event will raise enough money to keep the organization running. The GMA laid off more than half of its staff in early 2009, and earlier this month Pres. and CEO John Styll also exited.

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Michael W. Smith

Daywind Music Pres. Ed Leonard, who serves as chairman of the GMA Board, explains the organization’s importance. “In a time of restricted sponsorship dollar availability and financial hardships faced by many in our community, the GMA has continued to be there for all of us, offering first class events, tackling important legislative issues and promoting the genre to the world through the Dove Awards.” Among the GMA’s other initiatives are GMA Music Week, the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and Immerse.

Save The GMA is open to the public and industry, with tickets priced at $1,000. The cost covers event production and a significant tax-deductible donation. Tickets are available by calling the GMA office at 615-242-0303, ext. 238.

GAC Nights Radio Show Shuts Down

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gacThe syndicated radio show GAC Nights: Live From Nashville is coming to an end tomorrow (9/30). It was on-air almost two years but couldn’t find another home when its contract with Citadel radio ran out. Exiting are Executive Producer Donna Hughes, co-host Buzz Brainard, and Associate Producer Renee McNeill.

Hughes, with 21 years of experience in the country music industry, will be focusing on freelance work. Her career includes time as a journalist, talent booker/coordinator, writer, interviewer, producer, executive radio producer, and on-air talent. She can be reached at [email protected]. Brainard is at [email protected] and McNeill can be contacted at [email protected].

Around Town: Paramore, Pop Songwriter, And Fire Prevention

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Paramore's Hayley Williams and Jeremy Davis Photo: Akshay Bhansali/ MTV News

Paramore's Hayley Williams and Jeremy Davis Photo: Akshay Bhansali/ MTV News

Members of Franklin, TN based rock band Paramore gave MTV News a tour of their hometown recently. The band stopped at Puckett’s Restaurant and Grocery in Historic Downtown for lunch. Paramore’s third studio album, Brand New Eyes is releasing nationwide today (9/29) through Fueled by Ramen. The feature can be seen on the MTV News Web site.

Also in Franklin, young actress Amanda Waters is getting a lot of attention. She has appeared in several family friendly films and was also chosen to be the modern face of Laura Ingalls Wilder on the cover of the newly updated Little House on the Prairie books. Waters also plays in the new movie, Mandie & the Secret Tunnel, which will have its Tennessee premier at The Factory in Franklin on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7pm.  Tickets are available to the public.

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A fire across the street from the Big Machine/Valory/Republic Nashville headquarters last week was quickly put under control thanks to the Nashville Fire Department. Valory and Big Machine staffers came out to support the Fire Department and are pictured below: (L-R) Justin McIntosh, Jack Purcell, Whitney Sutton, Kelly Rich, Lindsey Jackson, David Beller, Scott Borchetta, Erik Powell, Jon Loba, Jayme Austin, George Briner, Allison Jones, JoJamie Hahr, Andrew Kautz, Nikki Burns, Harry Lyons, Wayne Milligan, Natalie Kilgore and Bobby Young.
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Andy Dodd, writer of hits for Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Camp Rock and Jesse McCartney, dropped by the ASCAP office in his “new” hometown last week. Pictured (L-R) are ASCAP VP/GM Marc Driskill, Dodd, and ASCAP VP Dan Keen.

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LeAnn Rimes/ACM Building Playground For Charity

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leannLeAnn Rimes is teaming up with volunteers from The Home Depot, Academy of Country Music, KaBOOM!, the United Way and community members to build a playground in just one day at Spring Valley Apartments in Murfreesboro.

Rimes was honored as the 2009 recipient of The Home Depot Humanitarian Award at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards this past April in Las Vegas. The Award recognizes country music artists who serve others, have a generous spirit and help build the dreams of those in need. In addition to recognition at the Awards show, the Humanitarian Award recipient receives a KaBOOM! playground donated by The Home Depot built in the city of their choice. Rimes selected Murfreesboro as the site for her playground build.

Rimes is particularly devoted to causes that help children and military veterans. She supports organizations like Children’s Miracle Network, Camp C.O.P.E., Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., and Nashville Humane Association.

Past recipients of the Award include Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, Neal McCoy, Martina McBride, Lonestar and Reba McEntire.

Photos From The Road: Aldean, Covington, Lambert

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Miranda Lambert’s new album, Revolution, comes out today (9/29) and she started this morning with a performance of her current single, “White Liar,” on Good Morning America. While there she ran into the Arizona Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald (R) who was also guesting on the ABC show.

She continues the Revolution tonight with a live performances on the Late Show with David Letterman (9/29), and later this week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (10/1),  Ellen (10/5) and The Bonnie Hunt Show (10/7).

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A capacity crowd of 10,000 braved torrential rain to catch Jason Aldean when his Wide Open tour stopped at Applebee’s Park in Lexington, KY on Friday night. Aldean’s show set new attendance records at the park, barely beating Hank Williams Jr.’s previous record by four tickets. Among the Nashvillians in attendance backstage were (L-R) GAC’s Suzanne Gordon, Billboard’s Ken Tucker and CMA Awards Executive Producer Robert Deaton.

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buckyDedicated fans from as far away as New York and Massachusetts packed Bucky Covington’s hometown Rockingham, NC over the weekend, where he held his first hometown concert since competing on American Idol in 2006. Over 6,000 friends, fans, family and neighbors watched the show where he previewed songs from his upcoming sophomore album, I’m Alright. Near the end of the concert Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin took the stage to declare September 26 “Bucky Covington Day” and present the singer with a key to the city. While at home, Covington also lent a hand to the area’s BackPack Pals program, which provides nutritious weekend meals to underpriviledged students. He stopped by the organization’s facilities to help stuff backpacks and collected food and monetary donations at the concert.

Writer Cup and Coat Drive This Week

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The Writer Cup golf tournament, which benefits the homeless outreach of Nashville Mission and Room In The Inn, takes place Wednesday (9/30) and Thursday (10/1) at Henry Horton State Park in Chapel Hill, TN. The normal entry fee has been waived, but participants will have to pay the green fees and any incidentals. Hole sponsorships are still available for $500.

Following the tournament is the Writer Cup’s companion event, the 8th Annual Music Row Coat Drive, which also benefits Nashville Mission and Room In The Inn. Donors are asked to bring old coats to their offices for pickup on Friday (10/2).

Please contact Norman De Vasure at 615-320-7300 or [email protected] to schedule a pickup. To make a general donation, checks can be made to:

The Room In The Inn, Fed Tax ID # 62-125320
PO Box 121086
Nashville, TN 37212