Author Archive: David M Ross
David M. Ross has been covering Nashville's music industry for over 25 years. dross@musicrow.com
Armiger Gets Covered
Justine magazine, a national lifestyle publication for teen girls is set to feature Katie Armiger on the cover of its upcoming Oct./Nov. issue which streets Oct. 1. The timing coincides with the release of Armiger’s third Cold river Records studio album, Confessions of a Nice Girl which will be released on Oct. 5. Justine Magazine, [...]
Farm Aid One–25 Years Ago
Tony Conway (L) and Buddy Lee (R) at the University of Illinois stadium at 2 a.m. just after Bob Dylan and Tom Petty finished sound check. The event was Farm Aid One. It attracted a sold out crowd of 80,000 fans, featured over 60 artists and was broadcast live on TNN. Note the TV interview [...]
Appraising The Strategic Value of Airplay For Indie Artists
According to conventional wisdom and recent CMA research studies, radio remains a dominant force in shaping the country star constellation. Last year’s CMA study showed that 79% of country fans 18-54 listen to country radio. (The next largest category was 54% that visit the web once or more per month to find country music content.) [...]
Monroe Re-Signs; Bice Opines
Wrensong/Reynsong reports it has re-signed Ashley Monroe to a new publishing deal. Bo Bice stopped into the WKLB Boston Country 102.5 studio for a live webcast last week, where he played songs from his latest album ‘3’, including the current country single “You Take Yourself With You” and answered some questions with morning show host [...]
Category: Artist, Featured, Label, Publishing
BMG Rights Adds Evergreen
In a deal reportedly valued at $80 million, KKR-backed BMG Rights Management has gone shopping, gobbling Evergreen Copyright Acquisitions, its fourth company this year. Earlier this year BMG Rights snagged Cherry Lane Music, Adage IV and Stage Three music. According to reports in the New York Post, Evergreen was founded in 2006 and owns rights [...]
Category: Featured, Publishing
Sony Songstress Exits Label
Once again the Scribe’s famed crystal ball is aglow. Unofficial it remains, but the Shiny Globe shows a female headliner with the same first and last name initial leaving Sony Music Nashville. She recently switched management and is seemingly intent on adding new elements to her career. In fact the Optical Oracle opines that Warner [...]
John Dennis Forms New Management Firm
Manager John Dennis, previously managing partner of Parallel Entertainment, has launched a new management company, Dennis Entertainment. Clients include: Montgomery Gentry, Billy Currington, and Coldwater Jane. Company contact information is as follows: John Dennis – John@DennisEnt.com Alicia Jones – Alicia@DennisEnt.com Aaron Kinssies – Aaron@DennisEnt.com Grace Schoper – Grace@DennisEnt.com 209 10th Ave S, Ste 506 , [...]
Category: Featured
Montgomery Gentry Leaves Columbia
Award winning duo, Montgomery Gentry, has amicably left their long time label, Columbia Records. It’s official. The platinum pals hit career high points with songs like “My Town,” “Hell Yeah” and trophies such as CMA Duo of the Year (2000) and ACM Top New Group/Duo (2000). The group’s latest release, For Our Heroes, was a [...]
SESAC Spurs Blood Drive/Food Campaign
SESAC invites everyone to come and support its Blood Drive, Spare Change/Canned Food Drive on Mon. Sept. 20. from 10-2 p.m. Please come for a good cause…[lunch provided]
Category: Featured, Organizations
Due West’s Criminal Wordplay and Chris Filer Visits MR
Crime Or Publicity Stunt? While in Atlanta, promoting its new single, “Bible And The Belt,” Due West’s car was broken into and its backpacks, wallets, keys and laptops were stolen. They reported the break-in to the police, saying the thief needed a Bible and a belt. Chris Filer dropped by the MusicRow corporate headquarters to [...]
McGraw And Paltrow Head Toward Winter Release
Tim McGraw works to resurrect his unstable wife’s (Gwyneth Paltrow) failing country music career in the upcoming film Country Strong. Also featured in the drama are Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester. McGraw plays a husband/manager who must navigate his way through a jungle of romantic entanglements to get his wife back on the charts. Paltrow [...]
Friday Photos: Roys Help MDA; Bonsall’s Book
Country brother and sister duo, The Roys, made their national TV debut on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon held in Las Vegas over Labor Day weekend and joined a large group of TV/film/stage and music celebirities that donated their time to help raise funds for MDA’s lifesaving mission. The Roys performed “ Right Back At [...]
Swift Comic Enters 2nd Printing
Taylor Swift’s comic book, Fame: Taylor Swift has earned a second printing with a new cover scheduled to be released in October. Created by Bluewater Productions the visual storybook traces the young star’s development from young singer/songwriter to mega-selling recording artist and shows her dedication from an early age. The Swift bio was written by [...]
Sales Depts; Start Your Engines
Are you tired of watching country sales totals dripple and drip like a leaky faucet? This week for the first time this year, they have finally fallen further into the red zone than the overall industry. In fact, according to Nielsen SoundScan for the week ending 9-5-2010, overall album sales are down -12.5% YTD while [...]
Category: Featured, Label, Sales/Marketing
Lee Ann Womack Truck
Songwriter Chris Gantry has been on the loose lately. Some readers will recall that Gantry, who first hit Nashville in 1963, wrote “Dreams Of An Everyday Housewife” for Glen Campbell. Here, for your afternoon video break we invite you to see his latest production with his Gantry’s associates, Hank Vecheechio and The Original Not-So-Happy Campers. [...]
DuoMania: JaneDear and LoCash
Danelle and Susie of the JaneDear girls spend some time with MD Tommy Garrett of WRNS in New Bern, N.C. and his daughter Lauren before a recent show. Preston Brust and Chris Lucas aka LoCash Cowboys performed the National anthem at LP Field in Nashville shortly before the TN Titans defeated Super Bowl Champs, New Orleans [...]
