High Valley To Tour Netherlands, UK In 2017

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Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville duo High Valley will headline their first European tour, launching in February 2017. The Make You Mine Tour will travel to Denmark, Germany, Netherlands and the UK in the new year for 10 shows over two weeks in support of their just-released major label debut album, Dear Life.

High Valley “Make You Mine” European Tour Dates*
Feb. 4: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Feb. 5: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Feb. 7: Manchester, UK
Feb. 8: Glasgow, UK
Feb. 9: Birmingham, UK
Feb. 10: Aberdare, UK
Feb. 11: London, UK
Feb. 13: Berlin, Germany
Feb. 15: Copenhagen, Denmark
Feb. 16: Odense, Denmark
*Subject to change

Warner Music Nashville’s The Last Bandoleros To Open For Sting’s 2017 Tour

The Last Bandoleros

The Last Bandoleros

Warner Music Nashville band The Last Bandoleros is set to open for rock legend Sting‘s 57th & 9th Tour, as it works its way across the United States, Canada and Europe in 2017.

The tour launches February in Vancouver and wraps in mid-April with shows in Paris and Olympia. The trek also includes a stop at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. Joe Sumner will also open the outing.

Sting released 57th & 9th, his 12th solo studio album and first rock/pop project in more than a decade, on Nov. 11 on A&M/Interscope Records. Martin Kierszenbaum, who manages both Sting and The Last Bandoleros, invited the band to sing background vocals on the first single from 57th & 9th.

Tex-Mex band The Last Bandoleros released its own EP on Warner Music Nashville in September.

Support Acts, Added Dates Revealed For Maren Morris 2017 Headlining Tour

maren morris tour

Columbia Nashville singer/songwriter Maren Morris announced two new dates for The HERO Tour 2017, Chicago (March 2) and Nashville (April 5). Additionally, Morris confirmed a performance at Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, California, on April 29. Tickets for Chicago, Nashville and Stagecoach go on sale Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. local time.

Supporting artists on The HERO Tour 2017 will vary between singer/songwriters Devin Dawson and her boyfriend/Sony artist Ryan Hurd.

The HERO Tour 2017
Feb. 3: Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA  (w/Ryan Hurd)
Feb. 4: TLA Philadelphia, PA (w/Ryan Hurd)
Feb. 16:  9:30 Club Washington, DC  (w/Ryan Hurd)
Feb. 17: Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN (w/ Devin Dawson)
Feb. 18: Georgia Theatre Athens, GA  (w/Ryan Hurd)
March 1: Brick Street Oxford, OH (w/Devn Dawson)
March 2: Joe’s on Weed Street Chicago, IL (w/Devin Dawson)
March 3: Boondocks Pub Springfield, IL (w/Devin Dawson)
March 4: Headliners Music Hall Louisville, KY (w/Devin Dawson)
March 23: Cambridge Room, House of Blues Dallas, TX (w/Devin Dawson)
March 24: Bronze Peacock Room, House of Blues Houston, TX (w/Devin Dawson)
March 25: Gruene Hall New Braunfels, TX (w/Devin Dawson)
April 5: Cannery Ballroom Nashville, TN (w/ special guests)
April 29: Stagecoach Country Music Festival Indio, CA

Chris Tomlin to Launch Worship Night Tour in April

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Chris Tomlin will kick off his Worship Night In America tour next Spring, hitting arenas in 23 cities across the U.S. The tour, which follows a series of Worship Night In America events over the last two years including Madison Square Garden, Red Rocks and other venues, will also feature Big Daddy Weave, Phil Wickham, Zach Williams, Mosaic MSC and Jason Barton.

The tour will be presented by K-LOVE and Air1 and sponsored by Food for the Hungry. Tickets go on sale Friday, Nov. 18. 

“It is powerful when all streams of the church come together in an act of unity to worship and pray…that’s the heart behind Worship Night In America,” Tomlin said. “I pray these nights are filled with revival and restoration as we all join together proclaiming one name.”

Tomlin’s 11th studio album Never Lose Sight  was recently released and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart, and includes his RIAA Gold-certified single “Good Good Father.” Last month, Tomlin was honored as the fourth recipient of the SoundExchange Digital Radio Award, recognizing more than 1 billion digital radio plays.

Worship Night In America Tour:
April 4: San Antonio, Texas; Freeman Coliseum
April 6: Tulsa, Okla.; BOK Center
April 7: Omaha, Neb. Baxter Arena
April 8: Kansas City, Mo.;  Sprint Center
April 9: Milwaukee, Wis.; The UWM Panther Arena
April 11: Moline, Ill.;The iWireless Center
April 13: Charlotte, N.C.; Spectrum Center
April 20: Oklahoma City, Okla.; Cox Convention Center
April 21: Grand Prairie, Texas; Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
April 22: Grand Prairie, Texas; Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
April 23: Cedar Park, Texas; H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
April 25: Lubbock, Texas; United Supermarkets Arena
April 26: El Paso, Texas; Don Haskins Center
April 28: Fresno, Calif.; Save Mart Center at Fresno State
April 29: Reno, Calif.;Reno Events Center
April 30: Boise, Idaho; Taco Bell Arena
May 4: Seattle, Wa.; KeyArena
May 5: Portland, Ore.; Moda Center
May 6: Eugene, Ore.; Matthew Knight Arena
May 7: Sacramento, Calif.; Golden 1 Center
May 9: San Diego, Calif.; Viejas Arena at SDSU
May 12: Phoenix, Ariz.; Talking Stick Resort Arena
May 13; Rio Rancho, N.M.; Santa Ana Star Center

Exclusive: Touring Career Workshop—Leading With Heart And Wisdom

Chris Lisle

Chris Lisle

Chris Lisle of Chris Lisle Lighting Design has a passion for his work that is matched only by his care for the members of the concert touring community. His 25-plus year career has included work in several segments of touring, including production, lighting design, and tour management. He has worked with Miranda Lambert, Robert Plant, Chris Young, and more.

Now in its sixth year, the Touring Career Workshop will offer a myriad of sessions centering on breaking into the touring industry, retirement options for touring professionals, tax information, freelance opportunities, maintaining health on the road, and more. The Touring Career Workshop, a free event, is slated for Nov. 9 at Soundcheck Nashville Annex.

After launching in 2011, the workshop grew to 300 attendees in 2015. This year, Keith Urban’s production manager Randy Fletcher will present a keynote presentation on the evolvement of the touring industry. Also speaking are Erik Leighty (Miranda Lambert, Paramore), Jim Runge (The Black Keys, Major Lazor), Mark Miles (IEBA, Lambert) and more.

Lisle, who serves as the workshop’s Executive Director, spoke with MusicRow about this year’s Touring Career Workshop, the state of the touring industry, and his advice for newcomers.

– – –

MusicRow: How did Touring Career Workshop begin?

Chris Lisle: Many touring production staff members don’t have any kind of benefits, unless they work for a great company. Friends and colleagues coming to me and asking, ‘Who do you like to use for an accountant?’ Or ‘How do you do your health insurance?’ I also saw someone close to me go through some really tough things in their later years because they didn’t address a lot of things financially and physically that they should have in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

Erik Parker [Touring Career Workshop Co-Founder and Associate Director] and I discussed giving small sessions where people could come and learn how to get insurance or how to get the most out of your tax deductions. We even get into personal things like how to make marriage work on the road or how to raise kids when you are being a part-time parent when you travel so much. Staying fit on the road, just these skills they are not getting anywhere else.

MR: What Touring Career Workshop sessions are you most excited about this year?

CL: We try to always do new stuff every year, but we also know the ones that are most attended. Our most-attended ones are always about getting in and staying in the touring business. Sessions about the health insurance, legal contracts, and accounting are big. This year we have a parenting session. It’s one that is close to my heart. How do you parent when you are only home three days per week?

We’ve also got a tour manager panel this year. I’m always excited about it because they give their perspectives on how they run their tours and handle conflict management. A tour bus holds 12 people. They work together all day in the venue then they get on the bus and there is always that one person who is smelly or plays their music too loud. We grill them to tell the next generation what they can expect as far as conflict resolution on the road. 

MR: Artists are relying on income from touring more than ever. What effects has that had on our industry?

CL: It’s no secret that record sales are not what they used to be and touring sales are up. So the touring business as a whole, not just from the artists and band side, but from the production side, is huge right now.

I’ve been doing concert lighting for 25 years and I’ve never seen Nashville or the industry the way it is right now, in terms of demand for not only show production but for technicians, sound people and lighting people, etc. They are in high demand.

MR: Are you finding that sometimes employers are having trouble filling spots?

CL: I do. The good thing with this is that we have a couple of great schools like Belmont,

MTSU and The Blackbird Academy that are training people to take on some of these roles. We are doing our best. I definitely know from a lighting end this past summer, we hit a point where we were out of people. Right now, I have a video person that I am showing how to do lights, to kind of get the most. We are seeing a lot of this. We are molding people to what they need to be and giving them work.

MR: What other services do you offer in addition to the Touring Career Workshop?

CL: We started our All Access program two years ago. We have three counselors working with us, and touring personnel can go to any of those counselors and TCW pays for the first two sessions, no questions asked. We never know the person’s name, we just get an invoice from [the counselor]. I’ve even had situations where the counselor calls and says, ‘I have a person who can’t afford it, but they need at least three more sessions,’ then cool, let’s get them in there and let’s do it. That’s all about us wanting to make sure if you are going through stuff, you can talk it out.

MR: What advice do you give to young people wanting to enter the touring business?

CL: Honestly, technical skill is great, but personality is key. You are your own business. You have to sell yourself constantly. Yes, I want you to know how to run lights, or whatever your path is, but you have to get along with others for months on end and find that next gig. The key is your networking tree. I explain how even in my career, one contact branches out to become 50. That’s how you get work to progress your career.

The Sixth Annual Touring Career Workshop will take place Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Soundcheck Nashville Annex, beginning at 6 p.m. For more information on the Touring Career Workshop or the All Access program, and to register for the Touring Career Workshop, visit touringcareerworkshop.com.

This year, the Touring Career Workshop has partnered with Stagecall, which collects bikes for underprivileged children in Nashville. Attendees are encouraged to bring a new bike and/or cash donations.

#CMTNextWomen Honors New Class, Debuts Award, Announces 2017 Tour

CMT Next Women of Country Group. Photo: Bev Moser

CMT Next Women of Country Group. Photo: Bev Moser

Three inductees into CMT’s Next Women of Country (NWOC) class of 2016 performed alongside alumna and other newcomer artists and during the network’s fourth annual celebration, held Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 1) at City Winery.

Maggie Rose, Lucie Silvas and Margo Price were among those selected to offer songs on behalf of their previously announced freshman class, including Caitlyn Smith, Jamie Lynn Spears, Jillian Jacqueline, Kree Harrison, Logan Brill, Post Monroe and Runaway June.

Brandy Clark (L), Leslie Fram (R). Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT

Brandy Clark (L), Leslie Fram (R). Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT

Surprise co-host Brandy Clark performed “Two Kids No Husband” before CMT Sr. VP of Music Strategy and Talent, Leslie Fram, surprised her with the first annual NWOC Impact Award.

“We started the [NWOC] franchise because of Brandy Clark,” said Fram after Clark detailed how a promise of support from the executive led her to spend her savings on a video for “Stripes.”

Pictured (L-R): Lauren Alaina, Martina McBride, CMT's Leslie Fram. Photo: Bev Moser

Pictured (L-R): Lauren Alaina, Martina McBride, CMT’s Leslie Fram. Photo: Bev Moser

Two in-the-round performances were delivered. Before the second round, Martina McBride made a surprise appearance to announce her 2017 Love Unleashed Tour will be amplified by CMT’s NWOC series and feature special guest Lauren Alaina.

“CMT’s Next Women of Country is a movement that I truly believe in—throughout my career I’ve championed women,” said McBride. “Mentoring and passing along any lessons or knowledge we’ve learned to the new generation is really important and I’m learning from them. For women, when one of us wins, we all win and we’re stronger when we support each other. I’m thrilled to be a part of this!”

Pictured (L-R): Tara Thompson, Mickey Guyton, Maggie Rose, Maddie & Tae, Aubrie Sellers. Photo: Bev Moser

Pictured (L-R): Tara Thompson, Mickey Guyton, Maggie Rose, Maddie & Tae, Aubrie Sellers. Photo: Bev Moser

Kicking off the first round of performances were Aubrie Sellers (“New City Blues” and a cover of The Kinks’ “All Day And All Of The Night”), Maddie & Tae (“Somebody Will,” written for their upcoming album), Maggie Rose (“More Dreams Than Dollars,” a new title and was announced as a recent signee with Narvel Blackstock), Mickey Guyton (“What I’ve Yet To Find,” a Lady Antebellum-written song she found before getting signed), and Tara Thompson (“A World Without Willie,” co-written with Alex Kline, Erin Enderlin, Leslie Satcher).

Pictured (L-R): RaeLynn, Margo Price, Lucie Silvas, Lindsay Ell, Lauren Alaina. Photo: Bev Moser

Pictured (L-R): RaeLynn, Margo Price, Lucie Silvas, Lindsay Ell, Lauren Alaina. Photo: Bev Moser

Alaina led the second round of performances (“Road Less Traveled”) with additional artists Lindsay Ell (“All Alright”), Lucie Silvas (“I Really Loved You”), Margo Price (“Hands Of Time”), and RaeLynn (“Love Triangle”).

“Four years ago we identified a gaping hole in the industry,” said Fram. “[We tried to find a way] for women to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, support each other, and grow female voices in our industry. So much has happened in the last few years, we’ve had a tour going into its third year, a digital franchise, 20 artists in the CMT studio, and our next class.”

Tanya Tucker Hospitalized, Postpones Six Tour Dates

Tanya Tucker. Photo: Jeremy Westby

Tanya Tucker. Photo: Jeremy Westby

Tanya Tucker is recovering in a Nashville hospital after suffering an upper respiratory infection while on tour. Six concert dates have been postponed.

Tucker became ill before a date in South Dakota and was treated by local doctors before heading back to Nashville.

“I cannot apologize enough to all the fans who bought tickets and were looking forward to seeing us on the road. I just feel terrible, but I’ll get even worse if I don’t take care of myself. I love you all,” Tucker said.

Tucker’s postponed tour dates include:
Oct. 7: Watertown, S.D.; Dakota Sioux Casino
Oct. 11: Swift Current, SK Canada; The Living Sky Casino
Oct. 12: Whitecap, SK Canada; Dakota Dunes Casino
Oct. 14: Fort Hall, Idaho; Fort Hall Casino
Oct. 15: Pendleton, Ore.; Wildhorse Resort
Oct. 16: Airway Heights, Wash.; Northern Quest Casino

Russell Dickerson Launches First Tour This Week

russelldickerson-2Triple Tigers artist Russell Dickerson will kick off his first headlining tour Oct. 13 in Mountain Home, Arkansas with dates running through Dec. 16 in Charleston, South Carolina.

The “Yours” Tour is named for his hit single which has attracted over 20 million streams on Spotify, two million views on YouTube and over 120,000 in single sales. “I never dreamed that we would be able to sell out shows just because of one song connecting so deeply with so many of you!” said Dickerson. “I’m beyond stoked to be headlining my first tour ever and to bring ‘Yours’ to your city.”

When that run ends, Dickerson will hit the road on Thomas Rhett’s 2017 Home Team Tour, along with Kelsea Ballerini and Ryan Hurd.

Dickerson is a Nashville native whose debut EP, Yours, first appeared at No. 2 on the iTunes Country chart and No. 8 on the all-genre chart. It also premiered at No. 1 on Billboard’s Heat Seeker chart and No. 14 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.

Newly formed Triple Tigers is a joint venture between Thirty Tigers, Triple 8 Management and Sony Music Entertainment.

Tim McGraw, Faith Hill Plot A New Soul2Soul Tour

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Tim McGraw and Faith Hill will spend 2017 on the road with the revived Soul2Soul Tour. They announced Soul2Soul The World Tour 2017 on Tuesday night (Oct. 4) during a hot-ticket concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It was the first show at the famous venue the couple had performed together.

During their 90-minute set, the duo relied on a few duets and then sang a handful of their solo hits. (A full review will be posted Wednesday.) The couple has reportedly been looking for songs and recording their first duets album, but no official announcement has been made.

This will be the married couple’s first international tour together since 2007 and their third Soul2Soul Tour overall. They will also serve as duo advisors on NBC’s The Voice in October.

This fall, Hill, alongside former Oprah co-executive producer and OWN executive Lisa Erspamer, will co-produce an innovative new daytime lifestyle show based in Nashville.

“We have the best fans in the world, who have been with us through our entire journey and we are so excited to celebrate with them by going back on the road and showcasing an exciting new show,” said McGraw and Hill in a statement. “It’s always great when we get to work together and it’s been a while since we got to do that.”

McGraw and Hill will also be inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame on Wednesday (Oct. 5) at 11:30 a.m. across from the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The new Soul2Soul tour will begin on April 7 in New Orleans, with U.S. and Canadian dates scheduled through October 2017. The duo will perform in Nashville on Aug. 4, 2017.

Fellow artists in the Ryman crowd included Little Big Town, Martina McBride and Chris and Morgane Stapleton.

See tour dates.

Industry Ink: Buddy Lee Attractions, Dot Records, Lucky Hound Music

Buddy Lee Attractions Signs Jo Dee Messina

Pictured (L-R): BLA VP Mike Meade, Jo Dee Messina, BLA SR. VP David Kiswiney, BLA CEO & Co-Owner Donna Lee &BLA Co-Owner Tony Lee

Pictured (L-R): BLA VP Mike Meade, Jo Dee Messina, BLA Sr. VP David Kiswiney, BLA CEO & co-owner Donna Lee & BLA Co-Owner Tony Lee

Buddy Lee Attractions (BLA) has signed Jo Dee Messina to its agency roster. Messina released her latest full-length project, Me, on her own label Dreambound Records, after launching a successful Kickstarter campaign.

“Look no further than Jo Dee Messina if you want a fierce performer who has raised the bar in both her live show and on the charts, where she became the first female in the country genre to have three multi-week number ones,” says BLA CEO and Co-owner Donna Lee. “Her two-decade career of hits has built a passionate fan base across all demographics and her relentless, high-energy performance will leave fans electrified and begging for more from this red-hot, no holds barred artist.”

 

Dot Records Adds Promotion Coordinator

Nicole Hunt

Nicole Hunt

Dot Records has added Nicole Hunt as Promotion Coordinator. Hunt fills the vacancy left by Brooke Nixon, who transitioned to Southeast Director of Promotion & Marketing for fellow Big Machine Label Group imprint The Valory Music Co.

A graduate of Suffolk University, the Boston, Massachusetts native worked at WKLB before relocating to Nashville. She will assist with the promotion efforts for the Dot Records roster including Zac Brown Band, Steven Tyler, Maddie & Tae, Aaron Lewis, Drake White and Tucker Beathard.

She can be reached at nicole.hunt@bmlg.net or by phone at 615-846-7753.

 

Lucky Hound Music Launches, Signs Nashville Artist Lani Nash

lucky-hound-musicEngineer/producer Stuart Sullivan, Steven Durr, and producer/engineer Steve Henning, have launched independent artist development label Lucky Hound Music. Lucky Hound’s team includes work in the area of licensing, publishing, and distribution partners based in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles.

To celebrate its launch, Lucky Hound has signed its first two artists, including Nashville singer-songwriter Lani Nash, as well as Matthew Bell and the Next of Kin.

“In an industry of constant change, how artists and their music is made and experienced by fans demands an attention to authenticity and quality,” said Sullivan. “That’s why our approach is to build everything with the artist – from the art to the career – from the ground up.”

“We’re strategically located in the four major creative markets in the U.S., where we have access for our artists to key film/TV industry leaders and influencers, as well as the best producers, engineers, songwriters, and marketing gurus in the business,” said Durr. “Today’s music industry is so diverse, it’s important for artists, especially those in the early stages of their careers, to be connected to the right people who can open doors on multiple levels of the business.”