Jim McGuire at the Frist Center

06/04/2007

Friends and family of Nashville photographer Jim McGuire gathered to view and celebrate his work at a wine reception held at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts on May 31. Jim McGuire: The Nashville Portraits (organized by the Morris Museum in Augusta, GA.), will be at the Frist Center through the summer in the Conte Community Arts Gallery.

Pictured (L-R): Hal and Gina Ketchum, John Hiatt, McGuire, artists John Baeder and Travis Rivers.

Emerald Sound Gets Elevated

Sarah Skates – 05/15/2008

Elevation Music Publishing Partner Mark Utley has acquired 1033 16th Ave. S., the site of the former Emerald Sound studios. The building will become the new home to Elevation’s creative offices later this summer, and Utley is in discussions to lease several other spaces including legendary Studio A.

“The last few weeks have been a unique course in Nashville’s music history for me, and a walk down memory lane for the numerous, talented, professionals who have shared their behind-the-music moments,” Utley explained. “My immediate priority is to make the necessary renovations to preserve both the building and its rich history as a recording facility, while also preparing it for the future.”

Elevation Music Publishing’s current home at 1311 16th Ave. S. will be available for lease in August. The company, founded in June 2007 with veteran music publishers Mike Molinar and Martha Irwin, has a catalog with cuts by Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Montgomery Gentry, Emerson Drive and Blake Shelton. Elevation’s current writer roster includes George Teren, Mike Mobley, Mike Lane, Aaron Scherz and Sam Moore.

Originally opened in 1982 by producers David Malloy and Even Stevens, Emerald Sound Studios became a landmark due to its role in making albums by The Highwaymen, George Strait, Reba McEntire, Wynnona, Eddie Rabbit, Rosanne Cash, J.D. Souther, Steve Winwood and Bon Jovi, among many others. According to Kerry Kopp, the facility’s VP of Engineering Services and Chief Engineer for more than 20 years, the renowned studio has been a part of over 200 RIAA certified gold and platinum albums.

For lease inquiries or to help preserve the history of the former Emerald studios, contact mark@elevationmusicpub.com.

Grammys Rock The Block

05/15/2008

The 10th Annual Grammy Block Party was held Tuesday (5/13) night at its new location—Owen Bradley Park on the Music Row roundabout. Damien Horne, Lady Antebellum, 3 Doors Down, Gretchen Wilson, and Montgomery Gentry provided an eclectic set of performances for the industry crowd.

Pictured: Lady Antebellum with Susan Stewart, Recording Academy regional director, south and Pete Fisher, board president. Credit: The Recording Academy/Rick Diamond/WireImage

Frances Preston in the Wall Street Journal

Growing Staff at Echo

Sarah Skates – 05/15/2008

Echo has announced many new hires to the entertainment marketing company:
Jonathan Tarlton, Account Manager, formerly New Media Director/Marketing Coordinator for Dolly Parton Management/Dolly Records;
Seth Riddle, Associate Account Manager, formerly head of A&R at Rough Trade America;
Christy Montoya, Associate Account Manager, previously, she was Grassroots/New Media Manager at INO Records.
Amy Jackson, Artist Community Manager, previously Country Music Business Development Manager with Entertainment Media Works;
Candace Comer, Artist Community Manager, previously with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, Calif.;
Jon Armstrong, Artist Community Representative, formerly Creative Director with Muzik Mafia.
Annie Ortmeier, Merchandising Manager, formerly Marketing and Merchandising Coordinator with CMT/MTV Networks (for CMT, VH1 and LOGO).
Paul Shoemaker, LAMP Developer, previously Data Analyst/.Net Developer at Dell, Inc.
Chrissy Sievers, Creative Coordinator, formerly Pre Legal Coordinator with BMI.

Industry News Thursday (5/15/08)

Kenny Chesney's “Better As A Memory” has entered the Top 10 on the Billboard/R&R Country Chart, marking his 24th straight Top 10. It is also the longest consecutive run of Top 10 hits...

Big Wheels Roll into Charleston for Chesney

05/14/2008

Some of the Sony BMG gang and other music industry executives caught up with Kenny Chesney's Poets & Pirates Tour last week in Charleston, WV.

Pictured (L-R): BNA Promotion VP Bryan Frasher, SBMG Exec. VP Butch Waugh, SBMG VP Mktg. Tom Baldrica, Chesney, XM Sr. PD Country Jon Anthony, SBMG Chairman Joe Galante, SBMG Sr. Dir. Creative Services Scott McDaniel, and EMI Music Publishing Exec. VP/GM Gary Overton.

Clear Channel Deal Moves Forward

Sarah Skates – 05/14/2008

Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital have secured loans to fund a $17.9 billion buyout of Clear Channel radio. The deal prices stock at about $36 per share, down from the original offering of $39.20 per share, following a three-way disagreement between the purchasers, banks and CC. The deal, pending shareholder approval, must close by New Year's Eve.

Montage Adds Songwriter, Staffer

Sarah Skates – 05/14/2008

Montage Music Group has signed Trent Jeffcoat to its publishing division. Bobby Rymer, Head of Publishing, made today’s (5/14) announcement. Jeffcoat is a native of Lexington, SC who has been writing songs since age eight. He has performed for years around his home state and lists Vern Gosdin, Paul Overstreet, Randy Travis, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Keith Whitley, Hank Williams Jr., and Lynyrd Skynyrd as influences.

In addition, Adam Moore has joined Montage’s Internet Marketing Team. He most recently worked as a lifestyle marketing rep for Epic and Columbia Records leading a small grassroots promotion team. Deb Haus, Head of Marketing and Artist Development, said she is thrilled Adam is on the team because he wears brightly colored shirts and cool shoes but most importantly because he is “incredibly good at conceptualizing innovative internet marketing campaigns and has a passion for the great music." Moore can be reached at amoore@montagemusicgroup.com.

Greatest Hits Take Top Spots

David M. Ross – 05/14/2008

Neil Diamond (146,000) bested Toby Keith (103,000) this week in the debut album SoundScan sweepstakes, coming in at No. 1 on the Top 200 albums chart. Looking at the country list, Keith and Dierks Bentley (42,537) topped the list, both with new Greatest Hits packages. Mothers Day traffic helped attract buyers into the stores, and as a result the Top 200 sales increased from the previous week by a robust 12%. Country’s Top 75 current album chart recorded a week over week sales jump of 54%! Looking at the big picture, country sales YTD remain down 14.3% while overall sales are off 11%.

Industry Seeks More FCC Testing For Wireless Devices

Sarah Skates – 05/13/2008

The Federal Communications Commission is considering allowing consumer wireless devices to operate in the same spectrum, known as white space, as wireless equipment used in live performances. Today (5/13) the Grand Ole Opry, CMT/MTV Networks, CMA, Fitzgerald Hartley management, Dove Awards producer SGTV, and audio engineers for the Doves and CMT Awards SeisMic Sound called on the FCC to maintain its "cautious" approach when making a decision. Interference with wireless microphones could affect everything from in-ear monitors to wireless intercoms, as well as other essentials such as cueing systems.

The aforementioned groups believe that Microsoft, Google, Motorola, and others are trying to downplay the importance of continued FCC technical testing, which they say has resulted in a poor performance prototype for sharing the white space. The groups do not want to share the space without fail-safe interference. Other companies such as Shure have also filed with the FCC to promote further testing.