The Inside Story: Belmont Students Score With Mash-Up of Swift Songs

 
A few weeks ago singer and Belmont University student Louisa Wendorff had a ticket to fly home, but bumped the flight so she could stay in Nashville and finish up her latest passion project. Instead of boarding a plane, she ventured to Lieper’s Fork with Belmont pals Devin Dawson and Blythe Thomas to record a video of their mash-up of two Taylor Swift songs. It was a life changing decision.

BlytheThomas

Blythe Thomas


The video blending “Blank Space” and “Style” went live Dec. 23 on Wendorff’s YouTube channel. On Dec. 27 Swift shared it, along with the word “OBSESSED,” with her 49.4 million Twitter followers. The next day Swift posted it on Facebook, where she reaches almost 73 million fans.
Almost instantly the video’s popularity exploded. It has been viewed nearly 3 million times, covered by countless national media outlets, and Wendorff’s EP, Arrow, shot to No. 2 on iTunes’ singer/songwriter chart.
The idea for the mash-up originated during Thanksgiving weekend. Thomas recalls, “Louisa, Devin and I hung out. They got a guitar and started working on it that night.”
“It came together naturally and easily,” says Wendorff. “Devin’s an awesome friend. He’s a musical genius with writing, singing and everything. I love working with him, and had pulled him in on a previous video we did.”
JacobDurrett

Jacob Durrett


Dawson (full name: Devin Dawson Durrett) turned to twin brother/Belmont student Jacob Durrett for the sound recording. Durrett says, “We started recording guitar, and Devin recorded his harmonies before Louisa recorded her top-line. They had rehearsed it so much that they knew exactly what they wanted to do. They had all the harmonies and pretty much the whole song was done by the time Louisa came in to do her vocal part.”
Dawson and Durrett worked on the recording until 3 a.m. the night before the video shoot. “We were so excited and passionate about it,” says Dawson.
That same night, Thomas graduated from Belmont and finalized the video treatment. She says, “The idea for the video came after Louisa and Devin played the mash-up for me. We had the same idea at the same time. Louisa said, ‘What if we were standing face to face and singing the song?’ And I said, ‘Well, what if you guys were standing back to back?’ And at the same time we were like, ‘We should have the camera spin around you.’ We wanted it to build as the video progressed. We walked in circles around them for five or six takes to get the video.”
Everyone who worked on the project says they have benefited from Belmont’s collaborative environment. “We literally all need each other,” says Dawson. “At Belmont there are performers, and there are people in the background like engineers. It’s like a smaller version of the music industry, and we’re a family for four years of our lives. We all grow together and it cultivates collaboration.”
Wendorff agrees, “The community there is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, all the support we’ve received from fellow Belmont students and friends—people we know and don’t know—is so humbling and truly encouraging. I’m so blown away. We’re working hard and it’s definitely going to keep going from here.”
Screen Shot of Taylor Swift Twitter 2014

Screen shot of Taylor Swift’s Tweet about the video.

20 New Country Artists Spotlighted By Spotify

Spotify SpotlightAs part of its Spotify Spotlight playlist series, the hotly contested music streaming service has released the Spotlight on Country, a playlist of 20 new artists it projects will be hottest next year in the genre.
Major label and independent artists make up the list, including UMG Nashville’s Clare Dunn, Canaan Smith and Mickey Guyton; Mo Pitney (Curb); Kelsea Ballerini (Black River); Old Dominion; Sony Music’s Logan Mize and Steven Lee Olsen; Big Loud Mountain’s Chris Lane and Dallas Smith; and Caitlyn Smith (Cornman Music).
According to Spotify, the lists have been based on new global artists who had a strong showing on Spotify’s viral charts throughout the year, and who Spotify have been working with and supporting over recent months. Just over 16k have followed the 2015 playlist. Over 700k follow a separate Top 100 Country Tracks playlist, updated weekly by Spotify.
Spotify reports it is available in 58 markets with over 12.5 million paying subscribers and over 50 million users active on the ad-supported service in the past 30 days.

Weekly Register: 10 Best Selling Country Albums Of The Year

luke bryan crash my party album cover1111Taylor Swift’s 1989 is the bestselling album of 2014, moving 4.4 million units with TEA, and 3.6 million without TEA, since release on Oct. 27.
The Frozen soundtrack sold 4.3 million with TEA and 3.5 million without TEA, since it was released over a year ago.
Luke Bryan has the year’s best selling country album. In 2014, Crash My Party sold 1.3 million copies with TEA, and 800K without TEA. Originally released in 2013, the album had a full year to rack up scans. Among country projects which debuted in 2014, Eric Church’s The Outsiders is the top selling, with 995K with TEA, and 811K without TEA.
As expected, sales are down across the board compared to 2013. See the graph below.
Top 10 Best Selling Country Albums of 2014 YTD
1. Luke Bryan, Crash My Party, 1.3 million with TEA, 800K without TEA, released Aug. 13, 2013, Capitol Nashville
2. Florida Georgia Line, Here’s To The Good Times, 1.04 million, 606K, Dec. 4, 2012, Republic Nashville
3. Eric Church, The Outsiders, 995K, 811K, Feb. 11, 2014, EMI Nashville
4. Jason Aldean, Old Boots New Dirt, 942K, 752K, Oct. 7, 2014, Broken Bow Records
5. Brantley Gilbert, Just As I Am, 934K, 706K, May 19, 2014, Valory
6. Miranda Lambert, Platinum, 774K, 601K, June 3, 2014, RCA Records Nashville
7. Florida Georgia Line, Anything Goes, 685K, 502K, Oct. 14, 2014, Republic Nashville
8. Blake Shelton, Based on a True Story, 545K, 330K, March 26, 2013, Warner Bros. Records
9. Garth Brooks, Man Against Machine, 518K, 518K, Nov. 11, 2014, RCA Nashville/Pearl
10. Cole Swindell, Cole Swindell, 484K, 305K, Feb. 18, 2014, Warner Bros. Records
eric_church_outsiders_album_a_lThis Week
On the final chart of the year, Swift’s 1989 finishes at the pinnacle of the Top 200. 1989 had total activity of 430K this week, including TEA and streaming. On the overall tracks chart, she is No. 1 with “Blank Space” selling 503K and 2.5 million RTD.
Garth Brooks is at No. 1 on the final country albums chart of the year, selling 64K TW. On the country tracks chart, Carrie Underwood’s “Something in the Water” treads at No. 1 selling 75K TW.
Sales numbers according to Nielsen Soundscan.
yearend sales graph 2014

Artists Ring In The New Year With Television, Radio Gigs

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift


Artists will ring in 2015 with various performances tonight. Below, a list of ways to see your favorite Country artists on New Year’s Eve.
Taylor SwiftFlorida Georgia Line,and Brantley Gilbert will ring in the New Year in NYC’s Times Square, as part of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2015 with Ryan Seacrest. The event will broadcast on ABC on Wednesday, Dec. 31, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
Lady Antebellum is set to host their first “Cheers For Charity” on New Year’s Eve in Nashville. The event will be held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where fans will be treated to dinner, drinks and music. All proceeds benefit LadyAID, the trio charitable effort to support children in need. Tickets begin at $250 and are available at nowplayingnashville.com.
Blake Shelton will perform as part of NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly, airing at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Other guests include Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani, and Pharrell Williams.
• Nashville’s Bash on Broadway will feature Lady Antebellum as the headlining performer. The free event will also feature live music from Gavin DeGraw, Kristen Capolino, and others, as well as fireworks and midnight’s Music Note Drop. Lady Antebellum’s headlining performance will broadcast as part of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2015 with Ryan Seacrest.
The Band Perry will perform in Miami Beach, Fla., during Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution. The event will air on FOX Dec. 31 from 8 p.m.-10 p.m., and then from 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Trace Adkins and duo Big & Rich will perform on All-American New Year, which will air at 11 p.m. ET on FOX.

Kathy Mattea will offer a live performance from the SiriusXM studios for The Village on SiriusXM. Tune in at 11 p.m. ET.

[Updated]: Grand Ole Opry Member Little Jimmy Dickens Dies

Little Jimmy Dickens

Little Jimmy Dickens


[UPDATE:] Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens passed away Friday, January 2, 2015 at a Nashville area hospital at the age of 94.  Dickens initially suffered a stroke on Christmas Day, and although he had shown some improvements since being admitted, he died today from cardiac arrest. A public visitation has been set for Jan. 7 from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. at Woodlawn Roesch Patton in Nashville, while a public celebration of life has been set for Jan. 8 beginning at 11 a.m. at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
He is survived by his wife Mona Dickens, married since 1971, and two daughters, Pamela Detert and Lisa King.
“The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better friend than Little Jimmy Dickens,” shared Pete Fisher, Opry Vice President & General Manager.  “He loved the audience and his Opry family, and all of us loved him back. He was a one-of-kind entertainer and a great soul whose spirit will live on for years to come.”
Dickens was the longest running member of the Opry and last performed at the Opry on Dec. 20, 2014. He has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1948, and became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983. His hits include “Country Boy,” “Out Behind The Barn,” “May The Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose” and others.
In a recent quote, Jimmy expressed his love for the Opry. “I look forward from one weekend to another to get back out on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and try to entertain people who have come from miles and miles and state to state to be entertained with country music.  We do our very, very best to give them a good presentation and hope that they enjoy themselves.”
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time however a public visitation and a public service are being planned.

Original Story, Dec 31, 2014
Grand Ole Opry member Little Jimmy Dickens is improving, according to Grand Ole Opry vice president and general manager Pete Fisher who visited the country star in the hospital yesterday.
“Each day brings noticeable improvements, and his doctors seem very pleased with the progress he is making. I, along with his family, are grateful to all for your thoughts and prayers,” Fisher says.
Dickens was admitted to a Nashville area hospital on Christmas Day in critical care due to an undisclosed illness. Dickens most recently performed on the Opry on Dec. 20, one day after turning 94.

StubHub Reveals Strait, Bryan as 2014 Top Sellers

StubHub_logoStubHub has revealed a list of the 10 artists in 2014 whose names generated the most revenue for the secondary ticketing site and its users. Country acts George Strait and Luke Bryan round out the top 3, with the British X Factor band One Direction claiming first prize.
Glen Lehrman of StubHub told AdWeek that more tickets were sold for Strait’s farewell show in Arlington, TX than the next two largest events in 2014 (concerts by Bryan and Justin Timberlake). “I don’t think we realize how huge country music is,” Lehrman told the paper’s Michelle Castillo. Of course that final tour stop broke a North American attendance record for an indoor concert.  
StubHub gross sales are based on how much the ticket commanded by selling price. Artists and their teams rarely participate in revenue generated from these secondary marketplaces, which allow ticket holders to resell tickets from face value. Earlier this year, Live Nation conservatively estimated the secondary market generates $9 billion annually. Controversially, the Foo Fighters declined to honor tickets purchased on secondary sites for its sold-out, intimate show at the Ryman Auditorium in October 2014 in the name of protecting fans from scalpers and brokers.
Q Prime Management’s VP of Touring, Fielding Logan, discussed the current ticketing landscape in MusicRow‘s August/September print magazine alongside the Bridgestone Arena’s director of ticketing, Lonnie Wilkerson.
StubHub’s Top 10 Live Acts for 2014:
1. One Direction
2. George Strait
3. Luke Bryan
4. Justin Timberlake
5. Beyonce & Jay-Z
6. Billy Joel
7. Fleetwood Mac
8. Bruno Mars
9. Katy Perry
10. Paul McCartney
*Top grossing artists on StubHub, for which which tickets were made available.

MusicRow's Top 10 'Most Read' Stories Of 2014

MusicRow engagement escalated this year setting new readership records in 2014. Below are the ‘most viewed’ stories of this year:

Kevin Sharp

Kevin Sharp


1. Country Singer Kevin Sharp Dies at 43
April 20, 2014
Platinum-selling Country artist Kevin Sharp has died at the age of 43. He passed away Saturday evening (4/19) due to ongoing complications from cancer treatment, specifically from “past stomach surgeries and digestive issues” according to his website. Sharp died at the Fair Oaks, Calif., home of his mother, Elaine Sharp. The singer, author, and motivational speaker made his big debut in Country music in 1997 with the No. 1 hit, “Nobody Knows,” a cover of a song originally made popular by R&B artist Tony Rich. The single topped the Billboard country charts for four weeks. Sharp’s debut album Measure of a Man was released the same year, producing […]
garth brooks11

Garth Brooks


2. All Five Garth Brooks Comeback Concerts Canceled
July 8, 2014
In a statement made today, July 8, by Aiken promotions, all five Garth Brooks Comeback Special Event shows, scheduled at Dublin Ireland’s Croke Park have been canceled. No concerts will take place. “Aiken Promotions have exhausted all avenues regarding the staging of this event,” a press release read. Dublin City Council refused licensing for two of Brooks’ shows at the venue. In news that broke last week, Brooks responded to the Council’s decision by saying he would play all five shows or none at all. Today’s statement notes the return process for the 400,000 fans who purchased tickets for the Dublin events will be “outlined tomorrow.” A previously […]
Bobette Dudley

Bobette Dudley


3. Lifenotes: Bobette Dudley Passes
March 10, 2014
Longtime CMA executive Bobette Dudley has died. She passed away Sunday, March 9 following injuries sustained in a car accident on Friday night, March 7. Dudley was a much loved member of the Music Row community. During her 25 years with the Country Music Association, she climbed the ranks to Sr. Vice President, heading the organization’s acclaimed Events and Special Projects Department, before resigning in December 2011. She contributed to the CMA’s growth and success including the relocation of Fan Fair, now CMA Music Festival, from the Tennessee State Fairgrounds to downtown Nashville. When the CMA Awards made a one-year move to New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and then back to its new home at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Dudley was one of the key team members behind the move. This earned her a spot on the Top 15 Event Planners of the Year list from BizBash, a magazine covering the event-planning […]
Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta welcomes Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Photo: Getty Images

Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta welcomes Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Photo: Getty Images


4. CMA After Parties 2014: BMLG, UMGN, Sony Music Nashville, WMN
November 6, 2014
Big Machine Label Group packed The Rosewall for their CMA after party. The annual late night soiree was in full swing at midnight as native Nashvillians The Cadillac Three took the stage with their “we came just for the party” lyrics and swagger. Universal Music Group Nashville celebrates after the 48th Annual CMA Awards with winners Dierks Bentley, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan and Vince Gill. Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Gary Overton welcomed Sony Music Entertainment CEO Doug Morris, as well as Sony artists, executives, and guests, to celebrate their post-CMA Awards gathering at Adele’s in Nashville. Warner Music Nashville celebrated another historic CMA night, with Blake Shelton scoring a record-tying, fifth consecutive Male Vocalist of the Year win and Brett Eldredge taking home the CMA New Artist of the Year award. […]
ronnie dunn111

Ronnie Dunn


5. Ronnie Dunn Announces Signing With Nash Icon
December 1, 2014
Ronnie Dunn says he has signed a new recording contract with Nash Icon. In a Nov. 27 Facebook post, Dunn told fans that he has inked with Nash Icon, a co-venture between Big Machine Label Group and Cumulus Media. “Got my new company cap yesterday…..NASHIcon / NASHChetta / Big Machine. Thanks Narvel, Jim Weatherston, Scott Borchetta,” Dunn wrote on Facebook, thanking Nash Icon GM Jim Weatherson, and BMLG’s Scott Borchetta, and (presumably) manager Narvel Blackstock. In the comments below the post, Dunn states, “Record deal with Big Machine / NASH Icon.” The status update included this photo of Dunn wearing a cap emblazoned with the words “NashChetta.” The signing would put Dunn on the same label with Reba […]
1201demonbreun6. Sony Music Nashville To Move Headquarters
August 27, 2014
Sony Music Nashville has reached an agreement to relocate its Nashville staff members in 2016 into the new Gulch tower, 1201 Demonbreun. John Eakin, Manager of Eakin Partners says, “We are super excited to have a high profile tenant like Sony to be one of our initial lead tenants.” Construction of the building started at the beginning of August and is scheduled to be complete in October 2016. The new structure will consist of 15 stories and offer panoramic views of downtown Nashville. With parking becoming such a hot commodity, this development provides 940 parking spaces and a […]
historicbuilding7. Historic 1800s Music Row Building Demolished
April 17, 2014
The Queen Anne style building located at 1 Music Sq. W. is no more. Construction crews tore down the iconic building yesterday (4/16) that sat across from ASCAP at the corner of Division and Music Square West (the lower end of 17th Ave. S.). Members of the Music Row community drove by the landmark countless times. According to public records, the building was originally recorded as a single family home with six bedrooms and six baths and is estimated to have been built in 1836, containing 6605 square feet on .52 acres. ASCAP’s Suzanne Lee shared via Twitter, “It *was* the most gorgeous house on Music Row. R.I.P.” “All of us at ASCAP are mourning the loss of this beautiful landmark,” added Lee. A sentiment undoubtedly shared by many on the Row. Announced today (4/17), Virgin Hotels, part of the brand established by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, will open its third U.S. […]
Bob Montgomery in 1988.

Bob Montgomery in 1988.


8. Lifenotes: Bob Montgomery
December 4, 2014
Bob Montgomery, one of the key figures in Nashville’s evolution into Music City USA, has died at age 77. During his six-decade career, he made major contributions as a songwriter, record producer, music publisher and label executive. Bob Montgomery’s song catalog includes such standards as “Misty Blue” and “Love’s Made a Fool of You.” He produced records that boosted the careers of Vern Gosdin, Janie Fricke, Bobby Goldsboro and Joe Diffie. He published such iconic songs as “Behind Closed Doors” and “The Wind Beneath My Wings.” He created hit-making rosters for the record labels United Artists, Epic and Columbia. Born in West Texas in 1937, he first made his mark as the 1949-1955 duet partner of future Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member Buddy Holly. “Buddy & Bob” became local radio stars in Lubbock, TX and opened the concert there by Elvis Presley. Montgomery subsequently wrote […]
Eric Church

Eric Church


9. Eric Church Turns The Tables on Ticket Scalpers
April 25, 2014
Eric Church has turned the tables on ticket scalpers for his upcoming concert at Minneapolis’ Target Center on Sept. 16. More than 14,000 tickets have been sold since Friday, and only a small number of tickets directly behind the stage remain. However, that will change today (April 25) at 5 p.m. CDT. 902 tickets that have been identified as having been purchased by scalpers in violation of sales limits have been canceled, and will be put back into the system for sale at that time. “A lot of acts just want to sell as many tickets as they can and they don’t care who they sell them to,” said Church.“I want my fans to be the ones who buy tickets to my shows, and I want scalpers to back off. I can’t stop ticket scalpers completely, but I can definitely make it harder for them.”  […]
Luke Bryan in Concert

Luke Bryan


10. Luke Bryan Sets Record at Chicago’s Soldier Field
September 2, 2014
Luke Bryan set a new record this weekend, when he wrapped the last of four stadium concerts at Chicago’s Soldier Field Sunday night (Aug. 31). The entertainer performed for a combined total of 225,000 fans, setting the record for the best-selling Country concert held at the venue. Live Nation is the tour promoter for Bryan’s current That’s My Kind of Night Tour. Sponsors for the tour include Miller Lite, Texaco, and Cabela’s. Bryan will launch his sixth Farm Tour on Oct. 1, performing eight concerts in the Southeast through Oct. 11. A portion of […]

Garth Brooks To Appear on 'Today Show' in January

Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks


Garth Brooks will appear on the Today Show on Jan. 8. The entertainer will appear during all four hours of the broadcast, which marks a first in the 62-year history of the Today Show.
Brooks released his first studio album in 13 years, titled Man Against Machine, in November and is currently on a world tour with wife and singer Trisha Yearwood.
 
 

Steve Earle & The Dukes To Launch 'Terraplane'

steve earle terraplane
Steve Earle & The Dukes will release bluesy new album Terraplane on Feb. 17 via New West Records. (As previously reported, New West is opening its first Nashville office.) The 11-track set features Earle’s longtime band The Dukes, comprised of Kelly Looney, Will Rigby, Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore. Produced by R.S. Field (Buddy Guy, John Mayall), and engineered by Ray Kennedy, the album was recorded at House of Blues Studio D in Nashville. It is Earle’s 16th studio album.
A deluxe CD/DVD set of Terraplane will include an interview with Earle, three live, acoustic songs filmed on the porch of House of Blues Studio D, and a short film about the making of the album. The new track “You’re The Best Lover That I Ever Had” can be heard here.
Terraplane takes its title from the 1930s Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit model, which also inspired the Robert Johnson song “Terraplane Blues.”
In more news from Earle, he is hosting his songwriting camp, Camp Copperhead, in New York’s Catskill Mountains July 20 – 24. He will play a residency at the City Winery in NYC during January, and 2015 will bring the publication of his memoir I Can’t Remember If We Said Goodbye (Grand Central Publishing/Hachette).

Artist Pics: Toby Keith, Josh Dorr, Kristian Bush

Toby Keith wrapped up an eventful 2014, headlining both Stephen Colbert‘s and Craig Ferguson‘s finales. Keith joined a host of celebrities including Jon Hamm, Metallica, Don Cheadle and Steve Carell for a musical tribute that opened Ferguson’s final night as host of The Late Late Show. A regular guest on The Colbert Report, Keith appeared on that series’ Dec. 18 finale wearing a medal from Colbert denoting him (along with Michael Stipe) as having the most appearances on the show.

Stephen Colbert and Toby Keith.

Stephen Colbert and Toby Keith.

• • •

While visiting Huntsville as part of his on-going radio tour, RCA Nashville’s Josh Dorr stopped by WDRM to perform a few songs.

Pictured (L-R): RCA's Parker Fowler, WDRM Huntsville MD AJ McCloud, Josh Dorr, RCA's Josh Easler

Pictured (L-R): RCA’s Parker Fowler, WDRM Huntsville MD AJ McCloud, Josh Dorr, and RCA’s Josh Easler.

• • •

Streamsound Records’ Kristian Bush performed his Top 30 and climbing single, “Trailer Hitch,”  for WMZQ’s Concert for the Kids on Dec. 5 at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, Md. benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Pictured (L-R): Streamsound's Theresa Ford, Teddi Bonadies, Premiere Networks' Director/Country Programming Justin Cole, WMZQ/PD Meg Stevens, Kristian Bush and Brandon Bush.

Pictured (L-R): Streamsound’s Theresa Ford, Teddi Bonadies, Premiere Networks’ Director/Country Programming Justin Cole, WMZQ/PD Meg Stevens, Kristian Bush and Brandon Bush.