Snapshots: Lady A w/ Springsteen, Clay Walker’s Golf Classic

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Photo (L-R): Jason Gambill (guitar, Lady Antebellum), Dave Haywood, Bruce Springsteen, Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley. Photo: Adam Boatman

Lady Antebellum took a break from headlining its own European tour to open for Bruce Springsteen in London’s Hyde Park.

The show caused quite a stir when organizers cut off the microphone when Springsteen’s set, which featured Sir Paul McCartney, ran overtime. The Daily Beast reports the license obtained by Live Nation expired at 10:30 p.m. Only two nights into a three-day festival, organizers pulled the plug at 10:43 pm.

Lady A will continue its Own The Night 2012 World Tour with another show in London, followed by stops in Birmingham, UK (7/17), Zurich, Switzerland (7/19), Frankfurt, Germany (7/20) and Munich and Germany (7/21). For a full list of upcoming tour dates, click here.

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Pictured (L-R): Mike Kennedy, Jeff Garrison, Anthony Anderson, Clay Walker

Clay Walker hosted his 5th Annual Charity Golf Classic at the Pebble Beach Resort June 29 – July 2. The event raises money and awareness for his charity, Band Against MS (BAMS). Walker has been battling MS since 1996.

NBA All Stars Clifford Robinson and John Starks, WFAN’s Radio & TV Talent Ann Liguori, artist/songwriter/producer T Bone Burnett, actor/comedian Anthony Anderson and singer/songwriter Sarah Marince joined Walker for the week.

The Grand Gala included dinner, cocktails, live and silent auction and a concert by Walker with appearances by Marince, Anderson, and Burnett.

For more information or to make a donation to Clay Walker’s Foundation click here.

Industry Ink (7/12/12)

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(L-R): Josh Elliott, Josh Turner and Robin Roberts on the set of Good Morning America. Photo: Courtesy ABC News / Fred Lee

Josh Turner Enjoys a Dozen… Million
Josh Turner performed his current hit single “Time Is Love” on ABC’s Good Morning America yesterday (7/11), to help promote his fifth studio album Punching Bag. During his visit, GMA co-hosts Robin Roberts and Josh Elliott surprised Josh by presenting him with a plaque to commemorate over 12 million units sold for MCA Nashville. See the presentation here. Turner also has upcoming appearances on ABC’s The Chew and CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman on August 23.

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BuzzMedia Goes For A Spin
Digital media company BuzzMedia has acquired Spin Media, which includes Spin Magazine and its related properties such as the Spin Play app, Spin.com and more. Buzzmedia now owns popular music websites Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Idolator as well as the official websites for the Kardashian sisters and Britney Spears. Hypebot reports that BuzzMedia is now the fourth largest digital content publisher in the U.S.

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KCA Inks Crowell
KCA Artists has announced the addition of Rodney Crowell to its roster for exclusive booking representation. Crowell is currently touring to support his project KIN (Vanguard Records), a musical collaboration with Mary Karr, Norah Jones, Lee Ann Womack, Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill, Lucinda Williams, Kris Kristofferson, and Emmylou Harris. See upcoming dates here.

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Strange Arrange Remixes On the Fly
On Saturday (7/14), Limelight Nashville will host Strange Arrange, a live Hip-Hop and R&B arrangement competition. Hosted by Courtney “Coko Korinne” Eason and Nashville radio personality Joe Major, the event will pit five bands against one another to perform big radio hits with new, inventive arrangements.

Bands competing include 7.0 of Charlotte, NC; Traq Planet of Jacksonville, FL; 911 Reporters of Huntsville, AL; Nerdy Tunes of Miami, FL; and Second Nature of Chicago, IL. Judging the competition are bassist Adam Blackstone, bassist Ethan Farmer, drummer Gerald Heyward, and Grammy nominated artist Musiq Soulchild. The winner will receive $10,000 cash, a magazine feature, and recording session/video shoot with Musiq Soulchild. The competition begins at 7 pm. More info here.

Miranda Lambert’s Vocal Rest Extended

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Miranda Lambert’s physician is keeping her on vocal rest for another week, extending appearance cancellations to Orange Beach, AL; Atlanta, GA; and Pelham, AL.

Lambert has been recuperating for the last week, when she was forced to postpone appearances at the Jam in the Valley festival in Varysburg, NY on July 6 and Scranton, PA on July 7. No announcement has been made regarding a rescheduled Scranton date.

Lambert’s show in Orange Beach, originally planned for Thurs., July 12, has been moved to October 4
; Atlanta’s July 13 date has been rescheduled for October 5
; and Pelham’s July 14 date will move to October 6.

“I’m so sorry to disappoint the fans that have already bought tickets to see me,” Lambert wrote in a statement. “I’m taking care of my voice and I can’t wait to get on the road again and bring you a hell of a show.”

Brantley Gilbert Sets Headlining Dates

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Brantley Gilbert

Brantley Gilbert will hit the road on his first headlining tour this fall. The Hell on Wheels Tour will kick off Thurs., Sept. 27 in Lafayette, IN. Special guests Uncle Kracker, Greg Bates and Brian Davis will be featured on select dates.

In recent months Gilbert has been an opener on the Eric Church and Toby Keith tours.

The Valory Music Co. artist recently scored his second consecutive Gold certified single, “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” following his first No. 1 and Gold certified “Country Must Be Country Wide.”

His next single “Kick It In The Sticks,” from his Gold album Halfway to Heaven, will be released soon.

As a songwriter Gilbert has penned three No. 1 hits: his own “Country Must Be Country Wide,” and Jason Aldean’s “My Kinda Party” and “Dirt Road Anthem.”

Brantley Gilbert tour dates
9/27 — Lafayette, IN – Elliot Hall of Music
9/28 – Poplar Bluff, MO – Black River Coliseum
10/4 – Missoula, MT – Adams Center
10/5 – Bozeman, MT – Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
10/6 – Boise, ID – Taco Bell Arena
10/11 – Dodge City, KS – United Wireless Arena
10/18 – Amarillo, TX – Amarillo Civic Center
10/20 – San Antonio, TX – Cowboys Dance Hall

(subject to change)

 

Americana Summer Celebration Adds Songwriter Session

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Americana Summer Celebration Adds Songwriter Session
The Americana Summer Celebration at Blackberry Farm will include a special songwriter session with artists and friends Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal and Jim Lauderdale on Sat., July 21. The afternoon event will offer a glimpse into the songwriting craft before the artists take the stage that night for an evening performance that will also include hitmaker John Oates.

The intimate weekend at the luxury property in the Smoky Mountains will kick off on Fri., July 20 with a performance by Cash and noted guitarist and producer Leventhal. Held annually at Blackberry Farms in Walland, TN, the fundraising event benefits the not-for-profit Americana Music Association. For reservations, please contact Blackberry Farm at 1-800-557 8864 or email [email protected].

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Johnny Cash Music Festival Returns
Rosanne Cash is also confirmed for the Johnny Cash Music Festival at Arkansas State University. She will join Willie Nelson, Dierks Bentley and The Civil Wars for the Oct. 5 concert at ASU’s Convocation Center in Jonesboro, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Like last year’s inaugural sold out event, proceeds will fund the restoration of the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess, Arkansas as well as support a scholarship established in his name. Details at www.johnnycashmusicfest.com.

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Don Williams Touring Behind New Album
Don Williams’ new Sugar Hill Records album And So It Goes is his highest charting country album in 27 years, bowing recently at No. 20 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album is also in the Top 5 Most Added at Americana Radio.

It was produced by longtime collaborator Garth Fundis and features guest vocal performances by Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss and Chris Stapleton among others. Williams is touring in support of the project with fair, festival and theater dates crossing the country through September, including a two-night stand at Pigeon Forge, TN’s Country Tonite Theatre Sept. 21-22.

Click here to listen to the Williams/Krauss duet.

 

Gwen Sebastian Partners With World Vision

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Pictured (L-R): World Vision’s Mike Severson, Michael Bianchi, Sebastian, World Vision’s Jenny Lockwald, and Tim Sawer

Flying Island’s Gwen Sebastian is partnering with World Vision in an effort to raise awareness of the organization’s work to combat worldwide poverty and injustice.

Sebastian will provide information at her concerts about the organization including child sponsorship opportunities, which help entire communities in poverty stricken areas. She also is sponsoring Celestine, an 8-year-old who lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I am honored to say that I have partnered with World Vision, an amazing organization that provides basic necessities to people in every part of the world,” said Sebastian. “Their efforts serve all people regardless of race and gender.”

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. More info here.

Nashville Welcomes Country Throwdown Tour

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The Country Throwdown Tour will rock The Woods Amphitheater At Fontanel in Nashville on Sunday (7/8). The third-annual outdoor festival is headlined by Gary Allan and features Corey Smith, Sunny Sweeney, Eric Paslay, Florida Georgia Line, Maggie Rose and special guests Drake White and Jonathan Singleton and The Grove.

Singer-songwriters including Channing Wilson, Rose Falcon, Carly Pearce and Mama’s Blue Dress will perform in-the-round at The Bluebird Cafe tent.

The tour is Fired Up by Kingsford®, and 4Fini Inc.’s Kevin Lyman and Sarah Baer are the creators and producers. Details at www.countrythrowdown.com.

Hunter Hayes Earns Gold; Plans Tour and TV Stops

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Hunter Hayes has earned his first Gold certification from the RIAA for his current single, “Wanted.”

“Wanted” is the second single off Hayes’ Atlantic Records self-titled debut album. His first single, “Storm Warning” is nearing Gold certification as well. To date, Hayes has sold a combined total of over one million digital singles.

Hayes is so far the only country artist to play every instrument, write/co-write every song, and co-produce his debut album. He has been performing across the US and Canada on his Most Wanted headlining tour and recently announced plans to join Carrie Underwood this Fall on her 2012 Blown Away tour.

Hayes is scheduled to perform “Wanted” on CBS’ The Talk, July 24 at 1  pm CT. He recently made his national television debut on CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman and also performed on Good Morning America as well as with The Roots on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

AristoMedia Releases International Report

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Click to see the newsletter

The AristoMedia Group has released the June 2012 issue of its Aristo International Report. Highlights in this report include:
• A recap and photo gallery of the successful 2012 Global Events showcases, held each year at the beginning of CMA Music Festival week in Nashville.
• A Q&A with Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly, who discusses the rising popularity of the genre in the U.S. and abroad.
• The upcoming Canadian CMA Awards, to be held this year in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
• A profile of “Big Daddy” Lance James, who has been waving the Country music flag in South Africa for more than 50 years.
• A look at Lady Antebellum’s Own The Night world tour, which is selling out in Australia.
• Info on Aderra Media Works and its innovative, custom USB drives.
• Photos, international festival news and more.

See the full report here.

Charlie Cook On Air: See A Show

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Unless you’re a big college football fan, you most likely agree that summer is the best time of the year. Yeah, I love the third week of November through January 2 because you get so much time off from work during that period and then it does seem like everyone is smiling during the Christmas season. That’s very nice.

But if you are a Country Music fan the summer is unequaled.

Last week Kenny Chesney and American Express partnered for an amazing show at Wildwood Beach in New Jersey. Kenny guessed that there were 25,000 to 30,000 fans in attendance for the free show. There were 30,000 smiles throughout the entire show.

That same night Hunter Hayes played in front of 8,000 fans in Kansas City at a street fair like event.

Last weekend my old friends at Go Country had Reba on Friday, LeAnn Rimes on Saturday, and Glen Campbell on Sunday. The first full weekend of summer in Southern California was a big one for fans of live country music performances.

Three weekends ago summer kicked off with the CMA Fest where almost every big and new name played Nashville with 70,000 people a night at LP Field and thousands more around town traveling into Music City to see live Country Music.

Staying in Nashville for a second, thousands more make the trip see performances at the Opry during their summer breaks.

Festivals abound all Summer with BamaJam fighting through tough weather to make Dothan, Alabama the center of live Country Music a couple of weekends ago. Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band and Eric Church laughed at the thunder and lightning to make sure their fans went into the night convinced that these superstars know how important their fans are.

I once was interviewing an act that had big success in Pop music and then was transitioning to Country Music. I asked them how they felt about 230 dates a year on the road. They told me that they were not going to do it. One record and they were out of Country Music.

I saw the Country Throwdown tour last month in Ohio. Seeing fans “dress up” for these events makes a radio programmer’s heart jump. It shows that the passion for the music is big and getting bigger. Seeing fans from 10 years old to 60 years old makes me know that we are the format that will be around forever.

I just want to take a second and say thank you the Country Music performers who leave their families behind for weeks on end and bring the music to the fans.

I know that some of them make a lot of money from these shows but there are a lot of acts that are paying back recoupables and some pickers are making a salary and not getting rich. They get on a crowded bus because they love the looks from the fans and love what they are doing.

In or out of the business, go see a show this summer as a fan. Don’t work. Take your family or friends, drink beer that you paid for and see the show through a fan’s eyes. That feeling will pay off when you get back to work the next day.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow.)