May 2018 - Nashville Music Line

CMA Fest spotlights new talent alongside megastars

‘Ten to watch’ at CMA Fest 2018

CMA Fest 2018 once again brings together the cream of the crop in Country music. From Thursday, June 07 through Sunday, June 10, fans from across the country and around the world will descend on Nashville. Described by the Country Music Association (CMA) as ‘the ultimate country music fan experience,’ hundreds of artists will be performing on eleven stages.

One of the unique aspects of CMA Fest is the opportunity to see new and emerging artists in addition to current superstars and legendary performers – all in one music festival.

If you’re heading to CMA Fest to see Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, FGL and Keith Urban, keep in mind there is SO much more talent to be seen and heard – even if some of the names are not familiar to you… yet!

Here are some quick pen-portraits of just a few of the acts appearing at Music Fest that you might want to check out…

Clare Dunn

Friday, June 08, 7:00 pm – 7:25 pm
Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage, Ascend Amphitheater
Saturday, June 09, 4:30 pm – 4:55 pm
Chevy Breakout Stage

Growing up in tiny Two Buttes, Colorado (population: 43), Clare Dunn spent days at a time in a tractor cab helping plow and plant the family farm, sharpening her ears with uninterrupted music-listening in the driver’s seat, even as she strengthened her work ethic. “That’s where a lot of my creativity came from and where a lot of my vision was forged, was just having nothing else to do other than listen to music and dream all day long in the vast wide open of those plains,” she reflects.

Recording for MCA Nashville, she is the only female country artist in recent memory to have a hand in all of the writing, arranging and producing for her debut release, the Clare Dunn EP. The project was recorded in the Cave at Nashville’s House of Blues studios.

An accomplished musician, every lick of guitar on the EP is hers, from agile melodic figures to aggressive shredding. “I think there’s, like, one song where I didn’t play a mandolin part or something like that,” she says. “But other than that, every lead part is my playing—acoustic, electric, everything.”

Catch Clare singing (and shredding) on two stages during CMA Fest. More about Clare here.

EmiSunshine

Sunday, June 10, 2:30 pm – 2:45 pm
CMA Music Fest Spotlight Stage

EmiSunshine is a dynamic young singer/songwriter who initially captured the nation’s attention via her presence on social media, racking up 1,000,000+ views on YouTube. Releasing her first full-length CD at the age of 9 in 2014, she released her fourth studio recording, RAGGED DREAMS, in August 2017. She plays about 150 shows a year, and has included appearances at the Grand Ole Opry and on Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam at the Ryman Auditorium.

EmiSunshine is a multi-instrumentalist with a unique vocal style that draws on her influences from early Country and Appalachian music. She cites artists as varied as Loretta Lynn, The Louvin Brothers, Bessie Smith, June Carter and Hank Williams as being music creators that have affected her own musical journey. Continue reading “CMA Fest spotlights new talent alongside megastars”

7 Facebook security tweaks to keep artists, songwriters safe

How to make Facebook work for you, not against you.

Exposure. That’s something every ambitious artist and songwriter strives to achieve.

Exposure is essential. It’s all about getting noticed and spreading the word about your creative output. However, there’s a fine line between exposure and being exposed. Whereas exposure is good, being exposed is bad, and can turn out to be very bad indeed. In case you hadn’t noticed, there are some pretty seedy people lurking out there in cyberspace.

Ensuring your personal security and guarding your privacy while promoting yourself is important for every singer and songwriter, but it should be of particular concern to parents who are guiding the careers of their minor children.

Ask yourself this question: When did I last review my security and privacy settings on my Facebook page? If the answer is “Not for some time” (or worse still, “Never”) here are a few quick and easy ways to be sure that your security is all that it should be.

1. Find your security settings

To get started, go to your Facebook page and look for the little ‘downward-pointing’ arrow icon at the top right of your page. Click on that, and then click on “Settings” at the bottom of the drop down menu. This brings up a page headed General Account Settings. Look at the menu on the left of page. (Note: you’ll be returning to this menu for all the steps you need to follow.)

Click on ‘Security and Login.’ Here you can see where you are logged in to Facebook. Be sure that only your own devices are logged in. There are several ways to check and increase your Facebook security on this page.

2. Change your password

Under ‘Security and Login’ click on ‘Change Password’ and click ‘Edit.’ Click ‘Save changes’ when you have completed the change. It is a good idea to change your password frequently, at least every three months, and pick a password that is not the same as one you are using elsewhere.

Avoid using anything too obvious (such as part of your email address or the name of a pet that others might know). And always change your password immediately if you think your password has been stolen or accessed by someone else. Continue reading “7 Facebook security tweaks to keep artists, songwriters safe”

Scotty McCreery celebrates ‘Five More Minutes’ No. 1

Co-writers Frank Rogers, Monty Criswell join the party

Scotty McCreery celebrated at a party this afternoon at CMA’s Nashville HQ, co-hosted by ASCAP and BMI. And he had quite a lot to celebrate. Firstly, it was his upcoming June marriage to Gabi Dugal with whom he became engaged in September last year while hiking on North Carolina’s Grandfather Mountain. Secondly, he has a new record label, Triple Tigers, that, in March, released ‘Seasons Change,’ his first album in five years.

(L to R): Mike Sistad (ASCAP Nashville Writer Relations) Monty Criswell, Scotty McCreery, and Frank Rogers. Photo Credit: Preshias Harris

But the main reason for this particular celebration was a Number One party for Scotty’s hugely popular ‘Five More Minutes,’ that he co-wrote with Frank Rogers (who also produced the song) and Monty Criswell. The song topped Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for March 04, 2018, racking up more than 40.2 million audience impressions. ‘Five More Minutes’ is Scotty’s first Country Airplay No. 1 and the ninth charting Country Airplay track for the 10th season winner of American Idol.

Song draws Opry standing ovation

The song was written in 2015, inspired by Scotty’s feelings after the passing of his beloved grandfather. However, it wasn’t until he performed the heart-touching song in June of 2016 at the Grand Ole Opry that he realized how much it connected with audiences.

Unfortunately, he could not release the song at that time as it had been recorded as a track for an album when he was under contract to Universal Music Group Nashville. However, UMGN dropped Scotty as an artist and opted not to release the album. While he was in dispute with his former label, he independently released ‘Five More Minutes’ to radio. It went on to become the first independently-released country song to reach the MediaBase Top 50 in the chart’s history.

‘Five More Minutes’ is the first single release from ‘Seasons Change.’ Scotty credits Triple Tigers GM Norbert Nix for seeing the hit potential in ‘Five More Minutes,’ and wanting to put together a full album. Scotty said that the songs on the album are like a musical journal, relating to his life experiences over the past five years, including, of course, his love for his fiancée Gabi.

Fiancée ‘has been my rock’

Scotty & Gabi. Photo: EB Media

“She has been my rock for the last few years,” said Scotty at the Number One party with a huge smile. “We met in kindergarten, and then we reconnected when I was a senior in high school. This is our first Number One party as an engaged couple. Maybe we will have another Number One party as a married couple.”

More about Scotty McCreery here where you can also see the official ‘Five More Minutes’ video and check out tour updates and ticket info.

Dolly Parton, Linda Perry’s new ‘Dumplin’ album

‘Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out’ at Music Biz 2018

Dolly Parton and Linda Perry headlined the Artist Keynote segment of the ‘Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out’ Program. The program was a highlight of the second day of MusicBiz 2018 presented by the Music Business Association in Nashville, May 14 – 17.

(L to R): Melinda Newman, Dolly Parton, Linda Perry. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

Parton and Perry collaborated on the upcoming soundtrack album for the movie ‘Dumplin’ (Dolly Records/RCA Nashville), co-writing six new songs and creating new versions of six previously-released songs. ‘Dumplin,’ described as a ‘female-centric project,’ is directed by Anne Fletcher and stars Jennifer Anniston and Danielle MacDonald. Continue reading “Dolly Parton, Linda Perry’s new ‘Dumplin’ album”

From Self Release to Major Label

What are you giving up to become a recording artist?

So you’re an artist or a singer/songwriter and you’re looking at an opportunity to sign with a major label. Or maybe you’re not sure that’s even the way to go. What should you know before you pick up that pen?

“What are you giving up to become a recording artist? What are you giving back for artist development?”

Those are the questions posed by session moderators, Austen Adams and Noah McPike. Adams and McPike both serve as OF Counsel for Dickinson Wright, the Nashville Legal firm that co-sponsored the session on opening day of Music Biz 2018 in Nashville.

The room at the Omni Hotel was ‘standing room only,’ packed with both creators and music business execs. The session title was ‘The Modern Approach to Artist Development: From Self Release to Major Label and Everywhere In-Between.’

Be prepared to ‘give back’

The panel made it clear that you must be prepared to give up certain things when you transition from being an Indie artist to an artist signed to a major label. You must also be prepared to ‘give back’ to the label in terms of time and effort to promote yourself and your music on the label’s schedule.

The panelists all agreed that, in today’s business climate, almost all labels will want a percentage of an artist’s touring income if they are going to make an investment in you as an artist.

(My note: These types of arrangements can often include what’s called a ‘360 Deal’ or ‘Multiple Rights Deal’ in which the artist agrees that the label will earn part of the artist’s ancillary rights such as income from, say, merchandise sales, endorsement deals and concert revenue. In exchange, the label agrees to actively promote the artist’s career, and often takes on certain aspects of the client’s management.)

Find a music attorney

Noah McPike then gave attendees perhaps the best advice that will have heard all day. “If you enter into any type of deal like this, ask for a separate advance so that you can employ a lawyer. You need someone who works just for you!” Continue reading “From Self Release to Major Label”

Three days of musical inspiration

ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO cranks it up in L.A.

Three amazing days in Los Angeles with songwriters and creators from every musical genre, freely sharing their knowledge, their experience and their love. And best of all, sharing their music.

Despite the bleary-eyed early morning start from Nashville, when we pulled back the curtains on our hotel room and saw that famous HOLLYWOOD sign through the L.A. haze, we felt a rush of energy. We knew we were in for an unforgettable three days, and we were right.

Paul Williams at ASCAP EXPO. Photo credit: Lester Cohen, Getty Images/ASCAP

After so many years of doom and gloom and dire predictions about the music industry, it was a shot in the arm to hear ASCAP President Paul Williams remind us of the good news from Washington. Legislators and the music industry are working together to pass the long awaited Music Modernization Act. And music sales are on the rise again.

“This is the most amazing collection of Musoids on the planet!” – Paul Williams, President of ASCAP, starting his EXPO kickoff speech

Meghan Trainor proves you can make it

Songwriter J Kash and Meghan Trainor at ASCAP’s ‘I Create Music’ Expo. Photo credit: ASCAP

Songwriters can feel disheartened, particularly when their careers seem to stall. If any needed some encouragement and inspiration, they found it in Meghan Trainor who first attended the EXPO as a young unknown songwriter.

This year, she was back, but this time she was on stage with the credentials of being a hit writer and performer. Meghan and songwriter J Kash took part in the Keynote Conversation on Day 3, and Meghan’s family were in the audience to share in the success that her perseverance had created.

Songwriter credit must add up to 100%!

Perhaps one of the funniest (and very important) presentations came from Desmond Child who really does have world music in his blood, care of his Hungarian father and Cuban songwriter mother. He has writing credits on mega-hits for Aerosmith, Michael Bolton, Bon Jovi, Cher, Kiss, Clay Aiken and many more across multiple genres. Not surprisingly, Child is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Desmond Child and his 99 ‘volunteers.’ Photo credit: Preshias Harris

Continue reading “Three days of musical inspiration”

‘Inside Track on Music Row’ ready to read

Here’s a teaser of the May 2018 edition

The May 2018 edition of my monthly column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ is now posted HERE at Nashville Music Guide, complete with some great graphics and photos.

Here are a few few teasers, but click the link above to read the full column of news about songwriters, artists and the country music industry.

CD RELEASE NEWS

Dierks Bentley will release his ninth studio album, THE MOUNTAIN (Capitol Records Nashville), June 8th. Bentley co-wrote 10 of the 13 new tracks that are unified by themes of presence and positivity, and range in style from textured rock to acoustic folk, feeling both rooted and expansive at the same time.

THE MOUNTAIN’s story begins in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Telluride, Colorado, which every summer plays host to a celebrated bluegrass festival. Bentley has attended the festival multiple times over the years, but after performing on the festival’s main stage in 2017, the idyllic surroundings became more than a much-needed getaway.

“I found myself there, constantly reaching for my guitar,” Bentley said. “It was like a gravitational pull. That town and those people just make you want to be creative, I couldn’t describe it. I was like ‘How do I tell everyone in Nashville this is what I want to write about?’ I realized I couldn’t bring it back, so I had to take everyone out there.”

The album is available for pre-order now with an instant download of the title track. Tour info & videos at Dierks.com.

DUO NEWS

Maddie & Tae are back with their highly-anticipated new single ‘Friends Don’t,’ the duo’s first song since signing with Mercury Nashville. The song matches the pair’s celebrated harmonies with an intimate take on the anticipation and excitement around a friendship’s developing possibilities. ‘Friends Don’t,’ written by Maddie Marlow and Taylor (Tae) Dye along with Justin Ebach and Jon Nite, is the first single from the Platinum-selling duo’s forthcoming sophomore album.

Set to impact country radio May 14, fans can listen to and download ‘Friends Don’t’ here and view the lyric video here.

GRAND OLE OPRY NEWS

The Grand Ole Opry welcomed home Bobby Bare as an official Opry member on April 7, on the Country Music Hall of Famer’s 83rd birthday. Bare had been a member of the Opry cast in the 1960s and 70s, after which his official Opry membership lapsed.

Garth Brooks took the stage and said, “I gotta tell you, this might be one of the coolest honors I have ever had bestowed on me. I don’t know if you know, but it was less than a month ago I was standing right here when I inducted the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, a kid named Chris Janson. Sweet guy. He sat in this circle of wood and he cried like a baby. And you know why he cried; because he gets it. He gets what it’s like to be a member of the family of the Grand Ole Opry.”

See the video of Bobby Bare and Garth on the Opry stage at YouTube here.

Brooks continued, “The Grand Ole Opry is family. Family is forever. So Mr. Bare, young man — as my dad would say — it is my honor, it is the Grand Ole Opry’s honor, to officially welcome you back, the great Bobby Bare, to the Grand Ole Opry.” More at bobbybare.com.

TOUR NEWS

In celebration of his albums, ‘From A Room: Volume 1 and Volume 2,’ Chris Stapleton will hit the road again this year for his All-American Road Show tour. Dates include New York’s Madison Square Garden The Forum in LA, and Chicago’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre among many others. The tour will feature Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb as special guests and tickets are on sale now. The Eagles are scheduled on a few of the dates as well.

Recently Chris and his wife, Morgane, became parents of twins. On the same day…he won three ACM awards.

Some Chris Stapleton ‘Fast Facts provided by GoGo Show Prep: ** Earlier this year, Chris won Grammy’s for Best Country Album (‘From A Room: Volume 1’), Best Country Song (‘Broken Halos’) and Best Country Solo Performance (‘Either Way’) ** Chris is also featured on Restoration, the tribute album to Elton John & Bernie Taupin.

And there’s a whole lot more! Check out the entire column online at Nashville Music Guide.

117 Entertainment Group marks first anniversary

A Nashville success story

Congratulations to Zach Farnum, the founder and president of 117 Entertainment Group. Launched in May 2017, in only one year Zach has built the company into a multi-faceted entertainment firm specializing in publicity and marketing campaigns for musicians, brands and events.

I received the following photo and email from Zach and I thought you would like to read it too.

[L to R]: 117’s Max Dacosta and Heather Scarlett Trotter, Bobby Bare, Lee Roy Parnell, Cherish Lee, John Berry, Exile Band Official’s Marlon Hargis, Jeannie Seely, Tim Rushlow, Kendall Gary, Shane Owens Country, Exile’s Sonny Lemaire, 117’s Bev J Moser, Scott Brown of the Scooter Brown Band, Exile’s Steve Goetzman and J.P. Pennington. Kneeling front center: Zach Farnum. (Not featured but present: Jerry Lee Lewis III, Exile’s Les Taylor Music, Lewis Brice)

“A year ago yesterday I announced a new endeavor… all on my own with one client, Chuck Negron Formerly Of Three Dog Night. From there, thanks to many friends, one by one, 117 Entertainment Group picked up more and more amazing artists. Paige Hamilton, Karl Braun and Pepper Meiler were there from the beginning supporting me professionally — but we were blessed with Bev J Moser in late June which started a rapid up-hill climb.

“It’s been a rollercoaster with ups and downs but now we’ve got over 20 incredible acts on our roster, a management and a live division and two more great team members – Heather Scarlett Trotter and Max Dacosta. Seeing this seed grow has been the biggest joy of my life and I truly can’t believe this picture.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you — to all who believed in me from the beginning, to all who support us now and to all who came last night — especially our clients who gave their time for our celebration! My heart is full.” – Zach Farnum

Again, kudos to Zach and all at 117 Entertainment. More information at their website, here.

Finding ‘lost’ online music income

Music news digest for May 7 -11

CMG finds ‘lost’ online revenue for musicians
Amazon Prime bumps up annual rates to $119.00
MusicBiz 2018 hits Nashville, May 14 – 17
NAMM’s ‘Make Music Experience,’ June 30
Vinyl album sales on the rise – again

Scroll down to read these news items

CMG finds ‘lost’ online revenue for musicians

If you are a recording artist or songwriter and you believe that your precious copyrighted intellectual property – e.g. your songs – are being utilized illegally online, you might want to know about a company called Create Music Group (CMG). The company started out tracking down and collecting revenues from music posted at YouTube and continues to do that successfully.

They have also expanded to locate other overlooked opportunities in the music business such as mixtape monetization and are moving into creating original video content. According to an interview in Billboard (04/21/2018) CMG uses software to identify clips that have used music without permission. They can then claim the client’s ownership and monetize views with advertising. Their patented software can detect parts of unlicensed songs that have been minimally sped up or slowed down to escape YouTube’s own internal rights-tracking system. Find info on CMG here.

Amazon Prime bumps up annual rates to $119.00

If you are an Amazon Prime member, stand by for a rate hike. Membership increases to $119.00 annually for new subscribers; existing subscribers will be notified of the increase when their membership is due for renewal after June 16. Amazon does not anticipate a drop in membership as a result of the increase. Purchases by non-Prime members actually decreased year-over-year while Prime purchases increased. Amazon is investing more in digital video and music available only to Prime members with 2018 spending estimated at $5 billion. See more at Variety here.

MusicBiz 2018 hits Nashville, May 14 – 17

MusicBiz 2018 is only days away and 2,000+ attendees are expected to be here in Nashville for what organizers call ‘the four most important days on the music industry calendar.’ Scheduled for May 14 – 17, 2018, the seminar will cover topics such as Career Development Workshops, Entertainment Technology & Law, Indie Artist and Songwriter Forum, Music Business Educators Meetup, Music and Money, and more. Presenters will include some of the most respected and successful people in the music industry. If you’re interested in attending (I’ll be there!) you’d better hurry! Find out more or register to attend here.

NAMM’s ‘Make Music Experience,’ June 30

…and hot on the heels of MusicBiz 2018, It will be time for the National Association of Music Merchants’ Summer NAMM in Nashville. On Saturday June 30 at Music City Center, Summer NAMM will host the inaugural Make Music Experience, an all-day, all-access pass for consumer and prosumer audiences who want to demo the latest music and pro audio gear, meet with top music manufacturers, and explore career-enhancing education and networking opportunities with the music industry’s top insiders.

The Make Music Experience day is an invitation to musicians, songwriters, music educators and students, as well as sound and studio professionals to experience the members-only Summer NAMM show, the annual mid-year gathering of the music products and pro audio industry, June 28-30 in Nashville. NAMM will open the doors to the trade-only event for MME’s full itinerary of professional workshops, opportunities to see and demo the latest in new gear from leading music brands, and a day full of live performances and events connecting music-makers of all skill levels.

Tickets to the Make Music Experience are now available for $10 online at www.namm.org/mme and will be available at the door for $20 on Saturday, June 30. Hours are 10AM to 5PM. Info and updates here.

Vinyl album sales on the rise – again

The vinyl sector of the music business continues to spin upwards. In 2017, vinyl album sales rose 9 percent to 14.3 million units in the USA. This was the twelfth straight year that album sales increased and the 2017 increase was the greatest since Nielsen Music began tracking album sales data. Understandably, growing interest in vinyl has resulted in increased sales of turntables. But demand has also meant more business for record pressing plants, including Jack White’s Third Man Records vinyl pressing facility in Detroit. Many more current artists are now releasing vinyl versions of new albums. More details plus a list of the top selling vinyl albums in 2017, courtesy of Billboard, here.

Preshias Harrisis a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com

NSAI honors 75 songwriters

…for 23 Number One songs

The Nashville Songwriter’s Association International (NSAI) held their Spring #1 Party on Monday April 23, 2018, recognizing 75 songwriters (23 songs) for their #1 achievements during the period of August 2017-December 2017.

At the brunch event, sponsored by SunTrust Bank and held at The Listening Room Cafe, the songwriters were presented plaques for topping the Billboard Country or Christian, Airplay, Digital, and Hot Charts and/or Mediabase Country Airplay Chart.

Back row (L-R): Earle Simmons (SunTrust), Dusty Miller (SunTrust), Ashleigh Overly (SunTrust), Jaron Boyer, Ray Fulcher, Adam Hambrick, Brock Berryhill, Tom Douglas, Steve Bogard (NSAI President), David Hodges, Ben Hayslip, Josh Miller, Matt Dragstrem, Tim Timmons, AJ Pruis, Bart Millard
Front row (L-R): Lindsay Gum (NSAI Director of Events and Pro Membership), Kelly Archer, Emily Shackelton, Jordan Schmidt, Tebey Ottoh, Bart Herbison (NSAI Executive Director), Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley, Ben Glover, Matt McGinn, Matthew West

These are the Number One songs and songwriters honored at the event:

“All The Pretty Girls” – Josh Osborne, Nicolle Galyon, Tommy Lee James (recorded by Kenny Chesney) Continue reading “NSAI honors 75 songwriters”