July 28, 2008 Issue 100 Stroud Doubles-Up Third Start-Up COUNTRY AIR C HE C K HITS TRIPS “Opening labels is not new to me,” says accomplished producer and record executive James Stroud. “When I was If there’s one item in Country Aircheck Weekly that goes working years ago for Jimmy Bowen I uniformly ignored, it’s probably the issue number. But for those of took a year off, then opened Giant Records. you (okay, us) who pay attention to these things, we’re slightly (okay, embarrassingly) geeked that this week’s issue is No. 100. w00t!!! Then I took another year off when I finished With that in mind, we’d like to thank all of you for reading, extend Giant and opened DreamWorks. Since profound appreciation to everyone who’s advertised with us and DreamWorks/Universal I’ve taken another promise continued diligence in bringing you the radio and music year and am now opening Stroudavarious.” trade publication you deserve. You may now return to your regularly If his track record is any indication, scheduled issue-number obliviousness. Stroud’s third label has a bright future, but James Stroud an evolved marketplace will mean different tactics. And he’s Powers and Solima Get The not simply launching Stroudavarious Records (CAT 7/17). “Bigger Picture” There are, in fact, two labels under Stroud’s purview with After weeks of rumors, complete with “hirings,” we can now very different business models. They do have, however, one tell you officially thatMichael Powers and Jeff Solima have common thread. indeed partnered to form Bigger Picture Promotion. BPP is a “I have a passion for making music and doing it in a co-venture with Big Picture Entertainment owners Keith Stegall certain way,” Stroud says. “There is a philosophy and a and Alan Kates. Powers describes Bigger Picture Promotion process I’ve learned over the years as to how to treat an artist as “a full-service stand-alone promotion company available to and their music and also how to go to the masses with some handle all aspects of radio promotion and marketing for both really good records.” record labels and artists.” BPP First up, as reported, is Stroudavarious with Darryl is currently working music Worley’s debut single for the label, “Tequila On Ice.” Already by Live Nation Artists’ Zac released to radio, the song advances an album expected early Brown Band and will also next year. provide promotion services “I found Darryl in Savannah, TN in a VFW on the for James Stroud’s new Tennessee River,” Stroud says. (continued on page 4) Stroudavarious. Michael Powers Jeff Solima ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] July 28, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 2 Powers told Country Aircheck, “Having big hits and breaking acts is what it’s all about at mainstream Country radio. MY TUNES : MUSI C TH A T SH A PED MY LIFE We also know it’s harder than ever to get those songs and new ABC News Radio Nashville Producer artists exposed in a timely fashion. BPP is a forward-thinking Hunter Kelly ([email protected]) company that can be utilized as a stand-alone, first-class discusses his most important songs, albums promotion team or as a strong back-up to an existing team that or concerts: will help deliver a label’s priority records faster.” 1. Garth Brooks, Birmingham, 1992: This The newest promoter to join BPP is Chuck Swaney, show is the reason I’m in Nashville. The most recently the Northeast rep for Universal South. He starts energy in that arena was unlike anything Friday, will work the NE and Midwest and can be reached at I’d experienced before, and I don’t think I’ve [email protected]. Already on the team are former Curb been that overwhelmed at a show since. Southeast regional Rocco Cosco, who works the SE and can be 2. Wynonna, Tell Me Why: I remember Hunter Kelly where I was when I first heard the single reached at [email protected]. Former Capitol Southwest “Tell Me Why” on the radio. This album opened so many musical Regional Mara Sidweber handles that region and the West for doors for me -- California rock with the title cut, blues with “That BPP and is at [email protected]. Contact Powers at Was Yesterday” and even alternative with “Father Sun.” 615-297-6935 or [email protected] and Solima at 3 Almost Famous: This movie turned me on to so much great [email protected]. Also new to BPP as Promotion Manager is classic rock and inspired me to write my first column for Belmont’s Kim Trosdahl, who you can reach at [email protected]. student paper and go for an internship at Billboard. 4. Reba McEntire/I Know How He Feels: Of the 200 Reba songs Radio News on my iPod, this is the most-played. The regret captured in her Satellite: Toby Keith will appear on Sirius’ New Country channel vocal and the lyrics matched with the delicate piano and guitar 60 Tuesday, July 29 from 2-3pm ET where fans are encouraged to production in the intro make this one a Reba masterpiece. call in. He will also discuss his latest single “She Never Cried In 5. Stevie Wonder, Atlanta, 2007: His vocals and the band were so flawless, I kept having to remind myself it was a live performance. Front Of Me,” and new movie Beer For My Horses. Hearing Stevie perform “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and “Sir Duke” Kenny Chesney’s XM No Shoes Radio launched this past in a 6,000 seat venue was pure joy. Saturday with a four-hour • An “important” piece of music you just don’t get: Tom Waits. live broadcast from his • An “important” piece of music you’ve never heard: AC/DC Back 2008 Poets & Pirates Tour in Black. stop in Gillette Stadium • An album you played or listened to incessantly: Miranda in Foxboro, MA (r). Fans Lambert’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. at the XM stage were also treated to a three-song CRS: Registration for CRS-40 will commence August 1at performance from Chesney, www.crb.org with the early-bird rate of $499 available until following an interview with Dec. 15. CRS-40 will be held March 4-6 at the Nashville XM’s Jon Anthony. Convention Center. Kudos: WKIS/Miami raised $252,962 during their KISS CC & Katz Sell Web Spots Country Cares For Kids Radiothon July 24 & 25. The money Clear Channel Radio and rep unit Katz Media Group will be donated to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in have created the Katz Online Network for Internet ad sales, Hollywood, FL. combining independent webcasters with the online/mobile ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] July 28, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3 BIRTHD A YS Tuesday (7/29) - Martina McBride, James Otto, Gregg Brown, Scott Johnson, Angela Gimlin ([email protected]) Wednesday (7/30) - Neal McCoy, Phil Stone (Roy D. Mercer), Jim Davis ([email protected]), Rebecca Neff, Danny Sommers, Karen Staley, Rick Young ([email protected]) Thursday (7/31) - Gary McCoy ([email protected]) Friday (8/1) - George Ducas, Mark Janese (mark.janese@sonybmg. com), Charlie Kelly, Steve Miller, Gary Murdock (gary.murdock@ us51country.com) Saturday (8/2) - Hank Cochran, Barry Landis, Jon Anthony (jon. [email protected]), David DeBolt, Joyce Rizer (joyce.rizer@ xmradio.com), Chris Stacey ([email protected]) Sunday (8/3) - Dean Sams, Randy Scruggs, Tony Conway (tconway@ blanash.com), Ted Wagner ([email protected]), Shanna Strassberg Monday (8/4) - Les Acree, Tammy Brown streams of terrestrial stations and syndicators to deliver 79 million user sessions per month and a unique weekly audience of nearly five million listeners. In addition to audio spots within streams, advertisers can also combine pre-roll audio or video, display or video ads and synchronized banners on online media players. The network includes streams from CC, Cumulus, Cox, Emmis, Entercom, Greater Media, Journal, Nassau, Salem, Saga and Bonneville, among others. It’s “Heaven” For Collins and Dodson You’d be in heaven, too – or at least the nearest Mercedes dealership – if, like songwriters Jim Collins and Marty Dodson, one of your songs was cut by both Kenny Chesney and George Strait. As we hear the story from a publishing pal, Strait had cut “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” for his new Troubadour CD. During a tour stop in Birmingham early this year, Strait played the song for Chesney, who just happened to be in town re-habbing his shoulder after surgery. Chesney reportedly fell in love with the tune and jumped at the chance to record it once Strait decided not to include it on his new CD. Chesney, of course, has since anointed “Heaven” as the first single from his upcoming CD. Now comes word that fans will also be able to get Strait’s version when iTunes releases a bundle of Strait’s “Troubadour” video along with George’s version of “Heaven” sometime in the next couple of weeks. Jim and Marty ought to go to Vegas. Industry News MTSU Associate Professor Paul Allen’s Artist Management for the Music Business text is into its second printing after a year. He has also established a website to extend the text at artistmanagementonline.com. ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] July 28, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 4 The George Jones University Fall semester will include a talent contest for students interested in opening for George Artist News Faith Hill will again sing the opening Jones at a future concert.