page 1 Friday, September 25, 2009 response to a rich Riding The Train musical experience. by David M. Ross Meanwhile in the Miranda Lambert's crowd wake of the MTV Video poured into the Ryman pews like a Music Awards it seems marching band on cue at the front the thorny Kanye West of a Macy's parade (9/25). The effect hasn't chilled lights dimmed, and Taylor Swift, the bloom on Nashville's Paramore's Haley Williams, Swift country rose, Taylor guitarist Grant Mickelson and Swift. In fact, Chad Gilbert, guitarist for New according to Nielsen Found Glory were quietly escorted into the SoundScan, a division of The Nielsen balcony center front row. A large sprinkling Company, sales of Swift's Fearless CD now of industry execs were also in attendance to on the chart for 45 weeks jumped a mic- hear Lambert debut material from her soon- grabbing 37% to over 45k. Her debut self to-be-released CD Revolution. The buzz titled CD also benefited, growing 21% surrounding the blonde Texas singer- compared to the previous week. Apart songwriter with the gritty edges has spread like circles across a large pond as her career highway continues to stretch out from the Nashville Star stage where she started in 2003. Revolution singles "White Liar" and "Dead Flowers" have already traveled to radio. ("White Liar" is currently climbing the MusicRow chart making a nice move this week from No. 42 to 35.) Lambert's country roots are growing deeper and stronger, possibly evidenced by the fact that earlier this week she met and sang a tribute to Merle Haggard at the ACM Honors Awards and last night she bent down and Pictured at the 2nd Annual ACM Honors Event, kissed the the Ryman wood floor after singing Sept. 22 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in what will likely be her next single, "The House Nashville (L-R): Miranda Lambert; John Grady, ACM That Built Me." The crowd erupted into a President; Blake Shelton; and Rod Essig, ACM standing ovation, a perfect reaction in Chairman. Photo: Kay Williams ©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected] page 2 Friday, September 25, 2009 from Mr. West's appearance riding Jay-Z's coattails on a few tracks, all West's charting solo sales efforts shrunk this week. Of course all these adventures and most everything else going on everywhere and anywhere is now all inscribed on the public record via the real time Twitter conversation. This week the 140-character canopy of culture raised $100 million in new funding thereby valuing the company at a staggering $1 billion. According to a New York Times article, "that is almost double the market capitalization of Domino’s Pizza, which has 10,500 employees and had $1.4 billion in sales last year. Twitter has some 60 employees." The funding is all the more remarkable since the home of the Tweeters has yet to book revenue, although its website draws 54 million visitors each month, according to tracking firm comScore. And lastly we peer into a case of lowered expectations in the form of the new Microsoft Zune HD. This fourth generation edition directly models itself after its more successful iPod Over 300 of Nashville’s music industry elite joined Vanderbilt doctors, brothers, but according to AllThingsDigital.com, "Given all research scientists and local business leaders to raise money and the improvements of this new Zune, it’s a shame that this awareness for the TJ Martell Foundation. The songwriter event was makeover stopped short of revamping its commerce system, hosted by Crownover, Tisinger at their offices on Music Row. Up and which is still too confusing. The cost of one song is 79 points coming singer/songwriters Jeremy Crady, Jeremy Yurek, Joanna Smith (based upon Microsoft Xbox), roughly the equivalent of a dollar, and Brandon Lepere performed for the End of the Row portion of the event, while Jen Foster, Michael Garvin, Gordie Sampson and Chris and users must buy points in buckets ranging from 400 for Tompkins sang during The Writer’s Share portion later in the evening. $5 to 5,000 for $62.50. People who are trying to watch their (L-R): Kent Earls, Sr. VP Creative UMPG Nashville; Steve Markland, budgets don’t need the hassle of calculating points per Warner/Chappell Music; Garth Fundis, producer and former NARAS purchase. And Amazon’s (AMZN) Kindle e-reader and Apple’s President; Andrew Dorff, UMPG staff writer; and Pat Higdon, Pres. (AAPL) iTunes Store have proved that using dollars and an UMPG Nashville. Photo: Beth Gwinn uncomplicated one-click system is a successful strategy." Feeling confused by the speed and diversity of the song was recorded with Capitol’s Trace Adkins and is techno/cultural/musical conversation quickly streaming BLEVE’s lead song from a multi-artist compilation due out across global boundaries? Remember this: It's easier (and Nov. 1. Sales of the CD are to benefit the Fraternal Order of safer) to ride the train, than stand in front of it. Police and the International Association of Firefighters. Protesters were asked to leave by property security and Capitol Records Protest complied without incident. BLEVE Records reports it will The BLEVE Records saga continue with the release and promotion of “My First Ride” continued this week with news despite the cease and desist. that Ronnie Milsap, along with firefighters and policemen from Lifenote: Carlos Grier Tennessee, gathered outside MusicRow is saddened to report the passing of Capitol Nashville’s offices mastering engineer Carlos Edgar Grier Sept. 2 at his home Thursday (9/24) to protest the in Nashville. Grier began his career with Woodland Sound label’s cease and desist order of single “My First Ride.” The Studios in the early 1970s and later spent over 16 years at ©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected] page 3 Friday, September 25, 2009 Georgetown Masters. During his career he mastered and who will perform with Tim Reynolds, at the show, along with edited thousands of albums, including works by Willie Jason Mraz, Wilco, Jamey Johnson, Phosphorescent, Nelson and Garth Brooks. There will be a casual gathering of Billy Joe Shaver, Will Dailey, Ernie Isley & the Jam friends and family in honor of Carlos 6 pm Sunday, Band, Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses, The Blackwood September 27 at Ocean Way Nashville. In lieu of flowers, Quartet, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and Titty donations may be made to the Hemophilia & Bleeding Bingo. DIRECTV will exclusively broadcast Farm Aid 2009 Disorders Chapter of Alabama, 151 Market Place, live and in HD on The 101 Network. Farm Aid 2009 Presented Montgomery, Ala., 36117. by Horizon Organic will also be webcast and will stream live at www.farmaid.org Boston Exits BBR Brooke Boston has exited her position as Broken Bow’s Heartland Returns Promotion Coordinator and Dir. of Secondary Promotion. She Graham Artist Heartland had been with the company for nearly two years. Prior to BBR, Management will be Boston worked in sales for the NHL’s Dallas Stars hockey team. re-introducing the She is currently looking for her next opportunity and can be group Heartland contacted at [email protected] or 214-558-7922. with the new single, "Mustache," going Allan Lines Up Tour, for adds Sept. 28. The group is working Recruits Ingram with David Haley Gary Allan’s Get Off On The Pain of EdgeHill Music & Tour kicks off in mid-October at the Media and has Chicago House of Blues, and runs through launced an iPhone the end of the year with a December 31 App with special features. Heartland's first single, "I Love show at the Las Vegas House of Blues. Her First," hit No. 1 on country radio charts. Joining Allan for the tour beginning Gary Allan November 5 will be Big Machine’s Jack Lady Antebellum Sells Ingram. Financial Services Gretchen Wilson Added to Lady Antebellum's "I Run To You" appears in financial services Diverse Farm Aid Lineup giant TIAA-CREF's fall advertising Gretchen Wilson has been added to campaign. The band's first No. 1 hit is the lineup at Farm Aid's all-day music and being featured in national advertising food festival on Sun., Oct. 4 at the Verizon spots during college football's biggest Wireless Amphitheater in Maryland Heights, games, beginning last weekend with Mo. Wilson will join Farm Aid board the University of Tennessee versus members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, University of Florida game on CBS. Gretchen Wilson John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews, www.ladyantebellum.com/meerkats Lady Antebellum On September 18, Capitol Records Nashville’s Luke Bryan celebrated Blake Shelton was the featured artist at GAC's Summer Barbecue the upcoming release of his sophomore album Doin’ My Thing at a Sweepstakes. The event was the culmination of a summer-long GAC listening party hosted by BMI before performing at a jam packed house online sweepstakes. In addition to a trip to Nashville and other prizes, at the Tin Roof in Nashville. (L-R): Terry Wakefield, Sr. VP Creative winner Todd Childress (of Toledo, OH) and three of his guests enjoyed Sony ATV Music Publishing; Jody Williams, VP Writer/Publisher Relations a meet and greet with Shelton as well as an acoustic performance. BMI; Bryan; Kerri Edwards, Red Light Management; and Mike Dungan, (L-R):Diarmuid Quinn, Exec.VP Mktg. Warner Bros. Records; Ed Hardy, Pres./CEO Capitol Records Nashville. Photo: Kay Williams GAC Pres.; Shelton; and John Esposito, Pres. Warner Music Nashville. ©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected] page 4 Friday, September 25, 2009 Loveless Plots Fall Tour Patty Loveless is currently on tour to promote the release of Mountain Soul II, set for Sept.