honky tonk tv opens new country window by david m. ross · honky tonk tv celebrated its 100th show...
TRANSCRIPT
©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
page 1 Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Honky Tonk TV celebrated its
100th show this week (8/17). The
Orlando, Florida-based country
music news program, operated by
Executive Producer Chris James
and Public Relations executive Elly
Liao, is currently syndicated across
162 markets and in over 61 million
households. In addition to the daily
TV news show, the company also
operates Honkytonkmag.com which
according to James, began on
Independence Day (7/4) in 2007.
"We are pretty much
across the CW network,"
says James who became a
U.S. citizen after moving to
the U.S. almost nine years
ago from the U.K. "But we
aren't in Nashville yet, and
of course really want to do
that. Honky Tonk TV is
currently a segment within a
show that has been going for
seven years called The Daily
Buzz, a three hour news show. We are
aiming now at expanding into our own
evening half-hour."
Honky Tonk Magazine was formed
with the idea of presenting more
detailed and thoughtful articles. "On the
magazine front we envision
ourselves being like a Rolling Stone for
country music," James says. "But because
the TV entity is daily and we are a small
operation there is only so much attention
we can devote to the magazine at this
time. We are hoping to make the TV
portion successful, get to the half hour
Honky Tonk TV Opens New Country Window by David M. Ross
(L-R): Honky Tonk TV hosts:
Creed Bowlen, Lauren Brown,
Autumn Alexander, Ben
Daniele and Crystal Louthan
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
show and then be able to partner with a larger
entity to help us take the magazine national. Our
No. 1 goal was always to launch the TV show and we
got to it a lot earlier than we had hoped. We are
extremely blessed to be having so much fun with it.
The more live guests we have on, the more time we
get and the more we can help promote country music.
Having a daily show also means we are a lot more
in the know about what is going on."
James doesn't really see the show's Orlando
location as a drawback for artist participation, rather
it can become a stopping point while they are out
on radio tours, performing, or otherwise in transit.
"We aren't that far away from Nashville," James
agrees. "Just a short plane ride away. We can offer
almost ten minutes of exposure on national TV,
including a performance. It's a lot of fun, but we do
need help from the country music community to
make this work. The best way to arrange a visit is
to call myself or Producer Tony Persaud
(407-808-9882)."
The list of guests who have sampled Honky
Tonk hospitality include Trisha Yearwood, Trailer
Choir, Katie Armiger, Billy Ray Cyrus, James
Stroud, Deborah Allen and more. Justin Moore,
and James Otto are scheduled in upcoming weeks.
Honky Tonk TV, which can be viewed at http://
www.honkytonktv.com rotates among a group of
five hosts chosen from the Orlando area. "We didn't
want the show to be centered around just one
personality," says James. "It's more about the music.
Our brand takes the classic American terminology
'Honky Tonk' and updates it to our vision. Country
acts like Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Rascal
Flatts and Gloriana are reaching a demographic
that includes the whole country. You can see it in
the sales, it's not just country music fans buying
the music. That larger group is our audience. If you
turn on the Daily Buzz and watch Honky Tonk TV as
part of that, you may not be into country music, but
will still get turned onto some of the acts because of
the way we are trying to promote it."
Last week ASCAP celebrated the success of Matthew West's "The Motions" written by West, Sam Mizell and Jason Houser. The song spent 14 weeks at No. 1. (L-R): ASCAP's Dan Keen; Chad Segura, Word Music Publishing; Mark Nicholas, Simpleville Music; Karrie Hardwick, Word Music Publishing; Mizell; ASCAP's Connie Bradley; Matthew West; Joel West, Method Management; Houser; and Michael Martin, Extreme Writers Group.
MCA Nashville recording artist David Nail kicked off the promotion of his
debut album I'm About To Come Alive with a visit to the Nashville chapter of
The Recording Academy and a trip to CMT's downtown Nashville studio to
showcase the record for staffers and to record footage that will be available
on www.cmt.com this week. Pictured: Nail (middle) and MusiCares staffers,
including South Regional Director Susan Stewart (middle).
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©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
Get One Thing Strait Let's get one thing Strait about
this week's sales, it's all about King
George. The legendary Texas troubador
once again 'sales' to the No. 1 position
on both the Top 75 Current Country
and Top 200 current Album lists
scanning 155,049 units. George's
debut places him as the third highest
this year behind No. 1 debuts from
Rascal Flatts Unstoppable (4/7/09;
351,025) and Keith Urban Defying
Gravity (3/31/09; 171,525). Strait's
previous release notched about 11k
units higher with only 6% digital
sales. This year, his digital sales
almost doubled to 10%, adding to a
growing body of evidence that the country consumer is
transitioning to digital engagement much more rapidly than
most marketers anticipated.
Justin Moore's chart performance triggers a second
outburst of "ooooh, wow" as his debut places smiles on
Valory team faces ringing up a very healthy 34,024 units
(11% digital).
Moore's debut also makes for an interesting comparison
with newcomers Gloriana who debuted last week at 44,388
units (19% digital). Two new artists, a traditional solo male
and a contemporary vocal group each attracting perhaps a
somewhat different audience. To properly analyze the 30%
sales difference between the two debuts one would need to
consider factors such as airplay—both audio and video, the
musical style, touring opportunities (Gloriana opened on
Taylor Swift's tour) and other marketing events. Also one
week is not a career. Each artist is different and the real
story will take many months to play out.
Bill Young Productions Opens Nashville Office Bill Young Productions, a company with superstar clients
which creates concert advertisements, has opened a Nashville
office with the addition of Beth Torroll to its staff. Torroll will
serve as Director of Client Services, acting as the company’s
first locally-based Music Row liaison in its 30-year history.
Bill Young Productions serves the concert and touring
industry with advertising media products, including radio
and TV ads, print, animation, multi-media and web-based
media. Country clients include George Strait, Keith Urban,
Reba, Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, and other artists like
Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney, The Eagles, Elton John,
Billy Joel, and Britney Spears.
Torroll’s music business resume is extensive and includes
work in public relations, management, agency, editorial and
label positions. During the last seven years she managed
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creative projects for William Morris Agency, Creative
Artist Agency, Universal Music Group and Walt Disney
Records, working with artists like Kenny Chesney,
Taylor Swift, Kings of Leon, Big & Rich and Sugarland.
She can be reached at the new Bill Young Productions
office in Nashville at (615) 746-7440 or via email at
Songwriters Headed To Martha’s Vineyard The inaugural Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters
Festival will inhabit the famous East Coast playground
September 18 and 19. Staged at hotspots in Vineyard
Haven and Oak Bluffs, MA, the festival will combine
pop and country BMI hit makers in a format similar to
the successful Key West Songwriters Festival. It is
designed to introduce top pop and country songwriters
not only to a wider audience, but to one another as
well.
The eclectic list of performers includes Kim
Carnes (“Bette Davis Eyes”), Scotty Emerick (“As
Good As I Once Was,” “I’m Just Talkin’ ‘Bout
Tonight”), UK pop singer/songwriter Lucie Silvas,
Hugh Prestwood (“Hard Rock Bottom of Your
Heart,” “The Song Remembers When”), Natalie
Hemby (cuts by Miranda Lambert and Lee Ann
Womack), alt-pop singer/songwriter Daniel Tashian,
New York-based Jeff Cohen (co-writer behind Big &
Rich’s “Holy Water,” Evan & Jaron’s “Crazy for this
Girl”), James Slater (“In My Daughter’s Eyes”),
lauded Key West singer/songwriter Scott Kirby,
Chris Barron (former frontman for the Spin Doctors
“Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”); and five-time BMI
Country Songwriter of the Year Paul Overstreet, the
pen behind standards including “Deeper than the
Holler,” “Forever and Ever Amen,” “Love Can Build a
Bridge,” and many more.
Advance tickets for each show are $25. Admission
for both nights of performances is also available in
advance for $45. To purchase tickets, visit
ticketsMV.com.
Last week Valory Music Co. artist Justin Moore visited Wal-Marts across the
Midwest celebrating the release of his self titled debut album. On Wednesday
(8/12) he stopped in Frankfort, KY and performed and signed autographs for
over 500 people at an in-store supported by WFKY (Froggy 104.9). (L-R): T.J.
Stigers (James Pond), Valory's Jon Loba, Jeremy Beam (Davey Croakett),
Stephanie Young (Cricket), Amanda Young (Holly Hopkins), Brett Waford
(Jumpin' Jim Beam), Aaron Glass (Gator Glass), Moore and Valory's George
Briner.
RCA Nashville songstress Sara Evans brought the good feelings of her new
single, “Feels Just Like a Love Song,” to her tour stop at metro-Atlanta’s
Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre. (L-R): Sheri O’Malley and her husband,
Citadel Regional Pres. Paul O’Malley; Evans; WKHX Atlanta Operations Mgr.
Mark Richards; Evans’ husband Jay Barker; and WKHX midday personality
Sari Rose.
page 4 Wednesday, August 19, 2009
©2009, MusicRow Communications, LLC—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [email protected]
Music City Networks Adds Managing Partner Local businessman Paul McCulloch
has joined Lang Scott as a managing
partner of MCN, Music City Networks,
the web design and new media firm.
The move immediately replaces Jon
Wright from day-to-day operations,
but he will remain on as a consultant.
McCulloch joins MCN armed with
years of experience in business and
online development to help identify
growth opportunities and products that
will offer a competitive advantage in
the marketplace. He recently spent eight years as President
and CEO at Goldleaf Technologies, where he led the financial
services technology company to develop specialized software
solutions, as well as website and online marketing products
for hundreds of banks and businesses nationwide. He is also
a part owner of recording studio Vibe 56, on Music Row.
Ryan Bitzer To Launch Sparkart’s Local Office The full-service digital agency
Sparkart Group has hired former RPM
staffer Ryan Bitzer to launch and run
its Nashville division. Sparkart’s
services include web design,
development, branding, and digital
marketing. As former Chief Strategy
Officer at rpm management, Bitzer
managed the web presence and
marketing of Tim McGraw and
Julianne Hough. In addition, he was
responsible for company operations,
digital strategy, and brand partnerships including Hough’s
Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit campaign. Bitzer was instrumental in
planning and executing the strategy for McGraw’s online and
mobile efforts, which were built and operated by Sparkart.
He can be reach at [email protected] or 615-967-7010.
With revenue increasing 42 percent in the last three years,
Sparkart provides digital services for a number of musicians
and entertainment brands, including Linkin Park, Carrie
Underwood, and UFC.
Nielsen Getting Competition? The major television broadcast networks are leading the
charge to find a competitor for Nielsen. One of the
advantages of the new system would be tracking audience
measurements over TV, the Internet and mobile devices.
The New York Times says NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox are
working on the project with “cable channel operators,
including Viacom and Discovery; three of the country’s
biggest-spending advertisers, Proctor & Gamble, AT&T and
Unilever; and two of the biggest advertising agency holding
companies, GroupM and the Starcom MediaVest Group unit
of the Publicis Groupe.”
Musical Chairs And Signings• Airplay Specialists Radio Promotion has hired Abby
Montgomery, previously of RowHouse Records and One
Mile South radio promotions, as General Manager. She
replaces Kelly Bolick, who made the move to BMI.
Airplay Specialists promotes singles to 400 stations
including the MusicRow reporting stations and 290
Secondary non-reporters. Montgomery can be reached at
615-321-0033 and [email protected].
• Dan Herrington and Mitchell Fox have signed 19-year-
old developing artist/songwriter Morgan Tobias to
Herrington Fox Management.
• Paul Revere and the Raiders have signed with Buddy
Lee Attractions for appearance booking. In his fifth decade
in the music business, Paul Revere continues to tour
extensively.
Lifenotes Former Confederate Railroad member Warren
"Gates" Nichols died Friday, Aug. 14 at Hospice Tranquility
in Austell, Ga. after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The 65-
year-old musician played steel guitar in Confederate
Railroad in the early-'90s, appearing on hits like “Queen of
Memphis” and the Grammy nominated “Trashy Women.” A
multi-instrumentalist, Nichols also played bass guitar on the
1976 pop hit “Shannon,” by Henry Gross.
Tidbits• Belmont University will host “On the Blvd” Aug. 28 from
4-11 PM. There will be four stages on Belmont Boulevard
featuring student performers and local band Modoc. The
event is sponsored by The Mike Curb College of Entertainment
and Music Business and BMI. Admission is free. For more
information visit www.belmontcemblog.com.
• The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA), announced yesterday
that leading online music services such as Microsoft,
RealNetwork’s Rhapsody, la la, Last.fm, and Slacker are
using their services as the primary mechanical licensing
provider for interactive streams and limited and
permanent downloads at the new statutory rates.
The B104.7 Morning Crew hung out with Keni Thomas at Ft. Riley,
Kansas after his performance at The Big Red One's Victory Week
Celebration in Manhattan, Kansas. (L-R): Lindsey, Thomas and Drew.
Ryan Bitzer
Paul McCulloch
page 5 Wednesday, August 19, 2009