January Women In Music edition of the Direct Buzz by AirPlay Direct

WOMEN IN MUSIC EDITION

Shawna Russell Okie Songbird Rising

Tammy Genovese Über Female Exec

Emmylou Harris Dogs’ Best Friend

Dolly & The Grascals Featured Artists & Reviews Aristo International Report ADP Global Radio Indicator Charts™ Americana Music Charts European HotDisc Charts Christian Music Weekly January 2011

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4 The Writers Round: Daphne Willis Talks About Her New Vanguard Album

6 Cover Story – Shawna Russell Singer-songwriter Shawna Russell is preparing to release the follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut album, Goddess. From her home base in Oklahoma, she has raised the bar for what is possible for an independent female recording artist to achieve. Renowned music writer, Peter Cooper, caught up with Russell to talk about why she chooses to write, record for her own label, perform full-time - and to live the dream rather than dream the life.

15 Behind the Desk Tammy Genovese has spent her entire career working to promote Country music, and in the process has redefined the playing field for women in the music industry. From her former executive roles at the Country Music Association where she was the organization’s first Chief Operating Officer, and ultimately CEO - to her present position as the President of The Country Network, Nashville, Genovese has hit the lofty professional heights that few women - or men for that matter - have achieved in the music business.

34 BEYOND THE SONG American music icon Emmylou Harris takes us inside her animal advocacy charity, Bonaparte’s Retreat, whose mission statement is “dedicated to providing nurturing foster care for shelter dogs when their allotted time at the shelter has elapsed; to prevent these wonderful animals from being euthanized and to find them permanent, loving homes.”

41 ARISTO INTERNATIONAL REPORT 44 APD GLOBAL RADIO INDICATOR CHARTS™ 56 AMERICANA MUSIC ASSOCIATION CHARTS 59 EUROPEAN HOTDISC CHARTS 63 CHRISTIAN MUSIC WEEKLY ---------------------------------------------------------------PUBLISHER & FOUNDER: Robert Weingartz EDITOR: Clif Doyal DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS: Scott Welch DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING: Shelly Korolewicz CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Clif Doyal, Mike Hagler, Jr, Spanky Brown, Jessica Stiles, David Gross, Stephanie Konarski, Ariel Hyatt, Sherry Bach & Peter Cooper ART DIRECTION: Aleven Creatives (aleven.com) COVER PHOTO: Melinda Norris

FROM THE PUBLISHER Welcome to the January special “Women In Music” edition of the Direct Buzz. In this issue we showcase some of the top women in music and its related industries - from indie artists and legendary superstars to top female executives. Singer-songwriter Shawna Russell graces our cover this month.Esteemed music writer Peter Cooper interviews her as she prepares to release the follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut album, Goddess. From her home base in Oklahoma, Russell has raised the bar for what is possible for an independent female recording artist. Learn why she chooses to write, record for her own label, perform full-time - and to live the dream rather than dream the life. Our “Behind the Desk” focuses on Tammy Genovese, who has spent her entire career promoting Country music, and in the process has redefined the playing field for women in the music industry. From her former CEO role at the Country Music Association, to her present position as the President of The Country Network, Nashville, Genovese has hit the lofty professional heights that few women - or men for that matter - have achieved in the music business. American music icon Emmylou Harris talks about her animal advocacy charity, Bonaparte’s Retreat, who cares for dogs when their allotted time at the shelter has elapsed. In our “Video Showcase,” superstar Dolly joins The Grascals to draw awareness to the childhood cancer epidemic with “I Am Strong,” Music Row Regions Bank Sr. Vice President, Lisa Harless banks on creativity; former actress-turned Maggiano’s restaurateur Rachael Paul passionately supports music and entertainment, and performer Stephanie Quayle takes part in Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference. To all of the great women of our industry: We salute your accomplishments!

Robert Weingartz Founder & CEO, AirPlay Direct Founder & Publisher, the Direct Buzz

THE WRITERS ROUND A Songwriter Profile by Mike Hagler, Jr.

Daphne Willis AirplayDirect.com/DaphneWillis

t is always a pleasure to speak with a young artist such as Daphne Willis who truly enjoys the creation and art of music. As a songwriter, Willis is a poet in every sense of the word. Having been writing poetry since elementary school, it stuck with her through her brief stint at DePaul University. There, she studied Secondary Education with a focus on British and Japanese literature. It was in Chicago that she began putting her poetry to song. Willis began playing open mic nights whenever she could. She had a handful of songs that were written in high school, when she first started playing guitar. After two years at DePaul, it became clear that music was to be her full time gig. Willis made an EP that was eventually picked up by American Airlines for one of their in-flight stations. Kevin Welk, President of Vanguard Records, happened to be listening on a flight when her song, “No Difference,” came on. Three years, one EP, and one album later, Willis readies her sophomore album with a series of three Digital 45s slated for release on January 11, February 8, and March 8, with the full-length album to follow on April 19. We sat with her recently to ask about her experience and technique in songwriting. The Direct Buzz (tDB): Daphne, you have a very unique style to your writing. As such a young songwriter, what has been your technique so

far in crafting your music and lyrics? D a p h n e Willis (DW): Sometimes I get a phrase… I’m very attracted to the phonetics of words. I’ll have something stuck in my head and will sit down with a few ideas of melodies, lines and phrases and come up with something. Other times, I’m in a music writing mood and will come up with a chord progression that I like. I usually blurt stuff out and then will write down what I end up liking and piece it together like a puzzle. I’ve been doing a lot of co-writing lately, which has helped me to write different styles and learn more. This next record is a lot of co-written songs. I’m very excited for it because of all the people involved in the process! It’s a really beautiful thing and really fun. tDB: Your music also tends to have very brilliant instrumentation as well. How involved are you in the composing for the instruments?

DW: A lot of the horn lines I’ve written. I don’t really know much about theory, but the other players are good at playing what I hear in my head. If you have the right people playing with you, it makes it much easier. I always say “I don’t know what I want, but I know what I don’t want.” With this last record, we tracked everything live and they put their own feel into their instrument and it just felt organic. Tim Lauer had a hand in composing the new album coming out. He was a big help with that. tDB: Who are some writers that you enjoy, or derive influence from?

DW: I really love Ben Harper! Jack Johnson is definitely another one, along with Ray LaMontagne. I also listen to a lot of hip-hop, and Tupac is a favorite of mine as well. I think from the music aspect and the phrasing of things, I think it is really cool what these writers do. Ray LaMontagne to me is a great example of someone who can balance being so musical and so poetically driven at the same time. The depth of the vocabulary and the meaning behind everything just helps to create the feel of the entire record. There is continuity throughout these artists’ records and you can tell it comes from their personality and talent. tDB: It sounds like you really have an appreciation for all types of music. Tell me a little bit about your new record. DW: This whole record is about growth. I’ve just grown so much as a writer and performer in the past two years that I feel comfortable trying new things that may have seemed uncomfortable for me at first. People are always trying to categorize an artist, but I would like to be able to cover many different areas of music. I’ve actually titled the album ‘Because I Can,’ which is a lyric in one of the songs, to continually remind myself to push my craft to the limit. In the past year since the last record I have been willing to try more new things musically and just go for it. The release plan is different as well. We will have Digital 45s with an A-side and a B-side. The Digital 45 thing is pretty cool to me with all the new ways of getting and enjoying music. We’ve got some cool things up our sleeve as well for the indie record stores. I love physical product, the artwork and the whole experience. You’ll really enjoy it. For more information go to http:// daphnewillis.com/

By: Mike Hagler, Jr.

The DIY Musician

opspin, Bandbox, Bandcamp, Nimbit, Rootmusic, Tunecore… this list can go one forever. To a musician, what does this all mean? What is means is these are all services that you can use as a do-it-yourself musician! Are you confused yet? Being a DIY musician today is all the rage, even for the well-known musicians. Direct-to-fan marketing is quickly becoming a trend to offer the artist a way to make more money off of the fans that love to support their favorite band. Everyone is using tools such as these, from your average garage band all the way to Trent Reznor, Grateful Dead and the Drive-By Truckers. While there is way too much to research than we can touch on in this article, we’ll explore a few popular examples of the idea of DIY. Topspin is a popular trend right now in the DIY space. They are the ones at every major (and minor) music conference and event touting their case studies. I have had the pleasure of meeting several folks at Topspin and even chatting for a while over a beer with their CEO, Ian Rogers. Their method is simple and one that is the most copied: offer limited packages of quality items your fans want to buy, and sell it through a widget that you can place anywhere. However, Topspin prefers that you become “Topspin certified” to use their system and takes a rather large percentage of your sales, on top of what you will pay to whoever may be fulfilling your merch. Generally, they are too expensive for most. In my opinion, it is not the system that is causing the sales, but rather the limited availability of the packages that are being bought by the uber fan at a high price. Bandbox had a case study showing how

well the Taylor Swift ‘Fearless’ box set did within their system. That particular set was only available for pre-order through the Bandbox platform. Was the success due to the platform, or were Swift fans simply going to the only place they could get the product they wanted? We created similar packages with Dolly Parton last Christmas season that were promoted on her website and available at Bandbox. Our packages sold fine and some sold out within minutes without being on a widgetized platform. These platforms are all about data collection as well. Most will give you a pitch about how you own all the e-mail addresses and other demographic information about those making purchases. You can get much of the same information already through the platform that may already host your website and fulfill your merch. Being able to collect data information, expand your e-mail list and get buzz generated are all very important. The group, Dispatch, is a great example of a unique way to do-it-yourself without a third party platform. Recently I’ve shown a few co-workers their website where you can get all 4 albums for free for tweeting, Facebooking and e-mailing five friends. My friends enquired about what widget platform was being used and were surprised to learn that it was a custom code! This was most likely made from a few free plug-ins from Twitter and Facebook. With this, buzz is generated online in exchange for some free goods which are instantly downloadable after completing the tasks. They even took fan pre-sales to a new level. Instead of paying for a fan club to have pre-sale access, all you have to do is simply sign up for their e-mail list. With all this in mind, how will you approach your marketing this year?

$0.25 per CD sold will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for a three and one-half year period with no minimum or maximum. ©2011 CBOCS Properties, Inc. “Cracker Barrel Old Country Store” name and logo are trademarks of CBOCS Properties, Inc., Reg. USPTO.

Shawna Russell Okie Songbird By: Peter Cooper Photo by Melinda Norris

hawna Russell doesn’t hesitate when asked why things seem to be rolling nicely for her right now. “Tenacity,” she says, where others might mention pitch and melody, hooks or energy. Russell has been touring nearly nonstop since the 2008 release of her acclaimed debut album, Goddess, which is no surprise, since she’d been touring nearly non-stop for years prior to that. To celebrate the Spring, 2011 release of her self-titled sophomore album, Russell will... yes, tour. Russell was born in Okemah, Oklahoma, home of Woody Guthrie, the culture-bending songwriter who wrote and sang of “Hard travelin’.” For Russell, the traveling doesn’t seem so hard, and the payoff is palpable. In a time when country artists are often signed to recording contracts without ever having to play a live show, Russell figures knowing what to do onstage can’t hurt. People who do something over and over again either get frustrated or better, and Russell, who has been singing in public since age 7 and on the road since she was 17, is far from frustrated. She’s something more like encouraged. Much of that encouragement came in the wake of Goddess, an album for which she co-wrote all but one song and which was recorded in Oklahoma

City with a band that included session heavyweights Russ Kunkel and David Santos. That album helped her to a “Who New To Watch” designation from the Country Music Association, a DISCovery Award (given to impressive new talent) from Music Row’s Robert K. Oermann and a 3 1/2 star review from Country Weekly’s Chris Neal. Three radio singles found her securing action on Billboard’s “New and Active” chart, on Music Row’s chart and in the Texas music world. Debut video “Should’ve Been Born With Wheels” topped Ya’ll Wire’s chart for more than a month and secured “Top Pick” status at GAC. com. The music was also well-received in Russell’s Sooner State home base. In these post-Guthrie days, Oklahoma has spawned contemporary country stars including Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and Toby Keith. “Judging from Shawna Russell’s promising debut album, Oklahoma likely will be adding another Country superstar to its brag book,” wrote The

Oklahoman’s Brandy McDonnell. Of course, “soon” is relative, and Russell has no expectation that the “luck bus” will appear outside her Oklahoma door and offer an easy ride to stadium act status. Tenacity offers a certain kind of patience, and Russell chooses to write, record and perform - to live the dream rather than dream the life. Anyway, Russell’s family hits the road with her. Father Keith Russell plays lead guitar in her band, while Uncle Tim Russell plays bass and serves as road manager. Keith and Tim also serve as the singer’s chief songwriting partners. (Tim has also

Photo by Cynthia Donati

had success writing with Ty England: Their “Texans Hold ‘Em” topped the Texas Music Chart in 2007.) Drummer Phillip Hager and keyboardist Shaun Alders round out the band, which travels to gigs with Russell in a tour bus that used to belong to Willie Nelson. For her follow-up to Goddess, she wrote or, co-wrote each of the album’s 10 songs, and she traveled to Nashville to record with co-producers Julian King (a Grammy-winning engineer), Clif Doyal and Tim Russell (Doyal her manager/publicist, Tim Russell and Oklahoma businessman, Rick Sellers, are partners in her independent label Way Out West Records). Kunkel and Santos are back, along with a team of top players including Shannon Forrest (the Academy of Country Music’s 2010 drummer of the year), Billy Thomas (Vince Gill), Mike Brignardello (Sugarland) and Bryan Sutton (a multiple winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s top guitarist award). The album’s tones range from uptempo Country Rock to contemplative Americana. “I’m so ready to get new music to people,” she says. “Onward and upward.” You’ve been at this music thing since before you were in high school. When was the first time you realized you were good at it? Probably when I was 13. My dad and I would play an acoustic show at a little restaurant, and we had a little tip jar. At the end of the night, we’d collect our tips and get a free meal. I thought it was amazing that people would sit and listen to me sing, and I figured, “This is a great way to make a living.” It can be a great way to make a living. It can also be exhausting, especially when you’re trying to get something started. The main thing I did was to get out on the road. I knew I wanted to make sure I was in it for the long haul, and

I needed experience in front of crowds. I needed to get calluses on my fingers. For me, it was about the mass quantities of hours. My first year out of high school, at 17, we went out on the road for 78 weeks straight, sometimes playing four or five nights a week, four or five hours a night. So it wasn’t about learning vocal acrobatics or something, it was about connecting with an audience. How do you get 78 weeks of work when people don’t know who you are yet? My Uncle Tim, who is still in my band, did most of the booking. He had been traveling and playing with his own group. But a lot of it was sheer luck. A lot of clubs didn’t want to hire a band with a chick singer. We had to say, “We’ll take a little less this time, and if you like us you can pay us more next time.” We usually passed those tests with flying colors. Were you in a bus, at least? No, it was van travel. But I loved it. I got to see things I wouldn’t have gotten to see otherwise. My dad and uncle were in the band, so they were there to keep an eye on me and make sure everything was okay, and it really wasn’t that hard. The hardest thing for me was getting all my laundry done in

Photo by Melinda Norris

time to pack for the next week of gigs. My dad was a football coach when I was growing up, and we moved a lot, and I grew up with the mentality that you make your home wherever you are. It gave me a good background for what I’m doing now. Were you singing your own songs at that point? I was doing mostly cover songs then. Had I been given a big record deal then, I wouldn’t have known what to do with it. I didn’t know who I was as an artist. But now I know, and I feel like songwriting has been part of the way that I’ve come into my own. It’s been fairly recently that I’ve really gotten into the songwriting

aspect. I got kind of frustrated at publishing companies, having them pitch songs that didn’t fit what I was wanting to say. My dad and uncle and I sat down and they said, “Let’s just write good music that sounds like you and that you will feel passionate about.” We’d sit down at my house, usually, and my dad would have a guitar riff and we’d bat ideas back and forth. And it actually started to come easily, and I co-wrote 12 of the 13 songs on my first album. On this new album, there are some songs that I wrote by myself, and I’m proud of that. You spent three years in Ty England’s band, singing and playing guitar, and when you left that situation you didn’t wait for a major label deal before heading back out on the road, and before recording your debut. A lot of people want a deal in place before they start sticking their neck out. I knew once I left Ty’s band that it was time to go out on my own and stir up some dust. And sometimes you don’t have time to wait on the big record deal. Being with an independent is very fulfilling. When I put an album out, you’ll never hear me say, “I put this great album out and the record label dropped the ball.” I know everyone at the label is striving for the same goal. When your debut album, Goddess, came out in 2008, it was quite well received. Was it nerve-wracking for you to deal with sending it out and having people judge your work? When we first sent them out, we got so many good reviews, but when you get one bad one, it kind of crushes you. But I’ve learned that if you have 25 people say great things, one person’s negative opinion shouldn’t ruin that. With your debut, you recorded in Oklahoma, but most of this new album was cut in Nashville. Why the shift?

We brought a lot of musicians out to Oklahoma City for the debut album, but this time we wanted to go to Nashville, to get a more “Nashville” kind of sound. I think my sound leans more to the Americana side of Country, and that’s a good fit for Nashville. We were lucky enough to have Julian King (the Grammy-winning engineer who has worked with Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and many others) working with us again for this album, and I knew he’d bring out the best in everyone. You’ve also got one of the greatest drummers in popular music history, Russ Kunkel, playing on this, along with a slew of other renowned session players. Does working with people like that make things easier, or can it add to the typical nerves that accompany the recording process? You have an idea in your brain when you write songs, an idea of how you want them to be heard. When you have great musicians, they help you

Photo by Patti Doyal

expand on that and bring it to a higher level, and you bring your A-plus game, because you don’t want to be the weak part of the process. The goal is to make great music. One of the best compliments I’ve received was from Russ Kunkel. We’d finished the first album, and he said, “This can be put in a lot of categories, but I think it’s music for the masses.” I just want people to enjoy it. Oklahoma is a center for what people call “Red Dirt Music,” and a lot of the Red Dirt people view Nashville with suspicion. Certainly, musicians can still make money in nearby Texas selling “Nashville Sucks” coozies. Do you get any flack out there for your Nashville associations? I don’t get into the divisions of it. I know what I have to do to make me happy, and I don’t know that a lot of my songs fit into Red Dirt or Texas. I’d rather be standing where no one else is standing. I don’t mind being a little on the outside of everything, but

On the set of “Wheels” video shoot. Photo by Clif Doyal

I think I can land anywhere. Along with critical praise, your song “Should’ve Been Born With Wheels” landed you a good deal of success in the video realm. Can you build on those successes to find a spot on commercial country radio? I would like to. We’ve had more success with secondary stations than with mainstream, and that’s a good thing. If you can find someone who will stand up and be a cheerleader, others will follow. Mainstream country radio is a tough thing to crack, and I wish I knew the formula. It can be very frustrating. But sometimes the

universe gives you walls so you can find a way to climb over them. That’s what it’s all about for us, now. And I don’t mind being the underdog. I always root for the underdog. What was the album-making process like for you this time? I had recorded three songs in Nashville in early August of 2009, and I wasn’t sure where to go from there. I thought we needed to write more songs. So that’s what we did. By September of this year, we had those songs, and we went to Nashville and brought in these world-class musicians. It was fast and furious in the

studio. We got six songs tracked in a day, and then I came back later in the month and did the vocals. You have to have an idea of how you want things to sound, but you also want the musicians to have a lot of creative freedom. I can leave my ego at the door: These guys have played on so many hit songs - I think they know what works. Your music is influenced by a lot of great pop from the 1970s, and Russ Kunkel was a big part of a lot of that. He’s worked with two of your primary influences, Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt. Did you ask him for stories about those folks’ sessions? I didn’t, because I was already nervous enough to be around Russ. He doesn’t try to be intimidating - he’s a warm and genuine person - but I just admire everything he’s brought to music during a period of time where they were making great music that has spanned generations. I do some Stevie Nicks songs when I perform live, and people from 16 to 65 know every word. I want to have a small piece of that with the things I’m creating. Will this new thing you’ve created, this new album, mean changes for you in 2011? You never know what will happen, but the plan is to do what I’ve been doing, which is to keep working. We’re playing 115 dates a year, and we’re not afraid of hard work. We’re out of the van now, and traveling in one of Willie Nelson’s old buses. It’s real comfortable and has a good vibe, and it’s like a second home. I feel like we’ve come a long way, and it’s special that I’ve been able to accomplish some things in a short amount of time. Sometimes it goes by so fast that you have a hard time seeing every moment for what it’s worth. But anything good that happens for me will be because of my tenacity, and the tenacity of my great team. But things are already good: Success is making music and doing what I love for a living.

Tammy Genovese President, The Country Network, Nashville

By: Clif Doyal

ammy Genovese has spent her entire career working to promote Country mu-

sic, and in the process has redefined

the playing field for women in the music industry. From her former executive roles at the Country Music Association where she was the organization’s first Chief Operating Officer, and ultimately CEO - to her present position as the President of The Country Network, Genovese has hit the lofty professional heights that few women - or men for that matter - have achieved in the music business. As one of Country music’s most influential executives, Genovese has witnessed first-hand the evolution of the Country music industry, from the birth of the nontraditional Country music movement, to its online delivery.

During her 24 year tenure at the Country Music Association (CMA), Genovese held several roles at the company. She joined the staff in 1985 as the Coordinator of Administrative Services and was later upped to Director of Administrative Services, Director of Operations and Senior Director of Operations before being named the Associate Executive Director in 1999, where she took on the responsibility

of overseeing the day-to-day operations at CMA. On Jan. 1, 2006, she assumed the top leadership position at CMA, becoming the organization’s first Chief Operating Officer. In November 2007, the CMA Board of Directors adopted a new title for CMA’s COO, naming Genovese CMA Chief Executive Officer. During her time at CMA, Genovese spearheaded some of the industry’s biggest events including

the annual CMA Music Festival and the CMA Award Show. In 2010, Genovese took the helm at The Country Network where she oversees the operations, production, marketing/media of the Nashville-based broadcast company that is dedicated to presenting Country music through the decades and is a major player in promoting Country music through its multi-formatted platform.

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“I think that we provide a niche for the artists and the community that is not currently available.” Originally from Corinth, MS, Genovese received her bachelor’s degree from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville and her MBA from the University of Phoenix graduate program. In 2007, she was named on Nashville’s Forward 50 List, and in June 2009, the Canadian County Music Association presented Genovese with one of its most prestigious honors, the Leonard T. Rambeau International Award. Her additional recognitions and honors include Billboard’s Top Women in Music in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, representing the 20 most influential female executives in the entertainment industry. Also in 2009, she was also honored by the NAPE and awarded for work on behalf of CMA for music education in Davidson County Public schools. Additionally, she was honored by the Oasis Center at the annual Divas Nashvegas fundraiser event for the educational work of CMA. Genovese is an alumnus member of Leadership Nashville and Leadership Music, and is a past member of the Music Community CEO Group, Nashville’s Agenda, NARAS, Canadian Country Music Association, ACM, Society of Association Executives, and the Women’s Fund. She serves on the boards of the Center for Nonprofit Management, The Nashville Sports Council, and the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. Mayor Karl Dean recently appointed her to the newly created Music Business Advisory Council. She is the mother of two children, Nolan and Callie, and spends a lot of time with them as they participate in various athletics, as well as other activities in the community. The Direct Buzz (tDB): Tell us a little about your family and your early upbringing.

Tammy Genovese: I am always excited to talk about it because I feel like a lot of what happened to me in my early life was very instrumental in developing me to be able to do some of the things that I have accomplished. I was born and raised in a small town. My immediate family was me and my brother, but my mother’s family was much bigger and had a farm with catfish, farm animals, a garden, cotton, and soybeans. I truly grew up learning about life and about responsibility; church, family, and important things that we should all consider as priorities in our lives. My grandparents were very hard, hard workers. They made me work hard too and they taught me well. I wouldn’t take anything for it. It was a great experience and I do think that is was a huge part of developing me and helping me really learn how to prioritize. You know, being a working mom, you have family and all other things to consider. And dads do too, but moms tend to take a little it more seriously. So, helping me to develop those priorities was a huge factor in my life. tDB: Tell us how you balance your role as a mother and a career executive. Genovese: I am a divorced parent, but I am very close to my ex-husband and we are much better parents as divorced parents than we were as married parents - and that happens sometimes. But, we have two gorgeous and beautiful children; an 18 year-old son and a 14 year-old daughter. And my life revolves around them and my work. So, I stay very busy. It is a challenge; but I consider it a privilege to be a parent and be a mom. It’s a huge responsibility, but they make me smile and give me a reason to get up every morning.

tDB: What was the first music that you were passionate about? Genovese: My mom’s family was very musically inclined and they were big in the church there in the community. They all traveled around and sang at churches and venues. I learned to play piano at age 5, but I am not a singer! I really grew up in a Southern Gospel styled type of church and I loved the four-part harmony and gospel quartets. But I also grew up listening to Country radio every morning while I was getting ready for school. There was a small-town DJ there named Buddy Bain, and I will never forget him. I will always remember waking up to his show and listening to songs like “Country Bumpkin,” and [artists such as] Ronnie Milsap and Alabama and people in those days that I cut my teeth on. Gospel and Country Music have a lot of similarities in their sound and I was attracted to Country. tDB: How did you get into the music business? Genovese: People find it ironic that this is where I ended up, because when I first moved to Nashville my intention was not to get into the Country music industry. I moved here to be an accountant and auditor for Genesco Shoes - and ended up at the CMA a couple years later. It is interesting how things work; you think you have your life figured out – and then you don’t. But, it all worked out well for me, obviously. tDB: Obviously. What was your first music-related job? Genovese: It was at the CMA.tDB: That was quite a transition that you moved from the shoe business to the CMA. Genovese: I was not having a really fun time being a shoe auditor. I kept thinking, ‘There has got to be more to life than this.’ I had gotten an undergraduate degree in a junior college in Mississippi and after I moved to Nashville I was going to MTSU, working on getting my accounting degree while

I was working as an auditor. And all the while I was feeling like ‘I am really good at this, but this is not really my personality.’ I couldn’t see myself stuck in a room on the computer doing that kind of work for a long time. Genesco was being so respectful and helping me to be able to get my degree and to climb the corporate ladder there - but I was just not having a good time. So, one day I went in to talk with my boss and said ‘Thank you so much for the opportunities that you are offering me, but I want to complete my obligations to the projects that I am working on and move on and do something else.’ He was not happy with me initially, but he respected the fact that I was honest with him. Around that time, an Aunt of mine in Mississippi had a friend in Nashville that had a friend that was working part-time for Jo Walker-Meador, who at the time was the Executive Director of the CMA. There was an office manager type position available, so through my Aunt’s friend recommending me to Jo, she set up an interview for me with Ed Benson, who was the number two at CMA at the time. After he and I spoke, Jo did what she always did with picking talent; she called my high school principal and so many people who had been in my world when I was growing up. She really checked me out! Still to this day, she is one of my best friends and I see her all the time. She is my mentor and I respect her so much for what she did for the CMA, for Country Music and for me. She believed in me and gave me a shot. tDB: Tell us about how it went from there. Genovese: I started out overseeing the accounting. Everything was inhouse at that time. We had one com-

puter person who was called the “data processor.” Remember, this was in 1985, and we had no desk top computers. I will never forget my first event related to an artist that I went to was a #1 party for Alabama. I had the best time! I was so excited! It was so much fun! I thought ‘This is me. I can take what I have learned in accounting and apply it over here. This is where I want to die!’ Ed gave me the chance to move up the ladder. After Jo left, Ed was interviewing men for a new Director of Operations position, and I wanted that job. I think I drove him crazy, but he finally relented and promoted me. Ed was always a mentor to me. He taught me so much about the music industry. Years later, when he became ill and was out of the office for a long time, it was right around the time of the CMA Awards, and all of a sudden I was thrust into all of the interviews and public events that he usually handled. I had to sink or swim. So, I just put my head down, and everything worked out good. After Ed returned, he moved into a strategic role, and I was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and ultimately the CEO. It was a huge step for the CMA and it was fun for me to be the first. I was in that role until December 2009. After nearly 25 years, it felt like it was time for a change and a break. So I left. There was a lot of water under the bridge – all good. But it felt like I was on 24-7, and kinda let myself just get consumed by the job, and really lost sight of who I was and what I was doing. At the end of the day, sometimes you have to get out of that place and really see who you are and revisit yourself, and that is what I really needed to do. I don’t regret it at all. I

never would be able to thank the CMA and all the people there enough who gave me the opportunity. I miss them a lot. I support them and I wish them well. Plus, now I am a member of the CMA and can vote! As an employee, I never got to vote before! I respect that company so much. They are the backbone of the Country music industry as far as setting precedents and providing opportunities and outlets for artists to be exposed. tDB: How did you make the decision to join the team at The Country Network (TCN)? Genovese: Chad Brock, the coowner and co-founder of the network, called me the day I left CMA to inquire about my plans. We discussed the status of TCN, and later on in January 2010 he offered me the job. The more that I listened to his team, and felt their passion, and learned about their business model and the plan that they had, I felt like they were a very dynamic startup company that has a vision. And that vision goes beyond television. Warren Hansen, our co-owner and co-founder, is very tech savvy. He knows what is coming down the road two years from now. I think that is where we will provide a niche for the artists and the community that is not currently available. Chad, with his understanding of Country radio and how that works and putting his part into the business plan, I thought was brilliant. And, I had another opportunity to dive right back in and be a leader in the business community. I couldn’t have just set around for too long! tDB: Talk about the business model at TCN. Genovese: The thing that I love about this company, again, our business model is not just about broadcast

“I really hope that the future of TCN is to be a new model and a huge component of the re-invention of the music industry.”

“I challenge myself everyday to wake up and be a role model for women.” television. It’s about an i-Phone and i-Pad application, its about building a website that is an interactive with the fans and it’s about single-point distribution into bars and restaurants and places where we can expose our music where it is not currently available. We can provide the content that they can then turn around and monetize for themselves. There are so many opportunities to build business with brands like that. We can also help build brands for artists. Our holding company is Artists and Fans Network. And we are that facility that can connect artists and fans in a way that is very unique. We can send fans to the artist’s website or to i-Tunes. tDB: Give us a snapshot of where the company is today. Genovese: TCN recently launched with Sinclair Broadcast Group and we are approaching 24 million homes. We are 24-7 Country music - and we know the fans want that. We have done our research, and we have done our homework. They want to see it. They want to be a part of it. They want to have ownership in it. We are in 25 markets and we will be in another 10 by first-quarter 2011. We are also looking at International plans as well. As far as programming, we keep it very focused on videos and are more “theme-blocks” of time hosted by artists. We are working on a “Top 20” show, and we are also playing brand new acts on our “Breaking Out” show where we can help to brand new artists and give them a buzz. What a better story for us to be able to tell but how we helped break a new artist! We also play the legends who paved the way for the artists of today on our “TCN Legends” series, and we are looking into programming that will help the Alternative Country artists who don’t

have a place on Country radio or other television networks. tDB: What do you hope the future holds for TCN? Genovese: Being a part of something that is very cutting-edge, technology-wise, but being true and being respectful and being partners with this industry; I couldn’t ask for anything more fun, challenging, exciting and innovative. I really hope that the future of TCN is to be a new model and a huge component of the re-invention of the music industry. tDB: You have been named to “Billboard’s Top Women in Music” four times. Do you consider yourself a role model for young women? Genovese: Yes. I challenge myself everyday to wake up and be a role model for women. Executive women are in the minority in any business, not just the music industry. My whole philosophy about getting somewhere is to have a plan. Prepare yourself. You can’t get somewhere by just wanting it; you have to do the work. I had to get my MBA to prove that I wanted to be an executive in this business. Sometimes you have to work a little bit harder. You have to study a little bit more. And put more effort into it. But being prepared when that opportunity arrives and is presented to you - that is what you have to do. If I can somehow convince young women that it’s going to take a little bit more work, and maybe a little more diligence and focus to get you where you need to be, I hope that I can do that. It is a challenge and I don’t take that responsibility lightly. Clif Doyal is a Nashville-based artist manager, publicist, and independent record label manager.

Banking On Creativity Lisa Harless – Sr. Vice President Regions Bank-Nashville, Music Row Branch Imagine a financial organization in Nashville that helps showcase the talents of indie artists, songwriters, and established artists; an organization that - in spite of troubled economic times - continues to be the lead sponsor for the Tin Pan South songwriting festival because they recognize the significance of creative contributions to the Nashville community; an organization who does not judge a creative person for the fact that they are self employed? Imagine also that within the same financial organization there was a toplevel executive with not only 25 years of music industry knowledge and connections that she is willing to share with clients, but also 25 years of experience in meeting the unique financial needs of her clients within the full scope of the music industry? Imagine no more and meet Lisa Harless, Sr. Vice President at the Music Row branch of Regions Bank, located at 1600 Division Street, Suite 100, on the Roundabout Plaza. I was fascinated by Harless’s positive energy and passion for music as I listened to her speak about all of the ways in which she meets her clients needs, including quarterly “Rockin’ at Regions” showcases, where up and coming singer/songwriters can display their talents and possibly land a co-writing session, or an appointment with a publisher, as has happened in the past. Let’s face it though, in the past few years banking institutions have not won any popularity contests across America, and Regions is a commercial bank held to lending guidelines. However, as Lisa shows me the designer shirts that she has just picked up for a client, I understand more about why she is highly respected and considered an intricate gear in the

music industry mechanics - both personally and professionally. In addition to looking out for the best interest of an artist or songwriter by working closely with their business manager, or traveling to another city to take in a client’s concert, making sure that she knows all the band members and the dynamics of what is involved in taking their show on the road, Harless works closely with Regions’ sister company, Morgan Keegan, providing an entire team of specialists who can address a client’s entire financial picture and provide sound advice. To say that she joyfully works above and beyond utilizing every resource available to her within the music industry to meet her client’s financial needs - would be an understatement. When asked if she has ever helped a client grow from unknown struggling singer/songwriter to winning “Entertainer of the Year,” she did not breach her client’s confidentiality, but instead just flashed her beautiful smile and answered, “Yes.”

By: Sherry Bach

To learn more about Regions Bank, or to be considered for participation in “Rockin’ at Regions,” please contact Lisa Harless at: lisa.harless@regions.com or 615-748-2122.

lllllll right!!! HAP-PY NEW YEAR!!! I hope you all got what you wanted for Christmas … I know I did (thanks baby)!!! It’s that time when I get the chance to tell you guys first-hand how RIDICULOUS some of these music celebs are. You know I love it!!! Gucci Mane, I thought he was crazy but now even he says it. The ATL based rapper was committed to a mental health facility 24 hours after the news broke he might be goin’ back to the CLINK. GM went to court and filed a “Special Plea of Mental Incompetency” … so lemme get this straight: “Yo yo Honorship, uhhhh I’M CRAZY !!!” He claimed he was “unable to intelligently participate in the probation revocation hearing.” Man, if I knew that was all you had to say I’d have never … well anyway. Gucci has been in and out of the joint since 2008 and if he does do the 17 months the judge wants, he may release his upcoming album The State vs Radric Davis 2: The Verdict ... from Sing Sing...... or rap rap. He won’t be a trailblazer, both T.I and Lil’ Weezy put out chart topping efforts from behind bars … Me? I just wake up in ‘em … gotta get myself together. Nicki Minaj REPORTEDLY has a sex tape circulating! The website www.mediatakeout.com screened the tape and reports it’s being shopped around for $100k. If it is Nicki, then she needs to get in line with this ignorance; lately Kanye West, Rhianna, Cassie and Trina are among others who’ve been on “Candid Camera!” Too bad, she had a huge year in which she appeared on everybody’s projects (I think she’s doing something with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) and her debut Pink Friday has sold over 500,000 units since dropping in Nov 2010! Supposedly… it was

made before she got famous but let this be a lesson: EVERYBODY, QUIT MAKIN’ SEX TAPES!!! Dang Nicki… Damn, jail must be a travel destination ‘cause everybody is goin’ back! DMX is back in for a year after violating probation. The troubled rapper whose Christian name is Earl Simmons was arrested in November for using cocaine during a performance and then not checking in with his P.O and then driving on a suspended license. He’s got more problems than the SAT!!! He turned 40 in December; c’mon Earl… that’s a good album title My Name is DMX! Speaking of Kanye, did anybody see Josh Groban SING Kanye’s tweets on Jimmy Kimmel? HILARIOUS!!! I can’t even write a joke that’s funnier than the actual performance, so go here and see it for yourselves http://www.popeater.com/2011/01/04/joshgroban-kanye-west-tweets/… way to go Josh… you too KW… you’re so vain, you probably think this tweet is about you! Selena Gomez has “Bieber-itis” Evidently photos have surfaced of the two young’uns on a luxury yacht canoodling and doing what famous teenagers do when their parents are out spending their money. Some Bieber fans are not taking too kindly to this union, even posting threatening tweets on Justin’s Twitter. “Roses are red , violets are blue , @selenagomez if you break @justinbieber’s heart I’m gonna kill you!” Another read “If you are the GF of Justin I will kill you I HATE YOU :@!!!” You know what girls, y’all need to GIT IN THE DAMN BED!!! Lay down with that RIDICULOUSNESS!!! Neither has commented on the threats … but I will… LOL !!! I’m Jus’ Sayin.. Ubettagonboutchabizness ....

By: Spanky Brown

Thistle Farms is a social enterprise for women who have survived lives of violence, prostitution and addiction. By hand the women of Thistle Farms make bath and body care products that are as good for the earth as they are for the body. All proceeds benefit the women of Thistle Farms, and Magdalene, the two-year residential program. We believe that love is the most powerful force for change in the world.

To find stores or to purchase online, visit THISTLEFARMS.ORG.

Girl Power Stephanie Quayle Encourages Girls to ‘Be Who You Are’ AirplayDirect.com/StephanieQuayle Along with her strong singing voice clear, sweet and with a touch of twang - Montana-raised Country Americana songwriter Stephanie Quayle has got a message to boot: “Don’t give up. It’s gonna take a lot of hard work, but find out what your dreams are and follow them.” Quayle has been “living the dream,” following her own path to develop as a recording artist, performer and singer-songwriter. By doing this, she’s attracted the notice of some very influential cultural leaders such as Maria Shriver, and has found ways to contribute herself, by inspiring girls and young women to pursue their dreams - by first finding out who they are. Quayle first attended Maria Shriver’s Women’s Conference in 2008, the title of which was “BE WHO YOU ARE”. Quayle says, “ I had never really thought that much about what that meant. What does it mean to be who you truly are?” “I think a big roadblock for a lot young women is trying be something that they’re not. I speak to young girls because I am a girl. And so I’ve been there. I’ve been through it. For a lot of years I tried to be what everyone else wanted me to be. I did try to fit in to what other people thought I should do, or be, or say or think. My message is really about [looking at the questions]: Who are you? What do you like?” There is a scene in the film The Runaway Bride in which Julia Roberts’ character doesn’t know what kind of eggs she likes, because she always “liked” the eggs her boyfriend liked. “Sounds silly,” says Quayle, “But, it’s as simple as knowing what you like, what you want, who you are. If you get this, there’s nothing that can’t be accomplished.”

Quayle will soon take up residence in Nashville, when she’s not on the road with show dates and speaking engagements. “It’s been an extraordinary experience, how my music is affecting lives in a really cool way. There’s the one side of it, which is, of course, you know the charts, and getting on radio, and performing across the country, and getting that awareness that’s so necessary to become a successful singersongwriter recording artist in the industry. But the other side of it that’s been unbelievably gratifying is getting to speak and sing with young girls. Giving back and growing at the same time. That kind of full circle really defines Quayle’s path, and sets her apart from the myriad of singer-songwriters struggling to make an impact. But there is another part to her message, which is, “You have to believe in yourself so much and be unwilling to quit. I’m very committed to conveying what kind of work ethic it takes, no matter what your

By: Jessica Stiles

dream is. From the amount of hours you’re going to have to put into it - to how you are going to deal with major rejection and keep fighting for yourself and keep believing in yourself. That gets very tenuous and it’s a straining thing to always be your biggest fan, but you have to. That’s another thing I bring up; the only one who can quit at the end of the day is you. Everybody can tell you to quit, but the only person who can pull the trigger...and go ‘OK - I quit’ is you. You see so much about celebrity, and Insta-Fame, but the real dream of doing what you love comes when you put the work in and you enjoy it. Whether you are a physician, a songwriter, a recording artist, whatever it is - you’re still going to have to do the work.” Jessica Stiles is a Nashville-based writer and singer. Her music is available on iTunes, Amazon and through AirPlay Direct.

LET THE FOG ROLL IN. We are Music Fog, and we want to shoot you. Why? Because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen how video can help musicians build audiences, connect with their fans, book gigs, get noticed, and much more. Give your fans something to share on Facebook and Youtube. Let them get up-close and personal with you in the studio, on the road, or anywhere you can imagine. We are a mobile production company specializing in custom on-location audio and video recording for electronic press kits, music videos, DVDs, or the web. We do it all from start to finish, delivered with creativity and a personal touch. Plus, readers of the Direct Buzz get a 10% discount on our services! Learn more at http://musicfog.com/production-apd .

FEATURED ARTISTS ARE PAID ADVERTISERS FROM THE AIRPLAY DIRECT COMMUNITY

Dolly Parton Country / Crossover Dolly Parton is an internationally renowned superstar. She has contributed countless treasures to the world of music entertainment. Dolly is considered to be the most successful female Country music artist. She has released 42 top-10 Country albums and earned 25 number-one singles. She has won countless other awards and recently released a 2-disc DVD/CD set Dolly: Live From London. --------------------------------------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/DollyParton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olga Stankevich Electronic / Instr. Pop

Koko Taylor Blues

The Pretenders Rock

Olga Stankevich is a Russian pianoPop sensation who has been making waves on the Moscow music circuit. Olga’s music explores exciting new musical territory by taking classical and dance influences and reinventing them for a 21st century Pop music audience.

Koko Taylor is the undisputed queen of the Blues. Over the course of her 40plus-year career until her death in 2009, Taylor received every award the Blues world has to offer.

The Pretenders have sold millions of albums and have solidified their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They have released, Pretenders: Live in London.

Olga’s virtuoso playing, which she refined at St Petersburg’s prestigious music college, shines through on every haunting piano note. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/OlgastanKevich --------------------------------------------

Through amazing talent, hard work and perseverance Taylor moved from humble beginnings on a sharecroppers’ farm near Memphis to her status as one of the greatest voices that the Blues has ever produced. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/KokoTaylor --------------------------------------------

It is an electrifying performance that captures the legendary band’s energy at its purest form. No musical overdubs have been made and no crowd noises have been altered. This release is an honest reproduction of that moment in time. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/PretendersLive.... --------------------------------------------

JANUARY 2011 FEATURED ARTISTS

Susan Boyle A.C. / Easy Listening Susan Boyle is a shy and devout Christian from a tiny Scottish estate with an incredible voice.

Winfield’s Locket Country / Country Rock

Winter Wallace Alt. Rock / Indie

She was schooled in singing in churches and choral societies. She was the most unlikely chorister in a sea of voices who stepped out of line and put her head above the parapet to be noticed. Her debut album I Dreamed A Dream has cut a hotline into the International palette. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/SusanBoyle --------------------------------------------

Winfield’s Locket recently emerged from the studio with their self-titled debut CD. Produced by Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist/producer Ilya Toshinskiy, Winfield’s Locket and Jason Henke, it features 12 songs cowritten by the talented duo. Leslie and Brooke Martin are sisters and close friends. On an entirely different level, they are magical musical collaborators – versatile composers, vocalists, musicians and producers – who compliment each other well. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/WinfieldsLocket --------------------------------------------

Wallace creates an experience that is grand in scope and powerful in presentation. The band has just released its first full-length album, Holiday. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/WinterWallace --------------------------------------------

Xymphoni R&B / Blues / Soul

Janita Alternative / Soul / Rock

Mary Chapin Carpenter Folk / Adult Contemporary

Confidence and pure soulfulness make Xymphoni one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s hottest rising stars. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Xymphoni began singing and performing at the age 7. She has worked with some of the hardest working Blues and R & B bands in the Bay Area. Xymphoni has developed such a unique style that she uses to engage her audience with conviction and unquestionable soulfulness. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/Xymphoni --------------------------------------------

Before moving to Brooklyn, NY at age seventeen, Janita was already a superstar in her native Finland. She was a national icon and a premiere recording artist. Her latest album, Haunted, embodies the journey of an artist focused not on the ghosts of her past, but on the possibilities of her future. A future of hope and promise and she invites her listeners to join her. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/ElizabethMont... --------------------------------------------

Winter Wallace and her band is a collaborative effort of four men building on melodies of one woman. Her music blends beautiful and intricate arrangements with muscular rhythms.

Mary Chapin Carpenter is a beloved Folk, Adult Contemporary artist from Virginia. Her latest album, The Age of Miracles, is a personal exploration of regret and resilience as well as an expression of wonder at the times that we are living in. The album references the idea that we live in an age of miracles when we can still believe that they are possible. -------------------------------------------Listen here: AirPlayDirect.com/MaryChapin... --------------------------------------------

he Direct Buzz offers reviews by a team of professional music critics. Any AirPlay Direct artist or label interested in being considered for a review, should contact us. Choose three songs from your DPK, and we’ll give you our opinion of them. We can’t guarantee a rave review, but we can assure you that it will be honest and constructive. We will try to honor all requests, but it might take a while. As such, your patience is appreciated.

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals

Rosanne Cash

Janiva Magness

The List

The Devil is an Angel Too

AirPlayDirect.com/GracePotter

AirPlayDirect.com/RosanneCash

AirPlayDirect.com/JanivaMagness/

If you love great rock ‘n’ roll, take solace. It is still alive and well with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. And they carry the mantle in style; with equal parts swagger, sexy attitude and raw talent. Grace and the gang hit new artistic heights with the release of their self-titled album in 2010. This event set the wheels in motion for the band to grab the brass ring that would take them to another level. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Rock Albums chart, and rocketed Potter and crew onto VHI, Letterman and more. The album was produced by Mark Batson (Dr. Dre, Eminem, Jay-Z, Dave Matthews Band), who also co-wrote six of the thirteen songs with Potter. It introduces the band’s new five-piece configuration, in which Potter, lead guitarist Scott Tournet and drummer Matt Burr are joined by new members, bassist Catherine Popper, and rhythm guitarist Benny Yurco. With the smoking, hard rocking sexuality of songs like “Paris (Ooh La La)” and “Medicine” to the melancholy optimism of “Tiny Light” and the heart-tugging symbolism of the ballad, “Colors,” Grace Potter & the Nocturnals have reconfirmed that if you make great music, it will rise to the top. A must-have. Clif Doyal

Album of the Year at the 2010 Americana Music Awards, The List is a homecoming of sorts for Roseanne Cash. Her father wrote out a list when she was 18, of 100 great American songs that she should know when she was starting out as a songwriter. Scholar Harold Bloom once wrote a book called The Anxiety of Influence, which is about the poetic tradition but could well have been about songwriting. It describes the predicament of the poet, who struggles to define his or herself as an individual but who can’t help but ride on the coattails of those whom have come before; Denying that influence is perhaps a sign of immaturity, and ends up defining one negatively - instead of allowing one to be a true original. By accepting the mantle of her father, Johnny Cash’s legacy, in covering these songs from the American lexicon, Roseanne Cash signals her maturity as an artist who can interpret and make her own, without protesting the obvious influence Johnny Cash has had on her as a fellow artist and father. The sparse yet textured production and arrangements by John Leventhal, along with Ms. Cash’s fairly modern vocal accessibility gives the album an Americana flavor, which is nuanced by all the history of these songs themselves. Jessica Stiles

Janiva Magness is a talented vocalist and Blues artists who was born in Detroit. Her soulful voice, which has been compared to Bonnie Raitt and legendary Blues artist, Koko Taylor, resonates over tracks with an intense emotional depth. Her hypnotic tunes are bluesy with some Memphis soul and R&B as well. On her latest album, The Devil is an Angel Too, she continues to push the boundaries of her talents. The 12 tracks on this album explore the contrasting factors between good and evil. Many of her songs hold a rather sinister, but yet captivating vibe. The first track on the album, which holds the same name as the album, is a powerful track that takes full advantage of Magness’s intense vocal prowess. The big sounds from her music mainly come from Magness’s vocals rather than orchestral arrangements. The twanging guitar rhythms, elegant fretwork and interesting percussion techniques on the album are very impressive as well. With songs like “I’m Feeling Good,” which slinks by like a hip-swaying temptress and ends with Magness belting out the lyrics with an unequivocal emotional intensity, it is no wonder she was awarded the Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year in 2009. She is only the second woman to win this award. Stephanie Konarski

Quick Tips

By: Ariel Hyatt

Setting Goals

ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:

Before you dive into the full nineweek program of getting into action and learning new things detailed in my book, Music Success in Nine Weeks, I want to help put you in the right frame of mind to tackle it all. This portion of the book, “Setting Goals,” is supposed to be fun and creative. WEEK 1: GETTING MENTALLY PREPARED Do not look at this like an assignment – think of it as creatively as you can, like writing a song. Make sure you have a notebook available where you can keep all of your notes. I suggest writing these exercises out by hand; however, if you take notes on a computer, create a separate folder so you can refer to them later. SETTING GOALS Starting this program with a clear set of goals is an empowering way to set the stage for your success. This section will assist you in creating a personal roadmap for achieving your goals in your musical career, whether music is your hobby or your full-time living. An Astounding Fact: Only three percent of all people have their long-term

1. A blank notebook / your diary / journal. (If you don’t goals writhave one on hand right this moment it’s OK – buy one ten down, ASAP.) and it has been proven 2. Several pieces (10 – 12) of blank paper. that by sim3. Colored pens, crayons, or watercolors. ply writing down your 4. An inspiring place - your studio, home, a coffee shop etc. goals you are much checked something off the list when more likely I completed it. Just by writing out, to achieve them. I Repeat—Just By measuring my goals, and continuCompleting This Exercise You Are ously keeping them in front of me, I MUCH More Likely to Achieve made them happen! Your Goals. Dr. Edward Banfield of Harvard University concluded, after more than 50 years of research, GOAL ACHIEVING TIP # 1: that long-term perspective is the THIS IS A GAME; YOU CAN most accurate single predictor of CHANGE THE RULES AS YOU upward social and economic mobilGO ity in America. It is more important Goals are not written in stone and than family background, education, they are not the word of the Alrace, intelligence, and connections mighty. They should be looked at as in determining your success in life beacons and guiding points to help and work. keep you on track along your journey. While I would not recommend And IT WORKS! Goal setting is changing your goals every week, the most powerful thing I did for the music industry is changing so myself last year. In January, I wrote rapidly it’s hard to know what goals down what I wanted to achieve are reachable in this landscape. So if for the year, both personally and in the course of the year your goals for my business. Every month I change, it’s okay to cross one off, wrote down what I had achieved, or modify another, or start the game

again and write new ones down as you go. GOAL ACHIEVING TIP #2: DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP! Implementing these goals freely will take a whole year, so be patient. You will have days where you may get frustrated, and you will start to beat yourself up. This is something I see a lot of my musicians do. One client I represent will play an amazing set, get offstage, and all of a sudden start ripping into himself saying it sucked, or the sound was awful, or he couldn’t hear himself, or he screwed up the entire second verse. Sound familiar? This kind of self-criticism will interfere directly with achieving your goals and dreams. So, the next time you are making yourself wrong for the bad note you hit or the drummer who was late to rehearsal... take a step back and try to take a moment to acknowledge the good, and even – gasp! – celebrate the wins. GOAL ACHIEVING TIP #3: FIVE SUCCESSES EACH DAY I’m inviting you to write down five little victories a day not only for the coming nine weeks but for an entire year, starting right now. *Excerpted from the book, Music Success in Nine Weeks. © 2009 Ariel Hyatt. Used by permission.

Please visit musicsuccessinnineweeks.com and use the promo code: AIRPLAY to get an exclusive $5 off/free shipping offer on Ariel Hyatt’s Music Success in Nine Weeks compliments of Ariel Hyatt and AirPlay Direct.

MUSIC COMMUNITY GATHERS TO SUPPORT THE GRASCALS & DOLLY PARTON IN RAISING AWARENESS FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER In a rare occasion of combined efforts, Nashville’s music community is gathering in support of “I AM STRONG,” a song drawing awareness to the childhood cancer epidemic. Two versions of “I AM STRONG” have been recorded. Version 1 includes award-winning, Grammynominated group, The Grascals, with special guest Dolly Parton. Version 2 includes The Grascals, Dolly Parton, Randy Owen, Joe Nichols, Darryl Worley, Terri Clark, Charlie Daniels, Tom T. Hall, The Oak Ridge Boys and Steven Seagal. The music video for “I AM STRONG” was directed by cancer survivor David Corlew of d. corlew films and is already gaining much notoriety at AOL.com, TheBoot.com and Yahoo.com. Clear Channel Digital and Citadel Digital are hosting the video on the homepage of all their country radio station websites.” Steve Baker of Visual Image Marketing is handling promotion of the video to video outlets both online and broadcast. About “I AM STRONG” and its origin: “I AM STRONG,” was written by

Grascals’ band member Jamie Johnson and his wife Susanne Mumpower-Johnson along with Jenee Fleenor after The Grascals visited the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® in Memphis and were inspired by the stories and power of the children being treated there. “I AM STRONG” is powerful in its message and artistic vision and brings together vocals from all of the artists who also appear separately with The Grascals on other tracks on this CD. In honor of the children and this song, Cracker Barrel is donating a percentage of the proceeds from this CD to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The album, The Grascals & Friends - Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin, has 13 country music songs on it that you have probably heard before, but most likely not like this. The Grascals bring their own bluegrass style to the tunes and bring the different tracks to life with eight of their friends, including Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels and Dolly Parton. The Grascals & Friends - Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin is available exclusively at all Cracker Barrel locations.

Emmylou Harris Dogs’ Best Friend By: Clif Doyal Twelve-time GRAMMY ® winner, Emmylou Harris is an American icon and musical institution. Since arriving on the scene in 1975, Harris has cut a swath across the musical landscapes of Country, Alternative Rock and Americana. Along the way, she has achieved what few performers ever obtain, regardless of gender: long-term success and continued relevance in the marketplace. In a fickle, flavor-of-the moment music industry that leans more toward fluff and razzle-dazzle than depth and true artistic integrity, Harris is a shining beacon of hope for artists who aspire to follow in her path. While her commitment to music has always been the driving force in her life, her love for animals also brings her great personal happiness. A longtime pet owner, Harris is the founder of Bonaparte’s Retreat, a Nashville-based charity whose mission statement is “dedicated to providing nurturing foster care for shelter dogs when their allotted time at the shelter has elapsed; to prevent these wonderful animals from being euthanized and to find them permanent, loving homes.” Bonaparte’s Retreat was created to rescue dogs that are unadoptable from Nashville Humane Association. It has evolved into rescuing dogs who have run out of time at Metro Nashville Animal Control. The series of events that led to Harris forming the Bonaparte’s Retreat organization started when she lost her own beloved pet, as Harris recalled in an

Emmylou Harris & Penny (Photo by Carla Ciuffo)

exclusive interview recently with the Direct Buzz. “I had a poodle-mix dog named Bonaparte. He was a year-old when I rescued him from the Nashville Humane Association. He turned out to be my traveling companion, and for over a decade he accompanied me on my tour bus to every state in the lower 48, and even to Alaska. He was my traveling buddy, and my sleeping buddy. He died of lung cancer the day that he was diagnosed and I was sad and grieving for a long time.” “One day, I watched a television program about a woman who had set up an animal rescue program on her property and it made me realize that I could use my huge backyard to help foster for Nashville Humane, which is a nokill shelter,” Harris says. In 2004, she officially opened Bonaparte’s Retreat. After a time, the charity also started working with Metro Nashville Animal Control to try to help find homes and foster care for the many dogs that come thru the facility. “There are so many

dogs that come into the system, and like many similar city-run programs across the country, they can only stay so long before they are euthanized,” Harris states. “We pay Metro to adopt their dogs. We take care of all adoption fees, including spaying and shots. Then it becomes our responsibility to find them a home.” “We are a 5013c. It is an expensive operation with the salaries, the vet bills and everything. And, while I can take care of a lot of it, my accountant tells me that I can’t shoulder all of it! I have a love for animals, I do have the means to do it and it gives me so much satisfaction,” Harris explains. “But I don’t do this alone. Kate Derr, who runs the day-to-day operation for us, is a wonderful person. She is really the one who makes everything happen and keeps it all going. Sometimes we have 20 dogs up for adoption and we can only keep six dogs here at the retreat. Camp Bow Wow is also a great partner for us. It is a 24-7 dog care facility. The younger

“The music has always been a blessing for me. But I do love to be able to help animals.”

Santa, Emmylou Harris & Penny (Photo by Clif Doyal)

dogs do well at the camp. They have been a remarkable partner for us. The more fosters that we have, the more dogs that we can help,” she says. “We really need more people to foster for us. We take care of all of the expenses when the foster takes the animal, including food, vet bills and other expenses. We ask for the foster’s to give their time, space and love to the dogs. And we take care of everything else. It is really a time extension, until they can find a permanent home. But donations are also greatly appreciated,” she adds. Public events and outings for the dogs and fosters also help to raise public awareness for the charity. At the recent “Miracle on Music Row”

holiday pet adoption event, supporters of Bonaparte’s Retreat, including fosters, music industry professionals, celebrities and friends of Harris gathered at Corroboree Spa in the heart of the music business district to share in the fellowship and their common love for the animals. To fend off the chill of the cold December air that morning, folks warmed themselves with cups of hot chocolate and coffee and munched on cookies, while the dogs checked out other dogs and wolfed down holiday treats prepared just for them. Afterward, Harris, joined by Santa Claus and a driver, led the group around the neighborhood for the “Music Row Dog Parade” which she hopes will become an annual

event. The casual assemblage had the sort of relaxed feel that seemed more like the gathering of old friends united in a common cause. As the parade got underway, longtime Harris collaborator and old friend, Rodney Crowell, shouted out to Harris, “Emmy, next year it will be the Rose Bowl!” which drew a laugh from everyone within ear shot. Afterward, the pets and fosters had the opportunity to take their pictures with Santa. According to Harris, over $2,000 was raised from donations and a silent auction that day. Meanwhile, Harris keeps up her busy touring schedule. She performed at the Opry on New Year’s Eve before leaving for Australia for a run of several dates in early January. She also has a new album slated for release in April on Nonesuch Records. “I have a wonderful fan base that has been loyal to me since 1975,” she says. “I would not be able to do what I do with Bonaparte’s Retreat if it were not for my fans! The music has always been a blessing for me. But I do love to be able to help animals. If I can make people aware of the need and help save these beautiful animals, that brings me great joy.”

What you can do to help: For information on being a foster parent, please contact kate@emmylou.net or call 615.484.5193. Visit Bonaparte’s Retreat online: EmmLou.net/br.html Visit us on Facebook here.

Leslie Rouffe, Taco & Emmylou Harris (Photo by Clif Doyal)

Punmaster’s MusicWire THE HARDEST WORKING NEWSLETTER IN SHOW BUSINESS

DECEMBER 2010 HI-LITES If you dig the MusicWire, tell 40 or 50 of your closest friends! UNHEARD JOHNNY CASH DEMOS ON NEW SET Some previously unreleased Johnny Cash demos and outtakes will be out next month. The tracks will be part of a new compilation album called Bootlegs 2: From Memphis to Hollywood. The two-disc set boasts 11 demos and seven outtakes from the late-singer’s time at Sun Records. It will also feature non-album singles and B-sides from his tenure at Columbia Records from 1958 to 1969. Bootlegs 2 is due out on February 22nd. LENNON’S ABBEY ROAD SUIT SELLS FOR 46-GRAND The white suit John Lennon wore on the cover of The Beatles’ Abbey Road album sold this weekend for 46-thousand dollars at an auction in Connecticut. According to the Associated Press, the winning bidder wished to remain anonymous. Meanwhile, a Connecticut man paid 55-hundred bucks for the rusted green 1972 Chrysler station wagon Lennon and Yoko Ono once owned. ‘BAKER STREET’ SINGER GERRY RAFFERTY DEAD AT 63 Scottish songwriter also wrote “Stuck in the Middle With You” in 1972. Click here for a video. TODD RUNDGREN REFORMS UTOPIA FOR BENEFIT Todd Rundgren has reformed Utopia to play a gig at the Highline Ballroom in the New York on January 29. The band will feature Rundgren on guitar with the 1974 line-up of Moogy Klingman (keys), Kevin Elfman (drums), Ralph Schuckett (keys) and John Siegler (bass). This was the lineup that recorded the Utopia debut album ‘Todd Rundgren’s Utopia.’ Money raised on the night will go towards Moogy’s escalating health costs. Klingman has been battling cancer for some time and is fighting what he calls his “health battle.” “I have found that the best medicine that I take to deal with illness is music,” he says in posting at his website. “To play music and work with other musicians, is the most healing thing that I can do. So I plan to be performing at my benefit and healing the audience while the audience heals me.” Rundgren put Utopia together as a prog-rock band after noticing the impact of acts like Genesis, Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

By David Gross ARETHA FRANKLIN SAYS HER MEDICAL PROBLEMS ARE RESOLVED Aretha Franklin has tried to alleviate the public’s concerns about her recent health. In an interview with Jet magazine she said she’s “feeling great” and that her surgery was “successful.” The private Franklin has still not gone into any detail on the nature of the illness and has not confirmed or denied reports that she is suffering from pancreatic cancer. She said, “I am not one to do a lot of talking about my personal health or business. I don’t have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors. The problem has been resolved.” A few more details on the road that took her to her current condition were revealed. She said that during a concert in Toronto last year, she felt a hard pain in her side and thought it might have been the result of a recent medical procedure she had. “I got up at 2 o’clock in the morning and called the doctor who did the colonoscopy and told him what was happening. He said, ‘Miss Franklin, whatever it is, it is not from the colonoscopy. You need to come home and have a CAT-scan.’ Thank God he said that because that unfolded everything, what the problem was and everything.” Aretha has cancelled all concerts through the middle of the year to recuperate. FANS AND RESCUED MINER CELEBRATES ELVIS’ 76TH BIRTHDAY MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Hundreds of Elvis Presley fans, including Chilean miner Edison Pena, gathered at Graceland to sing “Happy Birthday” on the late rock n’ roll icon’s 76th birthday. Pena, the guest of honor at Elvis’ birthday party, cut into a 4-foot high cake fashioned to look like stacked television sets as fans cheered both the singer and the miner outside Elvis’ longtime Memphis home. An avid Elvis fan, Pena has been on a whirlwind tour of Memphis, getting a private tour of Graceland, attending a Memphis Grizzlies NBA game and leading the walking of the ducks at the Peabody Hotel. Pena and 32 other miners spent 69 days trapped underground after a mine collapse in Chile. Pena sang Elvis songs to lift the morale of his friends before their rescue in October. He speaks little English — except for the words of Elvis tunes — and has been using

a translator. “It’s a pleasure to be here, with so many beautiful people,” Pena said in Spanish. “I never thought I would survive, and escape my trap. This is a gift from God. Viva Elvis. Viva Memphis.” Then, he uttered two newly learned words in English of the Southern variety: “Hey y’all.” That drew loud laughter from the crowd. “ALVIN AND CHIPMUNKS” OWNER SUING EMI FOR ROYALTIES LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Those adorable, annoying, uber-litigious Chipmunks are at it again. Bagdasarian Prods, owner of the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” franchise, is suing EMI Music for allegedly failing to pay appropriate royalties on a boxed set of Chipmunks music featuring 24 songs. The Chipmunks were created in 1958 by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., and became an instant success -- perhaps the best-selling gimmick in entertainment history. By taking his own voice and speeding it up to a high pitch, Bagdasarian was able to create several chart-toppers, grabbing a Grammy nomination for record of the year for “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late),” as well as Grammy wins for engineering. The novelty was later translated into animated TV shows, hit feature films and, coming later this year, Chipmunks in 3D. The franchise now resides with Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. In a complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court in California, Bagdasarian demands damages for breach of contract and copyright infringement. Considering that 24 songs are alleged to be infringed, each possibly subject to statutory damages of up to $150,000, that’s potentially $3.6 million over songs including “America the Beautiful,” “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and “On Top of Old Smokey.” The terms of the mechanical license allegedly require EMI to pay Bagdasarian about 9 cents per musical composition reproduced or distributed whether or not sold, or 1.75 cents per minute of playing time for each musical composition. Bagdasarian says that a recent audit conducted revealed that EMI owed royalties. A spokesperson from EMI wasn’t available immediately to respond.

“done something terribly right - or they’ve done something terribly wrong.” Learn more at NME.com. SLASH TALKS ABOUT STEVEN TYLER ON IDOL The new season of American Idol premieres on January 19th and it’ll see Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler as a judge. There’s been mixed reactions from the music community about the rocker taking the job on the show. So what does Slash think of it? He filled us in. “You know, I love Steven to death but I was shocked and I haven’t spoken to any of the Aerosmith guys since that went down so I have no idea where they’re at but I just know they’ve been trying to make a record. There’s just been so much crap in that camp for so long, between them, between Steven and [guitarist] Joe [Perry] and Steven and the whole rest of the band, so I feel sort of bad for them. It’s sort of taken a big chunk out of what I would call rock and roll and displaced it in a way that I can’t describe.” Fans will soon be able to see how Steven does as a judge. American Idol season ten kicks off on January 19th on FOX. GEORGE MARTIN ON WORKING WITH THE BEATLES George Martin celebrates 85th birthday. The legendary producer is best known for his work with The Beatles. Here he is reflecting on his time working with the Fab Four. “There are lots of giggles we had, lots of fun we had. The Beatles were great people to work with in the studio. I mean, obviously, we had our problems and wrangles and frustrations but listening to those recordings again, I am amazed at the quality of them, particularly, the quality of the songs.” PUNMASTER’S VIDEO PICKS George Barnes – Acetate (Damn this is cool despite the audio limitations!) B.B. King & Bonnie Raitt - Night Life **************************************************

ROGER WATERS’ THE WALL SHOW COMING TO DVD? Roger Waters will take his The Wall show to London’s O2 Arena in May, but if you can’t make it overseas to see it live, you might be in luck. A notice on the Pink Floyd man’s website says all six shows at the venue will be filmed, which has many thinking a live DVD of the concerts will come out. No official confirmation of a DVD has been made but you can stay up to date at RogerWaters.com. David Gilmour is set to play “Comfortably Numb” with Waters at select shows during Roger’s tour overseas. ANNIE LENNOX IS HONORED Annie Lennox is being honored for her work in the fight against AIDS. According to BBC News, the former Eurythmics singer has been named to the Queen’s New Year’s Honors List, and Annie joked about being recognized, saying that she’s either

A Trusted Source In Music News Since 1873 FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MUSICWIRE HERE. LIVE ON THE AIRWAVES - THE ROCKABILLY ROADHOUSE WITH BIG DAVE FOR BIG FUN, LISTEN TO “THE ROCKABILLY ROADHOUSE WITH BIG DAVE”.... FRIDAY NIGHTS from 8pm10pm (pst) and SATURDAY MORNINGS from 9am-11am (pst) for TWO BIG HOURS of amped-up, high-octane roots music....guaranteed to kick start your weekend! STREAM IT LIVE at http://www.krsh.com Tell 40 or 50 of your closest friends! Select podcasts available here. It’s time to get down to the Main Gazane!

The Art of Food Takes Center Stage

By: Clif Doyal

Rachael Paul - General Manager, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Nashville Rachael Paul had no idea how much her experience in acting and the theatre would help her in her career present role as General Manager of Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant in Nashville. Yet, every day she sets the stage where people come together to enjoy the moments of their lives over a great meal - and the biggest stars in music and entertainment gather to celebrate their latest accomplishments. Under Paul’s watchful eye, diners are ushered into an elegant setting, where music sets the mood, and staff members take care of every need, while the guests savor and enjoy the robust flavors of the sumptuous Italian food that is handcrafted from scratch by the team of talented, professional chefs. Paul, originally from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, comes from a blue-collar, steel mill family, and claims that her strong work ethic comes from her father, and her mother is responsible for her artistic nature. After moving to Nashville in 1999, Paul studied theater at Austin Peay State University. She performed locally with the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, and contributed to The Rep as the company manager. Her love of theater took her to New York City, where she continued her studies and worked in the hospitality industry to make ends meet. After six months of working as a hostess for the accomplished restaurateur Shelley Fireman, she was offered a management position. She then realized her true passion: leadership. In 2006, she moved back to Nashville after a marriage proposal from Henry Paul, founding member of the musical groups, The Outlaws and Blackhawk. With Brinker-owned Maggiano’s since 2006, it is noteworthy that, at twenty nine,

she is one of only five female GM’s in the company. “I really do miss acting, and I love it,” says Paul. “But a lot of what I do here at the restaurant relates. We put on a show here every day. This is about taking care of people and giving them a great experience. I still use my skills quite a bit in my role. Also, in coaching and developing and knowing what makes people tick. It’s amazing how the two are related because leadership is so much about figuring how to get the best out of people, and understanding what motivates them, and their background. The same way you would do a character sketch if you were preparing for a role. You would think about what motivates them to say what they say, or do what they do. So, I use a lot of the things that I learned in my theater career in my current role here at the restaurant.” Among the classic appointments at Maggiano’s, one can’t help but notice the autographed photos from celebrities that grace the walls. The restaurant also supports organizations such as Tin Pan South, NSAI, and the Country Music Marathon, and Paul continually strives to be an active and positive presence in the community. “We have built a five-year relationship with the music and entertainment industry in Nashville. We want professionals to be proud to meet their clients here for

lunch or dinner. We recently hosted one of Taylor Swift’s events. We also cater to the Tennessee Titans after every home game and have renewed our contract for next season. But, we want people to come here and feel at home - whether they are in the music and entertainment business or not.” Visit http://www.maggianos.com for menu, delivery, carry-out and banquet facilities information.

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Alan Jackson Sells Out 2011 Australian Tour Dates in Minutes As Alan Jackson himself put it when asked about his first ever tour of Australia, “I’m a Southern man, and that’s about as far South as we can go. Let’s do it!” So began the frenzied rush for tickets that resulted in the fastest selling international Country show in Australian history. With the exception of his CMC Rocks the Hunter date on March 6, all of Jackson’s shows sold out in a little under an hour. The demand was so great, in fact, that promoters Rob Potts and Michael Chugg organized a sixth show for the American Country superstar. “We’re over the moon. We told Alan the Aussie fans would go crazy for him, and now he knows it’s true,” said Potts, of Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, pictured right with Jackson. “I guess no matter how famous you are, it’s hard to imagine just how big you are in a country so far away.” Jackson makes his Down Under debut March 4 in Melbourne, with additional shows at CMC Rocks the Hunter in Hunter Valley (March 6), Sydney (March 7) and three nights in Brisbane March 10-12. Australia’s Jasmine Rae and CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert will accompany Jackson on the tour. In the last few years, Australia has hosted some of the biggest names in American Country music to great success: Brooks & Dunn, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Sugarland and Dierks Bentley, among others. With 34 No. 1 hits to his credit, Jackson is one of the biggest yet, says promoter Michael Chugg, of Chugg Entertainment. “[The shows] just keep getting bigger. The fans have turned out in amazing numbers, making these tours hugely successful and paving the way for us to bring bigger and bigger names like Alan,” Chugg said.

Taylor Swift Prepares For Worldwide ‘Speak Now’ Tour Apparently the wildly successful 15-month, 107-date FEARLESS tour that took Taylor Swift across five countries and 88 cities simply wasn’t enough to satisfy her rabid global fan base. Lucky for them, in February the blonde superstar will launch the TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011. Swift has managed to expand on her 2009-2010 tour schedule with even more international dates in 2011, visiting 19 countries on four different continents. The worldwide trek begins Feb. 9 in Singapore, with shows throughout Asia and Europe, including S. Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Belgium, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Ireland, the UK and more. Swift’s North American tour kicks off on May 27 in Omaha, Nebraska, but ventures back overseas later in the year with shows in Australia and New Zealand. For a full list of dates, visit here. “I’m so excited to go back out on tour again in 2011!” says Swift. “The FEARLESS Tour was so much fun and even more unforgettable than I ever imagined, and I can’t wait to get back out and play my new music from Speak Now! The fans have been so amazing, and I’m thrilled to play in new cities around the world and meet even more of my fans in 2011!” Swift’s SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011 is one of the mostanticipated musical experiences of the year for Country music fans, as Taylor’s live show is renowned for her incredibly high-energy theatrical presentation of graphics, sets and visual elements, all conceptualized by Taylor herself. During the course of the show, expect the multitalented singer-songwriter to play a variety of instruments and undergo multiple wardrobe changes. Each performance includes numerous hits from her three Big Machine Records albums, including the chart-topping “Mine,” “Love Story,” “You Belong With Me,” “Our Song” and “Fifteen.” Taylor Swift photos by Joseph Anthony Baker, courtesy of Big Machine Records.

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Nominees For 2011 Country Music Awards of Australia Announced The city of Tamworth is once again gearing up for Australia’s biggest night of Country music the 39th annual Jayco Country Music Awards of Australia. Held on Saturday, January 22, the awards are the crowning jewel during the weeklong festivities at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. The festival runs the preceding week from Jan. 14 - 23. Leading the award nominees this year is Kasey Chambers (pictured right). Her 2010 release, Little Bird, earned the singer-songwriter a total of seven CMAA nods (Album of the Year; Female Artist of the Year; Single of the Year; Heritage Song of the Year; Video Clip of the Year; APRA Song of the Year; and Vocal Collaboration of the Year for her duet with Kevin Bennett). Lee Kernaghan (pictured below) received six nominations for his Planet Country album (Album of the Year; Male Artist of the Year; Heritage Song of the Year; Single of the Year; APRA Song of the Year; and Video Clip of the Year), and sister trio The McClymonts earned five for their Wrapped Up Good album (Album of the Year; Single of the Year; Group or Duo of the Year; Video Clip of the Year, and Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Adam Harvey). Other notable multi-finalists include Graeme Connors, McAlister Kemp and 2010 Toyota Starmaker winner Luke Austen with four nominations each. 2008 Female Artist of the Year Dianna Corcoran received three nods. This year’s CMAAs are hosted by popular radio personality Ray Hadley and Country artist Beccy Cole. The show is held at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre. Visit www.Country.com.au for more information.

Country Music Awards Recap Around the World The 44th annual CMA Awards, also known as Country music’s biggest night of the year, were held Nov. 10 in Nashville, Tenn. Once again hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood (pictured right), the show delivered some top-notch performances from today’s biggest and brightest stars. The evening’s top awards went to: Brad Paisley (Entertainer of the Year), Miranda Lambert (Female Vocalist, Album, Music Video), Blake Shelton (Male Vocalist, Musical Event), Zac Brown Band (New Artist), Lady Antebellum (Vocal Group, Single) and Sugarland (Vocal Duo). Visit www.cmawards.com for more complete coverage. The 8th annual French Country Music Awards took place Oct. 23 in Chavanod, France. Among the winners were Entertainer of the Year Josh Turner (pictured left), Brad Paisley (Male Vocalist and Best Musician of the Year), Carrie Underwood (Female Vocalist and Video of the Year), Easton Corbin (Best New Talent) and Lady Antebellum (Best Song of the Year for “Need You Now”). French Country artist award winners included The Hillbilly Rockers’ Astrid (Best French Female Vocalist), Texas Sidestep’s David Frumin (Best French Male Vocalist) and Texas Sidestep (Best French Group). Visit http://facm.free.fr for more information. The American Country Awards debuted live from Las Vegas on Dec. 6, and if nothing else, the inaugural awards program made for an interesting two hours of television. Hosted by Trace Adkins, the show offered diverse nomination categories, more performance opportunities for the format’s newer acts and custom-made Fender guitars for its award recipients. The big winners: Carrie Underwood with six awards, including Artist of the Year and Lady Antebellum with four awards, including Single of the Year. Brad Paisley won Male Artist of the Year and Easton Corbin won Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Alan Jackson received the Greatest Hits Award and Rascal Flatts took the Decade Award. More info here: www.theacas.com. (con’t)

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John Lomax III Receives Jo WalkerMeador International Award

Country Music Awards Recap (cont.)

Author, journalist, former artist manager and current owner of Nashville-based Roots Music Exporters, John Lomax III, was honored during CMA Awards week with the Jo Walker-Meador International Award. The Photo: Amanda Eckard/CMA presentation was made at the CMA International Reception on Nov. 8 in downtown Nashville by CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. (Pictured l to r: Moore, Lomax, RGK Entertainment’s Ron Kitchener, AristoMedia’s Jeff Walker).

The 2010 British Country Music Awards were held Oct. 10 in Surrey, England. Henry Smith's Country Dreams took the top award for Entertainer of the Year and Band of the Year. Darren Busby won two awards (Best Male, Solo Act), as did The Hayley Oliver Band (Horizon Act, Hotdisc Award). Donna Wylde won Best Female, American Spirit took the Best Duo award and Toby Keith (pictured) was named International Touring Artist of the Year. Visit BCMHOF.co.uk for more info.

“It's a huge honor and a real thrill to be recognized after a lot of miles and a lot of nights away from home,” said Lomax. “I love taking Country music all around the world. It’s a common language. I’ve been to countries where no one spoke English, but they spoke Country music.”

And of course, we don’t want to forget the International Bluegrass Awards. The 21st annual IBAs took place Sept. 30 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Dailey & Vincent was named Entertainer of the Year for the third consecutive year and won Album, Vocal Group and Recorded Event awards as well. Russell Moore (Male Vocalist), Claire Lynch (Female Vocalist) and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (Instrumental Group) were other big winners for the night. Dierks Bentley kicked off the show, which was hosted by Jerry Douglas and Sharon & Cheryl White. Glasgow’s Celtic Music Radio broadcast the awards for its European audience. Visit www.IBMA.org for more details.

Since 2001, Lomax has operated Roots Music Exporters, selling indie artist, retail exclusive, and limited edition CDs, DVDs and vinyl to importers in Australia, Europe, Japan and New Zealand. Lomax is also an internationally known music journalist, penning columns for Country Update in Australia and Country Music People in England. He has authored three books, including Nashville Music City USA. His clients as an artist manager have included Kasey Chambers, Steve Earle and the late Townes Van Zandt. The Jo Walker-Meador International Award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual or company in advocating and supporting Country music’s marketing development in territories outside the U.S. It was named in honor of former CMA Executive Director (1959-1991) and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Jo Walker-Meador. The Aristo International Report is a quarterly newsletter published online by The AristoMedia Group, P.O. Box 22765 Nashville, TN, 37202. Publisher: Jeff Walker | Editor: Ryan Moore Please submit your international Country music news items for consideration to: global@aristomedia.com

International Bonus Points ๏ For the second year in a row, Canada’s George Canyon was announced as the most played Canadian Country artist of the year. Canyon will open a run of dates in Western Canada for Toby Keith Feb. 22-27 and also Alan Jackson March 29/30. ๏ Roseanne Cash, Raul Malo, Elizabeth Cook, Marty Stuart and Justin Townes Earle are among the Country artists scheduled to perform at this year’s Celtic Connections festival, to be held Jan. 13-30 in Glasgow, Scotland. Visit www.CelticConnections.com for more info. (Cont. next page)

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๏ CMC Rocks the Hunter has announced its biggest Country music lineup yet. Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Joe Nichols, Jack Ingram, Troy Cassar-Daley, Emerson Drive, The McClymonts, Kasey Chambers, Buxton Hughes, Jasmine Rae, Russell Morris, O’Shea, Dean Brody and Jonah’s Road are just a few of the performers appearing at the two-day festival (March 5-6) in Hunter Valley, New South Wales. ๏ Additionally, Australia’s 24/7 Country music channel, CMC, has expanded its CMC Oz Artist of the Year Award into a new awards show, to be held Friday, March 4. ๏ During November’s CMA Awards week, The AristoMedia Group hosted a packed house of industry executives and international media at Nashville’s The Stage on Broadway for a look at some of tomorrow’s rising Country acts. The inaugural Aristo Center Stage Party featured performances from Ashley Gearing, Amber Hayes, Rachel Holder, Daisy Mallory, DJ Miller and Grammy-nominated singer Ty Herndon. The Country Vibe’s Chuck & Becca hosted the show. ๏ On the heels of their double platinum-selling release The Greatest Hits Session with Swiss star Gola, The Bellamy Brothers concluded a sold-out tour of Switzerland in December. The duo returns to Europe in March for shows in Denmark, England, Switzerland and Germany. ๏ Marty Stuart has announced a 2011 tour of the UK, including shows in Glasgow (01/28), Gateshead (01/29), Nottingham (01/30), Milton Keynes (01/31), London (02/01) and Dublin (02/02). Also, be sure to check out The Marty Stuart Show on Rural TV (channel Sky 280).

๏ The 2010 Country Night Festival in Gstaad, Switzerland, was another success last year, thanks to headliners Craig Morgan, Miranda Lambert and Patty Loveless. (Pictured l to r: Morgan, Lambert, promoter Marcel Bach, Loveless). Tickets for the 2011 event (Sept. 9-10) are already on sale. Confirmed artists include Trace Adkins and Dailey & Vincent. ๏ Toyota Star Maker continues to produce talent Down Under. Luke Austen, Lee Kernaghan and Sam McClymont, all Star Maker winners, are nominated for a combined 15 Golden Guitars at this year’s awards (Jan. 22) ๏ A host of international acts, many from the UK, attended CMR Nashville’s International Party during CMA Awards week, including The Hayley Oliver Band, Alan West Band, Sandy Newman, David Bradley, Emma King & the Heartsets and Raintown. Also performing was Tore Andersen (Norway), Kelli (Iceland) and the Ryan Cook Band (Canada). Digital Rodeo, Music City Roots, AirPlayDirect and Luna Chica Records were sponsors of the inaugural show. ๏ Australian concert promoter Michael Chugg (pictured left) has paired with fellow Aussie music critic Iain Shedden to pen “Hey, You in the Black T-Shirt,” a behind-the-scenes look at Chugg’s near half-century of experiences with some of the world’s biggest touring acts. ๏ The 2011 Canadian Radio Music Awards nominees: Ambush (“Take My Picture”), Chad Brownlee (“The Best That I Can”), High Valley (“I Will Stand By You”), Ladies of the Canyon (“Follow Me Down”) and Marlee Scott (“Yesterday Today & Tomorrow”). ๏ 2011 Stars For Stripes Tour in Iraq Update: Craig Morgan (Jan. 27 - Feb. 5), Rodney Atkins (Feb. 20-28), Chris Young (April 13-21). Visit www.StarsForStripes.com for more information.

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Aristo Q&A with: Ralph Murphy Ralph Murphy’s five decades in the music business include successes as a No. 1 hit songwriter and producer, publisher and author. He currently serves as VP at ASCAP Nashville and recently authored “Murphy’s Laws of Songwriting.” Do you find that international songwriters have a different approach to writing than American songwriters? Is there any advantage or disadvantage to that approach in terms of getting their songs recorded here in the U.S.?

With so many new opportunities to license an artist's music on a global scale, it seems that the publishing revenue stream has probably benefited the most from the recent "digital revolution" in the music business. Do you find that aspect of the business more competitive than ever, or are the same top writers just getting more placement opportunities now? RM: I would say that there are a lot of new, younger writers coming up. Of course, there is still the constant of the older writers, simply because they understand the marketplace. I think that publishing was always at the low end of the scale in terms of real money coming in - they just had less to lose. They suffered just as much through lack of sales, because mechanical royalties was where they generated the revenue to hire their new, young writers. I know you are actively involved with various educational and industry initiatives around the globe. Tell us about that work.

RM: All successful writers write for the audience that will embrace their music. In England, Canada, Australia or wherever, when great writers write, they are totally faithful to their market. They create songs that their audience expects to hear, generally at live shows. In Nashville, the market for songs is different. The listener expectation at drive time at 7 a.m. is vastly different. Although writers outside Nashville are writing the perfect songs for their market, the Nashville Country radio market has a different need.

RM: What I try to do is demystify the process - educate the writers on their craft. Help them understand that if they aren’t achieving success, it’s probably because of the vocabulary or technology. If they’re just writing songs for themselves, they don’t need me. What I try to do is help them to write for radio, or for a specific market. I travel all over the world speaking - England, Ireland, Holland, Canada... There’s no such thing as a stupid writer, just a writer without information.

What advice would you give to aspiring songwriters in other parts of the world that want to get their songs cut in the U.S.?

Be sure to check out Ralph’s latest book, “Murphy’s Laws of Songwriting” for more expert insight into the world of publishing and songwriting. Visit www.murphyslawsofsongwriting.com for more information.

RM: Study all the No. 1 records on the charts here. Study the vocabulary, first use of title, number of repetitions - all the things the listener expects to hear. Then look at the artists, all their product, what they released, what they are talking about. The new reality is that the singer is almost never a loser or over 30 - that seems to be what works in Nashville in terms of today’s hits. The song structures are the same, regardless of geography or genre, it’s just the subject matter and vocabulary that changes. Fulfilling the expectation of the listener is the writer’s job. Is their a market for Nashville to pitch material to international artists that might have success in their own country with those songs? RM: Well, I study all the No. 1 U.S. Pop and Country records, but when I travel to teach I look at the hits of the country I am going to. In the U.S., in Pop, 90 percent of the time the artist or producer is involved in the creation of the work. In 2009, in US Country music, two-thirds of the No. 1s were written in whole or in part by the artist. But there are certainly current writers that have hits in different countries. Steve Robson wrote for [Britain’s] Take That and also had a couple of Rascal Flatts songs here. Nicky Chinn was just here writing in town. Guy Chambers, who wrote a lot of Robbie Williams’ stuff, is coming here in February.

2011 International Calendar (Jan - Mar) Jan. 13-30 - Celtic Connections - Glasgow, Scotland Jan. 14-23 - Tamworth Country Music Festival Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia Jan. 22 - Country Music Awards of Australia Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia Feb. 4-6 - Country Music Messe - Berlin, Germany Feb. 18-20 - European Bluegrass Summit - Buhl, Germany Feb. 23-27 - Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival Belfast, Northern Ireland March 5-6 - CMC Rocks the Hunter - Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia

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