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BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE JANUARY 9, 2017 | PAGE 8 OF 19 NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND SHELTON: CHRIS HOLLO Blake Shelton and Ryman Hospitality unveiled plans on Jan. 5 for a new entertainment complex, Ole Red, in a presentation at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. From left: WSM-AM Nashville personality Bill Cody, Ryman Hospitality chairman/CEO Colin Reed, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and Shelton. SHELTON’S OLE RED CLUB TO OPEN IN 2018 With country music leading Nashville’s upswing as a major tourist destination, Blake Shelton and Ryman Hospitality are betting they’ll generate significant greenbacks with Ole Red, a multilevel entertainment venue named after a song Shelton brands as his signature hit. Projected to open in April 2018, the building at 300 Broadway will include a bar, event site and upscale rooftop restaurant in the heart of Music City’s tourist district, just two blocks from the Ryman Auditorium, which hosts the Grand Ole Opry during portions of the winter. Ryman plans to invest $20 million in the project, which will incorporate Shelton’s Twitter-savvy persona in a tech-friendly game plan that includes him occasionally checking in with customers at the venue via Facebook Live. “We want to be able to connect in real time,” said Ryman Hospitality chairman/CEO Colin Reed. “If you think about brands like Planet Hollywood, 10, 12, 15 years ago, they exploded in popularity with the belief that Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to walk in the door. They served lousy food and Arnold never showed up, and the brand went in the toilet. This is not going to be that way. We’re going to have great food, great beverages, great retail, and we’re going to make sure that [Blake’s] persona is central to this business.” The Nashville location, named after Shelton’s 2002 single “Ol’ Red,” increases the artist presence in the city’s downtown venues. Dierks Bentley, John Rich and Alan Jackson all have branded outlets in the works or already open, while Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant already operates in the same block where Ole Red will launch. Other artist-themed enterprises currently operating in the area include the Johnny Cash Museum, the George Jones Museum and the Sun Diner, a 24/7 eaterie that trades on the late Sam Phillips’ label and its association with such acts as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. A second Ole Red is also slated to open in Tishomingo, Okla., in the fall. A former dentist’s office and a building next door (which had housed Miranda Lambert’s Pink Pistol retail store before Shelton purchased it) will be joined to create the venue. Shelton hopes that Ole Red will come to rival such historic clubs as Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Grizzly Rose in Denver, Colo., as notable country-themed destinations. MOVERS & SHAKERS Tim Hattrick joined Ben Campbell and Brooke Hoover on t he KNIX Phoenix morning team beginning Jan. 9. A former KNIX personality, Hattrick was most recently content creator/writer/ strategist for the Scared Sh!tless podcast … Cumulus/Flint, Mich., promoted Tim Shickles to PD for country WFBE and sports WTRX. Shickles retains his air shift at WFBE. Concurrently, August Wallace is upped to operations manager for the five-station cluster. She’ll continue to serve as urban adult contemporary WDZZ PD … Corey Dillon was slated to take the evening shift at KILT-FM Houston on Jan. 9. He arrives from top 40 XHITZ-FM San Diego, where he handled late nights … Marc Jason Orem joined the WQYK Tampa- St. Petersburg, Fla., morning show on Jan. 9. The radio vet was most recently part of the morning show at alternative KXTE Las Vegas … KVET Austin renewed its contract with morning personalities Bama Brown, Rob Mason and Heather White … WEBG Chicago PD Steve Stewart is the new host of United Stations’ weekly show The Road … Todd Nixon is the new KBEQ Kansas City, Mo., PD, InsideRadio.com reported. He was most recently WTQR Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, N.C., PD. Former KBEQ PD Mike Kennedy, who retired from daily activities at the end of 2016, will continue to consult … Bo Jaxon assumes the PD role and joins the morning team at KWOF Denver, according to Talkers.com. He retains PD stripes at hot adult contemporary sister KIMN … KYCK Grand Forks, N.D., added Rick Daniels as brand manager, Talkers.com reported. He previously handled afternoon drive at KQFC Boise, Idaho … Country Radio Seminar extends its recent health services efforts by offering free hearing tests, provided by Starkey Hearing Technologies, during the conference Feb. 22-24 in Nashville. ’ROUND THE ROW Pete Fisher takes over as the Academy of Country Music CEO on Jan. 30, after moving to Los Angeles from Nashville, where he has served as Grand Ole Opry vp/GM since 1999. ACM chairman Ken Tucker discusses the appointment in The Stark Report on page 13 … John Zarling joined Sony Music Nashville on Jan. 5 as executive vp, marketing and new business. He ends an 11-year run at Big Machine Label Group, where he was senior vp, partnership marketing and promotion strategy. Reach him here … Black River made a series of staff changes to start 2017. The label hired Bailey White as promotion coordinator, replacing Taylor Weil, who leaves the firm. White had been the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum social media coordinator. Mike Wilson was promoted to senior vp promotion from vp, Tanya Welch rose to vp marketing from senior director, and Dawn Delvo was upped to head of media and public relations from director. GM Greg McCarn left Black River … Wendy Pearl founded Wendy Pearl Public Relations, ending a 17-year tenure at the Country Music Association, where she was vp corporate communications. Reach her here … Curb promoted Blair Munday to vp, creative services from marketing and creative services coordinator … Jake Owen and Keith Gale founded Good Company Entertainment, with Gale taking over as Owen’s manager. Jon Andolina is director/tour marketing and sponsorships. Greg Fowler remains Owen’s tour manager. Reach Gale here and Andolina here … Rezonant Music Publishing added Rebekah Gordon as vp creative. She was most recently Warner Music Nashville director of A&R. Reach her here … Show Dog Nashville announced plans for an unspecified restructuring … Songwriter Ryan Hurd (“Lonely Tonight,” “Later On”) signed a recording deal with RCA Nashville … Singer-songwriter Kasey Tyndall nabbed a publishing contract with Sony/ATV … Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers signed a booking agreement with the April Potter Agency … The Marshall Tucker Band aligned with Red Light Management, with Charlie Brusco and Darren Hagen assigned to manage. The act also joined the Agency for the Performing Arts Nashville, where Steve Lassiter will handle booking … Bobby Bare enlisted Webster Public Relations for media … Dot vp promotion Kris Lamb started teaching a Belmont University course, “Music Promotion Strategies,” as an adjunct professor on Jan. 9 … Services were held Jan. 7 in Encino, Calif., for former Hee Haw producer Sam Lovullo, who died Jan. 3. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in his honor be made to St. Jude Medical Foundation … Universal Music Publishing Nashville plans a celebration of life for songwriter Andrew Dorff (“Neon Light,” “Save It for a Rainy Day”) at City Winery in Nashville at 4 p.m. on Jan. 11. Dorff died in December. Owen (left) formed a new venture, Good Company Entertainment, with former Sony Music Nashville vp national promotion Gale, who becomes Owen’s manager.
BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE JANUARY 9, 2017 | PAGE 9 OF 19 NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND MUSIC NOTES Maren Morris will receive a breakthrough artist award during the Music Biz 2017 conference on May 18 in Nashville, alongside pop band Lukas Graham. Previous honorees include Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt, Meghan Trainor, John Legend and The Killers. Also on the conference circuit, Zac Brown Band will pick up the artist humanitarian award during the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, while former Greater Media CEO Peter Smyth will be recognized with the Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award. Country is getting a fair amount of attention on the big screen with some new and upcoming projects. Hunter Hayes performed “All for You” on Jan. 5 on ABC’s Good Morning America, in advance of its appearance in the new Paramount movie Monster Trucks, in theaters Jan. 13. Kacey Musgraves and Northern Ireland’s Foy Vance created a song titled “Moonshine” for the Ben Affleck picture Live by Night, which also goes nationwide Jan. 13. Meanwhile, ZAC BROWN Trace Adkins joins Dennis Quaid and Cloris Leachman in the cast of I Can Only Imagine, a faith-based movie due in 2018. And the country ballad “Bless the Broken Road” provides the title for a movie that features the acting debut of former NFL player LaDanian Tomlinson. It hits theaters Feb. 10. Aaron Watson will headline the opening concert for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on March 7. The event, which has drawn more than 70,000 fans for a number of concerts through the years, will also feature performances by Old Dominion, Chris Stapleton, Alan Jackson, Sam Hunt, Luke Bryan, Willie Nelson, Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and — at the closing show on March 26 — Zac Brown Band. Jon Pardi landed two titles among the top 10 country dance club hits of 2016, according to Marco Promotions’ annual survey. “Head Over Boots” finished at No. 1, and “Dirt on My Boots” came in at No. 9. Two non-country titles — DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean” and Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” — are featured on the list along with Luke Bryan’s “Move,” Thomas Rhett’s “T-Shirt” and Drew Baldridge’s “Dance With Ya.” Go here for the full rundown. Top Headlines from Click on headlines below for more details .com ON THIS DATE IN COUNTRY MUSIC Jan. 9 • 2010 — Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore play the first concert at the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan. While waiting for medics, Paisley’s father, Doug, performs CPR on an arena employee who suffered a heart attack. Jan. 10 • 2015 — Carrie Underwood’s “Something in the Water” begins a fourweek reign at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. • 2007 — George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today” is named as a new entry in the Grammy Hall of Fame, along with Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” and Wanted: The Outlaws, by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter JONES and Tompall Glaser. Jan. 11 • 2016 — RCA releases “Think of You,” a Chris Young duet with Cassadee Pope, to radio. • 1967 — Johnny Cash and June Carter record the classic “Jackson” at the Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville. Jan. 12 • 2012 — Craig Wiseman, Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson write the future Blake Shelton hit “Boys ’Round Here” in Nashville. • 1987 — MCA releases George Strait’s album Ocean Front Property. Jan. 13 • 2002 — Reba McEntire wins the People’s Choice Award for favorite female performer in a new television series. Garth Brooks and Faith Hill are named favorite male and female musical performers on the CBS telecast, aired from the Pasadena Civic Center in California. Jan. 14 • 1992 — Wynonna Judd, the “shaggy songbird of country kitsch,” ranks No. 2 on Mr. Blackwell’s list of the 10 worst-dressed women. Also cited: Delta Burke, Jodie Foster, Carly Simon and — at No. 1 — Julia Roberts. Jan. 15 • 2011 — The Zac Brown Band plays the national anthem at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, where the Green Bay Packers thump the Falcons, 48- 21, in an NFL playoff game. Source: RolandNote.com, the Ultimate Country Music Database U2 Unveils 2017 ‘Joshua Tree’ Stadium Tour, Will Play Bonnaroo Fest For First Time iPhone Turns 10: Watch Steve Jobs Introduce Apple’s ‘Revolutionary’ Device Drake’s ‘Views’ Is Nielsen Music’s Top Album Of 2016 In The U.S. Democrats Approve Of Artists Refusing To Play Inauguration, Republicans Not So Much SiriusXM Ends 2016 With More Than 31 Million Subscribers RCA Nashville announced the signing of singer-songwriter Ryan Hurd (“Lonely Tonight,” “Later On”) to a recording deal. Standing in the rear are Triple 8 Management partners George Couri (left) and Bruce Kalmick. Seated (from left) are Sony Music Nashville chairman/CEO Randy Goodman, Hurd and SMN COO Ken Robold.
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