Congratulations going out to Stealing Angels’ Tayla Lynn (granddaughter of Loretta Lynn) and her husband, Jon Cody Finger, on the the birth of their son, Tru, in Nashville on August 3rd, 2012!
Archive | August 7, 2012
Congratulations To Stealing Angels’ Tayla Lynn And Husband, Jon Cody Finger, On Birth Of Baby
The Marshall Tucker Band Mourns The Loss Of Longtime Guitarist Stuart Swanlund
Nashville, Tenn. (August 6, 2012) – The Marshall Tucker Band family is mourning the loss of longtime band member and guitarist Stuart Swanlund. Swanlund passed away in his sleep at his Chicago home this past Saturday, August 4, 2012. Swanlund died of natural causes.
Swanlund joined The Marshall Tucker Band in 1985 where his slide guitar work added a new dimension to the band – on newer material as well as standards like “Searchin’ For A Rainbow,” “Can’t You See,” and “Fire On The Mountain.”
“Stuart, or ‘Stubie’ as we called him, was the longest standing member of The Marshall Tucker Band from 1985, onward,” says Marshall Tucker Band founding member Doug Gray. “He recently took a hiatus from the road due to health problems and even with those issues, Stuart’s enthusiasm onstage never waivered. Our thoughts and prayers are with Stuart’s family and those who knew him. We have lost a great friend.”
Stuart Craig Swanlund was born in Puerto Rico on April 3, 1958. Swanlund was reared in Spartanburg, SC, where he would sit on his grandmother’s porch and listen to his neighbor, Doug Gray, rehearse with a rock and roll band across the street. He was only five years old, and had no way of knowing he’d one day play alongside Gray and The Marshall Tucker Band.
When not touring with The Marshall Tucker Band, Swanlund performed in Chicago with local band, the Tone Generators.
According to Doug Gray, one of the highlights of Swanlund’s time on the road with The Marshall Tucker Band was last winter when he performed on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.
Swanlund is survived by his son, William “Billy” Swanlund, his lifelong partner Stacey Schmaren, three grandchildren and sister, Suzanne Spencer. He was 54 years old.
Funeral services for Swanlund will be held this Saturday, August 11 at 11:00 AM at the Good Shepherd Memorial Park in Boiling Springs, SC.
Flowers and cards may be sent to:
Good Shepherd Memorial Park
4164 Hwy 9
Boiling Springs, SC 29316
A Very Special Christmas Series Celebrates 25TH Anniversary With The Release Of Two Albums Benefiting Special Olympics
Nashville, TN (6 August 2012) – The ‘A Very Special Christmas’ holiday music series, benefiting Special Olympics, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this holiday season with the first ever release of two new albums on October 16, each on a different label. Titles of the albums, as unveiled today, are: A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY on Big Machine Records and A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS: BRINGING PEACE ON EARTH on Word Records.
Word Entertainment
Timothy P. Shriver (Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics), Scott Borchetta (President and CEO of Big Machine Label Group), Rod Riley (President and CEO of Word Entertainment), Jimmy Clark (Special Olympics athlete and Global Messenger), the Honorable Karl Dean (Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County), Francesca Battistelli (chart-topping Christian crossover artist, Dove Award winner) and members of Train were on hand in Nashville at Blackbird Studios, where Train is recording “Joy to the World,” to make the announcement. The artists unveiled the artwork for the new projects, which incorporates the legendary Keith Haring Madonna & Child artwork used historically on the series.
“This album series has been a remarkable gift to our Special Olympics athletes,” said Shriver. “Thanks to the generosity of countless incredible people across the music industry, the legacy from the ‘A Very Special Christmas’ album series continues to support and sustain our work to bring the joy of sport to people with intellectual disabilities which in turn fosters a global community of acceptance and inclusion.”
Special Olympics changes lives through the power of sport, as the world’s largest organization dedicated to year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for people with intellectual disabilities.
Since 1987, the biggest and brightest voices in the recording industry have generously lent their time and talents to Special Olympics to create the holiday album series ‘A Very Special Christmas,’the single most successful benefit recording series in musical historygenerating more than $100 million in royalties to benefit Special Olympics. The talent was so abundant this year, it called for the release of two full albums, the first time in the history of the series that two albums will be released simultaneously:
A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY – Christina Aguilera, Francesca Battistelli, Michael Bublé, Cheap Trick, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, One Republic, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry, Train, and Wonder Girls.
A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS: BRINGING PEACE ON EARTH – Meredith Andrews, Chris August, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Group 1 Crew, for KING & COUNTRY, Dara Maclean, Jamie Grace, Natalie Grant, and Sidewalk Prophets.
Created by Jimmy and Vicki Iovine and Bobby Shriver, along with Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the ‘AVery Special Christmas’ series has brought together top musical talent who donated their time and talent, and publishers and record labels who gave consent and waived royalties. Twenty-five years and seven albums later, the series has generated over $100 million in royalties and become the largest single source of funding for Special Olympics and its athletes.
Grants from the Christmas Record Trust have enabled Special Olympics to implement programs worldwide, from the United States to Timor Leste, China to Uganda, Cambodia to Haiti and more. In more than 100 of the Special Olympics Programs that have received Christmas Record grants, nearly 25 percent were classified by the United Nations as operating in Least Developed Countries. In these countries the need to support people with intellectual disabilities is critical. In the United States, these funds have also supported Special Olympics programs in urban areas such as New York City, Philadelphia and New Orleans.
Big Machine Label Group
The Christmas Record Trust has also directly impacted the lives of Special Olympics athletes. For example, Cindy Bentley in Wisconsin was born with an intellectual disability, abandoned as a baby and shuffled through foster care. Thanks to the Christmas Record grants her local Special Olympics program received, she got involved in sports competitions, gained confidence and today she holds a full-time job and is an active advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. Najila Agha is a Special Olympics athlete from Afghanistan – a local Special Olympics program started through funds raised from ‘A Very Special Christmas’ albums went from living in an orphanage in Kabul to competing in Special Olympics World Games.
Each successive album of the series has honored the quality of its predecessors with timeless recordings of holiday music by some of the most influential and talented artists of their time. U2, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Madonna, Sting, Bon Jovi, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Wyclef Jean, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, No Doubt, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Vanessa Williams and Bryan Adams are among the stars who contributed tracks to previous albums and whose songs for ‘A Very Special Christmas’ have become perennial favorites on the radio and at holiday celebrations over the years. Learn more about ‘A Very Special Christmas’ at www.averyspecialchristmas.org
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About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives through the power of sport by empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect worldwide. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to 4 million athletes in 170 countries worldwide, providing year-round sports training, athletic competition and related programs. Special Olympics takes place daily, changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities all over the world. Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience joy and friendship. Visit Special Olympics at www.specialolympics.org. Engage with us on: Twitter @specialolympics; fb.com/specialolympics; youtube.com/specialolympicshq, and specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com
About Big Machine Label Group:
At the helm of the independent Big Machine Label Group is industry veteran Scott Borchetta, who serves as President and CEO. The conglomerate encompasses Big Machine Records (founded in 2005), The Valory Music Co. (founded in 2007) and Republic Nashville (a partnership with Universal Republic founded in 2009 with Jimmy Harnen serving as President) as well as Big Machine Music Publishing. The Big Machine Label Group’s current artist roster includes Multi-Platinum superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Reba and Martina McBride; Platinum sensations The Band Perry; legendary group The Mavericks; Breakout Gold-selling artist Brantley Gilbert; Chart-topping acts Eli Young Band Justin Moore as well as Hot newcomers Sunny Sweeney, Edens Edge, Thomas Rhett, Florida Georgia Line, Greg Bates, RaeLynn and Ella Mae Bowen. BMLG artists have received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, American Music Awards, CMT Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards, MTV Video Music Award and People’s Choice Award accolades as well as Brit Award and JUNO Award nominations. The label group has also forayed into the racing world, sponsoring the Brickyard 400 as well as back-to-back Indy500 drivers.
About Word Entertainment:
A leader in the music industry for over 60 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking, and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including Meredith Andrews, Chris August, BarlowGirl, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Patrick Ryan Clark, Everfound, for KING & COUNTRY, Group 1 Crew, Dara Maclean, Point Of Grace and Sidewalk Prophets and is home to 25 Entertainment, Word Distribution (representing Curb Records and Big Idea/VeggieTales among others), Word Print, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group’s Word Records and Fervent Records.
Rascal Flatts Prep Launch Of New “Come Wake Me Up” Video With Behind-The-Scenes Special – Available Now Only At CMT.com
NASHVILLE, TN (August 6, 2012) – Country supergroup Rascal Flatts give fans a preview of their new music video for their current single “Come Wake Me Up,” which is on the cusp of Top 20, with a behind-the-scenes special, which launched today at CMT.com. The full video will make its world premiere Friday, August 10 on CMT at 6 a.m. ET, and run at the top of every hour during music hours.
Filmed in Nashville, the video includes a cameo by Joe Don Rooney’s wife, Tiffany Fallon. Adding to the intensity of the dramatic scenes, two-time female street freestyle world champion Dena Sodano steps in Fallon’s role as the motorcycle stunt driver. “Come Wake Me Up” was directed by Shaun Silva, who explains the idea behind the video as the fate of two people from entirely different worlds.
“So I had this story unfolding, this moment of – here’s a girl who really is just from a different world than what he’s from,” said Silva. “Joe Don’s character is doing all the things anybody would want to do for someone they love, but it threatens her identity until one night after an argument, she removes a necklace like breaking free from his lavish grasp. Her decision to leave, and his to chase after her, only pushes her further towards her foreshadowed fate.”
Rascal Flatts will be featured on CMT all week long as some of their biggest hit videos return to the channel, and will be introduced by the band themselves. The video premiere will be promoted across all of CMT’s digital platforms including CMT.com, CMT Mobile and nearly 3 million social media fans.
To preview or embed the MAKING OF video, visit: http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/822686/the-making-of-come-wake-me-up.jhtml
CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.
Song Review: Home To Me By Sarah Darling
Some songs you just know it’s going to be a hit because they get stuck in your head for days and you catch yourself humming along without even realizing it. This is one of those songs.
I first heard Sarah Darling’s new single “Home To Me” back in June live during CMA Music Festival and then I heard it again on XM The Highway just the other day. The song just grabbed me right away and I loved it instantly. If it’s not a hit on the country charts, then something’s wrong. I don’t even mind that it’s repeated about 5 times now on my computer since I’ve been writing this. Just doesn’t get old.
It’s well-written by Caitlyn Smith & Bobby Hamrick. So catchy with a great hook and flowing melody with great imagery. Should make for a good video. It’s a mid-tempo, contemporary country song that just makes you feel good inside and is beautifully-sung by Sarah Darling.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.
