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Chris Young Visits Minot Air Force Base – Reunites With Wounded Warrior

By on August 5, 2012 in In The Press

July 31, 2012 – Nashville, TN– Chris Young, through the help of Stars For Stripes and the Minot Exchange, had an opportunity to reunite with Wounded Warrior Scott Lilley and spend some time with Airmen and their families at Minot Air Force Base for a CD signing last week.   The special event took place prior to Young’s high-octane show at the North Dakota State Fair later that evening.

Lilley, a former member of Minot Air Force Base 5th Security Forces, was seriously wounded in Iraq in the spring of 2007.  He accompanied Young on a tour to entertain the troops in 2009 for Great American Country’s TV Special “Stars For Stripes: Wounded Warriors Return.” 

“It was awesome to see Scott again and always great to be around the brave men and women who serve our country,” says Young.

Chris Young proudly serves as a board member of Stars For Stripes, a non-profit organization that provides entertainment to deployed U.S. military forces in remote areas.

2012 continues to be a banner year for RCA Recording Artist Chris Young. In addition to burning up the road with Miranda Lambert and her “On Fire” tour, Young recently landed his fifth consecutive #1 single and posted two RIAA certified Gold singles. His newest single, the title track to his recently released album NEON, is currently climbing the charts at country radio.

ABOUT CHRIS YOUNG: 2012 has started off with a bang, as ACM Male Vocalist nominee Chris Young continues to notch more career accolades. The year began with a sold-out headlining show, a performance on the popular syndicated daytime program The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the kick-off of the “On Fire” tour with Miranda Lambert, ACM nominations for Male Vocalist and Single of the Year and most recently, his fifth consecutive #1 for “You.” The list continues to expand with three RIAA GOLD certified singles and a GOLD album for his sophomore release, The Man I Want To Be. The prior year saw nominations for CMA New Artist of the Year along with his first Grammy nod. He won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Single of the Year at the 2011 American Country Awards and has made seven national TV appearances since the release of his third record, NEON, on July 12, 2011. With his rich, warm baritone and penchant for writing relatable, slice-of-life songs, Young has emerged as a favorite of fans and critics alike.  For tour dates and all the latest information on Chris Young, visit www.chrisyoungcountry.com and follow him on Twitter @ChrisYoungMusic.

Photo: Scott Lilley and his family reunite with Chris Young
Photo credit:  U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Kristoffer

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Renegade Radio Nashville: Nashville’s Most Recent Music Row Edition

By on August 5, 2012 in In The Press

Nashville, Tenn. (July 31, 2012) – The broadcast market is one saturated with country radio stations. Nonetheless, Nashville’s most recent Music Row edition, Renegade Radio Nashville, has certainly found its niche. As a strong advocate for new artists, the station – just over a year old – is on a mission to change the public’s opinion of Internet radio and broaden the possibility of what radio has to offer an artist.

The station – established by country radio host ‘Captain Jack’ Aponte – has seen significant growth since its first broadcast on June 7th, 2011. With a listenership of 3.5 million each month spanning 143 different countries, Renegade Radio has found its place as one of the most prominent country Internet stations. This growth has not gone unnoticed: in December of 2011, after just a few months broadcasting, it became the first ever Internet radio station to be given reporting status by Music Row Magazine.

Renegade Radio’s success comes as a direct result of a traditional broadcast approach combined with a refreshingly unconventional business plan. “We’re not an Internet radio station,” explains Bradley Drake, marketing and A&R director for the station. “We’re a radio station that just happens to broadcast on the Internet.”

“Listeners love a traditional radio station – but then they love to hear the latest sound coming from Nashville,” adds Captain Jack. “We broadcast a bit of both. In that way, we pride ourselves in offering the past, present, and future in country music to our listeners. It gives new artists a chance for some exposure and our listeners an opportunity to hear the latest in country music first.” 

Broadcast exposure isn’t the only way the station promotes new artists: the station recently launched a series of comprehensive artist marketing plans for those looking for more than just airplay.

To listen to a live broadcast, download Renegade Radio’s free app from iTunes or visit www.renegaderadionashville.com.

About ‘Captain Jack’ Aponte:
Deemed ‘The Boss of the Beach’ and ‘The Host of The Coast’, radio DJ Jack Aponte’s deep voice and sense of humor have made him one of the most recognized radio voices on the east coast for over 25 years. Though his passion lies with country music and the Nashville music scene, his flexibility within formats has given him the unique ability to create a new and exciting radio experience for listeners. This was demonstrated in his development of Thunder 106, which quickly changed frequencies, exceeded its parent company’s expectations, and now has one of the largest listenerships in the country radio industry. Aponte has also developed the Thunder Road Concert Series to give his listeners an up-close and personal look at the latest music and artists coming out of Nashville. With a heart for exposing new country artists and their music, his multiple projects leave him little time for much else. Nonetheless, Aponte makes time to help those in need and has received numerous awards for his community service. For more information on Captain Jack, visit www.renegaderadionashville.com/captain_jack_aponte.htm.

 

About Laura Lynn:
Country recording artist, television host, and actress Laura Lynn has found success in all aspects of the entertainment industry. As an actress, she’s made guest appearances on Married With Children, Rosanne, The Young and the Restless, Renegade, and Wings, to name a few. As a host she’s interviewed celebrities from all industries, including Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Mel Gibson and the casts of Friends and Entourage. Living in Los Angeles, she was the voice and producer of the radio show Laura & Gretchen UNCUT for talk radio station KLSX. Despite all of these accomplishments, Laura Lynn’s true love is country music. Having written or co-written multiple cuts (she co-wrote Medal of Honor, the official theme song of Wrangler National Patriot, as well as the theme song to Animal Planet’s show Last Chance Highway) and producing her own self-titled album, she was awarded Los Angeles Music Awards Female Country Artist of the Year in 2006. Laura Lynn’s music career has also allowed her several performance opportunities, including sharing the stage with Poison’s Bret Michaels at the 2005 KZLA Country Bash. She is married to country star Lucas Hoge. The two reside in Nashville, where they spend free time fostering dogs and cats for Nashville Cat Rescue. For more information on Laura Lynn, visit http://lauralynn.net/.About David Bradley:
Hailing from Sunderland in Northern England, country recording artist David Bradley’s English charm and soulful sound have made him a stand-out in the country music scene. His father, an oil engineer, exposed Bradley at a young age to the musical stylings of Kenny Rogers, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson – all of whoms’ music he’d brought home from business trips to Singapore, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. Now living in Nashville, Tennessee, Bradley has had much opportunity to hone his own musical talents. A regular in writers’ rounds, he released album Movin’ On in 2010, which was produced by singer/songwriter/producer Brady Seals (Little Texas, Hot Apple Pie). His first single from the album, Soak It Up, put Bradley on the map as an artist and saw significant chart success. His second single, Hard Time Movin’ On (Rivers Rutherford, Gordie Sampson) did better yet, with the music video for the single (directed by Steven Goldmann) airing on CMT, GAC, and numerous other music video outlets. If You Can’t Make Money, Bradley’s latest single, was written by Brad Paisley, Bill Anderson, and Jon Randall. Despite his success, he still finds time to host a radio show every Wednesday and Friday afternoon from 1-2pm with Renegade Radio Nashville. For more information on David Bradley, visit www.davidbradleymusic.com.

About Lindsay Lawler:
Born and raised in Texas, Lindsay Lawler spent several years performing in Los Angeles before making her way to Nashville, Tennessee in 2007. After performing at the 2010 Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas, she formed a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association and has since been named the official spokeswoman of their Highway Angels program. Her single, Highway Angel, has given her exposure as an artist and become an anthem for truck drivers everywhere. She also wrote and recorded The Long Haul, a salute to female truck drivers. Lawler continues to support the truck driving community through her performances around the country and her radio show, On The Road To Nashville. For more information on Lindsay Lawler, visit www.lindsaylawler.com.

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Love And Theft Selected As NRA Country Artist Of The Month For August

By on August 2, 2012 in In The Press

Nashville, TN… (August 1, 2012)…On the heels of their self-titled highly anticipated album release, Love and Theft has been chosen as the NRA Country Artist Of The Month for August. The duo joins some of country music’s biggest artists including: Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Lee Brice, Montgomery Gentry, Justin Moore, Craig Morgan, Sunny Sweeney, Gretchen Wilson, Josh Thompson, and TV personality Storme Warren, who have teamed up with NRA Country to celebrate their support of our brave men and women in uniform, appreciation for the great outdoors, and love of family. Stephen and Eric have strong beliefs and values, which make Love and Theft a great fit for the NRA Country Artist of the Month promotion.

“NRA Country represents everything Love and Theft believes in.  Our love for our families and this great country, preserving our American freedom, and most importantly a sincere appreciation and respect for our men and women in uniform and for their service abroad and at home.” – Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson / Love and Theft.

As part of the August promotion, fans can check out a behind the scenes Love and Theft video featuring interviews, rare “in the studio” footage, and more.  In addition to this great video, fans can register to win a Love and Theft prize pack including:  Two (2) tickets to the public concert of the winner’s choice, Two (2) meet & greet passes, autographed poster and copy of their brand new album!

Visit http://nracountry.com/this-is from now through the end of August to check out the video and register to win.

Each month a new country music artist will be featured on NRACountry.com, highlighting what makes them ‘NRA Country.’ Celebrate our country and learn more at www.NRACountry.com!

ABOUT LOVE AND THEFT: Love and Theft, Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson, celebrated the release of their second studio album on July 24th. The self-titled project, on a new record label (RCA Nashville) and working for the first time with legendary producer Josh Leo (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Alabama), features Top 5 single “Angel Eyes”. The song, co-written by Jeff Coplan, Eric Paslay and Eric Gunderson has sold nearly 500K digital downloads and is No. 6 on Billboard’s Digital Country Songs chart. The music video for “Angel Eyes” has received over 1.5 million views on VEVO.com.  To learn more about Love and Theft, please visit www.loveandtheft.com, www.facebook.com/loveandtheft, and follow them on Twitter @LNTweet.

ABOUT NRA COUNTRY: NRA Country is a celebration of American values. Respect. Honor. Freedom. It’s a lifestyle and a bond between the country music community and hard-working Americans everywhere. It’s powered by pride, freedom, love of country, respect for the military, and the responsibilities of protecting the great American life. We celebrate these values with concerts and other events that benefit gun safety programs for kids, youth hunting and education programs, efforts to support our armed services, and other worthy causes. NRA Country will be involved in causes that defend our values and it will empower our artist friends who promote these values to encourage our next generation of leaders. For more information and latest events, visit www.nracountry.com and follow NRA Country on twitter @nracountry2010.

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Album Review: A Thousand Miles Left Behind By Gloriana

By on August 2, 2012 in Album & Song Reviews

With their first release in 3 years, Gloriana is proving this is no sophomore slump and they are back better than ever with their debut single in the top 5 on the Billboard country chart (and still climbing).

Gloriana, also, was just awarded gold status for their debut single “(Kissed You) Good Night” from this newest release.  They have had to overcome some obstacles since their last album such as the departure of Cheyenne Kimball from the band and leaving them to refocus/reorganize as a group.  Thankfully they are back even better than before and being embraced by the country music fans once again.

Their new album entitled A Thousand Miles Left Behind is a solid effort.  Their harmonies blend perfectly as a trio with strong melodies and lyrical depth.  This is an album filled with radio-friendly hits ranging from uptempo, catchy tunes to heartfelt, emotional ballads.  Tom Gossin, Rachel Reinert, and Mike Gossin who make up the trio, Gloriana, all had a hand in co-writing all of the songs on this release and each take lead on this album.

It’s hard to pick a favorite on this album.  Very strong album through and through.  Their first album was a great effort and this newest one shows even more growth as a group in songwriting as they worked with top songwriters all around Nashville.  Hoping this newest effort solidifies them as artists and means they will be around for a long time to come.  This can possibly garnish some awards for them.  Those awards would be well-deserved and couldn’t happen to 3 nicer people.

Standout songs to me are as follow:  “Wanna Take You Home” an uptempo, catchy song about love filled with plenty of fiddle.  “Carolina Rose” is a beautiful ballad showing depth and a softer side filled with perfectly-blended harmonies that just seem to flow so naturally.  “Turn My World Around” is a mid-tempo ballad filled with mandolin that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I, also, love the more traditional country feel of “Gold Rush”.

Honestly, I could go straight down the list of songs and tell you something I like about each of the songs.  Bottom line is it’s a very strong release, polished mastering and production, and I highly-recommend it to any contemporary country fan.

For more information about Gloriana, check out their site at: www.gloriana.com

Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

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NASHVILLE, TN – (July 31, 2012) – Country music trio Gloriana release their much anticipated second studio album A Thousand Miles Left Behind today. The album, that  includes their current single “(Kissed You) Good Night” which this week lands at #2 on the Billboard Country Singles Chart, has been receiving rave reviews for the growth the band clearly displays on the 11 tracks. Gloriana, who performed on Good Morning America yesterday, will be back in New York City Friday, August 3rd to perform on Fox & Friends All-American Summer Concert Series.

Those in New York City August 3rd can attend Gloriana’s performance at Fox & Friends All-American Summer Concert Series outside the Fox News studios on Avenue of the Americas and 48th Street or can tune in at 7:30am EST (check local listings) to catch their performance. On Saturday, August 4th at 10:30pm EST fans can tune into Gloriana’s album release concert at Joe’s Bar in Chicago, IL streamed live by UV2Live. To get more information on how you can check out this concert go to http://www.gloriana.com/news/stream-glorianas-album-release-concert-32626.

You can check out Gloriana’s performance on Good Morning America at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/gloriana-performs-kissed-good-night-16886423 as well as a special performance of “Turn My World Around” at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/gloriana-performs-turn-world-live-gma-16887603.

Tom, Mike, and Rachel have funneled everything they’ve learned into A Thousand Miles Left Behind intent on revealing more of themselves as artists. Gloriana worked with some of Nashville’s finest songwriters and had a hand in writing every track on the album. The result is an alluring mix of up-tempo songs, “Wanna Take You Home,” “Sunset Lovin’,” “Go On…Miss Me,” “Doin’ It Our Way,” and graceful, heartfelt tunes: current single “(Kissed You) Good Night,” “Can’t Shake You,” “Turn My World Around,” “Carolina Rose,” and “Soldier Song.”

Fans can get up to date information on Gloriana’s tour and more information on the rising country group by going to www.Gloriana.com.

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Celebrate the Life and Career of Elvis Presley at Nashville’s Elvis Week

By on August 2, 2012 in In The Press

From August 10-18, rock-and-roll fans from all over the country will flock to Nashville to pay homage to Elvis Presley and honor the 35th anniversary of his death.

Elvis, who is widely referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll,” is one of the most iconic figures of 20th century pop culture. Beginning with his rapid rise to stardom in the mid-1950s, Elvis ushered in a new era of music, launching the rock-and-roll revolution in America with his unique voice, sound and style.

Elvis shares a rich history with the city of Nashville, starting with the recording of his very first hit song, “Heartbreak Hotel,” at RCA Victor in 1956 and lasting throughout his entire legendary musical career. He recorded a total of 262 songs in the Music City, including nine #1 hits.

During Elvis Week, you’ll get an extended, in-depth look at the life of the King that you can’t get with any documentary or DIRECT TV special.

See where Elvis performed in Nashville, including the Ryman Auditorium, where he made his only performance at the Grand Ole Opry in 1954. Embark on a tour of RCA Studio B, where Elvis – over a period of 13 years – recorded more than 200 songs, including “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and “How Great Thou Art.” You can even sit at the piano where Elvis perfected his craft for countless hours inside one of the world’s most famous recording studios. And in perhaps the main attraction of the week, John Beardsley will perform more than 30 songs in five different costumes as plays three decades of music from Elvis’ career.

If you’re an Elvis fan or just a music fan in general, you won’t want to miss out on Elvis Week 2012.

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Album Review: Nobody Is Ok By This Is She

By on August 1, 2012 in Album & Song Reviews

Well, this is a little change of pace from the music we primarily focus on at FOCUS on the 615, which is usually country.  However, good music is just good music and if it’s coming out of Nashville, we will let you know about it if it catches our ears!

This Is She is a rock/pop/electronic/dance band based out of Los Angeles, California with a Nashville connection in lead singer, Alana Grace.  I’ve written about Alana as a solo artist, then when she was part of the group: TOY, now part of This Is She that is made up of 3 of the 4 members from TOY.  Ok, confused already? Don’t be! Just a name change, but same type music if you enjoyed TOY.

This Is She was introduced to a large Nashville audience most recently during the 4th of July celebration at Riverfront Park last month where they were met with rave reviews.  Their music can best be described as a mix of darkly-influenced melodies & lyrics blended with pop, rock, electronic, and dance influences.  You’ll even hear a little dubstep in the mix from time to time.  Led by Alana Grace whose vocals are most reminiscent of Amy Lee from Evanescence.  She is joined by lead guitarist, Christian Paul Meadows, and Ryan Folden on drums, who were both formerly of the band, After Midnight Project.

Check out their video below that was recently featured on the MTV Buzzworthy site:

With their debut EP release entitled Nobody Is Ok, you’ll find a mix of hauntingly-beautiful clear vocals mixed with the darkly-rooted melodies & lyrical themes intertwined with the pulsating constant rhythms, electronic additions/textures, and ambitious guitar licks.  This is not your bubblegum pop, but something that is more refined and geared towards an audience that wants a little more than just a simply good dance beat and simple lyrics that seem to dominate so much of the pop charts lately.  For example, they would not appeal to the same audience that enjoys “Call Me Maybe”.  I would say that a college crowd would be more attuned and appreciative of their music.

My favorite off the album is “Disobey”.  It’s dark, edgy, uptempo with a constant driving rhythm. This one has me hitting the repeat button often.

Check This Is She out at their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thisisshemusic and you can buy their music on iTunes.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

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The Charlie Daniels Band & Friends Celebrate The 11th Annual Christmas 4 Kids Concert At The Ryman Auditorium

By on July 29, 2012 in In The Press

Nashville, Tenn. (July 25, 2012) – Grand Ole Opry member and music legend, Charlie Daniels announces the 11th Anniversary of The Charlie Daniels Band & Friends Concert to benefit Christmas 4 Kids (a division of Christmas For Kids, Inc.) will take place on Monday, November 19, 2012, at the historic Ryman Auditorium and will feature Phil Vassar and Thompson Square.  More acts will be announced in the coming weeks.  Fan club pre-sale tickets are available starting September 15 and all other tickets will be available starting September 29 on the Christmas 4 Kids website, with best seating priced at $60 and tier 2 seating priced at $32.50. Visit www.christmas4kids.org for more line-up announcements or to purchase tickets.

Christmas 4 Kids is a not-for-profit organization that has been in existence for over 25 years providing many children, each year, with their very own shopping spree. The funds generated by the concert, and the Tour Bus Show/Artist Meet and Greet event, are used to give over 400 children from 29 different schools a day-long shopping excursion. The special day consists of a chauffeured trip from their school aboard an entertainer’s luxury tour bus, lunch and a party hosted by Santa and Mrs. Claus. To wrap up the day, the tour buses journey to the Hendersonville, Tenn., Walmart, where the kids receive a brand new winter coat and $150.00 to spend on anything they want!

About Christmas 4 Kids:
For over twenty-five years, Christmas 4 Kids has been providing children in the Middle Tennessee area with this unique opportunity to experience Christmas in a new way. Last year, Christmas 4 Kids was able to give 450 children in the Middle Tennessee area a ride on a celebrity tour bus, a party with Santa and Mrs. Claus and the chance to buy presents for their friends and family at a local Wal-Mart. Proceeds from the 2012 Celebrity Golf Tournament, Christmas 4 Kids Concert and other events throughout the year will go to make this reality again in December 2012.

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Highway Angel Hosts Show On Renegade Radio Nashville

By on July 29, 2012 in In The Press
Nashville, Tennessee (July 26th, 2012) – Renegade Radio Nashville has enlisted the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Highway Angel program spokeswoman Lindsay Lawler to host new radio show, On The Road To Nashville.
The show, which initially aired July 17th, incorporates drivers’ requests with heroic Highway Angel stories, as well as interviews with industry professionals. Lawler, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter  has gained notoriety amidst the truck driving community since partnering with the TCA in 2010. Her popularity was furthered with the release of her single, Highway Angel.
“My main goal is to bring a positive image to trucking and awareness of the most amazing, hard-working, loyal people that makeup the trucking industry,” Lawler said.

“We recognize the need for a show that will highlight such a large part of our valued listenership, and are excited to work with Lindsay to showcase these roadway warriors,” said Captain Jack Aponte, the voice and owner of Renegade Radio.

On The Road To Nashville airs every Tuesday and Thursday night from 5-8pm.

About Lindsay Lawler:
Born and raised in Texas, Lindsay Lawler spent several years performing in Los Angeles before making her way to Nashville, Tennessee in 2007. After performing at the 2010 Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Texas, she formed a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association and has since been named the official spokeswoman of their Highway Angels program. Her single, Highway Angel, has given her exposure as an artist and become an anthem for truck drivers everywhere. She also wrote and recorded Long Haul, a salute to female truck drivers. Lawler continues to support the truck driving community through her performances around the country and her radio show, On The Road To Nashville. For more information on Lindsay Lawler, visit www.lindsaylawler.com.

About Renegade Radio:
Renegade Radio Nashville began as the brainchild of longtime broadcasting veteran Captain Jack Aponte. With a solid vision of utilizing the latest technology to reach the largest audience worldwide, Renegade Radio Nashville began Internet broadcasting on June 7, 2011. The station currently has 3.5 million listeners tuning in from 143 different countries and, in December of 2011, became the first ever Internet radio station to be granted reporting status with Music Row Magazine. For more information on Renegade Radio Nashville, visit www.renegaderadionashville.com. 

About Highway Angel:
Created by the Truckload Carrier Association (TCA), the Highway Angel program is designed to bring recognition to those truck drivers having participated in good deeds. Whether it be a random act of kindness or a heroic act, the program aims to improve indiviual drivers’ feelings toward themselves and their profession, all while promoting greater public recognition of Angels and improving the public’s image of the truck driving profession. For more information on the Highway Angel program, visit www.truckload.org/highway-angel.

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NAMM Brings Music Product Industry Together in Nashville, July 12-14

By on July 29, 2012 in In The Press

Carlsbad, CA (July 16, 2012) — From networking with current vendors and scoping out new brands to learning at NAMM U sessions and taking in the Nashville nightlife, the music industry stayed busy during a fun and productive three days in Nashville for Summer NAMM. The National Association of Music Merchant’s (NAMM) event held July 12-14 is the summer-timed compliment to January’s The NAMM Show timed to line up with product releases for the holiday buying season.

Beyond the thousands of music instrument and product showings at Summer NAMM, the show provides Members with dozens of complimentary professional development programs, the Top 100 Dealer Awards and an opportunity to hear live music nearly around the clock while in Music City.

“We’re grateful to the Members who invested their time and money to be participate in Summer NAMM,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. “In spite of the continuing economic challenges, these folks are not sitting on the sidelines waiting for things to get better, but instead seizing the opportunity to increase their competitive advantage as we head into the fall and holiday selling season.”

Summer NAMM saw more retail owners, buyers and employees doing business at the show. The number of retail buyers increased a robust 20% in 2012 over 2011.

“This show is incredible. I wouldn’t miss it. It’s a great opportunity to do business and see friends,” said Chuck Surack, president and founder of Sweetwater Sound. “There are lots of new vendors and products here that I wasn’t aware of, lots of new things that I wouldn’t have seen if I hadn’t been here. This is the time to not only foster relationships with current vendors, but also with fellowmusic store owners.”

Energy and growth was mirrored on the manufacturing side with a 9% increase in exhibitors from 2011 to 2012. It was made up in part by many new and returning brands. In total, 372 exhibitors representing many more brands shared new products with buyers from around the world at Summer NAMM.

“Taylor Guitars attends Summer NAMM to thank our dealers for their support in the first half of theyear, to see east coast retailers, who may not always make it to Anaheim and finally, it’s a wonderful reason to visit the great city of Nashville,” said Mike “Monte” Montefusco, director of sales at Taylor Guitars based in El Cajon, CA. “We’re seeing our existing dealer base and a lot of perspective new dealers who are interested in the Taylor line. The pace here in Nashville lends to spending more one-on-one time with perspective dealers.”

NEW BRANDS

Some of the positive energy found at the show can be attributed to the 75 new-to-Summer NAMM exhibitors and another 75 brands returning to Summer NAMM after a break.

An insurgence of new brands at the show allowed retailers to discover new products in time for the holiday season. “The ability at Summer NAMM to sit down and have a conversation is very beneficial. We take this opportunity to look at new products and explore possible future business with brands that we haven’t worked with before,” said Lori Supine, president of Senseney Music in Wichita, Kansas and 2011 Dealer of the Year.

The smaller stage NAMM hosts in Nashville, also gives new brands to grab more of the spotlight. First time Summer NAMM exhibitor Jim McGillivary, founder ofFour Force who makes the EM1 lightweight amp, and 2012 Summer NAMM ‘Best of Show’ winner said, “This summer show is the best for us. It’s a time to meet local music store owners and buyers in a very music friendly city.”

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
While Summer NAMM is officially only a three-day event, over 100 retailers arrived in Music City a day early for NAMM’s inaugural Retail Boot Camp. Bob Negen, a retail expert led a all day educational session with practical business planning, marketing and other tangible business advice tailored specifically for independent music instrument and product dealers.

Tracy Leenman, owner of Musical Innovations in Greenville, South Carolina, who attended the boot camp said, “I thought it was very well-organized and the information applies to everyone sitting in the room—big business, small business, school business, combo business. It’s very hands-on, very action-oriented, very directed toward going home and making a difference.”

The more relaxed pace of the summer-timed event lends to educational opportunities. Each morning opened with a NAMM U Breakfast session with guests including Chip Averwater of Amro Music and author of “Retail Truths,” Joe Calloway, author of “Becoming a Category of One,” and the ‘Best in Show’ awards presented by Music Inc.

TOP 100 DEALERS
The Top 100 Dealer awards celebrated the best in music stores on Friday, July 13th during Summer NAMM. Alto Music won ‘Dealer of the Year,’ while other retailers took home wins in ‘Best of’ categories.

A panel of impartial, expert judges selected the Top 100 dealers using a numeric rating based on five main criteria. Then, the panel scored retailers’ submissions for awards in ten other specific ‘Best of’ categories.

“The retailers in this room are the backbone of the industry,” said Jon Haber, owner of Alto Music based in Middletown, NY. “We’re cultivating all of the future customers. Whether now a pro audio, lighting guy or other person connected to music, they probably got their start getting juiced on a guitar at a local music store.”

NAMM MEMBERS LOVE MUSIC CITY

When NAMM returns to Nashville, July 11-13, 2013 the show will have a new home, the state-of-the-art convention center, Music City Center. Music City Center sits just south of Broadway on a 16-acre site adjacent toboth the Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame and steps from the Ryman Auditorium and Broadway honky tonks where thousands of musical careers have launched.

“I love Nashville – this is a fantastic city!” said Mark Farrell, director of sales for Feeltune in Nimes, France. “I heard great things about the new center. I was talking to a Nashville native and he said it’s like five times the size of this and it’s going to be a sight to behold apparently.”

The Silver Level LEED certified building measures 1.2 million square feet, featuring a 350,000 square foot exhibit hall, a 57,000 grand ballroom and 1,800 parking spaces. A 360,000 gallon retention tank will collect rainwater from the four acre ‘green’ roof to be used for irrigation and to flush the building’s hundreds of toilets.

Before NAMM returns to Music City, The NAMM Show stages in Anaheim, California on January 24-27, 2013. Badge registration for The NAMM Show opens on September 19, 2012. Find more details at http://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2013.

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About NAMM
The National Association of Music Merchants, commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization’s popular NAMM trade shows, is the not-for-profit association that strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products industry, while promoting the pleasures and benefits of making music. NAMM’s activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of more than 9,000 Member companies in 87 countries around the world. For more information about NAMM visit www.namm.org or call 800-767-NAMM (6266). Follow NAMM on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.


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Album Review: Self-Titled Debut By THE FARM

By on July 20, 2012 in Album & Song Reviews

When I first met THE FARM a year ago as I interviewed them and then saw them perform for the first time at Warner Music’s “Pickin’ On The Patio”, I knew there was something special about them and great things would be coming from them in the future. At least, I hoped so!

THE FARM is comprised of Nick Hoffman, Krista Marie, and Damien Horne. Their debut self-titled album is strongly driven by Nick Hoffman’s incredible fiddle playing, tight harmonies of all 3 members, and a contemporary country sound. Their songs are inventive, diverse, and catchy. Nicely produced by the talented songwriter/producer, Danny Myrick.

Here’s the first interview that I did with them, if you want to check it out:

My favorite off the album is still “Home Sweet Home”, their first single that is currently in the top 20 of the charts and still climbing. It’s an uptempo, fiddle-driven tune about not forgetting about where you come from and how nice it is to go back home.   Another favorite is “The Train I’m On”, I loved how it starts out slow lead by the vocals of Damien and builds.  This is a mid-tempo to up-tempo tune that has a great groove.  “Fresh Off The Farm” is another fun, uptempo standout to me and this was lead by the vocals of Nick Hoffman.   Another of the standouts on the album is beautiful ballad “Be Grateful” – especially poignant on a day like today when you turn on the news to hear/see tragic events that seem to plague our world far too often.  Remembering to be grateful for the good things you have in life is a good reminder to have and this song will touch you.

It was hard to pick a least favorite from the album because I really enjoyed the whole album, but if I have to pick it would be “Every Time I Fall In Love”.  Although it was beautifully lead by the vocals of Krista Marie, it was a little too slow for me.  I tend to enjoy uptempo songs more.   It was well-written, just not a big fan of the melody.

I highly-recommend this album by THE FARM that is out in stores now.  I like how they each feel comfortable taking the lead on the album and switch out.  All 3 are strong singers and equally talented musicians (Nick – fiddle,  Damien – guitar, Krista – guitar).

If you get the chance to see them perform live, be sure to.  They are high-energy, polished, and dynamic performers who easily recreate what you hear on the album live on stage.

For more information about THE FARM, go to: www.thefarmmusic.com

Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

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