Category Archives: Music News
Prince: Gone Way Too Soon
Purple Rain falls from the sky and hearts are broken across the world, with the passing of Prince.
Words escape me, and tears drown my face, as I fight with denial and fact.
Musical genius, true legend, icon forever… We love you and will miss you deeply, yet your music will live on as you wanted. 💔RIP our purple Prince💜
Unsigned Only Music Competition Launches “SCREEN SHOT”
Music Supervisors and Publishers Look To Unsigned Only Artists for Songs for Film, TV, Ads, and Video Games
May 12, 2014, Nashville, TN – – Unsigned Only Music Competition announced today the launch of a special promotion, “Screen Shot,” geared toward the placement of music in film, TV, advertising, and video games. “Screen Shot,” sponsored by Radio Airplay, offers the opportunity for artists to have their music heard by some of the top music execs who are looking to place music in various projects. Artists can submit their original songs from May 12-23, 2014 on the Unsigned Only website at http://www.unsignedonly.com.
International Songwriting Competition (ISC) Announces 2013 Winners
Jazz Trumpeter Shunzo Ohno Wins Overall Grand Prize For His Song “Musashi”
May 7, 2014… The International Songwriting Competition (ISC), recognized as the most prestigious and respected international songwriting competition, has today announced its 2013 winners.
ISC’s overall Grand Prize is awarded to Japanese trumpeter Shunzo Ohno for his song “Musashi,” entered in the Jazz category. This is the first time in the 13-year history of ISC that the Grand Prize has been awarded to either an artist in the Jazz category or an artist from Japan.
Winners were selected by a panel of judges which included Imagine Dragons, Martina McBride, Joshua Redman, Josh Turner, Keane, Jon Secada, Dido, Garbage, Darryl McDaniels (Run D.M.C.), James Cotton, Boney James, Jason Isbell, Anoushka Shankar, Monte Lipman (Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Republic Records), Dan McCarroll (President, Warner Bros. Records), Alison Donald (Co-President, Columbia Records UK), and more.
How to Thwart Music Equipment Theft
From rock stars to up-and-comers towing U-Haul trailers, too many artists and musicians have been victims of equipment theft. Whether it’s Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers losing five vintage guitars during a soundcheck to a sticky-fingered security guard, or Country newcomer JJ Lawhorn being ripped off for $4,000 worth of gear from his band’s van while checking into a hotel in Valdosta, Ga., no one is immune.
But everyone can more effectively deal with and prevent equipment loss.
Step One involves purchasing replacement value insurance or, at the very least, adding replacement value riders to homeowners insurance as a safeguard against theft. “All my gear is insured for replacement value,” said veteran guitarist, guitar builder and former Lonestar tech Ricky Dodson. “I have detailed descriptions of my gear and any upgrades that were made to them, as well as model and serial numbers, obviously. I take pictures and mark them, sometimes overtly and sometimes subtly, where the would-be thief might not think to look for it. Also, I don’t advertise on my car that I play, with bumper stickers of brands or anything like that. And I always leave my gear in the trunk if I can’t carry it with me.”
NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Dallas Smith
Dallas Smith got into Country Music by Default. Default, of course, was the superstar band whose neo-grunge anthems shot them to the top of Canada’s indie-rock pile in the early ’00s. Their No. 2 smash in the U.S., “Wasting My Time,” exemplified their sound, particularly in Smith’s vocals: hurt, angry and ecstatic, all at the same time.
So here is Smith again, this time singing about moonshine, the Fourth of July, tan lines, Mountain Dew, Daisy Dukes and even “panties in your purse.” His angst has yielded to a more ebullient and exuberant approach. Somehow a little down-home drawl has softened his delivery, and even his song titles have started dropping their “g’s.”
Photo credit: Kristin Barlowe
And guess what? With the release of his EP Tippin’ Point, produced by Joey Moi, we may be meeting the real Dallas Smith for the first time. Raised in rural British Columbia, he grew up to the tune of his mother’s Country albums, with plenty of Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson on the playlist. To these influences, he added Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban and other Country connoisseurs of strong melodies and expressive vocals. From Default, he learned to project with deep emotion; from Country, he stirred in some humor and accessibility. And on the title track and first single, written by Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, with Jaren Johnston, he ties it together with a lip-tripping hook, like he was born to sing this way. By Bob Doerschuk
For more on Dallas Smith, visit www.CMACloseUp.com.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
XSCAPE: New Music by the King of Pop
All New Album XSCAPE
On May 13th Epic Records, in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson, will release XSCAPE, an album of new music by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. XSCAPE is executive produced by Epic Records Chairman and CEO L.A. Reid. After mining by the Estate of Jackson’s archives, Reid was granted unlimited access to the treasures spanning four decades of material on which Jackson had completed his vocals. Reid then teamed up top producers to “contemporize” the songs while retaining Jackson’s essence and integrity, creating the best music you’ve never heard. The list of producers include global hitmakers Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Stargate and John McClain.
Justin Moore Straddles the Standard/Deluxe Line
Photo Credit: Kristin Barlowe
Justin Moore is a man who listens to his gut … and his gut was telling him that Off the Beaten Path, his third studio album on The Valory Music Co. label, was complete. In fact, he was sure that these 16 tracks would tell the story he wanted to tell, as an artist and a person, more clearly than anything he had recorded previously.
There was just one problem.
Drake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Robin Thicke, And Keith Urban Set To Perform On “The GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live!!
BRITISH ROCKERS – SUMMERS TO TOUR NORTH AMERICA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BRITISH ROCKERS- SUMMERS TO TOUR NORTH AMERICA
SUMMERS DEBUT ALBUM 364 AVAILABLE APRIL 2nd, 2013
“A huge thumbs up.” – Mickky D, Motorhead
“Summers Rock!” – Steve Conte, Michael Monroe band
“It’s great to hear a band that can actually sing!” -Danny Vaughn, Tyketto
March, 2013- London/ New York City- British rockers Summers are set to tour North America. The first leg kicks off in North Carolina on April 26th, 2013. Summers Coming [to America] tour welcomes the release of their debut album 364.
Summers debut album 364 evokes freedom and fearlessness. Bringing back real rock n’ roll that cleverly intertwines catchy hooks, sultry songwriting and danceable grooves; the band has been selling out clubs across the ocean for years. Now, it’s our turn to grab their melodic radio friendly, fun on the run tunes and never let go!
Their first single, “Superhero” featuring Crash Summers sultry vocals; and brother Ricky’s chunky explosive bottom end bass will lead you down addictive roads of debauchery. Ricky says, “The stomping bass and rowdy vocals catapult you forward into the future of cyber rock reality.
Summers second single, “Terminator” features juicy chords, a heavy driving bass line and slick songwriting that will suck you into their den of iniquity. Crash says, “Terminator is a girl, a futuristic girl. Like art coming alive… a sort of imaginary line where futurism and realism meet.”
Musik and Film Records: New EP With Dustin Walker and Rick Springfield
CONGRATS are in order for Cover Story Dustin Walker! Go get ’em Dustin…
Musik and Film Records has just signed a new EP and single with Dustin Walker and Rick Springfield. Musik Radio Promotions will be promoting worldwide. Recorded and produced by Jeff Silverman of Palette Studios.
