AristoMedia Group Continues Run of Successful DownCast® Campaigns…
Friday, August 27th, 2010 | aristomedia | No Comments
AristoMedia Group Continues Run of Successful DownCast® Campaigns with Recent Taylor Swift, Nashville Rising Projects
(Nashville, TN – Aug. 26, 2010) Nashville-based marketing and promotions firm, The AristoMedia Group, is continuing its run of successful DownCast campaigns with recent projects from superstar Taylor Swift and the nationally televised flood benefit concert, Nashville Rising.
A video content distribution service created jointly by The AristoMedia Group and Travis Television Productions, DownCast is a media delivery platform that provides high-quality entertainment news content to online, print, radio and television-based media outlets. Since 2009, DownCast has distributed new release campaigns for a number of Country music artists, including Jamey Johnson, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Sugarland, Josh Turner and others. In recent months, the service has distributed exclusive content for Taylor Swift’s single, “Mine,” and behind-the-scenes footage from the nationally televised Nashville Rising benefit concert and fundraising event held in Nashville.
“The beauty of the DownCast service is that media outlets get free access to a set of downloadable, high-quality files that can be used as-is for broadcast television use, streaming purposes, or any number of different formats,” says AristoMedia President Jeff Walker. “We’re just now starting to see the uses DownCast has beyond music industry applications, as well. It’s exciting when you consider the possibilities out there.”
The AristoMedia Group and Travis Television Productions launched the DownCast service in July 2009 as a comprehensive tool to distribute free, broadcast-quality video content, audio clips and press materials to thousands of media outlets around the world. The system allows outlets on-demand access to the files on a secure, password-protected server. The DownCast service expanded its capabilities in 2010 to include distribution of promotional materials for print media, such as author Andy Andrews’ best-selling release, “The Heart Mender.”
For more information about the DownCast service, visit: www.AristoWorks.com/DownCast. To sign-up and receive DownCast campaign notifications, email Christy Watkins at Christy@AristoMedia.com.
About DownCast:
DownCast is a video content distribution service created by The AristoMedia Group and Travis Television Productions in 2009. The service provides thousands of media outlets with free access to broadcast-quality video files, audio clips, press materials and more. Artists including Jamey Johnson, Joe Nichols, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Sugarland, Josh Turner and best-selling author Andy Andrews have used DownCast to create customized campaigns and promote new release projects.
About The AristoMedia Group:
Nashville-based media, marketing and promotions firm, The AristoMedia Group, is comprised of several distinct departments: AristoVideo (Video Promotion), Aristo P.R. (Publicity), AristoWorks (New Media), AristoVision (Christian Video Promotion), Marco Promotions (Secondary Radio Promotion) and Marco Club Connection (Dance Venue Marketing). The company celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2010. Visit www.AristoMedia.com for more information.
About Travis Television:
Travis Television (TTV) is a Nashville-based television production company that specializes in the field of entertainment, producing stories and segments for major television shows such as Entertainment Tonight, the BBC, GAC & Access Hollywood and many others. TTV provides camera crews and production services to most major television networks, including the Disney Channel, CBS, VH-1, MTV, Comedy Central and more. TTV also produces many music-related, promotional projects in-house. For more information, visit www.ttvonline.com.
AristoMedia Group President Jeff Walker Interview in CelebrityAccess Newsletter
Monday, August 23rd, 2010 | Aristo PR, aristomedia | No Comments
AristoMedia Group President Jeff Walker was interviewed recently by CelebrityAccess’ Larry LeBlanc. Larry’s in-depth interview with Jeff touched on numerous issues facing the Country music industry today, including the growing importance of new media, the nuts and bolts of video and radio promotion and the overall future of our business. Larry even took a comprehensive look back at the accomplished career of AristoMedia’s fearless leader and Music City’s favorite Nashvillian-by-way-of-Australia businessman. See Larry Leblanc’s full interview with Jeff Walker in Celebrity Access here.
Industry Profile: Jeff Walker
— By Larry LeBlanc
This week In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: Jeff Walker, president/CEO, The AristoMedia Group.
Few things are as genuinely Nashville as Jeff Walker,
The president/CEO of the AristoMedia Group is a virtual PR sandwich board for Music City U.S.A.
For 30 years, Walker has—with great gusto and sizeable strategic smarts—been working there, bolstering the careers of such country music giants as Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Shania Twain, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Charlie Daniels and Jo Dee Messina.
However, Walker hails originally from Australia.
In 1980, Walker formed The AristoMedia Group. Its early success as an independent publicity firm (since rebranded as the Aristo P.R. division) prompted Walker to expand his business into video promotion in 1983.
Through its ground-breaking video promotion, The AristoMedia Group played a pivotal role in the growth of music video in country music. The company also played an integral role in establishing the careers of such acts as Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and Sugarland.
Meanwhile, The AristoMedia Group also began to provide publicity and video promotion for the Christian music genre. This included overseeing video promotion of such premier acts as Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Point of Grace, and Relient K.
In 1994 Walker formed The Goodland Group to provide video duplication services. A year later, he launched Jeff Walker & Associates that offers international and domestic consultation services.
In 2004, realizing that there was a need for dance club promotion for country artists, Walker created the Marco Club Connection.
In 2006, The AristoMedia Group launched AristoWorks to develop new media opportunities for clients, and the company branded its Christian video services division as AristoVision.
Since 2005, Walker has hosted, and co-ordinated the annual Global Events of the Country Music Association Festival. This is a series of showcases–sponsored by The AristoMedia Group, and the CMA—that brings the best international talent together. For many of them, it is the first time they’ve been in Nashville.
The AristoMedia Group was launched in April, 1980 which makes it 30 years old.
We started out essentially as a PR firm. Then, in 1983, we segued into video promotion because artists, independent artists in particular, were bringing me videos and saying, “Hey, we want to get these on the air.” So we put a little network together and we started promoting these videos.
In ’89, we took that (video) concept and applied it to the Christian industry, and we expanded to a second department there. Then, in ’91 we got into the radio promotion business with the Marco Music Group. It was initially all of the big stations. After a couple of years, we (decided to) focus on the secondary radio stations in the United States.
Country is undergoing a slight demographic change with the popularity of Taylor Swift and others; and with country radio now trying to attract the next generation of country listeners.
That (shift) is happening with a lot of these younger acts now. Taylor has been great for the country format. What an amazing career she has had in the last 2 1/2 years. It is just tremendous, really. Mass media has embraced her, and the cross-over potential (just continues).The more artists that we get like that, balancing with the other (more traditional) artists that we have in the format is pretty exciting.
Sugarland fits in there too.
Sugarland definitely fits in. Do you know that you can certainly drive to work and hear a Sugarland record, an Allan Jackson record, a George Strait record, a Taylor Swift record, and a Tim McGraw record? This shows what great diversity that we have in the country format.
People aren’t as bothered today with what country is or isn’t anymore. People have recognized that the genre can survive with diversity.
I know. I just heard the new Zac Brown Band, and Alan Jackson duet (“As She’s Walking Away”). It is a marvelous, marvelous record. It is exciting to have this sort of record in the format. Then, there’s Lady Antebellum with, “Need You Now” which is one of the biggest songs of the year. They will sell more records than anything. You can’t tell me that these aren’t mainstream artists.
It’s exciting what is happening to this format. It is almost like the rock music of the ’60s and ‘70s. Where do those fans go? People that have the same taste in music. Where do they fit in now? If you can combine (classic rock) with Easton Corbin “I’m A Little More Country Than That” you almost have within a country format a JACK (radio) format of music because the music is so diverse. It’s a great thing.
Artists like Shania Twain and Keith Urban provided early breakthroughs for that to happen.
Exactly. Keith has been great for the format. He has never denied that he’s not (traditional) country music. He has gone on, and he has held his head high. He’s still living in Nashville, and he’s still saying that he’s a country musician. That fabulous. It’s hard to deny when you look at his roots. I wish Shania would record another album. Boy, she was great for the format too. She made such good music.
What do you make of the recent Country Music Association consumer study that indicated that country fans are adopting new media and technology at a brisk pace?
With the advent of cell phones, all of the (new) technology, and all of the promotion that those companies are doing, I think that people have been forced to accelerate their acceptance of (new media and technology). The CMA research really reflected that, and it’s a great thing for country music, and for all forms of music. I know that digital has slowed down in the past couple of months, but I think it is just because people are readjusting their (digital) plans and have dropped their catalogs (from some services). It will start to pick up again, I believe.
A decade ago, labels had bigger staffs to handle marketing and promotion. With fewer staff at labels, are more opportunities coming your way?
Yes. We have definitely seen a pickup (in business) because (labels) need the help. One of the things that the labels should have picked up on, is releasing more product, not less. It still astounds me that we are so radio-driven with our albums. Instead of picking 6 or 10 new (potential) singles for an album and putting it out, why not do a Broadway tribute? Or a Christmas album? Or a “songs that I wished I had sung” album and create catalog, particularly for these (indie) labels. Why not create the catalog yourself? Where you make money is in the catalog.
For every Big Machine Records or Broken Bow Records that becomes a major country music player, there’s labels like 903 Music, 1720 Entertainment, Category 5, Country Thunder Records, Equity Music Group, Midas Records, Golden Music, and Montage Music Group that have closed or been phased out. Several of those owners have said they didn’t have the leverage to promote artists and records at country radio. It is too expensive?
It is an expensive proposition getting artists out there; taking them on radio tours, and paying for accommodations, plane fares, meals etc. It is a major expense. When radio is the gatekeeper, which they still are, particularly in country music, you have to take a line of least resistance, and work the gatekeepers (in creative ways).
Country is an adult targeted, mostly 35-54 format, and radio plays to that target. New music takes a while to catch on. For new country acts, it takes three hits before they can book good shows. Each single may cost $500,000 to $1 million to promote.
That sounds about right. In the past few weeks, we have had a rush of new releases by Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, the Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood, and Sugarland. If you are a brand new artist trying to get a slot on the radio station and they have two slots a week, and (programmers) have all of these superstars bombarding the airwaves, it’s a really tough thing to do.
You have been involved with video promotion since 1983. MTV, of course, was launched two years earlier. You participated in the first meetings at Country Music Television (CMT), which developed a strategy for country videos.
Back in ’83, I saw a real need for (videos) to help break acts, particularly indie acts in the format. I grew up in Australia, watching the Beatles break using film clips. That is what gave me the idea to push this side of the business, which has been really successful. We are still seeing healthy video production here in Nashville. The thing is that there are so many visual opportunities now. People are using (video) for different things. Now, if they can monetize it as part of applications, etc. then it makes it an even more valuable tool. When people shoot a video, they can shoot a press kit and do other things associated with it.
Digital sub channels are providing new programming opportunities for video at many levels, including local, regional and national shows.
There are still opportunities out there (for video). We just did a comprehensive status video report for country and Christian (formats), which is available on our website. It shows the length and width of (video outlets) that are out there. Since we released (the report), we have had calls from people interested in finding out more about how they can start shows or how they can get involved with their radio station and do more (video promotion) timed to their local television outlets. Hopefully, the buzz generated from that (report) will help grow the (the development of video promotion).
[The AristoMedia Group’s 2010 Video Outlet Status Reports contains data compiled over the last year in the country and Christian music formats. The annual reports include a look into the trends and opportunities available at national, regional, syndicated, pool/closed-circuit and online video outlets.]
Video has become a strong tool in attaining local media for artists while touring. Certainly, magazine and morning shows on local TV stations are receptive to videos.
It helps you sell the act. The more tools that you have, and the more visual tools that you have, helps sell the talent co-coordinators. We have this new Downcast service that we offer, where we send out EPK-type cards to about 9,000 media outlets around the country. We have gotten network television bookings off those things. Network people see these artists performing in this area, and they not only book them (for an appearance), but they might add some of this information to their website. What is so great about (the EPKs) is that use is instantaneous. You can send the information out at 7 o’clock and at 7:20 it is up on somebody’s website. It is fantastic, it really is.
[In 2009, in partnership with Travis Television Productions, The AristoMedia Group co-developed the DownCast service, a video content and electronic press kit distribution service.]
Radio has been slow in using video on their websites…
That is changing. They are seeing the need and the opportunity for it. Clear Channel has a separate video channel (department) that programs a lot of the websites. They go through and screen a lot of the product. Obviously, they want to make sure that they are playing the record on the (individual) radio station before they schedule the video.
Marco Club Connection handles dance club promotion…
We work with a network of about 250 dance clubs around the country that are airing country music or that are doing promotions with country artists. We have developed this network over the past two or three years to let people know what is out there. This is an alternative way to get (an artist’s) music heard. With many of these clubs, the disc jockey from the (local) radio station are there nightly programming music. So, it’s another chance for (radio programmers) to hear the music and see the (crowd’s) reaction. People also hear the music in clubs and they can request it at their local radio station.
How cool was it for you to work with Keith Urban? Being that you both are from Down Under (Urban is from New Zealand) you’d certainly have an understanding of his background.
I worked with him practically all through the ‘90s. Through the early ‘90s to early 200,1 when he was getting The Ranch going. That was a great time. I saw him go from just starting out–and not really having anything–to where he took the Top New Male Vocalist of the Year at the ACM Awards (at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2001), under our watch as publicists. It is just great to see the international and global success that he’s had. We have always believed in him here.
What period of time did you work with Shania Twain?
We worked Shania through all of her albums. We worked every video that she put out. We worked and promoted her and had just a great time with those. Boy, you talk about a great machine over there at Universal under (chairman and CEO) Luke Lewis; how they orchestrated and set up those releases. It was a fantastic thing to watch and be part of.
You also worked on the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” project.
We were part of the team for that with Mercury Records. John Grady was over there (as senior VP) at the time. Honestly, our meeting on that project was 6 months before it was released. We knew that it wasn’t going to be radio-driven. Of course, it ultimately became more radio-driven. We knew that this would have to be video-driven because of George Clooney in the video and everything. So we set up a strategy, and a marketing plan to do that.
Certainly, nobody envisaged the impact that “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” would have.
John Grady did. He’s very much a visionary. Just the enthusiasm that he had (for the project), it was infectious with everybody else.
As a soundtrack, it changed the music business to some degree.
It really did. Certainly T-Bone Burnett has continued to go on from strength to strength.
[The soundtrack of “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” has sold more than 8 million copies. It won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2002; the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for singer Dan Tyminski (whose voice overdubbed George Clooney's in the film on "Man of Constant Sorrow") songwriter Harley Allen, and the Nashville Bluegrass Band's Pat Enright); and the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for "O, Death" by Ralph Stanley.]
In what period of time did you work with Alan Jackson?
We worked promotions for a lot of his earlier videos, from ’89 to ’93. With the “Chattahoochee” video (named as Music Video of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1993) we were really involved. We set up the promotions for “Chattahoochee” to take it to the next level. At the time, (people) felt that they were putting Alan into a different image. “Here’s a country singer that is going to be on water skis (with his cowboy hat) out on the lake. What do we all think?” So we set up a bunch of fun things. It was really exciting. He’s quite a guy.
You are still working with Toby Keith and his label doing all of his video promotion.
We have worked with Toby for a lot of years. He’s a dream to work with. He knows what he wants, and he’s well-managed. He has surrounded himself with a great team. His music is very diverse. That has helped to insure the longevity of his career. I’m really proud of what he has accomplished.
Since 2005 you have hosted, and coordinated the annual Global Events for the CMA Music Festival.
There are so many great (international) acts. Some of the country talent coming out of Canada and Australia is amazing. In Australia, Adam Harvey, and Troy Cassar-Daley are incredible. Boy, with Canada, you just have to look at Johnny Reid. I know that he’s not traditional country, but what great music he is making. All of these people should be big stars in the United States.
Larry LeBlanc was the Canadian bureau chief of Billboard from 1991-2007 and Canadian editor of Record World from 1970-89. He was also a co-founder of the late Canadian music trade, The Record. He has been quoted on music industry issues in hundreds of publications including Time, Forbes, the London Times and the New York Times.
See Larry Leblanc’s full interview with Jeff Walker here.
CMA Music Fest 2010 - Global Showcases
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 | Aristo PR, aristomedia | No Comments
By all counts, this year’s CMA Music Festival was a triumphant success for the city of Nashville. Not only because overall attendance and sponsorships were up, but because it sent a clear message to the rest of the world that Music City is back on its feet and open for business. Other than a break from the oppressive heat and humidity, one really couldn’t have asked for much more than that.
Of course, for most of the staff here at AristoMedia, Music Fest actually kicks off in earnest at the beginning of the week, when our two global showcases take place. Each year, selected international acts from around the world are invited to perform on either Monday’s CMA Global Artist Party or Tuesday’s AristoMedia Global Showcase. This year’s events were our most attended showcases to date, with more than 1,000 fans and industry folks stopping in to catch some or all of the shows.
Performers at the 2010 CMA Global Artist Party
Monday’s showcase (left) featured international artists Luke Austen (Australia), Jaydee Bixby (Canada), David Bradley (UK), Sinead Burgess (Australia), Cameron Clayton (New Zealand), Tim McKay (UK), One More Girl (Canada) and Alex J. Robinson (Canada). Canadian singer Adam Gregory performed an acoustic set and also hosted the show, which was held at popular downtown venue, The Stage on Broadway. It was a great event to help kick off CMA Music Fest week, and the packed house seemed to be a good omen for the upcoming festival.
Performers at the 2010 AristoMedia Global Showcase
Tuesday’s event (right) was held just a few doors down the sidewalk at The Second Fiddle. The late afternoon show spotlighted another talented lineup of international acts, including Travis Collins (Australia), The European Highwaymen (Norway), Jessie Farrell (Canada), Jo Hikk (Canada), Emma King & the Heartsets (UK), Steven Lee Olsen (Canada), Ronnie Rae Rivers (Australia) and Joe Robinson (Australia). The always engaging Aussie duo O’Shea handled hosting duties for Tuesday’s show.
Overall, 17 international artists performed at this year’s Global Events, resulting in our biggest crowds to date. A special thanks goes out to The Stage on Broadway and The Second Fiddle, as well as the CMA, Digital Rodeo and Four Seasons Coach Leasing for sponsoring these unique events.
The rest of the week was mostly a blur, with our artists (and our staff!) hustling and bustling between performances, booth signings, interviews, appearances, poker tournaments, fan club parties… there’s never a shortage of things to do at Music Fest! It’s always fun, though, and I have a feeling next year will be even crazier!
All in all, it was a really great festival this year (smothering heat and ridiculous parking rates notwithstanding). The city took a huge step forward in bouncing back from the catastrophic floods that put downtown underwater only weeks before, and Country music as a genre and brand is really going strong. Thanks to all the fans and artists that made our Global Events and the CMA Music Festival such a success this year. See you all again soon!
Hey, Hey! We’re Thir-tey!
Friday, April 30th, 2010 | Uncategorized, aristomedia | No Comments
The AristoMedia Group Celebrates 30 Years in the Music Biz…
When Jeff Walker started The AristoMedia Group in 1980,
the compact disc was still in development, the World Wide Web was a decade away and the digital download hadn’t revolutionized the music industry yet…
“No one could have predicted our industry would be where we are today when I started this company 30 years ago,” says Walker. “I’ve witnessed so many changes over the last three decades – I’ve seen the industry turn completely upside down, in fact – that change seems to be part of the norm, now. Digital technology has permanently altered our business, and a lot of that change is positive… but boy, it sure has made things interesting these last few years!”
Walker started AristoMedia in April of 1980 as a singular PR firm, but over the last 30 years, the company has continued to grow, developing into a multi-faceted media, marketing and promotion company that houses a half-dozen specialized departments. Those divisions include Aristo P.R. (publicity and PR) AristoVideo (video promotion and marketing), AristoWorks (new media), AristoVision (Christian video promotion), Marco Promotions (secondary radio promotion) and Marco Club Connection (dance venue marketing).
Walker also began a domestic and international consulting business, Jeff Walker & Associates, founded a digital label, GMV Nashville, in 2007 and most recently, established a video content and EPK distribution service called DownCast in 2009.
“The last five or six years have been particularly challenging, but the positive result of that has been another period of expansion within the company,” he says. “Our club department, Club Connection, has really grown with so many Country artists featuring more dance-friendly material these days, and our digital label has filled a niche for artists where a traditional label might not suit their needs. DownCast is our most recent addition, and we’ve just expanded that service to include distribution for book new release materials.”
AristoMedia’s Senior VP of Promotion and Marketing, Craig Bann, echoes those sentiments. During his 20+ years with the company, Bann has seen his share of changes as well.
“Now more than ever, it’s a time to be proactive in the music industry,” Bann notes. “The digital landscape continues to even out the playing field between established and emerging artists, and as a result, many new media and marketing opportunities have been created. We try to provide a range of services that will appeal to artists at all levels of their careers.”
Walker’s efforts to promote international Country artists in the U.S. facilitated the company’s expansion as well. Born in Australia, Walker tirelessly advocated, and continues to stress, the globalization of Nashville-based music. His company has hosted its own annual global showcase in conjunction with the CMA’s Global Artist Party for the past several years as a prelude to the CMA Music Fest each year in June. Aristo also publishes a digital, quarterly international newsletter that is distributed to more than 7,500 recipients worldwide.
As The AristoMedia Group celebrates its 30th birthday in the music business this month, Walker remains characteristically upbeat.
“When times are tough, sometimes being opportunistic is the best thing you can be,” Walker says.
Wonder Woman of the Year!
Thursday, April 29th, 2010 | Aristo PR, aristomedia | No Comments
We always knew Aristo P.R. Senior Publicist Christy Watkins was special, but we didn’t know she was also Wonder Woman!
Last night, Christy was honored by the Women’s Music Business Association (WMBA) with the “Wonder Woman of the Year” award. The Nashville-based organization, formed in 2001, is dedicated to fostering opportunities within the music industry through education, networking, industry involvement, community service and organizational fellowship. The “Wonder Woman” award is the crowning jewel of the group’s award ceremony each year.
Congrats, Christy!
Global Newsletter - April 2010
Thursday, April 15th, 2010 | Global Newsletter | No Comments
The April 2010 edition of the Aristo International Report is now available for viewing here.
This issue, our first of 2010, features a sneak preview of this year’s lineups for the annual global artist showcases held during CMA Music Fest week, as well as a wrap-up of the 38th annual Country Music Awards of Australia. There’s also a look at some of the upcoming Country tours and festivals in Canada, a review of the CMC Rocks the Snowys festival in Australia, the CMA International Broadcaster Awards and a Q&A with Nashville’s own Roots music authority and folklorist, John Lomax III.
Of course, there is other useful info as well, like our calendar of international awards and festivals, photos and more!
Download a .pdf version of the Aristo International Report here.
CRS 2010 Recap Friday, Feb. 26
Saturday, February 27th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Maybe it was just me, but it really did seem that this year’s CRS was a step in a new direction - a “whole new decade” as the slogan says. From the level of artist talent, to the speakers, to the agenda, CRS 2010 had a more streamlined feel that somehow gives you hope that future seminars will continue to evolve and reflect the current issues facing the Country radio industry. It’s no secret that the music industry hasn’t always been at the front of the line when it comes to implementing new ideas, so it’s encouraging to see CRS make some positive strides in that department.
Friday kicked off with the manager’s breakfast, followed by a host of panels that covered topics including how to work with shrinking promotional budgets, PPM issues, radiothons and a comparison of Arbitron and Nielsen methodology. This year’s CRS Hot Topic panel focused on the “Art of Transition” - that dreaded process by which one must morph from the ranks of employed to unemployed and back to employed again. While there weren’t too many hard and fast rules offered up by the panel to help deal with this process, it goes without saying that it’s just part of the business. Don’t panic, don’t take it personal, and don’t forget that’s why you should be networking at CRS!
Emily West and Eric Church entertained attendees at the Capitol luncheon, but after Universal’s epic lineup on Wednesday and Sony’s Alan Jackson/Danny Gokey/Brooks & Dunn sandwich yesterday, the last luncheon of CRS understandably lacked the firepower of the previous two. Still, both artists put on great performances, and EMI officially revealed that EMI Records Nashville will begin operations in the near future.
CRS 2010 Town Hall panelists and moderators. Photo: Bev Moser
The Town Hall panel is designed to put its panelists on the spot and this year’s crew fielded questions written on a beach ball, ranging from the pros and cons of radio single life cycles to playlist diversity to the “elephant in the room” - performance royalties. The latter was introduced with only minutes left in the session and probably not a minute too soon for panelists and record execs Mike Dungan (Capitol) and John Esposito (Warner). Also serving on the panel were Redneck Records’ Gretchen Wilson, WUBL’s Scott Lindy and Alpha Broadcasting’s Larry Wilson. The Town Hall panel is a great idea, but I can’t help but wonder if it might be more effective if it kicked off CRS on opening day, for instance.
A highlight of every CRS is the New Faces show. This year, Randy Houser, Gloriana, Love & Theft, Justin Moore and Chris Young were the lucky performers chosen as Country radio’s “next big things.” The lineup
New Faces of Country Music performers at CRS 2010. Photo: Bev Moser
mixed a fair amount of pop-rock/contemporary-country, courtesy of Gloriana and Love & Theft, plus a healthy dose of more traditionally-oriented material from Young and Houser. Justin Moore provided the “good ol’ boy” element quite nicely. Notable moments included Love & Theft’s overall impressive harmonies (which seem to be earning a name for the male trio rather quickly), Houser’s “Anything Goes” and rocking rendition of “Boots On,” Young’s adept cover of “Rainy Night in Georgia” and Gloriana’s even more surprising cover of the Doobie Brother’s “Black Water.” Justin Moore closed out the show with plenty of attitude, performing hits like “Small Town USA” and “Backwoods” before ending with “I Could Kick Your Ass,” which, by the end of CRS, it certainly felt like mine had been.
After New Faces, it was off to the Digital Rodeo “Guilty Pleasures” show, which was held again this year at Cadillac Ranch. This was the second year the DR camp has put on this show, and honestly, it’s a lot of fun. If you’ve still got the energy, it’s a great way to end CRS and start the weekend, if you know what I mean. The lineup was pretty lengthy, but I remember seeing performances from Emily West, Mallary Hope, Laura Bell Bundy (an extremely entertaining version of “Proud Mary” - complete with dance routine and backup dancers, I might add), Buddy Jewell, Julie Roberts, Coldwater Jane, Mark Wills… plus probably a few more that I forgot.
So, there it is… another CRS in the books. I have to give the CRB a lot of credit - they faced a lot of obstacles this year in putting together Country Radio Seminar, and I thought they did a more-than-admirable job. I know they will be looking closely at what worked and what didn’t at this year’s event to continue developing next year’s seminar with the same forward-thinking philosophy that made this one a success. I heard a lot of positive comments about CRS 2010, and that bodes well for the future of Country Radio Seminar.
So mark your calendars for next year… CRS 2011: March 2-4, 2011!
Until then,
Ryan
CRS 2010 Recap - Thursday, Feb. 25
Thursday, February 25th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
The Convention Center was full of bright ideas and eye-opening research data on Thursday. Morning panels covered topics on how to properly interview an artist, methods to increase station revenue and the perpetual question of balancing variety vs. repetition in playlists.
The big panel of the day, however, was this year’s CMA research project, which revealed a dizzying amount of data and focused largely on the impact of the economy on today’s Country music fan. If you’re a member of the CMA, you can access the full research data here, but the big picture is that, like every genre of music, Country has taken a hit thanks to the economic downturn. The good news is that Country music thus far seems to have weathered the storm better than anybody else, and a big reason why is because of Country radio. Listenership increased in the last year from 6.4 hours/wk in 2008 to 9.9 hours/wk in 2009. Monthly listening has gone up from 79 percent of fans to 93 percent of fans last year. Overall, the research showed that radio is still king when it comes to influencing fans’ tastes and behavior.
Alan Jackson at the Sony Music luncheon. Photo: Bev Moser
The bad news is that the hardcore Country fanbase seems to have shrunk slightly, from 39 percent in 2008 to 37 percent in 2009. One of the reasons that news is particularly disheartening is because those core “CountryPhile” fans make up the majority of consumer spending. CDs, legal downloads and concert ticket sales declined an estimated 28 percent in the last year. And, once again, data showed that a significant portion of fans (roughly a third) would listen to more Country radio if there was less repetition and deeper playlists.
The Sony luncheon offered up three artists that represented perfectly the arc of a Country artist’s career at radio. First, there’s newcomer Danny Gokey, who is the latest American Idol contestant to try their hand at a career in Country music. Then there’s Alan Jackson, who has sent more than a few singles to the top of the charts and is still arguably at the top of his game. Lastly, there was the special announcement from Brooks & Dunn, who are entering the final stages of their career as a duo at Country radio. (The announcement, by the way, was that the proceeds from their final show in Nashville would all go to the Country Music Hall of Fame). You can’t help but think of the success that acts like Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn have had without also acknowledging the importance of radio.
Easton Corbin (l) with Tom T. Hall before WCRS Live. Photo: Bev Moser
The CMA Research Workshop was one of the more energetic and enthusiastic panels I’ve attended thus far. Intended to further explain the data that was presented during the CMA research panel, it ended up turning into more of a point-counterpoint discussion on the relative merits of said data. It was refreshing to see and certainly entertaining. I applaud the passion that drives our industry to work through our differences and try to find a way to make this business still work.
Next up was a showcase I’d been looking forward to since it was announced - Tom T. Hall, Wynn Varble and Easton Corbin at WCRS Live. No disrespect to Wynn or Easton, but I was really looking forward to seeing Tom, one of the few Country artists I’ve never gotten the chance to see in a live setting. He didn’t disappoint, either, charming the crowd in between songs with his deadpan humor and then wowing them with songs like “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died,” “Homecoming” and “I Love.” Mr. Hall, thanks.
Next up tomorrow: Hot Topics, New Faces and Guilty Pleasures!
Ryan
CRS 2010 Recap - Wednesday, Feb. 24
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 | Aristo PR, Country Radio Seminar, aristomedia | No Comments
CRS 2010 kicked off in a big way on Wednesday. Although there weren’t too many panels today, the artists were out in force! First though, financial guru Dave Ramsey delivered the seminar’s keynote address, which acknowledged the epic challenges the radio industry is facing in a slow-to-recover economy and digital world.
Performers at the CRS 2010 UMG luncheon at the Ryman Auditorium.
The Universal luncheon was the first official CRS 2010 artist performance, and it was an impressive one. Held for the first time ever in the Ryman Auditorium, UMG offered up a total of 18 of their artists for the show: Easton Corbin, Laura Bell Bundy, Josh Kelley, Coldwater Jane, Randy Montana, Mallary Hope, Ashton Shepherd, Randy Rogers Band, Ryan Bingham, David Nail, Julianne Hough, Billy Currington, Jamey Johnson, Gary Allan, Josh Turner, Lee Ann Womack, Vince Gill and Sugarland. The highlights were many: Jamey Johnson’s introspective “That’s Why I Write the Songs” and Ryan Bingham’s ”The Weary Kind” (from the film Crazy Heart) to Vince Gill’s poignant “Bread & Water” and Sugarland’s powerful “Wide Open.” As far as I know, the scope of a luncheon like what UMG pulled off has never been seen before at Country Radio Seminar, and hopefully it won’t be the last time, either. I mean, when’s the last time you saw 18 different performances during your lunch break?
Turning back to the educational panels for a moment, best-selling author Bob Rosner led attendees through his “Workplace 911″ panel, and a collective of label execs offered advice in the “Label Partnerships” panel on how to secure and execute successful artist appearances at radio events. Rodney Atkins delivered an acoustic performance at the end of the panel as a special treat for those in attendance.
Next up was another artist performance event that benefited from an updated theme this year. The normal KCRS Live! songwriter showcase was replaced with “Storytellers with Darius Rucker.” Rucker was joined on stage for performances by Radney Foster, as well as co-writers Frank Rogers, Chris Stapleton, Ashley Gorley, Chris DuBois and Clay Mills.
Taylor Swift performs at the CRS 2010 Music City Jam. Photo: Bev Moser
If the first day was any indication, CRS 2010 really has undergone a facelift of sorts. The artist/attendee welcome reception was an event that made its return to Country Radio Seminar this year, giving the industry folks a chance to mingle with some of the artists in a more casual environment. In years past, the Artist Radio Taping Sessions often became the place to shoot the breeze, and with the A.R.T.S. going digital this year, the welcome reception seemed like a natural choice to add back into the revamped CRS agenda. The turnout was good, and everyone seemed to enjoy the chance to have a few drinks at the end of the day.
One of the most anticipated events of the evening was, of course, the performance by Taylor Swift at the Music City Jam. Julianne Hough and Gloriana also joined the young superstar on stage during her 10-song set. Swift performed hits like “Love Story,” “You Belong With Me” and “Fifteen” before closing with “Should’ve Said No.” Kudos to Country Radio Broadcasters for nabbing arguably the biggest star in Country music today to close out the first day of CRS 2010. It was quite a day.
More updates coming soon!
Ryan
CRS 2010 Recap - Tuesday, Feb. 23
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 | Aristo PR, Country Radio Seminar, aristomedia | 1 Comment
Wednesday, Feb. 24
The 2010 class of the Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame was inducted last night in downtown Nashville, Tenn. The Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony unofficially kicks off Country Radio Seminar each year at the Nashville Convention Center, and this year’s event was completely sold out.
The 2010 class of the Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame. Photo: Bev Moser.
The 2010 class included Cy Blumenthal (deceased), Dan Halyburton and Mike Hammond on the Radio side, and Bill Bailey, Laurie DeYoung and Rudy Fernandez on the DJ side. The evening also saw Brooks & Dunn honored with the CRB Career Achievement Award and Charlie Cook receive the CRB President’s Award.
The biggest surprise of the evening was undoubtedly the appearance by Taylor Swift, who introduced WIVK’s Mike Hammond during the ceremony. Swift told the story of how Hammond was one of the first people to ask her to perform live on-air, and what it meant that he “took a chance” on her artistry as an unknown 15-year-old aspiring Country singer. During his speech, Hammond spoke of their first meeting as well, recalling the moment he told his DJ after Swift’s performance that they had just witnessed a superstar in the making.
Dierks Bentley performed an acoustic, bluegrass-inspired cover of Brooks & Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road” with members of the McCoury family as a tribute to the legendary duo. “I figured I can’t out-honky-tonk Kix, and I can’t out-sing Ronnie, so I figured I might try to out-bluegrass ‘em,” Bentley said.
The evening made for an enjoyable and entertaining start to CRS 2010. I’ll be posting more updates in the next few days, so be on the lookout for those…
Ryan