Roots Music Report

The Department of Justice has made it official—it will not make any changes to the decades-old consent decrees overseeing ASCAP and BMI and their relationship with music users such as radio. The decision had been shared with various players in the music industry—including with broadcasters—during the past month. But the DOJ is now confirming that it has concluded “no modifications are warranted at this time.” DOJ antitrust attorneys had been reviewing the consent decrees for the past two years. The consent... Read More

Nashville has long nurtured its status as the "Music City," thanks to a wide range of venues and a steady stream of performers exported from the city. When acts such as Jack White, the Black Keys and Carrie Underwood move to the city to be part of the scene, it builds up up the "Music City" vibes even more. But a great feature from The Tennessean demonstrates that things aren't so rosy outside of the ht records. The city has lost more than 80 percent of its professional... Read More

By JEFF D. GORMAN         (CN) - Country singer Hal Ketchum must be protected for life from a stalker who changed her name to resemble his, a Texas appeals court ruled.      An afidavit from Ketchum stated that Suzanna Eckchum, formerly Eckhert, has stalked him and his family for 15 years since she met him at a fan event in Colorado.      According to the musician, Eckchum has followed the Ketchums from Nashville to Austin and two other towns in... Read More

This is the sixth release from award winning blues and roots artist, Sunday wilde from Northern Ontario. This album was recorded in Memphis and Clarksdale, produced by 2 time Grammy nominee Gary Vincent , and is the result of two major trips from Northern Ontario to the Delta. Sunday retains the theme of “men” in her sixth release with her prayer to god to “Show Me A Man” with the list of things that she wanted to find in the perfect man and “That Man Drives Me Mad” her take on a complicated relationship.... Read More

  IBMA Emerging Artist Candidate For Nomination To Headline Busy Bird Festival July 9   Nashville, TN (July 6, 2016) - Kentucky Bluegrassers NewTown are enjoying a busy week as their new CD, HARLAN ROAD, hits stores Friday, July 8,... Read More

Chesnutt Slated For Media Blitz In Support Of First Album Of All-New Material In Six Years Including Premiere of Lyric Video on The Boot, SiriusXM Prime Country Radio Special, Rolling Stone Country, Billboard and more! Pre-Order Tradition Lives Here   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 1, 2016) – The wait is nearly over for Mark Chesnutt fans as Friday, July 8 marks the release of his first album of all-new material in six years, Tradition Lives, released by Row Entertainment. The celebration kicks off Friday, July... Read More

Fireball Mail, an up and coming bluegrass band based in Nashville, TN took home the gold at the prestigious 2016 Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Telluride, CO last week.  The Telluride Band Contest is a nationally recognized bluegrass contest. Finalists are awarded cash and prizes, as well as critical acclaim, well-deserved recognition, and a spot on the 2017 lineup to perform on the festival main stage sharing the spotlight with the likes of Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Chris Thile, Tim O'Brien, and Sam Bush. Fireball... Read More

Bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley died at his home in the same mountains of southwestern Virginia where he was born in February 1927. Ralph Stanley was 89 years old.  He was preceded in death by his brother and musical partner, Carter Stanley, who died in... Read More

Public radio expanding reach with shift to digital As public radio hosts retire and the age divide between listeners widens, public radio is looking more toward digital to keep ratings up. NPR is the nation's top podcast publisher -- reaching 7.2 million listeners -- while stations such as WNYC Studios are experimenting with content, including the "2 Dope Queens" podcast, to reach a broader audience. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription... Read More

    BARENAKED LADIES BNL ROCKS RED ROCKS NEW LIVE RECORDING OUT THIS WEEK FRIDAY, MAY 20TH **LAST SUMMER ON EARTH 2016 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS OMD AND HOWARD JONES TOUR KICKS OFF ON JUNE 3RD IN MINNEAPOLIS, MN** May 18, 2016 - Barenaked Ladies will be releasing their live album BNL Rocks Red Rocks this Friday, May 20th.  Recorded at... Read More

  Guy Charles Clark November 6, 1941 – Tuesday May 17, 2016 Grammy-winner, Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member, Academy of Country Music Poet’s Award honoree, and fearless... Read More

                  11-City Second Leg of Tour Will Kick Off in Ontario June 16 NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Not one for slowing down, Kiefer Sutherland will carry the momentum from his live shows to Canada this June, as he adds 11 new tour dates to his North American tour in support of his debut album, Down In A Hole, available this summer (release date to be announced). Click here to listen to “Not Enough Whiskey” - the debut track from... Read More

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"There's a palpable electric current running through Blue Skies, while still maintaining the relaxed, festival-ready pulse they've become known for over the course of more than a decade."  Rolling Stone Country  Mountain Heart have released their first studio album in five years, Blue Skies, today via Compass Records.  Blue Skies find Mountain Heart completely reinventing themselves without a single founding member. ... Read More

GRAMMY® AWARD WINNING COUNTRY ICON CHARLEY PRIDE CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH UPCOMING 2016 TOUR Tour Includes Multiple Stops in the United States and Canada   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 28, 2016) – Country trailblazer Charley Pride is celebrating 50 years in the recording industry as he announces upcoming North American tour dates throughout 2016. At tour stops, the 36-time chart-topper will perform many of his biggest hits, including those that helped him win the Country Music Association’s... Read More

Authorities responded to a medical emergency call Thursday morning at Paisley Park in Minnesota, where the pop superstar has his recording studios. Jason Kamerud, Carver County chief sheriff's deputy, tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the investigation began on Thursday morning. Paisley Park Studios is his large compound in Chanhassen, Minnesota. It's both his record studio and his home.  He's recorded several of his hit records at the complex, including "Parade," "Diamonds and Pearls" and... Read More

Legendary singer Linda Ronstadt made a rare public appearance in the South Bay. Three years have passed since Ronstadt went public with her Parkinson's diagnosis.  By Leslie Brinkley SAN JOSE (KGO) -- Legendary singer Linda Ronstadt made a rare public appearance in the South Bay. Three years have passed since Ronstadt went public with her Parkinson's diagnosis. Monday night, she gave an update on how she's dealing with the disease to a sold out crowd at the California Theater in San Jose. "Thank... Read More

HTC on Tuesday unveiled the HTC 10, its latest flagship smartphone, with an unusual feature in the form of native support for Apple's AirPlay wireless streaming protocol.   Owners will be able to stream audio to the Apple TV and other AirPlay-enabled devices, but it's unclear if video streaming will be supported, Engadget reported. Third-party Android apps have enabled AirPlay streaming for some time, but HTC appears to be the first Android device maker to have licensed the technology as a... Read More

Another legend of country music will be missed.   Merle Haggard Passes: Legendary singer, songwriter, musician and member of the Nashville Songwriters and Country Music Halls of Fame Merle Haggard has died in hospice care after battling pneumonia. He turned 79 today (4/6). A leading figure of the famed "Bakersfield Sound; and one of the most influential artists in country music history, Haggard has spent significant time in the hospital in recent months causing the cancellation of multiple tour dates.   A... Read More

RELEASES FROM THE FLESHTONES, ELI PAPERBOY REED AND SHADOWY MEN ON A SHADOWY PLANET CONFIRMED FOR 2016 AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT PARTICIPATING INDEPENDENT RECORD STORES ON APRIL 16, 2016 Yep Roc Records announces three Record Store Day 2016 titles, including 45s from The Fleshtones and Eli Paperboy Reed, and a four-LP vinyl box set from Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet. All titles will be available exclusively at select independent music retailers on Saturday, April 16, 2016. For a list of participating stores, please visit:... Read More

    Street Rapper DIVINE's Second Single "JUNGLI SHER" Is A Viral Rage!   Video Receives Worldwide Debut On Apple Music         (New York, NY - April 5, 2016) - Sony Music is proud to present "Jungli Sher" (literally translates to Wild Lion) from rapper, composer and the new face of hip-hop in India DIVINE. The song, which has now been called a viral phenomena, witnessed a... Read More

Taylor Swift won four awards during Sunday night’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, including Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (for1989), Best Tour, and – perhaps most important in 2016 – Most Meme-able Moment for her “Blank Space” video. Other winners included Swift’s boyfriend Calvin Harris (named Dance Artist of the Year), Adele, Justin Bieber, Drake, Selena Gomez, and Chris Brown, who topped Beyoncé in the R&B Artist of the Year category. Ahead the full list of winners from the... Read More

A new bill in the U.S. House of Representatives is being introduced in Congress this week that would give producers, engineers and mixers -- often times the unsung and forgotten heroes in the whole song-making process -- a piece of the digital royalty pie. The Allocation for Music Producer Act, or AMP Act (H.R. 1457), is being formally introduced by congressmen from both sides of the aisle: Reps. Joe Crowley (D-New York) and Tom Rooney (R-Florida).   In the past it has been up... Read More

Pandora's board of directors has appointed founder Tim Westergren CEO, replacing Brian McAndrews. The change takes place immediately. Also, Mike Herring has been named President and Chief Financial Officer and Sara Clemens has been named Chief Operating Officer. Chief Product Officer Chris Phillips takes on end-to-end product development and delivery   Westergren said, "I am incredibly excited about the future of Pandora. We're on the... Read More

Sutherland Adds Additional Dates to Nationwide Tour   Sutherland Announced as Presenter During 51st Academy of Country Music Awards™ on CBS   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 28, 2016) – Kiefer Sutherland opens his songwriting notebook and premieres the pedal-steeled, country/Americana-tinged “Not Enough Whiskey” video on Rolling Stone Country Monday. “Not Enough Whiskey,” available April 1 on iTunes, is the debut track from Sutherland’s upcoming Down In A Hole album set for... Read More

Usher performs during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. REUTERS/STEVE MARCUS   iHeartMedia Inc has hired Moelis & Co as a financial adviser, the most significant step yet by the largest owner of U.S. radio stations to deal with its $21 billion debt pile, according to people familiar with the matter. The move comes as iHeartMedia, one of the world's largest leveraged buyouts when it was taken private by buyout firms for $26.7 billion in 2008, struggles to compete for listeners amid digital... Read More

RMR NEWS! Roots Music Report welcomes newest staff member. Music CD Reviewer Joe Safari Joe Safari teaches college communication and journalism courses in Pennsylvania, and has a wide interest in almost all popular music, from the earliest jazz to the newest contemporary rock and Americana. He is a former newspaper reporter, and has also been a working guitarist, bassist and singer in several rock and roll bands to remember for nearly four decades. RMR president:  Robert Bartosh welcomes Joe Safari to the RMR team and is... Read More

MORE THAN 1,000 MUSICIANS FROM 20 COUNTIRES PERFORMED DURING CONFERENCE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI “…the annual conference ultimately relies on the oldest transmission form there is: the wandering troubadour.” –American Songwriter “Voices came from all over the world -- some sweet and pure, others gruff and gravelly, but the voices were all coming from one spot: their hearts.” – o Depression “[The Awards Gala] was a celebration of wisdom well earned – it was, you could say, the... Read More

      Brendon Anthony, visiting Deep Ellum last September, feels the Texas Music Office is making strides in its mission. (David Woo/Staff Photographer)     That was the challenge Anthony laid out last summer, as he traveled the state to introduce himself as the first new leader of the office in over two decades. The goal at that time was to listen and learn from industry experts – about 1,100 of them so far. But even then, people were pining for substantive results. And now... Read More

2/19/16 Fritz Byers with WGTE Media is now discovering new music releases by way of Radio Submit. WGTE FM Public Media operates four stations in the northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan area, including: Toledo 91.3 WGTE Lima 90.7 WGLE Bryan 90.9 WGBE Defiance 91.9 WGDE. WGTE FM along with thousands of other radio stations, DJ's, Music Directors and broadcast pro's are now downloading newly released music from record labels and artists direct from Radio Submit. Only radio can download music from Radio Submit using a secure... Read More