Country 2 Country (UK) CMA UK Research - AristoMedia

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Apr 26, 2014 - Don Williams heads back to the U.K. and Ireland in May of this year, ..... Brody, Serena Ryder, Small Tow
Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

Country  2  Country  (U.K.)

CMA  U.K.  Research

A  JOLLY  OLD  SUCCESS

WELL  RECEIVED  AT  LONDON  CMA  SUMMIT

Over  50,000  fans  participated  in  the  C2C  (Country  To  Country) Events  at  the  O2  in  London  recently.  In  addition,  the  event  was taken  to  Dublin  for  the  first  time.

CMA  presented  research  about  trends  on  Country  music  fans  at  The  CMA International  Marketing  Summit  on  March  17  in  London.  A  summary  of the  findings  are  as  follows:

This  year’s  stellar  line  up  included  Brad  Paisley,  Rascal  Flatts,  The Band  Perry,  Chris  Young,  Zac  Brown  Band,  Dixie  Chicks,  Dierks Bentley  and  Martina  McBride  (London  only).

U.K.  Country  Music  Fans  are  extremely  passionate  about  Country  music: Eighty-­eight  percent  are  classified  as  Super  Fans  using  a  10  point  rating scale.  While  92%  would  chose  Country  music  as  their  listening  genre  if they  had  to  pick  only  one,  they  listen  to  other  genres  of  music  as  well, mostly  Pop  and  Rock.  The  key  differences  by  genre  can  be  seen  in frequency  of  listening:  85%  listen  to  Country  music  on  a  daily  basis compared  to  less  than  20%  that  listen  to  either  Pop  or  Rock  on  a  daily basis.

The  National  UK  Media  was  very  receptive  to  the  event  with glowing  reviews  from  many  areas.  Below  are  some  of  the  reviews: “Thousands  of  fans  traveled  hundreds  of  miles  from  every corner  of  the  U.K.,”  and  “you  got  a  real  sense  that America’s  mainstream  Country  superstars  are  on  the  verge of  something  big  in  the  U.K.”  -­  The  Daily  Mirror “This  was  as  close  to  Nashville  as  London  had  ever  been. In  this  internet  era,  Country  Music  is,  for  the  first  time, readily  accessible  to  U.K.  fans.”  -­  The  Daily  Telegraph “With  a  long  weekend  of  activity…including  London  and Dublin  festivals,  the  Country  Music  genre  is  experiencing the  biggest  push  that  it’s  had  in  the  U.K.  in  years.”  -­  U.K. music  trade  publication  Music  Week In  response  to  the  success  of  the  event:  “Country  has  lived long  and  prospered  because  it  has  never  been  afraid  to evolve.”  -­  London  Evening  Standard An  additional  highlight  of  the  event  was  the  participation  of  over  20 U.K.  based  country  music  acts  on  the  side  “pop  up”  stages  such  as the  Shins,  Ward  Thomas,  Emma  Jade,  Carolynne  and  Raintown. One  of  the  surprising  features  of  the  festival  was  the  overall youthfulness  of  the  audience.  It  seems  that  the  growing  passion  for country  music  by  the  younger  generation  stateside  has  migrated across  the  Atlantic.  All  of  the  acts  not  only  received  strong accolades,  but  many  in  the  audience  were  in  sing-­a-­long  mode knowing  the  lyrics  to  many  of  the  songs.

Mobile  devices  and  streaming  are  driving  engagement  with  Country music  as  evidenced  by  3  in  4  fans  listening  to  the  music  on  a  smartphone. Radio  is  another  key  platform  as  well  with  slightly  more  than  half  listening to  Country  music  on  a  traditional  radio. Not  surprisingly,  today’s  top  U.S.  country  artists  are  quite  popular  with U.K.  fans,  and  over  90%  of  fans  express  interest  in  music  and  live performances  from  this  segment  of  artists.  Somewhat  more  surprising  is their  interest  in  U.S.  emerging  country  artists.  Despite  lower  awareness  of acts  in  this  artist  segment,  U.K.  fans  were  equally  interested  in  music  and live  performances  from  emerging  acts  as  they  reported  for  today’s  top country  acts. This  research  is  based  on  survey  research  conducted  by  the  CMA  among 400  U.K.  adults  that  were  identified  as  Country  Music  fans  based  on  their responses  and  selection  of  music  listening  habits  in  a  6  month  period. Surveys  were  conducted  online  during  February  of  2014  using  an independent  research  sample  provider,  Survey  Sampling  International. Reprinting  or  publication  of  these  research  findings  requires  prior approval  of  the  Country  Music  Association,  Nashville,  TN.

“Seeing  firsthand  the  enthusiastic  response  from  the  fans,  the interest  from  our  constituents,  the  overwhelmingly  positive  media coverage,  and  the  potential  for  business  growth  was  rewarding and  created  the  foundation  for  future  international  initiatives,”  said Sarah  Trahern,  CMA  Chief  Executive  Officer. Next  year’s  festival  will  take  place  in  London  on  March  7  and  8, 2015.  Dublin  will  also  play  host  to  the  festival  next  year  and discussions  are  in  the  works  to  take  it  to  Europe  and  Scandinavia in  the  near  future. For  a  photo  gallery  see  page  2.  All  photo's  by  Anthony  D'Angio  / CMA  except  where  noted. A  full  room  of  engaged  attendees  sit  and  listen  during  a  session  at  the  BBC Marketing  Summit  In  London

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

What  is  COUNTRY  Music?  Industry  executives  discussed  how  to  define Country  Music  in  the  international  landscape.  Pictured  L  to  R:  Panel moderator  Sarah  Trahern  (CMA),  and  panelists  Bob  Shennan  (BBC), Richard  Wootton  (Richard  Wootton  Publicity),  Judy  Seale  and  Jeff  Walker.

BBC  broadcasting  legend,  Bob  Harris,  interviews  Big  Machine  Label Group’s  Scott  Borchetta  during  the  keynote  session  at  the  second  annual CMA  Marketing  Summit.

CMA  CEO  Sarah  Trahern,  songwriter  Brett  James,  Sarah  Zimmermann and  Justin  Davis  of  Striking  Matches,  Martina  McBride,  songwriter  Bob DiPiero,  and  CMA  SVP  of  Marketing  and  Strategic  Partnerships  Damon Whiteside  at  the  CMA  London  Songwriter  Series.

Executives  discussed  ways  to  engage  the  Music  fanbase  –  from  an  international and  US  domestic  perspective.  Pictured  L  to  R:  Panel  moderator  Brad  Turcotte, and  panelists  Julie  Morgan  (SJM  Concert),  Jeff  Smith  (BBC),  Iain  Snodgrass (UMG),  Chris  Koegen  (Vendor  Manager)  and  Rick  Murray  (Premiere  Radio Networks).

Industry  leaders  discussed  the  connection  between  Country  music  and  the  live events  and  the  global  marketplace.  Pictured  L  to  R:  John  Huie  (CAA),  Larry Vallon-­Moderator  (AEG  Live),  Milly  Olykan  (O2),  Clarence  Spalding  (Spalding Entertainment),  and  Bernie  Cahill  (ROAR)).

Lee  Thomas  Miller,  Brad  Paisley,  Kelley  Lovelace,  and  Chris  Dubois  perform  at the  "Brad  Paisley  and  Friends"  taping  at  the  BBC  Radio  Theatre  in  London  March 17.  Photo  Credit:  Ben  Enos

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

CMA  REBRANDS  AND  EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL  CONCERT  DURING 2014  CMA  MUSIC  FESTIVAL  IN  JUNE CMA  CEO  Sarah  Trahern  recently  announced  that  CMA  will rebrand  and  expand  the  annual  Global  Artist  Party  during  the  CMA Music  Festival  in  June. Presented  under  the  “CMA  World”  global  brand,  the  CMA  World GlobaLive  concert  will  be  held  Monday,  June  2  from  6  –11  p.m.  CT on  a  free,  outdoor  stage  on  Broadway  in  downtown  Nashville.  The concert  will  be  open  to  the  public  and  feature  performances  by Country  Music  artists  from  territories  including  Australia,  Canada, New  Zealand,  Sweden  and  the  U.K. The  concert  began  in  2004  as  the  Global  Artist  Party  with standing-­room-­only  crowds  of  enthusiastic  fans. “Moving  this  incredibly  popular  event  from  a  club  setting  to  a  large stage  with  international  food  and  beverage  vendors  will  enhance the  experience  for  our  visiting  artists,  and  create  a  bigger  platform to  reach  an  even  broader  audience  of  fans  and  press  from  around the  world,”  Trahern  added.  “Country  Music  is  not  limited  by  its American  roots.  Closer  than  a  click,  through  technology  we  are reaching  a  broader  audience  and  developing  new  fans  around  the world.”

GLOBAL  NEWS  BRIEFS Following  the  September  success  of  Taylor  Swift’s  Red  Tour  in  North America,  Australia,  New  Zealand  and  with  her  run  of  sold  out  shows  in London  and  Berlin;;  she  has  announced  plans  to  take  the  tour  to Southeast  Asia  this  year  with  dates  as  follows: Jakarta,  Indonesia  -­  June  4  -­  Mata  Elang  International  Stadium (MEIS) Manila,  Philippines  -­  June  6  -­  Mall  of  Asia  Arena Bangkok,  Thailand  -­  June  9  -­  Impact  Arena Kuala  Lumpur,  Malaysia  -­  June  11  -­  Putra  Indoor  Stadium Singapore  -­  June  12  -­  Singapore  Indoor  Stadium She  is  on  the  current  cover  of  GIRLS  CELEB  Magazine  in  Japan. Dolly  Parton  keeps  adding  dates  for  her  Blue  Smoke  World  Tour,  which includes  stops  in  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  Denmark,  Germany,  Norway and  Sweden  in  June  and  July  of  this  year. Dwight  Yoakam  is  making  a  few  stops  in  Europe  in  July  2014.  The  dates are  as  follows: Seljord,  Norway  -­  July  26  -­  Countryfestivalen Rattvik,  Sweden  -­  July  27  -­  Dalhalla Gothenburg  Sweden  -­  July  28  -­  Trädgårn *A  London  show  date  will  be  announced  soon

CMA  Board  Member,  Jeff  Walker,  who  has  served  as  Executive Producer  of  the  event  since  its  inception,  added,  “It  is  exciting  to see  the  event  grow  the  way  it  has,  and  I  am  really  excited  about the  added  potential  for  future  growth.  Over  the  past  10  years,  we have  featured  over  150  acts  at  the  global  events,  and  this  new venue  offers  an  even  greater  opportunity  to  display  the  talent  of some  of  these  very  exciting  artists.”

Don  Williams  heads  back  to  the  U.K.  and  Ireland  in  May  of  this  year, which  includes  stops  at  the  London  Palladium  and  the  Olympic  Theater  in Dublin.

Mark  Moffatt  will  again  serve  as  music  coordinator,  and AristoMedia’s  Matt  Watkins  handling  musical  oversight  in conjunction  with  the  CMA  staff.

In  early  February,  the  Bellamy  Brothers  performed  to  sold-­out  audiences in  Mumbai  and  Goa,  India.  They  then  went  on  to  perform  to  another  sold-­ out  venue  in  Colombo,  Sri  Lanka.  They  hold  the  distinction  of  being  the first  and  only  U.S.  based  Country  music  artists  to  perform  in  those  two countries.

NEWS  FROM  IRELAND Garth  Brooks  is  returning  to  Ireland  for  the  first  time  since  1997  for The  Garth  Brooks  Comeback  Special  Event.  The  event  includes five  show  dates  at  Croke  Park  in  Dublin,  Ireland.  All  five  shows, which  totaled  400,000  tickets,  sold  out  within  90  minutes.  This  is the  first  time  that  an  artist  has  sold  out  five  dates  at  Croke  Park. The  shows  are  caught  up  in  a  debate  between  the  residents  of  the surrounding  area  of  Croke  Park  and  the  venue  owners.  If negotiations  between  the  two  do  not  go  well,  the  residents  are threatening  to  stop  Garth’s  shows. However,  if  all  goes  well,  The  Garth  Brooks  Comeback  Special Event  will  take  place  on  July  25,  26,  27,  28  and  29,  2014  at  Croke Park.

Eric  Church  and  The  Cadillac  Three  recently  wrapped  up  a  mini U.K./Ireland  Tour  with  shows  in  Dublin,  Belfast,  Glasgow,  Manchester  and London.

Kellie  Pickler,  Josh  Turner  and  Ricky  Skaggs  will  headline  the  Country Night  Gstaad  in  Gstaad,  Switzerland  on  September  13  and  14. Brazilian  entertainer  Rodrigo  Haddad  has  sent  notification  of  the upcoming  Sao  Paulo  Country  Music  Festival,  which  will  be  held  in  the world  famous  soccer  stadium  on  April  26,  2014  and  feature  12  local artists,  including  one  from  Argentina.  While  no  U.S.  acts  are  performing  at the  festival,  he  deems  it  a  major  step  forward  for  Brazilian  Country  Music. The  9th  Annual  British  Country  Music  Awards  (BCMA)  will  be  held  on Sunday,  November  24,  2014  once  again  in  Heathrow,  London.  Twenty-­ five  awards,  including  British,  European,  International  and  American,  will be  handed  out.  Live  performances  and  a  guest  star  from  Nashville  will  be included  in  the  festivities.

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

NEWS  FROM  THE  LAND  DOWN  UNDER CMC  ROCKS  THE  HUNTER  FESTIVAL  2014 The  2014  CMC  Rocks  the  Hunter  festival  was  held  March  14  –  16 at  the  beautiful  Hope  Estate  in  the  NSW  Hunter  Valley  wine region.  This  was  the  festival’s  seventh  year,  and  by  many measures,  it  was  the  most  successful  to  date.  Headlined  by  Toby Keith,  the  lineup  also  included  Gretchen  Wilson,  Eli  Young  Band, Clay  Walker,  Kellie  Pickler,  Thompson  Square,  Lee  Kernaghan, Morgan  Evans  and  many  more.  There  were  a  total  of  38 international  and  local  performers  during  the  three  days  of  live music.  Headline  Country’s  Storme  Warren  returned  as  host  and shot  a  special  Australian  themed  episode  of  his  show,  which  will be  airing  soon.  After  the  festival,  Blackjack  Billy  –  who  had  made their  Australian  debut  at  the  festival  –  saw  their  debut  EP  ‘Get Some’  and  single  ‘Booze  Cruise’  shoot  to  the  #1  spot  on Australian  Country  iTunes. Academy  of  Country  Music’s  CEO  Bob  Romeo  made  the  trip  down to  the  festival  to  draw  the  winners  of  a  special  competition  for  CMC Rocks  the  Hunter  ticket  holders.  The  winners  received  a  trip  to  the ACM  Awards  in  Las  Vegas  and  the  opportunity  to  take  part  in  the surrounding  events.  Romeo,  with  Headline  Country’s  Storme Warren  and  Country  Music  Channel’s  Tim  Daley,  made  the presentation  to  the  lucky  winners  on  the  main  stage  just  before Toby  Keith  closed  out  the  festival  on  Sunday  night.  Aside  from headlining  the  CMC  Rocks  the  Hunter  festival,  Toby  Keith  satisfied the  cries  of  long-­term  fans  who  had  been  requesting  he  tour  for years  by  performing  spectacular  arena  shows  in  Sydney,  Brisbane and  Melbourne,  with  special  guests  Eli  Young  Band  and  Kellie Pickler.  This  trip  Down  Under  was  Toby  Keith’s  first  ever  trip  to Australia. Gretchen  Wilson  returned  to  Australia  for  the  first  time  since  her promo  tour  almost  a  decade  ago.  As  well  as  headlining  the Saturday  night  show  at  CMC  Rocks  the  Hunter,  Wilson  played  two rowdy,  packed  out  theatre  shows  in  Brisbane  and  Melbourne,  with special  guest  Morgan  Evans. Australian  singer/songwriter  Morgan  Evans  released  his  debut album  at  CMC  Rocks  the  Hunter,  where  he  played  the  main  stage on  Saturday  night  and  hosted  the  TV  coverage  for  Australia’s  GAC equivalent,  the  Country  Music  Channel  (CMC).  He  sold  the  most CDs  of  any  artist  at  the  festival,  smashing  the  previous  sales record.  The  album  debuted  at  #1  on  the  Australian  Country  Chart and  #20  on  the  Australian  Pop  Chart.  Recorded  in  Nashville  with Aussie-­native  producer,  Jedd  Hughes,  the  album  comes  on  the heels  of  two  hit  EPs  for  Evans  and  features  songs  co-­written  by Morgan  in  Nashville  with  writers  such  as  Jeffrey  Steele  and  Phil Barton.

CMC  AWARDS The  fourth  CMC  Music  Awards  were  held  on  March  14  at  CMC Rocks  the  Hunter  festival.  The  awards  included  the  following winners:

CMC  Oz  Artist  of  the  Year  -­  Morgan  Evans CMC  Male  Artist  of  the  Year  -­  Morgan  Evans CMC  Female  Artist  of  the  Year  -­  Jasmine  Rae CMC  International  Artist  of  the  Year  -­  Taylor  Swift CMC  Australian  Video  of  the  Year  -­  Morgan  Evens  -­  “Carry  On” CMC  International  Video  of  the  Year  -­  Tim  McGraw  /  Taylor  Swift  / Keith  Urban  -­  “Highway  Don’t  Care” CMC  New  Oz  Artist  of  the  Year  -­  The  Wolfe  Brothers

42ND  ANNUAL  CMAA  COUNTRY  MUSIC AWARDS In  early  January,  Australia’s  country  music  industry  celebrated  their  42nd Annual  CMAA  Country  Music  Awards,  with  prestigious  Golden  Guitar trophies  awarded  at  the  Tamworth  event. Hosted  by  The  McClymonts,  the  awards  provided  the  audience  with  a bevy  of  performances  on-­stage  and  backstage  throughout  the  night. Lee  Kernaghan  scored  Male  Artist  of  the  Year,  CMC  Video  Clip  of  the Year,  Single  of  the  Year  and  the  Sanity  Top  Selling  Australian  Album  of the  Year,  adding  another  four  trophies  to  his  already  impressive collection. Luke  O’Shea  and  Drew  McAlister  collected  awards  for  the  Luke  O’Shea recording  of  “Lady  Of  the  Land,”  written  by  both  and  recorded  by  Luke O’Shea  as  a  tribute  to  Slim  Dusty’s  wife,  Joy  McKean. Sara  Storer’s  return  after  a  hiatus  was  heralded  with  three  Golden  Guitars. Taking  home  the  coveted  Album  of  the  Year  award  was  the  icing  on  the country  cake  that  also  included  Female  Artist  of  the  Year  and  Vocal Collaboration  of  the  Year,  with  John  Williamson. First  time  Golden  Guitar  winner  Ashleigh  Dallas  was  awarded  Best  New Talent.  A  Tamworth  local  and  third  generation  country  music  artist  who was  discovered  by  Kasey  Chambers  secured  the  trophy,  with  the audience  showing  their  support  on  the  night  to  a  surprised  Dallas. Below  is  a  partial  list  of  winners  for  the  42nd  CMAA  Country  Music Awards  of  Australia: ALBUM  OF  THE  YEAR  -­  Lovegrass  –  Sara  Storer,  produced  by Matt  Fell ALTERNATIVE  COUNTRY  ALBUM  OF  THE  YEAR  -­  Black  Coffee –  Lachlan  Bryan  and  The  Wildes, MALE  ARTIST  OF  THE  YEAR  -­  Lee  Kernaghan  –  Flying  With  The King FEMALE  ARTIST  OF  THE  YEAR  -­  Sara  Storer  –  Lovegrass GROUP  OR  DUO  OF  THE  YEAR  -­  O’Shea  –  Thank  You  Angels VOCAL  COLLABORATION  OF  THE  YEAR  –  “Pozie”  –  Sara  Storer &  John  Williamson TOYOTA  HERITAGE  SONG  OF  THE  YEAR  –  “Lady  of  the  Land”  – written  by  Luke  O’Shea  &  Drew  McAlister,  recorded  by  Luke O’Shea SINGLE  OF  THE  YEAR  –  “Flying  With  The  King”  –  Lee  Kernaghan TOP  SELLING  INTERNATIONAL  ALBUM  OF  THE  YEAR  -­  Red  – Taylor  Swift  (Universal  Music) SANITY  TOP  SELLING  AUSTRALIAN  ALBUM  OF  THE  YEAR  -­ Beautiful  Noise  –  Lee  Kernaghan  (ABC  Music)

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

Photo's  From  Down  Under

CANADIAN  COUNTRY  MUSIC  ASSOCIATION DATES The  Canadian  Country  Music  Association  recently  announced  the  dates for  their  2016  CCMA  Awards  week. Country  Music  Week  will  be  held  in  London  on  Sept.  8-­11,  2016  with  the awards  broadcast  being  held  on  Sunday,  Sept.  11.  Before  heading  to London,  Country  Music  Week  2014  and  this  year’s  CCMA  Awards  will  be celebrated  in  Edmonton,  Alberta  on  Sept.  4-­7.  In  2015,  Country  Music Week  and  the  CCMA  Awards  head  to  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia  from  Sept.  10-­ 13.  Registration  is  now  open  for  this  year’s  event.  Participants  can  save over  $100  if  they  register  before  May  30.  For  more  details  about  the Canadian  Country  Music  Association,  Country  Music  Week  and  the CCMA  Awards,  please  visit  www.ccma.org.

MEET  THE  CANADIAN  NEWBIES One  More  Girl,  the  west  coast  Canadian duo  of  Britt  &  Carly  McKillip,  have  shared stages  with  the  likes  of  Lady  Antebellum, Keith  Urban,  Toby  Keith  and  Jason  Aldean, and  have  been  honored  with  several awards  including  the  Canadian  Radio Music  Award’s  Best  New  Country  Artist,  and the  Canadian  Country  Music  Association’s Rising  Star  award.

Backstage  at  Toby  Keith’s  final  Australian  concert,  with  manager  TK Kimbrell,  Toby  Keith,  promoter  Rob  Potts  and  agent  Curt  Motley.

The  sisters  have  undertaken  extensive songwriting  trips  to  Nashville  and  Los Angeles,  writing  with  some  of  the  best  in  the  business  from  Radney  Foster (“Nobody  Wins,”  “Just  Call  Me  Lonesome”),  Nathan  Chapman  (Taylor Swift),  to  Linda  Perry  (“Get  The  Party  Started,”  “Beautiful”).  The  result  of this  work  is  a  rich  and  varied  catalogue  of  new  material,  which  can  be found  on  duo’s  latest  EP  release,  titled  THE  HARD  WAY.  (Open  Road Recordings/Universal  Music  Canada)

BRODY  AND  KISSEL  TAKE  HOME  JUNO'S On  stage  at  CMC  Rocks  the  Hunter  2014,  ACM  CEO  Bob  Romeo  presents the  lucky  winners  with  their  trip  to  Las  Vegas  prize,  with  Headline Country’s  Storme  Warren  and  CMC  Program  Director  Tim  Daley.

The  two  big  winners  at  this  years  2014  Juno  Awards  in  the  Country category  were  Dean  Brody  for  the  Country  Album  of  the  Year  (Crop Circles)  and  Brett  Kissel  for  Breakthrough  Artist  of  the  Year.

Dean  Brody

Morgan  Evans  and  Toby  Keith  backstage  at  the  CMC  Rocks  the  Hunter

Brett  Kissel

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

ARISTO  Q&A  WITH  DOBE  NEWTON Dobe  Newton  is  a  man  of  many  talents  with  many  hats  to  pair  with  them…  It  wasn’t  until  recently that  he  added  a  new  one  to  his  collection—that  of  President  of  the  Country  Music  Association  of Australia  (CMAA).  Dobe’s  musical  resume  includes  being  the  front  man  of  The  Bushwackers, where  he  performs  the  Lagerphone,  Tin  Whistle  and  Bush  Percussion.  His  songwriting  credits include  the  critically  acclaimed  “I  Am  Australian,”  which  he  co-­wrote  with  Bruce  Woodley  of  The Seekers  and  actor  in  the  movies  Bush  Christmas  (1983)  and  Bigger  Than  Tina  (1999).  In  recent years,  he  has  become  well  known  in  Music  City  for  the  endeavors  of  Sounds  Australia  during  the annual  Americana  Music  Festival.  Sounds  Australia  is  Australia’s  music  market  development initiative,  established  to  provide  a  cohesive  and  strategic  platform  to  assist  the  Australian  music industry  access  domestic  and  international  business  opportunities.  In  2013,  he  was  recognized  for his  efforts  by  being  awarded  the  status  of  honorary  “Nashvillian”  by  Nashville  Mayor  Karl  Dean. We  managed  to  corner  Dobe  for  a  few  minutes  to  answer  some  questions.

You  recently  became  president  of  the  CMAA  Board  -­  What  are  your key  goals  and  objectives  for  the  organization. DN:  My  first  goal,  in  collaboration  with  my  Board  colleagues,  was  to  re-­establish  the  reputation  and direction  of  the  organization,  which  has  been  impacted  by  a  recent  heated  debate  about  the ‘Americanization’  of  Australian  Country  music.  Debate  is  always  healthy,  and,  in  Australia,  all genres  of  music  have  periodically  had  this  debate  since  our  radio  was  ‘invaded’  by  US  and  British artists  post  World  War  II.

The  timing  of  this  latest  iteration  of  the  debate  was  badly  timed,  taking place  just  before  our  annual  Country  Music  Awards,  and  gave  the media  plenty  to  get  excited  about. DN:  The  dust  has  now  settled,  and  we’re  in  the  process  of  re-­focusing  on  our  core  tasks  –  the  domestic  and  international  promotion  of  our  artists  and the  businesses  that  support  them,  the  preservation  and  promotion  of  our  rich  Country  music  heritage  and  the  development,  in  cooperation  with  our industry,  of  the  next  generation  of  young  practitioners  who  will  ensure  the  future  health  of  our  music.  Much  of  our  focus  will  centre  on  our  unique Academy  of  Country  Music  program,  which  annually  involves  40+  young  writers  and  performers  in  a  two-­week  residential  skills  development program  prior  to  the  annual  Tamworth  Festival.  We’re  looking  to  expand  the  activities  of  the  Academy  nation-­wide,  and  exploring  the  possibility  of taking  a  number  of  these  youngsters  to  the  US  for  a  Nashville-­based  Academy.

This  last  initiative  would  be  a  natural  outcome  of  the  recent,  formal  agreement  negotiated  between  the Tamworth  Regional  Council  and  Sister  Cities  of  Nashville.  On  a  "growth  scale"  of  1  to  10  how  is  the country  music  scene  in  Australia?  Please  explain  your  rating. DN:  About  a  7.  In  recent  years,  the  number  of  middle-­level  Country/Americana  artists  touring  in  Australia  has  definitely  increased.  They  have  joined the  ‘stars’  who  have  always  targeted  Australia’s  world-­renowned  live  music  circuit. Ten  years  ago,  we  had  two  major  Country  music  events  –  the  Tamworth  Festival  and  the  Gympie  Muster,  as  well  as  a  host  of  much  smaller  genre-­ specific  events.  These  days,  a  number  of  our  major  music  festivals  such  as  the  Woodford,  the  Port  Fairy  Festivals,  Byron  Bay  Blues  and  Roots  have embraced  the  worldwide  interest  in  ‘roots’  music  and  regularly  feature  overseas  and  local  artists.  We  also  have  a  brand  new  major  event  called CMC  Rocks  The  Hunter  which  was  built  on  the  expansion  and  success  of  the  Country  Music  Channel’s  cable  TV  programming. Radio  and  TV  exposure,  or  the  lack  thereof,  has  always  been  a  problem  in  our  major  cities.  Although  that  hasn’t  substantially  changed  in  terms  of commercial  broadcasters,  our  national  public  broadcaster  ABC  and  it’s  youth  network  Triple  J  have  definitely  increased  their  Country  music  content and  hence  the  popularity  of  the  genre. There  are  also  significant  public  radio  stations  in  our  major  cities.  Together  with  the  increasing  importance  of  Internet  radio,  there’s  greater  airplay than  ever  before. Two  weeks  ago  Jon  Cleary  got  a  marquee  of  3,000  people  up  and  dancing  at  Port  Fairy.  Five  years  ago,  I  doubt  many  Australians  knew  who  he was.

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

ARISTO  Q&A  WITH  DOBE  NEWTON  (CONTINUED) As  a  performing  artist,  how  do  you  balance  between  the  business  and  artistic  side  of  your  life? DN:  I’m  not  going  to  show  my  wife  of  45  years  this  answer!  She’d  probably  say  that  as  a  ‘serial’  volunteer,  I’ve  never  managed  to  achieve  a  balance. As  the  Bushwackers,  now  in  its  43rd  year,  is  taking  touring  at  a  much  more  leisurely  pace,  I’ve  had  time  to  concentrate  on  other  passions  –  teaching music  business  at  TAFE,  working  for  various  government  agencies  as  a  music  industry  advocate,  pursuing  my  passion  for  lawn  bowls  as  the president  of  my  local  club  and,  most  recently,  building  on  the  relationship  that  has  now  been  formalized  between  the  Australian  and  US  industries through  Sounds  Australia  activities.  Then,  there’s  lots  of  reading  to  do,  making  time  to  follow  my  beloved  Collingwood  Football  Club  and  writing  the odd  song.  Not  sure  there’s  much  balance,  but  there  IS  a  lot  of  fun!

Is  the  mainstream  media  a  friend  to  "country  music"  in  Australia  or  is  there  some  education  to  be  done? DN:  No  mainstream  media  could  ever  be  accused  of  being  overly  subtle  in  their  reporting.  Ours  is  no  different. As  an  industry,  we’ve  spent  decades  trying  to  overcome  their  stereotypical  portrayal  of  Australian  Country  music  as  the  province  of  ‘hayseeds’  and ‘bumpkins.’  Have  a  Country  music  story  to  report?  Grab  a  few  hay  bales  and  put  a  straw  in  your  mouth! Things  ARE  getting  better,  and  much  of  it  dates  from  a  decade  ago  when  Kasey  Chambers  ‘crossed-­over’  to  the  mainstream  music  charts.  Kasey’s ‘Not  Pretty  Enough’  struck  a  chord  with  a  young  demographic  and  made  Country  ‘cool’  for  a  whole  new  audience. Many  of  Australia’s  iconic  ‘rock’  performers  –  Paul  Kelly,  Nick  Cave,  Tim  Rogers,  etc.  -­  have  produced  material  based  on  their  love  of  country.  All  of this,  plus  Keith  of  course,  is  slowly  but  surely  diluting  the  stereotype. More  work  to  be  done,  but  there’s  definite  progress.

Can  the  Tamworth  Festival  grow  if  it  doesn't  embrace  the  younger  US  influenced  pop/country  fans? DN:  Basically,  no. The  vast  majority  of  country  fans  in  Australia  realize  that  we’ve  always  drawn  influence  and  inspiration  from  the  world’s  largest  and  most  mature popular  music  market. Our  love  affair  with  US  Country  began  in  the  40s,  and  Australia’s  country  pioneers,  Slim  Dusty,  Tex  Morton  and  Buddy  Williams  to  name  a  few, developed  their  writing  and  playing  from  what  they  heard  at  the  time. No  event  can  stand  still  artistically  while  its  audience  ages;;  that  way  lies  certain  demise.  Tamworth  is  no  different,  and  has  been  embracing  the young  and  the  new  for  decades. In  fact,  if  the  Bushwackers  hadn’t  been  brought  in  from  the  folk  scene  in  the  early  80s  to  be  part  of  Tamworth,  we  wouldn’t  have  had  the  long  career we’re  eternally  grateful  for. One  of  the  great  joys  for  the  tens  of  thousands  who  attend  the  annual  Tamworth  Festival,  and  many  of  our  other  major  music  festivals,  is  discovering new  young  artists  and  shaping  a  brand  new  tradition.

It  has  been  said  that  Australian  country  music  lives  under  one  umbrella  -­  do  you  think  many  artists  are aware  that  they  would  be  categorized  as  Americana  rather  than  strictly  country  in  the  US? DN:  A  few  years  ago,  the  awareness  was  fairly  minimal.  If  it  did  exist,  it  was  likely  accompanied  by  negative  perceptions  surrounding  the  word ‘Americana’  itself. Like  many  countries,  we’ve  always  been  sensitive  about  protecting  our  popular  culture  from  foreign  incursions,  and  I  suspect  that  many  associated ‘Americana’  with  some  sort  of  cultural  imperialism. That’s  certainly  changed  as  we’ve  all  become  familiar  with  the  term  and  the  music  styles  it  embraces,  many  of  them  dear  to  the  music  community and  fans  here.  I  know  from  my  extensive  conversations  with  industry  colleagues,  that  those  negatives  are  fast  disappearing  and  Americana  is  being embraced  and  used  as  a  term  describing  a  ‘roots’  music  that  is  increasingly  popular  here.

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

ARISTO  Q&A  WITH  DOBE  NEWTON  (CONTINUED) As  we’ve  always  done,  we’re  busy  adding  some  unique  ‘Australiana’  elements.

Do  you  think  more  Australian  country  artists  should  target  the  US  Americana  market  rather  than  the country  market  when  making  advances  to  Nashville? DN:  When  I  first  attended  the  Americana  Festival  in  2006,  following  the  ill-­fated  ‘Australian  Festival’  we’d  gone  to  play  at,  it  was  a  musical  revelation. I  realized  straight  away  that  this  event  and  this  market  would  perfectly  suit  the  growing  number  of  country  ‘roots  music’  (as  we  called  it)  artists,  rather than  the  more  country  pop/rock-­oriented  CMA  festival. My  conviction  was  shared  by  Sounds  Australia,  a  government/industry  partnership  established  to  promote  Aussie  artists  in  overseas  markets,  and we  started  to  build  a  formal  relationship  with  the  AMA  and  its  September  event. The  increasing  interest,  response  and  participation  from  our  artists  and  music  businesses  have  certainly  justified  the  efforts,  and  underlined  the  fact that  writers  and  performers  see  the  Americana  Festival  as  a  key  target  event  central  to  their  skills  and  career  development. We  began  modestly  with  a  group  of  6  artists  in  2009.  The  numbers  have  increased  each  year,  and  in  2013  we  had  40  artists,  managers  and  music media  involved  in  the  festival  under  the  Sounds  Australia  banner.  Our  artists  are  increasingly  aware  that  this  event  is  a  great  fit  for  their  music,  and what  better  time  to  visit  than  during  an  event  where  they  can  showcase  to  the  1200  decision  makers  gathered  as  festival/conference  delegates?  Not to  mention  thousands  of  fans  in  a  city  that  loves  music.  Doesn’t  get  better  than  that. None  of  this  would  have  been  possible  without  the  active  involvement  and  encouragement  of  the  Americana  Music  Association  and  a  number  of  old mates  who  encouraged  us  to  pursue  the  relationship.

You  are  a  regular  attendee  at  the  Americana  Music  Festival  and  spearhead  an  Australian  delegation  of talent  and  industry  executives  -­  What  are  your  plans  for  2014. DN:  When  we  started  to  discuss  a  formal  Australian  involvement  with  the  AMA,  I  didn’t  realize  that  I  was  creating  one  of  world’s  great  jobs  for  myself! I  didn’t  need  to  be  asked  twice  to  be  the  project  manager  for  Sounds  Australia’s  involvement. The  first  couple  of  years  involved  a  lot  of  ‘selling’  on  my  part,  as  the  Americana  Festival  was  only  just  coming  to  mainstream  attention  in  the  US. Now,  we’ve  had  close  to  100  artists  and  music  business  people  involved.  They’ve  had  overwhelmingly  positive  experiences,  and  they  are  now doing  the  selling.  The  great  coverage  our  involvement  has  received  in  Australian  and  US  media  has  helped  spread  the  message. I’m  currently  assembling  another  extensive  list  of  those  who  want  to  be  involved  in  2014.  We  now  have  four  Aussie-­specific  showcases  in  the Americana  event,  and  the  challenge  is  to  find  spots  for  all  who  want  to  be  involved.  It’s  a  good  problem  to  have! By  the  time  we  arrive,  we  will  have  familiar  names  and  many  others  making  their  first  trip. As  one  delegate  said  to  me  two  years  ago,  “I  always  look  forward  most  to  the  Aussie  events,  because  I  get  to  see  a  whole  lot  of  new,  talented  artists  I didn’t  know  existed”. That’s  a  great  endorsement  of  the  program,  and  I’m  glad  we  can  bring  something  to  Nashville  because  all  of  us  certainly  go  away  with  wonderful musical  gifts  from  our  involvement  in  a  magic  week. The  one  thing  I  can  promise  is  that  there  will  be  lots  of  us,  and  we’re  all  looking  forward  to  sharing  music,  life  and  laughs.

The  Aristo  International  Report  is  published  four  times  per  year  by  The  AristoMedia  Group,  P.O.  Box  22765  Nashville,  TN, 37202.  Publisher:  Jeff  Walker  |  Editorial  Staff:  Jon  Walker,  Christy  Watkins,  Matt  Watkins,  Sharilyn  Pettus  and  Ashley Heyen.  Contributors  include  Jeremy  Dylan,  Judy  Seale,  Jimmy  Chapin,  Roger  Ryan,  Stephen  Krajinovic,  Karen  Stump (CMA)  and  the  CMA  Media  Department. Please  submit  your  international  Country  music  news  items  for  consideration  to:  [email protected]  and  visit  our website  at  www.aristomedia.com.

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

Upcoming  Canadian  Festivals  and  Key  Dates May  23-­24  –  Nashville  Nor’East  Country  Music  Festival Sydney,  Nova  Scotia The  Band  Perry,  Tim  Hicks,  Emerson  Drive,  Eli  Young  Band

July  18-­27  –  K-­Days Edmonton,  Alberta Blake  Shelton

June  13-­22  –  Red  River  Ex Winnipeg,  Manitoba Jason  Blaine,  George  Canyon,  Small  Town  Pistols

July  22-­27  –  South  Shore  Exhibition Bridgewater,  NS Kira  Isabella,  Chad  Brownlee

June  13-­14  –  Maritime  CountryFest Fredericton,  New  Brunswick Tim  Hicks,  Doc  Walker,  Trace  Adkins,  Kellie  Pickler,  Small  Town Pistols,  Deric  Ruttan,  Chad  Brownlee

July  31-­August  3  –  Big  Valley  Jamboree Camrose,  Alberta Miranda  Lambert,  Dean  Brody,  Darius  Rucker,  Zac  Brown  Band,  Billy Currington,  Chad  Brownlee,  Kira  Isabell

June  26-­29  -­  Dauphins  Countryfest   Dauphin,  Manitoba Blake  Shelton,  Tim  Hicks,  The  Band  Perry,  Rascal  Flatts,  Lee Brice,  Brett  Kissel,  Deric  Ruttan

July  31-­August  3  –  Boots  and  Hearts  Music  Festival Bowmanville,  ON Blake  Shelton,  Luke  Bryan,  Toby  Keith,  Hunter  Hayes,  Lee  Brice,  Gord Bamford,  The  Road  Hunters,  Tim  Hicks,  Deric  Ruttan,  Paul  Brandt,  Tyler Farr,  Dan  +  Shay,  Neil  McCoy

June  27-­29  –  Bud  Country  Fever Grand  Prairie,  Alberta Big  &  Rich,  Brett  Kissel,  The  Road  Hammers,  Doc  Walker, Mackenzie  Porter July  4-­13  –  Calgary  Stampede Calgary,  Alberta Reba  McEntire,  Keith  Urban,  Shania  Twain,  Corb  Lund,  Dean Brody,  Serena  Ryder,  Small  Town  Pistols,  Beverley  Mahood, Jason  Blaine,  Bobby  Wills,  Dallas  Smith,  Chad  Brownlee,  Doc Walker July  4-­6  –  Cavendish  Beach  Music  Festival Cavendish,  PEI Blake  Shelton,  Lady  Antebellum,  Hunter  Hayes,  Darius  Rucker, Gord  Bamford,  Brett  Kissel,  Dean  Brody,  Beverley  Mahood July  10-­13  –  Craven  Country  Jamboree Craven,  SK Keith  Urban,  George  Canyon,  Thomas  Rhett,  Dierks  Bentley,  The Charlie  Daniels  Band,  Dallas  Smith,  Tim  Hicks,  Brett  Eldredge, The  Road  Hammers,  Gord  Bamford  

July  31-­August  3  –  Sunfest Duncan,  British  Columbia Tim  McGraw,  Jake  Owen,  George  Canyon,  Aaron  Pritchett,  Cassadee Pope August  7-­10  –  Manitoulin  Countryfest Little  Current,  ON Carolyn  Dawn  Johnson,  Jaida  Dreyer,  Patrice  Conroy,  Doc  Walker, Bobby  Willis August  14-­17  –  Havelock  Country  Jamboree Havelock,  ON Alan  Jackson,  Dierks  Bentley,  Josh  Turner,  Michelle  Wright,  Lisa  Brokop, Doc  Walker August  22-­23  –  Music  In  The  Fields Lucknow,  ON Gord  Bamford,  Dierks  Bentley,  The  Road  Hammers,  Brett  Kissel,  Tim Hicks,  Lindsay  Ell  

Promoting  Country  Music  Around  the  Globe

MARK  MOFFATT  BECOMES  APRA  AMCOS  NASHVILLE  MEMBER  RELATIONS  REP Mark  Moffatt  was  appointed  the  inaugural  Nashville  Member  Relations  Representative  by  Australia’s  royalty collection  society  APRA  AMCOS.  Moffatt,  a  songwriter  and  producer  himself,  will  be  assisting  Australian  and New  Zealand  songwriters,  performers  and  music  publishers  with  their  transition  to  the  United  States  music industry  by  helping  them  with  performing  rights  and  networking. Moffatt  was  also  recently  appointed  President  of  the  Americana  Music  Association,  making  him  the  first foreigner  to  fill  this  position.  “I  am  thrilled  APRA  AMCOS  recognizes  Nashville  as  worthy  of  having  a permanent  representative  base,”  said  Moffatt.  “I  look  forward  to  working  with  the  Nashville  publishing  and songwriting  community  to  make  the  most  of  potential  opportunities  and  mutual  benefits.” APRA  AMCOS  represents  songwriters,  composers  and  music  publishers  and  distributes  their  performance and  mechanical  royalties  within  Australia  and  New  Zealand.  They  are  affiliated  with  American  organizations ASCAP,  BMI  and  SESAC  and  gather  royalties  for  these  organizations  within  the  Australasian  region.  APRA AMCOS  also  has  International  Member  Relation  Representatives  in  London  and  Los  Angeles,  with  operations based  in  Australia  and  New  Zealand.

SMALL  TOWN  PISTOLS Small  Town  Pistols,  the  Canadian  duo  made  up  of  Amanda  and  Tyler  Wilkinson,  have  brought  their  new music  to  the  States.  From  their  self-­titled,  debut  album,  the  duo’s  first  single,  “Colour  Blind,”  is  a  reminder  to see  everyone’s  unique  colors  and  to  enjoy  all  of  life.  The  duo  co-­wrote  the  song  with  the  track’s  producer, Joey  Moi,  who  is  credited  for  producing  hits  by  Florida  Georgia  Line  (“Cruise,”  “Get  Your  Shine  On,”  and “Round  Here”)  and  Jake  Owen  (“Barefoot  Blue  Jean  Night,”  “Days  of  Gold”).  The  video  for  “Colour  Blind”  is now  available  on  YouTube.  The  duo  continues  to  garner  attention  through  various  nominations,  including  for two  2014  CCMAs  (“Album  Of  The  Year”  and  “Group  of  the  Year”),  a  Sirius  XM  Indie  award  in  the  "Country Group  or  Duo  of  the  Year"  category  and  for  a  Juno  award  (equivalent  to  the  American  Grammy)  in  the "Country  Group  or  Duo  of  the  Year"  award  category.  Half  heartbreak,  half  healing,  Small  Town  Pistols’  debut, self-­titled  album  is  an  honest  story  of  what  the  duo  was  going  through  at  the  time  and  what  they  hoped  to  find in  the  future.  The  brother  and  sister  duo  got  their  start  as  teenagers  in  the  trio  The  Wilkinsons,  which  was made  up  of  themselves  and  their  father,  Steve  Wilkinson.  Together,  they  produced  two  consecutive  stateside Top  20  singles,  “26  Cents”  and  “Fly  (The  Angel  Song),”  were  nominated  for  the  Country  Music  Association's Horizon  Award  and  Vocal  Group  of  the  Year  and  for  Single  of  the  Year  by  the  Academy  of  Country  Music Awards.  Their  second  album,  Here  and  Now,  won  the  Canadian  Country  Music  Association  award  for  Best Album  and  they  received  nine  Canadian  Country  Music  Awards,  one  Juno  Award  and  two  Grammy  nominations  (both  for  Best  Country  Performance by  a  Duo  or  Group).  For  more  information  visit  http://www.smalltownpistolsfans.com/  and  follow  them  on  Twitter  and  Facebook.

CMT  CANADA'S  CHEVROLET  TOP  20  COUNTDOWN The  Chevrolet  Top  20  Countdown  is  Canada’s  premiere  Country countdown.  The  chart  can  make  and  shape  careers  in  our  industry.  It is  a  reflection  of  success  and  quite  often  the  engine  that  can  further success.  It  is  simply  the  most  important  chart  that  our  format  has  in Canada. Every  week  host  Paul  McGuire  counts  down  the  hottest  videos  in  the country.  The  show  has  exclusive  interviews,  world  video  premieres and  news  on  the  biggest  artists  in  the  industry. Recent  visitors  to  the  show  include:  Dierks  Bentley,  Dallas  Smith, Florida  Georgia  Line

Dean  Brody,  Cassadee  Pope  and  Florida  Georgia  Line.

Dierks  Bentley