Author Archive: Sarah Skates
Sarah Skates has worked in the music business for more than a decade and is a longtime contributor to MusicRow.
Rascal Flatts Reveal New Release Info
In a unique promotion, Rascal Flatts used a text message to alert fans this afternoon about its new album. Those who sent a text message to a number provided by the band received a text reply, stating that the new album will be called Unstoppable, and will be released April 7 by Lyric Street. The […]
Category: Artist, Featured, Sales/Marketing
iTunes Gets Competitive As Digital Sales Growth Slows
As reported yesterday in @MusicRow, the iTunes Store is now offering DRM-free music from all four major labels—Universal, Sony, Warner, and EMI—as well as thousands of independent labels. The move will please consumers because downloads without copy protection software are interoperable with a variety of programs and devices. However, today’s (1/7/09) Wall Street Journal suggests […]
Category: Artist, Featured, Label, Sales/Marketing
Country On Tomorrow’s People’s Choice Awards
Many country artists are among the nominees at tomorrow night’s (1/7) People’s Choice Awards. In the all-genre categories, Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney are up for Favorite Male Singer against R&B star Chris Brown; Carrie Underwood will vie for Favorite Female Singer; and Rascal Flatts is nominated in the Favorite Group slot. Elsewhere, Underwood (“Last […]
Lady A To Perform New Single on Conan
Lady Antebellum will debut its upcoming single, “I Run To You,” this Thurs., Jan. 8 on NBC’s Late Night With Conan O’Brien. It is the third single from the band’s debut album, which has also spawned hits “Love Don’t Live Here” and “Looking For A Good Time.” The single will be available for airplay at […]
Nashville-Related Music Obituaries, 2008
The loss of two Country Music Hall of Fame members in 2008 was a major blow to the Nashville music community. But we lost many other friends as well. Here is a look back at those who passed away during 2008. VERNON DERRICK, 74, died Jan. 4. Multi-instrumentalist sideman for The Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin, […]
Category: Featured
Katie Armiger Visits Texas Children’s Hospital
Cold River recording artist and Houston native Katie Armiger recently visited the Texas Children’s Hospital to spread cheer to some of the patients. Armiger, pictured with nurses, sang Christmas songs and led the children in Christmas Carols. Texas Children’s Hospital is an internationally recognized full-care pediatric hospital ranked in the top ten among children’s hospitals […]
iTunes Drops DRM
CNET.com reports Apple has finally cut deals with Universal, Warner Music and Sony that would allow iTunes to sell DRM-free music files. EMI has been offering DRM-free files on iTunes for over a year. In return, iTunes will compromise on single song pricing. The tech giant had steadfastly refused to accept the idea of variable […]
Category: Featured, Label, Sales/Marketing
Sony Adds To A&R Department
As first reported on 12/23/08, Lisa Ramsey-Perkins has joined Sony Music Nashville as Senior Director, A&R. Reporting to Renee Bell, Exec. VP, A&R, she officially began the role on Dec. 22. Ramsey-Perkins began her career as a personal assistant to Wynonna Judd, and later took on roles at Music Mill, Hamstein Music Group, and Mosaic […]
Sony BMG Officially Becomes Sony Music
Sony BMG Nashville is starting the new year with an offical name change to Sony Music Nashville. As such, the label group Web site can now be found at www.sonymusicnashville.com. E-mail addresses are changing to firstname.lastname@sonymusic.com, but old addresses will remain in effect during a transition period.
Urban Maps 2009 Tour
Keith Urban has firmed up stops on his 2009 tour, which will hit 58 North American cities such as Nashville, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Toronto and Vancouver. The outing kicks off in May, and will likely go through summer and into the fall. A video for his new single “Sweet Thing” is due this […]
Chesney Tour Is Top Draw of 2008
Kenny Chesney’s 2008 tour drew more fans than any other outing last year in all genres. “There will always be tours that gross more than us,” says Chesney, whose tour came in fourth in overall grosses, “because I believe in trying to make it possible for anyone who wants to come out and rock with […]
