Friday, August 19, 2011

Cash Money Records Primed to Dominate 2011

Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Republic artists are primed to dominate the music industry through the end of the year as the label prepares to drop a flurry of chart-topping releases. The momentum builds after Lil Wayne's new single "She Will" featuring Drake debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Single Chart the first day it was available for download. "She Will" is #1 on both iTunes Main and Hip-Hop/Rap charts, with 67,260 total singles sold in the first two days.

Across the board, Cash Money recording artists are on top. DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj held the #1, #2, and #4 spots at Urban Radio for the third consecutive week. Drake's "Headlines" is the #1 Most Added Song at Rhythm Mediabase. "She Will," the third single from Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV was also the #1 most added song at Urban Radio Mediabase.

Tha Carter IV is Lil Wayne's tenth studio album and will be available for purchase on iTunes immediately after the MTV VMAs on August 28th and in stores August 29th. The first single "6'7" featuring Cory Gunz is nominated for Best Hip-Hop Video. His second single, "How To Love," is an RIAA certified-platinum digital track and is a Top 10 Greatest Gainer at Billboard Top 40, advancing 10 positions, and garnering 578 spins at Mediabase. "How To Love" is also a Top 5 Greatest Gainer at Pop, moving from 14 to 10 with 1089 spins and has soared from 2 to 1 at Rhythm as the #2 Greatest Gainer with 440 spins. "She Will" has been added to Power 106 Los Angeles.

Next in line to seize the spotlight is Young Money/Cash Money's Drake, whose sophomore album Take Care, the follow up to his blockbuster and critically acclaimed debut "Thank Me Later" is in stores on October 24th. Young Money Cash Money's super woman Nicki Minaj continues her reign, receiving MTV VMA nominations for Best Female Video for "Super Bass" and Best Collaboration for "Moment 4 Life." "Super Bass" is in rotation on over 150 Top 40 radio stations. She is winding down the Britney "Femme Fatale" Tour and preparing to return to the studio. Tyga's debut "Carless World" is a slated for winter release, followed by a new album in the works from Lil Twist rounding out Young Money Cash Money's promising showing.

"We are proud of the hard work the artists put in and how it's paying off," says Ronald "Slim" Williams, Co-CEO of Cash Money Records Group. "That's the Cash Money way."

About Cash Money Records

Emerged as a regional hip-hop force in the mid-'90s, Cash Money excelled throughout the next decade as one of hip-hop's most successful entrepreneurial urban empires. The influential label reigned as one of the top selling imprints again in 2008-2009 as the home base and strategic arsenal for best selling artist of the year - Lil Wayne. Originally forged in the Magnolia housing projects of New Orleans where brothers' and Cash Money founders/Co-CEOs Bryan Williams and Ronald 'Slim' Williams first earned their street reps, the multi-platform imprint (which includes hip-hop superstar Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment) has sold nearly 60 million albums worldwide. One of hip-hop's most enduring global street brands, Cash Money/Young Money has been responsible for more than a dozen gold/platinum artists; more than two dozen gold and/or platinum records, rolling out award winning albums, videos, and digital content by a diverse range of artists including Juvenile, B.G., Turk, Hot Boys, Big Tymers (featuring, among others, Bryan "Birdman" Williams himself,) Jay Sean, Kevin Rudolf. Nicki Minaj, Drake and much-heralded franchise star Lil Wayne.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Trombone Shorty kicks off 'For True' Release Week with Webcast from Tipitina's

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue To Kick Off "For True" Release Week With Live Concert Webcast From NOLA's Legendary Tipitina's Sept. 12

New song "Do To Me" featuring Jeff Beck available at iTunes and Amazon




Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will kick off their For True album release week with a Live Concert Webcast on September 12th from the legendary Tipitina's in New Orleans. The webcast will be streamed one-night only in HD exclusively on www.liveset.com beginning at 10PM Eastern. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will be joined at Tipitina's by some of the guests from the album, including Ivan Neville, 5th Ward Weebie and others TBA. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Trombone Shorty's Horns for Schools program as well as The Roots of Music, a New Orleans music education program.

The first single from For True, "Do To Me" featuring Jeff Beck is the #1 most added track at AAA radio this week (FMQB). Trombone Shorty premiered the song on Conan earlier this week and had the host exclaiming, "That was the real thing!" Check out the performance here: http://bit.ly/qBkp7U

For True will be released September 13 on Verve Forecast. Other featured guests on the album include Kid Rock, Ledisi, Warren Haynes, Ivan Neville, Cyril Neville, Rebirth Brass Band, 5th Ward Weebie, and more.

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will join Widespread Panic for two shows at Boston's Orpheum Theatre on September 15 16. The band then travels to Indianapolis' Indy Jazz Fest before embarking on an 8-show, 4-country European Tour. An extensive tour of the U.S. begins in October.

For the full list of Trombone Shorty tour dates see http://www.tromboneshorty.com/

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

'Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton Play the Blues' Hits the Big Screen

One-Night Concert In-Theater Event Presented by NCM Fathom and Reprise Records in Nearly 550 Select Theaters Nationwide on September 7

Grammy Award winning artists Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton will offer fans a spellbinding evening of blues and jazz in Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton Play the Blues, a one-night in-theater concert event broadcast to nearly 550 movie theaters nationwide on Wednesday, September 7, at 7:30 p.m. local time. The concert also includes a special appearance by blues musician Taj Mahal, who joins the duo for two songs, as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage. This intimate performance from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater at Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City brings together an unrivaled cross-generational, cross-cultural collaboration as the pair of musical virtuosos brought to life a repertoire of songs selected by Clapton and arranged by Marsalis. Captured this past spring from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s renowned annual gala, the iconic duo performed to a sell-out crowd.

Tickets for Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton Play the Blues are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

Presented by NCM Fathom and Reprise Records, Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton Play the Blues will be broadcast nationwide through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

See complete list of participating theaters. (pdf)

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Hunter Hayes on new "Footloose" Soundtrack

"Footloose" Opens Nationwide in Theatres October 14th

Atlantic Records / Warner Music Nashville announced today that they will release the movie soundtrack for the upcoming Paramount Pictures film, "Footloose," available everywhere on September 27th. The 12-track album features music from the film and includes eight new songs along with remakes of four of the classic hits from the original soundtrack.

Blake Shelton sings the film's title song, "Footloose," and Victoria Justice and Hunter Hayes join the album with the movie's love theme, "Almost Paradise." The star-studded line-up for the soundtrack also includes new music from Big & Rich, Cee Lo Green, David Banner, Whitney Duncan, Lissie and Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band. Other classic songs featured on the album are "Holding Out For A Hero" by Ella Mae Bowen and "Let's Hear It For The Boy" by Jana Kramer.

Writer/Director Craig Brewer ("Hustle & Flow," "Black Snake Moan") delivers a new take of the beloved 1984 classic film, "Footloose." Ren MacCormack (played by newcomer Kenny Wormald) is transplanted from Boston to the small southern town of Bomont where he experiences a heavy dose of culture shock. A few years prior, the community was rocked by a tragic accident that killed five teenagers after a night out and Bomont's local councilmen and the beloved Reverend Shaw Moore (Dennis Quaid) responded by implementing ordinances that prohibit loud music and dancing. Not one to bow to the status quo, Ren challenges the ban, revitalizing the town and falling in love with the minister's troubled daughter Ariel (Julianne Hough) in the process.

"Footloose" Soundtrack track listing:

01. Footloose - Blake Shelton
02. Where The River Goes - Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band
03. Little Lovin' - Lissie
04. Holding Out For A Hero - Ella Mae Bowen
05. Let's Hear It For The Boy - Jana Kramer
06. So Sorry Mama - Whitney Duncan
07. Fake I.D. - Big & Rich feat. Gretchen Wilson
08. Almost Paradise - Victoria Justice & Hunter Hayes
09. Walkin' Blues - Cee Lo Green feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd
10. Window Paine - The Smashing Pumpkins
11. Suicide Eyes - A Thousand Horses
12. Dance The Night Away - David Banner

About "Footloose"

Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment present a Dylan Sellers Zadan / Meron Weston Pictures Production of a Craig Brewer Film. "Footloose" stars Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Andie MacDowell and Dennis Quaid. The film is directed by Craig Brewer from a screenplay by Dean Pitchford and Brewer and Story by Dean Pitchford. It is produced by Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Dylan Sellers and Brad Weston. The executive producers are Timothy M. Bourne, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Jonathan Glickman.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Ledisi Announces Her First Headlining Tour

After the highest charting album of her career, Pieces of Me, which debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and was the No. 1 iTunes R&B Album, four-time Grammy-nominated Verve Forecast recording artist Ledisi is proud to announce her first headlining tour, "The Pieces of Me" 2011 North American tour.

The 20-city tour, which will crisscross the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest, begins on October 20, in Raleigh, NC, and concludes on November 23 in Baltimore, MD. Major city tour stops include New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Ticket sales begin on August 6 for select markets. Additional tour dates will be announced soon, so fans can keep checking her official website, www.ledisi.com, as well as TicketMaster.com for up-to-date tour schedule and ticket purchase info for all tour dates.

Known for her riveting live shows which the LA Examiner cited as "contagious joy and enthusiasm ... Ledisi is without a doubt one of the most talented female vocalists today," the New Orleans native will be giving audiences blistering performances of fan favorites "Alright,"  "Higher Than This" and "Goin' Thru Changes," while seducing them with new classics "Pieces of Me" and "Stay Together" off her latest album.

"This is the most exciting time of my career! To be able to share my music with people who helped me become who I am today is the best feeling in the world," comments Ledisi.  "I'm grateful to my fans and have been working so hard to make this tour unforgettable and putting my heart and soul into my performances. People will definitely see many different pieces of me," she laughs.

Pieces of Me has not only become a fan favorite, but has also earned critical praise across the nation, from The New York Times to Los Angeles Times. USA Today remarked "Ledisi fits 'Pieces' together perfectly," and People magazine commented "After surprisingly scoring a Grammy Best New Artist nomination…she continues to prove that was no fluke, displaying shades of Chaka Khan on funky cuts such as 'Coffee' and 'Shut Up.'"

"Pieces of Me," the lead single from her album of the same title, continues to rise up the charts, currently clocking in at No. 2 on BDS and No. 2 on Mediabase, making this single her highest position on the Billboard Urban charts ever. 

Date     City              Venue                                

10/20    Raleigh, NC       Carolina Theatre              
10/21    Washington, DC    Warner Theatre              
10/22    Philadelphia, PA  Temple Performing Arts center   
10/23    New York, NY      Apollo Theatre  
10/25    Charlotte, NC     Knight Center                 
10/27    Jacksonville, FL  Florida Theatre
10/28    Atlanta, GA       Symphony hall   
10/29    Memphis, TN       Canon Center for the Performing Arts
11/01    Nashville, TN     Cannery Ballroom
11/02    New Orleans, LA   House of Blues
11/03    Houston, TX       House of Blues
11/04    Dallas, TX        Palladium
11/10    Los Angeles, CA   Club Nokia
11/12    Oakland, CA       Fox Theatre
11/15    Minneapolis, MN   Fine Line
11/17    Chicago, IL       Park West
11/18    Detroit, MI       Royal Oak Theatre
11/19    Indianapolis, IN  Egyptian Room
11/20    Cleveland, OH     House of Blues
11/22    Columbus, OH      Lincoln Theatre
11/23    Baltimore, MD     Lyric Opera House

#

Panic! At The Disco + Foxy Shazam at Tipitina's - October 20, 2011

Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen recording group Panic! At The Disco has announced plans for their upcoming fall tour. The dates get underway October 9th at Reno, Nevada's Knitting Factory and then continue through mid-November (see itinerary below). Accompanying P!ATD on all dates will be Foxy Shazam. Pre-sale tickets will be available to members of Northern Downpour -- Panic! At The Disco's official fan club -- beginning on Wednesday, August 10th, with all remaining tickets going on sale to the general public on Saturday, August 13th.

The band is currently poised to head out on a major international tour, encompassing festival appearances in Japan, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, and the United Kingdom. They will return home for an eagerly awaited headline show at New York City's Central Park Summerstage on September 1st before heading to Australia to co-headline the all-star Soundwave Revolution traveling festival.

In the meantime, Panic! At The Disco is set to hit NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday, August 8th, where they will perform "Ready To Go (Get Me Out Of My Mind)," the latest single from their acclaimed new album, "VICES & VIRTUES." The track is also currently featured as the end title song in Columbia Pictures' blockbuster film, The Smurfs, in theatres now.

"VICES & VIRTUES" -- which also features the hit single, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" -- made a spectacular chart entry upon its release earlier this year, entering the SoundScan/Billboard 200 at #7, while also coming in at #2 on SoundScan's "Alternative Albums" chart and #5 on the "Digital Albums" ranking. P!ATD celebrated the album's success with a major North American headline tour, as well as appearances at an array of summer music festivals. The band also made a series of TV appearances, including performances on TBS' Lopez Tonight, Logo's NewNowNext Awards, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, TBS' Conan, MTV's The Seven, and Fuse's Top Twenty Countdown.

(TOUR ITINERARY BELOW)

PANIC! AT THE DISCO
Fall Tour 2011
All Dates w/ Special Guests Foxy Shazam

OCTOBER                
09 - Reno, NV - Knitting Factory
10 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
12 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
13 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
16 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre
18 - San Antonio, TX - Back Stage Live
19 - Austin, TX - Emo's
20 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's Uptown
23 - Tampa, FL - The Ritz Ybor
26 - Richmond, VA - The National
27 - Clifton Park, NY - Northern Lights
28 - Portland, ME - State Theater
29 - Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
31 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
               
NOVEMBER                
02 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
03 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
05 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
06 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's
08 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
09 - Des Moines, IA - People's Court
10 - Sauget, IL - Pop's

Panic! At The Disco
- www.panicatthedisco.com

New Orleans Concert Line
- http://www.satchmo.com/nolavl/concerts.html

# # #