Country Artists Volunteer For ‘9th Annual ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp’ – DANIELLE BRADBERY, BRANDON LAY, KIP MOORE, CASSADEE POPE, HILLARY SCOTT, and songwriters ROSS COPPERMAN and JON NITE will volunteer their time for the “9TH ANNUAL ACM LIFTING LIVES MUSIC CAMP” taking place WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13th through WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20th in NASHVILLE. Volunteers will help campers at various points throughout the week as they participate in a songwriting workshop, recording session, live performance with BLACK RIVER ENTERTAINMENT’s CRAIG MORGAN at the GRAND OLE OPRY, and more. – Read more at All Access
Orlando remembers slain singer Christina Grimmie with intimate vigil, social media tributes – It has been two years since singer Christina Grimmie was killed after a concert at The Plaza Live, and a group of loyal fans in Orlando are determined not to let the memory of her fade from the public. On Sunday afternoon, five of her fans gathered in front of the Bumby Avenue theater, where the 22-year-old singer was fatally shot in 2016, to share personal stories that demonstrated her devotion to fans. “We don’t want anyone to forget,” Nemiroff said. “Not saying anything negative about Pulse whatsoever, but it was really sad to kind of see her swept up under the rug, so that’s why we’re still here.” – Read more at Orlando Sentinel
Actor Jackson Odell Dead at 20 – Jackson Odell, a songwriter and former teen actor, has died … TMZ has learned. Jackson was best known for roles on “The Goldbergs” and the teen movie “Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer,” and according to law enforcement he died Friday in the San Fernando Valley. We’re told he was found unresponsive in a sober living home, and there were no signs of foul play. Most recently wrote several songs for the soundtrack of the 2018 movie “Forever Your Girl” — including the Lauren Alaina hit, “Wings of an Angel.” – Read more at TMZ
Carrie Underwood is more raw, doesn’t go for the ‘money notes’ on new album – It’s a scary time for her. Not because she’s amid re-entering the public eye after her much-publicized fall in November or because she was about to play in front of tens of thousands of people. Underwood was nervous because earlier in the day she had turned in her new album to her new record label, Universal Music Group Nashville. “It feels very much like it’s a new season for me,” she said. “I started working on (the album) last year and spread out my writing a lot more. Even if I’m not on tour, there’s always so much to do. I’d write for a week or two, go somewhere to do something else and then come back. It was interesting how this writing went.” – Read more at Tennessean.com
Katharine McPhee: Love Letter to the LGBTQ Community – We live in a time of great change where I’m so proud to support all the progress that the LGBTQ community has made. Of course, as in many new frontiers there is much more work to be done. I’d like to express my unwavering support to the LGBTQ community and appreciation for how much love you’ve shown me throughout the years. From my initial start on Idol, I always noticed the constant love you filled me with. It continued from my debut album to Smash, all the way through to my start on Broadway. I have always felt you right by my side, you’ve kept me going and stood by me every second, and for that I am grateful. – Read more at Billboard.com
3 years after ‘Tomato-gate,’ there are even fewer women on country radio – The percentage of purely female country songs charted by Country Aircheck dropped to 10.4 percent last year, down from 13 percent in 2016. While some cite the accomplishments of rising stars like Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris as evidence the situation is improving, their success is largely an anomaly, experts said. “I think the trap that we get into in this town is that we see something like Maren happen that we’re all super excited about … and she wins a Grammy and she’s touted heavily on the Billboard Awards and we’re all like, ‘Look at us. Females are doing better,’ ” longtime music industry executive Todd Cassetty said. “That’s one female.” – Read more at the Tennessean
