Carter Hamric Reports on Bret Michaels Show

Carter Hamric opened for Bret Michaels to a sold out crowd at Sammy T’s Music Hall in Huntsville, Al on July 16, and performed at Huntsville Summerfest on June 26. Here’s his report:

“It always pays to be prepared… that is my new motto. Prepared for school, prepared for a meeting, or prepared to get an unexpected call asking you to open for Bret Michaels! One week before the show, Sammy Taylor, a promoter and the owner of Sammy T’s, called me. He told me he had an open spot for someone to play before Bret Michaels and wanted to know if I was interested. Open for Bret Michaels – a Rock ‘n Roll legend, reality TV star, and “Celebrity Apprentice”? Guess you know what my answer was!

“I was a little unsure as to how 1200 Rock ’n Roll fans would react to an opening act who sang country, but the show was one of the best shows I have ever been a part of. It was great experience being in front of such an excited crowd, but what really made it fun and made a difference, was that before the show, I met almost every single person that was waiting in line to get in.

“Obviously, they were not there 3 hours early so they could see the opening act. Most of them didn’t know who I was. But, some of them had heard my song “Roll Tide Roll,” and because I took the time to go out and introduce myself, it made playing in front of them much easier. Artists sometimes get this attitude that they need to keep their distance from fans – that the fans should come to them – and I strongly disagree. As an artist, I am a company. My goal is to get my company as much face time as possible with my market. That is what pays off.

“I learned that people love good music. That’s it. If you believe in what you sing, you’ll sing it well, and if you sing it well, people will like you. Opening for Bret Michaels was a huge learning experience, and I hope there are more opportunities like that down the road. Until then, I’ll keep working hard just in case that opportunity comes up one week before the show!”

PCG Judges at Beech Bend Superstar

PCG has been spending the summer at the amusement park! Judging the Beech Bend Superstar at Beech Bend in Bowling Green, KY, that is. And it’s been a rollercoaster of music excitement!

Bernard Porter, Preshias Harris, and Jeremy Parsons, along with PCG Nashville friend TinaMarie Holland, have all sat on the judge’s panel this summer to offer up their critiques of the contestent’s musical talents.

The competition runs a total of 12 weeks, and one performer from each week’s contestants is selected as a finalist. The grand prize winner will be chosen on September 11, 2010, and he/she will have the opportunity to perform at the park’s IGA Stage, tickets to the Grand Ole Opry, and some awesome PCG prizes: free tuition to the Nashville Music Business Camp, a performance slot at the PCG Showcase, and a guitar autographed by Teddy Gentry.

Here’s Jeremy’s report on the judging process:
“I have really enjoyed going up there one because it is a really nice family friendly environment but mostly for the connection I get to make with the people competing in the show. It really gives me a chance to think back to when I was just starting out and how I have evolved over the years. I try to take all this into consideration when a contestant gets up to sing. I make sure I listen and observe them as well as I possibly can so I am able to give advice that I think will help guide them in the right direction, advice that I wish somebody would have given me when I was first starting out.

I also believe it is very important to do nothing but encourage the people who get up to sing because the last thing I would’ve wanted someone to tell me when I was starting out was, “You’re terrible. Give it up.” Judging is very fun for me also because I love to connect with people and you get a chance to joke around with your fellow judges, the crowd, and also the participants. All in all I can say that I have had a blast helping out and judging at Beech Bend amusement park and I am looking forward to being invited back very soon!!!”

Jeremy will be performing at Beech Bend Park‘s IGA theatre stage on July 4, 2010 at 3:30pm as part of their Independence Day celebration. Be sure to check it out! Park admission is $30 for adults and $26 for children, so come spend a day at the park with the family on the 4th.

Songwriting Tips

At PCG Nashville, we bring our clients together with some of the industry’s top songwriters to cowrite and learn the art of song writing.

In this week’s Billboard Magazine, Kara DioGuardia, American Idol judge and gifted song writer, has five simple but great tips in working with hit songwriters. Give it read here: Billboard Magazine

Molly’s Update from the Road

Our VP of A&R and Creative Services, Molly Smith, has been on the road for the past few months, commuting between Nashville and Louisiana. And her teaching efforts continue to pay off! Two of her vocal students, Alaina Thompson & Carly Morgan, will be traveling to Arizona in July to represent the state of Louisiana in a nationwide talent contest. PCG wishes them Good Luck!

Molly has also begun a choir class in Louisiana in an effort to expose a broader group of children to music. Her music program is the only one of its kind. Since the public schools in the area can no longer afford a music/arts program, Molly hopes to bring music back to the children of West Carroll Parish.
All of here at PCG Nashville are rooting for her success! If you would like to help support her program, Molly can be reached at (615) 472-8448.

PCG Reality TV Program!

We are pleased to announce that the Alabama Cable Network is developing a new reality television show about PCG Nashville and our clients, with a particular emphasis on our clients with connections to the state of Alabama. While this will only be slated to air in Alabama, we hope to pitch the series to national markets.

The program will follow the process of artist development, and may feature all PCG clients and staff. We are so excited to participate in this opportunity and are looking forward to seeing how the preliminary footage from the next few months will turn out. We’ll keep you posted when the show is completed. Check back for more updates on the process!

Updates from CMA FEST 2010

PCG Nashville had a great time at CMA and we’re ready to give the full report! It was a busy, long, and gruelingly hot week, but now that’s it’s over, it’s safe to say that we all had a blast.
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June 9: A number of PCG Clients and staff served as seat-fillers for the CMT Music Awards. The exciting night included a sneak peak of the show’s rehearsal session, and some of us were even lucky enough to land front row seats! Some of country music’s biggest stars were out in fine form, including some surprise guests like celebrity chef Paula Deane, and Keenan Wells performing as Reba, sharing the stage with the actual Reba. Some of the night’s performances included Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban with John Mayer, Tim McGraw, and the Zac Brown Band. We’re all a little starstruck from a night like that!
Below: Left: Malea Boss, Megan Redmond, and Brittany Jolley wait in line for the pre-show rehearsal. Right: Megan Redmond enjoys the show from her seat right behind the stars!:


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June 10-13: A few of our clients had the opportunity to escort artists backstage at the Riverfront Stage. All reports are that the event was hot – and we mean that literally! The heat index was over 100 degrees during CMA Fest, but our girls toughed it out and drove their hearts out. Donning their neon green t-shirts and riding around in 6 seat golf carts, our girls escorted some major stars, including the Judds, Uncle Kracker, and Martina McBride.

Samantha Landrum and Anna Harwood take a quick stop from their driving duties to smile for the camera.







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June 10: Matt Gary competed in, and won, the Andy Griggs/ST. JUDEs poker tournament at Cadillac Ranch. We didn’t know that he was a talented poker player in addition to being such a great performer!

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June 10: We were proud to be a part of Porter Gentry presents Teddy Gentry and Friends Benefit for Flood Relief at 2nd Avenue Live. PCG Nashville clients Adrianna Freeman, Samantha Landrum, and Amber Shalene performed alongside Teddy Gentry, Dillon Dixon, and the rest of their band. A number of other awesome acts shared the stage, including Laura Fedor, Chanel Campbell, Garrett Steele, SouthWind, 3 Lanes Crossing, Brad Long, and Chip Davis. Adrianna’s brought some of her grandmother’s famous jam to sell, which was a major hit.

All of the performers gathered after the heartfelt encore, “Drift Away”:


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June 11: Jeremy Parsons picked up a last-minute performance at Cadillac Ranch‘s Rock Bar stage on Friday night. With only a few hours of notice, Jeremy rounded up his band and headed downtown for an awesome evening of music.

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June 12: The PCG Nashville Showcase at 2nd Avenue Live was a hit during CMA Fest. We had a great showing for Carter, Matt, and Jeremy after we. Carter and his team hit the streets for 2 days, handing out show fliers, guitar pics, and cd singles in the hot summer sun, Matt Gary’s “I’m Just Sayin’” slogan contest had some creative responses from his lady fans, and Jeremy entertained us through his act with his comedy stylings.

PCG’s new promo booth made its debut at the event, too! The night was a great success and a refreshing retreat from the heat.

We’re all so proud of Carter, Matt, and Jeremy for all of their hard work and awesome performances.

Carter, Matt, Jeremy, and Preshias pose with the winner of our door prize, a guitar signed by all 3 performers:

PCG Nashville Adds a New Provider!

PCG Nashville is growing! We just added some new exciting providers to our already impressive roster. We are ecstatic to offer more opportunities for growth and development to our clients!

Dawn Shrum joins us as a strategic business consultant. She has worked in the music business for more than 10 years, and offers comprehensive business plans and education as part of her “reThink Success” program. She has successfully implemented her program for large corporate setting and for individuals alike. With experience in multiple industries, Dawn’s dynamic background sets her apart from her competitors, and we are confident that she will set up an innovative plan for the success of your personal music business management.

About her program:

reThink Success

Increasing Your Profitability by Optimizing
Strategy
Structure
Leadership
Operational Flow &
Organizational Dynamics
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reThink Success is a Strategic Business Counseling Practice. We guide our clients through a systematic sequence of exercises and disciplines ~ reThink reAlign reDesign for Success ~ exclusive to reThink Success and proven with over 20 years of results. Each Phase lays the foundation for achieving greater levels of business excellence and effectiveness. When combined, this powerful three-phase journey navigates your path to greater profit margins, optimal organizational dynamics, stronger market presence, and ultimately, long term revenue growth.