Schedule of Country Music Events around the World in 2008

UNITED KINGDOM

Let's start off in the United Kingdom where Rascal Flatts just returned from a very successful promotional trip. Maurice Gallagher, GMTV's retiring booker, shared, "we had Rascal Flatts on the show and the phone just went mad with people asking for tour dates...They did a web chat and it was amazing as well." Informed sources tell us that this trip will be the first of many for the supergroup.

Other artists set to tour the United Kingdom this year include Willie Nelson with Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, and Alison Krauss with Robert Plant.

Recent UK country chart entries include Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, Garth Brooks, and The Eagles. The Eagles have set six tour dates in London in late March and early April at the O2 Arena.

IRELAND
Moving over to Ireland, we have big happenings this year with tours by Charley Pride, The Bellamy Brothers, Dolly Parton, Nanci Griffith, Gene Watson and George Jones who will headline the UTV Country Fest August 2nd and 3rd at Dunganna Park, Co. Tyrone. Also included in the line up are Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, John Michael Montgomery, Gretchen Peters, and former CMA Global Artist Party participants Justin McGurk and John McNicholl. Overall, the event will feature a lineup of 50 international and Irish acts performing on three stages.

SCANDINAVIA
On the Scandinavian front, country festivals remain in the headlines this year with the numbers showing continued growth. In Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, these major events provide opportunities for both contemporary and heritage country artists. Dierks Bentley heads to Seljord, Norway in late July for a festival appearance. Also appearing in Norway this summer are Cowboy Crush, The Bellamy Brothers, The Whites, Lynn Anderson, and Roseanne Cash.

Gene Watson will be visiting neighboring Sweden for the Scandinavia Country Music Festival and Hal Ketchum headlines the SCC Country Festival in Silkeborg, Denmark in early August.

GERMANY

 There will be a new country music festival in Germany this year. It is scheduled for August 1st to 3rd at the Greifensteine Amphitheater. In the months leading up to the festival, several country artists are scheduled to play at the world famous Four Corners Music Hall, which is located just outside of Munich. Tracy Lawrence, Asleep at the Wheel and Nashville Star alumni John Arthur Martinez will join local artists at the venue, which has been showcasing country talent since 2000. For further details contact info@fourcorners.de.SwitzerlandSwitzerland's leading country music event, Country Night Gstaad, celebrates 20 years of music September 12-14, 2008. Since 1989 this festival has been introducing European country fans to the best and brightest artists country music has to offer. According to Trisha Walker-Cunningham, Nashville based talent buyer for the festival, Clint Black and Ricky Skaggs have already been confirmed to appear.

FRANCE
The Country Rendez-Vous de Craponne Festival in Haute-Loire, France, which was established in 1988, is set for July 25, 26 and 27 this year. Talent already announced includes Dierks Bently, George Ducas, Whiskey Falls and Asleep At The Wheel.

ITALY
Country music has a new voice in Italy thanks to Matteo Cozzani who now has a monthly column in Italy's Cowboys Magazine (www.cowboysmagazine.it). Contact Matteo at pipozzo@iol.it.

GREECE
Moving to the Mediterranean, John Berry makes his first trip to Athens this summer for an appearance at the 6th annual Greek Country Festival in July. The event is promoted and managed by Nikos Garavelas. Last year Ty Herndon appeared and in 2005 Cowboy Crush (Curb Records) and Minnie Murphy (Montage Records) performed. The festival is held at the Theater Vrahon Melina Merkouri, which is considered one of the most prestigious cultural spots in Greece and provides a view of both Athens and the Acropolis. The Theater takes its name from the late Melina Merkouri, a very famous Greek actress and former Minister of Culture, and has a capacity of 8000 with 5000 people seated and 3000 standing.

Country music festivals in Greece are established events and the Greek media always supports them and characterizes them as major artistic events for the community. The main sponsor of the Festivals is the Ministry of Education & Religion.

CANADA
In Canada, plans are already underway for the Canadian Country Music Association Week, which will be held September 5-8, 2008 in Winnipeg, Manitoba (www.ccma.org). The annual awards show is seen on both CBC (live) and CMT (delayed) and will be held on September 8th, 2008. Congratulations to FACTOR chief and Canadian Country Music Association President Heather Ostertag who recently received the CMA's Jo Walker Meador International Award.

It's going to be a big summer of touring in Canada. Three of the major festivals in Canada have already announced major international line-ups. Merritt Mountain Music Festival (July 10-15) has announced The Judds, Sugarland, Sara Evans, Hank Williams Jr., Dierks Bentley and Pat Green. The Big Valley Jamboree (July 31-August 3) has announced Joe Nichols, Sugarland, Trace Adkins, Randy Owen, Little Big Town, and Randy Travis. The Havelock Country Jamboree (August 11-14) has announced Travis Tritt, Tracy Byrd and Aaron Tippin.

US artists with major tours north of the border include Martina McBride with Little Big Town (March), Brooks and Dunn and Alan Jackson (April), Vince Gill (September) and Toby Keith (October).

MEXICO
South of the border in Chihuahua, Mexico, their annual country festival continues to grow. The year the Honky Tonk Tailgate Party crosses the Rio Grande with Ray Scott, Trent Willmon, Buddy Jewell and Mark Wills showing their talents.

AUSTRALIA
Making a giant leap down to Australia, the big buzz is about the Brooks and Dunn tour. The dynamic duo will be playing four dates including Brisbane (at the Entertainment Center February 29 and March 1), Melbourne (March 5) and Sydney (March 10).

Also coming up is Country Music Channel's two-day event "CMC Rocks at the Snowy's," which will feature one of the biggest line-ups of international country artists at one event in Australian history. American artists performing include: Gary Allan, Sugarland, Patty Griffin, and Jim Lauderdale. Also performing are numerous local artists including last year's CMA Global Artist Award winner Adam Harvey and Morgan Evans, the 2007 Telstra Road to Tamworth winner who made multiple appearances at last year's CMA Music Festival in Nashville. Gary Allan has additional dates scheduled in New South Wales and Queensland as well.

Adam Harvey was the 2007 CMA Global Artist Award winner and is experiencing a whirlwind of career growth in Australia. He recently received the Album of the Year Award at the Tamworth Golden Guitar Awards. As well as opening the Brisbane dates for the Brooks and Dunn tour of Australia, he is currently touring with well-known Australian singer/songwriter Catherine Britt. Adam will also tour with rock legend John Fogerty in Australia in late March.

Amid media speculation following the recent Tamworth Country Music Awards in Australia, the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) released a statement saying, "The CMAA would like to be very clear that it has no intentions, no plan, and no desire to take the CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia out of Tamworth." This should put an end to the controversy.

 

JAPAN
Turning to Japan, the Country Gold Festival will be held in Kumanoto on October 19, 2008. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event. Dierks Bentley will be headlining. Dierks is definitely racking up the frequent flyer miles this year! Joining him will be Big Machine recording artist Danielle Peck and Midas Records group Whiskey Falls.

ARMED FORCES EVENTS
Judy Seale, through her Stars for Stripes program (www.starsforstripes.com), continues to provide celebrity entertainment to troops deployed in remote areas of the globe. Recent tours have included Aaron Tippin, Josh Gracin, Chely Wright and Bomshel. In the coming months Tippin will make a return trip and Charlie Daniels is scheduled to participate, as is American Idol alum Bo Bice.

The USO is also active in booking artists, with the most recent being Kix Brooks and songwriter extraordinaire Bob DiPiero who went to Iraq in early February. They report that it was an amazing trip.

USA

Coming up in June, Nashville will host the annual CMA Global Artist Party at The Stage on Broadway. The event is on June 2nd at 6:00 pm and artists confirmed to perform include: Kat Lee Jones (Belgium), Wim van de Vliert (Netherlands), Jasmine Rae (Australia, Telstra Road to Tamworth Winner), Shea Fisher (Australia, CRC Winner), Jessie Farrell (Canada), and The Murphy Band (Ireland / UK).The following day (June 3rd at 3:00 pm) is the AristoMedia Global Showcase, co-sponsored by the CMA. The event will be moving to a new location this year, at the Second Fiddle on Broadway. Acts already scheduled include: Adam Harvey (Australia), Mark Wells (Australia, Telstra Songwriter Winner), and Amber Nicholson (Canada). More participants will be announced in the coming months.
In web news, two Nashville artist/songwriters are being digitized on a global basis. Billy Yates is now performing DJ/host duties on Voice of Country and Jace Everett has a new hour-long show on CMR Nashville (www.cmrnashville.net).

DigitalRodeo.com, the online music community and social networking site, is reaching out to music enthusiasts around the world with an invitation to join the global country music network. Digital Rodeo has become one of the fastest growing online communities for country music fans since its launch in March 2007. Membership is free, and offers fans a homepage filled with country music news, artist features, and the opportunity to connect with artists and other fans. They are so passionate about reaching out to the international community that that have hired on Robert Reynolds, former bassist with The Mavericks, as Director of Industry Relations. Reynolds, who visited many parts of the world touring with The Mavericks says, "If this format is going to grow, it is going to have to take on a global vision." Visit the artist-friendly site at www.digitalrodeo.com.