The Crowdmakers

Fascinating conversations with the "insiders" of the live event business! Hosted by award-winning sports sales expert Bill Guertin, "The Crowdmakers" features leading sports and entertainment

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, the music industry immediately saw its effects. By the last week of March 2020, musicians had tour dates canceled and were unable to predict when they would return to the stage. Country singer Robert Earl Keen knew he had to do something to protect his 10 employees.

Forbes.com By: Annie Reuter

As expected, Casey Wasserman has raised the curtain on Wasserman Music, a new powerhouse player in music built on the back of Paradigm’s former music division.

Wasserman on Wednesday completed the complicated transaction that saw Paradigm sever off its music operation for sale as the company faced a spiraling financial crisis last year amid the hardships imposed by the pandemic.

Wasserman Music will be headed by music business veterans Marty Diamond, Jonathan Levine, Jackie Nalpant, Sam Hunt, Corrie Martin, Lee Anderson and Matt Rodriguez, who will oversee day-to-day operations. Tom Windish, Joe Rosenberg, and Lori Feldman will round out the team to provide business development, operational, and marketing support, as well as working to operate and integrate all branded entertainment. The company has about 130 employees overall.

PUBLISHED BY   VARIETY     Written by   Cynthia Littleton and Jem  Aswad

Live music isn't as out-of-reach this spring as you might think. 

Nashville music fans can travel roughly 90 miles south to The Caverns in rural Grundy County, Tennessee, for a night of real-life live music. No livestream feeds, no Zoom screens — just artists playing songs for in-person crowds likely hungry for a slice of "normal" entertainment. 

In our latest episode of ‘One by Willie,’ Keen tells a whole host of entertaining stories while explaining his connection to Nelson’s “Mr. Record Man.”

Published by Texas Monthly; Written by John Spong

Fresh off his GRAMMY win for Best Bluegrass Album, Billy Strings joins Robert Earl Keen in the new episode of Americana Podcast out today in the American Songwriter Podcast Network. The Michigan-born, Nashville-based, Strings discusses growing-up playing Bluegrass, learning how to wail on guitar in his metal band days, and the inspiration behind the songs on HOME, his critically acclaimed album. 

Article by American Songwriter

Robert Earl Keen’s annual Christmas shows are a tradition for the Texas singer-songwriter, and he’s determined to keep them going even in this uncertain year — albeit in a safety-first, socially distanced way. On December 10th, Keen will kick off his Merry Christmas From the Fam-O-Lee: Secret Santa Christmas Tour, a string of limited-capacity concerts. The first show, at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, will also air as a livestream event.

Robert Earl Keen’s Merry Christmas From the Fam-O-Lee Secret Santa Christmas

November 9, 2020 – Robert Earl Keen announces the launch of his ninth annual Christmas show, Robert Earl Keen’s Merry Christmas From the Fam-O-Lee Secret Santa Christmas with performances at The Ryman in Nashville, The Moody Theatre in Austin, and Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 13, at 10:00 AM CST.  

Texas icon and journeyman Robert Earl Keen has been tapped for the “Dream Co-Writer” spot in the 2021 American Songwriter Lyric Contest. 

Jerry Jeff Walker was known to the world as a first-rate singer, songwriter, and performer. In Texas, the longtime Austinite was also regarded as a generous friend and mentor. (And a prodigious partier.) As Lyle Lovett, one of the most famous recipients of his bigheartedness, told us, “Jerry Jeff helped to introduce so many other songwriters, like Guy Clark, Gary Nunn, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Michael Murphey. He was a great supporter of his friends.” The list of musicians who were indebted to him reads like a who’s who of two or perhaps three generations of Texas country artists. To commemorate Jerry Jeff’s death last Friday, we reached out to many of his friends and colleagues to share their memories of him and their thoughts about his life and his influence. Most of them didn’t want to stop talking.

PHOTO:

Jerry Jeff Walker in Gruene, Texas, 1979.

Scott Newton

Earlier this week Texas Governor Greg Abbott officially declared Oct. 20, 2020 to be "Three Twenties and a Ten Day" here in Texas, an honor of Feelin' Good Again written and performed by Texas Music Legend Robert Earl Keen. 

2020 Swan Songs Serenade

Sunday, October 25, 2020 – 7 PM CT; opening Happy Hour at 6:30 PM CT

www.swansongs.org – for tickets and more information

I am thrilled to announce that I will be a part of Let the Music Play On, the Hardly Strictly Broadcast airing the first weekend in October  in celebration HSB’s 20th Anniversary. Follow @hardlystrictlybluegrass and visit hardlystrictlybluegrass.com for news and updates @markulriksenart #LetTheMusicPlayOn

August 7, 2020, Nashville, TN... Americana pioneer, musical troubadour, Robert Earl Keen, brings his Americana Podcast: The 51st State to the American Songwriter Podcast Network with new episodes starting September 1, with guest Lori McKenna. In August, listeners will be able to catch-up on all 19 episodes of the series which features in-depth interviews with the most exciting artists in the Americana genre. Guests on the wildly popular series have included Jamestown Revival, The Milk Carton Kids, Chris Shiflet, Mandolin Orange, Drew Holcomb, Lucero, The White Buffalo, and I’m With Her. 

The entire show is now on REK TV for your viewing pleasure. Watch it now.

Due to circumstances beyond our control and in an effort to keep us all safe, Robert Earl Keen’s 4^th of July on the River has been cancelled, however, the City of Kerrville,  Keen Productions and ArcadiaLive are embracing this change and have joined forces to bring you the 10^th Anniversary of Kerrville’s Independence Day Celebration directly to you!!

Beloved Texas singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen has announced a pair of shows at one of the Lone Star State’s best-known venues. On June 12th and 13th, Keen will perform at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, marking one of the first indoor concerts since the COVID-19 pandemic forced stay-at-home orders.

Texan Robert Earl Keen has maintained a rare consistency as a performer and songwriter for over three decades. His material has been recorded by George Strait, the Dixie Chicks and others, but he is still best known as an artist who can bring a room to a hushed silence with just his voice and guitar. The song that many of his followers might vote their favorite is his upbeat homecoming anthem, “Feelin’ Good Again.”

The Internet abounds with theories about what the lyric really means, so American Songwriter asked the author himself what was on his mind when he penned this classic. 

MARCH 7, 2020 REK IN KERRVILLE FOR ONE VERY SPECIAL NIGHT! Back by popular demand, his VERY special guests, highly acclaimed The Quebe Sisters!

“If you want Christmas music,” Robert Earl Keen told the Lincoln Theater recently, “go to the mall.” REK’s Countdown to Christmas Tour steered clear of holiday music until the encore, when he played the fan-favorite “Merry Christmas from the Family,” an ode to the dysfunction and craziness of the holidays.