Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: A new music competition reality series produced by Barry Josephson (Bones) is looking to assemble the next American Supergroup. Created by Nashville veterans Gary Bridges and Kevin Wayne, the potential series, which is being pitched to networks, will have rock and country musicians compete to become members of a new group. Veteran music manager and record executive Glen Parrish of Azoff, Geary, Paul, Smith Management is on board to manage the group, while concert giant Live Nation is in talks to handle its inaugural tour. “Having been around such great acts as the Eagles, Chicago, Journey, and Fleetwood Mac over the years, I am thrilled to be involved with American Supergroup and to be on the road to what could be the formation of the next great American band,” Parrish said.

Through nationwide auditions and online submissions, 48 candidates for six band positions will be selected. After a series of eliminations, the remaining contestants will live together, rehearse together and compete for spots in the group whose final makeup will be determined by TV audience voting. Josephson produces American Supergroup though his Josephson Entertainment. Bridges and Wayne, who had developed the project for several years, will also serve as producers, along with Doug Falconer. Also on board is casting director Randy Bernstein of Casting Duo (The Glee Project). CAA is packaging the project, with Jonathan Swaden handling the TV component and Rod Essig the music. There have been reality series dedicated to the assembling of music groups. Popstars, the precursor to Pop Idol/American Idol, has aired versions in almost 40 countries, including a brief run in the U.S. on WB Network. Among the female pop groups it spawned was the UK’s Girls Aloud toplined by Cheryl Cole. Mark Burnett was behind the 2005 CBS series Rock Star, which ran for two seasons, searching for a new frontman of INXS and a lead singer of Supernova, a new band made of rock veterans.

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