Photos: Gill Wedding, Country Throwdown, Songwriters

Bride Jenny Gill and husband Josh Van Valkenburg. Photo: Zach and Jody Gray

Jenny Gill, singer and daughter of Vince Gill, was married on May 8th to Josh Van Valkenburg, Manager of A&R for EMI Music Publishing. The wedding and reception was held at the Nashville home of her father and his wife Amy Grant. Jenny’s mother is Janis Oliver of Sweethearts of the Rodeo. The couple, who were childhood friends, are honeymooning in Jamaica.

Photo: Zach and Jody Gray

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Capitol/EMI Records Nashville labelmates Troy Olsen and Walker Hayes are performing on the Country Throwdown tour. Here they are at the opening show in Tampa, FL. The first annual multi-stage tour runs through mid-June. Pictured L-R: Troy Olsen & Walker Hayes.

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The International Broadcasters Idea Bank Conference drew small market radio owners and operators to Nashville on May 4. At the event, BMI sponsored a guitar pull featuring George Ducas, Dave Pahanish and Jeffrey Steele. The group has penned more than a dozen chart-toppers between the three of them. Pictured after the performance outside the Parthenon in Nashville are (front row): BMI’s Mason Hunter and Ducas; (back row): Commonwealth Broadcasting President/CEO Steve Newberry, Steele, NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith, Pahanish, Cromwell Group President and Conference host Bud Walters and BMI’s Dan Spears.

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McKendree, a Nashville-based songwriter with Ten Ten Music and genre-bending international recording artist, has recorded a modern remake of the Dolly Parton classic “Jolene.” Featuring Parton’s voice from the chorus of the original recording, McKendree's remake is the first single being released from his upcoming CD, McKendree Mania Volume 1, available in June. The album was produced by Peter Brazier of Vertical Rooms studio in Cambridge, England. A shoot for the "Jolene" music video took place last week in Nashville. (L-R): Peter Brazier (record producer), Jewel Coburn (president, Ten Ten Music Nashville), and McKendree. Photo: Hannah Haley