BMI Trailblazers; Keep The Music Playing Concert; USO Tour

Commissioned and Shirley Caesar Honored at BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards • Sara Evans Visits Pearl-Cohn Choir Students In Preparation For Keep The Music Playing All-Stars Concert • Kix Brooks Visits The Troops

Commissioned and Shirley Caesar Honored at BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards

BMI honored gospel greats Commissioned and Pastor Shirley Caesar at the organization’s 12th Annual Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards Luncheon. The event was held January 14 at Rocketown in Nashville and was hosted by Catherine Brewton, BMI VP Writer/Publisher Relations, and Del Bryant, BMI Pres./CEO. The ceremony will be telecast on the Gospel Music Channel Saturday, February 19 at 7 pm. BeBe and CeCe Winans’ “Close to You” was named BMI’s Most Performed Gospel Song of the Year. Written by BeBe Winans and published by Music of Everhits, the song also earned the 2010 Dove Award for Urban Recorded Song of the Year.

(L-R): BMI Pres./CEO Del Bryant; Commissioned’s Karl Reid, Maxx Frank and Fred Hammond; Pastor Shirley Caesar; Commissioned’s Michael Williams, Mitchell Jones, Keith Staten, Montrel Darrett, Michael Brooks and Marvin Sapp; BMI VP Writer/Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton; and BMI Sr. Dir. Writer Publisher Relations Wardell Malloy. Photo: Arnold Turner

Sara Evans Visits Pearl-Cohn Choir Students In Preparation For Keep The Music Playing All-Stars Concert

RCA Nashville recording artist Sara Evans visited Pearl-Cohn High School on Friday (1/14) to give choir students career advice and performance tips in anticipation of their appearance at the Keep the Music Playing All Stars Concert presented by SunTrust Bank at the Schermerhorn on February 1. The students performed and were accompanied by Pearl-Cohn High School Music Director, Llewellyn Peter, on a Baldwin Grand Piano which was donated to the school in 2008 through the Country Music Association’s “Keep the Music Playing” Program.

(L-R): Metro Nashville School District CFO Chris M. Henson; Exec. Dir. Nashville Alliance Pam Garrett Tidwell; Sara Evans; Pearl-Cohn Exec. Principal Marva Blanchard-Woods; and CMA VP Corporate Communications Wendy Pearl. Photo: John Russell

Kix Brooks Visits The Troops

As part of the USO’s annual holiday tour, American Country Countdown host Kix Brooks performed for members of the U.S. Military serving overseas. Brooks was joined by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, in travelling to Afghanistan and Iraq. Also joining to spread holiday cheer to the troops were seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong; comedians Robin Williams, Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan; and Country songwriter/performer Bob DiPiero.