Industry Ink Monday
••• BE Music & Entertainment has tapped Don Donahue to serve as Vice President of Live Events and Program Development. He will work with the Nashville-based artist development agency to connect artists with audiences through the creation, production and promotion of live events and sponsorship opportunities. A 20-year veteran of the Nashville music industry, Donahue launched the boutique artist label Rocketown Records in 1996, selling more than 6 million albums while working with a roster that included Chris Rice, Ginny Owens, Shaun Groves and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Prior to joining BE Music, Donahue served as VP/Artist Development at Intero Alliance, where he co-executive produced the global Avon Voices campaign, among other successful events.
••• Jennie Smythe’s Girlilla Marketing has hired Beverly Forehand as Project Manager. Prior to joining the team at Girlilla, she was Senior Communications Relationship Specialist at Brown-Forman where she worked with the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands and the Tennessee Squire Association. Forehand can be reached at beverly@girlillamarketing.com, and according to Smythe, she can definitely out-drink you.
••• Maggie Rose has signed with Karen Tallier’s LOUDMOUTH pr for publicity representation. Previously known as Margaret Durante, Maggie Rose will be joining the 2012 Country Throwdown Tour with headliner Gary Allan and is gearing up for the May release of her single produced by James Stroud. Rose is signed to Scott Siman’s RPM Management, where April Rider is VP of Artist Development. Rider and Siman successfully collaborated for over a decade on the career of megastar Tim McGraw. Tallier and Rider recently worked together on Thompson Square during Rider’s tenure at Stoney Creek.
••• Congrats to Christy Walker-Watkins and husband Matt Watkins, both of AristoMedia, on the birth of daughter Lucy Madalyn on Sat., April 14. She weighed 7 lbs, 13 oz and everyone is doing well. This is the first grandchild for AristoMedia Pres./CEO Jeff Walker and wife Terri. Lucy is also the great-granddaughter of award-winning arranger, producer, conductor and music director Bill Walker and niece of AristoWorks New Media Director Jon Walker.