The Lucchese boot company celebrated the grand opening of its flagship store in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood on Wednesday night (9/19). Performers at the event included RCA Nashville’s Love and Theft and guitar wizard Lee Roy Parnell, who is a huge Lucchese fan. Guests attending included Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey, Lucchese president Doug Kindy, Kings of Leon’s Jared Followill and fiance Martha Patterson, Neal McCoy, Nashville Predators Nick Spaling, Roman Josi, and Matt Halischuk, MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage, and World Champion Bull Rider Tuff Hedeman, among many others. The new store offers 4,000 square feet of retail space, including a working design center for custom boots.

Left: Love and Theft's Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson. Photo: Randi Radcliff; Right: Model Martha Patterson with fiance Jared Followill of Kings of Leon. Photo: Mike Willett

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Easton Corbin recently made his first appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America to support his sophomore album All Over The Road. He performed his current his “Lovin’ You Is Fun” and was interviewed by anchor Elizabeth Vargas. Check out the interview here.

(L-R): George Stephanopoulos, Easton Corbin, Elizabeth Vargas, Amy Robach, Sam Champion

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The Academy of Country Music recently welcomed ACM Award winning group The Mavericks to the office while they were visiting California. The band performed its latest single “Born To Be Blue,” from new EP Suited Up and Ready, and classic the hit “Dance The Night Away.” The Mavericks’ Valory Music Co. full length album is due in January 2013.

(L-R): Michael Guerra, Michelle Goble, ACM Senior Vice President Membership & Industry Relations; Raul Malo; Lisa Lee, ACM Senior Vice President Creative, PR & Production, Eddie Perez. Photo: Nina Prommer/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Wednesday night (9/19) in Washington D.C., CMT officially launched its new pro-social initiative, CMT Empowering Education, which encourages CMT viewers to pursue post-secondary education. Broken Bow’s Dustin Lynch performed at the CMT-hosted event. Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan offer their own stories on CMTEmpoweringEducation.com, a one-stop resource providing information on schools, career paths, motivation and financial resources.

(L-R): DeDe Lea, EVP Global Government Relations for Viacom; Dustin Lynch; Frank Gallagher, Exec. Dir. of Cable in the Classroom; Lucia Folk, Sr. Director of Public Affairs, CMT

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NSAI hosted a writers-in-the-round event at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe on Sept. 19 as part of NSAI’s Songposium Week. The packed house enjoyed performances by legendary singer-songwriter Bill Anderson, rising Curb artist Mo Pitney, TV series singer and hit songwriter Bobby Tomberlin, and noted producer and songwriter Buddy Cannon. NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison hosted the event.

(L-R): Bobby Tomberlin, Bart Herbison, Mo Pitney, Bill Anderson, and Buddy Cannon. Photo: Alan Mayor

The European Commission, executive arm of the European Union, has approved a pared down takeover of EMI Music by Universal Music.

Under the Commission’s terms, Universal has agreed to divest roughly a third of EMI’s assets including EMI Recording Limited, which holds Parlophone, home to Coldplay, David Guetta, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Tina Turner, and Duran Duran. Independent entities along with nine national subsidiaries will also be released including Mute; Chrysalis; EMI France; and label licensing business Coop. In addition, Universal committed to selling EMI’s 50% stake in the popular Now! That’s What I Call Music compilations. The label will reportedly retain recording rights for the Beatles. The Hollywood Reporter values the assets on the cutting block to be worth €350 million ($457 million).

Universal will also concede assets of its own, in addition to excluding Most Favored Nation (MFN) clauses in its favor in any new or renegotiated contract with digital customers in the EEA for ten years. MFN clauses oblige digital customers to extend any favorable term granted to Universal’s competitors to Universal.

“Competition in the music business is crucial to preserve choice, cultural diversity and innovation,” said Commission Vice-President in charge of competition policy Joaquín Almunia. ”In this investigation, we have paid close attention to digital innovation, which is changing the way that people listen to music. The very significant commitments proposed by Universal will ensure that competition in the music industry is preserved and that European consumers continue to enjoy all its benefits.”

The $1.9 billion deal, which has already been cleared in Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand, brings together two of the four global major record companies, leaving behind three majors. Currently, the Federal Trade Commission is reviewing the proposal in the United States. A decision is expected in the coming days. According to the New York Times, the F.T.C. could demand further divestitures from Universal, but that is considered unlikely.

Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have been hired to take the trimmed assets to market for potential bidders including Sony, Warner, BMG, BMG Rights, and MacAndrews & Forbes.

Citigroup took control of EMI in early 2011 after the label’s previous owner, Terra Firma, defaulted on a $5.4 billion loan. For purchase, Universal agreed to pay Citi the full price of EMI, regardless of regulatory approval. Ninety percent was paid earlier this month, with the balance due at the deal’s close.

In June, Sony closed on the $2.2 billion purchase of EMI Music Publishing Assets.

[Update:] Shortly after this European approval today (9/21), the F.T.C. in the United States approved the acquisition.