• ABOUT
    • Contact
    • The Team
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Events
    • FAQ
    • Use & Privacy Policy
  • ADVERTISE
  • ROWFAX
  • THE SPORTS CREDENTIAL
  • JOB LISTINGS
MusicRow.com
  • CALENDARS
    • Album/EP Releases
    • Single/Track Releases
    • Industry Events
  • OBITS
  • CHARTS
    • Radio Chart (Current)
    • Radio Chart (Archives)
    • No. 1 Challenge Coin
    • Songwriter Chart (Current)
    • Songwriter Chart (Archives)
  • REVIEWS
  • MY STORY
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Newsletter (Current)
    • SIGN UP (FREE!)
    • Newsletter (Archives)
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • STORE
  • Search
  • Menu

Bobby Karl Works MusicRow's Rising Women On The Row Awards

March 22, 2013/in Featured /by Bobby Karl

(L–R): Front Row: Cindy Heath, Brandi Simms, Cyndi Forman, Cindy Mabe, Beth Laird. Back Row: Sherod Robertson, Jessica Nicholson, Sarah Skates, Eric Parker, Caitlin Rantala, Mary Ann McCready. Photo: Alan Mayor

(L–R): Front Row: Cindy Heath, Brandi Simms, Cyndi Forman, Cindy Mabe, Beth Laird. Back Row: Sherod Robertson, Jessica Nicholson, Sarah Skates, Eric Parker, Caitlin Rantala, Mary Ann McCready. Photo: Alan Mayor


One of the challenges facing the Nashville music industry is maintaining its famous sense of closeness and community, and it looks like we’re developing another occasion to do just that.
The second annual MusicRow “Rising Women on the Row” breakfast at Maggiano’s (March 22) sponsored by City National Bank gathered folks from throughout the community to schmooze and love on one another. Despite adding two tables additional tables this year, the event sold out again and could have been even bigger.
“With Twitter and email and other forms of social media, people don’t see each other face-to-face as much,” said MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson before the event. “People need to talk to each other.”
rw1

Mary Ann McCready and Sherod Robertson; Photo: Alan Mayor

Talk they did. The honorees were UMPG’s Cyndi Forman, Creative Nation’s Beth Laird, Monarch Publicity’s Cindy Heath, the CMA’s Brandi Simms and UMG’s Cindy Mabe. Because they come from diverse segments of the industry, they drew the perfect crowd. Folks who don’t ordinarily interact daily, gladly swapped salutations.

“Thanks again for coming,” said Robertson in welcoming the fabulons. “We’re here to honor the women of Music Row. And, let’s face it, they make it all happen.”
cfHe brought on Mary Ann McCready, co-founder and president of the financial management firm Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy. Robertson sat with McCready and conducted a talk-show format interview as the event’s keynote.
When she co-founded her company in 1990, “It seemed to me that the artist community was very underserved,” McCready said. “They were so messed up, financially. We got super lucky. Our first year…Vince Gill and Mary Chapin Carpenter trusted us.” The company began making money in just three years and now represents a who’s who of country celebs, pop-music stars, songwriters and sports figures.
bl“I don’t believe women are disadvantaged in the work place,” McCready stated. “Women fire on way more cylinders than men do. They’re more collaborative, more organized…You’ve got to pave your own road. I think the world is a better place where there’s a balance between men and women. Men act better when women are around. Women act better when there are men around.”
MusicRow’s Sarah Skates and Jessica Nicholson presented this year’s honors. At UMPG, publishing VP Creative Cyndi Forman works with Rivers Rutherford, Shane McAnally and others. She famously discovered Hunter Hayes.
cmWhen she found out she was receiving her honor, she said to Hayes with a laugh, “Look, you ain’t the only one winning s—t this year.” She recalled such famed female publishers as Donna Hilley and Karen Conrad, remarking that, “Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.”
Former BMI exec Beth Laird’s Creative Nation not only publishes but manages Barry Dean, Maggie Chapman and her husband, Luke Laird. She facilitated her mate’s collaborations with rising stars Kacey Musgraves and Brett Eldredge.
“The fact that I’m even up here means that even your tiniest dreams come true,” she said. She saluted Regina Stuve and Jody Williams as mentors who, “changed my life.”
chAs vice president of marketing at Capitol and now UMG, Cindy Mabe has helped orchestrate 15 No. 1 albums. “Thank you guys for honoring me,” said Mabe. She cited her mentors as her mother, Joe Galante and Mike Dungan and thanked her police-officer husband, Shane. “We have two small children, so it’s a lot of juggling.”
Publicist Cindy Heath works with Craig Campbell, Chris Young, High Valley and Craig Morgan, among others. She recalled seeing Music Row on a trip to Nashville at age 16 and deciding she had to work there. “It’s exciting to me to help see people’s dreams come true, but at the same time, my own dreams are coming true,” she commented.
simmsBrandi Simms is the senior manager of membership and balloting at the CMA and is president of the Women’s Music Business Association. She summed up the feelings of all the honorees: “Thanks for letting me be a part of this industry.”
City National Bank sponsored the event, and its entire Music Row staff was on hand. The company’s Holly Bell presented each honoree with a special gift.
The sold-out throng included Jody Williams, Shawn Williams, Herky Williams, Lisa Harless, Lisa Konicki, Martha Moore, Stacy Schlitz, Ronna Rubin, Royce Risser, David Ross, Tom Lord, Debbie Carroll, Kent Earls, Karen Tallier, Alan Mayor, Aaron Hartley, Beverly Keel, Paula Erickson, Derek Crownover, Don Cusic, Ed Benson, Shannan Hatch, Susan Myers, Judy McDonough, Becky Harris, new IEBA exec director Pam Matthews and new research manager for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, Chelsea McCready.

maryann2

Mary Ann McCready and Sherod Robertson; Photo: Alan Mayor


 

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Bobby Karl
Latest posts by Bobby Karl (see all)
  • Bobby Karl Works The Room: Belmont Celebrates Minnie Pearl Film - January 20, 2023
  • Bobby Karl Works The Room: Recording Academy Tosses Fab Bash For Grammy Nominees - January 19, 2023
  • Bobby Karl Works The Room: Gospel Great Dr. Bobby Jones Honored At NMAAM - January 17, 2023
Tags: featured-2
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/groupshot-slider.jpg 250 390 Bobby Karl https://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.png Bobby Karl2013-03-22 13:11:182013-03-22 13:11:18Bobby Karl Works MusicRow's Rising Women On The Row Awards
You might also like
Weekly Chart Report (4/22/11)
Weekly Radio Report (5/29/20)
Weekly Chart Report (10/31/14)
Bobby Karl Works The ASCAP Country Awards
[Updated]: LifeNotes: Songwriting Great Paul Craft Passes
The Writer's Room: Natalie Hemby

RECENT NEWS

  • Weekly Register: Luke Combs Climbs Country Songs Chart With Latest Release February 21, 2023
  • Industry Ink: Brett Young, ‘Nashville Or Nothing Nights,’ Greylan James February 21, 2023
  • CMHOF To Spotlight Dave Alvin In Support Of ‘Western Edge’ Exhibit February 21, 2023
  • Allison Smith Upped To VP, Promotion At Big Machine/John Varvatos Records February 21, 2023
  • Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit Test The Winds With ‘Weathervanes’ This Summer February 21, 2023
  • Nickel Creek Returns With New Album & Headline Tour For Spring February 21, 2023
  • ACM & Black Music Action Coalition Partner To Launch OnRamp Program February 21, 2023
  • CMA, Discovery Education Offer Students New Virtual CMA Awards Field Trip February 21, 2023
  • Bryce Sherlow, Benji Amaefule Step Into A&R Manager Roles At Warner Chappell February 21, 2023
  • My Music Row Story: Neon Coast’s Martha Earls February 21, 2023
  • One Country Taps Chase Locke As CEO February 20, 2023
  • Joy Oladokun Announces New Album, ‘Proof of Life,’ Due Out This Spring February 20, 2023
  • Billy Gilman Joins Bluegrass World With Pinecastle Records Deal February 20, 2023
  • Morgan Wallen Hits No. 1 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart February 20, 2023
  • Kristian Bush Gears Up For Final Installment Of ’52’ Album Series In March February 20, 2023

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets by MusicRow
© 2023 Music Row Enterprises, LLC – All rights reserved.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Scroll to top