The 2014 CMT Music Awards will be held Wednesday, June 4. The awards show will bring in Country’s most popular artists to honor the best Country music videos of the year, and will air nationally on CMT.
Nashville will already be in full celebrating mode that week, as the 2014 CMT Music Awards will be held one day before CMA Music Festival, which will run June 5-8.
Additional event and ticket information will be announced soon.
Dallas Smith will release his new EP Tippin’ Point, on Tuesday, March 4. Produced by Joey Moi (Florida Georgia Line, Jake Owen), the six-song EP includes the current single “Tippin’ Point” and marks his debut U.S. release on Big Loud Mountain Records/Republic Nashville.
Clear Channel Media + Entertainment is collaborating with the Nashville Predators for Music Row 101, programmed by Leadership Music, on Thursday, Feb. 27, beginning at 9 a.m.
Leadership Music, currently in its 25th year, is programming the day-long educational seminar targeted at those wanting to learn to basics of the music business. The $98 fee includes a welcome by Nashville’s pro-music mayor, Karl Dean, himself a Leadership Music alum, historian/journalist Bob Oermann’s always-popular examination of How Nashville became Music City, four panel discussions, a songwriters-in-the-round closing session, a cocktail reception and tickets to the Nashville Predators/Tampa Bay Lightning that night. The seminar will be in the Bridgestone Arena rehearsal hall.
“Whether you are a songwriter, an aspiring artist, a music lover, or just want to know how the music biz works, this is your chance to spend an entire day learning from music industry professionals at Music Row 101,” organizers said.
Among those slated to appear are executives of Universal Music Group Nashville, Big Machine Label Group, Nine North Records, and Warner Music Nashville, artist managers, music publishers, the general manager of Nashville’s famed Bluebird Café, journalists, and air personalities and executives from WSIX. The majority of the participants are alumni of Leadership Music.
The event is sponsored by Gibson Brands and Regions Bank.
Included in the price of admission is an end-of-day networking and social hour followed by tickets to experience the hockey game between the Nashville Predators and the Tampa Bay Lightning. “We are extremely excited to be a part this year’s Music Row 101 event,” added David Kells, vice president of booking for Bridgestone Arena. “The lineup of guest panelists is unmatched and for people looking to get their foot in the door, there is no better event to attend. Bridgestone Arena has hosted some of the world’s most successful musical artists and also the biggest sports figures. If you are looking to break into the entertainment industry, specifically the music industry, this is an event you will not want to miss.”
To register for the event, visit www.wsix.com Keyword: MusicRow
Schedule of Events (Subject to change)
8:00 to 9:00am – Registration
9:00 to 9:05am – Welcome
9:05 to 9:30am — Nashville Mayor Karl Dean
9:30 to 10:30am – Robert Oermann – How Nashville Became Music City
10:30 to 10:45am – Lisa Harless – Regions Bank
10:45 to 11:00am – Coffee break provided by Dunkin’ Donuts
11:00 am to 12:00 noon – “I Wrote a Song, Now What?
Speakers:
12:00 to 1:00pm – Deal or No Deal? Big League or Minors?
Speakers:
2:00 to 3:00pm – There’s no “I” in Team
Speakers:
3:00 to 4:00pm – Are You Ready for Primetime?
Speakers:
4:00 to 4:15pm – Afternoon coffee break provided by Dunkin’ Donuts
4:15 to 4:30pm – Top Ten Tech Trends
Speaker:
4:30 to 5:45 pm – Guitar Pull – Power Play
5:45 to 6:45 pm – “Backstage” Reception
7:00pm – Game starts – Nashville Predators vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Willie Nelson
Radio veteran Randy Bush has joined legendary radio station 650 AM WSM as General Manager. Bush brings to WSM 39 years of radio leadership experience, most recently with Cherry Creek Radio in Great Falls, Mont. Prior to that, Bush held general manager positions at Signal Media in Little Rock, Ark. and Journal Broadcast Group in Tulsa, Okla.
“I’m delighted to welcome Randy to 650 AM WSM,” said Steve Buchanan, Opry Entertainment president. “He brings with him the experience, creativity, and passion needed to succeed in one of the most unique positions anywhere in country radio. Randy sees a world of opportunity at WSM and he is excited about continuing the station’s great legacy.”
“I am humbled and thrilled to be given the opportunity to serve as General Manager of WSM-AM, The Legend,” Bush said. “I can’t wait to join such a tremendous group of people.”
Bush officially assumes his new role with the award-winning station Feb. 17.
Charlie Daniels
ASCAP hosted its monthly songwriters-in-the-round showcase at The Bluebird Cafe on Thursday, Feb. 6. The round featured top ASCAP songwriter members Jon Nite (“Whatever She’s Got”), Jimmy Robbins (“We Were Us,”) and Deric Ruttan (“Mine Would Be You”), as well as breaking Columbia Nashville songwriter-artist Leah Turner (“Take the Keys”).
Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, Jimmy Robbins, Deric Ruttan, Leah Turner and Jon Nite. Photo by ASCAP’s Alison Toczylowski.
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Dierks Bentley and OneRepublic took the stage together at Rocketown in Nashville for a taping of CMT Crossroads. CMT Crossroads: OneRepublic and Dierks Bentley will premiere Friday, March 21 at 10 p.m. ET.
Pictured (front, L-R): Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic); Leslie Fram, SVP Music Strategy, CMT; Dierks Bentley; (back, L-R): Margaret Comeaux, CMT executive producer; Zach Filkins (OneRepublic); Tom Forrest, executive producer; Drew Brown (OneRepublic); Eddie Fisher (OneRepublic); Brent Kutzle (OneRepublic); Kathryn Russ; Bill Flanagan, CMT executive producer; John Hamlin, CMT executive producer. Photo Credit: John Russell/MaximumExposure
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New Country duo Dan+Shay recently celebrated their debut performance on the Grand Ole Opry, where they performed their single, “19 You+Me.” Dan+Shay (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) will release their debut album April 1 on Warner Bros. Records.
Pictured (L-R): Lisa Ray, Vice President Brand Management Warner Music Nashville; Todd Ramey, Sandbox Management; Jason Owen, Sandbox Management; Peter Strickland, Executive Vice President and General Manager Warner Music Nashville; Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay; Scott Hendricks, Senior Vice President A+R Warner Music Nashville; John Esposito, President and CEO Warner Music Nashville; Pete Fisher, Vice President, General Manager Grand Ole Opry; Steve Buchanan, President Opry Entertainment Group
Pictured (L-R): Smokey Smith and Johnny Cash. Photo: Snowflake Enterprises
Pictured (L-R): Smokey Smith with Kitty Wells and Johnny Wright. Photo: Snowflake Enterprises
The Rev. Morgan Babb, a fixture of African-American radio in Music City for more than 50 years, has died at age 84.
He owned, operated and starred on station WMBD-AM, which he founded in 1983. Before that, Babb spent nearly three decades on the air on Nashville’s premier African-American broadcaster, WVOL-AM.
Born in Russellville, Ky., in 1929, Babb was the son of a jug-band performer who played for dances, and of a gospel-singing mother. He was the youngest of seven brothers.
He began his career at WHOP in Hopkinsville, Ky., in 1948 as a disc jockey, broadcasting what were then called “race music” records. He cultivated a “jive talking” delivery and billed himself as “Happy Jack.”
In 1950, he joined his brothers Cephus, Ray, Paul and George in a gospel-singing group. They billed themselves as The Radio Four. Morgan Babb became their lead singer, song arranger and guitar accompanist.
In 1952-53, Babb’s stirring, dynamic lead vocals were featured on a series of records the group made for the pioneering Nashville independent labels Tennessee Records and Republic Records. He moved to Music City in 1954, after his fame as “Happy Jack” won him a job at WSOK (later, WVOL), and The Radio Four began to tour using Nashville as their home base.
The Radio Four’s records featuring Babb’s lead vocals were reissued on CD in 1999. He left the group in 1956 to get off the road, spend more time with his family and continue as “Happy Jack” on WSOK/WVOL. He eventually became the station’s chief announcer. Babb also became a talent scout for several Nashville gospel labels. He wrote Lillian Offitt’s 1957 R&B hit “I Miss You So,” which was recorded for Nashville’s Excello Records. He formed The Philco Singers and The Voices of Nashville gospel groups. Babb also sang in the family recording ensemble The Gospel Five.
In 1965, Rev. Morgan Babb founded the King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church on 10th Avenue North in North Nashville. He issued a series of solo gospel records on Music City’s Nashboro Records in the 1960s and 1970s, sometimes backed by his church’s choir. These discs were largely self-composed. The 1995 CD Keep Faith reissued many of his best-known solo efforts.
After starting WMBD-AM, Rev. Babb prayed with station callers, organized meals for the homeless, testified, preached, ministered to the sick, and made the station a clearinghouse for community benefits and events. Always dedicated to African-American music, WMBD was fondly known as “The Big Mouth.” In addition to broadcasting, Babb continued to pastor at his church nearly up to his demise.
Rev. Morgan Babb died on Friday, Feb. 7. He is survived by seven children. Funeral arrangements have not been announced, but will be handled by Smith Brothers Funeral Directors.
Pictured (L-R): Neil Zacharuk, Erin Enderlin, Will Bowen,
Lisa Ramsey Perkins, Tia Sillers, and BMI’s Bradley Collins.