Promotions, Hirings at Johnny Cash Museum

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The Johnny Cash Museum has announced a round of promotions and hirings.

Sydney Robinson

Sydney Robinson


Sydney Robinson, formerly Executive Director of Business Development and Marketing, has been promoted to Executive Vice President and General Manager of the museum. Robinson oversees all aspects of museum operations in her new position. “Sydney has been with us for a year and a half and has proven to be a top performer who is capable of executing the business plan we have shaped for the Johnny Cash Museum.” founder Bill Miller explained. “She is as devoted and dedicated to our vision as I am and there is no better choice to head up the organization than her.” Robinson reports directly to Miller.
Angela Dodson

Angela Dodson


Angela Dodson, formerly Manager of the Johnny Cash Event Center, has been promoted to Director of Events. Dodson will oversee bookings and marketing of the on-premises event space and reports to Robinson. The event center has hosted a variety of functions, ranging from a recent CMT Hunter Hayes television special to weddings and corporate meetings.
Ryan Cowell

Ryan Cowell


Ryan Cowell joins the museum as Director of Operations and Human Resources. Cowell comes from a hospitality background and will oversee retail operations including the museum store and guest admissions. Cowell will maintain and developing the museum’s onsite facilities. “I’ve known Ryan for many years and he brings great people and employee management skills to our team. His experience in the retail arena will be a great benefit to our staff and guests” Miller stated. Cowell, who reports to Robinson, was most recently employed by the Omni Hotel group.

Weekly Chart Report (6/13/14)

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ScreenShot61314Click here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report

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American Country Countdown Awards To Air in December on Fox

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Kix Brooks

Kix Brooks


The American Country Countdown Awards will debut live from Nashville on Monday, Dec. 15, on Fox. The show is a joint venture from Fox, Cumulus and Dick Clark Productions. The show will also pay tribute to the first-ever “NASH Icon” award winner.
American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks celebrates its 41st year as America’s longest-running country music countdown show on radio. American Country Countdown launched in 1973.
“Fans of the ‘American Country Countdown’ are some of the most loyal and passionate fans around, so it’s a natural next step to bring that popular brand to television,” said Simon Andreae, executive vice president of Alternative Entertainment for Fox. “Fox has a long history of big, bold music events, and we can’t wait to bring down the house in Nashville this December with some of the most popular names in country music.”
“Expanding our NASH brand and the audience for our iconic ‘American Country Countdown’ franchise to a national TV audience is an exciting example of how we’re committed to serving the needs of America’s rapidly growing passion for country music,” said John Dickey, executive vice president and co-chief operating officer of Cumulus.
“The ‘American Country Countdown’ radio show is one of the most respected brands in country music, highlighting the most successful stars on country radio,” said Mike Mahan, president of Dick Clark Productions. “Through our broadcast partnership with Fox and Cumulus, we are able to create an innovative and new television format honoring superstars and spectacular emerging talent that fuel American country radio.”

Film Expo and Gala Coming To Nashville

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unnamedFilm-Com will present a new project expo and the annual Film/Television Industry Gala from June 18 to June 20.  This event is being billed as a “direct-connect” to “film-in-the-making” and the film-making industry. Attendees will learn the art of film-making, including script concept, financing, production, packaging and distribution. Film-Com is also a forum that filmmakers use to introduce new projects.
Panels will be hosted all day on Wednesday, June 18 starting at 10 a.m. at both the Ford Theatre/Country Music Hall of Fame and Whiskey Bent in Downtown Nashville.
The Annual Film/Television Industry Gala will be held on Thursday, June 19 at the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion Conservation Hall.  Mayor Karl Dean will be in attendance along with Amy Grant, Nancy Jones, and more.
The New Project Expo will take place at Titan’s Stadium/West Side  from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. The two-day trade show will exhibit new feature films, as well as television, documentary and video game projects.
More information on the event can be found film-com.com.

CMHoF To Celebrate Nashville's R&B History During July

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NightTrainToNashvilleTo celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s historic exhibit, Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-1970, the museum will host a series of events during the month of July. To conclude the month, the museum will join with Music City Roots for a concert at the Factory at Franklin.
Among the artists scheduled to perform on Wednesday, July 30 at 7 p.m. are Levert Allison, the Jimmy Church Band, Clifford Curry, Mac Gayden, Frank Howard, Marion James, Robert Knight, the McCrary Sisters, the Valentines and the Charles Walker Band. General admission tickets are $15 and available at Grimey’s New & Pre-Loved Music or by emailing [email protected]. The event will also broadcast live on Hippie Radio (94.5 FM).
The museum’s 2 p.m. Sunday programs through July are to include weekly film screenings featuring the television shows The!!!!Beat and Night Train. On Saturday, July 26, an R&B Dance Workshop will be held for families in the Taylor Swift Education Center. Rock-and-roll legend Buzz Cason will additionally be the subject of the museum’s quarterly program series Poets and Prophets on Saturday, July 5 at 1:30 p.m.
The critically acclaimed 2004-05 exhibit celebrated Music City’s contribution to R&B, which influenced Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix and cultivated live music activity on Jefferson Street, as well as spirited entrepreneurs who created the city’s first record companies, and aired WLAC’s rhythm & blues programming across half the United States when most national radio considered the music taboo. From this exhibit came a Grammy-winning CD set by the same name, released by Lost Highway.
Programs hosted at the museum are included with museum admission and are free to museum members.
By: Laura Hostelley

Bonnaroo Is On: Tickets Still Available

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bonnarooThis weekend (June 12-15) thousands of music lovers will flock to “The Farm” in Manchester, Tenn., for the annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. As previous years, 80,000 attendees are expected. With the city’s residents, Manchester’s population will be boosted enough to become the seventh largest city in Tennessee.
Festivities will kick off today (June 12) and go through Sunday night. More than 150 acts will perform during the festival’s four-day run. Nashville will be well represented by Music City artists Dierks Bentley, Blackberry Smoke, Jack White and Ben Folds. East-Nashville label Dualtone’s Shovels and Rope will also take the stage during Bonnaroo.

Main attractions this year include Kanye West, Little Richie and legendary Elton John, whose recently repackaged release of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road features Country artists Hunter Hayes, The Band Perry and Zac Brown Band.
General admission and VIP Weekend packages ($520-1000) as well as general admission Single Day options ($125-295) are still available. Round-trip bus services are included, departing twice daily.
By: Laura Hostelley

CMA Music Festival Research Recap

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2014_cma_music_festival_logoWith so many Country music fans in one place, CMA Music Festival presented a prime opportunity to conduct research with this important consumer group.
“Country music is reaching a broader and more diverse audience than ever and we believe these shifts have an impact on our attendee base,” said Karen Stump, CMA’s Senior Director of Market Research. “Our research among Festival attendees about their motivations and experiences related to our event serves as a vital tool for CMA to continuously deliver a memorable and relevant event for our fans.”
Findings from 2014:

  • 50 percent of attendees were attending for the first time (48 percent in 2013)
  • Among first-time attendees, 52 percent were visiting Nashville for the first time
  • 17 percent of first-time attendees reported they had become a fan of the genre recently (within the past one to five years)
  • 76 percent of attendees traveled more than 250 miles
  • The average distance traveled to attend the festival is 665 miles
  • 96 percent of attendees indicated plans or interest in attending again next year
  • 82 percent of attendees posted to social media about their daily experience
 (75 percent to Facebook, 37 percent on Twitter, 46 percent to Instagram)
  • 62 percent stated they became a “new” fan of an artist they discovered at the Festival
  • 52 percent were under the age of 40 (slightly up from 50 percent last year)
  • 48 percent have an annual household income of $75,000 or more

These preliminary numbers are based on CMA’s onsite/in-person surveying of 437 attendees over the four days. Additional research is being conducted and will result in added insights about CMA Music Festival attendees based on input from more than 2,000 patrons.

Industry Ink (6/12/14)

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Rusty Sherrill

Rusty Sherrill


Rusty Sherrill has been appointed to Manager, Northeast Regional Promotion, for Arista Nashville. Most recently Promotion Representative for Sony Music Nashville since 2012, the move marks a full-time return to the Arista team for Sherrill, who joined Sony as Arista’s National Promotions Coordinator in 2010.
Sherrill will continue to be based in Nashville and can be reached at [email protected]. Applications will soon be accepted for his previous role; the position will be posted soon the “Careers” tab at sonymusic.com.

 • • •

Demun Jones

Demun Jones


Average Joes Entertainment artist Demun Jones has signed with Nashville-based booking agency Buddy Lee Attractions.
“I’m excited to be partnered with Buddy Lee Attractions and to join an agency with such a rich history in booking some of the best touring acts in the world,” commented Jones. “The future looks bright and I’m ready to get out on the road and bring my new album out to people across the country.”
His solo debut CD, Jones County, was released on June 10, 2014.

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Warner Chappell Production Music BLACK Logo111Warner/Chappell Production Music, Warner Music Group’s production music arm, has created a new theme and package for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be broadcast on ESPN. Warner/Chappell Production Music produced over 150 tracks overall at studios in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Featuring a modified theme from the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Warner/Chappell Production Music created new opens, bumpers, vamps and closers.

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SESAC affiliate Kevin Barton has signed with Songscape Music for publishing representation. Barton recently stopped by SESAC’s Music Row headquarters to celebrate the signing.

Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s John Mullins, Barton and Songscape Music’s Robyn Taylor-Drake. Photo: Ed Rode

Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s John Mullins, Barton and Songscape Music’s Robyn Taylor-Drake. Photo: Ed Rode

NATD Names Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductee

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Pictured (L-R): Bonnie Sugarman, Tony Conway, Rice, Steve Tolman. Photo: Daniel Helland

Pictured (L-R): Bonnie Sugarman, Tony Conway, Rice, Steve Tolman. Photo: Daniel Helland


Music industry veteran Tandy Rice was recently presented with the Nashville Association of Talent Directors (NATD)’s highest honor as the first inductee into the NATD Hall of Fame.
“For your immeasurable contributions to the Nashville community, with love, respect and deep gratitude, we hereby proclaim NATD charter-member and past President, Mr. Tandy Rice, the first inductee into the NATD Hall of Fame,” stated current president Steve Tolman during the surprise presentation.
Now in his mid-70s, Rice helped develop the careers of artists including Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Tom T. Hall, The Kendalls, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius and Jerry Clower. He went into PR for a few years, signing artists such as Hank Williams, Jr., Waylon Jennings, Kitty Wells and Chet Atkins. He gave rise to the infamous Billy Carter’s “Billy Beer” as President and CEO of Top Billing International.
Rice later served on the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association (CMA) for over a decade and as President in 1981.
The Franklin native graduated from military college The Citadel in South Carolina. He served three years with the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command before returning to Vanderbilt and earning a Master’s degree in Liberal Arts. He served as an adjunct professor at Belmont University.
“What a great thing it is to be recognized by your peers in this way,” said the still impeccably groomed and polished Rice during his informal acceptance speech. “You are all so very dear to me. Through all the struggles and the adventures, we remain a family. If I had any advice to give you, it would be to just love one another and everything else will be okay.” Rice went on to recognize many of the people he had worked with throughout the years and encouraged some up-and-comers.

Cindy Mabe Named President UMGN

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Cindy Mabe

Cindy Mabe


Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan announced today (June 12) the promotion of Cindy Mabe to President of the label group, which includes labels Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, MCA Nashville and Mercury Nashville.
Previously Mabe served as SVP of Marketing, overseeing digital and media marketing, creative services, production and international strategies for all four UMG Nashville labels. Mabe will continue to report to Dungan. Mabe was also named one of MusicRow‘s Rising Women on the Row in 2013.
“Throughout her career, Cindy Mabe has consistently shown that she is the most brilliant marketing person this business has ever seen,” shares Dungan. “But she is also a well-rounded executive, and a terrific leader of people.  As our business continues to change at an alarming rate, we need her focus, dedication, and expertise now, and in the future, more than ever.”
“Mike Dungan has been a mentor for me and such an important person in my life,” explains Mabe. “He is one of the most charismatic, smart and intuitive music executives to ever run a music company and he’s built Arista, Capitol and now Universal to embody his innovative, team driven spirit. We have accomplished so much together these past seven years and I’m looking forward to what we can accomplish together in the future.”
Prior to joining Capitol Records Nashville, Mabe oversaw the marketing and day-to-day strategic planning for Arista Records Nashville and worked with a roster of artists including Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn and Carrie Underwood. A North Carolina native and Belmont University graduate, Mabe serves on the Board of Directors for the Pencil Foundation, a premier organization linking community resources of both volunteers and materials with Metro Nashville Public Schools.
UMG Nashville is home to artists including Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Kip Moore, Kacey Musgraves, Jennifer Nettles, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Shania Twain and Keith Urban.