(L-R): Back row: BMI’s Jody Williams, Cornman Music’s Nate Lowery, producer Dan Huff, ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan, Valory Music Co.’s George Briner, Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, BMI’s Bradley Collins. Front row: ASCAP songwriter Brett James, BMI songwriter Brantley Gilbert, ASCAP songwriter Justin Weaver.

The Pour House in Nashville was an industry hotspot yesterday, as BMI and ASCAP co-hosted a celebration of the No. 1 song “Bottoms Up” by Brantley Gilbert. The song was written by BMI songwriter Gilbert, ASCAP songwriter Brett James and ASCAP songwriter Justin Weaver.

The song reached the top of the charts 11 months ago, but it was a challenge to arrange a time that worked for all parties involved. Gilbert does not live in Nashville and has been busy touring. But James was determined to have the success of this song celebrated. “This is Justin’s (Weaver) first No. 1 song, there was no way were weren’t going to have a party for him,” said James.

Weaver has been a songwriter for almost 13 years and took his time to thank everyone that supported him during the journey to his first chart topper. “It’s been a long road,” said Weaver. “But it’s always been about taking baby steps, pushing forward and always doing the right thing and I think we did.”

The song marks James’ 21st No. 1 song. It is Gilbert’s 5th as a songwriter and 3rd as an artist.

“When I was first starting out, I was anti-Nashville,” says Gilbert. “I didn’t want a booking agent, management or any of that. I just didn’t trust anyone. But I see now that this town is all about family and I thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours.”

Ron Cox of Avenue Bank was present to make a donation on behalf of the songwriters to the Kory Potts Scholarship Foundation, in memorandum of Brantley’s close friend who lost his battle with Leukemia and became the inspiration behind his current single, “One Hell of an Amen.”

Also recognized was producer Dann Huff who has now produced 41 No. 1 records.

Valory Music Group’s George Briner awarded Gilbert a plaque commemorating 1 million sales of the single, but explained that the plaque was made last year, and as of that night the sales have reached 2 million.

Additional guest presenters included representatives from the CMA, Cornman Music, and Warner/Chappell.

The Music Business Association (Music Biz) has announced a preliminary schedule for its flagship Music Biz 2015 conference, held for the first time in Nashville on May 12-14 at the Sheraton Downtown Hotel.

As previously announced, Martina McBride and Scott Borchetta will be honored during the awards luncheon on May 14. The Doobie Brothers and Waterloo Records & Video Owner/President John T. Kunz will additionally be honored.

Key retailers, record labels, artists, managers, startups, and more will be in attendance throughout the week. This year’s event will feature the third annual Metadata Summit, the Music Startup Academy educational sessions, and the Entertainment and Technology Law Program as well as various Special Interest Town Halls, Genre-Based Meetups, Breakout Sessions, and Live Music Showcases. Highlights from the currently confirmed agenda are below.

“We’re thrilled to bring Music Biz 2015 to Nashville for the first time in the event’s 56-year history and have crafted a far-reaching program that will appeal to attendees from all industry sectors,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “Whether you’re a major music executive or a student trying to break into the business, we’ve made sure that there’s something for everyone.”

Registration is available, with early bird discounts available until March 8.

Select Events for Music Biz 2015

Metadata Summit
Tuesday, May 12, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Join others who share your metadata concerns during our third annual Metadata Summit, sponsored by DDEX and Sony DADC. From the music datapocalypse to interoperability to high-quality images, these conversations are sure to set the course for solutions to current metadata issues.

Music Startup Academy: Startups, Rights & Artists
Tuesday, May 12, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Calling all startups, app developers, and music entrepreneurs: Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to break through the barriers of entry into the music biz. You’ll meet seasoned music business professionals, who will lead sessions on licensing, business development, music APIs, and more. Our popular ‘Elevator Pitch Shark Tank’ session will give you the chance to pitch their ideas to our biz dev experts.

Breakfast & Business Session
Wednesday, May 13, 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Nashville Mayor Karl Dean welcomes Music Biz to Music City. With the highest concentration of music jobs in the country, Dean will discuss how he and the Music City Music Council work to attract and retain music industry professionals in Nashville. Music Biz President James Donio will take the stage to offer an update on Association initiatives. Board Chairman Fred Beteille of YouTube will announce the Scholarship Foundation Class of 2015 and welcome the 2015-2016 Board of Directors. Rounding out the morning, Donio will present the 2015 Independent Spirit Award to John Kunz, Owner and President of Austin’s iconic independent record store Waterloo Records & Video Inc. and an over 40-year music industry veteran.

Metadata for Artists
Wednesday, May 13, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Metadata. It’s often one of the main things standing between artists and a variety of new opportunities to make money. Join our panelists to discuss the essentials that artists need to know about metadata, in addition to more forward-thinking areas of how metadata will be a catalyst in building the products of the future.

Awards Luncheon
Thursday, May 14, 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Each year, Music Biz honors some of the biggest stars in the music industry at the Awards Luncheon. This year, the prestigious Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement will go to Scott Borchetta, President and CEO of the Big Machine Label Group and a mentor on American Idol, who has helped his label’s first signee, Taylor Swift, score three straight million-plus-selling album debuts. Country superstar Martina McBride will then receive the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award for her tireless efforts to end domestic violence, and top-selling Rock band The Doobie Brothers will receive the Chairman’s Award for Sustained Creative Achievement. Artist of the Year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year recipients will be announced shortly.

Entertainment & Technology Law Conference
Thursday, May 14, 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
The Entertainment & Technology Law Conference program will gather top legal minds from the entertainment and technology industries to discuss a variety of topics at the forefront of both trades. Topics currently scheduled to be covered at Music Biz 2015 include “The Rules of the Road: An Examination of the Current State of Touring” and “Music’s Middle Class: An Endangered Species?”