Industry Ink: Absolute Publicity, Dan Hodges Music, Judy McDonough, Sony Music Nashville

Kay Waggoner Joins Absolute Publicity

Kay Waggoner

Veteran publicist and former television news producer Kay Waggoner has joined Absolute Publicity as a Senior Publicist.

Waggoner will assist in handling media efforts for clients including Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band, Restless Heart, Pam Tillis, Ray Stevens, and James Robert Webb.

Waggoner can be reached at 615-305-6745 or at kay@absolutepublicity.com.

Dan Hodges Music Inks Deal With The Rukkus Room

Pictured (L-R): Dan Hodges(Owner, DHM), Susan Hodges (VP Administration, DHM Administration), Jamie Tate (Owner, Rukkus Room) and Adam Wood (Songwriter, Rukkus Room)

The Rukkus Room has inked a worldwide copyright and royalty administration agreement with Dan Hodges Music. The Rukkus Room is owned and operated by Jamie Tate and studio manager Joe Nino-Hernes. Studio credits including projects for Thomas Rhett, Justin Moore, Alan Jackson, Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift and more.

DHM will administer publishing interests for existing Rukkus Room catalogs, owner Jamie Tate and current staff songwriter, Adam Wood. Rukkus Room and DHM will collaborate to meeting varying needs of both companies.

McDonough Joins W Publishing Group

Judy McDonough

W Publishing Group has hired veteran publicist Judy McDonough as Director of Publicity. She started in her new role Sept. 15.

“I am personally thrilled that Judy has agreed to join our team at W Publishing,” said Matt Baugher, SVP and W Publishing Group publisher.  “She has much to offer through her vast network of contacts, her fresh thinking, and her deep desire to work with life-changing content. Our authors are going to love working with her and they are going to discover a person who is both strategic and persistent in obtaining relevant coverage for each product. We are fortunate to have some of the most talented people in the industry working here at Thomas Nelson. Judy McDonough is an ideal fit.”

Prior to her work with W Publishing, McDonough ran independent PR firm JEMMedia for seven years. Before JEMMedia, she was a publicist at Capitol Nashville, working with Keith Urban, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, Garth Brooks, Darius Rucker, and more.

W Publishing Group is a non-fiction imprint of Thomas Nelson.

Sony Music Nashville’s Westbrook Welcomes Daughter

Ivy Elizabeth Hetrick

Sony Music Nashville Marketing Director Sarah Westbrook and her husband welcomed daughter Ivy Elizabeth Hetrick on Thursday, Sept. 24.

The baby weighed 7 lbs, 13 oz. Congratulations can be sent to sarah.westbrook@sonymusic.com.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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