Sony/ATV and Pandora Agree to Multi-Year Licensing Deal

SonyATVPandora

Pandora and Sony/ATV Music Publishing today (Nov. 5) announced a multi-year licensing agreement for Sony/ATV’s catalog of musical works. The direct publishing deal creates business benefits for Pandora, while modernizing compensation for Sony/ATV and its songwriters in the U.S.

While specific terms of the multi-year agreement are confidential, Sony/ATV reportedly achieved its goal of delivering improved performance royalties for its songwriters while Pandora will benefit from greater rate certainty and the ability to add new flexibility to the company’s product offering over time.

The public performance royalties Pandora also pays to rights holders of master recordings are not affected by this agreement.

“We believe that this agreement with Pandora is a major step in the right direction to ensure that our songwriters are fairly compensated for the use of their music on streaming services,” said Martin Bandier, Sony/ATV Chairman and CEO. “We are pleased that our songwriters will begin to enjoy the benefit of better rates on one of the most important platforms for music consumption and discovery. It is part of our ongoing strategy to ensure that all digital music services recognize the indispensable value that the words and music of a song bring to their businesses.”

“This is a significant milestone in our long-standing effort to strengthen ties with the music maker community,” said Brian McAndrews, chief executive officer of Pandora. “Over 10 years, Pandora has built music’s most powerful marketing engine, which we put into action every day for Sony/ATV’s storied catalog. By partnering directly with Sony/ATV, we are proud to lock in our opportunity to connect an incredibly talented community of songwriters with streaming music’s largest and most passionate audience.”

CMA Awards Throw Curveballs As Chris Stapleton Wins Three Categories

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Donn Jones

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

At this year’s CMA Awards, the predictable Entertainer, Female, Group, Duo and Musician winners were upstaged by the surprise triple triumph of Chris Stapleton.

Luke Bryan won his second Entertainer trophy. Florida Georgia Line took home its third Duo win. Little Big Town earned a well-deserved fourth statuette as Vocal Group. Miranda Lambert made history with her sixth win as Female Vocalist. Mac McAnally earned his eighth Musician honor, which ties him with the late Chet Atkins. But Stapleton was the stunner, winning the Male, Album and New Artist prizes.

“I don’t know what to say,” he blurted after winning his New Artist award. “I’ve worked a lot of years to get to do this. This is an absolute thrill.” His competition was Sam Hunt, Maddie & Tae, Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini, all of whom have had chart-topping radio hits. Stapleton has not.

“This is unbelievable,” he gasped after winning his Album honor. “I don’t know what to think; I don’t know what to say.” His Traveller CD producer Dave Cobb added, “Thank y’all for buying this record and supporting great art.”

Stapleton won his Male Vocalist award by beating Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley and Eric Church, all of whom are concert headliners. Stapleton is not.

“Well then, there’s gonna be a party tonight,” he stammered. “About two years ago, I lost my dad, and I made this record that I think he would like. He would have liked to have seen this tonight. This is an unbelievable thing to me, and I’m not gonna take it lightly. Thank you so much. I don’t know what else to say.”

After the show, he added, “I didn’t really expect to be here. If I talk about it and think about it, I’m gonna tear up.”

Stapleton also stole the spotlight by performing with pop superstar Justin Timberlake on the telecast. Their Nashville-meets-Memphis collaboration on “Tennessee Whiskey” and “Drink You Away” was very intense and soulful. It blew up on social media immediately.

Pictured (L-R): Hank Williams Jr and Eric Church. Photo: John Russell/CMA

Pictured (L-R): Hank Williams Jr. and Eric Church. Photo: John Russell/CMA

This was one of several pairings on the show. Hank Williams Jr. and Eric Church opened the ceremony with the Waylon Jennings hit “Are You Ready for the Country,” with backing by The McCrary Sisters. Keith Urban and John Mellencamp followed with “Little Pink Houses” and “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16.”

Earlier in the day, Urban and Church won the Vocal Event award for “Raise ‘Em Up.” This was Urban’s fourth win in this category. Church also made news with his performance of “Mr. Misunderstood,” the title tune of his “surprise” album release this week.

Pictured (L-R) Brooks & Dunn's Kix Brooks, Reba. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

Pictured (L-R) Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks, Reba. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

Other CMA collaborative performances included Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn romping through “Why Haven’t I Heard From You” and “Play Something Country.” Fall Out Boy and Thomas Rhett were aided by prancing, dancing girls as they attempted a mashup of “Crash and Burn” and “Uma Thurman.”

Solo performance stand-outs included Sam Hunt’s smoldering “Take Your Time,” Dierks Bentley’s throbbing and inspirational “Riser,” Zac Brown Band’s spirited “Beautiful Drug,” Florida Georgia Line’s beautiful “Confession,” Blake Shelton’s romping “Gonna,” Brad Paisley’s rollicking “Country Nation” with cheerleaders and football mascots, and Luke Bryan’s romantic “Strip It Down.”

Luke Bryan. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

Luke Bryan. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

“What an amazing night of music,” said Bryan when he won his Entertainer award. “Thank you, Lord; thank you, Jesus; thank you everyone in Heaven for looking out for me.

“This is the best business in the world, with the best people. … Watching Chris Stapleton win was so uplifting. … Everyone in country music, I love you, baby.” Stapleton co-wrote Bryan’s hit “Drink a Beer.”

Besides Stapleton, the only other multiple winner was Little Big Town. The quartet won Vocal Group of the Year and Single of the Year. Plus, the group’s hit “Girl Crush” won Song of the Year for writers Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey. LBT’s performance of it got a standing ovation.

Little Big Town. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

Little Big Town. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

“Seventeen years ago this very month, we became a band,” said the group’s Kimberly Schlapman. “Country music fans, you have changed our lives,” added Jimi Westbrook. “This was a 6/8 ballad about jealousy and heartbreak,” commented Karen Fairchild. “Thank you, gatekeepers, for having the guts to play it.” Phillip Sweet joined the others in thanking the songwriters.

“I needed a bright spot this year,” said Miranda Lambert in accepting her Female Vocalist award. She was presumably referring to her divorce from Blake Shelton, who is now dating his The Voice TV co-star Gwen Stefani.

MIranda Lambert. Photo: CMAPress.com

Miranda Lambert. Photo: CMAPress.com

Lambert performed “Bathroom Sink.” Other performances included Jason Aldean’s “They’re Gonna Know We Were Here,” Kenny Chesney’s “Save It for a Rainy Day,” Carrie Underwood’s “Smoke Break” and Kacey Musgraves’ “Dimestore Cowgirl.”

Maddie & Tae, who won the Video award for “Girl in a Country Song” with director TK McKamy, sang it to introduce the radio winners. Kelsea Ballerini did the same with “Love Me Like You Mean It.”

Florida Georgia Line. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

Florida Georgia Line. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

Presenters included Cam, Jennifer Nettles, Lee Ann Womack, Steve Martin & Edie Brickell, Darius Rucker, Pentatonix (singing a snippet of The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Elvira”), Brett Eldredge, Cole Swindell, Kiefer Sutherland and Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley.

William Shatner, Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog made cameo appearances, as did the late Jimmy Dickens. Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley co-hosted with bantering wit. This was their eighth time as CMA telecast hosts.

Pictured (L-R): Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

Pictured (L-R): Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood. Photo: Donn Jones/CMA

[Updated]: Eric Church Surprises Fans, Industry With ‘Mr. Misunderstood’

Eric Church's Mr. Misunderstood album.

Eric Church’s Mr. Misunderstood album.

 

Updated [7:35 p.m, Nov. 4, 2015]:

Eric Church gave fans a treat backstage at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards, by announcing that his album Mr. Misunderstood has been released to iTunes.

He also released a letter to fans, stating that Mr. Misunderstood came from a series of writing sessions on a guitar affectionately named “butter bean” by Church’s son Boone. “I wrote my first song on ‘Butter Bean’ late this summer,” Church explained. “20 days later, I had 18 songs. 20 days following that, I had 10 recorded. That was 30 days ago. It always takes me time to look for inspiration to make a new album. This time inspiration came looking for me. Together we found Mr. Misunderstood. Today, it’s yours.”

[Original post, Nov. 4, 2015]:

Eric Church and his team surprised some members of his fan club, The Church Choir, on the morning of the CMA Awards (Nov. 4) with early, unannounced copies of an album titled Mr. Misunderstood arriving in their mailboxes. Vinyl and CD copies of the unannounced 10-track album were sent to select fans, as well as some radio and music industry members.

It seems that the project is the follow-up to Church’s 2014 successful album, The Outsiders, although at press time, Church’s label, publicist and management had not publicly confirmed nor denied the album, nor have representatives responded to queries from MusicRow.

Fans uploaded audio snippets of the tracks to YouTube, but the tracks were taken down.

The track listing for the album includes “Mr. Misunderstood,” “Mistress Named Music,” “Chattanooga Lucy,” “Mixed Drinks About Feelings,” “Knives of New Orleans,” “Round Here Buzz,” “Kill A Word,” “Holdin’ My Own,” “Record Year,” and “Three Year Old,” a track Church previewed earlier this year during his concert at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater.

EMI Records Nashville, Church’s label, has not confirmed or denied rumors that the project will officially release this week.

Church and Keith Urban are early CMA Award winners this year, picking up Musical Event of the Year for “Raise ‘Em Up.” He will kick off tonight’s CMA Awards with a performance alongside Hank Williams Jr.

2015 CMA Awards Winners

Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton perform during the Country Music Association Awards. Photo: CMA/Instagram

Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton perform during the Country Music Association Awards. Photo: CMA/Instagram

Luke Bryan takes home his second Entertainer of the Year trophy at the Country Music Association awards. Photo: CMA

Luke Bryan takes home his second Entertainer of the Year trophy at the Country Music Association awards. Photo: CMA

Chris Stapleton was the man of the evening tonight (Nov. 4), earning Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (for his Dave Cobb-produced project Traveller), and New Artist of the Year. He also had one of the evening’s most sterling performances, a duet with Justin Timberlake.

Luke Bryan earned the Entertainer of the Year honor for a second time at this year’s awards.

The ceremony’s first televised award went to Little Big Town‘s “Girl Crush” in the Single of the Year category, and later in the evening, the song took the Song of the Year honor as well (the award went to writers Hillary Lindsey, Liz Rose and Lori McKenna). The quartet picked up a third trophy during the evening, for Vocal Group of the Year.

Little Big Town wins Vocal Group of the Year. Photo: CMA

Little Big Town wins Vocal Group of the Year. Photo: CMA

Duo of the Year went to Florida Georgia Line,while Miranda Lambert was honored with Female Vocalist of the Year. This marks Lambert’s 12th Country Music Association award.

Earlier today on ABC’s Good Morning America, several honors were announced, including Musical Event of the Year, which went to Urban and Church for “Raise ‘Em Up.” Maddie & Tae’s video clip for “Girl in a Country Song” earned Music Video of the Year. TK McKamy directed the video.

On the CMA Awards red carpet, musician Mac McAnally won his eighth straight Musician of the Year honor.

In October the winners of the CMA Broadcast Awards were announced.

Chris Stapleton wins CMA New Artist of the Year. Photo: CMA

Chris Stapleton wins CMA New Artist of the Year. Photo: CMA

Miranda Lambert performs during the CMA awards. Photo: CMA

Miranda Lambert performs during the CMA awards. Photo: CMA

Eric Church performed "Mr. Misunderstood" during the CMA Awards. Photo: CMA

Eric Church performed “Mr. Misunderstood” during the CMA Awards. Photo: CMA

Carrie Underwood performs "Smoke Break" during the CMA Awards. Photo: CMA

Carrie Underwood performs “Smoke Break” during the CMA Awards. Photo: CMA

Full list of 49th Annual CMA Award Nominees (Winners in bold):

Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks
Winner: Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Eric Church
Miranda Lambert

Album of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))

Old Boots, New Dirt
Jason Aldean
Produced by Michael Knox
Broken Bow

Pageant Material
Kacey Musgraves
Produced by Kacey Musgraves, Luke Laird, and Shane McAnally
Mercury Nashville

Pain Killer
Little Big Town
Produced by Jay Joyce
Capitol Records Nashville

The Big Revival
Kenny Chesney
Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
Blue Chair Records/Columbia Nashville

Winner: Traveller
Chris Stapleton
Produced by Dave Cobb and Chris Stapleton
Mercury Nashville

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
Winner: Chris Stapleton

Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Winner: Miranda Lambert
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
Lee Ann Womack

New Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Sam Hunt
Maddie & Tae
Thomas Rhett
Winner: Chris Stapleton

Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Winner: Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Winner: Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Thompson Square

Single of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))

“American Kids”
Kenny Chesney
Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
Blue Chair Records/Columbia Nashville

Winner: “Girl Crush”
Little Big Town
Produced by Jay Joyce
Capitol Records Nashville

“I Don’t Dance”
Lee Brice
Produced by Lee Brice
Curb Records

“Take Your Time”
Sam Hunt
Produced Zach Crowell and Shane McAnally
MCA Nashville

“Talladega”
Eric Church
Produced by Jay Joyce and Arturo Buenahora, Jr.
EMI Records Nashville

Song of the Year
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))

“American Kids”
Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird, and Shane McAnally

Winner: “Girl Crush”
Liz Rose, Lori McKenna, and Hillary Lindsey

“Like a Cowboy”
Randy Houser and Brice Long

“Like a Wrecking Ball”
Eric Church and Casey Beathard

“Take Your Time”
Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne

Musical Event of the Year
(Award goes to each artist)

Django and Jimmie
Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
Legacy Recordings

“Lonely Tonight”
Blake Shelton featuring Ashley Monroe
Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville

Winner: “Raise ‘Em Up”
Keith Urban featuring Eric Church
Hit Red Records/Capitol Records Nashville

“Smokin’ and Drinkin’”
Miranda Lambert featuring Little Big Town
RCA Nashville

“Wild Child”
Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter
Blue Chair Records/Columbia Nashville

Video of the Year

“Biscuits”
Kacey Musgraves
Directed by Marc Klasfeld

“Girl Crush”
Little Big Town
Directed by Karla Welch and Matthew Welch

Winner: “Girl in a Country Song”
Maddie & Tae
Directed by TK McKamy

“Little Red Wagon”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

“Something in the Water”
Carrie Underwood
Directed by Raj Kapoor

Musician of the Year
Sam Bush (Mandolin)
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Winner: Mac McAnally (Guitar)

‘Nashville’ Actors Partner for CMA Songwriters Series

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Chris Carmack (Will Lexington), Will Chase (Luke Wheeler), Charles Esten (Deacon Clayborne), Jonathan Jackson (Avery Barkley), and Sam Palladio (Gunnar Scott) of ABC’s Nashville will perform for a special CMA Songwriters Series alongside songwriters Trent Dabbs, Chris Gelbuda, Travis Meadows and Jonathan Singleton.

Featuring songs from the show and sharing stories behind the music, the event will be held at Nashville’s CMA Theater on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m., the night after the 49th Annual CMA Awards.

The CMA Songwriters Series is now in its 11th season having kicked off 2015 at the Sundance Film Festival and continuing with shows in London, Chicago, Nashville, Washington, D.C., and Toronto.

nashville cast CMA songwriters series

Artist Updates: Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Brantley Gilbert, Luke Bryan

Kenny Chesney Spreads The Love With Additional Stadium Show

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Kenny Chesney performs during a Nashville concert in 2015.

Kenny Chesney has extended his run of stadium shows booked for 2016 as part of his Spread The Love Tour, with the addition of a Saturday, May 28, show at Louisville’s Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

“Last year, we stripped things back and we really learned how to push the energy between us and the crowd,” Chesney says. “So getting ready for this year, we’re gonna keep the music a big part of it, and how the fans lean into those songs – the singing, cheering, dancing – so it’s all about that! When you see Miranda (Lambert), Sam (Hunt) and Old Dominion – you know those are all people who take connecting with the audience through their songs as seriously as I do.”

 

Brad Paisley To Take Part in Billboard Touring Event

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Brad Paisley will take part in a keynote Q&A during the upcoming Billboard Touring Conference and Awards, which will be held Nov. 18-19 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. Tonight Paisley will be in Nashville, co-hosting the 49th annual CMA Awards alongside Carrie Underwood. The awards show will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on ABC.

 

Brantley Gilbert Earns Back-to-Back Platinum

Brantley Gilbert. Photo: James Minchin

Brantley Gilbert. Photo: James Minchin

Brantley Gilbert‘s latest effort, Just As I Am, has earned platinum sales for more than one million scans. It joins Gilbert’s Valory Music Co. debut Halfway to Heaven as a platinum-selling album. The Valory Music Co. SVP Promotion George Briner surprised Gilbert with the news at the CMA Awards radio remotes at the Music City Center.

 “I’d been waiting to hear we hit a million,” Brantley said. “Because I can tell the way people respond to these songs live. ‘One Hell Of An Amen’ really hits them, and when people feel a song like that, you know it’s a part of their lives.”

 

Luke Bryan Discusses Career at Country Music Hall of Fame

Pictured are (L-R): UMG Nashville's Mike Dungan, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Ali Tonn, Luke Bryan, Rolling Stone Country's Joe Hudak, and manager Kerri Edwards Photo by Rick Diamond, Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Pictured are (L-R): UMG Nashville’s Mike Dungan, UMG Nashville; Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ali Tonn, Luke Bryan, Rolling Stone Country’s Joe Hudak, and manager Kerri Edwards
Photo by Rick Diamond, Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosted a special, sold out appearance by Luke Bryan on Sunday, Nov. 1. The reigning ACM and CMA Entertainer of the Year discussed his career and performed a short acoustic set in support of the exhibition Luke Bryan: Dirt Road Diary, presented by Citi. The panel was hosted by Joseph Hudak, Senior Editor at Rolling Stone Country.

Luke Bryan: Dirt Road Diary, will end its run this Sunday, Nov. 8

Element Music Row Apartments Command Premium Rent

Rendering of Element Music Row. Photo: Bradley Hamilton, RM Design Studio.

Rendering of Element Music Row. Photo: Bradley Hamilton, RM Design Studio.

Ready to move into the penthouse suite next year at one of Nashville’s newest apartments? It could cost you $10,000 per month. Element Music Row, a new structure located at 1515 Demonbreun Street, and developed by Childress Klein, is auctioning its top penthouse suites to the bidder willing to pay the highest rent.

Bids for the 1622-square-foot, one-bedroom penthouses start at $5300 per month. To secure a penthouse (essentially bypassing the auction process), interested parties must be willing to pay $7950 per month. In addition, $10,000-a-month commitment will secure a lease in a three-bedroom unit without going through the auctions.

The penthouses feature floor-to-ceiling windows, panoramic views, 12′ ceilings, a wine refrigerator, hardwood flooring, custom-designed closets, and more.

Just below the penthouse levels, the starting prices for a (non-auctioned) two-bedroom, 1143-square-foot unit on the building’s 18th level begins at $3300 per month. On the building’s second level, a one-bedroom, one-bath, 792-square-foot studio unit begins at $2635 per month. Some 564-square-foot studio apartments are available for less than $2000 per month.

Tammy Wynette Hologram Stage Show To Debut in Nashville in 2016

Tammy Wynette. Photo: bmi.com.

Tammy Wynette. Photo: bmi.com.

Hologram USA will debut a hologram of Tammy Wynette, as well as a stage show to debut in Nashville in 2016. Wynette’s hologram is being developed in partnership with The Bicycle Music Company, which manages her rights. A venue has not yet been announced for the stage show, which will also be distributed by streaming TV company FilmOn.

“It’s an honor to celebrate America’s musical heritage by introducing the artistry of Tammy Wynette to new audiences,” said Hologram USA CEO Alki David. “We are creating a full-length show involving both songs and stories from her life and truly authentic performances.”

Wynette, who died in 1998, notched dozens of hits including her signature tune “Stand By Your Man,” “Til I Get It Right,” “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” and duets with George Jones including “Golden Ring” and “We’re Gonna Hold On.”

Hologram USA is also working on a Patsy Cline hologram, also set for debut in 2016. Other celebrity holograms created by Hologram USA include Whitney Houston, Buddy Holly, Liberace, Redd Foxx and more.

Additionally, Hologram USA will be involved in tonight’s (Nov. 4) Jimmy Kimmel Live!, when the talk show host’s monologue is beamed from a soundstage in Hollywood to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Later in the show, The Band Perry will perform on the stage inside the Country Music Hall of Fame, but will be shown through a hologram on Jimmy Kimmel Live‘s outdoor stage.

Hologram USA’s involvement with country music began with the first hologram appearance by Kimmel in conjunction with the 2014 CMA Awards with Kacey Musgraves and Florida Georgia Line.

Schmidt Relations Expands Artist Roster

Pictured (L-R): Cole Swindell, Eric Paslay

Pictured (L-R): Cole Swindell, Eric Paslay

Cole Swindell and Eric Paslay have joined the public relations client roster at Schmidt Relations.

Schmidt Relations was founded in 1997 by publicist and CEO/Owner Jessie Schmidt. Today the company also includes VP, Publicity Dixie Owen.

Swindell will release his second Down Home Sessions EP on Friday (Nov. 6), just before he launches his fall headlining tour on Nov. 11. He recently earned his fourth consecutive Top 10 single, “Let Me See Ya Girl,” from his self-titled album. He earned the 2015 ACM New Artist of the Year award, as well as the CMA Triple Play Award for earning (at least) three No. 1 songs.

Paslay received the “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” honor for the ballad “She Don’t Love You” at the 2015 Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Awards in Nashville. He also joined Charles Kelley and Dierks Bentley to perform Kelley’s solo single, “The Driver,” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He also recently released “High Class,” the lead single for his upcoming sophomore album. Paslay has penned five No. 1 hits, including “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (Eli Young Band), “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” (Jake Owen), “Angel Eyes” (Love and Theft), “Rewind” (Rascal Flatts) and “Friday Night,” the lead single from his own self-titled debut album.

The Schmidt Relations roster also includes Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Easton Corbin, Alan Jackson, David Nail, and the Grand Ole Opry.

BBR Music Group Hosts 6th Annual CMA Pre-Party

Trace Adkins performs at the 6th Annual Broken Bow Label Group CMA Pre-Party. Photo: instagram.com/bbrmusicgroup

Trace Adkins performs at the 6th Annual Broken Bow Label Group CMA Pre-Party. Photo: instagram.com/bbrmusicgroup

BBR Music Group Executive VP Jon Loba welcomed a capacity crowd to Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe last night (Nov. 3) for the label group’s 6th Annual Pre-CMA Party. After thanking BBR owner/CEO Benny Brown, Loba invited event host, radio personality the AntMan, to kick off the evening.

Trace Adkins, Granger Smith, Chase Bryant, Jackie LeeCraig Campbell, and many more artists on the BBR roster performed at the invitation-only party. In addition, Parmalee accepted plaques celebrating the platinum-certified single, “Carolina,” which the label’s Rick Shedd revealed, “Benny signed [Parmalee] because of this song.” Shedd also offered thanks to partners U.S. Bank and RED Distribution.

Pictured (L-R): Josh McSwain, Parmalee; Jon Loba, BBR; Parmalee's Matt Thomas, Scott Thomas; Benny Brown, BBR; Barry Know, Parmalee; Rick Shedd, BBR. Photo: instagram.com/bbrmusicgroup

Pictured (L-R): Josh McSwain, Parmalee; Jon Loba, BBR; Parmalee’s Matt Thomas, Scott Thomas; Benny Brown, BBR; Barry Knox, Parmalee; Rick Shedd, BBR. Photo: instagram.com/bbrmusicgroup

New to the label, Adkins rounded out the evening with his own seven-person band, performing titles including “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” which he said was inspired by a woman at the Wildhorse Saloon. He also sang his first single, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, “There’s a Girl in Texas,” in addition to “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and a new title, “Jesus and Jones.” Adkins also featured backup singer Marion Grace on a cover of Paul Young’s “Everytime You Go Away.”

Jackie Lee.

Jackie Lee

Get ready for the voice of Jackie Lee — this man can sing! Lee performed “Reminders of You” and “Leave the Light On.” Runaway June and Brooke Eden also made appearances, while newcomer Adam Craig brought an impressive voice to “It’s All Good.” Craig is a songwriter on Jason Aldean’s “Church Pew or Barstool” and Parmalee’s “Close Your Eyes.”

Lindsay Ell, who was announced earlier in the day to join CMT’s Next Women of Country Tour 2016, energetically performed her latest single “By The Way” and “All Alright.”

Young Georgia native Jordan Rager rocked the stage with his single “Feels Like One of Them,” “She Digs Dirt,” and a Randy Montana title, “Young In This Town.”

Former Bigger Picture artist Craig Campbell offered new titles “W-I-Double-N-E-BA-GO” and “Outskirts of Heaven,” along with an innuendo-filled “Fish.”

Craig Campbell

Craig Campbell

Chase Bryant displayed why he was invited on the road with Tim McGraw when he performed “Little Bit Of You,” “Change Your Name,” and “Take It On Back,” a song for which he was awarded earlier in the evening at BMI’s 2015 Country Awards.

Chase Bryant

Chase Bryant

Country heartbreaker Granger Smith brought his latest single “Backroad Song” and “Tailgate Town” before channeling his alter ego, YouTube viral sensation Earl Dibbles Jr. on the parody title “City Boy Stuck.”

Granger Smith

Granger Smith