CMT and production company Thinkfactory Media are adapting the Tony Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet into an eight-episode limited-run scripted drama premiering later this year. The series is timed to the historic 60th anniversary of the famed “Million Dollar Quartet” recording sessions featuring icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins at Sun Records in Memphis. Production is set to begin in Memphis this spring.

CMT and Thinkfactory Media (History Channel’s Hatfields & McCoys) have begun a nationwide casting search for actors to portray young Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, BB King, Ike Turner, Carl Perkins and supporting roles. Auditions will be held at the historic Humes Preparatory Academy Middle School, Presley’s alma mater, on February 13. The line for casting forms at 7 a m. and those auditioning are asked to arrive in 1950s hair and wardrobe. For more information on the casting call, visit www.mdqseries.com.

Brian Philips

“Million Dollar Quartet will capture the star-crossed Memphis moments which led to the most explosive pop culture movement of the 20th Century, the birth of rock ‘n’ roll,” remarked Brian Philips, CMT president. “The characters are all larger-than-life, so casting is a daunting challenge, but we’re counting on the magic of Memphis to come alive again! This is among our most ambitious projects ever, and we entrust it to a proven epic filmmaker, Leslie Greif.”

“We are thrilled to be working with CMT as they enter the scripted drama arena,” said Leslie Greif, CEO & Founder of Thinkfactory Media. “At Thinkfactory Media, we pride ourselves in finding, developing and delivering products that fit the networks we work with, and Million Dollar Quartet is perfectly suited for CMT because of its deep ties to country music and Nashville. The entire Thinkfactory Media team and I are proud to be part of their expansion into rich new territory.”

Million Dollar Quartet marks one of two scripted series coming to CMT this year. This summer, CMT will premiere Still The King, an ensemble comedy starring Billy Ray Cyrus, Joey Lauren Adams, Madison Iseman, Lacey Chabert, Leslie David Baker, and Kevin Farley.

Pictured (L-R): Karen Fairchild of Grammy-nominated Little Big Town; Alicia Warwick, Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director; Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town; Grammy nominee Ashley Monroe; Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town; Shannon Sanders, Recording Academy Nashville Chapter President. Courtesy of The Recording Academy/photo by WireImage.com

This year, members of the Nashville music community boast Grammy nominations in 36 categories, nearly half of the awards show’s 83 total categories, including all four of the Grammys all-genre categories of Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.

The diversity of the Nashville-based nominations for the 58th annual Grammy Awards are even more staggering. The Recording Academy’s Nashville Chapter Executive Director Alicia Warwick offered a sampling of this year’s categories that include Nashville nominees: Best Pop Solo Performance, Best American Roots Performance, Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Country Album, Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, Best Bluegrass Album, Best Folk Album, Best Spoken Word Album, Best Musical Theater Album, Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media, Best Americana Album, Producer of the Year, Best Music Video and Best Reggae Album.

The Recording Academy’s Nashville Chapter feted this year’s nominees with its annual elegant soiree at Nashville’s Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Appropriately, a grand-sized Grammy statue greeted guests at the door. Several attendees couldn’t help but take advantage of the photo op.

Pictured (L-R): Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick; GRAMMY® nominee Eric Paslay; The Recording Academy South Regional Director, Susan Stewart; GRAMMY nominee Charles Kelley; Recording Academy Nashville Chapter President, Shannon Sanders; Recording Academy Board of Trustees Chair Emeritus, George J. Flanigen IV; and Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Trustee, Daniel Hill. Courtesy of The Recording Academy/photo by WireImage.com

The stars of Nashville’s music scene were out in full force to celebrate the nominations. Little Big Town, Cam, Lee Ann Womack, Charles Kelley, Eric Paslay, Ashley Monroe, The Mavericks, The SteelDrivers, Gramps Morgan, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, TobyMac, Lauren Diagle, Jason Crabb, and Point of Grace were among those walking the indoor carpet leading into the event.

Nashville artists and industry movers and shakers mingled as they dined on crab dip, meatloaf sliders, mac and cheese, and chocolate desserts. Servers offered an array of hors d’oeuvres to guests throughout the evening. On center stage, a house band further lifted the room’s ambiance with classy jazz notes throughout the evening.

“A Grammy nomination is a reflection of remarkable dedication to one’s craft,” said Grammy Nashville Chapter president Shannon Sanders. “We are so honored to have many of our Grammy nominees with us tonight.” He also thanked The Recording Academy’s Sr. VP Nancy Shapiro, South Regional Director Susan Stewart, and MusiCares’ Senior Executive Director Debbie Carroll.

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry was on hand to congratulate the nominees. Noting that Nashville’s music business is a $10 billion industry, she said, “I’m here to thank the artists, the folks who made this happen, the musicians and songwriters who bring home those Grammys back to Nashville. Go out there, bring home those Grammys, and while you are out there, make sure you talk to The Recording Academy and tell them we’d love to have [The Grammy Awards] back here in Nashville.”

Sanders also took advantage of the spotlight to remind the audience of the advocacy work The Recording Academy does throughout the year, by way of programs such as Grammys In My District. “Everyone knows the Grammys, that one night of the year of awards,” said Sanders. “But everyone may not know the other 364 days per year, what we do. There’s a lot of advocacy that goes on. You have a lot of people that speak on your behalf about our rights as creators. If you are not a part of us, come be a part of our Grammy family.”

Pictured (L-R): Producer Dave Cobb, Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick and Recording Academy Nashville Chapter President, Shannon Sanders. Courtesy of The Recording Academy/photo by WireImage.com

Pictured (L-R): GRAMMY nominees Matt Maher, Lauren Daigle and Jason Crabb. Courtesy of The Recording Academy/photo by WireImage.com

Pictured (L-R): Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick; GRAMMY nominee Mr. Talkbox; GRAMMY nominee TobyMac and Recording Academy Nashville Chapter President, Shannon Sanders. Courtesy of The Recording Academy/photo by WireImage.com

GRAMMY nominees The Mavericks. Courtesy of The Recording Academy/photo by WireImage.com

The BMI Foundation is accepting applications for its 2016 scholarship season, open to young musicians attending colleges and universities nationwide. The Foundation will administer seven distinct scholarship competitions aided by panelists of international musical acclaim.

These annual programs include the newly established Nashville Songwriting Scholarship and BMI Founders Award for Radio Broadcasting, as well as the BMI Future Jazz Master Scholarship, BMI Student Composer Awards, John Lennon Scholarships, peermusic Latin Scholarship, and Woody Guthrie Fellowship.

The Nashville Songwriting Scholarship is an annual competition established in 2015 to support aspiring country music artists nationwide. A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded for the best original song in any of the following genres: Americana, blues, bluegrass, contemporary Christian, country, folk, and roots. The contest is open to students between the ages of 17 and 24, who are enrolled in any college or university located in the United States. Grammy-winning recording artist and BMI songwriter Kacey Musgraves has endorsed the inaugural competition.

Program applications must be completed online no later than Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. For complete details and to apply, please visit bmifoundation.org/programs.

“It is with great anticipation that the BMI Foundation opens its virtual doors to young composers, songwriters, and music scholars across the country,” said BMI Foundation President Deirdre Chadwick. “In addition to our historic awards for the creators of pop, Latin, jazz, and classical music, we are thrilled to broaden our reach in 2016 to aspiring country music songwriters and broadcasting students. Collectively, our programs provide vital support for the next generation of musical talent and professionals in America.”