The inaugural Nashville Spirit Awards and a reunion concert honoring the late Billy Block will be held April 18 at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville. Organized and hosted by Jill Block, the night will celebrate the memory and legacy of her husband, the legendary Nashville promoter, drummer, radio and TV host who passed in March 2015 from a hard-fought battle with cancer.

The concert will feature original members of the Billy Block Barn Dance house band from the 1996 launch of the weekly show at the Sutler, as well as songwriters and artists from every era of The Billy Block Show over the past 18 years. The awards will honor those in the Nashville community that share Billy Block’s kindness, generosity and talent.

Confirmed artists include: Kevin Gordon, Jim Lauderdale, Kim Richey, Tim Carroll, Jason Eskridge, Rocky Block, Nancy Terzian, Tom Mason, Peter Cooper, Thomm Jutz, Jon Byrd, Kristi Rose and Fats Kaplan, The Delevantes, Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang, Paul Burch, Michael Kelsh, Nick Pellegrino, Ray Stephenson and Gary Nicholson.

Tickets are $15 and proceeds benefit Music Health Alliance.

“As Nashville grows, many Nashvillians have voiced concern over losing the heart of our great city,” said Jill Block. “Billy was all about heart. The Nashville Spirit Awards will help us pay homage to the heart and soul of Music City. It honors the people that make it a great place to live, work, enjoy music, and raise a family. That is why Billy and I were so happy here.”

She continued, “I’m just one of many that want that kind spirit to live on, just like Billy’s spirit lives on. One of his cancer fighting mottos, was ‘Expect a Miracle’. The miracle isn’t that Billy is still walking around town hosting his show today, it’s that his spirit lives on through all of us. So let’s celebrate each other and all the wonderful spirit in this town on April 18.”

The celebration also marks the second anniversary of Billy Block Day, formally recognized by the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2014. Block was surprised by the resolution when Sen. Thelma Harper read it from the stage during the Billy Block Show at Mercy Lounge. The Tennessee State Senate also passed a resolution shortly after his passing in 2015, giving him credit as the “Godfather of Americana” and referring to his nickname of “Mr. Nashville.” Joined by her family, Jill Block gave a speech in the Senate Chambers upon personally accepting the resolution.

Reba McEntire is no longer managed by Narvel Blackstock, her former husband and manager for over 25 years. The news came during a FAQ session at the first Change the Conversation Presents: Rising Young Artists Mentoring Sessions, a Q&A event held at the Bluebird Cafe last night (March 29).

Blackstock and McEntire divorced in 2015. At the time, it was reported the two would continue their working relationship, which began in 1988.

The international star will maintain management offices at 40 Music Square West but will direct her own career as President of Reba’s Business Incorporated (RBI) with team members including Carolyn Snell (Associate Manager/Tour Manager), Leslie Matthews (Brand Manager) and Theresa Connelly (controller). Justin McIntosh continues in his role as VP, Creative & Marketing for Starstruck in addition to RBI.

“I thought it was a good time now to break free from management,” explained McEntire. “My team at Starstruck, which is now RBI, joined together and had a powwow at lunch [brainstorming] ideas. Then we took our list to Nash Icon and they were so excited because we were willing to do things that we hadn’t got to do before. If there was something they asked for in the past, [let’s] bring it up again.

“We all get along and love the business. We’re always trying to find out new ways to do things.”

Blackstock will continue to lead Starstruck Entertainment, managing the careers of Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and Caroline Kole. There was no comment on whether McEntire will retain any ownership in that company she founded with Blackstock, or its studio and relaunched writers group.

In addition to detailing her management venture, McEntire offered thoughtful advice and heartfelt encouragement (below) to a room of young female artists, including Cassadee Pope, Erin Enderlin and Natalie Stovall in addition to industry members Ree Guyer Buchanan, Anastasia Brown, Neal Spielberg, Todd Cassetty, Allison Jones, Erin Burr, Jake Basden, Lauren Tingle and more. Newcomer artists/songwriters Savannah Keyes, Lexi Mackenzie, Kalie Shorr, Alana Springsteen and Allison Veltz performed acoustic sets after the interview. The performers each received a Taylor Guitar from the event sponsor.

Change the Conversation began in under the leadership of Tracy Gershon, Leslie Fram and Beverly Keel surrounding the “Tomatogate” incident of 2015 where radio consultant Keith Hill compared women in country music to the garnish on a salad. In response Reba jokingly offered, “Tomatoes are more nutritious than lettuce.”

Q&A Highlights From Reba and Beverly Keel’s Conversation

Best Advice
“I don’t get a lot of advice. The advice I got early on was show up, be on time, know what you’re suppose to be doing and be directable. You know in your gut when advice is good, or if you need to take it with a grain of salt.”

On Supporting Other Women
“Girls have to pull together and be supportive. That’s not only artists, that’s publicists or anyone working at the label. Give [women] words of confidence, hope or encouragement. For us girls, it’s all about teamwork and perseverance—work harder, because you’re gonna have to. It is a man’s world, that’s just the way it is. I grew up in a rodeo cowboy mentality on the ranch. You just put on a pretty little smile, don’t bitch about it, just work sometimes three times as hard.”

Best Decision
“To follow my gut. I think that’s the Holy Spirit talking to me. Sometimes I can hear it because it’s a thought—it’s really audible.”

On Critics
“Critics aren’t running the race. They’re not on the stage sweating bullets when they can’t remember the words or worried if the dress zipper will stay together. Sometimes you can learn from them though.”

Evolution of The Female Role
“I started in ’76. That was right on the heels of women needing to do something other than being in a radio station taking up time. I opened shows for [male acts] and it was an honor to get to do that, but my goal the whole time was to be the headliner. That’s why I worked so hard. No matter what men said in radio stations or reviews, I kept going. Because I wanted to stand on stage and sing ‘Is There Life Out There’ and women hold up their diplomas and say, ‘Because of that song, it inspired me to go on.’ Touching the hearts of other women to get through a bad time in their life is so much more important than a No. 1 record.”

Social Media
“I think social media is to be funny and friendly—it’s personal. If you put too much business, it doesn’t work as well as if you post something outlandish—anything that has heart. People just want to see realness.”

Mistakes Of Young Artists When Building A Career
“Moving too fast—but that’s not only their fault. Our business is fast. If you don’t make it quick, you’ll be let go. I was in trucks and U-Haul trailers with vans that leaked for years. Now people get the first-class treatment early where all that money is spent on the front-end. The way I see it, money management is not done correctly. PolyGram Mercury was so sweet to keep me on their roster and train me early on. Every single went a little bit closer to that No. 1 spot. After six or seven years I got a No. 1 record. Unfortunately, that won’t happen today.”

The Highwaymen will be the subject of a new box set and documentary, both coming in May. The supergroup is composed of four towering figures in country music: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson.

The Highwaymen Live—American Outlaws is a deluxe CD/DVD (or CD/Blu-ray) box set of concert performances due May 20 via Columbia/Legacy.

The box set includes: a previously-unreleased full-length concert film recorded at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., on March 14, 1990 and transferred from the original film reels especially for this collection; two audio discs of music from that concert; and an audio disc with tracks recorded live at various Farm Aid Festivals.

As a bonus, the collection debuts a previously-unreleased recording of Bob Dylan’s “One Too Many Mornings.” A version of the song sung by Cash and Jennings appeared on their 1986 collaborative album, Heroes. Nelson and Kristofferson recorded new vocals for the track in 2014. Those vocals, produced by Mickey Raphael and remixed by Tony Castle, are now included on the recording.

The box set includes a booklet featuring new liner notes by noted music scholar and journalist Mikal Gilmore.

Meanwhile, American Masters—The Highwaymen: Friends Till The End, a new feature-length documentary, premieres on May 27 on PBS. The group’s story is told through vintage performances and new interviews about life on the road and in the studio. In addition, The Highwaymen: Live At Nassau Coliseum (a special broadcast edit of the concert film featured on the box set) will be part of special programming premiering on PBS stations as part of June Pledge 2016.

Columbia/Legacy will also release a new single-disc compilation, The Very Best of The Highwaymen, on May 20.