Women In Music City Celebrated By ‘Nashville Business Journal’

Reba McEntire, Jana Kramer and 30 women in the music industry were recognized at an awards event presented by Nashville Business Journal on Tuesday night (Sept. 27) at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

The Women in Music City Awards honor women who are helping to shape Nashville’s nearly $10 billion music industry and bring together both the business and music industries. McEntire accepted the trophy as artist of the year while Jana Kramer was named breakout artist of the year.

Honorees include: Tatum Allsep, Music Health Alliance; Holly Bell, Skyway Studios, Dance Network, Nashville-Access and TNTX; Julie Boos, Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy; Brandi Brammer, Creative Artists Agency; Debbie Carroll, MusiCares; Sarah Cates, Belmont University; Erin Crawford, The Nielsen Co.; Beville Dunkerley, Rolling Stone Country; Tiffany Dunn, Loeb & Loeb; Kerri Edwards, KP Entertainment; Leslie Fram, Viacom/CMT; Dawn Gates, Universal Music Group; Tracy Gershon, Rounder Records and Red Light Management; Amanda Hale, Vector Management; Lisa Harless, Regions Bank; Ali Harnell, AEG Live; Linda Edell Howard, Adams and Reese LLP; Kelly Rich Kautz, Big Machine Label Group; Beverly Keel, MTSU; Gina Keltner, Grand Ole Opry; Chandra LaPlume, Taillight; Erika Wollam Nichols, The Bluebird Café; Risha Rodgers, William Morris Endeavor; Jill Schmidt, Wildhorse Saloon; Alison Smith, BMI; Sarah Trahern, CMA; Ellen Bligh Truley, SESAC; Marcie Allen Van Mol, MAC Presents; Elizabeth “Betsy” Williams, Universal Music Group; and Sally Williams, Ryman Auditorium.

NBJ Publisher Kate Herman said of the awards, “What women in the music business are doing deserves to be highlighted and honored, not only because of what they bring to the industry, but also to show tangible examples of success for other women entering the industry. All of our winners of this program — from artists to business leaders — are essential pieces of Nashville’s growing economy and vibe.”

To assemble the list of winners, nominations were taken from the public. The final of selection of honorees was determined by an independent panel of judges made up of the following: Lori Feldman (Warner Bros. Records); Camille Hackney (Atlantic Records); Cara Lewis (Cara Lewis Group); Natalia Nastaskin (United Talent Agency); and Jacqueline Saturn (Harvest Records).

Nashville-based design build firm Van Mol Restoration and Nielsen Entertainment are gold sponsors of the awards dinner. Loeb & Loeb, William Morris Endeavor and SESAC are silver sponsors.