CMA Hosts Special Songwriter Series Show During CMA Week

Pictured (L-R): CMA Board member David Ross, Gary Burr, Georgia Middleman, Brad Warren of the Warren Brothers, Don Schlitz, CMA Board member Stacey Schlitz and Brett Warren of the Warren Brothers.

Gary Burr, Georgia Middleman, Don Schlitz, and Brad and Brett Warren shared the stories behind their hit songs to cap off festivities surrounding The 50^th Annual CMA Awards Thursday (Nov. 3) during a special performance at the CMA Theater. The CMA Songwriters Series is in its 12th season, and has presented over 90 shows in 15 cities since 2005.

Bobby Bones Receives Partners In Music Award

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP VP Nashville Michael Martin and Creative Director Robert Filhart, Bobby Bones, ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews and President Paul Williams.

ASCAP presented its Partners in Music Award to Bobby Bones at the 54th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards on Monday (Oct. 31) at the Ryman Auditorium. The Partners in Music Award recognizes an ASCAP licensee who has shown exceptional dedication in presenting ASCAP members’ music to the public.

ASCAP Creative Director Robert Filhart presented the award to Bones for his unwavering support of emerging and established ASCAP songwriters and artists on his nationally-syndicated radio program, The Bobby Bones Show.

Kirt Webster Receives British Country Music Award

Pictured (L-R): Lynda Malia, Executive Producer, CM&T; Lee Williams, President, BCMA; Dolly Parton; Kirt Webster, President, Webster Public Relations; Danny Nozell, CEO, CTK Management

Kirt Webster was honored by the British Country Music Awards with the International Services To Industry Award for his contributions to country music as the President of Webster Public Relations. Webster client Dolly Parton and Lee Williams, President of the British Country Music Association, presented Webster with the award in Nashville.

Other past recipients of the award include Big Machine Records president Scott Borchetta, the late Jeff Walker, and Country Music Association Director of International Relations Bobbi Boyce.

Jason Davis Joins First Company Management

First Company Management has added Jason Davis as Artist Manager/Partner. Davis brings nearly two decades of leadership to FCM and is the founder and president of One One 7 Entertainment and partner and co-founder of Los Angeles-based Radar Label Group. Through the course of his career, Davis has worked with such iconic acts as Boyz ll Men, P. Diddy, Alabama, and Dolly Parton.

Kenny Chesney accepts the CMA’s Pinnacle Award. Photo: Image Group LA/ABC via Getty Images)

Kenny Chesney earned two top honors this week, including both BMI’s President’s Award, and the CMA’s Pinnacle Award. The latter was presented to Chesney by Peyton Manning during The 50th Annual CMA Awards, held Nov. 2 at Bridgestone Arena.

“’Setting The World On Fire’ isn’t just the title of one of Kenny Chesney’s many smash hits,” said Manning. “It’s exactly what Kenny has been doing year after year for more than two decades now, in a winning career that has taken this singer-songwriter and touring sensation to the very pinnacle of success. That’s how you become a champion and that’s how Kenny sold out 126 stadium shows and he has earned one of the rarest of honors in music. The Pinnacle award was created to recognize those artists who have made country music a more powerful global force, forever impacting in a big and positive way, this music we all love.”

The honor was previously presented to Garth Brooks in 2005 and Taylor Swift in 2013.

A congratulatory video detailed his life and career, and featured congratulations from Old Dominion, George Strait, actress Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift, and more.

“When I think of what this means to me, it means connection, with a lot of people who invested their life in my music and what we do,” Chesney said from the stage, where he thanked many industry colleagues, including Joe Galante, Dale Morris, Clint Higham, and Sony Music Nashville CEO Randy Goodman.

“To those fans out there who we call No Shoes Nation, I want to thank you for allowing me and my band and my road family to hold your lives in the palm of our hands for a little while. And for that I know there is a responsibility that comes with that and that’s a responsibility I’ll embrace. And thank you for loving the music and for giving me an amazing life.”

Chesney has amassed 40 Top 10 hits during his career, including 29 No. 1 singles. He is a four-time CMA Entertainer of the Year winner.

Chesney also spoke with ABC News about what both awards mean to him and to his career.

Photo: David McClister

Loretta Lynn will join this year’s CMA Country Christmas, which will air Monday, Nov. 28 on ABC. Lynn released her new holiday album, White Christmas Blue, on Oct. 7. The album debuts “White Christmas Blue,” penned by Lynn and Shawn Camp.

White Christmas Blue is the second volume of the Cash Cabin Recordings and part of a planned multi-album deal with Legacy Recordings (a division of Sony Music Entertainment). White Christmas Blue follows Lynn’s first Legacy release, Full Circle.

This marks Lynn’s first appearance on the two-hour holiday special, which will be hosted for the seventh year by Jennifer Nettles.

Previously announced performers include Joey Alexander, Kelsea Ballerini, Kelly Clarkson, Andra Day, Brett Eldredge, Amy Grant, Lynn, Sarah McLachlan, Idina Menzel, Kacey Musgraves, Nettles, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Jordan Smith, Trisha Yearwood, and Chris Young.

Rolling Stone Country’s Beville Dunkerley and Joseph Hudak (center) receive the 2016 CMA Media Achievement Award from Country artists Cassadee Pope (l) and Tucker Beathard. Photo: Joseph Llanes

Beville Dunkerley and Joseph Hudak of Rolling Stone Country were presented the 2016 Media Achievement Award Tuesday night (Nov. 1) at “Rolling Stone Live Nashville,” an industry event. Cassadee Pope and Tucker Beathard presented the awards backstage during the evening’s festivities.

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized with CMA’s Media Achievement Award. When Rolling Stone Country was founded in 2014, we wanted to provide a platform for an eclectic mix of Country Music’s finest artists, and we’re thrilled to have that acknowledged with such a prestigious honor. We also want to extend a special thank you to all of our talented contributors. This is an award for them, as well,” said Dunkerley and Hudak in a joint statement.

“Joe and Beville have done a fantastic job building the Rolling Stone Country brand and broadening attention for the format with their readers – and they accomplished that ambitious mission in two years,” said Wendy Pearl, CMA Vice President of Corporate Communications. “They are very deserving of this honor.”

Previous CMA Media Achievement Award Winners:

1982 Jack Hurst
1983 Neil Hickey
1984 Dolly Carlisle
1985 Red O’Donnell
1986 No Award
1987 David Zimmerman
1988 Robert K. Oermann
1989 Bob Claypool
1990 Dick Heard
1991 No Award
1992 Mark McEwen
1993 Lynn Lester
1994 Judy Massa
1995 Clay Smith
1996 Tisi Aylward
1997 Jay Orr
1998 Chet Flippo
1999 Hazel Smith
2000 Neil Pond
2001 Harry Chapman
2002 Jim Patterson
2003 Denise Quan
2004 Alanna Nash
2005 Mark Bracco
2006 Donna Hughes
2007 Storme Warren
2008 Monica Escobedo
2009 Cynthia Sanz
2010 Beville Darden
2011 Ashley Dvorkin
2012 Jennifer Meyer and Ray Sells
2013 Deborah Evans Price
2014 Chuck Dauphin
2015 Cindy Watts