Melissa Goodwin

The T. J. Martell Foundation has promoted Nashville-based Melissa Goodwin to Sr. VP, Operations, and has added two staffers to its New York office.

Goodwin began her career with T.J. Martell as the Special Events Manager in 2005. Prior to joining the Foundation she worked with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as Event Director for the Tennessee Chapter. Her passion for non-profit work began during her time with the Nashville Metro Police Department where she played an integral role in the Law Enforcement Torch Run which raised over $125,000 for Tennessee Special Olympics.  She later joined the Special Olympics working with police across the state of Tennessee. Goodwin has held various national positions within the T.J. Martell Foundation including administrative, financial and human resources. She will remain based in the Foundation’s Nashville office.

Jon Baum has been named Senior Vice President of Entertainment and Business Development. Baum has a background in management working with artists like the Kinks, The Babys, Neil Sedaka, Gino Vanelli, Paul Davis and Randy Newman. He was part of both the original MTV Networks and VH1 teams, and created promotions for The Rolling Stones and David Bowie at Clear Channel as Vice President of Marketing Partnerships.  He also helped create the Jagermeister Music Tour, the Revolver Golden Gods Awards Show and the EA Sports Madden Challenge, and helped launch Guitar Aficionado Magazine in 2009. Based in New York, Baum will focus on non-event revenue through special partnerships with brands and festivals, the Foundation’s CharityBuzz auction, and national projects.

Annalisa Buehler has also joined the team as East Coast Manager of Special Events. Prior to joining T.J. Martell, Buehler was part of the Women’s E-commerce Merchandising team at Club Monaco. She is a graduate of the Scripps College of Communications at Ohio University and will be based in the Foundation’s New York office.

Several of country music’s top newcomers will take the stage as part of the Daytime Village at the iHeartCountry Festival, slated for Saturday, May 6 from 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. at Frank Erwin Center’s North Box Office Plaza in Austin, Texas. The free daytime event will feature live performances by Jon Pardi, Lindsay Ell, Kane Brown, Tucker Beathard, Chris Janson and Kip Moore. The Daytime Village will also feature fan zones and interactive experiences by iHeartRadio’s brand partners.

iHeartMedia on-air personality Bobby Bones will return as the host of the iHeartCountry Festival main stage.

In addition to his Daytime Village performance, Kip Moore has been added as a main stage performer, joining Jason Aldean, Little Big Town, Dierks Bentley, Brantley Gilbert, Rascal Flatts, Old Dominion, Jake Owen, Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Kelsea Ballerini and Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots, with more to be announced.

iHeartMedia’s Country music radio stations will broadcast the iHeartCountry Festival live in their local markets and at iHeartRadio.com.

Event sponsor AT&T will livestream the event, followed by a TV broadcast on the AT&T Audience Network on May 19 at 9 p.m. ET.

Thomas Rhett Teams With Maren Morris On New Single

Thomas Rhett has paired with Maren Morris for “Craving You,” the first single from his upcoming third studio album. The track will release to radio on Friday, March 31.

“I remember hearing ‘Craving You’ and was immediately blown away by the story behind the longing of this guy who can’t wait to see his girl again,” said Rhett. “There’s this 80s vibe that’s rocking throughout this track that makes it really euphoric. It was so nice to be able to work with Maren whose voice is undeniably powerful and soulful, and just really adds a lot of intensity to the song.”

The project follows Rhett’s Platinum-certified album Tangled Up Deluxe, which includes his recent seventh No. 1 song “Star of the Show,” as well as his six-week chart-topper “Die A Happy Man.”

Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley To Appear On CBS This Morning, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley

On Wednesday, March 29, 52nd Academy Of Country Music Awards co-hosts, Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, will appear on CBS This Morning for a sit-down interview and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for a sit-down interview and performance.

The CBS appearances will be in support of the 52nd ACM Awards®, which will be broadcast live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 2 (live 8:00-11:00 p.m., ET/delayed PT) on the same network.

The Cadillac Three To Release Limited Edition Vinyl Set For Record Store Day

The Cadillac Three will release a limited-edition vinyl, Live At Abbey Road, for Record Store Day on April 22. From the North London studio, the band recorded live versions of several tracks from their debut album Bury Me In My Boots.

“We’re three guys from Music City, where some of the coolest grooves and talented players from any genre have recorded,” said The Cadillac Three frontman and songwriter Jaren Johnston. “So many of those influences are on what we do today, and I think fans will feel it in the energy from these live tracks.”

Drummer Neil Mason added, “It’s still pretty surreal that we’ve gone from high school days of rehearsing in my parents’ basement to selling out shows in the UK and being invited to record at Abbey Road! We wanted this Record Store Day exclusive to be a special way for our fans to enjoy these bucket-list moments too.”

Restless Heart Announces New Tour, Including Nashville Date

Lindsay Ell

BBR Music Group’s Jon Loba welcomed industry and superfans of Lindsay Ell to the Germantown Nashville lounge, The Back Corner (TBC) on Thursday, March 23 to preview her EP, released today. Among attendees were the newcomers’s boyfriend and radio star Bobby Bones and her CMT Next Women of Country pal Lauren Alaina.

“There are some things that are worth the wait, and Lindsay Ell and her music are worth the wait,” said Loba. “Real art takes time. We had released a couple of things on Lindsay, it was honestly our fault—we didn’t have the right music on her. But then she had someone come in to her life in Kristian Bush who she absolutely gelled with and is making magic with.”

Ell’s Bush-produced Stoney Creek EP—appropriately titled Worth The Wait—reveals six songs from the strikingly beautiful guitar virtuoso.

Among the tracks is “Criminal,” a dynamic title most encompassing what the young artist is capable of—melody, lyrics and production.

“Thank you so much for coming and thank you for giving me patience and letting me figured this whole thing out,” exclaimed Ell from the stage before previewing the EP with a three-person band.

Lindsay Ell preview party

In additional to Ell-penned original titles, the EP also features outside songs, one titled “Space” from Caitlyn Smith, Heather Morgan and Maggie Chapman in addition to a John Mayer cover.

“The first meeting [Kristian Bush] and I had about music, he asked me what my favorite record was,” recalls Ell. “It would be John Mayer’s Continuum. He said, ‘I want you to go record the whole thing. The only rules are you need to play all the instruments. I cleared my schedule for two weeks, and 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. I sat in an office and recorded the whole record.

“It’s so different when you record something compared when you’re just listening to it. I learned so much about myself, my favorite record of all time, and I figured out how I love to sound in the studio. We ended up putting ‘Stop This Train’ on the EP, and it’s actually the exact work tape I made in my janky little office.”

Worth The Wait is available now.

Worth The Wait Track Listing

1) “Waiting on You” (Lindsay Ell, Adam Hambrick, Andrew DeRoberts)
2) “Criminal” (Lindsay Ell, Chris Stevens, Fred Wilhelm)
3) “Space” (Caitlyn Smith, Heather Morgan, Maggie Chapman)
4) “Standing Here” (Melissa Peirce, Ryan Hurd, Chase McGill)
5) “Worth The Wait” (Lindsay Ell, Travis Meadows)
6) “Stop This Train” (John Mayer, Pino Palladion)