In Pictures: BMI, CMA Foundation

BMI Kicks Off 2018 Eastside Sounds

Pictured: BMI’s Nina Carter poses backstage at the Basement East with The Minks and TWEN. Photo: Nathan Zucker

BMI and Alt 97.5 returned to the Basement East for the first of six Eastside Sounds shows this year. Bluesy, psychedelic rockers The Minks kicked off the night of alternative music discovery followed by dreamy acid pop band, TWEN. Silver Cord Cinema enhanced the atmosphere with a special liquid light show emanating a psychedelic vibe throughout the show.

Each night offers free admission, a “happy half-hour” open bar sponsored by Bulleit Bourbon before the show, and two up-and-coming acts from Nashville’s emerging alternative scene. The series is set to continue April 23 with additional dates on June 25, Aug. 20, Sep. 26, and Oct. 30.

BMI Welcomes Budding Songwriters in Next Big Wave Series

Pictured (L-R): Pinnacle Bank’s David Smith, BMI’s Leslie Roberts and Next Big Wave alum Mikey Reaves.

BMI welcomed Nashville’s newest hitmakers for an evening of networking last week in BMI’s Nashville office. The first of three sessions in the Next Big Wave series, attendees of this installation were some of Music Row’s newest songwriters looking to secure their first publishing deal. The evening provided a unique opportunity for the budding creatives to connect with other writers at similar points in their careers. Additionally, participants were able to hear from BMI’s Leslie Roberts and Next Big Wave alum Mikey Reaves on how to take their careers to the next level.

BMI’s Tristan Jackson Launches New Release

Tristan Jackson and team visit BMI to launch new release. Pictured (L-R): Kenneth Duncan, co-writer on “Wake Up Call”; Stephen Barker Liles, member of Love & Theft and co-writer on Kerry Degman’s “You’re My Person,” “When The Radios Gone,” & Meghan Linsey’s “Ride Or Die”; Tristan Jackson, singer/songwriter, producer, director, actor; Jody Williams, VP, Writer-Publisher Relations, BMI; Leslie Roberts, Executive Director, Creative,BMI; Karl Braun, entertainment attorney, Hall Booth Smith; Jarrod Cooper, VP, OneRPM.

BMI Nashville’s Tristan Jackson released his first single “Wake Up Call” from his album titled Build Your Own Empire on Saturday, March 3. No stranger to the stage, Jackson is an award-winning director, producer, actor, musician and singer/songwriter.

As a songwriter, Jackson has had major cuts with Meghan Linsey, Newsboys and CMT Music City‘s Kerry Degman. He has also written with hit songwriters such as Desmond Child, Love & Theft, Michael Tait/Newsboys, Big Smo, Rich Redman, The Henningsens, Kenneth Duncan, Taylor Phillips, Nick Alligood and Nolan Neal.

Jackson is managed by Cofield Mundi at Edge Entertainment.

CMA Foundation Awards Son Rhea Foundation With Music Education Grant

The CMA Foundation presents a check to the Son Rhea Foundation.

The Capital Arts Theater in Bowling Green, Kentucky and the CMA Foundation awarded a grant of $10,000 to the Son Rhea Foundation, a non-profit organization with the mission to ensure that the arts flourish in Bowling Green public schools and the surrounding communities. Tiffany Kerns, Director of the CMA Foundation, presented the check to Tony Lindsay, President of the Son Rhea Foundation, and other Son Rhea staff members.

Prior to the check ceremony, members from the CMA Foundation and Son Rhea Foundation visited a music education classroom at Bowling Green High School. The music department, taught by Patrick O’Rourke is a beneficiary of the Son Rhea Foundation and many of the instruments used in the classroom had been purchased or acquired through the Son Rhea Foundation. Kerns and the CMA Foundation staff were able to sit in on a student performance and witness the mission and purpose of Son Rhea Foundation first hand.