Cary Ryan

Cary Ryan has been promoted to Vice President, Release Planning and Production for Sony Music Nashville. Most recently Sr. Director of Release Planning and Production, in February 1996 Ryan joined Arista Nashville, now one of three label imprints making up Sony Music Nashville.

“I am truly grateful to be recognized with this promotion. Over the course of my career I’ve had the honor of working on many projects for some incredible artists and with excellent label executives and co-workers,” responds Ryan. “I look forward to continuing to be a part of music reaching people and the challenges and opportunities to that end.”

For the past 27 years, Ryan has been involved with inventory management and production in the music industry. In his new position, he will continue to oversee the Release Planning and Production department and direct the scheduling, production and distribution of products through the physical & digital supply chains for Sony Music Nashville.

Ryan is a 1990 Graduate of Belmont University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Music Business major. Originally from Owensboro, Kentucky, he has lived in Nashville for 30 years. He is married to Anita Howell Ryan and has three children.

Producer Michael Knox will debut a new radio show, KNOX Country 360, on Friday, June 29.

Based in Nashville, the new show is managed by Michael Knox along with Donny Walker (former executive at Westwood One, Cumulus Media, BDS, Billboard Magazine), and Shalacy Griffin, currently the Senior Vice President of Operations for Music Knox, LLC.

KNOX Country 360 will offer 10-12 songs per hour, mixing current hits with re-currents and trending music, as well as personal stories from Knox and artist interviews and performances. The show will also include a podcast component.

“Radio is where country music fans connect with the music and artists they love, throughout their day,” observed Knox. “I’ve worked in production, management, and
publishing, with record labels, and now radio. I’m excited about being on the air where I can bring country’s biggest stars directly to fans. Focus 360 has the relationships with radio stations and advertisers that make them the perfect partner to help us succeed.”

“Few people in Music Row history have turned creativity into chart success as well as Michael,” stated Phil Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Focus 360. “He is one of
Nashville’s most original-thinking business minds and one of its most successful groomers of talent and song placement. We are delighted to partner with him and bring
his star-studded, music-filled show to radio.”

In addition to production work that has helped sell more than 18 million albums and 40 million singles (including 21 No. 1 career singles) Knox’s multi-faceted career has included time as an executive at music publisher Warner/Chappell Music. He currently serves as vice president for peermusic in Nashville, and also formed the production management company Music Knox with client Michael Tyler (Reviver Records).

Stations interested in carrying KNOX Country 360 may contact Rob Magaziner at 917-580-6108 or [email protected].

CAA’s Rick Roskin and Midland  Photo by Jason Myers

CAA held its annual pre-CMA Fest BBQ Monday night (June 4) at Martin’s BBQ in Nashville. The event, which included agents and executives from across the agency, clients, and industry colleagues, raised more than $30,000 for two organizations with whom the agency has a longstanding relationship: Communities In Schools of Tennessee at Nashville and the PENCIL Foundation, both of which support students at local public schools. Among those in attendance were Midland, Jon Pardi, and This Is Us actress Chrissy Metz.

Chrissy Metz, CAA’s Cait Hoit and Marc Dennis, Kennon Dennis  Photo by Jason Myers

This week’s CMT Music Awards will feature seven premiere television performances of brand new songs.

“It’s sort of that first listen to a hit,” says CMT Music Awards executive producer Margaret Comeaux. “It’s like a country fan’s dream summer song list.”

Sam Hunt will make a premiere performance of his new single, “Downtown’s Dead,” while Dierks Bentley will welcome Brothers Osborne for “Burning Man,” a track off Bentley’s upcoming album The Mountain.

Florida Georgia Line will perform their new folk-tinged “Simple,” and this year’s CMT Music Awards hosts Little Big Town will offer the first performance of their single “Summer Fever.”

“All four of them are incredible collaborators,” Comeaux says of the quartet. “They come to the table with great ideas. They are funny and the fans love them. When you have a show like this, a 2 ½-hour show, the comedic aspect of our show is fun. These guys aren’t comedians but they have great timing. Of course, you can’t get any better from a music perspective. They deliver every time they take the stage. Having four of them [in hosting roles] gives us room to try different things in the show and spread it out a little bit.”

Several pop artists are vying for top CMT Music Awards honors this year, including Bebe Rexha (for the collaboration “Meant To Be” with Florida Georgia Line), Ludacris (“Champion” with Carrie Underwood), Justin Timberlake (“Say Something,” with Chris Stapleton) and more. This year’s pop performances will include Kelly Clarkson’s rendition of the classic “American Woman,” and Backstreet Boys with their new song, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”

“Whenever Kelly is involved, she will blow the doors off of it,” Comeaux says, commenting on the pop performances included in this year’s lineup. “For a long time we’ve felt that when you look at music fans, people aren’t stuck in one genre anymore and I think country music reflects that.” Certainly, CMT has had a hand in bringing together pop and country fans over the years, with its long-running, critically-acclaimed CMT Crossroads.

It wouldn’t be the CMT Music Awards without top notch collaborations, and this year there are plenty in the works.

In addition to the Bentley/Brothers Osborne collab, CMT will welcome Darius Rucker along with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and Charles Kelley for a first performance of “Straight To Hell,” from Rucker’s When Was The Last Time album.

The performers join previously announced performers Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Jason Aldean and Kelsea Ballerini.

The CMT Music Awards begin Wednesday (June 6) at 8 p.m. ET.

ASCAP will present its annual CMA Music Festival showcase of emerging songwriter-artists at the Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, June 7 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Featured performers include Dylan Brady, Max Camp, Hannah Dasher, Austin Jenckes, Parker McKay, Riley Roth, Steel Union, Matt Stell, TRAVLRS and Sarah Allison Turner.

For the fifth consecutive year, ASCAP will present a hit songwriters round at the HGTV Lodge on Friday, June 8 at 4 p.m. The showcase will feature Sony/ATV songwriter Chris DeStefano, RCA Nashville songwriter-artist Ryan Hurd, and Big Loud Records songwriter-artist Jillian Jacqueline. The Lodge is a fan favorite located on 4th Ave just south of Broadway.

Michael Martin​, ​Vice President of Nashville Membership/Creative, said, “For​ nearly a decade, ASCAP has showcased an extensive lineup of emerging songwriter-artists on various stages throughout CMA Fest. We’re thrilled ​to be back at Bridgestone to shine a spotlight on our breakout stars at the festival, and to continue our amazing partnership with HGTV.”

ASCAP’s CMA Music Fest stages over the years have featured stars like Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce, Jacob Davis, Eric Paslay, Clare Dunn, Striking Matches, Alyssa Bonagura (of The Sisterhood) and more.