Leadership Music Names Class Of 2019

/by

Leadership Music’s historic 30th Class of 2019 will be composed of 45 industry leaders from across the country. Founded in 1989 by twelve music industry alumni of Leadership Nashville, Leadership Music, a national program based in Nashville, TN, has graduated close to 1,200 leaders. The annual program is designed to create a forum for recognized music industry leaders to learn as they deep-dive into almost every segment of the music business, while identifying and exploring issues currently affecting the music industry; and to provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences while building lasting relationships with classmates and alumni in all areas within or related to the music industry.

“Personally, being selected for inclusion in Leadership Music Class of 2003 was a life-changing experience,” CAA’s Jeff Gregg, co-chair of the Selection Committee, stressed. “These 45 leaders selected for the Class of 2019 are embarking on one of the most significant journeys of their career. As a member of the committee, I know I speak on behalf of those that served, we don’t take the responsibility lightly. Choosing the class from the more than 300 qualified candidates who applied is done with great deliberation and thought.”

Co-Chair songwriter Stacy Widelitz adds that he never fails to be awed by the process and the balance of the final result. “We continually emphasize the importance of choosing a class that is diverse in every way,” he pointed out. “That includes genre of music, segment of the music industry they represent, gender, ethnicity, and more. This is an impressive class, and we look forward to watching them develop as a cohesive unit as the Leadership Music Class of 2019.”

Founding Council member and inaugural Leadership Music President, Jim Ed Norman of Curb/Word Entertainment, reflected on the 30th class: “Thirty years in the life of any organization is an impressive milestone, and much has happened in the three decades since a dozen Leadership Nashville alumni from the music industry met to give structure and form to what was, then, just an idea on how to ensure and protect the dialogue and relationship building within the Nashville music community. What this organization has come to mean to the entertainment industry, not only in Nashville but throughout the U. S., is testament to the quality and commitment of our almost 1,200 alums. That we continue to set records in the number of applicants each year is extremely rewarding. Observing the leaders selected for this historic class gives all of us a great deal of confidence in the future of Leadership Music.”

Participants first attend an orientation and alumni welcome reception in September, a two-day Opening Retreat in October, followed by six all-day sessions once a month, ending in May with graduation at a two-day Closing Retreat.

The 45 Members of the Class of 2019 are:

Austen Adams, Attorney, Dickinson Wright
Miles Adcox, CEO/Owner, Onsite
Joseph Atamian, Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency
Greg Barnes, General Counsel, Digital Music Association (Washington, DC)
Michael McAnally Baum, President, Smack Songs
Drew Burchfield, Co-Founder, Aloompa
Anna Bonny Chauvet, Assistant General Counsel, U. S. Copyright Office (Washington, DC)
Jarrod Cooper, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, ONErpm
Kevin Dalton, Business Manager, Wiles + Taylor
Scott Day, Chief Technology Officer, SoundExchange (Washington, DC)
Mehmet Dede, Talent Buyer, Drom NYC/Assistant Professor, The Hartt School (New York City, NY)
Nick Di Fruscia, Vice President, Awards & Membership, ACM (Los Angeles, CA)
Ryan Dokke, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Curb/Word Entertainment
Beville Dunkerley, Head of Nashville Artist Marketing & Industry Relations, Pandora
Serona Elton, Associate Professor/Chair, Music Media & Industry Department, Frost School of Music, University of Miami (Miami, FL)
Jessica Frost, Executive Director, Industry Relations, BMI
Scott Gerow, Producer/Songwriter/Composer, Battery Lane Music
Tim Godwin, Director, Artist & Entertainment Relations, Taylor Guitar (El Cajon, CA)
Tony Grotticelli, Vice President, Digital Marketing, UMG
Chuck Harmony, Artist/CEO, Weirdo Workshop
Debra Herman, Head of Music Partnerships, Shazam (New York, NY)
Eric Holt, Assistant Professor, Belmont University/Partner, Lovenoise
Leigh Holt, Co-Owner/Manager, Redjett Management
Jackie Jones, Director, Music & Talent, CMT
Meredith Jones, Agent, CAA
Gina Keltner, Director, Talent Scheduling & Logistics, Grand Ole Opry
Jay Knowles, Songwriter/CEO WhaleFarm
Garrett Levin, Deputy General Counsel, IP Law & Policy, National Association of Broadcasters (Washington, DC)
Taylor Lindsey, Vice President, A&R, Sony Music Nashville
Chappel McCollister, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Sandbox Entertainment
Marie Miscia, Promotion Director, WKDF/WSM-FM, Cumulus Nashville
Paul Moak, Producer/Studio Owner, The Smoakstack
Jessica Nicholson, Managing Editor, Music Row
Nathan Nicholson, Head of Creative, Thirty Tigers
Ashleigh Overly, Managing Director, Sports & Entertainment, SunTrust Bank
Mike Rittberg, Chief Marketing Officer, BMLG
Lindsay Rothschild, Songwriter & Publisher Relations, Lead North America, YouTube (Los Angeles, CA)
Chad Schultz, Vice President, Radio & Streaming, Warner Music Nashville
Karen Silhol, Executive Vice President, Finance & Administration, RIAA (Washington, DC)
Brandi Simms, Senior Director, Awards & Industry Relations, CMA
Lauren Spahn, Attorney, Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton LLP
Jessica Tomasin, Manager, Echo Mountain (Asheville, NC)
Nate Towne, Agent, WME
Christy Walker-Watkins, President/Co-Owner, AristoMedia Group
Garry Wall, President/Founder, Sparknet Communications

CMT’s Next Women of Country Events Showcases Rising Female Country Artists

/by

Pictured (L-R): Jo Smith, Tenille Townes, Leslie Fram (Sr. VP Music & Talent, CMT), Jillian Jacqueline and Ashley McBryde.

Monday night (June 4), several of the top female singers and songwriters in country music were honored in Nashville as part of “Billboard Live featuring CMT Next Women of Country,” an artist showcase featuring an all female lineup in partnership with CMT. The event included live performances from Warner Nashville artist Ashley McBryde, who performed “Rattlesnake Preacher,” “American Scandal” and “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.” Big Loud Records artist Jillian Jacqueline performed the new song “Sad Girls,” and “Tragic,” as well as “God Bless This Mess.” New Sony artist Tenille Townes offered “Where You Are,” “Jersey on The Wall” and “Somebody’s Daughter,” while SMACKSongs’ Jo Smith performed “Bobby’s Heart,” “Poster Child” and “You Up.”

Billboard’s Editorial Director Jason Lipshutz gave opening remarks before introducing CMT’s Senior VP of Music Strategy and Talent, Leslie Fram.

During the event, Jacqueline discussed sharing the stage with Kenny Rogers when she was only nine years old. “My mom was one of those parents that heard her kid singing in the back of the car and she was like that sounds kind of good. She took me to an audition when I was eight and that turned into a Broadway Show with Kenny Rogers in New York City and then five years of touring after that. That chance and that opportunity changed the whole course of my life.” 

Townes spoke about the history behind her song “Somebody’s Daughter.” “This was inspired by a drive I took with my mom. I saw this girl holding a cardboard sign and I couldn’t shake her face from my mind and it just made me think about how everyone has a story and you never know what the person has going on in their life standing next to us.”  

Meanwhile, backstage, Smith offered Townes some advice about going on a radio tour. “If you ever have food poisoning on an airplane that is ascending just give the flight attendant the look that says, ‘I have to go to the bathroom now and you can!’ They will let you up even though you’re supposed to stay seated.”

Leslie Fram, Sr. VP Music & Talent, CMT

Ashley McBryde

Tenille Townes

Jo Smith

BANDSINTOWN, CMT Partner During CMT Music Awards Week

/by

CMT and Bandsintown are partnering up to help fans discover the best rising artists who are taking the industry by storm this week for CMA Music Fest. CMT will be hosting free performances throughout the city by artists and showcasing the best up-and-coming artists in country, with shows by Walker Hayes, The Sisterhood, Bailey Bryan, who has been tipped as a Bandsintown Big Break artist, and more.

Bandsintown will host a bespoke in-app CMT Music Awards Week guide this week to keep fans in-the-know on the best country music offerings in Nashville throughout awards week.

“Music is the core of everything we do at CMT, and we’re excited to grow our biggest event of the year into a multi-day festival with CMT Music Awards week,” said Adam Steingart, SVP of Partnerships, CMT, TV Land and Paramount Network. “We share Bandsintown’s commitment to helping fans discover emerging artists and are thrilled to have Bailey Bryan – a Bandsintown Big Break artist – be part of the CMT experience this week.”

“We’re thrilled to team up with CMT in promoting artist discovery in Nashville.” said Fabrice Sergent, Bandsintown Managing Partner. “The Music Awards week is a great opportunity for fans to discovery their next favorite country artist –  and we’re always eager to help make those connections. We’re also delighted that CMT Music Awards Weeks will feature Bailey Bryan, who has been part of our emerging artists program Big Break, since January.”

Confederate Railroad Founding Member Passes

/by


Bass player Wayne Secrest, a mainstay of the hit country band Confederate Railroad, died on Saturday, June 2, at age 68.

Secrest formed the group with lead singer Danny Shirley and band mates Michael Lamb, Gates Nichols, Chris McDaniel and Mark Dufresne in 1967. Confederate Railroad became a local headlining nightclub attraction in the region encompassing Atlanta, northern Alabama and Chattanooga in the 1970s.

During the following decade, the group was the backing band on the road for both David Allan Coe and Johnny Paycheck. Its enthusiastic regional following led to a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1992. Confederate Railroad’s debut album for the label included six top-40 singles, including the top-10 successes “Jesus and Mama,” “Queen of Memphis” and “Trashy Women,” plus such memorable tunes as “When You Leave That Way You Can Never Go Back,” “She Never Cried” and “She Took It Like a Man.”

As a result, the Confederate Railroad album was certified a Double Platinum seller. Secrest and the other band members were cited in the liner notes, but did not play on this disc. Nevertheless, Confederate Railroad was named Best New Group at the 1993 ACM Awards.

The band’s second Atlantic CD, 1994’s Notorious, included a return to the country top-10 with “Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind.” Other memorable tracks included “Elvis and Andy,” “I Am Just a Rebel” and “Three Verses.”

This time, Secrest and the other Confederate Railroaders played on the album. Notorious was certified Platinum for a million in sales. The group’s third Atlantic CD was 1995’s When and Where. The title tune became the collection’s biggest success. But the charting track “When He Was My Age” was an early songwriting credit for future star Kenny Chesney.

Keep On Rockin’ became the band’s final Atlantic CD in 1998. The label repackaged its hits on 2000’s Rockin’ Country Party Pack. Confederate Railroad reappeared via the Unleashed CD on Audium/Koch in 2001.

Cheap Thrills was issued by Shanachie in 2007. Secrest and the rest of the band were showcased on the 2010 CD Live: Back to the Barrooms.

The group’s final album with Secrest as a member was 2016’s Lucky to Be Alive. He withdrew from the group last year due to ill health.

Wayne Secrest passed away in Lexington, Kentucky. Survivors include son Ricci Stassi, granddaughter Isabella Stassi Secrest, companion Pam Stacy Simons, stepmother Virginia Secrest and stepbrothers David Nagel, Paul Nagel and John Nagel.

At Secrest’s request, no services will be held. He will be cremated and his ashes scattered at his favorite fly-fishing spot on the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Jack White To Play iHeartRadio Music Festival

/by

Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake, Jack White, Mariah Carey, Imagine Dragons, Sam Smith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Panic! At The Disco, Shawn Mendes, and more will perform at this year’s 2018 iHeartRadio Music Festival, set for Sept. 21-22 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

The iHeartRadio Music Festival will also include a performance from this year’s Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star winner, to be announced on July 6. The festival’s Daytime Stage will take place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Saturday, Sept. 22 with performances by Logic, Dua Lipa, 5 Seconds of Summer, Lil Uzi Vert, Dustin Lynch, Bazzi, Belly, Bobby Bones and the Raging Idiots and Greta Van Fleet, with more to be announced. In addition to live performances from today’s emerging artists, the Daytime Stage will also feature fan zones and interactive experiences by iHeartRadio’s brand partners.

“There’s no other concert with a lineup as diverse at the iHeartRadio Music Festival.  We pride ourselves on inviting the most eclectic lineup of headliners you’ll ever see on one stage,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia.  “This Festival has the best artists from every style of music heard on iHeartRadio stations across America, giving both artists and our listeners a once-in a lifetime experience.”

Each night, the iHeartRadio Music Festival will broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country across more than 150 markets. The CW Network will also exclusively live stream both nights of the festival via CWTV.com and The CW App, and broadcast a two-night television special on Oct. 7 -8.

Garth Brooks Added To CMA Fest

/by

Garth Brooks will make an appearance during this year’s CMA Fest on Saturday, June 9. He will take the stage at the CMA Close Up Stage at Xfinity Fan Fair X from 12:15 p.m.-1 p.m., where he will participate in a Q&A hosted by SiriusXM’s Storme Warren and answer fan questions.

Brooks, the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, made history at Fan Fair more than 20 years ago, when he led a marathon autograph session, signing for 23 straight hours with no breaks. Last summer, Brooks made a surprise return to CMA Fest, performing a medley of his classic songs at Nissan Stadium. The performance marked Brooks’ first CMA Fest performance since 1998.

Tickets for Xfinity Fan Fair X are available for $10 each day, Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10, or $25 for a four-day pass. A limited number of four-day tickets for the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium, which also includes four-day access to Xfinity Fan Fair X, are still available at CMAfest.com/tickets or through the CMA Box Office at 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Cumulus Media Completes Financial Restructuring

/by

Cumulus Media Inc. has completed its financial restructuring and emerged from Chapter 11 having reduced its debt by more than $1 billion. The company plans to utilize its enhanced financial flexibility to continue its ongoing business transformation and drive value creation on behalf of all its stakeholders.

The company’s debt was reduced from $2.34 billion to $1.3 billion, entirely in a term loan at LIBOR plus 450 basis points due May 15, 2022. Equity in the pre-bankruptcy company has been cancelled. Former stakeholders are being issued 11,052,211 shares of the company’s Class A common stock, 5,218,209 shares of the company’s Class B common stock and warrants to purchase 3,729,589 shares of common stock in exchange for their prior claims.

Mary Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cumulus Media, said, “Over the last two years, we have been relentlessly focused on our plans to turn the Company around, and the completion of our financial restructuring process is a monumental step forward on our turnaround path. We emerge today as a stronger and more competitive company, with the financial foundation that we need to move forward decisively with the initiatives that will produce the greatest benefits for the company. With this financial restructuring now behind us, we are excited about what we will be able to accomplish with all of our resources and energy fully focused on our operating business.”

Berner continued, “I want to thank our exceptional team at Cumulus Media for their dedication and tremendous efforts through this process. Looking ahead, our employees will remain the true force driving our success as we continue to deliver premium content choices to the 245 million people we reach every week across our collection of stations and Westwood One. We are also grateful for the support of our vendors and affiliates during this process, and we look forward to working together well into the future.”

 

Industry Pics: Jason Aldean, Ricky Skaggs, Rascal Flatts

/by

Jason Aldean Celebrates Album Success During BMG’s Town Hall Meeting

Pictured (L-R): Jon Loba (EVP, BBR Music Group), Jason Aldean, Zach Katz (President, Repertoire & Marketing, BMG US), and Chris Parr (Manager, Maverick).

During BMG’s recent US-wide Town Hall meeting held in Nashville, Zach Katz (President, Repertoire & Marketing, BMG US) and Jon Loba (EVP, BBR Music Group) took time out to highlight and talk about the success of Broken Bow Records’ Jason Aldean and his new album Rearview Town, which recently debuted at No. 1 across all genres.

Aldean took everyone by surprise when he made a special visit to speak to the BMG US teams in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and Portland about his journey before Katz and Loba presented him with a plaque to commemorate the recent milestone.

 

Ricky Skaggs At The Country Music Hall Of Fame

Back row: Ben Hall, Director of Major Gifts; Nando Rodriguez, Senior Director of Events and Culinary; Peter Cooper, Senior Director, Producer and Writer; Mark DeLelys, Senior Director of Museum Sales and Retail; Carolyn Tate; Kyle Young, CEO; Warren Denney, Senior Creative Director; Brenda Colladay, VP of Museum Services; Nina Burghard, SVP Financial Services and Operations; Lisa Purcell, VP of Development, Education, and Community Outreach; Jay Orr, Executive Senior Director of Research, Editorial, and Content. Seated (L-R): Sharon Brawner, SVP of Sales and Marketing; Charlotte Scott, RS Entertainment; Ricky Skaggs; Don Murry Grubbs, Absolute Publicity. Photo: Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum

Ricky Skaggs was recently invited to spend some quality time with Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum staffers at a private luncheon held in the CMA Theatre in Nashville. The event was organized by museum officials to celebrate Skaggs’ upcoming induction into the famed institution.

“It was so kind of the Hall of Fame to have a luncheon in my honor,” says Skaggs. “We had such a good time. I started telling them old Bill Monroe stories, one after the other, and they went for over an hour. I’m so honored to be the newest living inductee into this hallowed Hall. It’s a dream come true for me.”

Later this year, Skaggs will be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, alongside the late Dottie West and the late Johnny Gimble.

 

Rascal Flatts Return To The Grand Ole Opry

Pictured (L-R): Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney and Dan Smyers, Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus, Rudy Gatlin, Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney, Grand Ole Opry’s Sally Williams, Larry Gatlin, Maverick’s Clarence Spalding, Rudy Gatlin, Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox, Carly Pearce, Longshot Management’s Rob Baker. Photo: 2018 Grand Ole Opry | Chris Hollo [click photo to enlarge]

The Grand Ole Opry hosted another star-powered Tuesday night show on May 29, including welcoming Opry members Rascal Flatts with their Back To Us Tourspecial guests Dan + Shay and Carly Pearce. Rascal Flatts will kick off the group’s headlining Back To Us Tour this weekend.

Sony/ATV Inks Publishing Deal With Levi Hummon

/by

Pictured (L-R): Brian Coleman, Deston Entertainment; Josh Van Valkenburg, Senior Vice President of A&R, Sony/ATV; Terry Wakefield, Senior Vice President, Sony/ATV; Katie Kerkhover, Creative Manager, Sony/ATV; Troy Tomlinson, President/CEO, Sony/ATV; JC Monterrosa, Deston Entertainment; Desmond Child, Deston Entertainment; Levi Hummon; Fletcher Foster, Iconic Entertainment Group; Halle Pinkham, Iconic Entertainment Group; Tom Luteran, Vice President Creative, Sony/ATV; Stephen Denninger, Creative Coordinator, Sony/ATV; Hannah Williams, Creative Manager, Sony/ATV. Photo: Lee Swartz, Sony/ATV. [CLICK TO ENLARGE]

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed singer/songwriter Levi Hummon.

The Nashville native and son of songwriter Marcus Hummon, has written songs with some of Music City’s most notable writers, including Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Jonathan Singleton, Brandy Clark, Trevor Rosen and more. Desmond Child‘s Deston Entertainment handles administration. Hummon was previously signed with BMLG’s Valory Music Co. imprint as an artist.

“I’m so excited to be a part of the Sony/ATV family,” Hummon says. “My dad loved his time spent over there, and I’m looking forward to continuing his legacy while building my own unique catalog. You can really feel a great energy the second you walk through their doors.”

“We are thrilled to join forces with Levi and Desmond [Child, of Deston Entertainment],” says Josh Van Valkenburg, Senior Vice President of A&R, Sony/ATV. “Both men bring the highest level of talent, character, and determination to our team. This will be a fantastic partnership.”

Hummon’s current single “Songs We Sang” has earned over 1.3 million streams since its release in March and is currently spinning on SiriusXM’s The Highway.

Jedd Hughes Joins ASCAP

/by

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Robert Filhart, Jedd Hughes, ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe Johnston

Carnival Music songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jedd Hughes has joined ASCAP as a writer member.

ASCAP Creative Director Robert Filhart said, “​Jedd and I first met in 2006, when I started working for the publishing company where Jedd was signed. We have been friends ever since and have always talked about working together, and I could not be more excited to have the opportunity to work with Jedd now. Along with his playing, producing and writing for other artists, Jedd has incredible new music that will be coming out this summer. The entire Nashville team is honored to welcome him to the ASCAP family.”

Hughes is a bridge between giants of various generations and musical persuasions, having collaborated with legends including Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Patty Loveless, and the late Guy Clark, as well as current hitmakers Dierks Bentley, Sarah Jarosz and Ryan Bingham. He co-wrote Jarosz’s “House of Mercy,” which earned the 2017 Grammy for Best Americana Roots Performance, and he has co-penned hits including Keith Urban’s “Put You in a Song” and tracks for Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Charles Kelley, Josh Gracin and more.