Industry Ink: ASCAP, ACM, Matthew West, Grand Ole Opry, Riley Green

For over 20 years, ASCAP has hosted a Music Café in the heart of the Sundance Film Festival, featuring intimate performances by songwriters and artists. Next month, ASCAP continues the tradition, and in collaboration with the Academy of Country Music and the famed Bluebird Cafe, will present some of Nashville’s rising stars and country legends at the Sundance ASCAP Music Café.

Carlton Anderson, Jacob Davis and JT Harding celebrated bringing together the Academy and The Bluebird Cafe by performing a sold-out show at the Bluebird in Nashville Thursday night (Dec. 6). In January, Anderson and Davis will be joined by some very special guests at the Sundance ASCAP Music Café as part of the ACM & Bluebird Cafe Songwriters Series during the Sundance Film Festival. The complete Sundance ASCAP Music Café lineup will be announced in early 2019.

ASCAP Honors Austin Jenckes

Austin Jenckes pictured with ASCAP President Paul Williams (Right) and the Executor of the Adamson Estate Tony Mulanix (Left).

Austin Jenckes was in New York City last night (Dec. 12) for the ASCAP Foundation Awards. Jenckes was presented with The ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Lyric Award in Country for his song “I Got A Woman.” The award is presented in honor of the late lyricist Harold Adamson and is given to those who have demonstrated talent, musical intelligence and a dedication to future generations.

Matthew West Celebrates RIAA Platinum Certification

Pictured (L-R): David Sylvester (Vice President of Marketing, Capitol Christian Music Group), Brad O’Donnell (Chief Creative Officer, Capitol Christian Music Group), Matthew West, Hudson Plachy (Chief Marketing Officer, Capitol Christian Music Group), Peter York (Chairman & CEO, Capitol Christian Music Group). Photo: Trent Nicholson

Capitol Christian Music Group surprised Matthew West with an RIAA certified Platinum plaque commemorating his landmark song, “The Motions,” which reached No. 1 at Christian airplay for eight weeks with over 170 million global streams. The hit single marks West’s first career RIAA certified Platinum single.

Riley Green Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut

Pictured (L-R): BMLG Records’ Jimmy Harnen, Rogue Management’s Joe Lee, Grand Ole Opry’s Sally Williams, Riley Green, Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta. Photo courtesy Grand Ole Opry LLC. Chris Hollo, photographer

A childhood dream was realized and fulfilled Tuesday (Dec. 11) as Riley Green made his official Grand Ole Opry debut. The cheeky “Get That Man A Beer,” a song about commiserating with another guy about both being cheated on by the same girl, started the set on a lighter note transitioning to the emotional “Numbers On the Cars,” a story about Alzheimer’s that runs in his family. Green capped his performance with his Top 20-and-climbing single “There Was This Girl.”