Industry Ink: Whiskey Row, CMT Radio, Crowd Surf, Venture Music

GoFundMe Page To Aid Late Whiskey Row Entertainment Director Kris “DJ Steel” Chupp

Kris Chupp

A GoFundMe page has been set up to benefit the family of Kris “DJ Steel” Chupp, who served as a local DJ and Entertainment Director for Nashville’s Whiskey Row and worked for Riot Hospitality Group.

Chupp died Sunday, July 12, due to complications from COVID-19. He had been in intensive care since June 26. All funds raised will go toward medical, funeral and other expenses.

CMT Radio’s Lauryn Snapp Adds On-Air Duties

Lauryn Snapp

CMT Radio’s Digital and Social Producer Lauryn Snapp will add on-air contributor duties for CMT After Midnite with Cody Alan and CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan. Snapp will join the Alan each night, bringing pop culture and lifestyle stories to the country radio programs. Snapp joined CMT in 2018 from the Creative Services team at Warner Music Nashville.

Crowd Surf To Offer Pro Bono Services For Black Creators, Civil Rights Organizations

Crowd Surf, a digital marketing agency founded in 2007, is launching an internal Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, led by Elise Stawarz, Justin Horowitz and Helen Showalter. The task force will focus on three core initiatives including recruitment for staff and internships at HBCUs, internal educational programming for the entire company and pro bono digital marketing services for projects that support both Black creators and the fight for social justice amongst the Black community.

Crowd Surf will offer services including innovative social strategy, facilitation of digital partnerships, content creation and graphic design to partners chosen for the program. Projects will be chosen quarterly and given three months of pro bono services to kick start or further expand each business or organization’s digital footprint.

Venture Music Partners With Ingrooves

Venture Music, a Nashville-based marketing collective, recently partnered with Ingrooves, an independent distribution company acquired by Universal Music Group in 2019.

Venture has also added three new employees, including Media Manager Nick Fox, Music Curator Kailey Prall and Operations Director Stephanie Edwards to its staff in order to serve a growing client roster.