Country Radio Broadcasters Unveils Agenda Preview For CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience

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Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has revealed details surrounding six sessions scheduled as part of CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, set for Tuesday, Feb. 16-19. The six panels cover topics including mental health, post-pandemic radio station operations strategies, branding, and talent coaching.

“The CRS Agenda Committee has been working hard to create educational, timely content for CRS attendees regardless of their section of the industry, market size, or employment status,” said CRS 2020-2021 Agenda Committee Chair, Brent Michaels. “Since the last CRS, our world and industry has changed, and we hope to provide anyone who makes the investment in the 2021 seminar, tools to face the consistent challenges of our industry, and to provide content that will lead to success with what we face on the horizon.”

More details on the sessions is below:

‘Til The Wellness Runs Dry: How to Handle the Anxiety of the Music Business: Elizabeth Porter, Founder and President of Entertainment Health Services, explains how anxiety affects us, offering clues to identify workplace triggers while providing tips on how to be the best you for yourself, and others.

PPP: Post-Pandemic Playbook: An examination of how COVID-19 has affected operations, programming, labels, marketing, and sales, which now requires advanced best-practices for working remotely, revenue strategies, organizational structures, and more.

21 Promotions in ’21: Attendees will receive 21 immediately executable promotions they can utilize to accomplish ratings and revenue goals in the face of reduced personnel, social-distancing, and fewer events.

Talk Data to Me: The authenticity and application of multiple radio callout, consumer research, and streaming data points will be probed, with a tutorial on the merits of each and how to apply all types of data to programming decisions.

Your 24/7 Brand: Radio in 2021 goes far beyond the dial. This session will discuss digital strategies for stations and talent in all market sizes to capitalize on branding, distribution, and content ROI.

TLC: Talent Loving Coaching: How do PDs and management coach on-air talent in a way that fosters creative freedom, with structure for growth and improvement? Successful PD/Talent combos discuss working relationships and how to accomplish mutual goals.

The expanded, four-day CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience agenda will offer attendees over 14 educational sessions, four morning networking events, three lunchtime performances, four interactive workshops, all-day networking, Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley, and, for the first time in CRS history, a New Faces of Country Music ticket with every registration. More details surrounding the virtual agenda, including the newly launched Streaming Summit, will be released in the coming weeks and months leading up to CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience.

Early Bird Registration for CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience is now open at $149 per person and will be offered through Nov. 4. The registration rate will increase to $199 on Nov. 5. Registrations are available for purchase at countryradioseminar.com.

Academy Of Country Music Researching Office Space Options For “Primary Or Secondary Home” In Nashville

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In September, the Academy of Country Music hosted its 55th annual ACM Awards in Nashville, marking the first time the ACM Awards have been held in Nashville in the organization’s history. The show spotlighted not only many of country music’s top artists, but iconic Music City venues including the Grand Ole Opry House, Bluebird Cafe, and Ryman Auditorium.

Now, the Los Angeles-based organization is researching office space in Nashville “as an option for a primary or secondary home” over the next year or two, a spokesperson for the ACM confirmed to MusicRow, adding, “nothing has been determined as of yet. We were proud to bring our 55th ACM Awards show to Music City this year.” The news was first reported by Nashville Business Journal.

In December 2019, the ACM appointed Damon Whiteside as its new CEO. Whiteside had previously spent six years as Sr. VP, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships for the Country Music Association before being promoted to the CMA’s Chief Marketing Officer. He continues to split his time between Nashville and Los Angeles.

The ACM was founded as The Country and Western Music Academy in 1964 in Los Angeles, aimed at promoting country music in western US states. The organization underwent a few name changes, shifting to the Academy of Country and Western Music, and finally to the Academy of Country Music.

Though formed six years after the Country Music Association, the ACM held its first ceremony in 1966—the first country music awards program held by a major organization, and predating the CMA awards show by one year. In 1972, the ACM Awards were broadcast for the first time in national syndication on ABC. The ACM Awards moved to NBC and then to CBS, where it is broadcast today.

Due to the pandemic, this year’s ACM Awards took place for the first time in Nashville, six months after the show was originally set to take place on April 5 in Las Vegas. Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett tied as winners for the evening’s top honor, Entertainer of the Year. Luke Combs was named Male Artist of the Year, and earned Album of the Year for What You See Is What You Get. Maren Morris was named Female Artist of the Year, while Old Dominion took home both the Group of the Year honor, as well as Song of the Year for “One Man Band.”

Cumulus Media Adds Toni-Marie To Afternoons On Nashville’s WKDF

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Toni-Marie

Country radio personality Toni-Marie will helm afternoons on Cumulus Media’s 103.3 Country/WKDF-FM, from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Toni-Marie rounds out the WKDF weekday programming, which also includes Morning Koffy with Paul Koffy and Jasmine Sadry (5 a.m.-10 a.m.), Tyler Reese (10 a.m.-3 p.m.), Nights With Elaina’s Elaina Smith (7 p.m.-midnight), and Later With Lia’s Lia Knight from 12 a.m.-5 a.m.

Toni-Marie joins Cumulus Nashville from Entercom Country station KWJJ 99.5 The Wolf in Portland, OR, where she was Assistant Program Director and On-Air Host, Middays. Prior to that, she was Music Director and On-Air Host for Buck Owens Production Company Country stations KUZZ and The Bull 97.3/KRJK-FM in Bakersfield, CA. She was also Assistant Program Director and Music Director at KWNR in Las Vegas, NV.

Paul Williams, Program Director, 103.3 Country/WKDF-FM, said: “Toni cut her teeth at Buck Owens’ legendary KUZZ in Bakersfield and sharpened them at the WOLF in Portland. We’re thrilled to have her on our 103.3 Country team here in Tennessee.”

Toni-Marie commented: “I have never been happier inside of a Walmart than the day that Paul Williams called to offer me this position! I’ve had the opportunity to do country radio in some amazing markets, but getting to work with Paul and the team at 103-3 in Nashville is a dream come true!”

BMLG Records’ Matthew Hargis Elevated To Sr. VP

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Matthew Hargis.

Big Machine Label Group has elevated Matthew Hargis to Senior Vice President, Promotion and Marketing for BMLG Records, effective immediately. Hargis will continue leading radio promotion efforts for BMLG Records’ current singles “Long Live” (Florida Georgia Line), “Champagne Night” (Lady A), “Lady” (Brett Young), and “If It Wasn’t For Trucks” (Riley Green).

BMLG Records President/CEO Jimmy Harnen said, “Promoting Matthew Hargis to SVP, Promotion and Marketing is a reflection of his outstanding leadership and performance over the last 10 years. He has driven a total of 34 No.1 singles, averaging 3.4 a year, with 29 of those coming from brand new artists.”

Since joining the label in 2011, Hargis has been a driving force behind chart-topping singles including FGL’s breakthrough debut (and 11x multi-Platinum hit) “Cruise,” Lady A’s Platinum-certified single “What If I Never Get Over You,” Brett Young’s six consecutive No. 1 hits and ACM New Male Artist of the Year Riley Green’s first No. 1 with debut single “There Was This Girl.”

Hargis’ previous stops include positions at All Access and Capitol Records Nashville.

“First and foremost, I want to thank Scott Borchetta and Jimmy Harnen for continuing to believe in my being a part of such an amazing team and company,” said Hargis. “The past 10 years have been filled with irreplaceable memories and milestones. I know the next 10 will have even more. This year has shown me that being aligned with people who share the same passion and vision for music and what we do is where success will continue to be. Thank you to all of the artists and my BMLG team for your drive and tireless efforts as we continue to write pages in the history books!”

In addition to Hargis, Big Machine Label Group also announced promotions and an addition to its finance team. Mitch Beard and Megan Bragg have been elevated to Senior Accountant roles while Carolyn Szymanski joins the team as Accounting Coordinator.

Ross Copperman Hits Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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With Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s “Happy Anywhere,” Darius Rucker’s “Beers And Sunshine,” Brett Young’s “Lady,” and Runaway June’s “We Were Rich,” Ross Copperman enters the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week.

HARDY remains at No. 1, with Jameson Rodgers’ “Some Girls,” Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown,” Cole Swindell’s “Single Saturday Night,” Robert Counts’ “What Do I Know,” and his own “Give Heaven Some Hell” and “One Beer.” Josh Osborne remains at No. 2, Jake Mitchell at No. 3 and Hillary Lindsey at No. 4.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Weekly Register: Luke Combs Bows At No. 1 With Latest Project

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Luke Combs. Photo: David Bergman

Luke Combs’ new deluxe album, What You See Ain’t Always What You Get, debuts at No. 1 this week on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart with 109K equivalent units sold. It also set the new weekly streaming record for a country album with 102.26 million on-demand streams, breaking his’ own record, which he set last November when he released What You See Is What You Get.

Combs’ new song, “Forever After All,” also made history this week debuting at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart—the highest entrance ever for a male country solo artist.

What You See Ain’t Always What You Get also tops this week’s country albums chart, with Combs’ debut album from 2017, This One’s For You, ranking at No. 2 with 20K. Morgan Wallen‘s If I Know Me lands at No. 3 this week, with 17K, followed by Kane Brown‘s Mixtape Vol. 1 at No. 4, with 11K. Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller rounds out the Top 5 with 11K.

Elsewhere on the chart, The Cadillac Three‘s Tabasco & Sweet Tea debuts at No. 78 with 2.8K in total consumption.

Combs also holds the top two slots on the On-Demand Country Streaming Songs Chart, with “Forever After All” at No. 1 with 26 million streams, followed by “Better Together” at No. 2 with 9.1 million streams. Jason Aldean‘s “Got What I Got” is at No. 3 with 8.5 million streams, while Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown” is at No. 4 with 8.2 million. Gabby Barrett‘s “I Hope” is at No. 5 with 7.5 million streams.

Steve Dorff Heads To Demolition Music Publishing

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Pictured (First Row, L-R): Jon D’Agostino, President of Demolition Music/Staff Writer; Michael August, General Manager/Staff Writer; Lauren Spahn, Attorney at Shackelford Law; Jordin Wentworth, Assistant to Bruce Phillips; (Second Row, L-R): Adam Epstein, Head of A&R; Brian Smith, Management, Leadership Artists; Amanda Cooksey, A&R and Head of PR; Steve Dorff, Staff Writer; (Third Row, L-R): Jamie Dryburgh, Creative Director; Bruce Phillips, Law Office of Bruce H. Phillips; Shane Barrett, Song Plugger/Creative Consultant; Steve Bloch, Creative Consultant; (Fourth Row): Jessica Dock, Assistant to Steve Dorff.

Songwriter Steve Dorff has inked an exclusive deal with Demolition Music Publishing.

Previously based in Los Angeles, Dorff was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018 and has earned more than 40 BMI honors during his career.

“I’ve been coming to work in Nashville for the better part of 25 years and feel this is a great new beginning. Having been here for over a year, I realize how important it is to have a team who loves and appreciates songs,” says Dorff.

A three-time Grammy-nominee, Dorff has had more than 400 songs recorded by artists including Barbra Streisand (“Higher Ground,” “It Must Be You”), Whitney Houston (“Take Good Care of My Heart” ft. Jermaine Jackson), George Strait (“I Cross My Heart,” “The Man In Love With You”), Garth Brooks (“Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance”), Ronnie Milsap (“Cowboys and Clowns”), Celine Dion (“Miracle”), Kenny Rogers (“Through The Years”), and more. He has had 14 No. 1 hits, and an American Music Award win.

“In addition to my catalog, I’m especially excited about bringing Latigo Shore Music into the deal, which showcases some of Andrew Dorff’s early works. Some of the songs written in this catalog were written with some of Nashville’s greatest songwriters including Josh Osborne, Rodney Clawson, and Eric Church. A lot of these songs, in addition to songs by Jeston Cade, are ‘hits waiting to happen’ and I’m thrilled that they will get a new lease on life,” says Dorff.

“I’ve had a great relationship with Steve for years and adding him to our Demolition team takes me back to when the Yankees added Reggie Jackson to their lineup. He’s a hall of fame songwriter who has proven time and time again that no matter the genre, he plays to win,” says Jon D’Agostino, President of Demolition Music.

“Jon and I have been good friends, and I think the Demolition team is a great place to call home,” says Dorff. “I’m looking forward to working with the creative team at Demolition, and am currently working on a lot of exciting projects including records, films, and other productions,” says Dorff.

Jason Nix Signs With Jody Williams Songs

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Pictured (L-R, Front Row): Jarrod Holley (Make Wake Artists), Jody Williams, Jason Nix, Nina Jenkins (Jody Williams Songs). (L-R, Back Row): Walker Newberry (Make Wake Artists), Randi McFadden (Make Wake Artists), Chris Kappy (Make Wake Artists), Matt Cottingham (Ritholz Levy Fields LLP). Photo Credit: Nathan Zucker

Jason Nix has signed an exclusive songwriting agreement with Jody Williams Songs.

Nix’s debut EP Money On You was released earlier this month and landed in the Top 20 on the iTunes Country Charts.

“I’m a big fan of Jason’s songwriting, performing and connectivity to his fans,” said Jody Williams, who launched his publishing company this year in partnership with Warner Chappell Music Nashville. “We could not be prouder to be his publishing home and work closely with Jarrod Holley and Chris Kappy at Make Wake in this important season of his career.”

“Jody was a huge reason that Jason was able to get off the road a few years ago and focus on songwriting,” says Nix’s manager Holley. “As soon as we found out he was launching Jody Williams Songs, we knew that we wanted Jason to be a part of their incredible roster.”

“Jody brings an unparalleled reputation and is one of my favorite people in this town,” adds Kappy. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring him and his team on board to team Nix.”

“Jody has been a champion for me ever since I met him at BMI years ago,” Nix shares. “I am excited to formally work with him, Nina and their talented JWS family.”

Melinda Newman Earns 2020 CMA Media Achievement Award

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Melinda Newman

Melinda Newman, Billboard’s Executive Editor, West Coast and Nashville, was awarded the 2020 CMA Media Achievement Award on Friday, Oct. 30. Newman was surprised with news of her win during a video interview with the co-hosts of the upcoming 54th Annual CMA Awards, Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker.

The CMA Media Achievement Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of print and internet journalists, columnists, authors, editors, television writers, producers and bookers, and syndicated radio reporters in the media as they relate to country music. The award is voted on by publicist members of CMA.

Before assuming her position as Billboard’s Executive Editor, West Coast and Nashville, Newman contributed to outlets such as The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Country, Country Weekly, Christian Science Monitor, Forbes, Parade, Entrepreneur, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, The Boot and Variety as a freelance writer.

“We are delighted to be presenting Melinda with this year’s Media Achievement Award,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “We can’t thank Melinda enough for her consistent, thoughtful coverage of the country music landscape over the years, which has been essential in furthering CMA’s mission of bringing country music to fans across the globe. We look forward to seeing Melinda back in Nashville soon so we can celebrate her achievement.”

“When I returned to Billboard three years ago, with editorial director Hannah Karp’s blessing, we actively aimed to strengthen our country coverage,” Newman said. “Our mission has been to herald the artists and other creatives who make the music and the industry executives who ensure it gets out to the millions of fans, as well as chronicle the trends and issues facing the country music community. This award is wonderful recognition that we are on the right path. On a personal note, country music has provided an even greater refuge than ever before to help make these uncertain times bearable. For that I am very grateful.”

BlackHawk Returns With Two-Disc Greatest Hits Project

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BlackHawk is back with a two-disc greatest hits project, Just About Right: Live From Atlanta, from BFD/Audium Nashville/The Orchard. The new live acoustic album recorded from Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta will drop Nov. 13.

Known for their smooth harmonies, BlackHawk was originally made up of trio Henry Paul (lead vocals, mandolin, acoustic guitar), Dave Robbins (harmony vocals, keyboard) and the late Van Stephenson (harmony vocals, electric guitar). Recording Just About Right gave Paul and Robbins the chance to reunite with their original backing band from the ’90s, performing again alongside Bobby Huff (percussion) and Dale Oliver (lead guitar).

According to Paul, the reunion made for a very memorable musical moment, and many of the songs chosen were personal favorites from their early records spanning nearly a decade. The collection includes top hits “Goodbye Says It All,” “Every Once in a While,” “I Sure Can Smell the Rain,” “That’s Just About Right” and 18 more of the band’s tracks.

“Having this music that’s so special to us performed by the people that helped create it sets this double live album apart from anything we’ve recorded and released,” Paul said. “I especially love the acoustic nature of this collection because it casts these songs in the true spirit in which they were written.”

“Making a live BlackHawk acoustic recording takes me back to when Henry, Van, and I started writing and singing together as a trio,” said Robbins. “It’s representative of BlackHawk in its purist form, having old friends join us on stage and tried-and-true fans makes everything ‘just about right’ on that special night in Atlanta.”

Just About Right: Live From Atlanta Track Listing:
Disc 1
1. Down in Flames (M. Clark, J. Stevens)
2. Goodbye Says It All (C. Black, B. Fischer, J. McRae)
3. Every Once in a While (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson)
4. Love Like This (P. Bunch, M. Kennedy, P. Rose)
5. Let Em’ Whirl (H. Paul. V. Stephenson, G. Jennings)
6. Almost a Memory Now (D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, D. Oliver)
7. Wichita (D. Robbins, T. Robbins, T. Gates)
8. I’m Not Strong Enough to Say No (R. Lange)
9. Ships of Heaven (V. Stephenson)
10. Ain’t No Yesterday (W. Aldridge, M. Narmore)
11. Always Have, Always Will (D. Robbins)

Disc 2
1. Days of America (H. Paul, D. Robbins, L. Miller)
2. Dances With Her Shadow (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, D. Oliver)
3. Bluest Eyes in Texas (D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, T. DuBois)
4. Spirit Dancer (H. Paul, D Robbins, J. Peterick)
5. There You Have It (S. Bogard, R. Giles)
6. Brothers of the Southland (H. Paul, D. Robbins, J. Peterick)
7. One More Heartache (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson)
8. I Sure Can Smell the Rain (W. Aldridge, J. Jarrard)
9. That’s Just About Right (J. Black)
10. Postmarked Birmingham (P. Vasser, D. Sampson)
11. Big Guitar (H. Paul, H. Gross)