Lady A, Chris Tomlin, Russell Dickerson Share Opry Stage

Lady A and Chris Tomlin. Photo: courtesy Grand Ole Opry LLC/Chris Hollo, photographer

Country trio Lady A, alongside Chris Tomlin and Russell Dickerson, performed on the Opry over the weekend. Their performances aired during the Opry’s one-hour TV broadcast, Opry Live, on Circle. Both Lady A and Dickerson appear on Tomlin’s new album, Chris Tomlin & Friends, which includes 13 tracks featuring Chris with many of today’s biggest country artists. Lady A’s set included “Who You Are To Me,” the five-week No. 1 Billboard Christian Airplay single from Tomlin’s album “Who You Are To Me” was penned by Tomlin and Lady A’s Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood.

MTSU To Host Nashville’s Female Musicians In Online Music Panel Discussion

The Center for Popular Music is hosting an online panel discussion on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at noon, with Ellen Angelico, a multi-instrumentalist and touring/ session musician, Megan Coleman, a drummer, DJ and songwriter, and Judy Rodman, a singer-songwriter, producer, author and vocal coach. Tiffany Minton, the center’s graduate assistant who created and is compiling “The Women Musicians in Nashville Oral History Project,” and MTSU history professor and ethnomusicologist Kristine McCusker will talk with the women as part of a new oral history project by the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University.

YEP Nashville Teams With Los Angeles Chapter For Virtual Mixer

The Young Entertainment Professionals’ Nashville Chapter teamed up with the Los Angeles Chapter for a virtual Zoom Mixer on Thursday, Nov. 19. During the mixer, board members and ambassadors were able to network and connect by splitting off into breakout rooms. The non-profit networking group for the entertainment industry strives to create an environment for the betterment of its members through networking events, showcases, mentorship and educational development. YEP has over 38,000 members across all social media platforms and currently has chapters in both Nashville and Los Angeles.

Dolly Parton. Photo: Rob Hoffman

The story behind Dolly Parton‘s Imagination Library will be highlighted in the free, one-night-only, livestream world premiere event The Library That Dolly Built, which will stream exclusively on Facebook on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. ET.

The screening will be followed by a conversation and live acoustic performance from Parton. Viewers can tune in to the live screening and conversation on FB.ME/dollysimaginationlibrary and ImaginationLibrary.com. In addition, the European premiere will be Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. GMT, and the Australian premiere will be Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. AEDT. The documentary was made possible by Dollywood and Abramorama in association with The Dollywood Foundation.

Parton created the Imagination Library in 1995 to help inspire a love of books and reading in young children; the initiative has since expanded into a global endeavor and recently gifted its 150 millionth book. The program currently sends books to 1.7 million children around the world each month. Earlier this year, Parton launched a weekly bedtime reading series, “Goodnight With Dolly,” which aired across Facebook and YouTube, earning over 15 million views. On Dec. 11, the film and the conversation with Parton will be released nationwide as a Watch Now @ Home Cinema Release, and in early 2021 across multiple digital platforms.

Parton said, “I am so excited that we can finally tell the whole story of the Imagination Library. It is certainly not just about me. Our story is the story of children, of families and communities who all share the dream to inspire kids to love to read and to love to learn. My hope is this documentary will encourage more towns, more states and even more countries to jump onboard. One thing is for sure, I think this is the best investment I have ever made!”

The Library That Dolly Built, directed and produced by journalism professor and director of Land Grant Films Nick Geidner, and narrated by Danica McKellar, goes behind the scenes of Parton’s Imagination Library, to show how one of the most famous and beloved performers in the world has partnered with thousands of local community organizations to develop an efficient and effective program for spreading the love of reading. Imagination Library started as a gift for the children in Parton’s hometown, Sevierville, Tennessee, and is now active in all 50 states, and five countries, gifting 1.7 million free, age-appropriate books to children every month. The film also provides a glimpse of the profound impact the Imagination Library has on the people through original interviews with authors, policymakers, Imagination Library staff, recipients, and the legend herself, Dolly Parton. Woven throughout the film is a biographical sketch of Parton, featuring rare photos and films from her childhood. Unlike most biographies of Parton, it doesn’t focus on her music. Instead, it demonstrates that at every point in her career, any time she has had success, Parton has come back to Sevierville to give back to her people.

Instrument retailer Guitar Center, Inc. has filed a petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 in bankruptcy court.

As announced on Nov. 13, Guitar Center has secured new financing to implement its financial restructuring plan, which is supported by its equity sponsor, a fund managed by the Private Equity Group of Ares Management Corporation, new equity investors Brigade Capital Management and a fund managed by The Carlyle Group, as well as supermajorities of its noteholder groups. The Plan provides for a comprehensive transaction that will deleverage the Company’s balance sheet, enhance financial flexibility and provide additional liquidity to continue to support its vendors, suppliers, and employees.

The Plan will reduce debt by nearly $800 million and is supported by up to $165 million in new equity investments from a fund managed by the Private Equity Group of Ares Management Corporation, a fund managed by the Carlyle Group and Brigade Capital Management. Guitar Center has negotiated to have a total of $375 million in Debtor-In-Possession (“DIP”) financing provided by certain of its existing noteholders and ABL lenders. In connection with the Plan, the Company currently intends to raise $335 million in new senior secured notes. UBS Investment Bank will serve as the lead placement agent in connection with this effort. The move is intended to allow Guitar Center and its related brands (including Music & Arts, Musician’s Friend, Woodwind Brasswind and AVDG) to continue normal operations while the transaction is implemented.

Guitar Center has been in business for over 60 years, but was forced to close many locations in March during the COVID-19 lockdowns across the nation, and struggled to keep sales up as the economy tanked during the pandemic.

Ron Japinga, CEO of Guitar Center, said, “This is an important and positive step in our process to significantly reduce our debt and enhance our ability to reinvest in our business to support long-term growth. Throughout this process, we will continue to serve our customers and deliver on our mission of putting more music in the world. Given the strong level of support from our lenders and creditors, we expect to complete the process before the end of this year.”

If you’re having trouble getting in the Christmas spirit this year, CMA has you covered with the upcoming CMA Country Christmas special airing on ABC on Nov. 30.

The show, hosted by husband and wife team, Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins, will include plenty of holiday favorites, tapping into the nostalgia and magic of the holiday season with performances from Kelsea Ballerini on the playful “Santa Baby,” Gabby Barrett on “The First Noel,” Lady A on “Wonderful Christmastime” and “Little Saint Nick,” Little Big Town on “Christmas Time Is Here,” Tim McGraw on “It Wasn’t His Child,” and Darius Rucker with Lindsey Stirling on the reverent “What Child Is This?”.

With a nod to the present, the special also includes three world TV premieres from Dan + Shay singing “Christmas Isn’t Christmas,” Florida Georgia Line performing “Lit This Year,” and Thomas Rhett singing “Christmas In The Country.”

This year’s show, filmed without a live audience for the first time and executive produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Paul Miller, is staged in an intimate, at home setting as a throwback to classic holiday specials of the past.