Industry Ink: Grand Ole Opry, Casting Crowns, Brit Taylor

/by

Grand Ole Opry Celebrates 75th Anniversary Of Bluegrass

Del McCoury. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry hosted a special show celebrating the 75th anniversary of bluegrass music Saturday night (Dec. 5) with Opry member Del McCoury, a member of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, The Travelin’ McCourys, Brooke and Darin Aldridge, and the recently named 2020 International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainers of the Year Sister Sadie.

Sister Sadie. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry

During the show it was announced that multi-award-winning bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent will officially be inducted as an Opry member on Feb. 6, 2021. The seven-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year and 2001 IBMA Entertainer of the Year had been invited to join the Opry earlier this year, but her induction had been delayed due to the pandemic.

 

Casting Crowns Receive YouTube Gold Button Award, Two RIAA Gold Singles

Casting Crowns and Provident Label Group. Photo: Courtesy Merge PR

Casting Crowns has received the YouTube Gold Button Award for surpassing more than one million subscribers. Since 2018 when the band released the album Only Jesus, they have gained more than 500,000 new subscribers, released 77 videos, and have more than 250 million total views. Casting Crowns has also received their newest RIAA Gold Certifications for their No. 1 singles “Only Jesus” and “Nobody.” These songs are from the album Only Jesus, which produced two No. 1 singles, including the group’s 15th career No. 1, a Grammy nomination, a 2019 Dove Award, two 2020 Dove Award nominations and most recently two Billboard Music Awards nominations for Top Christian Album and Top Christian Song (“Nobody” ft. Matthew West). The album has racked up more than 290 million streams to date, and the videos for the newly-certified songs have a combined 75 million views.

“It is a rare honor to congratulate an artist on these special milestones of sales achievements and YouTube subscribers in the Contemporary Christian Music genre,” says CEO and President, Provident Entertainment Terry Hemmings. “The fact that Casting Crowns has surpassed this YouTube one million subscribers mark as well as received two additional RIAA Gold plaques in a relatively short period of time clearly speaks to the power of the songs and the message this band has communicated over the last decade, and particularly with their 2018 release Only Jesus. We are so grateful to walk alongside Casting Crowns and support sharing their music with a world that needs their message, especially in this difficult season.”

 

Brit Taylor Inks Distribution Deal With ONErpm

Pictured (L-R): Sydney Guilliams, ONErpm Marketing Manager; Ken Madson, ONErpm GM, USA; Ken Adbo, Fox Rothschild, LLP; Brit Taylor; Tiffany Bearden, CEO, Evolution PR; Jeff Tobias, ONErpm A&R Representative

Brit Taylor has signed a distribution deal with global music solutions company ONErpm. Taylor recently released Real Me, her self-reflective 10-song debut. The project, produced by Dave Brainard, features a handful of songs Taylor co-wrote with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach.

“It’s not often you get to work with artists who have honed in on who they are and what they’re trying to say through their music,” says ONErpm’s A&R representative Jeff Tobias. “Brit is a one of a kind artist who is creating undeniably standout music that will continue to wow audiences everywhere.”

Lorie Hollabaugh
Latest posts by Lorie Hollabaugh (see all)