Industry Ink: Leslie Jordan, Seryn, Billy Blue Records, AGD Entertainment

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Leslie Jordan Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut

Leslie Jordan was joined onstage during his Opry debut set by TJ Osborne, Vince Gill, and Charlie Worsham. Photo: Rachael Black

The Grand Ole Opry welcomed actor, writer, comedian, and singer Leslie Jordan for his Opry debut on Saturday, May 22 in front of a full capacity crowd.

Jordan’s performance as well as those by Brothers Osborne, Vince Gill, and Charlie Worsham aired on Opry Live on the Circle Network. Jordan was joined onstage during his set by TJ Osborne, Gill, and Worsham for the Opry standard “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”.

Jordan released his country album Company’s Comin’ in April, which featured duets with Dolly Parton, Eddie Vedder, Brandi Carlile, Chris & Morgane Stapleton, Ashley McBryde, Worsham, Katie Pruitt, Tanya Tucker and Osborne, as well as co-producers, Travis Howard and Danny Myrick. Best known for his roles on Will and Grace and Fox’s Call Me Kat, the Emmy award-winning actor has seen a surge in popularity since his relatable, slice-of-life videos went viral on social media during the pandemic. Continuing his success into 2021, Jordan launched his Apple Music Country radio show Hunker Down Radio with Leslie Jordan, and landed on The New York Times Best Seller list with his book How Y’all Doin’.

 

 

ONErpm Inks Partnership With Indie Folk-Pop Group Seryn

Pictured (L-R): Chase Johnson, Aaron Stoner, Casey Childers, Trenton Wheeler, Nathan Allen and ONErpm’s Jeff Tobias

Seryn—a six-piece, Nashville-based, indie folk-pop ensemble originally formed in Dallas in 2010—has reunited to create new music in partnership with independent digital solutions company ONErpm.

“We are so excited to have found a home in Nashville and at ONErpm,” the band shares. “We are ready to move forward with a great team, with lots of new music on the horizon.”

The band’s latest release, “Figuring Out,” will be available on all platforms Friday, May 28. Seryn will also be performing at Mercy Lounge’s The High Watt with The Hardin Draw and Thomas Dietzel on June 25.

 

 

Australia Native Kristy Cox Signs With Billy Blue Records

Jerry Salley (Billy Blue Records), Kristy Cox, Ed Leonard (Billy Blue Records)

Australia’s “Queen of Bluegrass” Kristy Cox has signed with Nashville’s Billy Blue Records.

Cox has topped the Billboard charts and is a multiple winner of Australia’s CMAA Golden Guitar Awards. She and her growing family made Nashville home just 8 years ago, and she will become a U.S. citizen in October of 2021. When she’s not writing, recording or performing, Cox is one of Nashville’s favorite barista’s as the owner of a mobile Australian coffee van.

“I have known Kristy since she was a very young lady, and she is truly one of the hardest working women I have ever been associated with in the music business,” Creative and A&R Director of Billy Blue Records Jerry Salley says. “We will start recording our 7th bluegrass album together, and her incredible vocal talent is only matched by her ambition and drive to get things done! I am beyond excited to welcome Kristy to Billy Blue Records. She is exactly the kind of artist and person that we want to become a member of this label family.”

“When I first visited Nashville I met Jerry Salley, and since then, he has become not only a huge part of my career through our 6 albums together, but a huge part of my family… He’s the closest thing we have to family on this side of the big pond,” shares Cox. “I am looking forward to this next chapter and joining this amazing label family.”

 

 

AGD Entertainment Announces Winners to ‘Zero To 60’ Scholarship

Nicolas Edgerson “Legendary Nedge” and Damon McKinney “Tae”

AGD Entertainment, a Nashville-based entertainment company specializing in career development in the ever-changing music industry, has announce the winners of their first-ever Zero to 60 (ZT60) Scholarship program designed for developing 16 to 20 year-old artists.

The inaugural recipients include 18 year-old Nicolas Edgerson “Legendary Nedge” from Atlanta, who received the Full Scholarship which covers his nine-month experience with the ZT60 program, and 18 year-old Damon McKinney “Tae” of Nashville, who received a partial ZT60 scholarship.

Full Scholarship recipient Legendary Nedge is a rap artist who counts his major influencers as Drake and 2Pac. He started to use music as an outlet to heal himself from problems like depression and anxiety. Partial Scholarship recipient Damon McKinney “Tae” says he has been greatly influenced by Pharrell Williams, and his sound has evolved from pop into a jazz/hip hop influenced sound over the years. Tae’s proudest moment to date was at his first year at Bonnaroo in 2018, when he had the opportunity to be in the studio with Billie Eilish and Finneas.

“We believe that motivated artists should have the opportunity to succeed,” said Nathan Dohse, president of AGD Entertainment and author of the Zero To 60 Program. “Finances should not be the main cause preventing success as an artist. We are thrilled to be able to offer AGD’s services to Legendary Nedge and Tae and to support them in their creativity to reach their full potential as artists.”

Lydia Farthing
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