Industry Ink: CMHOFM, Brantley Gilbert, We The Kingdom, SARMAR Mgmt
Country Music Hall Of Fame Hosts Program With Photographer Ed Rode
Pictured (L-R): Ed Rode, Don Henry, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum writer-editor Angela Stefano Zimmer, Tony Arata, Matraca Berg and Jeff Hanna. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosted a program last weekend with photographer Ed Rode, who discussed his career and photography with museum writer-editor Angela Stefano Zimmer in the museum’s Ford Theater. Following their conversation, songwriters Tony Arata, Matraca Berg and Don Henry, all of whom Rode has photographed, performed.
Rode’s 2024 book, Songwriter Musician: Behind the Curtain with Nashville’s Iconic Storytellers and Players, features decades of stories captured on camera: playing snooker with John Prine, celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans with Brad Paisley, traversing Tennessee with Ketch Secor and documentarian Ken Burns, and more. The program was offered in support of the museum’s exhibit “Writers, Pickers, and Stars: The Photography of Ed Rode,” which runs through July, and features photos from Rode’s book.
Brantley Gilbert & Real American Beer To Launch RAB Zero
Brantley Gilbert has become an investor and equity partner of Real American Beer, and will launch Real American Beer ZERO, the company’s first non-alcoholic beer. Fourteen years sober, Gilbert approached the opportunity with intention and wanted something that reflected how he actually lives. The launch is anchored by a new national partnership with the USO, reinforcing RAB’s commitment to American pride and community. Through the program, RAB will donate $1 per case sold of RAB ZERO to the USO and ongoing donations tied directly to sales, supporting active-duty service members and their families.
We The Kingdom Celebrates RIAA Gold Certification For ‘God So Loved’
Pictured (L-R): David Gutekunst (Executive Vice President, Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group), Garrett Davis (Senior Vice President, A&R), Scott Cash, Ed Cash, Martin Cash, Andrew Bergthold, Kenny Rogers (Senior Vice President, CCMG Label Group), Brad O’Donnell (President, CCMG), Emily Dashiell (Senior Vice President, Marketing & Commercial Partnerships). Photo: Tyler Ervin
We The Kingdom was recently presented with an RIAA Gold plaque at the Capitol Christian Music Group offices recognizing the impact of the group’s breakout hit “God So Loved” from their album Holy Water. “God So Loved” has notched major milestones across radio, streaming, and fan engagement, including a No. 1 radio single on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart. The song has generated over 18 million views across socials, received a Dove Award nomination, and continues to draw more than three million streams per month to date. The plaque presentation capped an afternoon of celebrating the band’s new album, Dear Jesus at CCMG, marking a milestone moment for We The Kingdom as they enter a new season.
Sarah Marie Burke Launches SARMAR Management
Sarah Marie Burke
Sarah Marie Burke has launched SARMAR Management. With over two decades of experience in A&R Production, Burke founded SARMAR to deliver reliable, organized Production Management services that support artists and creative teams across both studio and live productions. Through SARMAR, Burke oversees recording projects from pre-production through final delivery, managing schedules, budgets, booking, union coordination, metadata collection, and label communication.
Additionally, she provides live show Production Management, drawing on years of experience producing and advancing shows at venues including the Ryman Auditorium, The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. With the launch of SARMAR, Burke has also partnered with VEVA Sound, a music tech company known for audio verification, archiving, and metadata integrity for sound recordings. Burke will utilize VEVA Collect, VEVA Sound’s secure, cloud-based collaboration and asset management platform built specifically for music production workflows.
