Pictured (L-R): Megan Barry and Scott Borchetta

The T.J. Martell Foundation has announced that Big Machine Label Group CEO/founder Scott Borchetta and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry have been added as presenters during the upcoming 8th annual Honors Gala, slated for Feb. 29 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville.

Also, previously-announced host Charles Esten will perform during the event. Esten joins already announced performers Don Henley, Ronnie Milsap, Joe Walsh, Ruby Wilson and Chris Young. 

This year’s Honors Gala honorees are:

Aubrey Harwell, Co-Founding Partner of Neal and Harwell: Spirit of Nashville Award
Brian Philips, President of CMT: Frances Preston Outstanding Music Industry Achievement Award
Jennifer Pietenpol, Ph.D., Director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center: Medical Research Advancement Award
Kenny Rogers, Grammy award-winning superstar: Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award
FedEx Corporation: Outstanding Global Citizenship Award with Frederick W. Smith accepting on behalf of more than 350,000 team members around the world

The T.J. Martell Foundation is a national organization founded by the music industry, whose mission is to fund innovative leukemia, cancer and AIDS research at flagship hospitals in the United States including the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. 

Pictured (L-R): Jen McMakin and Jamie Bibler

Nashville hospitality professionals Jamie Bibler and Jen McMakin have opened Bon Vivant, a lifestyle management company that makes it easier to traveling VIPs to navigate a visit to Nashville.

Bon Vivant’s clientele includes national and international corporations, recording artists, and management companies. Connecting corporate and private clients with unique high-end experiences, the team taps into its vast network of relationships to offer preferential treatment, elevated access and more.

Bibler brings to Bon Vivant 10-plus years of experience in hospitality and event management. Her vast knowledge and experience ranges from restaurant and hotel sales, event design, coordination and production. She has cultivated invaluable relationships, and has been a go-to resource for many.

As a Nashville native, McMakin has been immersed in the culture of the city for years, with a close connection to its continual growth. She previously served as the Marketing Director of M Street Entertainment Group, known for many successful concepts including Virago, Kayne Prime, Whiskey Kitchen, Moto, Saint Anejo, Tavern, Citizen and The Rosewall.

Bon Vivant’s services include:

Entertainment: Providing clients with preferential treatment and exclusive access to the hottest music, art, and fashion events in town

Epicure + Connoisseur: Collaborating with top local restaurants and chefs, Bon Vivant provides rare and exclusive culinary experiences for its clients

Bespoke Travel: Custom-tailored itineraries for Nashville city excursions

Partnership + Brand Development: Corporate clients can leverage Bon Vivant’s local network of experts and strengthen their brand affiliation, offering access to partnerships and other business opportunities while enjoying preferential rates.

For additional information, visit BonVivantNashville.com. Contact Bon Vivant at contact@bonvivantnashville.com or 615.669.5589.

Bill Anderson, a member of the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame, will release an autobiography in September.

Titled Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life in Country Music, the book traces Anderson’s life from his Georgia roots to his achievements as one of Nashville’s most enduring songwriters.

Music journalist and Grammy-nominated music producer Peter Cooper served as a contributing writer on the book, which will be published by University of Georgia Press.

It includes rare, never-before-seen photos and personal stories from Anderson’s early days of radio broadcasting in Georgia, to standing onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, to being named BMI’s first ICON Award winner in the country music genre.

“I sometimes look in the mirror and wonder how one man could have been so blessed to have crammed so much living into one lifetime. I see the gray on my temples and instead of trying to hide it, I remember how much fun I had putting it there. Writing it down for these pages was almost akin to living it again, though, and I probably need to take a deep breath, relax and go sit down in the corner. Come sit with me, bring the book, and let me tell you about it,” said Anderson.

With the 2015 success of Mo Pitney’s “Country,” the 78-year-old Anderson is the only country songwriter to tally a Top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades.

At age 23, he was the youngest writer to ever be named BMI’s Songwriter of the Year, prior to 21-year-old Taylor Swift. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1961, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975 and the County Music Hall of Fame in 2001.