In 1999 Pete Fisher joined the Opry’s leadership team with a focus on maintaining the brand’s cultural significance. Sixteen years later, his efforts have paid off.

MusicRow outlines those achievements in an in-depth print piece, found in the 2015 Artist Roster. The Opry Vice President/General Manager goes into further detail about star inductions and the memories he treasures most from his experiences.

“During my tenure here, we’ve inducted Mel Tillis, Charlie Daniels, the Del McCoury Band, Ralph Stanley, The Oak Ridge Boys,” recalls Fisher to MusicRow during a recent visit to his Opryland offices. “Contemporary-wise it’s been Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, and Old Crow Medicine Show, whose music ties back to the late ‘20s on the Opry.

“Opry membership has always been determined by the management of the time. I believe I’m the seventh manager in the Opry’s history. With that comes varying philosophies from the way it might have been done previously.

“It’s basically a decision Steve Buchanan and I make. The factors we considers are divided into two pieces. One is career accomplishment: artists who have achieved and sustained a respectable level of success. We almost have to think what a name will mean 20 years down the road in country music. The other piece is more the intangible: the emotional or relationship. When the artist is here as a guest performer, do we really see a genuine emotional connection to what the Opry is and what it stands for? It’s not about who’s the biggest name in country music, or who loves the Opry the most or how many times they have performed as a guest artist. It’s kind of a combination.”

Surviving over a decade and a half of time backstage saw Fisher literally paddling through murky waters, during the 2010 Nashville flood, and helming the reemergence of the now 90 year old institution.

“The memories I’ll treasure the most are probably the one-on-one interactions with people like Jimmy Dickens or Porter Wagoner and Jim Ed Brown,” he sums. “Nothing touches that for me. Those are precious memories.”

Pick up your copy of the MusicRow Artist Roster to read more on the Opry’s 90th Anniversary celebration and what to expect in the future.

For the second year Big Machine Label Group founder/pres./CEO Scott Borchetta will join FOX’s American Idol as mentor, MusicRow has confirmed. This will be the 15th and final season of the program.

“I have every intention of working with the team to develop a great new talent to land on Big Machine Records/Universal,” notes Borchetta to USA Today.

Keith Urban is also slated to return for the fourth year as a judge on Idol, in addition to Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. Ryan Seacrest will serve as host, a role he has filled throughout the duration of the enterprise.

In addition to searching for the final Idol, FOX notes the January 2016 farewell events will pay tribute to the past 14 seasons of contestants and the millions of fans who tweeted, texted and championed their Idols.

Big Machine signed season 14 winner Nick Fradiani.

Borchetta is repped by CAA.

CMA Films With CMT Canada

For the first time, CMA partnered with CMT Canada to film a special CMA Songwriters Series presentation on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Artists and songwriters Kristian Bush, Deric Ruttan, Ron Sexsmith, and Josh Turner performed during the celebration of songs and scribes, which was filmed in front of an exclusive invite-only audience of industry movers and Country Music super fans. The one-hour broadcast will air this fall.

ASCAP and Students Prep Release

ASCAP released the first music video “The World’s On Fire,” from their upcoming ASCAP Songwriter Residency: Volume 7 compilation, compiled of seven tracks free to stream and download Friday, Sept. 25. The song was co-written and performed by Felix McTeigue (“Anything Goes,” FGL) with songwriters Ellie Buckland, Isa Burke and 30 America SCORES students of Boston Teachers Union School. The after-school program is an annual mentorship program that enables songwriters to engage and inspire elementary and middle school students in under-resourced neighborhoods around the country. Click here to watch the video.

SESAC, ole Celebrate John Paul White-Produced Album

Lindi Ortega, SESAC, ole and Last Gang Records gathered Thursday, Aug. 6 at the Nashville-headquarted PRO to celebrate the release of Faded Gloryville. Ortega’s 10-track album was produced by Dave Cobb, Colin Linden, Ben Tanner and John Paul White. Lindi will play Nashville’s Ink N Iron festival on Sunday, Aug. 9.

Corey Smith Visits CMT

Sugar Hill Records artist Corey Smith stopped by CMT on Thursday (August 6) to play a few songs from his new release, While The Gettin’ Is Good, including his new single “Feet Wet.” CMT is currently playing the video for the single on CMT Pure.