Chuck Wicks
Pictured (L-R): Michelle Tigard Kammerer, Brian O’Neil, Eric Wright and Kent Wolfenbarger. Photo: Andrea Cothern.
Blake Shelton
CMT has signed on as the exclusive cable partner of the 2014 Country Thunder festivals, two of the genre’s largest festivals with headliners including Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Brantley Gilbert and The Band Perry slated to perform. Now in its 22nd year, the festivals expect to host sell-out crowds of more than 30,000 country music fans from April 10-13 in Arizona, and July 24-27 in Wisconsin. CMT will offer coverage of the Wisconsin festival, with on and off-stage access across all of the network’s screens including CMT, CMT.com and CMT Radio.
Gary Allan, Sawyer Brown, Craig Morgan, Mark Chesnutt, Joe Diffie, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Colt Ford, Charlie Worsham, Will Hoge and Chad Brownlee are also on the bill, with additional artists to be announced on CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown, premiering Saturday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. ET/PT. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit countrythunder.com.
“Bringing Country music to the masses, it’s important to be everywhere our fans are both on the ground and everywhere they find music. CMT has an unmatched ability to cover country music everywhere our fans are,” said Troy Vollhoffer, executive producer.
Pictured (L-R, front row): Songwriter Mark Irwin, Tyler Farr, and songwriters Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins. (L-R, back row): ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, producers Julian King and Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino, Sony Music Nashville’s Gary Overton, Columbia Nashville’s Norbert Nix, Big Yellow Dog’s Carla Wallace, Big Loud Shirt’s Matt Turner and Red Vinyl Music’s Eric Gallimore. Photo: Ed Rode.
Johnny Cash
Pictured (L-R): Jacquie Lee, Will Champlin and Tessanne Chin
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The Blackbird Academy, an intensive six-month professional audio program based out of Blackbird Studio in Nashville, has announced a partnership with Pensado’s Place, the Web-based series hosted by hitmaking mix engineer Dave Pensado. To launch the partnership, Pensado’s Place will be sponsoring one full-ride scholarship [$21,900 value] for the six-month Studio Engineering Program beginning Jan. 6, 2014.
“Herb and I always look for opportunity to educate people through our show,” says Pensado, referring to co-producer/co-host Herb Trawick. “This scholarship in conjunction with our partners at The Blackbird Academy is huge, and it represents education at the very highest level. We’re thrilled to be part of it.”
Applicants are required to submit a form and answer two essay questions relating to their passion for music and recording. In addition to the scholarship, five lucky winners will receive a “Fly Away” to Nashville to receive a private tour of The Blackbird Academy and the amazing nine-room Blackbird Studio, home to sessions by everyone from the Kings of Leon to Dave Stewart to Kid Rock, given personally by owner John McBride.
For more information, visit pensadosplace.tv/blackbird
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NextMedia Radio Group will switch two signals in the Greenville-New Bern and Jacksonville-Wilmington, N.C. markets to bring a new Hot Country format to eastern North Carolina on WQSL and WQZL, beginning on Dec. 16th at noon. These stations will operate on a full simulcast basis.
WQSL, at 92.3 on the FM dial, is licensed to Jacksonville, N.C. and the WQSL signal area serves the Coastal Carolina region from New Bern south to and including the Wilmington market. WQZL, at 101.1 on the FM dial, is licensed to Belhaven, N.C. and the WQZL signal area serves the northern half of the Greenville-New Bern market including the cities of Greenville, New Bern and Washington.
”NextMedia is excited to launch the WOLF in the Greenville-New Bern and Jacksonville-Wilmington N.C. markets,” commented General Manager Larry Weiss. “Our two signals, at 92.3 and 101.1, will carry the WOLF’s fresh, hot new distinctive Country format to the entire coastal Carolina region. Announcements will be made following the holidays on the staff hired to fill the Program Director and air staff positions.”
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Southwest will begin offering another nonstop flight from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to New York LaGuardia, beginning May 11. This mark’s Southwest’s third daily nonstop flight to LaGuardia.
“We are pleased to have Southwest add an additional nonstop flight to New York LaGuardia, one of our most popular destinations,” Rob Wigington, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, said. “This is a big win for the Nashville community, since LaGuardia is a slot-restricted airport and the slots are difficult to secure. The Airport Authority is committed to growing Nashville’s air service by continuously attracting new destinations and nonstop services and delivering the Nashville Airports Experience to our passengers, business partners and employees.”
Regina, Ron and Nate Stuve
As of yesterday (Dec. 16), Ron’s wife, entertainment publicist Regina Stuve, said, “We have witnessed a miracle and every person who has prayed for Ron is part of this Christmas miracle. The odds were against us but with everyone circling Ron and lifting him up, the odds are with us now. I know our medical team AND our spiritual team working together saved Ron’s life. To God be the Glory! The doctors keep using the word ‘remarkable’ when describing his current condition.”
Music industry executives, artists, songwriters and musicians have rallied around Ron, Regina, and their son Nate. And this morning (Dec. 17), Stuve gave Cyndi Forman, his co-worker, a song pitch idea from his hospital bed for Josh Turner, who came to visit him in the hospital last week.
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Brad Funk and Tiffany Dunn
Newlyweds celebrate with guests
ACM Lifting Lives revealed its 2013 beneficiaries today, including new grants for Alive Hospice, Notes for Notes, Porter’s Call, Possibilities!, Rock For Kids, Tapping Individual Potential (T.I.P.) and W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School. This brings the organization’s total giving for the 2013 grant cycle to $135,000, which includes funding for the 4th Annual ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp that took place in June. Through grant cycles, ACM Lifting Lives is able to provide funding to programs that promote education and healing with a musical connection.
“We are very pleased to announce this year’s beneficiaries,” said ACM Lifting Lives Chairman Bruce Bowman, “these organizations clearly demonstrate the mission of ACM Lifting Lives and we are proud to help grow their programs through our grant cycle. We are thankful for all of the support we’ve received throughout the year that allows us to fulfill our mission of improving lives through music.”
Programs funded during the 2013 ACM Lifting Lives grant cycle include:
For information on guidelines and how to submit for the 2014 grant cycle, visit acmliftinglives.org.
Bill Frist and Brad Paisley
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Brittney and Brian Kelley
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Charlie Daniels
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Chris Cagle