5th Annual ACM Honors Tonight

/by

The 5th Annual ACM Honors takes place tonight, Sept. 19, at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. The event honors and awards non-televised category winners from the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, held last April.

Hosted by performer Joe Nichols and musically directed by Buddy Cannon, the night features musical tribute performances and special presentations. Presenters include Laura Bell Bundy, Ronnie Dunn, Ralph Emery, Robin Meade, John Michael Montgomery. Special performers include Rodney Atkins, Dean Dillon, Brett Eldredge, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, Randy Houser, Jack Ingram, The Isaacs, Jamey Johnson, Montgomery Gentry,  Jerrod Niemann, The Oak Ridge Boys, Thompson Square, The Whites and Lee Ann Womack.

Tickets are available through www.Ticketmaster.com.

Special Awards recipients:

Garth Brooks* – Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award
Hank Cochran (posthumously) – Poet’s Award
John Dorris – Mae Boren Axton Award
Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers – Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award
Tom T. Hall – Poet’s Award
Reba – Career Achievement Award
Taylor Swift – Jim Reeves International Award
Country Strong* — Tex Ritter Award (Produced by Tobey Maguire & Jenno Topping; executive produced by Meredith Zamsky; directed by Shana Feste;  Production studio Screen Gems / Sony Pictures Entertainment.)

Winners of the MBI (Musician/Bandleader/Instrumentalist) categories:
Chuck Ainlay – Audio Engineer of the Year
Eddie Bayers – Percussionist/Drummer of the Year
Tom Bukovac – Guitarist of the Year
Dan Dugmore – Steel Guitar Player of the Year
Aubrey Haynie – Fiddle Player of the Year
Gordon Mote – Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year
Bryan Sutton – Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year
Glenn Worf* – Bass Player of the Year
Paul Worley – Producer of the Year

Winners of the Industry Awards categories:
Steve “Bogie” Bogdanovich – Romeo Entertainment Group – Don Romeo Talent Buyer of the Year
Sally Williams, Ryman Auditorium – Promoter of the Year
Joe’s Bar (Chicago, IL) – Nightclub of the Year
Mohegan Sun Casino (Uncasville, CT) – Casino of the Year
Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN) – Venue of the Year

*not expected to attend

Music Lawyer Bob Sullivan Passes

/by

Robert Sullivan

Prominent music-business attorney Bob Sullivan has died of leukemia at age 59.

Sullivan was a partner at Loeb & Loeb LLP. During his career, his clients included Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Thompson Square, The Fray, Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, EMI Publishing, John Prine, The Carter Family and Waylon Jennings.

Robert Lee “Bob” Sullivan was born Dec. 18, 1951 in Anna, IL. He graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 1974 and from Vanderbilt Law School in 1977.

In addition to practicing on Music Row, he taught intellectual property and copyright law at Belmont University and Nashville School of Law. He was also a singer and guitarist in several area bands over the years.

Bob Sullivan died at home on Thursday, Sept. 15 after battling his disease for 14 months. He is survived by his wife Catherine Cate, mother Wilma Jean, brother James Terry and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation with the family will be at West End United Methodist Church on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 10 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. Additional visitation will be noon to 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Vanderbilt University School of Law, Development & Alumni Relations, 131 21st Ave. S., Nashville 37203, to the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, 211 Commerce St., Suite 100, Nashville 37201 or to West End United Methodist Church, 2200 West End Ave., Nashville 37203.

Dill’s ‘Murder’ Hits Home Run

/by

Author/manager Stuart Dill with client Laura Bell Bundy.

Murder On Music Row
by Stuart Dill
John F. Blair, Publisher
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Veteran Nashville manager Stuart Dill’s sharp new novel, Murder On Music Row has more twists than a narrow country road. The plot revolves around a hired assassin, an international record company merger and fight for control of superstar, Ripley Graham’s new, but still undelivered album. The writing style is concise and the dialogue feels real. Dill’s day job has him currently managing artists such as Billy Ray Cyrus, Laura Bell Bundy and Jo Dee Messina.

Named checked in the book, but not included as characters are real life industry entities such as Erv Woolsey, Brian Mansfield, Pete Fisher, Tony Brown and Frank Liddell, plus artists such as Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Vince Gill and others. The locations range from Hillsboro Village to the Castle studios on Old Hillsboro Road to the superstar Ripley Graham’s mansion at the Governers Club in Brentwood. Elite Management, the company owned by Graham’s manager, Simon Stills, has offices in a high rise at the Music Row roundabout above Killen Cirlce.

One of the most insightful paragraphs of the book reveals Dill’s management sensibilities presented in terms of the 1776 book Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Manager Simon Stills tells intern Judd Nix one of the book’s two heros why he should be a manager.

“…Adam Smith explained why people’s jobs are so boring. They do the same thing over and over until they’re bored out of their minds. If you want to be a doctor, you can’t be just a doctor, you have to be a specialist. Every day you work in gastroenterology or hematology or oncology—there are no ordinary doctors anymore. Same deal with lawyers. They specialize in tax law or corporate law or divorce law. Same thing over and over until they’re bored to the point of heavy drinking. It’s also true in the music business. It’s a specialized industry. You’ve got your booking agent, publicist, business manager, record producer, music publisher, all doing the same thing day in and day out. But then you get to artist managers. We are the exception. We are the ones that say, ‘Adam Smith is dead!’ We don’t specialize in any one sector of the music industry. We master it all. We advise and counsel our clients on every aspect of their careers. We build a team of specialists around an artist and direct them all. Artist management as a profession is the only unrestricted, unrestrained, non-boring career in the modern world! That’s why you should strive to be an artist manager.”

The book seems tailor made to come alive on the silver screen except for the fact that Judd Nix and heroine Meagan Olsen, obviously kindling a love flame, never actually consummate the attraction. Perhaps that is is due to Dill’s strong religious background as evidenced in the acknowledgements, but never mind, the Hollywood screenplay writers should have no problem inserting that gratuitous detail.

Considering it’s Dill’s first novel, it’s a home run. Once you get to turning a few pages you’ll find yourself caught in the intrigue like the draft behind a fully-loaded 18 wheeler barreling down interstate I-65.

 

Wilma Lee Cooper Passes

/by

Grand Ole Opry member Wilma Lee Cooper passed away from natural causes on Sept. 13 at her home in Sweetwater, Tenn. She had been a member of the Opry since 1957 and was 90 years old. Per Wilma Lee’s wishes there will not be a memorial service. She will be remembered for her music and her faith.

Wilma Lee was preceded in death by her husband Stoney Cooper and is survived by her daughter Grand Ole Opry member and singer Carol Lee Cooper, Hendersonville, Tenn.; granddaughter Vanessa Brusseau and her husband Mark of Hermitage, Tenn. and granddaughter Shannon Rogers and her husband Mark of Hendersonville, Tenn.

Wilma Lee spent nearly her entire life singing and entertaining. Born Wilma Leigh Leary, she began working early as a member of West Virginia’s regionally-famed Leary Family. Her celebrated delivery of gospel and devotional songs emerged at the same time. First achieving national prominence in the 1940s performing with her late husband, champion fiddler Stoney (Dale T.) Cooper, Wilma Lee sang and played guitar with a bursting-at-the-seams energy. From the outset, the Coopers had success with story songs, from “The Legend of the Dogwood Tree,” “Little Rosewood Casket,” and “Sunny Side of the Mountain” for Rich-R-Tone and Columbia Records in the 40s to “Wreck on the Highway” and “Philadelphia Lawyer” for Hickory in the early 1960s. It was likely Wilma Lee and Stoney’s rousing, old-style jubilee hits of the ‘50s and ‘60s including “There’s a Big Wheel,” “This Old House,” and “Big Midnight Special” that audiences have responded to most of all. Wilma Lee and Stoney were members of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Wilma Lee continued performing with her group the Clinch Mountain Clan after Stoney’s death in March 1977, and was appearing on the Opry regularly until a stroke suffered on stage in 2001 forced her to cease performing. Her last solo performance on the Opry was at the Ryman Auditorium on Feb. 24, 2001.  Wilma Lee joined the Opry cast at the grand re-opening of the Opry House on Sept. 28, 2010 for a group sing-along.

Grant and Gill To Be Honored With Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award

/by

Artists Amy Grant and Vince Gill will be presented with The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s 18th annual Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award on Nov. 1. The award honors the duo’s unmatched philanthropic spirit.

“As incredible as their professional success has been and as much as their words and music have impacted our lives, Amy and Vince’s philanthropic support for causes and people in need typifies the size of their hearts. They have dedicated themselves to helping others with a creative and caring fervor as inspirational as any other this community has ever enjoyed,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Grant and Gill have supported a multitude of causes over the years including Challenge America, The Red Cross, The Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee, Project Redesign and Samaritan Ministries.

The couple will be honored during the Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award Luncheon at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville. Tickets and reservations for the event are available through www.cfmt.org or by calling 615-321-4939.

Musical Chairs: Ben Strain, EJ Bernas

/by

Ben Strain

Ben Strain has joined Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville as Creative Manager. Strain spent the last seven years at Sony Music Nashville, serving as Creative Coordinator in the A&R department as well as a Creative Manager for Sony Music. Beginning Sept. 18, reach Strain at 615-726-8300 or [email protected].

• • • • •

EJ Bernas

MCA Southwest Regional promo rep EJ Bernas will exit his post with the label, as he begins his newly created job as VP Entertainment for Nashville-based Tin Roof Corporation. The company operates six bars including the popular Demonbreun location, with three more in development and construction. He started on Sept. 2 and is currently pulling double duty until he officially departs the label in early October. Reach him at [email protected] going forward.

BMI and HFA Named In InformationWeek 500

/by

The Harry Fox Agency and BMI have both scored spots on the InformationWeek 500, an annual listing of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology. HFA has placed in the top 250 for three consecutive years, landing at No. 183 on the 2011 list, and BMI ranked at No. 74—one of only two media companies inside the Top 100.

“BMI is proud to be included among such innovative and distinguished organizations,” said James King, Senior Vice President of Business Operations and Technology for BMI. “To be selected for the InformationWeek 500, especially to No. 74, is truly an honor and a recognition of our commitment to innovatively and efficiently use technology to better serve the performing rights of the songwriters, composers and music publishers BMI represents. Our information services platform is a critical component in the work we do on behalf of our members.”

HFA’s technologies have allowed the organization to provide innovative rights management solutions to digital music providers, content creators, independent labels and more. As a result, HFA has played an important role in startups such as Spotify, Napster and LyricFind.

“HFA remains committed to meeting the challenges of a constantly changing digital landscape,” said Lou Trebino, HFA’s SVP & CIO. “Technology is fundamental to HFA’s DNA, our constant innovation has enabled us to not only remain relevant, but to remain a fundamental and integral force in an industry where speed, transparency and accuracy ensure customer success.”

The Listening Room Cafe Hosts Benefit Show

/by

Craig Campbell

Country artists Randy Houser, Craig Campbell, Ashley Gearing and Brice Long are hoping for a full house at The Listening Room Café on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The show, hosted by Suzanne Alexander of GAC, benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and cancer research. Throughout the night, a silent auction will also be held. All proceeds from the concert and auction will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Doors open at 6:30. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here.

Free Bill Monroe Tribute Opens Bluegrass Week

/by

This September marks the centennial anniversary of Bill Monroe’s birth, and will be commemorated as the IBMA informally kicks off its World of Bluegrass Week in Nashville with a free outdoor bluegrass concert featuring The Del McCoury Band with special guests.

The concert will be hosted by the non-profit Foundation for Bluegrass Music on the grounds of the Ryman Auditorium Tuesday (9/27) from noon until 2pm as part of the week-long (9/26–10/2) bluegrass conference.

Additionally, The Del McCoury Band will be digitally releasing their Bill Monroe tribute album, Old Memories: The Songs Of Bill Monroe on the day of the concert (9/27).

Monroe is widely known as the “Father of Bluegrass Music” when, in December 1945 in Nashville, a unique combination of Bill Monroe & his Blue Grass Boys debuted with  Earl Scruggs on banjo and his three-finger style of playing electrified the audience of the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium. The new style of music they performed would be so widely emulated by other groups that it would become known as “bluegrass” music, in respect to the band’s name. A Tennessee state historical marker is placed in 2006 at the northwest corner of the Ryman to celebrate this event.

Music Execs Join TN Film, Entertainment & Music Commission

/by

Some of Music Row’s best known execs have joined the board of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment & Music Commission (TFEMC). Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty announced the board appointments this week:

Mike Curb, founder of Curb Records (Chairman of the TFEMC board)

Jay Frank, most recently Sr. VP of Music Strategy for CMT, and author of FutureHit.DNA

Rod Essig, agent CAA

Rivers Rutherford, hit songwriter/producer

Craig Brewer, Memphis-based director/screenwriter
 (Hustle and Flow, Footloose)

David Porter, Grammy winning songwriter from Memphis (“Soul Man”)

Bruce Shine, mediator and arbitrator

Carey Nelson Burch, TV agent for My Own Shingle

Susan Packard, Co-Founder of HGTV

“This distinguished group of industry professionals brings broad experience and unique perspectives to the board and will help us continue to grow Tennessee’s entertainment industry,” Haslam said. “I’m excited to welcome them, and I appreciate their commitment and willingness to serve as we attempt to expand on the incredible industry talent and infrastructure already in place.”

Ending their time on the board are Scott Borchetta, Ken Levitan, Lynsey McDonald, James Alexander and Dean Deyo.