Alison Booth, Vice President, A&R Administration, for Sony Music Nashville has announced the promotion of Mindi McCormick to the position of Director, A&R Administration, for the label group. Previously Associate Director, A&R Administration, McCormick is based in Nashville and reports directly to Booth.

“Mindi’s experience and continued dedication, together with her wonderful team spirit, have made her an invaluable member of our department,” Booth says. “I’m delighted to recognize her many contributions with this very well-earned promotion.”

In her position, McCormick is responsible for the supervision of repertoire management for all four of Sony Music Nashville’s imprints, and is particularly involved with the specific details of the Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville imprints. These responsibilities include the compilation and management of label copy, lyrics, and liner credits for all products released by Sony Music Nashville, both physical and digital. Her role also encompasses working with union (AFM and AFTRA) matters and payments and proofreading printed material, including CD packages, point of purchase material, and advertising, as well as the long-term archiving of repertoire information for all audio and video recordings, whether released or not.

McCormick began her career with Arista Nashville as receptionist in 1993 and joined the A&R Administration department as an assistant in 1996.

A native of Nashville, TN, McCormick graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Recording Industry Public Relations from Middle Tennessee State University in 1993. McCormick’s father, George McCormick, played guitar for Grand Ole Opry legends including Wilma Lee Cooper and the late Grandpa Jones and Porter Wagoner.

Colt Ford performs with DMC at 12th & Porter. Photo: Jamey Walls/Black Sheep Group

As part of the month-long celebration of his sophomore release Chicken & Biscuits, Average Joes Entertainment artist Colt Ford held a star-studded bash last night (4/20) at Nashville’s 12th & Porter. Among those in attendance were Darryl “DMC” McDaniels (of Run-DMC), Ira Dean, and Josh Gracin—all featured vocalists that appear on the new album. Attendees were treated to performances of “Tool Timer,” “Hey Ya’ll,” “Diggin’,” as well as “Ride On, Ride Out” and Run-DMC/Aerosmith classic “Walk This Way” with DMC joining Ford on stage and Gracin joining him for “All About Ya’ll.”

“I never thought I would make one album, and here we are on the second,” said Ford.  “I hope everyone had as much fun at the party as I did!”

Chicken & Biscuits, available for purchase now, also features appearances by Randy Houser, Joe Nichols, James Otto, Kevin Fowler, Darryl Worley, and more.

Next Tuesday, April 27th Ford will appear on GAC’s On The Streets at 12:00 pm, 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. CT and on GAC’s Championship Bull Riding at 9:00 p.m. CT, followed by a live online streaming concert presented by True View Live on Friday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Curators at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum continue to work on additions to the Museum’s permanent exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music. The most recent updates focus on country music’s ‘New Traditionalists,’ including the Judds, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs and George Strait. These changes, which will bring the story of country music forward in time and conclude with a glimpse of the future, will be completed on May 14, 2010.

Museum officials have also announced a weekend of special programs on May 14-15 to celebrate the unveiling of this new visitor experience; highlights will include a curators’ talk on May 14 and an interview with artist Naomi Judd and record executive Joe Galante on May 15 at 1:30 p.m. in the Ford Theater. All programs are included with Museum admission and free to Museum members.

The Sing Me Back Home transformation, which is taking place in the Museum’s second floor gallery, includes new archival video clips and dozens of new artifacts. The most recent updates focus on the 1980s and the popularity of country music’s “New Traditionalists.’ These artists, many of whom began their careers as the pop-influenced “Urban Cowboy” era in country music was waning, embraced older country styles, such as honky-tonk and bluegrass, adapting them with a modern sensibility. Among the artists featured in this section of the exhibit are:

The Judds. Items newly on display include Wynonna Judd’s Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, custom made for her and featuring “WY2K” inlaid in mother-of-pearl on the fretboard; and the black jersey gown worn by Naomi Judd to the 1990 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Reba McEntire. Visitors will see McEntire’s blue suede gown, featuring fringed-sleeves and sequin and lace embellishments. The singer wore the dress to the 1986 CMA Awards, where she was named Entertainer of the Year. Also on display are a pair of hand-tooled black and white cowboy boots, which bear the intriguing monogram “OY.” The boots, which were modeled after a pair owned by Patsy Cline, were worn by McEntire at her 1977 Grand Ole Opry debut.

Ricky Skaggs. Among the items on display is the mandolin Skaggs played at age seven in 1962 when he appeared with Flatt & Scruggs on their television show.

George Strait. A lasso, cowboy hat, starched shirt, hand-tooled leather belt and Wrangler jeans from the Texas superstar are all on display.

Elbert Hutchinson Carlock, known throughout the Nashville music community as “Hutch” Carlock, died Tuesday, April 20, at age 86.

In 1953, Carlock founded Music City Record Distributors, Inc., one of the largest wholesalers of records, tapes, CDs and DVDs in the United States. The company also operated the Cat’s Records retail chain for many years. Last fall, most of the Cat’s stores were closed, although one remains in South Carolina, and there are still stores with that name operating on Gallatin Road in Madison and on Lebanon Pike in Hermitage.

Music City Record Distributors grew from Carlock’s initial $500 investment to become a business whose annual dollar volume was said to be in excess of $24.5 million. The firm, located on Lincoln Street in Nashville, employs approximately 45 workers. It is currently operated by Hutch’s son, Bruce Carlock.

Hutch Carlock was a founder of the Country Music Association as well as a charter CMA board member.
In addition to son Bruce, he is survived by son Hayes Carlock and daughters Karen and Jeana Carlock, all of Nashville.
Visitation will be Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from noon to 1 p.m. at Spring Hill Funeral Home, 5110 Gallatin Road. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Friday with burial to follow in Spring Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Carlock’s favorite charities — Alive Hospice, the Arthritis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Boy Scouts of America or the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists Association.