SoundExchange has added to its board of directors Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); Alasdair McMullan, Senior Vice President for Business and Legal Affairs at Universal Music Group; Laurie Soriano, a leading entertainment attorney; and Jeff Walker, Executive Vice President and Head, Business and Legal Affairs, Global Digital Business at Sony Music, to its board of directors.

“I am pleased to welcome Mitch, Alasdair, Laurie, and Jeff to the SoundExchange Board of Directors. Their experience and perspective about our rapidly growing industry combined with the deep respect of their peers, will be a tremendous addition to our board and I am looking forward to working with them,” SoundExchange President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Huppe said.

Soriano and Walker were recently appointed to SoundExchange’s Board of Directors, while Glazier and McMullan were appointed at the beginning of the year. Walker and McMullan have previously served on SoundExchange’s board.

“I have worked with Mike and the SoundExchange team for years and I know the positive impact they have made as advocates for music creators. We worked closely together on the fight to pass the Music Modernization Act, and I am honored to join SoundExchange in this capacity,” Glazier said.

“While many aspects of the music industry continue to change and evolve, one constant during my career has been to focus on supporting the rights of music creators,” McMullan said. “I’m proud to bring that same emphasis to SoundExchange’s board and the company’s mission of providing royalty solutions for labels and recording artists.”

“SoundExchange and its subsidiaries, SXWorks and CMRRA, have developed important tools that benefit recording artists and songwriters alike. I look forward to helping SoundExchange as they continue to deliver new solutions for all creators in our industry,” Soriano said.

“Digital royalties like those administered by SoundExchange enable our industry to continue investing in new music. SoundExchange’s services are more important than ever to recording artists and to companies that support recording artists. I appreciate the opportunity to serve on its Board once again,” Walker said.

Brent Maher, who helped the Judds develop their distinctive sound and produced their duo albums, will share his story in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s ongoing series, Music Masters, set for May 11 at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.

The Hall of Fame’s Music Masters series highlights the careers of leading producers, engineers and business executives. This installment will feature an in-depth interview with Maher, and will incorporate vintage photos, videos and recordings from the museum’s collection. Maher will also perform songs with guitarist/vocalist Trey Hensley and dobro player Rob Ickes.

Maher has earned more than 20 No. 1 singles as a producer and songwriter. He also has six Grammys and been part of Platinum and multi-Platinum albums, earning credits on projects for Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Shelby Lynne, Kathy Mattea, Jo Dee Messina, Olivia Newton-John, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers and Ike and Tina Turner. Maher also engineered the Grammy-winning single “Lost Highway” from the album Last of the Breed, featuring Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Ray Price.

This program is presented in support of the museum’s current exhibition The Judds: Dream Chasers. Admission to Music Masters is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and a program ticket is required for admittance. The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.

Previous subjects of the Music Masters series include Mark Bright, Jimmy Bowen, Frank Liddell, Keith Stegall, Jeff Stevens, Garth Fundis, Bob Neuwirth, Jim Rooney, Dave Cobb and Byron Gallimore.

Tuesday evening (April 23) at Nashville’s City Winery, numerous artists gathered to support cancer survivor John Berry and the nonprofit Music Health Alliance. The sold-out event raised more than $300,000 to aid the organization and to take care of a portion of Berry’s medical bills, stemming from a throat cancer diagnosis in February. Berry completed a grueling seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy treatments, which proved successful.

Fans in attendance last night got a Garth-sized surprise, as country superstar Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed near the end of the evening, with Brooks offering his signature “Friends In Low Places” and Yearwood offering her classic “Walkaway Joe.” Trace Adkins joined Exile for a rendition of “Super Love.” Adkins also joined T Graham Brown, Jimmy Fortune, Shenandoah and Berry for a rendition of “Working On A Building.”

A sampling of additional performances included the Oak Ridge Boys with “Amazing Grace,” as well as their classic “Elvira.” Darryl Worley performed “Second Wind,” Radney Foster offered “Nobody Wins,” Shenandoah sang “Church On The Cumberland Road,” and Berry offered his own rendition of “There Could Never Be Another Love.” The evening ended with an all-sing on Berry’s “All Come Together.”

Opry Entertainment Group has teamed with Gray Television to launch a new linear multicast and over-the-top channel dedicated to country music and the country lifestyle. The new service, which will be based in Nashville and is set to launch next year, will feature content that highlights country music artists and the passions, hobbies and love of music they share with their fans.

The joint venture will link Opry Entertainment’s network of entertainment venues, programming archives, and licensed and original content to Gray’s television and streaming presence. Gray Television offers coverage in 93 U.S. markets (including 24 percent of U.S. households), while together, Gray Television and Opry Entertainment Group’s parent company Ryman Hospitalities reach a combined monthly digital audience of 46.6 million.

The companies expect to launch the channel across television stations located throughout the country, including those owned by Gray. Digital media executive Drew Reifenberger will lead the staffing, development and launch as General Manager for the joint venture.

Colin Reed, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ryman Hospitality Properties said, “For more than 93 years, the Grand Ole Opry has provided a platform for country music fans to discover and connect with artists. This partnership with Gray is the next step in the continued evolution of our Company’s position as a country music discovery point for fans. Its distribution network closely aligns with our fan base and will allow us to quickly scale our delivery of existing and original artist-centered content to help reach the 110 million country music fans in the United States.”

Pat LaPlatney, President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Gray, said, “We have believed for some time that tremendous opportunity exists to bring differentiated entertainment offerings that celebrate country music to our audience base. Opry Entertainment’s unparalleled history in the country music industry combined with their special and enduring relationship with the artist community makes them a natural partner to help us deliver this premium content to our local communities.”

Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment, said, “Country music fans have long been known to be tremendously dedicated to the genre. As a company, we have recognized that there is a gap for these consumers in where they can go to watch great artist-centered programming on any device, wherever they happen to be. We believe there is a significant opportunity to become the category leader in country lifestyle entertainment and to play an important role in delivering this content and experience.”