Pandora Rolls Out Premium For The Web

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Pandora has announced its Premium service is now available on the web, providing listeners with Pandora radio and the ability to search and play tracks or albums and build playlists or have Pandora build one for them. The Premium service is the most requested platform by Pandora users, since free users of the radio service could listen to their stations via the browser, but previously those who paid for the upgrade couldn’t play their music on-demand, build playlists, or take advantage of any of the paid-only features.

On the new web app, subscribers can search for any track, album, station or playlist and start playing their music on-demand from personalized search results based on listening history. Subscribers to the Premium service are now able to organize favorite songs, albums, stations and playlists in a section called “My Music” for convenient access in the future.

 

Thomas Rhett, Lee Brice And More Set To Play ACM Stories, Songs & Stars Benefit

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The Academy of Country Music’s songwriter event, ACM Stories, Songs & Stars, is set to take place Friday, April 13 at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as part of the 6th Annual ACM Party for a Cause. Thomas Rhett, Lee Brice, Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally, and Lori McKenna are the first round of performers announced for the special event, with additional performers and attendees, including ACM Songwriter of the Year nominees, to be announced in the coming weeks.

Portions of event proceeds will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, which works to lift lives through the power of music. VIP table seating on the floor will include a cocktail reception and dinner. Tickets starting at $55 are available for purchase now at PartyForaCause.com. For VIP table seating, contact info@acmcountry.com.

ACM Stories, Songs & Stars is part of the 6th Annual ACM Party for a Cause signature events set to take over the Las Vegas Strip April 12-15, 2018 leading up to and immediately following the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, which will broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 15, 2018 on CBS.

Industry Ink: 117 Entertainment, Aloompa, Average Joes Entertainment

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117 Entertainment Adds Heather Trotter

Heather Trotter

117 Entertainment President and CEO, Zach Farnum has announced the addition of Heather Trotter as Publicity Manager. A recent graduate of Baylor University, Trotter was born and raised around the music industry in Franklin, Tennessee.

“I’m so happy to be working with 117. It’s been a long time coming for me to get where I am and I couldn’t be more excited to work with this team and their amazing clients,” said Heather Trotter.

 

Aloompa Adds Sr. Director Of Business Development For Artists And Brands

Josh Baron

Aloompa, the Nashville-based industry-leading behavioral data and event utility software and innovation company, announced the hiring of Josh Baron as Senior Director of Business Development for Artists and Brands.

In this newly developed role, Baron will spearhead Aloompa’s expansion into the artist vertical with the company’s latest product offering, TourApp. An organic outgrowth from Aloompa’s core suite of festival-oriented products, TourApp produces cost-effective event engagements at scale through its ability to deliver in-venue notifications, pre- and post-event messaging, in-venue fan behavioral analytics and introduces new digital assets in the touring space that enable unique brand brand sponsorship and activation opportunities. The company will be making a more formal announcement surrounding several new products ahead of the summer concert season.

 

Average Joes Entertainment Artist Signs With Buddy Lee Attractions

Pictured (L-R): Buddy Lee Attractions’ Jimmy Dasher, Tayler Bock, Amy Aylward; Average Joes’ Andrew Davis; Cypress Spring’s Kalan Miller, Tyler Ackerman and Paul Roche; Buddy Lee Attractions Mike Meade, Aura Guadagno, David Kiswiney

Average Joes Entertainment’s Fastest Rising Band, Cypress Spring, has signed with Buddy Lee Attractions for booking representation.

 

 

In Pictures: Blake Shelton, Sara Evans, RaeLynn, Kalie Shorr, Lindi Ortega

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Blake Shelton And Ryman Hospitalities Donate To City Of Tishomingo

Pictured (L-R): Tom Lokey, Mayor of Tishomingo; Blake Shelton; Travis Stroud, Tishomingo, Oklahoma City Manager; and Charles Haisler, GM Ole Red Tishomingo. Photo: Courtesy of Ole Red​

Blake Shelton and Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. donated $50,000 of ticket sales from last weekend’s concerts at Ole Red, Shelton’s restaurant, live music venue and retail space in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, to the City of Tishomingo. The money will stay in the community and benefit Pennington Park, including improvements to the current splash pad and the addition of water features.

 

Sara Evans, RaeLynn, Kalie Shorr Kick Off CMT’s Next Women Of Country Tour

Sara Evans headlined the 4th annual CMT Next Women of Country tour launch, kicking off the series with a sold-out show at New York City’s B.B. King’s Blues Club. In addition to sets from Sara and special guests RaeLynn and Kalie Shorr, the packed house was treated to a special encore with the three artists performing a special rendition of the 80’s anthem “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

 

Lindi Ortega Previews New Album Liberty At SESAC

Pictured (L-R): Samantha Cantu, Soundly; Stephanie Hudacek, Soundly; Lindi Ortega, artist; Jim Logrando, Craft Services; Michelle Szeto, Paquin Entertainment

Lindi Ortega hosted a listening event for her new album Liberty at SESAC for members of the industry. The new 12-track project, featuring six songs penned by Ortega by herself, is due out March 30.

Big Deal Music Group’s Kenny MacPherson Joins NMPA Board

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The National Music Publishers’ Association has elected Kenny MacPherson to its Board of Directors. As the Founder and President of Big Deal Music Group, Kenny oversees all operations from their headquarters in Los Angeles including their offices in New York, Nashville and London.

“We are very excited our Board has elected Kenny,” NMPA President & CEO David Israelite said. “I know he is deeply passionate about protecting music creators, and I’m thrilled he will be at the table while we work towards that goal.” Israelite added, “Kenny’s rapid growth of Big Deal is a testament to his skill at finding and shepherding talent. His history as a songwriter advocate and business innovator will be a huge asset to us as we work to improve the music licensing landscape so companies like his can thrive.”

“I am honored to have been elected to serve alongside my peers at the NMPA,” said MacPherson. “The NMPA plays a crucial role in advocating for the rights of songwriters and I am thrilled to be able to contribute in any way I can.”

Prior to forming Big Deal Music Group, MacPherson served as President and Senior Executive of Chrysalis Music Division North America, a company he joined in 2001. While at Chrysalis, Kenny and his team signed such acts as Ray LaMontagne, My Morning Jacket, OutKast, St. Vincent, Afghan Whigs, and Dan Wilson. He got his start in publishing in the early 80s, forming Redhead Music Publishing, a venture between Rondor music and Mismanagement, the company that managed Supertramp and other superstars. In 1989, he went to Warner/Chappell, running the company’s New York offices, later moving to the L.A. headquarters. During his 13 years at WCM, MacPherson signed such artists as Radiohead, Underworld, Paul Westerberg, Afghan Whigs, BRMC and the Blue Nile. He began his music career as a concert manager at Glasgow’s Apollo Theatre before becoming Billy Connolly’s tour manager.

Hitmaker Kip Moore Celebrates “More Girls Like You”

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Pictured (L-R): Josh Miller – Songwriter, David Garcia – Songwriter, Kip Moore, Steven Lee Olsen – Songwriter. Photo: Ed Rode

Kip Moore celebrated his fourth No. 1 single, “More Girls Like You,” on Tuesday (Feb. 13), with a celebration at Analog at The Hutton Hotel in Nashville.

The party, hosted by ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe and Michael Martin, as well as BMI’s Bradley Collins, feted Moore and the song’s writers Steven Lee Olsen, Josh Miller, and David Garcia.

The song marks the second No. 1 for ASCAP writer Steven Lee Olsen, following his smash hit “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” recorded by Keith Urban. “More Girls Like You” is the first No. 1 for BMI writer Josh Miller, and the first country radio No. 1 for ASCAP writer David Garcia (known for his hits in the Contemporary Christian market).

Notably, both Garcia and Miller are also writers on the Florida Georgia Line/Bebe Rehxa smash hit, “Meant To Be.”

Others celebrating the chart-topping song included UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, Cornman Music’s Nate Lowry, and CMA’s Brandi Simms.

First Tennessee Bank and Pinnacle Bank were the partners for this No. 1 party.

Moore is on the road with Luke Bryan this week, and in March, he will return to Europe’s Country To Country Festival.

Guthrie Trapp Gets A Hand From Vince Gill, Charlie Worsham On New Project

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Session guitarist Guthrie Trapp is set to release Life After Dark, his star-studded second album, on March 9. The new project features some heavy hitters guesting from the blues, soul, jazz and country worlds, including Jimmy Hall, Jeff Coffin, Sam Bush, Vince Gill, and Paul Franklin. Other notable performers on Life After Dark include Stuart Duncan, Bekka Bramlett, Danny Flowers, and Trapp’s friend, Charlie Worsham, who sings on the Don Gibson classic, “Oh Lonesome Me,” an update with a toe-tapping zydeco influence.

“I’m super fortunate to be able to make music with people of this caliber and even more grateful to call them my friends. I know it will always be a fun hang as well as great music,” Trapp says. “That energy translates directly to the music. If you put on ‘Mojo Workin’ while in the car, you’re probably going to start driving faster.”

Gill lent his soprano to Trapp’s Tele-driven version of George Jones’ “You’re Still on My Mind” on the new record, while legendary vocalist Jimmy Hall joins Trapp on the blues classic “Got My Mojo Workin,” one of six cover tunes on the 12-song project.

Trapp cut the record, which features six original songs, at his favorite studio, Nashville’s Sound Emporium A, Cowboy Jack Clement’s old studio. He is currently on tour with John Oates through March 16.

Big Yellow Dog Music Adds To Film/TV Sync Department

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Pictured (L-R): Sophie Hopkins, Heather Klein

Big Yellow Dog Music has hired Sophie Hopkins as Creative Manager and Heather Klein as Creative Coordinator for its Film/TV Sync Department.

“I am so excited for Heather and Sophie to be a part of this Sync Team,” says Big Yellow Dog Music General Manager of Creative – Film & TV Sync, Alex Stefano. “They will be great advocates for our artists in the sync world.”

Hopkins has been added in the role of Creative Manager for Film/TV Sync. After graduating from Belmont University, she lived in Los Angeles, where she worked as a Music Coordinator at Heavy Hitters Music Group before returning to Nashville to work with Big Yellow Dog Music.

Klein is a Cleveland, Ohio, native and spent a few years living abroad in Australia before moving to Nashville. She attended Middle Tennessee State University and spent her last semester interning for the Sync department at Big Yellow Dog Music. Upon graduating, Klein was hired as a Creative Coordinator for Film/TV Sync.

Big Yellow Dog Music’s film, television, and brand division had more than 400 placements in both 2016 and 2017, including uses by Big Little Lies, JCPenney, How to Get Away With Murder, Shades of Blue, HP, Mad Max: Fury Road, Moana, The Peanuts Movie, T-Mobile, and The Edge of Seventeen.

Big Yellow Dog Music’s catalog includes songs performed by Meghan Trainor, Maren Morris, Lady Antebellum, Demi Lovato, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, Charlie Puth, Keith Urban, Labrinth, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Lane, Jason Derulo, Florida Georgia Line, DJ Khaled, Dierks Bentley, Fifth Harmony, Michael Bublé, Josh Turner, and others.

Alicia Jones Joins Iconic Entertainment Group

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Alicia Jones

Nashville-based Iconic Entertainment Group has announced the addition of Alicia Jones, who will serve as day-to-day manager for Kelsea Ballerini, the rising star whose debut album, The First Time, banked three consecutive No. 1 songs and recently released her sophomore album, Unapologetically. Jones previously managed the day-to-day career of Montgomery Gentry for nearly 10 years.

“I’m so glad to have Alicia on board. Her experience is going to be a huge asset,” says Fletcher Foster, president and CEO, Iconic Entertainment Group. “She is incredibly driven, and her passion for the artists she works with is evident. I know she’ll be an invaluable asset to the team and I’m thrilled to have her on board.”

Jones spent the first 3.5 years of her career at Hi-Fi Fusion, a boutique digital marketing company founded by industry veteran Todd Cassetty. From there, she went on to spend just over three years working with Mike Robertson Management assisting on the careers of Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband, Carolina Rain, Patty Loveless and Wade Hayes. This led to an opportunity with John Dennis to manage the day-to-day careers of Montgomery Gentry for the last 9.5 years. There she helped secure and manage endorsement deals, managed social media, creative, tour marketing and A&R for Montgomery Gentry’s last album, as well as their philanthropic efforts.

Jones is a native of Maple Hill, North Carolina and holds a B.S. in Interior Design from Meredith College.

Downtown Music Publishing Opens Offices In Paris, Sydney

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Downtown Music Publishing has announced the opening of new offices in Paris, France and Sydney, Australia, adding to its teams in New York, Amsterdam, London, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Tokyo.

The offices will be focused on investing in local songwriters and artists as well as marketing and promoting Downtown’s global catalog.

In Paris, the company has recruited Laura Bedikian as A&R Manager, Charles Braud as Creative Licensing Director, and Armel Bernard as Copyright Coordinator.

In Sydney, Downtown has appointed Rachel Kelly as Creative Director and Head of Sync, covering Australia and New Zealand.

Through Songtrust, Downtown’s global royalty collection platform, the Company, collects royalties directly from over 120 countries covering more than 20,000 unique income sources.