Rising Women On The Row Fosters Spirit Of Togetherness

MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson gives opening remarks at Rising Women on the Row. Photo: Ed Rode

Few events on the Music Row social calendar strengthen the Nashville music industry’s sense of community better than the annual Rising Women on the Row breakfast celebration.

Now in its 11th year, this get-together is staged by MusicRow magazine to honor female accomplishments. It also reinforces the unique bonds cherished by the Nashville entertainment business. This year’s honorees were Tiffany Kerns, Taylor Lindsey, Sloane Cavitt Logue, Halie Hampton Mosley, Melissa Spillman and Candice Watkins.

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson; Rising Women on the Row honorees Melissa Spillman, Taylor Lindsey, Sloane Cavitt Logue, Candice Watkins, Tiffany Kerns and Halie Hampton Mosley; KP Entertainment’s Kerri Edwards and MusicRow’s LB Cantrell. Photo: Ed Rode

“I love the energy we have at this event,” said MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson. “I hope you take it with you when you go.” He decided that the theme word to represent the event is “support.”

“I know all of you support each other,” he commented. “We support you at MusicRow.”

That note of togetherness was echoed by several of the honorees.

MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson and KP Entertainment’s Kerri Edwards. Photo: Ed Rode

“I worry about this [sense of] community,” said keynote speaker Kerri Edwards. “I challenge everyone here to help keep that strong. I do think it’s important for what we’re all trying to achieve and build… It changes everything when the people around you are supportive.”

“You love the community, and the community loves you back, in spades,” Robertson told Edwards. Her KP Entertainment company manages the careers of Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, Dylan Scott and Chayce Beckham and contains a publishing company.

Honoree Halie Hampton Mosley is the COO of the management company WHY&HOW. “What they say is true: It take a village,” she told the crowd in the Omni Hotel ballroom downtown. “You are all incredible champions and leaders.”

“It is incumbent on all of use to truly wrap our arms around women,” said honoree Tiffany Kerns, the SVP of the CMA’s philanthropic arm. “We see them. We support them — 90% of our staff is women.

“This is an incredible honor,” she added to the breakfast crowd. “You are incredibly inspirational.”

Sony Music Nashville SVP Taylor Lindsey also struck a note of community affection. “The truth is, I wouldn’t be standing here without everyone surrounding me,” Lindsey said. “I am a testament to the people around me. I get to have this life because of everyone around me.”

Sloane Cavitt Logue of WME recalled that the late Toby Keith gave her a career-launching opportunity. He hired her when she had no music-business experience. “Toby lifted women up,” she said, becoming tearful. “Miss you, love you, Big Dog Daddy.” Keith was announced Monday (March 18) as an inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Carter Faith performs at Rising Women on the Row. Photo: Ed Rode

“Be kind to yourself,” Cavitt Logue advised the gathering. “Be proud of what you do. Give yourself a moment of grace, because we all need it.”

“Everybody’s path is different,” observed Melissa Spillman of Concord Music Publishing. She and Hampton Mosley both commented on the challenge of balancing family life with the consuming demands of a music-business career. “Today is all about being thankful,” Spillman said. “Thank you for letting me pursue this path. We believe we should ‘have it all’ as women,” including the rewards of both career and family.

“It’s about belonging. And we have each other. We are so blessed.”

“You can lead the way on both [family and career],” commented Hampton Mosley.

“Goodness! I’m so grateful for all of you guys,” said Candice Watkins. The SVP of marketing at Big Loud Records added, “I’m so proud to work with all of you.” She saluted Keith Urban as the person who launched her career.

Robertson took note of the event’s presenting sponsors City National Bank, Loeb & Loeb and CMT’s Next Women of Country program. He introduced CMT’s Leslie Fram, who spearheads the network’s Equal Play plus her Change the Conversation feminist initiatives, as well as Next Women of Country. Fram noted that the last-named celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and introduced singer-songwriter Carter Faith of 2023’s Next Women class.

To her own acoustic-guitar accompaniment, Faith premiered her lilting new single, “Late Bloomer,” which will be released this Friday.

The 600+ attendees enjoyed a buffet breakfast featuring blueberry sausage, cheesy hash browns, scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, melons, blueberries, strawberries, cornbread, biscuits and gravy, fruit flavored yogurt, cranberry juice, coffee, tea and orange juice. A plethora of Music Row businesses sponsored tables — SESAC, Big Loud, Song Suffragettes, AEG, BBR, Black River, River House, Red Light, Curb, FBMM, ONErpm, BMG, CMA, MakeWake, WME, Pinnacle Financial, Sony Music Nashville, The MLC, Wiles & Taylor, Riser House, Back Blocks Music, Kinkead Entertainment, Tri Star, Concord, CAA, Wrensong, KP Entertainment, Activist Artists Management, Sony Music Publishing, Underscore Works and BMI. Each honoree was given a standing ovation by the audience.

Since this event’s founding, more than 60 women have been honored. “These women are all shaping the future of this business,” commented Robertson.

“Have a good attitude, and keep your heart in the right place,” advised Edwards. “It’s about supporting ALL women,” said Kerns.

Watkins sent the crowd on its way with this appeal: “If you’re in a position to give someone an opportunity, do it. Change someone’s life today.”

MusicRow Magazine Honors Six At 11th Annual Rising Women On The Row

Pictured (L-R): Rising Women on the Row honorees Melissa Spillman, Taylor Lindsey, Sloane Cavitt Logue, Candice Watkins, Tiffany Kerns and Halie Hampton Mosley. Photo: Ed Rode

MusicRow Magazine, Nashville’s leading music industry publication, proudly recognized six Nashville music industry executives during its 11th annual Rising Women on the Row honors this morning (March 19) at the Omni Nashville Hotel. City National Bank, CMT Next Women of Country and Loeb & Loeb served as Presenting Sponsors.

The new class of honorees were CMA’s Tiffany Kerns, Sony Music Nashville’s Taylor Lindsey, WME’s Sloane Cavitt Logue, WHY&HOW’s Halie Hampton Mosley, Concord Music Publishing’s Melissa Spillman and Big Loud Record’s Candice Watkins.

Industry veteran Kerri Edwards was this year’s featured speaker. As the founder and president of management firm KP Entertainment, Edwards is a key figure in the careers of country stars Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell, Dylan Scott and Chayce Beckham.

Presented by CMT Next Women of Country, singer-songwriter Carter Faith was this year’s special performer and was introduced by CMT’s Leslie Fram. Faith has garnered more than 60 million streams with her releases “Wild,” “Already Crazy,” “Greener Pasture,” “Cowboys & Dreamers,” “Joyride” and “Easy Pill,” as well as her debut EP Let Be Love.

Since beginning in 2012, MusicRow‘s annual Rising Women on the Row event has honored over 50 women in the Nashville music industry.

About MusicRow‘s 2024 Rising Women On The Row:

Tiffany Kerns – SVP, Industry Relations & Philanthropy, CMA | Executive Director, CMA Foundation

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, honoree Tiffany Kerns, MusicRow‘s LB Cantrell. Photo: Ed Rode

In her role as SVP, Industry Relations & Philanthropy, Tiffany Kerns oversees the strategic direction and management of all CMA’s membership events, initiatives and programming. By developing and enhancing robust and innovative CMA membership strategies, Kerns ensures professional development pathways align with the needs of the member base and the future of the industry. Established as CMA’s philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation has invested nearly $30 million across all 50 states. In her role, Kerns is responsible for the growth, development and execution of the nonprofit’s charitable investments by creating intentional partnerships and implementing an impact-driven grant process. With a steadfast focus on improving the philanthropic model of giving, Kerns has led the charge in enriching music education programs across the United States. She oversees advocacy efforts for the CMA Foundation at the state and federal level, which includes working with dozens of community partners, policymakers, educators and industry leaders to elevate the CMA Foundation’s mission.

 

Taylor Lindsey – SVP, A&R, Sony Music Nashville

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, honoree Taylor Lindsey, MusicRow‘s LB Cantrell. Photo: Ed Rode

Taylor Lindsey is the SVP, of A&R at Sony Music Nashville, where she oversees SMN’s dynamic new A&R team as well as signs and develops a diverse roster that includes recorded music icons, breakthrough acts and newcomers. Prior to taking on her current expanded role, Lindsey was directly involved with the development of artists such as Old Dominion, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Ryan Hurd and Mitchell Tenpenny, among others. Before joining SMN, Lindsey was at BMG where she signed and developed the careers of songwriters and artists as well as pitched the catalogs of 13 chart-topping songwriters, including her award-winning sister, Hillary Lindsey. A respected industry executive, Lindsey has been included in a number of industry power lists including Billboard’s 40 Under 40 (2018), Billboard’s Women In Music (2018, 2019 & 2023), Billboard’s Country Power Players (2022 & 2023), Variety’s Hitmakers Impact (2020), Variety’s Young Leaders In Music (2019) and more. She is also a graduate of the 2019 Class of Leadership Music. She resides in Nashville with her husband, Grammy-nominated songwriter Derrick Southerland, and their daughter, Lyle, and son, Ryder.

 

Sloane Cavitt Logue – Partner, WME

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, honoree Sloane Cavitt Logue, MusicRow‘s LB Cantrell. Photo: Ed Rode

Sloane Cavitt Logue leads the Nashville Client Strategy Division at WME, where she works across several departments in navigating various opportunities outside of the live space, including digital, fashion, literary, film, television, talent ventures/partnerships, theater, sports and social impact for clients. Additionally, Logue connects clients with internal opportunities within the Endeavor network, which includes WWE, UFC, PBR, 160over90, Harry Walker, IMG and many more. Prior to joining WME, Logue held tenure at Show Dog-Universal Music and Live Nation. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and the Deviate Leadership Program, which focuses on elevating and coaching future female leaders in the entertainment industry. Dedicated to mentoring up-and-coming industry trailblazers, she is actively involved in WME’s mentorship program, as well as Grammy U, and is an inaugural member of CMA’s Female Executive Leadership Program. Logue resides in Nashville with her husband, Dave, their son, Cavitt, and their Bernese Mountain Dog, Captain.

 

Halie Hampton Mosley – Chief Operating Officer, WHY&HOW

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, honoree Halie Hampton Mosley, MusicRow‘s LB Cantrell. Photo: Ed Rode

Halie Hampton Mosley joined WHY&HOW in October 2021 as Vice President of Roster Operations, and has helped define and oversee the goals and initiatives of the WHY&HOW roster and staff. Since joining, Hampton Mosley has been instrumental in streamlining and expanding roster operations, and establishing internal practices such as WHY&HOW’s parental leave policies. She also remains closely involved in WHY&HOW artist strategy for such acts as Chase Rice, Danielle Bradbery, BRELAND and Kelleigh Bannen, among others. Prior to joining WHY&HOW, Hampton Mosley spent seven years in Artist Management at Maverick Nashville led by long-time Manager Clarence Spalding. She most recently served as the Day-to-Day Artist Manager for Diamond-selling duo Florida Georgia Line at Hit Farm Management in partnership with Full Stop Management led by Irving and Jeffrey Azoff.

 

Melissa Spillman – VP, A&R, Concord Music Publishing

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, honoree Melissa Spillman, MusicRow‘s LB Cantrell. Photo: Ed Rode

Melissa Spillman is VP of A&R at Concord Music Publishing. In her role, Spillman is responsible for signing and developing new and established songwriters and artists and placing songs with major recording artists. She started out her career at Dreamcatcher Entertainment which led to a seven-year stint in A&R at Capitol Records. After that she headed up renowned producer Jay Joyce’s Neon Cross Music as Head of Publishing and Production. From there she started her own company, Freetown Music where she oversaw the creative development and management of artists, producers and songwriters until she was tapped by Concord Music Publishing to become their VP of A&R in 2021. Beyond her work in music, Spillman proudly started a non-profit organization called Wan Fambul Foundation, which strives to support children and their families in Sierra Leone, West Africa, the birthplace of three of her sons. She resides in Franklin with her songwriter/producer/author husband Jeremy, four sons and their dog Canyon. You can find her cheering on her sons who play football for the University of Tennessee and Franklin High School this fall.

 

Candice Watkins – SVP, Marketing, Big Loud Records

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, honoree Candice Watkins, MusicRow‘s LB Cantrell. Photo: Ed Rode

As SVP of Marketing at Big Loud Records, Candice Watkins brings proven leadership and across-the-board expertise to the independent powerhouse, selected as one of Billboard’s 2023 Women in Music, and a Country Power Player for the last three consecutive years. Leading the label’s marketing efforts across its many ventures and partnerships, Watkins executes creative strategy and bold, cross-platform campaigns that make an impact. Recently, Watkins has led the marketing efforts behind chart-topping successes like Morgan Wallen’s back-to-back all-genre No. 1 albums, as well as the successful recent projects from HARDY, Hailey Whitters, Stephen Wilson Jr., Charles Wesley Godwin and many more. Watkins also spurred introductory campaigns for artists like Jake Worthington, Lauren Watkins, Ashley Cooke, Dylan Gossett and more, while embarking on major campaign efforts for heavy hitters Lauren Alaina, ERNEST, Larry Fleet and more. The Montclair, New Jersey native is a graduate of Boston’s Northeastern University and Los Angeles’ USC. Prior to joining Big Loud, Watkins served as Sr. Director of Marketing & Artist Development at UMG Nashville and preceded by stops at Red Light Management, Mozes Inc., Borman Entertainment and Martingale Entertainment. Outside of her work innovating campaign strategy for Big Loud, Watkins serves on the board for CMA, ACM, and Teen Dream Center.

BREAKING: UMG Nashville Taps Jake Gear As VP, A&R

Jake Gear. Photo: Jason Myers

UMG Nashville has tapped publishing veteran Jake Gear as VP of A&R.

Gear brings over 10 years of experience as a publisher, producer and writer manager to his new role.

The Iowa native graduated from Nashville’s Belmont University before beginning his career in the Music & Licensing department at CMT. He went on to hold publishing posts at Magic Mustang Music, Sea Gayle Music and BMG. Gear then launched creative publishing venture Hang Your Hat Music in 2020 with Concord and hitmaker Hillary Lindsey. He has also acted as writer manager for Lindsey, and produced albums for Flatland Cavalry, Ben Chapman, Harper O’Neill and Hailey Whitters.

Throughout his career, he has celebrated hit records with artists including Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Priscilla Block, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jordan Davis, Tyler Hubbard, Sam Hunt, Parker McCollum, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Jelly Roll, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Morgan Wallen and Little Big Town, among others.

“Jake brings an unparalleled passion for nurturing artists, writers, and producers within the vibrant Nashville community,” says Chelsea Blythe, EVP of A&R, UMG Nashville. “With his keen ear to the ground and unwavering dedication, I’m excited for the creativity he brings to the department, and I know he’ll be a huge asset to our roster.”

Gear can be reached at Jake.Gear@umusic.com.

BREAKING: Toby Keith, John Anderson & James Burton To Be Inducted Into Country Music Hall Of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame 2024 class of inductees was revealed today (March 18). Toby Keith, John Anderson and James Burton will be added to the esteemed Hall later this year.

Burton will be inducted in the Recording and/or Touring Musician category, which is awarded every third year in rotation with Songwriter and Non-Performer categories. Anderson will be inducted in the Veterans Era Artist category and Keith will be inducted in the Modern Era Artist category.

“This year’s nominees exemplify the excellence of our genre,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO. “James, John and Toby have each made an indelible impact and brought their distinctive contributions to country music, enriching our format. Their influence is evident throughout the longevity of their careers, ensuring each legacy will thrive indefinitely. It is with great pride that we welcome these three remarkable individuals into the esteemed ranks of the Country Music Hall of Fame.”

Hall of Fame members Brooks & Dunn hosted the press conference to announce the news, which was also streamed live on CMA’s YouTube channel.

Toby’s passing left our hearts broken,” says the Covel family. “We miss him so much, but we take comfort that his music and legacy will live forever. Thank you, Country Music Hall of Fame, for helping keep it alive.”

“After several days, I am still trying to grasp the reality of being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame,” says Anderson. “It is one of the greatest honors I could ever receive. My love and heartfelt gratitude goes out to the fans who have supported me through the years, everyone at the Country Music Hall of Fame and all of those who made this possible. I am proud and honored beyond words.”

“How did I find out about this amazing award? Well, I was on the phone with Keith Urban and I kind of felt that Keith was beating around the bush a bit and small talking me,” says Burton. “He then stated that he was going to hand the phone to a young lady for a minute. I thought it was a friend of Keith’s that just wanted to say hi or talk guitars. Instead, she [Sarah Trahern] introduced herself and simply said ‘Mr. Burton, you’ve been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.’ I was completely shocked and couldn’t think of anything to say. All I remember was that my wife Louise started crying, I kept thinking that this couldn’t be real. In fact, when we hung up the call, I redialed the caller’s number just to make sure it wasn’t a prank phone call! I am so humbled and excited to be recognized in this way. So much of my career was spent playing for incredible country artists and to now be going up on that wall with all those innovators and industry greats is just incredible.”

“Each of the three new inductees has left a deep and distinctive stamp on our genre,” says Kyle Young, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO. “Florida native John Anderson helped steer country music back to its traditions with his bold honky-tonk style. James Burton, who hails from Louisiana, blended country and blues to create a fiery picking style that distinguished countless hits and has inspired guitarists the world over. Toby Keith from Oklahoma brought a sly swagger and a patriotic passion to songs that made him one of the best-selling country artists of the past 30 years. They have all profoundly shaped our music, and we are honored and delighted that their achievements will now forever be enshrined in the Country Music Hall of Fame.”

A formal induction ceremony for Burton, Anderson and Keith will take place at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in the CMA Theater this October. The museum’s Medallion Ceremony, a reunion of the Hall of Fame membership, is the official rite of induction for new members.

Bios for the inductees are below.

James Burton. Photo: Courtesy of Burton

James Burton – Recording and/or Touring Musician Category

Leo Fender had been making his Telecaster electric guitars for only a few years when James Burton saw a white 1953 model hanging in J&S Music in Shreveport, Louisiana. It was love at first sight for the 13-year-old. He fell head over heels for the balance of its body and the high-end bite of its tone.

After the young Burton, born in Dubberly, Louisiana, on August 21, 1939, convinced his parents that he and the instrument were made for each other, he set out to emulate musical heroes like Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Les Paul and Billy Byrd. He quickly figured out that while he couldn’t copy their style, he needed to create a sound as distinct as theirs. So, he developed a hybrid picking style that combined the use of a flat pick between his thumb and index finger and, to make his high notes really pop, a fingerpick on his middle finger.

Within a year, the self-taught Burton was playing professionally, the youngest staff musician on the Louisiana Hayride, a live country music show that broadcast on the clear-channel Shreveport station KWKH-AM (1130). There, he backed country singers like George Jones and Johnny Horton, as well as younger acts like Bob Luman that favored a rockabilly sound.

At 15, Burton went into the KWKH studio with another Louisiana teenager, Dale Hawkins, who had set lyrics to an instrumental with a distinctive, swampy guitar pattern that Burton had written. Though Burton did not receive a writer’s credit on the song, “Susie-Q” reached the Billboard Top 30 in the summer of 1957.

While in a Los Angeles studio with Luman, with whom he sometimes performed on KTTV-TV’s Town Hall Party, Burton came to the attention of Ricky Nelson, then starring on ABC-TV’s The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. Burton soon joined Nelson’s band and began backing him on the show, making him the rare guitarist to appear weekly during network primetime just as rock ’n’ roll was exploding in popularity. For a nation full of aspiring guitarists, the effect of watching Burton fuse country, blues and R&B into the licks he played behind Nelson on songs like “Waitin’ in School,” “Stood Up” and “Believe What You Say” — records that charted both country and pop — was much the same as witnessing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Except it happened every Wednesday night.

When Burton played, he bent the strings of his Telecaster, mimicking the glide of a pedal steel, while mixing in bursts of staccato notes, a style he referred to as “chicken-picking.” That style soon became one of the most familiar sounds in American popular music, influencing the likes of George Harrison, John Fogerty, Jimmy Page and practically anyone who has ever tried to play country guitar. Burton’s impact was so pervasive that National Public Radio (NPR) once called him “the teen who invented American guitar.”

For years, Burton played only that 1953 Tele, first white and later painted red, as he became a top-flight session player in Los Angeles. He appeared on records by Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr., and Glen Campbell, as well as the Everly Brothers, the Monkees and Buffalo Springfield. He played on the soundtracks for films like Rio Bravo, Viva Las Vegas and a myriad of other movies including most recently Ford v Ferrari.

In 1965, Johnny Cash asked Burton to play Dobro on a song he planned to sing on a new TV show called Shindig! Burton soon became leader of the show’s house band, The Shindogs, which also featured guitarist Delaney Bramlett and keyboardist Glen D. Hardin. Via Shindig!, Burton backed many of that era’s biggest musical stars.

When Elvis Presley debuted at Las Vegas’ International Hotel in 1969, Presley called Burton and asked him to put a band together. As a result, Burton became the Band Leader and lead guitarist of Presley’s iconic “Taking Care of Business” band.

He played with Presley for the rest of the singer’s life, and it was with Presley that he introduced a second Telecaster. That one, a customized 1969 pink paisley model, became as much of an icon in guitar circles as his first one had.

Burton played on Gram Parson’s GP and Grievous Angel albums. Emmylou Harris structured her tour dates around Presley’s Vegas shows so she could have Burton in the first iteration of her Hot Band.

After Presley’s death in 1977, Burton joined John Denver’s band and worked with him for the next 20 years. He recorded and toured with Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Costello, and he appeared on albums by artists ranging from Robert Plant, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash to Tina Turner and Joni Mitchell. He was also part of the band for the 1988 Cinemax special Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night.

Burton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2009, he was part of a Grammy Best Country Instrumental Performance win for his participation in the Brad Paisley instrumental “Cluster Pluck,” along with Vince Gill, Steve Wariner, Redd Volkaert, Albert Lee, John Jorgenson and Brent Mason. Since 2005, he has hosted the James Burton International Guitar Festival benefiting his James Burton Foundation, which provides guitars and music instruction to schools, hospitals and community service organizations.

Inducting Burton into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards said, “Leo Fender had no idea what he was making for the man who really knows how to play the Telecaster.” Burton became so inextricably linked with that guitar model that when Fender introduced its first “signature” Telecaster in 1990, it bore Burton’s name. Burton’s series of signature Telecaster’s continues today with his latest Burton “Angel” guitar that he plays along with his other guitars on stage and in studios around the world.

Now Burton’s name and likeness will hang in the Rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame, joining his heroes Atkins and Travis and many of the musicians with whom he played, a testament to a perfect combination of a man, a guitar and a distinctive musical vision.

John Anderson. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen

John Anderson – Veterans Era Artist Category

Some singers get the knock of being too country for rock and too rock for country. That was never the case with John Anderson. At his best, Anderson was too rock and too country, as likely to sing songs by Van Morrison or Willie Dixon as he was ones by Lefty Frizzell or Marijohn Wilkin.

Born December 13, 1954, John David Anderson grew up in Apopka, Florida, named for the large lake just northwest of Orlando. As a youth, he played in local rock groups like the Living End and the Weed Seeds. He soon turned to country music and counted Merle Haggard as one of his heroes.

He moved to Nashville shortly after graduating high school in the early 1970s, following his older sister Donna, singing with her in a duo. While in Nashville, he performed gigs for a few dollars a night and worked odd jobs. Of those, the one he held the longest, he told the Orlando Sentinel in 1979, was a construction gig where one of his jobs involved helping roof the Grand Ole Opry House prior to its 1974 opening.

He briefly recorded for a small independent label, which quickly folded, but not before he cut a song called “What Did I Promise Her Last Night.” This got the attention of publisher Al Gallico, who got him a publishing deal and signed to Warner Bros. Records. He then moved to Texas to check out the progressive country scene but soon returned to Nashville.

Norro Wilson produced his early records for the label. Each of Anderson’s singles tended to do a little better than the previous one, enough so that Warner Bros. stuck with him, finally releasing his first, self-titled album in 1980. He’d put out seven singles, and with their echoes of Haggard, Frizzell, and Hank Williams, modest early hits like 1979’s “Your Lying Blues” and “She Just Started Liking Cheatin’ Songs” preceded fellow traditionalists Ricky Skaggs, George Strait and Randy Travis. In an era of pop overtures and crossovers, Anderson favored shuffles, waltzes, and heartbreak ballads sung with a back-of-the-throat drawl that could sound like he was choking back tears. His first top 5 hit — a version of Billy Joe Shaver’s “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be a Diamond Someday)” — came nearly four years after his label debut.

In late 1982, as the title track for Anderson’s fourth album, Wild and Blue, co-produced by Anderson and Frank Jones, was on a trajectory to become his first No. 1 single, several radio stations began playing another song from the album, one Anderson had written with Lionel Delmore, the son of the Delmore Brothers’ Alton Delmore. The buzz on the other record became so loud that Warner’s promotion team had to encourage programmers to wait until “Wild and Blue” had run its course. Sure enough, three weeks after “Wild and Blue” hit No. 1, “Swingin’” hit the country charts. Ten weeks after that, the mildly suggestive number became Anderson’s second chart-topper. The record became so popular that some rock and pop stations began spinning it.

The Country Music Association recognized “Swingin'” as the Single of the Year at the 1983 CMA Awards, where Anderson also was named the Horizon Award winner.

Anderson and Delmore wrote several other songs together, including the 1995 top 3 single “Bend Until It Breaks.”

Anderson had five top 5 singles, including three No. 1s, in two years, but subsequent records peaked farther down the charts as the next wave of young performers arrived.

Following brief stints with MCA Records Nashville and Universal Records, Anderson signed with BNA Records, a subsidiary of RCA, in 1991. When “Straight Tequila Night” came out late that year, Anderson had had just one top 10 single in seven years.

But “Straight Tequila Night” brought Anderson’s career roaring back, making him one of only a handful of acts who’d begun releasing records in the 1970s who continued to have major successes into the 1990s.

Anderson’s 1990s run equaled what he’d done a decade before as he hit with records like the Dire Straits cover “When It Comes to You,” the chart-topping “Money in the Bank,” and the regret-filled “I Wish I Could Have Been There.”

One of those ’90s hits, “Seminole Wind,” had a localized, environmentally conscious theme that did not initially strike BNA executives as particularly commercial. Though Anderson did not write it as such, he knew it was capable of commercial success. Written after a visit with his 95-year-old grandmother in Florida, the song referenced the development of the Everglades in Anderson’s native Florida, flood control efforts that decreased its size by half in a century, and the 19th-century Seminole resistance leader Osceola. Though the record peaked at No. 2, 1992’s “Seminole Wind” sold three million copies and became a career-defining record for Anderson.

After BNA, Anderson recorded for Mercury Records, Columbia Nashville, the Warner imprint Raybaw Records, Country Crossing and Bayou Boys Music. In 2020, he worked with Johnny Cash collaborator David Ferguson and the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach on his 22nd studio album, Years.

In addition to Anderson’s two 1980s CMA Awards, he participated in the 1994 Album of the Year win for Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles, on which he covered “Heartache Tonight.” That same year, the Academy of Country Music honored him with its Career Achievement Award.

Truly living out his songs, Anderson has lived the country lifestyle for more than 45 years. When not on the road, Anderson enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, fishing and gardening. Anderson and his wife of more than 40 years, Jamie, share two daughters and their families. “I’ve been very fortunate and blessed to have such a great family life,” Anderson says.

With a discography spanning more than 40 years, Anderson’s career track has had enough peaks and valleys and twists and turns to resemble a rollercoaster. His musical vision hasn’t always aligned with the fashion of the times. But whatever John Anderson decides to sing, as soon as he starts, there’s no mistaking who it is. That voice is timeless, and it has found a forever home in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Toby Keith. Photo: Andrew Southam

Toby Keith – Modern Era Artist Category

Few artists have had as big of a career as Toby Keith. Outspoken and self-confident, Keith knew what he had, even when others didn’t recognize it. Every time someone undervalued him or sold him short, he turned the slight into motivation and creative fuel for a career that ranks with country’s greatest.

Born July 8, 1961, Toby Keith Covel grew up in a small town outside of Oklahoma City, the son of a second-generation oil-field roughneck. Keith’s grandmother ran a supper club near the Oklahoma-Arkansas state line. When young Keith visited in the summer, he excitedly watched the club’s musicians on the stage as he worked from the back. Having learned to play guitar on an instrument his grandmother had bought him at a local OTASCO store, he occasionally got to sit in. When he got older, he toured regionally with his band, Easy Money.

Young Keith admired artists who could also write their songs, whether in country (Merle Haggard) or rock (Bob Seger). As he began writing his own, he figured if he couldn’t make it as a singer, the songs were good enough to give him a career.

Not everyone agreed. When he first came to Nashville with a cassette of what he considered his six best songs (out of hundreds he had written), one label head told him he sang well enough but that those songs weren’t going to cut it. Keith returned to Oklahoma, dejected, determined, and hard-headed not to return.

Fortunately, Mercury Records Nashville head Harold Shedd heard about Keith and traveled to Oklahoma City to see him on his home turf. Shedd signed Keith to Mercury the next day. He also wanted to record all the songs on that cassette. They included three of his first four singles — the chart-topping hits “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “Wish I Didn’t Know Now,” as well as “He Ain’t Worth Missing” which went top 5. A fourth song from the cassette, “Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You,” reached No. 1 when it was released on Keith’s 1996’s album Blue Moon.

“Should’ve Been a Cowboy” gave Keith a No. 1 out of the gate and began a string of hits that would continue across four decades. Keith reached No. 1 on the country singles charts 32 times, writing or co-writing 26 of those songs.

Despite Keith having four No. 1 hits and one top 5 with his first five singles, including “Who’s That Man” which he wrote by himself, Mercury shuffled the singer from label to label during his time there, first to Polydor, then to A&M, then back to Mercury, and Keith grew increasingly frustrated. When Mercury turned down his fifth album, which Keith was confident was the best he’d ever made, he asked the label to release him from his contract. Keith paid Mercury for the album, then promptly took it to the recently launched DreamWorks Nashville, which was being run by his producer James Stroud.

The album’s first single, “How Do You Like Me Now?!” spent five weeks at No. 1. DreamWorks allowed Keith to “dress out of his own closet” musically, and his greatest commercial successes at that time came during his years with the label. His five DreamWorks albums all went multi-Platinum, with 2002’s Unleashed and 2003’s Shock’n Y’all reaching five-times Platinum. Songs like “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This,” “I Love This Bar,” and “American Soldier” spent multiple weeks atop the charts.

While “As Good As I Once Was” and a duet with Willie Nelson called “Beer for My Horses” each spent six weeks at No. 1.

Another song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” was written about how his dad would have felt when terrorists tore down the buildings on September 11, 2001, and initially used by the Marine Corps as motivation for the U.S. military invading Afghanistan. When the song took on a life beyond the military, Keith, who viewed himself as patriotic but not particularly political, became a cultural lightning rod. Many people tried to portray him as a one-dimensional character, but anyone who knew Keith knew he wouldn’t be limited to that. Keith didn’t write so much about politics as he wrote about communities — the communities found in the military, in bars, in bands that traveled the highways together. He performed on 11 U.S.O. tours, playing more than 200 shows for members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

In 2005, Keith launched his own label, Show Dog Records. He would pursue his musical vision there for the rest of his life, releasing hits like “Get Drunk and Be Somebody,” “American Ride,” “Red Solo Cup,” “Hope on the Rocks,” “Made In America,” “God Love Her” and “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” which he wrote after being inspired by Clint Eastwood who later featured it in his 2018 film The Mule.

Keith nearly missed his induction into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2007 when his son’s football team, which he coached, took their championship game into multiple overtimes. He went into the New York based all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021. Keith also received the National Medal of the Arts in 2020 and the BMI Icon Award in 2022, among several other industry awards and honors.

Keith was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2021 and died on February 5, 2024, at age 62. In an on-air eulogy on his late-night talk show, longtime friend Stephen Colbert, confessed that he, too, had once underestimated Keith. “Toby was always surprising people,” he said. “Toby taught me not to prejudge a guest and to have my intention, but to keep my eyes open to the reality of who they are. For that lesson, and for a lot of other things, I’m always going to be grateful.”

What’s not a surprise, though, is Keith’s selection to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The man who once sang that he “dreamed about living in your radio” has found a permanent home in the Hall of Fame Rotunda.

My Music Row Story: Sony Music Nashville’s Taylor Lindsey

Taylor Lindsey

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

Taylor Lindsey is the SVP, A&R at Sony Music Nashville, where she oversees the label’s dynamic new A&R team as well as signs and develops a diverse roster that includes recorded music icons, breakthrough acts and newcomers.

Prior to taking on her current expanded role, Lindsey was directly involved with the development of artists such as Old Dominion, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Ryan Hurd and Mitchell Tenpenny, among others. Before joining Sony Music Nashville, she was at BMG where she signed and developed the careers of songwriters and artists as well as pitched the catalogs of 13 chart-topping songwriters, including her award-winning sister, Hillary Lindsey.

A respected industry executive, Lindsey has been included in a number of industry power lists including Billboard’s 40 Under 40 (2018), Billboard’s Women In Music (2018, 2019, 2023), Billboard’s Country Power Players (2022, 2023), Variety’s Hitmakers Impact (2020), Variety’s Young Leaders In Music (2019) and more. She is also a graduate of the Leadership Music Class of 2019. She currently resides in Nashville with her husband, Grammy-nominated songwriter Derrick Southerland, and their daughter, Lyle, and son, Ryder.

Lindsey will be honored as part of the current class of MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row on March 19. For more details about the class and the event, click here.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town called Washington, Georgia, which is about 45 minutes east of Athens and 45 minutes west of Augusta.

Photo: Courtesy of Lindsey

What did you like to do as a kid?

Washington is really small town, so there really wasn’t very much to do. I was in the church choir growing up and I cheered. But even though it was small, it was a great upbringing. We didn’t lock our doors at night. We didn’t lock our cars. We walked to the local pharmacy to get snacks after school and just signed a little sheet of paper instead of paying, because it just went on our parents’ credit. I don’t think I learned how to pump gas until I was a freshman in college because all of the gas stations were full service. It was just a really sweet, idealistic way to grow up, and I really appreciate it now that I’m older.

Photo: Courtesy of Lindsey

Were you musical?

I wouldn’t consider myself that musical, but music was always a part of my DNA and my childhood. My parents used to throw dinner parties with all of their friends quite often, and some of my earliest memories are of dancing in the kitchen to Motown with them and their friends as a little girl. I don’t have a ton of core memories where music isn’t a part of them; my dad dashboard drumming to the latest country song while driving me to school in the morning or my mom humming along to a Carly Simon or Bonnie Raitt song, watching my sisters both sing in talent shows (and win most of them)—music was just always a constant in our household.

Where did you go to college?

I went to the University of Georgia. I met my husband [Grammy-nominated songwriter Derrick Southerland] there when we were in school. We were both in the music business program there. It was Bruce Burch who stopped me on campus one day and convinced me to join the program. I needed an elective class and thought it’d be easy to study organic chemistry in the back of the class, but I was wrong.. and I really fell in love with the prospect of working in music then.

Photo: Courtesy of Lindsey

I take it you liked the music business classes.

Yeah, I did. [Laughs] Fun fact—though my dad doesn’t think it’s so fun—I didn’t graduate. I have one three-hour class requirement to actually graduate. Essentially, in my junior year, I really realized this was something that I could do. Because my sister Hillary [Lindsey] was already here, I had already been meeting so many people. So I started pitching her songs first.

One summer [before I moved to Nashville full time] I came here and I had my very first pitch meeting as a song plugger with Renee Bell, who used to be the head of A&R at Sony. I sat on her little white couch and played her some of Hillary’s songs.

What happened when you moved here full-time?

Hillary was independent at the time and she had a little company called Raylene Music. I moved to Nashville and became her full-time everything. I was pitching songs and booking co-writes, but because she didn’t have any kind of a big company behind her, I was also helping negotiate soundtrack fees for songs she had written for movies and all sorts of things. I really cut my teeth by trial and error, just having to figure it out by leaning on her and the people that I met along the way, and Hill and I had so much fun back then doing it together.

After about a year of that, BMG acquired Hillary’s catalog and hired me as a song plugger. When I was at BMG, I had 13 artist-writers, including Hillary.

Photo: Courtesy of Lindsey

Tell me about moving over to Sony Music Nashville.

In 2013, Jim Catino called me and said there was an open A&R job at Sony and someone that he really respected and loved—Jesse Frasurebrought my name up. Jim said that he thought about it and that he didn’t have anybody else in mind for the job.

He said, “Think about it. Pray about it. Talk to Derrick about it. If you want it, call me on Monday and you can have it.” The ironic thing is that Derrick had just been offered a publishing deal with Still Working Music, who had a joint venture with BMG, so I was about to have the opportunity to work with him when this opportunity came up.

After a lot of consideration, I took the job. I never thought I would fall in love with A&R or the label system. It was never on my radar or a goal of mine from a career standpoint. But it was a two-year contract and I just thought I could do anything for two years, and if I hated it, I would just tough it out and be a better publisher in the long run. I obviously fell in love with it.

Photo: Courtesy of Lindsey

What are some of the first projects you worked on in A&R at Sony?

I would say the first pillar of establishing myself as an A&R person was signing Maren Morris in 2015. She had already released some songs on Spotify, and she and Janet Weir were creating their own little nucleus of independent artistry, but her partnering with Sony and really being a part of that was pretty incredible.

Were there any learning curves transitioning from being a publisher to a label exec?

The label system is a lot different than the publishing system. What publishing gave me was an understanding of the impact of the creative—and the art—and how you always have to have the creative right; how the music should always come first, but what I had to learn was really the scope and detail of what it takes to market a song or an artist—the promotional aspect of that down to the A&R admin side and the release-planning side. How a million chips have to fall into place to get a song from when I hear it as a work tape to the release and what it takes to make it successful.

What would you say is the most fulfilling part of your job now?

My role has evolved so much over the years, going from a pure A&R person to now, a department head and having an A&R team around me. On the one hand, I’m not in the weeds as much as I used to be on the true creative. I don’t have as many artists that I am properly point on for A&R because my responsibilities are so much wider and dedicated to the label system as a whole, but there is something really special about hearing a demo or a work tape from the publishing community and going, “Man, I’ve got to play that for so and so.” Those creative wins are still really important to me.

On the other side of that coin, it’s fulfilling to sit in a room with this A&R team every day, hear their ideas, see what they’re signing and be a part of that. I help where I can, but I really attribute so much of our recent success as an A&R team and label to them.

Photo: Courtesy of Lindsey

What would your younger self think about you now?

My younger self would be really proud of the fact that I’ve made it this far in my career by being honest, trying to hold integrity and not forgetting that everyone around me is a human just like I am. I try to actually look people in the eye everyday and just be real and thoughtful.

With Derrick being a successful songwriter and also being in the business—we can both get caught up in how crazy the business is. We try so hard to stay grounded for our two kids. That’s something I’m really proud of.

Who have been some of your mentors?

Jim Catino. What I didn’t know about what a major label system was how to navigate the political side of it. Jim always did such an amazing job of navigating that. He taught me so much even if he wasn’t trying to.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?

That’s a great question. Someone once told me, “If you were given a seat at the table, you’re meant to be there.” I feel like a lot of times, especially when you’re starting out in your career, you sit in rooms and sometimes you’re scared to speak up. You could have the best idea, but you don’t know if it’s appropriate or you don’t want to step on other people’s toes, so you never say it even though you should.

You will be honored at next week’s Rising Women on the Row ceremony. What would you tell a young woman who wants to be where you are one day?

To be real. Don’t forget where you came from. Try not to sell out. You don’t have to kiss ass to get to the next phase in your career. It’s cliche, but if you want something, just go after it and be okay with pivoting if you have to. Don’t beat yourself up over it, show yourself grace instead. You’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to.

Lainey Wilson Tops MusicRow Radio Chart With ‘Wildflowers And Wild Horses’

Lainey Wilson notches another No. 1 hit on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this week with “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.”

The song was co-written by Wilson with Paul Sikes and Trannie Anderson, and appears on her Grammy-winning album Bell Bottom Country.

Wilson, the reining CMA Entertainer of the Year, recently released a new track “Country’s Cool Again,” which is also the name of her upcoming headlining tour. The trek will kick off on May 31 in Nashville before criss-crossing the nation.

“Wildflowers and Wild Horses” currently sits at No. 15 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 9 on the Mediabase chart.

Click here to view the latest edition of the MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

My Music Row Story: CMA’s Tiffany Kerns

Tiffany Kerns

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

In her role as SVP, Industry Relations & Philanthropy, Tiffany Kerns oversees the strategic direction and management of all the Country Music Association’s membership events, initiatives and programming. By developing and enhancing robust and innovative CMA membership strategies, she ensures professional development pathways align with the needs of the member base and the future of the industry.

Established as CMA’s philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation has invested nearly $30 million across all 50 states. In her role, Kerns is responsible for the growth, development and execution of the nonprofit’s charitable investments by creating intentional partnerships and implementing an impact-driven grant process.

With a steadfast focus on improving the philanthropic model of giving, Kerns has led the charge in enriching music education programs across the United States. She oversees advocacy efforts for the CMA Foundation at the state and federal level, which includes working with dozens of community partners, policymakers, educators and industry leaders to elevate the CMA Foundation’s mission.

Kerns will be honored as part of the current class of MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row on March 19. For more details about the class and the event, click here.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Bradenton, Florida by way of Columbus, Ohio.

The biggest thing I was taught growing up was to go into everything with commitment and an incredible amount of passion.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What was school like for you?

I particularly love where I grew up. I was exposed to so much diversity, in every sense of the word—we were a beach town, yet less than 10 miles from the country. I went to a middle school where I was the minority. By high school, we really were a community—hurricane nation to be clear. Whether you were an athlete, in the band, a part of student council or learning how to break dance—yes, I tried that too—you were celebrated for being you.

In fact, we started a nonprofit in high school that ensured anyone who moved to our community, would be properly supported as they navigated the uncomfortable transition of joining a new high school and making friends.

School pushed me out of my comfort zone on more than one occasion and truly gave me the foundation and perspective that has stayed with me, even today.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

That’s awesome! Where did you go to college?

I always knew I wanted to go out of state and attend a football school. I begged my parents to let me apply to out-of state schools versus staying in Florida. It just so happened that both our football coach and principal went to the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and his best friend was Phillip Fulmer, who was Tennessee’s football coach.

That influenced me to look at UT, and ultimately, I became a Vol. I fell in love with not just football but UT athletics as a whole. I developed an appreciation for the recruitment process. Working with parents and guardians to better understand the opportunities that exist for their child while making sure they understood that less than 10 percent of student athletes would have an opportunity to pursue a career at the professional level. It was imperative that student athletes understood their degree gave them an opportunity to have a plan B beyond playing sports.

I also credit my time within my sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, as being the ultimate education. I learned so much about developing relationships and the importance of effective communication.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What happened after college?

I graduated with a degree in political science, and I immediately pursued and developed a love for politics. I had an opportunity to learn and understand a major political campaign and what is endured on a campaign trail. The minute that was over, I was back in Knoxville and ready to tackle a new challenge. A friend of mine had recently had a child with cystic fibrosis. He asked if I would help plan a fundraiser. That fundraiser turned into the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) asking if I wanted a full time job. I took the opportunity and worked for CFF in East Tennessee.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What did you learn there?

A lot of things happened [during that time], but one thing that I immediately realized was that I loved major gift development, the cultivation of individuals that have the ability to give at a high level. This led to new opportunities with CFF, spending more time with individuals who wanted to build their legacy through gift giving. I learned to be an active listener. It was my job to understand the needs of a donor and ensure their gift and experience with us was one that had deep impact and was fruitful.

I spent most of my time in San Francisco, cultivating and soliciting gifts. Over the course of six and a half years, we raised $200 million to support this research. These funds helped excel our drug therapeutics pipeline. A drug takes a good amount of time before it can go to market, and what typically prohibits that is funding. I specifically worked on a drug called Kalydeco that we knew would have the ability to not cure but maintain the health of 90 percent of our cystic fibrosis patients. It went to market two years after I left the organization, but it was the drug that I focused on the most, and I loved it.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What was next?

I ended up moving to Nashville because there was an opportunity here with CFF. Someone on the Board of Directors locally knew Ed Hardy, who was the interim CEO at CMA. He said that they had just launched the CMA Foundation and were interested in having someone create a roadmap or a strategic plan for it.

I don’t know that I ever thought I would work [at CMA], but over the course of months, Ed and I got to know each other, and I officially applied. I’ve been [with the organization] ever since. I joined in early December of 2013.

How would you explain what your job has become at CMA?

I tell everyone that I wake up every day trying to figure out how CMA can support the professionals that make a living in this business. How that looks is different for most individuals, as we have 6,300 members. What a bus driver needs may be very different than what a manager needs which is very different than an artist, a publisher or a songwriter. I think it’s being curious enough to say, “I don’t know what you need. Talk to me about it. Let’s sit down and let me try to figure out how CMA can be woven into your professional story. How can we be supportive?” That’s my core job.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

Then there is the CMA Foundation. Being the Executive Director for the last six years has been an absolute dream. I am passionate about our mission and the students and teachers we serve. In the music education space, I feel strongly that the music industry will only be in existence if we’re exposing our students to creative potential while they’re in K through 12. Both of my roles at CMA are centered around people and it’s what makes me excited about showing up to work every day.

I also work very closely with our Board of Directors—talk about working with the most brilliant individuals in our business! They’re constantly pushing me to think bigger and differently. They are a critical piece in maintaining curiosity in the organization.

That’s a lot. When do you feel most fulfilled in what you do?

When I know that I’ve made it easier for somebody else. That is in everything, whether it’s helping out a music teacher or guiding someone from our industry to mental health resources. I see everyone as a neighbor. I believe you are most fulfilled when you are at the service of others.

Who have been some of your mentors?

Joe Galante. He is truly one of the best mentors on the planet. He has a real gift for asking questions, and he has taught me how to be curious and to never stop pushing yourself to learn.

Sarah Trahern has also been a tremendous reflection of the kind of leader that I want to be, too. She does a great job of bringing you along, and has been a tremendous asset for me and my career. I would also say Kitty Moon Emery, who is no longer with us. My first two years at CMA, she was just constantly checking in and making sure that I knew she was in my corner. That went such a long way.

Photo: Courtesy of Kerns

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

One is a lyric from Bob Dylan that said, “Don’t criticize something you can’t understand.” That was shared with me by my father. I would always get very frustrated when I was younger about why doing the right thing sometimes was so hard to for people to do. I try, as best as I can, to see as many perspectives as possible before critiquing or being quick to judge.

The other is that my success should never be at the expense of others. I never want to feel like I’ve had to step on the back of somebody else in order to achieve anything.

You will be honored at next week’s Rising Women on the Row ceremony. What has your experience been like as a woman in the music industry?

A lot better than I think most people probably would assume. I work at an organization that is predominantly female, and I love it. I also think the men that we have, not only in our building but on our Board of Directors, are incredibly supportive.

I particularly want to help shift this narrative that women can’t be supportive of one another. At Rising Women, there will be a room full of women celebrating our honorees. How do we take that one step further and ensure we are celebrating, lifting and building up all women in our business? Let’s look inward on our teams and our peer groups, let’s ask each other if we have what we need to excel. We can’t remove barriers if we aren’t asking what they are and how we can collectively overcome them.

Overall, it has been a really positive experience. Of course, like any industry, we are not perfect, and I think we have to work on making sure our tenured women are giving back to our emerging professionals. We have to continue to be curious about each other and then do everything in our power to pave the way for others, as a community.

BREAKING: Black River Entertainment Names Bill Macky As VP, National Promotion

Bill Macky. Photo: Courtesy of Black River Entertainment

Black River Entertainment has named Bill Macky as VP, National Promotion. The appointment follows the news of SVP, Promotion, Mike Wilson‘s resignation from the company earlier this month.

Macky joined Black River in 2012, and most recently served as Sr. Director, National Promotion & Strategy. He previously spent time at MCA Nashville, Sony Nashville, Category 5 Records, 1720 Entertainment, Stroudavarious Records and Rodeowave Entertainment in addition to 16 years programming country radio stations in Pittsburgh, San Jose, Sacramento and San Diego.

“Bill has always been the consummate professional who has been with Kelsea [Ballerini] from the beginning of her career,” says Rick Froio, EVP, Black River Entertainment. “I am grateful that he will be there for her next chapter and the careers of MaRynn Taylor, Pryor Baird and Scotty Hasting. His promotion to VP, National Promotion is well deserved!”

“My thanks to Gordon Kerr and Rick Froio for giving me this opportunity to lead our promotion team to the next level,” expresses Macky. “Our future is bright with new music coming from Kelsea Ballerini and continued development of our new artists. It’s the beginning of a new era, and I could not be more excited!”

CMA Fest 2024 Reveals Initial Star-Packed Lineup

The initial lineup for the 51st CMA Fest in Nashville June 6-9 has been announced, and will include hundreds of artists across 10 stages throughout the festival, along with special meet-and-greet moments at Fan Fair X and unique activations along Broadway in Nashville.

The nightly shows at Nissan Stadium will include Kelsea Ballerini, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Jordan Davis, Hardy, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, The War And Treaty, Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman. Additional collaborations and performances will be announced in the coming weeks.

Among the artists set to take the stage at The Chevy Riverfront are Ingrid Andress, Lauren Alaina, Brian Kelley, Matt Stell, The War And Treaty, Colbie Caillat, Chayce Beckham, Gavin DeGraw, George Birge, Breland, Dillon Carmichael, Jackson Dean, Eli Young Band, Cooper Alan, Larry Fleet, Wyatt Flores, Corey Kent, Locash, Kameron Marlowe, Drake Milligan, Niko Moon, Megan Moroney, Lily Rose, Anne WilsonWarren Zeiders and many more.

The Dr Pepper Amp Stage at Ascend Park offers a lineup including Abby Anderson, Tenille Arts, Drew Baldridge, Craig Campbell, Mackenzie Carpenter, Abbey Cone, Dalton Dover, Emerson Drive, Tyler Farr, Mickey Guyton, Wade Hayes, Ty Herndon, Home Free, Greylan James, Brett Kissel, David Nail, Ricochet, Shenandoah, Brittney Spencer, The United States Navy Band Country Current, Uncle Kracker, Lauren Watkins, Charlie Worsham and others.

The Chevy Vibes Stage at Walk of Fame Park is packed with performances from artists including Keith Anderson, Kassi Ashton, Tyler Braden, Blanco Brown, Kolby Cooper, Jade Eagleson, Carter Faith, HunterGirl, Lanco, Little Texas, Chase McDaniel, Chrissy Metz, Kylie Morgan, William Michael Morgan, Drew Parker, RaeLynn, Frank Ray, Dylan Schneider, The Castellows, Tigirlily Gold, Zach Top, Lathan Warlick, Mark Wills, Darryl Worley and more.

Hitting the Good Molecules Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza are artists Tanner Adell, Laci Kaye Booth, Karley Scott Collins, Dasha, David J, Brooke Eden, Kylie Frey, Ben Fuller, Harper Grace, Bryce Leatherwood, Lecade, Madeline Merlo, Walker Montgomery, John Morgan, Neon Union, Griffen Palmer, Peytan Porter, Mason Ramsey, Redferrin, Emily Ann Roberts, RVSHVD, Shaboozey, Dallas Smith, Payton Smith, Austin Williams, Sam Williams, Jake Worthington, Chase Wright and others.

The Hard Rock Stage returns for a second straight year, with both daytime and nighttime shows featuring Sammy Arriaga, Annie Bosko, Ben Chapman, Ashland Craft, Logan Crosby, Mae Estes, Flat River Band, Fancy Hagood, Tyler Halverson, Noah Hicks, Alex Lambert, Clayton Mullen, Reyna Roberts, Sophia Scott, Colin Stough, The Washboard Union, Kasey Tyndall, Walker County, Tucker Wetmore, Drew Green, Alex Hall, Hueston, Matt Koziol, Brooke Lee, Trey Lewis, Canaan Smith, Sean Stemaly and more.

Ascend Amphitheater will also return with three nights of performances at the open-air venue. Lineup and ticket details will be announced in the coming weeks. Additional stage lineups, Fan Fair X activities inside Music City Center and more will be revealed as the festival approaches.

A limited number of four-night Stadium Passes are currently on sale, and fans can access a variety of ticket options starting today (March 14) at CMAfest.com/tickets. Single night tickets for the nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium will be available. Four-day and single day tickets for Fan Fair X are also available now, as well as four-day tickets to Riverside Retreat, an exclusive destination along the Cumberland River, offering early admission to the Chevy Riverfront Stage, where audiences attending the free daytime concerts often reach capacity.

Music Row Photographer Steve Lowry Dies

Steve Lowry

Beloved photographer Steve Lowry, who captured hundreds of events and industry gatherings on Music Row, died of a heart attack on Sunday, March 10 while on the job. He was 63.

Lowry started his photojournalism career as a teenager in Kentucky. He came to Music City to work for the Nashville Banner, where he spent several years photographing happenings around the city. Lowry then spent time at TNN before becoming a freelance photographer with clients in all types of industries. Prior to the pandemic, he was the in-house photographer for the Ryman Auditorium for 14 years.

Over the last 15 years, Lowry has been a fixture at music industry events in Nashville, taking photos at hundreds of No. 1 parties, concerts, celebratory gatherings, benefits and more. He was called on for artist signing photos, trade shots, album covers, corporate headshots and much more. Lowry’s photos have graced Nashville Banner, The Tennessean, Billboard, Rolling Stone, MusicRow, American Songwriter and many more publications.

He deeply appreciated the work of Music Health Alliance (MHA), Second Harvest and Safe Haven Family Shelter and generously supported many philanthropic efforts in Nashville with his time and photography skills.

Lowry is survived by his partner Jerri Malloy, his mother, brother and sister-in-law, two nephews and countless friends.

Lowry’s memorial service will take place Friday, April 19 at Woodmont Christian Church with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. in the chapel, and a Celebration of Life service at 11:30 in the sanctuary. A GoFundMe has been set up for Lowry’s partner of many years, Jerri Malloy.