BBR Music Group’s Rick Shedd & Renee Leymon Retiring

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BBR Music Group has announced the retirement of Rick Shedd, who served as the label group’s General Manager for more than 20 years, and Renee Leymon, who has been with the label group for almost a decade and rose to her most recent post of VP/Radio Syndication & Group Strategy in 2016.

Rick Shedd

“After an entire career making my living within the music business, it is time to step back to pursue some personal goals like traveling and reconnecting with friends,” says Shedd. “I am eternally grateful to have had a career that combined so many fun experiences and the opportunity to make lifelong friendships with people that I met along the way. So grateful to those who were supportive and loyal to me on this journey.”

“Rick has been with BBR from nearly the beginning and has played an important role in our growth and success all along the way,” says Jon Loba, President of BMG Nashville. “His steady hand and demeanor were the perfect balance for a scrappy, upstart independent. He’s also been an amazing friend to me and the entire staff. We will miss having him in the office greatly, but so happy he gets to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.”

Congratulate Shedd on his retirement at Summerrick606@gmail.com

Renee Leymon

“It feels good going out riding on the wings of being the No. 1 airplay label in country music for 2022,” says Leymon. “I’ve been blessed way more than I deserve and am thankful for every second of my music business life. I would consider it my biggest professional accomplishment to leave a trail of successors that I might have influenced and that they are better for it. Most of all, thank you to the people that got me here and enabled me to realize a dream beyond my imagination…you know who you are.”

“Renee was always one of the most tenacious and accomplished promotion executives in the business. When she was given the VP of Syndication and Group Strategy stripes, she truly defined what the role was and played a significant part in Broken Bow becoming the No. 1 Radio Airplay Label last year,” continues Loba. “We will all miss her asking each of us, ‘Are you mad at me?’ but excited she gets to reinvent herself working with her son in a different industry.”

“Renee has been such an integral part of our team here for so many years,” says Carson James, SVP of Promotion. “I’m going to miss working with her every day. The passion she has for our artists and the music they create is like nothing else. Renee, we love you, we’ll miss you, and we hate to see you go.”

Congratulate Leymon at calebsmeme1@aol.com.

UMG Nashville Elevates Lori Christian & Rob Femia

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Lori Christian & Rob Femia

UMG Nashville has promoted Lori Christian and Rob Femia to executive positions. Christian will now serve as Executive Vice President of Marketing and Femia has been named Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for the label group consisting of Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, Mercury Nashville and MCA Nashville.

In her new role, Christian will oversee the Artist Development, Brands & Sponsorship, Creative Services, International Marketing and Media Marketing departments for the label group’s artist roster. Christian rose to SVP of Marketing in 2020 after leading UMG Nashville’s Publicity department since the 2012 merger of EMI and Universal Music Group. During her time with the label group, Christian has played a key role in crafting overall messaging and defining narrative for UMG Nashville artists and their music. She has overseen the launches of multi-Platinum-selling, award-winning projects from Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban and Luke Bryan, among others as well as development of artists including Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis and Sam Hunt. Christian has also played an instrumental role in advancing the careers of Mickey Guyton, Parker McCollum, Sam Williams, Tyler Hubbard and The War And Treaty. A Pittsburgh-native and Denison University graduate, her prior career stops include Capitol Records Nashville, where she oversaw the publicity department, and Sony Music, where she handled publicity for the RCA Records label roster.

“Lori’s understanding of storytelling and weaving our artists narratives into framing their stories has been a critical element of UMG Nashville’s success,” says Cindy Mabe, UMG Nashville Chair & CEO. “Artist development is such a defining feature that separates our artists, especially in a world where everyone is looking for immediate gratification. Having Lori in this leadership role to help drive the key tenants of artist development across all of UMG Nashville is going to change our artist growth strategy. I am so excited to see how Lori leads and guides a new era in artist marketing across UMG Nashville.”

Femia has over 15 years of experience practicing entertainment law, an extensive knowledge of the industry and has fostered relationships with artists and their management teams. He joined UMG Nashville in 2013 as Head of Business & Legal Affairs, and rose to to SVP in 2018, and has now earned the role of EVP as he leads the BA department. Femia is a graduate of Rutgers Law School with prior work history at Sony, BMG, Virgin Records/Capitol Music Group/EMI Music North America and Atlantic Records.

“It’s an honor to expand Rob’s leadership abilities beyond his vast business and legal knowledge,” expresses Mabe. “Rob has had a front seat in dealmaking for a while but as we expand the new goals of UMG Nashville, Rob is helping to write and build the next era of country music business. With the industry changing so rapidly, Rob is an essential partner to our future as Universal Music Group Nashville and his alignment and guidance of our staff and artists is critical to our success. It’s an honor to watch Rob shine and lead our company and I am thrilled to have him join our executive team.”

Luke Combs Sets The Bar For Shows This Summer After Two-Night Stint At Nissan Stadium

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Luke Combs At Nissan Stadium. Photo: David Bergman.

Luke Combs kicked off the summer concert season with two nights at Nissan Stadium this weekend, including a sold out Saturday-night (April 15), proving why he is one of the biggest names in country music.

Fans got warmed up with a stacked lineup of top-tier country talent with performances from Brent Cobb, Flatland Cavalry, Lainey Wilson and Riley Green. Wilson and Green are following in Comb’s footsteps as excellent performers, gaining immense popularity with their sing-along anthems. Fans packed in to see Wilson and Green perform, singing along to almost every song.

But nothing can be compared to Combs’ energy-filled performance, which had fans on their feet all night long. Combs gave it all on the stage playing songs from his whole repertoire including his massive hits like “Beer Never Broke My Heart.,” “Hurricane” and “1, 2 Many.” Combs also played a handful of songs from his new record, Gettin’ Old, which have already become fan favorites.

Photo: David Bergman.

The reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year opened up the night in front of 55,000 fans with “Lovin’ On You” before going into “Hannah Ford Road” off his new record, though fans knew the words to the new songs just as well as any of his massive hits. He welcomed fans to the show before announcing that “Love You Anyway” will be his next radio single after letting fans vote on it last week.

“About a week or week and a half ago, I announced I was going to let you guys decide what my next single was going to be on country radio. We had a vote and you could vote for ‘Love You Anyway’ or ‘5 Leaf Clover’ to put out on the radio. It was real close, I think it was 51 percent to 49 percent, so it was neck and neck,” Combs said. “So this is my next single on country radio, it’s called ‘Love You Anyway.'”

Combs then played “Going, Going, Gone” followed by “Refrigerator Door.” He showed off how much he loves connecting with his fans by allowing them to choose his next song. Fans had the opportunity to scan a QR code before the show and vote on a song for him to play. He and his band didn’t know what they were going to play until the song was revealed in real time. Fans chose the deep and reflective “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old,” which was performed brilliantly and passionately by Combs and his band.

His band got to show off a bit in the middle of the show when Combs introduced them to the sold out crowd and let them play a medley of covers including David Lee Murphy‘s “Dust On The Bottle,” Diamond Rio‘s “Meet In The Middle” and Bruno Mars‘ “When I Was Your Man.”

Photo: David Bergman.

After the medley, Combs played hit song after hit song, once again showing off his fantastic catalog in such a short career. He played “Beautiful Crazy” and a new emotional future-hit “Where The Wild Things Are,” as well as Fast Car” and “5 Leaf Clover” from his new record. He brought Wilson back up on stage to sing Miranda Lambert‘s part of “Outrunnin’ Your Memory.”

Combs then dove into his massive hits like “She Got The Best Of Me,” Hurricane” and “1, 2 Many” before finishing his set with “When It Rains It Pours” and “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” which had every single fan on their feet, singing along as loud as they could.

It didn’t take long for Combs to jump back on stage for his encore where he performed a beautiful, acoustic version of “Better Together.” He played his mega-hit “The Kind Of Love We Make” before ending the show by covering Brooks & Dunn‘s “Brand New Man” with Cobb, Wilson, Green and Flatland Cavalry’s lead singer, Cleto Cordero joining him on stage for a grand ending to an amazing night in Nashville.

Old Dominion’s ‘Memory Lane’ Leaps To The Top Of MusicRow Chart

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Old Dominion jumps five slots to the No. 1 spot on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Memory Lane.”

The track was written by Old Dominion’s Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen and Brad Tursi alongside Grammy-nominated songwriter Jessie Jo Dillon. It was part of a four-song project of the same name the band released in January.

Old Dominion received an ACM nomination for Group of the Year earlier this week, making this the eighth consecutive year the group has been nominated in the category. The group has taken home the title every year for the last five years.

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

Now Open: Applications For MusicRow’s 2023 Annual Artist Roster Issue

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Applications for MusicRow‘s upcoming Artist Roster print issue are now being accepted through Friday, April 21, 2023 with the official form below. Previously included companies will also be solicited separately.

This ultimate artist resource edition includes the Artist Roster company directory, featuring contact information and artist rosters for Nashville record labels, managers, publicists, lawyers, talent agents, publicity and artist services companies (business managers, digital music, legal, marketing, radio promotion, and organizations).

Applications for Artist Roster are now closed.

For advertising opportunities in the Artist Roster print issue, email Sherod Robertson at srobertson@musicrow.com. Rate card information is available here. For questions regarding directory, please email LB Cantrell at lbcantrell@musicrow.com.

Eric Church, Butch Spyridon, Joe & Linda Chambers Headed To Music City Walk Of Fame

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Eric Church, Joe & Linda Chambers and Butch Spyridon

The Music City Walk of Fame has announced its newest slate of inductees who will receive the 98th, 99th and 100th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. The honorees are Eric Church; Joe and Linda Chambers, Co-Founders of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum; and Butch Spyridon, who after 32 years is retiring from the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. Joe Chambers passed away on Sept. 28, 2022, and will be inducted posthumously.

The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 4 at 11 a.m. at Music City Walk of Fame Park. Members of the public are invited to view the ceremony.

“This class of inductees represents what makes Music City special with country artist Eric Church who is at a highpoint of his career with his music and new Lower Broadway venue, along with the Chambers, who have made it their life’s work to recognize the hard work of Nashville’s musicians through the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum,” says Kevin Lavender, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Executive Vice President at 5/3 Bank. “Butch is the architect of the Music City brand that has made Nashville a top global destination. He has championed many major initiatives to showcase the Music City story, including the Walk of Fame attraction. His impact on the Nashville community is undeniable.”

Garth Brooks will be in attendance to induct Spyridon and the Chambers, and Church’s presenter will be announced in the weeks to come.

As the 2020 CMA Entertainer of the Year, Church is a 10-time Grammy nominee whose most recent chart-topping project was the Heart & Soul triple album. His 2011 album Chief is three- time Platinum-certified and includes the iconic “Springsteen.” In 2019, he set Nissan Stadium’s concert attendance record during his “Double Down Tour” with more than 56,000 fans and became the first artist to sell out the venue with a solo lineup. He plans to open a six-story bar, BBQ restaurant and music venue called Chief’s on Lower Broadway.

Joe and Linda Chambers’ non-profit museum honors musicians of all genres of music by preserving and showcasing the historical instruments played on recorded songs. The Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium also includes the Grammy Museum Gallery.

Spyridon has led the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp for 32 years, guiding Music City into a top global destination with record visitation, a global reputation and world-class amenities. He branded it as Music City, making it attractive to professional sports teams and corporate relocations and elevating the quality of life by drawing world-class events, restaurants, retail and hotels. As part of the Events Industry Council Global Awards, he is a 2022 Hall of Leaders inductee, and was named to the global Top 100 Most Influential People in the Events Industry list in 2022 as well.

Luke Combs & Opry Entertainment Group To Team On Downtown Nashville Entertainment Venue

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Luke Combs. Photo: Jeremy Cowart

Luke Combs has teamed with Opry Entertainment Group on a new, massive multi-level entertainment complex in downtown Nashville at 120 Second Avenue North, the home of longtime downtown staple the Wildhorse Saloon.

The new venue is expected to debut in the summer of 2024, but the company plans to operate the venue as the Wildhorse Saloon throughout the planned refurbishment period. Inspired by Combs’ 8x Platinum debut No. 1 hit, “Hurricane,” the venue will be the largest and most versatile entertainment complex in the downtown entertainment district. The 69,000-square-foot complex with an indoor/outdoor capacity of nearly 3,200 will be customized to reflect Combs’ passions for music, songwriting, whiskey and sports.

Features include a 1,500-person capacity concert area for ticketed events as well as a proposed 9,000-square-foot rooftop with unobstructed views of the Cumberland River and Nissan Stadium. The venue’s music program will feature multiple live music experiences that include the existing main stage and dance floor with line dancing. In addition to daily live music from the best up-and- coming talent in Nashville, the venue plans to host a full calendar of ticketed concerts and events.

“I knew there was something extraordinary about Luke from the first time I heard him perform ‘Hurricane,’” says Colin Reed, Executive Chairman of Ryman Hospitality Properties. “Even as he’s gone from filling bars to stadiums around the world, Luke has remained deeply committed to his fans and his craft. As the downtown entertainment district continues to evolve, we view this new experience as a tremendous opportunity to position Second Avenue with a global audience of country music lovers, anchored by Luke Combs’ massive international fan base.”

“I got my start in town playing on this stage and to have the opportunity to work with Opry Entertainment to transform it into my own bar is a dream come true,” shares Combs. “I can’t wait for my fans to see what we’re up to.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Brothers Osborne Give ‘A Message Of Inclusion For Both Sinners & Saints’

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Brothers Osborne. Photo: Natalie Osborne

What a dandy day—so many favorite artists all in one playlist.

I’ve been smiling throughout this listening sessions as I sample the latest from Rodney Crowell, Ashley McBryde, Marty Stuart and our Disc of the Day winners, Brothers Osborne.

The icing on the cake was the presence of several of my new faves—Jordyn Shellhart, Tyler Booth, Ian Munsick and Alex Hall.

Offering his disc debut is Jake Ybarra, who earns a DisCovery Award.

TYLER BOOTH / “Bring on the Neon”
Writers: Tyler Booth/Jamey Johnson/Jeremy Popoff; Producer: Beau Bedford; Label: Sony
– Superb. This instant-classic country weeper simmers in piano and steel while Booth’s always-awesome baritone delivers the emotional goods. Regret and heartache have seldom sounded better. I remain a fan.

CIMARRON 615 / “High Lonesome Stranger”
Writers: Michael Alan Ward/Richard Alan Lonow; Producer: Cimarron 615; Label: KZZ
– Comprised of Bill Lloyd (of Foster & Lloyd, solo outings and Sky Kings fame) with former Poco members Tom Hampton, Rick Lonow, Michael Webb and Jack Sundrud, this all-star group takes its name from one of Poco’s best albums, Rose of Cimarron. The sound is stunningly accomplished, featuring creamy, SoCal, country-rock harmonies with bluegrassy instrumentation and heart-pumping rhythm. The lyric salutes country greats who were gone too soon. Hearty listening.

BROTHERS OSBORNE / “Nobody’s Nobody”
Writers: John Osborne/TJ Osborne/Mike Elizondo/Kendell Marvel; Producer: Mike Elizondo; Label: EMI
– Stately, stomping, scintillating, searing and sensational. The moody, drama-laden vocal unspools a message of inclusion for both sinners and saints. Meanwhile, the band flavors the piping-hot track with buzz-saw guitars, chant-like harmonies and pounding percussion. These guys always deliver in spades.

JORDYN SHELLHART / “When Something’s Gotta Give”
Writers: Jordyn Shellhart/Marc Beeson/Allen Shamblin; Producer: Cameron Jaymes; Label: Warner
– A wistful soprano vocal wafts in an echoey atmosphere while soft steel, brushed percussion and tinkling piano provide a gentle background. A sad, dreamy ballad that wraps you in a cooling blanket of melancholy mist.

BRETT YOUNG / “Dance With You”
Writers: Brett Young/Joran Minton/Jimmy Robbins; Producers: Dan Huff/Jimmy Harnen; Label: BMLG
– Presenting the wedding-dance song of 2023. Ultra romantic, but with just the right touch of rhythmic undertow. A keeper.

KARLEY SCOTT COLLINS / “Brain on Love”
Writers: Karley Scott Collins/Summer Overstreet/Cameron Bartolini/Liam Kevany; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Sony
– Bluesy and very cool. The minor-key melody is a swirling pleasure. Her darkly compelling, drawling voice will stop you in your tracks. The lyric’s hook is wicked clever. I’m in.

MARTY STUART & HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES / “Sitting Alone”
Writers: Marty Stuart; Producers: Marty Stuart/Mick Conley/Chris Scruggs/Harry Stinson/Kenny Vaughan; Label: Snakefarm
– Hall of Famer Stuart is poised to release his first album in six years next month. The collection’s advance tracks, so far, are its “Altitude” title tune, the jingle-jangle “Country Star” and this Byrds-y country rocker. It’s a rhythmic rural blacktop roller with a joyous and contemplative atmosphere. An audio carnival ride.

ALEX HALL / “Side Effects of the Heart”
Writers: Alex Hall/Pete Good/AJ Babcock/Josh Osborne; Producers: Alex Hall/Pete Good; Label: Monument
– Happiness, loneliness, crying, laughing, hurt, bliss. Yes, all of these are “Side Effects of the Heart,” as Mr. Hall so eloquently explains in this highly listenable outing. The guitar slinger takes some dandy extended solos, but on this go ‘round, his expressive singing is equally in the spotlight. This could be a star-making single.

ASHLEY McBRYDE / “The Devil I Know”
Writers: Ashley McBryde/Jeremy Stover/Bobby Pinson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Warner
– The dynamic production brilliantly alternates crashing rock with processed, a cappella vocal passages. Snarling electric guitar, slapped percussion, nervous acoustic strumming, chant-like support vocals and wild audio frothing make this a heart-stopping listening experience. The lyric is just as riveting—she’s a bar fly who resists changing her wayward ways. This woman rules.

JAKE YBARRA / “BloodFire”
Writer: Jake Ybarra; Producer: William Gawley; Label: Charlotte Avenue
– Kinda rumbling, kinda rockabilly, kinda outlaw, kinda groovy. It’s a tempo tale of a hard-headed devil who’s running down the wrong highway. This promising single is from Ybarra’s debut album, Something In the Water, which dropped last week.

IAN MUNSICK / “White Buffalo”
Writers: Ian Munsick/Jeremy Spillman/Randy Montana; Producers: Jeremy Spillman/Ian Munsick; Label: Warner
– Very open-spaces and “Out West” sounding with an unmistakably ghostly vibe. This title tune of Munsick’s new album is a haunting heartbreak lament that soars. I love the falsetto coyote yips.

RODNEY CROWELL / “Loving You Is the Only Way to Fly”
Writers: Rodney Crowell/Sarah Buxton/Jedd Hughes; Producer: Jeff Tweedy; Label: New West
– One of our consummate songwriting craftsmen returns with an album titled The Chicago Sessions and this lilting, ear-catching, yearning single/video. Tweedy’s pristine production is marvelous, with layered acoustic instruments, “answering” backing vocals by cowriter Hughes and perfectly shadowed soprano harmony by cowriter Buxton. In addition, Crowell remains an enormously expressive singer. Yet another feather in an already much decorated cap.

Hardy, Lainey Wilson Lead ACM Nominations [Full List]

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The nominees for the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards were revealed Thursday (April 13).

Hardy leads the pack of nominees with seven nominations, including for Song of the Year and for a newly specialized category, Artist-Songwriter of the Year. He shares three of his nominations with fellow artist and collaborator Lainey Wilson for their song “Wait In The Truck.”

Wilson follows Hardy with six nods, with inclusion in the Female Artist of the Year category. She is nominated for in more categories than any other artist.

Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert and Cole Swindell each rack up five nominations a piece. Lambert, the most-awarded artist in ACM history, receives her record-breaking 17th Female Artist of the Year nomination, surpassing Reba McEntire‘s 16.

Notably, at least one woman is nominated in every eligible main awards category this year, and for the second time in ACM history, three albums released by all-female acts have been nominated for Album of the Year in the same year, with Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville by Ashley McBryde, Bell Bottom Country by Wilson, and Palomino by Lambert each receiving nominations. The only other time three all-female acts had albums nominated for Album of the Year in the same year was in 1999 with Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina and The Chicks all receiving nominations.

Combs and Chris Stapleton are two of the seven nominees for the newly-expanded Entertainer of the Year. A win for either artist in this category will also clinch the coveted Triple Crown Award, which consists of an Entertainer of the Year win, plus wins in an act’s respective New Artist (Male, Female, or Duo or Group) and Artist (Male, Female, Duo or Group) categories.

Brothers Osborne’s nomination for Duo of the Year marks their 16th ACM nomination and their ninth year in a row being nominated for ACM Duo of the Year, an award they have brought home three times, including last year.

The War And Treaty receive their first nomination for Duo of the Year, making them the first Black duo to receive a nomination in the category.

Hosted by global superstars Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, the 58th ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across over 240 territories on Prime Video on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

The full list of nominees for the 58th annual ACM Awards is below:

Main Awards:

Entertainer Of The Year
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen

Female Artist Of The Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Lainey Wilson

Male Artist Of The Year
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jordan Davis
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

Duo Of The Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty

Group Of The Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

New Female Artist Of The Year
Priscilla Block
Megan Moroney
Caitlyn Smith
Morgan Wade
Hailey Whitters

New Male Artist Of The Year
Zach Bryan
Jackson Dean
Ernest
Dylan Scott
Nate Smith
Bailey Zimmerman

Album Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde
Producer: John Osborne
Record Company-Label: Warner Music Nashville
– Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Company-Label: Broken Bow Records
– Growin’ Up – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Record Company-Label: Columbia Records
– Mr. Saturday Night – Jon Pardi
Producers: Jon Pardi, Bart Butler, Ryan Gore
Record Company-Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Palomino – Miranda Lambert
Producers: Jon Randall, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Mikey Reaves
Record Company-Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville

Single Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– Heart Like A Truck – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Company-Label: Broken Bow Records
– Never Wanted To Be That Girl – Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde
Producers: Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally
Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records/Warner Music Nashville
– She Had Me At Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell
Producer: Zach Crowell
Record Company-Label: Warner Music Nashville
– Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Company-Label: RCA Nashville
– ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson
Producer: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: Warner Music Nashville/CoJo Music

Song Of The Year [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
– Sand In My Boots – Morgan Wallen
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Josh Osborne, Michael Hardy
Publishers: Relative Music Group; Sony/ATV Accent; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing
– She Had Me At Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett, Tim Nichols
Publishers: Ashley Gorley Publishing Designee; Be A Light Publishing; Colden Rainey Music; EMI Blackwood Music Inc; Songs Of Roc Nation Music; Sony Tree Publishing; Telemitry Rhythm House Music; Universal Music Corp; WC Music Corp; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
– ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson
Songwriters: Ben Stennis, Matt Rogers
Publishers: Anthem Canalco Publishing; Dead Aim Music; The Stennis Mightier Music
– Wait In The Truck – Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair
Publishers: Humerus Publishing Global; Nontypical Music; Pile of Schmidt Songs; Rednecker Music; Relative Music Group; Round Hill Verses Publishing; Sony/ATV Accent; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; The Money Tree Vibez; WC Music Corp; Who Wants to Buy My Publishing
– You Should Probably Leave – Chris Stapleton
Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Chris DuBois, Chris Stapleton
Publishers: One77 Songs; Sea Gayle Music; Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing; Spirit Two Nashville; WC Music Corp

Visual Media Of The Year [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
– Heartfirst – Kelsea Ballerini
Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: P Tracy
– She Had Me At Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell
Producer: Troy Jackson
Director: Spidey Smith
– Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown
Producer: Luke Arreguin
Director: Alex Alvga
– ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson
Producer: Maddy Hayes
Director: Dustin Haney
– Wait In The Truck – Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson
Producer: Inkwell Productions
Director: Justin Clough
– What He Didn’t Do – Carly Pearce
Producer: Ryan Byrd
Director: Alexa Campbell

Songwriter Of The Year
Nicolle Galyon
Ashley Gorley
Chase McGill
Josh Osborne
Hunter Phelps

Artist-Songwriter Of The Year
Luke Combs
Ernest
Hardy
Miranda Lambert
Morgan Wallen

Music Event Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– At the End of a Bar – Chris Young with Mitchell Tenpenny
Producers: Chris DeStefano, Chris Young
Record Company-Label: RCA Nashville
– She Had Me At Heads Carolina [Remix] – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina
Producer: Zach Crowell
Record Company-Label: Warner Music Nashville
– Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Company-Label: RCA Nashville
– Thinking ‘Bout You – Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter
Producer: Zach Crowell
Record Company-Label: Broken Bow Records
– Wait In The Truck – Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson
Producers: Derek Wells, Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records

The 2023 Studio Recording Awards and Industry Awards will be presented to recipients at the 16th Academy of Country Music Honors, a special event held annually in August at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This year’s show will be held Aug. 23, with more details to be announced in the coming months.

Studio Recording Awards:

Bass Player Of The Year
Mark Hill
Tony Lucido
Steve Mackey
Lex Price
Craig Young

Drummer Of The Year
Fred Eltringham
Miles McPherson
Jerry Roe
Aaron Sterling
Nir Z

Acoustic Guitar Player Of The Year
Tim Galloway
Todd Lombardo
Danny Rader
Bryan Sutton
Ilya Toshinskiy

Piano/Keyboards Player Of The Year
Jim “Moose” Brown
Dave Cohen
Charles Judge
Billy Justineau
Alex Wright

Specialty Instrument Player Of The Year
Dan Dugmore
Stuart Duncan
Jenee Fleenor
Josh Matheny
Justin Schipper

Electric Guitar Player Of The Year
Kris Donegan
Kenny Greenberg
Rob McNelley
Sol Philcox-Littlefield
Derek Wells

Audio Engineer Of The Year
Drew Bollman
Josh Ditty
Gena Johnson
Justin Niebank
F. Reid Shippen

Producer Of The Year
Buddy Cannon
Luke Dick
Jay Joyce
Joey Moi
Jon Randall
Derek Wells

Industry Awards:

Casino Of The Year – Theater
Deadwood Mountain Grand – Deadwood, SD
Golden Nugget – Lake Charles, LA
Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hollywood, FL
Soaring Eagle – Mount Pleasant, MI

Casino Of The Year – Arena
Fallsview Casino Resort – Niagara Falls, ON
Harrah’s – Council Bluffs, IA
Harveys Lake Tahoe – Stateline, NV
Mystic Lake Casino Showroom – Prior Lake, MN
Northern Quest Resort & Casino – Airway Heights, WA
Turning Stone Resort Casino – Verona, NY

Festival Of The Year
C2C: Country to Country – UK
Carolina Country Music Fest – Myrtle Beach, SC
Country Concert – Fort Loramie, OH
Country Fest – Cadott, WI
Country Thunder – Bristol, TN
Stagecoach Festival – Indio, CA
Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fair/Rodeo Of The Year
Auburn Rodeo – Opelika, AL
Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, WY
Florida Strawberry Festival – Plant City, FL
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – Houston, TX
Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, IA

Club Of The Year
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
Coyote Joe’s – Charlotte, NC
Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
Gruene Hall – New Braunfels, TX
Joe’s on Weed St. – Chicago, IL

Theater Of The Year
Crystal Grand Music Theatre – Wisconsin Dells, WI
Florida Theatre – Jacksonville, FL
Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TN
Orpheum Theater – Omaha, NE
Stiefel Theatre – Salina, KS

Outdoor Venue Of The Year
Bank of NH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
FirstBank Amphitheater – Franklin, TN
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL
The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL

Arena Of The Year
Denny Sanford PREMIER Center – Sioux Falls, SD
Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX
Hertz Arena – Estero, FL
Moody Center – Austin, TX
Simmons Bank Arena – Little Rock, AR
Thompson-Boling Arena – Knoxville, TN

Don Romeo Talent Buyer Of The Year
Ron Pateras
Pat Powelson
Michelle Romeo
Stacy Vee
Troy Vollhoffer

Promoter Of The Year
Patrick McDill
Aaron Spalding
Ed Warm
Adam Weiser
Jay Wilson

My Music Row Story: BMI’s Shannon Sanders

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Shannon Sanders

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.

Shannon Sanders is Exec. Dir., Creative at BMI, based in the company’s Nashville office. Along with the Creative team, Sanders is responsible for signing and nurturing new talent to develop BMI’s diverse community of songwriters and publishers across various genres. He supports BMI songwriters through both creative and administrative services. Sanders works closely with Clay Bradley, who oversees the Nashville team, on a wide range of industry and community events designed to benefit songwriters including the monthly showcase series, “BMI Presents at the Bluebird.” Jelly Roll, K. Michelle, Allison Russell and The War and Treaty are just a few of the affiliates he champions at BMI.

Sanders is also a Grammy-winning producer and songwriter. He has collaborated with John Legend, India.Arie, Chris Stapleton, Nicki Minaj, KALEO, The Fisk Jubilee Singers and many more. An involved community member, Sanders is President of Nashville Music Equality and a board member of Recording Academy Nashville Chapter, the Nashville Ballet, CMA and ACM. He is also an ACM Diversity Task Force Chair.

MusicRow: You’re a rarity as a Nashville native. Tell me about your upbringing.

I was raised by my grandparents. My grandfather was a pastor. My grandmother was a nurse and she sang. I initially started to play music for my grandmother at church. I also played trumpet in school. I was encouraged to be creative and to explore that side of myself. In hindsight, I see brilliance in that from my grandparents’ perspective. It kept me out of trouble and kept me involved.

Shannon Sanders. Photo: Duan Davis

Besides your grandparents, were there any others that encouraged your creativity when you were young?

Teachers. I went to Hillsboro High School. I was always encouraged to go to the next level and to do the next more challenging thing. I definitely had support from teachers and older musicians at church. I grew up in environment of encouragement.

What were your dreams then?

My dreams were to just be as good as I could be. My business aspirations came later, my early dreams were initially more performance based. You have success in areas and then you evolve over time, but initially it was really just about being the best I could possibly be from a performance standpoint.

When did you start making your own music?

I just always have. Creating for me was never about the regurgitation of music. I never played in cover bands and it was never about learning other people’s music. The closest thing I got to that was learning songs in church. My friends were musical, so we made up songs. We would get together, write songs and perform. By the time we were in high school, we were opening for some pretty major acts that would come to Nashville. So it was always about creating for me.

I was about 15 or 16 when [my friends and I] first started putting out records as Technik. At the time, Hillsboro was the only high school town with a studio. I started taking studio [classes] in ninth grade. So I was doing that, playing in church, an all-state trumpet player, programming drum machines, writing songs and beat boxing with my friends.

Shannon Sanders. Photo: Nora Canfield

After high school, you went to Tennessee State University. Tell me about that time.

Going to TSU was strictly a musical decision. The band was so phenomenal—they just won a GRAMMY in February and they were just as phenomenal [when I went there]. I loved the legacy of the band TSU. I loved what it represented. It was important to me, just to be a part of that organization. I learned so much at TSU. That’s where I exponentially grew musically, not only from having great instruction from professors, but I really learned a lot from other students.

How did you start working with artists outside of your own creative circle in Nashville?

I made my own record. That wound up becoming an incredible business card. That’s when the phone started ringing and there was a lot more opportunity.

One of the most pivotal moments was when I started to work with India.Arie. The world hadn’t heard of her yet. She was familiar with my music and she was actually signed out of Nashville, so we started to create. Her voice was so phenomenal, her platform and what she was all about was just so refreshing. She was speaking of songs of self worth, self love and songs that spoke to healing of humanity. [Working with her] just made me want to pour everything that I had in her, so that’s what I did. It really paid off, being able to be with her for so long and support her mission. And a lot of things came from that—I got to work with a lot of other folks. It was pivotal in helping me realize that you can make music that meant something. You can have mainstream success with music with a message. That’s what was so impactful.

I got my first GRAMMY nomination with her and then we came back the next year and won R&B Album of the Year, so that was my first win.

Picture (L-R): Boo Mitchell, Al Green, Shannon Sanders. Photo: Lyndsey McFail

You won your most recent GRAMMY in 2021 with the Fisk Jubilee Singers’s Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album). What was that like?

So satisfying. It was the first HBCU to win a GRAMMY—and now TSU has, too. It was especially satisfying that it was accomplished right before Dr. Kwami passed.

The first GRAMMYs were exciting, especially doing the kind of music I was doing in Nashville at the time. It just started a lot of conversations and put in me in a lot of rooms. It really started a whole new trajectory for me, which is how I got into leadership in these organizations. [Having success] led to me being the voice and being invited to tables. Everybody needs to be represented at these tables, so everybody’s heard. I’m just really conscious of the voice I represent and that’s it. I’m not trying to be anything more than I am, but I definitely find myself being invited to tables where people are interested in having diverse perspectives.

You joined BMI’s Nashville Creative team in 2020. Tell me about going from strictly a creator to an executive.

It was interesting because I got to know a lot of folks in our creative community as a creator, so now as an executive, it just gives me an opportunity to create opportunity. I can create the kinds of opportunities that I was looking for as a creator with Clay [Bradley] and BMI’s support. That’s the beauty of now.

I’m in a season of service. I’m excited that know I’m able to be a magnet of that energy. People are interested in these conversations and interested in evolution. I don’t like to say change a lot—change means to become something different—to evolve is to become a better version of what already is.

Picture (L-R): BMI’s Clay Bradley, Gramps Morgan, BMI’s Shannon Sanders, BMI’s Mike O’Neill. Photo: Erika Goldring

You are one of the highest ranking Black executives in the history of the Nashville music business. From your seat now, what advice would you give young executives who look up to you?

I would say be yourself. I always default to authenticity. You don’t want to be anywhere where you are required to compromise who you are. That’s what’s awesome about my role at BMI. I’m not required to be something other than who I am. They know I’m creative. They know I’m Black. They know I’m from here. They know I have a heart for community and creators. At the end of the day, it’s just about being you.

The studio doesn’t look like [the Nashville music business]. It’s like the locker room in sports—there’s no racism in the locker room. We’re trying to win this game together, we’re on the same team. That’s what it’s like in the studio. We’re trying to make the business look more like the creative rooms. The studios already look like that.

What is the most fulfilling part about what you do?

Creating opportunities for creators and resolving administrative issues for them, which can be the most frustrating thing in the world. Just being able to answer questions and being able to bring about an understanding about what we do. Helping them understand something or to fix something ultimately means putting more money in creative people’s pockets. At our core, that’s what we do. To be able to help people feed their families via their creativity is the most fulfilling thing.