Big Machine Label Group Elevates Three In Royalty Department

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Pictured (L-R): Kimberly Baker, Amanda Duke, Kaitlyn Russell.

Big Machine Label Group has promoted Kimberly Baker to Director of Royalty Accounting and Income Analysis, as well as Amanda Duke and Kaitlyn Russell to Royalty Analysts.

As Director of Royalty Accounting and Income Analysis, Baker is responsible for overseeing contractual payments and detailed earnings reporting for all Big Machine Label Group artists, producers and publishers.

Baker is supported by Duke and Russell, who together support finance operations across BMLG’s four imprints: Big Machine Records, The Valory Music Co., BMLG Records and Big Machine/John Varvatos Records.

Joining the label group in 2016 as Senior Royalty Analyst, Baker shares: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with the exceptional team at Big Machine. I look forward to expanding my role as we continue our journey together.”

Baker, Duke, and Russell can be reached at kimberly.baker@bmlg.net, amanda.duke@bmlg.net, and kaitlyn.russell@bmlg.net, respectively.

Chaz Corzine Appointed Executive Director Of Belmont’s Fisher Center For The Performing Arts

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Chaz Corzine. Photo: Courtesy of Belmont University

Belmont University has appointed music industry veteran Chaz Corzine as the Executive Director of the new Fisher Center For The Performing Arts.

Corzine and his staff will will lead the Fisher Center’s artistic vision, help shape the strategic program direction, and assist in building a brand that communicates the center as a place of hope-inspiring community engagement through art and storytelling. He officially begins his new position on Feb. 14.

“I could not be more grateful for the opportunity and experiences I’ve had working with artists like Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Amy Grant and others,” says Corzine. “I’ve had the good fortune to work with legendary artists, and I now get to take those years of experiences and turn my focus to what will become a legendary venue. The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University is a world-class facility with unlimited potential. What a gift I’ve received to have had the career I’ve had and to now focus all I’ve learned on helping introduce the Fisher Center to the world.”

The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, September 24, 2021.

Corzine, a 35-plus-year music industry veteran, has spent his career negotiating major endorsement and sponsorship agreements, and implementing and leading some of the largest ticket selling and grossing concert tours. He has sold film rights and seen his projects gain theatrical release, and represented dozens of recording and book deals. Corzine has also seen his artists garner Grammys, American Music Awards, Dove Awards, Gold Medallion Awards and numerous other achievement and humanitarian awards.

“I first met Chaz several months ago when CeCe Winans so graciously and beautifully sang as part of my Inauguration festivities,” says Belmont President, Dr. Greg Jones. “In the months since, I’ve discovered what extraordinary experience Chaz possesses from his time in the pop, Christian and gospel music worlds, along with a deep network of entertainment industry colleagues and an ambitious vision that’s visible in every endeavor he undertakes.

“Most importantly, Chaz shares the God-sized dreams we have for the Fisher Center to draw the world’s finest artists, performers and storytellers to enrich and inspire our campus and community,” Jones says. “The Fisher Center provides Belmont an extraordinary opportunity for something new to happen both at this University and in Nashville, and Chaz’s experience and character is exactly what we need to get there.”

Corzine has served as a partner at The MWS Group, a creative content company he co-founded in 2009, which has served to manage the career and ancillary businesses of Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Olympic Gold Medalist and commentator Scott Hamilton, author Frank Peretti and others.

“Working with Chaz over the past almost 38 years has been a blessing indeed,” says Smith. “Not too many people can say they’ve had the same manager for that long. He will be greatly missed but I wish him nothing but happiness and prosperity in his new role. Belmont is fortunate to have him on their team!”

The university’s newest building dedicated to music and the performing arts was finished in the fall of 2021. The 1,700 seat multi-functional performance hall most recently hosted the nationally televised “Christmas at Belmont” concert, featuring more than 600 student musicians. Read more about the Fisher Center here.

Dolly Parton & Duncan Hines Team Up On New Line Of Southern-Style Desserts

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Dolly Parton

Some of Dolly Parton‘s favorite family recipes are now available in a new line of Southern-inspired desserts thanks to a new partnership between Dolly and Duncan Hines.

Dolly-inspired products in the new line include cake mixes and frostings such as Coconut Cake and Banana Puddin’ Cake, and beginning in March they can be found in the baking section of grocery stores and mass retailers across the country.

“I have always loved to cook and, growing up in the South, I especially love that authentic Mom and Pop kind of cooking,” shares Parton. “I am excited to launch my own line of cake mixes and frostings with Duncan Hines, bringing that sweet, Southern-style baking experience I enjoy to others.”

To introduce the partnership, Duncan Hines is offering the limited-edition Dolly Parton’s Baking Collection, while supplies last. The collection gives Dolly fans the chance to be the first to try her new line of cake mixes and frostings before they hit shelves this spring.

The Baking Collection includes:

  • Dolly Parton’s Southern Style Coconut Flavored Cake Mix
  • Dolly Parton’s Southern Style Banana Flavored Cake Mix
  • Dolly Parton’s Creamy Buttercream Frosting
  • Dolly Parton’s Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
  • Collectible tea towel & spatula
  • Custom recipe cards

“Duncan Hines is beyond thrilled to partner with Dolly Parton, one of the most revered and beloved women in the world, on a new line of products that are steeped in Southern comfort and inspired by Dolly’s family recipes,” says Audrey Ingersoll, Duncan Hines brand director. “We are excited to see this partnership–facilitated by Dolly’s licensing agency, IMG–evolve for years to come.”

Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, More To Perform At 2022 iHeartCountry Festival

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Pictured (L-R): Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood

The iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One will make its triumphant return this year on Saturday, May 7 at Austin’s new Moody Center.

Now in its ninth year, the 2022 lineup will feature Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, Maren Morris, Dustin Lynch, Jimmie Allen, Scotty McCreery, Cody Johnson, and more. The festival will once again be hosted by on-air personality Bobby Bones.

“Country music fans across the country look forward to the iHeartCountry Festival each and every year,” says Rod Phillips, Executive Vice President of Programming for iHeartCountry. “We are thrilled to have such an incredible lineup perform at this year’s show and are especially excited to bring our nationally recognized event to the new Moody Center in Austin for the first-time.”

Capital One Cardholders have access to special pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. CT through Thursday, Feb. 3. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 4 at 12 p.m. CT.

iHeartMedia’s more than 150 country stations across the U.S. will also broadcast the event live in their local markets and online on Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. CT.

The iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One is a part of iHeartMedia’s roster of events, including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartRadio Music Awards, the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour Presented by Capital One, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, iHeartRadio ALTer Ego Presented by Capital One, iHeartRadio Wango Tango and iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.

John Berry Inks Distribution Deal With Gaither Music Group For New Album, ‘Find My Joy’

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Pictured (L-R): Gaither Music Group President Paul Sizelove, John Berry, and Leadership Artists President Brian Smith. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography

Grammy award-winning country artist John Berry has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Gaither Music Group for his upcoming 10-song, faith-based project, Find My Joy.

“Gaither Music Group is honored to partner with John and his team for this special recording,” says Paul Sizelove, president of Gaither Music Group. “John has impacted countless people with his songwriting, performances and radio hits. He has developed a brand of faith and family that brings uplifting entertainment as well as encouragement to listeners, and we are excited to introduce his renditions of these timeless songs on the Gaither platforms.” 

“I have been dreaming of recording a faith-based record for years, and the opportunity for this project came at the perfect time for me,” adds Berry. “Having a powerhouse distribution company on our team makes this a dream come true and many prayers answered.”

Along with Gaither Music Group, Berry’s extended team also includes Leadership Artists for management, B! Noticed Public Relations and The Press House for publicity, and Atomic Music Group for booking.

Berry is currently booking his upcoming 2022 tour in support of the new album, which will kick off Feb. 11 in Greensboro, Georgia and visit Milwaukee, Panama City, and more through June with additional dates soon to be added. For a full list of dates, click here.

Hardy, Lainey Wilson, More Among Headliners For Inaugural Hangover Fest 2022

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Country news and entertainment outlet, The Morning Hangover, has announced the headlining acts for its first digital initiative, Hangover Fest 2022.

Jordan Davis, Hardy, Dustin Lynch, Scotty McCreery and Lainey Wilson will headline the event, taking place at House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sunday, March 6 during ACM Awards weekend.

Additionally, the first round of supporting artists includes Tenille Townes and Conner Smith, with additional artists to be announced in the coming weeks.

“After spending the last two years supporting our country music community through this COVID pandemic, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the important work of ACM Lifting Lives than reuniting for a show in Las Vegas with fans, industry, and The Morning Hangover,” says ACM Lifting Lives Executive Director, Lyndsay Cruz.

Tickets for Hangover Fest 2022 go on sale Friday, Jan. 28 at noon CT. Artist pre-sales begin Wednesday, Jan. 26. Proceeds from the event will benefit ACM Lifting Lives.

Jason Aldean Named Country Radio Broadcasters 2022 Artist Humanitarian Award Recipient

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Jason Aldean

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has named Jason Aldean the 2022 Artist Humanitarian Award recipient. The CRB Artist Humanitarian Award was created in 1990 by the organization’s board to honor those country music artists who have exhibited exceptional humanitarian efforts during their career.

Of the numerous organizations Aldean has supported over the course of his career, those close to him are Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olsen Children’s Hospital, GA’s Children’s Hospital, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, ACM Lifting Lives, Red Cross, and more.

In his hometown of Macon, Georgia, Aldean has raised over $2 million for Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olsen Children’s Hospital, GA’s Children’s Hospital. This facility is the region’s only dedicated pediatric hospital, serving Central and South Georgia.

He is also an avid supporter toward the fight against breast cancer, putting the spotlight on Susan G. Komen chapters across the country. For over a decade he has supported the foundation, raising more than $4.1 million through ticket sales and events.

After the tragic shooting that took place at Las Vegas’s Route 91 Festival, where he was headlining, Aldean funded the six-day triumph over tragedy workshop, led by the onsite foundation at their emotional wellness retreat center in Tennessee. It is the first of its kind, specifically designated for those who were at Route 91 Harvest music festival.

“Jason Aldean doesn’t have to brag about his songs or his concert tours. They speak for themselves,” CRS/CRB Board President Kurt Johnson shares. “He also doesn’t call attention to his massive philanthropic work. So we will. Join us at CRS as we shine a light on all the good that Jason does and the good people he supports.”

The multi-Platinum entertainer will be recognized with the Artist Humanitarian Award during CRS Honors on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. Following his award presentation, Aldean will reveal the Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2022 inductees, who will be honored during the annual Country Radio Hall of Fame Ceremony on June 30, 2022, at the Virgin Hotel.

Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss Kick Off Acoustic ‘Together At Last Tour’

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Kathy Mattea & Suzy Bogguss

Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss are joining forces for the “Together At Last Tour,” which kicks off Jan. 28 in Decatur, Alabama.

The special shows will feature both artists on stage together for the entire performance, swapping songs, singing harmonies, and playing guitar on each other’s biggest hits. The pair will perform new material during the shows along with plenty of humorous stories from their careers.

“Kathy and I always have a lot of irons in the fire,” says Bogguss, “but we’ve had some time to think about priorities lately and we realized, this was a big one.”

“We know each other’s music so well,” adds Mattea. “It’s been fun to really dig in and learn these songs!”

Mattea’s recently released album, Pretty Bird, was produced by her old friend Tim O’Brien. She also played a role in consulting and contributed to Ken Burns’ 2019 documentary Country Music, and recently replaced founder Larry Groce as the host of the long-running NPR show Mountain Stage.

Bogguss’ shows her folk roots in her frequent appearances on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, in the Grammy she earned for her work on Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, and in her album and book project, American Folk Songbook. In addition to her busy touring schedule, Bogguss hosts a weekly livestream, Wine Down Wednesday, that’s currently closing in on 100 episodes.

Besides guesting on each other’s recordings, the two have performed together in the past on the Women of Country showcase and a PBS White House special, as well as the Grammy-nominated collaboration with Alison Krauss and Graham Nash on his classic “Teach Your Children,” from the Red, Hot, and Country compilation.

A second round of dates for the fall of 2022 will be announced in the coming months.

“Together At Last Tour” Dates:
1/28/22 Decatur, AL – Princess Theatre and Center for the Performing Arts
2/5/22 Hopkins, MN – Hopkins Center For The Arts
2/25/22 Frederick, MD – Weinberg Center for the Arts
4/15/22 Franklin, TN – The Franklin Theatre
4/16/22 Franklin, TN – The Franklin Theatre
5/11/22 Menomonie, WI – The Mable Tainter
5/12/22 Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House
5/20/22 Phoenixville, PA – Colonial Theatre
5/21/22 Alexandria, VA – Birchmere Music Hall
6/2/22 Buffalo, NY – Kleinhans Music Hall
6/3/22 Arlington, MA – Regent Theatre
6/4/22 Rahway, NJ – Union County Performing Arts Center

Ben Folds Announces Dates For ‘In Actual Person Live For Real Tour’

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Renowned musician Ben Folds has added dates to his “In Actual Person Live For Real Tour.”

Folds, who spent much of 2020 and early 2021 in isolation in Australia because of COVID-19 lockdowns, returned to U.S. stages in the fall of 2021 to numerous sold-out performances.

Kicking off April 1 with a symphony concert at Powell Hall in St. Louis, Missouri, Folds will travel throughout the U.S. giving solo piano and orchestral performances. He will visit Nashville’s Shermerhorn Symphony Center on June 30, July 1 and July 2.

Folds is also working on a new album, continues to produce his podcast series Lightning Bugs: Conversations with Ben Folds, and is scheduled to begin taping a new TV series.

For over a decade Folds has performed with some of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras, and in 2017 was named as the first ever Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. In 2018 the Nashville-based artist was honored with a star on the Music City Walk of Fame.

Tickets for the “In Actual Person Live For Real Tour” are available here.

Jordan Davis Earns Fourth Chart-Topper With ‘Buy Dirt’

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Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis has racked up his fourth No. 1 at radio with his latest hit, “Buy Dirt.”

The Platinum-certified song, featuring Luke Bryan, topped both the Billboard and Mediabase airplay charts this week. The track is an international success as well, continuing its multi-week chart-topping run at country radio in Canada (three weeks) and Australia (two weeks).

Amassing more than 250 million streams worldwide, “Buy Dirt” has been inside the Top 200 country streaming chart all 33 weeks since its release and inside the Top 5 for 15 weeks. The collaboration has also spent 24 consecutive weeks on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 chart. Davis released an alternate version and solo version of the hit last week.

“This is the most special song I have released,” says Davis. “From writing it with my brother and two of my best friends, to having Luke want to be a part of it… it’s going to be hard to top. To me this song is about faith, family, and friends. It’s a reminder to myself to always keep those top priority and in that order. It has been awesome to see so many people connect with that message.”

Davis recently announced the second leg of his headlining “Buy Dirt Tour,” with special guest Tenille Arts. The tour will make a stop at the Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 27, marking Davis’ first time headlining the historic Nashville venue. Tickets for both the “Buy Dirt Tour” and the Ryman date go on sale Jan. 28.