BMI Kicks Off Fifth Season Of Rooftop On The Row With K. Michelle

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Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Clay Bradley, K. Michelle, BMI’s Shannon Sanders and Mason Hunter Photo: Nathan Zucker for BMI

BMI kicked off the fifth season of their Rooftop on the Row series earlier this week with a genre-blending performance by singer-songwriter K. Michelle.

The event, presented by George Dickel Bourbon, was emceed by BMI Nashville’s Executive Director, Creative Shannon Sanders and offered an exclusive first look at BMI’s notable rising talent. K. Michelle made her Nashville performance debut during the 2023 kickoff show, offering the crowd a sultry rendition of her catalog including “Come As You Are” and “Jack Daniels.” The rising newcomer is putting the finishing touches on her upcoming album due out later this year, and is currently on the road for her “I’m The Problem Tour.”

BMI’s Rooftop on the Row series returns May 16 with headliners Priscilla Block and Chayce Beckham, followed by Mackenzie Carpenter and Dylan Marlowe on July 18. A celebration for the 50th anniversary of hip-hop is set for Aug. 15, and the final event will serve as the official kickoff to Americanafest on Sept. 19, with performers for both shows to be announced soon.

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.

Romeo Entertainment Group & San Diego County Fair Partner For Concert Lineup

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The San Diego County Fair. Photo: Courtesy of Grayscale Marketing

Romeo Entertainment Group (REG) is partnering with the San Diego County Fair for their upcoming concert lineup including Randy Houser, Boyz II Men, Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kevin Hart, Train, Switchfoot, Stephen Marley with special guest Hirie and more. The performances will take place during the fair June 2- July 4 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in California.

The San Diego County Fair draws in 1.5 million visitors over 27 days, is one of the largest county fairs in the United States, and attracts guests from all over the world with its rides, food, exhibits and entertainment.

“The REG team has been great to collaborate with, they listen to our needs and work to find creative solutions. The whole process from booking to contracting has become a smooth process. We are thrilled with this years lineup and look forward to a great year,” says Katie Mueller, San Diego County Fair Chief Operating Officer.

“Last year we embarked on a successful partnership with the San Diego County Fair for their concert lineup. We are excited to renew this collaboration and once again bring top-tier talent to the fair,” says R.J. Romeo, President & CEO of Romeo Entertainment Group. “Our mission at REG is to deliver exceptional entertainment experiences to audiences nationwide, and this partnership enables us to do just that. Our dedicated team is committed to providing outstanding talent buying and production services, ensuring a memorable and enjoyable experience for fair-goers. We look forward to working closely with the San Diego County Fair team to create an unforgettable event.”

Reba Talks New Book With Garth Brooks On Upcoming ‘TalkShopLive’ Event

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Reba McEntire. Photo: Robby Klein

Reba McEntire will be interviewed by fellow Oklahoman and Country Music Hall of Famer Garth Brooks during a special upcoming “TalkShopLive” livestream event on April 17 at 6 p.m. CT.

The longtime friends will chat about McEntire’s upcoming book Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots during the show. Viewers tuning into the TalkShopLive discussion can also pre-order the new book.

Available on Oct. 10, Not That Fancy is a collection of poignant and personal stories, photos, lifestyle tips and recipes from McEntire. Featuring a foreword by Brooks, the book includes over 50 recipes from McEntire’s family and her restaurant Reba’s Place in Atoka, Oklahoma as well as never-before-seen photos and untold stories from her personal and professional life and simple lifestyle tips.

RFD-TV,  The Cowboy Channel and The Cowgirl Channel will also have multiple airings of the interview on April 19. The show will also be streamed simultaneously to retail windows in New York City for a live commerce experience through the partnership between “TalkShopLive” and FrontRunner Technologies.

The event will mark McEntire’s third time utilizing the “TalkShopLive” platform to engage with fans, and will mark Brooks’ tenth appearance on the livestream network.

Trace Adkins Announces ‘Somewhere In America: A Concert For Mayfield’

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During his interview with NBC’s Today on Wednesday morning (April 12), Trace Adkins shared that he will bring “Somewhere In America: A Concert For Mayfield” to the Western Kentucky region still recovering from tornado devastation on May 20.

The free concert, presented by KIOTI Tractor, will take place in Mayfield, Kentucky at Mayfield High School’s CFSB War Memorial Stadium, the site of a 2021 tornado that took more than 50 lives and displaced thousands in the process. “Somewhere In America: A Concert For Mayfield” is open to the public and seeks to remember, honor and rebuild the town of Mayfield and the spirit of all those who call it home.

Over $52 million has been donated through the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund – mostly in a wave of support that followed closely after the devastating storm, according to The Lexington Herald-Leader. With support from KIOTI Tractor, Adkins hopes to reinvigorate the recovery effort.

Named after Adkins’ unifying song “Somewhere in America,” written by Jon Nite, Hunter Phelps, Michael Hardy and Zach Crowell, the day of music and support was inspired in part by small-town America.

“We were looking for a place to do a video for this song on our new album, called ‘Somewhere in America,’ and the song just talks about how somewhere in America there’s still people that have that indomitable spirit, that resilience, and we could think of no place better that exemplified that than Mayfield, Kentucky,” Adkins explained on Today. “So now I’ve spoken with Mayor [Kathy] O’Nan, and she’s been wonderful to work with, and so we’re going to go to Mayfield and give them a pat on the back.”

“There are no words big enough to explain how thankful the people of Mayfield, Kentucky are to Trace Adkins for coming here on May 20 for the filming of the video for his song ‘Somewhere in America,'” says O’Nan. “In December 2021, an EF4 tornado tore through and devastated our small town, and we are just like the people in one of the first lines of this song – ‘The whole town comes with their work boots on, and they raise it right back up.’ That is Mayfield – and we are so excited to be able celebrate our resilience with a Trace Adkins concert!”

The show will also be a part of Adkins’ ongoing nationwide “Somewhere In America 2023 Tour,” which will continue through the end of the year. For more information, click here.

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.

ACM Awards Nominees To Be Revealed Tomorrow

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Nominations for the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards will be revealed on Thursday, April 13.

The Bobby Bones Show will exclusively unveil nominees in several major categories beginning at 6 a.m. PT/ 8 a.m. CT/ 9 a.m. ET. The full list of ACM Awards nominations will be released widely at 6:30 a.m. PT/ 8:30 a.m. CT / 9:30 a.m. ET, including on the Academy of Country Music website and social media channels. MusicRow will also report the nominees as they are announced.

This year the ACM Entertainer of the Year category will feature seven nominees, expanding from five last year. Additionally, Songwriter of the Year will now be split into two categories, Songwriter of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Video of the Year has been expanded into Visual Media of the Year to include additional formats of visual content.

Hosted by global superstars Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, the 58th ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across 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.

Pet Community Center Opens New Vet Clinic In Honor Of Phran Galante

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Mural of Phran and her dog at the new facility. Painted by Murfreesboro Murals. Photo: Kate De Pinto

Animal lovers, community leaders and friends of the late animal advocate Phran Galante gathered at the Pet Community Center’s (PCC) new facility in Nashville—The Phran Galante Center for Pet Wellness—to celebrate its dedication on April 7.

Pictured (L-R): Debbie Linn, Joe Galante and Brandon Dyce cut the ribbon. Photo: Kate De Pinto

At 5,400 square feet, The Phran Galante Center for Pet Wellness is nearly three times the size of Pet Community Center’s former clinic in East Nashville. Once fully operational, the facility will allow PCC to increase its surgery capacity by another 4,000 animals a year, preventing an estimated 20,000 unwanted puppies and kittens annually.

According to organizers, the nonprofit could not have opened its new facility without the support of many loyal donors, especially that of animal welfare pioneer Phran and her husband, Joe Galante. In her life, Phran led efforts to rewrite city ordinances, spearheaded outreach clinics in disadvantaged neighborhoods, volunteered in the city’s municipal shelter to care for animals, and lobbied to end puppy mills and animal fighting.

Joe Galante, PCC Board Chair Steve Cavezza, Founding CEO Natalie Corwin and current President & CEO Brandon Dyce led the ceremony and ribbon cutting. Phran’s sister and Executive Director of Leadership Music, Debbie Linn, was also there to show her support.

“This is the beginning of a new era for Pet Community Center here in this building. The Phran Galante Center for Pet Wellness gives us countless opportunities to deepen our support here in Nashville,” Dyce shared. “Ultimately, our mission is to strengthen the human-animal bond through accessible veterinary care and support services. So, our vision for The Phran Galante Center for Pet Wellness is growth and impact—to expand services, serve more pets, reach more families, and, best of all, save more lives.”

“Phran couldn’t abide animal cruelty in any form,” Joe shared. “She was not a person who shied away from something when she really felt passionate about it, so she was totally in on making necessary changes for all pets in our community.”

Meghan Patrick Announces New EP During Grand Ole Opry Debut

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Meghan Patrick during her Grand Ole Opry debut. Photo: Chris Hollo

Meghan Patrick made her Grand Ole Opry debut last night (April 11), and announced her new EP Greatest Show On Dirt, performing the title track and “Red Roses & Red Flags,” for a packed house.

While on stage, Patrick experienced another career milestone as she received the news that her song “Wild As Me” had earned Canadian Gold Certification.

“Playing the Opry was everything I’ve ever dreamed it would be,” said Patrick. “This is such a landmark moment in my career and something that I’ve fought so hard for, and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity. To be surprised with the news of my first Gold song only made the night more special. Thank you to the Opry team for having me and to the crowd for listening. The year of MFP is just getting started.”

Greatest Show On Dirt will be released May 5 via Riser House Records. Two singles from the six-track project, “She’s No Good For Me” and “Ours,” are available now, and the title track is set for release this Friday, April 14.

Additionally, Patrick is slated to perform on two dates of Luke Combs‘ headline tour this spring, playing the Jack Daniels Old No. 7 and Country Cocktails Presents Bootleggers Tailgate Party Powered by Whiskey Jam at Ford Field in Detroit on April 22 as well as Soldier Field in Chicago on May 6.