BMI has announced the appointment of two senior executives: Tom Kershaw as Chief Technology Officer and Justin Rohde as Chief Transformation Officer. They will lead major initiatives as the company advances its strategic growth plan, reporting to President & CEO Mike O’Neill.

With over 20 years of experience working in technology-based markets, Kershaw co-founded open-source software organization prebid.org. He joins BMI from Travelport, a leader in travel distribution for air, hotel, car and rail. Kershaw has also held positions at Google and Ericsson. He received his undergraduate degree from New York University (NYU) and his master’s degree from London School of Economics. Kershaw will succeed BMI’s Chief Information Officer Mike West, who recently announced his retirement from the company.

“Tom’s background and track record of driving digital transformation, coupled with his passion for innovation and experience working with large scale data, position him well to lead BMI’s significant technological advancement and modernization,” notes O’Neill. “These include our efforts to manage the opportunities and challenges of AI and create new avenues for affiliates and licensing partners to enhance their BMI experience through technology.”

Rohde has more than two decades of experience in strategic management and building growth opportunities for corporations and consulting firms. He brings knowledge in process improvement, sales effectiveness, product development and global business management to BMI from Xplor Technologies, a Global SaaS and Payments conglomerate, where he served as Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Transformation Officer. His previously led product development and growth strategies at Integramed America as well as management and strategy consulting at Bain & Company. Rohde received his undergraduate degree and two master’s degrees from Northwestern University.

“Justin brings a wealth of experience in driving business growth by pairing strategic vision with practical implementation. He will not only help us enhance our processes and programs, but also will lead our efforts to obtain new revenue sources for our affiliates. This is the absolute right time for our company to add the position of Chief Transformation Officer, as we continue to accelerate our plan to maximize royalties and improve the service we provide to our creative community,” says O’Neill.

Lindsay Ell is the Canadian Country Music Association’s 2024 recipient of the Gary Slaight Music Humanitarian Award for her achievements with The Make You Movement fund, in addition to her advocacy work and support for sexual assault survivors and the LGBTQ2SIA+ community.

After bravely coming forward with news of her own sexual assault with the 2020 release of “Make You,” Ell launched The Make You Movement, a charitable fund dedicated to raising money for organizations providing support for disenfranchised youth, specifically focusing on survivors of sexual trauma and domestic abuse. With Ell galvanizing friends and fans from all over the world to contribute, the fund has received donations in excess of $33,000. The Community Fund of Middle Tennessee, which manages The Make You Movement, recently confirmed that her international giving ranks among the highest of their more than 1,600 donors.

Ell’s commitment to advocacy extends to her long-time support of the Nashville Sexual Assault Center, where she recently spoke on behalf of the organization’s Safe Tracks Bystander Intervention Training program, launched in 2023 and designed specifically for the music industry. She continues to use her platform to boost donation opportunities through her appearances, spending time in Calgary working with the Woods Homes Foundation, contributing to the Rainbow Railroad and The Glenn Gould Foundation and working with organizations like RAINN and Youth For Tomorrow to raise much needed funds. Ell has also worked with The CMA Foundation as an Artist Ambassador, ACM Lifting Lives, Notes for Notes and St. Jude’s Country Cares program.

“Lindsay’s courage in sharing her own story to help others is truly inspiring,” says Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “She consistently uses her platform to advocate for those in need, and her dedication to making a positive change in the world makes her incredibly deserving of this honour. We look forward to celebrating her and her amazing work in Edmonton this September.”

“I think one of the most important responsibilities of artists is to use their platforms for good, to do everything they can to change the world or at least make it better for those whose voices aren’t always heard,” says Ell. “I’m so proud of what we have accomplished through The Make You Movement and know that this is just the beginning. Thank you to both The Slaight Family and the CCMA for inspiring this community to dig deep and help where we can with the creation of this award. I promise to continue this work with both passion and dedication.”

“Lindsay Ell’s remarkable contributions to improving the lives of countless individuals both in Canada and around the world is commendable,” shares Slaight, President and CEO of The Slaight Family Foundation. “The Slaight Family Foundation has always prioritized giving back to those in need as a fundamental human responsibility, and we wholeheartedly support Lindsay’s dedication to this mission. Her outstanding work with The Make You Movement and other charitable organizations truly merits this Humanitarian Award, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to her.”

The 2024 Slaight Music Humanitarian Award will be presented to Ell during a private industry event as part of Country Music Week 2024, taking place Sept. 11-14 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Red Bull has announced that its inaugural U.S. “Red Bull Jukebox” will take place at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on Oct. 2. “Red Bull Jukebox” is a new live music experience that allows fans to determine what songs are performed and how.

Brothers Osborne, Shaboozey, Priscilla Block, Tucker Wetmore, Muscadine Bloodline, Breland, The Castellows and some surprise guests will step onstage to perform setlists created entirely by their fans during the special show. Hosted by Whiskey Jam’s Ward Guenther, the event will also feature the “Red Bull Jukebox” house band, curated by guitarist and producer Derek Wells. Tickets go on sale this Friday (July 12) at 10 a.m. CT. For more information, click here.

Leading up to the event, fans can visit the “Red Bull Jukebox” the website to vote across multiple categories and shape the performances they want to see. The first vote is now open to the public, and attendees will be able to vote on more unique categories on artists’ socials throughout the summer as well as in person at the show. Each attendee will receive a light-up wristband upon entry, giving them the option to choose “red” or “blue” to vote for each live pick.

“‘Red Bull Jukebox’ has created a brand new way to experience a concert–letting the fans vote on our setlists,” says Shaboozey. “I can’t wait to see what y’all pick!”

“This being Nashville, the potential for surprises around Whiskey Jam and knowing Red Bull’s tendency to surprise—this event has great potential. You never know. Somebody’s always here,” notes Guenther. “Overall, the uniqueness of this event, this being the first ‘Red Bull Jukebox’ in America, coming to Nashville, Whiskey Jam being involved, is one of the biggest honors we’ve ever had. Nashville has never seen a show like this.”

Additionally, songwriters from Music City and beyond have submitted songs to the “Red Bull Jukebox” songwriting competition over the past few months. Applicants were narrowed down to the five that fans can now vote on. The winner will be announced during the event in October, and awarded an all-expenses paid trip to record at Red Bull Music Studios in Los Angeles. They will also receive one-on-one coaching sessions with a professional songwriter and BMI.

Shaboozey has notched his first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and top 10 breakthrough on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, with double-Platinum hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

This week marks the tune’s ninth week in the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 and its 12th week overall. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” peaked at the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, and debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Songs Of The Summer chart, upon release earlier this year. Shaboozey and Beyoncé also made history as the first two Black artists to lead the chart with back-to-back No. 1 songs on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart.

The track has amassed more than 700 million streams and landed in the top 10 in several countries, including Australia, where it became the first independent single to top the Australian Recording Industry Association charts this year, as well as Canada, Sweden, Denmark and the U.K.’s Big 40.

The rising star recently performed “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards last month, with a surprise appearance by J-Kwon, and during Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks special this past weekend. Additionally, he plans to kick off his “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going Fall Tour” in September, and join Jelly Roll on the “Beautifully Broken Tour 2024” later this fall.