The Mechanical Licensing Collective is accepting Publisher candidate suggestions for its Board of Directors and Dispute Resolution, Operations Advisory, and Unclaimed Royalties Oversight committees.

Under the Music Modernization Act, certain governance positions at The MLC are reserved for representatives of musical work copyright owners. The terms of several Publisher seats on the Board and the organization’s advisory committees are slated to end later this year, and elections related to the open Board seats will be held this summer. Board and committee members sit for three-year terms and may be re-elected, and seats are filled according to The MLC’s Bylaws.

There is an opening on the Board of Directors for one Publisher representative. Under The MLC’s Bylaws, a “Publisher” means a music publisher to which songwriters have assigned exclusive rights of reproduction and distribution of musical works with respect to Covered Activities. “Covered Activities” means the making of digital phonorecord deliveries of musical works, including in the form of permanent downloads, limited downloads, or interactive streams, where such activity qualifies for a compulsory license under Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act.

The openings on The MLC’s advisory committees are as follows:

• Two seats for representatives of musical work copyright owners on the Dispute Resolution Committee, which recommends policies and procedures to The MLC’s Board for the processing of royalties related to works that are subject to disputes over ownership;
• Two seats for representatives of musical work copyright owners on theOperations Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Board concerning the operations of The MLC, including the efficient investment in and deployment of information technology and data resources; and
• One seat for a representative of musical work copyright owners on the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee, which recommends policies and procedures to The MLC’s Board related to the distribution of unclaimed accrued royalties.

The MLC’s Board of Directors and advisory committees meet regularly, and all meetings allow for virtual participation so that travel is not generally required. Members are expected to devote sufficient time to prepare for and participate fully in all meetings. More information on The MLC’s Board of Directors and advisory committees can be found here. Suggestions should be made no later than May 4 here.

Pictured (L-R): Kennedy Fisher, Vanessa Menzo, Tayler Burke

Ignition has added three new members to its team, spanning operations, digital, and artist management.

Vanessa Menzo has been named Artist Relations & Director of Digital and Social Media, bringing a background in advertising and five years of experience running her own business. She can be reached here.

Kennedy Fisher steps in as Manager of Operations & Creative/Digital Strategy, working across day-to-day operations, social strategy, and content development for the company’s roster. A graduate of Belmont University’s Creative Media program, the Indiana native relocated to Nashville in 2021. She can be reached here.

Tayler Burke joins as Day-to-Day Manager for rising country artist Tyra Madison. Originally from Kentucky and raised in Ohio, she moved to Nashville in 2020 and got her start in social and content, helping shape Madison’s voice and presence online. She can be reached here.

Pictured (L-R): Anthony Olympia, Nick Donley, Miller Arant, Trey Pendley, Will Jones, Alex Hall, Jacob Bryant, Meg McRee, Ben Chapman, John Davidson, Steve Markland and Kendall Lettow.

Blue Harbor Music recently celebrated the company’s two-year anniversary.

Since inception, Blue Harbor Music has built a roster composed of 10 writers, which includes Jacob Bryant, Ben Chapman, John Davidson, Nick Donley, Alex Hall, Will Jones, Kendell Marvel, Meg McRee, Anthony Olympia and Trey Pendley.

“I am so proud of our team at Blue Harbor Music and the amazing writers that we work with,” says President Steve Markland. “It’s an honor to represent such an extraordinary roster of incredibly talented and unique creators. We look forward to building a robust catalog of strong, diverse, meaningful songs as well as artist careers that stand out and set trends amongst today’s modern music business. We are truly excited and over the moon about our mission here at Blue Harbor Music!”

Accomplishments from the past two years include the launch of Pendley’s career, who has a record deal with Leo33, as well as development for Hall, Jones and more. Across the roster, there are several major label cuts.

“When I joined the team at Blue Harbor Music, I was already impressed by the roster Steve and Miller [Arant] had built and what they had achieved in just one year,” shares Senior Creative Director Kendall Lettow. “Looking back now on our two-year anniversary makes me very excited for what is ahead for our team of writers and artists.”

“I’m a huge fan of our writers and am so proud of the roster we’ve built over the past two years,” adds Arant, Creative Coordinator. “Working with Steve, Kendall, and the incredible Music Row community has been such an amazing experience, and I’m so excited for what’s ahead.”

Photo: Courtesy of 22Visionz

Gospel artist, producer and community leader Terran “T-RAN” Gilbert has been appointed as an Ambassador of the Music and Entertainment Industry by the Tennessee House of Representatives. The honor places T-RAN among a lineage of artists who have long served as cultural ambassadors for the state, including icons such as Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire.

T-RAN marked the momentous occasion with a live performance on the House floor at the Tennessee State Capitol, delivering his new single “More of You” alongside live strings and acoustic guitar, transforming the legislative space into something deeply human, spiritual and unifying.

“This moment is bigger than me,” T-RAN shared. “It represents the power of faith, the influence of music, and the importance of seeing our stories—our culture—recognized at the highest levels.”

Originally from Chattanooga, T-RAN is also the founder of 22Visionz Entertainment, a creative agency spanning music, film, and digital content, and the visionary behind the nonprofit Live And Not Die Inc., which has impacted communities nationwide through outreach rooted in faith, music and mental health awareness.

Guitar Center Business Solutions is launching Resonate, its first-ever industry technology expo, at the Music City Center in Nashville on April 9.

The one-day event will gather integrators, educators, venue operators and enterprise leaders for hands-on demos and real-world insight into how audio, video and control systems are evolving and increasingly working together. Registration is free for early registrants.

Resonate will feature a keynote from Coach Micheal Burt, international speaker, best-selling author and founder of The Greatness Factory. Additional programming will include a Custom House Songwriter’s Round with Nashville hit makers Josh Phillips and Brock Berryhill, and presentations hosted by HP, Legrand and more.

“We created Resonate as systems are converging faster than organizations can adapt, and the industry needs clearer leadership around how everything connects,” says Curtis Heath, president of Guitar Center Business Solutions. “Our experience across education, performance and enterprise environments positions us to help the market move forward with solutions that are practical, scalable and built to last.”