Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum COO and Co-Founder Linda Chambers has transitioned to CEO, effective Nov. 1. With this move, she steps into the leadership role previously held by her late husband, CEO/Co-Founder Joe Chambers, who passed away on Sept. 28, 2022.

Joe was an accomplished musician and songwriter and, as a couple, Linda and Joe opened a chain of guitar stores named Chambers Guitars. The couple later co-founded and opened the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum in 2006, which relocated to Nashville’s Historic Municipal Auditorium in 2013 and also houses the Grammy Gallery.

The mission of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum is to honor all great musicians regardless of genre or instruments, while also educating visitors about the musicians who actually played on the “soundtracks of their lives.”

“The Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum is a Music City treasure,” notes Butch Spyridon, CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “The future of the Museum is bright, and we are committed to supporting Joe’s vision of making the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum a destination as it continues under the direction of Co-Founder/CEO Linda Chambers.”

The announcement follows the unveiling of the 2022 Class of Musicians Hall of Fame Inductees, which includes musicians Don McLean, Marty Stuart and The Fabulous Superlatives, Ray Stevens and Vince Gill, plus engineer George Massenburg and producer James William Guercio. The concert portion of the event will be hosted by award-winning recording artist Phil Vassar and will feature special performances by several Hall of Fame inductees and guest performers, including Rodney Crowell, Steve Miller, Wendy Moten, Mike Farris and more. Tickets are available now.

The Hall of Fame will also honor Billy F. Gibbons with its Iconic Riff Award. Some of Gibbons’ signature riffs can be heard on ZZ Top songs such as “Tush,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “La Grange.”

“Billy F Gibbons is such an incredible musician who has influenced generations and genres with his signature riffs,” Linda shares. “When we got down to picking just one song to honor him for, we were at a crossroads; they’re all so incredible! We’ll reveal our final decision during our ceremony on Nov. 22. We hope to see you there!”

While everything near the top stays about the same on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, hitmaker Josh Thompson jumps into the No. 10 spot. Rising from the 13th position, Thompson is a credited writer on Keith Urban’s “Brown Eyes Baby,” Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted On You,” and Thomas Rhett’s “Half Of Me,” featuring Riley Green.

Meanwhile, Zach Bryan adds another week at the top, notching a seventh consecutive week at No. 1. He has four songs currently on the chart, including “Something In The Orange,” “Oklahoma Smokeshow,” and “Burn, Burn, Burn.” Because he is the only writer on each of the three tracks, all of the points earned from airplay, digital download track sales and streams go entirely to Bryan on the Songwriter Chart.

Filling out the remainder of the top five are Ashley Gorley (No. 2), Morgan Wallen (No. 3), Ernest Keith Smith (No. 4), and Luke Dick (No. 5).

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has signed rising country singer-songwriter Madeline Merlo to a global publishing deal.

Originally from Canada, the Songland season two winner first captivated listeners with her hit “Champagne Night” performed by Lady A, which spent three weeks at No. 1 on U.S. country radio and earned her the 2021 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Songwriter of the Year award.

Merlo recently released her four-track EP Slide, produced by Zach Crowell, which saw Merlo as a co-writer on each song. The collection tells a series of dynamic stories, from budding romances in “Slide” and hit “I Need A Drink,” co-written by Sony Music Publishing songwriter Ashley Gorley, to growing up with “Young-ish,” and lessons learned in “Girl Where He Grew Up.”

She was also featured as the female voice on Cole Swindell’s latest No. 1 “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” and unveiled a new music video for “Slide” last month.

“I am so excited and honored to join Sony’s incredible roster of songwriters and continue to work closely with Zach Crowell. I am looking forward to working with this world class team that makes you feel like family every time you walk in the door! This is a huge next step for my career and truly is a dream come true,” shares Merlo.

“From the moment I heard Madeline’s song ‘Young-ish’ I knew I wanted to be a part of her career. She and Zach have perfectly threaded the needle of writing and finding big pop country hits that still make you feel something. Madeline is a phenomenal songwriter and artist with a big, bright future and I am thrilled to welcome her to SMP,” says Sony Music Publishing Nashville’s Senior Director, Creative, Kenley Flynn.

Emily Carignan has joined the SmackSongs Publishing team as Catalog Manager.

In her new position, Carignan will be responsible for organizing the catalog, managing royalties and licensing, and handling administrative duties for the publishing team at large. She will report to Vice President of Publishing Lee Krabel.

A Tyngsboro, Massachusetts native, Carignan moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University three years ago. Currently in her junior year at Belmont, she has been an intern at Smack for the last year and will now work full-time for the company while finishing her degree.  

“When Emily first started as an intern, she made herself so valuable to the team that we had to figure out a way to keep her at Smack,” says Krabel. “We are excited to bring her on the team as catalog manager and watch her grow!”

“I could not be more thrilled to officially join the SmackSongs team,” says Carignan. “This team has been beyond welcoming to me and I can’t thank them enough for giving me this incredible opportunity.”

Carignan can be reached at emily@smacksongs.com.

Concord Music Publishing Celebrates Hillary Lindsey

Concord Music Publishing recently celebrated award-winning songwriter Hillary Lindsey following her induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame with a party at The Bell Tower in Nashville. Attendees for the celebration included Kelsea Ballerini, Jordan Davis, Lori McKenna, Cary Barlowe, and several executives from Concord Music Publishing and Hang Your Hat.

Lindsey, a Georgia native, moved to Nashville in 1994 to attend Belmont University’s Music Business school. She landed a publishing deal and soon after began celebrating her first in a long string of hits. Now with 24 No. 1s under her belt.

She’s also nabbed three CMA Triple Play Awards in 2010, 2014 and 2016, as well as multiple CMAs, ASCAP Awards, and Grammys for Best Country Song (“Jesus Take The Wheel” by Carrie Underwood in 2007 and “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town in 2016). Additionally her 2017 hit, “Blue Ain’t Your Color” which was recorded by Keith Urban, earned the NSAI Song of the Year, MusicRow‘s 2017 Song of the Year, the AMA Country Song of the Year, and more.

 

 

Priscilla Block Gets First Taste Of Platinum Bling

Priscilla Block received her first RIAA Platinum certification for her hit song, “Just About Over You,” on Thursday (Nov. 3) during her sold out show at the Nashville Palace. The show marked the first time a female artist has ever sold out the venue.

“[Thursday] night was one of the wildest nights of my career so far! I can’t believe all of the love and energy from the crowd at Nashville Palace,” Block recalls. “I am blown away! Then finding out ‘Just About Over You’ had gone PLATINUM! Are you kidding me?! Since the beginning, the fans have been behind me and so encouraging-it means the world to me and I feel so blessed. Thank y’all!”

In just a few years, Block has garnered an ACM Award nomination for New Female Artist of the Year and a nomination for Breakthrough Video of the Year at the 2022 CMT Awards. She recently kicked off the fall run of her “Welcome to the Block Party Tour,” and she’s currently opening on select dates on the “Shania Twain: Queen Of Me Tour.”

 

 

Second Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Gala Raises Over $100K

Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame housed the 2nd Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Gala with headliner and chart-topping duo LoCash taking the stage, alongside Runaway June, Lee Greenwood, Cooper Alan, and Victoria Shaw. The star-studded event was hosted by The Joseph Family Foundation, the philanthropic wing of the Big Plan Holdings family enterprise. The gala raised over $100,000 during its silent and live auction.

Co-Founder of Big Plan Holdings Tara Joseph shares, “For the second year running, it was a privilege to work with my family, our friends and partners from Nashville’s music, entertainment and philanthropic communities, to come together and organize such an impactful event; a true commemoration of a shared mission to address one of the most important causes in our society today. We look forward to the continued impact that Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye can make and for its replicable model to reach additional markets.”

“The Second Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Gala was such a huge success; this event just continues to get better every single year,” adds Joshua Daniel, State Executive Director (TN, MS & AL) at the Susan G. Komen Foundation. “We are so grateful for the Joseph Family Foundation and all the love and support they show to the breast cancer community.”

 

 

YEP Hosts Annual Rewind Concert To Benefit MusiCares

Young Entertainment Professionals (YEP) Nashville hosted their annual YEP Rewind concert on Nov. 3, bringing more than 20 artists to the Basement East in order to raise awareness and money for MusiCares.

This year’s theme was Y2Kountry with each artist singing a country cover song from 2000-2010. This year’s artists included Mason Ramsey, Abby Anderson, Lindsay James, Riley Roth, host Logan Crosby, and more. The event hosted a guitar raffle with instruments signed by all of the artists.

“I joined YEP when I graduated college so that I could meet people outside of my Belmont bubble,” says YEP Executive Director Amelia Varni. “I had no idea I would be leading the group 8 years later. This nonprofit organization gives me the opportunity to work creatively with peers that I may never have crossed paths with in my 9-5. We may only meet once a month, but we brainstorm every day. These events are my way of giving back to the community that helped me grow independently in Nashville.”

YEP hosts a wide array of events that create opportunities for young entertainment professionals to get together and connect, including shows, trivia nights, mixers, and educational seminars.