Following the announcement of this year’s nominees for the 34th MusicRow Awards, we take a closer look at the MusicRow Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year category. The Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year is voted by MusicRow’s subscribed members to honor a Nashville songwriter who wrote or co-wrote a Top 10 song for the first time during the eligibility period of June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022.
The winners of this year’s honors will be announced online on all MusicRow platforms on Tuesday, August 30. Presenting Sponsor of the 2022 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.
Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.
Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribed members. Voting is now open and closes on July 29 at 5:00 p.m.
To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a MusicRow member here.
Brinley Addington scored his first No. 1 with the Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris duet, “Chasing After You,” which he co-wrote with Jerry Flowers. Addington has also had songs recorded by artists Tyler Farr, Parmalee, Kameron Marlowe, and more.
Cameron “Cambo” Bartolini hit it big with his first country hit when he co-wrote “Fancy Like” with Artist of the Year nominee Walker Hayes. Prior to becoming a hit country songwriter, Bartolini had a hand in writing songs with Doja Cat, including “Candy” and “Freak.” He also co-wrote BRELAND’s new single, “Natural.”
Nick Columbia co-wrote “My Boy” alongside Breakthrough Writer of the Year nominees Lee Starr and Russell Sutton, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Elvie Shane. Columbia also co-wrote Conner Smith’s viral hit “I Hate Alabama,” as well as songs recorded by Drew Green.
Cale Dodds scored his first No. 1 with the Chase Rice and Florida Georgia Line hit, “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” A former Warner Music Nashville artist, Dodds is currently focused on songwriting. He’s had songs recorded by A Thousand Horses, Cassadee Pope, Filmore, Lit and more.
Levon Gray hit the top of the charts with his first-ever cut: Kane Brown’s “One Mississippi.” After finding him on social media, Artist of the Year nominee Brown invited Gray to co-write with him, ERNEST and Jesse Frasure. What resulted was a No. 1 song and publishing deal with Brown’s Verse 2 Music.
Kat Higgins lived a songwriter’s dream when Kenny Chesney decided to cut “Knowing You,” a song she co-wrote with hitmaker Brett James and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Adam James. The massive song also landed Higgins in the Female Songwriter of the Year nominees. Other Higgins cuts include songs recorded by Carrie Underwood, Peytan Porter, The Lone Bellow and more.
Adam James scored his first hit with a dream-cut from Kenny Chesney on a song he wrote with Songwriters Hall of Famer Brett James and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Kat Higgins, “Knowing You.” James has co-written songs recorded by Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, The Cadillac Three, Charlie Worsham and Filmore.
Josh Jenkins hit a double this year with his first two hit songs: “Fancy Like” recorded by Walker Hayes and “Buy Dirt” recorded by Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan. Jenkins has landed cuts with Adam Doleac and Teddy Robb, and fronts the rock band Green River Ordinance.
Jason Nix co-wrote “Things A Man Oughta Know” with Jonathan Singleton and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Lainey Wilson. The tune took home Song Of The Year at the 2022 ACM Awards. Nix has also had song recorded by Tyler Braden, Eli Young Band and scored a hit on the Texas country charts with Flatland Cavalry’s “Gettin’ By.”
Brandon Paddock translated success in the pop world into country music, scoring his first No. 1 with Lady A’s “Like A Lady.” He has also had songs recorded by Dan + Shay and Warren Zeiders. As a producer, Paddock’s pop credits include Platinum singles for Avril Lavigne and Christina Perri, and his country credits include Elle King and Miranda Lambert’s “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home.)”
Jennifer Schott co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “7500 OBO” with Matt McGinn and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Nathan Spicer. Schott co-wrote Mickey Guyton’s debut single, “Better Than You Left Me,” as well as songs recorded by Rascal Flatts and Natalie Hemby. She is also nominated for Female Songwriter of the Year this year.
Nathan Spicer co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “7500 OBO” with Matt McGinn and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Jennifer Schott. Spicer also co-wrote Ryan Hurd’s “To A T,” as well as songs recorded by Jake Owen, ERNEST, and Travis Denning.
Lee Starr co-wrote “My Boy” alongside Breakthrough Writer of the Year nominees Nick Columbia and Russell Sutton, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Elvie Shane. Starr also co-wrote Conner Smith’s viral hit “I Hate Alabama,” as well as songs for Drew Green and Ashland Craft.
Russell Sutton co-wrote “My Boy” alongside Breakthrough Writer of the Year nominees Nick Columbia and Lee Starr, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Elvie Shane. Sutton also co-wrote Discovery Artist of the Year nominee Nate Smith’s “Whiskey On You.”
Brett Tyler celebrated his first No. 1 this year with the Jameson Rodgers and Luke Combs-recorded “Cold Beer Calling My Name.” His other cuts include Blake Shelton’s “Hell Right,” Luke Bryan’s “Build Me A Daddy,” and Corey Kent’s “Wild As Her.”
Lydia Vaughan hit the top of the charts for the first time with a dream collaboration, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood’s “If I Didn’t Love You.” Co-written with Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee John Morgan, the duet won Single of the Year at the ACM Awards, and landed Vaughan in MusicRow‘s Female Songwriter of the Year category.
First Ever Lucktoberfest Set For October
/by Lorie HollabaughTanya Tucker is set to headline a night of the inaugural Lucktoberfest, a ten-day community celebration outside of Austin in Willie Nelson’s Luck, Texas. The festivities are slated for Oct. 28-Nov. 6.
Other headliners include Orville Peck, Los Lobos, Sasami, Fantastic Negrito, Paul Cauthen’s Big Velvet Revue, Bob Schneider, Alex Meixner, and Matthew Logan Vasquez. More than 20,000 guests will converge for music, food, and artisan experiences.
Each night will have a specific theme, including an Outlaw Masquerade Ball, Luck-Oktoberfest, a Día De Los Muertos Experience, The Black Opry Revue, a Luck Night Market, and more. Passes are on sale now, with daily passes available for purchase beginning July 25. For a full list of daily activities and ticketing information, click here.
“Lucktoberfest is a 10 day celebration of everything we love about Texas; from the music to the food and everything in between,” notes Luck Presents founder Matt Bizer. “Luck at its core is all about community, where everyone can come as they are. By collaborating with an amazing and diverse group of local and national curators, we are celebrating Texas by holding space for people to be themselves and share their incredible talents. Bring a little of yourself to Luck this year, and take a little bit of Luck with you on your way out!”
Lucktoberfest benefits the Central Texas Food Bank through the Luck Family Foundation, where $1 from each ticket sold goes directly to provide at least 100,000 meals with this year’s program. The Food Bank provides food and grocery products through a network of nearly 300 Partner Agencies and nutrition programs, serving nearly 60,000 people every week.
Love And Theft Release ‘Better Off,’ Their First New Collection In Seven Years
/by Lydia FarthingLove and Theft. Photo: Chase Lauer
Nearly seven years since their last release, country duo Love and Theft have shared their new full-length project Better Off via global music provider ONErpm.
Comprised of Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles, the pair have returned with a six-song EP which they wrote and produced themselves. For Better Off, they pulled from their classic rock and gospel influences, leaning into the sounds of The Eagles, The Beatles, The Doobie Brothers and The Gaither Vocal Band.
The EP’s title track was co-written with Jared Mullins and Christopher Stevens. Bridging the gap between the sound Love and Theft is known for and where the duo’s music is headed, “Better Off,” is an acoustic guitar-driven track. The project also includes the ’80s-influenced “Accidentally on Purpose,” mid-tempo pop rockers “Anyway” and “Tell Me What It Feels Like,” and more.
Founded in 2006, Love and Theft spent their first five years as a trio, releasing top 10 single “Runaway” in 2009. After becoming a duo in 2011, they released their second album, featuring No. 1 “Angel Eyes.” The Platinum-selling duo has notched six top 25 radio singles and more than a million followers on social media.
1. Accidentally On Purpose (Bree Doster, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)
2. Better Off (Eric Gunderson, Jared Mullins, Stephen Barker Liles)
3. Anyway (Eric Gunderson, Jared Mullins, Stephen Barker Liles)
4. Downhill (Stevie Monce, John Satterfield, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)
5. Mirror, Mirror (Bree Doster, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)
6. Tell Me What It Feels Like (Miro Goto, Eric Gunderson, Stephen Barker Liles)
AIMP Nashville To Host ‘A Conversation With Marc Rucker From SoundExchange’
/by Lydia FarthingThe AIMP Nashville chapter will be hosting a special in-person event, “A Conversation with Marc Rucker From SoundExchange,” next Tuesday (July 26) at 11:30 a.m. CT in the SESAC office in Nashville.
The event will feature a conversation between Rucker (Manager, Industry Engagement at SoundExchange Nashville) and Tim Hunze (VP of Publishing, Big Machine Music), who will talk all things SoundExchange, including the launch of many new tools for publishers.
SoundExchange collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of over 260,000 creators and has paid nearly $9 billion in distributions to date. The organization distributes royalties to creator groups, advocates for fair pay across platforms, and creates systems that improve how the industry operates.
The event is free for AIMP members and $20 for non-members, with registration available here.
The New York Chapter will also host a special webinar on Tuesday at 11 a.m. CT entitled “An Update from the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC).” The MLC CEO Kris Ahrend will give an overview of how The MLC serves music publishers and other rightsholders and give an update on the organization’s work to date, including its distribution of more than half a billion dollars in royalties to its members.
The webinar is free and open to the public with registration.
Song Suffragettes Cross The Pond For First UK Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Song Suffragettes are embarking on their first-ever international tour this October, featuring artists Carter Faith and Kalie Shorr from the U.S., Robyn Ottolini from Canada, and Twinnie from the United Kingdom.
The UK Tour will be part of Country Music Week in the UK presented by AEG Presents and SJM Concerts, the team behind C2C: Country to Country Festival. Tickets are on sale now and available here.
In over eight years, Song Suffragettes has become known for its efforts to combat widespread gender disparity throughout the music community. Through its weekly show at Nashville’s The Listening Room Cafe, Song Suffragettes has showcased over 350 talented females, 26 of whom have gone on to secure record deals and more than 50 who have landed publishing deals.
Song Suffragettes UK Tour Dates:
October 21 – Glasgow, Scotland – Òran Mór
October 22 – London, England – Bush Hall
October 23 – Manchester, England – Band On The Wall
Kelsea Ballerini To Launch ‘Heartfirst Tour’ This Fall
/by Lorie HollabaughKelsea Ballerini
Kelsea Ballerini has announced she’ll return to the road on her intimate “Heartfirst Tour” for 10 nights this fall.
The headline trek kicks off Sept. 24 at the iconic Radio City Music Hall in New York, and includes stops in Denver, Boston, Kansas City, Atlanta, and more through Oct. 14. Local and AEG pre-sales commence next Thursday (July 28), with public on-sale beginning July 29.
The dates will support Ballerini’s fourth studio album, Subject To Change, due out Sept. 23. She paved the way for the record with “Heartfirst,” which has already amassed over 50 million streams. As “Heartfirst”continues its climb at country radio, Ballerini also released a new song, “Love Is A Cowboy,” last week.
“Heartfirst Tour” Dates:
09/24 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
09/25 Boston, MA Roadrunner
09/28 Washington, DC The Anthem
10/01 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
10/03 Denver, CO Mission Ballroom
10/06 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
10/09 Kansas City, MO The Midland Theatre
10/11 Atlanta, GA The Eastern
10/13 Philadelphia, PA The Met
10/14 Mashantucket, CT Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino
Jackson Dean Earns MusicRow No. 1 With Debut Record
/by Alex ParryBig Machine Records artist, Jackson Dean, occupies the No. 1 position this week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Don’t Come Lookin’.” Dean signed his deal in August of 2020 and this is his first release at radio.
“Don’t Come Lookin’,” which he co-wrote the with Luke Dick, appears on his debut album, Greenbroke. It also was featured on the soundtrack for Netflix’s The Ice Road and in an episode of Paramount Network’s Yellowstone.
In June, Dean made his Grand Ole Opry debut noting, “I’ve been dreaming about this night for a long time. I know how many people have stood in this circle and who all has performed here, and it’s an absolute honor to do the same.”
Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
2022 MusicRow Awards Category Profile: Breakthrough Songwriter Of The Year
/by LB CantrellFollowing the announcement of this year’s nominees for the 34th MusicRow Awards, we take a closer look at the MusicRow Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year category. The Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year is voted by MusicRow’s subscribed members to honor a Nashville songwriter who wrote or co-wrote a Top 10 song for the first time during the eligibility period of June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022.
The winners of this year’s honors will be announced online on all MusicRow platforms on Tuesday, August 30. Presenting Sponsor of the 2022 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.
Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.
Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribed members. Voting is now open and closes on July 29 at 5:00 p.m.
To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a MusicRow member here.
Brinley Addington scored his first No. 1 with the Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris duet, “Chasing After You,” which he co-wrote with Jerry Flowers. Addington has also had songs recorded by artists Tyler Farr, Parmalee, Kameron Marlowe, and more.
Cameron “Cambo” Bartolini hit it big with his first country hit when he co-wrote “Fancy Like” with Artist of the Year nominee Walker Hayes. Prior to becoming a hit country songwriter, Bartolini had a hand in writing songs with Doja Cat, including “Candy” and “Freak.” He also co-wrote BRELAND’s new single, “Natural.”
Nick Columbia co-wrote “My Boy” alongside Breakthrough Writer of the Year nominees Lee Starr and Russell Sutton, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Elvie Shane. Columbia also co-wrote Conner Smith’s viral hit “I Hate Alabama,” as well as songs recorded by Drew Green.
Cale Dodds scored his first No. 1 with the Chase Rice and Florida Georgia Line hit, “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” A former Warner Music Nashville artist, Dodds is currently focused on songwriting. He’s had songs recorded by A Thousand Horses, Cassadee Pope, Filmore, Lit and more.
Levon Gray hit the top of the charts with his first-ever cut: Kane Brown’s “One Mississippi.” After finding him on social media, Artist of the Year nominee Brown invited Gray to co-write with him, ERNEST and Jesse Frasure. What resulted was a No. 1 song and publishing deal with Brown’s Verse 2 Music.
Kat Higgins lived a songwriter’s dream when Kenny Chesney decided to cut “Knowing You,” a song she co-wrote with hitmaker Brett James and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Adam James. The massive song also landed Higgins in the Female Songwriter of the Year nominees. Other Higgins cuts include songs recorded by Carrie Underwood, Peytan Porter, The Lone Bellow and more.
Adam James scored his first hit with a dream-cut from Kenny Chesney on a song he wrote with Songwriters Hall of Famer Brett James and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Kat Higgins, “Knowing You.” James has co-written songs recorded by Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, The Cadillac Three, Charlie Worsham and Filmore.
Josh Jenkins hit a double this year with his first two hit songs: “Fancy Like” recorded by Walker Hayes and “Buy Dirt” recorded by Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan. Jenkins has landed cuts with Adam Doleac and Teddy Robb, and fronts the rock band Green River Ordinance.
Jason Nix co-wrote “Things A Man Oughta Know” with Jonathan Singleton and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Lainey Wilson. The tune took home Song Of The Year at the 2022 ACM Awards. Nix has also had song recorded by Tyler Braden, Eli Young Band and scored a hit on the Texas country charts with Flatland Cavalry’s “Gettin’ By.”
Brandon Paddock translated success in the pop world into country music, scoring his first No. 1 with Lady A’s “Like A Lady.” He has also had songs recorded by Dan + Shay and Warren Zeiders. As a producer, Paddock’s pop credits include Platinum singles for Avril Lavigne and Christina Perri, and his country credits include Elle King and Miranda Lambert’s “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home.)”
Jennifer Schott co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “7500 OBO” with Matt McGinn and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Nathan Spicer. Schott co-wrote Mickey Guyton’s debut single, “Better Than You Left Me,” as well as songs recorded by Rascal Flatts and Natalie Hemby. She is also nominated for Female Songwriter of the Year this year.
Nathan Spicer co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “7500 OBO” with Matt McGinn and fellow Breakthrough Songwriter nominee Jennifer Schott. Spicer also co-wrote Ryan Hurd’s “To A T,” as well as songs recorded by Jake Owen, ERNEST, and Travis Denning.
Lee Starr co-wrote “My Boy” alongside Breakthrough Writer of the Year nominees Nick Columbia and Russell Sutton, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Elvie Shane. Starr also co-wrote Conner Smith’s viral hit “I Hate Alabama,” as well as songs for Drew Green and Ashland Craft.
Russell Sutton co-wrote “My Boy” alongside Breakthrough Writer of the Year nominees Nick Columbia and Lee Starr, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee Elvie Shane. Sutton also co-wrote Discovery Artist of the Year nominee Nate Smith’s “Whiskey On You.”
Brett Tyler celebrated his first No. 1 this year with the Jameson Rodgers and Luke Combs-recorded “Cold Beer Calling My Name.” His other cuts include Blake Shelton’s “Hell Right,” Luke Bryan’s “Build Me A Daddy,” and Corey Kent’s “Wild As Her.”
Lydia Vaughan hit the top of the charts for the first time with a dream collaboration, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood’s “If I Didn’t Love You.” Co-written with Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, and Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee John Morgan, the duet won Single of the Year at the ACM Awards, and landed Vaughan in MusicRow‘s Female Songwriter of the Year category.
Garth Brooks Unveils Cover For ‘Anthology, Part II: The Next Five Years’
/by Lorie HollabaughGarth Brooks has revealed the cover for The Anthology, Part II: The Next Five Years. The Limited Edition Anthology is available exclusively on TalkShopLive and is on sale now.
The Next Five Years takes an in-depth look at the stories behind the songs and recording sessions for Fresh Horses, Sevens, The Limited Series, Double Live, and Scarecrow.
Brooks, the G-Men, Allen Reynolds, and Mark Miller reveal what was it like to record “Beer Run” with George Jones; Keith Urban describes his first time recording with Brooks, and listeners can discover which of Brooks’ songs was released as a rough mix among other facts on the new anthology.
In addition to the music, The Next Five Years chronicles Garth’s 24-hour signing session at Fan Fair in 1996 that demonstrated his powerful connection to his fans. It also explains the reason for the delay in the release of Sevens and his decision to announce his retirement.
On Aug. 1, fans can join Brooks live in his studio on TalkShopLive to hear some of the stories that are included in the Anthology, ask questions, and hear some new music. He picks up where he left off in The Anthology, Part I: The First Five Years, telling his story in his own words and offering fascinating insights to his career and personal life from 1996-2001.
“I learned a lot!” Brooks says, laughing. “The interviews (Bob Dylan, Keith Urban, Steve Wariner and more) just floored me! Miss [Trisha] Yearwood claimed there was a duet version of ‘To Make You Feel My Love’ that only she remembered. But when we found it buried deep in the vault, I was amazed how raw and beautiful it was!”
Completing the Anthology, Part II is a 6-disc set of musical highlights from albums released during that time along with two previously unreleased recordings.
Industry Ink: Drew Parker, Alana Springsteen, Kenny Lovelace, More
/by Lydia FarthingDrew Parker Headlines BMI’s Rooftop On The Row
Pictured (L-R): Jarrod Holley (Make Wake Artists); Stephanie Davenport (WMN, Sr. Director, A&R); Mason Hunter (BMI); Drew Parker; Mike Dupree (WMN, VP, Creative Director); Justin Luffman (WMN, VP, Artist Development)
Warner Music Nashville’s Drew Parker headlined BMI’s Rooftop on the Row earlier this week (July 19) for a packed crowd.
The singer-songwriter played tracks from his growing catalog, a medley of ’90s country classics, and his three No. 1 hits as a songwriter. His latest No. 1, Luke Combs’ “Doin’ This,” recently landed Parker a MusicRow Awards nomination for Song of the Year.
The Georgia native will open for labelmate Cody Johnson on select dates through August, as well as his own headlining shows. For a full list of upcoming shows, click here.
Alana Springsteen Showcases New Music At BMI’s Rooftop On The Row
Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Clay Bradley, Warner Music Nashville’s Drew Parker, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Alana Springsteen, BMI’s Mason Hunter. Photo: Nathan Zucker for BMI
Rising singer-songwriter Alana Springsteen also served as one of the night’s featured artists at BMI’s Rooftop on the Row, performing some of her latest singles.
Springsteen kicked off the show with tunes from Part One and Part Two of her History of Breaking Up projects, the second of which was released last Friday (July 15).
Upcoming performers for Rooftop on the Row include Ashland Craft and Ray Fulcher (Aug. 16); Elvie Shane and Tenille Arts (Sept. 27); and Reyna Roberts, Tiera Kennedy and Callista Clark (Oct. 18).
Kenny Lovelace Featured As Part Of CMHOF’s Nashville Cats Program
Pictured (L-R): The museum’s Executive Senior Director of Editorial and Interpretation, Michael Gray, and Kenny Lovelace at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently featured fiddler and guitarist Kenny Lovelace for its in-depth interview series Nashville Cats. The ongoing series showcases musicians and session singers who have played important roles in support of artists in either the recording studio or on concert tours.
For more than 50 years, Lovelace has served as guitarist, fiddler, bandleader and right-hand man for Jerry Lee Lewis. He can be heard on Lewis’ Nashville recordings, including “Another Place Another Time,” “What’s Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me),” “She Still Comes Around (To Love What’s Left of Me),” “She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye” and “Thirty Nine and Holding.”
Lovelace has toured the world with Lewis, played fiddle on the Oak Ridge Boys’ 1983 hit “Ozark Mountain Jubilee,” and performed with Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, the Rolling Stones and others.
The performance and conversation were filmed and will premiere on Aug. 30 as part of the museum’s Live at the Hall digital programs series—available to stream on the museum’s social channels.
Wortman Works Adds Two Account Managers
Jayne Hamblin & Ava Evans
Wortman Works Media & Marketing has added two new account managers, Jayne Hamblin and Ava Evans, to the Nashville-based public relations, management and publicity firm.
“These two ladies exemplify hard work and understanding of the ever-evolving role and approach to public relations and publicity. I am thrilled to have them join the team at Wortman Works,” states Wortman Works President, Jules Wortman.
Hamblin received her undergraduate degree in Music Business and her MBA from Belmont University. The Kentucky native most recently worked as Director of Label Operations at SSM Nashville Records with prior stops at MV2 Entertainment and Smallbone Entertainment.
Evans received her undergraduate degree in Creative & Entertainment Industries at Belmont University, and just completed her MBA at Lipscomb University. The Nashville native has most recently worked as a Sales and Marketing Intern at Compass East with prior stops at Bold Soul Studios, Shelter Music Group, and ROAR Entertainment Media Group. Evans also interned at Wortman Works over the past year.
Kimberly Kelly Takes Over Bobby’s Idle Hour To Celebrate Album Release
Pictured (L-R): Show Dog Nashville’s TK Kimbrell, Kimberly Kelly, Cumulus’ Charlie Cook
Kimberly Kelly recently took over Bobby’s Idle Hour on Tuesday night (July 19) to celebrate the release of her Show Dog Nashville debut album, I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen.
The night featured stories about Billy Joe Shaver, as well as the creation of the new album. CMT’s Leslie Fram moderated the listening event with Kelly, which also included live performances of album tracks.
Veteran Music Educator Franklin Willis Joins The CMA Foundation
/by LB CantrellFranklin Willis. Photo: Nora Canfield
Franklin Willis, a veteran Nashville music educator, has been hired as Community Impact Director for The CMA Foundation, effective Aug. 8.
In the newly created role, Willis will help further the CMA Foundation’s commitment to fostering high quality and sustainable music education programs across the U.S. He will play a crucial role in the creation and execution of all the CMA Foundation’s events, initiatives and programs, and work closely with teachers, students, policymakers, nonprofit partners and other key stakeholders to expand outreach, increase involvement and foster connection.
Carrie Underwood surprises Franklin Willis’ Andrew Jackson Elementary School class ahead of the group’s performance of Underwood’s “The Champion” on the Nissan Stadium stage during CMA Fest 2019. Photo: Electric Machine/CMA
“Franklin has been a key voice and valuable partner to the CMA Foundation for many years,” says Tiffany Kerns, Executive Director, CMA Foundation. “He not only shares our passion for furthering and fostering quality music education programs for students, but as a former music educator and past Music Teacher of Excellence himself, he offers invaluable insight into the challenges and opportunities that exist in the arts. We are thrilled to welcome Franklin to our team and are excited to maximize his creativity and robust knowledge to create impactful and sustainable change across music and arts education.”
Prior to joining CMA, Willis spent a more than a decade as a music educator, most recently as an Elementary Music Coach for Metro Nashville Public Schools. While there, he developed strategies to increase student music achievement and music teachers’ capacity by cultivating professional development communities, implementing curriculum, articulating district initiatives and training teachers and other instructional staff.
Beginning Aug. 8, Willis can be reached at fwillis@cmaworld.com.