Ellen Mundy Ford. Photo: AE Sharpe Photography

BBR Music Group has hired Ellen Mundy Ford as Manager, Syndication & Secondary Promotions. She succeeds Matthew Holmberg who was recently promoted to Director of Marketing.

Reporting to Renee Leymon, VP of Radio Syndication & Group Strategy, Ford will assist with the label group’s syndication and radio group strategy, leading and executing satellite radio tours, live virtual radio tours, syndication/media days and content days for the label’s roster.

Most recently, Ford worked at WORKS Entertainment as a day-to-day manager and at Reviver Music Group as their SE Manager, Radio Promotion.

“It was obvious that Ellen has a passion for our format and the artists and that’s a perfect fit for us,” says Leymon. “We are really excited to have her.”

Ford can be reached at ellen@bbrmusicgroup.com.

Deana Ivey. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp has promoted Deana Ivey to President as the organization restructures its top leadership. Butch Spyridon remains the Chief Executive Officer of the organization.

Ivey has been with the organization since 1997, previously serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

“I am honored and humbled to be named President of an organization dedicated to promoting a city recognized as a global destination,” says Ivey. “I appreciate the confidence the NCVC Board of Directors and CEO Butch Spyridon have placed in me, and I look forward to helping realize Nashville’s future possibilities while building on the past successes.  It’s a city to which I have devoted my career and love.”

Ivey has received the Nashville Business Journal Women in Music award and the Women in Business award by Nashville Lifestyles. She is a board member of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, Rhythms of the South Corporation and the Academy of Country Music, and is a member of the 2015 Leadership Music class.

“Deana’s advancement is well earned and much deserved,” offers Spyridon. “She has been a committed partner these past 25 years and has been integral in shaping the Music City brand, creating and attracting major events, and marketing Nashville around the world.”

Both Spyridon and Ivey oversaw and coordinated the organization’s marketing and sales efforts as Nashville has become a heralded global destination. The city’s tourism industry has seen dramatic growth to 16.1 million annual visitors and $7.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2019. Together, they have created and produced successful large annual concert events to market the city, including Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th and New Year’s Eve in Nashville.

They co-produced and helped lead creation of two award-winning Nashville documentaries: For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville and It All Begins With A Song. They also played key roles in hosting and promoting the 2019 NFL Draft, creating the Good To Go health and safety program, and bidding on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“As the organization has grown and Nashville’s profile as a global destination has risen, we saw a need to expand our top leadership,” says Kevin Lavender, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “Butch continues to excel as a leader, putting Nashville in a position to reach record-breaking visitation and convention numbers and exceed expectations–from hosting the 2019 NFL Draft to being on the shortlist to host FIFA World Cup in 2026. The city is fortunate to have Butch and Deana leading the hospitality industry.”

Michael Ray. Photo: Sean Hagwell

Michael Ray has scored his fourth No. 1 single with “Whiskey And Rain.” The tune is the lead single from his seven-song collection, Higher Education, and was written by Josh Thompson and Jesse Frasure.

The hit is currently in the Top 10 on the Country On-Demand Streaming chart, and has surpassed 100 million streams. To celebrate the song’s success, Ray has released an acoustic version of the track.

“I owe this one to the fans who love country music just as much as I do,” shares the Florida native. “I knew when I first heard this song, it embodied everything I love about country music, and I hoped people would find it as relatable and personal as I do. The support for ‘Whiskey And Rain’ has been so overwhelming and exciting. I can’t think of a better way to gear up for 2022 than this: celebrating with a song that’s so special to me.”

The achievement is the latest career accolade for Ray, who has garnered over 1 billion global streams, over 650,000 album equivalents, and over 100 million YouTube views. He also has a total of five RIAA certifications including the Platinum-certified “Think A Little Less,” and Gold-certified songs “Her World or Mine,” “One That Got Away,” “Get To You” and “Kiss You in the Morning.”

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has unveiled the entertainment lineup for the 2022 Rodeo season, running from Feb. 28-March 20.

George Strait, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, and many more are among the star-studded list of performers on this year’s bill. Nearly half of the artists will make their RodeoHouston debut in 2022, as the event celebrates its 90th anniversary with a mix of genres including country, EDM, Latin pop, R&B, Norteño, pop, rock and Christian.

“We are excited about the level of talent and diverse acts who will perform on the RodeoHouston star stage in 2022,” says Chris Boleman, Rodeo president and CEO. “We welcome nine new entertainers who will make their RodeoHouston debut, as well as many fan-favorites, including the ‘King of Country’ music himself, George Strait, who will return to the stage to help celebrate our 90th anniversary.”

Individual RodeoHouston tickets will go on sale to the public on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. at rodeohouston.com.

Old Crow Medicine Show. Photo: Kit Wood

MerleFest has announced its second round of lineup additions for the upcoming 2022 event, taking place from April 28-May 1 at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Joining this year’s lineup are Old Crow Medicine Show, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Allison Russell, We Banjo 3, Darrell Scott, Alison Brown, 49 Winchester, Arlo McKinley, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Arcadian Wild, Caleb Caudle, and Dr. Bacon. Tickets for the 2022 festival are on sale now. For more information, click here.

Previously announced performers include Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Rissi Palmer, Andy May, Banknotes, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Donna the Buffalo, Happy Traum, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Joe Smothers, Kruger Brothers, Laura Boosinger, Mark Bumgarner, Mitch Greenhill, Pete & Joan Wernick, Peter Rowan, Presley Barker, Roy Book Binder, Sam Bush, Scythian, T. Michael Coleman, The InterACTive Theatre of Jef, The Local Boys, The Waybacks, Tony Williamson, and Wayne Henderson.

“We are so excited to welcome music fans back to the campus of Wilkes Community College in the spring,” says MerleFest’s new Festival Director, Wes Whitson.

Founded in 1988, MerleFest is a mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel, and blues. Over the years it has expanded to include Americana, classic rock, and many other styles.