Jennifer Herron Steps Down As Announcer For Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree
Jennifer Herron
Long-time announcer for the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, Jennifer Herron, is exiting the show after 18 years.
As the announcer of country music’s second longest running radio show, Herron took over after Carol Lee Cooper’s retirement, hosting her first show alongside Sonny and Bobby Osborne.
“I shared that stage with so many wonderful people,” Herron reminisces. “Dancing with Ranger Doug, Jack Clement and Charlie Louvin on stage, helping Lynn Anderson with her costume changes as we cut-up only as two cowgirls can do, watching Ray Price give my husband a thumbs up from behind the stage, playing off of Mel Tillis in one of his fun bits, having Lily Tomlin drop-in on the show and surprise us all. The list of stars on the show goes on and on.”
Herron will remain in Nashville as she continues to work on television and radio projects. She will also be on the road with Bobby Marquez.
Spencer Crandall Celebrates 100 Million Career Streams, Releases New Track “Made”
Pictured (L-R): Cmd Shft’s Jarrod Cooper, Cmd Shft’s Gemma Matchett, Spencer Crandall, Playmore Promotion’s Joe Putnam, Hudson Hill Mgmt’s Jeff Cherry
Rising country artist Spencer Crandall has released his romantic new single “Made” as he celebrates 100 million global streams. The new song debuted at No. 2 spot on the iTunes all genre chart.
“100 million streams is such an amazing and humbling milestone, especially as an independent artist. It represents so much hard work, struggle, amazing people on my team, and the best fans in the world. I couldn’t do any of this without them,” shares Crandall. “For that to line up with the release of my brand new single ‘Made’? That’s priceless! I really do feel so lucky to have the support and love that I do. I feel overwhelmed, blessed and so grateful.”
Marking the first single released from a forthcoming 2022 project, the new track was written by Crandall, Ian McConnell, Andrew Beason and Jeff Cherry, and produced by Lalo Guzman and Brad Hill. Crandall’s fanbase of 2 million followers on TikTok gave the track more than 3 million views and over 10,000 pre-saves before its release.
Earlier this year, Crandall released his fourth independent project Lost in the Wild. He will be sharing the stage with Kidd G for the “Down Home Boy” tour, followed by additional dates with Ashley Cooke for the “My Person” tour.
Alex Miller Signs With Billy Jam Records
Pictured (L-R): Ed Leonard, President, Daywind Music Group/Billy Jam Records; Alex Miller, Jerry Salley, A&R/Creative Director, Billy Jam Records; Kyle Johnson, Marketing Director, Billy Jam Records
American Idol season 19 alum Alex Miller has signed an exclusive recording contract with Nashville-based Billy Jam Records.
The singer-songwriter’s first single for the imprint, “Don’t Let The Barn Door Hit Ya,” was produced by Jerry Salley and will be released in the coming weeks.
The Kentucky native has been performing professionally since the age of seven, first locally then graduating to larger markets and venues, including the Dolby Theatre, WoodSongs, Renfo Valley, and more.
Miller has also recently signed with Triangle Talent, LLC for booking and management.
Chingy Signs With Kinkead Entertainment Agency
Pictured (back row, L-R): Russell Cranek, Max Dacosta, Art Benson, Greg Scott, Paige Zuidema; (front row, L-R): Bob Kinkead, Chingy, Julie Devereux, Scott Adkins. Photo: Derrek Kupish
Multi-Platinum recording artist, actor and philanthropist Chingy has joined The Kinkead Entertainment Agency for exclusive representation in all areas.
A St. Louis, Missouri native, Chingy began writing lyrics when he was 9-years-old and began performing soon after. Originally known as H Thugz in the St. Louis group Without Warning, the group recorded “What’s Poppin Off,” which became a local hit.
Chingy has ascended to the Billboard Hot 100 chart eight times and achieved mainstream success with the release of his double-Platinum debut album, Jackpot. Off stage, Chingy’s acting chops include small screen roles in television comedy series My Wife and Kids, One on One, George Lopez, and Yo Momma, as well as cameos in several films including Scary Movie 4 and Speed Dating.
“Chingy is a singular talent who transcends genres and all facets of entertainment. We are thrilled to represent Chingy in every facet of the business to find unique opportunities connecting him to audiences and consumers,” shares Bob Kinkead, CEO of The Kinkead Entertainment Agency.
Chingy continues to be represented by Adkins Publicity for publicity and artist management.
Spotify Celebrates ’90s Country’s Resurgence Of Popularity With Gen Z
/by LB CantrellSpotify has launched a campaign to celebrate one of the most iconic decades in country music: the 1990s.
According to unique user data from Spotify, U.S. streams of their ’90s Country playlist have grown 150% since 2018, and 70% among Gen Z users in that time. There are also currently 89 million playlists from Gen Z users containing ’90s country tracks. As many fans between 19-24 listen to Spotify’s ’90s Country playlist as fans over 45.
According to Spotify, albums from The Chicks (Wide Open Spaces and Fly); Shania Twain (Come On Over and The Woman In Me); Alan Jackson (Who I Am and A Lot About Livin’ (And A Little ‘Bout Love)); Tim McGraw (Everywhere); and George Strait (Strait Out Of The Box, Pure Country and Blue Clear Sky) are among the top 10 most popular ’90s country albums for Gen Z listeners. See more of Spotify’s ’90s country catalog data below.
To celebrate the renewed popularity of ’90s country, Spotify launched a creative campaign highlighting the staying power of the platform’s ’90s country catalog. The campaign includes three Spotify Singles from three ’90s babies: with Parker McCollum covering Strait’s “Carrying Your Love With Me,” Tenille Arts doing The Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces,” and Breland covering Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine.”
The campaign includes a ’90s Country Digital Experience that allows users take a short quiz to generate their top ’90s country albums as well as a personalized playlist.
Below is more ’90s country catalog data from Spotify:
Top 10 ’90s Country Albums With Listeners In The U.S. Overall:
1. Come On Over – Shania Twain
2. Down The Road I Go – Travis Tritt
3. Everywhere – Tim McGraw
4. The Woman In Me – Shania Twain
5. Fly – The Chicks
6. Out With A Bang – David Lee Murphy
7. Strait Out Of The Box – George Strait
8. A Lot About Livin’ (And A Little ‘Bout Love) – Alan Jackson
9. Wide Open Spaces – The Chicks
10. A Place In The Sun – Tim McGraw
Top 10 ’90s Country Albums With Gen Z Listeners In The U.S.:
1. Wide Open Spaces – The Chicks
2. Strait Out Of The Box – George Strait
3. Fly – The Chicks
4. Come On Over – Shania Twain
5. Pure Country – George Strait
6. A Lot About Livin’ (And A Little ‘Bout Love) – Alan Jackson
7. Everywhere – Tim McGraw
8. The Woman In Me – Shania Twain
9. Who I Am – Alan Jackson
10. Blue Clear Sky – George Strait
Top 5 Most-Shared ’90s Country Songs By Gen Z listeners:
1. “You’re Still The One” – Shania Twain
2. “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” – Shania Twain
3. “Amazed” – Lonestar
4. “Chattahoochee” – Alan Jackson
5. “Cowboy Take Me Away” – The Chicks
Most-Discovered (First-Time Listened To) 90s Country Songs In The US In The Past 3 Months:
1. “Something Like That” – Tim McGraw
2. “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” – Shania Twain
3. “Chattahoochee” – Alan Jackson
4. “Any Man Of Mine” – Shania Twain
5. “Amazed” – Lonestar
6. “Dust On The Bottle” – David Lee Murphy
7. “Strawberry Wine” – Deana Carter
8. “She’s In Love With The Boy” – Trisha Yearwood
9. “Independence Day” – Martina McBride
10. “Check Yes Or No” – George Strait
Most Discovered Artists in 2021 From The 90s Country Playlist:
1. Billy Dean
2. Alison Krauss & Union Station
3. Ricochet
4. John Anderson
5. Tracy Byrd
Lainey Wilson’s “Things A Man Oughta Know” Tops The Charts
/by Lorie HollabaughLainey Wilson. Photo: Alex Berger
MusicRow’s 2021 Discovery Artist of the Year Lainey Wilson has topped the Mediabase and Billboard country chart with her breakout hit “Things A Man Oughta Know.”
Wilson is the first new solo female artist to accomplish this feat since Gabby Barrett went to the top with “I Hope” in April 2020. Written by Wilson, Jason Nix and Jonathan Singleton, “Things A Man Oughta Know” went No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart on Aug. 13.
“It has been an incredible privilege to see firsthand how this song has impacted people. Thank you, country radio for believing in it, sharing it with the world and taking this thing to No. 1—this is a moment I’ve dreamed of my entire life—and to do it with a song that is all about good character is icing on the cake,” shares Wilson. “To my incredibly supportive team—thank you for always being by my side. I can’t wait to cry, celebrate and climb more mountains with you.”
The track has garnered more than 146 million on-demand streams and has spent several weeks in the Top 10 in country single sales. The single is also having international success, being certified Gold in Canada and reaching the Top 5 on Canadian country radio.
Wilson was also selected as an iHeartCountry On the Verge artist and was nominated for CMT Music Award’s Breakthrough Video of the Year in addition to being named the Opry NextStage artist for August. She is currently on the road on Jason Aldean’s “Back In The Saddle Tour” and working on new music.
Kelsea Ballerini Sets The Stage In Nashville On Jonas Brothers’ “Remember This” Tour
/by Lydia FarthingKelsea Ballerini. Photo: Catherine Powell
Last week, multi-Platinum songwriter and entertainer Kelsea Ballerini took the stage at the recently opened First Bank Amphitheater on the outskirts of Franklin, Tennessee as support on the Jonas Brothers‘ “Remember This” Tour.
The new boutique venue located at the Graystone Quarry in Thompson’s Station hosted its first event on Aug. 5 with Together: Feeding Nashville where a big topic of discussion was the issues related to traffic. After a handful of shows, the venue still has some of those issues with many concert-goers rolling in late to the first of the Jonas Brothers’ two-night stay.
Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Catherine Powell
However, once on stage, Ballerini wowed the crowd with many of her No. 1s and fan-favorites, including her 2015 Platinum-certified single “Peter Pan” and her designated drinking song, “Hole In The Bottle.” She also performed her newest single “I Quit Drinking,” which features LANY frontman Paul Klein.
Dipping into the feelings of nostalgia that many of the attendees were experiencing from seeing one of the world’s favorite childhood boy bands, Ballerini shared part of a video she recorded in 2008 that explained her long-time admiration for the trio.
“[In this video] I’m gonna talk about five reasons why I love the Jonas Brothers,” the then pre-teen singer says, earning quite the reaction from the audience. “The first one is their passion for music. I made another video that talked about how we share that because I love to sing and I love to write songs, and they do too. I think it would be really awesome to meet someone who has that same passion that is living their dream out, and I think it would be really cool to talk to them about.”
Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Catherine Powell
The now 28 year-old followed it up, saying: “So that’s me… If I could go back and tell 12 year-old Kelsea that on a Thursday night at this new, beautiful venue in Nashville freaking Tennessee that I would be able to stand on this stage and not only sing some songs of my own that people might know, but open up for the Jonas Brothers… I wouldn’t have believed it, y’all.”
She continued, “Judging by the fact that you’re here early and you’re standing up with t-shirts, signs, hoodies, and all kinds of things, I’m assuming you feel the same way about the Jonas Brothers as I do. That also means that a lot of us probably grew up on a lot of the same music, and we’re lucky because we got the good stuff.”
The 6x No. 1 singer then broke out into a string of early 2000s covers, including Taylor Swift’s “Teardrops On My Guitar,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway,” and “Lucky” by Britney Spears, before transitioning into her vulnerable, emotion-evoking “Homecoming Queen” which featured a booming chorus choir from the audience.
Ballerini also offered her powerful post-breakup track, “The Way I Used To,” before wrapping with “This Feeling,” her 2018 duet with EDM supergroup The Chainsmokers to which she offered a “secret” third verse for the special Nashville show.
Ballerini and the brothers will continue on to stops in Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York, Boston, Tampa, Dallas, and more before wrapping at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 27.
Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Catherine Powell
Ray Stevens’ New Comedy Album, ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Funny Anymore,’ To Drop In October
/by Lorie HollabaughRay Stevens. Photo: Angela Talley
Ray Stevens is returning to his roots with the upcoming release of Ain’t Nothin’ Funny Anymore. The new 14-track comedy music album drops on Friday, Oct. 8 via Curb Records.
For over 60 years, the Country Music Hall of Fame member has brought laughter to millions with songs like “The Streak,” “Mississippi Squirrel Revival,” “It’s Me Again, Margaret” and “Shriner’s Convention.”
Stevens has had plenty of material to inspire him with recent current events, which can be heard through tracks like “The Quarantine Song,” while “Gas” tackles rising fuel costs and flatulence. On “Dis-connected” Stevens sings about the woes of social media while “CoCo Cabana Band” is reminiscent of Stevens’ classic hit, “Gitarzan.”
“When you turn on the news, it seems as though the planet is in utter turmoil,” explains Stevens. “Like my old friend Mel Tillis used to say, ‘laughter is the best medicine in the world.’ And we need it now more than ever.” He continues, “I enjoy recording songs about things that are currently happening in the world… I think there’s something for everyone on this album. It’s something I’m proud of and I hope folks enjoy it as much as I did recording it.”
Keith Urban To Receive 2021 CRB Artist Career Achievement Award
/by Lydia FarthingMulti-award-winning artist Keith Urban will receive the 2021 CRB Artist Career Achievement Award. Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan will present the award during the Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Oct. 13 at The Westin in Nashville, Tennessee.
The CRB Artist Career Achievement Award is presented to an individual artist or act that has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of country music and country radio through their creativity, vision, performance or leadership. Previous recipients include Rascal Flatts, Steve Wariner, Martina McBride, Randy Travis, Vince Gill, Brooks & Dunn, Charlie Daniels, Dolly Parton, Reba, and more.
Urban has won four Grammy Awards, thirteen CMAs, fifteen ACMs, three AMAs, two People’s Choice Awards, and celebrated nine consecutive Gold, Platinum, or multi-Platinum albums. He has garnered 24 No. 1 songs, 43 Top 10 singles in the U.S., 27 No. 1s in Canada, and numerous other chart-topping placements in Australia, the U.K., and other countries worldwide.
He has supported numerous charities, making him a beloved figure among many philanthropic communities. He is the first Ambassador of the CMA Foundation, an advisory board member at the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and a longtime supporter of The Mr. Holland’s Opus Fund and The Grammy Foundation.
CRB/CRS Board President Kurt Johnson says, “Only a very select group of artists ascends to the level of this award. They do it by combining years of uncompromised brilliant performance with sustained success. As Keith continues to reach new creative heights every year, let’s pause to celebrate him. Be there Oct. 13 when we recognize him for all he has achieved… so far. It will be an unforgettable moment.”
As previously announced, the Class of 2021 Country Radio Hall of Fame inductees will also be honored at the event and include Bob Call, RJ Curtis, Bill Hagy, Norm Schrutt, Heather Froglear, Buzz Jackson, Bob Pickett, and Angie Ward. This year’s CRB President’s Award recipient, Beverlee Brannigan, will also be recognized at the event.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CRB, Inc and its Board of Directors are requiring anyone attending the Country Radio Hall of Fame ceremony to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test result completed within 48-hours of the event.
Individual tickets and tables are now available for the ceremony. For tables and sponsorship opportunities, contact Ashley Bourque.
Rhett Akins Leaps Into Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellRhett Akins
Rhett Akins makes a big leap from No. 12 to No. 5 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week. The soon-to-be-inducted Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame honoree is a co-writer on the currently charting songs “Tequila Little Time” (Jon Pardi) and “To Be Loved By You” (Parker McCollum).
Ashley Gorley maintains his position at No. 1 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart for the tenth consecutive week. He is a co-writer on “Beers On Me” (Dierks Bentley, Hardy & Breland), “Country Again” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “Steal My Love” (Dan + Shay) and “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton).
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.
Industry Ink: Midnite Jamboree, Spencer Crandall, Alex Miller, Chingy
/by Lydia FarthingJennifer Herron Steps Down As Announcer For Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree
Jennifer Herron
Long-time announcer for the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, Jennifer Herron, is exiting the show after 18 years.
As the announcer of country music’s second longest running radio show, Herron took over after Carol Lee Cooper’s retirement, hosting her first show alongside Sonny and Bobby Osborne.
“I shared that stage with so many wonderful people,” Herron reminisces. “Dancing with Ranger Doug, Jack Clement and Charlie Louvin on stage, helping Lynn Anderson with her costume changes as we cut-up only as two cowgirls can do, watching Ray Price give my husband a thumbs up from behind the stage, playing off of Mel Tillis in one of his fun bits, having Lily Tomlin drop-in on the show and surprise us all. The list of stars on the show goes on and on.”
Herron will remain in Nashville as she continues to work on television and radio projects. She will also be on the road with Bobby Marquez.
Spencer Crandall Celebrates 100 Million Career Streams, Releases New Track “Made”
Pictured (L-R): Cmd Shft’s Jarrod Cooper, Cmd Shft’s Gemma Matchett, Spencer Crandall, Playmore Promotion’s Joe Putnam, Hudson Hill Mgmt’s Jeff Cherry
Rising country artist Spencer Crandall has released his romantic new single “Made” as he celebrates 100 million global streams. The new song debuted at No. 2 spot on the iTunes all genre chart.
“100 million streams is such an amazing and humbling milestone, especially as an independent artist. It represents so much hard work, struggle, amazing people on my team, and the best fans in the world. I couldn’t do any of this without them,” shares Crandall. “For that to line up with the release of my brand new single ‘Made’? That’s priceless! I really do feel so lucky to have the support and love that I do. I feel overwhelmed, blessed and so grateful.”
Marking the first single released from a forthcoming 2022 project, the new track was written by Crandall, Ian McConnell, Andrew Beason and Jeff Cherry, and produced by Lalo Guzman and Brad Hill. Crandall’s fanbase of 2 million followers on TikTok gave the track more than 3 million views and over 10,000 pre-saves before its release.
Earlier this year, Crandall released his fourth independent project Lost in the Wild. He will be sharing the stage with Kidd G for the “Down Home Boy” tour, followed by additional dates with Ashley Cooke for the “My Person” tour.
Alex Miller Signs With Billy Jam Records
Pictured (L-R): Ed Leonard, President, Daywind Music Group/Billy Jam Records; Alex Miller, Jerry Salley, A&R/Creative Director, Billy Jam Records; Kyle Johnson, Marketing Director, Billy Jam Records
American Idol season 19 alum Alex Miller has signed an exclusive recording contract with Nashville-based Billy Jam Records.
The singer-songwriter’s first single for the imprint, “Don’t Let The Barn Door Hit Ya,” was produced by Jerry Salley and will be released in the coming weeks.
The Kentucky native has been performing professionally since the age of seven, first locally then graduating to larger markets and venues, including the Dolby Theatre, WoodSongs, Renfo Valley, and more.
Miller has also recently signed with Triangle Talent, LLC for booking and management.
Chingy Signs With Kinkead Entertainment Agency
Pictured (back row, L-R): Russell Cranek, Max Dacosta, Art Benson, Greg Scott, Paige Zuidema; (front row, L-R): Bob Kinkead, Chingy, Julie Devereux, Scott Adkins. Photo: Derrek Kupish
Multi-Platinum recording artist, actor and philanthropist Chingy has joined The Kinkead Entertainment Agency for exclusive representation in all areas.
A St. Louis, Missouri native, Chingy began writing lyrics when he was 9-years-old and began performing soon after. Originally known as H Thugz in the St. Louis group Without Warning, the group recorded “What’s Poppin Off,” which became a local hit.
Chingy has ascended to the Billboard Hot 100 chart eight times and achieved mainstream success with the release of his double-Platinum debut album, Jackpot. Off stage, Chingy’s acting chops include small screen roles in television comedy series My Wife and Kids, One on One, George Lopez, and Yo Momma, as well as cameos in several films including Scary Movie 4 and Speed Dating.
“Chingy is a singular talent who transcends genres and all facets of entertainment. We are thrilled to represent Chingy in every facet of the business to find unique opportunities connecting him to audiences and consumers,” shares Bob Kinkead, CEO of The Kinkead Entertainment Agency.
Chingy continues to be represented by Adkins Publicity for publicity and artist management.
Pam Tillis, T. Graham Brown, Buddy Jewell, More Added To Love From Music City Gala Lineup
/by Lorie HollabaughThe 5th Annual Love From Music City Gala has announced additions to its upcoming lineup, including Pam Tillis, T. Graham Brown, JD Shelburne, Buddy Jewell, Marty Raybon, Devon O’Day, Cherish Lee, and Charlene Tilton. The event will take place on Oct. 5 at the Estate at Cherokee Dock in Lebanon, Tennessee.
The newly-added artists will join Crystal Gayle, the recipient of this year’s Bill Anderson Icon Award, which recognizes her contributions to the community and her role as a pathbreaker and legendary performer.
“The 5th Annual Love From Music City Gala is going to be truly a spectacular and special event,” says CEO Shanda Tripp. “This evening brings focus on the needs of foster children and orphans abroad and the funds raised will feed these children through the year. Many of these children have simply been tossed aside and to see them smile and know they are safe means everything. This event would not be possible without Puckett’s, Patriot Angels, The Dottie Frist Foundation, and Springer Mountain Farms Chicken!”
The VIP red carpet and hors d’oeuvres will take place at 6 p.m. CT followed by the main event which will include live entertainment, a silent auction, food, and more. To purchase tickets to the gala, click here.
Love From Music City has a 50-year legacy of feeding and clothing orphans across the globe, with 10 years of including local, Middle Tennessee foster care children.
Troy Cartwright Announces Warner Music Nashville Debut Studio EP
/by LB CantrellSinger-songwriter Troy Cartwright has announced his forthcoming major label debut studio EP Halfway To Houston will be available on Oct. 15 via Warner Music Nashville.
Since signing with Warner Music Nashville in 2018, Cartwright has released a few tracks, including his major label debut song “Hung Up On You.”
Produced by Brandon Hood, the Halfway To Houston EP features five tracks, three of which are co-written by Cartwright. Other songwriters on the project include Billy Montana, Brett Tyler, Wynn Varble, Ben Caver and more.
Ahead of the EP, Cartwright has released “Breaking Every Heart In Texas,” an ode to his home state.
Cartwright will hit the road this fall, and is currently on the “Nashville Hits the Roof” tour, playing at Tin Roofs across the country. He will soon join Kolby Cooper for a string of dates before hopping on Lanco’s “Honkytonk Hippies” tour in December.
Halfway To Houston Track Listing:
1. Halfway To Houston (Troy Cartwright, Brandon Hood, Billy Montana)
2. Breaking Every Heart In Texas (Brett Tyler, Wynn Varble, Jeff Outlaw, Troy Cartwright)
3. God Is Good (Troy Cartwright, Brandon Hood, Billy Montana)
4. Hammer (Troy Cartwright, Brandon Hood, Billy Montana)
5. Shine On Me (Nolan Sipe, Ben Caver, Troy Cartwright)
Recording Academy Promotes Ruby Marchand & Joanna Chu In Awards Department
/by Lydia FarthingThe Recording Academy has appointed Ruby Marchand to Chief Awards & Industry Officer and Joanna Chu has been elevated to Vice President of Awards, effective immediately. The redefined roles and restructuring of the Awards Department is another step in the Academy’s efforts to better serve its membership and the music industry at-large.
In April and May 2021, new rules and updates were made to the Recording Academy’s awards process in order to better reflect the changing music community. In June the Recording Academy restructured its leadership, appointing Valeisha Butterfield Jones and Panos A. Panay as Co-Presidents. Weeks later the organization invited 2,710 music creators and professionals of “wide-ranging backgrounds, genres and disciplines” to be members.
“I am proud to welcome Ruby and Joanna into their new positions as we work to enhance our awards processes from the inside out,” says Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “Their expertise in this space is highly valuable as we continue to refine the Recording Academy’s role in the music industry and work to provide the highest quality of service to our members.”
In her new role, Marchand will continue to oversee both Awards and Membership & Industry Relations, reporting to the Academy’s Co-President, Valeisha Butterfield Jones. She will work closely with Genre Managers on the Awards team to effect outreach to musical communities around the world, bringing innovative new possibilities into the Awards process.
Prior to joining the Academy’s executive team, Marchand held several elected leadership roles at the Academy. She was elected Governor and Vice President of the New York Chapter in 2004, where she chaired Grammy In The Schools for more than 12 years. In 2011, she was elected a National Trustee from the New York Chapter and served for two terms. She was elected Vice Chair of the Academy by the National Board of Trustees in 2015 and served until 2019. Additionally, she was Co-Chair of the Awards & Nominations Committee for seven years and helped drive new eligibility rules as well as the process of refreshing Fields and Categories for the Grammy Awards. Marchand previously held leadership roles at Warner Music Group, including vice president of international A&R for 25 years, head of A&R for Cordless Recordings and Rykodisc, and senior vice president of revenue and repertoire assurance.
In the newly created role of Vice President of Awards, Chu will further her expertise in Awards systems and operations by leading the team through all aspects of the Awards season. Chu will report to Marchand and join her in reinforcing key Academy initiatives throughout the Awards process, with a special emphasis on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Chu previously held Director and Managing Director roles in the Academy’s Awards Department, where she was responsible for overseeing the departmental staff and upholding the integrity of the awards process. Prior to joining the Academy, Chu worked in Silicon Valley as one of the few female software engineers in the aerospace industry for 15 years.