BMI has made a series of promotions within the company’s Creative team, including three in Nashville. Nashville’s Nina Carter was elevated to Executive Director, Partnerships & Events, MaryAnn Keen (Country – Nashville) was upped to Senior Director, Creative and Claire Dodelin (Nashville) was promoted to Associate Director, Creative.

Outside of Nashville, Marché Butler (R&B/Hip-Hop – Atlanta), Katie Kilgallen (Pop/Rock – NYC), Chris McCormick (Classical – NYC) and David Streit (Pop/Rock – LA) were also promoted to Senior Director, Creative, and Alex Bostelman (Pop/Rock – LA) was promoted to Director, Creative.

“We are thrilled to recognize these team members for their hard work and outstanding contributions, which collectively support our creative community across all genres of music,” says BMI’s EVP, Chief Revenue & Creative Officer Mike Steinberg. “These well-deserved promotions reflect the talent and dedication that drive BMI’s ongoing success, and we’re confident this group will continue to provide the best opportunities, resources, and support to the music creators that BMI is so fortunate to represent.”

As Executive Director, Partnerships & Events, Carter spearheads initiatives to create valuable performance opportunities for BMI affiliates through strategic partnerships and branded stages at SXSW, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza and CMA Fest. She and her team develop and produce signature BMI events such as Rooftop on the Row, BMI Acoustic Lounge, Key West Songwriters Festival and more, helping to develop non-traditional revenue streams for BMI affiliates through unique experiential opportunities that differentiate BMI from industry competitors.

In their elevated roles, Butler, Keen, Kilgallen, Streit and Bostelman, will continue to support and foster the growth of BMI’s music creators’ careers by educating emerging songwriters on BMI’s services and initiatives, providing new performance and co-writing opportunities and helping them to navigate the industry. They will remain integral in coordinating multiple BMI events and special projects including the company’s annual award shows, BMI stages at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival, SXSW, BMI Acoustic Lounge and more. Identifying and signing new talent and maintaining relationships with existing BMI affiliates worldwide will remain an essential element of their roles.

As Associate Director, Nashville, Dodelin will support Nashville’s growing number of indie/rock music creators, curate showcases, coordinate writing sessions and mixers, and create new opportunities to champion Music City’s thriving songwriting community.

VEVO has unveiled their DSCVR Artists to Watch 2026 list for its 12th year of the program. Yesterday (Nov. 12), VEVO began its artist showcase, which will feature live-performance content from each member. In addition to the new class of members, Gigi Perez has been named “DSCVR Artist of the Year.”

The DSCVR Artists to Watch 2026 are Ty Myers (RECORDS Nashville/Columbia Records), Waylon Wyatt (Darkroom), Aaron Rowe (Columbia Records), aron! (Verve Records), Alessi Rose (Capitol Records), Audrey Hobert (RCA Records), Bay Swag (UnitedMasters), kwn (RCA Records), LaBlackie (Universal Music Spain), LeoStayTrill (0207 Def Jam), Luz Gaggi (Sony Argentina), RnBoi (Because Music), ROA (UMLE), Royel Otis (Capitol Records), SAILORR (Bu Vision/10K Projects), Sayf (Atlantic Records Italy / Warner Music Italy), Sekou (EMI/Republic Records/NWS Music Group), Sienna Spiro (Capitol Records) and Zeddy Will (Power Moves, Inc./Vydia).

“Vevo’s DSCVR program and annual Artists to Watch list is a critical part of our ongoing commitment and support to tomorrow’s icons. Vevo offers emerging artists the critical opportunity to build, monetize, and promote their visual catalog, no matter their genre. From Ireland to Puerto Rico, the 2026 DSCVR Artists to Watch come from various corners of the world, representing many scenes and cultures,” shares JP Evangelista, SVP, Content, Programming & Marketing, Vevo. “Using a combination of art and science, data and gut, we can proudly advocate for this group of artists and their future success. Our biggest congratulations to the Class of 2026!

“Gigi Perez is the definition of what it means to be an artist on the rise,” he continues. “With a sound that is bold yet vulnerable, storytelling that’s deeply authentic, and a stage presence that is simply unmatched, she perfectly embodies the next generation of artists that Vevo always loves to champion. She’s a true artist in every sense of the word, and represents the very best of this new generation of global talent: fearless, driven, and completely themselves. The entire team is already so proud of the strides she’s taken in this industry, and we are so thrilled to support her at such a pivotal moment in what promises to be a long and storied career.”

Singer-songwriter, producer, author, playwright, radio host, actor and activist Steve Earle will be featured as the next Poets and Prophets honoree, a series hosted by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Earle’s interview will take place on Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m. in the Ford Theater.

At 19 years-old, Earle hitchhiked from San Antonio to Nashville to begin his musical journey. Upon arrival, he met his new mentor, Guy Clark. Earle then spent 10 years as a staff writer for various publishing companies, before signing with MCA Records. His debut album Guitar Town included two top 10 singles. Additional album releases followed, including Exit 0, Copperhead Road and The Hard Way.

In 1996, he co-launched record label E-Squared, where he went on to release six albums in eight years. Throughout his career, Earle recorded 22 studio albums, wrote a short fiction book, a novel and a play, and produced 11 albums for other artists, including Lucinda Williams’s Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. As a songwriter, Earle has penned songs recorded by Joan Baez, the Highwaymen, Miranda Lambert, Kathy Mattea, Bob Seger, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs, among others. He has also appeared on The Wire and Treme in recurring roles, as well as several movie appearances.

Earle has also collected three GRAMMY awards for Best Contemporary Folk Album, is a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, and a Grand Ole Opry member. He currently hosts the Hardcode Troubadour radio show.

The interview will be moderated by Museum Writer-Editor Allison Moorer and will be accompanied by photos, film and recordings. After the program, Earle will sign commemorative Hatch Show Print posters. The program is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and a program ticket is required for admittance.

Kendra Scott and Dolly Parton Launch “Change It!” Holiday Collection

Kendra Scott has launched the third collection in the brand’s Change It! collaboration with Dolly Parton. The Holiday 2025 collection celebrates Dolly’s creativity and self-empowerment and was inspired by Dolly’s song “Change It,” written for 9 to 5: The Musical.

The holiday line captures the spirit of reinvention with convertible, mix and match designs that reflect Dolly’s ever evolving artistry and timeless optimism. Each piece embodies motifs that define Dolly woven into Kendra Scott’s signature silhouettes and finished in gold tones and jewel-bright hues, from butterfly hoops and the signature patented Elisa pendant, to statement necklaces and tassel lariats, inviting wearers to “change it” their own way: layering, leaning into personal style while finding their inner Dolly.

 

No Ka ‘Oi Festival 2025 Wraps In South Maui

The Second Annual No Ka ‘Oi Songwriters Festival returned to South Maui Nov. 6-9, with performances from Tucker Wetmore, Jessi Alexander, Jeffrey Steele, Randy Houser, Mackenzie Carpenter and more. Proceeds from the island festival benefited LeLe Aloha and the Maui Family YMCA Music Programs.

 

The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project Honors Veterans Day With $100,000 Gift To Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project honored vets on Veterans Day with a $100,000 Gift to Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and a call to support America’s heroes. The foundation recently expanded its mission through a new partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center to establish the Journey Home Project Cancer Research Fund to help aid veterans battling cancer, including cancers believed to be linked to toxic exposure from burn pits at forward operating bases. This groundbreaking collaboration will help advance research and treatment for affected service members, highlighting the vital importance of continued community support to the success of these initiatives.

“These programs are not just changing lives, they’re saving them,” says President and Executive Director of The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project David Corlew. “From post-traumatic stress recovery to the fight against burn pit-related cancers, each effort represents another step forward in honoring the service and sacrifice of our military heroes. It’s a reminder that these trails we blaze together, through compassion, research, and awareness, can be life-changing for veterans and their families.”

 

Alexandra Kay Performs ‘Straight For The Heart’ On The Kelly Clarkson Show

Alexandra Kay recently performed her new single “Straight For The Heart”on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “Straight For The Heart” received 71 first week adds, an accomplishment that puts Kay in the company of Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood among the Top Five of All-Time first-week debuts by a solo female artist on the Mediabase Country chart.