Raffaella Braun

Triple Tigers Records has announced that Raffaella Braun has joined the label as Director, National Promotion. She reports to Partner and GM Norbert Nix, as well as Sr. VP, Promotion Kevin Herring. Braun will relocate to Nashville, following eight years in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Reuniting with Kevin Herring, and learning once again from his leadership is more than I could wish. Add the ability to work under the equally revered and loved Norbert Nix with a proven team of excellent, devoted and invested regionals and you have a dream opportunity!” said Braun. “Triple Tigers’ focused approach to their artists and development, across various platforms (most importantly country radio!) is something this landscape demands. And I look forward to returning to my adopted home of Nashville, which holds my friends, philanthropy, heart and Calypso Cafe obsession!

“Raffaella’s hard work ethic and strong relationships with radio makes her the ideal choice for our first-ever Director, National Promotion,” said Herring. “Having worked with her in the past, I know firsthand that she’s going to fit in perfectly with our label family.”

“With her unique background of industry experience, Raffaella brings both a diverse skillset and a strong passion for excellence to the Triple Tigers team,” said Nix.

Braun, a Vanderbilt University graduate, began her career at Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One. She later transitioned to Creative Artists Agency as an agent. In 2011, she began an eight-year run with Warner Music Nashville as Manager, West Coast Radio and Streaming.

Braun is a member of both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association, as well as an alum of SOLID. She served on the CRS Agenda Committee in 2017-2018 for the 50th year of CRS. A finalist for the 2008 Nashville Emerging Leader Awards, she went on to create Music Row Madness, an industry bowling event to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN, which grew last year to $50,000. She has helped Musicians on Call expand their volunteer mission at Phoenix Children’s hospital and she has been a longtime supporter of Nashville’s W.O. Smith School.

Ron Hill.

RCA Inspiration has appointed Ron Hill as VP, Artist Development, to oversee all A&R/Creative matters and the newly-launched Brand Partnership division for RCA Inspiration, Essential Sound, and Verity. He will report to Sr. VP/GM Phil Thornton.

Hill joins RCA Inspiration from Fo Yo Soul Entertainment, where he was most recently President for Kirk Franklin’s Dallas/Fort Worth-area company and Franklin’s manager for the past six years. The Dallas native began his career interning at Fo Yo Soul Entertainment in 2007, and began managing Franklin and became President of Fo Yo Soul in 2013, where his work has included A&R, music production, tour management, and other creative and business endeavors.

Among Hill’s recent creative work and honors include co-creating the annual Gospel festival “Exodus Music & Arts Festival” with Franklin, which launched in 2018; acting as a Consulting Producer in 2019 for Season 9 of BET’s “Sunday Best”; winning two GRAMMY® Awards at the 2019 and 2017 shows as a producer on Tori Kelly’s Best Gospel Album-winner Hiding Place and Kirk Franklin’s Best Gospel Album-winner Losing My Religion; and garnering two nominations in 2019 from the Stellar Awards (Producer of the Year) and upcoming Dove Awards (as a producer, for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year). Hill has executive-produced albums for Kirk Franklin, Tasha Page-Lockhart, The Walls Group, Christon Gray, and Geoffrey Golden, and was the tour manager for Live Nation’s first Gospel tour “The King’s Men Tour” that featured Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp and Israel Houghton. He began his career in music while attending college in New Orleans.

Thornton says, “I have been working with Ron Hill for several years in conjunction with his work at Fo Yo Soul, and it is a joy to have Ron join the RCA Inspiration family in this new capacity as the VP of Artist Development. I look forward to collaborating with Ron on the development of our artists and the creative ideas and experience he brings, as we continue to shepherd Gospel and inspirational music to the next level.”

Hill adds: “I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve in this new role. Our genre is at a very pivotal moment in time and I believe now more than ever, Artist Development and A&R will help build lasting careers. I’m excited to have a hand in helping artists grow and reach a wider audience for the kingdom. I would like to thank Terry [Hemmings, Provident Music Group President/CEO] and Phil Thornton for this incredible opportunity, and Kirk Franklin for his continued support.”

Pictured (L-R): RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier and Miranda Lambert. Photo: Courtesy RIAA

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) hosted its first ever RIAA Honors event on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday night (Sept. 25), celebrating country music icon Miranda Lambert as Artist of the Year.

Singer-songwriter and Lambert’s long-time collaborator, Natalie Hemby, was on hand to present the award. Lambert and Hemby performed two songs they wrote together, “Bluebird” from Lambert’s upcoming album, Wildcard, and the ACM- and CMA-awarded Song of the Year, “Automatic.”

“It is an honor to receive this award at such a pivotal time in the music industry. I’m incredibly thankful to make a living writing and performing music,” said Lambert.

The event was hosted by RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier.

Pictured (L-R): Miranda Lambert and Natalie Hemby. Photo: Courtesy RIAA

Evvie McKinney has signed an exclusive recording agreement with Motown Gospel and Capitol CMG. The emerging performer/songwriter has also entered into an exclusive publishing agreement with Capitol CMG Publishing.

McKinney rose to prominence as the winner of the inaugural season of the TV singing competition The Four: Battle for Stardom on FOX. The young singer with Southern charm wowed judges Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, DJ Khaled, and Meghan Trainor with her powerful voice and stage presentation, packing a punch as she effortlessly covered iconic soul songs like Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You” and Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary.”

“After watching Evvie triumph on The Four, it was clear that she is the rare vocalist who is equally as gifted in her stage presence,” says Monica Coates, Co-Executive Director of Motown Gospel. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to further develop her into a formidable artist.”

“We’re honored to partner with Evvie and the Motown Gospel team,” says Josh Bailey, VP of A&R, Capitol CMG. “We look forward to introducing her music to a wide range of audiences.”

McKinney has relocated to Nashville and is managed by Mitchell Solarek at Nashville-based Maximum Artist Management. The full-service entertainment group works with clients including Natalie Grant, director and television producer Laurieann Gibson, and Tauren Wells. McKinney’s cover of the Stevie Wonder hit “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” was recently featured on the Hitsville: A Motown Gospel Celebration project, commemorating Motown Records’ 60th Anniversary. She is currently working on her debut project to be released in 2020.