The Women’s International Music Network has opened submissions for their 2019 She Rocks Showcase set to be held during the upcoming Summer NAMM conference in Nashville. Now in its sixth year, the She Rocks Showcase presents a unique opportunity for female artists to perform in front of industry executives, local celebrities and media during the Summer NAMM convention.

The showcase will take place Thursday, July 19, 2019 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Tin Roof Broadway. Artists are encouraged to submit their best original material for a chance to perform a 25-minute set at the showcase. Performers will also receive a complimentary badge for the NAMM show, plus food, beverages, and gifts at the showcase. All materials must be submitted by May 22. Showcase performer selections will be announced by June 7.

“We are so excited to provide this opportunity for female musicians to show us what they’ve got! By partnering with Marshall for the event this year, we’re really looking to raise the roof and provide a unique experience for artists to showcase their talents to a room of music industry heavy hitters,” noted Laura B. Whitmore, founder of the Women’s International Music Network.

Leading up to his first performance at Stagecoach this weekend, Diplo has revealed his new country project Thomas Wesley, along with the track “So Long,” featuring Cam. The release will be the first of several upcoming collaborations with country artists.

Diplo will play Stagecoach’s first-ever Stagecoach Late Night at the festival’s Palomino stage this Sunday, April 28.

Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, has notched hits under his own name, as well as part of projects Major Lazer, as well as LSD with Sia and Labrinth. Earlier this year, Diplo earned a Grammy for his track “Electricity” with Dua Lipa and Mark Ronson, adding to his two previous Grammy wins from 2016.

In the past year, he released two EPs, including Europa and California.

Women’s Audio Mission has added MCA Nashville recording artist Clare Dunn, fresh off the CMT Next Women Country Tour, to this weekend’s (April 27-28) WAMCon conference. Grammy-nominated producer Jennifer Decilveo has also been added to the lineup.

The previously announced lineup includes Linda Perry (P!nk, Adele, Alicia Keys), Emily Lazar (David Bowie, Dolly Parton, Beck), Melissa Peirce (Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire), Shani Gandhi (Alison Krauss, Jewel), Simone Torres (Cardi B, Sia), Gena Johnson (Brandi Carlile, Kacey Musgraves) and Jordan Brooke Hamlin (Indigo Girls, Lucy Wainwright Roche).

The WAMCon Nashville conference will take place at the Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios and The Tracking Room in partnership with Change the Conversation, and will include interactive workshops covering topics from studio recording and mixing techniques to songwriting and music licensing, providing a way for aspiring young women recording engineers and producers to learn from the biggest names in the business.

“WAMCon provides a solution to the gender gap in the recording industry by cultivating the next generation of women recording engineers, producers, and songwriters, and connecting them to their heroes,” said WAM Executive Director Terri Winston. “We are so excited to bring WAMCon to the country music capitol and celebrate the fantastic women engineers, producers, and artists of Nashville!”

WAMCon Nashville is sponsored by Spotify, Eventide, Disney, Epidemic Sound, Shure, iZotope, and Universal Audio, and presented in partnership with Change the Conversation.

Additional details about WAMCon Nashville, as well as ticket purchase, is available here: WAMCon Nashville 2019.

The stars came out to raise a glass for cancer research last night (Monday, April 22) at the sold-out T.J. Martell Foundation’s Nashville Best Cellars held at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. The event honored Tom Black with the Billy Ray Hearn Award and raised important funds for cancer research.

Some of country music’s biggest stars including Martina McBride, Kix Brooks, Big Kenny, Carly Pearce, Michael Ray, Bryan White, Old Dominion, Little Big Town, Steve Cropper, Cole Swindell, Charles Kelly from Lady Antebellum, and others attended. Guest chefs included television host and author Vivian Howard and Jason Stanhope of FIG who served up a night of extraordinary food and wine.

The event was presented by Secure Air Charter and the reception sponsor was Morgan Stanley.

Wine hosts include Melissa & Rob Beckham, Tom Black, Matt Donahoe & Clint Higham, Chantel & John Esposito, Marc Goldstone, Chris Johnson, Nataliia & John Sanzo, Michael Oravecz, Eliza Olander, Pam & Keith Browning, Jim Clendenen. Co-chairs of the event are Rob Beckham, John Esposito and Eliza Kraft Olander.

(All photos: Rick Diamond/Courtesy Warner Music Nashville)

 

Robert Earl Keen will launch Americana Podcast: The 51st State, on April 30. The podcast’s first season will launch with two episodes featuring Jamestown Revival and Lucero. The first season will profile six artists, with new episodes releasing monthly.

Americana Podcast: The 51st State is dedicated to sharing and expanding on the Americana genre’s roots, reach, and definition. Each episode is told from the point of view of the musicians that have dedicated their lives to the genre. Keen interviews musicians, exploring their unique histories, creative processes, successes, failures, and everything in between.

“Our mission is reflected in the title,” explains Keen. “We want to define and expand the Americana music genre. Let’s unify the musical styles of folk, blues, bluegrass, country, string band, garage band rock into a powerful collectible under the same umbrella. Let’s make Americana, as Shakespeare said, ‘familiar in his mouth as household words.’ That is our mission. That is our goal.”

For more, visit americanapodcast.com.