Day two of Country Radio Seminar took place Tuesday (March 14) at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Below are some of the highlights from yesterday’s programming.

Curtis Legeyt Gives Keynote Discussion

Pictured (L-R): Kurt Johnson (Board President, CRS/CRB); Curtis LeGeyt (President and CEO, National Association of Broadcasters); RJ Curtis (Executive Director, CRB).

CRB Board President Kurt Johnson led President and CEO of National Association of Broadcasters, Curtis LeGeyt, in a keynote discussion on day two of CRS.

LeGeyt serves as the chief advocate for America’s free, local radio and television broadcasters. During his time at NAB, Curtis has led several efforts to advocate for laws that strengthen broadcasters’ ability to innovate and serve their communities. This includes the successful passage of the Music Modernization Act, permanent reauthorization of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR), and the inclusion of one billion dollars in RAY BAUM’s Act to reimburse stations impacted by the spectrum auction repack.

Kenny Chesney Does ‘The Artist Interview’

Kenny Chesney during “The Artist Interview.”

Kenny Chesney was the focal point of the 2023 ‘Artist Interview’ at CRS. Country Aircheck‘s Lon Helton led Chesney in the exclusive Q&A session presented by BMI, where he spoke about his career and detailed what’s on the horizon for him.

The eight-time Entertainer of the Year has sold a million-plus tickets on each of his full-sized tours since 2003. With his 2022 “Here And Now Tour” playing to over 1.3 million people with 21 stadium shows, Chesney expands his commitment to making music that reflects country fans’ lives.

Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley

Songwriters at Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley.

The beloved Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley showcase took place on day two of CRS. This year’s lineup included Rhett Akins, Randy Montana, Hunter Phelps, Bryan Simpson, Jeffrey Steele, Anthony Smith and MaRynn Taylor.

In addition to the songwriter performances, Radio Ink presented its Top Country PDs awards during the event.

BBR Throws After-Hours Party

BBR Staff & Artists

To close out day two of CRS, BBR threw an official after-hours party. It was appropriately themed as a “Bell Bottom Music Celebration,” as Lainey Wilson was the night’s headliner.

Wilson was joined by Alexander Ludwig, Byron Kennedy, Blanco Brown, Brooke Eden, Chase Rice, Chayce Beckham, Craig Morgan, Drake Milligan, Dylan Schneider, Elvie Shane, Everette, John Morgan, Jordan Harvey, King Calaway, Kolby Cooper, LoCash, Madeline Merlo, Parmalee, Tim Montana, Track45, Tyler Farr and more, all performing the songs they grew up on. Hosted by Blair Garner, this evening was a nod to the Disco Party of seminar’s past.

John Beiter

Entertainment and intellectual property attorney John Beiter is retiring after nearly 35 years.

Beiter most recently practiced at his own Beiter Law Firm, PLLC, and has represented a diverse group of entertainment industry clients including artists, producers, labels, publishers, filmmakers, and authors. His institutional clients included SESAC, the Americana Music Association, and the International Entertainment Buyers Association.

“I hope I’ll be able to personally thank every one of the many people in the business who gave me an opportunity or helped me along on this adventure,” Beiter shares with MusicRow about his transition. “Off the top of my head, I think of Roger Cook and the late Ralph Murphy, who let me in the door to write at their legendary publishing company, Picalic, soon after I fell off the turnip truck on Music Row; Pat Collins, who took a chance on a newbie music lawyer and engaged me to represent SESAC for many years; Jed Hilly and the Americana Music Association, which I represented from early days; and Pam Matthews at IEBA. I’m going to pass it on.”

Before attending Vanderbilt Law School—where he was Managing Editor of the Law Review—Beiter was a newspaper reporter and then wrote songs for a Nashville-based music publisher. Following law school, he served as a law clerk to Honorable John T. Nixon, U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee.

He is a former Chairman and current member of the Nashville Bar Association’s Entertainment Law Committee and a former Board member and alumnus of Leadership Music. He also is a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries and the Tennessee Bar Association’s Entertainment and Sports Law Section.

Beiter was selected to be included in the Best Lawyers in America in the category of Entertainment-Music and in MusicRow Magazine’s annual InCharge edition for many years. He has represented clients regarding copyright-related legislation such as the Songwriters Capital Gains Tax Equity Act. He also has been a moderator and panelist at various music industry conferences and governmental roundtable discussions regarding copyright and related industry topics.

When asked what he will miss in retirement, Beiter speaks of the community. “I’ll miss the camaraderie: finding, listening to and discussing music with like-minded clients and colleagues. I got to make a great living doing what I would have been doing anyway with my Hoosier homeboys! I moved to Nashville 45 years ago to break into the music business and I got to be a legal cog in the machine that brings music and a bit of happiness and comfort to the world.”

Beiter and his wife Diane plan to relocate to the 30A area of Florida. He plans to get back into musicianship and to use his legal experience in community service.

Pictured (L-R): Nigel Hassler, Bobbi Boyce, Chris Stevens receive CMA International Awards in London during C2C on March 9. Photo: Luke Dyson/CMA

The Country Music Association awarded four of its 2022 CMA International Awards and celebrated its return to C2C: Country to Country Festival in the U.K. this past weekend. These efforts are part of CMA’s mission to expand country music globally. 

“It’s been particularly rewarding over the last week celebrating C2C’s 10th year and honoring those who have made such an impact on our genre,” says Milly Olykan, CMA Vice President, International Relations and Development. “2023 is set to be a big year for country music in the U.K. with so much large-scale country touring taking place and the continual growth of streaming and radio support, which is a direct result of our industry working together. Meeting up as an industry this week has allowed us to take a moment to acknowledge together the huge strides country music has taken in a relatively short time.”

Bobbi Boyce, former and long-time CMA employee, won the Jo Walker Meador International Award for her advocacy and support of CMA’s international efforts with their partners and the Nashville Community. Olykan presented the award at the U.K. fan-filled CMA Songwriters Series on March 9.

Chris Stevens, CMA U.K. Task Force Member and CountryLine Radio (formerly Chris Country Radio) host, won the International Country Broadcaster Award for his outstanding achievements in broadcasting. Fellow host and broadcaster Baylen Leonard presented the award.

Nigel Hassler, CAA Country Initiative Leader and CMA U.K. Task Force member, won the Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award for his contribution to building country music in the live music industry over many years. CAA Music agent and co-founder of CAA Music Nashville John Huie presented the award. 

Pictured (L-R): Bob Shennan, Bob Harris during an industry reception in London on March 10. Photo Credit: Luke Dyson/CMA

During an industry reception hosted by CMA and BBC Radio 2, Bob Shennan, BBC Group Managing Director, won the Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award for his contributions and influence in the media which contributed to the mainstream exposure of country music in the U.K. on BBC Radio 2. Bob Harris OBE (Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, C2C, and BBC) presented the award to Shennan, who was a former member of the CMA Board of Directors and is a current member of the CMA U.K. Task Force. 

Pictured: Ilse DeLange

Dutch recording artist Ilse DeLange won the Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award recognizing an artist that has furthered the popularity of country music and brought attention to the country music format in their foreign-based territory.

All of these awards come in addition to the previously announced CMA International Artist Achievement Award, presented to Ashley McBryde in November 2022.

Pictured (L-R): Nate Smith, Dalton Dover, Lainey Wilson and Ashley Gorley during the CMA Songwriters Series show at C2C in London on March 9. Photo Credit: Luke Dyson/CMA

CMA returned to the C2C Country to Country Festival with the CMA Songwriters Series and “Introducing Nashville” lineup. Featured performances by Dalton Dover, Nate Smith, and Lainey Wilson kicked off the weekend on March 9 with acclaimed songwriter Ashley Gorley. The weekend also saw guest appearances by Tyler Braden, Caylee Hammack, and Alana Springsteen.

The sold-out crowd sang along to hits by Wilson and Gorley, and enjoyed hearing the stories behind the songs from the artists and songwriters themselves. Wilson shared memories from her first trip to the U.K. in 2018, and Dover and Smith celebrated their first U.K. appearance.

Pictured (L-R): Caylee Hammack, Milly Olykan, Alana Springsteen, Tyler Braden, and Meredith Goucher (Senior Director – International Relations & Development, CMA). Photo Credit: Luke Dyson/CMA

“Introducing Nashville,” CMA’s international touring series, featured Braden, Hammack, and Springsteen in acoustic performances during the festival’s opening set on the main stages of London’s O2, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, and Dublin’s 3 Arena. For each of the artists, the warmly welcomed writers’ rounds marked their first U.K. experiences. 

CMA’s trip to London included hosting various industry events including a panel moderated by Anna-Sophie Mertens (VP of Touring, Live Nation U.K.) and featuring Jon Loba (BMG Nashville President), Becky Gardenhire (Co-Head, William Morris Endeavor Nashville), and Mike Rittberg (Executive VP Label Operations, Big Machine Label Group). They discussed the next steps for the growth of country music in the U.K., shared their views on the challenges of establishing artists internationally, and celebrated the huge inroads that have been made.