Last week, the Country Music Association held its virtual summit for its CMA EDU Leadership Program, the program focused on career and personal development for students.
The CMA EDU Leadership Program was established in 2011 to develop and support the next generation of music industry leaders, and is offered to a select group of students from across the country who demonstrate a drive to succeed in the music business. In this past year’s class alone, 23 out of 25 graduates of the CMA EDU Leadership Program had jobs lined up before graduation, adding to the over 500 individuals in the alumni network with jobs at AEG Presents, Big Machine Label Group, CMA, Creative Nation, iHeartMedia, Red Light Management, Spotify, Republic Records/UMG, UMG Nashville, Warner Music Nashville, and more.
CMA EDU Leadership Program Class of 2022-2023
On Aug. 11 and 12, CMA held a virtual multi-day conference for its 2022-2023 Leadership Program, which is made up of 28 students from 16 universities and two countries. The conference is made up of two days of extensive professional development training, engaging industry education and robust networking opportunities.
Tiffany Kerns, CMA’s Vice President of Industry Relations & Philanthropy, spoke with MusicRow about the impact of the conference following its wrap.
MusicRow: What is the goal for this summit?
The purpose of the CMA EDU Leadership Summit is to provide a space for students to meet one another, understand CMA and the country format, and inspire them to be engaged with the program for the rest of the year. It is the gateway to discovering their passion. Throughout the summit, we are exposing them to industry professionals, new concepts, and ensuring they have the skills and resources to be successful not just throughout the school year, but throughout their careers. We want them to leave this experience inspired, energized, and ready to do the work to make their goals and dreams become reality.
What has the CMA EDU program meant to CMA?
The CMA EDU program is CMA’s way of connecting with a future generation of music industry leaders and ensuring our membership reflects every level of skill feeding into the business. It is not only a workforce development and job placement program, but our way of ensuring the music industry has a strong, knowledgeable, diverse and determined group of leaders who will take the music industry into the future.
What were some of your favorite moments from this year’s summit?
We had some really meaningful sessions this year. Chris Kappy—Founder and Owner of Make Wake Artists and CMA Board member—kicked off our two days with some great insight to management as well as an inspiring outlook into his role. Our very own Senior Director, Industry Relations and Inclusion, Mia McNeal, guided a session on how our students can be more inclusive in their own lives, in hopes that they become change makers on their own campuses.
We ended our first day hearing from four well-rounded CMA EDU alumni. This gave our students the opportunity to see professionals who started just like them, in this program. They gained advice on how to work hard and network. Our students started off day two learning about CMA CEO Sarah Trahern’s “11 Rules” and hearing her inspiring story, then learned how artists are utilizing social media and even spent some time setting their goals for the year.
What is your hope for this group of student leaders?
Our hope is for these students to become the next generation of leaders for the industry and ultimately build their network and community early in their professional journey. It takes a village, and we want them to value working alongside their peers now and in the future. Our programming, training and access to mentors empowers students to step into careers with composure and confidence, knowing they are supported by program leaders at CMA, music industry experts and their mentors. We hope that they are set up with the tools they need to have a successful and rewarding career.
Jimmie Allen Caps Sold Out, 2nd Annual Bettie James Fest
/by Lorie HollabaughJimmie Allen. Photo: Peyton Dollar
Jimmie Allen wrapped his successful, sold out, 2nd annual Bettie James Fest last weekend (Aug. 13) at Hudson Fields in his hometown of Milton, Delaware.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2021 event, this year’s multi-genre festival featured even more musical performances from We The Kings, Lainey Wilson, Neon Union, Chayce Beckham, JJ Rupp and Kounty. The festival also featured two opening sets from local acts Derrick Daisley and George Downing.
Pictured (L-R): Alec Vidmar (Agent, UTA), Josh Garrett (Agent, UTA), Vikki Walls (show promoter, Bettie James Festival), Jimmie Allen, Ash Bowers (Manager, Wide Open Music), Lauren Hamrick (Manager, Wide Open Music). Photo: Peyton Dollar
Allen kicked off the hometown weekend by leading Team Allen in the Badges & Basketball Celebrity Game on Friday (Aug. 12) at Cape Henlopen High School. Facing off against former University of Maryland basketball player Andre Collins’s team, the all-star competition included actor Ryan Phillippe, former NBA all-star and fellow Dancing With the Stars contestant Iman Shumpert, former NFL player Cortland Finnegan and Beckham. Proceeds from the event benefited Dre’s Foundation and Pathways to Success, non-profits that serve the community’s at-risk students.
The Grammy-nominated artist established Bettie James Fest in 2021 in honor of his late grandmother Bettie Snead and late father James Allen. A portion of proceeds from event ticket sales went to the Community Matters Foundation, which raises money to help people in Sussex County, Delaware with a focus on children, the elderly, handicapped, and anyone who has experienced an unexpected tragedy.
Jimmie Allen. Photo: Peyton Dollar
“The second year of Bettie James Fest was a success; as an artist, I had so much fun, thankful to every person that came out, the crowd was amazing,” Allen notes. “It’s great to see the legacy of my dad and my grandma continue through music in the same place that they raised me. To be able to come back to the place that raised me, after having a little bit of success, just means so much ‘cause these are the people that made me who I am. This is the town that made me who I am.”
Allen will hit the road as a special guest on all 43 arena dates of Carrie Underwood’s “Denim & Rhinestones Tour,” which launches Oct. 15 and continues through spring 2023.
Lauren Alaina To Play At Tenth Annual CMHOF Nightfall At The Hall
/by Lydia FarthingCountry songstress Lauren Alaina will take the stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s tenth annual Nightfall at the Hall concert.
Slated for Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. CT, the after-hours celebration will be held exclusively for the museum’s Troubadour members. This community of young leaders, ages 21 to 45, collaborate with other like-minded professionals to support their community as well as the museum.
A Grand Ole Opry member and multi-Platinum entertainer, Alaina has had multiple hit singles, including “Road Less Traveled,” “What Ifs” with fellow country artist Kane Brown, and “One Beer” with Hardy and Devin Dawson. The newly-signed Big Loud artist’s most recent album, Sitting Pretty on Top of the World, includes her singles “Getting Over Him” featuring Jon Pardi, as well as the Gold-certified “Getting Good.”
Prior to Alaina’s performance, student artist Ella Choi will perform “Blueberry Love,” a song she wrote with guidance from museum staff as part of the museum’s flagship educational program, Words & Music. Choi, an 11th-grader from Cleveland, Ohio, has participated in a variety of the museum’s songwriting programs since 2020.
Young professionals can become a Troubadour member between now and Sept. 12 at a discounted rate. For more information on how to become a Troubadour member, click here.
Sun Records Celebrates 70th Anniversary With Specially Curated Album Compilation
/by Lorie HollabaughSun Records is issuing a new special collection, Sun Records’ 70th Anniversary Compilation Volume 2: Curated By Music Supervisors, featuring contributions from ten of the industry’s top music supervisors, on Aug. 19.
Available digitally and on vinyl, the new project will include evergreens and rare gems by artists from the Sun catalog, including James Cotton, Linda Martell, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, The Dixie Cups, The Imperial Wonders, Rufus Thomas Jr., and Barbara Pittman.
An all-star team of music experts selected the compilation tracks for the album, which will also feature liner notes written by the contributors filled with insightful contextual commentary.
Music supervisors who curated the project include Gary Calamar (The Three-Body Problem, True Blood), George Drakoulias (The Batman, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent), Kerri Drootin (Vice President, Music Supervision and Licensing, Universal Studio Group), Thomas Golubić (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), Eric David Johnson aka DJ Bunny Ears (Music Supervisor/Music Producer, DJ Bunny Ears LLC), Mike Ladman (Droga5), Mary Ramos (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Jen Ross (Bel-Air, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist), Amani “Burt Blackarach” Smith (The Wonder Years), and Tony Von Pervieux (Ted Lasso).
“To me, Linda Martell’s ‘Color Him Father’ perfectly captures a unique and beautiful American spirit. The song is a country adaptation of an R&B hit (A-side to ‘Amen Brother’ by the Winstons-all you hip hop heads),” Golubic explains. “It was recorded with a tight Nashville band, every player right in the pocket, on her one and only album. Linda’s voice soars above, singing sincere and true, a girl expressing her love for her stepfather, a man of decency and kindness, taking her in as his own. It moves me with every listen.”
Sun is celebrating the label’s 70th anniversary this year with a variety of re-releases and compilations, leading up to an event in Nashville this October.
Sun Records’ 70th Anniversary Compilation Volume 2: Curated By Music Supervisors Track List:
1. James Cotton – “My Baby” Chosen by Eric David Johnson Aka Dj Bunny Ears
2. Linda Martell – “Color Him Father” Chosen by Thomas Golubic
3. Roy Orbison – “Ooby Dooby” Chosen by George Drakoulias
4. Johnny Cash – “Guess Things Happen That Way” Chosen by Jen Ross
5. The Dixie Cups – “Iko Iko” Chosen by Tony Von Pervieux
6. The Imperial Wonders – “Trying to Get to You” Chosen by Mike Ladman
7. Rufus Thomas Jr. – “Bear Cat” Chosen by Amani Smith
8. Johnny Cash – “Wide Open Road” Chosen by Gary Calamar
9. Barbara Pittman – “I Need a Man” Chosen by Kerri Drootin
10. Roy Orbison – “Sweet and Easy to Love” Chosen by Mary Ramos
Former T.J. Martell Foundation Leader Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Embezzlement
/by Lydia FarthingMelissa Goodwin
A former leader of the T.J. Martell Foundation, Melissa Goodwin, has been sentenced to four years in prison after embezzling nearly $4 million from the organization, according to WKRN. In addition to her jail time, U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. also ordered Goodwin to pay $3,949,800.70 in restitution.
Goodwin took on her role as Exec. VP and GM in August of 2018. She had been with the foundation for 14 years prior to the promotion, serving as the Sr. VP, Operations and Human Resources, as well as the National Director of Administration and Human Resources.
In January, the executive was charged with wire fraud. In February, Goodwin pleaded guilty, admitting that she purchased approximately $3.96 million in tickets from online ticket vendors with one of the foundation’s credit cards. The tickets purchased were for music events and sporting events, including Super Bowl LIV, and were not for legitimate foundation purposes. She then provided these tickets to an individual who owned and operated a charity auction business in New York City, leading them to believe that she received the tickets at no cost or at a discounted rate.
Goodwin also used the foundation’s credit card for other illegitimate purchases, such as alcohol, plane tickets and hotel stays. She then utilized the foundation’s bank accounts to pay off the outstanding credit card charges and provided false credit card statements and expense reports to the foundation’s accounting firm, oftentimes replacing vendor’s names with those that would signify legitimate foundation expenses.
In Goodwin’s role, she was tasked with overseeing all office operations, including finance and human resources. Because of this, the foundation’s accounting firm prepared periodic financial statements based on Goodwin’s falsified reports. The firm would then email those statements to Goodwin, who provided them to the foundation’s CEO.
Goodwin also inflated the foundation’s assets on those reports before presenting them to the CEO and lowered its liabilities to make the organization appear to be more liquid, preventing detection of her fraudulent transactions. In addition to falsifying those statements, she also forged the signature of T.J. Martell’s CEO on six checks that were not approved by the foundation totaling $966,275.78.
Carrie Underwood Marks A Decade Starring In NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ Show Open
/by Liza AndersonPictured: Carrie Underwood. Photo by: Tom Donoghue/NBC Sports
Multi-media star Carrie Underwood will star in NBC’s Sunday Night Football Show Open for her 10th consecutive season premiering in September.
The eight-time Grammy Award winner performed the show open from The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, home of “Reflection,” her ongoing residency, which featured an updated rendition of the famous “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night.”
Unlike past seasons, the show open will spotlight the energy surrounding each Sunday Night Football game, while a devoted film crew captures the atmosphere leading up to kickoff with fan tailgates, player arrivals, game prep, and scenes from the host city.
“Performing the show open for Sunday Night Football for 10 years has been such a joy and privilege for me,” says Underwood. “It’s always a fun day when we shoot the new open—our amazing creative team somehow manages to top themselves year after year.”
“We are thrilled to mark a decade working with Carrie and are excited to introduce game-day scenes from the host city and stadium into the show open,” says Tripp Dixon, who has served as Creative Director of the Sunday Night Football Show Open for each of the past 10 years.
The Sunday Night Football show open, primetime television’s No. 1 program for an unmatched 11 consecutive years, will debut on Sunday, Sept. 11 on NBC and Peacock preceding Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visiting Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys.
2022 NBC Sunday Night Football Schedule:
Thurs. Sept. 8 – NFL Kickoff – Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams
Sun. Sept. 11 – Week 1 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys
Sun. Sept. 18 – Week 2 – Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
Sun. Sept. 25 – Week 3 – San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos
Sun. Oct. 2 – Week 4 – Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
*Sun. Oct. 9 – Week 5 – Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
*Sun. Oct. 16 – Week 6 – Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
*Sun. Oct. 23 – Week 7 – Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins
*Sun. Oct. 30 – Week 8 – Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills
*Sun. Nov. 6 – Week 9 – Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs
*Sun. Nov. 13 – Week 10 – Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers
*Sun. Nov. 20 – Week 11 – Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
**Thurs. Nov. 24 – Week 12 – New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings
*Sun. Nov. 27 – Week 12 – Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles
*Sun. Dec. 4 – Week 13 – Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys
*Sun. Dec. 11 – Week 14 – Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
*Sun. Dec. 18 – Week 15 – New England Patriots at Las Vegas Raiders
Sun. Dec. 25 – Week 16 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals
*Sun. Jan. 1 – Week 17 – Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers
*Sun. Jan. 8 – Week 18 – TBD
*Flex Week
** Thanksgiving Night Game
Weekly Register: Dylan Scott’s ‘Livin’ My Best Life’ Nabs Top Country Album Debut
/by Lydia FarthingDylan Scott. Photo: Robby Klein
Curb Records’ Dylan Scott makes the biggest splash this week as his new project, Livin’ My Best Life, debuts at No. 12 on the top country albums chart. The record earns 10K in total first-week consumption (3.2 album only/8.5 million song streams), according to Luminate data.
Higher up on the albums chart, Morgan Wallen unsurprisingly maintains the No. 1 spot with Dangerous: The Double Album racking up 49K in total consumption (1.3K album only/60 million song streams). Wallen’s If I Know Me also claims the No. 4 spot with 17K. Meanwhile, Zach Bryan‘s American Heartbreak keeps the second position with 23K. Luke Combs takes up the remaining slots as Growin’ Up nabs third with 20K and This One’s For You falls one spot to fifth with 17K in total consumption.
Wallen’s “You Proof” also continues to rule on the top country streaming songs chart, adding 11 million streams for a cumulative 148 million streams RTD. Combs’ “The Kind of Love We Make” maintains the second spot with 10 million streams. Bailey Zimmerman‘s “Rock And A Hard Place” rises to third at 9 million streams, while Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” falls to fourth with 8.9 million streams. Cole Swindell‘s “She Had Me At Heads Carolina” seals the top five with 8.5 million streams.
Mitchell Tenpenny Enters The Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellMitchell Tenpenny. Photo: Matthew Berinato
Singer-songwriter Mitchell Tenpenny moves from No. 7 to No. 4 this week on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. He is a co-writer on his own “Truth About You,” as well as his duet with Chris Young, “At The End Of A Bar.”
Ashley Gorley remains in the top spot this week with eight songs on the country charts, including Dierks Bentley’s “Gold,” Michael Ray’s “Holy Water,” Dylan Scott’s “New Truck,” Cole Swindell’s “She Had Me At Heads Carolina,” Parmalee’s “Take My Name,” Carly Pearce’s “What He Didn’t Do,” Brett Young’s “You Didn’t” and Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof.”
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.
BMLG Adds Megan Joyce As Sr. VP, Business & Legal Affairs
/by LB CantrellMegan Joyce
Big Machine Label Group has announced the addition of Megan Joyce as Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs. She will inherit the responsibilities of BMLG’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel Malcolm Mimms, who will be transitioning into a consulting role for the company after more than a decade of leadership.
“Malcolm Mimms has been part of Big Machine since its very first spark and he helped build and guide the label literally from its birth. He’s been my legal pillar of strength, in many ways, we helped changed the course of the industry in going from physical releases to digital. There were no road maps as the industry changed, and continues to change, at warp speed. He’ll still be on my quick-dial, and watching over us, but I will miss him dearly as he’s part of the DNA of Big Machine,” shares BMLG President/CEO/Founder, Scott Borchetta.
“Malcolm was not going to leave us until he found an exceptional executive to hand off the legal baton of the BMLG. In Megan Joyce, he has done just that,” adds Borchetta. “From our first meeting, Megan spoke our language and she’s jumped right into all things Big Machine. Thank you, Malcolm and welcome Megan!”
Joyce comes to BMLG with 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and legal executive roles with such companies as Atlantic Records, Warner Music Nashville, Roc Nation, and most recently, Provident Entertainment. A graduate of UCLA and Seton Hall University School of Law, she is a member of the Recording Academy and Leadership Music.
“I’m thrilled to join the world-class team at Big Machine Label Group at such an exciting time for our business,” says Joyce. “I am honored that Scott Borchetta and Andrew Kautz have entrusted me with this role. I know that I have very big shoes to fill.”
CMA Bolsters The Next Generation Of Industry Leaders At CMA EDU Summit [Interview]
/by LB CantrellLast week, the Country Music Association held its virtual summit for its CMA EDU Leadership Program, the program focused on career and personal development for students.
The CMA EDU Leadership Program was established in 2011 to develop and support the next generation of music industry leaders, and is offered to a select group of students from across the country who demonstrate a drive to succeed in the music business. In this past year’s class alone, 23 out of 25 graduates of the CMA EDU Leadership Program had jobs lined up before graduation, adding to the over 500 individuals in the alumni network with jobs at AEG Presents, Big Machine Label Group, CMA, Creative Nation, iHeartMedia, Red Light Management, Spotify, Republic Records/UMG, UMG Nashville, Warner Music Nashville, and more.
CMA EDU Leadership Program Class of 2022-2023
On Aug. 11 and 12, CMA held a virtual multi-day conference for its 2022-2023 Leadership Program, which is made up of 28 students from 16 universities and two countries. The conference is made up of two days of extensive professional development training, engaging industry education and robust networking opportunities.
Tiffany Kerns, CMA’s Vice President of Industry Relations & Philanthropy, spoke with MusicRow about the impact of the conference following its wrap.
MusicRow: What is the goal for this summit?
The purpose of the CMA EDU Leadership Summit is to provide a space for students to meet one another, understand CMA and the country format, and inspire them to be engaged with the program for the rest of the year. It is the gateway to discovering their passion. Throughout the summit, we are exposing them to industry professionals, new concepts, and ensuring they have the skills and resources to be successful not just throughout the school year, but throughout their careers. We want them to leave this experience inspired, energized, and ready to do the work to make their goals and dreams become reality.
What has the CMA EDU program meant to CMA?
The CMA EDU program is CMA’s way of connecting with a future generation of music industry leaders and ensuring our membership reflects every level of skill feeding into the business. It is not only a workforce development and job placement program, but our way of ensuring the music industry has a strong, knowledgeable, diverse and determined group of leaders who will take the music industry into the future.
What were some of your favorite moments from this year’s summit?
We had some really meaningful sessions this year. Chris Kappy—Founder and Owner of Make Wake Artists and CMA Board member—kicked off our two days with some great insight to management as well as an inspiring outlook into his role. Our very own Senior Director, Industry Relations and Inclusion, Mia McNeal, guided a session on how our students can be more inclusive in their own lives, in hopes that they become change makers on their own campuses.
We ended our first day hearing from four well-rounded CMA EDU alumni. This gave our students the opportunity to see professionals who started just like them, in this program. They gained advice on how to work hard and network. Our students started off day two learning about CMA CEO Sarah Trahern’s “11 Rules” and hearing her inspiring story, then learned how artists are utilizing social media and even spent some time setting their goals for the year.
What is your hope for this group of student leaders?
Our hope is for these students to become the next generation of leaders for the industry and ultimately build their network and community early in their professional journey. It takes a village, and we want them to value working alongside their peers now and in the future. Our programming, training and access to mentors empowers students to step into careers with composure and confidence, knowing they are supported by program leaders at CMA, music industry experts and their mentors. We hope that they are set up with the tools they need to have a successful and rewarding career.
Final CMA Awards Nominees To Be Announced September 7
/by Lorie HollabaughFinal nominees for The 56th Annual CMA Awards will be revealed at 7 a.m. CT on Sept. 7. Additionally, finalists for the 2022 CMA Broadcast Awards will be revealed the same day, with winners announced in October. The complete list will also be posted on the CMA Awards website.
Voting for the Second Ballot closes Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. CT. Winners will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible members which will be emailed on Oct. 3. Voting for the CMA Awards Final Ballot ends Oct. 28.
Two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and NFL superstar Peyton Manning will host the awards with performers and presenters to be announced in the coming weeks.
The show will air Nov. 9 on ABC.