Former T.J. Martell Foundation Leader Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Embezzlement

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Melissa 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

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Pictured: 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

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Dylan 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

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Mitchell 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

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Megan 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]

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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.

Final CMA Awards Nominees To Be Announced September 7

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Final 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.

Taylor Swift, Ashley Gorley To Be Honored At 5th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards

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Taylor Swift & Ashley Gorley

Taylor Swift will be honored by NSAI as the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade and Ashley Gorley as the Songwriter of the Decade at the 5th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards.

Presented by City National Bank, the awards will take place at the Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 20, with 20 previously announced performers set to take the stage to honor their favorite writers and award-winners.

Performers newly-added to the growing lineup include Jordan Davis, Little Big Town, Luke Combs, Parmalee, and Alana Springsteen. Previously announced performers include Pat Alger, Tony Arata, Babyface, Kent Blazy, Jacob Davis, Gayle, Hardy, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins, Matt McGinn, Thomas Rhett, Matt Rogers, Jenn Schott, Nathan Spicer, Matthew West, and more to come.

Swift’s incredible success between 2010-2019 puts her in the company of previous decade award recipients: Toby Keith (2000-2009) and Vince Gill (1990-1999). This decade honor adds to her long list of NSAI achievements, which includes being named NSAI’s Songwriter-Artist of the Year a record-breaking seven times. Swift has also received three 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written awards (“Lover” in 2020, “Better Man” in 2017, and “Shake It Off” in 2015).

Gorley has earned the title of NSAI’s Songwriter of the Year five times in the past eight years. He recently celebrated another hit with his 62nd No. 1, and he has previously earned nine awards from NSAI including the 2008 Song of the Year award for “You’re Gonna Miss This” recorded by Trace Adkins. Additionally, Gorley has earned three 10 Songs I Wish I’d Written awards (“I Lived It” and “Marry Me” in 2018, and “Dirt On My Boots” in 2017).

“On behalf of City National Bank we would like to congratulate Taylor and Ashley on their Songwriter-Artist of the Decade and Songwriter of the Decade Awards,” note Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, Co-Heads of City National Bank Entertainment Division, Nashville. “We look forward to an incredible night at the Nashville Songwriter Association Awards featuring performances by songwriters and artists now including Jordan Davis, Little Big Town, Luke Combs, Parmalee, Alana Springsteen and more as we celebrate the 5th annual event!”

In addition to celebrating the aforementioned decade winners, the evening will also honor the 2022 song, songwriter, and songwriter-artist of the year, as well as previously announced recipients Garth Brooks (Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award) and Sony Music Publishing Chairman & CEO, Jon Platt (NSAI President’s Keystone Award).

Industry Ink: Walker Hayes, Hannah Ellis, BMI, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

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Walker Hayes Earns Wave Of RIAA Certifications

Pictured (L-R): Robert Carlton (SMACKSongs), Walker Hayes, Katie McCartney (Monument Records)

Walker Hayes earned some impressive RIAA metal last week as his smash hit “Fancy Like” was certified 4X Platinum, “AA” went Platinum, and his Country Stuff The Album reached Gold. As of July 2022, Country Stuff  is one of only three albums in any genre released this year to have gained an RIAA certification, and the only country album to do so.

Robert Carlton, Senior Vice President, Development at SMACKSongs and Katie McCartney, GM of Monument Records, surprised Hayes at his sold out show in Long Island, New York ahead of his performance on the Citi Summer Concert Series on the Today Show. During the celebration, his single “U Gurl” also became RIAA certified Gold.

“To watch these songs grow and impact more and more people is everything you can ask for as an artist,” says Hayes. “My fans are the most incredible fans out there, and this is all due to them.”

Hayes is preparing for his headlining “Glad You’re Here Tour,” kicking off this fall with more dates being added last week.

 

Hannah Ellis Celebrates Release Of New Single, ‘Country Can’

Hannah Ellis and the Curb Records team. Photo: Courtesy of Curb

The Curbs Records team gathered last Thursday (Aug. 11), on the eve of the release of Hannah Ellis‘ new single, “Country Can.”

Taking up residency at the Virgin Hotel in Nashville, the group celebrated and listened to the single’s first spin on WSIX’s “The Wayne D Show.”

The track celebrates country music’s ability to connect generations across time and space. The Kentucky native wrote the tune with Jason Massey, Parker Welling, and her husband, fellow singer-songwriter Nick Wayne.

 

BMI Hosts First Showcase At Third Man’s Blue Room

BMI’s Nina Carter and Tyler Burns with Future Crib, Babe Club, and Jo Schornikow. Photo: Nathan Zucker

BMI held its first showcase at the Blue Room in partnership with Third Man Records last Wednesday (Aug. 10). The show featured performances from Future Crib, Babe Club, and Jo Schornikow.

The audience got a taste of multi-genre musical performances including up-and-coming BMI talent. The show is the first of a series, with the second event slated to be held in December.

 

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys Earn IBMA Nods, Sign New Management Deal, More

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys. Photo: Amy Richmond

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are celebrating quite a list of recent achievements, including a slew of IBMA nominations, a remastered version of their God’s Love Is So Divine record, and signing a new management deal with Steve Johnson and SJ21 Music.

On the IBMA front, the group’s latest release, Never Slow Down, is up for Album of the Year on the IBMA ballot and the group is nominated for IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year. They are also nominated for IBMA’s Collaborative Recording of the Year for their version of “East Bound and Down,” which features fiddlers Jason Carter and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. Additionally, PRB fiddler and vocalist Laura Orshaw is nominated on her own for IBMA’s New Artist of the Year, making four nominations for the greater Po’ Ramblin’ Boys family.

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys and Sound Biscuit Studios also announced the remastered release of God’s Love Is So Divine with 100% of the pre-order sales being donated to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.

“Good things seem to happen in threes for The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys,” says the band’s mandolinist C.J. Lewandowski. “We have an album out, God’s Love Is So Divine, that will support Kentucky flood relief efforts. We have three band award nominations with the International Bluegrass Music Association for the upcoming World of Bluegrass gathering in Raleigh, North Carolina. And, we have signed with our long-time pal and well-known industry leader Steve Johnson (SJ21 Music) for management.”

Russell Dickerson Plots ‘She Likes It Tour’ For Fall

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Russell Dickerson. Photo: Thomas Heney

Russell Dickerson will kick off his new, 10-city “She Likes It Tour” on Nov. 17 in Indianapolis. Drew Green has been tapped as direct support for the dates.

Dickerson will visit Detroit, Phoenix, San Diego, Denver and more on the trek, with pre-sale tickets going on sale to the public tomorrow (Aug. 16). Public on-sale will begin Aug. 19.

“We’re bringing the RD Party back on the road to more cities with the ‘She Likes It Tour!'” says Dickerson. “We’re gonna be playing tons of that new music too! LET’S GO!”

Earlier this year, Dickerson wrapped his first headlining tour of the year, the “All Yours All Night Tour,” culminating with a sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Before embarking on his newly-announced U.S. run, Dickerson is set to take the second leg of the “All Yours All Night” tour worldwide with headlining dates in the UK and Northern Ireland this fall.

Dickerson recently celebrated the Gold certification of “She Likes It (Feat. Jake Scott),” which reached No. 1 on the Amazon Daily Country Chart. The track has already racked up 150 million streams to date.