Change the Conversation will return to in-person events on May 18 as journalist Marissa Moss discusses her new book surrounding women in country with singer-songwriter Brandy Clark.

Moss, a music journalist who has written for Rolling Stone, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and NPR, will release Her Ccountry: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be on May 10. Told through the lens of Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Mickey Guyton and the countless women who have come before them and inspired new artists to fight gender inequality in country music, the book details their efforts to transform the genre into a more inclusive place for all.

“Marissa Moss gives voice to this generations authentic storytellers and honors their future legacies,” notes Leslie Fram, co-founder of Change the Conversation.

“One would love to think that Her Country is a fictional piece of work, but Marissa’s compelling book is a truthful account of the barriers women have faced in country music,” says Tracy Gershon, co-founder of Change the Conversation. “This book is hard to put down and gives us further reason as to why we need to change the conversation.”

Change the Conversation co-founder Beverly Keel adds, “This is one of the most important books written about country music in the last 30 years or more. Quite simply, this is a masterpiece. She captures the vital big picture while revealing the smallest and most-telling details.” She continues, “We can’t think of a better person to explore Marissa’s work than six-time Grammy nominee Brandy Clark, who creates musical masterpieces and has overcome obstacles and shattered barriers as she has created some of the best songs written in country music in the last few decades. I can’t wait to hear what they have to say about this revolutionary book.”

The free event, which is co-sponsored by BMI and VEVA Sound, will begin at 6 p.m. at BMI.

DZL, the Nashville-based owner of the Cannery Row, has hired Brent Hyams as general manager of the facility and its four distinct venues. Hyams hiring comes as preparations are underway for upgrades to the facility at the start of June. The venues on site will reopen this summer.

The news comes several months after it was revealed that all three of the Cannery venues—Mercy Lounge, The High Watt, and Cannery Ballroom—would not be renewing their leases in the space.

Hyams will be tasked with building onto the considerable history of Cannery Row, dating back to 1883, while leading it towards its future as an independent facility that remains centered around live music.

Prior to this role, Hyams has served as Senior Marketing Manager for the Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry. He also spent 17 years with the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) rising to the level of chief operating officer. While there, Hyams managed a staff of more than 60 people, directed daily operations, sponsorships, ticketing, and technical production, among other responsibilities. While acting as executive vice president and general manager at TPAC, he also oversaw the refurbishment and development of the War Memorial Auditorium.

After his time at TPAC, Hyams launched a studio for nationally touring artists, securing a music rehearsal facility during the COVID-19 pandemic and building the company from scratch.

“This is a legacy opportunity for me as someone who has both been a fan of the Cannery and worked within Nashville’s music industry,” says Hyams. “I’m proud to be part of a team investing in the future of this storied facility. We all have great memories from these venues-we’re here to keep the unforgettable moments going and carry on a part of what makes Music City authentic and special.”

“Protecting Cannery Row is a passion project I really believe in. It’s important to keep it thriving as an independent music venue for years to come, and now Brent is on board to spearhead that effort,” adds Zach Liff, owner of Cummins Station and DZL Management Company. “Brent is an accomplished industry professional and a proven leader in the Nashville market. I’m confident in his ability to ensure the music venues inside Cannery Row are exceptionally well-run, they stay connected to the community, and they are true to their history.”

NFL veteran and Super Bowl Champion Kevin Carter and Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts co-hosted the Grand Finale of “Waiting for Wishes Celebrity Waiters Dinner” at the Hilton Nashville Downtown on Tuesday, April 19. The star-studded event benefited The Kevin Carter Foundation and Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee.

The celebrity event, emceed by former WKRN anchor John Dwyer, was an exclusive evening where hosts Carter and DeMarcus invited professional athletes, country music artists and various celebrities from all over the country to wait tables, followed by the official after-party—”Jammin’ with Jay DeMarcus & Friends,” emceed by SiriusXM The Highway’s Storme Warren.

“In 2005, I joined as co-host and I had no idea what this event would become,” says DeMarcus. “I’m humbled and honored that Kevin even considered me to be involved. It’s been one of the most important things of my career. Rascal Flatts were together for 22 years and I’ve been with this event for nearly 20 years. I got emotional thinking about this event coming to an end, but I am grateful for the relationship I have with Kevin. He’s not only big in stature; his heart is equally as big.”

Carter says, “Being able to host this event for 20 years is a testament to the divine synergy that we’ve had from the start. It’s one of the things I am most proud of in my life to have accomplished and I am so very thankful for the team around me, the celebrities that attend each year, volunteers, patrons and the incredible folks at Make-A-Wish. But make no mistake, we are not finished with fundraising. We have simply wrapped up an event that has been 20 years in the making,” he adds. “We’re now going to retool and come back with a new concept so that we can be the most affecting giving vessel moving forward. Nashville has been so good to me, I simply love this city and the special people that live here.”

Music artists Tim McGraw, Charles Esten, Jillian Cardarelli, Halfway to Hazard and Jason Scheff were joined by athletes George Kittle (NFL/49ers) and Shawn Johnson East (Olympic Gymnast), as well as former Tennessee Titans players Blaine Bishop, Keith Bulluck, Eddie George, Brad Hopkins, Jevon Kearse, Derrick Mason, and Samari Rolle. Additionally, former NFL players Andrew East, Donnie Edwards, Trent Green, Brian Jones, Aaron Murray, Ricky Proehl, and Tony Richardson were on hand to wait tables, as well as Tito Ortiz (UFC) and Houston Nutt (Hall of Fame Coach/CBS Sports).

Similarly, Hollywood actors C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders), Martin Kove (Cobra Kai/Netflix), Max Martini (Tender Bar/Amazon Prime), Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead), Rob Mayes (John Dies at the End), Mindy Robinson, Jonathan Schaech (That Thing You Do), D.B. Sweeney (Lonesome Dove) and Billy Zapka (Cobra Kai/Netflix) were joined by reality stars Kaitlyn Bristowe (The Bachelorette/Dancing with the Stars), Chase Chrisley (Chrisley Knows Best), Kathryn Edwards (actress/Housewives of Beverly Hills), and Jason Tartick (The Bachelorette). Sports media personalities in attendance included Sherree Burruss (CBS Sports), Jay Harris and Hannah Storm (ESPN SportsCenter), Tom Luginbill (ESPN), Lisa Salters (ESPN), Brent Stover (CBS), Stephanie White (ESPN) and former Navy Seals/movie consultants Shad “Hammer” Hamilton and Hugh Middleton.

Overall, the event series raised $2.5 million to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions through Make-A-Wish of Middle Tennessee.

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is accepting suggestions for publisher candidates for its Board of Directors and for select committees, including the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight committee, Dispute Resolution committee, and Operations Advisory committee.

Under the Music Modernization Act of 2018 (MMA), certain governance positions at The MLC are reserved for representatives of publishers. The MLC will submit all recommendations it receives to the Board’s Publisher Nominating Committee for consideration. Elections will be held this summer.

Under The MLC’s Bylaws, a publisher means a music publisher to which songwriters have assigned exclusive rights of reproduction and distribution of musical works with respect to covered activities. Covered activities means the making of digital phonorecord deliveries of musical works, including in the form of permanent downloads, limited downloads, or interactive streams, where such activity qualifies for a compulsory license under Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act.

Board and committee members sit for three-year terms and may be re-elected. Seats are filled pursuant to The MLC’s Bylaws. The MLC Board of Directors and committees meet regularly, and all meetings allow for virtual participation. More information on The MLC’s Board of Directors and advisory committees can be found here.

Suggestions should be made no later than May 26, 2022. To suggest a candidate, click here.

The openings on The MLC’s advisory committees are as follows:
– Two publisher seats on the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee, which recommends policies and procedures to The MLC’s Board related to the distribution of unclaimed accrued royalties;
– One publisher seat on the Dispute Resolution Committee, which recommends to the Board policies and procedures for the processing of royalties related to works that are subject to disputes over ownership; and
– Two publisher openings on the Operations Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Board concerning the operations of the collective, including the efficient investment in and deployment of information technology and data resources.

The lineup for the CMA Fest Nighttime Concerts at Ascend Amphitheater has been unveiled.

Taking place on Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11, night one will feature Chris Janson as headliner as well as performances from Boy Named Banjo, Lanco, Peytan Porter and Mitchell Tenpenny.

Saturday night will be presented by Warner Music Nashville. Shy Carter will host the evening headlined by Cole Swindell, with performances from Ingrid Andress, Tyler Braden, Carter and Randall King.

Tickets for the Nighttime Concerts at Ascend Amphitheater are required for entry with public on-sale beginning Friday, April 29 at 10:00 a.m. CT. A limited number of four-day passes, plus newly-announced single night tickets for the Nissan Stadium nightly concerts, are available now.

Additional performers, Fan Fair X activities, stage lineups and more, will be announced in the coming weeks.