Nashville Jazz Legend Beegie Adair Passes

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Beegie Adair

Beegie Adair, a keystone of the Nashville jazz community, passed away on Sunday (Jan. 23) at age 84.

The pianist and vocalist was equally at home in a variety of musical settings. She recorded more than 35 albums, played on sessions for country and pop stars, composed ad jingles, headlined at Carnegie Hall and was a jazz educator.

Bobbe “Beegie” Long was raised in Cave City, Kentucky. After earning a music degree at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, she worked as a piano teacher. Migrating to Nashville, she landed a gig with the Hank Garland Quartet. She then spent a decade in the house band at WSMV-TV’s The Waking Crew and Afternoon Show.

This led to her becoming an in-demand session musician, playing on recordings or broadcasts by Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins, Vince Gill, Henry Mancini, Delbert McClinton, Dinah Shore, Ronnie Milsap, Ray Stevens, Boots Randolph, Peggy Lee, Hank Snow, Perry Como, Eddy Arnold, Jerry Reed J.J. Cale, Connie Francis, Mandy Barnett, Waylon Jennings, Neil Diamond and more.

She was in the bands of the TV programs The Johnny Cash Show and The Ralph Emery Show. Beegie Adair also performed on the soundtracks of such films as Clint Eastwood’s Every Which Way But Loose (1978), Burt Reynolds’ Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Kevin Costner’s Perfect World (1993).

In the early 1970s, she performed in a 10-piece rock band called Sweet Thunder. This is where she met multi-instrumentalist Billy Adair (1947-2014), whom she married in 1975.

She and Billy formed a successful ad-jingle company. Among their clients were Purity Dairies, HCA, Allstate, United Airlines, Hamburger Helper, McDonald’s and Wrangler. A former touring musician, Billy Adair became the backbone of the jazz program at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music.

In 1982, Beegie Adair formed the Adair-Solee Quartet with saxophonist Denis Solee. This evolved into the Be-Bop Co-Op, a jazz sextet. She has also performed in The Nashville Jazz Machine, Orchestra Twelve, The Andrew Goodrich Quintet and The Jazz Corporation.

She is best known for her Beegie Adair Trio, which showcased her keyboard virtuosity backed by bass and percussion. The group debuted on disc with 1991’s Escape to New York with Bob Crenshaw (bass) and Greg Hutchinson (drums) as her partners.

The trio eventually solidified with Roger Spencer (bass) and Chris Brown (drums) as her rhythm section. Among the many recordings by this lineup of the Beggie Adair Trio were The Nat King Cole Collection (1998), Jazz Piano Christmas (1999), Dream Dancing: Songs of Cole Porter (2000), Love, Elvis (2000), Jazz on Broadway (2005), Sentimental Journey (2006) and Too Marvelous for Words (2015). The trio’s Frank Sinatra Collection won the 1998 Nashville Music Award as Jazz Album of the Year.

Her most ambitious work was the six-CD, boxed-set collection Centennial Composers. Released in 2002 on Nashville’s Green Hill label, its 75 songs were drawn from the catalogs of Great American Songbook composers George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin.

Adair also hosted her own radio series, Improvised Thoughts. This was an NPR talk/music show of the early 1990s where she chatted and shared music with Tony Bennett, Marian McPartland, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Helen Merrill and others.

In 2002 Beegie Adair was honored by being named a Steinway Artist. This put her in the company of Harry Connick Jr., Billy Joel, Diana Krall, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Michel Legrand and Arthur Rubinstein. Her solo concerts at Steinway & Sons galleries throughout the U.S. attracted sell-out crowds.

Beginning in 2011, she began making annual appearances at the legendary Birdland Jazz Club in New York City. Adair also showcased at other Manhattan jazz venues, often with vocalist Monica Ramey. During this time, several of Adair’s albums became best sellers on the national jazz-music charts. She was also a top seller in Japan.

On Oct. 7, 2016, The Beegie Adair Trio sold out Carnegie Hall. This was a first for a Nashville jazz act. She repeated the feat in 2017, and returned to the hallowed Hall for several years thereafter.

Adair was an adjunct professor of jazz at Vanderbilt. She taught vocal jazz at the Nashville Jazz Workshop for several years. The Trio had a residency there, and she was a board member emeritus.

Beegie Adair died at her home in Franklin. Her burial will be at Williamson Memorial Gardens. Contributions in her name can be made to The Nashville Jazz Workshop, to the Billy Adair Scholarship Fund at Vanderbilt (giving.vanderbilt.edu), to the Williamson County Animal Center or to the St. Joseph Indian School.

A Celebration of Life will be conduced at a later date.

Reservoir Acquires Travis Tritt Publishing, Recorded Music Catalogs

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Travis Tritt

Reservoir Media, Inc. has acquired Travis Tritt‘s publishing and recorded music catalogs. The deal includes shares of Tritt’s entire body of work, excluding his most recent album, Set In Stone.

A 2x Grammy winner, Tritt has seven Platinum or multi-Platinum album certifications and more than 30 million in career album sales. He has earned five No. 1s and twenty Top 10 hits, including “Help Me Hold On,” “Anymore,” and “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares).” Tritt has also won four CMA Awards, was named Top New Artist at the Billboard Music Awards, and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

“Travis is a pillar of the ‘90s country movement, and his influence continues to impact the genre and its chart resurgence today,” says Reservoir Executive Vice President of Creative, John Ozier. “The Reservoir team is so happy to be supporting both his publishing and master recordings, and building on our foundation of Country catalog classics with more of the genre’s biggest songs.”

Tritt was represented by Jordan Keller and Sarah Smith from Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem, PLLC.

Nominees Revealed For 2022 ACM Radio Awards

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The Academy of Country Music has announced its Radio Awards nominees for The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards.

Among this year’s nominees are double nominations for KCLR-FM in Columbia, Missouri; KHAY-FM in Ventura, California; KXKT-FM in Omaha, Nebraska; KYGO-FM in Denver, Colorado; WFMS-FM in Indianapolis, Indiana; WHKO-FM in Dayton, Ohio; WUBE-FM in Cincinnati, Ohio; WUSY-FM in Chattanooga, Tennessee; WYCD-FM in Detroit, Michigan; and WYCT-FM in Pensacola, Florida.

One MusicRow reporting panel station is among the nominees, with WXFL in Florence, Alabama vying for Small Market Radio Station Of The Year.

The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards will take place Monday, March 7, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The show will stream live on Prime Video in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, marking the first time a major awards show has livestreamed exclusively.

Winners of the Radio Awards will be announced ahead of The 57th ACM Awards.

The full list of ACM nominations will be announced in the coming weeks, as will talent bookings for the show itself, including hosts, performers, and presenters.

The 57th ACM Radio Awards Nominees are:
National Daily On-Air Personality of the Year:
Buzz Brainard and Ania Hammar – The Music Row Happy Hour with Buzz Brainard
Cody Alan – CMT After MidNite
Derek Haskins, Sean Powell, Patrick Thomas, Carsen Humphreville – The Big D & Bubba Show
Jerry Broadway, Tim Wall, Mitch English, Becca Walls – The Bud And Broadway Show
Katie Neal – Katie & Company

National Weekly On-Air Personality of the Year:
Bryan “B-Dub” Washington – B-Dub Radio
Lon Helton – Country Countdown USA
Michael Knox, Shalacy Griffin – Knox Country 360
Terri Clark – Country Gold
Tracy Lawrence, Patrick Thomas – Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence

On-Air Personality of the Year – Major Market:
Danny Dwyer – KUPL-FM – Portland, OR
Josh, Rachael & Grunwald In the Morning – Josh Holleman, Rachael Hunter, Steve Grunwald – WYCD-FM – Detroit, MI
Paul Schadt, Sarah Lee & Geof Knight – WKKT-FM – Charlotte, NC
Scotty Kay – WUSN-FM – Chicago, IL
Tracy Dixon – KYGO-FM – Denver, CO

On-Air Personality of the Year – Large Market:
The Big Dave Show – ‘Big Dave’ Chandler, Chelsie Shinkle, Jason Statt and Ashley Dawn – WUBE-FM – Cincinnati, OH
Jim, Deb, and Kevin in the Morning – Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt, Kevin Freeman – WFMS-FM – Indianapolis, IN
The Wake Up Call – Kelli Green, David Bugenske – KFRG-FM – Riverside/San Bernardino, CA
Wake Up With The Wolf Show – Dale O’Brian, Annie Camp, Chase Matthews – WPAW-FM – Greensboro, NC
Wayne D Show – Wayne Danielson, Tay Hamilton – WSIX-FM – Nashville, TN

On-Air Personality of the Year – Medium Market (6 Final Nominees Due to Tie)
Julie and DJ in the Morning – Julie Kansy, Dale Sellers – WPCV-FM – Lakeland, FL
Kenn McCloud – KUZZ AM/FM – Bakersfield, CA
Mo & StyckMan – Melissa “Mo” Wagner, Greg “StyckMan” Owens – WUSY-FM – Chattanooga, TN
New Country Mornings with Nancy and Woody – Nancy Wilson, Aaron Woods – WHKO-FM – Dayton, OH
Scott & Sarah in the Morning – Scott Wynn, Sarah Kay – WQMX-FM – Akron, OH
Steve Lundy & Gina Melton – KXKT-FM – Omaha, NE

On-Air Personality of the Year – Small Market:
Adam & Jen in the Morning – Adam Lamberd, Jen Little – KIOK-FM – Kennewick, WA
Liz and Scotty in the Morning – Liz DelGrosso and Scotty Cox – KCLR-FM – Columbia, MO
Morning Wake-Up Call With Dave Daniels – Dave Daniels – KHAY-FM – Ventura, CA
The Cat Pak Morning Show – Brent Lane – WYCT-FM – Pensacola, FL
The Philip Gibbons Show – Philip Gibbons – WGSQ-FM – Cookeville, TN

Radio Station of the Year – Major Market:
KSCS-FM – Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
KSON-FM – San Diego, CA
KYGO-FM – Denver, CO
WXTU-FM – Philadelphia, PA
WYCD-FM – Detroit, MI

Radio Station of the Year – Large Market:
KNCI-FM – Sacramento, CA
KSOP-FM – Salt Lake City, UT
KUBL-FM – Salt Lake City, UT
WFMS-FM – Indianapolis, IN
WUBE-FM – Cincinnati, OH

Radio Station of the Year – Medium Market:
KIZN-FM – Boise City-Nampa, ID
KXKT-FM – Omaha, NE
WGKX -FM – Memphis, TN
WHKO-FM – Dayton, OH
WUSY-FM – Chattanooga, TN

Radio Station of the Year – Small Market
KCLR-FM – Columbia, MO
KHAY-FM – Ventura, CA
WXBQ-FM – Bristol, VA
WXFL-FM – Florence, AL
WYCT-FM – Pensacola, FL

Brown Sellers Brown Launches Stone Country Records, Signs Easton Corbin & Ben Gallaher

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Pictured (L-R, top row): Ron Bradley & Gwen Foster; (L-R, bottom row): Matt Galvin & Traci Hite

Brown Sellers Brown, helmed by industry veterans Benny Brown, Paul Brown and Jason Sellers and home to Brown Sellers Brown (BSB) Management and Quartz Hill Records, has announced the launch of a second record label, Stone Country Records.

Country music entertainer Easton Corbin is the label’s first artist signing. Known for No. 1 singles “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It,” Corbin’s inaugural single for Stone Country Records will release in early 2022. Additionally, guitarist, songwriter, and artist Ben Gallaher also makes a shift from Quartz Hill Records to the new entity, with new music expected in early 2022.

In addition to signings, the label also announces a string of staff changes, hires, and promotions.

Quartz Hill Records National Director of Promotion & Marketing, Matt Galvin, has been elevated to VP of Promotion & Marketing for Stone Country Records. Prior to joining Quartz Hill in October 2020, he spent 15 years as the Director of RCA Promotion & Marketing for Sony Music Nashville where he worked to develop the careers of Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Martina McBride, Chris Young and more. Galvin began his career in radio promotion with Sony Music Entertainment’s Arista Records. He will report to Brown Sellers Brown Sr. VP of Promotion & Marketing, April Rider. He can be reached at Matt@stonecountryrecords.com

Ron Bradley has been named Director of Promotion for Stone Country Records. Bradley’s career stops include Director of West Coast Promotion/Marketing for UMG/EMI Records Nashville where he was instrumental in the success of hit singles by Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, Eric Paslay and Alan Jackson. He also owned and operated independent record promotions company R. Bradley Artist & Project Development. Bradley most recently served as the Director of West Coast Promotions/Marketing for Show Dog Nashville. He can be reached at Ron@stonecountryrecords.com

BSB Management Director of Promotion & Marketing, Gwen Foster, has shifted to Director of Promotion for Stone Country Records. With over 25 years in the industry, Foster has worked with Luke Combs, Aaron Watson, Montgomery Gentry, Colt Ford, Don Henley and more. She previously served as the Director of West/Southwest Promotion for Big Label Records; the Director of Midwest Promotion for Thirty Tigers; and in West Coast Promotion for I.R.S./Capitol Records, Average Joe’s Records and Treehouse Records. Foster began her career in country radio having worked in the Phoenix, Dallas and San Diego markets. She joined BSB Management in July 2021 and can be reached at Gwen@stonecountryrecords.com

Radio promotion executive, Traci Hite, has been named Director of Promotion for Stone Country Records. She joins Stone Country from Curb|Word Entertainment where she most recently served as the Director of National Promotion. Her previous experience includes radio promotion at Capitol Christian Music Group. Hite also spent four years in radio as the Promotion Director at WAY-FM and KCBI-Dallas. She can be reached at Traci@stonecountryrecords.com

Bradley, Foster, and Hite report directly to Galvin.

As previously announced, BSB Management and Quartz Hill Records Promotion Coordinator, Denise Miller, also expands her duties to include Stone Country Records. Miller can be reached at denise@brownsellersbrown.com

Chris Janson Is ‘All In’ In 2022 With New Album Set For Spring

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Chris Janson. Photo: Spidey Smith

Chris Janson will release his fourth studio album, All In, this spring. The title track from the project, available everywhere now, is a tribute to his relationship with his wife, Kelly, and offers a glimpse into their life together as a family.

Written by Janson with Ashley Gorley, Dallas Davidson, and Zach Crowell, “All In” joins flagship single “Bye Mom” as the first two releases from the upcoming new record.

“The title All In epitomizes this album,” Janson shares. “There are all kind of songs on this project, but they all flow together because they are genuine to me. I went all in on every part of the process, from writing to singing to playing to producing. I feel like it’s my best, most true-to-myself album to date.” He continues, “Fittingly, the title track is an inside look at the history of my relationship with Kelly. I was ‘All In’ from the moment I met her. Every piece of this song is a snapshot of our real life.”

Janson will share new music from All In, as well as his collection of chart-topping hits on his headlining “Halfway to Crazy Tour,” spanning nearly 20 dates in auditoriums, theaters and, for the first time, arenas across the nation. For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.

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Anthem Entertainment Acquires Country Catalog From Hit Songwriter Kelly Archer

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Kelly Archer. Photo: Nora Canfield

Anthem Entertainment has acquired a catalog of country hits from songwriter Kelly Archer. Anthem and RED Creative Group have also signed Archer to an exclusive publishing deal going forward.

The catalog includes “After a Few” by Travis Denning, which reached No. 1 and set a new record for spending over 60-weeks on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart. The acquisition also includes Platinum-certified singles “Somebody Else Will” by Justin Moore and “Sleep Without You” by Brett Young.

“Kelly Archer is more than a hit songwriter,” says Helen Murphy, CEO of Anthem Entertainment. “In addition to multiple No. 1 songs and numerous awards, she has always been ahead of her time, is an amazing talent, and a wonderful individual. I am thrilled to have her catalog at Anthem Music Publishing, and I am grateful that together with Jeremy Stover and the team at Red Creative we will work with her to create beautiful songs.”

Stover, founder of RED Creative Group, adds, “Kelly Archer is not only a prolific and extremely hard-working songwriter, she is also a supreme talent and one of the best in this town. We are excited to continue working with Kelly as we feel confident that she has only scratched the surface of what she is capable of. We look forward to partnering with her in this next chapter of her career.”

“I’m thrilled to continue working with Jeremy, Taylor [Lamb] and team RED. Jeremy has put together an eclectic group of creatives who work hard and motivate me to keep growing as a writer. I’m equally excited to partner with Helen, Tim [Wipperman], Gilles [Godard], and team Anthem. They have a really great creative staff that I’ve admired over my years in the business but never had the chance to work with until now,” shares Archer.

Willie Nelson, Ringo Starr, Steve Earle, More Join Ray Wylie Hubbard On ‘Co-Starring Too’

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Texas Songwriter Hall of Famer, Ray Wylie Hubbard, has rounded up some more compadres on a second all-star collaboration project, Co-Starring Too, due out March 18 via Big Machine Records. The project follows 2020’s Co-Starring, which included Don Was, Joe Walsh, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Dunn, Peter Rowan, Larkin Poe and Aaron Lee Tasjan, among others.

The new encore mash-up features guests Willie Nelson, John 5, Steve Earle, James McMurtry, Ringo Starr, Lzzy Hale, Heart’s Ann Wilson, Wynonna Judd, and more. For his second rave-up he pulled in Nelson on “Stone Blind Horses” and Earle on “Hellbent Horses,” while collaborating with Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers and Cross Canadian Ragweed founder Cody Canada on “Till My Wheels Fall Off.”

Texas songwriters Hayes Carll, James McMurtry and Dalton Domino join Hubbard on “Fancy Boys” while Charlie Sexton, Gurf Morlix, Jaimee Harris and Judd lend a hand on “Pretty Reckless.” Hardcore rockers Hale and John5 tackle“Naturally Wild” next to firebrand roots writer Eliza Gilkyson and son Lucas Hubbard alongside Starr, Steve Lukather (Toto) and Wilson on “Ride or Die.”

“As a man of many friends,” Hubbard says, “there were so very many people I just couldn’t get on the one project.  So many people I wanted to do things with, but I just couldn’t. It stuck with me, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought, ‘Why not make Co-Starring Too?’ Beyond the pun, it’s something I thought we could do, and do with the same kind of quality.” He continues, “When you’re lucky enough to have this kind of collaborative power, you’d be a fool to not tap in. And when you’ve got Scott Borchetta and the Big Machine behind you, saying, ‘Whoever you’d like… What do you want to do…?’ Well, I’d be a fool to not make another one of these records. They’re too fun, and because of the pandemic, it lets a lot of people stay creative when it’s hard to get out on the road.”

Co-Starring Too Track List:
1. Stone Blind Horses (ft. Willie Nelson)
2. Groove (ft. Kevin Russell and the Shiny Soul Sisters)
3. Only a Fool (ft. The Bluebonnets)
3. Hellbent for Leather (ft. Steve Earle)
4. Naturally Wild (ft. Lzzy Hale and John 5)
5. Fancy Boys (ft. Hayes Carll, James McMurtry, Dalton Domino)
6. Texas Wild Side (ft. The Last Bandoleros)
7. Till My Wheels Fall Off (ft. Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Cody Canada)
8. Pretty Reckless (ft. Wynonna Judd, Jaimee Harris, Charlie Sexton, and Gurf Morlix)
9. Ride or Die (ft. Ringo Starr, Lucas Hubbard, Steve Lukather, Eliza Gilkyson, Ann Wilson)
10. Desperate Man (ft. Band of Heathens)
 Produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard and Julian Raymond

Chart Action: Aldean Most Added

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Jason Aldean. Photo: Brian Higbee

Jason Aldean impacts country radio this week with “Trouble With A Heartbreak,” earning a cumulative 182 adds across the Billboard, Mediabase, and MusicRow radio charts. The track is featured on the second installment of his 10th studio album Macon, Georgia.

“The cool thing about putting out two parts of this record is having fans hear all the different influences I grew up on,” Aldean shares. “This song hit me right when I heard it and reminded me of those bitter R&B breakup songs that take me back to riding through the backroads of Georgia.”

“Trouble With A Heartbreak” was written by Kurt Allison, Brett Beavers, Tully Kennedy and John Morgan. It follows Aldean’s 26th career chart topper and multi-week No. 1 “If I Didn’t Love You,” featuring Carrie Underwood.

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Karley Scott Collins Signs With Sony Music Nashville

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Karley Scott Collins. Photo: David McClister

Newcomer Karley Scott Collins has signed with Sony Music Nashville. Her debut single, “Heavenly,” is set for release Feb. 4.

The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist moved from her hometown of Lake City, Florida, to Nashville three years ago, armed with lyrics and melodies a decade in the making. A multifaceted artist, Collins grew up listening to metal bands like Guns N’ Roses and Alice in Chains with her dad, idolizing Bob Dylan, and absorbing herself in novels by Cormac McCarthy. Her influences run the gamut from The Eagles and Stevie Nicks, to Leonard Cohen and Willie Nelson.

“I am so thrilled and excited to join the Sony Music Nashville Family,” shares the Warner Chappell Music writer. “From the second I met Randy [Goodman] and the entire team at Sony, they’ve supported me and my vision for my songs wholeheartedly. I couldn’t be more grateful for this new adventure with them or ask for a better team.”

Industry Ink: Kelsea Ballerini, MTSU, Sam Alex, Waylon Hanel

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Kelsea Ballerini Celebrates Milestone Year, Strong Start To 2022

Two-time Grammy award-nominated vocalist, Kelsea Ballerini, barrels into 2022 with the news that her third studio album, Kelsea, has achieved Gold status. The 2020 release’s certification follows on the heels of quite the impressive year for the multi-Platinum songwriter and producer.

In 2021, Ballerini notched her first two CMA Awards, taking home Musical Event of the Year and Video of the Year for “Half of My Hometown” featuring Kenny Chesney; was crowned CMT’s Artist of the Year; and performed in sold-out arenas and amphitheaters as direct support to the Jonas Brothers on their “Remember This Tour.” She also picked up three RIAA certifications, including her sixth No. 1 “Hole in the Bottle” with Shania Twain going Platinum and “Half of My Hometown” and 2021 single, “I Quit Drinking” with Lany going Gold.

Ballerini also added author to her growing list of titles, making her literary debut with an original book of poetry entitled Feel Your Way Through, which was released in November 2020.

 

MTSU To Host Tribute Concert For Jazz Drummer Duffy Jackson

Pictured: Drummer Duffy Jackson, right, keeps the beat alongside bassist Jim Ferguson during a performance at Rudy’s Jazz Room in Nashville. Photo: Courtesy of Duffy Jackson

Middle Tennessee State University’s School of Music faculty members, students, and area jazz musicians will pay tribute to the late jazz drummer Duffy Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 3. The performance marks the second event in this season’s three-concert MTSU Jazz Artist Series.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Hinton Hall inside the Wright Music Building, the tribute concert will feature faculty jazz artists Don Aliquo on saxophone, Matt Endahl on piano, Chip Henderson on guitar, David Loucky on trombone, and Jonathan Wires on bass. Chris Brown, one of Nashville’s prominent jazz drummers, will sit in on the drum chair, while trumpeter Mike Barry and trombonist Roger Bissell will lead their respective sections of this special big band.

“The concert will showcase historic arrangements played by guest musicians from Duffy’s Nashville-based band,” shares Jamey Simmons, professor of jazz trumpet and director of MTSU’s Jazz Studies Program. “It will feature legendary music associated with Duffy during his tenure with some of the most swinging jazz musicians in history, as well as his time in Nashville. We will also honor his widow, Marina, and her donation to MTSU of a library of his big band music.”

Duffy Jackson, son of jazz bassist Chubby Jackson, first picked up his sticks at age four. At 20, Jackson was the youngest drummer ever hired by Count Basie, and soon became the anchor for that legendary band along with Lionel Hampton’s and Illinois Jacquet’s groups. He also worked with Lena Horne and was a member of the Monty Alexander Trio. He moved to Nashville in 2008 and influenced the city’s jazz scene until his death at age 67 in March 2021.

Tickets are on sale for $10 each. Admission is free for MTSU students, faculty and staff with a current ID. To reserve tickets, contact Jamey Simmons at 615-898-2724 or james.simmons@mtsu.edu.

 

Sam Alex Hosts Inaugural Camp Broadcast Acoustic Concert Benefit Show

Pictured (L-R): Jake Hoot, Lanie Gardner, Andrea Boehlke, Sam Alex, and Adam Hambrick. Photo: Mike Kelly

Radio & TV personality Sam Alex hosted his inaugural Camp Broadcast Acoustic Concert this past Sunday (Jan. 16). The event raised money for student scholarships to attend the upcoming Camp Broadcast. The singer-songwriter round featured performances from Adam Hambrick, Jake Hoot, and Lanie Gardner.

“I’m so proud of all the accomplishments from our Camp Broadcast alumni, many of them are now working full-time in the broadcast industry,” Alex shares. “Supporting these students and giving them opportunities to attend camp and interview celebrities & newsmakers for their hosting reel and be mentored by professionals is an opportunity that should be available to all.”

Camp Broadcast is a masterclass for high school and college-aged aspiring journalists and broadcasters. While there, students have the opportunity to interview celebrities and newsmakers for their hosting reel. Previous guests have included Olympic Champion Scott Hamilton; NFL Star Donovan McNabb; musicians Cassadee Pope, Scotty McCreery, Cole Swindell, Granger Smith, Chris Tomlin, and KC and the Sunshine Band; Bravo’s Andra Simmons, actress Siena Agudong, ESPN’s Jordan Bernfield, Entertainment Tonight’s Cassie DiLaura, Inside Edition’s Megan Alexander, University of Georgia Head Basketball Coach Tom Crean and many more.

This year’s session will take place June 13-16 in Chicago. For more information, click here.

 

PLA Media Adds Outlaw-Inspired Country Singer Waylon Hanel To Roster

Waylon Hanel

PLA Media has added emerging outlaw country artist Waylon Hanel to its growing talent list.

After losing his younger brother in 2021, the self-taught musician found an outlet in music. The Michigan native, named after the legendary Waylon Jennings, hopes to carry on the torch of outlaw country in the genre. His self-titled EP is prepped for release this spring.

“My pal, hit writer Bernie Nelson, called me from Texas raving about doing a writing session with a talented Michigan kid, Waylon Hanel. I was honored to work with Jennings when I was at RCA and, true to his namesake, this 20-year-old is following in his hero’s style of outlaw country,” says CEO and owner of PLA Media Pam Lewis. “This kid’s powerful vocals and commanding delivery bodes well beyond his years. Ole Waylon would be pleased!”