Deana Ivey. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp has promoted Deana Ivey to President as the organization restructures its top leadership. Butch Spyridon remains the Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
Ivey has been with the organization since 1997, previously serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.
“I am honored and humbled to be named President of an organization dedicated to promoting a city recognized as a global destination,” says Ivey. “I appreciate the confidence the NCVC Board of Directors and CEO Butch Spyridon have placed in me, and I look forward to helping realize Nashville’s future possibilities while building on the past successes. It’s a city to which I have devoted my career and love.”
Ivey has received the Nashville Business Journal Women in Music award and the Women in Business award by Nashville Lifestyles. She is a board member of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, Rhythms of the South Corporation and the Academy of Country Music, and is a member of the 2015 Leadership Music class.
“Deana’s advancement is well earned and much deserved,” offers Spyridon. “She has been a committed partner these past 25 years and has been integral in shaping the Music City brand, creating and attracting major events, and marketing Nashville around the world.”
Both Spyridon and Ivey oversaw and coordinated the organization’s marketing and sales efforts as Nashville has become a heralded global destination. The city’s tourism industry has seen dramatic growth to 16.1 million annual visitors and $7.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2019. Together, they have created and produced successful large annual concert events to market the city, including Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th and New Year’s Eve in Nashville.
They co-produced and helped lead creation of two award-winning Nashville documentaries: For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville and It All Begins With A Song. They also played key roles in hosting and promoting the 2019 NFL Draft, creating the Good To Go health and safety program, and bidding on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“As the organization has grown and Nashville’s profile as a global destination has risen, we saw a need to expand our top leadership,” says Kevin Lavender, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “Butch continues to excel as a leader, putting Nashville in a position to reach record-breaking visitation and convention numbers and exceed expectations–from hosting the 2019 NFL Draft to being on the shortlist to host FIFA World Cup in 2026. The city is fortunate to have Butch and Deana leading the hospitality industry.”
Mandisa Finds Her Way ‘Out Of The Dark’ In New Memoir
/by Lorie HollabaughMandisa. Photo: Courtesy of The Media Collective
Grammy winner and American Idol Season 5 finalist Mandisa is releasing her new memoir, Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God’s Joy, on March 15 via K-Love Books.
“I really believe that this book is just another part of how God is using this chapter in my life of bringing me out of the dark,” shares Mandisa. “My favorite part of this passage of Scripture is in verse 3: ‘Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.’ That’s what I see this book being about—me telling how God lifted me out of the pit, and letting people know He did it for me; He can do it for you.”
Out of the Dark: My Journey Through The Shadows To Find God’s Joy is Mandisa’s inaugural title in partnership with K-LOVE Books and is available for pre-order, with those purchasing directly through K-LOVE Books receiving a bonus chapter.
As an advocate for mental health, Mandisa also explores the topic and how to navigate it from a Christian perspective with licensed therapist Laura Williams on AccessMore’s Out of the Dark podcast.
A2IM Announces Second Year Of Black Independent Music Accelerator
/by Lorie HollabaughA2IM is kicking off 2022 by launching the second year of BIMA, its Black Independent Music Accelerator.
The fellowship initiative is designed to amplify Black voices in the independent music community, and provides a platform for Black-owned businesses in the music industry for greater visibility, networking, and mentorship opportunities for burgeoning business owners.
Because financial barriers often pose significant obstacles for minority-owned, independent music businesses, BIMA offers subsidized yearly dues to A2IM, as well as complimentary tickets to annual events such as Indie Week, a four-day international conference and networking event aimed at maximizing the global impact of independent music.
“Black entrepreneurs have been the backbone of the music industry since the beginning of time. Allowing us to access the resources of counterparts, now opens doors to innumerable possibilities for creators that look, think, and dream like us,” says Erinn Knight, President of Build Your Own Dreams and 2021 BIMA Fellow.
BIMA’s Advisory Council offers guidance, oversight, and support to these businesses and includes Fotemah Mba, Head of A&R, General Market, Cinq Music Group; Courtnay Moriarty, Sr. Digital Rights Manager, Pex; and Kristine Mbadugha, Manager, Independent Music Partnerships, YouTube Music; with more names to be announced soon.
Applications for A2IM’s 2022 BIMA Program are open now and close on Jan. 24. To apply or learn more, please visit a2im.org/bima.
Koe Wetzel Plots North American Tour
/by LB CantrellKoe Wetzel. Photo: Jody Domingue
Koe Wetzel, a rising singer-songwriter known for his country-rock sound, has announced a North American headlining tour slated for the spring.
The 32-date run kicks off on March 3 in Independence, Missouri, and goes through July 23 with stops in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and more. Wetzel will make a stop at Franklin, Tennessee’s FirstBank Amphitheater on April 21.
The Texas native released his third LP, and first major label album, Sellout, in late 2020 via Columbia Records. Standout tracks from the project include “Drunk Driving,” “Kuntry & Wistern,” and “Good Die Young.”
Wetzel sold over 120,000 tickets last year alone, and made Pollstar’s Top Worldwide Tours list in 2020 and 2021.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets for a limited time beginning Wednesday, Jan. 12. For complete Citi presale details, visit citientertainment.com. Presale tickets will be available to non-Citi cardmembers on Thursday, Jan. 13. For tickets and more information, visit koewetzelmusic.com.
See dates below:
Reviver Publishing Brings On Reversion Music For Catalog Representation
/by Lydia FarthingReviver Publishing has employed the services of Reversion Music, LLC to represent the Reviver Publishing catalog. Working directly with Reviver’s President & CEO, David Ross, and Clay Myers of Nashville Music Consultants, Reversion Music’s Matt Lindsey and Jeff Gordon will work collectively to secure syncs placements and pitch music to various artists and commercial opportunities.
Lindsey, partner and co-owner of Reversion Music, brings a wealth of experience in songwriter, artist and catalog development. He is also the founder of MLM, an independent Nashville-based song plugging company. Lindsey previously held executive positions at Big Yellow Dog Music, Forerunner Music, Little Shop of Morgan Songs, and The Mel Tillis Companies.
Gordon, also a partner and co-owner of Reversion Music, previously served as GM of Carlin Nashville. He began his career at MCA Records as an A&R representative for the Nashville division.
“The Reviver Publishing catalog has grown exponentially over the past 2+ years,” says Ross. “Having Matt and Jeff be a part of our creative team will help us with our continued growth.”
Reversion Music is the exclusive music licensor for the Glad Music Company, which boasts titles by Willie Nelson, George Jones, The Big Bopper, Lightning Hopkins and many others. It also represents Hall of Fame songwriters Allen Reynolds and Roger Cook.
Reviver Publishing’s roster currently includes Aaron Goodvin, Ian Flanigan, David Adam Byrnes, Reid Brody, and catalogs of Alex Kline, LoCash, Black Jack Billy, David Devaul, as well as representation for Reviver artists Brooke Moriber and Brian Callihan.
BBR Adds Ellen Mundy Ford As Manager, Syndication & Secondary Promotions
/by Lydia FarthingEllen Mundy Ford. Photo: AE Sharpe Photography
BBR Music Group has hired Ellen Mundy Ford as Manager, Syndication & Secondary Promotions. She succeeds Matthew Holmberg who was recently promoted to Director of Marketing.
Reporting to Renee Leymon, VP of Radio Syndication & Group Strategy, Ford will assist with the label group’s syndication and radio group strategy, leading and executing satellite radio tours, live virtual radio tours, syndication/media days and content days for the label’s roster.
Most recently, Ford worked at WORKS Entertainment as a day-to-day manager and at Reviver Music Group as their SE Manager, Radio Promotion.
“It was obvious that Ellen has a passion for our format and the artists and that’s a perfect fit for us,” says Leymon. “We are really excited to have her.”
Ford can be reached at ellen@bbrmusicgroup.com.
Weekly Register: Kane Brown Continues His Rise To The Top
/by Lydia FarthingKane Brown
Kane Brown continues his steady ascent to the top as his latest single, “One Mississippi,” rises to No. 4 this week on the top country streaming songs chart. The track earns 5.1 million streams this week, contributing to 75 million cumulative streams RTD.
Walker Hayes continues to reign on the top country streaming songs chart with “Fancy Like” earning 8.2 million streams this week. Taylor Swift follows at No. 2 as “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” adds 7.2 million. “Buy Dirt” (Jordan Davis & Luke Bryan) gains 5.6 million this week, coming in at No. 3, while “Flower Shops” (Ernest & Morgan Wallen) debuts at No. 5 with 5 million streams.
Wallen also comes in strong on the country albums front as Dangerous: The Double Album takes the top spot with 42,000 in total consumption (1,800 album only/50 million song streams) and If I Know Me comes in at No. 5 with 14,000. Swift follows in second with Red (Taylor’s Version) gaining 38,000 (11,000 album only/33 million song streams), while Luke Combs takes up the remaining third and fourth spots with What You See Is What You Get adding 17,000 and This One’s For You adding 14,000, respectively.
Deana Ivey Elevated To President Of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
/by Steven BoeroDeana Ivey. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp has promoted Deana Ivey to President as the organization restructures its top leadership. Butch Spyridon remains the Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
Ivey has been with the organization since 1997, previously serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.
“I am honored and humbled to be named President of an organization dedicated to promoting a city recognized as a global destination,” says Ivey. “I appreciate the confidence the NCVC Board of Directors and CEO Butch Spyridon have placed in me, and I look forward to helping realize Nashville’s future possibilities while building on the past successes. It’s a city to which I have devoted my career and love.”
Ivey has received the Nashville Business Journal Women in Music award and the Women in Business award by Nashville Lifestyles. She is a board member of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, Rhythms of the South Corporation and the Academy of Country Music, and is a member of the 2015 Leadership Music class.
“Deana’s advancement is well earned and much deserved,” offers Spyridon. “She has been a committed partner these past 25 years and has been integral in shaping the Music City brand, creating and attracting major events, and marketing Nashville around the world.”
Both Spyridon and Ivey oversaw and coordinated the organization’s marketing and sales efforts as Nashville has become a heralded global destination. The city’s tourism industry has seen dramatic growth to 16.1 million annual visitors and $7.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2019. Together, they have created and produced successful large annual concert events to market the city, including Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th and New Year’s Eve in Nashville.
They co-produced and helped lead creation of two award-winning Nashville documentaries: For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville and It All Begins With A Song. They also played key roles in hosting and promoting the 2019 NFL Draft, creating the Good To Go health and safety program, and bidding on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“As the organization has grown and Nashville’s profile as a global destination has risen, we saw a need to expand our top leadership,” says Kevin Lavender, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “Butch continues to excel as a leader, putting Nashville in a position to reach record-breaking visitation and convention numbers and exceed expectations–from hosting the 2019 NFL Draft to being on the shortlist to host FIFA World Cup in 2026. The city is fortunate to have Butch and Deana leading the hospitality industry.”
Dailey & Vincent Expand Festival Portfolio, Announce Five 2022 Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughDailey & Vincent
Grammy-nominated group Dailey & Vincent have expanded and rebranded their festival portfolio as “The American Made Music Festival” series.
The new festival series will include five dates and four locations in 2022, kicking off in June with a two-day festival (June 10 & 11) at The Sand Mountain Amphitheater in Albertville, Alabama. The event will feature headliners Martina McBride, Diamond Rio, Statler Brothers member Jimmy Fortune, and hosts Dailey & Vincent.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Jan. 14. Additional lineup announcements, timing, and information will be announced in the coming weeks.
“I can’t begin to explain how excited I am for Dailey & Vincent to announce our ‘American Made Music Festivals,’” shares one half of the group, Jamie Dailey. “We look very forward to bringing our fans five festivals with different lineups of artists, including yours truly. We’ve always believed in working hard to bring our fans different experiences and, along with our team, sponsors and world class promoters, we believe you will enjoy these beautiful venues with ‘American Made Music’ from some of the best in the country, bluegrass, gospel and comedy genres.”
“We’re excited to invite fans to join us as we present some of the best music and entertainment in America at some of the nicest venues,” adds member Darrin Vincent. “Jamie and I, along with a few of our dearest friends, will bring a musical experience fans will love. The venues are easy to access, and offer local accommodations and activities for the entire family.”
The festival series will act as an extension of the group’s three-time Emmy-nominated TV show, The Dailey & Vincent Show. The nationally televised variety hour has long served as an example of the group’s marriage of genres, including country, bluegrass, and gospel record.
Michael Ray Lands Fourth Chart-Topper With ‘Whiskey And Rain’
/by Lorie HollabaughMichael Ray. Photo: Sean Hagwell
Michael Ray has scored his fourth No. 1 single with “Whiskey And Rain.” The tune is the lead single from his seven-song collection, Higher Education, and was written by Josh Thompson and Jesse Frasure.
The hit is currently in the Top 10 on the Country On-Demand Streaming chart, and has surpassed 100 million streams. To celebrate the song’s success, Ray has released an acoustic version of the track.
“I owe this one to the fans who love country music just as much as I do,” shares the Florida native. “I knew when I first heard this song, it embodied everything I love about country music, and I hoped people would find it as relatable and personal as I do. The support for ‘Whiskey And Rain’ has been so overwhelming and exciting. I can’t think of a better way to gear up for 2022 than this: celebrating with a song that’s so special to me.”
The achievement is the latest career accolade for Ray, who has garnered over 1 billion global streams, over 650,000 album equivalents, and over 100 million YouTube views. He also has a total of five RIAA certifications including the Platinum-certified “Think A Little Less,” and Gold-certified songs “Her World or Mine,” “One That Got Away,” “Get To You” and “Kiss You in the Morning.”
Mitchell Tenpenny Extends Headlining Tour With ‘2 Us It Did’ Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughMitchell Tenpenny. Photo: Matthew Berinato
Mitchell Tenpenny will continue his 2021 headlining tour into 2022 with some new dates on the now-named “2 Us It Did Tour.” Alana Springsteen will be the featured opener on the new dates.
The second leg adds 13 concerts through early March, and is named after his “To Us It Did” song from Mitchell’s Midtown Diaries EP, which was released last fall. On this new trek Tenpenny will visit Denver, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and more through March 5.
“Seeing our fans scream back our songs especially ‘Truth About You’ was so special on the first half of the tour,” shares Mitchell. “I’m so excited to extend this tour and live it again. It’s going to be incredible having the talented Alana out with us!”
The first leg of the tour wrapped just before Christmas and included Mitchell’s first-ever, sold-out headline concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The concert raised $32,500 for the 10Penny Fund, which provides inspiration and programs that help build community, motivate patients, and encourage healing for people facing cancer and their loved ones.
Tenpenny has rolled out new music over the past several months in response to fan demand, including a new version of his song “Bucket List” featuring Danny Gokey, and his recently-released Midtown Diaries EP. The project contains his current single, “Truth About You,” which has garnered over 69 million global streams to date.