Pictured (L-R): Ben James, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank; Andrew Kintz, Executive Vice President, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank; Bryan Bolton, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank. Photo: Courtesy of First Horizon Bank
It started with borrowed furniture, a sublet office on Music Row, and zero loans, deposits, or revenue. When First Horizon’s Music, Sports and Entertainment (MSE) group launched in the summer of 2016, Andrew Kintz and Bryan Bolton felt the pressure to generate business quickly.
Ten years later, they have grown into a coast-to-coast team of 21 bankers operating out of Nashville, Atlanta, and Miami, with clients spanning New York and Los Angeles and beyond.
The group has originated over a billion dollars in financing for the music industry. What began as a scrappy bet on a niche market has grown into a well-established specialty lending and private banking operation in the entertainment business.
Today, approximately 89 percent of the group’s revenue flows from five cities: Nashville, Atlanta, Miami, New York, and Los Angeles. This concentration speaks to both the geography of the music business and the intentional focus the team has maintained.
Kintz, Executive Vice President, Bolton, Senior VP and Managing Director, and Ben James, Senior VP and Managing Director, are key members of the leadership team. Kintz and Bolton operate out of Nashville’s Music Row office. James leads the firm’s East operations from Atlanta. Together, they sat down with MusicRow to reflect on what the last decade has taught them, what has changed in the music industry, and where they see things heading next.
Pictured (L-R): Andrew Kintz, Executive Vice President, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank; Bryan Bolton, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank. Photo: Courtesy of First Horizon Bank
While Kintz and Bolton set up their first office inside SESAC’s Nashville building in 2016, James joined the team through a parallel journey. After years of experience in music finance at SunTrust, James was recruited into Iberia Bank’s Sports & Entertainment group, founded by longtime music finance leader Alex Hernandez.
Iberia Bank and First Horizon merged in 2019, and Hernandez and Kintz brought the teams together to form First Horizon Bank’s Music, Sports and Entertainment Group.
While the merger was a key inflection point in the bank’s growth, streaming changed everything.
If there is a single moment the team points to as the catalyst for explosive growth, it is 2016, the year streaming revenue finally turned upward after years of declining revenue in the music industry.
For years, banking had been comfortable lending against the underlying music copyrights of publishing rights. Record label revenue had cratered from the early 2000s and the cash flows from master recordings were simply too unpredictable to leverage. 2015 was the first year many industry observers realized streaming wasn’t just a niche revenue stream.
Then streaming changed the math.
As Kintz explains, the cash flows from master recordings started behaving similarly to those of publishing assets with some predictability and measurable growth.
“All of a sudden, this entire huge group of clients we were not calling on became open to us and we got super excited,” shares Kintz. “In the overall industry, people got really interested in these assets from both a strategic perspective and as a financial asset.”
Labels, funds, and investors who had been sitting on master recordings suddenly had a bankable asset. And First Horizon was positioned to move fast.
James adds, “You started to see the investor pool broaden as more traditional investors started getting into the copyright game because they started to better understand it. Over the years, it has become a more traditional asset class as investors look for yield.”
Bolton shares that one of the group’s most innovative contributions to music industry finance is an option to “replace the advance” which offers an alternative financing structure. In the traditional model, a label or publisher advances money to an artist or writer, then recoups that advance from the future royalties. For the artist or writer, it comes with real costs. The full advance is considered taxable income and often commissionable. Also, the label or publisher ties up its own capital in the process.
Pictured (L-R): First Horizon Bank’s Jack Spangler, Tyler Marler, Daniel Webster, Ben James, Ben Jelks, Christy McDaniel, Debbi Hooper, Andrew Kintz, Colby Shepperson, Reuben Coopwood, Bryan Bolton, Alex Strong and Parker McRoy. Photo: Courtesy of First Horizon Bank
The alternative structure is more nuanced. The artist or writer comes directly to First Horizon for a royalty loan. The loan incurs interest but is repaid as royalties come in. Because it is structured as debt rather than income, the artist pays taxes only as royalties arrive each year, not on the lump sum advanced in the beginning of the deal. Commissions are not triggered until the royalties are earned and the label retains its capital to invest elsewhere.
“It is literally the efficient allocation of capital. It is more efficient for us to put bank capital to work,” says Kintz. The deal works for everyone at the table and it represents exactly the kind of creative financial structuring that defines how First Horizon approaches client services.
For a long time, investing in music felt like a vanity play. You could see and touch a building. You could run the numbers on a manufacturing company. But for the music industry, the investable side felt abstract, emotional, volatile, and unquantifiable.
That perception has fundamentally changed, and the team at First Horizon has watched it happen in real time over the last decade.
Several forces drove the shift. The first was data integrity. Kintz points to the contrast between the 1980s, when tracking a song’s global consumption was essentially impossible, and today, when streaming platforms generate granular, real-time royalty data at scale. When a bank can see exactly how much a copyright is earning, in every market, on a monthly basis, the asset becomes much easier to value and underwrite.
Another force was the arrival of institutional capital. Private equity giants such as KKR, The Carlyle Group, Blackstone, and Apollo have all launched specialized vehicles and joint ventures to actively acquire music catalogs, royalties, and publishing rights. The influx of institutional money has done more than just validate the asset class. It has brought powerful advocates to Capitol Hill lobbying for songwriter and artist rights.
The Music Modernization Act is one example of how advocacy translated into laws that help not only copyright owners, but also make music more bankable.
Relationships drive their business, not transactions. Bolton describes the foundation as deceptively simple by doing what you say you are going to do, tell the truth even when the news is hard, and never resist picking up the phone.
James adds, “It’s important to not be transactional. I try to never forget it’s always about the people.”
That culture runs through the internal team as much as the client roster. Kintz describes their banking group as genuinely invested in one another. This fosters a work environment that is the kind of place where a colleague’s baby shower becomes a team event and where people show up not because they have to, but because they care about the person.
Looking into the future, no conversation about the music business is complete without addressing AI, and the First Horizon team receives this question constantly.
Their take is measured. For their core business, lending against established catalogs with multi-year track records and proven fan bases, they are not particularly worried. The cash flows are stable, the consumption data is clear, and the emotional bond between audiences and artists is not something an algorithm can manufacture.
Speaking of the deep emotional connection people have to music, Kintz shares, “We do not believe AI can take that away. Velvet Sundown, [an AI-generated artist], might be an interesting listen, but at the end of the day, there is no deep emotional connection.”
Where the team sees real risk is for emerging artists. A market flooded with AI-generated music makes discovery harder for early-stage creators trying to break through the noise.
But they also see AI as a tool. Songwriters are already using it to test arrangements, explore alternate tempos, and develop ideas faster. And companies are building AI-powered royalty collection tools that could help ensure artists actually get paid what they are owed. The winners and losers dynamic is real, but it mirrors what the industry experienced with the internet.
A decade in, First Horizon no longer feels like the younger sibling in the music banking world. The team is being invited into deals led by other institutions, and they are leading deals that bring others to the table. The steady, compounding growth they have built in headcount, deal volume, revenue, and geographic reach has earned them a seat at the table.
Kintz sees consistent growth, expanding relationships, and a business that continues to attract bankers who are equally passionate about music and finance.
“The pie keeps getting bigger and that, to me, is an encouraging sign,” says Kintz.
From a sublet office with borrowed furniture and no revenue to a billion-dollar origination business in ten years, First Horizon has proven that the music business, understood on its own terms, is as bankable as any industry in the world.
DISClaimer Single Reviews: Little Big Town & Ashley Monroe Team For Disc Of The Day
/by Robert K OermannLittle Big Town & Ashley Monroe
The country veterans show the kiddies how it’s done in this edition of DISClaimer.
Hall of Famers Reba McEntire, Randy Travis and Ricky Skaggs set the pace, and the new stars scamper to keep up. The Disc of the Day belongs to the groovy Little Big Town & Ashley Monroe collaboration.
Riley Green’s tour mate Hannah McFarland earns this week’s DISCovery Award.
PARKER McCOLLUM & LEE ANN WOMACK / “Killin’ Me”
Writers: Monty Criswell/Parker McCollum/Randy Rogers; Producers: Eric Masse, Frank Liddell; Label: MCA
– Honky-tonk romance with steam heat. The unexpected duet is a worthy and marvelous country-music surprise. Drawn from the deluxe edition of Parker’s ACM Album of the Year.
RILEY GREEN & HANNAH McFARLAND / “Go Again”
Writer: Riley Green; Producers: Dann Huff, Jimmy Harnen, Scott Borchetta; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– McFarland has an ear-catching singing style with lovely, delicate, heart-in-throat vocal curlicues and catches. It’s a nice, contrasting compliment to Green’s plain-spoken country delivery. The ballad is simply produced with plenty of open space to showcase their sexy story.
JESSE WELLES / “Masks Off”
Writer: Jesse Welles; Producer: Eddie Spear; Label: JW
– This road warrior, neo-folk troubadour introduces his new album with its title tune. He cranks his acoustic style up with electric guitar as he spits a political/poetic lyric about the bald-faced, shameless effrontery of America’s right-wing leadership. The Arkansan continues to be our closest modern torch bearer of the legacies of Woody Guthrie and early Bob Dylan. Welles is nominated as Artist of the Year in this year’s Americana Music Awards, to be presented in Nashville on Sept. 16.
RICKY SKAGGS / “Say a Prayer”
Writers: Ben Cooper/Gordon Kennedy; Producers: Gordon Kennedy. Ricky Skaggs; Label: Skaggs Family Records
– Skaggs looks around him and doesn’t like what he sees is happening to America. Amidst a nicely arranged contemporary instrumental stew, he sings an upbeat anthem of hope. This is the first new music from this Country Music Hall of Famer in more than a decade and is a welcome return to form.
JESSE & NOAH / “Lina Rose”
Writers: Jesse Bellamy/Noah Bellamy; Producers: Jesse Bellamy, Noah Bellamy; Label: Usonia
– David Bellamy’s sons have all it takes to achieve independent stardom. Their new LP The Sunshine Shop features this power-drill, twang-soaked country rocker with a doom-y lyric about a scary wife bent on murderous mayhem. Highly recommended. The collection also includes collaborations with Tess Frizzell (”On Again Off Again”) and Riders in the Sky (”Old Cowboys”).
ELLA LANGLEY / “Loving Life Again”
Writers: Devin Dawson/Ella Langley/Ernest Keith Smith; Producers: Ben West, Devin Dawson, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert; Label: SAWGOD/Columbia
– Sweet, gentle, sentimental and peaceful. When she gets down in the dumps, music and memories bring her back to loving life. Tuneful, wistful.
GAVIN ADCOCK & HUDSON WESTBROOK / “Cheap Thrills”
Writers: Gavin Adcock/Hudson Westbrook/Reid Haughton; Producers: Jay Rodgers, Ryan Youmans; Label: Warner Records Nashville
– A party-hearty stomper with jerky shifts in tempo and loads of attitude.
TUCKER WETMORE / “Who Told You That”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: MCA
– His vocal might be some kind of accelerated country, but this sounds like a pop-rock song to me.
RAELYNN & RHETT AKINS / “We’re American Made”
Writers: Amy Stroup/Bob DiPiero/Pat McManus; Producer: Corey Crowder; Label: Red Van Records
– Sunny and lively. They took the Oak Ridge Boys “American Made” hit from 1983 and rewrote the lyrics to be a celebration of the country. Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Akins has been invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry cast, and you can bet I’ll be there when they induct him. Meanwhile, RaeLynn is kicking up her heels of the Luke Bryan tour this summer.
THE BAND PERRY & KAITLIN BUTTS / “You Lie”
Writers: Aaron Henningsen/Brian Henningsen/Clara Henningsen; Producer: Beau Bedford; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– Kimberly Perry updates her 2011 hit by duetting with Butts on it. The original was better.
RANDY TRAVIS / “Fish On”
Writers: Randy Travis/Ron Avis; Producer: Kyle Lehning; Label: Warner Records Nashville
– Perfect for summer listening. This lickety-split bopper is previously unreleased. Which is amazing, since it has more hooks than a tuna boat and Travis never sounded better than he does on this merry, breezy, octave-spanning performance. Absolutely play this.
LITTLE BIG TOWN & ASHLEY MONROE / “Sucker for a Sad Song”
Writers: Ashley Monroe/Karen Fairchild/Shelby Lynne; Producers: Gena Johnson, Karen Fairchild; Label: MCA
– Groove-saturated, bluesy/moody, wafting heartbreak. Sad country song titles whisper in and out of the lyric while the sensuous rhythm swirls.
REBA McENTIRE / “Ain’t Gonna Keep It Waitin’”
Writers: Brett Beavers/Connie Harrington/Kelley Lovelace; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: Rockin’ R Records
– Roll down the windows, put the car in highway drive and crank up this delightfully bright country rocker. Rolling audio pleasure.
Ty Herndon Signs With Universal Attractions Agency
/by Lauryn SinkTy Herndon.
Ty Herndon has signed exclusively with Universal Attractions Agency (UAA).
UAA will spearhead Herndon’s global representation across all major entertainment verticals, including live touring, film, television, theatrical Broadway productions and professional speaking engagements with Gabe Israel acting as responsible agent.
Herndon launched his career at the Opryland theme park as a member of The Tennessee River Boys. After signing with Epic Records, Herndon skyrocketed to solo fame in 1995 with the chart-topping single “What Mattered Most,” the first of his 17 Billboard charting hits. He released his memoir, What Mattered Most, on March 31 via Dey Street Books.
“Ty Herndon is a rare, generational talent whose voice, story, and artistry transcend the boundaries of a single genre,” says Israel. “From filling music venues to moving audiences with his deeply personal story of resilience, Ty’s potential across touring, television, film, and Broadway is limitless. “We are thrilled to welcome him to the UAA family and to build an expansive new chapter for an artist who has already given so much to country music and American culture.”
“I am incredibly excited to partner with the visionary team at Universal Attractions Agency,” shares Herndon. “As I look back on 30 years in this business, I feel more energized than ever to create, perform, and share my story. Whether it’s on a concert stage, a theater marquee, or a television screen, this partnership is about breaking new ground and connecting with people in ways that impact hearts and minds.”
Inaugural Music City Kickoff Concert Set For September
/by Lorie HollabaughThe concert will feature performances by Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett and Payton Smith, and marks the official start of a weekend of college sporting events hosted by the Nashville Sports Council.
The festivities continue Sunday (Sept. 6) at Bridgestone Arena for the second annual Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party and a women’s college volleyball double-header. Later that evening, the action shifts across the Cumberland River to Nissan Stadium for the inaugural Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff, a college football season opener between the Louisville Cardinals and Ole Miss Rebels.
“We’re continuously looking for creative ways to engage locals and tourists with new sporting events and continued elevation of Nashville’s favorite traditions,” says Scott Ramsey, President and CEO of the Nashville Sports Council. “Nashville has long been known as Music City, and we’ve worked tirelessly to make it a sports destination as well. This inaugural concert brings the two together for an unforgettable holiday weekend of entertainment.”
Tickets for the Music City Kickoff Concert go on sale to the general public tomorrow (July 10).
AUDION Foundation Launches Inaugural Creative Mentorship Program
/by Lorie HollabaughThe AUDION Foundation, a new nonprofit dedicated to supporting Nashville’s emerging creative community, has announced a list of industry professionals who will serve as mentors in its inaugural Creative Mentorship Program.
AUDION’s Founding Mentor Class has earned Grammy awards and nominations, RIAA Diamond Certifications, CMA, ACM, BMI, and SESAC Song of the Year honors, SESAC Songwriter of the Year nods, CMA’s Triple Play Awards, BMI Millionaire Awards, BMI Multi-Platinum awards, Golden Globe and CMT Award nominations, and Dove Awards. Their work encompasses more than 30 No. 1 songs, and inclusion in countless films, thousands of TV episodes and commercials, millions of records and video games sold worldwide, and billions of streams.
“Every successful creative can point to someone who reached back to pull them forward at a pivotal moment in their journey – someone who changed the trajectory of their career,” says Zac Koffler, president of the AUDION Foundation. “This program exists to create more of those moments. Nashville has long been defined by creatives supporting other creatives and industry leaders elevating up-and-comers, and we are honored to continue that tradition in a highly intentional and impactful way. Every mentor participating in this program understands a simple truth: careers are often shaped by people willing to believe in you before the rest of the world does. Together, they represent the creative heartbeat of Music City.”
Spearheaded by AUDION Foundation Team Members Koffler, Martha Kenny, James Dail and Max Abrams, the Creative Mentorship Program is designed to meet creatives wherever they are in their own journeys and amplify their efforts through unique mentorship opportunities such as co-writes, creative collaborations, career conversations, and real-world industry opportunities. The program will launch later this year with an inaugural cohort of 10 selected mentees who will each collaborate with up to six mentors. The number of program participants will grow in future years.
Applications for AUDION’s Creative Mentorship Program are available now. Participation is free, and applicants must be 18 years of age or older and reside within 30 miles of Nashville.
The 2026 AUDION Founding Mentor Class:
Anna Wilson – Artist, Songwriter
Anthony L. Smith – Songwriter, Producer, Publisher, Manager
Austin Nivarel – Songwriter, Producer, Multi-Instrumentalist
Belles – Artist, Songwriter
Derek George – Songwriter, Producer, Musician, Publisher
Dwayne Wright – Songwriter, Producer, Musician, MD
Emily West – Artist, Songwriter
Gabe Lee – Artist, Songwriter
Gina Waters Miller – Music & Leadership Strategist, Talent Manager
Greg Camp – Artist, Songwriter, Composer, Producer
Greg Lucid – President, Lucid Creative Services
Haley Teske – Booking Agent
Heather Morgan – Songwriter
Jake Hoot – Artist, Songwriter
James Marsh Jr. – Director of Radio Accounts, Warner Records Nashville
James Otto – Artist, Songwriter
Jamie Moore – Songwriter, Producer
Jeff Cohen – Songwriter
JoJamie Harr – EVP, Recorded Music, BMG
Lance Alleman – Booking Agent
Madeline Edwards – Artist, Songwriter
Mike Reynolds – Artist & Label Management, MNJR
Monty Powell – Songwriter, Producer
Norman Jacob – Artist & Label Management, MNJR
Phil Hughley – Producer, Songwriter, Artist
Rachel Whitney – Streaming Executive
Rudy Newman – Artist & Label Management, MNJR
Tammi Kidd – Songwriter
Wendy Moten – Artist, Vocalist
Wil Merrell – Artist, Vocalist, ‘Artistpreneur’
Get After It Media Launches New Streaming Platform Heartland+
/by Lorie HollabaughHeartland+ provides live streaming from Get After It Media’s network lineup, including The Heartland Network, Retro TV, Rev’n Action, and Hasbro Legends. Viewers can also enjoy Unbeaten Sports Channel, along with Stingray’s television shows, including Stingray Hooked (fishing), Stingray Stand-Up (stand-up comedy), and Stingray Qello (concert specials and music documentaries). Viewers can enjoy country music programming, classic television, automotive and outdoor entertainment, action sports, championship wrestling, iconic toy franchises, and more.
The on-demand library brings together beloved TV favorites spanning generations, including The Carol Burnett Show, The Best of The Ed Sullivan Show, The Real McCoys, Bonanza, The Lucy Show, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, and The Beverly Hillbillies, along with additional comedies, westerns, variety shows, and nostalgic favorites. Heartland+ also showcases an expanding collection of feature films, acclaimed music documentaries, and concert experiences including Sting, Elton John, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire.
Heartland+ is also home to original programming including Barbecue Country, Country Fix, Keith Stegall’s High Dollar Hill, and The Heartland Network’s new hosted video series, Heartland Hits, artist interviews, live performances, and additional exclusive content. The platform also features 17 Stingray streaming music channels spanning Adult Pop, Alternative, Latin, Soul & R&B, Country, Classic Rock, Jazz, Easy Listening, Spa, Greatest Hits, today’s chart-toppers, and decade-based favorites from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, and today.
Heartland+ delivers a diverse collection of content accessible anytime across mobile devices, tablets, smart TVs, and web browsers. Viewers can access Heartland+ on the website or by downloading the Heartland+ app from Google Play or Apple. Heartland+ is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, and coming soon to LG and Samsung smart TVs.
Industry Ink: Eric Church, CMHOFM, Blake Whiten, Charlie Reece
/by Lauryn SinkEric Church & Epiphone Unveil Hummingbird Dark
Eric Church.`Photo: Courtesy of Epiphone
Eric Church and Epiphone have partnered to release the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird Dark, a special limited-edition signature acoustic-electric guitar modeled after Church’s beloved Gibson Hummingbird. The guitar is available now.
“For me, a great guitar is about expression—finding something honest and putting it out into the world,” says Church. “We’ve been working on this Epiphone Hummingbird Dark, and it’s been with me out on the road for the past two years, part of that journey every single night. It’s where songs take shape, where ideas turn into something real. I’m excited for other players to get their hands on it and see where it leads them, because that’s what this is all about—finding your voice and having the right partner to help you say it.”
Marc Scibilia Visits CMHOFM Songwriting Camp
Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Marc Scibilia recently visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s intermediate-to-advanced Songwriting Camp as a guest artist, where he answered questions about his career and performed “By Your Side” and “More to This.”
Blake Whiten Celebrates Album Release With National TV Debut & Hometown Release Show
Blake Whiten. Photo: Turner Rosen
Blake Whiten celebrated the release of his debut album, Something To Say, with his national television debut on NBC’s TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle. Live from New York City, Whiten performed his current single “Bet On That.” Watch the performance here.
He returned home to Six Mile, South Carolina on Sunday (July 5) for a celebration that drew hundreds of people to Durham’s Convenience Mart for a performance, bonfire and more.
Charlie Reece Signs With Red Clay Cartel In Partnership With ADA
Charlie Reece. Photo: Dennys Ilic
Charlie Reece has signed with Red Clay Cartel in partnership with ADA, the independent label and artist services arm of Warner Music Group.
“I’m incredibly grateful for this partnership with ADA and Warner Music Group and to be part of the launch of Red Clay Cartel,” says Reece. “It means a lot to have the opportunity for my music to be heard and to keep building from here.”
“We’re excited to partner with Red Clay Cartel as they begin building their roster with Charlie Reece,” adds MaryLynne Drexler, Global Head of Content Acquisition and Business and Legal Affairs. “They have a clear artist-focused vision and a long-term approach to development, and we look forward to supporting their growth and future releases.”
Eric Paslay & Love And Theft To Headline Nashville Dance Fest In September
/by Lorie HollabaughEric Paslay and Love And Theft are set to headline Nashville Dance Fest 4, the International Country Dance Festival which is returning to Music City Sept. 4-6.
The competition set over Labor Day weekend will feature live concerts, more than 70 dance workshops, and thousands of visitors from around the globe. It has quickly become one of North America’s premiere country dance events, and is also home to the Honky Tonk World Championships, featuring elite dancers from around the globe competing for world championship titles, in addition to Open and Pro-Am competitions taking place all weekend long.
The celebration begins Sept. 3, with the official Nashville Dance Fest Launch Party at Category 10 in downtown Nashville.
The festival, hosted at the Nashville Palace and neighboring Scoreboard Bar & Grill, transforms more than 90,000 square feet into an immersive country music and dance experience featuring eight dance floors, an outdoor concert stage, competitions, workshops, vendors and social dancing. Other artists set to perform throughout the weekend include Browning Snider, Angie K, Josiah Siska, Kylie Frey, Kaleb Sanders and Moss.
“Nashville has always been known as Music City, and we’re proud that Nashville Dance Fest is helping establish it as a global destination for country dance,” says Taylor Winston, Co-Founder of Nashville Dance Fest. “People arrive here as strangers and leave as lifelong friends. Whether you’re stepping onto the dance floor for the first time or competing for a world championship, everyone is welcomed into this incredible community.”
Tickets, VIP packages, competition registration and the complete schedule are available here.
Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame To Induct Ron Kitchener
/by Lauryn SinkRon Kitchener will be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame as the 2026 Stan Klees Builder inductee during a ceremony taking place as part of Country Music Week 2026, scheduled for September 16–19 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
“Ron’s impact on Canadian country music has been felt for over three decades, all through his deep belief in artists and the careers he has helped shape,” says Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “He has consistently championed talent and built opportunities where few existed, and this induction recognizes that lasting contribution. We are proud to welcome Ron into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and look forward to celebrating his legacy in Saskatoon.”
As the Founder of RGK Entertainment Group, Kitchener’s career has spanned more than three decades as a music executive, entrepreneur and artist manager.
Beginning with his first management client, Jason McCoy, in the mid-1990s, Kitchener has guided the careers of acclaimed artists including Johnny Reid, Dean Brody, Corb Lund, Doc Walker, The Road Hammers, Tim Hicks, Madeline Merlo and Hunter Brothers, among others. In 2003, he founded Open Road Recordings. Under his leadership, the label has sold millions of albums, produced 20 No. 1 singles and more than 120 Top 10 country radio hits, earned more than 100 Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum certifications and helped introduce major international artists, including Taylor Swift, to Canadian audiences.
Establishing a Nashville office in 2007 through the management division and publishing company Roots Three Music helped Kitchener build lasting connections throughout music city. He represented U.S. artists like Blackjack Billy and The Mavericks and worked to strengthen relationships between Canadian and international music communities serving in influential leadership positions including as Chair of the CCMA Board of Directors and International Director at the CMA. Across his management and label ventures, the artists and projects Kitchener has championed have earned five JUNO Awards and 56 CCMA Awards. Individually, Kitchener has been named CCMA Manager of the Year 14 times, Industry Person of the Year three times, while Open Road captured Record Company of the Year for 6 straight years from 2009 to 2014.
Beyond his professional work, Kitchener has remained deeply engaged in philanthropy and community support. Alongside his family, he has supported initiatives including local hospital foundations in his community and SickKids, and he is an original member of 100 Men Who Care Halton Hills. His charitable efforts have also included Open Road Recordings’ 15 Acts of Kindness campaign, launched for the company’s 15th anniversary, as well as ongoing support for MusiCounts and the Unison Fund.
“After producing my first campus concert, I was all in,” shares Kitchener. “While this is a rollercoaster business, there’s nothing better than when the song, the artist, and an enthusiastic live audience singing every word unite — it’s magic. I’ve been blessed to be part of bringing some of those moments to life, and it’s why I’m so deeply honoured by this recognition. I am indebted to Stan Klees’ legacy and to all those who paved the path before me. At the end of the day, it’s the talent up front and the tireless teams promoting the art from behind the scenes who make the long days worth it — lots of laughs, many cheers, and a few tears. That’s life in the music business, and I’m grateful for every second of it.”
Dustin Lynch Spotlights The Hits On New ‘Setlist Staples – 10 #1’s’ LP
/by Lorie HollabaughDustin Lynch is offering up a collection of fan favorites on his latest album Setlist Staples – 10 #1’s, available everywhere Aug. 28.
After more than a decade of chart-topping hits, sold-out shows and unforgettable moments shared with fans, Lynch gathered up the songs that never leave the setlist for the new collection, which includes “Hell of a Night,” “Seein’ Red,” “Small Town Boy,” “Mind Reader,” “Good Girl,” and “Thinking ‘Bout You (feat. MacKenzie Porter),” among others.
“These are the songs that have stayed with me and the fans from the very beginning,” shares Lynch. “No matter how much new music I make, these are the records that always find their way back into the show. They’ve become part of the soundtrack to so many memories over the years, and I love getting to relive those moments every night onstage.”
While fans revisit the songs that built his live show on the new album, Lynch continues writing new chapters with his latest single “Easy To Love,” which is currently climbing the charts. As Lynch expands his career reach from festival stages and arenas to nightlife venues and dance floors, Setlist Staples – 10 #1’s serves as both a look back at the moments that helped define his journey and a reminder that his story is still being written.
1. “Hell of a Night”
2. “Seein’ Red”
3. “Thinking ‘Bout You” (feat. MacKenzie Porter)
4. “Where It’s At”
5. “Chevrolet” (feat. Jelly Roll)
6. “Ridin’ Roads”
7. “Mind Reader”
8. “Good Girl”
9. “Stars Like Confetti”
10. “Small Town Boy”
A Decade of Growth: Inside First Horizon Bank’s Music Industry Expansion [Interview]
/by Sherod RobertsonPictured (L-R): Ben James, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank; Andrew Kintz, Executive Vice President, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank; Bryan Bolton, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank. Photo: Courtesy of First Horizon Bank
It started with borrowed furniture, a sublet office on Music Row, and zero loans, deposits, or revenue. When First Horizon’s Music, Sports and Entertainment (MSE) group launched in the summer of 2016, Andrew Kintz and Bryan Bolton felt the pressure to generate business quickly.
Ten years later, they have grown into a coast-to-coast team of 21 bankers operating out of Nashville, Atlanta, and Miami, with clients spanning New York and Los Angeles and beyond.
The group has originated over a billion dollars in financing for the music industry. What began as a scrappy bet on a niche market has grown into a well-established specialty lending and private banking operation in the entertainment business.
Today, approximately 89 percent of the group’s revenue flows from five cities: Nashville, Atlanta, Miami, New York, and Los Angeles. This concentration speaks to both the geography of the music business and the intentional focus the team has maintained.
Kintz, Executive Vice President, Bolton, Senior VP and Managing Director, and Ben James, Senior VP and Managing Director, are key members of the leadership team. Kintz and Bolton operate out of Nashville’s Music Row office. James leads the firm’s East operations from Atlanta. Together, they sat down with MusicRow to reflect on what the last decade has taught them, what has changed in the music industry, and where they see things heading next.
Pictured (L-R): Andrew Kintz, Executive Vice President, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank; Bryan Bolton, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Music, Sports and Entertainment Group for First Horizon Bank. Photo: Courtesy of First Horizon Bank
While Kintz and Bolton set up their first office inside SESAC’s Nashville building in 2016, James joined the team through a parallel journey. After years of experience in music finance at SunTrust, James was recruited into Iberia Bank’s Sports & Entertainment group, founded by longtime music finance leader Alex Hernandez.
Iberia Bank and First Horizon merged in 2019, and Hernandez and Kintz brought the teams together to form First Horizon Bank’s Music, Sports and Entertainment Group.
While the merger was a key inflection point in the bank’s growth, streaming changed everything.
If there is a single moment the team points to as the catalyst for explosive growth, it is 2016, the year streaming revenue finally turned upward after years of declining revenue in the music industry.
For years, banking had been comfortable lending against the underlying music copyrights of publishing rights. Record label revenue had cratered from the early 2000s and the cash flows from master recordings were simply too unpredictable to leverage. 2015 was the first year many industry observers realized streaming wasn’t just a niche revenue stream.
Then streaming changed the math.
As Kintz explains, the cash flows from master recordings started behaving similarly to those of publishing assets with some predictability and measurable growth.
“All of a sudden, this entire huge group of clients we were not calling on became open to us and we got super excited,” shares Kintz. “In the overall industry, people got really interested in these assets from both a strategic perspective and as a financial asset.”
Labels, funds, and investors who had been sitting on master recordings suddenly had a bankable asset. And First Horizon was positioned to move fast.
James adds, “You started to see the investor pool broaden as more traditional investors started getting into the copyright game because they started to better understand it. Over the years, it has become a more traditional asset class as investors look for yield.”
Bolton shares that one of the group’s most innovative contributions to music industry finance is an option to “replace the advance” which offers an alternative financing structure. In the traditional model, a label or publisher advances money to an artist or writer, then recoups that advance from the future royalties. For the artist or writer, it comes with real costs. The full advance is considered taxable income and often commissionable. Also, the label or publisher ties up its own capital in the process.
Pictured (L-R): First Horizon Bank’s Jack Spangler, Tyler Marler, Daniel Webster, Ben James, Ben Jelks, Christy McDaniel, Debbi Hooper, Andrew Kintz, Colby Shepperson, Reuben Coopwood, Bryan Bolton, Alex Strong and Parker McRoy. Photo: Courtesy of First Horizon Bank
The alternative structure is more nuanced. The artist or writer comes directly to First Horizon for a royalty loan. The loan incurs interest but is repaid as royalties come in. Because it is structured as debt rather than income, the artist pays taxes only as royalties arrive each year, not on the lump sum advanced in the beginning of the deal. Commissions are not triggered until the royalties are earned and the label retains its capital to invest elsewhere.
“It is literally the efficient allocation of capital. It is more efficient for us to put bank capital to work,” says Kintz. The deal works for everyone at the table and it represents exactly the kind of creative financial structuring that defines how First Horizon approaches client services.
For a long time, investing in music felt like a vanity play. You could see and touch a building. You could run the numbers on a manufacturing company. But for the music industry, the investable side felt abstract, emotional, volatile, and unquantifiable.
That perception has fundamentally changed, and the team at First Horizon has watched it happen in real time over the last decade.
Several forces drove the shift. The first was data integrity. Kintz points to the contrast between the 1980s, when tracking a song’s global consumption was essentially impossible, and today, when streaming platforms generate granular, real-time royalty data at scale. When a bank can see exactly how much a copyright is earning, in every market, on a monthly basis, the asset becomes much easier to value and underwrite.
Another force was the arrival of institutional capital. Private equity giants such as KKR, The Carlyle Group, Blackstone, and Apollo have all launched specialized vehicles and joint ventures to actively acquire music catalogs, royalties, and publishing rights. The influx of institutional money has done more than just validate the asset class. It has brought powerful advocates to Capitol Hill lobbying for songwriter and artist rights.
The Music Modernization Act is one example of how advocacy translated into laws that help not only copyright owners, but also make music more bankable.
Relationships drive their business, not transactions. Bolton describes the foundation as deceptively simple by doing what you say you are going to do, tell the truth even when the news is hard, and never resist picking up the phone.
James adds, “It’s important to not be transactional. I try to never forget it’s always about the people.”
That culture runs through the internal team as much as the client roster. Kintz describes their banking group as genuinely invested in one another. This fosters a work environment that is the kind of place where a colleague’s baby shower becomes a team event and where people show up not because they have to, but because they care about the person.
Looking into the future, no conversation about the music business is complete without addressing AI, and the First Horizon team receives this question constantly.
Their take is measured. For their core business, lending against established catalogs with multi-year track records and proven fan bases, they are not particularly worried. The cash flows are stable, the consumption data is clear, and the emotional bond between audiences and artists is not something an algorithm can manufacture.
Speaking of the deep emotional connection people have to music, Kintz shares, “We do not believe AI can take that away. Velvet Sundown, [an AI-generated artist], might be an interesting listen, but at the end of the day, there is no deep emotional connection.”
Where the team sees real risk is for emerging artists. A market flooded with AI-generated music makes discovery harder for early-stage creators trying to break through the noise.
But they also see AI as a tool. Songwriters are already using it to test arrangements, explore alternate tempos, and develop ideas faster. And companies are building AI-powered royalty collection tools that could help ensure artists actually get paid what they are owed. The winners and losers dynamic is real, but it mirrors what the industry experienced with the internet.
A decade in, First Horizon no longer feels like the younger sibling in the music banking world. The team is being invited into deals led by other institutions, and they are leading deals that bring others to the table. The steady, compounding growth they have built in headcount, deal volume, revenue, and geographic reach has earned them a seat at the table.
Kintz sees consistent growth, expanding relationships, and a business that continues to attract bankers who are equally passionate about music and finance.
“The pie keeps getting bigger and that, to me, is an encouraging sign,” says Kintz.
From a sublet office with borrowed furniture and no revenue to a billion-dollar origination business in ten years, First Horizon has proven that the music business, understood on its own terms, is as bankable as any industry in the world.