Nashville Music Equality to Hold Panel on Feb. 9: Moving the Nashville Music Culture Forward

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Nashville Music Equality (NME) will kick off 2021 with the panel, Moving the Culture Forward, to discuss what they learned in 2020 and what they are working on for this year and beyond. The panel will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 5:30 pm CST.

The organization, recently recognized in the inaugural list of Billboard’s Change Agents, will host an in-depth discussion among the NME board members on the best way to move the Nashville music culture forward and how others can help create an anti-racist environment in Nashville.

The panelists include:
Alandis Brassel – entertainment attorney
Cameo Carlson – president of mtheory Nashville
Leslie Fram – senior vice president of music and talent, CMT
Tracy Gershon – artist manager and founder of Shero Entertainment
Beverly Keel – dean of MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment
Gina Miller – senior vice president and general manager, Entertainment One (Nashville)
Shannon Sanders – executive director, creative of BMI Nashville
Brian Sexton – founder of Creatives Day
Kortney Toney – marketing consultant
Candice Watkins – vice president of marketing, Big Loud

RSVP for the Moving the Nashville Music Culture Forward panel here.

Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, More Added to Grand Ole Opry’s 95th Anniversary

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NBC is honoring country music’s most famous show with its Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music special on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.

Recorded at the Grand Ole Opry House, the two-hour special will feature performances by Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Kane Brown, Lady A, Little Big Town, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dolly Parton, Darius Rucker, Marty Stuart, Carrie Underwood and Trisha Yearwood. As previously announced, Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton will co-host the show, which will also feature archival footage including interviews and performances.

Among the slated cover songs are Ballerini singing “When You Say Nothing At All,” Bentley and Stuart’s duet of “Pancho & Lefty,” and Lady A’s rendition of “Forever and Ever, Amen.”

“This special is going to capture so much of what makes the Opry a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience,” said Dan Rogers, Opry Vice President and Executive Producer.

The Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music telecast is a production of Grand Ole Opry and Brad Lachman Productions with Lachman serving as executive producer. Along with Lachman, Rogers and Scott Bailey are executive producers. Bill Bracken, Brad Lachman Productions, is co-executive producer.

Justin Timberlake Joins Ownership Group Of Music City Grand Prix

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Justin Timberlake is joining the ownership group responsible for bringing the Music City Grand Prix urban street race to Nashville in August. In addition to Timberlake, other music industry members joining the effort are President & CEO of the Big Machine Label Group, Scott Borchetta, and EVP/Music Sports & Entertainment at Pinnacle Financial Partners, Andy Moats.

Timberlake—who is from Memphis, Tennessee—has had ties to the racing world before, backing late British driver Dan Wheldon’s winning effort in the Indianapolis 500 in 2011 through a sponsorship with his clothing company William Rast. Other new additions to the ownership group include former Delta Airlines COO Gil West, and NASCAR team owner/driver Justin Marks. Just last month, Marks’ Trackhouse Racing team announced a new addition to his team—Grammy-winning Latin artist Pitbull.

The three-day international festival of speed and sound will be staged August 6-8 on a temporary 2.17-mile grand prix circuit in downtown Nashville and around the Nissan Stadium campus. The course will cross the Cumberland River via the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge, making the Music City Grand Prix one of the only events in motorsports to cross over a major body of water. In addition to a weekend of racing, attendees can look forward to live music performances by top artists, best-in-class chef-curated food experiences, and more.

“I am incredibly proud of the ownership group we have assembled,” says Matt Crews, CEO of Music City Grand Prix, “Our group combines game changers in the world of business, music and motorsports. Each person brings something unique to the table that will be invaluable as we merge motorsports, music and food into a one-of-a-kind event. This event will be one to remember and one to be celebrated year after year in the heart of Music City. We look forward to the team’s unique perspectives and the magic that soon will become the inaugural Music City Grand Prix.”

Other Music City Grand Prix Owners:
Teddy Phillips – CEO Phillips and Jordan, Inc.
Kevin Clayton – President & CEO of Clayton Homes
Brad Lager – Chairman & CEO Herzog Contracting Corporation
JR Hand – President/CEO Hand Family Companies
Darby Campbell – Owner and President of Safe Harbor Development
Stanton Barrett – Movie Director, Stunt Coordinator, Race Car Driver
Drew Kitchen – Attorney Maynard Cooper
Amish Purohit – Alpha Development
John Thompson – CEO MTA Distributors
Ace Harrington – COO MTA Distributors

Songwriting Great Jim Weatherly Passes

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Jim Weatherly. Photo: Courtesy Songwriters Hall of Fame

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Jim Weatherly died Wednesday morning (Feb. 3) at his home in Brentwood at age 77.

His classics include “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “(You’re The) Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me,” “Someone Else’s Star,” “Neither One of Us” and “Where Do I Put Her Memory.” Country superstar Ray Price recorded more than 50 of his songs.

James Dexter Weatherly was a native of Pontotoc, Mississippi who began writing songs when he was 13 years old. Handsome and athletic, he became a football quarterback at the University of Mississippi. His Ole Miss team won the national championship in 1962. The Rebels repeated as SEC champs the following year, again with him as quarterback.

While in college, he and some friends formed a rock band. They came to Nashville in 1966, but found no interest. The group moved to L.A. and scored a recording contract with Verve Records as The Gordian Knot. With Weatherly as lead singer, the act issued its LP in 1968. The Godian Knot was on the Sunset Strip scene during the heyday of The Byrds, Johnny Rivers, Barry McGuire and other folk-rockers of the era.

Song publishers took an interest in his songs. In 1973-75, Gladys Knight & The Pips had big hits with his “Neither One of Us,” “Where Peaceful Waters Flow,” “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me,” “Love Finds Its Own Way” and, unforgettably, “Midnight Train to Georgia.”

At the same time, Nashville artists began scoring with Weatherly tunes. In fact, Ray Price’s 1973 No. 1 country hit with “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me” predated Knight’s. Bob Luman hit the country Top 10 in 1973 with “Neither One of Us.”

Weatherly also wrote Luman’s 1974 country success “Just Enough to Make Me Stay,” as well as the Price country hits “Storms of Troubled Times” (1974), “Like a First Time Thing” (1974), “Like Old Times Again” (1975), “Roses and Love Songs” (1975), “Farthest Thing From My Mind” (1975) and “If You Ever Change Your Mind” (1975).

Songwriting success led to a solo recording contract. Jim Weatherly hit No. 11 on the pop charts with 1974’s “The Need to Be” and No. 9 on the country charts with 1975’s “I’ll Still Love You.” His top-30 1977 country single “All That Keeps Me Going” was later recorded by Trini Lopez.

In 1979, Bill Anderson took Weatherly’s “This Is a Love Song” into the top-20, and Charley Pride hit No. 1 with the songwriter’s “Where Do I Put Her Memory.”

Jim Weatherly began traveling to Nashville to collaborate with Music Row songwriters around 1982. In 1984, he had Top 10 country hits with Glen Campbell singing his “A Lady Like You,” Ed Bruce’s recording of “You Turn Me On (Like a Radio)” and the Earl Thomas Conley & Gus Hardin duet “All Tangled Up in Love.” He began living in Nashville in 1985.

Bryan White hit No. 1 with Weatherly’s co-written “Someone Else’s Star” in 1995. Since 2000, the songwriter’s works have been recorded by Kenny Rogers, Delbert McClinton, Jeff Carson, Etta James, The Manhattans and more.

Among the hundreds of others who have recorded Jim Weatherly songs are Dionne Warwick, Vince Gill, Tanya Tucker, Mac Davis, Marie Osmond, B.J. Thomas, Andy Williams, Eddy Arnold, Lynn Anderson, Joan Osborne, Neil Diamond, The Temptations, Trisha Yearwood, The Oak Ridge Boys, Hall & Oates, The Spinners, Reba McEntire, Dean Martin, Ray Charles, Johnny Lee, Peter Cetera, Lee Greenwood, Brenda Lee, Aretha Franklin, Steve Wariner, Kenny Chesney, Julie Andrews, Dottie West, Bobby Goldsboro, Garth Brooks, The Indigo Girls, Johnny Mathis, Dan Seals, the Rev. James Cleveland, Peggy Lee and Widespread Panic.

Weatherly’s major-label albums were Weatherly (RCA, 1972), A Gentler Time (RCA, 1973), Jim Weatherly (RCA, 1973), The Songs of Jim Weatherly (Buddah, 1974), Magnolias & Misfits (Buddah, 1975), The People Some People Choose to Love (ABC, 1976) and Pictures & Rhymes (ABC, 1976). He also recorded a number of CDs for his own Brizac label.

He was ASCAP’S Songwriter of the Year in 1974. Weatherly was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 and became a member of the national Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York in 2014. He published Midnight Train as his autobiography in 2018.

Jim Weatherly is survived by his wife, Cynthia, daughter Brighton and son Zack. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

BREAKING: ACM Halts Morgan Wallen’s Eligibility For 2021 Awards

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Morgan Wallen. Photo: John Shearer

The Academy of Country Music announced they will halt Morgan Wallen‘s potential involvement and eligibility for this year’s ACM Awards.

“The Academy does not condone or support intolerance or behavior that doesn’t align with our commitment and dedication to diversity and inclusion,” the statement reads.

The announcement comes after Wallen’s recording contract with Big Loud Records was suspended following the surfacing of a video of the country artist saying the N-word outside his Nashville home.

The 56th ACM Awards are to take place on Sunday, April 18, 2021 on CBS. Last year Wallen was nominated for New Male Artist of the Year.

Dan + Shay To Headline Warner Showcase During CRS

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Country Radio Seminar has released the lineup for the third annual Warner Music Nashville Luncheon, to be held Feb. 17 at noon CT during CRS: 2021 The Virtual Experience. The event will be headlined by Dan + Shay with additional performances by Brett Eldredge, Cole Swindell, Drew Parker, Ian Munsick, Michael Ray, Robyn Ottolini, and Shy Carter.

“No matter where we are in the world, all of us at WMN remain committed to CRS and its mission to educate and connect,” said Warner Music Nashville SVP Radio Kristen Williams. “While we would love to be welcoming everyone to Nashville, we look forward to celebrating together in a new way. From GRAMMY-winning global superstars Dan + Shay to the brightest new talent, we can’t wait to bring our music into your homes.”

This year’s CRS agenda offers attendees more than 14 educational sessions, four morning networking events, two lunchtime performances, four interactive workshops, Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley featuring Thomas Rhett and Guests, Amazon Music Presents: Country Heat at CRS, the annual New Faces of Country Music® Show, and Luke Bryan at the annual CRS Artist Interview, sponsored by BMI.

Registration for CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience is $199 per person and is available at www.countryradioseminar.com.

Houston Rodeo Canceled For 2021

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The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a revered performance slot for country artists, has been canceled. The RODEOHOUSTON® competitions, concerts and entertainment, carnival, and other attractions and activities, were recently rescheduled for May 4 – 23, 2021, but were canceled due to the ongoing health situation.

The Junior Livestock and Horse Show competitions will still be held in March, as private events. While the Downtown Rodeo Parade, Trail Ride activities, Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition, and the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Comcast Business, are canceled for 202; the Rodeo Run, presented by ConocoPhillips, will be held in a virtual format, with details to be announced once available.

“While we were optimistic that moving our Rodeo to May would provide a better opportunity to host our annual community event that Rodeo fans have come to love and expect, unfortunately, it has become evident that the current health situation has not improved to the degree necessary to host our event,” said Chris Boleman, president and CEO of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. “While this is an extremely heartbreaking decision for our Rodeo volunteers and the larger Rodeo community, we believe this decision is in the best interest of the health and well-being of our community.”

Dates and information for the 2022 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will be announced at a later date.

Spotify Reports 345 Million Monthly Active Users

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Spotify announced the results of its 4th quarter of 2020 on Wednesday (Feb. 3), reporting growth in many areas of the company.

According to CEO and founder Daniel Ek, “Despite the global uncertainty of 2020, it was a remarkable year for Spotify. Following a strong Q2 and Q3, Q4 met or exceeded our guidance by nearly every metric.”

Highlights from the quarter include:

Total Monthly Active Users grew 27 percent Y/Y to 345 million.

Premium Subscribers increased 24 percent Y/Y to 155 million.

Total revenue of €2,168 million grew 17 percent Y/Y in Q4, or 24 percent Y/Y on a constant currency basis.

Podcast consumption hours nearly doubled Y/Y and 25 percent of Monthly Active Users now engage with podcasts, up from 22 percent the previous quarter.

Additionally, Spotify’s advertising revenue outperformed its forecast.

See the complete shareholder letter here.

WMG Corp. Q1 Results: Highest Quarterly Revenue in History as Standalone Company

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Warner Music Group Corp. has announced its 1st quarter financial results for the period ended Dec. 31, 2020.

“Despite the impact of COVID, we generated the highest quarterly revenue in our 17-year history as a standalone company, growing 4% compared to the prior-year period, which was unaffected by COVID,” said Steve Cooper, CEO, Warner Music Group. “The strong double-digit growth in our digital revenue and direct-to-consumer business more than offset the continued disruption to our performance, merchandising, and physical revenue. We have some fantastic new music from amazing artists and songwriters on the way, and we continue to grow our investment in a new generation of talent, as well as inventing bold and memorable ways to impact global culture.”

WMG Financial Highlights:

Generated Highest Quarterly Revenue in History as a Standalone Company

Delivered Double-Digit Digital Revenue Growth Driven by Continued Momentum in Streaming

Increased Revenue Contribution from Emerging Platforms, Unlocking New Value-Creation Opportunities

Achieved Strong Year-Over-Year Growth and Margin Expansion in Key Operating Metrics

 

For the three months ended December 31, 2020:

Total revenue grew 6 %, or 4 % in constant currency.

Digital revenue grew 17 %, or 16 % in constant currency.

Net income was $99 million versus $122 million in the prior-year quarter.

Read the complete press release here.

Brothers Osborne Frontman T.J. Osborne: “I’m Very Comfortable Being Gay”

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T.J. Osborne (left) with bandmate and brother John Osborne.

Brothers Osborne’s T.J. Osborne sat down with TIME magazine recently to publicly discuss his sexuality for the first time. In the thoughtful article written by Sam Lansky and titled, “T.J. Osborne Is Ready to Tell His Story,” Osborne shares that he is gay, and has been out among close friends and family for years.

“I’m very comfortable being gay,” he tells TIME. “I find myself being guarded for not wanting to talk about something that I personally don’t have a problem with. That feels so strange.”

The article expresses the support of his brother and bandmate, John Osborne, despite the fact that coming out publicly could potentially have professional risks to their successful careers. “If I had to have all my money and success erased for my brother to be truly fulfilled in life,” John said, “I wouldn’t even think about it. Not for a second.”

T.J. added that he looks forward to making music without creative boundaries.

“I want to get to the height of my career being completely who I am,” T.J. tells TIME. “I mean, I am who I am, but I’ve kept a part of me muted, and it’s been stifling.”

In a video posted to his Instagram, T.J. said, “the person you know is me, now you just know more about me.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by @tjosborne

Artists including Kacey Musgraves are standing with Brothers Osborne in support. “Others will now feel invited to the country music party for the first time,” Musgraves told the magazine. “Country music deserves a future even more honest than its past.”

More of T.J.’s peers have come out in support of him, including the following: