On Dec. 15, CBS will air the one-hour special Play On: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change, set for 8 p.m. CT and also available via streaming on YouTube at 10 p.m. PT that evening.
Kevin Bacon and Eve will co-host the event, which is executive produced by Bacon, John Varvatos, LL Cool J, Anthony Mason and concert event producers Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter. Musician/producer Steve Jordan will serve as music director.
The show will celebrate iconic music venues, with the Bluebird Cafe hosting performances from Maren Morris and Sheryl Crow, as well as Yola performing “Hold On” featuring The Highwomen‘s Morris, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires.
The Troubadour in Los Angeles will host Gary Clark Jr., Ziggy Marley with Andra Day, and a tribute to the classic roots of hip-hop, featuring Slick Rick and Snoop Dogg. New York City’s The Apollo will host Machine Gun Kelly and Jon Batiste. The show will also feature a performance from Bon Jovi.
The concert will raise funds for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, as well as WhyHunger, via the Play On Fund created by SixDegrees.org.
“Music has historically served as a powerful and vital soundtrack for social change and a platform to unite people and make an impact for those in need,” said executive producer Varvatos. “By bringing together this outstanding array of performers, we hope to raise awareness and funding for the very important work that both the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and WhyHunger do every day and inspire viewers to continue to support these organizations.”
“2020 has been an immensely challenging year and many have turned to music as a great source of comfort, hope and strength,” said co-host and executive producer Bacon. “I am so thrilled to be teaming up my philanthropic organization Six Degrees with the respected producers and artists who have signed on for this remarkable night of music to help amplify these important issues and bring some much-needed joy through music.”
“I’m so excited to be joining Kevin Bacon in co-hosting CBS’ PLAY ON television special this coming December! It’s been a really challenging year for everyone, and it’s time we continue to support social, environmental, racial and economic justice with the help of WhyHunger, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and Sixdegrees.org,” said co-host Eve. “Also supporting iconic music venues from New York City, Nashville, Los Angeles and myself hosting live from London! I can’t wait to raise money, make a change, and bring people some really incredible live music”
“It has never been more important for us to use our platform, voices and stages to assist with the fight for social change and justice,” said British singer-songwriter Yola. “I am honoured to be joining this line-up to highlight the important work of WhyHunger and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.”
“Since the onset of COVID-19 in March, and over the course of the past eight months, it became clear to us that we needed to act and step up in support of racial and social justice and the hunger crisis this country has been facing,” said executive producer Greg Williamson. “We felt strongly that the healing power of music was this project’s mission and calling. Music, bringing people together and helping others during a time of need is what PLAY ON is all about.”
PLAY ON: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change is being made possible by many generous partners. Hard Rock International and Ford Foundation have partnered to support PLAY ON along with many others including Frito-Lay, Mary Kay Inc, GNF Marketing, Unqork, The Krim Group and Media sponsors include Rock the Bells, Condé Nast and YouTube.
Tune In Tonight: Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum’s BIG NIGHT (At The Museum)
/by Jessica NicholsonGrammy-winning singer/songwriter/musician and music historian Marty Stuart, who was recently named as a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, will lead a lineup of his fellow country music legends Wednesday night (Oct. 28) to help generate support for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
BIG NIGHT (At the Museum) will pair historic instruments, such as guitars from Loretta Lynn and Keith Whitley, with artists including Ashley McBryde, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Kane Brown, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, Stuart, The War and Treaty, Dan Tyminski, Emmylou Harris, and more.
Kane Brown, a longtime Randy Travis devotee, will sing one of Travis’s signature songs, with accompaniment on Travis’s Gibson J-185KOA. Carlene Carter will play the 1928 Gibson L-5 guitar that belonged to her grandmother, Maybelle Carter, while Emmylou Harris will perform using Boudleaux Bryant’s 1961 Martin guitar as she collaborates with Crowell on one of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant’s signature songs.
Lambert will pay tribute to John Prine, performing on his David Russell Young custom guitar. McBryde will perform using Lynn’s 1956 Gibson J-50, while McGraw will play Keith Whitley’s C.W. Parsons acoustic, and Paisley will play Don Rich’s 1965 Fender Telecaster. CMHoF member Ricky Skaggs will play Bill Monroe’s 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin. Stuart, who launched his career as a pre-teen performing in Lester Flatt’s band, will play Flatt’s 1950 Martin D-28 guitar and Monroe’s 1923 Gibson F-5 mandolin.
The Country Music Hall of Fame was closed for nearly six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in millions in lost revenues and forcing the museum to furlough much of its staff. However, the closures also allowed the museum’s staffers to bring instruments out of their storage and display cases, to be played once again.
The show will premiere at 8 p.m. CT on the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s YouTube channel. During the program, viewers will be encouraged to donate to the museum either through YouTube Giving or by texting “Donate” to 833-977-2643. There will be an auction so viewers can bid on a Gibson SJ-200 signed by all artists who are performing this evening. The auction will close at 5 p.m. CT on Nov. 1.
Lee Brice Celebrates New RIAA Certs
/by Lorie HollabaughFrom L-R: Curb Records’ John Clore; Curb Records’ Jeff Tuerff; Curb Records’ Benson Curb; Curb Records’ RJ Meacham, Curb Records’ Laurel Kittleson-Cobb; Lee Brice; Window World’s Tammy Whitworth; Window World’s Jamie McBride; All Veteran Group’s Mike Elliot; All Veteran Group’s Luke Conner)
Lee Brice had a high-flying Gold and Platinum celebration on his family farm recently when he was surprised with an RIAA certification and airplay plaques acknowledging some recent accomplishments. The surprise included a celebratory fly-over by All Veteran Group, founded by Golden Knight Mike Elliot, in conjunction with Window World for Brice and his team to watch.
Joined by his team and partners, including Red Light Management, Curb Records, Window World and All Veteran Group, Brice was presented with plaques for “One Of Them Girls” staying No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for three consecutive weeks and earning the RIAA Gold certification, as well as a career plaque for 16 RIAA certifications representing 22 million units: Brice’s “Rumor,” “Hard To Love,” and “I Don’t Dance” recently certified triple Platinum, while “Love Like Crazy” is now certified double Platinum, and “Parking Lot Party” is certified Platinum. “One Of Them Girls” and his 2017 album Lee Brice, have now reached Gold status as well. Twelve consecutive radio singles released by Brice have now been RIAA-certified.
The celebration comes as he preps for the release of his latest album, Hey World, due out Nov. 20, and the release of his latest single, “Memory I Don’t Mess With.”
Country Latin Duo Kat & Alex Sign With Warner Chappell Music, The AMG
/by Lorie HollabaughCountry Latin duo Kat & Alex have signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music Nashville. The pair has also inked a management deal with The AMG.
Kat & Alex competed on American Idol in early 2020, where judge Luke Bryan spontaneously helped choose their name. Shortly thereafter, the duo moved to Nashville and began working with producer Brad Hill. Wanting to pay homage to their Latin roots, the recently-engaged couple has been busy writing songs in both Nashville and Miami, and released English and Spanish versions of their debut single, “How Many Times,” on Oct. 16.
Maren Morris, Yola, Sheryl Crow, The Highwomen Set For CBS Television Special
/by Jessica NicholsonOn Dec. 15, CBS will air the one-hour special Play On: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change, set for 8 p.m. CT and also available via streaming on YouTube at 10 p.m. PT that evening.
Kevin Bacon and Eve will co-host the event, which is executive produced by Bacon, John Varvatos, LL Cool J, Anthony Mason and concert event producers Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter. Musician/producer Steve Jordan will serve as music director.
The show will celebrate iconic music venues, with the Bluebird Cafe hosting performances from Maren Morris and Sheryl Crow, as well as Yola performing “Hold On” featuring The Highwomen‘s Morris, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires.
The Troubadour in Los Angeles will host Gary Clark Jr., Ziggy Marley with Andra Day, and a tribute to the classic roots of hip-hop, featuring Slick Rick and Snoop Dogg. New York City’s The Apollo will host Machine Gun Kelly and Jon Batiste. The show will also feature a performance from Bon Jovi.
The concert will raise funds for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, as well as WhyHunger, via the Play On Fund created by SixDegrees.org.
“Music has historically served as a powerful and vital soundtrack for social change and a platform to unite people and make an impact for those in need,” said executive producer Varvatos. “By bringing together this outstanding array of performers, we hope to raise awareness and funding for the very important work that both the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and WhyHunger do every day and inspire viewers to continue to support these organizations.”
“2020 has been an immensely challenging year and many have turned to music as a great source of comfort, hope and strength,” said co-host and executive producer Bacon. “I am so thrilled to be teaming up my philanthropic organization Six Degrees with the respected producers and artists who have signed on for this remarkable night of music to help amplify these important issues and bring some much-needed joy through music.”
“I’m so excited to be joining Kevin Bacon in co-hosting CBS’ PLAY ON television special this coming December! It’s been a really challenging year for everyone, and it’s time we continue to support social, environmental, racial and economic justice with the help of WhyHunger, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and Sixdegrees.org,” said co-host Eve. “Also supporting iconic music venues from New York City, Nashville, Los Angeles and myself hosting live from London! I can’t wait to raise money, make a change, and bring people some really incredible live music”
“It has never been more important for us to use our platform, voices and stages to assist with the fight for social change and justice,” said British singer-songwriter Yola. “I am honoured to be joining this line-up to highlight the important work of WhyHunger and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.”
“Since the onset of COVID-19 in March, and over the course of the past eight months, it became clear to us that we needed to act and step up in support of racial and social justice and the hunger crisis this country has been facing,” said executive producer Greg Williamson. “We felt strongly that the healing power of music was this project’s mission and calling. Music, bringing people together and helping others during a time of need is what PLAY ON is all about.”
PLAY ON: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change is being made possible by many generous partners. Hard Rock International and Ford Foundation have partnered to support PLAY ON along with many others including Frito-Lay, Mary Kay Inc, GNF Marketing, Unqork, The Krim Group and Media sponsors include Rock the Bells, Condé Nast and YouTube.
Musically Fed, World Central Kitchen, Second Harvest Aid 100 Nashville-Area Families
/by Jessica NicholsonMusically Fed/World Central Kitchen volunteers gather at Bandit Lites to distribute food to 100 families. Photo: Thaddeus McAdams
Musically Fed, World Central Kitchen and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee partnered with Rhino Staging to deliver boxes of food to 100 families on Saturday (Oct. 24). The drive-thru event focused on families who work in the live entertainment, touring and concert industries whose businesses have virtually been shut down since March.
“Live music literally shut down overnight, and there is no indication when tours and concerts will be back up and running on a large scale,” said Maria Brunner, founder of Musically Fed and whose own Insight Management contracts with live entertainment for tour marketing. “There is so much need among touring crews, musicians and related vendors in the Nashville entertainment community, and we are so honored that chef Jose Andres and the World Central Kitchen have selected Musically Fed as a partner for food distributions. We are grateful to Clair Global and Bandit Lites for hosting our events and to Second Harvest for providing produce and dry goods to supplement the meals for World Central Kitchen.”
Twice a month through the end of November and every week in December, 100 boxes of dry goods and fresh produce will be prepared by Dega Food Restaurant Group on behalf of World Central Kitchen. Qualifying families must work in the live entertainment industry and are vetted through a phone interview to ensure they are unemployed, underemployed or have lost SNAP.
Musically Fed was founded in Phoenix to donate unused backstage catering food from concerts and festivals to food banks, shelters and agencies comprised of at least 50% veterans.
In 2016, thanks to Terry Burke from Live Nation, Mitch Katz of Arizona Catering, Ralph Marchetta the GM of Talking Stick Arena, and the members and crew of U2, the organization’s first effort enabled them to provide over 300 meals to outreach programs in the Phoenix community. Two weeks later, the Louis Messina Group, Kenny Chesney, and Tour Cats repurposed leftover catering in every city on Chesney’s tour to select nonprofits in need.
Through their generosity, Musically Fed learned how to implement its mission in cities across the nation.
In 2016, the Zac Brown Band and Fleetwood Mac invited Musically Fed on their national tours to feed the homeless, hungry and food insecure throughout America.
When COVID-19 essentially shut down touring nationwide, Musically Fed began organizing food drives in music hubs like Nashville, Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix and San Diego to provide relief to those who make a living in live entertainment.
Cody Alan Teams With Harper Horizon For Upcoming Memoir
/by Jessica NicholsonTV/radio personality Cody Alan has partnered with Harper Horizon to release a memoir of his music industry adventures and life lessons he’s learned along the way. The project will release Oct. 19, 2021.
Alan, host of CMT’s flagship music series, CMT Hot 20 Countdown, and the award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show, CMT After MidNite, distributed by iHeartMedia’s Premiere Networks, will offer his guidance on developing compassion and perseverance, as well as the art of listening.
“It might seem strange for a guy who talks for a living to write a book about shutting up and listening,” says Alan. “But I’ve discovered that in a world of noise, with so many voices talking, we could learn a lot by stopping to listen. Not just listening to others, but also to ourselves. I thought it would be fun to share stories from my personal journey, country music adventures and experienced insights on what I’ve learned about life, career and love from listening.”
“When I first met Cody, I was struck by the similarities between his story and the Harper Horizon mission to make the world a better place,” said Andrea Fleck-Nisbet, Harper Horizon publisher. “Not only is our hometown of Nashville the backdrop of Cody’s story, but its themes of inclusivity, community, and self- healing are very much part of the Horizon narrative too. We are thrilled that Cody has joined our team, and we fully expect his book to become a beacon of encouragement to readers everywhere.”
Cody Alan is heard on air nightly on 225 Country radio stations and over 1,000 global military bases and ships on his two radio shows, CMT After MidNite and CMT Radio Live, and seen every weekend traveling the world interviewing the biggest country stars backstage and on the red carpet with CMT Hot 20 Countdown. He has hosted top radio shows in Dallas, Orlando and Salt Lake City, and contributes frequently to LGBTQ+ outreach programs. He is the father of two and currently lives in Nashville with his fiancée, healthcare worker Trea Smith, and golden retriever, Teddy.
Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley To Pay Tribute To Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees
/by Jessica NicholsonLuke Bryan and Brad Paisley are among those who will help honor the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s newest inductees during the Nov. 7 virtual ceremony.
This year’s performer inductees include Whitney Houston, Nine Inch Nails, the Notorious B.I.G., The Doobie Brothers, T. Rex, and Depeche Mode. In 2011, Bryan collaborated with the Doobie Brothers on an episode of CMT Crossroads, while the group released the country collaborations project Southbound in 2014, which featured Paisley, Blake Shelton, and more. Houston’s signature hit “I Will Always Love You” was written by Dolly Parton, who first had a hit with the ballad in 1974. Houston’s version of the song spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 after its release in 1992, and has since been certified 8x multi-Platinum by the RIAA.
The special will also feature guests including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Miley Cyrus, Billy Gibbons, Dave Grohl, Don Henley, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Chris Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bruce Springsteen, St. Vincent, Ringo Starr, Gwen Stefani, Charlize Theron, Nancy Wilson and more.
Irving Azoff and Jon Landau will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
Ryman Auditorium Celebrates 5th Annual Community Day
/by Lorie Hollabaugh50 Shades of Hay Perform at Ryman Auditorium’s 5th Annual Community Day | Photo Credit: Steve Lowry
The Ryman Auditorium hosted its 5th annual Community Day on Sunday, Oct. 25, where Tennessee residents experienced the venue’s daytime tour experience free of charge.
Presented by PNC Bank and supporting partners Hiller and Farm Bureau Health Plans, guests enjoyed self-guided tours and family-friendly activities and live music on the PNC Plaza at the Ryman, featuring performances from 50 Shades of Hay, Jason Eskridge, The Carmonas and Bentley Caldwell.
The self-guided tours included admission to the new Turn It Up! Ryman’s Rock Legacy exhibit, which focuses on the history of rock music at the Ryman. The new exhibition will run for three years and showcases the Ryman’s rich and rockin’ cross-genre past featuring artifacts from Elvis, Peter Frampton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, John Mellencamp, Wilco, Neil Young, Steve Miller Band, Grace Potter, Drive-by Truckers, Bruce Springsteen and more.
Artist Heidi Schwartz of “Paint Your Event” at Ryman Auditorium’s 5th Annual Community Day | Photo Credit: Steve Lowry
Tours also included a stop in the state-of-the-art Soul of Nashville experience and four additional exhibitions: Workin’ on a Building, Roots Run Deep, Showplace of the South and Ryman Renaissance, as well as newly added artifacts from Country Music Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson from his 2006 taping of Precious Memories at the Ryman. Fans were also able to jump on stage and have their picture taken where so many legends have stood before them.
This weekend, the Ryman will get into the Halloween spirit with The Haunted History Tour, a unique experience exploring the untold history behind unexplained sightings and occurrences reported at the Ryman throughout its 128-year history. On Oct. 30-31 from 7–11 p.m., tours will run every 15 minutes with groups limited to 10 people. Tickets are priced at $40 and are available for purchase today at ryman.com.
Jason Eskridge Performs at Ryman Auditorium’s 5th Annual Community Day | Photo Credit: Steve Lowry
CMA Broadcast Awards Winners Revealed
/by Jessica NicholsonLuke Combs surprised radio stations and broadcast personalities Tuesday morning (Oct. 27) with calls to announce the winners of this year’s CMA Broadcast Awards. The 54th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Music City Center on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.
A full list of winners is below:
CMA BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
NATIONAL
“Country Countdown USA” (Lon Helton) – Westwood One
MAJOR MARKET
“Chris Carr & Company” (Chris Carr, Kia Becht and McKaila Granning) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
LARGE MARKET
“The Big Dave Show (“Big Dave” Chandler, Chelsie Shinkle, Jason Statt and Ashley Hempfling) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
MEDIUM MARKET
“Clay & Company” (Clay Moden, Rob Banks, and Val Townsend) – WYRK, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.
SMALL MARKET
“Officer Don & DeAnn” (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Ky.
CMA RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
MAJOR MARKET
KSCS – Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
LARGE MARKET
KNCI – Sacramento, Calif.
MEDIUM MARKET
WUSY – Chattanooga, Tenn.
SMALL MARKET
WKXC – Augusta, Ga.
The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Arbitron. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and biographical information. Candidates for Radio Station of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and format leadership.
CMA members who are full-time, on-air personalities and CMA member radio stations in the United States and Canada were eligible. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.
CMA Broadcast Awards winners are not eligible to enter in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2019 were not eligible in 2020.
Brad Cox Signs Global Deal With Sony/ATV
/by Lorie HollabaughAustralian native Brad Cox has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Cox will be collaborating with the company’s creative teams in both Nashville and Australia.
Hailing from Jindabyne, Australia, Cox has quickly made a name for himself in the country scene with his singles “Rusty Strings” and “Give Me Tonight,” which amassed over four million global streams. He rose to prominence in 2018 with his self-titled debut album, which featured singles “Red Light,” “Too Drunk to Drive,” and “Lake House,” and the crowd favorite “Water On The Ground.” He’s earned opening spots for Brett Eldredge, Jon Pardi, Randy Houser, and more on the road, and his debut album was nominated for two Golden Guitars for Contemporary Album of the Year and New Talent of the Year, as well as the 39th Toyota Star Maker award in 2018. In 2020, Cox secured two more Golden Guitar noms with his single “Rusty Strings” for APRA AMCOS Song Of The Year and Apple Music Single Of The Year.
“I first met Brad last year and immediately became fast friends with him,” said Sony/ATV Nashville Vice President, Creative Tom Luteran. “He’s not only a talented artist, but a really genuine, great guy. I am looking forward to watching him become a country music star in the US.”
Cox’s recent single “Drinking Season,” co-written by Cox and Dan Isbell, has already garnered over one million global streams. He also released a new song in Australia on Oct. 16, “Short Lived Love,” and released an official video for the track on Oct. 23.
Sony/ATV Australia Head of A&R/Creative Craig Hawker said, “We are absolutely delighted to be working in conjunction with our Nashville office on such an exciting new Australian country voice in Brad Cox, who is a superstar in the making.”
“Songwriting is such a huge part of me and my career,” said Cox. “I’m super stoked to be working with Sony/ATV both in Australia and in Nashville. I love them all and this is going to be an awesome partnership.”