Pictured: GRAMMY® Nominees Shay Mooney (Dan + Shay), Pistol Annies members Miranda Lambert, Angeleena Presley, and Ashley Monroe, and Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
Chapter 641
The annual Music Row social calendar always begins with the fabulous Grammy-nominees party, so that’s what transpired on Tuesday eve (Jan. 7) as we welcomed a new year, a new 365 days of schmoozing.
There was actually a lot “new” to celebrate. This is the first year of a new decade. The party was held at a new venue, The Hutton Hotel’s elegant Vista Ballroom. And the event celebrated a newly impressive and seldom-equaled diversity of Music City nominees.
Several attendees lined up to take selfies with enduring star Billy Ray Cyrus, nominated for his Lil Nas X phenomenon. Walking the red carpet and doing press were such other nominated greats as Miranda Lambert, Jerry Salley, Keb Mo, Matthew West, Dan + Shay, for KING & COUNTRY, Tim Menzies and Steven Curtis Chapman.
Pictured: for King & Country’s Luke Smallbone, Steven Curtis Chapman, for King & Country’s Joel Smallbone with wife Moriah Peters. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
The CCM world was out in force, as illustrated by the presence of nominees Andrew Ripp, Chris Stevens, Colby Wedgeworth and Ethan Hulse. Our bluegrass community was represented by nominees Doyle Lawson, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Missy Raines and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys.
Nashville has an unprecedented number of blues nominees this year, which is why Delbert McClinton, Lenesha Randolph and Larkin Poe members Rebecca & Megan Lovell were there, as well as Keb Mo. Our children’s-music nominee Daniel Tashian attended, as did rock nominees The Rival Sons (but alas not fellow Nashville rock nominees Cage the Elephant).
Among the country attendees were Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley of the nominated Pistol Annies, plus their compatriot Miranda, Dan +Shay and the other country folks mentioned above. That genre’s top nominee is Tanya Tucker, who was a disappointing no-show.
Pictured: Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick, GRAMMY® Nominees Sam Ashworth and Ruby Amanfu. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
One of the Song of the Year nominees is H.E.R.’s “Hard Place,” co-written by our own Ruby Amanfu and Sam Ashworth. Nominated engineer John Baldwin also attended, as did such stellar secular songwriting nominees as Liz Rose, Bobby Pinson and Hillary Lindsey.
“We are proud that our nominees this year are so diverse,” said chapter executive director Alicia Warwick. “Our chapter leads,” added Nashville board president Jennifer Hanson, pointing out that Nashvillians have 118 nominees spread across 34 Grammy categories. By the way, Jennifer is our third female NARAS chapter prez; Katie Gillon served in the role from 1994-1996, while Trey Fanjoy held the role from 2017-2019.
“A Grammy nomination is a true symbol of dedication to your craft,” quoth Jen. “We are so excited to have so many of these nominees with us here tonight.”
Pictured (L-R): GRAMMY® Nominees Matthew West, Liz Rose, Billy Ray Cyrus and Hillary Lindsey. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
This party is always a great way to wish a “Happy New Year” to your pals. Fabulons working the room included Mark Bright, Mark Brown, Chris Keaton, Chris Farren, Christy Walker Watkins, Dan Hill, Dan Rogers, Daniel Miller, Leslie Fram, Leslie DiPiero, Leslie Roberts, David Macias, David Preston, Pat McMakin, Pat Higdon, Terry Hemmings, Terry Wakefield, Fletcher Foster, Troy Tomlinson, Ronna Rubin and Susan Stewart.
Oh, I’m just getting started, gentle readers. Also grooving at the gig were such industry women as Chandra LaPlume, Tracy Gershon, Lisa Harless, Kris Wilkinson, Allison Jones, Marion Kraft, Diane Pearson, Cyndi Forman, Debbie Carroll, Whitney Daane, Susan Niles, Joanna Carter, Carol Ann Ford and Claire Ratliff.
Men of valor working the room included Mason Hunter, Joe Baldridge, Shane Tarleton, Earle Simmons, Frank Liddell, Rod Essig, B.J. Hill, Ed Morris, James Elliott (who has a song on the nominated Steven Curtis Chapman CD), Brad Kennard, Wes Vause, Kos Weaver, Tom Roland, Scott Robinson, Kerry O’Neill and Lightning 100’s Gary Kraen.
Pictured: Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick, GRAMMY® Nominees Rival Sons, Nashville Chapter President Jennifer Hanson. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
“It would be easier to have a list of everybody in the industry and cross off the names that AREN’T here,” Mark Ford sagely observed.
How about adding some power couples to the mix? Like Erika Wollam & Roger Nichols, Trey Fanjoy & Eddie Perez, Joe & Linda Chambers and Ron & Regina Stuve.
I met Lij Shaw. He’s the guy notable for activism on behalf of home recording studios. Alan Valentine introduced me to the Nashville Symphony’s new CEO Steve Brosvik. Steve was behind the “Violins of Hope” exhibit at the Library, and now those Holocaust instruments are becoming a Symphony recording.
Pictured: Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Board President Jennifer Hanson, Pistol Annies members Angeleena Presley, Ashley Monroe, Miranda Lambert and
Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
I greeted Sister Sadie’s Tina Adair, who says that she and bluegrass queen (and fellow bandmember) Dale Ann Bradley are recording a guitar-mandolin “sister duet” album. Can’t wait.
Alecia asked for a round of applause for John Prine, who was not in attendance. Prine is this year’s Lifetime Achievement honoree from Music City.
The Hutton proved more than up to the challenge of feeding the throng. The cocktail-party fare included sliced pork loin, pimento-cheese croquettes, lump crabcakes, a charcuterie spread, mushroom-and-goat-cheese torts and assorted cheeses and veggies. Not to mention sweets.
We were serenaded throughout the gala by the smooth jazz stylings of The Birdsong Trio. Breezy and tasteful, this ensemble was the perfect accompaniment to a luscious event.
Gigantic golden Grammy statues flanked the stage. Guests merrily posed for snapshots with them, as well as in front of the Grammy backdrop in the ballroom lobby. We all got souvenir Grammy posters.
DISClaimer: Morgan Wallen, Jason James Lead New Music Releases
/by Robert K OermannToday, we have all kinds of contemporary country sounds, from rock-country to bluegrass-country, from rap-country to country-country.
In the last category, put your hands together for a Texas wonder named Jason James. He is country, country, country, and is my DisCovery Award winner, hands down.
The Disc of the Day belongs to that consistent charmer, Morgan Wallen.
TAYLON HOPE/Could’ve Been A Country Song
Writers: Bill DiLuigi/Taylon Hope; Producer: Kent Wells; Publisher: none listed; SESAC/BMI; GTR (track)
– She’s still a teen, but she sure knows her way around a song. This soaring rocker depicts rural romance with verve and panache. The nicely crafted lyric is married to a propulsive production that fires on all cylinders. Very promising.
SAM HUNT/Sinning With You
Writers: Sam Hunt/Paul DiGiovanni/Josh Osborne/Emily Weisband; Producer: Bryce Cain/Zach Crowell; Publisher: none listed; MCA Nashville
– I love the minimalism of this. The stark production throws all the emphasis on the ultra romantic, sensual lyric and the sincerity of the vocal performance. Excellent work.
SONG SUFFRAGETTES/The Man
Writer: Taylor Swift/Joel Little; Producers: Taylor Swift/Joel Little; Publisher: UNIAO BRASILEIRA DE EDITORAS DE MUSICA – UBEM, EMI Music Publishing, LatinAutor, Sony ATV Publishing, BMI – Broadcast Music Inc., CMRRA, LatinAutor – SonyATV, SOLAR Music Rights Management; Label: SS
– Awesome job, ladies — 17 members of the Nashville female, singer-songwriter collective have teamed up for this delightful “Me2” video and track. It’s a cover of a current Taylor Swift song that totally suits the group’s ethos. The Suffragettes have been challenging country’s gender discrimination for five years now, but never more forcefully than here. Check it out, because it is super bodacious. (For the record, the sisterhood-is-powerful voices assembled here belong to Chloe Gilligan, Sarabeth Taite, Reyna Roberts, Maddison Krebs, Tasji, Regan Stewart, Emily Brooke, Erin Grand, Caroline Marquard, Mia Morris, Michelle Pereira, Nora Collins, Gray Robinson, Raquel Cole, Stevie Woodward, Lexi Lauren and Carter Faith — that’s in the order of their appearance in the video).
BLAKE SHELTON & GWEN STEFANI/Nobody But You
Writers: Ross Copperman, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Tommy Lee James; Producer: Scott Hendricks; Publishers: Downtown/BMG Rights/Words & Music/Big Deal, no performance rights listed; Warner Music
– Lusciously romantic. The lyric is dynamite, and the echoey production shudders and thunders quietly behind Blake’s intense lead-vocal performance. Gwen’s harmony and soft interjections are mixed in a gently ear-tickling fashion. A dandy listening experience.
FLAT RIVER BAND/Every Dog Has Its Day
Writer: Chad Sitze; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Early Bird (track)
– Hillbilly charming. The sound is kinda bluegrass-with-a-beat. The fiddle and dobro make merry with the snappy drumming and deep bass while the three group members dish out their flannel-shirt, trio harmonies.
MORGAN WALLEN/This Bar
Writers: Morgan Wallen/Michael Hardy/Jackson Morgan/Jake Scott/Ernest K. Smith/Ryan Vojtesak; Producer: Joey Moi; Publisher: none listed; Big Loud
– I love everything about this. Love his stone-country writing, his roadhouse attitude, his drawling singing voice and the tempo, tempo, tempo production. I even love Morgan’s individualistic fashion sense. This man is a star.
JASON JAMES/Seems Like Tears Ago
Writer: Jason James; Producer: John Evans; Publisher; Jason James, BMI; Melodyville (track)
– Say “amen,” somebody. This guy is so country it hurts, and I mean, “hurts so good.” The spirit of George Jones hovers over this steel-drenched honky-tonk lament. If you love real country music, stop what you’re doing right now and spin this on YouTube. Sign me up for the fan club.
THE CADILLAC THREE/All The Makin’s of a Saturday Night
Writers: Jaren Johnston/Josh Dunne/Neil Mason; Producers: Jaren Johnston/Neil Mason; Publishers: none listed; Big Machine
– These guys continue to plow the ground between hard rock and country, this time adding a quasi-rap vocal performance. It’s not at all my cup of tea, but ESPN has been using the track during its college-football broadcasts.
MATT KENNON/Love Is Stronger
Writer: Mike Mobley; Producer: Paul Worley; Publisher: none listed; Roaddawg (track)
– It’s a power ballad with a potent message of recovery and triumph. He’s not the world’s greatest vocalist, but he gets the job done thanks to urgency and oomph.
HARDY, LAUREN ALAINA, & DEVIN DAWSON/One Beer
Writers: Hillary Lindsay/Jake Mitchell/Michael Wilson Hardy; Producer: Joey Moi/Derek Wells; Publishers: none listed; Big Loud
– Ya have a couple of brews, and the next thing ya know, yer in a trailer park with babies running around all over the place. Hick hop.
Canaan Smith Kicks Off Headlining Tour In February
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“This is gonna be a big year, and I can’t think of a better way to kick it off than by hitting the road and heading to a few of my favorite cities,” said Smith. “A new year means new music, and the Pour Decisions Tour is just a taste of what’s coming up. I can’t wait for people to hear what I’ve been workin’ on.”
“Pour Decisions” was written by Smith with Corey Crowder, Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley, and Ernest K Smith, and tells the unapologetic story of a breakup and the “pour” decisions that ensue. Smith was the first artist signed to Round Here Records, the brainchild of Florida Georgia Line superstars Tyler Hubbard and Kelley, and released two other party tunes in 2019, “Beer Drinkin’ Weather” and the rowdy “Country Boy Things,” along with an emotional ode to his wife, “Life Ain’t Fair.” He’s currently at work in the studio on more new music due out soon.
Canaan Smith’s Pour Decisions Tour Dates:
February 21 – Rootstown, OH – The Dusty Armadillo *+
February 22 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed Street *+
March 6 – Charlotte, NC – Coyote Joe’s *^
March 7 – Greenville, SC – The Blind Horse Saloon *^
March 21 – Columbia, SC – St. Pat’s in Five Points
March 27 – Savannah, GA – Saddle Bags *+
March 28 – Tifton, GA – Terminal South *+
* REDFERRIN
+ Noah Schnacky
^ Kylie Morgan
Jim Selby Elevated To Chief Operating Officer At Concord
/by Lorie HollabaughCredit: Holly Tutor Photography
Jim Selby has been promoted at Concord from Chief Revenue Officer to Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Selby will report directly to Concord CEO Scott Pascucci and will continue to be based in Nashville. In this new role, Selby will oversee IT, rights optimization, repertoire management, royalty administration, licensing administration, D2C operations and distribution among other global strategic initiatives for Concord.
Selby joined Concord as General Manager of Concord Music Group, where he helped to develop an efficient shared services team for the growing recorded music area of Concord’s business. He was soon elevated to Chief Revenue Officer where he oversaw the company’s strategic revenue collections as well as music technology investments. Prior to Concord, Selby was SVP of ole Media Management (now Anthem Entertainment) and was CEO of Naxos of America for 16 years.
“Jim is an exceptional executive and we are fortunate to have him as a colleague,” said Pascucci. “Our rapid and diverse growth has required us to be adept at integration and persistent at revenue collection, and Jim has excelled at both. His broad skill set will be well-deployed in his new role. Congratulations to him on a very well-deserved promotion.”
“I am extremely proud to be a part of Concord and would like to thank Scott and the rest of the executive team for this opportunity,” said Selby. “Our rapid growth in recent years has required much hard work and innovation and I am excited to be able to focus on sharpening our operating services to better serve our roster of artists, playwrights, composers and songwriters.”
ASCAP Experience Announces Second Annual ‘In The Round’ Concert At Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe
/by Jessica NicholsonASCAP and the Bluebird Cafe will lead the second annual Nashville ASCAP Experience “In The Round” concert on Jan. 14 beginning at 6 p.m. CT, which will preview the upcoming ASCAP Experience—set for April 1-3 in downtown Los Angeles at the InterContinental Hotel.
Chris DeStefano, J.T. Harding, Brett James and Cassadee Pope will headline the event, which will be hosted by ASCAP VP, Membership Mike Sistad.
Previous keynote speakers and panelists have included Chris Stapleton, Lee Ann Womack, Ashley Gorley, Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Justin Timberlake, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Katy Perry, Meghan Trainor and Tom Petty.
For tickets and more information about the 15th annual ASCAP Experience visit ascapexperience.com. The promo code “BLUEBIRD” can be used for 10% off non-member pricing through Jan. 22.
For tickets and more information about the Bluebird in-the-round event visit: bluebirdcafe.com/calendar. The Bluebird Cafe is located at 4104 Hillsboro Pike in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Women’s Music Business Association Elects 2020 Officers And Committee Co-Chairs
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Ellen Mundy, Kaleigh Imbriale, Emily Boardman, Kelsey Wise, Nina Schollnick, Dana Dickie, Lauren Simon, Baylee Kuss
The Women’s Music Business Association (WMBA) has revealed newly-elected Officers and Committee Co-Chairs for 2020, including Kelsey Wise (Given Entertainment), Nina Schollnick (CSM Management), Emily Boardman (Big Deal Music Group), Kaleigh Imbriale (TEDxNashville), Ellen Mundy (WORKS Entertainment), Baylee Kuss (Big Deal Music Group), and Lauren Simon (Capitol CMG). They join existing officer Dana Dickie (Warner Music Group), now in the second year of her term as Treasurer.
Brandi Simms has been elected Chairperson for the WMBA Board of Directors. mtheory LLC’s Cameo Carlson also joins as a new Board Member.
Current WMBA Officers, Committee Co-Chairs and Board members are listed below:
WMBA Officers:
President – Kelsey Wise (Given Entertainment)
Vice President – Nina Schollnick (CSM Management)
Secretary – Emily Boardman (Big Deal Music Group)
Treasurer – Dana Dickie (Warner Music Group)
Committee Co-Chairs:
Events & Education – Kaleigh Imbriale (TEDxNashville) & Ellen Mundy (WORKS Entertainment)
Membership & Marketing – Baylee Kuss (Big Deal Music Group) & Lauren Simon (Capitol CMG)
WMBA Board of Directors:
Chairperson – Brandi Simms (Moo TV/Moo Creative/The Steel Mill)
Cameo Carlson (mtheory LLC)
Lindsey Clark (Deaton Flanigen)
Amery Fridenstine (Above Board Consulting)
Cindy Hunt (Monarch Publicity)
Legal Counsel – Lauren Spahn (Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP)
WMBA President – Kelsey Wise (Given Entertainment)
WMBA Vice President – Nina Schollnick (CSM Management)
WMBA Secretary – Emily Boardman (Big Deal Music Group)
WMBA Treasurer – Dana Dickie (Warner Music Group)
Nashville Live Music Veteran Stephen Gudis Passes Away
/by LB CantrellStephen Gudis
Nashville live music veteran Stephen Gudis passed away on Jan. 6.
After decades in the business, Gudis’ career stops included work in event production, tour/stage management and promotion. He most recently served as television stage manager for Farm Aid, as well as production stage manager for Event Production LLC. He founded The Production Department, LLC and was a board member of the Parnelli Awards.
Gudis began his work in Nashville working for Pace Concerts in 1989. He would eventually work on the Country Music Award shows, as well as with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Charlie Daniels. Gudis has also been credited for producing the Concert Industry Consortium (CIC), the predecessor conference to Pollstar Live!, in Nashville.
A Graveside Service will be held on Monday, Jan. 13, at 11 a.m. at Congregation Micah in Brentwood, Tenn.. A Celebration of Life Event will take place in a few weeks, with details to follow. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to MusiCares or the Tennessee Kidney Foundation.
Cody Webb Inks Deal With Copperline Music Group
/by Lorie Hollabaugh(L-R): Back row: Senior Executive Producer Adrian Kulp, Copperline Music Group’s Rusty Harmon, Co-host Chuck Wicks. (L-R) front row: Producer Lauren Smith, Copperline Music Group’s Cody Webb, Host Ty Bentli, Co-host Sami Shea, and Producer Bryan Webb
Cody Webb has signed a record deal with Copperline Music Group. The official announcement was made today (Jan. 8) on the nationally syndicated morning show, “The Ty Bentli Show.”
The South Carolina native independently released three singles in 2019, with a CMT video premiere for “Gettin’ Somewhere,” as well as headlining a 20-state tour and being featured in the official intro video for the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville. He also earned a co-writing cut for “Memories Are Made Of” – co-written with Luke Combs and Ray Fulcher on Combs’ debut album, This One’s For You. Webb is currently working on his forthcoming debut album and is set for a breakout year in 2020 with his new label home.
Stephanie Meyers Named Outback Presents Show Coordinator
/by Lorie HollabaughMeyers, a graduate of Columbia College Chicago’s music business program, comes to Outback following a five-year stint with Goldenvoice where she served as Ticketing Manager for several Los Angeles-based clubs and theaters. Prior to Goldenvoice, she worked as Artist Relations Manager for the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival based in Logan Square, Chicago.
“It’s extremely inspiring to be surrounded by so much talent here at Outback Presents,” says Meyers. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the growing team and expand my knowledge of talent buying. I look forward to what 2020 has to bring!”
Meyers can be reached via email at stephanie.meyers@
Bobby Karl Works The Room: Celebrating Nashville’s Grammy Nominees
/by Bobby KarlPictured: GRAMMY® Nominees Shay Mooney (Dan + Shay), Pistol Annies members Miranda Lambert, Angeleena Presley, and Ashley Monroe, and Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
Chapter 641
The annual Music Row social calendar always begins with the fabulous Grammy-nominees party, so that’s what transpired on Tuesday eve (Jan. 7) as we welcomed a new year, a new 365 days of schmoozing.
There was actually a lot “new” to celebrate. This is the first year of a new decade. The party was held at a new venue, The Hutton Hotel’s elegant Vista Ballroom. And the event celebrated a newly impressive and seldom-equaled diversity of Music City nominees.
Several attendees lined up to take selfies with enduring star Billy Ray Cyrus, nominated for his Lil Nas X phenomenon. Walking the red carpet and doing press were such other nominated greats as Miranda Lambert, Jerry Salley, Keb Mo, Matthew West, Dan + Shay, for KING & COUNTRY, Tim Menzies and Steven Curtis Chapman.
Pictured: for King & Country’s Luke Smallbone, Steven Curtis Chapman, for King & Country’s Joel Smallbone with wife Moriah Peters. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
The CCM world was out in force, as illustrated by the presence of nominees Andrew Ripp, Chris Stevens, Colby Wedgeworth and Ethan Hulse. Our bluegrass community was represented by nominees Doyle Lawson, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Missy Raines and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys.
Nashville has an unprecedented number of blues nominees this year, which is why Delbert McClinton, Lenesha Randolph and Larkin Poe members Rebecca & Megan Lovell were there, as well as Keb Mo. Our children’s-music nominee Daniel Tashian attended, as did rock nominees The Rival Sons (but alas not fellow Nashville rock nominees Cage the Elephant).
Among the country attendees were Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley of the nominated Pistol Annies, plus their compatriot Miranda, Dan +Shay and the other country folks mentioned above. That genre’s top nominee is Tanya Tucker, who was a disappointing no-show.
Pictured: Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick, GRAMMY® Nominees Sam Ashworth and Ruby Amanfu. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
One of the Song of the Year nominees is H.E.R.’s “Hard Place,” co-written by our own Ruby Amanfu and Sam Ashworth. Nominated engineer John Baldwin also attended, as did such stellar secular songwriting nominees as Liz Rose, Bobby Pinson and Hillary Lindsey.
“We are proud that our nominees this year are so diverse,” said chapter executive director Alicia Warwick. “Our chapter leads,” added Nashville board president Jennifer Hanson, pointing out that Nashvillians have 118 nominees spread across 34 Grammy categories. By the way, Jennifer is our third female NARAS chapter prez; Katie Gillon served in the role from 1994-1996, while Trey Fanjoy held the role from 2017-2019.
“A Grammy nomination is a true symbol of dedication to your craft,” quoth Jen. “We are so excited to have so many of these nominees with us here tonight.”
Pictured (L-R): GRAMMY® Nominees Matthew West, Liz Rose, Billy Ray Cyrus and Hillary Lindsey. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
This party is always a great way to wish a “Happy New Year” to your pals. Fabulons working the room included Mark Bright, Mark Brown, Chris Keaton, Chris Farren, Christy Walker Watkins, Dan Hill, Dan Rogers, Daniel Miller, Leslie Fram, Leslie DiPiero, Leslie Roberts, David Macias, David Preston, Pat McMakin, Pat Higdon, Terry Hemmings, Terry Wakefield, Fletcher Foster, Troy Tomlinson, Ronna Rubin and Susan Stewart.
Oh, I’m just getting started, gentle readers. Also grooving at the gig were such industry women as Chandra LaPlume, Tracy Gershon, Lisa Harless, Kris Wilkinson, Allison Jones, Marion Kraft, Diane Pearson, Cyndi Forman, Debbie Carroll, Whitney Daane, Susan Niles, Joanna Carter, Carol Ann Ford and Claire Ratliff.
Men of valor working the room included Mason Hunter, Joe Baldridge, Shane Tarleton, Earle Simmons, Frank Liddell, Rod Essig, B.J. Hill, Ed Morris, James Elliott (who has a song on the nominated Steven Curtis Chapman CD), Brad Kennard, Wes Vause, Kos Weaver, Tom Roland, Scott Robinson, Kerry O’Neill and Lightning 100’s Gary Kraen.
Pictured: Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick, GRAMMY® Nominees Rival Sons, Nashville Chapter President Jennifer Hanson. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
“It would be easier to have a list of everybody in the industry and cross off the names that AREN’T here,” Mark Ford sagely observed.
How about adding some power couples to the mix? Like Erika Wollam & Roger Nichols, Trey Fanjoy & Eddie Perez, Joe & Linda Chambers and Ron & Regina Stuve.
I met Lij Shaw. He’s the guy notable for activism on behalf of home recording studios. Alan Valentine introduced me to the Nashville Symphony’s new CEO Steve Brosvik. Steve was behind the “Violins of Hope” exhibit at the Library, and now those Holocaust instruments are becoming a Symphony recording.
Pictured: Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Board President Jennifer Hanson, Pistol Annies members Angeleena Presley, Ashley Monroe, Miranda Lambert and
Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Executive Director, Alicia Warwick. Courtesy of the Recording Academy®/photos by Ed Rode & Frederick Breedon, Getty Images © 2020
I greeted Sister Sadie’s Tina Adair, who says that she and bluegrass queen (and fellow bandmember) Dale Ann Bradley are recording a guitar-mandolin “sister duet” album. Can’t wait.
Alecia asked for a round of applause for John Prine, who was not in attendance. Prine is this year’s Lifetime Achievement honoree from Music City.
The Hutton proved more than up to the challenge of feeding the throng. The cocktail-party fare included sliced pork loin, pimento-cheese croquettes, lump crabcakes, a charcuterie spread, mushroom-and-goat-cheese torts and assorted cheeses and veggies. Not to mention sweets.
We were serenaded throughout the gala by the smooth jazz stylings of The Birdsong Trio. Breezy and tasteful, this ensemble was the perfect accompaniment to a luscious event.
Gigantic golden Grammy statues flanked the stage. Guests merrily posed for snapshots with them, as well as in front of the Grammy backdrop in the ballroom lobby. We all got souvenir Grammy posters.
IBMA Winners Sideline Announce Spring Tour
/by Lorie Hollabaugh(L-R): Jamie Harper (fiddle), Jacob Greer (guitar), Jason Moore (bass), Steve Dilling (banjo), Zack Arnold (mandolin) and Skip Cherryholmes (guitar)
Bluegrass band Sideline will hit the road this Spring with a slew of dates in support of their new release, Breaks To The Edge. The reigning IBMA Song of the Year award-winning (for “Thunder Dan”) group will headline shows across the U.S. beginning Feb. 1 in Goodlettsville, Tennessee and running through April 25 in Garner, North Carolina.
Reflecting the North Carolina group’s roots and experiences, Breaks To The Edge, the group’s fifth studio album, includes stories of traveling troubadours, and traditional tunes are interspersed with the more progressive re-make of Steve Wariner’s “Crash Course In The Blues,” and the classic Southern Gospel “I’ll Live Again” featuring Sideline’s four-part harmony.
Tour dates: