Artist Development, Publishing Company King Song Signs Andy Austin

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Pictured (L-R): Jim Zumwalt (Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP), Andy Austin, Ryan O’Nan (ROAR), Bradley Collins (FrontMan Entertainment/ ROAR), Ward Guenther (Whiskey Jam/ ROAR)

Andy Austin has entered into an exclusive artist development and publishing agreement with King Song. A native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, Austin moved to Nashville in March of 2018. Outside of music, Andy is a professional hunting guide in North Dakota for the renowned outfitter Rolling Plains Adventures.
Austin is the first signing to King Song, an artist development and publishing company founded by FrontMan Entertainment, ROAR and Whiskey Jam.

Alabama Extends 50th Anniversary Tour

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Alabama. Photo: Courtesy Absolute Publicity

Alabama has added almost 30 new concert dates to their 50th Anniversary Tour.

Newly-announced stops on the tour include Grand Rapids, Michigan; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Bangor, Maine; Charlotte, North Carolina; Tallahassee, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; Madison, Wisconsin; Birmingham, Alabama; and Columbia, South Carolina. The band will also travel north to Canada for concerts in Ottawa, Ontario and Oro-Medonte, Ontario.

“One of the most humbling things about this tour is that we are going all over North America playing some of our favorite arenas, cities and festivals with huge crowds showing up at our shows,” notes lead singer/rhythm guitarist Randy Owen.

Alabama has recruited The Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Beach Boys, John Anderson, Restless Heart, Exile, John Michael Montgomery, Scotty McCreery and Charlie Major to join them on select dates.

Alabama 50th Anniversary Tour Dates (asterisk denotes newly-added date):

May 9 – The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
May 10 – Bon Secours Wellness Arena – Greenville, SC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
May 24 – Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center – Cherokee, NC*
May 31 – U.S. Cellular Center – Cedar Rapids, IA
June 1 – Tumbleweed – La Cygne, KS
June 6 – Carolina Country Music Festival – Myrtle Beach, SC
June 7 – Macon Centreplex Coliseum – Macon, GA (w/ The Marshall Tucker Band)
June 15 – Maverik Center – Salt Lake City, UT (w/ Exile)
June 16 – Country Jam – Grand Junction, CO
June 26 – Target Center – Minneapolis, MN (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
June 27 – Country USA – Oshkosh, WI
July 11 – CenturyLink Center – Bossier City, LA (w/ Exile)*
July 12 – Walmart AMP – Rogers, AR (w/ John Anderson)*
July 19 – The Arena at TD Place – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (w/ Charlie Major)*
July 20 – Big Sky Music Festival – Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada*
July 26 – Columbus Civic Center – Columbus, GA (w/ John Michael Montgomery)*
July 27 – Thunder Valley Amphitheatre – Bristol, TN (w/ John Michael Montgomery)*
Aug. 16 – State Fair of West Virginia – Lewisburg, WV*
Aug. 17 – PNG Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ (w/ Scotty McCreery)*
Aug. 23 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Restless Heart)*
Aug. 24 – The Country Fest’s Neon Nights – North Lawrence, OH*
Aug. 29 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Wilkes-Barre, PA (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Aug. 31 – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Sept. 1 – Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion – Bangor, ME (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Sept. 13 – Fox Theatre – Detroit, MI (w/ Exile)*
Sept. 14 – Tailgates N’ Tallboys – Peoria, IL
Sept. 27 – Martin Luther King Jr. Arena – Savannah, GA*
Sept. 28 – Hertz Arena – Estero, FL*
Oct. 3 – Colonial Life Arena – Columbia, SC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Oct. 4 – Legacy Arena at the BJCC – Birmingham, AL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Oct. 10 – Donald L. Tucker Civic Center – Tallahassee, FL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Oct. 11 – Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Nov. 1 – WinStar World Casino & Resort – Thackerville, OK*
Nov. 8 – Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center – Madison, WI (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Nov. 9 – Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN (w/ Restless Heart)*
Nov. 22 – Royal Farms Arena – Baltimore, MD*
Nov. 23 – Wicimico Civic Center – Salisbury, MD (w/ Exile)*

Note: Beach Boys performance date TBA

Alabama Extends 50th Anniversary Tour

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Alabama. Photo: Courtesy Absolute Publicity

Alabama has added almost 30 new concert dates to their 50th Anniversary Tour.

Newly-announced stops on the tour include Grand Rapids, Michigan; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Bangor, Maine; Charlotte, North Carolina; Tallahassee, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; Madison, Wisconsin; Birmingham, Alabama; and Columbia, South Carolina. The band will also travel north to Canada for concerts in Ottawa, Ontario and Oro-Medonte, Ontario.

“One of the most humbling things about this tour is that we are going all over North America playing some of our favorite arenas, cities and festivals with huge crowds showing up at our shows,” notes lead singer/rhythm guitarist Randy Owen.

Alabama has recruited The Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Beach Boys, John Anderson, Restless Heart, Exile, John Michael Montgomery, Scotty McCreery and Charlie Major to join them on select dates.

Alabama 50th Anniversary Tour Dates (asterisk denotes newly-added date):

May 9 – The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
May 10 – Bon Secours Wellness Arena – Greenville, SC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
May 24 – Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center – Cherokee, NC*
May 31 – U.S. Cellular Center – Cedar Rapids, IA
June 1 – Tumbleweed – La Cygne, KS
June 6 – Carolina Country Music Festival – Myrtle Beach, SC
June 7 – Macon Centreplex Coliseum – Macon, GA (w/ The Marshall Tucker Band)
June 15 – Maverik Center – Salt Lake City, UT (w/ Exile)
June 16 – Country Jam – Grand Junction, CO
June 26 – Target Center – Minneapolis, MN (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)
June 27 – Country USA – Oshkosh, WI
July 11 – CenturyLink Center – Bossier City, LA (w/ Exile)*
July 12 – Walmart AMP – Rogers, AR (w/ John Anderson)*
July 19 – The Arena at TD Place – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (w/ Charlie Major)*
July 20 – Big Sky Music Festival – Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada*
July 26 – Columbus Civic Center – Columbus, GA (w/ John Michael Montgomery)*
July 27 – Thunder Valley Amphitheatre – Bristol, TN (w/ John Michael Montgomery)*
Aug. 16 – State Fair of West Virginia – Lewisburg, WV*
Aug. 17 – PNG Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ (w/ Scotty McCreery)*
Aug. 23 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Restless Heart)*
Aug. 24 – The Country Fest’s Neon Nights – North Lawrence, OH*
Aug. 29 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Wilkes-Barre, PA (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Aug. 31 – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Sept. 1 – Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion – Bangor, ME (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Sept. 13 – Fox Theatre – Detroit, MI (w/ Exile)*
Sept. 14 – Tailgates N’ Tallboys – Peoria, IL
Sept. 27 – Martin Luther King Jr. Arena – Savannah, GA*
Sept. 28 – Hertz Arena – Estero, FL*
Oct. 3 – Colonial Life Arena – Columbia, SC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Oct. 4 – Legacy Arena at the BJCC – Birmingham, AL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Oct. 10 – Donald L. Tucker Civic Center – Tallahassee, FL (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Oct. 11 – Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Nov. 1 – WinStar World Casino & Resort – Thackerville, OK*
Nov. 8 – Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center – Madison, WI (w/ The Charlie Daniels Band)*
Nov. 9 – Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN (w/ Restless Heart)*
Nov. 22 – Royal Farms Arena – Baltimore, MD*
Nov. 23 – Wicimico Civic Center – Salisbury, MD (w/ Exile)*

Note: Beach Boys performance date TBA

TobyMac Scores RIAA Gold, Plots Theatre Tour For Fall

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TobyMac’s “I just need U.” just received Gold certification from the RIAA, aligning with the wrap of his popular “HITS DEEP Tour” which drew hundreds of thousands. “I just need U.” is housed on TobyMac’s latest album The Elements and became the multi-platinum selling artist’s fastest song to be certified Gold, reigning at radio for 12 weeks.

“I have been fortunate to have been a part of a lot of great songs, “shares TobyMac. “For ‘I just need U.’ to be setting new benchmarks is crazy!”

He returns to the road in Fall of 2019 on his “TobyMac The Theatre Tour.” Last year marked the inaugural year for the trek, which offers fans an intimate experience. The unique offering will visit a dozen markets in November with special guest Cochren & Co. “TobyMac The Theatre Tour” is in partnership with Awakening Events, Awakening Foundation and Food for the Hungry. Tickets will be available at awakeningevents.com/events/tobymac-the-theatre-tour.

 “TobyMac The Theatre Tour” Dates:
* all dates subject to change.
11/7 Springfield, MO
11/8 Rockford, IL
11/9 Fort Wayne, IN
11/10 Evansville, IN
11/14 Peoria, IL
11/15 Knoxville, TN
11/16 Chattanooga, TN
11/17 Montgomery, AL
11/21 Columbia, SC
11/22 Savannah, GA
11/23 Asheville, NC
11/23 Cincinnati, OH

Provident Label Group Signs Elle Limebear To Roster

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Elle Limebear

Sony’s Provident Label Group has signed Elle Limebear to its roster. The Brighton, UK, native has released five songs digitally, garnering more than three million streams. Last year, she was featured on one sonic society‘s track “Love Song.”
Limebear, the daughter of Delirious? front man Martin Smith, has long held a role of worship leader and youth pastor in the UK. She began 2019 touring with Matt Maher on the Roadshow and just finished opening for Francesca Battistelli. In August she will be on the road with her dad, Martin Smith and then finish out 2019 on tour with I AM THEY.
“My first solo touring experience singing my own songs has been wild,” Limebear said. “It’s felt familiar, yet very unfamiliar all at the same time as I’ve grown up touring with my dad’s bands. I’ve loved getting to sing and meet people from all over. I feel like I’m getting stretched – in a good way – and taking it all in, learning something new every day. I can’t wait to keep touring and singing these songs over people.”

TobyMac Scores RIAA Gold, Plots Theatre Tour For Fall

/by

TobyMac’s “I just need U.” just received Gold certification from the RIAA, aligning with the wrap of his popular “HITS DEEP Tour” which drew hundreds of thousands. “I just need U.” is housed on TobyMac’s latest album The Elements and became the multi-platinum selling artist’s fastest song to be certified Gold, reigning at radio for 12 weeks.

“I have been fortunate to have been a part of a lot of great songs, “shares TobyMac. “For ‘I just need U.’ to be setting new benchmarks is crazy!”

He returns to the road in Fall of 2019 on his “TobyMac The Theatre Tour.” Last year marked the inaugural year for the trek, which offers fans an intimate experience. The unique offering will visit a dozen markets in November with special guest Cochren & Co. “TobyMac The Theatre Tour” is in partnership with Awakening Events, Awakening Foundation and Food for the Hungry. Tickets will be available at awakeningevents.com/events/tobymac-the-theatre-tour.

 “TobyMac The Theatre Tour” Dates:
* all dates subject to change.
11/7 Springfield, MO
11/8 Rockford, IL
11/9 Fort Wayne, IN
11/10 Evansville, IN
11/14 Peoria, IL
11/15 Knoxville, TN
11/16 Chattanooga, TN
11/17 Montgomery, AL
11/21 Columbia, SC
11/22 Savannah, GA
11/23 Asheville, NC
11/23 Cincinnati, OH

Provident Label Group Signs Elle Limebear To Roster

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Elle Limebear

Sony’s Provident Label Group has signed Elle Limebear to its roster. The Brighton, UK, native has released five songs digitally, garnering more than three million streams. Last year, she was featured on one sonic society‘s track “Love Song.”
Limebear, the daughter of Delirious? front man Martin Smith, has long held a role of worship leader and youth pastor in the UK. She began 2019 touring with Matt Maher on the Roadshow and just finished opening for Francesca Battistelli. In August she will be on the road with her dad, Martin Smith and then finish out 2019 on tour with I AM THEY.
“My first solo touring experience singing my own songs has been wild,” Limebear said. “It’s felt familiar, yet very unfamiliar all at the same time as I’ve grown up touring with my dad’s bands. I’ve loved getting to sing and meet people from all over. I feel like I’m getting stretched – in a good way – and taking it all in, learning something new every day. I can’t wait to keep touring and singing these songs over people.”

RIAA Adds Three To Leadership Team

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Pictured: Doroshow, Silhol, Willens

Today Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier announced new members of his leadership team with the promotions of Morna Willens to Chief Policy Officer and Karen Silhol to Chief Financial Officer, and the addition of Ken Doroshow as Chief Legal Officer. Each position is effective immediately and reports to Glazier.

“I am thrilled to have Morna, Ken and Karen as key members of the RIAA leadership team,” said Glazier. “As true experts in their fields, each has a unique skill set that will help drive our industry forward and continue RIAA’s track record of advocating for creators as a leading trade organization in Washington.”

“What an incredible team to be leading this organization into our next phase,” said RIAA COO Michele Ballantyne. “I could not be happier to be working alongside such talented people who think outside the box and whose experience in their respective fields will prove invaluable as our industry continues to transform itself.”

Willens previously served the RIAA as SVP, Federal Public Policy. Most recently, Willens led industry advocacy efforts and worked closely with congressional leaders on the passage of the landmark Music Modernization Act which increased royalty rates for digital radio and delivered new protections to pre-1972 recording artists through the CLASSICS Act. Before the RIAA, Willens was Vice President at the Glover Park Group. In addition, she served as a legislative assistant to Representative John Shimkus.

Doroshow, who previously served as RIAA’s head of litigation from 2005-2008, returns to the RIAA as Chief Legal Officer after many years as a partner in the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP, where he represented a broad range of media and entertainment clients with a particular focus on content protection, intellectual property enforcement, and First Amendment law. In addition to his time at RIAA and in private practice, Doroshow served as the General Counsel to the Entertainment Software Association, as a prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and as a trial attorney in the Department of Justice’s Civil Division (Federal Programs Branch). A leading media and entertainment attorney, Doroshow received his law degree from Cornell Law School and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joseph L. Tauro of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Previously EVP, Finance and Administration for RIAA, Silhol has been responsible for overseeing all aspects of the organization’s financial management, information technology and administration. She is the chief architect of the organization’s budget and financial structure. Silhol has more than 20 years of accounting, managerial and strategic planning experience in the nonprofit sector through her work at RIAA and in public accounting. Before joining the RIAA in 2001, Silhol spent three years as an auditor with the public accounting firm Calibre CPA Group.

RIAA Adds Three To Leadership Team

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Pictured: Doroshow, Silhol, Willens

Today Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier announced new members of his leadership team with the promotions of Morna Willens to Chief Policy Officer and Karen Silhol to Chief Financial Officer, and the addition of Ken Doroshow as Chief Legal Officer. Each position is effective immediately and reports to Glazier.

“I am thrilled to have Morna, Ken and Karen as key members of the RIAA leadership team,” said Glazier. “As true experts in their fields, each has a unique skill set that will help drive our industry forward and continue RIAA’s track record of advocating for creators as a leading trade organization in Washington.”

“What an incredible team to be leading this organization into our next phase,” said RIAA COO Michele Ballantyne. “I could not be happier to be working alongside such talented people who think outside the box and whose experience in their respective fields will prove invaluable as our industry continues to transform itself.”

Willens previously served the RIAA as SVP, Federal Public Policy. Most recently, Willens led industry advocacy efforts and worked closely with congressional leaders on the passage of the landmark Music Modernization Act which increased royalty rates for digital radio and delivered new protections to pre-1972 recording artists through the CLASSICS Act. Before the RIAA, Willens was Vice President at the Glover Park Group. In addition, she served as a legislative assistant to Representative John Shimkus.

Doroshow, who previously served as RIAA’s head of litigation from 2005-2008, returns to the RIAA as Chief Legal Officer after many years as a partner in the law firm of Jenner & Block LLP, where he represented a broad range of media and entertainment clients with a particular focus on content protection, intellectual property enforcement, and First Amendment law. In addition to his time at RIAA and in private practice, Doroshow served as the General Counsel to the Entertainment Software Association, as a prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and as a trial attorney in the Department of Justice’s Civil Division (Federal Programs Branch). A leading media and entertainment attorney, Doroshow received his law degree from Cornell Law School and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Joseph L. Tauro of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Previously EVP, Finance and Administration for RIAA, Silhol has been responsible for overseeing all aspects of the organization’s financial management, information technology and administration. She is the chief architect of the organization’s budget and financial structure. Silhol has more than 20 years of accounting, managerial and strategic planning experience in the nonprofit sector through her work at RIAA and in public accounting. Before joining the RIAA in 2001, Silhol spent three years as an auditor with the public accounting firm Calibre CPA Group.

Spencer Foote Elevated To Agent At WME

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Spencer Foote has been promoted to agent at WME. Foote, who joins the Fair and Festival team as a booking agent, began his career at WME in 2013, working in the office of Jay Williams.

Foote, a Nashville native, is a graduate of Ensworth High School and Sewanee: The University of the South. Through the course of his career, he has assisted in the booking of clubs and colleges in the Southeast and arenas and amphitheaters in the Upper Midwest. Most recently, Foote assisted in securing national fair and festival opportunities for clients across the WME roster.

Foote can be reached at sfoote@wmeagency.com.