FirstBank has formed a six-member advisory board for its Private Banking Group, which is based in the bank’s West End Avenue financial center.

The board will provide input to the Private Banking team in Nashville launched in 2016, which includes Steve Jaynes, FirstBank’s Director and Senior Vice President of Private Banking; Karen Clark, Senior Relationship Manager; and Raven Williams, Private Banking Associate. The team has been instrumental in the group’s early success in building market share, increasing personal relationships and providing custom financing solutions to the bank’s clients.

Mark Wright, President of Living Wright Entertainment, will serve as Advisory Board Chairman. Other members include Derek Crownover, Dickinson-Wright PLLC, Entertainment Law Practice Group Chair; Jana Davis, Founder, Integrit Consulting; Steve Moore, Music Executive, Business Entrepreneur and Founder of Shalom Foundation; Clarence Spalding, Partner, Maverick Management Group; and Jesse Willoughby, Nashville General Manager, Kobalt, Nashville.

“The creation of our six member advisory board is a significant step for us at FirstBank,” said FirstBank Nashville Market President Tim Douglas. “We were intentional about adding board members who have accomplished careers in a multitude of industries and possess knowledge about various markets across the Nashville area. Their expertise will allow FirstBank to grow our professional relationships by providing innovative financial solutions to our clients.”

Luke Bryan, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Music City, Inc. jointly hosted a charity fundraiser last night (April 24) at Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink in downtown Nashville. Guests of the private event participated in VIP meet & greets, engaged in a Q&A with Bryan and Herbstreit and watched Bryan give a surprise performance.

During the fundraiser, the Predators Foundation, Tennessee Golf Foundation, Titans Foundation and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt each received a $30,000 donation from event proceeds.

Sponsors of the pre-draft fundraiser included Coors Light, Dex Imaging, Nashville Music City, New Era, MGM Resorts International, Orca Coolers, South College, Troubadour, WME and presenting sponsor Nissan. The event was produced by Music City Inc., the foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.

Bryan will join ABC’s prime-time coverage of the NFL Draft live coast-to-coast from Nashville tonight (April 25) on 2019 NFL Draft on ABC, 8:00-11:30 p.m., EDT. Bryan will visit with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, and ESPN’s Rece Davis, Herbstreit and the entire College GameDay Built by The Home Depot live on set from the heart of Music City.

SoundExchange has added to its board of directors Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); Alasdair McMullan, Senior Vice President for Business and Legal Affairs at Universal Music Group; Laurie Soriano, a leading entertainment attorney; and Jeff Walker, Executive Vice President and Head, Business and Legal Affairs, Global Digital Business at Sony Music, to its board of directors.

“I am pleased to welcome Mitch, Alasdair, Laurie, and Jeff to the SoundExchange Board of Directors. Their experience and perspective about our rapidly growing industry combined with the deep respect of their peers, will be a tremendous addition to our board and I am looking forward to working with them,” SoundExchange President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Huppe said.

Soriano and Walker were recently appointed to SoundExchange’s Board of Directors, while Glazier and McMullan were appointed at the beginning of the year. Walker and McMullan have previously served on SoundExchange’s board.

“I have worked with Mike and the SoundExchange team for years and I know the positive impact they have made as advocates for music creators. We worked closely together on the fight to pass the Music Modernization Act, and I am honored to join SoundExchange in this capacity,” Glazier said.

“While many aspects of the music industry continue to change and evolve, one constant during my career has been to focus on supporting the rights of music creators,” McMullan said. “I’m proud to bring that same emphasis to SoundExchange’s board and the company’s mission of providing royalty solutions for labels and recording artists.”

“SoundExchange and its subsidiaries, SXWorks and CMRRA, have developed important tools that benefit recording artists and songwriters alike. I look forward to helping SoundExchange as they continue to deliver new solutions for all creators in our industry,” Soriano said.

“Digital royalties like those administered by SoundExchange enable our industry to continue investing in new music. SoundExchange’s services are more important than ever to recording artists and to companies that support recording artists. I appreciate the opportunity to serve on its Board once again,” Walker said.

Brent Maher, who helped the Judds develop their distinctive sound and produced their duo albums, will share his story in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s ongoing series, Music Masters, set for May 11 at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.

The Hall of Fame’s Music Masters series highlights the careers of leading producers, engineers and business executives. This installment will feature an in-depth interview with Maher, and will incorporate vintage photos, videos and recordings from the museum’s collection. Maher will also perform songs with guitarist/vocalist Trey Hensley and dobro player Rob Ickes.

Maher has earned more than 20 No. 1 singles as a producer and songwriter. He also has six Grammys and been part of Platinum and multi-Platinum albums, earning credits on projects for Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Shelby Lynne, Kathy Mattea, Jo Dee Messina, Olivia Newton-John, Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers and Ike and Tina Turner. Maher also engineered the Grammy-winning single “Lost Highway” from the album Last of the Breed, featuring Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Ray Price.

This program is presented in support of the museum’s current exhibition The Judds: Dream Chasers. Admission to Music Masters is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and a program ticket is required for admittance. The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.

Previous subjects of the Music Masters series include Mark Bright, Jimmy Bowen, Frank Liddell, Keith Stegall, Jeff Stevens, Garth Fundis, Bob Neuwirth, Jim Rooney, Dave Cobb and Byron Gallimore.

Tuesday evening (April 23) at Nashville’s City Winery, numerous artists gathered to support cancer survivor John Berry and the nonprofit Music Health Alliance. The sold-out event raised more than $300,000 to aid the organization and to take care of a portion of Berry’s medical bills, stemming from a throat cancer diagnosis in February. Berry completed a grueling seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy treatments, which proved successful.

Fans in attendance last night got a Garth-sized surprise, as country superstar Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed near the end of the evening, with Brooks offering his signature “Friends In Low Places” and Yearwood offering her classic “Walkaway Joe.” Trace Adkins joined Exile for a rendition of “Super Love.” Adkins also joined T Graham Brown, Jimmy Fortune, Shenandoah and Berry for a rendition of “Working On A Building.”

A sampling of additional performances included the Oak Ridge Boys with “Amazing Grace,” as well as their classic “Elvira.” Darryl Worley performed “Second Wind,” Radney Foster offered “Nobody Wins,” Shenandoah sang “Church On The Cumberland Road,” and Berry offered his own rendition of “There Could Never Be Another Love.” The evening ended with an all-sing on Berry’s “All Come Together.”