The Innovation in Music Awards will honor Warner Music Nashville Chairman and CEO John Esposito as its Innovator of the Year. Esposito will accept the award during the inaugural event on June 6, to be held at the Westin in Nashville.

The Innovator of the Year Award recognizes the music professional who goes above and beyond his call of duty in search of the best new music, breakthrough innovative initiatives, and up-and-coming talent. Warner Music Nashville’s resources were recently restructured and realigned to put additional focus on the label’s digital initiatives.

Under Esposito’s leadership, WMN artists have won numerous awards spanning from New Artist of the Year to Entertainer of the Year from organizations such as the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, American Music Awards and more. Since his arrival, WME singles charts’ share has quadrupled, with 41 singles hitting No. 1, leading to multiple Gold and Platinum sales certifications.

As an innovator, Esposito recently had a vision for a new future-facing marketing structure by creating a first of its kind Radio & Streaming team. The groundbreaking approach combines the more traditionally specific radio promotion and digital music departments.

As former Chairman of the Country Music Association Board of Directors, his current board duties include Vice Chairman of the T.J. Martell Foundation National Board, the Country Radio Broadcasters and the Nashville Convention & Visitor’s Corp as well as Governor to the Nashville Chapter Board of NARAS for 2015-2017.

Nashville tourists can pedal and drink their way down the streets of Music City, laugh their way down on hilarious comedic tours, see it from the bed of a flatbed hay wagon, and now thanks to SongBird Tours, be serenaded at an in-the-round as they travel the roundabout and other city streets.

The new service, run by Patsy Bruce and Trey Bruce, will offer visitors a ride on one of the only state-of-the-art live music venues-on-wheels anywhere. Thirty passengers will enjoy an intimate, in-the-round songwriter performance indigenous to Nashville, hearing stories behind the songs from some of Music City’s most prolific songwriters and rising newcomers while getting a peek into the life of a working songwriter. They will also get a special guided tour of the city curated by longtime music industry insiders.

“It’s great to get the chance to show folks what songwriters do and how they do it,” Trey said. “The story of a songwriter’s life in Nashville is so unique and special.”

The bus is specially outfitted to provide a maximum sound experience for guests, with lighting designer Chris Lisle providing the lights, and sound design being handled by JSS Audio and Richard Battaglia. Daily tours are set to begin the first week of June in time for CMA Music Fest, and begin and end at Hayes Street (between 15^th and 16^th Avenues) near downtown Nashville. Tickets for the two-hour tour are $40 and will soon be available by logging onto songbirdtours.com. A portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold will go to the Music Health Alliance, a top resource for healthcare solutions and access for music industry members.

Longtime industry member Patsy Bruce co-wrote the Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson classic “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” Tanya Tucker’s “Texas When I Die,” and more. She was also president of the Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI) in the late ’70s. Songwriter/producer Trey Bruce co-wrote Randy Travis’ “Look Heart, No Hands,” “Whisper My Name,” and “Spirit Of A Boy, Wisdom Of A Man,” and Diamond Rio’s “How Your Love Makes Me Feel,” among others. As a publishing executive, Bruce helped sign Chris Janson, Brothers Osborne, and Charlie Worsham. He helped establish the Music Industry Coalition, which advocates for Music Row’s heritage.

Pictured (L-R): Jonathan Waxman, Ken Levitan, Andy Mendelsohn, Charlie Jones, Levon Wallace, Nathan Followill, Caleb Followill. Photo: Don VanCleave

Grammy-winners Kings of Leon, James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Jonathan Waxman, Vector Management’s Ken Levitan and Andy Mendelsohn, and C3 Presents announced the fifth annual Music City Food + Wine Festival at a private event yesterday (May 10) at Levon Wallace‘s newly opened Gray & Dudley, inside the 21c Museum Hotel—open 24/7 with eight floors for 124 rooms and a 10,000 sq. ft. art space.

To be held September 15 – 17, 2017, the festival will offer a musical tribute with award-winning steel pedal guitarist Robert Randolph in addition to an expanded program, including the return of Pappy Hour, the addition of a Friday Night Grand Taste Pavilion in leu of Sunday’s Grand Taste, which will now be a Gospel Brunch at the Walk of Fame Park, again with Gayle Mayes.

“Nashville’s reputation as a destination for music lovers is fast being challenged by our status as a premier foodie destination in the Southeast,” says Mayor Megan Barry. “The Music City Food + Wine Festival will highlight some of our amazing chefs and restaurateurs who are defining Southern cuisine and showing that Nashville is the place to be for talented and creative individuals looking to show off their skills.”

Music City Food + Wine Festival brings together stars of Nashville’s culinary scene with acclaimed regional and national chefs, wine and spirits experts.

Festival programming will add the Grand Taste Pavilion at Bicentennial Capitol State Mall Park on Friday, September 15, from 6 – 10 p.m. Continuing Saturday, September 16 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. with food, wine and cocktail samples from more than 80 local and regional artisans, the Grand Taste Pavilion will also feature interactive cooking demonstrations, panel discussions, book signings, and pitmaster Pat Martin‘s Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint and Friends. Pappy Hour returns for bourbon tasting, led by Preston Van Winkle of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, great grandson of iconic bourbon maker Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle.

Also on Saturday will be the Harvest Night, again held at the Walk of Fame Park (4th Avenue South) from 7-9 p.m., featuring nationally recognized chefs with Randolph’s live musical tribute from 8 – 9:30 p.m.

New for Sunday, September 17 will again be the live Gospel Brunch, but at the Walk of Fame Park. The fabulous Gayle Mayes will close the festival, performing before pared down Southern brunch favorites, cocktails, wine and coffee from local chefs Joshua Simpson (Proper Bagel); Levon Wallace (Gray & Dudley); and Karl Worley (Biscuit Love Brunch), and more.

All-In Tickets are available for $525 per person. Single-day tickets are available for Friday evening ($165 per person) and Saturday afternoon ($165 per person). Saturday evening’s Harvest Night tickets are $275 per person while Gospel Brunch morning access is $85 per person for Sunday.

Tickets opened May 10, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. CT, at musiccityfoodandwinefestival.com/tickets

Guests dine on sliders, hot chicken, cream puffs and chocolate chip cookies from Gray & Dudley with drinks brought in part by Titos. Photo: Don VanCleave

Nashville’s 21c Hotel and Museum. Photo: Eric T. Parker

La Vitrina Cloud Collection from Leandro Erlich (Argentinian) 2011. Photo: Eric T. Parker

(L – R): Vince Gill, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and Chairman and CEO of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Colin Reed. Credit: Steve Lowry

In a ceremony held earlier today on stage at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry issued a proclamation celebrating May 10, 2017 as Ryman Auditorium Day in honor of the iconic venue’s 125th anniversary.

“From its beginnings as a church to its years as the home of the Grand Ole Opry to its revival as the coolest concert venue in the world, the Ryman has a story like no other building – anywhere,” Mayor Barry said. “I’m grateful for everything the Ryman means to Nashville, and I’m excited to celebrate its first 125 years while looking forward to many more.”

Colin Reed, chairman and chief executive officer of Ryman Auditorium’s parent company, Ryman Hospitality Properties and Opry Member Vince Gill joined Mayor Barry onstage to celebrate Ryman Auditorium Day, which is also the 132nd anniversary of the meeting between Captain Thomas Ryman and Reverend Sam Jones that inspired Ryman to construct a grand tabernacle for the people of Nashville.

“As the owners of this Nashville treasure, we view ourselves as both the stewards and protectors of its rich and storied legacy,” said Reed. “We are thankful that Mayor Barry has chosen to recognize not only the historical significance of the Ryman but also its continued influence on Nashville’s thriving music and tourism industries.”

“If you think about it, music has had a great history here, but the real purpose of this building was to save people… and 125 years later it’s still saving people,” expressed Gill. “This place just has spirit that you can’t even put into words. It really is a magical place. The very first time I ever sang in this building it was just me and a guitar, and it was one of the most majestic experiences I’ve ever had in my life. I really felt that spirit move through me. This place more than any place I’ve been…I really felt that spirit. Whether I play here with a seven-piece band or a bluegrass band… no matter what you throw at this place it takes it and elevates it.”