MusicRow, Nashville’s industry publication, proudly unveils its 2017 flagship print directory, InCharge.

The 94-page industry resource serves as the definitive collection of industry gatekeepers and key decision-making professionals within the Nashville entertainment community. Each of the 400 profiles includes current contact information, updated career biography, and detailed board and organizational membership affiliations.

“With each person listed in InCharge, there are countless team members standing beyond the spotlight responsible for keeping the wheels in motion. From legal to label, publicity to publisher, and everything in between, to say ‘it takes a team’ is an understatement. It takes an entire village. And this village and its leaders, known as Nashville’s music industry decision makers, are presented in this annual issue of MusicRow.”

Global entertainment company WME graces this year’s InCharge cover. Co-Heads Rob Beckham and Greg Oswald lead WME’s Nashville office. Under their leadership WME’s team works together to secure opportunities for their diverse roster of clients across all entertainment platforms.

In January 2017, WME’s Nashville office began conducting business from its brand new 40,000 square foot space located at 1201 Demonbreun Street. Beckham and Oswald wanted to create a work environment that would enhance collaboration and productivity. Designed with both clients and employees in mind, the new office space is flexible, collaborative and amenity-rich. At the heart of the office lies The Steps, a multi-functional two-story performance space. Here the team can come together to watch an artist perform, listen to an outside speaker, or hold community events. The space also features a Listening Room made possible through a partnership with Gibson Guitars.

Under Beckham and Oswald’s leadership, the WME team works together to secure opportunities for their diverse roster of clients across all entertainment platforms. In addition to touring, agents also secure film, television, book, endorsement, and digital deals as well as other related opportunities. It is worth noting that WME clients won seven of 11 CMA Awards in 2016 and nine of 13 ACM Awards in 2017.

InCharge is not available digitally. However a searchable database is available for MusicRow subscribed members at MusicRow.com. Single copies of InCharge are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $89, and included with yearly subscriptions at no additional cost.

Spin Doctors Music Group Promotes Kidd

Jessilynn Kidd

Jessilynn Kidd named to VP/Promotion for Spin Doctors Music Group, and SMG Records Nashville.

SDMG President/CEO Al Brock said, “as our company continues growing, we are focusing our energies on some additional endeavors, and we love Jessilynn’s tenacity, passion, and genuine enthusiasm for what we are doing. She is a perfect fit for this new position and will be a big part of our future growth.”

Kidd joined the company in January and her prior experience includes Huntsman Entertainment. SDMG is owned by Brock Entertainment Inc and was founded in 2010.

 

Rocketown Names New Executive Director

Kenny Alonzo

Rocketown, a Nashville-based youth outreach facility founded by Michael W. Smith, has named Kenny Alonzo as its new Executive Director. Alonzo spent the past 12 years with YMCA of Middle Tennessee Association in various roles, with the most recent being the Executive Director of their downtown location.

“We are so very grateful and excited that Kenny Alonzo is joining the Rocketown team as our new Executive Director,” shares Rocketown Founder Michael W. Smith. “Kenny’s love and passion for youth, in particular disadvantaged youth, and ministry is contagious. I fully believe that Rocketown’s best days are ahead and Kenny is the perfect leader to guide our staff and young people in the right direction”.

Rocketown is well-known for their youth ministry but also arts enrichment programs, sports leagues, Nashville’s only all ages music venue, and expansive skatepark. The youth-only recording studio, improv acting classes, and music and vocal lessons are free and open to students in 5-12 grade – year round.

Power Of Music Festival To Benefit I’ll Fly Away Foundation

The Power Of Music Festival will bring over 50 performers to eight stages for more than 80 shows April 27-29 during the inaugural fundraiser in Bentonville, Arkansas for the I’ll Fly Away Foundation. Performers will include Beth Nielsen Chapman, Thom Schuyler, Roger Cook, Richard Leigh, Tony Arata and Dennis Morgan (all Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame honorees), multiple Grammy Award-winner Carl Jackson, Fred Knobloch, Larry Cordle and more are scheduled to perform.

Next generation writers appearing include Katie Larson, Michael Dause, Graham Weber, Akina Adderley, Candy Lee, Saul Paul, The Accidentals and more.  All funds raised will benefit the “You Can Fly” Songwriting Program.

Ryan Griffin

Newcomer Ryan Griffin is no stranger to the country charts; he co-wrote Kelsea Ballerini’s No. 1 hit “Dibs,” alongside Ballerini, Josh Kerr, and Jason Duke.

Now, he’s celebrating the recent release of his own five-song EP, Sake of the Summer, which features his current single, “Back Seats and Burnt CDs.”

The single is the only track on his EP that Griffin didn’t have a hand in writing. Griffin first heard the track during a show at the Bluebird Café, when songwriting friends Josh Kerr and Jordan Reynolds debuted the song.

“As songwriters we share songs constantly. So that happens and I’m sitting at that round I thought I had heard all of their songs but they played it. I was like, ‘Why haven’t I heard this before?’ This song has taken me somewhere for like three minutes. ‘Back Seats and Burnt CDs’ was my childhood.”

The video for the song was originally slated to be shot in East Nashville, but Griffin found the “middle America” feel he was looking for in his own town of Nolensville, Tennessee.

“We drove around town for like three hours. We were shooting at night so it had to be lit well, and Nolensville had the perfect feel. We put the band on the main road. There’s a Napa Auto Parts and Nana’s Diner. That song is so nostalgic so I wanted the video to have that nostalgic vibe.”

Ryan Griffin with MusicRow staffers.

The Florida native has been in Nashville for over 10 years, and attended Belmont University. During his senior year, Griffin worked on the road with Jason Aldean.

During his visit to the MusicRow offices, he also showcased songs including “Woulda Left Me Too,” a brutally honest track he co-wrote with Lisa Carver.

“It’s a true story, and it’s not my shining moment as a human. It was that girl that made me good enough or even slightly good enough to marry my wife when she came around. It’s about that girl that I learned a lesson with. It was one of those songs I never thought would see the light of day. To see it go on Spotify and see it blow up was really cool. I’m so happy that platforms like Spotify and Sirius are getting behind it.”

The ASCAP Foundation and The Library of Congress will present the ninth annual “We Write the Songs” event together at the historic Coolidge Auditorium in The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. on April 25. The evening celebrates the gift by The ASCAP Foundation to the Library of Congress of the original manuscripts, lead sheets, lyrics sheets, photos and letters of some of America’s greatest songwriters.

Hosted by ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams, the evening will include performances by Peter Frampton and Gordon Kennedy (“Baby I Love Your Way” & “Change the World”), Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty (“Smooth”), Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman of The Hooters (“One of Us” & “Time After Time”), Ledisi (“Pieces of Me”) and young jazz composer and singer Camille Thurman.

The event takes place the night before ASCAP’s “Stand with Songwriters” Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill April 26, when many of the “We Write the Songs” music creators will meet personally with legislators to discuss the challenges facing songwriters in the digital age and urge policymakers to update the outdated and overreaching federal regulations that govern how songwriters license their work.

“We Write the Songs” has become a Washington tradition and an exclusive ticket for legislative and cultural dignitaries, and is not open to the public.