Pictured (L-R): Jen McMakin and Jamie Bibler
Nashville hospitality professionals Jamie Bibler and Jen McMakin have opened Bon Vivant, a lifestyle management company that makes it easier to traveling VIPs to navigate a visit to Nashville.
Bon Vivant’s clientele includes national and international corporations, recording artists, and management companies. Connecting corporate and private clients with unique high-end experiences, the team taps into its vast network of relationships to offer preferential treatment, elevated access and more.
Bibler brings to Bon Vivant 10-plus years of experience in hospitality and event management. Her vast knowledge and experience ranges from restaurant and hotel sales, event design, coordination and production. She has cultivated invaluable relationships, and has been a go-to resource for many.
As a Nashville native, McMakin has been immersed in the culture of the city for years, with a close connection to its continual growth. She previously served as the Marketing Director of M Street Entertainment Group, known for many successful concepts including Virago, Kayne Prime, Whiskey Kitchen, Moto, Saint Anejo, Tavern, Citizen and The Rosewall.
Bon Vivant’s services include:
Entertainment: Providing clients with preferential treatment and exclusive access to the hottest music, art, and fashion events in town
Epicure + Connoisseur: Collaborating with top local restaurants and chefs, Bon Vivant provides rare and exclusive culinary experiences for its clients
Bespoke Travel: Custom-tailored itineraries for Nashville city excursions
Partnership + Brand Development: Corporate clients can leverage Bon Vivant’s local network of experts and strengthen their brand affiliation, offering access to partnerships and other business opportunities while enjoying preferential rates.
For additional information, visit BonVivantNashville.com. Contact Bon Vivant at contact@bonvivantnashville.com or 615.669.5589.
Vevo CEO Mulls Adding Subscription Model
/by Eric T. ParkerErik Huggers. Photo: Code/Media
Ten months after taking the helm of Vevo, the ex-Verizon Communications Sr. VP Erik Huggers has revealed his streaming company may be moving towards subscription-based model to pair with its existing ad-supported platform.
“We believe in a dual revenue stream,” said Huggers to a crowd at the 2016 Code/Media conference on Wednesday, Feb. 17. “We’ve got a phenomenal sales force that knocked it out of the park in 2015–absolute biggest year in Vevo history. We want to build on that strength. The second piece would be a pay model.”
The CEO did not elaborate on the details of a pay-wall, but confirmed “there will be absolutely free Vevo” moving forward.
“Just having a ad-supported model is not sustainable in the long run,” he concluded at the Dana Point, California-conference. “We do believe an ad-supported plus a pay model makes a ton of sense.”
Vevo distributes to an estimated two-dozen video platforms including YouTube, according to Billboard. The service is co-owned by Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Abu Dhabi Media and Google.
New Nashville Company Bon Vivant Focuses On VIP Visitors
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured (L-R): Jen McMakin and Jamie Bibler
Nashville hospitality professionals Jamie Bibler and Jen McMakin have opened Bon Vivant, a lifestyle management company that makes it easier to traveling VIPs to navigate a visit to Nashville.
Bon Vivant’s clientele includes national and international corporations, recording artists, and management companies. Connecting corporate and private clients with unique high-end experiences, the team taps into its vast network of relationships to offer preferential treatment, elevated access and more.
Bibler brings to Bon Vivant 10-plus years of experience in hospitality and event management. Her vast knowledge and experience ranges from restaurant and hotel sales, event design, coordination and production. She has cultivated invaluable relationships, and has been a go-to resource for many.
As a Nashville native, McMakin has been immersed in the culture of the city for years, with a close connection to its continual growth. She previously served as the Marketing Director of M Street Entertainment Group, known for many successful concepts including Virago, Kayne Prime, Whiskey Kitchen, Moto, Saint Anejo, Tavern, Citizen and The Rosewall.
Bon Vivant’s services include:
Entertainment: Providing clients with preferential treatment and exclusive access to the hottest music, art, and fashion events in town
Epicure + Connoisseur: Collaborating with top local restaurants and chefs, Bon Vivant provides rare and exclusive culinary experiences for its clients
Bespoke Travel: Custom-tailored itineraries for Nashville city excursions
Partnership + Brand Development: Corporate clients can leverage Bon Vivant’s local network of experts and strengthen their brand affiliation, offering access to partnerships and other business opportunities while enjoying preferential rates.
For additional information, visit BonVivantNashville.com. Contact Bon Vivant at contact@bonvivantnashville.com or 615.669.5589.
AmericanaFest Now Accepting Submissions For Showcase Slots
/by Jessica NicholsonAnyone can send an application via a digital submission. Submissions can be made for a $25 fee. Meanwhile, Americana Music Association artist/band members can submit for free by printing a submission application and mailing it to the Americana Music Association office at PO Box 628, Franklin, TN 37065.
The AMA member submitting must be a member of the band and not a representative. Also, AMA members can send their submissions via digital submission if they wish, but the $25 application fee for digital submission still applies.
All applicants will be notified by July 1 as to whether they have been selected to showcase at the 2016 AmericanaFest. Selected artists will showcase Tuesday, Sept. 20, through Saturday, Sept. 25, at various venues throughout Nashville.
This year, AmericanaFest’s host hotel will be the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. Shuttle buses depart the hotel entrance each evening on a continuous route to AmericanaFest showcase venues. Book a room at the Sheraton during AmericanaFest here.
Songwriters Notes: BMI and YEP, NMPA Honors Ross Golan, Darrell Scott’s ‘Couchville Sessions’
/by Jessica NicholsonBMI, YEP Team For Upcoming Nashville Showcase
Pictured (L-R): Sam Grow, Maggie Rose, LANco.
BMI and Young Entertainment Professionals (YEP) have teamed to showcase music from new Arista Nashville band LANco, as well as Sam Grow and Maggie Rose. The showcase will take place Monday, Feb. 22 at Exit/In in Nashville. The show will begin at 6 p.m. There is no cover.
NMPA Honors “Compass” Songwriter Ross Golan
Ross Golan with his NMPA honor for penning “Compass,” recorded by Lady Antebellum.
The National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) saluted several songwriters during a showcase at Hyde Sunset in Los Angeles on Feb. 10.
Among those honored was Ross Golan, who received an NMPA Gold songwriting plaque for his hit “Compass,” recorded by Lady Antebellum. Golan has also written Selena Gomez’s “Same Old Love” and Flo Rida’s “My House.”
Also honored were MoZella (“Wrecking Ball,” Miley Cyrus) and Jon Green (“Jet Black Heart,” 5 Seconds of Summer).
Songwriter Darrell Scott To Release Couchville Sessions
Couchville Sessions follows Scott’s last solo project, 2012’s Long Ride Home. In 2012, Scott recorded and toured as part of Robert Plant’s Band of Joy.
Among Scott’s upcoming tour dates are an April 29 show with John Prine at Tennessee Theater in Knoxville, as well as a show at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee on May 6.
Artist Updates: Luke Bryan, Dustin Lynch, Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White, Ry Cooder
/by Jessica NicholsonLuke Bryan’s ‘Kill The Lights’ Goes Platinum
Luke Bryan‘s album, Kill The Lights, has been certified platinum by the RIAA. In August 2015, Bryan debuted the album at No. 1 on both the Billboard 200, his third consecutive album to do so. Kill The Lights contains “Home Alone Tonight” featuring Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town, as well as the singles “Kick the Dust Up” and “Strip It Down.”
On Thursday (Feb. 18), Bryan will launch his 2016 Kill The Lights Tour at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. He’ll perform nearly 70 concerts across the U.S. before wrapping this fall.
Dustin Lynch To Sing On ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’
Dustin Lynch, who is Bryan’s Kill The Lights Tour opener, will perform his new single, “Mind Reader,” on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, airing Wednesday (Feb. 17) at 11:35 p.m. CT.
Lynch is the only artist Bryan has handpicked as an opener for a second time, and will join Bryan on the Kill The Lights Tour when it opens at Evansville, Indiana’s Ford Center on Feb. 18.
Ry Cooder, Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White To Embark On Songs For The Good People Tour
Pictured (L-R): Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White, Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder, Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White will perform a series of collaborative concert dates on the Songs For The Good People tour. Joining the trio will be Joachim Cooder on drums and Mark Fain on bass with occasional guest performances by Buck White and Cheryl White of The Whites.
The 11-city tour launches March 30 at Savannah Music Hall in Savannah, Georgia. They will perform April 5 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, and the tour wraps April 17 in Tarrytown, New York.
Bill Anderson Will Release Autobiography In September
/by Craig_ShelburneBill Anderson, a member of the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame, will release an autobiography in September.
Titled Whisperin’ Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life in Country Music, the book traces Anderson’s life from his Georgia roots to his achievements as one of Nashville’s most enduring songwriters.
Music journalist and Grammy-nominated music producer Peter Cooper served as a contributing writer on the book, which will be published by University of Georgia Press.
It includes rare, never-before-seen photos and personal stories from Anderson’s early days of radio broadcasting in Georgia, to standing onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, to being named BMI’s first ICON Award winner in the country music genre.
“I sometimes look in the mirror and wonder how one man could have been so blessed to have crammed so much living into one lifetime. I see the gray on my temples and instead of trying to hide it, I remember how much fun I had putting it there. Writing it down for these pages was almost akin to living it again, though, and I probably need to take a deep breath, relax and go sit down in the corner. Come sit with me, bring the book, and let me tell you about it,” said Anderson.
With the 2015 success of Mo Pitney’s “Country,” the 78-year-old Anderson is the only country songwriter to tally a Top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades.
At age 23, he was the youngest writer to ever be named BMI’s Songwriter of the Year, prior to 21-year-old Taylor Swift. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1961, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1975 and the County Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
Universal Music Group Nashville Adds Brandon Lay To Artist Roster
/by Jessica NicholsonFront Row (L-R): UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, Brandon Lay, UMG Nashville Vice President A&R Stephanie Wright. Back Row (L-R): UMG Nashville Senior Vice President A&R Brian Wright, UMG Nashville Vice President Business and Legal Affairs Rob Femia, Morris Higham Management’s Kyle Quigley, UMG Nashville Senior Vice President Promotion Royce Risser, UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe, UMG Nashville Senior Vice President and COO Mike Harris. Photo: Alain Poizner
Universal Music Group Nashville, led by chairman and CEO Mike Dungan, has added singer-songwriter Brandon Lay to its artist roster.
Lay, a Tennessee native, attended Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. After graduating in 2010, he moved to Nashville and signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell in 2013. He was honored with the Harold Adamson Lyric Award during the 20th annual ASCAP Foundation Awards in New York in December. The honor goes to an exceptional lyricist who has participated in one of the foundation’s songwriting workshops.
The singer-songwriter has established a college-based following, and has toured with Brantley Gilbert, Darryl Worley, Ronnie Milsap, Randy Rogers Band and Wade Bowen.
Lay has not been assigned to a UMG imprint.
Academy of Country Music Announces Radio Winners
/by Craig_ShelburneThis is the second ACM National On-Air Personality of the Year win for The Bobby Bones Show. The show previously won the award in 2013.
Winners in radio categories will be invited to receive their awards at a private reception in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, the day prior to the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards.
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
NATIONAL: The Bobby Bones Show
MAJOR MARKET: Chris Carr, Maverick and Kia, KEEY-FM; St. Louis Park, Minnesota
LARGE MARKET: Randy Carroll and Jamie Martin, KAJA-FM; San Antonio, Texas
MEDIUM MARKET: The Dex & Mo Show, WUSY-FM; Chattanooga, Tennessee
SMALL MARKET: Bill Barrett, Tim Fox & Tracy Berry; KKNU-FM – Eugene, Oregon
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
MAJOR MARKET: WYCD-FM, Southfield, Michigan
LARGE MARKET: WLHK-FM, Indianapolis, Indiana
MEDIUM MARKET: WUSY-FM, Chattanooga, Tennessee
SMALL MARKET: KTTS-FM, Springfield, Missouri
Apple CEO Tim Cook Challenges FBI Order About Unlocking iPhone
/by Jessica NicholsonA federal magistrate-judge ruled Tuesday (Feb. 16) that Apple must aid the FBI in breaking into the phone of Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the San Bernardino, California, shooting in December.
However, the only way to break through an iPhone’s encryption is with a passcode, which Apple does not store on its servers. The judge ruled Apple must provide “reasonable technical assistance” to help it unlock the phone, including developing software that would let investigators guess a passcode as many times as needed in order to break into the phone.
Cook criticized the ruling, stating it would undermine encryption. He compared the concept of such software to a “master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks.”
“In the wrong hands, this software — which does not exist today — would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession,” Cook says in the open letter. “The FBI may use different words to describe this tool, but make no mistake: Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control.”
In 2014, Apple updated its iPhone operating system to require that the phone be locked by a passcode that only the user knows. Previously, the company could use an extraction tool that would plug into the phone and allow it to respond to search warrant requests from the government.
Read Tim Cook’s open letter on Apple.com.
Johnny Cash Museum Announces Birthday Bash, Grand Opening Of New Wing
/by Craig_ShelburneThe Johnny Cash Museum will host their third annual Johnny Cash Birthday Bash and the grand opening of the museum’s new wing on Feb. 26-27 in downtown Nashville.
The new space will showcase many unique interactive features, memorabilia, costumes and more. A technology-driven area provides attendees the opportunity to mix their own versions of Cash’s songs. Costumes, props and other artifacts from the film, Walk The Line, will also be on display.
Celebrating what would have been Cash’s 84th birthday and the grand opening of the exhibit, the Birthday Bash event will feature special guests Lorrie Bennett (Anita Carter’s daughter), Branson On The Road, Tommy Cash; Cash’s longtime drummer, W.S. Holland; Cash’s longtime recording engineers, David Ferguson and Jack Grochmal; AP and Sara Carter’s granddaughter Rita Forrester; Johnny Cash Museum talent; Joanne Cash Yates; and more. Johnny Cash Museum Founders and Johnny Cash Radio Show hosts, Bill and Shannon Miller will host the event.
A fan favorite of the annual event is the Fan Jam, which puts the spotlight on attendees. Fans can bring their own instruments and have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform some of Cash’s greatest hits with Cash’s drummer, W.S. Holland.
The “One Piece at a Time” car, named after Cash’s 1976 No. 1 hit.
On Feb. 27 only, the legendary “One Piece at a Time” car, made famous by Cash’s 1976 No. 1 song of the same name, will be on display in Nashville for the first time in decades.
Fans can photograph and be photographed in the car. The Cadillac was built using parts manufactured from 1949 to 1973.
Johnny Cash Museum Founder Bill Miller states, “The Birthday Bash Fan Jam has become a perennial favorite for our attendees. It’s a chance for the fans to experience the spotlight and pay tribute to Johnny through song.”
Only a limited number of tickets to the Johnny Cash Birthday Bash are available. Tickets start at $55 per person and are only available for purchase online. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be available on-site. The event has consecutively sold out since its inception in 2014.