BMI and ALT 98.3 Present Eastside Sounds

BMI and ALT 98.3 presented their monthly showcase, Eastside Sounds, at The Basement East on Wednesday night (Dec. 2). Hosted quarterly by radio personality Wells Adams, the showcase highlights top independent voices who create music confidently outside of the mainstream. This week’s showcase featured Tedo Stone and PHIN.

 

Big Yellow Dog Project Debuts at No. 1

Jessie James Decker‘s first holiday album, This Christmas, has debuted at #1 on the iTunes Holiday Album chart. The album follows the #1 debut of her lead single, This Christmas, from the album on the iTunes Holiday Single charts three weeks ago. The album features three original songs, several holiday standards, and a duet with husband, Eric Decker.

 

Midwest Communications Picks Up ‘The Pickup’

Syndicated online series, ‘The Pickup,’ has been added to Midwest Communications’ country brand. Viewers can now watch the series via the media company’s 16 country websites, including seven DUKE FM stations and nine contemporary country stations.

“It is a terrific show and a perfect fit for our stations,” says Tom Baldrica, Corporate Country Brand Strategist, Midwest Communications. “This is a natural step in our continuing commitment to country music.”

“In our never-ending search to deliver content, ‘The Pickup’ arrived at our doorstep, with excellent content for our websites delivering up-close and personal access to the country stars we know and love,” says Jeff McCarthy, VP Programming, Midwest Communications.

 

MTSU Hires Abby White as Development Director

Abby White, a former staff editor at the Nashville Scene and Nfocus magazine, has been tasked by MTSU to create stronger connections between the university and the media and entertainment industries. White joined MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment as a development director at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year. MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment is the fifth-largest communication program in the nation.

The CMA Songwriters Series will return to the UK for its 10th European show on March 10 at indigo at The O2 in London. This CMA Songwriters Series installment will feature Charles Esten (of ABC’s Nashville), Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna, Ashley Monroe, and Charlie Worsham.

Launched in 2005, the CMA Songwriters Series will enter its 12th year in 2016. In 2012, the Series made its European debut with shows in London, Dublin, and Belfast. Celebrating the craft of storytelling through song and the stories behind country music’s greatest hits, the series returned the following year with shows taking place in Ireland, London, and Paris. Since 2014, the CMA Songwriters Series has returned annually to London as part of Country 2 Country, the three-day country music festival at The O2 in London.

Nashville-based executives Marcie Allen, Lori Badgett, Julie Boos, Ali Harnell, Allison Jones, Cindy Mabe and Mary Ann McCready are featured in Billboard’s new ranking of the 50 most powerful women in the music business.

Allen is the president of MAC Presents and was recognized in the Branding category for work with clients like Southwest Airlines and Microsoft Windows. In addition, the Finance category cites Badgett (Senior VP/team leader, City National Bank), Boos (co-owner/VP/business manager, Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy) and Mary Ann McCready (President/co-founder/business manager, Flood Bumstead McCready & McCarthy) as leaders in their field.

Meanwhile, Harnell (Senior VP, AEG Live) is cited in the Live category for producing 180 shows in 2015, grossing $36 million. In the Labels category, key Nashville figures include Cindy Mabe (President, Universal Music Group Nashville), who guided the label to a 40 percent market share in 2015, as well as Allison Jones (Senior VP A&R, Big Machine Label Group), who is recognized for placing future hit songs with the label roster, which includes Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts.