BMI re-elected six members of its Board of Directors during the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders held today (Oct. 6) at BMI’s office in Nashville.
The following Board members have been re-elected to new four-year terms:
Paul Karpowicz, current Chairman, BMI Board of Directors and President, Meredith Local Media Group;
Susan Davenport Austin, Presiding Director, BMI Board of Directors, Vice Chairman, Sheriden Broadcasting Corporation, and Senior Managing Director, Brock Capital Group LLC;
Craig Dubow, retired Chairman, President and CEO, Gannett Co., Inc.;
Philip Jones, former Chairman, BMI Board of Directors and past President, Meredith Corporation Broadcast Group;
Virginia Hubbard Morris, Chairman & CEO, Hubbard Radio, LLC and Vice President, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc.;
Neil Smith, President, GNS Media, LLC
Continuing in their terms on the Board of Directors are: Michael O’Neill, President and CEO, BMI; Caroline Beasley, EVP and CFO, Beasley Media Group, Inc.; Amador Bustos, President and CEO, Bustos Media Holdings, LLC; Michael Fiorile, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dispatch Broadcast Group; Bill Hoffman, President, Cox Media Group; Catherine Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One, Inc.; Jerome Kersting, former President, Tribune Broadcasting and past EVP/CFO, Clear Channel Radio; Dave Lougee, President, TEGNA Media; Steven Newberry, President and CEO, Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation; Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW Network; and Jack Sander, former Chairman, BMI Board of Directors and retired Vice Chairman, Belo Corporation.
CRB Offers Early Look at Country Radio Seminar 2016 Agenda
/by Jessica NicholsonThe three-day event will offer attendees panels and educational presentations centered around hot topics, sales, technology, social media, programming, and more.
CRS Agenda Committee chairman Tom Hanrahan states, “Our 2016 Agenda Committee has been working hard since our initial meetings in June to deliver world class content for CRS 2016. I’m continually amazed by their hard work and dedication. This preview of the agenda demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver our best to CRS attendees. I can’t wait for February to get here!”
Talent lineups and more agenda specifics will be released leading up to the event.
The CRS 2016 Agenda-At-A-Glance includes:
(*Schedule subject to change*)
Monday, February 8:
8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Registration Opens
3:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies
3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Artist Humanitarian Award Presentation
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Daily Featured Speaker
5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Welcome Reception
7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Grand Ole Opry
9:45 p.m. CRS After Hours
Tuesday, February 9:
8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Programming Mentoring Breakfast
8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Sales Mentoring Breakfast
9:00-9:50 a.m. Daily Featured Speaker
10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. CRS Research Presentation
11:30 a.m.-1:50 p.m. UMG Nashville Sponsored Luncheon
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m. Radio as The Insurgent: What if “They” Were Here First?
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m. Beyond the News Feed – Using Social Media For More Than “Listen Now”
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m. While You Were Out: To The Beach and Back
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m. Big Market Sound in Any Size Town Part:1 Imaging Secrets Revealed
3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m. The New Listener Journey Map
3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m. Women in the Industry: Breaking Barriers and Balance
3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m. Big Market Sound in Any Size Town Part II: Get Prepped
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Revenues on the Horizon: Local Advertisers Talk Radio
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Big Market Sound In Any Size Town Part III: Mastering The Music
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. The Story of the Tortoise and the Hare – Country Charts vs. Pop Charts
7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. CRS After Hours
Wednesday, February 10:
8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Women Mentoring Breakfast
8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Tech Breakfast
9:00 a.m.-9:50 a.m. Daily Featured Speaker
10:00 a.m.-10:50 a.m. Put Me In Coach! The Best Talent Coaches Converge
10:00 a.m.-10:50 a.m. What YOU Want To Know About Digital and Social
10:00 a.m.-10:50 a.m. Promotions Start To Finish
11:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m. Listeners: Are You Speaking Their Language?
11:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m. Social Content Creation Bootcamp
Noon-1:50 p.m. BMLG Sponsored Luncheon
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m. Winning The First Occasion
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m. From the Outside Looking In: Other Formats Give Their Take On Country
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m. Frenemy: Competitor or Brand Extension?
3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Featured Speaker
5:30 p.m.-6:15 p.m. New Faces Cocktail Reception
6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. New Faces of Country Music Dinner and Show
10:00 p.m. CRS After Hours
LifeNotes: Country, Pop Hitmaker Billy Joe Royal Passes
/by Robert K OermannBilly Joe Royal
Country and pop song stylist Billy Joe Royal has died at age 73.
The Georgia native became a pop star with his version of songwriter Joe South’s “Down in the Boondocks” in 1965. The song was recorded for the country market by both Penny DeHaven and Freddy Weller, predicting Royal’s later career.
Billy Joe Royal followed his breakthrough hit with South’s “I Knew You When.” Linda Ronstadt made the country charts with this song in 1983. Royal introduced South’s “These Are Not My People” in 1967. Weller made it a big country hit in 1969.
“Hush,” also written by South, charted on the pop charts for Royal in 1967. Deep Purple made it a major rock hit in 1970.
Billy Joe Royal’s last big pop hit was 1969’s “Cherry Hill Park.”
He resurfaced in Nashville in 1985 as a country act singing Gary Burr’s “Burned Like a Rocket.” The song was a top-10 hit and rising when the Challenger rocket exploded with its astronauts inside. This is said to have stalled its progress.
Royal rebounded with 1987’s country hits “Old Bridges Burn Slow,” “Members Only” (a duet with Donna Fargo) and “I’ll Pin a Note on Your Pillow,” one of his biggest country radio hits. Its video was No. 1 on CMT. His 1987 LP The Royal Treatment became a Gold Record.
Billy Joe Royal lived in Music City for 20 years. During this time, he sang such country hits as “Out of Sight and on My Mind” (1988), “Tell It Like It Is” (1989), “Love Has No Right” (1989), “Till I Can’t Take It Anymore” (1989) and “Searchin’ For Some Kind of Clue” (1989).
He last made the country charts with 1992’s “I’m Okay.” Royal was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1988. In later years, he toured on the “oldies” circuit.
Billy Joe Royal died suddenly on Tuesday, Oct. 6. He is survived by daughter Savannah Royal and by stepsons Trey and Joey Rivabank. He also remained close to ex-wife Michelle Royal.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time.
Couple Surrenders In Dave Brainard Assault
/by Jessica Nicholson(L-R): Nichole Hargrove, Dustin Hargrove. Photo: Metro Nashville Police
A Maury County, Tenn., couple has surrendered in the assault of music producer Dave Brainard and his friend Deborah DeLoach, reports The Tennessean.
Dustin Carl Hargrove and Nichole M. Hargrove, both of Columbia, both surrendered to Metro Nashville Police on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Dustin Hargrove was charged with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor assault. Nichole Hargrove was charged with misdemeanor assault.
The couple allegedly struck Brainard and his friend DeLoach with their car during the early morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 27, on Demonbreun near the roundabout in Nashville’s Music Row area.
“The victims reported that Nichole Hargrove got out of the Infiniti and began screaming at Deloach and Brainard,” police said in a press release on Tuesday.
Dustin Hargrove’s bond was set at $7,500 and Nichole Hargrove’s was set at $1,000 on Tuesday.
According to Nashville police, the couple was found through an investigation led by Detective Anthony Chandler, with the aid of tips given to Nashville Crime Stoppers. Chandler made an unanticipated stop at the Hargrove residence on Tuesday, which led the couple to concede their involvement in the assault.
According to police, the Hargroves visited Nashville on Sept. 26 to attend a wedding reception at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
BMI Re-Elects Six Members to Board of Directors
/by Jessica NicholsonThe following Board members have been re-elected to new four-year terms:
Paul Karpowicz, current Chairman, BMI Board of Directors and President, Meredith Local Media Group;
Susan Davenport Austin, Presiding Director, BMI Board of Directors, Vice Chairman, Sheriden Broadcasting Corporation, and Senior Managing Director, Brock Capital Group LLC;
Craig Dubow, retired Chairman, President and CEO, Gannett Co., Inc.;
Philip Jones, former Chairman, BMI Board of Directors and past President, Meredith Corporation Broadcast Group;
Virginia Hubbard Morris, Chairman & CEO, Hubbard Radio, LLC and Vice President, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc.;
Neil Smith, President, GNS Media, LLC
Continuing in their terms on the Board of Directors are: Michael O’Neill, President and CEO, BMI; Caroline Beasley, EVP and CFO, Beasley Media Group, Inc.; Amador Bustos, President and CEO, Bustos Media Holdings, LLC; Michael Fiorile, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dispatch Broadcast Group; Bill Hoffman, President, Cox Media Group; Catherine Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One, Inc.; Jerome Kersting, former President, Tribune Broadcasting and past EVP/CFO, Clear Channel Radio; Dave Lougee, President, TEGNA Media; Steven Newberry, President and CEO, Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation; Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW Network; and Jack Sander, former Chairman, BMI Board of Directors and retired Vice Chairman, Belo Corporation.
CMHoF To Honor Garth Fundis on Saturday
/by Eric T. ParkerGarth Fundis
Garth Fundis will be honored in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Music Masters series on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1:30 p.m. in conjunction with the ongoing exhibition Trisha Yearwood: The Song Remembers When.
Long-time Yearwood producer Fundis will share insights into his long career working with Yearwood, as well as additional artists including Don Williams, Keith Whitley, and Sugarland.
Following the program in the museum’s Ford Theater, Fundis will sign copies of a Hatch Show Print poster commemorating the day.
In the mid-1990s, Fundis presided over the Nashville division of the record label Almo Sounds. He also owned Sound Emporium Recording Studios and served as A&R at RCA. He has been President/Creative Director at Slate Creek Records.
Attendees must have a program pass to guarantee admission to this event. Program passes are free with Museum admission or membership and distributed two hours prior to the event at the Museum’s box office on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is general admission and limited.
Museum members only may also reserve their program passes in advance by phone (615-416-2050) or via reservations@countrymusichalloffame.org. Reservations are accepted until 48 hours before the program, or until the program is at capacity. The program will also be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.
Jason Aldean Tour Semi Crashes in Canada
/by Craig_ShelburneJason Aldean. Photo: CMA
A semi truck carrying tour equipment for Jason Aldean flipped on the Trans Canada highway early this morning (Oct. 6), following his performance in Kamloops, a city in British Columbia. Because the semi was hauling musical equipment, the crash forced Aldean to postpone his Burn It Down concert stop in Prince George. Originally scheduled for tonight, it will now take place on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
“The driver suffered minor injuries when the truck went off the right-hand side of the road, striking a rock, causing the truck to flip,” said Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush. “The truck contained music equipment belonging to Jason Aldean’s band, which had just performed in Kamloops and was on the road to its next tour stop in Prince George.”
According to KFJC News in Kamloops, Bush says the cause of the crash is under investigation.
Wrensong’s Ree Guyer Buchanan Talks Breaking Old Dominion
/by Sarah SkatesOld Dominion
MusicRow recently checked in with Wrensong’s Ree Guyer Buchanan to find out about the path that took Old Dominion from hard-working indie band to rising major label stars. Old Dominion is comprised of Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Geoff Sprung, Whit Sellers, and Brad Tursi, all seasoned songwriters and musicians. The band’s Sony Music Nashville debut Meat and Candy will be released Nov. 6. It was produced by Shane McAnally.
Here’s what Buchanan had to say about the project:
This is a preview of the Publisher Town Hall Meeting, which will be featured in the upcoming Publisher Issue of MusicRow magazine.
In the time since this interview was recorded, John Marks has exited SiriusXM.
Hill Entertainment Group Adds Michael Sloane
/by Troy_StephensonMichael Sloane
Hill Entertainment Group has announced that Michael Sloane has joined the entertainment, management and solutions company.
Sloane will oversee Hill Entertainment Group’s digital marketing strategy as the company joins the increasing number of management firms to add digital to its menu of in-house services.
“We are excited to have Michael Sloane join the Hill Entertainment team to head up our digital strategy and initiatives,” said founder Greg Hill, “In our changing marketplace, management companies need to offer more and more services that play on our brand building expertise. Sloane’s experience speaks for itself and is a great addition to our team.
A former Director of Interactive at Big Machine Label Group, Sloane worked with artists such as Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Florida Georgia Line and was involved with campaigns for major pop stars from all genres while working for echomusic and later Live Nation.
“I’ve worked with Greg in several capacities over my career and have always been struck by his unique perspective on the industry,” says Sloane. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to join Hill Entertainment Group and look forward to driving innovation on behalf of his clients.”
Hill Entertainment Group currently represents recording artists Jana Kramer, Rodney Atkins, The Swon Brothers and Naomi Judd, as well as LANco and Legendary Coaches.
Attorney Wayne R. Halper Joins Cole Law Group
/by Jessica NicholsonWayne R. Halper
Music attorney Wayne R. Halper has joined Cole Law Group as Senior Attorney and head of the firm’s Entertainment Law Practice Group.
Wayne will maintain an office at 33 Music Square West, Suite 108A, in Nashville, and at Cole Law Group, 750 Old Hickory Boulevard, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027.
“Wayne is one of the top media and entertainment lawyers in the industry, and his in-depth knowledge of the legal challenges that artists and entertainment companies face will make him a great asset to the firm and our clients,” said Todd G. Cole, founder of Cole Law Group. “His arrival demonstrates CLG’s commitment to actively expand our media and entertainment resources and to serve companies and individuals across all sectors of the entertainment industry.”
Halper was the first in-house attorney at a major record label in Nashville (at Capitol Nashville) and rose to the position of General Manager/Head of Label Operations for DreamWorks Records Nashville, a division of DreamWorks SKG, the entertainment studio launched in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen.
At Cole Law Group, Wayne concentrates his practice in the music, film, television, and publishing industries, representing such clients as independent record labels, musicians, composers, actors, authors, content providers, independent film producers and media companies. He advises complex contract negotiations, literary or songwriting publications, copyright/trademark protections, licensing creative properties, licensing infringements, pursuing claims for the non-payment of royalties and residuals, and other strategic transactional and litigation matters. He also counsels individuals in all areas of entertainment industry awareness and acts as business/project manager for those seeking to market, promote, and exploit their intellectual property.
“For some time now I have envisioned an organization in Nashville that could integrate the artistic, legal, and business needs of our creative community,” stated Halper. “My background coupled with the broad spectrum practice areas and brilliant capabilities of my colleagues at Cole Law Group will enable our firm to provide the Nashville entertainment industry with 360 degrees of premier legal service.”
Halper can be reached at 615-429-8500 and by email at wayne@waynehalper.com as well as at whalper@colelawgrouppc.com.
BMI Teams With AT&T For New Songwriter Event, Writing Area
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured: (L-R) BMI’s Jody Williams and Mason Hunter, AT&T’s Bart Peters, BMI songwriter Michael Ray, AT&T’s Jennifer Miles and Tom Sauer and BMI’s Leslie Roberts.
BMI recently hosted “Nashville’s Next Big Wave,” a mixer for BMI writers who have just signed their first publishing deal. The mixer was presented by AT&T’s on-demand music channel “Country Deep.” Writers in attendance included Drew Castleberry (signed to Tree Vibez Music) and Jody Stevens and Jon Langston (both signed to Sony/ATV). Hosted by BMI’s Director, Writer-Publisher Relations, Leslie Roberts, the event was designed to bring newly-signed writers together to make friends, set up potential co-writes and simply become familiar with one another.
BMI songwriter Michael Ray, who recently celebrated his first No. 1 single “Kiss You In the Morning,” was on hand to provide words of encouragement to the more than 100 attendees, including the many freshly-signed writers.
“It was an honor to be asked by my BMI family to talk with the new songwriters and the future of our industry,” said Ray. “Country Deep has been such a great partner to me and it’s so exciting that they have teamed up with BMI to create these amazing writing rooms for all the BMI writers; I can’t wait to get in there and start writing.”
During the mixer, BMI and AT&T announced a new relationship, focusing on developing BMI writers into country music’s next stars. The newly-decorated songwriter rooms and the hallway between them will be known as the “Country Deep Songwriter Wing.” The rooms offer pianos, other instruments and a near-endless supply of coffee.
“We are excited about this new relationship with BMI in our continued efforts to support the Country Deep platform,” said Tom Sauer, Vice President, video development for AT&T. “We look forward to expanding our ongoing initiatives – from the artists we highlight every day on Country Deep to the songwriters creating the music.”
“AT&T, with its unique channel ‘Country Deep,’ is an exciting platform that has often supported our affiliates through special concerts, events and on-air performance opportunities,” said Mason Hunter, BMI’s Executive Director, Strategic Partnership. “I’m thrilled ‘Country Deep’ is supporting BMI and our mission to help songwriters hone their talents. BMI is pleased to have ‘Country Deep’ featured in our songwriter rooms and look forward to expanding this long term relationship.”
Writer rooms are available to BMI members only by appointment and inquiries should be directed to WritersRooms@bmi.com.