Tandy Rice
Music Row magnate Tandy Rice died at Centennial Hospital on Monday (Aug. 3) afternoon. He was 76 years old.
The statesman-like Music City personality managed and/or booked such country-music greats as Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Jim Ed Brown, The Kendalls, Tom T. Hall, Helen Cornelius, Jeannie C. Riley, and more.
Born Tandy Clinton Rice Jr. in 1938, he was a native of Franklin, TN. Unlike most of his peers, he was a patrician. His father was a prominent physician, and the future entrepreneur grew up privileged and indulged. He attended The Citadel and Vanderbilt.
Minnie Pearl (Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon) was a distant cousin. She encouraged him to enter the music business. Tandy Rice began his career as a publicist, representing Waylon Jennings, Chet Atkins, Kitty Wells and Hank Williams Jr., among others. He hit his stride as a salesman for Show Biz, Inc., which distributed syndicated country television shows to stations throughout the nation. After three years there, he bought the company’s booking agency, Top Billing, Inc. He developed Top Billing into a Nashville powerhouse. At its peak, the firm booked and/or managed 18 major artists. There, Tandy Rice famously managed Mississippi fertilizer salesman Jerry Clower, who became a recording artist, a Grand Ole Opry member, a top convention speaker, a commercial pitchman, an author, a radio host and a TV star. Similarly, he transformed Billy Carter into a national media celebrity who out-earned his brother, President Jimmy Carter.
Always impeccably groomed and socially polished, Tandy Rice was a master salesman, using his folksy humor, honeyed Southern drawl, evangelistic enthusiasm and skill as a raconteur to charm everyone who met him. He became nearly as well known as the artists he represented. Rice was profiled in Newsweek, The Washington Post, People, Playboy, The New York Times and other national publications. Rice was a judge for the 1983 Miss America Pageant, which crowned Vanessa Williams. He also judged it in 1996, as well as several lesser such competitions.
“Tandy was not only one of the greatest agents in the business, but he was also one of the greatest people I’ve ever known. I loved him dearly as a friend. He will live in the heart of this town forever; and forever he will certainly live in mine,” says Dolly Parton.
At home in Music City, he became the host of the top-rated WLAC radio talk show Good Morning Nashville, as well as NewsChannel 5’s Morningline TV program. For 15 years, he hosted the United Cerebral Palsy Telethon on WKRN-TV. He served on the board of the CMA for more than a decade and was its president in 1981. He became an adjunct professor at Belmont University’s Mike Curb School of Music Business. In 2007, he was announced as the Dean of George Jones University.
In 2010, he survived prostate cancer. The following year, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA). In 2014, Tandy Rice became the inaugural inductee into the National Association of Talent Directors (NATD) Hall of Fame.
In addition to his Music Row activities, Rice was prominent in several Nashville civic organizations and charities. His organizations included the Boy Scouts, The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, The Nashville Rotary Club and Battle Ground Academy.
He is survived by daughters Cynthia Rice Simonet and Marjorie Rice Mason, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation was held Friday, Aug. 7, 5:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m. at Fourth Avenue Church of Christ located at 117 4th Avenue North in Franklin, TN. The memorial service was scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8 at 11:00 a.m. at Fourth Avenue Church of Christ. Memorial Donations may be made to: The Rice Family Middle-Tennessee Scholarship Fund at The Citadel, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC 29409, or GraceWorks Ministries, 104 Southeast Pkwy, Franklin, TN 37064. Condolences may be offered online at www.tennesseanfuneralhome.com.
Muzooka Add Nashville Partners To Networking Program
/by Eric T. ParkerRecently, Nashville’s Lightning 100 started using the Partner Platform as a way to discover acts to play the Live On The Green Music Festival from those submiting their music to the Music City Mayhem opportunity on Muzooka’s site.
Additional partners include Grammy-winning producers Chuck Ainlay and SESAC in addition to Chris Douridas’ School Night in LA, Jared Lee Gosselin and the W Hotel’s Speakerbox Series.
“For music industry professionals, Muzooka provides a global A&R platform that does not require sorting through physical or cumbersome digital submissions and social media sites,” said Muzooka CEO Shawn Wilson, who made the announcement today (August 5). “For artists, Muzooka is the ultimate community for professional growth, support and opportunity. As we continue to blend these communities, we turn to the best in the business to create the ultimate partnerships.”
A recent success story includes Nashville rockers The Wans, who just completed the recording of a 5 song EP produced by Vance Powell (Jack White).
Muzooka does not take money from aspiring artists and the service provides complimentary services to listeners. More information at muzooka.com.
Music Exec Susan Nadler Pens Fairy Tale Book
/by Lorie HollabaughSusan Nadler
Music exec Susan Nadler has penned a childrens/young adult book, Silfa, A Fairy Tale, which will be released September 9 through Taylor and Seale Publishing. The story is about the life of Silfa, a young fairy princess who wakes up to find herself trapped in a different time, living with a human family she does not remember.
Nadler began her career as a writer in Key West where she released two non-fiction books before moving to Nashville and launching a career in the music industry. Silfa has already received praise from celebrities including Martina McBride. “Susan has found a way to let you escape into a world that is both fantasy and reality,” shares McBride. “The reality of emotions that come with dealing with a broken home and the fantasy of finding a fairy friend and learning about her world make for a heartfelt and moving reading experience. This is a book I can see generations sharing and reading together.”
“The main message in Silfa is that you can’t make magic if you lie. Magic has to be done with the truth,” explains Nadler. “I think children, teens, and adults of all ages will enjoy reading this book. This is my favorite thing I’ve ever written because it is so different from my own life, yet I have always dreamed that I could fly, and I still dream that I fly.”
The character of Silfa the fairy princess first came to Nadler almost 40 years ago before launching a career in publicity working with Tammy Wynette, Bobby Blue Bland, Farm Aid and others. She also managed the career of famed country star Lorrie Morgan. Nadler became one of the first females to helm a major label, Asylum Records, with renowned publicist, Evelyn Shriver. In 2001, Nadler and Shriver formed Bandit Records and released what would be the final masters from the celebrated George Jones. Most recently, she has served as talent executive of PBS-TV show Soundstage.
UMG Names Jay Frank Head of Global Streaming Marketing
/by Sherod RobertsonJay Frank
Universal Music Group (UMG) announced today (August 5) that music and media industry executive Jay Frank, who founded the music and marketing analytics companies DigSin and DigMark and who previously held positions with Viacom’s CMT and Yahoo!, has been named to the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Global Streaming Marketing.
Frank will report jointly to Michele Anthony, Executive Vice President of Recorded Music, and Andrew Kronfeld, President of Global Marketing. Additionally, UMG has agreed to become partners in DigSin and DigMark.
Frank and his employees will remain based in the Nashville headquarters of DigSin and DigMark, responsible for using data and analytics to maximize the performance of Universal Music’s artists across all streaming platforms, evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s global streaming marketing efforts and identify opportunities for artists on streaming platforms.
He will also oversee the curation and management of Universal Music’s global playlists, coordinate a cohesive worldwide playlist strategy across the company’s labels and work with third-party playlist owners to promote artists.
“As the popularity of streaming services continues to grow, it’s important that our artists and labels are well-positioned in their home territory as well as globally to maximize on the opportunities provided by these new platforms,” said Anthony. “Jay and his team bring a proven track record of helping labels successfully support artists on emerging streaming services around the world.”
“With streaming, we are working in a new landscape of constant consumer interaction that extends well beyond a single transaction,” said Kronfeld. “To harness the potential of this connection, Jay and his team will incorporate new data-driven methods to maximize the exposure of our artists and create new opportunities on popular streaming services.”
“Streaming is opening new opportunities daily for artist discovery leading to strong bonds between artists and fans,” Frank said. “Successful campaigns will lead to enormous opportunity for new releases and catalog alike. It’s an honor to join Universal Music and work with such a forward-looking executive team on harnessing the incredible power of discovery represented by playlists.”
Frank founded DigSin as a singles-focused music company that leverages streaming promotion. He later founded DigMark to design and implement data-driven marketing campaigns. Frank is also the author of books about how technology has changed music discovery and how musicians can create inexpensive online marketing opportunities.
Before founding DigSin, Frank was Senior Vice President of Music Strategy for Viacom’s CMT. Prior to CMT, Frank was Vice President of Music Programming and Label Relations for Yahoo! Music, where he was responsible for all of the company’s music programming. He was also previously the senior music director at The Box Music Network.
Frank holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY, and sits on the Board of Directors of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and Leadership Music.
Carrie and Brad Return To Host CMA Awards
/by Eric T. ParkerBrad Paisley, Carrie Underwood.
Country superstars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will return as hosts of the 49th Annual CMA Awards for the 8th consecutive year. “Country Music’s Biggest Night” will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 4 (7:00-10:00 CT) on the ABC Television Network.
The announcement was made during last night’s (August 4) ABC broadcast of CMA Fest. Viewers were able to Shazam the show to unlock a video montage.
“We are so fortunate to have Carrie and Brad hosting the CMA Awards for the eighth time,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “They have real chemistry on stage and bring credibility, comic timing, and critical acclaim to ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night.’”
“Brad and Carrie are great hosts because they are very active collaborators in the process,” said Robert Deaton, Executive Producer of the CMA Awards and CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock. “They are heavily invested in the continued success of the CMA Awards while being mindful of the prestige and history. They are not simply setting the bar for hosting an awards show, they are surpassing it every time they step out on our stage.”
Paisley has won 14 CMA Awards since receiving the Horizon Award (now the New Artist Award) in 2000. He is No. 5 on the list of top CMA Awards winners of all time.
Underwood has received five CMA Awards in her career. She has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year every year since first being nominated (2006-2014).
The 2015 CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by more than 7,400 professional members of CMA. The eligibility period for the 2015 CMA Awards is July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. Voting for the second ballot closes Thursday, Aug. 20 (6:00 p.m. CT). The final nominees in each of the 12 categories will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 9 with voting for the final ballot ending Tuesday, Oct. 27 (6:00 p.m. CT).
Ticket information for the show will be announced later this summer.
CMA Names Wilson Sr. VP Business Affairs
/by Lorie HollabaughKevin Wilson
The CMA has named Kevin L. Wilson Senior Vice President of Business Affairs. In his new position, Wilson will oversee all of the CMA’s business affairs, includes talent contracts, residual issues, content distribution, and new media. Wilson will report to CMA CEO Sarah Trahern.
“The demands and complexity of our business operations have grown tremendously over the past few years as CMA has expanded our reach internationally and through our various television properties and live events,” said CMA CEO Trahern. “Having someone on our staff with Kevin’s many years of entertainment and TV law experience helps position the Association for future strategic growth.”
A native of Garrard County, Kentucky, Wilson previously worked with FOX Cable Networks where he served as Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for the Speed network (2002-2013). Wilson also served as Senior Counsel to TNN, CMT, and Country.com, where he managed the Nashville legal department and prior to the acquisition of TNN and CMT by CBS, Wilson was one of two attorneys representing Gaylord Communications Group. He graduated cum laude with a BA from Eastern Kentucky University and went on to receive his JD/MBA from Vanderbilt University School of Law and Owen Graduate School of Management.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the CMA staff and to help the Association further the promotion of Country Music worldwide and to navigate the increasingly complex media landscape,” said Wilson.
BMI Represents At Lollapalooza 2015
/by Lorie HollabaughBMI’s Samantha Cox and Mark Mason traveled to this year’s Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago to check out the myriad of BMI acts on the bill. Among the BMI acts represented at the event were Black Pistol Fire, Bully, Elle King, and The Lonely Biscuits.
Kevin McKeown of Black Pistol Fire plays the BMI stage at Lollapalooza
BMI’s Mark Mason, members of Black Pistol Fire Eric Owen and Kevin McKeown and C3’s Margaret Galton
BMI’s Mark Mason with Bully’s Alicia Bognanno, Stewart Copeland, Reece Lazarus and Clayton Parker
Nashville-based BMI band Bully rocks the stage at Lollapalooza
Pictured (L-R) BMI’s Samantha Cox (L) and Mark Mason (R) with BMI singer-songwriter Elle King (Centered).
The Lonely Biscuits’ Grady “Gravy” Wenrich on the BMI stage at Lollapalooza
High Brew Coffee’s David Smith (L) and BMI’s Mark Mason (R) pose with Nashville-based BMI band the Lonely Biscuits
Music Biz Announces September-October Webinars
/by Eric T. ParkerRegistration for each webinar is free for Music Biz members and $29 for non-members. Register here.
September-October Webinars
Really Listening: Using Social Behavior in Market Research
September 17, 2-3 p.m. ET
How much do you truly understand the population you’re trying to engage?
Soundgizmo: Manage, Promote, and Drive Income from Your Music/Artist as Entrepreneur
September 24, 2-3 p.m. ET
Soundgizmo is designed to empower the independent music community, giving indie labels, publishers, artists and producers the most comprehensive set of tools to manage, promote, and drive income from their music. During this webinar with Merry Bright Music Enterprises CEO, Billboard charting and award-nominated artist Elizabeth Chan, we explore how defining your artistry can help give you the roadmap to define your business and understand the true value of being an “Artist as Entrepreneur.”
Consumer Audio Consumption: The King of the Music Service
October 1, 2-3pm ET
AudienceNet presents Audiomonitor — a statistically and demographically representative measure of all US audio consumption, across all formats, genres and devices. Presentation to reveal an in-depth picture of the evolving relationship between consumption platforms and their users.
No. 1 Party: ‘Don’t It’ Celebrates Top Nashville Songwriters
/by Troy_StephensonPictured (L-R): “Don’t It” co-writers Ross Copperman and Ashley Gorley, Billy Currington, and co-writer Jaren Johnston. Photo: Ed Rode
The CMA Office in Nashville was host to a celebration of Billy Currington’s “Don’t It” as a No. 1 hit song on Monday August 3.
Hosted by ASCAP and BMI, Currington and songwriters Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley and Jaren Johnston were all honored and were addressed several times as some of the best in town.
ASCAP’s Mike Sistad recognized Johnston as a tireless worker who performs every weekend as the front man for The Cadillac Three, and then gets up every morning during the week to write a hit songs. “Don’t It” is Johnston’s sixth chart topper.
“I definitely need to thank my parents, who are here today,” said Johnston. “My dad used to put money in my account when I didn’t have any. I’d go and buy shoes instead of water and bread. Somehow, that worked out for me.”
Those in attendance were reminded of Gorley’s accomplished career so far. He has had over 300 of his songs recorded with 21 No. 1 songs, including Luke Bryan’s current No. 1, “Kick The Dust Up.”
Gorley stated, “I know it takes a nation to make this happen and we don’t take it for granted. There is a long list of people that need to be thanked.”
Leslie Roberts of BMI congratulated Copperman on this, his 4th No. 1 as a songwriter. He also has three songs currently on the chart. (Jake Owen’s “Real Life,” Keith Urban’s “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” and Brett Eldredge’s “Lose My Mind.”) In addition to being a hit songwriter, Copperman is also an accomplished producer.
“Don’t It” has become Currington’s 10th No. 1 song as an artist. He said this was the first song pitched to him for his sixth studio album, Summer Forever, which was produced by Dann Huff. He praised his Mercury Nashville promo team.
Also taking to the mic were UMGN Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan, Sony ATV’s Sr. VP Josh Van Valkenburg, Combustion Music’s VP Chris “The Falcon” Van Belkom, Cooper Samuels of Avenue Bank (who announced a charitable contribution to ACM’s Lifting Lives) and representatives from CRB and CMA.
Pictured (L-R, front row): Co-writer Ross Copperman, Billy Currington, and co-writers Ashley Gorley and Jaren Johnston; (back row) UMGN Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan, Warner Chappell Music Publishing’s Ben Vaughn, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Sony ATV Music Publishing’s Josh Van Valkenburg, Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom and ASCAP’s Mike Sistad
Colorful Talent Manager Tandy Rice Passes
/by Robert K OermannTandy Rice
Music Row magnate Tandy Rice died at Centennial Hospital on Monday (Aug. 3) afternoon. He was 76 years old.
The statesman-like Music City personality managed and/or booked such country-music greats as Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton, Jim Ed Brown, The Kendalls, Tom T. Hall, Helen Cornelius, Jeannie C. Riley, and more.
Born Tandy Clinton Rice Jr. in 1938, he was a native of Franklin, TN. Unlike most of his peers, he was a patrician. His father was a prominent physician, and the future entrepreneur grew up privileged and indulged. He attended The Citadel and Vanderbilt.
Minnie Pearl (Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon) was a distant cousin. She encouraged him to enter the music business. Tandy Rice began his career as a publicist, representing Waylon Jennings, Chet Atkins, Kitty Wells and Hank Williams Jr., among others. He hit his stride as a salesman for Show Biz, Inc., which distributed syndicated country television shows to stations throughout the nation. After three years there, he bought the company’s booking agency, Top Billing, Inc. He developed Top Billing into a Nashville powerhouse. At its peak, the firm booked and/or managed 18 major artists. There, Tandy Rice famously managed Mississippi fertilizer salesman Jerry Clower, who became a recording artist, a Grand Ole Opry member, a top convention speaker, a commercial pitchman, an author, a radio host and a TV star. Similarly, he transformed Billy Carter into a national media celebrity who out-earned his brother, President Jimmy Carter.
Always impeccably groomed and socially polished, Tandy Rice was a master salesman, using his folksy humor, honeyed Southern drawl, evangelistic enthusiasm and skill as a raconteur to charm everyone who met him. He became nearly as well known as the artists he represented. Rice was profiled in Newsweek, The Washington Post, People, Playboy, The New York Times and other national publications. Rice was a judge for the 1983 Miss America Pageant, which crowned Vanessa Williams. He also judged it in 1996, as well as several lesser such competitions.
“Tandy was not only one of the greatest agents in the business, but he was also one of the greatest people I’ve ever known. I loved him dearly as a friend. He will live in the heart of this town forever; and forever he will certainly live in mine,” says Dolly Parton.
At home in Music City, he became the host of the top-rated WLAC radio talk show Good Morning Nashville, as well as NewsChannel 5’s Morningline TV program. For 15 years, he hosted the United Cerebral Palsy Telethon on WKRN-TV. He served on the board of the CMA for more than a decade and was its president in 1981. He became an adjunct professor at Belmont University’s Mike Curb School of Music Business. In 2007, he was announced as the Dean of George Jones University.
In 2010, he survived prostate cancer. The following year, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA). In 2014, Tandy Rice became the inaugural inductee into the National Association of Talent Directors (NATD) Hall of Fame.
In addition to his Music Row activities, Rice was prominent in several Nashville civic organizations and charities. His organizations included the Boy Scouts, The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, The Nashville Rotary Club and Battle Ground Academy.
He is survived by daughters Cynthia Rice Simonet and Marjorie Rice Mason, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation was held Friday, Aug. 7, 5:30 p.m – 8:30 p.m. at Fourth Avenue Church of Christ located at 117 4th Avenue North in Franklin, TN. The memorial service was scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8 at 11:00 a.m. at Fourth Avenue Church of Christ. Memorial Donations may be made to: The Rice Family Middle-Tennessee Scholarship Fund at The Citadel, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC 29409, or GraceWorks Ministries, 104 Southeast Pkwy, Franklin, TN 37064. Condolences may be offered online at www.tennesseanfuneralhome.com.
Leadership Music Names New Leaders
/by Kelsey_GradyPictured (L to R): Diane Pearson, Mike Craft, Jeff Gregg
Leadership Music has named new officers for next year. Mike Craft has been elected president; Jeff Gregg, CAA, is president-elect; and Diane Pearson, City National Bank, is Past President. Remaining officers include Justin Levenson, SESAC, who will serve as secretary, and Andrew Kautz, Big Machine Label Group, who will again serve as treasurer.
“I am humbled and honored to join an esteemed list of industry leaders who have served as president of this great organization,” said Craft. “After 26 years, Leadership Music is as viable and important as ever, thanks to remarkable leadership. I look forward to continuing that tradition.”
In addition, Leadership Music has selected five new board members. Incoming board members are: Linda Bloss-Baum, SoundExchange; Joe Galante, Galante Entertainment; Gregg; Neal Spielberg, Spielberg Entertainment; and Jimmy Wheeler, Provident Label Group/Sony Music Nashville.