Pictured (L-R): Larry Cordle, Clarence Spalding, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, Eddie Montgomery, Troy Gentry, and Pete Stamper. Photos: J and K Kreations
Maverick artist manager Clarence Spalding joined fellow Kentucky natives Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry of country music duo Montgomery Gentry, country-bluegrass singer/songwriter Larry Cordle, cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys, and songwriter/author/broadcaster Pete Stamper into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame on Friday (April 10). Folk music legend Doc Hopkins and R&B group The Moonglows were also inducted posthumously.
The eight inductees officially joined the 47 previously-inducted members of the Hall, recognizing contributions to music in the bluegrass state and around the globe.
During the 2015 event at Lexington, Ky.’s Lexington Center, Bluegrass Ballroom, an emotional tribute was made for the late Doc Hopkins by his nephew, Kenneth Hopkins, 94, who sang “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.” There were also Bluegrass-infused renditions of “I Want It That Way,” and “Larger Than Life” from Richardson and Littrell, and a performance from Montgomery Gentry.
“When people hear the Backstreet Boys, most people probably don’t equate us with Kentucky, but two-thirds of the Backstreet Boys are strongly, deeply rooted in Kentucky,” said Richardson.
The “Bluegrass State” is rich in its musical heritage across all genres including pop, rock, country, gospel, folk, jazz and more. Since 2002, its hall has recognized Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, The Judds, Dwight Yoakam, Crystal Gayle, Molly O’ Day, Exile, The Kentucky Headhunters and Steven Curtis Chapman, among others.
About the 2015 inductees:
Kevin and Brian of the Backstreet Boys. Photo: J and K Kreations
The Backstreet Boys has sold 130 million records worldwide and is recognized as the best-selling boy band in history.
Clarence Spalding is President of Maverick Nashville where he manages Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Kix Brooks, Terri Clark and Seth Alley. He managed the award winning duo Brooks & Dunn for 20 years. He has also been involved in the careers of Eddie Rabbitt, Ronnie Milsap, K.T. Oslin, Roger Miller, among others. All combined Spalding’s acts have sold over 70 million records and won over 130 major industry awards. He served as Chairman and President of the Country Music Association (CMA) and currently serves as a member of the Nashville Music Council with Mayor Karl Dean and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Doc Hopkins is one of the founders of the folk group Cumberland Ridge Runners. He played and performed over seven decades. The Rockcastle County, Ky., native started performing in medicine shows and featured for two decades featuring his combination of spoken word with three-finger-and-thumb guitar style on nationally broadcast radio programs.
Larry Cordle‘s original songs have been recorded by artists such as George Strait, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Trace Adkins, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss and Garth Brooks, among others. Cordle also performs with his own band, Lonesome Standard Time, who have garnered two Grammy nominations of their own and landed No. 1 slots on the Bluegrass and Americana charts. Cordle is also serves as a background vocalist for Nashville sessions.
Montgomery Gentry. Photo: J and K Kreations
Montgomery Gentry has charted over 20 singles. The Blaster Records duo will soon celebrate their sixth anniversary as Grand Ole Opry members, and on June 9 they will celebrate the release of a new album.
Pete Stamper is a comedian, songwriter, musician, author, broadcaster. His talents were well recognized within the country music; in the mid-1950s as part of the ABC weekly TV broadcast, Red Foley Ozark Jubilee Show. He made numerous appearances on The Porter Wagoner Show and also from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. An accomplished songwriter, he has written songs for stars including Red and Betty Foley, Porter Wagoner, Billy Anderson, among others. Today, Pete continues to host a morning show on WRVK in Renfro Valley. In 2008, the Kentucky Broadcaster’s Association honored Stamper with the Stephen Foster Award.
The Moonglows, an R&B vocal group formed in the early 1950s is known for two original Christmas standards: “Hey Santa Claus,” and ”Just a Lonely Christmas,” among Billboard Top 10 hits “We Go Together,” “See Saw,” “Please Send Me Someone to Love” and “Ten Commandments.” The Moonglows were inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2000. Henry Fuqua, the last remaining member, passed away in July of 2010.
Industry Pics: Songwriter Summit, Tom-Leis Music, Arista Nashville, RCA Nashville
/by Jessica NicholsonNashville Songwriters Join Second Annual Songwriter Summit in Salt Lake City
The second annual Songwriter Summit was held recently in Salt Lake City. The two-day event was sponsored by BMI and Bonneville Radio, and featured songwriters including Art Alexakis, Chris Barron, Graham Russell, Nash Overstreet, and Nashville songwriters Dylan Altman and Tommy Lee James.
Dylan Altman and Nash Overstreet at the 2nd annual Songwriter Summit.
Arista Nashville’s Cam, RCA Nashville’s Josh Dorr Attend 9th Annual Taste of Hope Wine Dinner
Arista Nashville’s Cam and RCA Nashville’s Josh Dorr posed for a picture with Mariah Carey and Tom Poleman last week in New York City at the 9th Annual Taste of Hope Wine Dinner to support City of Hope.
Pictured (L-R): Cam, Josh Dorr, Mariah Carey, Tom Poleman (President of National Programming Platforms, iHeart Media).
Dorvin and Betty Leis Honored in Hawaii
Dorvin Leis of Tom-Leis Music and Betty Leis were recently honored by the Maui Arts & Cultural Center with the organization’s highest award, the Lei of Distinction, for their exceptional generosity and graciousness in philanthropic contributions to the arts and the community of Maui. The Governor of Hawaii declared March 28, 2015 as Dorvin and Betty Leis Day. The award event included the presentation of specially commissioned leihulu (feather lei), along with a gala dinner.
In 2003, the Leises were recognized as Hawaii’s Outstanding Philanthropists by the Association of Fund-Raising Professionals. In 2008, The Dorvin D. Leis Co. was recognized with the Business Leadership Hawaii Community Spirit Award by Pacific Business News.
The Leises’ gifts to the community include more than $1 million to the center, $1 million to the University of Hawaii Maui College and $300,000 to the Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation, according to MACC.
Dorvin Leis and Betty Leis are honored in Maui.
LifeNotes: Music Man Doug Gilmore Passes
/by Robert K OermannDoug Gilmore
Doug Gilmore — who made his mark as a songwriter, TV producer and artist manager — passed away in Nashville on April 3 at the age of 78.
He was associated with such singer-songwriters as Mickey Newbury, Roger Miller, Delaney Bramlett, Leon Russell and Sonny Curtis. Gilmore co-wrote such country hits as “She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye” (Jerry Lee Lewis) and “What Am I Gonna Do About You” (Reba McEntire).
Douglas Carl Gilmore was born in Wichita, Kan., in 1936. He played football at Vanderbilt University and was on the team that won the Gator Bowl in 1955. He graduated in 1958.
After college, he signed a management deal with Roger Miller. When Miller moved to the West Coast in 1963, Gilmore accompanied him. As a songwriter, Doug Gilmore began collaborating with Miller’s drummer and Crickets veteran J.I. Allison.
In 1968, Gilmore collaborated with Mickey Newbury on “She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye.” Jerry Lee Lewis had a big country hit with the song the following year, and it has been recorded by dozens of others, including Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap, Don Gibson, Hank Snow, Del Shannon, Charlie Louvin, Lonnie Mack, Brook Benton, Ed Bruce, Jack Greene and Swamp Dogg.
Meanwhile, in California, Gilmore produced music for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (CBS, 1971-77), as well as for the solo TV shows of both Sonny (ABC, 1974) and Cher (CBS, 1975-76).
In 1973-74, NBC aired Dean Martin Presents Music Country as a weekly series. Doug Gilmore produced 19 one-hour episodes of this, which featured country artists performing their hits on location in scenic spots around the nation. Charlie Rich, Tanya Tucker, Jerry Reed, Mac Davis, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Johnny Rodriguez, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Tom T. Hall and Lynn Anderson were among those he showcased.
As a music director and producer, Gilmore also worked with John Denver during the 1970s. He reportedly also collaborated with noted soundtrack and musical-comedy composer Meredith Willson and with songwriters including Bobby Russell, Grant Boatwright, Billy Burnette, Bobby Lee Springfield, Larry Henley, Billy Ray Reynolds and Randy Sharp.
In 1987, Reba McEntire had a No. 1 hit with “What Am I Gonna Do About You,” which Gilmore co-wrote with Jim Allison and Bob Simon. He co-wrote several songs with John Brannen for the latter’s debut Mercury Records LP, 1988’s Mystery Street. Mickey Gilley had a 1986 top-10 hit with his co-written “Doo Wah Days.”
Dude Mowrey (1991) and Daron Norwood (1994) both charted with Gilmore’s co-written “Cowboys Don’t Cry.” Ray Stevens charted with his “Where the Sun Don’t Shine” in 1982. Other Gilmore songs were recorded by Johnny Paycheck, The Crickets, Tom Jones, Fleetwood Mac, Waylon Jennings and Lee Hazelwood, among others. He has a total of 192 titles registered with BMI.
In later years, Gilmore and his co-writer Gary Vincent produced various blues festivals in Clarksdale, Miss. He also worked with actor Morgan Freeman on a 2008 blues documentary broadcast.
Doug Gilmore is survived by Winifred Holcomb, brother James, aunt Juanita, daughter Kellye and by sons Charlie Holcomb, Calvin Houghland and Mason Houghland, as well as his cousins.
The family will receive friends at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home on Tuesday, April 14. Visitation begins at 2:30 p.m. with a celebration of his life beginning at 4:00 p.m. The building is at 9090 Highway 100, Nashville, TN 37221.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Doug Gilmore’s name may be made to New Leash on Life, 507 Jim Draper Blvd., Lebanon, TN 37087.
CMA Songwriters Series To Return To Library of Congress
/by Jessica Nicholson“We value our ongoing partnership with the Library of Congress,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “Country music, and our heritage of strong storytelling, is perfectly suited to the Library’s mission of acquiring, preserving, and providing access to America’s culture and stories through song. Presenting the CMA Songwriters Series in Washington, D.C. is also a vital reminder in the Capitol of the importance of protecting intellectual property and the work of our songwriting community, which is the very foundation of the format.”
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the country’s oldest federal cultural institution, and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, housing millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts.
The CMA Songwriters Series at the Library of Congress is free, though a ticket is required. Tickets can be attained at www.ticketmaster.com. Patrons who are unable to obtain tickets are encouraged to try for standby tickets on the evening of the concert, starting at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
For more information, visit cmaworld.com or loc.gov/concerts.
LifeNotes: Marty Stuart’s Father, John Richard Stuart, Dies
/by Jessica NicholsonMarty Stuart and father John Richard Stuart
Country entertainer Marty Stuart‘s father, John Richard Stuart, of Smyrna, Tenn., died Thursday, April 9. He was 83.
Stuart was born April 5, 1932 to Levi Lincoln and Eddie Lee Stuart of Arlington, Miss. John Stuart married Hilda Annette Johnson in 1952. They have two children, Marty (born 1958) and Jennifer (born 1960). The family has lived in Middle Tennessee since 1974.
John Stuart served in the Army from 1953-1955. Throughout his life, he worked as a brick mason and factory supervisor for Chromalox and Whirlpool companies.
He is survived by his wife Hilda of Smyrna, Tenn.; his daughter Jennifer of Smyrna, Tenn.; his son Marty and his wife Connie of Hendersonville, Tenn., and brother Ralph of Arlington, Miss.
Services are set for Tuesday, April 14 at 2 p.m., at Old Pearl Valley Baptist Church in Arlington, Miss.
Nadler, Blackburn Introduce Fair Play, Fair Pay Act
/by Jessica NicholsonThe act aims to harmonize and modernize the outdated rules that currently govern music licensing for digital and terrestrial radio broadcasts. The act proposes to:
• Create a terrestrial performance right so that AM/FM radio competes on equal footing with its Internet and satellite competitors who already pay performance royalties.
• Bring true platform parity to radio – so that all forms of radio, regardless of the technology they use – pay fair market value for music performances.
• Ensure terrestrial royalties are affordable capping royalties for stations with less than $1 million in annual revenue at $500 per year (and at $100 a year for non-commercial stations), while protecting religious and incidental uses of music from having to pay any royalties at all.
• Make a clear statement that pre-1972 recordings have value and those who are profiting from them must pay appropriate royalties for their use, while we closely monitor the litigation developments on this issue.
• Protect songwriters and publishers by clearly stating that nothing in this bill can be used to lower songwriting royalties.
• Codify industry practices streamlining the allocation of royalty payments to music producers.
• Ensure that artists receive their fair share from direct licensing of all performances eligible for the statutory license.
The bill is cosponsored by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL), a senior Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet. Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Gloria Gaynor, Cyndi Lauper, and Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last surviving member of the Four Tops, and numerous other artists joined the Members of Congress in announcing the new legislation.
“The current system is antiquated and broken. It pits technologies against each other, and allows certain services to get away with paying little or nothing to artists. For decades, AM/FM radio has used whatever music it wants without paying a cent to the musicians, vocalists, and labels that created it. Satellite radio has paid below market royalties for the music it uses, growing into a multibillion dollar business on the back of an illogical ‘grandfathered’ royalty standard that is now almost two decades old,” said Congressman Nadler.
“Artists, musicians, producers and radio services alike deserve better. The Fair Play Fair Pay Act fixes this broken and unjust system by making sure all radio services play by the same rules, and all artists are fairly compensated,” Congressman Nadler continued.
“I’m honored to be working with Congressman Nadler on this important bill. Many music creators struggle to make ends meet even when they write a hit song because of a quirk in the copyright law,” said Congressman Blackburn. “The Fair Play Fair Pay Act will ensure that the intellectual property of artists can no longer be exploited by Big Radio without compensation. All radio platforms should be treated the same when they use music to draw in listeners and earn billions in revenue. The playing field needs to be leveled and this is long overdue.”
“Profiting from someone else’s labor and not paying is simply unfair. The failure to adequately pay artists and musicians is particularly harmful to communities like Detroit, which has so many legacy artists who should be compensated fairly for their groundbreaking contributions to the industry. I am happy to support this bill because it provides long overdue fairness for artists regardless of when their music is recorded or where its played,” said Congressman Conyers, Jr.
“Fair market value for music will encourage creativity by music creators,” said Ted Kalo, Executive Director of the musicFIRST coalition. “It will promote innovation among music services. And – most importantly – it will give fans the best music they have ever heard – delivered in the most exciting ways they could ever imagine.”
SAG-AFTRA president Ken Howard praised the bill, saying, “This bill brings music licensing for sound recordings into the 21st century. AM/FM stations will finally pay royalties on the sound recordings they broadcast. Right now, performers receive nothing – no royalties at all – for use of their recordings on AM/FM radio. This is something our members, including the late and great ‘Chairman of the Board’ Frank Sinatra have fought for decades to establish. This bill establishes a uniform fair market value royalty standard for all services and ensures that creators of sound recordings made prior to 1972, some of our most beloved and valued music, are fairly compensated when their music is played. SAG-AFTRA is proud to stand with its partners in the musicFIRST Coalition and urge our lawmakers to finally pass this bi-partisan bill.”
Not all reactions to the bill have been positive. National Association of Broadcasters Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton issued the following statement: “It is disappointing that this bill retreads years-old policy positions rather than advancing the copyright dialogue through policies that help grow the entire music ecosystem. NAB stands ready to work with Congress on a balanced music licensing proposal that promotes innovation and recognizes the benefit of our free locally-focused platform to the benefit of artists and listeners.”
Alan Jackson’s 25th Anniversary Tour Visits Nashville
/by Sarah SkatesAlan Jackson onstage in Nashville Saturday night.
“I came to Nashville in 1985 to play real country music,” Alan Jackson told the audience at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Saturday night (April 11). Mission accomplished. The entertainer is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his debut album with a tour and more country music, coming this summer.
Onstage, music videos playing in the background showed the evolution of Jackson’s career (and the simultaneous evolution of video technology). His set went from 1991’s “Midnight In Montgomery” to 2008’s “Country Boy” and beyond. What hasn’t changed much is Jackson’s image and penchant for quality songs. Two and a half decades later, he’s still a classic in a cowboy hat, a laid back performer who mostly lets the songs speak for themselves. He played hit after hit: “Little Bitty,” “Summertime Blues,” “Livin’ On Love,” “Small Town Southern Man,” “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” “As She’s Walking Away,” and too many others to list.
“Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning),” is just one example of Jackson’s knack for poignant observation. “I’m just a singer of simple songs, I’m not a real political man,” he wrote in the Grammy-winning, post-9/11 song. It hit home with the crowd in Nashville, which was largely populated with NRA conventioneers who cheered loudly for the lyric “did you go out and buy you a gun?”
Throughout the night Jackson offered brief glimpses into how his personal experiences relate to his music. He explained that after his father died he wanted to honor him but didn’t want to write a sad song, so he wrote “Drive (For Daddy Gene).” He dedicated “Remember When” to his mother-in-law who recently passed away. And he introduced “Here In The Real World” by recalling how it saved his career at a pivotal point. An early single “died a miserable death on the chart” around the same time wife Denise found out she was pregnant, but “…Real World” became the hit he needed.
“I had more hits on the radio,” he said. “I can’t even remember all the hits anymore… And I sold more records than I could have ever imagined.” Jackson thanked his fans, band and the people who helped him along the way, and he previewed “You Never Know,” from his forthcoming album Angels and Alcohol, set for release July 17.
Openers Jon Pardi and Jeff Foxworthy revved up the crowd with lively entertainment.
Clarence Spalding, Montgomery Gentry Among Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Inductees
/by Eric T. ParkerPictured (L-R): Larry Cordle, Clarence Spalding, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, Eddie Montgomery, Troy Gentry, and Pete Stamper. Photos: J and K Kreations
Maverick artist manager Clarence Spalding joined fellow Kentucky natives Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry of country music duo Montgomery Gentry, country-bluegrass singer/songwriter Larry Cordle, cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys, and songwriter/author/broadcaster Pete Stamper into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame on Friday (April 10). Folk music legend Doc Hopkins and R&B group The Moonglows were also inducted posthumously.
The eight inductees officially joined the 47 previously-inducted members of the Hall, recognizing contributions to music in the bluegrass state and around the globe.
During the 2015 event at Lexington, Ky.’s Lexington Center, Bluegrass Ballroom, an emotional tribute was made for the late Doc Hopkins by his nephew, Kenneth Hopkins, 94, who sang “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.” There were also Bluegrass-infused renditions of “I Want It That Way,” and “Larger Than Life” from Richardson and Littrell, and a performance from Montgomery Gentry.
“When people hear the Backstreet Boys, most people probably don’t equate us with Kentucky, but two-thirds of the Backstreet Boys are strongly, deeply rooted in Kentucky,” said Richardson.
The “Bluegrass State” is rich in its musical heritage across all genres including pop, rock, country, gospel, folk, jazz and more. Since 2002, its hall has recognized Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, The Judds, Dwight Yoakam, Crystal Gayle, Molly O’ Day, Exile, The Kentucky Headhunters and Steven Curtis Chapman, among others.
About the 2015 inductees:
Kevin and Brian of the Backstreet Boys. Photo: J and K Kreations
The Backstreet Boys has sold 130 million records worldwide and is recognized as the best-selling boy band in history.
Clarence Spalding is President of Maverick Nashville where he manages Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Kix Brooks, Terri Clark and Seth Alley. He managed the award winning duo Brooks & Dunn for 20 years. He has also been involved in the careers of Eddie Rabbitt, Ronnie Milsap, K.T. Oslin, Roger Miller, among others. All combined Spalding’s acts have sold over 70 million records and won over 130 major industry awards. He served as Chairman and President of the Country Music Association (CMA) and currently serves as a member of the Nashville Music Council with Mayor Karl Dean and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Doc Hopkins is one of the founders of the folk group Cumberland Ridge Runners. He played and performed over seven decades. The Rockcastle County, Ky., native started performing in medicine shows and featured for two decades featuring his combination of spoken word with three-finger-and-thumb guitar style on nationally broadcast radio programs.
Larry Cordle‘s original songs have been recorded by artists such as George Strait, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Trace Adkins, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss and Garth Brooks, among others. Cordle also performs with his own band, Lonesome Standard Time, who have garnered two Grammy nominations of their own and landed No. 1 slots on the Bluegrass and Americana charts. Cordle is also serves as a background vocalist for Nashville sessions.
Montgomery Gentry. Photo: J and K Kreations
Montgomery Gentry has charted over 20 singles. The Blaster Records duo will soon celebrate their sixth anniversary as Grand Ole Opry members, and on June 9 they will celebrate the release of a new album.
Pete Stamper is a comedian, songwriter, musician, author, broadcaster. His talents were well recognized within the country music; in the mid-1950s as part of the ABC weekly TV broadcast, Red Foley Ozark Jubilee Show. He made numerous appearances on The Porter Wagoner Show and also from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. An accomplished songwriter, he has written songs for stars including Red and Betty Foley, Porter Wagoner, Billy Anderson, among others. Today, Pete continues to host a morning show on WRVK in Renfro Valley. In 2008, the Kentucky Broadcaster’s Association honored Stamper with the Stephen Foster Award.
The Moonglows, an R&B vocal group formed in the early 1950s is known for two original Christmas standards: “Hey Santa Claus,” and ”Just a Lonely Christmas,” among Billboard Top 10 hits “We Go Together,” “See Saw,” “Please Send Me Someone to Love” and “Ten Commandments.” The Moonglows were inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2000. Henry Fuqua, the last remaining member, passed away in July of 2010.
CBS Radio: Mason Steps Down, Fernandez to Lead
/by Jessica NicholsonAndre Fernandez
Broadcast veteran Andre J. Fernandez has been selected to succeed CBS Radio President/CEO Dan Mason, who announced his retirement Monday morning. Fernandez will begin his new role next week, and will be based in New York, where he will lead CBS Radio’s 117 stations in 26 markets. Fernandez will report to Leslie Moonves, President and CEO of CBS Corporation.
Fernandez was most recently President/COO of Journal. Prior to his work at Journal, Fernandez held several financial leadership roles at General Electric Company. After the GE/NBC acquisition of Telemundo Communications Group in 2001, Fernandez was named Sr. VP and CFO of Telemundo. Prior to Telemundo, Fernandez worked as CFO and Controller of GE Latin America, CFO of GE’s Digital Energy business, Assistant Treasurer of GE Corporate Treasury, and CFO of GE Capital Information Technology Solutions. Fernandez began his career on Wall Street as a banking associate for Brown Brothers Harriman in New York, then as Assistant VP with Merrill Lynch’s emerging markets group. Fernandez graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He currently serves on the boards of the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) and Froedtert Health, an academic medical center and regional hospital system in southeast Wisconsin, where he is Vice Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Finance Committee and Member of the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee. He is a member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC).
Dan Mason
“Andre is a terrific executive who brings a wealth of experience to this role – operations, financial management, programming and digital distribution, among many other attributes,” Moonves says. “He has had great success working in large and mid-sized markets, which has primed him to lead our major market operations.”
“CBS is an exceptional media company, and this is a terrific opportunity to join a world-class operation and continue its growth and innovation,” Fernandez says. “I’m very impressed with not only CBS’s collection of market-leading brands, but the interface it has achieved with its complementary TV and digital assets, which gives us great opportunities for further development.”
Mason spent 17 years with CBS, including leading CBS Radio for 15 years.
The AristoMedia Group Celebrates 35 Years
/by Jessica NicholsonFounded in April 1980 by President/CEO Jeff Walker as a public relations firm, the AristoMedia Group has grown into a multi-faceted media, marketing and promotion company. The company includes specialized departments, including Aristo P.R. (publicity and PR), AristoVideo (video promotion and marketing), AristoWorks (digital development and marketing), Marco Promotions (secondary and tertiary radio promotion) and Marco Club Connection (dance venue marketing). The company offers project management and music consulting through Jeff Walker and Associates, and digital music delivery for streaming outlets through StreamTrack, launched in 2014.
Walker has received the CMA President’s Award, the CMA Jo Walker Meador International Award, Country Music Association Australia’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the BCMA International Services Award (UK), and the Canadian Country Music Association’s Leonard T. Rambeau International Support Award.
Senior staff of the company includes Craig Bann (Sr. VP Promotion/ Marketing), Rick Kelly (VP of Promotion), Jon Walker (VP of Digital), Christy Watkins (VP of Public Relations/Media Marketing) and Matt Watkins (VP of Marketing/Operations). Located on Music Row, The AristoMedia Group employs 15 full-time and part-time employees.
The AristoMedia Group President/CEO Walker notes, “When I started the company, the compact disc was still in development, the Internet was over a decade away from major acceptance, and digital downloads and streaming were not even in the music business vocabulary. The times have driven the company to continuously re-invent our service offerings and expand into new areas I could not have imagined 35 years ago. We strive to stay ahead of our industry’s needs and I’m proud of the company AristoMedia has become.”
LifeNotes: Ballet Maven Jane Fabian Passes
/by Robert K OermannJane Fabian
Jane Fabian, a key figure in the classical dance world in Nashville for more than 40 years, passed away on April 6 at age 74.
A Nashville native, Fabian was a founder of Nashville Ballet, was President of its Board in 1981-85 and then served as the Company Manager and Administrator of the School of Nashville Ballet. From 1993 to 2001, she was Managing Director of Nashville Ballet.
When she retired from the organization’s administrative leadership, she was appointed a lifetime member of its board of directors. Fabian was also quite active in the alumni association of Leadership Nashville.
Born in 1940, she attended Parmer School, Harpeth Hall and Hollins University before earning her degree from Vanderbilt in 1963. She began ballet training with Albertine Maxwell in Nashville in 1944. She later studied at the School of American Ballet in New York City.
She performed with the Nashville dance troupe Les Ballets Intime, then taught at both The Dancer’s Studio and the School of Nashville Ballet between 1976 and 1991.
In addition to her work with Nashville Ballet, Jane Miller Fabian served on the boards of the McNeilly Day Home, the Junior League, the YWCA, the Association for Nonprofit Organizations and the Tennessee Association of Dance. She was also on the Advisory Committee of the Governor’s School for the Arts.
She was a 1994 graduate of Leadership Nashville. In her leisure, the charmingly unpretentious Fabian was a big fan of The Atlanta Braves and of country music.
She is survived by sons Michael M. Fabian of Roswell, GA and Robert N. Fabian Jr. of Reno, NV. Her Nashville memorial service will be at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Rd. at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in Jane Fabian’s honor may be made to Nashville Ballet.