With so many Country music fans in one place, CMA Music Festival presented a prime opportunity to conduct research with this important consumer group.
“Country music is reaching a broader and more diverse audience than ever and we believe these shifts have an impact on our attendee base,” said Karen Stump, CMA’s Senior Director of Market Research. “Our research among Festival attendees about their motivations and experiences related to our event serves as a vital tool for CMA to continuously deliver a memorable and relevant event for our fans.”
Findings from 2014:

• 50 percent of attendees were attending for the first time (48 percent in 2013)
• Among first-time attendees, 52 percent were visiting Nashville for the first time
• 17 percent of first-time attendees reported they had become a fan of the genre recently (within the past one to five years)
• 76 percent of attendees traveled more than 250 miles
• The average distance traveled to attend the festival is 665 miles
• 96 percent of attendees indicated plans or interest in attending again next year
• 82 percent of attendees posted to social media about their daily experience
 (75 percent to Facebook, 37 percent on Twitter, 46 percent to Instagram)
• 62 percent stated they became a “new” fan of an artist they discovered at the Festival
• 52 percent were under the age of 40 (slightly up from 50 percent last year)
• 48 percent have an annual household income of $75,000 or more

These preliminary numbers are based on CMA’s onsite/in-person surveying of 437 attendees over the four days. Additional research is being conducted and will result in added insights about CMA Music Festival attendees based on input from more than 2,000 patrons.

Big Machine Label Group and Cox Media Group (CMG) have partnered for a revenue sharing deal that includes both broadcast and digital plays. Big Machine and its artists are the first record label to secure a direct licensing deal with Cox Media Group.
Under Big Machine Label Group’s wholly-owned imprints Big Machine Records and The Valory Music Co., artists such as Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert and Thomas Rhett will benefit from this agreement.
“This agreement represents an exciting opportunity for Cox Media Group to work together with Big Machine and their artists,” CMG President Bill Hoffman said. “We believe that partnering directly with a label across our broadcast and digital platforms is mutually beneficial. We will ultimately enhance the opportunities for our fans, listeners, and our respective companies.”
“Bill Hoffman and [CMG’s Executive VP of Radio] Kim Guthrie have done an incredible job with the Cox Media Group by simultaneously building and preserving their great radio station brands while also re-imagining what the future of broadcasting is going to be. Their station apps are among the very best,” Big Machine Label Group President and CEO Scott Borchetta said. “Big Machine understands that a forward move in the digital broadcasting space is a must to get ahead of the many opportunities that a digital dashboard and other digital initiatives are going to bring. We are thrilled to continue to elevate our partnership with this incredible company as the broadcasting sea change continues.”
Cox Media Group owns some of the nation’s top country stations, including KKBQ in Houston, Orlando’s WWKA, San Antonio’s Y100 KCYY, Dayton’s WHKO, Tulsa’s KWEN and Athens’ WNGC.

Hit country songwriter Don Devaney died on Friday, June 6.
His friends and family will gather at Brown’s Diner (2102 Blair Blvd.) to celebrate his life on Saturday, June 14, at 5 p.m.
Devaney hit the top of the charts with 1978’s “Someone Loves You Honey,” sung by Charley Pride and with 1988’s “Cry, Cry, Cry” by Highway 101.
The songwriter also made the country charts with “Ever Lovin’ Woman,” recorded by both Pat Garrett (1981) and Marlow Tackett (1982), as well as with Mary Lou Turner’s version of his “Yours and Mine” (1979).
He wrote the bluegrass standard “Listening to the Rain,” which has been recorded by The Osborne Brothers (1970), Special Consensus (1996), Pam Gadd (1997), Doc & Merle Watson (1998), Ronnie Reno (2002), Monroe Crossing (2003) and others.
Other notable cuts include Johnny Cash’s “Ain’t Gonna Hobo No More” (1982), Rick Trevino’s “Serious Love” (1996) and The Wilburn Brothers’ “Signs Are Everywhere” (1970).
“(Drinking Beer And) Singing a Country Song” (Dick Curless, 1972), “You Keep Right on Loving Me” (Jim Ed Brown, 1972), “Comin’ Home to Kentucky” (Kenny Price, 1972) and “If I Had Yesterday Again” (The Wilburn Brothers, 1968) are also Don Devaney songs.
“Someone Loves You Honey” has been revived by Brenda Lee (1982), Ronnie Dove (1996), reggae artists June Lodge (2000) and Dwight Pinkney (2002) and by Neal McCoy (2013). Devaney’s songs have also been recorded by George Jones, Ray Price, Johnny Russell and Barbara Mandrell, among others.
Don Devaney was 78 years old. He is survived by daughter Heather D. Graffagnino (Chris), brother Gerald Devaney (Barbara), sisters Joy Sullivan (Brian) and Marilyn Smith and by grandsons Joseph and Zachary Graffagnino.
Prior to the gathering at Brown’s Diner, a memorial mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday at St. Henry Catholic Church. Harpeth Hills Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to MusiCares, 1904 Wedgewood Ave., Nashville TN 37212.