Warner Music Nashville (WMN) has announced the promotion of Jordan Pettit to Vice President, Radio Promotion. In this new role, Pettit will oversee WMN’s new and additional radio promotion division, “Team WEA”—one of WMN’s three radio promotion teams—leading efforts on behalf of artists across WMG’s country divisions, including Atlantic, Elektra, and Warner Bros. Pettit previously served as National Director Radio Promotion. Pettit will report to Kevin Herring, Sr. VP and Head of Promotion, who will oversee the entire three-team promotion structure.
In making the announcement, Esposito said, “Jordan is a force of nature. He is a bright and creative executive and I’m thrilled to have him leading our new promotion team to great heights. He has exceptional knowledge of the promotion space and the practical experience needed to successfully work and break artists. Jordan is ready to rock it!”
Herring added, “Jordan is beyond deserving of this opportunity. The choice was obvious considering what a passionate, competitive, and thorough promotion executive he is. I look forward to working with him in his newly expanded role.”
Pettit said, “I am humbled and excited for this opportunity to bring amazing new talent to this incredible format. Country Music has been my inspiration since I was just a boy, and I am very grateful to launch the newly created ‘Team WEA’ with my Warner family – working side by side with my great friends Chris Palmer & Kristen Williams – under the experienced leadership of Kevin Herring.”
Pettit and his team will work to amplify WMN’s presence in the promotion space, and further work singles further into airplay cycles.
WMN’s previously existing radio promotion teams—each specializing in their designated rosters of artists—will continue to be supervised by Vice Presidents of Promotion, Kristen Williams and Chris Palmer. Both also report to Herring.

Reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town will return for a second year to host ABC’s CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock, which is set to air Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. ET.

“We could not be more excited to be coming back as hosts for CMA Music Fest,” Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet says. “Last year was incredible and we can’t wait to be back in LP Field surrounded by 50,000 screaming fans!”
The show will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton.
Additionally, the CMA Music Festival has added Sara Evans, Travis Tritt and Charlie Daniels Band to the sold-out nightly concerts at LP Field.

Brantley Gilbert completed his “Athens to Arlington” journey on Monday, May 26. Gilbert traveled nearly 3,000 miles on a six-day motorcycle ride last week in support of the launch of his studio album Just As I Am. The ride departed Athens, Ga., on May 21 and stopped in 11 cities. Along the way, Gilbert honored members of the armed forces, concluding at Arlington National Cemetery just outside of Washington, D.C.

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BMI recently highlighted several promising indie artists at the 2014 Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Ala. For all three days of the festival, the BMI stage featured acts from all genres including: Empires, Bronze Radio Return, Wild Cub, Desert Noises, Shakey Graves, The Lonely Biscuits, Wild Belle, Dugas, Ethan Tucker, The Wans, and Alabama’s own St. Paul & the Broken Bones.

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Chelsea Bain performed at the Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, and hung out with several drivers qualifying for this weekend’s Coca Cola 600 NASCAR Spring Cup Race.

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Joshua Scott Jones visited with Elaina Doré Smith and Shawn Parr at Nash Nights Live while making the media rounds in support of his new album, The Healing, which releases June 3.

Republic Nashville has signed A Thousand Horses to its artist roster, which includes Florida Georgia Line, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band and Cassadee Pope. The Nashville-based band combines blues, southern Rock and Country, and is comprised of lead singer Michael Hobby, bassist Graham DeLoach and guitarists Bill Satcher and Zach Brown.
“I can not tell you how excited I am about signing A Thousand Horses. From the moment Scott McGhee played me the music over Christmas break I was hooked. Big things on the way!” said Jimmy Harnen, Republic Nashville President/Big Machine Label Group EVP.
A Thousand Horses is managed by McGhee Entertainment and is signed to CAA.

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Richlyn Marketing has added The Doobie Brothers to its artist roster. The company will coordinate the marketing and public relations for the upcoming release of The Doobie Brothers’ project on Sony Music Nashville, as well as handle all tour press. The project features Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Zac Brown Band, Toby Keith and others, and is helmed by Doobie Brothers’ manager Bruce Cohn and record producer David Huff.
Katharine Richardson, partner of Richlyn Marketing, adds, “We could not be more excited to be a part of this landmark project. I am personally a longtime fan, so it is a dream come true to be working with this brilliant band. We are honored to join their team.”

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Nettwerk One Music/Revelry Music Group, along with a newly formed partnership with Neil Mason‘s Lake Gloria Music, has signed Nashville-based songwriter-artist Austin Jenckes to its roster. The Duvall, Wash. native moved to Nashville in 2012, where he released the independent EP An American Story. In 2013, He was a top 10 finalist during Season 5 of NBC’s The Voice.

Jenckes joins Neil Mason (The Cadillac Three), Jessie Jo Dillon, Mike Fiorentino and Archertown on the Nettwerk One Music/Revelry Music Group roster.