“The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is already a one-of-a-kind venue,” said Senior Director of Events Management
Jo Ellen Drennon McDowell. “Our new spaces are, quite frankly, breathtaking, and will allow us to offer an unparalleled event experience. The new Event Hall, which crowns the expansion, will overlook downtown and provide a heart-stirring, unequaled view of Music City. Coupled with its vast size—10,000-square-feet—it’s an awe-inspiring space for receptions, dinners, weddings, meetings, trade shows, exhibits and other live events.
“Our state-of-the-art, 800-seat CMA Theater is a size that has been lacking in Nashville,” Drennon McDowell continued. “You can expect optimal acoustics, and it’s incredibly intimate for a hall this size – there won’t be a bad seat in the house. We will also have a new outdoor terrace, which will make guests feel part of the city’s skyline; and a private dining room with a spectacular view. Finally, both the Event Hall and the CMA Theater will have beautiful adjacent spaces perfect for receptions and more. And as always, we’re able to offer ‘one-stop’ shopping for all of our events, providing catering, entertainment, event décor and virtually anything else a client needs upon request.”
The museum’s new event spaces include:
–The Event Hall, a 10,000-square-foot space on the top floor of the expanded museum; it features soaring, 40-foot windows and offers a spectacular view of downtown Nashville. The Event Hall is suitable for receptions, dinners, weddings, meetings, trade shows, exhibits and other live events; it can accommodate up to 1,200 guests, and comfortably holds 600 for a seated dinner
–The Event Hall Lobby, a versatile pre-function space located adjacent to the Event Hall and the Terrace. The Event Hall Lobby is perfect for preceding events in the Event Hall, as well as on its own for cocktail hours, meet-and-greets, dinners, networking and silent auctions. It can also accommodate exhibits, trade shows, registrations, initial orientations and event overflow.
–The Terrace, located on the sixth floor of the expanded museum, an outdoor green space with a view of the Nashville skyline. The Terrace is suitable for cocktail receptions, outdoor dinners, weddings and more. It’s a unique venue for live music and can accommodate up to 400 guests.
–The CMA Theater, an 800-seat peerless concert venue. The intimate and highly adaptable space also works well for general sessions, performances, television tapings, press conferences and much more.
–The CMA Theater Lobby. Adjacent to the CMA Theater, this pre-function space is ideal for pre-concert receptions, as well as breakfast, lunch and breaks during other theater events. This flexible space can also accommodate meeting registrations, silent auctions, trade shows and more.
–The Private Dining Room. This 760-square-foot space is suitable for VIP dining, rehearsal dinners, private lunches and intimate group meals. Offering a stunning view of the skyline, the Private Dining Room is great for entertaining guests; it can also serve as a matchless artist green room.
The highly anticipated expansion will enhance the museum’s current event rental offerings, which include the 11,000-square foot Curb Conservatory, the Hall of Fame Rotunda and the intimate 213-seat Ford Theater.
Clients who wish to reserve one of the spaces may call (615) 416-2001 or visit
http://countrymusichalloffame.org/venue-rental/.
CTM Adds Production Coordinator
/by Jessica Nicholson“After listening to (CTM President and CEO) Eddie Robba share his vision of returning to the heart of the singer, the songwriter, and the music, I knew I had to be a part of Catch This Music. Whatever I can do to help him bring back integrity and the personal touch – to elevate the artistry – that’s what I want to do,” said Benton.
“We are very excited to welcome Louellen Benton to our staff. Louellen brings both professionalism and music knowledge to CTM. She has been immersed in music since she was young and like us, she has a passion for great music. Her enthusiasm, attention to detail and experience in the music industry is what really makes her the perfect person for the position,” offered Robba.
Located at 1008 17 Avenue S., Nashville, CTM offers a studio as well as full-service production for album projects, video services, artist development, public relations, marketing and radio promotion for recording artists and corporate clients alike.
Louellen Benton can be reached at (615) 340-9000 or louellen@catchthismusic.com.
Rascal Flatts Co-Headline Pennsylvania Concert with Journey
/by Eric T. ParkerRascal Flatts and Journey.
Rascal Flatts will co-headline a one-night only summer concert in Hershey, Pa. with Journey.
The August 1 event will be held at Hersheypark Stadium with special guests The Band Perry and Cassadee Pope.
The country trio first performed with the American rockers on the 2012 CMT Music Awards, closing the show with “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The bands have since participated in CMT’s Crossroads series during Super Bowl XLVII.
“We had a blast performing with Journey!” said Gary LeVox. “Our respect for them as musicians deepened through the television shows we did together that talk soon lead to wanting to do more. We are very excited about this concert.”
Tickets go on sale beginning Friday, April 12. Additional information can be found at rascalflatts.com, journeymusic.com or livenation.com.
ACM Gives Fans a Front-Row Seat Via Instagram
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Academy of Country Music integrated Instagram into their social media promotion strategy during the recent Academy of Country Music Awards. The organization used the social network medium to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the show as well as images from the red carpet.
Artists including Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jake Owen, Kip Moore, Darius Rucker, Eli Young Band, Brett Eldredge and others took part in the Instagram photo booth for shots. The artists took photos with life-sized cutouts of ACM Awards hosts Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton. The Academy shared these photos on their official Instagram feed and incorporated them into commercial breaks throughout the CBS broadcast. Nominees also took to Instagram at the ACMs, allowing fans to engage with them directly.
Brett Eldredge
Darius Rucker
Faith Hill
Tim McGraw
Kip Moore
Jake Owen and wife Lacey
Eli Young Band
SAE Institute Introduces Music Business Program
/by Sarah SkatesMusic business program chair Stephen McCord
SAE Institute has added a Music Business Program under the direction of chair Stephen McCord. The organization’s Nashville campus is the first of seven SAE locations to roll out the program. It is one of several new entertainment media diplomas being developed by the institute, joining its established Audio Technology Program.
Last year, SAE tapped McCord to oversee the launch of the Music Business courses. Classes will cover recording company operations, music publishing, entertainment law, video production, multi-media technology, website development, marketing, distribution and entrepreneurship. Many industry advisors, faculty, and guest lecturers are expected to contribute to the classes.
The Music Business Diploma level course is a one-year (36 credit hour) program. SAE also offers a sixteen-month (60 credit hour) Associate Degree level program.
SAE has campuses or facilities in 56 cities in 23 countries.
New Songplugging Group Plans First Showcase
/by Sarah SkatesMusic publishers Kim Wiggins, Brad Kennard, Kelly King, Jeff Skaggs and Melissa Spillman have formed a new songplugger group, The Independents. Numerous top songwriters are represented by the group including Neil Thrasher, Josh Kear, JT Harding, Jessi Alexander and Jeremy Spillman.
Members of The Independents have placed recent No. 1s “How Country Feels,” “Tornado,” “Better Dig Two” and “Blown Away,” as well as cuts by Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum and Brothers Osborne.
The plugging group will celebrate Independents’ Day Monday, April 15 at 6 p.m. at 3rd & Lindsley, where two songwriters from each publishing company will perform two new, uncut songs for industry attendees.
Artist Updates (4-8-13)
/by Jessica Nicholson• • •
• • •
Kevin McGuire and Taylor Swift. Photo: Getty Images
A year after Taylor Swift asked cancer survivor Kevin McGuire to be her date to the ACM Awards, the star and student finally met. McGuire was unable to attend last year’s ACM Awards due to a fever.
This year, he and his family attended the awards show and met with Swift. A facebook page was originally set up by McGuire’s sister Tori, asking Swift to attend Kevin’s prom with him.
The Recording Academy To Present Music Educator Award
/by Jessica NicholsonThe award is open to current U.S. music teachers from kindergarten through college, in public and private schools. Anyone can nominate a teacher — students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans and administrators — and teachers are also able to nominate themselves. Nominated teachers will be notified and invited to fill out an application.
One winner will be selected from 10 finalists each year to be recognized for their remarkable impact on their students’ lives. The first award will be presented during GRAMMY® Week 2014. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the GRAMMY Awards, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium.
The honorariums provided to the winners are made possible by a grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund. This new partnership with the Ford Motor Company Fund expands their financial support of GRAMMY Foundation music education initiatives. The nomination process is open now and the deadline for nominations is April 15, 2013.
To view guidelines and/or to nominate your favorite music educator, visit www.grammymusicteacher.com.
Ratings Report: ACM Awards Win Night
/by Eric T. Parker48th Annual ACM Hosts, Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton. Photo: Ethan Miller
The 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards helped CBS rank No. 1 among total viewers last night (4/7), according to preliminary primetime reports from Nielsen.
The annual Las Vegas country show drew 15.38 million viewers for live and same day viewing, the highest measure since 1998. Last year’s show attracted 12.2 million viewers, down from 13 million the previous year.
Audiences for the 3-hour CBS country broadcast resulted in a 4.3 rating among adults 18-49 and a share of 11, its best deliveries for this demographic since 2001.
CBS ranked first among the major networks, followed by NBC which averaged 3.7 million viewers for its largest drawing show, The Apprentice. ABC took in 3.3 million viewers, while FOX showed an average of 2.8 million.
Last night’s more than 15 million viewers slightly bested the approximately 13.6 million who tuned in to the Nov. 1 CMA Awards on ABC.
According to BlueFin Labs, the ACM Awards raked in 1.9 million social media comments and 619.4 million impressions, up from 676,000 comments in 2012.
In addition, more than 1.1 million votes were cast for the ACM’s Entertainer of the Year and New Artist of the Year categories combined, an increase of 22% over last year’s vote.
GAC will re-air the awards event Monday, June 3, 9:00 p.m./ET.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Readies Event Spaces
/by Jessica Nicholson“Our state-of-the-art, 800-seat CMA Theater is a size that has been lacking in Nashville,” Drennon McDowell continued. “You can expect optimal acoustics, and it’s incredibly intimate for a hall this size – there won’t be a bad seat in the house. We will also have a new outdoor terrace, which will make guests feel part of the city’s skyline; and a private dining room with a spectacular view. Finally, both the Event Hall and the CMA Theater will have beautiful adjacent spaces perfect for receptions and more. And as always, we’re able to offer ‘one-stop’ shopping for all of our events, providing catering, entertainment, event décor and virtually anything else a client needs upon request.”
The museum’s new event spaces include:
–The Event Hall, a 10,000-square-foot space on the top floor of the expanded museum; it features soaring, 40-foot windows and offers a spectacular view of downtown Nashville. The Event Hall is suitable for receptions, dinners, weddings, meetings, trade shows, exhibits and other live events; it can accommodate up to 1,200 guests, and comfortably holds 600 for a seated dinner
–The Event Hall Lobby, a versatile pre-function space located adjacent to the Event Hall and the Terrace. The Event Hall Lobby is perfect for preceding events in the Event Hall, as well as on its own for cocktail hours, meet-and-greets, dinners, networking and silent auctions. It can also accommodate exhibits, trade shows, registrations, initial orientations and event overflow.
–The Terrace, located on the sixth floor of the expanded museum, an outdoor green space with a view of the Nashville skyline. The Terrace is suitable for cocktail receptions, outdoor dinners, weddings and more. It’s a unique venue for live music and can accommodate up to 400 guests.
–The CMA Theater, an 800-seat peerless concert venue. The intimate and highly adaptable space also works well for general sessions, performances, television tapings, press conferences and much more.
–The CMA Theater Lobby. Adjacent to the CMA Theater, this pre-function space is ideal for pre-concert receptions, as well as breakfast, lunch and breaks during other theater events. This flexible space can also accommodate meeting registrations, silent auctions, trade shows and more.
–The Private Dining Room. This 760-square-foot space is suitable for VIP dining, rehearsal dinners, private lunches and intimate group meals. Offering a stunning view of the skyline, the Private Dining Room is great for entertaining guests; it can also serve as a matchless artist green room.
The highly anticipated expansion will enhance the museum’s current event rental offerings, which include the 11,000-square foot Curb Conservatory, the Hall of Fame Rotunda and the intimate 213-seat Ford Theater.
Clients who wish to reserve one of the spaces may call (615) 416-2001 or visit http://countrymusichalloffame.
ACM Label Afterparty Photos
/by Eric T. ParkerSony Music Nashville artists and staff celebrated the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards with a post-show gathering in Las Vegas on Sunday night (4/7). RCA Nashville’s Miranda Lambert walked away as the night’s top honoree, with four ACM trophies, including her fourth consecutive win as Female Vocalist of the Year. Lambert now joins Reba and Loretta Lynn as the only other artists to be named ACM Female Vocalist of the Year four or more times.
Pictured (L-R): Love and Theft’s Stephen Barker Liles; Angie Johnson; Love and Theft’s Eric Gunderson; Miranda Lambert; Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Gary Overton; Pistol Annies’ Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley; and Kristen Kelly. Photo: Jeniffer LaRocca
Pictured (L-R): Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Gary Overton and Miranda Lambert. Photo: Jeniffer LaRocca
• • •
UMG Nashville collected plenty of heavy metal during the Academy of Country Music Awards, with Luke Bryan picking up the evening’s top honor, Entertainer of the Year, and Little Big Town winning Vocal Group of the Year and Video of the Year (“Tornado”).
UMG Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan and Luke Bryan
Pictured (L-R): Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman, UMG Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan, Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet
Pictured (L-R): Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Eric Paslay
• • •
Most of the staff from Big Machine Label Group went to the Academy of Country Music Awards, as well as most of the artists, judging from the size of their afterparty. While Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, The Band Perry and Florida Georgia Line performed during the show, FGL also picked up the award for New Artist of the Year.
Front Row: Jimmy Harnen, Andrew Kautz, George Briner, RaeLynn, Erik Powell, Kris Lamb, John Zarling, Jack Purcell. Back Row: Neil Perry, Reid Perry, Lois Lewis, Kimberly Perry, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Scott Borchetta, Sandi Spika Borchetta, Cassadee Pope, Greg Bates, Mike Molinar, James Young, Jackie Campbell, Kelly Rich, Chris Thompson, Mandy McCormack, Allison Jones, Mike Eli, Jon Jones.
Pictured (L-R): BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Brian Kelley, Tyler Hubbard, Republic Nashville President/BMLG Exec. VP Jimmy Harnen
• • •
Warner Music Nashville’s Hunter Hayes, Sheryl Crow, Ashley Monroe, Blake Shelton, Big and Rich’s Big Kenny and Brett Eldredge celebrate after the ACM Awards.
Pictured (L-R): Scott Hendricks (SVP A&R, WMN), Hunter Hayes, Blake Shelton, Ashley Monroe, Peter Strickland(EVP/GM, WMN), John Esposito(President & CEO, WMN), Sheryl Crow, Big Kenny Alphin, Brett Eldredge