Garth Brooks has made his prestigious catalog available for licensing with the Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA), a leading provider of copyright, licensing, royalty distribution, and outsourced technology services for the music industry. Licenses can now be obtained for Brooks’ compositions in cover recordings for CDs, permanent digital downloads (PDDs), ringtones and interactive streams.

“We are excited to join the HFA family,” said Bob Doyle, President of Major Bob Music, who represents No Fences Music, Garth Brooks’ publishing company. “HFA is a trusted partner to songwriters and publishers and we are very impressed with their technological innovation and breadth of music industry knowledge.”

“We are honored to represent Mr. Brooks’ extensive body of work,” said Ed Hunt, Senior Vice President of Publisher Services and Distributions for HFA. “As with all of our affiliates, Mr. Brooks can expect uncompromised service and access to the multitude of business support opportunities we offer.”

Brooks is busy with his sold-out concert series at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas, with shows currently scheduled through November.

The Academy of Country Music welcomed Warner Music Nashville Recording Artist and ACM Professional Member James Otto to the office for a visit when he was in Los Angeles last week. Otto’s new Warner Music Nashville album Shake What God Gave Ya releases on September 14 and features his current Top 25 single “Groovy Little Summer Song.” Otto won his first ACM award in 2009 for “In Color” which he co-wrote.

(l-r): Bob Romeo, ACM Executive Director, James Otto

Open Road/Lofton Creek artist Gwen Sebastian put on a great show at the recent KLMJ Relay for Life fundraiser in Hampton, Iowa.

(l-r) Janet Betten, Gwen Sebastian, and KLMJ PD Mike Betten.

Curb Recording artist  Rio Grand recently performed at Joe’s Bar in Chicago, IL.

(l-r) Herbert Graham (Graham Artist Mgt); Danny Rivera (Rio Grand); Ed Warm (Joe’s Bar); Fred Stallcup (Rio Grand); and Tommy Rennick (Rio Grand)

Show Dog-Universal’s Trailer Choir recently had too much fun joining GAC’s Suzanne Alexander to co-host an upcoming episode of Top 20 when the show went on location at the 2010 Country Thunder in Twin Lakes, WI. GAC Top 20 airs July 30th at 7:00 PM CT and again at 11 AM CT.

(l-r): Trailer Choir's Big Vinny and Crystal; GAC’s Suzanne Alexander and Trailer Choir's Butter.

Tennessee non-profit ReTune Nashville announced today (7/30) its Benefit Concert and Art Auction Event set for Saturday, October 23 at Nashville gear storage facility and rehearsal space, Soundcheck, featuring artwork both created and donated by Nashville celebrities.

The music and live art auction event will feature a gallery of artwork created from flood-damaged instruments, along with a star-studded concert.

ReTune Nashville founder Sheri ONeal comments about the importance of using Soundcheck as the venue for the event: “From inception, we wanted to have the event at Soundcheck. It was suggested by musicians, and it’s the place where a lot of heartbreaking damage was done. We wanted to turn something negative into something positive for the facility and for the musicians. We couldn’t think of a better place to hold the event.”

As a non-profit organization, ReTune Nashville is also seeking sponsorships from local Nashville businesses to offset costs of the event and the support of local media.

“We are all volunteers from the Nashville music and art communities,” O’Neal says. “We want to get other local businesses and media outlets involved with us to truly make this an event that celebrates and gives back to the Middle Tennessee community.”

To date, ReTune Nashville has collected more than 60 damaged instruments from the Nashville floods of May 2010 with more than 50 visual artists committed to bringing them new life.

Contributing musicians include Rich Eckhardt and Chuck Goff (Toby Keith), Brady Seals (Little Texas, solo artist), and Michael Spriggs, Chris Leuzinger and Brent Mason (Nashville session guitarists), among others.

Eckhardt, who serves as ReTune Nashville’s Music Director, shares his experience with the flood: “I’m in a very privileged position as a musician. The greatest part for me is being able to give back to the music community that has been so good to me.”

Celebrity artists tapped to create artwork, including fashion designer Manuel, Rachel Kice (MuzikMafia), Michael Cartellone (Lynyrd Skynyrd), and Nathan Barlowe (Luna Halo).

Artist Joel Anderson, the creator of the “Spirit of Nashville” – a collection of prints celebrating Nashville’s charm and history displayed throughout BNA Nashville International Airport – is also creating a piece for auction. Brother Mel, renowned for creating considerably high volumes of art in a variety of media will join the group of artists as well. For a full list of donating musicians and visual artists, visit retunenashville.org.

Retune Nashville Music and Art Event tickets are $35 in advance and $45 the day of the event. Ticket information and performers will be available on retunenashville.org in the coming weeks. All proceeds from the sale of tickets and artwork will directly benefit uninsured musicians through MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief and the Nashville Musicians Association Flood Relief Fund.

For more information or to participate as an artist, musician, volunteer, or sponsor with ReTune Nashville, visit retunenashville.org or call 615.385.5947.

The 4th Annual Chris LeDoux Spurs and Spikes Memorial Golf Tournament, founded by Jerrie Bennett, Pam Kinchen, and LeDoux’s wife Peggy, raised over $30,000 for the Chris LeDoux Memorial Foundation. Held at the Powder Horn Golf Club in Sheriden, WY, 36 teams participated in the two-day event that included a practice round, BBQ, auction and live entertainment. RCA Records artist and longtime golfer Jake Owen made the trip to Wyoming to place in the tournament.

All of the money raised goes directly to the Chris LeDoux Memorial Foundation which goes to benefit various charities that were important to the LeDoux family such as the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund.

Tom Balding, a local bit and spur craftsman, created the first place trophies for the tournament. Each year Balding designs an original pair of silver spurs with the tournament name on each spur and the competition heats up quickly with a chance to take home one of these prized handmade silver spurs.

(l-r): Second place winning team / T.K. Kimbrell, longtime manager of Chris LeDoux; Laura Covington, Lisa Bernard; Tommy Bernard (photo: Stan Woinoski)

Jake Owen in his golf cart heading out to tee off (photo: Stan Woinoski)