Randall King Goes ‘Into The Neon’ At Adventure Science Center

Randall King took partners through an immersive experience Monday night (Dec. 4) at Nashville’s Adventure Science Center for a preview of his upcoming album, Into The Neon, out Jan. 26. The Warner Music Nashville artist produced the 18-track album with Jared Conrad.

As the year winds down, King continues to headline shows in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and more.

 

AIMP Celebrates The Season At Nashville Holiday Bash

AIMP held its Nashville Holiday Party on Thursday, Nov. 30 at Never Never in Nashville. Attendees were treated to cocktails and appetizers as the Chapter celebrated the year’s accomplishments.

 

Mike Stoller Heralded In Country Music Hall Of Fame ‘Poets And Prophets’ Program

This weekend, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum featured songwriter Mike Stoller in its in-depth interview series “Poets and Prophets.” The program was hosted by Vice President of Museum Services Michael Gray in the museum’s Ford Theater. Stoller, who wrote and produced some of the most enduring classic songs of the 1950s and ’60s with his partner, the late Jerry Leiber, made a rare Nashville appearance to discuss his legendary music career.

Leiber and Stoller wrote “Hound Dog” for blues singer Big Mama Thornton, which became an enormous pop, R&B and country hit for Elvis Presley in 1956. They also wrote “Jailhouse Rock,” “Loving You,” “King Creole,” “Treat Me Nice,” “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care” and other hits for Presley. One of the most prolific and creative songwriting teams in popular music, Leiber and Stoller also wrote “Stand by Me” (Ben E. King), “Kansas City” (Wilbert Harrison), “Love Potion #9” (the Clovers), “On Broadway” (the Drifters) and “I’m a Woman” (Peggy Lee).

Many of their songs reached the country charts, including Mickey Gilley’s version of “Stand by Me,” Billy “Crash” Craddock’s cover of “Ruby, Baby,” Hank Snow’s recording of “The Man Who Robbed the Bank at Santa Fe” and six Presley sides. Wanda Jackson’s 1961 take on “Riot in Cell Block #9” is a favorite among rockabilly fans. Leiber and Stoller were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

 

Odyssey Entertainment Group Adds Seven

Odyssey Entertainment Group, the Nashville-based talent management agency founded by Paige Kosinski and Nicole Kasper, has significantly expanded both its team and talent roster. Odyssey has added seven full-time staffers to its team, including Sydney Dial, Ali Turgeon, Becca Schomer, Ally Gower, Cienna Lagana, Senith Berhane and Mariele Reeder. Alongside the growth of its dedicated team, Odyssey has also expanded its roster to over 50 exclusive creators across the U.S. and Canada, totaling their combined reach up to nearly 50 million followers. With over 2000 campaigns under their belt, the team has worked with brands such as YouTube, Amazon, Spotify, Revolve, CVS and more.

“Odyssey’s growth is not just about numbers; it’s about the remarkable women we’ve brought on board – the very team members we’ve been searching for to elevate our agency to new heights,” says Kasper. “Each of them brings a unique blend of talent, expertise, and vision that is critical for our journey ahead. As a co-founder, I am immensely proud to see our family expand with individuals who share our passion for empowering creators. This expansion enriches our capabilities and our culture, setting us on a path to redefine success in the industry and create extraordinary opportunities for our talent.”

 

EmiSunshine Named Young Entertainer Awards Indie Entertainer Of the Year

East Tennessee singer-songwriter EmiSunshine received the award for Independent Entertainer of the Year at the eighth annual Young Entertainer Awards (YEA) ceremony in Los Angeles on Dec. 3. The Young Entertainer Awards honors child and teenage actors and other creative professionals in film, television, theatre and social media.

The 19-year-old has been attracting national attention since the age of 9, when she was invited to appear on NBC’s Today after a video of her performing at a flea market went viral. She frequently collaborates with songwriters such as Leslie Satcher, Marla Cannon-Goodman, Matraca Berg, Darrell Scott, Jim Lauderdale and more and has released 10 albums on her indie label, Little Blackbird Records.

The headliners and first round of performers have been announced for the 2024 Boots And Hearts Music Festival, set for Aug. 8-11 at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, Ontario.

Cody Johnson will make his Boots And Hearts debut headlining Friday night (Aug. 9), along with Thomas Rhett and Jason Aldean, who return to the festival for their third time to headline Saturday (Aug. 10) and Sunday night (Aug. 11), respectively. The first round of performers also includes Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce, Megan Moroney, NeedToBreathe, Nate Smith, Lonestar and Madeline Merlo.

“We are immensely grateful to the fans and the country community for embracing our continued growth and the achievement of new milestones year after year,” says Eva Dunford, Boots And Hearts Co-Founder. “We have just celebrated our two most successful years in the history of Boots And Hearts, and we eagerly anticipate the return of our loyal Boots family for yet another incredible year. I am extremely proud to be a member of a team that consistently pushes boundaries and continues to be recognized as a leading festival on an international scale. As they say, the harder you work, the luckier you get.”

Weekend passes and single day tickets will be available on Dec. 8 at bootsandhearts.com.

Keith Urban and Vince Gill returned to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena last night (Dec. 5), to host Urban’s recurring “All For The Hall” benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

The star-studded lineup featured performances from Kelsea Ballerini, Ernest, Riley Green, Mickey Guyton, Hardy, Old Dominion, The War And Treaty, Trisha Yearwood, Brenda Lee, Brooks & Dunn and Patty Loveless. During the show, artists performed a song that defined a memorable moment in their life, in addition to one of their own songs, and Urban and Gill joined many of the artists onstage throughout the evening.

The night’s performances included Urban on “Wild Hearts,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and “Theme From the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys),” Gill doing “Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away” and “Rocky Mountain Way,” Lee sharing her classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Old Dominion on “Memory Lane” and “Alive,” Hardy doing “Truck Bed” and “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” Yearwood on “The Song Remembers When” and “You’re No Good,” and Brooks & Dunn doing “My Maria” and “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” among many more.

HarbourView Equity Partners, the asset management firm that has invested in catalogs from Kane Brown, Brad Paisley, Lady A and more, has amended its senior secured credit facility led by Fifth Third Bank, allowing the firm to increase its capacity by $100 million.

HarbourView’s credit capacity is now $300 million, which the firm plans to use to continue acquiring music royalty assets and for general corporate purposes. Other recent investments from HarbourView include Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Christine McVie, Wiz Khalifa and Nelly.

Additionally, three new financing partners have also added to the syndicate including Bank of America as a new joint lead arranger. Barclays and First Bank & Trust Company were also added, joining existing lenders California Bank & Trust, MUFG Bank, Regions Bank and BankUnited. Fifth Third Bank remains lead arranger, sole bookrunner and administrative agent.

“HarbourView remains committed to providing the best execution for our growing LP base, against a relatively challenging market environment. We are thankful to both our new and existing financing partners for their commitment to HarbourView’s success,” says HarbourView Head of Capital Markets Carlos Cruz.

“As capital conditions evolve, we are grateful for the continued support of our banking partners who have helped support HarbourView’s tremendous growth since inception,” says HarbourView CEO & Founder Sherrese Clarke Soares.