Concord Music Publishing Celebrates Hillary Lindsey

Hillary Lindsey poses with Concord Music Publishing’s Nashville A&R team. Pictured (L-R): Jen Hubbard, Melissa Spillman, Matt Turner, Hillary Lindsey, Courtney Allen, Ashley Nite, and Brad Kennard. Photo: Caitlin McNaney

Concord Music Publishing recently celebrated award-winning songwriter Hillary Lindsey following her induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame with a party at The Bell Tower in Nashville. Attendees for the celebration included Kelsea Ballerini, Jordan Davis, Lori McKenna, Cary Barlowe, and several executives from Concord Music Publishing and Hang Your Hat.

Lindsey, a Georgia native, moved to Nashville in 1994 to attend Belmont University’s Music Business school. She landed a publishing deal and soon after began celebrating her first in a long string of hits. Now with 24 No. 1s under her belt.

She’s also nabbed three CMA Triple Play Awards in 2010, 2014 and 2016, as well as multiple CMAs, ASCAP Awards, and Grammys for Best Country Song (“Jesus Take The Wheel” by Carrie Underwood in 2007 and “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town in 2016). Additionally her 2017 hit, “Blue Ain’t Your Color” which was recorded by Keith Urban, earned the NSAI Song of the Year, MusicRow‘s 2017 Song of the Year, the AMA Country Song of the Year, and more.

Priscilla Block Gets First Taste Of Platinum Bling

Pictured (L-R): Warner Chappell’s Ben Vaughn; UMG Nashville’s Royce Risser, Brian Wright, Mike Dungan; Priscilla Block; UMG Nashville’s Mike Harris; Underscore Works’ Charly Salvatore, and Warner Chappell’s Ryan Beuschel; Photo: Britton Lee

Priscilla Block received her first RIAA Platinum certification for her hit song, “Just About Over You,” on Thursday (Nov. 3) during her sold out show at the Nashville Palace. The show marked the first time a female artist has ever sold out the venue.

“[Thursday] night was one of the wildest nights of my career so far! I can’t believe all of the love and energy from the crowd at Nashville Palace,” Block recalls. “I am blown away! Then finding out ‘Just About Over You’ had gone PLATINUM! Are you kidding me?! Since the beginning, the fans have been behind me and so encouraging-it means the world to me and I feel so blessed. Thank y’all!”

In just a few years, Block has garnered an ACM Award nomination for New Female Artist of the Year and a nomination for Breakthrough Video of the Year at the 2022 CMT Awards. She recently kicked off the fall run of her “Welcome to the Block Party Tour,” and she’s currently opening on select dates on the “Shania Twain: Queen Of Me Tour.”

Second Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Gala Raises Over $100K

Attendees from the 2nd Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goobye Benefit Gala. Photo: Sara Kauss Photography

Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame housed the 2nd Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Gala with headliner and chart-topping duo LoCash taking the stage, alongside Runaway June, Lee Greenwood, Cooper Alan, and Victoria Shaw. The star-studded event was hosted by The Joseph Family Foundation, the philanthropic wing of the Big Plan Holdings family enterprise. The gala raised over $100,000 during its silent and live auction.

Co-Founder of Big Plan Holdings Tara Joseph shares, “For the second year running, it was a privilege to work with my family, our friends and partners from Nashville’s music, entertainment and philanthropic communities, to come together and organize such an impactful event; a true commemoration of a shared mission to address one of the most important causes in our society today. We look forward to the continued impact that Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye can make and for its replicable model to reach additional markets.”

“The Second Annual Kiss Breast Cancer Goodbye Benefit Gala was such a huge success; this event just continues to get better every single year,” adds Joshua Daniel, State Executive Director (TN, MS & AL) at the Susan G. Komen Foundation. “We are so grateful for the Joseph Family Foundation and all the love and support they show to the breast cancer community.”

YEP Hosts Annual Rewind Concert To Benefit MusiCares

Pictured (L-R): Derek Medeiros (MusiCares), Mason Ramsey (Artist), Logan Crosby (Host/Artist), Abby Anderson (Artist), Amelia Varni (YEP). Photo: Hunter Berry

Young Entertainment Professionals (YEP) Nashville hosted their annual YEP Rewind concert on Nov. 3, bringing more than 20 artists to the Basement East in order to raise awareness and money for MusiCares.

This year’s theme was Y2Kountry with each artist singing a country cover song from 2000-2010. This year’s artists included Mason Ramsey, Abby Anderson, Lindsay James, Riley Roth, host Logan Crosby, and more. The event hosted a guitar raffle with instruments signed by all of the artists.

“I joined YEP when I graduated college so that I could meet people outside of my Belmont bubble,” says YEP Executive Director Amelia Varni. “I had no idea I would be leading the group 8 years later. This nonprofit organization gives me the opportunity to work creatively with peers that I may never have crossed paths with in my 9-5. We may only meet once a month, but we brainstorm every day. These events are my way of giving back to the community that helped me grow independently in Nashville.”

YEP hosts a wide array of events that create opportunities for young entertainment professionals to get together and connect, including shows, trivia nights, mixers, and educational seminars.

Pictured (L-R): Tim Gray, CEO of Grayscale Marketing; R.J. Romeo, President of Romeo Entertainment Group, Inc.

Romeo Entertainment Group has acquired Grayscale Entertainment Marketing, with the two companies now working out of REG’s headquarters in Nashville.

Tim Gray will remain CEO of Grayscale Marketing, while also becoming Vice President of Marketing for Romeo Entertainment Group. Grayscale will continue to offer its core services—marketing, advertising, media buying, design, social media management, consulting, and public relations—to its current and existing clients.

“We are proud to announce the acquisition of Grayscale,” shares Romeo Entertainment Group President, R.J. Romeo. “This is a milestone in REG’s 68-year history and a large stride towards further strengthening our market position and providing superior value and services for our clients. For Michelle (Michelle Romeo/VP of Sales) and I, it is a key step in further developing a multi-faceted entertainment company that will build upon our family legacy and lead us to new heights in the future.”

Since launching in late 2015, Grayscale Marketing, while specializing in live events, has also represented organizations and brands including UFC, Warner Chappell, and Empire Records. Their live event roster includes venues, performing arts centers, amphitheaters, fairs, rodeos, music festivals, and more. Since its inception, the company has worked in all 50 states and 45 countries selling over 1.5 million tickets for its live event clients.

In 2022, the company received the Nashville Business Journal’s Best In Business Award (1-25 employee category), and was recognized and celebrated for the fifth consecutive year at The Nashville Entrepreneur Center’s NEXT Awards in the Music, Sports, and Entertainment category. In addition, Grayscale Marketing founder Tim Gray was presented with the Spirit of SOLID Award at the organization’s 25-year anniversary gala.

“Tim’s reputation, leadership, and vision played a large part in this decision,” adds Romeo. “It was clear early on in our discussions that we shared a similar vision and passion for our work. REG has been looking to further expand our services and solution offerings but were quietly searching for the right partner. Tim shares our vision, adds value to our company, and is an extraordinary leader. Tim and his team have a goal driven focus, a positive and people first culture, excellent business acumen, and deliver exceptional results. These values mirror REG’s core values and add to our mission of helping our clients produce successful concerts.”

“I’m thrilled,” shares Gray. “The reputation and legacy of REG, combined with the new additions of exceptional talent to our teams, positions Grayscale as an undeniable leader in event marketing on a national level. REG is a strong, strategic fit for us and the combination of our two companies will drive significant value for both our teams and customers. R.J. and I have a shared vision, leadership style, work ethic, and desire to build a healthy, positive, and development based culture. I feel confident that our service capabilities and results will enhance REG’s turnkey solutions and create an elite portfolio of offerings.

“Together, the value we deliver is richer than anything available previously for either company and will enable our clients to provide superior event experiences,” he continues. “I am proud of our achievements and strongly believe that this is a great move that will benefit our customers and team members while providing an undeniable competitive advantage for years to come.”

This move is the second strategic merger in the last two years for Romeo Entertainment Group. In January 2020, Beckon Entertainment and Romeo Entertainment Group aligned to form BERO Entertainment Group, a full-service operations and logistics company to offer full-service production and talent buying solutions for corporate events and festivals.

Maren Morris. Photo: Rachel Deeb.

Superstar Maren Morris has revealed Humble Quest: In Rare Form. The project features seven stripped-back versions of tracks from her critically acclaimed record Humble Quest, including videos directed by Nicki Fletcher and Mason Allen.

Morris and her band self-produced the collection, which was recorded during a tour break at her bandmate Bennett Lewis’ summer camp, Camp Wayfarer, in Flat Rock, North Carolina.

Released in March via Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Nashville, Humble Quest debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, and broke the record for most first-day and first-week streams globally on Amazon Music for a country album by a female artist. The album features Gold-certified single “Circles Around This Town,” and is nominated for Album Of The Year at this year’s CMA Awards.

“In Rare Form came as an idea to me near the end of my tour when my band and I had worked so hard every show to find new moments to make each performance magical and unique,” Morris says. “We were able to reimagine the songs of Humble Quest in this very stripped, beautiful form at sunset on a hill in North Carolina. No lighting, no bells and whistles, just Mother Nature, music, and friendship.”

Her North American headlining “Humble Quest Tour,” which included stops at The Hollywood Bowl, Radio City Music Hall, Red Rocks Amphitheatre and other legendary venues, will conclude with her biggest ever Nashville show at the Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 2.

Humble Quest: In Rare Form Track Listing: 
1. Furthest Thing
2. I Can’t Love You Anymore
3. Humble Quest
4. Background Music
5. Tall Guys
6. Good Friends
7. What Would This World Do?

Country mainstay Darius Rucker announced he will release a new album in an interview with Today‘s Craig Melvin. The album, planned for 2023, is called Carolyn’s Boy after his late mother. The album art is a portrait of her.

“I wanted to name the record Carolyn’s Boy because Mom never got to see any of my success,” Rucker offered in the interview. “She died before any of this happened, so it’s just another homage to the greatest woman I’ve ever known.”

When asked why he wanted to put this album out now, Rucker shared, “Years ago, I wasn’t really sure what my place in country music was and I was trying to find it. Now I have found it—I know—and I think it’s time to give that record.”

Carolyn’s Boy will follow Rucker’s 2017 project When Was the Last Time, which included hits “If I Told You” and “For the First Time.” Tastes of the new project can be heard on his recent releases “Same Beer Different Problem” and “Ol’ Church Hymn” (featuring Chapel Hart), available everywhere now.

Pictured (L-R): Today anchor Craig Melvin, who presented Darius Rucker with the RIAA Diamond certification honor; “Wagon Wheel” Producer Frank Rogers; Rucker; UMG Nashville Chairman/CEO Mike Dungan. Photo: Steve Lowry

Rucker’s Today show appearance also commemorated his tenth year as a Grand Ole Opry member and his recent achievement of “Wagon Wheel” becoming only the fourth country song to be certified Diamond. Music Row came together last week to celebrate the 11x-Platinum classic, as well as Rucker’s recent tenth No. 1 single at country radio, “Beers And Sunshine.”

“Coming into Nashville, to expect anything like that wasn’t even in the cards,” Rucker said. “Here we are now—15, 16, years in—it’s been a fun run.”