BMLG Records artist Brett Young has some new hardware to add to his growing collection. On Monday (4/24), the blossoming country star received platinum plaques for “In Case You Didn’t Know,” Here Tonight” and “Sleep Without You” as well as a gold plaque for “You Didn’t." Family, friends, co-writers and industry execs in attendance were treated to a preview of Young’s new music along with stripped down performances of “You Didn’t,” “Dance With You” and “In Case You Didn’t Know.”
Pictured in the photo above are (l-r) Sam Featherstone (BMLG), Ryan Dokke (BMLG), Jimmy Harnen (BMLG), Jackie Jones (RIAA), Young, Mike Rittberg (BMLG), Allison Jones (BMLG) and Dan Huff. We, of course, weren't invited.
Goldenvoice announced that Stagecoach Festival headliners Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, and Chris Stapleton, as well as Jon Pardi, Parker McCollum, Lainey Wilson and more will be featured on the Amazon Music livestream this weekend.
Each day of the country fest, the livestream will be available on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and Prime Video beginning at 3pm PT.
Other exclusive content via Amazon Music includes live interviews with Country Heat Weekly hosts Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson, who will chat with some of the festival’s hottest artists from the exclusive Amazon Music backstage set.
Watch the trailer for the livestream below.
Countin’ down the days to @Stagecoach 🤠✨ pic.twitter.com/L2uhCVKyaw
— Amazon Music (@amazonmusic) April 24, 2023
Kylie Dembek has joined ONErpm as its country music project manager.
In her new role, Dembek will focus on creating and executing release and marketing strategy for emerging and established artists by designing marketing plans, managing budgets and more.
“I've always loved working directly with artists, particularly new artists, so I’m very excited to dive in with so many emerging country artists at ONErpm,” said Dembek.
“Kylie is a driven, bright, knowledgeable and outgoing person who will fit in with the personality of our office perfectly. The artists will love working with her,” added ONErpm Nashville's Managing Director, Tim Wipperman.
Having kicked off her career at a country radio station in Boston during college, Dembek also previously interned at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry before eventually making her way to BMLG where she served as a strategic planning manager.
Jimmie Allen will debut the music video for “be alright” on The Kelly Clarkson Show on 4/24, marking the first video premiere on the show since its launch.
The multi-platinum, award-winning star will also appear as a lead guest on the show, which is billed as The Gift of Music Hour in celebration of Clarkson’s birthday.
Following its debut, the video will be available digitally at 5:30pm CT. Co-directed by Allen and Chris Beyrooty, it stars Allen and The Goldbergs’ actress Hayley Orrantia, and was choreographed by two-time Emmy Award-winner Tessandra Chavez.
“I miss the days where it was like the world stopped and just watched to see the visual creation by an artist of a song that people were slowly starting to hear, or a song that people knew,” said Allen. “Thank you so much to Kelly Clarkson and her team for having me on the show and letting me do that!”
Earlier this month, Allen released “be alright (15 edition),” which is the second single of his album, Tulip Drive. The track impacted Country radio and nabbed 50 first day adds before its digital release on 4/15 via Stoney Creek Records/BBR Music Group.
EMI Nashville’s Brad Paisley is set to return as the headliner of Nashville’s Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th celebration.
Presented by Dr Pepper and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, and produced by Music City Inc., the free event is one of the largest Fourth of July fireworks shows in the nation and is synchronized to music by the Grammy-winning Nashville Symphony.
In addition to Paisley, who also headlined in 2021, the lineup features performances by The War And Treaty, Langhorne Slim and Tiera Kennedy.
Sets will also be played at the Amazon Family Fun zone by The Magi, Tommy Howell, Les Kerr & The Bayou Band and Troubadour Blue, and Coach (DJ).
“We encourage Nashvillians to come out and enjoy the fireworks and the great music from Brad and the rest of the lineup - all right in their backyard and for free,” said Kevin Lavender, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and EVP of 5/3 Bank.
The event is also partnering with Paisley’s nonprofit, The Store, which operates as a free grocery store allowing people to shop for their basic needs in Nashville. The NCVC will donate $1 from the sale of each event t-shirt to The Store.
In the days leading up to the 58th ACM Awards, the Academy of Country Music is gearing up to take over The Star in Frisco, Tex. for three days of live music, events and celebrations.
Beginning on 5/9, the celebrations commence with the ACM Country Kickoff at The Star, a free two-day festival with performances by several nominees and more that’s open to the public.
On 5/10, The Academy will host ACM Songs & Stories Powered by The Bluebird Cafe + NSAI, a private industry celebration of this year’s ACM Songwriter and Artist-Songwriter of the Year nominees, as well as the Country Music songwriter community.
On the eve of the ACM Awards, Topgolf The Colony will host two sold-out events, the Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On presented by VGT by Aristocrat Gaming and the ACM Lifting Lives LIVE: Morgan Wallen & Friends.
The benefit concert immediately follows the skills-tournament at 7:30pm CT and will be headlined by ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee Morgan Wallen, and will also feature performances by HARDY, Lainey Wilson, ERNEST and Bailey Zimmerman.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with the Dallas Cowboys and the Jones family to bring the Academy of Country Music Awards back to Texas at their world headquarters,” said ACM CEO, Damon Whiteside. “Texas has some of the most passionate Country Music fans in the world, and we can’t wait to bring the party to Frisco!”
Co-hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, the ACM Awards takes place at 7pm CT on 5/11 at The Star's Ford Center and will livestream exclusively on Prime Video. Limited tickets to the ACM Awards show are still available through SeatGeek.
In a photo that evokes the salad days of wacky trade-publication photo stunts, Seth England and Team Big Loud don swag bearing a crucial message on the importance of voting in an imperiled democracy. Seen just before the big rally and march are (l-r) COO Austen Adams, SVP of Radio Promotion Stacy Blythe, England, SVP Marketing Candice Watkins and GM/SVP Patch Culbertson.
John Esposito, who stepped down as chairman/CEO of Warner Music Nashville on 1/1 to become the company’s chairman emeritus, has resigned from that post and is retiring, effective immediately.
Espo delivered the news to WMN staff in a 4/19 email, which reads as follows.
It’s that time of year when I head off to Nantucket to relax and reflect. This summer, though, it will be reflecting on my next adventures as I am stepping down as the chairman emeritus of Warner Music Nashville today.
I’m so proud of what you’re all achieving as a team. I will always be the biggest champion of this team and the artists we signed and developed together.
Keep rocking!
See you in the fall.
Espo
Espo had quite a run. Last June, when news of the leadership transition from Esposito to Ben Kline and Cris Lacy was announced, WMG recorded-music chief Max Lousada noted, “Under Espo’s brilliant guidance over the past 13 years, our Nashville team has built superstar careers, attracted original new voices, innovated in the digital world and championed the creative community.”
He can enjoy another summer in Nantucket knowing he built a successful record label, one that will last.
