Industry Ink (2/1/13)

The NMPA has named Christopher Cylke as Sr. VP for Government Affairs at the association. Cylke will serve as the chief liaison to Capitol Hill and federal agencies, overseeing all legislative and regulatory policy development and outreach on behalf of the music publishing and songwriting industry.

Cylke comes to the NMPA from the Motion Picture Association of America where he served as Director of Government Affairs advocating on issues of domestic and international copyright protection, content distribution, trade, tax, and privacy. Prior to the MPAA, Cylke was Director of Congressional and Public Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He will begin his post on Feb. 11.

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John Thomas

John ‘JT’ Thomas has been announced VP, Marketing and Entertainment by Boomtown CEO/ Pres. Frank Capri, to oversee marketing for Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill restaurant chain. The newly created position comes after Thomas’ most recent post as PD for KYGO in Denver, CO.

“In this role JT will have oversight in booking artists for our ever expanding group, act as the liaison to the Nashville community in order to develop strategic partnerships that are mutually beneficial, and directly oversee our various partnerships with radio, television, print, and social media,” said Capri.

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The 5th Annual Groundhog Day Night of Music is set to take place at 6 p.m. at The Listening Room Café’s new location on Saturday (Feb. 2) with featured artists Jimmy Hall, Chris Cline, Sharif Iman, Dan Adams and Matt Feole.

A suggested $10 per person donation will be collected at the door to benefit Middle Tennessee nonprofit Alive Hospice on behalf of Joe Shrum, whose birthday was Feb. 2.

“We are just so thankful to be able to give back to Alive Hospice for all the wonderful service we received, and that so many others receive on a daily basis,” said Shrum’s daughter Ginger Shrum McClendon. “What better way is there to celebrate Daddy’s memory than by giving back to Alive Hospice?”

The Listening Room Café moved to its new location at 217 Second Ave. S. in January. For more information, visit listeningroomcafe.com.