Industry Ink: ASCAP, Music Row Administrators Group, Country Music Hall of Fame

DeStefano, Tompkins, Arata, Alger Slated for Songwriters Round

ASCAP will host a songwriters evening to benefit Notes for Education on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. The event will feature Chris DeStefano, Chris Tompkins, Pat Alger, and Tony Arata.

DeStefano penned “Something In The Water” (Carrie Underwood) and “Don’t Ya” (Brett Eldredge). Tompkins is a co-writer on hits including “Burnin’ It Down” (Jason Aldean) and “Before He Cheats” (Carrie Underwood). Arata is best-known for the Garth Brooks classic “The Dance,” while Pat Alger is a writer on Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls” and “Small Town Saturday Night” (Hal Ketchum).

The event will be held at Nashville’s City Winery. For more information, visit citywinery.com/nashville.

Music Row Administrators Group To Hold First Spring Meeting of 2015

The Music Row Administrators Group will hold its first spring meeting on Thursday, March 19 at 1 p.m. in the sixth floor theater at BMI’s Nashville office.

The guest speaker will be Charles Alexander, who will speak on opportunities for independents in the new music economy.

Alexander is the CEO/Founder of Outside The Box Music a digital strategy, management, marketing and artist services company. They have managed digital strategy and marketing campaigns for Keb’ Mo’, SHEL and Gabe Dixon, as well as, other artists, labels and brands. He manages indie artist Keeley Valentino. He is also the director of “Rock The Net,” a digital music initiative that educates music business professionals and shows them how to amplify their online presence.

To RSVP contact eddiekeithwilson@gmail.com.

Country Music Hall of Fame Honors Michael Rhodes In ‘Nashville Cats’ Series

Pictured (back row, L-R): The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Abi Tapia; former Nashville Cats honorees Reggie Young and Steve Gibson; Michael Rhodes; former Nashville Cats honorees John Hobbs, Bergen White and David Briggs; and Bill Lloyd; (front row, L-R): former Nashville Cats honorees Paul Franklin, Eddie Bayers, and Mac Gayden. Photo: Terry Wyatt

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrated bassist Michael Rhodes this weekend during its quarterly series, Nashville Cats: A Celebration of Music City Musicians. Hosted by Bill Lloyd, the program included an in-depth, one-on-one interview illustrated with vintage recordings, photos and film clips from the museum’s Frist Library and Archive.

Rhodes has performed live and played on sessions for many country and pop chart-toppers, including Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Steve Winwood, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Faith Hill, Wynonna Judd, the Dixie Chicks, Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker, Neal McCoy, Chely Wright, Doug Stone, and many more.