(L-R): Steve Freeman and Rick Monroe
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Rick Monroe has inked an exclusive recording deal with Nashville based Render Records. The label’s creative and ownership team is comprised of hit songwriters and award winning producers Steve Freeman, Rich Redmond, Tully Kennedy, Kurt Allison, David Fanning, and entrepreneur Randy Adams (Yahoo, FunnyOrDie.com). Richmond, Allison, Kennedy and artist/producer David Fanning make up New Voice Entertainment, the production team behind Thompson Square.
Monroe’s first single for the label “Crazy Not To” will be shipped to country radio in late February. His most recent single “Get Ur Country On” resulted in a Jagermeister club tour of the same name in 2011. He has opened for Dierks Bentley, Josh Thompson, Eric Church and Randy Houser and had success with the singles “Honky-Tonk Road Trip” and “Midnight Rider.”
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Tomorrow night (1/26) The Producer’s Chair presents an interview with Byron Hill. The session is at 6 p.m. at Douglas Corner. Read Hill’s recent exclusive interview with MusicRow here.
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Heading into its 15th year, SOLID is reaching out to its alumni. The organization needs photos from all 15 years and updated alumni contact information. Email both to Sarah McGrady at smcgrady@cmaworld.com.
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The 39th annual Music City Tennis Invitational will be April 21-22 at Vanderbilt University, with a kick-off party on April 20 at BMI. The tournament benefits the Center for Child Development at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Register at www.MusicCityTennis.com or call Luann Mayer at (615) 322-7733.
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Nashvillian Jessica Ridley won the Bud United Presents: The Big Time, a new series on ABC-TV, and will perform at the massive iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. She competed against fellow Nashvillian Justin Nault and Laura Jeanne of St. Albans, England. The three finalists were picked from thousands who auditioned via Budweiser’s online casting call.
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Lori Bumgarner of paNASH Style image consulting and media coaching has a new office phone number. Reach her at (615) 37-LORIB.
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Universal Music Publishing Group has entered into an agreement to administer songwriter Irving Berlin’s music publishing catalogue for the world outside of North America. Among his beloved standards are “White Christmas,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Puttin’ On The Ritz,” “Blue Skies,” and “God Bless America.”
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Nashville-based entertainment business management firm Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy has promoted Chris Hughes to associate business manager in the firm’s New York office. He was previously a member of the Island/Def Jam recording group Autopilot Off and according to FBMM, “drove his business managers crazy with questions because of his adeptness in reading a financial statement.” After his recording career ran its course, the firm offered Hughes a position.
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Johnny Cash’s 1970 Rolls Royce Silver Show Long Wheel Base Limousine, and Cornelius Vanderbilt’s 1913 Rolls Royce silver Ghost Town Car are among the cars hitting the auction block. The event will be Sat., March 3 in Rosansky, Texas at the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History. Details at www.dankruseclassics.com.
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Congrats to Fitzgerald-Hartley’s Terry Elam and wife Donna on the birth of grandson George Oliver Elam. He was born Jan. 15 in Nashville to parents of Matthew and Jordan Elam, weighing 7 lbs and 20″ long.
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As previously reported, Artist Growth held an official launch party at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Jan. 17. (L-R): Joe Glaser, Harry Jacobson, Jonathan Sexton (CAO, Artist Growth), Karl Dean, Matt Urmy (CEO, Artist Growth), Joe Galante and Mark Montgomery. Click for details.
About the Author
Sarah Skates has worked in the music business for more than a decade and is a longtime contributor to MusicRow.View Author Profile
