Breaking: ‘MusicRow’ Announces 2017 Rising Women On The Row Honorees

Pictured (Top row, L-R): Tatum Allsep, Virginia Davis, Kerri Edwards. (Bottom row, L-R): Kella Farris, Laura Hutfless, Juli Newton-Griffith

MusicRow is proud to reveal the honorees of the sixth annual Rising Women on the Row celebration.

The premier breakfast event, saluting women in the Nashville music industry, will be held Tuesday, April 25, at 8:30 a.m. at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

It was previously announced that this year’s speaker will be Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group’s Lou Taylor. The performer will be Kalie Shorr.

City National Bank is the Presenting Sponsor for the 2017 Rising Women on the Row.

Tickets are sold out. More info can be found here.

Tatum Allsep

Tatum Allsep
Founder/Executive Director—Music Health Alliance
Allsep founded the Nashville music industry’s first non-profit resource for healthcare in 2013. As a free resource, the organization aims to guide and to connect music industry professionals with medical and financial solutions. Allsep learned the business of health insurance at Vanderbilt Medical Center having been trained in healthcare advocacy at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Allsep met with President Obama during his term and participated in a roundtable for Mayor Megan Barry. Allsep has served on committees and boards of The Deanna Glossup Foundation, MS Society, Musicians On Call, the Peabody College, SOURCE Awards, St. Jude, Founder’s Committee, Project Paper Doll, Enroll America, and Stop Domestic Violence.

Virginia Davis

Virginia Davis
Managing Partner and Artist Manager—G Major Management

As managing partner, Davis has overseen the career of rising superstar Thomas Rhett since 2011, who has notched seven No. 1 singles, garnered 8 million digital sales and headlined many 2017 sold-out arena dates. Davis has also overseen the careers of Jewel and Danielle Bradbery after partnering with Scott Borchetta and Irving Azoff in the formation of B.A.D. Management, a subsidiary of Front Line Management. Most recently she formed Home Team Publishing with Rhett and his father/songwriter Rhett Akins as a partnership with Jay Z’s Roc Nation.

She fundraises and sponsors Thistle Farms, Porters Call, and the Thomas Rhett & Friends Annual event, benefiting 147 Million orphans.

Kerri Edwards

Kerri Edwards
President—KP Entertainment
Edwards launched her management company in 2005 at the start of a then unsigned Luke Bryan’s meteoric rise. In 2008, KP Entertainment partnered to manage Bryan with Coran Capshaw’s Red Light Management. In 2011 Edwards’ roster grew to include Cole Swindell, Kelleigh Bannen, Adam Craig, Jon Langston, DJ Rock, CB30, and Chancie Neal. A publishing arm of her company was launched with Sony/ATV to house writers Michael Carter, Jay Clementi, Jody Stevens, Chancie Neal and Cole Swindell. She also recently teamed up with Kobalt Music in representing songwriter Mike Mobley.

Her 20-year career includes time in music A&R/publishing with Deston Songs, Murrah Music, Arista Records, and Mark Bright Productions. Edwards is a founding member of SOLID, and serves on both the CMA and ACM boards.

Kella Farris

Kella Farris
Business Manager—Farris, Self & Moore
Certified Financial Planner with a business administration masters from Auburn University, Farris launched the business management firm The Kella Stephenson Company in 2006. Farris expanded the firm in 2015 to include touring artists as Farris, Self, & Moore, with Stephanie Self and Catherine Moore.

The passionate and respected leader’s clients, which include Hillary Lindsey, Luke Laird, Creative Nation, Natalie Hemby, Rodney Clawson and Nicolle Galyon, have cuts on more than 200 million albums sold and 75 No. 1 songs.

The Leadership Music 2014 alumna has served on her alma mater advisory board, and the Barefoot Republic Camp advisory board. Most recently, she became a mentor for the Nurturing Outstanding Women (NOW), a nonprofit organization started by previous MusicRow Rising Women honorees, Beth Laird and Abbey Adams. She enjoys hot yoga, spending time with her husband DJ, son Everett, and being on her family farm in Eufaula, Alabama.

Laura Hutfless

Laura Hutfless
CEO and Founding Partner—FlyteVu Agency
Hutfless is a founding Partner at FlyteVu, a Nashville-based marketing agency founded in 2015 with Jeremy Holley that has expanded to eight staff. FlyteVu connects brands to consumers through compelling storytelling, unparalleled experiences, and the authentic power of music. The agency builds and executes music campaigns for brands including Cracker Barrel, Bumble, Red Cross, Snap Fitness, Anheuser-Busch, Mary Kay, and Tennessee Tourism.

In their first year of business, FlyteVu’s campaigns have collectively earned multiple awards including a CLIO award for Best in Music, an Emmy award, a Grammy award, two Davey awards for Best in Content and Social Marketing and three Addy awards. Hutfless has consecutively appeared on multiple Billboard Power Player lists and was awarded a NBJ Women of Influence Award. She served on the 2017 Ballet Ball Soiree committee, Front Porch Ministry, Source member, and Leadership Music alumna.

Juli Newton-Griffith

Juli Newton-Griffith
Vice President—Magic Mustang/BMG
Since joining Magic Mustang Music at its launch 14 years ago, Griffith has helped score over 700 cuts, including 28 cuts in 2017 alone. As SESAC’s 2013-15 publisher of the Year, Magic Mustang is home to writers including Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch, Kristian Bush, Craig Campbell, Vicky McGehee, Runaway June, Brooke Eden, Thompson Square, Steve Bogard, Westin Davis, Lindsay Ell, Rob Hatch, Justin Wilson, Justin Lantz, Dave Pittenger, Jacob Durrett and Taylor Davis.

Newton-Griffith oversaw the 2017 publishing transition after BBR Music Group was acquired by BMG. She enjoys work with the Crazy 8’s, Miller Harris Foundation, Hands on Nashville, wine, sewing and cooking.