In Pictures: Dolly Parton, Grand Ole Opry, BMI, SESAC, The People Sing!, NSAI, TPAC

Dolly Parton Crashes the Premiere Episode of ‘Pickler & Ben’

Pictured (L-R): Faith Hill, Kellie Pickler, Dolly Parton, and Ben Aaron. Photo: George Burns, Jr

Legend and icon Dolly Parton made an unexpected visit to the set of Pickler & Ben to surprise Kellie Pickler, co-host Ben Aaron, and Executive Producer Faith Hill for the premiere episode of their new Nashville-based talk show. Pickler & Ben is the first national show of its kind and will premiere on Monday, Sept. 18.

The show will air first in 21 markets owned and operated by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP), and 17 additional markets through Disney/ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution, and on CMT the morning after the first run.

The Grand Ole Opry Celebrates Country Cares for St. Jude Kids

Pictured (L-R): Charles Esten, Luke Bryan, Sally Williams (GM, Grand Ole Opry/SVP, Programing & Artist Relations, Opry Entertainment), Randy Owen, Bill Cody (650 WSM AM), and Kerri Edwards ( KP Entertainment/Luke Bryan manager). Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry

Pictured (L-R): Luke Bryan, Kael, and Clare Bowen. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry

Pictured (L-R): Kael, his brother Brody, and Randy Owen. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry celebrated Country Cares for St. Jude Kids during a special show Wednesday night (Sept. 13). Among the performers were Randy Owen of Country Music Hall of Fame group Alabama, four-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan, and Clare Bowen and Charles Esten of the hit series Nashville.

St. Jude patient Kael, who is five years old, took the stage as a special guest announcer for the night. After Kael presented Owen with a memento thanking him for 28 years of work with Country Cares for St. Jude Kids, the Country Music Hall of Famer returned the favor and surprised Kael and his brother Brody with their own Opry keepsakes.

The month of September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and supporters are encouraged to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in its efforts to end childhood cancer.

BMI Kicks Off AmericanaFest with a Full House

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Mason Hunter, Phoebe Hunt, and BMI’s Jody Williams. Photo: Steve Lowry

Pictured (L-R): Meg Sellers (Diageo), Jenna Desmond (SUSTO), Branden Bosler (BMI), Corey Harper (SUSTO), Marshall Hudson (SUSTO), David Preston (BMI), Dries Vanderberg (SUSTO), Nina Carter (BMI), and Justin Osborne (SUSTO). Photo: Steve Lowry

BMI hosted the official AmericanaFest kickoff party Tuesday night (Sept. 12) and set the bar high for the festival to follow. Fans and industry VIPs packed the BMI lobby to capacity as three of Americana’s hottest acts took the stage.

Hurray for the Riff Raff kicked off the night with a phenomenal acoustic set, followed by an instrument-filled performance from Phoebe Hunt & the Gatherers. Susto had guests dancing and cheering for more and wrapped up the night with an impromptu encore performance.

SESAC Creative Services Team with Christian Lopez

Pictured (L-R): Lydia Schultz, ET Brown, Christian Lopez, and Cristina Wheeler.

SESAC Creative Services team enjoyed a night out with SESAC artist Christian Lopez at the AmericanaFest Razor & Tie Kick-off Happy Hour on Tuesday (Sept. 12).

The People Sing! Presented by the Americana Music Association

Pictured (L-R): Teddy Thompson, Marcus Hummon, Elizabeth Cook, Kelsey Waldon, Mike Khalil, Rhiannon Giddens, Joe Henry, Alice Randall, Mike Cooley, Billy Bragg, Valerie June, Shelby Lynne, Allison Moorer, Hayes Carll, Gretchen Peters, Barry Walsh, and Otis Taylor. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images [Click photo to enlarge]

Pictured (L-R): Allison Moorer, music director; Anthony Arnove, director/producer; and Christi Dortch, executive VP of programming & sales at TPAC. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Pictured (L-R): Mike Khalil, Elizabeth Cook, Shelby Lynne, Marcus Hummon, Allison Moorer, Joe Henry, Hayes Carll, Rhiannon Giddens, Billy Bragg, and Teddy Thompson. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium filled on Tuesday night (Sept. 12) for The People Sing! presented by the Americana Music Association and Voices of a People’s History. The event featured performances by Allison Moorer, Hayes Carll, Alice Randall, Joe Henry, Teddy Thompson, Otis Taylor, Elizabeth Cook, Shelby Lynne, Blind Boys of Alabama, Rhiannon Giddens, Billy Bragg, Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, and more.

NSAI in DC

Pictured (L-R): Bart Herbison, Brooke Perry, and Forest Glen Whitehead.

Pictured: Forest Glen Whitehead performs for Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold.

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) was on Capitol Hill this week for meetings with Members of Congress. Songwriter/producer Forest Glen Whitehead performed for Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold and staff.

World Premiere Of Part Of The Plan at TPAC

Pictured (L-R): Nashville actors Chaley Rose and Sam Palladio, professional golfer Brandt Snedeker and wife Mandy, Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney and wife Tiffany Fallon. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Pictured (L-R): Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), JT Hodges, and Kasey Hodges. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Famous faces and VIPs turned out at Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) Sunday night (Sept. 10) for the world premiere of Part of the Plan, the new, original American musical featuring the music and lyrics of celebrated singer-songwriter, the late Dan Fogelberg.

Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts), Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), country artist Maggie Rose, Nashville actors Sam Palladio and Chaley Rose, Alison Krauss, blues artist Casey James, Jay Buchanan (Rival Sons frontman), Shane MacAnally, Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter Bobby Braddock, Grammy-winning songwriter Don Henry, PGA pro Brandt Snedeker, Emmy-nominated actress Brynn Thayer, and Jean Folgerberg (Dan’s wife) were among those in attendance. Nashville music and entertainment industry names included John Marks, Bonnie Garner, Skip Bishop, Leslie Fram, Neal Spielberg and Tracy Gershon, among others.

Part of the Plan runs through Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. For tickets and additional information, visit the TPAC website.