Industry Ink: CMA Foundation, Buddy Lee Attractions, Render Records

Ron Samuels, Vice Chairman of the CMA Foundation, recently presented a check for $39,500 to advance music education at Rocketown in Middle Tennessee. The presentation was made during the quarterly CMA Board of Directors meetings in Nashville. In the past 20 years, Rocketown of Middle Tennessee has served youth between the ages of eight and 22, from all ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.

In 2013, Rocketown served more than 110,000 youth encounters through after-school programs, skatepark experiences, and concerts.

Pictured (L-R): John Huie, co-Head CAA Nashville and CMA Foundation Board member; Ed Hardy, CMA Board Chairman; Ron Samuels, Chairman & CEO of Avenue Bank and CMA Foundation Vice Chairman; Frank Bumstead, Chairman of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. and CMA Board President; Jim Mallory, Executive Director of Rocketown; Lon Helton, publisher and CEO of Country Aircheck and CMA Foundation Board member; Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO. Photo: Donn Jones / CMA

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Buddy Lee Attractions has expanded its agency representation to include Bluegrass performing artists. The agency recently signed The Roys to an exclusive agreement, and now has added Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome to its roster. Jeff Brown & Still Lonesome includes Jeff Brown (guitar/vocals), Austin Brown (bass), Josh Underwood (banjo/vocals), Kyle Murphy (fiddle), and Josh Blankenship (mandolin vocals). The group released Blue Side of Me (Mountain Fever Records) on July 16.

Jeff Brown and Still Lonesome

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Render Records has added duo Lost Hollow to its artist roster. The duo includes Tommy Harden, who has played drums on “Hard to Love” (Lee Brice), “Cowboys and Angels” (Dustin Lynch) and others. He also plays in Reba’s road band. Singer Lor is the other half of the duo. They co-wrote two tracks on Reba‘s Duets album, including “Sleeping with a Telephone” (a duet with Faith Hill) and “Everyday People” (a duet with Carole King).

“I have worked with Tommy for several years while producing records, his leadership, work ethic and creativity have always been the reason he is my first call for sessions of any size,” says Render CEO Steve Freeman. “When I found out about Tommy and Lorrie’s Lost Hollow project, I knew it would be amazing and it is and I became an instant fan. I love music you can’t put a label on. You can literally feel the passion they have in their music and harmony and that’s what this business is all about for me and for Render, working with artists that not only actually have something to say, but say it in a way that is new, creative, empowering, seductive, thought provoking and always from the heart and that is Lost Hollow by pure definition. We are so pleased to have them and be responsible for introducing Lost Hollow and their music to the world.”

Render Records has offices in Nashville, Austin, and Los Angeles and boasts a label roster that includes Lost Hollow, David Aldo, Jamie Jones, DOWNDAY, and Texas band Miles Williams & Hammer Down.

Pictured (back, L-R): Steve Freeman and Tommy Harden. (Front): Lor