Industry Ink Thursday (4/19)

Show Dog-Universal recording artist JT Hodges visited CMA staffers recently and performed songs including "Goodbyes Made You Mine" and "Hunt You Down." (L-R): President of TKO Management, TK Kimbrell; Paradigm Talent Agency Agent, Mike Snider; Bridge Artist Management Owner, Alex Bridge; Paradigm Agent, Curt Motley; CMA Sr. Coordinator of Member Relations and Services, Betsy Walker; JT Hodges; CMA Sr. VP of Marketing and Communications, Sheri Warnke; Paradigm Agent, Brian Hill; Paradigm Agent, Bob Kinkead; and Show Dog-Universal VP of Sales, Marketing & New Media, Bill Kennedy.

• Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge announced that Zach Horowitz will become Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group. Horowitz currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer at UMG.

• LadyAntebellum.com, built by MusicCityNetworks, is nominated for Best Celebrity/Fan website in the 16th annual Webby Awards, the web’s preeminent awards handed out by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Vote here.

• Clay Walker and Ben Folds took part in the 25th Annual Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, DC Tuesday (4/17) to discuss the importance of funding arts and art education in front of members of Congress. Alec Baldwin, Nigel Lythgoe and others were part of the artistic delegation for the nonprofit organization Americans for Arts.

• Warner Music Nashville’s third season of Pickin’ On The Patio returns May 24. Subsequent dates are June 28, July 26, Aug. 23, and Sept. 27.

• The Sony-led acquisition of EMI Music Publishing has been approved by European antitrust regulators.

• Reunion Records group Tenth Avenue North recently earned its first RIAA Gold certification for 500,000 paid downloads of “By Your Side.” Forefront Records artist TobyMac earned his fourth Gold album for the 2010 release Tonight.

• Artist Growth is rolling out weekly “AGtv Tuesday” videos featuring insight from industry leaders. The series debuted April 17 with Rolling Stone contributor Christian Hoard. Upcoming guests include John Grady, partner at Crush Management (Train, Matt Nathanson, Cobra Starship) on May 1, and songwriter Chris Gantry (“Dreams of the Everyday Housewife”) on May 15. Check out the first video here.

• ATP Records artist Tammie Davis has partnered with Bojangles’ Restaurants for the second year in a row. The co-marketing/ sponsorship deal includes appearances, social networking, marketing and promotions. Her debut single charted on MusicRow’s Country Breakout chart and she is now releasing the follow-up, “It’s A Beautiful Life.”

• Writer/publicist Estella Pan has launched Rock Stellar Relations offering social media services, bio and press release writing, and website management. Details at www.rockstellar.com.