Industry Photos (6/25/14)

ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp brought campers from around the country to Nashville this week, for several days of activities and excursions around Music City. The residential camp has the dual purpose of studying Williams syndrome while providing music enrichment through performance and education.

The Swon Brothers stopped by the Wildhorse Saloon to spend time and swap stories with the campers. The Band Perry took part in a songwriting session. “What we love most about Country music is the storytelling,” said Kimberly Perry. The trio created the song “Bright Eyes,” with contributions from the campers.

Pictured (L-R): Paul Barnabee (Sony Music Nashville); Colton Swon; Zach Swon; Hannah Martin (Manager, ACM Lifting Lives); Rondal Richardson (Entertainment Industry Relations Manager at Vanderbilt University).

Pictured (L-R): The Band Perry pose with the campers at ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp 2014.

Watch a clip of The Band Perry’s songwriting session below:

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SAE Institute Nashville Audio Technology Program graduate Ray “DJ Orig” Riddle has been added as a co-star on Big Smo, A&E Network’s new reality series that chronicles the developing career of country rapper Big Smo. The series debuted on June 11.

“We’d been shopping a pilot for the show for around a year, and we’re thrilled to be on A&E,” says Orig, who is also the co-producer of Big Smo’s debut album Kuntry Livin’ on Warner Brothers/Elektra Records (released June 3). “Viewers will see the development of Smo’s sound – which combines country, Southern rock, and hip-hop – and how he balances the complex demands of his work with his family responsibilities.”

Orig began to DJ in 1994, and met Smo in 1996. At the time, Orig had developed skills with a sampler, drum machine, and four-track tape recorder. Orig began his Audio Technology Program studies in 2005, where he learned additional recording skills. After graduation in 2006, he did DJ gigs around Nashville and did interviews at Nashville studios.

“In my interviews at Nashville studios, I was told the same thing: find a band or an artist and use any gear that you have to help them sound better,” says Orig. “I decided to take that advice and focus on producing Smo to make his ‘hick-hop’ vision a reality.”

DJ Orig with Big Smo

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 The CRB board and CRS agenda committee recently enjoyed a special performance delivered by Red Bow recording artist, Chase Bryant. CRS 2015 will be held Feb. 25-27, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn.

Pictured (L-R): Beverlee Brannigan (CRB Board member/Journal Broadcast Group), Becky Brenner (CRB Board member/Albright, O’Malley and Brenner), Chase Bryant (Red Bow Records), and Carole Bowen (CRB Board member/WKIS-Miami). Photo: Aristo P.R.