October 11, 2021, Issue 777
Revisiting Race In The Industry
Last October, Country Aircheck published an in-depth discussion about race and the country business (read here) in which Warner Music Nashville Dir./National Radio Promotion James Marsh noted the tendency of interest in change to wane over time and urged a check-in after a year. Marsh, WXFL/ Florence, AL OM/PD Fletcher Brown, Back Blocks Music CEO Rakiyah Marshall and Big Loud VP/Marketing Candice Watkins gathered via Zoom last week for a follow-up discussion. A condensed version follows (read the full piece here). CA: Noted last year was the extent to which our conversation’s focus on race obscured that you are talented and hardworking executives who might prefer to use this platform to discuss the work you’re actually doing. So, let’s start there. What’s going on in your professional Fletcher Brown James Marsh worlds right now? RM: Last year, I didn’t know I’d have my own company, but it’s been a good ride. I really love and am excited about the creatives I work with. Songwriter Blake Candice Pendergrass is knocking Rakiyah Watkins Marshall down cuts every single day. Lily Rose is with Republic and Big Loud, and she’s exceeding expectations – not just by her music, but by creating representation for the LGBTQ community in the country genre. I’m really proud to represent her. And Ashley Cooke – still independent – is my passion project. JM: Working with all three radio and streaming teams is great, and I’m more comfortable with it all the time. (continued on page 16)
Cents And Sensibility: Riser House/Columbia’s Mitchell Tenpenny raises $32,500 for his 10Penny Fund last night (10/10) at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Pictured (l-r) are the label’s Meghan Reich, Lauren Wilson, Jessica Valiyi and Shane Allen, Red Light’s Kristen Dowling, the label’s Jennifer Way, Tenpenny and the label’s Nicole Marinake, Lyndsay Church and Randy Goodman.
NSHoF: Kent Blazy
Spotlighting individual inductees leading up to the Nov. 1 50/51 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala continues with Kent Blazy. His cuts include Garth Brooks’ “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til The Sun Comes Up),” “Somewhere Other Than The Night” and “It’s Midnight Cinderella;” Diamond Rio’s “That’s What I Get For Lovin’ You;” and Chris Young’s “Getting’ You Home (The Black Dress Song).”
Kent Blazy
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