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Nashville, TN – November 16, 2023 – Hope for the Holidays - An Evening with Louis York & Friends, is a star-studded benefit concert slated to take place on Saturday, December 16th at 7:00pm at The Fisher Center at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. 

Louis York, R&B duo comprised of Chuck Harmony and Claude Kelly, will serve as the centerpiece of the Hope for the Holidays concert event. These powerhouse performers, writers and producers have accumulated scores of gold and platinum albums for their work with Whitney Houston, Rhianna, Bruno Mars, Myley Cyrus, Ne-Yo, Brittney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, and many others.

The concert will be hosted by WSM/Amazon Music’s Kelly Sutton and will include a variety of performances by music artists Ari Afsar, Jay Allen, Charles Esten, Megan Linsey, The Shindellas and Twinnie with special appearances by Spoken Word Poet Steve Connell, music and media icon Kathie Lee Gifford, and U.S. Olympian and philanthropist Scott Hamilton. 

The event, presented by True West Foundation, is sponsored by First Bank, The Inspire Foundation, and Aetna, and will benefit four local charities to include Nashville Peacemakers, Alzheimer's Association, The Onsite Foundation, and The Scott Hamilton Cares Foundation.  

This unique benefit concert will not only include a variety of music and storytelling, but important access to on-site resources that will promote healing and inclusion during a season that is often difficult for many. The goal for this interactive holiday event is to have the audience feel seen, valued, and cared for at a time where so many may be hurting. For many individuals the realities of life do not cease during the holiday season. Whether it’s an ill family member, lost loved one, an aging parent or broken relationships and financial stress – all of these heartbreaking experiences can add a layer of burden that may feel insurmountable during this time of year. We believe that with community and connectivity, there is hope and healing.

Hope for the Holidays was created by award-winning executive producer, writer and director, David Fischette, who has been creating unique charitable events for years to help raise funds and awareness for local and national charities.  Fischette launched the True West Foundation earlier this year as a vehicle to allow others to not only donate to charities, but to get more involved in a personal and meaningful way.  Hope for the Holidays is their biggest expression of this concept so far.  The idea for the Hope for the Holidays project was born out of his own struggles during the holidays. 

David Fischette

"Too often, I've seen firsthand the pain and sadness that people experience during the holiday season," says David Fischette, Hope For the Holidays Event Founder & Executive Producer. “So many of us feel obligated to plaster on a happy face or suit up with a false sense of strength when holiday events and parties are in full swing. In contrast, we wanted to create a special holiday event that invites the audience to come as they are and experience an opportunity to feel both seen and valued. We also felt it was important to provide on-site resources for audience members to connect with to find the hope and healing they deserve. We're all in this together, and, through engaging storytelling and beautiful music, there's no better time to connect than during the holidays. We want this community to feel loved." 

And while Fischette wants to acknowledge that the holidays can be difficult for many, he has created a vibrant show that is designed to foster love, inspire, encourage, and celebrate the season as a community.    

“It’s going to be an evening of excitement, hope and unity,” says Fischette.  “We want our community to feel stronger and more resilient when they leave.”

Tickets start at just $49 and are on sale now at The Fisher Center box office and online. For more information about this event, visit https://hope4holidaysnash.com.

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When Wheaton College released it's anticipated Report on Race, there was a glaring omission. A comprehensive self-study over the history of the college had an arbitraty cut-off date of the year 2000. While it was an attempt to be transparent, vulnerable, and forthright over past mistakes, the report failed to address the painful departure of the first African American woman tenured professor, Dr. Larycia Hawkins. Ken reached out to Professor David Dark of Belmont University, an outspoken advocate of Dr. Hawkins and her work. They discuss the Wheaton episode. A very popular professor, Dr. Dark is active on social media and highly regarded for his books, his lectures and social commentary. Ken and David cover many topics including the Nashville political scene. Dr. Dark has a personal connection to The Covenant School, where a mass shoting gained national attention and introduced us to the "Tennessee Three" - legislators who made "Good Trouble" on the floor of the legislature demanding a debate on gun control. Ken asked David to continue this lively conversation in a part two, scheduled for next week where they will continue the conversation, including his book Life's too Short to Pretend you aren't Religious. SHOW NOTES

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SUMMARY:
We chat with Ashley Gorley who, with more #1 singles than any writer in any genre, is the reigning king of country music songwriters. 

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott discuss the state of contemporary country music, the way the genre has come to dominate the pop chart, and the rapidly-changing nature of what's the most popular song at any given moment.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Ashley Gorley

ABOUT ASHLEY GORLEY:
With an unprecedented track record of nearly 70 chart-topping country hits, Ashley Gorley is perhaps the most commercially successful songwriter in history. He has written more #1 singles than anyone in any genre, and has had over 400 of his songs recorded by artists such as Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Lee Brice, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Bon Jovi, and Weezer. Ashley has been named ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year nine times, Billboard Country Songwriter of the Year six times, and NSAI Songwriter of the Year six times. He was then named NSAI Songwriter of the Decade for the period ranging from 2010-2019. Additionally, Ashley was honored as the Top Male Songwriter of 2021—across all genres—by the National Music Publishers Association. In 2023 the NMPA honored him with their icon award for non-performing songwriters. The multiple CMA, ACM, and Grammy nominee has received the CMA’s Triple Play Award 20 times in his career, which recognizes songwriters with three or more #1 songs in a single year. In 2016, Ashley became the first songwriter to be honored with three CMA Triple Play Awards in a single year for earning nine chart-topping songs in a 12-month period. He repeated that feat in 2020 and again in 2022. This year, Gorley was announced as ACM Songwriter of the Year, also taking home the Song of the Year award and celebrating three Song of the Year nominations, placing him in rare company with Kris Kristofferson and Merle Haggard, the only other songwriters to achieve the same feat in a single year. In addition to his decorated career as a songwriter, Ashley launched his own music publishing company, Tape Room Music, with a writer roster that has earned nearly 40 #1 hits. 

Calling in from LA, Chris meets up on Zoom this week with 2x Grammy award-winner Ian Fitchuk! Ian’s what you’d call a triple threat - a boundary-pushing writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. You might recognize him as one of the minds behind Kacey Musgraves’ critically acclaimed album, “Golden Hour”, alongside our S4 alum Daniel Tashian; but Ian’s career stretches far beyond this. He moves flawlessly through a genre-bending range of artists, from mainstream country and Americana acts like Brett Eldredge and Maren Morris, to left of center pop and indie sensations such as LANY, MUNA and Phoebe Bridgers. Jump in for Chris and Ian's musings on everything from why having fun is one of the most important ingredients in art, to how moments of perceived failure have turned out to be integral to success. Thanks for listening!

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pitchlistpodcast/

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Follow us on Spotify for curated playlists:  https://open.spotify.com/user/7ixo57nxzlk7qzg6k2k4bi0aj?si=13330a1af7614254

To kick off Season 5, we invited the iconic writer/producer Luke Laird to join us on the show. It’s safe to say that Luke is a Music Row powerhouse. Over the last decade, he’s written 24 No. 1 country singles, earned two GRAMMY wins for writing and producing for Kacey Musgraves, and co-founded publishing company Creative Nation with his wife, Beth. You’re going to want to take notes on this one. Get ready for his tips on getting the best song out of a co-write with an artist, insight into how he started producing by making Garageband demos, and how a publisher that believed in him changed his life and career trajectory. Plus, you’ll hear about the process creating his first ever record called “Music Row” - streaming now! Buckle in for a great season!
 

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Learn more about International Songwriting Competition: https://www.songwritingcompetition.com/

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Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive performances and more! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwtG60ltMoaebE6HnP3B4w

Follow us on Spotify for curated playlists:  https://open.spotify.com/user/7ixo57nxzlk7qzg6k2k4bi0aj?si=13330a1af7614254

Get your notebooks and thinking caps ready for Part 1 of our highly requested Music Biz Special! Today, every listener is a student of our guest Linda Edell Howard, a fantastic entertainment lawyer here in town. Buckle in for a masterclass on what YOU need to know to navigate the music business as a songwriter and/or artist. You’ll learn: what a typical first publishing deal looks like and how to make sure it benefits you, common terminology in record + pub deals, the difference between personal managers and agents, + more. But most importantly, Linda talks about how to advocate for yourself in this industry, and why it’s absolutely crucial. Plus: be sure to visit our website at https://www.pitchlistpodcast.com/music-biz-resources for a list of resources and show notes to refer back to after the episode.

Rick Byrd is a Knoxville native, a Nashville icon and a Tennessee coaching legend.
In Episode 13, the Hall of Fame coach reflects on his early days on the sideline with Coach Ray Mears at the University of Tennessee, how the greatness of Don Meyer and David Lipscomb pushed him and his program to improve and stories of his greatest teams and players.

Phil takes a tour of the world famous Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and gets the inside scoop on how that famous Number 7 Tennessee whiskey is made. Hit songwriter Tony Arata stops by the cellar to talk about the unique path his song “The Dance” took en route to fame with Garth Brooks. Pat Alger shares pieces of advice that he passes along to his Belmont University songwriting students, and details the success he found writing with Garth Brooks early in his career.

Performances:

“The Dance” (Garth Brooks) - Tony Arata

“The Thunder Rolls” (Garth Brooks) - Pat Alger

To check out all things Jack Daniels, go to https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/

To stay up to date with Tony Arata, head on over to https://www.tonyarata.com

More info on Songs From The Cellar & details on how to watch the TV series can be found at https://www.songsfromthecellar.com

Keep up with Jack Daniels on Social media at:

Facebook

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Keep up with Tony Arata on Social media at:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Spotify

Keep up with Pat Alger on Social media at:

Spotify

Follow Phil Vassar and Songs From The Cellar at:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

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Spotify

Check out more awesome podcasts at:

American Songwriter Podcast Network

And go!

Leah Marlene is a nineteen-year-old singer/songwriter from Normal, Il. She was born in Toronto, Canada and moved to Illinois at a young age with her family. Leah grew up in a house full of music and guitars as her father, Derry Grehan, is a songwriter and lead guitarist with the Canadian band, Honeymoon Suite. He taught her how to play guitar and piano, and passed along his passion for songwriting. She began singing and writing her own songs at a very young age and never looked back! Since the age of 10, Leah has been performing live all over Illinois, Nashville and Canada. Leah has a unique, engaging voice and a songwriting style that combines elements of pop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, Americana and more. She has been releasing original music since she was 13 years old and has chalked up over 450,000 streams on Spotify!

For most of her high school years, Leah made regular trips from Illinois to Nashville for songwriting, recording and performing. Now a sophomore in college, she gleefully calls Nashville her home as she is pursuing a degree in songwriting at Belmont University!

https://leahmarlene.com

Depending on where you're listening from,  the election is apparently alive and well as we enter December with Nite Owls.

On tonight's episode host Eric Gottlieb chats with Christa Shaub, music business jane of all trades, and EVP at Holr Media Group.

Nite Owls chats with Christa about her wide-ranging career and personal journey into the music business; From Nashville to early A&R days at Cherry Lane, diving headfirst into managing a young Rihanna, followed by her discovery, and success with Luke Elliot. Listen and commiserate about being an intern surviving on seven dollar pitches of beer and hotdogs at dive bars. Plus Eric asks what's up with Delaware.

Follow Nite Owls on Facebook,  Instagram, and Twitter.
Follow Christa Shaub on Instagram.
Learn more about Holr at holrback.com

Armed with two hits, "Don't Mess with Texas" and "Texan", Bradley Banning speaks to the pride he has in being from Texas, but that is a small part of his story.

Bradley sits down with Blair  to discuss life and his increasingly important search for meaning and fulfillment.  Listen as Bradley talks about leaving home to study the music business at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, then taking the "safe" route by getting a job within a music studio.

Like many before him, Bradley learned the safe route can end in defeat as well.  So, Bradley sets forth on the path he was destined to choose all along and gets up on the stage to sing his own songs.

Bradley's journey includes early success with a hit song, heartbreak,  a conversion, and now working to define his career going forward.

In Episode 6 of Killer Influence, Alexa Rae and Will Barton interview Michael Sloane. Michael Sloane is an executive leader and digital strategist with a proven ability to develop and increase revenues while building a loyal consumer base specializing in the ever changing digital space. As a digital strategist he has worked with Entertainment brands, Small Businesses, Startups, and Corporate accounts, building successful and profitable relationships. Cutting his teeth with Echomusic (later acquired by Ticketmaster) and later Live Nation Artists, he saw the digital revolution unfold for artists such as The Rolling Stones, Kanye West, John Mayer, Zac Brown Band, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, and Brooks & Dunn. Sloane later focused on digital strategy and ecommerce optimization with Taylor Swift (13 Management) and was most recently the Director of Interactive for Big Machine Label Group (Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw, etc.) He is currently the General Manager of Hidden Road Strategy a division of Hill Entertainment Group, advising entertainment products in concept, go to market strategies, and business development. Through the management of software development, client management, ecommerce optimization and digital strategy, Sloane has been able to build and grow the digital footprint of some of the largest entertainment brands in the world. He currently is the VP of Operations for Wonderful Union specializing in fan club and VIP ticketing, while also serving as CEO of Streaming Promotions and Systemic a label services company.

It’s kind of hard to believe that this is our tenth and final episode of 'The Improviser's Corner' for the calendar year. I thought it would be fitting to take a look back at some of the highlights this season with our inspiring guests, and also look forward to some exciting changes coming our way at the top of 2020. Enjoy!

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/SGiPWLlbAK8

Ian Clark is entering his sixth year playing in the NBA.  He's played in Utah, Denver, won a world championship title in Golden State and is now a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.  In this podcast conversation, Ian and I talk about his childhood, where he developed his drive to work hard, his time at Belmont University and his continued affinity for the school and some of what he has learned about himself after playing in the NBA for 6+ years. Enjoy listening and share any feedback with storyprintpodcast@gmail.com.