Donation Brings CMA’s Total Financial Support of Music Education in Metro Nashville Public Schools to More Than $6.5 Million; Total for the Keep the Music Playing Program Tops $7.6 Million Since 2006 NASHVILLE – The CMA Foundation donated $1.2 million to benefit music education programs for Nashville’s 81,000 public school students from 2012 CMA Music Festival through the Keep the Music Playing campaign at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center Tuesday night. ... Read more

Stoney Creek Records' Parmalee played Live@CMA as their new single, "Carolina," was catching radio buzz.  In this Live@CMA video, they play acoustic versions of "Carolina," "Can’t Tell My Heart," "Already Calling You Mine" and the party rocker "Musta Had a Good Time." They also open up about their Country roots, improvisation and the wild party that broke out while shooting their crazy "Musta Had a Good Time" video. Here's a ... Read more

Ronna Rubin laces her conversation with sly, wise asides. For example, recalling how tiny was her hometown of Wheeling, W.Va., she observed, “The town was so small, we didn’t have a Goodwill.” But they did have a St. Vincent de Paul store and a soup kitchen, whose presence taught her an important lesson: “The size of the town doesn’t reflect whether poverty exists. From a young age, I was aware ... Read more

At Sunday's Super Bowl, all eyes will be on pop star Alicia Keys as she delivers the national anthem to the world's football-hungry fans. Last year, CMA Female Vocalist of the Year nominee Kelly Clarkson gave a stirring rendition. Here's a quick look back at Country's history during football's biggest game: 1993: Garth Brooks performed the national anthem at Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. That same year, ... Read more

The Popular Series Kicks Off Stateside at Joe’s Pub in New York City On March 19 featuring Craig Morgan, Shane Minor, Phil O’Donnell, and Host Bob DiPiero Ronnie Milsap and Lorrie Morgan to Join DiPiero in Washington, D.C. at the Library of Congress on March 20 2013 Series Will Also Play in Boston, Chicago, Austin, and Nashville NASHVILLE – The CMA Songwriters Series returns for a ninth consecutive year. The ... Read more

The CMA Foundation is donating $250,000 to help construct the first-ever physical Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame at the new Music City Center. The announcement was made today by CMA Board Chairman and member of The CMA Foundation Troy Tomlinson during the annual CMA Triple Play Awards and Songwriters Luncheon at Marathon Music Works in Nashville. (l-r) CMA Chief Executive Officer, Steve Moore; 2011-12 Chairman of the Nashville Songwriters Hall ... Read more

The newly named CMA Triple Play Award winning songwriters pose on Jan. 29, 2013 at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, Tenn. Back row (l-r): Neil Thrasher; Rodney Clawson; Ben Hayslip; Josh Kear; and Brantley Gilbert. Front row (l-r): Eric Paslay; Dierks Bentley; Shane McAnally; and Chris Young. Photo credit: Donn Jones/CMA During the Luncheon, CMA Chairman Troy Tomlinson Announces $250,000 CMA Foundation Donation to Help Construct the Nashville Songwriters Hall of ... Read more

Ron Sakamoto -- a CMA Board member and famed Country Music promoter and businessman -- received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal last week in honor of his significant contributions and achievements as a Canadian. The medal commemorates the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne in the United Kingdom. Versions of the medal are presented in the UK, Canada and some other countries. The Canadian medal honors Canadians ... Read more

If Westerns are your type of film, then the name Lucky Ned Pepper might ring a bell: It’s the bad guy in True Grit, a nasty, cantankerous character typical of those that prowled the plains and prairies.  It’s also the name of Josh Graham and Rick Russell's duo. While there’s nothing particularly villainous about these two Bakersfield-based singers, they do infuse their music with some wide-open, big-sky flavor. The songs ... Read more

NASHVILLE - Bigger Picture Group's Chris Janson stopped by the CMA offices on Tuesday, Jan. 22 to perform songs for the staff including his new single "Better I Don't." Chris Janson performs in the CMA Atrium on Tuesday, Jan. 22. Photo Credit: Christian Bottorff / CMA Pictured (l-r): CMA Senior Coordinator of Member Relations & Services, Betsy Walker; Bigger Picture Group Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bob Cahill; Bigger Picture ... Read more

Nashville’s Signature Music Event Benefits Music Education And Will Once Again Be Filmed for ABC Television Special    NASHVILLE – The one-of-a-kind, award-winning CMA Music Festival takes over downtown Nashville for four days this summer, Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, with a star-packed lineup that includes Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood, and more artists to be announced soon. The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience began in ... Read more

Summit Includes Panels, Research, and a CMA Songwriters Series Event with Superstars Wynonna and Sugarland’s Kristian Bush, Hit Songwriters Brett James and Dallas Davidson, Hosted by Songwriter Hall of Fame Member Bob DiPiero NASHVILLE – The Country Music Association has your passport to reaching and engaging the international marketplace. The Association’s mission is to help expand the format around the world and for the first time, CMA is presenting the ... Read more

Marc Beeson can hardly believe how much time has passed since he performed in the first Bluebird Cafe fundraiser for Alive Hospice.  “It seemed like a worthy cause but it didn’t really touch my life in a personal way,” he recalled. “Over the years, after both my parents passed away and both times we had a hospice nurse, it’s just weird how it suddenly hits you and really matters to ... Read more

The CMA staff had a blast at this week's CMA Member Holiday Party, and the photos are in! It looks like our members had a great time too! Thanks for a fun night, CMA members, and happiest of holidays to all of you!   Read more

Longtime Country radio presenter Ken Macleod of Radio Tay in Scotland is CMA's latest recipient of the CMA International Broadcaster Award.  Macleod, presenter of “It's Country” since 1980, is host of the longest-running program on Radio Tay; it airs Wednesdays and Sundays.   Guests over the years have ranged  from Boxcar Willie and Johnny Cash to Tammy Wynette and Reba, and has included many British and Irish Country artists. The Award ... Read more

CMA Director of International Relations Bobbi Boyce, recently presented Ken Macleod, of Radio Tay in Scotland, with the CMA International Broadcaster Award. "I'm thrilled with my award,” said Macleod. “I love this music and the many, many talented singers and musicians who produce it. I also enormously enjoy introducing the music to the audience at Radio Tay and their loyalty and support for the shows for the past 32 years ... Read more

Congratulations to Jennifer Nettles and husband, Justin Miller, on the Dec. 7, 2012 birth of their son, Magnus Hamilton Miller! In this quick video, Jennifer talks with CMA about the new addition to the family at Christmas. Read more

Released Dec. 4 on Republic Nashville, Here’s to the Good Times from Florida Georgia Line is a pastiche of prickling banjo, walloping backbeats and muscle guitar, run through a blender of Country, Southern rock and a hint of hip-hop. Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley coast over these grooves with upbeat vocals that pound their good-time message home. Every measure of their first single, “Cruise,” suggests head-bobbing and arm-waving; it pretty ... Read more

Lady Antebellum’s album and songs are topping charts around the world, and in December they announced their new children’s global charity, LadyAID. CMA surprised the group recently with the CMA International Artist Achievement Award, and here are the excerpts from an exclusive CMA Close Up interview: What does this award mean to you? Hillary Scott: “This year especially, being able to take our tour to Europe and then to Australia, and ... Read more

Every vocal duo is a story still being told. And when the members have both a personal and musical bond, it’s often about two roads starting at different places before joining as one highway of song. So it is with Keifer Thompson and Shawna Thompson, a.k.a. Thompson Square. His path began in Miami, Okla., where he grew up on Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen as well ... Read more