NEW YORK, NY - Billboard, the world's premier music brand, today announced the launch of its first-ever Billboard Country Music Summit in association with the Country Music Association (CMA). The event, set to take place in Nashville on June 7-8 at the historic Hermitage Hotel, will gather today's top Country Music executives and artists to network and discuss all aspects of the Country Music business.
Featuring two days of panel sessions, roundtable discussions and keynote interviews, the key stakeholders in Country Music will break down the most challenging issues and exciting opportunities in recording, radio, touring, publishing, sponsorships, digital/mobile, and other areas. The Billboard Country Music Summit program will include the most influential executives and artists in the genre, and will kick off the activities leading up to the annual CMA Music Festival, which will be held Thursday through Sunday, June 10-13, in Nashville.
"With the huge popularity of Country Music, and Billboard's ongoing commitment to the Country Music industry, we're thrilled to team with CMA on this groundbreaking event," says Billboard Editorial Director Bill Werde. "I can think of no better timing for this event than the days prior to the CMA Music Festival, when Nashville will be the epicenter of the Country Music world. We plan to fit seamlessly into the week's activities and look forward to providing the industry with a great forum for discussion before the Festival."
"By bringing together the various segments of the industry, the Country Music Summit is an exciting opportunity for CMA and Billboard to work together on an event that will foster development and growth for Country Music and the artists," said Steve Moore, Chairman of the CMA Board of Directors. "We anticipate a conference that not only will provide a vital forum for the exchange of ideas to address the industry-wide challenges we face, but that also will include important networking and social interaction for the Country Music business during CMA Music Festival week."
The Billboard Country Music Summit will be geared toward managers, artists, agents, radio programmers, label executives, mobile/digital executives, sponsorship professionals, business managers, promoters, the copyright community, publishers, songwriters, music supervisors, producers and others closely associated with the vital Country Music business.
Billboard Country Music Summit Program Highlights Include:
Keynote Interviews
Artist Showcases
Networking Events
Informative Panel Sessions & Roundtable Discussions On Topics Such As:
. Marketing & Branding for Country Music
. The Changing Face of Country Radio: 2010 And Beyond
. Country On The Road
. Today's Country Music Manager
. How to Make New Media Work
. Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?: How To Successfully Develop An Artist
. Not Your Granddaddy's Record Label: Will The Last One to Abandon The Old Business Model Please Turn Out the Lights?
. Publisher's Roundtable: The Country Song Business in the Digital Age
For information on The Billboard Country Music Summit, visit: www.CountryMusicSummit.com
To subscribe to The Billboard Country Update for free, go to:
www.billboard.biz/enewsletters
For press credentials, contact:
Jennifer Liss at 212-981-5215 orJennifer_liss@dkcnews.com
For registration information, contact:
Lisa Kastner at 646-654-4643 orlkastner@billboard.com
For sponsorship information, contact:
Matt Carona at 646-654-5115 ormcarona@billboard.com OR
Lee Ann Photoglo at 615-376-7931 orlaphotoglo@gmail.com
