Music News (4/8/15)

The Academy of Country Music announced the 50th annual ACM Awards off-camera winners including Luke Laird, who was voted Songwriter of the Year.

Due to time constraints during the April 19 televised ACM Awards, off-camera honorees will be feted during the 9th Annual ACM Honors event on September 1, 2015 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Read more at MusicRow.com.

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The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) will present its 45th Anniversary Dinner and Induction Ceremony on Sunday, October 11, at Nashville’s Music City Center.

Inductees for this year will be announced in the coming months.

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Pictured (L-R): Black River Entertainment CEO Gordon Kerr; Vice President of Black River Publishing Celia Froehlig; Catalog Manager Kelly Bolton; Scott Stepakoff; Creative Director Dave Pacula and Ritholz Levy’s Chip Petree, Esq.

Black River Publishing has announced the latest addition to its songwriter roster, with the signing of Scott Stepakoff.

The Atlanta native moved to Nashville after six years in California, working as lead singer for the rock band Turtle Grove. He’s since earned cuts by Tim McGraw, Jake Owen, Kip Moore, Kelsea Ballerini, and others. Stepakoff’s previous publishing deals included stints with EMI, Sony/ATV, and Ten Ten Music Group.

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Alice Kim

ASCAP announced Monday, April 6, the appointment of Alice Kim as the organization’s EVP, Chief Strategy & Development Officer, reporting to ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. Kim will oversee strategy, business development, product development and administration services as ASCAP charts a new course to offer enhanced services to its songwriter, composer and music publisher members and to its licensing partners.

Read more at MusicRow.com.

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Pictured (L-R): Meld Music’s Chad Segura, Fair Trade Music Publishing’s Mark Nicholas, SESAC’s Shannan Hatch, Helms, Fair Trade Music Publishing’s Jeff Moseley and SESAC’s Tim Fink. Photo: Bev Moser

Songwriter/artist Josh Helms has signed a publishing deal with Meld Music/Fair Trade. Helms is a SESAC writer.

Based in Nashville, Helms’ songs are slated to be included on the upcoming album from Craig Wayne Boyd.

Jill Napier

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Industry vet Jill Napier has been tapped as the VP/GM of MusicPubWorks effectively immediately. The hiring was announced by Denise Zavitson, Founder and President of the music catalog exploitation, metadata and royalty management subsidiary of Zavitson Music Group (ZMG).

Napier will work as the client representative of MPW’s services along with developing long-term strategic initiatives for the company. Concurrently, she will also serve on all administration matters with ZMG.

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