New Date Announced For Grammy Awards, CMT Music Awards Shifts Date
The 64th annual Grammy Awards will now take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3. The show moved from its original date of Jan. 31 amid growing concerns surrounding the Omicron variant.
Along with the Grammy Awards shifting date, the CMT Music Awards will move from its originally scheduled date of Sunday, April 3 to a later date in April. Information about the date and location of the awards show will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Once we realized the need to move the Grammy Awards to a later date due to current health concerns, we came together quickly with our partners at the Recording Academy and CMT, to strategically reschedule these two incredible music events and utilize the full power of the ViacomCBS ecosystem to promote them,” says Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music, Live Events & Alternative Programming, CBS. “Coming out of an exciting month of college basketball on CBS, we’re thrilled to continue our programming momentum with these two big live events for television in the spring.”
“We are excited to take the Grammys to Las Vegas for the very first time, and to put on a world-class show,” adds Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. “From the moment we announced the postponement of the original show date, we have been inundated with heartfelt messages of support and solidarity from the artist community. We are humbled by their generosity and grateful for their unwavering commitment to the Grammy Awards and the Academy’s mission. We appreciate the leadership CBS has shown during these challenging weeks and the flexibility of the CMTs and others who worked toward this solution.”
“What better way to introduce the CMT Music Awards to CBS than aligning with the Grammys during the network’s biggest month of music this April,” shares Margaret Comeaux, John Hamlin and Leslie Fram, executive producers, CMT Music Awards. “Our fans can expect another unforgettable night of music, and we look forward to announcing our new date and sharing more of what we have in store for this year very soon.”
The Grammy Awards will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 3 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Trevor Noah will return as master of ceremonies for the evening.
Click here to view the nominees for the 64th annual Grammy Awards.
Concord Launches Chromatic Music With Tofer Brown, Signs Lauren Hungate
Pictured (L-R): Ashley Nite, Garrett Stephenson, Brad Kennard, Matt Turner, Tofer Brown, Lauren Hungate, Melissa Spillman, Courtney Allen, Jen Hubbard
Concord Music Publishing has launched a new creative joint venture, Chromatic Music.
The new venture was founded by chart-topping songwriter Tofer Brown, who has had success as a songwriter and producer across genres. Among other career achievements, Brown penned the title track on Lady A’s Ocean, as well as Little Big Town’s Platinum single “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” and Jon Pardi’s award-winning hit “Night Shift.”
Brown and Chromatic Music aim to develop and mentor talent of all kinds by partnering with creators of all genres. Chromatic’s first signing, in partnership with Concord, is Nashville-based songwriter Lauren Hungate. The worldwide publishing deal will cover Hungate’s full catalog.
“I first became aware of Lauren over a year ago, and the second I heard her songs I thought ‘Who is Lauren Hungate and why is she writing all of the songs I wish I’d written?’” shares Brown. “I can honestly say after writing a lot together in 2021, Lauren is without a doubt one of the best writers in Nashville. She writes well beyond her years and quickly becomes fast friends with every collaborator she works with in town. I can think of no one else I’d rather have as the first writer signed to Chromatic Music and I’m grateful for Concord’s belief in Lauren and me in this next chapter of both of our careers.”
Hungate’s credits include Ashland Craft’s “When a Cowboy’s Heart Breaks,” Gray Robinson’s “Damsel In This Dress,” and several tracks on Rachael Neimroff’s upcoming EP. She has also frequently collaborated with Republic Records/Big Loud artist Lily Rose, including on Rose’s viral single, “Overnight Sensation.”
“I’m so excited to be the first signing to Chromatic,” says Hungate. “Tofer is such a champion, and it was evident upon meeting him that he is the kind of person and writes the kind of songs I want to be associated with. I am also so grateful to be joining the Concord team. They have felt like fast family, and their staff has been such a godsend in making me feel taken care of in my first deal.”
“Tofer has been an amazing creative partner with Concord for many years. He is as passionate about songwriters as we are, and we’re so proud to expand our partnership, as we work together to identify and empower the next generation of creators,” adds Brad Kennard, Sr. VP, A&R in Nashville. “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Lauren as the first signing to this collaborative venture. She is a brilliant writer who is already blazing her own trail to huge success!”
Dave Pittenger Renews With Big Yellow Dog Music
Dave Pittenger
Big Yellow Dog Music, a Nashville-based label, publishing and artist development company, has renewed its contract with songwriter Dave Pittenger.
Pittenger, a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, has seen much success, including with recent single “abcdefu” by Gayle (Atlantic Records), which is currently No. 1 on Billboard‘s Global 200 Chart and has reached the top 50 on more than 20 Billboard charts globally. The song first resonated with listeners through TikTok, where it has gone on to be used in over 1.4 million videos.
“2022 has been a blast off year for Dave Pittenger,” says BYD co-owner and CEO Carla Wallace. “He shows up to BYD every day with an infectious smile and attitude that inspires us all. We are so excited for the world to get to hear more from him.”
Pittenger also had a hand in AJ Mitchell‘s “Cheap Red Wine” (Epic Records) and “Dance With Someone Else” by Jessie James Decker (Warner Nashville). Since singing with Big Yellow Dog Music in 2019, singles co-written and/or produced by Pittenger have climbed the Mediabase Country and Billboard Country Airplay charts, and have reached the top 30 of the Mediabase Dance chart.