UPCOMING EVENTS
NATD’s Picnic is back for 2022!
It’s been a while since we’ve been able to hang out safely… let’s catch up! For years we’ve been the kick-off event for CMA Fest, and we’re not about to break that tradition now…
Catch up with some old friends and make some new ones, all while having lunch on us!
Hope to see you there!
• Please RSVP so we can be sure to have enough food on hand! •
PAST EVENTS
2020 / 2021
2019
THE NINTH ANNUAL
NATD HONORS GALA
Held November 19th, 2019
What a night it was!
We had an amazing evening at The Hermitage Hotel! It was an entertaining, emotional and poignant evening as we celebrated this year's honorees and their extraordinary contributions to Nashville and the entertainment industry.
• BILL HEARN – (In Memoriam) Former President/CEO of Capitol Christian Music Group
• KEITH CASE – (In Memoriam) Noted Bluegrass & Americana Booking Agent
• CHARLIE MONK – Publishing & Radio Legend, “Mayor of Music Row”
• BOB SKONEY – Former GM of the Historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium
• BUTCH SPYRIDON – Head of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.
• BONNIE SUGARMAN – Legendary Veteran Booking Agent
• TROY VOLLHOFFER – Head of Premier Global Productions and Country Thunder
• CECE WINANS – Best-Selling & Most-Awarded Female Gospel Artist of All Time
“BREAKING ARTISTS” SPEAKER SERIES
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6
What a highly-successful evening we had at the recent installment of our “Breaking Artists” Speaker Series, focusing on the various pathways available to artists in the country music space.
Featured Speakers:
LESLIE FRAM – CMT
PHIL GUERINI – Radio Disney Networks
JORDAN PETTIT – Grand Ole Opry
Moderated by TODD CASSETTY – Cassetty Entertainment
It was indeed an immensely informative and entertaining conversation.
Stay tuned right here for the announcement of our next Speaker Series event!
“BREAKING ARTISTS” SPEAKER SERIES
What a great recent installment of our “Breaking Artists” Speaker Series, focusing on streaming and the impact it has on artist development in particular. This event was definitely informative for all in attendance.
Featured Speakers:
JOHN MARKS – Spotify
SETH ENGLAND – Big Loud
Our next event will be in late July / early August and will feature speakers from CMT, Radio Disney Country, SiriusXM and more!
We hope to see you there!
2018
THE EIGHTH ANNUAL
NATD HONORS GALA
NOVEMBER 7th, 2018
It was another amazing Honors Gala evening…
Meet our honorees!
Back row: MercyMe
Front row: Bill Anderson, Ray Shelide, Kathleen O’Brien, Stan Barnett, George Moffett
NATD SPEAKER SERIES – STREAMING FOR BREAKING ARTISTS
We had a great event, hearing from several of our industry’s foremost experts on streaming. As part of our Breaking Artists Series, this event was both informative and entertaining.
Featured Speakers:
- MARGARET HART – YouTube Music
- JAY FRANK – Universal Music Group
- EMILY COHEN – Amazon Music
- BRITTANY SCHAFFER – Spotify
We look forward to seeing you on at the next Speaker Series event!
NATD SPEAKER SERIES – KAPPY
Amazing to hear from Kappy on his experience in breaking Luke Combs. As part of our Breaking Artists Series, this June 20th event was both informative and entertaining.
Tickets were $10 for this event only (funds went to the NATD Foundation, our charitable/scholarship arm). In future, it would be well worth your while to consider a full NATD membership, which would get you free tickets and discounts to our various yearly events, including future Speaker Series events, our upcoming Keynote Speaker events, the annual NATD Honors Gala and more!
NATD Memberships are $100 for the first person at your company, and $50 for all other company employees.
Please contact hello@n-a-t-d.com if you have any membership or other questions!
2017
7th ANNUAL NATD HONORS GALA
NOVEMBER 14, 2017 – HERMITAGE HOTEL NASHVILLE
OUR AMAZING HONOREES
L-R: David Corlew, Barbara Hubbard, Charley Pride, Jeannie Seely, Bobby Roberts, Sean Henry
2016
2016 NATD HONORS GALA
The 6th Annual NATD Honors Gala was held on November 9, 2016 at the Hermitage Hotel and was an amazing evening of celebration and laughter.
2016 Honorees included Rod Essig (Agent and Co-Head of the Nashville office of Creative Artists Agency), Scott Hamilton (Olympic Gold-medal figure skater, actor, and speaker), Doc McGhee (industry visionary and accomplished artist manager who heads McGhee Entertainment), Leon Russell (veteran musician and member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame), Mike Smardak (award-winning promoter and President of Outback Concerts), P.K. Subban (Olympic Gold-medalist and one of the top defensemen in the NHL newly acquired by the Nashville Predators), and Randy Travis (multi-platinum, award-winning country icon and the latest inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame).
ROD ESSIG
Agent / Co-Head of Nashville Office
CAA
LEON RUSSELL
Veteran Musician
Member of both Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame
SCOTT HAMILTON
Olympic Gold Medalist
Figure Skater, Actor, Speaker
P.K. Subban
Olympic Gold Medalist / NHL Hockey Player
Nashville Predators
DOC McGHEE
Industry Visionary / Artist Manager
McGhee Entertainment
MIKE SMARDAK
President
Outback Concerts
RANDY TRAVIS
Multi-Platinum & Award Winning Country Music Icon
2016 Inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame
Official ACM Awards Viewing Party!
Held on Sunday, April 3
CITIZEN CLUB AT VIRAGO
1126 McGavock Street (in The Gulch)
The Nashville Association of Talent Directors and the Academy of Country Music had a great time hosting the OFFICIAL NASHVILLE ACM AWARDS VIEWING PARTY and look forward to this being a yearly event.
Thanks to those who joined us for a bite and a beverage, as together we cheered on our friends and colleagues at the awards show in Vegas.
2015
The 2015 NATD Honors Gala was held on
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9th
at the HERMITAGE HOTEL
Congratulations to all of our honorees, and a HUGE thanks to everyone involved in this special evening!
2015 HONOREES
MEGAN BARRY
Mayor
The City of Nashville
SARAH TRAHERN
CEO
Country Music Association
STEVE LASSITER
Senior Vice President
APA Nashville
CHARLIE BRUSCO
Artist Manger
Red Light Management
PETE WEBER
Voice of the
Nashville Predators
MIKE WOLFE
Creator & Host
American Pickers
2014
2014 NATD HONORS GALA
Tuesday November 11, 2014
The Hermitage Hotel
Nashville, TN
HONOREES
Rob Beckham – Co-Head of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
Tim Corbin – Vanderbilt University’s Head Baseball Coach
Charlie Daniels – Legendary Country Music Icon
Bill Haslam – Governor of Tennessee
Demetria Kalodimos – WSMV News Anchor & Reporter
Michael W. Smith – Contemporary Christian Artist
JP Williams – CEO of Parallel Entertainment
2013
NATD GIVES BACK
Thanks to all who made our 2013 Gala such a success. Along with the Academy of Country Music and Parallel Entertainment, NATD was able to donate $20,000 to Lynn and Steve Hendrich, a Nolensville family who is hosting Maria Morari, a blind orphan from Moldova. Additionally, the organization gave a $2,500 scholarship to Murray State Junior Ethan Donohoo, a young man who shows promise in the field of music business. We are happy to once again honor the men and women who make the Nashville entertainment industry great, and to give back to our community in a meaningful way.
For more information, please see the article about the 2013 NATD Gala in the Tennesseean.
2013 NATD HONORS GALA
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
The Hermitage Hotel
Nashville, TN
HONOREES
Bernie Cahill – Co-Founder of ROAR
Tom Condon – Co-Head of CAA’s Football Division
Chaz Corzine – MWS Group Partner
Martina McBride – Country Music Icon
Kevin Neal – President of Buddy Lee Attractions
Bob Romeo – Academy of Country Music Chairman
2012
2012 NATD HONORS GALA
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
The Hermitage Hotel
Nashville, TN
HONOREES
Alan Valentine – Nashville Symphony
Mike Fisher – Nashville Predators
Clint Higham – Morris Artists Management
John Huie – CAA
George Jones – Country Music Legend
Hubert Long Award Recipient
Robert Williams – WBA Entertainment/335 Records
Hosted by Stephanie Langston and Pete Weber.
NATD SCHOLARSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT
J.P. Williams Donates $100,000 to NATD and IEBA Scholarships
NASHVILLE, TN — (May 24, 2012) — NATD/IEBA are honored to announce the CEO of Los Angeles-based Parallel Entertainment J.P. Williams has generously donated $100,000 to three scholarship funds administered through a committee appointed by Mr. Williams working with the Nashville Association of Talent Directors (NATD) and the International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA).
$25,000 of the gift will be used to fund the Ron Baird Scholarship Fund at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT (www.umt.edu) and will be distributed to student in the Entertainment Management Program in a joint effort by NATD and IEBA. Baird, legendary agent and former head of CAA’s Nashville office passed away last year due to complications from Parkinson’s disease.
A new scholarship will also be founded in Williams’ name at Murray State University in Murray, KY (www.murraystate.edu) in the amount of $37,500. NATD will be the distributing entity to award the J.P. Williams Scholarship to students in Murray State’s Music Business program.
The final $37,500 will be used to supplement the established scholarship in Williams’ name at Belmont University (www.belmont.edu). IEBA has awarded the J.P. Williams Scholarship to five students in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Business since it was founded in 2007.
2011
NATD COLLEGE OF KNOWLEDGE
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Lovett Auditorium
Murray State University
Murray, KY
Panel: It All Starts with a Song
Sherrill Blackman (SDB Music Group)
Paul Compton (The Song Writer Agency)
Bradley Collins (BMI)
Chris Carpenter (Artist Songwriter)
Lyndsey Highlander (Artist Songwriter)
Clay Myers (Orbison Publishing)
Ryan Beuschel (ASCAP)
Panel: The A Team- Building an Artist Team
Jeff Howard (APA)
Kate Dore (Outback Concerts)
Brandon Mauldin (Ontourage Management)
Julie Roberts (Artist)
Shelly Mullins (Webster PR)
Clyde Bright (Collinsworth Bright & Co)
Karen Kane (Sony Records)
Songwriters Performance:
Chris Carpenter
Jesse Keith Whitley
Lyndsey Highlander
Julie Roberts
Michael Ray
Matt Gary
2011 NATD HONORS GALA
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Hermitage Hotel
Nashville, TN
HONOREES
Karl Dean – Mayor of Nashville
Alabama – Country Music Hall of Famers
Barry Trotz – Nashville Predators Head Coach
Jim Gosnell – Agency for the Performing Arts, President/CEO
Tony Conway – Conway Entertainment Group, President