NEWS

Fifty-year music industry executive and former CRB/CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne, 72, died November 28 after a long-term illness, reports MusicRow. I called him a year ago to ask if he would speak with me for Randy Travis’s biography; he told me his health was too poor for him to do interviews. He began in radio, launching KASE in Austin and leading KZLA/KLAC in Los Angeles and KSCS/WBAP in Dallas, and then joined Warner Bros./Nashville, where he spent 15 years and became Senior VP/General Manager and VP of Promotion. He was Executive Director of Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) from 2009-2019. Memorial services have not yet been announced.

NEWS

The new CMA Entertainer of the Year is Lainey Wilson. She is the first female to win since Taylor Swift in 2009 and 2011. Lainey also won the most awards—five—at last week’s 57th CMA Awards show. “This is all I’ve ever wanted to do; this is all I’ve known how to do,” she said in her acceptance speech. “For all of you little girls watching and for the ones that are here tonight too. I’m getting up every single day and I’m looking at myself in the mirror and saying, I am beautiful. I am smart. I am talented. I am Godly. I am fearless. If somebody tells me I can’t do it, hold my beer and watch this. Us girls, y’all, we’ve been having to blaze trails from the very beginning. I just wanna say thank you so much for letting me be part of that. And here’s to all the ladies that blaze trails every single dang day of their life.” Chris Stapleton won his seventh Male Vocalist of the Year Award, breaking his own record. (more…)

Happy 86^th birthday to Bill Anderson — who was born James William Anderson III on November 1, 1937, in Columbia, South Carolina. Have a great day, Bill!

CONCERT REVIEW – RANDY TRAVIS TRIBUTE

A Heroes & Friends Tribute to Randy Travis – 1 Night, 1 Place, 1 Time occurred in Huntsville, Alabama, on October 24. Lorraine “Kayo” Paver and Perry Steilow flew there with me to see the show. Thanks to Mary Travis for inviting us and to Terry Tyson for the backstage passes. We had a wonderful time. (more…)