GRAMMY-WINNING COUNTRY SUPERSTAR DWIGHT YOAKAM
AND CAA MUSIC DEPARTMENT HEAD ROB LIGHT TO PARTICIPATE AT THIRD ANNUAL BILLBOARD
COUNTRY MUSIC SUMMIT IN ASSOCIATION WITH CMA
Yoakam and Light to Join Willie Nelson and Luke Bryan at the High-Profile,
Two-Day Event on June 4-5 in Nashville
NEW YORK, NY – May 31,
2012 – Billboard, the world’s premier music brand, today announced that Grammy-winning
Country superstar Dwight Yoakam will participate in a Superstar
Q&A and the head of CAA’s music department, Rob Light,
will participate in an executive keynote at the Third Annual Billboard Country
Music Summit in association with the Country Music Association (CMA). Yoakam and
Light will be joining Country Music legend Willie Nelson and
rising star Luke Bryan at the two-day conference, set to take
place in Nashville on June 4-5 at the Cannery Ballroom. The event will gather
today’s top players in Country Music to network and discuss all aspects of the Country Music business.
Dwight Yoakam, an artist who has transcended the Country Music genre to become
an innovator and entrepreneur, will participate in the Superstar Keynote Q&A
session titled, “Guitars, Cadillacs, and Innovation: A Conversation about the
Future with Dwight Yoakam.” The Singer/songwriter/actor/writer/director redefined
Country Music from his debut album in 1986, the neo-traditional honky-tonk epic,
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. One of the most respected singer-songwriters
in any genre, Yoakam has sold more than 25 million albums, and has charted more
than 30 singles, with 22 going Top 20, and received eight CMA Award nominations.
Beyond the music genre, Yoakam is a critically-acclaimed actor, with star turns
in such successful films as “Sling Blade,” “Panic Room,” “The Three
Burials of Melquiades Estrada,” and “Four Christmases”; and Yoakam co-wrote,
starred in, produced and wrote the soundtrack for “South of Heaven, West of
Hell.” Yoakam, a walking music encyclopedia, is set to release his first studio
album in seven years on Warner Bros. Records this fall, and conference attendees
will get the rare opportunity to hear what else is in store for Dwight Yoakam,
as well as his insightful take on where music is headed.
Rob Light, head
of the Music Department, a partner, and Managing Director of Creative Artists
Agency (CAA), will participate in an in-depth discussion about areas where Country
Music is outperforming other genres, what the genre could do better, and a “big
picture” view of the music business and the evolving role of the agency and
how things might look 10 years from now. Under Light’s leadership, CAA’s Music
department represents many of the world’s most popular and talented musical
artists and comedians, and CAA Nashville’s team of agents represents a large
and diverse range of artists including Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum,
Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, Amy Grant, Shooter Jennings, John Mayer, Kings of
Leon, Martina McBride, and Willie Nelson. Respected throughout the industry for
his innovative deal structures and ability to foresee and adapt to changes in
the business environment, Light has led CAA’s Music Department to new heights
by implementing an integrated services model that leverages CAA’s resources
within the department and across the agency. In the session, titled “Country
Music From An Aerial View: A Conversation with Rob Light,” he will share specific
examples of strategies that have helped build or sustain artists’ careers.
“The Country Music Summit unites the leaders of all aspects of the business
from the genre’s biggest and most dynamic artists to those responsible for propelling
their careers,” says Billboard’s editorial director, Bill Werde.
“Both Dwight Yoakam and Rob Light are innovators in their fields, and their
participation will give attendees the chance to hear from trailblazers in talent
as well as the talent management worlds.”
The Third Annual Country Summit
will explore multiple segments of the business, including radio, touring, recording,
publishing, and digital technologies. Previous keynote guests and panelists have
included Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw,
and Martina McBride. Featuring two days of panel sessions, roundtable discussions
and keynote interviews, the key stakeholders in Country Music will once again
break down the most challenging issues and exciting opportunities in recording,
radio, touring, sponsorships/branding, digital/mobile, and other areas. Like past
years, the Billboard Country Music Summit program will kick off the activities
leading up to the annual CMA Music Festival, which will be held June 7-10 in Nashville.
Additional speakers include John Hogan, Chairman/CEO, Clear
Channel Media & Entertainment; J sider, Founder, RootMusic;
Clint Higham, President, Morris Management Group; Ali
Harnell, senior VP, TMG/AEG Live; Clarence Spalding,
President, Spalding Entertainment; Brock Jones,
VP, Booking, Global Spectrum; Brian O’Connell, president, Live
Nation Country Music; Tony Conway, CEO, Conway Entertainment
Group; David Robkin, CEO, Bigger Picture Group; Phil
Caruso, National Promotions Manager, Chevrolet; Rob
Beckham, Agent, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment; Curt Motley,
Agent, Paradigm Talent; Kevin Neal, President, Buddy Lee Attractions;
Marc Dennis, Agent, Creative Artists Agency; Ted Ellis,
CMT Canada & President of the Canadian Country Music Association Board; John
Lomax, President, Roots Music Exporters; Jonathan Leone,
Co-Founder, Thrillcall; and Heather McBee, VP, Artist Development/Marketing
& Web Initiatives, Sony Music Nashville. For a full list of speakers, please
visit: http://www.billboardevents.com/country/speakers
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 Country Music business.