Executive Turntable: The Core Entertainment Expands Leadership Team — Plus, Moves at MCA, Republic

MCA promoted both Miranda McDonald and Jimmy Rector to senior vp of promotion & regional marketing. Both executives will report to Damon Moberly, MCA’s senior vp of promotion & touring.

In their new roles, McDonald and Rector will continue leading national country radio strategy while overseeing regional marketing initiatives. McDonald will continue overseeing promotion efforts for the MCA Nashville roster, while Rector will continue leading promotion for the Mercury Nashville roster.

“Miranda and Jimmy are two of the most trusted and respected leaders in country radio,” said Moberly in a statement. “They both bring a rare combination of relationships, instincts, and tireless work ethic that consistently translates into real results for our artists. These promotions recognize the impact they’ve already made and the leadership they bring to the entire team.”

McDonald can be reached at [email protected] and Rector can be reached at [email protected]. — Chris Eggertsen

Touré Shiver has joined Republic Records as vp of marketing strategy. Based in New York, Shiver joins Republic from Columbia Records, where he contributed to campaigns for Tyler, The Creator and Pharrell Williams. In his new role, Shiver will work across marketing efforts for artists within Republic’s hip-hop/R&B roster, including Ayra Starr, DC The Don, DJ Khaled, Jacquees, John Legend, Ledbyher and MexikoDro.

“It’s an honor to join the incredible team at Republic Records and continue my journey to become one of music’s best marketers,” Shiver said in a statement. 

Republic Records CMO Donna Gryn said in a statement, “We’re excited to welcome Touré Shiver. His creative vision, cultural insight, and artist-first approach make him an outstanding addition. And personally, I’m looking forward to tapping into his well-known sushi expertise.” — Ariel King

Music technology company AudioSalad appointed Björn Sandberg as head of commercial marketing.

Sandberg, based in London, will lead the development of AudioSalad’s artist and label marketing, reporting to CEO Iain Catling. He was previously head of streaming at Domino Records and also held senior roles at FUGO, Marathon Artists and Thrill Jockey Records.

“Björn’s experience and deep understanding of commercial marketing in today’s complex marketplace make him a tremendous addition to our team,” said Catling in a statement. “His expertise further strengthens our distribution capabilities as we continue building best-in-class services for artists, creators, and labels.”

“I’m thrilled to join AudioSalad at such an exciting time. Throughout my career, I’ve focused on creating campaigns that put artists’ voices and values front and center. I believe artists are the true drivers of their creativity, and our role is to help bring their ideas to life and most importantly, back them every step of the way,” added Sandberg. “From the moment I met Iain, Tom [Deakin, Head of EMEA], and Patrick [Ferrell, Head of Business Development], it was clear that AudioSalad shared my passion for empowering independent artists and labels to realize their vision. I’m excited to be part of the next chapter in AudioSalad’s evolution and to help shape its future.”

AudioSalad provides content management, analytics, delivery and distribution services for artists, labels, rightsholders, and distributors including ATO Records, Exceleration Music, Foundation Media, Mad Decent, Mushroom Group, NBCUniversal, Redeye, Secretly Distribution, Sparta (300 Entertainment) and Stones Throw. — Chris Eggertsen

Peermusic hired Lorenzo Grignani as managing director of Peermusic Italy. In the role, Grignani will oversee the company’s Italian creative and administration operations, covering music publishing and Peer Southern Productions. He will be based out of Peermusic’s Italy offices and report to Peermusic’s president of music Nigel Elderton.

Before joining Peermusic, Grignani worked at FUGO for more than eight years, most recently as general manager for Southern Europe. Before that, he worked at companies including River Digital, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony/ATV.

Grignani succeeds Francesa Trainini, who is retiring from the role after 12 years. Trainini is currently vp of indie label association PMI Italia, vp of Italian MPA FEM, president of the Board of IMPALA, and a founding member and vp of the Independent Music Publishers Forum (IMPF). She continues as a senior partner at indie label and publisher Oyez.

Elderton and Peermusic DEO Mary Megan Peer said in a statement: “We would like to thank Francesca for her leadership and dedication to peermusic over these past many years. Her tenure has been defined by a deep commitment to our writers, artists, and business partners and her lasting influence on the independent music industry within Europe. Lorenzo brings a wealth of experience to our company and was the natural choice to spearhead our publishing and label operations in Italy. Lorenzo’s deep understanding of the industry and insight into the Italian market make him the perfect addition to our team as we work to expand our presence in the region and drive opportunities for our writers both domestically and globally.” — Chris Eggertsen

SGPS/ShowRig Inc. announced Benjamin Lampman’s promotion to vp of touring, where he will oversee the strategic direction and execution of the company’s touring division. Previously, he served as general manager and sales lead for the company’s Las Vegas operations.  

Lapman will work with SGP/ShowRig’s automation and engineering teams, helping to integrate Raynok motion control systems into touring projects. 

“Touring productions today demand engineering precision, reliability, and systems that can perform night after night in challenging environments,” Lampman said in a statement. “By integrating SGPS/ShowRig’s engineering, technical design, fabrication, rigging, and automation capabilities, we’re able to support designers and production teams with solutions that are built to travel, built to perform, and built to scale for the largest live events in the world.” — Ariel King

Renee Brodeur has been promoted to general manager of TMWRK, the company announced. Previously, she served as partner and executive vp. Brodeur has been with TWMRK the last 14 years, working her way up from day-to-day manager. Currently, she co-manages Diplo, Major Lazer and A-Track alongside TMWRK CEO and founder Andrew McInnes. She also manages the Chicago-based duo DRAMA & Kito.  

“I couldn’t be more excited to step into this new role at TMWRK,” Brodeur said in a statement. “My 14 years with the company have been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful every day to work with amazing artists and be surrounded by such immensely talented peers. I look forward to TMWRK’s continued growth and am honored to be part of this journey alongside such a sharp and fearless leader as Andrew McInnes.”  

McInnes added, “Renee has been an essential member of TMWRK for more than 14 years. I’m excited to have her step in the role of GM and continue to grow the business together across all aspects of the entertainment business. We’re lucky to have her.” — Ariel King

Nikos Kazoleas joined CAA as an agent in the global touring division. He will be based in the agency’s London office.

Kazoleas joins from UTA, where he spent more than a decade as a music agent working with artists including Sombr, Chezile, GAYLE, Rebecca Black, Trixie Mattel, BANKS and Joshua Bassett.

“Nikos is a fantastic addition to our team, with a strong track record and deep relationships across the live business,” said Mike Greek, co-head of CAA’s London office, in a statement. “As touring continues to expand, bringing him into our Global Touring department strengthens our ability to create meaningful opportunities and deliver exceptional results for our artists worldwide.” — Chris Eggertsen

Jeanette Porcello was named senior director of A&R at Concord Label Group. In the role, she will focus on identifying and developing artists across Concord labels including Concord Records, Rounder Records and Fearless Records. She will be based at the company’s Nashville headquarters, reporting to Concord Label Group COO Andy Serrao.

Before joining Concord, Pocatello was director of A&R at Downtown Artist & Label Services, where she helped expand the company’s presence in the Nashville market and signed and worked with artists including In Color, Judah and the Lion, Mat Kearney, Jack Blocker, Abbey Cone, Drew Holcomb, Dazey and the Scouts, Rum Jungle and Cate Canning. Before that, she was on the A&R team at Atlantic Records. She’s also the founder of Dog Ear Management, where she reps songwriters and producers. She additionally served as president of The Other Nashville Society, which is dedicated to highlighting the city’s non-country music scene.

“I’m incredibly excited to join the Concord team and help shape the vision for this next chapter,” said Porcello in a statement. “I’ve always respected the strong identity Concord has built across its labels and the depth of its artist roster. I’m looking forward to continuing that legacy while helping discover and develop the next generation of artists.”

“Jeanette has demonstrated over and over again her ability to find, develop, and amplify artists of vision, no matter where they are in their career,” added Serrao. “A&R is a unique responsibility in the industry, and I know that Concord, our labels, and our artists will all benefit from having her on board.” — Chris Eggertsen

Red Street Records has made a round of promotions and hirings. Cambria Sojka rises to director of marketing and creative for the label’s country and Christian rosters, while Sally Allgeier adds digital partnerships to her current role of national director of country promotion. Olivia Vardy also joins the team as digital marketing coordinator.

Red Street general manager Alex Valentine said in a statement, “Leading with our artist first mentality, it’s been a mission at Red Street to cultivate the next generation of outstanding executives and leaders in Nashville. Watching Cambria and Sally grow within the culture of the team at Red Street has been truly inspiring. Their contributions have been vital to the progress we’ve made over the past few years and these moves are very well deserved. We’re also very happy to welcome Olivia to the Red Street family and look forward to the impact she’ll have on our future.”

Red Street Records was launched by Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus in 2019. Red Street’s roster includes artists Chris Lane, Danny Gokey and Jason Crabb. — Jessica Nicholson

Lori Feldman, formerly of Warner Records, Paradigm and Wasserman, launched Redefine Music Advisors, a strategic advisory firm centered around helping artists, music companies and brands “unlock new opportunities at the intersection of music, culture and business,” Feldman wrote on LinkedIn.

“After many incredible years working alongside extraordinary artists, brands and colleagues at Warner Records, Paradigm and most recently at Wasserman (which recently rebranded to THE.TEAM) I’m excited to bring those experiences to this next chapter,” Feldman added. — Chris Eggertsen

Siesta Valley Bowl, a new 1,000-cap outdoor music venue in Orinda, Calif., brought on Blue Note Entertainment group senior vp of talent David Lefkowitz to lead talent booking at the venue, while Suman Chatterjee, formerly general manager of the SF Masonic, was named general manager of the venue.

Lefkowitz, who leads Blue Note’s Bay Area activity, previously served as the sole talent buyer and vp for AEG Presents San Francisco. He also formely worked at Live Nation and managed Les Claypool and Primus.

Under Lefkowitz’s leadership, Siesta Valley Bowl plans to present 75 to 10 performances annually from April through November.

“The Bay Area has always been one of the most important music markets in the country,” said Lefkowitz in a statement. “There’s a sophistication and appreciation for live music here that’s unmatched. Siesta Valley Bowl gives us the opportunity to create something really special – an intimate venue with festival-quality production in one of the most beautiful natural settings you’ll find anywhere. Artists are going to love performing here, and audiences are going to love experiencing music in this environment.”

In addition to the SF Masonic, Chatterjee previously served as operations manager at Live Nation Entertainment, where he oversaw multiple venue operations in the Bay Area, including The Shoreline Amphitheatre. He will spearhead all venue operations, including production management, guest services, vendor relationships and facility logistics.

“I’m thrilled to join the Siesta Valley Bowl team at such an exciting time,” said Chatterjee. “This venue has incredible potential — the natural setting is breathtaking, the capacity is perfect for creating intimate connections between artists and audiences, and the vision for combining exceptional entertainment with environmental stewardship really resonates with me. Having worked at some of the Bay Area’s top venues, I know what it takes to create memorable experiences for both artists and guests. Siesta Valley Bowl has all the ingredients to become one of the most sought-after performance destinations in Northern California.” — Chris Eggertsen

Country duo LOCASH has teamed with manager Skip Bishop and entrepreneur Shane Harluk to launch the artist development/music marketing company Music City Power Company, which will offer services including A&R, creative direction, marketing and distribution. The company is based in Nashville, while Calgary-based Harluk leads operations in Canada.

Mara Sidweber has been named to a dual role as vp of promotion & strategy at Music City Power Company, as well as national promotion at LOCASH’s previously-launched label, Galaxy Label Group. Sidweber previously spent a dozen years with Capitol Records Nashville, in addition to leading marketing and radio promotion for Southern Ground Artists.

Bishop says of the new company, “At Galaxy, we are deeply familiar with the tools, team, energy and leadership needed to break through and win. The Music City Power Company has assembled the best of the best and will offer a level of modern, focused expertise and passion that independent artists need right now.” — Jessica Nicholson

BELIEVERS, a faith-based collective of music professionals, appointed country singer Conner Smith as its first-ever director.

“When we launched BELIEVERS in 2015, it was born from a simple conviction — that the music industry needs spaces where faith and calling can thrive together,” said BELIEVERS co-creators Gator Harrison (iHeartCountry band coordinator/SVPP Nashville) and Lou Ramirez (director of radio accounts at Warner Records Nashville). “Conner’s life reflects that conviction. His steady faith, creative vision, and humble spirit make him uniquely equipped to lead this next chapter. We are grateful not just for his leadership, but for his heart.”

“The heart of BELIEVERS, to steward the will of Jesus within country music, is something that has impacted me since my first encounter with it at CRS in 2022,” said Smith in a statement. “When Gator and Lou presented me with an invitation to help lead BELIEVERS into its next chapter, I was deeply honored by their trust. Their vision aligned with what I had already felt in my own walk and career in country music. We believe BELIEVERS can stand as a place of true encounter and support for everyone in country music.” — Chris Eggertsen

PR and communications agency DawBell appointed Elfie Lawson as account director, marking an expansion of its B2B offering. Lawson brings over seven years of experience in music, entertainment and technology PR.

“I couldn’t be happier to be joining DawBell at this exciting time for its corporate division,” said Lawson in a statement. “I look forward to continuing the team’s impressive work, and building on that momentum to help further grow the agency’s B2B offering and client base.” — Chris Eggertsen

Jay Permenter has founded the independent creative strategy and communications firm JDMA. Its clients include Symone, season 13 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and designer Marko Monroe. JDMA will be collaborating with brands, talent, creators, athletes and platforms across entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, sports and live experiences.  

Prior to JDMA’s launch, Permenter served as publicist for Paramount and MTV Entertainment Communications. During that tenure, his portfolio included the Emmy Award-winning series RuPaul’s Drag Race, the Dexter franchise (Resurrection and Original Sin), MTV’s Wild ‘N Out and Video Music Awards and the CMT Music Awards.

“As entertainment continues to evolve, it will be essential to how audiences explore, identify and connect,” said Permenter in a statement. “JDMA builds on the work I’ve led helping brands, talent and experiences show up in ways that are authentic, culturally aware and positioned to matter.” — Gail Mitchell