(Nashville, Tenn. – Feb. 22, 2021) Though not in its usual form, the country music industry’s biggest week came to an end on Friday and was filled with the many takeaways and musical moments traditionally experienced in-person. CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience spanned four days (Feb. 16-19) and launched with the all-new Streaming Summit on day one. There was a jam-packed schedule of valuable and engaging content and entertainment with educational sessions, morning networking events, four interactive workshops, and more. Returning to the event in virtual form was Amazon Presents: “Country Heat at CRS,” Warner Music Nashville’s Luncheon, Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley, “Team UMG” at the Ryman, and the New Faces of Country Music® Show.
CRB/CRS Executive Director RJ Curtis commented, “CRS is proud of our first-ever Virtual Experience, which featured more educational content than ever, unique musical experiences that looked and sounded fantastic, and essential CRS intangibles which have been a hallmark of this yearly event: networking, bonding, reuniting, and an overall collegial environment that unites every format stakeholder, inspiring all of us to keep working together for the long term success and growth of Country music.”
On-Demand content from CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience is available now to anyone who was registered for this year’s event. The on-demand content includes panels and interviews, three workshops, six exclusive sessions, Country Radio Hall of Fame Inductions, CRS/Country Aircheck award winners, digital artist liners, session takeaways, and more. The content is available at https://crsvirtual2021.com/.
Country Radio Seminar will return in 2022 and is set for Feb. 23 – Feb. 25, 2022 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Registration for next year’s event will open later this year.
Photos Linked Below
The 2021 New Faces of Country Music® closed out the first-ever virtual CRS, and featured performances by Tenille Arts (19th & Grand), Travis Denning (Mercury), HARDY (Big Loud), Ashley McBryde (Warner/WMN), and Matt Stell (Records/Arista). The show was co-sponsored by the Academy of Country Music and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Photos courtesy of CRB/CRS
Country music superstar, Luke Bryan, appeared on the annual “CRS Artist Interview,” sponsored by BMI. Bryan sat down for a rare and exclusive Q&A session with CRB/CRS Board President, Kurt Johnson, to discuss his continuous success at Country radio, and the expansion of his recording, touring, and entrepreneurial ventures. Following the discussion, Luke was recognized as this year’s Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) 2021 Artist Humanitarian Award recipient. Photo courtesy of CRB/CRS
In an exclusive interview with legendary artist, songwriter, producer and Bee Gees founding member, Sir Barry Gibb, conducted by Variety Chief Music Critic and Features Editor Chris Willman, “A Conversation with Sir Barry Gibb,” sponsored by BMLG, scratched the surface of Gibb’s 60-year career filled with commercial and critical music success as well as his new #1 album, GREENFIELDS: The Gibb Brothers’ Songbook, Vol. 1. Country music supergroup Little Big Town made a surprise appearance during the discussion and spoke about collaborating with Gibb on two songs featured on the new project. Photo courtesy of CRB/CRS
Multi-platinum performer and 2020 ACM Entertainer of the Year, Thomas Rhett, headlined the annual “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley,” co-sponsored by CT40 with Fitz and First Horizon. Thomas Rhett was joined by his special guests Rhett Akins and Parker Welling. Photo courtesy of CRB/CRS
In an exclusive session held during CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, two of Country Music’s most prominent trailblazers, 2020 CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, Luke Combs, and 2020 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Maren Morris, shared their perspectives on accountability in Country music. During the conversation, moderated by NPR Music’s critic and correspondent and the Nashville correspondent for WXPN’s World Café, Ann Powers, Combs and Morris started a call for an industry-wide response, encouraging to build a more accepting culture and diverse genre. The session’s sponsor was AllAccess.com. Photo courtesy of CRB/CRS
GRAMMY ® winner Chris Tomlin and multi-platinum recording artist Russell Dickerson took part in a CRS Believers Breakfast, sponsored by Curb Records, to discuss how to stay Faith-centered in the music industry, living in the spotlight with humility, leading spiritually-fulfilling lives and fatherhood, each with new babies born in 2020. Photo Credit: Makayla Symmonds
Multi-award-winning artist, Brad Paisley, appeared on “So Much Cooler Online: A Conversation with Brad Paisley,” sponsored by CT40with Fitz. The rare, guided interview was conducted by best-selling author and pop culture pundit, David Wild, and television writer and producer, Phil Rosenthal, the conversation dove into what inspired Paisley to reinvent how he connects with fans. When the world came to a halt in 2020, artists had to find new and creative ways to connect with their fans. Brad Paisley emerged as a forefront leader in creativity, thought, and authenticity. Photo courtesy of CRB/CRS
For more information on CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com and follow CRS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additional information can be obtained by calling 615-327-4487.
About Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. ®: The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® is a 501 © 3 non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring radio broadcasters worldwide together with the Country Music Industry to ensure vitality and promote growth in the Country Radio format.
About Country Radio Seminar: Country Radio Seminar is an annual convention that gathers key business leaders in various radio and music industry fields, featuring presentations on best business practices, emerging technology, personal career development, and new music showcases. Country Radio Seminar: The Virtual Experience 2021 was held Feb. 16-19, 2021.