(Nashville, Tenn. – Feb. 11, 2021) Country Radio Seminar has announced legendary artist, songwriter, producer and Bee Gees founding member, Sir Barry Gibb, and multi-award-winning artist, Brad Paisley, are scheduled to appear during CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience.
In an exclusive interview conducted by Variety Chief Music Critic and Features Editor Chris Willman, “A Conversation with Sir Barry Gibb,” sponsored by BMLG, will scratch 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, which was produced by Dave Cobb at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A. The discussion, which fans of every music genre will find fascinating, is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18, 2 p.m. (CT).
Immediately following, at 3 p.m. CT, “So Much Cooler Online: A Conversation with Brad Paisley,” sponsored by CT40 with Fitz, will take place. 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. In a rare, guided interview conducted by best-selling author and pop culture pundit, David Wild, and television writer and producer, Phil Rosenthal, the conversation will dive into what inspired Paisley to reinvent how he connects with fans.
CRB/CRS Executive Director RJ Curtis comments, “The addition of Sir Barry Gibb and Brad Paisley will make an already impactful Thursday at CRS even more dynamic. Barry Gibb is on a short list of artists who transcend musical boundaries, and he’s done so for 60 years. Brad Paisley has been a creative and innovative voice in Country music for two decades; in 2020, he reimagined and redefined how artists successfully engage with fans. These back-to-back conversations will be nothing short of fascinating.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Sir Barry Gibb stands as one of the most renowned and celebrated musicians of the modern era. As co-founder and creative leader of the Brothers Gibb—better known to the world as the Bee Gees—Barry, with his brothers, Maurice and Robin, represent one of the most successful vocal groups in rock and roll history, having sold more than 200 million albums to date. With nine #1 singles as a performer, Barry is also amongst the most successful songwriters of all-time (with sixteen #1 singles) and is seventh on the list of most successful producers (with fourteen #1 singles). He is also tied with John Lennon and Paul McCartney for most #1 singles in a calendar year with seven.
Among his many awards and honors are eight Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, and the 2015 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is also the recipient of the American Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, the BMI Icon Award, four BMI Songwriter of the Year Awards, four BMI Song of the Year Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2004, Barry received one of Britain’s highest honors when the Bee Gees were made Commanders of the British Empire and, in 2018, was Knighted “Sir Barry Gibb” by Prince Charles for his services to music and charity.
Most recently, Barry reached a career-high with the release of his highly anticipated new album, GREENFIELDS: The Gibb Brothers’ Songbook, Vol. 1, out now on Capitol Records. Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb, the record finds Barry realizing his long-time dream of working with some of the country, bluegrass and americana artists he admires the most, including Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Jason Isbell, and Brandi Carlile among many others. Upon its release, the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Americana/Folk Albums chart, #2 on the Billboard Albums Sales chart, #3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and #15 on the Billboard 200—Barry’s highest-charting album and first top 40 on the Billboard 200 as a solo performer. The album also debuted at #1 in the U.K., Australia, and Germany (international chart). In the U.K. and Australia, this marks Barry’s first-ever solo #1 and his first #1 overall in 42 years since the 1979 release of The Bee Gees’ Spirits Having Flown.
Brad Paisley has earned his place in country music history as one of the genre’s most talented and decorated male solo artists. Over the past 20 years, his songwriting and unmatched showmanship have won him numerous awards, including three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards and 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, among many others. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Paisley has written 21 of his 24 No. 1 hits, and in 2008 became the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 singles. The 2010 CMA Entertainer of the Year’s past works have amassed over 3.9 billion on-demand streams. Paisley continues to collaborate with Peyton Manning in a multi-year ad campaign with Nationwide insurance. In 2015, the global superstar partnered with Boot Barn® to develop Moonshine Spirit by Brad Paisley, an exclusive line of jeans, hats, T-shirts, jewelry, belts and woven shirts. A prolific entertainer, Paisley’s first prime-time special, Brad Paisley Thinks He’s Special, aired on ABC in December 2019 and has garnered over 18.1 million viewers to date. Paisley and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, are co-founders of nonprofit organization The Store, a free-referral based grocery store, which aims to empower low-income individuals and families in the Nashville area. For more information, visit www.thestore.org.
CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience will be held Tuesday, Feb. 16, through Friday, Feb. 19. The expanded, four-day CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience agenda offers attendees more than 14 educational sessions, four morning networking events, two lunchtime performances, four interactive workshops, “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley” featuring Thomas Rhett and Guests, and, for the first time in CRS history, a New Faces of Country Music® ticket with every registration.
Registration for CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience is $199 per person and is available for purchase at www.CountryRadioSeminar.com. Country Radio Broadcasters have also made available an Unemployment, Student, and Young Professional rate (here). Registrants will need to select the rate they are applying for as the registration type to be considered for the discounted rate. Contact Ashley Bourque at (615) 329-2615 or ashley@crb.org for any questions about the application.
For more information on CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com and follow CRS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Chris Willman: Chris Willman is chief music critic and features editor at Variety. He previously enjoyed long tenures at Entertainment Weekly and the Los Angeles Times and has been published in Billboard, TV Guide, Rolling Stone, Country Weekly, Yahoo, CMT.com, the Hollywood Reporter and New York magazine. His book “Rednecks & Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music” was published in 2005 and later cited by Stephen King in the New York Times as one of the three best music books of all time. Willman has won five first-place awards from the Los Angeles Press Club, including being named 2020’s entertainment journalist of the year. He has attended every Country Radio Seminar since 2004.
About David Wild: David Wild is a Peabody-winning, multiple Emmy-losing television writer and producer, a best-selling author and a semi-familiar pop culture pundit and recovering Rolling Stone journalist. A 1984 graduate of Cornell University where he studied creative writing with novelist William Kennedy, Wild first worked for Esquire before going to Rolling Stone in 1986. In the mid-Nineties, Wild started writing for television as well as print. Wild more than 100 credits include the Grammy Awards since 2001, the CMA Awards since 2002, The Academy Awards, The Emmy Awards, 2004’s Genius: A Night For Ray Charles, 2014’s The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to The Beatles, 2020’s Let’s Go Crazy: A Grammy Salute to Prince and the upcoming Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music airing this Feburary 14th on NBC, co-hosted by Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton. He is the author of a number of New York Times best-selling books including 1995’s Friends: The Official Companion, 2000’s The Showrunners and 2004’s Friends. . .’Til The End, and he co-wrote 2011’s best-selling Diary of a Player with Brad Paisley. Wild has also written liner notes essays for dozens of artists including the Rolling Stones (Forty Licks), Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra (Duets), Simon & Garfunkel, Aerosmith, Randy Newman, Van Halen and Ringo Starr. Born in New York City, Wild lives in Los Angeles with his wife Fran and their two sons, but spends as much time as possible in his beloved Music City, Nashville, Tennessee.
About Phil Rosenthal: Phil Rosenthal is the creator and host of “Somebody Feed Phil,” an unscripted documentary series on Netflix, which combines his love of food and travel with his unique brand of humor. Rosenthal was born in Queens, New York and moved with his parents and brother to New City, New York in Rockland County, where he was raised. After graduating from Hofstra University on Long Island, where he majored in theater, he embarked on a career as an actor, writer and director in New York City. In 1989, he relocated to Los Angeles. Rosenthal’s early writing credits include the series “Down the Shore” and “Coach.” In 1995, Rosenthal created the hit CBS comedy, “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which premiered in 1996. He was the Showrunner/Executive Producer for all nine years of the show’ s very successful run, which ended in 2005. During its original run, “Everybody Loves Raymond” was nominated for over 70 Emmy awards, and won 15 awards, including two for Best Comedy Series in 2003 and 2005. Rosenthal won the 2002 Writers Guild Award for Excellence in Television Writing for his “Everybody Loves Raymond” script, “Italy.” Rosenthal co-wrote “America: A Tribute to Heroes,” the 9/11 telethon which aired on all four networks in September 2001, for which he won a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing. Rosenthal is also an author, having penned a book on the art of comedy and the making of a sitcom classic. “You’re Lucky You’re Funny: How Life Becomes a Sitcom” was published in 2006. In April 2011, Rosenthal wrote, directed and starred in his first feature film for Sony Pictures. “Exporting Raymond,” the true story about the attempt to turn “Everybody Loves Raymond” into a Russian sitcom, was met with critical acclaim. Rosenthal’s first travel food series, “I’ll Have What Phil’s Having,” premiered on PBS in fall 2015 and received two Taste Awards as well as the winner of the 2016 James Beard Award for Best Television Program, on Location. Rosenthal lives in Los Angeles, with his wife, actress Monica Horan (who played Amy on “Everybody Loves Raymond”), and their two children.
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 will be held Feb. 16-19, 2021.
