BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville hosted its second annual brunch at the 2024 ACM Awards at the Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas, on May 16. Held the morning of the awards, the brunch included more than 150 attendees from the label, radio, streaming services and other industry executives.
Jon Loba, president of frontline recordings for BMG North America, opened the brunch, which was moved inside due to stormy weather. Lainey Wilson, who went on to win entertainer of the year at the ACM Awards a few hours later, introduced her new single, “Hang Tight Honey,” from her for forthcoming album, Whirlwind, before the label and Melinda Newman, Billboard’s executive editor, West Coast and Nashville, presented Wilson with a plaque for having the shortest stint of any woman artist between No. 1 songs on the Country Airplay chart. Later, Billboard’s exec vp of charts and data partnership Silvio Pietroluongo presented Jelly Roll, a plaque for landing three No. 1s on the Country Airplay chart in 2023, while the artist played a recording of his new single, “Liar,” which he later played on the ACM Awards.
The brunch also included superstar Jason Aldean and his writing collaborator-turned-duet partner John Morgan performing “Friends Like That,” their current single, as well as “Trouble with a Heartbreak,” a 2022 No. 1 hit for Aldean, co-written by Morgan. The Frontmen, a supergroup comprised of the Richie McDonald (formerly of Lonestar), Larry Stewart (formerly of Restless Heart) and Tim Rushlow (formerly of Little Texas), also performed two of their songs, including new single, “Beatles and Eagles,” as well as a mini-medley of their previous groups’ hits.
Additionally, Frank Ray played his new Latin-tinged tune, “Uh Huh (Ajá)” and Blanco Brown sang along as his new Diane Warren-penned song, “Snapshot,” played.
See photos from the event, sponsored by Heineken Silver, Zilzie Wines and Billboard, below.