A free livestream festival aimed at supporting those in the live events and music touring industry affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is set for Dec. 16 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

The Live Events Lift Up Festival, also called LEVL Up Fest, will stream live from the Ryman beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT that evening, featuring 25 artists and entertainers spanning the genres of country, pop, Americana, and more. A lineup will be announced in coming weeks. In addition to music, the virtual attendees will hear stories from artists and crew members about the efforts it takes behind the scenes to produce live events and entertainment.

When quarantine and social distancing mandates forced live events to shut down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the live events industry slammed to a halt. More than 12 million jobs were lost and more than 70% of live events workers lost 100% of their income.

“We’ve seen depression and anxiety take hold across our community, loss of life due to suicide, families in fear of losing homes and generational small businesses closing their doors,” says Shannon Cook, Co-Founder of LEVL UP Fest.  “With large-scale gatherings not expected to return until mid to late 2021, workers across this industry face a very uncertain future.”

Co-Founder of LEVL UP Fest Eileen Valois said via a statement, “In times of crisis, the entertainment and events industry have always stepped up with a call to action and so many incredible events like Live Aid and Farm Aid to the more recent Global Citizen events. Behind the scenes of every one of those benefits are the millions of people in our workforce. The average concert requires nearly 500 people to make it possible, from concessions and security to tour bus drivers, technical crew and everyone in between. This is OUR crisis and now we need to take care of our own.”

Valois, who is the Senior Vice President of Sports & Fan Entertainment at leading production solutions provider PRG and Cook, who is the Chief Operating Officer for TOURtech, are joined by five additional co-founders, representing a cross-section of the events industry including entertainment and private events.

The festival will benefit MusiCares, The Roadie Clinic, and the Country Music Association Foundation (with funds donated to the CMA Foundation to be used for the CMA EDU program). The LEVL Up Fest team will also launch a merchandise store this week; East Wind Screenprint has partnered with the organization to design merch and will donate 50% of the net proceeds back to the festival.

More than 30 professionals were brought together as an “Industry Council” to provide insight throughout the planning process; as well as organizations including Roadies of Color United, Event Safety Alliance, and We Make Events. Show Makers, a 501(C)(3) organization that provides resources for people who make events, is the Philanthropic Partner to LEVL UP Fest and will facilitate all funds raised in association with the event. TOURtech, a company that provides Wi-Fi and public safety technologies for live events and among the many suppliers impacted by the shutdown of live events, has stepped up as the supporting entity of record for LEVL UP Fest. The group says they are grateful to all of the partners who are providing a myriad of production and venue services and support.

Go West Creative CEO and Chief Creative David Fischette will executive produce the event, while Keith Levenson (conductor/composer for The Who since 1994 and co-founder of Fustercluck Music) will serve as music supervisor.

Dolly Parton will team with CBS for a one-hour entertainment special, A Holly Dolly Christmas, set for Sunday, Dec. 6 beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS Television Network, and streaming live and on demand at CBS All Access.

A Holly Dolly Christmas is produced by Sandollar Productions and NOZ Entertainment, and executive produced by Parton and Danny Nozell. The special will find Parton telling stories and performing songs from her recently-released album A Holly Dolly Christmas.

“I am so proud to be a part of the CBS family this holiday season with my new Christmas special,” said Parton.

“When Dolly Parton calls and tells you she wants to do a Christmas show, you don’t hesitate,” said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music & Live Events/Alternative & Reality for CBS. “A special with the multi-Grammy Award-winning, prolific songwriting, epic live performer of all time? She had us at hello. There’s only one Dolly Parton, and we are so excited to be bringing her to viewers this holiday season.”

Jordan Feliz has landed his third No. 1 radio hit this week with “Glorify,” which topped the Billboard Christian Hot AC/CHR National Airplay chart. The multi-format hit is the first single from his upcoming third album, Say It, set for release Dec. 18 from Centricity Music.

“Glorify” features a full Gospel choir backing Feliz’s recognizable falsetto along with a soaring praise-heavy chorus and propulsive beats, and was co-produced by Jordan Mohilowski and Colby Wedgeworth.

Feliz’s trajectory for his new album Say It was fraught with personal trials after success began to feel less like a blessing and more like a burden over the past few years. Feliz quickly became a household name when his first radio single, “The River,” the title track from his critically-acclaimed debut, became a smash. Spending an unprecedented 12 weeks at No. 1, the chart-topping single was named ASCAP’s “Christian Music Song of the Year” and garnered Feliz his first Gold certification. But he suffered his first panic attack as he and his wife, Jamie, welcomed their second child and he struggled to carry the weight of the spotlight and the livelihoods of multiple families connected to his career on his shoulders. Realigning his priorities and surrendering his anxiety to God, the hitmaker entered the studio to craft his third full-length project, Say It, with a renewed sense of identity and purpose.

“I’ve worked harder for this record than I’ve worked for almost anything in my life,” said Feliz. “With these songs, I want to encourage people to talk more about the beauty and the miracles that God does in our lives when we invite Him into our struggles…this record is all about what God has done in my life.”

Photo: Courtesy Twitter @ThomasRhett

Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins are set to co-host CMA Country Christmas, they announced Wednesday morning (Nov. 11) on Good Morning America. The first-time co-hosts will lead the show, which was recorded a few weeks ago and is set to air Nov. 30 on ABC. No performers have been announced at this time; last year’s lineup included Dierks Bentley, for King & Country, Chris Janson, Lady A, Brett Young, and more.

Thomas Rhett has previously co-hosted CMA Fest for three years alongside Kelsea Ballerini, and prior to that, hosted the show alongside Brett Eldredge.

The singer-songwriter, who recently released the track “What’s Your Country Song,” previously released holiday singles including “Christmas in the Country” and “The Christmas Song.”

AFM Local 257 President Dave Pomeroy and Secretary-Treasurer Vince Santoro ran unopposed and were both re-elected by acclamation Nov. 5 at a nominations meeting that followed the fourth quarter membership meeting. Both meetings were held as virtual tele-conferences. Pomeroy will begin his fifth three-year term in office in January 2021, and Santoro will start his third term.

“I appreciate the confidence of our Local 257 members in our leadership, and I am honored to continue our mission — to ensure all musicians are respected and protected, now and in the future. This has been a difficult time for all us, but we will get through this together and be stronger for the experience,” Pomeroy said.

Santoro also commented on his re-election. “Thank you to the members of Local 257 for your support. Dave and I will continue to work to make sure our union is strong and ready for the challenges the next three years will bring,” Santoro said.

Also running unopposed and elected by acclamation were seven candidates for the seven-member Local 257 Hearing Board, two trustee candidates, and one candidate for Sergeant-at-Arms.

Nine nominees will vie for seven positions on the Local 257 Executive Board. They are: Casey Brefka, Rich Eckhardt, Jerry Kimbrough, Alison Prestwood, Laura Ross, Steven Sheehan, Biff Watson, Tom Wild, and Jonathan Yudkin. Ballots will be mailed to Local 257 members in the next few days, with a count of votes by the Local 257 Election Committee set for Dec. 2, 2020.