SMN Internal Memo: An internal memo, obtained by Country Aircheck, from Sony Music Nashville EVP/Promotion & Artist Development Steve Hodges to the staff on May 2:

Good Morning!

Great seeing you all at our recent off-site meetings! Sending this in follow-up to our discussion about the realignment of our Arista, Columbia and RCA Nashville promotion teams. 

As our industry continues to evolve, we are very excited to embrace the challenges with a newly designed and redeployed staff. In addition to their always important airplay related roles, Sony Music Nashville’s promotion field staff duties have been expanded to include a broader artist development focus on a local and regional level. Effective immediately, they will collaborate more closely with the SMN marketing team in such areas as brand partnerships, community engagement, digital activations, content development and more.

To help drive this broadened approach, a Senior Director of Promotion & Artist Development will now directly support imprint heads on tactical strategies and platform initiatives. Lyndsay Church, Lauren Longbine and Mallory Michaels take on this new position for Arista, Columbia and RCA Nashville respectively.

These changes allow our artists the most optimum opportunity to grow their brands by having the field team working in tandem with our marketing team in Nashville. Special thanks to Jen Way, SMN’s SVP of Marketing, and her team as they have eagerly embraced this expanded partnership across the organization.

The Sony Music Nashville Promotion and Artist Development department now consists of the following three imprint field staff and national support team members:

Arista Nashville – reporting to Chris Schuler, VP, Promotion & Artist Development
Lyndsay Church, Sr. Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Ali O’Connell, Director Promotion & Artist Development
Lisa Owen, Director Promotion & Artist Development
Amy Menz, Specialist, Promotion & Artist Development

Columbia Nashville – reporting to Shane Allen through May, but effective June 1, Lauren Thomas, VP, Promotion & Artist Development
Lauren Longbine, Sr. Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Mark Gray, Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Paige Elliott, Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Christy Garbinski, Specialist, Promotion & Artist Development 

RCA Nashville – reporting to Dennis Reese, SVP, Promotion & Artist Development
Mallory Michaels, Sr. Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Dan Nelson, Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Larry Santiago, Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Nicole Walden, Specialist, Promotion & Artist Development

SMN National Support - reporting to Steve Hodges, EVP, Promotion & Artist Development
Bo Martinovich, Director, Promotion & Artist Development
Paul Grosser, Manager, Promotion & Artist Development
Houston Gaither, Manager, Content, Promotion & Artist Development

Best regards,
Steve