After a handful of artists questioned if country legend Charley Pride, who died Saturday (Dec. 12) of  COVID-19, could have been exposed at Nov. 11’s CMA Awards, where he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Nashville ceremony, the Country Music Association and representatives for Pride released a joint statement explaining the show and Pride’s testing procedures.

“Everyone affiliated with the CMA Awards followed strict testing protocols outlined by the city health department and unions,” the CMA wrote in a statement posted to its website late Saturday afternoon. “Charley was tested prior to traveling to Nashville. He was tested upon landing in Nashville, and again on show day, with all tests coming back negative. After returning to Texas following the CMA Awards, Charley again tested negative multiple times. All of us in the country music community are heartbroken by Charley’s passing. Out of respect for his family during their grieving period, we will not be commenting on this further.”

Maren Morris, a triple winner at the awards, was one of the first to question how Pride had been infected. She tweeted, “I don’t want to jump to conclusions because no family statement has been made, but if this was a result of the CMAs being indoors, we should all be outraged. Rest in power, Charley … F— this f—ing year.”

“We need answers as to how Charley Pride got covid,” Mickey Guyton wrote, bringing the discussion to her Twitter page.

The CMA Awards were held at Music City Center in Nashville, attended only by performers, nominees and selected guests sitting at socially distanced tables.

In an interview with Billboard after this year’s CMA Awards — an event that had a number of artists, including Florida Georgia Line, Lee Brice, Rascal Flatts and Lady A, not attending because they or a member of their family tested positive for COVID-19 — CMA CEO Sarah Trahern addressed the rigorous testing protocols their team had in place.

“We began testing weeks before the show, in October. It’s not just the artists and their guests we tested — we tested literally everyone: stagehands, production crew, our staff, in addition to talent. We have our final load out happening now at Music City Center, so testing doesn’t just stop because talent is no longer on site. We also consulted with an epidemiologist throughout the process,” Trahern said of preparing for the first awards show during the pandemic to include a live, if socially distanced and limited, audience.

“None of the artists who tested positive had ever entered the venue,” added Trahern. “The protocols we followed were required not only by the CDC but the local health department, as well as the unions and guilds.”

Frank Amadeo, the longtime president of Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s Estefan Enterprises, died suddenly of a heart attack Friday night (Dec. 11) in his Miami home. He was 57 years old.

Amadeo, a courteous and unfailingly gracious man, worked for the Estefans for nearly 30 years and was an instrumental ally in growing their company into a multimillion dollar enterprise. Amadeo not only managed Gloria Estefan’s career, but also oversaw Estefan Enterprises’ hotels, restaurants and recording studio. Far more than a business associate, Amadeo was widely regarded as part of the extended Estefan family.

“I am devastated, shocked beyond belief and sad beyond words to share with you the sudden and unexpected passing of Frank Joseph Amadeo […] the most trusted ally we could have ever hoped for and an angel to everyone that had the good fortune of knowing him,” wrote Gloria Estefan on her Instagram account.

“In the great journey that is life, few people appear [that can be counted on] in sad moments and in moments of joy,” wrote Emilio Estefan on Instagram. There are not enough words to express the great love and gratitude that we have for Frank Amadeo. A key man in our lives. You are irreplaceable.”

Although Amadeo wasn’t Latin, he was raised in Miami and fell in love with the music of Miami Sound Machine in the group’s early days in the 1980s.

Amadeo was program director at Miami pop radio station Y-100 when he first heard “Dr. Beat,” a boisterous dance track built on Latin percussion and rhythm patterns and brash Latin horns with English vocals, courtesy of Gloria Estefan. His support on the station was instrumental in pushing the track to the top of the charts. Beyond the single, Amadeo became a fan and advocate of the bilingual, bicultural group, sowing the seeds for what would become a lifetime friendship.

In 1992, the Estefans, already established as stars, brought him to Estefan Enterprises as media relations director. Amadeo proved to be a masterful executive whose even temper and charming demeanor allowed him to interact with both industry leaders and artists, and his knowledge of the mainstream music world made him an excellent ambassador for his artists’ music.

He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming vice president and, by 1998, president. In his years at Estefan Enterprises, he also helped manage Jon Secada, Shakira and, most recently, Emily Estefan.

Hugely respected in both the Latin and mainstream worlds, Amadeo was known both as a power broker, problem solver and bridge builder. He always returned emails, always found a way to help non-profit ventures, always shared information. As someone who came from radio, he intuitively understood the needs of journalists and media and always managed to extend a thank you for an article or a gesture of support.

“Miami is mourning! Miami Symphony lost one of their most loved producers, advisory board member, right hand of Emilio Estefan and loved friend! We are so sorry for the lost of Frank Amadeo!” read a post on the Miami Symphony’s Facebook page.
According to Miami’s Channel 10, Amadeo is survived by his partner, Ernesto.

Blue Ivy Carter has become one of the youngest Grammy nominees in history. The 8-year-old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z was added to the nominations for best music video for “Brown Skin Girl” on Friday (Dec. 11). She was not listed when the nominations were announced on Nov. 23, but it’s not uncommon for adjustments to be made in the weeks following the announcements.

Blue Ivy will turn 9 on Jan. 7 — 24 days before the 63rd annual Grammy Awards. The talented youngster won a Soul Train Award for video of the year on Nov. 29 along with Beyoncé, Saint JHN and WizKid for “Brown Skin Girl.”

Leah Peasall of The Peasall Sisters is the youngest-ever Grammy nominee (and winner) as one of the credited artists on the O Brother, Where Art Thou?  soundtrack, which was the 2001 winner for album of the year. Leah was just 8 at the time. Leah and her sisters Hannah, 11, and Sarah, 14, provided the singing voices for “the Wharvey Girls,” the daughters of the character played by George Clooney. They sang “In the Highways” and “Angel Band.”

Deleon Richards is the youngest performer to receive an individual nomination; she was nominated at 8 1/2 years old for a 1985 award for best soul/gospel performance, female for her album Deleon.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé, of course, are Grammy royalty. Jay-Z this year tied Quincy Jones as the most-nominated person in Grammy history, with 80 nods. Beyoncé this year tied Paul McCartney as the runner-up, with 79 nods.

The Recording Academy confirmed Blue Ivy’s nomination by quoting Grammy rules that “in order for a featured artist to be recognized as a nominee, 1) the artist must be credited and recognized as a featured artist; and 2) there must be significant performance and artistic contribution by the featured artist beyond what might be considered merely accompaniment.” In the Academy’s view, she meets those tests.

The other nominees for best music video are Future featuring Drake’s “Life Is Good,” Anderson .Paak’s “Lockdown,” Harry Styles’ “Adore You” and Woodkid’s “Goliath.”

One World: Together at Home, an all-star telethon organized by Global Citizen, won four awards at the inaugural LiveXLive Presents: The Lockdown Awards, which livestreamed Friday (Dec. 11) via livexlive.com. The awards show is meant to honor “the best of the best who created and entertained the world amidst the pandemic.”

The One World event, which streamed and aired in syndicated TV on April 18, won Lockdown Awards for Camila Cabello & Shawn Mendes’ “What a Wonderful World,” Keith Urban’s “Higher Love,” SuperM’s “With You” and an all-star performance of “The Prayer” by Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, John Legend, Lady Gaga & Lang Lang.

Bocelli won a second Lockdown award for performing “Amazing Grace” on Music for Hope: Live From Duomo di Milano, a livestreamed concert from the empty cathedral on Easter Sunday, April 12.

Trey Songz hosted The Lockdown Awards, which included performances by Ally Brooke, Avenue Beat, Wiz Khalifa, Lauv and Conan Gray, Icona Pop and Sofi Tukker, Joss Stone, Johnny Orlando and Monsta X.

DJ D-Nice was awarded the Lockdown MVP Award for innovation and creativity in his live performances throughout the pandemic on Instagram. D-Nice has also been recognized at this year’s Webby Awards and BET Awards.

Winners were determined by fan voting at livexlive.com/TheLockdownAwards, as well as through Twitter submissions starting Oct. 6.

“The inaugural Lockdown Awards is in the books,” said Garrett English, chief creative officer, LiveXLive, in a statement. “This was an evening celebrating artists, fans, and the enduring power of music.”

YouTube partnered with LiveXLive to distribute and promote the show across multiple YouTube channels. Hyundai was the exclusive sponsor.

Here’s a complete list of winners:

MVP Award: DJ D-Nice

Favorite Quaranteam: BTS

Digital Chemistry, Favorite Duet: Camila Cabello & Shawn Mendes – “What a Wonderful World,” Global Citizen One World: Together at Home

The Room Where It Happens, Favorite Home Performance: Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff – “Brand New Funk”

A Quarantine Ditty, Favorite Quarantine Song: Charlie Puth – “Untitled Quarantine Song”

All the Feels, Favorite Song for the Soul: Restless Road & Kane Brown – “Take Me Home,” Pandora Live

Musicians Not Playing Music: Cardi B – DIY Hair Mask

I Heart that Song, Favorite Cover: MGK & Travis Barker – “Misery Business”

Mind = Blown, Favorite Use of Tech: Katy Perry – Tomorrowland Around the World

No Stage, No Problem, Favorite Outdoor Performance: Andrea Bocelli – “Amazing Grace,” Music for Hope

Room With a View, Favorite Creative Direction: Keith Urban – “Higher Love,” Global Citizen One World: Together at Home

Sights & Sounds, Most Like a Music Video: 24kGoldn with Yungblud – “City of Angels,” The Yungblud Show

Stronger Together, Favorite Group/All-Star Performance: Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, John Legend, Lady Gaga, & Lang Lang – “The Prayer,” Global Citizen One World: Together at Home

The New New, Favorite New Music Series: Timbaland & Swizz Beatz – Verzuz

The Best Fest, Favorite Virtual Festival: Lollapalooza 2020

Way-Off Broadway, Favorite Musical Reunion: Pitch Perfect Cast / The Barden Bellas – “Love on Top,” Universal Pictures

Zoom Tune, Zoom Performance: SuperM – “With You,” Global Citizen One World: Together at Home

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented financial crisis for the live music business, leading to record job loss within the live music industry, according to recent data compiled by Billboard from state and federal databases. Approximately 75,000 to 100,000 full time concert employees working for North American venues, concert promoters, agencies, ticketing companies, touring crews and support positions have either been furloughed or laid off since the global halt to touring began in mid-March.

Many of those layoffs came from the biggest companies in live entertainment — Live Nation, AEG, Paradigm, Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, Cirque du Soleil, Feld Entertainment, MGM, Red Light Management and Madison Square Garden — which have enacted deep cuts as a result of the global shutdown.

One company, however, has not only avoided layoffs completely but actually hired more than 50 executives in the last two months to assist with a growing portfolio of venues and development initiatives. The Oak View Group, founded by former AEG chief executive Tim Leiweke, has been a quiet but persistent force for prosperity and economic development during the pandemic. Launched in 2015 along with Leiweke’s partner Irving Azoff, OVG is overseeing $4.5 billion in arena development projects across the world, including in Austin, Texas. There, the company made its most recent high profile hire, announcing that Casey Sparks, who previously managed the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma for ASM Global for six years, was joining the company. Sparks will serve as vp of OVG Austin and assistant general manager of the $338 million multi-purpose, state-of-the-art, privately financed Moody Center at the University of Texas, set to open in 2022.

Sparks joins former BOK Center alum Jeff Nickler, who was hired at OVG in 2019 to manage the company’s 29-member Arena Alliance and last month was appointed GM of the Moody Center and senior vp of OVG Austin (he’ll also continue to lead the Arena Alliance).

“Tulsa has been near and dear to my heart for many, many years,” Sparks tells Billboard. “Developing a live music market in a city that didn’t have one previously was incredible. And now joining OVG, I’m attracted to the commitment Tim has made to taking care of his employees and taking care of the communities we represent. I have many great friends at OVG who have been telling me I’d notice the difference in the company culture and it’s really impressed me in the short time that I’ve been here.”

Part of  OVG’s success is due to its strategic investors, including Silver Lake Partners. It’s also been lucky that most of the company’s major projects are expected to open after a vaccine for COVID-19 has been widely distributed. But much of the credit belongs to Leiweke, who is both a gifted mega-manager and a music and sports insider.

While many titans of industry have tried to disrupt the live music space by focusing on perceived inefficiencies, Leiweke has doubled down on personal relationships and the premium value of an artist’s content. That’s led him to seek out unique stakeholders for OVG projects, including recruiting Harry Styles as an investor and key supporter of a new OVG-backed arena in Manchester, England, and bringing in University of Texas superstar alum Matthew McConaughey to serve as the Moody Center’s “Minister of Culture,” where he will represent the best of Longhorns alumni’s potential and “Don’t Mess With Texas” charm.

“We’re already building the organization and when all is said and done,  we’ll have  60 to 65 full-time employees,” explains Nickler, who relocated to Austin with his family in March. Nickler has stayed busy in Texas, where OVG represents three facilities in the Arena Alliance — Toyota Center in Houston, American Airlines Center in Dallas and the ATT Center in San Antonio, Texas — and has a concert booking agreement at the Texas Ranger’s Globe Life Field, which opened in July and served as a “bubble venue” for Major League Baseball’s National League playoffs and the World Series.

OVG is also developing Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena (opens Oct. 2021), which replaces the former Key Arena and will be the future home of the Seattle Kraken NHL team; a new arena (late 2022) in Southern California’s Coachella Valley that will serve as the home venue for a Seattle Kraken minor league team; the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York (Oct. 2021) that will serve as a home to the New York Islanders; and new arena projects in Savannah, Georgia (early 2022) and Manchester’s Co-Op Live (2023).

In every project, OVG looks for under-developed markets with pent-up demand for live entertainment, Nickler says.

“It’s an incredible opportunity — Austin does not have a world-class arena and the expectation is that the Moody Center will be one of the finest concert venues in the country,” says Nickler. “It is obvious from looking at the data that a lot of major concert tours have skipped Austin and we believe that not only with the allure of playing in Austin, but with the relationships OVG has with Irving Azoff, his management company and Live Nation, this is going to be a top notch opportunity for touring shows and the Austin community.”