CMT & mtheory reveal newest members of signature equity initiative “Equal Access”

Artists Carmen Dianne, Chris Housman & Julie Williams, along with management professionals

Becky Parsons, Brittney Boston & Justin Tomlinson selected for third year of groundbreaking program

hi res image - Photo credit: Sam Wiseman & BLK Creative Studio

(L to R, Back to Front Row): Justin Tomlinson, Carmen Dianne, Brittney Boston, Chris Housman,

Julie Williams; CMT’s Leslie Fram, Becky Parsons, mtheory’s Cameo Carlson

NASHVILLE, TN – (April 5, 2024) – CMT and management services company mtheory today announced the six candidates selected to participate in its Equal Access Development Program, an intensive artist and management training initiative designed to support underrepresented voices in country music. The year-long program offers rising artists and management professionals with funding, training and unprecedented access to industry leaders, helping to ensure a multi-faceted pipeline of diverse, creative talent in country music.

The newest cohort will make their debut on the red carpet at this year’s CMT Music Awards this Sunday, April 7th in Austin, TX. The six participants chosen for this year’s Equal Access program include:

Artists:

• Carmen Dianne

• Chris Housman

• Julie Williams

Management professionals:

• Brittney Boston

• Justin Tomlinson

• Becky Parsons

Launched in April 2022, Equal Access is one of the first collaborative efforts to address inequities in country music - both on and off the stage - by creating opportunities for commercial success. Spearheaded by an all-female team, including mtheory’s Cameo Carlson, Tiffany Provenzano and Chantrel Reynolds alongside CMT’s Leslie Fram, the program aims to proactively addressthe continued disparity of underserved groups in country music.

Cameo Carlson, CEO, mtheory, states: “It’s no secret that despite some marginal progress, the music industry, particularly the country genre, continues to struggle to support artists of color, LGBTQIA+ artists, and women across all aspects of the business. Equal Access is committed to continuing to raise the profiles of underrepresented artists within the country space, and to ensure that the infrastructure to assist those artists exists as well. The best way to help those whose stories have not been reflected in the genre is through a long-term commitment, one that Equal Access is able to make thanks to our incredible partners at CMT and their parent company, Paramount.”

Leslie Fram, SVP, Music & Talent, CMT, shares: “CMT, along with Paramount Global and its Content for Change initiative, is once again proud to partner with mtheory on one of the most dedicated, in depth programs committed to systemic change in country music. As with our equity initiatives CMT Equal Play and CMT Next Women of Country, it’s been extremely gratifying to watch the success of Equal Access and that of its participants, as they carve out their own signature paths as artists and managers in the country space. We look forward to welcoming this dynamic new group and supporting them across CMT and Paramount brands.”

Last year’s Equal Access participants included artists Angie K, Camille Parker and Denitia, and music management professionals Ahsaki-LaFrance Chachere, Alex Evelyn and Roberto Martinez; the inaugural 2022-23 Equal Access cohort included artists Madeline Edwards, Miko Marks and Valerie Ponzio, and music management professionals Charlene Bryant, Kadeem Phillips and Marques Vance. Over the past two years, Equal Access was instrumental in creating hundreds of country music industry connections for its members with organizations such as Country Music Association (CMA), BMI, Recording Industry of Association of America (RIAA), Academy of Country Music (ACM), Opry, YouTube Music, Universal Music Group Nashville, Apple Music, Live Nation, Spotify, CRS, Warner Music Nashville, Amazon Music, and many more.

Financial Sponsors of Equal Access include CMT, Paramount's Content for Change, CMA, Opry, beatBread, and FlyteVu. Additional Resource Sponsors include BMI, RIAA, The Change Agent·cy, CRS, Music Business Association, 353 Media Group, and Blk Creative Studio.

ARTIST BIOS:

Carmen Dianne: Nashville native Carmen Dianne believes that the most interesting people don't really fit into one box, so their music shouldn't either. True to form, she’s an independent vocalist and songwriter who often accompanies herself on bass guitar as she makes the singer-songwriter rounds in Nashville and beyond. By blending genres like R&B with southern rock and country, Dianne is garnering attention from the likes of Nashville Scene, Bluegrass Station and Rolling Stone for her soulful, angelic voice and deft songwriting skills. She’s a touring member of Black Opry Revue, a member of ACM & BMAC’s OnRamp program and Wrangler’s featured Artist of the Month. Her solo shows illustrate stories of regret, hope, will power and sheer bliss with a striking sincerity that exemplifies her intent to make a lasting impression on country music.

Chris Housman: If Harlan Howard was right when he said, “country music is three chords and the truth”, then Chris Housman is one of the best qualified artists working in country today. Beyond the classic twang, rich six-string backed sound, and disarming Kansas baritone, his offerings in the genre gently, yet unapologetically, speak his truth at every turn. As an openly gay country artist and songwriter, he meticulously brings together two worlds that, to many, are at odds with one another. Whether it’s the metaphoric “Drag Queen” which celebrates a small-town teacher who goes from Michael to Michelle after hours, or the viral sensation “Blueneck,” a homespun manifesto that proudly declares “y’all means all,” Housman’s music offers a sanctuary where everyone’s welcome. Housman’s message is a simple one: Country is for everyone. Given his 4.5 million streams and 230,000 online followers, it's clearly a message that the world wants to hear.

Julie Williams: Florida native Julie Williams is turning heads in Nashville’s country music scene with songs that tell the stories she wished to hear as a mixed race child. As a CMT Next Women of Country and an ACM OnRamp artist, Williams was named in Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country Class of 2021, featured on Wide Open Country’s list of “10 Country Acts Poised for a Breakout Year in 2023,” and her single “Southern Curls” was covered by Billboard, CMT, PBS NewsHour, and numerous music publications. Last year, Williams released her self-titled EP and followed it with a twenty-city, coast-to-coast summer tour. As a member of the Black Opry Revue, she’s taken the stage at Newport Folk Fest, CMA Fest, AmericanaFest, Cayamo, High Water Fest and most recently, Tortuga. Just last month, she launched a multi-city college tour entitled, “Green Room Conversations,” a series of speaking engagements and performances designed to raise awareness around sexual harassment in the music industry.

MANAGER BIOS:

Becky Parsons: North Carolina native Becky Parsons found her calling in Music City, leveraging a bachelor’s in public relations and a master’s in brand + media strategy to excel in music publicity and artist development. With a track record of success working with industry legends including producer Tony Brown (4x GRAMMY award-winner and 2x ACM Producer of the Year), Georgette Jones, and Keith Stegall (multiple CMA, ACM and GRAMMY award-winning songwriter and producer), and rising stars like CAA touring artist Cam Allen, Parson’s career has spanned roles with the Louisville Ballet, Dead Horse Branding, Brand Storytelling, and more. Currently, she serves as Assistant Editor at Appalachian Places magazine and as Director of Publicity + Branding at PLA Media. Committed to advocacy, Parson manages LGBTQ+ identifying country artists, holds leadership positions in organizations as SOLID, and is affiliated with CMA and ACM.

Brittney Boston: Multi-hyphenate Brittney Boston is a music executive, media personality, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur. With a notable background at Universal Music Group, where she specialized in Latin and global records, Boston worked with top-tier artists like J Balvin, Karol G and Diane Warren. Among her many enterprises, Boston founded I AM Musicology, a non-profit empowering young professionals and emerging artists of color, and she is the the owner of Musicology Enterprises, an LA-based studio providing recording, mixing, podcasting, and video production services. She currently manages Canadian/Nigerian country artist Dax, and co-manages GRAMMY-winning producer Carvello. Beyond artist management, Boston offers consulting services to influencers like TikTok star Q Park, and consults for major award shows like The GRAMMYs and BET Awards.

Justin Tomlinson: Justin Tomlinson began his career in music at BET in New York, working on iconic shows such as "106 & Park" and BET Awards. Over the years, he held various marketing roles at SONY Music’s RCA Inspiration (RCAI), SONY Nashville and Atlantic Records where he spearheaded digital marketing strategies for artists spanning multiple genres including country and gospel. Next, Tomlinson is gearing up to launch J Note Worldwide, LLC, a consulting firm that offers services to labels, production companies, and artists.

About mtheory

Founded in 2010, mtheory is an artist development, marketing, strategy and operations infrastructure designed for artist managers. The company provides managers with such services as strategic marketing, DSP relations, product management, tour marketing and production expertise, business affairs, digital and social marketing, CRM and analytics. In addition, mtheory has distribution, production, and financing capabilities that enable artists and managers to operate in a truly independent environment. Our management clients represent leading artists such as Zac Brown Band, Galantis, Twenty Øne Pilots, Jelly Roll, Tyler Childers and many others.

About Equal Access

The Equal Access Development Program is a groundbreaking equity initiative for artists and artist managers designed to foster and support communities that are underrepresented in country music, including Black, Native and Indigenous, Latino, LGBTQ+ and women. The year-long program is a partnership with management services company mtheory and CMT/Paramount, providing a select group of participants with financial resources, training, and networking opportunities.

Equal Access is also aligned with Content for Change, Paramount Global’s initiative that seeks to apply scientific research, rigor and data to transform the creative ecosystem through the company’s content, creative supply chain and culture.

About CMT Equal Play:

CMT Equal Play is an all-encompassing movement dedicated to elevating underrepresented voices in country music across CMT brands, encouraging and promoting an ongoing path for parity and diversity in the format. The initiative began as a response to the lack of female representation in the format, and has expanded to support all underrepresented voices, as evidenced in the highly-regarded CMT Next Women of Country (NWOC) franchise, now in its 11th year, along with Equal Access Development Program.

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Press Contacts:
Ali Marszalkowski (CMT), ali.marszalkowski@paramount.com

Lisa Chader (The Change Agent·cy) lisa.chader@thechangeagentcy.com