I receive tips all the time, and obviously prefer, and give more
credence to, those that are not sent anonymously, but this memo, dated
January 13, 2020, was one I wanted to check out. The process, I
reasoned, was easy enough as the communication, which appears to have
originally been an email reads "To: NewsChannel5 Staff, From SANDY BOONSTRA, Re: JESSE KNUTSON.
"Jesse Knutson is leaving NewsChannel 5. Jesse has done a
remarkable job covering the music industry in Nashville. He owned
it! No one could surpass his passion for the entertainment
beat. So much so, that Jesse has decided to leave broadcasting to
pursue a career in the music industry. Jesse's last day will be
March 9th. We wish him all the best!"
I emailed Zach Farnum "I understand Jesse Knutson will be joining the
117 Group next
month. Could you confirm that for me and, if my
information is correct, the day Jesse will be starting his new career,
his job title, etc.?"
My question
received an unexpected reaction, including Zach's advising "This is
inaccurate information."
Upon contacting Zach, I simultaneously emailed Boonstra and Knutson,
with whom I have, at separate points in time, interacted in the
past. Where Farnum responded right away, I have yet to receive a
response from neither Sandy nor Jesse re: clarification of Knutson's
professional plans.
As we say in TV, "Stay tuned."
****
It's
presidential primary season and early voting in Nashville has
begun. According to FEC stats, some on Music
Row (including those with the flimsiest of connections) are
financial backers of their favorite candidates.
These include the following: MIKE CURB, SCOTT MOFFATT and BUZZ CASON. DONALD TRUMP supporters all, Mike has donated
$5,600 Scott $45 and Buzz $35 to President Trump's re-election
campaign.
Meanwhile, SARAH
TRAHERN and DON SCHLITZ are solidly in the JOE BIDEN camp. (Sarah has contributed
$1,000 to the Biden campaign, Don's contribution? $200.)
PETE BUTTIGIEG's campaign's financial supporters
include HUNTER
KELLY ($1,055) and CLINT HIGHAM ($1,000).
Feeling the Bern, BRANDI CARLISLE wanted to give a little more to
the BERNIE SANDERS campaign than the average $18
donation Sanders has suggested he receives from his working class
supporters, so she's ponied up $1,600.
BETTE MIDLER is apparently hedging her bets,
donating $2,800 each to AMY KOBUCHAR's and ELIZABETH WARREN's presidential campaigns.
(Midler's husband, MARTIN VON HASELBERG has also donated $2,800 to
the Warren campaign.)
It's causes more than candidates, per sé, that have drawn EMMYLOU HARRIS' and BILL DENNY's
attention. Emmylou has donated $837 to Act Blue's
effort to end Citizens
United while Bill donated $455 to the NRA of America
Political Victory Fund.
****
SCOTT ADKINS Publicity
invites Nashville media to journey to Crestwood, Kentucky's Fox Hollow Farm.
The occasion is a February 18, 2020 press conference announcing the
September 12-13, 2020
Hometown Rising Country Music & Bourbon Festival talent roundup
"as well as... updates" on "partnerships and new initiatives for DANNY WIMMER
Presents™ 2020 Louisville Trifecta festival series.
