Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment has announced the appointment of Bruce Wheeler as general manager of the historic Loew’s Jersey Theatre located in Jersey City, New Jersey. In this role, Wheeler will oversee all day-to-day operations, event management, and venue readiness as the theatre completes its ongoing restoration and prepares to reopen in Fall 2026.
Loew’s Jersey Theatre, originally opened in 1929, is currently undergoing an extensive restoration through a collaborative partnership between the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency, the State of New Jersey, and HBSE. The project will return the theatre to active use after more than 40 years, transforming the space into a modernized entertainment venue while preserving its historic character.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Bruce Wheeler to the HBSE family as we prepare to reopen Loew’s Jersey Theatre,” said Sean Saadeh, Chief Programming Officer and Head of Entertainment, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. “Loew’s is a truly special venue, and Bruce’s experience and vision will help us unlock its full potential as we prepare to deliver world-class live entertainment to Jersey City and beyond.”
Wheeler is a 30-year veteran of the entertainment industry with stints in marketing and artist development at independent and major record labels, as well as industry relations with early online music site, ARTISTdirect. He spent the past 15 years in the venue world including senior management roles at Central Park SummerStage, The Beacon Theatre, and The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. His company Babylon Productions managed international touring efforts for Cage the Elephant, Jimmy Fallon, Rufus Wainwright, Bruce Hornsby, Regina Spektor, and many others.
The restoration includes rehabilitation of the theatre’s historic interiors and exteriors, modernization of mechanical and production infrastructure, upgrades to public and backstage areas, and the addition of other premium spaces. The renovated venue will accommodate a flexible capacity of 2,600 to 4,000 guests, enabling a wide range of live events.
Upon its expected opening in Fall 2026, the theatre is expected to host approximately 150 events annually, in addition to at least 70 dates for public programming, contributing to the cultural and economic revitalization of the Journal Square District.
Tuesday, Feb. 12
John Fogerty – best known as the songwriter, singer, lead guitarist, arranger and producer for Creedence Clearwater Revival – has been named as this year’s recipient of the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Johnny Mercer Award.
The award, which is the Hall’s highest honor, “is exclusively reserved for a songwriter or songwriting team who has already been inducted in a prior year and whose body of work is of such high quality and impact that it upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer.”
“His style of composition is rock and roll mastery,” Songwriters Hall chairman Nile Rodgers said in a statement. “It’s what I’ve always personally believed in, something I call ‘The art of complex simplicity.’ He’s done what I believe all great songwriters do. He makes us feel. He deserves this award as much as anyone who’s ever received it, or will receive it, in the future.”
Fogerty was previously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, recognized with American Music Honors, BMI’s Icon Award, Board of Directors Award and the Troubadour Award, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Mercer was a co-founder of Capitol Records and recipient of four Academy Awards (and eighteen nominations) for Best Original Song, and also helped establish the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, June 11 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
+ Liz Rose, a Songwriting Hall of Fame inductee whose work includes Taylor Swift co-writes and singles for Miranda Lambert, Bonnie Raitt and Tim McGraw, among others, has renewed her global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music Nashville, the pair have announced.
The deal will also reinforce the existing relationship between the publisher and Liz Rose Music, the songwriter’s independent publishing company whose signees include Eric Paslay and Cassidy Daniels.
“Without a doubt, Liz is one of the most influential songwriters of our time, with an impressive catalog of music whose impact transcends generations,” Austen Adams, president of Warner Chappell Nashville, said in a statement. “We’re proud to continue our longstanding relationship and remain committed to supporting her vision as both a songwriter and a leader.”
+ Mike Easterlin —former Elektra co-president, current Severance Records co-founder and a longtime label exec with promotions and A&R experience at Virgin, Def Jam and Atlantic — will be at the helm of ONErpm’s Nashville office, it was announced this week. At ONErpm, Easterlin will oversee A&R, roster development, and day-to-day operations in Nashville.
In addition, ONErpm also announced three more hires for its Nashville headquarters: Josh Tomlinson will be the new Director of A&R, Lindsey Terry was named Country Marketing Director and Chad Neville as a Project Manager.
ONErpm says it retains more than 600 employees in 40 countries, with staff having increased about sixfold since 2020.
+ Vydia, the Gamma.-owned music distribution platform announced that June Saba and Tony Girakhoo have been elevated to VP, Label & Artist Relations.
Over nearly seven years at Vydia, Saba has signed Zeddy Will, Champz (son of Grammy-winning artist Wizkid), and secured a partnership with Afrobeats powerhouse the Plug, bringing in their full catalog (Davido, Oxlade, M.I.A.), and Anomaly Publishing.
In his eight years at the company, Girakhoo has signed Afrobeats star Zinoleesky, Grammy-nominated R&B singer Kenyon Dixon, and secured a label deal with Grammy-winning producer and executive RedOne and his 2101 Records.
+ The Black Music Action Coalition has announced five new members of its executive leadership council, the organization announced this week.
The new appointees are Omar Al-joulani, President of Touring for Live Nation Concerts; Colin Lewis, a member of Live Nation’s Global Touring division; Mona Scott-Young, CEO and founder of Monami Management; Jerry Clark, a widely respected figure in Atlanta hip-hop and a former VP of Promotions; and Jennifer Drake, SVP of A&R for Interscope.
The Executive Leadership Council provides strategic direction for advancing equity, accountability and access across the industry through policy advocacy, economic empowerment, and creator-focused programs.
“These appointments strengthen our ability to meet this moment,” said Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, co-founder, president & CEO of Black Music Action Coalition, in a statement. “Each of these leaders brings a unique perspective and a proven track record that will help push the industry forward in meaningful, measurable ways. Mona Scott-Young will help lead initiatives focused on women’s equity and breaking the glass ceiling for the next generation of female industry leaders, while Jennifer Drake and Jerry Clark will support the expansion of BMAC’s footprint in Atlanta, a cultural hub that continues to shape global music culture.”
+ Jazz Young, currently the director of the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University and a former Def Jam executive, today announced the launch of her new project, VRTEXX. The record label and “creative ecosystem” will focus on empowering “artists, executives, and communities across the African diaspora and beyond by blending cutting-edge innovation with authentic storytelling,” a statement on the news reads.
The firm will be supported by Warner Music Group’s distribution subsidiary ADA.
The label will debut its current roster with live performances at the next installment of the West Africa Music & Arts Festival in Accra, Ghana – a festival that was founded by Young. Dates for that event have not yet been announced.
+ Sony Music Publishing has appointed Roslyn Pineda to oversee its operations in Asia, the company announced. Pineda was most recently with Sony Music as general manager, Philippines and prior to that as vice president, Artist Relations & Business Development, Asia.
Pineda will replace Carol Ng, the current president of SMP Asia and a 28-year veteran of the company overall, at the end of March.
“I look forward to collaborating with our talented team and working closely with Guy Henderson and Jon Platt to empower our songwriters across Asia,” Pineda said in a statement. “Together, we will foster a vibrant, energetic environment that prioritizes creativity and innovation, ensuring that the voices of our creators are heard and celebrated.”
+ Independent music publishing and neighbouring rights company Peermusic will appoint Jody Farber as its new Chief Financial Officer, the company announced today. Farber will oversee financial activities across the company, which operates 39 offices in 33 countries. She joined Peermusic in 2024 as senior vice president, Finance and Strategy.
Farber will be replacing Bill Gorjance, who has served as Peermusic’s CFO for two decades.
Farber has spent 25 years in accounting, finance and operations across the music and entertainment industry, including time at World Wrestling Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Warner Music South Africa and Sony Music South Africa.
“I am truly grateful to Mary Megan [CEO], Bill [Gorjance] and Ralph Peer [Executive Chair] for this opportunity. I am excited to carry forward the legacy that Bill established in this role. I look forward to leveraging my industry experience and finance expertise while collaborating with our global finance teams,” Farber commented in a statement.
+ Independent label services firm Create Music Group is appointing Mitchell Shymansky as its new Chief Data & Technology Officer, the company announced this week.
Shymansky will oversee CMG’s data, analytics, and technology strategy, with a focus on building scalable, intelligent systems that enhance artist outcomes, operational efficiency, and long-term platform advantage.
“Mitch has helped define what modern, data-driven music companies look like at the highest level. His arrival marks a major step forward in how we scale, innovate, and empower artists and labels globally,” said Jonathan Strauss, co-founder and CEO of Create, in a statement.
Shymansky spent two decades at Universal Music Group, where he led the company’s Global Data & Analytics organization, responsible for architecting and scaling Universal Music Group’s modern data and analytics infrastructure, leading the organization’s transformation from legacy, on-premise systems designed for physical-era reporting to a cloud-native platform capable of multi-petabyte data processing.
+ Kobalt Music has struck a partnership with London-based publishing company Geo Music Group that will provide Geo creators with access to Kobalt’s royalties, accounting and payment technologies.
“With Kobalt, our roster now has access to industry-leading publishing technology and fast, reliable royalty collection. I’m grateful for Kobalt’s belief in what we’re building and excited to support the continued growth of exceptional global talent,” said Geo Music Group founder Daniel Seal, who previously spent time at Sony Music Publishing and London label Black Butter.
English (US) ·