Conference

IEBA's 40th Anniversary Conference: October 3-5, 2010 Nashville, TN
 
Read about 2009's highlights below.
 
IEBA 2009
More than 500 live entertainment industry professionals converged in Nashville at the annual conference of the International Entertainment Buyers Association October 11-13.

IEBA set the stage for the next touring season with an exclusive first look at the hottest talent. IEBA’s annual conference has become the must-attend event featuring over 40 showcases from top artists to rising stars.

The annual IEBA Honors ceremony was held on Monday, October 12 at the famous Ryman Auditorium. IEBA honored industry legend Barbara Hubbard (named “Mother Hubbard” by Bob Hope) with the Harry A. Peebles Award for her more than 30 years as executive director of the American Collegiate Showcase (ACTS), a non-profit organization that raises scholarships for students seeking a career in performing arts. 
The IEBA Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Joan Saltel, of Buddy Lee Attractions, for more than 30 years experience as a talent agent, having worked with some of the biggest and best names in the business.

IEBA also honored the iconic Chubby Checker— who had the No.1 song of the sixties. Chubby’s hit, “The Twist”, topped the charts at No.1 twice, making him the only artist in history to achieve such success. In two minutes and 42 seconds, Chubby Checker revolutionized popular culture and changed the music business forever. When he appeared on American Bandstand in 1960 and performed “The Twist,” it was the dawn of a new era in rock and roll. Chubby stands alone as a one of a kind rock icon, who has had 36 hit records, is the only artist to have a single go to No.1 twice, and according to Billboard, has the No.1 single for the whole decade of the 60’s. Chubby was awarded the first platinum single, the first rock Grammy and has sold an astounding 250,000,000 records over the years.

IEBA paid tribute to some of the rising stars of live entertainment on October 12, 2009. Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Chris Young and Jessie James are all chart-topping artists with long careers ahead of them, who performed at IEBA Honors.                                                                                                                              
 
Other special guests at IEBA 2009 included: Don Felder, The Wailers, Boyz II Men, The Grascals, Phil Vassar, Michelle Branch, Joey + Rory, Bob Lefsetz and Dan Clark.
 
Rhett Akins, Jamie O'Neal, Mark Wills and Jeff Bates performed on Monday, October 12 at the Buddy Lee Attractions Artists Unplugged showcase that was a part of the annual conference of the International Entertainment Buyers Association October 11-13 in Nashville.
 
Other performers at IEBA 2009 included: Bob Lefsetz, Dan Clark, Don Felder, The Wailers, Chubby Checker, Boyz II Men, Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Chris Young, Jessie James, Phil Vassar, Michelle Branch, Joey + Rory, Uncle Kracker, TobyMac, Emily West, The Grascals, Luke Perry, Judson Laipply, Lorrie Morgan, Brenda Lee, Point of Grace, Heartland, The Molly Ringwalds, Williams and Ree, Ricky Skaggs, Mercy Me, Eli Young Band, The Family Stone, Sunny Sweeney, Caitlin Crosby, Walker Hayes, Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack, Clay Walker, Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen, Josh Abbott Band, Whisky Myers, Marty Raybon and 6 Chix.
 
Special guest panelists included Marcie Allen of MAC Presents, Drew McGowan of Clorox Company, John Grady of Borman Entertainment, Mary Hilliard Harrington of The Greenroom, Derek C. Crownover of Crownover Tisinger, Lang Scott of Music City Networks, Tawn Albright of Rockhouse Partners, John Romero of Vector Management, Ali Partovi of iLike, Jeff Cuellar of AC Entertainment, Kami Knake of Top Spin Media, Joel Wright of Ning, Drew Burchfield of Aloompa, Steve Lassiter of APA, John Huie of CAA, Kevin Neal of BLA, Jay Williams of WME, Scott Morris of ICM, John Bolton of BOK Center, Jason Kane of Rodeo Houston, Danny Augilar of Delware State Fair, Renee Pearson of Minnesota State Fair, Steve Richo and Mark O'Shea of Noise New Media and the O'Shea duet, Laurie Dioro and Aaron Levine of Day After Day Productions, Kell Houston of Houston Productions, Ed Micone and Ray Shelide of Paradigm, Rob Heller of WME, Jeff Hill of CAA, Charlie Davis of Paradise Artists, Randy Wright of Integrity Events, Greg Janese of Paradigm, Robert Norman of CAA, Natalka Dudynsky of ICM, Barry Jeffrey of WME, and Bill Monot of Paradise Artists among many more.
 
To view complete photos from the 2008 conference, visit our photos page.
In 2008, 500 IEBA members gathered at the Hilton Downtown Nashville to celebrate the brightest and the best of the coming year in live entertainment. Attendees enjoyed lively panel discussions, entertaining speakers and were introduced to some great new talent ready to head out on the road. The IEBA Honors ceremony hosted new faces in the industry while saluting those that continue to make a difference in the business.

If you didn't attend IEBA 2008, you missed the following artists: Loggins and Messina, Rick Springfield, Joe Piscopo, Crystal Gayle, Diamond Rio, Joe Nichols, James Otto, Ken Mansfield, Lee Greenwood, Darius Rucker, Jimmy Wayne, Josh Gracin, Zac Brown Band, Lost Trailers, Bucky Covington, Kimberly Kyaw, Jennifer Jay, Valerie Summers, Maria Brunner, Paul Moore, Greg Oswald, Rick Roskin, Dwight Wiles, Gary Weinberger, Ross Schilling, Karen Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Outlaws, Sawyer Brown, Jack Ingram, Salvador, Locash Cowboys and many, many more. For the full list of the artists who showcased at IEBA 2008, visit the showcase page.