April 05, 2010

By By Ed Christman, N.Y.

James Diener, CEO/president of A&M/Octone Records, will deliver the opening keynote address on May 16 at the association's annual convention, which will be held at the Hilton Chicago on May 15-17.

In his address, Diener, who founded Octone Records in 2000 while still with RCA as a senior VP of A&R and marketing, plans to look "forward to providing a candid exploration of myths, facts and eventual reality regarding 360 deals and their evolving usage in the current music industry climate," he said in a statement. "These deals have generated lively debate and there's been a fair amount of misunderstanding of the theory and practice behind their implementation. I hope to demystify some commonly held misconceptions."

Other things happening at the convention: Taylor Swift, who debuted on the NARM stage at a Universal Music showcase in Chicago in 2007, will be presented the organization's Artist of the Year Award. Other NARM award recipients for 2010 include Melissa Etheridge, who will accept the association's Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award; and songwriting team Leiber and Stoller, who will be honored with NARM's Outstanding Achievement Award for Musical Collaboration.

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