The Judges

Little Big Town

It takes a perfect storm to make a great album – an audacious mix of tension and release, passion and calm, love and violence.

Hallmarks associated with all true forces of nature, these mighty attributes were exactly what Little Big Town had in their corner as they blew into the studio in late February for the whirlwind recording session that produced their strongest work yet, their aptly titled fifth album, Tornado... Read their full bio.

Tim Nichols

Tim Nichols began his songwriting career in 1986 when Ronnie Milsap recorded a Nichols composition that led to his first publishing deal, and attention-getting records cuts followed: “All Is Fair In Love and War” for Milsap, “Tryin’ To Hide a Fire In the Dark” for Billy Dean, and two #1s for Keith Whitley -- “I’m Over You” and “Brotherly Love.” 

Nichols has continued to provide hits for an impressive list of artists, helping many break through to the big time: Jo Dee Messina’s debut smash “Heads Carolina, Tails California”; Trace Adkins’ first #1 “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing”; #1s for Lee Ann Womack with “I’ll Think Of a Reason Later” and for Patty Loveless with “That’s the Kind Of Mood I’m In.“ Terri Clark’s Greatest Hits collection featured the # 1“Girls Lie Too” and the Top 5 with “I Wanna Do It All.” Other artists to record his songs include Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Travis Tritt and Joe Nichols.

In 2004 Nichols co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying”with Craig Wiseman, the only song to win every major song award presented for country music.

Mike Sistad

ASCAP Membership Relations executive, Michael Sistad, began his future in music at an early age as a singer and musician. Music has taken Sistad across North America and includes stops at the Houston Rodeo, the Calgary Stampede, as well as radio and TV performances on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” and the Grand Ole Opry. Moving from Minnesota to finish his degree at Belmont University, Sistad rose from the mailroom to Director of A&R at Arista Records over his nine years with the company. During that time, Sistad worked with an amazing artist roster that included Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Diamond Rio, Radney Foster, BlackHawk, Brad Paisley, Phil Vassar and Carolyn Dawn Johnson among others. After a stint on the road, playing with writer/recording artist Phil Vassar, Sistad joined ASCAP in 2001 as Director of Membership Relations to facilitate and support their writers, artists and publishers. Sistad is a member of the ACM, CMA, Leadership Music Alumni and currently serves on the Board of Governors for the Nashville Chapter of NARAS (The Recording Academy).

Butch Spyridon

Butch Spyridon, President of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB) has led Nashville’s $3.5 billion hospitality industry since 1991. In recent years Spyridon has led the charge to broaden the image of Nashville as Music City, which began with the first-ever city-wide branding initiative. The CVB now produces two of Music City’s biggest events, the Nashville Independence Day Celebration and the Music City New Year's Eve Party. Spyridon has produced three Music City Hits compilation CDs, promoting Music City through song, with more to come. In addition, Spyridon was behind Nashville becoming the first city to create and produce a satellite radio show. “Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits,” is a monthly show airing on Sirius|XM Satellite Radio which showcases songwriters of all genres – performing their hits, revealing their influences, and sharing their personal stories of writing, recording and living in Music City. He also spearheaded the creation of the new Music City Walk of Fame which honors those who have left an indelible mark on the music emanating from Music City.

Alex Torrez

In 1995 Alex Torrez came off the road as a touring drummer to take a position as Director of A&R for Sony Records working in a creative capacity with the careers of the Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless, Joe Diffie, Billy Gilman and others. He then moved over to a Sr. Director of A&R position was later offered his own co-venture with the company by Sony Music President Donna Hilley bringing on such writers as Chad Austin, Michelle Poe, Emma Fox and Troy Johnson. During his run with Sony Music Alex secured over 40 major record label chart-topping singles recorded by artists like Martina McBride, the Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Brian White and others. 

Alex launched his own record label Name Records with award-winning songwriter/artist Troy Johnson. While working with the label Alex was contacted to oversee the Entertainment Relations Division headquartered in Nashville, as a Marketing executive to develop a variety of co-branding opportunities worldwide. 

Throughout the last twelve years working in the Nashville music industry, Alex still maintains his entrepreneurial spirit continuing to oversee his publishing company Homesick Cowboy Music. With Homesick Cowboy Music, he signed and developed writer Troy Johnson resulting in cuts on records by Billy Ray Cyrus, Dixie Chicks, Brian White, Cledus T. Judd, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and others and it continues to generate activity today.

Storme Warren

Storme Warren is a co-executive producer and host of the television network Great American Country”s (GAC) entertainment news show “Headline Country”, host of “The Music Row Happy Hour” on Sirius XM’s “The Highway” and a regular personality on GAC. 

Warren got his start at the age of 13 as a radio personality for Tulsa, Oklahoma top-40 station 92K (KELI). His family’s move to Southern California led to his continued radio education including a stint at the infamous “Pirate Radio” in Hollywood. CNN’s Los Angeles bureau was located in the same building on Sunset Boulevard as “Pirate”. It didn’t take long for Storme to knock on the their door. That door opened up the world of Television to Warren, then a student at California State University Northridge. Following college and 5 years at CNN, Music icon and Grand Ole Opry Member Charlie Daniels – Storme’s first celebrity interview and lifelong idol - suggested that he move to Nashville. Two weeks later, Warren packed up and headed to Music City. The move led to a 7 year run at TNN’s “Today’s Country” and “This Week In Country Music”. After TNN was renamed and reformatted, Storme decided to form his own production company and take the Country News format to Great American Country. The result is “Headline Country”. 

Warren lives in Nashville with wife and television producer, Allison Warren, and their two sons, Jackson and Evan. In addition to his unremitting love of music, Warren is an avid outdoorsman and adventure-seeker. He is a certified scuba diver, an Eagle Scout, a habitual fly-fisherman and amateur meteorologist, In addition, Warren is an active steward in the Nashville community, serving as board member for the TJ Martel Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS research and the Country Music Association.

Along with hosting his TV and radio shows, Storme is also known as the “Dick Clark of Nashville” (Tennessean Newspaper 3-10) for his annual duties as host of Music City’s 4th of July Concert Spectacular and the city’s outdoor Downtown New Year’s Eve “Bash on Broadway”. During the summer months, Storme can be found emceeing music festivals from coast to coast and around the globe.