LOS ANGELES, May 5, 2014 – Advanstar Licensing, organizers of Licensing Expo, the world’s largest and most influential licensing trade show, today announced that the Country Music Association (CMA) will present Kellie Pickler as the special guest performer at the Licensing Expo Opening Night Party.
This must-attend networking event for the licensing industry, held in association with the NFL Players Inc. and sponsored by LIMA, takes place Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at the Mandalay Bay Beach Club from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. PDT. Last year, the party was co-hosted by Flo Rida and attracted 2,400 of the world’s most powerful brand owners, retailers and licensees.
Founded in 1958, CMA represents the Country Music industry. The organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for its 7,000 members and to advance the growth of Country Music around the world. Damon Whiteside, SVP of Marketing and Partnerships commented, “Country Music continues to experience record-setting popularity so now is the perfect time to showcase our exciting genre to the licensing and brand community. We are thrilled to present a headlining performance by multi-talented Kellie Pickler who is an ideal representative of today’s Country Music.”
CMA member and Country Music artist Kellie Pickler has become a fan favorite due to her vocal talent, quick wit, warm heart and bubbly personality. She first gained fame at the age of 19 as a top six contestant on the fifth season of “American Idol.” In the few short years since her appearance on the show, she has released four albums (including her recently released and critically-acclaimed CD, The Woman I Am), toured endlessly, received three CMT Awards and three ASCAP Awards, made countless television appearances and won the Mirror Ball Trophy on “Dancing with the Stars.”  
“Country Music has such a wide-range appeal, so I am really looking forward to the opportunity to perform at Licensing Expo’s Opening Night Party,” said Pickler. “I’m especially honored to be representing the music genre I love and the Country Music Association.” 
“We are thrilled to have the Country Music Association, the true voice of Country Music, as our co-host and Kellie Pickler as our special guest performer for the biggest party in the licensing industry,” said Jessica Blue, vice president, Licensing Expo.  “Licensing and brand collaborations make great sense for successful and respected music artists as they look to develop unique partnerships that resonate with their fan base.”
Licensing Expo is a trade-only event and only registered attendees to Licensing Expo may purchase tickets for the party. Tickets are available at www.licensingexpo.com.
Registration is free for the Expo. For more Licensing Expo news, including information on how to register for the Expo, visit www.licensingexpo.com or find them on Twitter (@licensingexpo), Facebook or LinkedIn.
About Advanstar Communications Inc (www.advanstar.com)
Advanstar is an event and marketing services business that serves business professionals and consumers in the Fashion, Licensing, Life Sciences and Powersports industries with its portfolio of 134 events, 30 publications, over 200 electronic products and Web sites, as well as educational and direct marketing products and services. Market leading brands and a commitment to delivering innovative, quality products and services enable Advanstar to “Connect Our Customers With Theirs.” Advanstar has approximately 600 employees and currently operates from multiple offices in North America and Europe.
About Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com)
Now in its 34th year, Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential annual trade show dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The show floor is merchandised into five zones: Character and Entertainment; Fashion and Lifestyle; Art and Design; Brands and Agents; Sourcing and Production. More than 15,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents attend from more than 90 countries. Licensing Expo is owned and organized by Advanstar Communications, Inc. and is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA). Advanstar Communications, Inc. also owns and operates License! Global magazine and Brand Licensing Europe.
About the Country Music Association (CMA)
More than 7,000 music industry professionals and companies around the globe are members of the Country Music Association. Formed in 1958 as the first trade association for a single genre of music, the organization’s objectives are to serve as an educational and professional resource for the industry while advancing the growth of Country Music around the world. This is accomplished through CMA’s strategic imperatives: CMA Music Festival and the companion CMA Music Festival television special; the CMA Awards, which are recognized as Country Music’s Biggest Night™; and “CMA Country Christmas,” featuring the songs of the holidays. All of CMA’s TV properties air on the ABC Television Network through 2021. For information about CMA visit www.CMAworld.com.
About Kellie Pickler
Kellie Pickler grew up immersed in country music in the small town of Albemarle, North Carolina with the words of Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton shaping her musical footing.   At the age of 19, she gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of “American Idol.”  Her first album, released in 2006, was Small Town Girl, which has gone on to sell more than 900,000 copies worldwide. She followed that in 2008 with her self-titled sophomore record, which featured “Best Days of Your Life” (co-written with Taylor Swift and her first Top 10 hit). Having established herself as not only a powerful vocalist but also a songwriter, Pickler released her third studio album, 100 Proof, in 2011 to huge critical acclaim. The album was named the No. 1 Country Album of The Year by Rolling Stone and The Washington Post placed it on its “Best of 2012” list. After winning the Mirror Ball Trophy on “Dancing with the Stars” with partner Derek Hough, Pickler released her new album, The Woman I Am, in Nov. 2013. She co-wrote three songs on the critically-acclaimed album. An avid supporter of the U.S. military, Pickler recently completed her seventh USO Tour in December 2013. For more information, please visit www.kelliepickler.com.