Industry Ink (6/15/12)

The 2012 Songwriters Hall of Fame 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Gala took place last night (6/14), celebrating some of songwriting’s greatest talents. At the ceremony Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones and Jim Steinman were all inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Special awards were given to Bette Midler (Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award); Ne-Yo (Hal David Starlight Award); Lance Freed (Abe Olman Publisher Award); Mike Stoller (Towering Song Award for “Stand By Me”); Ben E. King (Towering Performance Award); and a posthumous Pioneer Award to Woody Guthrie. Performers included Meatloaf, Constantine Maroulis, Patti Russo, Seger, Valerie Simpson, Kenny Rogers, Schlitz, Steve Miller, Lightfoot, and Cheyenne Jackson. The organization also saluted the late Frances Preston and her devotion to the craft of songwriting.

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Nashville-based Q Prime South, led by manager John Peets, is currently celebrating the rare feat of having two No. 1 songs simultaneously top the charts of two different formats for the second time this year. Eric Church’s “Springsteen,”  which topped MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart a few weeks back, is currently the No. 1 country song on the Billboard/BDS and Mediabase country charts, and The Black Keys’ “Gold On The Ceiling” is currently the No. 1 song on the Billboard/BDS and Mediabase alternative charts. Early in 2012, The Keys’ “Lonely Boy” topped the alternative charts at the same time as Church’s “Drink In My Hand.”

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Melanie Wetherbee has exited her position as Manager with McGhee Entertainment Nashville. She had served with the company for five years. Wetherbee is currently looking for her next opportunity and can be reached at 615-364-4908 or at [email protected].