Industry Ink: Horton Hears A Hit, Wells Fargo

/by

ole was one of many publishers that participated in the recent Horton Hears a Hit Publisher Crawl. The event was attended by artists including Mickey Guyton, Charlie Worsham, Ryan Kinder, Austin Webb, and Cassadee Pope, along with their management and record labels, who visited with publishers and inquired about songs for their upcoming albums. Other publishers taking part included Amylase, Big Machine Music, Little Louder, Liz Rose Music, Sea Gayle, and Wrensong.

Pictured (L-R): Nick Garvin (Artist Manager), Ben Strain (ole, Creative Director), Emily Mueller (ole, Creative Manager), Artist Ryan Kinder, John Ozier (ole, GM Creative Nashville) and Rebekah Gordon (Warner Bros. Records).

Pictured (L-R): Nick Garvin (Artist Manager), Ben Strain (ole, Creative Director), Emily Mueller (ole, Creative Manager), Artist Ryan Kinder, John Ozier (ole, GM Creative Nashville) and Rebekah Gordon (Warner Bros. Records).

• • •

baby balloons1Jenny Gill Van Valkenburg and Josh Van Valkenburg welcomed their first child on Monday (Aug. 4). Their son, Wyatt Gill Van Valkenburg, was born Monday, Aug. 4 at 7:26 p.m. in Nashville. The baby weighed 8lb., 6 oz.
Singer/songwriter Jenny is daughter of Vince Gill (married to Amy Grant) and Janis Gill. Josh is Director of Creative for Sony/ATV.

• • •

wells fargo1Danielle Lares-Bouharoun, Bradley Gallimore and Donna Whidby of the Wells Fargo Private Bank have a new suite number. They are still located at 3100 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203 but they have now moved to Suite 530 with their expanded team. They are thrilled to have more room for their clients and guests. All phone, email, and fax contact information remains the same.

SESAC Signs Zac Brown

/by
ZacBrown

Zac Brown

Zac Brown, songwriter and frontman of the three-time GRAMMY® winning and multi-platinum Zac Brown Band, has signed with SESAC for songwriter representation. 

 “I have a great respect for songwriting. It’s one of the most powerful ways to reach people and to be able to write music, as my career, is one of the greatest gifts I could have asked for,” said Brown. “Great songs accompany our most precious memories, bring us out of darkness, and connect us all. I’m very excited about the ones cooking and our new team at SESAC.”

Brown’s most notable songwriting credits include “Toes,” “Chicken Fried,” “Colder Weather,” “Goodbye In Her Eyes” and “Sweet Annie,” all chart-topping hits for Zac Brown Band.

“Zac’s excellence as a songwriter is well-known, not just in the country music market, but across genres,” says Trevor Gale, Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, SESAC. “We are proud to welcome him to the SESAC family.”

Since its major label debut in 2008, Zac Brown Band has released three platinum-selling albums Uncaged (Atlantic/Southern Ground), You Get What You Give (Atlantic/Southern Ground) and The Foundation (Atlantic Records/Home Grown/Big Picture) for combined sales of more than 6 million copies and producing eleven No. 1 hit singles. 

The band is currently on their Great American Road Trip tour, which included a two-night stand at Fenway Park without any supporting acts – a feat only accomplished by four other bands (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band, The Police and The Rolling Stones). 

The band’s latest project, The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1 on Southern Ground, features a 45-minute film by Southern Reel on the making of the album. 

Paisley and Underwood To Host CMA Awards

/by

carrie-underwood-600

Brad Paisley (L) and Carrie Underwood (R). Photo: Bob D’Amico/ABC


The 48th Annual CMA Awards will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 5 from The Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and will air live on ABC. For the 7th year in a row, it will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.
“Carrie and Brad are unmatched as a hosting team,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “They have impeccable comic timing, industry credibility, critical acclaim, and a natural rapport that makes them popular with our live audience and the viewers at home. We are delighted to have them presiding over ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night.’”
Paisley has won 14 CMA Awards since receiving the Horizon Award (now New Artist of the Year) in 2000, including Entertainer of the Year (2010), Male Vocalist (2007, 2008, 2009), and Album (2006 for Time Well Wasted). He won Musical Event of the Year three times and he claimed the Vocal Event of the Year trophy in 2001 for “Too Country” with Bill Anderson, George Jones, and Buck Owens. He has won Music Video of the Year four times and is No. 5 on the list of top CMA Awards winners of all time.
Underwood has received five CMA Awards in her career – three consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year trophies (2006-2008), as well as Single of the Year (2007 for “Before He Cheats”), and the Horizon Award (2006). Her 18 career CMA Awards nominations include three for Album of the Year; three nominations for Music Video of the Year for; and Musical Event of the Year for “I Told You So” featuring Randy Travis (2009). She has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year every year since first being nominated in 2006 (2006-2013).
More information on the awards can be found at CMAawards.com.

Creative Nation Preps Maggie Chapman LP Debut

/by

unnamedOn Sept. 16, Creative Nation will release a Luke Laird-produced EP from newcomer Maggie Chapman, titled Vignette.
Chapman wrote or co-wrote every song on the 10-track album (full list below), which includes the ballad, “It Should’ve Been You,” inspired by a true story and available for streaming on Idolator.
“I love to read, especially the classic works of authors like Shakespeare, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edgar Allan Poe,” explains Chapman. “In literature, a vignette is a short, well-written, descriptive scene, not entirely a full story. Vignette is merely Part One of an infinite collection of stories and songs to come.”
Chapman recently opened up for Tyler Hilton at his sold out shows in Nashville and Atlanta. She released a self-titled EP earlier this year.
Vignette Track Listing:

  1. Golden Girl
  2. Pickin’ Petals
  3. Graffiti
  4. Unbreak
  5. Charlotte’s Web
  6. Wannabe Rebel
  7. Give Me A Minute
  8. Wonder Woman
  9. It Should’ve Been You
  10. Sweatshirt

 

Weekly Register: Gilbert's 'Just As I Am' Heading For Gold

/by

graph11There are no new Country releases this week; Brantley Gilbert‘s Just As I Am tops the Soundscan Country chart this week (and No. 12 on the overall chart), with 19K sold. The project is a few units shy of reaching the 500,000 mark.
Also of note is Big Smo, at No. 6, selling 6.5K for a RTD of 61K after nine weeks of release; He has been in the Top 10 in the Country albums rankings all nine weeks.
Top 5 Country Albums
Brantley Gilbert, Just As I Am,  19K TW
Miranda Lambert, Platinum,  12K TW
Luke Bryan, Crash My Party,  12K TW
FGL, Here’s To The Good Times,  9.7K TW
Various Artists, Now Country 7,  7.1K TW
Top 5 Country Tracks
Jason Aldean  “Burnin’ It Down”  115K
FGL  “Dirt”  83K
Kenny Chesney “American Kids”  73K  (506K RTD)
Dierks Bentley “Drunk On a Plane”  56K
Lady A “Bartender”  54K
 

DISClaimer: What's In A Name?

/by

Chris Young

Chris Young


I think I’ll make a record and bill myself as Garth Brooks.
That’s kind of what our DisCovery Award winner is up to. Here’s the story. Nashville’s Brian Collins is an established country singer who has recorded for Mega, ABC/Dot, RCA, Primero and other labels. He made the charts 15 times between 1971 and 1984. He had a top-10 hit in 1974 with his version of “Statue of a Fool,” and his top-25 hit version of “That’s the Way Love Should Be” became an even bigger hit song for Dave & Sugar in 1977.
He also wrote and originated “Hello Texas,” which Jimmy Buffett sang on the multi-million selling soundtrack of Urban Cowboy. This Brian Collins is a previous ACM nominee for New Male Vocalist of the Year, is known as a Texas “Ambassador of Good Will” and recorded a CD as recently as 2013.
I imagine he’ll be quite surprised to learn that there is a man from Georgia who is launching his country career as, that’s right, Brian Collins. THAT Brian Collins can keep his DisCovery Award, as long as he agrees to alter his billing. You see, his name is already spoken for in the world of Country music.
There is no controversy about my choice for the Disc of the Day prize. Chris Young RULES.
J. MICHAEL HARTER/Holy Cowgirl
Writers: J. Michael Harter/Scott Harter/Earl Bud Lee/Scott Laurent/Bruce Wallace; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Anozira/Caroline Lane/We’re Working/2121/Ole, ASCAP/BMI; GMV/Anozira
-This rocks. The track has a serious bass undertow and a snarling guitar line. This super propulsive single also has a dance remix, which I totally understand. I only wish his white-boy vocal had more grit or passion.
THE SECRET SISTERS/Rattle My Bones
Writers: Brandi Carlile/Tim Hanserorth/Phil Hanserorth; Producer: T Bone Burnett; Publishers: Southern Oracle/WB, ASCAP; Cracker
-The album’s title is Put Your Needle Down, and it grabs you from the first notes of this opening track. It’s a rockabilly romp with “Everly Sisters” harmonies and a chugging, joyous bed of rhythm. Normally consigned to the backwaters of Americana, this duo takes a major step forward by getting Cracker Barrel distribution. So kudos to the Sisters, as well as to the retailer for gaining instant hip cred. As cool a sound as you’ll hear this year.
EILEEN CAREY/Bottle Your Crazy Up
Writers: Eleen Carey; Producer: none listed; Publisher: RolleyCstr, BMI; RoleyCstr
-It’s feisty-female ditty with a bopping arrangement. She isn’t an earth-shattering vocalist by any means, but gets points for energy, effort and good intentions.
CHRIS YOUNG/Lonely Eyes
Writers: Johnny Bulford/Jason Matthews/Laura Veltz; Producer: James Stroud; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane/3JB/Fresh Baked Cookies, BMI; RCA (track)
-What a dreamboat. He watches her walk into the bar, sit down next to him, give him a look and he’s off and flirting. Chris turns the charm meter up to 10 on this throbbing roadhouse romance. He also sings his fanny off.
JAKE WARD & MELISSA BROOKE/Hit The Road
Writers: Jake Ward; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; JW
-He sings well, in a pleading Texas tenor. She shadows him in flawless harmony, then takes a soulful verse on her own. The breezy arrangement and gentle pace contrast nicely with the heartache-to-hope lyric. You waft along with it, but alas it ends too abruptly.
MARTINA McBRIDE/All My Friends
Writers: Charles Scott Boyer, Jr.; Producer: Don Was; Publisher: Chappell, ASCAP; Rounder (track)
-Rounder’s resident rock legend Gregg Allman is the subject of a multi-artist tribute CD and DVD. The lone country female in the cast is Martina. Maybe that’s why they gave her the title tune, this soulful, bluesy ballad. Recorded live in Atlanta earlier this year, the discs also feature country’s Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Zac Brown, Brantley Gilbert and Eric Church, plus Nashvillians John Hiatt, Jimmy Hall, Keb Mo and Warren Haynes. The whole package sounds like warmth and love.
KELSEA BALLERINI/Love Me Like You Mean It
Writers: Kelsea Ballerini/Josh Kerr/Lance Carpenter/Forest Glen Whitehead; Producer: Forest Glen Whitehead; Producer: none listed; Black River (track)
-She has a sweet, pert vocal delivery that’s endearing. Her song bops in all the right places, and the lyric rattles rapidly. Catchy and promising.
JOHN COWAN/Things I Haven’t Done
Writers: none listed; Producer: John McFee; Publishers: none listed; Compass (track)
-His seering, soulful tenor voice defined an era with Newgrass Revival. Then he embarked on a series of always-gripping solo efforts. Cowan sings lead for The Doobie Brothers now, and the band’s John McFee is behind the board for the singer’s Sixty CD. It leads off with this rhythmic slab of nostalgia and contemplation that rolls along smartly. The album includes guest spots by Leon Russell, Rodney Crowell, Chris Hillman, Bernie Leadon, Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, Huey Lewis, Bonnie Bramlett, Ray Benson, Jim Messina and more. Plus, Cowan interprets such fantastic classics as “Devil Woman,” “Run for Your Life” and “Miss the Mississippi.” Get in line pronto for its Aug. 26 street date.
healing highway11BRIAN COLLINS/Never Really Left
Writers: B. Collins/T. Buppert; Producers: Mills Logan/Brian Collins; Publishers: Blue Light, SESAC; Blue Light (track)
-Not to be confused with the Texan Brian Collins who charted 15 times in the 1970s and 1980s, this Georgia boy has a confident, ultra-youthful, splendidly airy, superbly listenable country-rock approach that is just about irresistible. Dynamic and driving. Welcome to the party. Change your name.
OLD DOMINION/Shut Me Up
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; OD
-Members of this band are noted for writing tunes for Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, The Band Perry (”Chainsaw,” “Better Dig Two”), Keith Urban, Scotty McCreery, Craig Morgan (”Wake Up Lovin’ You”), Jake Owen, Steve Holy, Chris Young (”Neon”) and others. But they have the goods to become stars, themselves. This fizzy, guitar-driven, relentless sizzler deserves to become a massive radio favorite. Sign this band. Now.

[Updated] Lifenotes: Former Sony Music Nashville VP Tom Banks Dies

/by

Tom Banks

Tom Banks


[Update]:
Visitation for Tom Banks will be held Thursday, Aug. 7 at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home, located at 660 Thompson Lane, Nashville, Tenn. 37204. The visitation will be held from 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

A funeral service will be held Thursday, Aug. 7 at 2:30 p.m. at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home.
The family requests that memorial contributions be sent to Grace Place Church, 4316 Central Pike, Hermitage, TN 37076.
• • •
[Original post, Aug. 4, 2014]:
Former Sony Music Nashville Finance VP Tom Banks died Monday (Aug. 4), following a long battle with cancer. The Kentucky native first joined Sony Music Nashville as a Finance Administrator in 1997 and rose through the ranks. He became VP in 2007. Banks stepped down from his VP role in 2010.
Arrangements are currently pending.

Industry Ink: ASCAP Promotes Vote, Liddell at CMHoF, Ketchum Joins Ivy Eleven

/by

ASCAPFeaturing performances by its members for CMA Awards voting consideration, ASCAP will host an “invitation only” event at The Rosewall on Tuesday, August 12th. Slated to perform at the P.R.O.Mote The Vote bash are Lady Antebellum, Eric Paslay, Brandy Clark, Kip Moore, Love and Theft, The Cadillac Three, Dan + Shay and The Swon Brothers. The party will be hosted by America’s Morning Show’s Terri Clark, Blair Garner and Chuck Wicks.
The second and final voting ballot schedule for the CMA awards is below.
Second ballot
Fri., Aug. 8—Renewal payments must be received to vote on second and final ballots
Tues., Aug. 12—Second ballot emailed at 10 AM/CT
Fri., Aug. 22—Ballot site closes at 5 PM/CT
Final ballot
Thurs., Oct. 9—Final ballot emailed at 10 AM/CT
Mon., Oct. 27—Ballot site closes at 5 PM/CT

• • •

The Country Music Hall of Fame featured producer Frank Liddell in a Q&A with the museum’s writer-editor Michael McCall on Saturday, Aug. 2. The Q&A was in support of the exhibition Miranda Lambert: Backstage Access. Liddell has produced all five of Lambert’s albums.
As founder of Carnival Music, he has published the first No. 1 hits by songwriters Natalie Hemby, Troy Jones, David Nail, Scooter Carusoe, Bruce Robinson, and others. He has produced albums for Kellie Pickler, Pistol Annies, David Nail, and Liddell’s wife Lee Ann Womack.

Pictured (L-R): The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Abi Tapia and Kyle Young, Lee Ann Womack, Frank Liddell, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Michael McCall. Photo: Rick Diamond.

Pictured (L-R): The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Abi Tapia and Kyle Young, Lee Ann Womack, Frank Liddell, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Michael McCall. Photo: Rick Diamond.

• • •

Gina Ketchum

Gina Ketchum


Fashion stylist Gina Ketchum has joined Los Angeles-based talent agency Ivy Eleven. Ketchum has worked as a fashion stylist, makeup artist, hairstylist, and designer.
Her client list has included Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, Eli Young Band, LL Cool J, Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, Joe Nichols, and Kevin Costner.
 

Jon Pardi Reveals 20-City 'Up All Night Tour'

/by

jon pardi1Capitol recording artist Jon Pardi will bring his energetic brand of Country music to cities on his 20-city Up All Night Tour this fall. The tour follows the release of Pardi’s debut album, Write You A Song.
Joining Pardi on the tour is rising singer-songwriter and Capitol Records labelmate Joey Hyde. Hyde’s single, “Get It On,” is currently at Country radio.
UP ALL NIGHT TOUR Dates:
Oct. 10             Lincoln, Neb.
Oct. 11             Omaha, Neb.
Oct. 24             Boston, Mass.
Oct. 25             Portland, Maine
Oct. 26             Uncasville, Conn.
Oct. 30             San Jose, Calif.
Oct. 31             Salt Lake City, Utah
Nov. 12            Overland Park, Kan.
Nov. 13            Columbia, Mo.
Nov. 14            Chicago, Ill.
Dec. 12             Denver, Colo.
Dec. 20             Columbus, Ohio
* Additional dates to be announced in the upcoming weeks

BMI To Submit Public Comments In Response to U.S. DOJ Request

/by

bmi-logo1111featuredBroadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) will file a submission tomorrow (Aug. 6) in response to the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice’s request for public comments as part of its review of BMI’s consent decree. According to BMI, the consent decree that BMI operates under restricts the company to a model that no longer reflects the current needs of songwriters, publishers and music users.
“The time has come to modernize the BMI consent decree. We appreciate the U.S. Department of Justice’s solicitation of public comments as part of the modernization process,” said Michael O’Neill, BMI President & CEO. “Our goal is to better serve our affiliates and music users, and the DOJ’s request facilitates an industry-wide open dialogue needed for critical reforms.”
BMI’s submission to the DOJ outlines three important updates to the consent decree:

  • Digital Rights Withdrawal: Allow publishers to give BMI the right to license works for certain uses, while permitting publishers to retain the exclusive right to license works for other defined, digital uses. This move would allow BMI to offer access to its repertoire for many traditional music uses, while enabling publishers and music users to negotiate their own free-market digital deals.
  • Bundling Rights: Clarify the decree to allow BMI to license not just the public performing right, but any rights relating to the musical work that a music user needs to bring its product or service to the public. This will create a “one-stop” licensing source to meet the needs and match the pace of the digital marketplace.
  • Arbitration:  Move the rate-setting forum from federal court to a binding arbitration model. Music users will be assured of a rate-setting mechanism to resolve disputes, but one that’s quicker and less expensive for all parties.

“Our proposed modifications to the decree will benefit not only our affiliates but the rights marketplace in general,” said Stuart Rosen, BMI Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “While we feel that there are additional important modifications necessary to modernize the decree, the proposals in today’s filing are the most urgent and, we believe, need to be addressed on a faster timetable.”