Sea Gayle Promotes Jake Gear; Hirings at BBR and DeSalvo & Levine

Jake Gear photo_1-15-2015

Jake Gear

Sea Gayle Promotes Jake Gear

Marc Driskill, Executive VP/GM of Sea Gayle Music has announced the promotion of Jake Gear to Creative Director.

“There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone who possesses the skills and work ethic that Jake does earn such a promotion,” says Driskill. “Jake is one of the most talented and capable young professionals I have had the opportunity to work with and I couldn’t be happier to recognize him with this promotion.”

Sea Gayle’s writers have written 38 No. 1 songs and twice earned the company ASCAP Country Publisher of the Year honors.

Gear can be reached at jake@seagayle.com or (615) 329-1411.

DeSalvo & Levine Law Hires J.P. Urban

JP Urban

J.P. Urban

Nashville entertainment law firm DeSalvo & Levine PLLC has hired associate J.P. Urban. He recently received his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School, where he was a Chancellor’s Law Scholar and the Executive Editor of the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law, as well as receiving numerous honors.

Urban’s professional experience includes interning for the judges of the Circuit Court for the 21st Judicial District of Tennessee and The Honorable William C. Koch, retired Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court. He also worked with the Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts and other organizations in Middle Tennessee. Urban earned his B.S. in Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University.

BBR Music Group Adds Shaina Botwin 

Shania

Shaina Botwin. Photo: Rebecca Woods

BBR Music Group has added Shaina Botwin as Digital Marketing Manager. Botwin joined BBR Music Group’s digital team part time in October 2014 and transitions to full time effective immediately. She reports directly to VP of Digital Sales & Marketing, Lynette Garbonola.

In this role, Botwin will create, manage and execute digital marketing ideas and strategies that engage online music fans and drive consumer interaction on social sites and artist websites.

Botwin’s experience includes serving as Vice President of the MTSU chapter of CMA EDU as well as internships at Music Industry Blueprint and Anchor Down Entertainment.

“I am so excited to start my journey at BBR Music Group,” says Botwin. “Between the dedication of the artists and the drive of the employees, I can’t think of a better place to be.”

“I am excited to have Shaina join the team. It takes a special talent to nurture the relationship between artist, label and fans. From our first conversation, I knew she had what it took,” adds Garbonola.

Botwin may be reached at shaina@bbrmusicgroup.com and at (615) 610-2135.

Ten Out Of Tenn To Celebrate 10 Years With Ryman Show

unnamed (22)The collective of singer-songwriters known as Ten Out of Tenn will celebrate its 10-year anniversary with a show at the Ryman Auditorium on Friday, April 24.

The show will include Ten Out of Tenn alums Andrew Belle, Butterfly Boucher, Trent Dabbs, Andy Davis, Katie Herzig, Griffin House, Tyler James, Matthew Perryman Jones, Jeremy Lister, Erin McCarley, K.S. Rhoads, Amy Stroup, with songwriters more to be announced.

The history of the collective dates back to a sold-out show at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom a decade ago. Since then Ten Out of Tenn’s rotating cast has included 27 artists, who have collaborated on seven tours and six compilation albums, with over 500 TV/film placements shared amongst the group. Artists Mikky Ekko, Ashley Monroe, Paper Route and Joy Williams have all been part of Ten Out of Tenn.

Tickets for the April 24 show go on sale next Friday, Jan. 23. For more information, visit the Ryman site here.

Artist Pics: Mickey Guyton, SaraBeth, Frankie Ballard, Austin Webb

Capitol Records Nashville’s Mickey Guyton made her Grand Ole Opry debut on Jan. 10 at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The emotional and powerful performance of her debut single “Better Than You Left Me” had the audience on their feet.

Pictured  (L to R): UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe; Opry Entertainment Group President Steve Buchanan, Mickey Guyton and UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan. Photo: Chris Hollo (Rachel Black)

Pictured (L-R): UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe; Opry Entertainment Group President Steve Buchanan, Mickey Guyton and UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan. Photo: Chris Hollo (Rachel Black)

SaraBeth’s current single “Nowhere With You” is Top 40 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout chart. The Texas singer/songwriter recently visited with SiriusXM’s John Marks, and has opened for Brantley Gilbert, Lonestar and Craig Morgan. She is finishing up work on an EP to be released in the spring.

SiriusXM’s John Marks and SaraBeth

SiriusXM’s John Marks and SaraBeth

Warner Bros. Records’ Frankie Ballard made his debut performance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! where he played his recent No. 1 gold-certified hit, “Sunshine & Whiskey.” Ballard also gave a preview of his brand new single, “Young & Crazy,” which is featured on his current album, Sunshine & Whiskey.

Frankie Ballard570

Photo: Randy Holmes/ABC

Austin Webb “shooting” tequila with Brian Michael of The Bull Atlanta on Fridays visit.

Brian Michael and Austin Webb

Brian Michael and Austin Webb

Skyville Live Kicks Off Dazzling Inaugural Show

Pictured (L-R): Tisha Fein, Martina McBride, Gladys Knight, Estelle, Wally Wilson and Dan Bean. Photo: Rick Diamond

Pictured (L-R): Tisha Fein, Martina McBride, Gladys Knight, Estelle, Wally Wilson and Dan Bean. Photo: Rick Diamond

With studio television cameras on tripods and track and rail, Skyville Live launched last night (Jan. 14) in Nashville in a leased warehouse across from Skyville’s headquarters in Berry Hill. Premium inaugural talents included Gladys Knight, Martina McBride and British singer Estelle, who tantalized a few hundred live audience members while viewers at home got the front row seat.

“To my knowledge, there has never been a network-quality program featuring major artists that has appeared on the Internet first,” said show creator and Executive Producer Wally Wilson. “Now, at the dawn of the era of ‘smart TV,’ Skyville Live has come along to change that.”

Skyville has around 12-15 streaming shows planned for each year, featuring major national and international stars and up-and-coming artists from every genre of music. Thirty minute edited versions will be later available on demand. Forthcoming artists will be announced in coming weeks but are rumored to include Kenny Chesney, Merle Haggard, Meghan Trainor, Trey Songz, while Kris Kristofferson and Lady Antebellum are tapped for a taping in the spring.

Skyville-Live

Pictured (L-R): Estelle, Gladys Knight, Martina McBride. Photo: Instagram

“I’ve been keeping up with all of [these singers],” said Knight from the stage about McBride and Estelle. “My spirit reaches out to people with talent. I love all kinds of music, there are no boundaries.”

McBride, singing many tunes from her latest Everlasting album, kicked off the set with “In The Basement” followed by “Wild Night.”

The three vocalists joined for “Do Right Woman” before Estelle delivered a solo-performance of her hit “American Boy.”

With her husband John McBride behind the soundboard, the Nashville songbird sang her only career original, “Broken Wing.” Gladys continued with “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” prior to her Grammy-winning “Neither One Of Us.”

Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Jim Weatherly, who wrote the two aforementioned Knight originals, was front row and stood up to accept applause. Knight welcomed the three performers to the stage while prefacing Weathely’s “Midnight Train To Georgia.” Knight explained why the title was changed from “Midnight Plane to Houston” and that Cissy Houston sang the demo once the title was switched.

Estelle took to the stage for “Conquerer,” a title off her fourth studio album, True Romance, slated for release Feb. 17. The three women then stood side-by-side to end the evening with “End Of The Road” and an obligatory encore performance of “Son Of A Preacher Man.”

Wilson, a songwriter in his own right, owns Skyline Music Publishing with Paul Worley. Executive producers additionally include Dan Bean and Tisha Fein. Bean has 40 years of marketing and branding experience after having produced and promoted thousands of live entertainment shows with numerous artists, including the Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Metallica, Jimmy Buffett, Moody Blues and Aerosmith. Bean also has over 12 years of video and placement in the entertainment and travel industries, and was one of the first producers to sell sponsorships for the concert and theater business. Fein has been a producer and talent executive for the Grammy Awards for over 30 years and has produced and secured talent for numerous television specials, most recently the Billboard Music Awards (2011-2014) and Fashion Rocks, which aired on CBS in September.

View Skyville Live’s official website.

View Skyville Live’s YouTube channel.
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Jerrod Niemann, Love & Theft To Headline Nashville Benefit Concert

unnamed (21)Jerrod Niemann and Love & Theft have been named as performers for the Chords For A Cause concert, benefitting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital At Vanderbilt.

The event will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Dan McGuinness (1538 Demonbreun St., Nashville).

Other artists on the bill include High Valley, Hannah Blaylock, Amber Hayes and Morgan Riley.

All proceeds will go directly to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital At Vanderbilt with the money being raised through silent auctions on items being donated from the community. Admission is free, though donations are recommended.

Glen Campbell Earns Oscar Nod

Pictured (L-R): Julian Raymond and Glen Campbell in the studio recording “I’m Not Gonna Miss You.” Photo Courtesy of Big Machine Records

Pictured (L-R): Julian Raymond and Glen Campbell in the studio recording “I’m Not Gonna Miss You.”
Photo courtesy of Big Machine Records

Glen-Campbell-093014-300x300“I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” from the film Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me, scored an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song during this morning’s (Jan. 15) announcement. Written by Campbell and Julian Raymond specifically for the documentary, the song is Campbell’s final recording. Big Machine Records released the soundtrack to the film which explores Campbell’s progression through Alzheimer’s.

In response to the nomination, Raymond said, “Thank you so much to the Academy voters. This is beyond a dream. I remember my father taking me to the movies to see True Grit as a child. I loved that song and the film featuring the amazing Glen Campbell. To think all these years later I have been able to develop a great friendship and to create new music with Glen is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Director James Keach took a giant chance allowing me to score this film (my first) and bring light to the difficult subject of Alzheimer’s. Big thanks to executive producer Scott Borchetta and his phenomenal Big Machine Label Group for their hard work, vision and courage from day one. Their support helped chart ‘I’m Not Gonna Miss You’ on the radio; the first time for Glen in more than twenty years.”

Also competing for the Original Song honor are: “Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie, “Glory” from Selma, “Grateful” from Beyond the Lights, and “Lost Stars” from Begin Again.

Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel are the most nominated films heading into the Feb. 22 ceremony, scoring nine nods each. The Academy Awards will be presented at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, airing live on ABC.

Campbell also received three Grammy Award nominations for music related to the project.

Chris Young, Lee Brice Team For Co-Headlining Tour

Chris Young Lee Brice

Chris Young and Lee Brice will combine their soulful country voices in 2015, to launch a co-headlining tour that will begin in Syracuse, N.Y. at the War Memorial (at Oncenter) on Thursday, Jan. 22. Some shows will also feature Brothers Osborne as openers.

“Lee and I had a blast last year when we were out with Brad (Paisley) and so we thought it would be great to join up for a co-headlining tour for our fans this winter,” Young said. “I can’t wait to kick things off in Syracuse later this month and head west all the way to Hawaii!”

Brice agrees, “Chris and I have been talking about touring together again for a while. We have a lot of fun together!”

Initial Tour Dates

Jan. 22 – Syracuse, N.Y. / War Memorial At Oncenter**
Jan. 23 – Mashantucket, Conn. / Foxwoods Resort Casino**
Feb. 6 – Jonesboro, Ark. / ASU Convocation Center**
Feb. 7 – Corbin, Ky. / The Arena**
Feb. 19 – Independence, Mo. / Independence Events Center**
Feb. 20 – Bloomington, Ill. / U.S. Cellular Coliseum**
Feb. 21 – La Crosse, Wis. / La Crosse Center Arena**
March 7 – Kahului, Hawaii / Maui Arts & Cultural Center
March 8 – Honolulu, Hawaii / Blaisdell Concert Hall

**with Brothers Osborne

Willing Entertainment Launches Nashville Imprint

Angela Borchetta White

Angela Borchetta White

Full-service record label Willing Nashville has launched, with Angela Borchetta White serving as President & CEO. Willing Entertainment partners with White House Promotion & Marketing’s Borchetta White to form the US imprint.

Marketing and artist development will be led by Dayna Laverick, while artist management and music publishing will be overseen by Jeffrey R.W. Rath, who will serve as Chairman and General Counsel for the label.

2013 CCMA Rising Star winner Bobby Wills has been signed as the first artist to the imprint. The label will promote his current LP Crazy Enough.

“Jeff sent me a copy of Crazy Enough last summer and it was one of the best collections of songs by a new artist that I’d heard in a while,” says Borchetta White. “Bobby has an exciting sound and the production of this album convinced me that this was an artist and a project that US Radio needed to hear and would be ready to embrace. Jeff has a clear vision for this project which is what intrigued and convinced me to accept the charge of introducing Willing to the U.S. and ensuring everybody has the chance to hear our music. Bobby Wills is a talented singer, songwriter and live performer and I’m excited for us to be partnering together!”

Willing Nashville will produce and record with its production partners in Nashville, Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Muscle Shoals. The company will have offices in Nashville, Atlanta and Calgary.

DISClaimer: Starting The Year Off Bright

Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw

The winter skies may be unendingly gray, but this week’s country music sounds bright.

Superstar Tim McGraw starts his year off right by slam dunking a Disc of the Day prize. No one else even comes close.

To me, it’s always a sign of good health for the format when there are plenty of talented newcomers vying for attention. Today, they include Mickey Guyton, Nate Green and the winner of the DisCovery Award of the week, Mo Pitney.

NATE GREEN/Back Road
Writer: Nate Green; Producer: Cosme Liccardo/Enrico Carducci; Publisher: none listed; Conway/GMV
-He has an intriguingly husky vocal style, and the production is ear-catching, crunchy and innovative. It sure ain’t your father’s country music, but it has its merits. Recommended listening.

TIM McGRAW & CATHERINE DUNN/Diamond Rings and Old Bar Stools
Writers: Luke Laird/Barry Dean/Jonathan Singleton; Producers: Byron Gallimore/Tim McGraw; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Creative Nation/Twangin and Slangin/Country Paper/Pulse Nation/BMG Gold/Glassbean/We Jam Writers Group, BMI/ASCAP; Big Machine (track)
-Dunn is McGraw’s first cousin (their moms are sisters). Her family harmony with him is perfection on this ballad of regret. Diamonds are for queens, and barstools are for fools, you see. So the two lovers in this song were never meant to blend together. Extremely well done in every department.

PARMALEE/Already Callin’ You Mine
Writers: Matt Thomas/Scott Thomas/Barry Knox/Phil O’Donnell/Wade Kirby; Producer: NV; Publishers: 27861 Music/Revelry/Gallo & Landers/Sixteen Stars/HoriPro/Dirty County/Big Loud Bucks, BMI; Stoney Creek
-These four hard-working dudes continue to impress. This upbeat bopper summons a lady to romance with sunny optimism.

REBA McENTIRE/Going Out Like That
Writers: Ben Hayslip/Rhett Akins/Jason Sellers; Producer: Tony Brown; Publishers: WB/Tar-Cam-Knox/Thankful for This/Sony-ATV/EMI Blackwood/Becky’s Boy/Brooks County Boy, ASCAP; Nash/Valory
-This gal isn’t wallowing in her broken heart. She’s out rocking, throwing back shots, dancing up a storm, dressing in red and being the life of the party. Rock on.

JULIE C. MYERS/Can’t Get My Heart Around That
Writer: none listed; Producer: Dan Hodges; Publishers: none listed; Wild Heart (track)
-The opening line of her publicity bio brags that she is, “arguably the world’s most sought after Stevie Nicks tribute artist,” and that she has been touring for eight years with her “Nearly Nicks” act. Allrighty, then. The production of her debut single owes more to rock traditions than it does to country. Her vocal performance isn’t commanding enough for either genre.

JIM ED BROWN/When The Sun Says Hello to the Mountain
Writers: Harry Pease/Larry Vincent; Producer: Don Cusic; Publisher: Shapiro Bernstein, ASCAP; Plowboy (track)
-The lead-off track of the new CD by this Grand Ole Opry veteran harkens back to his ‘50s and ‘60s performances with his sisters in The Browns. The lovely harmonies match the lilting melody and the icing on the cake is the delicious steel-guitar embellishment by Chris Scruggs. At age 80, Jim Ed still has enormous vocal warmth and class. Get-well wishes are in order — He was recently diagnosed with lung cancer.

Mo Pitney photo Joseph LLanes

Mo Pitney. Photo: Joseph Llanes

MO PITNEY/Country
Writers: Mo Pitney/Bobby Tomberlin/Bill Anderson; Producer: Tony Brown; Publishers: Mike Curb/Sony-ATV Tree/Mr. Bubba, BMI; Curb
-His vocal is effortlessly countrified, with echoes of the great honky-tonk stylists of yore. The lyric is extraordinarily well crafted, full of the little details that make a great song sparkle. I can’t wait to hear more from this guy.

MICKEY GUYTON/Better Than You Left Me
Writers: Mickey Guyton/Jennifer Hanson/Jenn Schott/Nathan Chapman; Producers: Nathan Chapman/Dann Huff; Publishers: Mickey’s Island/Sony-ATV Acuff Rose/Chaylynn/Music of Parallel/Schott Heard Around the World/Downtown DMP/Songs of Universal/Art in the Pain, BMI; Capitol (CDX)
-It takes guts to start your career with a slow ballad. But this gal has the vocal chops to pull it off. The stately drum thump and softly sympathetic electric guitars aid her as she builds to a slow-burn, soulful emotional peak.

RACHEL HOLDER/I Think of You
Writers: Billy Aerts/Scott Lynch/Shea Fisher; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Stormey/BMG Platinum/Baby Gray/Dan Hodges/Shea Fisher, BMI; Curb (CDX)
-The fact this woman isn’t already a star continues to baffle me. Every single has been a vocal tour de force, and this one is no exception. She knocks this ballad out of the ballpark. Stop putting so much compression on her singing, crank up her volume and let her wail.

LOCASH/I Love This Life
Writers: Chris Janson/Preston Brust/Chris Lucas/Danny Myrick; Producers: Lindsay Rimes/Preston Brust/Chris Lucas; Publishers: Red Vinyl/Sony-ATV Tree/Root 49, BMI; Reviver (CDX)
-This made me want to dance around the room. They sing like hillbilly angels, the production is a frothing swirl and the dazzling rhythm track is relentless. I love this life, indeed.

Bowen Firm Merges with Shackelford, Zumwalt & Hayes

Jay Bowen

Jay Bowen

Nashville litigators Jay Bowen, Will Parsons and Lauren Kilgore have joined mid-sized Dallas-based Shackelford, Zumwalt & Hayes, which opened its Nashville office in 2010. The merger expands the Nashville office to seven attorneys. The Nashville office had previously specialized in entertainment business and commercial law. The Bowen group will head the firm’s litigation section.

The firm will now be known as Shackelford, Bowen, Zumwalt & Hayes.

“Jay Bowen is a legendary litigator whom I have always admired, first as a partner at Bass, Berry & Sims and next when he founded Bowen, Warnock & Jacobson. Joined by Will Parsons and Lauren Kilgore, the three are a very formidable litigation team and a perfect fit for our business transactional practice in the Nashville office,” stated partner Jim Zumwalt. “The Nashville office will now be a very similar practice group to our Dallas office. This is an ideal merger and I expect to see continuing expansion of the Nashville practice throughout 2015.”

Will Parsons

Will Parsons

John Shackelford, founding partner, added “We are extremely proud to have added the expertise and talents of Jay, Will, and Lauren to our firm. Their nationally-known litigation practice expands the areas of expertise our firm offers.”

Bowen has practiced law in Nashville since 1974. He specializes in complex litigation, with a concentration in entertainment, intellectual property, First Amendment, and business issues. Bowen has been listed as a Mid-South Super Lawyer, in Best Lawyers in America, Nashville Post’s “100 Best Lawyers in Nashville,” and Chambers and Partners Best Lawyers for Business. He is a graduate of Davidson College and Vanderbilt University Law School. He is an alumnus of Leadership Music and is a Fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation. Bowen will lead the litigation division.

Parsons is a litigator with a concentration on entertainment, intellectual property, and business issues. He has represented major recording artists, major and independent record labels, Fortune 500 media companies, and other clients in trial and arbitration matters across the country. He has also represented numerous indigent clients in pro bono matters in the Nashville area. Parsons graduated from the University of Virginia and the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Lauren Kilgore

Lauren Kilgore

Kilgore’s practice and experience is focused on complex litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants, with a focus on entertainment, intellectual property and business litigation. Kilgore also handles a wide variety of transactional entertainment industry matters on behalf of both artists and institutional clients. Her practice is focused on complex business and entertainment-related litigation. Kilgore is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School. She previously served as an associate member of the Harry Phillips American Inns of Court, and currently serves as a board member of the Young Lawyer’s Division of the Nashville Bar. Kilgore was also selected as a participant in the Nashville Bar Foundation’s inaugural Leadership Forum for 2014-2015.

Shackelford, Bowen, Zumwalt & Hayes is part of Shackelford, Melton, McKinley & Norton, LLP, a Dallas-based business and entertainment law firm representing financial institutions, recording artists, real estate owners and developers, automobile dealerships, record labels, and other businesses in legal matters across the country.