Dallas Wilson Signs With Riser House Publishing

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Pictured (Front Row): Dallas Wilson. (Back Row, L-R): Mitchell Tenpenny, Riser House; Kristen Ashley, Riser House; Jim Zumwalt, Shackelford Law; Jason VanAuken, Riser House; Jennifer Johnson, Riser House; Lilly-June, Dog/Riser House Mascot; Lauren Spahn, Shackelford Law; Paige Pugh, Riser House.

Songwriter Dallas Wilson has received his first publishing deal, signing with Riser House Publishing. Wilson is the second writer to join the Riser House team following Michael Whitworth’s signing last October.

Wilson was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee and grew up around the industry. Wilson’s father is studio drummer and hit songwriter Lonnie Wilson and his mother was a background singer for Loretta Lynn.

“Everyone on the Riser House team is incredible. They have such a positive energy and I’m so excited to be a part of it. I’m so thankful for Mitchell Tenpenny for introducing me to Jennifer, Kristen, and Paige!” Wilson says.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to start the new year than signing Dallas Wilson,” says Riser House’s Kristen Ashley. “He’s a great addition to our Riser House team and I can’t wait for everyone to hear what he’s been doing.”

“Dallas brings a totally different dynamic to our team and is quickly becoming new co-writers’ favorite addition to the room. We are so ecstatic to welcome him to our Riser House family,” says Riser House’s Paige Pugh.

Riser House Publishing was founded in 2016 by Jennifer Johnson.

Industry Ink: Good Company Entertainment, Brett Young, Katherine Forbes, Stout Burgers & Beers

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Keith Gale, Jake Owen Celebrate New Venture

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Pictured (L-R): Jake Owen, Keith Gale

As previously reported, Keith Gale has teamed with Jake Owen to form a new management venture, Good Company Entertainment.

In the new venture, Gale will serve as Owen’s manager, while Jon Andolina, Director/Tour Marketing & Sponsorships, handles day-to-day management responsibilities for Owen. Greg Fowler will continue as Owen’s tour manager. Gale can be reached at his new post at 1033 16th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. His new email is [email protected].

 

Music Execs Team For Restaurant Venture

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Several music industry members have invested in a Brentwood, Tennessee restaurant called Stout Burgers and Beers.

Songwriter Andrew Fromm, Madison House’s Jordan Burger, Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom, artist manager Chris Allen, booking agent Tom Kemp, and CMT’s Paul Logan have all invested in the new venture. Stout also has restaurants in Los Angeles and Louisville. Also part of the venture are Fitz & The Tantrums member Noelle Scaggs, and songwriter Bart Allmand.

For more, visit stoutburgersandbeers.com.

 

Brett Young Visits NASH FM Studios In NYC

Brett Young

Brett Young stopped by the NASH FM 94.7 studios in New York City yesterday to chat with Jesse Addy. Young will return to the city in a few months on Luke Bryan’s Kill the Lights Tour, which stops at Madison Square Garden on March 1. While at NASH Brett performed “In Case You Didn’t Know,” a song off his self-titled debut album out Feb. 10.

 

Katherine Forbes Launches Female Musician Networking Site

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Katherine Forbes has launched an online platform called Music Biz Besties to create a community to connect female musicians and industry leaders. Forbes created the site, which features personal profile pages, to help foster industry relationships beyond social media.

Music Biz Besties also offers educational resources including a free online course, webinar trainings, a three-part educational video series, and her new signature online marketing course.

More information can be found at musicbizbesties.com.

Blake Shelton to Open Multimillion Dollar Venue in Downtown Nashville

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Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton is transforming his hit “Ol’ Red” into an entire lifestyle brand, anchored by a huge, new, multimillion dollar entertainment venue set to open on Nashville’s lower Broadway. Shelton is partnering with Ryman Hospitality Properties for the new venture, which is part of Ryman Properties’ strategy to create retail, entertainment venues, and digital content that celebrate the country lifestyle and resonate with country’s rapidly growing fan base around the globe.

Ole Red Nashville will be a multi-level, 26,000-square-foot entertainment venue with a two-story bar and restaurant, retail area, performance space, dance floor and private VIP booths for small groups. Set to open in 2018 at 300 Broadway, the complex will also include a private event space and a 6,000-square-foot rooftop with an indoor/outdoor bar/restaurant with views of Lower Broadway. The venue’s performance space will be equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system tailor-made for everything from intimate concerts and live band karaoke to artist showcases.

“It’s amazing to me to see a song that’s been such a big part of my career come to life in the plans for Ole Red,” said Shelton. “Nashville and Tishomingo are both places that are important to me, and it’s great that each location is going to have its own personality inspired by one of my favorite songs. It’s always been a dream of mine to create something like this where people know they’re going to have a good time as soon as they walk in the door, and I couldn’t be more excited that my friends at the Opry and Ryman Hospitality Properties are making it happen.”

“The Grand Ole Opry is known for connecting fans to the artists and the music they love and that is what the Ole Red brand is all about,” said Colin Reed, Ryman Hospitality Properties Chairman/CEO. “Not only is Blake Shelton one of the most popular entertainers of his generation, his performance style and passion for authentic country music have also made him a fixture on the Grand Ole Opry stage since the early days of his career. Ole Red will immerse fans in all the elements of a great country song—with some unexpected twists from Blake along the way.”

Shelton and Ryman Hospitality Properties also announced plans to open a second venue, Ole Red Tishomingo, set to open in late 2017 in Shelton’s hometown of Tishomingo, Okla.

Renderings for the Nashville location can be seen below.

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peermusic Inks Publishing Deal With Jennifer Hanson

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Jennifer Hanson

Pictured (L-R): Michael Knox, Vice President of Nashville, peermusic; Jennifer Hanson; Kim Wiggins, peermusic Senior Creative Director.

Singer/songwriter Jennifer Hanson has signed an exclusive publishing deal with peermusic.

Hanson has penned songs including “Leave The Pieces” (The Wreckers), “A Different World” (Bucky Covington), and “Let Me Down Easy” (Billy Currington). She also co-wrote “Country Strong,” the title track for the movie of the same name, which starred Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw.

“Jennifer Hanson is hands down one of my favorite songwriters in town,” said peermusic VP Michael Knox. “When Kim Wiggins brought her to me and said she was looking for a deal, it was that missing piece we had been looking for.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to be signing with peermusic,” said Hanson about her new publishing home. “The enthusiasm and support that Michael Knox, Kim Wiggins and the rest of the peermusic team have shown me has been incredible and I look forward to a productive and successful partnership.”

Brett Eldredge Gets Tropical New Year’s Surprise

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Brett Eldredge got quite a New Year’s surprise during his trip to the Caribbean to usher in 2017 when he discovered an unwanted visitor in his bathroom – a coiled-up snake! Eldredge posted a video of his beachfront friend online that immediately went viral.

The hardworking singer just wrapped a year of highs including releasing his first-ever holiday CD Glow, his sixth consecutive No. 1 single with “Wanna Be That Song,” appearances on “Today,” “Good Morning America,” “Live With Kelly,” and the “CMA Country Christmas” special, and his beloved Cubbies winning the World Series.

Before ya go to the bathroom…DONT FORGET TO LOOK DOWN?

A video posted by Brett Eldredge (@bretteldredge) on

CMT To Host Social Media Chats After ‘Nashville’

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CMT has announced “NASHCHAT” the first-ever social interactive fan hangout and conversation companion to season five of the hit series Nashville, across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook Live.

The Facebook Live chat will debut immediately following new episodes of Nashville with star Chris Carmack (Will Lexington) set as the first guest on January 5 at 11 p.m. ET/PT on CMT’s Facebook page. Amy Brown, co-host of The Bobby Bones Show, will host the Facebook Live events from a living room in Nashville alongside cast and crew interviews, original music and Nashville insiders.

“Fans saved Nashville. Now we’re inviting fans into our living room to celebrate the characters, stories and music they love,” said Brian Philips, President of CMT. “With ‘NASHCHAT’, we’ll create a home across all social media culminating with a Facebook Live interactive recap and fan chat immediately following new episodes.”

CMT Instagram and Instagram Live will host “NASHCHAT” behind the scenes, CMT Snapchat will feature Nashville cast content, fan community content, games and contests. CMT Twitter will host a daily conversation with the fans including memes, clips, quizzes, photos, recaps and episodic promos.

CMT teamed up with Hulu, which will stream new episodes the day after they air on CMT, to resurrect the series a month later.

The previous ABC series has aired in 225 territories worldwide. Since its debut, the show has inspired 10 soundtracks, including a Christmas album, which have collectively sold more than one million album units and over 5 million single-track downloads. It has also been nominated for multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards.

Nashville is produced by Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Opry Entertainment. The series is executive produced by new showrunners Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick (the creators of Thirtysomething) in addition to Steve Buchanan and Callie Khouri.

The Hollywood Reporter notes Nashville is just the latest series to get the aftershow treatment. CMT follows AMC’s The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Mr. Robot and Orphan Black in addition to ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise and NBC’s Hairspray Live social presence.

AdAge notes 1.7 million previewed the first hour of the Season 5 premiere ahead of today’s (Jan. 5 at 9 p.m.) two-hour premiere on CMT. The first hour previewed over the holiday season.

Branding is also strong. CMT’s senior VP-integrated marketing, Adam Steingart, tells the paper his Viacom program has found interest with brands like Apple and Taco Bell, neither of which had previously considered CMT for prominent sponsorships. American Express and Sony Pictures sponsored the holiday sneak peak and Coca-Cola has signed on for a multi-episode integration.

Loretta Lynn To Celebrate April Birthday With Two Ryman Auditorium Shows

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Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn will celebrate her 85th birthday on April 14 with the first of two concerts booked for Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium this year. Lynn will perform on the legendary stage on April 14 and 15. Tickets for both shows go on sale Friday, Jan. 6 at 10 a.m. Tickets are $45, $55 and $75. No opening acts have been announced.

Lynn made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 1960 on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium; she joined the Opry as a cast member in 1962.

Last year, Lynn released two albums, including Full Circle in March, followed by the holiday project White Christmas Blue.

Madison Building With Ties To Elvis Slated To Become Car Wash

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Building formerly housing business operations for "The Colonel" Tom Parker. Photo: Robbie Jones/Historic Nashville

Building formerly housing business operations for “The Colonel” Tom Parker. Photo: Robbie Jones/Historic Nashville

A Madison, Tennessee building, which at one time served as the home office for Elvis Presley’s manager/promoter “The Colonel” Tom Parker, will soon be demolished to make way for a car wash, according to Nashville Public Radio.

Retired attorney Steve North, who operated a law firm in the building for nearly two decades, says he had not fielded an offer from any parties interested in preserving the property located at 1215 S. Gallatin Road. The building sits on a one-acre lot.

“My preference was always to have somebody that could preserve the property, but after four years on the market, I’m convinced there’s nobody out there that wants it,” said North, “But as a practical matter, unless you’ve got a specific economically feasible use for it, the land itself … is worth more without the building.”

A car wash company has the land under contract, and a proposal will be heard next week by the Board of Zoning Appeals. The future owners seek four variances.

Under the sales agreement, North keeps all items inside the building, and says he may save some items, such as antique lighting fixtures and the complete wet bar in the building’s vintage basement.

Changes Coming To Show Dog Nashville

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show-dog-nashville-logoShow Dog Nashville is set to restructure in 2017, in order to streamline operations to focus on expanding social and traditional media, social media marketing, digital streaming services as well as radio. Resulting staff changes will be announced at a later date. Stay tuned.

Show Dog Nashville was founded in 2005 in Nashville by Toby Keith. The roster currently includes Keith, Krystal Keith, and Waterloo Revival.

In 2014, the label restructured an arrangement with Universal Music Group Nashville, with Show Dog inking an exclusive worldwide distribution and services agreement with UMGN. Under that arrangement, Show Dog maintained a full promotion staff, with Keith remaining as Principal of the company.

 

Blues Traveler Signs With Pennington Entertainment

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Blues Traveler

Blues Traveler

Blues Traveler has signed an artist management deal with Pennington Entertainment, led by CEO Shawn Pennington. The band joins the Nashville-based roster, already including duo Thompson Square and band Parmalee.

Blues Traveler gained national prominence with its fourth studio album four, which released in 1994 and included the hits “Run-Around” and “Hook.” Most recently, the band released the collaborative album Blow Up The Moon in 2015, which featured artists including Thompson Square, Plain White T’s, 3OH!3, Dirty Heads, Hanson, Jewel, Rome Ramirez (Sublime) and JC Chasez (*NSYNC).

“Everyone in this band and crew are really excited to celebrate our 30th year under new management with Pennington Entertainment!” says Blues Traveler frontman John Popper. “We are but an ancient yet powerful engine. Pennington’s entire team is the crank! Kick it over Shawn!”

“I’m honored and humbled that this iconic band has chosen Pennington Entertainment to lead them into the next chapter of their legendary, 30-year career!” says Pennington, “Our team is beyond excited and ready to get to work! 2017 is going to be a big year for Blues Traveler!”