Lady Antebellum To Headline Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena

Lady Antebellum

Lady Antebellum is scheduled to play their second headlining show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, Sept. 9.

The show is part of the trio’s previously announced You Look Good World Tour, featuring Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young.

The trio is climbing the radio charts with their current single, “You Look Good,” penned by Hillary Lindsey, Ryan Hurd, and busbee, who also produced the trio’s upcoming album Heart Break, slated to release June 9.

The tour and album mark a return for the trio after a brief hiatus, which saw Charles Kelley release his solo project The Driver, which featured the Grammy-nominated title track that included vocals from Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay. Meanwhile Hillary Scott earned two Grammy honors for her inspirational album Love Remains, and the single “Thy Will.”

Tickets for the Sept. 9 Nashville date will go on sale 10 a.m., March 31 at Bridgestone Arena’s box office and via Ticketmaster.

Industry Ink: Ryan Kinder, Belmont University, John Lomax III

Ryan Kinder Makes Some Sounds In The Round

(Back Row, L-R): Peter Strickland, John Esposito, Matt Signore, Megan Joyce, Chad Schultz. (Front Row, L-R): Adrian Michaels, Ashlee McDonald, Ryan Kinder, Stephanie Davenport, Tim Foisset, Cris Lacy, Lisa Ray

Ryan Kinder performed at Warner Music Nashville on Wednesday (March 22) for the “Warner Sound In The Round” concert series, where he played a half hour set that included his current single “Close.”

 

Belmont University, West Texas A&M Partner

At a signing ceremony Friday morning (March 24) in Belmont-owned Ocean Way studios, Belmont University officially entered an innovative educational partnership with West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) that will allow WTAMU students to participate in and complete courses offered by Belmont’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.

 

John Lomax Joins PLA Media Roster

PLA Media has added music veteran John Lomax III of the famed Texas Lomax family to its client roster. PLA is partnering with Lomax III on several upcoming projects that will celebrate the 150th anniversary of his grandfather’s birth this September.

“I couldn’t be more honored for John to request that we work on this project that is so near and dear to his heart,” says Pam Lewis, President of PLA Media. “John loaned me a first edition of his grandfather’s book, published in 1947, and I couldn’t put it down. I feel like I know him. The music and the story is so very compelling and a cornerstone of America’s musical history and folklore. The Lomax family, then and now, are true national treasures.”

For All Seasons Signs With Centricity Music

Pictured (L-R): John Mays, Centricity Sr. VP/A&R; Jeff Luckey, Emily Hamilton, Randy Charlson, Johnny Hamilton, For All Seasons; Matt Ewald, Centricity Director/A&R; Steve Ford, Centricity General Manager

Centricity Music has signed worship band, For All Seasons, to publishing and record deals with the label. Hailing from Southern California, the band members, Emily Hamilton, Johnny Hamilton, Randy Charlson, and Jeff Luckey, come to Centricity after 10 years of making music together.

“One of the huge blessings of getting to be a part of Centricity is getting to work with people we love,” Centricity Sr. VP, A&R John Mays says. “When the people we love also make amazing music, we feel especially blessed. For All Seasons was an immediate check in both those categories. The band has proven to be the kind of people we love to support.”

“Our goal has always been to create music that teaches people more about what it means to worship God, and more about who He is,” Hamilton says. “We want to create space musically and lyrically in each project we release for people to talk with God honestly, as well as align their hearts with what is really true. We are stoked to know that Centricity sees this passion of ours and wants to propel it forward.”

For All Seasons is currently writing and recording songs for their upcoming EP, which will be released in early 2018.

Weekly Chart Report (3/24/17)


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Jimmy Webb To Be Saluted As Poet And Prophet

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will feature Grammy-winning songwriter Jimmy Webb in the next installment of the series Poets and Prophets.

Hosted by museum editor Michael Gray, the event will take place on Saturday, April 29, at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.

Webb’s interview will include stories behind the hit songs including “Galveston,” “Wichita Lineman,” “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” “MacArthur Park,” “Highwayman” and more. The discussion will be illustrated with vintage photos, film footage, and recordings. Webb will also offer a short performance.

Following the program, Webb will sign a commemorative Hatch Show Print poster and copies of his new memoir, The Cake and the Rain, available for purchase in the Museum Store.

A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Oklahoma native Webb was a chief source of material for Glen Campbell, who recorded Webb’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” fifty years ago. Campbell reached No. 1 with “Wichita Lineman” and “Galveston,” and charted with Webb’s “Honey Come Back,” “Where’s the Playground Susie,” “Still Within the Sound of My Voice” and others.

Waylon Jennings earned his first Grammy with Webb’s “MacArthur Park,” in 1969. In 1986, Webb won a Grammy, Country Song of the Year, for “Highwayman,” a No. 1 hit for Jennings, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson as the Highwaymen.

On Wednesday, May 3, Webb will be honored at Carnegie Hall during A Celebration of the Music of Jimmy Webb: The Cake and the Rain. Featured performers include Dwight Yoakam, Art Garfunkel, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., and more.

Poets and Prophets is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and passes are required for admittance. Museum members can reserve program passes in advance by phone (615-416-2050) or via e-mail (reservations@countrymusichalloffame.org). The program will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.

Artist Updates: Darius Rucker, Jeannie Seely, Bethel Music, Jason Crabb

Darius Rucker Goes Behind Bars On Sun Records

Darius Rucker guest stars on a new episode of CMT’s Sun Records, premiering tonight at 10 p.m. ET. Rucker plays “Johnny Bragg” of The Prisonaires, a doo-wop group incarcerated at the Tennessee State Penitentiary. In tonight’s episode, Marion introduces Sam Phillips to the group and they convince the prison to allow the group to record at their studio. They soon have a hit with “Just Walkin’ in the Rain.”

 

Jeannie Seely Honored By State Of Tennessee

Pictured (L-R): Gus Arrendale, Gene Ward, Jeannie Seely, Rep. Beth Harwell, Rep. Bill Black

The State of Tennessee recently honored Jeannie Seely with a House Joint Resolution as the country singer/songwriter celebrates her 50th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member.

“This is such an honor to be recognized by the great state of Tennessee and the House of Representatives. I’ve always been proud to be a Opry member and champion for country music,” Seely said.

Seely was joined by her husband Gene Ward, Rep. Bill Black, Rep. Beth Harwell and Gus Arrendale, president of Springer Mountain Farms®.

Bethel Music’s Starlight Set For Release

Bethel Music is releasing a new album, Starlight, on April 7. Bethel Music’s first full-length album recorded live on tour, the collection includes performances from each of the cities on the “Worship Nights Tour” and features songs on the album led by Bethel Music’s Jenn Johnson, Steffany Gretzinger, Amanda Cook, Kristene DiMarco, Kalley Heiligenthal, Melissa Helser and Hannah McClure along with Francesca Battistelli.

Starlight Tracklisting
1. Starlight
2. There’s No Other Name
3. Extravagant
4. Breathe
5. Take Courage
6. King of My Heart
7. God I Look to You
8. The War Is Over
9. I See the Light
10. Catch the Wind
11. Old for New

12. For the One
13. You Came
14. Extravagant (Acoustic Bonus Track)

 

Jason Crabb On BackHome Debut Issue

Jason Crabb is featured on the cover of the inaugural March/April issue of BackHome Magazine. Serving the former subscribers and fans of Homecoming, BackHome will continue to cover gospel, inspirational and Homecoming artists while adding the ever-growing world of country artists of faith.

Upcoming issues will include: Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Rory Feek, Jimmy Yeary, Carrie Underwood, Oak Ridge Boys, Russ Taff, Scotty McCreery, Alan Jackson, Charlie Daniels, the Isaacs, and more.

BackHome is published by Salem Publishing, which delivers several print and online magazines including CCM, Youthworker, Preaching, Singing News, and Family Fiction.

RaeLynn Brings Polished Charm, Candid Lyrics To Debut Album

When fans hear RaeLynn’s full-length debut project for Warner Bros. Records/Warner Music Nashville, WildHorse, which releases on Friday (March 24), they will hear the chronicling of the singer-songwriter’s life as it has unfolded over the past several years, including a move to Nashville after competing on The Voice in 2012, a label change, and getting married.

RaeLynn wrote or co-wrote 11 of the 12 songs on the project, each track revealing another hard-earned bit of wisdom or experience.

“Anytime you are being vulnerable, there is a scary part of it, because you are like, ‘This is me, so if they don’t like it, they don’t like me.’ But I also think you can’t lose because you are being yourself. That’s this record for me. Every lyric and every song, I can tell you where I wrote it and why I wrote it. I think that’s what is special about being an artist. We are all telling the same stories, but from our ways of thinking.”

She penned the album’s emotionally charged, heartbreaking single, “Love Triangle,” with Jimmy Robbins and Nicolle Galyon, at Robbins’ home south of Nashville. Robbins and Galyon also served as producers on the album. The song tackles the subject of divorce, exposing the collateral damage inflicted on children in the process. RaeLynn’s own parents divorced when she was three.

“I didn’t want to go to my writing session that day,” RaeLynn recalls of penning the single. “I was having a bad day. My mom and dad were arguing about the stupidest thing, but I was like, ‘I’m not going to let this get me down.’ I went to the session, and started talking about what happened that day. I was like, ‘I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I want to write a fun song.’ I started reading off titles that I had and ‘Love Triangle’ was one of them. We all just looked at each other and we all had the same idea. It was like a songbird just sat on my shoulder and gave me the idea for this song. You can’t make up magic like that. It just happens sometimes.”

The writing session provided RaeLynn not just with musical magic, but also emboldened her to continue plumbing the depths of her life experiences, translating them into relatable songs.

“When I realized I could write something so vulnerable, it was amazing. It set the path of shaping this music for real music and real lyrics.”

RaeLynn originally recorded “Love Triangle” while still with her former label Big Machine Label Group. The new version features a more stripped-down sound. “I did re-record it because my voice has changed so much and I really wanted this new sound to be part of it.”

For the project, RaeLynn became a labelmate to her The Voice Season 2 mentor Blake Shelton at Warner Music Nashville, a place she refers to as her “second home.”

“I always said if anything ever happened, I would always [to Warner] because I love this place so much. This was the first place I visited and I’m so grateful I did. One thing I love about this whole team is I present the music and they figure out a place for it to go, rather than them telling me what I need to be. I think that’s why this label succeeds so well. They just believe in talent and they want their artists to be themselves and that’s so special.”

“RaeLynn drew me in from the very start with her vivacity and enthusiasm,” Warner Music Nashville CEO John Esposito says. “Her music not only encapsulates this side of her personality but also a unique and undeniable depth that is true to country music. WildHorse is the perfect culmination of it all.”

Given the freedom to explore the nuances of her music and a renewed commitment to authenticity in her writing, RaeLynn crafted songs such as the title track “WildHorse,” which was inspired by a poem her grandmother wrote that bore the same title. “Diamonds” and “Insecure” trace RaeLynn’s own love lessons, and aim to offer listeners a shot of confidence.

“I didn’t set out to write all of these girl anthems, but it just kind of happened,” RaeLynn says. “With ‘Insecure,’ I wanted to show that we are all the same. Every girl has dated a guy and walked into a situation where there is another girl there, and you are like, ‘OMG, is she prettier than me? Is he looking at her?’ You might think, ‘Oh she’s RaeLynn, she never has to worry about that. She doesn’t ever feel that way,’ but no, I’ve felt the exact same way.”

In planning the album, RaeLynn knew she wanted to incorporate a few collaborations. Warner Music Nashville labelmates Dan+Shay join on the intensely personal “Say,” which RaeLynn wrote shortly after meeting her now-husband Josh.

“My husband’s a really quiet guy and there are a lot of things that I can hear, that he can’t say. I knew in two weeks that I loved him, but it took him a second to say that he loved me. I could tell that he loved me by his actions and how he treated me. That’s how I had the idea of ‘I hear everything you can’t say.’ And when I wrote the song, I remember playing it for Dan+Shay. I met them when I was 19. So when I was picking what songs I wanted to do a duet on, I was like, ‘This would be perfect.’”

She turned to her cousin Leeland Mooring, frontman for Christian rock band Leeland, to co-write and provide vocals on the track “Young.”

“I would come back and forth to Nashville when I was 11 or 12 and come here for GMA week with him and work at the merch booth, so it’s really crazy to see him as part of my career and life now. He’s so amazing.”

While WildHorse offers plenty of introspective moments such as “Love Triangle” and “Say,” the 22-year-old’s youthful exuberance and bubbly personality shine on dance-inspired tracks such as “Graveyard,” “Your Heart,” and “Trigger,” a track RaeLynn calls her favorite from the new project.

When RaeLynn launches her headlining RaVe Tour at clubs across the country beginning April 20 in Columbus, Ohio, she will have a solid platform to get fans on their feet, but also reveal her heart in the process.

“I wanted this record to be the most transparent thing I could put out,” RaeLynn says. “If someone says, ‘Who are you?’ I wanted to be able to give them this and say, ‘Here’s my story.’”

Randy Montana Inks Deal With Warner/Chappell Music

Pictured (Back row, L-R): Ryan Beuschel (WCM), Will Overton (WCM), Ben Vaughn (WCM), Alison Junker (WCM), Travis Carter (WCM), David Crow (Attorney). (Front row, L-R): Casey Beathard, Randy Montana, Billy Montana, Tom Douglas

Warner/Chappell Music has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Randy Montana. The company celebrated the signing by hosting a writers’ night at the Bluebird Café in Nashville that featured performances by Montana playing alongside some of his songwriting heroes, including Tom Douglas, Casey Beathard, and Montana’s father, Billy Montana.

Montana has penned songs for Jon Pardi, Justin Moore, Drake White, David Nail, George Strait, and Parmalee, in addition to writing “What If I Was Willing,” which was featured on the TV series Nashville. He has also toured with Taylor Swift, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, and Sugarland.

Producer’s Chair: Victoria Shaw

Victoria Shaw

Victoria Shaw

By James Rea

Don’t miss Victoria Shaw on The Producer’s Chair, Tuesday, March 28 at Sound Stage Studios at 6:30 p.m.

Is there such a thing as too much fun? Most producers don’t even want to think about juggling the number of balls Victoria Shaw has in the air, but it’s all definitely by choice. Shaw has multi-tasking down, to the point that she could teach it, and seems to be at her best when firing on all cylinders.

To date, her songs have helped sell 85 million records and garnered six No. 1 singles. Her accolades include ACM Song of the Year (for John Michael Montgomery’s “I Love The Way You Love Me,”) a CMA Award for producing Lady Antebellum’s Single of the Year “I Run To You,” two Emmy awards for Outstanding Original Songs for the dramas One Life To Live and As The World Turns, and more than 20 ASCAP and SESAC Awards, including Publisher of the Year. She penned songs including Garth Brooks’ “She’s Every Woman,” and “The River,” as well as Brooks’ duet with Trisha Yearwood “Where Your Road Leads,” Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera’s “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely,” and Brooks’ current single “Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance.” She penned Jim Brickman’s recent Christmas single and also has cuts by Keb’ Mo’, Olivia Newton-John, Boyzone, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Reba, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Michael McDonald.

But beyond songwriting, Shaw has worked with television stars including the stars of Property Brothers, HLN’s Robin Meade, television personality Carson Kressley and actor Erich Bergen (CBS’s Madam Secretary).

Needless to say, no one was the least surprised when Shaw was invited to join Heart, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin and Estelle, at the Grammy Festival at Sea: Women Who Rock, which was created to celebrate Grammy-winning and/or nominated women in music. Shaw was also invited to be a panelist on BMI’s Women Behind The Board, hosted by Dave Cobb, in 2016.

Shaw’s Under The Covers series has been a staple for the past 12 years at jazz club Birdland in New York City, welcoming artists from the pop, Broadway and country worlds. Among her most frequent collaborators are Neil McCoy and Gary Burr, whom Shaw laughingly refers to as her “musical spouse.”

Following her own record deal with Warner Bros., Shaw has recorded five CDs, five videos, and has toured extensively in Europe, including touring with Don Williams and performing at the London Palladium twice.

This month, Shaw will perform at Tin Pan South in Nashville with Keb’ Mo’ and Desmond Child.

She is also mother to two daughters, Ava and Ruby, who are themselves emerging artists.

The Producer’s Chair: What advice can you share with writers, when it comes to choosing a publisher?

Victoria: It has to be a good marriage going in. All the things kind have to fall into place. I’ve been in to many deals where if you go against your gut, it doesn’t work out for anybody. I’m very independent that way. Any time I decide to join forces hopefully that force is better than I am. I want a really strong partner.

The Producer’s Chair: How do you develop new writers?

Victoria: They absolutely have to have the writing talent gene. It’s okay if they’ve never tapped into it. I do have some really great methods of developing that. It kind of goes first from having them discussing and observing and explaining everything, as we go into the writing process. I don’t just say, “Nah that won’t work.” I get into really explaining why it doesn’t work. As they start to understand, they may not be able to throw out the great lines, but they start to become good editors of what makes sense, and then finally they really get it and become true contributors. If you really do your job well, they go out in the world thinking they actually taught themselves. Ha! Sorry, that was for my own amusement.

The Producer’s Chair: How would you compare the development that you got, when you were signed to Warner Bros., to the development that you give your clients today?

Victoria: Completely different. Back in the day, they did take their time and try to develop artists. My method of developing an artist is completely different, but the goal is the same. I came to Warner Bros. with a lot more experience than a lot of green artists, so their developing process with me was…I was already a very well known songwriter when they signed me. I’d already done TV and plenty of interviews. So when I work with artists, I draw from a lot of experience, not only producing artists, but as a performance coach, an interview coach. I’m pretty good at teaching how to do an entertaining interview while still being careful.

The Producer’s Chair: Are you ever called upon by other producers to assist with their artists’ vocal performances in the studio?

Victoria: Yes, but I can’t drop any names. I really enjoy getting a great vocal. I’m not just recording them and getting the vocal, I can really do things that are a great advantage to producers. You don’t have to be a singer to produce but, I’ll tell you what, it is a hell of a bonus. I just have a lot of tricks, to get the vocals interpretation and texture.

The Producer’s Chair: Has music become a ‘loss leader’?

Victoria: It’s just a Wild West Show right now. And it’s not as scary as it was at first. It’s all about the new millennium. There’s no norm yet. Is it a loss leader? I don’t know. It’s pretty bad and I just keep hoping somehow we get things worked out in a way that it isn’t so completely tilted in favor of the people that use music to build their businesses but don’t want to be fair to the creators. I still don’t understand why the government gets to regulate our non-government business. It’s scary times, which is why, as a songwriter, I had to diversify and get into producing, publishing, etc.

The Producer’s Chair: Are there many opportunities for producers to present artists to labels?

Victoria: Whenever I have an artist to bring around, I just like to take my time and develop the artist and then bring them in.

The Producer’s Chair: How have you diversified as a producer?

Victoria: I keep getting hired for these interesting alternative acts. Somehow I have found myself producing people who have very successful careers on TV and as everyone knows, other than radio the best way to sell product is with TV. There’s a lovely, creative, lucrative outlet there that I enjoy and I’m interested in. I’ve always looked at things like, “Okay, everybody’s going left, so how can I go right, because it is not as crowded.” In the process, I get to keep honing my skills and getting product out there.

When I got together with Robin Meade in the beginning I told her, “Do not expect radio to play you. Radio does not embrace TV celebrities, but you are on TV six hours every day. Let’s come up with a different plan.” So I introduced her to a company that licensed albums and put them in all those kiosks in Target, Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond, and she sold really well. We did two albums like that and everyone came out happy. Lately, I’ve been working with the Scott Brothers (aka Property Brothers) and that’s been a really working relationship. The thing about the Scott Brothers is that they have actually penetrated mainstream country more than I had told them they would. Their first single “Hold On” got some Billboard action and they’ve had hit videos on GAC. They are very protective of their “brand” so everything they do is first class.

I’m also producing Erich Bergen who starred in the movie Jersey Boys (playing Bob Gaudio) and now is on Madam Secretary, being seen by over 12 million people every week. Erich is not a country artist so that’s also fun for me, for a bit of a change.

The Producer’s Chair: Have you ever had that desire to own or run a label?

Victoria: (Laughing) No, not at all. But I am surprised that there’s not more phone calls from the big labels asking me to develop their talent. It’s not something that I think about much though. I just think it’s kinda funny, cause they’ve seen what I can do.

The Producer’s Chair: What are the biggest challenges facing artists today that they didn’t have to face in the past?

Victoria: They better be up on their social media. I am so tired of giving that lecture and I do a lot! There are certain artists I work with who are all about social media and for some artists, it’s like pulling teeth. It starts to make me not interested in working with some people. Even if you’re amazingly talented, you’re working against me and you’re working against the industry to help you. It’s too bad that we live in a time when your social media platforms and numbers matter, but they do and unless you’re the second coming and we’ve never seen anything like you before, you need to be active. You need to help the people who are trying to help you. If you’re under 25 years old, it should just be part of your make up. I always say, “I should never have more Twitter followers than my artists.” I live with two teens that use it in their daily lives. These are just the times we live in. When I started working with Hillary Scott (even before Charles and Dave) she worked MySpace like she was on a mission. I loved that about her! If I had grown up in the days of YouTube, I would’ve been obsessed with putting content up there. I would have seen it as a great big stage that I get to perform on all the time!

The Producer’s Chair: How do you recommend that artists and songwriters go about ‘writing up,’ with the big boys?

Victoria: They won’t write with you. I don’t even have time to write with all the big writers I’d like to write with. Stop trying to write with the big guys. Find the next up-and-coming big guys. All the people I grew up with in this town, like Gary Burr, I met when he was starting out.

I met Garth when he was starting, and Marcus Hummon and Chuck Cannon. Talent attracts talent. I found my class. Believe me, I tried to get those big boys to write with me and they wouldn’t. Now I realize first of all, not to be rude but really, what gave me the right to go to some really big songwriter and think he’d write with me? I understand we all think that way, but try to find your class. Try to find talented people that are up and coming. Stop looking so far ahead and find the talent that fits you.

The Producer’s Chair: Are you planning on recording another album?

Victoria: Eventually yes, but I’m so busy, that always takes a back seat to everything else. But definitely, and that’s fun.

The Producer’s Chair: Your daughters Ava’s and Ruby’s artist careers have come a long way since you were last on the show. Are you developing, producing and/or managing them?

Victoria: No I’m not! I am a big believer in parents not doing that. What I have done all my life is expose them to the arts and expose them to things that I love. If I loved sports, I would expose them to sports. I have gently given them suggestions, when I thought it could help, but I think the best way for my kids to learn from me is through observing. I think it’s really an unhealthy thing for the parents to be grooming the kids. For me, I just don’t think it works. It’s not a good dynamic.

I think they are frighteningly talented. Do I think they have that gene from their parents? Absolutely. Every time people hear them sing, I get “Did you work with them?” No, I did not. They observed. They saw me teaching other vocalists, so they got the lessons without me sitting them down.

Industry Ink: NSAI, Music Biz, Hank Cochran Pen Fund, Goodbye June

NSAI To Host Songwriters In The Round At Music Biz 2017

Rhett Akins, Rivers Rutherford

The Music Business Association has teamed with the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) to host the NSAI Songwriters in the Round live performance event on May 18 at 2:30 p.m. CT as part of the Music Biz 2017 convention at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel in Nashville.

The event, which will celebrate the NSAI’s 50th anniversary, will feature singer/songwriters Rhett Akins and Rivers Rutherford, who have written 34 chart-topping songs between them.

“We are thrilled to honor the NSAI after 50 incredible years by shining a spotlight on Rhett and Rivers, two of their finest songwriters,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “Their performances are sure to inspire and entertain all of our Music Biz 2017 attendees, especially the songwriters who aspire to achieve the same level of success these two have earned with the NSAI’s help.”

“Rhett Akins and Rivers Rutherford could not be better songwriter representatives for the NSAI at Music Biz 2017,” said Bart Herbison, Executive Director of the NSAI. “We value our partnership with the Music Business Association, so we are bringing our very best to this songwriters’ round. After all, we want to show off a little bit during NSAI’s 50th Anniversary year!”

 

Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon, More To Perform Benefit Concert For Hank Cochran Pen Fund

Pictured (clockwise from top left): Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon, Waylon Payne, Dean Miller.

Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon, Dean Miller and Waylon Payne will take part in a concert to benefit The Hank Cochran Pen Fund. The event is slated for April 25 at Nashville venue 3rd & Lindsley. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 day of show. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the music kicks off at 8 p.m.

“These guys all know each other really well,” says Booth Calder Cochran, Cochran’s daughter and co-founder of THCPF. “They’re nuts … in a good way, and there is no telling where this night will take us.”

 

Nashville Band Goodbye June Sets Album Release Show For May 5

Nashville band Goodbye June has announced a hometown show in celebration of their upcoming album Magic Valley (Interscope). The show is set for May 5, beginning at 9 p.m. at The Basement East. Tickets are available at goodbyejune.com.

In 2012, Goodbye June inked a deal with Nashville-based record label Cotton Valley Music, which eventually paved the way for their signing to Interscope Records in early 2016.  The band released their debut EP,  Danger In The Morning  (Cotton Valley Music/Interscope Records), in the Fall of 2016.

Goodbye June’s music has been featured in the Madden 17 video game, NFL, ESPN, Showtime, WWE and more.