UMPG Signs Josh Hoge

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Pictured (Back Row, L-R): Shannan Hatch, Sr. VP, Creative Services, SESAC; Ron Stuve, VP, A&R/Special Projects, UMPG; Kent Earls, Exec. VP/GM, UMPG; Kent Marcus, Marcus & Colvin, LLP; Cyndi Forman, VP, Creative, UMPG; Travis Gordon, Sr. Creative Director, UMPG. (Front Row, L-R): Josh Hoge and Missy Roberts, Sr. Creative Director, UMPG.

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has signed Nashville songwriter Josh Hoge to a global publishing deal.

A Franklin, Tennessee native, Hoge has co-penned hit songs including “Think of You” and “I’m Comin’ Over” for Chris Young, as well as six songs on the artist’s latest LP, including title track and lead single “Losing Sleep.” Hoge also co-wrote Kane Brown’s certified gold song “Used to Love You Sober” and charted single “Thunder in the Rain.” In 2016, Hoge was named SESAC Songwriter of the year.

“We have closely followed Josh’s career over the last decade and jumped at the chance to bring him into the UMPG family. He is an incredibly talented melodic singer-songwriter with an innate gift for focusing on the artist’s vision in co-writing sessions. We’re honored to work with him and excited to further his career as a songwriter,” said Kent Earls, EVP and GM of UMPG Nashville.

“When a company like Universal Music Publishing has a philosophy that is ‘Songwriters First,’ what writer wouldn’t want to be a part of that? As a leading publisher in this business, they still have that small family feel which I love most,” said Hoge. “The passion Kent Earls and his entire staff showed in getting me to join was like no other I’d seen in my 10 years of doing this. It was a no brainer for me to sign with this awesome new team!”

Hoge’s musical career began as an R&B solo artist and pop songwriter working with artists such as Backstreet Boys and Jesse McCartney. He was part of a duo, Jukebox Mafia, and toured with Miranda Lambert.

The Recording Academy Details Premiere Ceremony, Extends Westwood One Partnership

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This year’s Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden from 3-6 p.m. ET, and livestreamed at grammy.com/live and at cbs.com.

Zac Brown, Natalie Grant and Bernie Herms, Lisa Loeb, Ledisi, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Jimmy Jam are among those presenting the first Grammy Awards of the day in nearly 70 categories. Performers during the Premiere Ceremony include Body Count, India.Arie, Jazzmeia Horn, Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’, and Stile Antico. Singer, composer, and instrumentalist Paul Shaffer will host the ceremony and will serve as musical director while his World’s Most Dangerous Band will serve as the house band.

Meanwhile, the Recording Academy has also extended its partnership with Westwood One, with Westwood One continuing to be the Recording Academy’s official radio broadcast partner.

Westwood One will also create a two-hour GRAMMYs 60th Anniversary Nomination Special and distribute the broadcast across three key music formats airing Jan. 20 and 21, each hosted by New York City on-air talent. The Top 40/Rhythmic, Hot AC, and AC versions will be hosted by Jayde Donovan from Todd & Jayde Mornings on WPLJ-FM/New York and the Urban/Urban AC version will be hosted by La Loca from WNBM-FM/New York.

Westwood One will also air a week-long series of musical performances and interviews, live from Hackensack Meridian Health Stage 17, at Penn Plaza. Pop station 95.5 WPLJ and New York’s only country station, NASH FM 94.7, will be hosting private performances all week by Bleachers, Marshmello, and this year’s GRAMMY-nominated artist Midland, among others. A complete list of performances will be announced soon.

The 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live following the Premiere Ceremony on the CBS Television Network from 7:30–11 p.m. ET/4:30–8 p.m. PT.

Jason Aldean, Lauren Alaina, Luke Combs Set For High Noon Neon Tour

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Jason Aldean

Jason Aldean will welcome Lauren Alaina and Luke Combs as direct tour support for his upcoming High Noon Neon Tour, which will launch on May 10 in Kansas City, Missouri. The tour will visit 34 cities from May through September, including a Sept. 7 date at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The tour will wrap Sept. 29 in Irvine, California.

Aldean has also teased an upcoming album with the tour announcement.

“We named this tour after a song that’ll be on my next record,” said Aldean. “It reminds me of the bars I grew up playing in Georgia when I was getting started. We’re going to bring some of that raw energy out this summer with Luke and Lauren—I know we’re all ready.”

For a full list of tour dates, visit jasonaldean.com.

DISClaimer: Brothers Osborne, Dugger Band Top New Tracks

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Brothers Osborne

It’s a new year brimming with new country talent.

Tegan Marie, Sara Morgan and Dugger Band are all making their DisClaimer debuts today, while Jenny Tolman, Noe Palma and Cale Dodds are stepping up to the plate with their sophomore efforts.

Dugger Band wins the DisCovery Award. This brother duo had to compete for the big prize with two other teams, Dan + Shay and Brothers Osborne, plus the band LANco. Despite the worthy competition, Brothers Osborne wins Disc of the Day.

LANCO/Born To Love You
Writers: Brandon Lancaster/Ross Copperman/Ashley Gorley/Josh Osborne; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane/Concession 114/Neon Cross/EMI Blackwood/Plain Jane/Rezolant/Sony-ATV/Combustion Engine/Sadie’s Favorite/WB/Anderson Fork in the Road/Smackville/Smack Songs/Kobalt, BMI/ASCAP; Arista (track)
– Percolating country-pop with hooks a-plenty, crunchy beats and charming vocals. Absolutely addictive.

DUGGER BAND/East Tennessee Son
Writers: Jordan Dugger/Seath Dugger/Bill DiLuigi; Producers: Paul David/Jordan Dugger/Seth Dugger; Publishers: Dughouse/888 King, ASCAP/SESAC; DB (track)
– The sibling harmonies are skintight. The lyric praising Appalachian beauty is evocative. The soaring melody is lovely. The production is sophisticated and nicely layered. Get on board.

DAN+SHAY/Tequila
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– Anguish and heartache, brought on by a taste of tequila that brings back her memory. Beautifully produced and sung, as usual, with feeling and gusto. Highly recommended.

TEGAN MARIE/Keep It Lit
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– She’s 14. Her single is bouncy and youthful and romantic.

BROTHERS OSBORNE/Shoot Me Straight
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; EMI
– These two are the best thing to happen to country music in years. On this outing, they combine the swagger of Southern rock, the drawl of backwoods blues, stinging guitar licks and relentlessly righteous rhythm. Love them. Love this.

 

NOE PALMA/Swerve
Writers: Bridgette Tatum/Benjamin Drew Davis/Jason Matthews; Producers: Bart Busch & Jason Matthews; Publishers: none listed; Mae Capital
– I loved this dude’s last effort. This shouted rocker is heavier on attitude than it is on melody, but I imagine it goes down well in a rowdy nightclub setting.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD & LUDACRIS/The Champion
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Arista
– This is her anthem for the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics. Her vocal is compressed and processed. His is multi-tracked. I don’t hear the result as being programmable by either pop or country taste makers.

SARA MORGAN/The Boots
Writer: Sara Morgan; Producers: Carl Butler/Sara Morgan; Publishers: none listed; River Delta (track)
– “He might wear the pants, but I wear the boots.” Cleverly written and sung with spunk, moxie and verve. The steel-dominated track is a might thin sounding.

CALE DODDS/Take You Back
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– Dreamy and tuneful. His endearing, boyish, pleading vocal is paired with a swirling, chiming, echoey production. The lyric is of nostalgia and lost romance. I dig this.

JENNY TOLMAN/Something To Complain About
Writers: Dave Brainard/Aaron Raitiere/Jenny Tolman; Producer: Dave Brainard; Publishers: none listed; Jennyville (track)
– A working girl looks at the problems of privileged celebrities with a jaundiced eye. Then she compares the problems of her own life with those of a homeless person. Smartly written and engagingly sung. Somebody sign this indie gal pronto.

Dolly Kicks Off 2018 With Trifecta Of Achievements And Honors

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Pictured (L-R): Greg Linn, SVP, Marketing & Content, Legacy Recordings/Sony Music; Parton; John Jackson, SVP, A&R, Legacy Recordings/Sony Music; and John Zarling, EVP, Marketing & New Business, Sony Music Nashville. Photo credit: John Shearer

Dolly Parton is kicking off 2018 in a big way, receiving recognition from the Emmys, RIAA and Guinness World Records for multiple milestones.

Parton is nominated for a 32nd Midsouth Regional Emmy Award in the Community Service category for Smoky Mountains Rise, along with collaborators Nicholas E. Dugger, Danny Nozell, Pete Owens, Scott Durand, Shanna Strassberg, Edie Lynn Hoback and John Zarling. The event will be streamed live Saturday, Jan. 20, at 8 pm CT from Nashville’s Music City Center, and during the ceremony, Parton and the Dollywood Foundation will receive The Governors’ Award for outstanding achievement in community service.

She is also being recognized in the pages of the Guinness World Records 2018 Edition, for holding records for the Most Decades with a Top 20 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart and Most Hits on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs Chart by a Female Artist. To make it official, Guinness World Records visited Dolly in Nashville recently to present her with record title certificates and sit down for an exclusive interview that can be seen here.

Surpassing George Jones, Elvis Presley and Reba McEntire, Parton is the only artist with Top 20 hits across six consecutive decades (1960s–2010s), earning her the title of Most Decades with a Top 20 Hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart. Beginning with her first Top 20 entry, “Something Fishy” in 1967, she’s a credited artist on a further 73 Top 20 hits, including her most recent, a new version of her beloved 1974 title “Jolene,” featuring a capella quintet Pentatonix, which debuted at No.18 on the chart dated October 8, 2016.

The 2016 remastered version of “Jolene” was also Dolly’s 107th chart entry, solidifying her second record title for the Most Hits on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs Chart by a Female Artist. Of the 107 hits, twenty-one were achieved with former partner Porter Wagoner (1927–2007).

Parton also recently was surprised with the news of four Recording Industry Association certifications. She was presented with plaques in recognition of the RIAA Gold certification of her recording of “I Will Always Love You” (RCA) with over 500,000 digital sales and streams, Gold certification of “Jolene” (RCA) with over 500,000 digital sales and streams, and Platinum certification of “9 To 5” (RCA) which has amassed over one million digital sales and streams. “9 To 5,” penned by Parton, has also been chosen as the music bed to a new Northwestern Mutual national TV commercial.

As the sole songwriter of “I Will Always Love You,” recorded by Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard film soundtrack (Legacy/Arista), Parton also received a plaque commemorating Triple-Platinum certification for over three million digital sales and streams of the smash hit.

Photo: John Shearer

CMHoF Features Don McLean Display

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Don McLean in performance at The Sage Gateshead

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMHoF) opened a new display from award-winning singer-songwriter Don McLean in its long-running, permanent exhibition Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, beginning Jan. 12. Rotated often, these short-term, informal displays provide a closer look at a particular person or special anniversaries in country music history.

Among the items on display include a 1997 Martin Model D-40DM Don McLean signature acoustic guitar, one of only 71 such guitars that were built. A selection of never-before-seen manuscript pages inclusive of “Vincent” (Starry, Starry Night), which McLean wrote in tribute to Vincent Van Gogh are also part of the display.

“Alan Stoker, Curator of Recorded Sound Collections at the Country Music Hall of Fame, is the son of my friend Gordon Stoker who founded The Jordanaires and who I recorded with for many years,” says McLean. “I have so many long-term and beautiful associations with musicians and music business professionals who have loved me and my music for decades. As a strange musical hybrid of some kind, I was always welcome in Nashville without reservation. I would like to add whatever I can to the storied past of country music as a musical representative of Americana.”

Items on display in the museum’s long-time, permanent exhibition, Sing Me Back Home, are updated frequently. By regularly rotating displays, the museum offers a glimpse into its unique collection of over 2.5 million artifacts, which includes recorded discs; historical photographs; films and videotapes; thousands of posters; books; songbooks; periodicals and sheet music; personal artifacts such as performers’ instruments, costumes and accessories; and more. Recent rotating displays in Sing Me Back Home have featured John Anderson, Bob Moore, Ray Stevens and Keith Whitley.

Fusion Music Signs Cassadee Pope, Expands Offices

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Cassadee Pope

Fusion Music has signed Cassadee Pope to its roster.

“We are thrilled to be in business with Cassadee,” says Fusion Music’s Daniel Miller. “She has a great vision for her career, and we’re looking forward to building upon her success.”

Pope won season 3 of NBC’s The Voice and later released the debut single, “Wasting All These Tears,” which topped the iTunes Country Chart. In 2016, she recorded the duet “Think of You” with Chris Young, which earned Pope her first Grammy nomination.

Currently, the Fusion Music roster also includes Jacob Davis, Ryan Kinder and Martina McBride. MusicRow has also confirmed that Fusion Music has parted ways with longtime management client Lady Antebellum. The trio is still represented by Red Light Management.

Additionally, Fusion Music has expanded its offices, which are now located at 1214 16th Ave. S. in Nashville. Phone numbers and emails for Fusion Music remain the same.

 

Eric Church, Maren Morris, Brothers Osborne To Honor Gun Violence Victims In Special Grammy Tribute

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Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, and Maren Morris will perform a special tribute during the upcoming Grammy Awards to honor the victims lost to gun violence and terrorism at various live music events over the past year. All three artists were participants in the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas last year and will come together for the moving segment.

“Live music events have always provided a safe space for fans to gather in a shared celebration of music. Sadly, that wasn’t always the case this past year,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. “We believe it’s incredibly important to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in these senseless tragedies and to remind musicians and music lovers alike that live music will continue to be a powerful force that unites us all.”

“In many ways, our show encapsulates the year in music,” said Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the GRAMMY Awards. Although that usually means a focus on achievement and excellence, sadly, last year was marred by a number of senseless tragedies that took place at live music events. We didn’t feel like we’d be doing our jobs if we didn’t reflect on these tremendous losses.”

The performance marks the first time on the Grammy stage for the Brothers Osborne, who are nominated again this year in Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“It Ain’t My Fault”). Grammy award winner Maren Morris is currently nominated for Best Country Solo Performance (“I Could Use A Love Song”).

The 60th Annual awards will air live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, on CBS on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Previously announced Grammy performers include Alessia Cara, Cardi B, Miley Cyrus, Childish Gambino, Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, Elton John, Kesha, Khalid, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town, Logic, Patti LuPone, Bruno Mars, P!nk, Ben Platt, Sam Smith, SZA, and U2.

Keith Urban Announces New Album, Tour At Nashville Pop-Up Show

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Keith Urban

Keith Urban surprised fans Wednesday night with a pop-up show at Nashville’s Exit/In club, where the star revealed his new Graffiti U World Tour 2018. Three hundred and fifty lucky fans were treated to a set that included some songs from Kelsea Ballerini, who will accompany Urban on the North American leg of his new tour as the supporting act. The tour includes a stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Aug. 24.

During the two-hour surprise show, Urban also revealed the name of his new album, Graffiti U. No release date has been revealed for the album. He recruited fans around the country to help with the announcement, and during the live-streamed event they appeared holding poster boards in cities across the country announcing the Graffiti U World Tour 2018.

“I’ve been full-on writing, recording, collaborating and creating with some incredibly talented people for Graffiti U, a lot of whom I’ve never worked with before,” said Urban.  “I can hear how some of the songs will translate live already, which really makes putting on a new show so exhilarating and I loved having our fans included in the announcement of the tour because it’s their tour too.”

The 58-city tour kicks off June 15th at St. Louis’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre and will include 10 shows in Canada as well as stops in cities in Nevada, Oregon, Alabama and Arkansas that Urban has yet to headline.

THE GRAFFITI U WORLD TOUR 2018:
June 15: St. Louis; Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
June 16: Indianapolis; Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
June 22: Clarkston, Mich.; DTE Energy Music Theatre
June 23: Pittsburgh; KeyBank Pavilion
June 27: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 29: Toronto, Ontario; Budweiser Stage
June 30: Toronto, Ontario; Budweiser Stage
July 5: Gilford, N.H.; Bank of NH Pavilion
July 6: Gilford, N.H.; Bank of NH Pavilion
July 8: Canandaigua, N.Y.; CMAC
July 13: Salt Lake City; USANA Amphitheatre
July 14: Denver; Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
July 15: Albuquerque, N.M.; Isleta Amphitheater
July 20: Mountain View, Calif.; Shoreline Amphitheatre
July 21: Lake Tahoe, Nev.; Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys
July 22: Lake Tahoe, Nev.; Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys
July 27: Raleigh, N.C.; Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
July 28: Charlotte, N.C.; PNC Music Pavilion
July 29: Alpharetta, Ga.; Verizon Amphitheatre
Aug. 3: Philadelphia; BB&T Pavilion
Aug. 4: Mansfield, Mass.; Xfinity Center
Aug. 5: Bangor, Maine; Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
Aug. 10: Cleveland, Ohio; Blossom Music Center
Aug. 11: Bristow, Va.; Jiffy Lube Live
Aug. 12: Virginia Beach, Va.; Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Aug. 15: Rogers, Ark.; Walmart AMP*
Aug. 17: Kansas City, Mo.; Sprint Center
Aug. 18: Chicago; Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Aug. 19: Cincinnati, Ohio; Riverbend Music Center
Aug. 24: Nashville, Tenn.; Bridgestone Arena
Aug. 25: Orange Beach, Ala; The Wharf Amphitheater
Aug. 26: Tuscaloosa, Ala; Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
Sept. 7: Uncasville, Conn.; Mohegan Sun Arena
Sept. 8: Uncasville, Conn.; Mohegan Sun Arena
Sept. 14: Ottawa, Ontario; Canadian Tire Centre*
Sept. 15: London, Ontario; Budweiser Gardens*
Sept. 19: Winnipeg, MB; Bell MTS Place*
Sept. 21: Saskatoon, SK; SaskTel Centre*
Sept. 22: Edmonton, AB; Rogers Place*
Sept. 23: Calgary, AB; ScotiaBank Saddledome*
Sept. 25: Vancouver, BC; Rogers Arena*
Sept. 27: Eugene, Ore.; Matthew Knight Arena
Sept. 28: Boise, Id.; Taco Bell Arena
Sept. 29: Missoula, Mont.; Adams Center
Oct. 4: Phoenix, Ariz.; Ak-Chin Pavilion
Oct. 5: Laughlin, Nev.; Laughlin Event Center
Oct. 12: Peoria, Ill.; Peoria Civic Center
Oct. 13: Minneapolis; Target Center
Oct. 14: Grand Forks, N.D.; Ralph Engelstad Arena
Oct. 18: Toledo, Ohio; Huntington Center
Oct. 19: Grand Rapids, Mich.; Van Andel Arena
Oct. 20: Louisville, Ky.; KFC Yum! Center
Oct. 24: Youngstown, Ohio; Covelli Centre
Oct. 25: Hershey, Pa.; Giant Center
Oct. 27: Brooklyn, N.Y.; Barclays Center
Oct. 28: Charlottesville, Va.; John Paul Jones Arena
Nov. 1: Little Rock, Ark.; Verizon Arena
Nov. 2: New Orleans; Smoothie King Center
Nov. 3: Dallas; American Airlines Center

* Supporting performer to be announced

Industry Ink: Absolute Publicity, 117 Publicity, Shoalsville Music Publishing

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T.G. Sheppard Joins Absolute Publicity

T.G. Sheppard has signed on with Nashville-based Absolute Publicity for exclusive PR representation.

Launched in January of 2009, Absolute Publicity’s roster includes Ricky Skaggs, John Anderson, The Marshall Tucker Band,Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers, Ray Stevens, John Berry, Aaron Tippin, Darryl Worley, Craig Wayne Boyd, Restless Heart, Halfway to Hazard, Pam Tillis, Kelly Lang,Jason Morton and The Chesapeake Sons, Moe Bandy, Shenandoah, Sammy Kershaw, and the late Mel Tillis.

 

Marta Signs With 117 Publicity

Marta

Country singer-songwriter and native of Poland, Marta, has signed with 117 Publicity for exclusive PR representation. Starting her music career at the age of 7, Marta recently seen success on various platforms. The music video for her debut single “All About Us” has received over 1.4 million views on YouTube and was featured in the critically acclaimed mobile games Dancing Line and Piano Tiles 2.
 

Justin Forshaw Signs With Shoalsville Music Publishing Co.

Vocalist and writer Justin Forshaw, a founding member of Nashville-based rock band As We Ascend, has joined Nashville-based publishing company Shoalsville Music Publishing. Forshaw is a former member of Atlantic Records group, We As Human.

Chad Green, President, Shoalsville Music Publishing Co. says, “Justin and I have enjoyed a great relationship over the past couple of years creating successes together. We look forward to breaking new ground together again.”

Shoalsville Music Publishing launched in 2017 with the signing of Forshaw’s As We Ascend bandmates Jake Jones and Robert Venable.