Los Angeles-based artist management, marketing, and A&R firm Milk & Honey, has opened a Nashville office in The Nations, along with My World MGMT, and Third and Verse Music Publishing.
Shelby Yoder has been named Manager and Head of Nashville for Milk & Honey and My World MGMT, as well as creative for Third and Verse Music Publishing. Yoder will be the regional representative of more than 50 songwriters, producers and artists including Hodges, Oak Felder, Sir Nolan, Greg Holden, David Ryan Harris, Gabe Dixon, Steven Solomon, and more. Prior to this she was Director of Professional Membership and Events at the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).
Lucas Keller is founder and president of Milk & Honey, and is partners of Third and Verse Music Publishing with producer David Hodges and David Margolis (owner of My World MGMT). Together, the team share the core values of putting songwriters first and have put their stake in the ground with new offices and studios in Nashville’s up-and-coming “Nations” neighborhood.
Hodges (who has been managed by Keller for the past nine years) recently moved to Nashville after 15 years in Los Angeles. He departed his band Evanescence to become a songwriter. Hodges has penned Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” and “My Immortal,” Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years,” Carrie Underwood’s “See You Again,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Because Of You” (later cut by Reba which would go on to be a country hit), Daughtry’s “What About Now,” Ben Rector’s “Brand New, ” Maren Morris and Vince Gill’s “Dear Hate,” Seth Ennis “Woke Up In Nashville” as well as songs with Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Dan + Shay and others.
The group’s publishing company Third and Verse has been around for only a couple years and have already put up a global No. 1 with James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go.”
“Nashville’s always been an integral city to the legacy of American music and I am so excited to explore the possibilities this city has to offer in country music and beyond with our team here,” Hodges said.
“Growing up in Milwaukee, I was raised on country music and have been such a big fan of the songwriting coming out of Nashville. I’ve long respected the reverence of the community for songwriters. We’re hoping we can bring our great songwriters and producers, and our relationships in pop to the growing Nashville pop market as well,” Keller said.
Margolis said, “I’ve been traveling to Nashville for well over a decade and I can proudly say that I love this community and all the wildly creative people that make it up. I am honored to be a part of its’ natural expansion into other genres and territories around the world, while helping to maintain the authenticity that makes Nashville so unique.”
In addition to Hodges’ hits, Keller’s Milk & Honey looks after a cadre of clients who have put up recent hits like Demi Lovato’s “Sorry Not Sorry,” Imagine Dragon’s “Thunder,” Nick Jonas’ “Jealous,” Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” Alessia Cara’s “Here” and “Scars To Your Beautiful,” Justin Bieber, Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” Selena Gomez and A$AP Rocky’s “Good For You,” James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go,” Flume’s “Never Be Like You,” Rag N Bone Man’s “Human,” Kehlani’s “Distraction,” Fifth Harmony’s “All In My Head (Flex),” Alessia Cara’s “How Far I’ll Go” from the Moana soundtrack, Kesha’s “Rainbow” album, Odesza “A Moment Apart,” Steve Aoki and Louis Tomlinson’s “Just Hold On,” and many more.
Margolis’ My World MGMT represents an eclectic mix of songwriters, producers, photographers and touring artist talent including Greg Holden who wrote the 5X platinum hit “Home,” performed by American Idol winner with Phillip Phillip. His stable of songwriters and artists also include Gabe Dixon, David Ryan Harris, Rosi Golan and Carly Paige and have had recent successes with Andy Grammar, Mikky Ekko, Akon, Chris Brown, Guy Sebastian, Little Big Town, Billy Currington, Kaskade, and Noah Kahan amongst many others.
A new book examining the life of Johnny Cash through his songs, The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash (University of Arkansas Press), is set to be released on April 16.
