Given Music Publishing Enters Into Joint Venture With Gary Baker

Pictured Back row (L-R): Jenny Hall, Creative Director, Given Music Publishing; Given’s Michael Hollandsworth; Given Music Founding Partner Cindy Owen and Gary Baker.
Front row (L-R): Danny Wilson and Graeme Hogg.

Given Music Publishing and Gary Baker’s Baker-san Music have entered into a joint venture deal, according to an announcement made today by Given’s VP/GM Michael Hollandsworth. The agreement reunites Baker and Hollandsworth, who worked together at both Fame Music and Zomba Music. The joint venture includes Baker-san writer/artists Danny Wilson and Graeme Hogg (Justin Bieber’s “Believe” and The Wanted’s “We Own the Night”) as well as writer/producer Matt Johnson.

“I’m very happy to be reuniting with my long-time publisher Michael Hollandsworth,” Baker said. “I’m excited about being a Given writer but equally excited about bringing the remarkable singing and writing talent of Graeme and Danny to the team. We are looking forward to getting in the studio and showing Nashville what a rare talent these guys really are. I’m just as proud to bring my long-time songwriting partner Matt Johnson to the team. I look forward to what the future brings at Given and working with the talents of Cindy Owen and Jenny Hall. This just feels like a perfect fit for me.”

Under Hollandsworth’s guidance, Baker and Frank Myers co-wrote one of music’s most enduring songs, “I Swear,” which was a multi-week No. 1 record on both the country charts (John Michael Montgomery) and the Hot 100 charts (All-4-One). The songwriters were also three-time ACM and CMA nominees for Vocal Duo of the Year as the recording act Baker & Myers. As a writer, Baker went on to have great success with the international pop act the Backstreet Boys, as eight of his songs appeared on a number of the group’s multi-million selling records. He has just finished producing a Special Edition Greatest Hits & Fan Favorites on the Backstreet Boys, set for release this fall. He will also be involved with writing for the band’s upcoming studio album, scheduled for release in 2019.

“Gary and I started our association over thirty years ago,” Hollandsworth said. “It’s a publisher’s greatest reward to connect with a young writer and see them go on to earn a Grammy award, write a Song of the Year, have hundreds of millions of record sales, produce a superstar pop act, and still have incredible momentum all these years later. This definitely has been one of the most rewarding partnerships of my career.”

Pictured (L-R): Owen, Baker, Matt Johnson, Hollandsworth and Hall.

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Jessica Nicholson

Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.

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