Carlton Anderson Signs With Morris Higham Management

Pictured: Arista Nashville singer/songwriter Carlton Anderson (seated), and Morris Higham Management’s Will Hitchcock, Rob Filhart, Clint Higham, Nick Morris and Dale Morris (standing left to right).

On the heels of releasing his Arista Nashville debut single, “Drop Everything,” singer/songwriter Carlton Anderson has signed with Morris Higham Management for global representation.

“I have worked my whole life to be in a position like this and to have years of hard work be noticed by such a prestigious company means more than I can I say,” Anderson says. “I’ve been told a long time that my music is ‘too country’ so I’m truly grateful to have a team at Morris Higham that understands who I am as a person and supports my visions as an artist and songwriter.”

Clint Higham says, “Carlton is one of the rare young artists who understands why country music matters, and he makes it as compelling and as current as anything on radio. When you find an artist who’s so grounded in the roots, who can sing, write and connect with fans across ages, places and everything that country music now contains, that’s like finding a unicorn.”

Higham continues, “When you find an artist like that, and they have a work ethic that matches the team at Morris Higham, that’s when special things happen. Everyone here believes in his music, and there’s no young artist I’ve seen like this.”

A graduate of Belmont University’s music business program, Anderson later joined ASCAP and was signed to a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. Morris Higham Management also represents Kenny Chesney, Ryan Griffin, Brandon Lay, Old Dominion, Michael Ray, and Walker County.

‘CMT Headliners With Cody Alan’ Launches With Jason Aldean As Inaugural Guest

Pictured (L-R): Jackie Jones, Director, Talent, CMT; Ashlee McDonald, Executive Producer, Radio Content/Programming Partnerships & Operations, CMT; Jason Aldean; Leslie Fram, SVP, Music & Talent, CMT; CMT’s Cody Alan

CMT recently launched “CMT Headliners with Cody Alan,” a new multi-platform, live event series hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan, where fans can submit questions to their favorite country stars and watch them perform from some of the hottest spots in Nashville. To kick-off the inaugural event, Alan welcomed Jason Aldean as his first guest last week where they broadcast live from Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar in downtown Nashville.

In addition to chatting about Aldean’s favorite menu items from his new restaurant and how he likes to spend time with his family, the superstar also performed songs from his catalogue of hits including “My Kinda Party,” “Dirt Road Anthem,” and his latest single, “Drowns the Whiskey.”

Highlights from “CMT Headliners” will be featured across CMT’s linear, radio and digital spaces including “CMT Hot 20 Countdown,” “CMT After MidNite” and “CMT Radio Live” with Cody Alan, CMT.com and CMT’s social platforms. “CMT Headliners” will be featured on “CMT After MidNite” and “CMT Radio Live” this Friday, Aug. 17, and on “CMT Hot 20 Countdown,” which will be co-hosted by Aldean, this Saturday, Aug. 18 at 9 a.m. ET/PT (encore presentation Sunday, Aug. 19 at 9 a.m. ET/PT).

Cody Alan and Jason Aldean

Bonus Q&A: Nashville A&R Execs Discuss Artist Development, Signing Female Artists

MusicRow welcomed several of Nashville’s top A&R executives to discuss the intense competition to sign new artists, the role of artist development, signing female talent, and more.

BBR Music Group’s Sara Knabe, Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones, Warner Music Nashville’s Cris Lacy, and UMG Nashville’s Stephanie Wright visited the MusicRow office for a discussion on the biggest opportunities and challenges labels face in the A&R arena.

For more from this A&R Roundtable, pick up a print copy of MusicRow’s Artist Roster issue, or subscribe here.

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MusicRow: Nashville has such a tight-knit A&R community, and yet there is so much competition to sign new artists. If an artist doesn’t fit with your label for some reason, do you make a call to other potential labels?

Cris Lacy: The way it’s done now, if a manager calls one of us, they call all of us. An email introduction turns into, “This artist has heat.” All of a sudden we are all jumping around to try to sign them. It’s so rapid now.

Stephanie Wright: Early on Brett [Eldredge] came in and played for us and I was so in love with him and I couldn’t get everybody else as fired up…

Lacy: We were at a show, and Stephanie had been about Sam Hunt for forever, before anyone and that was one of those emails that came through. I remember being at a show and saying to Stephanie, ‘I don’t know why he doesn’t just sign with you guys. You offered him a great deal, but we have to get in this because it is awesome. And obviously he did sign with UMG and rightfully so. She put in the time and effort and was there from the beginning.

Allison Jones: We look at these artists and we always want to sign them, but our worlds are always going to intersect. With Cole [Swindell], he’s been a co-writer for some of our artists and he’s been on tour with our artists. I believe in music karma.

Sara Knabe: [Recent Warner Music Nashville signee] Cody Johnson is another one, and ultimately we both have the same passion level for it, but she’s [motions to Lacy] known him longer.

Lacy: I had been after Cody Johnson for eight years…

Knabe: I had been after him for about nine months. They had this relationship and even when Cody would talk with us about it, I would be like, “Cris is amazing and would be amazing for you.” That’s the part where you are competitive. I wanted that deal. I wanted it bad. But, I am really excited for him. You guys have that relationship and I understood it. But was I bummed? Absolutely.

MR: It is well known that female country artists have trouble getting radio airplay. Does that make you hesitant to sign female talent?

[All]: No. Not at all.

Wright: Being the hopeful A&R people that we are, we want to sign that girl who will break through. There’s a plethora of talent in the female space, too.

Jones: When I look back in my elementary school days, I literally wanted to be Crystal Gayle, and then one of the Mandrell Sisters, and then of course, Dolly and Reba and Trisha and Lee Ann Womack. Some of my favorites of any genre have been our iconic country women. Good Lord, I hope Carly Pearce joins those ranks, and everyone in our [BMLG] building feels the same way. It’s just about great music. I hope everyone at this table can find the next Reba or Trisha, because music needs it.

Wright: These new artists coming in are all supporting one another, too. They show up at one another’s shows when they have a day off. They are not afraid to talk about how great another artist is. I think there was a time period when females felt there was a scarcity—“If I’ve got this attention, it don’t want to share it.” But now, I feel they all support one another.

MR: Females make up the majority of top A&R executives at the main country labels. Does being a female executive affect how you approach A&R?

Jones: I have nothing but respect for my male counterparts, but I feel that women as a whole do well at this job because we’ve allowed ourselves to become immersed in their personal lives. We all live and breathe these artists. Tali [Canterbury] and Laurel [Kittleson] talk to their artists every day. I feel like not only do we do A&R, we live the lives of our artists, whether it’s getting married or having children or breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend. I’m best at my job when I know what is going on in their lives and their families, to know what they want to say and what they don’t want to say with their music. I think women have an innate ability to be more perceptive.

Lacy: Women are nurturing and that’s a natural fit for A&R.

Knabe: All three of these women have been mentors and friends even when I was a publisher. I have a huge list of women in the industry that had my back and taught me how to handle career issues. At Broken Bow, the majority of the staff are women. Looking at my career, I’ve been surrounded by people who support me, including Jon Loba and Kos Weaver.

Jones: Scott [Borchetta] always wants the most qualified person for the job, and we have quite a few female executives at Big Machine.

MR: Talk about the development work that labels do versus what publishers do.

Lacy: I think there is commentary out there that “Labels don’t do development.” The problem is when we do development, publishers are like, “Well, that’s been over here for a few years and nothing has happened with it,” and they move on instead of saying, “The label is doing development and this could be a two-, three-, or four-year process.”

The hard part is all the new artists are watching all the other artists on social media. So whether or not they are making smart decisions, and whether or not all this music is ready—and that only plays out in the years to come—they are watching all this and it makes them anxious because every artist wants to come out [with music] the moment they are signed.

MR: With such intense competition to sign one artist, does that hasten or delay the overall signing process?

Lacy: My joke on Cody [Johnson], and I said this to Cody and [his manager Howie Edelman] was, “Just get married.” I don’t care who you marry at this point but please get married because at this point I’m chasing you so hard I feel like…

Knabe: It’s almost like a relationship or going to prom, where you are like, “Please love me. I know there is another really good looking girl over there, but please pick me.”

Lacy: At some point, prom just needs to happen so everyone can move on.

MR: Any final thoughts?

Jones: I am really excited and positive abut this crop of new artists—and we’ve all worked together on them in some capacity. You guys [motions to Knabe and Lacy] pitched me great songs when you worked in publishing and we couldn’t do what we do without great publishers, so the two of you helped my career.

Knabe: And every time I got a cut, that helped my career…

Lacy: It’s all symbiotic.

Jones: We are competitors and we all want to win, but I am really protective and really proud of our community, because it doesn’t exist in other genres.

Kenny Chesney’s Entire 20-Album Sony Music Catalog Is RIAA-Certified

Kenny Chesney recently broke a record at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium with more than 55,000 fans attending his Trip Around The Sun tour stop. But the achievements don’t stop there for this multi-talented entertainer.

Every album Chesney has recorded for his former label home, Sony Music Nashville, has now earned an RIAA certification, including five multi-platinum albums, 10 platinum albums, and five gold albums.

“It always amazes me how deep into the catalogue No Shoes Nation goes,” says the eight-time Entertainer of the Year winner. “People talk to me about songs from Me and You; they talk to me about Hemingway’s Whiskey, Be As You Are and even All I Want for Christmas. But you never sit down and think about the fact they must have all made those albums a part of their life. So to hear every record I’ve made is platinum – or gold – that kind of makes me pause a little.”

A listing of his certifications follows:

All I Need To Know (1995): Gold
Me and You (1996): Platinum
I Will Stand (1997): Platinum
Everywhere We Go (1999): 2x Platinum
Greatest Hits (2000): 5x Platinum
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems (2002): 4x Platinum
When The Sun goes Down (2004): 4x Platinum
Be As You Are (Songs from an Old Blue Chair): Platinum
The Road And The Radio (2005): 3x Platinum
Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates (2007): Platinum
Lucky Old Sun (2008): Platinum
Hemingway’s Whiskey (2010): Platinum
Welcome To The Fish Bowl (2012): Platinum
Life On A Rock (2013): Gold
The Big Revival (2014):Gold
Cosmic Hallelujah (2016):Gold
Greatest Hits II (2009): Platinum
Live In No Shoes Nation (2017): Platinum
Live: Live Those Songs Again (2006): Gold
All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan (2003): Gold

“We were blessed, and we were lucky,” Chesney explains. “I believed there were a lot of people out there, who were living lives a whole lot like mine. When I started writing and recording songs that reflected that, people heard their own stories – and they really responded. I think people deserve to hear songs that show them their life, and that’s always what I’ve tried to do.

“You want to make music that connects, that feels honest and that catches people up in the groove, the melody and yes, the words,” says the man whose brand-new Songs for the Saints (on Warner Music Nashville) was the No. 1 selling all-genre album the week it came out. “To me, all the albums I loved gave me windows into a world I wanted, or lifted up the world I was living in. Happy, sad, mad or whatever, I felt those songs – and hearing this news makes me feel like people felt my songs the very same way.”

Music Health Alliance Launches Unique Experience Auctions For Heal The Music Day

Music Health Alliance is launching a series of one-of-a-kind experience auctions via CharityBuzz.com that will benefit MHA as part of Heal The Music Day.

The first experience is with music icon Brenda Lee. The highest bidder and a guest will be personally hosted by Lee on a VIP tour through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville and hear behind-the-scenes stories of her favorite exhibits, including her own. Museum tickets, lunch with Ms. Lee at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and transportation to and from a local hotel to the museum will be included in the experience.

Also available are festival guest passes and exclusive behind-the-scenes access for September’s Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, featuring performances by Chris Stapleton, Jack White, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Lionel Richie, Counting Crows, Elle King and many more. The highest bidder for the Music Industry Insider Access Experience to the Pilgrimage Festival will receive industry guest passes to the festival, access to a backstage music industry and artist hospitality area with a bar and the main stage viewing platform, and inclusion in a private pre-festival dinner with music industry influencers.

Future auction experiences, including tickets and meet & greet with Mick Fleetwood/Fleetwood Mac, will be announced soon. The auctions will benefit Music Health Alliance in support of its mission to protect, direct, and connect members of the music community with medical and financial solutions. To learn more about the experiences, place bids now, and support MHA and Heal The Music Day go to charitybuzz.com. The latest auction offerings can be found at Facebook.com/MusicHealth Alliance.

CMA Honors Connie Bradley With Irving Waugh Award Of Excellence

Kenny Chesney congratulates Connie Bradley as she is awarded the Irving Waugh Award of Excellence. Photo: Hunter Berry/CMA  [Click to enlarge photo]

Industry leader Connie Bradley was surprised with the Country Music Association’s Irving Waugh Award of Excellence Tuesday, Aug. 14 at CMA’s office. Presented by Blue Chair/Warner Music Nashville recording artist Kenny Chesney and Sony/ATV Music Publishing President and Chief Executive Officer and CMA board member Troy Tomlinson, the award recognizes her tremendous contributions to country music’s creative and business communities.

Connie and Jerry Bradley visited CMA to host a special Q&A session moderated by Country Aircheck Publisher and Chief Executive Officer Lon Helton about their lifetime careers for CMA board members and staff.

As he presented her award, Chesney spoke highly of his relationship with Bradley and shared memories of their friendship. Chesney knew the two would be good friends when she shared a story about stealing silverware during a visit to the White House. “I’ve been very blessed to have won Entertainer [of the Year] four times with this organization and one of the years that I won, I actually saw Connie standing in the audience, and I thanked her by saying she was one of the best friends that a dreamer could ever have. I meant that, and I still mean it, and I love you. And if you come to my house, please don’t steal the silverware.”

Lon Helton interviews Connie and Jerry Bradley at a CMA Board Meeting on Tuesday, August 14, 2018. [Click to enlarge photo]

During the Q&A session, Bradley shared stories about the early days of her career, including leaving the mortgage industry for a receptionist job at Channel 5. Her one question: “How much was I going to make?” Thankfully it was more than her previous job, so she gladly accepted. “I wasn’t good with math and numbers, but I was good with money,” she joked. Jerry Bradley shared stories about several artists he’s worked with, including one where Chet Atkins once told him he’d be a great music executive one day, to which the former RCA label head replied, “Hell, I don’t want to do that, you have to wear a coat and tie.”

Connie Bradley worked for more than three decades with ASCAP, rising to Senior Vice President and Nashville Head. Under her leadership, ASCAP signed and supported the careers of Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Chesney, Rodney Crowell, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, John Rich, George Strait and Chris Young, among many. Bradley served on the CMA Board of Directors from 1983 to 2012, having been elected both President and Chairperson.

The Irving Waugh Award of Excellence recognizes an individual who is the originator and caretaker of demonstrated ideas and actions that have dramatically broadened and improved country music’s influence on a national or international level for the benefit of the industry as a whole. The recipient’s ideas and actions typically run a course of years and have a proven historical impact on country music.

CMA Board President Elect Rob Beckham, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern, Jerry Bradley, Kenny Chesney, Connie Bradley, CMA Board President Jody Williams and CMA Board Chairman Bill Simmons celebrating Connie Bradley being awarded the Irving Waugh Award of Excellence on Tuesday, August 14, 2018. [Click to enlarge photo]

Luke Combs Celebrates RIAA Gold And Platinum

Pictured (L-R): Chris Kappy, Make Wake Artists; Randy Goodman, Sony Music Nashville; Luke Combs; Lynn Oliver Cline, RiverHouse Artists; Ken Robold, Sony Music Nashville. [Click photo to enlarge]

Last night in Nashville (Aug. 13), country singer/songwriter Luke Combs was honored with five RIAA certifications for his reigning No. 1 debut album, This One’s For You. Joined by his songwriters, friends, industry guests and his label/management teams, Combs celebrated This One’s For You earning Platinum certification and the project, which is the most streamed country album of 2018, achieving more than 1 billion streams.

Combs was also surprised with four new certifications – for his debut single “Hurricane” (3x Platinum), “When It Rains It Pours” (2x Platinum), “One Number Away” (Platinum). “Beautiful Crazy,” an album track that released only three months ago on his deluxe album, is already certified Gold.

A highlight of the evening for Combs was having the songwriting community that helped craft this album with him present to celebrate. With “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours” and “One Number Away,” the chart-topping hits earned all eight songwriters on the three songs their very first No. 1 hit.

Combs continues on the coast-to-coast High Noon Neon Tour with Jason Aldean this weekend with upcoming stops in Nashville, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Irvine, California.

Pictured (L-R) Back Row: Larry McCoy, Joe Costa, James McNair, Jonathan Singleton, Channing Wilson, Thomas Archer, Rob Snyder. Front Row: Erin Ashley O’Keefe, Pat Cooper, Robert Williford, Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Drew Parker. [Click photo to enlarge]

Cole Swindell Aims To Keep The Hits Coming On Third Album, ‘All Of It’

Pictured (L-R): Katie Bright (National Director Radio & Streaming, WMN); Matt Signore (COO, WMN); John Esposito (Chairman & CEO, WMN); Cole Swindell; Kerri Edwards (President, KP Entertainment); Shane Tarleton (SVP Artist Development, WMN); Kristen Williams (SVP Radio & Streaming, WMN); Justin Luffman (VP Artist Development, WMN)

Over the span of his first two albums, Warner Music Nashville artist Cole Swindell has earned seven No. 1 singles, all of which have been certified Gold or Platinum. On Monday (Aug. 13), he joined his Warner Music Nashville and KP Entertainment families to celebrate that feat, but also to introduce the Nashville music industry to his upcoming third album, All Of It, which releases Friday (Aug. 17).

Warner Music Nashville CEO John Esposito noted that between the four instant grat tracks and the single that have been released, the Michael Carter-produced project has already logged the equivalent of having sold 70,000 albums before reaching its street date.

“When you hear this album, it will be a contender for CMA Album of the Year,” Esposito said. “It didn’t make the cut for this year’s [voting], but it will for next year.”

Led by his current single “Break Up In The End,” the album features gems such as “The Ones Who Got Me Here” and “Dad’s Old Number.” During the album preview party, Swindell introduced several tracks from the album, giving industry members a first glimpse at the project, and also offered a live performance of “Break Up In The End.”

Swindell shared a few stories about how certain songs ended up on the album, including a last-minute cut that became the project’s title track.

“We were on a basketball trip to West Virginia and I was done with the album, had cut all the songs I was going to cut and was happy with it. Then JD Groover, we were all on my bus and I remember somehow they played me that song and I was like, ‘I need to hear that again,’ and I knew that was the groove I was missing. I’d always heard of artists going back in at the last minute to record a song, and I’ve never been able to do that, and I was scared to even ask the team if I could do that. All I knew was I could not picture anyone else singing it. It became the title track of the album.

Following the event, Swindell invited the room to his massive Whiskey Jam album release party later that evening.

Swindell performs as part of NBC’s Citi Concert Series on TODAY this Friday (Aug. 17). He will kick off the six-date, straight-to-fans All Of It Tour that same night in St. Louis, Missouri.

Chris Lane To Headline Laps Around The Sun Tour This Fall

Fresh off the release of his sophomore album, Laps Around The Sun, Big Loud Records artist Chris Lane is set to put a few more miles under his feet with the headlining Laps Around The Sun Tour.

Beginning Oct. 12 with a show in Gulf Breeze, Florida, the tour will be supported by rising country star Mason Ramsey and American Idol standout Gabby Barrett, visiting cities from coast to coast and culminating with a pre-Christmas concert at Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts on Dec. 15.

“I’m blown away by the response to my new album,” shares Lane. “Performing live and interacting with fans is one of my favorite parts of what I do, and hearing people sing along is such a cool feeling. I can’t wait to hit the road and play these songs every night. See y’all this fall!”

Lane will continue touring on the fair and festival circuit through the end of summer before embarking on the Laps Around The Sun Tour.

Laps Around The Sun Tour dates:
Oct. 12 – Gulf Breeze, FL @ Flounder’s Pensacola Beach
Oct. 13 – Savannah, GA @ Saddle Bags Savannah
Oct. 18 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Oct. 19 – Rosemont, IL @ Joe’s Live
Oct. 20 – Indianapolis, IN @ 8 Seconds Saloon*
Oct. 25 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
Oct. 26 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
Oct. 27 – San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
Oct. 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Nov. 2 – Lynchburg, VA @ Phase 2
Nov. 8 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
Nov. 9 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
Nov. 15 – Columbia, SC @ The Senate
Nov. 17 – Rootstown, OH @ Dusty Armadillo
Nov. 24 – Denver, CO @ Grizzly Rose*
Nov. 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
Dec. 1 – Lakeland, FL @ Wild Greg’s Saloon*
Dec. 12 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Dec. 13 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Dec. 14 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony
Dec. 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts

* Without Mason Ramsey

Industry Ink: BMI, CMA, UTA, Pier30 Music Agency

BMI Hosts Young Professionals Networking Breakfast

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Leslie Roberts, Pinnacle Bank’s David Smith, Tri Star Entertainment’s Alessandra Alegre and BMI’s Jody Williams

BMI welcomed Nashville’s newest hires for a young professionals networking breakfast last week in BMI’s Nashville office. The second of three sessions in the Next Big Wave series, attendees of this installation were some of Music Row’s newest rising professionals, and the breakfast provided a unique opportunity for the budding creatives to connect with other professionals at similar points in their careers. Breakfast sponsor Pinnacle Bank’s David Smith and BMI’s Leslie Roberts shared brief messages of encouragement for the future of Music Row. Each event in the series is specifically tailored to a different group of new arrivals, including songwriters without publishing deals, new music industry hires, and songwriters who have recently secured their first publishing deals.

Torti Joins CMA As Sr. Director, Creative Content

Tyler Torti has joined the CMA as Senior Director of Creative Content. Torti comes from The Coca-Cola Company where he was Creative Lead of Digital Innovation. Torti’s previous work included implementing new retail and marketing technology for Coca-Cola’s customers and bottlers. Prior to that, Torti worked at Coca-Cola Studios as Creative Producer, where he led creative content strategy and execution, crafted marketing communications across multiple channels and oversaw design and production. Torti is a Nashville native and graduate of Belmont University with a BA in English. He reports to CMA Chief Marketing Officer Damon Whiteside.

UTA Hosts Whiskey Jam Takeover August 20

UTA is hosting its first ever takeover of Whiskey Jam on Monday, Aug. 20 in the Losers parking lot in Nashville. Clay Walker, High Valley, Craig Campbell, Jimmie Allen, Logan Mize and The Josephines will all be performing during the evening.

Moonlight Social Signs With Pier30 For Booking

Moonlight Social has signed with Pier30 Music Agency for booking. The agreement comes on the heels of Moonlight Social’s most recent album release, Make You Smile.

“Pier 30 Music Agency is excited to be part of the rapidly-growing sensation that is Moonlight Social,” says CEO Hannah Hoyt. “Their unique blend of traditional sound with a new-age twist makes this band a must-see.” Moonlight Social’s Jeremy Burchard and Jennica Scott originally met as members of The University of Texas Longhorn Band in Austin, and after years touring out of Texas, relocated to Nashville in Summer 2016.