Kassi Ashton, Travis Denning, Jameson Rodgers Earn Inaugural CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship

/by

CMA KickStart Artists. Pictured (L-R): Travis Denning, Kassi Ashton and Jameson Rodgers.

The Country Music Association (CMA) has selected rising stars Kassi Ashton, Travis Denning and Jameson Rodgers as recipients of the first-ever CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship. Throughout the next year, CMA and its staff will provide support for the three artists, helping connect each with professionals within the industry as well as providing unique opportunities to participate in CMA-related events during CMA Fest, CMA Awards and C2C: Country 2 Country festival in the U.K.

The scholarship program is the brainchild of artist managers and 2017 CMA Board Artist Relations Committee Chair Marion Kraft (ShopKeeper Management) and Vice Chair Mary Hilliard Harrington (Red Light Management). The program saw more than 100 interested artists through the application process, with 48 eligible finalists vying for a spot.

“The CMA board is continually looking for ways to grow our format and help support our artist community. The idea behind KixStart was to focus on emerging artists who are already out there working hard but could use a boost that these extra resources might provide. And I think we found out from the high number of artists who applied for the scholarship program that CMA has identified a real need,” said Harrington.

Adds Kraft, “Our goal is to give artists an opportunity to learn best practices in an industry that has no structure on teaching someone how to become a successful working artist. We are excited that the CMA KixStart scholarship is highlighting three talented and unique artists like Kassi, Travis and Jameson.”

On Tuesday evening (Oct. 16), Denning and Rodgers performed for CMA board members during a private dinner held at BMI, while Ashton is currently overseas, participating in the CMA Songwriters Series U.K. tour.

Ashton, who is signed to UMG Nashville in conjunction with Interscope Records, released her auto-biographical song “California, Missouri,” where she paints an unconventional portrait of life growing up in her small town. She followed it up with her latest single, “Taxidermy.” Keith Urban featured Ashton on his song “Drop Top” for his latest album Graffiti U.

Mercury Nashville’s Travis Denning moved to Nashville in 2014 and within a year signed a publishing deal with Jeremy Stover’s RED Creative Group. After securing outside cuts by Jason Aldean, Justin Moore, Michael Ray and Chase Rice he caught the attention of Universal Music Group where he signed a record deal in 2017. Denning just released his debut single “David Ashley Parker From Powder Springs,” an upbeat coming-of-age song that paints a picture of a young man reminiscing on his carefree college memories. The singer/songwriter has previously opened shows for Cole Swindell, Alan Jackson, Moore and Rice and is set to hit the road with LANCO on the “Hallelujah Nights” tour this fall. When Denning is not touring, the Georgia native is in the studio working on his debut album.

Batesville, Mississippi, singer-songwriter Rodgers released his new self-titled EP in January 2018. This year, Rodgers also received the AIMP (Association of Independent Music Publishers) Nashville Rising Artist-Writer of the Year nomination for the third annual awards show. The former college baseball player, who landed a publishing deal with Combustion Music in 2014, scored his first songwriting cuts with Florida Georgia Line’s “Wish You Were On It” and “Talk You Out Of It” in addition to co-writing Chris Lane’s new single “I Don’t Know About You.” His debut EP, released in 2016, features the streaming hit “Midnight Daydream.” In addition to opening shows for Sam Hunt and Old Dominion, Rodgers has been selling out clubs throughout the south and Midwest this year. He will join Luke Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour,” kicking off in January.

The CMA KixStart Artist Scholarship is named after former CMA Board Chairman and long-serving board member Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn. An artist advocate, Brooks drove the creation of the CMA Board of Directors’ Artist Relations Committee in 2006.

Jim Catino Elevated At Sony Music Nashville

/by

Jim Catino

Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO Randy Goodman announced today the promotion of Jim Catino to Executive Vice President, A&R, Sony Music Nashville. Most recently Senior Vice President of A&R, Catino is a 23-year music industry veteran who first joined the label group in October of 2001. Based in Nashville, he continues to report directly to Goodman.

On the appointment, Goodman remarked, “Jim is one of the most respected A&R professionals in the business. His passion, dedication to our artists, and his ability to build a team that shares his commitment and vision has been central to our ongoing success and the mission of always leading with great music.”

Reflecting on the promotion and 17 years with Sony Music Nashville, Catino said, “What strikes me most, is how thankful I am to work with great talent: Randy Goodman and the professional SMN staff, the exceptional A&R team, and with our outstanding roster of artists. I enjoy being part of building successful careers and developing exciting new talent and I’m looking forward to what’s ahead in my new post.”

As Executive Vice President, A&R, for Sony Music Nashville, Catino will continue signing and developing artists with Sony Music Nashville’s three labels – Arista Nashville, Columbia Nashville, and RCA Nashville – and, overseeing the A&R team which includes Vice President, A&R Taylor Lindsey, Associate Director John Johnson, A&R Representative Margaret Tomlin, and A&R Representative Jillian Whitefield.

Prior to joining Sony Music Nashville, Catino held posts at DreamWorks Music Publishing, Giant Records, and MCA Music Publishing. At each company, he worked closely with songwriters and secured copyrights.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Catino graduated from Belmont University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Music Business. He serves on the Board of Belmont’s Music Business Department and is a member of the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association, Leadership Music, and The Recording Academy, including the P&E Wing.

Catino and his wife Molly and daughters Katy and Kelly reside in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Industry Pics: Craig Morgan, Grand Ole Opry, SESAC, Craig Wiseman

/by

Craig Morgan Celebrates 10th Opry Anniversary

Pictured (L-R): Sally Williams, GM, Grand Ole Opry/Sr. VP, Programming & Artist Relations, Opry Entertainment; Craig Morgan; and Dan Rogers, Dir. Marketing, Communication and Artist Initiatives, Grand Ole Opry. Photo: Chris Hollo

Craig Morgan celebrated his 10th Anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member with an appearance on the Opry on Oct. 16 at the Grand Ole Opry House performing some of his biggest hits including “Redneck Yacht Club,” “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” and a new song “Whiskey,” among others.

Morgan was inducted into the Opry family on Oct. 25, 2008 by Opry member John Conlee. Morgan was invited by Conlee to become an Opry member during a special concert for U.S. troops at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina on Sept. 18, 2008. That evening was a homecoming of sorts for the singer, who was stationed at Ft. Bragg from 1990 to 1992 during his ten-year active duty tenure in the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division.

 

SESAC Hosts Monthly Songwriter Series

Pictured (L-R): SESAC songwriters Michael Whitworth and Tina Parol; SESAC Manager of Creative Services, Lydia Schultz; and SESAC songwriters Jake Rose and Livy Jeanne.

SESAC hosted its monthly songwriter series SESAC Presents at the Bluebird Café on Oct. 16. SESAC songwriters included Michael Whitworth, Tina Parol, Jake Rose, and Livy Jeanne.

 

Big Loud Leader Craig Wiseman Inducted Into Hattiesburg, Mississippi Hall Of Fame

Craig Wiseman at Davis Wade Stadium. Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Songwriter and Big Loud co-founder Craig Wiseman was recently humbled by his hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, chosen among the inaugural class of inductees to the new Hattiesburg Hall of Fame.

Presented by the Hattiesburg Public School District Foundation during a weekend of activities over Oct. 4-5, the honor was bestowed on 14 distinguished alumni who share a “common theme of excellence,” according to Hugh Bolton, a member of the Hall of Fame Steering Committee. Wiseman joins a cast of prominent business leaders, politicians, sports figures and more who have become role models for today’s local youth.

CMT’s All-Female ‘Artists Of The Year’ Changes Conversation To Action With Network TV Power

/by

Pictured (L-R) sitting: Margaret Comeaux, VP, Music & Event Production, CMT; Kevin Kay, President, Paramount Network/CMT/TV Land; Leslie Fram, SVP, Music & Talent, CMT. Standing: Frank Tanki, GM, CMT and TV Land; Carrie Underwood; Hillary Scott; Maren Morris; Miranda Lambert; Kelsea Ballerini; Kimberly Schlapman; Karen Fairchild; John Hamlin, EP, Switched On Entertainment. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images

On October 17, CMT officially turned a conversation to action by switching its 90-minute Artists Of The Year (CMTAOTY) live program towards the crusade of its top network executives, to help women find a platform in country music.

“You are not here because you are women. You’re here because you are dang good!” encouraged four-time CMTAOTY recipient Carrie Underwood, who was honored last night alongside three-time recipient Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott.

Carrie Underwood, Runaway June and Maddie & Tae. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images/CMT

Last year was one of two CMTAOTY events which happened to feature an exclusive male lineup, with some of the men reaching six receipts since the show’s debut in 2010. Exclusively picking females for 2018 allowed a first time win for Morris and the first formal honor for Ballerini.

“I feel like the women in this room are putting out the most compelling, emotional, bad-ass music right now, of our lifetimes,” cheered Morris in her speech about being bold and speaking your truth.

Nearly every young female artist in Nashville was in the room.

CMT’s 5th Annual Next Women Of Country Event

Fairchild and Schlapman’s combined acceptance endorsed this new crop in what the Washington Post is calling one of the most powerful awards show moments of the year. Those newcomers named included Danielle Bradbery, Runaway June, Kelleigh Bannen, Kassi Ashton, Ashley McBryde, Cassadee Pope, RaeLynn, Micky Guyton, Lucie Silvas, Jillian Jacqueline, Heather Morgan, Abby Anderson, Aubrey Sellers, Tenille Townes, Rachel Wammack, Maddie + Tae, Carly Pearce, Ruthie Collins, Maggie Rose, Caitlyn Smith, Lindsay Ell, Jana Kramer, Claire Dunn, Lauren Alaina, Margo Price, The Sisterhood Band, Natalie Stovall, Kree Harrison, Brooke Eden, Candi Carpenter, Emily Hackett, Lillie Mae, Little Feather, Kalie Shorr and Lacy Cavalier.

Schlapman held her award play-off music interjecting, “Without our mama’s, we would not be on this stage. And to my two little women at home, you can do anything in the world you dream up.”

Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman with Gladys Knight. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images/CMT

The night was a whirlwind of snippets from females in country music history and a shout-out to some women’s rights advocates who came before, providing some of the honorees “hope” when they were younger. Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Emmylou Harris, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, The Judds, etc.

“I want to see little girls at home seeing us on stage being like, I want to do that…and I want them to know it’s possible,” confirmed Underwood, who brought five of her 2019 female tour mates—Runaway June and Maddie + Tae—on stage for a medley of some influential hits, capped with Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman.”

Among those legends Trisha Yearwood, Alison Krauss and Martina McBride participated in the program. The latter, a full-song tribute to the night’s Artist of a Lifetime Achievement, Miss. Loretta Lynn. McBride then introduced Sheryl Crow and Dierks Bentley for a performance of “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,” before a heartfelt, tearful presentation from Sissy Spacek to the night’s absent honoree.

 

Honoree Ballerini, who performed “Ghost In This House” with Krauss, thanked many of those first-name females for reaching out and letting her share the stage with them. She noted at one point through the ceremony that bro-country had been leaving people out, a motif the gathering culminated around.

Thus, every honoree specifically thanked CMT, which according to Ballerini, “Chang[ed] the conversation in to an action.

CMT’s VP Tessa Jordan, Margaret Comeaux and Sr. VPs Suzanne Norman and Leslie Fram stepped up to lead the crusade with the network’s Next Women movement, founded five years ago now complete with online platform and tour. Fram co-leads Change The Conversation, a four year old collective aimed to help women.

Pictured (L-R): Alison Krauss, Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images/CMT

Not just country music royalty graced the stage. Schlapman and Fairchild performed a “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and “Help Me Make It Through The Night” with Gladys Knight. Smokey Robinson introduced Morris and Brandi Carlile for a soulful cover of “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman,” by his close friend, the late Aretha Franklin. The night was a tribute, down to the commercial break house music, playing the likes of Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Cyndi Lauper.

Tori Kelly joined honoree Scott for “American Honey,” “Never Alone” and “Oh Happy Day” with Kirk Franklin. The Pistol Annies (Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley and Lambert) kicked off the whole she-bang with new music, set for release Nov. 2, confidently trading verses in the sexually playful “Sugar Daddy.” “Not a day will go by that I won’t want to collaborate with other women in this industry. We have to be there for each other, and I feel like we are,” accepted Lambert with an intro from artist Elle King.

Dierks Bentley with his daughter. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images/CMT

Keith Urban honored Underwood, while male artists in the groups (Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Jimi Westbrook, Phillip Sweet) presented the females among them. Specifically, Lady Antebellum’s Scott thanked the wives of her band mates and directed her remarks to her three daughters.

“My mom gave a gift to me and my baby sister, that there is no dream too big. And if we work hard and are kind, that we can see what the world has to offer and how much God can bring you to and through in your life,” accepted Scott.

View CMT’s most-watched AOTY event, in full at cmt.com.

Pictured (L-R): Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images/CMT

Pistol Annies. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images/CMT

Hillary Scott, Tori Kelly and Kirk Franklin. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images/CMT

Fellow Writers Honor Andrew Dorff’s Memory At Inaugural Benefit Concert

/by

Photo: Dot Video Design

The inaugural Andrew Marshall Dorff Memorial Benefit Concert October 17 at the Franklin Theater raised more than $25,000 for the Pediatric Oncology Initiatives at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and featuring performances by some of Dorff’s closest friends and co-writers.

The event was emceed by Sirius XM’s Storme Warren and featured acoustic performances of Dorff’s songs by Jeffrey Steele (“Love Didn’t Love Me”), Lori McKenna and Barry Dean (“That’s How You Know”), Mark Irwin (“Neon Light”), Tom Douglas (“Ghosts on the Radio”), Levi Hummon and Marcus Hummon (“Make It Love”), Rodney Clawson (“All of Me”), Frank Ray (“Tequila Mockingbird”) and Sam Bailey (“Bleed Red”).

Brad Tursi, Matthew Ramsey, and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion made a surprise appearance during the concert to perform “Save it for a Rainy Day,” and the night concluded with Hunter Hayes performing “Somebody’s Heartbreak” and “Ladders and Parachutes.”

“My goal for the evening was to honor Andrew’s memory and talents with the people that loved him the most and to give back to a cause that was near and dear to his heart. I can’t thank everyone enough for participating and putting together a special night for Andrew and for Children’s Hospital,” said father and legendary songwriter Steve Dorff.

All proceeds went to pediatric oncology initiatives at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to help advance Children’s Hospital’s ongoing mission of compassionate patient care, discovery research and clinical training.

Dorff was an acclaimed songwriter with five No. 1’s to his credit and over 70 songs recorded.

Pictured (L-R): Trevor Rosen, Matthew Ramsey, Brad Tursi of Old Dominion

Phil Sillas Joins Maximum Artist Group In California

/by

Phil Sillas

Phil Sillas has joined Maximum Artist Group, LLC as a manager and product developer with a concentration on the Latin Christian market and focus on the worship music area. He is bringing Dove Award-nominated sister duo, Genessis & Nikki to Maximum with him.

Sillas’s career spans over 32 years in the music industry with stints at major companies including Warner/Chappell Music, Word Music, and Worship Leader magazine, among others, along with his own TSG Records and TSG Management.

“We have been watching what is happening in Latin music, specifically in the faith-based space, and have been eager to be a part of the explosive growth,” says Mitchell Solarek, president and founder of Maximum. “Now that we have someone on our team with Phil’s background and depth of experience, we are excited to say we are officially in. Phil has been a significant catalyst in that area over many years. He has a great eye for talent and knows how to create music that impacts audiences worldwide. Having him join us at this time in our industry positions us to help facilitate great growth for Latin Christian artists and their music for many years to come.”

Sillas is based in San Luis Obispo, California and will work through Maximum’s newly-established L.A. office.

Maximum’s client roster includes Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms, Danny Gokey, Donald Lawrence, Tauren Wells, Koryn Hawthorne, Social Club Misfits, Riley Clemmons, and the women’s event conference Dare to Be.

ASCAP “She Is The Music” Song Camp Kicks Off With Party In Nashville

/by

Veteran Music Producer Ron Fair, ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board Paul Williams, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige, ASCAP CEO Beth Matthews, Executive Vice President of Membership John Titta and Senior Vice President of Membership Nicole George-Middleton

ASCAP, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, kicked off the highly anticipated “She Is The Music” song camp with a party at hit producer and music executive Ron Fair’s Faircraft Studio in Nashville.

Celebrating their sisterhood within the music industry, camp participants in attendance included the Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated Mary J. Blige, superstar engineer Maria Elisa Ayerbe, writers Stacey Barthe (“Cheers (Drink to That),” Rihanna) and Ingrid Burley (“Love Drought,” Beyonce), Alyssa Bonagura of Sony Music Nashville duo The Sisterhood, Femke Weidema, whose “My Song” was featured on ABC’s hit show “Nashville,” singer, songwriter and pianist Anna Graceman, ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn prize winner/ UMPG writer Caylee Hammack, Big Loud Records songwriter-artist Jillian Jacqueline, Audra Mae (“Little Red Wagon,” Miranda Lambert), PJ (Wiz Khalifa, Usher, Chris Brown, Charlie Puth, Fantasia), Priscilla Renea (“Timber,” Pitbull, “California King,” Rihanna), multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Ali Stone, Emily Weisband (Grammy-winning “Thy Will,” Hillary Scott), production duo The Wildcardz and more.

ASCAP Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Matthews welcomed all of the “She Is The Music” participants and remarked upon the ASCAP creative community, the organization’s ongoing support for ASCAP female writers and its desire to bring the camp together. Also in attendance were Ron Fair and ASCAP executives Paul Williams, John Titta, Lauren Iossa and Nicole George-Middleton. The intimate gathering was a perfect opportunity for all of the participants to meet and mingle.

She Is The Music is an industry-wide initiative to increase opportunities for and empower female music creators. It is committed to progressing inclusivity and equality for women in music, with the goal of transforming the landscape of the business. She Is The Music was created in response to a music industry report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, with data revealing huge inequalities for female musicians. The effort was cofounded by esteemed industry figures including global superstar Alicia Keys, Universal Music Publishing Group Chairman and CEO Jody Gerson, Grammy Award-winning engineer Ann Mincieli and WME partner and head of East Coast Music Samantha Kirby.

The camp officially began yesterday and will continue through Friday, October 19th.

DISClaimer: Pistol Annies, Ruston Kelly Lead A Country Roots Rebellion

/by

Pistol Annies. Photo: Miller Mobley

If you are a sick of contemporary “country” as I am, you will welcome today’s slate of artists who turn their backs on pop.

Leading a charge to save country music are Gretchen Wilson, Cody Johnson, Jimmie Allen, Jerrod Niemann, William Michael Morgan and our Disc of the Day winners, the Pistol Annies.

The DisCovery Award goes to another rootsy fellow, Ruston Kelly. Up to now, he’s probably best known to fans as the guy who inspired all of Kacey Musgraves’ new romantic tunes. His Rounder collection ought to change that.

JIMMIE ALLEN/Best Shot
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Broken Bow
– Rippling acoustic guitars, gentle piano notes, sky-blue celestial atmosphere and an awesome vocal. This swooningly romantic ballad rings all my bells. Ear candy that deserves massive radio spins.

CODY JOHNSON/Ain’t Nothin’ To It
Writer: David Lee; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Warner Bros./CoJo
– The title tune of Cody’s upcoming CD is a real-life ballad about making love work for the long haul. This by-god country singer just could be the savior we’ve been needing.

RUSTON KELLY/Mockingbird
Writers: Ruston Kelly; Producers: Kelly/Jarrad K; Publishers: none listed; Rounder
– A broken heart has seldom sounded sweeter or more hopeful. He sings with yearning grace, and the track swirls with an evocative blend of organ, guitars and punchy percussion. A spectacular debut.

KASSI ASHTON/Taxidermy
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; MCA
– Funky guitars, a choppy pop beat and a sassy, soul-sister vocal. It ain’t exactly country, but it has a saucy charm. It’s so individualistic and different sounding that I can’t imagine radio going for it.

PISTOL ANNIES/Stop, Drop and Roll One
Writers: Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; RCA
– Delightfully humorous and loaded with moxie. Splendid trio harmonies, plenty of twang and wit to spare. I love these gals all to pieces.

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN/Tonight Girl
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Warner Bros.
– It’s a slow jam with a slight r&b groove. But whatever it is, the warmth, intimacy and sensuousness of his vocal performance is center stage. The man can sure ‘nuff sing.

GRETCHEN WILSON/Stacy
Writers: Wilson/Bridgette Tatum/Rob Hatch; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Redneck
– Righteously rocking. The video takes us back to Gretchen’s home turf of Pocahontas, IL for a tale of a wild gal who runs the cops crazy. “Girls like you make women like me look bad,” she wails. But she also adds, “Everyone knows a Stacy.” A spitfire of a single.

KID ROCK/Po Dunk
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; BBR/Wheelhouse
– It’s in your name, bro. You are a rock singer, and all the redneck posturing in the world can’t make you country. Furthermore, you are from Detroit and flash your bling every chance you get — so how authentic is this stupid stomp about being from the hillbilly sticks?

JO DEE MESSINA/Reckless Love
Writers: Cory Asbury/Caleb Culver/Ran Jackson; Producers: Seth Mosley/ X O’Connor; Publishers: none listed; FCM
– Co-writer Asbury had a CCM version of this a little while ago. Messina’s country take on the tune features airy, chiming atmosphere and a penetrating, emotional, range-y performance from this always relatable vocalist. I remain a fan.

JERROD NIEMANN/Old Glory
Writer: Jerrod Niemann; Lance Miller, JR McCoy; Producer: Jimmie Lee Sloas, Jerrod Niemann; Publishers: Audio Beer Tunes/ASCAP/New House Of Sea Gayle Music/ASCAP (Both admin. By ClearBox Rights), BMG Silver Songs (SESAC) / Still Working For All, Inc (SESAC) / Sonic Style Music (SESAC), administered by BMG Silver Songs; Curb Songs (ASCAP) / Twang Town, LLC (adm. by Curb Songs) (ASCAP) Curb
– Sung from the point of view of an active serviceman, this ballad also reflects the feelings of this stalwart USO entertainer. Admirable patriotism without the politics.

CMA Board Members Honored At Special Reception

/by

Pictured (L-R): Metro Nashville Public Schools music teacher Franklin Willis; CMA Foundation Executive Director Tiffany Kerns; CMA Foundation Board Chairman Joe Galante; CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern; CMA Board Chairman and The Fitzgerald Hartley Company Partner Bill Simmons; and CMA Board President and BMI Vice President, Creative, Nashville Jody Williams    Photo: Jamie Schramm/CMA

The CMA presented industry honors to Board members Jody Williams, Bill Simmons, and Joe Galante on Tuesday night, (Oct. 16) at the CMA Board reception at BMI in Nashville. During the evening Simmons also surprised CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern with the CMA Chairman’s Award for her outstanding service to the organization.

“Every year the Chairman of the Board gets to give an award to an individual who has provided outstanding service to the CMA through their term as Chairman,” said CMA Board Chairman and The Fitzgerald Hartley Company Partner Bill Simmons. “When I was trying to figure out who I would present this to, there was only person, you. The way you treat the Board, your staff, artists, you’re the best thing that ever happened to the CMA.”

“I’m the luckiest person in the world because I get up in the morning and I get to work with an incredible, amazing staff to execute on the vision of the Board and that’s why I have the best job in Nashville,” said Trahern. “I thank Bill and the officers, but I am going to accept this and put it in my office on behalf of our staff because there are 53 other people in our building who work with me to carry out what your vision is and I couldn’t do it without them, so as I look around the room at the faces, thank you for all you do for us.”

CMA Board President and BMI Vice President, Creative, Nashville Jody Williams was presented with a ceremonial globe memento during the celebration. “This role is so much more than I ever thought it would be,” said Williams. “It’s a lot more work, for sure, but it’s very gratifying to get really close to the leadership team and the CMA staff. It’s a real blessing to be able to do this, so thank you all very much. I look forward to another great year.”

Simmons was presented with a ceremonial gavel for his service. “It’s been an honor and a privilege, and thanks to all the past Chairs that talked to me and encouraged me to do it and helped me do it, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” said Simmons about his service before presenting the CMA Chairman’s Award to Trahern.

Metro Nashville Public Schools teacher and two-time CMA Music Teacher of Excellence recipient Franklin Willis spoke about the impact the CMA Foundation has had on him personally and professionally before presenting CMA Foundation Board Chairman Joe Galante a trophy.

“Mr. Joe, I’m not sure you understand the impact that you have, not only on the city of Nashville, but in other parts of the country for music education,” said Willis. “The CMA Music Teachers of Excellence has provided me an opportunity to grow and to be recognized for the work that I do. And the kids this year at CMA Fest. To know the back stories of some of those children and the brokenness that they come from, but when they got on that stage at Nissan Stadium in June in front of tens of thousands of people and to open up their mouths and sing with heart, with passion, with love, it was something I’ll never forget as a music teacher and also just as a human being.  We want to recognize you for your work. We want to recognize you for your passion and your love of music, Mr. Joe Galante.”

“I’ve been on the Board a long time and have been Chair of lots of committees, but the CMA Foundation has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done with this organization,” said Galante.

Morgan Evans Brings Eclectic Musicality, Relentless Optimism To ‘Things That We Drink To’

/by

Morgan Evans

Though Things That We Drink To, the title of Morgan Evans‘ debut Warner Music Nashville (which dropped Oct. 12) might suggest an album chock full of heartache and loss, the songs on this guitar slinger’s 11-track album are unabashedly optimistic, echoing the wide-eyed cheerfulness of an artist enjoying both the first blushes of career success (with his first No. 1 single, “Kiss Somebody”) and relishing a solid relationship with wife and fellow country entertainer Kelsea Ballerini (who joins Evans on the dreamy track “Dance With Me”).

Even the album’s heart-wrenching title track, which Evans penned alongside Chris DeStefano and Josh Osborne, brims with a hard-earned, stubborn optimism. Evans penned the track while still reeling from the death of his longtime manager and mentor, Rob Potts, who died in a motorcycle accident last year in Australia. In the wake of tragedy, Evans and company focused on the joy of working alongside Potts.

“We talked about writing a song as a way to celebrate the life we got to live together and all the good times we got to have,” he recalls.

Early in his career, Evans established a strong fanbase in Australia, releasing two EPs as well as a full-length self-titled album via Warner Australasia. He’s picked up five CMC Awards in Australia.

With encouragement of Potts and others in Australia’s music community, Evans set his sights on a career in the U.S. and began regularly making the nearly 20-hour flight to Nashville, where he would stay two and three months at a time.

Nearly four years ago, Evans made the transition to living full-time in the U.S. Ironically, a visit back to Australia during the Christmas season led Evans to meet country songwriter-producer Chris DeStefano. Evans took part in a songwriting camp during his stay in Australia, and was paired in a writing session with DeStefano and a New Zealand rock band.

“It was the oddest experience, but also the best,” he recalls. “Obviously I knew exactly who [Chris] was and what he’d done. He wasn’t even the producer in the session. This rock band was producing and one of the guys kept turning to me and saying, ‘How would you produce this in a country way?’ And I looked at Chris and was like, ‘You should probably ask that guy. He knows.’”

Through the writing camp, Evans was also paired with another Nashville songwriting heavyweight, Ashley Gorley. “By Wednesday of that week, we were all in the studio together making demos, and they said, ‘You should move to Nashville,’” he recalls, laughing. “I was like, ‘I live there now, so that kind of works out.’ It was just a chance meeting with those guys, and I started writing a lot with Chris and he took the reins on the production for the album.

“Once we had ‘Kiss Somebody,’ ‘Dance With Me,’ and ‘Everything Changes,’ that was when the conversation started between Warner in Australia and Warner in Nashville,” Evans recalls. “Looking back now, that was one of the best things that could have happened because we started working with this great label but we already had this great thing going already, with Chris writing and producing these great tracks that were already well on the direction we wanted to go. That’s such a cool place to start the project.”

Things That We Drink To is driven by churning music loops and soaked in country-rock stylings that have brought comparisons to fellow country artist Keith Urban, whom Evans has long counted as an influence. Also driving the album is the musical vision shared by Evans and DeStefano in the studio.

Together, Evans and DeStefano contributed nearly all the instrumental work on Things That We Drink To, showcasing their versatility and willingness to experiment with various sonic textures. Studio session drummer Nir Z also contributed percussion to five of the tracks.

“During the process of recording one of the songs, I said, ‘Man I could hear a string section on this.’ And it was just me and Chris in the studio. So he got up, got a violin and played 30 tracks of violin and suddenly we had this string section for a song. I still remember that as the moment of us working together where I thought, ‘This really is limitless, the most pure form of creativity I can imagine.’ The whole process was a lot like that and his ability as a musician and producer meant a lot of those tracks came to life as we were writing them.”

As buoyant as the album sounds on shimmering tracks like “Day Drunk” and “Young Again,” Evans comes across as engaging and authentic throughout.

On the hopeful “We Dream,” Evans brought in Ashley Gorley’s daughter and a few of her friends to sing on the track, creating a choral moment in the chorus.

“Originally, I was singing that part that the choir sings on. I felt like there was something missing, on those words like ‘You can be anything you want to be.’ That just felt like a youthful feeling and I thought, ‘Why don’t we get a choir on this? How cool would that sound? It would make it feel like what it’s saying.’ Having them on the song was the magic missing from the album. It was the last song we recorded on the album, and their part was the last part we recorded for the album.”

For most of the year, Evans has been opening for Chris Young on his Losing Sleep World Tour, allowing Evans to watch his fanbase grow on a near-nightly basis, as “Kiss Somebody” has wound its way up the charts.

“I got to watch this year what it means to have a Top 40, then a Top 30, then a Top 20 single, and you can feel a difference between all those things and the energy is crazy. I’m the first onstage of three artists, which quite often you wonder if anyone is going to be in the audience yet, but the places have been pretty much if not full every night so I really feel like I’m in a good position in my life and career to appreciate what that means.”