Country Trio Leaving Austin Inks Co-Pub Deal With Sea Gayle Music, BMG Nashville

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Pictured (Front row, L-R): Michael Stevens, Austin Machado, Davis Forney, Christina Wiltshire. (Back row, L-R): Chris Oglesby, Jake Gear, Chris DuBois, Zach Kelm, Marc Driskill

Sea Gayle Music and BMG Nashville have signed country band Leaving Austin to a co-publishing deal, which encompasses the group’s catalog and future works.

“Leaving Austin has their fingers firmly planted on the pulse of where the country format is heading,” remarked Jake Gear, Senior Creative Director, BMG Nashville. “Their songs are made for radio, and their live show for arenas. I’ve been a fan of these guys for quite some time – and thrilled to partner with them alongside Chris & Marc at Sea Gayle.”

The California trio, which comprises Austin Machado, Davis Forney and Michael Stevens and has earned more than 5.5 million streams, will release their EP Southern Gold on April 12. Their single “Nothing But You” earned more than 1 million streams and they recently released the track “She Can.”

“I have been working with the Leaving Austin guys in the writers room and the studio over the last year or more and have been blown away by their talent, artistic vision and chemistry as a band,” commented Sea Gayle’s Chris DuBois. “Sea Gayle is excited to partner with BMG and represent Leaving Austin in the publishing world. Big things are coming for this band and we are proud to be part of it.”

“Our passion for creating music together has brought us through six years of writing and recording songs at night, touring on the weekends and working on dairy farms and in coffee shops during the day,” Stevens remarks. “We recorded our first album in a bedroom and did it all on our own. We have always known, no matter how long this takes, we’re doing this, and we’re just beyond grateful to now have the folks at BMG and Sea Gayle to come along side of us and believe in us.”

Leaving Austin’s independently-released EP’s, Leaving Austin and That Feel Good, have over 3.5 million streams to date. The band has opened shows for Michael Ray, Josh Turner, Thompson Square, Parmalee, Cassadee Pope, Chris Lane, Brett Young, Joe Nichols, Eric Paslay and more.

Through these local shows, the band caught the attention of Steve Pleshe, Program Director at Fresno’s Kiss Country/KSKS, and his popular morning show duo, Gnarley Charley and Jody Jo.

“We’ve been fans of Leaving Austin from the beginning,” remarked Pleshe. “They have a great sound that is going to fit in perfectly with country radio. I can’t wait to brag about them when they get their first No. 1.”

Jessica Nicholson
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