Singer-songwriter Phil Vassar will offer fans acoustic renditions of his biggest hits during his The Stripped Down tour, which will visit 14 cities next year. The trek coincides with an EP release by the same title, which features new material as well as a cover of “Postmarked Birmingham,” which was recorded by Blackhawk, and was co-written by Vassar along with Don Sampson.

The EP will release in January, while tickets for the tour go on sale Aug. 16.

“We’re peeling back the music to the core with just a piano and guitar, so we can give fans an intimate evening of conversation and music. It’s how these songs were written and I think it will be a fun, unique experience,” Vassar shared.

STRIPPED DOWN TOUR DATES:
Jan. 8 Tin Pan – Richmond, Va.
Jan. 9 Event Center at Mount Airy – Mt. Pocono, Pa.
Jan. 10 The Lamp Theatre – Irwin, Pa.
Jan. 11 The Renaissance Theatre – Mansfield, Ohio
Jan. 16 Space at Westbury – Westbury, N.Y.
Jan. 17 Tarrytown Music Hall – Tarrytown, N.Y.
Jan. 18 Infinity Hall – Norfolk, Conn.
Jan. 19 Greenwich Odeum – East Greenwich, R.I.
Jan. 23 Hippodrome Theater – Waco, Texas
Jan. 24 Arlington Music Hall – Arlington, Texas
Jan. 25 Dosey Doe – The Woodlands, Texas
Jan. 26 Texan Theater – Greenville, Texas
Feb. 13 The Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Feb. 14 Humphrey’s Backstage Live – San Diego, Calif.

The Australian Arts Council has announced their 2019 Grant recipient, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Sinead Burgess. In its third year, the Nashville Songwriters Residency Program allows Australian songwriters the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local music scene for three months focusing on their creative career.

Mentored by producer/chart-topping songwriter Mark Moffatt, the program promotes creative and business networking, the development of writing skills, opportunities to connect with other artists and songwriters to collaborate, and recording opportunities.

“I have watched Sinead’s growth from young major label signing to the sure footed and confident singer/songwriter she is today,” Moffatt said. “The residency grant gives her the opportunity to spend time integrating into the Nashville writing community, and I look forward to seeing some great collaborations emerge as she moves toward her next record.”

Burgess has had plenty of success in the past few years, from her 22-date UK tour debut with British country act The Shires, to her independent album release Damaged Goods, which reached #3 on the UK iTunes Country Album Chart, #6 on the Australian iTunes Country Album Chart and impacted the Top 200 in the US. Burgess self produced Damaged Goods, wrote every song on the record, and played the bulk of the instruments. She will hit the road this fall with performances at festivals including Americana Fest in Nashville and the C2C Festival in Sydney.

“It is such an honor to be chosen for this year’s Nashville residency grant,” Burgess said. “This will play a pivotal role in progressing my career as a writer and artist in Nashville, as it allows me the financial freedom to make the next crucial steps happen much sooner than I would have been able to make alone. I am incredibly excited to work hard through this period and utilize every opportunity here in Nashville that the ‘Australian Council for the Arts’ have given me!”

UMPG has signed Hillsong to an administration and writer development agreement in Europe.

The agreement includes both Hillsong Music Publishing and SHOUT! Music Publishing. Hillsong Music Publishing is the publishing arm of Hillsong Church, which has locations in 23 countries and 200,000 people attending services every week. UMPG will work with Hillsong to provide publishing administration services for the church’s catalogue in Europe. The deal will also allow for UMPG and Hillsong to collaborate in writer development opportunities, as well as new joint signings.

SHOUT! Music Publishing is home to an international roster of composers, writers and catalogues, including Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood, Reuben Morgan, Benjamin Hastings, Alex Pappas, Aodhan King, Hannah Hobbs, Melody Wagner, Ryan Taubert and most recent signing, Josh Grimmett (GOODBOYS).

“The administration agreement with Hillsong is a fantastic relationship that has grown from initially exploring collaborative and creative ideas to formalising a partnership in a unique environment,” said Dougie Bruce, UMPG UK. “We are looking forward to integrating their writers into our team and identifying key opportunities across the music sphere. UMPG will also handle some 11,000 existing works, and new signings and songs will further increase this catalogue.”

“UMPG are leaders in the music publishing world and we’re looking forward to exploring the opportunities for our song writers and have great respect and trust in their team,” said Steve McPherson, Publishing Manager of Hillsong. “We have had fruitful relationships within the Universal family in different parts of the world for many years and we’re very excited to extend this to the UK and Europe.”

Blake Shelton Celebrates RIAA Cert

Pictured (L-R): Scott Hendricks, Blake Shelton and John Esposito attend the No. 1 Party for “God’s Country” at Ole Red on Aug. 07, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BMI

Blake Shelton recently celebrated his two-week No. 1,“God’s Country” with his team at Warner Music Nashville. The song has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Pictured (L-R): Shane Tarleton, Scott Hendricks, Blake Shelton, John Esposito and Narvel Blackstock. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BMI

Cody Webb Visits ACM

Pictured (L-R): Greg Burroughs, Copperline Music Group; Cody Webb; RAC Clark, Interim ACM Executive Director; Rusty Harmon, Copperline Music Group. Photo: Michel Bourquard/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

The Academy of Country Music welcomed Copperline Music Group’s Cody Webb to the office while he was in Los Angeles recently. While at the Academy, Webb performed his current single, “Jon Boat,” along with a few other songs from his self-titled EP, Cody Webb.

BMI Partners With Warner Chappell For New Sounds of Nashville

For the second year in a row, BMI partnered with publisher Warner Chappell to curate talent for The New Sounds of Nashville, an interactive and intimate experience for the guests at Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida, this Labor Day weekend (Aug. 30-Sept. 1). This year’s lineup includes veteran songwriters Sarah Buxton, Casey Beathard, and Dylan Altman, as well as Ben Burgess, Brett Tyler, Randy Montana, Trent Harmon, and Troy Cartwright.

Pictured (clockwise from top left): Goad, Hudson, Perry, Parker

The Nashville Songwriters Association International has promoted four staffers. Nina Goad has been promoted to Executive Assistant to NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. Goad will also assist Herbison and NSAI’s Director of Operations Jennifer Turnbow on legislative and advocacy work.

Leah Hudson has been named NSAI member representative-member events director, and will assume responsibility for NSAI’s Tin Pan South and both of NSAI’s Summer Song Camps. McKenzie Parker has been named NSAI Chapter Director, overseeing NSAI’s 100 chapters around the world. Brooke Perry has been appointed Fulfillment and Production Manager, handling production and logistics for the Nashville Songwriter Awards, Tin Pan South, Sponsorships, and assisting Turnbow.