Jordan Davis Celebrates Second No. 1 Single, “Take It From Me”

/by

Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, and Jason Gantt perform “Take It From Me.” Photo: Ed Rode.

Jordan Davis celebrated his second No. 1 hit, “Take It From Me,” during a party hosted by ASCAP and BMI at Nashville venue Ruby on July 30. Jordan penned the track alongside his brother and fellow singer-songwriter Jacob Davis, as well as Jason Gantt. The song marked the first No. 1 single as a writer for both Jacob Davis and Gantt.

“Take It From Me,” produced by Paul DiGiovanni, is from Davis’ debut album Home State, released via MCA Nashville.

ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe Johnston celebrated ASCAP writers Jacob Davis and Jordan Davis, while BMI’s MaryAnn Keen feted BMI writer Jason Gantt.

Gantt thanked Bob DiPiero for teaching him when he first moved to Nashville in 2000. “I got a job as an assistant engineer on a Bob DiPiero tracking session and a few months later, the main engineer just bailed and I became the main engineer. I’ve loved learning from you by being around you. During that time, I never told him I wanted to be a songwriter or that I write songs, because I was too scared to do that. In walks Leslie DiPiero one day and I guess she saw something in me. She started setting me up on co-writes, and I got to know everyone at Sony. Everyone there treats me so well. In 2014, I met Jacob Davis and we started writing songs. I love anytime I get to write with you because I love teaching you things all the time when we write,” he joked.

Jacob Davis thanked his family, publishers, and supporters, before offering gratitude to his co-writers. “I’m going to say something about my brother. I remember growing up and being five or six years old and my parents always told me, ‘Watch baby Jordan. Keep an eye on baby Jordan.’ I always had baby Jordan’s back and I always took pride in that. It’s come full circle and it’s a sweet thing. I can honestly say that I’ve never taken more pride than to watch baby Jordan have this success.…this is the best, dude.”

Pictured (L-R): Producer Paul DiGiovanni, Anthem Entertainment’s Gilles Godard, Wrensong Entertainment’s Abbe Nameche, ASCAP songwriter Jacob Davis, ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe Johnston, ASCAP songwriter and MCA Nashville recording artist Jordan Davis, Anthem Entertainment’s Tim Hunze, Rezonant Music’s Tim Wipperman, BMI songwriter Jason Gantt, BMI’s MaryAnn Keen, Love Monkey Music’s Bob DiPiero, Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Josh Van Valkenburg, and UMG Nashville’s Mike Dungan. Photo: Ed Rode.

CMA’s Brandi Simms, Anthem Entertainment’s Gilles Godard, Wrensong Entertainment’s Abbe Nameche, Anthem Entertainment’s Tim Hunze, Rezonant Music’s Tim Wipperman, Love Monkey Music’s Bob DiPiero, Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Josh Van Valkenburg and UMG Nashville’s Mike Dungan were in attendance. First Tennessee Bank was also on hand to celebrate.

“I never dreamed about any of this stuff,” Jordan Davis told the crowd of industry well wishers. “But I had people who got behind me and pushed me. I needed that at the time, to show what we could do and what could be done. And writers in this town accepted me when I wasn’t writing good songs like this. They continued to stick with me, instead of throwing me out and sticking someone else in that third slot, which I know happens.

“Thank you Brian Wright and Stephanie Wright for bringing me into the best damn record label in Nashville. They took a chance on a guy who had no business signing a record deal. I didn’t, and they took a shot. I’m grateful for that and I’ve worked very hard to show that I am worthy of it, but that starts with y’all believing in me. I didn’t think it would happen, but everybody believed in me and I can’t think you enough for that.

“Jason and Jacob, this was a goal of ours to have this and it’s unreal. Paul, thank you so much for making this record sound a whole lot better than it should. This song was a fight, a gloves off, fist brawl [to reach the No. 1 slot]. We were at No. 2, and I knew were going to celebrate the song either way. There were too many people who worked their butts off. Whether it was a No. 1, a No. 2, or honestly even if it was a No. 8, there were people who knew how special this song was to me and I can’t explain how people got behind it and wanted this for me and knew it was so special to me and my brother and my family.”

Brett Young’s New Caliville Collection To Debut At Kohls In October

/by

Photo Credit: Kohl’s

Brett Young is teaming up with Kohls for a new Caliville clothing collection and will also help highlight Levi’s denim styles during the back-to-school season, spotlighting his favorite go-to jeans and Levi’s fits in a multi-dimensional new marketing campaign. Brett Young’s Caliville collection will debut at Kohl’s beginning in October 2019.

Inspired by Young’s California roots and career in Nashville, the Caliville collection will feature a selection of short sleeve and long sleeve graphic tees, fleece, flannels, and joggers, ranging from $25 to $60. Caliville apparel will be available in more than 750 Kohl’s stores and on Kohls.com.

“Bringing Caliville apparel exclusively to Kohl’s is a dream come true,” said Young. “To me, Caliville represents taking risks and chasing your dreams without letting anyone discourage you, and seeing this message and clothing line come full circle in so many ways is so much fun. I’m so happy this partnership will allow us to keep spreading that message.”

Exclusive: Maren Morris Signs With UMPG For Publishing Admin Deal

/by

Global music publisher Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has entered into a worldwide administration deal with superstar Maren Morris. Morris is currently self-published.

Morris said, “I have loved working with the staff at UMPG for a while just through the past years of writing with their songwriters, so to officially be in the UMPG family feels like coming home in a way. I am so looking forward to our partnership together and can’t wait for the songs to come!”

UMPG Chairman and CEO Jody Gerson said, “Maren is an extremely talented songwriter, artist and producer whose songs have the world singing along to every hit. Even more exceptional, she has successfully crossed genres, moving seamlessly between beloved country music superstar and topping pop charts. Maren has a bright and exciting future ahead, and we are thrilled to welcome her to UMPG’s creative global home.”

Added Troy Tomlinson, UMPG Nashville Chairman and CEO: “Maren displays fearlessness and energy in every lyric, every melody and every performance. UMPG is so happy to have the opportunity to represent a talent of her caliber and look forward to delivering outstanding creative opportunities.”

Morris’ recently-released sophomore album GIRL broke the record for the largest-ever debut streaming week for a country album by a female artist, with 23.96 million streams in its first week. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, while the Gold-certified title track—which is No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts—achieved the highest debut on the Billboard Country Streaming Songs Chart by a female artist and the highest weekly streams ever by a female country artist.

Her debut single “My Church” is RIAA-certified double Platinum and earned Morris a Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance. Her Platinum-certified debut album HERO is also home to Platinum hits “80s Mercedes” and “I Could Use A Love Song,” as well as Gold-certified “Rich.”

Morris’ collaboration with fellow UMPG songwriters Zedd and Grey, “The Middle,” earned multiple Grammy nominations, reached No. 5 on Billboard Hot 100, spent six weeks at No. 1 at Top 40 Radio and five weeks at No. 1 at Hot AC radio.