Now Open! New Submissions For MusicRow’s 2020 Annual Artist Roster Print Issue

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Submissions for MusicRow‘s upcoming Artist Roster print issue are now being accepted through next Wednesday, April 29, 2020 with the official form below. Previously included labels and companies will be solicited separately.

This issue includes company listings and rosters for Nashville record labels, managers, publicists, lawyers, talent agents, publicity and artist services companies (business managers, digital music, legal, marketing, radio promotion, and organizations).

Submissions are now closed.

For impactful advertising opportunities in the Artist Roster print issue, email Sherod Robertson at [email protected]. Rate card information is available here.

Morgan Evans Launches ‘The Highway 1 Sessions’ Docuseries

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Morgan Evans.

Morgan Evans will release a new docuseries titled The Highway 1 Sessions, which brings Evans’ fans along with him for a trip along California’s Pacific Coast Highway.

Eight years ago, the Warner Music Nashville artist left his native Australia and went through a period of self-discovery as he navigated his way through the entertainment industry. In the new docuseries, he takes fans through that process with him. A Warner Music Nashville/Indigo Frame collaboration, the five-part limited series premieres tonight, April 22 at 8 p.m. CT, with a new episode every Wednesday on Evans’ YouTube channel.

“I feel like in times when you know you’re not in the right spot is when you really find out who you are,” Evans explains in the beginning scenes of the Patrick Tracy-directed project. “You know that it feels so wrong, so there must be something out there that’s at least more right than that.”

Since moving to Nashville and signing with Warner Music Nashville, he has been chosen as one of Country Radio Seminar’s New Faces of Country Music honorees, and has earned more than 450 million career streams, including his recent single “Diamonds.” He has also topped the charts with his previous singles “Kiss Somebody” and “Day Drunk,” which spent 25 weeks at No. 1 in Australia. Both tracks are from his debut project Things That We Drink To, which was named Best Country Album at the ARIA Music Awards in Australia.

 

SiriusXM To Launch ‘Stagecouch Weekend’ With Eric Church, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood

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SiriusXM and Goldenvoice are hosting SiriusXM’s Stagecouch Weekend, a special broadcast taking place over the original scheduled weekend for Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival April 24-26.

Stagecouch Weekend will feature exclusive, new performance sets from this year’s Stagecoach lineup and its headliners, broadcast each day from artists’ homes. Thomas Rhett headlines Friday’s broadcast, while Carrie Underwood closes things out on Saturday and Eric Church rounds out the weekend on Sunday.

Stagecouch Weekend will air on SiriusXM’s The Highway on Friday, April 24, Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 from 12:00 pm to 5 p.m. ET each day, followed by an encore broadcast each night, via satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

The three-day broadcast will also feature new ‘at-home’ Stagecoach performances from artists participating in this year’s festival including Ashley McBryde, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Ingrid Andress, Jon Pardi, Midland, Old Dominion and more.

“In this challenging time, we want to continue to help bring artists and fans together, just as they would at Stagecoach,” said Steve Blatter, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Music Programming, SiriusXM.  “With the amazing help of the many great Country music artists involved, this prestigious annual event will come to life like it never has before on The Highway.”

“Celebrating Stagecoach weekend with SiriusXM, all of our artists, partners, fans and community is something we all hold so dear to our hearts,” says Stagecoach Talent Buyer Stacy Vee.  “We couldn’t let this weekend in April go by quietly, so we decided to throw a house party. I hope everyone enjoys what we have put together!”

Michael Franti Urges Us To ‘Work Hard And Be Nice’ On New Album

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Michael Franti has announced his upcoming 11th studio album, Work Hard And Be Nice, will be released June 19 on Thirty Tigers. The project includes the lead songs, “How We Living,” and “I’m On Your Side,” both out today.

The award-winning film Stay Human, directed by Franti and coined by Woody Harrelson as “the film every human needs to watch right now,” will have its YouTube premiere, partnered with Levi’s, this evening, Wednesday, April 22 at 5 p.m. PT with a Q&A and acoustic performance with Franti via Instagram immediately following the screening.

“There is no better time for music that helps us laugh, cry, rage, soothe, dance and sing through the sea of emotions boiling inside each of us. How beautiful that we can come together today of all days, on Earth Day. While we may be physically distancing, socially I love how we’re coming together,” he said.  “I wrote ‘I’m On Your Side’ to share the message that despite the labels we put on each other to divide us into different groups and force us to choose sides, like political ideologies, gender, race, religion, sexuality and economic standing, we have a lot more in common than we do in difference. We all ‘stay awake at night wondering if we’ll be all right,’ or sit ‘…at the kitchen table counting up the bills to pay.’ And in each of those situations where we start to feel hopelessness creeping in, when we feel most alone in the battle, I want the listener to know, I feel it too. I’m there with you in spirit, without judgment, in solidarity and ‘I’m On Your Side.’”

In continued celebration of Earth Day and the announcement of Work Hard And Be Nice, Franti will join Earth Day Live on Thursday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. PT, and on Friday, April 24, he will join Together We Breathe Hope, a free virtual concert benefiting the National Jewish Health COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

Work Hard And Be Nice Track Listing:

  1. I Got You (Michael Franti & Chris Stevens)
  2. Sun and Moon (Michael Franti & Chris Stevens)
  3. Good Shit Happens (Michael Franti & Cappy Franti)
  4. I Can Still Feel You (Michael Franti & Carl Young)
  5. Start Small Think Big (Michael Franti, Chris Stevens. Brett Warren & Brad Warren)
  6. How We Living (Michael Franti & Tim Myers)
  7. Breaking Down The Door (Michael Franti & Tim Myers)
  8. The Friends Song (Michael Franti & Daniel Lubwama Kigozi)
  9. Lay It All Down (Michael Franti, Chris Stevens & James Yeary)
  10. P.S. I Love You (Michael Franti)
  11. Work Hard And Be Nice (Michael Franti & Jonathan Singleton)
  12. Is It Worth A Penny To You (Michael Franti & Carl Young)
  13. Walking Into The Sun (Michael Franti & Carl Young)
  14. All My Friends (Michael Franti & Tim Myers)
  15. I’m On Your Side (Michael Franti & Sean McConnell)
  16. Daycation (Michael Franti & Nathan Chapman)
  17. Watching The World Go By With You (Michael Franti & Carl Young)

Collin Raye To Host CMT’s ’90 Minutes of ’90s Country’ On April 24

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Collin Raye will host CMT’s 90 Minutes of ’90s Country on Friday, April 24, beginning at 12 p.m. CT on CMT’s Facebook page. The program will also feature guests Aaron Tippin, Restless Heart’s Larry Stewart, Shenandoah’s Marty Raybon, Pam Tillis, Darryl Worley, Lorrie Morgan, Terri Clark and Billy Dean.

Raye, along with his guests, will perform acoustic renditions of their greatest hits, as well as discuss new music and projects.

“I am thrilled and excited to have the honor of hosting this event,” says Raye. “It will be an afternoon of top-shelf music and iconic songs performed acoustically by some of the greatest artists of our time, all of whom are dear friends of mine. For 90 minutes, we can all escape the stress and uncertainty of our current situation and simply hearken back to a time of fun memories and stellar music. It’s gonna be a blast!”

“We’re thrilled to team up with Collin and so many of our favorite ‘90s country artists to provide a much-needed respite for our fans at home,” shares Melissa Goldberg, Senior Director of Digital & Social, CMT. “We are so thankful to the musicians who are stepping up to share their talents on our platform so we can use the healing power of music to get us through these unprecedented times. We hope you’ll join us to dance and sing along to some great country classics as we stay #AloneTogether.”

Copperline Music Group Signs John Schneider

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Copperline Music Group has signed John Schneider to a multi-faceted agreement to include worldwide distribution, management, and booking.

“John is a diverse piece of American history–iconic as TV’s Bo Duke, an acclaimed singer-songwriter with multiple No. 1s, and a world-renowned Philanthropist as a founder of The Children’s Miracle Network. Our team at CMG is excited about representing John and continuing to grow his legacy,” says CMG Partner Rusty Harmon.

“I am very excited to be joining forces with Copperline,” Schneider says. “It’s nice in a world of conformity to be involved with people who think outside of the label! From distribution to management, videos to live performances, I am looking forward to great things out of this partnership.”

Copperline Music Group (CMG) will handle U.S. and International distribution for Schneider’s upcoming single releases including, “A Long Way From Lonely,” “Drinking Buddy,” “Cowboy’s Don’t Get Old,” and “Roy.” The first radio single slated to impact on June 5.

“John has an amazing talent that continues to entertain his fans worldwide,’ states CMG’s Head of A&R and Label Acquisitions Dewayne Brown. “With John’s upcoming projects we at CMG look forward to working with Alicia and the staff at Maven Entertainment as we continue to carry the true country music torch.”

Manager Rusty Harmon and producer Will Edwards founded Copperline Music Group in 2017. The company offers radio promotion, marketing, social media management, artist development and management. GMG Distribution represents Black Sheep Entertainment, Bristol Records, Cindy Blackman Santana, Lozen Entertainment Group, Maven Entertainment, and Rollin’ The Dice Records. CMG Management represents Cody Webb, Hudson Moore, and Schneider. CMG Records artist roster includes The Davisson Brothers and Cody Webb.

Schneider, best known for playing Bo Duke in Dukes of Hazzard, now appears on The Haves and the Have Nots on the OWN Network. In the 1980s, he earned four No. 1 hits, including “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know,” “Country Girls,” “What’s a Memory Like You (Doing in a Love Like This,)” and “You’re the Last Thing I Needed Tonight.” His 1986 album A Memory Like You topped the country albums chart. In 2009, the picked up recording again, releasing John’s Acoustic Christmas, followed by 2014’s Home For Christmas, a collaboration with his fellow Dukes of Hazzard co-star Tom Wopat. In 2015, he released Ruffled Skirts, and in 2018, released a 52-song American roots music project titled Odyssey.

Elvis Duran To Host Stay At Home Ball Benefit For Project C.U.R.E.

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iHeart radio host Elvis Duran is hosting a Stay At Home Ball on YouTube April 24 at 8 p.m. ET that will feature performances by Thomas Rhett, Hunter Hayes, Bebe Rexha, Train, Alessia Cara, and many more.

The ball will benefit Project C.U.R.E. which has delivered over 271 shipments of medical supplies and equipment, including ventilators, throughout the U.S., which is over 6,400 boxes of medical supplies from Project C.U.R.E. distribution centers worth over $3,000,000. To augment the supply of PPE over the past months, Project C.U.R.E. has conducted supply drives across the U.S. Their efforts have provided 66 pallets of donated medical supplies that have been distributed to health care systems in the U.S.

Fans Can Now Help Raise Money For Artists Via Spotify

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Spotify has launched a new feature, Artist Fundraising Pick, which allows artists to highlight a fundraising initiative, in addition to selecting a song to highlight on their profile. Fans can now donate money to artists via Spotify, to help artists, bands and crew members, charity initiatives, and more. Artists can add a link on their Spotify page to a GoFundMe page, PayPal or Cash App.

Spotify has partnered with Cash App, which has established a $1 million relief effort for artists. Spotify for Artists users who submit their “$cashtag” username as their Artist Fundraising Pick, and who secure at least one contribution through Spotify, will receive an extra $100 in their account from Cash App, until the collective $1 million total has been distributed. The effort is open to artists in the United States and United Kingdom, though Spotify listeners from around the world can make contributions via Cash App.

Alternatively, artists can select any of the verified organizations participating in the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project as their Artist Fundraising Pick, such as MusiCares.

Spotify for Artists admin users can select “Get started” on the banner at the top of their dashboard to submit their Fundraising Pick. Visit the best practices guide for more details on how it works. The fundraising pick you select is up to you: You can fundraise for yourself, your crew, a charity partner — as long as it fits within the safety policy.

Nashville Music Clubs Partner With National Independent Venue Association

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The National Independent Venue Association launched last week, and already has more than 700 member venues in 47 states and Washington, D.C.  Eleven Nashville clubs have joined the association including 3rd and Lindsley, The 5 Spot, The Bluebird Cafe, the Cannery Ballroom, Mercy Lounge, The High Watt, The End, The East Room, Exit/In, Springwater and Third Man Records (home of The Blue Room).

These venues and promoters across the country are banding together to seek help from the federal government for small venues with the main goal being to secure immediate financial support from Congress. The group has received some financial support from ticketing companies Lyte and See Tickets, and is seeking additional sponsors. The organization is also serving as an opportunity for venue owners and promoters to communicate and share resources regarding immediate needs like navigating small business loan applications as well as longer-term goals.

“Independent venues and promoters have a unique set of circumstances that require specialized assistance, so we’ve banded together and secured a powerhouse lobbying firm,” said Gary Witt, CEO of Pabst Theater Group and founding member of NIVA. “Akin Gump has been tapped to represent us, and that telegraphs to Capitol Hill that our needs are serious. Most of us have gone from our best year ever to a dead stop in revenues, but our expenses and overhead are still real, and many will not make it without help. Our employees, the artists, and the fans need us to act. But we are also an important income generator for those around us, bringing revenue to area restaurants, bars, hotels, and retail shops. Our contributions to the tax base far exceed our ticket sales.”

Senate Bill Adding Billions To The SBA’s COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program

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Leading artist rights and music companies are applauding yesterday’s Senate passage of a bill to add $310 billion to the Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 loan program, including $50 billion for loans for economic disaster aid. The House is expected to approve the bill later this week. Once signed into law, it is expected to take a day or two before the funds will be available. The SBA will not accept new PPP loan applications until the appropriations of this new funding is made.

The original $349 billion allocated to the Paycheck Protection Program loans for small businesses quickly ran out based on high demands. Subsequently, some have spoken out about the large public companies that were given access to these funds which seemed to go against the original purpose of this stimulus plan to help small businesses.

In a joint statement, the music community organizations said: “We applaud leaders of the Senate and House, Secretary Mnuchin, and the Administration who worked to find an agreement to include more funding for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program. This action is an important next step to ensure the program has funds to reach all Americans who need it.

“Musicians, songwriters, and composers have had their ability to work upended by the pandemic. Because they often act as independent contractors and sole proprietors, traditional unemployment benefits fail to provide financial relief. That’s why it remains essential that the PPP make independent contractors and sole proprietors fully eligible for loans and loan forgiveness including accounting for lost wages and insurance costs during the eligibility period.

Earlier this month, a broad cross-section of the music community came together to release MusicCovidRelief.com with up-to-the-minute guidance and resource materials for the arts/entertainment community. The website is designed to help people make real-world sense of the recently passed CARES Act and connect those in need to resources and opportunities.

The music coalition includes the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), Global Music Rights (GMR), the Music Artists Coalition (MAC), National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC), the Songwriters of North America (SONA), and more.