The Nashville Songwriters Association International Board of Directors had its initial meeting of the 2020-21 term, which runs May through April, marking the first meeting for newly-elected members J.T. Harding, Josh Kear, Jon Nite and Emily Shackelton.
During the meeting, the Board re-elected the current Executive Committee and officers for a one-year term including President Steve Bogard, Legislative Co-Chairs Roger Brown and Lee Thomas Miller, Industry Liaison Brett James, Sergeant-At-Arms Bobby Tomberlin, Secretary Byron Hill, Treasurer Jenn Schott and At-Large Members Tim Nichols, Anthony L. Smith and Danny Wells.
The full 27-member NSAI Board includes songwriters: Rhett Akins, Jim Beavers, Steve Bogard, Roger Brown, Sarah Buxton, Jeff Cohen, Chris DeStefano, Nicolle Galyon, Brett James, J.T. Harding, Byron Hill, Josh Kear, Lee Thomas Miller, Tim Nichols, Jon Nite, Josh Osborne, Liz Rose, Rivers Rutherford, Jenn Schott, Emily Shackelton, Anthony L. Smith, Caitlyn Smith, Bobby Tomberlin, Laura Veltz, Troy Verges, Danny Wells and Jimmy Yeary.
Nostalgia for ’90s country seems to be everywhere.
Let’s not forget that many of those legacy acts are still making music today. This special edition of DisClaimer collects some of their efforts. With concert, nightclub and casino bookings kaput while we all social distance, some of these artists have lost their day-to-day livelihoods. So lend them all the support that you can.
Leading the way with the Disc of the Day is Ray Wylie Hubbard. But there are several other worthy candidates, namely Dolly, Billy Ray, Rosanne and Mark Chesnutt.
Joe & Martina have been in this column before, under their old billing of Terra Bella. Since this is their first appearance using their own names, give ’em a DisCovery Award, as well as a tip of the hat for throwing a spotlight on veteran John Berry.
BILLY RAY CYRUS, AKA MAMA KUSH/Ballad of Jed Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: WMG/BMG Rights Management, no performance rights listed; BRC
– Wonderfully wacky. It’s a rewrite of the theme song of “The Beverly Hillbillies” with references to Granny firing up some weed. This is tied in with the fact that Billy Ray now has his own pot blend, “Midnight Special.” Ya gotta love this guy.
RAY WYLIE HUBBARD/Bad Trick Writers: none listed; Producer: Ray Wylie Hubbard; Publisher: none listed; Big Machine
– Dark, bluesy and smoky….. and way, way cool. The hypnotic, minor-key groove is great enough, but the dancing-with-the-devil lyric is just as good. Texas legend Hubbard is best known for “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother,” but his songwriting and stage presence have always been light years better than that timeless gem. His profile was raised recently by his songwriting collaborations with Eric Church (“Desperate Man,” etc). His backup band here consists of Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Don Was and Chris Robinson of The Black Crows. Are those credentials good enough for ya? Play and believe.
MARK CHESNUTT/I Found Another You Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Nada Dinero
– Chesnutt remains one of our most underrated honky-tonk vocal stylists, and this audio delight demonstrates that he has lost none of his talent. A country-rock tempo churns this tune relentlessly while a chicken-pickin’ guitar stutters and a steel sizzles along. The punch line is hilarious: “I found another you, and she hates me, too.” Keepin’ it country, bro.
CLINT BLACK/America (Still In Love With You) Writers: Clint Black/Steve Wariner; Producer: Clint Black; Publisher: none listed; CB
– A snooze. The ballad’s tempo plods, and the message sounds instantly trite.
CLAY WALKER/Easy Goin’ Writers: Clay Walker/Adam Wheeler/Paul Sikes; Producer: Paul Sikes; Publishers: Espiritu de Leon Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Accent / Pedal Down Music (ASCAP), Oven Music, Inc. (BMI); CW
-It has the gently rolling atmosphere you might expect, given the title. The gal was here and gone on the highway, to his regret. Heartache with a breezy vibe.
ZACH WILLIAMS & DOLLY PARTON/There Was Jesus Writers: Jonathan Smith/Casey Beathard/Zach Williams; Producer: none listed; Publishers: Little Louder/Be Essential/Seven Ring Circus, BMI; Provident/Essential
-Indomitable Dolly lets no grass grow under her feet. She won a Grammy last year for her “God Only Knows” collaboration with For King & Country and began 2020 singing a five-week No. 1 smash on the dance charts along with the Swedish electro-duo Galantis on a tune titled “Faith.” Now she is dueting with Dove and Grammy-winning CCM star Zach Williams. As fiery a singer as he is, she matches him lick for vocal lick until the two of them built to a goosebump-raising crescendo. This is audio superstardom.
JOHN PAUL WHITE & ROSANNE CASH/We’re All In This Together Writers: John Paul White/Rosanne Cash; Producer: John Paul White; Publisher: none listed; Single Lock
– Set in an acoustic-guitar setting, this shimmering duet is an artistic lyric that reflects our pandemic-plagued world. The ballad’s proceeds benefit Music Health Alliance. Its video shows news footage of just how harrowing this all is.
TRACY LAWRENCE/When The Cowboy’s Gone Writers: Carson Chamberlain/Wyatt McCubbin/Tracy Lawrence; Producer: none listed; Publisher: Sony/ATV; Steadfast
-We’ve heard this worn-out sentiment many times before, but Tracy refreshes it a little because of his still-distinctive voice.
HOT COUNTRY KNIGHTS & TERRI CLARK/You Make It Hard Writers: Dierks Bentley/Brett Beavers/Jim Beavers/Mary Hilliard Harrington/Jon Randall/Luke Wooten; Producer: Dierks Bentley; Publisher: none listed; Capitol Nashville
-I guess the bordering-on-lewd lyric is supposed to be a so-bad-its-good parody. To me, it just sounds dumb. She deserves better.
JOE & MARTINA WITH JOHN BERRY/Give Me Back The ’90s Writers: Joe Costa/Johnny Garcia; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; JM
-The video (shot outside the iconic Nashville Palace) has visual references to Wynonna, Alan, Strait and Yearwood. Joe Costa takes the lead with his wife Martina Costa providing harmony while they wax nostalgic for the ’90s. John Berry pops up about 2/3 of the way through. Pleasant. Jaunty.
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/10141223/RAY-WYLIE-HUBBARD-by-Alan-Messer.jpg34455432Robert K Oermannhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngRobert K Oermann2020-05-04 15:40:072020-10-07 11:26:52DISClaimer Single Reviews: Ray Wylie Hubbard, Billy Ray Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Zach Williams, And More
Morgan Wallen moves up three slots to No. 4 this week on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, with co-writer credit on his “Chasin’ You,” “This Bar,” and his new “More Than My Hometown.”
Michael Hardy follows him at No. 5 with co-writer credit on Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown” and “This Bar,” Jameson Rodgers’ “Some Girls,” LOCASH’s “One Big Country Song,” and his own collaboration with Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson, “One Beer.”
Craig Wiseman remains at No. 1 this week, Shane McAnally moves up to No. 2 and Jonathan Singleton moves up to No. 3.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital downloaded track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
00LB Cantrellhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngLB Cantrell2020-05-04 14:46:452020-10-08 15:52:45Morgan Wallen, Michael Hardy Move In To Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
CAM, Skip Marley, Steve Earle, Brandy Clark and DJ Twin Shadow will kick off “Sessions,” a first of its kind, two-hour festival from MusiCares and Twitch this Wednesday, May 6. The new series will take place on four consecutive Wednesdays, with subsequent shows taking place on May 13, 20 and 27.
Confirmed guests for future episodes include Allie X, Bryce Vine, Cavetown, Dawes, Empress Of, Hanson, Julia Michaels, Kat Cunning, MAX, Randy Rainbow, Salt Cathedral, and many more. The festival will take place on the frontpage of Twitch and will feature four acts and host Matt Pinfield on a single screen. Conversation, collaboration and performances will be intertwined, with each artist performing two songs and a guest DJ to kick off and close out each episode.
Viewers can contribute to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund via a donate here button or online at tiltify.com/@sessions/sessions.
Launched in 2011, Twitch is a global community that creates multiplayer entertainment and brings the joy of co-op to everything, from casual gaming to world-class esports to anime marathons, music, and art streams.
https://music-row-website-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/10142526/Brandy-Clark-album.png406610Lorie Hollabaughhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngLorie Hollabaugh2020-05-04 14:29:432020-10-08 15:53:11MusiCares, Twitch To Launch Virtual Festival Featuring Brandy Clark, Steve Earle, CAM
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Photo: Grand Ole Opry LLC. Chris Hollo, photographer
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood brought some duet magic to the Opry stage this past Saturday night (May 2) as the two performed together on the Grand Ole Opry’s 4,922nd consecutive Saturday night broadcast. The two took turns performing their own hits and backing each other vocally on favorites from other giants in country including Merle Haggard, George Strait, and Emmylou Harris, and dueting on the George Jones/Tammy Wynette classic “Golden Ring” and their own “Whiskey To Wine.” The night marked the 10th anniversary of the Opry House being flooded in the Tennessee flood of 2010.
“I just love being here,” Brooks said. “This stage holds so many memories for both of us. Thanks to the Opry for letting us be members of the greatest place on the planet. In every challenge there is an opportunity. We are together apart, and apart we are together … in country music we are a family and we will all get through this and come out stronger in the end.”
Lauren Daigle Offers New Spanish Version Of “You Say”
Lauren Daigle.
Lauren Daigle has recorded a Spanish version of her Grammy-winning, 3x Platinum hit “You Say” (“Tu Dices”) which will be followed by “Rescue” (“Rescata”) on May 15. The new version can be heard here: hyperurl.co/TuDicesRescata. “You Say” is the first single from Daigle’s 2018 Grammy-winning album, Look Up Child. The longest-running No. 1 song on the weekly Hot Christian Songs Chart at 82 weeks, the crossover hit also spent multiple weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, appeared in the Top 20 on Billboard’s Top 40 chart, and Top 5 on their Hot AC Chart.
“Music has the power to move and connect us in ways that are oftentimes hard to describe,” said Daigle. “Now more than ever we need something to bring us together and music seems like the perfect way to do that. I hope that “Tu Dices” brings everyone as much joy as I had recording it!”
Counterpart Music Launches In Music City
Ben Stauffer
Counterpart Music has opened in Nashville. The new company, started by Ben Stauffer, provides independent musicians in all genres with record label and music publishing services, including album release planning, strategy, and project management; digital distribution; streaming and social media analytics; monetization optimization; and metadata management. Stauffer was previously a member of the executive leadership team of Centricity Music in Franklin, Tennessee, and has two decades of business experience with specialties in finance, data analytics, strategic planning and analysis, forecasting/modeling, and research.
Luke Combs holds the top two slots this week on the country albums sales chart, according to Nielsen Soundscan.
What You See Is What You Get is at No. 1 with 24K in total consumption, while This One’s For You is at No. 2 with 20K.
The Top 5 Country Albums
Luke Combs, What You See Is What You Get 24K/26 million song streams
Luke Combs, This One’s For You 20K/23 million song streams
Morgan Wallen, If I Know Me 19K/22 million song streams
Sam Hunt, SOUTHSIDE 18K/18 million song streams
Blake Shelton, Fully Loaded: God’s Country 14K/14 million song streams
Gabby Barrett remains atop the Country On-Demand Streaming Songs chart this week, with her No. 1 hit “I Hope” earning 9.5 million streams this week.
The Top 5 Country On-Demand Streaming Songs
Gabby Barrett, “I Hope” 9.5 million streams
Morgan Wallen, “Chasin’ You” 7.7 million song streams Diplo & Julia Michaels w/ Morgan Wallen, “Heartless” 7.3 million song streams Maren Morris, ” The Bones” 7.2 million song streams Blake Shelton w/ Gwen Stefani, “Nobody But You” 7.1 million song streams
00Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2020-05-04 14:13:422020-10-08 15:54:44Weekly Register: Luke Combs Takes Top Two Country Albums Sales Slots
May 4 Brett Young/Lady/BMLGR Caylee Hammack/Small Town Hypocrite/Capitol Nashville
May 9 Jesse Keith Whitley/Try To Change My Ways
May 11 Parmalee x Blanco Brown/Just The Way/Stoney Creek Records CJ Solar/Watered Down Whiskey/Sea Gayle
May 18 Jake Owen/Made For You/Big Loud Records Ryan Hurd/Every Other Memory/RCA Zach Williams & Dolly Parton/There Was Jesus/Provident Label Group
May 26 Clayton Smalley/Happy Place/YN Records Tara Shannon feat. WesternBoy/Freedom/Willow Sound Records
Album Releases
May 1 Kenny Chesney/Here and Now/Warner Music Nashville James Robert Webb/James Robert Webb/Bison Creek Records Hot Country Knights/The K Is Silent/Capitol Records Nashville CJ Solar/Coming My Way/Sea Gayle
May 4 Shakey Graves/Look Alive
May 15 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Reunions/Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers Sara Evans/Copy That/Born To Fly Records Chase Rice/The Album Part II/BBR Music Group
May 22 Daryl Mosley/The Secret Of Life/Pinecastle Records Steve Earle & The Dukes/Ghosts of West Virginia/New West Records Craig Morgan/God, Family, Country/BBR Music Group Chancey Williams/3rd Street High Valley/Grew Up On That/Warner Music Nashville
May 29 Kip Moore/Wild World/MCA Nashville The VW Boys/Acting Our Age/Fat Dog Records
00LB Cantrellhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngLB Cantrell2020-05-04 11:23:342020-10-08 15:55:12Mark Your Calendar—May 2020
According to a new study commissioned by United Talent Agency, 90% of concert-goers have actively sought to replace the live music experience while they have been under quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study, which was completed by UTA’s data and analytics team UTA IQ, in conjunction with SightX, is titled “Media and Entertainment in the Time of Coronavirus,” and surveyed 1,100 random respondents.
Of those surveyed, more than 25% said they had attended a livestreamed concert or music performance, a virtual movie night/watch party, a virtual fitness class or a virtual event/conference.
Artists’ music catalogs have also seen an uptick, as 55% of those surveyed said they are streaming catalog content from their favorite artists and 48% say they have watched footage of old performances and/or concerts.
Music fans also seem receptive to paid livestreams as 28% of the responders say they have paid to watch a livestream, while 7 out of 10 of survey responders who participated in a livestream concert while social distancing say they plan to continue doing so even after they return to live music events.
The study concluded, “Prior to COVID-19, the appetite for virtual concerts was limited. Now, optimizing the virtual experience may be critical to the future of live music. Music tech companies have quickly begun to legitimize the livestream business through ticketing and offering community-based features that hope to replicate the shared experience of attending a live event.”
00Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2020-05-04 11:20:292020-10-08 16:27:05UTA Study: "Optimizing The Virtual Experience May Be Critical To The Future Of Live Music"
The Eagles have announced that their Hotel California concerts in Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and St. Paul, have been rescheduled to 2021, after originally being pushed back further into 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns.
Fans with tickets to the previously announced 2020 dates are encouraged to hold on to their tickets as they will be honored for the new dates. If you are unable to attend the new date, you will be able to request a refund. For more information, visit livenation.com/refund or contact your point of purchase.
The Eagles, made up of Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, with Deacon Frey and Vince Gill, will perform a Hotel California set, with an accompanying orchestra and choir, followed by an additional set of the band’s greatest hits during each night’s concert.
Rescheduled Dates Below:
Venue/New Date/Postponed Date/Original Date
Pepsi Center in Denver, CO / Thu, Sep 16, 2021 / Fri, Sep 18, 2020 / Thu, Mar 26, 2020
Pepsi Center in Denver, CO / Sat, Sep 18, 2021 / Sat, Sep 19, 2020 / Sat. Mar 28, 2020
American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX / Tue, Sep 21, 2021 / Wed, Oct 21, 2020 / Tue, Mar 17, 2020
Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ / Fri, Sep 24, 2021 / Sat, Oct 24, 2020 / Tue, April 21, 2020
Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ / Sat, Sep 25, 2021 / Sun, Oct 25, 2020 / Sun, April 26, 2020
Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN / Fri, Oct 1, 2021 / Fri, Oct 16, 2020 / Fri, April 03, 2020
Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN / Sat, Oct 2, 2021 / Sat, Oct 17, 2020 / Sat, April 04, 2020
Forum in Los Angeles, CA / Fri, Oct 15, 2021 / Fri, Sep 25, 2020 / Fri., April 17, 2020
Forum in Los Angeles, CA / Sat, Oct 16, 2021 / Sat, Sep 26, 2020 / Sat., April 18, 2020
Forum in Los Angeles, CA / Tue, Oct 19, 2021 / Tue, Sep 29, 2020 / Fri., April 24, 2020
Chase Center in San Francisco, CA / Fri, Oct 22, 2021 / Fri, Oct 2, 2020 / Sat., April 11, 2020
Chase Center in San Francisco, CA / Sat, Oct 23, 2021 / Sat, Oct 3, 2020 / Sun., April 12, 2020
00LB Cantrellhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngLB Cantrell2020-05-04 11:19:112020-10-08 16:27:29Eagles Reschedule Hotel California Tour To 2021
Pictured (Front row, L-R): Rusty Gaston, Gabby Barrett, Dane Schmidt. (Back row, L-R): Tom Luteran, Mya Hansen, Josh Van Valkenburg, Anna Weisband, Katie Kerkhover, Brooke Yancey (Red Light Management), Tom Lord (Manager, Red Light Management)
Singer/songwriter Gabby Barrett’s career trajectory has skyrocketed since she released her debut single “I Hope.” The song, which Barrett also co-wrote, recently became her very first No. 1 single on country radio and has been certified Platinum.
Today, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville announces Barrett has signed with the company for an exclusive global publishing administration deal.
Sony/ATV Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston said, “Gabby Barrett is special, and her music reminds us of that with every listen—her willingness to express both strength and vulnerability in her songs is going to take her a long way. On behalf of Sony/ATV Nashville, we are pleased to have her join the team, and we look forward to watching her star rise.”
“When I first met Rusty and the team at Sony/ATV, I just knew in my gut that this would be my songwriting home, and I felt the same thing when I got signed to [Barrett’s label home] Warner Music Nashville,” Barrett tells MusicRow. “It felt like the place I was supposed to be, and it feels the same way here. I could just feel their belief in me and my songs, which meant so much to me as a newer songwriter in the community. They’ve been so supportive and encouraging and I know they will be the best song champions for me.”
“I Hope,” with its R&B-infused vibe and attention-grabbing chorus, driven by Barrett’s powerhouse vocal delivery, became the first solo female debut single to top the country radio charts since 2017. The song has reigned as the No. 1 streamed country single in the United States for three consecutive weeks and also reached No. 16 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100 chart.
“It’s been this amazing roller coaster since we released it, and to get it to No. 1 on country radio has been absolutely a dream come true,” Barrett says. “That’s what I would think of when I was a little girl—‘I want to hear my song played on radio.’ When you write a song, you can’t be completely sure how people are going to react to it and I’m just amazed to see the response.”
Barrett has been singing since age 9, and was performing across the United States by age 11. She was later scouted for ABC’s American Idol, where she became a Top 3 finalist. To date, she has accumulated more than 260 million streams, and has opened concerts for Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Toby Keith, Chris Lane, Dustin Lynch, Jake Owen, Bebe Rexha, Cole Swindell, Sugarland, and Carrie Underwood.
On June 19, fans will get to hear the full spectrum of Barrett’s talents as both a songwriter and artist, when she releases her full-length, debut Warner Music Nashville album, titled Goldmine. Barrett has songwriting credits on 12 of the album’s 13 tracks, which was co-produced by Sony/ATV’s Ross Copperman and Zach Kale, with Jimmy Robbins, Sam Martin and Bryan Fowler contributing additional production on certain songs.
“I got to have a lot of creative say on this album, and I’m so grateful for that,” she says of Goldmine. “I wanted this first album to be fully me, and the direction of who I am as an artist. I felt like I achieved that with this album.”
In addition to her chart-topping single “I Hope,” Goldmine also contains the softly romantic “The Good Ones” (inspired by her relationship with husband Cade Foehner), her recent single “Hall of Fame,” and a collaboration with “One Call Away” singer Charlie Puth (on a remixed version of “I Hope”). The collaboration came after Puth had posted a video of Barrett singing “I Hope” on his Instagram Stories, and tagged her in it. When Barrett reached out to thank Puth for sharing the video, he surprised her with the news that he wanted to remix the track.
“I was so excited. I have always been such a fan of his,” Barrett says of Puth. “My sister and I would listen to his music all the time when we were younger. He just has that producer mind where when he has an idea, he gets on it quickly. In two days he sent me a remixed version with his vocals added to it. So our teams got together and now we have the new version of it.”
Barrett, a current ACM New Female Artist of the Year nominee, may be known for that crystal clear, ceiling-scraping soprano, but she’s out to show that she is a singer and songwriter in equal measure. Though she is gearing up to release her full-length album, she has plenty more songs stored away to share when the time is right.
“I have been writing for two years, really digging in and getting to know songwriters and getting in those co-writing rooms. So it was fun deciding which songs to include on this project, and which we will hold off on for another album. I wanted to put way more songs on it—I was like, ‘Can we put 20 songs on an album?’” she says, laughing. “But we held off on a few songs for what we have coming next.”
00Jessica Nicholsonhttps://musicrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MusicRow-header-logo-Mar19B.pngJessica Nicholson2020-05-04 11:00:162020-10-08 16:28:07Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville Signs Gabby Barrett To Global Publishing Deal (Exclusive)
The Nashville Songwriters Association International Board of Directors had its initial meeting of the 2020-21 term, which runs May through April, marking the first meeting for newly-elected members J.T. Harding, Josh Kear, Jon Nite and Emily Shackelton.
