Jack White To Replace Morgan Wallen On ‘Saturday Night Live’

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Jack White. Photo: Jo McCaughey

Jack White is stepping in to replace Morgan Wallen on this weekend’s Saturday Night Live, after the show disinvited Wallen due to COVID-19 protocols. White will make an appearance on Oct. 10, with host Bill Burr.

Wallen was disinvited from the SNL gig due to COVID-19 protocols, after videos surfaced on TikTok of Wallen socializing in Alabama without wearing a mask.

This will mark White’s third solo appearance on SNL (and fourth overall—he performed as part of his former duo The White Stripes in 2002). The White Stripes Greatest Hits project will release Dec. 4.

On Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 7), Wallen posted a video on Instagram, announcing he would not be taking part in the show. In his video, Wallen clarified that he has not tested positive for COVID-19, but stated that his “actions from this past weekend were pretty short-sighted, and have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams.”

Wallen also said in the video, “I respect the show’s decision because I know I put them in jeopardy, and I take ownership for this. I’d like to apologize to SNL, to my fans, to my team for bringing me these opportunities, and I let them down. And on a more personal note, I think I have some growing up to do.”

NSAI’s Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival Announces Performer Lineup

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The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has revealed the lineup of songwriters participating in this year’s virtual edition of the annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival presented by Regions Bank. The five-day event will take place (virtually) Oct. 20-24, 2020, and will feature more than 20 performances and includes nearly 75 songwriters.

”This has certainly been a challenging year for live events,” said festival director, Jennifer Turnbow. “However, with the help of some of our amazing publisher and organizational partners, we have managed to pull together a virtual lineup that will go down in Tin Pan South history. We owe these partners and our sponsors an extreme debt of gratitude for helping us carry on the legacy of this 28-year-old festival even in such strange times.”

Among those taking part are Josh Osborne, Lori McKenna, Shane McAnally, Carly Pearce, Dylan LeBlanc, Liz Rose, Jimmie Allen, John Paul White, Trevor Rosen, Matthew Ramsey, ERNEST, Meghan Kabir, JT Harding, Uncle Kracker, Victoria Shaw, SHAED, Rob Snyder and many others.

In addition to the evening rounds on Friday and Saturday, Tin Pan South, in collaboration with festival partner Jack Daniel’s, will host a Facebook LIVE “Happy Hour” at 6 p.m. featuring a Jack Daniel’s Master Distilller and a special songwriting guest to kick-off the night. The full festival line-up and schedule is available now at tinpansouth.com and on the official Tin Pan South app.

Each evening of the festival beginning at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. CT, multiple rounds will premiere simultaneously to mimic the feel of the in-person festival; however, this year Tin Pan fans will have the unique chance to go back and experience the additional rounds, as they will remain available until the next day to watch.

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival is the largest fundraising event each year for NSAI, and although this year’s festival is free to access, donations can be made to the organization via PayPal (paypal.me/nsaiofficial) to help support NSAI’s year-round efforts on behalf of songwriters.

 

Warner Music Nashville Signs Robyn Ottolini

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Warner Music Nashville has signed country singer/songwriter Robyn Ottolini to the artist roster. The Uxbridge, Ontario native’s viral hit “F-150” reached No. 4 on Spotify’s all-genre US Viral 50 chart and is currently Top 3 on Rolling Stone’s all-genre Trending 25 chart.

“My ex drove an F-150 and I f’ing hate that truck,” laughs Ottolini. “You might think that ‘F-150’ is just a truck song, but this isn’t about any ol’ truck. It’s about trying to move on and get strong, until you see that one thing that brings you back to the pain. Nothing does that more for me than his white, Ford F-150.”

Ottolini has released two independent EPs and earned a Rising Star Award at the Country Music Association of Ontario Awards in 2019. She is managed by Mark Schroor and Erik Fintelman from Workshop Music Group.

Ottolini continued, “You’re going to get to know the real me in the first 30 seconds of listening to any of my songs and if you love it, that’s cool. If you don’t love it, that’s cool too. Either way, country music has made me who I am today. It’s my safe place to land and it’s also the thing that pushes me further out of my comfort zone than I ever thought I could go. It doesn’t even feel real yet that I’ve signed a record deal with Warner Music Nashville to be honest, but if you’re telling me it’s real, I’ll trust you guys.”

 

Kane Brown, Sarah Hyland Announced As First Set Of Hosts For 2020 CMT Music Awards

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Kane Brown and actor/musician/producer Sarah Hyland are set to share hosting duties for the upcoming 2020 CMT Music Awards airing on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. CT on CMT, MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network, Pop and TV Land. In a first for the network, four individual hosts will take the star-studded stage during the evening, with two additional hosts set to be revealed closer to air date.

“The CMT Music Awards have always been about bringing the fans and their favorite artists together to celebrate,” said Brown. “I have so many great memories of the show-from watching as a fan at home to accepting my first industry award win on the CMT stage. I‘m excited to join this year as a first-time host and can’t wait for everyone to see the amazing performances that are lined up this year.”

“I’m so excited to be co-hosting the 2020 CMT Music Awards this year! Fans are the backbone of music and art; without them we would never be able to do what we love,” said Hyland. “I can’t wait to see what happens at this year’s show and who the fans vote for. Congratulations to all the nominees!

As previously announced, Brown will take the stage at this year’s awards alongside fellow hitmakers Ashley McBryde, Dan + Shay, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, and breakout artists Caylee Hammack, HARDY, Ingrid Andress, Mickey Guyton, Riley Green and Travis Denning on the Ram Side Stage, all bringing Nashville’s energy to fans across the globe through epic outdoor performances in and around Music City. Additional performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

Fan voting is now open at vote.cmt.com and continues until Monday, Oct. 12 at 12 p.m. ET.

Tori Kelly To Celebrate Holidays With ‘A Tori Kelly Christmas’ Album

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Tori Kelly is releasing her first-ever holiday album, A Tori Kelly Christmas, on Oct. 30. Kelly teamed up with Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Scooter Braun as executive producers for the album, which features two new holiday originals penned by Kelly, along with a wide range of beloved holiday songs, including a vocal collaboration with Babyface on “Let It Snow.”

“I’m so grateful to Babyface for helping me create an album that I am so proud of,” said Kelly. “I still can’t believe that I got to work with such a legend on my first-ever Christmas album. He really brought my vision to life and made every song so special.”

Since debuting with 2015’s Unbreakable Smile album that entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2, Kelly has amassed nearly 2.5 billion combined global streams to date. With her 2018 passion project Hiding Place, the L.A.-based artist took home two Grammys for Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance/Song for the hit single “Never Alone.” On her powerfully personal 2019 album, Inspired By True Events, Kelly offered up her bravest and most bracingly candid work to date, and she supported the album with a 2019 U.S. tour and an early 2020 U.K. run. In August 2020, she released Solitude, a five-song EP recorded at home during quarantine.

Reba, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town To Play SOSFest In Support Of Indie Venues

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Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Brothers Osborne, Reba McEntire, Brittany Howard and more are set to perform at the upcoming Save Our Stages Festival, #SOSFEST, a three-day virtual music festival featuring all-original content on Friday, Oct. 16-18.

YouTube Music and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) are hosting the festival, which will feature performances from 35 artists recorded live from more than 25 independent concert venues across the United States. These artists join YouTube and NIVA to amplify the message of NIVA’s Save Our Stages advocacy efforts and raise funds for its nationwide, need-based grant program to provide relief to these important members of the independent music, comedy and arts community.

Ballerini and Little Big Town will perform at the EXIT/IN in Nashville, while Brothers Osborne take the stage at the Mercy Lounge, and Reba and Howard will perform from the stage of the Ryman Auditorium. The festival will be hosted by Reggie Watts and will livestream in its entirety on NIVA’s Official YouTube Channel with segments simultaneously airing on performer’s Official Artist YouTube Channels.  Fans can donate directly to the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund, which benefits independent venues in peril, on NIVA’s Official YouTube Channel.

Presented by Bud Light Seltzer who will donate $1 million to NIVA as part of #SOSFEST, and with the help of production and livestream partners Big Room and Bulldog Digital Media, performances are being shot in some of the nation’s most storied independent concert venues, all with the common goal of preserving our nation’s independent venue infrastructure.

“Live concerts are the heart and soul of the music industry so it’s critical we do everything we can to save independent music venues,” said Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube. “We are honored to partner with NIVA and create #SOSFEST which gives fans an opportunity to virtually connect with their favorite artists and venues, while doing their part to save these cherished stages. YouTube is in it for the long-haul and we hope you are too.”

DISClaimer Singles Reviews: Maren Morris, Everette, Cam, And More

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Today’s edition of DisClaimer is a spotty collection, with clunkers as well as winners.

Leading a parade of females this week is Maren Morris, who takes home the Disc of the Day award with a topical tune. Raising their voices by her side are Jenny Tolman, Cam and Lindsay Ell, all of whom have also turned in splendid sides.

There’s a new duo in town called Everette. Named after George Clooney’s character in O Brother Where Art Thou, these two Kentucky natives show all kinds of promise on “Kings of the Dairy Queen Parking Lot.” Needless to say, this wins them the DisCovery Award.

EVERETTE/“Kings of the Dairy Queen Parking Lot”
Writers: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Luke Laird; Broken Bow
-I dig this. It’s a very cool small-town banger with plenty of rhythmic punch and a charming, drawling delivery. Rockin’ and twangin’ Everette is a duo consisting of Kentucky natives Brent Rupard and Anthony Olympia. Play them.

CAM/“Classic”
Writers: Cam/Jack Antonoff; Publisher: none listed; Producers: Cam & Jack Antonoff; RCA
-This lady never disappoints, and I remain a huge fan. This deliriously hooky bopper jangles merrily along with hand claps, choppy beats, stacked vocal harmonies and poppy electronic touches. Producer Antonoff is noted for his work with Taylor Swift, The Chicks, Lana Del Ray and St. Vincent.

TYLER FARR/“Soundtrack to a Small Town Sundown”
Writers: Jon Nite/Jonathan Singleton; Publishers: EMI April/Super Big/Jett/Nite Writer, no performance rights listed; Producer: Jason Aldean; Broken Bow
-This well-written lyric evokes wistful nostalgia. Farr’s delivery has urgency and believability. I just wish it had a groovier melody.

MAREN MORRIS/“Better Than We Found It”
Writers: Maren Morris/Jessie Jo Dillon/Jimmy Robbins/Laura Veltz; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Greg Kurstin; Columbia
-“America, America, divided we fall….America, America, we’re better than this.” Sister Maren pleads for a better world, with freedom and justice for all. The video addresses anti-immigration, Black Lives Matter and the COVID pandemic and ends with her reading a letter of promise to her infant son, Hayes. It ends with the one-word exhortation: Vote.

THE QUARANTINE ALL STARS/“Quarantine”
Writer: Scotty Wilbanks; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Scotty Wilbanks; 9 North
-Brad Paisley, Steve Wariner, Chuck Leavell and Journey’s Jonathan Cain head the list of the roughly two dozen musicians who partake in this snappy, country-rock instrumental jam. Among the others are members of the bands that back Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett and Dave Matthews. Proceeds benefit the MusiCares COVID 19 Relief Fund. It’s a guaranteed, toe-tapping pleasure.

JERROD NIEMANN/“The Blame”
Writer: Jerrod Niemann; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Jerrod Niemann; JN
-While the dazzling “Tequila Kisses” continues to ride the radio airwaves, Niemann is issuing this track that shows his more vulnerable, heartache side. Lilting and deliciously melodic, it was written in the wake of his divorce. This guy is a such a gem.

TEXAS HILL/“Darkest Sky”
Writers: Ryan Beaver/James Leblanc/Mike Walker; Publisher: none listed; Producer: none listed; TH
-This trio is Craig Wayne Boyd, Casey James and Adam Wakefield. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t recommend launching your career with a ballad, but these three sing so magnificently, and the lyric is so inspirational and hopeful that I have to cheer. Well done, boys.

LINDSAY ELL/“Workin’ Out”
Writers: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Producer: none listed; BBR
-This is evidently from the soundtrack of the “Make It Up As We Go” podcast. It’s acoustic and stripped down, which showcases her conversational delivery of the jaunty, upbeat lyrics. Bopping and effective.

SOPHIE SANDERS/“Nobody Special”
Writer: Sophie Sanders; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Paul Sikes; SS
-Written for her fiancée, this echoey, wafting ditty swirls in a romantic dream.

BRANDON COLLINS/“Blame It On Nashville”
Writer: Brandon Collins; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Steve Freeman; BC
-Boyish, plaintive and a little tentative, he sings of his busted heart in this soft ballad. He’s not the strongest singer on earth, but there’s some songwriting promise here.

JENNY TOLMAN/“Invent a T-Shirt”
Writers: Jenny Tolman/Dave Brainard/Bill Whyte; Publisher: none listed; Producer: Dave Brainard; JT
-The always witty Ms. Tolman tickles yer funny bone with this talking-blues ditty about social media, virtual bickering and wild opinion spewing. Accompanied by scampering fiddle and lickety-split guitar work, she offers a saucy, catchy chorus that ends with “kiss my derriere.” She is practically single handedly bringing humor back into country music and deserves our heartiest applause for doing so. The “selfie” video with her band will make you smile as brightly as the lyric does.

Jon Pardi’s “Heartache Medication” Certified Platinum

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Photo: Dylan Rucker

Jon Pardi was recently surprised with an RIAA Platinum certification for his single “Heartache Medication” on Tuesday (Oct. 6), while working on an excavator on his property.

Pardi’s manager Melanie Wetherbee was tasked with delivering the plaque on behalf of UMG Nashville, Pardi’s label home.

“Heartache Medication” topped both the Billboard and Country Aircheck/Mediabase charts, becoming Pardi’s fourth No. 1, joining previous chart-topping hits “Dirt On My Boots,” “Head Over Boots” and “Heartache On The Dance Floor.”

“Heartache Medication” is the title track off Pardi’s 2019 album, which is nominated for Album of the Year at the upcoming CMA Awards. His current single “Ain’t Always The Cowboy,” off that same album, is in the Top 15 on Billboard‘s Country Albums chart.

BMG Eliminates Controversial Royalty Deduction

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BMG has announced that it is eliminating a standard US record label deduction which serves to reduce the income of songwriters, composers and lyricists.

Across the US industry, the various discounts and caps which are contained in the so-called controlled composition clause cost songwriters an estimated $14 million last year.

With immediate effect, BMG will voluntarily refrain from applying the reductions to any new record deals and remove them from its entire catalogue over the next year.

BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “It is unacceptable for the record industry to continue to apply deal terms which are solely designed to reduce the incomes of musicians. We have heard a lot during the coronavirus crisis of initiatives by music companies to support artists. The best way to support artists is not to subject them to unfair terms in the first place.”

In principle, the controlled composition clause is a way for labels to secure the licenses they need to release records. In practice it has become a mechanism by which labels force artists who are also songwriters to accept a reduced royalty on physical product, typically with a 25% discount.

The industry-wide practice which dates back to the late 1970s has long been resented by artists. Because it often establishes a cap on the total royalties payable on a given album, if artists record songs by third party songwriters, they can, in extreme cases, end up not only earning no money for their own songs but even owing their labels money.

Leading songwriter organizations have applauded BMG’s move.

David Israelite, President and CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), said, “BMG deserves enormous credit for eliminating this poisonous practice. Controlled composition clauses in recording contracts have been one of the most harmful things to ever happen to songwriters. While their impact has been minimized thanks to NMPA’s efforts to make them illegal for digital products, there is still enough of a physical product market for controlled composition clauses to continue to plague the songwriting community. This is a wonderful pro-songwriter move by BMG.”

Crispin Hunt, Chair of The Ivors Academy, which represents music creators in the UK and Ireland said, “I welcome BMG’s determination to cease industry-sanctioned practices which uphold inequality for creators. The controlled composition clause has disadvantaged songwriters across music’s history. It belongs in a museum along with many other ‘tricks of the trade’. BMG’s abandonment of this regressive practice is a huge step on music’s journey to dignity. Music can’t change its past but we can change its future.”

Bart Herbison, Executive Director of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), said, “BMG ending the controlled composition clause in the company’s recording contracts is important, laudable and something that other record labels should embrace. The songwriter community has long waged battles over this practice that some have compared to ‘theft’. We salute BMG and challenge every record label to follow their lead and fully eliminate controlled composition immediately.”

Dina LaPolt, music lawyer, activist, and co-founder of Songwriters of North America (SONA) said, “BMG is taking a massive step forward for songwriters by removing the controlled composition clause from all of their recording agreements. This clause is an antiquated and restrictive provision in virtually all recording artist deals that seek to further reduce the songwriter’s mechanical royalties which, already regulated by the government, are much lower than any other income stream in recorded music. I sincerely hope the other record companies follow their lead.”

Masuch said, “The controlled composition deduction is just one of a whole series of ways in which record labels have historically maximized their own profits at the expense of musicians. Eliminating this unfair practice is just the latest in a series of measures BMG is taking to make the music industry fairer to artists and songwriters.”

BMG has now set up a taskforce headed by COO Ben Katovsky specifically tasked with improving fairness in music contracts. Its responsibilities include BMG’s recently announced review of historic acquired record contracts for signs of racial bias.

Katovsky said, “If you know your music industry history, it’s hard to dispute the fact that music companies have had a problem with treating artists fairly. As the youngest of the big international companies, we were able to start from scratch and design out many of the worst aspects of the old business from our new deals. But inevitably we sometimes find examples of historic bad practice lurking in some of the catalogues we have acquired.

“We have to be realistic – we cannot right all the wrongs of the past – but we’re going to try our damnedest. We are delighted to finally get rid of the controlled composition deduction. It is an anachronism which has no place in the new music business.”

On The Cover: Ashley McBryde On MusicRow Magazine’s 2020 Publisher Print Issue

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Ashley McBryde is featured on the cover of MusicRow Magazine’s all-new 2020 Publisher Issue.

The Warner Music Nashville artist learned how to sing sad songs in a biker bar off a rural Arkansas highway. The youngest of six, she grew up in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, a little shy yet always watching. McBryde began writing songs at age 12, however she didn’t fully embrace her voice until college. She moved to Nashville in 2007.

Her 2016 EP Jalopies & Expensive Guitars caught the attention of Eric Church, who brought McBryde onstage for a duet of her “Bible and a .44.” She soon made her Grand Ole Opry debut with the title track off her 2018 major label debut, Girl Going Nowhere, later recognized with a 2019 Grammy nomination for Best Country Album, an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program for her performance on CBS This Morning Saturday and earning her the titles of ACM New Female Artist, CMT Breakout Artist of the Year and CMA New Artist of the Year, with additional Grammy nominations in 2020 for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance. The album’s title track was named Song of the Year at the 2019 MusicRow Awards, with McBryde winning Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Her follow-up, Never Will, was released April 3, with Gold-certified lead single “One Night Standards,” a Top 15 song at country radio and already her first No. 1 in Canada, named by NPR as one of the best songs of the year. The hit was also nominated for Song of the Year at this year’s MusicRow Awards. Never Will has already been dubbed one of the best albums of 2020 by Variety, Billboard and SPIN. McBryde was nominated for three 2020 ACM Awards and took home her second and third AIMP Awards earlier this year. This fall, McBryde serves as a CMA Foundation Artist Ambassador; a full-circle moment since moving to Music City for the girl once told she was going nowhere.

In the 2020 Publisher print issue, Round Hill Music songwriter Ashley Gorley discusses hitting the milestone of 50 No. 1 songs and his work as a leading publisher and mentor with his own Tape Room Music. Sony/ATV Music Nashville’s Rusty Gaston talks taking the reins of the music publishing powerhouse during a pandemic, while ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, BMI’s Clay Bradley, and SESAC’s ET Brown and Lydia Schultz discuss their new roles at the respective performing rights organizations. This issue also offers discussions with National Music Publishers’ Association President/CEO David Israelite as well as songwriter/producer Luke Laird, who recently released his first album, titled Music Row. Elsewhere the issue focuses on the careers of Jody Williams (who returns to music publishing with Jody Williams Songs), Wide Open Music and RECORDS Nashville’s Ash Bowers, and BMG’s Chris Oglesby.

This issue also highlights the work and careers of some of Nashville’s most impactful tunesmiths, including UMPG’s Sam Ellis, Spirit Music Nashville’s Jonathan Singleton, Rhythm House/Roc Nation/Warner Chappell writer Alysa Vanderheym, RED Creative/Downtown Music Group/Anthem Entertainment writer Kelly Archer, BRELAND, and Big Machine Music’s Jessie Jo Dillon.

In addition to editorial, the Publisher Issue also includes the coveted Publisher Directory, featuring contact information for Nashville’s publishing community.

Single copies of the 2020 Publisher Issue are available for purchase for $45 at musicrow.com, and are included with yearly memberships at no additional cost. Please note that issues of MusicRow Magazine’s Publisher Issue can only be purchased online, as the MusicRow building is currently closed to the public due to COVID-19.

Ashley McBryde Career Stats:
LABEL: Warner Music Nashville
CURRENT ALBUM: Never Will
CURRENT SINGLE: “One Night Standards”
CURRENT PRODUCER: Jay Joyce
CURRENT PUBLISHER: Jody Williams Songs
PRO: BMI
MANAGEMENT: QPrime South
BOOKING: Lane Wilson / WME
RECENT HITS: “One Night Standards,” “Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” “A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega”
AWARDS: CMA 2019 New Artist of the Year, ACM 2019 New Female Artist of the Year, CMT 2019 Breakout Artist of the Year, AIMP 2018 Rising Artist-Writer of the Year, AIMP 2020 Artist-Writer of the Year, AIMP 2020 Publisher’s Pick – “One Night Standards”
RIAA CERTS TO DATE: “One Night Standards” – Gold (U.S. & CAN)
SPECIAL TV APPEARANCES: Grand Ole Opry performance of “Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” CBS This Morning Saturday, NPR’s Tiny Desk at Home
HOMETOWN: Mammoth Spring, AR
INTERESTING FACTS: Ashley grew up playing bluegrass and started playing mandolin when she was 3 years old; she studied music education and if she wasn’t a touring artist, she would work in music education.
MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Lucinda Williams, Guy Clark, John Prine, Alison Krauss and Union Station, The Cox family, Janis Joplin, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson, Ronnie Bowman, Trisha Yearwood, Lorrie Morgan, Patty Loveless, Karen Carpenter, The Chicks, Bekka Bramlett
FAVORITE RECORDS: Aces (Suzy Bogguss), Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (Lucinda Williams), Mountain Soul (Patty Loveless), Sweetheart’s Dance (Pam Tillis), Fearless (Terri Clark), This Side (Nickel Creek)