Gunnar Latham & Josh Grider Ink Publishing Deals With Major Bob Music

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Pictured (L-R, top row): Mike Doyle (Major Bob), Mitch Ballard (BMI Austin), Brendan Anthony (Texas Music Office); (L-R, middle row): Bob Doyle, Graham Kothman, Andy Friday (all of Major Bob); (L-R, bottom row): Gunnar Latham and Josh Grider (songwriters)

Texans Gunnar Latham and Josh Grider have signed separate worldwide publishing deals with Major Bob Music. The two songwriters and frequent collaborators were first introduced to the publishing company by Mitch Ballard, Executive Director, Creative, BMI Austin.

Raised in San Marcos, Texas, Latham competed in steer wrestling, team roping and tie down throughout college, then professionally. In 2019, he traded that life to chase down his music dreams.

Grider is a songwriter and producer raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In college, he and his band worked their way into the Austin music scene and racked up seven No. 1 singles at Texas radio. Soon after, Grider started adding trips to Nashville on his tour stops and decided to settle down and write songs full time.

“Mitch has a keen understanding of the Nashville and Texas markets after years of touring with artists who’ve grown their audiences and evolved as performers,” notes Mike Doyle, GM of Major Bob. “He’s got a great sense for spotting talent early and that’s what he did in this case. Long before Josh and Gunnar were on the Nashville radar, Mitch had introduced us and we were blown away with what they were doing.”

“Josh Grider is deep-rooted as an artist in Texas and Gunnar Latham has established himself as one of the best up-and-coming artists on the scene. When I first met Gunnar, and heard the songs that he and Josh were writing, I immediately sent their music to Andy Friday,” says Ballard. “Major Bob is the perfect fit for them. Bob [Doyle], Mike [Doyle], and Andy are very aware of the level and quality of talent in Texas and have been very proactive with the BMI Austin office to keep a finger on the pulse of talent coming out of the state.”

Major Bob Music is an independent Nashville-based publishing company owned by Bob Doyle that recently celebrated 36 years in business with over seventy No. 1 singles, two ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Awards, and a SESAC Songwriter of the Year. The company’s roster includes Garth Brooks, Zach Top, Nash Overstreet, Andy Sheridan, Ben Williams, Colin Healy, Angelo Petraglia, Ruby Amanfu and Jakub Vanyo.

Lorie Hollabaugh
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