Industry Ink: BBR, Trisha Yearwood, LoCash, CMA, More

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BBR’s Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson Dominate 2023 CMT Awards

Pictured (L-R): JoJamie Hahr (EVP, BMG Nashville, Recorded Music), Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Jon Loba (President, BMG Nashville)

Multi-genre phenomenon Jelly Roll and multi-award-winning Lainey Wilson dominated the fan-voted 2023 CMT Music Awards. First-time nominee Jelly Roll was the most awarded artist of the night with three—Male Video of the Year, Breakthrough Male Video of the Year, and Digital-First Performance of the Year—for his song “Son Of A Sinner.” Wilson won Female Video of the Year for “Heart Like A Truck” and Collaborative Video of the Year with Hardy for “Wait In The Truck.”

Jelly Roll delivered a captivating and impassioned performance of his hit song “Need a Favor” will a full gospel choir. His award wins come ahead of his album Whitsitt Chapel releasing in June. Wilson performed “Heart Like a Truck,” and Alanis Morissette‘s “You Oughta Know” with Ingrid Andress, Madeline Edwards, Morgan Wade, and Morissette joining.

 

Trisha Yearwood Performs at CMHOF Exclusive Concert

Pictured (L-R): Lisa Purcell, Exec. VP of External Affairs at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; Trisha Yearwood; Ben Hall, VP of Development. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Trisha Yearwood took the stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum last week at its annual members-only concert, The Big Gig. Yearwood performed hits including “She’s in Love with the Boy” and “Walkaway Joe” for members in the museum’s CMA Theater. She closed the night with a moving rendition of “Over the Rainbow.”

Yearwood has a longstanding museum relationship, performing at museum fundraisers and events, and donating personally to its one-of-a-kind collection.  Prior to her recognition as a Grammy-winning recording artist, she served the institution as a museum tour guide. Since summer 2022, Yearwood has steered the museum’s membership campaign with the goal of rebuilding the number of memberships to pre-pandemic levels.

Before Yearwood’s performance, student artist Mattie Lyn Smith and the Nashville School of the Arts Stage Band performed, “Evergreen,” a song that Smith co-wrote with her classmate, Lola Bobeck, as part of the museum’s flagship educational program, Words and Music.

 

LoCash Celebrates RIAA Platinum “I Love This Life”

Pictured (L-R): Fletcher Lyon (LoCash Management), Rusty Gaston (CEO, Sony Music Publishing Nashville), David Preston (Sr. Director of Creative, Nashville, BMI), Chris Lucas (LoCash), Preston Brust (LoCash), Jon Loba (President, BMG Nashville), Clay Bradley (VP of Creative, Nashville, BMI), Bryan Frasher (LoCash Management) at Bridgestone Arena. Photo: Josh Kim

Wheelhouse Records/BMG’s LoCash—Preston Brust and Chris Lucas—have officially gone RIAA Platinum for their 2015 single “I Love This Life.” On Friday night (March 31), Brust and Lucas received a plaque celebrating the accomplishment ahead of their performance on Kane Brown‘s “Drunk or Dreaming Tour” stop at Bridgestone Arena.

“I Love this Life,” written by Brust  and Lucas with Chris Janson and Danny Myrick, was released in 2015 as the first single from Locash’s third studio album, The Fighters. Along with their new certification, LoCash received a plaque celebrating the duo’s 150 million streams on Apple Music. LoCash was also presented with a plaque from BMI commemorating 4 million radio spins for “I Love This Life.”

LoCash is on the road with Brown through the summer.

 

CMA Foundation, Chapel Hart Celebrate Songwriting With Local Elementary School

The CMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association, helped welcome country music trio Chapel Hart to Eagle View Elementary School in Nashville on March 30. Throughout the month of March, the school’s third grade students participated in a songwriting competition in honor of Music In Our Schools Month. Under the direction of Eagle View’s Music Educator and Orff Ensemble Director, Ms. Alicia Engram, and Elementary Music Teacher and Band Director Mrs. Kathryn Davis, students learned about literary skills, writing lyrics and how to have a career in songwriting. Engram is also a two-time CMA Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence.

Engram led Chapel Hart in a brief Q&A, where they discussed their appearance on America’s Got Talent, their approach to songwriting, and words of advice for students to never give up on their dreams. Following the Q&A, Chapel Hart performed “Glory Days,” leading students to sing along throughout the song.

“Getting the opportunity to go and visit Eagle View Elementary School was something that we didn’t know we needed,” said Chapel Hart. “To see strong music programs truly makes our hearts happy. Any time that we get to visit a school, it’s always super important for us to try and inspire at least one student. We hope that we were able to shine a little light on those sweet babies! We can’t wait to go back to visit again.”

“Often, we tout the incredible benefits music has on a child’s educational journey. Today, we saw one of the most amazing benefits of all: how music brings students joy,” said Tiffany Kerns, CMA Foundation Executive Director. “The community that is Eagle View Elementary reminded us how connection through music allows students the opportunity to be seen, heard and celebrated. Every child in that auditorium sang along with Chapel Hart with enthusiasm and pride. They gave the students more than just a performance, they left them inspired and feeling so much love.”

Earlier this week, Chapel Hart surprised all of Eagle View’s third graders via a video message congratulating everyone for their incredible songwriting skills before announcing Mrs. Fowler’s class had won the contest with their original song, “We Are One.” Mrs. Fowler’s students were inspired to write the song about being united despite their cultural differences and various languages spoken.

 

Demolition Music, Angry Mob Music Group Extend Evan Coffman Deal

Evan Coffman has extended his worldwide joint venture publishing with Nashville-based Demolition Music and LA-based Angry Mob Music Group.

The first year of Coffman’s deal has yielded collaborations with Bekah Novi, Tony Ferrari, and more. Arkansas-native Coffman has celebrated recent sync placements for Selling Sunset and Love Island, as well as other shows and advertisements.

Additionally, Coffman has two Gold-certified singles with “Like We Used To” by A Rocket to the Moon and “Lovely” (Japan Release) by Twenty One Pilots.

 

NMAAM’s Bosses You Should Know Highlights Healing Through Music and Science

Pictured (L-R): Henry Beecher Hicks III, CEO & President NMAAM; Dr. Annabella Manalo-Morgan; Roy “Gramps” Morgan. Photo: Courtesy of MPR

The healing power of science and music was on full display last Wednesday (March 29) at Nashville’s National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM).

Vanderbilt Ph.D. graduate Dr. Annabelle Manalo-Morgan (“Dr. Annabelle”) discussed her ground-breaking research and signed copies of her memoir, Might Flower: How Cannabis Saved My Son. Meanwhile, her Grammy-winning husband, reggae artist Roy “Gramps” Morgan, performed “People Like You” and offered a moving tribute to the lives lost in the recent tragedy at the Covenant School.

In 2016, Dr. Annabelle and Morgan welcomed their son, Macario, who quickly began suffering intense seizures. After surgeons resected nearly 40% of Macario’s brain, Dr. Annabelle began working to develop a medicine to control his seizures pharmacologically, and now Macario is a thriving first grader.

Gramps Morgan is a member of reggae group Morgan Heritage, known for its socially conscious lyrics and fusion of reggae, R&B and hip hop. Macario’s parents credit much of his progress to the healing power of Gramps’ music and time on stage with him.

Dr. Annabelle and Gramps want to remove the historical stigma associated with plant-based medicines via the soon-to-launch Macario’s Wish charity foundation.

Caela Griffin
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