Jordan Davis & Crew Celebrate Latest Chart-Topper ‘Next Thing You Know’

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Pictured (L-R, back row): Evyn Mustoe (ASCAP), Mike Harris (UMG), Miranda McDonald (UMG), Josh Tomlinson (BMI). (L-R, front row): Paul DiGiovanni, Josh Osborne, Jordan Davis, Chase McGill and Greylan James. Photo: Larry McCormack for ASCAP

Music industry members gathered at The Electric Jane earlier this week for a ASCAP and BMI-hosted No. 1 party for Jordan Davis‘ sixth No. 1 song, “Next Thing You Know,” as well as the Gold certification of his Bluebird Days album.

“Next Thing You Know” is Davis’ third consecutive No. 1 single from Bluebird Days. He co-wrote the meaningful tune with Josh Osborne, Chase McGill and Greylan James, and it was produced by longtime collaborator Paul DiGiovanni.

ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe Johnston got things kicked off by congratulating affiliates Davis and Osborne, who was celebrating his 29th No. 1. BMI’s Josh Tomlinson spoke on 11-time-chart-topper McGill and artist-writer James, who was celebrating his first No. 1 hit.

UMG Nashville’s VP of Promotion, Miranda McDonald, was on hand to present Davis and his crew with plaques. She let the crowd know that every single that Davis has released has been certified Gold or better, and that “Next Thing You Know” was certified Platinum.

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s LB Cantrell; Josh Osborne, Jordan Davis, Chase McGill and Greylan James with their MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins; MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson. Photo: Larry McCormack for ASCAP

Davis’ publisher, Anthem Music Publishing, was represented when Senior Director of Creative Noah Dewey spoke. He thanked Davis’ entire village for their hard work.

Sony Music Publishing Nashville’s Executive VP of A&R, Josh Van Valkenburg, was on hand to say a few words about Osborne. He pointed out that the Music Row hitmaker was just as nice of a person as he is a successful songwriter.

Ron Stuve, UMPG Nashville’s VP of A&R, spoke on the publishing company’s McGill, who received multiple compliments on his integrity and work ethic. Stuve also shared his stories about James, and congratulated the young writer on his first No. 1. Everyone was glad to see UMPG’s Terry Wakefield in the crowd, as he has been undergoing health issues. Stuve pointed him out to a big applause.

Osborne was the first songwriter to speak. He talked about each of his collaborators, paying special compliments to each one. Osborne also highlighted that “Next Thing You Know” could not have been an easy song to push at radio, as it never repeats the same chorus.

“We had a lot of conversations about that,” he said. “The four os us sat in that room and wrote what was on our hearts that day. Luckily it was this song.”

James and McGill later added that when the writers joined Davis in the room that day, they had been given instructions to write an uptempo song, and specifically “no life songs.”

“As soon we started writing this song, I started looking around the room like, ‘Are we sure we’re supposed to be doing this?'” James said.

James also thanked his family, team, co-writers and Davis for his first No. 1. He told a bit of his story, sharing that he came to Nashville after graduating from high school, signed a publishing deal and eventually got dropped. When he thought that he should pack it up and go back to east Tennessee, he met Stuve and Wakefield.

When McGill spoke, he thanked God, his family, his collaborators, publishers and the Davis team, and spoke more about the risk of writing the non-traditional structure of the song. “At the risk of sounding smarter than I am, I’m going to quote Picasso,” he said.

“Not that I actually know any of Picasso’s work… he was a great singer,” McGill quipped. “There’s this quote that says, ‘Learn the rules like a professional so you can break them like an artist.’ That quote stood out to me with this song.”

When Davis spoke, he recognized several champions that have been in his corner since the beginning. He thanked everyone from his family, band and crew, co-writers, management team, UMG Nashville and MCA, Anthem Music Publishing, ASCAP and more.

UMG Nashville EVP & COO Mike Harris helped to close the event by focusing on the success of Bluebird Days as a whole, letting the crowd in on the nitty gritty of Davis’ impressive data.

Davis then took a moment to thank every writer on his Bluebird Days album by name, sharing, “You guys are what make Nashville special. It’s a great feeling to be able to write in rooms with you and cut these songs.”

Jordan Davis poses with many of the songwriters featured on his Bluebird Days album. Photo: Larry McCormack for ASCAP

He added a specific mention to the writers who have album cuts aside from the current single. “I know you don’t always get to see what happens with people at the shows in a meet and greet line or hear them singing every word to songs like ‘What I Wouldn’t Do’ or ‘Fishing Spot,’ or have fans come up and say how much a song helped them. I wish that you could every time. Because these songs really matter to people. Thank you. Thank you for making Bluebird Days what it is. Thank you for making it the first Gold album I’ve ever had. And please keep writing with me.”

Before we left the songwriters and team members to do a little celebrating, attendees were also treated to a live performance of “Next Thing You Know,” “Tucson Too Late” and “Damn Good Time” at the First Horizon Bank and Studio Bank sponsored event.

LB Cantrell
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