Entries by Sarah Skates

Performance Royalty Debate Over Ringbacks

BMI has filed suit against T Mobile, claiming that the mobile phone company hasn’t secured proper licensing for selling ringback tones. According to Digital Music News, the suit filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, says BMI has licensing agreements with other carriers. Since BMI and other performing […]

Songwriter Dale Dodson Enjoys Roles At Carnival, Sony/ATV

Songwriter and country music historian Dale Dodson has a unique new arrangement that allows him to remain as a staff writer for longtime publisher Sony/ATV and also take on a creative services role at Carnival Music. Dodson is the writer or co-writer of songs including “Look Who’s Back In Town” by George Strait, “Good News, […]

Swift Is Top Digital Seller In History

Taylor Swift has amassed over 24.3 million digital track sales to date, making her the top-selling digital artist ever, according Nielsen SoundScan. As previously reported by MusicRow, Swift’s Fearless was the best selling album of both 2008 and 2009. It is quintuple Platinum and had sales last year in excess of 3.2 million copies. Taylor […]

Faith Hill Signs With Red Light

Faith Hill has joined Coran Capshaw’s Red Light Management roster, with the company’s New York office handling the superstar’s career. Red Light President Will Botwin will join Capshaw in managing Hill. Hill and longtime manager Gary Borman parted ways last year. Similarly, Hill’s superstar husband, Tim McGraw also inked with Red Light early in 2009 […]

Wilson Set For Greatest Hits, Playoff Performance

Gretchen Wilson’s first Greatest Hits album will be out Jan. 19. It is being released by her former label Columbia Nashville and includes all her hits such as “Redneck Woman,” “Here For The Party” and “Homewrecker,” as well as the first commercial release of her live version of “Barracuda.” Wilson’s new music, including latest single, “Work […]

Industry News: Nashville At Sundance, Gospel Honors

ASCAP is sending Nashville songwriters including LeAnn Rimes, Brendan Benson, Joey+Rory, k.s. Rhoads, and Sam & Ruby to the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, going on Jan. 21-31 in Park City, Utah. Events include the  Sundance ASCAP Music Café and the annual, invitation-only ASCAP Filmmaker & Composer Breakfast. ————————— BMI will honor gospel greats Donnie McClurkin […]

Shelton Six-Pak Coming Soon

Blake Shelton is prepping for the March 2 release of Hillbilly Bone, a value-priced album of six new songs. He hasn’t put out a studio album since 2008’s Startin’ Fires and says this as a way to “give fans new music more often and at a lower price.” The first single is the title track, […]

Letter To The Editor Re: Urban At PC Awards

Some members of the music community are riled up over Keith Urban’s acceptance speech for Favorite Male Artist at last night’s (1/6) People’s Choice Awards. On stage at the Nokia Theatre LA Live he thanked fans and said the most important thing to him is that people hear his music, even if they download it […]

Paisley Tour Opens Tonight With Lambert, Moore

Reigning CMA and ACM Male Vocalist Brad Paisley will launch the final leg of his American Saturday Night Tour this weekend with shows in San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Wichita. Special guests for the 20 dates will be Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore. On Saturday night (1/9), the Paisley show will open the new Intrust […]

Steve Seskin Plans Songwriting Seminar

The 6th annual Steve Seskin Songwriting Seminar will be held January 22 – 24, 2010 in Nashville, with hit writers Allen Shamblin and Gretchen Peters set to participate. There will be two days of lectures, workshops and discussions. Friday night Jan. 22 includes a Steve Seskin concert at Edgehill Studios Cafe. Workshops will follow on Saturday […]