BREAKING: Curb | Word Entertainment Launches MCC/Curb Records Imprint

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Curb | Word Entertainment has launched the new label imprint, MCC/Curb Records, to provide a dedicated team to support flagship artists Jackson Michelson and Tim Dugger. The new imprint will be led by Curb | Word Entertainment VP, Media Publishing and Promotion Craig Powers, with Curb | Word Entertainment’s Todd Thomas joining as Director of Promotion.

“With the success we are having at Curb | Word Entertainment – across all genres – with a recent number one from Lee Brice with Carly Pearce on ‘I Hope You’re Happy Now,’ to a multi-week number one from Big Daddy Weave with ‘I Know,’ along with for KING & COUNTRY reaching RIAA Platinum status with ‘God Only Knows,’ and international success with Melanie Pfirrman’s ‘Suda (feat. Pitbull & IAMCHINO),’ we are excited to be expanding our team,” shares Mike Curb, owner and Chairman of Curb | Word Entertainment. “We believe big things are in store for Jackson Michelson and Tim Dugger.”

Michelson’s current single, “One Day,” is being promoted to country radio, while Dugger’s “You’re Gonna Love Me” is resonating with NASCAR drivers and fans. His Signs Of A Good Time EP cover has recently appeared on the truck-bed of Team Curb drivers during NASCAR races.

Josh Thompson Jumps To No. 2 On ‘MusicRow’ Top Songwriter Chart

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Josh Thompson leaps up to the No. 2 spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week, with co-writer credits on Jon Pardi’s “Ain’t Always The Cowboy,” Thomas Rhett’s “Be A Light,” and Luke Bryan’s “Build Me A Daddy” and “One Margarita.”

Craig Wiseman spends his tenth week at the top of the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. Newly-signed Spirit Music Nashville writer Jonathan Singleton takes the No. 3 position with “Die From A Broken Heart” (Maddie & Tae), “I Hope You’re Happy Now” (Carly Pearce and Lee Brice), and “In Between” (Scotty McCreery).

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital downloaded track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Weekly Register: Gabby Barrett’s "I Hope" Continues Streaming Songs Reign, ‘Goldmine’ Debuts In Top 5

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Warner Music Nashville’s Gabby Barrett continues to rule the country on-demand streaming songs chart, as “I Hope” brought in 11 million streams this week, according to Nielsen Soundscan. Barrett’s newly-released album Goldmine also enters the country albums chart at No. 4 with 20K in total consumption, making Barrett the first debut female artist to achieve the feat since 2017.

The album has also earned the most first-week debut streams for any country artist in history, with more than 16.1 million on-demand streams since it released June 19.

This week’s Top 5 country on-demand streaming songs include (TW/RTD):

Gabby Barrett, I Hope” (11M/309M)
Maren Morris, “The Bones” (8M/376M)
Sam Hunt, “Hard To Forget” (7.8M/92M)
Diplo & Julia Michaels w/ Morgan Wallen, “Heartless” (7.8M/296M)
Morgan Wallen, “Chasin’ You” (7.6M/219M)

Luke Combs continues at No. 1 on the country albums chart, with What You See Is What You Get moving 24K in total consumption this week.

This week’s Top 5 country albums (total consumption/albums only/song streams) include:

Luke Combs, What You See Is What You Get (24K/2.2K/26M)
Morgan Wallen, If I Know Me (21K/752/24M)
Luke Combs, This One’s For You (21K/1.5K/24M)
Gabby Barrett, Goldmine (20K/6.2K/16M)
Sam Hunt, SOUTHSIDE (16K/1.2K/18M)

Bandsintown LIVE Launches New Americana/Country Channel OUTSKIRTS

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Bandsintown LIVE has launched the new Americana/country channel OUTSKIRTS. The channel’s soft launch last week attracted 1.2 million unique viewers. To officially kick off the new Bandsintown OUTSKIRTS channel, The Wild Ponies will host Scott Mulvahill, Marie Miller and six other artists for “Will Sing For Change’ to benefit the Thurgood Marshall Fund, Color of Change, I.C.A.R.E Ministries, and the NAACP.

“Will Sing for Change is a collaborative livestream fundraiser hosted by the number one concert discovery platform Bandsintown to raise awareness and funds for organizations that change the world for the better,” said Miller. “Inequality and Racism are strong forces, but I believe that love and peace are stronger and brighter, and together we can change the world to become more compassionate and understanding.”

Every Wednesday, emerging Americana, folk and country artists take center stage for Outskirts Discovery, and on Fridays Outskirts REWIND will replay the best performances from the more than 300 artists who have performed on Bandsintown LIVE.

The performance lineup from June 29-July 3 will feature artists including Kris Allen, Andrew James, and The Hotel Lobby, while the Outskirts REWIND will feature past performances from Echosmith, Mary Bragg and Mary Gauthier, among others.

BMI Pays Tribute To Gospel Trailblazers Of 2020

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BMI honored its best and brightest in Gospel music today (June 29) with its Trailblazers of Gospel Music virtual celebration. The honorees were announced on BMI.com and across the organization’s digital platforms, celebrating the inspirational and transformative music of BMI’s accomplished Gospel writers.

Reverential hymn “I’m Getting Ready,” co-written by Todd Galberth, was named BMI’s Gospel Song of the Year. Performed by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, featuring Nicki Minaj, the song spent 52 weeks on Billboard’s Gospel charts and peaked at number one, earning Galberth his very first BMI Gospel Award.

Kirk Franklin received the coveted Songwriter of the Year award for penning three of BMI’s most-performed Gospel songs of 2019, including “If You Don’t Mind,” “Love Theory,” and “Never Alone.”
Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing received the Publisher of the Year distinction for representing five of the top-performing Gospel songs of the previous year, “If You Don’t Mind,” “I’m Getting Ready,” “Never Alone,” “Stand In Awe” and “Victory.”

BMI also paid homage to the 20 most-performed Gospel Songs of the Year (2019). This year’s crop of winners featured 20 first-time Trailblazer Award recipients, including Maranda Curtis for her hit song “Nobody Like You Lord.”

To honor these achievements, BMI created a web page for fans to watch special video messages and performances, listen to award-winning music, and learn more about their favorite Gospel songwriters at bmi.com/trailblazers2020.

“BMI is proud to honor these remarkable luminaries of Gospel music,” said BMI Vice President Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton. “Their music gives us strength and encouragement, and their voices are a source of comfort and healing when we need it most. We thank our songwriters for sharing their musical gifts that uplift, empower and encourage us all, as we unite in the movement for change, and we look forward to coming together in fellowship once again next year.”

Standout Guitarist Pete Carr Passes

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Musicians Hall of Fame member Pete Carr died on Saturday (June 27) at age 70.

Based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, he was unique in that musical community in that he succeeded as a session guitarist, record producer, engineer, songwriter and recording artist. Carr played lead guitar in the Fame and Muscle Shoals Sounds studios, backing Bob Seger, Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, The Staple Singers, Wilson Pickett, Joe Cocker, Paul Anka, Kim Carnes and dozens of others.

Among the many Nashville artists that Carr backed are Hank Williams Jr., Becky Hobbs, Dobie Gray, Willie Nelson, Paul Davis, Billy Swan, Narvel Felts, Russell Smith and Marie Osmond.

As a member of the pop group LeBlanc & Carr with Lenny LeBlanc, he had a big hit with “Falling” in 1977. He was also a member of the 1979 group Boatz featuring lead singer Thom Flora. Carr recorded two solo albums, 1975’s Not a Word on It and 1978’s Multiple Flash.

Born Jesse Willard Carr, “Pete” Carr grew up in Florida and was influenced by the instrumental rock records of The Ventures. His first notable recording sessions were with Hour Glass and The Allman Joys in 1968. These groups later evolved into The Allman Brothers Band, and Carr formed a lasting friendship with fellow guitarist Duane Allman.

He moved to Muscle Shoals around 1970. Carr produced Sailcat and its hit “Motorcycle Mama” in 1972. Throughout the 1970s, he was in demand as a session guitarist. He can be heard prominently on such hits as Bob Seger’s “Mainstreet” (1977), Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night” (1976), Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb’s “Guilty” (1980), Luther Ingram’s “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to be Right” (1972) and Mary MacGregor’s “Torn Between Two Lovers” (1977).
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, including Pete Carr, co-produced Paul Simon’s acclaimed There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (1973) and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975). His guitar work is on such resulting hits as “Kodachrome” (1973).

Carr also co-produced Bob Seger’s LP Stranger in Town, which featured the 1979 hit “Old Time Rock & Roll,” and part of 1980’s Against the Wind (notably “Fire Lake”).

In later years, he studied computer science and explored digital data storage solutions for music. Pete Carr was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville in 2008.

He resided in Florence, Alabama. Pete Carr is survived by his wife Charlotte and son John Carr.

Songs & Daughters Launches Publishing Division, Signs Tiera

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Pictured (L-R, back row): Big Loud Publishing’s Samantha Jervey (Sr. Creative Director); Warner Chappell Music Nashville’s Ben Vaughn (President & CEO). (L-R, back row): Songs & Daughters’ Nicolle Galyon (President & CEO); Tiera; Big Loud Publishing’s Kimberly Gleason (Director Of Operations), Michael Giangreco (Creative Director). Photo: Julia Cox

Songs & Daughters, which hit songwriter Nicolle Galyon launched in 2019 in partnership with Big Loud Records, has expanded into music publishing.

The company partnered with Big Loud Records and Warner Chappell Nashville on signing singer-songwriter Tiera as Songs & Daughters’ first songwriter to the publishing division.

“Been waiting since March to announce that @songsxdaughters is now a publishing company too. Proud to {{finally}} welcome our first songWRITER daughter signed to the fam. For the last year @tieramusic has been giving everyone at @bigloud @warnerchappellmusic all the feels, and we are proud to partner with them on every bop and banger this girl is writing,” Songs & Daughters shared via Instagram.

In a series of Instagram posts announcing her signing, Tiera wrote, “Nicolle Galyon. When I moved to Nashville 3 years ago I made a list of all the people I wanted to write with in this town and you were at the very top of that list. I guess I was selling myself short because not only do I get to write with you but I also get to be the very first writer signed to your publishing company! Excited to share this song journey with you.”

“Tiera is an amazing writer and artist whose talent is undeniable. Her positive energy and enthusiasm continually inspire us,” Big Loud Publishing’s Kimberly Gleason, Director of Operations, said in a statement. “On behalf of the Big Loud Publishing team, we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Nicolle [Galyon] (Songs & Daughters) and Warner Chappell Music in this signing.”

“Exciting day to see the continued evolution of our longtime partner Nicolle [Galyon] as a publisher, and thrilled to start this new journey with the light that is inside the incredible Tiera,” Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Music Nashville, added. “Always a pleasure to be working with Seth [England] and the talented Big Loud team as well. Can’t think of a better way to celebrate Songs & Daughters’ one-year anniversary.”

Tiera is part of CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2020., as well as the platform’s 2020 Listen Up campaign. Alabama native Tiera began playing guitar at age 13. She competed and won her episode on USA Network’s Real Country, after being invited to join the show by Shania Twain.

Nicolle Galyon, Tiera. Photo: Julia Cox

Patrick Sabatini Named SVP/Legal & Business Affairs At Warner Music Nashville

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Patrick Sabatini

Patrick Sabatini is joining Warner Music Nashville as Senior Vice President/Legal & Business Affairs. Sabatini steps into the role beginning today (June 29), and he will report directly to EVP A&R Cris Lacy.

Sabatini graduated from Berklee College of Music before earning his JD at Pepperdine University. He began his career at Arista Records and spent nearly two decades as an attorney at Capitol Records, Warner Bros. Records and private law firms. Sabatini most recently served as the head of business and legal affairs at Global Music Rights. He is currently based in Nashville.

“From coast to coast, Patrick’s highly-respected reputation precedes him,” Lacy said. “His previous stops at Warner Bros. Records give him an understanding of our culture and values, and his wealth of knowledge about all aspects of the industry is essential to the growth of Warner Music Nashville. We are thrilled to welcome him back into the family.”

“I feel fortunate to be rejoining the WMG family and am excited to begin a new chapter working with the incredibly talented team and impressive artist roster at Warner Music Nashville,” Sabatini said. “I admire the company culture fostered by Espo and the team and their deep commitment to artists and music.”

Josh Kear Joins Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville (Exclusive)

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Josh Kear.

Josh Kear has signed a global publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville.

Kear has earned four Grammys for his works, and is the only songwriter to win the Country Song of the Year Grammy honor three times. He has also earned several RIAA multi-Platinum certifications, as well as ACM, ASCAP, and CMA honors.

He has penned hits for Carrie Underwood (“Before He Cheats,” “Two Black Cadillacs,” “Blown Away”), Florida Georgia Line (“God, Your Mama, and Me”), Dierks Bentley (“Drunk On A Plane,” “Woman, Amen”), Lady A (the RIAA certified 9x multi-Platinum “Need You Now”), Tim McGraw (“Highway Don’t Care,” featuring Taylor Swift and Keith Urban), and Lee Brice (“Drinking Class”). His music has been featured in television shows including The Bachelorette, Glee, The Glee Project, and The Voice, as well as films such as Zero Dark Thirty and Country Strong.

“Rusty Gaston was one of the main driving factors for me,” Kear told MusicRow of joining Sony/ATV Music Publishing. “I did 17 years with Big Yellow Dog with Carla Wallace and Kerry O’Neil and my love affair with that company certainly didn’t end. It was time for me to try something else, and because Rusty was at THiS Music for so long and is still so closely connected with independent publishing, I felt like I might be able to get the best of both worlds by teaming up with him. He understood where I was coming from—I had worked on the more corporate side of things many years ago. I did six years with BMG at the beginning of my career. It felt like it was a return and a fresh start, but also still staying connected to the part of the business I love dearly.”

Sony/ATV Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston stated, “Josh is truly one of a kind – his songs have elevated the standards of country music, and they convey genuine emotion that everyone can relate to. I’m thrilled to welcome Josh to the Sony/ATV family and to deliver the best opportunities for his music.”

Kear also recently joined NSAI’s Board of Directors. He has made regular trips to Washington D.C. to help advocate for his fellow songwriters, and testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2018, as part of an initiative to pass the Music Modernization Act, which was signed into law in October 2018.

“[NSAI Executive Director] Bart Herbison is possibly the best friend in Nashville or anywhere in the United States of a songwriter—he’s been our defender, our advocate,” Kear says. “He cares so deeply about this community. I’m always happy to jump in to be of service. The work they do here and especially in Washington, D.C. is so important to the long-term health of our business.”

Garth Brooks Entertains 350,000+ Fans During Drive-In Theater Event

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Garth Brooks. Photo: 8 Ten, Inc.

Even during a global pandemic, Garth Brooks finds a way to do what Garth does best – thrill the fans. Brooks entertained over 350,000 fans across the country Saturday night (June 27) during his one-night-only concert at drive-in theaters around the country.

The concert was created exclusively for the unique event, and was recorded in Nashville with Garth’s full band. Fans enjoyed the concert with family and friends from the safety of their cars during the event, which adhered to guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as all state and local health mandates.

“This time, I was the fan and the people were the entertainment,” said Brooks. “Watching people all night from coast to coast, in Canada and here in the U.S., laughing, dancing, and singing, made me smile. It reminded me how much I miss the crazy, happy, and unpredictable life we lead as entertainers. For one night, things seemed…right.”