Listen: Kacey Musgraves Joins Miguel On “Waves” Remix

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Kacey Musgraves UMG

Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves is featured as a special guest in a remix of R&B star Miguel’s new single, “Waves.” She cut her vocals in Nashville in early January.

The collaboration is part of a new EP from Miguel, titled Rogue Waves, that was released on Friday (Feb. 26). The original single came from Miguel’s album, WILDHEART, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Urban Album. His song “Coffee” also earned a nod for Best R&B Song.

The new set also features alternate versions with Tame Impala, Joshua Tree, RAC and Travis Scott.

In a review of the song, SPIN.com reported, “Something about the pair trading off lines makes the already sensual song all that more resonant, and the steel guitar quivering in the background is a countrified cherry on top of the whole gorgeous arrangement.”

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Banner Music Signs Jerry Salley

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From Left to Right: James Robert Webb, Camilla Kleindienst, Jerry Salley and Daniel Kleindienst. Photo: Bev Moser/Moments By Moser

From Left to Right: James Robert Webb, Camilla Kleindienst, Jerry Salley and Daniel Kleindienst. Photo: Bev Moser/Moments By Moser

Banner Music has signed singer/songwriter Jerry Salley to its creative family.

“We are thrilled to have veteran songwriter Jerry Salley on staff at Banner Music. His career accomplishments speak to his hard work and dedication to this industry and we look forward to his continued success as part of our company,” said co-owner Camilla Kleindienst.

Salley, who co-wrote “Outlaw State of Mind” on Chris Stapleton’s Grammy-winning country album, Traveller, has penned over 400 cuts in country, bluegrass and gospel genres. His extensive talent has garnered him recordings by multiple artists such as Sir Elton John (“Where We Both Say Goodbye”—a duet with Australian artist Catherine Britt), Reba McEntire (“I’m Gonna Take That Mountain” and “Close To Crazy”), and includes the Dove Awards’ 1990 Inspirational Song of the Year, “His Strength is Perfect”, co-written with and recorded by Steven Curtis Chapman and now found in church hymnals.

“I am happy to join the creative minds here [at Banner Music] whose heart and family atmosphere mirror the passion of their work,” said Salley.

Salley, SESAC’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 2003, was also nominated in 2014 by the International Bluegrass Music Association for Songwriter of the Year.  His winning streak continued this year with his three tracks on the SteelDriver’s Grammy Award-winning bluegrass album,The Muscle Shoals Recordings.

In October of 2015, Salley released the bluegrass/gospel project Gospel From My Grassroots that includes guest vocals from Steven Curtis Chapman to Salley’s daughter, Maggie, with contributing harmonies.

William Michael Morgan Plans Self-Titled EP Release

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William Michael Morgan, a new signing to Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville, will release his self-titled debut EP on March 18.

Co-produced by Scott Hendricks and songwriter Jimmy Ritchey, the album features five new tracks in addition to his first single, “I Met a Girl.”

Morgan is scheduled to open RFD-TV’s The American, the world’s largest one-day rodeo on Sunday (Feb. 28) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The 22-year-old native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, is currently on the road for a series of shows and festival performances through the summer.

“I Met a Girl,” co-written by Shane McAnally, Trevor Rosen and Sam Hunt, hit No. 1 on SiriusXM’s The Highway Top 45 Countdown and has racked up over 2.5 million streams on Spotify as well as over a million views on YouTube.

WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN EP TRACK LISTING
1. “Vinyl” (Wade Kirby, Ashley Gorley, Carson Chamberlain)
2. “Beer Drinker” (Wynn Varble, David Lee, Don Poythress)
3. “I Met a Girl “ (Trevor Rosen, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally)
4. “Lonesomeville” (William Michael Morgan, Mark Sherrill, Ash Underwood, Trent Tomlinson)
5. “Cheap Cologne” (Jimmy Ritchey, Kevin Denney, Odie Blackmon)
6. “Back Seat Driver” (Robert Counts, Nicolette Hayford, Matt Willis)

Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots Enlist Country Stars For First Full-Length Album

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Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots are set to release their first full-length album, The Critics Give It 5 Stars, on March 18, via Black River Entertainment.

The comedy group, comprised of Bobby Bones and Producer Eddie from iHeartMedia’s The Bobby Bones Show, brought in some top-shelf star power for the release. They recruited Charles Kelley, Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Brad Paisley, Lindsay Ell, and more for the project. Kelley joins on “She’s A 10, I’m A 2,” while Underwood appears on “We Can’t Stand Each Other.” Brad Paisley performs on “I Like You,” while Kelsea Ballerini lends her voice to the country rendition of “Starbucks!”

“Black River is pleased to be the home of great artists like Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots,” said Black River Entertainment CEO Gordon Kerr. “Through the efforts of Bobby, Eddie and the other incredible artists who have come alongside them on this project, comedy music is alive and well in Nashville!”

“Every time someone buys our record, an angel get its wings,” adds Bobby Bones. “I’d buy 10 copies of this album. I’d go to the store and demand them right now! I haven’t listened to it yet, but I hear the critics love it.”

Bobby Bones, who recently nabbed his second ACM award for National On-Air Personality of the Year, co-wrote all the tracks on the album, which takes satirical and deliberate cues from today’s popular music, including the group’s lead track “If I Was Your Boyfriend,” the soon-to-be millennial-favorite “Netflix Love Song,” as well as offering fans two versions of the witty and instantly-infectious track “Starbucks!” depending on their personal genre preferences. The album also features some of Nashville’s top songwriters including Lee Thomas Miller and Kristian Bush. The music video for “If I Was Your Boyfriend” made its debut on CMT and is available now on iTunes.

Continuing in the charitable spirit that made The Raging Idiots a household name and raised over two million dollars for charities across America, a portion of the proceeds from “We Can’t Stand Each Other” with Carrie Underwood are being donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Additionally, fans can pre-order autographed copies of the entire album along with other unique merchandise offers at www.ragingidiots.com. A portion of the proceeds from each package will go to Musicians On Call.

THE CRITICS GIVE IT 5 STARS TRACK LIST:

1. She’s A 10, I’m A 2 with Charles Kelley
(Bobby Bones, Kristian Bush)

2. If I Was Your Boyfriend
(Bobby Bones, Michael Saenz, Mical Trejo)

3. We Can’t Stand Each Other with Carrie Underwood
(Bobby Bones, Lindsay Ell, Keifer Thompson)

4. How We Think Every Hip Hop Song Starts
(Bobby Bones, Eddie Garcia, Nick Autry)

5. Starbucks!
(Bobby Bones, Lee Thomas Miller, Nick Autry)

6. Starbucks! (Country Version with Kelsea Ballerini)
(Bobby Bones, Lee Thomas Miller, Nick Autry)

7. I Like You with Brad Paisley
(Bobby Bones, Lee Thomas Miller, Nick Autry)

8. Reenactments with Fake Luke Bryan
(Bobby Bones, Eddie Garcia, Nick Autry)

9. Red, White And Blue
(Bobby Bones, Michael Saenz, Lindsay Ell)

10. Netflix Love Song with Lindsay Ell
(Bobby Bones, Lindsay Ell)

11. Fishin’ With My Dad (Intro)
(Bobby Bones, Wynn Varble, David Lee)

12. Fishin’ With My Dad
(Bobby Bones, Wynn Varble, David Lee)

13. Everyday Is A Good Day
(Bobby Bones, Lindsay Ell, Kristian Bush)

In Pictures: Kelsea Ballerini, Brandy Clark, Jennifer Nettles, LANco, Maggie Rose, Sam Grow

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Kelsea Ballerini and the Black River Entertainment Promotion staff celebrate Ballerini’s second No. 1 single, “Dibs.”
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Warner Bros. artist Brandy Clark makes a promo stop at KBEB in Sacramento, California, to talk her about her new single, “Girl Next Door.”

Pictured (L-R): Rick Young (WMN), Brandy Clark, KBEB PD JJ Ryan.

Pictured (L-R): Rick Young (WMN), Brandy Clark, KBEB PD JJ Ryan.

 

Big Machine Records recording artist Jennifer Nettles hangs backstage Tuesday night (2/23) at The Wiltern prior to taking the stage in Los Angeles for the CMT Next Women of Country Tour.

Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Jennifer Nettles and Gellman Management’s Gail Gellman. Photo:Big Machine Records

Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Jennifer Nettles and Gellman Management’s Gail Gellman. Photo:Big Machine Records

 

BMI and YEP hosted a showcase of burgeoning country songwriters this week at Exit/In. The storied location featured BMI songwriters Sam Grow, Maggie Rose and LANco, each bringing their signature mixes of country and rock to the stage. The BMI and YEP quarterly showcase highlights up and coming talent in the country genre, and has hosted acts such as Backroad Anthem, Brooke Eden and Emma White.

Pictured: (L-R): LANco’s Tripp Howell and Chandler Baldwin, BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, LANco’s Brandon Lancaster, BMI’s Perry Howard, BMI songwriter Maggie Rose, LANco’s Jared Hampton, BMI songwriter Sam Grow, YEP’s Andrew Cohen and LANco’s Eric Steedly.

Pictured: (L-R): LANco’s Tripp Howell and Chandler Baldwin, BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, LANco’s Brandon Lancaster, BMI’s Perry Howard, Maggie Rose, LANco’s Jared Hampton, Sam Grow, YEP’s Andrew Cohen and LANco’s Eric Steedly.

Weekly Chart Report (2/26/16)

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Click here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.

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Waylon Jennings’ Eldest Son, Terry Jennings, Writes Book

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Terry Jennings book on WaylonTerry Jennings, a longtime roadie for his father, Waylon Jennings, will issue a new book titled Waylon: Tales of My Outlaw Dad on April 19.

Terry Jennings was born when his father was 19 years old. When the younger Jennings was 15, he was a regular on the road with his father.

Advance copies of the book were sent with testimonials from Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Keith Urban. The book is being published by Hachette Books. Jennings collaborated with author David Thomas on the book.

Press materials describe the book as “a strikingly honest, loving portrait of a unique father-son relationship that debunks myths and shares dozens of never-before-told stories.”

Today, Terry Jennings is the CEO and founder of Korban Music Group LLC, a music management and publishing company. He has also worked for booking agencies, publishing companies, and as a talent scout for major labels, including RCA Records. He lives near Waco, Texas.

Choreographed Fountains Coming To Music Row Roundabout

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Image Used Courtesy of Wet Design / Nashville Mayor’s Office.

The Music Row roundabout and Owen Bradley Park will be enhanced with three choreographed fountains by November 2017.

Plans for the project were revealed at a press conference on Thursday (Feb. 25) at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLP Nashville office, in the Roundabout Plaza, overlooking the Musica statue.

The water features will include fountains that encircle Musica, an interactive fountain for children in adjacent Owen Bradley Park, and a fountain built into the median strip cascading along 17th Avenue. No musical interaction is planned.

Southern California company WET Design has been enlisted for the project. WET Design’s work include the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas, the Sochi Winter Olympic Games’ Olympic Cauldron in Russia, The Dubai Fountain and the fountain at New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Designed by local artist Alan LeQuire, Musica was revealed in 2003. Its nine bronze statues, topping 38 feet, represent muses of the arts and creativity. It is considered to be the largest bronze figure group in the United States. However, at the time it was unveiled, funding was not available for the fountains that were incorporated into the original design.

 

Image Used Courtesy of Wet Design / Nashville Mayor’s Office.

The announcement coincides with a fundraising initiative from The Fountains of Musica Foundation, led by songwriter Desmond Child and board president Andrée LeQuire.

“An important part of the project is taking care of its ongoing maintenance, so as a nonprofit board, we are seeking community support to build the fountains and create a maintenance fund,” Andrée LeQuire said. “The estimated total for the entire project of three fountains and ongoing maintenance is $10 million and we are working in cooperation with multiple Metro departments for its installation. Generous private contributions have made the procurement of WET’s design possible. Now our website has an easy donation process; donations big and small are essential to complete this exciting project.”

Teresa Powell-Caldwell, senior vice president at WET said, “WET unleashes the magic of water and nature’s other elements to create shared experiences of movement, light, and emotion that reconnect us with our world, our senses, and each other. Collaborating with the board and Alan LeQuire to transform his magnificent sculpture into an evocative kinetic experience based on our expertise in this area was a rewarding artistic endeavor for WET, which we hope in turn will enrich the lives of those who experience the Fountains of Musica. We thank you all for trusting us achieve your vision in designing an experience that further evokes the creativity bursting from Nashville’s historic Music Row.”

Caldwell also explained the reasoning behind using Owen Bradley Park in the plans. “We know that people are going to be drawn to this feature,” she said. “So we needed to provide a place for them to look at it that is not in the street or crowded around for a photo opportunity.”

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“This journey began a little over two years ago when I met the LeQuires, who were parents at our kids’ school,” recalled Child. “That’s when I found out that it wasn’t finished. It was missing these gushing, gorgeous waters. Then the whole thing made sense to me, and it was one of those things that I had to try to make it happen. This city so deserves it.”

“It was one of our first pieces of public art here in Nashville,” said Mayor Megan Barry. “When public and private come together, this is what we can do that is really special.”

“In all of the world, people go towards the location that has motion and activity,” said Andrée LeQuire. “These three fountains with water and lights will put a pulse in the entire neighborhood.”

An official website with links to donate is available at fountainsofmusica.org.

Quick Facts

  • $10 million, including maintenance endowment
  • Design and engineering promises “not one drop of water will fall on a car”
  • Lighting will enable 24/7 viewing
  • Fountain will scale down depending on wind, weather conditions, traffic and viewership
  • Owen Bradley Park will provide viewers a photo opportunity
  • Mayor Barry has stated, “My goal is to make sure traffic is always flowing” through construction
  • Opening expected in November 2017

Robby Johnson Keeps Looking Forward With New Album

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Robby Johnson visits with MusicRow staff.

Robby Johnson visits with MusicRow staff.

Canadian-born country singer Robby Johnson has high hopes for his new album, Don’t Look Back, which was recorded at Nashville’s Ocean Way, under the direction of producer James Stroud. The project is being distributed by TuneCore.

“He was a great guy and wanted me to give my input, to make it not his album but Robby Johnson’s album,” the singer said during a visit to MusicRow this week. “And I just knocked on publishers’ doors and told them my story and that I was working with James. I went to the Bluebird and met with Shane McAnally.”

The product of all that hustling is Johnson’s new 13-song project, which features songs from several top Nashville writers and artist-writers, including Sam Hunt, Chris Young, Josh Osborne, Luke Laird, JT Harding, Mark Nesler, Ashley Gorley, Brett James, John Ozier, Mary Dodson and, yes, Shane McAnally. Johnson’s current single, “Hate Me Tonight,” was penned by Jason Massey, Ryan Griffin, and Mark Carson.

Johnson also employed star power in the studio, as Vince Gill lends his guitar prowess to “I Ain’t The Guy,” a track co-penned by Johnson, Juliana Cole, and Kellys Collins.

In 2014, Johnson landed a superb performance slot, singing his previous single “South Of Me” on The Late Show With David Letterman. “That was surreal,” recalls Johnson. “That led to me getting a green card, because I was in the process of getting a green card so I could stay here permanently and work. They waited until the day after the Letterman show, because you have to be an established artist [to get a green card]. For the booking on Letterman, it mentions they only take artists that are established.”

Johnson still performs frequently in Canada, and landed a plum performance gig last year on one of North America’s largest stages, opening for Keith Urban, Foo Fighters, Rolling Stones, and more. “There were three acts that evening,” Johnson recalls. “I was opening, and Keith Urban was closing the show. At 7 p.m. there were about 30,000 people already there. It was crazy because when I walked up the ramp, people were chanting ‘Robby, Robby’ and it was an amazing moment. I heard they’ve never had that many people at 7 p.m. for an opening act.”

Johnson returned the favor to his Canadian fans with the initial release of Don’t Look Back in Canada. The initial release was slated for January, but Johnson released physical copies early to a popular retailer in his home province of Quebec.

Though Johnson has his sights set on success in the American country music market, he says his drive to become an American country star is motivated by far more than personal ambition.

“If you want to do it for fame and red carpets, that’s not good,” Johnson says. “But if you do it because you want to create moments with people and share stories…that’s my story. I’ve been through rough times as a child and growing up. I know what some listeners go through, and they’ve lived even worse stories than mine. For me, I just want to be the soundtrack of their lives and let them know I’ve been through things too, and they are not alone.”

Ben Caver Signs To Black River Publishing

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Pictured (L-R): Kelly Bolton, Catalog Manager, Black River Publishing; Dave Pacula, Creative Director, Black River Publishing; Ben Caver, Celia Froehlig, Vice President of Black River Publishing; Gordon Kerr, CEO, Black River Entertainment.

Pictured (L-R): Kelly Bolton, Catalog Manager, Black River Publishing; Dave Pacula, Creative Director, Black River Publishing; Ben Caver; Celia Froehlig, Vice President of Black River Publishing; Gordon Kerr, CEO, Black River Entertainment.

Vice President of Black River Publishing Celia Froehlig has announced the signing of Ben Caver to the Black River Publishing roster. Ben Caver grew up in Hoover, Alabama, and moved to Nashville after graduation to attend Belmont University. Prior to signing with Black River Publishing, Caver had business relationships with Sony/ATV, UMPG, and Patrick Joseph Music.

Caver penned “Relapse” for Carrie Underwood’s Storyteller project, “Aftermath” for Rascal Flatts’ Rewind, “I Remember You” for Trisha Yearwood’s Prizefighter album, and “‘Merica,” from Kenny Rogers’ You Can’t Make Old Friends.

Black River Publishing’s Creative Director Dave Pacula stated, “I am so excited to welcome Ben Caver to the family! We look forward to sharing great success with Ben as his undeniable songs and unmistakable voice continue to draw the attention of the industry’s top artists and executives.”

Caver added, “I am beyond thrilled to be joining the Black River Entertainment family! Dave Pacula has been a friend and mentor for several years, and I am so happy to be working with him again. Thank you Celia, Dave, and Kelly for what I believe is the beginning of something great!”