Mint Music Group’s Anna Clendening Inks Label Deal With Atlantic

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Mint Music Group artist Anna Clendening has signed with Atlantic Records. The pop singer/songwriter has garnered more than 200 million global streams and a gold-certified single with “Boys Like You.” “Get Me,” released June 12, serves as the lead single from her upcoming EP.

Clendening, along with Nashville-based artist-producer Lackhoney, are aligned with Mint Music Group, a venture from Nashville-based managers Jono Scarlet and Trevor Wall, and Los Angeles-based manager Wallace Morgan.

Wallace Morgan, originally from Nashville, began working at Republic Records in New York, before launching the previous venture Moxi Management in 2017. Philadelphia native Wall was a tour manager before moving to Nashville in 2015 and working at APA Agency before joining Mint in 2018. New Zealand native Scarlet spent 20 years working as a producer, tour manager and artist manager before co-launching Mint in 2015.

Morgan oversees Mint Music Group’s West Coast operations, while Scarlet and Wall oversee the company’s headquarters in Nashville.

Mint Music Group Partners: Jono Scarlet, Trevor Wall, Wallace Morgan

Mike Smith Named Global President For Downtown Music Publishing

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Mike Smith.

Downtown Music Holdings has appointed Mike Smith as Global President of Downtown Music Publishing. Beginning Sept. 1, 2020, he will assume day-to-day operations for Downtown’s music publishing division. He will be based in London and will report to Downtown Music Holdings CEO Justin Kalifowitz.

“Since its founding in 2007, we’ve carefully built Downtown Music Publishing, writer by writer, guided by an appreciation for the craft of songwriting, a focus on creative partnership, and a belief that a global music company for the modern era should be rooted in an understanding that the song is a foundational element to everything else in the music business. The addition of Mike Smith as Global President of Downtown Music Publishing is in complete alignment with these principles and I know under Mike’s stewardship our publishing business is in the best of hands,” said Kalifowitz. “For as long as I’ve been in the music industry, Mike has set the standard in cultivating strong relationships with some of the most influential songwriters, artists and producers, while also mentoring the next generation of global music executives.”

Smith said, “Since my first job in the music industry I have been guided by my underlying love for artists and songwriters. I thoroughly enjoyed the years I spent on the recordings side of the business, but music publishing is where my heart is. Downtown’s ability to build a formidable, twenty-first century music publishing company unencumbered by the baggage of the past has made them an impressive and compelling proposition for songwriters and composers, and I am delighted to become part of their vision.”

Smith, who received the prestigious ‘Sir George Martin Award’ at the 2016 A&R Awards, most recently served as Managing Director of Warner Chappell Music in the U.K., where he oversaw the signings of Liam Gallagher, Dave, J Hus, Celeste and Foals. Prior to joining Warner Chappell, he was Managing Director of Columbia Records and President of Music at Mercury Records and Virgin/EMI. His past signings include Mark Ronson, Calvin Harris, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, The White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, and Arcade Fire, and he has overseen deals with Iggy Azalea, Lizzo, Duke Dumont and The Chemical Brothers, among others.

Entertainment Communities Unite To Support Police Reforms

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Many in the music and entertainment communities recently signed a letter supporting the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 in the U.S. House of Representatives and are urging its quick passage.
Among the letter’s signatories are ASCAP, Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP), Arista Records, Justin Bieber, Death Cab For Cutie, Billie Eilish, Amy Grant, Josh Kear, Lizzo, Demi Lovato, Becca Mancari, Chrissy Metz, Mac Powell, Rihanna, Bernie Taupin, and more.

The Justice in Policing Act rejects qualified immunity, bans police using chokeholds and no-knock warrants, ends racial and religious profiling, establishes a national police misconduct registry to collect data and improve investigations into police misconduct, and also promotes de-escalation practices and established comprehensive training programs.

The act also limits the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement, requires federal uniformed law enforcement to wear body cameras, and requires state and local law enforcement to use existing federal funds to ensure the use of police body cameras. The act also seeks to support critical community-based programs to change the culture of law enforcement and public safety.

The House of Representatives is expected to take up the legislation later this week on the issue.

Earlier this month, artists and music industry executives also signed a letter petitioning New York to repeal statute 50-A, which keeps police officers’ personnel and disciplinary records concealed.

See the full letter from artists supporting the Justice in Policing Act below:

June 23, 2020

Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
1236 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Republican Leader
2468 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:

Since the killing of George Floyd just one month ago, our country has seen protests grow, attitudes shift, and calls for change intensify. We in the music and entertainment communities believe that Black lives matter and have long decried the injustices endured by generations of Black citizens. We are more determined than ever to push for federal, state, and local law enforcement programs that truly serve their communities. Accordingly, we are grateful for movement of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 in the U.S. House of Representatives and urge its quick passage.

The Justice in Policing Act is not about marginal change; it takes bold steps that will make a real, positive difference for law enforcement and the communities they serve. We celebrate the long-overdue rejection of qualified immunity, emphasizing that law enforcement officers themselves are not above the law – that bad cops must be held accountable and victims must have recourse. We applaud the provisions to ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants, to establish a national police misconduct registry, to collect data and improve investigations into police misconduct, to promote de-escalation practices, to establish comprehensive training programs, and to update and enhance standards and practices.

This legislation will not only promote justice; it will establish a culture of responsibility, fairness, and respect deserving of the badge. Our communities and nation look to you to take a stand in this extraordinary moment and we respectfully ask that you vote YES on the Justice in Policing Act of 2020.

Thank you,

Signatories

Red 11 Music Signs Cody Hibbard For Booking Representation

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Cody Hibbard

Newcomer Cody Hibbard has inked a booking agreement with Red 11 Music, with Red 11’s Geoff Turner handling scheduling of Hibbard’s performance opportunities. In January, Hibbard released his debut EP Memory and a Dirt Road.

“Geoff has been a supporter of mine since day 1 when ‘Half Whiskey, Half Lonely’ dropped. Having that kind of support behind me moving forward elevates my motivation and excitement even more,” Hibbard says. “I can’t wait to see what lies in store working with Red 11 Music.”

“We’ve been incredibly impressed with Cody’s new record and his distinctive voice in the country music world,” Turner says. “We can’t wait to introduce him to more fans and bigger audiences across Texas and beyond.”

Oklahoma native Hibbard began pursuing songwriting and music after attending the United States Naval Academy and working for years as a pipeliner. In 2019, Hibbard recorded his debut single, “Half Whiskey, Half Lonely,” at Rosewood Recording Studios in Tyler, Texas with producer Drew Hall. His song “Just for the Record” debuted at No. 25 on the Texas Music Pickers Spotify chart.

Red 11 Music has offices in Austin, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee and is home to several artists working in the Texas country, red dirt and Americana scenes. In just over a decade, the boutique booking agency has worked with artists including Cody Johnson, Turnpike Troubadours, Randall King, and Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Saban Music Group Inks Global Admin Deal With UMPG

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Saban Music Group has announced an exclusive, global administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group.

Backed by entertainment industry pioneer Haim Saban, SMG was founded in 2019 by Saban, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saban Capital Group LLC. Led by industry veteran Gustavo Lopez, the company’s strategy entails identifying, signing, and developing artists with international appeal. SMG’s global artist/songwriter roster includes Static & Ben El (Israel), Mergui (Israel), Marie Monti (France), Chesca (Puerto Rico), and Reykon (Colombia), and more.

“I am thrilled about this new venture. Innovation requires collaboration, and this partnership amplifies our chances for success on a global scale,” said Haim Saban of the new agreement.

“We are excited to be partnering with Haim Saban and Gustavo Lopez and Saban Music to create opportunities for their artists and songwriters. I am confident that we will have outstanding success together,” said Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of UMPG.

Earlier this year, SMG announced a global distribution and marketing agreement with Universal Music Group. SMG is distributed in the U.S. by Caroline, an arm of UMG subsidiary Capitol Music Group, and works in tandem with Caroline International and UMG’s Santa Monica-based central services team for all other territories.

ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp Goes Virtual

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The Academy of Country Music’s Lifting Lives program hosted its annual ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp with Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities earlier this month with several virtual events.

Held June 10-17 via videoconference, campers from around the world, including the United States, Canada and Australia participated in virtual activities. Cassadee Pope joined the campers during a live Zoom interview session with Seacrest Studios in Nashville, where the campers did a Q&A with Pope. The interview session was also broadcasted to a closed-circuit network for the patients at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to tune in. Ross Copperman, J.T. Harding and Runaway June joined campers to write the original song, “World of Love,” to be recorded by each participant individually and compiled into a final song by Copperman. ACM and Vanderbilt staff joined the campers via Zoom Saturday morning, creating instruments from items at home. The ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp continued with a talent show performance from each camper, featuring special appearances from Frankie Ballard, Michael Ray and Tenille Townes live via Zoom. Following the weekend activities, camp concluded with a variety of music-oriented activities such as line dancing and yoga through Wednesday, June 17.

“In spite of not having camp in-person this year, we were delighted to provide this virtual experience to 29 campers, five that joined for the first time,” said Lyndsay Cruz, ACM Lifting Lives Executive Director. “We felt it was more important than ever this year to continue to provide our campers with the music-oriented and educational experiences they enjoy, and we are so thankful to each artist and the country music community who helped make this camp a reality.”

Industry Ink: Scotty McCreery, Darius Rucker, Clint Black, Johnny & The Mongrels

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Scotty McCreery Has Zoom Celebration For “In Between”

Pictured (L-R): Annie Brooks, Hope Garrison, Kevin Herring, Parker Fowler, Laura Hostelley, Raffaella Braun, Scotty McCreery, Julianna Vaughn, Diane Lockner, Norbert Nix

Scotty McCreery recently celebrated his third No. 1 “In Between” with his team during a Zoom call. “In Between” is the third single from McCreery’s 2018 album, Seasons Change, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart. It follows his back-to-back No. 1s, the Platinum-certified hit “This Is It” and Double-Platinum “Five More Minutes.” Produced by Frank Rogers, McCreery co-wrote the song alongside Rogers, Jessi Alexander and Jonathan Singleton.

“Earning a No. 1 record on ‘In Between,’ which is a song that defines me, is amazing. I loved writing this song with Frank, Jessi and Jonathan and telling my story,” said McCreery. “Earning three No. 1 songs in a row is the perfect way to celebrate Seasons Change and how that album changed my life. I want to thank country radio for supporting my music, my fans for believing in me from day one, and both my management team Triple 8 Management and my record label Triple Tigers Records for always having my back and working side by side with me every day.”

Darius Rucker, Clint Black Celebrate Early Father’s Day On Opry

Cllnt Black and Darius Rucker perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Photo: Courtesy Grand Ole Opry

Opry members/dads Clint Black and Darius Rucker performed together for the 4,929th consecutive Saturday night (June 20) broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry over Father’s Day weekend.

Johnny & The Mongrels Sign With so much MOORE For Publicity

Johnny & The Mongrels (L-R): Jeff Bostic and Johnny Ryan. Credit: Jim Mimna

Blues-rockers Johnny & The Mongrels have retained so much MOORE media for publicity. Their debut album, Creole Skies, will be released on July 17. The New Orleans-influenced band has been described as “the perfect combination of a funk-filled heart and a deep bayou soul,” and its founders, currently based in Fort Collins, Colorado, are singer/songwriter Johnny Ryan and singer/bassist/songwriter Jeff Bostic.

Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium To Reopen For Daytime Tours This Friday

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Photo: Courtesy Ryman Auditorium

Nashville continues its quest to get back to business with the launch of Phase 3 this week, and local institutions the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium are finally reopening their doors to the public for daytime hours beginning this Friday (June 26).

Backstage tours of the Grand Ole Opry House will reopen for a weekend run this weekend Friday, June 26–Sunday, June 28 at 10 a.m. before beginning daily tours on July 2, giving an intimate look at the people, places, and stories behind the show that made country famous. Self-guided tours of the Mother Church will also be available Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m – 3 p.m.

Best-in-class safety procedures and training are being implemented at both venues to help promote guest safety. Both Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry House will strictly adhere to operating plans developed with Vanderbilt Health that meet or exceed CDC and local health department safety guidelines.

To ensure safe social distancing, both venues are operating with limited capacity inside the buildings, staff will wear PPE and receive temperature checks, each guest will receive health screenings before the tour, and guests will be required to wear masks. There will be hand sanitizer stations throughout the building for guests to use, with frequent cleaning of high touchpoint areas, and guests will be positioned at least six feet apart while entering and exiting.

The Turn It Up! Ryman’s Rock Legacy exhibit will make its debut when the Ryman reopens for daily tours. The exhibition showcases the Ryman’s rich past that extends far beyond country, and features artifacts from Elvis Presley, Peter Frampton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, John Mellencamp, Wilco, Neil Young, Steve Miller Band, Grace Potter, Drive-by Truckers, Bruce Springsteen and more. Tours of the Ryman begin with a stop in the state-of-the-art Soul of Nashville experience where guests experience a magical journey complete with holograms, special effects, multidimensional film images and archival footage to bring the history of the Ryman to life.

Night-time activities available to the public at both venues remain paused and will resume in accordance with Nashville’s Roadmap to Reopening, and backstage tours of the Ryman will not be offered at this time.

John Prine’s "I Remember Everything" Debuts At No. 1

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John Prine. Photo: Danny Clinch

The late John Prine‘s last recorded song, “I Remember Everything,” has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Rock Digital Song Sales Chart, earning the highest-charting single of Prine’s career as a performer.

The song debuted at the conclusion of the virtual tribute “Picture Show: A Tribute Celebrating John Prine,” that was held earlier this month, and featured performers including Kacey Musgraves, Vince Gill, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, and more. Since the tribute show premiered, it has been viewed more than 500,000 times and raised more than $400,000 for NAMI, Alive, Make the Road New York and MusiCares.

Prine wrote “I Remember Everything” alongside Pat McLaughlin and recorded it last year in his living room, with producer Dave Cobb and engineer Gena Johnson.

Already a two-time winner in the category, Prine is once again nominated for Artist of the Year at the 2020 Americana Honors & Awards, which will take place Sept. 16 at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.

Anthem, Wrensong Sign Deal With Mother-Daughter Songwriters EmiSunshine, Alisha Hamilton

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EmiSunshine, Alisha Hamilton

Anthem Entertainment and Wrensong have signed mother-daughter songwriters EmiSunshine and Alisha Hamilton to a global publishing deal.

Music listeners first became aware of EmiSunshine in 2014 when, at 9 years old, she performed a rendition of the Jimmie Rodgers classic “Blue Yodel No. 6.” Her family posted a video of the performance on YouTube and it went viral, earning more than one million views. In 2017, Rolling Stone named her as one of the “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know,” and in 2018, she was featured in the Elvis Presley documentary The King. EmiSunshine was also selected as the 2019 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Desmond Child Anthem Award and recently collaborated with Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame member Bootsy Collins on the song “Stars.”

EmiSunshine said, “Being included with such a prestigious roster of writers is such a huge honor and I’m more than excited to be a part!”

Hamilton added, “Being accepted as a writer is all I ever dreamed of! I can’t imagine a better place to create new music.”

Ree Guyer, President and Owner of Wrensong Entertainment, said, “Emi and her mom, Alisha, have been writing together since Emi was four years old. They are a magical writing team. Emi has a bright future as an artist/writer who is a storyteller to her peers and thinks outside the box. We are so pleased to be working with Emi and Alisha making their dreams come true.”

Tim Wipperman, President of Anthem Music Publishing Nashville, added, “Emi is an Artist/Writer brought into the family by Ree Guyer and our Wrensong J/V. She is an amazing young artist, and she and her mother Alisha have created a compelling body of music to propel that artistry forward. Look out world! Here they come.”