Black River Entertainment Signs Duo Pryor & Lee

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Pictured (L-R): Attorney John Mason, Black River’s EVP Rick Froio, Pryor Baird, Black River’s VP of A&R Doug Johnson, Kaleb Lee, Black River’s SVP of Promotion Mike Wilson, Black River’s President & CEO Gordon Kerr, Attorney Lauren Kilgore.

Black River Entertainment has signed its first duo to the label roster, Pryor & Lee. The country duo includes former The Voice contestants Kaleb Lee and Pryor Baird, who each finished in the Top 6 on the show.

After meeting while competing (and initially collaborating) on The Voice, each pursued solo careers, with Pryor touring in support of his 2019 EP All Over Me, while Lee released the track “I Dream in Southern,” penned by Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne and Brandy Clark. Lee returned to The Voice last year to perform the track with Kelly Clarkson.

Black River Entertainment CEO Gordon Kerr said of the signing, “Even though this seems very quick, it really is not. We’ve talked about wanting a duo for a long time, we just didn’t know it was you, and now we do.”

While signing their contract, Pryor expressed his enthusiasm for the next chapter. “This is literally a dream come true…I got a guitar when I was two and a half, and I’ve dreamt of this day my whole life,” Pryor said.

Lee added, “I couldn’t be more pumped for this new project and the team behind it! I immediately knew it was something special when Pryor and I recorded music together in late 2019 but having Black River get excited just solidified my feelings.”

Pryor & Lee will hit the road for the “Country’s Back” tour beginning March 1 in Fontana, California.

ONErpm, Verge Records Announce New Nashville Headquarters

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ONErpm and Verge Records have announced new Nashville headquarters, located at 611 Commerce Street, Ste. 3109. The newly-renovated space includes a listening room, recording studio and content studio.

ONErpm opened its Nashville office in 2015; in 2019, CEO Emmanuel Zunz appointed Mickey Jack Cones to lead Verge Records, a label that uses ONErpm’s global presence to further opportunities for its artists.

In the past 18 months, ONErpm has released music from Yelawolf, Derek Hough, Method Man, Struggle Jennings, Demun Jones, Doobie, and many others. Verge Records’ first signings will be announced in the coming months.

Sony Music Nashville, Villa 40 Sign Tyler Booth

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Pictured (L-R, front row): Angie Magill, SVP, Legal & Business Affairs, Sony Music Nashville; Joe Fisher, Villa 40; Tyler Booth; Jim Catino, EVP, A&R, SMN; Scott Safford,Safford-Motley; (L-R, back row): Steve Hodges, EVP, Promotion/Artist Development, SMN; Taylor Lindsey, SVP, A&R, SMN; Villa 40’s Brad Margolis; Randy Goodman, Chairman/CEO, SMN; producer/songwriter Phil O’Donnell; Ken Robold, EVP/COO, SMN; Kris Wiatr, Wiatr & Associates. Photo: Matthew Berinato

Tyler Booth has been signed to Villa 40/Sony Music Nashville. Booth is the first artist to launch as part of an exclusive, long-term joint-venture agreement between the label group and Villa 40, which was co-founded by music industry executives including Joe Fisher, Brad Margolis and Trace Ayala.

“I’m so excited to sign with Sony Nashville/Villa 40; they plucked me out of the hills of Kentucky,” Booth said. “They told me they believed in me, loved the music I was making and felt like they wanted to be apart of my future. I’ve grown to know them like family and feel like it’s where I belong.”

The 21-year-old Booth is a native of Southeastern Kentucky, and first caught the attention of producer/writer Phil O’Donnell. Booth recently released the songs “Long Comes A Girl” and “Where The Livin’ Is.”

“On behalf of the Villa 40 team, we couldn’t be more thrilled to announce our joint venture with Sony Music Nashville,” Margolis said. “We have watched the Sony team repeatedly break genre-defining artists, and we look forward to continuing that tradition with our signing of Tyler Booth…Villa 40 was founded with the goal of developing artists across all aspects of their careers, and we know that working with the SMN team will allow us to help artists like Tyler define the next decade of country music.”

Sony Music Nashville EVP A&R Jim Catino added, “Brad and Joe and the entire Villa 40 team are creative and passionate collaborators. What better way to kick-off our new relationship than to share the news of signing the incredibly talented singer-songwriter Tyler Booth.”

SMACK Adds Two Team Members

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Kammeyer, Groves

SMACK has welcomed two new members to its team.

Miranda Kammeyer joins as Controller, and will oversee internal accounting and financial responsibilities. Kammeyer joins from local CPA firm Jacobs Cohen, where she previously spent seven years as an accounting manager.

Jeremy Groves has joined SMACK Publishing as Creative Manager and will work with the creative team to manage writers and handle song plugging for the SMACK catalog. Groves previously spent five years with Big Loud/Maverick, as day-to-day manager for Dallas Smith, Mackenzie Porter and Mat Kearney.

SMACK’s Senior Vice President, Operations, Tiffany Young, shares, “We are excited to welcome Miranda and Jeremy onto the SMACK team. They both bring unique talent and we look forward to celebrating the successes they will help us achieve in 2020 and beyond.”

The Nashville-based company is led by hit songwriters and producers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.

Kammeyer can be reached at miranda@smacksongs.com, while Groves can be reached at jeremy@smacksongs.com.

Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt Lead UMG’s CRS Luncheon Lineup

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Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban top off a star-studded lineup for UMG’s upcoming “Team UMG at the Ryman” luncheon during Country Radio Seminar on Feb. 20. The afternoon will also feature performances by Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Jon Pardi, Little Big Town, Brandon Lay, Caylee Hammack, Adam Hambrick, Kylie Morgan, Parker McCollum, and Travis Denning.

“This will be the 11th Year of ‘Team UMG at the Ryman’ and I cannot wait for this incredible line-up,” said Royce Risser, EVP, Promotion, Universal Music Group Nashville. “This event will not only showcase our incredible superstar roster but will introduce radio and the industry to our newest stars. We also always try to throw a surprise in there. Can’t wait to see you all.”

“Team UMG at the Ryman” will be held at the Ryman Auditorium starting at 11:30 a.m. and as in previous years, seminar registrants will receive a boxed lunch prior to the event and will have the option to either walk or use shuttles, provided by UMG Nashville, going from the Omni Hotel to the Ryman Auditorium between 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

This year’s Country Radio Seminar will be held Feb. 19-21 in Nashville.

Troy Gentry Foundation Announces Lineup For Second “C’Ya On The Flipside” Benefit

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The second annual Troy Gentry Foundation benefit, “C’Ya On The Flipside II,” is set to take place Feb. 5 at The Grand Ole Opry House with performances by Justin Moore, Trace Adkins, Don McLean, Terri Clark, Mark Wills, Shenandoah, Ricochet, T. Graham Brown, Rhett Akins, Abby Anderson, Jake Hoot, Caroline Jones and Eddie Montgomery, plus a few surprise guests. Tracy Lawrence will perform as well as co-host the event alongside SiriusXM’s Storme Warren.

The Foundation was launched in an effort to keep Troy’s legacy and personal beliefs, “Love God, Love Others,” alive after a tragic helicopter crash in 2017 took his life, and the evening will benefit T.J. Martell Foundation, Make-A-Wish, The Journey Home Project, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, St. Jude Children’s Hospital and music education in Kentucky schools.

Tickets are available at TicketMaster and Opry.com and fans can also bid on exclusive one-of-a-kind items via an online auction. The auction will go live on Jan. 29 and conclude at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 5 (bidding on front row tickets ends at 2 p.m. on Feb. 5).

“I’m so excited for ‘C’Ya on the Flip Side II.’ It is going to be a great show with such a wonderful group of entertainers coming together to raise money for so many organizations that meant so much to Troy,” says Angie Gentry. “It is such an honor to carry on the legacy of helping others that Troy was so passionate about. The love and support we have received is amazing! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me to keep his spirit alive.”

Chris Stapleton To Bring All-American Road Show Back To Nashville

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Chris Stapleton is bringing his “All-American Road Show” back this Summer and Fall with an extensive new run of shows including stops at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 2, New York’s Madison Square Garden on Oct. 10, and a debut at Chicago’s famed Wrigley Field Aug. 29. The tour will feature a multitude of rotating special guests including Dwight Yoakam, Elle King, Hank Williams Jr., Kendell Marvel, Margo Price, Nikki Lane, Sheryl Crow, The Marcus King Band and Yola, The Highwomen, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and The Dirty Knobs with Mike Campbell.

A special tour stop in April will be “A Concert for Kentucky”—a unique show benefitting Stapleton’s newly-created Outlaw State of Kind Hometown Fund to be held at University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field on April 25. The performance is the first concert ever held at UK’s Kroger Field and will feature very special guests Willie Nelson & Family, Sheryl Crow and Yola. One hundred percent of the concert’s net proceeds will go toward Chris and Morgane Stapleton’s Outlaw State of Kind Hometown Fund. The fund was established in partnership with the Blue Grass Community Foundation and will specifically support local and national organizations directly impacting Kentucky, with initial grant distributions focusing on music and arts education.

Stapleton Fan Club pre-sales will begin next Tuesday, Feb. 4, and public on sale for the newly-announced concerts begin Friday, Feb. 7. Citi is the official presale credit card of  the “All-American Road Show” and as such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase pre-sale tickets through Citi Entertainment beginning Feb. 4-6.

Chris Stapleton’s “All-American Road Show” Dates:
BOLD on-sale Friday, February 7 at 10:00am local time
March 11—Corpus Christi, TX—American Bank Center#
March 12—Austin, TX—Frank Erwin Center#
March 14—Arlington, TX—Globe Life Field*
March 20—Biloxi, MS—Mississippi Coast Coliseum+
March 21—Birmingham, AL—Legacy Arena at the BJCC+
April 22—Toledo, OH—Huntington Center+
April 23—Columbus, OH—Schottenstein Center+
April 25—Lexington, KY—A Concert for Kentucky – Kroger Field†
June 4—Albuquerque, NM—Isleta Amphitheater‡
June 5—Phoenix, AZ—Ak-Chin Pavilion‡
June 6—San Bernardino, CA—Glen Helen Amphitheater‡
June 11—Bakersfield, CA—Mechanics Bank Arena°
June 12—Sacramento, CA—Toyota Amphitheatre°
June 13—Mountain View, CA—Shoreline Amphitheatre°
June 18—Boise, ID—Ford Idaho Center Arena°
June 19—Portland, OR—Sunlight Supply Amphitheater°
June 20—George, WA—The Gorge Amphitheatre°
June 25—Salt Lake City, UT—USANA Amphitheatre§
June 26—Denver, CO—Pepsi Center§
June 30—Milwaukee, WI—Summerfest at American Family Insurance Amphitheater^
July 16—Estero, FL—Hertz Arena##
July 17—Orlando, FL—Amway Center##
July 18—Atlanta, GA—Truist Park**
July 23—Darien Center, NY—Darien Lake Amphitheater##
July 24—Syracuse, NY—St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview##
July 25—Holmdel, NJ—PNC Bank Arts Center##
July 30—Scranton, PA—The Pavilion at Montage Mountain++
July 31—Philadelphia, PA—BB&T Pavilion++
August 1—Mansfield, MA—Xfinity Center++
August 6—Cuyahoga Falls, OH—Blossom Music Center++
August 7—Charlotte, NC—PNC Music Pavilion++
August 8—Raleigh, NC—Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek++
August 12—Gilford, NH—Bank NH Pavilion††
August 13—Gilford, NH—Bank NH Pavilion††
August 20—Sioux Falls, SD—Denny Sanford PREMIER Center††
August 29—Chicago, IL—Wrigley Field‡‡
October 1—Knoxville, TN—Thompson-Boling Arena+
October 2—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena+
October 8—State College, PA—Bryce Jordan Center+
October 9—Atlantic City, NJ—Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall+
October 10—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden+
October 15—Columbia, MO—Mizzou Arena+
October 16—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center+ (on-sale February 14)
October 17—Lincoln, NE—Pinnacle Bank Arena+ (on-sale February 14)
October 22—Lubbock, TX—United Supermarket Arena+
October 23—San Antonio, TX—AT&T Center+ (on-sale March 27)
#Jamey Johnson and Yola
*Willie Nelson & Family, Jamey Johnson and Yola
+The Marcus King Band and Yola
†Willie Nelson & Family, Sheryl Crow and Yola
‡Dwight Yoakam and The Dirty Knobs with Mike Campbell
°Margo Price and The Dirty Knobs with Mike Campbell
§Sheryl Crow and The Dirty Knobs with Mike Campbell
^Sheryl Crow
##Sheryl Crow and Kendell Marvel
**Hank Williams Jr., Sheryl Crow and Kendell Marvel
++Elle King and Kendell Marvel
††Elle King and Nikki Lane
‡‡The Highwomen, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and The Dirty Knobs with Mike Campbell

Rusty Gaston Officially Begins Reign At Sony/ATV As Publishing Powerhouse Acquires THiS Music

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Rusty Gaston

Rusty Gaston has officially started in his new role as CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville. MusicRow broke the news that Gaston would be joining the music publishing giant back in July 2019.

Gaston leads all creative and operations for the company’s Nashville division, including the signing of new songwriters and development of strategies to exploit its catalog. He reports to Jon Platt, Chairman and CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

Sony/ATV has also acquired THiS Music, the Nashville-based publishing company Gaston co-founded with Nashville ‘Songwriters Hall of Fame’ inductee Tim Nichols and acclaimed songwriter Connie Harrington. THiS Music’s roster includes Ben Hayslip, two-time ASCAP ‘Songwriter of the Year’ winner and member of The Peach Pickers, as well as Grammy award winning artist Emily Weisband, who has written major pop hits for BTS, Halsey and Camila Cabello, among others.

Platt said, “Rusty is one of music’s most influential executives today, and his success in developing game-changing opportunities for songwriters makes him the perfect leader to step into this important role at Sony/ATV. I’m excited to work alongside Rusty and our Nashville team on nurturing the next generation of music’s hitmakers.”

Gaston added, “It is a tremendous honor to join Jon and the Sony/ATV family. The Sony/ATV Nashville catalog is the undisputed greatest collection of country music on the planet. As a music lover, I am in awe of the legacy of the songs and the songwriters…past, present and future…and I look forward to working with this amazing team and roster.”

 

 

Jimmy Dasher Joins APA Nashville

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Jimmy Dasher

APA Nashville has added Jimmy Dasher as a music agent; he will focus on booking clubs and theaters in North America’s Western region.

Dasher got his start in music as an artist, recording a few studio albums as well as working as a guitarist and bass player for other touring artists. In 2016, he joined Buddy Lee Attractions as an agent. In 2018, he joined Atomic Music Group, building a roster including artists Doug Stone, Terry McBride and Doug Kershaw.

“As a performer turned agent, Jimmy brings a wealth of experience to his work from both perspectives,” said APA partner and Co-Head of Worldwide Concerts, Steve Lassiter. “I’m very happy to have him join our Nashville team and look forward to working with him.”

“I’m excited to work with the team Steve has established at APA, and look forward to continuing to grow as an agent as I develop new relationships with their artists and buyers. It’s going to make a great home,” said Dasher.

Dasher can be reached at jdasher@apa-agency.com or (615) 297-0100.

Taylor Lamb Appointed Creative Director At RED Creative Group

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Taylor Lamb

Taylor Lamb has been named Creative Director for Nashville-based RED Creative Group. Lamb’s responsibilities in his new position will include creative publishing and writer management duties, as well as aiding in artist development initiatives.

He previously served as A&R Coordinator at Los Angeles-based indie publisher/record label/management company Position Music.

“Taylor has quickly proven himself to be a major asset for our writers and creative team. We are excited to welcome his talent and strong work ethic to our growing roster,“ said RED Creative Group president Jeremy Stover.

“I’m so excited to be part of such a hardworking team and can’t wait to come alongside our writers and artists to help them continue progressing in their art,” Lamb said.