The Valory Music Co. Ups Ashley Sidoti

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Ashley Sidoti

The Valory Music Co. has named Ashley Sidoti to the newly-created title of Senior National Director, Promotion & Marketing, effective immediately. Most recently serving as National Director, Promotion & Marketing, she will continue to build relationships between radio and the label’s artist roster, which includes Brantley Gilbert, Thomas Rhett, Justin Moore, Aaron Lewis, Eli Young Band, Tyler Rich and Delta Rae.

“We are pleased to announce the promotion of Ashley to Senior National Director,” said The Valory Music Co. GM George Briner. “She came into the Valory Music world as an intern back in 2008 and since then has grown through the ranks, continuing to contribute to the success of The Valory Music Co. and Big Machine Label Group every day.”

“I’m thankful for Scott, George and Chris’ continued trust and confidence in me and this team,” said Sidoti. “I’m so proud of all we have built, and I know that it’s still only the beginning. I look forward to continuing to grow the Valory Music Co. – loud and proud!”

Ashley can be reached at 615-574-7827 or via ashley.sidoti@valorymail.com.

Ashley Gorley Takes Second Week At No. 1 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Ashley Gorley maintains the No. 1 position on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week for the second week. Gorley was MusicRow‘s 2018 Songwriter of the Year at the CountryBreakout Awards. The 2019 Songwriter of the Year honor will be given Wednesday (Feb. 13) at the 2019 Awards.

Repeated from last week, Kevin Welch is at No. 2 and the 2019 Grammy “Best Country Song” co-writer, Shane McAnally, is at No. 3. Brett James follows at No. 4.

Bobby Pinson moves into the top five with Dierks Bentley’s “Burning Man” and Eric Church’s “Some Of It” propelling him.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, 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.

Reba Sets Return As ACM Awards Host, Reveals Upcoming Album Tracklist

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Reba McEntire surprised viewers during Sunday evening’s Grammy broadcast, revealing she will return to host the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards on April 7 from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. This marks the 16-time ACM winner’s 16th time hosting the event. She will announce the nominees on CBS This Morning Feb. 20.

McEntire also announced her upcoming studio album, Stronger Than The Truth, coming April 5 on Big Machine Records. The 12-track album was co-produced by Reba and Buddy Cannon, and follows her Grammy and Dove Awards-winning album Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope.

Reba co-wrote a couple of tracks on the new project, including “No U In Oklahoma” (alongside Ronnie Dunn and Donna McSpadden) and “In His Mind” (alongside Liz Hengber and Tommy Lee James). Other songwriters on the album include Brandy Clark, Mark Narmore and Shelley Skidmore on “Tammy Wynette Kind Of Pain,” and Allen Shamblin and Steve Seskin on “Cactus In A Coffee Can.” Hillary Lindsey, Dallas Davidson and James Slater co-wrote “The Clown.”

“The response to Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope reinforced my love for recording songs that speak to the heart. So when I started selecting songs for this album, I stuck with that same formula – go with the songs that touch my heart, and hopefully when you hear me singing it, they’ll touch yours too. That honesty once again revealed itself,” expressed Reba. “I grew up on an 8,000-acre family ranch singing at dance halls, honky-tonks and rodeos with my brother and sister. Stronger Than The Truth takes me back to that kind of country music that I grew up with. I haven’t gotten to do that in a while, so I’m thrilled to pieces to release this new music.”

Stronger Than The Truth Track List:
1. “Swing All Night Long With You” | Written by Sidney Cox, Jon Randall
2. “Stronger Than The Truth” | Written by Hannah Louise Blaylock, Autumn McEntire
3. “Storm In A Shot Glass” | Written by Mary Browder, Will Robinson, Leslie Satcher
4. “Tammy Wynette Kind Of Pain” | Written by Brandy Clark, Mark Narmore, Shelley Skidmore
5. “Cactus In A Coffee Can” | Written by Steve Seskin, Allen Shamblin
6. “Your Heart” | Written by Kellys Collins
7. “The Clown” | Written by Dallas Davidson, Hillary Lindsey, James Slater
8. “No U In Oklahoma” | Written by Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, Donna McSpadden
9. “The Bar’s Getting Lower” | Written by Kellys Collins, Erin Enderlin, Liz Hengber, Alex Kline
10. “In His Mind” | Written by Reba McEntire, Liz Hengber, Tommy Lee James
11. “Freedom” | Written by Jay Brunswick, Tommy Cecil, Jaida Dreyer, John Pierce
12. “You Never Gave Up On Me” | Written by Billy Aerts, Burton Collins

Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern Announces New Music Row Location

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Carolyn Lethgo and Josh Distad, the owners of Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern.

The music will keep going at Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern in Nashville.

In January, the Music Row-area gathering spot announced it would be closing its 16th Ave. S. location. Now, Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern has announced it will open a new Music Row location, located at 9 Music Square S. Doors will open after renovations are made to the building.

Del and Dane Bryant, sons of the late Boudleaux and Felice Bryant (Nashville’s first professional songwriters), are leasing the property to the tavern.

After being evicted from their former location due to their landlord’s development plans, Bobby’s changed ownership. Since October, they have diligently sought a new location.

“This new location is more than perfect for local songwriters and all our friends who have loved hanging out at Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern throughout the decades,” said Josh Distad, the bar’s co-owner and a songwriter himself.

“Honoring the Bryant family’s songwriting legacy is the thread that makes this happy-ending story for Bobby’s Idle Hour so compelling,” said Corrie Rich, the tavern’s realtor. “This success is a reflection of the good people of Music Row.”

“We are beyond ecstatic and can’t stop jumping for joy about this new location!” said Carolyn Lethgo, one of the new owners of Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern. “Music Row and Bobby’s fit together like a hand in a glove.  We were made for each other and I’m honored to be part of the new leadership team.”

 

Sony Music Nashville Parties With Clive Post-Grammys

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Pictured (L-R): Kane Brown, Ryan Hurd, Maren Morris, Clive Davis, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Rob Stringer, Chairman & CEO of Sony Music Nashville Randy Goodman, Chairman & CEO of Sony Music UK Jason Iley, and Luke Combs attend the Sony Music Entertainment 2019 Post-Grammy Reception at NeueHouse Hollywood on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images for SME

Sony Music Nashville celebrated the 61st Annual Grammy Awards Sunday night (Feb. 10) at the Sony Music Entertainment 2019 Post-Grammy Reception at NeueHouse Hollywood in Los Angeles.

Kane Brown (RCA Nashville) and Best New Artist nominee Luke Combs (River House Artists/Columbia Nashville) presented the Grammy for Best Country Album while multi-nominee Maren Morris (Columbia Nashville) performed alongside Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Little Big Town, Kacey Musgraves, and Katy Perry in tribute to Parton’s 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year honor.

Nashville Band Carverton’s Lead Singer Dead At Age 24

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Kyle Yorlets was shot and killed outside his North Nashville residence on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 7.

Yorlets, 24, was a guitarist and the lead singer of the up-and-coming Nashville pop/rock band Carverton. His murder made national headlines because of the youth of the alleged perpetrators. His assailants were five juveniles – three girls, ages 12, 14 and 15, and two boys, ages 13 and 16.

The musician grew up on a dairy farm near Carlisle, PA. He graduated from Belmont University in May 2017. Yorlets formed Carverton with bass player Michael Wiebell, drummer Christian Ferguson and guitarist Michael Curry in 2014.

The group issued its debut EP in the summer of 2017. It posted its upbeat debut single, “Callin’ It Quits,” at the same time. The rocking, humorous “Hollywood” became its first music video the following month.

Carverton promoted its music throughout 2018 with club and festival bookings, an appearance on WMTS radio at MTSU and an aggressive social media presence.

The group’s current YouTube video for “Wildside” features the lead singer and his band mates performing atop the downtown hotel Cambria. It was released last month.

Other Carverton tunes include “By Myself,” “Misery,” “Pretty Little Monster” and “Veins.” The band had planned an album release show for its new Chasing Sounds collection on March 30.

In addition to performing in Carverton, Kyle Yorlets worked in the Nashville restaurant Pastaria and was a bartender at Milk & Honey.

The accused killers of Yorlets were driving a stolen Chevrolet truck. According to police, they accosted him in the alley behind his house on Torbett Street. After taking his wallet, they demanded his car keys and killed him when he refused to turn them over.

After ditching the truck, the minors drove a stolen Hyundai to the Walmart on Charlotte Pike, where they were apprehended.

The surviving members of Carverton established a GoFundMe account to aid the family of Kyle Yorlets. A memorial service was Monday, Feb. 11 at 3:30 p.m.in the Chapel at Belmont University.

Kacey Musgraves Has a Golden Grammy Night

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Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Recording Academy

Kacey Musgraves was the golden girl at Sunday evening’s (Feb. 10) Grammy honors, picking up four of the coveted golden grammophones.

Most importantly, the UMG Nashville artist’s Golden Hour album bested the seven other nominees in the coveted, all-genre Album of the Year.

Musgraves swept every category she was nominated in, which also included Best Country Album (for the same project), Best Country Song (“Space Cowboy”) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Butterflies”). The trophies join the artist’s two previous Grammy wins, for her album Same Trailer, Different Park and “Merry Go ‘Round.”

“I never dreamed this record would be met with such love, such warmth, such positivity,” said Musgraves just after winning Best Country Album for Golden Hour. She shared the stage with co-producers Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian. “I love country music with everything that I am and I’m very lucky to share my version of that with the world.”

Previous country albums to earn the overall Album of the Year honor have included Glen Campbell’s By The Time I Get To Phoenix (1969), Dixie Chicks’ Taking The Long Way (2007), and Taylor Swift’s Fearless (2010). Like Musgraves, the albums from Swift and the Dixie Chicks both earned Country Album of the Year and overall Album of the Year during their respective Grammy-winning ceremonies.

One year after Recording Academy president Neil Portnow advised female artists to “step up” if they wanted more industry recognition and award nominations, female artists proved they had been stepping up all along.

Musgraves’ win, along with wins for artists such as Dua Lipa (Best New Artist) and Cardi B (the first solo female to win Best Rap album), proved the pinnacle of an evening that saw numerous female artists, songwriters, producers and engineers celebrating triumphs.

Sunday evening, 31 women earned Grammy award wins, in a total of 38 categories. The number marks a wave of change from last year, when 17 of the evening’s 86 honors were awarded to female artists or female-led groups. Nashville artists, and artists who made their projects in Music City, were a big part of the evening–made even more impressive given the 21,000 music submissions that were considered for this year’s Grammy honors.

Musgraves performed early in the televised portion of the show, standing illuminated by a lone spotlight, backed by a stately piano and stage trimmed in rainbow lights as she offered a subtle, elegant rendition of Golden Hour’s uplifting “Rainbow.”

Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus. Photo: Recording Academy

The evening featured a musical tribute to current MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Dolly Parton.

While the tribute had a slightly shaky start due to Katy Perry over-singing on a portion of Parton’s “Here You Come Again,” which was paired with Musgraves’ more subdued and accurate rendering, the tribute swiftly became glorious as Dolly appeared, with her soaring, airy soprano and charming persona.

And really, who better to pay musical tribute to Dolly Parton than Parton herself?

Parton was joined by her goddaughter Miley Cyrus for a sassy version of “Jolene,” before Maren Morris joined the two, creating a stunning rendition of “After The Gold Rush,” a track Parton first recorded with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on the second Trio album. The comfortable, complementary harmonies from Parton, Cyrus and Morris made clear the 73-year-old Parton’s vocal influence is still going strong.

Little Big Town backed Parton with rich, nuanced harmonies on newer track “Red Shoes,” before they were joined by Perry, Cyrus, Musgraves and Morris for an all-sing on Parton’s classic “9 To 5.”

Brandi Carlile. Photo: Recording Academy

Brandi Carlile, whose critical favorite By The Way I Forgive You was recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio A, earned three award wins before the telecast, sweeping the American Roots categories, including Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Performance (“The Joke”) and Best American Roots Song (“The Joke”).

Though Carlile was shut out of the all-genre categories for which she was nominated, she did offer a star-making, impassioned performance of “The Joke” during the telecast. She commanded the stage, wielding her guitar and leading her band with a casual confidence and blistering lead vocal. In a moment of transparent joy, Carlile concluded her performance by jumping up and down onstage as the crowd stood to its feet.

Prior to the telecast, Lauren Daigle earned two honors in the Contemporary Christian Music categories, earning Best Album for Look Up Child, and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “You Say.” Similarly, Tori Kelly earned Best Gospel Album for Hiding Place and Best Gospel Performance/Song for “Never Alone.”

Nashville’s female artists weren’t the only ones relishing a triumphant evening. Following earning their first Grammy win for Best Country Duo/group performance for “Tequila,” Dan + Shay offered a piano-and guitar-backed rendition of the hit during the telecast. The performance put Shay Mooney’s flawless vocals in the spotlight and undoubtedly introduced an even larger audience to the song that was already the most-streamed country song in 2018.

Numerous artists throughout the evening noted the power music has to strengthen souls in times of struggle, to comfort in times of doubt, and to provide a familiar place to revive the creative spirit in times of rejection.

Perhaps Diana Ross summed it best during her arresting performance of “Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand),” as she advised the crowd, “Learn. Dream. Unlock new doors. Everything is possible with music.”

Kacey Musgraves performs “Rainbow.” Photo: Recording Academy

Willie Nelson Wins Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy Honor

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At age 85, Willie Nelson just added to his Grammy collection, earning his ninth honor during Sunday’s (Feb. 10) Grammys Premiere ceremony. Nelson earned Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for My Way. The album marks Nelson’s 68th studio project and includes covers of numerous Frank Sinatra classics including “Fly Me To The Moon” and the classic title track.

Matt Rollings, a co-producer on the album alongside Buddy Cannon, accepted on Nelson’s behalf.

Nelson was also nominated this year for Best American Roots Performance, for “Last Man Standing.” The honor ultimately went to Brandi Carlile’s “The Joke.”

Nelson won his first Grammy in 1975 for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.”

Kacey Musgraves, Dan + Shay Earn Early Country Grammy Wins

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Going into the 61st annual Grammy Awards, Kacey Musgraves has already earned two top honors, including Best Country Solo Performance for “Butterflies,” and Best Country Song for “Space Cowboy.” Musgraves’ previous Grammy honors include accolades for her album Same Trailer, Different Park and “Merry Go ‘Round.”

She was not in attendance at the Premiere ceremony, but her “Space Cowboy” co-writers, Shane McAnally and Luke Laird, were in attendance to accept the Best Country Song honor.

“This is unbelievable,” said Laird, who previously earned a Grammy as co-producer on Musgraves’ 2014 album Same Trailer, Different Park. “It’s an honor for someone like me to get to work with the most talented people in the world. I’m fully convinced that without a creator there would be no creativity.

“I just got a text before I walked up here from [Musgraves’ manager] Jason Owen that said, ‘Thank me.’ So thank you,” said McAnally, who also previously earned Grammys as a co-producer on Same Trailer, Different Park and co-writer on Musgraves’ “Merry Go ‘Round.” “Honestly, Kacey is one of the greatest songwriters and artists of our generation and to sit in the same room with her is an honor and the same for Luke Laird. I’m so honored to be part of the Nashville community.”

Musgraves’ industry-favorite Golden Hour, which was named Album of the Year at the 2018 CMA Awards, is also nominated for Best Country Album at tonight’s 61st Grammy Awards, as well as the coveted overall Album of the Year.

Notably, this year also marks a change for four top general field categories, as nominees for the Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best New Artist and Song of the Year have been expanded from five final nominees to eight final nods.

Dan + Shay earned their very first Grammy honor for “Tequila,” which earned Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The track was the most-streamed song for 2018 and a multi-week No. 1 track.

Smyers said, “We had no expectations to win this. The beautiful thing about Nashville is we are all family and we all root for each other.”

“I can’t believe this just happened,” Mooney said. “I might be about to pass out. This is an incredible honor.”

Brandi Carlile Earns Three Early Grammy Honors

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Brandi Carlile dominated the American Roots categories during the Grammys Premiere Ceremony on Sunday (Feb. 10).

Carlile, a leading nominee with six total nods going into the Grammy awards, earned her first-ever Grammy award win for Best American Roots Performance (“The Joke”). Carlile was previously nominated for a Grammy in 2015 for Best Americana Album (The Firewatcher’s Daughter).

“It’s our first Grammy!” she said in accepting her honor. “This means so much to me and Dave Cobb who brought the best out of us in this song. I never saw us standing here, but it means so much to be standing here for this song.”

She would pick up two additional honors during the Premiere ceremony.

Best Americana Album went to Carlile’s By The Way I Forgive You, which was recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio A. The album was produced by Shooter Jennings (who also produced King of the Road: A Tribute To Roger Miller) and by Dave Cobb (who has won multiple Grammy honors for his work with Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell).

Carlile thanked Cobb and Jennings, whom she called her “spirit animals.”

“I’m just so proud to go into the studio with such a talent and be part of this.” Cobb added.

“The Joke” also earned Best American Roots Song (the track was penned by Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth.

Carlile summed her early evening wins by thanking the Americana music community at large.

“Americana music is the island of the misfit toys. I’m such a misfit,” said Carlile. “It is this music that has shaped who I am. I came out of the closet at 15 years old and I can assure you I was never invited to any parties. To be embraced by this endearing and loving community…thank you for being my island.”

Carlile is also nominated for three general field category honors at the 61st annual Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year (“The Joke”), Album of the Year (By The Way I Forgive You), and Song of the Year (“The Joke”).