NSAI Celebrates Nashville Songwriter Awards Winners For 2020

This year’s Nashville Songwriter Awards were held virtually, as the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) partnered with City National Bank and Billboard to announce the winners for 2020 via social media platforms throughout the past week.

This year’s Nashville Songwriter Awards winners are below:

Song of the Year: “More Hearts Than Mine,” recorded by Ingrid Andress. Writers: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland
Songwriter-Artist of the Year: Luke Combs
Songwriter of the Year: Ashley Gorley

“10 Songs I Wish I’d Written” Winners:
“Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Jonathan Singleton
“Heartache Medication” – Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby, Jon Pardi
“Homemade” – Ben Goldsmith, Jared Mullins, Drew Parker, Bobby Pinson
“Lover” – Taylor Swift
“Old Town Road” – Billy Ray Cyrus, Jocelyn Donald, Montero Hill, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Kiowa Roukema
“On My Way To You” – Brett James, Tony Lane
“One Man Band” – Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi
“Prayed For You” – Ash Bowers, Allison Veltz Cruz, Matt Stell
“Speechless” – Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers, Laura Veltz
“The Bones” – Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz
“What If I Never Get Over You” – Sam Ellis, John Green, Ryan Hurd, Laura Veltz

“City National Bank has a long history of supporting songwriters and the creative community,” said Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, heads of Entertainment Banking for City National in Nashville, in a joint statement. “This community is resilient, and we can’t wait for the time when live music, crowds and celebrations can resume in person. In the meantime, we are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate such amazing songwriters virtually. Congratulations to all of this year’s Nashville Songwriter Award winners, and thank you for making our lives better by creating these wonderful songs.”

UMG Announces First UMUSIC Hotels Locations

UMUSIC Broadwater Hotel. Photo: UMG

UMG has announced the first three locations for its UMUSIC Hotels, a global collection of music-based experiential hotel properties, in partnership with Dakia U-Ventures. The first three locations include Atlanta, Georgia; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Orlando, Florida, with additional locations to come both throughout the United States and abroad. Pyramid Hotel Group has joined the venture for United States operations of the hotels.

The UMUSIC hotels aim to be immersive experiences for fans, guests and artists, with each property designed to complement the city landscape and incorporate elements of the local music scene. The UMUSIC Broadwater Hotel in Biloxi will include a performance venue and a luxury hotel with an immersive architecture style. In Atlanta, the UMUSIC Hotel will include a holistic entertainment venue. UMUSIC Orlando’s design will similarly reflect a music-first experience for guests.

Robert Lavia, Chairman at Dakia U-Ventures LLC., said, “Every destination holds a great story just waiting to be told through its cultural heritage and its music. Through this new concept, we will both help people discover new ways to channel their love for music and the arts and help empower the transformation of communities worldwide through cultural, inspirational, creative and conscious collaboration. And we’re thrilled to work together with Universal Music Group who shares our vision and passion about the powerful role of culture and music for each community we touch.”

Bruce Resnikoff, President and CEO of Universal Music Enterprises, said, “Through music’s unique power to inspire and unite – especially given UMG’s unparalleled roster of artists and labels – UMUSIC Hotels will both highlight these cities’ rich music heritages and provide new opportunities for artists to reach fans in immersive, innovative and authentic ways.”

LuckySky Music Launches Label, Publishing Company

Pictured (L to R): Bill Warner, Tori Martin, Kirsti Manna, (standing) Doug Maddox, Jamie Knight, Jason Engelman, Wynne Adams, Shane Barrett.

LuckySky Music has opened a new record label and publishing company. Jason Engelman, CEO, has tapped WarnerWorks music industry vet Bill Warner to serve as President of the label group. Engelman is the CEO of Freaky Fast Home Buyers and Investments LLC., a rapidly growing company with properties in Georgia, Ohio, and other markets. He is also the founder of Revolution 13, a ministry outreach to public schools, focusing on helping students recover from bullying, depression, and suicide.

The first two signings are Tori Martin, the flagship artist for the label, and songwriter Bill DiLuigi as the first signing to the publishing division.

Martin has already achieved success on the Texas Country Music Charts. She was a contestant on Season 14 of American Idol and in March released her current single, “What Would Dolly Do?” which has garnered over 50,000 streams, currently resides at No. 18 on the Texas Regional Radio Chart, and is being released to country radio. It is the first single from her new LuckySky Music album Lucky and has already exceeded 90,000 streams.

Right Image (L to R): Shane Barrett, Bill DiLuigi, Kirsti Manna, Bill Warner, (standing) Jason Engelman. Photo: Alan Kirkland

DiLuigi is a singer/songwriter who emerged from the Philadelphia music scene. DiLuigi has over 300 cuts to his credit and his songs have received placements in major films and TV including Good Morning America, CBS Daytime, Hart of Dixie, The Tonight Show, and Access Hollywood. He’s also had cuts with Blessid Union of Souls, The Lost Trailers, Richie McDonald (Lonestar), and most recently, a No. 1 Gospel song “Grateful,” by Chris Golden (The Goldens/Oak Ridge Boys). DiLuigi has two cuts coming out on LuckySky Music, “Show Me Your Smile” (Blessid Union of Souls), and “Father’s Daughter” (Johnny Lee/Sony).

The LuckySky Music offices are located in the Rutledge Hill area of downtown Nashville. Newly appointed staff includes Kirsti Manna/VP & Creative Director of Publishing, John Cirillo/Business Manager, Wynne Adams/Director of Promotion & Marketing, Shane Barrett/Songplugger, Jamie Knight/Director of Social Media, and Doug Maddox/Director of Film & Video Production.

Industry Ink: Jackie Evancho, Ryman Community Day, Phil Vassar

Jackie Evancho Signs With Melody Place

Pictured (L-R): Melody Place’s Sanborn McGraw, Jackie Evancho, and Melody Place President Fred Mollin. Photo Credit: Erika Rock

Jackie Evancho has signed a label deal with Melody Place Records. She is currently in the studio with Melody Place President Fred Mollin recording her debut, including her fresh take on Joni Mitchell’s “River,” which will be released by Melody Place on Oct. 23 and distributed by BMG. Evancho has released a string of Platinum and Gold albums, with sales of more than 3 million in the U.S., alone. She has also made history as the youngest, solo Platinum artist in the U.S., the youngest Top 5 debut artist ever in the U.K., and the youngest person to give a solo concert at Lincoln Center.

“I’m thrilled to be back in the studio and even more thrilled to be doing it in Nashville,” said Evancho. “I’m very excited for the journey I am about to embark on and to be recording for Melody Place.”

 

Ryman Auditorium Free Community Day Set For Oct. 25

The Ryman Auditorium is offering its daytime tour experience free of charge on Sunday, Oct. 25 as part of Ryman Community Day presented by PNC Bank and supporting partners Hiller and Farm Bureau Health Plans. Complimentary self-guided tours will be available from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with presentation of a valid Tennessee state ID at the Ryman box office, and COVID safety precautions will be in place.

 

Phil Vassar Wins Best Actor At Long Island International Film Expo

Phil Vassar and Lori Fischer

Phil Vassar won Best Actor at the Long Island International Film Expo for his work in the short film i only miss you when i’m breathing, directed by Ashley Wren Collins and co-starring Lori Fischer. Shot in Nashville with a local cast and crew, the film follows the story of Nora (Lori Fischer) and Warren (Phil Vassar) as they deal with the devastation of their only son’s death after a school shooting. The film is based on the real life story of country performer Freddy Weller and his wife, Pippy. The film features original music from both Weller and Vassar.

Jenny Methling Joins 615 Leverage + Strategy As Director, Strategic Partnerships

Jenny Methling

Marketing company 615 Leverage+Strategy has named Jenny Methling as Director, Strategic Partnerships, to oversee campaign strategy for key accounts in the company’s portfolio.

“I believe in the vision that John and Jackie have for this company, and in their approach to strategic partnerships in this business,” says Methling. “They collectively have an impressive track record and impeccable relationships within the Nashville music community, so it is an honor to be working with them. I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of their talented team, and to contribute to the company’s growth and success.”

Methling spent seven years at AOL (Verizon Media) and later worked at iHeartMedia in their Strategic Partnerships Group. There, she worked in audio advertising and radio promotions, artist relations, business affairs, and content/event production. She later moved to the client services team, overseeing program activation for clients including Google, Netflix and more. She also oversaw strategy for AT&T’s title sponsorships, artist sponsorships, and livestreams for the iHeartCountry Festival and iHeartRadio Wango Tango, as well as for the Honda Stage.

“Having someone with Jenny’s expertise join our company will allow us to more aggressively embrace the virtual realities of the entertainment world on behalf of our clients, “ said 615 Leverage + Strategy co-founders John Zarling and Jackie Campbell Seaton, in a joint statement. “The minute we met Jenny, it was clear that her passion and artist/brand experience would enhance our companies’ value proposition to clients. As we close in on one year together in business, we look forward to having Jenny in this leadership role; we know she will be an invaluable addition.”

Methling joins Project Director Cheyana Weekley and Project Manager Jordan Lipsey on the 615 Leverage + Strategy team.

Jordan Rager Releases Four-Track EP ‘Habits & Hearts’

Jordan Rager Photo Jason Myers

Jordan Rager has released his latest project, the four-track EP Habits & Hearts, which includes his previously-released songs “Want Me To Want You” and “Somebody’s Summer,” as well as the title track and “Call You Home.” In 2015, Rager earned a Top 40 hit with “Southern Boy,” featuring Jason Aldean.

Georgia native Rager began his career under the mentorship of Aldean’s father Barry Williams. Rager signed to Riser House in 2018 and continued honing his songwriting and performances. He’s since opened shows for Kane Brown, Justin Moore, Old Dominion and more, and earned more than 52 million streams to date.

“All four of these songs help tell an important part of my story,” Rager said. “From musical influences to personal experiences, you’re gonna learn a lot about me from listening to this EP.”

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Jack White To Replace Morgan Wallen On ‘Saturday Night Live’

Jack White. Photo: Jo McCaughey

Jack White is stepping in to replace Morgan Wallen on this weekend’s Saturday Night Live, after the show disinvited Wallen due to COVID-19 protocols. White will make an appearance on Oct. 10, with host Bill Burr.

Wallen was disinvited from the SNL gig due to COVID-19 protocols, after videos surfaced on TikTok of Wallen socializing in Alabama without wearing a mask.

This will mark White’s third solo appearance on SNL (and fourth overall—he performed as part of his former duo The White Stripes in 2002). The White Stripes Greatest Hits project will release Dec. 4.

On Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 7), Wallen posted a video on Instagram, announcing he would not be taking part in the show. In his video, Wallen clarified that he has not tested positive for COVID-19, but stated that his “actions from this past weekend were pretty short-sighted, and have obviously affected my long-term goals and my dreams.”

Wallen also said in the video, “I respect the show’s decision because I know I put them in jeopardy, and I take ownership for this. I’d like to apologize to SNL, to my fans, to my team for bringing me these opportunities, and I let them down. And on a more personal note, I think I have some growing up to do.”

NSAI’s Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival Announces Performer Lineup

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has revealed the lineup of songwriters participating in this year’s virtual edition of the annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival presented by Regions Bank. The five-day event will take place (virtually) Oct. 20-24, 2020, and will feature more than 20 performances and includes nearly 75 songwriters.

”This has certainly been a challenging year for live events,” said festival director, Jennifer Turnbow. “However, with the help of some of our amazing publisher and organizational partners, we have managed to pull together a virtual lineup that will go down in Tin Pan South history. We owe these partners and our sponsors an extreme debt of gratitude for helping us carry on the legacy of this 28-year-old festival even in such strange times.”

Among those taking part are Josh Osborne, Lori McKenna, Shane McAnally, Carly Pearce, Dylan LeBlanc, Liz Rose, Jimmie Allen, John Paul White, Trevor Rosen, Matthew Ramsey, ERNEST, Meghan Kabir, JT Harding, Uncle Kracker, Victoria Shaw, SHAED, Rob Snyder and many others.

In addition to the evening rounds on Friday and Saturday, Tin Pan South, in collaboration with festival partner Jack Daniel’s, will host a Facebook LIVE “Happy Hour” at 6 p.m. featuring a Jack Daniel’s Master Distilller and a special songwriting guest to kick-off the night. The full festival line-up and schedule is available now at tinpansouth.com and on the official Tin Pan South app.

Each evening of the festival beginning at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. CT, multiple rounds will premiere simultaneously to mimic the feel of the in-person festival; however, this year Tin Pan fans will have the unique chance to go back and experience the additional rounds, as they will remain available until the next day to watch.

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival is the largest fundraising event each year for NSAI, and although this year’s festival is free to access, donations can be made to the organization via PayPal (paypal.me/nsaiofficial) to help support NSAI’s year-round efforts on behalf of songwriters.

 

Warner Music Nashville Signs Robyn Ottolini

Warner Music Nashville has signed country singer/songwriter Robyn Ottolini to the artist roster. The Uxbridge, Ontario native’s viral hit “F-150” reached No. 4 on Spotify’s all-genre US Viral 50 chart and is currently Top 3 on Rolling Stone’s all-genre Trending 25 chart.

“My ex drove an F-150 and I f’ing hate that truck,” laughs Ottolini. “You might think that ‘F-150’ is just a truck song, but this isn’t about any ol’ truck. It’s about trying to move on and get strong, until you see that one thing that brings you back to the pain. Nothing does that more for me than his white, Ford F-150.”

Ottolini has released two independent EPs and earned a Rising Star Award at the Country Music Association of Ontario Awards in 2019. She is managed by Mark Schroor and Erik Fintelman from Workshop Music Group.

Ottolini continued, “You’re going to get to know the real me in the first 30 seconds of listening to any of my songs and if you love it, that’s cool. If you don’t love it, that’s cool too. Either way, country music has made me who I am today. It’s my safe place to land and it’s also the thing that pushes me further out of my comfort zone than I ever thought I could go. It doesn’t even feel real yet that I’ve signed a record deal with Warner Music Nashville to be honest, but if you’re telling me it’s real, I’ll trust you guys.”