Ben Kline & Cris Lacy Begin New Era Of Leadership At Warner Music Nashville

/by

Warner Music Nashville staff. Photo: Alan Poizner

Warner Music Nashville Co-Chairs / Co-Presidents Ben Kline and Cris Lacy ushered in a new era of leadership at the label with the beginning of 2023.

In June of 2022, the music industry veterans were announced as successors to the beloved John Esposito, who remained Chairman & CEO through the remainder of the year. Esposito is now officially Chairman Emeritus, and Lacy and Kline are in charge. The two launched the new year last week (Jan. 11) alongside the full WMN team with a day of culture building and informational programming at a company-wide off-site meeting.

“I’m honored to lead WMN with Cris in what is an exciting time of change and opportunity for this business,” Kline shared of the transition. “We are committed to continuing our leadership position within that change by being laser focused on our incredible artists, their powerful music and their creative visions.”

Lacy added, “Let’s be honest, this is a time of great change in the world at large too. When culture shifts, music ignites, it bridges, it covers, it uncovers. We are here for all of that, and proud to be the Nashville contingent that amplifies those stories to all parts of the globe.”

Kline joined WMN in 2014 as VP of Revenue. In 2017, he was named SVP of Global Revenue & Touring, and was upped to EVP/General Manager years later where he oversaw radio & streaming, artist development, touring, and international. In his three decades in the music industry, Kline’s previous posts have included EVP of Sales & Marketing at Universal Music Group and SVP of Global Sales & Marketing at Ingrooves. He also founded and served as CEO of Brazenhead Entertainment and VP of Sales and Marketing at Rostrum Records.

Lacy joined WMN in 2005, following posts at Tom Collins Music Publishing, Rick Hall/FAME Publishing, Island Bound Music, and WMG’s Warner Chappell Music. At WMN, she was upped to SVP of A&R in 2017 and EVP of A&R two years later. Lacy has been the driving force behind the signing of many of the label’s most prominent artists, including Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, Cole Swindell, Ashley McBryde, Cody Johnson, Chris Janson and Gabby Barrett.

Warner Music Nashville was established in 2009 under the direction of Esposito to expand Warner Music Group’s presence in Music City. Since then, the division’s artists have spent more than 107 weeks at No. 1, earning 74 chart-topping singles and more than 300 Gold and Platinum RIAA certifications, along with Grammy, CMA, ACM, Billboard, AMA, and People’s Choice awards.

Morgan Wallen Peaks On MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart

/by

Morgan Wallen is crowned this week’s No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Thought You Should Know.” The single gained +241 spins and follows his three-week No. 1, “You Proof.” It was written by Wallen with Miranda Lambert and Nicolle Galyon.

In March, Wallen will hit the road on his headlining “One Night At A Time World Tour” with Hardy, Ernest, Bailey Zimmerman and Parker McCollum serving as support. Due to high demand of the initial 39 dates, Wallen added 14 more shows in 13 cities.

Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Lukas Graham & Mickey Guyton Deliver ‘A Duet To Die For’

/by

Lukas Graham, Mickey Guyton

Country youngsters rule the day here at DISClaimer.

Our lineup of baby acts includes such talents as Griffen Palmer, Alana Springsteen, Corey Kent, Rusty Truck and Bryan Ruby, all of whom are worth your spins.

The DISCovery Award goes to Megan Moroney, who is also a member of this class of 2023.

The Disc of the Day also goes to a newcomer to the column, Lukas Graham. What a singer. Pair him with Mickey Guyton and you have a duet to die for.

Mind you, the team was not without worthy challengers. The Gibson Brothers, Rusty Truck with Sheryl Crow, Elle King and Chase Rice were the other contenders for top honors this week.

Play on, country-music lovers.

COREY KENT / “Man of the House”
Writers: Corey Kent/Austin Goodloe/Joybeth Taylor/Lydia Vaughan; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: RCA
–Up-and-comer Kent stages his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday (Jan. 14). The Gold-certified “Wild As Her” continues to climb, and while it does he has released this marvelous acoustic track. As before, his sandpapery vocal rasp is extraordinarily emotive. Accompanied by just his guitar, he communicates better than he does with rocked-up production. It also allows the lyric of this song to shine. It’s the touching story of a boy trying to fill shoes that are too big.

CHRIS YOUNG / “All Dogs Go to Heaven”
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Label: RCA
–Amen to this sentiment. With the built-in sincerity of his singing, Chris is the perfect artist for this message. A mid-tempo track rolls along gently while he promises us that the dogs we have loved will be waiting for us at the Pearly Gates.

GRIFFEN PALMER / “Second Guessing”
Writers: Griffen Palmer/Corey Crowder/Ester Dean/Andrew DeRoberts/Tyler Hubbard/Brian Kelley/Shane McAnally/Ben Simonetti/Ryan Tedder/Geoff Warburton; Producer: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud
–The song was previously released by FGL, but as we have learned to expect, the songwriter’s version is usually superior. His tenor vocal is stacked with harmonies as the track proceeds at a steady, deliberate, plodding pace. I think it could use a tempo goose.

THE GIBSON BROTHERS / “One Minute of You”
Writer: Leigh Gibson; Producer: Jerry Douglas; Label: GB
–These talented siblings are well-known to bluegrass lovers. Their new Darkest Hour CD takes aim at the mainstream country market, and this single just might do the trick. The lovely, echoey ballad is about watching your daughter grow and cherishing every moment. Their twin lead acoustic guitars are enchanting, too.

MEGAN MORONEY / “Tennessee Orange”
Writers: Ben Williams/David Fanning/Megan Moroney/Paul Jenkins; Producer: Kristian Bush; Label: Sony
–She confides to her mama that she’s fallen in love. “He’s got me doing things I’ve never done….I’m wearing Tennessee orange for him.” Even though she was raised on red for the Dawgs. She begs not to let her dad know, because “he’d blow a fuse.” Can you blame him? She’s learning the lyrics to “Rocky Top,” for crying out loud. A sweet, charming, waltz-time outing.

ELLE KING / “Tulsa”
Writers: Elle King/Ella Langley/Bobby Hamrick/Matt McKinney; Producers: Elle King/Ross Copperman; Label: Columbia
–Bodaciously rocking, yet undeniably hillbilly. Her feisty attitude is at the top of the flagpole on this sass fest. Here’s the deal: He didn’t leave her for a city in Oklahoma. “If you spell it back to front, you’ll know what I mean.” I guess she doesn’t like his new chick too much.

LAYNG MARTINE JR. / “Music Man”
Writer: Layng Martine Jr.; Producer: Tucker Martine; Label: Bloodshot
–Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Layng Martine Jr. teams up with his alt-rock producer son Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Sufjan Stevens, Niko Case, The Decemberists, etc.). The combination of the 81-year-old troubadour and the shaggy haired hipster members of the steel-soaked band is intriguing listening and ultimately kinda groovy.

RUSTY TRUCK & SHERYL CROW / “Find My Way”
Writers: Mark Seliger/Michael Duff; Producer: Larry Campbell; Label: RT
–The frontman of the band is noted celebrity photographer Mark Seliger. He’s also a first-rate singer-songwriter, as is clear on this warm, languid ode about a quest for love. Crow’s ethereal harmonies and “answered” passages add to the audio excellence. Thoroughly pleasurable from opening note to closing.

CHASE RICE / “I Hate Cowboys”
–Writers: Chase Rice/Michael Hardy/Ross Copperman /Brad Tursi; Producer: Oscar Charles; Label: BBR
–As you might expect, he hates them because they steal your gal away. Hit bound.

BRYAN RUBY / “Hell of a Year”
Writer: Parker McCollum; Producer: Adam Sickler; Label: BR
–Ruby’s burnished baritone is the ideal deliverer of this heartache honky-tonker. He totally has the vocal chops for a classic country weeper. Play it.

LUKAS GRAHAM & MICKEY GUYTON / “Home Movies”
Writers: David LaBrel/Jaramye Daniels/Nicolle Galyon/Rory Andrew; Producers: Rory Andrew/Markus Artved; Label: Warner
–Graham’s strong, penetrating delivery is powerful enough. In fact, he’s downright hair raising in his upper register. Add Guyton’s sensational soprano and you’ve got total audio magic. The superb production is the icing on this scrumptious cake. He is a Danish pop artist with billions of international streams, and this stunning duet stakes his claim for country stardom. In a word, awesome.

ALANA SPRINGSTEEN / “You Don’t Deserve a Country Song”
Writers: Alana Springsteen/Geoff Warburton/Michael Whitworth/Mitchell Tenpenny/Will Weatherly; Producers: Chris LaCorte/ Will Weatherly ; Label: Columbia Records NY/Sony Music Nashville
–Is this the greatest country song title or what? The youngster bops along as she fires off snarky lines to an ex. Smart and sassy.

My Music Row Story: Red Creative Group’s Jeremy Stover

/by

Jeremy Stover

The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.

As an acclaimed producer/songwriter, Jeremy Stover has celebrated multiple chart-topping hits including Tim McGraw‘s “How I’ll Always Be,” LoCash‘s “I Know Somebody” and Jack Ingram‘s “Wherever You Are.” Stover has worked alongside Justin Moore since his debut in 2009, resulting in multiple hits, including “Small Town USA,” “Bait a Hook,” “Til My Last Day,” “Lettin’ the Night Roll,” “Why We Drink,” “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home,” “We Didn’t Have Much,” and more.

In 2014, Stover founded independent music publisher Red Creative Group. Since its inception, the company has celebrated more than 300 cuts and 40 singles on the country charts, with hits including “How Not To,” recorded by Dan + Shay; “Sleep Without You,” recorded by Brett Young; and “After A Few,” recorded by Travis Denning.

In addition to publishing, Red Creative Group serves as an artist development and management company, releasing music as Red Creative Records, with a growing roster of artists, including Noah Hicks, Matt Koziol and Tylynn Allen.

Jeremy Stover

MusicRow: Where are you from?

Elijay, Georgia.

Were you musical as a kid?

I would say so. My mom sang in church. My grandmother on my mom’s side always had a guitar sitting around and she would play gospel songs periodically. She’s passed away now but she was a big influence on me.

After I moved to Nashville, I went to college at Belmont University. She never understood what I was doing, but every time I would go home she would say, “I’ve been watching the Grand Ole Opry and I still haven’t seen you on it.” (Laughs)

You wrote many songs that have been performed there! Did you want to be a songwriter growing up?

I did. Belmont was not the first school I went to. I started at Southern Tech. My dad was in the carpet industry at that time. He had started a business in the mid-eighties and the plan was that I was going to take over his business. So I was getting a degree in textile engineering, which leads into the carpet and yarn business. I had a roommate there and I was driving him nuts playing guitar and learning songs. I was trying to write songs by myself; they were not very good. I don’t know if it was out of me driving him nuts or him just being a good friend, but he said one day, “I have a friend that goes to a school in Nashville called Belmont.” The next morning I skipped class, got in my car and I drove to Nashville.

As I was driving back, I just decided I was going to go home to my parents and say, “I’m moving to Nashville.” That’s how the decision was made to move to Nashville. I went to Belmont and finished school there.

My dad is one of 15 kids. None of them graduated high school because they had to go to work to support the family. So one of the promises I made my parents was that I would finish college. Not to pat myself on the back, but I was the first one out of the family to graduate college. I owe a lot of that to my dad and his hard work to get me to that spot. Since then, there’s been a few others that have finished college, but that was a big point in our family for one of us to do that.

Rodney Clawson, Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover and children

How did you find your way while at Belmont?

It was just a process. Fortunately for me, I got in a circle of three or four friends after I got there that I really related with in a lot of ways. We all became friends and we would write songs together. It was really a good circle of people—a couple that I still work with. When I got out of Belmont, it wasn’t like I just jumped in and I had songs on the radio.

What was your first job in the industry?

I worked at a smaller publisher for probably the first six months to a year. I got an interview for what they used to call the tape copy job, which is where you would make CDs that the song-pluggers would pitch. I got that job at Muy Bueno Music, which was George Strait‘s publishing company. Through working there over a couple years I got to meet a lot of writers. At that time, I was taking the time probably three or four nights a week trying to write songs with my friends at first. Then I was able to start incorporating some of those songwriters that I’d met that were willing to sit down with me in the evenings and write some songs.

After a couple of years, I’d saved up enough money to do demo sessions of 10 songs that I thought were my best songs. Through working at Muy Bueno, I had met musicians and engineers that I liked. I had kept [my songwriting] under the radar, but I had obviously met a bunch of the other publishers, so I went to five different ones that I really believed in and played them my songs. They all offered me beginner publishing deals, so I signed my first publishing deal at Starstruck. Six months into that deal, they sold to Warner Chappell. That was the beginning.

Dean Dillon, Jeremy Stover

When did you start to have songs on the radio?

It took two to three years to get the relationships going and for people to start recording my songs. I had my first single in 2003 on Emerson Drive, which did really well. From there, it’s been a steady, slow build through my songwriting, which led to producing. Success in those couple of things led to me starting my own company.

How did you get into production?

I started with my demos. I think a part of me getting my first publishing deal was, for the time, how the demos sounded and the possibilities of me growing into a production career as well. That was part of the big picture for me.

Through the process of having my first hit on Emerson Drive, I met Scott Borchetta when he was running Dreamworks Promotions. He was really cool. When he started Big Machine Records, he gave me the opportunity to record Jack Ingram. Jack’s “Wherever You Are” was my first No. 1 as a writer and a producer. It just continued to grow from there.

You soon started writing with and producing Justin Moore, which has been a very fruitful relationship. How did you meet?

I met Justin Moore in 2003. He just came into my writer’s room and sang a couple songs. In my mind with my outlook on how I grew up, his voice was something that I really attached to. In a certain way it gave voice to what I’d always wanted to project. That was a big moment. But we met in 2003 and he didn’t have his first No. 1 until 2009, so he and I worked together for a really long time through that process.

As things started to work for him, I had experienced some production success and writing success through those first six years. With Justin is where I found some focus on being able to help grow something that I really related to.

Pictured (L-R, back row): Taylor Lamb, Brooke Antonakos; (L-R, front row): Chase McGill, Justin Moore, Jeremy Stover, Paul DiGiovanni

Why did you want to put your publisher hat back on and start Red Creative Group?

That just happened naturally. I was able to establish myself in a way where people would take my calls. I had developed those relationships through some success. I felt like I had reached a certain level of success that I wouldn’t say I was happy with, but gave some confidence in what I was doing. I wanted people that I believed in to experience what I experienced.

Some of the most fun times [of my career] were the early times when you didn’t know if something was going to happen and then it happened. Having some people around you that believe in your talent and that are preaching that you can do it is as satisfying as having the success.

Do you think you approach publishing differently because of your songwriting journey?

I think so. Especially in the last three or four years, [I’ve learned] that I need more diversity musically within the Red Creative Group. I don’t need to understand everything to trust the people that I have around me at the company who say that we need to move on something.

What I’m most proud of about the company is everything isn’t driven through me. It’s grown to have this big, diverse, wide-spanning success outside of things that I generate just through what I do. That aspect of it for me has been really exciting to watch. It feels good to know that we’re helping people have success the way that I did.

Red Creative Group’s Travis Denning, Adam Hambrick, Kelly Archer, Jeremy Stover

Who have been mentors for you?

Early on it was co-writers. Steve Bogard was super encouraging to me. He wrote with me when I didn’t have any songs on the radio. Byron Gallimore was a big encourager for me as a producer. He helped me understand some things about the way he makes records and how the song always comes first.

If you could go back and talk to your college-aged self on your way up to Nashville for the first time, what would you tell yourself?

Be who you are in your writing. People recognize people being genuine. Try not to look across the fence and compare yourself to the other person because this is not a show-up-and-it-happens-in-a-moment kind of success. It really is something that you commit to. It’s a lifestyle.

I’ll be the first one to say that there’s been people that are way more talented than me that, if it didn’t happen in two years, they moved on to something else. For me, I’ve always just wanted to be a part of the creative community and you have to have some acceptance that it just takes time.

Nominations Open: MusicRow’s 10th Annual Rising Women On The Row

/by

MusicRow will honor six deserving businesswomen during Rising Women on the Row breakfast ceremony on March 23, 2023 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. The event will recognize the selected Nashville music industry professionals who have become substantial contributors and visionary leaders.

Nominations for the 2023 class of Rising Women on the Row have closed.

Submissions will be considered only through the official nomination process, which closes Friday, Jan. 20. Candidates nominated in previous years will need to be resubmitted. Multiple nominations do not increase likelihood of being selected, but you may nominate as many individuals as you like with separate forms. Self-nominations are welcome.

The 2023 class of Rising Women on the Row will be announced in the coming weeks, along with event details. Tickets will open in the coming weeks as well.

Past honorees include—2020/2022: Jen Conger, JoJamie Hahr, Mandy Morrison, Missy Roberts, Jennie Smythe, Stephanie Wright; 2019: Janine Ebach, Kelly Janson, Meredith Jones, Lenore Kinder, Sandi Spika Borchetta, Jennifer Turnbow; 2018: Faithe Dillman, Leslie DiPiero, Becky Gardenhire, Lynn Oliver-Cline, Annie Ortmeier, Janet Weir; 2017: Tatum Allsep, Virginia Bunetta, Kerri Edwards, Kella Farris, Laura Hutfless, Juli Newton-Griffith; 2016: Abbey Adams, Amanda Cates, Cris Lacy, Leslie Roberts, Risha Rodgers; 2015: Kele Currier, Tiffany Dunn, Dawn Gates, Jensen Sussman, Lou Taylor; 2014: Julie Boos, Caryl Atwood, Ebie McFarland, Alicia Pruitt, Kelly Rich; 2013: Cyndi Forman, Cindy Hunt, Beth Laird, Cindy Mabe, Brandi Simms; 2012: Shannan Hatch, Mary Hilliard Harrington, Heather McBee, Denise Stevens, Carla Wallace.

Cindy Mabe Appointed Chair & CEO Of UMG Nashville

/by

Cindy Mabe. Photo: Kevin Wimpy

Cindy Mabe has been appointed Chair and CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville, effective April 1, 2023. She will succeed Mike Dungan, who will retire from his position at UMG Nashville after more than a decade there and a total of four decades in the music industry.

During her tenure at UMG, Mabe has helped guide and grow the careers of some of country music’s biggest stars, including Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jordan Davis, Mickey Guyton, Sam Hunt, Alan Jackson, Parker McCollum, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Brothers Osborne and Little Big Town, among countless others. She has earned multiple honors, including the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum Award and the SOURCE Hall of Fame Award.

Of the announcement, Mabe shares, “For the past 15 years, Mike Dungan has been my mentor and partner. He has built one of the most enduring and impactful legacies in country music history. He’s also been my friend. I’m grateful for the chance he took on me and so very proud of what we have built together over those 15 years with our staff and the most enviable roster in music.

“To now be in a position, as Mike’s successor, to advance the musical and cultural impact of Universal Music Group Nashville into the future is truly a humbling honor. Country music has been my life’s passion. It’s my childhood and my future. It’s the heartbeat that speaks truth to all walks of life in the best and worst of times. It’s truly a gift to get to honor, protect and build the next era of country music history with UMGN,” she continues. “I want to thank Sir Lucian Grainge for his belief in me, his brilliant leadership and for building this incredible culture that puts artists and music first.”

Sir Lucian Grainge, UMG’s Chairman and CEO adds, “We’re thrilled to have Cindy step into this role. She is a transformational executive, who has a distinguished track record of designing and implementing innovative strategies to help build artists’ careers and bring their music to fans around the world. Cindy’s credibility in the artist community and her deep experience will help us deliver countless additional artists’ successes going forward.”

A North Carolina native, Mabe attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated from Belmont University in Nashville with a B.S. in Business Administration. She bagan her career as promotions coordinator at RCA Nashville, before shifting to sales and then artist marketing and development. She later served as Senior Director of Marketing and Artist Development at Arista Records Nashville from 1999-2007 before joining Capitol Records.

Mabe spent five years at Capitol Records Nashville, where she held the position of SVP of Marketing and played an integral role in the long-term creative and commercial success of the label. She joined UMG Nashville in 2012 as Senior Vice President of Marketing, where she was responsible for leading marketing across UMG’s expanded suite of country labels following its acquisition of EMI.

Mabe is one of Music Row’s most esteemed executives. She became Nashville’s highest-ranking woman label executive in 2014 when she was appointed as UMG Nashville President, and she makes history again by becoming the first woman to serve as Chair and CEO of a Nashville-based major label group. 2022 also saw the appointment of another female label-head on Music Row when Cris Lacy became Co-President of Warner Music Nashville.

Mike Dungan Stepping Down From Helm At UMG Nashville

/by

Mike Dungan. Photo: Eric Adkins / UMG

Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan will retire in March. He has led the Nashville arm of the company since 2012.

Dungan will continue to serve as an advisor to UMG Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge. The announcement indicated that Dungan’s successor will be revealed at a later date, though current UMG Nashville president Cindy Mabe is expected to assume the position.

Dungan began his career in Cincinnati working at a record store as a teenager. He moved to the label side of the business in 1979 at RCA/BMG, where he worked his way up to Sr. VP of Sales and Marketing.

A job with Arista Nashville moved Dungan to Music City. He worked alongside Tim DuBois and rose to Sr. VP/General Manager. In his 10 years leading Arista Nashville, the label had success with Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson.

Dungan became President of EMI Music’s Capitol Nashville in 2012. He led the label for 12 years, assuming his current position when UMG purchased EMI. During his tenure, he has overseen the careers of some of country music’s most iconic performers, alongside some of the biggest breakthrough artists of the last decade, including Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, George Strait, Eric Church, Darius Rucker, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Dierks Bentley, Maddie & Tae, Gary Allan, Vince Gill, Billy Currington, Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves, Brothers Osborne, Mickey Guyton, Parker McCollum, Priscilla Block, Jon Pardi and Reba.

“For 43 years the music business has been my home – smiling, dialing, selling, hustling, laughing, doing my part to help the art and magic realize its potential. And loving every minute of it,” Dungan shared in a statement. “I’ve lived a charmed life, and there are no words to describe how grateful I am, and how blessed I feel, for everyone that I have encountered along the way. I’m also proud to boast that through it all, with little exception, I have been ‘all-in’ as a competitor and as a friend.

“The solemn truth is that over time, that intensity takes its toll, and a lot of the dog has been knocked out of me. By the time I leave here I will be 69 years old. It is time to slow down – I look forward to devoting more time to my family and to my garden,” he continued. “I have an incredible wife who has put up with my nonsense for 45 years. We have two great kids who have two great wives of their own. And we have five wonderful grandkids who I intend to spoil to the fullest. I am forever grateful to Sir Lucian Grainge, who eleven years ago handed me the keys to the best job in the world. To him and to everyone at UMG, to all of those who have been my family-in-arms now and in the past, to all those creators whose art it has been my pleasure to represent… I am at a loss to express my love and gratitude. I am the luckiest man alive.”

“Mike is a unique force,” said Grainge, UMG’s Chairman and CEO. “He has had an incredible impact on the careers and well-being of so many in Nashville through the years – from artists to employees. After a brilliant four decades in Nashville, and with our team they are well-positioned for continued strength, Mike is making an admirable and well-deserved life change. And while he won’t be serving in his CEO capacity, I’ve asked him to continue to contribute to areas that we’re both passionate about—breaking genre barriers and delivering critical support to artists past and present. I am deeply grateful to Mike for all he has done for our company and our artists and congratulate him on his unprecedented career success. I’m so pleased we will continue to have the benefit of his experience, deep relationships and wisdom.”

Chris Schuler Returns To UMG As VP Of Promotion At Capitol Records Nashville

/by

Chris Schuler

Capitol Records Nashville has announced the hiring of Chris Schuler as VP of Promotion, effective Jan. 9. Schuler takes the helm following the recent retirement of industry veteran Bobby Young.

The Capitol Records Nashville artist roster includes Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Mickey Guyton, Caylee Hammack, Jon Pardi, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Little Big Town.

A Middle Tennessee State University graduate, Schuler began his career in the Radio and TV/Film department of BMI. He then joined Mercury Nashville as a promotion coordinator and worked his way up to becoming VP of Promotion & Radio Marketing in 2019, where he contributed to the success of artists across all four imprints of UMG Nashville.

Most recently, Schuler spent time at as VP of Promotion at Arista Nashville, before leaving in November.

“Finding the perfect person to lead Capitol Nashville’s promo department has always been a challenging and weighty decision,” says UMG Nashville EVP of Promotion Royce Risser. “Chris Schuler is the absolute perfect fit, and I cannot express how happy we are to have him back home at UMG. Chris has all the qualities we need to lead and take Capitol to the next level. Capitol’s roster of superstars and their up-and-coming artists are such a critical part of UMG Nashville’s business and future. Chris is one of the smartest and savviest executives we’ve had come through promotion in the last 10 years. His attention to detail is unmatched. He will be the perfect person to lead and guide this team of seasoned vets. Welcome home, Chris!”

“There is nothing in the business like the Capitol roster,” says Schuler. “I’m beyond excited to rejoin the team to continue its ongoing legacy of excellence.”

Schuler can be reached at chris.schuler@umusic.com.

Nate Smith Earns First MusicRow No. 1

/by

Nate Smith earns his first No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this week with “Whiskey On You.” Smith was signed by Sony Music Nashville November of 2021 and will release his self-titled album in February.

“Whiskey On You” was co-written by Smith, Lindsay Rimes and Russell Sutton and was certified Gold by the RIAA. Smith will join Thomas Rhett on the “Home Team Tour 23” in May. He ranked No. 66 on MusicRow’s Top Songwriters of 2022.

Smith was honored on several artist-to-watch lists for 2023 including MusicRow’s Next Big Thing, CMT’s Listen Up roster, CRS’s New Faces of Country Music and Amazon’s Breakthrough Artists to Watch: Country Class.

Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

How Kelleigh Bannen Became A Leading Country Music Personality [Interview]

/by

Kelleigh Bannen

As Apple Music has made a comfortable space for themselves in radio over the last few years, a group of personalities and interviewers have risen in prominence. In the country space, singer-songwriter Kelleigh Bannen has become one of the platform’s leading voices.

Bannen is very familiar with the genre and with Music City. She has been an artist for over a decade, once holding a major label recording contract, and then independently releasing music for many years.

She’s a well-known creative in town, writing songs for and with other artists, as well as an alumna of the Next Women of Country Class of 2014, which also included Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Lauren Alaina and Sheryl Crow.

One day in 2019, she received a DM from former Apple team member Julie Pilat asking to chat.

Carrie Underwood and Kelleigh Bannen. Photo: Courtesy of Apple

“I thought she wanted me to connect her to other people. That was the way that I understood what she was asking because I didn’t know what Apple was planning,” Bannen shares with MusicRow. “Her and another producer were on that call. I texted my husband Jeff right afterward and I was like, ‘I think I just had a job interview.'”

Soon after, Bannen was in the Apple orbit, demoing what would become Apple Music Country’s premiere show, Today’s Country Radio.

Though she had experience interviewing via her podcast This Nashville Life, where she hosted conversations with everyone from executives such as Cris Lacy to hit songwriter/producers like Shane McAnally, Bannen was in for an entirely different experience.

“The day we launched Today’s Country, we did something like 12 interviews both days of that launch. We were banking content. Honestly, that was one of my first real experiences with artist interviews and trying to figure out how to turn it around quick.”

The experience quickly turned into a full-time gig for Bannen.

“The day after we launched Today’s Country, they said, ‘Hey, how would you feel about doing this every day? We have some other things up our sleeves.’ That was the first clue I had that all of this would be coming in 2020.”

Though Bannen was excited about the opportunity, she struggled with how it made her perceive her own artistry.

“In November [of 2019], I knew that it was a possibility for me to take this role. My husband and I spent most of November and December just hashing out it out and asking ourselves, what does this mean? Am I giving up my artist dream? I was so hung up on that. I was so worried that I couldn’t do both.

“To be honest, I’m not doing both outwardly right now,” Bannen shares. “It’s such a full-time job. I’m writing every couple weeks, we’re squirreling songs away and trying to find time to make music. But what is funny is that I love what I get to do day in and day out now.

“2020 was such an odd year,” she adds. “I would not have been doing my artist stuff in the way that I thought I was going to get to anyway. That eased a lot of the transition for me, personally, of what I thought I’d be grieving [in my artist career.] This was one dream turning into a new dream.”

Kelleigh Bannen, Cole Swindell. Photo: Courtesy of Apple

Bannen’s perspective as an artist, though, has lended itself to be a cutting-edge strength as a conversationalist with her guests. Because she truly understands the Nashville artist journey, she’s able to relate to them more deeply—and do her job with care.

She tells the story of when she was releasing a new single and she heard different radio personalities introduce the song differently. One DJ introduced it unenthusiastically, making her feel like the audience wouldn’t give it a chance. A different DJ gave it an intriguing introduction that made you want to listen. The experience taught her a lesson on the power of the words leading up to a song.

“Our real estate is so valuable. Why would I not try and set it up in a way that gives you a chance to fall in love with it? I want to give you one more little reason to care about it. Especially when we’re dealing with new artists or with minorities that we’re trying to acquaint the country audience with.”

Now, years into her Apple Music tenure, Bannen has learned a lot along the way about interviewing.

“I’m trying to learn to trust myself and control less. I think I know what the most interesting storylines are, but the most interesting thing about an interview might be something that we don’t have any idea about, so I try to leave enough room for that,” she says. “I do try and treat my conversations with a lot of reverence, even when it’s just a rowdy country project.”

She’s also learned when to hold back.

“My guiding principle is if what I’m saying isn’t as interesting as the song, I don’t need to talk. The song is everything,” Bannen shares. “Of course there are all kinds of reasons that we’re going to back announce what song it was, so people who aren’t looking at their phone or are visually impaired know what the song is, but other than that, [I only talk] if I can add to it, if I can give you context, or if I can give you a chance of falling in love with a song that you otherwise might not.”

Lauren Alaina, Dolly Parton, Kelleigh Bannen, Tiera Kennedy, Callie Twisselman. Photo: Courtesy of Apple

Bannen and the Apple team’s hard work has paid off, as Today’s Country with Kelleigh Bannen was nominated for a CMA Broadcast Award in the Weekly National category at the CMA Awards last year. A feat that shocked Bannen.

“I had been a part of [the submission] process in June, but everyone in our world was like, ‘There’s no way we’re going to be nominated this early, but we’re just going to start submitting and hopefully in five years from now or something, maybe we’ll get our first nomination,'” she recalls. “On the day the nominations came out, Charlie Morgan forwarded the list at 7:01 a.m. I was on the phone with my team at like 7:02. We were so shocked.

“I don’t need to speak on behalf of Apple, but what I know about the wiring of this thing that we’re trying to build here is that it is for the love of radio. We are a DSP and we believe so heavily in the power of that intimate, one-to-one connection on the radio that we have prioritized it in this way. We have a studio here in Nashville that has a writer’s room, a content capture and two live studio spaces that are both built to go live,” Bannen says. “All that to say, it was so incredibly validating [to be nominated] because we want to be accepted as part of the radio culture. The delivery method is all that is different. We think we are making radio, ideally, that is of the same wiring, heartbeat and inspiration of traditional country radio.”

Though the team didn’t win the CMA award, Bannen is content where she’s at.

“What is fulfilling day in and day out is connecting with artists about their story and getting to treat their music in a reverent way. I don’t have to fake anything when I go in there because I have spent so much time with their music. Even if it’s not my taste, I’ve really tried to live with it. On my worst days when I’m so insecure about my preparedness or if I’m good at this or not, I can always rely on talking to another creative about what they love to do. It always paves the way, it’s always interesting and it’s always fulfilling.”

Listen to Bannen on Today’s Country Radio here.