DISClaimer Single Reviews: Darius Rucker Makes A ‘Soul Stirring’ Cover Of Rihanna Ballad

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We have some dandy ballads for you country-music lovers today.

Adam Hood, Reyna Roberts & Tayler Holder, Sam Hunt, Walker County and the all-time master of slowies, Vince Gill, are all on hand today with messages from the heart. Topping them all is Darius Rucker, who has the Disc of the Day with “Lift Me Up.”

The DisCovery Award goes to Dylan Marlowe. Guess what? He has a ballad, too.

REYNA ROBERTS & TAYLER HOLDER / “Another Round”
Writers: Reyna Roberts/Laura Veltz/Jimmy Robbins; Producer: none listed; Label: Empire
– Previously noted as a country rocker, Roberts showcases her true vocal skills on this power ballad about calling it quits with a guy. Duet partner Holder can’t keep up with her firepower, but the whole thing is a listening pleasure.

DYLAN MARLOWE / “Record High”
Writers: Dylan Marlowe/Zach Abend/Adam Dean/Tyler Collins; Producer: Joe Fox; Label: Sony
– Moody and haunting. The soundscape ripples with dobro, muted percussion and chimed electronics. His broken-hearted delivery aches with sincerity. Excellent work.

DARIUS RUCKER / “Lift Me Up”
Writers: Rihanna/Ryan Coogler/Ludwig Goransson/Tems; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: UMG
– Wakanda forever! Right on the heels of Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime performance comes Rucker’s fine cover of her Oscar-nominated theme song from the Black Panther franchise. Beautifully produced, spiritually uplifting and soul stirring. It builds to anthem-level intensity before receding into an intimate prayer. Essential.

MEGAN MORONEY / “I’m Not Pretty”
Writers: Micah Carpenter/Megan Moroney/Mackenzie Carpenter/Ben Williams; Producer: Kristian Bush; Label: Sony
– I fell in love with her the moment I heard “Tennessee Orange.” This clever, femme-centric ditty confirms her status as a first-class, off-center, wonderfully creative country artist. With flawless storytelling skill, she relates a modern gal’s situation of being stalked on social media by her ex’s new girlfriend. Rest assured, Instagram gets a shout-out.

TRAVIS TRITT / “Get a Little Rowdy”
Writer: Travis Tritt; Producers: Danny Davenport, Billy Suit, Travis Tritt; Label: Painted Desert Music
– Upbeat and lively, this is Tritt in his classic soul-meets-honkytonk style. The production is a little thin, but his vocal passion carries the day.

RUSTY CREEK / “Bombs Away”
Writer: Alexander Deeth; Producers: Tim Hearsey,Alex Deeth; Label: RC
– This Canadian band moans an anti-war message aimed at Russia’s disgusting invasion of the Ukraine. It would be nice if one of them could sing. At least the steel guitarist gets it right.

SAM HUNT / “Walmart”
Writers: Sam Hunt/Zach Crowell/Shane McAnally/Josh Osborne; Producers: Zach Crowell,Chris LaCorte,Sam Hunt,King Henry; Label: UMG
– His feathery delivery is perfect for this wistful ballad of resignation. The song’s snapshot of small-town life glows with philosophic, matter-of-fact acceptance that a broken relationship isn’t the end of the world. I dig this. A lot.

VINCE GILL / “Someday”
Writers: Vince Gill/Richard Marx; Producer: Vince Gill; Label: MCA
– I’m not sure what is going on here. The video of Vince’s gorgeous 2003 ballad is evidently being re-issued by UMG. Hey, any time I can hear this angelic voice is fine with me.

JON LANGSTON / “Howdy Howdy Howdy”
Writers: Jacob Rice, Jon Langston, Jordan Gray; Producers: Jacob Rice, Jody Stevens; Label: EMI
– Howdy rhymes with rowdy. Langston growls his way through this barroom romp while guitars grind, a steel stutters and a drummer blasts the beats. Lotsa fun.

GRIFFEN PALMER / “Second Guessing”
Writers: Andrew Deroberts/Benjamin Simonetti/Brian Kelley/Corey Crowder/Ester Dean/Geoffrey Warburton/Griffen Palmer/Ryan Tedder/Shane McAnally/Tyler Hubbard; Producer: Joey Moi; Label: Big Loud
– Palmer sang this on TV’s The Bachelor last week. It’s a fairly routine love song. Ten writers? Really?

ADAM HOOD / “You Love Me Like That”
Writers: Adam Hood, Sean McConnell; Producer: Brent Cobb; Label: Southern Songs
– Hood has written tunes for Miranda Lambert, The Oak Ridge Boys,Travis Tritt, Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack, Luke Combs, Anderson East, Riley Green and more. He made some noise last year with his solo album Bad Days Better. Now comes his kick-off single for 2023, a beautiful Valentine ballad with enormous grace and gentility. So-o-o-o-o romantic.

WALKER COUNTY / “Stoned”
Writers: Ivy Walker/Sophie Walker/Ashley Monroe; Producer: AJ Pruiss; Label: Warner
– “Your love is a drug and I’m stoned.” Appropriately, the track has a dreamy, ethereal sound and the sisters’ vocals are airy and wafting. “Let’s get lit, fired up and breathed in.” A totally baked winner.

My Music Row Story: City National Bank’s Diane Pearson

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Diane Pearson

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.

Diane Pearson is Sr. VP, Manager at City National Bank’s Nashville office. With over two decades of entertainment banking experience she provides financial solutions to music industry professionals including artists, songwriters, business managers, producers, artist managers, performing rights organizations, agencies, publishing companies, entrepreneurs, labels and law firms.

Pearson helped launch City National Bank’s Nashville office in 2011, co-managing the Nashville Entertainment Division with Lori Badgett. She serves multiple philanthropic organizations, including sitting on the board of Musicians On Call and Leadership Music.

MusicRow: Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town in Kentucky called Lewisburg. I tell everybody, though, that I’m from Russellville, Kentucky because they’re right next to each other. Russellville is near Bowling Green and people have actually heard of Bowling Green.

What was your dream job then?

My dream job was to be a stay-at-home mom and have about six kids. [Laughs] No music business. No working. But as you can tell, that did not happen.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

When did that desire change for you?

My parents moved me my senior year of high school to Nashville. That was a huge difference coming from a very small town—there was a bit of culture shock. I started working as a relief teller for Third National Bank while I was taking classes. When you’re a relief teller, you go around to different offices and fill in for people while they are on vacation or out sick. So I didn’t really have a home office until I landed at an office called South Madison.

There was a lady there by the name of Ellen Kemp, who was one of my very first mentors. There was just something about Ellen. She was just the epitome of class. She loved sports—I do, too. She had the best clothes, the best jewelry, she was just always dressed perfectly. She was well respected and loved in the community, everyone looked up to her. She managed the office, but was primarily responsible for all of the lending. That’s when I realized lending was something I would like to get into someday.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

Now that you had a different example to look up to, how did you start your career?

Ellen took me under her wing, but unfortunately for me, she was also at the age of retirement. So I knew I was going to lose Ellen. Another friend of mine, Kim, was working at South Madison and was picked to help launch the Entertainment Division of Third National Bank (a SunTrust Bank) as an FSR (Financial Service Rep). She knew my passion was the lending side, so once a position opened up, she told me. I applied for the job and was lucky enough to get an interview with Brian Williams. I was not qualified for the lending position at all, but he saw something in me and decided to take me on. I later found out that once Ellen Kemp found out I went and interviewed, she picked up the phone and called Brian to tell him she believed in me.

Brian truly was the pioneer of music industry banking. To be able to work WITH him (he never let you say you worked “for” him) for almost 20 years before he passed away was just the best experience I could have ever asked for. He taught me everything about the music business and how to make work fun.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

What do you remember about those days?

I hate to call it the “roaring nineties,” but it was. There was always something going on, whether it was a No. 1 party or a Gold or Platinum Party. There were all these events. Brian made sure I was armed with everything I needed to know about the industry, but he also was such an advocate of introducing me to people. I was always welcome at the table and that was something I’m very appreciative of. He taught me the ropes, he taught me about how to give back to the community and to make sure you’re heavily involved in non-profit work.

When Brian passed away in 2006, it was devastating. Not only to me because I had lost my mentor and my friend, but the bank lost its visionary for the Music Industry, because Brian was the one who created it. I stayed there for five years after that. I felt like if I left, I was leaving his legacy behind, which was really hard. But in walks Martha Henderson, she was an angel who came in and made me realize I could continue Brian’s Legacy working with her at City National Bank as she was the Division Leader for their Entertainment Division. She is in her 40th year at CNB and recently was promoted to Vice Chairman.

She is Ellen Kemp and Brian Williams all rolled into one. She is just phenomenal. She can go toe-to-toe with anybody and win. She’s compassionate. She’s kindhearted. She truly treats her employees and clients great.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

You helped Martha start the City National Bank office in Nashville from the ground up. What was that like?

March 31 is when we started. We were in the old MCA building and then we moved into our new office right next door in August of 2011. Nobody had heard of City National Bank 12 years ago. They knew us but they didn’t know City National, so we didn’t have to sell ourselves because people knew who we were, we had to sell the bank.

Again, Martha was the visionary just like Brian was. When we came on board, it was almost like we were taking a step back in time in some way. We like the office to feel like Mayberry from the Andy Griffith Show. It’s a small town, it’s a small community. We want a Cheers atmosphere, where everybody knows your name. We don’t ever want to be “the big bank,” even though we are a big bank.

When was a time that you struggled at the beginning of building the City National Bank office?

I can tell you when it didn’t feel like it was going to be a success. I work a lot with business managers and artists. I always keep up with CMA and ACM Awards and see [which nominees] are clients and who are not.

I always wanted a hundred percent sweep, meaning every on air award winner was a client. The first CMA’s I attended as a CNB employee was hard. That was the year everybody that had been my client won an award.

There was the sweep I longed for but not everyone had made the move yet, it was just like a gut punch. This [had been a goal of mine] my whole career, to have clients in all of these categories. I remember walking out of that award show and Martha Henderson looked at me and said, “Honey, I’ve been through this before. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t worry they will come.”

She was 100% right. After the first year, I started getting more and more clients.

Photo: Courtesy of Diane Pearson

That’s awesome! When do you feel most fulfilled in what you do?

I feel most fulfilled when I get an artist on the very beginning of their career and [see them] get their first record deal or first publishing deal. Seeing them have a No. 1 party, play their first time at the Grand Ole Opry, or sell out Madison Square Garden. That’s when I’m most fulfilled. Every little step along way. They’re like my children. I’ve got all these kids now running all over the place. What fulfills me the most is seeing them succeed.

Does any particular story come to mind about supporting an artist from the beginning?

Roger Murrah, who owned Murrah Music Publishing, had signed Luke Bryan to a publishing deal. Roger called me and said, “I’m sending this new kid from Georgia over to you. Take care of him, I think he’s got something.” So Luke comes over to my office and we start a friendship.

I remember pulling into my driveway one day and my phone rang, it was Luke. He said, “Hey baby”—that’s back when I thought I was the only one he called “baby”…ha! He told me he got his record deal and I cried. He was like, “Oh my gosh. Are you crying? You’re worse than my mama.”

When he played the first time on the Opry, I was invited to come. I was standing backstage and Luke was walking out on stage. I’m known as the CEO “Chief Emotional Officer”. So someone looked over at me and said, “Oh God, Diane’s getting ready to cry.” Mike Dungan turned around and I was waiting for him to say something sarcastic. He said, “Are you seriously getting ready to cry? I think that’s the sweetest thing. We need more people who actually care about the artists.” It’s like your kid getting on stage for the first time, and then now look at all that he’s accomplished. That’s what fuels me. I love celebrating everybody’s successes.

Weekly Register: Morgan Wallen Infiltrates Charts With New Music

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Morgan Wallen. Photo: David Lehr

Morgan Wallen is on the precipice of new music, with a 36-song album called One Thing At A Time due out in March.

Of the teasers he has released from the project, multiple tracks make up the top 10 on the country streaming charts this week. New song “Last Night” debuts at No. 1 on the country streaming songs chart and No. 4 all-genre, earning 26 million streams this week and 37 million RTD according to Luminate data.

Other Wallen songs in the top 10 include hits “Thought You Should Know,” “You Proof” and “Wasted On You,” as well as new songs “I Wrote The Book,” “One Thing At A Time” and “Everything I Love.”

Elsewhere on the country streaming songs chart is Zach Bryan‘s “Something In The Orange” at No. 2, Bailey Zimmerman‘s “Rock And A Hard Place” at No. 3 and Luke Combs‘ “The Kind Of Love We Make” at No. 9.

On the country albums chart, Wallen continues his reign at the top with Dangerous: The Double Album earning 46K in total consumption (1.4K album only/57 million song streams). He is followed by Shania Twain‘s new album Queen Of Me (38K in total consumption), Bryan’s American Heartbreak (32K), Hardy‘s The Mockingbird & The Crow (21K) and Zimmerman’s Leave The Light On (20K)

Kelsea Ballerini Unpacks Some Life Lessons On Intimate New EP ‘Rolling Up The Welcome Mat’

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Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini is releasing a special new EP, Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, today (Feb. 14).

The Valentines gift for fans features an intimate set of songs that measures the most personal aspects of her last few years. Working with frequent collaborator Alysa Vanderheym, the pair co-produced and co-wrote three tracks on Rolling Up The Welcome Mat. Ballerini wrote the other three on her own, committed to sorting through her life completely on her own terms.

“I wasn’t worried about anything other than presenting the songs as honestly as possible,” says Ballerini. “Most of them started with me and my guitar. I was writing by myself for most of the project, and it was nice to trust myself again. The only way I’ve been able to handle my life since I was 12 was to write about it. Ironically, I started writing music because my parents got divorced; that was my therapy. Rolling Up The Welcome Mat was how I processed everything. It’s the way I got my feelings out of my body and heart and put them to music, which is the purest way I could’ve handled it.”

YouTube video

From the opening chords of the moody “Mountain With A View,” a whispery self-examination of doubt and letting go, to the realization of “Penthouse,” the churning “Blindsided,” and the vulnerability of “Leave Me Again,” the project refracts the reality of so many people who face what they were told they wanted turning out not to be what they truly desired in the end.

To accompany the new EP, Ballerini wrote and directed a short film alongside co-director Patrick Tracy that takes a deeper dive into the emotions that went into Rolling Up The Welcome Mat. Filmed in a white, minimalist environment, the film is available on YouTube.

Ballerini will launch the second leg of her “Heartfirst Tour” on March 6 in Toronto and will visit cities throughout the Midwest and East Coast, closing out on March 18 in Pittsburgh.

Jordan Schmidt Leaps Into Top 10 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Jordan Schmidt. Photo: Ed Rode

With three charting songs, Jordan Schmidt makes a big move from No. 30 to No. 10 this week on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. Schmidt is a co-writer on Mitchell Tenpenny’s “We Got History,” Cole Swindell’s “Drinkaby” and Hardy and Lainey Wilson’s “Wait In The Truck.”

Zach Bryan marks another week at the top of the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week, notching his 18th consecutive week at the peak. As the sole writer on the songs he is charting with, Bryan receives all of the points earned from airplay, digital download track sales and streams on the Songwriter Chart.

Morgan Wallen (No. 2), Ashley Gorley (No. 3) and Michael Hardy (No. 4) remain in their places within the top five this week, while Luke Combs moves up to No. 5 following the addition of his new song “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old” to the country charts.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download 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.

Concord Music Publishing Promotes Courtney Allen To Sr. Dir., A&R [Exclusive]

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Courtney Allen. Photo: Audrey Spillman

Concord Music Publishing has announced the promotion of Courtney Allen to Senior Director, A&R. Based in Music City, Allen is tasked with continuing to round out Concord’s Nashville roster with talent and aid in high-level signings across the company.

Allen joined Concord Nashville in October 2021 as Director, A&R. Since joining the team, she has been instrumental in signing Nashville-based singer-songwriter Justin Wilson, Runaway June’s Jennifer Wayne and more. She was a key contributor to Concord’s multifaceted catalog and publishing deals with country recording artist and songwriter Russell Dickerson as well as top country music songwriter and producer Corey Crowder.

Additionally, Allen serves an integral role in liaising with Hang Your Hat, a Concord creative venture founded by two-time ACM Songwriter of the Year, Hillary Lindsey. Notable Hang Your Hat signings include Chris LaCorte, Ben Chapman, Meg McRee and Cary Barlowe.

“Courtney is so deserving of this elevation. She is one of the most passionate and fierce advocates for songwriters that I’ve ever worked with,” says Brad Kennard, SVP of A&R at Concord Nashville. “She is a rising leader that will continue to be a key figurehead in the publishing community for many years to come, and we’re so proud she’s with us at Concord.”

Prior to joining Concord, Allen spent time as Creative Director at both BMG and Starstruck Entertainment.

Morgan Wallen Returns To MusicRow Radio Chart Peak With ‘Thought You Should Know’

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Morgan Wallen. Photo: John Shearer

Morgan Wallen makes his way back to the No. 1 spot on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this week with “Thought You Should Know.” The single first peaked on the MusicRow chart in January.

“Thought You Should Know,” co-written by Wallen, Miranda Lambert and Nicolle Galyon, appears on Wallen’s upcoming 36-track album, One Thing At A Time, which is set for release on March 3 via Big Loud/Mercury/Republic Records. The project follows his Dangerous: The Double Album, which remains Billboard’s longest running Top 10 album in history for a solo artist with more than 105 total weeks spent in the Top 10.

Wallen will bring his hits to the road in March when he embarks on his “One Night At A Time World Tour.”

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

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Kane & Katelyn Brown Get Us ‘Giddy’ With Love

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We have a lovely group of fresh faces today in DisClaimer.

Let me direct your attention to Kentucky singer-songwriter Brit Taylor. She’s the best neo-traditionalist to come along in ages. Then there’s Aliyah Good, whose songwriting prowess is way beyond her young years. Finally, take a listen to Kelsey Hart. He’s country to the core and our DisCovery Award winner.

The Disc of the Day belongs to the sweet singing of Kane & Katelyn Brown.

TYLER BOOTH / “Real, Real Country”
Writers: Tyler Booth; Producer: none listed; Label: Sony/Villa 40
– Redneck rock, especially if you crank it up.

JORDAN DAVIS / “Next Thing You Know”
Writers: Jordan Davis/Greylan James/Chase McGill/Josh Osborne; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Label: MCA Nashville
– Heart warming. Love sneaks up on you, life races by and bliss surrounds you. His vocal delivery is utterly inviting, and the lyric is a charmer.

BRIT TAYLOR / “Kentucky Blue”
Writers: Brit Taylor/Kimberly Kelly/Adam Wright; Producers: Sturgill Simpson/David Ferguson; Label: Cut a Shine/Thirty Tigers
– The title tune of Taylor’s sophomore album is mountain-music heaven. Mandolins ripple, fiddles sway and guitars strum along as her heartbroken soprano trills beautifully. This lady is the Real Deal.

DIERKS BENTLEY & ASHLEY McBRYDE / “Cowboy Boots”
Writers: Casey Brown/Jordan Minton/Hunter Phelps/Dierks Bentley; Producers: Dierks Bentley/F. Reid Shippen/Jon Randall/Ross Copperman; Label: Capitol
– An ode to country’s preferred footwear, set to a steady tempo and a plain-spoken melody with lots of steel, especially in the deliciously long finale fade. Both singers take a crack at verses, and McBryde sings harmony on the choruses.

KELSEY HART / “6-Pack Gone”
Writers: Kelsey Hart/Mason Thornley/Joe Clemmons; Producers: Tommy Cecil/Matt Alderman; Label: Curb
– He counts down his heartbreak, one beer at a time. The songwriting is super imaginative, and his performance is solid. This sure sounds like a hit to me. Formerly a successful indie act, this marks Hart’s debut as a Curb artist.

LUKE COMBS / “Love You Anyway”
Writers: Luke Combs/Ray Fulcher/Reid Isbell; Producer: none listed; Label: Sony
– The boy is so likeable when he’s topsy-turvy in love like this. The ballad fits him like a comfy glove.

CAYLEE HAMMACK / “All Or Nothing”
Writers: Caylee Hammack/Tofer Brown/Thomas Finch; Producers: Caylee Hammack/Dann Huff; Label: Capitol
– The fiery redhead storms through this banger with fierce vocal commitment. The double-time drumming and churning electronics stir up the frothing energy. It might rock just a little too hard for some country programmers.

MATT STELL / “Shut the Truck Up”
Writers: Matt Stell/Jessie Jo Dillon/Chase McGill; Producer: Matt Stell/Ash Bowers; Label: Records
– The pick-up has to go. It holds too many memories of a broken romance. Stell has always been a fine country communicator, and this well-constructed song gives him another worthy platform.

TYLER BRADEN / “Neon Grave”
Writers: Tyler Braden/Shane Minor/Justin Ebach; Producer: Randy Montana; Label: Warner
– I have made no secret of my admiration for this artist. The title tune of his EP seethes with vocal passion. It’s a minor-key, moody, slow-burn country rocker with a dark twang and, as usual, he sings his face off. Keep on playing the titanic “Try Losing One,” but sample this track, too.

KANE BROWN & KATELYN BROWN / “Thank God”
Writers: Christian Stainecker/Jared Mullis/Jaxson Free/Josh Hoge/Kyle Fishman; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Sony
– Mr. and Mrs. Brown are all giddy in love on this sweet, lilting outing. I’m happy to report that she is a fine singer in her own right. My only disappointment was that Katelyn didn’t break into vocal harmony with Kane until the very last phrase of the song.

ALIYAH GOOD / “Ending of a First Love”
Writers: Aliyah Good; Producer: none listed; Label: AG
– Teenager Good is the daughter of country hit maker Jamie O’Neal (”There Is No Arizona”). The apple didn’t fall from the tree, because this is an outstanding debut. She sings in an assured, range-y soprano, but what I’m even more impressed with is her stunning maturity as a songwriter. This is potent, and the chiming, swirling track doesn’t hurt a bit.

THE WAR & TREATY / “Lover’s Game”
Writers: Dave Cobb/Michael Trotter Jr./Tanya Trotter; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: Mercury
– Previously noted for scorching ballads, the sensational soul duo rocks out on this snappy tempo tune. Electric guitars scream along, and the rhythm track kicks up dust behind their wailing delivery.

MusicRow Announces 2023 Rising Women On The Row Honorees

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MusicRow is proud to reveal the honorees for its 10th annual Rising Women on the Row celebration. This year’s ceremony will honor six female executives who are making a significant impact on Nashville’s country music industry.

City National Bank and Loeb & Loeb are Presenting Sponsors for the 2023 Rising Women on the Row, which will take place at the Omni Nashville Hotel on the morning of March 23.

River House Artists President & Founder, Lynn Oliver-Cline, will be the featured speaker at the event. Attendees will be treated to insights from Oliver-Cline during an on-stage interview with MusicRow Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson.

Tickets are now closed and will not be sold at the door.

This year’s honorees include:

Stacy Blythe

Stacy Blythe – SVP of Promotion, Big Loud Records
Leading Big Loud Records in achieving 14 No. 1 singles in seven years of business, Stacy Blythe is a vital part of the ever-changing game of radio promotion, storming right out of the gate in 2015 with the label’s first-ever single release, and driving it to the top of the charts for then-newcomer Chris Lane’s Gold breakout, “Fix.” As SVP of Promotion, she spearheads a team of 10, securing and maximizing airplay for the label’s roster, including Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen, Lauren Alaina, Hardy, MacKenzie Porter, Ernest, Hailey Whitters, Ben Burgess, Larry Fleet, Lily Rose, Ashley Cooke, and Jake Worthington. She has contributed to the Big Loud roster earning multiple Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum certifications and accounting for more than 17 billion global streams to date, making Big Loud Records the Billboard Hot Country Songs label of the year for the last two years. The Pittsburgh native is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with other notable career stops at Category 5 Records, 1720 Entertainment, and Stoney Creek Records.

 

Martha Earls

Martha Earls – Owner and Manager, Neon Coast
Martha Earls founded and leads entertainment company Neon Coast. Through its management division, Neon Coast represents a diverse slate of multi-Platinum selling, critically acclaimed talent including Kane Brown, Restless Road, Dylan Schneider, Nightly, Feather and others. Its in-house production company—Demasiado—has been honored with CMT and ACM Awards and produced content for top entertainment brands. The company also oversees 1021 Entertainment—a joint label venture between Neon Coast, client Kane Brown and Sony Music Nashville—which serves as an incubator where developing artists can grow within a supportive environment. Earls started her career with a successful run in music publishing. Alongside Mike Molinar, the Pennsylvania native helped start the company that would become Big Machine Music. From there she went on to work with and learn from some of the biggest names in the industry, both execs and artists, before discovering Kane Brown online and beginning her work in artist management.

 

Beth Hamilton

Beth Hamilton – Agent, WME
Beth Hamilton is a seasoned veteran in the music industry and has been with WME since 2016. In her role as an agent, she manages the daily touring opportunities for multiple artists, including Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBryde, The Cadillac Three, Caylee Hammack, Caitlyn Smith and others. Prior to being an agent, Hamilton began her career working at music venues—notably the Lucas Theatre in Savannah, Georgia—before joining the former William Morris Agency as an assistant booking the Northeast territory. In 2008, she transitioned into artist management at Modern Management working with Josh Turner, Sara Evans and Diamond Rio before returning to the agency side of the business in 2016 to work alongside WME Nashville office co-head Jay Williams. Outside of being a respected agent, she actively volunteers her time supporting the Women of Endeavor mentorship program and offering career guidance to young females aspiring to make an impact in the music business.

 

Jackie Jones

Jackie Jones – SVP, Artist and Industry Relations, RIAA
Jackie Jones is the SVP, Artist and Industry Relations for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and serves as the organization’s chief representative in Nashville. Bringing together artists, managers, labels, venues, and creator advocacy groups, Jones works every day to deepen, understand and enrich personal and professional ties throughout every segment of the music community. Jones not only works to elevate creators across genres nationwide, but also serves as a conduit for the D.C. world of copyright reform, trade negotiations, and local creative industry policymaking. Just as RIAA’s D.C. team builds consensus and forges ahead for a unified music community approach to industry policy challenges and a healthy long-term music ecosystem, Jones does the same throughout the music community. She regularly produces educational and music community outreach events, as well as national Gold & Platinum certification plaque presentations that recognize artist and label excellence. Jones also works closely with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Musicians On Call, Family Alliance in Music (FAM) and the TSU Music Business Accelerator program. Prior to joining the RIAA, Jones was Director of Music and Talent for CMT.

 

Brittany Schaffer

Brittany Schaffer – Head of Nashville Label Partnerships, Music Strategy, Spotify
As Head of Nashville Label Partnerships, Music Strategy, Brittany Schaffer co-leads Spotify’s Music Team in Nashville, with responsibility for setting the vision of the team and cultivating and nurturing industry partnerships across the greater Nashville market. Schaffer co-leads the development and execution of Spotify’s global strategy to grow the country, Christian/Gospel, and Americana genres, and has been a leader in an era-defining shift in country music consumption habits. Her work includes the transformation and marketing of the flagship playlists Hot Country and Indigo, bringing country music to fans through Spotify’s annual four-day activation at CMA Fest, extending the St. Jude t-shirt campaign into streaming, and ongoing global artist marketing campaigns. Schaffer has also been instrumental in strategically acquiring and retaining an impressive team to meaningfully bolster Spotify’s presence in the Nashville market and has built a culture of teamwork and collaboration that fuels Spotify’s partnerships across Nashville. Outside of Spotify, Schaffer is a highly engaged board member of CMA, CRB, and St. Jude Country Cares. Prior to joining Spotify in January 2018, Schaffer spent more than seven years practicing law in the Entertainment Department of Loeb & Loeb, LLP, where she was Senior Legal Counsel.

 

Anna Weisband

Anna Weisband – VP of A&R, Sony Music Publishing
As VP of A&R at Sony Music Publishing, Anna Weisband manages the daily songwriting strategy for a stellar roster including Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Cole Swindell, Chris Young, Lainey Wilson, Emily Weisband, Josh Kear and MacKenzie Porter. A graduate of Belmont University, Weisband began her career as a THiS Music intern, and quickly established herself as a young executive on Music Row. Later in her career, Weisband began carrying out A&R duties including talent discovery, collaboration creation, artist management, and song placement for the company’s roster of 14 award-winning songwriters, producers, and artists, including two-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Ben Hayslip, Hall of Fame songwriter Tim Nichols, and Emily Weisband. In 2017 Weisband was promoted to Vice President at THiS Music at the age of 23, a position she earned after five years at the Warner Chappell joint venture, led by co-owner/General Manager Rusty Gaston. When Gaston joined Sony Music Publishing in 2020, Weisband followed, becoming VP of Creative.

Weekly Register: Tyler Hubbard Scores Top Debut On Country Albums Chart

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Tyler Hubbard. Photo: John Russo

Tyler Hubbard secures the top debut on the country albums chart this week.

His self-titled, first solo collection lands at No. 8 on the top country albums chart and No. 40 overall. The album debuted with 15K in total consumption (5K album only/12 million song streams) according to Luminate data.

Morgan Wallen‘s Dangerous: The Double Album reclaims the No. 1 spot on the top country albums chart with 42K in total consumption (1.5K album only/52 million song streams) and lands at No. 6 overall. Zach Bryan ‘s American Heartbreak reclaims No. 2 with 31K (1.7K album only/38 million song streams). Hardy‘s The Mockingbird & The Crow moves to No. 3 with 27K (5.4K album only/26 million song streams). Bailey Zimmerman‘s Leave The Light On stays at No. 4 with 20K (825 album only/24 million song streams), and Luke Combs‘ Growin’ Up remains at No. 5 with 19K (1.5K album only/22 million song streams).

Wallen, Bryan, Zimmerman and Combs have also secured the top five spots on the country songs chart this week.

Bryan’s “Something In The Orange” continues its reign as No. 1, collecting another 14 million streams. Zimmerman’s “Rock and A Hard Place” remains at No. 2 with 11 million streams. Wallen’s new tune “Last Night” rises to No. 3 with 11 million streams, moving “You Proof” down to No. 4 with 9.8 million. Combs’ “The Kind Of Love We Make” lands at No. 5 with eight million streams.