Pictured (L-R, back row): Terry Wakefield (Universal Music Publishing), Gordon Kerr (Black River), Abby Miller (Black River), Zebb Luster (River House), Doug Johnson (Black River), Neil Mason (Badlands Management), Lynn Oliver (River House Publishing), Ray Fulcher, Mike Wilson (Black River), Rick Froio (Black River), Austin Mullins (WME), Dawn Delvo (Black River), and Chris King (King Business and Financial Management). (L-R, front row): Tali Canterbury (50 Egg), Ron Stuve (Universal Music Publishing), Rebekah Gordon (Black River), Emily Hungate (Black River), Lauren Kilgore (Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP), Bill Macky (Black River), Tanya Schrage (Black River), Jordon Petty (270 Media Co), and Jonathan Singleton (Producer).

Black River Entertainment has signed hit songwriter and artist Ray Fulcher, who brings a loyal fanbase which has streamed his music more than 30 million times.

He shared news of the label signing with his fans first, saying, “Fans are the reason I write songs. They are the lifeblood of our industry, and without them, this wouldn’t be possible, so it’s only right for them to know first.”

Fulcher is a frequent collaborator of Luke Combs with writing credits on Combs’ No. 1 singles “When It Rains It Pours,” “Even Though I’m Leaving,” “Does To Me” ft. Eric Church, and “Lovin’ On You.”

Signed to Black River Entertainment in 2021, Fulcher is working with producer Jonathan Singleton and is set to support Combs this fall on the What You See Is What You Get Tour.

Black River joins Fulcher’s team including WME, Universal Music Publishing, River House Publishing, and Badlands Management.

“What a great day for all of us!” said Black River’s President and CEO Gordon Kerr. “What an impressive team we are now partnered alongside. Most importantly, what an artist! We are honored to step into this already impressive journey and can’t wait to see what is in store for Ray!”

Fulcher shared, “I always knew I didn’t want to sign anywhere unless they really believed in our music and vision as much as we did ourselves. They had to really get the songs and what we wanted to do with them and believe that I was the guy to carry them to the masses. With Black River, we have gotten all that and more…and the more I’ve gotten to know the people, the more I see what a great group of not just professionals they are, but humans. Just felt like a real easy decision.”

Growing up in Harlem, Georgia, Fulcher’s biggest influences were Alan Jackson, Keith Whitley, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church, and George Strait. He moved to Nashville to pursue songwriting after graduating from the University of Georgia in 2014. Soon after, he signed his first publishing deal with River House Publishing. Fulcher has released the EPs Here We Go Again and Somebody Like Me.

Black River Entertainment’s President and CEO Gordon Kerr and Ray Fulcher.

“Hell Of A View” by Eric Church rises to No. 1 this week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart. Written by Church, Casey Beathard, and Monty Criswell, the single will appear on Soul which is part 3 of a collection of albums coming out in April. Click here to read more about Church’s three-album project.

Church teased a 2021 tour recently in a video message to fans: “We are working on a North American tour. We’re waiting for the right timing to officially announce all the details, but I want you to know that a tour is coming, and we are very excited to play new music for our old friends… I cannot wait to see you on the road.”

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The Sony Music Publishing name has returned after 25 years, introducing a new brand identity with a redesigned logo and revitalized mission.

Driven by the leadership of Chairman & CEO Jon Platt, the renewal of the Sony Music Publishing name signifies the company’s desire to identify as “A Creative Entertainment Company with a Solid Foundation of Technology.”

The refreshed logo is designed as an abstraction of sound waves—with resonance and vibrations that express infinitely expanding opportunities for songwriters. Complementing the symbol, the Sony Music Publishing ethos is ‘every voice matters’, elevating the vision and goals of songwriters.

Sony/ATV was established in 1995 through a joint venture with Michael Jackson that brought together the original Sony Music Publishing with Jackson’s ATV Music. Jackson had acquired ATV Music, which owned the Northern Songs catalogue, in 1985. Northern Songs owned the rights to all the songs that John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote during their time with the Beatles. In 2016, Sony acquired the Michael Jackson Estate’s 50% share of Sony/ATV making it a wholly owned Sony company.

Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Platt commented, “Sony Music Publishing has always embraced the power of songwriting to connect cultures and bring people together. Since its inception, Sony Music Publishing has supported the careers of songwriters and continues to defend their rights. Returning to the Sony Music Publishing name reconnects us to our legacy and further unifies our mission and culture with the Sony Corporation. Our new brand embodies a modern vision to be an authentic reflection of the music and songwriters we represent.”

Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston spoke to MusicRow about the rebrand and its implications for the company’s Nashville presence.

“Jon Platt came in as a new Chairman and CEO 18 months ago, and he has done such an incredibly terrific job at transforming the entire company’s culture,” Gaston tells MusicRow. “Part of this rebrand is breathing a fresh and new life into what he has done to this company in general; making the focus on relationships and service. When he came in, he was very vocal about wanting this company to be the destination for the world’s greatest songwriters. This rebranding is a natural evolution of the way he is transforming this company and it’s all incredibly positive.”

Gaston, who is also newly at the helm of Sony Music Publishing’s Nashville office, is excited about the company refresh.

“It’s really exciting because I’m brand new here as well. I’ve only been here a year and I walked in with the same passion and enthusiasm that Jon Platt did for the company overall. It was about making the focus of this Nashville office to be on one-on-one relationships with songwriters and about us providing hands-down, the very best service the songwriter could possibly get in Nashville.”

He says that the Sony Music Publishing Nashville office is getting a refresh as well, with the space being renovated.

“I am incredibly excited about when we come out of this pandemic, not only are we going back into a new Sony Music Publishing campus on Music Row, but it’s going to be completely renovated and it’s going to be the actual destination that songwriters want to come to.”

Gaston sums, “It’s a new culture and in Nashville, we’re going to have a brand new space.”

Pictured (L-R): Chandler Cunningham (Reservoir Creative Coordinator), Brian O’Neil (Brooke Eden’s manager, Constellation Management), Brooke Eden, John Ozier (Reservoir EVP Creative), Greg Gallo (Reservoir VP Creative). Photo: Haley Crow

Reservoir announces the signing of country singer-songwriter Brooke Eden to a worldwide publishing deal. The deal includes Eden’s future works and most notably a trio of new singles including “No Shade,” which was released on Friday (Feb. 5).

“I had one Zoom meeting with the Reservoir team and just knew they had to be my new publishing family!” says Eden. “Working with [Reservoir VP, Creative] Greg Gallo in the past through co-writes, I knew his passion for songs and songwriters, and I knew I needed that fire from my publishing team. Then I met [Reservoir EVP, Creative] John Ozier and he put the icing on the cake. This team is fierce, and we all love what we do so much that it makes the whole creative process a lot of fun. I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together!”

Ozier adds, “Brooke is a powerful storyteller, and it is an honor to support her creatively as she shares new music with the world. We are so happy to add her remarkable talent to the Reservoir roster.”

Eden also recently announced her partnership with Brian O’Neil‘s newly formed Constellation Management & Consulting company.