George Strait Makes The Most Of A Rainy Night In Nashville

/by

George Strait performs at Nissan Stadium. Photo: Dillon Sherlock/Tennessee Titans

Saturday night (July 29) in Nashville was a wash out, but before the torrential downpour began, fans came out in droves to Nissan Stadium to see the king of country music, George Strait.

The Country Music Hall of Famer played two nights in Music City, performing for just over two hours on Friday night (July 28) after sets from Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town.

The Grammy, ACM, CMA, AMA and Emmy Award-winning Little Big Town were enthusiastic when kicking off Saturday night’s show. The foursome traveled through a selection of hits from their two decades as a band, thrilling fans with stompers like “Boondocks,” “Little White Church,” “Pontoon” and “Day Drinking.”

George Strait performs at Nissan Stadium. Photo: Dillon Sherlock/Tennessee Titans

The band brought fans in close for their Grammy-winning “Girl Crush,” and they swayed along to the Taylor Swift-written “Better Man.” Little Big Town closed their set with the rousing “Wine, Beer, Whiskey,” warming the Nissan Stadium crowd up for the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year to take the stage.

When Stapleton appeared onstage, he did it without bells and whistles. The talented singer kicked things off with “Nobody to Blame” and “Parachute” before letting the crowd know that he wasn’t going to spend much time talking in order to get as much music in as he could during his 90-minute set.

Fans raised their hands and danced along to “Starting Over,” “Millionaire” and “You Should Probably Leave” before Stapleton gave them a taste of his new music, playing a thrilling sample of his upcoming album with his new single “White Horse.”

After rocking out on “Cold” and taking us back to his 2015 breakthrough with “Traveller,” Stapleton created a special moment in Nissan Stadium with “Fire Away.” After he and his band got through the song, he enlisted the crowd to sing the chorus one more time with their cell phone lighters in the air.

Stapleton closed his set with “Broken Halos,” which earned one of the biggest reactions of the night, and his record-breaking cover of “Tennessee Whiskey.”

Next up, it was time for the man of the hour. When Strait took the stage in a long-sleeved, button-down, he didn’t appear as hot as the rest of us. He was grinning ear-to-ear, ready to play the beloved country music he’s made for over four decades.

Strait started his set with “Stars on the Water” and “I Got a Car.”

The first sprinkling of rain started during the third song of his set, 1984’s “The Fireman.” Just as he sang the words “I can cool ’em down when they’re smolderin’ hot,” he did exactly that.

The rain came in increments for the next 11 songs. After getting the gals on their feet for “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls,” he lured them in with the entrancing “Run,” which made for one of the night’s highlights.

George Strait and Chris Stapleton perform at Nissan Stadium. Photo: Andy Barron

Fans stayed engaged while Strait transitioned from hit to hit, thrilling fans with “I Can Still Make Cheyenne,” “Check Yes or No,” “Ocean Front Property” and “She’ll Leave You With a Smile.”

During “The Weight of the Badge,” photos of service men and women flashed on the screens. When a photo of two of Nashville’s hometown heroes—Officers Rex Englebert and Michael Collazo who led the charge on stopping the shooter at The Covenant School in March—appeared on the screen, the Music City crowd roared, marking another touching moment of the evening.

Strait invited Stapleton back out on stage for a fun cover of the Townes Van Zandt-written “Pancho and Lefty,” that Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard made famous. Then Strait introduced a tune that Stapleton wrote for the country icon’s 2013 album Love Is Everything, “You Don’t Know What You’re Missing.”

“Back in the day, I recorded a few of [Chris’] tunes. You may not have heard this one, it was never a single,” Strait said, to which Stapleton replied, “It still can be!”

As Strait and Stapleton sang the tune, the rain really picked up. By the end, Strait had a disappointed look on his face. With genuine sadness in his voice, he told the crowd that he had five minutes before we had to seek shelter.

As attendees turned to evacuate while the rain started pouring, Strait’s enduring country voice rang out, “Amarillo by mornin’, up from San Antone. Everything that I got is just what I’ve got on.” Fans turned and smiled at the consummate entertainer as he tried to make the most of the minute we had left in a chill-bump inducing moment.

When he was finished, the storm was raging and most concert goers were in the breezeways of Nissan Stadium. Strait’s voice could be heard for several minutes following, saying, “Be safe everyone.”

Although the night ended prematurely, Strait gave it his all for an hour of hits, new memories and country music history.

Big Loud Promotes & Expands Executive Team

/by

Big Loud has elevated and expanded its executive team.

VP of Business Affairs Jeff Tanner, VP of Sync & Brand Partnerships Paul Logan and VP of International Brianne Deslippe all add to their titles, with Tanner and Logan rising to SVP of Business Affairs and Sync & Brand Partnerships, and Deslippe rising to SVP, Global Marketing & Strategy.

Simultaneously, innovative digital expert H. Read Davis rises to VP of Digital and creative architect Tori Johnson rises to VP of Creative.

Additionally, Serena Lloyd, Stefanie Carter and Lucy Bartozzi have now started new roles with the label. Lloyd joins as VP of Human Resources following previous HR roles at Weber Shandwick, Concord, Ketchum and more. Carter becomes VP of Finance after time with the Nashville Predators, Live Nation, Nissan and Mars Petcare. Bartozzi adds to the marketing department as VP, Marketing, bringing experience from previous stops at Round Hill Records, Mtheory and Red Bull Records.

Kane Brown’s ‘Bury Me In Georgia’ Returns To The Top Of The MusicRow Chart

/by

Kane Brown. Photo: Diwang Valdez

After topping the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart two weeks ago, Kane Brown‘s “Bury Me In Georgia” has returned to the No. 1 spot.

Brown co-wrote “Bury Me In Georgia” with Matt McGinn, Jordan Schmidt and Josh Hoge. It appears on his third studio album, Different Man, which also contains hits “Like I Love Country Music,” “One Mississippi” and “Thank God” with Katelyn Brown.

The song currently sits at No. 9 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 6 on the Mediabase chart.

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

Jim Catino On New Venture: ‘I’m A Friend To Major Labels’ [Interview]

/by

Jim Catino

When Jim Catino left his position as Executive Vice President of A&R at Sony Music Nashville after 20 years with the company, many in the industry were wondering what he would do next.

Prior to his exit, Catino has spent the majority of his career working in the major label ecosystem, as well as some time at MCA Music Publishing, Giant Records & Publishing and DreamWorks Publishing. One could have assumed that Catino was tired of “the system,” working with and for a big corporation.

But as Catino shared with MusicRow, that isn’t the case—the reality is quite the opposite.

Jim Catino & Dalton Dover

“My history has been at major record labels. My dad was in the music business. He worked at Capitol for decades and was always working with major record labels, so I’m kind of a major label baby,” he says. “[Now at my new company,] I’m a friend to major labels. The goal for the record label side of my company is for my artists to be courted and upstreamed to a major label. I believe in what majors can bring to the table to create superstars.”

Catino’s company is split by his passions for both recording artists and songwriters. On Droptine Recordings, Catino works with buzzy newcomer Cody Hibbard and breakout starling Dalton Dover, who aligned with UMG Nashville late last year.

On the publishing side, via Droptine Music, Catino is partnered with Sony Music Publishing and shares office space with the publishing giant on Music Row. He works with Dover and Hibbard as well as songwriter Tommy Karlas, who has hits with Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry and more, and Russell Sutton, who has written two recent No. 1s, Elvie Shane‘s “My Boy” and Nate Smith‘s “Whiskey On You.” With Sony Music Publishing, Catino also works with Kent Earls and Kane Brown‘s Verse 2 Music on Alex Maxwell. He’s partnered with Warner Chappell on songwriter Wesley Davis.

Through both sides of his business, Catino is able to focus on his favorite part of the job: artist development.

“I left Sony because things had changed so much [in the music business], but also because I was hungry to do something different and hungry to do what I really love to do. As an executive at that level at a major corporate label, I was pulled away from a lot of the day-to-day rituals of A&R: finding new talent, diving into the music and really helping build not just momentum, but the foundation of an artist’s career.”

Catino’s first victory for his company came with a pop artist he met during the end of his tenure at Sony, Thomas Day.

“I had my eye on this guy and had created a really good rapport with him and his family. He’s from Brentwood, Tennessee, which is where I grew up,” Catino says. “When I announced that I was leaving Sony, the family was urging me to [work with him].

“I started fishing around with some of the New York labels to see if there was any interest. There was a little bit of bubbling interest, but nothing solid. [Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO] Randy Goodman was cool enough to say, ‘Let’s make a deal and we’ll upstream this to one of the New York labels. We’ll fund it for you and help get you started. We want to do business with you down the road, so this could be a good way to start it.'”

Pictured (L-R): Rusty Gaston, Jenna Heideman, Cody Hibbard, Jim Catino, Molly Shehan and Cass Scripps. Photo: Courtesy of Droptine Records

Day is now aligned with Arista out of New York, has nearly seven million followers on TikTok and will hit the road with David Kushner in August.

Next came Dover, who met Catino through producer/songwriter Matt McV. With their heads together, the three began independently releasing Dover’s music, which caught the attention of other industry members. When he aligned with UMG Nashville in October of 2022, Dover had earned a place on Spotify’s Hot Country 2022 Artists To Watch list, along with a spotlight as Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month and a nod for MusicRow’s 2022 Discovery Artist of the Year.

After success with tracks “You Got a Small Town” and “Baby I Am,” Dover is currently working his first radio single, “Giving Up On That,” which was the most added song at country radio with 60 first-week stations. The track also garnered over a million streams in the first two weeks of its release.

“Honestly, I didn’t call one record label [about Dalton]. Every label called me once they saw the numbers growing. That’s the goal—to have labels excited and passionate,” Catino says. “I want to help build enough momentum and a good foundation where they’re getting an artist that has the knowledge and the experience to go walk into a radio station or a bigger media look. I want them to understand enough about digital campaigns and socials to jump right into a real business plan at a major record label, so they’re not doing that development time [after they get to] a major.”

With two success stories and bubbling new act, Catino is starting to get calls about Hibbard, who he discovered while diving into streaming services on the lookout for new artists.

Hibbard is a former pipeline worker from Adair, Oklahoma who has made waves with tracks “We Speak Country” and “Looking Back Now.” After aligning with Catino’s Droptine Recordings, he signed a publishing deal with Droptine Music and Sony Music Publishing earlier this year.

“Cody is a fantastic live entertainer and has a really consistent streaming base. [He’s having success] with multiple tracks. It’s not just about one viral moment,” shares Catino.

Two years into this career chapter, Catino is feeling recharged and eager to get to work each day.

“I’m super happy. I’m rejuvenated and excited to be part of young artists’ careers. It’s always been my main passion,” he says. “It’s the most fun when you find something new and help it get to a place where it starts to really take off and grow with the fans. That’s why we all get in the music business at the end of the day.”

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Chris Stapleton Once Again Confirms His ‘Bonfire Intensity As A Performer’

/by

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Becky Fluke

DISClaimer is really mixing it up this week.

We have hip-hopper Tanner Adell, bluegrassy Hailey Whitters, rocking Lanco and balladeers Adam Doleac and Luke Grimes. Black female country speaks up in an excellent effort from Tiera Kennedy. Cody Hibbard is an Asian Pacific American and his hard-country approach wins him a DISCovery Award.

Hibbard was not without competition, since the other newcomers today who turned in solid efforts included Peyton Aldridge, Zoee and The Mizes.

With Chris Stapleton in the lineup, do you even need to ask who owns the Disc of the Day award?  

LANCO / “Sound of a Saturday Night”
Writers: Brandon Lancaster/Tripp Howell/Jeremy Spillman/Tate Howell; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Riser House
– Punchy and rocking. This is a summertime romp to crank up with the windows rolled down on a moonlight cruise down a back road. I’d have put more bottom in the mix, but you can’t beat the energy generated by this sound. 

BRETT YOUNG / “Let Go Too Soon”
Writers: Brett Young/Chris LaCorte/Jon Nite; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: BMLG Records
– “Dance With You” remains the single, but here’s another foretaste of Young’s Across the Sheets collection, which drops Aug. 4. On this pleasing midtempo track, he muses about a relationship that might have ended before either one of them was ready to move on. His intimate-sounding singing voice is deployed to great affect here. The too-busy backing track is fortunately mixed far enough back so as not to interfere.

HAILEY WHITTERS / “I’m In Love”
Writers: Nicole Galyon/Lee Thomas Miller/Cameron Bedell; Producers: Jake Gear/Hailey Whitters; Label: Pigasus/Big Loud/Songs & Daughters
– ACM New Female Artist of the Year Whitters returns with the delightfully zippy title tune of her new EP (which also includes her breakthrough hit “Everything She Ain’t”). The track bubbles along merrily while she expresses the dizzy, ditzy mood of a star-struck country gal. Totally lovable. 

CHRIS STAPLETON / “White Horse”
Writers: Chris Stapleton/Dan Wilson; Producers: Dave Cobb/Morgane Stapleton/Chris Stapleton; Label: Mercury Nashville
– His voice is such a torrent of sound that he can make your heart beat faster without hardly trying. This fiery single blurs the lines between country and southern rock while confirming his bonfire intensity as a performer. Undeniable. 

TIERA KENNEDY / “Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist”
Writers: Tiera Kennedy/Emily Falvey/Joe Fox/Trannie Anderson/Emily Landis; Producer: Cameron Bedell; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– As clever as it is catchy. Everyone in town gossips way too much, so the only people she can tell about her busted heart are the three named in the title. The track boasts stuttering rockabilly guitar, loads of happy rhythm and a cheeky vibe that are all irresistible. Her saucy vocal is perfect. To my knowledge, this is the first country song with “therapist” in the title. So cute.

CODY HIBBARD / “We Speak Country”
Writers: Carlton Anderson/Kasey Tyndall/Logan Wall; Producers: Jim Catino/Julian King; Label: Droptine Recordings
– What a breath of fresh air. A for-real country singer with a for-real country song. The thumping rhythm track is joyous. The blue-collar lyric is rousing and anthemic. This would sound splendid as an award-show opening number. 

PEYTON ALDRIDGE / “Oh Yeah”
Writers: John Ramey/Jeffrey East; Producer: Russ Zavitson; Label: Puba Records
– This competitor on The Voice combines blues and twang on his new single. The song’s a funky little thing, but doesn’t have a lot of meat on its bones. 

ZOEE / “Whatever It Takes”
Writers: Zoee/James House/Stone Aielli; Producers: Zoee/James House; Label: Zoee
– This new Nashvillian hails from Tasmania, Australia. She has a strong, assured country-pop vocal presence with plenty of depth. This single and its parent album Waves both drop a week from tomorrow, so be prepared for a slap of driving rhythm and some wildly catchy melody. The crisp production is superb. A star has started to twinkle. 

TANNER ADELL / “Buckle Bunny”
Writers: Tanner Adell/Jesse Thomas/Cameron Bartolini/Louis Bartolini/Leelee/Sean Anthony; Producers: Leelee/Cambo/Louallday; Label: Columbia Records
– This mix of country and trap drops vaguely country/cowgirl images in a production that blends rapping with looped electronics and country-tinged instrumentation. Lyrically, it is utter nonsense. But enjoyable.

LUKE GRIMES / “Hold On”
Writers: Ilsey Juber/Foy Vance; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: UMG Nashville
– Low-key and downbeat, this has an attractive, meditative quality that is soothing to the ears. Like the song, his voice kinda sneaks up on you. Grimes has a fan base from being in the Yellowstone TV cast. But I fear he’s going to have to come up with a song that is more undeniable than this drowsy one is. 

THE MIZES / “Hitched Up”
Writers: Logan Mize/Jill Martin; Producer: Daniel Agee; Label: LM
– Solo artist Logan Mize is now also a duet act with his wife, Jill Martin. Their debut single is a hilarious twangfest about a Venus-and-Mars couple. It recalls the funny-fight masterpieces created by Loretta & Conway, Porter & Dolly and George & Tammy. If I were in charge, this would go straight to the top of every hillbilly playlist. 

ADAM DOLEAC / “Biggest Fan”
Writers: Adam Doleac/Abe Stoklasa/Andy Skib/Sarah Buxton; Producer: Andy Skib; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– The man can sing. This melodic ballad glows with romance and emotional intimacy. The soul-music touches in the production and eloquently tasteful guitar solo are exquisite additions to the mood. Lend this man your ears.

Ashley Cooke Speaks On The Making Of Her 24-Song Debut Album [Interview]

/by

Photo: Courtesy of Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music

Hailing from all over the nation, rising country star Ashley Cooke knows how to connect with all types of people, leading her to cultivate a uniquely relatable writing style and modern pop country sound. This past year has been a big one for the Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music artist, as she has toured the nation with Cole Swindell and Luke Bryan, and made multiple national television appearances as well as her Ryman and Grand Ole Opry debuts. Cooke returned to the historic Opry circle last month to perform and announce her debut album Shot in the Dark.

The Opry NextStage artist gave fans a taste of the project leading up to it’s Friday (July 21) release, unveiling five of the tracks. Now, the full 24-track collection is out for the world to hear. The album features collaborations with Colbie Caillat, Brett Young, Jackson Dean and Nate Smith, and marks one of the longest debut albums from a female country artist to date. Last week, Cooke sat down with MusicRow to talk about the creation of Shot in the Dark and her journey thus far.

Growing up, she had many “home towns.” She lived in 19 different homes before she turned 18. Cooke was born in Wisconsin and then moved to California to support her sister Jenn‘s acting career. When she was 15, she and her family made their way to Florida.

Cooke resided in the sunshine state up until she left for college. It’s where she feels her most formative years took place and where her love of country music truly developed, which is why she decided to film much of the album’s content there.

During those years, she learned and drew musical inspiration from Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and more.

“They take a universal feeling and make it feel very specific. I love that because there’s love, loss, heartbreak, parents, career and so many things you can talk about in music. The way that they say things are just so unique, and we can all feel them,” says Cooke.

She notes that Luke Bryan, who she is currently on tour with, is also a huge inspiration of hers.

“I love how he just entertains, he [knows] how to put on a show and make people [feel good]. That to me was so important to incorporate. I have my more singer-songwriter songs [on the album] like ‘It’s Been a Year’ and ‘Never Til Now (feat. Brett Young)’ that are more lyric/story driven, but then I have others like ‘Moving On With Grace,’ that are a lot of fun and I feel build an arc in a show.”

In her early teen years, Cooke and her sister had formed a musical duo and began traveling to Nashville and writing on Music Row before her sister took up acting. It wasn’t until 2015 that she officially moved to Music City and enrolled in Belmont University to study marketing. Cooke jumped back into music when she entered the Belmont Country Showcase her senior year and won. She then gained traction on TikTok in 2020, propelling her forward as a solo act.

Cooke shares that her writing has evolved since she was a teenager, as she has grown and lived more life. She pulls from her personal stories as well as her experience moving around and meeting people of various backgrounds to hone in on timeless concepts and feelings everyone can relate to, conveying them musically.

“I was always the new kid, which could cause some people to [crawl back] into their shell. So I had the choice to either do that or force myself to be extraverted, make friends and connect with people of different upbringings quickly. It is because of that that I feel I’ve got a decent grasp on different types of humans, and I have friends across the board from different areas and backgrounds. I’m not just from one town in a certain area, and when writing songs for all these different people, I think that serves me well.”

Cooke co-wrote 20 of the album’s tracks and penned one by herself. When crafting Shot in the Dark, those interpersonal skills also helped her to determine which collaborators she wanted to work with on certain song ideas.

“There’s been a lot of times when I’ve been on the road that I’ve heard something in a conversation and think, ‘That’d be so cool [to write about.’ Then [the idea] spirals. I’ll write it down in my phone and I’ll know who I want to write it with, thinking, ‘Oh so-and-so would crush this or so-and-so has mastered this [element] before.’ I’ll save certain ideas for certain people,” she shares. “Sometimes I’ll write a whole song and it’ll feel right—then there’s other times when I know I need a friend [or friends] to help me get out of my own head and bring their flare to it.”

Cooke remembers the moment she got the idea for one of five songs that she released early “Enough to Leave,” which she wrote alongside Matt Roy and Lauren Weintraub about deciding to walk away from a relationship.

She recalls staying in a hotel one night while on tour and not being able to fall asleep until she got the idea out. At 2 a.m., Cooke wrote the entire chorus by herself and then felt the need to bring others in before continuing, knowing specifically that Roy and Weintraub would help the song come to life.

The only number she wrote solo, “Next to You,” came to her the morning after her Opry debut as she walked out to kitchen counter covered with flowers and champagne bottles. The track talks about how true contentment is achieved when you’re surrounded by people you love.

“I never thought [‘Next to You’] would make the album or even be [released],” confesses Cooke. “I just sat down in this T-shirt I’ve had since middle school and I was honestly just journaling with a guitar.”

The closing track, “State I’m In,” highlights her ability to relate to people of various backgrounds united with her skill for pinpointing the strengths in her collaborators.

“I was in a van, driving through somewhere in the midwest, heading to a show. I was scrolling through Instagram and seeing all of my friends getting engaged, married, having babies or buying houses. I was so excited for them and couldn’t wait to be a bridesmaid or an ‘aunt.’ I looked up from my phone and realized that we’re the same age, but I’m with my band on the way to a show and they’re in a house they just bought pregnant in California. I thought that would be such a cool play on the idea ‘State I’m In.’

“I’m in Ohio and she is in California, but we’re also in different states of our lives. I wrote the title down in my phone, thinking I could write it [solo], but then I said to myself, ‘You know who would crush this? Emily Weisband and Jordan Reynolds.'”

Another organic song on the record is one of the early releases “Mean Girl (feat. Colbie Caillat),” which is a melodic, thoughtful warning to an ex’s new girlfriend penned by Cooke, Caillat, Nicolle Galyon and Jimmy Robbins. A big fan of all the talent in the room, Cooke went into the writing session with a specific idea. That idea quickly morphed into a cool play-on-words duet born from a different approach they came up with during their writing break.

The title track also formed spontaneously from a conversation, which took place during the end of a retreat Cooke was on with Weisband, Jordan Minton and Corey Crowder. Minton initially said the phrase in reference to taking a risk in the music industry, but it sprouted another double-meaning idea in Cooke’s mind.

While the song is about two strangers taking a shot in the dark—literally and figuratively—Cooke determined that the title summed up her career thus far. The artist notes that if she hadn’t taken a “shot in the dark” with the Belmont Country Showcase, TikTok and more, she wouldn’t be where she is today.

In August, she will kick off the “Shot In The Dark Tour,” her first-ever headlining trek. Cooke hopes that she’ll be able to continue to connect with people everywhere through the album and live shows.

“This is my first time letting people know who I am as an artist and lyricist. I hope that people hear my music and feel a similar way about me to how I felt about the [artists] I loved growing up, and that they find themselves in the songs. I hope they find something that makes them think, ‘I want to hear that line over and over again,’ because it’s so relatable. I want them to feel like the songs are part of the soundtrack to their lives and what they’re going through.”

Apple Music Spotlights Undiscovered Song Gems With Lost & Found Program

/by

Apple Music is launching Lost & Found, a new program spotlighting Nashville songwriters by showcasing some of the best country tracks that have never been released, making them available for the first time to fans worldwide.

Thousands of songs are written each year by talented writers that are doomed to never be recorded—until now. With Lost & Found, Apple Music has worked with the songwriting community to select and release six lost demos to be re-recorded for the first time by established and rising country stars. The found songs will be available in Spatial Audio exclusively on Apple Music.

“At Apple Music, we are passionate about celebrating and championing artists and creators,” says Kelleigh Bannen, Apple Music Country’s host. “From advocating for the songwriters, to highlighting the enormous wealth of untapped music, Lost & Found is emblematic of what we do every day, not just here in Nashville, but worldwide. We’re so excited to continue marching towards that mission and look forward to inviting incredible artists to partner with us in unique ways like this.”

Kelleigh Bannen and Jelly Roll. Photo: Courtesy of Apple Music Country

Beginning today, Apple Music will release one new found recording each month, beginning with Jelly Roll’s version of “Dragging These Roots,” written by Ben Hayslip, Josh Thompson and Jesse Frasure. “Dragging These Roots” hit the Apple Music team’s desks back in 2019, and was one of hundreds shared by the publishing community for Lost & Found.

“When Apple Music shared the concept with me, I immediately called Frasure on FaceTime from their listening room to let him know I was definitely cutting the song,” Jelly Roll told Apple Music. “I’m so grateful to Apple Music for shining a light on all these creators and their great artistry.”

“I was so excited to hear this lost song got found by Jelly Roll. It’s one of my favorites that I’ve cowritten, and I was hoping it would eventually get to see the light of day,” Frasure tells Apple Music. “Having one of my favorite artists and friends, Jelly Roll, be the one to cut it was icing on the cake. We had a great time going into the studio on this one, he’s a truly soulful singer behind the scenes, and he put so much heart into it. I can’t wait!”

Apple Music is also premiering Lost & Found Radio, a monthly companion radio show hosted by singer-songwriter Lori McKenna. The show will kick off today (July 25) with a special live radio episode co-hosted by Bannen, and features the writers who are being highlighted as part of Lost & Found. Lost & Found will also have its own dedicated space on Apple Music where listeners can find playlists for the lost demos, the newfound singles, the Lost & Found Radio episodes and more playlists from the participating songwriters.

Lost & Found’s Live Broadcast Special airs today on Apple Music Country and Lost & Found Radio’s debut episode featuring Jelly Roll, Frasure and more, airs at 2 p.m. CT, also on Apple Music Country at apple.co/am-country.

Taylor Swift Springs To No. 1 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

/by

Taylor Swift. Photo: Beth Garrabrant

With all 22 songs from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on the country charts, Taylor Swift secures the No. 1 position on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week.

Swift, the sole writer on all 22 tracks, made Spotify history with this project, a re-recording of her third album with its original 16 songs and an additional six previously unreleased vault cuts. On its release day, July 7, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) became the most-streamed country album in a single day in Spotify history.

Tracy Chapman maintains the No. 2 spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week with “Fast Car,” followed by Ashley Gorley at No. 3 with 10 currently charting hits. Jordan Schmidt and Ryan Vojtesak round out the top five at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.

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.

Renowned Business Manager Chuck Flood Passes Away

/by

Chuck Flood

Veteran business manager and Co-Founder of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. (FBMM), Chuck Flood, passed away Friday morning (July 21) in Nashville with his family by his side. He was 78.

Born Charles Martin Flood Jr. on Sept. 12, 1944, in Waco, Texas, his parents were Charles Martin Flood Sr. and Maida Tull Flood.

Flood attended Baylor University in Waco, which is where he met his wife Beth. The two spent most of their lives in Nashville, raised two daughters and were known not only for their affection and love for each other, but also for their epic parties hosted at their home with friends and family. They shared more than five decades of deep love and friendship. Beth passed away in 2021.

Flood was a prominent figure in the entertainment industry for more than four decades. His career included time at Capitol and Warner Bros. Records in the A&R and national promotion departments. He was also a Partner at Hayes Street Music.

In 1986, Flood founded Chuck Flood & Associates at his dining room table with the help of John Sayles and Betty Sanders.

He later joined forces with Frank Bumstead, Mary Ann McCready and John McCarthy forming what would become FBMM today. Flood was incredibly proud of his career at FBMM and saw his employees and clients as an extension of his family.

Chuck Flood is preceded in death by his parents; Hattie Robinson; his sister, Cecile Marie; and his wife, Beth.

He is survived by his beloved sister, Catherine Flood Weiss of Austin, Texas; daughter Sarah Flood and husband Robert Ryland of Elgin, Texas; and daughter Rachel Flood and husband Kristian Vatalaro, of New York, New York. He is also survived by three grandchildren: Martha Zo Ryland of New York, New York.; Henry Ryland of Elgin, Texas; and Joe Vatalaro of Atlanta, Georgia.

A celebration of life to share memories and honor Chuck and Beth will be held in Nashville. Details will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, the family asks and appreciates that donations be made in Chuck’s name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) or to Doctors Without Borders.

Radio Promotions Veteran Jan Woods Dies

/by

Jan Woods

Independent radio promotions veteran Jan Woods passed away at her home in Hermitage, Tennessee on Thursday, July 20. Woods was the Owner of Jan Woods Promotions, whose primary focus is the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart, Billboard‘s Indicator and secondary markets.

With over two decades of experience, Woods worked with dozens of artists throughout her career, including Billy Ray Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Toby Keith, The Bellamy Brothers, Joe Nichols, George Jones and more.

She started her radio promotion career in 1994 with the launch of Jan Woods Promotions. Focusing her efforts on making friends in the music business, many of her colleagues remembering her for her humor and love of God. Woods worked the MusicRow Chart and Billboard Indicator chart, knowing that most independent artists would have their best radio shot starting with those starter charts.

Her charming temperament and passion for music served Woods well. Her office was adorned with multiple Gold and Platinum plaques for her success at country radio.

Woods is survived by her daughter Christina (Jeff) Bear and son Chris (Cathy) O’Guin; grandchildren Brittany Bear, Hope Bear, Faith Bear, Christopher O’Guin and Carly O’Guin; and great-grandchildren Cooper Cancel and Scarlett O’Guin.

Woods’ visitation will be at Cole and Garrett Funeral Home in Goodlettsville, Tennessee on Friday, July 28 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A service will follow. She will be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Goodlettsville.