Carole-Ann Mobley Launches CAM Creative Services

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Carole-Ann Mobley

Carole-Ann Mobley. Photo: Keith Thomas

With more than 25 years of music industry experience, former A&R executive Carole-Ann Mobley has formed CAM Creative Services to meet the artist development needs of independent and emerging artists in Nashville. She is working with singers, musicians and songwriters, offering customized A&R, artist development and writer management services.

Mobley’s impressive resume includes Vice President A&R at Warner Music Nashville, where she signed standouts Brett Eldredge and Frankie Ballard, and Senior Director A&R at Sony Music Nashville, as well as stops at Starstruck Entertainment, Beckett Productions and Austin City Limits.

She has worked with Nashville’s emerging stars from companies including Red Light Management, Shackelford, Bowen, Zumwalt and Hayes, and Butler Snow LLP.

Mobley has also founded Girls On The Row with award winning writer and former BNA recording artist Rachel Proctor. The quarterly workshops develop branding, positivity, self-confidence and healthy lifestyle skills for young girls.

For more information about CAM Creative Services and Girls On The Row, reach Mobley at 615-473-6840 or caroleannmobley@gmail.com.

Industry Walks Into Winners Bar To Celebrate ‘A Guy Walks Into A Bar’

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(L-R): BMI’s Bradley Collins, Patrick Joseph Music’s Pat Higdon, ASCAP songwriter Brad Tursi, ASCAP’s Beth Brinker, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, BMI singer-songwriter Tyler Farr, ASCAP songwriter Jonathan Singleton, Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, BMI songwriter Melissa Pierce, Big Deal Music’s Pete Robinson, and Disney’s Patrick Clifford.

(L-R): BMI’s Bradley Collins, Patrick Joseph Music’s Pat Higdon, ASCAP songwriter Brad Tursi, ASCAP’s Beth Brinker, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, BMI singer-songwriter Tyler Farr, ASCAP songwriter Jonathan Singleton, Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, BMI songwriter Melissa Pierce, Big Deal Music’s Pete Robinson, and Disney’s Patrick Clifford.

Winner’s Bar in Nashville was the location for the No. 1 party to celebrate Tyler Farr’s “A Guy Walks Into A Bar.” Even though several similes were used to describe the warm temperature inside, the venue held sentimental value. Farr saw songwriter Jonathan Singleton perform “A Guy Walks Into A Bar” acoustically during a publisher event at that very location. It took off from there.

Along with co-writers Melissa Peirce and Brad Tursi, Farr and Singleton were honored during the ASCAP and BMI hosted event.

Leslie Roberts from BMI welcomed those in attendance and praised Peirce for her first No. 1 song. With it, Peirce was presented a guitar for reaching the top for the first time. Mike Sistad of ASCAP applauded Tursi for writing his first No. 1 song and Singleton for his sixth.

The song is published by Patrick Joseph Music, Big Machine Music and Big Deal Music.

Those taking the stage recognized all of the publishers, producers Jim Catino and Julian King, 377/Red Light management, and Columbia Records.

Also there to bestow honors were members of CMA and CRB. Cooper Samuels of Avenue Bank announced a donation to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital on behalf of the songwriters.

Peirce took to the microphone and gave special acknowledgement to Columbia’s radio promo team. “You all have been working this for as long as I’ve been pregnant.” Peirce is due to give birth to a baby boy in three weeks. Peirce continued with reference to her soon-to-be-born son, “I look forward to being able to tell him that if he works really hard then things will happen. There is still magic left in this world.”

Brad Tursi celebrated his first No. 1 song while he has co-writing credits on two other songs that are currently on the chart. Kenny Chesney’s “Save It For A Rainy Day” and, his band, Old Dominion’s “Break Up With Him.” After college and then living in New York for a while, Tursi decided to move to Nashville. “Moving here was that best thing that I ever did, so thank you Nashville,” he said.

For Farr, this is his third No. 1 song as an artist. He ended the party by thanking the writers for making a “real country song with a hook.” He added, “I’ll stand by that kind of music until they put me in the ground.”

L-R (Front row) Brad Tursi, Columbia Nashville’s Mary Allison, Brooke Meris, co-writer Melissa Peirce; Columbia Nashville’s Samantha Borenstein, Dave Dame, co-writer Jonathan Singleton; Columbia Nashville’s David Friedman L-R (Back row): Columbia Nashville’s R.J. Meacham, Tyler Farr.

(L-R Front row): co-writer Brad Tursi (Old Dominion); Mary Allison, Events & Promotion Specialist, Columbia Nashville; Brooke Meris, Manager, Regional Promotion, Columbia Nashville; co-writer Melissa Peirce; Samantha Borenstein, Manager, Regional Promotion, Columbia Nashville; Dave Dame, Director, Regional Promotion, Columbia Nashville; co-writer Jonathan Singleton; David Friedman, Director, National Promotion, Columbia Nashville; (Back row): R.J. Meacham, Director, National Promotion, Columbia Nashville; Columbia Nashville recording artist Tyler Farr. Photo: Steve Lowry

L-R: Columbia Nashville’s Norbert Nix, Sony’s Jim Catino, Tyler Farr; and new Sony Music Nashville senior leadership executives Ken Robold, Executive Vice President & COO; and Steve Hodges, Executive Vice President, Promotion & Artist Development.

(L-R): Norbert Nix, VP, Promotion, Columbia Nashville; Jim Catino, VP, A&R, Sony Music Nashville; Columbia Nashville artist Tyler Farr; new Sony Music Nashville senior leadership executives Ken Robold, Exec. VP & COO; and Steve Hodges, Exec. VP, Promotion & Artist Development. Photo: Alan Poizner

Date Set For 2015 SESAC Nashville Music Awards

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SESAC-LOGO185The 2015 SESAC Nashville Music Awards will kick off CMA week on Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

The invitation-only event will honor the most popular songs of 2015 with special awards being presented to the Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year and Publisher of the Year. The awards show will also showcase performances by many hit songwriters and performers.

“It’s always our privilege to honor some of the most successful songwriters and publishers in the Country and Americana genres,” said Tim Fink, SESAC’s Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations and the host of the awards. “Kicking off CMA Week with the SESAC Nashville Music Awards is an industry tradition and we are ready to get the week started with a great awards show.”

ole Inks Deal With Josh Thompson

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josh thompson

Pictured: (L-R) Emily Mueller (ole, Creative Manager), Ben Strain (ole, Creative Director), Julianne Drenon (Creekhouse Entertainment), Josh Thompson, John Ozier (ole, GM Creative), and Shellien Kinsey (ole, Creative Coordinator).

ole’s digital division has signed a deal with Josh Thompson for digital distribution and video admin rights to new master and live recordings. The masters will be compiled into two EPs, Change: The Lost Record, Volumes 1 and 2, which will be released by ole. ole will also retain publishing rights to Thompson’s catalog through their acquisition of the Better Angels Music Publishing Group. Thompson has previously released five singles on the Billboard chart including “Way Out Here,” “Beer on the Table,” and “Won’t Be Lonely Long.” 

“Josh is a truly gifted songwriter and performer who has taken Nashville by storm,” said John Ozier, ole General Manager Creative/Nashville. “These new recordings are some of his best work by far, and we’re excited to bring them under the ole banner.”

“ole is one of the biggest names on Music Row, but more importantly, they’re dedicated to music above all else,” said Thompson. “I know that they will do everything in their power to find my songs the audience they deserve, and I’m looking forward to working with them.”

Industry Ink: Record Setting ‘Girl Crush,’ Capitol CMG Publishing, Drummers To Be Honored

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Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” has the best one week sales for a country track

A Monster Crush

Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” is at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for the eleventh consecutive week. This is the longest run by a group (of at least three members) in the chart’s history, ousting the previous record set by The Browns with “The Three Bells” in 1959.

“Crush” additionally logs its third consecutive week and eleventh week overall as the No. 1 country download on the Nielsen SoundScan Digital Country Songs Chart. It is the most downloaded song in country music for 2015 with sales totaling nearly 1.4 million.

“Girl Crush” reached the top of MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart on June 11 and received the MusicRow Award for Song of the Year.

Lindsay Gum

Lindsay Gum

Capitol CMG Publishing Adds Lindsay Gum

Capitol CMG Publishing has hired Lindsay Gum as Creative Manager. While she will have a distinct focus on the country market, she will also bring creative support to the Christian market. She will report to Capitol CMG Publishing’s VP of Creative, Jimi Williams.

She most recently worked at the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and, prior to that, Blacktop Music. She has seven years of experience working with songwriters, catalog development, music companies, and events. Gum is a music business graduate of MTSU.

WFD-logoDrummers To Be Celebrated

Drummers D.J. Fontana (drummer for Elvis Presley), WS Holland (drummer for Johnny Cash) and Richie Albright (drummer for Waylon Jennings) will be honored tomorrow (July 11) in Nashville at the World’s Fastest Drummer Church’s Chicken Legends Series Award. Radio and TV celebrity host Charlie Chase will do the honors.

The 2015 World’s Fastest Drummer (WFD) World Finals, an extreme sport drumming competition, will take place July 9-11, 2015 at the Music City Center as part of the Summer National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show.

UMPG Extends Deal with Striking Matches

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Before the Striking Matches show at the Bud Light stage during CMA Music Fest 2015. Pictured (L-R): Missy Wilson, UMPG Nashville Sr. Creative Director; Kent Earls, EVP/GM UMPG Nashville; Justin Davis; Sarah Zimmermann; Cyndi Forman, UMPG Nashville VP Creative; and Ron Stuve, UMPG Nashville VP A&R.

Before the Striking Matches show at the Bud Light stage during CMA Music Fest 2015. Pictured (L-R): Missy Wilson, UMPG Nashville Sr. Creative Director; Kent Earls, EVP/GM UMPG Nashville; Justin Davis; Sarah Zimmermann; Cyndi Forman, UMPG Nashville VP Creative; and Ron Stuve, UMPG Nashville VP A&R.

Sarah Zimmermann and Justin Davis of I.R.S. Nashville duo Striking Matches have extended their exclusive global publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) Nashville. The announcement was made by Kent Earls, Executive Vice President/General Manager, UMPG Nashville.

“From the moment we met Striking Matches, we knew they were the true triple threat…great singers, great songwriters and great musicians,” said Earls.

Since 2011, UMPG has dedicated significant resources to develop and help advance the career of Striking Matches through releasing their debut EP, securing multiple high-profile synch placements, and promoting their repertoire. The company arranged for the then-unknown songwriters to perform for Frankie Pine, music supervisor for ABC’s Nashville, who featured their song “When the Right One Comes Along” on the show. Eight of their songs have since appeared on the series in its first three seasons.

In March, the band released a debut album Nothing But the Silence, produced by T Bone Burnett. Striking Matches are currently on tour to support the record, with multiple dates scheduled in the U.S. and U.K. throughout the summer and into the fall.

“UMPG has become a family to us and we are so excited to continue our journey with them. The support they have given us is immeasurable and we can’t wait to see where this next chapter leads us,” said Davis and Zimmermann.

Spirit Music Nashville Signs Tim Montana

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Daniel Hill, President, Spirit Music Nashville is announcing the signing of Tim Montana to a publishing deal. Attached is the signing photo. "Pictured (front row, l-r) are Daniel Hill (President), Tim Montana, (back row, l-r) Carrie Gallo (Creative Dir.), Ross Cameron (Sr. Dir. Acquisitions), Denise Stevens (Loeb & Loeb), Brian Bradford (Dir. Admin.), Paula Kay Hornick (Manager), Jon Singer (CFO), Billy Lynn (VP Creative), and Michelle Davey (Admin. Asst./Office Mgr.).

Pictured (front row, L-R): Daniel Hill (President) and Tim Montana; (back row): Carrie Gallo (Creative Dir.), Ross Cameron (Sr. Dir. Acquisitions), Denise Stevens (Loeb & Loeb), Brian Bradford (Dir. Admin.), Paula Kay Hornick (Manager), Jon Singer (CFO), Billy Lynn (VP Creative), and Michelle Davey (Admin. Asst./Office Mgr.).

Spirit Music Nashville has signed artist/songwriter Tim Montana to an exclusive global publishing agreement, it was announced today (July 2) by Daniel Hill, President, Spirit Music Nashville.

Tim Montana and The Shrednecks are based in Nashville, where Montana co-wrote “This Beard Came Here to Party” with ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons. The song became an anthem for The Boston Red Sox during the 2013 World Series. Tim Montana and The Shrednecks have recently been tearing it up on the road, opening for Florida Georgia Line, Brantley Gilbert, Kid Rock, Montgomery Gentry and ZZ Top.

Montana’s first break came when David Letterman saw him perform and invited him to appear on the Late Show.

“Tim is one of the most resourceful talents I have known. He has already given back so generously to veterans with PTSD, and his career is just getting started,” said Hill. “We are proud to welcome Tim into the Spirit Music fold, and look forward to helping him take his music to the fans.”

“I’m very excited to be a part of the Spirit Music family,” said Montana. “Daniel, Billy Lynn and the entire Nashville group are talented publishers who are all about the song, and Spirit’s worldwide reach is something to be excited about. The care and attention they give to me and my music is what I dreamed of finding in a publisher.”

Spirit previously acquired Cal IV Entertainment, the StyleSonic catalog, contemporary Christian catalog West Main Music, a portion of Jason Ingram’s catalog, and signed songwriter Chris Wallin.

Industry Ink: Worsham Wows Broadcasters, Dove Awards, Rhyme Partners, PLA Media, NELAs

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BMI's Dan Spears, IBA President/CEO Dennis Lyle, Charlie Worsham, IBA outgoing Board Chair and WJIL/WJVO- Jacksonville GM Sarah Hautala

BMI’s Dan Spears, IBA President/CEO Dennis Lyle, Charlie Worsham, IBA outgoing Board Chair and WJIL/WJVO- Jacksonville GM Sarah Hautala

Warner Bros. recording artist and BMI songwriter Charlie Worsham wowed the crowd at the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s annual Silver Dome Awards Dinner (June 16), performing in front of a large group of radio and TV executives. Worsham will head into the studio later this summer to record his sophomore album with producer Frank Liddell.

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Nominations for the GMA Dove Awards will be announced at a press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

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The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and YP Nashville announced the finalists for the 2015 Nashville Emerging Leader Awards. The NELAs recognize Nashville’s young professionals for significant accomplishments in their chosen career fields, as well as their commitment and contribution to the community. Nominees in the Arts, Entertainment & Music Business category include: Marcia Masulla, 12th & Broad—A Gannett Media Company; Amanda Mazzo, Mazzo Media; Brian O’Neil, Iconic Entertainment; Ryan Rowland, Country Music Television; and Laura Williams, Regions Bank.

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“Dress Up This Town,” a song written by Melissa Bollea, Bill DiLuigi, and artist/writer Mary Sarah has been picked up by Boot Barn for its national ad campaign. Bollea is owner of Rhyme Partners publishing, which is celebrating its 3rd anniversary and recently signed Doug Lowe, Kayliann Lowe, Brian Desveaux and Charlie Greene. The company has had over 70 cuts.

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Pam Lewis’ PLA Media has hired Levi Stein as Publicity Coordinator. He previously interned with the company. He can be reached at levi.stein@plamedia.com.

Publishing Ink: Major Bob/Tree Vibez, HoriPro/True Bearing, Warner/Chappell

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Major Bob Music Partners With Tree Vibez Music

Jordan Schmidt

Jordan Schmidt

Major Bob Music has announced a creative partnership with Tree Vibez Music, the publishing company recently formed by Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard. Through the partnership, they have signed flagship songwriter and producer Jordan Schmidt.

“As a multi-genre focused company, we are very excited about this partnership with Tree Vibez and Jordan,” said Jesse Frasure, VP of Major Bob Music, Inc. “With a background of pop and hip hop and an understanding of the Nashville songwriting craft we are excited to be a part of building his brand.”

Sarah Allison Turner Signs with HoriPro and True Bearing

Pictured (l-r, front row): Kelly Donley, attorney - Safford Motley, Sarah Allison Turner, Courtney Crist - Hori Pro, (back row) ASCAP's Robert Filhart, Butch Baker - Hori Pro, Lee Krabel - Hori Pro, Tim Stehli - Hori Pro, Blake Chancey - True Bearing Entertainment

Pictured (front row L-R): Kelly Donley, attorney, Safford Motley; Sarah Allison Turner; Courtney Crist, Hori Pro; (back row): ASCAP’s Robert Filhart; and Hori Pro’s Butch Baker, Lee Krabel, Tim Stehli; and True Bearing’s Blake Chancey

ASCAP songwriter Sarah Allison Turner has signed a joint publishing deal with HoriPro Entertainment and True Bearing Entertainment.

True Bearing Entertainment is owned by producer Blake Chancey (The Dixie Chicks, Montgomery Gentry, Little Big Town, Waylon Jennings, Mary Chapin Carpenter).

Originally from Bluefield, West Virginia, Turner graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Music Business from Middle Tennessee State University in 2014. She was selected to be a part of ASCAP’s Guidance from Publishers for Songwriters (GPS) program in 2013.

Warner/Chappell Signs Sam Hatmaker

Warner/Chappell recently signed 16-year-old Knoxville native Sam Hatmaker to a publishing agreement.

sam hatmaker Red Guitar

Sam Hatmaker

Round Hill Music Re-signs Wade Kirby

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Pictured (L-R): Round Hill Music's Josh Saxe, songwriter Wade Kirby, Round Hill Music's Mark Brown, and Round Hill Music's attorney, Mathew Beckett

Pictured (L-R): Round Hill Music’s Josh Saxe, songwriter Wade Kirby, Round Hill Music’s Mark Brown, and Round Hill Music attorney Matthew Beckett

Round Hill Music has re-signed hit songwriter Wade Kirby to an exclusive global publishing agreement. Kirby is co-writer of current Parmalee single “Already Callin’ You Mine,” and has also written No. 1 singles for George Strait (“I Saw God Today”) and Blake Shelton (“Doin’ What She Likes”) as well as Easton Corbin’s top 10 single “All Over The Road.”

Kirby’s illustrious career spans over two decades, having signed his first publishing contract in 1988. Stars such as Tyler Farr, Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Craig Campbell, Jackie Lee, William Michael, Kellie Pickler, Brett Kissell, Joe Nichols, Kenny Rogers, Faith Hill, and Billy Currington have also recorded Kirby’s songs.

“We are delighted to be continuing our great relationship with Wade Kirby. Wade is a super talented songwriter and a rare breed. We look forward to a successful future,” says Mark Brown, Vice President, and General Manager of Round Hill Music Nashville.

In addition to Kirby, Round Hill’s Nashville roster includes Marti Frederiksen, Danny Myrick, Lindsey Lee, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Elisha Hoffman, Rachel Proctor, Trey Bruce, and The Moxies, as well as Big Loud Shirt writers Craig Wiseman, Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, Sarah Buxton, and Matt Dragstrem.