Southern Crossroads Music has signed Don Gallardo to an exclusive worldwide co-publishing agreement.
Gallardo’s songs have been placed in TV shows The Vampire Diaries and Nashville, and films Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and Jolene. The California native is now based in Nashville and first began a relationship with Southern Crossroads in 2012 via an administration agreement.
Gallardo also recently signed to UK Americana label Clubhouse Records and is working on a new album with producer David Pinkston (Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, Kansas, Gretchen Peters, Linda Ronstadt). The album is slated for release in early 2015.
Southern Crossroads Music CEO Steve McMellon said, “It has been a pleasure to work with Don for the last three years, his songwriting prowess is immense, and only gets better. This is only the next step in our long term relationship that will include UK tours and a new album in 2015.”
Gallardo added, “I am excited to continue working with Southern Crossroads Music through a new co-publishing deal. They work with many talented songwriters and artists. I am proud to be a part of the Southern Crossroads family. I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead, through this partnership, both for my songwriting and the direction of my musical career.”
Southern Crossroads Music recently moved into new office space at 705 2nd Ave S., Nashville, TN 37210. The company also has offices in London, New York, New Orleans and Los Angeles. SCM’s songs have been recorded by Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Brett Eldredge, Trisha Yearwood, Trace Adkins, Faith Hill, Gretchen Wilson and more.

Rising country duo Native Run (Rachel Beauregard & Bryan Dawley) have renewed their publishing partnership with Creative Nation, Combustion Music, and Warner/Chappell Music.  The new, long-term agreement will extend the representation of the Virginia natives’ catalog and future works.
“Bryan and Rachel are so talented and we are passionate about their music and look forward to continuing our relationship with them,” says Beth Laird, Co-Owner, General Manager, Creative Nation.
“Bryan and Rachel continue to grow and impress both as writers and artists, solidifying our belief that we have just scratched the surface of their potential,” adds Chris Farren, President, Combustion Music.  “Couldn’t be happier to be moving forward together.”
Native Run started 2014 in the studio with GRAMMY® award-winning co-producer Luke Laird working on their debut album release and visiting Country radio stations across the nation before opening select dates for Lady Antebellum’s Take Me Downtown 2014 Tour and David Nail’s I’m A Fire tour. Bryan and Rachel hit the road in early 2015 with Sam Hunt for his “Lipstick Graffiti Tour.”

In this Q&A, songwriter Chris Tompkins talks about his recent hit “Burnin’ It Down,” the sexy song recorded by Jason Aldean. He also shares his love for writing on the piano. For more of Tompkins’ interview with MusicRow, pick up a copy of the Publisher Issue.
Tell me about writing “Burnin’ It Down.”
I can’t believe it’s on the radio. “Burnin It Down” was written for Florida Georgia Line. It was me and Rodney [Clawson] and Brian [Kelly] and Tyler [Hubbard]. When there are four people in a room, everyone has to take on a role. Somebody has to lead the charge with what the song’s going to be about. Brian’s always in the middle of it. And I was building the beat and the music. We were talking about guns and girls and getting naked with girls, and we were all laughing while we were writing it. And then it was like, “if we are going there, let’s just go there.” Then it became almost a joke, but all of a sudden it started coming together and we kept chasing it and it turned out good. It was never talked about that they weren’t going to record it. I don’t know how Aldean heard the song, but I’m glad he did. I did the work tape/ demo, not full blown. Then I put all my tracks on a drive to give to Michael Knox and they just built it on top of it. It’s cool that Aldean cut it. He’s never had a song like that. He had “Dirt Road Anthem,” but that song is a lot different.
It’s rampant, the hip-hop beat country. The reason it works is—think about what most country fans listen to: active rock like Nickelback, country, southern rock and rap. I think what works so well with Florida Georgia Line is they bring a little bit of all that, they’re this hybrid. Joey [Moi, producer for FGL and Nickelback] comes from the rock world.
Do you usually write on guitar or piano?
Piano is my first instrument, my main workhorse. I play guitar pretty well, but about half as good as I play piano. On “Dirt” I did the slide guitar part but that was me sitting down and taking my time. I’m not by any means an amazing guitar player.
Piano has way more of a personality—kind of an out-front thing. It’s noticeable. I can open more doors with it. Even before I moved to Nashville, I spent a lot of time playing piano. I can find my way around on it better. It makes more sense to me.
How did you learn piano?
There are a few situations that played into this. I was in the high school band back in Alabama. I can’t remember the order of how this happened, but there was an old piano in the band room, in the men’s bathroom. So before football games, we’d be goofing off in there and those are my first memories of beating around on the piano. I started kind of writing these songs, but without music, because I couldn’t play. I was a drummer already. So I started writing all these lyrics and some girls told the band director that I was writing songs and he asked me if I could sing the songs I had written, so I did. He had two keyboards and a four-track recorder and started making a demo. He heard the chords behind what I was singing, and then I sang it. It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. The same week I came from school one day—I don’t even think I told my mom about that—and my mom had randomly bought a piano for $300 bucks.
My stepfather always tells the story of the time I was supposed to mow the yard in high school, and he came home and found the job half done and the mower in the yard. He came inside to fuss at me, but heard me playing piano. He said, “Nevermind, I’ll finish the yard.” They were really supportive of me. I’d write a song when I woke up then I’d write a song when I went to bed.

Combustion Music and Atlas Music Publishing have signed the first writer to the new joint venture Combustion Atlas, which was announced last month.
Jameson Rodgers has inked a worldwide publishing deal with Richard Stumpf (Atlas CEO) and Chris Farren (Combustion owner/President).
Rodgers was born and raised in Batesville, Miss. After a baseball career at Northwest Mississippi Community College, he headed to University of Southern Mississippi where he performed at bars with a band named Silky Smooth.
“Jameson has impressed me not only as a gifted artist and songwriter, but as a self starting manager of his own career,” said Chris Van Belkom, Vice President, Combustion Music. “We’re so excited to get to work with him and add to the relationships he’s been able to create for himself.”
Rodgers joins a prolific and diverse roster of songwriters who have eared a total of 10 ASCAP Country Music awards, including Ashley Gorley being named ASCAP’s 2014 Country Music Songwriter of the Year.