Combustion Promotes Chris Van Belkom

Chris Van Belkom


Combustion Music announces the promotion of Chris Van Belkom to VP. Van Belkom formerly served as Sr. Creative Director and has been with Combustion since 2004. Working directly with company President, Chris Farren, Van Belkom will oversee all aspects of the creative department and manage the writing staff, which includes songwriters Ashley Gorley, Brett James, Blair Daly and Matthew West.
“Chris has been a trusted and integral part of Combustion’s growth and success over the past 6 years,” says Farren.  “I couldn’t be happier about this partnership and know that he will continue to bring exceptional instincts, leadership and musicality to the Combustion team.”
Combustion Music is an independent publishing and production company which opened its doors in 2002.  They have represented the catalogs of: Ashely Gorley, Kings of Leon, Brett James, Blair Daly, Gordie Sampson, Matthew West, Drew Ramsey, and many others. Van Belkom can continue to be reached at 515-5490.

Songwriter Workshop • Topspin Seminar

>>The ASCAP Foundation Country Songwriters Workshop is now accepting submissions for this fall’s program held on October 7, 14, 21, 28, November 4 and 18th from 2-4 p.m. at ASCAP’s Nashville offices. Conducted by veteran songwriter Bonnie Baker, each session will feature prominent music industry guest speakers giving advice on the art and craft of successful songwriting techniques as well as business related topics including A&R, music publishing and legal issues. Those accepted will be notified by Friday, September 23, 2011. To apply submit to ascapcountryworkshop2011@gmail.com
-MP3’s of two (2) original songs with lyric sheets.
-A brief biography including address/phone number/e-mail.
Deadline: 5 p.m. Sept. 16, 2011.
>>Also upcoming is ASCAP’s DIYU, set for Aug. 16 at 3pm. Part of an ongoing educational series for members, the meeting will feature Topspin software which provides tools for artists to increase awareness, build relationships with fans and turn those fans into customers
 

Sound Of Change Headed To Music City

Put your ear to the music industry railroad tracks and you’ll likely hear a faint rumbling headed toward Nashville—don’t recognize it? It’s the sound of change.
Warner Music’s recent purchase by Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries seemingly brought little or no change to Music City, but the upcoming sale of EMI—both publishing and records— is likely to generate a substantial restructuring along Music City streets during 2012.
Deal Points
According to the Financial Times (8/2) expectations are that EMI, a British company, will fetch between $3-$4 billion, possibly higher than the $3.3 billion that Warners recently commanded. Key to the bidding is the disposition of EMI’s publishing and record music divisions. Do they go as a unit? Or do they get split up? Reports are that bids have been received under both scenarios and bidders include Sony, Universal, Warner Music and BMG’s publishing venture.
Sony and BMG are likely focused on EMI’s substantial publishing assets. Warner Music could reap cost benefits by adding the EMI label asset and funneling it through Warner distribution, thereby eliminating the EMI distribution and hundreds of millions of dollars in overhead. According to the Financial Times, market leaders Universal and Sony would face tough regulatory winds were they to attempt to acquire the EMI record label.
More recent updates, (8/11) note that the global financial crisis is making credit harder to obtain which could ultimately lower EMI’s final take. “It’s likely that the weakness in the financial markets could have an impact on the price,” Singer Capital Markets media analyst Jonathan Barrett told the Financial Times. “If EMI was a small business, there wouldn’t be an issue here, but it isn’t and so it will affect what people are willing to pay. Buyers may just decide to walk away—or, if they do bid, there’s a good chance that there will be some very conservative bids. If this happens there’s a real chance that Citi will put the transaction on ice. The same thing has already happened in a number of other sectors.”
Nashville Skyline
Recent speculation in HitsDailyDouble.com posits, “All three majors believe they can absorb recorded music. As for publishing, the sheer size of UMG’s pubco precludes the company from making a deal for EMI Music Publishing, with its 1.3 million-song catalog, while Sony Corp.-owned Sony/ATV appears to be in a good position to add EMI’s publishing assets… However, HDD also notes, “Vegas lists Warner as the 8-5 favorite to come out on top.” Viewed from a macro perspective, it seems highly likely that when the unpredictable  sales dust settles, Nashville will be left with one less major label and one less major publisher.
Regardless of which company chairs remain when the music stops playing, this round of musical chairs will effect artists, label heads, staffers, publishers and songwriters. And one can’t help but wonder what domino effects might ensue as sale-created “free agents” get absorbed back into the music economy.
So yes, it’s too to early handicap all the possible scenarios, but bet on change, that’s a sure thing.
 

Celebrating Writer/Publisher Highlights

The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) has established a Nashville chapter that will operate in tandem with existing bases in Los Angeles and New York. “We are very excited to have Nashville become a valuable part of our organization,” said AIMP President Richard Feldman, in making the announcement. “With encouragement from publishers here in Nashville, and the overwhelming success of our recent panel on licensing songs for film and TV, there has never been a better time to bring the AIMP to Music City. We believe that the large and diverse music community here will find value and benefits in the AIMP’s programs and advocacy initiatives.”
The Nashville chapter will be led by a steering committee until a board of directors is elected. Committee members include veteran music industry executive Jill Napier, Randy Wachtler (President, 615 Music), Walter Campbell (President, Big Garage Music Publishing), Eli Ball (CEO, Lyric Financial), Marc Driskill (VP/GM, ASCAP) and Kevin Lamb (VP, Peer Music), Ross Asher (Creative, Razor and Tie), Josh Collum (Sorted Noise Productions), Jewel Coburn (Co-president Ten Ten Music), Tim Fink (Assoc. VP Writer/Publisher Relations, Sesac), David Preston (Director Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI), Diana Maher (Owner, Moraine Music Group). Membership dues are $74 per year. For more information on AIMP or to become a member, please visit www.aimp.org

>>Songwriter Tim Nichols recently was honored with a BMI Million-Air Award for more than one million performances of “The Man I Want To Be” recorded by Chris Young. This and other Nichols compositions including “Live Like You Were Dying,” and “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” bring his airplay total to more than 30 million spins.

(L-R) BMI’s Clay Bradley, Tim Nichols, This Music’s Connie Harrington and Rusty Gaston, and BMI’s Bradley Collins. Photo: Drew Maynard


 
Dallas Davidson is likely getting used to the view from the top of the charts. Recently he celebrated Justin Moore’s “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” and scant weeks later he’s now parked again in the top spot with his eighth No. 1, Lady Antebellum’s “Just A Kiss.” Davidson is the 2010 Billboard Hot Country Songwriter of the Year and writes for EMI Music.
 
 
 
Big Machine Records and ASCAP celebrated Rascal Flatts’ latest No. 1, “I Won’t Let Go.” The song was written by Jason Sellers and Steve Robson. Also honored were publishers BMG Chrysalis and Sony/ATV. It’s Seller’s second No. 1 this year after “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” Rascal Flatts producer Dann Huff was also recognized along with the band with the announcement that the new album Nothing Like This had been certified Platinum.

(L-R): Jason Sellers, Jay DeMarcus, ASCAP's Ryan Beuschel, BMG Chrysalis' Darrell Franklin, Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney, Big Machine's Scott Borchetta, Sony/ATV's Troy Tomlinson. Photo: Ed Rode


 

Brett James Signs With Warner/Chappell/ Combustion

Warner/Chappell Music, together with its joint venture partner Combustion Music, announces a worldwide co-publishing agreement with Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James. Additionally, Warner/Chappell will co-publish a selection of his past works and establish a co-publishing venture with James’ boutique publishing company, Cornman Music. This venture enables James to sign songwriters to publishing deals with the company.

“Brett James is an incredibly talented and creative songwriter who writes hit songs in all genres,” said Cameron Strang, Chairman & CEO, Warner/Chappell Music. “Brett and Warner/Chappell are already having great success together and we are thrilled to have someone of his character and talent join our roster.”
“Combustion Music is thrilled to establish this new relationship with Brett James,” said Chris Farren, President, Combustion Music. “Brett is one of the most dynamic and intelligent songwriters I know, and for years we have talked about partnering. To finally get that opportunity energizes me and the whole Combustion team beyond words.”
“I am truly excited to join forces with Warner/Chappell and Combustion Music,” said James. “Their combined creative and administrative expertise is second to none and it gives me the chance to work with some of my favorite people in the music business. Additionally, I believe that Warner/Chappell will be an amazing partner for my roster of artists and writers at Cornman Music.”

Brett James has had more than 300 of his songs recorded by some of music industry’s biggest artists including Rascal Flatts, Daughtry, Bon Jovi and Backstreet Boys. James’ songs have appeared on albums with combined sales of more than 100 million with 11 of his singles reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Songs chart. In 2006, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” which James wrote for Carrie Underwood, received Grammy Awards for “Best Country Song.”
He has been twice-named ASCAP’s songwriter of the year, in both 2006 and in 2010, and appeared in Billboard’s year-end Top Ten Country Songwriters list in seven of the ten years it has been published. As a producer, his credits include Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Josh Gracin and Kip Moore. A native of Oklahoma, where he spent three years in medical school, Brett now lives in Brentwood, Tennessee with his wife Sandy and their four children.

(L-R): BJ Hill (Sr. Director A&R WCM Nashville), Steve Markland (VP A&R WCM Nashville), Nate Lowery (Creative Director Cornman Music), Brett James, Chris Farren (President Combustion Music), Phil May (VP & GM WCM Nashville), Alicia Pruitt (Sr. Director A&R WCM Nashville), Chris Van Belkom (Sr. Creative Director Combustion Music), Kenley Flynn (Catalog/Office Mgr, Combustion Music). Photo: LeeAnn Carlen

Industry Ink Tuesday (8/9)

Photographer Alan Mayor sent this update showing the progress of rebuilding Jack Clement's Cowboy Arms studio following a recent fire.



Matt Gary has visited more than 100 radio stations during the last 24 months. Pictured here with (L-R): Tony Benken (VP Promotion), Lisa Hamilton (MD, KJUG), Matt Gary, and Adam Jeffries (PD, KJUG).


• • • •
Artist Matt Gary has signed with John Ettinger’s Ettinger Talent Associates (ETA) for management representation. Since releasing his debut single in 2009 via his own 17 Music Entertainment, Gary has secured sponsorship/endorsement relationships with PING Apparel, Boulder Creek Guitar and Copley, and had his music used in Microsoft ad campaigns. His current release is the single and 6-pack, “I’m Just Sayin.'”
Ettinger’s track record includes time as VP of Promotion at Mercury Records, and Lyric Street. He opened ETA in September of last year, managing Emerson Drive.
• • • •
Canadian songwriter Freddy Litwiniuk has signed with Dan Hodges Music , LLC. Hodges can be reached at (615) 401-7399 or dan@danhodgesmusic.com
.
• • • •




Steve Wilkinson





Steve Wilkison has joined Watkins College of Art, Design & Film as associate professor in the graphic design department, where he has been an adjunct instructor since 2008. Wilkison has extensive experience building websites, and in creating album packaging for such artists as Emmylou Harris, and Lucinda Williams. He has helmed online projects for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Keith Urban, and Dolly Parton. Wilkison’s previous positions include president of Eminent Records in Nashville, and VP/GM of Koch Records New York.
• • • •
Tickets for the 5th Annual ACM Honors go on sale to the public Friday, Aug. 12 at 10:00 AM CT. Joe Nichols will host the show Monday, Sept. 19 at the Ryman Auditorium, awarding the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. ACM A-List members can purchase tickets starting Wednesday at 10:00 AM CT, details at www.acmcountry.com. Tickets are $37 at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.
• • • •
The ASCAP Foundation is seeking submissions for its 2011 Nashville Pop Songwriters Workshop. The workshop will be held once weekly for six consecutive weeks beginning Sept. 13. Interested writers should submit a CD containing two original songs with typed or neatly written lyrics, and a brief bio including address/phone number/e-mail.
Send complete submission package to:
ASCAP
Attention: Pop Songwriters Workshop
Two Music Square West
Nashville, TN 37203
Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fri., Sept. 2, 2011. Those accepted will be notified by Tues., Sept. 6. Materials submitted will not be returned. For more information, call the Nashville ASCAP office at (615) 742-5000.

Dale Bobo Forms Music Direction Company

Dale Bobo


Music publishing veteran Dale Bobo has started Dale Bobo Music Direction, providing consultation, management, and creative propulsion to music publishers, songwriters and producers. The company’s inaugural client is hit songwriter/producer Jeff Stevens, who has written songs for George Strait, Tim McGraw and others including the recent Luke Bryan #1 single “Someone Else Calling You Baby” whom Stevens also produces.
“I’m tremendously excited,” Bobo told MusicRow. “Working with songwriters and producers has always been a strong passion for me and this new company will place me right on the front lines doing what I love the most.”
Prior to his new venture, Bobo was Executive VP of Chrysalis Music Nashville, overseeing all aspects of the Nashville office and working with successful producer/writers Jeff Stevens and Brett Beavers and hit writers Danny Orton, Jim McCormick and Victoria Banks.
He started his career at the Nashville office of Chappell/Intersong, following graduation from Middle Tennessee State University’s Recording Industry Management program. After the acquisition of Chappell by Warner Bros. Music, his A&R efforts lead to numerous singles on the charts. He rose to VP and head of Creative in 1996 and assumed the Warner/Chappell General Manager post in 2003 which he held to 2009.
As SVP/GM at Warner/Chappell Nashville, he lead a formidable staff that celebrated 22 number one records with hit writers Marv Green, Steven Dale Jones, Wendell Mobley, Tim Nichols, John Rich, Wynn Varble, Chris Wallin and others. Under his leadership, the company enjoyed successes such as the ten-week number one smash “Live Like You Were Dying” and the breakout of superstar group Lady Antebellum.
Based in Nashville, Dale Bobo Music Direction can be reached at 615-504-9803, dale@dalebobo.com or Twitter: @dalebobo.
 

Friday Fabulons: Dunn, Jackson and the New Crew Writers Round

Ronnie Dunn celebrated 25 years of hits at BMI’s Nashvhille offices on Aug. 5. Dunn’s repertoire includes standards like “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Neon Moon,” and “She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind,” as well as hits with well known co-writers such as “Red Dirt Road” (Kix Brooks), “That Ain’t No Way to Go” (Kix Brooks and Don Cook), “Believe” (Craig Wiseman), and many more that have altogether garnered an astounding 60 million performances.

(L-R) Jody Williams, VP, Writer-Publisher Relations, BMI; Dunn; Caryl Healey, Associate Director, Sales, Sony Music Nashville; Troy Tomlinson, President/CEO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville; and Clarence Spalding, President, Spalding Entertainment. Photo: Thien Phan


 
>>Alan Jackson is on the cover of the current issue of Country Weekly, dated August 15. Jackson covers a variety of topics in the interview including his new single, “Long Way To Go.”  When asked about the story behind the song Jackson replied, “It’s just a fun summertime song –  I had something to drink one time and a bug flew in it and I kinda made a note of that….Some people have asked if I was sitting someplace warm or near a beach when I was writing it, but I was actually in Nashville and it was pretty cold!”
 
 
 
 
>>ASCAP Nashville recently hosted its New Crew Writers Round at the Basement, featuring songwriters Josh Dorr, Brent Wesley Rupard and Adam Sanders. The New Crew Writers Round is a quarterly event that showcases unsigned, up-and-coming singer-songwriters who have created a buzz and their own following.

(L-R) ASCAP’s Ryan Beuschel, Josh Dorr, ASCAP's Robert Filhart and LeAnn Phelan, Brent Wesley Rupard, ASCAP's Michael Martin and Marc Driskill, Adam Sanders, ASCAP's Mike Sistad. Photo: Jessica Draper


 

UK Realigns IP Laws

Summary: UK approves expanded fair use definitions which might include digital lockers plus bans all attempts to block copyright infringing (filesharing) websites…

Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills


The UK has announced sweeping changes to its intellectual property laws in response to a comprehensive analysis delivered last May titled, “Digital Opportunity: an Independent Review of IP and Growth.” An official UK government communication characterizes the report, authored by Professor Ian Hargreaves, saying it “sets out a powerful vision for the UK’s future success through better uses of IP. The Government is grateful to him and his team for their hard work and particularly commends their resolution to ground their report in reliable evidence. This response to that report … also indicates the way we will be tackling online copyright infringement, both through the Digital Economy Act and through voluntary action by responsible businesses. This is not the limit of the Government’s ambitions for IP. We are publishing alongside this document the UK’s IP Crime Strategy and International strategy for IP, which expand on our plans to defend brands and creative content from illegal copying and to encourage other countries to share our vision for a future where more value is created from IP not just in the UK but across the world.” Business Secretary Vince Cable said the move will bring copyright law into line with the “real world” and with “consumers reasonable expectations.” (Download the complete government response here.)
Below are some key points of the new strategy as outlined on the UK Business Innovations & Skills website (BIS). Most notable are a softening of the “fair use” concepts with respect to individuals copying legally purchased digital files which may change the UK rules for digital cloud based lockers. A parody can be created without permission from the copyright holder and the report calls for the creation of a digital license clearinghouse. A key component of bringing the copyright laws into the “modern era” is that plans to block copyright infringing websites are to be dropped.

  1. That the UK should have a Digital Copyright Exchange; a digital market place where licenses in copyright content can be readily bought and sold. This could add up as much as £2 billion a year to the UK economy by 2020. The Government will announce arrangements for how this work will be driven forward later in the year.
  2. Copyright exceptions covering limited private copying should be introduced to realize growth opportunities. Thousands of people copy legitimately purchased content, such as a CD to a computer or portable device such as an IPod, assuming it is legal. This move will bring copyright law into line with the real world, and with consumers’ reasonable expectations.
  3. Copyright exceptions to allow parody should also be introduced to benefit UK production companies and make it legal for performing artists, such as comedians, to parody someone else’s work without seeking permission from the copyright holder. It would enable UK production companies to create programmes that could play to their creative strengths, and create a range of content for broadcasters.
  4. The introduction of an exception to copyright for search and analysis techniques known as ‘text and data mining’, allowing research scientists such as medical researchers greater access to data.
  5. Establishing licensing and clearance procedures for orphan works (material with unknown copyright owners). This would open up a range of works that are currently locked away in libraries and museums and unavailable for consumer or research purposes.
  6. That evidence should drive future policy – The Government has strengthened the Intellectual Property Office’s economics team and has begun a program of research to highlight growth opportunities.

 

In the above video Vince Cable says, “We’ve updated the law and made it much more friendly for individual consumers and business while protecting the very real rights of creative artists, filmmakers and protecting them from criminal piracy, getting the balance between those things correct.

Thursday Thoughts

>>NSAI and CMT will partner again to present the 12th Annual NSAI Song Contest. The annual event starts Aug. 1 and runs through Oct. 31, 2011. Aspiring songwriters in any genre are encouraged to send their best songs to be judged by a panel of experts, and a new Lyric-Only category has been added this year. The Grand Prize includes a mentoring session with songwriter/musician/industry icon Charlie Daniels!
A grand prize winner will be named, plus a Lyric-Only winner and a CMT Listener’s Choice Winner. The entry fees are $35.00 (Current NSAI members) and $45.00 (Non-Members) per song submitted. Songwriters may submit as many songs as they would like, but the preceding fees apply to each song submitted. Entries will be accepted from August 1 until October 31, 2011. For details on submitting songs as well as the official prizes and rules & regulations go to www.nsai.cmt.com.
>>RPM Transportation Consultants has moved from Brentwood to Music Row, 1101 17th Ave. S. The company which designs bicycle lanes and contributed to the Music Row roundabout, has 12 employees in the new location. RPM President Bob Murphy told the Nashville Post, “Our new location on Music Row brings us closer to our clients than ever before. With innovation and sustainability part of our mission statement, we now have better access to public transportation and bike routes for travel to and from the office. What better way to continue work on Nashville’s transportation future than to be here in the heart of the city?”
>>New industry career group, the Young Entertainment Professionals (YEP) began last January to help members of the industry network, and has grown to over 700 members by organizing mixers and educational events. YEP is headed by Executive Director/founder Andrew Cohen. “We hold mixers and showcases for young, up‐and‐coming talent [at venues] around town such as Tin Roof, Roosters BBQ, The Gold Rush, etc. as a way for people to develop one on one relationships with similar people who are looking to make their mark in the industry,” explains Cohen. YEP’s Board includes ten directors from various labels, publishers and other companies. “Our events are open to anyone,” says Cohen. “The next YEP mixer, will be held in tandem with the successful Whiskey Jam series at Winner’s Bar on Monday, August 22nd at 6pm. Visit the “Young Entertainment Professionals – Nashville Network” group page on Facebook for more information on upcoming events.