BE Music & Entertainment Opens in Nashville

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Dallas-based London Broadcasting Company has opened BE Music & Entertainment, headed by executives Terry London, Carl Kornmeyer and Michael Blanton. With offices in Dallas and Nashville, the full-service artist development agency provides management, production and publishing services to clients across a range of music genres, as well as in film, television, visual art, and literature.
All three executives have more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including time at Gaylord Entertainment, where London previously served as President and CEO.
Today he is President and CEO of London Broadcasting, which owns and operates 12 television stations in Texas and also owns 41 Entertainment, a Dallas-based television production company.
Kornmeyer is COO of the company’s Content Group, and Blanton is on board as President of BE Music & Entertainment.
Blanton’s background in production and management has been instrumental in developing the careers of Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith.
For more information, visit www.BEMusicEntertainment.com or call them at (866) 339-8686.

Michael Blanton, Carl Kornmeyer and Terry London

Diane Warren Teams With Universal Music

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Diane Warren


Revered songwriter Diane Warren has entered into a new agreement with Universal Music Group, which includes a publishing administration component, and has her working as a global A&R consultant for the company’s artists.
UMPG will handle administration of Warren’s Realsongs catalog outside of North America, while she continues to self-administer her copyrights in the U.S.
Among her evergreen hits are “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” “If You Asked Me To,” “Because You Loved Me,” “UnBreak My Heart,” “How Do I Live,” “Don’t Turn Around,” and “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” She has won countless awards, including a 2001 induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“On the recorded music side, she will now become UMG’s ‘go-to-creative’ person—available to our labels and artists around the globe to write songs that will help to fully realize their potential,” said UMG Chairman & CEO Lucian Grainge.
Today’s announcement was made by Grainge, Universal President & COO Zach Horowitz, Warren, and her manager Merck Mercuriadis.
Warren’s work spans genres and decades, from Beyonce’s new single “I Was Here,” to collaborations with superstars Aerosmith, Elton John, Tina Turner, Faith Hill, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, LeAnn Rimes, Rod Stewart, Whitney Houston, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears.

Songwriter News: Combustion Signing

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Combustion Music Adds Writer
Combustion Music has signed Russell Dickerson to an exclusive songwriting agreement. The recent Belmont University graduate has been playing the Nashville scene for the last two years. He is a native of Franklin, Tenn.

Sitting: Russell Dickerson; Standing (L-R): Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom, Chris Farren, and Kenley Flynn; BMI’s Bradley Collins; CAA’s Jim Butler; Dennis Entertainment’s John Dennis, and Aaron Kinssies.


 
CMA Songwriter Series In Boston, New York
The CMA Songwriters Series will make its Boston debut with a performance by Kenny Chesney on Thursday, Aug. 25 at the Royale Nightclub. Chesney’s songwriting credits include his hits “Beer In Mexico,” “You Had Me From Hello,” “Out Last Night,” “I Go Back,” and “I’m Alive” (a duet with Dave Matthews). Joining Chesney will be hit tunesmiths Matraca Berg, Brett James, Wendell Mobley, Craig Wiseman and host Bob DiPiero.
When the CMA Songwriter Series played at Joe’s Pub in New York City on June 21, Easton Corbin was the featured artist/writer. DiPiero hosted the event with fellow hitmakers Carson Chamberlain, and Mark D. Sanders.

Pictured in New York (L-R): Bob DiPiero, Mark D. Sanders, Easton Corbin, Carson Chamberlain. Photo: Chris Tate


 
Sandestin Songwriters Festival
The weekend of August 12-13, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort will host the 2nd Annual Sandestin Music Festival on multiple stages throughout the Village of Baytowne Wharf.
Co-sponsored by BMI, the free, open-to-the-public event will feature BMI contemporary country trendsetters Jeffrey Steele and James Slater; powerhouse country vocalist and Broadway star Lari White; and promising up-and-comers Kree Harrison, Thomas Rhett, Joanna Cotten, Tyler Farr, and the Pernikoff Brothers.

Joss Stone Records in Nashville, Signs With Kobalt

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Joss Stone


British soul singer Joss Stone recently wrapped recording of a new album in Nashville. She has signed an exclusive, worldwide administration deal with Kobalt Music Group, who will represent the solo project LP1. The album is to be released by her newly established label, Stone’d Records, in partnership with Surfdog Records, on August 1 in the U.K., and July 26 in the rest of the world. Dave Stewart, known for his work with the Eurythmics, produced the project as well as contributed to the writing.
Kobalt, headed by CEO and Founder Willard Ahdritz, will also represent the works Stone has co-written for Superheavy, her new band with Stewart, Mick Jagger, A.R. Rahman and Damian Marley.
Stone is a Grammy and Brit Award winner who has sold over 11 million albums.

Team Toasts Urban's Latest No. 1

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BMI toasted the team behind Keith Urban’s latest No. 1, “Without You,” during a packed party at Cabana on Wednesday, June 22 in Nashville. Written by BMI songwriting team Dave Pahanish and Joe West, “Without You” first captured the ears of songwriter/artist Emily West, who shared the tune with Urban.
“Without You” marks the third time Pahanish and West have topped the charts together. It is the 12th No. 1 single of Urban’s career.

Pictured (L-R): Capitol Records’ Steve Hodges, producer Dann Huff, Keith Urban, My Good Girl Music’s Ashley Hertzog, co-writer Joe West, My Good Girl Music’s Kirsten Wines, Wright of Center Music’s Cole Wright, co-writer Dave Pahanish, Sony ATV Music Publishing’s Troy Tomlinson, and BMI’s Jody Williams. Photo: John Russell

Funky Winkerbean Goes Country

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This Sunday, June 26, the lyrics to the classic country song, “Til I Gain Control Again,” play a prominent role in the long‐running comic strip “Funky Winkerbean.” Written by Rodney Crowell and published by Tessa Publishing Company, song was first recorded by Emmylou Harris in 1975.
Tom Batiuk, the cartoonist, specifically requested the use of the song as a loving tribute to his wife for their 40th wedding anniversary. Nearly all seven cells of the strip feature the lyrics to the song as the basis for an anniversary sequence starring the main characters, Funky and Holly.
Many artists have recorded “‘Til I Gain Control Again” over the years, including Willie Nelson, Crystal Gayle and, most recently, Raul Malo on the 2010 album Sinners & Saints. Crowell included it on his self‐titled album in 1981.
“Funky Winkerbean” is syndicated in 400 newspapers nationwide. Tessa Publishing Co. is administered by Conexion Media Group, Inc., based in Nashville, TN.

Bug Relocates, Adds Multi-Media Facility

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Publishers continue to adopt a larger role in the discovery and development of talent, and in an effort to streamline and intensify that process, Bug Music has announced its new offices will contain new multi-media tools. Bug, which calls itself the largest U.S. independent contemporary music publisher, is set to move July 1 into new offices at the 17-story building at 6100 Wilshire Blvd. The publisher will occupy about 20,000 square feet of space which will include a multi-media digital hub for performance showcases, recording and visual media production. The new facilities, spanning the top two penthouse floors and a new lobby-level recording studio, will augment the publisher’s efforts toward developing artists and writers and allow for recording and performances via webcasts in a premier showcase space.
Bug holds nearly 300,000 copyrights and has a roster comprising a long list of top songwriters across all genres, including Bruno Mars, Kara DioGuardi, Kings of Leon, Frank Ocean, Pete Townshend, Three 6 Mafia, and the estates of Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Bug Music co-owned Arthouse Entertainment, the publishing company led by singer-songwriter Kara DioGuardi and co-founder, Stephen J. Finfer, will join Bug in the new offices from its current location in Beverly Hills.
“The July 1 move is the next milestone in our growth and evolution to develop and innovate with creative talents,” Bug Music CEO John Rudolph said. “We realize our future lies in our ability to maximize opportunities for our writers on multiple digital platforms. With this new space, we will be able to provide them the tools to efficiently address the new marketplace.”
 

Roger Murrah To Exit Bug Music

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Roger Murrah will officially leave his post as Sr. VP of Bug Music when his contract with the publishing company ends in August. The publishing vet came on board with Bug in February 2009, overseeing the Nashville office and reporting directly to Los Angeles-based CEO John Rudolph.
At that time, Bug Music acquired a portion of Murrah’s independent publishing company, Murrah Music, and its associated catalogs. Today, Roger Murrah reportedly retains ownership of the publishing house he founded in 1990. He says, “I’m putting no limitations on the possibilities ahead.”
Murrah is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and was honored as BMI’s Songwriter of the Decade for the ’90s. His credits include Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” Al Jarreau’s “We’re In This Love Together,” Alabama’s “I’m In A Hurry (And Don’t Know Why),” and Waylon Jennings’s album, A Man Called Hoss.
He can be contacted at 615-424-7833 and [email protected].

Rhett Akins Re-Ups With EMI

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(L-R): EMI's Tom Luteran, BMI's Jody Williams, EMI's Laura Wright, Rhett's son Thomas Rhett Akins, Rhett Akins, BMI's Leslie Roberts, EMI's Ben Vaughn, BMI's Clay Bradley, daughter Kasey Lee Akins, EMI's Josh Van Valkenburg, BMI's Beth Laird, EMI's Missy Wilson and BMI's Mark Mason


Riding high with a string of hits and two rising singles, songwriter Rhett Akins has extended his relationship with EMI Music Publishing. Under terms of the new co-publishing deal, EMI Music will continue to represent Akins’ future work and catalogue of songs which includes the No. 1s “All About Tonight” (performed by Blake Shelton), “Gimme That Girl” (Joe Nichols) and “All Over Me” (Josh Turner).
Akins, who first joined EMI six years ago, is a co-writer on the latest singles from Shelton (“Honey Bee”) and Rodney Atkins (“Take A Back Road”). “I want to thank my EMI family, co-writers, and music partners for giving me the opportunity to create music and live my dream,” he said.
EMI Music Publishing Nashville Executive Vice President Ben Vaughn added, “Rhett Akins is a guy that you love being in business with and working with everyday. He loves what he does and it shows. Our entire EMI Nashville family are proud to share in his on going success and proud to call ourselves ‘Rhettnecks.’”
Since moving to Nashville more than 15 years ago, Akins has had hits as a recording artist with “That Ain’t My Truck” and “She Said Yes.” He was named one of Billboard‘s top five country songwriters in 2010, and his songs have collectively sold more than 2.5 million digital downloads.
His other hits as a writer include “Farmer’s Daughter” (Rodney Atkins), “Put A Girl In It” (Brooks & Dunn) and “The Shape I’m In” (Joe Nichols).
EMI Music Publishing’s current Nashville hit-making writers include Dallas Davidson, Alan Jackson, Chris Young, Kelley Lovelace, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott.

Songwriter Signings

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Angel Snow Inks With Bug Music
Bug Music recently signed songwriter Angel Snow. She has three cuts on the deluxe edition of Alison Krauss and Union Station‘s new album, Paper Airplanes. Snow is also set to open for the band during their two-night stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Aug. 26-27. In between dates on her current headlining tour and recording a new album, Snow has been busy co-writing.

(L-R): Bug Music VP John Allen, songwriter Angel Snow, attorney Tyler Middleton


 
Ten Ten Welcomes Scott Stepakoff
Ten Ten Music Group has signed up and coming songwriter Scott Stepakoff. He is a co-writer on the debut single from MCA artist Kip Moore, “Mary Was The Marrying Kind.” Stepakoff penned the track with Moore and Dan Couch.

(L-R): Ten Ten co-Pres. Jewel Coburn, songwriter Scott Stepakoff, Creative Director Daniel Lee, and co-Pres. Barry Coburn