Copeland Debuts “Smashville” Theme

/by

Copeland poses with Nashville Predators Ice Girls who attended the "Smashville" after party. Photo: Bev Moser

Lewis Copeland recently debuted his original theme song “Smashville” at the Nashville Predators game vs. the San Jose Sharks (12/15). Later during a special performance at the Stage on Broadway, Copeland again performed the song. Among those present at the “Smashville” after party were several Nashville Predators Ice Girls who passed out Preds merchandise to fans.

Chrysalis Fetes Jeff Stevens Producer Honor

/by

(L-R) Victoria Banks, Jim McCormick, Shelley Skidmore, Jersey Ross, Abbe Nameche, Jeff Stevens, Dale Bobo and Patricia Wittmer.

Chrysalis hosted a luncheon to congratulate Jeff Stevens on his inclusion in Billboard’s Year In Music 2010 Hot Country Songs Producers list.

“2010 was a great year for Jeff,” says Chrysalis Nashville Executive VP Dale Bobo. “With another hit single (“Someone Else Calling You Baby”), a gold record for his production on Luke Bryan’s “Doin’ My Thing” album, and now being named one of the top producers in the yearend Billboard rankings. We’re also very proud that Jeff Joined the Chrysalis team this year.”
Jeff is currently producing both the forthcoming “Spring Break” project and the third full length album for Luke Bryan.

Jim Lauderdale Re-ups With Bug

/by

Bug Music has renewed its multi-year publishing deal with Jim Lauderdale. The singer-songwriter has worked with and written songs recorded by Elvis Costello, George Strait, the Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless, and many more. Among his recent hits are Strait’s “I Gotta Get To You.” Lauderdale was honored with the career achievement “Inspiration Award” at the 2010 SESAC Awards.

Bug Music CEO John Rudolph made today’s announcement. “We are thrilled to renew our deal with Jim—a talented writer and dynamic performer who has achieved great success in both country and Americana music—and honored to represent his body of work,” Rudolph said. “Jim’s genre-breaking contributions to music are immeasurable, and we look forward to more successes.”

Among the other songwriters signed to Bug are Kara Dioguardi, Luke Bryan, members of Kings of Leon, Gordie Sampson, and Ryan Adams, as well as songs by Johnny Cash.

Davidson Named Hot Country Songwriter of the Year

/by

(L-R): EMI’s Hannah Post, Missy Wilson, Josh Van Valkenburg, Dallas Davidson, EMI EVP/GM Ben Vaughn, Laura Wright, and “Big” Tom Luteran.

EMI Music Publishing’s Dallas Davidson will be honored in this year’s Billboard year-end issue as the Hot Country Songwriter of the Year. The award recognizes his nine charted country singles including multiple No. 1 country hits “That’s How Country Boys Roll” (Billy Currington), “Rain Is A Good Thing” (Luke Bryan), “Gimmie That Girl” (Joe Nichols), “All About Tonight” (Blake Shelton), and “All Over Me” (Josh Turner). Davidson also received multiple BMI Awards this year with additional chart-toppers including “Start A Band” (Brad Paisley/Keith Urban), “Put A Girl In It” (Brooks & Dunn), “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” (Trace Adkins), and “Barefoot and Crazy” (Jack Ingram).

Davidson recently appeared in the TODAY Show Weekend’s “Secrets of Songwriters” special to talk about the tricks of his craft and was also awarded the CMA Triple Play Award earlier this year for “Rain Is A Good Thing,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll” and “Gimmie That Girl.”

Additionally, Davidson recently celebrated the release of the full-length album, Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector: The Brotherhood Album featuring Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson (Warner Bros.), a collection of songs written by Davidson and Rhett Akins.

Warner/Chappell Acquires 615 Music

/by

(L-R): Randy Thornton, CEO, Non-Stop Music; Randy Wachtler, 615 Music Pres./CEO; and Brian Roberts, Sr. VP/CFO Warner/Chappell Music.

Warner/Chappell Music, the global music publishing arm of Warner Music Group Corp. and parent company of Non-Stop Music, today (12/10) announced the acquisition of 615 Music, a Nashville-based production music company. In addition, 615 Music’s President and CEO, Randy Wachtler, will take on the role of EVP, North America, for Warner/Chappell’s production music business.

The agreement establishes Warner/Chappell’s first Nashville production music operation and expands their presence in the sector of the music publishing business. As part of the agreement, 615 Music’s team of producers and composers will continue to create library content that will be owned, exclusively marketed and distributed by Warner/Chappell.

In making the announcement, Brian Roberts, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Warner/Chappell Music said, “We are delighted to welcome 615 Music founder Randy Wachtler to our management team and look forward to the addition of the talented 615 Music Nashville group as they bring their unique sound and energy to the Non-Stop Warner/Chappell family.”

Wachtler commented, “I’m extremely excited to join the Warner/Chappell family and work with Brian Roberts and Randy Thornton, as well as Warner/Chappell’s Chairman and CEO, David Johnson. I’ve known Randy Thornton for over 20 years through my work at the Production Music Association and I am thrilled we’ll be working together on the same team.”

Randy Thornton, CEO, Non-Stop Music said, “615 Music is an incredible force in the music production space with a long roster of impressive clients, particularly in the broadcast television promotion and news arena. This is an exciting and wonderful way to walk into the New Year and we couldn’t be more pleased.”

For more than 25 years, 615 Music has worked for network and cable clients and earned countless prestigious awards. The company is one of the world’s leading providers of production music to the entertainment, broadcast, advertising, and corporate industries, and is the recent recipient of an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Original Song” for NBC’s Today Show.

EMI Celebrates Holiday Kick-Off

/by

EMI Music helped start the holiday’s for writers, staff and friends at its 2010 Holiday Casino Party. The “in the chips” festivities included dinner and  Casino play plus a raffle.

(L-R) Alice Peacock, Brian Henningsen, Clara Henningsen, Dallas Davidson, Sarah Davidson, Jeremy Stover, Rachel Proctor, Aaron Henningsen, Michael Knox, Ross Copperman, EMI Exec. VP/GM Ben Vaughn, Tom Luteran, Steve McEwan, Laura Wright, Josh Van Valkenburg, Keith Anderson, James T. Slater, Jerry Flowers, Matt Fleener, Jamie Paulin, Missy Wilson, Kelley Lovelace, Chris Gillis and Zach Hammitte.

Hummon Inks With Warner/Chappell

/by

Marcus Hummon has signed with Warner/Chappell.

Warner/Chappell Music has signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with hit songwriter Marcus Hummon. He is behind hits and cuts for Rascal Flatts, Garth Brooks, Dixie Chicks, Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd, Sara Evans, Alabama, Lee Ann Womack and more. His co-write “Bless the Broken Road” (Rascal Flatts) won the 2006 Grammy for Best Country Song.

Hummon recently released an independent album, Rosanna, and has been touring the UK with Beth Nielsen Chapman. He is composing work for an IMAX film, We the People, which is being produced for the Smithsonian Institute. Hummon has also written five musicals, two operas, and a children’s book.

Warner/Chappell was the No. 1 Country Music publisher for the third quarter of 2010 (Nielsen BDS radio airplay from HFA). Among the publishers recent hits were Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight,” co-written by Warner/Chappell’s Ben Hayslip; Josh Turner’s “All Over Me,” co-written by Hayslip; Lady Antebellum’s “Our Kind of Love,” co-written by Warner/Chappell’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood; and Lee Brice’s “Love Like Crazy,” co-written by Warner/Chappell’s Tim James.

Warner/Chappell has also extended its worldwide co-publishing agreement with Josh Farro of Paramore, and signed Monique Staffile and Caleb Sherman of country band Her & Kings County.

Extreme/Watsky Debut Country Music Production Library

/by

Extreme Music has partnered with Watsky Music to form Stampede, a country music production library geared toward film and television licensing. Watsky is headed by Jonathan Watkins and Dennis Matkosky.

Among the songwriters on board with Stampede are Matksoky, Travis Howard, and Ty Lacy.

Lacy and Matkosy are co-writers of hits for Keith Urban (“You’ll Think of Me”) and LeAnn Rimes (“I Need You”).

During Matkosky’s 30-year career, he also penned the Grammy winning, Oscar/ Golden Globe nominated track “Maniac,” off the Flashdance soundtrack. His other hits include Martina McBride’s “I Just Call You Mine,” and David Nail’s “Red Light.”

Lacy’s other writing credits include “That’s How Love Moves” from Faith Hill’s Breathe album, and “That’s What Hurts,” recorded by Hall & Oates.

Travis Howard is a frequent co-writer with Miranda Lambert, and their collaborations have resulted in her songs “Famous in a Small Town,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Bring Me Down,” and “Heart Like Mine.”

BMG To Acquire Chrysalis

/by

It was announced today (11/26) that BMG will acquire Chrysalis Music in a deal valued at approximately $168.6 million.

In April, Dale Bobo took office as Executive Vice President, Chrysalis Music Nashville. Among Chrysalis’s Nashville songwriters are Jim McCormick, Victoria Banks, Jeff Stevens and Shelley Skidmore.

Among the publisher’s 100,000 copyrights are songs recorded by Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Blondie, David Bowie, Sheryl Crow, and Outkast.

BMG has been steadily buying up publishers for more than a year. More from musicrow.com here.

Canadian Tunesmiths Honored At SOCAN Awards

/by

Songs performed by George Canyon, Doc Walker, Johnny Reid and The Road Hammers were among the songs honored at the annual SOCAN Awards last night (11/22) in Toronto, ON. Sarah McLachlan was a standout winner, earning nine SOCAN Classic Awards for songs that reached at least 100,000 radio plays. Composer Galt McDermot (Hair) was named SOCAN’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Vancouver-based Songwriter/producer/instrumentalist Brian Howe was given the International Achievement Award for his work with Hinder, Daughtry, David Cook, Puddle of Mudd and more. Canadian rockers Nickelback also earned multiple recognitions for their hits “Gotta Be Somebody” and “If Today Was Your Last Day.”

SOCAN Country Songwriting Awards:

“Just Like You” (Performed by George Canyon)
Composers: George Canyon, Gary Harrison, Richard Marx; Publisher: None

“One Last Sundown” (Performed by Doc Walker)
Composers: Chris Thorsteinson, Dave Wasyliw, Jon Mabe; Publishers: ole, Roots 3 Music Inc.

“A Woman Like You” (Performed by Johnny Reid)
Composers: Johnny Reid, Brent Maher; Publisher: Johnny Mac Entertainment Inc.

“Homegrown” (Performed by The Road Hammers)
Composers: Chris Byrne, Jason McCoy, Larry Haack, Bobby Taylor; Publisher: Airstrip Music