Better Angels Adds Gary Ray

/by

Better Angels Music Group has added artist/songwriter Gary Ray as Director, Artist Relations. In his new role, Ray will be responsible for artist development, liason and overseeing the day-to-day running of the company’s Nashville office. He will report to Better Angels CEO, Rob Rappaport.

“Gary brings a great fresh energy to the Better Angels team, tempered with a strong dose of the reality of the road,” says Rappaport. “Ray has been a touring musician and studio owner.”

Better Angels Music is hitting the ground running with the David Adam Byrnes single “Sweet Distraction,” which debuted at No. 73 on the CountryBreakout charts. After six weeks, the single sits at No. 33. Clear Channel’s iheartradio held the single at No. 1 for a week as of September 7. Byrnes’ album is set for release on November 2.

Better Angels is also set to release The Longing, the latest album from Jason White. Singer/songwriter White is best known for writing “Red Ragtop” (Tim McGraw). Within the last year he has written songs recorded by Russell Hitchcock, Swan Dive & Eric Wilson.

The long-awaited album from Air Supply lead singer, Russell Hitchcock, will be released on the Better Angels label in late fall 2010. The album, titled RHTN (for Russell Hitchcock, Tennessee), will be an eclectic mix of modern country, pop and rock. the project was produced by Rappaport.

Better Angels writers Jay Brunswick and Matt Rogers’ song “Beautiful” (The Roys) is a nominee for ICM Positive Country Song of the Year. Brunswick has also garnered cuts with Josh Thompson, Tommy Joe Wilson, and Better Angels Records artist David Adam Byrnes.

Friday News Bits: Grammys, Flatts, ACM & More

/by

Wide Open Music Group Signs Tim Owens
Wide Open Music Group has announced the signing of Tim Owens to an Exclusive Songwriter Agreement. Owens, the co-writer behind such No. 1 hits as “Ticks” (Brad Paisley) and “Settlin’”(Sugarland), joins the growing writer and creative staff of the Nashville-based independent music publishing company. Wide Open also acquires Owens’ Conejos Music catalog which features three songs from Paisley’s current album American Saturday Night.

• • •

ACM Honors Tickets Available
The 4th Annual ACM HONORS, an evening of musical tribute performances and special presentations celebrating the special honorees and non-televised category winners from the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, held earlier this year. Tickets are now available to music fans at Ticketmaster.com and cost $37 each. Host and performer Lee Ann Womack will be joined by presenters Kix Brooks, Luke Bryan, Kris Kristofferson and Frank Liddell, special performers Buxton Hughes, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Larry & Steve Gatlin with Ronny Robbins, Martina McBride, John Rich, Kenny Rogers, The Secret Sisters, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives,  and Randy Travis. Click here for a complete list of honorees.

• • •

Ohio Gets S’more Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts will join Hershey’s to sweeten football fans’ tailgates this Saturday (9/11) in Columbus, Ohio as they canvas the Ohio State University tailgating grounds to introduce S’mores as the Official Dessert of Tailgating. The band will head back to their home state of Ohio for one of this season’s hottest matchups in college football – University of Miami vs. Ohio State University. Before the game, fans will be treated to a surprise visit from Rascal Flatts by passing out S’mores to tailgaters. Rascal Flatts will also perform the National Anthem prior to the game, which will be televised on ESPN.

• • •

Country Quartet Takes Off At Fontanel
The Fontanel Mansion today (9/10) hosted the release of four Great Horned Owls on the property. Walden’s Puddle Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, located just outside Nashville, raised three of the stately birds from owlets, and the fourth was an adult rehabbed from an injury. Jaime Dudney, Director of Hospitality for the Fontanel Mansion and daughter of country music superstar Barbara Mandrell, helped release the birds and also named them Roy Acuff, Little Jimmy Dickens, Minnie Pearl, and Hank Snow after Country Music Hall of Fame members.

• • •

Dog Day Festival Comes to Centennial Park
Nashville’s Humane Association will hold their 21st Annual Dog Day Festival on Saturday September 18th in Centennial Park. Festivities begin at 10:00 AM with contests, prizes, paws parade, shopping, a microchip clinic, kid zone and more. Suggested donation is $5 and children under 5 are admitted free. Musical guests include Jessica Miller, Clay Evans, Greg Hall, Kenneth Duncan, and Kacey Smith. All Proceeds Benefit the Nashville Humane Association. For details go to www.nashvillehumane.org.

• • •

Grammy Grant Foundation Accepting Submissions
The GRAMMY Foundation® Grant Program administers grants annually to organizations and individuals to support efforts that advance the archiving and preservation of the music and recorded sound heritage of the Americas for future generations, as well as scientific research projects related to the impact of music on the human condition. Recipients are determined based on criteria such as merit, uniqueness of project and the ability to accomplish intended goals. To view guidelines visit www.grammyfoundation.com/grants. The deadline for submission is Oct. 1, 2010.

• • •

Dean Brody Signs With ole/Roots Three

/by

Roots Three Music/ole, a co-venture between ole music publishing and Roots Three, publishing division of RGK Entertainment Group, has signed songwriter and Open Road Records artist Dean Brody to a worldwide publishing deal.

Brody, an emerging songwriting talent and rising country star, is currently at No. 6 on the Mediabase Canadian country chart with the single “Roll That Barrel Out” from his recently released sophomore album, Trail in Life. Brody has five nominations at the upcoming CCMA Awards including Songwriter of the Year. In addition, he will be one of the featured artists at FanFest on September 11 at the West Edmonton Mall Ice Palace during Country Music Week in Edmonton.

Brody made an immediate impact with his self-titled debut album in 2009, which produced the hit single, “Brothers.” It also showcased his writing talents.

“The thing I’m most excited about with this new relationship with Roots Three Music/ole is their passion for songwriting and songs and getting them pitched and being aggressive about it,” says Brody. “In the past, I really haven’t had that. The other thing is, for years, I’ve wanted to write in other genres so I’m looking forward to being able to do both.”

“We are very excited about Dean joining the Roots Three Music family,” says Ron Kitchener, President of RGK Entertainment Group Inc., the umbrella company for both Roots Three Music and Open Road Recordings. “All points lead to Dean being a top contender as an artist and writer and we couldn’t be happier.”

Comments ole Chief Creative Officer, Gilles Godard: “Dean Brody is part of the new wave of true country artists, however what separates him from the pack is his incredible talent as writer. He has created several great songs for this new Trail in Life album release and we are proud to be part of his new publishing team with Roots Three.”

(l-r) RGK Entertainment Group's Ron Kitchener and Dean Brody

ASCAP Launches App for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch

/by

John A. LoFrumento, CEO of ASCAP , today announced the launch of ASCAP Mobile, a new app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app provides ASCAP’s songwriter, composer and publisher members with 24/7 access to their membership, catalog, performance and royalty information via ASCAP’s secure Member Access online portal. Additionally, the app’s interface allows all users the ability to search ASCAP’s entire repertory of over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works, and browse news about ASCAP and the music business. The app is free and can be downloaded from the App Store.

“The ASCAP Mobile app further reinforces ASCAP’s leadership position in the application of new technologies to better serve the needs of our members,” said LoFrumento. “The free app offers our members and the industry a new way to stay connected with ASCAP while they are on the go, putting a secure connection to Member Access, the entire ASCAP repertory and industry news in the palm of their hands.”

ASCAP is the first and only Performing Rights Organization to offer an app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Further versions of the app are planned for Blackberry and Android.

The ASCAP Mobile app is the latest in a series of technology enhancements that ASCAP has deployed in the past year to make it more convenient for its members to conduct their business and pursue their creativity.  These enhancements include:

  • A redesigned website (www.ascap.com), which receives 2.5 million page views per month.  The new design offers a fresh new look and simplified navigation to thousands of pages of content offering up-to-date news including updates on advocacy and legislative issues,  a calendar of events, audio & video features, member benefits and discounts, career development resources, articles and features from Playback Magazine, and much more.
  • New enterprise system called PREP (Performing Rights Enterprise Program) ? a comprehensive and integrated copyright management and royalty distribution platform.
  • Member Access, a secure, online portal giving ASCAP’s songwriter, composer and music publisher members 24/7 access to their membership, catalog, performance and royalty information.
  • Revamped royalty statements that can be downloaded in PDF format.
  • E-statements, a strategic performance royalty management tool that allows members to slice and dice data in software like Microsoft Excel or Access, and industry software such as Counterpoint Music Maestro.
  • Cue Sheets in Member Access allows writers and publishers of film and television music to effortlessly view and manage cue sheet data. ASCAP is the first American performing rights organization to offer this type of access to cue sheets.

ole Signs Hit Songwriter Monty Powell

/by

Monty Powell

ole music publishing has signed a catalog purchase and worldwide co-publishing deal with songwriter/producer Monty Powell. Powell has been responsible for hit songs that have helped drive the sales of more than 50 million albums in total by artists like Restless Heart (“Dancy’s Dream”), Diamond Rio (“Norma Jean Riley,” “Nowhere Bound”), Billy Ray Cyrus (“Could Have Been Me”), Brooks & Dunn (“I Am That Man”), Tim McGraw (“One of These Days”), Chris Cagle (“What A Beautiful Day,” “Miss Me Baby”) and Keith Urban (“Days Go By,” “Tonight I Wanna Cry”). He has collaborated with artists including  Urban, Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker.

“I’m excited about ole as a company,” says Powell. “I think they’ve positioned themselves exactly the way that a company needs to be: playing the type of ball that the majors play, playing at the level they play, but playing with an independent mindset. It’s just a completely different model and I’m all about new models. The executive team at ole is very sharp. They all have deep publishing backgrounds, not just finance or widget-selling, so they understand the push and pull of what it really takes to monetize a copyright and what that means over the life of a copyright.”

Comments ole’s Chairman & CEO, Robert Ott: “ole is very pleased to welcome Monty Powell to our team. Monty’s ability to write hit songs is widely known, but he is also an innovative thinker and entrepreneur of the first order. I know that he will add immensely to ole’s already aggressive and innovative creative culture.”

As a songwriter, Powell swept the SESAC Awards in 2009, winning Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year. In 2006, he picked up a Song of the Year CMA nomination for Urban’s “Tonight I Wanna Cry.” As a producer, he earned a CMA Album of the Year award for his work on Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles in 1994. He also co-produced Diamond Rio’s first three top selling albums, as well as Urban’s band, The Ranch for Capitol Records.

Powell has also become noted for spending time on the road writing with a number of artists with whom he has developed close ties.

“Several years ago, I carved this niche out for myself in the songwriting community,” explains Powell. “I went directly to the artists and suggested that I go out on the road with them, integrate and become a part of their team. I told them that I would work with their schedule. A lot of people really perked up at that notion and gave me the opportunity to come out and gave me a bunk on the bus and I became one of the team. That’s what I do.”

ole Chief Creative Officer, Gilles Godard, adds; “Monty is truly on top of his game, he has mastered his craft, consistently writing hit songs with a diverse group of artists. ole will support that diversity by arranging cross-genre, cross-media and international collaborations to Monty’s schedule. We’ll also work the catalog and develop new uses for it and help to develop Monty’s brand.”

Commerce Secretary In Nashville To Discuss Piracy

/by

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke was in Nashville today (8/30) for a meeting between members of government and local music business leaders to discuss music piracy. NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison moderated the discussion featuring leaders from all levels of government: Locke, Mayor Karl Dean, Governor Phil Bredesen, and Congressman Jim Cooper.

Some of Nashville’s best creative minds and most seasoned music executives turned out for the event at Belmont University. Among those Herbison called on to offer personal experiences and opinions were songwriter Fred Knobloch, artist Big Kenny and publisher Barry Coburn.

Gary Locke

Locke spent the morning touring Music Row businesses, getting a first-hand view of how almost 20,000 jobs in Music City are directly connected to the music business. Another 55,000 jobs are indirectly supported by it, according to a study by Belmont.

Locke avoided any specifics, but says the Obama administration is focusing on establishing global intellectual property norms, promoting compliance, and strengthening the international copyright system. The Administration’s new Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator has released a Joint Strategic Plan. Locke also firmly established the Administration’s support of artist payment via the Performance Rights Act.

Look for more in-depth coverage of the event in Wednesday’s @MusicRow (paid subscribers only).

Secretary Of Commerce To Address Music Piracy

/by

Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke

United States Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke will visit Nashville next week to hear from the music industry about the impact of rampant music piracy. Locke will conduct a Discussion Forum on Monday, Aug. 30, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM at a location near Music Row. The location will be announced later this week.

“With an estimated one of 20 songs purchased legally, we must focus on this issue,” said 5th District Congressman Jim Cooper, who is hosting the forum, along with Secretary Locke.

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean are also expected to be on hand to share their perspectives on an issue that is of such great importance to our city and state’s creative industries.

NSAI President/Grammy-nominated songwriter Steve Bogard said, “This is a rare opportunity to directly tell those in charge at the Federal level about the real-life impact of piracy on songwriters and our entire industry.”

Secretary Locke wants to hear from songwriters and other segments of the music industry about how piracy has impacted their income streams and business opportunities.

“Songwriters, we really need a strong showing at this Discussion Forum,” says NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. “I personally ask that you change your calendars if necessary to attend.”

More information will be forthcoming this week. To RSVP – or for specific questions – contact Debi Cochran at (615) 256-3354 or [email protected].

BMI Appeals DMX Rate-Court Decision

/by

BMI has filed an appeal of the DMX decision issued by Judge Louis Stanton, BMI’s rate-court judge to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the company announced today. BMI’s appeal on behalf of its songwriters, composers and music publishers will seek reversal of a court decision that, according to DMX’s outside counsel, will allow DMX to “pay fees approximately 65% lower than those sought by BMI.”

“On behalf of our songwriters, composers and music publishers, we will not allow this ruling to stand without an appeal,” said Del Bryant, BMI President & CEO. “Our writers and publishers should not be expected to lose more than half of their income from DMX based on the court’s erroneous holdings, which substantially reduce the value of their creative efforts.”

U.S. Performing Rights Organizations have a long history of negotiating performing right license agreements on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers with market leaders in the commercial background music service (CMS) industry, of which DMX is a part. The court noted in its decision that, except for DMX, nearly the entire CMS industry accepted the BMI form agreements. However, the court rejected these marketplace benchmark agreements and instead relied on a small number of direct licenses negotiated by DMX that set fees at a deeply discounted level. The court record contained substantial evidence that these direct licenses did not represent an appropriate BMI license fee.

The DMX direct-license agreements provided for a $25 annual per-location license fee (for both BMI and ASCAP music). The prevailing market rate before the court decision for both BMI and ASCAP music was more than $77 per location — more than three times the reduced value set by the court.

The appeal is expected to be taken up by the Court before the end of 2010.

Martha’s Vineyard Gets Songwriters

/by

The 2nd Annual Martha’s Vineyard Songwriter’s Festival takes place Sept. 24-25 on the famous island off the Massachusetts coastline. Concerts will take place at Mansion house in Vineyard Haven and at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. The festival features a variety of BMI pop and country writers in exclusive lineups and intimate settings. Advance tickets for each show are $25 and can be purchased at www.ticketsMV.com.

Featured performers will include producer/writer Keith Stegall, Tom Douglas, Thom Schuyler, Even Stevens, and a host of others. In addition to the concert part of the reason for the event is to allow the composers to establish new creative partnerships in the retreat-like setting. The second annual Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival is sponsored by BMI, Southwest Airlines, Mansion House, Key West Songwriters Festival, Fury Key West, ticketsMV.com, and Bose.

MARTHA’S VINEYARD SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL VENUE SCHEDULE

Friday, Sept. 24
Mansion House – Vineyard Haven, MA
5-7 PM; MVSWF Kick-Off Party
Hosted by Storme Warren
Tony Roberts           mindflowmusic.com
Phil DaRosa             phildarosa.com

Friday, Sept. 24
Union Chapel – Oak Bluffs, MA
Hosted by Storme Warren
8-9PM
Arama Brown           songspub.com/songwriters.php?id=95
Jeff Cohen                myspace.com/panchoslament
Toby Lightman        tobylightman.com/

9:15-10:30PM
Thom Schuyler        thomschuyler.com
Laura Warshauer   laurawarshauer.tumblr.com
Even Stevens

Saturday, Sept. 25
Union Chapel- Oak Bluffs, MA
Hosted by Storme Warren
8-9PM
Mayaeni                   mayaeni.com
Shane Stevens         myspace.com/shanestevensmusic
Courtney Jaye          courtneyjaye.com

9:15-10:30PM
Tom Douglas            myspace.com/tomdouglassongs
Kylie Sackley           myspace.com/kyliesackley
Keith Stegall             keithstegall.com

Nashvillians Help Revive Fame Studios

/by

Muscle Shoals, Alabama’s renowned Fame Studios, its publishing company, and record label are experiencing a revival. Hit Nashville songwriter Brad Crisler has signed with House of Fame Publishing, where Music Row veteran Steve Williams has been hired on as Creative Director.

For Crisler, it is a return the publishing company where he had early success. His credits include cuts by Tim McGraw, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney, as well as the hits “Sweet Southern Comfort” (Buddy Jewell) and “Hillbilly Deluxe” (Brooks & Dunn).

Williams brings his two decades of experience to Fame, including time at Arista Nashville and later as Creative Director at Sea Gayle Music.

Throughout the 1960s, artists that recorded at founder Rick Hall’s Fame Studios included Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, and Otis Redding. Decades of hits followed with The Osmonds, Bobbie Gentry, Jerry Reed, and Shenandoah laying down tracks at the southern soul studio. Since its inception, Fame has been involved in projects selling over 350 million copies worldwide.

Williams can be reached at 603 East Avalon Avenue, Muscle Shoals, AL 35661; [email protected].