Dan Fernandez has signed a publishing deal with Big Deal Music.  Fernandez is a multi-genre writer.

“When I grow up, I want to be as cool as Dan. We are so thrilled to have him as part of the Big Deal family and look forward to helping share his talents,” says Greg Gallo, Senior Creative Director for Big Deal Music.

“I’m excited to be making music with good friends,” said Fernandez about the new association.

ASCAP, SACEM, (the Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music) and PRS for Music has partnered to prototype a new shared system of managing copyright information using blockchain technology. The societies are working together to model a new system for managing the links between music recordings International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) and International Standard Work Codes (ISWCs). Establishing strong links between the two pieces of data offers a way to improve the processes of international royalty matching, which will in turn speed up licensing and reduce errors and costs.

The goal of the project is to engineer a way for the industry to create and adopt a shared, decentralized database of music works metadata with real-time update and tracking capabilities. Under the initiative, data and technology teams from SACEM, ASCAP and PRS for Music are working with IBM, leveraging the open source blockchain technology from the Linux Foundation, Hyperledger Fabric, to match, aggregate and qualify existing links between ISRCs and ISWCs in order to confirm correct ownership information and conflicts.

Blockchain has become known for its use in payments systems for its ability to manage records without centralized governance – a characteristic that will be harnessed in this project to resolve conflicts between conflicting identifiers for the same work across multiple rights holders.

“ASCAP is always looking for opportunities to exploit new technology platforms to specifically address the needs of our members and the music industry, which has been calling for greater transparency and accuracy,” said Elizabeth Matthews, ASCAP’s Chief Executive Officer. “Blockchain has become well-known for its use in payments systems because of its ability to capture real-time data and transaction updates that can be shared with multiple parties, and in the process, dramatically improve operations by reducing costs. ASCAP is excited to partner with SACEM and PRS on this project on behalf of our members.”

 

Tin Pan South concluded its silver anniversary with veteran songwriters on Friday and Saturday night (March 31-April 1).

Early schedules published Keith Stegall would perform alongside Dreamlined Entertainment and Notting Hill Music writers Leslie Satcher, Kevin MaC and Brad Crisler at The Bluebird Cafe. In his stead, Grand Ole Opry members Dailey & Vincent appeared after a 7:30 p.m. appearance on the historic stage.

Satcher, who signed to Notting Hill in 2015, previewed new tunes from a forthcoming album she recorded from Muscle Sholes. Alongside “Who I Belong To,” the Texan also performed her Martina McBride hit “When God Fearin’ Women Get The Blues” and the title track to her latest album Gypsy Boots.

Fellow hit writer Crisler offered his Brooks and Dunn cut, “Hillbilly Deluxe,” in consort with his respective Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw titles, “When The Sand Runs Out” and “Some Things Never Change.” New tune “How To Lose It All” was played from Brett Eldredge’s forthcoming project.

MaC offered a unique energy to his titles, one about a minivan and another about his dog’s passing. Dailey and Vincent offered their “Love Will Light The Way.”

Saturday brought out the big guns during the Country Music Hall of Fame rounds at 3rd & Lindsley. The early round included the Hall’s previous Poets & Prophets, Bobby Braddock, Mark D Sanders, Matraca Berg and Roger Cook.

Sanders regaled the crowd with “Heads Carolina, Tails California” (Jo Dee Messina), “Blue Clear Sky” (George Strait), “It Matters To Me” (Faith Hill) and “Money In The Bank” (John Anderson).

Berg tantalized with “You And Tequila” (Kenny Chesney), “Wrong Side Of Memphis” (Trisha Yearwood) and what the songwriter noted as her highest-grossing song “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)” (Trisha Yearwood) before wrapping with “Strawberry Wine” (Deana Carter).

Behind a keyboard, Braddock performed his cuts from Tracy Lawrence (“Time Marches On”), Billy Currington (“People Are Crazy”) and George Jones (“He Stopped Loving Her Today”) after conceding the tempo of Toby Keith’s “Talk About Me” made it much too complicated to recite and play. Braddock then cue’d a karaoke track of the title, stood and recited the hit.

English writer and Nashville resident for decades, Cook, performed a medley of many of his Top 10 ’60s-’80s cuts on ukulele. His turn at the mic included a Strait cut, “I Want To Dance With You,” and Don Williams title, “I Believe In Love.” The songwriter also treated the audience to his Crystal Gayle cut “Talking In Your Sleep.”

The fun continued Saturday, late with Al Anderson, Gretchen Peters, Roger Murrah and Tom Douglas at 3rd & Lindsley, while Bekka Bramlett, Billy Burnette, Bruce Gaistch and Dennis Morgan at Douglas Corner Cafe. Friday also included Bob DiPiero, Richie McDonald and special guests for the CMA Songwriter show at 3rd & Lindsley, competing with Emily West, Jamie O’Neal, KS Rhoads and Stephony Smith at Commodore Grille and Stephen Dorff, Bobby Tomberlin and Audrey Spillman with special guests at The Country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where wasn’t there talent performing last night (March 28)? The 25th Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival officially began at 10 venues across Nashville.

Early shows included a surprise appearance by Keith Urban during a Station Inn show with Ross Copperman and their BOOM published writers Logan Turner, Cali Rodi and Jordan Minton.

SMACK’s Josh Osborne and Shane McAnally played with Old Dominion’s Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen at the Listening Room Café while SOURCE hosted Danielle Bradbery, Jaida Dreyer, Jo Smith and Lari White at Whiskey Rhythm Saloon.

 

 

While there were no surprise appearances for the early show at 3rd & Lindsley other than Cary Barlowe, playing guitar for wife and hit maker Hillary Lindsey, Sean McConnell’s round did include major label artists Brothers Osborne in addition to Audra Mae.

In what may have seemed like an oblong paring, the dynamic 3rd & Lindsley round featured the electrifying guitar embellishments from John Osborne, whose brother self-deprecatingly joked of “Stay A Little Longer” as their [singular] hit. The reigning CMA Vocal Duo of the Year continued to play a new title, “Shoot Me Straight” among the lively set.

Mae, with a rambunctious vibe similar to that of Elle King, pulled out her Miranda Lambert smash, “Little Red Wagon,” in addition to her McConnell co-write, “Riding Shotgun,” which was recorded by Christina Aguilera and Buddy Miller for Nashville.

With signature glacial-clear vocals, McConnell played through his own crowd-rouser “Save Our Soul” and welcomed Lindsey for their more subdued but potent Jake Owen heartbreak title, “When You Love Someone.”

Lindsey herself was a trooper, putting up with taunting from the stage about her 18 No. 1 singles, of which she played Carrie Underwood’s “Dirty Laundry” and Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush.” New titles previewed included a suggestive Love Junkies housewife fantasy, titled “Bed We Made,” alongside an existentially reflective, “Before The Curtain Call.”

Rounds continued at 9 p.m. including husband/wife Rodney Clawson and Nicolle Galyon (with special guests including RaeLynn, Rhett Akins, Jimmy Robbins, Dallas Davidson, Lori McKenna, Claire Douglas, Brad Clawson, Emily Weisband, Tom Douglas) at 3rd & Lindsley.

The Country bar, near Centennial Park, welcomed Matt McGinn, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins and Kristen Arian while the Bluebird Café hosted Allen Shamblin, Lee Roy Parnell, Larry Gatlin and Aaron Baker. Big Machine Music’s Tucker Beathard, Jonathan Singleton and Luke Combs were featured at the Hard Rock Café with Casey Beathard (Little Louder), all presented NASH FM 103.3.