Pictured (Back row, L-R): WME’s Abby Wells-Baas, Jay Williams and Rush Davenport; Jaela Scaife, Little Extra Music. Front row (L-R): Lisa Ramsey-Perkins, Little Extra Music; Kelsey Waters; Joe Scaife, Little Extra Music.

Little Extra Music singer/songwriter Kelsey Waters has signed with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME) for representation.

Raised in the 30-A region of the Florida panhandle, Waters was playing bars before she could even drive. After signing her publishing deal with Little Extra Music, she began collaborating with writers including Lori McKenna (“Girl Crush,” “Humble & kind”) and Tia Sillers (“I Hope You Dance,” “There’s Your Trouble,” “Blue On Black”). Waters is working on her first album.

“I want my music to be relevant, honest and come straight from the heart,” Waters says. “My hope is to make a record full of songs that sound just as true as they do when they’re first recorded as a work-tape on my phone. That raw, crazy energy, when you know you’ve written something fine, when you think you’ve nailed it? That’s what I’m out to capture.”

Chris Tompkins

Big Loud Shirt Industries/Round Hill Music has extended its publishing deal with songwriter Chris Tompkins.

“This fall will be 10 years of Big Loud Shirt with Chris; 15 No. 1s, two Grammys, and a thousand beats thumping through the wall,” said Big Loud Shirt owner and hit songwriter Craig Wiseman. “It has been a fun, crazy, magical, maddening, meaningful, miraculous mayhem from the first day. And, I thank God for every day since and every day yet to come.”

Tompkins said of the continued partnership, “I’m looking forward to many more dice rolling, beer drinking, story-telling, cliff jumping, offensive, first-class moon shining and corn dog-converting good times … roll tide!”

With over 15 No. 1 singles to date, Tompkins’ hits also include Tyler Farr’s “Redneck Crazy,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt,” The Band Perry’s “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely,” Chris Young’s “Voices,” Luke Bryan’s “Drunk on You,” Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away,” Frankie Ballard’s “Helluva Life,” and Blake Shelton’s “Sure Be Cool If You Did.”

“Blown Away” was awarded the 2013 Grammy for Country Song Of The Year nod, and “Drunk on a Plane” was proclaimed one of the “Songs I Wish I’d Written” at the 2014 NSAI Awards. In 2007, Tompkins tied with Josh Kear for the honor of MusicRow‘s Breakthrough Songwriter honor.

Pictured (L-R): Kelly Donely, Safford Motley PLC; Scott Safford, attorney; Terry Wakefield, Sony/ATV; Jaida Dreyer; Missi Gallimore; Tom Luteran, Sony/ATV; Hannah Williams, Sony/ATV

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has signed singer-songwriter Jaida Dreyer in a joint venture with Gary Borman and Missi Gallimore.

Dreyer celebrated her first No. 1 single in February with “Home Alone Tonight,” recorded by Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild.

Dreyer has written nine tunes for the series Nashville, with songs also featured in A&E’s The Returned and Netflix’s Longmire. She was previously associated with Streamsound Records as a recording artist and Red Vinyl Music as a songwriter.

“Jaida is a writer whose time has arrived and I’m excited to take this journey with her,” says Gallimore. “She is one of my very favorite songwriters in town and an amazing singer, who is truly a stylist in today’s market.”

Sony/ATV’s Terry Wakefield says, “Jaida is such a talented singer, gifted songwriter and engaging performer. Her passion for her music is contagious!”

Carey Ott

Imagem Music US has signed Nashville-based singer/songwriter Carey Ott. The signing marks the first Nashville agreement for the company.

Ott’s music has appeared in shows, films and commercials, including Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Kyle XY, and campaigns for JCPenney, Coors Light and more. He also contributed a song to The Greencards‘ Grammy-nominated album Sweetheart of the Sun.

Ott’s self-published song “The Hard Way” has been recorded by Gary Allan. Ott has had cuts by Jack Tempchin, The Silver Seas, and Dualtone artist Rebecca Roubion.

Carey produces and engineers his own master recordings through his personal studio, Velvet Shoreline. Following three years with Dualtone/Cal IV (2005-2008), Ott is building his self-published catalog Long Story Short. He has worked with producers and artists such as Tempchin (The Eagles’ “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Already Gone”), Dylan Altman (Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen), Iain Archer (Snow Patrol, Jake Bugg), Lincoln Parish (Cage The Elephant), Steve Albini (Pixies, Nirvana, Bush), Brian Deck (Iron & Wine, Counting Crows, Modest Mouse), Ray Kennedy (Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Ray Davies) and Chris Gelbuda (Meghan Trainor, Sabrina Carpenter, Billy Currington).

Pictured (L-R): Sea Gayle’s Jake Gear and Brandon Gregg, Pinson, Driskill and BMI’s Perry Howard

Sea Gayle Music has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with award-winning songwriter Bobby Pinson.

Pinson has written seven No. 1 country singles and was named BMI’s Country Songwriter of the Year in 2009.

He has had more than 150 of his songs recorded, with cuts by Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Sugarland and more.

“Bobby is one of those talents that you hope to work with as a publisher. He is an exceptional songwriter and has a unique ability to connect music and life. We couldn’t be more excited to have him as part of the Sea Gayle team,” says Sea Gayle EVP/GM Marc Driskill.