Downtown & FUGA Amplify Nashville Footprint With New Leadership & Signings [Exclusive]

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Sam Cope & Bryan Mooney

Downtown Artist & Label Services and FUGA have relocated Bryan Mooney, Global Vice President of A&R at DA&LS, and Sam Cope, Director of Digital Accounts Strategy, Americas at FUGA, to their Nashville office.

“We’re thrilled to increase our local footprint in Nashville’s thriving music scene, and to build on the success that Jeanette [Porcello] and the Downtown team have already helped our roster to achieve,” says Mooney.

FUGA is a B2B distributor owned by Downtown. In Cope’s role in Music City, she will serve as a marketing link for clients, alongside key local expertise to foster greater discovery and engagement with DSPs.

“Being on the ground in Nashville is providing new opportunities to increase visibility in the market and strengthen our relationships with DSPs in real time,” adds Cope. “Ultimately, it means we can better champion our clients’ music and connect it with the audiences who will love it most.”

Alongside Mooney and Cope’s relocations, Downtown has added new signings to its roster, led by Porcello, Director of A&R. The new talent included Erin Kinsey and Jack Blocker. Downtown is also working on developing projects with Brye, Cate Canning, BLÜ EYES and The Nude Party. These all join the company’s roster of Colbie Caillat, Judah & The Lion, Drew Holcomb and Hunter Hayes, among others.

“Nashville is a natural fit for FUGA’s continued growth in North America,” shares Sarah Landy, SVP, Americas, FUGA. “We’re proud to partner with companies whose mission so closely aligns with our own, supporting creators with intention, purpose, and the important duality of global reach alongside emphasis on local relationships and presence.”

The news also includes the signing of Integrity Music, a division of David C Cook. Headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee and an additional office in Brighton, UK, Integrity Music is focused on modern worship music. FUGA has also strengthened its relationship with management and artist services company GoodCopBadCop. The new partnership included integration with Downtown-owned Curve Royalties System, as well as an enhanced catalog strategy.

Theresa Wolters Joins MusiCares As Executive Director

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Theresa Wolters. Photo: Kelly Samson, Gallery Photography

Theresa Wolters has been named Executive Director at MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s charitable arm.

Wolters has served as MusiCares’ Vice President of Health & Human Services since 2022 and brings more than two decades of global health and humanitarian leadership to the role. After stepping in as Interim Executive Director in 2025, she now formally leads MusiCares in its mission to provide a safety net of comprehensive support to the music community.

Wolters holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University, a Master of Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University and studied African Affairs at the University of Cape Town. Before joining MusiCares, Wolters tackled health crises around the world. At the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, she helped shape global strategies that delivered lifesaving services to tens of millions of people affected by HIV and other infectious diseases. As a founding employee of Millennium Promise, she was integral to launching the Millennium Villages Project, one of the most ambitious demonstrations of the UN’s development goals in action.

Later, with the International Medical Corps, Wolters directed health and refugee programs across five African countries, bringing care and stability to some of the most vulnerable populations on the planet. In her work at MusiCares, she champions music professionals as an at-risk population uniquely vulnerable to financial setbacks and health challenges.

“Theresa embodies the spirit of MusiCares. She approaches her work with empathy and clarity, and she strengthens every story with facts that show why our work matters,” says Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares. “Her leadership ensures that music professionals will continue to have access to the care and support they need — recognizing that financial struggles, health concerns and mental health challenges are often deeply connected.”

“Every day, MusiCares has a life-changing, and often lifesaving, impact on music professionals,” says Wolters.”For 35 years, MusiCares has been driven by compassion and a relentless focus on solving the big challenges facing our community. I am truly privileged to work alongside such an outstanding team of committed professionals and know MusiCares will continually rise to meet the needs of those we serve,”

Mike Curb To Present Inaugural Home Of GMA Gospel Music Hall Of Fame

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Mike Curb

Curb Records Founder Mike Curb is set to present the inaugural home of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame at the official opening slated for Oct. 3.

In partnership with Curb, the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame will reside inside the first-of-its kind Museum of Christian & Gospel Music and will honor 194 Christian and Gospel music luminaries with a permanent exhibit that showcases the lives and legacies of nearly 200 individuals who have shaped the genre. Dating back to its first inductees in 1971, the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame will pay homage to well-known hymn writers like Fanny Crosby and John Newton and pioneers Bill and Gloria Gaither and Dottie Rambo.

It will also highlight the achievements of other prominent trailblazers, including legendary artists Pat Boone, Andrae Crouch, Keith Green and Amy Grant, as well as respected behind-the-scenes professionals, such as record label executive Billy Ray Hearn and award-winning producer Brown Bannister, among many others. GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame members’ achievements and notable contributions will also be displayed throughout other areas of the museum, with their names denoting their membership in the Hall of Fame. Entrance to the Mike Curb presents GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame is included with every museum ticket and membership.

“The Gospel Music Association is taking a bold step toward its mission to Expose, Promote & Celebrate the Gospel Through Music by establishing a permanent presence in the heart of Music City,” shares Jackie Patillo, President of The Gospel Music Association. “The GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame, which will celebrate the pioneers who shaped Christian and Gospel music, finally has a home. Special thanks to Mike Curb for his unwavering commitment to our industry and to the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music.”

More than an exhibit space, the museum will be a living, breathing part of the industry, offering live performances, workshops, interviews, and unforgettable artist encounters. Its rotating collections will feature music milestones, timeless memorabilia, and emerging moments and the museum will host a variety of special events throughout the year, including podcast tapings, brown-bag lunch symposiums, writers’ workshops, and more. Limited tickets remain for the first Legacy Series event at The C&G on Sept. 4 featuring inaugural Artist in Residence and 16-time GMA Dove Award winner Russ Taff, marking the museum’s first public gathering.

“The GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame has been around for decades, but only now has found a terrestrial home inside the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music,” says Museum Executive Director Steve Gilreath. “We’re working hard to honor the calling of those nearly 200 artists in the Hall with an interactive display of special memories and artifacts. See you this fall at the C&G!”

NSAI Unveils Details For 26th Annual NSAI Song Contest

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NSAI will open its 26th annual Song Contest on Sept. 1 at 12 p.m. CST.

This year’s contest will award 13 songwriters who either win or are deemed runners-up in the contest. Grand Prize Winners will receive one of two cash prizes ($5,000 and $2,500), a complete Home Studio Recording Package from Custom House at Guitar Center, $1,500 towards a Guitar Center purchase courtesy of the Guitar Center Music Foundation, a Taylor Guitars Gold Label 517e guitar, a mentor session with either Ashley McBryde or Rivers Rutherford, a one-year single-song publishing contract with BMG, a pair of tickets to ninth annual Nashville Songwriter Awards in 2026, a personalized Music Row Experience, an experience at The Bluebird Cafe and more.

Runners-up will be awarded prizes from Musicnotes and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, custom capos from G7th The Capo Company, and a chance to participate in a Group Mentor Session with Josh Osborne.

All individual contest participants will receive one credit for an NSAI Song Evaluation for any song of their choosing after the contest has been completed, as well as the scorecard for every submission entered with insight from the judges.

The judging will be completed within four phases, kicking off with an analysis of each individual entry by an industry professional. The highest scoring songs and lyrics from each judge will move forward to the next rounds. A total of 13 entries will place in the contest over the other three phases of judging, which will culminate with a live-taped final judging where the Lyric Category Grand Prize Winner and runners-up will be revealed. The Song Category Top 10 finalists will be also be judged for the final time before determining the Song Category Grand Prize Winner. Judging will take place no later than February 2026. 10 additional entries will be recognized as Honorable Mentions in the contest.

All entries can be submitted online here. The fees to enter are $35 per song or lyric entry for current NSAI members and $45 per song or lyric entry for the general public. There is no limit to the number of songs or lyrics that songwriters can submit, and the submission portal closes at 5 p.m. CST on Oct. 31.

Graham Barham To Release New EP ‘Whiskey Rain’ In September

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Graham Barham is set to release his new EP, WHISKEY RAIN, on Sept. 5.

Barham co-wrote every track alongside Jessi Alexander, Lydia Vaughan and Summer Overstreet, among others. Infused with his signature “club country” sound, the project was produced by Sam Bergeson with additional production collaborators including Sam Martinez, Gabe Foust, Seth Mosley, Mark Holman, 6AM and Zach Abend. The title track features Tyler Hubbard.

Barham’s “Oil Money” headlining tour kicks off Sept. 11 in Covington, KY and runs through November.

WHISKEY RAIN Track List:
1. “WHISKEY RAIN (feat. Tyler Hubbard)” (Graham Barham / Jessi Alexander / Sam Martinez / Cole Miracle)
2. “WRITE IT IN RED” (Graham Barham / Gabe Foust / Cole Miracle)
3. “BREAK OUT THE BOTTLE” (Graham Barham / Seth Mosley / Cole Taylor)
4. “BAD NIGHT (KARMA)” (Graham Barham / Mark Holman / Cole Miracle / Summer Overstreet)
5. “WTH JUST HAPPENED?” (Graham Barham / Beau Bailey / Sam Bergeson / Gabe Foust / Cole Miracle)
6. “CAMO” (Graham Barham / Beau Bailey / Sam Bergeson / Lydia Vaughan)
7. “EASY ON ME” (Graham Barham / Sam Bergeson / Summer Overstreet / Andrew Stoelzing / Emil de Witt / Yoel Embaie / Hampus Ström / Jonatan Jakobsson)
8. “EVERYBODY DIES IN HOLLYWOOD” (Graham Barham / Zach Abend / Smith Ahnquist / Beau Bailey)

Sony Music Publishing Nashville Signs Aniston Pate

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Pictured (L-R): Rusty Gaston, Emily Carignan, Aniston Pate and Tom Luteran. Photo: Savannah Spencer

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has signed rising singer-songwriter Aniston Pate to a global publishing agreement.

Hailing from Texas, Pate is a recent Belmont University grad, where she ended her college experience with a win at the university’s iconic Country Showcase. She has recently earned success with releases including “Honky Tonk Without a Woman,” and is working on a new project alongside acclaimed producers Rob Williford and Aaron Raitiere.

Pate shares, “I want to say thank you to everyone in the Sony team for believing in my songs. Thank you to Emily Carignan for sticking by my side. Thank you to my friends that make even the hardest of times fun. Thank you to Mom and Ian for helping me believe I could do this. And thank you to the Lord for every time He heard me pray.”

Sony Music Publishing Nashville Vice President, Creative A&R Tom Luteran adds, “Aniston is a true unicorn as an artist. When Emily Carignan first played me her music I was intrigued, and when I met her, I was hooked – we both can’t wait for the rest of the world to hear this budding superstar.”

615 Indie Live Event Returns In February

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615 Indie Live, a celebration of Nashville’s independent music venues and local artists, will return for its second year on Feb. 7.

Building on the success of the inaugural event earlier this year, the one-day music event will shine a spotlight on Nashville’s vibrant local music scene, while raising money to support its treasured independent venues.

“Independent music venues are where much of Nashville’s creative energy comes to life,” says Deana Ivey, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “These spaces give emerging artists across all genres a chance to be heard and celebrated. With the return of 615 Indie Live, we’re inviting locals and visitors alike to discover new sounds, support neighborhood venues, and experience the depth of talent that makes Music City so unique. Hosting the event in winter is also a meaningful way to support these stages during a typically quieter time of year.”

The inaugural event in 2025 featured a lineup of more than 60 local artists performing across 14 independent venues throughout Music City. More than 2,200 tickets were sold for the 2025 event, and the event raised $35,000 for the Music Venue Alliance, including the organization’s Emergency Relief Fund, which helps the city’s independent venues keep their doors open during times of financial crisis.

“Nashville truly showed up for 615 Indie Live earlier this year,” says Chris Cobb, Director of MVAN. “Venues were packed, the music was incredible, and the positive feedback overwhelming. We really felt that night we had the makings of a new community tradition.”

Event passes are discounted and priced affordably to make the event accessible to all. Early bird tickets are now on sale for $15. Prices will increase to $20 once the lineup is announced in late fall and to $25 on the day of show. Tickets will grant fans access to all participating venues and performances throughout the day, subject to venue capacity at the time.

AIMP Nashville To Host ‘State of the Music Publishing Industry’

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David Israelite.

The Nashville Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) is set to host “State of the Music Publishing Industry: An Update from David Israelite,” taking place Sept. 23 at 11:00 a.m. at The Listening Room Café in Nashville.

Israelite is the President and CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA). Since taking the helm of the NMPA in 2005, he has overseen groundbreaking victories on behalf of publishers and songwriters, including the largest Copyright Royalty Board rate increase in history, landmark royalty agreements with streaming platforms, and the passage of the Music Modernization Act, which created the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC). Named multiple times to Billboard’s Power 100, Israelite also serves on the boards of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Special Olympics DC, and previously served on the board of the Country Music Association (CMA). In addition, he is President of the NMPA S.O.N.G.S. Foundation, which supports emerging songwriters through scholarships and direct services.

“David’s leadership has been pivotal in shaping the legal and business framework that underpins our entire industry,” says AIMP Nashville President, John Ozier. “We’re thrilled to host him in Nashville for what promises to be an invaluable session for publishers, songwriters and industry professionals navigating today’s rapidly changing landscape.”

Registration information is available here.

GMA Dove Awards Unveils Second Round Of Performers & Presenters

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The second round of performers and presenters have been announced for the upcoming 56th annual GMA Dove Awards set for Oct. 7 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Performers include CeCe Winans, Elevation Rhythm, Elevation Worship, Israel & New Breed and Unified Sound, and Lecrae. Presenters include Jason Crabb, Milo Ventimiglia, Naomi Raines, Natalie Grant, and Pastor Mike Jr. Additional performers and presenters will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Previously announced performers set to appear on the show include Lauren Daigle, Fred Hammond featuring The Choir Room, Gaither Vocal Band, and Josiah Queen. Presenters include John Crist, Sadie Robertson Huff, David & Tamela Mann, and Chris Tomlin.

Tickets for the 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards are on sale now. The broadcast will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN+ app October 10 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET and will be simulcast on SiriusXM The Message. An encore presentation will air on TBN and the TBN+ app October 17 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET.

MaRynn Taylor Embraces Vulnerability On Debut Project [Interview]

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MaRynn Taylor’s self-titled debut project, released on Friday (Aug. 22), is built to offer fans an authentic glimpse into her life. Across its 12 tracks, she captures emotions that many listeners know all too well — the trials, heartbreaks and joys of navigating your 20s.

“I wanted to name it MaRynn because it feels like a first name basis kind of album. It shows all the different sides of me,” Taylor tells MusicRow.

This kind of honest artistry is something Taylor says she discovered while on the road with Kelsea Ballerini earlier this year.

MaRynn Taylor performing at Bridgestone Arena during “Kelsea Ballerini: Live On Tour”

“I really found myself on stage and as an artist through that tour. I’m just so thankful for it,” she shares.

That experience also shaped several of the record’s key tracks. “free ain’t free” tackles the personal costs and lasting impact of a challenging situation, making it one of the album’s most vulnerable moments. On the lighter side, “dirty blonde,” which Taylor calls “a very sassy blonde anthem,” showcases her playful, confident side.

Taylor’s storytelling comes through in a range of perspectives on the record. On the standout track “pretty much,” which Taylor wrote alongside Josh Kerr and Dan Wilson, she leans into honesty about the pressures of womanhood. “I was really just feeling the weight of the world and what it puts on women — whether it comes to how we’re acting or how we look — it can all feel really pretty impossible,” she explains. “I went into the write with two guys and basically trauma dumped on them. They are girl dads, so they kind of understood what I was going through in the sense that they don’t want their daughter to grow up in the same mentality. The approach to this song is really special.”

With “she broke up with the boy,” Taylor pays tribute to her love of ’90s country while adding her own spin. A twist on Trisha Yearwood’s “She’s In Love With The Boy,” Taylor reworked the iconic song to relate to her story. “I grew up loving ’90s country and I really wanted a song that sounded like that. It’s a celebratory breakup song. Not all breakups are sad, and mine wasn’t,” she says.

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The last track on the record is the only outside cut on MaRynn, written entirely by Anna Vaus. “longer than me” reflects on the kind of legacy Taylor says she hopes to leave in the world. “The goal of my career, and in my life, is I want to be a good person. I want to do this career right, I want to be kind to people, I want to make friends. I just want to be a good person and leave a good legacy.”

As for what she hopes people take from this chapter, her goal is clear. “I just hope they find their story in my story. I write for therapy. I write when I’m going through something and don’t understand it. Somehow writing about it makes me understand. When I’m writing it, I’m writing for myself. When I put it out, I’m putting it out for other people in hopes that it maybe helps them too.”

Taylor, who just wrapped her time as direct support for Jake Scott, will join Chris Young this fall on his “It Must Be Christmas – An Acoustic Evening with Chris Young Tour.”