Muserk Adds Four, Elevates Two

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Pictured (Top Row, L-R): Emily Kelly, Molly Tiemann, Truman Kitos-Lindsey. (Bottom Row, L-R): Jeanine Davis, Jeremy Swain, Collin White.

Muserk, a global rights management company that offers music rights administration, patented AI technology, copyright royalty funds, catalog ownership and more, has added four members to its team and elevated two.

Jeanine Davis and Jeremy Swain have joined as software developers. Davis comes to Muserk from BerniePortal, where she spent several years as a full-stack developer, helping to build and scale a widely used software-as-a-service (SaaS) product. Swain previously worked at Exactuals, where he focused on the intersection of data, engineering and royalty accounting.

Molly Tiemann and Emily Kelly joined as administrators. Tiemann comes to Muserk from SESAC with experience in registration, metadata ingestion, database management, catalog auditing and ownership conflict resolution. Kelly holds a degree in Music Rights Administration from Belmont University and brings with her more than four years of experience in catalog registration, royalty payment operations and international licensing. Most recently, she served as the Senior Publishing Catalog Specialist at Music Services.

In addition to new hires, long-time team member Collin White was promoted to Chief Technology Officer, while Truman Kitos-Lindsey was promoted to Director of Rights Management. In White’s new position, he will lead the ongoing development of Muserk’s proprietary Blue Matter technology and new SaaS offerings. New hires Tiemann and Kelly will report to Kitos-Lindsey in his new role of Director of Rights Management.

Marc Driskill continues to lead Muserk as General Manager.

“We built a company that solves the biggest challenges in rights management, and now we’re applying that infrastructure to develop new products and services—for ourselves and rights holders around the world,” shares Paul Goldman, Founder and CEO. “To accommodate our ongoing business growth, we are also focused on expanding our team. Our new hires bring with them unparalleled expertise that strengthens our technology offerings as well as our customer experience.”

Black River Entertainment Elevates Kellie LaJack

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Kellie LaJack. Photo: Courtesy of Black River Entertainment

Black River Entertainment has promoted Kellie LaJack to Director of National Promotion.

“My goal when we hired Kellie was to bring her into the National position,” says Bill Macky, Vice President of Promotion. “She’s a natural leader, and her passion for our artists and team-first attitude have all contributed to this well deserved promotion. She will continue to manage her territory for us while taking on additional responsibilities.”

LaJack has played a key role in driving national radio campaigns across its roster since joining Black River. In her new role, she will continue to lead national promotion strategies and expand the label’s presence at country radio.

“A heartfelt thank you to Gordon Kerr, Rick Froio, and Bill Macky for blessing me with this incredible opportunity,” adds LaJack. “I’m truly grateful to be part of such an amazing company, surrounded by a team and a group of artists who have welcomed me like family. I won’t let you down!”

LaJack can be reached here and will remain based in Nashville.

‘Tip Of The Hat To Texas’ Singer-Songwriter Series Set For October

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The “Tip of the Hat to Texas” singer-songwriter series is set to take place Oct. 2-4 La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio in collaboration with Sony Music Publishing.

The second annual event will feature performances by Drake Milligan, Frank Ray, Brice Long, Anniston Pate, Alex Lambert, Terry McBride and Madeline Edwards.

“Tip of the Hat to Texas” kicks off Oct. 2 at SweetFire Kitchen with Dinner & A Show where guests can indulge in a three-course menu while enjoying live performances from Ray, Pate and Edwards followed by Strings & Stories in La Cantera Resort’s lobby with performances by a variety of artists beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets will also support the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.

On Oct. 3 the Acoustic Songwriter Showcase brings together a handpicked lineup of storytellers including Milligan, Lambert, Long and McBride sharing the songs they’ve lived, loved and written from the ground up.

La Cantera becomes home to frontier elegance on Saturday, Oct. 4 with the In Gold Dust We Walk Fashion Show at 3 p.m., a runway experience honoring the legacy of Western style while reimagining it through a lens of modern luxury. Saturday evening will see the Tribute to Texas Concert performed by The Texases, a San Antonio-based group covering fan-favorite ‘90s classics.

Guests and visitors looking to add something special to their country music weekend can take part in the Music & Memories add-on, set to include an exclusive autographed poster signed by all the writers, plus two drink tickets to enjoy at any of the Tip of the Hat events.

“We’re proud to be the home of this special series and bring our guests a unique and elevated Lone Star experience by offering the chance to connect and sing along with some of the state’s up-and-coming singers and songwriters. Tip of the Hat to Texas will pay homage to our King Ranch roots while creating moments for our guests and the community we serve to discover the incredible country music talent coming straight from our home state,” says Ben Turner, General Manager of La Cantera Resort & Spa.

Ben Gallaher Reveals Sophomore Album Due In September

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Ben Gallaher will release his sophomore album, Time, on Sept. 26 via QHMG/Stone Country Records. Alongside the announcement, Gallaher will release “Rearview” this Friday (Aug. 29).

The 13-track project was produced by Neil Thrasher and Patrick Thrasher. Gallaher co-wrote five of the tracks alongside Jordan Minton, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy and Kelley Lovelace, among others.

“When we were trying to figure out what I wanted to name the album, this idea came to me, because it’s much bigger than just the song ‘Time’ itself,” says Gallaher. “It’s about how every song and every guitar riff and every live show only come with time. And that’s exactly what went into making this record: time. These songs take me to different moments in my life and in my journey, all leading to finally making the record that I’ve always wanted to make.”

Time Track List:
1. “I’ll Take You” (Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley, Tony Martin)
2. “Rearview” (Chris DeStefano, Travis Wood, Casey Brown, Jordan Minton)
3. “Bullet” (Ben Gallaher, Chris August, Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher)
4. “Betcha Money” (Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley, Lee Thomas Miller)
5. “Where Do You Go” (Neil Thrasher, Josh Thompson, Kelley Lovelace)
6. “Dirt Ones” (Tony Martin, Neil Thrasher)
7. “Time” (Ben Gallaher, Neil Thrasher, Tony Martin)
8. “Mistakes” (Ben Gallaher, Tony Martin, Neil Thrasher)
9. “Kinda Can’t Say No” (Lee Thomas Miller, Wendell Mobley, Neil Thrasher)
10. “Love Is Hard” (Neil Thrasher, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Tony Martin)
11. “Cuts Like a Knife” (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance)
12. “Whiskey on a Wound” (Ben Gallaher, Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher)
13. “Stomp” (Ben Gallaher, Neil Thrasher, Patrick Thrasher, Wendell Mobley)

Troy Cartwright’s ‘Ten Year Town’ Podcast Celebrates 100 Episodes

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Troy Cartwright

Singer-songwriter Troy Cartwright‘s Ten Year Town, the podcast that’s become a compass for creatives navigating the challenging and sometimes frustrating road to success in Nashville, celebrates its milestone 100th episode this week.

Cartwright welcomes Grammy-winning songwriter Liz Rose as his special guest for this milestone episode. Rose reflected on her journey during the discussion with Cartwright, sharing, “If I changed anything, I wouldn’t be where I am, which is so amazing. If I had started writing at 20 and not 30, I wouldn’t have written a song that Taylor Swift heard and loved and wanted to write with me.”

Launched in June of 2023, the Ten Year Town Podcast has become one of the top platforms chronicling the stories behind Nashville’s most compelling voices. Former guests have ranged from Grammy-winning songwriters to rising country stars and respected music industry execs, and in the past few weeks, Cartwright has welcomed guests including Tom Douglas, Ben Rector, Tammy Rogers (The SteelDrivers), Stephen Wilson Jr., Hardy and Chris Dubois, with many others confirmed to guest in the coming weeks.

Lineup Unveiled For 2025 CCMA Songwriters Unplugged Series Presented By SOCAN & Apple

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The Canadian Country Music Association has revealed the lineup for the 2025 CCMA Songwriters Unplugged Series, presented by SOCAN with Apple Music Sept. 10-12 in Kelowna, BC.

Taking place at the Rotary Centre for the Arts over three sessions, the intimate, in-the-round acoustic performance series brings together notable songwriters and artists in an immersive experience. Session one on Sept. 10 kicks off Country Music Week 2025 with performances by Danick Dupelle, Teigen Gayse, Aaron Goodvin, Shawnee Kish, Robyn Ottolini, Jessica Sevier, Jesse Slack, and Sykamore, hosted by Carleton Stone. 

Session Two on Sept. 11 features performances from AHI, Shawn Austin, Andrew Hyatt, Griffen Palmer, Meghan Patrick, Shantaia, Sarah Vanderzon, and Alli Walker, hosted by Cameron Kennedy. Session Three on Sept. 12 features an international lineup of notable songwriters including James Barker, Dax, and Lowell, hosted by Apple Music’s Ty Bentli. 

Chapel Hart Announces Split

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Chapel Hart. Photo: Alexis Carter

Chapel Hart, the trio comprised of sisters Danica and Devynn Hart, and first cousin Trea Swindle, has announced its separation via a social media post.

“As we each step into new seasons in life, we have decided to press pause on Chapel Hart so we can explore other passions and dreams that have been calling to us individually. This is not a goodbye. It is a celebration of everything we have built and a step toward everything still to come,” shared the band.

Danica Hart will be continuing on her own, while Devynn and Swindle have come together to form their new duo, Magnolia Rising.

The band will honor their remaining live show commitments, which includes a show at Stockbridge Amphitheater in Stockbridge, Georgia this Friday (Aug. 29), and an appearance at Keep It Country Festival this October in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

Alabama Welcomes Mark Herndon On Stage For First Time In Two Decades

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Mark Herndon. Photo: Josh Weichman

Alabama surprised the sold-out crowd at the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama on Saturday night (Aug. 23) with a very special guest as the band’s former drummer Mark Herndon returned to the stage to join in on the final song of the night.

Lead singer Randy Owen welcomed Herndon on stage to perform on “Mountain Music,” complete with his trademark drum solo, marking his first appearance with Alabama in over two decades. Herndon first joined Alabama’s Owen, Gentry and the late Jeff Cook as the band’s full-time drummer in the late 1970s, and performed with the award-winning group for nearly 30 years before departing after the band’s “Farewell Tour” in 2004.

“It just fell together,” Alabama’s Teddy Gentry explains. “The good Lord blesses us sometimes to do things that we can’t do. All we can do is kind of be in the wings and kind of hope for things. Like I said, we make plans, and he laughs. But there’s nothing he can’t do.”

“I felt like a little kid all day,” says Herndon. “It was so cathartic for everybody. I think it was on God’s time, I really do. It was magic all over again.”

Owen and Gentry are currently performing nationally on their “Live In Concert 25 Tour” with 14 dates scheduled before the end of the year.

Weekly Register: Gavin Adcock Enters Top 5 On Streaming Charts

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Gavin Adcock.

Morgan Wallen maintains the top position on the country albums and streaming songs charts this week, according to Luminate data. His duet with Tate McRae, “What I Want,” remains at No. 1 on the songs chart with 17 million streams this week adding to its 280 million total, while his I’m The Problem record holds its top position on the albums chart with 121K in total consumption.

On the songs chart, Wallen holds the top four positions. “Just In Case” and “I’m The Problem” come in at No. 2 and No. 3 with 12 million and 11 million streams respectively this week. “I Got Better” takes the No. 4 spot with 11 million streams this week. Rounding out this week’s song chart is Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” with 9.2 million streams this week.

Over on the albums chart, Wallen’s One Thing At A Time takes the No. 2 spot with 38K in total consumption and his Dangerous: The Double Album has taken the No. 3 spot with 26K in total consumption. Following that is Gavin Adcock’s Own Worst Enemy with 24 in total consumption. In the No. 5 spot this week is Shaboozey with Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going garnering 23k in total consumption.

Maren Morris & Reign Storm Team To Mentor Rising Musicians With Maren’s Masterclass

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Maren Morris is partnering with Reign Storm to launch “Maren’s Masterclass,” an exclusive mentorship experience for up-and-coming musicians to have Morris as their personal adviser and spend time with her in the studio.

The program is open to multi-genre musicians and bands across the country, “Maren’s Masterclass” invites emerging artists to audition for the chance to work with Morris to help define their sound as they launch their careers. The first-of-its-kind initiative combines Reign Storm’s mission to fuel and inspire people to Live Life Better with Morris’s passion for empowering the next generation of musical talent.

“I’m so happy to be partnering with Reign Storm to launch this mentorship program,” says Morris. “In the past I was lucky to have mentors who were willing to pass on their knowledge of the music industry. I’m proud to now have a chance to mentor others and cannot wait to see the amazing new emerging talent that is out there.”

From Aug. 22 to Sept. 22, artists over the age of 18 can audition for the program by submitting a short video showcasing their talent, creativity, and passion on Reign Storm’s website. A total of three singers, songwriters, DJs, producers or musical groups will be selected to be Maren’s mentees.

The chosen artists will receive an all expense paid trip to Nashville where they will meet with Morris and her team for an in-person mentoring session at Blackbird Studio. They will also have two virtual mentor sessions with Morris and up to five hours of studio time to record. Artists who don’t get chosen will go into the draw to receive a year’s supply of Reign Storm to fuel their creative grind.

“Maren’s Masterclass is a perfect example of how Reign Storm empowers individuals to tap into their highest potential and Live Life Better,” says Reign Storm GM Tim Ryder. “This program blends creativity, purpose, and performance – everything our brand stands for. By giving aspiring artists access to mentorship from someone as talented and authentic as Maren, we’re helping fuel the next generation of creators with the energy and confidence to chase their dreams.”