Pictured (L-R): RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier, Chris Janson, RIAA Chief Policy Officer Morna Willens and Musicians On Call President & CEO Pete Griffin. Photo: Dan Swartz

Chris Janson received a plaque celebrating the five-times Platinum certification of his hit “Buy Me a Boat” from the RIAA during a special presentation on Monday (Jan. 20) at the RIAA’s headquarters in Washington, DC.

RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier and Chief Policy Officer Morna Willens joined Janson at the event celebrating the Presidential Inauguration to benefit Musicians On Call. Janson has become a vocal advocate for protecting creators’ rights and his visit to the nation’s capital not only celebrated the enduring success of his first No. 1, but also offered policymakers a taste of why music and those who make it need protection from unethical uses of AI.

Chris Janson performs at RIAA. Photo: Dan Swartz

Janson performed a high-energy set during the event featuring “Fix a Drink,” “All American Guy,” “Good Vibes,” “All I Need is You” and his upcoming single “Stay Rowdy,” along with some covers and a medley of “Courtesy of the Red White and Blue” and “God Bless the USA.”

“We don’t take these moments for granted … to recognize the incredible hard work and creative talent of an artist like Chris Janson. Congratulations on the now five-times Platinum hit ‘Buy Me a Boat!’” Glazier shared. “RIAA is honored to acknowledge not only this single, but his drive to ensure that all musicians can thrive. From the ELVIS Act in Tennessee to the federal NO FAKES Act, which protect the fundamental uniqueness of a person’s voice and likeness from irresponsible AI, we are proud of Chris’s continued advocacy.”

Last March, Janson gave a fiery speech in support as Tennessee Governor Bill Lee officially signed the ELVIS Act into law. The bipartisan legislation updates the state’s existing right of publicity while establishing protections for every person’s unique voice and likeness against unauthorized artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes and voice clones. He continues to support beyond his home state as the federal bipartisan, bicameral NO FAKES Act fuels momentum for fundamental human protections in the wake of exploitive and irresponsible AI.

“It was an awesome time in the RIAA house and a complete surprise receiving the five-times Platinum award for ‘Buy Me A Boat,'” says Janson. “I’m totally humbled and grateful. The ELVIS Act and NO FAKES Act are near to my heart and something I take very seriously. I’m proud to stand firmly behind each—helping protect artists and songwriters in a big way.”

Rick Myers

Rick Myers has joined O’Neil Hagaman, LLC as a Principal. In his new role, Myers will contribute to key decisions driving the firm’s growth while addressing the business and financial needs of its clients.

With over two decades of experience in financial strategy, business management and music industry leadership, Myers served as SVP, Finance and IT for HYBE’s Big Machine Label Group for the past three years. Other career accomplishments include serving as Managing Director/COO of Courage Music, founding 12 South Financial and serving as VP/Corporate Controller & PMO for Integrity Music. He is a graduate of Belmont University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.

“Opportunities to bring someone of Rick’s character and expertise into the firm don’t happen very often,” shares Legina Chaudoin, Partner at O’Neil Hagaman. “We’re pleased to welcome Rick into the O’Neil Hagaman family.”

Pictured (L-R): Bart Herbision (NSAI Executive Director), Brittany Moore and Jill Moody (NSAI, Director of Songwriter Relations).

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has revealed that singer-songwriter Brittany Moore is the latest recipient of the annual Todd Givens Memorial Scholarship.

Moore, an Arkansas native, started writing songs at the age of 15 and moved to Nashville in 2018 to further pursue her music career. She became a member of NSAI during her first year in the city, and over the past six years, her songwriting abilities have continued to evolve.

NSAI has supported and celebrated Moore’s raw authenticity, as she boldly tackles often overlooked subjects like diet culture and mental health. Her genuine storytelling strikes a chord with listeners worldwide, earning her multiple viral songs on social media, a feature on the Bobby Bones Show and a fully crowdfunded EP set to release later this year.

“I couldn’t think of a more deserving songwriter for us to recognize with this Todd Givens Scholarship than Brittany,” shares Bart Herbison, Executive Director of NSAI. “Todd was a beloved friend and staff member of NSAI, and an avid supporter of songwriters with the spirit that Brittany embodies. I personally choose the recipient of this honor every year with Todd in mind, and I know that he would have been a huge fan of her talents.”

Scholarship recipients are awarded a complimentary NSAI membership, access to a premium NSAI educational event and personalized support from the NSAI creative team throughout the year to help guide them in achieving their career goals.

Moore will officially be presented with the honor at the annual NSAI Member Awards, scheduled for March 26 at 3rd & Lindsley, as part of NSAI’s Tin Pan South week.

Three-time Grammy Award-winning duo Dan + Shay have topped the radio chart this week with their Grammy-nominated track “Bigger Houses,” written by the duo’s Dan Smyers with Andy Albert, Jordan Minton and Jordan Reynolds.

The band took to social media to celebrate their win and thank their co-writers, label and country radio for helping get the song to No. 1. “Thank you for taking a chance on this song, and helping us share it with millions and millions of listeners, week after week. Your support means more to us than we could ever put into words,” they shared.

“Last but not least, thank you to our fans. You have always stood by us, through every high and every low, and we are forever grateful. You believed in this song since the day we released it, and gave us the confidence to make it a single. Sitting on top of that house and hearing you sing these words back to us every night on tour was something we will never forget.”

In addition to the No. 1 hit, Dan + Shay are celebrating their year-end milestones such as the release of their first holiday album, It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album, that debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 Holiday/Seasonal Chart and reached No. 1 on the iTunes Holiday Albums Chart. Original tracks on the project such as “Officially Christmas,” “Happy New Year” and “Pick Out A Christmas Tree” helped push the album to 550 million streams worldwide, with the latter two reaching No. 1 on the iTunes Holiday Songs Chart.

Along with their holiday album success, the duo made special appearances on The Today Show, the Rockefeller Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Ashley Gorley. Photo: Katie Kauss

Ashley Gorley has claimed the top spot in first MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart of the new year. “Fix What You Didn’t Break,” “I Am Not Okay,” “I Had Some Help,” “Liar,” “Losers,” “Love Somebody,” “Park” and “This Town’s Been Too Good To Us” all push the songwriter to No. 1.

Chris Stapleton sits at No. 2 with solo-written “Think I’m In Love With You.” Charlie Handsome take the No. 3 spot with “Guy For That,” “I Had Some Help,” “Losers,” “Love Somebody,” “Pour Me A Drink,” “Smile” and “This Town’s Been To Good To Us.”

Taylor Phillips (No. 4) and John Byron (No. 5) round out this week’s top five.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.