Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher Among NMPA Top Gold & Platinum Songwriters For 1st Quarter Of 2023

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Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher

The National Music Publishers’ Association Gold & Platinum Program has announced the top songwriters for the first quarter of 2023, including the top artist-songwriter and top non-performing songwriter for the period.

Luke Combs was the top artist-songwriter overall with 26 certifications, including the 9X Platinum “Beautiful Crazy,” the 8X Platinum “Hurricane” and the 4X Platinum “Forever After All,” all published by Big Machine. He is now published by Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).

The top non-performing songwriter was Ray Fulcher, who scored 12 certifications for songs including “When It Rains It Pours,” “Does to Me” and “Reasons,” published by Sony Music Publishing. He is published by UMPG and River House/Sony Music Publishing.

“Man, kind of speechless to be honest,” says Combs. “All of the credit goes to my fans. They buy and stream the songs and albums, so none of this happens without them. This is honestly an award that should have their names on it. Huge thank you to them and everyone else who made this happen.”

“Pretty unreal to be included in this group, much less to be at the top for any period of time,” says Fulcher. “Thanks to country music fans and supporters for listening to these songs and believing in the music.  I’m going to keep writing songs from the heart, and hopefully, y’all keep listening. Thanks!”

NMPA President & CEO, David Israelite, says, “The first quarter of this year was a big moment for country music. Fueled by the success of Luke and Ray, we saw the growth of country dominate the Gold & Platinum certifications. Huge congratulations to Luke Combs for consistently creating timeless music, and to Ray for working with him on such enduring, massive songs.”

During January, February and March, 1,736 Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum certifications were awarded. Click here to see the full list of songwriters and publishers honored this quarter.

Bobby Karl Works The Room: Cidny Bullens Celebrates ‘TransElectric’ Book

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Chapter 672

Nashville songwriter and recording artist Cidny Bullens has a tale to tell, and his memoir doing just that was celebrated at Parnassus Books on Tuesday evening (June 6).

His book is TransElectric: My Life As a Cosmic Rock Star and his appearance at the Green Hills store featured songs, readings and autographing. “This is the story of a rock & roller, a mother and a transgender man….all of them me,” he read.

During the first part of his career, the performer recorded nine albums on United Artists, Casablanca, MCA, Artemis and other labels as “Cindy” Bullens. Among them are the critically applauded Desire Wire (1978), Steal the Night (1979), Cindy Bullens (1989), Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth (1999) and Howling Trains and Barking Dogs (2010). Bullens made the pop charts with the singles “Survivor” (1979) and “Trust Me” (1980).

Along the way, the singer/guitarist earned a Grammy nomination, recorded with Rod Stewart, toured with Elton John, sang on the million-selling Grease movie soundtrack and appeared in Bob Dylan’s “Rolling Thunder Revue.”

His lively memoir contains anecdotes about Elton John (who wrote the book’s Foreward), Peter Wolf & Faye Dunaway, Meatloaf, Dr. John, Ringo Starr and more. Music events and conversations that occurred decades ago are recalled in vivid prose.

“I’ve been keeping a journal for years,” Bullens reported. “It’s a blessing and a curse to have those journals. I could not have written the book as factually without them. They made the book better.”

Cidny Bullens opened the event singing “Little Pieces” with his own, able, acoustic-guitar accompaniment. He then read from TransElectric. The singer-songwriter married and bore children during his rock-star days. He moved to Nashville in 1990 and transitioned from Cindy to Cidny a decade ago.

Following a reading, he again picked up his guitar and offered the melodic “Boxing with God.” Rodney Crowell then conducted a Q&A with the author. “Having written one of these memoirs [2011’s excellent Chinaberry Sidewalks], I know how much work goes into it,” said Crowell.

“I went through a dark night of the soul in writing this book,” replied Bullens. “But the book brought me back to myself.

“It’s a tough time for those in my community,” he continued, referring to the anti-trans legislation being enacted throughout the country. “It’s scary. I am one of the lucky ones.

“There is a whole section about Nashville in the book. Nashville saved my musical self. You guys accepted me for who I was…. a songwriter. I feel very loved tonight.”

His fellow musicians were out in force to show their support. Working the room were Jim Photoglo, Gary Nicholson, Lucinda Williams (who has her own new memoir, Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You), Jonell Mosser, Mary Gauthier and Beth Nielsen Chapman.

Industry figures Jewly Hight, Brian Mansfield, Tracy Gershon, Slim Moon (who will soon issue a new Bullens record on his Kill Rock Stars Records label), Tim McFadden, Ann Powers, John Bridges, Bullens’ wife Tanya Taylor Rubinstein and more packed Parnassus.

Bonnie Raitt calls Cidny Bullens, “a firecracker of talent, personality and courage.” That’s a perfect description.

Lindsay Ell Signs With Concord Music Publishing

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Pictured (L-R, top row): Garrett Stephenson (Concord), Matt Turner (Concord), Claire Buchanan (Concord), Courtney Allen (Concord), Jen Hubbard (Concord); (L-R, bottom row): Melissa Spillman (Concord), Lindsay Ell, Brad Kennard (Concord). Photo: Audrey Spillman

Lindsay Ell has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Concord Music Publishing.

Born in Calgary and influenced by the blues and her love of playing the guitar, Ell started writing songs at age 10. She met guitarist Randy Bachman at age 13, who quickly became her mentor and produced her first album, Consider This, which was released in 2006 when Ell was just 17.

During the next decade, Ell released numerous Top 20 country singles as well as the EP Worth the Wait and the albums Alone (2009) and The Project (2017), which reached No. 4 on Billboard’s country charts. She has a Platinum No. 1 single “What Happens In A Small Town” featuring Brantley Gilbert, as well as two Canadian No. 1s under her belt, “Criminal” and “Want Me Back.”  In August 2020, Ell released her solo album Heart Theory, a concept LP about the seven stages of grief, which reached No. 5 in Canada.

Ell has 18 CCMA Awards, and in 2022, stepped into the role of host of Canada’s Got Talent, where she’s recently been nominated for a 2023 Canadian Screen Award for Best Host or Presenter. Ell is currently touring in select U.S. and Canadian markets with Shania Twain on the “Queen of Me” tour, running through June. She returns as host later this year for season two of Canada’s Got Talent, and will also release new music.

“Lindsay is a dream partner for us at Concord!” says Brad Kennard, SVP A&R at Concord Music Publishing in Nashville. “She has the obvious superstar voice, but also world-class songwriting, musicianship, and production skills! We simply can’t wait to work with her across various creative outlets within Concord.”

“It feels amazing to be part of a team that is so engaged in creating a nurturing environment for all their writers,” shares Ell. “Concord is so team-focused and from the moment I walked into that building, I felt like everyone had my back. I’m truly so excited to start this new chapter with this team!”

Barbara Mandrell To Receive 2023 CRB Artist Career Achievement Award

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Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has announced legendary country music artist Barbara Mandrell as the 2023 CRB Artist Career Achievement Award recipient. Mandrell will be honored during the Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on July 10 at the Virgin Hotel Nashville.

The CRB Artist Career Achievement Award is presented to an individual artist or act who has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of country radio and country music through their leadership, engagement, and creativity. Past recipients include Trisha Yearwood, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill, Randy Travis, George Strait and The Judds, among others.

The Texas native’s exceptional music talents were evident with her early adoption of the accordion and steel guitar, which caught the attention of Joe Maphis. She joined Maphis’ show in Las Vegas before touring with The Johnny Cash Show and her family band. After her marriage in 1967, Mandrell returned to the stage as a solo artist, and went on to become one of the most-awarded country acts in history. She also had a celebrated television career with the NBC variety show Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters.

Mandrell officially retired from the music industry in 1997 and has since been inducted into multiple halls of fame for her remarkable career.

“We are honored to present the Artist Career Achievement Award to Barbara Mandrell, a true icon in the music industry. Her incredible talent, dedication and passion have inspired generations of artists and fans alike. It is a privilege to recognize her outstanding contributions and celebrate her remarkable career,” says CRB/CRS Board President Kurt Johnson.

Endurance Music Group Expands Team With Steven Singer & Adam Gruss

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Steven Singer & Adam Gruss

Endurance Music Group (EMG) has added Steven Singer as Vice President of Catalog Development and Adam Gruss as Label Royalties Manager to its growing team.

Reporting to Senior Vice President Mark Ahlberg, Singer is responsible for managing all aspects of EMG’s recorded music catalog, including identifying new business and marketing opportunities, working with their distribution partners as well as other special physical products and digital projects. Gruss’ responsibilities include the processing and distribution of monthly and quarterly royalties for all in-house projects and EMG’s distributor and label royalty clients.

Hailing from the Boston area, Singer is a music industry veteran who spent more than two decades at Universal Music Group (UMG). He was the first person to graduate from Northeastern University’s Music Industry program, earning a B.S. with a minor in Business Administration. Singer also spent time at Naxos of America and most recently served as Spirit Music Group’s Vice President of Digital Strategy. He has worked with artists including Elton John, Sting, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli and more, and has managed high-profile projects such as the original Wicked and Mamma Mia! cast recordings.

Originally from New Jersey, Gruss got his start in royalties with Razor & Tie in 2014 while living in New York. The label was later picked up by Concord Music Group, where he stayed for six years, and which eventually led him to Nashville. After a one-year stint in Business Management with Tri Star Sports and Entertainment, his move to Endurance marks his return to the world of label royalties.

“Steve’s background in both publishing and record label operations has immediately proven invaluable to our team. Our catalog of developed and acquired masters continues to grow, and we are excited to see Steve bring extra focus and energy to that part of our business. Adam’s extensive experience in label royalties, along with his attention to detail and obvious passion for the job, is exactly what our admin team needs right now. We are thrilled to have these two incredibly talented and enthusiastic music people join our growing Endurance family,” says Ahlberg

Jonas Group Entertainment Opens Office On Music Row

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Pictured (L-R): Kevin Jonas, Sr., Founder JGE; Denise Jonas; Leslie Dipiero, President, JGP; Phil Guerini, CEO, JGE; George Kreis, President Jonas Group Holdings; Emily Peacock, JGP, Rachel Inglesino, JGE

Those of us on Music Row have a new neighbor. Jonas Group Entertainment officially opened its doors at 1600 17th Avenue South this week, and welcomed industry friends and partners to take a peak inside at an open house.

The historic bungalow home will be a space for creativity and community, with its writer rooms, sitting rooms, kitchen and studio.

The opening is another step towards Jonas Group Entertainment’s further integration into the Nashville community. The company’s founder, Kevin Jonas, Sr., established the firm while managing his sons, the multi-Platinum selling Jonas Brothers.

Now, JGE is led by Chief Executive Officer, Phil Guerini, who has amassed more than 25 years of experience across three divisions and five businesses at The Walt Disney Company, multiple major market radio stations and record labels. In April JGE announced the hiring of Music Row veteran Leslie DiPiero, who now serves as President of Jonas Group Publishing.

Housing entertainment management, artist brand development, film and television and music publishing, JGE works with artists such as Darby, Franklin Jonas, Harper Grace, Hayley Orrantia, Hello Sister, Levi Hummon, LIVVIA, MaRynn Taylor, Mallary Hope, Mandy Harvey and The Band Light.

Jake Owen Plots ‘Loose Cannon Tour’ For Fall

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Jake Owen is kicking off his 12-date headlining “Loose Cannon Tour” Sept. 7 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Tyler Booth and Mississippi trio Daves Highway will support Owen on the tour, which plans to visit Minneapolis, Tulsa, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Las Vegas and more through Oct. 28. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. local time. For more information, click here.

The tour follows the summer release of Owen’s seventh studio album, Loose Cannon, available Friday, June 23. Fans already received their first splash of the 16-track project with tracks “Solo, Solo,” “Nothing,” “Hot Truck Beer” and new single “On The Boat Again.”

“I’m so excited to get back on the road and share all the new music from Loose Cannon with you,” says Owen. “This collection of songs was made for the fans and I look forward to seeing everyone party and sing along at each show. Can’t wait to see y’all out there!”

New Eric Church Exhibit To Open At Country Music Hall Of Fame In July

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Eric Church‘s life and career is the focus of a brand new Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum exhibit, “Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul,” presented by Gibson and opening in July.

The exhibit will chronicle Church’s unique path to stardom, from his early years playing in bars and writing songs in Nashville to his current prominence as one of country’s most authentic voices and revered rule-breakers. The exhibit, which opens July 13 and runs through June 2024, is included with museum admission.

Items displayed in the exhibit include the Harmony H-303 three-quarter-size acoustic guitar that belonged to Church as a child; his Ray-Ban Aviator Mirror sunglasses; the Von Dutch trucker hat Church bought at a Mississippi truck stop in the late 2000s and began wearing onstage; a Gibson Eric Church Hummingbird Dark guitar used on his “Double Down Tour” (2019), and more.

In support of the exhibit’s opening, the museum will host a public program, “Writers’ Round: The Songs of Eric Church” featuring Luke Laird, Jeremy Spillman and others, on July 15 at 2:30 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater. The writers will perform and share the stories behind the songs they have crafted with Church. To reserve tickets to the program or learn more about the exhibit, visit the museum’s website.

Having long eschewed industry norms with a sound and approach uniquely his own, Church has held tight to his artistic identity throughout his more than two decades in Nashville, earning a devoted audience and amassing a list of accolades including 10 Billboard No. 1s and over 50 million units sold across multiple Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum-certified albums. Church has also written or co-written almost all of the songs he has recorded and released, and continues to fill sold-out venues with his live show and challenge his own musical approach with every new level of success he achieves.

“Eric Church has done it his way completely,” says Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “His steadfast artistic vision and authenticity resonate deeply with audiences, and he continues to serve as an important collaborator and renegade role model for generations of country music artists.”

The exhibit’s announcement comes ahead of Church’s CMA Fest performance at Nissan Stadium this Saturday, June 10 and the kick off of The Outsiders Revival Tour on June 22.

Alex Hall Slates Debut Album ‘Side Effects Of The Heart’ For September

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Photo: Dustin Haney

Alex Hall‘s debut album, Side Effects Of The Heart, is set for release via Monument Records on Sept. 15.

Hall shared a taste of the new album last week with the release of “Women And Horses,” featuring Brandy Clark. Written by Hall and Clark along with AJ Babcock and Pete Good and produced by Good and Hall, the song explores what it means to love a strong and independent woman. “Women And Horses” follows the release of title track “Side Effects Of The Heart” earlier this spring.

“I’m so excited to finally announce my debut album, Side Effects Of The Heart. Making my first full-length record is a moment I’ve dreamed of my entire life, and I have poured every ounce of that energy into the songs and the recordings,” says Hall. “It’s a journey of my life story and stories from others I’ve picked up along the way. Leading with my heart first, the ups and downs of love and loss and the transitions between being single, getting married and having my first child is all woven into the fabric of this record. I’m looking forward to the world getting to hear it!”

Zac Brown Band’s Post-Game MLB Concert Raises $125K For ALS Research

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John Driskell “Hop” Hopkins and wife Jennifer joined by Reds players Tyler Stephenson and Graham Ashcraft. Photo: Emilee Chinn, Cincinnati Reds

Zac Brown Band performed a post-game benefit concert for the Hop On A Cure Foundation at the Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers game on June 2.

Zac Brown Band during their post-game benefit concert. Photo: Gunnar Word, Cincinnati Reds

The game and show set a Great American Ball Park regular-season attendance record of 44,073. The previous record of 44,063 was set at this year’s Opening Day game on March 30.

A portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold benefited the Hop On A Cure Foundation, which supports research helping to prevent, reverse and cure ALS. The foundation was started by band member John Driskell “Hop” Hopkins after he was diagnosed with ALS in 2022. During post-game ceremonies, the Reds presented a check to Hop On A Cure for $125,000. Fans interested in learning more about Hop On A Cure can visit hoponacure.org.

The special evening was MLB’s third annual Lou Gehrig Day, honoring the Hall of Famer’s legacy, raising awareness and funds for research of ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), and celebrating the groups and individuals who are leading the pursuit for cures. During pregame ceremonies, the Reds recognized the Lou Gehrig Day Committee, the Central & Southern Ohio Chapter of the ALS Association, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and I Am ALS.