Hit Songwriter Kim Tribble Dies

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Kim Tribble. Photo: Courtesy SESAC

Songwriter Kim Tribble passed away last night (Aug. 25) after a battle with Lewy Body Syndrome.

The songwriter was born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and became an active writer in Nashville in the ’90s.

Among Tribble’s hits are “Guys Do It All the Time” (Mindy McCready), “I Can Still Feel You” (Collin Raye) “A Feelin’ Like That” (Gary Allan), and “One in Every Crowd” (Montgomery Gentry). Tribble also wrote songs with and for Shania Twain, Aaron Tippin, Martina McBride, Jason Aldean, and more. He was a frequent collaborator of David Lee Murphy, having written songs on all of his albums.

Tribble was a SESAC writer, and was honored by the PRO in 2013 for his hit with Chris Cagle’s, “Let There Be Cowgirls.”

Tribble is survived by his wife Patti, daughter Samantha and two granddaughters. An outpouring of tributes to the songwriter on social media remember Tribble’s humor and laugh.

Memorial details have not yet been announced.

Grand Ole Opry Unveils Exclusive Barbara Mandrell Collection

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The Grand Ole Opry is launching an exclusive new merchandise line with Barbara Mandrell in celebration of her signature hit “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” The collection includes “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” branded t-shirts, a Hatch print posters, coffee mugs and more.

The three-time ACM/CMA Entertainer and four-time ACM/CMA Female Vocalist of the Year was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on July 29, 1972. A 9x People’s Choice Award winner, she released “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” in April 1981, hitting the No. 1 spot on July 4 of the same year.

Her final performance took place on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry House in 1997. In 2009, Barbara was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

“The Opry has always felt like a second home to me. My love for that historic stage is why I chose it as the location for my final performance. I simply had to step in the circle one last time,” Mandrell shares. “I am blessed to have recorded this song, honored that country fans are still listening to it and thrilled to celebrate 40 years of ‘being country, when country wasn’t cool’ with the Grand Ole Opry.”

Mary Ann McCready Elected As CMHOF&M Board Of Officers And Trustees Chair

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Mary Ann MCready

Entertainment and music business visionary Mary Ann McCready has been elected as the new chair of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Board of Officers and Trustees for a one-year term.

She joined the board in 2006 and has served as a finance committee member and investment committee chair. McCready also serves as an inaugural member of the museum’s Circle Guard, which honors all current Country Music Hall of Fame members and their enduring contributions in advance of each new class’s induction.

McCready, co-founder of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, is a national leader in entertainment business management, contributing to the success of top artists responsible for shaping the city’s musical legacy. She was honored in 2018 with Variety’s Business Managers Elite Award—making her the first person outside of Los Angeles and New York to be honored as a recipient.

Additionally, Steve Turner, cultural arts activist and longtime museum board chair, was honored as chairman emeritus. Turner has served as board chair since 2008. His service caps two decades of steady leadership, with retired Gaylord Entertainment CEO and Country Music Hall of Fame Member E. W. “Bud” Wendell as his predecessor.

“The strength, consistency and fortitude of our board guides and inspires us as we continue to navigate the uncertainties of the pandemic,” says Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “We’re fortunate to have such engaged and accessible community leaders invested in the heart of our institution.

“Steve Turner has been our pillar of valor for the past 13 years as board chair, and we can’t possibly thank him enough for his immeasurable contributions to the museum and the greater community,” Young adds. “We look forward to beginning the next bright chapter with Mary Ann—a true visionary, a unifier and a formidable force for good.”

All board officers were reelected, as well as returning trustees Mark Bloom, David Conrad, Bill Denny and David Ross. Board trustees are elected for three-year terms, and officers are elected annually. For a full list of the museum’s Board of Officers and Trustees, click here.

Martina McBride Talks The RCA Days, Bold Songs & Her Lasting Legacy [Interview]

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Martina McBride. Photo: Joseph Llanes

Few have impacted the country music genre like Martina McBride. The powerful singer and bold communicator has seen monumental success throughout her 30-year career, including selling more than 23 million albums to date and earning 14 Gold, 9 Platinum, 3 Double Platinum and 2 Triple Platinum certifications. But her legacy is far greater than her powerful selling power.

Martina started performing as a child in Kansas, playing in her family’s band, the Schiffters. As she got older she started performing in rock bands around Wichita, where she met recording engineer John McBride, who she married in 1988.

Martina remembers the night she knew it was time to move to Nashville and pursue a career in country music.

“[My family] had never entered any kind of contest, but for some reason we entered this battle of the bands and Dad asked me if I’d come back and sing with them. My husband, John, engineered the show and he recorded it on a cassette. During the break we went out to our car and listened to the cassette and it just hit me. I was like, ‘This is what I want to do.'” Martina recalls. “I love to sing all kinds of music. And up to that point, I had been singing all kinds of music, but that was the moment that I knew that this is where I wanted my focus to go. It feels like home to me and it was always my dream as a kid. That moment was a realization that this is what I wanted to do: I wanted to pursue a career in country music.

“I went back inside the building and told my mom that night, and we ended up moving to Nashville a few months later,” Martina says.

John started working as a sound engineer on concert tours and became production manager for a booming artist on the rise, Garth Brooks, in 1991. Martina soon started selling t-shirts for Garth.

All the while she was hustling, trying to get a five-song demo to the record labels in Nashville in hopes of a record deal.

To get past RCA Records’ strict rules about submitting new material unsolicited, she wrote “REQUESTED MATERIAL” in large letters on a bright purple package, even though RCA had not asked for the tape.

“I was singing demos, waiting tables and selling t-shirts for Garth at the time and I had heard from a friend of mine at a publishing company that RCA was looking for a female artist to sign and they had three contenders,” Martina says. “Another friend of mine had said that they don’t take any unsolicited material, so you can’t just walk in and drop your tape off. He said a little tip is when you drop your envelope off at the front desk, write ‘requested material’ on it. That’ll get it past the front and get it to the A&R person. So I did that. I went to Kinko’s and got a bright purple envelope and my husband wrote ‘requested material’ with a phone number. About two weeks later we got a phone call that they had heard the demo and they wanted to have a showcase.”

Martina’s plan worked and she signed her deal in 1991.

Martina McBride receiving a RIAA plaque for the Gold-certified The Way That I Am album. Photo: MusicRow Magazine’s December 1994 issue.

With a label deal secured, it was time for her to make her first record. “I wanted to be a really traditional country artist [on that record]. I wanted to be like the female Alan Jackson or something.”

Martina released her debut album, The Time Has Come, in May of 1992. The album earned Martina critical accolades, but it wasn’t until the release of her second album, The Way That I Am, that she began achieving commercial success. “My Baby Loves Me” reached No. 2 on Billboard’s country charts, becoming Martina’s first hit. But her “Independence Day,” an empowering anthem about escaping domestic abuse written by Gretchen Peters, catapulted Martina into stardom.

“Independence Day” was named Song of the Year in 1995 and Video of the Year in 1994 by the CMA—but had trouble at some radio stations at first because of its serious subject matter.

“I was so passionate about the message in the song. It really touched me. So, I went to my radio promotion guys and I said, ‘What’s happening?’ They said ‘Well these stations won’t play the song. They think it’s too controversial. They think the video is controversial.’ I was like, ‘Well, can you give me their numbers? Can I talk to them?’ I don’t think they’d ever had that happen before,” Martina says with a laugh. “I can remember sitting in the office at the studio and calling each of these guys one by one and just saying, ‘Talk to me about this. What is your hesitation?’ I argued my point and I did turn some of them around. Some of them did end up playing it.”

The industry, and country music fans, embraced Martina’s boldness. The Way That I Am crossed the million-seller threshold in May 1995, beginning a streak of Platinum albums that stretched into the 2000s.

“Independence Day” started a path for Martina of cutting songs that dealt with real life, even if it wasn’t pretty. She would follow her “Independence Day” up with other career songs like “A Broken Wing,” “Concrete Angel,” and “This One’s For The Girls.”

“I have to credit Joe Galante because he never, ever gave me any kind of pushback on recording those songs or releasing them as singles,” Martina admits. “It was really his idea to release them as singles. He never shied away from that. As a matter of fact, he wanted ‘Concrete Angel’ to be the first single off my Greatest Hits record and I was like, ‘Joe, it’s summer!’ But he was really passionate about those songs and about my vision as an artist.”

Martina became one of country music’s most acclaimed stars of the ’90s and 2000s, with four CMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards, three consecutively (1999, 2002-2004), and three consecutive ACM Top Female Vocalist honors (2001–2003). In November 1995, she became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, just four years after signing her record deal.

Since then she has been an outspoken advocate for women in country music. But she remembers the ’90s being more fair.

“We can rattle off a list of 12 to 15 female artists that were doing well then. We had a moment where it was equal—and it was awesome. When you look at country music, you have the golden era of the George Jones, Tammy Wynette, and Patsy Cline. Then we have the late ’90s and early 2000s, which is another highlight era of country music. It was really diverse and there were so many songs about so many different topics.

“When we talk about females getting played on the radio next to some of the bro country, it’s really hard because sonically, we can’t really make song after song that has that lyric content or even sounds in the same vein as that musically. But back then I could release a record like ‘Concrete Angel’ and it was up next to maybe a Rascal Flatts record or an Alan Jackson record. From the standpoint of record production, it was so varied and so rich.”

Martina’s “This One’s For The Girls” has become an anthem of sorts for those working towards equality in country music.

“It’s a really well-written song and it’s a great record. Paul [Worley] and I made a great record on it. It’s so relatable—but I need to add another verse for the 55 year olds. There’s basically three generations that can relate to it and it’s so empowering. What I loved about it was it’s an uptempo song and it’s really hard to find an uptempo song that has some lyrical substance. That is always what I look for in a song.”

Martina McBride at the opening celebration for Martina McBride: The Power of Her Voice at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

In 30 years, Martina has become a pillar of the story of country music and an inspiration to women and girls everywhere. Her career is being celebrated with an exhibit at the Country Music Hall Of Fame.

“When I started this career, I had two goals: longevity and respect. I do feel like I’ve achieved those two things, which is really amazing. To be respected and accepted as an artist and as a singer was always really important to me,” Martina says. “With the new Country Music Hall Of Fame exhibit, I feel like it’s such a sign of respect. That’s really cool and it makes me feel like I did what I set out to do.”

Martina’s exhibit, The Power of Her Voice, is open now through Aug. 7, 2022. She has also recently released special edition vinyls–Martina McBride Greatest Hits: The RCA Years and is currently on the road with Alabama and Blake Shelton.

Reservoir Inks Deal For Alabama’s Recorded Music Rights Catalog

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Alabama

Reservoir Media, Inc. has signed a deal with country supergroup Alabama for the group’s interest in its recorded music rights catalog.

The most awarded band in the history of country music with over 200 honors, Alabama has sold over 75 million albums, have 11 No. 1 Billboard country albums, and 33 No. 1 Billboard country singles. Members Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook landed seven multi-Platinum albums and over 27 No. 1 hits during the ’80’s, including “Love in the First Degree” (1981), “Mountain Music” (1982), “Dixieland Delight” (1983), “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)” (1984), and “Song of the South” (1988).

While still actively recording and touring, Alabama’s musical contributions have been recognized with inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame, three Grammy Awards, RIAA’s Country Group of the Century, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, among countless others.

“Alabama is hands down the most successful band in country music history,” says Reservoir EVP of Creative John Ozier. “The records they have broken will likely never be replicated in any genre of music and it is a true honor to welcome their works to our Reservoir family.”

“Bringing the music of a legendary group like Alabama to Reservoir is an affirmation of our strategy to continue building on our recorded music catalog, and to do so with such undeniably classic songs is incredibly meaningful to us,” adds Reservoir Founder and CEO Golnar Khosrowshahi.

Alex Kline Signs With Dann Huff, Sheltered Music Publishing

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Pictured (L-R): Jenny Hall, Alex Kline, Dann Huff and Darrell Franklin

Alex Kline, one of Nashville’s rising producers, songwriters, and multi-instrumentalists, has become the first female producer/writer to sign with the creative joint venture between Sheltered Music Publishing and producer Dann Huff.

Through the new deal, they aim to develop producer talent, as well as artists and songwriters. Sheltered Music’s SVP, Darrell Franklin and Huff have a long history with development of talent, including busbee, John Paul White, Jonathan Singleton, and Blackberry Smoke.

“I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Alex Kline over the past few months,” Huff shares. “If she’s any indication of the future of country music, then the future looks extremely bright! What a talent both in production and songwriting.”

Kline recently made history as the first solo female producer to have a No. 1 at country radio with Tenille Arts’ “Somebody Like That” in April. She also co-wrote, produced, and played multiple instruments on the track. Additionally, she has writer and production credits on Arts’ recent release “Over You is You” featuring Matt Stell and a number of songs on Arts’ upcoming album, Girl to Girl, set to release in October.

She has other production credits with the likes of Terri Clark, Tara Thompson, Adam Brand, Erin Enderlin, John King, Logan Murrell, Jordan Rager, Maggie Rose, and Jillian Cardarelli among others. Along with Arts’ upcoming project, Kline is also working on Stephanie Quayle’s forthcoming album due later this year.

“As the first female to write and solely produce a No. 1 country single, Alex is clearly on her way to having a long, successful career in country music, and we’re delighted she has chosen to join Sheltered Music’s family of songwriters,” says Franklin. “Our joint venture with Dann Huff provides the perfect opportunity for Alex to further strengthen her career as a producer and, most importantly, she recognizes that success always begins with a great song.”

Her successes as a songwriter includes Ronnie Dunn (“Damn Drunk”), Reba McEntire (“The Bar Is Getting Lower”), Mitchell Tenpenny (“I Get the Picture”), Gary Allan (“Slide”), Bill Anderson, Meghan Patrick (“Praying Right”), Mason Ramsey (“On My Way”) and various cuts on albums such as Clark (Raising the Bar), Cassadee Pope (Rise and Shine), Jordan Rager (Habits and Hearts), Tara Thompson (Someone to Take Your Place), and others.

“I’m so excited for the next chapter in my career with Sheltered Music and Dann Huff,” Kline adds. “I knew from my first conversation with Darrell Franklin that this team understood my career goals and how best to achieve them. Being able to work with an industry icon like Dann Huff is a dream come true. I look forward to learning from the best.”

SMACKSongs Promotes Four

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Pictured (clockwise): Lee Krabel, Jeremy Groves, Carly Sater, Sam Sarno

SMACKSongs has promoted four members of its publishing team: Lee Krabel to VP of Publishing, Jeremy Groves to Creative Director, Sam Sarno to Creative Manager, and Carly Sater to Creative Coordinator.

Krabel has been with SMACK for five years, and in his time at SMACK has been integral in signing writers like Aaron Eshuis, Ryan Beaver, Emily Falvey, Scott Stepakoff, Josh Dorr, and Tigirlily, and helping secure cuts with Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Morgan Wallen and Jordan Davis.

“Lee has done a tremendous job leading our publishing team through the pandemic,” says SVP of Development, Robert Carlton. “Through his signings and leadership he’s brought SMACK to its most prosperous time to date. He’s more than earned the VP title. I’m excited to see how he’ll continue to build SMACK in the coming years!”

“I’m so excited for Jeremy, Sam, and Carly. They have grown into three of the best publishers in town in the last year,” says Krabel. “Their passion and hard work for the writers at SMACK has led to one of our best years as a company. Their promotions are well deserved and I can’t wait to see what they will accomplish in the future.”

“When Shane and I started working together almost 15 years ago, we could only dream of SMACK with such a great team,” says Robin Palmer, Chief Creative Officer. “Congrats and thanks to Lee, Jeremy, Sam and Carly for continuing to build a great place for songwriters. That’s what it’s all about.”

Bobby Karl Works The Room: The 14th Annual ACM Honors

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Luke Combs accepts the Gene Weed Milestone Award while Ashley McBryde looks on. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Chapter 647

If we are all going to celebrate music together, let’s try and do it safely, shall we?

So when the fabulons gathered at the Ryman for the ACM Honors on Wednesday (Aug. 25), it was with the stipulation that we will all be vaccinated. The rest of you can feel free to infect one another. Despite the vax stipulation, some wore masks nevertheless. John Esposito, Ben Vaughn and Don Cusic were being extra careful. Other celebrants in the Ryman crowd included David Fox, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, John Zarling, Clarence Spalding, Jessica Nicholson (who has just been hired by Billboard), Katharine Richardson, Troy Putman, Katy Varney & Dave Goetz, LB Cantrell, Sherod Robertson and Paul Kingsbury.

Host Carly Pearce performs during the 14th Annual Academy Of Country Music Honors. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Considering that the show saluted two years’ worth of honorees and included 19 musical performances, the ACM got the job done with alacrity. Clocking in at three hours, it was quite efficient.

Following opening greetings by new ACM exec Damon Whiteside, rising star Chris Janson presented the Studio Recording Awards for both 2019 and 2020. They were Jenee Fleener & Ilya Toshinskiy, busbee & Jay Joyce, Gordon Mote & Dave Cohen, Rob McNelley & J.T. Corenflos, Jimmie Lee Sloas & Tony Lucido, Miles McPherson & Aaron Sterling, Justin Niebank & F. Reid Shippen and Paul Franklin, Dan Dugmore & Mike Johnson.

Following the announcements of winners Gil Cunningham and Brian O’Connell, plus the venue awards, Michael Strickland was presented with a Gene Weed Milestone Award. When the pandemic hit, he lobbied Congress for funds to shore up the crippled touring industry via the Save Our Stages part of Pres. Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

Lee Ann Womack and Alan Jackson perform. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

ACM show host Carly Pearce was a definite plus. She kept up a lively pace with warmth, professionalism and sincerity. The night’s first Poet’s Award went to Loretta Lynn, about whom Carly has a new song called “Dear Miss Loretta,” which she sang with country class. It earned a standing ovation. But then, so did every performance. That’s the benefit of having the hall full of fans to offset the jaded industry attendees. On the downside, fans sometimes enthusiastically shouted inappropriate and/or irrelevant commentary during the show.

Alan Jackson & Lee Ann Womack offered a sprightly “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” in salute. Loretta accepted via an audio recording, saying, “It’s the greatest award I could get.” Hers was the first of the night’s three Poet’s Award honors.

Cliffie Stone Icon Award Winner Joe Galanta accepts his award. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Ronnie Dunn presented the first Cliffie Stone Icon Award to Joe Galante. Still one of country’s most electrifying vocalists, Ronnie sang “There Ain’t Nothin’ ‘Bout You,” which Joe had suggested he record. “This town has given me a lot more than I deserve,” said Joe. “The people I’ve met are more than friends to me. They are my family.”

The second Cliffie Stone Icon honor went to Rascal Flatts. Carly sang “Bless the Broken Road.” Caylee Hammack performed “My Wish.” RaeLynn offered “Life Is a Highway.”

“When you’re blessed to do what you love to do, time flies,” said Joe Don Rooney during his rather long-winded acceptance. “Twenty years, snap, like that.” Added Jay DeMarcus, “Everything that’s happened has been one blessing after the next, after the next.” The absence of Gary LeVox was not explained.

Lauren Alaina presented two Songwriter of the Year awards to Hillary Lindsey, commenting on how melodic her compositions are. Then she sang the distinctly unmelodic “One Beer” with HARDY and Devin Dawson. Lindsey was not present.

Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay accept the Jim Reeves International Award. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Chris Janson returned to give the second Poet’s Award to the late Curly Putman, singing “He Stopped Loving Her Today” in Curly’s honor. “His contributions will always be remembered and will play on through the years,” said Chris of Curly.

Sarah Trahern presented the Mae Boren Axton Service Award to RAC Clark. Alan and Lee Ann reappeared to perform “Murder on Music Row.” RAC related that he lobbied for that song to be performed on the first ACM Awards he produced. I’ll leave aside my misgivings about organizations giving awards to their own employees for doing the jobs they were hired to do.

The Jim Reeves International Award was given to Dan + Shay. They co-wrote their hits with Laura Veltz, Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds and Jessie Joe Dillon. Those four winningly performed “Speechless,” “Tequila” and “10,000 Hours.”

“We’re so honored to have our friends here,” commented Shay Mooney. “It all starts with you guys, our co-writers on the songs,” added Dan Smyers.

The Merle Haggard Spirit Award went to Toby Keith. This was preceded by Trace Adkins singing Toby’s hit “Love Me If You Can.” Toby was not present, but sent an audio reminiscence of his conversations and performances with the late, legendary Merle.

Carly paused the proceedings to honor Lisa Lee, the ACM’s Senior VP of Creative/Content, who passed away last Saturday. Lisa was loved by all of us who knew her, and her talents as a show producer were acutely missed during the show’s clunky video tributes and its many “dead air” moments. She died of brain cancer at age 52.

Lisa was a charming, small-town personality from Arkansas who rose to the top of her profession. Ashley McBryde sang “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” in her honor. “What a moving performance to honor such a wonderful person,” commented Carly.

Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood of Lady A accept the Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Earning the Tex Ritter Film Award was the 16-hour PBS Country Music documentary by the Ken Burns team. Ken accepted via video. Thank goodness somebody has finally talked him into cutting off his hair’s Beatle-y bangs. Hank Williams‘ grandson Sam Williams offered an emotional “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” as a salute to the landmark film.

ACM Lifting Lives exec Lindsay Cruz presented the first Gary Haber Lifting Lives award to Lady A. The group sang a splendidly harmonized rendition of “What a Song Can Do.”

“We are so honored and humbled it’s unbelievable,” said the group’s Hillary Scott. “We are always looking for ways to give back.”

Ross Copperman accepts Gary Haber Lifting Lives Award. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

Added bandmate Charles Kelley, “When you come into this world of country music, it’s part of the job: You give back.” Amen, brother.

The second Gary Haber Lifting Lives award went to Ross Copperman, whom Keith Urban dubbed, “Mr. Positivity.” Keith performed “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” which Ross co-wrote. “I would not be on this stage were it not for Lisa Lee lifting me up,” said Ross.

The third Poet’s Award went to Gretchen Peters. Making her debut on the Ryman stage was Brittney Spencer. She sang a slowed-down, impassioned version of Gretchen’s “Independence Day” and brought down the house.

“I was a fool to think I wouldn’t cry,” said Gretchen. “Brittney, that was so moving. I am so proud to receive this alongside Loretta and Curly Putman. Songwriting is a calling. At their best, songs are empathy machines. The world needs love and empathy more than it ever has right now. We need our Poets.”

Brittney Spencer performs. Photo: Getty Images / Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music

The Gene Weed Milestone Award was presented to Luke Combs by Ashley McBryde. She sang “She Got the Best of Me.” That song is one of the 11 consecutive debut singles by Luke that have gone to No. 1, an unprecedented accomplishment.

“Here I am: I cannot believe this,” said Luke. “I’m 31 years old, and I just had my 11th No. 1 song. The reason all of us get to do what we love to do is because of you. Everybody in this room, I love you. There’s a helluva lot more country music in this boy,” added the Everyman entertainer.

Carly Pearce bid us a fond goodnight.

In Pictures: Old Dominion, Sam Hunt, Maren Morris, More Play ACM Party For a Cause

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Old Dominion. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM

The Academy of Country Music hosted its annual ACM Party for a Cause benefiting ACM Lifting Lives on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, which was held for the first time ever at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville.

ACM Party for a Cause was hosted by SiriusXM’s The Highway host Storme Warren, with live performances by Lee Brice, Brett Eldredge, Mickey Guyton, Sam Hunt, Ryan Hurd, Maren Morris, Old Dominion with special guest Caitlyn Smith, Carly Pearce, Tenille Townes, Keith Urban and Trisha Yearwood.

Brett Eldredge. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM

This year’s event preceded the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors celebration taking place this evening (Aug. 25) from Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and livestreaming on Circle Network’s social channels. Circle Network will also air a television special around the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

ACM Party for a Cause is dedicated to celebrating the healing power of music. All proceeds from the event go directly to ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music.

Lee Brice and Carly Pearce. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for ACM

Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM

Sam Hunt. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM

Tenille Townes. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM

Matthew Ramsey of Old Dominion and Caitlyn Smith. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for ACM

Jeffrey East Signs Joint Publishing Deal With Endurance Music Group, Ash Bowers

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Pictured (L-R): EMG Sr. Vice President Mark Ahlberg, EMG Sr. Creative Director Josh Saxe, Jeffrey East, EMG President Michael Martin. Photo: Ed Rode

Endurance Music Group has partnered with writer and producer Ash Bowers to sign breakthrough country and pop singer-songwriter Jeffrey East to a joint publishing agreement.

The Texas-born songwriter spent 15 years in Nashville writer rooms before moving to Los Angeles in July of 2020. His time in Nashville resulted in cuts with artists like Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Chuck Wicks, Home Free, and more.

As an artist, East boasts over 20 million streams, with five songs in constant rotation on Spotify’s Country Coffeehouse playlist. Teaming up with Jonnie Forster at The Penthouse in Beverly Hills, he is currently working on new music while actively writing with and for other artists in both country and pop, with cuts on upcoming releases by Rob Thomas, Eli Young Band, and more.

“I’m so grateful to Ash and to the team at EMG for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to work alongside them in this next chapter of my career,” East shares. “They are the best of the best, and I feel like everything thus far has been leading up to this moment. I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come.”

Endurance Music Group President Michael Martin comments, “I’ve been a fan of Jeffrey’s since the first time I heard his music. It didn’t take long to recognize his creative talents as both a songwriter and an artist. We’re thrilled to welcome Jeffrey to the EMG family!”

“I’m excited to partner with my friends at Endurance to help push Jeffrey’s already impressive songwriting chops to the next level,” Bowers adds. “Jeffery is an amazing songwriter, artist, and an even better guy. The minute the opportunity presented itself to work with him I was all in.”