Ross Copperman. Photo: Gus Black
With 30 No. 1 country songs to his credit, Ross Copperman is a well-known name on Music Row. He’s been a part of massive country hits with Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker and more. He’s earned numerous songwriter awards, including two CMA Triple Play Awards and an ACM Songwriter of the Year win. Additionally, Copperman’s production work has garnered him several Grammy nominations.
While his work in the country space has no doubt kept him busy, Copperman’s musical story started in 2006 as an artist signed to the UK-based Photogenic Records—where Natasha Bedingfield was signed at the time. While he had success with pop-rock songs “As I Choke” and “All She Wrote,” Copperman felt the pull to something different.
“I did a lot of touring and making records—I did my time in the UK and I got burned out on being an artist when I was younger. I didn’t know what I was doing,” Copperman tells MusicRow.
With a need for a new direction, Copperman returned home to the United States and headed to Music City. “I knew that I was a songwriter first and I knew that Nashville was the Mecca of songwriting. I also knew that the way I wrote songs was in a very Nashville-style way of writing songs. So I came here and was embraced by the community immediately. I found people that loved songwriting as much as I did. I fell in love with it like everyone else that comes here and falls in love with it.”
Now, with nearly 20 years of success as a hit songwriter under his belt, Copperman is returning to the artist spotlight.
“That desire was always there. It never went away, I just buried it for a long time,” Copperman says. “The pandemic happened and I was like, ‘If I’m going to do it, this would be the time to do it.’ It gave me the time to be able to focus on it, and I found a team that believed in me and my music. That was a huge part of it, finding people that actually believed in what I was doing.”
Copperman signed with Photo Finish Records, and in May released his first EP in years, Somewhere There’s a Light On. The five-track project features piano-driven pop songs, with lyrical concepts that nod to Copperman’s country repertoire.
“I started writing these songs years ago, I’ve really always been writing these songs. I had the session with Ed Sheeran and we wrote ‘Electricity’ and ‘Therapy’ in the same day. I fell in love with those two songs, I was secretly hoping nobody would cut them. A year and a half passed and I played them for every artist in town because I was so excited,” Copperman says. “It just didn’t fit in country music. I finally asked Ed for his blessing to put them out myself and he was so gracious and supportive. That was a huge turning point for me.”
The title track for the project is an ethereal pop ballad with a fascinating bass drop, and finds Copperman singing the comforting message: “Take your time, feed your soul, if you ever find yourself alone, and you need a place that feels like home, somewhere there’s a light on.”
“The message behind that song is everything I stand for as an artist, reminding people that there’s good out there and no matter how hard your day is, somebody else is experiencing the same thing somewhere. Somewhere there’s a light on for you”
“Alex Mendoza, who co-produced this record with me, really helped me find my sound. My having produced so many albums, I felt like I needed that outside voice to help guide me. I wanted to be the artist in this scenario, I didn’t want to be producing myself, ” Copperman says of the project’s unique sound. “Alex brought perspective and was able to see it from 30,000 feet, whereas when you are the artist and you’re making music, it’s hard to see it from a different perspective. He brought a young energy to it, which really suited the songs. And he just brought perspective for me to be like, ‘Let’s do a drop here after this chorus.’ That’s my dream, to do songs with drops–I know how to make a country drop, but I don’t know how to do a legit pop drop.”
While Copperman admits he is a songwriter first, he’s excited to return to his own artistry.
“My dream is to ultimately play theaters, to get to that point where I can do theaters. I’m going to continue to just put out songs, I have more lined up to come this year,” Copperman sums. “I just want to continue to grow it and to give it all I have with a new sense of grounding.”
Copperman’s Somewhere There’s A Light On, his first collection of original music released in 10 years, is out now.
Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic Raises $1.4 Million For OK Kids Korral
/by Steven BoeroClay Walker and Toby Keith performing at the 17th Annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic
After a year hiatus, the Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic raised $1,427,000 dollars for the OK Kids Korral, the cost-free home for families of children being treated at Oklahoma City area hospitals. The event was held on June 11-12 and raised the second-highest total in the classic’s 17 year history. In all, the event has now raised more than $15 million.
The biggest single bid was $100,000 for an AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am experience where the winner will get to walk the course with Keith during the tournament. Additional top bids came in for a chance for two to play in the 2021 Lexus Champions For Charity tournament ($62,000), a Fleetwood Mac signed electric guitar ($50,000), and a trip to Iceland ($30,000). Beyond the auctions, multi-platinum Show Dog Nashville recording artist Clay Walker performed with Keith. As for the double-shotgun-start golf tournament, the team from Ace Hardware won the morning round, with the afternoon round taken by Tier 1 Contracting. Mark VanHoose won the closest-to-the-hole contest and the Harley Davidson prize that went with it.
Pictured (L-R): Toby Keith, The Howard family – Lawsyn, announcing she is cancer free, Josh, Harlow, and Destiny
Jake Owen To Host One-Night-Only Concert Benefitting The CMA Foundation
/by Lorie HollabaughJake Owen. Photo: Matt Paskert
Jake Owen is hosting Jake Owen & Friends: A Concert Made for You on Thursday, July 15 at the Ryman Auditorium. Proceeds from the special, one-night-only show will benefit the CMA Foundation and their efforts to improve and sustain high-quality music education programs across the U.S. as they work to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate in music.
Sharing the stage with Owen will be some of the songwriters behind his nine career No.1 songs, including the most recent smash hit “Made For You.” Penned by Benjy Davis, Joey Hyde, and Neil Medley, the song earned all three writers their first-ever No. 1. Quickly becoming an international sensation, the single charted in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and marked the first time Big Loud Records ever had a multi-week No. 1 single on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Country Aircheck/Mediabase charts.
“Being able to play the Ryman Auditorium is always going to be special, but to be able to share the stage with some of the people who helped shape my career with their songs is something that I will remember forever,” shares Owen. “This ‘Made For You’ concert is made for country music fans, and it’s going to be a special way to be a part of the shows that are welcoming live music back to Nashville.”
“With CMA Fest postponed for a second year, the Foundation lost a majority of its funding,” says Tiffany Kerns, CMA Foundation executive director. “Having artists like Jake show continued commitment and support to our mission is what sets country music apart. As beneficiaries, we are honored to be included in this event. It is sure to be an exciting night full of country music!”
Tickets for the benefit go on sale this Friday, June 25 at 10 a.m. CST and can be purchased here.
SoundExchange Distributes Over $940 Million In Performance Royalties During 2020
/by Lorie HollabaughThis signals a new milestone with SoundExchange distributing nearly $8 billion in collections to creators since the company was established in 2003. The company is responsible for collecting and distributing digital performance royalties on behalf of nearly 250,000 recording artists’ and master rights owners’ accounts within the music industry.
“Music was among the industries hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Michael Huppe, president & CEO of SoundExchange. “With venues shuttered and touring revenue effectively non-existent, digital royalties represented the lifeblood and primary income source for a large segment of the music industry.”
At the onset of the pandemic, SoundExchange pledged to provide uninterrupted monthly royalty payments despite the ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through SoundExchange’s technology infrastructure and early action taken by the company to work remotely, the company delivered on its promise.
“It is a testament to our technology and data systems and point of great pride that SoundExchange was able to continue to deliver on-time and seamless payments to creators throughout 2020,” continues Huppe. “I’m especially pleased that last year’s payouts were so robust at a time when creators needed them the most. We will never stop innovating and expanding our financial technologies and services so that we can continue to be a trusted leader in the digital-first age of music.”
Cracker Barrel Launches Care It Forward With Shane McAnally, CeCe Winans, Jennifer Nettles
/by Lydia FarthingCracker Barrel Old Country Store has launched its new Care It Forward initiative, ranging from in-store surprises for guests throughout the summer to a special musical content series featuring pairings of musical artists from diverse backgrounds, genres, and viewpoints.
Cracker Barrel has partnered with Grammy Award-winning musicians and songwriters Shane McAnally, Cece Winans, and Jennifer Nettles to share stories of how their careers benefitted from someone making an effort to #CareItForward, and to give these artists and songwriters the opportunity to do the same by mentoring up-and-coming musicians. Cracker Barrel has paired McAnally, Winans, and Nettles with artists Kylie Morgan, Tauren Wells, and a special guest, respectively, to help coach, mentor, and support them in the next steps of their careers after a year where nearly two-thirds of artists and creative workers reported being fully unemployed because of COVID-19.
“As we emerge from a season unlike any we’ve ever experienced as a country, it’s important to come together and demonstrate care – not only through conversations, but also through actions,” explains Cracker Barrel Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Tate. “At Cracker Barrel, we believe inspiring care can start by simply inviting a diverse range of people to participate, and you will see that in action with the launch of our Care It Forward initiative.”
These artists will come together for engaging conversations touching on their struggles and triumphs in the music business. The first episode, featuring Winans and up-and-comer Wells, honors Black Music Appreciation Month and will be available Thursday, June 24, on Facebook, Instagram TV, and YouTube with additional content to be released throughout the summer.
Cracker Barrel guests, employees, and community members are invited to share their stories and inspire others by using #CareItForward on social media. To learn more about how Cracker Barrel is showing care, click here.
Jenna Paulette Signs Publishing Deal With Sea Gayle Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (Top Row, L-R): Brandon Gregg, JD Groover, and Kim Wiggins (Sea Gayle); (Middle Row, L-R): Helena Capps (Wildrose Projects); Emily Witters (Sea Gayle); MaryAnn Keen (BMI); (Bottom Row. L-R): Marc Driskill (Sea Gayle); Jenna Paulette; Chris DuBois (Sea Gayle)
Jenna Paulette has signed a global publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music. Her new single, “Country In The Girl,” will be released this Friday, June 25, via her independent label, Grit Brand Entertainment. The upcoming track was penned with fellow Sea Gayle writers Jeb Gipson and Smith Ahnquist, and has already achieved viral success prior to its official release, with a preview of the chorus racking up over 2.5 million views.
Born and raised in Dallas, Paulette is a staple of the Song Suffragettes, the weekly female singer-songwriter showcase at Nashville’s Listening Room Café. Her songs have appeared on Apple Music’s “Breaking Country” playlist, Google Play’s “Country’s New Crop” playlist, and Radio Disney. Paulette was named one of CMT’s Discovery Artists, and has also toured with Mason Ramsey, Clay Walker, and Joe Nichols, among others.
“Jenna’s skillset as an artist and a songwriter, paired with her work ethic is undeniable,” says Sea Gayle’s Creative Director Emily Witters. “We couldn’t be more excited to have her join the Sea Gayle family and to support her in this next chapter of her already flourishing career.”
“Viacom/CMT’s Leslie Fram first introduced me to Marc Driskill at Sea Gayle Music,” shares Paulette. “After that initial meeting, Sea Gayle felt like the right place for me. From the writers to each member of their team, including the wonderful Emily Witters, I truly feel I now have so many champions. It’s such a collaborative environment, and I am honored to belong on their roster of writers.”
Industry Ink: Parmalee & Blanco Brown, Visionary Media Group, PLA Media
/by Lydia FarthingParmalee, Blanco Brown Receive Platinum Certification For ‘Just The Way’
Pictured (L-R): Josh McSwain (Parmalee), Scott Thomas (Parmalee), JoJaime Hahr (SVP, BBR Music Group), Blanco Brown, David Fanning (33 Creative), Jon Loba (President, BMG Nashville), Rick Shedd (GM, BBR Music Group), Matt Thomas (Parmalee), Barry Knox (Parmalee)
Parmalee and Blanco Brown were recently presented with commemorative plaques for their Platinum-certified smash hit “Just the Way.” The international hit song has reached No. 1 on U.S. and Canadian country radio, and is also currently in the top 25 on Hot AC radio.
The artist’s BBR Music Group team surprised the group during their performance at Whiskey Jam in Nashville in front of a packed audience.
O.N.E The Duo Signs With Visionary Media Group
O.N.E The Duo
Mother-daughter singer-songwriters O.N.E The Duo have inked a deal with Nashville-based Visionary Media Group, with plans to release their debut single in 2021.
O.N.E The Duo is comprised of Prana Supreme Diggs and Tekitha who both have deep roots in music royalty: Prana’s father is RZA, founder, producer, and de-facto leader of Wu-Tang Clan, while Tekitha is known for her work as the female featured vocalist of Wu-Tang Clan. O.N.E The Duo, which stands for Observant, Noetic, and Effervescent, draws from a diverse range of musical influences including Chris Stapleton, Fleetwood Mac, The Judds, and Motown.
“Growing up, my mom used to host these big jam session parties at our house,” Prana shares. “It was probably one of the highlights of my childhood, getting to hang out with all these singers, musicians, rappers, poets, etc. Usually, at these jams, Mom and I would freestyle a song together—and it was the morning after one of these jam parties that the idea of us singing and writing our own songs together came to my mind.”
Attracted to the creative energy and storytellers of Nashville, Prana Supreme and Tekitha traveled out and spent time immersed in the art, culture and sounds of Music City in the summer of 2015. Amidst meetings with producer Bar None and writing songs with Rebecca Lynn Howard and Elisha Hoffman, O.N.E The Duo was born. Today, they’ve made Music City their home with the goal to tell their story through as many different mediums as possible — the written word, film, and through music.
PLA Media Adds Stokoff To Its Artist Roster
Stokoff
PLA Media has added Spanish country recording artist Stokoff to its growing roster. The Colombia native is expanding the borders of the country genre by releasing both original music and translated hits to country music’s Spanish speaking audience.
“Octavio Stokoff is a multi-cultural artist with Colombian and German roots singing country music in Spanish!” says PLA Media Founder Pam Lewis. “It doesn’t get to be more of a melting pot than that. We are delighted to be working with this talented, versatile guy.”
Stokoff released his most recent album, Country Music Hits En Español Y Mas, in early 2021 and has garnered over one million total streams on Spotify. The collection of 17 tracks includes his translation of hits by Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Old Dominion, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, and Tim McGraw alongside his original songs.
In Colombia, his singles “Si Tu no Estás,” “Quiero Ser” and “Todo ha Cambiado” have hit the top of the charts with the latter also recently featured on Country Music’s Country Wide & Breaking Mexican Music playlists on Apple Music. Throughout his career, Stokoff has performed at the Latin Billboard Awards in Las Vegas and opened for Ricardo Arjona and Franco de Vita.
Acclaimed Nashville Songwriter Ross Copperman Finds Artist Voice Again [Interview]
/by LB CantrellRoss Copperman. Photo: Gus Black
With 30 No. 1 country songs to his credit, Ross Copperman is a well-known name on Music Row. He’s been a part of massive country hits with Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker and more. He’s earned numerous songwriter awards, including two CMA Triple Play Awards and an ACM Songwriter of the Year win. Additionally, Copperman’s production work has garnered him several Grammy nominations.
While his work in the country space has no doubt kept him busy, Copperman’s musical story started in 2006 as an artist signed to the UK-based Photogenic Records—where Natasha Bedingfield was signed at the time. While he had success with pop-rock songs “As I Choke” and “All She Wrote,” Copperman felt the pull to something different.
“I did a lot of touring and making records—I did my time in the UK and I got burned out on being an artist when I was younger. I didn’t know what I was doing,” Copperman tells MusicRow.
With a need for a new direction, Copperman returned home to the United States and headed to Music City. “I knew that I was a songwriter first and I knew that Nashville was the Mecca of songwriting. I also knew that the way I wrote songs was in a very Nashville-style way of writing songs. So I came here and was embraced by the community immediately. I found people that loved songwriting as much as I did. I fell in love with it like everyone else that comes here and falls in love with it.”
Now, with nearly 20 years of success as a hit songwriter under his belt, Copperman is returning to the artist spotlight.
“That desire was always there. It never went away, I just buried it for a long time,” Copperman says. “The pandemic happened and I was like, ‘If I’m going to do it, this would be the time to do it.’ It gave me the time to be able to focus on it, and I found a team that believed in me and my music. That was a huge part of it, finding people that actually believed in what I was doing.”
Copperman signed with Photo Finish Records, and in May released his first EP in years, Somewhere There’s a Light On. The five-track project features piano-driven pop songs, with lyrical concepts that nod to Copperman’s country repertoire.
“I started writing these songs years ago, I’ve really always been writing these songs. I had the session with Ed Sheeran and we wrote ‘Electricity’ and ‘Therapy’ in the same day. I fell in love with those two songs, I was secretly hoping nobody would cut them. A year and a half passed and I played them for every artist in town because I was so excited,” Copperman says. “It just didn’t fit in country music. I finally asked Ed for his blessing to put them out myself and he was so gracious and supportive. That was a huge turning point for me.”
The title track for the project is an ethereal pop ballad with a fascinating bass drop, and finds Copperman singing the comforting message: “Take your time, feed your soul, if you ever find yourself alone, and you need a place that feels like home, somewhere there’s a light on.”
“The message behind that song is everything I stand for as an artist, reminding people that there’s good out there and no matter how hard your day is, somebody else is experiencing the same thing somewhere. Somewhere there’s a light on for you”
“Alex Mendoza, who co-produced this record with me, really helped me find my sound. My having produced so many albums, I felt like I needed that outside voice to help guide me. I wanted to be the artist in this scenario, I didn’t want to be producing myself, ” Copperman says of the project’s unique sound. “Alex brought perspective and was able to see it from 30,000 feet, whereas when you are the artist and you’re making music, it’s hard to see it from a different perspective. He brought a young energy to it, which really suited the songs. And he just brought perspective for me to be like, ‘Let’s do a drop here after this chorus.’ That’s my dream, to do songs with drops–I know how to make a country drop, but I don’t know how to do a legit pop drop.”
While Copperman admits he is a songwriter first, he’s excited to return to his own artistry.
“My dream is to ultimately play theaters, to get to that point where I can do theaters. I’m going to continue to just put out songs, I have more lined up to come this year,” Copperman sums. “I just want to continue to grow it and to give it all I have with a new sense of grounding.”
Copperman’s Somewhere There’s A Light On, his first collection of original music released in 10 years, is out now.
Corey Crowder Spends Fourth Week At No. 1 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellCorey Crowder. Photo: Nicola Harger
As a co-writer on the charting songs “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” (Chase Rice feat. Florida Georgia Line), “Famous Friends” (Chris Young and Kane Brown) and “Minimum Wage” (Blake Shelton), Corey Crowder maintains his positioning at the top of the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart for the fourth week.
Jesse Frasure remains at No. 2, with credit on “Almost Maybes” (Jordan Davis), “Minimum Wage” (Blake Shelton), and “Whiskey And Rain” (Michael Ray).
Ashley Gorley takes the No. 3 position on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, as a co-writer on “Country Again” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Single Saturday Night” (Cole Swindell), “Warning” (Morgan Wallen), and “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton).
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.
Joybeth Taylor Inks With Kane Brown’s Verse 2 Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (Back Row, L-R): President, Verse 2 Kent Earls, Mya Hansen, Manager of Creative, A&R-Sony Music Publishing Nashville, Rusty Gaston, CEO Sony Music Publishing Nashville, Scott Safford Safford Motley PLC. (Front Row, L-R): Kane Brown and Verse 2’s Joybeth Taylor.
Joybeth Taylor has signed with Verse 2 Music, the Sony Music Publishing joint venture helmed by Kane Brown and publishing veteran Kent Earls.
An Alabama native who began writing songs at the age of seven, Taylor moved to Nashville after to pursue her passion for songwriting. She has independently penned more than 200 songs per year, and made her debut as an artist in 2019 with her EP I See Memories.
“After listening to just a few of her songs, we knew Joybeth was destined for greatness and will add immense value to our roster,” says Earls, president, Verse 2 Music. “We can’t wait for the world to hear many of her incredible songs. It is an honor to be her first publisher. Welcome to the family, JB!”
“I have prayed for this for years,” shares Taylor. “To be able to work with a team like Sony and Verse 2 surpasses everything I prayed for. I’m so grateful to have found a home and family that truly believe in what I do. This is just the beginning!”
Lanco Announces Honky Tonk Hippies Tour, New 5-Song EP
/by Lorie HollabaughLanco is launching the 30-city Honky Tonk Hippies tour this fall, as well as releasing a new 5-song EP of the same name on July 2.
The five-man band will kick off their cross-country run on Sept. 12 in Isle of Palms, South Carolina at The Wind Jammer with Ross Ellis. Running through Dec. 17, the Honky Tonk Hippies tour will roll through the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia, The Van Buren in Phoenix, and Fremont Theater in California before wrapping up at the Grizzly Rose in Denver. Tickets will be available beginning this Friday, June 25 at lancomusic.com.
Honky Tonk Hippies, the band’s upcoming EP, was self-produced by the group as they traveled to the iconic Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record the new music. Comprised of Brandon Lancaster, Eric Steedly, Chandler Baldwin, Jared Hampton, and Tripp Howell, each song on the new project was penned by at least two members.
“For our band, the two things we love more than anything are playing shows and being in the studio,” says Lancaster, the group’s frontman. “So, the minute we were cleared, we booked Fame Studios and started planning this tour. Seeing the dates on a calendar helped us visualize being back on stage, and these songs reflect that feeling. We tracked everything live with all our pent up energy, and it won’t be long until we’re out there with the fans crowd-surfing to it.”
Honky-Tonk Hippies Tour Dates:
09/12/21 Isle of Palms, SC – The Wind Jammer
09/16/21 Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre
09/17/21 Tuscaloosa, AL – Druid City Music Hall
09/18/21 Chattanooga, TN – The Signal
09/24/21 Bay St. Louis, MS – The Whiskey Barrel
09/25/21 Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center – Mars Music Hall
09/30/21 Detroit, MI = Majestic Theatre
10/01/21 Indianapolis, IN – 8 Seconds Saloon
10/02/21 Grand Rapids. MI – The Intersection
10/14/21 Columbia, SC – The Senate
10/29/21 Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
10/30/21 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts (TLA)
11/04/21 Sioux Falls, SD – The District
11/05/21 Clear Lake, IA – Surf Ballroom
11/11/21 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
11/12/21 Rosemont, IL – Joe’s Live
11/13/21 Rootstown, OH – Dusty Armadillo
12/01/21 Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
12/03/21 San Diego, CA – House of Blues San Diego
12/04/21 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
12/07/21 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater
12/08/21 San Jose, CA – CLub Rodeo
12/09/21 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
12/10/21 Chico, CA – El Rey Theatre – Chico
12/11/21 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
12/12/21 Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
12/14/21 Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Spokane
12/15/21 Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Boise
12/16/21 Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
12/17/21 Denver, CO – Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO