Matt Rogers Signs With Vere Music Company

Pictured (L-R): Vere Music A&R Executive Alyssa Logan, Matt Rogers, and Vere Music Label Head Rusty Harmon visited Carpe Diem classic record store in Franklin, Tenn. to announce his recent signing. Photo Credit: Vere Music

Singer-songwriter Matt Rogers has signed with Vere Music Company with distribution through ADA.

Rogers has penned songs with some of the best tunesmiths in Music City and has won multiple awards. The Durango Boot ambassador has also reached a growing, global audience thanks to a weekly residency at Ole Red in Nashville and touring across the U.S.

“We are proud of what we are building at Vere Music,” says label head Rusty Harmon. “Matt embodies the spirit of our mission. He is talented, tenacious, ethical, and has developed an impressive arsenal of brand partners over the years. Our goal is to take all of those qualities to build out his already impressive resume and help Matt realize his full potential.”

Daywind Music Group Signs Southern Gospel Trio Southbound

Pictured (L-R): Kyle Johnson, Michael Turner, Dusty Wells, Jody Braselton, Seth Elbe, Clint Brown, Ed Leonard, Rick Shelton

Daywind Music Group has announced that Southbound is the newest addition to their artist and songwriting roster.

The southern gospel trio is made up of Jody Braselton, Seth Elbe, and Clint Brown. The group was born out of their shared desire to sing the songs they grew up on and take that music as well as brand new songs to believers and non-believers alike. Southbound will release its first single to southern gospel radio soon, and is booking dates across the country.

“Daywind Records has always represented and been home to many of the best-of-the-best in our wonderful world of Southern Gospel music,” says Dusty Wells, director of artist and label relations for Daywind. “When I first heard Southbound, I couldn’t quit listening to the songs we had. I knew these guys needed to be a part of our family. Clint, Seth, and Jody all have such amazing talents and gifts, but more importantly is the anointing that rests on each of them… Our team is absolutely thrilled to walk alongside Southbound, and we cannot wait to help take their music and stories to a world that is so desperately in need of hope and healing.”

Conner Smith, Jimmy Charles, Andrew Pates To Perform At Annual ‘Hear The Music’ Gala

(Pictured L-R: Conner Smith, Jimmy Charles, and Andrew Pates)

Songs for Sound, a Nashville-based outreach and service charity that works to protect and restore hearing for those who suffer from hearing loss, is thrilled to announce its artist lineup for this year’s 10th annual ‘Hear the Music’ Gala to be held on May 22.

Performing this year will be Big Machine Label Group artist Conner Smith, who will be opening on select dates for Thomas Rhett’s Center Point Road Tour; country artist and philanthropist Jimmy Charles, who will also be serving as the night’s emcee; and beloved songwriter Andrew Pates.

This year’s gala will take place at Westhaven Golf Club in Franklin, TN from 4:30-9:30 p.m. CST. The event will provide a socially-distanced opportunity for people to enjoy an evening out, live music, food trucks, and inspirational stories. To purchase tickets or sponsor a table, click here.

Operation Song To Release Special Album In Honor Of Fallen Heroes

Operation Song is sharing powerful stories about hope and healing through the gift of songwriting with A Salute to Gold Star Families. The 8-track album is dedicated to fallen military heroes and their loved ones, and is set for release on Friday, May 28.

The non-profit organization paired professional songwriters with loved ones of fallen military heroes to help transform their compelling stories into songs. Songwriters performing on the album include Jenn Franklin, Victoria Banks, Aaron G. Barker Sr, Becca Rae Greene, Cindy Morgan, Hunter Wolkonowski, Marc Beeson, and Stephen J. Williams.

Operation Song Executive Director Kyle Frederick says the album project highlights the need for continued outreach and services. “This process and these recordings have given me a crystal-clear perspective on why it is essential that we, as a community, provide every support option possible for our veterans, active-duty military and their families,” he explains.

All proceeds from the recording project go back into the non-profit organization for continued programming and services. For more information on programs and ways to get involved, visit operationsong.org.

The Association of Independent Music Publishers has announced the first set of speakers for its AIMP Global Music Publishing Summit, taking place online June 7-9, 2021.

The Summit will be headlined by keynotes from songwriter, producer, and Big Loud founder Craig Wiseman in conversation with musician, publisher, and ASCAP Executive Vice President of Membership John Titta on June 7, and Gadi Oron, Director General of CISAC, will speak on June 9.

In addition, two powerhouse panels will bring together the heads of publishing and music rights organizations in the U.S. and abroad. The “U.S. Alliance” panel will include David Israelite, President and CEO, NMPA; Mitch Glazer, Chairman and CEO, RIAA; Richard Burgess, CEO, A2IM; Bart Herbison, Executive Director of NSAI; Michael Lau; and moderator Portia Sabin, President, Music Biz.

The International Alliance panel will include Margaret McGuffin, CEO, Music Publishers Canada; Annette Barrett, President/Chair of the Board, IMPF; Will Kreth, EIDR/DDEX; and Teri Nelson Carpenter; moderated by Ger Hatton, Principal, Hatton.eu.

The perennial Indie Perspective panel will also return this year with Mike Molinar, General Manager, Big Machine Music; Kathy Spanberger, COO, peermusic; Jim Selby, Chief Publishing Executive, Concord Music; Neil Gillis, President, Round Hill Music; and John Ozier, AIMP National Chair and President of the AIMP Nashville Chapter/Reservoir. More speakers and panels will be announced in the coming weeks.

The event will span three days, kicking off with Creator Day on June 7, followed by Business of Publishing on June 8, and wrapping with International Day on June 9.

Registration for the 2021 AIMP Global Music Publishing Summit is open at aimpsummit.com, with a rate of $139 for AIMP members and $199 for non-members, and single day passes available for $79 per day.

Pictured top row (L-R): Ryan Dokke, CEO, Play It Again Music Group; Erin Kidd, Creative Dir., Double Down Music; Bottom row (L-R): Lauren Lieu, Creative Dir., Double Down Music; Cade Price, Dir., Streaming & Creative Content at PIA Entertainment

Hit songwriter and publisher Dallas Davidson has established Play It Again Music Group as a full-service music company housing his longtime PIA Publishing and label/artist management and development division PIA Entertainment, established in 2020. In conjunction, Davidson is also launching a new publishing company, Double Down Music, as a division of PIA Music Group.

Industry veteran Ryan Dokke will serve as CEO of PIA Music Group, overseeing daily operations of each division. Erin Kidd and Lauren Lieu have been tapped to serve as Creative Directors for Double Down Music, and Cade Price will move from his role at PIA Publishing to Director, Streaming & Creative Content at PIA Entertainment.

PIA Publishing’s roster includes Davidson, Kyle Fishman, Warner Music Nashville recording artist Trea Landon, Justin Wilson, and Tommy Cecil. Play It Again Entertainment is home to Walker Montgomery and Dylan Marlowe. The songwriting roster for Double Down Music has not been announced.

“The creativity and culture at PIA Music Group is incredible right now!” says Dokke. “I’m extremely excited to turn Erin, Lauren and Cade loose with their ideas and passion for our songwriters and artists! We place a high priority on service to creative talent.”

Adds Davidson, “Launching Double Down Music and aligning everything under the PIA Music Group allows us to work with even more incredible artists and songwriters and provide high level creative resources to the top talent in music. With the addition of Double Down Music, the PIA Music Group reaffirms our commitment to the songwriting and artist community!”

Davidson is one of music’s most in-demand songwriters with chart-topping hits recorded by Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Lady A, Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, Morgan Wallen, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton and many more. Over the course of his career, he has earned songwriter of the year honors from Billboard, BMI, NSAI, and ACM, and is a six-time CMA Triple Play award recipient. Davidson currently serves as the Chairman of the Georgia Music Foundation.

After last year’s cancellation due to COVID-19, the KLove Fan Awards are pleased to announce that this year’s awards show will be held live and in person.

Among the artists on the lineup for this year’s show are Andrew Ripp, Cain, Cory Asbury, Crowder, Danny Gokey, Elevation Worship, For King & Country, Jenn Johnson, Josh Baldwin, Mac Powell, Matthew West, MercyMe, Natalie Grant, Riley Clemmons, Steven Curtis Chapman, Tauren Wells, We Are Messengers, We The Kingdom, and Zach Williams.

The show will take place on Sunday, May 30 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. There are also plans for a socially-distanced red carpet.

The event is part of the KLove Fan Awards Weekend, running May 28-30.