Jenna LaMaster Inks Co-Venture Deal With Sheltered Music And 50 Egg Music

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Pictured (L-R): Joey Harris, 50 Egg Music; Jenny Hall, Sheltered Music Publishing; Jonathan Singleton, 50 Egg Music; Tali Canterbury, 50 Egg Music; Darrell Franklin and Lance Freed, Sheltered Music Publishing; along with Jenna LaMaster

Jenna LaMaster has signed a co-venture deal with Sheltered Music and 50 Egg Music.

LaMaster was raised in California and spent time as a PRCA Rodeo Cowgirl in Texas before moving to Nashville to pursue a career as an artist and songwriter. She counts her deep-seated love for ’90s country as a primary influence in her own songwriting style.

Sheltered Music is the Nashville branch of Lance Freed’s All Clear Music, a company that in its first year has already completed deals with Burt Bacharach, Emmylou Harris, and Rodney Crowell, as well as established a creative development partnership with superstar producer Dann Huff. Sheltered Music is under the leadership of longtime publishing executive Darrell Franklin.

“For us to be able to pull our strengths together and deliver for an incredibly talented performer and writer of Jenna’s unique ability is beyond exciting,” Franklin said.

50 Egg Music is a full-service artist development and publishing company co-owned by Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs, and publishing/A&R executive Tali Canterbury. Since its inception, 50 Egg Music has been a part of nine No. 1 songs and continues to build an incredibly diverse roster which includes Ashland Craft, Tyler Braden, Shane Minor, Rob Snyder, Kenton Bryant, Reid Isbell, Rob Pennington, and Jacob Lutz.

“From the moment we met Jenna, we knew there was a special sparkle about her. Not only is she an incredibly gifted singer, but also a songwriter wise beyond her years. We are very lucky that she chose to work with our team and cannot wait for the world to hear her music,” said Canterbury.

“I could not be more excited to have the opportunity to work with such motivated, hardworking, and enthusiastic people,” LaMaster said. “To have such well respected companies like Sheltered Music and 50 Egg Music join forces to create my ‘dream team’ is so honoring. They felt like family from the moment I walked in the door, and I couldn’t imagine a better place to call home.”

Josh Ronen Lands Joint Venture Deal With Arts & Crafts Music And Demolition Music

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Pictured (L-R, top row): Amy Eligh, Dir. of Publishing & Licensing at Arts & Crafts Music; Michael August, GM/Staff Writer at Demolition Music; Chloe Benner, Publishing and Licensing Coord. at Arts & Crafts Music; Lauren Spahn, Attorney at Shackelford Law. (L-R, middle row): Amanda Cooksey, A&R and Head of PR at Demolition Music; Adam Epstein, Head of A&R at Demolition Music; Josh Ronen, Staff Writer; Jamie Dryburgh, Creative Dir. at Demolition Music. (L-R, bottom row): Steve Bloch, Creative Consultant at Demolition Music; Sumiko Sprinkle; Shane Barrett, Song Plugger/Creative Consultant at Demolition Music; Jon D’Agostino, President of Demolition Music/ Staff Writer

Songwriter/producer Josh Ronen has signed a joint venture with Demolition Music and Arts & Crafts Music Publishing. The Chicago native wrote and produced LAVA Records artist somegirlnamedanna’s “Kitchen Table” as well as up-and-coming country artist Julia Cole’s “Side Piece,” which has garnered over one million views on TikTok. He has also had placements on The CW, The Young and the Restless, CBS, and NBA Gametime Live.

Ronen recently co-wrote rising country artist Spencer Crandall’s new song “Things I Can’t Say” featuring Julia Cole. Since the release on Sept. 11, the song has been picked up by Spotify’s Hot Country Playlist and currently has 2 million streams and counting.

“Ever since my first conversations with Demolition and Arts & Crafts, I’ve been blown away by the depth and range of their creative work with writers and artists. I’m excited to be joining such a great team and look forward to a long and successful relationship,” says Ronen.

“We are looking forward to enhancing our already great relationship with Arts & Crafts Music Publishing and combining our strengths to propel Josh’s career. Adding Josh to our team means we get to bring in someone who has a songwriting arsenal. He’s a writer and producer with pop, country, and tv/film sensibilities. I’m really excited about the depth he adds to our already stellar roster,” says President of Demolition Music Jon D’Agostino.

“Arts & Crafts is excited about this new partnership with Demolition Music and Josh Ronen. The team at Demolition is world class and Josh’s talent and dedication is a force that we’re honoured to be a part of. This exciting new relationship will further develop Arts & Crafts presence in the Nashville music community,” says Amy Eligh, Dir. of Publishing and Licensing at Arts & Crafts.

Lauren Alaina, Little Big Town To Help Raise Awareness On Opry Goes Pink Show

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Little Big Town is among the performers on Saturday’s Opry Goes Pink.

The Opry’s 12th annual Opry Goes Pink show will take place October 24 with a huge lineup set to support the fight against breast cancer. Lauren Alaina, Little Big Town, and Rita Wilson with Victoria Shaw and Erin Kinsey are all slated to perform on the special show, which will be the Opry’s 4,797th Saturday night broadcast.

The show will have an in-venue audience of 1,100 in compliance with plans developed with the Nashville Public Health Department that include socially distanced seating, mandatory masks for all guests and staff, as well as enhanced cleaning practices. Throughout the show, fans will learn more about the fight against breast cancer and the work of Susan G. Komen and be invited to donate to the cause.

Opry Goes Pink will air at 7 p.m. CT on Circle and Gray TV stations as well as DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV, and other affiliates in addition to a companion livestream hosted by Carly Pearce on Circle All Access Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Thomas Archer Signs With Madfun Music And Warner Chappell Music

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Pictured (L-R): Madfun Music’s Alicia Pruitt, Thomas Archer

Warner Chappell Music Nashville and Madfun Music have signed a global co-publishing agreement with hitmaker Thomas Archer, co-writer of No. 1 songs including Jason Aldean’s current smash “Got What I Got,” and the Luke Combs hits “Lovin’ on You” and “Hurricane.”

Madfun Music is the new music publishing division of Madfun Entertainment, the full-service talent management company launched in 2018 by longtime publisher Alicia Pruitt in association with Red Light Management.

Pruitt says, “Thomas has the ability as a songwriter to make you believe he has lived every word he writes. That is what I love about his songwriting. With his work ethic and true love for music, I knew I wanted to work with him the first time we met. I’m thrilled to have him as part of this team and look forward to celebrating lots of wins together with my Warner Chappell family.”

Ben Vaughn, President & CEO, Warner Chappell Music Nashville adds, “Thomas is one of the hottest writers in Music City and we’re over the moon to be on his team. We’re also excited to keep growing with Alicia and adding even more good times to our shared successful history.”

Archer also co-wrote Walker Hayes’ “You Broke Up With Me,” which peaked at No. 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart. Archer has more than 60 cuts by other artists including Mitchell Tenpenny, Dustin Lynch, Jon Langston, Jordan Rager, Colt Ford, Waterloo Revival, and Payton Smith.

Laura Leigh Jones Signs With Billy Blue Music Publishing

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Pictured: (standing) Tyler Robertson (Laura Leigh Jones’ husband); Rick Shelton (Vice President of Music Publishing, Daywind Music Group); Ed Leonard (President, Daywind);
(seated) Laura Leigh Jones, Joe Dan Cornett (Creative Director of Billy Blue Publishing)

Laura Leigh Jones has signed with Billy Blue Music Publishing, part of Nashville’s Daywind Music Group.

Raised on country, bluegrass, and roots music on the Virginia/Carolina line, Jones has been writing and performing since her pre-teens. Growing up she performed with her family’s bluegrass band The Cana Ramblers, a group that garnered national attention with its final album release in 2009. After moving to Nashville in 2011, she began penning songs with some of Music City’s top hit makers, and several years later released her own solo EP featuring six originals. Jones’ most recent cut is “Poison” on Sierra Hull’s album, 25 Trips.

“I’m so excited to add Laura Leigh to our Billy Blue Music Publishing roster,” said Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director of Billy Blue Publishing. “The first thing that drew me to Laura Leigh, in addition to her songwriting skill, was the bubbly personality that is apparent the moment you meet her. She is also a walking encyclopedia of bluegrass music knowledge and the lineage of the genre.”

 

Garth Brooks Announces Two New Albums

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Photo: Copyright 2019 Blue Rose, Inc.

Garth Brooks is planning the release of two new albums on Nov. 20: his 12th studio effort, FUN, and a live album, Triple Live Deluxe.

The country superstar shared the news Monday morning via a video message and also invited fans to a live interactive preview of the albums on his TalkShopLive channel on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. ET.

FUN is home to 14 tracks including “Dive Bar,” his collaboration with Blake Shelton, a cover of “Shallow” with Trisha Yearwood, as well as “All Day Long” and “Stronger Than Me.” Brooks previously offered a digital-only release of seven tracks from FUN exclusively on Amazon. In November, there will be a standard edition of the album as well as a limited edition with a holographic foil cover.

The upcoming live album was recorded during the three-and-a-half year Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood, and the record shattering Stadium Tour. Triple Live Deluxe will have 30 tracks on three CDs in a slim jewel case. There will be six different album covers and each will include a booklet with photos from the road.

Brooks’ first live record was his two-disc album Double Live, recorded during the 1996-1998 World Tour. With 21 million units sold, it’s the best selling live album in history.

Photo: Copyright 2019 Blue Rose, Inc.

Country-Rocker Ward Davis To Release New Album ‘Black Cats And Crows’ With Thirty Tigers

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Ward Davis

Outlaw country artist Ward Davis will release new full-length album, Black Cats and Crows, on Nov. 20 via Thirty Tigers.

Produced by Jim “Moose” Brown, the record is filled with murderous story songs, heartbreak and vulnerability, with artist-writers Cody Jinks, Kendell Marvel, and Shawn Camp listed as co-writers on the project.

Davis, who has written songs recorded by Willie Nelson, Trace Adkins, and the late Merle Haggard, says of the album: “I want people to know these songs mean something to me. I hope they mean something to them. Maybe they’ll hear something that’ll make them feel better.

“This is my coping mechanism. I know music is a coping mechanism for a lot of people,” Davis says. “It’s important that it’s crafted well, but it’s also important that it’s honest so that people can relate to it and get something out of it.”

Black Cats and Crows is available for pre-order here.

Black Cats and Crows Tracklisting:
Ain’t Gonna Be Today
Black Cats and Crows
Threads
Sounds of Chains
Get To Work Whiskey
Colorado
Book Of Matches
Heaven Had A Hand
Where I Learned To Live
Papa And Mama
Lay Down On Love
Nobody
Good To Say Goodbye
Good And Drunk

On The Row: Caitlyn Smith Gives ‘Supernova’ Another Shot

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Acclaimed singer-songwriter Caitlyn Smith released her sophomore record, Supernova, on March 13. Within 24 hours of her record’s release, she was leaving Detroit where she was opening for Little Big Town. Since then, Smith has been splitting her time in Nashville and her home state of Minnesota, spending quarantine trying to remain creative and starting her Instagram conversation series ‘Lonely Together,’ where she’s brought Shane McAnally, Karen Fairchild, Brandy Clark, Lori McKenna, Tenille Townes, and many more on her Instagram live to chat.

In September, Smith released Supernova as a deluxe version via Monument Records. The deluxe version, which includes a collaboration with Old Dominion and a cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You,” gives Smith’s 12 songs that she delivered as the COVID-19 pandemic was impacting the United States another chance.

Smith recently visited with MusicRow Magazine staffers via Zoom, and offered a few songs against her spacey background, including her reimagined version of “I Can’t,” with Old Dominion.

Caitlyn Smith performs for MusicRow Staffers

“I’ve know a couple of those guys for a long while,” Smith said of Old Dominion. “Brad Tursi and I go way back to when I first moved to town like a decade ago. We did a tour with Willie Nelson; it was Willie Nelson’s Country Music Throwdown. It was like 17 acts, and Brad and I were part of the songwriter’s stage. So we got to know each other then. I was a big fan of him then, and when they formed Old Dominion, I just remember sitting in his truck, listening to the songs and being like ‘What the heck is this, this is amazing!’ We go way back, we’re big fans of each other so when the opportunity came to go this collaboration, I was like ‘Yes!'”

YouTube video

 

Like the members of Old Dominion, Smith is a well-established songwriter in her own right, having written songs for Meghan Trainor and John Legend, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, James Bay, Jason Aldean, Lady A and more.

“I’ve been here 10 years, I’ve loved Nashville from the second I came here. I’ve always wanted to do the artist thing, but I’ve had a chance to first focus on the songwriting part. I’ve had my songs recorded by a bunch of people and that’s been a total bonus level of life that I never knew was going to be a part of my story, but has been really, really fun. But it’s very fun to step into myself as an artist, it’s been fun getting to experiment. I’ve been having a blast these last couple of years, especially making this new record.”

Smith also played a swanky love song she wrote with Ashley Monroe, “Feel That Way,” that sounds like Patsy Cline meets Nora Jones. Smith’s gorgeous, emotional but controlled voice soars on the track.

“I sat down with a good friend of mine, Ashley Monroe. It was on Valentine’s Day. She’s one of my favorite humans and favorite voices in this town. We just smoked a joint and wrote a song about our husbands,” Smith quipped. “This is what happens with Ashley Monroe on Valentine’s Day.”

Pictured (L-R, top row): MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson; Caitlyn Smith; MusicRow‘s LB Cantrell; (L-R, bottom row): MusicRow‘s Jessica Nicholson, Alex Parry

Smith wrote the songs for Supernova during a busy time in her life, when she was touring a lot and pregnant. “I joke that Supernova is extra emo because it’s just infused with all the pregnancy hormones.

“It’s been a really crazy year, but I’m really excited to release this deluxe record and kind of get a re-do on putting the album out. I’m just happy to get the music to folks. I hope that this record is a light to folks, especially in this super strange year.”

Industry Ink: Dierks Bentley, ASCAP, Danielle Bradbery

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Dierks Bentley’s Earns Platinum Status With “Living,” Celebrates 15th Anniversary As Grand Ole Opry Member

Dierks Bentley. Photo: Zach Belcher

Dierks Bentley added to his growing list of RIAA certifications recently, as his 19th No. 1 hit “Living” has been certified Platinum. He continues to be a dominant voice for the genre with over 6.4 billion streams.

Bentley also just celebrated his 15th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member with a performance that kicked off the Opry’s month-long 95th anniversary celebration.

 

ASCAP Nashville Hosts The ASCAP Foundation Christian Music Songwriters Workshop

Pictured (L-R, top row): ASCAP’s Lexi Miller, Stacey Willbur, Vaughn Hollingsworth, Katy Reynolds; (L-R, middle row) Jason Tucker, Corrine Simpson, Angelica Wilshire, ASCAP’s Kele Currier; (L-R, bottom row) Connell Cruise, Brooke Malouf, Scott Liebenow.

The ASCAP Foundation Christian Music Songwriters Workshop took place virtually on October 5 and 6. Organized by the ASCAP Nashville membership team, the workshop hosted eight up-and-coming Christian music writers and was led by music publishing veteran Stacey Willbur, currently VP Publishing/A&R at Full Circle Music. The two days of sessions included intensives on the craft of songwriting, how to objectively assess songs, expanding sources of inspiration, nurturing a creative community, marketing songs and an overview of music publishing. Willbur provided each writer with songwriting suggestions and marketing advice coupled with encouragement and her perspective on the Christian music industry.

Now in its 11th year, the workshop is part of an ongoing series designed to focus on the development and education of promising new songwriters.

 

Danielle Bradbery’s Achieves RIAA Gold Certification

Danielle Bradbery. Photo: Ford Fairchild

Danielle Bradbery has earned Gold status with “Sway,” from her sophomore album I Don’t Believe We’ve Met (BMLG Records). While 2020 has been a trying year for many artists, quarantine has given Bradbery time to create and expand her musical palette, releasing “Never Have I Ever” early in the year and now following it up with “Girls In My Hometown.”

Hatcher Joins Average Joes Roster

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Hatcher

Average Joes Entertainment has signed country singer-songwriter Hatcher.

The country newcomer’s first single, “‘Til The Next Time,” co-written with George Birge and Josh Mirenda and produced by Leland Elliot, is available now on all streaming platforms.

The son of an iron worker, Hatcher began singing and performing a capella locally and honed his considerable skills free-styling on the open mic circuit.

“Hatcher aims to set a mood and make a connection with his romantically charged music,”said Forrest Latta, Average Joes VP/A&R. “He’s an incredible singer and storyteller. His brand of country has a blue-collar soul edge to it, and he has passion for creating music that truly touches people.”

“I’m looking forward to working with the team at Average Joes and creating great new music,” commented Hatcher. “I’m also excited about releasing ”Til The Next Time.’ When George, Josh and I wrote this song, we wanted to elaborate about the concept of friends with benefits communicated in a sophisticated way. At the core, it’s an old fashioned love song.”