Cassadee Pope Signs With BMG Music Publishing

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Pictured (L-R): Courtney Allen (BMG Creative Dir. A&R), Cassadee Pope, Kos Weaver (BMG Nashville EVP)    Photo: Cody Heckber

Cassadee Pope has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with BMG Music Publishing.

Pope’s career has included fronting rock band Hey Monday and winning Season 3 of The Voice, and she has recorded numerous hits, including the platinum-certified “Wasting All These Tears” from her debut album Frame By Frame which topped the Billboard Country Albums Chart and reached Top 10 on their 200 all-genre chart. She also teamed with Chris Young for the No. 1 hit “Think Of You,” which received a Grammy nod in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category. This Spring, Pope released her latest critically acclaimed studio album STAGES featuring the singles, “Take You Home,” “One More Red Light” and “If My Heart Had A Heart.”

She has toured extensively with artists like Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Rascal Flatts, performed at London’s O2 arena during the C2C: Country to Country Festival, and earned the distinction of being the only country artist to perform at 2018’s Warped Tour. Most recently, she wrapped a tour with Maren Morris before embarking on her first-ever headlining “CMT Next Women of Country Tour.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Cassadee to the BMG family,” says BMG’s Creative Director A&R, Courtney Allen. “Her talent, hard work, perseverance and commitment to artistic integrity have set her on an incredible path into the next chapter of her career and we are proud to be part of it.”

Cassadee Pope is managed by Fusion Music/Red Light Management, with booking representation by CAA. She is also represented by Austen Adams at Dickenson Wright, PLLC.

Parker McCollum Joins Universal Music Group Nashville Roster

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(L-R) Front Row: UMG Nashville’s Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, Parker McCollum, UMG Nashville’s President Cindy Mabe Back Row: UMG Nashville’s SVP Business & Legal Affairs Rob Femia, Greenberg Traurig’s Jess Rosen, UMG Nashville’s EVP A&R Brian Wright, Red Light Management’s Haley McLemore, Red Light Management’s Enzo DeVincenzo, WME’s Henry Glascock, UMG Nashville’s SVP A&R Stephanie Wright, Red Light Management’s Jacob Knight       Photo Credit: Hunter Berry

Parker McCollum has signed with Universal Music Group Nashville. The Conroe, Texas native joins a roster of award-winning artists including George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt, Vince Gill and many more.

Compared to John Mayer and Jason Isbell by Rolling Stone, McCollum began building a following in Texas with 2015’s The Limestone Kid. The album track “Meet You in The Middle” became a hit on Texas’ regional radio chart, and the album’s widely-acclaimed followup, Probably Wrong, helped him find national success. McCollum has built a devoted fan base, with his latest 10-track album anchoring a string of sold-out concerts, including a headlining show at Billy Bob’s Texas this past May.

His latest focus track “I Can’t Breathe” is in rotation at SiriusXM’s The Highway, and he recently teamed with Danielle Bradbery on a cover of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s breakout hit, “Shallow.”

Hailey Whitters Inks Co-Management Deal With Chris Kappy, Matt Graham

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Pictured: Chris Kappy, Hailey Whitters, Matt Graham. Photo credit: Kurt Ozan

Hailey Whitters has signed a co-management deal with BRND MGMT’s Matt Graham and Chris Kappy of Make Wake Artists.

“As an admirer of both Matt & Kappy’s approach, I couldn’t have found a more complimentary management partnership to execute my vision and deliver my music to fans,” Whitters says. “I’m thrilled to embark on this next chapter and see the places we’ll go.”

Whitters’ songs have been recorded by Martina McBride (“Low All Afternoon” & “The Real Thing”), Alan Jackson (“The Older I Get”) and Little Big Town (“Happy People”). Beginning this summer, Whitters will open select tour dates for Lori McKenna, Brent Cobb and Maren Morris.

Kappy said, “When I first heard Hailey’s new album, I knew I wanted to be part of the team. The songwriting is second to none, but the delivery and production of the entire work was so well thought out and arranged, that I knew her heart and soul was in this project. When you find that sort of combination, you do everything you can to be a part of it. Matt is a ground up manager, like myself, and when the opportunity presented itself for us to work together on Hailey, I felt we could bring her a team that knows what passionate fans, strategic touring, and great music can do for an artist’s career. Can’t wait to dig into this next adventure with Matt and Hailey.”

Matt says, “Kappy and I plan to continue executing the rollout that Hailey has so brilliantly begun on her own. While we recognize the extreme importance of having a record label partner in country music, we have no intention of slowing her incredible momentum. We want to make sure whoever we choose as a label partner is the perfect fit. In the meantime, we will continue to roll out new music, and are excited to use our relationships and experience to continue to fan the flames of excitement with her fans and wider music industry.”

Kappy worked at Sixthman for 15 years with Artist and Partner relations for their cruise events such as Florida Georgia Line’s “”This is How We Cruise” and Kid Rock’s “Chillin the Most” Cruise, and has been in the business of passionate fan bases for a very long time. After meeting Luke Combs at the 40 Watt in Athens, GA, Kappy packed up his life and relocated to Nashville, TN in 2015 to navigate the managerial waters for Luke’s career. Since then, Luke Combs has released his double platinum-certified debut album This One’s for You in 2017, which has spent a totally of 35 non-consecutive weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Country Albums charts, scored five No. 1 Country radio hits, and is a CMA, CMT, iHeartRadio and ACM Award-winning artist.

Graham got his start with long-time friend Scooter Braun, as SB Projects Senior Manager, before stepping out in 2015 to launch his company, BRND MGMT. BRND has built an impressively diverse roster including country music’s fastest rising stars, Midland. The trio had a huge 2018 with two Grammy nominations, three CMA nominations and won an ACM for New Vocal Group as well as multiple sold-out headline tours. In addition, his roster spans genres including country, dance, alt, pop and hip-hop landing record deals with Big Machine, Atlantic, Republic, Fueled by Ramen and AWAL.

31st Annual MusicRow Awards Winners

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MusicRow Magazine revealed the winners for the 31st annual MusicRow Awards Wednesday night (June 26) during a celebration at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium.

Winners were celebrated in 11 categories, honoring songwriters, musicians, artists, producers, publishers, labels and talent agencies for their work over the past year. MusicRow Magazine Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson co-hosted the evening alongside media personality Alecia Davis.

Supporting Sponsors of the event are Vaden Group | Elliott Davis, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem, PLLC. Partner level sponsors include Ram Trucks and City National Bank.

The winners for the 31st annual MusicRow Awards are (Winners marked in red):

Producer of the Year
Buddy Cannon
David Garcia
Scott Hendricks
Dann Huff
Jay Joyce
Joey Moi

Label of the Year
BBR Music Group
Big Machine Label Group
Black River Entertainment
Sony Music Nashville
UMG Nashville
Warner Music Nashville

Talent Agency of the Year
APA
CAA
Kinkead Entertainment Agency
Paradigm Talent Agency
United Talent Agency
WME

Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
Tofer Brown
Ben Caver
Brad Clawson
Jacob Davis
Erik Dylan
Ross Ellis
Aaron Eshuis
Jason Gantt
Ben Goldsmith
Mark Holman
Josh London
Chase McGill
Jeff Middleton
David Ray
Jordan Reynolds
Rob Snyder
Will Weatherly
JP Williams
Channing Wilson

Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year
Jimmie Allen
Seth Ennis
Morgan Evans
Riley Green
HARDY
CJ Solar

Male Songwriter of the Year
Ross Copperman
Ashley Gorley
Shane McAnally
Chase McGill
Josh Osborne
Kevin Welch

Female Songwriter of the Year
Jessie Jo Dillon
Nicolle Galyon
Hillary Lindsey
Liz Rose
Laura Veltz
Parker Welling

Song of the Year
“Burning Man”— Songwriter(s): Luke Dick, Bobby Pinson
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” — Songwriter(s): Ashley McBryde, Jeremy Bussey
“On My Way To You” — Songwriter(s): Brett James, Tony Lane
“Rainbow” — Songwriter(s): Kacey Musgraves, Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally
“Speechless” — Songwriter(s): Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Laura Veltz
“The Daughters” — Songwriter(s): Karen Fairchild, Sean McConnell, Ashley Ray

Robert K. Oermann Discovery Artist of the Year
Caylee Hammack
HARDY
Tyler Rich
Seaforth
Tenille Townes
Hailey Whitters

Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Jimmie Allen
Jordan Davis
Russell Dickerson
Cody Johnson
Ashley McBryde
Morgan Wallen

Artist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Kane Brown
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Dan + Shay
Kacey Musgraves

MusicRow also honored the Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians at the 2019 MusicRow Awards, recognizing the studio players who performed on the most albums reaching the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart during the eligibility period. The honorees are:

Bass
Jimmie Lee Sloas

Drums
Nir Z

Engineer
Justin Niebank

Guitar
Derek Wells

Fiddle (tie)
Stuart Duncan
Jenee Fleenor
Alison Krauss

Keyboards
Charles Judge

Steel (tie)
Paul Franklin
Russ Pahl

Vocals
Russell Terrell

Warner Music Nashville Signs Gabby Barrett

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Pictured (L-R): Cris Lacy (EVP A&R, WMN); John Esposito (Chairman & CEO, WMN); Gabby Barrett; Ben Kline (EVP / GM, WMN)

Warner Music Nashville has signed Gabby Barrett. SiriusXM’s The Highway has already tapped the singer/songwriter and American Idol alumna as a “Highway Find” artist, and her first single “I Hope” claimed the No. 1 spot on the station’s Hot 30 Countdown.

The song has 35 million on-demand streams to date. Barrett is currently in the studio with producer Ross Copperman working on her debut release. Barrett will join the Warner Music Nashville/WAR radio team and is represented by Red Light Management and William Morris Endeavor.

Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum Reelects Board Members Steve Turner, Vince Gill

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has announced that cultural arts activist Steve Turner, founder of Butler’s Run LLC, was reelected as chairman of the museum’s board. Turner has held this position since 2008. The museum’s board of officers and trustees also reelected Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill to an 18th consecutive term as president of the board.

Other appointments made during the museum’s quarterly board meeting, which was held last week, include:

Al Giombetti, who has served as an officer on the board since 2000, was elected as a trustee for a three-year term. Giombetti was also reelected as the board’s executive vice president. Trustee David Ross was elected as secretary.

Trustees Rod Essig, Mary Ann McCready and Turner were reelected for three-year terms. They join trustees Mark Bloom, David Conrad, J. William Denny, Ken Levitan, Ernie Williams (treasurer) and Jody Williams.

Producer Dave Cobb, Managing Director of MarketStreet Enterprises Jay Turner, and Interim Chancellor, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of Vanderbilt University Susan Wente were named new officers. The new officers join current board members Earl Bentz, Mike Dungan, Randy Goodman, Keel Hunt, Lon Helton, Donna Nicely, Gary Overton, Jim Seabury, Bill Simmons, Clarence Spalding, Chris Stewart, Troy Tomlinson, Marcus Whitney and Tim Wipperman.

CMA CEO Sarah Trahern serves as an ex-officio member. Chris Horsnell, Mike Milom and Molly Shehan of Milom Horsnell Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan PLC continue as the not-for-profit educational organization’s legal counsel.

 

MusicRow Taps Abstrakt Concrete For MusicRow Award Trophies

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MusicRow Magazine is pleased to reveal a new trophy for the expanded 31st Annual MusicRow Awards, presented first at tonight’s (June 26) event at the War Memorial Auditorium. The concrete award was crafted by Santana Matlock at Abstrakt Concrete in Nashville, Tennessee.

Santana Matlock

The concrete trophy will symbolize MusicRow as the cornerstone of the Nashville music industry, and each trophy includes a small sample of soil taken from the grounds of historic Music Row. Matlock is a local artisan who specializes in the custom design and production of concrete countertops, sinks, fire pits, and other products.

Photo: Rachael Fernandez

MusicRow Names Award After Industry Legend: The Robert K. Oermann Discovery Artist Of The Year Award

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Robert K. Oermann. Photo: Haley Crow/MusicRow

In its 31st year, the MusicRow Awards has expanded it’s honors to include a total of 11 categories, one of which is the Discovery Artist of the Year award. MusicRow is proud to announce that the Discovery Award has been named the Robert K. Oermann Discovery Artist of the Year Award.

The award’s namesake, Robert K. Oermann, is a legendary music journalist who, during his 40-year career, has written for Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Esquire and TV Guide. In the 1980s he became the first country music reporter and critic for USA Today, and spent 12 years with The Tennessean. MusicRow Magazine has featured Oermann’s infamous single reviews and editorial contributions since its inception in 1981.

“It is our sincere honor to name the newly minted Discovery Artist of the Year award after the incomparable Robert K. Oermann,” says MusicRow‘s Publisher/Owner Sherod Robertson. “Oermann’s contribution to this publication and the Nashville music industry is immeasurable. Artists and their industry team members have sought Oermann’s anointing stroke of the pen ever since he published his very first song review in MusicRow magazine in 1981. As a champion of country music for many decades, he has cheered both superstars and newcomers alike and has always been an early adopter of new deserving talent. The respect this industry has for Oermann is tremendous—so naming this award after him is a perfect fit and well deserved.”

Nominated for the inaugural Robert K. Oermann Discovery Award this year is Caylee Hammack, HARDY, Tyler Rich, Seaforth, Tenille Townes and Hailey Whitters. The award will honor a Nashville developing artist who demonstrates significant talent and potential to rise, and will be announced tonight (June 26) at the 31st annual MusicRow Awards.

Sarah Trahern To Receive Spirit Of Music Award At T.J. Martell Honors Gala

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CMA CEO Sarah Trahern is being honored with the Spirit Of Music Award at the upcoming 44th Annual T.J. Martell Honors Gala in New York on Oct. 15 at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Michael Kushner, EVP Business & Legal Affairs/General Counsel Atlantic Records, and Mike O’Neill, President & CEO of BMI are also being honored at the event, which will include a cocktail reception, silent auction, seated dinner, and special entertainment. Kushner will receive the Lifetime Music Industry Award, while O’Neill will be honored with the T.J. Martell Foundation Legacy Award.

More information on the upcoming event can be found at HonorsGalaNewYork.org.

Additional Performers Announced For Wide Open Bluegrass 2019

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A new round of performers has been announced for this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass Wide Open Bluegrass festival that takes place at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater and on seven additional stages in downtown Raleigh Sept. 27-28.

I’m With Her (Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, & Aoife O’Donovan), Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Balsam Range, Sister Sadie, and Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen join previously announced Del McCoury and special guests and Molly Tuttle for Main Stage performances during the free weekend festival, with additional performers to be announced in the coming weeks.

Beginning this year, the performances at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater will be open to the public for free, subject to venue capacity. A limited number of reserved seats in prime sections of the venue are available for purchase to ensure admittance for every performance.

“This year, we are raising the bar on our ‘wide open’ brand of bluegrass in Raleigh,” says William Lewis, executive director of PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, and producer of Wide Open Bluegrass. “The new model in Red Hat Amphitheater – coupled with seven other stages of free musical performances and a wide array of accessibility services – is an intentional effort to take bluegrass to the masses by reducing barriers to participation. All are welcome. We sincerely appreciate our sponsors for helping make this dream a reality.”