Matt Graham
Since signing with BMLG in 2016, Midland’s Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson have earned accolades most newcomers dream of, including the breakthrough single “Drinkin’ Problem.” The track earned the trio two Grammy nominations, and in 2018 they picked up an ACM Award for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Last year, they opened for Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes Tour, and have opened shows for Little Big Town, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, among others.
Among those helping guide the BMLG trio’s career is BRND MGMT President Matt Graham. Based in Los Angeles, Graham co-manages Midland with powerhouse Sandbox Entertainment manager Jason Owen.
BRND MGMT also counts among its clients Emir, Corey Harper, Nicky Romero, The Score, Jasmine Thompson, XYLO, Zolita and more. Additionally, the company launched the label Tuxedo Records, with Desure, Harper and Zolita.
Prior to launching BRND Management, he was Sr. Manager at Scooter Braun’s SB Projects.
MusicRow Magazine caught up with Graham to discuss his career trajectory, launching BRND Management, and breaking Midland.
MusicRow: You were a history major at Emory University, and you were doing club promotion. How did you get into promotion?
It started with meeting Scooter Braun at my first day at school. That’s how I got into promoting. He walked up to me at a bar. I was sitting there with some beautiful young women and a beer and he said, “I think you’ve figured out college. How would you like to come work for me?” He was a club promoter and that’s how I got into the club promotion business and music in college.
After I left school, I worked at [music magazine] The FADER in New York and worked there for about 18 months before I signed my first act on my own to Interscope and that had nothing to do with Scooter.
Scooter was starting to have success with Justin Bieber and I thought, “Let me talk to him and see what his plans are.” He asked me to help him build a management company. We signed Cody Simpson about 7 ½ years ago. He was 14. I managed Cody for a year from New York, while Scooter was in Atlanta. Then Scooter moved to Los Angeles and opened the SB Projects office and asked me to come with him.
MR: For you as a manager, what were the risks of working with a young artist like Cody, and how did that pay off for you?
It was a huge departure for me to do the teen pop thing and I was very reticent about it. I didn’t know that space, because I had worked at FADER and listened that type of music. Scooter gave me a lot of confidence to grow into that space. We took Cody from doing YouTube [videos] to selling out theaters around the world and becoming a pretty big celebrity for a time. It was like getting my MBA in being a manager. We did the award shows, released multiple albums, CDs, features, did film and TV stuff. There was a seemingly endless amount of new deals and projects, which teaches you how to do everything. We did over 100 licensing deals. With Midland, I’ve never done one [licensing deal]. But a lot of managers have no experience in those aspects of the job.
Also, it was in the pre-streaming economy but also the post-really healthy download economy, so if artists weren’t getting big radio hits, they weren’t generating income. Teen pop was this weird universe where through social media you could build a huge audience without radio and monetize it through ticket sales, brand partnerships and merchandise. That was interesting to me that we could build a post-radio, multi-million dollar business. With Justin Bieber, once you had the radio success and you combined those aspects, it was astronomical.
Matt Graham with Midland in Dublin. Photo: Press Here Publicity
MR: You left your role as Sr. Manager at SB Projects to start BRND Management, and later began working with Midland. What was it about Midland that convinced you to want to work with them and also begin working in the country genre?
They are the complete package—incredible musical instincts, amazing performers, moving culture they are so different than anything else out there. Having worked with a lot of teenagers, it was exciting to work with guys who are in their 30’s with real experience and real stories to tell about heartache. And they know what it’s like to lose. That brings with it humility that you can’t get in a teenage artist.
I first met [Midland’s] Cameron [Duddy] and had a shared vision for a lot of things. We wanted to make movies and I thought if I can help him navigate to the top of the music video world then I can also help him get a first movie made. We started down that process and he brought me a Midland demo. He told me, “Hey, I know you really wanted to make movies and I want to make movies, too, but really my first love is music. These are two guys I’ve played in bands with for years and we decided to record a demo.” He gave me the demo on CD, which I thought was ridiculous because this was like five years ago—I didn’t even know you could still burn CDs five years ago—but I listened to it while I was driving down PCH in Malibu. I fell in love with Mark [Wystrach]’s voice and the stories they were telling.
I remember having met Mark a few years before that and I told Cameron, “Don’t tell anyone else about this band or about Mark, because I think that guy is the biggest, most undiscovered star on earth right now.”
MR: When Midland debuted, people were talking about their aesthetic. To use a word that was thrown around a lot, they have a “throwback” image. How did you make sure that the messaging was consistent from the look to the sound?
When we got together, those original demos, which I hope we release at some point, are even more traditional, certainly from a production standpoint. We talked about it and said, “If we are going to do this we have to do it to the best of our ability.” I felt we needed a Nashville insider, so we reached out to Jason Owen [who now co-manages Midland with Graham]. One of the first meetings he set up was with Shane McAnally and the guys hit it off. And then Shane and Dann [Huff] took this traditional sound that would have found this rabid but small fanbase, and made it acceptable enough to play on country radio.
They could have easily gone in with like a Dave Cobb, who has done amazing things for Chris Stapleton, but that kind of sound may have made Midland a little too left-of-center, and maybe they wouldn’t have had commercial radio success. With Jason and Shane working on this, they were able to nudge it over enough to the center without saying, “Hey guys, cut this other song we have.” Because that was never on the table. Midland was never going to cut an outside song.
MR: Country music went through a bit of a traditional-tinged resurgence just before Midland broke. What is your take on that?
When we came to town, this was not working. I remember sitting in meetings with A&R people and publishers, and they would be like, ‘But the traditional country thing will never get played on radio.’ No one cared.
If Chris Stapleton didn’t start to experience success and people like that in town, I don’t think we could have come through that door. I’d been in Nashville for two years before we got that label deal, and I could see that shift as Chris Stapleton happened. People started asking, “What about that Midland band?” And then there was the showcase where [BMLG Sr. VP, A&R] Allison Jones saw them and said, “I have to have this.” At the same time, Bruno Mars wanted to sign them to Atlantic Records and we had this bidding war and then everyone wanted to jump in.
Matt Graham with Midland. Photo: Courtesy Press Here Publicity
MR: How have you learned to be efficient in handling the numerous deal offers you come across?
Every artist is different. With Cody, for the most part, the answer was yes, because there was no notion of selling out. To a 15-year-old girl, the more brands that are out there talking about Cody, the more he seems like a big star to them. You want brands like Coca-Cola and 1-800-Flowers saying yes. What teens buy into the most is celebrity culture, the rise of the influencers, the notion that you need to be famous.
That’s very different than a Midland, where in general the answer has to be no. We have credibility, and credibility is such a fragile thing. You have to be cognizant in how you align yourself, because of things you can’t control. We looked recently at doing a big beer deal, and ultimately we turned them down. A lot of people, including our label, were like, “Why?” It was a very Texas-centric beer, it had national distribution but it is a beer that everyone in Texas drinks. We felt like we are a regionally successful act, but with the second album we are going to become a more nationally-recognized brand and we are not sure this beer is. They were not willing to open up their marketing plan to us and they just wanted to attach their brand to our brand, and to have Midland on cases and use them in our music videos.
MR: What advice do you have for new managers?
Find great mentors. Make sure you have the appropriate infrastructure and mentorship to make these musicians successful, because these are musicians’ livelihoods. And it’s important to find something you are passionate about because this is a 24/7 job.
MR: Do you foresee adding additional country artists to the BRND Management roster?
We have Desure that Midland introduced me to. I see him occupying somewhere between alt and country. I’m looking at another young artist I just discovered and I’m really excited to see how things go. And Jason is such a brilliant manager, I would love to work more with him.
BRND MGMT’s Matt Graham Talks Success With Midland’s Traditional Country Sound
/by Jessica NicholsonMatt Graham
Since signing with BMLG in 2016, Midland’s Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson have earned accolades most newcomers dream of, including the breakthrough single “Drinkin’ Problem.” The track earned the trio two Grammy nominations, and in 2018 they picked up an ACM Award for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Last year, they opened for Thomas Rhett’s Life Changes Tour, and have opened shows for Little Big Town, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, among others.
Among those helping guide the BMLG trio’s career is BRND MGMT President Matt Graham. Based in Los Angeles, Graham co-manages Midland with powerhouse Sandbox Entertainment manager Jason Owen.
BRND MGMT also counts among its clients Emir, Corey Harper, Nicky Romero, The Score, Jasmine Thompson, XYLO, Zolita and more. Additionally, the company launched the label Tuxedo Records, with Desure, Harper and Zolita.
Prior to launching BRND Management, he was Sr. Manager at Scooter Braun’s SB Projects.
MusicRow Magazine caught up with Graham to discuss his career trajectory, launching BRND Management, and breaking Midland.
MusicRow: You were a history major at Emory University, and you were doing club promotion. How did you get into promotion?
It started with meeting Scooter Braun at my first day at school. That’s how I got into promoting. He walked up to me at a bar. I was sitting there with some beautiful young women and a beer and he said, “I think you’ve figured out college. How would you like to come work for me?” He was a club promoter and that’s how I got into the club promotion business and music in college.
After I left school, I worked at [music magazine] The FADER in New York and worked there for about 18 months before I signed my first act on my own to Interscope and that had nothing to do with Scooter.
Scooter was starting to have success with Justin Bieber and I thought, “Let me talk to him and see what his plans are.” He asked me to help him build a management company. We signed Cody Simpson about 7 ½ years ago. He was 14. I managed Cody for a year from New York, while Scooter was in Atlanta. Then Scooter moved to Los Angeles and opened the SB Projects office and asked me to come with him.
MR: For you as a manager, what were the risks of working with a young artist like Cody, and how did that pay off for you?
It was a huge departure for me to do the teen pop thing and I was very reticent about it. I didn’t know that space, because I had worked at FADER and listened that type of music. Scooter gave me a lot of confidence to grow into that space. We took Cody from doing YouTube [videos] to selling out theaters around the world and becoming a pretty big celebrity for a time. It was like getting my MBA in being a manager. We did the award shows, released multiple albums, CDs, features, did film and TV stuff. There was a seemingly endless amount of new deals and projects, which teaches you how to do everything. We did over 100 licensing deals. With Midland, I’ve never done one [licensing deal]. But a lot of managers have no experience in those aspects of the job.
Also, it was in the pre-streaming economy but also the post-really healthy download economy, so if artists weren’t getting big radio hits, they weren’t generating income. Teen pop was this weird universe where through social media you could build a huge audience without radio and monetize it through ticket sales, brand partnerships and merchandise. That was interesting to me that we could build a post-radio, multi-million dollar business. With Justin Bieber, once you had the radio success and you combined those aspects, it was astronomical.
Matt Graham with Midland in Dublin. Photo: Press Here Publicity
MR: You left your role as Sr. Manager at SB Projects to start BRND Management, and later began working with Midland. What was it about Midland that convinced you to want to work with them and also begin working in the country genre?
They are the complete package—incredible musical instincts, amazing performers, moving culture they are so different than anything else out there. Having worked with a lot of teenagers, it was exciting to work with guys who are in their 30’s with real experience and real stories to tell about heartache. And they know what it’s like to lose. That brings with it humility that you can’t get in a teenage artist.
I first met [Midland’s] Cameron [Duddy] and had a shared vision for a lot of things. We wanted to make movies and I thought if I can help him navigate to the top of the music video world then I can also help him get a first movie made. We started down that process and he brought me a Midland demo. He told me, “Hey, I know you really wanted to make movies and I want to make movies, too, but really my first love is music. These are two guys I’ve played in bands with for years and we decided to record a demo.” He gave me the demo on CD, which I thought was ridiculous because this was like five years ago—I didn’t even know you could still burn CDs five years ago—but I listened to it while I was driving down PCH in Malibu. I fell in love with Mark [Wystrach]’s voice and the stories they were telling.
I remember having met Mark a few years before that and I told Cameron, “Don’t tell anyone else about this band or about Mark, because I think that guy is the biggest, most undiscovered star on earth right now.”
MR: When Midland debuted, people were talking about their aesthetic. To use a word that was thrown around a lot, they have a “throwback” image. How did you make sure that the messaging was consistent from the look to the sound?
When we got together, those original demos, which I hope we release at some point, are even more traditional, certainly from a production standpoint. We talked about it and said, “If we are going to do this we have to do it to the best of our ability.” I felt we needed a Nashville insider, so we reached out to Jason Owen [who now co-manages Midland with Graham]. One of the first meetings he set up was with Shane McAnally and the guys hit it off. And then Shane and Dann [Huff] took this traditional sound that would have found this rabid but small fanbase, and made it acceptable enough to play on country radio.
They could have easily gone in with like a Dave Cobb, who has done amazing things for Chris Stapleton, but that kind of sound may have made Midland a little too left-of-center, and maybe they wouldn’t have had commercial radio success. With Jason and Shane working on this, they were able to nudge it over enough to the center without saying, “Hey guys, cut this other song we have.” Because that was never on the table. Midland was never going to cut an outside song.
MR: Country music went through a bit of a traditional-tinged resurgence just before Midland broke. What is your take on that?
When we came to town, this was not working. I remember sitting in meetings with A&R people and publishers, and they would be like, ‘But the traditional country thing will never get played on radio.’ No one cared.
If Chris Stapleton didn’t start to experience success and people like that in town, I don’t think we could have come through that door. I’d been in Nashville for two years before we got that label deal, and I could see that shift as Chris Stapleton happened. People started asking, “What about that Midland band?” And then there was the showcase where [BMLG Sr. VP, A&R] Allison Jones saw them and said, “I have to have this.” At the same time, Bruno Mars wanted to sign them to Atlantic Records and we had this bidding war and then everyone wanted to jump in.
Matt Graham with Midland. Photo: Courtesy Press Here Publicity
MR: How have you learned to be efficient in handling the numerous deal offers you come across?
Every artist is different. With Cody, for the most part, the answer was yes, because there was no notion of selling out. To a 15-year-old girl, the more brands that are out there talking about Cody, the more he seems like a big star to them. You want brands like Coca-Cola and 1-800-Flowers saying yes. What teens buy into the most is celebrity culture, the rise of the influencers, the notion that you need to be famous.
That’s very different than a Midland, where in general the answer has to be no. We have credibility, and credibility is such a fragile thing. You have to be cognizant in how you align yourself, because of things you can’t control. We looked recently at doing a big beer deal, and ultimately we turned them down. A lot of people, including our label, were like, “Why?” It was a very Texas-centric beer, it had national distribution but it is a beer that everyone in Texas drinks. We felt like we are a regionally successful act, but with the second album we are going to become a more nationally-recognized brand and we are not sure this beer is. They were not willing to open up their marketing plan to us and they just wanted to attach their brand to our brand, and to have Midland on cases and use them in our music videos.
MR: What advice do you have for new managers?
Find great mentors. Make sure you have the appropriate infrastructure and mentorship to make these musicians successful, because these are musicians’ livelihoods. And it’s important to find something you are passionate about because this is a 24/7 job.
MR: Do you foresee adding additional country artists to the BRND Management roster?
We have Desure that Midland introduced me to. I see him occupying somewhere between alt and country. I’m looking at another young artist I just discovered and I’m really excited to see how things go. And Jason is such a brilliant manager, I would love to work more with him.
Rodney Crowell Enlists All-Star Cast For Collaborative Album ‘TEXAS’
/by LB CantrellRodney Crowell. Photo: Sam Esty Rayner Photography
Grammy-winning Americana mainstay Rodney Crowell will release the collaborative album, TEXAS, on Aug. 15, featuring tracks with Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Ronnie Dunn, Billy F Gibbons, Randy Rogers, Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Steve Earle, and Ringo Starr.
Crowell will be celebrating the album’s release by returning to SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country channel to host a special show devoted to his Texas heritage that will air multiple times during release week.
“Interestingly, it all started with Ringo Starr who, through a mutual friend, let me know he was keen to record a track,” Crowell says. “Before I knew it, Lee Ann Womack, Ronnie Dunn, Willie Nelson, Randy Rogers, Lyle Lovett and Vince Gill had climbed on board. Ray Kennedy and I took hold of the production reins, enlisted a cast of bad ass musicians and voilá, TEXAS was born. Man, was it a fun record to make.”
“I love to work with people who are the best at what they do,” shares Womack. “Singing with Rodney is like a master class from one of the greatest singer-songwriters of our time.”
On Aug. 10, Crowell will be inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in Carthage, Texas.
Rodney Crowell’s TEXAS track listing:
1. “Flatland Hillbillies” (featuring Lee Ann Womack & Randy Rogers)
2. “Caw Caw Blues” (featuring Vince Gill)
3. “56 Fury” (featuring Billy F Gibbons)
4. “Deep In the Heart of Uncertain Texas” (featuring Ronnie Dunn, Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack)
5. “You’re Only Happy When You’re Miserable” (featuring Ringo Starr)
6. “I’ll Show Me”
7. “What You Gonna Do Now” (featuring Lyle Lovett)
8. “The Border”
9. “Treetop Slim & Billy Lowgrass”
10. “Brown & Root, Brown & Root” (featuring Steve Earle)
11. “Texas Drought Part 1”
Universal Music Publishing Group Signs Catie Offerman
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, front row): Kent Earls, Exec. VP/GM, UMPG Nashville; Catie Offerman; Travis Gordon, Sr. Creative Director, UMPG; (L-R, back row): Austen Adams, Dickinson Wright PLLC; Ron Stuve, VP, A&R/Special Projects, UMPG; Melissa Spillman, F R E E T O W N Music Group; Cyndi Forman, VP, Creative, UMPG; Missy Roberts, Sr. Creative Director, UMPG; Matt Malcomb, William Morris Endeavor. Photo: UMPG
Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has signed Catie Offerman to an exclusive publishing deal.
Based in Nashville, Offerman has written with Liz Rose, Natalie Hemby, Nicolle Galyon, Lucie Silvas, Jeremy Spillman, Brett James, Troy Verges, Chase McGill, Ryan Beaver and more. The New Braunfels, Texas native got her start as a fiddle player performing for artists all over the country.
“Most girls dream about their wedding day, but I always dreamed about the day I signed a publishing deal!” said Offerman. “I am so excited to be a part of the UMPG family. Universal is one of the most impactful companies in music. UMPG instantly felt like home to me, and I’m especially grateful to UMPG Nashville A&R Travis Gordon for ‘getting’ it! I love the whole team so much and can’t wait for this next chapter!”
“Catie’s songs captured all of us at UMPG after our first meeting. They draw you in and give a great definition of who she is a songwriter and artist. We’re beyond excited she chose UMPG to be her publishing home and look forward to delivering strong creative opportunities that support her journey as a songwriter,” said Kent Earls, UMPG Nashville Executive Vice President/General Manager.
Offerman is set to release new music in 2019. More information is available at catieofferman.com.
Music Biz Conference Names Luke Combs As Featured Performer, Reveals CMA Breakfast Performers
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Music Business Association’s Music Biz Conference 2019 will welcome Luke Combs as the featured performer for its 2019 Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner on Tuesday, May 7.
Kassi Ashton, Danielle Bradbery and Cassadee Pope will perform during the CMA Breakfast on Monday, May 6. The CMA Breakfast showcase will be a performance in-the-round, with Ashton, Bradbery and Pope taking turns sharing the stories behind their songs.
“Our Annual Conference has always been the perfect platform to spotlight new talent, as well as highlight established artists,” commented Music Biz President James Donio. “We are so pleased to have Kassi, Danielle and Cassadee help CMA kick off the Conference at the Opening Breakfast. And we couldn’t be more excited to have one of the genre’s brightest young talents, Luke Combs, entertain attendees and honorees at our Awards & Hall of Fame celebration.”
Music Biz 2019 takes place May 5-8 at the JW Marriott Nashville.
Musicians Corner Announces Spring 2019 Lineup
/by LB CantrellMusicians Corner will return to Centennial Park for its 10-year celebration with a two-day kickoff on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11. The series provides free public access to live music and supports local and emerging artists.
The 2019 Spring Lineup will include 22 events, taking place on Fridays and Saturdays in May and June. These inclusive events will feature multi-genre and multicultural musical performances on the Main Stage and Lightning 100 Acoustic Stage, food trucks, the Pub, local artisan vendors, Kidsville activities, and featured community partners. Events will take place from 5 – 9 p.m. on Fridays and from 12 – 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
Musicians Corner’s May and June events will feature over 125 artists including boisterous folk troubadour Langhorne Slim & The Law, Grammy award-winning songwriter and former member of The Civil Wars, John Paul White, local indie rocker Soccer Mommy, roots rocker Parker Millsap, outlaw country singer Nikki Lane, American roots crooner Pokey LaFarge, moody Seattle songwriter Damien Jurado, Armenian folk singer Bedouine, local Americana hero Will Hoge, soulful indie-folk duo The Watson Twins, gritty folk rocker Aaron Lee Tasjan, former True Detective singer Lera Lynn, bluegrass songstress Sierra Hull, classic country champion Joshua Hedley, and many more.
On June 29, John Paul White will headline a showcase curated by Single Lock Records, the Muscle Shoals, Alabama-based record label that he co-founded. “We’re looking forward to partnering with our friends at Musicians Corner to present a Single Lock Records showcase on June 29,” said John Paul White, Co-Founder of Single Lock Records. “This will be a chance for folks to see the future of our label: Nashville residents The Prescriptions, Birmingham’s Duquette Johnston, local rock heroes Exotic Dangers, and 1/2 of the Single Lock String Section (along with Kimi Samson), Caleb Elliott. We’re incredibly proud to be joined at the hip with these amazing artists – and to show them off with the help and support of the fine folks at Musicians Corner.”
“Over the past decade, Musicians Corner has supported emerging artists, craft makers, and small businesses in addition to providing free music events for the Nashville community. Musicians Corner plays an important role in Nashville’s identity as Music City,” said Mayor David Briley.
In addition to the general schedule, Musicians Corner will partner with the Nashville Symphony for the third year to present a performance by the Grammy award-winning Nashville Symphony orchestra in Centennial Park on Thursday, June 6. Musicians Corner will also partner with American Artisan Festival for a three-day event on June 14, 15, and 16 featuring high quality contemporary craft and fine art, and a lineup of local performers to be announced at a later date.
“We’re excited to return to Centennial Park to celebrate ten years of free live music for the city of Nashville. The lineup features a great mix of some of our favorite artists who have performed on our stage over the years, as well as many new faces who we’re excited to showcase for the first time,” said Justin Braman, Musicians Corner Program Director.
Musicians Corner 2019 Main Stage Artist Lineup
Friday, May 10
The Watson Twins • Angel Snow • Don Gallardo & Lilly Winwood • Lauren Farrah • Daphne Michelle
Saturday, May 11
Langhorne Slim & The Law • Becca Mancari • Jason Eskridge • Katy Kirby • The Katawicks
Friday, May 17
Sierra Hull • Kyshona • Austin Plaine • Giri & Uma Peters • Katie Ruvane
Saturday, May 18
Parker Millsap • Brandy Zdan • &More (Chill Moody & Donn T) • Viva Mexico • Savannah Sgro
Friday, May 24
Will Hoge • Shelly Colvin • Emily Earle • Karina Daza • Avi Jacob
Saturday, May 25
Aaron Lee Tasjan • Erin Rae • AJ & The Jiggawatts • SONTALK • EG Vines
Friday, May 31
Lera Lynn • Hush Kids • Quinn DeVeaux • Sarah Zuniga • Jess Jocoy
Saturday, June 1
Joshua Hedley • Lilly Hiatt • Teddy & The Rough Riders • The Pressure Kids • McKenzie Lockhart
Thursday, June 6
Nashville Symphony
Friday, June 7
Pokey LaFarge • Amythyst Kiah • Esther Rose • Samuel Herb • Daniel Daniel
Saturday, June 8
Nikki Lane • Molly Burch • Sam Lewis • Veaux • Stacey Randol
June 14, 15, 16*
In Partnership With American Artisan Festival
Lineup To Be Announced
Friday, June 21
Damien Jurado • Kelsey Kopecky • Lydia Luce
Saturday, June 22
Soccer Mommy • Bantug • Idle Bloom • Briston Maroney • Sophia Boro
Friday, June 28
Bedouine • Jamie Drake • Robby Hecht • Ethansroom • Gustavo Guerrero
Saturday, June 29
Single Lock Records Showcase
John Paul White • Caleb Elliott • The Prescriptions • Exotic Dangers • Duquette Johnston
Thursdays, September 5, 12, 19, 26
Lineup To Be Announced At A Later Date
*The June 14, 15, 16 events will be held in partnership with the American Artisan Festival.
Rock Music Festival Exit 111 To Launch At Bonnaroo Site This Fall
/by Jessica NicholsonA new rock music festival will launch later this year at the site of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
The Exit 111 festival, a collaboration between AC Entertainment (the promoter responsible for Bonnaroo) and C3 Presents (which oversees Austin City Limits), will debut Oct. 11-13, 2019 at the Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tennessee.
According to a release, Bonnaroo’s grounds “will be transformed into a rock and roll playground offering camping and a variety of activities tailored specifically to concert-goers with a lineup that will celebrate various genres of rock.”
A performer lineup has not been released at this time.
Black River Entertainment Expands Marketing Department
/by Jessica NicholsonBlack River Entertainment has announced a promotion and a new hire for the organization. Marketing Coordinator Nikki Abbamont has been promoted to Marketing Manager, while Drew DeSirey has been hired as Graphic Designer. Both report to Vice President of Marketing, Tanya Welch.
Abbamont joined Black River Entertainment in May 2017 as the Publicity and Marketing Coordinator before fully transitioning to Marketing Coordinator in 2018. Now serving as the Marketing Manager, she will continue to contribute to and execute marketing campaigns for the Black River roster including Abby Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Hannah Kerr, Josh Wilson and Carolina Story.
“Nikki is unrelenting in all the best ways. She earned this promotion with her commitment to excellence and her positive, infectious energy,” said Welch.
DeSirey is a Nashville native and recent graduate of Watkins College of Art. His work in graphic design and in-house photography will benefit all of Black River Entertainment and its subsidiaries including: Black River Records, Black River Christian and Black River Americana.
“I am beyond blessed to have started my graphic design career here at Black River,” DeSirey said. “I can’t say enough good things about this company, and the people I work with!”
“Drew’s fresh design aesthetic coupled with his appreciation for our format make him an exciting addition to our creative team,” Welch said.
Brett James To Debut New Solo Album At MusiCares Benefit Show
/by Jessica NicholsonBrett James. Photo: Courtesy Rubin Media
Brett James is well-known as the writer behind 25 No. 1 hits and has had more than 450 songs recorded in his career, but in the mid-’90s, he was an artist signed to Career Records (an imprint of Arista Records). In 2002, he released “Chasin’ Amy,” which rose to No. 34 on the country chart.
On May 2, James will perform a special show at Nashville’s City Winery to benefit MusiCares, a nonprofit charity of the Recording Academy. For the event, James will be backed by a full band for the first time in 20 years, to share a new album he wrote and produced on his own.
The three-time Songwriter of the Year honoree wrote the entire album in the month after his 50th birthday and recorded it over two days.
James’ songs have appeared on albums with a combined sales of 110 million units. Among his 25 chart-topping hits are “Jesus Take the Wheel,” (Carrie Underwood), “I Hold On,” (Dierks Bentley), “Mr. Know It All,” (Kelly Clarkson), “When the Sun Goes Down,” (Kenny Chesney) and “Somethin’ Bad,” (Miranda Lambert & Underwood). His songs have also been recorded by Bon Jovi, Nick Jonas, Backstreet Boys, James Arthur and many others. As a producer, he’s worked with the likes of Kip Moore, Jessica Simpson, Taylor Swift and Danielle Bradbery.
Tickets for the May 2, 7 p.m. show are on sale today and can be purchased at citywinery.com/
DISClaimer: An Americana Blend From Richard Dobson, Yola, The Cactus Blossoms
/by Robert K OermannThe Cactus Blossoms. Photo Nate Ryan, courtesy of Shorefire Media
Today’s Americana survey covers quite a bit of sonic ground — bluegrass, pop, soul, rockabilly and folk all turned up during the listening session.
There’s so much to like here that we’re dividing the Disc of the Day award into three departments. The Male prize goes to the late, great Richard Dobson. The Female honor goes to Yola. The Group du Jour is The Cactus Blossoms.
And please give a DisCovery Award to Kristina Murray.
WILL KIMBROUGH/I Like It Down Here
Writers: Will Kimbrough; Producer: Will Kimbrough; Publisher: Will Kimbrough, BMI; Daphne (BMI)
– If you’re not already a Will Kinbrough fan, there is something wrong with you. As a collaborator, just ask Shemekia Copeland, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Emmylou Harris, Todd Snider, Kim Richey, Mavis Staples, Billy Joe Shaver, Jimmy Buffett or Josh Rouse about his worth. In Daddy, he was aligned with the esteemed Tommy Womack. Before that, were Will & The Bushmen and The Bis-quits. Will has put his solo recording career back on the front burner with the title tune of his new collection. It’s a bluesy, white-trash anthem that’s maybe a lot true and maybe kinda ironic. Whichever the case, it’s a drawling, slow-burn, Americana delight.
THE CACTUS BLOSSOMS/Please Don’t Call Me Crazy
Writers: none listed; Producers: Page Burkum/Jack Torrey; Publisher: none listed; Walkie Talkie
– Hot stuff. Burkum and Torrey are modern-day Everlys with their sibling harmonies. The track crackles with neo-rockabilly energy. The duo hails from Minneapolis, but did much of the writing for their new Easy Way sophomore CD in Music City. This thrilling thumper of a track is being used as promo music on the TCM channel, and the Blossoms have also appeared on TV’s Twin Peaks. These guys definitely have the goods. Listen immediately.
DELLA MAE/Bourbon Hound
Writers: Celia Woodsmith; Producer: Della Mae; Publishers: Squawkbox, ASCAP; Rounder (track)
– Boston’s loss was Nashville’s gain when this hotshot female foursome relocated. This sizzling track kicks off a new EP titled The Butcher Shoppe. Whether it’s the sassy lead singing, the flawless group harmonies or the blazing fiddle, mandolin and guitar solos, this edgy bluegrass tune is gonna grab you and not let go. Esteemed guest stars Molly Tuttle and Avril Smith are along for the romp. Covers on the EP include Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons,” Lester Flatt’s “Sleep With One Eye Open” and The Allman Brothers’ “Whipping Post” (!).
LUCINDA WILLIAMS & MERCURY REV/Ode To Billie Joe
Writer: Bobbie Gentry; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Partison/Bella Union
– The neo-psychedelic pop band Mercury Rev has issued a Bobbie Gentry homage CD with a several female guest vocalists, including Norah Jones, Margo Price and Hope Sandoval. The group’s re-imagining of Gentry’s The Delta Sweete 1968 LP concludes with Lucinda’s soulful, dark, echoey, deep-Dixie rendition of the singer-songwriter’s best-known song (which wasn’t on that particular album). I don’t care how many times you’ve heard the song, you’ll hang on every line of this performance.
RICHARD DOBSON/I Hear Singing
Writer: Richard Dobson; Producers: David Bollinger/Peter Uehlinger; Publisher: none listed; Brambus (track)
– This gifted singer-songwriter passed away in December 2017. He’d recorded most of his final album, and producers Bollinger and Uehlinger have now finished the tracks in his honor. Dobson was from the Texas fraternity that also included Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Susanna Clark, Nanci Griffith and Rodney Crowell. Like the others, he migrated to Nashville, but he ended his days as an expat in Switzerland, the site of this posthumous recording. The collection’s title song is a stirring anthem that rejoices in nature, agriculture and freedom. I believe he left us in a blaze of glory, for he has never sounded better.
TOMMY EMMANUEL & JOHN KNOWLES/Cold Cold Heart
Writer: Hank Williams; Producers: Tommy Emmanuel/John Knowles; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Acuff Rose, BMI
– Nashville’s Knowles and Australia’s Emmanuel are two of the finest acoustic guitarists on the planet. Their awesome collaboration CD lifts off with this eloquent audio tapestry that plucks at the heartstrings without uttering a single word. Elsewhere on the collection, the duo interprets Don Gibson, Leonard Bernstein, Michael McDonald, Billy Joel and even The Bee Gees. The record is titled Heart Songs. It is divine.
GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS/When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings
Writers: Welch/Rawlings; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Acony
– The song earned them an Oscar nomination after Tim Blake Nelson and Willie Watson sang it in the Coen Brothers flick The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. David and Gillian performed it on the Academy Awards telecast, and their version of the tune is also available online. In the movie, the song’s tone was darkly humorous, but this version’s wistful reverie is so much better. Right now, it’s only a single. These two are way, way overdue for an album release.
YOLA/Faraway Look
Writers: Yola/Dan Auerbach/Pat McLaughlin; Producers: Dan Auerbach; Publishers: Downtown/Profit Daniel/Corn Country, BMI
– Don’t let the Black Keys imprint mislead you — this is airy, classy, evocative pop. Her voice is liquid silver, and the production is shimmering gloss. Her phrasing and control are truly impressive. The Nashville-recorded CD is titled Walk Through Fire, and on it you’ll find strings, as well as twang guitar, steel as well as Mellotron. Americana programmers are directed to the r&b title tune.
KRISTINA MURRAY/Strong Blood
Writer: Kristina Murray; Producer: Michael Rinne; Publisher: Scoot’s Blues, BMI; Loud Magnolia
– I dig her. This Nashvillian draws upon classic country, folk and acoustic pop to create a drawling, magical mood here. Gorgeous, lilting instrumentation wafts around her gentle Southern drawl. The album is titled Southern Ambrosia, and it is.
TONY LUCCA/Everything’s Changing
Writer: Tony Lucca; Producer: Ken Coomer; Publisher: Off the Record, ASCAP
– This guy has turned a few corners in his career, from being on The Mickey Mouse Club (with Justin and Christina) to competing on The Voice. But he’s found his true niche as a Nashville singer-songwriter. The troubadour displays a hearty vocal ability and a hooky compositional style on this lead track from his new CD Ain’t No Storm. Fans of Jackson Browne or Tom Petty might feel at home here. I know I do.
Lon Helton Receives Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Bob Kingsley, Trisha Yearwood, Lon Helton, Sally Williams, Garth Brooks. Photo: Chris Hollo
Lon Helton, one of Nashville’s most highly regarded radio industry executives, was honored for his impact on country music with the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award last night (April 10) at the Grand Ole Opry House. The award was created in 2014 to recognize the most deserving individuals in the music business. The evening benefitted the Opry Trust Fund, which for more than 50 years has supported members of the country music community in need.
Among the artists who performed during the evening were Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Eli Young Band, Vince Gill, Randy Owen, Carly Pearce, Steve Wariner, Mark Wills, Trisha Yearwood and Chris Young. Randy Travis also made a special appearance. Many of Helton’s industry colleagues and friends were also a part of the honor including the award’s namesake Bob Kingsley as well as George Achaves (Westwood One), Chuck Aly (Country Aircheck), Charlie Cook (Cumulus), Sarah Trahern (CMA), Teri Watson (St. Jude) and Sally Williams (Grand Ole Opry).