Pictured (L-R): Sophie Hopkins, Heather Klein
Big Yellow Dog Music has hired Sophie Hopkins as Creative Manager and Heather Klein as Creative Coordinator for its Film/TV Sync Department.
“I am so excited for Heather and Sophie to be a part of this Sync Team,” says Big Yellow Dog Music General Manager of Creative – Film & TV Sync, Alex Stefano. “They will be great advocates for our artists in the sync world.”
Hopkins has been added in the role of Creative Manager for Film/TV Sync. After graduating from Belmont University, she lived in Los Angeles, where she worked as a Music Coordinator at Heavy Hitters Music Group before returning to Nashville to work with Big Yellow Dog Music.
Klein is a Cleveland, Ohio, native and spent a few years living abroad in Australia before moving to Nashville. She attended Middle Tennessee State University and spent her last semester interning for the Sync department at Big Yellow Dog Music. Upon graduating, Klein was hired as a Creative Coordinator for Film/TV Sync.
Big Yellow Dog Music’s film, television, and brand division had more than 400 placements in both 2016 and 2017, including uses by Big Little Lies, JCPenney, How to Get Away With Murder, Shades of Blue, HP, Mad Max: Fury Road, Moana, The Peanuts Movie, T-Mobile, and The Edge of Seventeen.
Big Yellow Dog Music’s catalog includes songs performed by Meghan Trainor, Maren Morris, Lady Antebellum, Demi Lovato, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, Charlie Puth, Keith Urban, Labrinth, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Lane, Jason Derulo, Florida Georgia Line, DJ Khaled, Dierks Bentley, Fifth Harmony, Michael Bublé, Josh Turner, and others.
Big Deal Music Group’s Kenny MacPherson Joins NMPA Board
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“We are very excited our Board has elected Kenny,” NMPA President & CEO David Israelite said. “I know he is deeply passionate about protecting music creators, and I’m thrilled he will be at the table while we work towards that goal.” Israelite added, “Kenny’s rapid growth of Big Deal is a testament to his skill at finding and shepherding talent. His history as a songwriter advocate and business innovator will be a huge asset to us as we work to improve the music licensing landscape so companies like his can thrive.”
“I am honored to have been elected to serve alongside my peers at the NMPA,” said MacPherson. “The NMPA plays a crucial role in advocating for the rights of songwriters and I am thrilled to be able to contribute in any way I can.”
Prior to forming Big Deal Music Group, MacPherson served as President and Senior Executive of Chrysalis Music Division North America, a company he joined in 2001. While at Chrysalis, Kenny and his team signed such acts as Ray LaMontagne, My Morning Jacket, OutKast, St. Vincent, Afghan Whigs, and Dan Wilson. He got his start in publishing in the early 80s, forming Redhead Music Publishing, a venture between Rondor music and Mismanagement, the company that managed Supertramp and other superstars. In 1989, he went to Warner/Chappell, running the company’s New York offices, later moving to the L.A. headquarters. During his 13 years at WCM, MacPherson signed such artists as Radiohead, Underworld, Paul Westerberg, Afghan Whigs, BRMC and the Blue Nile. He began his music career as a concert manager at Glasgow’s Apollo Theatre before becoming Billy Connolly’s tour manager.
Hitmaker Kip Moore Celebrates “More Girls Like You”
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Josh Miller – Songwriter, David Garcia – Songwriter, Kip Moore, Steven Lee Olsen – Songwriter. Photo: Ed Rode
Kip Moore celebrated his fourth No. 1 single, “More Girls Like You,” on Tuesday (Feb. 13), with a celebration at Analog at The Hutton Hotel in Nashville.
The party, hosted by ASCAP’s Evyn Mustoe and Michael Martin, as well as BMI’s Bradley Collins, feted Moore and the song’s writers Steven Lee Olsen, Josh Miller, and David Garcia.
The song marks the second No. 1 for ASCAP writer Steven Lee Olsen, following his smash hit “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” recorded by Keith Urban. “More Girls Like You” is the first No. 1 for BMI writer Josh Miller, and the first country radio No. 1 for ASCAP writer David Garcia (known for his hits in the Contemporary Christian market).
Notably, both Garcia and Miller are also writers on the Florida Georgia Line/Bebe Rehxa smash hit, “Meant To Be.”
Others celebrating the chart-topping song included UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO Mike Dungan, MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, Cornman Music’s Nate Lowry, and CMA’s Brandi Simms.
First Tennessee Bank and Pinnacle Bank were the partners for this No. 1 party.
Moore is on the road with Luke Bryan this week, and in March, he will return to Europe’s Country To Country Festival.
Guthrie Trapp Gets A Hand From Vince Gill, Charlie Worsham On New Project
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“I’m super fortunate to be able to make music with people of this caliber and even more grateful to call them my friends. I know it will always be a fun hang as well as great music,” Trapp says. “That energy translates directly to the music. If you put on ‘Mojo Workin’ while in the car, you’re probably going to start driving faster.”
Gill lent his soprano to Trapp’s Tele-driven version of George Jones’ “You’re Still on My Mind” on the new record, while legendary vocalist Jimmy Hall joins Trapp on the blues classic “Got My Mojo Workin,” one of six cover tunes on the 12-song project.
Trapp cut the record, which features six original songs, at his favorite studio, Nashville’s Sound Emporium A, Cowboy Jack Clement’s old studio. He is currently on tour with John Oates through March 16.
Big Yellow Dog Music Adds To Film/TV Sync Department
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Sophie Hopkins, Heather Klein
Big Yellow Dog Music has hired Sophie Hopkins as Creative Manager and Heather Klein as Creative Coordinator for its Film/TV Sync Department.
“I am so excited for Heather and Sophie to be a part of this Sync Team,” says Big Yellow Dog Music General Manager of Creative – Film & TV Sync, Alex Stefano. “They will be great advocates for our artists in the sync world.”
Hopkins has been added in the role of Creative Manager for Film/TV Sync. After graduating from Belmont University, she lived in Los Angeles, where she worked as a Music Coordinator at Heavy Hitters Music Group before returning to Nashville to work with Big Yellow Dog Music.
Klein is a Cleveland, Ohio, native and spent a few years living abroad in Australia before moving to Nashville. She attended Middle Tennessee State University and spent her last semester interning for the Sync department at Big Yellow Dog Music. Upon graduating, Klein was hired as a Creative Coordinator for Film/TV Sync.
Big Yellow Dog Music’s film, television, and brand division had more than 400 placements in both 2016 and 2017, including uses by Big Little Lies, JCPenney, How to Get Away With Murder, Shades of Blue, HP, Mad Max: Fury Road, Moana, The Peanuts Movie, T-Mobile, and The Edge of Seventeen.
Big Yellow Dog Music’s catalog includes songs performed by Meghan Trainor, Maren Morris, Lady Antebellum, Demi Lovato, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, Charlie Puth, Keith Urban, Labrinth, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Lane, Jason Derulo, Florida Georgia Line, DJ Khaled, Dierks Bentley, Fifth Harmony, Michael Bublé, Josh Turner, and others.
Alicia Jones Joins Iconic Entertainment Group
/by Jessica NicholsonAlicia Jones
Nashville-based Iconic Entertainment Group has announced the addition of Alicia Jones, who will serve as day-to-day manager for Kelsea Ballerini, the rising star whose debut album, The First Time, banked three consecutive No. 1 songs and recently released her sophomore album, Unapologetically. Jones previously managed the day-to-day career of Montgomery Gentry for nearly 10 years.
“I’m so glad to have Alicia on board. Her experience is going to be a huge asset,” says Fletcher Foster, president and CEO, Iconic Entertainment Group. “She is incredibly driven, and her passion for the artists she works with is evident. I know she’ll be an invaluable asset to the team and I’m thrilled to have her on board.”
Jones spent the first 3.5 years of her career at Hi-Fi Fusion, a boutique digital marketing company founded by industry veteran Todd Cassetty. From there, she went on to spend just over three years working with Mike Robertson Management assisting on the careers of Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband, Carolina Rain, Patty Loveless and Wade Hayes. This led to an opportunity with John Dennis to manage the day-to-day careers of Montgomery Gentry for the last 9.5 years. There she helped secure and manage endorsement deals, managed social media, creative, tour marketing and A&R for Montgomery Gentry’s last album, as well as their philanthropic efforts.
Jones is a native of Maple Hill, North Carolina and holds a B.S. in Interior Design from Meredith College.
Downtown Music Publishing Opens Offices In Paris, Sydney
/by Jessica NicholsonDowntown Music Publishing has announced the opening of new offices in Paris, France and Sydney, Australia, adding to its teams in New York, Amsterdam, London, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Tokyo.
The offices will be focused on investing in local songwriters and artists as well as marketing and promoting Downtown’s global catalog.
In Paris, the company has recruited Laura Bedikian as A&R Manager, Charles Braud as Creative Licensing Director, and Armel Bernard as Copyright Coordinator.
In Sydney, Downtown has appointed Rachel Kelly as Creative Director and Head of Sync, covering Australia and New Zealand.
Through Songtrust, Downtown’s global royalty collection platform, the Company, collects royalties directly from over 120 countries covering more than 20,000 unique income sources.
Willie Nelson’s 2018 Luck Reunion Lineup Announced
/by Lorie HollabaughLuck Reunion has revealed the lineup for its 2018 festival taking place at Willie Nelson‘s ranch in Luck, Texas, on March 15. In partnership with Southwest Airlines and anchored by a headlining set by Willie and his family, Luck Reunion will welcome more than 40 artists from a wide range of genres, including: Particle Kid, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Kurt Vile, Nikki Lane, Waxahatchee, Josh Ritter, Lily Hiatt, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ezra Furman, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and many more.
Luck Reunion and Southwest made an early trip to Luck, Texas, to reveal the 2018 Reunion performers and the Southwest Artist On The Rise To Luck competition finalists. As the cameras rolled, comedian Billy Wayne Davis and 2017’s Artist On The Rise, Devon Gilfillian, took over the Luck World Headquarters to make the big announcement with the help of some special guests. Davis called Josh Hedley to let him know he’d landed the gig and, impressively, managed to get Willie himself on the line. Artists in the running for the On The Rise To Luck competition include: Mt. Joy from Los Angeles, Thomas Csorba from Houston, Marty O’Reilly & The Old Soul Orchestra from San Francisco, Kirby Brown from Dallas, and Hugh Masterson from Milwaukee. Fans can vote for their choice at southwest.fm/luck-reunion-2018.
Devin Dawson, Walker Hayes, Caitlyn Smith To Play Pandora SXSW Shows
/by Lorie HollabaughDevin Dawson, Caitlyn Smith, and Walker Hayes are among the artists tapped to perform at Pandora’s seventh annual South by Southwest Festival shows which will take place from March 13-15 at The Gatsby in Austin, Texas. Pandora at SXSW will feature performances by the hottest emerging artists of 2018 spanning indie, pop, Latin, R&B, hip-hop, Americana and country at the free event.
“Entering the seventh year of Pandora at SXSW, the program has grown to a highly-anticipated musical showcase spotlighting the year’s hottest emerging talent on the verge of mainstream success,” said Aimee Lapic, Chief Marketing Officer at Pandora. “We are excited to introduce Pandora listeners to this year’s diverse lineup of talent and continue connecting emerging artists with new fans during one of the largest live music showcases at South by Southwest Music Festival.”
Pandora at SXSW Lineup:
Amy Shark
Caitlyn Smith
Cuco
Dashboard Confessional
Demo Taped
Devin Dawson
Duckwrth
Elley Duhé
Harry Hudson
Jade Bird
Jaden Smith
Karol G
Kelela
Liza Anne
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Morgan Saint
Mt. Joy
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Nikki Lane
Salt Cathedral
Smokepurpp
Sunflower Bean
SYML
Tank and the Bangas
The Wallows
Tinashe
Walker Hayes
Industry Exec Launches ETC: Ellen Truley Consulting
/by Sherod RobertsonEllen Truley
Music industry veteran Ellen Truley has launched ETC: Ellen Truley Consulting, a full-service marketing firm specializing in branding, partnerships, digital strategy, publicity, event production, art direction and project management.
Truley recently served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations for SESAC, where she oversaw global marketing initiatives for the music rights organization. As her first client, Truley has tapped SESAC PRO to serve in an advisory role on upcoming events and projects.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be starting my new company, ETC,” says Truley. “I’m very grateful for my time at SESAC. It was wonderful to be a part of the team that elevated the organization to the leading international music rights company that it is today. To now be able to continue to work alongside the SESAC team, as well as collaborate with other progressive businesses, is truly the best of both worlds. The timing is perfect to launch ETC.”
“Ellen has been an important part of SESAC over the last 22 years. During this time, she has witnessed many changes on and around Music Row, while serving as a loyal ambassador to the company and elevating the brand of SESAC within the industry,” said John Josephson, chairman and CEO, SESAC Holdings, Inc. “I am very grateful to Ellen, her commitment, and to her countless contributions over the years and I look forward to continuing the strong working relationship in the future with her new company.”
Truley serves on the boards of the T.J. Martell Foundation and the Library of Congress’ National Recording Preservation Board. She is also a member of NARAS, CMA and ACM.
Truley’s career also includes roles at Billboard magazine and ad agency Acuity Marketing Communications.
Ellen Truley can be reached at ellen@ellentruley.com.
Big Deal Music Goup Inks Admin Agreement With Notable Music
/by Jessica NicholsonCy Coleman
Big Deal Music Group has entered into a long-term worldwide administration agreement with Notable Music, the company founded by composer Cy Coleman in 1962.
A child prodigy pianist, Mr. Coleman played his first gig at Carnegie Hall at the age of 5 and would go on to write such classic songs as “Witchcraft,” “The Best is Yet to Come,” “Big Spender,” and “Hey Look Me Over,” among others. His work on Broadway is unparalleled, having major hit shows each decade of the 1960s (Wildcat, Little Me, Sweet Charity), 1970s (Seesaw, I Love My Wife, On the Twentieth Century), 1980s (Barnum, City of Angels), and 1990s (Will Rogers Follies, The Life). Coleman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1981 and served on ASCAP’s Board of Directors for three decades.
The Notable Music catalog also includes works by some of the most important American contemporary songwriters including Bobby Hebb, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Rosanne Cash, Sam Phillips and Tift Merritt.
“Anchored by Cy Coleman’s enduring compositions, Notable Music is a wellspring of incredible writers and their songs,” said Big Deal Music Group Founder and President, Kenny MacPherson. “I’m thrilled to welcome this amazing catalog into the Big Deal family.”
“Notable’s association with Kenny and his team goes back many years to when we worked together at Chrysalis,” said Shelby Coleman, Cy’s widow and President of Notable. “We are thrilled to be back in such a creative environment and look forward to continuing to create new opportunities for the influential and hugely popular songs that Cy and the rest of the Notable writers have brought into the world.”