Victoria Shaw
By James Rea
Don’t miss Victoria Shaw on The Producer’s Chair, Tuesday, March 28 at Sound Stage Studios at 6:30 p.m.
Is there such a thing as too much fun? Most producers don’t even want to think about juggling the number of balls Victoria Shaw has in the air, but it’s all definitely by choice. Shaw has multi-tasking down, to the point that she could teach it, and seems to be at her best when firing on all cylinders.
To date, her songs have helped sell 85 million records and garnered six No. 1 singles. Her accolades include ACM Song of the Year (for John Michael Montgomery’s “I Love The Way You Love Me,”) a CMA Award for producing Lady Antebellum’s Single of the Year “I Run To You,” two Emmy awards for Outstanding Original Songs for the dramas One Life To Live and As The World Turns, and more than 20 ASCAP and SESAC Awards, including Publisher of the Year. She penned songs including Garth Brooks’ “She’s Every Woman,” and “The River,” as well as Brooks’ duet with Trisha Yearwood “Where Your Road Leads,” Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera’s “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely,” and Brooks’ current single “Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance.” She penned Jim Brickman’s recent Christmas single and also has cuts by Keb’ Mo’, Olivia Newton-John, Boyzone, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Reba, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Michael McDonald.
But beyond songwriting, Shaw has worked with television stars including the stars of Property Brothers, HLN’s Robin Meade, television personality Carson Kressley and actor Erich Bergen (CBS’s Madam Secretary).
Needless to say, no one was the least surprised when Shaw was invited to join Heart, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin and Estelle, at the Grammy Festival at Sea: Women Who Rock, which was created to celebrate Grammy-winning and/or nominated women in music. Shaw was also invited to be a panelist on BMI’s Women Behind The Board, hosted by Dave Cobb, in 2016.
Shaw’s Under The Covers series has been a staple for the past 12 years at jazz club Birdland in New York City, welcoming artists from the pop, Broadway and country worlds. Among her most frequent collaborators are Neil McCoy and Gary Burr, whom Shaw laughingly refers to as her “musical spouse.”
Following her own record deal with Warner Bros., Shaw has recorded five CDs, five videos, and has toured extensively in Europe, including touring with Don Williams and performing at the London Palladium twice.
This month, Shaw will perform at Tin Pan South in Nashville with Keb’ Mo’ and Desmond Child.
She is also mother to two daughters, Ava and Ruby, who are themselves emerging artists.
The Producer’s Chair: What advice can you share with writers, when it comes to choosing a publisher?
Victoria: It has to be a good marriage going in. All the things kind have to fall into place. I’ve been in to many deals where if you go against your gut, it doesn’t work out for anybody. I’m very independent that way. Any time I decide to join forces hopefully that force is better than I am. I want a really strong partner.
The Producer’s Chair: How do you develop new writers?
Victoria: They absolutely have to have the writing talent gene. It’s okay if they’ve never tapped into it. I do have some really great methods of developing that. It kind of goes first from having them discussing and observing and explaining everything, as we go into the writing process. I don’t just say, “Nah that won’t work.” I get into really explaining why it doesn’t work. As they start to understand, they may not be able to throw out the great lines, but they start to become good editors of what makes sense, and then finally they really get it and become true contributors. If you really do your job well, they go out in the world thinking they actually taught themselves. Ha! Sorry, that was for my own amusement.
The Producer’s Chair: How would you compare the development that you got, when you were signed to Warner Bros., to the development that you give your clients today?
Victoria: Completely different. Back in the day, they did take their time and try to develop artists. My method of developing an artist is completely different, but the goal is the same. I came to Warner Bros. with a lot more experience than a lot of green artists, so their developing process with me was…I was already a very well known songwriter when they signed me. I’d already done TV and plenty of interviews. So when I work with artists, I draw from a lot of experience, not only producing artists, but as a performance coach, an interview coach. I’m pretty good at teaching how to do an entertaining interview while still being careful.
The Producer’s Chair: Are you ever called upon by other producers to assist with their artists’ vocal performances in the studio?
Victoria: Yes, but I can’t drop any names. I really enjoy getting a great vocal. I’m not just recording them and getting the vocal, I can really do things that are a great advantage to producers. You don’t have to be a singer to produce but, I’ll tell you what, it is a hell of a bonus. I just have a lot of tricks, to get the vocals interpretation and texture.
The Producer’s Chair: Has music become a ‘loss leader’?
Victoria: It’s just a Wild West Show right now. And it’s not as scary as it was at first. It’s all about the new millennium. There’s no norm yet. Is it a loss leader? I don’t know. It’s pretty bad and I just keep hoping somehow we get things worked out in a way that it isn’t so completely tilted in favor of the people that use music to build their businesses but don’t want to be fair to the creators. I still don’t understand why the government gets to regulate our non-government business. It’s scary times, which is why, as a songwriter, I had to diversify and get into producing, publishing, etc.
The Producer’s Chair: Are there many opportunities for producers to present artists to labels?
Victoria: Whenever I have an artist to bring around, I just like to take my time and develop the artist and then bring them in.
The Producer’s Chair: How have you diversified as a producer?
Victoria: I keep getting hired for these interesting alternative acts. Somehow I have found myself producing people who have very successful careers on TV and as everyone knows, other than radio the best way to sell product is with TV. There’s a lovely, creative, lucrative outlet there that I enjoy and I’m interested in. I’ve always looked at things like, “Okay, everybody’s going left, so how can I go right, because it is not as crowded.” In the process, I get to keep honing my skills and getting product out there.
When I got together with Robin Meade in the beginning I told her, “Do not expect radio to play you. Radio does not embrace TV celebrities, but you are on TV six hours every day. Let’s come up with a different plan.” So I introduced her to a company that licensed albums and put them in all those kiosks in Target, Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond, and she sold really well. We did two albums like that and everyone came out happy. Lately, I’ve been working with the Scott Brothers (aka Property Brothers) and that’s been a really working relationship. The thing about the Scott Brothers is that they have actually penetrated mainstream country more than I had told them they would. Their first single “Hold On” got some Billboard action and they’ve had hit videos on GAC. They are very protective of their “brand” so everything they do is first class.
I’m also producing Erich Bergen who starred in the movie Jersey Boys (playing Bob Gaudio) and now is on Madam Secretary, being seen by over 12 million people every week. Erich is not a country artist so that’s also fun for me, for a bit of a change.
The Producer’s Chair: Have you ever had that desire to own or run a label?
Victoria: (Laughing) No, not at all. But I am surprised that there’s not more phone calls from the big labels asking me to develop their talent. It’s not something that I think about much though. I just think it’s kinda funny, cause they’ve seen what I can do.
The Producer’s Chair: What are the biggest challenges facing artists today that they didn’t have to face in the past?
Victoria: They better be up on their social media. I am so tired of giving that lecture and I do a lot! There are certain artists I work with who are all about social media and for some artists, it’s like pulling teeth. It starts to make me not interested in working with some people. Even if you’re amazingly talented, you’re working against me and you’re working against the industry to help you. It’s too bad that we live in a time when your social media platforms and numbers matter, but they do and unless you’re the second coming and we’ve never seen anything like you before, you need to be active. You need to help the people who are trying to help you. If you’re under 25 years old, it should just be part of your make up. I always say, “I should never have more Twitter followers than my artists.” I live with two teens that use it in their daily lives. These are just the times we live in. When I started working with Hillary Scott (even before Charles and Dave) she worked MySpace like she was on a mission. I loved that about her! If I had grown up in the days of YouTube, I would’ve been obsessed with putting content up there. I would have seen it as a great big stage that I get to perform on all the time!
The Producer’s Chair: How do you recommend that artists and songwriters go about ‘writing up,’ with the big boys?
Victoria: They won’t write with you. I don’t even have time to write with all the big writers I’d like to write with. Stop trying to write with the big guys. Find the next up-and-coming big guys. All the people I grew up with in this town, like Gary Burr, I met when he was starting out.
I met Garth when he was starting, and Marcus Hummon and Chuck Cannon. Talent attracts talent. I found my class. Believe me, I tried to get those big boys to write with me and they wouldn’t. Now I realize first of all, not to be rude but really, what gave me the right to go to some really big songwriter and think he’d write with me? I understand we all think that way, but try to find your class. Try to find talented people that are up and coming. Stop looking so far ahead and find the talent that fits you.
The Producer’s Chair: Are you planning on recording another album?
Victoria: Eventually yes, but I’m so busy, that always takes a back seat to everything else. But definitely, and that’s fun.
The Producer’s Chair: Your daughters Ava’s and Ruby’s artist careers have come a long way since you were last on the show. Are you developing, producing and/or managing them?
Victoria: No I’m not! I am a big believer in parents not doing that. What I have done all my life is expose them to the arts and expose them to things that I love. If I loved sports, I would expose them to sports. I have gently given them suggestions, when I thought it could help, but I think the best way for my kids to learn from me is through observing. I think it’s really an unhealthy thing for the parents to be grooming the kids. For me, I just don’t think it works. It’s not a good dynamic.
I think they are frighteningly talented. Do I think they have that gene from their parents? Absolutely. Every time people hear them sing, I get “Did you work with them?” No, I did not. They observed. They saw me teaching other vocalists, so they got the lessons without me sitting them down.
Randy Montana Inks Deal With Warner/Chappell Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (Back row, L-R): Ryan Beuschel (WCM), Will Overton (WCM), Ben Vaughn (WCM), Alison Junker (WCM), Travis Carter (WCM), David Crow (Attorney). (Front row, L-R): Casey Beathard, Randy Montana, Billy Montana, Tom Douglas
Warner/Chappell Music has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Randy Montana. The company celebrated the signing by hosting a writers’ night at the Bluebird Café in Nashville that featured performances by Montana playing alongside some of his songwriting heroes, including Tom Douglas, Casey Beathard, and Montana’s father, Billy Montana.
Montana has penned songs for Jon Pardi, Justin Moore, Drake White, David Nail, George Strait, and Parmalee, in addition to writing “What If I Was Willing,” which was featured on the TV series Nashville. He has also toured with Taylor Swift, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, and Sugarland.
Producer’s Chair: Victoria Shaw
/by contributorVictoria Shaw
By James Rea
Don’t miss Victoria Shaw on The Producer’s Chair, Tuesday, March 28 at Sound Stage Studios at 6:30 p.m.
Is there such a thing as too much fun? Most producers don’t even want to think about juggling the number of balls Victoria Shaw has in the air, but it’s all definitely by choice. Shaw has multi-tasking down, to the point that she could teach it, and seems to be at her best when firing on all cylinders.
To date, her songs have helped sell 85 million records and garnered six No. 1 singles. Her accolades include ACM Song of the Year (for John Michael Montgomery’s “I Love The Way You Love Me,”) a CMA Award for producing Lady Antebellum’s Single of the Year “I Run To You,” two Emmy awards for Outstanding Original Songs for the dramas One Life To Live and As The World Turns, and more than 20 ASCAP and SESAC Awards, including Publisher of the Year. She penned songs including Garth Brooks’ “She’s Every Woman,” and “The River,” as well as Brooks’ duet with Trisha Yearwood “Where Your Road Leads,” Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera’s “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely,” and Brooks’ current single “Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance.” She penned Jim Brickman’s recent Christmas single and also has cuts by Keb’ Mo’, Olivia Newton-John, Boyzone, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Reba, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Michael McDonald.
But beyond songwriting, Shaw has worked with television stars including the stars of Property Brothers, HLN’s Robin Meade, television personality Carson Kressley and actor Erich Bergen (CBS’s Madam Secretary).
Needless to say, no one was the least surprised when Shaw was invited to join Heart, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin and Estelle, at the Grammy Festival at Sea: Women Who Rock, which was created to celebrate Grammy-winning and/or nominated women in music. Shaw was also invited to be a panelist on BMI’s Women Behind The Board, hosted by Dave Cobb, in 2016.
Shaw’s Under The Covers series has been a staple for the past 12 years at jazz club Birdland in New York City, welcoming artists from the pop, Broadway and country worlds. Among her most frequent collaborators are Neil McCoy and Gary Burr, whom Shaw laughingly refers to as her “musical spouse.”
Following her own record deal with Warner Bros., Shaw has recorded five CDs, five videos, and has toured extensively in Europe, including touring with Don Williams and performing at the London Palladium twice.
This month, Shaw will perform at Tin Pan South in Nashville with Keb’ Mo’ and Desmond Child.
She is also mother to two daughters, Ava and Ruby, who are themselves emerging artists.
The Producer’s Chair: What advice can you share with writers, when it comes to choosing a publisher?
Victoria: It has to be a good marriage going in. All the things kind have to fall into place. I’ve been in to many deals where if you go against your gut, it doesn’t work out for anybody. I’m very independent that way. Any time I decide to join forces hopefully that force is better than I am. I want a really strong partner.
The Producer’s Chair: How do you develop new writers?
Victoria: They absolutely have to have the writing talent gene. It’s okay if they’ve never tapped into it. I do have some really great methods of developing that. It kind of goes first from having them discussing and observing and explaining everything, as we go into the writing process. I don’t just say, “Nah that won’t work.” I get into really explaining why it doesn’t work. As they start to understand, they may not be able to throw out the great lines, but they start to become good editors of what makes sense, and then finally they really get it and become true contributors. If you really do your job well, they go out in the world thinking they actually taught themselves. Ha! Sorry, that was for my own amusement.
The Producer’s Chair: How would you compare the development that you got, when you were signed to Warner Bros., to the development that you give your clients today?
Victoria: Completely different. Back in the day, they did take their time and try to develop artists. My method of developing an artist is completely different, but the goal is the same. I came to Warner Bros. with a lot more experience than a lot of green artists, so their developing process with me was…I was already a very well known songwriter when they signed me. I’d already done TV and plenty of interviews. So when I work with artists, I draw from a lot of experience, not only producing artists, but as a performance coach, an interview coach. I’m pretty good at teaching how to do an entertaining interview while still being careful.
The Producer’s Chair: Are you ever called upon by other producers to assist with their artists’ vocal performances in the studio?
Victoria: Yes, but I can’t drop any names. I really enjoy getting a great vocal. I’m not just recording them and getting the vocal, I can really do things that are a great advantage to producers. You don’t have to be a singer to produce but, I’ll tell you what, it is a hell of a bonus. I just have a lot of tricks, to get the vocals interpretation and texture.
The Producer’s Chair: Has music become a ‘loss leader’?
Victoria: It’s just a Wild West Show right now. And it’s not as scary as it was at first. It’s all about the new millennium. There’s no norm yet. Is it a loss leader? I don’t know. It’s pretty bad and I just keep hoping somehow we get things worked out in a way that it isn’t so completely tilted in favor of the people that use music to build their businesses but don’t want to be fair to the creators. I still don’t understand why the government gets to regulate our non-government business. It’s scary times, which is why, as a songwriter, I had to diversify and get into producing, publishing, etc.
The Producer’s Chair: Are there many opportunities for producers to present artists to labels?
Victoria: Whenever I have an artist to bring around, I just like to take my time and develop the artist and then bring them in.
The Producer’s Chair: How have you diversified as a producer?
Victoria: I keep getting hired for these interesting alternative acts. Somehow I have found myself producing people who have very successful careers on TV and as everyone knows, other than radio the best way to sell product is with TV. There’s a lovely, creative, lucrative outlet there that I enjoy and I’m interested in. I’ve always looked at things like, “Okay, everybody’s going left, so how can I go right, because it is not as crowded.” In the process, I get to keep honing my skills and getting product out there.
When I got together with Robin Meade in the beginning I told her, “Do not expect radio to play you. Radio does not embrace TV celebrities, but you are on TV six hours every day. Let’s come up with a different plan.” So I introduced her to a company that licensed albums and put them in all those kiosks in Target, Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond, and she sold really well. We did two albums like that and everyone came out happy. Lately, I’ve been working with the Scott Brothers (aka Property Brothers) and that’s been a really working relationship. The thing about the Scott Brothers is that they have actually penetrated mainstream country more than I had told them they would. Their first single “Hold On” got some Billboard action and they’ve had hit videos on GAC. They are very protective of their “brand” so everything they do is first class.
I’m also producing Erich Bergen who starred in the movie Jersey Boys (playing Bob Gaudio) and now is on Madam Secretary, being seen by over 12 million people every week. Erich is not a country artist so that’s also fun for me, for a bit of a change.
The Producer’s Chair: Have you ever had that desire to own or run a label?
Victoria: (Laughing) No, not at all. But I am surprised that there’s not more phone calls from the big labels asking me to develop their talent. It’s not something that I think about much though. I just think it’s kinda funny, cause they’ve seen what I can do.
The Producer’s Chair: What are the biggest challenges facing artists today that they didn’t have to face in the past?
Victoria: They better be up on their social media. I am so tired of giving that lecture and I do a lot! There are certain artists I work with who are all about social media and for some artists, it’s like pulling teeth. It starts to make me not interested in working with some people. Even if you’re amazingly talented, you’re working against me and you’re working against the industry to help you. It’s too bad that we live in a time when your social media platforms and numbers matter, but they do and unless you’re the second coming and we’ve never seen anything like you before, you need to be active. You need to help the people who are trying to help you. If you’re under 25 years old, it should just be part of your make up. I always say, “I should never have more Twitter followers than my artists.” I live with two teens that use it in their daily lives. These are just the times we live in. When I started working with Hillary Scott (even before Charles and Dave) she worked MySpace like she was on a mission. I loved that about her! If I had grown up in the days of YouTube, I would’ve been obsessed with putting content up there. I would have seen it as a great big stage that I get to perform on all the time!
The Producer’s Chair: How do you recommend that artists and songwriters go about ‘writing up,’ with the big boys?
Victoria: They won’t write with you. I don’t even have time to write with all the big writers I’d like to write with. Stop trying to write with the big guys. Find the next up-and-coming big guys. All the people I grew up with in this town, like Gary Burr, I met when he was starting out.
I met Garth when he was starting, and Marcus Hummon and Chuck Cannon. Talent attracts talent. I found my class. Believe me, I tried to get those big boys to write with me and they wouldn’t. Now I realize first of all, not to be rude but really, what gave me the right to go to some really big songwriter and think he’d write with me? I understand we all think that way, but try to find your class. Try to find talented people that are up and coming. Stop looking so far ahead and find the talent that fits you.
The Producer’s Chair: Are you planning on recording another album?
Victoria: Eventually yes, but I’m so busy, that always takes a back seat to everything else. But definitely, and that’s fun.
The Producer’s Chair: Your daughters Ava’s and Ruby’s artist careers have come a long way since you were last on the show. Are you developing, producing and/or managing them?
Victoria: No I’m not! I am a big believer in parents not doing that. What I have done all my life is expose them to the arts and expose them to things that I love. If I loved sports, I would expose them to sports. I have gently given them suggestions, when I thought it could help, but I think the best way for my kids to learn from me is through observing. I think it’s really an unhealthy thing for the parents to be grooming the kids. For me, I just don’t think it works. It’s not a good dynamic.
I think they are frighteningly talented. Do I think they have that gene from their parents? Absolutely. Every time people hear them sing, I get “Did you work with them?” No, I did not. They observed. They saw me teaching other vocalists, so they got the lessons without me sitting them down.
Industry Ink: NSAI, Music Biz, Hank Cochran Pen Fund, Goodbye June
/by Jessica NicholsonNSAI To Host Songwriters In The Round At Music Biz 2017
Rhett Akins, Rivers Rutherford
The Music Business Association has teamed with the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) to host the NSAI Songwriters in the Round live performance event on May 18 at 2:30 p.m. CT as part of the Music Biz 2017 convention at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel in Nashville.
The event, which will celebrate the NSAI’s 50th anniversary, will feature singer/songwriters Rhett Akins and Rivers Rutherford, who have written 34 chart-topping songs between them.
“We are thrilled to honor the NSAI after 50 incredible years by shining a spotlight on Rhett and Rivers, two of their finest songwriters,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “Their performances are sure to inspire and entertain all of our Music Biz 2017 attendees, especially the songwriters who aspire to achieve the same level of success these two have earned with the NSAI’s help.”
“Rhett Akins and Rivers Rutherford could not be better songwriter representatives for the NSAI at Music Biz 2017,” said Bart Herbison, Executive Director of the NSAI. “We value our partnership with the Music Business Association, so we are bringing our very best to this songwriters’ round. After all, we want to show off a little bit during NSAI’s 50th Anniversary year!”
Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon, More To Perform Benefit Concert For Hank Cochran Pen Fund
Pictured (clockwise from top left): Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon, Waylon Payne, Dean Miller.
Buddy Cannon, Dean Dillon, Dean Miller and Waylon Payne will take part in a concert to benefit The Hank Cochran Pen Fund. The event is slated for April 25 at Nashville venue 3rd & Lindsley. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 day of show. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the music kicks off at 8 p.m.
“These guys all know each other really well,” says Booth Calder Cochran, Cochran’s daughter and co-founder of THCPF. “They’re nuts … in a good way, and there is no telling where this night will take us.”
Nashville Band Goodbye June Sets Album Release Show For May 5
Nashville band Goodbye June has announced a hometown show in celebration of their upcoming album Magic Valley (Interscope). The show is set for May 5, beginning at 9 p.m. at The Basement East. Tickets are available at goodbyejune.com.
In 2012, Goodbye June inked a deal with Nashville-based record label Cotton Valley Music, which eventually paved the way for their signing to Interscope Records in early 2016. The band released their debut EP, Danger In The Morning (Cotton Valley Music/Interscope Records), in the Fall of 2016.
Goodbye June’s music has been featured in the Madden 17 video game, NFL, ESPN, Showtime, WWE and more.
Jim Brickman Signs With APA
/by Lorie HollabaughJim Brickman, solo pianist and chart-topping songwriter, has signed with APA for representation.
Brickman’s career has included 21 No. 1 Billboard albums, 32 Top 20 singles, 30 adult contemporary hits, two Grammy Award nominations, a Canadian Country Music Award, a GMA Dove Award, and two SESAC Songwriter of the Year awards. His top-rated lifestyle radio program, The Jim Brickman Show, airs weekly on adult contemporary stations in 100 markets across North America and is now in its 20th year.
Brickman is set to release several album projects this year, including a Wal-Mart exclusive, Believe; a Jim Brickman vocal album, and a limited edition, Classics solo piano series.
APA will handle Brickman’s domestic and international bookings in the areas of Film/TV, Literary, Branding and Touring (Exclusive Collaborations, Casinos and Fairs).
“Brickman is a triple threat,” said APA vice president of Music Strategy and Partnerships, Kerri Fox-Metoyer. “Live Show + Radio Show + Fan Favorite = Great Partnership Opportunities.”
DISClaimer: Alison Krauss Offers Flawless New Music
/by Robert K OermannThe news in country-music land is not so good this week.
At least half of the discs in this week’s column are forgettable. Plus, we have no outstanding newcomer to claim a DisCovery Award.
So here are the bright spots. The always flawless Alison Krauss wins the Disc of the Day prize. Also deserving your attention are the new tunes from LANco and Little Big Town.
That’s it.
COFFEY ANDERSON/Bud Light Blue
Writers: Jeffrey Jay/Muarizio Lobina/Massimo Gabutti/Coffey Anderson; Producers: Ilya Toshinsky & Coffey Anderson; Publishers: none listed, ASCAP; Patriot Road (CDX)
– “Her eyes are Bud-Light blue?” Give me a break.
JACOB DAVIS/What I Wanna Be
Writers: Jacob Davis/Forest Glen Whitehead/Adam Hambrick; Producer: Forest Glen Whitehead; Publishers: Songs of Black River/Bent Prop/Write Me Like You Mean It/Ole Red Cape/Red Like the Sunset/Ole, ASCAP; Black River
– It lacks a melody. The production is bland. It ain’t very country.
LITTLE BIG TOWN/Happy People
Writers: Lori McKenna/Hailey Whitters; Producer: Jay Joyce; Publisher: none listed; Capitol Nashville
– Merrily bopping, with a burbling rhythm track and sunshine-y vocals. Let’s face it: These folks just don’t know how to make a bad record.
ROBBIE ROBINSON/This Is The Life
Writers: Robbie Robinson; Producers: Robbie Robinson, Mark Prentice & Doug Wayne Holmquist; Publishers: none listed; BMI; GIM (CDX)
– You can produce. You can write. You cannot sing.
SMITH & WESLEY/The Little Things
Writers: Scott Smith/Todd Smith/Evan Kennedy; Producer: Shayne Hill; Publisher: none listed, ASCAP; Dreamwalkin’ (CDX)
– Thuddingly dull and ordinary.
LANco/Greatest Love Story
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Arista (ERG)
– Nicely done. She leaves him behind for college and higher aspirations. But true love eventually triumphs. I love the story. The performance is packed with sincerity. The tune is catchy. The whole thing sounds like a big ol’ hit.
ALISON KRAUSS/Losing You
Writers: P. Havet/J. Renard/C. Sigman; Producer: Buddy Cannon; Publishers: Romantic/Tropicales/Universal/Music Sales Corp., ASCAP; Capitol (track)
– I have always thought that this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The exquisitely crafted, minor-key bridge, alone, is worth the price of admission. Brenda Lee’s torchy pop 1963 original was a cry of anguish. Alison’s revival slows the song to a sad sigh of resignation. In place of the sunburst trumpet obligato in the pop version is a poetic steel passage by Mike Johnson. Heavenly listening. Also on Alison’s new Windy City LP are treatments of Brenda’s 1962 hit “All Alone Am I,” plus Willie Nelson’s “I Never Cared for You,” Roger Miller’s “River in the Rain,” Johnny & Jack’s “Poison Love,” Vern Gosdin’s “Dream of Me,” Glen Campbell’s “Gentle On My Mind” and more shining gems.
KENNY DAVIN FINE & THE TENNESSEE TEXANS/Gotta Be Good
Writers: Kenny Davin Fine; Producer: Michael Lloyd; Publisher: none listed, BMI; Higher Ground (CDX)
– Old-time rock ‘n’ roll, accented with a steel guitar and a wailing female guest vocalist. Worth a listen. Once.
SARAH DARLING/Where Cowboys Ride
Writers: Sarah Ann Darling/Zach Runquist; Producer: Larissa Maestro; Publisher: Be Darling/Runquist, BMI; Be Darling (track)
– The male harmony singer nicely balances her lilting, wafting soprano tone. The delicate, acoustic-based arrangement and production are lovely. She has always made winning records. Give this gal the airplay shot she deserves.
DAN+SHAY/ When I Pray For You
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Southern Ground/Warner (ERG)
– The song is solid, and the vocal performance is on the money. The production seems needlessly layered and fussy. They have done better, but this will do for now.
SESAC And SUISA’s Mint Digital Launches With Warner/Chappell As First Client
/by Lorie HollabaughMint Digital Services, the joint venture between SESAC and the Swiss authors’ rights society SUISA formed to handle invoicing and administration of multi-territorial license agreements with online service providers, will assume those duties of Warner/Chappell Music’s online licensing business for iTunes.
The new Mint Digital Services database includes approximately 16 million musical works and 96 million sound recordings, over 25 million of which are pre-linked to musical compositions, providing one of the most comprehensive international databases for the identification of musical works.
The joint venture, which is headquartered in Zurich, will handle the billing and administration of licenses issued on behalf of The Harry Fox Agency, SESAC Performing Rights and SUISA, and also offers its services to publishers.
“By combining the expertise of the most accurate licensing process in Europe and the largest database of composition to recording links, Mint has created a platform that identifies more revenue from digital providers,” said Alexander Wolf, Delegate of the Board of Directors, Mint Digital Services. “This also enables publishers, such as Warner/Chappell Music, to realize more revenue faster and more accurately than ever before, and we’re thrilled to have them as a partner.”
iHeartRadio Reaches 100 Million User Mark
/by Lorie HollabaughWith more than a billion downloads, iHeartRadio is now reaching 85 percent brand awareness among consumers in less than five years. In January, iHeartMedia launched its new on-demand subscription services, iHeartRadio Plus and iHeartRadio All Access powered by Napster, which are the first fully differentiated streaming music services to provide listeners with the best of live radio combined with easy on-demand functionality.
“100 million registered users is an amazing milestone, and we are thrilled to see such great momentum and traction for iHeartRadio,” said Darren Davis, President of iHeartRadio. “We are committed to continuing to provide an exceptional listening experience for our millions of fans and listeners, and with the official launch of our new on demand services, we are able to offer even more iHeartRadio features for our listeners who want to enhance their radio experience.”
Exclusive: Date Set For ACM Honors
/by Jessica NicholsonUnlike previous years, the honorees in ACM Honors categories such as Industry Awards and Studio Awards will be announced after the 52nd annual ACM Awards are aired from Las Vegas, though no specific date for the ACM Honors announcement has been set.
“We decided to create greater separation between our [ACM] awards in Las Vegas and the ACM Honors, really as a way to lift up ACM Honors to an even higher profile,” ACM CEO Pete Fisher said. “So instead of announcing prior to the ACMs, we thought these winners deserved to have their own moment, versus kind of getting lost in all of the activity surrounding Las Vegas.”
Last year, the ACM Honors reached more than 4 million viewers when it aired for the first time on CBS. “At this point, we are still in discussions with CBS, but all signs point to yes, that it will be televised for a second year,” Fisher said.
“We felt that ACM Honors has really found a personality of its own,” said Fisher. “It’s distinctive and filled with a lot of heart. Even as we’ve moved to a televised show last year, I think the team did a great job of preserving the heart. So this is a great way for us to kind of elevate and express our even greater devotion to making ACM Honors one of our two flagship events in Music City annually, the other one being the ACM Lifting Lives Summer Camp.”
MusicRowPics: Brooke Eden Brings Country Soul To Her ‘Weekend’
/by Jessica NicholsonBrooke Eden with MusicRow owner/publisher Sherod Robertson.
Florida native and Red Bow Records artist Brooke Eden just might be one of the most soulful country vocalists to come out of Nashville in some time.
“I didn’t even know there was another kind of music other than country until I was 15,” Eden says. When she turned 18, she discovered the music of soulful songstress Etta James. “I became obsessed with her music,” says Eden, who recently performed the James classic “At Last” during a performance on the Grand Ole Opry.
Eden melds those influences on “Act Like You Don’t,” the first single from her Welcome To The Weekend EP. She co-wrote the track with Jesse Frasure and Cary Barlowe.
“I brought them the idea because I was going through a breakup,” Eden says. “[My partner and I] never had one really big blowup fight. It was like, ‘I’m not the one for you and you’re not the one for me,’ and we both knew it, but we still were ‘friends.’ We did this thing where we would breakup, then hang out, get back together and then it would happen again.”
Finally Eden had enough. “I told him, ‘I can’t do this anymore. If you ever loved me at all, I need you to act like you don’t love me anymore, because I can’t move forward.’ The song helped me get through that time.”
During a visit with the MusicRow offices, Eden performed the single along with another track from her EP, titled “Silence Speaks,” and a rendition of “At Last.” On her EP, Eden collaborates with writers including Brett James, Chris DeStefano, Ingrid Andress, Justin Wilson, and Will Weatherly.
Brooke Eden with MusicRow staff.
Eden comes by her love of music honestly. Growing up, she was performing alongside her father in a country band by the age of 5.
“I had sequin chaps and a cowgirl hat with rhinestones and cowboy boots that my mom had bedazzled. I sang ‘Any Man of Mine’ that night,” Eden recalls her first time performing onstage. Her mother, who dressed mannequins in department store windows, still helps Eden with her fashion.
Eden’s strong vocals and transparent songwriting are backed by an intense work ethic. For two years before fully moving to Nashville, Eden split her time writing in Music City and working the stage in a regular circuit back in Florida.
“I would spend two weeks in Nashville networking and recording, then fly home to Florida. I would spend two weeks there performing four hours per night, five nights a week, so I didn’t have to have a 9-5 job in Nashville. When I was in Nashville, I could focus on music all the time.”
Eden became a full-time Nashville resident in 2015, writing 100 songs that year. She says those intense years focused on writing paid off.
“Before I moved to Nashville, I loved English and loved writing stories. I got to come here and take all of those ideas and melodies and turn them into real songs. It was a great way to learn who I am as a writer and as an artist.”
Dualtone Records To Release Final Chuck Berry Studio Album
/by Jessica NicholsonDualtone Records will release Chuck, the final album from music icon Chuck Berry, on June 16. The album was in the works prior to Berry’s death last week at age 90.
The album features Berry’s first new recordings in nearly four decades, following 1979’s Rock It. Eight of the project’s 10 songs were penned by Berry.
“Lady B. Goode” serves as a spiritual sequel to the classic “Johnny B. Goode” featuring solos from three generations of Berry guitarists. The country balladry of “Darlin'” is a duet with Berry’s daughter Ingrid Berry. Tom Morello and Nathaniel Rateliff appear on “Big Boys.”
Chuck was recorded and produced by Berry in various studios around St. Louis and features his longtime hometown backing group—including his children Charles Berry Jr. (guitar) and Ingrid Berry (vocals, harmonica), plus Jimmy Marsala (Berry’s bassist for forty years), Robert Lohr (piano), and Keith Robinson (drums). The album also includes guest performances from Gary Clark Jr., Morello, Rateliff, and Chuck’s grandson Charles Berry III.
“Working to prepare the release of this record in recent months and in fact over the last several years brought him a great sense of joy and satisfaction,” the Berry family said in a statement earlier this week. “While our hearts are very heavy at this time, we know that he had no greater wish than to see this album released to the world, and we know of no better way to celebrate and remember his 90 years of life than through his music.”
When health concerns forced him to stop touring and recording in 2015, Berry continued to oversee production and planning for the studio project, enlisting his family and close friend Joe Edwards.
“Working on my Dad’s record has been one of the best experiences of my life,” said Charles Berry Jr. “I will forever treasure the musical conversations we had, and the time we spent together completing it.”
Chuck Track List:
“Wonderful Woman”
“Big Boys”
“You Go To My Head”
“3/4 Time (Enchiladas)”
“Darlin’”
“Lady B. Goode”
“She Still Loves You”
“Jamaica Moon”
“Dutchman”
“Eyes Of Man”