Tim Foisset
The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.
Tim Foisset joined Spotify as the Head of Label Partnerships, Nashville & Canada, in late 2023. His team recently spearheaded impactful new release campaigns for Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Tucker Wetmore, Kelsea Ballerini and more.
Prior to Spotify, he spent 13 years at Warner Music Nashville, most recently as SVP Commercial Partnerships, where he worked with WMN’s partners in streaming, digital retail, physical retail, e-commerce and D2C to drive strategic marketing and revenue. He’s guided new release strategies for artists including Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Dan + Shay, Bailey Zimmerman, Ashley McBryde, Gabby Barrett, Ingrid Andress, Cole Swindell, Cody Johnson and more.
Foisset began his career in NYC and moved to Nashville in 2011 to join Warner Music Nashville.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a tiny town called Shushan, New York, right on the New York–Southern Vermont border. I could basically throw a baseball from my backyard into Vermont. It was rural. My parents had 30 acres off a dirt road in the woods. The town had more cows than people. I graduated high school with 42 kids in the same building where I’d gone to kindergarten.
What were you into? What was your childhood like?
We didn’t have cable TV, so my younger brother and I were outside a lot. I spent a lot of time by myself, but I was also one of those kids who fit in with every group. I played football and baseball, did theater, hung out with the snowboarders and the stoners. I was in all the school plays—I was Daddy Warbucks one year—bald cap and everything. I bounced around, in a good way.
Did you like music then?
I did. I was lucky to grow up near an independent radio station called WEQX. That place changed everything for me. My formative years were the late ’80s and early ’90s. WEQX introduced me to cool music—The Replacements, Talking Heads, Jane’s Addiction, Pixies. And being from Vermont, I’m legally obligated to be a huge fan of Phish. I saw my first Phish show in ’92 and have been a fan ever since.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
So when did you know this was the path?
Pretty much right away. In high school, I did some announcing for our girls’ basketball team. We had a state-level team, and I’d do the mic work. And being inspired by WEQX, radio felt like a realistic path. That was always the goal.
When I was visiting colleges, I only cared about the campus radio station and that led me to SUNY Geneseo in western New York. They had a professionally run station called WGSU. I started with overnight shifts on Friday and Saturday nights. While everyone was partying, I was on the air. I still have the tapes. By sophomore year, I was the music director. It wasn’t a freeform station, we programmed it. I was picking the music, talking to record labels. Back then, labels had college promo teams, so I was building relationships with reps at Capitol, Interscope—people probably not much older than me. By senior year, I was running the station. I managed the staff, hired DJs, programmed shows. That’s where I got the leadership bug.
We were six hours from New York City, and every fall we’d go to this festival called CMJ Music Marathon, kind of like New York’s version of SXSW. I’d meet the labels, crash on couches, and see insane shows. I saw Johnny Cash open for Wilco. I saw Sleater-Kinney and Nine Inch Nails in tiny clubs. It was peak post-Nirvana alternative boom. That music’s in my DNA.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
I’m sure the industry cared a lot about college radio then.
Totally. Every station was flipping to alternative formats. We were trying to stay even more cutting-edge, playing artists like Pavement, Built to Spill, Liz Phair, PJ Harvey and Superchunk. I remember getting a new R.E.M. single—“What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?”—on CD in the mail and putting it on the air right away before we even listened to it. It was exciting.
And I built my community there. Some of my best friends today came from those years. I met my partner Michele through the station. She and her roommate used to listen to my show.
What happened after college?
After graduation, I mailed cassette tapes to radio stations, trying to get a job. It didn’t work. Michele and I moved to New York City a few months after graduation, that was always the goal. I got a college promo job at an indie label. I was the one calling college radio stations, just like people used to call me.That kicked off my career in New York.
Tell me about that. What was it like?
We moved to Brooklyn in 1997, back when it was still cool. But it was a struggle. I was making $200 cash under the table for that job. I did it for about eight months, then landed an opportunity at Burly Bear Network—a TV network owned by Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video. We produced shows for college students—a cooking show called Half Baked and a music news show called Shuffle. We’d send VHS tapes to college TV stations to air. I programmed the music video show, which meant I was still talking to record labels—just about videos this time. I’d put together video playlists and send them out.
This was right at the dawn of the internet, and we had the brilliant, slightly illegal idea to stream those videos on our website.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
So, you invented YouTube.
Basically, yeah. [Laughs] That kicked off my interest in the digital side of the music business.
How long did you do that?
A few years. Then I ended up at Fuse TV, which was also focused on music videos and was a competitor to MTV. I worked on their marketing team for shows like Steven’s Untitled Rock Show and Uranium. I spent the summer of 2004 on the Warped Tour as part of the team managing our on-the-ground activations.
I had some friends who worked at Razor & Tie. They were looking for someone to manage their new partnership with Apple—this brand-new thing called iTunes. I jumped. Right place, right time. Back then, we were mailing CDs to iTunes so they could ingest them. I was making sure our albums were featured in the early version of the iTunes store.
I did that job for about six years. And like every New Yorker, eventually we were ready to leave. After 14 years in the city, we moved to Nashville so I could manage the iTunes account for Warner—and also Word, their Christian division.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
How did you learn all of it in the early days?
I’ve always tried to be on the front end of new things. I cared about digital before most people did. At Razor & Tie, iTunes was such a small part of the business—most of it was still CDs, sold through 1-800 numbers and TV commercials. That gave me room to experiment, build relationships, fail, try again. Nobody cared yet. It was the same with streaming. At first, nobody was paying attention, which gave us time to figure things out.
Music used to come out Monday nights, and I’d stay up to make sure our albums dropped on iTunes at midnight. Sometimes it just didn’t show up—and there was nothing you could do. The systems weren’t built for it yet. That never happens now.
Do you have a favorite memory from that time?
One of our biggest brands at Razor & Tie was Kidz Bop. I was the first to suggest we put our music on Myspace, and I told my boss we should be on YouTube too. This was before Google owned it. I uploaded the Kidz Bop version of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” to YouTube. I always tell people to go watch it—it’s the greatest Kidz Bop video of all time.
That felt exciting. We knew we were doing something new. Streaming videos was still a novelty.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
Tell me about moving to Nashville.
I knew nothing about Nashville. I found the Warner job through LinkedIn—managing the iTunes account for Warner and Word. I figured out the hiring manager was Jeremy Holley. Between LinkedIn and Facebook, we had 75 mutual contacts, so I messaged every one of them asking if they’d reach out on my behalf. Eventually Jeremy called. His first words were, “I hear I need to meet you.”
He happened to be in New York, so we met up. Once I got the offer, my partner, Michele—who’d never even been to Nashville—and I flew down the next day. We sat in a honky tonk on Broadway that doesn’t exist anymore and said, yeah, we could do this. I didn’t grow up on country music. I moved here in 2011, the same year The Voice started. I didn’t even know who Blake Shelton was.
I had to learn quickly. But I’d already worked on genres I didn’t personally love, like children’s music and heavy metal. To me, the fun part is figuring out how to connect with the people who do love it. Whether it’s a mom buying music for her kid or a metalhead with a crumpled $10 bill, the challenge is the same—how do you reach that person? That same mindset applied to country and Christian music, and it really fueled me.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
Take me through that chapter at Warner.
I was at Warner for 13 years. The first five or so, I was working on things nobody really cared about. Spotify launched about a year after I started, and I became the unofficial Spotify person, trying to get our artists and team to care. I convinced Dan + Shay to release their debut album two weeks early on Spotify. That would never happen now, but we were just trying things. Back then, people only cared about iTunes chart position.
Eventually, streaming became a big enough revenue source that everything shifted. One day, suddenly John Esposito knew my name—and then I was in his office every day. When streaming passed 50% of our revenue, priorities changed. And again, I was lucky to be in the right place. Kristen Williams really fought for me and helped me build a team. By the time I left, I’d built and rebuilt two great teams. Most of them went on to even bigger jobs. I’m really proud of that.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
Then Spotify came calling.
Spotify approached me when Brittany Schaffer left during CRS in 2023. It was a long process. I wasn’t sure at first because I really loved Warner, but this was the one job I would leave for. Warner was supportive, and I joined Spotify in November 2023. After 13 years, I wanted new problems to solve, new people to meet. And it’s been exactly that—new fire drills every day, in a good way. Even a year and a half in, things still come up I’ve never dealt with. I’m using different parts of my brain. I love that.
The team was in transition when I joined, but I really connected with them. We built a culture based on teamwork. That’s the best part—watching them work together to crush an event like [Spotify House], or the Morgan Wallen or Jelly Roll releases. That’s what lights me up. I’ve learned this later in my career, but what I really love is leading people. Helping them succeed, clearing a path, helping them prioritize. And when they win, shouting it from the rooftops so they get the credit they deserve. That’s my favorite part.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
What are you most proud of when you look back?
That I was right… multiple times! [Laughs] But seriously, I’m proud of recognizing the moment, showing up and taking the swing.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Ben Kline once told me: “Report the news.” Meaning—just be honest. If something’s on fire, say it. If something’s going great, say that too.
One thing I always tell my team is: stay steady. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. We experience this every Friday. One person’s thrilled, the next is furious. You have to stay even. That’s something I’ve really learned with time.
Nashville Gathers To Honor John Morgan & Jason Aldean’s No. 1 ‘Friends Like That’
/by Lauryn SinkPictured (L-R, back row): Cornman Music’s Brett James, BBR/BMG Nashville’s Jon Loba, BBR/BMG Nashville’s JoJamie Hahr, BMI’s Mason Hunter, ASCAP’s Duane Hobson, Sea Gayle Music’s Chris DuBois and Warner Chappell’s Jessi Stevenson; (L-R, front row): Studio Bank’s Ron Cox, Kurt Allison (ASCAP), Lydia Vaughan (BMI), John Morgan (BMI), Jason Aldean (BMI), Will Bundy (ASCAP), Brent Anderson (ASCAP) and Tully Kennedy (Producer). Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI
On Tuesday afternoon (June 24), John Morgan and Jason Aldean gathered friends and industry professionals at Live Oak on Demonbreun to celebrate the success of their No. 1 single, “Friends Like That.” Hosted by ASCAP and BMI, the event honored the artists, songwriters, publishers and industry team members who contributed to the single’s success.
The song, penned by Morgan, Lydia Vaughn, Brent Anderson and Will Bundy, and produced by Tully Kennedy, Kurt Allison and Aldean, marked Morgan’s first No. 1 single as an artist and second as a songwriter. The tune also became Aldean’s 29th No. 1 single.
Pictured (L-R): BBR/BMG Nashville’s Jon Loba, BBR/BMG Nashville’s JoJamie Hahr, Kurt Allison (Producer), BBR’s Lee Adams, Jason Aldean (BMI), BBR’s Misti Douglas, John Morgan (BMI), Will Bundy (ASCAP), BBR’s Regan Donato, Brent Anderson (ASCAP), BBR’s Scotty O’Brien, Lydia Vaughan (BMI), Tully Kennedy (Producer) and BBR’s Shelley Hargis. Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI
The event was emceed by BMI’s Mason Hunter. Industry leaders took the mic to honor each artist, writer and producer including ASCAP’s Duane Hobson, Cornman Music’s Brett James, SeaGayle Music’s Chris DuBois, Warner Chappell’s Jessi Stevenson, Country Aircheck’s Chuck Aly, BBR/BMG Nashville’s JoJamie Hahr and Triple Play’s Amy Scott.
Many of these people spoke of the strong bond that has developed between this group of writers, noting the work ethic, humility and consistency each one brings to the room. Aldean was thanked for his role in bringing Morgan into the spotlight and willingness to champion songwriters.
Studio Bank sponsored the event, with Ron Cox presenting a special donation in honor of the writers to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital.
“One of the coolest things that I’ve learned about doing what we do in this town is that no one’s success is achieved alone,” Vaughn shared as she thanked each person involved in the song’s success. “There are so many stars that have to align for a song to go No. 1 and that’s the magic of Nashville—when all the parts are working together, every once in a while, against all odds, that happens.”
“This song was a lesson for me,” Anderson said of the song’s one-year run on radio before topping the charts. “You start to think differently about your catalog when something shows up years later and becomes a No. 1.”
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s LB Cantrell, Kurt Allison, Lydia Vaughan, John Morgan, Jason Aldean, Will Bundy, Brent Anderson, Tully Kennedy and MusicRow’s Lauryn Sink. Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI
“It’s fun to win, but it’s a lot more fun to win with people you love. This song is about friends, and these are some of my longest friends in town,” added Bundy of the people surrounding him on stage.
Aldean took a moment to recognize that this is the first No. 1 for his label imprint, Night Train Records, and thanked the label staff. “I, more than anybody, know how hard these guys go to see a song cross the finish line, so thank you for that,” he said.
Morgan took the mic to wrap up the celebration. He spent time recognizing the efforts of each member of the team, as well as his peers that he has come up with. “Every single one of these people [on stage] took a chance on me and wrote with me as an unsigned writer… It’s so wild to me, looking back at how things ended up going.”
Industry Ink: Toby Keith & Friends, Matthew Ramsey, Koe Wetzel, Lukas Nelson, More
/by Lauryn SinkToby Keith & Friends Fundraiser Raises $1.4 Million
A Flight 1st Place golf team: Mark Vanhoose, Bryan Vineyard, Kelsey Cline, Talor Gooch and Matt Walker
The 21st Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic raised more than $1.4 million, benefiting The Toby Keith Foundation’s work with the OK Kids Korral, which the late singer called “my best gift I’ve ever given to the world.” The highest-dollar items included a Kentucky Derby package that went for $60,000, a Tuscan Villa experience that sold three times at $40,000 each and a Toby Keith Limited Edition Military Guitar that sold twice for $35,000. Silent auction items receiving high bids included a George Strait autographed cowboy hat for $7,000 and a Lainey Wilson concert experience that went for $6,800. Music from Party On The Moon entertained the crowd throughout the evening.
This year’s Toby Keith & Friends was hosted by his longtime friend, Sammy Hagar, who says, “Now that’s the way to start a fundraiser! I had a blast … would be happy to do it again. Toby would’ve done that and more for me any day.”
Matthew Ramsey Donates $50,000 To Save Local Middle School Band Program
Matthew Ramsey with concert band students
On Tuesday (June 24), Old Dominion’s Matthew Ramsey presented a donation of $50,000 on behalf of The Ramsey Foundation to the “Band Together” fundraiser to save the concert band program at J.T. Moore Middle School in Nashville.
On March 28, it was announced that school’s long-standing band program would be eliminated for the 2025–2026 school year. In response, a passionate group of parents launched the “Band Together” campaign with the mission to save the school’s concert band program. With generous support from Ramsey, the campaign has raised over $65,000, enough to hire a part-time band director for the upcoming year. The campaign’s goal is to reach $92,000 by June 30 to fund a full-time band teacher and keep the music alive for all grades. More information on how to help is available here.
Koe Wetzel Celebrates Grand Opening Of Riot Room Houston
Koe Wetzel celebrated the grand opening of his Riot Room Houston last Friday (June 20). The 8,000 square-foot, two-story venue sits in the heart of Midtown, can host nearly 700 guests and includes a full-sized pontoon boat bringing that “on the lake” vibe straight into the club, a DJ booth set in a full-size Ford pickup engine bay, a custom-built jail cell and bucking bull, both perfect for photo ops, photos and memorabilia that bring fans closer to the music and the man behind it and more.
Lukas Nelson Featured On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon & The Howard Stern Show
Lukas Nelson recently performed the title track to his new record, “American Romance,” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Additionally, he appeared on The Howard Stern Show, where he performed “All God Did” and spoke with the host.
The album marks Nelson’s first solo project and first in partnership with Sony Music Nashville. In celebration of the release, Nelson was also featured on CBS Mornings last week, where he spoke with correspondent Anthony Mason.
Dr. Don Cusic & Bill DeMain To Host Lunch & Learn Honoring Chet Akins
Author/music historian Dr. Don Cusic and songwriter/musician Bill DeMain are set to host a free discussion at the TN State Museum on June 28 at noon, celebrating the legacy of Chet Atkins. The event will feature a Q&A style discussion with the duo, and signing of Dr. Cusic’s new book, Chet Atkins: Mr. Guitar.
Cerrito Inks With MC1 Nashville Records
Cerrito has signed with MC1 Nashville Records, with distribution powered by MC1/DKM via The Orchard, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
With influence from Dottie West, Cerrito is known for blending traditional country with country and English and Spanish rhythms. His next single, “Hot Pepper Doll” will be released Friday (June 28).
My Music Row Story: Spotify’s Tim Foisset
/by LB CantrellTim Foisset
Tim Foisset joined Spotify as the Head of Label Partnerships, Nashville & Canada, in late 2023. His team recently spearheaded impactful new release campaigns for Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Tucker Wetmore, Kelsea Ballerini and more.
Prior to Spotify, he spent 13 years at Warner Music Nashville, most recently as SVP Commercial Partnerships, where he worked with WMN’s partners in streaming, digital retail, physical retail, e-commerce and D2C to drive strategic marketing and revenue. He’s guided new release strategies for artists including Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Dan + Shay, Bailey Zimmerman, Ashley McBryde, Gabby Barrett, Ingrid Andress, Cole Swindell, Cody Johnson and more.
Foisset began his career in NYC and moved to Nashville in 2011 to join Warner Music Nashville.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a tiny town called Shushan, New York, right on the New York–Southern Vermont border. I could basically throw a baseball from my backyard into Vermont. It was rural. My parents had 30 acres off a dirt road in the woods. The town had more cows than people. I graduated high school with 42 kids in the same building where I’d gone to kindergarten.
What were you into? What was your childhood like?
We didn’t have cable TV, so my younger brother and I were outside a lot. I spent a lot of time by myself, but I was also one of those kids who fit in with every group. I played football and baseball, did theater, hung out with the snowboarders and the stoners. I was in all the school plays—I was Daddy Warbucks one year—bald cap and everything. I bounced around, in a good way.
Did you like music then?
I did. I was lucky to grow up near an independent radio station called WEQX. That place changed everything for me. My formative years were the late ’80s and early ’90s. WEQX introduced me to cool music—The Replacements, Talking Heads, Jane’s Addiction, Pixies. And being from Vermont, I’m legally obligated to be a huge fan of Phish. I saw my first Phish show in ’92 and have been a fan ever since.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
So when did you know this was the path?
Pretty much right away. In high school, I did some announcing for our girls’ basketball team. We had a state-level team, and I’d do the mic work. And being inspired by WEQX, radio felt like a realistic path. That was always the goal.
When I was visiting colleges, I only cared about the campus radio station and that led me to SUNY Geneseo in western New York. They had a professionally run station called WGSU. I started with overnight shifts on Friday and Saturday nights. While everyone was partying, I was on the air. I still have the tapes. By sophomore year, I was the music director. It wasn’t a freeform station, we programmed it. I was picking the music, talking to record labels. Back then, labels had college promo teams, so I was building relationships with reps at Capitol, Interscope—people probably not much older than me. By senior year, I was running the station. I managed the staff, hired DJs, programmed shows. That’s where I got the leadership bug.
We were six hours from New York City, and every fall we’d go to this festival called CMJ Music Marathon, kind of like New York’s version of SXSW. I’d meet the labels, crash on couches, and see insane shows. I saw Johnny Cash open for Wilco. I saw Sleater-Kinney and Nine Inch Nails in tiny clubs. It was peak post-Nirvana alternative boom. That music’s in my DNA.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
I’m sure the industry cared a lot about college radio then.
Totally. Every station was flipping to alternative formats. We were trying to stay even more cutting-edge, playing artists like Pavement, Built to Spill, Liz Phair, PJ Harvey and Superchunk. I remember getting a new R.E.M. single—“What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?”—on CD in the mail and putting it on the air right away before we even listened to it. It was exciting.
And I built my community there. Some of my best friends today came from those years. I met my partner Michele through the station. She and her roommate used to listen to my show.
What happened after college?
After graduation, I mailed cassette tapes to radio stations, trying to get a job. It didn’t work. Michele and I moved to New York City a few months after graduation, that was always the goal. I got a college promo job at an indie label. I was the one calling college radio stations, just like people used to call me.That kicked off my career in New York.
Tell me about that. What was it like?
We moved to Brooklyn in 1997, back when it was still cool. But it was a struggle. I was making $200 cash under the table for that job. I did it for about eight months, then landed an opportunity at Burly Bear Network—a TV network owned by Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video. We produced shows for college students—a cooking show called Half Baked and a music news show called Shuffle. We’d send VHS tapes to college TV stations to air. I programmed the music video show, which meant I was still talking to record labels—just about videos this time. I’d put together video playlists and send them out.
This was right at the dawn of the internet, and we had the brilliant, slightly illegal idea to stream those videos on our website.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
So, you invented YouTube.
Basically, yeah. [Laughs] That kicked off my interest in the digital side of the music business.
How long did you do that?
A few years. Then I ended up at Fuse TV, which was also focused on music videos and was a competitor to MTV. I worked on their marketing team for shows like Steven’s Untitled Rock Show and Uranium. I spent the summer of 2004 on the Warped Tour as part of the team managing our on-the-ground activations.
I had some friends who worked at Razor & Tie. They were looking for someone to manage their new partnership with Apple—this brand-new thing called iTunes. I jumped. Right place, right time. Back then, we were mailing CDs to iTunes so they could ingest them. I was making sure our albums were featured in the early version of the iTunes store.
I did that job for about six years. And like every New Yorker, eventually we were ready to leave. After 14 years in the city, we moved to Nashville so I could manage the iTunes account for Warner—and also Word, their Christian division.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
How did you learn all of it in the early days?
I’ve always tried to be on the front end of new things. I cared about digital before most people did. At Razor & Tie, iTunes was such a small part of the business—most of it was still CDs, sold through 1-800 numbers and TV commercials. That gave me room to experiment, build relationships, fail, try again. Nobody cared yet. It was the same with streaming. At first, nobody was paying attention, which gave us time to figure things out.
Music used to come out Monday nights, and I’d stay up to make sure our albums dropped on iTunes at midnight. Sometimes it just didn’t show up—and there was nothing you could do. The systems weren’t built for it yet. That never happens now.
Do you have a favorite memory from that time?
One of our biggest brands at Razor & Tie was Kidz Bop. I was the first to suggest we put our music on Myspace, and I told my boss we should be on YouTube too. This was before Google owned it. I uploaded the Kidz Bop version of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” to YouTube. I always tell people to go watch it—it’s the greatest Kidz Bop video of all time.
That felt exciting. We knew we were doing something new. Streaming videos was still a novelty.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
Tell me about moving to Nashville.
I knew nothing about Nashville. I found the Warner job through LinkedIn—managing the iTunes account for Warner and Word. I figured out the hiring manager was Jeremy Holley. Between LinkedIn and Facebook, we had 75 mutual contacts, so I messaged every one of them asking if they’d reach out on my behalf. Eventually Jeremy called. His first words were, “I hear I need to meet you.”
He happened to be in New York, so we met up. Once I got the offer, my partner, Michele—who’d never even been to Nashville—and I flew down the next day. We sat in a honky tonk on Broadway that doesn’t exist anymore and said, yeah, we could do this. I didn’t grow up on country music. I moved here in 2011, the same year The Voice started. I didn’t even know who Blake Shelton was.
I had to learn quickly. But I’d already worked on genres I didn’t personally love, like children’s music and heavy metal. To me, the fun part is figuring out how to connect with the people who do love it. Whether it’s a mom buying music for her kid or a metalhead with a crumpled $10 bill, the challenge is the same—how do you reach that person? That same mindset applied to country and Christian music, and it really fueled me.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
Take me through that chapter at Warner.
I was at Warner for 13 years. The first five or so, I was working on things nobody really cared about. Spotify launched about a year after I started, and I became the unofficial Spotify person, trying to get our artists and team to care. I convinced Dan + Shay to release their debut album two weeks early on Spotify. That would never happen now, but we were just trying things. Back then, people only cared about iTunes chart position.
Eventually, streaming became a big enough revenue source that everything shifted. One day, suddenly John Esposito knew my name—and then I was in his office every day. When streaming passed 50% of our revenue, priorities changed. And again, I was lucky to be in the right place. Kristen Williams really fought for me and helped me build a team. By the time I left, I’d built and rebuilt two great teams. Most of them went on to even bigger jobs. I’m really proud of that.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
Then Spotify came calling.
Spotify approached me when Brittany Schaffer left during CRS in 2023. It was a long process. I wasn’t sure at first because I really loved Warner, but this was the one job I would leave for. Warner was supportive, and I joined Spotify in November 2023. After 13 years, I wanted new problems to solve, new people to meet. And it’s been exactly that—new fire drills every day, in a good way. Even a year and a half in, things still come up I’ve never dealt with. I’m using different parts of my brain. I love that.
The team was in transition when I joined, but I really connected with them. We built a culture based on teamwork. That’s the best part—watching them work together to crush an event like [Spotify House], or the Morgan Wallen or Jelly Roll releases. That’s what lights me up. I’ve learned this later in my career, but what I really love is leading people. Helping them succeed, clearing a path, helping them prioritize. And when they win, shouting it from the rooftops so they get the credit they deserve. That’s my favorite part.
Photo: Courtesy of Foisset
What are you most proud of when you look back?
That I was right… multiple times! [Laughs] But seriously, I’m proud of recognizing the moment, showing up and taking the swing.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Ben Kline once told me: “Report the news.” Meaning—just be honest. If something’s on fire, say it. If something’s going great, say that too.
One thing I always tell my team is: stay steady. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. We experience this every Friday. One person’s thrilled, the next is furious. You have to stay even. That’s something I’ve really learned with time.
TKO Artist Management Promotes Two; Adds One To Team
/by Madison HahnenElla Bare, Eric Gundrum and Jordan Bernal
TKO Artist Management has elevated Eric Gundrum to Manager and Jordan Bernal to Management Coordinator. Additionally, Ella Bare has joined the company as Executive Assistant to the President.
Gundrum rises from his previous role of Management Coordinator to Manager, where he will now run day-to-day operations for Mac McAnally and Scotty Emerick, as well as play a role in Jackson Dean’s management team. Gundrum graduated from Belmont University in 2021 from the Music Business program, before joining TKO as an intern. From that role, he moved into operational and personal assistant roles, giving him road experience with Jamey Johnson, Jackson Dean and Mac McAnally. He also spent time at Lozen Consulting supporting social media strategy for various artists, including Toby Keith.
Bernal’s new role of Management Coordinator comes after his time as Executive Assistant to the President. In his new role, he will support the management teams for Jamey Johnson, Jackson Dean, Mac McAnally and Scotty Emerick. Hailing from California, Bernal attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he studied Communications before coming to Nashville in 2021. He spent time in the organization as an intern alongside working at Troubadour Golf Club before joining full-time in 2022.
Nashville native Bare steps into her role of Executive Assistant to the President after graduating last month from The University of Alabama with a degree in Marketing and minors in Advertising and Public Relations. Bare has held internships with Big Loud’s marketing team and Warner Music Nashville’s publicity department, and most recently managed social media content for her grandfather, Country Music Hall of Fame member Bobby Bare.
“These developments reflect the culture we’ve worked hard to build—one that values growth, hustle, and a deep commitment to our artists,” says Cassie Petty, General Manager of TKO Artist Management. “We’re excited to see Ella, Eric, and Jordan thrive in their new roles.”
Jana Kramer To Star In New Karen Kingsbury Film ‘The Christmas Ring’
/by Lorie HollabaughJana Kramer. Photo: Greg Thomason Photography
New York Times bestselling author and filmmaker Karen Kingsbury is bringing an adaptation of her new book The Christmas Ring (due out Oct. 21) to the screen on Nov. 6 in a brand new feature film.
The Fathom Entertainment/Karen Kingsbury Production will star Jana Kramer and Kristoffer Polaha. The film’s creative team will include rising director Tyler Russell and Nashville producer Natalie Ruffino Wilson (both of Someone Like You).
The Christmas Ring tells the story of a widow (Kramer) who, while looking for her missing family Christmas ring meets an antiques dealer (Polaha), whose father has the lost heirloom. The story spans from the French countryside of World War II to current day military town Columbus, GA.
“The Christmas Ring is going to be a sentimental and long-lasting experience for theater-goers this holiday season,” says Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Entertainment. “We hope to work with Karen Kingsbury Productions for the release of her heartfelt movies for many years to come.”
Kingsbury has more than 25 million copies of her books in print. Many movies and TV series have been based on her books (Like Dandelion Dust, The Bridge, The Baxters, A Thousand Tomorrows), and in 2022 she formed Karen Kingsbury Production. With the help of family members including her husband, Kingsbury’s team filmed the self-funded and successful Someone Like You, and The Christmas Ring is also self-funded.
CBS Unveils New Music Competition Show ‘The Road,’ Premiering This Fall
/by Lauryn SinkPictured (L-R, top row): Channing Wilson, Britnee Kellogg, Blaine Bailey, Cassidy Daniels, Forrest McCurren, Briana Adams, Adam Sanders and Olivia Harms. (L-R, bottom row): Jon Wood, Billie Jo Jones, Cody Hibbard and Jenny Tolman. Photo: Evan Mulling/CBS
CBS has unveiled a new music competition show, The Road, set to premiere this fall. The docu-follow format trailing the up-and-coming musicians as they navigate the life of a touring musician will air on Sundays (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
The 12 rising-artists will compete as opening acts for Keith Urban at music venues across the country. Throughout the season, Urban is joined by executive producers Blake Shelton and Taylor Sheridan, “Tour Manager” Gretchen Wilson and more artists to be announced, along with live venue audiences, to determine who advances to the next city.
This season’s featured artists include Adam Sanders, Billie Jo Jones, Blaine Bailey, Briana Adams, Britnee Kellogg, Cassidy Daniels, Channing Wilson, Cody Hibbard, Forrest McCurren, Jenny Tolman, Jon Wood and Olivia Harms.
The Road is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Sheridan (Bosque Ranch Productions), Shelton (Lucky Horseshoe Productions), David Glasser (101 Studios), Lee Metzger (Lucky Horseshoe Productions) and Urban.
Asleep At The Wheel Celebrates 50 Years In The Lone Star State With ‘Riding High In Texas’
/by Lorie HollabaughAsleep At The Wheel is celebrating their five-decade mark in the Lone Star state by dedicating their upcoming 32nd album, Riding High In Texas, to the adopted home where all their dreams came true.
Due out August 22, the ten-song collection features some of the best songs about the 28th state from a wide range of songwriters like Jimmie Rogers, Guy Clark, and Charlie Daniels, with some A-list collaborations with Lyle Lovett and Billy Strings. Since 1970, Asleep At The Wheel has had over 100 members come through the band, and Riding High In Texas is also an opportunity to introduce a new face in the band with fiddler and vocalist Ian Stewart joining founder Ray Benson and company.
“It’s been fifty five years for Asleep At The Wheel as a band, and fifty of them have been spent in Texas,” says Benson. “We are known worldwide for being a Texas band and playing Texas and Western Swing music, and it gives us great pride to carry this torch and responsibility.”
Asleep At The Wheel recently shared the first single from Riding High In Texas, “Texas In My Soul,” which was written by Ernest Tubb and popularized by Willie Nelson, and was chosen for the project because it resonated with, in Benson’s words, “How we felt in 1974 when the band moved to Texas” and is ripe with everything that makes the Wheel the Wheel, twin fiddles, steel guitar licks, and a piano solo along with Benson’s smooth vocals.
Riding High In Texas Track List:
1. “Riding High In Texas”
2. “Texas In My Soul”
3. “Long Tall Texan”
4. “Texas”
5. “Texas Cookin’”
6. “Lonesome Pine Special”
7. “T for Texas (Blue Yodel #1)”
8. “All My Exes (Live in Texas)”
9. “There’s Still a Lot of Love in San Antone”
1o. “Beaumont Rag”
Lainey Wilson Debuts New Apple Music Sessions EP
/by Lorie HollabaughLainey Wilson has released an exclusive new Apple Music Sessions EP.
Recorded in London, the Lainey Wilson Sessions includes covers of The Beatles’ “Come Together” and Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved,” as well as a reimagined version of her song “Devil Don’t Go There.”
Wilson joined The Kelleigh Bannen Show in London to discuss the EP, and on her cover of “Come Together.” “Last year when we were here [in London], we got to record a song at Abbey Road, and just really felt that energy in the building,” Wilson recalled. “And just trying to wrap your head around how influential The Beatles really are and what they have done to every single genre.”
On her choice of the Lewis Capaldi cover she added: “I watched his documentary and it really inspired me to see how he works, and how he just goes into his hole, and if he’s not feeling creative, he fights for it. You know what I’m saying? He fights for that creativity, which I love.”
The release adds to yet another banner year for Wilson, whose latest single “Somewhere Over Laredo,” earned Wilson her biggest first day of streaming to date with 1.16M. The song is from the deluxe version of Wilson’s album, Whirlwind, set for release August 22.
Wilson is currently in the midst of her “Whirlwind World Tour,” which includes stops at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, Austin’s Moody Center and Denver’s Ball Arena, among many others.
Humanable Partners With Symphonic Distribution To Identify AI-Free Music
/by Lauryn SinkPictured (L-R): Randall Foster (Symphonic), Lili McGrady and Tim Wipperman (Humanable)
Humanable has entered into a strategic partnership with Symphonic Distribution. Under the partnership, Humanable will certify master recordings from Symphonic artists and writers as created without the use of generative AI through the unique Humanable certification system.
The Symphonic roster will now be given the opportunity to opt-in to Humanable’s platform, which enables music creators to easily certify that their songwriting, performances or recordings were created without the use of generative AI. Once certified, the song will receive the “H pick” icon. To date, the company has already certified 3.4 million songs.
“Symphonic has always been a leader in innovations that benefit not only the artists who use their platform, but also the greater creative community, and the Humanable solution aids in this by certifying the creators as humans before release,” says Tim Wipperman, CEO of Humanable. “By certifying the songs distributed by Symphonic as GenAI-free, we can ensure that artists get full copyright protection and full royalties from their uses. We’re grateful to Jorge, Randall, and the Symphonic team for their belief in Humanable, and for their desire to offer their artists a simple, foolproof way to accomplish their goals.”
“It’s long past time for DSPs and other distributors to adopt an industry standard like Humanable to label GenAI music,” shares Randall Foster, Chief Creative Officer at Symphonic. “Consumers and music fans deserve to know whether or not what they’re listening to and paying money for has been made with the use of GenAI, and we’re glad to take the lead in the marketplace in protecting them and our artists and songwriters.”
Humanable’s “H Pick” certification symbol
Jay Webb Inks With Sony Music Publishing Nashville
/by Madison HahnenPictured (L-R, front row): Josh Van Valkenburg, Jay Webb and Rusty Gaston. (L-R, back row): Dale Bobo, Jacob Knight, Tom Luteran and Cam Caldwell. Photo: Amy Allmand
Jay Webb has signed a global publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing Nashville.
“Songwriting is where the magic happens, and it’s always been my goal to write music that real people can relate to,” shares Webb. “To now have the chance to do that with Sony is a dream come true. Josh [Van Valkenburg] was one of the first people I met in Nashville and has been a huge mentor of mine since day one. I’m grateful for his belief in me and excited to see what we can build together!”
Hailing from Alabama, Webb split his time between small town living and the big city, using music to cope with his turbulent upbringing. He picked up the writing pen as a teenage, and made demos in his bedroom. He started growing his fanbase through his independently released tracks.
Webb released his authentic ballad “One More Shot” earlier this month. The lyrics paint the picture of trying to numb life’s low points through the bottom of a bottle. The single serves as a preview to his newly announced album Where To Find Me, due July 25.
“Jay Webb is a superstar in the making,” says Van Valkenburg. “His authenticity resonates with an audience that’s fighting through the same struggles he so vulnerably sings about from his own life experience. He’ll also drop an anthem on you that’s perfect for a hot day on a pontoon boat. It’s an honor to be a part of his journey and to champion his songwriting career.”