Christian record label Centricity Music has elevated four team members to VP roles.

Matt Ewald is now the VP of A&R, Kris Love takes on VP of Promotions, Joshua Wurzelbacher will move into VP of Creative and Michael Pons rounds out the promotions as the VP of Finance. This comes on the heels of five promotions earlier this year.

“Centricity has grown over the years in terms of artists, writers and employees” says Caren Seidle, CEO. “This growth has led to increased responsibilities and work load of our staff. These promotions recognize the leadership these employees provide to their departments consistent with the high level of service for which Centricity is known.”

Ewald joined the Centricity team in 2016 and was previously the Senior Director of A&R. Love came to Centricity in 2013 and was previously the Senior Director of National Promotions. Wurzelbacher began his time with the label in 2017 and was previously the Creative Director. Pons joined Centricity in 2020 and was formerly the Senior Director of Finance.

Pictured (L-R, back row): ASCAP’s Kele Currier, Liz Rose Music’s Kate Shirley, Sony Music Nashville’s Jason McColl, Warner Chappell’s Benji Amaefule, BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, Play It Again Music’s Dallas Davidson, SESAC’s Lydia Cahill, Sony Music Nashville’s Nathan Thomas, Studio Bank’s Ron Cox and Pinnacle’s David DeVaul; (L-R, front row): Seth Ennis (BMI), Dylan Scott (ASCAP), Dylan Marlowe (BMI) and Joe Fox (SESAC/Producer). Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI

BMI brought the music community together on the rooftop of its Nashville headquarters on Tuesday (June 10) to celebrate the chart-topping success of “Boys Back Home,” recorded by Sony Music Nashville and Play It Again Music’s Dylan Marlowe and Curb Records’ Dylan Scott.

Penned by Marlowe, Seth Ennis and Joe Fox—who also produced the track—the Gold-certified hit marks Marlowe’s first No. 1 as an artist and second as a songwriter.

The event was hosted by BMI, ASCAP and SESAC, and emceed by BMI’s Josh Tomlinson. Industry leaders who took the mic to honor the team included ASCAP’s Kele Currier, Liz Rose Music’s Kate Shirley, Warner Chappell’s Benji Amaefule, Play It Again Music’s Dallas Davidson, SESAC’s Lydia Cahill, Country Aircheck’s Chuck Aly and Sony Music Nashville’s Jason McColl and Nathan Thomas.

Many remarked on the tight-knit friendship and tireless work ethic of Marlowe, Ennis and Fox—qualities that made the song’s rise to the top all the more meaningful. Dylan Scott was also praised for his willingness to uplift new voices and for his role in bringing “Boys Back Home” to life.

BMI’s Josh Tomlinson poses with Seth Ennis, Dylan Marlowe, Joe Fox, Dylan Scott and BMI’s MaryAnn Keen after gifting Ennis with a custom Taylor 210e DLX guitar to celebrate his first No. 1 as a BMI songwriter. Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI

As part of the celebration, Ennis received a custom Taylor 210e DLX guitar in honor of his milestone, while SESAC gifted Fox a personalized guitar. Studio Bank sponsored the event, with Ron Cox presenting a special donation in honor of the writers to the Georgia Natural Resources Foundation, supporting efforts to preserve the state’s natural, historic and cultural resources.

During his speech, Ennis reflected on his journey in Nashville: “This is 11 years for me in town. Celebrations like this make us feel special, slow down for a second, take a breath and take it in.”

Fox added a dose of humor, saying, “When you come to town, all you want to do is write with songwriters like Dallas Davidson. Then you start writing songs with your friends—and the next thing you know, your first hit is with your friends. These moments are full circle, but I still want a hit with Dallas Davidson.”

Scott expressed his admiration for Marlowe, both as an artist and a person. “Obviously I loved his music, but when I met him, I realized he was just a good ole country boy who loves hunting, fishing and singing. You got a long career ahead of you.”

Marlowe closed the event with heartfelt thanks to his wife and family, his team at Play It Again and Sony Music Nashville, and his co-writers and Scott. “This is something that has been on my heart for a while,” he shared. “I’ve always dreamed of being up here and getting to talk about one of these songs.”

Tyler Childers will release his new album, Snipe Hunter, July 25 via Hickman Holler Records/RCA Records.

The 13-track collection showcases the signature artistry Childers has cultivated throughout his career, while continuing to push his own creative boundaries. Longtime fans will rejoice at the inclusion of fan-favorite, “Nose on the Grindstone,” which is officially out now for the first time after years of being played on the road. The project was produced by Rick Rubin with additional production from Childers and Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn.

Childers and his band The Food Stamps, James Barker (guitar, pedal steel), Craig Burletic (bass), CJ Cain (guitars), Kory Caudill (keyboards), Rodney Elkins (drums), Matt Rowland (keyboards) and Jesse Wells (guitar, fiddle) will tour through the fall on his extensive “Tyler Childers On The Road Tour,” which includes upcoming stops at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium (two nights), Nashville’s GEODIS Park (two nights) and London’s O2 Arena, among many others.

Snipe Hunter follows five acclaimed albums Childers has released to date including his 2017 Platinum debut, Purgatory, 2019’s No. 1 Country Squire and 2023’s Rustin’ In The Rain, which debuted at No. 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. The record features seven tracks including the two-time Grammy, VMA and ACM-nominated single, “In Your Love,” which, since its release, has garnered over 13.7 million video views and 215 million on-demand streams.

Jess Keifer and Kyle Jonas. Photos: Mackenzie Ryan

Make Wake Artists has launched an in-house digital strategy department spearheaded by Jess Keifer as Head of Digital Marketing & Social Strategy and Kyle Jonas as Artist Strategy & Management Coordinator.

Keifer brings over a decade of experience to Make Wake and prior to joining the company served as Senior Director of Fan Engagement & Digital Marketing at Sony Music Nashville, overseeing digital partnerships & campaigns. She also previously served as Digital & eCommerce Manager at Big Machine Label Group. At Make Wake, she now oversees digital strategy across the company’s growing roster, leading campaigns that amplify artist storytelling, drive growth and engage fans across platforms.

“I’m so grateful to [Chris] Kappy and Sophia [Sansone] for their belief in me over the years, and now for trusting me with the opportunity to lead and build this new department on the management side,” says Keifer. “What we’re creating at Make Wake Artists is truly something special. I’m beyond excited to take this next step and work alongside their incredible roster & team as we continue to build for the future.”

Jonas brings over three years of experience in strategy and creative direction to his new position at Make Wake. Known for his work in brand development and crafting compelling narratives that resonate with fans, Jonas will help lead artist strategy at Make Wake and serve as a management coordinator supporting the overall vision for the roster.

“We’ve been patient in building this department because we knew we needed the right people,” says Sansone, Managing Partner at Make Wake. “Jess and Kyle understand both our artists and our culture and they were total no-brainers to bring on. This is the team we’ve been waiting for, and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.”

The new digital team will oversee marketing initiatives, campaign rollouts, short-form content creation, digital/creator partnerships, fan engagement and performance tracking across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and more.