Jordan Davis, AIMP Artist-Writer of the Year. Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
The Association for Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) held its ninth annual AIMP Nashville Country Awards on Monday night (April 1) at the Ryman Auditorium, honoring the best of Nashville’s independent songwriters and publishers. Presented by Spotify, the evening was emceed by Storme Warren.
Tim Hunze, AIMP Song Champion Award of the Year. Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
This year’s Song of the Year was “Next Thing You Know,” performed by Jordan Davis who co-wrote the song with Josh Osborne, Chase McGill and Greylan James. Davis also took home Artist-Writer of the Year.
“I moved here in 2012 and dreamed about getting in the room to write songs with some of these people sitting in the front rows,” Davis said. “I never dreamed I would find the community and family that I have here in Nashville. I’m blessed to get to do this for a living—we all are.”
Morgan Wallen was awarded with the Songwriter of the Year honor. Big Loud Publishing was named Publisher of the Year, and the company’s Rocky Block took home the 2024 Rising Songwriter of the Year. Mae Estes won the Rising Artist-Writer of the Year.
John Byron, Josh Miller and Travis Wood, the writers of AIMP’s Publisher Pick of the Year “’98 Braves.” Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
“I’ve been independently published my whole career,” Block said when he took to the mic stand. “I want to thank Bob DiPiero for taking a chance on me a long time ago and Big Loud for doing such a great job with me the last few years.”
“This is unreal,” Estes said. “I’ve got to thank Kendall Warren and Stephanie Cox at Plaid Flag Music and Kobalt Music for believing in me.”
Wallen’s “’98 Braves,” written by Travis Wood, John Byron and Josh Miller, was selected as this year’s Publisher Pick. “Last Night,” written by Byron, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome and Jacob “JKash” Kasher Hindlin, was recognized as the Most Streamed Country Song of the Year.
Big Loud Publishing team, AIMP’s Publisher of the Year. Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
Big Machine Music’s Tim Hunze was presented with the coveted 2024 AIMP Song Champion Award for his enduring and significant contributions to the independent publishing and songwriting community.
“[Early in my career] Tom Shapiro told me, ‘Take care of the creatives and writers and you’ll always have a job.’ That is the best part of what I get to do,” Hunze says. “One of the greatest thing about our industry is that we’re a community.”
As is tradition, awards presentations were flanked by past and present Rising Artist-Writer of the Year and Artist-Writer of the Year nominees performing the songs nominated in the Song of the Year category. “Next Thing You Know” was performed by Russell Dickerson, “’98 Braves” was sung by George Birge, Davis performed “Fast Car” and “Human” was sung by Dylan Marlowe. Dylan Scott and songwriters Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson took on “Heart Like A Truck,” while Estes brought the house down with “Tennessee Orange.”
“The awards are always a magical night with artist nominees performing Song of the Year-nominated songs,” shared Ree Guyer, Owner of Wrensong Entertainment and President of AIMP Nashville. “It is always fun seeing our indie publishers come together to celebrate one another in a laid-back, intimate setting.”
Big Machine Label Group Adds Digital Marketing & Communications Team Members
/by LB CantrellDexter Bensman & Rebecca Kerr
Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) has added Dexter Bensman to its team as Senior Director, Digital Marketing and Rebecca Kerr as Manager, Communications.
“We are so excited to welcome Dexter and Rebecca to the Big Machine team. Dexter has an impressive background in digital marketing and I look forward to see him apply his expertise and elevate our artists,” shares Scott Borchetta, BMLG Chairman & CEO. “The addition of Rebecca to our team has been a long time coming, she was supposed to be one of our interns in 2020, but the pandemic had other plans so we’re extra excited to have her onboard now.”
Bensman joins BMLG from Brown Sellers Brown (BSB) Management, where he played a key part in building and shaping the digital marketing, DSP and social media strategies for Quartz Hill Records and Stone Country Records. He also served as VP of Music Management at Innovo Management. Reporting to COO Mike Rittberg, Bensman is already on the job, overseeing BMLG’s digital marketing strategies and elevating the online presence of the label group’s roster of artists. He can be reached at Dexter.Bensman@bmlg.net.
Kerr comes to BMLG from The Oriel Company where she worked as Publicity Coordinator, contributing to publicity efforts for artists including Jason Isbell, Old Dominion and Riley Green. In her new role, the Ohio State University graduate will assist in the public relations efforts for the label group’s roster of artists. Kerr is already on the job, reporting to Senior Director, Communications Quinn Kaemmer. She can be reached at Rebecca.Kerr@bmlg.net.
Old Dominion, The Castellows, More Among Alabama’s June Jam XVIII Lineup
/by Lorie HollabaughAlabama has revealed the lineup for June Jam XVIII, set for June 1 in Fort Payne, Alabama at the VFW Fairgrounds.
The band’s Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry will be joined by Old Dominion, The Castellows, Shenandoah, Lee Greenwood, Montgomery Gentry featuring Eddie Montgomery, Mark Wills, Exile, John Berry, Taylor Hicks, The Malpass Brothers and a surprise singer-songwriter before they close out the event.
June Jam benefits those in need and disaster relief in and around the state of Alabama.
“We are excited and look forward to playing our songs for y’all at this year’s Jam,” says Owen. “We have a true mutual love for our fans, and they always support the band and the June Jam Foundation.”
“When we started the first June Jam in 1982 as a charity concert event, it was attended by over 30,000 fans,” explains Gentry. “At the time, it was the largest country music festival in the United States. Now we are getting ready for our 18th concert. We want to welcome everyone to Fort Payne, Alabama, our hometown. Come have a great time and help others in need!”
Tickets are available now. For more information, click here.
Additionally, Alabama’s annual Fan Appreciation events will take place leading up to this years’s June Jam.
Lanco’s Chandler Baldwin Signs With Riser House Publishing
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R, back row): Bryan Coleman, Kirby Smith and Allison Pilotti; (L-R, front row): Brandon Perdue and Chandler Baldwin. Photo: Shannon Bradley
Chandler Baldwin, a member of the group Lanco, has signed an exclusive publishing agreement with Riser House Publishing.
“As we started digging in on the Lanco project, we noticed that a lot of our favorite songs had Chandler’s name on them,” notes Brandon Perdue, Riser House’s Sr. VP of A&R + Publishing. “We set him up on a few writes with our crew and received incredible feedback – perhaps the best feedback being a major cut on the very first song from that process. In just a few short months, Chandler has turned in some of our favorite songs in the catalog and he continues to be a big part of the coming Lanco project as well. This was a no-brainer signing for us and has just been such a joy to dive in on.”
“After experiencing the level of support and attention Riser House has given my band on the label side, I’m so excited to now be partnering with them on the publishing side,” says Baldwin. “They have an incredible team of staff and writers, and I’m very grateful to get to be a part of it.”
Lanco also signed to Riser House’s label roster in 2023. Riser House Entertainment’s roster also includes Mitchell Tenpenny, Dillon Carmichael and Meghan Patrick, while also serving as a publishing home to Tenpenny, Carmichael, Dallas Wilson, Michael Whitworth and more.
CMA Fest Reveals Nighttime Lineups At Ascend Amphitheater
/by John Nix ArledgeThe series kicks off on Thursday with “Celebrating 60 Years of Curb Records” with Lee Brice, Sawyer Brown, Rodney Atkins, Dylan Scott, Hannah Ellis, Tim Dugger, Pitney Meyer, Harper Grace and Kelsey Hart.
Friday night, “Brett Young and Friends” take the stage with host Danae Hays. The event will feature performances by Young, Needtobreathe, Restless Road, Shaylen and more, with special appearances by Colbie Caillat, Gavin DeGraw and Charles Kelley.
Wrapping up Ascend’s nightly series on Saturday is “Tracy Lawrence and Friends” including Lawrence, Riley Green, Chris Young, Maddie & Tae, Priscilla Block, RaeLynn and Charles Esten.
Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Friday, April 5 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at CMAfest.com/tickets
AIMP Honors Indie Songwriters & Publishers At 2024 Nashville Country Awards
/by LB CantrellJordan Davis, AIMP Artist-Writer of the Year. Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
The Association for Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) held its ninth annual AIMP Nashville Country Awards on Monday night (April 1) at the Ryman Auditorium, honoring the best of Nashville’s independent songwriters and publishers. Presented by Spotify, the evening was emceed by Storme Warren.
Tim Hunze, AIMP Song Champion Award of the Year. Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
This year’s Song of the Year was “Next Thing You Know,” performed by Jordan Davis who co-wrote the song with Josh Osborne, Chase McGill and Greylan James. Davis also took home Artist-Writer of the Year.
“I moved here in 2012 and dreamed about getting in the room to write songs with some of these people sitting in the front rows,” Davis said. “I never dreamed I would find the community and family that I have here in Nashville. I’m blessed to get to do this for a living—we all are.”
Morgan Wallen was awarded with the Songwriter of the Year honor. Big Loud Publishing was named Publisher of the Year, and the company’s Rocky Block took home the 2024 Rising Songwriter of the Year. Mae Estes won the Rising Artist-Writer of the Year.
John Byron, Josh Miller and Travis Wood, the writers of AIMP’s Publisher Pick of the Year “’98 Braves.” Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
“I’ve been independently published my whole career,” Block said when he took to the mic stand. “I want to thank Bob DiPiero for taking a chance on me a long time ago and Big Loud for doing such a great job with me the last few years.”
“This is unreal,” Estes said. “I’ve got to thank Kendall Warren and Stephanie Cox at Plaid Flag Music and Kobalt Music for believing in me.”
Wallen’s “’98 Braves,” written by Travis Wood, John Byron and Josh Miller, was selected as this year’s Publisher Pick. “Last Night,” written by Byron, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome and Jacob “JKash” Kasher Hindlin, was recognized as the Most Streamed Country Song of the Year.
Big Loud Publishing team, AIMP’s Publisher of the Year. Photo: Hunter Berry for AIMP
Big Machine Music’s Tim Hunze was presented with the coveted 2024 AIMP Song Champion Award for his enduring and significant contributions to the independent publishing and songwriting community.
“[Early in my career] Tom Shapiro told me, ‘Take care of the creatives and writers and you’ll always have a job.’ That is the best part of what I get to do,” Hunze says. “One of the greatest thing about our industry is that we’re a community.”
As is tradition, awards presentations were flanked by past and present Rising Artist-Writer of the Year and Artist-Writer of the Year nominees performing the songs nominated in the Song of the Year category. “Next Thing You Know” was performed by Russell Dickerson, “’98 Braves” was sung by George Birge, Davis performed “Fast Car” and “Human” was sung by Dylan Marlowe. Dylan Scott and songwriters Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson took on “Heart Like A Truck,” while Estes brought the house down with “Tennessee Orange.”
“The awards are always a magical night with artist nominees performing Song of the Year-nominated songs,” shared Ree Guyer, Owner of Wrensong Entertainment and President of AIMP Nashville. “It is always fun seeing our indie publishers come together to celebrate one another in a laid-back, intimate setting.”
Tape Room Music Expands Team With Two New Members
/by Liza AndersonNoelle Peters. Photo: Miranda Musgrave. Luke Collins. Photo: Luke Hutcherson
Nashville publishing company Tape Room Music has expanded its team by adding Noelle Peters as Catalog Manager and Luke Collins as Creative Coordinator.
Founded by hit songwriter Ashley Gorley, who recently notched his 75th No. 1, the company’s roster of writers includes Andy Sheridan, Beau Bailey, Ben Johnson, Brad Clawson, Casey Brown, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Rowe, Ned Cameron, Savana Santos, Taylor Phillips, Will Weatherly, Wyatt McCubbin and Zach Crowell.
Hailing from the suburbs of Illinois, Peters is a Belmont University graduate and holds a degree in the creative & entertainment industries with a minor in music business. She brings experience and skills developed from her latest internship at Red Light Management to her new role at Tape Room Music, which includes catalog management and general company assistance. Peters can be reached at noelle@taperoommusic.com.
Collins is a Nashville native and grew up around the country music community. After spending two years the University of Chattanooga, he moved back home and worked as Tour Manager/Merchandise Manager for artists such as Conner Smith, Jonathan Hutcherson and Payton Smith. In his new position at the publishing company, Collins assists with calendar management and contributes to creative tasks and projects. He can be reached at luke@taperoommusic.com.
“Luke and Noelle have a bright future in the music business,” shares Blain Rhodes, Tape Room Music President. “They both have a great work ethic and a strong passion for helping songwriters. We are lucky to have them join the team at Tape Room.”
Jarrod Walker Inks With River House Artists & Sony Music Publishing
/by Lorie HollabaughJarrod Walker. Photo: Jesse Faatz
Jarrod Walker has inked a worldwide publishing deal with River House Artists and Sony Music Publishing.
A mandolin player rooted in traditional bluegrass, Walker first played the Grand Ole Opry alongside his brother Cory in 2004, and has since played with acts including Missy Raines & The New Hip, Claire Lynch Band and most recently, Billy Strings.
He co-wrote the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) 2022 Song of the Year, “Red Daisy,” and has co-penned several songs with Strings such as “Everything’s The Same” from the Grammy-winning album Home as well as “Show Me The Door” and “Fire Line” from the Grammy-nominated Renewal album.
“We are super proud to be working with Jarrod as he is one of the most talented people I have ever met,” says Lynn Oliver-Cline, Owner & Founder of River House Artists. “We look forward to seeing where Jarrod’s creative journey takes him with playing and writing and being there to represent and support his songs along the way.”
Red Street Records Hires Michael Steele & Bridget Herrmann
/by LB CantrellMichael Steele and Bridget Herrmann
Red Street Records has added two new team members, with Michael Steele joining as VP of Streaming and Playlist Strategy and Bridget Herrmann as Regional Director of Country Promotion.
Steele joins Red Street from Warner Music Group, where he was most recently Director of Playlist Programming Development. He brings proficiency across digital streaming platforms, strategic playlisting and developing and executing marketing plans aimed at driving consumption to his new role.
Chicago resident Herrmann brings nearly 15 years of radio promotion experience to Red Street, which includes time at A&M/Octone Records and Crush Music Management representing bands like Maroon 5, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, Weezer and more until moving to the country format in 2018 to join Warner Music Nashville as the Regional Manager, North. Herrmann will report to the radio department’s SVP Andy Elliot.
Of the hirings, Red Street Records CEO Jay DeMarcus shares, “It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come in such a short time, and I am thrilled to welcome Michael and Bridget to this already extraordinary team.”
Red Street Records’ roster includes Chris Lane, Jason Crabb, Ryan Larkins, Ryan Griffin and more.
T.J. Martell Foundation Hosts 22nd Annual Nashville’s Best Cellars Dinner
/by Lorie HollabaughGuests enjoy the 22nd annual Nashville’s Best Cellars Dinner at Loews Vanderbilt Nashville. Photo: Catherine Powell
The T.J. Martell Foundation hosted its 22nd annual Nashville’s Best Cellars Dinner at Loews Vanderbilt Nashville on Monday night (April 1), featuring a four-course gourmet dinner and rare wines sourced from some of the nation’s most exclusive collections.
Nashville’s Best Cellars Dinner Chair and Chairman of the Board of Trustees John Esposito. Photo: Catherine Powell
Artists attending the intimate evening included Kelsea Ballerini; Kix Brooks; Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild; Martina McBride; John Oates; Old Dominion’s Trevor Rosen, Geoff Sprung and Brad Tursi; Barbara and Louise Mandrell and more.
Nashville’s Best Cellars Dinner Chair and Chairman of the Board of Trustees John Esposito kicked off the event, welcoming the room with a toast. Also in attendance were other Trustees, Steve Gawley of Universal Music Group, Greg Thompson of Big Loud Records and Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group. Guests were treated to a luxurious gourmet dinner prepared by chef Dean Fearing, which was expertly paired with prestigious Grand Crus and exceptional, rare wines.
An auction was held at the dinner, featuring a lavish array of items and experiences such as a private jet experience, Best Cellars wine collection, a Pappy Van Winkle whiskey package, a “Grand Cru” private dinner and more. The proceeds from the event, which was sponsored by Secure Air Charter, contribute to the T.J. Martell Foundation’s medical research, aimed at discovering treatments and cures for cancer at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers throughout the U.S.
Trustee, Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta. Photo: Catherine Powell
Trustee, Universal Music Group’s Steve Gawley. Photo: Catherine Powell
First Horizon Ups Bryan Bolton To Managing Director Of Nashville’s Music, Sports & Entertainment Group
/by LB CantrellAndrew Kintz, Bryan Bolton
First Horizon has promoted Bryan Bolton to the Music, Sports & Entertainment (MSE) Group’s Managing Director.
Reporting to MSE leading Executive Andrew Kintz, Bolton will lead the Nashville MSE Team as it continues to grow its client roster while delivering customized financial solutions to meet the unique needs of clients in the Music, Sports and Entertainment industries.
“I am pleased to announce Bryan’s promotion to lead this great Music Sports and Entertainment Team,” shares Kintz. “His 20 plus years of banking experience combined with his passion for music and commitment to service make Bryan an ideal fit to lead our flagship Nashville MSE Office.”
An active community member, Bolton served on the ALS Association’s TN Chapter for many years. Currently, he serves as Secretary of the Board of Trustees for the Covenant School.