117 Entertainment has announced the promotions of Jessica Vandergriff and Mae Dowda in the publicity department.
Vandergriff has been promoted from Publicity Manager to Director of Publicity. She is an Ohio native and graduate of Western Kentucky University. Vandergirff moved to Nashville in the summer of 2020 with a B.A. in public relations. After starting her career in book publishing, she joined 117 in June 2021 as the Publicity Manager, where she has been responsible for overseeing the public image and media strategy for 117’s diverse roster of clients.
Dowda came to Nashville from Alabama to pursue a career in public relations with dreams of working in music. Before coming to 117, she worked with clients in the tech, product and B2C sectors as a publicist for another entertainment group and an account coordinator. She began at 117 during the summer of 2021 as an intern before she took the role of Publicity and Tour Marketing Manager. In this role, Dowda takes charge of 117’s tour marketing department as well as supports the rest of the team in other publicity matters.
CMHOF Features David Hood In Nashville Cats Program
Pictured (L-R): Dan Penn, Patterson Hood, Jim Horn, David Hood, Richard Bennett and Vice President of Museum Services Michael Gray at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMHOF) featured renowned bassist David Hood in a program for its in-depth interview series, Nashville Cats. The ongoing series highlights musicians and session singers who have played important roles in support of artists in either the recording studio or on concert tours.
As a member of the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also known as “The Swampers“), Hood has created an unforgettable body of recorded work during his more than 60-year career. His first sessions included the 1960s R&B hits “I’m Your Puppet” by James & Bobby Purify and “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” by Aretha Franklin.
Hood became one of the most respected and in-demand studio bassists in R&B, pop and country music. While he was based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama—where he co-founded Muscle Shoals Sound Studio—Hood also logged considerable session work in Memphis and Nashville. He supplied the famous bass line and catchy solo spot on the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” and lent his groove to classic albums by CMHOF member Willie Nelson (Phases and Stages), Paul Simon (There Goes Rhymin’ Simon) and Traffic (Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory).
The Nashville Cats program—which included a brief performance, as well as vintage photos, audio and film clips—was filmed and will premiere at a later date as part of the museum’s Live at the Hall digital programs series, available to stream on the museum’s website. After the program, Hood signed commemorative Hatch Show Print posters.
Rick Lang Signs With Billy Blue Publishing
Pictured (L-R): Jerry Salley, A&R/Creative Director, Billy Blue Records; Rick Lang; Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director for Billy Blue Publishing
Billy Blue Publishing has signed multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Rick Lang.
With well over 100 cuts to his credit, including several album title tracks, over a dozen No. 1 hits and every song on the Grammy-nominated album Gonna Sing Gonna Shout, Lang has earned a spot as an established presence in the bluegrass community and beyond. Over the course of his career, Lang has received a nomination for a GMA Dove Award for his gospel release Look to the Light and a nomination for an IBMA Award in the Gospel Recorded Event Of The Year category for his single “Sailing On.”
Lang shares, “This is truly a blessing in my life. Not only am I grateful for the opportunity to continue to evolve and grow as a songwriter, but it’s fertile ground for someone like me who has a deep love and passion for writing bluegrass and Gospel music. Since the 2018 release of my Gonna Sing Gonna Shout project on Billy Blue Records, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Jerry Salley, Joe Dan Cornett, and the amazing staff at Billy Blue and to collaborate with some of their top songwriters. It has been both fun and rewarding, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.”
Nashville Behind The Song Showcases The Kinleys & More
The Kinleys, Doug Johnson, Don Henry and Tiffany Goss will perform at the “Nashville Behind The Song” brunch at City Winery on Aug. 5.
Hosted by industry veteran Debbie Zavitson between 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., the event will transport attendees into the captivating world behind the songs that have become a soundtrack to countless lives.
The Kinleys—identical twins Jennifer and Heather Kinley—charged seven Billboard Hot Country songs between 1997 and 2000, including “Please,” “Just Between You and Me” and “Somebody’s Out There Watching.” When Zavitson first saw the sisters perform, she teamed up with renowned songwriter Doug Johnson, then head of Epic Nashville, to nurture and develop the act.
Johnson, now VP of A&R of Black River Entertainment, will be joining The Kinleys on stage. His career includes breaking country music records with artist Lee Brice‘s “Love Like Crazy.” The track spent an astonishing 56 weeks on the chart and was named Billboard‘s Song of the Year.
Grammy-winning songwriter Don Henry will also grace the stage, captivating the audience with the stories behind some of the biggest hits in country music history. Henry is known for his contributions to songs such as Miranda Lambert‘s “All Kinds Of Kinds” and Kathy Matea‘s “Where’ve You Been.”
Alabama-native songwriter Tiffany Goss will bring her expertise on authentic delivery and connecting with the audiences. She previously worked with Clay Walker, Chris Janson, Brooks & Dunn, Brett Young and Delta Rae.
For ticket information and further details about Nashville Behind The Song, click here.
Peermusic Nashville Signs Songwriter & Producer Cooper Bascom
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L-R): Bekiares Eliezer LLP’s Aaron Rice, Peermusic Nashville’s Michael Knox, Kendall Lettow, Matt Michiels and Cooper Bascom
Peermusic Nashville has signed songwriter and producer Cooper Bascom to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal.
Born in Rochester, New York and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Bascom grew up playing jazz trumpet and fronting bands as a singer and guitarist. After studying music at the University of Mobile, he competed on NBC’s The Voice. Bascom then worked as a session-singer and performer for The Walt Disney Company. In June of 2018, he made his way to Music City to further his career as a songwriter.
Bascom has served as a background vocalist on Chris Janson‘s “All I Need Is You,” Shane Profitt‘s “How It Oughta Be” and Riley Green‘s “Different Round Here ft. Luke Combs.” He has also produced projects for artists Craig Campbell, Trea Landon, Kaylin Roberson and Nate Kenyon. His music has been featured on Selling Sunset, Selling The OC, Bring It On, Teen Mom, Siesta Key and more.
“Cooper has everything we look for—originality, work ethic, talent. We’re excited to be a part of his career and to help him find the right opportunities to get him to the next level. The sky’s the limit for him. We’re proud to welcome Cooper to the Peermusic Nashville family,” says Michael Knox, President, Peermusic Nashville.
“After hearing what Cooper was writing with some of our crew, we knew we had to have him at Peermusic. His positive outlook combined with his outstanding musicianship are a great addition to the Peermusic roster, and we are excited to be a part of his bright future,” says Matt Michiels, Senior Creative Director, Peermusic Nashville, and Kendall Lettow, Creative Manager, Peermusic Nashville, in a joint statement.
“My dream has always been to make music in any capacity,” shares Bascom. “Whether it’s performance, songwriting, production or singing behind the scenes, I will do whatever I can to be where the music is. I’m so excited for the future with the team at Peermusic!”
Jon Pardi Celebrates Chart-Toppers ‘Heartache Medication’ & ‘Last Night Lonely’
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, back row): Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart, Creative Nation’s Beth Laird, Captiol Records Nashville’s Chris Schuler, UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe, Red Light Management’s Melanie Wetherbee, CTM’s Thomas Deedler and BMI’s Josh Tomlinson; (L-R, front row): Studio Bank’s Ron Cox, Producer Bart Butler, BMI Songwriter Natalie Hemby, Jon Pardi, Producer Ryan Gore and Riser House’ Jennifer Johnson. Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI
Members of the Nashville music industry gathered Tuesday (July 11) to celebrate Jon Pardi’s most recent chart-toppers, “Heartache Medication” and “Last Night Lonely.”
Pictured (L-R, back row): UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe, BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, Liz Rose Music’s Scott Ponce, Play It Again Entertainment’s Lauren Lieu, Liz Rose Music’s Liz Rose, Capitol Record Nashville’s Chris Schuler, Liz Rose Music’s Dave Pacula, SESAC’s Lydia Cahill, Red Light Management’s Melanie Wetherbee and Warner Chappell Music’s Benji Amaefule; (L-R, front row): BMI Songwriter Dylan Marlowe, Producer Bart Butler, SESAC Songwriter Joe Fox, Jon Pardi, BMI Songwriter Jimi Bell, Producer Ryan Gore and Studio Bank’s Ron Cox. Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI
The double No. 1 party was hosted by BMI and SESAC and held at Winners Bar & Grill in midtown. Those in attendances toasted Pardi, his co-writers and his producers Bart Butler and Ryan Gore.
Pardi co-wrote “Heartache Medication” with Natalie Hemby and Barry Dean. The tune was the title track of Pardi’s 2019 album, which debuted among the top albums on Billboard’s Country Albums chart.
“Last Night Lonely” appears on Pardi’s most recent hit album Mr. Saturday Night. It was written by Dylan Marlowe, Jimi Bell and Joe Fox, who all celebrated their first No. 1.
Those in attendance to support their songwriters and artists included UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe, Play It Again Entertainment’s Lauren Lieu, Liz Rose Music’s Liz Rose, Capitol Record Nashville’s Chris Schuler, Red Light Management’s Melanie Wetherbee, Warner Chappell Music’s Benji Amaefule, Creative Nation’s Beth Laird, Riser House’ Jennifer Johnson and more.
Studio Bank sponsored the celebration and made a donation on behalf of Pardi and the songwriters to the Flutie Foundation, which helps people and families affected by autism live life to the fullest. Additionally, to commemorate their first No. 1 celebration, Taylor Guitars presented each BMI songwriter with their own custom-made guitar.
SoundExchange Adds Venmo, PayPal For Royalty Distribution
/by Lorie HollabaughSoundExchange has added the option of using PayPal and Venmo for royalty distribution payments for its registered creators.
SoundExchange is transforming how creators receive compensation for their work by distributing royalty payments easily and immediately into their bank accounts. Along with Paypal and Venmo, last year SoundExchange began offering registered creators the choice of receiving royalty payments using CashApp and Zelle.
“SoundExchange is the only collective to offer creators the option of receiving royalties via mobile payments apps on a monthly basis,” says Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “We always strive to meet creators where they are and to simplify their payments/compensation/
Payment via PayPal is an immediately available option for domestic and international registrants, whether they are paid as individuals or companies. Although SoundExchange offers direct deposits to banks in Canada, the U.K., the Eurozone and more, there are countries that could not be serviced via traditional direct deposits. Offering PayPal allows international registrants to receive their SoundExchange royalties in places beyond traditional options without requiring a bank account.
In order to sign up for either Paypal or Venmo, creators are encouraged to use SXDirect, which offers self-service opt-ins for all payment methods SoundExchange currently offers. For more information on how to use SXDirect to sign up for PayPal or Zelle payments, step-by-step instructions can be found here.
Shania Twain Celebrates 25th Anniversary Of ‘Come On Over’ With New Editions
/by Lorie HollabaughShania Twain is releasing multiple expanded U.S. and international diamond editions of her third studio album, Come On Over, on Aug. 25 via Mercury/UMe.
Come On Over confirmed Twain’s status as an international crossover superstar, having been certified as being both the top-selling country album and the highest-selling album by a female artist of all time. In celebration of the benchmark project’s 25th anniversary and its over 40 million in global album sales, both the U.S. and International versions of Come On Over were remastered for the first time ever.
Among the many hits from Come On Over are the No. 1s “You’re Still The One,” “Love Gets Me Every Time” and “Honey, I’m Home” as well as top 10 hits “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “From This Moment On,” “Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)” and “Come On Over.” The album has also been double Diamond-certified by the RIAA, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 in Twain’s homeland of Canada as well as in the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland and Scotland.
“With Come On Over, it was important for me to give what I thought was the best record of my life, and that is why there’s so many songs on it,” shares Twain. “I thought, ‘Let’s just load this up in case there’s not another chance. Let’s not hold anything back.’ There was no point in saving songs for another album or even giving songs to other artists, because I thought this might be my only chance to really make an impact as a follow-up to the prior album, which was already certified Diamond. I would say that Come On Over was so high-pressure for me, because I knew I had more in me than one Diamond album.
“My audience was broader than the average country genre audience – they were coming from all over the world! We had the luxury of producing multiple versions of the songs to fit each audience and I’m so happy to see all the versions packaged together for this reissue. This was an album that was really meant to bridge genres, and I wanted to make sure that the fans were getting what they expected from me as a multi-genre artist. This album is me trying to deliver that and bring as many different people together as possible – so imagine how incredible it feels to still have a sense of bringing people together 25 years later? I’m at a great place in my life.”
The album will be released in 3CD Super Deluxe, 3LP Super Deluxe, 3LP International Super Deluxe, 2LP Deluxe, 2CD Deluxe, and Digital. 2LP Deluxe Retail Exclusives will also be available in the U.S.
The 3CD Super Deluxe and 3LP Super Deluxe U.S. and 3LP Super Deluxe International editions for Come On Over all include a bonus disc with nine additional tracks, featuring live duets with Chris Martin, Elton John, Alison Krauss and the Backstreet Boys, plus other live tracks and remixes. The 3CD Super Deluxe edition is packaged in a commemorative hardback book format with notes from Twain, while both 3LP versions are available on 180-gram ultra-clear vinyl.
Currently, Twain is on her global “Queen of Me Tour,” which runs through November.
Hailey Whitters Slates New Six-Song EP ‘I’m In Love’ For July 28
/by Lorie HollabaughHailey Whitters. Photo: Harper Smith
Hailey Whitters is releasing a new six-song EP I’m In Love on July 28 via Pigasus / Songs & Daughters / Big Loud. The album’s title track is out now, ahead of the video for the song arriving this Friday, July 14.
The project finds Whitters tapping into her ’90s country influences while exploring relationships, heartbreak and finding love, and includes tracks penned by Rodney Clawson, Nicolle Galyon, Lee Thomas Miller, Hillary Lindsey, Jimmy Robbins and more.
“My last two LPs were concept records—The Dream being about my Nashville experience, and Raised was a love letter to the heartland I’m from,” shares Whitters. “Both of these records are foundational to who I am. Along the way I’ve lived a lot of life and learned a lot about myself, and I’m excited to get more personal and straight from the heart with this next chapter. If you’ve made it this far, you know where I’m coming from. Now I’m ready to share where I’ve been and who I am.”
The new EP, produced by Jake Gear and Whitters, follows her rise after winning New Female Artist of the Year at the ACM Awards in May, where she performed her Gold-certified single “Everything She Ain’t.” Yesterday, Billboard named Whitters their July 2023 all-genre Chartbreaker for her rise and the success of the breakout single, which has spent 62 weeks on their Country Airplay chart and marked her first appearance on the Hot 100 chart in May.
I’m In Love EP Tracklist:
1. Tie’r Down (Hailey Whitters, Rodney Clawson, Chris La Corte)
2. Countryside Chick (Hailey Whitters, Matt Roy, Brett Tyler)
3. I’m In Love (Cameron Bedell, Nicolle Galyon, Lee Thomas Miller)
4. Mellencamp (Nicolle Galyon, Mark Holman, Jordan Minton)
5. Bad Love (Hailey Whitters, Hillary Lindsey, Jimmy Robbins)
6. Everything She Ain’t (Hailey Whitters, Bryan Simpson, Ryan Tyndell)
Class Of 2023 Inducted Into The Country Radio Hall Of Fame
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): “Dollar” Bill Lawson, Charlie Morgan, Pam Green, John Willyard, Trish Biondo and Wade Jessen’s nephew Meagher McConkie. Photo: Kayla Schoen
The Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) inducted the Class of 2023 into the Country Radio Hall of Fame on Monday night (July 10) at a special dinner and awards ceremony at the Virgin Hotel in Nashville.
Pictured (L-R): Sarah Trahern, Barbara Mandrell and Trisha Yearwood. Photo: Kayla Schoen
Four esteemed off-air radio broadcasters and two exceptional on-air radio personalities were honored during the event. The off-air honorees included Pam Green, Charlie Morgan, Wade Jessen (posthumously) and John Willyard. Trish Biondo and “Dollar” Bill Lawson were recognized for their remarkable on-air contributions.
Country Radio Hall of Fame member Bill Cody served as the evening’s master of ceremonies. As each honoree took the stage, they paid tribute to the mentors who have guided and inspired them on their respective journeys.
Scott and Julie De Vos. Photo: Kayla Schoen
Additionally, Scott and Julie De Vos of De Lux Productions were honored with the prestigious 2023 CRB President’s Award. The couple has been a driving force behind the scenes at CRS for 26 years, spearheading and managing production across the multitude of live music events over the three days during the conference.
Barbara Mandrell received the esteemed 2023 CRB Artist Achievement Award, which is presented to an individual artist or act who has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of country radio and country music through their leadership, engagement and creativity.
Trisha Yearwood, the previous year’s CRB Artist Achievement recipient, performed a special musical tribute to Mandrell with Garth Brooks surprising the audience and joining Yearwood on “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” CMA CEO Sarah Trahern helped to honor Mandrell during the event.
Nominations for the 2024 Country Radio Hall of Fame are being accepted now. The Class of 2024 will be revealed at CRS 2024, which will be held Feb. 28 – March 1, 2024.
Cheekwood’s ‘Under The Stars’ Music Series To Return This Summer
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“Songwriters Under the Stars” 2022. Photo: Howard Ezell/Courtesy of Cheekwood Estate & Gardens.
Cheekwood’s “Under the Stars” concert series is returning this summer, offering the sounds of some of music’s most in-demand performers and players from across the nation under the night sky at Nashville’s Cheekwood Estate & Botanical Gardens. The series includes jazz songwriter and bluegrass evenings filled with music along with food trucks and vendors offering wines by the bottle, local brews, craft cocktails and more.
The “Jazz Under the Stars” evening, presented in partnership with WFSK-Jazzy 88, will kick off the series on July 21 and feature the headlining Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio as well as an opening performance by the 18-piece Nashville Jazz Orchestra’s Big Band. Tickets are $55 for members and $65 for the general public.
The “Songwriters Under the Stars” evenings will take place Aug. 25-27 and feature chart-toppers Jon Nite, Josh Osborne and Chris DeStefano sharing songs and stories, accompanied by the renowned Nashville Symphony. Tickets are $65 for members and $75 for the general public. A new Premium Package ticket offering is available for “Songwriters Under the Stars” this year. The package includes one ticket with exclusive, front stage viewing in an Eno Lounger SL chair, two drink tickets and access to premium parking with a golf cart shuttle to the concert location.
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway will headline “Bluegrass Under the Stars,” with AJ Lee & Blue Summit opening the show on Sept. 8. Tickets are $55 for members and $65 for the general public.
“‘Under the Stars’ is a one-of-a-kind Music City experience and we are so excited to welcome such a stellar lineup of top players, writers and singers to Cheekwood,” says Director of Music & Public Programs Mark Mason. “The ‘Under the Stars’ concert series is already earning its reputation as the quintessential open-air Nashville summer concert series with music, food and drinks, offering something for everyone to enjoy.”
Additionally , Cheekwood will host a “Thursday Night Out” event featuring live music, food trucks and the light exhibit displaying the work of British artist Bruce Munro, LIGHT: Bruce Munro, every Thursday.
For more information, click here.
Reba McEntire To Celebrate New Book At The Ryman
/by Lorie HollabaughReba McEntire is celebrating the release of her upcoming new lifestyle book with a one-night-only special event, “Not That Fancy: An Evening with Reba & Friends” on Nov. 5 at 7:30 pm at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
Hosted by McEntire’s former Reba co-star Melissa Peterman, the event will feature an evening of stories with Reba at the Mother Church, including some from her new book Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots which is due out Oct. 10. The book features over 50 recipes from Reba’s family traditions and her restaurant Reba’s Place in Atoka, Oklahoma, as well as never-before-seen photos and stories and simple lifestyle tips.
All tickets to “Not That Fancy: An Evening with Reba & Friends” will include a complimentary copy of the new book. Tickets go on sale here July 14.
UTA Promotes Brandi Brammer To Sr. VP, Global Music Operations
/by LB CantrellBrandi Brammer
UTA has elevated Nashville-based Brandi Brammer to Senior Vice President of Global Music Operations.
Rising from VP of People & Business Partnerships, Brammer will now lead the day-to-day operational work of UTA Music worldwide, spanning human resources, legal and business affairs, finance, facilities and technology initiatives, as the practice continues its expansion.
“I’m thrilled to take on this new leadership role during such a pivotal moment in the growth and evolution of UTA Music,” says Brammer. “This is such an incredible opportunity to foster synergy across so many integral parts of UTA Music on a global scale with the most talented people in the business.”
Brammer joined UTA in 2021 after serving at VP of Human Resources at WME and leading HR for its music division. Prior to that, she worked at CAA, helping triple the size of their Nashville office and eventually overseeing HR for the company’s music and sports divisions across the Southeast. Earlier in her career, Brammer worked at the Academy of Country Music as Director of Events.
“Brandi’s an exceptional leader who has played an integral role in growing our presence in Nashville and beyond. Her deep experience, proven track record and collaborative approach will be an invaluable asset as UTA Music continues to expand globally and scale our business on a global stage,” shares Scott Clayton, UTA Partner & Co-Head of Global Music.
UTA works with a wide range of established and emerging artists across all genres of the industry, including 21 Savage, Anitta, Ari Lennox, Bad Bunny, Bebe Rexha, Burna Boy, Cardi B, Central Cee, Common, Deadmau5, Demi Lovato, Florence + the Machine, Guns N’ Roses, Halsey, Illenium, J. Cole, James Blake, Jamey Johnson, Jason Derulo, Jimmy Eat World, Karol G, Kaskade, Latto, Lil Nas X, Lil Wayne, Lizzo, LL Cool J, Machine Gun Kelly, Marshmello, Michael Franti, Midland, Muse, My Morning Jacket, Offset, Paramore, Pitbull, Post Malone, Romeo Santos, Rosalía, Spoon, Sublime with Rome, The Jonas Brothers, The Kid Laroi, Toby Keith, Tori Kelly, Train, Tyler Hubbard, WizKid, YG and Young The Giant, among others.
Industry Ink: 117 Entertainment, CMHOF, Rick Lang, More
/by Caela Griffin117 Entertainment Promotes Jessica Vandergriff & Mae Dowda In Publicity
Jessica Vandergriff & Mae Dowda
117 Entertainment has announced the promotions of Jessica Vandergriff and Mae Dowda in the publicity department.
Vandergriff has been promoted from Publicity Manager to Director of Publicity. She is an Ohio native and graduate of Western Kentucky University. Vandergirff moved to Nashville in the summer of 2020 with a B.A. in public relations. After starting her career in book publishing, she joined 117 in June 2021 as the Publicity Manager, where she has been responsible for overseeing the public image and media strategy for 117’s diverse roster of clients.
Dowda came to Nashville from Alabama to pursue a career in public relations with dreams of working in music. Before coming to 117, she worked with clients in the tech, product and B2C sectors as a publicist for another entertainment group and an account coordinator. She began at 117 during the summer of 2021 as an intern before she took the role of Publicity and Tour Marketing Manager. In this role, Dowda takes charge of 117’s tour marketing department as well as supports the rest of the team in other publicity matters.
CMHOF Features David Hood In Nashville Cats Program
Pictured (L-R): Dan Penn, Patterson Hood, Jim Horn, David Hood, Richard Bennett and Vice President of Museum Services Michael Gray at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMHOF) featured renowned bassist David Hood in a program for its in-depth interview series, Nashville Cats. The ongoing series highlights musicians and session singers who have played important roles in support of artists in either the recording studio or on concert tours.
As a member of the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also known as “The Swampers“), Hood has created an unforgettable body of recorded work during his more than 60-year career. His first sessions included the 1960s R&B hits “I’m Your Puppet” by James & Bobby Purify and “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” by Aretha Franklin.
Hood became one of the most respected and in-demand studio bassists in R&B, pop and country music. While he was based in Muscle Shoals, Alabama—where he co-founded Muscle Shoals Sound Studio—Hood also logged considerable session work in Memphis and Nashville. He supplied the famous bass line and catchy solo spot on the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” and lent his groove to classic albums by CMHOF member Willie Nelson (Phases and Stages), Paul Simon (There Goes Rhymin’ Simon) and Traffic (Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory).
The Nashville Cats program—which included a brief performance, as well as vintage photos, audio and film clips—was filmed and will premiere at a later date as part of the museum’s Live at the Hall digital programs series, available to stream on the museum’s website. After the program, Hood signed commemorative Hatch Show Print posters.
Rick Lang Signs With Billy Blue Publishing
Pictured (L-R): Jerry Salley, A&R/Creative Director, Billy Blue Records; Rick Lang; Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director for Billy Blue Publishing
Billy Blue Publishing has signed multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Rick Lang.
With well over 100 cuts to his credit, including several album title tracks, over a dozen No. 1 hits and every song on the Grammy-nominated album Gonna Sing Gonna Shout, Lang has earned a spot as an established presence in the bluegrass community and beyond. Over the course of his career, Lang has received a nomination for a GMA Dove Award for his gospel release Look to the Light and a nomination for an IBMA Award in the Gospel Recorded Event Of The Year category for his single “Sailing On.”
Lang shares, “This is truly a blessing in my life. Not only am I grateful for the opportunity to continue to evolve and grow as a songwriter, but it’s fertile ground for someone like me who has a deep love and passion for writing bluegrass and Gospel music. Since the 2018 release of my Gonna Sing Gonna Shout project on Billy Blue Records, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Jerry Salley, Joe Dan Cornett, and the amazing staff at Billy Blue and to collaborate with some of their top songwriters. It has been both fun and rewarding, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.”
Nashville Behind The Song Showcases The Kinleys & More
The Kinleys, Doug Johnson, Don Henry and Tiffany Goss will perform at the “Nashville Behind The Song” brunch at City Winery on Aug. 5.
Hosted by industry veteran Debbie Zavitson between 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., the event will transport attendees into the captivating world behind the songs that have become a soundtrack to countless lives.
The Kinleys—identical twins Jennifer and Heather Kinley—charged seven Billboard Hot Country songs between 1997 and 2000, including “Please,” “Just Between You and Me” and “Somebody’s Out There Watching.” When Zavitson first saw the sisters perform, she teamed up with renowned songwriter Doug Johnson, then head of Epic Nashville, to nurture and develop the act.
Johnson, now VP of A&R of Black River Entertainment, will be joining The Kinleys on stage. His career includes breaking country music records with artist Lee Brice‘s “Love Like Crazy.” The track spent an astonishing 56 weeks on the chart and was named Billboard‘s Song of the Year.
Grammy-winning songwriter Don Henry will also grace the stage, captivating the audience with the stories behind some of the biggest hits in country music history. Henry is known for his contributions to songs such as Miranda Lambert‘s “All Kinds Of Kinds” and Kathy Matea‘s “Where’ve You Been.”
Alabama-native songwriter Tiffany Goss will bring her expertise on authentic delivery and connecting with the audiences. She previously worked with Clay Walker, Chris Janson, Brooks & Dunn, Brett Young and Delta Rae.
For ticket information and further details about Nashville Behind The Song, click here.