Michael Martin
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.
Publishing veteran Michael Martin joined Endurance as President at its inception in 2019. Under his leadership, EMG has built a roster of 14 successful songwriters and closed over $150 million in acquisitions. The company claims over 75 chart-topping country singles and dozens of BMI, ASCAP and SESAC Country and Pop Airplay awards. Martin takes an active role in the management and development of EMG’s hit songwriters and artists, and he oversees a robust Administration team which has processed millions in artist and writer royalties on behalf of independent administration clients.
Previously, Martin was Vice President of Membership at ASCAP, where he led the PRO to major country music market share growth. He managed the organization’s relationships with high-profile songwriters and was recognized as a Billboard Country Power Player. His career includes stops at FAME Music, Moraine Music Group and Extreme Writers Group, which he co-founded.
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Texas in a little town outside of Fort Worth called Mineral Wells. There was this music teacher there that was a big part of my life. I would not be doing what I’m doing if it wasn’t for her. Her name was Vickie Carden.
Pictured (L-R): Mark Bright, Kerri Edwards, Michael Martin, Mike Sistad
How did she impact your life?
I was in the choral department from sixth grade all the way through high school. I was very shy and did not want to have any attention at all. We were doing a little musical called You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. I was Pig-Pen and I was really happy about being Pig-Pen because he didn’t have to do anything but sit there and be dirty. [Before the musical] I got the flu and had to stay home for two weeks. Vickie knocked on the door one day and said, “Linus dropped out and I want you to learn the part while you’re home sick.” So I ended up doing it and it was a big life-changing moment for me. I got more into music and acting.
Where did you go to college?
I started at Weatherford College for two years, which was just outside of Mineral Wells where I grew up. Then I transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington. I had a really small scholarship to sing on the chorus there to help buy books. I started waiting tables to help me get through school and then me and my buddy started a landscaping business my junior year of college. That became a little mom and pop when I graduated.
Pictured (L-R): Kerri Edwards, Michael Martin, Stephan Walker, Curtis Shaw, Desmond Child
How did you get to Nashville?
The landscaping thing really evolved and grew. There was a client that was from Nashville and he was moving to Fort Worth. Me and my buddy were working at this five-acre estate pulling weeds in the front yard. This guy drives up a long driveway and gets out of a Porsche and says, “Hey, I just bought this house. Give me your card and I’ll call you in eight months.”
He called and we ended up getting all of his business and all of the business from the executives that transferred. We did so much work for him that we became pretty good friends. He invited me to come visit Nashville one early May. I loved it. Over a period of a couple of visits, he bought a property in Thompson Station and he said, “If you want to do something different, why don’t you move out here for six months? You can work with the landscape architect and the builder.” I ended up taking that shot and it was overwhelming. I remember driving through Memphis crying because I knew I was on my journey.
How did you get into the music business once you were in Nashville?
He decided to sell the house in Nashville and I ended up staying on the farm until it sold. It took about three years to do that. I started another landscaping business. Through that and going to church during that period of time, I met Mark Bright, who was the VP of Publishing at EMI and was also starting to produce. He befriended me and I got led into this whole other world. Through the landscaping thing, I started meeting all these people.
Mark introduced me to Desmond Child, who became a great friend. We all started hanging out. It was crazy being around everyone and learning so much. Desmond was a huge encourager for me during that time. He always included me in in groups of creative people. We ended up working at ASCAP together [later on in my story] when he served on the ASCAP board.
Pictured (L-R): Bradley Collins, Kos Weaver, Jason Houser, Michael Martin, Aldean, Michael Knox, Jody Williams, Rodney Clawson, Benny Brown, Jon Loba
Mark also introduced me to Kerri Edwards, who was an intern at EMI. We all started hanging out and she told this guy that worked at another publishing company, FAME Music, about me. They were looking for a catalog manager and a plugger. Jason Houser called me and we immediately connected. He said, “You’ve got to have an interview with Rick Hall in Muscle Shoals.” I accepted the job for five dollars an hour. I was paying my landscape guys $10 an hour so I could go do that.
Then you were in!
I did the landscaping business for a few more years. My wife Amy would help me on the weekends—she had a great job at Columbia. I was only at FAME for a short time when I got a call from Greg Hill, who was working at Moraine Music. They interviewed me and I accepted a job there as a song plugger.
That transition [into the music business] was life changing. Right before I left FAME, I got a call at the last minute to go to the ASCAP Awards. That was the year that FAME had “I Swear” as Song of the Year. I remember seeing George Strait that night.
Pictured (L-R): Michael Martin, LeAnn Phelan, George Strait, Paul Williams, John Titta
What was next for you?
Moraine treated me like family. I came in as a plugger and they moved me up in a few years to Vice President. It was intimidating, but Jason always told me, “Find a couple songs that you love and don’t make it too where it’s overwhelming. Just get started pitching.” There were two songs [that I was involved with early on] that were impactful for me: “There’s Your Trouble” that The Chicks recorded and “The Preacher Won’t Have to Lie” that Lee Ann Womack recorded. “There’s Your Trouble” broke me as a plugger. I didn’t know that you weren’t supposed to have multiple holds on a song—I think I had five holds on “There’s Your Trouble.” [Laughs] Everyone was mad at me but it turned out good in the end.
Then you and Jason Houser started Extreme Writers Group. Tell me about that.
Jason was working at EMI Publishing. The company was restructuring and I told him that I was really thinking about starting my own publishing company. We talked about it and decided to do it together. That became the framework of us starting Extreme.
Tim DuBois heard that Jason and I were talking about starting a publishing company, so he called us and we met. It was intimidating because Arista Records was such a force and influence. He was going to leave Arista to run Gaylord Entertainment. He ended up asking us if we wanted to start the publishing division. While that was being put together, Jason and I didn’t have any money, so we signed our first two writers on my credit card. I couldn’t believe Amy was cool with that, but I had learned that if you couldn’t act quickly and make a decision, the opportunity goes away.
Tim ended up leaving Gaylord and the deal fell apart, but Jason and I got stuck on the Gaylord island for a while. We learned a tremendous amount there.
Pictured (L-R): Jaren Johnston, Craig Wiseman, Michael Martin
What was next?
We were able to buy ourselves out of the Gaylord deal. Tim was still a big part of our lives, so we were able to talk about starting another deal. Tim introduced us to a lot of new people that year. Gary Borman was a huge influence for Jason and I. We flew out to Santa Monica to meet with him and he said to us, “What you two have is very special and unique. You need to honor and protect your partnership.”
We were able to sign Rodney Clawson and take him with us into the next chapter. Eventually, we settled at Warner Chappell when Tim Wipperman was leading the company. Things started taking off for us. We had been working with Matthew West and we ended up helping Matthew get his record deal at Universal South.
Rodney was writing so much with John Rich and Vicky McGehee. Michael Knox was so passionate about Jason Aldean at the time. We would go to the showcases that Michael would always do on Thursdays with Jason and we would have five or six of the 10 or 11 songs that Jason was playing at the time. His first No. 1 was a song that we were part of called “Why.” Then Big & Rich got a record deal and we got “Lost In This Moment.” We weren’t doing anything different, but it just started working.
We were on a run and then there was a big change with Warner Chappell. Wipperman left and so we had to go find funding again. A dear friend of ours, business manager Michael Haggerty, put a deal together that funded us for a few years. We had a song come out of that called “I Loved Her First.”
Craig Wiseman was big fan of Rodney’s, so he bought some of Rodney’s back catalog which started this relationship with Big Loud. We signed Clint Lagerberg and the second song he turned into us was “Here Comes Goodbye.” We went from having Rascal Flatts’ first single on a brand-new record and then, a few months later, having, “I Saw God Today” as George Strait’s 60th No. 1.
What a great run. You then transitioned to ASCAP and ended up becoming VP of the Nashville office. Tell me about that.
Jason had started talking about moving back to Twin Falls, Idaho. I was going to take over the publishing company. Tim DuBois came to our Christmas party and he talked about taking over some of Jason’s responsibilities.
After Christmas break, I went to see Tim. He said, “I got a call to go to ASCAP and help restructure it. There might be an opportunity for you to go with me.” Another close friend, Marc Driskill, was back at ASCAP and he also thought ASCAP would be a great change and opportunity for me. I had no desire to go do that. I told Tim “No” like five times.
Someone had given me a book during Christmas break on John Wooden, the great basketball coach. The book says if you ever have a chance to work with someone who’s been a leader, teacher, mentor or made an impact in your industry, it’s not about the money, it’s about you being with that person. For me, that was Tim. I eventually accepted and started in June of 2010.
Pictured (L-R): Matthew West, Michael Martin, Jason Houser
What was that time like?
We were tasked with carrying out the foundation that Connie Bradley had laid out, but in a different way because it was a different time. Tim was let go. Randy Grimmett was our boss at the time and he asked LeAnn Phelan and I if we could co-manage the office together. We did that for a couple years and then she got hired to go work at Sea Gayle. I managed the office for four or five years on my own, which was not the plan, but I got tools for the tool chest that I didn’t have [before]. I learned a lot about fighting battles for the right reasons. We had a great run. We got our market share up to a very healthy level and we were increasing the footprint of ASCAP and our events and awards.
Tell me about starting Endurance Music Group in 2019.
I was really wanting to get back into publishing. Tim Wipperman had introduced me to a guy named Jeremy Tucker. He was at Raven & Company, who was buying a lot of catalogs. We got to know each other over a period of time. When I was deciding what I was going to do, Jeremy started really pursuing me [to start a company with him] and it started making sense. I got the team at ASCAP together and let them know I was leaving. It was very emotional.
I jumped in. I met with Jeremy and [we discussed everything]. I knew I wanted to bring Mark Ahlberg, who had his own admin company. He was a dear friend and someone that I trusted immensely. I wanted him to have a platform that he could grow and have his own impact. Now, Mark and I are partners running Endurance. He’s heavily on the acquisition side, oversees some of the day-to-day operations and also runs his admin company. I oversee the publishing side and we overlap with some of the acquisition opportunities and the different relationships. It’s been crazy.
Pictured (L-R): Michael Martin, Justin Timberlake, Paul Williams, President Jimmy Carter, Trisha Yearwood
What an amazing story. What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Be respectful, be a great listener and don’t be reactive. Being in the Nashville music business, everyone is so close. Even if you don’t agree with someone, or if you’ve been hurt by something, you still have to be respectful. The very situation that may have felt like it destroyed you could be the very thing that creates a new opportunity in a few months.
What would you say is something that people don’t know about you?
I was born in Japan. My dad was in the Air Force and was overseas for seven or eight years. I was six months old when they came back to the States.
Tell me about a moment you’ve had that your kid self would look at and be impressed with.
I had some monumental moments at the ASCAP Awards with artists like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Reba. There was a night that we were honoring Trisha Yearwood. Reba was going to come and honor Trisha and obviously Garth was there. President Jimmy Carter found out that Trisha was being honored and he wanted to come. I got a call from Joe Fisher, who is really close friends with Justin Timberlake, and he said Justin had recently hung out with Garth and Trisha at a Garth show and he wanted to come to the awards.
Fast forward to the awards, I’m backstage with President Carter and Justin Timberlake. The President goes out and we honor Trisha. I walked the President off of the stage. It felt like a mile-long walk. [Laughs] That’s a moment I never thought would happen.
When you look back on your story, how do you feel?
I have been so blessed by great men and women that have poured into my journey. I have been surrounded by great song people and writers. Music is the backdrop to our lives. I’ve been a part of some magical moments. I’ve been able to meet and become friends with writers and artists that I listened to when I was living in Mineral Wells. How insane is that?
Trisha Yearwood, Mickey Guyton & CMT’s Leslie Fram Honored At ‘Hometown to Hometown’ Event
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Honorees Trisha Yearwood, Mickey Guyton and Leslie Fram attend Save The Music & SongFarm.org’s 4th annual “Hometown to Hometown” event at City Winery Nashville. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Save The Music
The fourth annual “Hometown to Hometown” event from Save The Music and SongFarm.org brought the Nashville music community together Monday night (June 5) for a great event, raising over $200k for music education programs in under-resourced public high schools.
Trisha Yearwood, Mickey Guyton and CMT’s Leslie Fram were honored as the 2023 Champions of the Year for their contributions to the music industry and their passion for music education. Funds raised from the event will go towards developing music technology programs in Nashville as well as the honoree’s respective hometowns in Jasper, Georgia (Yearwood) and Dallas, Texas (Guyton).
Pictured (L-R): Madeline Edwards, Leslie Satcher, Karyn Rochelle, Kelsea Ballerini, honoree Trisha Yearwood, honoree Mickey Guyton, honoree Leslie Fram, Caylee Hammack, Brittney Spencer and Julie Williams. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Save The Music
Throughout the event, honorees, performers and speakers including Kelsea Ballerini, Madeline Edwards, Caylee Hammack, Wendy Moten, Leslie Satcher, Brittney Spencer, Karyn Rochelle and Julie Williams spoke passionately about the bonds shared by women in the music industry, including via CMT’s Next Women of Country program, and the importance of supporting each other’s careers.
Highlights from the evening included Fram leading a powerful conversation between fellow honorees Yearwood and Guyton on themes including inclusivity and the unique challenges women face in the country music industry.
Kicking off the night’s performances, Rochelle and Satcher paid tribute to Yearwood with heartfelt renditions of “Georgia Rain” and “Help Me,” both recorded by Yearwood. Tracy Gershon presented Yearwood with the first Champion of the Year award of the night.
Performing on behalf of Guyton, Spencer earned the night’s first standing ovation with a rendition of Guyton’s powerhouse anthem “Black Like Me.” Hammack followed with a performance of “Sister,” further cementing the night’s theme. UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe later presented a tearful Guyton with her award as she reflected on her journey throughout her career and the shift she has brought to country music.
Pictured (L-R): Honorees Mickey Guyton, Trisha Yearwood and Leslie Fram speak during Save The Music & SongFarm.org’s 4th annual “Hometown to Hometown” event. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Save The Music
Dedicating her song “The Wolves” to Leslie Fram, Edwards touched on the ways Fram has impacted her career. She was followed by Ballerini, who shared anecdotes about her and Fram’s relationships over the past 10 years before putting a fun spin on her latest single “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too).”
Billboard’s Melinda Newman presented Fram with her award, describing her as a “truth teller” and applauding her “fearless nature” when it comes to tackling issues in the industry. Fram then handed over her acceptance speech to singer Moten, who commanded the stage with a powerful performance of “Don’t Give Up,” delivering the night’s second standing ovation.
Save The Music grant recipient school Whites Creek High School educator Jonathan Curri and his three students Eric Yarber, Briah Robinson and Isaiah Bailey recounted the impact that the music technology grant has had on their school, noting the significance of the evening.
Since its inception in 2019, “Hometown to Hometown” has empowered nine high schools with essential music technology equipment and valuable resources—with three additional schools planned for the fall of 2023.
Brock Berryhill Signs With Warner Chappell Music & Madfun Entertainment
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Madfun Entertainment’s Alicia Pruitt, Brock Berryhill and Warner Chappell’s Ben Vaughn
Warner Chappell Music (WCM) and Madfun Entertainment have signed songwriter, producer and engineer Brock Berryhill to a global publishing deal.
Berryhill has written chart-topping hits including “Good As You” and “Homesick” by Kane Brown, both of which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and are certified double-Platinum by the RIAA. He is currently climbing the charts as a co-writer on Justin Moore and Priscilla Block‘s single “You, Me And Whiskey,” which is closing in on the Top 10 of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as well as Brantley Gilbert, Blake Shelton and Vince Gill‘s “Heaven By Then,” which is currently in the top 40 of the chart.
Ben Vaughn, President & CEO, Warner Chappell Music, Nashville says, “Brock is a true professional who knows his way around any writer’s room and any studio you put him in. You’d be hard-pressed to find a writer that works harder than Brock. His co-writers know that a day spent with Brock is a day that wins.”
“Brock is one of those few writers that can create in any room and in any genre. His heart and his work ethic are what makes him one of today’s biggest songwriters,” adds Alicia Pruitt, Founder, Madfun Entertainment.
Berryhill started playing drums and guitar at age 12 and joined a band at 15. A few years later, he started his own band, Hand to Hand, and signed a record deal with the German-based Lifeforce Records. Berryhill spent four years touring with Hand to Hand before parting ways with the band to begin working as an assistant engineer for James Paul Wisner. During this time, he also teamed up with his friend and colleague, Evan Coffman, to start their own recording studio, Starlight Studios.
Berryhill moved to Nashville in 2015 and started his career as a songwriter. He has since had cuts with Jelly Roll, Chase Matthew, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Lee Brice, Greylan James, Cole Swindell, Colt Ford and more, and has produced work for artists such as Gilbert, Matthew and Jelly Roll.
Musicians On Call Appoints New National Board Members
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R, top); Alicia Mitchell and Josh Joseph; (L-R, bottom) Allison Davenport and Jeff Jowdy
Musicians On Call (MOC), the nonprofit that brings music to the bedsides of patients, families and caregivers in healthcare environments, has added four new members to its National Board of Directors.
The new members include American Hospital Association (AHA) Senior Vice President of Communications Alicia Mitchell, Big Plan Holdings Founder & CEO Josh Joseph, Riveredge Hospital CEO Allison Davenport and Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy.
MOC has also appointed Senior Vice President of G7 Marketing Rick Whetsel as Vice Chair, and re-elected Baker Sullivan Hoover PLC Managing Partner Cathy Sullivan as Treasurer.
“The Musicians On Call National Board of Directors is headed in an exciting direction with the addition of our newest members. Vice Chair Rick Whetsel has been instrumental in connecting us with passionate and experienced leaders who can help us push our organization forward as we head down the road to our next million served,” says Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President & CEO. “All of these newest members have already made great strides for our mission through their past support and we look forward to utilizing their expertise to further grow our programs and reach.”
As Senior Vice President of Communications for the AHA, Mitchell is responsible for promoting the association’s advocacy agenda among members of the public, the media and the association’s 5,000 member hospitals. She also serves as AHA’s Chief Communications Strategist. Mitchell earned her Bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Joseph founded Big Plan Holdings in Nashville to incubate new business ventures along with strategic investments with joint venture partners, and to mentor and educate up-and-coming entrepreneurs. The company invests in real estate, cannabis, music and entertainment, sports, hospitality, food and beverage, philanthropy, branding and licensing opportunities, fashion and other diversified positions. He also sits on boards for MAD TASTY, Sliver Therapeutics Inc., Milk & Honey Baseball, SpinIntel and The Lupus Society of Illinois.
For more than 15 years, Davenport has been a leader in the healthcare and hospital management industry. As CEO of Riveredge Hospital, affiliated with Universal Health Services, she leads the largest free-standing psychiatric facility in the state of Illinois. Davenport earned her MBA with a focus on Healthcare Administration from the Belmont University Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations/marketing from Lipscomb University in Nashville.
Jowdy has more than 35 years of nonprofit experience as a CEO, advancement professional, human resources professional and consultant. As President & Founder of Lighthouse Counsel, he works with nonprofits across the country in fundraising, strategic planning and more. He also serves on boards for Troy University’s Sorrell College of Business Executive Advisory Council, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Tennessee, The Giving Institute, the NonProfit PRO Editorial Advisory Board and the US Foundation for Philanthropy Fundraising Board.
In his role as Senior Vice President, Whetsel oversees the talent buying and event production division at G7 Marketing. Prior to his work at G7, Whetsel was the owner of event production and concert promotion company Great Big Shows. He joined MOC’s National Board of Directors in 2019, and has helped with event production and fundraising for the organization’s programs through brand partnerships.
Sullivan is a CPA whose focus is family planning for individuals and helping clients achieve lifestyle goals. She is a trained Volunteer Guide for MOC, helping the organization launch its bedside program in Nashville in 2007, and served on MOC’s Advisory Council for more than a decade. She joined the board in 2021.
58th ACM Awards Sees Significant Year-Over-Year Audience Growth
/by Lorie HollabaughEd Sheeran and Luke Combs at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards from Ford Center at The Star on May 11, 2023 in Frisco, Texas.
The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards achieved more than 87% year-over-year growth in the 2023 show’s audience compared to 2022.
The show also saw record increases in viewership and interactions across its sites and social media platforms, as well as on Harmony, Penske Media’s proprietary live streaming platform.
Stars Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Lainey Wilson also saw triple digit streaming increases following their live performances on the ACM Awards stage, according to the Academy. The show was the No. 1 program across all social media platforms for TV & Streaming on May 11 excluding sports, according to Talkwalker, Social Content Ratings.
This year’s ACM Awards amassed 60.6 million video views across the Academy of Country Music’s official Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok from May 11 to May 22, marking a record increase of 94% in year-over-year social media views, according to ListenFirst.
The Official ACM Awards Red Carpet Show garnered 3.2 million live and VOD views in the first 24 hours on Harmony. As of June 2, there are currently more than 7.1 million views across all 18 full show performances on ACM Award performers’ YouTube channels since May 12.
Sheeran and Combs performed “Life Goes On” live together for the first time, premiering a new collaboration version of the song on the ACM Awards stage. There was a 281% increase of total on-demand streams for the song on the day following the show and consistent streams through the weekend (+210%), according to data from Luminate.
Urban’s “Texas Time” was released in April 2018, but his performance of the fan-favorite in honor of the ACM Awards’ return to Texas was followed by a 428% increase in total on-demand streams on the day following the show and consistent streams through the weekend post-show (+337%) according to Luminate. Lambert’s “Carousel,” released in April 2022, saw a 209% increase in total on-demand streams on the day following the ACM Awards and consistent streams through the weekend post-show (+142%).
Wilson’s performance of “Grease” was followed by an increase in total on-demand streams on the day following the show (+221%) and saw an average increase of 206% through the weekend post-show. Also, Jelly Roll and Wilson’s performance of the new duet version of “Save Me” landed at No. 4 on Country Digital Song Sales following the show.
Following one of her biggest performances to date, 58th ACM Awards host Dolly Parton’s “World on Fire,” the lead single from the legend’s upcoming rock album Rockstar, landed at No. 1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart, as well as No. 3 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart. This marks Parton’s first ever appearance on the Billboard Rock Chart, according to Luminate.
CTM Outlander Acquires Shane McAnally Catalog Alongside Other SMACKSongs Works
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Thomas Deelder, Creative Director, CTM Publishing; Les Ware, CEO, Outlander Capital; Shane McAnally; Mike McKool, President, Outlander Capital; André de Raaff, CEO, CTM Outlander; Robert Carlton, President, SMACK; Jeff Chown, COO, Outlander Capital; Jason Turner, Counsel, McAnally & SMACK. Photo: Emilio Madrid
CTM Outlander has acquired Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Shane McAnally‘s catalog, alongside other works of SMACKSongs’ Matt McGinn, Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen.
The deal also includes certain elements of McAnally’s royalties from his catalog of more than 200 master recordings as a producer as well as an exclusive four-year go-forward co-publishing deal. It is also inclusive of non-dramatic rights to certain songs featured in the nine-time Tony-nominated Broadway musical Shucked.
As a part of the new agreement, McAnally’s publishing companies SMACKSongs and SMACKBlue—including works by Walker Hayes, Kylie Morgan, Josh Jenkins and others—will now be administered on a global basis by CTM Outlander.
CTM Outlander is a partnership between the Dallas, Texas-based Outlander Capital, led by Les Ware and Mike McKool, and the Dutch-based leading independent music entertainment company CTM, led by industry veteran André de Raaff. Since launching two years ago, CTM Outlander has invested over a billion U.S. dollars in acquiring music publishing and master rights with notable moves, including the acquisition of TEN Music’s publishing assets in 2021 and the catalogs of Natalie Hemby, Ben Burgess and Michael Tyler in 2022.
“I am very excited to start this new partnership built on a mutual passion for all things music, along with the global reach of this incredible team” shares McAnally. “André is a visionary and understands the importance of managing music rights, as he has shown over the course of his career. As I continue to expand my creative work to new areas, André and his team recognize the passion I have, not just for creating music in the traditional sense, but also in areas of film, TV, Broadway and beyond. I am thankful to the CTM Outlander team for partnering with me to manage my catalog copyrights and am eager to see what we are able to accomplish together over the next several years.”
SMACKSongs President Robert Carlton adds, “SMACK is thrilled to be working with CTM Outlander for all of its administration needs. Their passion for music, combined with their independent and innovative spirit makes them a great match. I am excited to see what we can accomplish together in this next chapter!”
“It is very rare to come across such a talented and gifted songwriter, producer and creator of music entertainment like Shane McAnally,” adds de Raaff, CTM Outlander CEO. “His successes are countless, from pop to country and from musical theatre to developing TV shows. It is a privilege to look after a great part of his legacy and to work with him and the rest of the SMACK team in the future on all the new projects ahead, which period we expect to become more successful than ever!”
“We believe in Nashville’s creative community and are proud to help amplify the stories that are a biproduct of an environment that cultivates ingenuity,” shares McKool, Outlander Capital Principal. “With CTM Outlander’s integration across multiple disciplines, it’s exciting to see the integrity of these catalogs preserved and amplified while also providing this security to the writers.”
McAnally, SMACKSongs, SMACKBlue and SMACK Productions were represented in the sale by Jason Turner, Sarah Smith, Dustin Kovacic and Matthew Jafari of Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem, PLLC.
‘Darius & Friends’ Surpasses $3.6 Million Raised For St. Jude
/by Caela GriffinDarius Rucker performs at “Darius & Friends.” Photo: Austin Friedline
Three-time Grammy winner Darius Rucker pledged his support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 15 years ago and continues to give back, now surpassing the $3.6 million mark. The 14th Annual “Darius & Friends” benefit concert on Monday night (June 5), paired with a golf tournament and a silent auction on Tuesday (June 6), raised an all-time event high of $560,000 for the cause.
“We started this to be the first thing at CMA Fest and you guys have now made it a tradition,” Rucker shared with fans at the sold-out Ryman Auditorium, as he opened the night that indeed has come to serve as an unofficial kickoff to CMA Fest. “Thank y’all for coming out. Thank you for supporting St. Jude.”
Hardy performs at “Darius & Friends.” Photo: Austin Friedline
The annual event is renowned for its surprise lineup of stars and sold out well in advance. The 2023 edition of “Darius & Friends” included performances of over 30 hit songs throughout the night, including Rucker’s “Alright,” “Radio,” and “Southern State of Mind” as well as beloved favorites and covers from surprise guests Hardy, Jake Owen, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney and Vince Gill.
“I’m really grateful for my friend Darius. He’s a great dude and what he’s done for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a big, big thing and that’s something that’s really near and dear to our hearts as country artists,” Owen shared during his set. “It’s ingrained in artists like myself throughout the years to use our platforms and Darius has done an incredible job with that. I’m super happy to be here.”
Closing out the memorable evening, the night’s host returned to the stage one final time for rousing covers of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie,” Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places,” Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” and Prince’s “Purple Rain,” as well as his own “Hands On Me” and, according to tradition, a sold-out Ryman singalong for “Wagon Wheel.”
This year’s milestone fundraising event adds yet another successful page to the decade-plus history of “Darius & Friends.” Prior guests have included Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Charles Kelley of Lady A, Ashley McBryde, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, Brad Paisley, Kenny Rogers and Tommy Thayer of KISS, among many others.
Josh Abbott Band Signs With Make Wake Artists & Deep Roots Management
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Eric Berger (Make Wake Artists / Deep Roots Management), Dylan Wright (Deep Roots Management), Cale Richardson (Josh Abbott Band), David Fralin (Josh Abbott Band), Josh Abbott, Chris Kappy (Make Wake Artists), Edward Villanueva (Josh Abbott Band), Austin Davis (Josh Abbott Band). Photo: Kurt Ozan
The Josh Abbott Band has signed management contracts with Make Wake Artists and Deep Roots Management. The Texas mavericks will now be co-managed by Make Wake’s Chris Kappy and Deep Roots’ Dylan Wright, with Make Wake’s Eric Berger serving as day-to-day.
“We are very excited about having Josh on the roster,” shares Kappy. “He’s a visionary in Texas Red Dirt, and we’re excited about exposing him and all his talents to the rest of the country music world.”
“We are absolutely thrilled to have the privilege of managing such an incredibly talented artist and band,” adds Wright. “Their impressive track record speaks for itself, and we are excited to be a part of their continued success.”
After forming in 2006 at Lubbock’s Texas Tech University, the Josh Abbott Band has become a staple in the Lone Star State. The independent act has earned two top 10 debuts on the Billboard Country Albums chart, two RIAA Gold-Certified singles and upwards of 235 million streams. The band has notched two top 40 hits, including features with Kacey Musgraves and Carly Pearce.
Since the signing, the group has hit the ground running with two new critically-acclaimed singles “Country Nights” and “My Dad And His Truck.”
“We’re fired up to be a part of the Make Wake & Deep Roots fam,” says Abbott. “They have a contagious energy and an ability to elevate artists. ‘Fans First’ & ‘GAF’ are their mottos, and that right there tells you everything. We’re excited for what this chapter brings!”
In Photos: Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers Sell Out Railbird Music Festival In Kentucky
/by Caela GriffinRailbird Music Festival. Photo: Charles Reagan
Anchored by Zach Bryan and Kentucky-native Tyler Childers, Railbird Music Festival recently returned to Lexington, Kentucky. The Infield at Red Mile hosted the two-day experience (June 3-4) featuring more than 30 artists across three stages.
Bryan headlined Saturday night (June 3) sporting a University of Kentucky shirt as he performed one of his earliest songs, “Snow,” from his debut album DeAnn. On Sunday, Bryan joined Charles Wesley Godwin and The Head and The Heart for performances.
June 4—declared “Tyler Childers Day” by the city of Lexington—saw the named headliner perform for two straight hours to close the festival’s first year at Red Mile. This year’s event featured many Kentucky-bred acts including Cole Chaney and Ricky Skaggs.
Sheryl Crow, Jenny Lewis, Goose and Marcus Mumford featured Lucius during each of their solo sets. Additional top-notch performances included Charley Crockett, Nicholas Jamerson, Morgan Wade, Weezer, Valerie June, Neal Francis, The Heavy Heavy, Nickel Creek, Amos Lee, Sierra Ferrell, Molly Tuttle, 49 Winchester, flipturn, Calder Allen, Whiskey Myers and more.
Tyler Childers. Photo: Charles Reagan
Zach Bryan. Photo: Charles Reagan
Charles Wesley Godwin and Zach Bryan. Photo: Taylor Regulski
Ricky Skaggs. Photo: Nathan Zucker
Sheryl Crow. Photo: Nathan Zucker
Whiskey Myers. Photo: Taylor Regulski
SOLID’S Music Row Madness Fundraiser Raises $18K For Solid Shares Partners
/by Lorie HollabaughSOLID members and Music Row Madness participants with $18K check for SOLID Shares partners.
By the close of the event, $18,000 in donations were raised by the competing teams and spectators who joined the organization for a night of bowling, music and arcade games. Proceeds from Music Row Madness benefit the year’s nonprofit SOLID Shares partners; W.O. Smith Music School, Porter’s Call, the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), and Hope on the Row.
“We’ve got an awesome SOLID team and it’s a total joy putting these events together for the community to support these incredible organizations,” says Leah Binkerd, who co-chaired the event with Guy Evans.
“I’m so proud of the hard work our chairs Leah & Guy and their committee directed into ‘putting a new spin’ on this annual fundraiser,” says Erin Pettit, SOLID President. “Thank you to the Music Row Madness team, our board, our organization and, most importantly, this music community who participated in rallying together for such a great cause. We were excited to support our SOLID Shares partners with the money raised and look forward to keeping the tradition alive in 2024.”
SOLID launched 26 years ago with a vision to develop a community for music industry professionals to network and brainstorm together, while also providing educational opportunities for entry to mid-level professionals. The organization hosts educational panels, networking events and philanthropic opportunities throughout the year. It has also implemented programs to mentor hundreds of college students to date, launched the philanthropic initiative SOLID Shares, created a diversity and inclusion task force, raised over $468,000 for local charities, and accumulated over 500 hours of volunteer time to the Nashville community.
My Music Row Story: Endurance Music Group’s Michael Martin
/by LB CantrellMichael Martin
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.
Publishing veteran Michael Martin joined Endurance as President at its inception in 2019. Under his leadership, EMG has built a roster of 14 successful songwriters and closed over $150 million in acquisitions. The company claims over 75 chart-topping country singles and dozens of BMI, ASCAP and SESAC Country and Pop Airplay awards. Martin takes an active role in the management and development of EMG’s hit songwriters and artists, and he oversees a robust Administration team which has processed millions in artist and writer royalties on behalf of independent administration clients.
Previously, Martin was Vice President of Membership at ASCAP, where he led the PRO to major country music market share growth. He managed the organization’s relationships with high-profile songwriters and was recognized as a Billboard Country Power Player. His career includes stops at FAME Music, Moraine Music Group and Extreme Writers Group, which he co-founded.
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Texas in a little town outside of Fort Worth called Mineral Wells. There was this music teacher there that was a big part of my life. I would not be doing what I’m doing if it wasn’t for her. Her name was Vickie Carden.
Pictured (L-R): Mark Bright, Kerri Edwards, Michael Martin, Mike Sistad
How did she impact your life?
I was in the choral department from sixth grade all the way through high school. I was very shy and did not want to have any attention at all. We were doing a little musical called You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. I was Pig-Pen and I was really happy about being Pig-Pen because he didn’t have to do anything but sit there and be dirty. [Before the musical] I got the flu and had to stay home for two weeks. Vickie knocked on the door one day and said, “Linus dropped out and I want you to learn the part while you’re home sick.” So I ended up doing it and it was a big life-changing moment for me. I got more into music and acting.
Where did you go to college?
I started at Weatherford College for two years, which was just outside of Mineral Wells where I grew up. Then I transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington. I had a really small scholarship to sing on the chorus there to help buy books. I started waiting tables to help me get through school and then me and my buddy started a landscaping business my junior year of college. That became a little mom and pop when I graduated.
Pictured (L-R): Kerri Edwards, Michael Martin, Stephan Walker, Curtis Shaw, Desmond Child
How did you get to Nashville?
The landscaping thing really evolved and grew. There was a client that was from Nashville and he was moving to Fort Worth. Me and my buddy were working at this five-acre estate pulling weeds in the front yard. This guy drives up a long driveway and gets out of a Porsche and says, “Hey, I just bought this house. Give me your card and I’ll call you in eight months.”
He called and we ended up getting all of his business and all of the business from the executives that transferred. We did so much work for him that we became pretty good friends. He invited me to come visit Nashville one early May. I loved it. Over a period of a couple of visits, he bought a property in Thompson Station and he said, “If you want to do something different, why don’t you move out here for six months? You can work with the landscape architect and the builder.” I ended up taking that shot and it was overwhelming. I remember driving through Memphis crying because I knew I was on my journey.
How did you get into the music business once you were in Nashville?
He decided to sell the house in Nashville and I ended up staying on the farm until it sold. It took about three years to do that. I started another landscaping business. Through that and going to church during that period of time, I met Mark Bright, who was the VP of Publishing at EMI and was also starting to produce. He befriended me and I got led into this whole other world. Through the landscaping thing, I started meeting all these people.
Mark introduced me to Desmond Child, who became a great friend. We all started hanging out. It was crazy being around everyone and learning so much. Desmond was a huge encourager for me during that time. He always included me in in groups of creative people. We ended up working at ASCAP together [later on in my story] when he served on the ASCAP board.
Pictured (L-R): Bradley Collins, Kos Weaver, Jason Houser, Michael Martin, Aldean, Michael Knox, Jody Williams, Rodney Clawson, Benny Brown, Jon Loba
Mark also introduced me to Kerri Edwards, who was an intern at EMI. We all started hanging out and she told this guy that worked at another publishing company, FAME Music, about me. They were looking for a catalog manager and a plugger. Jason Houser called me and we immediately connected. He said, “You’ve got to have an interview with Rick Hall in Muscle Shoals.” I accepted the job for five dollars an hour. I was paying my landscape guys $10 an hour so I could go do that.
Then you were in!
I did the landscaping business for a few more years. My wife Amy would help me on the weekends—she had a great job at Columbia. I was only at FAME for a short time when I got a call from Greg Hill, who was working at Moraine Music. They interviewed me and I accepted a job there as a song plugger.
That transition [into the music business] was life changing. Right before I left FAME, I got a call at the last minute to go to the ASCAP Awards. That was the year that FAME had “I Swear” as Song of the Year. I remember seeing George Strait that night.
Pictured (L-R): Michael Martin, LeAnn Phelan, George Strait, Paul Williams, John Titta
What was next for you?
Moraine treated me like family. I came in as a plugger and they moved me up in a few years to Vice President. It was intimidating, but Jason always told me, “Find a couple songs that you love and don’t make it too where it’s overwhelming. Just get started pitching.” There were two songs [that I was involved with early on] that were impactful for me: “There’s Your Trouble” that The Chicks recorded and “The Preacher Won’t Have to Lie” that Lee Ann Womack recorded. “There’s Your Trouble” broke me as a plugger. I didn’t know that you weren’t supposed to have multiple holds on a song—I think I had five holds on “There’s Your Trouble.” [Laughs] Everyone was mad at me but it turned out good in the end.
Then you and Jason Houser started Extreme Writers Group. Tell me about that.
Jason was working at EMI Publishing. The company was restructuring and I told him that I was really thinking about starting my own publishing company. We talked about it and decided to do it together. That became the framework of us starting Extreme.
Tim DuBois heard that Jason and I were talking about starting a publishing company, so he called us and we met. It was intimidating because Arista Records was such a force and influence. He was going to leave Arista to run Gaylord Entertainment. He ended up asking us if we wanted to start the publishing division. While that was being put together, Jason and I didn’t have any money, so we signed our first two writers on my credit card. I couldn’t believe Amy was cool with that, but I had learned that if you couldn’t act quickly and make a decision, the opportunity goes away.
Tim ended up leaving Gaylord and the deal fell apart, but Jason and I got stuck on the Gaylord island for a while. We learned a tremendous amount there.
Pictured (L-R): Jaren Johnston, Craig Wiseman, Michael Martin
What was next?
We were able to buy ourselves out of the Gaylord deal. Tim was still a big part of our lives, so we were able to talk about starting another deal. Tim introduced us to a lot of new people that year. Gary Borman was a huge influence for Jason and I. We flew out to Santa Monica to meet with him and he said to us, “What you two have is very special and unique. You need to honor and protect your partnership.”
We were able to sign Rodney Clawson and take him with us into the next chapter. Eventually, we settled at Warner Chappell when Tim Wipperman was leading the company. Things started taking off for us. We had been working with Matthew West and we ended up helping Matthew get his record deal at Universal South.
Rodney was writing so much with John Rich and Vicky McGehee. Michael Knox was so passionate about Jason Aldean at the time. We would go to the showcases that Michael would always do on Thursdays with Jason and we would have five or six of the 10 or 11 songs that Jason was playing at the time. His first No. 1 was a song that we were part of called “Why.” Then Big & Rich got a record deal and we got “Lost In This Moment.” We weren’t doing anything different, but it just started working.
We were on a run and then there was a big change with Warner Chappell. Wipperman left and so we had to go find funding again. A dear friend of ours, business manager Michael Haggerty, put a deal together that funded us for a few years. We had a song come out of that called “I Loved Her First.”
Craig Wiseman was big fan of Rodney’s, so he bought some of Rodney’s back catalog which started this relationship with Big Loud. We signed Clint Lagerberg and the second song he turned into us was “Here Comes Goodbye.” We went from having Rascal Flatts’ first single on a brand-new record and then, a few months later, having, “I Saw God Today” as George Strait’s 60th No. 1.
What a great run. You then transitioned to ASCAP and ended up becoming VP of the Nashville office. Tell me about that.
Jason had started talking about moving back to Twin Falls, Idaho. I was going to take over the publishing company. Tim DuBois came to our Christmas party and he talked about taking over some of Jason’s responsibilities.
After Christmas break, I went to see Tim. He said, “I got a call to go to ASCAP and help restructure it. There might be an opportunity for you to go with me.” Another close friend, Marc Driskill, was back at ASCAP and he also thought ASCAP would be a great change and opportunity for me. I had no desire to go do that. I told Tim “No” like five times.
Someone had given me a book during Christmas break on John Wooden, the great basketball coach. The book says if you ever have a chance to work with someone who’s been a leader, teacher, mentor or made an impact in your industry, it’s not about the money, it’s about you being with that person. For me, that was Tim. I eventually accepted and started in June of 2010.
Pictured (L-R): Matthew West, Michael Martin, Jason Houser
What was that time like?
We were tasked with carrying out the foundation that Connie Bradley had laid out, but in a different way because it was a different time. Tim was let go. Randy Grimmett was our boss at the time and he asked LeAnn Phelan and I if we could co-manage the office together. We did that for a couple years and then she got hired to go work at Sea Gayle. I managed the office for four or five years on my own, which was not the plan, but I got tools for the tool chest that I didn’t have [before]. I learned a lot about fighting battles for the right reasons. We had a great run. We got our market share up to a very healthy level and we were increasing the footprint of ASCAP and our events and awards.
Tell me about starting Endurance Music Group in 2019.
I was really wanting to get back into publishing. Tim Wipperman had introduced me to a guy named Jeremy Tucker. He was at Raven & Company, who was buying a lot of catalogs. We got to know each other over a period of time. When I was deciding what I was going to do, Jeremy started really pursuing me [to start a company with him] and it started making sense. I got the team at ASCAP together and let them know I was leaving. It was very emotional.
I jumped in. I met with Jeremy and [we discussed everything]. I knew I wanted to bring Mark Ahlberg, who had his own admin company. He was a dear friend and someone that I trusted immensely. I wanted him to have a platform that he could grow and have his own impact. Now, Mark and I are partners running Endurance. He’s heavily on the acquisition side, oversees some of the day-to-day operations and also runs his admin company. I oversee the publishing side and we overlap with some of the acquisition opportunities and the different relationships. It’s been crazy.
Pictured (L-R): Michael Martin, Justin Timberlake, Paul Williams, President Jimmy Carter, Trisha Yearwood
What an amazing story. What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Be respectful, be a great listener and don’t be reactive. Being in the Nashville music business, everyone is so close. Even if you don’t agree with someone, or if you’ve been hurt by something, you still have to be respectful. The very situation that may have felt like it destroyed you could be the very thing that creates a new opportunity in a few months.
What would you say is something that people don’t know about you?
I was born in Japan. My dad was in the Air Force and was overseas for seven or eight years. I was six months old when they came back to the States.
Tell me about a moment you’ve had that your kid self would look at and be impressed with.
I had some monumental moments at the ASCAP Awards with artists like Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Reba. There was a night that we were honoring Trisha Yearwood. Reba was going to come and honor Trisha and obviously Garth was there. President Jimmy Carter found out that Trisha was being honored and he wanted to come. I got a call from Joe Fisher, who is really close friends with Justin Timberlake, and he said Justin had recently hung out with Garth and Trisha at a Garth show and he wanted to come to the awards.
Fast forward to the awards, I’m backstage with President Carter and Justin Timberlake. The President goes out and we honor Trisha. I walked the President off of the stage. It felt like a mile-long walk. [Laughs] That’s a moment I never thought would happen.
When you look back on your story, how do you feel?
I have been so blessed by great men and women that have poured into my journey. I have been surrounded by great song people and writers. Music is the backdrop to our lives. I’ve been a part of some magical moments. I’ve been able to meet and become friends with writers and artists that I listened to when I was living in Mineral Wells. How insane is that?