Lauren Branson Joins River House Artists As VP, Publicity

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Lauren Branson. Photo: Jeff Molyneaux

River House Artists has announced the hiring of Lauren Branson as Vice President, Publicity.

Branson joins River House after eight years at BMI as the Senior Director, Media Relations. In that role, she led the communications efforts for BMI’s Nashville and Austin offices, working closely with the company’s Creative and Partnerships and Events departments to develop and execute media campaigns for all events including showcases, No. 1 parties, awards shows, and festival stages including ACL Fest and the Key West Songwriters Festival. Prior to BMI, the MTSU grad had career stops at Yep Roc Records, Zenph Sound Innovations, Epic Records and Sony Music Nashville.

At River House, Branson will be responsible for creating and implementing public relations strategies for the River House Artists roster. She reports directly to founder and CEO Lynn Oliver-Cline and VP and General Manager Zebb Luster, effective immediately.

“Lauren’s passion for music is contagious and her relationships in our business and in media speak for themselves,” says Cline. “She will be a big part of the future for our artists and River House as a whole. We are so lucky to have her!”

“I am so thrilled to be joining the team here at River House. Lynn and Zebb have such a stellar reputation for fostering new talent in Nashville and I am excited to make a return to working artist publicity,” says Branson.

Congratulate Branson at lauren@riverhouseartists.com.

Jordan Davis Previews New Album ‘Bluebird Days’ At The Bluebird Cafe

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Jordan Davis at The Bluebird Cafe

There is nary a more appropriate place to preview an album called Bluebird Days than the historic Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.

MCA Nashville’s Jordan Davis did just that last week, filling the intimate room with industry members for an acoustic performance. Alongside his producer Paul DiGiovanni and a few band members, Davis played several unreleased tracks before the album’s release on Feb. 17.

UMG Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan introduced Davis to the crowd. He prepped the audience by saying Bluebird Days was a “great collection of songs from a great artist who has really arrived.”

And arrived he has.

Davis is on the second week of his latest No. 1 single, “What My World Spins Around,” which is featured on the new record. The hit follows Davis’ 2x Platinum, multi-week No. 1, CMA and NSAI Song of the Year “Buy Dirt,” as well as three other No. 1 songs.

Of the 17-tracks on Bluebird Days, Davis feels that this body of work is his most honest project to date. While the title might seem to reference the Bluebird Cafe, it’s actually pulled from an expression his family member used to describe a period of time characterized by sunny, cloudless weather. The song “Bluebird Days”—written with his brother Jacob Davis as well as Josh Dorr and Chris LaCorte—is actually about his parents’ divorce. Davis says it was hard to include it on the album, but he felt that he needed to open up more to his fans.

Another tear-jerker on the project is “Fishing Spot.” The gorgeous tune talks about the fellowship shared between him and his grandfather while fishing, and the lessons learned at their fishing spot.

“Short Fuse,” a stand-out, really shows off Davis’ self-awareness and vulnerability. It finds the singer-songwriter reflecting on his temper and wishing he had “more burn to his short fuse.” Another stand-out track is “Money Isn’t Real,” one of the album’s two outside cuts. The tune was written by Jake Mitchell, Jameson Rodgers, Josh Thompson and Sarah Turner, and touches on what really matters in life. Spoiler alert: it’s not wealth.

Bluebird Days isn’t all reflective songs. Davis spills out his signature swag on tunes such as the witty “One Beer In Front Of The Other” and the sensual “No Time Soon.” It also includes a fan-favorite track, “Next Thing You Know,” which Davis admitted gets the biggest reaction at shows behind “Buy Dirt.”

Bluebird Days is available for pre-order now and is available everywhere Feb. 17.

Bluebird Days Track List:
1. Damn Good Time (Jordan Davis, Matt Dragstrem, Chase McGill)
2. Money Isn’t Real (Jake Mitchell, Jameson Rodgers, Josh Thompson, Sarah Turner)
3. Tucson Too Late (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)
4. What My World Spins Around (Jordan Davis, Matt Dragstrem, Ryan Hurd)
5. Sunday Saints (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Benjy Davis)
6. No Time Soon (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)
7. You’ve Got My Number (Jordan Davis, Jason Gantt, Josh Osborne)
8. Next Thing You Know (Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne)
9. Fishing Spot (Jordan Davis, Will Bundy, Josh Miller, Josh Thompson)
10. One Beer In Front Of The Other (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)
11. Bluebird Days (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Dorr, Chris LaCorte)
12. Part Of It (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Matt McKinney, Jordan Walker)
13. Short Fuse (Jordan Davis, Paul DiGiovanni, Josh Thompson, Emily Weisband)
14. Whiskey Weak (Jordan Davis, Paul DiGiovanni, Jamie Paulin)
15. Midnight Crisis – Featuring Danielle Bradbery (Jordan Davis, Paul DiGiovanni, Derrick Southerland)
16. What I Wouldn’t Do (Matt McVaney, Emily Reid, Travis Wood)
17. Buy Dirt – Featuring Luke Bryan (Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins)

Produced by Paul DiGiovanni

GrassRoots Promotion Ups RJ Jordan To Director Of Promotion

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RJ Jordan

GrassRoots Promotion has elevated RJ Jordan to Director of Promotion. Jordan will continue to work with the MusicRow panel, as well as oversee radio campaign strategy and execution.

Jordan joined the Nashville-based company in 2015 after previous stints programming WBBS/Syracuse; WPOR/Portland,; WCJW/Warsaw, New York and others. He has also held regional promotion posts at labels 903 MUSIC Nashville, Country Thunder Records, Stroudavarious and Golden Music Nashville.

Co-owner and Managing Partner Nancy Tunick shares,”RJ is the consummate promotion professional. He is passionate about music and radio and has deep experience in both sides of the industry. He has been a key part of our team for 8 years, and we are thrilled to have him contribute even more of his talents.”

“Thanks to Nancy Tunick and Teresa Johnston-Chance for their continued faith in my abilities and the opportunity to rise within the company ranks,” Jordan notes. “We’ve got some great music to bring to radio in 2023, and I’m excited for my new role!”

Jordan can be reached at rj@grassrootspromotion.com or 615-335-0718.

Willie Nelson To Celebrate His 90th Birthday With Special, Two-Day Concert Event

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Willie Nelson. Photo: Pamela Springsteen

Willie Nelson is having one heck of a birthday celebration to commemorate his 90th birthday with the announcement of a two-day concert event, “Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90, A Star-Studded Concert Celebrating Willie’s 90th Birthday.” The star-studded festivities are set for April 29-30.

The talent-packed show at the legendary Hollywood Bowl will include performances by Nelson, Allison Russell, Beck, Billy Strings, Bobby Weir, Charley Crockett, Chris Stapleton, Edie Brickell, Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Lukas Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Margo Price, Miranda Lambert, Nathaniel Rateliff, Neil Young, Norah Jones, Orville Peck, Particle Kid, Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, Snoop Dogg, Sturgill Simpson, The Avett Brothers, The Chicks, The Lumineers, Tom Jones, Tyler Childers, Warren Haynes and Ziggy Marley. Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend my 90th birthday than being surrounded by family, friends and of course the fans who made this all possible,” says Willie Nelson. “It’s an honor to perform with such an incredible group of artists at such an iconic venue.”

Two-day packages go on sale Jan. 28. Capital One Visa and Mastercard cardholders will have access to exclusive pre-sale tickets beginning Jan. 25.

The 90-years young icon continues to work circles around the rest of us and over the past year alone released several new albums, (which received four nominations at the 2023 Grammys), authored his latest book, and continues to perform across the country while also headlining festivals such as Farm Aid, July 4th Picnic and his Outlaw Music Festival Tour. A five-part documentary on the icon’s life and career is set to premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Conner Smith To Kick Off His ‘If I Went To College Tour’ Next Month

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Conner Smith. Photo: Jack Owens

Conner Smith has announced his first-ever headlining “If I Went To College Tour” with special guests Mackenzie Carpenter and Jonathan Hutcherson.

The run kicks off Feb. 9 in Rosemont, Illinois and will visit Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, Knoxville, and more before wrapping April 28 with a homecoming show in Nashville. The Nashville-raised singer-songwriter’s pre-sale is going on now ahead of the public on sale Friday (Jan. 27).

Smith’s debut collection, Didn’t Go Too Far, helped earn him 2022 Artist to Watch status from Spotify, Amazon Music and Opry NextStage, while also making him the only country artist on Pandora’s Ten List 2022. He also secured 2023 recognition from MusicRow as a member of the Next Big Thing Class of 2023, CMT Listen Up, and more.

The rising artist scored his first top 40 hit with the young-at-heart “Learn From It.”His love-savoring new single, “Take It Slow,” has quickly racked up over 90 million global streams to date as it rises at country radio.

Stem Grows Nashville Presence With Key Executive Hires [Exclusive]

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Alison Junker, Jeff Tobias, Chris Allen

Stem, a distribution and payments platform for independent musicians and labels, has announced three executive hires that will expand their presence to Nashville.

Alison Junker joins Stem as Head of Artist & Label Strategy, Nashville; Jeff Tobias as Head of Artist & Label Relations, Country; and Chris Allen as Head of Artist Relations, Rock & Alternative.

Stem was launched in 2015 by Co-Founder and CEO Milana Rabkin Lewis, who sought to provide a financial platform for artists to run their own businesses with transparency, clarity, and long-term career sustainability. Stem’s interface enables artists to track, divide, disperse, and even donate revenue to various recipients, designating percentages and simplified splits in real-time. The company prides itself on its regular monthly payment schedule and has distributed $230 million to 26,000 people as of 2022.

Junker joins Stem from Spotify where she served as a primary point for Nashville-based artists, labels, and managers while leading global music and cultural marketing campaigns. While at Spotify, she executed initiatives for artists including Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Kacey Musgraves and Zach Bryan, among many others. Most recently, she helped lead the third annual Spotify House at CMA Fest.

At Stem, Junker will be tasked with leveraging her roots in Nashville’s creative community to bolster the company’s roster across all genres and lead marketing campaigns for new and pre-existing artists on Stem.

Of the news, Junker shares, “I’m incredibly excited to help expand and support Stem’s roster in Nashville. Artists have more power to grow their careers independently than ever and Stem has all the tools to fuel them.”

Tobias joins Stem from his most recent position of Head of Country Music at ONErpm, where he directed new business strategy and signed artists such as Trey Lewis, Justin Champagne and Chase Matthew. Prior to that, he spent time at CAA supporting both the Music Touring and Motion Picture Literary departments.

At Stem, Tobias will be tasked with building a roster of artists and labels while overseeing the growth and success of Stem’s footprint in the country music genre. Tobias, who first joined Stem in April, has already brought on notable clients such as RaeLynn, Tanner Usrey and Dreamcatcher Artists with their flagship artist, Tenille Arts. Arts released her first single in partnership with Stem this October, which marks the first off her upcoming new album.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Stem team and continue to work alongside and champion independent artists,” Tobias shares.

Allen joins Stem with over 20 years in the music industry, most notably starting a label in Chicago in the late ’90s and managing rock bands like The All-American Rejects, Plain White T’s and All Time Low. He then became an original partner at the Collective, one of the first companies to focus on Youtube and online audience growth. In 2014, Allen moved into music publishing with a joint venture at Kobalt before transitioning into A&R for Global Entertainment’s Music Publishing Division. Most recently, Allen was Head of the US Publishing division of ONErpm.

In addition to their responsibilities to sign new artists to the Stem platform, Junker, Tobias and Allen will also be supporting Stem’s existing Nashville roster, which includes PIA Entertainment, OurVinyl, Drew Baldridge and many artists on Big Loud Records.

Kristin Graziani, President of Distribution at Stem, sums, “We’re incredibly excited about our team’s growth. Chris, Alison and Jeff bring immediate credibility to our presence in the Nashville space. Moreover, I’m eager to have their support in building out and championing our roster of incredible artists.”

Jackson Dean Sells Out Headline Debut In Nashville

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Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Records’ Kris Lamb, Big Machine Records’ Clay Hunnicutt, Jackson Dean, Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta, and Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones. Photo: Jason Kempin

Country riser Jackson Dean sold out his first headlining gig in Nashville at The Basement East Thursday night (Jan. 19).

The Big Machine Records artist gave a passionate, 90-minute set with a mix of fan favorites from his debut album Greenbroke as well as eight unreleased songs. Fans were enthralled with his high-powered, almost menacing delivery of his first No. 1 hit “Don’t Come Lookin’,” as well as his full-hearted performances of the tender autobiography “Greenbroke,” the gritty stomper “Trailer Park,” and the ethereal confessional “Wings.”

The Maryland native is clearly influenced by the country outlaws of the ’70s and ’80s. While his songs are lyrically-driven, his performances range from raucous and rowdy to pensive and passionate. At The Basement East show, he didn’t say too much between songs, letting the music do the talking.

His sound has caught on. In the last year, Dean has found his place on several industry watch lists such as Pandora’s Ten for 2023 (all genre), Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch 2023, the CMT Listen Up class of 2023, Amazon Music’s 2023 Breakthrough Artists to Watch: Country Class, and more. In March he will perform at CRS as part of the prestigious New Faces of Country Music show of 2023.

Prior to the show, Dean was presented with a plaque for his breakout hit, “Don’t Come Lookin’.” The tune cemented him as the youngest male in not just Country Aircheck, but Radio & Records’ chart history to land a No. 1 with their very first single and declared Dean as the top most heard new artist on the Country Aircheck chart for 2022. Later, his producer and fellow songwriter, Luke Dick made a surprise appearance and joined the young artist to perform the hit.

A highlight of the show came when Dean performed his next single to country radio, a three-and-a-half minute heartache, “Fearless (The Echo).” The track impacted country radio this week and was the No. 1 most-added single of the week.

After more headlining shows, Dean will make his second appearance on the Grand Ole Opry stage on Feb. 3 before joining Blake Shelton and Carly Pearce on the “Back to the Honky Tonk Tour.” He also has dates booked with Eric Church and Parker McCollum for later this year.

Clara Park Joins SmackSongs’ Writing Roster

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Pictured (L-R): Carly Sater, Jeremy Groves, Clara Park, Lee Krabel, Jim Landers, Robin Palmer and Sam Sarno.

SMACKSongs has inked a worldwide publishing deal with Clara Park.

Born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Park moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. While there, she majored in songwriting and took freelance work producing, while also writing hundreds of songs throughout her four years. Graduating in 2021, Park continued writing, producing and getting cuts with artist such as Linsey Urrea and Jules Paymer.

“This is a huge milestone for me, and something I have been chasing since I moved to Nashville,” Park shares. “I feel so blessed to have this opportunity and I’m so grateful to be around such talented people.”

“I’ve been following Clara’s career for a couple years now thanks to an introduction from my friend, Jim Landers. Every time I met with Clara, she just kept getting better and better, says Lee Krabel, Vice President of Publishing. “I knew when we met late last year it was time for her to become a part of the team here at SMACK. We are beyond excited to welcome her to the team and look forward to seeing what she can accomplish!”

Park joins a roster of over 20 staff writers with more than 50 No. 1s–seven of which were from last year alone–including multi-Grammy award winners Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.

Industry Ink: ACM LEVel Up, YEP Nashville, Krista Farmer-Dykes, Hill Entertainment Group

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ACM LEVel Up Program Announces Second Workshop Of Undergraduate Series

The Academy of Country Music’s LEVel Up: Lift Every Voice program has announced the second workshop of their undergraduate student series. An Inside Look into Live Touring and Production will take place on Thursday, Jan. 26 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The workshop panel will consist of AEG Presents’ Brianna McGoff and Adam Weiser as well as WME’s Nate Towne discussing what brings everyone’s favorite country stars to the road and how they create sold-out shows from clubs to stadiums all around the world. AEG Presents’ Shelby White and WME’s Morgan Kenney will serve as moderators.

The discussion will focus on everything from the logistics of these tours and the financials, to the ins-and-outs of how production is able to move from one venue to another fluidly.

All participants must register to attend in-person or virtually, with sessions being filled first come, first serve. The location for the workshop will be sent to those selected to attend in-person upon confirmed registration. For more information, click here.

 

YEP Nashville To Host Financial Panel For Industry Members & Musicians

Young Entertainment Professionals (YEP) Nashville will host their educational financial panel, Money Hacks in the Entertainment Industry, at SESAC on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 6:30.p.m. CT.

The event is geared toward both industry professionals and musicians to provide helpful information from some of Music City’s top financial experts.

MAMBA, LLC’s Elaine Bryan, Roussel & Associates’ Beau Fish, Pinnacle Bank’s Carter Robinson and Wiles + Taylor & Co.’s Kim Whelan will serve as panelists and provide budgeting advice as well as tips for filing taxes as an independent musician and saving for retirement as a music industry professional. They will also dive deep into the roles that business managers, CPAs and bankers play in the career of an artist and how they all work in tandem to aid the financial success of their clients.

For more information, click here.

 

Krista Farmer-Dykes To Leave CMA After Eight Years

Krista Farmer-Dykes. Photo: Lydia Faith

The Country Music Association’s Manager of Media Relations Krista Farmer-Dykes is leaving after eight years with the organization to launch her Secret Mom Hacks podcast and voiceover career. Her last day will be Friday, Feb. 24.

Farmer-Dykes’ new podcast will be dedicated to all things related to pregnancy and parenting. The show officially launches with new weekly episodes beginning Wednesday, March 1, but preview episodes are available now across all podcast platforms.

She can be reached at kristadykes@yahoo.com.

 

Hill Entertainment Group Adds Palmer Heath As Client Coordinator

Palmer Heath.

Hill Entertainment Group has added Palmer Heath as Client Coordinator. The entertainment management firm is home to Rodney Atkins, Rod + Rose, the Naomi Judd estate and The Judds, Tiera Kennedy, Mark Wills, Jennifer Hart, Emily Earle, and more.

In this role, Heath will be responsible for maintaining artists’ day-to-day schedules, executing career initiatives for clients and fostering their brands through content, catalog and live performance. Prior to Hill Entertainment Group, she oversaw brand partnership campaigns at an influencer agency in Nashville.

“I am excited for Palmer to join our growing team,” says President & CEO Greg Hill. “Her energy, passion and enthusiasm for our clients is infectious and inspiring.”

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with these clients,” adds Heath. “I’m honored to be a part of such a knowledgeable and supportive team like the one at Hill Entertainment Group.”

James Barker Band Joins RECORDS Nashville’s Growing Roster

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Pictured (L-R, top row): Joe Fisher (RECORDS Nashville) and Josh Easler (RECORDS Nashville). (L-R, bottom row): Taylor Abram, Bobby Martin, James Barker and Connor Stephen.

The multi-award-winning James Barker Band has inked with RECORDS Nashville, industry veteran Barry Weiss‘ joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment. The Platinum-selling foursome will release their label-debut single, “Meet Your Mama,” this Friday (Jan. 27).

Made up of Barker (lead vocals/guitar), Taylor Abram (guitar/background vocals), Connor Stephen (drums) and Bobby Martin (bass), the band has racked up four Gold-certified No. 1 tracks with singles such as “Chills,” “Keep It Simple,” “Over All Over Again” and “New Old Trucks.” With hundreds of millions of career streams under their belt, the group will cement their presence in Music City and beyond with the help of RECORDS’ team, consisting of Joe Fisher (EVP) and Josh Easler (EVP Promotion and Commercial Strategy).

“From the live show to the songwriting the James Barker Band is the real deal,” Fisher shares. “The new music is outstanding and the RECORDS team is really excited to be working with them!”

“It’s special to go from being a fan to being a colleague, and that’s what happened when we signed James Barker Band,” Easler adds. “I’m extremely excited to officially be working with this band and I am confident that this will be a momentous year for the group.”

“We’re so excited to be working with a crew that has a ‘music first’ mentality,” Barker notes. “The whole RECORDS team is so driven and focused on releasing world class projects, and we can’t wait to crush it together with them going into this next season!”

The label announcement rounds out James Barker Band’s team, which already includes publishing representation with Fisher’s BOOM Music Group and management representation with Starseed Entertainment.

RECORDS Nashville’s roster also boasts Matt Stell, George Birge, Erin Kinsey and more.