Evan Cline Signs With UMPG Nashville [Exclusive]

Pictured (L-R): Roxy King (UMPG Nashville), Evan Cline, LeAnn Phelan (LP Creative Management). Photo: Annelise Loughead

Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville has signed Evan Cline to an exclusive, global publishing agreement.

Cline has collaborated with some of the top artists and songwriters across pop, country and sync in Nashville and beyond. The songwriter, producer and artist co-wrote and produced Teddy Swims’ latest single, “Please Turn Green,” and co-wrote and produced the “Liar” by Karl Michael ft. Teddy Swims.

Roxy King, A&R Director, UMPG Nashville, says: “As a talent and as a person, Evan is one-of-a-kind. His ability to bring out the best in everyone he works with is truly remarkable. UMPG is thrilled to be working with him and I can’t wait for the rest of Nashville, and the music industry at-large, to experience it for themselves.”

“Signing with UMPG is everything I could ask for,” Cline adds. “It was very important to have a company that could expose me to a wide variety of opportunities and genres-both within Nashville and across the globe. Roxy King made this decision extremely easy with her previous success, motivation, and vision for me going forward. I can’t wait to get started!”

Nate Miles Signs With SMACKSongs

Pictured (L-R): Lee Krabel, Nate Miles, Jeremy Groves. Photo: Molly Bouchon

Producer and songwriter Nate Miles has signed a worldwide publishing deal with SMACKSongs.

Raised in Chicago, Miles moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. After working with artists like Nightly, Alexander Stewart, and Francisco Martin while still in college, he graduated and has quickly been signed by the publishing house.

“Nate’s work ethic, talent and versatility as a producer and writer immediately caught our interest,” says Jeremy Groves, creative director of SMACKSongs.“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Nate to the SMACK family, and can’t wait to watch his career take off.”

“I am beyond grateful for everyone who has been in my corner these last couple years and helped opportunities like this one come about,” adds Miles. “SMACK is an amazing family of writers and creatives and I’m thankful they believe in what I’m doing. Big thank you to Jeremy Groves for taking the leap on me. Can’t wait to make some fun stuff happen in Nashville.”

Darius Rucker Partners With Fanatics, NFL To Launch Apparel Line

Award-winning country artist Darius Rucker has partnered with Fanatics and the NFL to launch NFL x Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics, inspired by Rucker’s love of music, football and fashion.

“I’ve been a huge NFL fan my entire life, so it’s a dream come true to see my logo right next to the NFL logo on these items,” says Rucker. “It has been a blast working with two great partners, Fanatics and the NFL, to make this project a reality. I’m so proud of the products we’ve created, and I can’t wait to see fans enjoying this collection throughout the rest of the season and for years to come.”

The collection is on sale now and features premium items for all 32 NFL teams, including t-shirts, fleece, outerwear, sweats and more.

“Sports and entertainment have incredible crossover appeal, and this is a great example of incorporating the worlds of pop culture and music into our business,” says Vicky Picca, Fanatics SVP of Business Affairs. “Teaming up with multi-Platinum music icon Darius Rucker and our partners at the NFL has allowed us to do that through this unique, quality assortment of NFL fan gear for all 32 teams.”

The official launch of the line follows Rucker’s announcement of his 2022 tour, Darius Rucker Live, which will visit venues across the country starting early next year. He is also actively working on his next solo album, featuring current single “My Masterpiece” and recent No. 1 hit “Beers and Sunshine.

Scott Clayton Joins UTA As Co-Head Of Global Music, Partner

Scott Clayton

Agent Scott Clayton has joined the ranks at UTA as Co-Head of its Global Music Division and as a Partner. Alongside UTA Global Music Co-Heads Sam Kirby Yoh and David Zedeck, the trio will lead UTA’s New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville hubs to further solidify the agency’s reach across all genres. Clayton will continue to be based in Nashville.

Clayton joins UTA after his recent departure from WME where he was a Partner and Co-Head of the agency’s music division. He has guided the touring careers of successful acts, including John Mayer, Zac Brown Band, Kings of Leon, Dead & Company, Train, My Morning Jacket, Michael Franti, Rodrigo y Gabriela and many others. Prior to WME, Clayton previously worked at CAA for 17 years as a Co-Head of their Nashville office, served as the Co-Chair of the city’s Music City Music Council, and is a member of the Nashville Public Radio Board of Directors.

“Scott is the epitome of what we look for in a leader at UTA: he is a strong advocate for artists and has a long history of supporting and mentoring colleagues,” shares UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. “Sam and David have done a great job building a world-class team and we are very excited for Scott to join us as we continue to grow our music practice.”

Kirby Yoh and Zedeck jointly add, “We are excited to have Scott join us as a Co-Head of the music group. He is a relentless champion for his clients, and we know that he will bring that same energy to UTA. He is a dedicated leader who has played a significant role in building so many people’s careers and we look forward to collaborating with him as we continue to build our team and do great work for our clients.”

“Over the past few years, I have witnessed the incredible job UTA has done to expand and elevate the music department,” states Clayton. “Sam, David, and the team have shown true innovation and leadership during this unprecedented time and have really delivered for their artists across all genres. I am very excited to be joining a company that has built a culture that is grounded in transparency with colleagues and in service to clients.”

Clayton’s hire follows a series of moves that UTA’s Music Division has made over the last year, adding numerous executives and agents to its ranks across multiple offices. The new hires include agents Jeffrey Hasson, Brett Saliba, Matt Korn, and Emily Wright, who are based in Nashville. In June 2021, UTA opened its new Nashville headquarters at the historic downtown site of the former Carnegie Library in the heart of Music City.

Jesse Frasure, Dallas Davidson, Ben Johnson, More Among Top Winners At BMI Country Awards

Jesse Frasure, Dallas Davidson, Ben Johnson

BMI has revealed its winners list for the 69th Annual BMI Country Awards. The winners were celebrated across all BMI digital and social channels.

Songwriter/producer Jesse Frasure was named Songwriter of the Year for the second time. He penned five of the year’s most-performed songs, including “Almost Maybes,” “Hole In The Bottle,” “One Big Country Song,” “One Thing Right,” and “What’s Your Country Song.”

“One of Them Girls,” co-written by BMI songwriters Dallas Davidson and Ben Johnson, won Song of the Year. The tune was also named Song of the Year at the ASCAP Country Music Awards last week. “One of Them Girls” was recorded by Lee Brice and certified double-Platinum by the RIAA in August of this year. It spent three weeks at the No. 1 position on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and has remained in the Top 10 each recurrent week. Additionally, the song has over 390 million on-demand streams to date. This honor marks the 30th BMI County Award for Davidson and the very first for Johnson.

For the first time in 33 years, the Publisher of the Year designation ended with a tie between Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music. Collectively, the publishing powerhouses represent a combined total of 36 of this year’s award-winning titles. Sony Music Publishing’s award-winning titles include “One Beer,” “Lovin’ on You,” “I Called Mama,” and “Beer Can’t Fix.” Warner Chappell Music’s titles include “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” “I Love My Country,” and “One Night Standards.”

BMI also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed country songs of the year. Among the songs honored are “Bluebird,” “Heartless,” “The Good Ones,” and “I Should Probably Go to Bed.” This year’s winners include 24 first-time BMI Country Award recipients, such as Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, and Taylor Kerr of Maddie & Tae. Additional winners include Miranda Lambert, Michael Hardy, Natalie Hemby, Shy Carter, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, and more.

“Songwriters and publishers are the lifeblood of our business and our Nashville community, and it is an honor to represent and award our members every year,” says Clay Bradley, VP, BMI Nashville. “We are thrilled to celebrate the phenomenal songwriters and publishers whose talent and hard work continue to propel our genre to new heights. We look forward to inviting you all back into our BMI home in 2022.”

For a complete list of 2021 BMI Country Award winners and to learn more about your favorite BMI songwriters, click here.

Beloved Vocal Coach To The Stars, Renee Grant-Williams, Passes

Vocal coach Renee Grant-Williams passed away on Friday (Nov. 12) at Southern Hills hospital in Nashville after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Grant-Williams has worked with many country greats including, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, The Chicks, and Garth Brooks, as well as rock and pop artists such as Miley Cyrus, Scott Stapp (Creed), Christina Aguilera, Linda Ronstadt, Ben Folds, Huey Lewis, Bob Weir (Grateful Dead) and Dave Mustaine (Metallica/Megadeth).

In addition to her training offerings in Nashville, she’s conducted international seminars in countries including South America, Europe, and Australia. For 10 years Grant-Williams conducted an annual Vocal Master Class, an intense all-day seminar that attracted attendees from all over the world. In 2009 she introduced the Mini Clinic, a more intimate format that allowed each singer to receive one-on-one training.

In 2002 AMACOM Books NY published her book, Voice Power: Using Your Voice to Captivate, Persuade, and Command Attention.

As a professional speaker herself, Grant-Williams also provided coaching to business leaders, attorneys, public speakers, and politicians. A 10-year member of the National Speakers Association, she presented communication skill training programs to associations and business organizations throughout the United States.

Grant-William’s formal education took place at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she also taught. She served as the Director of the Division of Vocal Music at the University of California, Berkeley, and worked as a Musical Director at the Actors Studio in Manhattan before eventually establishing permanent residence in Nashville.

She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1993 after a routine visit with her doctor.

Her determination to live life to its fullest while battling the debilitating disease served as an inspiration to everyone who knew her. She shared details of her battle in 2019 admitting, “Everything from putting on my shoes to ordering a cheeseburger is an effort beyond anything others can imagine. Like a boa constrictor, Parkinson’s Disease wraps itself around your body and mind strangling your will to accomplish. You must motivate yourself 100% of the time to do even the little everyday things, let alone try to live a full and rich life.” Her motivation to keep fighting the best way she knew how set a great example for others on how to live boldly against the odds and face them head on.

In addition to her work, Grant-Williams was known for her sense of adventure, determination, and wit.

She is survived by her sisters Judie Fisher, Susan Rodiek, and Billie Custer; her nieces and nephews Lisa McAllister Nickels & Lon McAllister, Kelley Custer Whealton, Heidi Shotwell, and Casey Custer; cousins Russell Blowers, Karen Witter, and Christina Connell; and longtime companions Steve Goldinger, and Elsie the studio Cat.

In lieu of her annual birthday bash, a Celebration of Life fundraiser to benefit Parkinson’s Research is being planned for Grant-Williams on Jan. 8, 2022. More details are being finalized.

Creative Nation Signs Derek Bahr, Hires Alex Tamashunas As Creative Manager

Pictured (L-R): Christina Wighton, Brandon Gill, Emily Furman, Beth Laird, Derek Bahr, Kelsey Granda, Luke Laird, Abby Holcomb. Photo: Katie Kauss

Derek Bahr has signed a multi-faceted label, publishing, and management deal with Creative Nation. The company has also hired Alex Tamashunas as its new Creative Manager.

Bahr spent the last decade as a road musician for Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Ryan Hurd, Cassadee Pope, Rodney Atkins, and more. He’s been writing songs for years, but in 2020 when gigs shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he devoted some time to writing, recording, and producing his own debut EP, Collecting Dust.

“Derek’s debut EP impressed our whole team,” Sr. Director of Creative, Emily Furman said.  “He is a true songwriter with a unique point of view and an ability to craft a song that stands out and says something. We’re thrilled to welcome him to Creative Nation and to introduce him to the songwriting community.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to have the chance to work with this incredible team at Creative Nation. A number of my songwriting heroes call CN home, and it’s an absolute dream come true to be under the same roof as them,” Bahr adds. “The world class professionalism this team brings to the table is only matched by their focus on compassionate kindness, and I’m so grateful for the chance to grow and learn from this amazing group of people.”

Alex Tamashunas. Photo: Spencer Combs

On the staffing side, Tamashunas graduated from NYU’s music business program in 2014. The Mount Holly, New Jersey native pursued a career in music journalism and PR until 2018, when she decided to move to Nashville for a position at Anthem Entertainment.

“Alex’s passion for songwriters and positive energy are infectious! Her prior publishing experience and musical interests complement our clients and staff and we are very excited to have her join the Creative Nation publishing team,” Co-Founder and CEO, Beth Laird comments.

“Creative Nation has been a dream company of mine for years. Beth and Luke [Laird] have fostered a family-style environment that cares deeply for the well being of its people, all while growing a roster of writers that are fiercely competitive in both country and pop formats,” Tamashunas says. “To be a part of this company’s story feels surreal.”

‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ Breaks Streaming Records Upon Arrival

Taylor Swift. Photo: Beth Garrabrant

Global music sensation Taylor Swift released her much anticipated Red (Taylor’s Version) on Friday (Nov. 12), breaking her own records in its wake.

As reported by Spotify, the re-recorded version of her 2012 smash album broke the record for the most streamed album in a day by a female in the platform’s history, raking in over 90.8 million streams. Swift previously held this record with her surprise 2020 album Folklore, which earned over 80.6 million first-day streams. Additionally, Swift also became the platform’s most-streamed female in a day with more than 122.9 million streams on Friday.

Throughout the albums’ 2 hour and 10 minute runtime and its 21 original tracks, including some of Swift’s biggest hits such as “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “22,” “Everything Has Changed” with Ed Sheeran, and the album’s title track, Red (Taylor’s Version) also features nine unreleased “From the Vault” songs that see the singer-songwriter singing along with other stars such as Chris Stapleton, Phoebe Bridgers, and Sheeran.

The new 2021 version of the Grammy-nominated and award-winning album also features fan-favorite “All Too Well,” and a 10-minute version of the track with its original lyrics that never made it onto the 2012 edition of Red. Swift wrote and directed an accompanying short film for “All Too Well,” featuring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien, which she shared with fans that has since garnered over 28 million views and counting over the last three days.

YouTube video

After Red‘s original release in October of 2012, the project spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, making Swift the first female artist and the second act since the Beatles to have three consecutive albums each spend at least six weeks at No. 1. Red, Swift’s fourth studio album, was also certified 7x Platinum, among other impressive accolades.

Red (Taylor’s Version) is the second re-recorded album that Swift has unveiled, following the release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and became the first re-recorded album to ever do so.

Sam Grow Inks Publishing Deal With Deluge Music

Pictured (front row, L-R): Stephanie Greene, President – Deluge Music; Sam Grow; David Robkin, Managing Member – Deluge Music; (back row, L-R): Rachel Guttmann, Attorney – Taylor Guttmann, PLLC; Brad Austin, Forward Music Management; Emily Dryburgh, A&R – East Music Row.

Average Joes Entertainment recording artist Sam Grow has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Deluge Music. Best known for his “Song About You,” which has amassed 50 million global streams to date, Grow released his latest album This Town in September. His new single, “Go Right Now,” was released on Friday (Nov. 12).

Grow debuted on the country scene with his self-titled EP in 2014, following with The Blame, which charted at No. 5 on iTunes and No. 2 on Billboard‘s Heatseekers albums chart. His previous project,  Love and Whiskey, debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Country Album chart.

Named one of Billboard’s 7 Country Acts to Watch, Grow’s co-writing credits include collaborations with Taylor Phillips, Brice Long, Terry McBride, Tim Nichols, Jimmy Yeary, Johnny Gates, and more. Grow will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Nov. 27.

“I’m struck by Sam’s passion for writing,” says David Robkin, managing partner of Deluge. “He just loves to write, with hit songwriters, young up-and-coming writers, anyone who shares the passion with him. We are excited to help Sam expand his opportunities.”

“I’m so incredibly excited to join the Deluge family,” adds Grow. “I can’t wait to write songs for such a great team and work with amazing creative minds like David Robkin and Stephanie Greene.”

Morgan Wallen Returns To The Road On “The Dangerous Tour”

Morgan Wallen has announced his return to the road with “The Dangerous Tour.” Named after his blockbuster album, Dangerous: The Double Album, the entertainer will be accompanied by label-mate Hardy as direct support in 2022, with Larry Fleet joining on select dates.

This is Wallen’s first official tour announcement following his use of a racial slur in February, however he has been playing one-off shows across the United States since the incident.

Spanning through 46 cities, the run will begin in Evansville, Indiana on Feb. 3 at the Ford Center. “The Dangerous Tour” will visit arenas and amphitheaters across the country, including making major debuts at Madison Square Garden in New York, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood in Atlanta. The seven-month trek will wrap in Los Angeles on Sept. 24 at STAPLES Center.

All arena dates are set to go on sale beginning on Friday, Nov. 19, with amphitheater shows on sale starting Dec. 3. Tickets and VIP packages are available for purchase here.

“The Dangerous Tour” Dates:
*On Sale Nov. 19 | ^On Sale Dec. 3
Feb. 3, 2022 — Evansville, IN — Ford Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
Feb. 4, 2022 — Charleston, WV — Charleston Coliseum — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
Feb. 5, 2022 — Allentown, PA — PPL Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
Feb. 9, 2022 — New York, NY — Madison Square Garden — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
Feb. 10, 2022 — New York, NY — Madison Square Garden — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
Feb. 24, 2022 — Columbia, SC — Colonial Life Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
Feb. 25, 2022 — Savannah, GA — Enmarket Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
Feb. 26, 2022 — Greenville, SC — Bon Secours Wellness Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 3, 2022 — Biloxi, MS — Mississippi Coast Coliseum — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 4, 2022 — Bossier City, LA — Brookshire Grocery Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 5, 2022 — Oklahoma City, OK — Paycom Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 10, 2022 — Sioux Falls, SD — Denny Sanford PREMIER Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 11, 2022 — Omaha, NE — CHI Health Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 12, 2022 — Grand Forks, ND — Alerus Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 16, 2022 — Nashville, TN — Bridgestone Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 17, 2022 — Nashville, TN — Bridgestone Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
March 18, 2022 — Nashville, TN — Bridgestone Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
April 21, 2022 — Corpus Christi, TX — American Bank Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
April 22, 2022 — San Antonio, TX — AT&T Center — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
April 23, 2022 — Lafayette, LA — CAJUNDOME — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
April 28, 2022 — Green Bay, WI — Resch Center — TBD and Larry Fleet*
April 29, 2022 — Des Moines, IA — Wells Fargo Arena — TBD and Larry Fleet*
April 30, 2022 — Kansas City, MO — T-Mobile Center — TBD and Larry Fleet*
May 12, 2022 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet^
May 13, 2022 — Rapid City, SD — Summit Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
May 14, 2022 — Billings, MT — First Interstate Arena — HARDY and Larry Fleet*
June 2, 2022 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion — HARDY^
June 3, 2022 — Raleigh, NC — Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek — HARDY^
June 4, 2022 — Bristow, VA — Jiffy Lube Live — HARDY^
June 16, 2022 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center — HARDY^
June 23, 2022 — Gilford, NH — Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion — HARDY^
June 24, 2022 — Gilford, NH — Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion — HARDY^
June 25, 2022 — Darien Center, NY — Darien Lake Amphitheater — HARDY^
July 7, 2022 — Saratoga Springs, NY — Saratoga Performing Arts Center — HARDY^
July 8, 2022 — Syracuse, NY — St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview — HARDY^
July 21, 2022 — Burgettstown, PA — The Pavilion at Star Lake — HARDY^
July 30, 2022 — Ridgefield, WA — RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater — TBD^
Aug. 5, 2022 — Atlanta, GA — Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood — HARDY^
Aug. 11, 2022 — Mansfield, MA — Xfinity Center — HARDY^
Aug. 12, 2022 — Hartford, CT — XFINITY Theatre — HARDY^
Aug. 25, 2022 — Wichita, KS — INTRUST Bank Arena — HARDY^
Aug. 26, 2022 — Rogers, AR — Walmart AMP — HARDY^
Aug. 27, 2022 — St Louis, MO — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre — HARDY^
Sept. 7, 2022 — Albuquerque, NM — Isleta Amphitheater — HARDY^
Sept. 9, 2022 — Nampa, ID — Ford Idaho Center — HARDY^
Sept. 10, 2022 — West Valley City, UT — USANA Amphitheatre — HARDY^
Sept. 15, 2022 — Chula Vista, CA — North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre — HARDY^
Sept. 16, 2022 — Mountain View, CA — Shoreline Amphitheatre — HARDY^
Sept. 17, 2022 — Wheatland, CA — Toyota Amphitheatre — HARDY^
Sept. 24, 2022 — Los Angeles, CA — STAPLES Center — HARDY^