ASCAP To Hold Country Music Awards On Social Media

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ASCAP will celebrate the writers and publishers of some of the most performed country songs of the past year in virtual form for 2021. The 59th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards will take place Monday, Nov. 8 through Wednesday, Nov. 10 across all ASCAP social media platforms.

Exclusive video performances, acceptance speeches, and photos from some of country music’s biggest stars and songwriters, using the hashtag #ASCAPAwards, will be shared via ASCAP on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

The complete list of winners will be posted on ascap.com on Nov. 8.

Industry Ink: Riley Green, CRS, Michael Martin Murphey, Tammy Hyler

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Riley Green’s “There Was This Girl” Goes Platinum

Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Riley Green, BMLG Records President/CEO Jimmy Harnen, Big Machine Label Group A&R EVP Allison Jones.

Singer-songwriter Riley Green recently celebrated the RIAA Platinum certification for his debut single, “There Was This Girl.”

The song, written alongside Erik Dylan, also marked his first No. 1 at country radio. The track hit No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart on Jan. 24, 2019.

Executives from Big Machine Label Group–Scott Borchetta, Allison Jones and Jimmy Harnen–commemorated the occasion with a special plaque at their Nashville office.

Green will kick off his “We Out Here Tour” on Nov. 3 in Athens, Georgia. The headline dates will run through February 2022 with special guests Corey Smith, Kameron Marlowe and Mike Ryan.

The 2020 ACM Awards New Male Artist of the Year spent the summer on Dierks Bentley’s “Beers On Me Tour” and has previously opened for acts such as Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley and Jon Pardi.

 

CRB Opens Applications For Rusty Walker Scholarship Program

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) is now accepting applications for the Rusty Walker Scholarship program.

Each scholarship includes a full CRS 2022 registration, as well as airfare and accommodations for three nights. Eligible applicants must be full-time radio station employees and first-time CRS attendees.

The Rusty Walker Scholarship program is named in honor of Country Radio Hall of Fame member Rusty Walker, who passed away in May 2012 at the age of 59.

Country’s Radio Coach Owner/CEO and CRB Scholarship Chairman John Shomby says, “We continue to strive to attract talented, young broadcasters to the seminar, especially in the name of Rusty Walker, who, for years, cultivated some of the best young talent in our industry. The scholarship provides some unique opportunities to network with some of the best in the business and begin some long-lasting mentoring relationships. Once again, I thank the CRB Board of Directors for their continued overwhelming support of this honor.”

CRS 2022 is slated for February 23-25 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. The last day for scholarship submissions is Nov. 5. To apply, click here.

 

Michael Martin Murphey To Join The Texas Trail Of Fame

Michael Martin Murphey

Michael Martin Murphey will be inducted into The Texas Trail of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Livestock Exchange Building in the historic Ft. Worth Stockyards. A sold-out recognition dinner is set for Thursday, Oct. 21.

The Texas Trail of Fame was established to honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Western way of life. Along the walkways of the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, bronze inlaid markers are placed in recognition of honorees’ achievements.

Murphey blends many genres, including pop, country, Western, Celtic, jazz and bluegrass, and focuses on his personal life as a Southwestern “pilgrim.” Murphey has released over 35 albums, and his song “Wildfire” is among the most-aired songs in radio history. His other hits include “Carolina In The Pines,” “Cowboy Logic,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “What’s Forever For?” “Long Line of Love,” “Boy From The Country,” and “Cherokee Fiddle,” among others.

Murphey’s Trail of Fame marker will be placed in front of Billy Bob’s Texas.

 

Tammy Hyler, Smashville Entertainment Nominated At Franklin International Indie Film Festival

Award-winning, renowned songwriter, music industry professional and film producer, Tammy Hyler (Smashville Entertainment) will celebrate her most recent collaborative TV/film project, Way Back In The Woods at the 5th Annual Franklin International Indie Film Festival in November.

The short film, created and produced by Hyler, co-written by Hyler and Dan Backman, was produced as the pilot for a ten-episode, hour-long television series. Way Back In The Woods also celebrated accolades from the New York Independent Cinema Awards, and LA Independent Film Awards earlier this year.

Shot in Nashville, Fairview and Primm Springs, Tennessee, the film is a fictional story of four young sisters, born and raised in the Tennessee backwoods. Abandoned by their parents as young children, the girls are left to fend for themselves where they learn to hunt, fish and carry on with the family underground moonshine distillery. A wounded hunter stumbles upon their them, forcing the girls to decide his fate.

“The concept for Way Back In The Woods was derived from a song that Shaye Smith, Alexis Ebert and I wrote. We shot the corresponding music video and the storyline for the series just seemed to write itself. I couldn’t get it down on paper fast enough,” shares Hyler. “The pilot has been dubbed Little Women in the woods, meets Succession, meets Outer Banks by industry insiders. I’m so very proud in the early welcome and praise, to be honored by the Franklin International Indie Film Festival, and to celebrate the achievement at the screening in our backyard where the film was made.”

The festival will be held at The Factory in the Franklin Mockingbird Theater from Tuesday, Nov. 9, through Sunday, Nov. 14. With more than 151 films submitted, Way Back In The Woods is nominated in multiple categories, including Doc Feature, Best Short Film, Best Tennessee Short Film, and Audience Favorite.

Miranda Lambert’s Muttnation Fund Receives Aid From Country Music Association

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Miranda Lambert. Photo: Acacia Evans

Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Fund at Waggle has expanded its program to help all pet owners employed in the music community with support from the Country Music Association’s Music Industry COVID Support initiative.

Initially created to assist music community members impacted by COVID-19 with vet bills, the MuttNation Fund will now help anyone in the industry with their pet’s medical bills for any reason. Applications for the MuttNation Fund are open now.

“We know there are still many people dealing with the impact of the pandemic, and it’s clear there will be a need long after it’s passed because unexpected vet bills can be overwhelming,” says Lambert. “We want the music community to know we’re here to help. So, if you’re associated with the music industry, have a pet that needs veterinary care, and you need a helping hand–MuttNation and the CMA are here for you.”

One hundred percent of the donations received are sent directly to the pet’s attending veterinarian. If more than enough funds are raised for any one pet, the extra funds rollover into the MuttNation Fund to keep helping more animals.

“We are proud to see how Miranda and MuttNation are expanding this partnership,” adds Tiffany Kerns, CMA VP of Community Outreach and CMA Foundation Executive Director. “As a pet parent myself, I know first-hand the financial obligation required to care for animals. They are family. We commend Miranda for extending this opportunity to all in our industry who need assistance, whether pandemic-related or not.

Dustin Lynch, Jimmie Allen, More Added To Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa 2022

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Luke Bryan’s 7th Crash My Playa has announced its full lineup of performers for the destination festival set for Jan. 19-22, 2022, in Riviera Cancún, Mexico.

Dustin Lynch will return for his seventh Crash My Playa, this time as a first-time headliner. He rounds out the two previously announced headline nights with Bryan and Jason Aldean.

Ashley McBryde, Riley Green, Jimmie Allen, LoCash, Jameson Rodgers, Lainey Wilson, Caitlyn Smith, and Whitney Duncan along with DJ Rock complete the 2022 artist lineup. Kendell Marvel will also return with a special late-night performance.

Crash My Playa 2022 features four nights of music on a private beach as well as daily pool parties, activities and local adventures. The sold-out event will be hosted at the Moon Palace Cancún.

Event organizers continue to closely monitor recommendations and guidelines imposed by local authorities and The World Health Organization. For more information regarding Health & Safety plans, click here.

CMA Foundation Expands Arts Initiative With TN Department Of Education

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The CMA Foundation has expanded its Tennessee: State of the Arts initiative to offer financial support for arts programs in each of the 147 public school districts across the state of Tennessee.

The next phase of the program is understanding the criteria necessary to establish better arts education programs and discovering barriers affecting the quality of arts education programming to better inform policymaking, district strategic planning, development of resources and support systems, and investment/philanthropic activities.

This will be done with the State of the Arts Study, a first-of-its-kind statewide arts education landscape analysis. The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, one of the CMA Foundation’s long-standing music education partners, will conduct each needs assessment.

Administrators from each district can now apply for a free needs assessment of their arts program to determine inequities that exist, allowing the CMA Foundation to offer impactful solutions benefitting students.

“The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation applauds the Tennessee Department of Education and the CMA Foundation for recognizing the tremendous impact arts education has on youth development and for utilizing our Music (and Arts) Education District Support Services to conduct this important State of the Arts Study,” says Tricia Williams, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Program Director. “These assessments will inform school, district and state decision-makers as to the current state of arts education at every school and the resources and support needed in order for all students to have access to quality, sequential and sustainable arts programming. This State of the Arts Study will position the state of Tennessee as a leader in the nation utilizing the power of community specific, data-driven information to address and eliminate core issues challenging arts education.”

Originally launched in 2018, the CMA Foundation’s Tennessee: State of the Arts initiative is a public-private partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education, which provided an initial $1 million investment to offer financial support to eight public school districts across the state–Bradley, Coffee, Gibson SSD, Greene, Rutherford, Sevier, Shelby and Warren.

“We have learned a lot about our identity as a music education nonprofit throughout the last 10 years, but I think one of our greatest learnings has been that in order to provide impactful solutions, you need to rely on data and research to truly understand inequities that exist,” says Tiffany Kerns, CMA Foundation Executive Director. “Our expanded needs assessments will allow every district across the state of Tennessee to think strategically about arts access, while also addressing quality issues and strengthening relationships with arts educators. We are firm believers that no dollar is wasted when you are addressing actual needs versus making assumptions. When we can equip public school districts with accurate data, we are able to better prioritize our funding to provide the most impact while also helping our district partners to create long-term strategies.”

Since the initiative’s launch, the CMA Foundation has gained a wealth of knowledge from each of the eight districts and common needs, emerged including the need for high-quality instructional materials and curriculum, educator development, equipment and instructional supplies, student intervention, remediation and enrichment, and innovative programming.

John Rich Sells Cotton Eyed Joe Building On Nashville’s Lower Broadway

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John Rich

John Rich and his partners have closed the sale of the Cotton Eyed Joe building at 200 Broadway in Nashville for $24.5 million this week, which is a 32% profit from the original purchase price of the building in 2019 for $18.5 million. The deal was brokered by Seth Harlan of Robin Realty for TAC 200 Broadway, LLC, and the undisclosed buyer will take possession of the property immediately.

The Cotton Eyed Joe building neighbors Rich’s Redneck Riviera, a honky tonk and restaurant in the district. Nashville’s Lower Broadway district has experienced huge growth with its celebrity-based honky-tonks, an upscale shopping, residential and commercial complex, major TV specials filmed there, the NFL Draft, and more. The area is home to the highest grossing bars and restaurants in Nashville with revenue between $18-$23 million per year, according to Rich.

“I have been playing music and building a dream career in Nashville for well over half of my life,” says Rich. “This town has given me so many opportunities on so many levels, it has literally changed my life. The past decades of singers and songwriters that landed here before me are the shoulders I stand upon, and the new talent that arrives in Nashville in the future will all benefit from a healthy and strong Music City. America gives us the right to pursue our dreams and I have and will continue to do that right here in Nashville.  As this great city continues to evolve, we welcome our new neighbors here on Lower Broad as they set forth on fulfilling their goals.”

Elvie Shane Signs With Warner Chappell Music & Rome Phrey Publishing

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Pictured (L-R): R.J. Romeo (Rome Phrey), Lisa Johnson (Rome Phrey), Elvie Shane, Ben Vaughn (WCM), Will Overton (WCM)

Wheelhouse Records/BMG’s Elvie Shane has signed a publishing deal with Rome Phrey Publishing and Warner Chappell Music Nashville.

A Kentucky native, Shane’s debut single, “My Boy,” a heartfelt song penned about his stepson, is currently No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay and Country Aircheck charts. His debut full length album, Backslider, is set for release Oct. 29. Shane most recently supported Brooks & Dunn on their “Reboot 2021 Tour,” and has previously opened for Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and more.

“When you meet Elvie you understand that he has a voice, a point of view, and he can write songs that make you feel something,” says Ben Vaughn, President & CEO, WCM Nashville. “He’s carving his own path, and his honest and powerful storytelling is really resonating with fans. We’re grateful to be working with R.J. [Romeo] and Lisa [Johnson] to support this talented songwriter.”

Romeo, Co-Owner, Rome Phrey Publishing, adds, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with Ben, Will [Overton], and the entire WCM team. Elvie is an amazingly talented singer/songwriter who has only just begun to tell his story. By partnering with a team that shares our enthusiasm and passion for Elvie’s talents I’m confident that Elvie will continue to write meaningful music that will speak to his fans and touch millions of people all over the world.”

“Songwriting is at the core of everything I do as an artist,” shares Shane. “I come from a place full of hard working blue collar Americans. I’m so proud to join a team of fellow storytellers that care about those folks as much as I do. I love songwriters and this crew is a passionate one. So excited to see what this new creative team adds to my music.”

Apple Unveils New Apple Music Voice Plan, Optimized For Siri

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Apple has announced the Apple Music Voice Plan–a subscription tier for Apple Music designed around the power of Siri. The new plan gives subscribers access to Apple Music’s catalog of 90 million songs, tens of thousands of playlists, and the award-winning Apple Music Radio all through Siri for $4.99 per month.

Users can subscribe through Siri by saying “Hey Siri, start my Apple Music Voice trial,” or by signing up through the Apple Music app. Once subscribed, users can play music across all of their Siri-enabled devices, including HomePod mini, AirPods, iPhone, or any other Apple device, and when using CarPlay.

“Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together,” comments Oliver Schusser, Vice President of Apple Music and Beats. “With Siri actively used on hundreds of millions of devices worldwide, we are thrilled to add this new plan that delivers an effortless music experience just by using your voice and makes Apple Music accessible to even more people around the world.”

Apple Music will also be adding many new mood and activity playlists that are optimized just for voice. Subscribers can ask Siri to “Play the dinner party playlist,” “Play something chill,” or even “Play more like this,” for a personalized music experience. The new playlists will be available for all Apple Music subscribers. Apple Music Voice Plan users will also have access to Apple Music’s entire lineup of playlists, including New Music Daily, Rap Life, Today’s Hits, Today’s Country, A-List Pop, R&B Now, and more.

The Apple Music Voice Plan will be available later this fall in 17 countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Spotify Partners With Shopify To Give Artists Access To In-App Merch Sales

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Spotify and its Spotify for Artists’ newest integration, in partnership with Shopify, will give artists more opportunities to grow additional revenue streams on the platform through merchandise sales.

Through Shopify, artists and their teams will be able to manage inventory and control which items are featured on their profiles. To list their merchandise, artists will need administrative access to their Spotify for Artists account and a Shopify store. Users will be able to choose three items from their store to feature on their artist profile.

“For many fans, Spotify is the primary way they interact with an artists’ music, and we are excited to give artists a new way to capitalize on that moment,” says Camille Hearst, head of Spotify for Artists. “We want to provide artists with as many resources as possible to help turn listeners into fans, fans into superfans and, ultimately, help artists earn more. The integration of Shopify’s powerful backend for powering commerce presents a significant step forward in our efforts to help artists maximize additional revenue streams and give them agency over their careers.”

“Thousands of artists already choose Shopify as their commerce platform, and now we’re bringing fans and artists even closer together with the launch of the Spotify channel. Artists today are entrepreneurial. They’re building multifaceted brands and businesses, and now we’re making it easier for them to meet fans where they are,” adds Amir Kabbara, director of product, Shopify. “By bringing entrepreneurship to Spotify, we’re empowering artists to think beyond the traditional merch table with new ways to monetize, and to experiment with their brands through commerce.”

While any artist around the globe can link their Shopify store during this beta period, Shopify merch will only be visible to listeners in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S.

Chris Young Celebrates Multi-Week No. 1 Single With His “Famous Friends”

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Pictured (L-R): Cary Barlowe, Chris Young, Corey Crowder. Photo: Jeff Johnson

Country star and BMI writer Chris Young joined co-writers Cary Barlowe (SESAC) and Corey Crowder (ASCAP) on Monday (Oct. 18) to celebrate the chart-topping success of the Platinum-certified, multi-week No. 1 single, “Famous Friends” with Kane Brown.

Co-produced by Young and Crowder, “Famous Friends” not only topped the Country Aircheck/Mediabase and Billboard country radio charts, it also spent 15 weeks in the Top 5 on Billboard. It was Young’s twelfth career No. 1 as a recording artist—tenth as a songwriter—and Brown’s sixth.

Earlier this year, Young and Brown took home the CMT Music Awards trophy for Collaborative Video of the Year for “Famous Friends” and the pair are nominated for Single of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year at this year’s CMA Awards.

Brown was not able to attend the party at DawgHouse Saloon on Demonbreun, but was lauded by many for his contribution.

The celebration was hosted by BMI’s Clay Bradley. “This isn’t an ordinary No. 1,” Bradley said. “This one is going to be a recurrent. I hope you like it because you’re going to hear it for the rest of your life.”

Pictured (L-R, front row): Cary Barlowe, Chris Young, Corey Crowder; (L-R, front row): Jesse Frasure (Rhythm House Music), Scott Jungmichel (SESAC), Shannan Hatch (SESAC), Clay Bradley (BMI), Troy Tomlinson (Universal Music Publishing Nashville), Steve Hodges (Sony Music Nashville), Leslie DiPiero (Tree Vibez Music), Rob Beckham (The AMG). Photo: Jeff Johnson

Universal Music Publishing Nashville’s Troy Tomlinson was on hand to talk about UMPG writer Young. He bragged on Young for the quiet community service the singer has become known for. “He is one of the most giving artists in our format,” Tomlinson said. “I absolutely love this song. I appreciate you for writing it and recording it.”

Leslie DiPiero from Tree Vibez Music stepped up to talk about writer and producer Crowder. “We love the song and are looking forward to the CMA win!” DiPiero predicted.

Rhythm House’s Jesse Frasure bragged on his writer, Barlowe. “Cary, we’ve worked together for 15 plus years. In that time, I’ve yet to meet somebody that doesn’t love you. There’s a lot of talented people in this town, but to be loved and liked the way you are is a rarity.”

SESAC’s Shannan Hatch made her first No. 1 party appearance since her return back to the PRO. Sony Music Nashville’s Steve Hodges also spoke about the RCA Records Nashville entertainer, Young.

The co-writers all expressed thankfulness for each other for giving it their all on the record.

Young was emotional when it came time for him to speak. “The past couple years that we’ve all dealt with has been a lot,” Young said. “Being able to put out a song talking about people you grew up with, and have it be a big ole hit on the radio, is thanks to everybody in this room and everybody that’s not in this room that worked on it from the top down.”

Young made sure to thank BMI, Sony Nashville, Rob Beckham and The AMG, WME, his band and crew, business management at Huskins-Harris, and more.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky from top to bottom,” Young says. “This song is all about the people that you know.”