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.”

Robert Carlton

Robert Carlton is Sr. VP of Development at SMACK, the Nashville entertainment company that now involves a successful publishing house (SMACKSongs), management firm (SMACKManagement), and a recently launched influencer marketing service (SMACKTok).

A Nashville native and MTSU graduate, Carlton began his career at Black River. In 2014, he moved to SMACK and has since ascended to run the artist management division, which represents Shane McAnally’s television projects (including NBC’s Songland), Monument Records artist Walker Hayes and UMG artist Kylie Morgan. Carlton also works with SMACK’s publishing roster.

Carlton and the SMACK team have had a whirlwind few months as Hayes has experienced monumental success with his hit “Fancy Like,” from his recent EP Country Stuff.

The tune, co-written by Hayes, Cameron Bartolini, Shane Stevens and Josh Jenkins, has charmed the hearts of listeners across the world with its lyrics about a cheap date night at Applebee’s. Hayes sings “We fancy like Applebee’s on a date night, got that Bourbon Street steak with the Oreo shake / Get some whipped cream on the top too, two straws, one check, girl, I got you.”

Once Hayes and his daughter Lela uploaded a TikTok of the two of them dancing to the song, “Fancy Like” took off, with other creators and celebrities sharing their own TikToks of the dance. Just a month later, the TikTok has been viewed over 30 million times and “Fancy Like” ventured into the zeitgeist, hitting No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country streaming chart. On the country radio front, “Fancy Like” flew up the charts, making the biggest jump into the Top 10 on the Mediabase Country chart since Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” in early 2004. It also hit No. 1 on MusicRow‘s CountryBreakout Radio Chart on Friday (Oct. 15).

“People just gravitated towards the ordinary with Walker,” Carlton tells MusicRow of the song’s success. “[Taking it to TikTok] was obvious from the jump. The dance idea was just him and his daughter… It wasn’t strategized in a real specific way.”

Now “Fancy Like” backs an Applebee’s commercial, a collaboration we all saw coming. Carlton says that the restaurant chain wasn’t interested at first, but once the song took off, they re-considered. After the release of the track, CNN reported that Applebee’s sales grew 102% in the months following. “It was a no brainer at that point, they just had to pay a little more than they would have on the front end,” Carlton quips.

Walker Hayes and Kesha. Photo: Adam Battaglia

Hayes also partnered with pop artist Kesha on a remix for the tune. “We were trying to find someone who made sense, that you thought might go to Applebee’s,” Carlton says. “Walker and Kesha had a call about it. She said ‘I actually got thrown out of an Applebee’s because my friend got in a fight there.’ He was like, ‘Perfect. You’re it!'”

Although Hayes has been experiencing what seems like an overnight success with “Fancy Like,” the singer-songwriter has been putting the work in for 10 years. Fans have long-gravitated to Hayes’ very specific musical style, with songs like the double-Platinum “You Broke Up With Me,” and popular “90s Country” and “Don’t Let Her” creating a buzz with listeners.

When it comes to the titanic success of “Fancy Like,” Carlton says that it’s been a long time coming.

“Walker has an incredible ability to connect with his fans and build his base 1 by 1 but having this massive moment happen so suddenly is sometimes hard to appreciate and accept,” Carlton admits. “I think I’m too close to it to really allow myself enjoy it although I’m constantly telling myself to do so. It seems like every day something else amazing happens with this song and Walker and I are in disbelief asking each other ‘WHAT IS HAPPENING?’ It’s really been special to see this happen first hand with an artist and individual that is as talented and as genuine as they come.”