Leigh Nash, frontwoman of Sixpence None The Richer, has gathered an eclectic group of duet partners on her new six-song collection, The Tide, Vol. 1, slated for release Sept. 24 via Visionary Media Group.
Nash’s recognizable vocal style, made famous on monster hits such as “Kiss Me” and “There She Goes,” blends seamlessly with the partners she’s selected for The Tide, Vol. 1, including Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, Ruby Amanfu, CeCe Winans, Raul Malo, and Nash’s husband and longtime creative partner Stephen Wilson Jr.
The Tide’s tracks run the gamut of styles and stories, from the lament of “Never Again, Every Time” with Tucker, to the sensual cover of the Elton John classic “Your Song,” to the stirring rendition of the hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour” with Winans, and the dissection of the racial experience on “Good Trouble” with Amanfu. Each track serves to further reveal Nash’s diversity as a performer and heart as a storyteller.
“I think the thread is vulnerability, just being open to whatever the creative thing is that whispers in our ear,” Nash said. “Listen to it… trust it. It’s being vulnerable to the moment, to the songs, to the music, to why I’m on this earth.” She continues, “What I’ve found to be true with my songwriting is that I seem to serve a story or song better when it’s something that just happened naturally with me, like an encounter or conversation. I didn’t necessarily write them for this project. They’re a collection of songs that I’ve had that are my favorites, and just hadn’t had their due yet. So this is an exciting opportunity for me to get them out there and work with some of my heroes, too.”
The Tide, Vol. 1 Track List:
1. Made For This (with Stephen Wilson Jr.)
2. Good Trouble (with Ruby Amanfu)
3. Never Again, Every Time (with Tanya Tucker)
4. Your Song (feat. Raul Malo)
5. I Need Thee Every Hour (feat. CeCe Winans)
6. God Gave Me Horses (feat. Vince Gill)
In Pictures: Old Dominion, Sam Hunt, Maren Morris, More Play ACM Party For a Cause
/by Lydia FarthingOld Dominion. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM
The Academy of Country Music hosted its annual ACM Party for a Cause benefiting ACM Lifting Lives on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, which was held for the first time ever at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville.
ACM Party for a Cause was hosted by SiriusXM’s The Highway host Storme Warren, with live performances by Lee Brice, Brett Eldredge, Mickey Guyton, Sam Hunt, Ryan Hurd, Maren Morris, Old Dominion with special guest Caitlyn Smith, Carly Pearce, Tenille Townes, Keith Urban and Trisha Yearwood.
Brett Eldredge. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM
This year’s event preceded the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors celebration taking place this evening (Aug. 25) from Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and livestreaming on Circle Network’s social channels. Circle Network will also air a television special around the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors on Tuesday, Nov. 23.
ACM Party for a Cause is dedicated to celebrating the healing power of music. All proceeds from the event go directly to ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music.
Lee Brice and Carly Pearce. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for ACM
Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM
Sam Hunt. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM
Tenille Townes. Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM
Matthew Ramsey of Old Dominion and Caitlyn Smith. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for ACM
Jeffrey East Signs Joint Publishing Deal With Endurance Music Group, Ash Bowers
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (L-R): EMG Sr. Vice President Mark Ahlberg, EMG Sr. Creative Director Josh Saxe, Jeffrey East, EMG President Michael Martin. Photo: Ed Rode
Endurance Music Group has partnered with writer and producer Ash Bowers to sign breakthrough country and pop singer-songwriter Jeffrey East to a joint publishing agreement.
The Texas-born songwriter spent 15 years in Nashville writer rooms before moving to Los Angeles in July of 2020. His time in Nashville resulted in cuts with artists like Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Chuck Wicks, Home Free, and more.
As an artist, East boasts over 20 million streams, with five songs in constant rotation on Spotify’s Country Coffeehouse playlist. Teaming up with Jonnie Forster at The Penthouse in Beverly Hills, he is currently working on new music while actively writing with and for other artists in both country and pop, with cuts on upcoming releases by Rob Thomas, Eli Young Band, and more.
“I’m so grateful to Ash and to the team at EMG for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to work alongside them in this next chapter of my career,” East shares. “They are the best of the best, and I feel like everything thus far has been leading up to this moment. I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come.”
Endurance Music Group President Michael Martin comments, “I’ve been a fan of Jeffrey’s since the first time I heard his music. It didn’t take long to recognize his creative talents as both a songwriter and an artist. We’re thrilled to welcome Jeffrey to the EMG family!”
“I’m excited to partner with my friends at Endurance to help push Jeffrey’s already impressive songwriting chops to the next level,” Bowers adds. “Jeffery is an amazing songwriter, artist, and an even better guy. The minute the opportunity presented itself to work with him I was all in.”
Leigh Nash Teams With Vince Gill, Tanya Tucker, CeCe Winans, More On New Collection
/by Lorie HollabaughLeigh Nash, frontwoman of Sixpence None The Richer, has gathered an eclectic group of duet partners on her new six-song collection, The Tide, Vol. 1, slated for release Sept. 24 via Visionary Media Group.
Nash’s recognizable vocal style, made famous on monster hits such as “Kiss Me” and “There She Goes,” blends seamlessly with the partners she’s selected for The Tide, Vol. 1, including Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, Ruby Amanfu, CeCe Winans, Raul Malo, and Nash’s husband and longtime creative partner Stephen Wilson Jr.
The Tide’s tracks run the gamut of styles and stories, from the lament of “Never Again, Every Time” with Tucker, to the sensual cover of the Elton John classic “Your Song,” to the stirring rendition of the hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour” with Winans, and the dissection of the racial experience on “Good Trouble” with Amanfu. Each track serves to further reveal Nash’s diversity as a performer and heart as a storyteller.
“I think the thread is vulnerability, just being open to whatever the creative thing is that whispers in our ear,” Nash said. “Listen to it… trust it. It’s being vulnerable to the moment, to the songs, to the music, to why I’m on this earth.” She continues, “What I’ve found to be true with my songwriting is that I seem to serve a story or song better when it’s something that just happened naturally with me, like an encounter or conversation. I didn’t necessarily write them for this project. They’re a collection of songs that I’ve had that are my favorites, and just hadn’t had their due yet. So this is an exciting opportunity for me to get them out there and work with some of my heroes, too.”
The Tide, Vol. 1 Track List:
1. Made For This (with Stephen Wilson Jr.)
2. Good Trouble (with Ruby Amanfu)
3. Never Again, Every Time (with Tanya Tucker)
4. Your Song (feat. Raul Malo)
5. I Need Thee Every Hour (feat. CeCe Winans)
6. God Gave Me Horses (feat. Vince Gill)
Americanafest Unveils Final Round Of Performers For Upcoming Conference
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (top row, L-R): Hayes Carll, Carlene Carter, Matthew Fowler, Granville Automatic; (bottom row, L-R): Avi Kaplan, Ashley Ray, Kamara Thomas, Paul Thorn
The Americana Music Association has announced its final round of showcasing acts for the 2021 Americanafest, running Sept. 22-25 in Nashville.
New additions to the complete lineup of 200+ acts include The Brother Brothers, Hayes Carll, Carlene Carter, Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn, Matthew Fowler, The Georgia Thunderbolts, Granville Automatic, Avi Kaplan, Ashley Ray, Amy Speace, Kamara Thomas, Paul Thorn and more.
The first day of festivities will be capped by the Americana Honors & Awards, which celebrates Americana luminaries and welcomes the next generation of trailblazers while offering one-of-a-kind performance pairings at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
On Wednesday evening, patrons can also choose to stop by “Anthony da Costa’s Second Annual FOMO Party” which features performances at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl. Meanwhile, for those who enjoy the revolutionary sounds of the ‘70s, Americanafest’s “Power to the Music: The Songs of 1971” brings together Americana artists on Friday, Sept. 24 at The Basement East to salute emblematic artists of that year. The tribute will be hosted by Tim Jones of Whiskey Wolves of the West.
On Monday, event organizers shared a statement announcing that patrons for every Americanafest-produced event and the Americana Honors & Awards must present proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours in order to access a venue.
For more information on tickets, passes, and Health & Safety Policies, click here.
Brett James, Lori McKenna Named To Recording Academy’s Songwriters & Composers Leadership Council
/by Lydia FarthingThe Recording Academy’s newly launched Songwriters & Composers Wing has named its new Leadership Council. Made up of music creators that span diverse backgrounds and genres, this group will further the Wing’s mission of supporting and advocating on behalf of songwriters.
“The Wing’s mission is to provide composers and songwriters a home base in the industry that presents opportunities, advocates on their behalf, and celebrates their important contributions to our music community,” shares Susan Stewart, Managing Director of the Recording Academy Songwriters & Composers Wing. “We’re thrilled to take action alongside our newly established Leadership Council to help further the Wing’s mission of amplifying the work and voices of creators that call these crafts home.”
The Leadership Council will join the previously announced Honorary Chairs Lamont Dozier, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Ashley Gorley, Carole King, Jimmy Jam, Tania León, Gustavo Santaolalla, Valerie Simpson, Diane Warren, and Hans Zimmer. Recording Academy Trustee Evan Bogart serves as the Songwriters & Composers Wing Chair and Stewart is the newly appointed Managing Director.
The Council will meet regularly to inform the Wing’s direction and help foster recognition for songwriters of all genres. The Wing has also partnered with The Latin Recording Academy to better serve global creators who identify as songwriters and composers. Through offerings such as panels, mixers, songwriting retreats, and mentorship, the Wing provides opportunities for recognition, networking, and collaboration. It also spotlights emerging opportunities for song and scoring achievement, and amplifies songwriters and composers’ role in policy discussions for fair compensation for creators.
Hailing from the Academy’s 12 Chapters and The Latin Recording Academy, the Leadership Council consists of:
Ivan Barias
Edgar Barrera
Mason Bates
Emily Bear
Claudia Brant
Bryan-Michael Cox
Erika Ender
Sue Ennis
J.J. Hairston
Sam Hollander
J. Ivy
Brett James
Savan Kotecha
Luciano Luna
Lori McKenna
Eduardo Osorio
Tayla Parx
Bruce Robison
Georgia Stitt
Justin Tranter
Christopher Tin
Emily Warren
Jay Weigel
Ray Fulcher Releases First Radio Single Ahead Of Debut Album
/by Lorie HollabaughRay Fulcher. Photo: Rachel Deeb
Ray Fulcher has officially released his debut country radio single, “Girl in It,” from his upcoming EP, Larkin Hill Mixes, set for release on Sept. 17 via Black River. In celebration of the EP release, Fulcher will be playing an 18+ show at Nashville’s Exit/In on Wednesday, Sept. 15th, with guests Faren Rachels and Southerland.
“Girl In It,” which was released on June 25, quickly made an impression and debuted on top playlists, including Apple’s New In Country, Amazon’s Breakthrough Country, Pandora’s New Country and New Country Now, and Spotify’s Next From Nashville, New Music Nashville, and RADAR Country.
Teaming up with Jonathan Singleton to produce the new project, the pair dug in to create a Memphis-meets-’90s country sound. Whether it’s “Way Out” which pits the notion of how far out of town one lives with the idea of escape, the country living truths in “Compliment,” or “Damn If It Didn’t Hurt” which gives Fulcher’s truth-telling take on life’s little defeats, the upcoming project delivers songs that distill a slower way of life.
Fulcher has already made his mark as a writer, having co-written eight songs on Luke Combs‘ 2020 CMA Album of the Year What You See Is What You Get, along with eight more from This One’s for You. Four of which–”When It Rains It Pours,” “Even Though I’m Leaving,” “Lovin’ on You” and “Does to Me”– went all the way to No. 1.
The seasoned songwriter recently made his Grand Ole Opry debut on June 25. This fall, he will join Combs on his “What You See Is What You Get” tour and will support Ashley McBryde on select dates.
2. Girl in It – Ray Fulcher, Erik Dylan, James McNair
3. Way Out – Ray Fulcher, Ross Copperman, Andrew DeRoberts, Jon Nite, Taylor Phillips, Michael Ray
4. Bucket List Beers – Ray Fulcher, Luke Combs, Tim Nichols, Chris Yarber
5. Damn If It Didn’t Hurt – Ray Fulcher, Drew Parker, Jordan Walker
Carrie Underwood Graces Sunday Night Football Show Open For 9th Consecutive Season
/by Steven BoeroCarrie Underwood. Photo: Chris Haston/NBC
On Sunday, Sept. 12, seven-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-Platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood will star in the 2021 debut show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Shot at Industrial Light & Magic’s cutting edge LED sound stage and utilizing the StageCraft LED virtual production technology, the show open will feature a virtual football tailgate as a backdrop for Underwood’s performance of “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night.”
“Shooting the new show open for Sunday Night Football is one of the highlights of my year,” says Underwood, who headlines the SNF show open for her ninth consecutive season. “I just love the fact that we get to reinvent it every year. The team behind these shoots is incredible and it’s always a really fun day, especially this year getting to work with such amazing state-of-the-art technology.”
NBC’s Sunday Night Football has been primetime television’s No. 1 program for an unprecedented 10 consecutive years and will now utilize the same cutting edge technology recently used in “The Mandalorian.” The show open will also highlight user-generated cameos from some of the NFL’s biggest stars, as well as fans’ self-recorded video from NFL tailgates.
“We are excited about this year’s new collaboration with Carrie, which utilizes virtual production technology to generate real-time environments for Carrie’s performance, including a ‘tailgate’ to salute this game’s great fans, who have been ‘waiting all day for Sunday night’ and will be incorporated with their own user-generated tailgate videos,” says Tripp Dixon, creative director of the SNF show open.
The first SNF game of the 2021-2022 season will be on Sept. 12 as the Chicago Bears take on the Los Angeles Rams at the SoFi Stadium in California.
Kelly Rich To Exit Amazon Music
/by LB CantrellKelly Rich
Kelly Rich will exit her position as Amazon’s Head of Country Music, MusicRow has confirmed. Her last day will be Aug. 30.
Rich joined Amazon four years ago after time at Big Machine Label Group, UMG Nashville, DreamWorks, Arista Nashville, BMG and Western Merchandisers. At Amazon she worked with artists and labels to drive collaborative efforts around content launches, events and promotions.
Rich has been honored multiple times, with inclusion on power player lists in Billboard and Variety, awards from the Nashville Business Journal and MusicRow’s Rising Women on the Row.
Amazon has posted a job opening for Head of Country Music, Nashville Office. Click here to view the application.
Dennis Quaid Plots Fall Tour In Advance Of New Album
/by Lorie HollabaughDennis Quaid. Photo: Derrek Kupish
Dennis Quaid has announced plans for a 12-city tour this fall that will take him to venues like Sony Hall in New York, the Acorn in Three Oaks, Michigan, and City Winery in Nashville. The tour kicks off Oct.30 and runs through Nov. 15.
During the tour, Quaid will tell tales from his film career and stories behind the songs that will appear on his forthcoming album set for release in 2022 via Gaither/Primary Wave. During the show, Quaid will cover some of his favorite songs, including some by Jerry Lee Lewis, rock ‘n’ roll classics, and country standards.
Quaid is an Emmy Award and two-time Golden Globe nominee, and is also a respected singer-songwriter with hundreds of thousands of miles under his belt as a recording and touring musician. After years of playing clubs with Dennis Quaid and The Sharks, they released their debut album, Out of the Box, in November 2018.
FlyteVu Adds 11 New Staff Members, Promotes 3
/by Lydia FarthingFlyteVu, a Nashville-based full-service entertainment marketing agency, has announced a wave of new hires and promotions over the past month.
New hires for the Talent & Influencer and Media Departments include Chris Simmons as Head of Talent & Influencers and Ellen Prinzi as Integrated Media Director. Simmons was formerly VP of Celebrity & Influencer Marketing at The Marketing Arm and Prinzi was Director of Business Development at Gateway Blend.
Rachel Reynolds, who previously held the title of Senior Director of Creative Content Production at Concord Records, has been added to FlyteVu as a Producer, and Hannah Sandfeld, formerly Digital Manager at Golin, has been added as a Talent Strategist. FlyteVu has also added McKenna Monk as Digital Strategist; Sara McCauley as Account Manager; and Lauren Miller as Senior Account Manager.
Additionally, FlyteVu hosted a first-of-its-kind hiring session on the drop-in audio app, Clubhouse. Out of it, FlyteVu brought on five new hires including Rachel Brittain, Kaetlin Fehl, Milan Nolen, and Wayne Leeloy. Their collective experience includes time at TikTok, Turner Sports, CANVAS and Vector Management.
FlyteVu has also promoted three staff members, including Brittany Rashkin to Director of Publicity, Sina Seger to VP of Accounts, and Miriam Singer to Director of Operations.