Details Announced For CRS 2022 In-Person Gathering

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Country Radio Seminar (CRS), country music’s largest industry gathering, will return in person at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, on Feb. 23 – 25, 2022.

CRS 2022 will also see the return of the CRS Streaming Summit on Wednesday, Feb. 23—which will likely address the online music listening and streaming subscriptions surge that took place during the pandemic. A one-day pass to attend the streaming summit will be available for $249 per person.

CRS Executive Director, RJ Curtis, says “CRS ’22 will open Wednesday, February 23rd with our 2nd annual, all-day Streaming Summit; enhanced and customized to give attendees a live, unforgettable experience. And, we’ll be revealing additional blockbuster content in the next two weeks that will make CRS ’22 an important, necessary destination for everyone determined to preserve our format’s continued success and longevity. We’ll see you in February!”

Registration for CRS 2022 opens Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. CT at the Early Bird Rate of $549 per person and will be available for purchase at countryradioseminar.com. Effective Aug. 19, the rate will increase to $649 per person. A ticket to the annual New Faces of Country Music Showcase is only included with in-person registration packages and will only be available until full capacity is reached.

Following the success of CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience livestreams, CRS will also be offering a virtual track featuring livestream sessions and on-demand content from the 3-day event. Musical performances will only be available in-person and not available through the virtual experience. The Early Bird rate for a CRS Virtual pass is $99 per person, and effective Aug.19, the rate will increase to $129 per person. Full in-person registrants will also be provided access to the virtual experience and receive the on-demand session library.

CRS Board President, Kurt Johnson, adds, “We’re back—live, in-person and better than ever for CRS ’22. This will indeed be the greatest family reunion ever in country music, and it just wouldn’t be the same without you. So, make plans to join us at the Omni in February!”

Industry Ink: Deluge Music, AIMP, Billy Blue Publishing, StowTown Records

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Deluge Music Launches East Music Row, LLC

Pictured (L-R): Chris Alderman, President Deluge Management; Emily Dryburgh, Creative Director Deluge Music; Johnny Gates; David Robkin, Managing Member Deluge Music. Photo courtesy of Deluge Records.

Deluge Music has launched East Music Row, LLC–a joint venture with parent company Deluge Records specifically created to support artist Johnny Gates and the production, distribution, and marketing of his original music, as well as touring, merchandise, sponsorships, and more. The joint venture will be releasing Gates’ new single “Over You”on Aug. 13, with a full EP set for release in September.

Gates first signed an exclusive publishing deal with Deluge Music in May of 2020 and will continue to be managed by Deluge’s Emily Dryburgh and David Robkin, and supported by Deluge Management, LLC.

“Johnny is an amazing writer, vocalist and performer. His musical experience in Nashville, Los Angeles and New York has been the foundation for his unique, cross-genre music,” says Robkin. “We are thrilled to launch East Music Row and continue to support Johnny’s career.”

“As an artist who has always been caught in between East Nashville and Music Row, I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to not just embrace that–but double down on it,” shares Gates. “East Music Row represents what’s been happening in Nashville for a few years now, and I’m thankful to be a part of a label that is artist-focused, open minded, and ready to shake things up. Deluge has quickly become a home for me, and I’m really excited to launch this next chapter with David and the rest of the Deluge team.”

 

 

AIMP To Host Royalty Q&A Webinar With Stefanie Taub

Stefanie Taub

AIMP will be hosting a Royalty Q&A webinar with AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund CEO, Stefanie Taub, on Aug. 5 at 4:30 p.m. To register for the free webinar, click here.

Throughout the afternoon, Taub will be explaining and answering questions regarding the oftentimes confusing world of royalties, including what they are, who is entitled to them, how to access them, and more.

She will also be discussing the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund (“The Fund”), a nonprofit that collects and distributes royalties to non-featured musicians and vocalists on sound recordings. Since its inception, The Fund has distributed over half a billion dollars in royalties.

 

 

David Morris Inks With Billy Blue Music Publishing

Pictured (L-R): Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director, Billy Blue Music Publishing;
David Morris; Rick Shelton, Vice President of Music Publishing, Daywind Music

Award-winning songwriter David Morris has joined the ranks of Billy Blue Music Publishing, a part of the Daywind Music Group.

With over two dozen cuts by bluegrass artists, including Darin and Brooke Aldridge, Dale Ann Bradley, Greg Blake, Valerie Smith, and Dave Adkins, Morris has two No. 1 songs and three Top 10s to his credit on national bluegrass radio charts.

Morris and co-writers won the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest in 2015 and finished third in the same competition in 2016. He also received the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Writer of the Year award in 2019 for his coverage of bluegrass music for Bluegrass Today.

“I’m excited to join the writing team at Billy Blue Music Publishing and look forward to discovering where this new path will take me,” Morris says. “I feel like I’ve found my home.”

 

 

StowTown Records Adds Three New Acts To Artist Roster

Independent Gospel Music label StowTown Records has added three acts to its multifaceted roster. Platinum-selling tenor David Phelps, genre-spanning trio the Booth Brothers, and award-winning group Legacy Five have each signed exclusive recording agreements with the Johnson City, Tennessee-based company.

“When I was a kid, I used to pretend the living room was my world-class recording studio and the kitchen served as my international headquarters—until Mom made us clean it up for dinner,” shares StowTown Records co-founder Wayne Haun. “As much as I hoped and dreamed it would happen, even I couldn’t imagine what a landmark year 2021 would be for me and our amazing team. I love being surrounded by people who really love this music!”

“I’m so excited to be partnering with the incredible team at StowTown,” Phelps says. “When it’s right you just know it. I look forward to a bright future together, taking music and hope to the world.”

“StowTown will make significant contributions to advancing our effectiveness and reach,” adds the Booth Brothers’ Michael Booth. “I believe their team will help us meet and exceed the high expectations set by the people who have supported us for years. We’re excited about the future and look forward to the positive impact this partnership will bring.”

“As Legacy Five approaches our 22nd year in gospel music, we find ourselves embarking on ‘Something New’ as we partner with StowTown Records,” says Scott Fowler, Legacy Five founding member. “A symbol of excellence and integrity, StowTown represents an amazing family of artists, and we are very honored they have invited us into the fold. We look forward to this journey together.”

Marty Stuart Signs With Sheltered Music Publishing

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Pictured (L-R): Lance Freed (President Sheltered Music Publishing), Marty Stuart, Darrell Franklin (SVP Sheltered Music Publishing)

Marty Stuart has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Sheltered Music Publishing.

A five-time Grammy-winner, Platinum recording artist, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Americana Music Association, Grand Ole Opry star, country music archivist, photographer, musician, and songwriter, Stuart was also most recently inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2020 in the Modern Era Artist category.

Among his current projects are Songs I Sing In The Dark, a collection of songs recorded acoustically at Stuart’s former home outside of Nashville. An upcoming project Altitude, with his Fabulous Superlatives band, is also ready for release, and he and the Fabulous Superlatives are also putting the finishing touches on a yet-untitled cinematic surf record.

“When I met with Marty to ask him to join us at Sheltered Music with our promise to collaborate and help him in all of his future songwriting endeavors, he reached out with open arms and didn’t hesitate to say yes” says Sheltered Music SVP, Darrell Franklin. “Marty hasn’t lost a step as a writer or as a performer and we are honored and privileged that he has agreed to join us.”

“Humility and grace are part of the enduring character of people who have achieved greatness in their chosen field. Marty Stuart has already had a lasting, historical impact on country music,” says Sheltered Music President, Lance Freed.  “We are excited to be part of his next chapter as he continues to add to that legacy as a great musician and songwriter.”

“When it’s all said and done, the most important thing is the song,” states Stuart. “What often invites a great song into the room is an inviting, creative atmosphere, hosted by caring, musical people. You will not find any more loved and respected song men than Lance Freed and Darrell Franklin. Such pros, their track records say it all. It is such an honor to join forces with them.”

Spotify Launches Noteable Releases Playlist To Showcase Songwriters, Producers Behind Songs

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Following Spotify’s Noteable launch in February, the music service is bringing behind the scenes creators into the spotlight with the unveiling of Noteable Releases, the first-ever flagship playlist on Spotify that will highlight the collaborative process of making music and create visibility for the artist projects of songwriters and producers.

Updating every Friday and accompanied by features on the Noteable Releases shelf in the Songwriters Hub and Noteable’s Instagram account, the playlist will include releases from songwriters and producers around the world, from household names to up-and-comers and beyond, providing fans with an opportunity to discover music through a new lens.

Accompanying the playlist’s launch are Spotify Clips from Jack Antonoff, Zaytoven, Finneas O’Connell, Madi Yanofsky, and Autumn Rowe. The format features short videos of the artists putting their personal stamp on the playlist experience, shining a spotlight onto the song creation process and giving a voice to these often behind-the-scenes creators in order to help fans learn more about them.

“As a person who has always been curious who played what role behind the scenes on every project I’ve ever listened to and loved, I’m thrilled,” shares O’Connell. “Wish this had been around when I was 13, I would have eaten it up!”

“I think any way that people can start to understand more about how these records are made and what goes into them and the process is thrilling–I always used to dig up any information I could so the more readily available it is, is cool,” comments Antonoff.

To stream the new weekly curated playlist, click here.

Kobalt Music Ups Jesse Willoughby, Stephanie Cox

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Jesse Willoughby, Stephanie Cox

Kobalt has announced the promotions of Jesse Willoughby as SVP of Business Development and Stephanie Cox as General Manager of the company’s Nashville office. Willoughby will be responsible for the strategic growth of Kobalt’s catalog via acquisitions, partnerships, and high-value direct signings across all genres and markets. In her new position, Cox will oversee and manage Kobalt’s Nashville creative team and the office’s daily operations.

Willoughby joined Kobalt in 2014 as Director of Business Development for Kobalt Neighbouring Rights out of their LA office, growing the business significantly over the next two years with signings including Calvin Harris, Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Shakira, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lukas Graham, A$AP Rocky among many others. After relocating to the Nashville office in 2015, he transitioned into the GM role of Kobalt Nashville in 2016, overseeing the day to day operations and management of Kobalt’s Nashville business.

Under Willougby’s leadership, Kobalt’s Nashville footprint experienced incredible growth, securing such high profile deals and partnerships including Dierks Bentley, SMACK Songs, Little Louder Music founded by Eric Church and Arturo Buenahora, Young Guns, Ben Simonetti, Gordie Sampson, Tommy Lee James, Michael Hardy through Relative Music, and BOOM Music with Keith Urban and Ross Copperman. In addition, Willoughby secured deals with up and coming artists such as Patrick Droney, Petey Martin, Jillian Jacqueline, Devon Gilfillian and Rainbow Kitten Surprise, among others.

“Jesse has been instrumental in establishing Kobalt as a top publisher in the Nashville community. We are excited for him to take on this new role where he will undoubtedly use his expertise and relationships to continue to drive Kobalt’s roster on a global level,” says Chief Experience Officer of Kobalt, Jeannette Perez.

“It’s been an honor to head the Nashville office for the last 5 years, I’m incredibly proud of what we were able to achieve during that time,” Willoughby shares. “I am looking forward to this new challenge and opportunity to further Kobalt’s growth and impact on a global scale.”

Cox started her career at Little Big Town Music, where she learned the art of developing songwriters and identifying career-defining songs for artists. She continued honing her skills at Reba McEntire’s Starstruck Entertainment where she was instrumental in establishing the successful career of Grammy award-winning Mark D. Sanders. She went on to run the creative team at MCA Music and helped them win ASCAP’s prestigious Publisher of the Year award. After, Cox branched out to form Larga Vista Music where she achieved success with multiple No. 1 records with George Strait, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, and The Band Perry.

Previously, Cox was SVP, Creative where she helped build the company’s presence and roster in Nashville. Most recently she was instrumental in the signing and development of hit songwriter and recording artist Hardy.

“Since joining Kobalt in 2011, Stephanie has been a key player in the growth and success of Kobalt Nashville. Stephanie is known in the community to be a creative force,” says Perez. “We’re confident her leadership will be critical in the further growth of Kobalt Nashville for our team, songwriters and partners.”

“I am thrilled to continue my career with one of the most innovative and progressive publishers in the world,” says Cox. “Getting to work with our amazing global creative staff and lead our Nashville office is an amazing opportunity and I am excited for the future.”

Chris Young To Bring His ‘Famous Friends’ On Fall Tour

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Chris Young. Photo: Jeff Johnson

Chris Young is heading back on tour this fall on his newly-announced headlining Famous Friends Tour 2021, which will include 13 arena and amphitheater dates from October through December.

Kicking off Oct. 21 in Little Rock, the tour will visit Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Rochester, Minnesota; Green Bay, Wisconsin; New Braunfels, Texas and more through Dec. 5 , and will feature special guests Mitchell Tenpenny and Callista Clark for the dates. Tickets go on sale beginning Friday, Aug. 6 at chrisyoungcountry.com and all shows will comply with local COVID-19 guidelines.

“Everybody’s been asking me when’s the tour announce – well now you have your answer and I couldn’t be more excited about it,” said Chris. “I’m pumped to be able to share some of this new music on tour!”

Young is gearing up for the release of his eighth studio album Famous Friends this Friday, Aug. 6. Led by the multi-week chart-topping title track with Kane Brown, the 14-song project also includes collaborations with several more of Young’s famous friends, including Tenpenny and Lauren Alaina, plus backing vocals from Sarah Buxton and Hillary Lindsey.

 

Logan Mize Takes Fans To ‘Prairieville’ On New Project

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Logan Mize has announced his upcoming album, Welcome to Prairieville, is due out Oct. 1. He’s offering up the first taste of the project today (July 30) with “George Strait Songs,” a track that pays homage to his roots, highlighting all the best aspects of Middle America that made him who he is.

The album not only celebrates Mize’s rural upbringing, but also showcases his storytelling abilities that have shaped his career. Mize spent nearly a decade developing the concept behind the new album, and co-wrote all but one song on the project.

“My buddy Blake Chaffin and I have been writing together for several years. Early on in our careers, we came up with this concept where we’d basically write songs about an imaginary place that we came to know as ‘Prairieville’,” Mize explains. “Growing up in middle-of-nowhere towns, we took all the characters we’ve encountered over the years, stories that stood out to us and just our life experiences overall, and from there, we painted our own versions into this tiny town. When it’s all said and done, it isn’t exactly a place you can pinpoint on a map, but I like to think it’s a representation of all the one-stoplight towns across the nation. At the very least, we’ve all driven through a Prairieville.”

Welcome to Prairieville  Track Listing:
1. George Strait Songs (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize)
2. Welcome To Prairieville (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize)
3. River Road (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize, Tyler Johnson)
4. Wine at the Church, Beer at the Bar (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize, Jason Blaine)
5. Follow Your Heart (Lynn Hutton, Logan Mize)
6. I Need Mike (Blake Chaffin)
7. If You Get Lucky (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize, Daniel Agee)
8. Tell the Truth (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize)
9. We Ain’t Broke (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize)
10. I Still Miss You (Blake Chaffin, Logan Mize, Jill Martin)
11. It’s About Time (Logan Mize)

MusiCares, The Onsite Foundation To Host ‘The Key Of C’ Workshop

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The Onsite Foundation location

The Onsite Foundation, a non-profit public charity and leader in emotional health education and resources, has partnered with MusiCares to create and host a first-of-its-kind workshop for music industry professionals titled “The Key of C.” The three-day scholarship-based workshop is designed to help music industry professionals process the trauma and sense of loss from the past year, break the cycles that keep them stuck and unable to move forward, and provide a new sense of clarity, freedom, and direction.

The “Key of C” workshop will take place Sept. 1-4 at Onsite Workshops in Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee, and will be available to musicians, singer-songwriters, engineers, stagehands, managers, tour bus drivers, A&R, agents, make-up artists, venue managers, live crews, and anyone else in the music industry who has been affected by the recent pandemic.

According to a Wellness in Music survey launched by MusiCares in October 2020, 51% of survey respondents indicated they had low to very low levels of confidence in being able to afford basic living expenses during the pandemic and 62% indicated experiencing moderately high to very high levels of financial stress, on a daily basis. Music people have also experienced increased levels of mental health struggles, with 26% of respondents experiencing moderate to severe levels of depression, 34.9% of respondents indicated seeking counseling for depression, anxiety, and stress, and 53.5% of those respondents said they were unable to get counseling because they couldn’t afford it.

“The music industry was greatly affected by COVID-19, as individuals lost their sense of security and identity, experienced tremendous loss and grief, and struggled to cope with the loss of control over their own destiny,” says Laura Hutfless, president of The Onsite Foundation Board of Directors. “We are so thankful that MusiCares has stepped up to help us meet this overwhelming need with financial resources.”

“As the leading music charity, MusiCares is dedicated to supporting music people in times of crisis and beyond,” says Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares. “We’re excited to partner with The Onsite Foundation and create these important tools as part of our continued efforts to help music people recover and come back stronger after the pandemic.”

MusiCares will also be underwriting scholarships for qualifying music industry professionals who qualify to attend any other programs through The Onsite Foundation, including Triumph Over Tragedy, Life After Loss, Support in Service, and Haven for Healers.

Applications for The Key of C are now open. For more information on how to apply, click here.

The Oak Ridge Boys To Headline Show After Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

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The Oak Ridge Boys. Photo: by Chris Hollo

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees The Oak Ridge Boys are set to headline the Grand Ole Prix show following the NTT IndyCar Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Sunday, Aug. 8. Alan Jackson was originally set to headline the show but had to dropout due to tour-related travel logistics.

“We are honored and, to be quite honest, very excited about performing in Nashville after the Grand Prix,” says The Oak Ridge Boys’ Joe Bonsall. “Thank you Grand Ole Opry for inviting us to take part in this historical event. Let’s go racing, Nashville!”

The Nashville-based Opry has rarely in its history taken its iconic show outside its home venue and is proud to include The Oak Ridge Boys in such a special night. Danielle Bradbery, Callista Clark, Riley Green, and Justin Moore are also scheduled to perform. The Opry show at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will close out the three-day festival, where fans and attendees will get a chance to experience the true heart of Nashville, as the Opry has been home to country music for 95 years.

Sunday night’s show will start at 7:00 p.m. and will take place on the Main Stage, adjacent to the Fan Zone and sponsor display area near the pedestrian bridge. All concerts are included with individual tickets and three-day passes. Limited single-day grandstand tickets, general admission tickets, and festival add-ons can still be bought on the Grand Prix’s website.

The Oak Ridge Boys’ new album Front Porch Singin’ is available now from Lightning Rod/Thirty Tigers. This is the group’s fourth collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb. The Oak Ridge Boys also recently released the music video for their single “Love, Light, and Healing” from their new album which premiered on CMT and was directed by Brandon Wood of IndieBling.

Chart Action: Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood Duet Excels At Country Radio

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After teasing his new single with a secret duet partner, Jason Aldean released “If I Didn’t Love You” featuring Carrie Underwood last Friday (July 23). Ahead of its impact date on Aug. 2, the single gathered early support from country radio. On the Billboard Country Airplay chart, Aldean and Underwood earned 86 station adds, +1,604 spins, and debuted at No. 20. On Mediabase, the duo landed at No. 31 with 88 new stations and +1,642 spins. On the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart, they debuted at No. 52 collecting +353 spins from 25 stations.

This is the lead single to Aldean’s forthcoming 10th studio album. Aldean shares, “We were pretty close to finishing up this album, but this song came in and we knew we had to record it. I went ahead and put my vocals down while we asked Carrie in the meantime. Luckily she loved the song and it was kind of like a rocket from there. She did her thing like only Carrie can…and I don’t know how, but she made it sound even better than what we expected. It’s a really special song to start this album.”

YouTube video

“If I Didn’t Love You” was written by Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, John Morgan and Lydia Vaughan and produced by Michael Knox.

For more chart data, view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.