Ross Copperman. Photo: Gus Black
With 30 No. 1 country songs to his credit, Ross Copperman is a well-known name on Music Row. He’s been a part of massive country hits with Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker and more. He’s earned numerous songwriter awards, including two CMA Triple Play Awards and an ACM Songwriter of the Year win. Additionally, Copperman’s production work has garnered him several Grammy nominations.
While his work in the country space has no doubt kept him busy, Copperman’s musical story started in 2006 as an artist signed to the UK-based Photogenic Records—where Natasha Bedingfield was signed at the time. While he had success with pop-rock songs “As I Choke” and “All She Wrote,” Copperman felt the pull to something different.
“I did a lot of touring and making records—I did my time in the UK and I got burned out on being an artist when I was younger. I didn’t know what I was doing,” Copperman tells MusicRow.
With a need for a new direction, Copperman returned home to the United States and headed to Music City. “I knew that I was a songwriter first and I knew that Nashville was the Mecca of songwriting. I also knew that the way I wrote songs was in a very Nashville-style way of writing songs. So I came here and was embraced by the community immediately. I found people that loved songwriting as much as I did. I fell in love with it like everyone else that comes here and falls in love with it.”
Now, with nearly 20 years of success as a hit songwriter under his belt, Copperman is returning to the artist spotlight.
“That desire was always there. It never went away, I just buried it for a long time,” Copperman says. “The pandemic happened and I was like, ‘If I’m going to do it, this would be the time to do it.’ It gave me the time to be able to focus on it, and I found a team that believed in me and my music. That was a huge part of it, finding people that actually believed in what I was doing.”
Copperman signed with Photo Finish Records, and in May released his first EP in years, Somewhere There’s a Light On. The five-track project features piano-driven pop songs, with lyrical concepts that nod to Copperman’s country repertoire.
“I started writing these songs years ago, I’ve really always been writing these songs. I had the session with Ed Sheeran and we wrote ‘Electricity’ and ‘Therapy’ in the same day. I fell in love with those two songs, I was secretly hoping nobody would cut them. A year and a half passed and I played them for every artist in town because I was so excited,” Copperman says. “It just didn’t fit in country music. I finally asked Ed for his blessing to put them out myself and he was so gracious and supportive. That was a huge turning point for me.”
The title track for the project is an ethereal pop ballad with a fascinating bass drop, and finds Copperman singing the comforting message: “Take your time, feed your soul, if you ever find yourself alone, and you need a place that feels like home, somewhere there’s a light on.”
“The message behind that song is everything I stand for as an artist, reminding people that there’s good out there and no matter how hard your day is, somebody else is experiencing the same thing somewhere. Somewhere there’s a light on for you”
“Alex Mendoza, who co-produced this record with me, really helped me find my sound. My having produced so many albums, I felt like I needed that outside voice to help guide me. I wanted to be the artist in this scenario, I didn’t want to be producing myself, ” Copperman says of the project’s unique sound. “Alex brought perspective and was able to see it from 30,000 feet, whereas when you are the artist and you’re making music, it’s hard to see it from a different perspective. He brought a young energy to it, which really suited the songs. And he just brought perspective for me to be like, ‘Let’s do a drop here after this chorus.’ That’s my dream, to do songs with drops–I know how to make a country drop, but I don’t know how to do a legit pop drop.”
While Copperman admits he is a songwriter first, he’s excited to return to his own artistry.
“My dream is to ultimately play theaters, to get to that point where I can do theaters. I’m going to continue to just put out songs, I have more lined up to come this year,” Copperman sums. “I just want to continue to grow it and to give it all I have with a new sense of grounding.”
Copperman’s Somewhere There’s A Light On, his first collection of original music released in 10 years, is out now.
Industry Ink: Parmalee & Blanco Brown, Visionary Media Group, PLA Media
/by Lydia FarthingParmalee, Blanco Brown Receive Platinum Certification For ‘Just The Way’
Pictured (L-R): Josh McSwain (Parmalee), Scott Thomas (Parmalee), JoJaime Hahr (SVP, BBR Music Group), Blanco Brown, David Fanning (33 Creative), Jon Loba (President, BMG Nashville), Rick Shedd (GM, BBR Music Group), Matt Thomas (Parmalee), Barry Knox (Parmalee)
Parmalee and Blanco Brown were recently presented with commemorative plaques for their Platinum-certified smash hit “Just the Way.” The international hit song has reached No. 1 on U.S. and Canadian country radio, and is also currently in the top 25 on Hot AC radio.
The artist’s BBR Music Group team surprised the group during their performance at Whiskey Jam in Nashville in front of a packed audience.
O.N.E The Duo Signs With Visionary Media Group
O.N.E The Duo
Mother-daughter singer-songwriters O.N.E The Duo have inked a deal with Nashville-based Visionary Media Group, with plans to release their debut single in 2021.
O.N.E The Duo is comprised of Prana Supreme Diggs and Tekitha who both have deep roots in music royalty: Prana’s father is RZA, founder, producer, and de-facto leader of Wu-Tang Clan, while Tekitha is known for her work as the female featured vocalist of Wu-Tang Clan. O.N.E The Duo, which stands for Observant, Noetic, and Effervescent, draws from a diverse range of musical influences including Chris Stapleton, Fleetwood Mac, The Judds, and Motown.
“Growing up, my mom used to host these big jam session parties at our house,” Prana shares. “It was probably one of the highlights of my childhood, getting to hang out with all these singers, musicians, rappers, poets, etc. Usually, at these jams, Mom and I would freestyle a song together—and it was the morning after one of these jam parties that the idea of us singing and writing our own songs together came to my mind.”
Attracted to the creative energy and storytellers of Nashville, Prana Supreme and Tekitha traveled out and spent time immersed in the art, culture and sounds of Music City in the summer of 2015. Amidst meetings with producer Bar None and writing songs with Rebecca Lynn Howard and Elisha Hoffman, O.N.E The Duo was born. Today, they’ve made Music City their home with the goal to tell their story through as many different mediums as possible — the written word, film, and through music.
PLA Media Adds Stokoff To Its Artist Roster
Stokoff
PLA Media has added Spanish country recording artist Stokoff to its growing roster. The Colombia native is expanding the borders of the country genre by releasing both original music and translated hits to country music’s Spanish speaking audience.
“Octavio Stokoff is a multi-cultural artist with Colombian and German roots singing country music in Spanish!” says PLA Media Founder Pam Lewis. “It doesn’t get to be more of a melting pot than that. We are delighted to be working with this talented, versatile guy.”
Stokoff released his most recent album, Country Music Hits En Español Y Mas, in early 2021 and has garnered over one million total streams on Spotify. The collection of 17 tracks includes his translation of hits by Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Old Dominion, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, and Tim McGraw alongside his original songs.
In Colombia, his singles “Si Tu no Estás,” “Quiero Ser” and “Todo ha Cambiado” have hit the top of the charts with the latter also recently featured on Country Music’s Country Wide & Breaking Mexican Music playlists on Apple Music. Throughout his career, Stokoff has performed at the Latin Billboard Awards in Las Vegas and opened for Ricardo Arjona and Franco de Vita.
Acclaimed Nashville Songwriter Ross Copperman Finds Artist Voice Again [Interview]
/by LB CantrellRoss Copperman. Photo: Gus Black
With 30 No. 1 country songs to his credit, Ross Copperman is a well-known name on Music Row. He’s been a part of massive country hits with Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker and more. He’s earned numerous songwriter awards, including two CMA Triple Play Awards and an ACM Songwriter of the Year win. Additionally, Copperman’s production work has garnered him several Grammy nominations.
While his work in the country space has no doubt kept him busy, Copperman’s musical story started in 2006 as an artist signed to the UK-based Photogenic Records—where Natasha Bedingfield was signed at the time. While he had success with pop-rock songs “As I Choke” and “All She Wrote,” Copperman felt the pull to something different.
“I did a lot of touring and making records—I did my time in the UK and I got burned out on being an artist when I was younger. I didn’t know what I was doing,” Copperman tells MusicRow.
With a need for a new direction, Copperman returned home to the United States and headed to Music City. “I knew that I was a songwriter first and I knew that Nashville was the Mecca of songwriting. I also knew that the way I wrote songs was in a very Nashville-style way of writing songs. So I came here and was embraced by the community immediately. I found people that loved songwriting as much as I did. I fell in love with it like everyone else that comes here and falls in love with it.”
Now, with nearly 20 years of success as a hit songwriter under his belt, Copperman is returning to the artist spotlight.
“That desire was always there. It never went away, I just buried it for a long time,” Copperman says. “The pandemic happened and I was like, ‘If I’m going to do it, this would be the time to do it.’ It gave me the time to be able to focus on it, and I found a team that believed in me and my music. That was a huge part of it, finding people that actually believed in what I was doing.”
Copperman signed with Photo Finish Records, and in May released his first EP in years, Somewhere There’s a Light On. The five-track project features piano-driven pop songs, with lyrical concepts that nod to Copperman’s country repertoire.
“I started writing these songs years ago, I’ve really always been writing these songs. I had the session with Ed Sheeran and we wrote ‘Electricity’ and ‘Therapy’ in the same day. I fell in love with those two songs, I was secretly hoping nobody would cut them. A year and a half passed and I played them for every artist in town because I was so excited,” Copperman says. “It just didn’t fit in country music. I finally asked Ed for his blessing to put them out myself and he was so gracious and supportive. That was a huge turning point for me.”
The title track for the project is an ethereal pop ballad with a fascinating bass drop, and finds Copperman singing the comforting message: “Take your time, feed your soul, if you ever find yourself alone, and you need a place that feels like home, somewhere there’s a light on.”
“The message behind that song is everything I stand for as an artist, reminding people that there’s good out there and no matter how hard your day is, somebody else is experiencing the same thing somewhere. Somewhere there’s a light on for you”
“Alex Mendoza, who co-produced this record with me, really helped me find my sound. My having produced so many albums, I felt like I needed that outside voice to help guide me. I wanted to be the artist in this scenario, I didn’t want to be producing myself, ” Copperman says of the project’s unique sound. “Alex brought perspective and was able to see it from 30,000 feet, whereas when you are the artist and you’re making music, it’s hard to see it from a different perspective. He brought a young energy to it, which really suited the songs. And he just brought perspective for me to be like, ‘Let’s do a drop here after this chorus.’ That’s my dream, to do songs with drops–I know how to make a country drop, but I don’t know how to do a legit pop drop.”
While Copperman admits he is a songwriter first, he’s excited to return to his own artistry.
“My dream is to ultimately play theaters, to get to that point where I can do theaters. I’m going to continue to just put out songs, I have more lined up to come this year,” Copperman sums. “I just want to continue to grow it and to give it all I have with a new sense of grounding.”
Copperman’s Somewhere There’s A Light On, his first collection of original music released in 10 years, is out now.
Corey Crowder Spends Fourth Week At No. 1 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellCorey Crowder. Photo: Nicola Harger
As a co-writer on the charting songs “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” (Chase Rice feat. Florida Georgia Line), “Famous Friends” (Chris Young and Kane Brown) and “Minimum Wage” (Blake Shelton), Corey Crowder maintains his positioning at the top of the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart for the fourth week.
Jesse Frasure remains at No. 2, with credit on “Almost Maybes” (Jordan Davis), “Minimum Wage” (Blake Shelton), and “Whiskey And Rain” (Michael Ray).
Ashley Gorley takes the No. 3 position on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, as a co-writer on “Country Again” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Single Saturday Night” (Cole Swindell), “Warning” (Morgan Wallen), and “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton).
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Joybeth Taylor Inks With Kane Brown’s Verse 2 Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (Back Row, L-R): President, Verse 2 Kent Earls, Mya Hansen, Manager of Creative, A&R-Sony Music Publishing Nashville, Rusty Gaston, CEO Sony Music Publishing Nashville, Scott Safford Safford Motley PLC. (Front Row, L-R): Kane Brown and Verse 2’s Joybeth Taylor.
Joybeth Taylor has signed with Verse 2 Music, the Sony Music Publishing joint venture helmed by Kane Brown and publishing veteran Kent Earls.
An Alabama native who began writing songs at the age of seven, Taylor moved to Nashville after to pursue her passion for songwriting. She has independently penned more than 200 songs per year, and made her debut as an artist in 2019 with her EP I See Memories.
“After listening to just a few of her songs, we knew Joybeth was destined for greatness and will add immense value to our roster,” says Earls, president, Verse 2 Music. “We can’t wait for the world to hear many of her incredible songs. It is an honor to be her first publisher. Welcome to the family, JB!”
“I have prayed for this for years,” shares Taylor. “To be able to work with a team like Sony and Verse 2 surpasses everything I prayed for. I’m so grateful to have found a home and family that truly believe in what I do. This is just the beginning!”
Lanco Announces Honky Tonk Hippies Tour, New 5-Song EP
/by Lorie HollabaughLanco is launching the 30-city Honky Tonk Hippies tour this fall, as well as releasing a new 5-song EP of the same name on July 2.
The five-man band will kick off their cross-country run on Sept. 12 in Isle of Palms, South Carolina at The Wind Jammer with Ross Ellis. Running through Dec. 17, the Honky Tonk Hippies tour will roll through the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia, The Van Buren in Phoenix, and Fremont Theater in California before wrapping up at the Grizzly Rose in Denver. Tickets will be available beginning this Friday, June 25 at lancomusic.com.
Honky Tonk Hippies, the band’s upcoming EP, was self-produced by the group as they traveled to the iconic Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record the new music. Comprised of Brandon Lancaster, Eric Steedly, Chandler Baldwin, Jared Hampton, and Tripp Howell, each song on the new project was penned by at least two members.
“For our band, the two things we love more than anything are playing shows and being in the studio,” says Lancaster, the group’s frontman. “So, the minute we were cleared, we booked Fame Studios and started planning this tour. Seeing the dates on a calendar helped us visualize being back on stage, and these songs reflect that feeling. We tracked everything live with all our pent up energy, and it won’t be long until we’re out there with the fans crowd-surfing to it.”
Honky-Tonk Hippies Tour Dates:
09/12/21 Isle of Palms, SC – The Wind Jammer
09/16/21 Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre
09/17/21 Tuscaloosa, AL – Druid City Music Hall
09/18/21 Chattanooga, TN – The Signal
09/24/21 Bay St. Louis, MS – The Whiskey Barrel
09/25/21 Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center – Mars Music Hall
09/30/21 Detroit, MI = Majestic Theatre
10/01/21 Indianapolis, IN – 8 Seconds Saloon
10/02/21 Grand Rapids. MI – The Intersection
10/14/21 Columbia, SC – The Senate
10/29/21 Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
10/30/21 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts (TLA)
11/04/21 Sioux Falls, SD – The District
11/05/21 Clear Lake, IA – Surf Ballroom
11/11/21 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
11/12/21 Rosemont, IL – Joe’s Live
11/13/21 Rootstown, OH – Dusty Armadillo
12/01/21 Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
12/03/21 San Diego, CA – House of Blues San Diego
12/04/21 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
12/07/21 San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater
12/08/21 San Jose, CA – CLub Rodeo
12/09/21 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
12/10/21 Chico, CA – El Rey Theatre – Chico
12/11/21 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
12/12/21 Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
12/14/21 Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Spokane
12/15/21 Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Boise
12/16/21 Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
12/17/21 Denver, CO – Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
Weekly Register: Elle King & Miranda Lambert Earn Top Country Debut Of The Week
/by Lydia FarthingElle King and Miranda Lambert have earned the top country debut this week with “Drunk (And I Don’t Want To Go Home).” The duo earned 4.3 million streams and debut at No. 18 on the country songs chart and No. 146 overall, according to Nielsen.
Luke Combs continues his reign at the top of the country song chart with “Forever After All,” notching another impressive week at 10 million steams. Nelly & Florida Georgia Line also maintain their second spot with “Lil Bit” at 6.9 million streams. Gabby Barrett‘s “The Good Ones” bumps back up to No. 3 with 5.8 million, moving “Nobody” by Dylan Scott down to fourth also with 5.8 million streams. Filling out this week’s top five is Chris Young and Kane Brown‘s “Famous Friends” at 5.4 million streams.
Things have stayed steady this week on the top country albums chart. Morgan Wallen sustains both the No. 1 and No. 4 spots with Dangerous: The Double Album at 50K and If I Know Me at 15K streams. Combs also keeps the second and third spots with What You See Is What You Get and This One’s For You at at 29K and 18K, respectively. Starting Over by Chris Stapleton keeps the No. 5 spot with 13K streams, according to Nielsen.
Alan Jackson, Jimmie Allen, Jennifer Nettles, Mickey Guyton To Perform On ‘A Capitol Fourth’
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (clockwise): Jimmie Allen, Alan Jackson, Mickey Guyton, Jennifer Nettles
The 41st annual A Capitol Fourth, America’s Independence Day celebration on PBS, will be hosted by multi-Platinum recording artist and star of television, film, and Broadway Vanessa Williams. This year’s event will be a pre-recorded show with a live fireworks presentation, in lieu of the traditional live concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
The nation’s 245th birthday celebration will bring performances and tributes from around the country by a wide array of artists. Nashville will be well-represented with performances by country music icon Alan Jackson; ACM New Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen; Grammy Award-winning country artist Jennifer Nettles with the Broadway Inspirational Voices; and Grammy-nominee Mickey Guyton.
Additional performances to take place on A Capitol Fourth include some from multi-Platinum selling music legend Jimmy Buffett; Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winner and two-time Oscar nominee, Cynthia Erivo; three-time Grammy Award-winning and multi-Platinum selling artists Pentatonix; acclaimed actress and singer Auli’i Cravalho (Moana, All Together Now); Diamond-selling and multi-Grammy Award-winning band Train; soul icon and seven-time Grammy Award-winner Gladys Knight; Tony Award-winning Broadway and television star Ali Stroker; and Tony Award-nominated Broadway star Laura Osnes. The National Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly, will also be lending their talent throughout the broadcast.
“As families and friends reunite and the country begins to open up this Fourth of July, we plan to bring you an exciting program with the greatest fireworks display in the nation, performances by the biggest stars and patriotic favorites,” says Executive Producer Michael Colbert. “Make A Capitol Fourth your Independence Day celebration. We have something for everyone’s party.”
World-renowned four-time Grammy Award-winning soprano superstar Renée Fleming will open the show with a special performance of the national anthem. The National Symphony Orchestra will perform John Williams’ inspiring composition “Olympic Fanfare” in tribute to Team USA, honoring the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams as they prepare for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The concert will also honor men and women of our military and their families for their contributions to our nation and their dedication to service.
A Capitol Fourth will air on PBS Sunday, July 4 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. CST, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard over NPR member stations nationwide, and will be streaming on Facebook, YouTube and on the PBS website.
Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, Tanya Tucker, More To Play Girls Just Wanna Weekend
/by Lorie HollabaughBrandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend will return to the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico from Feb. 1-5, 2022.
In addition to multiple sets from Carlile, the event will again feature an all-female lineup with performances by Sheryl Crow, Tanya Tucker, Indigo Girls, Lucius, Margo Price, Yola, KT Tunstall, Allison Russell, Amythyst Kiah and Katie Pruitt as well as a slew of special guests.
Carlile held the inaugural Girls Just Wanna Weekend Festival in 2019 to give an alternative to mainstream festivals in the U.S. that “habitually exclude women as headline artists equal to men.” The 2019 event included performances from Price, Maren Morris, Patty Griffin, Lucius, KT Tunstall, The Secret Sisters and Ruby Amanfu.
Guests will have the choice of staying at with the Hard Rock Hotel resort or UNICO 20°87° Resort—an adult-only luxury resort located just 10 minutes from the Hard Rock. Those who already purchased a pre-book or joined the waitlist can reserve their all-inclusive packages on Tuesday, June 22. Any remaining rooms will go on sale to the public beginning Wednesday, June 23 at 12:00 p.m. CST. Complete details regarding the event and packages are available at girlsjustwannaweekend.
CMA Unveils New Professional & Personal Development Programming For Members
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“We know many of our members may be in different places and positions within their profession,” says CMA Vice President of Community Outreach Tiffany
Among the subjects addressed in the new verticals are Enabling Innovation and Creativity Through the 4 Stages of Psychological Safety; Interviewing and Hiring as Tools for Job Retention; Getting the Best from Yourself and Others – Leveraging Motivation for Leaders; Book Smarts, Street Smarts, or Life Smarts? Understanding Emotional Intelligence to Improve Your Business and Your Leadership, and many more. For more information including dates and times, registration links and any newly added sessions, visit CMAworld.com/programming.
“Our goal is to support CMA members with workshops and content designed to help them grow as leaders,” says Cory Colton of Inflection Point Coaching and Diane Watson of Diane Watson Coaching, facilitators within the programming. “These topics are timely, practical, and relevant across the music industry and help build new skills and perspectives.”
As a result of the pandemic, the programming is currently open to all music industry professionals. Those in the country music industry interested in joining CMA can learn more about applying for membership by clicking here.
Niko Moon, Tenille Arts, Hailey Whitters, More Slated For Faster Horses Festival
/by Lorie HollabaughTenille Arts, Ashland Craft, Ernest, Larry Fleet, Alex Hall, Trea Landon, Tim Montana, Niko Moon, Kylie Morgan, Drew Parker, Lily Rose, Dan Smalley, Sean Stemaly, Sykamore and Hailey Whitters will all be taking the Next From Nashville stage throughout the weekend.
As previously announced, the Faster Horses Festival will return this year with its original 2020 headliners Jason Aldean, Luke Combs, and Thomas Rhett. Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Callista Clark, Russell Dickerson, Riley Green, HARDY, Chris Lane, Tracy Lawrence, David Lee Murphy, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, Mitchell Tenpenny, and DeeJay Silver will also give performances from the Main Stage.
For more information, including the full lineup details, and to purchase tickets, click here.