Garth Brooks and John Lomax III.
Roots Music Exporters, the company started by John Lomax III, will close Jan. 31 after 25 years in business.
“January 31 will be a melancholic day,” said Lomax, founder/President. “Streaming has eaten too much of our business of shipping CDs, LPs and DVDs to importers on three continents.”
The company was a one-stop shop for recordings for overseas buyers. “Over the years we’ve shipped at least 800,000 pieces from several thousand artists,” Lomax said. “I can conservatively state that these sales have brought at least $10 million into the hands of artists, labels, local retailers and the company.”
Since 2006, the company also sold product that was exclusively available at Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy and Cracker Barrel, including Garth Brooks’ Wal-Mart exclusives. “To date we have shipped over 98,600 Brooks CDs, DVDs, box sets and LPs,” said Lomax.
With 48 years in the Nashville music business, Lomax has also been an artist manager (Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, David Schnaufer, The Cactus Brothers), journalist, author (“Nashville: Music City U.S.A.,” “The Townes Van Zandt Songbook”) and photographer/archivist (18 shots from his camera and collection were featured in the recent Ken Burns Country Music documentary).
Lomax, 76, credits wife Melanie Wells, bookkeeper Anita Humphries, as well as Ryan Schemmel and Kelsey Rictor for their contributions to Roots Music Exporters.
“Thanks also to the artists, small labels and distributors who supplied us with the recordings we shipped,” he said. “We sold to a total of 57 accounts and we are grateful to them as well.”
He will continue selling physical product on Amazon via Lomax Global Music and continue his writing projects. He said, “Finding, preserving, presenting and promoting unique American music and musicians is what [my family] has done for 111 years across four generations.”
Lalo Guzman Signs With SMACKSongs
/by Lorie HollabaughLalo Guzman with SMACKSongs team
Lalo Guzman has signed a worldwide publishing deal with SMACKSongs.
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, Guzman moved to Nashville in 2013 and has been writing and producing for acts like Waterloo Revival and Spencer Crandall.
“We are beyond excited to bring Lalo’s passion, talent, and positive energy into the building at SMACK,” said Lee Krabel, SMACK’s Senior Creative Director. “We have long been fans of his since Sam Sarno introduced us to his music a couple years ago. We are looking forward to getting to work and can’t wait to see where his career goes!”
“I’m honored to be a part of such an awesome team here at SMACK,” said Guzman. “I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be here and be surrounded by such positive and encouraging people. I can’t wait to build with this team and am excited to see what we can accomplish.”
YouTube’s Head Of Culture And Trends Announced As Speaker For CRS 2021
/by Sarah SkatesCRS 2021: The Virtual Experience Streaming Summit will feature an interview with YouTube’s Head of Culture & Trends Kevin Allocca on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. He spent over a decade tracking popular video phenomena and managing trending content initiatives. His TED Talk on “Why Videos Go Viral” has been watched over 2 million times. Allocca will sit down for a fireside chat with Billboard’s Executive Editor, West Coast and Nashville, Melinda Newman.
CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience will be held Tuesday, Feb. 16, through Friday, Feb. 19.
The agenda for the newly-added Streaming Summit is as follows:
10:00 a.m. CT Streaming Terms 101 featuring Victoria Mason (Warner Music Group) and Addison Nunes (Warner Music Group)
10:30 a.m. CT DSP 101: Amazon Music featuring Katie Schlosser Vitolins (Amazon Music)
11:00 a.m. CT DSP 101: Pandora Next Big Sound / AMP featuring Jay Troop (Pandora)
11:30 a.m. CT DSP 101: Spotify for Artists featuring Charleton Lamb (Spotify) and Josephine Ruiz-Healy (Spotify) [sponsored by BMLG]
12:00 p.m. CT DSP 101: YouTube for Artists featuring Margaret Hart (YouTube) [sponsored by BMLG]
1:00 p.m. CT TikTok Ya Don’t Stop: Examining the Impact of TikTok on Country Music featuring panelists Corey Sheridan (TikTok), Andrew Jannakos (Sony RCA Nashville Artist), and Charly Salvatore (Dennis Entertainment/indent Records), and moderated by Tony Grotticelli (UMG Nashville) [sponsored by BMLG]
2:00 p.m. CT Talk Data To Me featuring Jeff Green (Stone Door Media Lab) as moderator, Matthew Yazge (Nielsen/MRC), Haley Jones (Nielsen/MRC), and Matt Bailey (Integr8 Research) [sponsored by Westwood One]
3:00 p.m. CT A Fireside Chat with YouTube’s Kevin Allocca [sponsored by CMA]
4:00 p.m. CT Amazon Music Presents: Country Heat at CRS (lineup TBA)
CRS 2021 Streaming Summit Committee Chair Annie Ortmeier (UMG Nashville) comments, “The Streaming Agenda team of Ali Matkosky, Jen Danielson, and I are beyond honored to have this incredible lineup in the first year showcasing the dedication of our partners to country music. We feel this day could stand up against any country music digital first conference.”
Details and registration at CountryRadioSeminar.com.
AIMP Nashville Pubcast Returns
/by Sarah SkatesThe “AIMP Nashville Pubcast” is back for a fourth season, launching with an episode featuring hit songwriter/producer and founder of Red Creative Group Jeremy Stover.
Hosted by Tim Hunze, Sr. Director, Creative at Anthem Entertainment and an AIMP Nashville Board Member, the bi-weekly series will run over 40 weeks and feature 30-minute interviews with some of the most prominent music and publishing industry figures in Nashville.
Future Pubcast episodes are scheduled as follows:
February 1—David Israelite/NMPA – Legal Wins and Updates from 2020
February 15—Robert Briggs/Levity Music – 5 Points to Improve Admin
March 1—Tali Canterbury/50 Egg Music – Going Beyond with 50 Egg
March 15—Lydia Schultz/SESAC – SESAC: Making Sure You Get Paid
March 29—Charly Salvatore/Dennis Entertainment – The New Model of Artist Development
The “AIMP Nashville Pubcast” is executive-produced by Hunze, with Brandon Harrington as editor and producer.
To listen to all seasons visit https://wavve.link/aimpnashvillepubcast. The show is also available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Stitcher, Overcast, and more.
Sponsored by Songtrust, the Pubcast has joined the American Songwriter Podcast Network.
Anthem Entertainment Signs Songwriter Jimmy Thow
/by Sarah SkatesAnthem Entertainment, one of the world’s leading independent music and entertainment content and services companies, has signed hit songwriter Jimmy Thow to a worldwide publishing agreement.
The Vancouver native is a singer/songwriter/producer and one half of the two-time Canadian Country Music Association Awards nominated country duo Sons of Daughters, along with Chrystal Leigh.
Residing in Nashville, Thow has recently collaborated on four top 10 hits as a songwriter, one of which reached No. 2 on the Canadian Billboard Country Chart, “Good Jeans” by Tebey.
Thow’s diverse skill set has afforded him the opportunity to pen songs for acts including Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion, pop singer/songwriter/producer Shawn Hook, CCMA Award winners and nominees Eric Ethridge, Jason Blaine, Sons of Daughters and three-time Golden Guitar Awards winner, Australian hitmaker Travis Collins among others. Thow also has a successful track record in the sync world including writing and producing music for television.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know Gilles Godard over the last few years and I couldn’t be more excited to kick off the next chapter of my career by joining the incredible team at Anthem,” shares Thow.
“Jimmy Thow is an exceptionally talented country artist and songwriter with an established fan base as part of the successful country duo Sons of Daughters. We are thrilled to have him join the Anthem Entertainment family and continue our strong tradition of signing great Canadian singer/songwriters,” says Helen Murphy, CEO of Anthem Entertainment.
Morris Higham Management Signs Kris Kristofferson Estate
/by Sarah SkatesKris Kristofferson, Photo by Marina Chavez
Morris Higham Management (MHM) has signed the estate of Kris Kristofferson for management representation.
The legendary songwriter and actor officially retired in 2020, leaving his son John Kristofferson to lead the family’s businesses. Longtime Kristofferson friend and colleague Tamara Saviano remains as public relations director. They will work alongside MHM to spearhead special projects going forward, and will continue to manage the Kristofferson indie record label KK Records.
“Kristofferson is the artist that every artist strives to be,” says MHM President and Partner Clint Higham. “He is an artist’s artist. If Mount Rushmore had a place for songwriters, Kris would be on it.”
“It’s been amazing to dig in to my dad’s catalog and history with this seasoned group of professionals. MHM and Tamara are experts on everything from old Nashville to the up and comers, and I can’t imagine a better partnership to bring the full depth of his songwriting to a new generation. The name has always been synonymous with songwriting as an art, and we’re excited to reintroduce his work to new and old fans alike,” John Kristofferson says. “We have many exciting projects in the works and I look forward to getting them out into the world.”
Kristofferson has achieved remarkable success as a country songwriter since the 1970s, including writing the classics “Me And Bobby McGee,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” and “For The Good Times.”
His renown as a songwriter and performer led to a flourishing career in film, including winning a Golden Globe in 1977 for Best Actor in A Star Is Born.
Kristofferson is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and winner of the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is a recipient of the BMI Icon Award and GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award.
Kristofferson will celebrate his 85th birthday on June 22, 2021 with several special projects.
The estate joins MHM clients Kenny Chesney, Johnny Dailey, Brantley Gilbert, Ryan Griffin, Joey Hendricks, Brandon Lay, Barbara Mandrell, Louise Mandrell, the Roger Miller estate, Old Dominion, Carly Pearce, Michael Ray, Chase Wright, and Walker County.
TuneCore Turns 15, Announces Pandemic Relief Donations
/by Lorie HollabaughTuneCore, a leading digital music distribution and publishing administration company for independent artists, is celebrating its 15th anniversary. The company is marking the anniversary with donations across the globe to organizations helping keep live music venues afloat during the pandemic and providing relief for staff.
The company will make a meaningful donation to NIVA (the National Independent Venue Association), whose legislative efforts led to the passing of the SaveOurStages Bill in early 2021. In addition, TuneCore will donate to UK Venue Trust (UK), SAFE (South Africa), UNISON (Canada), Initiative Musik (Germany), and SGMUSO (Singapore).
This week’s celebration of TuneCore’s 15th Anniversary and live music relief advocacy will include online performances, Instagram Live interviews and more across its social media platforms.
In October 2020, TuneCore artists hit the record-breaking milestone of $2 billion earned by artists. The company currently pays an average of $1.2 million to artists each day.
Jacob Bryant Inks UK Deal With Snakefarm Records
/by Lorie HollabaughJacob Bryant has signed a UK deal with Snakefarm Records/Universal Music Group.
Bryant’s Practice What I Preach—Deluxe Edition album will be released in the UK on Feb. 5 (on CD and digital) complete with five additional tracks, including the previous
Bryant’s ability to walk the line between the heavy and the heartfelt makes him a perfect fit for the Snakefarm brand, which also serves as the UK label home for Eric Church, Brothers Osborne, Kip Moore and many more.
“Snakefarm Records is proud to welcome Jacob Bryant to the roster and to the family. Ever since hearing the track and seeing the video for ‘Pour Whiskey On My Grave’, it’s been clear that Jacob’s music and message are very much in line with the values and traditions that the label stands for,” said Dante Bonutto of Snakefarm Records. “The fact that Jacob naturally walks the line between the power of southern rock and the raw emotion of prime country makes him an artist unbound by genre at a time when the lines between the different musical worlds are getting ever more blurred, and in ‘Pour Whiskey…’ he has a track that stands as a benchmark recording in the rockin’ roots music domain.”
As Bryant begins this new chapter releasing music in the UK for the first time, he continues to build upon his chart-topping success here in the States. In the coming weeks, he’ll be in Nashville to shoot the video for his upcoming single “Angels On Earth.”
Provident Adds VP, Business and Legal Affairs
/by Sarah SkatesMegan Joyce
Provident Entertainment has announced the new hiring of Megan Joyce as Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs. Formerly Sr. VP, Business and Legal Affairs at Roc Nation in New York, NY, Joyce joins Provident Entertainment with more than 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. She has held top roles at Warner Music Nashville and Atlantic Records, and began her music career in sales and marketing with EMI Music Distribution.
“We are incredibly honored to have Megan join our team,” says Terry Hemmings, CEO and President, Provident Entertainment. “Her experience and expertise will be a wonderful asset to our talented roster of amazing artists and songwriters who form the Provident Entertainment family.”
“I am excited to become a part of the Provident Entertainment family and have the chance to work with its incredibly diverse and inspiring roster of artists, songwriters, and filmmakers,” shares Joyce. “I am grateful to Terry for the opportunity to join such a talented and passionate team.”
Provident Entertainment, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, is home to Provident Label Group, RCA Inspiration, Essential Worship, and Essential Music Publishing, along with Provident Films. The label group is home to an artist roster including Casting Crowns, Zach Williams, Koryn Hawthorne, Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene, Matt Maher, Matthew West, Marvin Sapp, Tauren Wells, and more. Provident Entertainment operates under the umbrella of Sony Music Nashville.
Morgan Wade Announces Debut Album ‘Reckless’
/by LB CantrellBuzzed about singer-songwriter Morgan Wade, who grew up surrounded by bluegrass while possessing an affinity for pop and rock, has set her full-length debut Reckless for March 19.
“I feel like the last couple of years have been me trying to figure out where I fit in, who I fit in with, and what’s going on,” Wade says. “When I wrote these songs, I was going through a lot, just trying to figure out who I am.”
She worked alongside producer Sadler Vaden (longtime guitarist for Jason Isbell and an acclaimed solo artist) and engineer Paul Ebersold. They collaborated on the project over the course of two separate weeks in the studio, shaping songs Wade had written over the years and also developing brand new tracks, including “Wilder Days,” which she has released.
“It honestly just came together perfectly in the studio,” Wade says. “Sadler and I had the same visions for how ‘Wilder Days’ should sound. We even went for ice cream after—we were that pleased.”
Reckless Track List:
1. Wilder Days (Morgan Wade, Sadler Vaden)
2. Matches and Metaphors (Morgan Wade, Sadler Vaden)
3. Other Side (Morgan Wade)
4. Don’t Cry (Morgan Wade, Paul Ebersold)
5. Mend (Morgan Wade, Paul Ebersold)
6. Last Cigarette (Morgan Wade, Sadler Vaden, Paul Ebersold)
7. Take Me Away (Morgan Wade)
8. Reckless (Morgan Wade, Sadler Vaden)
9. Northern Air (Morgan Wade, Sadler Vaden)
10. Met You (Morgan Wade)
Roots Music Exporters To Close
/by Sarah SkatesGarth Brooks and John Lomax III.
Roots Music Exporters, the company started by John Lomax III, will close Jan. 31 after 25 years in business.
“January 31 will be a melancholic day,” said Lomax, founder/President. “Streaming has eaten too much of our business of shipping CDs, LPs and DVDs to importers on three continents.”
The company was a one-stop shop for recordings for overseas buyers. “Over the years we’ve shipped at least 800,000 pieces from several thousand artists,” Lomax said. “I can conservatively state that these sales have brought at least $10 million into the hands of artists, labels, local retailers and the company.”
Since 2006, the company also sold product that was exclusively available at Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy and Cracker Barrel, including Garth Brooks’ Wal-Mart exclusives. “To date we have shipped over 98,600 Brooks CDs, DVDs, box sets and LPs,” said Lomax.
With 48 years in the Nashville music business, Lomax has also been an artist manager (Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, David Schnaufer, The Cactus Brothers), journalist, author (“Nashville: Music City U.S.A.,” “The Townes Van Zandt Songbook”) and photographer/archivist (18 shots from his camera and collection were featured in the recent Ken Burns Country Music documentary).
Lomax, 76, credits wife Melanie Wells, bookkeeper Anita Humphries, as well as Ryan Schemmel and Kelsey Rictor for their contributions to Roots Music Exporters.
“Thanks also to the artists, small labels and distributors who supplied us with the recordings we shipped,” he said. “We sold to a total of 57 accounts and we are grateful to them as well.”
He will continue selling physical product on Amazon via Lomax Global Music and continue his writing projects. He said, “Finding, preserving, presenting and promoting unique American music and musicians is what [my family] has done for 111 years across four generations.”