Industry Ink: Music Benefactors, Three Hounds Music, Holly Gleason

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Nashville-based Music Finance Startup, Music Benefactors, Hires Two

Kevin Smart, Ronnie Thomas

Nashville-based music finance startup Music Benefactors has hired two new staffers. Ronnie Thomas joins the company as Senior Director of Artist and Label Relations, and Kevin Smart has been named Director of Client Relations. Thomas is a 30-year music industry veteran who worked for Mercury Records and in numerous industry roles in promotion, engineering, producing, artist management and A&R. He comes to Music Benefactors from Sun and Sky Entertainment, where he was Managing Director of A&R. Smart joins Music Benefactors after spending seven years as the Musical Director and Marketing Specialist for Sony artist Jake Miller. In addition to being a touring musician, he assisted Warner Records with creating, managing and analyzing digital marketing campaigns.

 

Max Flinn Extends Publishing Deal With Three Hounds Music

Max Flinn

Max Flinn has extended his publishing agreement with Three Hounds Music. Flinn has opened for artists like Robert Earl Keen, and his new single will be released in January, followed by the release of his EP, Meant to Be. Houston native Flinn has teamed up with producer/songwriter/musician, Bobby Terry on the new album, which is set for release in early 2021.

“Max is a dynamic performer and a prolific songwriter. I am excited to continue to nurture that talent,” Three Hounds Music founder Tom Harrison said.

 

Holly Gleason Set To Pen New Book On John Prine’s Legendary Life And Career

John Prine. Photo: Danny Clinch

Nashville author and industry veteran Holly Gleason has signed on to write a new book on John Prine as part of the collection of the Chicago Review Press’ Artists In Their Own Words series. The series volumes are contextualized collections of the best interviews iconic artists have done across the span of their careers, and previous subjects have included Joni On Joni, Dylan On Dylan, Harrison On Harrison, and Waits On Waits. Prine On Prine: Interviews And Encounters will examine the legendary songwriter/Americana icon’s celebrated life, career, and songs in his own words.
Gleason is winner of the Belmont Book Award for the acclaimed Woman Walk The Line, which was released in 2017. “John has been a major part of my life since I was a college kid in Miami, and I’ve seen the evolution of both the press and the man in the most amazing ways,” said Gleason. “To be able to collect the best pieces that are out there that distill who he was along the way thrills me, and it means that beyond the man Ann Powers cites as the kindly uncle who’d give young songwriters who asked advice over vodka and ginger ale, the years that shape that man will be documented for the ages.”

ALABAMA’s Randy Owen Named Honorary Co-Chair Of The World Games 2022

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ALABAMA frontman and humanitarian Randy Owen has joined The World Games 2022 Birmingham as an Honorary Co-Chair.

Owen will participate in several events at The World Games 2022, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. He will also represent, support and promote the message and mission of The World Games 2022. Owen will join NBA Hall of Fame inductee Charles Barkley, who was announced as an Honorary Co-Chair in July.

“Millions of people around the world have grown up with Randy’s one-of-a-kind voice,” says The World Games 2022 CEO Nick Sellers. “He’s a national treasure for the USA and for the state of Alabama. And we are excited to have that legendary voice as an Honorary Co-Chair of this once in a lifetime moment.”

“I’m so honored to join my fellow outstanding Alabamians—Charles Barkley, Dr. Henry Panion, and those yet to be announced—in helping bring this event to Alabama,” says Owen. “The people in our state have made a tremendous impact on my life and career, and I’m happy to show the world what Alabama is all about. Our people are as diverse as the landscape in our beautiful state. It is my hope that we are able to bring that uniqueness to the forefront and let the light of Alabama shine out into the world.”

A graduate of Jacksonville State University, Owen is best known for his career as the frontman of ALABAMA. One of the most successful country music groups in history, ALABAMA released 21 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum albums, had 43 No. 1 singles, sold more than 75 million records, and earned more than 150 industry awards, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a career spanning more than 50 years.

As a founding member of ALABAMA, Owen was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and received the BMI President’s Award. Individually, Owen has been the recipient of numerous local and national honors, including the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and has been inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

“I could not be more thrilled to have an iconic Alabamian such as Randy Owen join us for this magnificent celebration of sports and the arts, one that will cast the eyes and ears of the entire world upon our city and state,” notes Dr. Henry Panion, who was recently named Artistic Director of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. “There has been no greater ambassador for Alabama than my friend Randy, and I am looking forward to working with him on the festivities for The World Games 2022.”

A Dekalb County, Alabama native, Owen grew up on Lookout Mountain, on a farm that his family still owns today. The property, previously sharecropped by his family, has raised world-class cattle since 1981 and is named “Tennessee River Music, Inc.” after Owen’s first No. 1 single.

The Owen Family outfitted in The World Games gear. Photo: Courtesy Absolute Publicity

Owen is also known for his philanthropic efforts in his own community and around the world, raising millions of dollars through the June Jam and Tornado Relief charity concerts in Alabama, and groundbreaking fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Most notably, Owen created the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon, which has raised more than $900 million dollars for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital located in Memphis, Tennessee. For his fundraising efforts, Owen has also received the Michael F. Tamer Award, The Founder’s Award, National Library of Medicine Award, and the Country Music Association Foundation Humanitarian Award.

“My wife, Kelly, and I raised our family in Alabama,” says Owen. “Our children all graduated from Alabama universities: Jacksonville State (Alison), Samford (Heath), and Auburn (Randa). ‘My Home’s in Alabama’ isn’t just a song or lyrics on a page. My home and heart will always be in Alabama, and now it is the home of The World Games 2022!”

The World Games 2022 Birmingham will be an extraordinary Olympic-style sports experience where elite athletes from all over the world compete for gold in 34 unique, multi-disciplinary sports. Featuring 3,600 athletes from more than 100 countries, the international event will unite global fans with the Birmingham community in 25+ unique venues around the greater metropolitan area. The World Games 2022 Birmingham, which marks the 40th anniversary of the event, will take place July 7-17, 2022 and will generate an estimated $256 million in economic impact. The World Games was established by the International World Games Association, an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

Crowd Surf Founders Jade Driver And Cassie Petrey Launch New Spotify Radio Show

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Jade Driver and Cassie Petrey have launched a new online radio show, Boy Band Top 10s, that is available exclusively on Spotify. Co-founders of the Nashville-based entertainment marketing agency Crowd Surf, Driver and Petrey grew up adoring the boy bands of the 80’s and 90’s.

The pair founded Crowd Surf while living together in a college apartment in 2007. They dreamed of one day having their favorite boy bands become clients of their company, and in 2012, the Backstreet Boys came knocking. After that, 98°,O-Town, New Kids on the Block, McFly, and Why Don’t We all became clients. Over the course of the company’s history, Driver and Petrey have toured the world with many of their favorite boy bands from their teen years, and they now have an interesting combination of both fan stories and professional anecdotes.

On, Boy Band Top 10s, Driver and Petrey count down 10 of their favorite boy band songs each Thursday. The show will feature all kinds of lists, from the greatest boy band songs all of all time to band specific lists and even an upcoming holiday show.

“I love that Cassie and Jade started off as BSB super fans…and still are to this day! They bring so much value to our team because of their passion and knowledge of our history,” said Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean. “I love that they know every single word to every song, who wrote everything and every word I’ve ever been quoted saying. Ha! That kind of knowledge is just priceless!”

Chris Stapleton Earns Two-Week No. 1 On ‘MusicRow’ CountryBreakout Radio Chart

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Chris Stapleton returns to No. 1 this week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Starting Over.” Stapleton co-wrote the song with Mike Henderson.

This is the title track to his latest Mercury Records release which debuted at No. 1 on the country albums chart according to Nielsen. It also landed at No. 2 on Spotify’s all-genre Top 10 U.S. Album Debuts, and No. 5 on Spotify’s Top 10 Global Albums Debut chart.

Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” won an award for the Most-Played Song at this year’s Tunie Awards Show.

Click here or above to view the latest issue of The MusicRow Weekly.

Matthew Ramsey Releases New Christmas Song For Charity Fund

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Old Dominion front man Matthew Ramsey is releasing a new holiday song “It’s Christmas and We’re Still Here,” for a very good cause. One hundred percent of Ramsey’s proceeds from the new Christmas tune will benefit My Hometown Fund: a charity fund held by The Community Foundation serving Western Virginia, that was created by Matthew and his wife Sara.

Ramsey says, “I created this fund to help support rural communities like the one I grew up in. By working with non-profit organizations, we are able to bring music, art, and basic needs to areas where such opportunities are hard to come by.”

Click here to listen to “It’s Christmas and We’re Still Here.”

Old Dominion recently released a new EP, Band Behind The Curtain, with songs penned by Ramsey and other members of the band that previously topped the charts for other artists.

DISClaimer Singles Reviews: Brandy Clark, Dolly Parton, Runaway June, Maddie & Tae, More

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Brandy Clark

This year’s Christmas parade of Nashville sounds seems never ending.

I finally bit the bullet this week and wrote down how many folks have submitted holiday tunes. The list went on for four single-spaced pages.

So I decided to narrow it down. With the year’s emphasis on reclaiming female voices, I chose to spotlight only women’s discs today. That left me with only (!) 30+ releases. This column has a baker’s dozen of them, leaving out fine efforts by Stephanie Owens, Taylor Swift, Jessica Lynn, Jessie James Decker, Caroline Jones, Tami Nelson, Kacey Musgraves, Karen Waldrup, Jamie Kyle, Paulina Jaye, Chevel Shepherd and more.

The Disc of the Day prize goes to Brandy Clark, and Scarlett Burke wins the DisCovery Award.

BRANDY CLARK / “Only Time Of Year”
Writers: Daniel Crean/Eren Cannata/Justin Tranter/Kennedi Lykken; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Daniel Crean/Eren Cannata; Label: Facet/Warner Records
– Festive and jaunty, with cute sighing backup vocals, whistling and bouncy finger snaps. Sung with a smile. This comes from the soundtrack of the Hulu Christmas movie Happiest Season. Grammy nominee Brandy’s own holiday special premieres on Circle TV on Dec. 22. It’s called Christmas From Here, There and Everywhere. She’s got some cool guests on it: Cam, Ashley McBryde, Reyna Roberts and Melissa Etheridge, for starters.

RUNAWAY JUNE / “Christmas on the Radio”
Writers: Martin Johnson/Sam Hollander; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Brandon Paddock/Martin Johnson/Ron Fair; Label: Wheelhouse Records
– The vocal harmonies are delicious and the tempo is boppin.’ The lyric is a dandy, too, name-checking Brenda Lee and Nat King Cole, as well as an assortment of Christmas song titles. Radio ready in the extreme.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD & JOHN LEGEND / “Hallelujah”
Writers: John Stephens/Toby Gad; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Greg Wells; Label: Capitol Nashville
– Underwood has one of this year’s standout new holiday platters, My Gift. This track features two world-class vocalists matching soulful phrasing, terrific harmonies and lustrous soaring. Her soprano leads, but the track truly takes off when Legend joins, alternating a warm, burnished harmony vocal and falsetto scatting. A fabulous listening experience.

ANA CRISTINA CASH / “Mele Kalikimaka”
Writers: R. Alex Anderson; Publishers: none listed; Producer: John Carter Cash; Label: Avondale
– Yes, Hawaii has holiday standards, too. This one was originally popularized by Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters in 1950, and the title translates as, “Merry Christmas.” With gentle, acoustic-guitar accompaniment in the Cash Cabin studio, this has a jaunty, simple, tropical vibe that is utterly charming.

DOLLY PARTON / “Holly Jolly Christmas”
Writers: Johnny Marks; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Kent Wells; Label: Butterfly Records/12Tone Music
– If there was ever a time and a year when we need Miss Dolly, it is here and now. She rules the season with her A Holly Dolly Christmas collection. On it, she duets with Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Willie Nelson (”Pretty Paper”) and brother Randy Parton, but goes it alone on this set opener. Only Dolly could make this old ditty sound fresh again. Here’s a bonus: the album is available on red vinyl.

MADDIE & TAE / “We Need Christmas”
Writers: AJ Pruis/Maddie Font/Matthew West/Taylor Kerr; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Jimmy Robbins/Derek Wells; Label: Mercury Nashville
– Very pretty. In fact, this sweet sentiment one of the best newly composed holiday tunes of the year. On top of having their usual excellent vocals, it is a beautifully produced track. Applause for all concerned.

INGRID ANDRESS / “Christmas Always Finds Me”
Writers: Ingrid Andress/Sam Ellis/Derrick Southerland; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Ingrid Andress/Sam Ellis; Label: Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville
– The simple piano accompaniment gradually gives way to full orchestral accompaniment as Andress wistfully recalls the warmth of the season. Her soprano wafts and whispers equally effectively.

KELLY CLARKSON & BRETT ELDREDGE & ATLANTIC HOLIDAY / “Under the Mistletoe”
Writers: Aben Eubanks/Kelly Clarkson; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Aben Eubanks/Jesse Shatkin; Label: Atlantic Records
– How about some dance-pop music for Christmas? Clarkson’s scintillating power-soprano vocal leads, with Eldredge’s contribution mixed as a somewhat muted supporting role.

KASSI ASHTON / “Hard Candy Christmas”
Writers: Carol Hall; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Kassi Ashton/Luke Laird; Label: MCA Nashville/Interscope
– This heartbreaking, melancholy song seems just right for this pandemic and economically devastating year. Ashton sings it superbly, but the pace is rather funereal.

LIZ LONGLEY / “A Little Magic”
Writers: Liz Longley; Publishers: Lukelizz, ASCAP; Producer: Paul Moak; Label: LL
– This Americana favorite has a Christmas EP with this sugar-dusted outing as its title tune. It’s a delightful composition about believing in Santa. Her folk-pop vocal is wonderfully authentic and the piano-and-rhythm accompaniment is just perfect. The set also includes a sad, pandemic-themed holiday song, “One Missing.” Longley always deserves to be at the front of your playlist of Nashville singer-songwriters.

JEWEL / “Winter Wonderland”
Writers: Felix Bernard/Richard Bernhard Smith; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Arif Mardin & Joe Mardin; Label: Craft/Concord
– Jewel’s new Christmas collection is titled Joy: A Holiday Collection. Maybe it comes from her Alaska background, but there is something kinda wintery about her voice. She takes this 1934 classic at a deliberate pace, with slight yodel accents and steel-guitar embellishments. Pretty cool.

RAELYNN / “Jingle Bell Drunk”
Writers: Racheal Lynn Davis/Corey Crowder/Ernest Keith Smith/Rocky Block; Publishers: Queens Write Hits, Songs Of Hit Vibez, and Warner Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI) / Georgia Song Vibez, Big Crowd Publishing, and WC Music Corp (ASCAP) / Becoming Bob Music (BMI) administered by Me Gusta Music / Songs Of Universal, Inc., Big Loud Mountain Music LLC, and Ern Dog Music (BMI); Producer: Corey Crowder; Label: Round Here
– Goofy fun, with plenty of rhythm-happy beats and zany chorus shouts.

SCARLETT BURKE & HAILEY WHITTERS / “Howdy Christmas”
Writers: Jared Gutstadt/Jesse Siebenberg/Scarlett Burke/Hailey Whitters; Publishers: none listed; Producer: Jared Gutstadt/Scarlett Burke; Label: Audio Up
– Country-music merriment, with a toe-tapping beat, drawling vocals, stuttering steel notes, echoey atmosphere and general hillbilly good vibes. Sing “Hee-haw.”

United Talent Agency Launches Heartland Initiative

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Kathie Lee Gifford, Nick Barnes. Photo: Kathy Hutchins

Leading global talent and entertainment company United Talent Agency (UTA) today (Dec. 17) officially announced the company’s Heartland Initiative, a dedicated practice to identify, develop, and showcase the voices of creators and storytellers from America’s Heartland.

The Heartland Initiative focuses on storytelling rooted in the shared values of community, faith and family. The group will work with emerging and established artists and entrepreneurs, and launches with a roster that includes filmmakers The Erwin Brothers, Rove Productions and Tacklebox Films, Kathie Lee Gifford, Duck Dynasty’s Willie, Korie and Sadie Robertson, podcaster and author Annie F. Downs, writer Holly Gleason, comedians John Crist and Kevonstage, kids media brand GoNoodle, pastor Chad Veach, singer-songwriter John Eddie, and music artists Danny Gokey, Ross Copperman, and Louis York.

The new initiative will be led by Nashville-based UTA agent Nick Barnes. Barnes previously worked with country music artists Eric Church and Brothers Osborne, and as a digital executive at Sony Music Nashville. He joined UTA in 2017, originally as a Digital Strategy agent in UTA IQ, the agency’s research and analytics division.

“We believe there’s an extensive range of stories to be told and audiences eager to hear them—particularly in today’s content-thirsty world,” says Barnes. “UTA’s Heartland Initiative will bring to bear all of our resources into building bigger platforms for this underserved market. Millions of Americans will see themselves reflected in the unique voices and creative visions of our Heartland artists and entrepreneurs.”

UTA’s Heartland Initiative will be based in Nashville, where the agency is preparing to relocate the Nashville headquarters to the historic, original site of the Carnegie Library near the Tennessee state capitol building in the heart of Music City.

SOLID Celebrates Inaugural Year Of SOLID Shares, Announces 2021 Partners

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Pictured (L-R): Al Andrews, Tatum Allsep, Jess Brownsberger, Emilie Gilbert, Alyson Woods, Jonah Rabinowitz. Photo: Jack Carlisle

As 2020 draws to a close, Society of Leaders in Development (SOLID) celebrates the inaugural year of SOLID Shares, its new fundraising initiative announced in May. SOLID Shares allows the organization to select four to six nonprofits annually to serve as the beneficiaries of its external fundraising events, simultaneously expanding its reach in the Nashville community while reinforcing the tenets of its mission. 2020 SOLID Shares partners included Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Music Health Alliance, Porter’s Call, and W.O. Smith.

As SOLID adapted its programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it supported and engaged SOLID Shares partners in innovative and collaborative ways. In lieu of its regular fundraising events, which include the Music Row Madness Topgolf and Turkey Bowl flag football tournaments, it hosted 21 virtual meet and greets for music fans (with a portion of proceeds benefiting SOLID Shares). The organization also held several panels highlighting each nonprofit, covering topics such as mental health and mentorship in the community.

“I am so grateful that SOLID was able to launch SOLID Shares in a year when our partners truly needed our support,” said 2020 SOLID President Nathan Pyle. “Outside of standard fundraising for our partners, we were able to build in programming that helped build awareness around the services our SOLID Shares partners provide to our community. It is the joint partnership that ultimately created a successful launch and set the foundation for SOLID Shares that will last for many years to come.”

The 2021 SOLID Shares partners will be Equity Alliance, MusiCares, the National Museum for African American Music, Notes for Notes and Ryan’s Grove/The Onsite Foundation.

T.G. Sheppard Inks New Nine-Album Licensing Deal With Time Life

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T.G. Sheppard

T.G. Sheppard has signed a new licensing deal with Time Life and will reissue nine of his albums next year. For the first time ever, these classic albums will be available digitally and include several of his No. 1 hits and many fan favorites.

“T.G. has built such a remarkable career in country music,” said Mike Jason, Time Life Senior Vice President, Live Entertainment, “We’re honored that he’s joining the Time Life family and has entrusted us with so much of his treasured music.”

“I am so happy to be working with the folks at Time Life. I have performed on their cruises, I have had songs on many of their previous country music collections, and now I get to work with them to put out several albums that originally came out on Warner Brothers Records,” says T.G. Sheppard. “I can’t wait for 2020 to be over so we can start enjoying the greatness of what we hope 2021 will become!”

In addition to his new partnership with Time Life, Sheppard recently released a new Christmas single, “Christmas In Mexico,” with Kelly Lang. T.G. Sheppard continues to experience a resurgence in his career with The T.G. Sheppard Show on SiriusXM Radio’s Elvis Channel.

Old Crow Medicine Show Continues Standing New Year’s Eve Show Tradition At Ryman

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Old Crow Medicine Show. Photo: Kit Wood

Old Crow Medicine Show will help usher out this crazy year and happily ring in the New Year at the Ryman Auditorium, where they’ll be performing Dec. 30 and 31 to a limited in-venue audience.

Fans around the world will also be able to tune in via Livestream for the band’s Dec. 31, 10 p.m. performance, which will also feature special guests including Marty Stuart with more to be announced soon. In-venue tickets for Dec. 30 and 31 start at $69.50, and tickets for the Dec. 31 live stream are priced at $20. To purchase in-venue tickets visit ryman.com and to purchase livestream tickets click here.

Grand Ole Opry members since 2013 and known for their RIAA double-Platinum hit “Wagon Wheel,” Old Crow Medicine Show has headlined the Ryman more than 20 times, and released Live at the Ryman, a compilation of songs performed at the historic venue between 2013-2019, last year. The band’s standing New Year’s Eve tradition marks their 11th year of celebrating the holiday at the Mother Church.

Old Crow Medicine Show’s latest endeavor is their live YouTube show, Hartland Hootenanny, which airs live on Saturday nights at 7 p.m. Curated and filmed by the band, the show combines music, comedy, and features a special guest each week.