Pictured (L-R): Jody Williams (Founder, Jody Williams Songs); Nina Jenkins (Creative Director, Jody Williams Songs); Driver Williams, Zebb Luster (Director of Creative/A&R, River House Artists); Lynn Oliver-Cline (Founder, River House Artists); Kayla Adkins (Publishing Coordinator, River House Artists)
River House Artists (in partnership with Sony/ATV) and Jody Williams Songs (in partnership with Warner Chappell Music) have signed Driver Williams to a new co-publishing agreement, uniting Williams’ existing team at River House Artists with the publishing company launched recently by his father, former BMI VP and industry vet Jody Williams.
Driver Williams has spent the last three years as a River House Artists staff songwriter. With the launch of Jody Williams Songs earlier this year, plans developed between River House’s Lynn Oliver-Cline and Jody Williams to share publishing representation.
“It has long been a dream of mine to work with my father in this kind of creative capacity,” shares Driver. “I am very excited to be part of a new ‘song forward’ company whose aim is to move the needle in our genre, coupled with my unflagging partnership with Lynn and the powerhouse crew at River House Artists.”
As the long-time lead guitarist for 2020 CMA Entertainer of the Year Eric Church, Williams has co-written Church’s Double-Platinum certified “Smoke A Little Smoke” as well as songs recorded by artists including Jon Pardi, Jason Aldean, Drew Parker and more.
“We feel very fortunate to partner with Lynn’s team at River House for this next season of Driver’s songwriting career,” says Jody Williams. “Driver’s determination and skill, coupled with the synergy of our two companies, feels like a perfect storm. Zebb Luster and Kayla Adkins are in it to win it, just like me and Nina Jenkins. And on a personal level, I’m thrilled the time is finally right to get to work with my son. This is going to be fun!”
“I am thankful for the intro to Driver from Jody just a few short years ago,” adds Oliver-Cline, who first formed a close friendship with Jody Williams when the two were BMI writer reps in the late ’90s. “Driver has such depth and a unique perspective. I always look forward to hearing everything he writes. His passion for music is contagious and RHA couldn’t be prouder to continue our relationship with him and his talents as a songwriter.”
“Driver has been a huge asset for the River House family from the beginning,” notes Zebb Luster, RHA Director of Creative/A&R. “His dedication to the team and his ability to help artists and writers really find what they are trying to say in a song is what I love most about him. Driver really gets behind the people he believes in and pushes them to be the best they can be. I couldn’t be more excited to have him around!”
“Driver is a master collaborator,” adds Nina Jenkins, JWS Creative Director. “His daily objective is the relentless pursuit of quality music, brought to fulfillment through thoughtful songwriting and an ever-present positive attitude. He is a team player who lifts up his co-writers and publishers alike.”
In addition to the new publishing deal signed with Driver Williams, Jody Williams Songs represents Ashley McBryde, Nathan Chapman, Jeremy Spillman, Greg Bates, Jason Nix and Pat McLaughlin. Jody Williams Songs is a co-publishing partnership with Warner Chappell Music.
Launched in 2016, River House Artists recently became a joint venture with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Along with Driver Williams, their roster also includes artist writers Drew Parker, Jordan Rowe, Luke Combs’ longtime cowriter Ray Fulcher, as well as Nicolette Hayford, a frequent co-writer of McBryde.
Nathan Barlowe Signs With Spirit Music Nashville/Fluid Music Revolution
/by Lorie HollabaughNathan Barlowe. Photo: Kenneth Cappello
Nathan Barlowe, former frontman of the pop rock band Luna Halo, has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Spirit Music Nashville/Fluid Music Revolution.
Barlowe has had songs recorded by Taylor Swift, Steven Tyler, Keith Urban, Newsboys and Jars of Clay, among others. He has had three top 10 Billboard dance singles, a Grammy nomination, and has written songs for movies and TV, including The Voice, American Idol, The Equalizer, Transporter and the theme song for the final season of the hit show King of Queens. In 2016 Barlowe became a member of Keith Urban’s band. In 2017 Barlowe won a CMA Award for Touring Musician Of The Year. He invented an instrument he dubbed “The Phantom,” an electronic sampling machine played like a keyboard.
During his time as frontman of Luna Halo, he was signed by Rick Rubin to his iconic American Recordings label. After Luna Halo disbanded, Barlowe started the band Five Knives, signed with Red Bull Records, and went on to tour with 21 Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins and Icona Pop. They appeared at major EDM festivals such as Electric Zoo and Ultra.
“Nathan and I go back to his early Luna Halo days. We’ve always tried to figure out a way to work together and this year lined up for us. Nathan is a great addition to what we are building at Spirit Fluid,” said AJ Burton, Vice President, Fluid Music Revolution.
“I have known AJ a long time, and everyone in Nashville knows of Frank Rogers. It’s exciting for me to be able to start a new chapter in my writing career with these guys and Spirit/Fluid,” said Barlowe. “I can already tell that we are going to do some great things together!”
Taylor Swift Shares Re-Recorded Snippet Of “Love Story”
/by Jessica NicholsonTaylor Swift. Photo: Beth Garrabrant
Taylor Swift has given fans a sneak peek at her re-recording of her 2008 hit “Love Story,” by including the new recording in a Match.com advertisement featuring a wholly appropriate “match”: Satan and the year 2020.
Swift shared the advertisement, which features a snippet of the newly-recorded version of “Love Story,” on social media, and noted that Ryan Reynolds chose to include the clip in the advertisement, which is produced by his production company Maximum Effort.
“Okay so while my new re-records are NOT done, my friend @VancityReynolds asked me if he could use a snippet of one for a LOLsome commercial he wrote so…here’s a sneak peak of Love Story!” Swift told fans via Twitter on Wednesday. “Working hard to get the music to you soon!!”
Last month, Swift confirmed that Shamrock Holdings had purchased her master recordings from Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings. In a social media post, Swift said she “received a letter from a private equity company called Shamrock Holdings, letting us know that they had bought 100% of my music, videos and album art from Scooter Braun. This was the second time my music had been sold without my knowledge. The letter told me that they wanted to reach out before the sale to let me know, but that Scooter Braun had required that they make no contact with me or my team, or the deal would be off.”
In that same letter to fans, Swift noted that she had begun re-recording her older music. After the original recording of “Love Story” released in 2008, the track reached the Top 5 on Billboard‘s Hot 100, reached No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart, and has since been certified 8x multi-Platinum by the RIAA.
Mark Your Calendar—December 2020
/by LB CantrellSingle Add Dates
December 7
Jameson Rodgers feat. Luke Combs/Cold Beer Calling My Name/River House Artists/Columbia
Chris Bandi/Would Have Loved Her/RECORDS Nashville
Kylie Frey/I Do Thing/Deep Frey’d
Lindsey Lane/Timber/Purple Sage Records
Justine Blazer/Just Sing/MC1 Nashville
December 18
Jamie Trent/Throwbacks and Keepers/Restless Kardigan Music
Album Releases
December 4
The White Stripes/The White Stripes Greatest Hits/Third Man/Columbia
Russell Dickerson/Southern Symphony/Triple Tigers Records
Cody Weaver/Southern Noise/Independent
December 11
Lauren Daigle/Look Up Child-Vinyl/Centricity Music/12Tone
Chevel Shepherd/A Good Ol’ Country Christmas/Independent
December 18
Jordan Feliz/Say It/Centricity Music
Chevel Shepherd Celebrates ‘A Good Ol’ Country Christmas’ On New Album
/by Lorie HollabaughChevel Shepherd is releasing a new 12-song holiday album, A Good Ol’ Country Christmas, on Dec. 11.
The season 15 winner of NBC’s The Voice recorded the collection of holiday cover tunes spanning generations, from Bill Monroe’s 1951 “Christmas Times A Comin’” to the contemporary classic from The Polar Express “When Christmas Comes to Town,” in Durango, Colorado, and co-produced the album.
“This holiday season, more than any other, feels like one we should all give what we can and for me, that’s singing,” shares Shepherd. “My family has several Christmas traditions and singing carols has always been a big part. A Good Ol’ Country Christmas reminds me of home, the people who raised me and the traditions we hold dear.”
Shepherd made her debut earlier this year with “Everybody’s Got A Story,” penned by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark, and “Mama Got the Chair,” a clever call-and-response to George Strait’s 1985 hit “The Chair.”
A Good Ol’ Country Christmas Track List:
Token Show Partners With WPLN To Air On Sundays
/by Lorie HollabaughTokens Show, the Nashville-based radio variety show, has announced a new partnership with Nashville Public Radio WPLN 90.3. The show will air on Sundays starting Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. CT. Guests of the first three episodes include Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill, MacArthur Genius Grant Recipient Jerry Mitchell, Vanderbilt University Professor Amy-Jill Levine, Yale University Professor Willie-James Jennings, Emmy award winning actor Hal Holbrook, beloved Nashville performer Odessa Settles, and more.
“For years, Lee C. Camp and the Tokens Show have wowed Nashville audiences with thought-provoking conversations intertwined with music that matters,” said Anita Bugg, Vice President of Programming at WPLN. “Nashville Public Radio relishes the opportunity to bring this combination to our air.”
With a house band featuring some of Nashville’s finest including Jeff Taylor, Buddy Greene, Chris Brown, Aubrey Haynie, Byron House and Bryan Sutton, the show has hosted an immensely diverse guest list: Country Music Hall of Famers Gill and Ricky Skaggs, U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith and Irish Poet Pádraig Ó Tuama, Director of the National Institutes of Health Francis Collins, New York Times columnist David Brooks, MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Jerry Mitchell, or musicians such as Drew Holcomb, Keb’ Mo’, Mary Gauthier, and JohnnySwim.
Randy Goodman, Chairman and President of Sony Nashville has long been a supporter of the show. “Lee’s idea for Tokens Show resonated with me from the start,” he says. “A classic radio show rooted in the likes of the Opry or Prairie Home, yet undergirded with a philosophy or theology that is something like Thomas Merton meets Martin Luther King, Jr., and you get a genre-agnostic slate of all sorts of music and conversation that has to be experienced to get it. With Tokens now a part of WPLN’s weekly offerings, a larger assembly will get to discover this treasure.”
Gordie Sampson Extends Deal With Still Working Music, Kobalt
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (Clockwise from top left): Gordie Sampson, Alex Orbison (Co-President, SWM), Sara Beal (Publishing Director, SWM), Emily Olson (Creative Director, SWM), Jesse Willoughby (GM, Kobalt Nashville), Kevin Lane (Creative Director, Kobalt Nashville)
Still Working Music and Kobalt have extended an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Gordie Sampson, who has co-written hits including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take The Wheel,” Hunter Hayes’ “Storm Warning,” Florida Georgia Line ft. Backstreet Boys’ “God, Your Mama, and Me,” and Luke Bryan’s “Knockin’ Boots.” Most recently he’s had additional songs released by Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack, Lindsay Ell, Adam Hambrick, Scott Helman, Caitlyn Smith, and Mickey Guyton.
“I couldn’t be more excited to extend our deal with Gordie Sampson. He has immense talent and I am looking forward to our continued partnership!” said Still Working Music’s Alex Orbison.
“I am beyond thrilled to continue working with Gordie alongside Emily and the Still Working Music family. Gordie’s talent and drive make him a dream to represent and I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.” said Kobalt’s Kevin Lane.
Still Working Music writers include Jon Randall, Chase Bryant, Lance Miller, Rachel Reinert, and Ian Christian. Still Working Music proudly partners with BMG, Kobalt, and others.
Kobalt is a music and technology company built for artists, songwriters, publishers, labels, film and television production companies, studios and networks as an alternative to the traditional music business model.
Americana Champion Lynsey McDonald Dies
/by Robert K OermannNashville’s Americana community has lost one of its key business figures. Lynsey McDonald, 58, died on Nov. 23 following an eight-year struggle with multiple myeloma.
For most of her career, she worked in artist management, helping to guide the careers of Jason & The Scorchers, Todd Snider, Deana Carter, The Georgia Satellites, Robbie Fulks and Jay Joyce.
She also helped to launch the Americana music radio series Music City Roots. McDonald worked at Praxis International, Vector Management, Rising Tide Records, Thirty Tigers, TomKats catering, CMT, and her own Magnolia Way Management firm.
Born Allison Lynn McDonald, she grew up in Chattanooga. She excelled at competitive fast-pitch softball, basketball and tennis as a high-school student. McDonald graduated from MTSU’s Recording Industry Management program in 1984. Although she had a fine singing voice, she concentrated on the business side of music, initially working with Nashville’s alt-rock bands.
Among her accomplishments was helping to launch the Loveless Barn music venue, which is where Music City Roots began.
McDonald is survived by her son Gates Knight and his father, her former husband Sam Knight. Her parents—Darrell and Marilyn McDonald—also survive her, along with aunts Linda Lesley and Faye McDonald, uncle Roger Coe and numerous cousins.
Donations can be made in her name at Second Harvest Food Bank, 331 Great Circle Road, Nashville 37228.
There will be a memorial service at a later date. In the meantime, friends are encouraged to post pictures, comments and reminiscences at phillipsrobinson.com.
Steep Canyon Rangers, The SteelDrivers, Del McCoury Band To Play The Caverns In 2021
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Caverns in Grundy County, Tennessee will host several concerts next year, beginning with shows from the Steep Canyon Rangers (March 28), The SteelDrivers (April 10), and the Del McCoury Band (April 18).
All shows will take place outdoors on a beautiful hillside overlooking Payne’s Cove in socially distanced pods at a new COVID-19 compliant venue on The Caverns grounds—The Caverns Above Ground Amphitheater. Tickets go on sale on Friday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. CT, and more information can be found at thecaverns.com.
“In 2020, we successfully brought back live music in a responsible way with four nights of Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit,” says Todd Mayo, The Caverns owner. “We understand the seriousness of the current situation and have worked hard to plan events with COVID-19 mitigation precautions in place that adhere to the State of Tennessee’s “Tennessee Pledge” based on CDC guidance to reopen responsibly. These amazing bluegrass shows are just the start of a wide variety of programming we’ll present in our new amphitheater in early 2021!”
For the concerts, guests will arrive at staggered times, answer COVID-19 screening questions, receive a temperature check, and enjoy the show from 2-person, 4-person and 6-person socially-distanced pods. Pods are spaced with a minimum of 6’ distance between each other with wide footpaths between pods to maintain social distancing. The seated concerts are “bring your own chair.” Masks will be mandatory, except when guests are in their pods. All concessions and merchandise will be ordered through an app and delivered contactless to pods eliminating lines and limiting the need for guests to leave pods.
Industry Ink: mtheory Nashville, Endurance Music Group, Sheltered Music
/by Jessica Nicholsonmtheory Nashville Adds Chantrel Reynolds
Chantrel Reynolds
mtheory Nashville, the Music City division of the artist management services company, has hired Chantrel Reynolds as Marketing Manager. Reynolds comes to mtheory from RCA Inspiration at Sony Music, where she was the label assistant. For three years, she supported artists like Kirk Franklin, Snoop Dogg, and Rodney Jerkins as well as directly supporting label SVP/General Manager Phil Thornton.
Reynolds can be reached at chantrel@mtheory.com.
Endurance Music Group Adds Courtney Kruckeberg As Creative Manager
Courtney Kruckeberg. Photo: Ed Rode
Endurance Music Group has added Courtney Kruckeberg as Creative Manager to oversee day-to-day needs of the Endurance roster of songwriters, in addition to managing EMG’s growing catalog of hits, assisting with pitching songs, and handling back catalog.
Kruckeberg previously worked as Catalog Manager at HoriPro Entertainment Group, which was recently acquired by Mojo Music & Media. Her career has also included time in the royalty department at ClearBox Rights. Since 2018, Kruckeberg has acted as the Administrative Director for the AIMP Nashville Board, and she has been a member of SOLID since 2014, serving on the 2016 Board as Community Outreach Chair.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Courtney into the Endurance family,” said Endurance Music Group President Michael Martin. “Her solid experience and strong relationships are essential to our continued success, and we’re confident she will be an incredible asset to the EMG team. We’re excited to see how her creativity impacts our writers and artists, and proud to be a part of her continued growth.”
Kruckeberg can be reached at courtney@endurancemg.com.
Sheltered Music Publishing Signs Kelsey Waters
Kelsey Waters
Sheltered Music Publishing, the Nashville Division of All Clear Music, has signed Kelsey Waters to an exclusive publishing and artist development deal. Waters has been performing since her early teens, and has released songs including “I Pour” and “Rainmaker.”
“I was first drawn to Kelsey’s music by songwriter friend, Greg Becker,” says Sheltered Music EVP Darrell Franklin. “I was immediately taken back at how real and honest her music was, while also pushing the edges musically and lyrically.”
Driver Williams Inks Co-Pub Deal With River House Artists, Jody Williams Songs
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Jody Williams (Founder, Jody Williams Songs); Nina Jenkins (Creative Director, Jody Williams Songs); Driver Williams, Zebb Luster (Director of Creative/A&R, River House Artists); Lynn Oliver-Cline (Founder, River House Artists); Kayla Adkins (Publishing Coordinator, River House Artists)
River House Artists (in partnership with Sony/ATV) and Jody Williams Songs (in partnership with Warner Chappell Music) have signed Driver Williams to a new co-publishing agreement, uniting Williams’ existing team at River House Artists with the publishing company launched recently by his father, former BMI VP and industry vet Jody Williams.
Driver Williams has spent the last three years as a River House Artists staff songwriter. With the launch of Jody Williams Songs earlier this year, plans developed between River House’s Lynn Oliver-Cline and Jody Williams to share publishing representation.
“It has long been a dream of mine to work with my father in this kind of creative capacity,” shares Driver. “I am very excited to be part of a new ‘song forward’ company whose aim is to move the needle in our genre, coupled with my unflagging partnership with Lynn and the powerhouse crew at River House Artists.”
As the long-time lead guitarist for 2020 CMA Entertainer of the Year Eric Church, Williams has co-written Church’s Double-Platinum certified “Smoke A Little Smoke” as well as songs recorded by artists including Jon Pardi, Jason Aldean, Drew Parker and more.
“We feel very fortunate to partner with Lynn’s team at River House for this next season of Driver’s songwriting career,” says Jody Williams. “Driver’s determination and skill, coupled with the synergy of our two companies, feels like a perfect storm. Zebb Luster and Kayla Adkins are in it to win it, just like me and Nina Jenkins. And on a personal level, I’m thrilled the time is finally right to get to work with my son. This is going to be fun!”
“I am thankful for the intro to Driver from Jody just a few short years ago,” adds Oliver-Cline, who first formed a close friendship with Jody Williams when the two were BMI writer reps in the late ’90s. “Driver has such depth and a unique perspective. I always look forward to hearing everything he writes. His passion for music is contagious and RHA couldn’t be prouder to continue our relationship with him and his talents as a songwriter.”
“Driver has been a huge asset for the River House family from the beginning,” notes Zebb Luster, RHA Director of Creative/A&R. “His dedication to the team and his ability to help artists and writers really find what they are trying to say in a song is what I love most about him. Driver really gets behind the people he believes in and pushes them to be the best they can be. I couldn’t be more excited to have him around!”
“Driver is a master collaborator,” adds Nina Jenkins, JWS Creative Director. “His daily objective is the relentless pursuit of quality music, brought to fulfillment through thoughtful songwriting and an ever-present positive attitude. He is a team player who lifts up his co-writers and publishers alike.”
In addition to the new publishing deal signed with Driver Williams, Jody Williams Songs represents Ashley McBryde, Nathan Chapman, Jeremy Spillman, Greg Bates, Jason Nix and Pat McLaughlin. Jody Williams Songs is a co-publishing partnership with Warner Chappell Music.
Launched in 2016, River House Artists recently became a joint venture with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Along with Driver Williams, their roster also includes artist writers Drew Parker, Jordan Rowe, Luke Combs’ longtime cowriter Ray Fulcher, as well as Nicolette Hayford, a frequent co-writer of McBryde.