BlackHawk is back with a two-disc greatest hits project, Just About Right: Live From Atlanta, from BFD/Audium Nashville/The Orchard. The new live acoustic album recorded from Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta will drop Nov. 13.
Known for their smooth harmonies, BlackHawk was originally made up of trio Henry Paul (lead vocals, mandolin, acoustic guitar), Dave Robbins (harmony vocals, keyboard) and the late Van Stephenson (harmony vocals, electric guitar). Recording Just About Right gave Paul and Robbins the chance to reunite with their original backing band from the ’90s, performing again alongside Bobby Huff (percussion) and Dale Oliver (lead guitar).
According to Paul, the reunion made for a very memorable musical moment, and many of the songs chosen were personal favorites from their early records spanning nearly a decade. The collection includes top hits “Goodbye Says It All,” “Every Once in a While,” “I Sure Can Smell the Rain,” “That’s Just About Right” and 18 more of the band’s tracks.
“Having this music that’s so special to us performed by the people that helped create it sets this double live album apart from anything we’ve recorded and released,” Paul said. “I especially love the acoustic nature of this collection because it casts these songs in the true spirit in which they were written.”
“Making a live BlackHawk acoustic recording takes me back to when Henry, Van, and I started writing and singing together as a trio,” said Robbins. “It’s representative of BlackHawk in its purist form, having old friends join us on stage and tried-and-true fans makes everything ‘just about right’ on that special night in Atlanta.”
Just About Right: Live From Atlanta Track Listing:
Disc 1
1. Down in Flames (M. Clark, J. Stevens)
2. Goodbye Says It All (C. Black, B. Fischer, J. McRae)
3. Every Once in a While (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson)
4. Love Like This (P. Bunch, M. Kennedy, P. Rose)
5. Let Em’ Whirl (H. Paul. V. Stephenson, G. Jennings)
6. Almost a Memory Now (D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, D. Oliver)
7. Wichita (D. Robbins, T. Robbins, T. Gates)
8. I’m Not Strong Enough to Say No (R. Lange)
9. Ships of Heaven (V. Stephenson)
10. Ain’t No Yesterday (W. Aldridge, M. Narmore)
11. Always Have, Always Will (D. Robbins)
Disc 2
1. Days of America (H. Paul, D. Robbins, L. Miller)
2. Dances With Her Shadow (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, D. Oliver)
3. Bluest Eyes in Texas (D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, T. DuBois)
4. Spirit Dancer (H. Paul, D Robbins, J. Peterick)
5. There You Have It (S. Bogard, R. Giles)
6. Brothers of the Southland (H. Paul, D. Robbins, J. Peterick)
7. One More Heartache (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson)
8. I Sure Can Smell the Rain (W. Aldridge, J. Jarrard)
9. That’s Just About Right (J. Black)
10. Postmarked Birmingham (P. Vasser, D. Sampson)
11. Big Guitar (H. Paul, H. Gross)
BMLG Records’ Matthew Hargis Elevated To Sr. VP
/by Jessica NicholsonMatthew Hargis.
Big Machine Label Group has elevated Matthew Hargis to Senior Vice President, Promotion and Marketing for BMLG Records, effective immediately. Hargis will continue leading radio promotion efforts for BMLG Records’ current singles “Long Live” (Florida Georgia Line), “Champagne Night” (Lady A), “Lady” (Brett Young), and “If It Wasn’t For Trucks” (Riley Green).
BMLG Records President/CEO Jimmy Harnen said, “Promoting Matthew Hargis to SVP, Promotion and Marketing is a reflection of his outstanding leadership and performance over the last 10 years. He has driven a total of 34 No.1 singles, averaging 3.4 a year, with 29 of those coming from brand new artists.”
Since joining the label in 2011, Hargis has been a driving force behind chart-topping singles including FGL’s breakthrough debut (and 11x multi-Platinum hit) “Cruise,” Lady A’s Platinum-certified single “What If I Never Get Over You,” Brett Young’s six consecutive No. 1 hits and ACM New Male Artist of the Year Riley Green’s first No. 1 with debut single “There Was This Girl.”
Hargis’ previous stops include positions at All Access and Capitol Records Nashville.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Scott Borchetta and Jimmy Harnen for continuing to believe in my being a part of such an amazing team and company,” said Hargis. “The past 10 years have been filled with irreplaceable memories and milestones. I know the next 10 will have even more. This year has shown me that being aligned with people who share the same passion and vision for music and what we do is where success will continue to be. Thank you to all of the artists and my BMLG team for your drive and tireless efforts as we continue to write pages in the history books!”
In addition to Hargis, Big Machine Label Group also announced promotions and an addition to its finance team. Mitch Beard and Megan Bragg have been elevated to Senior Accountant roles while Carolyn Szymanski joins the team as Accounting Coordinator.
Ross Copperman Hits Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellHARDY remains at No. 1, with Jameson Rodgers’ “Some Girls,” Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown,” Cole Swindell’s “Single Saturday Night,” Robert Counts’ “What Do I Know,” and his own “Give Heaven Some Hell” and “One Beer.” Josh Osborne remains at No. 2, Jake Mitchell at No. 3 and Hillary Lindsey at No. 4.
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.
Weekly Register: Luke Combs Bows At No. 1 With Latest Project
/by Jessica NicholsonLuke Combs. Photo: David Bergman
Luke Combs’ new deluxe album, What You See Ain’t Always What You Get, debuts at No. 1 this week on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart with 109K equivalent units sold. It also set the new weekly streaming record for a country album with 102.26 million on-demand streams, breaking his’ own record, which he set last November when he released What You See Is What You Get.
Combs’ new song, “Forever After All,” also made history this week debuting at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart—the highest entrance ever for a male country solo artist.
What You See Ain’t Always What You Get also tops this week’s country albums chart, with Combs’ debut album from 2017, This One’s For You, ranking at No. 2 with 20K. Morgan Wallen‘s If I Know Me lands at No. 3 this week, with 17K, followed by Kane Brown‘s Mixtape Vol. 1 at No. 4, with 11K. Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller rounds out the Top 5 with 11K.
Elsewhere on the chart, The Cadillac Three‘s Tabasco & Sweet Tea debuts at No. 78 with 2.8K in total consumption.
Combs also holds the top two slots on the On-Demand Country Streaming Songs Chart, with “Forever After All” at No. 1 with 26 million streams, followed by “Better Together” at No. 2 with 9.1 million streams. Jason Aldean‘s “Got What I Got” is at No. 3 with 8.5 million streams, while Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown” is at No. 4 with 8.2 million. Gabby Barrett‘s “I Hope” is at No. 5 with 7.5 million streams.
Steve Dorff Heads To Demolition Music Publishing
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (First Row, L-R): Jon D’Agostino, President of Demolition Music/Staff Writer; Michael August, General Manager/Staff Writer; Lauren Spahn, Attorney at Shackelford Law; Jordin Wentworth, Assistant to Bruce Phillips; (Second Row, L-R): Adam Epstein, Head of A&R; Brian Smith, Management, Leadership Artists; Amanda Cooksey, A&R and Head of PR; Steve Dorff, Staff Writer; (Third Row, L-R): Jamie Dryburgh, Creative Director; Bruce Phillips, Law Office of Bruce H. Phillips; Shane Barrett, Song Plugger/Creative Consultant; Steve Bloch, Creative Consultant; (Fourth Row): Jessica Dock, Assistant to Steve Dorff.
Songwriter Steve Dorff has inked an exclusive deal with Demolition Music Publishing.
Previously based in Los Angeles, Dorff was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018 and has earned more than 40 BMI honors during his career.
“I’ve been coming to work in Nashville for the better part of 25 years and feel this is a great new beginning. Having been here for over a year, I realize how important it is to have a team who loves and appreciates songs,” says Dorff.
A three-time Grammy-nominee, Dorff has had more than 400 songs recorded by artists including Barbra Streisand (“Higher Ground,” “It Must Be You”), Whitney Houston (“Take Good Care of My Heart” ft. Jermaine Jackson), George Strait (“I Cross My Heart,” “The Man In Love With You”), Garth Brooks (“Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance”), Ronnie Milsap (“Cowboys and Clowns”), Celine Dion (“Miracle”), Kenny Rogers (“Through The Years”), and more. He has had 14 No. 1 hits, and an American Music Award win.
“In addition to my catalog, I’m especially excited about bringing Latigo Shore Music into the deal, which showcases some of Andrew Dorff’s early works. Some of the songs written in this catalog were written with some of Nashville’s greatest songwriters including Josh Osborne, Rodney Clawson, and Eric Church. A lot of these songs, in addition to songs by Jeston Cade, are ‘hits waiting to happen’ and I’m thrilled that they will get a new lease on life,” says Dorff.
“I’ve had a great relationship with Steve for years and adding him to our Demolition team takes me back to when the Yankees added Reggie Jackson to their lineup. He’s a hall of fame songwriter who has proven time and time again that no matter the genre, he plays to win,” says Jon D’Agostino, President of Demolition Music.
“Jon and I have been good friends, and I think the Demolition team is a great place to call home,” says Dorff. “I’m looking forward to working with the creative team at Demolition, and am currently working on a lot of exciting projects including records, films, and other productions,” says Dorff.
Jason Nix Signs With Jody Williams Songs
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R, Front Row): Jarrod Holley (Make Wake Artists), Jody Williams, Jason Nix, Nina Jenkins (Jody Williams Songs). (L-R, Back Row): Walker Newberry (Make Wake Artists), Randi McFadden (Make Wake Artists), Chris Kappy (Make Wake Artists), Matt Cottingham (Ritholz Levy Fields LLP). Photo Credit: Nathan Zucker
Jason Nix has signed an exclusive songwriting agreement with Jody Williams Songs.
Nix’s debut EP Money On You was released earlier this month and landed in the Top 20 on the iTunes Country Charts.
“I’m a big fan of Jason’s songwriting, performing and connectivity to his fans,” said Jody Williams, who launched his publishing company this year in partnership with Warner Chappell Music Nashville. “We could not be prouder to be his publishing home and work closely with Jarrod Holley and Chris Kappy at Make Wake in this important season of his career.”
“Jody was a huge reason that Jason was able to get off the road a few years ago and focus on songwriting,” says Nix’s manager Holley. “As soon as we found out he was launching Jody Williams Songs, we knew that we wanted Jason to be a part of their incredible roster.”
“Jody brings an unparalleled reputation and is one of my favorite people in this town,” adds Kappy. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring him and his team on board to team Nix.”
“Jody has been a champion for me ever since I met him at BMI years ago,” Nix shares. “I am excited to formally work with him, Nina and their talented JWS family.”
Melinda Newman Earns 2020 CMA Media Achievement Award
/by Lorie HollabaughMelinda Newman
Melinda Newman, Billboard’s Executive Editor, West Coast and Nashville, was awarded the 2020 CMA Media Achievement Award on Friday, Oct. 30. Newman was surprised with news of her win during a video interview with the co-hosts of the upcoming 54th Annual CMA Awards, Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker.
The CMA Media Achievement Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of print and internet journalists, columnists, authors, editors, television writers, producers and bookers, and syndicated radio reporters in the media as they relate to country music. The award is voted on by publicist members of CMA.
Before assuming her position as Billboard’s Executive Editor, West Coast and Nashville, Newman contributed to outlets such as The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Country, Country Weekly, Christian Science Monitor, Forbes, Parade, Entrepreneur, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, The Boot and Variety as a freelance writer.
“We are delighted to be presenting Melinda with this year’s Media Achievement Award,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “We can’t thank Melinda enough for her consistent, thoughtful
BlackHawk Returns With Two-Disc Greatest Hits Project
/by Lorie HollabaughKnown for their smooth harmonies, BlackHawk was originally made up of trio Henry Paul (lead vocals, mandolin, acoustic guitar), Dave Robbins (harmony vocals, keyboard) and the late Van Stephenson (harmony vocals, electric guitar). Recording Just About Right gave Paul and Robbins the chance to reunite with their original backing band from the ’90s, performing again alongside Bobby Huff (percussion) and Dale Oliver (lead guitar).
According to Paul, the reunion made for a very memorable musical moment, and many of the songs chosen were personal favorites from their early records spanning nearly a decade. The collection includes top hits “Goodbye Says It All,” “Every Once in a While,” “I Sure Can Smell the Rain,” “That’s Just About Right” and 18 more of the band’s tracks.
“Having this music that’s so special to us performed by the people that helped create it sets this double live album apart from anything we’ve recorded and released,” Paul said. “I especially love the acoustic nature of this collection because it casts these songs in the true spirit in which they were written.”
“Making a live BlackHawk acoustic recording takes me back to when Henry, Van, and I started writing and singing together as a trio,” said Robbins. “It’s representative of BlackHawk in its purist form, having old friends join us on stage and tried-and-true fans makes everything ‘just about right’ on that special night in Atlanta.”
Just About Right: Live From Atlanta Track Listing:
Disc 1
1. Down in Flames (M. Clark, J. Stevens)
2. Goodbye Says It All (C. Black, B. Fischer, J. McRae)
3. Every Once in a While (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson)
4. Love Like This (P. Bunch, M. Kennedy, P. Rose)
5. Let Em’ Whirl (H. Paul. V. Stephenson, G. Jennings)
6. Almost a Memory Now (D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, D. Oliver)
7. Wichita (D. Robbins, T. Robbins, T. Gates)
8. I’m Not Strong Enough to Say No (R. Lange)
9. Ships of Heaven (V. Stephenson)
10. Ain’t No Yesterday (W. Aldridge, M. Narmore)
11. Always Have, Always Will (D. Robbins)
Disc 2
1. Days of America (H. Paul, D. Robbins, L. Miller)
2. Dances With Her Shadow (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, D. Oliver)
3. Bluest Eyes in Texas (D. Robbins, V. Stephenson, T. DuBois)
4. Spirit Dancer (H. Paul, D Robbins, J. Peterick)
5. There You Have It (S. Bogard, R. Giles)
6. Brothers of the Southland (H. Paul, D. Robbins, J. Peterick)
7. One More Heartache (H. Paul, D. Robbins, V. Stephenson)
8. I Sure Can Smell the Rain (W. Aldridge, J. Jarrard)
9. That’s Just About Right (J. Black)
10. Postmarked Birmingham (P. Vasser, D. Sampson)
11. Big Guitar (H. Paul, H. Gross)
TikTok, Sony Music Strike Licensing Deal
/by Jessica NicholsonThe TikTok creator community will have access to sound clips from Sony Music’s catalog of current hits, new releases, classics, and deep cuts from every genre of music, while the two companies will work together to support greater levels of TikTok user personalization and creativity on the platform. The deal will also allow Sony and its artists to use TikTok to bring greater awareness to their music and artists, with TikTok partnering with Sony to promote artists on the platform.
Said Dennis Kooker, President, Global Digital Business and U.S. Sales, Sony Music Entertainment, “Short form video clips have developed into an exciting new part of the music ecosystem that contribute to the overall growth of music and the way fans experience it. TikTok is a leader in this space and we are pleased to be partnering with them to drive music discovery, expand opportunities for creativity and support artist careers.”
Said Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music for TikTok, “We are thrilled to enter in to this agreement with Sony Music so that we can continue to work together to connect the incredible roster of Sony artists in the U.S. and across the globe to new audiences and harness the power of TikTok. Especially during this time when the artist community is challenged to find new ways to reach fans with their music, we are committed to working together to do just that.”
TikTok inked global licensing deals with independent digital rights agency Merlin earlier this year, as well as an agreement with the National Music Publishers’ Association.
Jeff Tanner Named VP/Business Affairs At Big Loud
/by Lorie HollabaughJeff Tanner.
Jeff Tanner is joining Big Loud in the newly-created role of VP/Business Affairs. Tanner will oversee business and legal affairs for Big Loud Records and Publishing, and will report directly to Big Loud Records and Publishing COO Austen Adams, effective immediately.
The move sees Tanner returning to Nashville from Dallas. He previously spent a decade in Nashville with stops at Narada/EMI and Sony Music Nashville as Associate Director, Legal & Business Affairs. Coming full circle, he even sang background vocals on Jake Owen’s No. 1 smash “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” along with his fellow country radio peers.
“We are thrilled to have Jeff join our Big Loud family,” said Adams. “He is an extremely well-respected member of the music business community and comes with ample record label executive experience. But more importantly, he’s a great guy.”
“Big Loud is a progressive, creative, and forward-thinking company that consistently puts the artist first,” said Tanner. “I’m thrilled to be joining the Big Loud family at such an exciting time and look forward to doing my part to further its success.”
Matt Stell Earns Second No. 1 Hit: “What A Great Feeling To Ring The Bell For A Song That Means So Much To Me”
/by Jessica NicholsonMatt Stell. Photo: Dustin Haney
Matt Stell has notched his second No. 1 single, as “Everywhere But On” tops the both the Billboard Country Airplay chart and the Mediabase Country chart this week. The song follows his breakthrough chart-topper, “Prayed For You,” which reached the pinnacle of the country charts in October 2019.
This second No. 1 hit makes RECORDS/Arista Nashville artist Stell, only the seventh debut artist in the past five years to earn consecutive No. 1 hits with their first and second singles.
“This song is really personal to me, and it’s one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written, so the fact that we’ve been able to get a No. 1 with this is special,” he told MusicRow Magazine of “Everywhere But On.” “The feeling is a little different from my first No. 1, because with the first one, I didn’t know what to expect, but with this one, I had expectations and man, what a great feeling to ring the bell on a song that means so much to me.”
Stell co-wrote the track alongside Lance Miller and Paul Sikes.
“Paul tossed out the title idea, and I knew immediately that it was a song I wanted to be a part of,” Stell recalls of the writing session. “I interjected a lot of my own experiences in it and I got to write it with two great friends.”
One of the lines that stood out for Stell was My mail’s still goin’ to mama’s house/’Cause I’m still long gone tryin’ to figure out/Who I am without you.
“That’s definitely a line that is true,” he says. “ I was on the road so much, that I didn’t have a steady place for me to get mail, so to this day there is stuff that gets sent to my mom’s house that she has to keep for me or send to me. That was one lyric that really struck me as personal.”
Arkansas native Stell is also in his 67th week on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, and at 24 weeks as of Oct. 31, Stell holds the record for the most weeks spent in the chart’s Top 5 among all country acts since the Billboard Emerging Artists chart was launched.
Like most artists and songwriters in 2020, Stell says he has been taking advantage of being off the road to further deepen his catalog of songs.
“The co-writing has been the silver lining to all of this. I normally wouldn’t have so much time to write. I’ve done a lot of Zoom writes, but I’ve done a few in-person writes. I think going forward, Zoom writes are something that will stick around, now that everyone has gotten a little used to it. If you have a good idea, and your buddy is in California or New York, you can still co-write. I think that is one positive that is going to stick around.”