Randy Travis
Since notching his first Top 10 single in 1986 with “1982,” Randy Travis has inspired generations of artists with his warm, humbly commanding voice. He earned 10 chart-topping singles between 1986 and 1990. His sophomore album, Always & Forever, was ultimately certified 5x multi-Platinum and earned Travis a Grammy, bolstered by his signature hit “Forever and Ever, Amen.” His followup, 1988’s Old 8×10, brought a second Grammy—to date, Travis has taken home seven of those gilded gramophones. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and has sold more than 25 million albums.
Three of his recordings, including “On The Other Hand” (1986), “Forever and Ever, Amen” (1987) and “Three Wooden Crosses” (2003), have earned CMA Song of the Year honors.
But in 1984, Travis was another Nashville hopeful, performing for patrons at the Nashville Palace when he wasn’t in the restaurant’s kitchen working as a cook. One year prior, he had released an independent album, Live at the Nashville Palace. He was also writing songs and found work as a demo singer while chasing the dream of signing a label deal.
Now, more than three decades later, one of those early Travis demo recordings has been recovered and released as his latest single.
“Fool’s Love Affair” is a refreshing slice of stone-cold traditional country music, with Travis’ honeyed baritone carrying regret-tinged lyrics centering on a forbidden romance, cradled by steel guitar and piano.
The song marks the Country Music Hall of Fame member’s first new music in seven years, since his near-fatal stroke in 2013 robbed music lovers of the voice that made Travis a prominent figure of the New Traditionalist wave of country singers in the 1980s.
Fans and country artists alike have responded mightily.
Within a week of its release on July 29, “Fool’s Love Affair” reached more than 1 million streams. Travis’ team also released a promotional video clip on TikTok, earning more than 4 million views of the video in less than 48 hours. Country artists including Josh Turner, Chris Young, Charles Esten, Midland and Carrie Underwood (who transformed Travis’ 1988 chart-topper “I Told You So” into a duet with Travis and earned a Grammy in 2009) shared praise for the new song on social media.
“The respect and the admiration that he has gained from the artist friends, that’s what means so much to him. And the fans that are still around after our seven-year hiatus, dealing with the stroke and aftermath, those fans are still around, I think that’s what matters most,” says Randy Travis’s wife Mary Travis, who often joins Randy in media interviews.
“He always told me, ‘If one of my songs touches one person, I’ve made my mark. I’ve done my part,’” she tells MusicRow.
Fittingly, the song was released on 35th anniversary of Travis’ 1985 major label debut single, “On The Other Hand,” penned by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, which eventually became the first of Travis’ 16 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (upon its initial release, “On The Other Hand” peaked at No. 67. After the success of “1982,” Warner Bros. re-released “On The Other Hand,” and it became his first chart-topper).
Longtime radio personality and music publisher Charlie Monk co-wrote “Fool’s Love Affair” alongside Keith Stegall and Milton Brown in 1982. Monk had signed Travis to his publishing company Monk Family Music; according to Mary Travis, Randy recorded the song in 1984, just prior to signing with Warner Bros.
“They were at that point looking or someone that could lay down a demo vocal so they could pitch it to people like Merle Haggard and George Jones. Randy was doing demos and working at the Nashville Palace at the time, so I guess it didn’t ever get recorded by anybody and Charlie Monk shoved the 8-track in the back of his desk. He couldn’t find the master recording of it for years,” says Mary Travis.
“Randy remembers doing the demo,” she continues. “For two or three years, Charlie looked for it. Then, when he was cleaning out his office on Music Row and was boxing up a bunch of stuff to take to the Country Music Hall of Fame, he stumbled over a box in the corner and out fell this multi-track of the song.”
Monk took the multi-track recording to Kyle Lehning, the producer for so many of Travis’ albums, including his 1986 debut album Storms of Life, which went on to be certified 3x multi-Platinum.
When asked how it felt to hear Lehning’s finished version, Randy said, “Awesome.”
“It was vintage sounding because there is static and rattle, like something that would be played on an old jukebox,” Mary Travis adds. “But it was great hearing it because it was new material. Then when Kyle got through with it, it gave me goosebumps. I cried, because I love hearing that voice again. And I know he was proud not only for Charlie and Kyle, but to hear Kyle’s work again.
“I told Charlie, ‘It’s just a God wink.’ It was supposed to be because Charlie persevered for so long and Kyle was willing to work on the track. I think everyone has room in their heart and room on the radio dial. It is pretty cool to hear him over the airwaves again,” Mary said.
“Yep,” Randy added.
Mary Travis says fans can expect to hear more of Travis’ classic voice soon.
“There is more to come and there are some great ones that we have found in the archives, and some songs that Randy has written but that have not been put on tape yet. But Kyle has found an album full that we are trying to backtrack to see who wrote them and when they are written. There’s more to come.”
Randy Travis’ “Fool’s Love Affair” Surpasses 1 Million Streams
/by Jessica NicholsonRandy Travis
Since notching his first Top 10 single in 1986 with “1982,” Randy Travis has inspired generations of artists with his warm, humbly commanding voice. He earned 10 chart-topping singles between 1986 and 1990. His sophomore album, Always & Forever, was ultimately certified 5x multi-Platinum and earned Travis a Grammy, bolstered by his signature hit “Forever and Ever, Amen.” His followup, 1988’s Old 8×10, brought a second Grammy—to date, Travis has taken home seven of those gilded gramophones. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and has sold more than 25 million albums.
Three of his recordings, including “On The Other Hand” (1986), “Forever and Ever, Amen” (1987) and “Three Wooden Crosses” (2003), have earned CMA Song of the Year honors.
But in 1984, Travis was another Nashville hopeful, performing for patrons at the Nashville Palace when he wasn’t in the restaurant’s kitchen working as a cook. One year prior, he had released an independent album, Live at the Nashville Palace. He was also writing songs and found work as a demo singer while chasing the dream of signing a label deal.
Now, more than three decades later, one of those early Travis demo recordings has been recovered and released as his latest single.
“Fool’s Love Affair” is a refreshing slice of stone-cold traditional country music, with Travis’ honeyed baritone carrying regret-tinged lyrics centering on a forbidden romance, cradled by steel guitar and piano.
The song marks the Country Music Hall of Fame member’s first new music in seven years, since his near-fatal stroke in 2013 robbed music lovers of the voice that made Travis a prominent figure of the New Traditionalist wave of country singers in the 1980s.
Fans and country artists alike have responded mightily.
Within a week of its release on July 29, “Fool’s Love Affair” reached more than 1 million streams. Travis’ team also released a promotional video clip on TikTok, earning more than 4 million views of the video in less than 48 hours. Country artists including Josh Turner, Chris Young, Charles Esten, Midland and Carrie Underwood (who transformed Travis’ 1988 chart-topper “I Told You So” into a duet with Travis and earned a Grammy in 2009) shared praise for the new song on social media.
“The respect and the admiration that he has gained from the artist friends, that’s what means so much to him. And the fans that are still around after our seven-year hiatus, dealing with the stroke and aftermath, those fans are still around, I think that’s what matters most,” says Randy Travis’s wife Mary Travis, who often joins Randy in media interviews.
“He always told me, ‘If one of my songs touches one person, I’ve made my mark. I’ve done my part,’” she tells MusicRow.
Fittingly, the song was released on 35th anniversary of Travis’ 1985 major label debut single, “On The Other Hand,” penned by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, which eventually became the first of Travis’ 16 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (upon its initial release, “On The Other Hand” peaked at No. 67. After the success of “1982,” Warner Bros. re-released “On The Other Hand,” and it became his first chart-topper).
Longtime radio personality and music publisher Charlie Monk co-wrote “Fool’s Love Affair” alongside Keith Stegall and Milton Brown in 1982. Monk had signed Travis to his publishing company Monk Family Music; according to Mary Travis, Randy recorded the song in 1984, just prior to signing with Warner Bros.
“They were at that point looking or someone that could lay down a demo vocal so they could pitch it to people like Merle Haggard and George Jones. Randy was doing demos and working at the Nashville Palace at the time, so I guess it didn’t ever get recorded by anybody and Charlie Monk shoved the 8-track in the back of his desk. He couldn’t find the master recording of it for years,” says Mary Travis.
“Randy remembers doing the demo,” she continues. “For two or three years, Charlie looked for it. Then, when he was cleaning out his office on Music Row and was boxing up a bunch of stuff to take to the Country Music Hall of Fame, he stumbled over a box in the corner and out fell this multi-track of the song.”
Monk took the multi-track recording to Kyle Lehning, the producer for so many of Travis’ albums, including his 1986 debut album Storms of Life, which went on to be certified 3x multi-Platinum.
When asked how it felt to hear Lehning’s finished version, Randy said, “Awesome.”
“It was vintage sounding because there is static and rattle, like something that would be played on an old jukebox,” Mary Travis adds. “But it was great hearing it because it was new material. Then when Kyle got through with it, it gave me goosebumps. I cried, because I love hearing that voice again. And I know he was proud not only for Charlie and Kyle, but to hear Kyle’s work again.
“I told Charlie, ‘It’s just a God wink.’ It was supposed to be because Charlie persevered for so long and Kyle was willing to work on the track. I think everyone has room in their heart and room on the radio dial. It is pretty cool to hear him over the airwaves again,” Mary said.
“Yep,” Randy added.
Mary Travis says fans can expect to hear more of Travis’ classic voice soon.
“There is more to come and there are some great ones that we have found in the archives, and some songs that Randy has written but that have not been put on tape yet. But Kyle has found an album full that we are trying to backtrack to see who wrote them and when they are written. There’s more to come.”
Matt Dragstrem Reaches Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellWith co-writer credit on “Be A Light” (Thomas Rhett) and “One Margarita” (Luke Bryan), Matt Dragstrem rises to the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. HARDY, Josh Thompson, and Ashley Gorley remain in the top three again this week.
Jesse Frasure makes his way up to the No. 6 position with credit on “Almost Maybes” (Jordan Davis), “Hole In The Bottle” (Kelsea Ballerini), “One Big Country Song” (LOCASH), and “Some People Do” (Old Dominion).
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital downloaded 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.
Courtney Marie Andrews Signs With Reservoir, One Riot
/by Lorie HollabaughCourtney Marie Andrews
Courtney Marie Andrews has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Reservoir and One Riot. The deal includes global rights to Andrews’ newly released album, Old Flowers, plus future works.
Originally from Phoenix, Andrews broke through the music scene with the 2016 release of her album, Honest Life, which went to No. 1 on both the Official UK Americana Albums and Independent Album Breakers charts and was named the Bluegrass Situation’s Album of the Year. She followed that with her 2018 album, May Your Kindness Remain, which also shot to No. 1 on the Official UK Americana Albums and Independent Album Breakers charts, as well as topping the Euro Americana Chart. Since its release, Andrews won International Artist of the Year at the 2018 UK Americana Awards and earned a nomination for Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2018 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards.
The 10 new songs comprising Old Flowers stemmed from the aftermath of a long-term relationship and follow her personal journey through heartbreak, loneliness and finding herself again. In the lead up to its July 24 debut via Fat Possum Records, Andrews released several singles including “If I Told,” “It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault,” “How You Get Hurt” and “Burlap String.”
Old Flowers has been steadily climbing the charts, while “It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault,” was the top downloaded single at AAA radio and reached a new peak at No. 15 on the Americana Singles chart. Andrews was the cover of Spotify’s Fresh Folk playlist and was featured on CBS’ Saturday Morning.
“One Riot and Reservoir are the kind of publishing team every writer dreams of: intentional, caring, and hardworking. In this business, it is so rare to find people like them, who truly care and value songs and artists. I feel right at home on this team,” said Andrews.
“We are so happy to welcome Courtney Marie Andrews to the One Riot roster,” said Amy Patton, One Riot’s General Manager. “Her songwriting is both heartbreaking and heart-mending—a rare and beautiful ability. It’s an honor to join the team as her publishing partner!”
Added John Ozier, Reservoir EVP of Creative, “Reservoir prides itself on signing unique talents like Courtney. Her artistry manifests through real, vulnerable musical storytelling, and we are excited to be a part of her future creative narrative.”
Clay Walker Signs Label Deal With Show Dog Nashville
/by Lorie HollabaughClay Walker
Clay Walker has signed with Toby Keith‘s Show Dog Nashville label.
Walker has been preparing a new project over the past year, working with many of the genre’s top songwriters, and details on the new single and album project will be coming soon. He has charted 31 singles, many of which continue to receive strong airplay, including “Live Until I Die,” “Dreaming With My Eyes Open,” “If I Could Make A Living,” “This Woman And This Man,” “Hypnotize The Moon,” “Rumor Has It,” “Then What,” “The Chain Of Love,” “I Can’t Sleep” and “She Won’t Be Lonely Long.”
“Toby and I started out at the same time and share a common vision,” Walker says. “We are managed by the same team and no one understands what an artist needs like another artist. We see eye to eye in so many ways. I am thrilled to be a part of this team and can’t wait to get my new music out to everyone.”
“Our paths have crossed many times,” Keith said. “I respect Clay as an artist, and his catalog of hits speaks for itself. He writes and sings country music. What a concept.”
“Clay and I had a phenomenal run as teammates on Giant Records a few years back,” said Rick Moxley, Show Dog Nashville’s VP Promotion. “He is an incredible country artist and I look forward to another successful string of hits.”
Maddie & Tae Headline Special Song Suffragettes Show Tonight
/by Lorie HollabaughThe lineup has been revealed for tonight’s (Aug. 10) Song Suffragettes show at The Listening Room. Maddie & Tae, Stevie Woodward, Erin Grand, Bree Doster, Ava Suppelsa, and Mia Morris are performing during the special show, which is part of the collaboration between the Song Suffragettes and the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment which gave women the constitutional right to vote on Aug. 26, 1920.
The Commission will be sponsoring upcoming Song Suffragettes’ shows at The Listening Room Café on Aug. 17 and Aug. 24 along with YouTube livestreams from those shows as well. Ashley McBryde (Aug. 17) and Runaway June (Aug. 24) are on tap for those evenings with special guests joining members of the Song Suffragettes’ ever-revolving and expanding roster, which currently consists of over 260 female singer-songwriters.
The livestream series Live From Nashville: Song Suffragettes will be available for free via the Song Suffragettes’ YouTube channel, and a limited number of tickets are available to attend these shows in person and can be purchased at listeningroomcafe.com.
Sixthman Introduces Customizable Event Services
/by Lorie HollabaughThe services are designed to add value for event producers who may have had to scale down in recent months, and encompass the full pre-planning, on-site execution and post-production phases of event management. Sixthman Services are set up to encompass full event needs or a la carte options and Community Building, Design, Talent Procurement and Relations, Operations, Sponsorship, Merchandise Strategy, Inventory Management, Booking, Guest Services, Safety Protocols, Virtual Events and more are all now available to support event holders bringing their concepts to market.
Sixthman’s foray into customizable services began with their multiyear partnership with Turner Classic Movie’s TCM Cruise. Since 2011, Sixthman has been offering a suite of services to the highly-curated television network’s cruise event through web-development, inventory management, and reservation and guest services during the pre-event and on-site phases of their vacation venture, and by providing insights from detailed guest surveys post event.
“For the past twenty years, we’ve been honored to produce over 145 festivals on land, sand & sea for some of the globe’s most iconic actors, artists and athletes,” said Anthony Diaz, CEO Sixthman. “During that time, we’ve been fortunate to learn so much about creating, planning and promoting highly complex and engaging events. With the expansion of Sixthman Services, we are now fully set up to take our passion and experience to help others to create and produce successful events of all sizes and styles. We couldn’t be more excited to have the opportunity to help brands, bands and event holders bring communities back together in venues of all kinds when the time is right, and together virtually in the meantime.”
Sixthman’s destination festivals have long connected artists and fans through a focus on interactive artist and guest experiences. Artists and fans have enjoyed unprecedented experiences throughout the years including curation of Jon Bon Jovi and KISS Museums featuring rare memorabilia, Train and 311’s beer and wine tastings with the band’s own brands, Melissa Etheridge’s fine dining charity dinner, and many more. Sixthman’s history of investing attention into every detail in creating unique, once in a lifetime experiences showcase an ability to gracefully walk the line between creating a highly successful guest experience while generating results, whether the main goal is event revenue, boosting charitable streams, or engaging attendees.
Drew Parker Renews Deal With River House Artists
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured, Top row (L-R): Chris Kappy and Jarrod Holley (Make Wake Artists), Zebb Luster and Lynn Oliver-Cline (River House Artists). Middle row (L-R): Chris King (King Business & Financial Management), Chip Petree (Ritholz Levy Fields LLP), Drew Parker, Zach Farnum (117 Publicity). Bottom row (L-R): Sam Forbert (CAA), Matt Cottingham (Ritholz Levy Fields)
Drew Parker has renewed his publishing deal with River House Artists. Parker’s writing credits include Luke Combs’ “1, 2 Many,” “Lonely One,” and “Nothing Like You,” as well as Jake Owen’s recent No. 1 hit “Homemade.” Parker is also repped by Make Wake Artists, CAA, 117 Publicity, King Business Management and Riholz Levy Fields, LLP.
Once tours are able to resume, Parker will open for Luke Combs’ What You See Is What You Get tour in 2021. In the meantime, he has been writing new music and and will release the fan-favorite track “While You’re Gone” on Aug. 14.
“Writing and creating country music is the best job in the world,” Parker says. “When you get to do it with folks that are like family it makes it that much better. It’s probably very clichè to say this but, for me, writing at River House is like writing at home. From Zebb giving me my first couch to sleep on in town five years ago, to Lynn hearing me play a writers round three years ago and believing in me, the River House team has always supported my dreams. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for my River House family.”
“Drew is an incredible songwriter and even better person. I feel so lucky to have met him early on and find such success so quickly. We are just getting started, cheers to many more years together!” says Lynn Oliver-Cline, Founder of River House Artists.
Kane Brown’s ‘Mixtape Vol. 1’ Coming Friday
/by Jessica NicholsonSince the beginning of the year, Kane Brown has been rolling out new music, including a few pop collaborations, such as his work with Swae Lee and Khalid on his current Top 40 hit “Be Like That,” and with John Legend on “Last Time I Say Sorry.”
This Friday, Aug. 14, he will compile the four previously-released tracks, along with three new songs, on the seven-track project Mixtape Vol. 1 via RCA Nashville/Zone 4.
Brown co-wrote every track on the new project, which also includes his current Top 10 country hit “Cool Again,” and the timely “Worldwide Beautiful,” which calls for unity and love, and was released two days after the music industry observed Blackout Tuesday. Brown recently debuted “Worldwide Beautiful” at the 2020 BET Awards alongside gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds.
See the full track listing for Brown’s Mixtape Vol. 1 below:
1. “Cool Again” – Songwriters: Kane Brown, Josh Hoge, Matt McGinn and Lindsay Rimes; Producer: Dann Huff and Lindsay Rimes
2. “Be Like That (feat. Swae Lee and Khalid)”- Songwriters: Kane Brown, Khalif Brown, Alexander “Eskeerdo” Izquierdo, Khalid Robinson, Ryan Vojtesak and Mike Will; Producer: Charlie Handsome
3. “Worship You”- Songwriters: Kane Brown, Alexander Izquierdo, Ryan Vojtesak and Matt McGinn; Producer: Dann Huff
4. “BFE” – Songwriters: Kane Brown, Sam Ellis, Matt McGinn, Taylor Phillips and Will Weatherly; Producer: Dann Huff
5. “Didn’t Know What Love Was” – Songwriters: Kane Brown, Shy Carter, Matt McGinn and Lindsay Rimes; Producer: Dann Huff and Lindsay Rimes
6. “Last Time I Say Sorry (with John Legend)” – Songwriters: John Stephens, Kane Brown, Matt McGinn and Andrew Goldstein; Producer: Andrew Goldstein
7. “Worldwide Beautiful” – Songwriters: Kane Brown, Shy Carter, Ryan Hurd and Jordan Schmidt; Producer: Dann Huff
Jared Mullins Joins Young Guns Publishing Roster
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Adam Romaine – Sr. Creative Director/A&R; Micah Wilshire – VP of TV/Film; Jared Mullins; Will Hamric – President; Aubrey Rupe – Sr. Creative Director
Jared Mullins has signed a publishing deal with Young Guns Publishing.
Mullins achieved his first No. 1 this year, co-writing Jake Owen’s “Homemade,” and has penned cuts for Kane Brown, Justin Moore, Granger Smith, Chase Rice, Runaway June and more.
“Jared’s talent is undeniable, he’s one of the best writers in Nashville and we couldn’t be happier to be working with him at YGP,” said Adam Romaine, Young Guns Sr. Creative Director/A&R.
“I’ve been a fan of Jared’s for years, and I’m thrilled to now have the privilege of working with him,” added Aubrey Rupe, Young Guns Sr. Creative Director. “He is a songwriter in the truest form, and his lyrical sense is undeniable. I’m excited to watch his career continue to grow here at YGP!”
“I’m proud and excited to sign with Young Guns and to get to work with such talented, genuine people. They’ve made me feel right at home and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together,” said Mullins.
Instagram Launches TikTok Competitor Instagram Reels
/by Jessica NicholsonInstagram launched Reels in Brazil in 2019 (where it was known as Cenas) and later expanded to markets including India earlier this year.
Instagram Reels allows users to craft and share 15-second videos, with editing tools including a countdown timer, AR effects, and music. Instagram Reels also allows for captions, hashtags, and tagging friends. Reels can also be published to Instagram Stories, though if published to Stories, they will disappear in 24 hours.
Instagram users with a public account can share reels to a dedicated space in Explore, where it can be seen and discovered by the wider Instagram community. Public users can also share their reels with followers by posting it on their feeds.