Peter York

Peter York, Chairman and CEO for Capitol Christian Music Group, will retire from the company on March 31, following 37 years in leadership roles at CCMG, and 50 years in the music industry.

York’s retirement follows last year’s promotion of Brad O’Donnell and Hudson Plachy to co-presidents of CCMG and completes a succession plan for the company that began six years ago. York will remain in an advisory role to O’Donnell and Plachy throughout the end of the year.

CCMG has earned 17 consecutive ASCAP Christian Music Publisher of the Year awards and earned 40 Grammy awards in the last decade alone.

According to Capitol Music Group (CMG) Chairman & CEO Steve Barnett, to whom York reports, “Peter is one of the most accomplished executives in the music business, and his contributions to CCMG and the Faith-based music community over the many decades cannot be overstated. It is a testament to Peter’s foresight and dedication to our company that he has long anticipated this day and has meticulously prepared CCMG for a seamless transition from his leadership to that of Brad O’Donnell and Hudson Plachy. I know they have been well-mentored by Peter, and I’m confident that the company is well-positioned to build upon its market-leading success under their co-leadership. I offer my thanks and appreciation to Peter for all he has done for CCMG and CMG, and wish him the very best in his well-earned retirement.”

York said, “I’ve been privileged to be a part of CCMG and its many evolutions over the last 37 years. I’ve worked with the absolute best music business leaders, the most dedicated team and with immensely gifted artists and songwriters along the way. It’s been more than I could have ever imagined. I’m humbled and grateful for the countless opportunities I’ve been given and I’m overwhelmed by the impact our music has had in the lives of consumers around the world. I’d like to thank Steve Barnett for all of his support over these past seven years and for his confidence in our succession plan and the next generation of leadership for CCMG.”

York spent 22 years as President of CCMG’s Label Group before being promoted to Chairman & CEO in 2018. The label group includes imprints Sparrow, Forefront, sixsteps, Hillsong and Jesus Culture, as well as the Capitol Christian Publishing Division.

He added Commercial Partnerships and Publishing to his portfolio of responsibilities in 2015. During his early career at Sparrow Records, York worked directly with label founder Billy Ray Hearn, first in copyright development and A&R and later rose to Sr. VP, A&R and teamed with Bill Hearn to run the label. York has spearheaded the careers of many legendary CCM artists including Steven Curtis Chapman, BeBe & CeCe Winans, TobyMac, Amy Grant, Chris Tomlin and more.

York’s early years with Sparrow Records were spent working directly with label founder Billy Ray Hearn, first in copyright development and A&R, and later rising to Senior Vice President of A&R and partnering with Hearn’s son, Bill Hearn, to run the label. York’s career began 40 years ago as a musician, songwriter and producer, performing and recording with Phil Keaggy, 2nd Chapter of Acts and more.

ASCAP has announced the first wave of speakers for its upcoming 2020 ASCAP Experience, set for April 1-3 in Los Angeles.

ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams leads a stacked lineup that will include 40 different panels teeming with songwriters and composers.

Singer-songwriter and producer Dan Wilson (“Closing Time,” Semisonic; “Someone Like You,” Adele) will bring his popular Instagram series “Words & Music in Six Seconds” to life by teaming with Jason Mraz (“I’m Yours,” “I Won’t Give Up”), producer-songwriter Stefan Johnson (“Memories,” Maroon 5; “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey) and singer-songwriter Steph Jones (“People You Know,” Selena Gomez, “Nightfall,” Little Big Town).

In partnership with She Is The Music, “Sonic Architects: Hit Producers & Engineers Defining the Sounds of Tomorrow” spotlights an all-star female lineup: Colombian producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and DJ Ali Stone, Grammy-winning engineer Ann Mincieli and songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist and producer Wendy Wang. Another segment, “Horror Scorers,” allows attendees to hear from composers including Marco Beltrami (A Quiet Place; Scream) and Joe Bishara (The Conjuring; Insidious).

Desmond Child (“Livin’ on a Prayer,” Bon Jovi; “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” Aerosmith) will host an intimate, submission-based master class with a set of handpicked aspiring Experience songwriters. The winners will work one-on-one with the Songwriters Hall of Fame member and his elite team of genre-spanning hitmakers Claudia Brant (“A Partir de Hoy,” David Bisbal; “Quédate con Ella,” Natalia Jiménez), Sam Hollander (“High Hopes,” Panic! at the Disco; “Handclap,” Fitz and the Tantrums) and Brett James (“Jesus, Take the Wheel,” Carrie Underwood; “Summer Nights,” Rascal Flatts).

Other panelists added to the 2020 lineup include:

• Amy Allen (“Without Me,” Halsey; “Back to You,” Selena Gomez)
• DJ Aryay (“Tied Up,” Major Lazer, “Barely Breathing,” Dillon Francis)
• Poo Bear (“Yummy,” Justin Bieber; “10,000 Hours,” Justin Bieber & Dan + Shay)
• Anthony Brown (“Trust in You,” “I Got That,” Anthony Brown & group therAPy)
• Darrell Brown (“You’ll Think of Me,” Keith Urban; “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” Josh Turner)
• Bryan Calhoun (Creator, Music Business Toolbox and Head of Digital Strategy, Blueprint/Maverick)
• Jekalyn Carr (“You Will Win,” “I See Miracles”)
• Hisham Dahud (Founder of ArtistProm Artist Rizik)
• Sue Drew (General Manager, Creative & Acquisitions, Kobalt Music)
• Hillel Frankel (Partner, Mandell Menkes LLC)
• Emile Ghantous (“I’m Blessed,” Charlie Wilson ft. T.I., “Hope We Meet Again,” Pitbull ft. Chris Brown)
• Garret Nash (Gnash) (“i hate u i love u,” “Lights Down Low”)
• Ari Herstand (singer-songwriter and author, How to Make It in the New Music Business)
• IN-Q (“Love You Like a Love Song,” Selena Gomez; “Good Life,” ZHU)
• Daymond John (“Shark” on Shark Tank, entrepreneur and motivational speaker)
• Blu June (“LoveHappy,” The Carters; “You Stay,” DJ Khaled))
• Mickey Karbal (“Barely Breathing,” Dillon Francis; “Hold Me Down,” Anjulie)
• Michelle Lewis (composer for Doc McStuffins and DC Superhero Girls)
• Priscilla Renea (“Timber,” Pitbull; “California King Bed,” Rihanna)
• Suzy Shinn (“Say Amen (Saturday Night),” Panic! at the Disco; “The Last of the Real Ones,” Fall Out Boy)
• Daphne Willis (“Do it Like This;” “Slow Burn” from Empire)
• Malik Yusef (“Sandcastles,” Beyoncé; “All Day,” Kanye West)

Singer-songwriter and global entertainer Taylor Swift has joined Universal Music Publishing Group, a change from her previous publishing home at Sony/ATV.

“I’m proud to extend my partnership with Lucian Grainge and the Universal Music family by signing with UMPG, and for the opportunity to work with Jody Gerson, the first woman to run a major music publishing company,” said Taylor Swift. “Jody is an advocate for women’s empowerment and one of the most-respected and accomplished industry leaders.”

Swift added, “Troy Tomlinson has been an amazing part of my team for over half my life and a passionate torchbearer for songwriters. It’s an honor to get to work with such an incredible team, especially when it comes to my favorite thing in the world: songwriting.”

The multi-album and multi-year agreement makes UMG Swift’s exclusive worldwide recorded music partner, as the entertainer is also signed to UMG label Republic Records.

Swift has penned numerous hit singles including “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “Look What You Made Me Do.”

Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of UMPG, said, “We are honored to welcome Taylor Swift to UMPG. Using her power and voice to create a better world, Taylor’s honest and brave songwriting continues to be an inspiration to countless fans. We look forward to further amplifying Taylor’s voice and songs across the globe.”

Troy Tomlinson, Chairman and CEO of UMPG Nashville, said, “I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with Taylor since she was 14 years old, and she still amazes me daily. The true definition of a multigenerational artist and songwriter, Taylor’s songs, vision and unwavering determination have always been an inspiration. I am so happy and so proud to continue representing Taylor and her music, and I am confident that UMPG will be the best, most creative partner in providing unparalleled opportunities for her songs.”

Kenny Chesney will release his latest single, “Here and Now,” on Feb. 21. The inspirational new tune, written by Craig Wiseman, David Garcia, and David Lee Murphy, reminds us how easy it is to miss the magic in the moments when you are too immersed in the details of the everyday, and emerged from Chesney’s own desire to reconnect with his writer friends and reminisce a bit.

“This song kind of blew my mind,” said Chesney. “The chorus is everything I feel about my time on stage with No Shoes Nation…the rush of it absolutely being the best place, best moment in the entire world. There’s no rush like it. But what really got me was the way the song puts everybody on notice. It says everything about how we all put off living our lives because there’s so much other stuff to do. Only thing is, that’s exactly how you miss everything that matters! It’s not the big stuff that gets you laughing or breaks the bad momentum, it’s what’s right here if you’ll bother to dial in and really feel it.”

The song will no doubt be in the lineup on Chesney’s upcoming Chillaxification Tour, which kicks off April 18 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and runs through the Summer.