Top Row: James Elliott (Chair of Songwriting Program, Belmont University), Doug Howard (Dean of Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business, Belmont University), Carlton Anderson (Songwriter, Warner Chappell), Mark Trussell (Songwriter, Warner Chappell), Jordan Reynolds (Songwriter, Warner Chappell), Drew Ramsey (Songwriting Professor, Belmont University), Ben Vaughn (President/CEO, Warner Chappell Nashville). Bottom Row: Caroline Watkins (Songwriter, Warner Chappell), Grace Lee (Belmont student, Warner Chappell Songwriting Intern), Parker Welling (Songwriter, Warner Chappell), and Jessi Vaughn (A&R/Digital Manager, Warner Chappell). Photo: Courtesy Belmont University

Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business and Warner Chappell Music recently presented a writers showcase in the Johnson Theater with special performances by Jordan Reynolds, Parker Welling, Mark Trussell, Carlton Anderson, Caroline Watkins, and Grace Lee.

These Belmont alumni returning to campus shared music, advice, and stories from their time at the University, and the event showcased the special partnership between Belmont and Warner Chappell. Over the years, the publishing company has hired many Belmont alumni in business and creative roles, most recently offering a new, unique internship opportunity for songwriting students.

One of the evening’s performers, Grace Lee, a junior songwriting major, is currently participating in Warner Chappell’s Emerging Talent Associate – Songwriting program. Through the internship, Lee will be treated as an up-and-coming Warner Chappell songwriter, receiving various co-writing opportunities with professional songwriters, consistent song feedback, one-on-one time with the A&R staff, and mentoring on the publishing community in Nashville.

“Being a Belmont alumni myself, it has been such an honor to help facilitate the Warner Chappell/Belmont songwriting program. Alison Junker (previously at WC, now at Spotify) and Ben Vaughn created the program in 2018 and passed it on to me in 2019,” said Jessi Vaughn, Manager, A&R/Digital at Warner Chappell Music. “I have been blown away by the talent, willingness to learn, and bravery that Grace has displayed thus far. Walking into the room to write songs with people you’ve never met can be intimidating. Not only has she created amazing art, but she’s also done an incredible job in forging new friendships in the songwriting community. I look forward to seeing the rising stars this program yields over the next several years.”

“I loved hearing the stories of these Belmont alumni who write for Warner Chappell Music,” said James Elliott, Chair of Belmont’s Songwriting Program. “It was great listening to the hit songs they’ve written and how they met their co-writers and so many others they work with during their time as Belmont students. The Curb College has a rich history with Warner Chappell and we’re excited about the new opportunities Ben Vaughn and his team are providing for Songwriting majors like Grace Lee to co-write with their writers via the innovative Warner Chappell Songwriting Internship.”

Grace Lee. Photo: Courtesy Belmont University.

Secret Deodorant is stepping up to help champion equal representation for women in the music industry. Secret has announced a pledge to feature 100% female-created music in all future campaigns and enlisting female singers and songwriters to create tracks for all marketing efforts, beginning in 2020.

“As a brand for women, we consistently strive to elevate other women in all we do. But when it comes to the production of music for our campaigns, it has frankly been a struggle to do so, as women are so significantly underrepresented in the music industry,” said Sara Saunders, Associate Brand Director, Secret, P&G. “We want to change that. We’ve heard from women that there’s one thing that can make all the difference in their careers, and that’s access to other women in the industry. Secret is proud to team up with Women in Music – the music industry’s leading non-profit working toward gender equality – to enable to just that. And we’ll continue to support those women by exclusively enlisting all-female music teams in the production of Secret campaigns.”

Through a partnership with non-profit Women in Music, Secret will offer 250 aspiring female artists access to female mentors. Secret is launching a talent search through which women can receive several opportunities to help build valuable connections, including annual Women In Music (WIM) memberships for 250 women, WIM mentorships with industry artists and/or executives for 50 women, access to Music Biz 2020 for two women, Music Week Badges to SXSW and travel/accommodation for two women, the opportunity to have their music featured in a future Secret ad, and more.

To enter, aspiring artists and songwriters must share their own take on Secret’s “All Strength, No Sweat” brand anthem via their Instagram channels. Those more interested in the business side of the industry are invited to share their “All Strength, No Sweat” stories and career aspirations on the platform as well. To join this movement, women can check out the official guidelines here.

Other musicians, including Secret partners MILCK and Lauren Eylise, will help to rally their fans to participate in the effort via socials, so they too can benefit from industry access and mentorship programs through this effort.

“We are thrilled to have a brand like Secret working with us to make the music industry a more equitable, diverse and inclusive community,” said Nicole Barsalona, President, Women in Music. “In our study with Berklee Institute of Creative Entrepreneurship, we found that mentored women earn more money, express greater satisfaction with their jobs, and were more likely to feel they were where they should be in their careers. Our partnership with Secret allows us to offer meaningful mentorship opportunities so that more women have a chance at that kind of transformational change.”

Galantis, Dolly Parton. Photo: Erik Melvin

Dolly Parton recently teamed with Swedish electronic DJ/production duo Galantis and Dutch artist Mr. Probz for the song “Faith.” The track debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Dance/Electronic Digital Songs Sales chart, earning Parton her first No. 1 on a Dance/Electronic chart. “Faith” was streamed 1.8 million times in the United States in its first week.

Parton will co-host the upcoming CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 13, where she is also slated to perform a medley of songs including “Faith,” “God Only Knows,” and “There Was Jesus” with CCM artists King & Country and Zach Williams. Parton’s Netflix original series, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, will premiere Nov. 22. She is also the subject of the popular podcast, Dolly Parton’s America.

Apple Music is spotlighting the songwriters, producers and musicians behind several of country music’s current hits with its new Liner Notes feature. Each month, Apple Music will highlight a different track.

Today, the feature launches with Lady Antebellum‘s “What If I Never Get Over You.” Apple Music also offers a “Songbook” Playlist to highlight other songs from the track’s writers, Ryan Hurd, Laura Veltz, Sam Ellis and Jon Green, as well as a “Behind The Boards” feature on producer Dann Huff. The track’s musicians including Charlie Judge, Aaron Sterling, David Huff, Derek Wells and Ilya Toshinskiy are featured in “On The Session.”

Apple Music previously released a new time-synched lyrics feature, which includes real-time synched lyrics that animate karaoke-style along with the music. The company also recently released “Lyrics To Live By,” which highlights some of the music industry’s most celebrated songwriters.