Pictured (L-R): Red 11’s Taylor Williamson, Josh Green, Geoff Turner; Cody Purvis; Red 11’s Jon Folk, Tyler Robertson and Blakely Tuten; The Erv Woolsey Company’s Erv Woolsey and Allen Mitchell
Rising country artist Cody Purvis has signed with boutique talent agency Red 11 Music, with offices and staff in Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas. He is signed with The Erv Woolsey Company for management.
“Watching Cody perform live, I immediately saw what his managers, Erv Woolsey and Allen Mitchell, had both have been raving about,” says Red 11 Music’s Jon Folk. “Cody is a ‘singer’s singer,’ and his live performances entice a crowd to feel as if they are on stage with him. Red 11 Music is very excited about where Cody’s live career is headed and equally excited to be a part of this experienced team.”
Woolsey adds, “Cody is a true entertainer, and we are looking to develop a hard ticket fan base along with the foundation for a long career. With Jon Folk and his team at Red 11’s proven track record and the passion that they have already shown for Cody, Allen and I feel like there is no better place to call home with this new partnership.”
Purvis shares, “I’m very impressed with the level of energy that Red 11 brings, and the consistency in the way they have supported their artists. I’m extremely appreciative of the opportunity, and I look forward to a long, successful relationship.”
In 2018, the Charlottesville, Virginia native showcased his dynamic live performance style as a cast member on USA Networks’ Real Country at the invitation of country music icon Travis Tritt. Purvis released his latest EP, Boots on the Ground, in the spring of 2019. The EP’s lead single, “Drinkin’ Terms,” was featured on Sirius/XM’s The Highway and is now approaching seven million streams on Spotify.
Hailey Whitters To Release Six-Song Collection ‘The Days’
/by Lorie HollabaughHailey Whitters will release The Days, the first half of her upcoming full-length album The Dream, on Sept. 13. The six-song collection will include three previously-released tracks, including “The Days” and “Ten Year Town,” and three new songs. Her full-length album The Dream is set for 2020.
Earlier this year, Whitters signed a co-management deal with BRND MGMT’s Matt Graham and Make Wake Artists’ Chris Kappy. She also began releasing singles from The Days including “Ten Year Town” ( co-written by Brandy Clark), “Red Wine & Blue,” and the title track.
“We get so consumed with the next achievement and accomplishment that sometimes you forget that you’re living right now. And that’s what I want listeners to take away from this album and its two parts.” Whitters says. “Be happy where you are in the present moment — because your dreams have to be worth it.”
Starting tomorrow, Whitters will hit the road supporting Maren Morris on her GIRL: The World Tour which will make stops in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and more.
Creative Nation Inks Publishing, Artist Development Deal With Jonathan Hutcherson
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R, front row): Jeff Skaggs (Publishing), Jonathan Hutcherson, Shaina Botwin (Publishing); (L-R, back row): Luke Laird, Rachel Burleson (Management), Beth Laird, Kelsey Granda (Publishing), Christina Wighton (Publishing), Brandon Gill (Management) Photo Credit: Katie Kauss
Creative Nation has inked a publishing and artist development deal with artist/songwriter Jonathan Hutcherson, adding him to their roster.
Hutcherson, a 20-year-old Kentucky native, auditioned for Season 10 of NBC’s The Voice in 2016 and was part of Pharrell Williams’ team. He later moved to Nashville to pursue music full time.
“I was introduced to Jonathan by Neal Carpenter after our annual Preston Taylor Ministries benefit last year. After only one phone conversation and hearing a few songs, I was impressed and knew he had what it takes. Shaina, along with the entire CN team, jumped on board quickly as well as our songwriters that wrote with him. His work ethic, talent and passion at 20 years old is inspiring and we are grateful to have him on the CN team,” Creative Nation’s Beth Laird says.
“To know Jonathan is to love him. From the first time we met, I was blown away by his talent, work ethic and positive attitude. I am so excited to be on his team and can’t wait to get to work!” Creative Nation’s Shaina Botwin says.
“I cannot say how excited I am to be joining the Creative Nation team. It’s been a dream of mine to be able to get a publishing deal one day, and I never thought my first deal would come from a company I look up to and admire so much. Super grateful for this opportunity and the future with them,” Hutcherson says.
Creative Nation was launched in 2011 by Luke and Beth Laird. Luke is a Grammy-winning producer and ACM and BMI Songwriter of the Year, with 23 No. 1 singles to his credit. Music executive Beth previously worked at BMG Music Publishing, Windswept Music Publishing, and BMI, before launching Creative Nation. The company has had 15 No. 1 songs and more than 50 radio singles. Creative Nation’s roster includes Alec Bailey, Barry Dean, Bear Rinehart, Casey Brown, Hutcherson, Kassi Ashton, Lori McKenna, Luke Laird, Steve Moakler, Travis Wood and Tyler Johnson.
Garth Brooks Tour Headed To Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium
/by Lorie HollabaughGarth Brooks just announced he is bringing his Stadium Tour to Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium. The in-the-round show is set for Saturday, Nov. 16, and will be the first concert held at Neyland Stadium in 16 years.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m. CT, and there is an eight ticket limit per purchase. Tickets can be purchased through ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks o
Garth recently went vinyl with a new package titled, LEGACY. During the first pre-sale, 20,000 packages sold in under 18 hours, marking 420,000 vinyl records sold.
Pandora Listeners Can Share Music, Podcasts On Instagram Stories
/by Jessica NicholsonPandora is now allowing users across all tiers of service to share their favorite songs, albums, podcasts, playlists and Pandora stations with friends via Instagram Stories.
While listening to the Pandora app, a user can tap “Share,” followed by “Instagram Stories,” and a Cover Art card for that song or podcast will generate on Instagram Stories. The friend or follower can tap “Play on Pandora” to get direct access to the content, as well as Pandora’s full music and podcast library.
Friends who don’t have a Pandora Premium account can access the shared content plus a session of free, unlimited, on-demand music and podcasts after viewing a short ad.
EMPIRE Launches Nashville Division With Eric Hurt
/by Jessica NicholsonEric Hurt. Photo: David Braud
Indie label, distributor and publisher EMPIRE has launched a Nashville division, with Eric Hurt as VP, A&R.
In his new role, Hurt will sign and develop new talent in Nashville, working closely with EMPIRE’s global team, and report directly to CEO/Founder Ghazi Shami at the company’s San Francisco headquarters. Hurt will continue to build buzzing country star Willie Jones. Prior to joining EMPIRE, Hurt (former Sr. Director, Creative for Black River Entertainment) was instrumental in signing Jones to Black River Publishing.
Shami said, “EMPIRE is built on culture and authenticity. As we expand into country music, we believe Eric fits our company ethos and is an integral part of Nashville’s vibrant music industry. We look forward to empowering country music singers and songwriters for years to come.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the team at EMPIRE,” said Hurt. “Ghazi’s forward-thinking approach to launching and supporting artists will be a great addition to the Nashville market. As we continue building Willie Jones’ career we’ll also grow and develop our roster in country with a diverse group of talent.”
Founded in 2010 by Shami, the company has been instrumental in launching the careers of artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, DRAM and Anderson. Paak. In 2019, the independent EMPIRE continues to make a major impact, with smash hits and new music from Snoop Dogg, Iggy Azalea, Robin Thicke, Young Dolph, The Free Nationals and more.
David Garcia, Laura Veltz Move Into Top Ten On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellDavid Garcia moves up seven slots to No. 9 this week on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, with co-writes “Hell Right” (Blake Shelton feat. Trace Adkins) and “Southbound” (Carrie Underwood) charting. Laura Veltz advances to round out the Top 10, with tunes “The Bones” (Maren Morris), “To A T” (Ryan Hurd) and “What If I Never Get Over You” (Lady Antebellum) propelling her.
Ashley Gorley remains at No. 1 for his fifth consecutive week, and HARDY and Hillary Lindsey maintain position at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
The MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity garnered from airplay, digital downloaded track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the first songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
David Wood Named Aloompa CEO
/by Lorie HollabaughDavid Wood has joined Nashville-based live event management software company Aloompa as CEO.
Wood holds a bachelor of arts from New York University as well as a masters of business administration from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. His career has focused on growth companies as a strategy consultant for Deloitte and as CFO and CEO of companies in various industries over a 30-year career. Wood joins Aloompa after working as CFO of Nashville startup AltoIRA since 2017. Wood is an investor member in Nue Cura Partners, the Nashville-based healthcare angel group. He is also a volunteer advisor at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.
“David coming on board will be making an impact on our organization immediately by adding more firepower to the executive team to fuel growth,” said Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Drew Burchfield. “He brings a wealth of experience in managing growth as we expand our footprint with new offerings for reservations, data analytics and a fully-automated, scalable platform. As we complete our transition to a company that creates licensable technology to organizers for events, we see exceptional opportunities beyond our traditional markets.”
“I am excited to join the Aloompa team full-time” said Wood, who has been a consultant to the company. “This company has a great foundation for transforming the live event experience. I am looking forward to helping Aloompa continue its rapid growth as one of the best and most innovative tech companies in all of live entertainment.”
Ten-year-old Aloompa helps event producers and businesses communicate, transact and build lasting relationships with their patrons by powering fan engagement, real time commerce, and loyalty. The company created the first mobile app to replace the paper guide for Bonnaroo in 2009 and serves over 300 live events of all kinds each year. Aloompa has been utilized for events including AmericanaFest, IEBA, Tin Pan South, X Games, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Comedy Central’s Clusterfest, Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Telluride Film Festival and BET Entertainment Experience.
In addition to Burchfield, Wood rounds out an executive team that includes live event technology industry veteran JD May as COO and Tyson Cadenhead as CTO.
Weekly Register: Midland’s ‘Let It Roll’ Tops Country Albums Chart
/by Jessica NicholsonBMLG trio Midland tops this week’s country albums chart with their sophomore effort Let It Roll, which brought in 22K in total consumption (16K album only/6.8 million song streams), according to Nielsen Soundscan.
Other top debuts this week include Tanya Tucker‘s While I’m Livin’ at No. 8 with 10K in total consumption (9.5K album only/446K song streams) and Vince Gill‘s Okie at No. 9 with 9.9K in total consumption (9.4K album only/627K song streams).
Luke Combs‘ This One’s For You drops to No. 2 this week with 21K in total consumption (4.1K album only/22 million song streams), followed by Dan + Shay‘s self-titled project with 15K in total consumption (778 album only/18 million song streams). Morgan Wallen‘s If I Know Me is at No. 4 with 12K in total consumption (587 album only/14 million song streams). Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller is at No. 5 with 11K in total consumption (2.5K album only/9.9 million song streams).
Meanwhile, on the country streaming songs chart, Blanco Brown‘s “The Git Up” continues its hold with 20 million streams this week. Taylor Swift‘s collaboration with the Dixie Chicks, “Soon You’ll Get Better,” off Swift’s latest album Lover, is at No. 2 with 10 million streams. Blake Shelton‘s “God’s Country” is at No. 3 with 8.8 million streams, followed by Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart” at No. 4 (8.7 million). Luke Bryan‘s “Knockin’ Boots” is at No. 5 with 7.8 million streams.
Cody Purvis Signs With Red 11 Music
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Red 11’s Taylor Williamson, Josh Green, Geoff Turner; Cody Purvis; Red 11’s Jon Folk, Tyler Robertson and Blakely Tuten; The Erv Woolsey Company’s Erv Woolsey and Allen Mitchell
Rising country artist Cody Purvis has signed with boutique talent agency Red 11 Music, with offices and staff in Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas. He is signed with The Erv Woolsey Company for management.
“Watching Cody perform live, I immediately saw what his managers, Erv Woolsey and Allen Mitchell, had both have been raving about,” says Red 11 Music’s Jon Folk. “Cody is a ‘singer’s singer,’ and his live performances entice a crowd to feel as if they are on stage with him. Red 11 Music is very excited about where Cody’s live career is headed and equally excited to be a part of this experienced team.”
Woolsey adds, “Cody is a true entertainer, and we are looking to develop a hard ticket fan base along with the foundation for a long career. With Jon Folk and his team at Red 11’s proven track record and the passion that they have already shown for Cody, Allen and I feel like there is no better place to call home with this new partnership.”
Purvis shares, “I’m very impressed with the level of energy that Red 11 brings, and the consistency in the way they have supported their artists. I’m extremely appreciative of the opportunity, and I look forward to a long, successful relationship.”
In 2018, the Charlottesville, Virginia native showcased his dynamic live performance style as a cast member on USA Networks’ Real Country at the invitation of country music icon Travis Tritt. Purvis released his latest EP, Boots on the Ground, in the spring of 2019. The EP’s lead single, “Drinkin’ Terms,” was featured on Sirius/XM’s The Highway and is now approaching seven million streams on Spotify.
ACM Lifting Lives Accepting Submissions For 2020 Grant Cycle
/by Jessica NicholsonThrough grants, ACM Lifting Lives provides funding to programs that promote healing with a musical connection, to further the mission of improving lives through the power of music.
ACM Lifting Lives has refined the scope of the grant cycle from past cycles in effort to deepen involvement and impact in the music and health space. The 2020 Grant Cycle has a narrower focus on music therapy and health programs that facilitate healing through music. With these new parameters, ACM Lifting Lives can streamline giving and create a heartier impact in this arena. ACM Lifting Lives has given to several deserving organizations across the country through its grant cycle in the past and looks forward to continuing to elevate organizations that align with its mission.
For information on program guidelines is available at acmliftinglives.org.