Pictured (L-R, top row): BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, BMG’s Chris Oglesby, Universal’s Troy Tomlinson, Warner Chappell’s Will Overton and Taperoom’s Kelly Bolton and Ashley Gorley; (L-R, bottom row): BMI songwriters Brock Berryhill, Will Weatherly, Kane Brown, Shy Carter and Taylor Phillips. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
Co-writers for the Kane Brown No. 1, “Good As You,” came together at the BMI office on Music Row to celebrate the hit on Monday (Aug. 20). The romantic tune was the second No. 1 for Will Weatherly and Taylor Phillips, and the first No. 1 for Brock Berryhill. It was Brown’s third No. 1 as a writer, as his fourth as an artist. “Good As You” was one of many of Shy Carter‘s No. 1 hits in a plethora of genres.
BMI’s Josh Tomlinson served as MC for the gathering for the 100% BMI song. “To all of you guys, BMI is so proud of to represent all of you. We always love getting to celebrate with these parties, but when it’s all in the family it’s even more fun. I’m proud to get to talk about all of you.”
Tomlinson sent a message from the absent Dann Huff that the producer was proud to be a part of Kane’s record.
David Smith gave Pinnacle Bank’s presentation. “This one’s extremely special for us because two and half years ago, I hired a girl named Sara Berryhill, who would tell me about her husband that wrote music. We’ve been cheering you on ever since, buddy, we’re so proud,” Smith said to Brock Berryhill. Pinnacle Bank made a donation to the Boys & Girls Club on behalf of the songwriters.
Sr. VP of Promotions at RCA Nashville, Dennis Reese, thanked his promotion team that drove the song up the charts. He also spoke highly of Kane’s influence on country radio.
BMG’s Chris Oglesby stepped on stage to talk about the ever-charismatic Shy Carter. “The day this was written, Shy flew to St. Louis to perform a gig. Woke up at 6 o’clock the next morning, drove two hours with some dude he never met before in his life to Springfield, Illinois to get on a bus to write with you guys. Thanks for having him on there.”
Oglesby also made sure to recognize the radio promotion team at RCA Nashville. “What you guys do every day is the lifeblood of the music publisher,” Oglesby said. “Martha, the other thing that we need are opportunities. You have given us multiple opportunities, for that we are forever grateful,” he said to Kane’s manager, Martha Earls.
Tape Room Music’s Kelly Bolton spoke on behalf of Weatherly—or affectionally known as DJ Weatherman.
Warner Chappell’s Will Overton stepped up to the mic to speak about Weatherly, Berryhill and Phillips. “If you don’t know Taylor now, I know you will soon. He will find you and find a way to meet you,” Overton joked. “Taylor is the ultimate hustler.
“Two things stood out to me when I met Brock,” Overton continued. “He wasn’t just a hard worker, he was a grinder. Brock’s day starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 4 a.m. the next morning. Also, Brock really cares about his family, his friends, his co-writers, his publishers.”
Warner Chappell presented plaques after the ceremony, as well as whiskey decanters.
Newly appointed Chairman/CEO of UMPG Nashville, Troy Tomlinson, gave his first No. 1 presentation as the leader of the UMPG Nashville team. He spoke very eloquently about the importance of the song, beginning with a Tom T. Hall quote. “I didn’t have this written down but I was standing there watching all this and I thought of this quote from Tom T. Hall,” Tomlinson said. “He said, ‘Every generation of songwriters needs to write for their generation and everything will work out okay.’ And I think that is what is on display here right now, a whole new generation of songwriters.
“Kane, I got to watch you but only from a distance before I came to Universal. Your talent is obvious, and anybody that doesn’t see that is not looking. You actually have the ability to expand this genre, and the amazing part is you have the ability to expand our culture. Not just the genre, but our culture.”
Tomlinson thanked Dann Huff for his production, Sony Music Nashville’s Randy Goodman and Jim Catino for their passion, the RCA Nashville promotion staff for their hard work, BMI for hosting the party, and Warner Chappell for the whiskey decanters that he hoped to be included on.
“Martha, what you have done and what you and Kane have done together is enviable. Some managers work their entire careers and never have the type of relationship that you two do, one that’s built on trust and respect. To both of you, congratulations,” Tomlinson said.
UMPG made a donation to MusiCares in honor of “Good As You.”
Pictured (L-R): BMI songwriters Brock Berryhill, Will Weatherly, Kane Brown, Shy Carter and Taylor Phillips. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
“I want to thank Kane, first of all,” Weatherly said when he stepped up to the mic. “I would not have two No. 1’s without him. I really appreciate what you’ve done for me. You’ve changed my life.”
Weatherly also thanked his publishers Tape Room Music and Warner Chappell, Kane’s management team, Sony Nashville, the radio promotion team, and former UMPG Exec. VP/GM, Kent Earls, who was in attendance.
“Kent, I remember at the ‘Heaven’ No. 1 party, you were talking about booking Shy on the bus. All of this happened because of a small moment like that, I appreciate that. You’ve been very good to me, and I appreciate that,” Weatherly said.
“This is the proud one for me. To have one with two of my best friends,” Phillips said to Kane and Berryhill. Berryhill and Phillips met at an album release party, and Phillips reported that they had written nearly 200 songs since their meeting a year and a half ago.
“Thank you for the friendship, thank you to the boys for writing a song with me, thanks to the wives and girlfriends that gave us the inspiration, Katelyn—for Kane wanting to be as good as you, that song would never have happened without you, my family, my friends, my co-writers, love all y’all,” Phillips concluded.
“This is my first one so I had to write some stuff down,” Berryhill said. “Kane, I’ve already texted you and told you all this, but you have changed our lives. Thank you, brother. These guys up here are four of the most talented dudes I know.
“My beautiful wife for moving here with me,” Berryhill continued. “We’ve been doing this for almost 10 years. I love you.”
Berryhill echoed the thanks of the management team, label, and publishers.
Carter brought his beautiful children up to the stage. He then lead the party goers in singing the chorus of “Good As You.”
“I want to thank Oglesby and Kos for having that dude come pick me up,” Carter joked. “He had a nice car.
“Kane, you know you’re my boy. Since the beginning, we’ve been holding this shit down!” Carter said. He had the crowd in stitches. Carter’s adorable daughter then dropped the mic for him.
“The plan was to take the mic before you got it,” Kane joked.
“I just want to thank these guys,” he said. “They’re my boys. Shoutout to my managers, Martha, Shawn, Nikki, my beautiful wife—I love you so much, everybody over at Sony, Kent Earls—I love you to death.
“Thank y’all for coming, let’s get another one,” Kane concluded.
Michael Ray To Headline 18th Annual ‘CMT On Tour’
/by Haley CrowIn addition to “CMT On Tour,” Ray is currently headlining his own 29-date national tour, along with recent well-received festival performances in the UK and Australia. He recently wrapped filming of his music video for “Her World Or Mine,” the latest single off of his current album, Amos. It’s the third single from his 11-song 2018 album and follows his third No. 1, “One That Got Away.”
“Michael Ray is a proven road warrior who has developed an undeniable connection with his fans, and we’re thrilled to welcome him as headliner for this year’s tour,” said Leslie Fram, SVP, Music and Talent, CMT. “Joining the line-up are two very exciting acts: Jimmie Allen, who is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in country music, and Walker County, a young duo who promises to be one of our next strong female artists. We look forward to a fantastic tour!”
Ray states: “I’m so honored to be headlining ‘CMT On Tour’ with Jimmie and Walker County. I’ve noticed that after the CMT tour, you can see the trajectory of the year ahead, and many of the artists who have participated in the past end up having one of the best years of their careers. I think CMT has a great way of putting a package together that really sets up artists for the next chapter.”
Created in 2002, “CMT on Tour” has a history of propelling rising artists towards headliner status. Past tour participants include such acts as: Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Randy Houser, Miranda Lambert, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Brett Eldredge, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Jake Owen and Kip Moore.
“CMT On Tour Presents: Michael Ray’s Nineteen Tour” dates* are as follows:
10/17/19 – Greensboro, NC – Cone Denim Entertainment Center
10/18/19 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City
11/1/19 – Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe Live
11/2/19 – Fort Wayne, IN – The Clyde Theatre
11/22/19 – Lexington, KY – Tipsy Cow Bar
11/23/19 – Macon, GA – The Crazy Bull
12/5/19 – New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
12/6/19 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
12/7/19 – Clifton Park, NY – Upstate Concert
*Additional cities to be announced at a later date.
TIDAL Adds Playable Video Sharing To Instagram Stories
/by LB CantrellGlobal streaming and entertainment platform, TIDAL, announced today (Aug. 20) a series of enhancements to its social sharing capabilities. Starting today, TIDAL members are able to share the platform’s robust catalog of music to both Instagram and Facebook Stories, while playable video content can be shared to Instagram Stories.
TIDAL members using iOS and Android devices will see the new sharing option across all content when clicking the three-dot menu and selecting “share.” Songs, albums, artists and playlists will be shared to Instagram and Facebook Stories as a still image, while videos will post with a :15 second preview to Instagram Stories and as a still image to Facebook Stories.
TIDAL members have access to 60 million songs, upwards of 250,000 music videos, thousands of performance videos, hundreds of original video series’ and more to post across their social media network. The expansion and enhancement of user features allows for seamless integration into members’ everyday lives. Elevating the user experience is paramount to TIDAL’s mission and the launch of these capabilities will enable members to join in on the unique music conversations occurring across social platforms. As an industry leader in its delivery of exclusive original content, this new feature will spotlight the platform’s broad scope of offerings.
“We see members every day sharing their favorite TIDAL content across social media,” said Lior Tibon, COO TIDAL. “With TIDAL’s leading video catalog, it became a priority to better showcase the content and assimilate into other popular apps—we’re proud to continue leading the way for video content amongst our peers.”
TIDAL members can start exploring videos to share in TIDAL’s New Video Arrivals playlist. The new feature is beginning to be rolled out with members across the globe receiving the update throughout the week.
Kane Brown Commemorates Fourth No. 1 “Good As You” With Co-Writers
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, top row): BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, BMG’s Chris Oglesby, Universal’s Troy Tomlinson, Warner Chappell’s Will Overton and Taperoom’s Kelly Bolton and Ashley Gorley; (L-R, bottom row): BMI songwriters Brock Berryhill, Will Weatherly, Kane Brown, Shy Carter and Taylor Phillips. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
Co-writers for the Kane Brown No. 1, “Good As You,” came together at the BMI office on Music Row to celebrate the hit on Monday (Aug. 20). The romantic tune was the second No. 1 for Will Weatherly and Taylor Phillips, and the first No. 1 for Brock Berryhill. It was Brown’s third No. 1 as a writer, as his fourth as an artist. “Good As You” was one of many of Shy Carter‘s No. 1 hits in a plethora of genres.
BMI’s Josh Tomlinson served as MC for the gathering for the 100% BMI song. “To all of you guys, BMI is so proud of to represent all of you. We always love getting to celebrate with these parties, but when it’s all in the family it’s even more fun. I’m proud to get to talk about all of you.”
Tomlinson sent a message from the absent Dann Huff that the producer was proud to be a part of Kane’s record.
David Smith gave Pinnacle Bank’s presentation. “This one’s extremely special for us because two and half years ago, I hired a girl named Sara Berryhill, who would tell me about her husband that wrote music. We’ve been cheering you on ever since, buddy, we’re so proud,” Smith said to Brock Berryhill. Pinnacle Bank made a donation to the Boys & Girls Club on behalf of the songwriters.
Sr. VP of Promotions at RCA Nashville, Dennis Reese, thanked his promotion team that drove the song up the charts. He also spoke highly of Kane’s influence on country radio.
BMG’s Chris Oglesby stepped on stage to talk about the ever-charismatic Shy Carter. “The day this was written, Shy flew to St. Louis to perform a gig. Woke up at 6 o’clock the next morning, drove two hours with some dude he never met before in his life to Springfield, Illinois to get on a bus to write with you guys. Thanks for having him on there.”
Oglesby also made sure to recognize the radio promotion team at RCA Nashville. “What you guys do every day is the lifeblood of the music publisher,” Oglesby said. “Martha, the other thing that we need are opportunities. You have given us multiple opportunities, for that we are forever grateful,” he said to Kane’s manager, Martha Earls.
Tape Room Music’s Kelly Bolton spoke on behalf of Weatherly—or affectionally known as DJ Weatherman.
Warner Chappell’s Will Overton stepped up to the mic to speak about Weatherly, Berryhill and Phillips. “If you don’t know Taylor now, I know you will soon. He will find you and find a way to meet you,” Overton joked. “Taylor is the ultimate hustler.
“Two things stood out to me when I met Brock,” Overton continued. “He wasn’t just a hard worker, he was a grinder. Brock’s day starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 4 a.m. the next morning. Also, Brock really cares about his family, his friends, his co-writers, his publishers.”
Warner Chappell presented plaques after the ceremony, as well as whiskey decanters.
Newly appointed Chairman/CEO of UMPG Nashville, Troy Tomlinson, gave his first No. 1 presentation as the leader of the UMPG Nashville team. He spoke very eloquently about the importance of the song, beginning with a Tom T. Hall quote. “I didn’t have this written down but I was standing there watching all this and I thought of this quote from Tom T. Hall,” Tomlinson said. “He said, ‘Every generation of songwriters needs to write for their generation and everything will work out okay.’ And I think that is what is on display here right now, a whole new generation of songwriters.
“Kane, I got to watch you but only from a distance before I came to Universal. Your talent is obvious, and anybody that doesn’t see that is not looking. You actually have the ability to expand this genre, and the amazing part is you have the ability to expand our culture. Not just the genre, but our culture.”
Tomlinson thanked Dann Huff for his production, Sony Music Nashville’s Randy Goodman and Jim Catino for their passion, the RCA Nashville promotion staff for their hard work, BMI for hosting the party, and Warner Chappell for the whiskey decanters that he hoped to be included on.
“Martha, what you have done and what you and Kane have done together is enviable. Some managers work their entire careers and never have the type of relationship that you two do, one that’s built on trust and respect. To both of you, congratulations,” Tomlinson said.
UMPG made a donation to MusiCares in honor of “Good As You.”
Pictured (L-R): BMI songwriters Brock Berryhill, Will Weatherly, Kane Brown, Shy Carter and Taylor Phillips. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
“I want to thank Kane, first of all,” Weatherly said when he stepped up to the mic. “I would not have two No. 1’s without him. I really appreciate what you’ve done for me. You’ve changed my life.”
Weatherly also thanked his publishers Tape Room Music and Warner Chappell, Kane’s management team, Sony Nashville, the radio promotion team, and former UMPG Exec. VP/GM, Kent Earls, who was in attendance.
“Kent, I remember at the ‘Heaven’ No. 1 party, you were talking about booking Shy on the bus. All of this happened because of a small moment like that, I appreciate that. You’ve been very good to me, and I appreciate that,” Weatherly said.
“This is the proud one for me. To have one with two of my best friends,” Phillips said to Kane and Berryhill. Berryhill and Phillips met at an album release party, and Phillips reported that they had written nearly 200 songs since their meeting a year and a half ago.
“Thank you for the friendship, thank you to the boys for writing a song with me, thanks to the wives and girlfriends that gave us the inspiration, Katelyn—for Kane wanting to be as good as you, that song would never have happened without you, my family, my friends, my co-writers, love all y’all,” Phillips concluded.
“This is my first one so I had to write some stuff down,” Berryhill said. “Kane, I’ve already texted you and told you all this, but you have changed our lives. Thank you, brother. These guys up here are four of the most talented dudes I know.
“My beautiful wife for moving here with me,” Berryhill continued. “We’ve been doing this for almost 10 years. I love you.”
Berryhill echoed the thanks of the management team, label, and publishers.
Carter brought his beautiful children up to the stage. He then lead the party goers in singing the chorus of “Good As You.”
“I want to thank Oglesby and Kos for having that dude come pick me up,” Carter joked. “He had a nice car.
“Kane, you know you’re my boy. Since the beginning, we’ve been holding this shit down!” Carter said. He had the crowd in stitches. Carter’s adorable daughter then dropped the mic for him.
“The plan was to take the mic before you got it,” Kane joked.
“I just want to thank these guys,” he said. “They’re my boys. Shoutout to my managers, Martha, Shawn, Nikki, my beautiful wife—I love you so much, everybody over at Sony, Kent Earls—I love you to death.
“Thank y’all for coming, let’s get another one,” Kane concluded.
Louise Mandrell To Release First New Album In Three Decades
/by Lorie HollabaughLouise Mandrell is gearing up for the release of her first new album in over 30 years, Playing Favorites. The 15-song collection, produced by Buddy Cannon and due out on Time Life on Oct. 4, includes her take on such well-loved country classics as “Crazy Arms,” “He Thinks I Still Care,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “Tennessee Waltz” and “Today I Started Loving You Again.” Mandrell was encouraged to record the new album by longtime friend and powerhouse manager Clint Higham.
Playing Favorites is a return to the spotlight for Mandrell, who hasn’t released a new album in over three decades. “A lot of people have asked if I’ve retired and I’d say, ‘No, I’ve been on hiatus’ because with my family if you say retired, they expect you to stay that way,” says the vivacious brunette, who became an international star working with siblings Barbara and Irlene on the television variety show Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.
Mandrell will host an interactive pre-sale event via TalkShop Live to discuss Playing Favorites on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to follow Louise’s channel on TalkShop Live to watch live and order a copy of the new album. Randomly selected copies of Louise’s album purchased during the live show will be autographed.
“I Can’t Stop Loving You”
“Crazy Arms”
“He Thinks I Still Care”
“Ring Of Fire”
“Together Again”
“Tennessee Waltz”
“Bye Bye Love”
“Always On My Mind”
“Faded Love/San Antonio Rose”
“Hello Darlin’”
“Once A Day”
“Night Life”
“The Race Is On”
“Today I Started Loving You Again”
“You Don’t Know Me”
Martina McBride, Chris Janson, Lauren Daigle Named To House of Blues Music Forward Foundation Ambassadors Council
/by Jessica NicholsonThe House of Blues Music Forward Foundation has announced its first Ambassadors Council, a lineup of music artists pledging to support young musicians.
Among those named to the council are Martina McBride, Chris Janson and Lauren Daigle, alongside fellow artists Benny Blanco, Sofia Carson, Khalid, Julia Michaels, Carlos Santana and Umphrey’s McGee. Some will mentor younger artists or take on speaking engagements at educational youth workshops. Others might donate funds from ticket sales or offer exclusive music memorabilia for auction.
Music Forward provides free vocational training in the music industry to underserved youth, improving economic opportunity and building a more diverse pipeline of talent for the creative economy. It has impacted over 1 million young lives and invested $25 million in transformational music programs during the last 25 years. One hundred percent of the foundation’s alumni are employed or in school, and 94% regularly leverage skills and knowledge that they’ve gained from Music Forward.
“I am thrilled to join Music Forward’s Ambassadors Council that represents such a wide variety of musical genres,” said McBride. “Breaking into the music business is challenging, and Music Forward’s free programs offer aspiring youth the tools and mentorship opportunities needed to help fulfill their career goals. I am honored to be part of an organization that is committed to offering pathways into the industry I love so much.”
“I grew up knowing that more than anything I wanted to be a musician; but I didn’t have the resources or access for help, so I taught myself how to play,” said Janson. “It makes me realize how blessed I am not only to be able to share my passion with others but to help Music Forward inspire and support kids whose passions lie in their love of music.”
“It’s such an honor to work with a foundation whose mission is to support the passion of kids and young adults trying to navigate their way through the music business,” said Daigle. “For me, I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to do what I’ve always loved; so to be able to help others realize their own dreams, I’m not sure that there’s anything more fulfilling.”
TobyMac Reinvents Songs From ‘The Elements’ On New Collab Effort
/by Lorie HollabaughMultiple producers and artists joined TobyMac to reinvent the songs from his latest smash LP The Elements. The eclectic group of guest artists includes Bart Millard (of MercyMe), Crowder, Cory Asbury, Jordan Feliz, Matt Maher & Terrian, LEDGER, Jonathan McReynolds, Aaron Cole, Sarah Reeves and Cochran & Co. The St. Nemele Collab Sessions is capped off with a never-before-released track from the multi-platinum artist, “Heart Of My Beat.”
“The St. Nemele Sessions took these songs somewhere else,” remarked TobyMac. “I’ve wanted to do a collab record since the beginning of my solo artistry. I came up producing and writing DcTalk songs so I was used to having a vocal arsenal at my fingertips, which I think keeps songs interesting. This is a dream lineup of guest artists and each bring their own vocal uniqueness to the remixes of The Elements. The power of collaboration is undeniable and reminds me that there is purpose in our diversity. There’s nothing better than guest artists taking songs to new heights, and remixers putting their own creative spin on songs that are part of my heart and soul.”
Also available on September 27 is TobyMac’s 10-track collection of holiday tunes, Light of Christmas, which will be available physically for the first time since its digital debut in 2017. Light Of Christmas includes the infectious “Can’t Wait for Christmas” featuring Relient K, and essential seasonal radio single “Bring On The Holidays” along with fun songs from his 2011 Christmas in Diverse City release, which featured Owl City, Leigh Nash and more.
This Fall will mark the return of the “TobyMac The Theatre Tour.” Last year was the inaugural year for the trek, which offers fans an intimate musical experience. The tour will visit a dozen markets in November with special guest Cochren & Co. “TobyMac The Theatre Tour” is in partnership with Awakening Events, Awakening Foundation and Food for the Hungry.
Opry Entertainment Group, Belmont University To Host Viewing Party For ‘Country Music’
/by Lorie HollabaughOpry Entertainment and Belmont University are hosting a viewing party in celebration of Country Music, the new eight-part, 16-hour documentary by famed filmmaker Ken Burns. The viewing will be held from 5–9 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 15 at the Grand Ole Opry House, and in addition to screening part one of the documentary, the evening includes a pre-event reception and program and a special 30-minute performance from Grand Ole Opry members Old Crow Medicine Show.
“As the stewards of the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium where so many of the unforgettable moments featured in this film took place, we are thrilled to host this event and support access to quality programming,” said Scott Bailey, president of Opry Entertainment Group. “Like many of our partners in the Nashville community, we have eagerly anticipated the premiere of this film, and we hope it inspires everyone who watches to visit Nashville and experience this one-of-a-kind city for themselves.”
Tickets for this special event are available to the public for $75 and go on sale Friday, August 23 via opry.com/kenburns. Ticket proceeds will benefit Nashville’s local public television station, NPT. Tickets include entry into the Opry’s immersive Circle Room theater experience, the Old Crow Medicine Show performance, a one-year subscription to PBS Passport (a $60 value), two drink tickets, pre-show hors d’oeuvres and a general admission seat in the Opry House to view the two-hour first episode. The first 500 people entering the Opry House will also receive a copy of Old Crow Medicine Show’s forthcoming album, Live at the Ryman.
“We are thrilled to be working with Opry Entertainment Group to bring this exciting opportunity to our viewers and other country music fans,” said Kevin Crane, NPT’s president and CEO.
Country Music premieres on PBS Sunday, September 15 and airs nightly through September 18 and again on September 22-25 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. CT each night. The episodes will stream on station-branded PBS platforms for a limited time. PBS Passport members will be able to stream the entire series for a period of six months beginning September 15.
Kampa, Elledge, Luscinski Promoted At Dualtone Music Group
/by Lorie HollabaughWhitaker Elledge, Lori Kampa, Joey Luscinski
Lori Kampa, Whitaker Elledge, and Joey Luscinski have all been promoted at Dualtone Music Group, effective immediately.
Kampa has been promoted to SVP of Radio Promotion from VP of Radio Promotion. She oversees the company’s promotions efforts, including securing airplay for singles and albums at AAA, Alternative and Americana formats, and is celebrating her 15th year at Dualtone this year.
Elledge has been promoted to VP/Artist Development from Senior Director/Artist Development. Elledge quarterbacks publicity and marketing strategy for all Dualtone releases and also executes digital planning and activation with retail partners and oversees Dualtone’s e-commerce advertising strategy.
Luscinski has been promoted to VP/Production from Senior Director/Production. He provides art direction and implementation for Dualtone releases and manages inventory, production deadlines, and graphic design for all print and digital media.
“Lori is an irreplaceable part of our company’s DNA,” said Dualtone CEO/Co-Founder Scott Robinson. “In the past year she has established Mt. Joy as the breakout band for AAA with a No. 1 and a top 5 single and just delivered another No. 1 at modern rock and AAA for The Lumineers’ Gloria. No one does it better.”
“Whitaker has very quickly added incredible value to our marketing and digital campaigns,” said Dualtone President Paul Roper. “His instincts are on point and he continually helps set Dualtone apart with his approach to advertising and creative problem solving. With Joey, we sleep well at night knowing he is managing all our production assets and deadlines. In his fourteen years we have never missed a street date and always have vinyl day and date with CD. His commitment to excellence and detail can never be appreciated enough. ”
All three are based in Nashville and report to Robinson and Roper.
Dualtone’s active roster includes The Lumineers, Mt. Joy, Gregory Alan Isakov, Shakey Graves, Shovels & Rope, Angie McMahon, Hayes Carll, Amos Lee, Robert Earl Keen and The Wild Reeds.
Ashley McBryde Talks Songwriting, Crafting Album Number Two [Interview]
/by Jessica NicholsonWith her debut major label album, Girl Going Nowhere, Ashley McBryde staked her claim as a perceptive troubadour, the kind of artist who trades in a no-fuss style of bygone lyricism, imbued with wit, humor, and heart.
Country radio may not have been swift to engage with McBryde’s music, though one would scarcely have guessed it judging by her appearance on the Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this year, where she not only was honored as New Female Artist of the Year, but performed twice during the broadcast—a vulnerable, triumphant rendering of “Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” as well as in a fiery collaboration with Eric Church on “The Snake.”
McBryde’s debut album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album. In June, she was honored with the MusicRow Award honor for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, as well as Song of the Year for “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.”
Accolades don’t only come in the form of awards; for McBryde, finding out that “Bible and a .44,” an autobiographical song from her debut project, is also included on Trisha Yearwood’s upcoming album Every Girl, was an honor in itself.
“As a songwriter, that’s the feather in the cap, when someone you respect like Ms. Yearwood decides that something you wrote is something she would lend that voice to. Her voice is pretty much the best voice that’s ever been on country radio.”
McBryde’s first inclination that the song would be recorded came from none other than Garth Brooks.
“I got a call from Mr. Brooks and he had a couple of questions about ‘Bible and a .44’ and ‘Girl Goin’ Nowhere.’ He wanted to get to know me, know about my co-writers. Then I found out through my publishing company at the time that Trisha was thinking about cutting it. Then I found out through a tweet that she did cut it,” she says with a chuckle.
When it comes to her own music, McBryde is deep in the weeds of working on her follow-up project.
“We are working on it. I think we are done with song selection. I think what we’ve got right now—I’ve got some reference mixes on the bus with me right now. What I have right now is a really solid swing.”
The album blends songs McBryde has had in her arsenal for the past five years, along with more recent material. While the first album was recorded in two nights at Jay Joyce’s studio in Nashville, she has had more time for experimentation on album number two.
“We knew we couldn’t stretch in every direction we wanted to stretch [on the first album]. Jay told me, ‘Take a snapshot of where you’re at, and leave yourself room to grow.’”
She heeded the advice and says the coming album will have grittier lyrics and will embrace her rock ‘n’ roll proclivities to a greater extent.
“Everything on the new record is everything you would expect to get from me—you are going to have a finger-picking song, the acoustic stuff and then straight-up rock ‘n’ roll stuff. It’s part of our tendencies that we weren’t able to fully express with the first record. So we decided to fully express it in the second record and see where it takes us.”
McBryde’s extensive time on the road opening for artists like Eric Church earned her hefty performance cred, but left little time for creating new music. “I really only had like a day a month to write and that is not enough. I have to write,” says McBryde, who notes she began writing for the new project in earnest in January.
One of the first of those January session songs is the stunning Nicolette Hayford co-write “Two Birds, One Stone,” a title McBryde says has been whittled down to just “Stone.” Both Hayford and McBryde have brothers who died, including McBryde’s brother, 53-year-old William Clayton McBryde, Jr., who died in mid-2018.
“I use humor to deflect trauma and I know this about myself,” McBryde says. “We were writing something else and it got kind of boring for us. I said, ‘You know we are both in the dead brothers club. And if anyone is going to write a song about being in the dead brothers club and how much it sucks, it’s going to be me and you.’ We started smoking cigarettes and I told her how angry I was at my brother. I’m just ranting and raving. I’m like, ‘You know what? He’s got one son [Bradley]. And every time Brad reaches a milestone, I’m going to have to take care of this shit. He left a huge mess.’ I was just screaming and she was like, ‘Damn, you are really angry.’ Both of our brothers were Army veterans and I was like, ‘Yes I’m angry. We have to write a pissed off song.’ She said something and it made me laugh, and I went, ‘Whoa, when I laugh, I sound like my brother.’ We exposed a nerve. We would not let up on each other. So we were just crying, had a glass of whiskey and it took us four or five hours. We’d laugh and then cry more. I think what we came out with helped us and we thought it could help somebody else.”
Brandy Clark has two tracks on the project; McBryde’s “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” co-writer Jeremy Bussey also has a track on the project.
“We have some dark subjects, even if some of them are kind of humorous,” she says, naming a song titled “First Thing I Reach For,” which she wrote with late songwriter Randall Clay. “It was a sad song. We went to cut it and rearranged it, sped it up a little bit and it became the most charming, honky-tonk sing-along.”
Though the album is still a work in progress, McBryde is most concerned about the consistency of message, rather than a linear sound.
“When I first put the songs together, I was like ‘Dang this is kind of all over the map,’ and when you listen to what we have, it all has the same message, the same direction. It reminded me that honesty is a necessity. When you are selecting what to give to the people who love your music, you have to select with honesty and vulnerability first.”
And if McBryde is feeling pressure to write that elusive country radio hit, she’s not succumbing to it.
“You have to remind yourself that if you write for radio, you are behind the curve. You are writing for the wrong people and you’ve creatively shot yourself in the foot.
“Great music, thanks to streaming, is a lot like Netflix. When one of us finds out about a cool series, we text it to everybody and we start watching it on the bus. Music is much the same way. Music fans feel an ownership to music. They find that light in the dark and they will hover around it and they will bring their friends to it. People will go down a rabbit hole to find more music from you.”
Ellen May Joins Triumph Bank’s New Music Row Office
/by Jessica NicholsonEllen May has joined Triumph Bank to its newly-opened Music Row Loan Production office in Nashville, located at 33 Music Sq. W.
Ellen is the recipient of the Diamond Award of Excellence from the Nashville Mortgage Bankers Association. Ellen is also a member of the County Music Association, Academy of Country Music, and the Recording Academy.
“I’m really excited to be able to launch this new Sports and Entertainment banking division at Triumph! Our Triumph team prides itself on providing an extraordinary customer experience, so it is just the perfect match for what my client base is used to receiving,” May shares.
Bill Menkel, Triumph’s Nashville Market President, says, “As Senior Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Banking, Triumph has now entered into a new and exciting industry that is such a large part of the very fiber of Nashville. We are strong believers in being accessible to our customers where they work and live. Our commitment to this key Nashville industry is evident in first, the addition of a career banker such as Ellen May, but also the convenient new location for Triumph in historic Music Row.”