Producer Polow Da Don (real name Jamal Jones), who has worked with Nicki Minaj and Fergie, is best-known in Nashville circles for his early work with hitmaker Kane Brown. Now, Polow is set to launch a new Nashville radio station, “Young Country” on WYCZ (96.7 FM). The station, which launches June 6, will focus on a genre-free range of country-influenced sounds.
“I’m trying to create a platform where artists can do their own thing,” Polow says. “We want the kids to take it over and tell us what’s cool. They’ll be able to dictate what’s hot and I’ll be something of a curator. It’s a station to provide an outlet for all the artists who feel they don’t have a voice in country music. There’s always been a melting pot for music and country has been a little late to the party,” he says. “The music exists. I just feel like nobody else is taking the initiative to create a world that embraces this music.”
The station will be operated by Polow, along with Mia Welsh-Khabeer and Jeff Haddad. On-air talent and other team members will be announced at a later date. Polow will operate both from Nashville and from Atlanta, where his Zone 4 label is based. He will continue producing and writing songs for new artists.
The station’s first two months on-air will be commercial-free, and powered by cryptocurrency Litecoin; Young Country will accept Litecoin as a form of payment for merchandise and events.
“It’s natural for any creative person to look at things happening in the world and envision something different,” he says. “A lot of times, it takes someone from the outside to make the biggest mark on an industry. The idea of Young Country had to come from somebody like me who’s not trapped by the thought of how things have been done in the past.”
Jones previously produced and represented Brown, before he was signed to Sony Music Nashville. According to The Tennessean, Jones and Zone 4 filed a breach of contract suit in federal court in February, claiming when Brown inked his Sony deal, he violated a deal they made in 2015; Brown’s attorneys put forth a counterclaim in March, saying the 2015 deal was fraudulent.
Polow’s PR confirms that Brown’s music will indeed be among the tracks played on Young Country.
Update [4:59 p.m.]: A representative for Brown released the following statement regarding the ongoing legal proceedings:
“While we can’t at this time comment further due to the ongoing legal proceedings, the earlier press reports today regarding statements made by Polow and his team regarding the ongoing lawsuit and countersuit with Kane Brown are not accurate. The suit is still ongoing, and it is misleading to state otherwise.”
BBR Music Group Promotes DeToro, Adds Wisz To Staff
/by Jessica NicholsonDeToro, Wisz
BBR Music Group has promoted Devin DeToro to Director of Marketing and hired Channing Wisz as Manager of Marketing. Both will report to BBR Music Group VP of Marketing, JoJamie Hahr.
In addition to serving as the day-to-day marketing contact for many artist teams, DeToro has expanded BBR’s influencer relations and has taken a lead role in the planning of BBR events. DeToro joined the team in 2017 as a Manager of Marketing following a two-year stint in Los Angeles at iHeartMedia as Manager, Activation and Account Management. Prior to iHeartMedia she served for seven years with CBS Radio rising to Project Manager, Integrated Marketing and Events for the Chicago cluster.
“Since joining the label, Devin has become a crucial part of our team,” stated Hahr. “She far exceeds every expectation within her role and is so deserving of this promotion.”
Wisz has been hired as Manager of Marketing. In this role she will be serve as point on coordinating marketing efforts for BBR Music Group’s diverse roster of artists. Wisz joins BBR from Crowd Surf, a digital marketing company where she served as a Marketing Account Manager, specializing in social media. She joined Crowd Surf in their Los Angeles office as a fall intern in 2014 before joining the Nashville team full-time in January 2018 following stops at RPM Entertainment and Miles High Productions.
“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Channing to the team! Her creativity, passion, and go-getter mentality make her the perfect fit for the BBR Music Group family,” added Hahr.
DeToro can be reached at devin@bbrmusicgroup.com. Wisz can be reached at channing@bbrmusicgroup.com.
Mark Your Calendar—June 2019
/by LB CantrellSingle Add Dates
Jon Pardi/Heartache Medication/Capitol Records Nashville
Brett Young/Catch/BMLG
Jake Owen/Homemade/Big Loud Records
Jameson Rodgers/Some Girls/River House Artists/Columbia Nashville
Stephen Martines/Alright/Nine North Label Group
James Robert Webb/April May/Bison Creek Records
Morgan White/Good Thing Gone/MC1 Nashville
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real/Bad Case/Fantasy/Concord
Adrienne Nicole/Ain’t So Sweet
Matt Dylan/Strong/Motivated Music Group
Sam Shupak/Smooth Sailing/Southern Pine Music
Frankie Justin/Broken Heartbreak/SMG Nashville
June 10
Walker Hayes/Don’t Let Her/Arista Nashville/Monument Records
Tracy Lawrence/Made In America/LMG
Bekx/Scissors/MC1 Nashville
Mike Beach/Reckless/MC1 Nashville
Richard Schroder/Let’s See How Far We Can Go/Amplifier Records
June 17
Cale Dodds/I Like Where This Is Going/Warner Music Nashville
Melissa Leigh/Hello/MC1 Nashville
Lorne Riley/Twenty Years
Justin Spears/Everyone Sings/Spin Doctors Music Group
June 21
Ava Rowland/Exit Sign/Ava Rowland Music, LLC.
June 24
Rachel Reinert/All We Have/Green Iris Records
Gary Kyle/American Flags/Rise Records
Album Releases
Music City Hit-Makers/Songs & Symphony [EP]
June 7
Luke Combs/The Prequel [EP]/River House Artists-Columbia Nashville
June 14
Riley Green/GET THAT MAN A BEER [EP]/BMLG Records
Montgomery Gentry/Outskirts [EP]/Average Joes Entertainment
Chris Shiflett/Hard Lessons/East Beach Records & Tapes-Thirty Tigers
Jon Wolfe/Feels Like Country Music [EP]
June 21
Willie Nelson/Ride Me Back Home/Legacy
Aaron Watson/Red Bandana/Big Label Records
Jim Lauderdale/From Another World/Yep Roc Records
Buddy and Julie Miller/Breakdown on 20th Ave. South/New West Records
The Raconteurs/Help Us Stranger/Third Man Records
June 28
The Black Keys/Let’s Rock/Easy Eye Sound-Nonesuch Records
Josh Abbott Band/Catching Fire [EP]
Industry Events
CMT Music Awards air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena at 8 p.m. ET on CMT
June 6
Hot Dog day at SunTrust on Music Row from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
June 6-9
CMA Fest in downtown Nashville
June 13-16
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
June 22-23
Nashville Pride
June 26
31st Annual MusicRow Awards, supported by Vaden Group | Elliott Davis, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Keller Turner Andrews & Ghanem, PLLC and partnered with Ram Trucks and City National Bank [invite only]
Music City Hit-Makers Release ‘Songs & Symphony’ Project
/by Lorie HollabaughMusic City Hit-Makers will release their debut EP Songs & Symphony on June 4. The EP features some of Nashville’s most successful writers including Brett James, Jessi Alexander, Chris DeStefano, Hillary Lindsey, Marcus Hummon and Rivers Rutherford, who have penned hits for Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus and countless other stars.
To celebrate the release of Songs & Symphony, MCHM’s Chris DeStefano, Rivers Rutherford and Marcus Hummon will be performing an EP release show on June 4 at City Winery in Nashville.
MCHM, often referred to as “the most famous people you’ve never heard of,” features Nashville’s biggest writers performing their hits as arranged for a symphony by award-winning studio musician and arranger Charlie Judge.
“Nashville is the epicenter of great songwriting, so the top songwriters in Nashville really are the best in the business,” says Judge. “It is my incredibly good fortune to have the opportunity to work with these talented writers, both as a keyboardist in the studio recording their hits, and as an arranger re-casting their songs for orchestra.”
Music City Hit-Makers Songs & Symphony Track Listing:
Brett James – “I Hold On” – recorded by Dierks Bentley
Jessi Alexander – “Mine Would Be You” – recorded by Blake Shelton
Chris DeStefano – “From The Ground Up” – recorded by Dan + Shay
Hillary Lindsey – “Girl Crush” – recorded by Little Big Town
Marcus Hummon – “Born To Fly” – recorded by Sara Evans
Rivers Rutherford – “When I Get Where I’m Going” – recorded by Brad Paisley with Dolly Parton
Ashley Gorley Spends Ninth Week At No. 1 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellAshley Gorley reigns for the tenth consecutive week at the top of the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Michael Hardy comes in at No. 2 again this week. The MusicRow Award Breakthrough Artist-Writer nominee lives up to the nomination, with five titles supporting him this week, including: Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country,” Chris Lane’s “I Don’t Know About You,” LOCASH’s “One Big Country Song,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Talk You Out Of It,” and his own “Rednecker.”
Ross Copperman remains at No. 3 this week, while “Whiskey Glasses” co-writers Ben Burgess and Kevin Kadish move into the Top Five this week, at No. 4 and No. 5, from the momentum of the Morgan Wallen-recorded hit.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, 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.
Hip-Hop Producer Polow Da Don To Launch Nashville Country Station
/by Jessica Nicholson“I’m trying to create a platform where artists can do their own thing,” Polow says. “We want the kids to take it over and tell us what’s cool. They’ll be able to dictate what’s hot and I’ll be something of a curator. It’s a station to provide an outlet for all the artists who feel they don’t have a voice in country music. There’s always been a melting pot for music and country has been a little late to the party,” he says. “The music exists. I just feel like nobody else is taking the initiative to create a world that embraces this music.”
The station will be operated by Polow, along with Mia Welsh-Khabeer and Jeff Haddad. On-air talent and other team members will be announced at a later date. Polow will operate both from Nashville and from Atlanta, where his Zone 4 label is based. He will continue producing and writing songs for new artists.
The station’s first two months on-air will be commercial-free, and powered by cryptocurrency Litecoin; Young Country will accept Litecoin as a form of payment for merchandise and events.
“It’s natural for any creative person to look at things happening in the world and envision something different,” he says. “A lot of times, it takes someone from the outside to make the biggest mark on an industry. The idea of Young Country had to come from somebody like me who’s not trapped by the thought of how things have been done in the past.”
Jones previously produced and represented Brown, before he was signed to Sony Music Nashville. According to The Tennessean, Jones and Zone 4 filed a breach of contract suit in federal court in February, claiming when Brown inked his Sony deal, he violated a deal they made in 2015; Brown’s attorneys put forth a counterclaim in March, saying the 2015 deal was fraudulent.
Polow’s PR confirms that Brown’s music will indeed be among the tracks played on Young Country.
Update [4:59 p.m.]: A representative for Brown released the following statement regarding the ongoing legal proceedings:
“While we can’t at this time comment further due to the ongoing legal proceedings, the earlier press reports today regarding statements made by Polow and his team regarding the ongoing lawsuit and countersuit with Kane Brown are not accurate. The suit is still ongoing, and it is misleading to state otherwise.”
Randy Houser Announces Fall Magnolia Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughRandy Houser. Photo: Sean O’Halloran
Randy Houser will visit theaters across the country later this year on his headlining Magnolia Tour. Paul Cauthen will join him as special guest for the tour, which kicks off Oct. 24 in Dallas and embodies the spirit of Houser’s new single, “No Stone Unturned.”
“My true passion is being out on the road, playing music,” said Houser. “That’s kind of what ‘No Stone Unturned’ is all about— I’ve always fancied myself a little bit of a traveling man so I’m looking forward to getting back out there and doing what I love.”
Tickets for the Magnolia Tour will go on sale June 7. Pre-sale for Randy’s fan club, The House Band, will be available June 5-6. Fans can sign up for The House Band and purchase tickets at RandyHouser.com. Additional dates will be announced at a later date.
October 26—Austin, TX—Nutty Brown Café & Amphitheatre***
November 2—Chattanooga, TN—Tivoli Theatre***
November 8—Indianapolis, IN—8 Seconds Saloon***
November 13—Athens, GA—Georgia Theatre***
November 14—Knoxville, TN—Tennessee Theatre***
November 15—Richmond, VA—The National***
November 16—Charlottesville, VA—Jefferson Theater***
November 21—Lake Buena Vista, FL—House of Blues***
November 22—Fort Myers, FL—The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon***
December 11—New York City, NY—Webster Hall***
December 12—Boston, MA—Paradise Rock Club***
Big Machine Records Signs Noah Schnacky
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta, Noah Schnacky, Sandbox President/CEO Jason Owen
Singer-songwriter Noah Schnacky has signed with Big Machine Records, joining a label roster that includes Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts, Carly Pearce, Midland, The Cadillac Three, and Lauren Jenkins. Schnacky is managed by Jason Owen at Sandbox Entertainment.
“Being a part of a team that believes in my music and vision like Scott and the Big Machine Records family does is an artist’s dream,” shares Schnacky. “This is the beginning of an incredible story and I’m extremely excited to see it unfold.”
“Noah brings a wealth of great songs, huge streaming numbers, incredible social engagement and a great work ethic to Big Machine” says BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta. “So proud to have him on board…it…begins…NOW!”
As a teen, Schnacky began uploading cover songs on Instagram and built a grassroots fanbase of more than 500,000 followers. He released the track “Hello Beautiful,” which earned more than one million streams in eight days. The follow up, “Maybe We Will,” as earned more than 50 million streams. He is currently prepping his Big Machine Records debut album, alongside producer Dann Huff.
Apple Said To Be Ending iTunes
/by LB Cantrell“iTunes has been the way Apple users listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, hear podcasts, and manage their devices for almost two decades,” says the outlet’s Mark Gurman. “The company is launching a trio of new apps for the Mac – Music, TV, and Podcasts – to replace iTunes. That matches Apple’s media app strategy on iPhones and iPads. Without iTunes, customers can manage their Apple gadgets through the Music app.”
The report, which has been rumored for years, comes ahead of Apple Inc.’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins at noon CT Monday (June 3) with Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and other leaders revealing such updates in San Jose, California.
Rolling Stone similarly notes, “Users can expect the new Music app to offer some of the same functionalities that iTunes currently does — such as purchasing songs and syncing phones — just with a sleeker interface that’s free of the outdated and oft-bemoaned features of the heritage product, and more closely bundled with streaming service Apple Music.
“But the scrapping of iTunes’ brand symbolizes a lot, too,” continued the outlet’s Amy X. Wang. “By portioning out its music, television and podcast offerings into three separate platforms, Apple will pointedly draw attention to itself as a multifaceted entertainment services provider, no longer as a hardware company that happens to sell entertainment through one of its many apps. That’s crucial for Apple’s future, as the company combats sluggish phone sales with aggressive growth in its services division. At WWDC this year, according to various reports, Apple is planning to buff up other apps including Books, Messages and Mail; it also announced ambitious plans for original video programming.”
for KING & COUNTRY, Lauren Daigle Top K-LOVE Fan Awards With Double Wins
/by Lorie HollabaughCo-hosts Matthew West and Mandisa. Photo Credit: Getty Images for K-LOVE Fan Awards
for KING & COUNTRY and Lauren Daigle took top honors at Sunday night’s (June 2) 7th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House. Daigle won both Artist of the Year and Female Artist of the Year, while for KING & COUNTRY was named Group of the Year and earned Song of the Year for their current hit “God Only Knows.”
Other winners during the evening included Danny Gokey for Male Artist of the Year, Hillsong Worship for Worship Song of the Year (“Who You Say I Am”) and We Are Messengers for Breakout Single of the Year (“Maybe It’s Ok”). Centering around the awards’ mission to also recognize mission-driven people and projects outside of the music community, the movie Unplanned was named the Film Impact Winner. Pro Football Hall of Famer and recent NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Joe Gibbs was honored with the Sports Impact Award, while Kathie Lee Gifford with Rabbi Jason Sobel garnered the Book Impact Award for The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began.
Co-hosts Mandisa and Matthew West helmed the night with their return as co-hosts. Unique collaborations included Josh Baldwin of Bethel Music with Mandisa performing his hit “Stand In Your Love.” Crowder, Big Daddy Weave, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Danny Gokey, for KING & COUNTRY, Francesca Battistelli, Lauren Daigle, Micah Tyler, Phil Wickham, Rend Collective, Steven Curtis Chapman, Tauren Wells and We Are Messengers all performed throughout the night. Kathie Lee Gifford, Rebecca St. James and The Kendrick Brothers’ Alex Kendrick were among the presenters.
The show will be broadcast on TBN on Sunday, June 9 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.
2019 K-LOVE Fan Awards Winners:
Film Impact: Unplanned
Sports Impact: Joe Gibbs
Book Impact Recipient” Kathie Lee Gifford with Rabbi Jason Sobel for The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi: My Journey into the Heart of Scriptural Faith and the Land Where It All Began
Male Artist of the Year: Danny Gokey
Female Artist of the Year: Lauren Daigle
Group or Duo of the Year: for KING & COUNTRY
Breakout Single: We Are Messengers “Maybe It’s Ok”
Worship Song of the Year: Hillsong Worship “Who You Say I Am”
Song of the Year: for KING & COUNTRY “God Only Knows”
Artist of the Year: Lauren Daigle
Lauren Daigle, winner of Female Artist of the Year, accepts her award onstage during the 7th Annual K-LOVE Fan Awards. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for K-LOVE Fan Awards
for KING & COUNTRY. Photo: Jason Walle/Chain Reaction Studios
We Are Messengers. Photo: Getty Images for K-LOVE Fan Awards
Industry Ink: International Country Music Conference, Drake White, So Much Moore Media
/by Jessica NicholsonICMC Hosts Annual Honors
Pictured (L-R): ICMC co-host James Akenson, Brian Ward, Belmont University’s Don Cusic
The annual International Country Music Conference (ICMC) awards lunch, held Friday (May 31), honored Brian Ward and Patrick Huber with the Belmont Award for the best book on country music, for A&R Pioneers (CMF Vanderbilt). The Chet Flippo Award for the best journalism article went to The Washington Post‘s Emily Yahr, for her feature “How Country Music Has–And Hasn’t–Addressed The #MeToo Movement In A Difficult Year.”
Pictured (L-R): Belmont University’s Don Cusic, Holly George-Warren, The Washington Post‘s Emily Yahr, and Rolling Stone Country’s Jon Freeman
So Much Moore Media Expands Roster
Martha Moore‘s so much MOORE media has added singer-songwriter Brinn Black and rock/Americana artist Bobby Messano to its roster. Black recently released the new single “72’s,” while Messano will release his ninth album, Lemonade, in July via Fishhead Records/WB.
Drake White Announces Partnerships With Three Outdoors Lifestyle Brands
Drake White. Photo: John Shearer
Singer-songwriter Drake White has partnered with several outdoors-themed lifestyle brands, including Traeger Grills (a line of pellet grills), Nebraska Star Beef (which produces Lucky Beef Jerky) and Federal (which produces ammunition and products for several styles of shooting sports).
“I’ve always loved an adventure and desired a fireside-type culture incorporated into my brand,” says White. “These new partners speak the same language and believe in the same carpe diem lifestyle as I do so it’s a perfect match!”
The hard-touring frontman will hit the road with Zac Brown Band this June, sharing a handful of shows with the country group before reuniting in October for a one-off in Florida.