Pictured (L-R): Troy Tomlinson, Jesse Frasure, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Josh Kear, Nicolle Galyon, Josh Osborne, Ashley Gorley, Chase McGill, Jody Williams, Sarah Trahern. Photo: Electric Machine/CMA
“This one is like the Super Bowl for us,” said Jesse Frasure, one of 10 winners this year at the CMA Triple Play Awards, which honors writers for having penned three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period based on the Country Aircheck, Billboard Country Airplay and Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The event was held Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works.
Frasure was honored for co-writing three No. 1 hits for Thomas Rhett, including “Unforgettable,” “”Marry Me,” and “Life Changes.”
“It doesn’t matter how hard you work, everything has to line up for this one to happen,” Frasure said, and it would be a familiar refrain throughout the afternoon awards ceremony.
Nicolle Galyon was also accepting her very first Triple Play Award, for penning “All The Pretty Girls,” “Tequila,” and “Coming Home.”
“I don’t even like tequila,” she quipped, before thanking her publishing home Warner/Chappell. “I want to thank [husband and fellow writer] Rodney Clawson. Now I know what it looks like. Thank you for being such a champion for me. A lot of people like to point out that I’m the only woman up here, but I was thinking today how I think the really cool story about that is that I’ve written I think with all the men who are winning this award today, and I’ve never been treated with anything but encouragement, like a sister. I’ve been empowered, and respected by all of my brothers in this business. I think that’s a story we don’t hear enough. I’m proud of this community, how we all cheer for each other, brothers and sisters alike.
“This has made me think about how when you come to Nashville and you want to be a songwriter, everyone tells you that you are going to hear the word ‘no’ a million times. But what no one told me about was this word called ‘almost,’ which to me has had more of an impact on my career and my character and my journey. Things like, ‘This almost got cut,’ or ‘It almost went No. 1.’ Here I am on the other side of a lot of ‘almosts’ that have turned into yeses, and I can’t help but think that you write 1500 songs and the difference in getting one of these and not getting one of these is 20 spins. I think in this moment, I feel like this is very fragile, because there is no amount of talent, or hard work, or hustle, that turns that ‘almost’ into a ‘yes.’ It’s God and it’s either meant to be or not and I’ll never wrap my mind around why this was meant to be for me, so thank you and congratulations to all the other winners.”
CMA CEO Sarah Trahern and Sony/ATV’s Troy Tomlinson were also on hand to honor the writers. As each writer was feted, video clips were shown, revealing aspiring musicians covering the hit songs of the day.
Luke Combs was honored with his first CMA Triple Play award, for his work in co-writing his own chart-toppers “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours,” and “One Number Away.” Dan + Shay showed up in the various covers clips shown, offering a snippet of an acoustic version of “Hurricane.”
“I’m Luke by the way,” Combs greeted the audience. “I probably look like the guy who changes your oil, but I’m not.
“This is pretty wild. This is definitely something that me and my team worked really hard to try and accomplish. So I say thanks to everybody, my songwriting buddies, everyone in this room who works with me.”
Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard was among the honorees, earning his second Triple Play Award (“Meant To Be”/”You Make It Easy”/”Simple”). He was not in attendance. Josh Kear collected his fourth Triple Play Award, for penning “God, Your Mama, and Me,” “Most People Are Good,” and “Woman, Amen.”
Shane McAnally, who was not in attendance (he is currently working as part of the upcoming television show Songland), was honored with his eighth CMA Triple Play award. He has had 38 No. 1 hits to date. He penned “Written In The Sand,” “Marry Me,” and “Get Along.”
Chase McGill collected his first Triple Play Award (“Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset”/”Break Up In The End”/”Lose It”), while Josh Osborne picked up his fourth (“Drinkin’ Problem”/”All The Pretty Girls”/” Get Along”).
Thomas Rhett was on hand to accept his second Triple Play Award, for his work in writing his own hits “Unforgettable,” “Marry Me,” and “Life Changes.”
“I’m so grateful to be part of Nashville’s country songwriting community. There are so many freakin’ talented people. This award means the world. Just like everyone on this list, I feel like we write songs about what we know. “ He thanked God, his family and his management and label teams.
Ashley Gorley, the most-awarded Triple Play recipient, collected his 12th Triple Play honor. In 2018, he had nine No. 1 songs in a 12-month period, repeating his 2017 total. This year he was honored for penning “Fix A Drink,” “Marry Me,” and “Life Changes.”
“Country music in Nashville is a unique thing…it’s not just about making up and breaking up, it’s about tequila, it’s about a body like a back road, it’s about scratch-off tickets, it can be about the way you walk, the way you talk, and there’s so much subject matter that we get to cover as writers because you’ve all been through that,” Gorley said.
In addition to the special performance, $3 of each ticket sold benefited CMA’s philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation, which is committed to improving and sustaining high-quality music education programs across the country.
Pictured (L-R): Josh Osborne, Nicolle Galyon, Ashley Gorley, Sarah Trahern, Josh Kear, Chase McGill, Luke Combs. Photo: Electric Machine/CMA
Pictured (L-R): Nicolle Galyon, Josh Kear, Luke Combs, Josh Osborne, Chase McGill, Ashley Gorley. Photo: Electric Machine/CMA
The 10th annual CMA Triple Play Awards recipients were recognized for the following:
Luke Combs
“Hurricane”
“When It Rains It Pours”
“One Number Away”
Jesse Frasure
“Unforgettable,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Marry Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Life Changes,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
Nicolle Galyon
“All the Pretty Girls,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
“Tequila,” recorded by Dan + Shay
“Coming Home,” recorded by Keith Urban ft. Julia Michaels
Ashley Gorley
“Fix A Drink,” recorded by Chris Janson
“Marry Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Life Changes,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
Tyler Hubbard
“Meant to Be,” recorded by Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line
“You Make It Easy,” recorded by Jason Aldean
“Simple,” recorded by Florida Georgia Line
Josh Kear
“God, Your Mama, And Me,” recorded by Florida Georgia Line ft. Backstreet Boys
“Most People Are Good,” recorded by Luke Bryan
“Woman, Amen,” recorded by Dierks Bentley
Shane McAnally
“Written in the Sand,” recorded by Old Dominion
“Marry Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Get Along,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
Chase McGill
“Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset,” recorded by Luke Bryan
“Break Up in the End,” recorded by Cole Swindell
“Lose It,” recorded by Kane Brown
Josh Osborne
“Drinkin’ Problem,” recorded by Midland
“All the Pretty Girls,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
“Get Along,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
Thomas Rhett
“Unforgettable”
“Marry Me”
“Life Changes”
Abby Anderson Joins Rob Thomas Tour
/by Jessica NicholsonAbby Anderson will hit the road with Rob Thomas’ Chip Tooth Smile Tour. The tour will launch May 28 in Red Bank, New Jersey and will run through the summer, ending Aug. 4 in Connecticut. The tour will visit Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on July 9.
Anderson, signed to Black River Entertainment, was named one of CMT’s 2018 Next Women of Country and released her debut single, “Make Him Wait.”
Thomas is known for his work as leader of Matchbox Twenty, with hits including “Bent,” “If You’re Gone,” as well as his platinum-selling, three-time Grammy winning collaboration with Santana, “Smooth,” and solo hits including “Lonely No More.”
Anderson joining a pop tour follows in a lengthy trend that it seems nearly every female country artist not named Miranda Lambert or Carrie Underwood has joined over the past year. Last year, Kacey Musgraves joined Harry Styles’ tour, while Maren Morris toured with Niall Horan, while Cam opened for British soul singer Sam Smith. This year, Kelsea Ballerini joined pop star (and occasional country crooner) Kelly Clarkson’s Meaning of Life tour.
Tickets for the Chip Tooth Smile Tour go on sale to the general public go on sale Friday, March 1, at 10 a.m. local time.
Rob Thomas’ 2019 Chip Tooth Smile Tour Dates Featuring Abby Anderson:
May 28 — Red Bank, N.J. @ Count Basie Center for the Arts
May 30 — Battle Creek, Mich. @ Firekeeper’s Casino
May 31 — Northfield, Ohio @ Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park
June 1 — Rochester Hills, Mich @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
June 3 — Cincinnati, Ohio PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center
June 4 — Indianapolis, Ind. @ Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park
June 7 — Madison, Wisc. @ Breese Stevens Field
June 8 — Prior Lake, Minn @ Mystic Lake
June 10 — Denver, Colo. @ Levitt Pavilion Denver
June 11 — Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Depot
June 13 — Seattle, Wash. @ TBA
June 14 — Portland, Oreg. @ Theater of the Clouds
June 16 — Saratoga, Calif. @ Mountain Winery
June 18 — Los Angeles, Calif @ Greek Theatre
June 20 — San Diego, Calif. @ Humphreys Concerts By the Bay
June 23 — Phoenix, Ariz. @ Comerica Theatre
June 25 — Austin, Texas @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
June 26 — Irving, Texas @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
June 28 — Sugar Land, Texas @ Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
June 29 –New Orleans, La. @ Saenger Theater
June 30 — Tuscaloosa, Ala. @ Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
July 2 — Jacksonville, Fla. @ Daily’s Place
July 3 — Orlando, Fla. @ Hard Rock Live Orlando
July 5 — St Petersburg, Fla. @ The Mahaffey Theater
July 6 — Boca Raton, Fla. @ Mizner Park Amphitheater
July 8 — Atlanta, Ga. @ State Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
July 9 — Nashville, Tenn. @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center
July 11 — Raleigh, N.C. @ Red Hat Amphitheater
July 12 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem
July 13 — Philadelphia, Penn. @ The Met Philadelphia
July 15 — Bethlehem, Penn. @ The Sands Event Center
July 17 — Englewood, N. J. @ Bergen Performing Arts Center
July 18 — Boston, Mass. @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
July 20 — Orillia, Ontario, Canada @ Casino Rama Resort
July 21 — Canandaigua, N.Y. @ CMAC Performing Arts Center
July 23 — Syracuse, N.Y. @ Lakeview Amphitheatre
July 24 — Saratoga Springs, N.Y. @Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 25 — Gilford, N.H. @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
July 27 — Atlantic City, N.J. @ Borgata
July 29 — New York, N.Y. @ Beacon Theatre
Jul 30 — New York, N. Y. @ Beacon Theatre
Aug. 2 — Port Chester, N. Y. @ The Capitol Theatre
Aug. 3 — Morristown, N.J. @ Mayo Performing Arts Center
Aug. 4 — Uncasville, Conn. @ Mohegan Sun Arena
AC Entertainment Brings Railbird Festival To Kentucky
/by LB CantrellFestival producer AC Entertainment (Bonnaroo, Forecastle, High Water, Moon River) is introducing the new Railbird Festival, which will place on The Grounds at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky Aug. 10 – 11, 2019.
“With all of our festivals, we aspire to create an experience that stands apart from others—that is a true celebration of place, of the richness and uniqueness of a community,” said Ashley Capps, president of AC Entertainment. “That, for us, is at the heart of any truly great festival experience. What a place this is, and what a team to collaborate with. This iconic setting at Keeneland in a city like Lexington, Kentucky, and these visionary leaders who make it all work, from bourbon to horses to bluegrass and everything in between. We couldn’t be more excited for this new venture.”
While music acts will be announced later, festival planners said to expect a mix of rock, Americana, folk, bluegrass and more.
A “railbird” in horse racing is the racetrack regular known for sticking close to the action and hanging on the rail along the track. To “ride the rail” is to do the same at a concert. A number of bourbon distillers will be on-site with special, exclusive offerings, available only at Railbird. Artisanal and local foods will be at the forefront, along with a number of craft beers.
“Railbird will be a celebration of our heritage, and an up-close-and-personal Kentucky experience at our historic racecourse,” said Vince Gabbert, Keeneland vice president and chief operating officer. “AC Entertainment brings an incredible track record and years of experience and expertise in booking and managing highly acclaimed music festivals, so we are so pleased to work with them to create Railbird here on the grounds at Keeneland.”
Railbird will also give back to the community by partnering with local nonprofit organizations Central Music Academy, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, Fayette Alliance and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Each nonprofit will receive monetary support from the festival, and will have a presence on-site during the event.
“Railbird Festival will bring together A-list music and Lexington’s best this August – Keeneland, Kentucky Bourbon, local cuisine and craft beer,” said Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton. “I look forward to seeing our city shine in the national spotlight.”
For more information about Railbird, visit railbirdfest.com.
Can’t Stop The Train: Luke Combs Celebrates Fourth No. 1
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): BMI Songwriters Channing Wilson, Luke Combs, and Rob Snyder with BMI’s Mason Hunter
Trains thundered by when Luke Combs and co-writers Channing Wilson and Rob Snyder gathered to celebrate Combs’ fourth No. 1 as an artist, “She Got the Best Of Me” on a cold and rainy afternoon at the Corsair Distillery on Tuesday (Feb. 19). In a party sponsored by BMI, friends and family surrounded the grateful and humbled trio.
BMI’s Mason Hunter hosted the event for the BMI writers, kicking everything off by saying, “Anytime you have a Luke Combs No. 1, it recharges your batteries on why we’re all here and why we do what we do.”
Hunter went on to tell the story of Snyder and Wilson’s meeting. “Rob moved to town seven years ago,” he said. “Right about that time, he was working the door at Losers [Bar & Grill], and who would be at Losers? Mr. Channing Wilson. A year later, Rob started the Revival [at Tin Roof] and that’s really where the song started.
“This song was written when Luke Combs was still in college,” Hunter continued. “I don’t know about y’all, but I wasn’t writing songs like this in college. From 2014 when these guys met through Revival until now, it’s been a whirlwind. Luke has surrounded himself with the right people and has fought for the right songs.”
Hunter then made it clear that Combs is the first solo artist in history for his first four songs to go No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. Out of his four No. 1’s—”Hurricane,” “One Number Away,” “When It Rains It Pours” and now “She Got the Best Of Me”—10 songwriters have had their first No. 1, now including Wilson and Snyder.
Back row, (standing L-R): Big Machine’s Mike Molinar, 50 Egg’s Jonathan Singleton, Warner Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, Little Extra Music’s Joe Scaife, Little Extra Music’s Lisa Ramsey-Perkins, BMI’s Mason Hunter, Sony Music Nashville’s Shane Allen. (seated, L-R): BMI Songwriters Channing Wilson, Luke Combs, and Rob Snyder. Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI
As is tradition, the BMI writers got a Taylor guitar to write more hits on. Pinnacle Bank made a donation to Thistle Farms on behalf of the songwriters.
Brandi Simms and Brenden Oliver from the CMA were on hand to present the songwriters with their No. 1 medallions. Wilson had to adjust his long beard to fit the medallion around his neck properly.
MusicRow‘s Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson presented the songwriters with No. 1 Challenge Coins for “She Got the Best Of Me” hitting No. 1 on the MusicRow chart.
Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn had a lot to say about Wilson.
“I’m so proud of Channing Wilson and if you’re in this room and you believe that Nashville is a place where sacrifice and hard work matter, then you too should be proud of Channing Wilson,” he said.
Vaughn went on to compare Wilson’s songwriting with the likes of Steve Earle and the late Guy Clark, bringing tears to Wilson’s eyes as he shook his head. “After we met,” Vaughn continued. “We learned that we both love Guy Clark songs, and at the time I was fortunate to represent Guy. He and Channing I’m proud to say [wrote] over 20 songs together. He’d be very proud of you,” he said to Wilson.
Vaughn let the crowd know that Wilson’s commute to work is 158 miles one way from his home and family in LaFayette, Georgia, and that he has made that commute every week for over a decade. He made sure to thank Dave Cobb for their joint publishing deal and Sony Nashville for their work with the song. Warner/Chappell presented the songwriters with plaques and custom made whiskey containers.
Vaughn also made Wilson perform a special talent, making an uncanny train whistle sound with his mouth. When a train rolled past the windows behind the men moments later, it felt like Wilson had planned it.
Little Extra Music’s Lisa Ramsey Perkins was on hand to speak about Snyder and present him with a plaque. “Rob shows up every day,” she said. “He’s the hardest working man I’ve ever know. Double writes every day. Shows up every day. Cares about what he’s doing every day.
“Luke,” Perkins continued. “You are the most loyal friend to these writers. You’re such an amazing artist, you deserve this more than anybody I know. Thank you for letting us be a part of this journey.”
Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar and 50 Egg Music’s Jonathan Singleton made their way to the stage next to talk about Combs. “For those of you who are new to the Luke Combs No. 1 parties, this is our Penn & Teller show,” Molinar quipped. “One of us speaks, the other one make fun of the guy who speaks.”
“It feels like it was yesterday we were celebrating Luke’s first No. 1 ‘Hurricane,’ because it was,” Molinar continued. “It was about a year and three quarters ago that we were celebrating the first, and now here we are on the fourth! I hear, Sony, you’re already guaranteeing the next one? Is it today, tomorrow, next week?” he joked.
Molinar made sure to recognize Combs’ team, naming: Chris Kappy (Make Wake Artist), Lynn Oliver-Cline (River House Artists), Aaron Tannenbaum (CAA), Sony Nashville and its entire promotion team, Scott Moffatt (producer), and more.
Singleton must have felt that Molinar said it all, because he had nothing to add.
Columbia Nashville’s SVP of Promotion, Shane Allen, was in attendance and let the crowd in on the stats surrounding “She Got the Best Of Me,” noting that the song was the longest-running No. 1 last year at four weeks. Allen also relayed that Combs is currently the third most-played country artist in 2019, and was the first country artist to have two songs in the top 10 at the same time since Tim McGraw did in 2000.
Channing Wilson, Luke Combs, MusicRow‘s Sherod Robertson, Rob Snyder
When Rob Synder stepped up to the mic, a real train whistle resounded through the distillery. Everyone laughed and Wilson shrugged, slyly.
“Wilson is also a ventriloquist,” Synder joked.
“I’m just super grateful to be in this room, especially with these three guys,” Snyder continued. “You move here and you hope that you can be able to do this one day and if you don’t, you hope you’re able to at least make friends and surround yourself with good people. I love these guys more than anything.
“I know Luke fought for this song. He’s fought for everything in his career, he’s an underdog. We’re all underdogs. He said we were underdogs when he had us play on the Opry. I played on the Opry because of him. I dropped a pick and I picked it back up,” Snyder said with a smile.
An emotional Channing Wilson thanked his friend Snyder. “Rob let me sleep on his spare bed for fours years. Never really asked for a dime. Another guy that did that was Tyler Reeve,” Wilson said. “I can’t thank y’all enough. It’s not just for me, it’s for my kids.
“Luke,” Wilson continued. “I walked in and saw you at Brewhouse in Rome, Georgia. In a bar that I could put 40 people in any given night, it was your first run of shows and you had 350 people singing ‘Best Of Me’ back. I’ve never seen that before. We immediately championed Luke because the status quo isn’t friendly to people who aren’t in it, but sometimes talent deserves it and sometimes you just can’t stop it.
“You can’t stop the train,” Wilson said with a smile.
When the man of the hour stepped up to mic, he said, “I’m Luke, by the way.” He thanked his co-writers, Sony Nashville, his band and crew, his fiancé and many more.
“I’ve had some of my favorite times in Nashville with these guys because I feel like the underdog spirit really resonated with the three of us,” Combs said. “It lives in me and my team, it lives in everybody in this room. I want to thank everybody on my team. Lynn and Kappy have been champions for me from day one, underdogs right there with me.”
Combs got emotional as he thanked his entire team around him. “If you’re in this room and here, all my co-writers, the guys in my band, Ethan, my whole entire Row family, Austin, everybody that is with me, dedicating their life to me,” Combs said as he held back tears. He managed to get out a “thanks,” before the party closed with “She Got the Best Of Me” playing loud over the speakers.
Let The Music Play: Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Ashley Gorley Among CMA Triple Play Winners
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Troy Tomlinson, Jesse Frasure, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Josh Kear, Nicolle Galyon, Josh Osborne, Ashley Gorley, Chase McGill, Jody Williams, Sarah Trahern. Photo: Electric Machine/CMA
“This one is like the Super Bowl for us,” said Jesse Frasure, one of 10 winners this year at the CMA Triple Play Awards, which honors writers for having penned three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period based on the Country Aircheck, Billboard Country Airplay and Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The event was held Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works.
Frasure was honored for co-writing three No. 1 hits for Thomas Rhett, including “Unforgettable,” “”Marry Me,” and “Life Changes.”
“It doesn’t matter how hard you work, everything has to line up for this one to happen,” Frasure said, and it would be a familiar refrain throughout the afternoon awards ceremony.
Nicolle Galyon was also accepting her very first Triple Play Award, for penning “All The Pretty Girls,” “Tequila,” and “Coming Home.”
“I don’t even like tequila,” she quipped, before thanking her publishing home Warner/Chappell. “I want to thank [husband and fellow writer] Rodney Clawson. Now I know what it looks like. Thank you for being such a champion for me. A lot of people like to point out that I’m the only woman up here, but I was thinking today how I think the really cool story about that is that I’ve written I think with all the men who are winning this award today, and I’ve never been treated with anything but encouragement, like a sister. I’ve been empowered, and respected by all of my brothers in this business. I think that’s a story we don’t hear enough. I’m proud of this community, how we all cheer for each other, brothers and sisters alike.
“This has made me think about how when you come to Nashville and you want to be a songwriter, everyone tells you that you are going to hear the word ‘no’ a million times. But what no one told me about was this word called ‘almost,’ which to me has had more of an impact on my career and my character and my journey. Things like, ‘This almost got cut,’ or ‘It almost went No. 1.’ Here I am on the other side of a lot of ‘almosts’ that have turned into yeses, and I can’t help but think that you write 1500 songs and the difference in getting one of these and not getting one of these is 20 spins. I think in this moment, I feel like this is very fragile, because there is no amount of talent, or hard work, or hustle, that turns that ‘almost’ into a ‘yes.’ It’s God and it’s either meant to be or not and I’ll never wrap my mind around why this was meant to be for me, so thank you and congratulations to all the other winners.”
CMA CEO Sarah Trahern and Sony/ATV’s Troy Tomlinson were also on hand to honor the writers. As each writer was feted, video clips were shown, revealing aspiring musicians covering the hit songs of the day.
Luke Combs was honored with his first CMA Triple Play award, for his work in co-writing his own chart-toppers “Hurricane,” “When It Rains It Pours,” and “One Number Away.” Dan + Shay showed up in the various covers clips shown, offering a snippet of an acoustic version of “Hurricane.”
“I’m Luke by the way,” Combs greeted the audience. “I probably look like the guy who changes your oil, but I’m not.
“This is pretty wild. This is definitely something that me and my team worked really hard to try and accomplish. So I say thanks to everybody, my songwriting buddies, everyone in this room who works with me.”
Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard was among the honorees, earning his second Triple Play Award (“Meant To Be”/”You Make It Easy”/”Simple”). He was not in attendance. Josh Kear collected his fourth Triple Play Award, for penning “God, Your Mama, and Me,” “Most People Are Good,” and “Woman, Amen.”
Shane McAnally, who was not in attendance (he is currently working as part of the upcoming television show Songland), was honored with his eighth CMA Triple Play award. He has had 38 No. 1 hits to date. He penned “Written In The Sand,” “Marry Me,” and “Get Along.”
Chase McGill collected his first Triple Play Award (“Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset”/”Break Up In The End”/”Lose It”), while Josh Osborne picked up his fourth (“Drinkin’ Problem”/”All The Pretty Girls”/” Get Along”).
Thomas Rhett was on hand to accept his second Triple Play Award, for his work in writing his own hits “Unforgettable,” “Marry Me,” and “Life Changes.”
“I’m so grateful to be part of Nashville’s country songwriting community. There are so many freakin’ talented people. This award means the world. Just like everyone on this list, I feel like we write songs about what we know. “ He thanked God, his family and his management and label teams.
Ashley Gorley, the most-awarded Triple Play recipient, collected his 12th Triple Play honor. In 2018, he had nine No. 1 songs in a 12-month period, repeating his 2017 total. This year he was honored for penning “Fix A Drink,” “Marry Me,” and “Life Changes.”
“Country music in Nashville is a unique thing…it’s not just about making up and breaking up, it’s about tequila, it’s about a body like a back road, it’s about scratch-off tickets, it can be about the way you walk, the way you talk, and there’s so much subject matter that we get to cover as writers because you’ve all been through that,” Gorley said.
In addition to the special performance, $3 of each ticket sold benefited CMA’s philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation, which is committed to improving and sustaining high-quality music education programs across the country.
Pictured (L-R): Josh Osborne, Nicolle Galyon, Ashley Gorley, Sarah Trahern, Josh Kear, Chase McGill, Luke Combs. Photo: Electric Machine/CMA
Pictured (L-R): Nicolle Galyon, Josh Kear, Luke Combs, Josh Osborne, Chase McGill, Ashley Gorley. Photo: Electric Machine/CMA
The 10th annual CMA Triple Play Awards recipients were recognized for the following:
Luke Combs
“Hurricane”
“When It Rains It Pours”
“One Number Away”
Jesse Frasure
“Unforgettable,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Marry Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Life Changes,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
Nicolle Galyon
“All the Pretty Girls,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
“Tequila,” recorded by Dan + Shay
“Coming Home,” recorded by Keith Urban ft. Julia Michaels
Ashley Gorley
“Fix A Drink,” recorded by Chris Janson
“Marry Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Life Changes,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
Tyler Hubbard
“Meant to Be,” recorded by Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line
“You Make It Easy,” recorded by Jason Aldean
“Simple,” recorded by Florida Georgia Line
Josh Kear
“God, Your Mama, And Me,” recorded by Florida Georgia Line ft. Backstreet Boys
“Most People Are Good,” recorded by Luke Bryan
“Woman, Amen,” recorded by Dierks Bentley
Shane McAnally
“Written in the Sand,” recorded by Old Dominion
“Marry Me,” recorded by Thomas Rhett
“Get Along,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
Chase McGill
“Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset,” recorded by Luke Bryan
“Break Up in the End,” recorded by Cole Swindell
“Lose It,” recorded by Kane Brown
Josh Osborne
“Drinkin’ Problem,” recorded by Midland
“All the Pretty Girls,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
“Get Along,” recorded by Kenny Chesney
Thomas Rhett
“Unforgettable”
“Marry Me”
“Life Changes”
Still Working Music, Green Iris Records Sign Rachel Reinert
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Jon Randall (SWM/Green Iris A&R), Chuck Fleckenstein (GM & COO SWM/Green Iris), Davis Naish (Producer), Alex Orbison (President SWM/Green Iris), Rachel Reinert, Emily Mueller Olson (Creative Director SWM), Sara Beal (Director of Publishing SWM), Ross duPré (Artist Manager 333 Entertainment), Scott Safford (Attorney Safford Motley PLC)
Still Working Music and Green Iris Records, the music publishing and recorded music arms of the Roy Orbison Estate, have signed singer and songwriter Rachel Reinert to exclusive songwriting and recording agreements.
“My songs come from a very personal place; it’s important to me that everything that I write and sing is real,” says Rachel, “I’m excited to join the family at Still Working/Green Iris and continue to write, record, and release new music.”
As a teenager Rachel moved to Nashville from Southern California and found near immediate success as member of the group Gloriana. Gloriana shot to the top of the charts with hits like “Wild at Heart” and the Platinum-selling “(Kissed You) Good Night.” The group went on to win the American Music Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, the ACM Award for Top New Vocal Group, and toured the globe with Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow, Jason Aldean, Alan Jackson, the Zac Brown Band and numerous others.
After nearly a decade together and three albums with Warner Bros., Gloriana disbanded and Rachel commenced her career as a solo artist, soon grabbing the attention of Jon Randall, a Still Working writer and head of A&R at Green Iris Records.
“I was always impressed by Gloriana, in particular their strong harmonies, and I loved their song craft. When I heard Rachel’s first solo single, ‘Cool,’ I knew she possessed something incredibly special and would fit in perfectly with our Still Working/Green Iris family. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Rachel and feel honored to be part of her next chapter in the musical world,” says Still Working Music/Green Iris President Alex Orbison.
In addition to signing a multi-album deal with Green Iris as a recording artist, Rachel has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Still Working Music covering songs for both her own records and those of others.
Still Working Music was founded in 1990 by the late Barbara Orbison and is now run by her sons, Alex Orbison and Roy Orbison, Jr. (Co-Presidents) along with Chuck Fleckenstein (COO and General Manager). Still Working Music writers include Tommy Lee James, Gordie Sampson, Jon Randall, Chase Bryant, Dylan Altman, Dominic Scott Kay, and Lance Miller. Still Working Music proudly partners with BMG, Kobalt, and Big Deal, among others.
Industry Ink: Jim Weatherly, Conway Entertainment Group, Musicians On Call
/by Jessica NicholsonHall Of Famer Jim Weatherly To Be Honored With Book Reception
ASCAP, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and Universal Music Publishing Group will co-host a reception and book signing honoring Hall of Fame Songwriter Jim Weatherly on the publication of his autobiography, Midnight Train.
The reception will be held Thursday, Feb. 21 from 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. at ASCAP’s Nashville office.
Conway Entertainment Group Inks Deal With Joe Hott
Pictured (Back Row, L-R): JoAnn Berry, Cody Payne, Tony Conway, Marie Ratzman; (Front Row): Joe Hott
Bluegrass artist Joe Hott has signed with Conway Entertainment Group for booking representation. Hott’s latest single “West Virginia Rail” has reached number one on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Traditional Bluegrass Song Chart and number three on Bluegrass Today‘s Weekly Airplay Chart.
Curb Records Artist Filmore Plays For Musicians On Call
Filmore. Photo: Dusty Barker
Musicians On Call, a nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities, welcomed Curb Records recording artist Filmore to share the healing power of music at the Nashville VA as part of National Salute to Veteran Patients Week. During this special visit, Filmore went room to room to play some well-known favorites as part of Musicians On Call’s Bedside Performance Program.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have been involved with Musicians on Call for a few years now as a musician, and am amazed by the impact it has both on patients and hospital staff. Playing for the veterans this past week – whose fight for our freedoms enable me to have the opportunity to make music for a living – was incredibly special. I’m so grateful to Musicians on Call, the volunteers, and all the caregivers that work daily to ensure a program like this exists for our veterans and patients across the country,” said Filmore.
TPAC Names Jennifer Turner As Next President And CEO
/by LB CantrellJennifer Turner
The nonprofit Tennessee Performing Arts Center announces Jennifer Turner will be its next President and Chief Executive Officer starting May 2019.
Turner will follow Kathleen O’Brien, who will retire from TPAC in July, ending a 14-year tenure at the head of the arts center and 31 total years at TPAC. O’Brien, the first woman to lead TPAC in its almost 39-year history, started as Public Affairs Director in 1988.
“Our Executive Search Committee did an exceptional job vetting applicants in a national search and finalizing their recommendation of Jennifer. Her experience and expertise, as well as her vision for TPAC, makes her the ideal candidate for our new President and CEO,” says Tracy Kane, TPAC Board Chair. “Kathleen and her team have put TPAC in a healthy position, growing programs and services to an all-time level, and we are proud of their work. Jennifer comes in at the perfect time to continue that momentum, and Kathleen and Jennifer have already begun working toward a smooth transition and bright future for TPAC with Jennifer at the helm.”
“I am truly honored to become the next President and CEO of TPAC and work with its dedicated Board of Directors and talented staff. In the heart of a dynamic and rapidly changing community, TPAC is a vibrant organization and among the most admired in the performing arts field,” says Turner. “It’s my great privilege to be able to succeed Kathleen O’Brien, who I deeply respect, for her incredible leadership, and I am thrilled to lead TPAC into its next chapter. I’m extremely excited about the diversity of programming that TPAC offers, both on the stage and working throughout its community. I have visited Nashville several times and love the energy and sense of commitment that pervades both TPAC and its community. I look forward to moving to the beautiful state of Tennessee and immersing myself in all that the region offers.”
“For almost 31 years, I’ve been truly blessed with an amazing career at TPAC, including 14 as President and CEO. I’m so proud of the work we’ve accomplished and the fantastic team I’ve assembled to help me,” said O’Brien. “Our financial position is much healthier, and we are virtually debt-free. We’ve become independent Broadway presenters, which has strengthened our balance sheet as well as our position within the Broadway community, allowing us to develop new work for the stage. Additionally, we’ve brought our ticketing services in-house, again contributing to a strong financial position and customer service. And the cherry on top is that we’ve expanded from four to six education programs, so we are serving more within our community and in more meaningful ways.”
Turner currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Southern California. With over 20 years of experience in nonprofits arts, Turner previously was the Chief Operating Officer for the national historic landmark Auditorium Theatre in Chicago and held roles with Michigan Opera Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company and Harper College. Turner completed her undergraduate studies at Michigan State University and has a graduate degree from Roosevelt University in Public Administration, Nonprofit Management.
Music Engineer Charlie Brocco Dies
/by Jessica NicholsonMusic engineer Charlie John Brocco died Feb. 4 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was 64.
Brocco was born in Kingston, New York on March 1, 1954 to Charles and Angela (Perry) Brocco. He graduated from Siena College in 1976 with a Bachelor in Finance.
On Sept. 5, 1982 he married Lisa Fischer and together they have two sons. Charlie and Lisa moved to Los Angeles where he worked as a recording engineer at Village Recorder studio.
In 1998, the Brocco’s with their two young sons relocated to Hendersonville, Tennessee, and Charlie began engineering at East Iris Recording Studio. Charlie lent his talents to many studios and artists throughout his career including Barenaked Ladies, Patty Griffin, Randy Houser, Will Hoge and many more. In 2014 he won a Grammy for his work on Kacey Musgraves’ Same Trailer Different Park.
Brocco was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife Lisa Brocco, their children Jonathan and Cameron Brocco, and his sister Mary Ann Hoskins.
A celebration of life will be held at the Winery at Fontanel at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.
CMT Announces “Empowering Education” Initiative With Courtney Cole
/by Jessica NicholsonCourtney Cole
In an effort to increase the number of work-ready residents in the state, CMT has joined forces with TBR – The College System of Tennessee, for a free multi-city concert tour targeting rural areas of the state this spring to encourage Tennesseans to pursue higher education. The tour will begin on April 3 and travel to four community colleges across the state.
The partnership was announced last fall at the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Presidents’ Meeting in Nashville and aims to encourage more Tennesseans to attend college—whether to earn an academic degree or a technical or occupational degree or certificate. CMT’s “Empowering Education” initiative offers four community colleges across the state the opportunity to receive additional support at a local level, including a free concert at each stop featuring CMT’s Next Women of Country artist, Courtney Cole.
“As someone who graduated from college in Tennessee, I am thrilled to be working with CMT and TBR to spread the message of the potential education has to change your life,” Cole says. “I can’t wait to tour the state, put on a really fun show, and encourage people to follow their dreams.”
Among the colleges she will visit are Dyersburg Community College (April 3), Jackson State Community College (April 4), Motlow State Community College (April 9), and Pellissippi State Community College (April 10).
Zac Brown Band To Open For The Rolling Stones In Jacksonville
/by LB CantrellThe Rolling Stones have announced that Zac Brown Band will be a special guest opening their show in Jacksonville on Wednesday, April 24 at TIAA Bank Field. Their 15-city NO FILTER tour will trek across North America in 2019, and this show will be the first time The Stones play in Jacksonville in nearly 30 years.
“We are huge fans of the Stones, it’s an honor to join them in Jacksonville and share a stage with such legendary musicians,” said the Zac Brown Band.
For ticketing information, please visit rollingstones.com.