The Country Music Association has revealed the recipients of the 10th annual CMA Triple Play Awards, an honor presented to songwriters who pen three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period based on the Country Aircheck, Billboard Country Airplay and Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
In total, 10 songwriters will receive trophies this year: Luke Combs, Jesse Frasure, Nicolle Galyon, Ashley Gorley, Tyler Hubbard, Josh Kear, Shane McAnally, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne and Thomas Rhett.
Galyon will host a special CMA Songwriters Series Presented by U.S. Bank performance, taking place Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Marathon Music Works in Nashville at 7:00 PM (doors 6:00 PM) and also featuring Combs, Gorley, Kear, McGill and Osborne. Tickets range in price from $30 – 50 and are on sale now at CMAsongwritersseries.com. In celebration of the Triple Play Awards, $3 of each ticket sold will benefit the CMA Foundation, CMA’s philanthropic arm, which is committed to improving and sustaining high quality music education programs across the country.
The CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank performance will follow a private industry-only luncheon where recipients will be awarded their trophies on Feb. 19, hosted by Troy Tomlinson, CMA Board member and Sony/ATV Music Publishing President and CEO.
The 10th annual CMA Triple Play Awards recipients are being 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,” written 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”
Cumberland Music Collective Acquires KCA Artists
/by Lorie HollabaughReviver Publishing Signs Multi-Instrumental Songwriter And Producer Alex Kline
/by Sherod RobertsonPictured (L-R): SESAC Vice President Creative Services Shannan Hatch, Reviver Publishing consultant Clay Myers, Reviver Founder/CEO David Ross, Alex Cline, Reviver President Gator Michaels, Reviver Publishing/A&R consultant Carol-Ann Mobley and SESAC Writer Representative Lydia Schultz.
The Reviver Entertainment Group has signed songwriter and producer Alex Kline to its publishing division. Kline served as co-producer on Australian artist Adam Brand’s No. 1 country album Get On Your Feet, and co-wrote Ronnie Dunn’s 2016 single “Damn Drunk.” Kline has also produced for and written with country music stalwarts such as Rascal Flatts, Reba, Bill Anderson, Mason Ramsey and others.
“We are thrilled to have Alex join the Reviver Publishing team,” says Reviver CEO David Ross. “She is a student of the songwriting craft, and her abilities as a multi-instrumentalist bring us another element in terms of producing and arranging. We have been following Alex’s work for a while now, and are very excited to work with her.”
A native of Marin County, California, Kline moved to Nashville in 2008 after attending The Berklee College of Music in Boston. It was in Nashville that Kline became a founding member of Sony Nashville all-female band The Lunabelles. Over the subsequent years, Kline built up her songwriting and producing skills by working on projects for Terri Clark, Tara Thompson, John King, Maggie Rose and Jon Langston.
Kline is currently working alongside CMT for their Artist Discovery initiative as a producer for their emerging artists.
Before the Christmas holiday break, Kline performed at Reviver Entertainment Group’s Reviver Fest 2018 in St. Petersburg.
CMA Reveals Triple Play Awards Recipients
/by Jessica NicholsonIn total, 10 songwriters will receive trophies this year: Luke Combs, Jesse Frasure, Nicolle Galyon, Ashley Gorley, Tyler Hubbard, Josh Kear, Shane McAnally, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne and Thomas Rhett.
Galyon will host a special CMA Songwriters Series Presented by U.S. Bank performance, taking place Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Marathon Music Works in Nashville at 7:00 PM (doors 6:00 PM) and also featuring Combs, Gorley, Kear, McGill and Osborne. Tickets range in price from $30 – 50 and are on sale now at CMAsongwritersseries.com. In celebration of the Triple Play Awards, $3 of each ticket sold will benefit the CMA Foundation, CMA’s philanthropic arm, which is committed to improving and sustaining high quality music education programs across the country.
The CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank performance will follow a private industry-only luncheon where recipients will be awarded their trophies on Feb. 19, hosted by Troy Tomlinson, CMA Board member and Sony/ATV Music Publishing President and CEO.
The 10th annual CMA Triple Play Awards recipients are being 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,” written 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”
Metro Nashville Public Schools, CCMG Partner On New Bonus Tracks Program
/by Lorie HollabaughCapitol Christian Music Group and Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School have launched a new partnership, Bonus Tracks, that will provide 20 students access to the inner-workings of a major label. EJ Gaines, co-executive director, Motown Gospel and vice president of marketing, Capitol Christian Music Group Nashville, and school administrators were on hand to officially announce the new course, which will expose students to opportunities waiting for them on the other side of high school. The program’s first class begins in February.
A nine-week extracurricular course, Bonus Tracks will provide students a direct connection to the music industry and will be hosted at Capitol Christian Music Group’s Nashville facility. Students will learn first-hand the role of a modern record label in today’s new age of music by meeting weekly with executives from all areas of the industry: creative, marketing, commercial partnerships and promotion.
“I am appreciative that the Nashville business community continues to reach into our schools to guide and inspire our future work force,” said Dr. Shawn Joseph, MNPS director of schools. “This partnership will share authentic and creative work experiences with our students to help them see what is possible after graduation.”
“We are thrilled to be expanding Bonus Tracks program into the Nashville market in partnership with our Capitol Christian Music Group team,” said Brian Nolan, senior vice president at Capitol Music Group and co-creator of Bonus Tracks. “We have seen first-hand the power that Bonus Tracks has demonstrated in the development of students’ success in their high school and how it creates a pathway to a future career in the music industry.”
If the Bonus Tracks pilot program is successful, MNPS and Capitol Music Group look to expand it to other Metro Schools.
Bill Anderson’s Longtime Companion Vickie Salas Dies
/by Jessica NicholsonVickie Salas and Bill Anderson
Bill Anderson‘s longtime companion Vickie Salas died Wednesday (Jan. 16) at age 66, following a battle with cancer.
According to a Facebook post from Anderson, he and Salas first met when she was 19 and married to his guitar player. After the couple divorced, Salas moved back to Michigan, remarried and spent the next nearly 20 years in Washington, D.C.
“We didn’t stay in touch, but when that marriage collapsed, she moved back to Tennessee to be near her two sons. The day she got to town, my picture was on the front page of our local morning newspaper,” Anderson said in a Facebook post. “She saw it, and it prompted her to call me and ask how my former wife, Becky, and I were doing. She did not know that we, too, had gone our separate ways 10 years earlier.”
The two reconnected over dinner, “and that was almost 12 very short and very wonderful years ago,” he says. “We never married, we never lived together, but she became my everything from that moment forward.”
Salas was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, and began receiving hospice care earlier this month.
“It wasn’t supposed to be this way. She was 15 years younger than me. The roles were supposed to have been reversed. She was supposed to be sitting at the side of MY bed feeding ME soup and ice cream, not the other way around,” Anderson said. “I have a lot of faith and I believe God’s hand is in everything that happens in this old world, BUT … The first thing I’m going to do when I get to Heaven is ask Him to explain this one to me. Because right now, I just don’t understand.”
“She was the kindest, gentlest, classiest, most compassionate, giving and loving person I have every known,” Anderson said. “Rest In Peace my sweet, wonderful, beautiful, and oh so special lady. I will miss you forever.”
Salas’ funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
ole Extends Deal With Jordan Davis
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Alex Tamashunas, Lauren Lieu, Gilles Godard, Helen Murphy, Jordan Davis, John Ozier, Noah McPike, Zach Sutton, Randall Foster
ole has extended its exclusive publishing deal with Nashville-based hit singer-songwriter Jordan Davis. The deal renews the successful partnership between ole and Davis and includes the exclusive ownership of Davis’s publishing rights over the long-term.
“Being able to extend our deal with Jordan Davis is a huge moment for ole in Nashville. Jordan was developed and up-streamed to MCA Nashville out of the ole Nashville office, so to be able to continue to share in the future success together is incredibly special. Look for great things coming up from Jordan Davis,” commented ole’s Vice President of Creative, John Ozier.
Helen Murphy, ole’s Chief Executive Officer, added, “Jordan is a gifted artist with an incredible work ethic, and we look forward to continued success together.”
“ole believed in what I was doing since day one and couldn’t have been more supportive. I’m really excited to extend our partnership and continue to grow with my friends at ole,” said Davis.
Davis’ debut album, Home State, on which he co-wrote all of the songs, debuted at No. 6 on the US Country Album charts and reached Platinum sales status by July 2018. The album’s first single, “Singles You Up,” went to No. 1 on the country radio charts in both Canada and the US, and as of August 2018, was the most-played song on US country radio, while the video for “Singles You Up” has received over 27 million views to date on YouTube. The second single from Home State, “Take It from Me,” is in the Top 10 on the country radio charts. Most recently, Davis earned a 2019 iHeartRadio Music Award nomination for Best New Country Artist.
Maren Morris Announces New World Tour, New Single ‘GIRL’ Drops Today
/by Lorie HollabaughMaren Morris is launching her brand new headlining GIRL: The World Tour March 9 in Chicago. The tour will hit over 40 cities including Salt Lake City, Portland, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, and more and includes a Nashville Ryman Auditorium date March 13. The tour also heads overseas to London, Ireland, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada through the end of August. Joining Morris for GIRL: The World Tour will be Cassadee Pope and RaeLynn.
In conjunction with the tour announcement, Morris is releasing her brand new single “GIRL,” which she wrote with Sarah Aarons and songwriter/producer Greg Kurstin, (who produced the new song,) to radio today. Immediately following its world premiere fans will be able to stream and download the new song on all digital platforms.
Tickets for the new tour will go on sale to the public beginning Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. local time. On Jan. 18 Morris’ Fan club presales for all shows will begin at 10 a.m. Citi is the official presale credit card of the tour and Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets for the U.S. dates beginning January 18th until January 21st through Citi’s Private Pass program.
Maren Morris Upcoming tour Dates
2/1/19: Riviera Maya, Mexico-Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend
2/15/19:George Town, Cayman Islands – KAABOO Festival
3/9/19:Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre+
3/13/19:Nashville, TN-Ryman Auditorium+
3/15/19:Kansas City, MO -Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland+
3/16/19:Oklahoma City, OK-The Criterion+
3/18/19:Denver, CO-Fillmore Auditorium+
3/19/19:Salt Lake City, UT-The Union+
3/21/19: Portland, OR-Crystal Ballroom+
3/23/19:Seattle, WA-Showbox SoDo+
3/26/19:San Francisco, CA-The Masonic+
3/28/19:Anaheim, CA-House of Blues Anaheim+
3/30/19:Los Angeles, CA-The Wiltern+
4/11/19:Atlanta, GA-Coca-Cola Roxy*
4/12-14/19:Fort Lauderdale, FL-Tortuga Festival
4/18/19:Houston, TX -Revention Music Center*
4/19/19: Dallas, TX-Bomb Factory*
4/20/19: New Braunfels, TX-Whitewater Amphitheatre*
4/25/19: Pittsburgh, PA-Stage AE*
4/26/19: Philadelphia, PA-The Fillmore*
4/27/19: Boston, MA-House of Blues – Boston*
5/2/19: Washington, DC- Anthem*
5/3/19: Brooklyn, NY- Brooklyn Steel*
5/4/19: New York, NY-Terminal 5*
5/9/19: Saint Louis, MO -The Pageant*
5/10/19: Indianapolis, IN-Egyptian Room at Old National Centre*
5/11/19: Detroit, MI-The Fillmore Detroit*
5/17/19: Berlin, DE-Columbia Theatre*
5/18/19: Cologne, DE-Kantine*
5/19/19: Zurich, CH-Mascotte*
5/21/19: Hamburg, DE-Gruenspan*
5/22/19: Amsterdam, NL-Paradiso*
5/24/19: Dublin, IE-The Academy*
5/25/19: Leeds, UK-O2 Academy Leeds*
5/26/19: Glasgow, UK-O2 Academy Glasgow*
5/27/19: Manchester, UK- Albert Hall*
5/29/19: Bristol, UK-O2 Academy Bristol*
5/30/19: Birmingham, UK- O2 Institute*
5/31/19: London, UK-Royal Albert Hall*
6/15/19: Manchester, TN-Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
6/21/19: Chicago, IL-LakeShake Festival
7/19/19:Brooklyn, MI – Faster Horses
7/20/19:Eau Claire, WI-Country Jam USA
8/2/19:Merritt, BC-Merritt Rockin’ River Festival
8/3/19:Duncan, BC -Sunfest Country
8/8-11/19:Oro, ON- Boots and Hearts Music Festival
8/16/19:Auckland, NZ-The Logan Campbell Centre
8/17/19:Christchurch, NZ-Town Hall
8/19/19:Brisbane, AU-Brisbane City Hall
8/21/19: Melbourne, AU-Forum Theatre
8/22/19: Sydney, AU-Enmore Theatre
8/23/19: Canberra, AU-UC Refectory
8/30/19: Grand Island, NE-Nebraska State Fair
Denotes a GIRL: THE WORLD TOUR Headlining date
+Denotes Cassadee Pope as opener
*Denotes RaeLynn as opener
Dan + Shay, Kacey Musgraves Nab Grammy Performance Slots
/by Jessica NicholsonThe event will be hosted by Alicia Keys.
Musgraves, a two-time Grammy winner, is nominated this year for four honors, including Album of the Year (Golden Hour), Best Country Solo Performance (“Butterflies”), Best Country Song (“Space Cowboy”) and Best Country Album (Golden Hour). First-time honorees Dan + Shay are nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Tequila.”
Making her Grammy performance debut, Cabello received two nominations for Best Pop Solo Performance (“Havana [Live]”) and Best Pop Vocal Album (Camila). Cardi B is nominated for Record Of The Year (“I Like It”), Album Of The Year (Invasion Of Privacy), Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Maroon 5 (“Girls Like You”), Best Rap Performance (“Be Careful”), and Best Rap Album (Invasion Of Privacy). First-time Grammy nominee Post Malone received four nominations, Record Of The Year (“Rockstar” with 21 Savage), Album Of The Year (Beerbongs & Bentleys), Best Pop Solo Performance (“Better Now”), and Best Rap/Sung Performance (“Rockstar”). Mendes is nominated for Song Of The Year (“In My Blood”) and Best Pop Vocal Album (Shawn Mendes). Monáe is up for Album Of The Year (Dirty Computer) and Best Music Video (“PYNK”).
The 61st Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
Republican Hair Teams With The Cadillac Three For New Tour Dates
/by Jessica NicholsonNashville rock/punk group Republican Hair will join BMLG trio The Cadillac Three for several shows in 2019. Launching Feb. 28 in Detroit, the tour will include stops in Nashville, Atlanta, Chicago and more.
Republican Hair was created by songwriter Luke Dick, who has found success with songs recorded by Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, and Kacey Musgraves.
Tour dates below:
February 28 @ St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit, MI *
March 1 @ The Castle Theatre in Bloomington, IL *
March 2 @ First Avenue in Iowa City, IA *
March 7 @ The Earl Restaurant and Lounge in Atlanta, GA #
March 8 @ The Nick in Birmingham, AL #
March 9 @ Exit/In in Nashville, TN #
April 5 @ Joe’s on Weed Street in Chicago, IL *
April 6 @ The Rave in Milwaukee, WI *
* w/ The Cadillac Three | # Headline
Country Radio Seminar To Spotlight Ken Burns’ ‘Country Music’ Documentary
/by Jessica NicholsonThe upcoming Country Radio Seminar (CRS) will highlight the highly-anticipated documentary Country Music, which will premiere on PBS this fall. Writer/producer Dayton Duncan, part of the team behind the eight-part, 16-hour project, will appear as part of CRS’s 2019 keynote event, to be held Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. during CRS at Omni Hotel in Nashville.
Ken Burns, who directed and co-produced the film with long-time collaborators Duncan and Julie Dunfey, will appear via a taped intro piece, followed by Duncan discussing the film. Attendees will also get an early look at clips with rare footage and interviews conducted over the six years it took to produce the film. CRS Board President, Kurt Johnson will conclude the panel with an overview of how radio can get involved with this landmark event.
Country Music chronicles the highs and lows of country music’s early days, from southern Appalachia’s songs of struggle, heartbreak, and faith to the rollicking Western swing of Texas, California’s honky-tonks and Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. The film follows the evolution of country music throughout the 20th century as it eventually emerges to become “America’s music.”
The film explores crucial questions, “What is country music?” and “Where did it come from?” while focusing on the biographies of the fascinating trailblazers who created and shaped it — from the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Monroe and Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and many more — as well as the times in which they lived. More than 100 interviews were conducted in conjunction with this project.
“Ken Burns’ documentary is a monumental celebration of the country music genre,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Trahern. “CMA is actively engaging our members to participate in this landmark series, and we’re delighted to share a sneak peek of the documentary with those attending CRS.”
Country Radio Seminar will be held Feb. 13 through Feb. 15 at Omni Nashville, in Music City.