Tom T. Hall, John Prine
Tom T. Hall and John Prine are among those announced as the latest inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They will join Dallas Austin (“Creep,” “The Boy Is Mine”), Missy Elliott (“The Rain,” “Get Ur Freak On”), Jack Tempchin (“Peaceful Easy Feeling”), and Yusuf/Cat Stevens (“The First Cut Is The Deepest”) as fellow inductees at the organization’s 50th annual induction and awards dinner on Thursday, June 13 in New York City.
SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers said, “The first thing you need to know is it’s about the song, the second thing you need to know is it’s about the song, the third thing you need to know is it’s about the song. That’s true now more than ever but it has always been about the song; so I’m very proud that in my first year as Chairman of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame we are recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time. The 2019 slate of inductees represents diversity and unity across genres and gender, highlighting our dedicated mission to honor music creators who have enriched our lives. These are writers who, in their time, literally transformed music and helped make what’s happening today possible.”
To qualify for induction, a songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song. The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969.
Prine, a two-time Grammy winner and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member, as well as a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee, has penned songs including “Sam Stone,” “Angel From Montgomery,” “Paradise,” “Hello In There,” “Illegal Smile,” “That’s The Way The World Goes ‘Round,” “Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness,” “In Spite of Ourselves,” “I Just Want To Dance With You,” and many more.
In 2018, Prine released his first album featuring new material in 13 years, The Tree Of Forgiveness. The album has earned Prine three nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards including Best Americana Album and Best American Roots Song (for the album track “Summer’s End”). In addition, his inaugural music festival, All The Best, will take place Nov 11-15 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Tom T. Hall’s music has been lauded by luminaries including President Jimmy Carter and Johnny Cash. Hall recorded 33 top 20 country hits, including “Ballad of Forty Dollars,” “A Week in a Country Jail,” “The Year Clayton Delaney Died,” “(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine,” and “I Love.” He also penned the Jeannie C. Riley smash “Harper Valley, P.T.A.,” the Alan Jackson chart-topper “Little Bitty,” and “That’s How I Got To Memphis,” recorded by greats including Bobby Bare, Solomon Burke, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Bill Haley, and Buddy Miller.
In later life, Hall collaborated with his wife, Dixie Hall, in composing hundreds of bluegrass music standards. The Hall’s songs placed them in the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame.
Tom T. Hall, John Prine Among Songwriters Hall Of Fame Inductees
/by Jessica NicholsonTom T. Hall, John Prine
Tom T. Hall and John Prine are among those announced as the latest inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They will join Dallas Austin (“Creep,” “The Boy Is Mine”), Missy Elliott (“The Rain,” “Get Ur Freak On”), Jack Tempchin (“Peaceful Easy Feeling”), and Yusuf/Cat Stevens (“The First Cut Is The Deepest”) as fellow inductees at the organization’s 50th annual induction and awards dinner on Thursday, June 13 in New York City.
SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers said, “The first thing you need to know is it’s about the song, the second thing you need to know is it’s about the song, the third thing you need to know is it’s about the song. That’s true now more than ever but it has always been about the song; so I’m very proud that in my first year as Chairman of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame we are recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time. The 2019 slate of inductees represents diversity and unity across genres and gender, highlighting our dedicated mission to honor music creators who have enriched our lives. These are writers who, in their time, literally transformed music and helped make what’s happening today possible.”
To qualify for induction, a songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song. The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969.
Prine, a two-time Grammy winner and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member, as well as a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee, has penned songs including “Sam Stone,” “Angel From Montgomery,” “Paradise,” “Hello In There,” “Illegal Smile,” “That’s The Way The World Goes ‘Round,” “Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness,” “In Spite of Ourselves,” “I Just Want To Dance With You,” and many more.
In 2018, Prine released his first album featuring new material in 13 years, The Tree Of Forgiveness. The album has earned Prine three nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards including Best Americana Album and Best American Roots Song (for the album track “Summer’s End”). In addition, his inaugural music festival, All The Best, will take place Nov 11-15 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Tom T. Hall’s music has been lauded by luminaries including President Jimmy Carter and Johnny Cash. Hall recorded 33 top 20 country hits, including “Ballad of Forty Dollars,” “A Week in a Country Jail,” “The Year Clayton Delaney Died,” “(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine,” and “I Love.” He also penned the Jeannie C. Riley smash “Harper Valley, P.T.A.,” the Alan Jackson chart-topper “Little Bitty,” and “That’s How I Got To Memphis,” recorded by greats including Bobby Bare, Solomon Burke, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Bill Haley, and Buddy Miller.
In later life, Hall collaborated with his wife, Dixie Hall, in composing hundreds of bluegrass music standards. The Hall’s songs placed them in the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame.
The Bobby Bones Show Reveals All-Female Class Of 2019
/by Jessica NicholsoniHeartMedia’s Bobby Bones continues to champion new musical talent, with the announcement of “The Bobby Bones Show Class Of 2019.” This all-female class includes Black River’s Abby Anderson, UMG Nashville’s Caylee Hammack, Big Machine’s Lauren Jenkins, Columbia Nashville’s Tenille Townes, and RCA Nashville’s Rachel Wammack.
“It’s been a long road from playing Buck’s liquor store in my little hometown of Ellaville, GA to hearing Bobby Bones say my name on the radio this morning,” Hammack shared. “Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be put into a category with these wonderful and talented women. I’m so excited for 2019 and can’t thank Bobby enough for all the support.”
“I’m really freaking grateful to be included in this group of artists. And I think it’s great how many women Bobby is highlighting with his platform this year, because women’s voices and stories and songs need to be heard,” shared Jenkins.
“I can’t explain how excited I am to be a part of this group of artists. They are stellar and unique, and Bobby is just awesome,” said Wammack.
“It is an honor to be a part of Bobby’s Class of 2019,” added Townes. “Having him be such a champion of this music and this path from the beginning means so much!! Also, being alongside such talented friends of mine is incredible! I look forward to cheering everybody on this year!”
“Bobby Bones is a busy man and somehow he makes time for brand new artists like myself,” said Anderson. “I think everyone in country music can agree that Bobby is giving and gracious and I think the most precious gift someone could give is their time. So thank you, THANK YOU Mr. Bobby Bones for giving your time and attention. Thank you for sharing your platform and being a champion.”
Big Yellow Dog Music Signs Street Corner Symphony’s Jeremy Lister
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R) Front row: Evyn Mustoe (ASCAP), Jeremy Lister, Carla Wallace; Back row: Lauren Funk (BYD), Edward O’Day (manager, Project Daybreak), Alex Stefano (BYD), Michael Martin (ASCAP)
Big Yellow Dog Music has signed Jeremy Lister to an exclusive publishing agreement.
A member of the a cappella group Street Corner Symphony, Lister has been based in Nashville since 2003. He joined the Nashville-based Street Corner Symphony for NBC’s second season of The Sing-Off in 2010. The group claimed second place and later toured with Ben Folds. Currently, Street Corner Symphony is headlining shows across the globe. Lister has released three EPs under his own name in addition to three albums with the vocal group.
Alison Krauss + Union Station recorded Lister’s “Sinking Stone” on their album Paper Airplane. He recently released a single, ‘Sign Language,’ which is the title track of an EP slated for 2019.
“After being fans of Jeremy Lister for more than a decade, we finally have the opportunity to welcome him to the BYD family,” says Big Yellow Dog Music co-owner and CEO Carla Wallace. “It’s a perfect fit!”
SOURCE Nashville Announces 2019 Board of Directors
/by Eric T. ParkerPictured (L-R) Front Row: Jennifer Turnbow (Secretary), Alicia Lanier Jones (President), Kari Barnhart (Vice-President); Back Row: Becky McIntosh, Susan Woelkers, Melinda Brennan, Mallory Mason, Mandy Gallagher, Claire Cook-Taylor; Not Pictured: Catherine Stein Moore (Treasurer) and Greta Day
SOURCE Nashville recently held its first board meeting of 2019 and announced election results for the organization’s 2019 Board of Directors.
This year’s Board Officers are Alicia Lanier Jones (Fourward) serving as President, Kari Barnhart (Regions Bank) serving as Vice President, Catherine Stein Moore (Farris, Self, & Moore, LLC) serving as Treasurer and Jennifer Turnbow (NSAI) serving as Secretary.
Additional Board representatives are 2018 SOURCE Board President, Mandy Gallagher (City National Bank), Claire Cook-Taylor (Average Joes Entertainment), Melinda Drennan (Drennan & Associates PLLC), Camilla Kleindienst (Banner Music), Susan Myers-Woelkers (GW Entertainment), Mallory Mason (Wiles & Taylor), Becky McIntosh (Barfly Publishing), Greta Day (Sussman & Associates).
Def Jam Recordings CEO Paul Rosenberg Named Keynote Speaker For Music Biz 2019
/by Jessica NicholsonPaul Rosenberg
Paul Rosenberg, CEO of Def Jam Recordings, is confirmed as a keynote speaker for the upcoming conference Music Biz 2019, slated for May 5-8 at Nashville’s JW Marriott.
On May 6 at 5 p.m., Rosenberg will discuss his professional journey, experience in both the management and label arenas and his vision for the future of the industry at large.
An accomplished attorney, Rosenberg is also the founder and CEO of Goliath Artists Inc., the New York-based management firm that handles the career of artist Eminem and others including Detroit’s Danny Brown. Paul also continues to oversee Shady Records, the boutique record label he launched in 1999 with Eminem that has released breakthrough albums by 50 Cent, D12 and Bad Meets Evil (Eminem’s collaboration with Royce Da 5’9”).
In 2002, Rosenberg added the role of producer to his resume as executive producer of the blockbuster Imagine/Universal film 8 Mile, followed by serving as producer with Jimmy Iovine on 50 Cent’s 2005 film debut Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, and as producer of 2015’s pugilist hit Southpaw. Rosenberg also oversees a portfolio of creative projects and endeavors in his ongoing partnership with Eminem: Shady Films, an original content creation group that has produced web series, television and broadcast live events, SiriusXM satellite radio station Shade45, and RapRadar.com.
For more information, visit musicbiz2019.com.
Kane Brown Launches Sold-Out Arena Tour, Reveals Khalid Remix Feature
/by Lorie HollabaughKane Brown kicked off his sold-out headlining arena tour Kane Brown: Live Forever Tour Thursday night (Jan. 10) in Duluth, Georgia, with 7,000 fans. The Kane Brown: Live Forever Tour will make its way to arenas across the country with additional opening weekend stops Friday night (Jan. 11) in Pensacola, Florida, and Saturday night (Jan. 12) in Columbus, Georgia featuring openers Granger Smith with RaeLynn.
As part of the tour, Brown has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to offer an exclusive VIP Q&A experience and meet and greet pairing Brown with members of the Boys & Girls Club in every tour market.
Following the tour’s opening weekend, Brown heads to New York to perform on Good Morning America, GMA Day and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert next week. He is featured on a new Khalid “Saturday Nights (Remix)” out today as well. The track is a remix of Khalid’s song “Saturday Nights” which was featured on his recently released EP Suncity.
(L-R): Members of the Boys & Girls Club with Kane Brown, Martha Earls of EFG Management, and Pete Wison of Good Vibes Management
Dylan Scott Announces New EP, ‘Nothing To Do Town’
/by LB CantrellCurb Records artist Dylan Scott will be releasing his new EP, Nothing To Do Town, on April 26. The title track will be released to radio Monday (Jan. 14).
Inspired by family and his youth in rural northeast Louisiana, Nothing To Do Town features six tracks–five of which were co-written by the rising star himself. Produced by Matt Alderman, Curt Gibbs, and Jim Ed Norman, the project follows the success of Scott’s Platinum and Gold-certified breakouts, “My Girl” and “Hooked.”
Scott will also headline the Nothing To Do Town Tour, launching Thursday (Jan. 17), featuring 19 dates with newcomer Seth Ennis.
“The past two years–both personally and professionally–have been the most exciting of my life,” said Scott. “With my new single hitting radio on Monday and my tour kicking off in New York City three days later, 2019 is starting off in a whirlwind and I couldn’t be more excited. I can’t wait to get back out on the road and play new music. Looks like it’s going to be a busy year!”
The recently announced iHeart Radio Best New Country Artist nominee is set to highlight the New Faces Showcase lineup at the 2019 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville on Feb. 15.
Pre-orders for the project start today (1/11).
Nothing To Do Town EP Track Listing:
1. “Nothing To Do Town” – Dylan Scott, Matt Alderman, Cole Taylor
2. “Look At Us Now” – Scott, Alderman, Dallas Wilson
3. “Nobody” – Scott, Alderman, Dallas Wilson
4. “You Got Me” – Justin Wilson, Jason Sever, Kyle Fishman
5. “Honey I’m Home” – Scott, Alderman, Lindsay Rimes
6. “Anniversary” – Scott, Alderman, Corey Crowder
New Report Illustrates How Record Labels Evolved Towards Streaming
/by Eric T. ParkerLarry Miller, founder of music industry consulting and analytics firm Musonomics and NYU professor/director of the music business program at NYU Steinhardt, has released a report on the evolution of record labels in his new report, “Same Heart. New Beat. How Record Labels Amplify Talent in the Modern Music Marketplace.”
Based on almost 50 interviews with top-level executives at both major and independent record labels and commissioned by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Miller explores the changes that have taken place in the past decade with record labels in the digital age.
“The digital revolution in music meant that anyone with a creative spark and a computer could make and distribute a song. While terrifically empowering, this led to an avalanche of new music dumped online every week – paradoxically making it harder for musicians to connect with audiences,” said Miller. “As the former head of an indie with major label distribution in the early ’00s, I was curious to examine the current state of play. While there are examples of individual, DIY artist success, the realities of the 24/7 global marketplace demand specialized teams with the ability and resources to react instantly to opportunities wherever and whenever they pop up – and the labels have evolved to meet this need.”
The report examines the “Then” vs “Now” of A&R, Marketing & Promotion, Artist Contracts & Services, Sales & Distribution, and Data. Some of the key findings include:
To download the full report, visit musonomics.org/modernlabelreport.
Judah & The Lion Drops New Single, ‘Over My Head’
/by Lorie HollabaughNashville-based band and Belmont alums Judah & the Lion are kicking off the New Year with the release of their new single, “Over My Head.” The synth-and-banjo driven track comes on the heels of “Pep Talk” and “Quarter-Life Crisis,” a multi-track single released in December and the band’s first new music since their sophomore album, Folk Hop N Roll.
“Over My Head” is a deeply personal look into vocalist Judah Akers’ mindset during a time that was both professionally exciting and personally turbulent.
“I was on the road and homesick,” recalls Judah Akers. “So that feeling’s rushing in, mom’s not doing well, not talking to dad, my sister’s sad. All these thoughts were happening and I was so overwhelmed with life. I was medicating and distracting myself in different ways so I could get through.”
Judah & the Lion (Judah Akers, Nate Zuercher, Brian Macdonald) began 2019 in front of a crowd of 200,000 at Nashville’s New Year’s Eve celebration where they debuted the songs live and again performed “Over My Head” the next day at NHL’s Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium on NBC. Already announced for this year’s Hangout Music Festival in May, fans can expect more on the horizon live from the trio soon.
Kobalt’s AWAL Teams With The Other Nashville Society
/by Jessica NicholsonTONS, which launched in 2017, hand-selects its group members, which include numerous influential industry members and creators.
AWAL Lonny Olinick commented, “Nashville is one of the most diverse and vibrant music communities out there and we see this partnership as an opportunity for AWAL to discover, develop, and launch global artists. AWAL and TONS are aligned in our ultimate goal of bringing artists together and helping them grow their careers. We look forward to all that we will accomplish together this year.”
Josh Collum, Co-founder & Partner of TONS added, “This is more than just a sponsorship for us. This is a deep, strategic partnership. We believe in what AWAL is doing, and we feel like our membership and our city needs to get to know them better. We’re already working on some really cool things we can do together, and you’ll see those roll out throughout 2019.”