Big Machine Music’s Brett Young To Be Honored As ASCAP Country Songwriter-Artist Of The Year

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Brett Young. Photo: Riker Brothers

Following a platinum debut album and four consecutive No. 1 singles, Brett Young has now been named the 2018 ASCAP Country Songwriter-Artist of the Year. Young will be celebrated at the 56th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards, to be held Monday, Nov. 12 in Nashville.

The Songwriter-Artist of the Year Award is earned by the songwriter who has written and recorded at least two songs that, collectively, have amassed the greatest airplay during a predetermined time period. The Big Machine Music writer’s chart-topping singles, “In Case You Didn’t Know” (triple Platinum) and “Like I Loved You” (Platinum) will be among the most-performed songs honored at the awards event.

Young commented of the impressive accolade: “I have been with ASCAP from the very beginning, and they have always made me feel like a part of the family, especially ASCAP’s Michael Martin and Robert Filhart. I also want to give a huge thank you to everyone in the songwriting community and in country music who welcomed me right away. I moved to Nashville to be a songwriter and it was a happy accident that I also became an artist. I’ve gotten better because I am lucky enough to get into rooms with incredible writers, and I do not take that for granted.”

ASCAP Executive Vice President of Membership John Titta said, “We knew from day one that Brett Young was something special. His talent for songwriting, heartfelt artistry and extraordinary work ethic were undeniable from the start. We are proud and happy to honor him with this milestone achievement so early in his career.”

The only country act on Billboard’s Top New Artists list, Young has captured the hearts of fans everywhere through his honest lyrics and West Coast meets Southern sound, aptly dubbed “Caliville” style. He is currently nominated for the CMA Awards New Artist of the Year, following his 2018 ACM New Male Vocalist of the Year win and multiple nominations from Billboard, CMT and Teen Choice Awards. Bolstering his 1 billion-plus song streams, Young’s “In Case You Didn’t Know” music video has surpassed 200 million views. He will launch the “CMT ON TOUR: Here Tonight” headline run next month after recently wrapping up a stint on Thomas Rhett’s “Life Changes” tour. His jet-setting schedule and bicoastal roots intersect with a 13-track collection of songs he penned for Ticket To L.A, Young’s sophomore album due December 7 on BMLG Records.

Give A Note Foundation Appoints New CEO And Strategic Development Director

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PIctured: Beth Slusher and Juliana Lee

The Give A Note Foundation, which is newly independent after seven years under the direction of the National Association for Music Education, has announced two new leadership appointments.

Music industry executive Beth Slusher has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Slusher previously served as one of GAN’s founding board members (2012) and also worked as Give A Note’s Board Chair & President (2014-2018). An experienced entrepreneur and Owner/CEO of Rivar’s, Inc., an apparel manufacturer for the music performance industry, Slusher brings her knowledge and commitment to growing and strengthening music education opportunities throughout the country.

“We are strategically focused on our mission because music education matters,” says Slusher. “Empowering music educators through financial support for innovative and sustainable music programs creates positive impact for students, schools and communities, and I am truly honored to have the opportunity to lead the GAN organization into this exciting next phase of growth and development.”

As part of the expansion, Juliana Lee has been named Strategic Development Director to further grow the organization and expand its financial reach. With six years’ prior experience growing the national non-profit Notes for Notes, Lee is spearheading communication for GAN with key partners including teachers, corporations, foundations as well as the entertainment and media industries. She will be based in Nashville.

“With limited resources, our teachers connect with and celebrate their students’ unique cultures through the common language of music,” said Lee. “I’m thrilled for this opportunity to help identify, fund and elevate the superb music education innovators at the forefront of this important work.”

CMA Foundation Accepting Applications For Music Teachers Of Excellence Awards

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The CMA Foundation is now accepting applications for its fourth annual Music Teachers of Excellence Awards. For the first time ever this year, the foundation will accept applications from music educators nationwide.

The Music Teachers of Excellence program was created in 2016 to recognize the best and brightest music teachers from Nashville and beyond. Award recipients are selected because of their dedication to offering a quality music program to their students and the impact they’ve had on their school community through music.

“Research and data continue to show us the positive impact a quality music education can have on a child’s life today, and in the future. We know that without the commitment, passion and support of music educators, our children would not have a program to help them thrive,” said Tiffany Kerns, executive director, CMA Foundation. “Our Music Teachers of Excellence program is designed to celebrate those making a difference in their music classroom every single day — getting kids to show up to school and helping to shape them into being creative leaders in their communities.”

In addition to a night of celebration, this year, the CMA Foundation will also invest a combined $150,000 to support both personal and professional expenses related to recipients’ music programs in an effort to help drive their commitment  forward. To date, the CMA Foundation has invested over $21 million into music education programs with $575,000 specifically in support of music educators through Music Teachers of Excellence.

Submissions for nominees can be made here. The application process closes Jan. 4, 2019.

Blake Shelton To Team With Lauren Alaina, Trace Adkins, John Anderson, The Bellamy Brothers For 2019 Tour

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Blake Shelton will welcome his heroes and friends as he takes to the road in 2019. Shelton announced his Friends and Heroes 2019 tour on Tuesday evening (Oct. 30). The trek will feature Lauren Alaina, Trace Adkins, John Anderson and the Bellamy Brothers.

The tour will launch Feb. 14 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and will run through March 23 in Albany, New York. Along the way, the tour will visit Pittsburgh; Indianapolis; Buffalo, New York, and more. Watch his tour announcement video below.

Blake Shelton’s Friends and Heroes 2019 Tour

Feb. 14: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Feb. 15: Kansas City, Missouri
Feb. 16: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Feb. 21: Indianapolis, Indiana
Feb. 22: Buffalo, New York
Feb. 23: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Feb. 28: Peoria, Illinois
March 1: Louisville, Kentucky
March 2: Evansville, Indiana
March 7: Jacksonville, Florida
March 8: Tampa, Florida
March 9: Sunrise, Florida
March 14: Des Moines, Iowa
March 15: St. Paul, Minnesota
March 16: Green Bay, Wisconsin
March 21-22: Uncasville, Connecticut
March 23: Albany, New York

Industry Ink: Music City Artists, Touring Career Workshop, Grayscale Marketing

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Steve Dorff Signs With Music City Artists

Songwriters Hall of Famer Steve Dorff has signed with Music City Artists for booking, following his recent signing with Leadership Artists for management. Dorff continues his partnership with Richlynn Group for publicity.

Dorff is known for writing songs for iconic artists such as Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, Anne Murray, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Whitney Houston, Cher, Ringo Starr, George Straight, Garth Brooks, Ray Charles and many more. He is also a successful film and TV composer known for writing the theme songs to Reba, Growing Pains, Murphy Brown, Murder She Wrote, Columbo, Spenser: For Hire and songs and scores for Pure Country, Bronco Billy, Rocky IV, Tin Cup, Every Which Way But Loose, and Honky Tonk Man.

 

Touring Career Workshop To Be Held In November

Chris Lisle and Erik Parker, touring industry veterans, created Touring Career Workshop (TCW) to continuously give “roadies” a great place to learn, grow and network. TCW’S eighth annual event will take place on Nov. 13 at Soundcheck Annex.

Areas of expertise covered this year include mental health on the road, healthcare options, and the ever-changing and tremendously important situational awareness. Mike Cruce, President and Owner of Media Visions who will celebrate their 25th anniversary this year, will present the Keynote address.

Registration is open now for the event here.

 

New Hires, Promotions At Grayscale Marketing

Pictured: L – R: Top – Rasha Shaker, Matt Alese, Dakota Davis
Center – Alexis Cason, Katharine Duckworth, Amy Raidel
Lower – Samantha Volpe, Richard Roberts, Conner Chrisman

Nashville-based Grayscale Marketing, led by CEO Tim Gray, has announced a round of promotions and hirings to support the agency’s newly formed Brand Division. The company, which launched in 2015, has included clients such as Warner/Chappell Production Music, Sony Music Nashville, Pilgrimage Festival, and more.

Rasha Shaker has been promoted to Research and Engagement Supervisor. Matt Alese has been elevated to Lead Project Manager for the Arts & Entertainment Division. Dakota Davis has been promoted to Project Manager overseeing the newly launched Brand Division for the agency. Alexis Cason has been elevated to Associate Project Manager. Katharine Duckworth has joined Grayscale Marketing as a Graphic Designer for the Arts & Entertainment Division. Amy Raidel has joined Grayscale Marketing as a Graphic Designer for the newly formed Brand Division. Samantha Volpe has joined Grayscale Marketing as a Graphic Designer for the newly formed Brand Division. Richard Roberts has joined Grayscale Marketing as a Video & Motion Graphics Designer for the Arts & Entertainment Division. Conner Chrisman has joined the Grayscale Marketing team as a Research and Engagement specialist for the Arts & Entertainment Division.

 

Keith Gale’s Good Company Adds Promo Staff For Partnership With RECORDS

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Pictured (L-R): Good Company Entertainment Co-Founder Keith Gale, RECORDS Founder Barry Weiss, Recording Artist Matt Stell, Wide Open Music President Ash Bowers, UTA’s Josh Garrett and Lance Roberts.

Keith Gale‘s Good Company Entertainment has expanded to add a dedicated promotion staff. The two year old company will continue managing artists, including co-founder Jake Owen.

Industry veteran Barry Weiss’ record label, RECORDS has formed a strategic partnership with Good Company Entertainment to help push its flagship artist Matt Stell to country radio and beyond.

Gale previously spent 22 years at RCA Nashville, leaving as head of promotion for the imprint. Weiss was previously at Jive Records and ran RCA/Jive Label Group.

Stell is an Arkansas native, currently promoting, “Prayed For You,” the first single from his forthcoming EP. He is managed by Wide Open Music President Ash Bowers and signed to UTA.

YouTube video

Americana Music Association Launches Initiative To Enhance Americana Tour Routing

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The Americana Music Association has launched its new artist-centric initiative, The Americana Tour Blueprint, as a touring resource for members of the not-for-profit music trade organization.

The blueprint aims to help Americana artists find venues along several routes, as well as radio stations, record stores and publications that support Americana music artists. The map includes nearly 100 markets located just beyond the I-95 corridor on the East Coast. The association intends to expand the offering nationwide to support Americana artists in engaging markets around the U.S.

In addition to having venues listed that book Americana artists, several of the venue managers and owners will actively participate by accepting private submissions for booking consideration from the Americana Music Association’s 1,500 artist members.

Tying into this announcement, an inaugural 13-city tour featuring Caitlin Canty and Oshima Brothers will commence on Jan. 4 in New York City. The tour was booked using the blueprint of today’s Americana venues, radio stations, record stores and publications to book their shows.

“We are incredibly excited about this new initiative and thrilled that Caitlin Canty is the first artist to be a part,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “The Tour Blueprint will serve as an invaluable resource for artists in our community who are constantly seeking opportunities to cultivate their audiences and turn them into fans. This tool is a direct reflection of that drive, and we hope that these musicians can use this to help propel their careers forward as they take their music out on the road.”

“I only wish something like this existed when I was starting out as a DIY touring musician,” added Canty. “It took me a long time to find the right venues and stations for my music and cultivate those relationships. This Americana Tour Blueprint is a great tool to help musicians who are just starting to tour, and to bring more clarity and direction to any artist on the road. It’s a smart roadmap for anyone looking for venues or radio stations friendly to Americana music.”

USA Network’s ‘Real Country’ Reveals 21 Contestants

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Today, USA Network revealed the 21 artists competing in its new music showcase series Real Country. Each contestant was hand-picked by the show’s panel of artists, which includes Shania Twain, Travis Tritt and Jake Owen.

Shania Twain’s artist picks include Billie Jo (Texas), The Davisson Brothers Band (West Virginia), Kylie Frey (Louisiana), Riley Thompson (Texas), Tiera (Alabama), Micah Woods (California), and The Young Fables (Tennessee).

Among the artists Jake Owen selected are Adairs Run (Virginia and West Virginia), Jaida Dreyer (Tennessee), Larry Fleet (Tennessee), Jamie Floyd (Florida/Nashville), Savannah Keyes (Utah), Frank Ray (New Mexico), and Regan Stewart (Alabama).

Travis Tritt’s picks include Bri Bagwell (New Mexico), Scooter Brown (Colorado), Copper Chief (Texas), Tony Jackson (Virginia), Dave Kennedy (Tennessee), Cody Purvis (Virginia), and Porter Union (Missouri).

In each episode, three artists will compete for $10,000, a performance at Stagecoach, and a spot in the grand finale where they will compete to win $100,000 and perform at the grand Ole Opry.

Real Country will premiere Nov. 13 at 9 p.m. CT.

ACM Connects Nashville Writers With TV, Film Execs

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Pictured (L-R):  Carrie Tekautz, ACM Coordinator, Awards & Membership; Nick Di Fruscia, ACM VP, Awards & Membership; Barry Dean; Lori McKenna; Luke Laird; Alec Bailey; Beth Laird, Creative Nation Co-founder/CEO; Pete Fisher, ACM CEO; Frankie Pine, Music Supervisor

The Academy Of Country Music presented a Writers in the Round evening on Oct. 23 in Los Angeles, featuring Creative Nation songwriters and hitmakers Alec Bailey, Barry Dean, Luke Laird and Lori McKenna. The event, Film, Television & Nashville: Songwriters & Stories, held at No Name brought together West Coast film and TV executives with some of Nashville’s renowned writers.

“Fostering a stronger relationship between the Los Angeles film and TV music community and the country music industry in Nashville is one of the Academy’s key long-term goals,” said Pete Fisher, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “With this event, we were delighted to showcase some of Music City’s finest songwriters, who captivated the room with their best work and shared personal stories on how songs come to life. It was a very special, intimate evening for everyone involved.”

Among the industry VIPs attending were Jen Aguillon (Senior Producer, Extra), Maureen Crowe (independent music supervisor, Mr. Right, Houdini, The Bodyguard), George Hunter (Guild of Music Supervisors), Julianne Jordan (Music Soup, A Star Is Born, Pitch Perfect 1-3, American Made, Ferdinand), Brian Lambert (Warner Bros. Pictures), Jonathan McHugh (SongStew, Cowboy Drifter, #REALITY HIGH), Julia Michels (Format, A Star Is Born, Pitch Perfect 1-3, The Greatest Showman), Brian Naguit (CBS), Lori Shefa (CBS), Tracie Verlinde (BMI) and dick clark productions’ Mark Bracco, Linda Gierahn, Patrick Menton and Ben Roy.

Chase McGill Back In Top Spot, Laura Veltz Enters Top Five On MusicRow Songwriter Chart

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MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

Chase McGill has reclaimed the No. 1 spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriters Chart this week, after relinquishing the spot to Josh Osborne last week. The songs that earned his top spot are; “Break Up In The End,” “Lose It,” and “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset.”

Laura Veltz moved into the No. 5 slot from her No. 8 position last week with the songs; “Rich” and “Speechless.” Trevor Rosen also leaped from No. 12 to No. 7, with his Old Dominion bandmate Matthew Ramsey along side him at No. 8. Their songs “Make It Sweet,” “Hotel Key,” and “One That Got Away” propel them forward.

Perhaps the most impressive leap of the week was Shane McAnally‘s surge from No. 28 last week, to No. 9 this week touting current success of four of his songs, “Burn Out,” “Down To The Honky Tonk,” “Love Ain’t,” and “Make It Sweet.”

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 recent addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.