Dan+Shay. Photo: Patrick Tracy
Dan+Shay’s mammoth hit “Tequila” has been a mainstay on both country radio and Hot AC this year, with its smooth dynamics and aching vocals.
The song has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, and has earned more than 260 million on-demand streams. The track spent multiple weeks atop the country radio charts. In August, on the heels of the No. 1 party for “Tequila,” the duo headlined a block party in Nashville for 10,000 fans.
The smash also brought the the duo’s Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney multiple nominations at the upcoming Country Music Association Awards in November, including Music Video of the Year, Single of the Year and Song of the Year. They are also nominated for Duo of the Year.
“It’s funny because we were the ones who announced them with Luke Bryan and Sugarland,” Smyers tells MusicRow. “I probably looked like a fool when our names were called, because you never go into it expecting that. We knew the song had a great impact, but there is a lot of great music and it’s a very hot time for the country format. For our name to be called a few times is a cool thing. We worked super hard on that song and the album, so it was a great validation. To be accepted by our peers and be nominated by our peers is just awesome. It’s a win just to be nominated.
“And getting a free ticket to the show! Those tickets are expensive,” he quips. “We know, we just bought some for our families.”
“Tequila” is one of three songs this year to be nominated in both the Song and Single of the Year categories at the upcoming Country Music Association awards. While the Single of the Year honors commercial success, the Song of the Year accolade tends to honor songs on the basis of songwriting quality.
“It’s fun to have both of those nominations because they do honor very different things. Those are always two of our favorite categories,” Smyers says. “We moved here to be songwriters. That’s our first love. We love being artists and doing shows, but part of that is being able to hear and feel fans singing our songs back to us, or hearing it on country radio. Being an artist is a vehicle for our true passion, which is being songwriters. To be in both of those categories is crazy.”
He gives credit to his “Tequila” co-writers, Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynolds. “To be in the song category with two of my favorite writers. Jordan Reynolds, we live like next door to each other so we are always working on songs like three or four days per week, and he’s about to be the next ultimate breakout songwriter star. The first day I ever wrote with him a few years ago, I texted my publisher and said, ‘This guy is about to take over Nashville.’ And then Nicolle, who is just prolific and genius. We’ve worked with her on a few of our albums and she’s incredible.”
Smyers co-wrote the track in early 2017. He says “Tequila” garnered interest from other artists in the Nashville community looking to record the song, but Smyers elected to hold on to it, knowing he had something special.
Smyers knows well the hold frenzy that comes when the songwriting community hears a great song; Dan+Shay had attempted to put another hit, “Break Up In The End,” on hold. The song would later be recorded by Cole Swindell.
“With ‘Break Up In The End,’ someone sent me that demo and said, ‘This song was just written,’ and I thought, ‘This is a Song of the Year, I’m putting it on hold.’ And right when I sent that email back, they said, ‘Hey sorry you’ve got the second hold on it. Cole just put it on hold.’ We were hoping he would cut a different song, but those things happen.”
Though the duo’s tight-knit vocals make “Tequila” sound effortless, Smyers recalls the weeks he spent in the studio, crafting “Tequila” to match his sonic vision.
“I worked so hard on that track. I think there were like 140 tracks in my Pro Tools session,” says Smyers, who worked with co-producer Scott Hendricks and mixer Jeff Juliano.
“In the studio we cut at Ocean Way with a great band. On the demo, we had a piano start it off, but I wanted to have an acoustic guitar because I could see the video in my head of a heartbroken person walking up to the mic and singing it. We tracked it at 80 beats per minute, six bpms slower than we have it on the album. I finished up a rough track and we did a scratch vocal on it, and something didn’t feel right to it,” he recalls.
Smyers collected the bare bones recordings made for the track, working feverishly to revamp it. “I basically took everything that was recorded and I sped up all the band instruments and I asked Jordan to send me the midi from his piano on the original demo, which was in a different key. I transposed it and subbed that piano back into my track with the band and it was magic. That was the missing thing. That original piano in the demo, there was something haunting and ethereal about it. It was still dynamic and a ballad but it had more energy.”
Smyers’ hours of painstaking work to get the exact sound he was looking for has paid off, as “Tequila” has transcended the country charts, crossing over into the Top 15 on radio’s Hot AC chart, a milestone Smyers appreciates for opening up the possibility of more fans to gravitate toward country music.
“The crossover of ‘Tequila’ has been really cool because we haven’t abandoned our sound. That’s a song you could hear at The Listening Room or the Bluebird or any writer’s round. It’s a Nashville song, four chords and the truth on this one. When it gets to the mainstream and it’s on Hot AC or Top 40 it’s an honor for us, because we know someone is listening to that station that may not have heard country music before.”
“Speechless,” the duo’s follow-up to “Tequila,” has also earned nearly 80 million on-demand streams and has sold 600,000 track equivalents. The official music video, featuring footage from each of their real-life weddings, has reached nearly 20 million views.
A songwriter at heart, Smyers says he and Mooney are always in the studio working on new music. “Even though as artists we are on record cycles, we still write songs. Literally, I think the day after our album came out, we were still writing and we had writers on the road with us. It’s nonstop. We are hashing out demos and working out ideas for what could be the next project.
“It’s interesting because we’ve had some success and got a fanbase and the attention of a lot of people. It puts more pressure on you, because more people are listening now. Your fans will check it out at midnight when [new music] comes out, so you owe it to those fans to deliver the best music you possibly can.”
Nashville’s Musical History Explored In New Don Cusic Book
/by Lorie HollabaughA new book on Nashville’s music history, Nashville Sound: An Illustrated Timeline, is out now by noted author and songwriter Don Cusic. The Reedy Press book explores Nashville’s rich history in music that encompasses not only country but also gospel, contemporary Christian, R&B, rock, and classical music and follows the development of music and the music industry in Nashville from the nineteenth century until today.
Several signing events highlighting the new book have been scheduled, including during the Southern Festival Of Books on Oct. 14 in Nashville.
Presentation and Book Signings:
Saturday, October 13, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The Churchill Society of Tennessee
Brentwood Country Club
Tickets are $75 and may be purchased at churchillsocietytn.org
Presentation will focus on Winston Churchill’s love of music, but he will also talk about Nashville Sound
Presentation and Book Signing
Sunday, October 14, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Southern Festival of Books
Nashville Public Library
Special Collections Room
Free and open to the public
Presentation
Wednesday, October 17, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Belmont University Library
Free and open to the public
This is a student convocation
Presentation
Wednesday, October 17, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Historical Society
Fort Negley Park
Free and open to the public
Book Signing
Friday, October 26, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Bellevue YMCA
Free and open to the public
Fiftyforward Group at Bellevue YMCA
Presentation
Friday, February 8, 2019, time TBD
Tennessee State University
Free and open to the public
This is a presentation to the African-American Conference.
BREAKING: President Signs Music Modernization Act Into Law
/by Jessica NicholsonPresident Trump signed the Hatch-Goodlatte Music Modernization Act into law on Thursday, Oct. 11. Among the artists in attendance were Big & Rich’s John Rich, as well as Kid Rock, CCM band MercyMe, Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan guitarist Jeff Baxter, The Beach Boys’ Mike Love, Craig Morgan, and Rock Hall of Famer Sam Moore.
Last month the Senate unanimously passed the MMA and then House of Representatives unanimously approved an updated version of the bill, sending it to the president’s desk.
According to Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Exec. Director Bart Herbison, now that the MMA is officially law, NSAI and other songwriter organizations will begin selecting songwriter board and committee members for the new Music Licensing Collective (MLC), which will begin operation on Jan. 1, 2021.
Higher streaming royalties resulting from the marketplace rate standards included in the MMA will come over time when the next Copyright Royalty Board proceeding occurs in four years or when ASCAP or BMI have rate court proceedings under the terms of the MMA. Agreements reached with streaming companies or court proceedings could result in higher streaming rates.
The MMA changes the standard by which songwriter streaming rates are established replacing an outdated 1909 law that governs songwriter mechanical or sales royalties, and changes consent decree regulations from 1941 that govern songwriter performance royalties. The new law requires the random selection of judges when performing rights societies ASCAP or BMI go to a rate court proceeding; presently those judges are appointed for life. The MMA also eliminates the Notice of Intent (NOI) program administered by the U.S. Copyright Office that shifted the digital mechanical licensing burden back to songwriters, and guarantees streaming royalty payments to artists whose recordings were done before 1972 who now are not required to be paid due to a loophole in the Copyright Act. The MMA also stipulates direct streaming royalty payments to record producers and engineers.
President Donald Trump signs the Hatch-Goodlatte Music Modernization Act into law on Oct. 11, 2018.
“Now the job of utilizing the tools found in the Music Modernization Act begins,” said Herbison. “NSAI and other songwriter organizations will immediately select songwriter board and committee members for the new Music Licensing Collective that commences operation on January 1, 2021. We have two years to build the first-ever songwriter, music publisher run mechanical licensing collective. This will be the first collection agency that pays songwriters 100 cents from every royalty dollar since the digital streaming companies will pay operational costs of the MLC.”
“The MMA is now law!” said Steve Bogard, writer of 10 No. 1 songs and President of NSAI. “We have worked on elements of this legislation for 15 years. With the passage of this law, every professional songwriter in America, including myself, who has suffered devastating economic losses in the era of digital music delivery, can now breathe a sigh of relief and be optimistic about the future of our profession. Along with the songs that bear my name, this is my proudest career accomplishment. It is not too bold to say this is the most important songwriter legislation ever adopted by Congress. When we negotiate our digital rates or go to trial-type proceedings, we expect rates that are much fairer based on what the market should pay.”
“With the president’s signature today, the MMA is officially the law of the land,” said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. “As we celebrate the harmony and unity that got us here, we applaud the efforts of the thousands of performers, songwriters, and studio professionals who rallied for historic change to ensure all music creators are compensated fairly when their work is used by digital and satellite music services. We thank the members of Congress who championed this issue throughout the past several years to bring music law into the 21st century.
“Today, President Trump signed the bi-partisan Hatch-Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (The MMA), which will finally bring music copyright laws into the digital age,” said John Josephson, Chairman and CEO, SESAC. “We applaud everyone’s hard work and tireless efforts on this legislation, especially the Senators who worked diligently to get the bill passed then adopted by the House. We’re grateful for our committed songwriting and publishing community whose focus and passion have strengthened our industry for generations to come.”
“The signing of the Music Modernization Act into law, by the President, is the culmination of a gargantuan struggle that was resolved by an unparalleled alliance between all music industry stakeholders and the relevant tech companies,” said Richard James Burgess, CEO of A2IM. “In this digital age, more music is enjoyed by more people than at any time in the history of humankind. The signing of this bill represents a significant step towards better lives for music creators and those that support them. A standing ovation is greatly deserved for all involved in this historic achievement.”
Pictured (L-R): Steve Bogard (President, NSAI), Darius Rucker, Bart Herbison (Executive Director, NSAI), Congressman Doug Collins (GA), Lee Thomas Miller (Former President, NSAI) at the Nashville Songwriter Awards
“The Music Business Association applauds and congratulates its members and valued partners across the industry on their extraordinary and unprecedented efforts to bring the groundbreaking Music Modernization Act to fruition,” said James Donio, President of the Music Business Association. “What an amazing achievement for creators and their commercial partners to have come together in solidarity, and joined with Congress, to make long overdue copyright reform a reality. This is the start of an exciting new era for the entire business of music. Bravo!”
NMPA President & CEO David Israelite said, “The Music Modernization Act is finally the law of the land. We are incredibly grateful for the Members of Congress who passed the MMA and the President for signing it. Songwriters have for too long labored without seeing fair rates and receiving all that they deserve, and for the first time in history, the music industry has partnered with the tech industry to fix these systemic problems. As we embark on supporting and helping build the critical structures within the MMA, we are humbled by the extraordinary progress propelled by compromise and the unprecedented political involvement of music creators. Today is about their future and this bill stands as a great statement on what can be done when we work together.”
“Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of our ASCAP music creator and publisher members, industry partners and champions in Congress, a more sustainable future for songwriters is finally within reach,” said ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. “The MMA’s unanimous passage in the House and Senate proves that the power of music is a great unifier. ASCAP is gratified to have stood alongside creators, music publishers, and many more to make this dream a reality.”
John Rich and Craig Morgan in Washington, D.C. at the signing of the MMA.
“A young songwriter once wrote, ‘You give a little love and it all comes back to you; You’re gonna be remembered for the things that you say and do.’ Decades later, this could not be more true,” says ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams. “Songwriters across this country now and in the future will remember those who fought so hard for the Music Modernization Act—both in Congress and across the music industry. On behalf of the music community, we are so thankful for the love and will return the favor with music for generations to come.”
“This is truly a historic moment for the music industry, especially for the American songwriters and composers at its core, who will see significant and deserved benefit from this legislation,” says BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill. “Passage of the Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act was a hard-fought process that hinged on tremendous collaboration
Michael Eames, President of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP); Alisa Coleman, AIMP New York Executive Director; and John Ozier, AIMP Nashville Executive Director, have issued a joint statement, saying, “Today marks a historic step forward for independent music publishers, songwriters, and the entire music industry, as President Trump has signed the MMA into law. This marks the first significant federal legislation since 1998’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to address the needs of rights-holders in today’s online age. We can look forward to a variety of long-overdue reforms that will make it easier to negotiate for and collect fair royalty rates while also establishing once and for all that digital services must pay for the use of pre-1972 recordings. In addition, it ensures independent publishers and songwriters a seat at the table for the new mechanical licensing collective. The AIMP is committed to ensuring that the independent publishing community and songwriters are represented fairly in the implementation and enforcement of the MMA, and we look forward to working with our partners across the music and technology industries as we move ahead in this new era. We offer our sincere gratitude to David Israelite and his team at NMPA, to the NSAI and SONA, to Senator Orrin Hatch and Congressmen Bob Goodlatte and Doug Collins, and to all parties from all sides who fought to provide a balanced outcome for all involved.”
MercyMe with manager Scott Brickell & Vice President Mike Pence as the Music Modernization Act is signed on Oct. 11, 2018.
RaeLynn Releases New “Tailgate” Video
/by Lorie HollabaughRaeLynn has released a new video for her made-for-football-season single “Tailgate.” The clip captures that fun feeling of Fall in the air and features cameos from some of her country friends. The song, penned by Canaan Smith, Corey Crowder and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard, racked up more than five million on-demand streams before traditional radio airplay.
She’ll no doubt play the new song during the stops on her upcoming SiriusXM The Highway Presents: RaeLynn mini-tour which kicks off tomorrow at Joe’s Live Rosemont in Chicago, and includes stops at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville on Nov. 1 and the House of Blues in Houston on Dec. 12. She’s also set to join Kane Brown for his Live Forever Tour in January.
Music Row’s United Artists Tower To Become 184-Room Boutique Hilton Hotel
/by Jessica Nicholson50 Music Square West, Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville’s United Artists Tower, owned by Sai Ram 009 LLC and located at 50 Music Square West, is set to become a 184-room boutique upscale hotel under Tapestry Collection by Hilton Brand. Work on the 56,700-square-foot building is slated to begin at the end of this year, with an opening set for 2020.
The hotel will feature a 360-degree rooftop bar, and the owners are enthusiastic about revitalizing the property and reinforced the importance of partnering with individuals, like Hotel Equities and Tapestry Collection by Hilton, who share in their desire to provide a unique experience for visiting guests, and to pay homage to the building’s history.
The octagon-shaped United Artists Tower was originally constructed in 1974 by two members of Elvis Presley’s backup band, The Jordanaires, and served as office and recording studio space for decades. At nine stories tall, it remains the tallest building on Music Row, affording 360 degree views of Music City.
“We are proud to partner with this ownership group and Hilton,” said Joe Reardon, Sr. VP of Business Development for HE. “During initial conversations about the project, we were impressed with the passion and enthusiasm the owners displayed in regard to preserving the unique and important history of the building. We felt aligned with them right away and share in their excitement to bring the new hotel to Music Row.”
“We are excited to partner with Hotel Equities to revitalize a building with such a storied past into a vibrant hotel that will be an ideal addition to the growing Tapestry Collection portfolio,” said Jenna Hackett, global head, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. “The original style and offerings of this forthcoming hotel will truly encapsulate the spirit of the city and will be one of the first Tapestry Collection properties in the great city of Nashville.”
Ed Sheeran Joins Devin Dawson’s Bluebird Cafe Show
/by Jessica NicholsonHowever, Dawson and company got a surprise when pop superstar Ed Sheeran was spotted in the tiny crowd packed into the Bluebird Cafe. Wadge co-wrote Sheeran’s 2014 Grammy-winning hit “Thinking Out Loud,” and he joined in for a performance of the song. Sheeran performed at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Oct. 6.
“Last night I played The Bluebird Cafe for the first time,” said Dawson. “For a guy who has revered Nashville, country music and songwriting for so long, this was such a HUGE moment for me. I was surrounded by the people I love and admire and we poured our hearts and souls out like only the Bluebird’s atmosphere would allow. We told stories, played songs people recognized and also surprised everyone with songs (and guests) they might not have expected. The imperfections were perfect and the vibe was truly abundant. Thank you so much to The Bluebird Cafe and my Nashville family for yet another reminder that I am indeed in the right place at the right time. What a surreal night I will never forget!”
Country Music Is China’s Fourth Most Popular Genre, According To 2018 IFPI Report
/by Eric T. Parker“This report looks at how music soundtracks the many parts of our day and how this love of music is also driving fans’ growing adoption of technologies. From smartphones to smart speakers, music is a force ushering in these connected devices that are being taken up globally,” says Frances Moore, Chief Executive, IFPI.
The report also notes the average consumer spends 2.5 hours listening to music each week, globally, among many other statistics. The report was put together by an online population of 16-64 year olds in 20 territories between April-May 2018, which accounted for 91.3 percent of global recorded music market revenues in 2017.
Industry Ink: Warner/Chappell Production Music, CMHoF, Anita Cochran
/by Jessica NicholsonWarner/Chappell Production Music’s Kautz Joins Production Music Association Board
“The Production Music Association has long been the advocate of the production music industry as a whole,” says Marcia. “I am excited to have been elected to the board and to get started with the excellent team of professionals that drive this industry.”
Kautz is Director of Operations for Warner/Chappell Production Music, a leader in worldwide music licensing. Her responsibilities span the departments of finance, human resources, operations, licensing administration, and business development. She has over 20 years of music industry experience, ranging from record label admin to publishing and finance. Her varied experience from within multiple aspects of the industry informs her leadership, whether working closely with staff or overseeing large-scale licensing and revenue opportunity negotiations with partners and clients.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Adds Director Of Public Relations
She has nearly two decades of experience in the non-profit, agency and corporate sectors, McGlumphy most recently served as public relations senior manager for GOJO Industries, where she was responsible for public relations and social media strategy for the GOJO and PURELL brands. The Cleveland native began her career in media relations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. McGlumphy, who is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America, holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication from West Virginia University.
Anita Cochran Performs “Fight Like A Girl” on Good Morning America
Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts with Anita Cochran Photo: ABC/Paula Lobo
Two weeks after completing her final chemotherapy treatment and mere hours before Anita Cochran performed her new power anthem “Fight Like A Girl”on Good Morning America she found herself in the hospital after sustaining a fall on the rainy streets of New York City and breaking two ribs.
Cochran, true to the words of her own song, ‘fought like a girl’ through the pain and no sleep for what would become one of her most emotional and powerful performances of her career as she rallied breast cancer patients and patients right in the middle of Times Square. Good Morning America and ABC News saying, “The singing sensation and breast cancer survivor rocks Times Square with her inspiring anthem.”
Atlantic’s First Female A&R Exec Dorothy Carvello Releases #MeToo Story In Book, ‘Anything For A Hit’
/by LB CantrellDorothy Carvello has come a long way from her first post as secretary for Ahmet Ertegun, Atlantic Record’s co-founder and president, who signed such notable acts as Aretha Franklin and Led Zeppelin, negotiated distribution deals with Mick Jagger, and added Neil Young to Crosby, Stills & Nash. Carvello’s career led her to becoming the first female A&R executive at Atlantic Records, and one of the few women ‘in the room’ at RCA and Columbia.
In her book Anything For A Hit: An A&R Woman’s Story of Surviving the Music Industry, released in September, Carvello speaks her truth regarding the daily abuse and harassment she faced working under Ahmet Ertegun, as well as other kingmakers of the music industry.
The book claims to feature never-before-heard stories about artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Steven Tyler, Bon Jovi, INXS, Marc Anthony, Phil Collins, and others. It touts its release as a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered what it’s really like to be a woman in a male-dominated industry.
Carvello penned the book before the #metoo movement launched, and recounts personal stories about her experience as a woman in a male-saturated music industry. She specifically focuses on the sexual harassment and abuse she received daily while working as Ertegun’s secretary.
Carvello’s book is available now for purchase on Amazon.
Mitchell Tenpenny To Divulge ‘Secrets’ In December
/by Lorie HollabaughMitchell Tenpenny will release his debut album, Telling All My Secrets, on Friday, Dec. 14. The album will include his breakthrough debut single, “Drunk Me,” which has earned more than 77 million on-demand streams and has surpassed 500,000 downloads in the U.S. The title track “Telling All My Secrets” is available now with pre-order of the project.
“The secret is out,” Tenpenny shared directly with fans yesterday. “So thankful to finally share what I’ve been working on with y’all.”
Growing up on Music Row under the watchful eye of his grandmother, first female CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Donna Hilley, Tenpenny is no stranger to the Music Row writing rooms, where he crafted his major label debut. He penned 56 songs in preparation for the album, narrowing it down to 11 tracks that tell his story, including Top 15 single “Drunk Me,” fan favorite “Alcohol You Later” and, exclusively to digital and vinyl, the polarizing track “Bitches.” The tracks were featured on Tenpenny’s self-titled EP, which has garnered more than 91 million on-demand audio and video streams.
“I’m proud of the success of a track like ‘Bitches.’ It is always a favorite at our shows but for a new listener I understand it could be a bit divisive. The song isn’t about girls or guys, it is about cheaters and liars and haters and bullies. I hate bullies and I hate people that pick on others,” says Tenpenny of the song. “Sometimes there is only one word for a certain emotion. In this case it was bitch. I’m excited to ‘share all my secrets’ on this album so fans get the full picture of what I’m about.”
Telling All My Secrets Track Listing:
1. Truck I Drove in High School | Mitchell Tenpenny/Jordan Schmidt/Andrew Albert/Devin Dawson
2. Alcohol You Later | Mitchell Tenpenny/Sam Sumser/Michael Lotten
3. All On You | Mitchell Tenpenny/Andrew Albert/Nick Fradiani/Jordan Schmidt
4. Goner | Mitchell Tenpenny/Andrew Albert/Jordan Schmidt
5. Chance Worth Taking | Mitchell Tenpenny/Josh Hoge/Matthew McVaney
6. I Get The Picture | Mitchell Tenpenny/Alex Kline/Michael Whitworth
7. Drunk Me | Mitchell Tenpenny/Jordan Schmidt/Justin Wilson
8. Somebody’s Got Me | Mitchell Tenpenny/Hillary Lindsey/Jordan Schmidt
9. Somebody Ain’t You | Mitchell Tenpenny/Thomas Archer/Dallas Wilson
10. Telling All My Secrets | Mitchell Tenpenny/Jordan Minton/Dallas Wilson
11. Walk Like Him | Mitchell Tenpenny/Justin Ebach/Steven Dale Jones
Exclusive: Dan+Shay’s Dan Smyers Talks CMA Nominations, Crafting The Perfect “Tequila”
/by Jessica NicholsonDan+Shay. Photo: Patrick Tracy
Dan+Shay’s mammoth hit “Tequila” has been a mainstay on both country radio and Hot AC this year, with its smooth dynamics and aching vocals.
The song has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, and has earned more than 260 million on-demand streams. The track spent multiple weeks atop the country radio charts. In August, on the heels of the No. 1 party for “Tequila,” the duo headlined a block party in Nashville for 10,000 fans.
The smash also brought the the duo’s Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney multiple nominations at the upcoming Country Music Association Awards in November, including Music Video of the Year, Single of the Year and Song of the Year. They are also nominated for Duo of the Year.
“It’s funny because we were the ones who announced them with Luke Bryan and Sugarland,” Smyers tells MusicRow. “I probably looked like a fool when our names were called, because you never go into it expecting that. We knew the song had a great impact, but there is a lot of great music and it’s a very hot time for the country format. For our name to be called a few times is a cool thing. We worked super hard on that song and the album, so it was a great validation. To be accepted by our peers and be nominated by our peers is just awesome. It’s a win just to be nominated.
“And getting a free ticket to the show! Those tickets are expensive,” he quips. “We know, we just bought some for our families.”
“Tequila” is one of three songs this year to be nominated in both the Song and Single of the Year categories at the upcoming Country Music Association awards. While the Single of the Year honors commercial success, the Song of the Year accolade tends to honor songs on the basis of songwriting quality.
“It’s fun to have both of those nominations because they do honor very different things. Those are always two of our favorite categories,” Smyers says. “We moved here to be songwriters. That’s our first love. We love being artists and doing shows, but part of that is being able to hear and feel fans singing our songs back to us, or hearing it on country radio. Being an artist is a vehicle for our true passion, which is being songwriters. To be in both of those categories is crazy.”
He gives credit to his “Tequila” co-writers, Nicolle Galyon and Jordan Reynolds. “To be in the song category with two of my favorite writers. Jordan Reynolds, we live like next door to each other so we are always working on songs like three or four days per week, and he’s about to be the next ultimate breakout songwriter star. The first day I ever wrote with him a few years ago, I texted my publisher and said, ‘This guy is about to take over Nashville.’ And then Nicolle, who is just prolific and genius. We’ve worked with her on a few of our albums and she’s incredible.”
Smyers co-wrote the track in early 2017. He says “Tequila” garnered interest from other artists in the Nashville community looking to record the song, but Smyers elected to hold on to it, knowing he had something special.
Smyers knows well the hold frenzy that comes when the songwriting community hears a great song; Dan+Shay had attempted to put another hit, “Break Up In The End,” on hold. The song would later be recorded by Cole Swindell.
“With ‘Break Up In The End,’ someone sent me that demo and said, ‘This song was just written,’ and I thought, ‘This is a Song of the Year, I’m putting it on hold.’ And right when I sent that email back, they said, ‘Hey sorry you’ve got the second hold on it. Cole just put it on hold.’ We were hoping he would cut a different song, but those things happen.”
Though the duo’s tight-knit vocals make “Tequila” sound effortless, Smyers recalls the weeks he spent in the studio, crafting “Tequila” to match his sonic vision.
“I worked so hard on that track. I think there were like 140 tracks in my Pro Tools session,” says Smyers, who worked with co-producer Scott Hendricks and mixer Jeff Juliano.
“In the studio we cut at Ocean Way with a great band. On the demo, we had a piano start it off, but I wanted to have an acoustic guitar because I could see the video in my head of a heartbroken person walking up to the mic and singing it. We tracked it at 80 beats per minute, six bpms slower than we have it on the album. I finished up a rough track and we did a scratch vocal on it, and something didn’t feel right to it,” he recalls.
Smyers collected the bare bones recordings made for the track, working feverishly to revamp it. “I basically took everything that was recorded and I sped up all the band instruments and I asked Jordan to send me the midi from his piano on the original demo, which was in a different key. I transposed it and subbed that piano back into my track with the band and it was magic. That was the missing thing. That original piano in the demo, there was something haunting and ethereal about it. It was still dynamic and a ballad but it had more energy.”
Smyers’ hours of painstaking work to get the exact sound he was looking for has paid off, as “Tequila” has transcended the country charts, crossing over into the Top 15 on radio’s Hot AC chart, a milestone Smyers appreciates for opening up the possibility of more fans to gravitate toward country music.
“The crossover of ‘Tequila’ has been really cool because we haven’t abandoned our sound. That’s a song you could hear at The Listening Room or the Bluebird or any writer’s round. It’s a Nashville song, four chords and the truth on this one. When it gets to the mainstream and it’s on Hot AC or Top 40 it’s an honor for us, because we know someone is listening to that station that may not have heard country music before.”
“Speechless,” the duo’s follow-up to “Tequila,” has also earned nearly 80 million on-demand streams and has sold 600,000 track equivalents. The official music video, featuring footage from each of their real-life weddings, has reached nearly 20 million views.
A songwriter at heart, Smyers says he and Mooney are always in the studio working on new music. “Even though as artists we are on record cycles, we still write songs. Literally, I think the day after our album came out, we were still writing and we had writers on the road with us. It’s nonstop. We are hashing out demos and working out ideas for what could be the next project.
“It’s interesting because we’ve had some success and got a fanbase and the attention of a lot of people. It puts more pressure on you, because more people are listening now. Your fans will check it out at midnight when [new music] comes out, so you owe it to those fans to deliver the best music you possibly can.”