Los Angeles-based artist management, marketing, and A&R firm Milk & Honey, has opened a Nashville office in The Nations, along with My World MGMT, and Third and Verse Music Publishing.

Shelby Yoder has been named Manager and Head of Nashville for Milk & Honey and My World MGMT, as well as creative for Third and Verse Music Publishing. Yoder will be the regional representative of more than 50 songwriters, producers and artists including Hodges, Oak Felder, Sir Nolan, Greg Holden, David Ryan Harris, Gabe Dixon, Steven Solomon, and more. Prior to this she was Director of Professional Membership and Events at the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).

Lucas Keller is founder and president of Milk & Honey, and is partners of Third and Verse Music Publishing with producer David Hodges and David Margolis (owner of My World MGMT). Together, the team share the core values of putting songwriters first and have put their stake in the ground with new offices and studios in Nashville’s up-and-coming “Nations” neighborhood.

Hodges (who has been managed by Keller for the past nine years) recently moved to Nashville after 15 years in Los Angeles. He departed his band Evanescence to become a songwriter. Hodges has penned Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” and “My Immortal,” Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years,” Carrie Underwood’s “See You Again,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Because Of You” (later cut by Reba which would go on to be a country hit), Daughtry’s “What About Now,” Ben Rector’s “Brand New, ” Maren Morris and Vince Gill’s “Dear Hate,” Seth Ennis “Woke Up In Nashville” as well as songs with Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Dan + Shay and others.

The group’s publishing company Third and Verse has been around for only a couple years and have already put up a global No. 1 with James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go.”

“Nashville’s always been an integral city to the legacy of American music and I am so excited to explore the possibilities this city has to offer in country music and beyond with our team here,” Hodges said.

“Growing up in Milwaukee, I was raised on country music and have been such a big fan of the songwriting coming out of Nashville. I’ve long respected the reverence of the community for songwriters. We’re hoping we can bring our great songwriters and producers, and our relationships in pop to the growing Nashville pop market as well,” Keller said.

Margolis said, “I’ve been traveling to Nashville for well over a decade and I can proudly say that I love this community and all the wildly creative people that make it up. I am honored to be a part of its’ natural expansion into other genres and territories around the world, while helping to maintain the authenticity that makes Nashville so unique.”

In addition to Hodges’ hits, Keller’s Milk & Honey looks after a cadre of clients who have put up recent hits like Demi Lovato’s “Sorry Not Sorry,” Imagine Dragon’s “Thunder,” Nick Jonas’ “Jealous,” Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” Alessia Cara’s “Here” and “Scars To Your Beautiful,” Justin Bieber, Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” Selena Gomez and A$AP Rocky’s “Good For You,” James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go,” Flume’s “Never Be Like You,” Rag N Bone Man’s “Human,” Kehlani’s “Distraction,” Fifth Harmony’s “All In My Head (Flex),” Alessia Cara’s “How Far I’ll Go” from the Moana soundtrack, Kesha’s “Rainbow” album, Odesza “A Moment Apart,” Steve Aoki and Louis Tomlinson’s “Just Hold On,” and many more.

Margolis’ My World MGMT represents an eclectic mix of songwriters, producers, photographers and touring artist talent including Greg Holden who wrote the 5X platinum hit “Home,” performed by American Idol winner with Phillip Phillip. His stable of songwriters and artists also include Gabe Dixon, David Ryan Harris, Rosi Golan and Carly Paige and have had recent successes with Andy Grammar, Mikky Ekko, Akon, Chris Brown, Guy Sebastian, Little Big Town, Billy Currington, Kaskade, and Noah Kahan amongst many others.

Bobby Bare got a pretty great birthday gift Saturday night (April 7) as The Grand Ole Opry welcomed him into the fold as an official Opry member on the Country Music Hall of Famer’s 83^rd birthday. Bare had been a member of the Opry cast in the 1960s and 70s, after which his official Opry membership lapsed.

He began his Opry set with a collaboration with Mary Gauthier on “I Drink,” a song she penned and which appears on Bare’s most recent album, Things Change.  Bare’s son, Bobby Bare, Jr., then joined his father on the 1970 hit “Come Sundown.” It was the pair’s first Opry collaboration in more than 40 years.

Opry segment host Jeannie Seely then made note of Bare’s birthday and surprised the Opry audience by welcoming Opry member Garth Brooks to the stage.

“I gotta tell you, this might be one of the coolest honors I have ever had bestowed on me,” said Brooks about the surprise. “I don’t know if you know, but it was less than a month ago I was standing right here when I inducted the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry, a kid named Chris Janson. Sweet guy. He sat in this circle of wood and he cried like a baby. And you know why he cried; because he gets it. He gets what it’s like to be a member of the family of the Grand Ole Opry. You get it,” Brooks continued. “…The Grand Ole Opry is family. Family is forever. So Mr. Bare, young man–as my dad would say– it is my honor, it is the Grand Ole Opry’s honor, to officially welcome you back, the great Bobby Bare, to the Grand Ole Opry.”

“I’ve got to tell you that this is quite a surprise. I was a member of the Opry for 10 years, but then I just drifted away. …,” Bare said. “Thank you to everybody on the Grand Ole Opry.”

Charlie Wilson, Nile Rodgers, Yolanda Adams, Mona Scott–Young and Keb’ Mo’ will receive the Rhapsody & Rhythm Award from the National Museum of African American Music at the Museum’s fifth Celebration of Legends on the evening of Thursday, May 31, at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. The Gala celebrates African-American musical and cultural trailblazers who have made significant contributions to American music across all genres.

“Charlie Wilson, Nile Rogers, Yolanda Adams, Mona Scott–Young and Keb’ Mo’ represent the talented, accomplished and decorated musical pioneers that the National Museum of African American Music seeks to elevate,” said NMAAM President and CEO H. Beecher Hicks III. “Their storied careers have a prominent place in history, and we’re proud to honor them with this award.”

As the leader of The Gap Band in his early career, Charlie Wilson and his brothers popularized upbeat funk music and recorded hits including “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” “Party Train” and “Burn Rubber on Me.” As a solo artist, Wilson has been nominated for 11 Grammys and 10 NAACP Image Awards, winning twice. He received the 2013 BET Lifetime Achievement Award, is the 2009 Billboard No. 1 Adult R&B Artist, and has eight Adult R&B No. 1 hits, including “You Are” and “There Goes My Baby.” Wilson recently released a new solo album, “In It To Win It,” which includes the lead single “I’m Blessed” featuring T.I. and “Chills,” which is the current No. 1 single on the Urban Adult Contemporary chart.

Nile Rodgers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Rodgers formed the band Chic in 1976 and has worked with David Bowie, Madonna and Daft Punk, among dozens of other artists, and won a Grammy in 2014 as part of Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” album. Rodgers will also receive the Music Business Association’s Chairman’s Award for Sustained Creative Achievements in 2018.

Yolanda Adams has won four Grammy Awards, four Dove Awards, six NAACP Image Awards, three BET Awards, an American Music Award and a Soul Train Music Award. She is known as the Queen of Contemporary Gospel Music, the First Lady of Modern Gospel and the Reigning Queen of Urban Gospel. Adams was Billboard’s top Gospel Artist of the Decade ending in 2009.

Mona Scott–Young is the CEO of Monami Entertainment, best known for producing the VH1 television franchise “Love & Hip Hop.” She has been the marketing mind behind visionary performers in the industry for decades, including A Tribe Called Quest, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes. Under Scott–Young’s leadership, Monami has expanded into the realms of mobile apps and games, jewelry collections, and soft drinks.

Keb’ Mo’ is a four-time Grammy-winning artist and is a modern master of American roots music. Artists across the musical spectrum including B.B. King, Buddy Guy, the Dixie Chicks and the Zac Brown Band have recorded his songs. Keb’ Mo’ is a longtime supporter of the Playing for Change Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free music education to children in nine countries.

Big Machine/John Varvatos Records have announced the signing of UK band Pretty Vicious to its roster. Hailing from Merthyr Tydfil in the valleys of Wales, band members Jarvis Morgan (bass), Tom McCarthy (guitar), Brad Griffiths (vocals and guitar) and Elliot Jones (drums) may all be under the age of 21 but their music has gained support from radio throughout Europe via BBC’s Radio 1 and Xfm.

“This band lives up to its name and I cannot wait for these lethal young men to come and conquer the U.S. The British are coming…,” said Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott Borchetta.

John Varvatos commented, “Pretty Vicious is one of the most exciting bands I’ve seen in the last 10 years. They have the songs, the power, and the attitude to become one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. Get ready to rock!”

“We’re absolutely buzzing to work with Big Machine and John Varvatos and can’t wait to finally play in the States with their full support and belief behind us,” said Pretty Vicious.