
Photo: Ben Krebs
Kent Blazy called Nashville’s The Bluebird Café “a place of magic and miracles” as he joined superstar Garth Brooks, Victoria Shaw, Pat Alger and Tony Arata Tuesday night for an exclusive, secret writers’ round at the tiny, 90-seat music club where Brooks was discovered nearly 30 years ago.
The writers’ round celebrated the Nov. 14 release of the first volume in Brooks’ upcoming five-part, multi-media anthology. Part I: The First Five Years chronicles Brooks’ ascent to stardom, as he released his first five albums for Capitol Nashville from 1989-1993.
For approximately and hour-and-a-half at The Bluebird, Brooks and his fellow songwriters swapped stories behind several of Brooks’ songs, both hits and album tracks, along with acoustic renditions.
Blazy recalled first meeting Brooks for a co-write at the request of Bob Doyle. The resulting song, titled “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” would appear on Brooks’ debut 1989 album, making it Blazy’s first cut after moving to Nashville—as well as the first No. 1 hit for both Blazy and Brooks.
Arata had a similar tale with another hit from the same album, “The Dance,” which would become his first cut and first No. 1 song. Later in the set, Arata recalled being bullied as a young boy, and how a song he wrote about the experience, “Face to Face,” wound up on Brooks’ The Chase album.
“There’s many forms of revenge,” Arata quipped.
Shaw performed “She’s Every Woman,” and recalled co-writing “The River” with Brooks in a house in East Nashville. Shaw took the lead during a performance of “The River,” with Brooks chiming in on the bridge.
“I tried to talk him out of using the word ‘vessel,’” said Shaw.
“But try singing it with the word ‘boat,’” Brooks shot back.
Alger reminisced about penning the then-controversial Brooks classic, “The Thunder Rolls.”
“I had an office in the basement, no windows, kind of like a dungeon,” Alger said. “But when I wrote with Garth, Allen Reynolds would let us write upstairs.”
Alger, who in addition to co-writing, also played guitar on the track, noted that Brooks had listened to Kathy Mattea’s “Like A Hurricane,” and found inspiration for a cheating tune from the line But in my heart there’s a thunder rolling/storm of love that was untrue.
Alger and Brooks recalled that the song’s famous “third verse” was crafted after taking advice from Jerry Crutchfield. “He said, ‘Get back on that song. Somebody needs to die,’” recalls Brooks. “And we wrote the third verse. Now everybody asks for the third verse.”
Alger took the lead on “The Thunder Rolls” during the writers’ round, offering both vocals and elegant guitar work. He also contributed “What She’s Doing Now.”
Multiple times throught the evening, all the writers paid tribute to their late co-writer, Kim Williams.
“There will always be an empty seat here for Kim Williams,” Brooks said. Blazy and Brooks performed songs co-written with Williams, including “What Never Happened (Is What I’ll Never Forget),” “Cold Shoulder,” from Brooks’ Ropin’ The Wind album, and invited the crowd to sing along with the Brooks classic “Ain’t Goin’ Down (Til The Sun Comes Up),” all done acoustically.
“That might be the slowest you’ve done that one,” Blazy said.
Brooks concluded the writers’ round with “The Dance.”
“Looking back, I just felt blessed to play here and play songs with my friends, “Arata said. “I still feel blessed to sit with friends in the Bluebird and play songs.”
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Bluebird, Brooks announced a documentary about The Bluebird Café is currently in the works. Then Brooks, now a seven-time Diamond-certified artist who is the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, 10 years following his previous CMA Entertainer win, stayed after the show to sign autographs and take photos with a small group of lucky radio listeners outside the Bluebird Cafe.
WME Nashville Promotes Joey Lee, Jay Williams
/by Jessica NicholsonJoey Lee, Jay Williams
WME has announced that partners Joey Lee and Jay Williams will join Rob Beckham and Greg Oswald as Co-Heads of WME’s Nashville office. This group will oversee the agency’s day-to-day operations in Nashville.
Collectively, Lee and Williams represent many leading artists in country music, including Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, and Dierks Bentley amongst others.
Lee joined WME as a partner in 2010 following WME’s acquisition of his company, 360 Artist Agency. Prior to the acquisition, Lee was president of 360 Artist Agency and CEO of Buddy Lee Attractions. Williams began his agency career nearly two decades ago in the William Morris Agency mailroom and quickly worked his way through the ranks, eventually earning partner stripes in 2012.
In addition to Beckham, Lee, Oswald, and Williams, partners in WME’s Nashville office include Becky Gardenhire, Shari Lewin, Keith Miller, Kevin Neal, Risha Rodgers, and Lane Wilson.
Over the past year WME artists have won 9 out of 13 ACM Awards and 7 out of 11 CMA Awards. WME’s Nashville office recently expanded its commercial endorsements team and digital strategy services for its clients, in addition to launching an artist development program to focus on the next generation of talent in Nashville. As the globalization of country music continues, WME has led the industry in international dates for country music artists, doubling the number of international bookings this past year. In January, the office relocated to a new space at 1201 Demonbreun Street with features that include a performance space known as The Steps at WME, a voice over/recording room, The Gibson Studio Listening Room, and wellness facilities for its employees.
LifeNotes: Reggie “Mac” McLaughlin Passes
/by Lorie HollabaughReggie Joseph “Mac” McLaughlin, a longtime industry booking agent, passed away Oct. 10 in Lebanon, TN. He was 73.
McLaughlin was a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving during Vietnam. Following his service he spent nearly five decades as a booking agent, working with artists including George Jones, Conway Twitty, Vern Gosdin, Loretta Lynn, Keith Whitley, Lorrie Morgan, Confederate Railroad, The Kentucky Headhunters, Johnny Lee, Janie Fricke, Gene Watson and many more.
The son of the late Bernard Henry and Wanda Lorraine Pickering McLaughlin, McLaughlin was also preceded in death by his brother, Bernard Henry McLaughlin, Jr. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Vicki, his brothers James Michael McLaughlin and Mark Alan (Cheryl) McLaughlin, his children Kevin McLaughlin, LuDon Webb, Stacia Berchem, Kristie Windham, Jonathan (Jennifer) Schoffner and Kelly Bartlett, 17 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be conducted 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 at Bond Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Wilson County Veterans Services Office, 304 East Main Street, Lebanon, TN, 37087 or New Leash on Life, 507 Jim Draper Blvd., Lebanon, TN 37087.
Visitation will be 12-2 p.m. Saturday at Bond Memorial Chapel, N. Mt. Juliet Road and Weston Drive, Mt. Juliet, TN.
Leadership Music’s ‘Food Truck Friday’ Set For October 27
/by Sherod RobertsonOrganized by Leadership Music’s Alumni Committee, chaired by Julie Boos and Lane Wilson, the event will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Parking lot, located at 34 Music Sq. E.
Food Truck Friday will include fare from four food providers: Flavor Caters (hot chicken, brisket sandwiches), Et Voila (po’boys, crepes and French cuisine), Bare Naked Bagels (authentic NY bagel sandwiches) and Deep South Pie Company (baked sweet and savory hand pies).
Guests should bring their appetites, as well as cash or debit card to purchase food from the food trucks. Tables and chairs will be provided.
Everyone is welcomed to attend.
Musicians On Call Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary With Special Lady Antebellum Show
/by Lorie HollabaughThe show will be presented by National Geographic, who has teamed up with the organization to support its Bedside Performance Programs that serve Veterans across the country. Guests will be treated to a star-studded lineup featuring a headlining performance by Lady A and surprise appearances and performances to be announced. iHeartMedia and MOC Board Member Bobby Bones will host the special evening.
“Musicians On Call is always something we’re quick to be part of,” said Charles Kelley. “We’ve seen first-hand how powerful music is, especially in tough times, so we’re looking forward to helping celebrate their 10th anniversary.”
Tickets are available for purchase to the show, and fans will have a chance to bid to attend as a VIP guest and walk the red carpet and sit at a celebrity artist’s table at the event, or meet Lady Antebellum. To purchase tickets and sponsorships go to musiciansoncall.org/nash10th/.
“We believe that Musicians On Call is the ‘Most Important Gig in Music City, “ and we’re excited to bring our supporters together for a great night of music with Lady Antebellum to celebrate our milestone,” said Pete Griffin, MOC President. “We couldn’t have reached this moment without the support of our volunteers, musicians, donors, hospital staff, partners, Advisory Board Members and Board of Directors who help us deliver the healing power of music to over
126,000 people in Nashville.”
Garth Brooks, Co-Writers Swap Stories Behind The Songs In Secret Bluebird Show
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto: Ben Krebs
Kent Blazy called Nashville’s The Bluebird Café “a place of magic and miracles” as he joined superstar Garth Brooks, Victoria Shaw, Pat Alger and Tony Arata Tuesday night for an exclusive, secret writers’ round at the tiny, 90-seat music club where Brooks was discovered nearly 30 years ago.
The writers’ round celebrated the Nov. 14 release of the first volume in Brooks’ upcoming five-part, multi-media anthology. Part I: The First Five Years chronicles Brooks’ ascent to stardom, as he released his first five albums for Capitol Nashville from 1989-1993.
For approximately and hour-and-a-half at The Bluebird, Brooks and his fellow songwriters swapped stories behind several of Brooks’ songs, both hits and album tracks, along with acoustic renditions.
Blazy recalled first meeting Brooks for a co-write at the request of Bob Doyle. The resulting song, titled “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” would appear on Brooks’ debut 1989 album, making it Blazy’s first cut after moving to Nashville—as well as the first No. 1 hit for both Blazy and Brooks.
Arata had a similar tale with another hit from the same album, “The Dance,” which would become his first cut and first No. 1 song. Later in the set, Arata recalled being bullied as a young boy, and how a song he wrote about the experience, “Face to Face,” wound up on Brooks’ The Chase album.
“There’s many forms of revenge,” Arata quipped.
Shaw performed “She’s Every Woman,” and recalled co-writing “The River” with Brooks in a house in East Nashville. Shaw took the lead during a performance of “The River,” with Brooks chiming in on the bridge.
“I tried to talk him out of using the word ‘vessel,’” said Shaw.
“But try singing it with the word ‘boat,’” Brooks shot back.
Alger reminisced about penning the then-controversial Brooks classic, “The Thunder Rolls.”
“I had an office in the basement, no windows, kind of like a dungeon,” Alger said. “But when I wrote with Garth, Allen Reynolds would let us write upstairs.”
Alger, who in addition to co-writing, also played guitar on the track, noted that Brooks had listened to Kathy Mattea’s “Like A Hurricane,” and found inspiration for a cheating tune from the line But in my heart there’s a thunder rolling/storm of love that was untrue.
Alger and Brooks recalled that the song’s famous “third verse” was crafted after taking advice from Jerry Crutchfield. “He said, ‘Get back on that song. Somebody needs to die,’” recalls Brooks. “And we wrote the third verse. Now everybody asks for the third verse.”
Alger took the lead on “The Thunder Rolls” during the writers’ round, offering both vocals and elegant guitar work. He also contributed “What She’s Doing Now.”
Multiple times throught the evening, all the writers paid tribute to their late co-writer, Kim Williams.
“There will always be an empty seat here for Kim Williams,” Brooks said. Blazy and Brooks performed songs co-written with Williams, including “What Never Happened (Is What I’ll Never Forget),” “Cold Shoulder,” from Brooks’ Ropin’ The Wind album, and invited the crowd to sing along with the Brooks classic “Ain’t Goin’ Down (Til The Sun Comes Up),” all done acoustically.
“That might be the slowest you’ve done that one,” Blazy said.
Brooks concluded the writers’ round with “The Dance.”
“Looking back, I just felt blessed to play here and play songs with my friends, “Arata said. “I still feel blessed to sit with friends in the Bluebird and play songs.”
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Bluebird, Brooks announced a documentary about The Bluebird Café is currently in the works. Then Brooks, now a seven-time Diamond-certified artist who is the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, 10 years following his previous CMA Entertainer win, stayed after the show to sign autographs and take photos with a small group of lucky radio listeners outside the Bluebird Cafe.
BMI Trademarks ‘Speed Dating For Songwriters’
/by Jessica NicholsonEstablished in 2013, BMI’s Speed Dating for Songwriters™ initially began as a way to introduce and foster creativity among some of BMI’s most promising NYC-based songwriters, producers and artists whose paths may not have otherwise crossed. Since then, the program has expanded to Los Angeles and Nashville and spawned several success stories. After making a connection during a Speed Dating session, songwriter Mike Campbell went on to co-write Daya’s Billboard chart-topping single, “Sit Still, Look Pretty” and Andrew Seltzer co-penned Maggie Rogers’ latest single “Split Stones,” which is currently featured in an ad campaign for The North Face.
“I am extremely proud of what Speed Dating for Songwriters™ has done for our affiliates,” said Samantha Cox, Assistant VP, Creative (NYC). “With this initiative, we have established a strong sense of community among our writers, fostering a thriving and supportive network of creatives. BMI is cultivating the next great generation of music creators and by providing our writers with this unique resource, Speed Dating is a testament to that commitment.”
During BMI’s Speed Dating for Songwriter initiative, 12-15 participants get acquainted, listen to each other’s music, and form collaborations as well as receive feedback. After the event, the writers are split into groups of three or four to pen a song, which they then perform six to eight weeks later in front of their peers and BMI’s Creative team.
Jenny Tolman Signs With SESAC
/by Lorie Hollabaugh(L-R:) SESAC’s Lydia Schultz, Jenny Tolman, and SESAC VP of Creative Services Shannan Hatch
Jenny Tolman has joined SESAC as a new affiliate.
Tolman just surpassed 100,000 streams on Spotify with her recently-launched song “Stripper For A Week.” The Nashville native has opened for acts like Alabama, Love and Theft, Brandy Clark, and Cole Swindell, and is set to release her forthcoming debut album Jennyville.
Weekly Register: Kane Brown Tops Country Albums, Digital Sales Charts
/by Jessica NicholsonThomas Rhett‘s Life Changes takes the No. 2 spot with 17K, followed by last week’s No. 1, Shania Twain‘s NOW, with 15K.
Luke Combs‘ This One’s For You is at No. 4, with 12K, followed by Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller with 11K.
Following Brown’s No. 1 song on the country digital songs rankings is Maren Morris‘ “Dear Hate” at No. 2 with 27K, and another Kane Brown hit, “What Ifs,” (ft. Lauren Alaina) at No. 3 with 22K.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill‘s “Rest of Your Life” is at No. 4 with 18K, followed by LANCO‘s “Greatest Love Story” with 17K at No. 5.
Information provided by Nielsen Soundscan.
Townsquare Media Shuffles Executive Team
/by Jessica Nicholson“Appointing two of our long-time senior executives as Co-Chief Executive Officers will allow Townsquare to strengthen and solidify its management team while preserving continuity and stability,” said David Quick, a Townsquare Board Member since inception and Managing Director at Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Townsquare’s principal shareholder. “Our Board is pleased that Steven will continue to focus on the Company’s overall strategic direction and we are appreciative that Townsquare will continue to benefit from Steven’s counsel through his continued leadership of the Board.”
Mr. Price founded Townsquare in May 2010 and previously served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Prior to founding Townsquare in 2010, Mr. Price was Senior Managing Director at Centerbridge Partners, a private equity firm, where he led the firm’s investment efforts in telecom, technology and media. Before that, he held a similar position at Spectrum Equity Investors. From 2001-2004, Mr. Price served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Spectrum, Space and Communications), for which he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service. Mr. Price was formerly the President and Chief Executive Officer of LiveWire Ventures, a software and services company he founded in 1998, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of PriCellular Corporation, a publicly traded cellular telephone operator. Earlier in his career, Mr. Price worked as an attorney at Davis, Polk & Wardwell and as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. Mr. Price graduated magna cum laude from Brown University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and earned a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law. He is co-owner and Alternative Governor of the Atlanta Hawks and serves as an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Columbia Business School.
Mr. Wilson joined Townsquare in September 2010 and most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Content & Digital Officer of the Company. Previously, Mr. Wilson was President of AOL Media from 2006 to May 2010 where he had overall responsibility for the Company’s global content strategy. In his nine years at AOL, he also served in a number of roles including President, AOL Programming & Studios and Executive Vice President, AOL Programming. Under his leadership, AOL’s content sites grew to reach more than 75 million monthly unique visitors domestically and over 150 million worldwide. Prior to joining AOL in 2001, Mr. Wilson served as Senior Vice President for Worldwide Marketing at Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG), which he joined in 1992, and was responsible for worldwide marketing including artist, digital and non-traditional marketing across more than 50 countries for the world’s biggest artists including Dave Matthews Band, Outkast, Whitney Houston and Santana. Mr. Wilson graduated summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Stony Brook with a B.A. in economics and a B.S. in business management and earned a M.B.A. with honors in finance and marketing from Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Management.
Mr. Prasad co-founded Townsquare in 2010 and most recently served as Executive Vice President, Live Events of the Company, where he led all aspects of the Company’s Live Events division. Prior to co-founding Townsquare, Mr. Prasad spent nearly a decade in private equity investing and corporate finance, completing transactions in media, communications, financial services, real estate, and technology. He previously worked at Thomas H. Lee Partners and Spectrum Equity Investors, and began his career in the Investment Banking Division of Salomon Smith Barney, where he worked in New Yorkand Hong Kong. He received an A.B. cum laude from Dartmouth College and a M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Leadership Music in Nashville, TN.
Mr. Hellum joined Townsquare in August 2010 following the acquisition of GAP Radio Broadcasting, where he served as President of GAP West from May 2008 to August 2010. Prior to joining GAP West, Mr. Hellum worked at Bonneville International Communications, where he was Vice President/ Market Manager of WIL/WRTH in St. Louis, MO from October 2002 to November 2004 and spent 4 years as Vice President/Market Manager of KTAR AM/FM and KPKX in Phoenix, AZ from November 2004 to April 2008. Previously, Mr. Hellum was Vice President—Sales for AM/FM and oversaw Clear Channel’s early cross-platform sales efforts. He began his career at Katz Radio, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Mr. Hellum received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin.
Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame To Add Inductee For 2017
/by Jessica NicholsonDewayne Blackwell
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Class of 2017, which was announced in August, will have an additional inductee alongside Vern Gosdin, Jim McBride, Walt Aldridge and Tim Nichols.
“Friends In Low Places” songwriter Dewayne Blackwell will join the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame next week, according to Hall of Fame member Pat Alger, chair of the organization’s board of directors.
The five new inductees will join the 203 existing members of the elite organization when they are officially inducted during the 47th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, October 23, at the Music City Center.
“There was a tie this year in our veteran category and our board unanimously agreed that both writers should be inducted,” Alger said. “Dewayne is presently living outside the country and consequently it took us a while to locate him and give him the good news. He is a master songwriter with a long career of influential hits beginning at the birth of rock and roll with ‘Mr. Blue’ and including one of the most played songs of modern times – ‘Friends In Low Places.’ He is a most welcome addition to our Hall of Fame.”
Blackwell’s parents were Dust Bowl “Okies” who migrated to California from Texas when he was a boy. One of eight children, he grew up as an itinerant crop picker. In his early years as a songwriter, Blackwell’s first success was The Fleetwoods’ No. 1 Pop hit with “Mr. Blue” in 1959. Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, his works were recorded mainly by Pop acts such as Bobby Vee, Roy Orbison, Bobby Vinton, The Four Preps and The Everly Brothers. Then in the 1980s, he began his “second” songwriting career after moving to Nashville with hits such as “Honkytonk Man” by Marty Robbins, “I’m Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home” by David Frizzell, “Make My Day” by T.G. Sheppard & Clint Eastwood and “Saturday Night Special” by Conway Twitty. In 1991 Blackwell’s co-written “Friends In Low Places” by Garth Brooks was named ASCAP Country Song of the Year, as well as the Single of the Year by both the CMA and the ACM.
Tickets for the Hall of Fame Gala are $250 each and benefit the nonprofit Nashville Songwriters Foundation. Select seating is available to the public and may be purchased as available by contacting Executive Director Mark Ford at hoftix@nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com or 615-460-6556.