Anastasia Brown
As a music executive, Nashville resident Anastasia Brown has amassed an illustrious list of credits in her quest to bridge the gap between Nashville music and Hollywood films.
She earned Grammy nominations for her work on Footloose, and as music supervisor for August Rush, as well as an Emmy win for the television mini-series Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken. She also worked on the movie and soundtrack for Billy Graham: The Early Years. Other projects include For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville, I Saw The Light, Charlie’s War, and the television show The Americans, among others. From 2005-2007, she served as a judge on USA Network’s Nashville Star.
In her latest venture, Brown served as music supervisor for the Lionsgate film The Shack, starring Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer, with country star and actor Tim McGraw in a supporting role. She also worked as producer on the film’s soundtrack.
The faith-based drama, which revolves around a grieving father that meets with a higher power in the shack where his daughter was murdered, brought in $16.1 million during its opening weekend on March 3, according to Forbes.
In 2009, Brown was introduced to the book The Shack, the William P. Young bestseller that the movie is based on.
“My father gave it to me during a personal crisis,” Brown tells MusicRow. “He said, ‘You are becoming someone that you are not. Read this to learn how to live and love again.’ I read the book and it changed the way I thought. I wanted to get out of that place and become more positive.”
In 2014, while attending an industry party, she met Lani and Gil Netter, who had produced the 2012 movie Life of Pi.
“I had watched that movie the night before, and was blown away. I asked what was their next movie, and they said, The Shack,” Brown recalls.
She took advantage of the opportunity, asking to do the music for the film. “I kept checking in, sending him songs while he was finishing the script and would not let it go. I was like a dog on a bone.”
Initially, vision for the film’s music involved more Americana music, “music with some dust on it, if you will,” says Brown. As the production process went along, they moved in a different direction after viewing the rough cut.
“Every movie takes on a life of its own,” says Brown. “The actors start becoming the people you envisioned, and the emotion in the film starts…we realized the music would be more score-driven, because there was so much emotion already and the dialogue was so important. Too many songs would compete with that beautiful dialogue.”
In the process of overseeing music for The Shack, Brown fulfilled a long-held dream of scoring a movie in Nashville.
“I have to give credit to [Lionsgate’s Music Chief] Amy Dunning,” says Brown. “I connected her with [EA Music Group’s] Steve Schnur, who has done amazing scoring in Nashville. They said, ‘Ok, we’ll trust you. We’ll give it a try.’”
A team of 75 Nashville musicians began working at Ocean Way Studios at 10 a.m., and went well into the evening, scoring the entire film in one day.
“The first five minutes you could tell that [composer] Aaron [Zigman] was a little nervous but when he heard the Nashville musicians began to play, he was like, ‘Ok, I’m not nervous anymore. I want to score here more and more.’”
Brown also oversaw the compilation of the accompanying soundtrack, The Shack: Music From and Inspired By The Original Motion Picture, which released Feb. 24 via Atlantic Records. She says the soundtrack is an extension of the movie, rather than an accompaniment.
“Gill Netter and Lionsgate had the movie in mind before they even hired me. You can only fit so much of a book in two hours of a film, and there are so many important messages in the book and the film. The soundtrack can touch on things that a movie cannot,” Brown said.
The album features music from a diverse set of country and contemporary Christian music artists, including Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Brett Eldredge, Skillett, for King & Country, NEEDTOBREATHE (ft. Lauren Daigle), Devin Dawson, and more. Tim McGraw, who narrates the film and portrays the character “Willie,” was chief among Brown’s desired artists for the soundtrack. McGraw, Faith Hill and ace songwriters Shane McAnally and Lori McKenna penned “Keep Your Eyes On Me.”
A few songs from the soundtrack were used throughout the film, such as “I’ll Think About You,” by Word Entertainment band We Are Messengers.
“There is a burial scene in the film, and I asked several artists to write a song for that scene,” recalls Brown. “The song really elevated that scene, but then they decided to use scoring in that particular scene, so it went back and forth. I had to go to the band and ask for multiple changes over a few months and after all those changes, it went back to scoring. I was devastated. We began getting audience feedback from those that got to see [early cuts of the film] and the song was what really resonated with them. In the end, We Are Messengers got the placement and it really had such a beautiful impact on the film.”
Dan+Shay’s “When I Pray For You” is another standout song from the soundtrack.
“Their take on this film was about praying for the future and having a good future, which is another theme in the film. The mother was a prayer warrior and the father really had to go through the fire, if you will, to get to that point. The song talks about the strength and belief of the mother and the fact that they wanted their child to have that same faith.”
Brown says Kelly Clarkson became involved in the soundtrack after watching an early screening. “She had recently had a baby, and she left the screening so emotional. She said, ‘It’s too close to home to write a song, but I’d love to record one,’” Brown says.
Brown turned to singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc with the idea of a duet. Clarkson and Blacc recorded their portions of “Love Goes On,” separately. “We got that song very close to our deadline,” Brown recalls.
The soundtrack offers a generous 14 songs, and there were plenty of songs they had to pass on.
“We’ve had a batch of songs for more than a year,” she says. “The bar just kept going higher and the songs got better. A lot of songs we had to let go of. I personally think that because the film is so inspiring, it inspires a lot of great songwriting. Part of me wants to encourage the label to put out a second soundtrack.”
Brown’s work with music and film came after several years working in marketing and music. Brown moved to Nashville in 1990, and began working for a marketing and advertising company whose clients included the Roy Acuff Theatre.
Brown teamed with manager Miles Copeland’s Ark 21 Records in 1993, working to exploit copyrights with Nashville artists. Brown secured collaborations between Sting and artists including Toby Keith, Waylon Jennings and Tammy Wynette, among others. She also facilitated a collaboration between Sting and Toby Keith on “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying” during the 31st annual Country Music Association Awards.
After parting ways with Copeland in 1999, Brown got involved with a local screenwriters conference. “I noticed that Nashville’s local artists weren’t getting a lot of placements. It was a challenge because the relationships weren’t there, but I decided to do this full time. I have to fly to L.A. a lot, but I love Nashville and our creative community so much that it’s worth doing.”
Brown has found boldness to be her hallmark, as she recalls her passion for her work on the 2007 movie August Rush. “If you want something, you have to chase it really hard. I joke that ‘No is my maybe.’ I did not have a ton of experience before August Rush but I had so much passion and a lot of great ideas.”
She also credits her time with Copeland, whom she still keeps in touch with, for teaching her to keep going. “Miles told me that if he had been so afraid of making a mistake that The Police would have never been the band that they are. He told me to go with my gut and don’t think like everyone else does.”
Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Thomas Rhett To Headline Jamboree In The Hills
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Belmont County, Ohio, festival, now in its 41st year, kicks off with a free show Wednesday night (July 12) by Neal McCoy and local favorites Township Road. Tickets for Jamboree In The Hills, including four-day camping and upgraded “glamping” passes, are available now via jamboreeinthehills.com
Anastasia Brown Talks Scoring Music For ‘The Shack’ In Nashville, Overseeing Soundtrack
/by Jessica NicholsonAnastasia Brown
As a music executive, Nashville resident Anastasia Brown has amassed an illustrious list of credits in her quest to bridge the gap between Nashville music and Hollywood films.
She earned Grammy nominations for her work on Footloose, and as music supervisor for August Rush, as well as an Emmy win for the television mini-series Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken. She also worked on the movie and soundtrack for Billy Graham: The Early Years. Other projects include For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville, I Saw The Light, Charlie’s War, and the television show The Americans, among others. From 2005-2007, she served as a judge on USA Network’s Nashville Star.
In her latest venture, Brown served as music supervisor for the Lionsgate film The Shack, starring Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer, with country star and actor Tim McGraw in a supporting role. She also worked as producer on the film’s soundtrack.
The faith-based drama, which revolves around a grieving father that meets with a higher power in the shack where his daughter was murdered, brought in $16.1 million during its opening weekend on March 3, according to Forbes.
In 2009, Brown was introduced to the book The Shack, the William P. Young bestseller that the movie is based on.
“My father gave it to me during a personal crisis,” Brown tells MusicRow. “He said, ‘You are becoming someone that you are not. Read this to learn how to live and love again.’ I read the book and it changed the way I thought. I wanted to get out of that place and become more positive.”
In 2014, while attending an industry party, she met Lani and Gil Netter, who had produced the 2012 movie Life of Pi.
“I had watched that movie the night before, and was blown away. I asked what was their next movie, and they said, The Shack,” Brown recalls.
She took advantage of the opportunity, asking to do the music for the film. “I kept checking in, sending him songs while he was finishing the script and would not let it go. I was like a dog on a bone.”
Initially, vision for the film’s music involved more Americana music, “music with some dust on it, if you will,” says Brown. As the production process went along, they moved in a different direction after viewing the rough cut.
“Every movie takes on a life of its own,” says Brown. “The actors start becoming the people you envisioned, and the emotion in the film starts…we realized the music would be more score-driven, because there was so much emotion already and the dialogue was so important. Too many songs would compete with that beautiful dialogue.”
In the process of overseeing music for The Shack, Brown fulfilled a long-held dream of scoring a movie in Nashville.
“I have to give credit to [Lionsgate’s Music Chief] Amy Dunning,” says Brown. “I connected her with [EA Music Group’s] Steve Schnur, who has done amazing scoring in Nashville. They said, ‘Ok, we’ll trust you. We’ll give it a try.’”
A team of 75 Nashville musicians began working at Ocean Way Studios at 10 a.m., and went well into the evening, scoring the entire film in one day.
“The first five minutes you could tell that [composer] Aaron [Zigman] was a little nervous but when he heard the Nashville musicians began to play, he was like, ‘Ok, I’m not nervous anymore. I want to score here more and more.’”
Brown also oversaw the compilation of the accompanying soundtrack, The Shack: Music From and Inspired By The Original Motion Picture, which released Feb. 24 via Atlantic Records. She says the soundtrack is an extension of the movie, rather than an accompaniment.
“Gill Netter and Lionsgate had the movie in mind before they even hired me. You can only fit so much of a book in two hours of a film, and there are so many important messages in the book and the film. The soundtrack can touch on things that a movie cannot,” Brown said.
The album features music from a diverse set of country and contemporary Christian music artists, including Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Brett Eldredge, Skillett, for King & Country, NEEDTOBREATHE (ft. Lauren Daigle), Devin Dawson, and more. Tim McGraw, who narrates the film and portrays the character “Willie,” was chief among Brown’s desired artists for the soundtrack. McGraw, Faith Hill and ace songwriters Shane McAnally and Lori McKenna penned “Keep Your Eyes On Me.”
A few songs from the soundtrack were used throughout the film, such as “I’ll Think About You,” by Word Entertainment band We Are Messengers.
“There is a burial scene in the film, and I asked several artists to write a song for that scene,” recalls Brown. “The song really elevated that scene, but then they decided to use scoring in that particular scene, so it went back and forth. I had to go to the band and ask for multiple changes over a few months and after all those changes, it went back to scoring. I was devastated. We began getting audience feedback from those that got to see [early cuts of the film] and the song was what really resonated with them. In the end, We Are Messengers got the placement and it really had such a beautiful impact on the film.”
Dan+Shay’s “When I Pray For You” is another standout song from the soundtrack.
“Their take on this film was about praying for the future and having a good future, which is another theme in the film. The mother was a prayer warrior and the father really had to go through the fire, if you will, to get to that point. The song talks about the strength and belief of the mother and the fact that they wanted their child to have that same faith.”
Brown says Kelly Clarkson became involved in the soundtrack after watching an early screening. “She had recently had a baby, and she left the screening so emotional. She said, ‘It’s too close to home to write a song, but I’d love to record one,’” Brown says.
Brown turned to singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc with the idea of a duet. Clarkson and Blacc recorded their portions of “Love Goes On,” separately. “We got that song very close to our deadline,” Brown recalls.
The soundtrack offers a generous 14 songs, and there were plenty of songs they had to pass on.
“We’ve had a batch of songs for more than a year,” she says. “The bar just kept going higher and the songs got better. A lot of songs we had to let go of. I personally think that because the film is so inspiring, it inspires a lot of great songwriting. Part of me wants to encourage the label to put out a second soundtrack.”
Brown’s work with music and film came after several years working in marketing and music. Brown moved to Nashville in 1990, and began working for a marketing and advertising company whose clients included the Roy Acuff Theatre.
Brown teamed with manager Miles Copeland’s Ark 21 Records in 1993, working to exploit copyrights with Nashville artists. Brown secured collaborations between Sting and artists including Toby Keith, Waylon Jennings and Tammy Wynette, among others. She also facilitated a collaboration between Sting and Toby Keith on “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying” during the 31st annual Country Music Association Awards.
After parting ways with Copeland in 1999, Brown got involved with a local screenwriters conference. “I noticed that Nashville’s local artists weren’t getting a lot of placements. It was a challenge because the relationships weren’t there, but I decided to do this full time. I have to fly to L.A. a lot, but I love Nashville and our creative community so much that it’s worth doing.”
Brown has found boldness to be her hallmark, as she recalls her passion for her work on the 2007 movie August Rush. “If you want something, you have to chase it really hard. I joke that ‘No is my maybe.’ I did not have a ton of experience before August Rush but I had so much passion and a lot of great ideas.”
She also credits her time with Copeland, whom she still keeps in touch with, for teaching her to keep going. “Miles told me that if he had been so afraid of making a mistake that The Police would have never been the band that they are. He told me to go with my gut and don’t think like everyone else does.”
Josh Turner Goes Gold In March With Haywire
/by Lorie HollabaughAmong the songs reaching Gold status with singles in March were For King & Country‘s “The Proof Of Your Love,”) Mandisa‘s “Stronger,” MercyMe‘s “Greater,” and Tasha Cobb (“Break Every Chain” Live.)
Reba McEntire To Receive Chairman’s Award From Music Business Association
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Chairman’s Award for Sustained Creative Achievement, which recognizes superior and continuing artistic achievement within the industry, dates back to 1964. Past winners include Buddy Guy, Lionel Richie, Brian Wilson, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Chicago, Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Rod Stewart, Liza Minnelli, Kenny Rogers, Dionne Warwick, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Garth Brooks, Lena Horne, Billy Joel, Nat King Cole, Leonard Bernstein, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and many more.
“Reba fully embodies the essence of the Chairman’s Award, which honors immensely talented artists whose creative contributions truly stand the test of time and keep evolving,” said Fred Beteille of Facebook, Chairman of the Music Biz Board of Directors. “She is the first female country artist to receive this Award from Music Biz and we are thrilled to honor her. With an inspirational album released this February, and another summer of her classic Las Vegas concert series with Brooks & Dunn queued up for June — not to mention a new TV pilot — Reba is going strong after four decades in the business.”
“I am very grateful, getting to do what I love to do after all these years at the level I get to do it. When I first started out I didn’t have enough imagination to even dream about all the wonderful things I’ve gotten to do along with all the great people I have gotten to meet,” said McEntire. “Thanks so much to Music Biz for this award and to my loyal fans for the support throughout the years that has kept me going. I can’t wait to see everyone in Nashville!”
The luncheon will also feature awards presentations honoring Adele (Artist of the Year), Maren Morris (Breakthrough Artist), Lukas Graham (Breakthrough Artist), the Hamilton Original Cast Recording and Mixtape albums (Outstanding Achievement Award), and Paula Abdul (Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award).
In Pictures: Alan Jackson, Don Schlitz, Jerry Reed Named Newest Country Music Hall of Fame Members
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Bob DiPiero, songwriter; Jody Williams, CMA Board President-Elect and BMI Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations; Bill Simmons, CMA Board President and partner at The Fitzgerald Hartley Company; Tony Conway, Conway Entertainment Group President; Sally Williams, CMA Board Chairman and Opry Entertainment Senior Vice President of Programming and Artist Relations, General Manager of the Grand Ole Opry; Stacey Schlitz, SchlitzLaw Founder; Schlitz; Jackson; John Huie, CAA Nashville Co-Head; Terry Calonge, Richards & Southern, Inc. CEO; Jim Beavers, songwriter; Joe Galante, Galante Entertainment Chairman; Steve Buchanan, Opry Entertainment President; and Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. Photo: John Russell / CMA. [Click photo to enlarge]
Reed will be inducted in the “Veterans Era Artist” category, while Jackson will be inducted in the “Modern Era Artist” category. Schlitz will be inducted in the “Songwriter” category, which is awarded every third year in rotation with the “Recording and/or Touring Musician Active Prior to 1980” and “Non-Performer” categories. Reed, Jackson, and Schlitz will increase membership in the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame from 130 to 133 members.
Jackson and Schlitz were on hand for the announcement. Reed, who passed away in 2008, was remembered by daughters Seidina Hubbard and Lottie Zavala.
Hosted by Hall of Fame member and 12-time CMA Awards host Vince Gill, the announcement was made in the Rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Hall of Fame members including Alabama, Bobby Bare, Bobby Braddock, Charlie Daniels, Connie Smith, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Jo Walker-Meador attended the event.
Pictured (L-R): Hall of Fame members Vince Gill; Jo Walker-Meador; Alabama’s Randy Owen; The Oak Ridge Boys’ Joe Bonsall; Alabama’s Teddy Gentry; Charlie Daniels; Schlitz; Jackson; Connie Smith; Alabama’s Jeff Cook; The Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden, Richard Sterban, and Duane Allen; and Bobby Bare. Photo: John Russell / CMA. [Click photo to enlarge]
Vince Gill announces the 2017 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees during a press conference Wednesday in Nashville. Photo: John Russell / CMA
Don Schlitz is announced as the “Songwriter” inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame during a press conference Wednesday in Nashville. Photo: John Russell / CMA
Lottie Zavala (l) and Seidina Hubbard honor their late father, Jerry Reed, as he is announced as the “Veterans Era Artist” inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame during a press conference Wednesday in Nashville. Photo: John Russell / CMA
Chris Stapleton To Release Two Albums In 2017, Reveals Track List For Volume 1
/by Lorie HollabaughStapleton’s new project takes its name from Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, where it was recorded during the winter of 2016-17. Once again produced by Dave Cobb, Volume 1 features eight originals as well as a rendition of the Willie Nelson classic “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning.” Other songs include the tune Stapleton just premiered on the ACM telecast, “Second One To Know,” as well as the album’s first single, “Either Way.” Among the writers who contribute songs to the new project are Mike Henderson, Casey Beathard, Craig Wiseman, Shawn Camp, and more.
The new album, which is available now for preorder digitally and in bundles, features Stapleton on vocals and guitar, Cobb on acoustic guitar, Morgane Stapleton on harmony vocals, J.T. Cure on bass, Derek Mixon on drums, Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Robby Turner on pedal steel, and Mike Webb on keys.
From A Room: Volume 1, will be followed by a second collection of songs from Stapleton, From A Room: Volume 2, which will be released later this year.
Stapleton will no doubt be performing the new material on his All American Road Show tour, which runs through November and features Brothers Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Anderson East, Brent Cobb, Margo Price and Marty Stuart as special guests. Seven new dates were recently added to the tour, which go on sale at LiveNation.com this Friday, April 7.
From A Room: Volume 1 Tracklist:
Bobby Karl Works The Room: A Preview Of Chris Stapleton’s New Album
/by Bobby KarlChapter 558
There are listening parties all the time on Music Row, but there is only one Chris Stapleton.
Which explains the big turnout at RCA Studio A on Wednesday evening (April 5). The singer-songwriter-guitarist with the brawny, searing, blue-eyed-soul vocal delivery presided over a throng of well wishers as he previewed tunes that will be on From “A” Room, Volume 1, which drops on May 5.
“This is a few more people than we had last time,” Stapleton drawled dryly. He held a listening party in the same spot exactly two years ago when he introduced Traveller.
MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson recalled that at the Traveller party, everyone had to be quiet while Stapleton recorded the album’s final track, live in the studio during the festivities. Of course, Stapleton nailed it in one take. Since then, he and the collection have collected truckloads of awards and encyclopedias of praise.
“Thank y’all for coming: It’s free tacos-and-beer night at RCA,” the downhome star continued. “We camped out here for a couple of months and recorded a few things.
“You’re probably thinking, ‘Shut up and play some music.’”
So he did. We heard again the pounding rocker “The Second One to Know,” which he had introduced on Sunday’s ACM telecast. The room was completely hushed during his devastating, anguished ballad “Either Way,” recorded with only his acoustic-guitar accompaniment.
Another highlight was Stapleton’s mournful, slow treatment of the Willie Nelson 1983 hit “Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning.” The album opener, “Broken Halos,” was smoldering and soulful.
The set ranged from the outlaw stomper “Them Stems” to the deep blues grooves of “Death Row” and “I Was Wrong,” from the honky-tonk wailer “Up to No Good Livin’” to the moody meditation “Without Your Love.”
In addition to the new CD’s title and nine-song set list, the “big reveal” was that Stapleton has actually recorded two new albums.
“There is going to be a second one in December,” he announced. Presumably, this will be titled From “A” Room, Volume 2.
The lucky listening-party attendees included Craig Wiseman, Shawn Camp, Mike Henderson, Steve Buchanan, Debbie Carroll, Mark Hartley, Ben Vaughn, Morgane Hayes Stapleton, Jed Hilly, Sally Williams, Jay Williams, Cindy Mabe and Cindy Watts.
Mingling media mavens included Shanna Strassberg, Barry Mazor, Hunter Kelly, Lisa Konicki, Tom Roland, Ken Tucker, Phyllis Stark, R.J. Curtis, John Marks, Charlie Cook and Chuck Aly. Adding their wits to the lively proceedings were Dan Rogers, Gina Keltner, Mike Sistad, Leslie Fram and Tom Lord.
The presence(s) of Rogers, Keltner, Williams and Buchanan made me wonder if this guy is being prepped for Opry membership.
Attendee Bart Herbison reported that the NSAI is involved in two documentaries about songwriter issues. One is being produced by Marcus Hummon. One is in the works by Butch Spyridon.
As Stapleton indicated, this was, indeed, free tacos-and-beer night. We had our choice of soft tacos filled with chicken, cheese or veggies. The make-your-own nachos table held spiced ground beef, melted cheese and sauces to load onto your corn chips. The bar specialties were Mexican beers and tequilas.
One unexpected delight was the fact that producer Dave Cobb has collected cool historic photos taken of artists in Studio A and is displaying them in his office there. I told him about one I have of B.B. King posing with me in Studio A, many years ago.
MusicRowPics: Jacob Davis Brings Soulful Swagger To Debut Single
/by Jessica NicholsonShreveport, Louisiana native Jacob Davis fell in love with the Baton Rouge culture and music while studying environmental science and geology at LSU, and he’s bringing that soulful swagger into his debut album for Black River Entertainment.
“I’m obviously putting that degree to good use,” he quipped. “I had always played music and grew up with all different styles. The culture, the music, it’s infectious.”
Though Davis had taken up guitar at age 15 and performed during college, he didn’t take the direct route to Nashville. Instead he took a job working on an oil rig, for a Texas-based oil company.
“I knew about two weeks in that I’d made a mistake,” Davis recalls.
The gig was lucrative, and his parents requested he stick with it for a year, reasoning that if he still wanted to quit after a year, he could leave and go to Nashville.
“A year to the day, I quit. I moved to Nashville six years ago.”
Davis began co-writing, eventually finding his way into writing rooms or on the road with songwriters and artists including Forest Glen Whitehead and Kelsea Ballerini.
“She’s such a star but she had a lot of my old demos and she liked my songs and voice. She’s just a music fan in general. I started opening shows for her,” recalled Davis. One of those opening gigs at Joe’s Bar in Chicago earned the interest of former Black River General Manager Greg McCarn and current Sr. VP, Radio Promotion Mike Wilson.
“I had 20 minutes to open and I didn’t play a single cover,” said Davis. “They asked why, and I said, ‘I only have 20 minutes. I don’t have time to play somebody else’s songs.’”
In 2016, Davis signed a publishing deal with Black River Publishing. One month later, he was signed as an artist to Black River Entertainment.
His debut single, “What I Wanna Be” was written with Forest Glen Whitehead and Adam Hambrick.
“It’s about a guy who is telling someone that he’s crazy about what he wants to be,” said Davis. “There’s a line in the song that goes, ‘Put some pancakes on your plate.’ It’s probably one of my favorite lines I’ve ever written, because you remember it.”
During his visit to MusicRow, Davis also performed acoustic versions of tracks “Back Me Up” and “James Brown,” a signature song that he infuses with horns, backup singers, and a soulful New Orleans style on his upcoming album.
“It’s been a dream to make this record. We took some risks with production, like a falsetto part that I had never done before, or a rapid-fire lyric in the chorus I had never done before.”
Davis’ ultimate goal is to make music that is not only memorable, but enduring.
“In country music, the genre is already broad and continues to broaden. When you’ve got everybody from Sam Hunt to William Michael Morgan, there is a lot of space there that can get filled up. A lot of new acts coming out, so if you are a newcomer, you better come with something different, because it’s easy to get lost. And when you look back at the songs you remember from certain eras, it’s always the music that was different for the time. That’s what I want to do.”
Jacob Davis with MusicRow staffers.
Erik Belz Signs With Spirit/Fluid
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured L-R (front row): Frank Rogers, Erik Belz, Daniel Novick (Savur Threadgold LLP).
Pictured L-R (back row): Brian Bradford (Sr. Director of Administration, Spirit Music Nashville), Daniel Hill (President, Spirit Music Nashville), and AJ Burton (Vice President, Fluid Music Revolution).
Spirit/Fluid, the Nashville-based joint venture between Spirit Music Group and Frank Rogers’ Fluid Music Revolution has signed songwriter/producer Erik Belz to an exclusive publishing deal.
“We are thrilled to have Erik Belz join the Fluid Music Revolution team,” said Rogers. “Erik brings a unique perspective to writing and producing and I can’t wait for the Nashville and the rest of the world to hear his talents!”
“Erik’s ability to write various genres really intrigued Frank and I. Not only do we think Erik will be a threat in the Nashville market, we also believe that with the help of Spirit Music’s worldwide reach, Erik’s future will be just fine,” said VP, Fluid Music Revolution AJ Burton.
“I am beyond thrilled to be working with Frank, AJ, Eric [Hurt] and everyone else at Fluid/Spirit. They have been very supportive of my musical vision from the very beginning and I can’t wait to see what we all do together. Nashville is an amazing city and I’m looking forward to spending more time working there!” said Belz.
Belz is a songwriter and producer born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Los Angeles, California. His songs have been cut by artists such as Pitbull, Austin Mahone, Lia Marie Johnson, Metro Station and Jez Dior to name a few. In 2015, Erik produced and co-wrote Lia Marie Johnson’s single “Moment like you,” which peaked at #2 on the iTunes dance chart. Erik’s music has appeared in such shows such as CSI and Scorpion. Belz has been working professionally as a freelance producer since graduating from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in 2010.
Rogers is a multi-platinum producer and songwriter who has won Billboard’s Hot Country Producer of the Year award five times. He’s also co-written several country hits, including four Hot Country Songs No. 1’s (“I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song)” by Brad Paisley, “Alright” and “This” by Darius Rucker and “Backroad Song” by Granger Smith).
Industry Pics: Universal Music Group, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Z100
/by Jessica NicholsonUMG, Carrie Underwood Celebrate New Worldwide Recording Agreement
Universal Music Group and Carrie Underwood celebrated their new worldwide recording agreement with a special toast during the Academy of Country Music Awards weekend in Las Vegas.
Pictured (L-R): The HQ’s Ann Edelblute, Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, Carrie Underwood, Universal Music Group Nashville President Cindy Mabe, Universal Music Group Nashville Chairman and CEO Mike Dungan. Photo: Jordan Strauss
Jason Aldean, Kane Brown Take Vegas
Kane Brown and Jason Aldean had plenty to celebrate during the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. Aldean was named Entertainer of the Year for a second year. Brown was nominated for New Male Vocalist of the Year. The two artists will tour together this summer as part of Aldean’s They Don’t Know Tour, which launches in April.
Pictured (L-R): Kane Brown; Teri Watson, Sr. Director of Radio & Entertainment, St. Jude; Jason Aldean
MusicRow Panel Station Z100 Celebrates St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Radiothon
New Country, Z100 is celebrating its 8th consecutive record-breaking year for fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This year’s Country Cares Radiothon, held March 30-31, netted $293,567.12 for St. Jude. That includes a record-breaking 5,626,512 pennies in the Quest for a Million Pennies and $32,825 from the on-air auctions in March. “LoCash Unplugged for St. Jude” also raised a record $32,000 in November.
In Z100’s 23-year partnership with St. Jude, fundraising contributions have totaled $3,445,624.93.
Pictured (L-R): Dave McKenzie, Josh Gass, Tracy McSherry-McKown, Shawna Matthews, Ryan Patrick, Kent Zimmer