Mark Bright
Don’t miss Mark Bright on The Producer’s Chair, on Thursday, Sept. 29 at Sound Stage Studios at 6:30 p.m.
By: James Rea
Over the past three and a half decades since Mark Bright began his remarkable journey in Nashville, his legendary accomplishments as a producer, corporate executive, publisher and hit songwriter, have been well-documented. Knowing that, one can’t help but think about the huge array of people who have been blessed by their association with Bright.
A partial list of artists alone would include Blackhawk, Reba McEntire, Sara Evans, Jo Dee Messina, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Peter Cetera, Sting, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Steven Tyler, Keith Urban, Billy Ray Cyrus, Luke Bryan, Shakira and Carrie Underwood — who, along with Bright, is over the moon with excitement about her a CMA nomination for her current album Storyteller.
Bright credits his successes to mentors like Joe Galante and Tim DuBois but what makes him unique is his willingness to share that which they taught him. And teach him well they did. Bright’s meteoric rise from the tape room, to the Vice-Presidency of Screen Gems/EMI Music, to his stint as President and CEO of Word Entertainment, provided Bright with a world of knowledge that only a handful of producers have been privy to.
But Bright’s expertise doesn’t end there. It’s been said that, to be successful in business, one must know how to cut deals and he’s obviously mastered that skill as well. In 1999 Bright co-formed Teracel Music as a joint venture with Sony/ATV. He signed Brett James, who landed over 40 cuts in the first year and sold it in 2005, reportedly for the highest multiple ever paid at the time for a joint venture.
After that, he launched My Good Girl Music, which was later renamed Chatterbox, in another joint venture with Sony/ATV and EMI. He now writes for Delbert’s Boy Music.
When asked what he’s into these days, Bright said he’s working beside his new wife Jennifer, whom he married on April 1, 2016. Also, he is celebrating his 23rd No. 1 single “Church Bells” with Underwood—as well as the one constant that has propelled the music industry from Day One … the discovery and development of new talent.
The Producer’s Chair: Let’s talk about Storyteller. You produced five songs, Jay Joyce produced six and Zach Crowell produced two. Is having multiple producers on one album something that is happening more frequently?
Mark Bright: I’ll give you my take on this. I think it’s a fantastic idea for an artist, particularly an artist that’s hugely successful, to expand their creativity by working with different producers. If I were an artist, I would want to see what it would be like with another producer to see what new direction I could go artistically.
Sometimes the process works, sometimes it doesn’t. In Carrie Underwood’s case it obviously worked very well. Don’t get me wrong, I love making whole albums and records but I think working with multiple producers can yield a better final product. I love the songs Jay Joyce produced on this album, his work was just brilliant. Also Zach Crowell did a wonderful job on his two tracks. Our processes are all quite different from each other. That’s why I’m so excited about the Storyteller album.
Did each one of you bring the songs that you produced?
No, these songs are the ones that Carrie chose. That’s really what it’s all about. Publishers and writers are pitching to all of us. We’re all playing songs for Carrie and the team. The bottom line is that these are the songs that she loves and in many cases wrote. The Storyteller album is her vision.
Are artists who don’t write, but who are great singers, still valid in today’s market?
Certainly artists who don’t write are still going to have great careers, but it’s hard to challenge the validity of a songwriter/artist. More and more artists in our genre need to be informed about the songs they are recording and how those songs relate to their lives.
There’s a much higher percentage of artists writing or co-writing their albums. This town has always been about the song and the songwriting. The best songs we’ve ever experienced in the history of country music have happened when two or more writers sit in a room and write a hit. Historically, these were mostly not written by the artist themselves. Culturally and artistically, that has been changing through the last few years for all the right reasons.
What effect do you think streaming is going to have on radio in the future?
Most agree that terrestrial radio will have a finite lifespan. I don’t know how long that’s going to be. I actively listen to our three prominent country stations. I’m a core listener. Hopefully, our format will hang on to our live programming and our DJ personalities, because it’s part of our tradition. However, streaming is here and is clearly changing our listening habits.
YouTube has been criticized for hiding behind the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Are there any solutions to that?
Yes, they can start paying a fair rate. That would be a good solution. YouTube wouldn’t be YouTube from the musical point of view if it wasn’t for creators. You can’t skirt around it. It is irrefutable. So pay a fair rate for those songs and for that artistry. We’re not asking to become the Donald Trumps of the world. We want to feed our families. That’s not too much to ask. Don’t you agree?
I wish we didn’t even have rate court. Publishers know best how to negotiate rates for their own copyrights. Also, I wish we didn’t have to keep enduring out-of-date and irresponsible Department of Justice rulings. It’s absolutely unacceptable.
Who is leading the charge? Is there a body?
Every professional organization that I can think of is doing an excellent job in fighting for our rights. It’s absolutely necessary for us as individuals and as creators of music to fight these injustices with one voice. Sometimes I feel like we have too many ideas and we all have our particular agendas of wrongs that we need righted. I get that, but I’m afraid we’re not going to be taken seriously, until we go to the Hill with one voice. Everyone’s waiting for that voice to take charge.
Have you ever been approached about starting a label?
As a person who’s had the good fortune of owning and operating several successful publishing companies and as a former label head, I am always open to opportunities like that. Maybe I am more open to it now, more than any other time in my career, because I know a lot more than I did 10 years ago. I have a lot more experience in managing different aspects of the business and inspiring people. It’s so special when you have the right team to “go up the hill together.”
What was the most exciting moment you’ve ever spent in the studio?
The most exciting moment for me was when we were working on the first Carrie Underwood album, Some Hearts. My engineer Derek Bason and I were flying to different studios around the West Coast to get Carrie’s vocals recorded because the album needed to be completed quickly. She had just won American Idol and was in the middle of touring. It was a grueling schedule for her.
I remember, we were at Electrokitty Studio in Seattle, and I was thinking we’ve got a really hard song called “Wasted” that we need to get her to sing. I was worried she might not have enough in the tank because of the grueling touring schedule. But you know, she walked in looking fresh as a daisy. And she just blew us away.
The chorus on “Wasted” is really high, but she sang through it without even a hint of fatigue. It was like she could have sung it two steps higher if we had asked her to. We were all sitting there with chill bumps. The girl is THAT good.
What’s the best advice that’s ever been given to you?
I remember early in my career when I was struggling, someone said it’s important to learn how to thrive on rejection. I didn’t know what that meant when he said it, but the thought never left me. Along the way I started understanding what that meant. You’re going to get told no a whole lot and it can be crippling. When somebody says, “You’re not good enough” or “You don’t have enough talent,” learn how to channel it and use it to your advantage. I think that was the best advice ever given to me.
After my initial success with Blackhawk, I had a long dry spell as a producer. I was told that I would never find success again. I also remember my daddy saying the same thing, because he didn’t want me to be in the music business. That made me want to prove him and everybody else wrong.
I was able to channel that negativity into working harder than I ever had in my life, and the next thing I know, I was working with this new band called Rascal Flatts. I wake up every day now, knowing that I need to prove myself, because I have something to say with the music and I’m not going to stop until somebody makes me.
The Producer’s Chair: Mark Bright
/by contributorMark Bright
Don’t miss Mark Bright on The Producer’s Chair, on Thursday, Sept. 29 at Sound Stage Studios at 6:30 p.m.
By: James Rea
Over the past three and a half decades since Mark Bright began his remarkable journey in Nashville, his legendary accomplishments as a producer, corporate executive, publisher and hit songwriter, have been well-documented. Knowing that, one can’t help but think about the huge array of people who have been blessed by their association with Bright.
A partial list of artists alone would include Blackhawk, Reba McEntire, Sara Evans, Jo Dee Messina, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, Peter Cetera, Sting, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Steven Tyler, Keith Urban, Billy Ray Cyrus, Luke Bryan, Shakira and Carrie Underwood — who, along with Bright, is over the moon with excitement about her a CMA nomination for her current album Storyteller.
Bright credits his successes to mentors like Joe Galante and Tim DuBois but what makes him unique is his willingness to share that which they taught him. And teach him well they did. Bright’s meteoric rise from the tape room, to the Vice-Presidency of Screen Gems/EMI Music, to his stint as President and CEO of Word Entertainment, provided Bright with a world of knowledge that only a handful of producers have been privy to.
But Bright’s expertise doesn’t end there. It’s been said that, to be successful in business, one must know how to cut deals and he’s obviously mastered that skill as well. In 1999 Bright co-formed Teracel Music as a joint venture with Sony/ATV. He signed Brett James, who landed over 40 cuts in the first year and sold it in 2005, reportedly for the highest multiple ever paid at the time for a joint venture.
After that, he launched My Good Girl Music, which was later renamed Chatterbox, in another joint venture with Sony/ATV and EMI. He now writes for Delbert’s Boy Music.
When asked what he’s into these days, Bright said he’s working beside his new wife Jennifer, whom he married on April 1, 2016. Also, he is celebrating his 23rd No. 1 single “Church Bells” with Underwood—as well as the one constant that has propelled the music industry from Day One … the discovery and development of new talent.
The Producer’s Chair: Let’s talk about Storyteller. You produced five songs, Jay Joyce produced six and Zach Crowell produced two. Is having multiple producers on one album something that is happening more frequently?
Mark Bright: I’ll give you my take on this. I think it’s a fantastic idea for an artist, particularly an artist that’s hugely successful, to expand their creativity by working with different producers. If I were an artist, I would want to see what it would be like with another producer to see what new direction I could go artistically.
Sometimes the process works, sometimes it doesn’t. In Carrie Underwood’s case it obviously worked very well. Don’t get me wrong, I love making whole albums and records but I think working with multiple producers can yield a better final product. I love the songs Jay Joyce produced on this album, his work was just brilliant. Also Zach Crowell did a wonderful job on his two tracks. Our processes are all quite different from each other. That’s why I’m so excited about the Storyteller album.
Did each one of you bring the songs that you produced?
No, these songs are the ones that Carrie chose. That’s really what it’s all about. Publishers and writers are pitching to all of us. We’re all playing songs for Carrie and the team. The bottom line is that these are the songs that she loves and in many cases wrote. The Storyteller album is her vision.
Are artists who don’t write, but who are great singers, still valid in today’s market?
Certainly artists who don’t write are still going to have great careers, but it’s hard to challenge the validity of a songwriter/artist. More and more artists in our genre need to be informed about the songs they are recording and how those songs relate to their lives.
There’s a much higher percentage of artists writing or co-writing their albums. This town has always been about the song and the songwriting. The best songs we’ve ever experienced in the history of country music have happened when two or more writers sit in a room and write a hit. Historically, these were mostly not written by the artist themselves. Culturally and artistically, that has been changing through the last few years for all the right reasons.
What effect do you think streaming is going to have on radio in the future?
Most agree that terrestrial radio will have a finite lifespan. I don’t know how long that’s going to be. I actively listen to our three prominent country stations. I’m a core listener. Hopefully, our format will hang on to our live programming and our DJ personalities, because it’s part of our tradition. However, streaming is here and is clearly changing our listening habits.
YouTube has been criticized for hiding behind the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Are there any solutions to that?
Yes, they can start paying a fair rate. That would be a good solution. YouTube wouldn’t be YouTube from the musical point of view if it wasn’t for creators. You can’t skirt around it. It is irrefutable. So pay a fair rate for those songs and for that artistry. We’re not asking to become the Donald Trumps of the world. We want to feed our families. That’s not too much to ask. Don’t you agree?
I wish we didn’t even have rate court. Publishers know best how to negotiate rates for their own copyrights. Also, I wish we didn’t have to keep enduring out-of-date and irresponsible Department of Justice rulings. It’s absolutely unacceptable.
Who is leading the charge? Is there a body?
Every professional organization that I can think of is doing an excellent job in fighting for our rights. It’s absolutely necessary for us as individuals and as creators of music to fight these injustices with one voice. Sometimes I feel like we have too many ideas and we all have our particular agendas of wrongs that we need righted. I get that, but I’m afraid we’re not going to be taken seriously, until we go to the Hill with one voice. Everyone’s waiting for that voice to take charge.
Have you ever been approached about starting a label?
As a person who’s had the good fortune of owning and operating several successful publishing companies and as a former label head, I am always open to opportunities like that. Maybe I am more open to it now, more than any other time in my career, because I know a lot more than I did 10 years ago. I have a lot more experience in managing different aspects of the business and inspiring people. It’s so special when you have the right team to “go up the hill together.”
What was the most exciting moment you’ve ever spent in the studio?
The most exciting moment for me was when we were working on the first Carrie Underwood album, Some Hearts. My engineer Derek Bason and I were flying to different studios around the West Coast to get Carrie’s vocals recorded because the album needed to be completed quickly. She had just won American Idol and was in the middle of touring. It was a grueling schedule for her.
I remember, we were at Electrokitty Studio in Seattle, and I was thinking we’ve got a really hard song called “Wasted” that we need to get her to sing. I was worried she might not have enough in the tank because of the grueling touring schedule. But you know, she walked in looking fresh as a daisy. And she just blew us away.
The chorus on “Wasted” is really high, but she sang through it without even a hint of fatigue. It was like she could have sung it two steps higher if we had asked her to. We were all sitting there with chill bumps. The girl is THAT good.
What’s the best advice that’s ever been given to you?
I remember early in my career when I was struggling, someone said it’s important to learn how to thrive on rejection. I didn’t know what that meant when he said it, but the thought never left me. Along the way I started understanding what that meant. You’re going to get told no a whole lot and it can be crippling. When somebody says, “You’re not good enough” or “You don’t have enough talent,” learn how to channel it and use it to your advantage. I think that was the best advice ever given to me.
After my initial success with Blackhawk, I had a long dry spell as a producer. I was told that I would never find success again. I also remember my daddy saying the same thing, because he didn’t want me to be in the music business. That made me want to prove him and everybody else wrong.
I was able to channel that negativity into working harder than I ever had in my life, and the next thing I know, I was working with this new band called Rascal Flatts. I wake up every day now, knowing that I need to prove myself, because I have something to say with the music and I’m not going to stop until somebody makes me.
peermusic Nashville Renews Publishing Deal With Jaron Boyer
/by Jessica NicholsonJaron Boyer
peermusic Nashville has extended its exclusive worldwide publishing agreement with songwriter Jaron Boyer.
Boyer currently has three cuts on Jason Aldean’s album They Don’t Know, including the title track, “When the Lights Go Out,” and “First Time Again” featuring Kelsea Ballerini. “First Time Again” was co-written with fellow peermusic songwriter Michael Tyler, while They Don’t Know was also produced by peermusic Nashville executive Michael Knox.
“Jaron is well on his way to becoming one of Nashville’s go-to songwriters,” said Knox. “It’s amazing to watch him do his thing, bringing a fresh perspective each time, and the Nashville music community is taking notice of that.”
“I am excited to announce that after three amazing years, I have chosen to re-sign with peermusic,” said Boyer. “It has been more than a privilege to work under Michael Knox and Kim Wiggins. Knox is not only a leader in the industry, both as a producer and publisher, but he has been an invaluable mentor to me as well, inspiring and pushing me to reach my fullest potential as a writer. Everyone at peermusic feels like family to me and I couldn’t feel more blessed to have the opportunity to continue this journey with them.”
Boyer signed with peermusic Nashville in 2013. He recently notched a three-week No. 1 hit as a co-writer on Dierks Bentley’s “Somewhere on a Beach.” Othercuts penned by Boyer include “Riot” (Rascal Flatts), “Hell of a Night” (Dustin Lynch), and “Flatliner,” (Cole Swindell ft. Dierks Bentley).
Brett Eldredge Duets With Meghan Trainor On Christmas Album
/by Jessica NicholsonBrett Eldredge will collaborate with pop star and songwriter Meghan Trainor on his Christmas album, Glow, set for release Oct. 28. The pair will duet on the classic “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
Eldredge worked with producers Rob Mounsey and Jay Newland for the project, which was recorded at New York’s Avatar Studios. The project is the follow up to Eldredge’s 2015 album Illinois.
“I’ve been inspired for this record from a very young age,” said Eldredge. “I dreamt of the day I could record all these classic songs that I’ve loved since I was a little kid. I recorded those classics in New York City and tried to give a tip of the hat to the ones that came before me – Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ray Charles – by adding that swing and that soul to the best of my ability. When it came to actually recording, I wanted to live in the experience. We hung Christmas lights in the studio in the middle of May and had musicians from the best bands in the world all in the same room – from horns to strings. Everyone was so inspired to make this classic record. I think it really shows in the songs and I can’t wait for people to hear that magic we found.”
Glow track listing:
1. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
2. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (ft. Meghan Trainor)
3. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
4. “The Christmas Song”
5. “Glow”
6. “White Christmas”
7. “Winter Wonderland”
8. “Merry Little Christmas”
9. “Silent Night”
10. “It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas”
11. “The First Noel”
Thomas Rhett To Release ‘Tangled Up Deluxe’ On Oct. 28
/by Jessica NicholsonThomas Rhett will give fans more of his platinum-certified sophomore album with Tangled Up Deluxe, available on Oct. 28 on The Valory Music Co. The 18-track album includes five never-before-heard tracks including his new single “Star of the Show” and a remix of “Die a Happy Man” featuring Tori Kelly.
“Star of the Show” will release to country radio on Friday (Sept. 30). Producers on the expanded project include Dann Huff, Jesse Frasure, Joe London, Jaron Johnston, Lindsay Rimes, and Carl Falk.
“”Star of the Show” is one of those songs that I have lived with for a while and kept coming up as a song we needed to record and get to the fans,” said Thomas Rhett. “I wrote it with my dad right after I got married, and it was the first song I ever wrote about Lauren. It was a staple in our set before we had any hits and fans still request it to this day. The Deluxe allows us to thank our fans for an incredible year by putting out a few new songs like this one, and also by reworking a couple of favorites by adding some friends into the mix.”
Tangled Up Deluxe Track List:
1. “Anthem” (Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins)
2. “Crash & Burn” (Jesse Frasure, Chris Stapleton, Sam Cooke)
3. “South Side” (Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure, Chris Stapleton)
4. “Die A Happy Man” (Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Sprague)
5. “Vacation” (Thomas Rhett, Thomas Allen, Harold Brown, Morris Dickerson, Sean Douglas, Gerry Goldstein, Leroy Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Osker, Andreas Schuller, Howard Scott, Joe Spargur, Ricky Reed, John Ryan)
6. “Like It’s the Last Time” (Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip)
7. “T-Shirt” (Ashley Gorley, Luke Laird, Shane McAnally)
8. “Single Girl” (Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman, Ben Hayslip)
9. “The Day You Stop Looking Back” (Jaren Johnston, Luke Laird)
10. “Tangled Up” (Chris DeStefano, Adam Hoffman, Matt Lipkins, Josh Osborne, Scott Schwartz)
11. “Playing With Fire” feat. Jordin Sparks* (Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley)
12. “I Feel Good” feat. Lunch Money Lewis** (Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Teddy Geiger, Jacob Hindlin, Gamal Lewis, Charlie Puth, Joe Sprague)
13. “Learned it From the Radio”* (Nicolle Galyon, Ashley Gorley, Jimmy Robbins)
14. “Star Of The Show”*** (Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip)
15. “American Spirit”**** (Thomas Rhett, Chris DeStefano, Jaren Johnston)
16. “Background Music”***** (Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Lindsay Rimes)
17. “Playing With Fire” feat. Danielle Bradbery* (Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley)
18. “Die a Happy Man (The Remix)” feat. Tori Kelly****** (Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Sprague)
Produced by Dann Huff and Jesse Frasure
*Produced by Chris DeStefano
**Produced by Joe London
***Produced by Thomas Rhett & Joe London
****Produced by Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure & Jaren Johnston
*****Produced by Thomas Rhett, Jesse Frasure & Lindsay Rimes
******Produced by Carl Falk
Weekly Register: Aaron Lewis, “Forever Country,” Kelsea Ballerini Make Chart Impact
/by Jessica NicholsonThis week’s country albums ranking is an eclectic list. Aaron Lewis, Staind frontman-turned-country singer, triumphs with his album Sinner. The Dot Records project debuts atop country albums chart with sales of 39K and lands on the overall album chart at No. 4 with 42K combined units.
Jason Aldean‘s They Don’t Know drops to No. 2 on the country albums chart, selling 33.5K in its second week. Florida Georgia Line‘s Dig Your Roots lands at No. 3, selling 15K, followed by Chris Stapleton‘s Traveller with 9.3K. Willie Nelson rounds out the Top 5 country albums this week, with For The Good Times: A Tribute To Ray Price, which sold 7K.
Overall, album sales are down 14.6 percent YTD, while overall digital album sales have declined 19.4 percent. Country album sales have diminished 7.6 percent, while country digital albums have declined 12.6 percent.
The Country Music Association’s event single “Forever Country,” featuring Artists of Then, Now and Forever, debuts at No. 1 on the country track sales rankings (and No. 2 overall), selling 93K in its debut week. “Forever Country” highlights the CMA’s 50th anniversary celebration, leading up to the CMA Awards on Nov. 2 on ABC.
Meanwhile, Kelsea Ballerini‘s “Peter Pan,” her third consecutive No. 1 single from her debut album, has topped 500K.
Following “Forever Country” is at No. 2 is Kenny Chesney‘s “Setting The World On Fire,” featuring Pink. The track moved 33K this week (321K RTD). Keith Urban‘s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” is at No. 3 with 30K. Miranda Lambert‘s “Vice” lands at No. 4 with 20K, while FGL’s “May We All” featuring Tim McGraw is at No. 5 with 20K.
Overall track sales are down 24.7 percent YTD, while country track sales have declined 22.9 percent YTD.
Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Kristin Barlowe, courtesy of Black River Entertainment.
Nashville Entertainment Group Launches Backstage Nashville
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured: Tim James, Danny Myrick, Natalie Noone, Jill Block, Georgia Middleman, Kent Blazy, Dane Gorman, Jeffrey Steele, Gary Nicholson, Danny Flowers, Ray Stephenson, Karla Davis, Susan Heard, Gary Burr. Not pictured: Jim Lauderdale, Shawn Camp, Gordon Kennedy, Alyssa Bonagura, Bill Lloyd, Leslie Satcher. Buddy Owens. Photo: Jeff Fasano
The newly-formed Nashville Entertainment Group led by Jill Block, CEO and Dane Gorman, CCO launched Backstage Nashville hit songwriters party last week at the Ascend Amphitheater VIP Club.
Backstage Nashville is the brainchild of songwriter and painter Ray Stephenson, who created Backstage Nashville to provide a platform to entertain for corporate and private events while sharing music and swapping stories with songwriting friends. Stephenson’s paintings of music legends surround the Backstage Nashville party creating a unique, inspiring atmosphere.
“When we surround hit songwriters, telling their stories with Ray’s art and delicious food and beverages made right here in Nashville, we truly are providing the ‘Nashville experience’ to our clients,” explains Gorman. “We are the Number One Hit Songwriters party for corporate events and private parties.”
When Block turned to the microphone to introduce the Backstage Nashville roster, she announced to the partygoers that the playlist they had been listening to for the past two hours were hits from the writers in the room. “Just think about the millions of lives that are impacted by these hits written by our songwriter friends in this crowd. With the launch of Backstage Nashville, fans of music all over the world will be able to enjoy this very personal setting with these brilliant writers, singers and musicians.”
Jim Lauderdale and Ray Stephenson. Photo: Jeff Fasano
“Backstage Nashville’s all about chemistry,” says Stephenson. “You just can’t put any group of writers together, no matter how successful. You need to put teams together that can play each other’s songs, sing harmonies, and share good stories. That makes the party fun for everyone.”
Susan Heard, who co-manages Stephenson with Block, continues, “Ray’s art has been on exhibit at the Bluebird Café, Two Old Hippies, and the Ascend VIP Club this year. It’s time to take this show on the road to beautiful VIP rooms and venues throughout Nashville, across the country and around the world.”
In addition to providing event-planning services with Backstage Nashville, the Nashville Entertainment Group launched Music City Live and the Nashville Film Group Divisions. Music City Live has a roster of party, tribute and cover bands to serve the Corporate and private party market.
Pictured (L-R): Danny Flowers, Ray Stephenson, Jeffrey Steele. Photo: Jeff Fasano
“We couldn’t believe country and dance party bands were being booked by companies outside of Nashville. After 25 years of being deeply entrenched in the live music scene here in town, it was important we offer our services to push hiring incredible local talent at great rates,” says Block.
The Nashville Film Group’s first project is the Billy Block Documentary, which will be reaching out for funding this fall.
For more information on booking Backstage Nashville, contact the Nashville Entertainment Group at (615) 285-9131 or info@nashvilleentertainmentgroup.net. Also visit nashvilleentertainmentgroup.net for more information.
Pictured (L-R): Danny Myrick, Kent Blazy. Photo: Jeff Fasano
Kacey Musgraves Christmas Tour Includes Ryman Date
/by Craig_ShelburneKacey Musgraves will perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Nov. 28 as part of A Very Kacey Christmas Tour. Tickets for the Ryman show go on sale Friday (Sept. 30).
The tour begins on Nov. 26 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and continues through Dec. 17 in Evansville, Indiana. Musgraves will release her first Christmas album, A Very Kacey Christmas, on Oct. 28.
“I’m so excited to tour my first Christmas album and to get festive with this music! It was such a blast to make,” said Musgraves. “I’m making sure these are going to be some very magical nights!”
A Very Kacey Christmas Tour Dates
Nov. 26: Windsor, Ontario, Canada; The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
Nov. 28: Nashville; Ryman Auditorium
Dec. 8: New York City; The Town Hall
Dec. 9: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; FM Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
Dec. 10: Washington, DC; National Theater
Dec. 15: Joliet, Illinois; Rialto Square Theater
Dec. 16: Knoxville, Tennessee/Tennessee Theater
Dec. 17: Evansville, Indiana/Victory Theater
Katie Garfield Signs With Young Guns Publishing
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured (L-R): Dave Rose, President, Deep South Entertainment; Micah Wilshire, VP of TV/Film, Young Guns Publishing; Katie Garfield; Cliff Downs, President, Young Guns Publishing; Aubrey Rupe, Creative Director, Young Guns Publishing; Will Hamrick, VP/GM, Young Guns Publishing
Young Guns Publishing has signed singer/songwriter Katie Garfield to its roster.
“Ever since I first started writing with the talented Young Guns writers almost three years ago, I’ve known that Young Guns is the place for me. I feel right at home with their wonderful team and I’m so excited for my future there,” Garfield said.
“Katie brings a fresh and unique perspective to the Young Guns roster. We are very excited to have this multi-talented singer/songwriter join our company,“ said Cliff Downs, President of Young Guns Publishing.
After moving to Los Angeles at 18, she started working with songwriters and producers such as David Pack and Scott Gordon. Now 23, she has signed her first publishing deal and has been writing songs for TV and film opportunities.
Garfield is also an accomplished actor, having had guest starring roles in television shows such as The Vampire Diaries, Sleepy Hollow, One Tree Hill and Nashville.
This fall she will be seen in Nate Parker’s Nat Turner biopic The Birth of a Nation as Catherine Turner. The film won the Grand Jury and Audience Awards at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and is set to premiere nationwide on Oct. 7.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital At Vanderbilt Expanding
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured (L-R): Scott Borchetta, Sandi Spika Borchetta, Tiffany Fallon Rooney, Allison DeMarcus. Photo: Anne Rayner, VU
Construction is underway at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt for a four-floor expansion. The renovations will advance the size and scope of the hospital’s comprehensive array of specialty and subspecialty pediatric health care programs.
Big Machine Records executives Scott Borchetta and Sandi Spika Borchetta joined Tiffany Fallon Rooney and Allison DeMarcus at an event on Tuesday (Sept. 20) for the hospital’s “Growing to New Heights” campaign, a fundraising effort that will help cover the total construction cost of more than $100 million. DeMarcus is chair of the Children’s Hospital board.
Rascal Flatts has been a champion and benefactor of the hospital for many years. Tiffany Fallon Rooney is married to band member Joe Don Rooney; Allison DeMarcus’ husband is band member Jay DeMarcus. When Rascal Flatts’ donations reached $3 million in 2014, the hospital named its pediatric surgery unit after the band. Since 2005, the group has raised $4 million for the hospital.
The additional space will be built over a 30-month period to provide the necessary square footage to meet the future health care needs of the children and families from Tennessee, the surrounding region and across the nation.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar Moving Into Former Boscos Building
/by Craig_ShelburneThe first Tennessee location of Hopdoddy Burger Bar is bound for Hillsboro Village in 2017.
Hopdoddy co-owners Guy Villavaso, Larry Perdido, Chuck Smith and Larry Foles will occupy the former Boscos Restaurant, located at 1805 21st Avenue South in Nashville.
Founded in 2010, Hopdoddy Burger Bar was born in Austin, Texas, and serves fresh, all-natural Angus burgers, hearty salads and handcrafted milkshakes with a full bar with craft brews, house-made liqueurs and fresh squeezed juices. The restaurant currently operates 16 locations in Arizona, California, Colorado and Texas.
“We see many creative and eclectic similarities between Austin and Nashville, and our Austin heritage positions us to successfully bring our world famous burger bar to iconic Nashville,” said Hopdoddy Burger Bar CEO Jeff Chandler. “Nashville is young, vibrant and full of great energy and we believe Hillsboro Village to be at the heart of this energy – a natural fit for our brand.”