Songwriters Lacy Green and Kalie Shorr in the writing room as part of YouTube Space in Nashville. Photo: YouTube
Reclining on couches in a spacious writing area at Black River Entertainment’s multi-use facility in Nashville, songwriters Tenille Arts, Lena Stone, and Jessica Roadcap are writing and rewriting lyrics, testing melody combinations, and throwing out bridge ideas. Guitar cases and laptops cover tabletops and floors. The creators make equal use of guitars and smartphones.
“What do you think of cursing, of using the word ‘damn’?” Stone asks her co-writers.
“What would CMT think of the word ‘damn’?” Roadcap quips.
For now, they keep it in.
A large sign emblazoned with YouTube’s logo hangs on the wall above. The video content giant’s logo is carefully displayed on pillows and other items throughout the intricately decorated room.
Pictured (L-R): Lena Stone, Tenille Arts, Jessica Roadcap. Photo: YouTube
That’s because parts of the Black River Entertainment facility have been taken over, temporarily, by YouTube. On May 17, YouTube welcomed Nashville-based, all-female collective of singer-songwriters, Song Suffragettes, to the pop-up space. Fifteen songwriters, divided into five groups, participated in writing workshops to create original songs within a three-hour timeframe.
Later that evening, during a live taping, they will perform the songs in five separate acoustic performances, which will also be available on the Song Suffragettes’ YouTube Channel.
In one of the facility’s full-fledged studio control rooms, songwriters Kalie Shorr, Lacy Green and Emily Landis discuss their own country-flavored composition, accented with ‘90s pop leanings. It marks the first time Green and Landis have written together.
“It’s like speed dating,” Shorr says, describing the co-writing process.
Pictured (L-R): Tenille Arts, Jessica Roadcap. Photo: YouTube
Over the past few years, YouTube has become the dominant platform for distributing video-based content. As more creators have turned to YouTube for creative exposure, they also brought their need for education, as well as adequate space and equipment to create quality video content. YouTube has opened Spaces in nine markets, including Los Angeles and New York, to provide a space for creators to craft new content.
“YouTube is about creators, and songwriters are essential to the creation of music,” says Anjali Southward, Head of U.S Music Publishing Business Development for YouTube, and a former EMI Music Publishing employee. “We want to invest in the songwriter community, and show songwriters that YouTube can be a home for them. Nashville is a very natural place, being the songwriter capital of the world.”
Kalie Shorr, Lacy Green and Emily Landis rehearse for their performance as part of YouTube Space. Photo: YouTube
YouTube previously worked with Nashville studio Ocean Way on a similar pop-up space, and has connected with the city’s top publishers to select participants in these pop-up writing spaces, with an eye toward curating long-term relationships with creators and educating them on YouTube’s benefits for creators, including Music Insights, Content ID and Vevo.
“It’s cool because I got my start on YouTube,” says Shorr. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton found Shorr’s videos on YouTube in 2012. Her single “Fight Like a Girl” has since drawn the attention of SiriusXM’s The Highway. “I grew up in a small town in Maine and there was no place to play, so I set up my webcam in my bedroom and that’s where I found my first audience. So to see their support of what we do is really cool. It’s cool to challenge yourself and say, ‘Can I write a song in three hours that I would want to perform and have online?’ It’s cool that they re so innovative and it’s cool to see the tech-music crossover and pushing boundaries and finding new ways to create.”
Song Suffragettes, led by founder Todd Cassetty, was created to showcase the talents of many of Nashville’s rising female songwriters. Song Suffragettes launched in 2014 and has grown to become the biggest weekly show for Nashville music venue The Listening Room. Given the dearth of female artists and songwriters on the country charts in recent years, these participating writers note the value of both a group such as Song Suffragettes and the marketing platform YouTube provides.
“It’s an all-ships-rise mentality,” says Green. “What’s good for any of these girls is great for all of us in general, but especially because we all also collaborate. If any one of us does something with this song we have just written … for example, Kalie’s got ‘Fight Like a Girl’ out right now, and that’s great for Kalie, but that’s also great for her co-writers Lena [Stone] and Hailey [Steele]. “
Hailey Steele, Krysta Nick, and Amber DeLaCruz rehearse as part of YouTube Space. Photo: YouTube
Back in the writing room, Shorr, Green and Landis discuss how to divvy up lyrics for the song’s performance that evening, before deciding to stay with one lead singer and let the other co-writers sing harmonies, to keep the audience’s focus on the lyrics. “The cool thing for me, as the writer in the co-write, is to get on camera, even though I’ll be singing harmonies,” says Landis. “It’s appreciating the songs and the people who write the songs, not just the people who sing the songs.”
“That visual is also so important to us,” says Southward. “We really want to create an environment where songwriters feel creative, but also encompass what YouTube is about, which is having this amazing visual component. We believe there is value in songwriters having a presence in the digital world.
“I think the beauty of YouTube is that anyone can have a chance,” Southward continues. “All it takes is having a passion for something. It’s great that people go to YouTube and find these artists they may never have heard before. They become followers and fans. So we love that we are part of this process, helping people build their careers and business. I don’t think we ever substitute for what goes into the real A&R and development process, but it is such a great avenue, and for many — they can earn royalties even if they aren’t signed to a publisher. I actually have heard a lot of my friends in the creative community in A&R say they use YouTube to find talent. Then they go and talk to them and go on to the rest of the process. We love being part of this process. I hope this is a launching pad or an opportunity for these writers to continue on to more success. The tree of success has many branches, and we’d love to be one of the branches.”
Kalie Shorr in the writing room during the pop-up YouTube Space at Black River Entertainment.
Industry Ink: Lauren Jenkins, Quaker City Nighthawks, Buzz Cason, Bob DiPiero
/by Craig_ShelburneLauren Jenkins Issues Big Machine Records Debut
Big Machine Records artist Lauren Jenkins released her debut EP, Lauren Jenkins: The Nashville Sessions, on Spotify on Friday (May 27). She co-wrote four of the six tracks with collaborators such as Trey Bruce, Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Matt Dragstrem, Shane McAnally and Liz Rose. Covers include Robert Palmer‘s “Addicted to Love” and Nikki Sixx‘s “Looks That Kill.”
Lauren Jenkins: The Nashville Sessions track listing:
1. “My Bar” (Lauren Jenkins, Matt Dragstrem, Liz Rose)
2. “All Good Things” (Lauren Jenkins, Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Shane McAnally)
3. “Addicted to Love” (Robert Palmer)
4. “Cadillac” (Lauren Jenkins, Trey Bruce)
5. “Blood” (Lauren Jenkins, Trey Bruce)
Quaker City Nighthawks Release New Album
Pictured (L-R): Pat Adams, The Quaker City Night Hawks; Jonathan Insogna, WME; Logan Rogers, Lightning Rod Records; Sam Anderson, The Quaker City Night Hawks; Aaron Haynes, Sierra Bloodgood, C3 Management; Ryan Matteson, The Quaker City Night Hawks; David Matsler, The Quaker City Night Hawks. Photo: Lightning Rod Records
Texas band Quaker City Nighthawks celebrated the release of their album, El Astronauta, on May 20 at Stubb’s in Austin, Texas. The project was released by Nashville label Lightning Rod Records and they are represented by WME. The band will be performing a number of shows in Nashville from May 28 through 31.
Buzz Cason Aligns With Dan Hodges Music
Pictured (L-R): Dan Hodges, Buzz Cason, Parker Cason
Buzz Cason has entered into an agreement with Dan Hodges Music for creative catalog representation.
Cason’s hits include the classic “Everlasting Love”, which has charted in every decade since its release, and “Love’s the Only House” for Martina McBride. In addition, he is fondly known as the voice of Alvin of the Chipmunks and is professionally known as a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Boasting a career that spans six decades, Cason has written songs for the The Beatles, U2, Pearl Jam, Gloria Estefan, Alan Jackson, the Oak Ridge Boys and Martina McBride. He produced Jimmy Buffett, produced and sang with Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets for Liberty Records after Holly’s death, and has performed background vocals for Brenda Lee, Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Kris Kristofferson, John Denver, George Jones, and Roy Orbison and others.
Cason has been honored in the Poets and Prophets series of the Country Music Hall of Fame and has recently toured promoting his Plowboy Records release, Record Machine, sharing hit songs and stories of his journey.
Bob DiPiero Draws Mario Batali To Songwriter Show
Pictured (L-R): Drew Baldridge, Bob DiPiero, Mario Batali, Tim Nichols, Lee Miller
Bob DiPiero continued his role as host of Joe’s Pub Songwriters Series in New York City with a performance on Wednesday (May 25).
He was joined by Drew Baldridge, Tim Nichols and Lee Miller. Celebrities in the audience included Mario Batali and Spike Lee. DiPiero has hosted the series since December 2014.
One of Nashville’s most prominent and popular songwriters, DiPiero can claim more than 50 million spins at country radio−with the BMI “Million-Air” Awards to prove it. His major cuts include Neal McCoy’s “Wink,” Reba McEntire’s “Little Rock,” Tim McGraw’s “Southern Voice,” The Oak Ridge Boys’ “American Made” and George Strait’s “Blue Clear Sky.”
Shane Allen Named Sr. VP, Promotion, Columbia Nashville
/by Craig_ShelburneShane Allen. Photo: Alan Poizner
Shane Allen has been named Senior Vice President Promotion, Columbia Nashville. He will begin his new role on Tuesday (May 31).
The promotion was announced Friday morning by Steve Hodges, Executive Vice President, Promotion & Artist Development, Sony Music Nashville.
Reporting directly to Hodges, Allen will be responsible for the development, implementation and supervision of the strategic and tactical radio promotional plans for artists on the Columbia Nashville roster which includes Kenny Chesney, Tyler Farr, Maren Morris and Chase Rice.
Steve Hodges said, “It’s my honor and privilege to welcome Shane Allen to the helm of the Columbia Nashville promotion team! Shane brings an impeccable promotion track record, unrivaled passion for the music, high business acumen and a stellar reputation at country radio to Sony Music Nashville.” He continued, “Those are just a few of the leadership qualities that make him the perfect fit for this role. I’m elated he’s a part of the new Sony story line!”
Shane Allen said, “I’m very grateful to Randy Goodman and Steve Hodges for the exciting opportunity to work in this capacity with one the most iconic music brands in the business!” He added, “I’m very much looking forward to an awesome ride with the Columbia Nashville artists and staff.”
Starting his career at KSON in San Diego, California in 1996, Allen’s first label home was MCA Nashville in 1998. He joined Capitol Nashville in 2007 and held the role of Vice President, Radio Strategies & Field Marketing.
After a brief time with Red Light Management in early 2009, he returned to Capitol later that year as Vice President, Promotion. When the label merged with Universal Music Nashville in 2012, he held that title for all four of Universal’s imprints – EMI Nashville, MCA, Mercury and Capitol, ultimately succeeding Steve Hodges when he left the helm of the Capitol promotion department.
Allen’s departure from Universal Music Group was announced on May 20.
Weekly Chart Report (5/27/16)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
Dan + Shay Brave The Rain To Celebrate Upcoming Album
/by Jessica NicholsonGloomy weather couldn’t keep Warner Music Nashville duo Dan + Shay, along with their team, from celebrating the upcoming release of their sophomore album Obsessed. Warner Music Nashville Chairman and CEO John Esposito hosted a celebration held at Warner Music Nashville’s offices on Wednesday afternoon (May 25) turning Warner’s regular Pickin’ on the Patio party into an album preview party.
Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney and Dan Smyers welcomed a swarm of fans, who were all too happy to brave the rain to hear a rooftop preview performance of tracks from Obsessed, which will release June 3.
Dan + Shay
Prior to the performance, the duo was surprised by Liz Kennedy, a representative from the RIAA, announcing two certifications for tracks from their previous album, Where It All Began. Dan+Shay’s breakthrough hit, “19 You + Me” has been certified platinum, while “Nothin’ Like You” has been certified gold.
“There is nothing harder or scarier than a sophomore record,” said Scott Hendricks, who co-produced Obsessed with Smyers. “The first one, you’ve got a whole lot of time to make it. The second one, it’s a whole other story, and many times as you know, it’s hard to live up to the first record. These guys came focused, they came with more songs than we can put on the record. We were arguing up to the last day about what songs to take off. They are writing machines. Working with Dan on this thing, he’s an incredible producer. The songs, I couldn’t be more proud of this record. There are a lot of hit songs on this record, even more than on the first. I can’t wait for the world to hear this.”
Pictured (L-R): Lisa Ray, VP Brand Management; Peter Strickland, EVP & GM, WMN; Dan Smyers; Scott Hendricks, EVP A&R; John Esposito, Chairman & CEO, WMN; Shay Mooney; Liz Kennedy, Director, Communications and Gold & Platinum Program, RIAA; Kevin Herring, SVP Promotion; Chris Palmer, VP Promotion
Jason Isbell, More Tennessee Artists Promote State’s Tourism
/by Craig_ShelburneJason Isbell and Amanda Shires perform a live streamed concert inside the Country Music Hall of Fame’s CMA Theater for Chicago’s Congress Park. PRNewsFoto/Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
This week, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development live-streamed three concerts from West, Middle, and East Tennessee into Congress Park in downtown Chicago as part of The Soundtrack of America: Made in Tennessee tourism program.
Citizen Cope, Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Ashley Monroe took to the stage on three consecutive nights, May 23-25, and performed from iconic attractions in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville. The live performances were streamed onto a two-sided video wall and artists interacted with the audiences over the course of three days, including giving away trips to Tennessee.
Citizen Cope kicked off the series of events on Monday and performed a solo acoustic set live from Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The screen gave the Chicago audience a 360-degree look at the Memphis performance, making it the first long distance concert of its kind. Citizen Cope also posed for photos through the screens and took song requests from the crowd in Chicago. He also gave one lucky Chicago audience member a trip to visit Memphis.
On Tuesday, the events traveled to Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as high-energy old-time string band Old Crow Medicine Show performed seven songs including “Tennessee Bound,” “8 Dogs 8 Banjos” and “Wagon Wheel.” The group also connected with the live audience in Chicago’s Congress Park, through the interactive screens, and gave away a limited-edition poster to a fan.
The evening culminated with a set from Jason Isbell, joined by wife Amanda Shires on stage. Isbell greeted the audience in Chicago and performed “24 Frames,” “Cover Me Up,” and the title track off his latest album Something More Than Free. Additionally, Isbell took crowd pictures through the interactive screens and also selected a lucky winner in Chicago to give a trip to Nashville.
Singer, songwriter, and member of the country music trio Pistol Annies, Ashley Monroe took the stage in her hometown of Knoxville at the famous Tennessee Theatre for the final night of the concert series. Monroe performed a nine-song set that included singles “Like a Rose” and “Weed Instead of Roses,” as well as “Bombshell” off her latest album The Blade. Monroe also used time in-between songs to speak with the audience in Chicago and talk about growing up in Knoxville.
The live streaming concerts were part of a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Nashville marketing agency FlyteVu.
“As the birthplace of so many genres, Tennessee’s musical roots are deep with ground-breaking events,” said Kevin Triplett, Commissioner of Tourist Development. “The three days of streamed concerts, showcasing the amazing talent of Citizen Cope, Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Ashley Monroe, featured the wide variety of music that is ours. Originating from Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville highlights these music destinations and venues as well as the artists and their music. And it makes this streamed event another incredible first that puts the music stake even deeper in the ground for Tennessee.”
Tennessee has long been known as a global music destination for live performances, historic music venues and recording studios. It is the state where the genres of blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul and rock ‘n’ roll originated and has more musicians per capita than any other place in the world.
Additionally, Chicago is a top tourism market for the state of Tennessee. Due to direct flight paths into the state’s major airports and close geographical driving range, Tennessee has become an easily accessible destination for many tourists over the years.
Exclusive: YouTube Pop-Up Space Nurtures Nashville Songwriters
/by Jessica NicholsonSongwriters Lacy Green and Kalie Shorr in the writing room as part of YouTube Space in Nashville. Photo: YouTube
Reclining on couches in a spacious writing area at Black River Entertainment’s multi-use facility in Nashville, songwriters Tenille Arts, Lena Stone, and Jessica Roadcap are writing and rewriting lyrics, testing melody combinations, and throwing out bridge ideas. Guitar cases and laptops cover tabletops and floors. The creators make equal use of guitars and smartphones.
“What do you think of cursing, of using the word ‘damn’?” Stone asks her co-writers.
“What would CMT think of the word ‘damn’?” Roadcap quips.
For now, they keep it in.
A large sign emblazoned with YouTube’s logo hangs on the wall above. The video content giant’s logo is carefully displayed on pillows and other items throughout the intricately decorated room.
Pictured (L-R): Lena Stone, Tenille Arts, Jessica Roadcap. Photo: YouTube
That’s because parts of the Black River Entertainment facility have been taken over, temporarily, by YouTube. On May 17, YouTube welcomed Nashville-based, all-female collective of singer-songwriters, Song Suffragettes, to the pop-up space. Fifteen songwriters, divided into five groups, participated in writing workshops to create original songs within a three-hour timeframe.
Later that evening, during a live taping, they will perform the songs in five separate acoustic performances, which will also be available on the Song Suffragettes’ YouTube Channel.
In one of the facility’s full-fledged studio control rooms, songwriters Kalie Shorr, Lacy Green and Emily Landis discuss their own country-flavored composition, accented with ‘90s pop leanings. It marks the first time Green and Landis have written together.
“It’s like speed dating,” Shorr says, describing the co-writing process.
Pictured (L-R): Tenille Arts, Jessica Roadcap. Photo: YouTube
Over the past few years, YouTube has become the dominant platform for distributing video-based content. As more creators have turned to YouTube for creative exposure, they also brought their need for education, as well as adequate space and equipment to create quality video content. YouTube has opened Spaces in nine markets, including Los Angeles and New York, to provide a space for creators to craft new content.
“YouTube is about creators, and songwriters are essential to the creation of music,” says Anjali Southward, Head of U.S Music Publishing Business Development for YouTube, and a former EMI Music Publishing employee. “We want to invest in the songwriter community, and show songwriters that YouTube can be a home for them. Nashville is a very natural place, being the songwriter capital of the world.”
Kalie Shorr, Lacy Green and Emily Landis rehearse for their performance as part of YouTube Space. Photo: YouTube
YouTube previously worked with Nashville studio Ocean Way on a similar pop-up space, and has connected with the city’s top publishers to select participants in these pop-up writing spaces, with an eye toward curating long-term relationships with creators and educating them on YouTube’s benefits for creators, including Music Insights, Content ID and Vevo.
“It’s cool because I got my start on YouTube,” says Shorr. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton found Shorr’s videos on YouTube in 2012. Her single “Fight Like a Girl” has since drawn the attention of SiriusXM’s The Highway. “I grew up in a small town in Maine and there was no place to play, so I set up my webcam in my bedroom and that’s where I found my first audience. So to see their support of what we do is really cool. It’s cool to challenge yourself and say, ‘Can I write a song in three hours that I would want to perform and have online?’ It’s cool that they re so innovative and it’s cool to see the tech-music crossover and pushing boundaries and finding new ways to create.”
Song Suffragettes, led by founder Todd Cassetty, was created to showcase the talents of many of Nashville’s rising female songwriters. Song Suffragettes launched in 2014 and has grown to become the biggest weekly show for Nashville music venue The Listening Room. Given the dearth of female artists and songwriters on the country charts in recent years, these participating writers note the value of both a group such as Song Suffragettes and the marketing platform YouTube provides.
“It’s an all-ships-rise mentality,” says Green. “What’s good for any of these girls is great for all of us in general, but especially because we all also collaborate. If any one of us does something with this song we have just written … for example, Kalie’s got ‘Fight Like a Girl’ out right now, and that’s great for Kalie, but that’s also great for her co-writers Lena [Stone] and Hailey [Steele]. “
Hailey Steele, Krysta Nick, and Amber DeLaCruz rehearse as part of YouTube Space. Photo: YouTube
Back in the writing room, Shorr, Green and Landis discuss how to divvy up lyrics for the song’s performance that evening, before deciding to stay with one lead singer and let the other co-writers sing harmonies, to keep the audience’s focus on the lyrics. “The cool thing for me, as the writer in the co-write, is to get on camera, even though I’ll be singing harmonies,” says Landis. “It’s appreciating the songs and the people who write the songs, not just the people who sing the songs.”
“That visual is also so important to us,” says Southward. “We really want to create an environment where songwriters feel creative, but also encompass what YouTube is about, which is having this amazing visual component. We believe there is value in songwriters having a presence in the digital world.
“I think the beauty of YouTube is that anyone can have a chance,” Southward continues. “All it takes is having a passion for something. It’s great that people go to YouTube and find these artists they may never have heard before. They become followers and fans. So we love that we are part of this process, helping people build their careers and business. I don’t think we ever substitute for what goes into the real A&R and development process, but it is such a great avenue, and for many — they can earn royalties even if they aren’t signed to a publisher. I actually have heard a lot of my friends in the creative community in A&R say they use YouTube to find talent. Then they go and talk to them and go on to the rest of the process. We love being part of this process. I hope this is a launching pad or an opportunity for these writers to continue on to more success. The tree of success has many branches, and we’d love to be one of the branches.”
Kalie Shorr in the writing room during the pop-up YouTube Space at Black River Entertainment.
Grand Ole Opry Celebrates USO’s 75th Year, Announces USO Tour
/by Eric T. ParkerTrace Adkins. Photo: USO photo by Eric Brandner
The Grand Ole Opry saluted the 75th anniversary of the USO on Tuesday night (May 24) and announced an Opry-themed USO Tour.
Charlie Daniels. Photo: Chris Hollo
Aimed at strengthening America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country throughout their service to the nation since 1941, the USO revealed that it will send several Grand Ole Opry performers around the world this year for a Grand Ole Opry USO 75th Anniversary Concert Series.
Lee Greenwood and wife Kim introduce 92-year old World War II veteran Claude “Dutch” Mann. Photo: Chris Hollo
Trace Adkins will kick off the series with a 10-day, two-country trip to the Middle East and Europe and will again take with him the replica of the six-foot Opry House center stage circle of wood.
MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band performs. Photo: Chris Hollo
Tuesday night’s Opry performance featured Adkins, Charlie Daniels Band, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Lee Greenwood, the Oak Ridge Boys, Mark Wills, and the MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band making its third appearance on the Opry stage. Adkins and Wills were among those who joined the MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band for its last song of the night, “Wagon Wheel.”
MusiCorps Wounded Warrior Band with Trace Adkins and Mark Wills. Photo: Chris Hollo
Three ASCAP Songwriters Celebrate First No. 1 Singles
/by Troy_StephensonPictured (L-R): Felix McTeigue, Cole Taylor, Matt Dragstrem. Photo: Ed Rode
ASCAP hosted a party at its Nashville office on Wednesday (May 25) to honor a trio of writers that secured their first No. 1 song. The two titles being honored — “Anything Goes” and “Sippin’ on Fire” — were recorded by Florida Georgia Line and produced by Joey Moi.
ASCAP’s Mike Sistad first spoke about the huge party Florida Georgia Line threw in Las Vegas for all of their writers, producers, and others. He noted, “As fun as that was, today is about honoring these three writers for their first No. 1.”
Pictured (L-R): Mike Sistad, ASCAP; Felix McTeigue; Cole Taylor; Beth Brinker, ASCAP; Matt Dragstrem; Robert Filhart, ASCAP. Photo: Ed Rode
Sistad then introduced Felix McTeigue as a co-writer on FGL’s “Anything Goes.” Other writers on the song were Craig Wiseman and Chris Tompkins. Although Wiseman was in attendance, he decided to let the spotlight solely shine on McTeigue receiving his first accolade.
Wiseman is a partner in Big Loud Mountain, which has a publishing interest in all three songs.
Pictured (L-R): Felix McTeigue, Craig Wiseman, Cole Taylor, Matt Dragstrem. Photo: Ed Rode
McTeigue thanked both writers and Lori McKenna for being the reasons he moved to Nashville.
ASCAP’s Beth Brinker spoke about Matt Dragstrem and how he first came to Nashville to be an artist, but decided to take the songwriter’s path while attending Belmont. He was celebrated for co-writing his first No. 1 with Cole Taylor, FGL’s “Sippin’ on Fire.”
Matt Dragstrem poses with the Big Loud Shirt team. Pictured (L-R): Jordan Kolodka, Craig Wiseman, Matt Dragstrem, Matt Turner, Kimberly Gleason. Photo: Ed Rode
Dragstrem mentioned that this single was the very first song he wrote after receiving his publishing deal. ASCAP’s Robert Filhart introduced Cole Taylor, who was most happy that his parents made the drive up from Georgia just to be at this event. He was also cheered on by the Universal Music Publishing Group staff.
Cole Taylor with UMPG staff. Pictured (L-R): Missy Roberts, Ron Stuve, Cole Taylor, Kent Earls, Travis Gordon, Amelia Varni. Photo: Ed Rode
Also speaking at the party and distributing No. 1 hardware were Holly Lane with the CRB and Brandi Simms of CMA.
Industry Ink: BMI Eastside Sounds, ‘Crossroads Revisited,’ Creative Nation
/by Craig_ShelburneBMI, ALT983 Deliver Eastside Sounds
Pictured: (L-R): BMI’s Mason Hunter, ALT983’s Jess Kelley, BMI songwriter Jess Nolan and BMI’s Nina Carter
BMI’s Mason Hunter (far left), ATL983’s Jess Kelley (center) and BMI’s Nina Carter (far right) pose with the members of Nightly
BMI and Nashville radio station ALT983 hosted the latest edition of indie rock showcase Eastside Sounds on Wednesday night (May 25). Featuring soulful singer Jess Nolan and electro-pop band Nightly, the Basement East was packed with fans of both acts.
Crossroads Revisited Features Top Nashville Guitarists
Vince Gill, Keith Urban, Jerry Douglas and Sheryl Crow are among the artists featured on a new 41-track CD collection, Crossroads Revisited: Selections From The Crossroads Guitar Festival. The project will be released July 1 by Rhino Records. Founded in 2004 by guitarist Eric Clapton, the festival has featured performances from the world’s best guitarists. The new CD offers nearly four hours of live music that has not before been released on CD or digitally, culled from landmark performances from all four of the festivals, which were held in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013.
Creative Nation Creates Management Coordinator Role
Katie Barolak
Creative Nation adds Katie Barolak to their team in a newly created Management Coordinator role.
Barolak, a former intern at the Nashville-based publishing and management company is a recent graduate of Clemson University where she studied Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations.
As Management Coordinator, she will assist with management responsibilities for the company’s artist clients: Maggie Chapman, Lori McKenna and Steve Moakler.
During her time at Clemson, Barolak founded the CMA EDU program where she spearheaded programs with country artists like Frankie Ballard, Chase Bryant and Josh Turner.
Prior to graduating, Barolak also worked as an intern at G Major Management for two semesters.
The Cadillac Three’s ‘Bury Me In My Boots’ To Release In August
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Cadillac Three. Photo: Jessica Valiyi
The Cadillac Three played an impromptu show at Nashville venue The Basement on Wednesday night (May 26) and further surprised fans with the announcement of their upcoming album. Bury Me In My Boots is slated to release Aug. 5 on Big Machine Records.
“When we confirmed the official release date of Bury Me In My Boots, we knew our hometown had to be involved in a big way! But, we wanted all of our fans across the world to join in too,” said frontman Jaren Johnston. “Thank you all for coming out tonight to support us in person and online… and jam along!”
The trio, comprised of Johnston, Neil Mason (percussion), and Kelby Ray (lap steel), has already released tracks from the project, including “Graffiti,” “Soundtrack to a Six Pack” and “Drunk Like You.”
Johnston has penned chart-topping hits for Jake Owen (“Beachin’”), Frankie Ballard (“Sunshine & Whiskey”) and Keith Urban featuring Eric Church (“Raise ‘Em Up”). Credits also include the majority of The Cadillac Three’s catalog and singles for Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley. Mason has penned songs for Rascal Flatts and Miranda Lambert, to name a few.
The band signed to Big Machine Records in 2013. The label issued The Cadillac Three’s self-titled debut album in 2015.