Steve Young. Photo: steveyoung.net.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Young passed away in Nashville on Thursday, March 17, at the age of 73.
Often called a “songwriter’s songwriter,” Young wrote such classics as “Seven Bridges Road,” “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean,” “Long Way to Hollywood” and “Montgomery in the Rain.” He was a key figure in the progressive or “Outlaw” country movement of the 1970s.
Steve Young was born in Newnan, Georgia, on July 12, 1942. He was raised in Alabama and strongly identified with that state’s native son, Hank Williams. His family also lived in Texas during his boyhood.
He spent part of the 1960s in New York City, kicking around the edges of the folk-music scene in Greenwich Village. He relocated to California in 1964 and formed the band Stone Country.
On the West Coast, he performed and recorded with Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and Chris Hillman, all of whom were cornerstone artists in the emerging country-rock genre. Young’s debut LP, Rock Salt & Nails, was issued by A&M Records in 1968. Parsons, Clark and guitar ace James Burton all played on it.
Young tired of Hollywood and moved to Marin County. He ran the Amazing Grace guitar store there for several years before making his way to Music City.
Waylon Jennings recorded Young’s “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” as the title song of his 1973 album. This record was the first of the star’s self-produced Outlaw collections.
Young’s Nashville-recorded Seven Bridges Road appeared on Reprise Records in 1972. It has since been reissued three times by various other labels. Honky Tonk Man was issued in 1975 by the Mountain Railroad label. Steve Young appeared in the Outlaw music documentary Heartworn Highways in 1976, singing his song “Alabama Highway.” The film featured him alongside such figures as David Allan Coe, Charlie Daniels, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle and Larry Jon Wilson.
RCA picked up his recording contract and issued his two most well known albums, the aptly named Renegade Picker (1976) and No Place to Fall (1978). Both were roots-music classics, with hints of blues and gospel in his Southern country sound. Labelmate Jennings took him on tour as his opening act.
Hank Williams Jr. issued his versions of Young’s “Montgomery in the Rain” and “Long Way to Hollywood” in 1977. Others who recorded his songs include Tracy Nelson, Joan Baez, Ian Matthews, Ricochet, Dolly Parton and Rita Coolidge. Travis Tritt revived “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” in 2003.
Rounder Records reissued Steve Young’s Seven Bridges Road (1981) and Honky Tonk Man (1984) and also put out the artist’s new sounds on To Satisfy You (1981). Also in 1981, The Eagles scored a pop and country hit with “Seven Bridges Road.”
During this part of his career, Young gave up drugs and alcohol. He’d long been Regarded as a “zen cowboy” and now began to explore spirituality in his music. Recorded in Sweden, his 1985 album Look Homeward Angel added synthesizers to his sound.
His intensity and conviction as a live performer made him a “cult” favorite artist, particularly in Europe. His 1990 collection Long Time Rider was recorded in the Netherlands. He issued his first concert recording Solo/Live in 1991 on Watermelon Records, which also issued 1993’s Switchblades of Love.
Later recordings include 2000’s Primal Young, 2006’s Songlines Revisited and 2007’s Stories Round the Horseshoe Bend.
Steve Young’s son, Jubal Lee Young, competed on NBC’s The Voice in 2015. His current CD is titled On a Dark Highway.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced. Steve Young believed in reincarnation.
Belmont University, Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Host Retreat For Veterans
/by Jessica NicholsonThree Nashville organizations partnered to host a day-long songwriting retreat for veterans on Feb. 26 at Belmont University.
Belmont and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) co-sponsored the event led by Operation Song, an organization that helps veterans and active-duty military tell their stories through songwriting.
“We were excited to partner with NaSHOF and Belmont on this retreat,” says songwriter and Operation Song Founder/Director Bob Regan. “As we writers know, songwriting can be therapeutic – a very effective way to ‘put the puzzle pieces in place.’ Operation Song brings this creative process to veterans and service members to help them express themselves and to deal with the trauma of war and the transition to civilian life.”
The retreat teamed five professional songwriters from Operation Song and the Hall of Fame with Belmont students and five veterans who served in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Roxie Dean (“Why They Call It Falling” by Lee Ann Womack), Regie Hamm (“The Time Of My Life” by David Cook), Thom Schuyler (“Love Will Turn You Around” by Kenny Rogers) and George Teren (“Real Good Man” by Tim McGraw) joined Regan (“Thinkin’ About You” by Trisha Yearwood) as songwriting facilitators for each team.
“I had the great pleasure of writing a song with a veteran of the U.S. Navy (Joe) and a Belmont songwriting student (Luke),” says Schuyler, a Hall of Fame inductee who participated as part of NaSHOF’s Wayland Holyfield Outreach. “Joe arrived with a poignant song idea already fashioned into a promising lyric, and he was generous enough to share it with Luke and me. It was gratifying to see the expression on Joe’s face as we all did our best to bring a part of his personal story to life in words and music.”
Though most Operation Song events feature teams of two, the teams for Feb. 26 were expanded to include students from Belmont’s songwriting degree program.
“We appreciate the opportunity for our songwriting students to be a part of this special songwriting event with Operation Song and the Hall of Fame,” says James Elliott, Chair of Belmont’s Songwriting Program. “This is a unique opportunity for our students to help veterans express themselves in song and is sure to be a life-changing event for them.”
The teams spent the day talking and writing songs based on veteran experiences. At the end of the day, teams gathered in the Columbia A recording studio to reflect upon the experience and perform their new songs for each other in a large group setting.
LifeNotes: Outlaw Country Artist Steve Young Passes
/by Robert K OermannSteve Young. Photo: steveyoung.net.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Steve Young passed away in Nashville on Thursday, March 17, at the age of 73.
Often called a “songwriter’s songwriter,” Young wrote such classics as “Seven Bridges Road,” “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean,” “Long Way to Hollywood” and “Montgomery in the Rain.” He was a key figure in the progressive or “Outlaw” country movement of the 1970s.
Steve Young was born in Newnan, Georgia, on July 12, 1942. He was raised in Alabama and strongly identified with that state’s native son, Hank Williams. His family also lived in Texas during his boyhood.
He spent part of the 1960s in New York City, kicking around the edges of the folk-music scene in Greenwich Village. He relocated to California in 1964 and formed the band Stone Country.
On the West Coast, he performed and recorded with Gram Parsons, Gene Clark and Chris Hillman, all of whom were cornerstone artists in the emerging country-rock genre. Young’s debut LP, Rock Salt & Nails, was issued by A&M Records in 1968. Parsons, Clark and guitar ace James Burton all played on it.
Young tired of Hollywood and moved to Marin County. He ran the Amazing Grace guitar store there for several years before making his way to Music City.
Waylon Jennings recorded Young’s “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” as the title song of his 1973 album. This record was the first of the star’s self-produced Outlaw collections.
Young’s Nashville-recorded Seven Bridges Road appeared on Reprise Records in 1972. It has since been reissued three times by various other labels. Honky Tonk Man was issued in 1975 by the Mountain Railroad label. Steve Young appeared in the Outlaw music documentary Heartworn Highways in 1976, singing his song “Alabama Highway.” The film featured him alongside such figures as David Allan Coe, Charlie Daniels, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle and Larry Jon Wilson.
RCA picked up his recording contract and issued his two most well known albums, the aptly named Renegade Picker (1976) and No Place to Fall (1978). Both were roots-music classics, with hints of blues and gospel in his Southern country sound. Labelmate Jennings took him on tour as his opening act.
Hank Williams Jr. issued his versions of Young’s “Montgomery in the Rain” and “Long Way to Hollywood” in 1977. Others who recorded his songs include Tracy Nelson, Joan Baez, Ian Matthews, Ricochet, Dolly Parton and Rita Coolidge. Travis Tritt revived “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” in 2003.
Rounder Records reissued Steve Young’s Seven Bridges Road (1981) and Honky Tonk Man (1984) and also put out the artist’s new sounds on To Satisfy You (1981). Also in 1981, The Eagles scored a pop and country hit with “Seven Bridges Road.”
During this part of his career, Young gave up drugs and alcohol. He’d long been Regarded as a “zen cowboy” and now began to explore spirituality in his music. Recorded in Sweden, his 1985 album Look Homeward Angel added synthesizers to his sound.
His intensity and conviction as a live performer made him a “cult” favorite artist, particularly in Europe. His 1990 collection Long Time Rider was recorded in the Netherlands. He issued his first concert recording Solo/Live in 1991 on Watermelon Records, which also issued 1993’s Switchblades of Love.
Later recordings include 2000’s Primal Young, 2006’s Songlines Revisited and 2007’s Stories Round the Horseshoe Bend.
Steve Young’s son, Jubal Lee Young, competed on NBC’s The Voice in 2015. His current CD is titled On a Dark Highway.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced. Steve Young believed in reincarnation.
MusicRowLife: Rebekah And Travis Gordon Welcome Daughter
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto: Amy Allmand
Warner Music Nashville’s Director of A&R Rebekah Gordon and her husband Travis Gordon, Sr. Creative Director at Universal Music Publishing, welcomed their new baby girl Reese Marie Gordon on Feb. 22 at 1:49 p.m.
She weighed in at 7 lbs. 4 oz., 20.5 inches long and shares a birthday with her mother.
In Pictures: CMA, NASH FM, Cumulus/Westwood One
/by Jessica NicholsonCMA Hosts Inaugural Nashville Music And Brand Forum
Pictured (L-R): Damon Whiteside, CMA Senior VP of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships; Lauren Alaina; John Marks, CMA Board member and Spotify Global Senior Editor/Music Programmer, Country; Maria Molin Ljunggren, CMA Board member and Capitol Music Group AB – Sweden; Frankie Ballard; Bob Shennan, CMA Board member and BBC Director of Music; and Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. Photo: Anthony D’Angio/CMA
While in the U.K. for the 2016 C2C (Country 2 Country) Festival, the Country Music Association hosted its first-ever Nashville Music and Brand Forum on Friday, March 11 at the Gibson Brand Studio in London.
CMA invited U.K.-based brands, agencies, and music companies to learn about the growth of the genre in the U.K. and share new country music consumer research. Special artist appearances included Lauren Alaina and Frankie Ballard. Board members Maria Molin Ljunggren, John Marks, Milly Olykan, and Bob Shennan were on hand to represent the CMA Board.
Chris Janson, Randy Houser Visit NASH FM 94.7 in NYC
Pictured: Country’s Chris Janson with NASH FM 94.7’S Shila Nathan
Chris Janson stopped by the NASH FM 94.7 studios in New York City to chat with on-air host Shila Nathan. Janson was on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Monday night, where he performed his current single, “Power of Positive Drinking.”
Janson also co-wrote Randy Houser’s current single, “Song Number Seven” from Houser’s new album, Fired Up. Houser performed a private concert for NASH FM 94.7 to raise money for Children’s Specialized Hospital. His album, Fired Up, released March 11.
Randy Houser performs for NASH FM 94.7
Artists Line Up For SXSW Cumulus Media/Westwood One Show
Mo Pitney
Music fans at SXSW got a sweet treat this week, as artists including Mo Pitney, LANco, Haley Georgia, Aurora, Matt Gary, and Breaking Southwest performed for NASH Live in Austin, hosted by Twix and Snickers, for Cumulus Media/Westwood One.
The concert took place at Austin’s Rattle Inn, 610 Nueces Street, where attendees enjoyed an exclusive night of music and Mars candy sampling.
LANco with Tommy Page
Artist Updates: Cam, Colt Ford, Chase Rice, Collin Raye
/by Jessica NicholsonCam To Appear On The Talk
Cam
The cast of CBS’s The Talk will welcome Cam to their studio on Monday, March 21. The 2016 ACM Awards most-nominated female artist will perform her Platinum-certified No. 1 smash, “Burning House.”
The daily one-hour series is hosted by Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler and Sheryl Underwood.
Chase Rice Performs For Fans, Military Overseas
Chase Rice performs at CMC Rocks Music Festival in Australia.
Chase Rice recently brought his energetic stage show to fans around the world, including stops at The Republik in Hawaii, four U.S. military bases in Japan, and a run at the sold-out CMC Rocks music festival in Australia, where his Ignite the Night album had just topped the ARIA Country Albums chart the week prior.
“I had a suspicion that Chase Rice was going to be the unexpected discovery artist at this year’s festival,” said Rob Potts, CMC Rocks festival promoter. “From topping the Aussie country chart a week before he arrived, to the crazy reaction his live performance slots generated, he was a huge hit at the event. Nothing accentuates this more than him topping CD sales at the massive on-site record store, taking out the No. 1 seller position even though they sold out of his stock. Chase returns to the USA having made a serious impact with the Aussie fans.”
Third Annual Concert For Local Combat Injured Heroes To Feature Collin Raye
Raye, along with John Ford Coley, as well as Yates and Kevin McKendree, The Jim Brown Band, and Chas Collin Band, will perform at the Franklin Theatre on Thursday, April 7, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $35 and $45 and can be purchased at franklintheatre.com, or by phone at 615-428-2076.
Colt Ford To Headline Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Concert
Average Joes Entertainment artist Colt Ford will join forces with Track Enterprises at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville on Friday, April 8 for an evening of Rockin’ and Racin’ and family fun.
The evening begins at 5:30 with qualifying followed by the ARCA/CRA Super Series and Southern Super Series doubleheader at 7:00, featuring 50-lap races for both series. Ford will headline a concert at 8:30 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for ages 5-12 (children 4 and under are free) and available at the gate or by calling 217-764-3200.
Elyse McKenna Joins Ticketing Platform Applauze
/by Sarah SkatesElyse McKenna
Elyse McKenna is taking on a new role leading business development initiatives for Applauze, a direct-to-fan ticketing platform serving the artist and event communities. She will focus on partnership opportunities, brand expansion, and marketing strategies for Applauze clients and partners. McKenna’s 12 years of experience in ticketing includes time as an agent, as well as business development catalyst at both Crowdsurge and Songkick. She has worked on initiatives for Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Garth Brooks and many more.
“I’m thrilled to have Elyse joining the Applauze team,” said CEO Kiran Bellubbi. “Her experience, knowledge and understanding of the music ecosystem in Nashville are both distinguished and unmatched. Her expertise will undoubtedly elevate our strategic alliances and brand propositions.”
“Ticketing is an exciting area within the industry and incredibly important within the live event community,” said McKenna. “It’s a great privilege to join Applauze, and I’m excited to be able to drive immediate value alongside such an outstanding group of individuals who are committed advocates to being partners in shaping the future of events for recording artists and their dedicated fan bases.”
McKenna joins the business development team alongside New York executive David McKay. Applauze is also adding account managers to the Nashville office.
“Over the past three years we have laid the groundwork for an outstanding team in Nashville and are prepared to invest even more in the region under Elyse’s leadership,” stated Bellubbi. “We’re really looking forward to growing the business together.”
Elyse McKenna can be reached at 615-507-8100 or elyse@applauze.com.
Weekly Chart Report (3/18/16)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
CMHoF Will Salute 60th Anniversary Of Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes”
/by Craig_ShelburneCarl Perkins
A special panel discussion and performance to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes” will be presented by The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on April 9 at 2 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater. This celebration of Perkins’ signature song—and his influential career—will take place on what would have been his 84th birthday. Perkins died in 1998.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the creation and first recording of the rockabilly classic “Blue Suede Shoes” by Perkins. In 1956, “Blue Suede Shoes” set sales records for Sam Phillips’ Sun label just weeks after Elvis Presley left Sun for RCA. The recording achieved the rare distinction of climbing the national charts in three genres: pop, country, and R&B. “Blue Suede Shoes” is in the Grammy Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Songs of All Time” and the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.
A panel discussion about Perkins will include his son Stan Perkins (Carl’s longtime drummer), close friend Naomi Judd (of the Judds, for whom Perkins wrote the #1 hit “Let Me Tell You About Love”); David McGee (co-author, with Carl Perkins, of Go, Cat, Go!: The Life and Times of Carl Perkins, the King of Rockabilly); Peter Guralnick (author of Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll), and moderator Dr. Mark Crawford (associate professor of music at Tennessee State University).
Chuck Mead (founding member of BR5-49 and music director for the stage musical Million Dollar Quartet) will perform a brief set with his band.
Presented in support of the museum’s exhibition Flyin’ Saucers Rock & Roll: The Cosmic Genius of Sam Phillips, the program is included with museum admission and free to museum members. The interview and performance will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.
Dan+Shay Celebrate First Chart-Topper With “Nothin’ Like You”
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Co-writers Chris DeStefano, Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers & Shay Mooney, and Ashley Gorley. Photo: Ed Rode
Warner Bros./Warner Music Nashville duo Dan+Shay recently topped the country charts for the first time with “Nothin’ Like You.” ASCAP and BMI welcomed members of the Nashville music community to celebrate the song, penned by Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, alongside Chris DeStefano and Ashley Gorley. The song marks DeStefano’s 13th No. 1, and Gorley’s 23rd. The song also marked DeStefano’s second No. 1 as a producer.
The party was held March 16 at South in Nashville.
Warner Music Nashville president/CEO John Esposito recalled just how adamant he was that the duo join the Warner family, adding that that during a five-hour meeting, he told the duo, ‘You’re not leaving here until you are Warner artists.'” He also added that he even took them home and had his wife cook dinner for them. “They had to be Warner artists,” he added before thanking Dan+Shay’s manager Jason Owen, as well as attorney Jim Zumwalt.
Among those celebrating were ASCAP’s Beth Brinker, BMI’s Perry Howard, Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom, Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Josh Van Valkenburg, Warner Music Nashville’s Scott Hendricks, and Warner/Chappell Music Publishing’s BJ Hill, as well as representatives from Country Aircheck and Country Radio Broadcasters.
Avenue Bank made a donation to Proverbs 1210 Animal Rescue Mission on behalf of the writers.
Howard joked, “No. 1 parties are like soup kitchens for struggling songwriters.” For Dan+Shay, it was a symbol of how far their careers have come. Mooney later recalled how, earlier in their career, the duo would take meetings with anyone who offered a free meal.
Smyers thanked his musical cohort Mooney, as well as girlfriend Abby Law, whom Smyers said played a part in picking “Nothing Like You” as a single: “At one point, she was tallying the number of mentions that the song got on Twitter, to help convince us this should be a single.”
Gorley was also quick to commend Dan+Shay’s songwriting talent. “They are not easy to write with, in a good way, because they don’t settle. They will not leave a lyrical or melodic stone unturned, and that is refreshing. Also, when Shay is singing a melody back to you, it always sounds great, because he’s got one of the best voices. So if I sing a melody and it sounds good, then I know it is good,” he quipped.
Co-writer DeStefano commented, “This still feels like my first No. 1. I couldn’t be more proud to share it with three of my best buds. Their work ethic is nonstop.”
Dan+Shay is currently climbing the charts with their next single, “From The Ground Up.”
Pictured (L-R): (front) ASCAP’s Beth Brinker, DeStefano, Smyers, Mooney, Gorley, BMI’s Perry Howard, (back) Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom, Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s Josh Van Valkenburg, Warner Music Nashville’s John Esposito and Scott Hendricks, and Warner/Chappell Music Publishing’s BJ Hill. Photos by Ed Rode for ASCAP.
NMPA, Spotify Reach Agreement Regarding Unmatched Royalties
/by Jessica NicholsonIn addition to identifying the rightful recipients of Spotify royalties, the agreement establishes a bonus compensation fund that is a substantial percentage of what is currently being held by Spotify for unmatched royalties, and creates a better path forward for finding the owners of publishing rights who should receive streaming royalties.
For years, the issue of “unmatched works” — the lack of proper ownership information — has made it difficult to pay timely royalties to writers and publishers. Not only does the agreement distribute royalties to writers, it also improves processes for identifying and compensating writers for their work and establishes a better database for future payments.
The deal will allow copyright owners to identify their works and receive the money Spotify has set aside for the past usage of unmatched works. It will allow the entire industry to benefit by filling in the gaps in ownership information, which help to ensure that royalties are promptly paid to their rightful owners in the future. Any royalties associated with works that remain unmatched after each claiming period will be distributed to publishers and songwriters who participate in the settlement, but the agreement will not affect the royalties owed to any publisher or writer who does not choose to participate.
The agreement is a key step in improving transparency in the music community and ensuring that music’s creators receive royalties when their music is used. In addition to allowing copyright owners to identify and receive payment for unmatched works, the agreement enables publishers and Spotify to establish improved practices to identify proper ownership and ensure timely payment of royalties in the future.
National Music Publishers’ Association President and CEO David Israelite praised the agreement, saying, “NMPA’s goal has always been to ensure publishers and songwriters receive the money they deserve. I am thrilled that through this agreement both independent and major publishers and songwriters will be able to get what is owed to them. We must continue to push digital services to properly pay for the musical works that fuel their businesses and after much work together, we have found a way for Spotify to quickly get royalties to the right people. I look forward to all NMPA members being paid what they are owed, and I am excited about the creation of a better process moving forward.”
Spotify Global Head of Communications and Public Policy Jonathan Prince said, “As we have said many times, we have always been committed to paying songwriters and publishers every penny. We appreciate the hard work of everyone at the NMPA to secure this agreement and we look forward to further collaboration with them as we build a comprehensive publishing administration system.”
The agreement:
· Includes payment of bonus compensation.
· Provides the ability to easily identify and properly claim “unmatched” works online.
· Ensures that Spotify will continue working with the NMPA and its members to implement practices that will allow Spotify to match works more accurately and efficiently.
· Where ownership has not been identified or claimed by publishers, there will be a distribution to publishers and songwriters of royalties held by Spotify based on known usage on Spotify’s service.
· Provides a path to direct licensing between Spotify and publishers, with the goal of strengthening business relationships.