Brett Young performs for MusicRow staff. Photo: Molly Hannula
One of Big Machine Label Group’s newest signings, California native Brett Young draws from a blend of blue-eyed soul and country’s relatable lyrics for his own brand of music.
As a songwriter, Young inked a deal with Big Machine Music, and co-wrote every track on his self-titled EP, which released Feb. 12.
Young stopped by MusicRow to perform a trio of songs from his EP, including “In Case You Didn’t Know,” as well as current single “Sleep Without You,” which Young co-wrote with Justin Ebach and Kelly Archer.
“I was back visiting friends and family and I turned on pop music, just to see what was going on,” Young said. “Three songs in a row came on that were about a guy trying to sleep with a girl. I was like, ‘We get it. That song works, we get it.’ I started thinking about what a sweet twist on that would be. My mind went to this place where you are in a relationship for so long that whether you live together or not, you can’t really go to sleep without that good night phone call or text message. My parents have been together 36 years and my dad still, if my mom goes on a women’s retreat with the church, he’s restless at night because they are used to being together.”
Young shot the video for “Sleep Without You” in a beach house on the shores of Malibu, California. Shane Drake, who has worked with Kelly Clarkson, Paramore, Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw, directed the clip.
Young ended his acoustic preview with the intensely personal “You Ain’t Here To Kiss Me,” a song he co-wrote in the wake of a breakup with a longtime girlfriend. He penned the track with Tiffany Goss and Matt Alderman.
“I went back out to California for New Year’s Eve,” Young recalled. “I had been in Nashville for about a year at that point. And the girl I had been with for six years was still living in Los Angeles, so I went to spend the holidays with my family, but mostly to see her. I had been out there for seven days, and I still hadn’t seen her. So New Year’s Eve morning I woke up and the plan was to spend the day with her and her family, and all the excuses just kind of didn’t sit right with me.
“I called her and said, ‘Hey, I’m ring shopping. Why do I feel like we are on different pages here?’ She said, ‘No you shouldn’t be ring shopping.’ So the conversation turned to, ‘We don’t have to be in the exact same place, but after six years, shouldn’t we be there? And if we are not, why aren’t we?’ She goes, ‘Babe, can I call you back? I just pulled up for my hair appointment.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, you can, but I think I’m going to change my flight and go back to Nashville tonight.’ She said, ‘Don’t be dramatic, I’ll call you back.’
“Well, she called me back, but I was boarding my flight. There was a layover in Phoenix and it got delayed, so next thing I know, I’m on a half-empty plane at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Two days later I was at a writing appointment, I brought up what I had been going through, and this song just came out.”
In an EPK, Young said that transparent style of songwriting is exactly what he aims for, both as a writer and an artist. “I think the most important thing to me with my music, and with the songs and stories, is I want it to be real and honest, and I want it to be relatable to a really wide age range.”
Young is working with producer Dann Huff on his first full-length release for BMLG.
Brett Young (and BMLG’s Matthew Hargis) visit with MusicRow staff.
Industry Ink: City National Bank, Warner Music Nashville, SoundExchange
/by Jessica NicholsonCity National Bank Promotes Three
Pictured (L-R): Lindsay Stewart, Aaron Sweet, and Jamie Lay
Three staffers have been promoted within City National Bank in the Nashville office. Lindsay Stewart is promoted to Senior Account Manager, Aaron Sweet to Assistant Vice President and Jamie Lay to Vice President. They all joined City National during its first year on Music Row in 2011.
Lay is Vice President and Senior Account Manager at the Nashville office for City National Bank. Originally from Daphne, Alabama, Lay has lived in Nashville since 1998 and has 13 years of experience working in both business management and banking with the music industry. She has been with City National Bank since March of 2011 and works with Diane Pearson on day-to-day client banking needs. She enjoys hiking, skiing, cooking and spending time with her fiancé, Kels Fitzpatrick and dog Stella.
Stewart is Assistant Vice President and Senior Account Manager at City National Bank’s Nashville Entertainment office. Originally from Germantown, Tennessee, Stewart has been in Nashville for the past 19 years and is an avid music fan. She has been with City National since November 2011 and oversees day-to-day client banking and financial needs. Prior to City National, Stewart was with US Trust/Bank of America. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two boys ages 3 and 10.
Sweet is Assistant Vice President and Assistant Operations Manager of the Nashville Entertainment Office for City National Bank. Originally from Hart County, Kentucky, Sweet has been in Nashville for the past 6 years. He has been with City National since July 2011 and oversees the branch operations. Sweet has been in the banking industry for over 13 years while in Kentucky and Tennessee. During his downtime he enjoys the Nashville music scene.
Warner Music Nashville Adds Sr. Director, Sponsorships & Activations
Marieke Bianchi
Warner Music Nashville has welcomed a new Sr. Director, Sponsorships & Activations, Marieke Bianchi. Bianchi previously worked at Hunter PR in New York, where she promoted brands including Gallo Wines, Kraft Foods and Tabasco, among others. She can be reached by email at Marieke.Bianchi@wmg.com. She will report directly to Ben Kline, VP of Revenue.
SoundExchange Adds A2IM CEO To Board Of Directors
Richard James Burgess
SoundExchange has appointed Richard James Burgess, chief executive officer of A2IM (the American Association of Independent Music) to its Board of Directors. Burgess brings experience as a businessman, artist manager, musician and producer to the SoundExchange board.
“I am thrilled to welcome Richard to the SoundExchange Board of Directors. His vast background and knowledge of the independent music community make him a strong ally for indie labels in the marketplace and on Capitol Hill. He is an asset to our organization, and his credentials in the independent music community distinguish him as true indie leader,” SoundExchange President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Huppe said.
“It is a great privilege to join the SoundExchange board during this incredible period of change in the music industry. The independent music sector is on the rise, and now more than ever independent artists and labels can reach and engage music fans worldwide through thousands of digital music services. SoundExchange is an exciting bright spot in the industry, and incredibly important to our community. I am excited to work with such an outstanding group of individuals who are committed advocates for recording artists and rights owners. Together, we have the potential to truly shape the future of music,” said Burgess.
Burgess will fill the position previously held by Molly Neuman. The SoundExchange Board of Directors is comprised of 18 individuals, split evenly between artist representatives and label representatives, serving virtually all aspects of the recorded music industry.
In Photos: Tedeschi Trucks Band, Brothers Osborne At The Ryman
/by Craig_ShelburneTedeschi Trucks Band. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Tedeschi Trucks Band headlined the first of three consecutive nights at the Ryman Auditorium on Thursday (March 3), with surprise guests Steve Cropper and Jack Pearson. Brothers Osborne opened the show.
Tedeschi Trucks Band. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Fronted by Susan Tedeschi Trucks and Derek Trucks, the 12-piece band released the acclaimed album Let Me Get By on Jan. 29 via Concord Music Group. The project has spent multiple weeks atop the Americana airplay chart, including this week’s chart.
Susan Tedeschi Trucks. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Derek Trucks. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Friday and Saturday’s shows at the Ryman are both sold out. Junior Brown will open Friday night, while TTB will play two sets on Saturday. The group won a 2011 Grammy for Best Blues Album with Revelator.
Tedeschi Trucks Band. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Tedeschi Trucks Band. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Brothers Osborne offered a batch of songs from their new album, Pawn Shop, released in January via EMI Records Nashville.
Brothers Osborne. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Comprised of brothers John and T.J. Osborne, the duo brought down the house with their rendition of “Loving Me Back.” Their new single is “21 Summer,” which T.J. explained is one of the oldest songs in their songwriting catalog.
Brothers Osborne. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Brothers Osborne notched a No. 1 hit on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart in October with “Stay a Little Longer.” The track also received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Brothers Osborne. Photo: chadcrawfordphotography.com
Dixie Chicks To Reissue Four Albums On Vinyl
/by Jessica NicholsonAhead of their upcoming DCX MMXVI tour that launches in April, the Dixie Chicks will reissue four of their classic studio albums via Columbia/Legacy on high resolution 150-gram 12″ vinyl, set for release April 15.
The albums include Wide Open Spaces (1998), Fly (1999), Home (2002), and Taking The Long Way (2006). The vinyl reissues can be pre-ordered at amazon.com.
Opening April 16 in Antwerp, Belgium and finishing Oct. 10 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, DCX MMXVI marks the first time in a decade that Dixie Chicks have toured the United States as headliners. (Their last major stateside concert tour was with The Eagles in 2010, while their 2013-2014 Long Time Gone Tour dates were exclusive to Canada and Europe).
Collectively, these four Dixie Chicks albums have sold more than 30 million copies. Of the four titles, only Home has been previously available on vinyl.
Dixie Chicks first came together as a bluegrass quartet in Texas in 1989, later becoming a trio in 1995 when founding members (and sisters) Emily Robison (banjo/dobro) and Martie Maguire (fiddle/mandolin) were joined by Natalie Maines as the group’s new lead vocalist and guitarist. The first and only female group to have achieved Diamond Award status, Dixie Chicks have done it twice, with Wide Open Spaces and Fly.
Their tour is scheduled to stop in Nashville on Aug. 17 at Bridgestone Arena.
Bobby Karl Works Dierks Bentley’s Exhibit Preview At Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum
/by Bobby KarlBOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM
Chapter 522
Pictured (L-R): UMG Nashville’s Mike Dungan, Jake, Dierks Bentley, Cassidy Black, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young, Red Light Management’s Mary Hilliard Harrington, and Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Mick Buck. Photo: Donn Jones
“Many of the people in this room have known Dierks for years,” said Kyle Young at the Thursday evening (March 3) party celebrating the opening of Dierks Bentley‘s “Every Mile a Memory” exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Some 20 years ago, Bobby Karl was bellied up to the bar at 3rd & Lindsley when a curly-headed youngster walked up and said, “I want to meet you. My name is Dierks Bentley. I am going to be a recording artist. I hope you’ll remember me.”
“Well, I’ve never met anyone named Dierks before,” I said, “so I promise I’ll always remember you.” And I did.
In 2001, Bentley issued an indie album on Big White Music called Don’t Leave Me in Love, which I duly noted. After signing with Capitol two years later, he moved into my neighborhood and began stopping over to play his new music. So I was one of the many, many attendees who have been so happy to watch him become the star that he is.
Dierks Bentley speaks with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Peter Cooper. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Other veteran Dierks pals in the crowd included Pat Rolfe, Brett Beavers, Mike Ward, Jessi Alexander & Jon Randall Stewart (who are also former neighbors), David Conrad, Luke Wooten and, of course, Jake, the star’s dog and video costar. Not to mention wife Cassidy Black, who has been his sweetie since junior high.
“I’m a country music singer; I’m a country music fan; I’m a country music student,” said Bentley during the cocktail party to celebrate this latest feather in his cap. “I love this music. I never really looked at country music as a path to stardom. I’ve been really lucky. It’s been a great ride. I’m really honored to be here, and I’m going to do my best to keep representing the genre.”
To that end, he’ll be co-hosting this spring’s ACM Awards from Las Vegas. That’s a long way from where he started in Music City.
Dierks Bentley CMHOF Exhibit. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
“We are exactly one mile from a place that gave Dierks some of his early musical memories, The Station Inn,” Young recalled. “Dierks walked into The Station Inn 20 years ago and heard some of the finest bluegrass musicians. He found a community. They cheered him forward, backed him up and pushed him on. It’s been a long trip, but not one that he took alone.”
Along for this part of the journey were Tom Lord, Mike Sirls, Nina Miller, Hunter Kelly, Kathryn Richardson, Peter Cooper, Teresa George, Bob Paxman, Mary Hilliard Harrington, Michael McCall and Chris Horsnell.
After the cocktails and speeches, we toured the display. “Every Mile a Memory” features awards, costumes, posters, manuscripts and more. We’re as fond of it as we are of him.
Dierks Bentley at the debut of Dierks Bentley: Every Mile a Memory. Photo: Donn Jones.
Dierks Bentley CMHOF Exhibit. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Dierks Bentley (with dog Jake) speaks to Peter Cooper at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Moments By Moser Photography
Road To Roo Kicks Off Round One
/by Craig_ShelburnePictured (L-R): Lightning 100’s Brittney Farrow, MillerCoors’ Kim Juodaitis, songwriter Carla Cappa, Det Distributing Company’s Elise McCracken, AC Entertainment’s Neeley Rice and BMI’s Mark Mason. Photo: Jake Giles Netter
BMI and Nashville radio station Lightning 100 kicked off the first round of Road to Roo, sponsored by MillerCoors, at Acme Feed and Seed on Thursday (March 3). With more than 250 submissions that were narrowed down to 16 bands, the first group of 8 performed for a packed house of fans, who cast ballots for the bands they think should advance further and get another chance to play at Bonnaroo. Jess Nolan, Roots of a Rebellion, OJR, and Heavy Sole all made the first cut.
Self-described “acid cowboy” rocker OJR tears through his set at Acme for the first round of Road to Roo. His performance secured him a spot in round two. Photo: Jake Giles Netter
Reggae group Roots of a Rebellion plays their original tunes for an enthusiastic crowd at Road to Roo, landing a slot in the next round of the competition. Photo: Jake Giles Netter
Kane Brown To Offer Major Label Debut EP ‘Chapter 1’ In March
/by Jessica NicholsonThe collection includes the RCA Nashville artist’s debut radio single and viral fan favorite “Used To Love You Sober,” which boasts over 200,000 downloads and 2.2 million streams to date. With four out of five tracks co-penned by Brown, Chapter 1 previews the full-length album expected from the Georgia native later this year.
“I’m so excited to release Chapter 1–my fans have been so patient and supportive as I’ve worked on this project!” said Brown. “From the writer’s room to the studio to playing these songs night after night on tour, it’s been an incredible experience. I’m grateful to my fans and can’t wait for what’s to come in the future but right now let’s start with Chapter 1!”
In May, Brown teams up with Florida Georgia Line, Cole Swindell and The Cadillac Three for the 56-date Dig Your Roots Tour with stops in Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver and Nashville. He hits the road next weekend for a run of sold-out shows in Champaign, Illinois; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Peoria, Illinois.
Chapter 1 Track Listing:
1. “Wide Open” (Kane Brown/Corey Crowder/Justin Lantz)
2. “Used To Love You Sober” (Kane Brown/Josh Hoge/Matthew McVaney)
3. “Last Minute Late Night” (Ben Caver/Corey Crowder/Matthew McGinn)
4. “Excuses” (Kane Brown/Josh Hoge/Matthew McVaney)
5. “There Goes My Everything” (Kane Brown/Josh Hoge/Matthew McVaney/Chris Young)
RIAA Announces Gold & Platinum Awards For January/February
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has released its list of gold and platinum earners to kick off 2016, and several country artists have some newly minted heavy metal to add to their accolades.
Jason Aldean,”She’s Country” (3x)
Jason Aldean, “Burnin’ It Down” (2x)
Florida Georgia Line, “Stay” (2x)
Little Big Town, “Girl Crush” (2x)
Digital Platinum Single
Jason Aldean, “Hicktown”
Rodney Atkins, “If You’re Going Through Hell”
Lee Brice, “I Drive Your Truck”
Florida Georgia Line, “Sippin’ On Fire”
Tim McGraw, “Southern Girl”
Tim McGraw, “Felt Good On My Lips”
Thomas Rhett, “Die A Happy Man”
Blake Shelton, “Sangria”
Cole Swindell, “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight”
Chris Young, “I’m Comin’ Over”
Digital Gold Single
Randy Houser, “Goodnight Kiss”
Maddie & Tae, “Fly”
Tim McGraw, “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools”
Tim McGraw, “She’s My Kind Of Rain”
Tim McGraw, “Just To See You Smile”
Montgomery Gentry, “Where I Come From”
Cole Swindell, “Let Me See Ya Girl”
Hank Williams, Jr., “Family Tradition”
Hank Williams, Jr., “Country Boy Can Survive”
Sam Hunt, Montevallo (2x)
Standard Platinum Album
Luke Bryan, Kill The Lights
Sam Hunt, Montevallo
Miranda Lambert, Platinum
Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Carrie Underwood, Greatest Hits: Decade #1
Standard Gold Album
Luke Bryan, Kill The Lights
Kelly Clarkson, Piece By Piece
Brett Eldredge, Bring You Back
Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Blake Shelton Exhibit Coming To Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum In May
/by Jessica NicholsonBlake Shelton
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has selected Blake Shelton to be the focus of an upcoming exhibit. Blake Shelton: Based on a True Story, which opens May 27, will explore Shelton’s life and multi-dimensional career.
Shelton released his first album (and single, “Austin”) in 2001. Since then, he has won the CMA Award for Male Vocalist of the Year five times, and was named the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year in 2012. He has garnered 21 No. 1 singles across multiple Billboard country music charts. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2010, and is working on his 10th season as a coach for NBC’s The Voice. He will release a new single, “Came Here to Forget,” on Tuesday (March 8).
“Blake Shelton is one of the most well-established contemporary artists in country music,” said museum CEO Kyle Young. “Countless accolades into his musical career, he continues to stay true to his sound and musical style, and continues to receive recognition for it. We’re honored to host this exhibition and to share the story of this incredibly talented individual.”
“I came to Nashville in 1994, and I’ve always been fascinated by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum,” Shelton said. “I remember the first time I walked in there, I was blown away. To have my own exhibit is more than a dream come true, because I never dreamed it could happen! It’s crazy, is what it is. I couldn’t be more excited or more honored than to be a part of the museum.”
A range of artifacts, including stage wear, instruments, song manuscripts, photos, and personal items will be displayed as part of the exhibit.
Sturgill Simpson To Release New Album In April, Tour Coming In May
/by Jessica NicholsonSturgill Simpson. Photo: photo credit: Reto Sterchi
Sturgill Simpson‘s highly-anticipated new project, A Sailor’s Guide To Earth, will release April 15 on Atlantic Records. It’s the follow-up to 2014’s Grammy-nominated Metamodern Sounds In Country Music.
The album’s first single, “Brace For Impact (Live A Little)” premieres today (March 4) at SturgillSimpson.com.
The album, which Simpson produced, was written–from start to finish–as a letter to his first child, who arrived in 2014. The project features eight original songs, plus a rendition of Nirvana’s “In Bloom.” It was recorded primarily at Nashville’s The Butcher Shoppe, with engineer David Ferguson and assistant engineer Sean Sullivan.
Simpson will launch a spring tour on May 5 at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater, in Austin, Texas. Dates in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, and more follow.
BMLG’s Brett Young Offers Blue-Eyed Soul, Transparent Songwriting On New EP
/by Jessica NicholsonBrett Young performs for MusicRow staff. Photo: Molly Hannula
One of Big Machine Label Group’s newest signings, California native Brett Young draws from a blend of blue-eyed soul and country’s relatable lyrics for his own brand of music.
As a songwriter, Young inked a deal with Big Machine Music, and co-wrote every track on his self-titled EP, which released Feb. 12.
Young stopped by MusicRow to perform a trio of songs from his EP, including “In Case You Didn’t Know,” as well as current single “Sleep Without You,” which Young co-wrote with Justin Ebach and Kelly Archer.
“I was back visiting friends and family and I turned on pop music, just to see what was going on,” Young said. “Three songs in a row came on that were about a guy trying to sleep with a girl. I was like, ‘We get it. That song works, we get it.’ I started thinking about what a sweet twist on that would be. My mind went to this place where you are in a relationship for so long that whether you live together or not, you can’t really go to sleep without that good night phone call or text message. My parents have been together 36 years and my dad still, if my mom goes on a women’s retreat with the church, he’s restless at night because they are used to being together.”
Young shot the video for “Sleep Without You” in a beach house on the shores of Malibu, California. Shane Drake, who has worked with Kelly Clarkson, Paramore, Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw, directed the clip.
“I went back out to California for New Year’s Eve,” Young recalled. “I had been in Nashville for about a year at that point. And the girl I had been with for six years was still living in Los Angeles, so I went to spend the holidays with my family, but mostly to see her. I had been out there for seven days, and I still hadn’t seen her. So New Year’s Eve morning I woke up and the plan was to spend the day with her and her family, and all the excuses just kind of didn’t sit right with me.
“I called her and said, ‘Hey, I’m ring shopping. Why do I feel like we are on different pages here?’ She said, ‘No you shouldn’t be ring shopping.’ So the conversation turned to, ‘We don’t have to be in the exact same place, but after six years, shouldn’t we be there? And if we are not, why aren’t we?’ She goes, ‘Babe, can I call you back? I just pulled up for my hair appointment.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, you can, but I think I’m going to change my flight and go back to Nashville tonight.’ She said, ‘Don’t be dramatic, I’ll call you back.’
“Well, she called me back, but I was boarding my flight. There was a layover in Phoenix and it got delayed, so next thing I know, I’m on a half-empty plane at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Two days later I was at a writing appointment, I brought up what I had been going through, and this song just came out.”
In an EPK, Young said that transparent style of songwriting is exactly what he aims for, both as a writer and an artist. “I think the most important thing to me with my music, and with the songs and stories, is I want it to be real and honest, and I want it to be relatable to a really wide age range.”
Young is working with producer Dann Huff on his first full-length release for BMLG.
Brett Young (and BMLG’s Matthew Hargis) visit with MusicRow staff.