Nashville songwriter Don Chapel died on Sunday, Dec. 6 at age 84.
Among his best-known compositions is the George Jones hit “When the Grass Grows Over Me.” It was nominated as the CMA Song of the Year in 1969.
The 1980 Ray Price single “Misty Morning Rain” is also a Don Chapel song. Eddy Arnold’s “Baby That’s Living,” Charlie Louvin’s “Loving You Is a Way of Life for Me” and Doug Kershaw’s “Feed It to the Fish” are among the songwriter’s other works.
Jones also popularized Chapel’s “From Here to the Door,” “Let’s Get Together” and “Call Off the Party Tonight,” the latter two as duets with Melba Montgomery.
Tammy Wynette, to whom Chapel was married in 1967-68, recorded his “All Night Long,” “My Heart Is Soakin’ Wet,” “Joey” and the David Houston duet “Together We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Chapel and his daughter Donna were members of the Tammy Wynette road show during the early years of her career.
The songwriter was born Lloyd Franklin Amburgey in Kentucky. His older sisters Irene, Bertha and Opal formed The Amburgey Sisters, who recorded for King and Capitol. They were variously billed as “The Sunshine Sisters,” “The Amber Sisters,” “The Hoot Owl Holler Girls” and “Mattie, Marthie and Minnie” in the 1940s and 1950s.
The family moved to Nashville in the early 1950s. Bertha took the stage name Minnie and joined The Carlisles. Irene became gospel/rockabilly star Martha Carson (“Satisfied”). Opal performed as Mattie O’Neil on the Opry, then became successful Nashville songwriter Jean Chapel (‘To Get to You,” “Lay Some Happiness On Me,” “Lonely Again,” etc.).
After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, Don Chapel joined his sisters in Music City. Jean Chapel encouraged her younger brother’s songwriting ambitions as well as his courtship of Wynette. Don Chapel adopted his sister’s nom de plume.
He recorded for Musicor, Surespeed and other labels. But he mainly concentrated on songwriting. More than 50 artists recorded his songs over the years, including Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells, Faron Young, Rhonda Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lynn Anderson, Johnny Paycheck, The Osborne Brothers, Webb Pierce and Conway Twitty.
Don Chapel is survived by his wife Virginia Eloise Amburgey and by children Donna Cuno, Lloyd Amburgey, Gary Lehnertz, James Amburgey, Robbie Amburgey and Alison Garland. He is also survived by stepchildren Janet, Hazel, Terry and Gail, as well as by 12 grandchildren. Grandson Michael Amburgey is a music and technology entrepreneur in Nashville.
A public visitation will take place on Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. with funeral services to follow at Madison Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.
Charles Kelley Postpones Solo Tour Dates
/by Jessica NicholsonCharles Kelley
Charles Kelley has postponed the remaining tour dates for The Driver Tour, in order to finish work on his upcoming solo EP.
“As much as I hate postponing dates y’all it’s important that I finish this EP into the full length record first. New dates coming soon!” Kelley said via Twitter.
In October, a string of concert and theater dates were announced, with The Driver Tour set to run from November through the end of January 2016. Sony Nashville newcomer Maren Morris was named as opener for the shows. Earlier this year, Kelley previewed songs from the album for Nashville industry members.
The tour was set up to help promote Kelley’s debut solo single “The Driver,” which features guest appearances from Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay. The song has earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, which was announced on Dec. 7.
Meanwhile, Lady Antebellum is on hiatus. While Kelley pursues a solo career, it was revealed that fellow Lady Antebellum member Hillary Scott is working on a project with her family.
Industry Ink: BMI in Maui, Ole, Amazon
/by Craig_ShelburneBMI Songwriters Bring Country Sounds to Maui Shore
The BMI Maui Songwriters Festival is in full swing, featuring shows every day from top country songwriters including Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Rodney Clawson, Nicolle Galyon and more. Held December 8 to 13 on the sunny shores of Maui, the festival highlights country music from well-established hit-makers, as well as the next wave of up-and-comers. The group paused for a photo as the sun set on the first night of the event. Ticket proceeds benefit the Dorvin and Betty Leis Charities, Inc. and the BMI Foundation.
Pictured (Standing, L-R): BMI songwriters Maggie Rose, Misa Arriaga, Kacey Musgraves, Bob DiPiero, Jeffrey Steele, Kimberly June and Greylan James, host Storme Warren, songwriter Rodney Clawson with Loving Mary’s Marti Frederiksen, Elisha Hoffman, Sarah Tomek and Rebecca Lynn Howard, songwriter Brandon Kinney, Loving Mary’s Suzie McNeil and songwriters Claudia Goodfellow and Danny Goodfellow. (Sitting, L-R): BMI songwriters Nicolle Gaylon, Willie Nelson, Rhett Akins and Loving Mary’s Andrew Mactaggart.
ole Promotes Chris Giansante
Chris Giansante has been promoted to Vice President of Administration of ole, an independent rights management company.
Giansante previously was named General Manager of Administration in January 2015, where he was charged with improving ole’s client service and data analytics, refining ole’s online portal, managing ole’s digital collections and services, and maximizing royalty collections from the ole catalog and those the company administers. Under his leadership, ole’s global admin team has made significant strides in these areas and more, earning Giansante increased responsibility as Vice President.
He first joined ole in 2010, when he was hired as a Financial Analyst in the company’s Acquisitions department, earning a promotion to Senior Analyst in 2013. Prior to joining ole, Giansante served in an analyst capacity at RBC Capital Markets, and with firms in the automotive and environmental technologies sectors. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2008 and his MBA in 2010, both from the University of Windsor. He is also a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario as a CPA, CMA.
Chris Giansante
Amazon Selects Nashville Band Moon Taxi For Holiday Sampler
Other artists on the mix include YACHT, Rogue Wave, Lisa Loeb, Langhorne Slim, Tuxedo, Ivan & Alyosha, The LeeVees & Matisyahu, A Silent Film and Sondre Lerche.
“We always want to deliver something special to our customers and Indie for the Holidays is the next great way we’re connecting customers with not only new, original holiday music but with amazing artists and bands that they may not have discovered yet,” stated Steve Boom, VP of Digital Music for Amazon. “We’re excited to follow last year’s popular All Is Bright holiday collection with songs from some of today’s best indie artists for customers to enjoy throughout the season.”
Weekly Chart Report (12/11/15)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.
Gametime App Expands To Concert Ticketing
/by Sarah SkatesGametime features in-seat panoramic views, a two-tap purchase process and tickets delivered directly to smartphones, eliminating the need for printing.
Known for last-minute deals, the app is also now listing concert events much further in advance—months rather than weeks. Additionally, it sells concert tickets even after a show begins.
Concert tickets will initially come from third party suppliers including FanXchange, TicketNetwork and Ticket Evolution.
Through the app, tickets can be purchased for events from over 250 teams and artists in more than 45 markets across the U.S. and Canada.
Brad Griffith is Founder and CEO of Gametime, which is available on iPhone and Android.
Nashville Entrepreneur Center Names Sam Lingo President & COO
/by Sarah SkatesSam Lingo
Stuart McWhorter, CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC), announced that Sam Lingo has added President to his current role as Chief Operating Officer.
In addition, McWhorter announced the promotions of John Murdock to VP of Entrepreneurial Development, Heather McBee to VP of Accelerator Programming, and Kelli Nowers to Community Director.
“Sam has been an essential part of the EC leadership from its very beginning,” McWhorter said. “He is a proven leader, and he shares the entrepreneurial spirit with the partners and clients we serve. We have entered into an exciting new phase at the EC, one filled with growth and development. These promotions will continue to help us achieve the goals we have for the future of this dynamic organization.”
Lingo was the EC’s second hire and has served as Chief Operating Officer since July 1, 2011. The Nashville native has been the executive in charge of managing operations, finances, business development, and accelerator programs. Lingo led the project to fund and renovate one of Nashville’s historic Trolley Barns into the EC’s permanent home, historically restored and LEED Gold certified.
The past two years have seen partnerships with key Nashville business leaders as well as with Google, Inc. Magazine, Steve Case and the Kauffman Foundation to name a few.
“Sam has played an important role at the EC, and it makes sense to have him in this critical leadership position as we move forward,” said John R. Ingram, Chairman of the EC Board of Directors. “Sam brings the experience, the skills, and the dedication to our team that will put us right where we want to be. I’m excited about these additional promotions to enhance this important work for the future of our hometown – to serve the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nashville.”
“I’m incredibly honored and excited about my new role,” Lingo said. “Being an entrepreneur myself and a native Nashvillian, the future of our entrepreneurial ecosystem is incredibly important to me. We’ve had great success as an organization and an entrepreneurial community over the past six years and I’m thankful for the risk our inaugural board of directors took on Michael and me. In addition, I believe the vision set forth by Stuart and our Board, the execution from our team and the continued support from our community of alumni, mentors, investors and partners will solidify Nashville as the best place in America for entrepreneurship.”
Ryan Seacrest Partners For Multimedia Studio at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital
/by Jessica NicholsonRendering of Seacrest Studios at Vanderbilt’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital.
American Idol and radio host Ryan Seacrest is establishing a Seacrest Studio media center at Vanderbilt’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. The studio is set to open in early 2016. The Ryan Seacrest Foundation builds the state-of-the-art, multimedia broadcast centers in pediatric hospitals, to aid patients in exploring radio, television, and new media that can help with the healing process.
The Seacrest Studios will be located on the second floor of Children’s Hospital, inside the Butterfly Garden performance area. The 723-square-foot studio will be encased in glass, allowing patients and visitors to see what is happening inside the studio. A full-time programming manager for the studio will work with Child Life, art and music therapy, nutrition and other services to create programming unique to the Children’s Hospital. Programs produced and broadcast in the studios include interviews and live performances from celebrities and music artists; live radio programs and music; educational segments on science, history and art, and patient created shows and music videos, and more. The studio will also bring journalism students from area colleges and universities as interns.
The Ryan Seacrest Foundation has opened nine other Seacrest Studios in pediatric hospitals across the country along with the help of their sponsors, E! Entertainment, The Coca-Cola Company, iHeartMedia and ACM Lifting Lives.
“It’s an honor and privilege to expand our studio footprint to Nashville,” said Seacrest. “Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has fully embraced the spirit and intent of Seacrest Studios. We are confident that patients, their families, and the entire hospital community will benefit from the addition of our studio.”
“We are excited and honored to be selected as a site for Seacrest Studios,” said Luke Gregory, chief executive officer of Children’s Hospital. “The Ryan Seacrest Foundation and Seacrest Studios complement our mission for patient- and family-centered care to ensure our families feel engaged in all aspects of care and the healing process and to make Children’s Hospital a welcoming and inspirational place for every child.”
ACM Lifting Lives Announces 2015 Fall Grant Beneficiaries
/by Troy_Stephenson“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the artists and volunteer board members that donate their time and efforts to ACM Lifting Lives. It’s because of their kindness we’re able to give back and be a part of continuing the impact made through the power of music in these communities,” said ACM Lifting Lives Vice-President Debbie Carroll.
For information, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org.
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Melissa Moldovan
In other ACM news, Melissa Moldovan has joined the ACM in a junior publicist role. Moldovan began her career in country radio four years ago as Social Media Coordinator for The Big Time with Whitney Allen. She was later elevated to Assistant Producer before joining the Academy of Country Music.
Moldovan can be reached at melissa@acmcountry.com.
MusicRowPics: Allie Louise, Apollo’s Crown, Shane Owens
/by Jessica NicholsonSixth Beat Production’s flagship artist Allie Louise is set to release a self-titled EP, which highlights her first radio single (“It’s Gettin’ Old”), as well as four self-penned originals and showcases the work of Nashville music producer Eddie Gore.
The 16-year-old recently previewed new music for MusicRow.
Allie Louise with MusicRow staffers.
Allie Louise performs for MusicRow staffers.
Producer Dave Brainard (Brandy Clark) recently showcased new group Apollo’s Crown, which includes vocalist Brian Melo, vocalist Victoria Boland, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Rudd, and fiddler Kristal Vanderkruk. The group has been performing together informally for four years, and as Apollo’s Crown for the past two years. They are currently in the studio working on new music.
Apollo’s Crown with MusicRow staffers.
Apollo’s Crown performs for MusicRow staffers.
Traditionalist Shane Owens has released the single “Where I’m Comin’ From” on AmeriMonte Records. The song was executive produced by country artist Randy Travis, and produced by James Stroud, and mixed by Ed Seay. Owens’ full-length album is set for release in early 2016. Owens recently showcased music for MusicRow.
Shane Owens with MusicRow staffers.
Shane Owens performs for MusicRow.
Country Songwriter Don Chapel Passes
/by Robert K OermannNashville songwriter Don Chapel died on Sunday, Dec. 6 at age 84.
Among his best-known compositions is the George Jones hit “When the Grass Grows Over Me.” It was nominated as the CMA Song of the Year in 1969.
The 1980 Ray Price single “Misty Morning Rain” is also a Don Chapel song. Eddy Arnold’s “Baby That’s Living,” Charlie Louvin’s “Loving You Is a Way of Life for Me” and Doug Kershaw’s “Feed It to the Fish” are among the songwriter’s other works.
Jones also popularized Chapel’s “From Here to the Door,” “Let’s Get Together” and “Call Off the Party Tonight,” the latter two as duets with Melba Montgomery.
Tammy Wynette, to whom Chapel was married in 1967-68, recorded his “All Night Long,” “My Heart Is Soakin’ Wet,” “Joey” and the David Houston duet “Together We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Chapel and his daughter Donna were members of the Tammy Wynette road show during the early years of her career.
The songwriter was born Lloyd Franklin Amburgey in Kentucky. His older sisters Irene, Bertha and Opal formed The Amburgey Sisters, who recorded for King and Capitol. They were variously billed as “The Sunshine Sisters,” “The Amber Sisters,” “The Hoot Owl Holler Girls” and “Mattie, Marthie and Minnie” in the 1940s and 1950s.
After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, Don Chapel joined his sisters in Music City. Jean Chapel encouraged her younger brother’s songwriting ambitions as well as his courtship of Wynette. Don Chapel adopted his sister’s nom de plume.
He recorded for Musicor, Surespeed and other labels. But he mainly concentrated on songwriting. More than 50 artists recorded his songs over the years, including Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells, Faron Young, Rhonda Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lynn Anderson, Johnny Paycheck, The Osborne Brothers, Webb Pierce and Conway Twitty.
Don Chapel is survived by his wife Virginia Eloise Amburgey and by children Donna Cuno, Lloyd Amburgey, Gary Lehnertz, James Amburgey, Robbie Amburgey and Alison Garland. He is also survived by stepchildren Janet, Hazel, Terry and Gail, as well as by 12 grandchildren. Grandson Michael Amburgey is a music and technology entrepreneur in Nashville.
A public visitation will take place on Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. with funeral services to follow at Madison Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.
Property Notes: Noshville, Virgin Hotel, John Hiatt’s Farm, Holly Williams’ Store, Colonial Bakery Site
/by Sarah SkatesNoshville Midtown To Close
Noshville Delicatessen will close its Midtown location on Dec. 27. The property where it is located was purchased by a developer who is planning a 25-story mixed-use project. In a letter to employees obtained by The Tennessean, deli owner Tom Loventhal attributed the closing to the rising cost of insurance premiums and meeting government requirements related to the Affordable Care Act. The Noshville restaurants in Green Hills and at the airport will remain open. In related news, the developer is trying to have the lease of J&J’s Market & Cafe, neighbor of Noshville Midtown, declared void.
Virgin Hotel Reworks Plans
Virgin Group is altering construction plans for its upcoming Nashville hotel located at the end of Music Row, reports The Tennessean. The company has purchased the site at the corner of Division and 17th Ave. S. from local developer Dean Chase, who initially planned to own the property which Virgin Hotels would operate. The recent $11 million transaction has spurred Virgin to rework the building plans, with the latest incarnation set to include approximately 240 hotel rooms, a 7,500 square foot event space, recording studio, music venue, rooftop lounge and fitness center. Construction is expected to start this summer with the hotel set to open by late 2017.
Original plans for the Virgin Hotel included two towers. Current plans include only one tower.
Hiatt’s Leiper’s Fork Farm
John Hiatt’s 97-acre property in Lieper’s Fork is on the market for $2,690,000. Covered Bridge Farm, located at 5539 Big East Fork Rd., includes a four-stall barn and outbuilding. The main house, established in 1910, has been extensively updated.
Covered Bridge Farm. Photo courtesy of Realtracs.
White’s Mercantile Adds Franklin Location
Holly Williams has opened a second outpost of her store White’s Mercantile in downtown Franklin. The new location at 345 Main St. is in a building owned by Mike Wolfe of American Pickers fame. The original White’s Mercantile is located in 12 South. Williams describes it as a “general store for the modern-day tastemaker.” Her other properties include clothing boutique H. Audrey.
Photo from White’s Mercantile Facebook page.
Apartments Coming To Former Colonial Bakery Site
Alliance Residential Company has broken ground on Broadstone 8 South, a luxury apartment community at 2407 Franklin Pk., which is best known as the former Colonial Bakery. Among the amenities will be a courtyard with outdoor movie theater and an indoor electronic golf range. Alliance Residential is also set to open Broadstone Germantown in Nashville in the second quarter of 2016, featuring a swim-up bar, and a rooftop sky deck with a live music venue.