Invitees and public gather at Belmont on Sept. 22 to speak to representatives of the House Judiciary Committee.
Members of the House Judiciary Committee were in Nashville this week (Sept. 21-22) as part of a three-year review to determine if the U.S. Copyright Law is maintaining pace with the digital age. During this Music City trip they visited the Bluebird Café, a reception hosted by RIAA, WSIX’s Bobby Bones Show, and SESAC headquarters. Yesterday, they attended an information session with 21 key industry players at Belmont University.
Committee leaders who were present included Chairman Bob Goodlatte (Virginia) and members Darrell Issa (CA–Chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet), Blake Farenthold (Texas–Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform Commercial and Anti Trust Law), and Doug Collins (Georgia– Vice Chairman of the Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet). Also on hand was Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee–Vice Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee).
Kevin Kadish, co-writer on Meghan Trainor‘s “All About That Bass,” shared that he earned $5,679.00 for 178 million digital streams of the title. “That’s as big a song as anyone can have in their career—No. 1 in 78 countries—but how do you feed your family?”
“It gave me hope to hear Chairman Goodlatte talk about Nashville as one of the fastest growing economies in the nation but he recognized there’s a depression in the middle of the city: the American songwriter,” said Ben Vaughn, Exec. VP, Warner/Chappell Nashville. “We have lost about 80 percent of professional songwriters creating new music. We are desperately asking for the committee to listen to needs of songwriters.”
“Our bottom line is: Are we getting paid a fair amount of money for our product?” posed songwriter Bob DiPiero. “All our songwriters have put in the ‘10,000 hours’ with hundreds of terrible songs. My income shows when I have wildly successful or unsuccessful years. There is no steady stream. One of my greatest allies has been BMI for 35 years.”
Kadish continued with praise for his PRO. “Without ASCAP, I don’t know how I would survive as a songwriter. Financially, they pay the meat of what I make. I understand people may be confused with how the PROs calculate spins etc., but I [wouldn’t] say there is not transparency with them.”
Pictured at the Bluebird Cafe (L-R): songwriter Barry Dean, NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (VA), Congressman Darrell Issa (CA), songwriters Heather Morgan, Lee Thomas Miller and Congressman Doug Collins (GA).
Prior to the event, NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison shared with MusicRow: “Probably sometime next year is when Chairman Goodlatte will determine what shape the legislation would look like. Right now, we’re 20 hearings into all this: two aggressive years with the copyright office, the executive branch of government and Congress. Now the members are visiting cities like Nashville to figure out the balance and the political realities.”
Representative Doug Collins.
The Songwriter Equity Act, of which Rep. Collins is lead sponsor, was introduced after years of crafting. Although there are opponents in the digital world, Herbison believes its contents are politically achievable.
“If congress hears and passes the Songwriter Equity Act, that would impact future decisions from the rate courts,” continued Herbison. “Before then, the House Judiciary Committee will vote on our issues. Then it goes to the floor of the full House of Representatives, and the same process in the U.S. Senate.”
“Every time I’m in Nashville I’m reminded of the unique relationship between the songwriters and artists,” said Representative Collins. “Songwriters are an integral part of the community, which is what started me to look into the pay and streaming issues. My goal is to make sure we have a wonderfully rich musical heritage for the future.”
• • •
Main points from yesterday’s session:
Pat Collins (President/CEO, SESAC): The full federalization of pre-1972 copyrights is something this town would applaud. Passing legislation for people to use works where the owner cannot be located at the moment would help encourage a more robust database. SESAC supports the creation of a database that could be used by users of music.
Beth Nielsen Chapman (indie artist/songwriter representing Content Creators Coalition and musicFIRST): If Amazon has the capacity to know what I had for breakfast and can show me something in my sidebar, there is no excuse to not have complete transparency with the labels and publishers.
Lee Thomas Miller (songwriter and Board President of NSAI): With the exception of sync fees, the American songwriter has never negotiated what the price of our copyright is worth. The problem is not just transparency. The problem is [streaming services] exist because an antiquated federal law gives [songwriters] a set maximum wage on products we create every day. Entrepreneurs are able to open up shop, practically getting the goods for free to build multi-million, billion dollar companies. We are going out of business on the backs of the digital services. Spotify and Pandora took our music cheap because we can’t say no. They offered it to our culture for free. Not only did they set the value for our music, they gutted it!
David Pomeroy (President, AFM Local 257): I want to make sure Congress doesn’t forget about studio musicians that create the magic that make records great. Everyone on the team deserves to be paid correctly.
On individual streams vs. radio spins vs. sales
Miller: My question would be: “Who decided what the stream was worth?”
Kadish: You also need to identify that streaming takes away from sales.
Where is the equity?
Vaughn: My job is to invest in the creation of new music. When I think about digital royalty statements, how can I invest in the future of songwriting. Pandora has a $3.79 billion market cap, SiriusXM $22 billion, Spotify $8.5 billion valuation.
Rep. Issa: But [streaming services are] not making any money. One of the challenges in this copyright review is that we are listening to them too, and they show us how much they’re paying out. Market cap is based on a value that they will have later. It doesn’t matter if you can’t get to profit. So we’re trying to figure out where the equity is that allows everyone to have sustainable models. If they haven’t figured out how to be profitable in delivering the service then the consumer is getting value that they ultimately shouldn’t get.
Willing buyer/willing seller
Marc Driskill (GM of Sea Gayle Music and Exec. Dir. AIMP): It is a partnership between the artists and the songwriters, but I don’t think you can have an equitable partnership if the government regulates one partner. [That means] deregulation on the songwriter side. The one place we see equity is sync, where both have the right to negotiate on rates, and its generally 50-50.
David Del Berraco (President/CEO MusicChoice): The reason willing buyer/willing seller works in the sync world is because you have a limited number of [opportunities] with a limited number songs they would like to use. When you’re dealing with thousands of streaming companies and tens of thousands of artists, willing buyer/willing seller does not work. What makes it worse is they all have MFN (most favored nation clauses). They have the power to put [streaming companies] out of business.
Representatives’ Final Thoughts
Blackburn: I think we all agree [the final decision] needs to be fair and transparent. Everyone enjoys the music, we just want to make certain creators stay creating and the industry stays in business.
Collins: We’re dealing with songs and lyrics that change us. I’m going to continue moving forward with the Songwriter Equity Act because we’re dealing with [future generations’] hopes, dreams and ideas.
Farenthold: Technology is flattening the entire world. At the rate Washington moves, we could be stuck with [this decision] for a long time so it is important we get it right, which is why we are spending the time and effort to come up with a hopefully simpler solution.
Issa: The cheapest place to get music in the world—I have no doubt—is here in America. The only question is the balance right and is the ecosystem sustainable? I’m committed to finding that balance that gives us a healthy ecosystem. You don’t agree on everything but hopefully you agree that everyone has to have a sustainable business model.
Chairman Goodlatte: The evolution of our copyright law is not evolving the way it should. We need to change our copyright laws to reflect real value. My concern is government is not really good at figuring out what that is. The bottom line is we are representatives, we will have to represent an amalgam of views that make our copyright laws more transparent and efficient in a way that consumers will appreciate and pay for. It is very important all aspects of the music industry come together as best you can to find common ground because the more consensus you build yourselves, the easier it will be for us to produce something forward-looking that is useful for the next generation to cause the creators of music to thrive.
‘Happy Birthday’ Could Be Headed To Public Domain
/by Sarah SkatesWarner/Chappell controls the enduring song and collects about $2 million per year from it, according to the New York Times.
The decision was handed down by Judge George H. King of United States District Court in Los Angeles. His report states that Warner/ Chappell acquired the copyright in 1988 from Summy Co., which had previously registered it in 1935. The judge found that Summy owned the rights to the melody written in 1893, but that it never properly acquired the rights to the birthday lyrics, which were written later. Therefore, Warner/Chappell’s copyright is invalid.
The court case originated in 2013 when an independent filmmaker planned to make a documentary about the song.
Nashville To Judiciary Committee: “We’re going out of business on the backs of the digital services”
/by Eric T. ParkerInvitees and public gather at Belmont on Sept. 22 to speak to representatives of the House Judiciary Committee.
Members of the House Judiciary Committee were in Nashville this week (Sept. 21-22) as part of a three-year review to determine if the U.S. Copyright Law is maintaining pace with the digital age. During this Music City trip they visited the Bluebird Café, a reception hosted by RIAA, WSIX’s Bobby Bones Show, and SESAC headquarters. Yesterday, they attended an information session with 21 key industry players at Belmont University.
Committee leaders who were present included Chairman Bob Goodlatte (Virginia) and members Darrell Issa (CA–Chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet), Blake Farenthold (Texas–Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform Commercial and Anti Trust Law), and Doug Collins (Georgia– Vice Chairman of the Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet). Also on hand was Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee–Vice Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee).
Kevin Kadish, co-writer on Meghan Trainor‘s “All About That Bass,” shared that he earned $5,679.00 for 178 million digital streams of the title. “That’s as big a song as anyone can have in their career—No. 1 in 78 countries—but how do you feed your family?”
“It gave me hope to hear Chairman Goodlatte talk about Nashville as one of the fastest growing economies in the nation but he recognized there’s a depression in the middle of the city: the American songwriter,” said Ben Vaughn, Exec. VP, Warner/Chappell Nashville. “We have lost about 80 percent of professional songwriters creating new music. We are desperately asking for the committee to listen to needs of songwriters.”
“Our bottom line is: Are we getting paid a fair amount of money for our product?” posed songwriter Bob DiPiero. “All our songwriters have put in the ‘10,000 hours’ with hundreds of terrible songs. My income shows when I have wildly successful or unsuccessful years. There is no steady stream. One of my greatest allies has been BMI for 35 years.”
Kadish continued with praise for his PRO. “Without ASCAP, I don’t know how I would survive as a songwriter. Financially, they pay the meat of what I make. I understand people may be confused with how the PROs calculate spins etc., but I [wouldn’t] say there is not transparency with them.”
Pictured at the Bluebird Cafe (L-R): songwriter Barry Dean, NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (VA), Congressman Darrell Issa (CA), songwriters Heather Morgan, Lee Thomas Miller and Congressman Doug Collins (GA).
Prior to the event, NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison shared with MusicRow: “Probably sometime next year is when Chairman Goodlatte will determine what shape the legislation would look like. Right now, we’re 20 hearings into all this: two aggressive years with the copyright office, the executive branch of government and Congress. Now the members are visiting cities like Nashville to figure out the balance and the political realities.”
Representative Doug Collins.
The Songwriter Equity Act, of which Rep. Collins is lead sponsor, was introduced after years of crafting. Although there are opponents in the digital world, Herbison believes its contents are politically achievable.
“If congress hears and passes the Songwriter Equity Act, that would impact future decisions from the rate courts,” continued Herbison. “Before then, the House Judiciary Committee will vote on our issues. Then it goes to the floor of the full House of Representatives, and the same process in the U.S. Senate.”
“Every time I’m in Nashville I’m reminded of the unique relationship between the songwriters and artists,” said Representative Collins. “Songwriters are an integral part of the community, which is what started me to look into the pay and streaming issues. My goal is to make sure we have a wonderfully rich musical heritage for the future.”
• • •
Main points from yesterday’s session:
Pat Collins (President/CEO, SESAC): The full federalization of pre-1972 copyrights is something this town would applaud. Passing legislation for people to use works where the owner cannot be located at the moment would help encourage a more robust database. SESAC supports the creation of a database that could be used by users of music.
Beth Nielsen Chapman (indie artist/songwriter representing Content Creators Coalition and musicFIRST): If Amazon has the capacity to know what I had for breakfast and can show me something in my sidebar, there is no excuse to not have complete transparency with the labels and publishers.
Lee Thomas Miller (songwriter and Board President of NSAI): With the exception of sync fees, the American songwriter has never negotiated what the price of our copyright is worth. The problem is not just transparency. The problem is [streaming services] exist because an antiquated federal law gives [songwriters] a set maximum wage on products we create every day. Entrepreneurs are able to open up shop, practically getting the goods for free to build multi-million, billion dollar companies. We are going out of business on the backs of the digital services. Spotify and Pandora took our music cheap because we can’t say no. They offered it to our culture for free. Not only did they set the value for our music, they gutted it!
David Pomeroy (President, AFM Local 257): I want to make sure Congress doesn’t forget about studio musicians that create the magic that make records great. Everyone on the team deserves to be paid correctly.
On individual streams vs. radio spins vs. sales
Miller: My question would be: “Who decided what the stream was worth?”
Kadish: You also need to identify that streaming takes away from sales.
Where is the equity?
Vaughn: My job is to invest in the creation of new music. When I think about digital royalty statements, how can I invest in the future of songwriting. Pandora has a $3.79 billion market cap, SiriusXM $22 billion, Spotify $8.5 billion valuation.
Rep. Issa: But [streaming services are] not making any money. One of the challenges in this copyright review is that we are listening to them too, and they show us how much they’re paying out. Market cap is based on a value that they will have later. It doesn’t matter if you can’t get to profit. So we’re trying to figure out where the equity is that allows everyone to have sustainable models. If they haven’t figured out how to be profitable in delivering the service then the consumer is getting value that they ultimately shouldn’t get.
Willing buyer/willing seller
Marc Driskill (GM of Sea Gayle Music and Exec. Dir. AIMP): It is a partnership between the artists and the songwriters, but I don’t think you can have an equitable partnership if the government regulates one partner. [That means] deregulation on the songwriter side. The one place we see equity is sync, where both have the right to negotiate on rates, and its generally 50-50.
David Del Berraco (President/CEO MusicChoice): The reason willing buyer/willing seller works in the sync world is because you have a limited number of [opportunities] with a limited number songs they would like to use. When you’re dealing with thousands of streaming companies and tens of thousands of artists, willing buyer/willing seller does not work. What makes it worse is they all have MFN (most favored nation clauses). They have the power to put [streaming companies] out of business.
Representatives’ Final Thoughts
Blackburn: I think we all agree [the final decision] needs to be fair and transparent. Everyone enjoys the music, we just want to make certain creators stay creating and the industry stays in business.
Collins: We’re dealing with songs and lyrics that change us. I’m going to continue moving forward with the Songwriter Equity Act because we’re dealing with [future generations’] hopes, dreams and ideas.
Farenthold: Technology is flattening the entire world. At the rate Washington moves, we could be stuck with [this decision] for a long time so it is important we get it right, which is why we are spending the time and effort to come up with a hopefully simpler solution.
Issa: The cheapest place to get music in the world—I have no doubt—is here in America. The only question is the balance right and is the ecosystem sustainable? I’m committed to finding that balance that gives us a healthy ecosystem. You don’t agree on everything but hopefully you agree that everyone has to have a sustainable business model.
Chairman Goodlatte: The evolution of our copyright law is not evolving the way it should. We need to change our copyright laws to reflect real value. My concern is government is not really good at figuring out what that is. The bottom line is we are representatives, we will have to represent an amalgam of views that make our copyright laws more transparent and efficient in a way that consumers will appreciate and pay for. It is very important all aspects of the music industry come together as best you can to find common ground because the more consensus you build yourselves, the easier it will be for us to produce something forward-looking that is useful for the next generation to cause the creators of music to thrive.
BMI, SESAC Celebrate Michael Ray’s No. 1 Hit “Kiss You In The Morning”
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured: (L-R): (Back Row) Parallel’s Tim Hunze, Magic Mustang’s Juli Newton-Griffith, BMI’s David Preston, Warner Music Group’s John Esposito, SESAC’s Shannan Hatch, producer Scott Hendricks. (Front Row) BMI songwriter Michael White, BMI affiliate Michael Ray and SESAC songwriter Justin Wilson. (photo by Steve Lowry)
Family, friends and music industry executives gathered at Nashville’s South venue Monday afternoon (Sept. 21) to celebrate the No. 1 hit, “Kiss You In The Morning,” written by BMI writer Michael White with SESAC writer Justin Wilson and performed by BMI affiliate and Warner Music Nashville artist Michael Ray. The song was produced by Scott Hendricks. Magic Mustang Music’s Juli-Newton Griffith and Parallel Music Publishing’s Tim Hunze were on hand to honor the songwriters, as were BMI’s David Preston and SESAC’s Shannan Hatch.
The tune was the first chart-topper for Michael Ray, who released the track off his debut self-titled album, and the second for White.
Preston offered White an Epiphone guitar to commemorate the No. 1 hit. “I hope you write a million more songs on it,” said Preston.
Among those offering accolades were CRB’s Holly Lane, Country Aircheck‘s Chuck Aly, and more. Avenue Bank’s Ron Cox announced a donation in honor of the songwriters to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Warner Music Nashville president John Esposito touted Ray’s work ethic, noting that Ray kept plugging away at his career, even when his beloved grandfather died while Ray was on a radio tour. “When he played the Grand Ole Opry, he played his grandfather’s guitar and did that promo tour in honor of his grandfather,” said Esposito. “This is the start of many number ones.”
It was an emotional celebration for Wilson, who was celebrating his first No. 1 song. He spoke of his early career attempts to become a recording artist himself, and gave credit to his family for believing in him when he decided to turn his attentions to songwriting. “To watch me get and lose a [recording] deal in six months, and then to see me fall in love with songwriting, they kept believing in me,” said Wilson.
Both songwriters used the platform to advocate for fair pay for songwriters. “We are not all hanging out with superstars,” said White. “My dad raised us and sent us to college on a writer’s royalties. We have to get a handle on the new technology. We are not asking to be rich and famous, we just want it to be fair.”
Michael Ray
CAA Signs Columbia Nashville’s Maren Morris
/by Troy_StephensonMaren Morris
CAA has signed Columbia Nashville singer/songwriter Maren Morris. The Texas native signed a publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog Music in 2013 and has cuts that include Tim McGraw’s “Last Turn Home” on Sundown Heaven Town and Kelly Clarkson’s “Second Wind,” which is available on the deluxe version of Clarkson’s new album, Piece by Piece.
Morris recently released her debut EP on Spotify. The single, “My Church,” generated more than 1 million streams in less than a month.
She is managed by Red Light Management.
Songwriter Rounds: Boots & BBQ, ASCAP, The Well
/by Jessica NicholsonASCAP’s We Create Music Series Coming To The Basement Sept. 23
Hadley Park, Dana Glover, Jeffrey Goldford, Amy Speace, Reuben Bidez, Carlton Anderson are slated to perform. The show begins at 5 p.m.
Boots & BBQ Benefit Slated For Nashville Oct. 6
The Boots & BBQ benefit concert will take place at Natchez Hills Winery at Fontanel on Oct. 6 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Songwriters Mark Irwin, Anthony Smith, Bridgette Tatum, and Matt Warren are set to perform, while celebrity pitmaster Ken Wood offers a BBQ menu consisting of beef brisket, black pepper turkey, pulled pork, and more.
The event benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle TN.
For tickets, visit eventbrite.com.
ASCAP To Feature Songwriters During Musicians Corner in Nashville Sept. 26
Additionally, the Lightning 100 Acoustic stage will feature performances by Kensington Moore, Rick Brantley, and Josh Threlkeld. The free show begins at 1 p.m.
The Musicians Corner series is held in Centennial Park from Sept. 5 through Oct. 31, and features food trucks, local artisans, and fun for kids and pets.
The Well Coffee Shop To Launch Songwriters Series
BMI Launches Bonus System For Top Streamed Songs
/by Jessica NicholsonAs the performing rights organization has done previously with traditional radio, BMI will recognize writers and publishers of the most-performed songs on streaming services with a quarterly bonus payment. The bonus system began with payments from Spotify and Rhapsody in the first quarter of 2015, with additional services slated to be added in future distributions.
The bonus is calculated on a per-stream basis and will apply to the top 20 percent of the most-played BMI songs on each service. The per-stream rate increase applied is 25 percent.
Funds for the bonus payment will come from a general licensing pool designated for those types of payments.
Parallel Music Publishing Signs Jesse Lee
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (back row): Noah McPike, Almon & McPike, PLLC; Denise Stevens, Partner, Loeb & Loeb, LLP; (seated): Hannah Showmaker, Parallel Music Publishing; Jesse Lee; Tim Hunze, Parallel Music Publishing.
Parallel Music Publishing has signed songwriter Jesse Lee, who has garnered album cuts with Kelsea Ballerini, Uncle Kracker, Kristy Lee Cook and more.
“Writing has and always will be, my first love,” Lee says. “My ideas and lyrics are inspired by everyday life. Heartbreak, second-hand stories, love, tragedy. There’s a song in everything. I just can’t believe that I get paid to wake up everyday and write songs. I’m so excited to join the Parallel family. I love the staff and writers and feel so fortunate to work with people who are just as passionate about songwriting as I am. I can’t wait to hit the ground running and couldn’t ask for a better team to join. Thank you to Tim, Hannah, & Jeff for believing in me and wanting to work for me as hard as I’m going to work!”
“We at Parallel could not be more excited to begin our relationship with Jesse Lee,” says Tim Hunze, managing partner, Parallel Music Publishing. “Jesse Lee has vibrant energy and brings a new style of writing to the table. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for her.”
Aaron Scherz Joins Liv Write Play
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Nate Drake, Associate Attorney at Dickinson Wright PLLC, Austen Adams, Of Counsel at Dickinson Wright PLLC, Ilya Toshinskiy, producer, musician and Creative Director at Liv Write Play, Dennis Kurtz, VP of Liv Write Play, Aaron Scherz, Olivia Lane, Leland Grant, Page Kelley, Partner at Milom Horsnell Crow Rose Kelley PLC, and Jody Williams, VP of Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI Nashville.
Aaron Scherz, the co-writer/co-producer behind Maddie & Tae‘s hit “Girl In A Country Song,” has signed an exclusive publishing agreement with Nashville-based music publishing house Liv Write Play. The company’s roster also includes Olivia Lane and Leland Grant.
“I am fired up to join the Liv Write Play family! They are a very forward-thinking organization that is tirelessly focused on creating what’s next for the format,” says Scherz. “Ilya and I have worked together in the studio for years and I think he is one of the best musical minds to ever grace Music Row. I’m looking forward to combining our unique skillsets to develop some very compelling artists and music.”
Scherz co-wrote five songs included on Maddie & Tae’s debut studio album, as well as the duet “Enough” performed by Reba and Jennifer Nettles. His tracks have also been featured on the series Nashville and The Music of Nashville soundtracks.
Liv Write Play’s Creative Director Ilya Toshinskiy shares, “Aaron is a very talented songwriter/producer and one of the hardest working people I know. He has done extraordinary work in artist development and it’s great to see all of his recent success. I know there is only more where that came from!”
“Because Liv Write Play is an artist development-driven company, we feel Aaron brings a lot to the team,” adds Liv Write Play’s VP Dennis Kurtz. “We are all looking forward to working with him. I can’t talk enough about how excited we are to welcome him to our Liv Write Play family.”
Nashville Gets ‘Tangled Up’ In Thomas Rhett’s New Groove
/by Jessica NicholsonThomas Rhett shared the DJ Booth with one of Tangled Up’s producers Jesse Frasure. Photo: Katie Kauss
Downtown Nashville was the place to party last night (Sept. 21) as the music industry celebrated the upcoming release of The Valory Music Co. artist Thomas Rhett’s sophomore album, Tangled Up. The project comes out Friday, Sept. 25.
More than 200 label staff, publishers, songwriters, producers, and more celebrated at swanky private club Citizen. Tangled Up co-producer Jesse Frasure spun tracks from the album, such as “Vacation,” “Learned From The Radio,” and current single “Die A Happy Man,” alongside tracks from The Weeknd, Blackstreet, Chris Stapleton, and more. Among the revelers were BMLG’s Scott Borchetta, Rhett’s wife Lauren Akins, and Rhett’s BMLG labelmates Cassadee Pope and Danielle Bradbery.
“It’s so exciting to have a moment like this to share it with all of you, when you literally can see an artist going to the next level,” BMLG founder/CEO Scott Borchetta shared with guests. “That’s what’s happening right here, right now, in real time. Thomas Rhett is getting ready…you watch what’s going to happen in the next 18 months, because then we’re going to be talking about the headlining tour. But we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves.”
Pictured (L-R): The Valory Music Co. SVP Promoition George Briner, Big Machine Label Group SVP A&R Allison Jones, Thomas Rhett and Big Machine Label Group’s President/CEO Scott Borchetta. Photo: Katie Kauss
Partygoers sipped on cocktails inspired by the album’s tracks, including Tangled Up, and Crash & Burn, each made with Crown Royal.
“We wanted to swing for the fences,” Rhett said of the record’s new sound. “As we’ve gone, my jeans have gotten tighter and my jeans have gotten skinnier,” he quipped. “My dad’s sittin’ here going, ‘Gosh I remember when you were in cowboy boots singing to Brooks & Dunn in the living room.’
“Thank you to those who have embraced this new sound and this new direction,” Rhett continued. “I think the best part is this album is fully 100 percent Thomas Rhett. There is nothing fake about this record. I have to give thanks to Scott and [BMLG’s] Allison [Jones] for saying, ‘We don’t want you to just turn in hits. We want you to turn in songs that move you, songs you believe in.’ We’re getting into that time where we might piss some people off with the songs we’re putting out, but hopefully the majority love us. Thank you to all my friends, the songwriters, Jesse [Frasure] and Dann [Huff] for going all out on this record, it’s pretty crazy. Cheers to you and thank you for being here and being part of this album release party.”
Pictured (L-R): Wife Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett. Photo: Katie Kauss.
Borchetta and Rhett launched the party with Rhett’s soul-infused current single, “Die A Happy Man.”
“My wife asked me the other day if the song was written for her or just inspired by her, and the answer is both,” Rhett said of the single. “She’s always wanted me to write a song like ‘Just To See You Smile’ by Tim McGraw, even though this song doesn’t sound anything like that. It’s super personal to our relationship.”
Tangled Up releases Friday, Sept. 25.
Songwriter Neil Thrasher Extends Deal With peermusic
/by Troy_StephensonPictured (L-R): Michael Knox (VP peermusic Nashville), Ralph Peer (Chair & Chief Executive Officer), Neil Thrasher, Mary Megan Peer (Deputy Chief Executive Officer), Kim Wiggins (Senior Creative Director)
Songwriter Neil Thrasher has extended his deal with peermusic Nashville. He has been a peermusic writer since 2011 and has penned several No. 1 songs during his time including ASCAP’s 2013 Country Song of the Year “How Country Feels,” recorded by Randy Houser. He also penned Jason Aldean’s platinum-selling “Tattoos On This Town,” “Fly Over States” and “Night Train.”
Thrasher was named ASCAP Songwriter of the Year in 2004 and has enjoyed other chart toppers such as “There Goes My Life,” “Fast Cars And Freedom,” “Banjo,” “Take You There” and many others.
“It’s not that often you get to work with someone that you are a true fan of,” says Michael Knox, Vice President of peermusic Nashville. “It is a privilege to be working with Neil.”
“I”m excited about moving forward with my peer family! Here’s to the future!” says Thrasher.