Paul Worley.
Paul Worley made his second appearance on The Producer’s Chair on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at Douglas Corner at 6 p.m.
Paul Worley’s career his earned five Grammys, a plethora of CMA & ACM trophies and multiple Producer of the Year Awards, including one from MusicRow magazine.
His career first took hold when he became part of Jim Ed Norman’s rhythm section. Jim Ed moved to Nashville from L.A. to head up Warner Bros., hiring Paul because he loved the vibe and sound of Worley’s rhythm section. After logging all those hours in the studio, Paul got “the producer bug.” His production career began with Gospel artist Cynthia Clawson, Riders In The Sky, Burl Ives and Tennessee Ernie Ford.
“The studio bug” followed. As his production discography blossomed, Paul partnered with famed drummer Eddie Bayers and built The Money Pit studio in 1984. It was where Martina McBride and Paul’s 20-year collaboration started, which eventually yielded 13 albums. It’s where Worley first met Clarke Schleicher, who has been on his desk for more than 25-plus years. Among those who recorded there are Sara Evans, Big and Rich, Pam Tillis, Bruce Hornsby and Kid Rock.
Along the way, he worked at Tree Publishing Company with songwriters Harlan Howard, Curly Putman, Don Cook and Kix Brooks. CBS bought Tree, and then Sony bought CBS. So Worley went on to become a Vice President at Sony BMG from 1989-1997. Five years later (2002), Paul took on his second major label position as Chief Creative Officer at Warner Bros. Records.
In 2004 Worley teamed with producer/publisher/hit songwriter/artist manager Wally Wilson and two other partners, to found Skyline Music Publishing. They have earned countless BMI and ASCAP Awards, and today the catalog boasts the works of Hugh Prestwood, Jimmy Yeary, The Henningsens, Jon Stone,Kelleigh Bannen, Tay Barton, Lisa Brokop, Adam Browder, Don Cook, Michael Davey, George Ducas, Jeremy Easley, Jen Foster, James Harrison, Sara Haze, Randy Houser, Tammy Hyler, Brandon Kinney, Jacob Lyda, Kelsey Mathews, Kim McLean, Hudson Moore, Paul Nelson, Terry Radigan, Chick Rains, Kevin Welch, Emma White, and Skylar Wilson.
A partial list of Worley’s production clients includes Lady Antebellum, Dixie Chicks, The Band Perry, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Collin Raye, Blake Shelton, Highway 101, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Cyndi Thomson, John Anderson, Gary Morris, Marie Osmond, Neil Diamond, Eddy Raven, Lisa Brokop, Desert Rose, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr. and Willie Nelson.
Collectively, Worley has achieved well over $1 billion in retail record sales during his career, so far. But discovering and developing new talent is the core of what he instinctively loves. And judging by the overwhelming response, it looks like Worley and Wilson’s latest venture, the live streaming online concert series Skyville Live is a perfect launch-pad.
The Producer’s Chair: How did Skyville Live originate?
Paul Worley: Skyville Live is something that Wallystarted dreaming of about a year and a half ago. The first show we had Gladys Knight, Martina McBride, and Estell. But ultimately, the real reason we want to develop Skyville Live as a brand is not just to serve up icons and stars, but to do artist development—to be a lens by which people discover new talent.
Wally is developing Skyville Live because we see that it’s something that people are hungry for. They’re hungry for really good quality audio and video performances on the internet. We all sit there and mess around with YouTube and 90 percent of it is crap. It’s just stuff to laugh at. But, Skyville Live will be really great music being really well performed with great audio. It is not designed to be listened to on your iPhone or computer. You can if you want to, but if you pull it up on your smart TV and listen on your stereo, you will be watching a concert that has that level of quality. Turns out that people love it. We’ve had real smooth sailing launching. So there may be an icon series and then we might develop Skyville II that’s all about new artists, and not necessarily artists we’re working with, just artists that we like.
We have a lot of big platforms and major organizations that are coming to us saying, “We want you.” It’s nice. Then there are all the questions, like “Will we have to change?” We are having those conversations.
PC: How was the second Skyville Live show with Kris Kristofferson, Lady Antebellum and Jason Isbell?
Worley: The show honored Kris Kristofferson. All of these great artists sang his songs, but the most incredible moment was him singing “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Just getting up there and croaking it out, sort of singing, but sort of not. Sort of reciting the poetry of the song. You realize that great songwriting is also poetry. It’s a literary endeavor as well as a musical one. Of course, that’s how the music business began—as a song publishing business before there was recording. It was all about songs and sheet music.
PC: From what I understand, someone can log on and watch the show live for free. So is it sponsor driven?
Worley: That could all change. We’ll continue to have sponsors and attract revenue that way, but we could also graduate to where there are different levels, the way Spotify does it, with basic but maybe with the premium you could view six different camera feeds and enjoy the show according to your own perspective. So, that would be a way of monetizing that. It can really grow. The danger is not outgrowing the quality of the experience.
PC: What’s in it for the artists, other than the experience and the exposure?
Worley: The artists are invested in the show that they’re in. They have an ongoing equity position. So, you know, every intention is that once we collect this content and find a partner on a platform that wants to do something bigger with it, we can package it differently and offer it up as a menu.
PC: What else is going on at Skyville?
Worley: We’ve tried a lot of stuff over the years but, including being a record company, but that failed. What we are now is an artist development company.
Our studio, which used to just be a rehearsal room, is a really good studio. So, I’ve got a whole new sound thanks to some of my friends that made me go and cut over here. It’s more like Motown or Memphis sound or Stax. It’s a small room. Everybody’s bleeding into everybody. You’ve got to get it right. But it sounds awesome, and the playing is fantastic because you’re just that close together.
PC: Are you developing artists for other labels?
Worley: Yeah. Honestly it’s anybody that will have me. I’m just open and grateful to be making music. Generally, if I’m not making music I’m not a very happy person. So, I spent a whole lot of the last two and a half years working for free. Like 90 percent of it. But I’ve been here before. This is where you retool and reinvent yourself, hopefully.
PC: Who are you working with right now?
Worley: I’m currently working with Chris Issak. Chris is an icon and I’ve always admired him. The last two days with Chris have been fantastic. It’s great when you get in the studio with someone who has had a long career, has experience making records and knowledge of himself as an artist.
I’m also going to be working with Ryan Kinder. Ryan is a new artist at Warner. The others are Fiona Culley, Taylor Watson, they’re unsigned, and Shelley Skidmore. We made music, and now they’re looking to either get signed or do it the indie way.
PC: How do producers make a living today?
Worley: I didn’t get into it because it was profitable. I starved for eight years like everyone else, and then got by for another 10. I did it because I love it. It’s all I ever wanted to do. All I can say is, you just have to do that and be happy with the life that you’re given. The new guys—if you’re not a hit songwriter you may never make the kind of money that I made as a standalone producer, but if you water down your music because you decide for business reasons that you have to be a writer, you’re going to produce a lot of crap. I don’t want to know how that feels.
If I was starting out now I would recognize that I have to be a writer and I have to be a publisher in order to be a producer. In fact, I’m trying to create an artist development company that does those things as part of the recipe of developing artists. Unfortunately, I am not a songwriter.
Who knew five years ago that streaming was going to be the thing? And because there’s no negotiation about royalties relative to streaming, the producers are just cut out. So, even if I have a hit, people will probably stream it or buy the one song. The days of creating an album with ten songs and people buying that big chunk of music and taking time to sit down and listen are—I hope just temporarily—behind us.
So, I’m thankful that I made my bones and my living in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. But anyway, I think it’s temporary. I still wake up hopeful every day.
But unfortunately for us, we’ve lost a whole generation of country listeners. We’ll have to gain them back. That’s going to show itself over the next five years.
PC: Have we lost them because the artists they love don’t get enough airplay?
Worley: What’s getting airplay is a narrow slice of music that’s attractive to a small slice of the people overall that would listen to country music. So, we’ve left a lot on the table. Music has a way of fighting its way out.
The good thing about streaming is that you can create your own playlists. You can go in and graze and discover new music. Or maybe you say, “I’d like to spend today listening to Steely Dan.” And bam it happens! So, there’s a lot of good. It’s just that it hasn’t been figured out, and nobody’s anxious to hurry up and pay us for our art. But they will eventually.
PC: What is the most important lesson you learned about running a label?
Worley: Don’t. And I had to do it twice to learn it. Creative people should be creative. You get mired inside the business structure and it can contaminate your mind, heart and soul. It’s marketing, and it’s relevant. Because without a hit at radio, careers don’t happen. But it shouldn’t have anything to do with the creative process.
PC: What concerns you about our music community, long-term?
Worley: I think the really great writers will always be. I’m more worried about the musicians in the community, they are really suffering. They’re getting paid shit.
Back in the day there was a musician’s special payments trust fund created by the record labels. It was a pool of money. Today, the labels are demanding that they get paid less and less. They’re getting no royalties, no job security, no benefits.
It is sick, but nobody is talking about paying the musicians—these wonderful, gifted, dedicated people.
What do you tell artists about song selection and songwriting?
Artists that don’t write get signed all the time, but that doesn’t stop them from writing.
I tell artists until I’m blue in the face: Don’t be concerned about where your songs come from. It doesn’t matter to anybody but you, whether you wrote the song or not. The main thing is that you should always do great songs. If you’re in a down cycle as a writer and you’re not writing great songs, be smart enough to realize that and go refresh yourself with some great songs. That will feed you. You’ll get back into your game as a writer, if you get out of the rut you’re in, but you’re going to have to get some external information in your soul, in order to do that.
PC: What are the keys to songwriter development?
Worley: Well, you’ve got to look for somebody that has their own spark, to start with. That’s got something more than, “I want to be a songwriter.” It’s got to be somebody who has their own melodies and their own points of view. You can’t teach genius. The guys and gals that have been around for a while just sit and listen to songs and go, “The second verse ought to be the first verse. Throw away the first verse. Now you’ve got to write a second verse. It’s going to be hard. You’ve got to amplify the story. If you’re going to write a bridge, it better be a song unto itself. If it’s not, then you don’t need a bridge. Just throw a solo in there, and get the hell out.” Go back and listen to songs. Go back for decades. Listen to Tin Pan Alley songs. Listen to every kind. Understand what it is in these timeless songs that makes them timeless.
The Producer’s Chair: Paul Worley
/by contributorPaul Worley.
Paul Worley made his second appearance on The Producer’s Chair on Thursday, April 30, 2015 at Douglas Corner at 6 p.m.
Paul Worley’s career his earned five Grammys, a plethora of CMA & ACM trophies and multiple Producer of the Year Awards, including one from MusicRow magazine.
His career first took hold when he became part of Jim Ed Norman’s rhythm section. Jim Ed moved to Nashville from L.A. to head up Warner Bros., hiring Paul because he loved the vibe and sound of Worley’s rhythm section. After logging all those hours in the studio, Paul got “the producer bug.” His production career began with Gospel artist Cynthia Clawson, Riders In The Sky, Burl Ives and Tennessee Ernie Ford.
“The studio bug” followed. As his production discography blossomed, Paul partnered with famed drummer Eddie Bayers and built The Money Pit studio in 1984. It was where Martina McBride and Paul’s 20-year collaboration started, which eventually yielded 13 albums. It’s where Worley first met Clarke Schleicher, who has been on his desk for more than 25-plus years. Among those who recorded there are Sara Evans, Big and Rich, Pam Tillis, Bruce Hornsby and Kid Rock.
Along the way, he worked at Tree Publishing Company with songwriters Harlan Howard, Curly Putman, Don Cook and Kix Brooks. CBS bought Tree, and then Sony bought CBS. So Worley went on to become a Vice President at Sony BMG from 1989-1997. Five years later (2002), Paul took on his second major label position as Chief Creative Officer at Warner Bros. Records.
In 2004 Worley teamed with producer/publisher/hit songwriter/artist manager Wally Wilson and two other partners, to found Skyline Music Publishing. They have earned countless BMI and ASCAP Awards, and today the catalog boasts the works of Hugh Prestwood, Jimmy Yeary, The Henningsens, Jon Stone,Kelleigh Bannen, Tay Barton, Lisa Brokop, Adam Browder, Don Cook, Michael Davey, George Ducas, Jeremy Easley, Jen Foster, James Harrison, Sara Haze, Randy Houser, Tammy Hyler, Brandon Kinney, Jacob Lyda, Kelsey Mathews, Kim McLean, Hudson Moore, Paul Nelson, Terry Radigan, Chick Rains, Kevin Welch, Emma White, and Skylar Wilson.
A partial list of Worley’s production clients includes Lady Antebellum, Dixie Chicks, The Band Perry, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Collin Raye, Blake Shelton, Highway 101, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Cyndi Thomson, John Anderson, Gary Morris, Marie Osmond, Neil Diamond, Eddy Raven, Lisa Brokop, Desert Rose, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr. and Willie Nelson.
Collectively, Worley has achieved well over $1 billion in retail record sales during his career, so far. But discovering and developing new talent is the core of what he instinctively loves. And judging by the overwhelming response, it looks like Worley and Wilson’s latest venture, the live streaming online concert series Skyville Live is a perfect launch-pad.
The Producer’s Chair: How did Skyville Live originate?
Paul Worley: Skyville Live is something that Wallystarted dreaming of about a year and a half ago. The first show we had Gladys Knight, Martina McBride, and Estell. But ultimately, the real reason we want to develop Skyville Live as a brand is not just to serve up icons and stars, but to do artist development—to be a lens by which people discover new talent.
Wally is developing Skyville Live because we see that it’s something that people are hungry for. They’re hungry for really good quality audio and video performances on the internet. We all sit there and mess around with YouTube and 90 percent of it is crap. It’s just stuff to laugh at. But, Skyville Live will be really great music being really well performed with great audio. It is not designed to be listened to on your iPhone or computer. You can if you want to, but if you pull it up on your smart TV and listen on your stereo, you will be watching a concert that has that level of quality. Turns out that people love it. We’ve had real smooth sailing launching. So there may be an icon series and then we might develop Skyville II that’s all about new artists, and not necessarily artists we’re working with, just artists that we like.
We have a lot of big platforms and major organizations that are coming to us saying, “We want you.” It’s nice. Then there are all the questions, like “Will we have to change?” We are having those conversations.
PC: How was the second Skyville Live show with Kris Kristofferson, Lady Antebellum and Jason Isbell?
Worley: The show honored Kris Kristofferson. All of these great artists sang his songs, but the most incredible moment was him singing “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Just getting up there and croaking it out, sort of singing, but sort of not. Sort of reciting the poetry of the song. You realize that great songwriting is also poetry. It’s a literary endeavor as well as a musical one. Of course, that’s how the music business began—as a song publishing business before there was recording. It was all about songs and sheet music.
PC: From what I understand, someone can log on and watch the show live for free. So is it sponsor driven?
Worley: That could all change. We’ll continue to have sponsors and attract revenue that way, but we could also graduate to where there are different levels, the way Spotify does it, with basic but maybe with the premium you could view six different camera feeds and enjoy the show according to your own perspective. So, that would be a way of monetizing that. It can really grow. The danger is not outgrowing the quality of the experience.
PC: What’s in it for the artists, other than the experience and the exposure?
Worley: The artists are invested in the show that they’re in. They have an ongoing equity position. So, you know, every intention is that once we collect this content and find a partner on a platform that wants to do something bigger with it, we can package it differently and offer it up as a menu.
PC: What else is going on at Skyville?
Worley: We’ve tried a lot of stuff over the years but, including being a record company, but that failed. What we are now is an artist development company.
Our studio, which used to just be a rehearsal room, is a really good studio. So, I’ve got a whole new sound thanks to some of my friends that made me go and cut over here. It’s more like Motown or Memphis sound or Stax. It’s a small room. Everybody’s bleeding into everybody. You’ve got to get it right. But it sounds awesome, and the playing is fantastic because you’re just that close together.
PC: Are you developing artists for other labels?
Worley: Yeah. Honestly it’s anybody that will have me. I’m just open and grateful to be making music. Generally, if I’m not making music I’m not a very happy person. So, I spent a whole lot of the last two and a half years working for free. Like 90 percent of it. But I’ve been here before. This is where you retool and reinvent yourself, hopefully.
PC: Who are you working with right now?
Worley: I’m currently working with Chris Issak. Chris is an icon and I’ve always admired him. The last two days with Chris have been fantastic. It’s great when you get in the studio with someone who has had a long career, has experience making records and knowledge of himself as an artist.
I’m also going to be working with Ryan Kinder. Ryan is a new artist at Warner. The others are Fiona Culley, Taylor Watson, they’re unsigned, and Shelley Skidmore. We made music, and now they’re looking to either get signed or do it the indie way.
PC: How do producers make a living today?
Worley: I didn’t get into it because it was profitable. I starved for eight years like everyone else, and then got by for another 10. I did it because I love it. It’s all I ever wanted to do. All I can say is, you just have to do that and be happy with the life that you’re given. The new guys—if you’re not a hit songwriter you may never make the kind of money that I made as a standalone producer, but if you water down your music because you decide for business reasons that you have to be a writer, you’re going to produce a lot of crap. I don’t want to know how that feels.
If I was starting out now I would recognize that I have to be a writer and I have to be a publisher in order to be a producer. In fact, I’m trying to create an artist development company that does those things as part of the recipe of developing artists. Unfortunately, I am not a songwriter.
Who knew five years ago that streaming was going to be the thing? And because there’s no negotiation about royalties relative to streaming, the producers are just cut out. So, even if I have a hit, people will probably stream it or buy the one song. The days of creating an album with ten songs and people buying that big chunk of music and taking time to sit down and listen are—I hope just temporarily—behind us.
So, I’m thankful that I made my bones and my living in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. But anyway, I think it’s temporary. I still wake up hopeful every day.
But unfortunately for us, we’ve lost a whole generation of country listeners. We’ll have to gain them back. That’s going to show itself over the next five years.
PC: Have we lost them because the artists they love don’t get enough airplay?
Worley: What’s getting airplay is a narrow slice of music that’s attractive to a small slice of the people overall that would listen to country music. So, we’ve left a lot on the table. Music has a way of fighting its way out.
The good thing about streaming is that you can create your own playlists. You can go in and graze and discover new music. Or maybe you say, “I’d like to spend today listening to Steely Dan.” And bam it happens! So, there’s a lot of good. It’s just that it hasn’t been figured out, and nobody’s anxious to hurry up and pay us for our art. But they will eventually.
PC: What is the most important lesson you learned about running a label?
Worley: Don’t. And I had to do it twice to learn it. Creative people should be creative. You get mired inside the business structure and it can contaminate your mind, heart and soul. It’s marketing, and it’s relevant. Because without a hit at radio, careers don’t happen. But it shouldn’t have anything to do with the creative process.
PC: What concerns you about our music community, long-term?
Worley: I think the really great writers will always be. I’m more worried about the musicians in the community, they are really suffering. They’re getting paid shit.
Back in the day there was a musician’s special payments trust fund created by the record labels. It was a pool of money. Today, the labels are demanding that they get paid less and less. They’re getting no royalties, no job security, no benefits.
It is sick, but nobody is talking about paying the musicians—these wonderful, gifted, dedicated people.
What do you tell artists about song selection and songwriting?
Artists that don’t write get signed all the time, but that doesn’t stop them from writing.
I tell artists until I’m blue in the face: Don’t be concerned about where your songs come from. It doesn’t matter to anybody but you, whether you wrote the song or not. The main thing is that you should always do great songs. If you’re in a down cycle as a writer and you’re not writing great songs, be smart enough to realize that and go refresh yourself with some great songs. That will feed you. You’ll get back into your game as a writer, if you get out of the rut you’re in, but you’re going to have to get some external information in your soul, in order to do that.
PC: What are the keys to songwriter development?
Worley: Well, you’ve got to look for somebody that has their own spark, to start with. That’s got something more than, “I want to be a songwriter.” It’s got to be somebody who has their own melodies and their own points of view. You can’t teach genius. The guys and gals that have been around for a while just sit and listen to songs and go, “The second verse ought to be the first verse. Throw away the first verse. Now you’ve got to write a second verse. It’s going to be hard. You’ve got to amplify the story. If you’re going to write a bridge, it better be a song unto itself. If it’s not, then you don’t need a bridge. Just throw a solo in there, and get the hell out.” Go back and listen to songs. Go back for decades. Listen to Tin Pan Alley songs. Listen to every kind. Understand what it is in these timeless songs that makes them timeless.
MusicRowPics: Denny Strickland
/by Jessica NicholsonDenny Strickland artist visit. Photo: Kelsey Grady
Jonesboro, Ark., native Denny Strickland was immersed in various types of music, from classic rock to traditional country, while growing up on his family’s farm. A performer from an early age, this self-taught guitarist and singer is also a touring veteran, having criss-crossed the nation on the horse show circuit as an American Quarter Horse champion. The experience made the transition to pursue a career in country music a natural one for Strickland.
Strickland, along with guitarist Andrew Timothy and cajon player Jeremy Warren, showcased his new music with a brief set at MusicRow’s Nashville office.
He began with current single, “Swerve On,” an up-tempo, barroom country thumper that finds the singer ramping up the confidence to talk to a lady who has caught his interest. Switching gears, Strickland showcased his musical versatility, commanding a cover of Staind’s “It’s Been Awhile” with equal ease.
He closed with the single-worthy tune “My Kind of Crowd.”
Strickland, who currently resides just outside of Nashville, has been visiting numerous stations during his recent radio tour. “We are just taking it one day at a time, and really enjoying getting the music out there to country radio, and ultimately to the fans.”
Denny Strickland visits with MusicRow staff.
Eric Church To Christen Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater
/by Jessica NicholsonEric Church. Photo: Mike Coppola
Eric Church will help launch Nashville’s new Ascend Amphitheater, located at Riverfront Park, with a solo acoustic performance on July 30. Tickets for Church’s show will go on sale April 30, at 10 a.m. The concert, as well as the full fall 2015 music lineup for the amphitheater, was announced by Mayor Karl Dean and Live Nation during a press conference this morning in Nashville.
“The newest addition to Music City’s live music scene will get off to a great start with a concert from Eric Church, who represents what’s great about Music City,” Mayor Dean said. “His songs can’t be confined to just one genre; he draws from country, rock and other types of music that help make the scene here in Nashville so vibrant and eclectic.”
The opening celebration will also include a concert from classic rock bands Earth, Wind and Fire, with Chicago, on Aug. 1.
The 6,800 capacity amphitheater will feature a large 100 foot by 60 foot stage providing panoramic views and terrific sight-lines from every seat in the venue. It will be part of the 10-acre Riverfront Park, which also opens on July 30.
On Aug. 2, an open house will be held at the park and Ascend Amphitheater from 1-5 p.m., featuring behind-the-scenes tours and performances from local bands.
The Nashville Symphony’s Alan Valentine, Mayor Karl Dean, Music City Music Council chair Ed Hardy, Ascend Federal Credit Union’s Caren Gabriel, Live Nation president of North American Concerts Bob Roux, and many others were in attendance to announce the venue’s name, concert lineup, and opening date.
“Ascend Amphitheater is a perfect complement to Music City’s wide array of other world-class performance spaces and is destined to become one of the most iconic open-air venues ever built,” said Roux. “We thank Mayor Dean and the City of Nashville for their vision and dedication to develop an absolutely perfect venue on one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. The Ascend Amphitheater was designed for live music fans and the artists we have the privilege to work with, and I can’t wait for everyone to come together and enjoy it.”
The amphitheater will also serve as an outdoor home for the Nashville Symphony, with the symphony’s first full season at the amphitheater beginning in 2016.
Riverfront Park will include 10 acres of gardens, 1 mile of paths, a 13,000-square-foot dog park, two half-court basketball courts, exercise facilities, and more.
Riverfront Park and the amphitheater will also become the new home for Music City’s biggest events, including the annual July 4th celebration, “Let Freedom Sing.” In addition the New Year’s Eve event will also attempt to incorporate use of the space.
See a video about the venue.
Ascend Amphitheater’s 2015 fall music season lineup
Eric Church—July 30
Earth, Wind, & Fire; and Chicago—Aug. 1
Phish— Aug. 4
Jill Scott—Aug. 5
Counting Crows, Citizen Cope and Hollis Brown—Aug. 7
Steely Dan and Elvis Costello—Aug. 8
The Smashing Pumpkins and Marilyn Manson—Aug. 9
NEEDTOBREATHE, Switchfoot, Drew Holcomb and Colony House—Aug. 14
Idina Menzel—Aug. 15
Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick—Aug. 16
Sublime with Rome, Rebelution, Pepper and Mickey Avalon—Aug. 18
Australian Pink Floyd with LedZepplin2—Aug. 22
Old Crow Medicine Show—Aug. 28
Under The Sun Tour—Aug. 29
ZZ Top with Blackberry Smoke—Sept. 1
Widespread Panic—Sept. 5-6
Americanafest on the Riverfront (presented by AEG Live)—Sept. 19
Daryl Hall and John Oates—Sept. 23
Lynyrd Skynyrd—Oct. 2
Chris Tomlin (in partnership with Awakening Events)—Oct. 8
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals with Lake Street Drive (in partnership with NS2)—Oct. 10
Industry Pics: Belmont University, KingSpirit Music, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
/by Kelsey_GradyBelmont University Honors Michael W. Smith with the Applause Award
Belmont University’s School of Music honored acclaimed singer, songwriter, and musician Michael W. Smith with the Applause Award at Saturday night’s annual President’s Concert. The Applause Award is the most distinguished award presented by Belmont’s College of Visual and Performing Arts and is given annually to honor those who have made significant contributions to the arts.
Michael W. Smith accepting Belmont University’s School of Music Applause Award
KingSpirit Music Loans Original Song Lyrics to Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
KingSpirit Music publisher Todd Wilkes has loaned the original lyrics to “The Song Remembers When,” written by Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Hugh Prestwood, to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, for a future display in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gallery. The song was a No. 1 hit recorded by Trisha Yearwood, as well as the title track of her 1993 album for MCA Nashville.
“The Song Remembers When” landed Prestwood the Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music and Lyrics” and the NSAI Song Of The Year. After the song was recorded, Prestwood presented his original lyrics to publisher, Todd Wilkes, as a token of thanks for placing the song for Prestwood.
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is located on the first floor of the Music City Center, at 201 5th Ave. S.
Pictured (L-R): Hall of Fame member Layng Martine Jr., Hall of Fame member Hugh Prestwood, Hall of Fame member/Board Chair Pat Alger, Todd Wilkes
John Anderson Finds His ‘Goldmine’
/by Troy_Stephenson“With Goldmine, I thought, first off, I’m going to take my songs into the studio and make a record like I think it ought to be made, without all those other influences,” Anderson says. “I’m more pleased with the sound of this record than I have been in a long time.”
The first single, “I Work a Lot Better” will be shipped to radio on May 11.
Anderson is a member of the Nashville Songwriteres Hall Of Fame and is currently on tour.
Goldmine Track Listing and Songwriters:
1. Freedom Isn’t Free (John Anderson/James C. Hicks Sr.)
2. Magic Mama (Merle Haggard)
3. Back Home (John Anderson/Jimmy Stevens/Jeff Farr)
4.Goldmine (John Anderson/Josh Turner)
5. Happily Ever After (John Anderson/James C. Hicks Sr.)
6. I Work A lot Better (John Anderson/Josh Turner)
7. I Will Cross O’er the River (John Anderson)
8. Louisiana Son Of A Beast (John Anderson/Bill Emerson/Jody Emerson)
9. Holdin’ On (John Anderson/Jimmy Stevens)
10. Song the Mountain Sings (John Anderson/Buddy Cannon)
11. On And On And On… (John Anderson/Jimmy Fortune)
12. Don’t Forget To Thank the Lord (John Anderson/John Rich)
13. You All Are Beautiful (John Anderson/James C. Hicks Sr.)
BMI’s Basement East Showcase Series To Highlight Indie Writers
/by Jessica NicholsonThe series aims to highlight Nashville’s eclectic independent music scene, with the first show featuring alt-country artist Cody Brooks, pop singer Andrea Davidson, and Southern funk band Joel & The Gents.
“This is a great way to support our songwriters,” says Clay Bradley, BMI’s Associate Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations. “We’re dedicated to developing and highlighting our many talented acts, and we’re thrilled to be able to do this at The Beast.”
The Beast is the sister venue to the legendary Basement venue, home to BMI’s quarterly Buzz at the Basement up-and-coming songwriter series.
“It’s been growing for a while,” says BMI singer/songwriter Brooks. “It is a ground floor movement, not even that, it’s underground. Hell… it’s in a basement, and the roots of this city give us shelter. What a brave move incorporated (BMI) to feed the belly of the Beast.”
Warner Music Nashville Signs Chris Janson
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Kevin Herring, SVP Promotion, Warner Music Nashville; Scott Hendricks, EVP A&R, WMN; Chris Janson; John Esposito, President & CEO WMN. Photo: Mary Catherine Rebrovick
Singer-songwriter Chris Janson has inked a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records through Warner Music Nashville. The Missouri native joins a label roster that includes artists Blake Shelton, Hunter Hayes, Brett Eldredge, Ashley Monroe, and more.
Janson recently notched a No. 1 on the iTunes country chart with his independent single “Buy Me A Boat,” after iHeartMedia radio talent Bobby Bones played the song on his morning show, which is aired on more than 80 radio stations. He has also partnered with CMT for the song’s music video.
The country singer-songwriter has opened for Florida Georgia Line, Merle Haggard, and Hank Williams, Jr. Janson co-wrote Tim McGraw’s single “Truck Yeah.”
“Artistry, passion and hard work are the driving force here at Warner Music Nashville and Chris Janson exemplifies those very qualities,” said WMN President and CEO John Esposito. “The guy played 16 hours a day at Tootsie’s for a year and he’s played the Opry almost a hundred times. Man, that’s dedication and playing for the love of the music. Our VP of A&R Cris Lacy has been championing and following his decade-long path in Nashville and we’re ecstatic to welcome such a unique talent to the WMN family.”
“I knew from the first meeting in Espo’s office with this team, that Warner Bros. is where I was going to be and I appreciated the passion and love that I felt from the building,” said Janson. “I couldn’t be any more excited, and genuinely thankful for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to a long career with Warner.”
iHeartMedia has now added Janson to its “On The Verge Artist” program. Through the program, “Buy Me A Boat” will air on 140 country radio stations for six weeks, beginning May 4. The program includes on-air exposure and significant digital and social support across iHeartMedia’s network.
“As soon as our country music programmers heard Chris Janson’s music, we knew he would be perfect for our ‘On The Verge Artist’ program,” said Clay Hunnicutt, Executive Vice President and General Manager of National Programming Platforms for iHeartMedia. “Discovering breakthrough artists like Janson and connecting them to new fans nationwide is what the ‘On The Verge Artist’ program is all about, and we know our country radio listeners will agree.”
DISClaimer: An Eclectic, Star-Studded Lineup
/by Robert K OermannBrett Eldredge
Is it because of Sunday’s ACM telecast that so many stars are lined up for this week’s column?
George Strait, Brett Eldredge, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are all on tap. As are such familiar names as Emerson Drive, Kid Rock and Little Texas.
Sure enough, one of them has the Disc of the Day. It’s Brett Eldredge. By the way, the reason there are so many writers and publishers listed on the disc is that it interpolates some of the 2006 Gnarls Barkley pop smash “Crazy.”
The winner of this week’s DisCovery Award is a burly-looking Indiana fellow named Allan Craig Miller. I don’t know when I have heard a debut single that is this consistently excellent on so many levels.
LUKE BRYAN/Games
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Capitol Nashville
-They play juvenile head games with one another, to the point where he doesn’t know if he’s winning or losing. Who cares? How come they always wind up at the same bars and the same parties? And why is this performed as if this was all something deeply profound?
KID ROCK/First Kiss
Writers: R.J. Ritchie/M. Young; Producer: Kid Rock/Dann Huff; Publishers: RJR/Kobalt/Jo Ray Dean/Bluewater, BMI; Warner Bros.
-Blue-collar rock, like most of his singles. He doesn’t have much range as an artist, but what he does, he does well.
GEORGE STRAIT/Let It Go
Writers: George Strait/Bubba Strait/Keith Gattis; Producers: Chuck Ainlay/George Strait; Publishers: Day Money/Horipro/Living for the Night/Sony-ATV Tree/Pioneer Town, ASCAP/BMI; MCA Nashville
-The loping, lackadaisical pace suits his laid-back delivery and the song’s easy-going philosophy. He still sounds great. I wish there were more like him.
COREY SMITH/Feet Wet
Writers: Corey Smith; Producer: Keith Stegall; Publisher: Shooting Moon, ASCAP; Sugar Hill (track)
-Ten albums into his career, this singer-songwriter turns to country pro Stegall as his producer. The result is a wonderfully catchy single with built-in sunshine. Come on in, the water’s fine.
BRETT ELDREDGE/Lose My Mind
Writers: Brett Eldredge/Heather Morgan/Ross Copperman, others; Producers: Ross Copperman/Brett Eldredge; Publishers: Sony-ATV Countryside/Paris Not France/EMI Blackwood/Songs by Red Room, BMI, others; Atlantic
-I love how “alive” and in-your-face his vocal sounds. That’s especially cool because of the really snazzy production that’s behind it. A very, very hip and forward-looking record.
Allan Craig Miller
ALLAN CRAIG MILLER/Between Saturday & Sunday
Writers: Erik Halbig/Todd Taylor; Producer: Erik Halbig; Publishers: Curucu/Magic Mustang, BMI; Gray Area (CDX)
-This is a splendid, jaunty, bouncing, blue-collar thumper just made for dancing. The lyric hook is ultra-cool: “I need one more day between Saturday and Sunday.” Don’t we all? Play this. Country fans are gonna love it a heap.
LITTLE TEXAS/Can’t Get In A Hurry Here
Writers: D. Gray/P. Howell/D. O’Brien; Producers: Anthony Martin/Little Texas; Publishers: Del Yeah/P-90/Writer’s Den/Songs O’Brien, ASCAP; Cleopatra (CDX)
-Listless and sleepy. Maybe that’s the whole idea behind the song, but I still wanted to nod off.
JASON ALDEAN/Tonight Looks Good On You
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Broken Bow (ERG)
-The terrific, deep-sonic, echoey, full-blooded production is the finest of his career to date. It creates the perfect cushion for his delivery of the deliriously romantic lyric. A smash.
GARTH SHAW/California Dreamin’
Writers: John Phillips/Michelle Phillips; Producers: Garth Shaw/Dan Mitchell; Publisher: Universal, ASCAP; Roadie (track)
-He’s billed as, “the original singing roadie.” Shaw has been road managing for decades with stars such as Kenny Rogers, Sawyer Brown and The Starland Vocal Band. Now, at age 65, he’s releasing his first EP. It contains three of his original tunes, a couple of Rick Nelson covers and this Mamas & Papas classic. The original had those big echo-chamber vocals. Shaw’s “dry” delivery gives the familiar song the quality of a folk tune.
EMERSON DRIVE/Who We Are
Writers: none listed; Producers: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Big Star (ERG)
-In praise of everyday folks who go to happy hour, wear ball caps, save their pennies and treat each other kindly. Nice thump in the backbeat, banjo droplets and spoken-word encouraging interjections. Quite listenable.
Billy Currington To Release ‘Summer Forever’ in June
/by Jessica NicholsonWith producer Dann Huff at the helm, the project features song from writers including Ashley Gorley, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Cole Swindell, Florida Georgia Line and Jimmy Robbins.
“Making this album was such a blast for me. I put a lot of love into this project and couldn’t be more excited for fans to hear the new music,” shares Currington. “Summer Forever for me represents a positive, happy, good time lifestyle and that’s what I hope the fans feel when they hear this record.”
Currington will no doubt include songs from his forthcoming album when he joins Tim McGraw‘s Shotgun Rider Tour this summer. The tour launches in Little Rock, Ark., on June 5 and includes a stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Aug. 15.
Summer Forever Track Listing:
1. Don’t It
Written by Jaren Johnston, Ashley Gorley and Ross Copperman
2. Drinkin’ Town With A Football Problem
Written by Aaron Henningsen, Brian Henningsen, Clara Henningsen, Elizabeth McDavid Elkins and Vanessa Ann Olivarez
3. Wake Me Up
Written by Josh Osborne, Jimmy Robbins and Ashley Gorley
4. Good Night (Featuring Jessie James)
Written by Daniel Tashian, Claire Guerreso and Rosi Golan
5. Jonesin’
Written by Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins and Hillary Lindsey
6. Give It To Me Straight
Written by Abe Stoklasa and Mark Trussell
7. It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To
Written by Billy Currington, Cary Barlowe and Shy Carter
8. Nowhere Town
Written by Aimee Mayo-Lindsey, Chris Lindsey and Josh Osborne
9. Do I Make You Wanna
Written by Ashley Gorley, Zach Crowell, Matt Jenkins and Jerry Flowers
10. Sweet Love
Written by Donovan Woods, Madeleine Slate and Dan Swinimer
11. Soundtrack
Written by Bobby Huff and Ben Burgess
12. Summer Forever*
Written by Cole Swindell, Jaren Johnston, Brian Kelley, Tyler Hubbard and Jesse Frasure
Produced by Dann Huff
*Produced by Dann Huff and Jesse Frasure
Schedule Set For CMA Music Fest’s Nightly Concerts
/by Sarah SkatesThe event will be held June 11-14. Four-day tickets, which include access to the nightly concerts, are sold out.
LP Field Schedule
Thursday, June 11: Alan Jackson, Sam Hunt, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean
Friday, June 12: The Oak Ridge Boys, Lee Brice, Maddie & Tae, Randy Houser, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan
Saturday, June 13: Wynonna & The Big Noise, Chris Young, Thomas Rhett, Brett Eldredge, Little Big Town
Sunday, June 14: Neal McCoy, Cole Swindell, Darius Rucker, Eric Church, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley