Pictured (L-R): Kent Earls (Universal Music Group), Mike Dungan (Capitol Nashville), Jody Williams (BMI), LeAnn Phelan (ASCAP), Dann Huff (producer), David Preston (BMI), seated: Keith Urban (singer-songwriter), JT Harding (songwriter)
Music industry members gathered yesterday (March 18) at Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame to celebrate Keith Urban’s 17th No. 1 single, “Somewhere In My Car.” The soiree was presented by ASCAP and BMI, in honor of ASCAP writer JT Harding, BMI writer Urban, as well as the song’s producer Dann Huff.
Publishers/administrators on the song include Songs of Universal, Mary Rose Music, Heavy Metal Disco, Mighty Seven, and Songs of SMP.
The afternoon began with a performance of “Somewhere In My Car” by Urban, followed by songwriter tributes from ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan and BMI’s Jody Williams.
“The Nashville community knows JT as a songwriter, but there is so much more to know,” Phelan said of Harding. “He’s written three No. 1 smashes in country so far and we can’t forget the awesome song ‘Smile’ by Uncle Kracker that he co-wrote. This Detroit native also has a career as a rock star, indie film actor, he’s toured Afghanistan playing for the troops, and he has a Broadway musical under his belt. This past summer, the musical ‘Somewhere With You’ played 14 shows in New York’s musical theater festival on Broadway. It featured 17 of his songs, and now there are talks of a longer run on Broadway. He’s the only guy I know who stands up during his guitar solos at the Bluebird Café.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since he celebrated his first No. 1 with ‘But For The Grace of God,” said BMI’s Williams. “In that time, his BMI catalog has generated some amazing stats. Today we present to Keith his latest BMI Million-Air Awards.” BMI’s Millionaire awards are given to songs that generate more than 1 million spins on radio. Urban picked up Million-Air awards yesterday for “Kiss a Girl,” “For You,” “Long Hot Summer,” “Put You In A Song,” “Sweet Thing,” and “Til Summer Comes Around.”
Additional Million-Air awards were announced for Urban’s songs “Better Life” (2 million radio performances), “Days Go By,” “Who Wouldn’t Want To Be Me” and “But For The Grace of God,” (3 million radio performances each), and “Somebody Like You” (4 million).
“Your songs are powerful and stand the test of time. The most exciting part is that you keep adding new ones like ‘Somewhere In My Car.’ BMI is proud to represent you,” said Williams.
Universal Music Publishing’s Kent Earls said, “Thank you for letting us wave your banner and represent your songs. You are a great ambassador for both country music and Nashville and we are proud to work with you.”
Capitol Nashville CEO Mike Dungan noted that “Somewhere In My Car” is the third No. 1 from Urban’s gold-album Fuse. “I came to Capitol almost 15 years ago and there wasn’t much there. As a matter of fact, it was a disaster,” said Dungan. “But there was this bright shining light in the corner that was so far ahead of the curve that it was frightening. As you can imagine, not everybody understood what he was about. Nobody had done what he did. That was like pushing a rock up the hill, but Capitol and Keith did it. Everything since then has been the realization of the talent that is Keith Urban. This man, more than anyone, has made a difference. We know what an incredible musician he is, but he’s also one of the most incredible human beings I’ve ever known. Every time I’m around him, he inspires and we are honored.”
Appropriately, Avenue Bank announced a donation on behalf of the songwriters to the Musicians Hall of Fame. Additional award presentations were made by the Country Music Association and Country Radio Broadcasters.
MusicRow Pics: Bryson Jennings Previews Tunes From Upcoming EP
/by Jessica NicholsonBryson Jennings. Photo: Kelsey Grady
South Carolina native Bryson Jennings has been making the rounds in Nashville for approximately three years, and he’s already picked up co-writing sessions with with artist-writers including Darius Rucker, Cole Swindell and Gloriana.
The singer-songwriter has parlayed his writing talents into a forthcoming EP (co-produced by John Kennedy) and a debut single. Jennings stopped by MusicRow this week to preview some of his tunes for staffers.
“Young Nights,” his current single, released to radio on Feb. 16. The song is a tribute to his South Carolina upbringing. “As songwriters, cell phones have replaced pen and paper for a lot of us,” he said. “I had this idea for a song written in my phone and went to hang out with some guys at Hilton Head. We do this trip every year, and we usually get into a bit of trouble on those trips. I came back and I was in that mindframe of seeing all your buddies you haven’t seen in a while.” Jennings is gearing up to shoot a video for the song in April.
During his MusicRow visit, Jennings also offered tunes “I Can’t Right Now” and a song he calls “a failed pickup line,” titled “Buy You A Drink.”
Prior to his career in music, Jennings worked as a first mate on sport fishing boats. “It took a lot of long hours. The first mate maintains the boats, and there is a lot of fishing technique involved as well. These guys are on these expensive boats and could spend up to $7,000 in fuel, so they don’t want to miss a bunch of fish. You might leave the dock at 4:30 a.m. and get back at 5 p.m., and put in a few more hours of work maintaining the boat.”
His job took him up and down the Eastern seaboard, as well as to Bermuda, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and other locales, before Jennings gave up life at sea to make the move to Nashville to pursue music full-time.
Jennings’ professional and personal life are both in fast forward. The singer-songwriter is getting married this weekend in South Carolina.
Bryson Jennings visits with MusicRow staffers. Photo: Kelsey Grady
NBC Picks Up Pilot For Songwriter Competition ‘Songland’
/by Jessica NicholsonMusicRow has confirmed that Audrey Morrissey, executive producer for NBC’s The Voice, and The Voice coach Adam Levine, have partnered with Dave Stewart on a series titled Songland. The show’s pilot has been picked up by NBC.
If the pilot gets an order for a series, Songland will highlight songwriters who get the chance to pitch their compositions to producers and artists in the music industry, in hopes of securing an artist’s next smash hit.
Songland is being produced by Live Animals, as well as Dave Stewart Entertainment and Levine’s 222 Productions.
No confirmed details are available as to whether Nashville-related publishers and industry execs will be part of the show.
Road Crew Key To Touring Success
/by Sarah SkatesShowing the manpower and money that goes into a tour, Eric Church’s run is a $19 million production, including about $2 million to pay the crew. Each date requires 170 tons of equipment, 100+ crew members, 18-hour days, 14 trucks, 12 buses, and six hours of set up (CBS News).
The touring industry continues to thrive, and road crews are a key part of any outing’s success. In 2014, Pollstar valued the North American concert industry at $6.2 billion.
This week The Wall Street Journal examined the world of roadies, or concert technicians. The article discusses their widely varying income ($200 to $1,500 a day), personal sacrifices (hard on relationships), lifestyle on tour (museums, anyone?), females on the road (8 in a crew of 60) and the technical proficiency required for the gig (reading 200-page manuals on guitar effects).
Among those featured in the article are Jimmy Davis, stage manager for Hank Williams Jr., who also works at Nashville event production company LogiCom. Davis told the paper he brings home almost six figures a year.
Also featured is guitar tech Tom Weber (Van Halen, Poison, Reba McEntire, Lyle Lovett) who earns about $200,000 in a good year. He says, “We’re the Marines of the music business.”
Read more here.
CMHoF’s ‘Nashville Cats’ Exhibit To Offer Book, Album
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City Presented by Citi will open Friday, March 27. The exhibit will be accompanied by a 112-page companion book of the same name.
Published by Country Music Foundation Press and distributed by the Hal Leonard Corporation, the book will include a foreword by Rosanne Cash, essay by curator Pete Finney, and essay about the Johnny Cash Show by Johnny Cash expert Michael Streissguth. The cover, a painting of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, is by artist and musician Jon Langford and was commissioned for the exhibit.
Additionally, a two-disc music compilation will be released this summer via the museum’s CMF Records and Sony Legacy Recordings. The discs will include a previously unreleased version of Dylan’s “If Not For You,” featuring Lloyd Green on pedal steel. Additional recordings on the compilation include Joan Baez‘s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” the Byrds‘ “You Ain’t Going Nowhere,” J.J. Cale‘s “Crazy Mama,” Cash’s “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” Neil Young‘s “Heart of Gold,” Simon & Garfunkel‘s “The Boxer,” and more.
The project’s liner notes will include work from Tracy Nelson, as well as song notes by Finney and Museum Editor Michael Gray.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City Presented by Citi will run through Dec. 31, 2016.
Nashville Dancin’ Will Not Return For 2015
/by Jessica Nicholson“The revitalization of this iconic community event breathed a new life into Thursday nights and the summer landscape of downtown Nashville,” said founder Tom Morales of TomKats, Inc. “However, at this time, a continued investment in Nashville Dancin’ no longer makes sense. We look forward to supporting Nashville and the local music scene through other TomKats events this summer season.”
TomKats will continue to produce community, “pop-up” and turnkey events with their own infrastructure, including stage, production, concessions, strategic planning and logistics.
‘Lonely Tonight’ Earns Shelton Most Consecutive No. 1 Singles
/by Eric T. ParkerThe ACM-nominated duet with label mate Ashley Monroe is has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As the second single from Bringing Back The Sunshine, the title marks Shelton’s 19th No. 1 overall and 18th Gold-certified single to date.
The country superstar is preparing to co-host the 50th ACM Awards on April 19 with Luke Bryan at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas where he is also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year. He returns as a coach for his eighth season of NBC’s The Voice this spring after celebrating his fourth win as a coach last season with contestant Craig Wayne Boyd, now signed to BMLG’s Dot Records.
Weekly Chart Report (3/20/15)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report
Industry Ink: Berklee College, GrassRoots Promotion, TackleBox Films
/by Jessica NicholsonJim Ed Norman Honored by Berklee College of Music
Pictured (L-R): Stephen Webber, program director for music technology at Berklee’s Valencia campus; Pat Pattison, professor of songwriting; Curb Group CEO Jim Ed Norman; Jay Kennedy, vice president for academic affairs. Photo: Chris Hollo.
Berklee College of Music presented its first American Master Awards on Tuesday (March 17) in Nashville, to Curb Group CEO Jim Ed Norman; Grand Ole Opry vice president and general manager Pete Fisher; and Eddie Bayers, drummer on more than 300 gold and platinum records.
The inaugural American Master Awards celebrate the 30th anniversary of the college’s Nashville student trip. The awards were presented at Opry Studio following a Grand Ole Opry concert by Larry Gatlin, The Willis Clan, Lee Greenwood, and alumnus Charlie Worsham.
For 30 years, a group of Berklee students have spent their spring break in Nashville, getting an intensive, in-depth look at the music industry and gaining invaluable insight through clinics and workshops with accomplished alumni artists, songwriters, producers, and engineers. The trip, which began with five students, has grown to 120 students per year, led by Pat Pattison, professor of songwriting, and Stephen Webber, program director for music technology at Berklee’s Valencia campus. More than 3,000 students have attended the program since its inception.
GrassRoots Promotion Expands Staff
RJ Jordan
GrassRoots Promotion has added Rick “RJ” Jordan as Music Row Promotion Manager, effective March 23. Jordan currently serves as PD/PM Driver at Lloyd Lane Inc.’s WCJW in Warsaw, N.Y. His last day is March 20.
Managing Partner Nancy Tunick says, ”We are extremely excited to have RJ join our team as he is a passionate, persistent, detail-oriented, experienced promoter. You don’t find that combination often!”
Jordan will be based in Rochester, N.Y. and can be reached at rj@grassrootspromotion.com or 615-335-0718.
Silva’s TackleBox Films To Premiere ‘Nashville Flipped’ on HGTV Tonight
The show features local home flipper, Troy Dean Schafer and interior designer Alexandria Cirimelli, as they try to restore a 1930s east Nashville home.
Nashville Celebrates Keith Urban’s 17th Chart-Topper
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Kent Earls (Universal Music Group), Mike Dungan (Capitol Nashville), Jody Williams (BMI), LeAnn Phelan (ASCAP), Dann Huff (producer), David Preston (BMI), seated: Keith Urban (singer-songwriter), JT Harding (songwriter)
Music industry members gathered yesterday (March 18) at Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame to celebrate Keith Urban’s 17th No. 1 single, “Somewhere In My Car.” The soiree was presented by ASCAP and BMI, in honor of ASCAP writer JT Harding, BMI writer Urban, as well as the song’s producer Dann Huff.
Publishers/administrators on the song include Songs of Universal, Mary Rose Music, Heavy Metal Disco, Mighty Seven, and Songs of SMP.
The afternoon began with a performance of “Somewhere In My Car” by Urban, followed by songwriter tributes from ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan and BMI’s Jody Williams.
“The Nashville community knows JT as a songwriter, but there is so much more to know,” Phelan said of Harding. “He’s written three No. 1 smashes in country so far and we can’t forget the awesome song ‘Smile’ by Uncle Kracker that he co-wrote. This Detroit native also has a career as a rock star, indie film actor, he’s toured Afghanistan playing for the troops, and he has a Broadway musical under his belt. This past summer, the musical ‘Somewhere With You’ played 14 shows in New York’s musical theater festival on Broadway. It featured 17 of his songs, and now there are talks of a longer run on Broadway. He’s the only guy I know who stands up during his guitar solos at the Bluebird Café.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since he celebrated his first No. 1 with ‘But For The Grace of God,” said BMI’s Williams. “In that time, his BMI catalog has generated some amazing stats. Today we present to Keith his latest BMI Million-Air Awards.” BMI’s Millionaire awards are given to songs that generate more than 1 million spins on radio. Urban picked up Million-Air awards yesterday for “Kiss a Girl,” “For You,” “Long Hot Summer,” “Put You In A Song,” “Sweet Thing,” and “Til Summer Comes Around.”
Additional Million-Air awards were announced for Urban’s songs “Better Life” (2 million radio performances), “Days Go By,” “Who Wouldn’t Want To Be Me” and “But For The Grace of God,” (3 million radio performances each), and “Somebody Like You” (4 million).
“Your songs are powerful and stand the test of time. The most exciting part is that you keep adding new ones like ‘Somewhere In My Car.’ BMI is proud to represent you,” said Williams.
Universal Music Publishing’s Kent Earls said, “Thank you for letting us wave your banner and represent your songs. You are a great ambassador for both country music and Nashville and we are proud to work with you.”
Capitol Nashville CEO Mike Dungan noted that “Somewhere In My Car” is the third No. 1 from Urban’s gold-album Fuse. “I came to Capitol almost 15 years ago and there wasn’t much there. As a matter of fact, it was a disaster,” said Dungan. “But there was this bright shining light in the corner that was so far ahead of the curve that it was frightening. As you can imagine, not everybody understood what he was about. Nobody had done what he did. That was like pushing a rock up the hill, but Capitol and Keith did it. Everything since then has been the realization of the talent that is Keith Urban. This man, more than anyone, has made a difference. We know what an incredible musician he is, but he’s also one of the most incredible human beings I’ve ever known. Every time I’m around him, he inspires and we are honored.”
Appropriately, Avenue Bank announced a donation on behalf of the songwriters to the Musicians Hall of Fame. Additional award presentations were made by the Country Music Association and Country Radio Broadcasters.
Spirit Music Group Acquires StyleSonic Catalog
/by Jessica NicholsonThrough the deal, Spirit will add four No. 1 country hits to its portfolio, including SESAC Song of the Year “Drink To That All Night” by Jerrod Niemann, “Highway Don’t Care” by Tim McGraw ft. Taylor Swift, “Feel That Fire” by Dierks Bentley, and “It Felt Good On My Lips” by McGraw.
The StyleSonic catalog also features over 15 Top 20 country songs spanning the last decade. Other key copyrights in the catalog include “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith, “If You’re Reading This” by Tim McGraw, “Beer with Jesus” by Thomas Rhett, “Nine Lives” by Def Leppard ft. Tim McGraw, “Shinin’ On Me” by Niemann, “Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong” and “Teenage Daughters” (both recorded by Martina McBride).
David Renzer, Chairman, Spirit Music Group, said, “The acquisition of the StyleSonic catalog fulfills multiple goals for Spirit, including continuing our aggressive growth strategy via high quality catalog acquisitions, while also fulfilling the goal of helping build and strengthen our growing Spirit Music Nashville operation. We couldn’t be more pleased.”
Daniel Hill, President, Spirit Music Nashville, said, “We are thrilled to add these StyleSonic hits to the Spirit Music Nashville catalog, and we are equally excited to add such a wealth of yet-to-be-recorded songs from some of the hottest songwriters in today’s country market.”
Spirit Music Group’s expansion into country music also includes the recent acquisition of the established and successful Nashville-based independent music publisher, production, and artist management company Cal IV Entertainment, as well as last month’s acquisition of leading contemporary Christian catalog West Main Music.