After making her debut in the music as a contestant in the second season of NBC’s
The Voice, Texas native
RaeLynn’s effervescent personality, bold entertaining style, and strong Country voice captured the attention of coach
Blake Shelton, music fans and Nashville music industry execs alike.
After she got off the show, RaeLynn promptly signed a deal with Big Machine Label Group’s The Valory Music Co., and moved to Nashville at age 18. She credits Big Machine Label Group CEO/founder
Scott Borchetta with giving her the space to create her own distinct sound. “He really let me develop as an artist,” says RaeLynn. “I would give Scott new CDs each week. He knew if I kept writing, I would get better. And today I’m on a radio tour, singing songs I’m passionate about.”
RaeLynn, along with
Nicolle Galyon, Liz Rose and
Lori McKenna, penned her debut single, “God Made Girls.” The tune was completed in under two hours, and RaeLynn is proud that it was written by women of different ages. “You get so many perspectives on being a girl,” she says. The song is making an impact with radio listeners. “We’ve been at radio since April,” says
George Briner, VP of Promotion for The Valory Music Co. (BMLG). “The top comment we hear is that she’s the complete package. We hear from radio that some females have good voices, or only have good songs. RaeLynn is a 20-year-old that sings Country music and writes great songs. It’s time for Country radio to embrace Country females.”
RaeLynn previewed “God Made Girls,” as well as several other songs, during a recent with
MusicRow at BMLG’s Nashville offices. The light-hearted “Kissin’ Frogs” revels in the positive aspects of being single. “I get so much inspiration from conversations,” says RaeLynn. “I was talking to my mother about not having a boyfriend, and she said, ‘You don’t need to worry about boys, you are having fun kissing frogs.’”
The personal inspirations continued with the confessional title “Love Triangle,” which delves into the singer-songwriter’s feelings regarding her parents’ divorce when RaeLynn was three. “I wasn’t sure if this was a song that could be written,” said RaeLynn. “After the split up, I was the one relaying information back and forth. It’s about being in this love triangle with my mom and dad.” When RaeLynn recently made her Grand Ole Opry debut, approximately 50 friends and family—including her mother and father–traveled from her hometown of Baytown, Tx., to see the performance. “I was so proud to see them there.”
She wrapped the performance with a quirky rendition of the mega-popular “All About That Bass,” penned by her singer-songwriter friend
Meghan Trainor.
RaeLynn is currently working on her own full-length album with producer
Joey Moi (Jake Owen, Florida Georgia Line). No doubt the project will be filled with bubbly energy, Country vocal stylings and authentic lyrics. “That’s my favorite thing about being an artist—the stories we get to tell. You can write the most real song, and people just relate to it.”
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Trisha Yearwood Reveals 'PrizeFighter' Album Cover
/by Jessica Nicholson“The song ‘PrizeFighter’ describes for me the fight we all fight, whatever it is. It’s the courage to get up every day and give it your best shot, no matter the odds,” Trisha said via Facebook. “For me, I learned that strength from my mama, Gwen. She went toe to toe with breast cancer, and though she lost her battle, she fought every step of the way with grace, dignity, humor, and love. She’s my prizefighter. Whatever your battle, whoever your prizefighter is, my hope is that you draw strength from this important message.
“The album’s called PrizeFighter: Hit After Hit because in life, you’re going to throw some punches and you’re going to take some, but it’s the entire fight that defines who you are. Standin’ higher…PrizeFighter!”
The album cover features the singer in a gown and tiara, sporting a pair of boxing gloves given to her by Rocky himself. A gift to the country star from Sylvester Stallone, the gloves were worn during filming of Rocky V.
Artist Updates: Sara Evans, Wynonna, Kix Brooks
/by Jessica NicholsonThe duet will be available on iTunes immediately following the airing.
• • •
She will be joined by her three-piece band, which includes husband/producer/artist Cactus Moser.
To purchase tickets, visit www.wynonna.com.
• • •
In addition to the music, fellow Country stars Tim McGraw, Eric Church, The Band Perry, Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice, and others will share their appreciation for our military veterans.
Stations can air A Salute to our Military Veterans with Kix Brooks from Saturday, Nov. 8 through Tuesday, Nov. 11 between 6:00 am and 12 midnight. For more information, contact Donny Walker at dwalker@westwoodone.com.
On The Cover – Kenny Chesney (Oct./Nov. 2014)
/by contributorBut there’s more to life than staying where you are. Chesney, who rewrote the playbook of post-modern Country with No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems and the CMA Album of the Year When The Sun Goes Down, realizes that. He’s evolved. His audience has evolved. Loss. Love. Life. Reality. Pressure. Obligation. It all adds up, sometimes obscuring the beliefs that keep us all moving forward.
“This record humanizes my relationship with the fans,” he explains. “It’s always been a two-way relationship. They need me and inspire me, push me. But this time, I knew I needed to inspire them! I needed to find songs that shoved me into my life in new ways, to inspire the guys playing to create something more, because if we couldn’t inspire ourselves, how could we expect anyone else to care? How can we take people who have busy lives and say, ‘This matters… Your life matters…’ when we don’t sound that way?
“These songs almost mandated how hard we came at them. Even the quiet ones demanded real presence. The way Chad Cromwell hits the snare, there’s nowhere to hide; he’ll topple all your walls. The music and players led me to this place. That’s what you need. If you listen to the energy, the raw, honest energy, especially on the tempo tracks, you can hear the shift, actually feel the passion and the energy. It’s palpable – and I like that. It’s what’s needed to really drive it.
“There’s a lot of fast and loud songs, because I like those. But for me, I wanted more than fast and loud, I wanted passionate and truthful. Just because a song makes you feel good, that doesn’t mean it can’t say something. I think those are the ones that really get inside.”
The Big Revival is eleven songs that weigh the state of the human condition between the coasts without bogging down or losing hope. Whether it’s the stark philosophical Appalachia of “Don’t It,” featuring GRAMMY winners Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski, the rousing invitation to live every last moment of “Til It’s Gone,” the picture postcards of a free spirit in “Wild Child,” with a yearning return from Grace Potter, or the percolating shower of words “American Kids,” the project’s lead track, this is an album about engaging, seeking something more, feeling more alive – wherever you may be in your life – than you ever have.
When he found “American Kids,” the lead single from The Big Revival, he knew he had something unlike anything he’d ever cut before. Co-producing with longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon, The Big Revival marks Chesney’s 15th studio album. With the emphasis on great songs, pushing the boundaries without betraying who he is, The Big Revival takes Chesney’s music and lays it wide open. With its first No. 1 in “American Kids,” it looks like the songwriter/entertainer’s next wave is going to break ground and make his fans really happy.
To receive your copy of the Publisher Issue subscribe now. For information on purchasing individual copies of MusicRow magazine, click here.
Exclusive: Songwriter Chris Tompkins Dishes on "Dirt"
/by Sarah SkatesChris Tompkins
Chris Tompkins found inspiration for his latest hit “Dirt” in his own backyard. As the songwriter looked at the mounds of earth piled up outside his Forest Hills home, the wheels in his mind started turning. “We were putting in a pool at my house and doing other renovations, and we had big piles of dirt in the yard,” he recalls. “So maybe that’s where I thought of it.”
He outlined the song and took it to frequent co-writer Rodney Clawson. “I brought in the title and the verses ‘you get your hands in it/ you spin your tires on it/ you build your cornfield whiskey bonfires on it,’ but the chorus was up in the air. Rodney dug it. It’s almost an idea that was made for him because he comes from Texas, with football and farming. As we were writing we were trying to figure out if we wanted to talk about being buried. With that title, ‘Dirt,’ it could have gone a thousand different directions. Burial is in the song, but we mellowed it out. We didn’t want it to go too far that way.”
They weren’t writing “Dirt” specifically for Florida Georgia Line, but they knew their Big Loud Shirt cohorts would likely be the first artist to hear it. Tompkins and Clawson know FGL’s repertoire inside and out, having contributed heavily to the duo’s multi-platinum debut album.
The finished song balances somber material with the party-hearty themes that built the Florida Georgia Line brand. “It has a little bit of the FGL thing in there,” says Tompkins. “The cornfield whiskey bonfires, the post-game party field, but for the most part it’s something new for them. I really dig what Brian and Tyler do, but artists don’t need to beat down the same door too many times. The thing I’ve heard the most is that Florida Georgia Line needed a song like that. I know there are some great songs on this next album too.” Indeed, Tompkins has five co-writes on it: “Smoke,” “Anything Goes,” “Bumpin’ The Night,” “Dirt” and “Like You Ain’t Even Gone.”
“‘Dirt’ is one of those songs, like a lot of songs that are hits, that you don’t really feel like you wrote it. It’s like somebody else held your arm and I was just happy to be part of it.”
Read more of MusicRow’s exclusive interview with Tompkins in the 2014-15 Publisher Issue of the magazine.
Exclusive: RaeLynn Teases New Tracks With MusicRow Preview
/by Jessica NicholsonAfter making her debut in the music as a contestant in the second season of NBC’s The Voice, Texas native RaeLynn’s effervescent personality, bold entertaining style, and strong Country voice captured the attention of coach Blake Shelton, music fans and Nashville music industry execs alike.
After she got off the show, RaeLynn promptly signed a deal with Big Machine Label Group’s The Valory Music Co., and moved to Nashville at age 18. She credits Big Machine Label Group CEO/founder Scott Borchetta with giving her the space to create her own distinct sound. “He really let me develop as an artist,” says RaeLynn. “I would give Scott new CDs each week. He knew if I kept writing, I would get better. And today I’m on a radio tour, singing songs I’m passionate about.”
RaeLynn, along with Nicolle Galyon, Liz Rose and Lori McKenna, penned her debut single, “God Made Girls.” The tune was completed in under two hours, and RaeLynn is proud that it was written by women of different ages. “You get so many perspectives on being a girl,” she says. The song is making an impact with radio listeners. “We’ve been at radio since April,” says George Briner, VP of Promotion for The Valory Music Co. (BMLG). “The top comment we hear is that she’s the complete package. We hear from radio that some females have good voices, or only have good songs. RaeLynn is a 20-year-old that sings Country music and writes great songs. It’s time for Country radio to embrace Country females.”
RaeLynn previewed “God Made Girls,” as well as several other songs, during a recent with MusicRow at BMLG’s Nashville offices. The light-hearted “Kissin’ Frogs” revels in the positive aspects of being single. “I get so much inspiration from conversations,” says RaeLynn. “I was talking to my mother about not having a boyfriend, and she said, ‘You don’t need to worry about boys, you are having fun kissing frogs.’”
The personal inspirations continued with the confessional title “Love Triangle,” which delves into the singer-songwriter’s feelings regarding her parents’ divorce when RaeLynn was three. “I wasn’t sure if this was a song that could be written,” said RaeLynn. “After the split up, I was the one relaying information back and forth. It’s about being in this love triangle with my mom and dad.” When RaeLynn recently made her Grand Ole Opry debut, approximately 50 friends and family—including her mother and father–traveled from her hometown of Baytown, Tx., to see the performance. “I was so proud to see them there.”
She wrapped the performance with a quirky rendition of the mega-popular “All About That Bass,” penned by her singer-songwriter friend Meghan Trainor.
RaeLynn is currently working on her own full-length album with producer Joey Moi (Jake Owen, Florida Georgia Line). No doubt the project will be filled with bubbly energy, Country vocal stylings and authentic lyrics. “That’s my favorite thing about being an artist—the stories we get to tell. You can write the most real song, and people just relate to it.”
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Music Writer Peter Cooper To Join Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
/by Jessica NicholsonPeter Cooper
A longtime music columnist for The Tennessean, Peter Cooper is set to join the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as museum editor, beginning Nov. 10.
“We’re longtime admirers of Peter’s contributions to The Tennessean and his projects within the Nashville music community.” said Kyle Young, museum director at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “We look forward to adding his expertise, ideas, and wit to our brain trust. He joins a vital intellectual team here that is the soul of the museum and includes Mick Buck, Jay Orr, Dr. John Rumble, Michael McCall and Michael Gray.”
Since joining The Tennessean in 2000, Cooper has chronicled the careers and lives of numerous artists, among them George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Kris Kristofferson and Taylor Swift. His last day for The Tennessean is Nov. 7.
Cooper is also a Grammy-nominated producer and singer-songwriter. He most recently produced (with Thomm Jutz) Mac Wiseman’s Songs from My Mother’s Hand. A senior lecturer at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, Cooper teaches a course on the History of Country Music.
“The staff at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is devoted to preserving and illuminating great music,” Cooper says. “I’m thrilled to join in that mission.”
The Tennessean is planning for Cooper’s replacement, and is in talks for a potential content-sharing partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame.
YouTube Reports $1B to Content Creators
/by Eric T. ParkerContent ID is available in every country where YouTube can be accessed, allowing those content owners to effectively manage (monetize or remove) their own works from a back-page, which provides royalty statements and demographic information. Music publishers have been able to license through Harry Fox for a 7.5 percent stake or manage the system on their own. Particularly, Nashville-based Words and Music has a direct licensing agreement with YouTube.
“YouTube has become a significant source of revenue for our publishers,” said Jennifer Falco, Director of Licensing at Words and Music. “We have seen an increase in earnings every year since entering our direct agreement in 2012.”
YouTube pays on current monthly ad sales, which fluctuate. Music publishers have seen payments from 15-50 percent (based on the type of music usage) on the net ad revenue. The company does not report gross revenue.
Although Content ID was created in 2007 in response to Viacom bringing suit against Google for infringement, the Financial Times reports the lawsuit was settled in March of this year in the amount of $1-billion, although no cash reportedly changed hands. The late 2011 acquisition of RightsFlow has made it increasingly possible for YouTube to account and distribute payments to content creators using its site.
Matthew Garrahan, who first reported the story said of the benchmark, “A sign that media groups increasingly see the video site as a friend rather than foe.”
Jesse Lee Jones Acquires Nashville Palace
/by Troy_StephensonJones will continue to broaden the nightlife music scene with a new weekly concert series. Pick & Stomp at the Nashville Palace launched Oct. 9, bringing music fans an array of Bluegrass, Americana, Roots music and much more.
The series, presented by Robert’s Western World and hosted by Bluegrass duo Newton & Thomas, will feature special musical guests every Thursday night through Nov. 13 at the Nashville Palace. General admission tickets are priced at $10.00 and can be purchased at the door, online at nashville-palace.com, or by calling 615-889-1540. Doors open at 7 p.m.; Pick & Stomp showtime is at 7:30 p.m., and the Barn Dance & Pickin’ Party will follow at 9:30 p.m.
“The Nashville Palace has such rich history and I didn’t want it to be forgotten,” says Jones. “Some of the biggest country stars have performed there and their music played a major role in helping make Music City. That history needs to be shared and celebrated with country music fans from around the world, and especially the local people who live here in our beautiful city.”
After opening in 1977 under the operation of John A. Hobbs, artists including Jerry Reed became regulars; Reed performed more than 30 times at the Nashville Palace in the first year alone. The Palace is credited with helping launch artists including Lorrie Morgan, Ricky Van Shelton, and Randy Travis.
The Nashville Palace is located at 2611 McGavock Pike in Nashville, across from The Opryland Hotel.
Nashville Palace “Pick & Stomp” Musical Guests:
Oct. 16 – Chris Henry & The Hardcore Grass and Greg Garing
Oct. 23 – Richard Smith and Thom Bresh
Oct. 30 – Larry Cordle with Jenee Fleenor
Nov. 7 – Tennessee Mafia Jug Band
Nov. 13 – TBA
Industry Ink: WMBA, ACM, Nine North/PCG Nashville
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Women’s Music Business Association hosted the inaugural “We Run The Row 5K” on Sept. 13. The run benefited WMBA and Musicians On Call. Over 215 runners participated in the run, which raised more than $10,500.
Pictured (L-R): Rachel Mowl, Meredith Herberg-Waldron, Jordan Ureckis
• • •
Chosen candidates will work in the departments of event management, operations, public relations and marketing, Lifting Lives, social media, creative and content production. For more information, visit acmcountry.com/employment.html. Cover letters and resumes can be sent to info@acmcountry.com.
• • •
PCG Nashville, Nine North, Turnpike Music & Edgehill Nashville have signed Kentucky singer-songwriter Brooklyhn Woods to the roster. An ASCAP and NSAI member, Woods’ vocal styling is inspired by Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood, while her songwriting is influenced by writers including Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn.
Pictured (L-R): Brooklyhn Woods, Jeff Davis (Nine North Records). Back Row: Bernard Porter (PCG Nashville), Larry Pareigis (Nine North), Raelyn Blake (PCG Nashville).
Luke Bryan Earns Top American Music Awards Nomination
/by Jessica NicholsonKacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, and Carrie Underwood vie in the Favorite Female-Country category, while Lady Antebellum, Eli Young Band and Florida Georgia Line are all up for Favorite Band, Duo or Group-Country.
Garth Brooks is back in the nominations pool with a nod for Favorite Album-Country for his Blame It On My Roots: Five Decades of Influences collection; he competes for the win against Eric Church‘s The Outsiders and Brantley Gilbert‘s Just As I Am.
Big Yellow Dog Music songwriter and Epic Records artist Meghan Trainor is in the running for New Artist of the Year.
Rapper Iggy Azalea leads all artists with six nominations this year, including Artist of the Year, Best New Artist, Favorite Female Artist-Pop/Rock, Favorite Female Artist-Rap, and Favorite Album-Rap (for The New Classic).
Casting Crowns, Hillsong United and Newsboys are on the final ballot for Favorite Artist-Contemporary Inspirational.
Fans can currently vote online and via Twitter. The American Music Awards will air live from Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. ET.