Mary Tom Speer Reid
Gospel Music Hall of Fame member
Mary Tom Speer Reid died Tuesday in Nashville at age 89.
She was a member of the celebrated Speer Family, one of the most enduring groups in the history of Southern gospel music. The group was founded in Alabama in 1920 by her parents “Dad”
George Thomas Speer (1891-1966) and “Mom”
Lena Brock Speer (1900-1967). During the next decade, the Speer children gradually joined the group, including Mary Tom, her sister
Rosa Nell and her brothers Brock and Ben.
The Speer Family moved to Lawrenceburg, Tenn., in 1929. Dad Speer joined that city’s James D. Vaughan Music Publishing company in 1934 and subsequently wrote or co-wrote more than 600 songs for the firm. The family traveled extensively throughout the South, selling Vaughan gospel songbooks from church to church.
By 1941, The Speer Family had its own daily radio show in Montgomery, Ala., on WSFA. Mary Tom Speer sang alto to her mother’s lead soprano vocal.
The Speers moved to Nashville in 1946 and began making records a year later. The group eventually recorded more than 60 albums, won 14 Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association and was nominated for five Grammys.
Mary Tom left the group in 1954 when she married the Rev. Robert Reid. Following his death, she rejoined The Speer Family on a part-time basis beginning in 1969. By that time, Brock and Ben headed the group.
She also became the secretary for the Ben Speer Music publishing company and worked as a staff member of the Stamps-Baxter School of Music. In later years, Mary Tom Speer Reid became quite active in the Gaither Homecoming video series of the 1990s. The Speer Family retired in 1998.
The Speers were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame the following year. Mary Tom Speer Reid was a 2006 inductee into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame.
She is survived by her sister
Rosa Nell Speer Powell, brother Ben Speer, son
Timothy Scott Reid, daughter
Teri Reid Fontaine, daughter
Cynthia Lee Reid, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A gathering of family and friends will be on Friday, Sept. 19, from 4-8 p.m. at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home at 660 Thompson Lane in Nashville.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Stamps-Baxter Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 40201, Nashville, TN 37204 or to the Altzheimer’s Association, 4825 Trousdale Dr., Nashville, TN 37220.
Weekly Chart Report (09/19/14)
/by Troy_StephensonClick here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report
Gold Village Entertainment Expands to Nashville
/by Kelsey_GradyBrady Brock, an executive with Gold Village Entertainment New York City since 2008, has been named Vice President of Gold Village Entertainment Nashville. Gold Village Entertainment New York City and Nashville manages the careers of Steve Earle, The Hives, Against Me!, and others.
Goldberg stated, “This venture allows me to fulfill two longtime wishes: to work professionally with Gary Belz and combine our interests, values and networks, and to develop and renew my relationships with the Nashville music community. Brady Brock has been one of my closest colleagues in New York for many years and the fact that he is heading up our efforts in Nashville was the additional catalyst to bring Gold Village Entertainment Nashville to life. I’m looking forward to spending more time in Nashville.”
Brock can be reached at bradyb@goldve.com or at 615-777-0640.
Round Hill Music Launches Round Hill Records
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): John Sadocha, Josh Gruss (CEO/Chairman, RHM), Bob Morelli (President, RED), Jonnie Davis (Sr. Vice President, A&R/ Head of Label Services, RHM), Alan Becker (SVP Product Development, RED), Michael Lau (COO, RHM)
Round Hill Music has launched Round Hill Records, with an exclusive distribution deal with Red. Initial releases include recordings from Bush, Spacehog and Howie Day. The announcement comes on the heels of a co-ownership deal with Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, who worked with Round Hill Music to acquire the first four Bush albums from Kirtland Records. The platform was created to manage various master recordings that Round Hill Music acquires.
“While we are a music publisher at our core, expanding into the world of master ownership and exploitation is a natural and organic next step. Thus, Round Hill Records was born,” explains Round Hill Music president, Neil Gillis.
”We intend to grow our master recording assets in the next few years,” adds Round Hill Music’s CEO and Chairman, Josh Gruss.
Round Hill Music opened a Nashville office in January 2014, led by Mark Brown and Kari Smith.
BMI Royalties Reach All-Time High
/by Sarah SkatesFor the 2013 fiscal year, BMI reported revenues exceeding $944 million and royalty distributions of $814 million.
This year, the largest category of the company’s domestic revenue was delivered by cable and satellite distributed entertainment. Licensing income from digital services, international sources and from businesses such as bars, hotels, fitness facilities and restaurants all posted significant gains.
BMI singer/songwriters including Taylor Swift, Adam Levine, Shakira, Miranda Lambert, P!nk and Nicki Minaj contributed some of the most-performed songs of the year. Income was received from the mega-smash “Let It Go,” by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, from the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Disney’s Frozen. Also adding to the tally were Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Daft Punk and Nile Rodgers, Kacey Musgraves, Imagine Dragons, and film and television composers James Newton Howard, Steve Jablonsky, Mark Mothersbaugh, Brian Tyler, and John Williams.
This year’s results cap a ten-year period during which BMI has generated more than $8 billion in revenues and distributed royalties of more than $7.5 billion. BMI operates on a non-profit-making basis and returns more than 85% of all revenue to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.
BMI Pres. and CEO Michael O’Neill said, “We are extremely pleased with these results and are already hard at work trying to better them this year. BMI has a well-earned reputation as a trusted broker between the creative community and businesses that perform music to enhance their customer experience. In an ever-evolving marketplace for music rights, our leadership, operational expertise and ability to deliver value at so many different levels to our songwriters, composers, publishers and licensees, enables us to maximize royalties for the creative community.”
LifeNotes: Gospel's Speer Family Member Passes
/by Robert K OermannMary Tom Speer Reid
Gospel Music Hall of Fame member Mary Tom Speer Reid died Tuesday in Nashville at age 89.
She was a member of the celebrated Speer Family, one of the most enduring groups in the history of Southern gospel music. The group was founded in Alabama in 1920 by her parents “Dad” George Thomas Speer (1891-1966) and “Mom” Lena Brock Speer (1900-1967). During the next decade, the Speer children gradually joined the group, including Mary Tom, her sister Rosa Nell and her brothers Brock and Ben.
The Speer Family moved to Lawrenceburg, Tenn., in 1929. Dad Speer joined that city’s James D. Vaughan Music Publishing company in 1934 and subsequently wrote or co-wrote more than 600 songs for the firm. The family traveled extensively throughout the South, selling Vaughan gospel songbooks from church to church.
By 1941, The Speer Family had its own daily radio show in Montgomery, Ala., on WSFA. Mary Tom Speer sang alto to her mother’s lead soprano vocal.
The Speers moved to Nashville in 1946 and began making records a year later. The group eventually recorded more than 60 albums, won 14 Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association and was nominated for five Grammys.
Mary Tom left the group in 1954 when she married the Rev. Robert Reid. Following his death, she rejoined The Speer Family on a part-time basis beginning in 1969. By that time, Brock and Ben headed the group.
She also became the secretary for the Ben Speer Music publishing company and worked as a staff member of the Stamps-Baxter School of Music. In later years, Mary Tom Speer Reid became quite active in the Gaither Homecoming video series of the 1990s. The Speer Family retired in 1998.
The Speers were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame the following year. Mary Tom Speer Reid was a 2006 inductee into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame.
She is survived by her sister Rosa Nell Speer Powell, brother Ben Speer, son Timothy Scott Reid, daughter Teri Reid Fontaine, daughter Cynthia Lee Reid, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A gathering of family and friends will be on Friday, Sept. 19, from 4-8 p.m. at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home at 660 Thompson Lane in Nashville.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Stamps-Baxter Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 40201, Nashville, TN 37204 or to the Altzheimer’s Association, 4825 Trousdale Dr., Nashville, TN 37220.
Industry Ink: Sam Hunt Goes Gold, Jason Isbell, SAE Nashville, Taryn Pray
/by Jessica NicholsonMCA Nashville recording artist Sam Hunt was surprised during his album listening party Tuesday evening in Nashville with a plaque to commemorate his first RIAA-certified Gold record as an artist. His single “Leave The Night On” has surpassed 500,000 units sold.
“[‘Leave The Night On’] is a song I’m excited about that represents what’s to come with the album in a lot of ways,” Hunt said. “It’s a good sign because people are reacting to ‘Leave The Night On’ and giving us such a great response that it really excites me about the music to come.”
The single is from Hunt’s forthcoming debut album Montevallo, which will release Oct. 27.
Pictured (L-R): Mike Dungan, UMG Nashville Chairman & CEO, MCA Nashville’s Sam Hunt. Photo: Alan Poizner
• • •
Americana Music Honors & Awards winner Jason Isbell enjoyed an after-party at City Winery in Nashville. Isbell earned accolades for Best Song, Best Album and Artist of the Year.
Caption: Founder/CEO City Winery Michael Dorf, singer/songwriter Jason Isbell and wife/ fellow recording artist, Amanda Shires. Photo: Getty Images
• • •
Dr. E Michael Harrington
SAE Nashville Music Business Program Chairperson Dr. E. Michael Harrington was a featured speaker at roundtable discussions about U.S. copyright law, which were held at Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville, Tenn. The event was organized and sponsored by the U. S. Patent & Trademark Office, The U. S. Department of Commerce and the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration).
Harrington has taught music business and entertainment law courses for Berklee College of Music, Belmont University, University of Alabama Birmingham, University of Miami, University of Pittsburgh, Ohio State University, and William Paterson University. He has been involved in intellectual property and copyright issues involving Lady Gaga, Steven Spielberg, HBO, The White Stripes, the Black Keys, T-Pain, Keith Urban, Britney Spears, Rascal Flatts, Avril Lavigne and others.
• • •
Harrison James Pray
Publicist Taryn Pray (of Taryn Pray PR) and husband Brad welcomed second child, son Harrison James Pray, on Wednesday, Sept. 17. The 8lb 1oz baby boy joins older sister Brynn Pray.
Emily West Takes Second On 'America's Got Talent'
/by Eric T. ParkerEmily West.
Emily West made it to the season nine finale of NBC-TV’s America’s Got Talent. Edged out by magician Mat Franco, West made second place, just shy of the $1 million prize and the headlining spot in America’s Got Talent show in Las Vegas.
After the live announcement, West revealed plans for a forthcoming album, via PledgeMusic. The platform allows the performer to offer pre-orders, behind the scenes access, studio visits and more.
Judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Mel B and Howard Stern have championed the ex-Capitol Nashville artist thorough many performances. During the Wednesday (Sept. 17) finale, West performed “True Colors” with Cyndi Lauper, who had previously encouraged the rising star during a guest appearance on the 2010 season Donald Trump’s The Celebrity Apprentice.
Throughout the season, West has performed Roy Orbison’s “You Got It,” Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Sia’s “Chandelier,” The Moody Blues’ “Nights In White Satin,” Phil Phillips’ “Sea of Love,” and Queen’s “Who Wants To Live Forever.”
After three singles with Capitol, “Rocks In Your Shoes” (2008), “That Kind of Happy” (2009) and “Blue Sky” (2010), her own major label debut never made it to store shelves.
Man Convicted in 1989 Music Row Murder Dies
/by Jessica NicholsonHe was sentenced a life sentence in 2003 after being found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Hughes. Prosecutors maintained that Hughes was shot and killed because he was attempting to clean a crooked business practice. D’Antonio had worked with Chuck Dixon, a record promoter and former Cash Box employee who died in 2001. According to testimonies, Dixon was angered that Hughes attempted to halt a scheme that allowed promoters and artists to pay Dixon for a position on the Cash Box chart. During a trial in September 2003, witnesses testified that D’Antonio collected bribes up to $2,000 to make sure a single charted.
D’Antonio was also convicted of assault with intent to commit second degree murder for the attempted murder of singer Sammy Sadler.
No. 1 Party: Lee Brice's "I Don't Dance"
/by Troy_Stephenson(Seated, L-R): Rob Hatch, Lee Brice, Dallas Davidson. (Standing, L-R): Magic Mustang Music’s Juli Newton-Griffith, SESAC’s Tim Fink, Mike Curb Music’s Drew Alexander, Curb Record’s Mike Curb, EMI Blackwood’s Tom Luteran, BMI’s Bradley Collins
A celebration hosted by BMI and SESAC was held at The Music City Tippler in Nashville for Lee Brice and co-writers Dallas Davidson and Rob Hatch for their No. 1 song “I Don’t Dance.” BMI’s Bradley Collins and SESAC’s Tim Fink led the festivities.
Not only was the hit single a No. 1 song, it has also been nominated for Song of the Year at this year’s Country Music Association awards. Brice was commended on not only being the songwriter and singer of the song, but he was also the sole producer.
He was inspired to write the song for his wife Sara, whom he married earlier this year. This is Brice’s fourth No. 1 as an artist, his third as a songwriter, second as a producer, and first as a sole producer.
“I have a new baby, Rob has a new little girl and Dallas has a boy on the way,” said Brice. “This is where songs like this come from. Songs come from real places and that’s why people connect to them. Thank you Curb Records for letting me just make music.”
This is Davidson’s 19th No. 1 song. He was described as the writer of the current era of Country Music. “To put my name on a song like this is something special,” said Davidson. “I’m glad it came at a time that I can enjoy this with my wife Natalia.”
Rob Hatch now has two No. 1 songs to his credit. He had spent the last three nights in the hospital with his wife and new baby girl, so it was a special week for Hatch.
Members of the Country Music Association, and Country Radio Broadcasters also awarded the artists on stage.
Arista Nashville Promotes Elliott to Director, National Promotion
/by Jessica NicholsonAndy Elliott
Arista Nashville has promoted Andy Elliott to Director, National Promotion. Reporting to VP, National Promotion Lesly Tyson, Elliott will assume the new role Monday, Sept. 22.
Prior to joining Arista in December 2011, Elliott worked for New Revolution Entertainment, and is an 18-year radio veteran who began his career as Program Director for KJJY and KHKI in Des Moines, Iowa.
Elliott previously served as Regional Promotion Manager for Arista Nashville. The previous position will be filled, with an announcement to be made in coming weeks.
Tyson praised, “Andy has been an amazing part of the Arista family since he joined our team in 2011. His 18 years as a program director, coupled with his innate leadership ability and respect in the radio and record communities, make him the perfect person to help lead Arista Nashville in the years to come. I am so proud to promote him to the role as one of our co-National Directors.”
Elliott can be reached at andy.elliott@sonymusic.com.