Pat Higdon
, Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NSHoF), announced today that music publisher
Pat Higdon will be presented with the
Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award during the upcoming NSHoF Dinner and Induction Ceremony.
“Pat is one of a handful of executives in both the independent and the corporate publishing environments whose name has always been synonymous with the highest standards of professional integrity and many of our great songwriters got their start under his guidance,” said Alger.
The 44th honors, given on Oct. 5, 2014, are named for Preston who influenced and nurtured the careers of thousands of songwriters, performers and publishers in all genres of music during her five-decade career at BMI. Previous recipients of the award are music publisher
Bob Beckham (2008), music publisher
Bill Hall (2009), Preston (2010), music publisher
David Conrad (2011), music publisher
Donna Hilley (2012) and Bluebird Café founder
Amy Kurland (2013).
The evening will additionally feature tributes and performances of 2014 inductees
John Anderson, Tom Douglas, Gretchen Peters and
Paul Craft. The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) will also present its annual awards for the year’s Best Song, Songwriter and Songwriter/Artist, as well as the Top 10 “Songs I Wish I Had Written,” as determined by the professional songwriters division.
Held at the Music City Center, tickets are $250 each by contacting
Mark Ford by
email or 615-460-6556.
•••
Higdon broke into the music industry in the early ‘70’s as a recording engineer Woodland Sound then Cedarwood Publishing Company, recording many artists and beginning as a song plugger.
A seven year stint at MCA Music rose the executive to Vice President of Nashville operations. He quickly developed a bond with MCA writers
Dave Loggins and
Jan Crutchfield, and signed
Don Schlitz, Russell Smith, Lisa Silver and
J. D. Martin. He continued to score hits and cuts by a wide array of artists including
Kenny Rogers, Alabama, Randy Travis, BJ Thomas, The Oak Ridge Boys, Don Williams, Lee Greenwood and
Tina Turner. In the late ’80s, Higdon moved to Warner Bros. Music, forging a creative partnership with
Matraca Berg that has endured for over 25 years.
In 1989 Higdon founded Patrick Joseph Music as a joint venture with Warner/Chappell Music. His first signings for the new company included Berg,
Gary Harrison, Jim Photoglo, Shawn Camp and
Tim Mensy. Later he added a young
Troy Verges and
Brett James to the roster. Patrick Joseph Music’s boutique catalog include more than 30 ASCAP and BMI award winning songs, the 1998 CMA Song of the Year, “Strawberry Wine.”
Universal Music Publishing Group tapped Higdon to run its Nashville operation in 1999. He served with the company for twelve years and eventually became President of the Nashville division, overseeing catalogs of
Bob McDill, Mel Tillis, Webb Pierce, Berg, Burr, Verges,
Luke Laird and
Rivers Rutherford. His tenure included guiding the company through three significant mergers, the first with Polygram Music, then Rondor/Almo Irving Music and finally BMG Music.
In early 2012, Higdon left UMPG and re-activated Patrick Joseph Music as a partnership with New York-based Songs Music Publishing. The company has signed five writers since relaunching, Berg,
George Teren, Jake Mitchell, Ben Caver, Kat Higgins, and
Mellissa Peirce (co-pub with Disney Music).
Pat Higdon to be Presented Frances Preston Award
/by Eric T. ParkerPat Higdon
Pat Alger, Chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation (NSHoF), announced today that music publisher Pat Higdon will be presented with the Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award during the upcoming NSHoF Dinner and Induction Ceremony.
“Pat is one of a handful of executives in both the independent and the corporate publishing environments whose name has always been synonymous with the highest standards of professional integrity and many of our great songwriters got their start under his guidance,” said Alger.
The 44th honors, given on Oct. 5, 2014, are named for Preston who influenced and nurtured the careers of thousands of songwriters, performers and publishers in all genres of music during her five-decade career at BMI. Previous recipients of the award are music publisher Bob Beckham (2008), music publisher Bill Hall (2009), Preston (2010), music publisher David Conrad (2011), music publisher Donna Hilley (2012) and Bluebird Café founder Amy Kurland (2013).
The evening will additionally feature tributes and performances of 2014 inductees John Anderson, Tom Douglas, Gretchen Peters and Paul Craft. The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) will also present its annual awards for the year’s Best Song, Songwriter and Songwriter/Artist, as well as the Top 10 “Songs I Wish I Had Written,” as determined by the professional songwriters division.
Held at the Music City Center, tickets are $250 each by contacting Mark Ford by email or 615-460-6556.
•••
Higdon broke into the music industry in the early ‘70’s as a recording engineer Woodland Sound then Cedarwood Publishing Company, recording many artists and beginning as a song plugger.
A seven year stint at MCA Music rose the executive to Vice President of Nashville operations. He quickly developed a bond with MCA writers Dave Loggins and Jan Crutchfield, and signed Don Schlitz, Russell Smith, Lisa Silver and J. D. Martin. He continued to score hits and cuts by a wide array of artists including Kenny Rogers, Alabama, Randy Travis, BJ Thomas, The Oak Ridge Boys, Don Williams, Lee Greenwood and Tina Turner. In the late ’80s, Higdon moved to Warner Bros. Music, forging a creative partnership with Matraca Berg that has endured for over 25 years.
In 1989 Higdon founded Patrick Joseph Music as a joint venture with Warner/Chappell Music. His first signings for the new company included Berg, Gary Harrison, Jim Photoglo, Shawn Camp and Tim Mensy. Later he added a young Troy Verges and Brett James to the roster. Patrick Joseph Music’s boutique catalog include more than 30 ASCAP and BMI award winning songs, the 1998 CMA Song of the Year, “Strawberry Wine.”
Universal Music Publishing Group tapped Higdon to run its Nashville operation in 1999. He served with the company for twelve years and eventually became President of the Nashville division, overseeing catalogs of Bob McDill, Mel Tillis, Webb Pierce, Berg, Burr, Verges, Luke Laird and Rivers Rutherford. His tenure included guiding the company through three significant mergers, the first with Polygram Music, then Rondor/Almo Irving Music and finally BMG Music.
In early 2012, Higdon left UMPG and re-activated Patrick Joseph Music as a partnership with New York-based Songs Music Publishing. The company has signed five writers since relaunching, Berg, George Teren, Jake Mitchell, Ben Caver, Kat Higgins, and Mellissa Peirce (co-pub with Disney Music).
Industry Ink: Streamsound Records, Debbie Z Entertainment, Red 11 Music
/by Jessica NicholsonJon Conlon
Streamsound Records has hired Jon Conlon as West Coast Manager of Promotion. He most recently worked at RPM Entertainment, and has held similar roles at Arista and Columbia Records. He also worked on Air/Programming in Chicago for WJKL and WCKG, as well as for WGKX (Memphis), and Los Angeles at Westwood One Radio Network. While in Memphis, he was named Disc Jockey of the Year three times by the Academy of Country Music.
“We have gone to great lengths to assemble an amazing team that can take our artists to the next level,” says CEO/President Steve Richardson. “Jon Conlon comes to Streamsound with a wealth of experience in radio and promotion and we are happy to welcome him aboard.”
Denise Roberts has exited the company and is seeking her next opportunity.
• • •
Pictured (L-R): Paul Sikes, Debbie Zavitson
Singer/songwriter/producer Paul Sikes has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Debbie Zavitson of Debbie Z Entertainment.
His songwriting credits include cuts for Emerson Drive, Billy Dean, Josh Gracin and others.
The Nashville native’s new CD Out of the Mud is available on iTunes.
• • •
Cody Canada and the Departed
Booking agency Red 11 Music has signed on to represent Cody Canada and The Departed out of its Nashville office.
“My team and I are excited to say the least,” says Jon Folk, founder of Red 11 Music. “I’ve known Cody and the guys for years, and when asked if I wanted to become part of their team, I jumped at the chance. Their live show is captivating, their music is original and their fans are dedicated to the band. If someone were to ask me, ‘What do you look for in a band to work with?,’ this would be it! With a new album coming out this fall, we are looking forward to a record year in 2015.”
The band is currently on tour with Reckless Kelly and Micky & the Motorcars.
Shenandoah Inks Deals With The Agency Group, Absolute Publicity
/by Jessica NicholsonShenandoah is set to reunite with frontman Marty Raybon this October, and has signed exclusive representation deals with The Agency Group for live bookings and with Absolute Publicity for public relations.
“From a booking and PR standpoint, we know it’s going to take two special companies that are willing to work toward the effort and the vision that we have,” said Raybon. “The Agency Group and Absolute Publicity were our top choices and we are excited to have them onboard.”
Pictured (L-R): Bobby Roberts (The Agency Group), Mike McGuire, Marty Raybon,
Travis James (The Agency Group), Don Murry Grubbs (Absolute Publicity)
'Country Weekly' Names Freeman Managing Editor
/by Sarah SkatesJon Freeman
Country Weekly Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki has announced several staff promotions and new hires at the magazine. Jon Freeman has been promoted to managing editor, having served as deputy editor since 2012. Elissa Newland has been promoted to photo editor; she served as assistant photo editor for the past year.
New staff members include Jim Casey who joins as deputy editor, after recently serving as director of editorial and communications at FIGHT! Magazine. Carissa Riccardi has been hired as assistant photo editor, bringing with her a background as a photographer, retoucher and other work in commercial photography.
“Jon and Elissa have been an integral part of the Country Weekly team during continued periods of growth,” said Konicki. “Their talent, creative vision, and passion for country music make them an invaluable part of our team. We also welcome Jim and Carissa to the magazine. They are the perfect additions to our staff.”
(L-R): Elissa Newland, Carissa Riccardi, Jim Casey
Florida Georgia Line To Play Free Nashville Show Tonight
/by Jessica NicholsonBeginning at noon today, the first 350 people who arrive at Exit/In will get wristbands for the concert. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 8:30 p.m. Fans must be 18 or older.
Mark Your Calendar – September 2014
/by Eric T. ParkerSeptember 4-6
Live On The Green Festival at the Public Square Park in downtown Nashville
September 8
Miller Harris golf tournament at Temple Hills Golf Club
September 9
ACM Honors at the Ryman
September 15
Girl Scouts Annual Luncheon, CMT’s Women in Music Theme
September 17
Americana Honors & Awards Show
September 17-21
Americana Music Association’s 15th Annual Festival & Conference at the Hutton Hotel
September 20-21
Music City Food + Wine Festival at Public Square Park
September 23
2014 SOURCE Awards at Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum at the Historic Municipal Auditorium
September 26-28
Island Hopper Songwriter Festival at Sanibel Captiva Island
September 27-30
IEBA 2014 at the Omni Nashville
September 30
IEBA Class of 2014 induction ceremony at the CMA Theater at the CMHoF
September 30-October 4
IBMA World of Bluegrass 2014 and Film Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina
September 1
Brad Paisley/Perfect Storm/Arista Nashville
Joe Nichols/Hard To Be Cool/Red Bow
Tim Dugger/Gettin There/Sidewalk Records
Bruce Larson/Fishin’ Pole Dancin’
Kenny Davin Fine/Friendship/Higher Ground
Kaylee Rutland/Good Day To Get Gone/Kaylee Rutland Music
Shane Gamble/Beautiful Work/Rt 50 Music Inc.
Sundy Best/I Wanna Go Home/e-One Entertainment
Sammy Hakim/Fearless/EXT Records
September 8
Tim McGraw/Shotgun Rider/Big Machine
Lee Brice/Drinking Class/Curb
Easton Corbin/Baby Be My Love Song/MCA
Natalie Stovall and The Drive/Mason Jar/Hit Shop Records
North 40/Whole Lot of Livin’/Rhyme Town Entertainment
Adrian Duffy & The Mayo Bros/Storm Breaking/SR Records
September 15
Trisha Yearwood/PrizeFighter/RCA-Nashville
Jackie Lee/She Does/Broken Bow
Olivia Lane/Steal Me Away/Big Spark Music Group
Larry Fleet/Damn This Storm/Music Mill Entertainment
Ashliegh Lisset/Target On My Heart/ALS Entertainment
Tim Cadiere/Hop In My Truck/6 Tone Records
Tim Sweeney/Every Friday Night/Oil House Records
September 22
Kelsea Ballerini/Love Me Like You Mean It/Black River Entertainment
September 2
Terri Clark/Some Songs/BareTrack Records-Universal Music Canada
Karyn Rochelle/Karyn Rochelle
September 7
Various/The Buddy Holly Country Tribute: Remember Me/TBHEF
September 9
Lee Brice/I Don’t Dance/Curb Records
Dustin Lynch/Where It’s At/Broken Bow Records
Brothers Osborne/Brothers Osborne/EMI Nashville
September 16
Tim McGraw/Sundown Heaven Town/Big Machine Records
George Strait/The Cowboy Rides Away: Live From AT&T Stadium/MCA Nashville
Maggie Chapman/Vignette/Creative Nation
September 23
Lee Ann Womack/The Way I’m Livin’/Sugar Hill
Kenny Chesney/The Big Revival/Blue Chair Bay-Columbia Nashville
Big & Rich/Gravity/Big & Rich Records-Kobalt Label Services
Lori McKenna/Numbered Doors
September 30
Lady Antebellum/747/Capitol Records Nashville
Blake Shelton/Bringing Back the Sunshine/Warner Bros. Records
Marty Stuart/Saturday Night & Sunday Morning/Superlatone
Ricky Skaggs & Sharon White/Hearts Like Ours/Skaggs Family Records
Lucinda Williams/Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone/Highway Records-Thirty Tigers
Various/Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas/Capital Christian Music Group-Sparrow Records
Luke Bryan Sets Record at Chicago's Soldier Field
/by Jessica NicholsonLuke Bryan at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Photo: Lyle Waisman/ Soldier Field
Luke Bryan set a new record this weekend, when he wrapped the last of four stadium concerts at Chicago’s Soldier Field Sunday night (Aug. 31). The entertainer performed for a combined total of 225,000 fans, setting the record for the best-selling Country concert held at the venue.
Live Nation is the tour promoter for Bryan’s current That’s My Kind of Night Tour. Sponsors for the tour include Miller Lite, Texaco, and Cabela’s.
Bryan will launch his sixth Farm Tour on Oct. 1, performing eight concerts in the Southeast through Oct. 11. A portion of the proceeds will be given for local college scholarships to students from a farming family within the communities the tour plays. Bryan will also perform in Riviera Maya, Mexico on Jan. 23-27, 2015.
LifeNotes: Marion R. Ross, Mother of ‘MusicRow’ Founder David Ross, Passes
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Marion R. Ross and Martin J. Ross.
Condolences to MusicRow founder David M. Ross and family whose mother Marion R. Ross passed away Aug. 20 in Palm Beach, Fla. at age 92. Marion and Martin J. Ross, who passed away on Jan. 31, were married for over 70 years.
A celebration of two lives memorial service will be held in Boston on Sept. 18. Marion was a courageous woman who worked tirelessly for her husband and family and was a mentor and friend to countless others throughout her lifetime.
The couple is survived by sons David and Lawrence; David’s wife Susana; and granddaughters Michelle Ross Stephens and Isabel Ross Martin.
Artist Pics: Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts
/by Kelsey_GradyKenny Chesney took the stage Aug. 29 at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., where he performed a surprise pop-up concert for an extremely small crowd of around 500 fans as a part of CMT’s new Instant Jam series which premieres Saturday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m., ET/PT. Each episode of Instant Jam features live performances, and captures all the excitement and energy as artists reveal to fans how to score tickets to an exclusive show in their area, while giving a behind-the-scenes look at the hours leading up to their concert.
Kenny Chesney at The Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT
• • •
Arista Nashville’s Brad Paisley brought songs from his just-released new album, Moonshine in the Trunk, to ABC’s Good Morning America Summer Concert Series on Aug. 29.
Pictured (L-R): GMA’s Ginger Zee, Amy Robach, and David Muir; Paisley; and GMA’s Lara Spencer.
• • •
This past Saturday, while on the road in support of their REWIND Tour, Rascal Flatts visited the West Coast home of John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. The band and Lasseter originally formed their relationship around the 2006 release of Cars (Walt Disney Pictures & Pixar Animation Studios), which featured the group’s rendition of the classic “Life is a Highway” on the movie’s soundtrack.
Pictured (L-R): Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, John Lasseter, and Joe Don Rooney.
Jason Aldean To Release 'Old Boots, New Dirt' in October
/by Troy_Stephenson“With this new album, it’s definitely the same old me. But, I like to mix things up and try new sounds and go into territory I’ve never explored before, so I do a little bit of that too. That’s why I named the album Old Boots, New Dirt,” said Aldean. Again produced by Michael Knox, the album was recorded with members of Aldean’s long time touring band.
Aldean adds, “I think my fans have come to expect some surprises from me, and we’ve got another big one coming tonight. You’ll have to pay attention or you could miss it in a flash.”
Fans can visit www.BuzzFeed.com at 7 p.m/Central today (Tuesday Sept. 2) to hear the announcement.
Old Boots, New Dirt Track List with songwriters:
1. Just Gettin’ Started
(Chris DeStefano, Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley)
2. Show You Off
(Neil Thrasher, Tony Martin, Brett Beavers)
3. Burnin’ It Down
(Rodney Clawson, Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Chris Tompkins)
4. Tryin’ To Love Me
(Wendell Mobley, Hillary Lindsey, Neil Thrasher)
5. Sweet Little Somethin’
(David Lee Murphy, Ben Hayslip, Marv Green)
6. Laid Back
(Michael Tyler Spragg, Jaron Boyer, Adam Shoenfeld)
7. Tonight Looks Good On You
(Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley)
8. Too Fast
(Chris Stapleton, Lee Thomas Miller)
9. If My Truck Could Talk
(Wendell Mobley, Neil Thrasher, Andrew Pates)
10. Old Boots, New Dirt
(Lee Thomas Miller, Tom Shapiro, Neil Thrasher)
11. I Took It With Me
(David Lee Murphy, Ben Hayslip)
12. Don’t Change Gone
(Neil Thrasher, Tony Martin, Michael Dulaney)
13. Miss That Girl
(Ross Copperman, David Lee Murphy)
14. Gonna Know We Were Here
(Brett Beavers, Brett James)
15. Two Night Town
(Tim Nichols, Brett James)