Troy Verges
Rumors abound about the house near Music Row where songwriters
Troy Verges and
Brett James have set up shop. Maybe
Kris Kristofferson stayed there when it was a boarding house in the ’60s. Perhaps
Patsy Cline hid a secret lover next door. Was
Kip Moore spooked by a ghost when he lived in the room upstairs? Regardless, one thing is undeniable about the more than 100-year-old building: the volumes of hit songs being created there.
It’s where Verges,
Barry Dean and
Hunter Hayes penned the artist’s current single “Tattoo,” which is scaling the radio charts alongside another Verges and Dean co-write, “Day Drinking,” penned with members of
Little Big Town.
Verges and Hayes were first paired by Universal Music Publishing Group’s
Cyndi Forman, who had a hunch her fellow Louisiana natives would hit it off. Following the success of their collaborations including 2013 BMI Song of the Year “Wanted,” the duo re-teamed for four cuts on the artist’s latest album.
Similarly, Verges’ writing with pals Kip Moore and
Blair Daly led straight to No. 1, with Moore’s “Beer Money.”
“Hunter and Kip are two guys in town that I’ve worked with that have the most clear vision of themselves as artists,” says Verges. “It makes it easy to write songs with them because they know exactly what they want to sound like and what their message is. It frees you up creatively to follow their lead. By the time we wrote ‘Beer Money,’ Kip had already been touring and knew what his audience wanted. In those cases, the songs come out sounding like them, not me, which makes them great artists. And I get to help them shape that.”
Verges and Hunter Hayes at the BMI Country Awards.
• • • •
Verges isn’t exaggerating when he says his 10th birthday was “fortuitous.” That’s the day his parents surprised him with a trip to the music store where they let him pick out his first guitar.
The Shreveport native discovered
The Eagles and
Bob Dylan while combing through his parents’ record collection. He played in bands and dabbled in songwriting, first while attending Middle Tennessee State University, then at Belmont University, where he picked up an equally fortuitous card from a campus cork board. It was for an internship at
Pat Higdon’s Patrick Joseph Music. Before Verges even graduated college, Higdon signed him as a songwriter. (Verges landed at UMPG after it purchased Higdon’s company.)
It took a few years for Verges to gain traction as a writer. “I’d have a party if I got a hold,” he says. But he kept plugging away, often traveling to Oklahoma to write with
Brett James, who had returned there after losing his record deal. (In one of Nashville’s best stories of songwriter destiny, the further James got from music—he enrolled in and quit medical school twice—the harder fate worked to pull him back.) “Around 2001, things blew up for Brett and me at the same time. It was a crazy way to get where we ended up,” says Verges. Their collaboration led to Verges’ first cut, “Love Is A Sweet Thing,” on
Faith Hill’s Breathe album and James’ eventual return to Nashville. Following closely were their co-penned No. 1s by
Jessica Andrews (“Who I Am”) and
Martina McBride (“Blessed”), written with
Hillary Lindsey.
“There were so many women on Country radio at that time: Faith,
Shania and Martina were the biggest artists in our format,” says Verges, who enjoys exploring the female perspective through writing. “The production on their singles seemed more outside-the-box, and since I didn’t grow up being a massive Country fan, I tried to put as much rock in that I could. I hope we get more females on the radio today.”
When Verges’ career took off, it zoomed at breakneck speed. In a year and a half time span, he was awarded 2001
MusicRow Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year, an award for new writers, and 2002 overall Songwriter of the Year from NSAI and BMI.
“It was a whirlwind,” says Verges. “To go from ‘if I can keep my deal one more year’ to having a year like that. I was lucky. I didn’t know I was going to win the NSAI Award, and Pat Higdon got my parents to the ceremony without telling me. It was a magical moment. They stayed for the BMI Awards, and I didn’t know I was going to win that either. I went from not even being invited to winning Songwriter of the Year.”
• • • •
A lot has changed on The Row since Verges arrived. Songwriting success is increasingly harder to achieve for a myriad of reasons, including the sales landslide, longer single cycles, and artists co-writing much of their own material. Technology has boosted some parts of the industry (DIY recording) while decimating others (sales).
“I was lucky to land in town when I did, and get involved with the group of people I did: Pat Higdon,
Whitney Williams and
Joe Fisher,” says Verges. “They believed in me enough to stick with me when it didn’t make sense on paper. I was keeping my head down and trying to write better and better songs. It seems like that is less possible today, because there are fewer slots.”
On the flip side, Verges notes that changes in technology have resulted in increased opportunities, especially for indie artists. “It’s easier and less expensive to record an album than it used to be, which means more diversity in our genre,” he says. “It feels like it is as diverse as it has ever been, which I love. With satellite radio there are more opportunities for artists to be heard and you can look on the screen to see who it is and go check them out.”
Changes in recording technology has eased Verges’ production work, which includes projects by
Daniel Tashian and New Orleans artist
Anders Osborne. Verges co-produced and co-wrote songs on
Caitlyn Smith’s album, which yielded the hits “The Heart of Dixie” (
Danielle Bradbery) and “Wasting All These Tears” (
Cassadee Pope). “It’s the funnest part of this process because you get to write all these songs and take your time recording them, and get exactly the right players and mix it,” says Verges. “It is different than the demo process which you have to cut off due to budget or time.”
While the industry has evolved, the way to navigate Nashville has not—after all, it worked for Verges. “Be nice, be persistent, be patient,” he assures. “As long as I’ve been here, it’s held true that people who are really talented and have a good work ethic eventually get where they want to go. The flip side is also true—if you are really talented, but you’re a jerk, you might have a short run of success, but it will go away because no one will want to work with you. And keep writing. I don’t know anyone who looks back at what they wrote six or seven years ago, that they thought was awesome in the moment, and isn’t almost embarrassed by it today. The more you do something, the better you get at it. Songwriting is no different. Nashville has some of the best writers and artists in the world, especially the core group I’ve been writing with since I started: Brett, Hillary Lindsey, and Blair Daly. They are my dream collaborators.”
• • • •
Did you know? Verges’ wife
Ariel and her sister
Danielle are co-owners of
Ani & Ari corset atelier in Edgehill Village, which has dressed
Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, The Pistol Annies, Connie Britton and
Hayden Panettiere.
Verges and his UMPG Nashville team in 2013: Top row (L-R): Amanda Merki, Executive Asst. to Kent Earls; Ron Stuve, VP of A&R/Special Projects; Whitney Williams, Creative Director; Missy Wilson, Senior Creative Director; Tammy Helm, Manager of Administration; Travis Gordon, Creative Manager; Freeman Wizer, Creative Director
. Bottom row (L-R): Kendall Connell, Receptionist; Cyndi Forman, Vice President, Creative; Troy Verges; Kent Earls, Exec. VP/GM, UMPG Nashville; John Mark Capers, Catalog and Studio Manager.
Troy Verges Brief Discography
“I Want Crazy” Hunter Hayes (No. 1 Country)
“Wanted” Hunter Hayes (No. 1 Country – 2 weeks)
“Beer Money” Kip Moore (No. 1 Country)
“Who I Am” Jessica Andrews (No. 1 Country)
“Blessed” Martina McBride (No. 1 Country)
“Wasted” Carrie Underwood (No. 1 Country – 3 weeks)
“This Mystery” Marco Borsato & Sita/Polydor (No. 1 Netherlands)
“Raincoat” Kelly Sweet (No. 1 AC)
“You Save Me” Kenny Chesney (No. 3 Country)
“I Would’ve Loved You Anyway” Trisha Yearwood (Top 5)
“With Me” Lonestar (Top 5)
“Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man” Andy Griggs (Top 5)
“The Heart of Dixie” Danielle Bradberry (Top 15)
“Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You” Kellie Pickler (Top 15)
“Drugs or Jesus” Tim McGraw (Top 15)
“Famous” Kelleigh Bannen
“Day Drinking” Little Big Town (Upcoming album)
“Storyline” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Tattoo” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Flashlight” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Nothing Like Starting Over” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Shotgun Rider” Tim McGraw (Upcoming album)
“Hang a While” Kip Moore (Upcoming album)
“Get Into Something” Kip Moore (Upcoming album)
“Wild Boy” Danielle Bradbery (Upcoming album)
“A Perfectly Good Heart” Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift album)
“Crazy Dreams” Carrie Underwood (Carnival Ride album)
“Naked With You” Celine Dion (One Heart album)
“The Man You Love” IL Divo (Il Divo Album)
“Don’t Give Up On Me” Jason Aldean (Wide Open album)
“Stronger” Faith Hill (Greatest Hits & Cry albums)
”Paris” Faith Hill (Fireflies album)
“This Is Me” Faith Hill (Cry album)
“Love Is A Sweet Thing” Faith Hill (Breathe album)
“Telluride” Tim McGraw (Set This Circus Down album)
“Sleep Tonight” Tim McGraw (Dancehall Doctors album)
“I Wish I Was Wrong” LeAnn Rimes (Family album)
“This Time Tomorrow” LeAnn Rimes (Family album)
“The One You Love” Paulina Rubio (Border Girl album)
“We Can Dance” Bon Jovi
Writer's Notes: Troy Verges
/by Sarah SkatesTroy Verges
Rumors abound about the house near Music Row where songwriters Troy Verges and Brett James have set up shop. Maybe Kris Kristofferson stayed there when it was a boarding house in the ’60s. Perhaps Patsy Cline hid a secret lover next door. Was Kip Moore spooked by a ghost when he lived in the room upstairs? Regardless, one thing is undeniable about the more than 100-year-old building: the volumes of hit songs being created there.
It’s where Verges, Barry Dean and Hunter Hayes penned the artist’s current single “Tattoo,” which is scaling the radio charts alongside another Verges and Dean co-write, “Day Drinking,” penned with members of Little Big Town.
Verges and Hayes were first paired by Universal Music Publishing Group’s Cyndi Forman, who had a hunch her fellow Louisiana natives would hit it off. Following the success of their collaborations including 2013 BMI Song of the Year “Wanted,” the duo re-teamed for four cuts on the artist’s latest album.
Similarly, Verges’ writing with pals Kip Moore and Blair Daly led straight to No. 1, with Moore’s “Beer Money.”
“Hunter and Kip are two guys in town that I’ve worked with that have the most clear vision of themselves as artists,” says Verges. “It makes it easy to write songs with them because they know exactly what they want to sound like and what their message is. It frees you up creatively to follow their lead. By the time we wrote ‘Beer Money,’ Kip had already been touring and knew what his audience wanted. In those cases, the songs come out sounding like them, not me, which makes them great artists. And I get to help them shape that.”
Verges and Hunter Hayes at the BMI Country Awards.
• • • •
Verges isn’t exaggerating when he says his 10th birthday was “fortuitous.” That’s the day his parents surprised him with a trip to the music store where they let him pick out his first guitar.
The Shreveport native discovered The Eagles and Bob Dylan while combing through his parents’ record collection. He played in bands and dabbled in songwriting, first while attending Middle Tennessee State University, then at Belmont University, where he picked up an equally fortuitous card from a campus cork board. It was for an internship at Pat Higdon’s Patrick Joseph Music. Before Verges even graduated college, Higdon signed him as a songwriter. (Verges landed at UMPG after it purchased Higdon’s company.)
It took a few years for Verges to gain traction as a writer. “I’d have a party if I got a hold,” he says. But he kept plugging away, often traveling to Oklahoma to write with Brett James, who had returned there after losing his record deal. (In one of Nashville’s best stories of songwriter destiny, the further James got from music—he enrolled in and quit medical school twice—the harder fate worked to pull him back.) “Around 2001, things blew up for Brett and me at the same time. It was a crazy way to get where we ended up,” says Verges. Their collaboration led to Verges’ first cut, “Love Is A Sweet Thing,” on Faith Hill’s Breathe album and James’ eventual return to Nashville. Following closely were their co-penned No. 1s by Jessica Andrews (“Who I Am”) and Martina McBride (“Blessed”), written with Hillary Lindsey.
“There were so many women on Country radio at that time: Faith, Shania and Martina were the biggest artists in our format,” says Verges, who enjoys exploring the female perspective through writing. “The production on their singles seemed more outside-the-box, and since I didn’t grow up being a massive Country fan, I tried to put as much rock in that I could. I hope we get more females on the radio today.”
When Verges’ career took off, it zoomed at breakneck speed. In a year and a half time span, he was awarded 2001 MusicRow Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year, an award for new writers, and 2002 overall Songwriter of the Year from NSAI and BMI.
“It was a whirlwind,” says Verges. “To go from ‘if I can keep my deal one more year’ to having a year like that. I was lucky. I didn’t know I was going to win the NSAI Award, and Pat Higdon got my parents to the ceremony without telling me. It was a magical moment. They stayed for the BMI Awards, and I didn’t know I was going to win that either. I went from not even being invited to winning Songwriter of the Year.”
• • • •
A lot has changed on The Row since Verges arrived. Songwriting success is increasingly harder to achieve for a myriad of reasons, including the sales landslide, longer single cycles, and artists co-writing much of their own material. Technology has boosted some parts of the industry (DIY recording) while decimating others (sales).
“I was lucky to land in town when I did, and get involved with the group of people I did: Pat Higdon, Whitney Williams and Joe Fisher,” says Verges. “They believed in me enough to stick with me when it didn’t make sense on paper. I was keeping my head down and trying to write better and better songs. It seems like that is less possible today, because there are fewer slots.”
On the flip side, Verges notes that changes in technology have resulted in increased opportunities, especially for indie artists. “It’s easier and less expensive to record an album than it used to be, which means more diversity in our genre,” he says. “It feels like it is as diverse as it has ever been, which I love. With satellite radio there are more opportunities for artists to be heard and you can look on the screen to see who it is and go check them out.”
Changes in recording technology has eased Verges’ production work, which includes projects by Daniel Tashian and New Orleans artist Anders Osborne. Verges co-produced and co-wrote songs on Caitlyn Smith’s album, which yielded the hits “The Heart of Dixie” (Danielle Bradbery) and “Wasting All These Tears” (Cassadee Pope). “It’s the funnest part of this process because you get to write all these songs and take your time recording them, and get exactly the right players and mix it,” says Verges. “It is different than the demo process which you have to cut off due to budget or time.”
While the industry has evolved, the way to navigate Nashville has not—after all, it worked for Verges. “Be nice, be persistent, be patient,” he assures. “As long as I’ve been here, it’s held true that people who are really talented and have a good work ethic eventually get where they want to go. The flip side is also true—if you are really talented, but you’re a jerk, you might have a short run of success, but it will go away because no one will want to work with you. And keep writing. I don’t know anyone who looks back at what they wrote six or seven years ago, that they thought was awesome in the moment, and isn’t almost embarrassed by it today. The more you do something, the better you get at it. Songwriting is no different. Nashville has some of the best writers and artists in the world, especially the core group I’ve been writing with since I started: Brett, Hillary Lindsey, and Blair Daly. They are my dream collaborators.”
• • • •
Did you know? Verges’ wife Ariel and her sister Danielle are co-owners of Ani & Ari corset atelier in Edgehill Village, which has dressed Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, The Pistol Annies, Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere.
Verges and his UMPG Nashville team in 2013: Top row (L-R): Amanda Merki, Executive Asst. to Kent Earls; Ron Stuve, VP of A&R/Special Projects; Whitney Williams, Creative Director; Missy Wilson, Senior Creative Director; Tammy Helm, Manager of Administration; Travis Gordon, Creative Manager; Freeman Wizer, Creative Director . Bottom row (L-R): Kendall Connell, Receptionist; Cyndi Forman, Vice President, Creative; Troy Verges; Kent Earls, Exec. VP/GM, UMPG Nashville; John Mark Capers, Catalog and Studio Manager.
Troy Verges Brief Discography
“I Want Crazy” Hunter Hayes (No. 1 Country)
“Wanted” Hunter Hayes (No. 1 Country – 2 weeks)
“Beer Money” Kip Moore (No. 1 Country)
“Who I Am” Jessica Andrews (No. 1 Country)
“Blessed” Martina McBride (No. 1 Country)
“Wasted” Carrie Underwood (No. 1 Country – 3 weeks)
“This Mystery” Marco Borsato & Sita/Polydor (No. 1 Netherlands)
“Raincoat” Kelly Sweet (No. 1 AC)
“You Save Me” Kenny Chesney (No. 3 Country)
“I Would’ve Loved You Anyway” Trisha Yearwood (Top 5)
“With Me” Lonestar (Top 5)
“Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man” Andy Griggs (Top 5)
“The Heart of Dixie” Danielle Bradberry (Top 15)
“Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You” Kellie Pickler (Top 15)
“Drugs or Jesus” Tim McGraw (Top 15)
“Famous” Kelleigh Bannen
“Day Drinking” Little Big Town (Upcoming album)
“Storyline” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Tattoo” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Flashlight” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Nothing Like Starting Over” Hunter Hayes (Upcoming album)
“Shotgun Rider” Tim McGraw (Upcoming album)
“Hang a While” Kip Moore (Upcoming album)
“Get Into Something” Kip Moore (Upcoming album)
“Wild Boy” Danielle Bradbery (Upcoming album)
“A Perfectly Good Heart” Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift album)
“Crazy Dreams” Carrie Underwood (Carnival Ride album)
“Naked With You” Celine Dion (One Heart album)
“The Man You Love” IL Divo (Il Divo Album)
“Don’t Give Up On Me” Jason Aldean (Wide Open album)
“Stronger” Faith Hill (Greatest Hits & Cry albums)
”Paris” Faith Hill (Fireflies album)
“This Is Me” Faith Hill (Cry album)
“Love Is A Sweet Thing” Faith Hill (Breathe album)
“Telluride” Tim McGraw (Set This Circus Down album)
“Sleep Tonight” Tim McGraw (Dancehall Doctors album)
“I Wish I Was Wrong” LeAnn Rimes (Family album)
“This Time Tomorrow” LeAnn Rimes (Family album)
“The One You Love” Paulina Rubio (Border Girl album)
“We Can Dance” Bon Jovi
Chase Rice To 'Ignite The Night' in August
/by Jessica Nicholson“Words can’t really express how grateful I am to all the people that came together to make this album happen,” said Rice. “Starting with the fans, who come to my shows night after night and sing my songs back to me – I wouldn’t have a career without them, and I’m excited to get new music out so we can keep the party going. The fact that this album is coming out on my dad’s birthday makes it that much more meaningful. I hope I do him proud.”
Ignite The Night Album Track Listing (* denotes release on physical edition only):
Standard Edition:
1. “Ready Set Roll” (Rhett Akins, Chris DeStefano, Chase Rice)
2. “Do It Like This” (Dallas Davidson, Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley)
3. “Beach Town” (Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite, Chase Rice)
4. “MMM Girl” (Rodney Clawson, Lynn Hutton, Chase Rice)
5. “Beer With The Boys” (Chris DeStefano, Ashley Gorley, Chase Rice)
6. “Carolina Can” (Scooter Carusoe, Chase Rice)
7. “We Goin’ Out” (Chris DeStefano, Shane Minor, Chase Rice)
8. “Gonna Wanna Tonight” (Shane McAnally, Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins)
9. “Look At My Truck” (Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Colt Ford, Chase Rice)
10. “U Turn” (Zach Crowell, Shane Minor, Chase Rice)
11. “50 Shades Of Crazy” (Chris DeStefano, Jon Nite, Chase Rice)
12. “What’s Your Name” (Zach Crowell, Nicolle Galyon, Matt Jenkins)
13. “How She Rolls” (Brian Kelley, Chase Rice)
14. “Jack Daniels & Jesus” (Amanda Flynn, Brian Kelley, Chase Rice)
15. “Whoa” (Russell Dickerson, Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Jesse Rice, Chase Rice)(Produced by Scott Cooke)*
iTunes Party Edition:
15. “Party Up” (Featuring Colt Ford) (Ross Copperman, Blair Daly, Colt Ford, Chase Rice)
16. “Country In Ya” (Adam Sanders, Chase Rice)
17. “Best Beers Of Our Lives” (Chris DeStefano, Shane Minor, Chase Rice)
18. “Ride” (Joseph Somers-Morales, Cody Tarpley)
Artist Updates (6/30/14)
/by Sarah SkatesMcGraw on “Artists Den”
Tim McGraw will kick off the new season of PBS’s Live from the Artists Den this week. The episode was filmed at a century-old bank building in Houston, Texas and includes many songs from his upcoming album, Sundown Heaven Town. Check local listings.
ABC’s singing competition Rising Star premiered with lukewarm ratings last week and fell slightly in its second week. Last night’s show averaged 4.7 million viewers in the 9 and 10 p.m. hours, according to Nielsen ratings posted on Zap2it.com. Rising Star, which features Brad Paisley as one of the celebrity experts, scored first place during the 9 p.m. hour and slipped to second place at 10 p.m. For the night, ABC and CBS tied for the lead among adults 18-49.
• • • •
JT Hodges
JT Hodges has launched a new website at jthodges.com. One of the new components, JTV, features exclusive video content. Show Dog–Universal recently released the first single from Hodge’s upcoming sophomore album. He penned “Already High” with Kevin Griffin (Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue,” Better Than Ezra frontman).
• • • •
Nashville duo Carolina Story (husband and wife Ben and Emily Roberts) have released the 6-song EP Chapter Two. They celebrated the new album with their debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, June 28 and a release show at Douglas Corner. Chapter Two was produced by Grammy winner Blake Chancey.
Carolina Story on the Opry.
Industry Promotions, Hirings
/by Jessica NicholsonGus Wenner photo by Sacha Lecca
Gus Wenner, who recently introduced Rolling Stone‘s first country music-devoted website, has been promoted to head of digital across Wenner Media, owner of Rolling Stone, as well as US Weekly and Men’s Journal. 23-year-old Wenner is the son of Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner, and has led the editorial and business operations of rollingstone.com since May 2013. He will now lead the business and editorial sides at Men’s Journal and US Weekly as well.
• • •
Joseph Carozza
Joseph Carozza has been promoted to Sr. VP, Media Relations for Republic Records, according to co-founder and chief executive Monte Lipman, and Executive VP Charlie Walk.
Carozza has handled campaigns for Enrique Inglesias, Tiesto and contributed to campaigns for Lorde and Ariana Grande.
Carozza previously worked at Sony Music’s Epic Records, where he worked on campaigns for artists including Ozzy Osbourne, Sade, The Fray, Karmin, and Sean Kingston. Prior to joining Epic, he was with Rogers & Cowan where he provided media relations for legendary artists such as The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Motley Crue. Simultaneously, he worked entertainment branding and press for clients like Luxottica, Honda Civic, The GRAMMYs, and The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• • •
Emily Gallo
Black River Entertainment’s Director of National Promotion & Strategy Mike Wilson has hired Emily Gallo as Marketing & Promotion coordinator. Gallo will assist in marketing efforts for the roster and work directly with the promotion staff.
The Pittsburgh native previously worked as an Executive Assistant to the President at TKO Artist Management. She can be reached at emily.gallo@blackriverent.com or at 615-780-3075.
MusicRowPics: Johnny Orr Band
/by Jessica NicholsonJohnny Orr visit
Singer-songwriter Johnny Orr of The Johnny Orr Band visited MusicRow‘s office recently to perform a sampling of songs that have been connecting with fans at the band’s tour stops across the country.
Musical talent runs in the family for Orr. “I go to a family reunion and everyone is playing guitars, and there are harmonies everywhere,” says Orr, whose brother is also in a band, and sister sings in professional choirs. He won the American Country Star talent competition in Nashville in 2012. Soon after, he released the EP Down South.
During his visit, Orr performed three songs, including the EP’s title track “Down South,” along with “Sunday in Savannah,” a breezy tune about the carefree days of his early life in the southern city. “You Can’t Hide Love,” which he hopes will be his next single, touches on the unmistakeable signs of a romantic partner who falls in love with someone else.
The singer-songwriter held down numerous jobs, including a weekend radio DJ, a church music leader and a construction worker, while pursuing his music dreams.
A recent single, “We’ll Get By (The Autism Song),” honored families affected by autism, and gained. Orr researched the condition after receiving a request from a Florida fan to pen a song about her twin sons who are autistic. “I get emails from people saying that it is their story, and they deal with it. It’s a personal story, and we give money from sales of the song to raise awareness,” says Orr.
For more information, visit johnnyorrband.com.
[slide]
Chesney's 'The Big Revival' Coming Sept. 23
/by Jessica NicholsonKenny Chesney may have taken a break from the road this year, but he’s been hard at work in the studio perfecting his latest album, The Big Revival, which will release Sept. 23.
“The whole point of taking the time to get to a really creative place was to have the room to look at not what we’d done, but where we wanted to go,” Chesney says. “After all this time, if I can’t push myself and give the fans something that inspires them, that gets them pumped up, there’s no reason to just make a record to make a record.”
Produced by Chesney and Buddy Cannon, the 11-track album will feature appearances from Alison Krauss, Dan Tyminski and Grace Potter. Chesney worked with a new team of mixers, bringing a more aggressive sound to some tracks, and more acoustic instruments to others.
“There’s so much more to country than trucks, creek beds and cut-offs,” Chesney laughs. “That stuff is fun, but when you look at how people really dig in and work, the things they face every day, you wanna remind ’em how hardcore they really are, show ’em that and also show ’em that you know there’s more to ’em than people might think.”
The video for Chesney’s first single from The Big Revival, “American Kids,” just released on VEVO.
Provident Label Group's Reunion Records Signs Jason Crabb
/by Jessica NicholsonPictured (L-R): Jason Crabb and Provident president/CEO Terry Hemmings. Photo: Provident
Grammy-winning Christian artist Jason Crabb has signed with Provident Label Group’s Reunion Records. Crabb leaves Spring Hill Music Group after completing three albums and a live DVD for the label. Crabb will release his debut album for Reunion Records next year, with plans to market the project to the Christian AC format.
“We signed Jason Crabb because he’s an amazing singer – then meeting him and spending time with him, it became bigger than that for me, and for a lot of us here,” Provident Music Group president/CEO Terry Hemmings tells Billboard. “He’s a really wonderful, genuine guy driven to the ministry that he’s been called to. . . He’s written a series of children’s books. He’s a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional guy. As an entertainer, minister, husband and father, he’s got a lot to say. We want to give him a place to express that.”
Crabb’s career has been in the Southern Gospel genre since his debut as part of the family group The Crabb Family. Crabb launched a solo career with Spring Hill Music Group in 2009, and earned a Grammy honor for Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album.
Provident boasts a roster that includes Steven Curtis Chapman, Brandon Heath, Tenth Avenue North, Casting Crowns, and others. This is not the first time Crabb has made inroads into other music genres. The title track to his 2013 project Love Is Stronger was promoted to mainstream Country stations, while two tracks from the album, “Near” and “Let Mercy Hold You,” were promoted to Christian AC stations.
“We plan to put our core competencies around what he does well and to the extent that we’re not going to be dictating the kind of records he makes or the songs that he sings, but certainly advising him as to what we know works and what we know doesn’t and his open-mindedness is going to contribute a great deal to our success,” Hemmings says. “The guy I’ve spent the last year getting to know and working through this process has not been unwilling to talk about any possibility we put on the table.”
With tour dates on the books with Southern gospel favorites Mark Lowry, The Martins and comedian Chonda Pierce, Crabb has no plans to leave his current fan base while promoting to Christian AC radio. He plans to also work on projects with Bill Gaither, one of the owners of Spring Hill Music Group.
"Ready Set Roll" Is Certified Gold For Rice
/by Troy_StephensonChase Rice
Chase Rice’s current single “Ready Set Roll” has been certified Gold by the RIAA for selling more than 500,000 units. The song is at No. 16 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart, and had early airplay on SiriusXm’s “The Highway” where it topped their Hot 30 Countdown.
The single, which Rice wrote with Chris DeStefano and Rhett Akins, is the first single from his forthcoming full-length album.
“I remember the day we wrote ‘Ready Set Roll,’ and I just had the feeling that, ‘man, this song could be huge,’” said Rice. “There’s just something about this song that works for me, whether people do or don’t like it — for me, there’s something special about it. And hopefully I was right about that, because now I’ve got my first Gold record.”
Rice is currently touring with Dierks Bentley on the Riser Tour and continues to perform his own headlining dates across the country.
Industry Ink (6/30/14)
/by Sarah SkatesDolly Parton recently received a plaque from the RIAA for career album sales totaling more than 100 million worldwide. Parton was honored while in the UK to perform at the Glastonbury Music Festival. Her current release Blue Smoke is her highest charting solo album on the Billboard top 200; it entered at No. 6. She has notched 42 top 10 albums, including six No. 1s.
Pictured (L-R): Webster Public Relations’ Kirt Webster, Guesty PR’s Steve Guest, Dolly Parton, Glastonbury Owner Michael Eavis, The Agency Group’s Neil Warnock, CTK Management CEO Danny Nozell, and Sony Music’s Faye Donaldson.
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Writer’s Den Music Group and Starstruck Writers Group recently hosted a songwriters retreat at Bell Bottom Farm in Cedar Hill, Tenn. Tunesmiths from Sony/ATV and BMG Chrysalis were also in attendance.
Pictured (L-R) back row: Thomas Archer, Kellys Collins, Bobby Hamrick, Liz Hengber, Melissa Fuller, and Writer’s Den Creative Dir. Sarah Feldman. Front row: Alex Kline, Ben Cooper and Jerry Salley.
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Rhonda Adkins and her father.
MusicRow extends condolences to the family of Rhonda and Trace Adkins. Rhonda’s father, Robert “Bob” Francis Forlaw, passed away June 26 in Greensboro, Ga.
Born in Jacksonville, Fla., Forlaw joined the Air Force and served as an airplane mechanic in Shreveport, La.; the Panama Canal; Germany; and McDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. He later graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville and worked as an electric engineer, eventually starting his own company, Cain-Forlaw Co., Inc.
Among his survivors are wife of 63 years Jewell Cravey Forlaw, daughter Rhonda Forlaw Adkins and husband Trace, and granddaughters Mackenzie, Brianna and Trinity Adkins.
Visitation will be today, June 30, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at McCommons Funeral Home (109 West Broad St. Greensboro, 706-453-2626). A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, July 1 at 11:00 a.m at the First United Methodist Church of Greensboro (4741 Carey Station Rd.).
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to the First United Methodist Church of Greensboro Building Fund. Full obituary here.
Supporters Gather At Historic RCA Studio A To #SaveMusicRow
/by Jessica NicholsonSupporters gather at the historic RCA Studio A on Music Row. Photo: Kelsey Grady
A large crowd of supporters of Nashville’s RCA Studio A gathered outside the famed studio at 30 Music Square West this morning to discuss the importance of preserving the city’s musical history, and to celebrate the decision of Brentwood developer Tim Reynolds to preserve the landmark recording facility originally known as RCA Studio A, even if it means withdrawing from the project.
“If we consummate the sale, we intend to preserve and incorporate the studio into our overall design,” Bravo Development’s Reynolds told MusicRow. “We are in the early stages of speaking to our engineers and architects to determine if it is feasible or possible. If at any point it is decided that it’s not, then my company Bravo development will withdraw from the project. We think that it could overall be a beautiful design and preserve the history of that studio, but it must make economical sense in order to do that. We are in the early stages of determining that.”
Singer-songwriter Ben Folds, who recently wrote an open letter with a plea to save the studio, re-routed his tour dates to attend the gathering this morning on Music Row. Folds says he received a letter on June 30 stating that the building would be sold. Folds became a tenant in the space 12 years ago, and has since renovated the building.
“#SaveStudioA may have just shifted to #SaveMusicRow. This is a wake up call, this time without the luxury of another snooze button option,” he said via social media over the weekend. “It’s become clearer over the past few days that we have reached a tipping point for the survival of Music Row. We need to gather so that we ensure the dialogue can turn into real action, action that helps to preserve what makes Nashville so attractive to creatives and investors alike.
“Music City — from our elected leaders, business and community leaders, and those from all facets of our industry — should work more closely together to protect Music Row from destruction,” he continued. “If we do not succeed in preserving the very foundation that has allowed Nashville to be the ONLY city in the U.S. built on music, how long before people stop coming here to live in Music City’s high rise condos? Condos in Music City make sense, but music won’t survive in Condo City.”
Pictured (L-R): Ben Speer, who recorded at RCA Studio A with Elvis, and Ben Folds. Photo: Kelsey Grady
Among the speakers Monday morning were Folds, Nashville Musicians Association AFM Local 257 president Dave Pomeroy, and Ocean Way Nashville’s Director of Operations Pat McMakin.
MusicRow Magazine’s Robert K. Oermann also sent a statement that was read during the event. “The site of the Owen Bradley studio in Hillsboro Village where Kitty Wells recorded ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels’ was leveled earlier this year. The building on Music Row that housed Combine Music — where Kris Kristofferson, Larry Gatlin, Billy Swan and more were fostered — was leveled two weeks ago. The studio on McGavock Street where Elvis Presley recorded “Heartbreak Hotel” — his first national No. 1 hit — was torn down a decade ago. The site of the first record-company office on Music Row is now a memory. So are the sites of the first recording studio ever built in Nashville and the city’s first commercial radio station. These losses cannot be replaced. They are gone forever. Yet this is a city that bases its national identity as being ‘Music City, U.S.A.’ How many more iconic sites that gave us that identity will be destroyed before this community pays proper homage to a heritage that other cities would die to have?”
Built in 1964, the studio was established by producer and pioneer Chet Atkins. Originally known as RCA Studio A, or RCA Victor Nashville Sound Studio, numerous recording artists have made albums there over the years.
In 1979, producer Owen Bradley took over the space, changing its name to Music City Music Hall. During this time, the studio hosted artists including Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, Joe Cocker, and Leon Russell.
In 1989, producer Warren Peterson took over, bringing the new name Javalena and accommodating artists such as Neil Diamond, Mark Chesnutt, and early projects by Gary Allan. In ’99, Peterson closed down the space and it sat empty for three years before Folds resurrected the studio. After nearly a decade of dedicated private use, Ben’s Studio re-opened to the recording community for commercial sessions.
Photo: Kelsey Grady
During Monday morning’s gathering, it was announced that a Music Industry Coalition (MIC) would be formed to encourage lawmakers to protect the historic buildings dotting the Music Row area. The coalition currently has a Facebook page, and will launch a website in 10 days.
A popular hashtag for the original campaign, #SaveStudioA, has officially been changed to #SaveMusicRow.