Pictured are (Front, L-R): Big Machine Music Publishing’s Mike Molinar, Big Machine Label Group President & CEO Scott Borchetta, “Drunk Last Night” songwriters Josh Osborne and Laura Veltz, and Republic Nashville’s Jimmy Harnen and Matthew Hargis. (Back, L-R): Producers Frank Liddell and Justin Niebank, Warner/Chappell’s BJ Hill, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan, Eli Young Band, manager George Couri, Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones, Black River Publishing’s Celia Froehlig and Gordon Kerr, and BMI’s Jody Williams. Photo credit: Steve Lowry
Not since “You And Tequila” has a hangover paid off so handsomely.
In late 2012
Laura Veltz showed up to her writing appointment with
Josh Osborne and apologized, “I got a little drunk last night.” They decided that was the perfect song idea and a hit was born.
Veltz and Osborne made a “killer demo” of the tune, according to Veltz’s publisher
BJ Hill from Warner/Chappell. Then Veltz took the demo to her manager,
Mike Molinar at Big Machine Music. When his co-worker, BMLG A&R exec
Allison Jones, heard the demo coming through the wall, she knew immediately it would be a great cut by the
Eli Young Band.
“Drunk Last Night” made its way to the top of the radio charts and is now Gold-certified. BMI, ASCAP, and Republic Nashville gathered at the CMA’s offices yesterday (April 28) to toast the team behind the hit.
BMI’s
Jody Williams shared how he was introduced to Veltz years earlier by songwriter
Kye Fleming. Back then, Veltz was part of a New York based family band called Cecilia. Williams said he knew early on that Laura was a creative “force of nature.”
ASCAP’s
LeAnn Phelan toasted
Frank Liddell, who co-produced the track with
Justin Niebank and EYB. “You are a treasure in this city,” she enthused, noting his work with ACM Lifting Lives, Nashville Screenwriters Conference, and his willingness to share credit with the engineers, songwriters and musicians who contribute to his projects. This is Liddell’s seventh No. 1.
Hill saluted Veltz, “You keep impressing us with your abilities.”
“You’re a hit songwriter, it’s in your DNA,” agreed Molinar.
Black River’s
Celia Froehlig cheered Osborne, “he’s a publisher’s dream.” Indeed, he has five songs in the Top 30 right now. “Drunk Last Night” is his second No. 1, following Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over” and Kacey Musgraves’ Grammy-winning “Merry Go Round.”
It was an emotional event for Veltz who was celebrating her first trip to the top of the charts. She thanked her family and the songwriters “who just let me in the room” as she learned the craft. She praised the support of Nashville’s creative community: “I don’t think this happens everywhere.”
Osborne said it isn’t hard to let go of a song you wrote when it is going into the hands of the Eli Young Band and Republic Nashville, because they always work hard and put all they’ve got behind it.
As songwriters themselves,
Mike Eli explained that he and the other band members immediately recognized the song’s hit potential. “Drunk Last Night” is the talented foursome’s third No. 1, following double Platinum “Crazy Girl” and Platinum “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.”
And in the very near future, Veltz will have two more reasons to celebrate—she’s pregnant with twins.
WMN Taps Regional Anna Cage
/by Sarah SkatesAnna Cage
Warner Music Nashville has announced the appointment of Anna Cage to Regional Promotion Manager – Midwest/Northeast for Team W.A.R.
She joins the staff from Emblem Music Group where she worked in artist management alongside Dean Serletic and Matt Serletic. Among the artists Cage worked with are Emblem/Warner Bros. vocal group Gloriana and rock act DUGAS.
“We are thrilled to have Anna join the W.A.R. team. She brings a special brand of passion and enthusiasm to our staff. We know she’ll fit right in,” said Chris Palmer, Vice President, Promotion for the W.A.R. team.
Cage also previously worked in marketing, including a stint at a Nashville-based subsidiary of Smith & Wesson, so Palmer warns that she is armed and dangerous.
Reach her at Anna.Cage@wmg.com or 615-214-1459.
Bobby Huff Inks Publishing Deal
/by Jessica NicholsonCombustion Music, along with co-partners Warner-Chappell and Disney Music Publishing, has added Bobby Huff to its songwriting roster.
The Indiana native has production and writing credits with 3 Doors Down, Papa Roach, Shinedown, Jason Castro, Electric Touch and others. Huff also produced a full-length project for Tim Finn, which included the song “Winter Light,” featured in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
Pictured are (L-R): Seated – Combustion Music’s Chris Van Belkom, Bobby Huff, Disney Music Publishing’s Patrick Clifford. Standing – Attorney Jim Zumwalt, Disney’s Ciara Gardner, Warner Chappell Music Publishing’s Ben Vaughn, Combustion’s Chris Farren and Kenley Flynn.
Scott Hendricks Makes 'The Voice' Appearance
/by Jessica NicholsonMcLaughlin took on Reba’s classic “You Lie,” while Worthington tackled George Strait’s “Run.” In case you missed it, watch Shelton and Hendricks offer some valuable song advice during last night’s episode.
Bentley, Dan+Shay Grab Gold
/by Jessica NicholsonDierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley‘s “I Hold On” has been certified Gold by the RIAA in the United States for sales of more than 500,000 downloads; the song has also earned a Gold certification from the CRIA in Canada.
“I Hold On” is the first single from Bentley’s Capitol Records Nashville release Riser.
• • •
Kristian Bush Prepping Solo Album For Streamsound Records
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto: Whitney Pastorek
Kristian Bush has reunited with longtime producer Byron Gallimore to offer up his debut solo album. The project will be released on Streamsound Records, which Gallimore co-owns. Gallimore produced the previous Sugarland projects Enjoy The Ride, Love On The Inside, The Incredible Machine, and Gold and Green. No release date has been set at this time.
“I’m so excited to be working with Byron Gallimore again,” shares Bush. “I’m constantly surprised at how creative I feel and how innovative he is every time we hit record.”
Bush is currently visiting various markets on his 2014 Put Your Soul In It Tour. The lead single from the album is projected to be sent to Country radio this summer.
Stars Shine at 15th Annual Best Cellars Dinner
/by Jessica NicholsonThe 15th Annual Nashville Best Cellars Dinner paired music and decadent wine and food Monday evening (April 28) in Nashville. Hosted by the T.J Martell Foundation, the event benefited the Frances William Preston Labs at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
The event included artists Martina McBride, Chris Young, Kacey Musgraves, Brett Eldredge, Clare Bowen, and John Oates. Guests also enjoyed a gourmet dinner created by Chef Michael Kornick, founder and owner of mk the restaurant in Chicago, as well as world-class wines from private collectors.
The inaugural dinner was created in 1999 by Nashville wine enthusiast and music executive Billy Ray Hearn.
Pictured (Back row, L-R): Martina McBride, Brett Eldredge, Laura Heatherly (CEO, T.J. Martell Foundation), Chris Young, Susannah Herring, Kacey Musgraves, Senator Bill Frist, John Oates, Train’s Jimmy Stafford, Nancy Hearn; (Front row, L-R): Clare Bowen, Co-chair Bill Hearn (President, EMI Christian Group), Co-chair John Esposito (President & CEO, Warner Music Nashville), Chef Michael Kornick, Co-chair Tom Black, Founder Billy Ray Hearn (Founder, EMI Christian Music Group). Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty Images for T.J. Martell Foundation
Artist Updates (4/29/14)
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto Credit: James Minchin
Brantley Gilbert will perform a 45-minute pre-race set presented by Coca-Cola and the USO at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 25.
“I can definitely relate to the high-adrenaline NASCAR crowds,” said Gilbert. “The fastest half-mile track in Georgia was literally five minutes from my house growing up and we were always there. I love the smell of gas, the motor and the tires.”
• • •
During each stop, the concert will be filmed with video production featuring the crowd’s participation. An interactive “fan-filmed” area will be on-site to capture footage collected by fans. The footage will be combined to create a signature music video specific to each show.
These videos will appear live on The Lost Trailers exclusive site on artists.cmt and on the CMT Artists app.
• • •
Alan Jackson has recorded “A Million Ways to Die,” the title track for the soundtrack to Universal Pictures and MRC’s upcoming comedy film A Million Ways to Die in the West. The track is available digitally on Back Lot Music, with the album’s release to follow on May 27. The film will debut in theaters May 30.
Pictured (L-R): Composer and conductor Joel McNeely and Alan Jackson in the studio.
MusicRowPics: Mary Sarah Builds 'Bridges' On New Project
/by Jessica NicholsonMary Sarah. Photo: Jim McGuire
While still in her teens, Mary Sarah has achieved milestones many artists spend a lifetime dreaming about. Mary Sarah made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry on April 17. Her new project, Bridges, released on the singer’s own 144 Entertainment, features the singer-songwriter collaborating with Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Lynn Anderson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, Ronnie Milsap, Neil Sedaka and more.
Bridges was nearly three years in the making. The Texas-raised Mary Sarah worked with executive producer Freddy Powers, who had worked with Nelson, Tucker and Haggard. She also teamed with Parton’s manager and producer Kent Wells, who brought Parton to the project. “I’ve always been a fan of both contemporary and traditional Country music,” says Mary Sarah, who gave MusicRow a preview of tunes from the project during a recent visit, including Tucker’s 1978 hit “Texas When I Die,” and Haggard’s 1969 classic “Fightin’ Side of Me.”
She credits The Oak Ridge Boys, who appear on Bridges performing their 1979 hit “Dream On,” with giving her a breakthrough of sorts in the industry. “Joe Bonsall found my music on Twitter. He invited me to watch one of the Oak Ridge Boys’ rehearsals, and to meet them,” recalls Mary Sarah. “We all went out to dinner, and he asked if I would sing at their show that evening, which was incredible.” Mary Sarah went on to open several shows for the group. The Oak Ridge Boys were also on the bill when Mary Sarah made her recent Grand Ole Opry debut. “They are like uncles to me in this business, they’ve offered me so much advice,” she says.
Mary Sarah’s voice is at once youthful, bold and laced with a twang wholly appropriate for her batch of traditional Country covers. She is already working and writing for her next project. “I moved to Nashville two years ago and have been writing ever since,” she says. “I’m looking for another good producer for the next project and I’m looking forward to exploring more of my own sound after the covers project. I fit somewhere between contemporary and traditional Country.” Her preview included two original tracks, “Thinking About Last Night” and “The Great Unknown,” co-written with considerable singer-songwriter Rebecca Lynn Howard.
Ahead for Mary Sarah are a couple of additional “firsts”–her debut appearance at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe on May 7, and the release of Bridges on May 13. “I’m excited because I have so much respect for the Bluebird Cafe,” she says. “People are so quiet, they listen and they take the music seriously. I can’t wait for the album release, to share this music with everyone.”
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Nashville Ranks Among Top Cities For Job Growth
/by Jessica NicholsonNashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn. ranked sixth on the list, with 823,000 jobs in 2013, and a job growth of 3.0 percent in 2013 (9.7 percent from 2008-2013).
The top-ranked area was San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., with 982,000 jobs in 2013, and a job growth of 4.3 percent in 2013 (8.1 percent from 2008-2013).
Rankings are based on recent growth trends, mid-term growth, long-term growth and the region’s momentum.
Other areas in the list include Houston; Raleigh, N.C.; Austin, Texas; San Francisco; New York City; Orlando, Fla.; and Denver.
Nashville was also recently listed among the fastest-growing cities, thanks to a robust healthcare industry, its signature music industry, a growing tech industry and a reasonable cost of living.
Music Row Toasts No. 1 Hit 'Drunk Last Night'
/by Sarah SkatesPictured are (Front, L-R): Big Machine Music Publishing’s Mike Molinar, Big Machine Label Group President & CEO Scott Borchetta, “Drunk Last Night” songwriters Josh Osborne and Laura Veltz, and Republic Nashville’s Jimmy Harnen and Matthew Hargis. (Back, L-R): Producers Frank Liddell and Justin Niebank, Warner/Chappell’s BJ Hill, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan, Eli Young Band, manager George Couri, Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones, Black River Publishing’s Celia Froehlig and Gordon Kerr, and BMI’s Jody Williams. Photo credit: Steve Lowry
Not since “You And Tequila” has a hangover paid off so handsomely.
In late 2012 Laura Veltz showed up to her writing appointment with Josh Osborne and apologized, “I got a little drunk last night.” They decided that was the perfect song idea and a hit was born.
Veltz and Osborne made a “killer demo” of the tune, according to Veltz’s publisher BJ Hill from Warner/Chappell. Then Veltz took the demo to her manager, Mike Molinar at Big Machine Music. When his co-worker, BMLG A&R exec Allison Jones, heard the demo coming through the wall, she knew immediately it would be a great cut by the Eli Young Band.
“Drunk Last Night” made its way to the top of the radio charts and is now Gold-certified. BMI, ASCAP, and Republic Nashville gathered at the CMA’s offices yesterday (April 28) to toast the team behind the hit.
BMI’s Jody Williams shared how he was introduced to Veltz years earlier by songwriter Kye Fleming. Back then, Veltz was part of a New York based family band called Cecilia. Williams said he knew early on that Laura was a creative “force of nature.”
ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan toasted Frank Liddell, who co-produced the track with Justin Niebank and EYB. “You are a treasure in this city,” she enthused, noting his work with ACM Lifting Lives, Nashville Screenwriters Conference, and his willingness to share credit with the engineers, songwriters and musicians who contribute to his projects. This is Liddell’s seventh No. 1.
Hill saluted Veltz, “You keep impressing us with your abilities.”
“You’re a hit songwriter, it’s in your DNA,” agreed Molinar.
Black River’s Celia Froehlig cheered Osborne, “he’s a publisher’s dream.” Indeed, he has five songs in the Top 30 right now. “Drunk Last Night” is his second No. 1, following Kenny Chesney’s “Come Over” and Kacey Musgraves’ Grammy-winning “Merry Go Round.”
It was an emotional event for Veltz who was celebrating her first trip to the top of the charts. She thanked her family and the songwriters “who just let me in the room” as she learned the craft. She praised the support of Nashville’s creative community: “I don’t think this happens everywhere.”
Osborne said it isn’t hard to let go of a song you wrote when it is going into the hands of the Eli Young Band and Republic Nashville, because they always work hard and put all they’ve got behind it.
As songwriters themselves, Mike Eli explained that he and the other band members immediately recognized the song’s hit potential. “Drunk Last Night” is the talented foursome’s third No. 1, following double Platinum “Crazy Girl” and Platinum “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.”
And in the very near future, Veltz will have two more reasons to celebrate—she’s pregnant with twins.