Industry Ink Thursday

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Chris Keaton Produces Broadway Project
Nashville producer Chris Keaton recently completed recording a new project by Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga. The Journey So Far is a live album set for release Aug. 9 by LML Music/Allegro Distribution. Salonga, the Filipina singer and actress who is best known for originating the lead role of “Kim” in the musical Miss Saigon, will accompany the release of the CD with a worldwide tour throughout 2011 and 2012.

Lea Salonga signs a recording contract with LML Music.(L-R): attorney Robert Perlstein, Lea Salonga, producer Chris Keaton, and LML Music President Lee Lessack.


Belmont Promotes Jamie Stamey

Jamie Stamey


Belmont University has promoted Jamie Stamey to Internship Coordinator. She joined the Curb College in 2008 and most recently served as Academic Advisor/Intern Coordinator. In her new role, Stamey will work with faculty mentors to create internship opportunities in the entertainment industry. She works under Sarah Cates who serves as Sr. Director of Curb College Initiatives.
Additionally, Stamey will work to develop unique, team-based internship experiences like the recent Belmont/BMI Catalog Cast initiative. This project had ten Belmont seniors mine the BMI catalog for potential hits, and resulted in American Idol champ Scotty McCreery recording “Out of Summertime.”
Songwriter Agency Hires Cheri Blankenship

Cheri Blankenship


Cheri Hendrix Blankenship has joined The Songwriter Agency, handling bookings in Texas and the Western U.S. Blankenship was with PACE/Live Nation for ten years, and also founded Hendrix Music Agency providing artist representation and talent buying services for live music venues in the state of Texas. Blankenship is based in Houston and can be reached at cheri@thesongwriteragency.com or (281) 995-3179.
Randy Harrell co-founded the agency which represents Don Schlitz, Steve Wariner, Richie McDonald and others. Harrell can be reached at Randy@thesongwriteragency.com, or (615) 879-1224.
Woody Bomar’s Road Crew Honored
Publishing vet Woody Bomar and his Route 66 tribute band The Road Crew were honored during the 2011 International Route 66 Association Festival Awards Banquet on June 11 in Amarillo, Texas. The group received the inaugural Bobby Troup Artistic Recognition Award, named for the composer of the iconic song “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66.”

(L-R): Jason Harmon, Don King, Michael Wallis (Author/Route 66 Historian), Woody Bomar, Joe Loesch.

Roger Murrah To Exit Bug Music

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Roger Murrah will officially leave his post as Sr. VP of Bug Music when his contract with the publishing company ends in August. The publishing vet came on board with Bug in February 2009, overseeing the Nashville office and reporting directly to Los Angeles-based CEO John Rudolph.
At that time, Bug Music acquired a portion of Murrah’s independent publishing company, Murrah Music, and its associated catalogs. Today, Roger Murrah reportedly retains ownership of the publishing house he founded in 1990. He says, “I’m putting no limitations on the possibilities ahead.”
Murrah is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and was honored as BMI’s Songwriter of the Decade for the ’90s. His credits include Alan Jackson’s “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” Al Jarreau’s “We’re In This Love Together,” Alabama’s “I’m In A Hurry (And Don’t Know Why),” and Waylon Jennings’s album, A Man Called Hoss.
He can be contacted at 615-424-7833 and roger.murrah@nashville.net.

Glen Campbell Diagnosed With Alzheimer's

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Glen Campbell has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, People Magazine is reporting. The 75-year-old country singer revealed his condition in an interview that appears in Friday’s (6/24) issue.
Campbell and his wife Kim have come forward to talk about his disease because he is making plans for a series of farewell shows and felt his fans should be aware.

“Glen is still an awesome guitar player and singer,” Kim told People. “But if he flubs a lyric or gets confused on stage, I wouldn’t want people to think, ‘What’s the matter with him? Is he drunk?'”

According to the Los Angeles Times, Campbell is also recording an album called Ghost On The Canvas that is due out August 30. He is recording with Julian Raymond, who produced his acclaimed 2008 album Meet Glen Campbell. This collection will reportedly feature songs by Paul Westerberg (The Replacements), Jakob Dylan (The Wallflowers), Teddy Thompson and Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices), in addition to original material. Guests on the album will include Chris Isaak, Dick Dale, Billy Corgan, Brian Setzer, Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) and the Dandy Warhols.
Campbell’s storied career has lasted over 50 years, beginning as a session player in Los Angeles on recordings by Phil Spector and the Beach Boys, to his successful solo recordings like “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” and “Rhinestone Cowboy,” and hosting The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS. He also ventured into acting, appearing with John Wayne in the 1969 version of True Grit.

Rhett Akins Re-Ups With EMI

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(L-R): EMI's Tom Luteran, BMI's Jody Williams, EMI's Laura Wright, Rhett's son Thomas Rhett Akins, Rhett Akins, BMI's Leslie Roberts, EMI's Ben Vaughn, BMI's Clay Bradley, daughter Kasey Lee Akins, EMI's Josh Van Valkenburg, BMI's Beth Laird, EMI's Missy Wilson and BMI's Mark Mason


Riding high with a string of hits and two rising singles, songwriter Rhett Akins has extended his relationship with EMI Music Publishing. Under terms of the new co-publishing deal, EMI Music will continue to represent Akins’ future work and catalogue of songs which includes the No. 1s “All About Tonight” (performed by Blake Shelton), “Gimme That Girl” (Joe Nichols) and “All Over Me” (Josh Turner).
Akins, who first joined EMI six years ago, is a co-writer on the latest singles from Shelton (“Honey Bee”) and Rodney Atkins (“Take A Back Road”). “I want to thank my EMI family, co-writers, and music partners for giving me the opportunity to create music and live my dream,” he said.
EMI Music Publishing Nashville Executive Vice President Ben Vaughn added, “Rhett Akins is a guy that you love being in business with and working with everyday. He loves what he does and it shows. Our entire EMI Nashville family are proud to share in his on going success and proud to call ourselves ‘Rhettnecks.’”
Since moving to Nashville more than 15 years ago, Akins has had hits as a recording artist with “That Ain’t My Truck” and “She Said Yes.” He was named one of Billboard‘s top five country songwriters in 2010, and his songs have collectively sold more than 2.5 million digital downloads.
His other hits as a writer include “Farmer’s Daughter” (Rodney Atkins), “Put A Girl In It” (Brooks & Dunn) and “The Shape I’m In” (Joe Nichols).
EMI Music Publishing’s current Nashville hit-making writers include Dallas Davidson, Alan Jackson, Chris Young, Kelley Lovelace, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott.

Memorial Service For Steve Popovich

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Steve Popovich. Photo Credit: Anastasia Pantsios


A memorial service for late record executive Steve Popovich will be held from 6 – 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 30 at United Methodist Fellowship Church (2511 Highway 99, Murfreesboro, TN). A reception will follow at the Church from 7 – 9 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Stephen C. Popovich Memorial Fund, U.S. Bank, 2504 Old Fort Parkway, Murfreesboro, TN 37128. All funds donated will benefit the various charities that Steve has contributed to throughout his life.
Popovich died at his home in Murfreesboro on June 8 at age 68. Born July 6, 1942 in Nemacolin, PA, his career included time at Columbia Records, and his own Cleveland International Records. He worked with Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Boston, Johnny Cash, David Allan Coe and polka king Frank Yankovic. He was part of the landmark success of Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell album. His big personality helped him work his way into the fabric of Music City while at the helm of PolyGram Records Nashville in the late 1980s, working with Kris Kristofferson, The Statler Brothers, Tom T. Hall, Kathy Mattea, Lynn Anderson, Tom Jones, Johnny Paycheck and others. See the complete obituary here.
He is survived by son Steve Popovich Jr., daughter Pamela Popovich, sister Barb Lemmo, and grandchildren Tanner and Stephen Popovich.
Funeral services were held June 13 at St. John of the Cross in Euclid, Ohio. Interment followed at Western Reserve Memorial Gardens in Chesterland.
Condolences may be sent to the family via email: spopovich34@earthlink.net.

Songwriter Signings

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Angel Snow Inks With Bug Music
Bug Music recently signed songwriter Angel Snow. She has three cuts on the deluxe edition of Alison Krauss and Union Station‘s new album, Paper Airplanes. Snow is also set to open for the band during their two-night stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Aug. 26-27. In between dates on her current headlining tour and recording a new album, Snow has been busy co-writing.

(L-R): Bug Music VP John Allen, songwriter Angel Snow, attorney Tyler Middleton


 
Ten Ten Welcomes Scott Stepakoff
Ten Ten Music Group has signed up and coming songwriter Scott Stepakoff. He is a co-writer on the debut single from MCA artist Kip Moore, “Mary Was The Marrying Kind.” Stepakoff penned the track with Moore and Dan Couch.

(L-R): Ten Ten co-Pres. Jewel Coburn, songwriter Scott Stepakoff, Creative Director Daniel Lee, and co-Pres. Barry Coburn

Tenacity Records Promo Team Revealed

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Tenacity Records’ Bill Gentry performed almost a dozen shows at Wild Bill's/Nashville during CMA Music Fest. The Atlanta-based club took over the historic Acme Building in downtown Nashville and offered indie artists a place to showcase. (L-R): Haley, Gentry, Kraski, Gary Greenberg


Tenacity Records has launched in Nashville with Tenacity Management chief Mike Kraski as President. Promotion vets David Haley and Gary Greenburg have been named as the new label’s Sr. VP Promotion and Director, respectively.
The Tenacity Records team will be working Bill Gentry’s upcoming single “This Letter,” which will be released shortly. Gentry’s debut CD Baptized In Temptation, produced by Chad Carlson, will be available later in 2011.
The announcement reunites Kraski with Haley and Greenberg, who all previously worked together at Equity Records. Additional promotion staff members will be added soon.
“I view David and Gary as the ‘Promotion Department Dream Team,’” says Kraski. “I have worked with each of them for many years, and the respect I have for them, their integrity and work ethic is immense. And to be able to put them together to work on behalf of such a talented performer as Bill Gentry is truly the icing on the indie label cake.”
Haley’s new email is david.haley@tenacityrecords.com and Greenberg’s is gary.greenberg@tenacityrecords.com.

Morning Updates

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Jolene Mercer Dakil Service Tonight
A celebration of life for former music industry publicist Jolene Mercer Dakil will be held tonight, Wed., June 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the Berry Hill office of Luna Chica Records International, 2826 Dogwood Place, Nashville TN 37204. All who knew and loved Jolene are invited to attend.
Dakil passed away after an extended illness with liver disease on Sat., May 28, 2011. She had worked with such notable artists as Garth Brooks, Chris LeDoux, Neal McCoy, Asleep at the Wheel, Charlie Pride, Ricky Lynn Gregg, Brady Seals, Little Texas, and Delbert McClinton.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the no-kill animal shelter Happy Tales Humane, 230 Franklin Road, Suite 1303, Franklin, TN 37064.
MacPherson to Exit Chrysalis
In the latest news from BMG Chrysalis, Kenny MacPherson will soon exit his national level post as President and Senior Executive. This is according to a report on HitsDailyDouble.com, which notes MacPherson will remain in place during the transition. Read more about BMG Chrysalis here.
Bluebird/RIAA Announce Partnership
The Bluebird Cafe announced a new partnership with the RIAA and its Nashville member labels earlier this week. RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol said his organization will support the Bluebird as an incubator of rising and developing talent through its Open Mic Nights, Sunday Writers’ Nights, and weekly early-show rounds. Erika Wollam Nichols serves as the famed venue’s COO.
The Bluebird Café’s 2011 BirdSongs Series continues on Tues., June 28 at 9PM with a special evening featuring singer/songwriter Toby Keith, and longtime collaborators Bobby Pinson and Scotty Emerick.
The BirdSongs Series was created last year to help pay off the debt accrued through NSAI’s purchase of the legendary club. Admission is $75 for regular seats and $150.00 for gold circle seats. Reservations at www.bluebirdcafe.com.

RIAA, Bluebird Cafe announce partnership. (L-R): Adam James, Steve Bogard, Dave Berg, Blair Bodine, Barbara Cloyd, Mitch Bainwol and Erika Wollam Nichols.

MusicRow Awards Honor The Band Perry, Paul Worley

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Photos: Alan Mayor

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Breakthrough Artist: The Band Perry
Breakthrough Songwriter: Kimberly Perry
Song of the Year: “If I Die Young,” published by Pearlfeather, Rio Bravo
Producer of the Year: Paul Worley
Marketing Achievement: (tie) Capitol Records Nashville for Luke Bryan’s Doin’ My Thing, and Big Machine Records for Taylor Swift’s Speak Now
Top Ten Album All-Stars: Jimmie Lee Sloas – Bass; Shannon Forrest – Drums; Justin Niebank – Engineer; Jonathan Yudkin – Fiddle; Ilya Toshinsky – Guitar; Tony Harrell – Keyboard; Paul Franklin – Steel; Wes Hightower – Vocals

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The 23rd Annual MusicRow Awards were held last night (6/21) at ASCAP’s Nashville office. The Band Perry and Kimberly Perry were the evening’s big winners, earning reader-voted plaques for Breakthrough Artist as a trio, and Kimberly was honored as writer of Song of the Year (“If I Die Young”) and Breakthrough Songwriter. It was the first time in Awards history that the same act had taken all three accolades.

(L-R): Bob Doyle & Associate's Kates Snyder, Neil Perry, Republic Nashville Pres. Jimmy Harnen, Reid Perry, Kimberly Perry, MR's David Ross, Jesse Frasure, and manager/publisher Bob Doyle.


ASCAP VP/Managing Exec Tim DuBois called the capacity crowd to order and introduced MusicRow Publisher David Ross who thanked the performing rights organization for hosting this year’s ceremony and welcomed the crowd. “The roles of performing rights and trade magazines seem quite different,” noted Ross. “But we have a lot in common, we both support the songwriters, publishers and musicians who are such an integral part of Nashville’s success.”
MusicRow News Editor Sarah Skates and Chart Director Jon Freeman handled the presentation of the Top Ten Album All-Star Awards and presented plaques to the winners in eight different instrumental and vocal categories. “These guys bring their formidable talents to the stage and studio day in and day out,” acknowledged Freeman. The Top 10 Awards began in 1989 and were compiled by John Lomax and the late Otto Kittsinger. They remain the only musician awards based upon actual album appearances, and not just overall popularity.

(L-R): MR's Jon Freeman and Sarah Skates, with musicians Shannon Forrest, Tony Harrell, Jonathan Yudkin, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Wes Hightower and Ilya Toshinsky.


After the Musician Awards presentation and remarks, a group of the players took the stage for an impromptu musician jam which included Jonathan Yudkin on fiddle, Jimmie Lee Sloas on bass, Ilya Toshinsky on banjo and Tony Harrell on accordion. The crowd loved it, and hopefully it can become an Awards tradition going forward.

Musician honorees show why they are studio heroes. (L-R): Tony Harrell, Ilya Toshinsky, Jimmie Lee Sloas and Jonathan Yudkin.


MusicRow President/Owner Sherod Robertson took the podium next for a surprise 30-year plaque presentation to MusicRow founder David M. Ross who was touched by the accolade. “I’m more accustomed to giving awards, than receiving them,” said Ross. “But there are so many people to thank. My wife Susana who helped start it all with me, and really, every one of you in this room for supporting what we do. So many people have made great contributions over our thirty year run.”

MusicRow staffers salute David Ross for 30 successful years. (L-R): Christie King, Sarah Skates, Jon Freeman, David Ross, Eric Parker, Susana Ross, Sherod Robertson and Michelle Ross Stephens.


Producer of the Year Paul Worley was the next award recipient. He quipped to the crowd, “I’ve been trying to win one of these for 30 years.” Worley’s career includes working with artists such as Martina McBride, Dixie Chicks, Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry.
This year’s Marketing honor was a tie between Big Machine’s Taylor Swift Speak Now project, and Capitol Nashville’s Luke Bryan Doin’ My Thing album. For a detailed description of these plans check out the just released June/July print issue of MusicRow.

(L-R): Producer of the Year Paul Worley and David Ross. Marketing Achievement winners—Big Machine's Andrew Kautz; David Ross and Capitol's Cindy Mabe.


Making a last-minute appearance were big winners, The Band Perry. Happily, the trio unleashed a memorable acoustic performance of the MusicRow 2011 Song of the Year, “If I Die Young.” “Every time we get a plaque like this,” said Kimberly earnestly, “it increases our feeling of responsibility to do our very best.” It proved a fitting crescendo to the event.

Breakthrough Artist winners The Band Perry perform Song of the Year "If I Die Young."


Enjoying the jovial atmosphere and ASCAP’s hospitality were industry notables Pat Higdon, Troy Tomlinson, Ben Vaughn, Dale Turner, Kevin Herring, Jay Frank, Marc Driskill, Suzanne Lee, Mike Sistad, Barry Coburn, Jody Williams, Bradley Collins, Kay Clary, Susana Ross, Dave Pomeroy, Jayne Rogovin, Jeff Walker, Tom Luteran, Renee Grant-Williams, Glenn Middleworth, Karen Oertley, Sarah Cates, Holly Bell, Christy Watkins, Mandy Gallagher, Karl Braun, Diane Pearson, Hal Oven, up and coming family group the Henningsens, and Patrick Thomas, former contestant on The Voice.

MusicRow Awards Issue—On The Cover

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Led by industry veteran Tim DuBois, the ASCAP Nashville regional office serves a broad array of members across all musical genres and a multi-state geographic footprint while bolstering its services to new and existing members. This focus is testament to ASCAP’s emphasized investment in the evolution of Nashville as a vibrant musical mecca.
The vision of ASCAP Nashville reflects the city’s growing importance as a global music capital that is a magnet for songwriters and publishers in a spectrum of genres. ASCAP has responded to this growth and change in the marketplace through a regional approach to its core mission in Nashville. The geographic region the office serves includes other parts of Tennessee, as well as Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, the Carolinas, Florida and Virginia, among other areas.
The ASCAP Nashville creative team, which includes DuBois, Marc Driskill, Michael Martin, LeAnn Phelan, Mike Sistad, Ryan Beuschel, Jessica Draper, Robert Filhart, Jesse Willoughby and Anna Maki, is dedicated to deeply investing in the development of songwriters, as well as serving the needs of its publisher members. This is a team whose diverse and dynamic backgrounds and experiences cover every area of the industry, merging in the most complementary way by combining a natural enthusiasm for music and the songwriters who create it with practical knowledge from years in the music business. There is also a focused emphasis in three areas of visionary service, education and opportunities for its members: Performance, Creative and Business.
In the area of Performance, ASCAP Nashville has a focused array of strategic opportunities for members in varying genres and stages of their careers to showcase their craft in series including ASCAP Presents at the Bluebird Café, ASCAP Rocks at the Mercy Lounge, the New Crew Show (highlighting unsigned writers) and a special quarterly series, ASCAP Presents.
Within the Creative emphasis, opportunities beyond the performance series are offered through unique events and festivals including the ASCAP Music Lounge at the Nashville Film Festival, Nashville in Napa, the 30A Songwriters Festival, ASCAP’s incredibly successful “We Create Music” EXPO, ASCAP’s GPS (Guidance from Publishers for Songwriters) Program, ASCAP/Belmont Writers Night Series, the Key West Songwriters Festival, and the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association Songwriter Workshop (as part of its cumulative educational outreach in high schools and colleges in Texas and the rest of ASCAP Nashville’s geographic region of service). Other special events that ASCAP Nashville participates in include the Sundance ASCAP Music Café at the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW and CMJ, among others. Songwriting workshops are also an essential element of the Creative focus, with ASCAP Nashville offering four different workshops with genre emphasis in pop, country, Christian and film/TV.
ASCAP is proud to partner with organizations including Nimbit, AirPlay Direct, MyWerx, Limelight and many others that address the growing needs of both the songwriters and business professionals who represent all genres of music here in Nashville. These partnerships further the goal of the Business emphasis in equipping ASCAP members with information, skills and knowledge they need to be and remain competitive in this industry. Programs including ASCAP’s DIYU educational workshops are offered for guidance and to facilitate an informational forum between these organizations and their core market: writers and artists.
The ASCAP Nashville office, while continuing to serve the needs of country and Christian music’s greatest writers and publishers, has expanded its vision and strategy to also meet the needs of the pop, international, urban and folk writers, as well as film, television and symphonic composers, who work, live and thrive in this region. ASCAP’s recognition of the influx and development of other successful genres of music in Nashville demonstrates not only the Membership group’s dedication to a substantial investment in the development of songwriters and support of publishers, but also the organization’s commitment to the community as a whole.

(L-R): Tim DuBois, VP/Managing Executive; Mike Sistad, Dir. Membership Relations; Jessica Draper, Mgr. Creative Services; Michael Martin, Sr. Creative Director; Robert Filhart, Creative Manager; Marc Driskill, VP/GM; Jesse Willoughby, Membership Representative; LeAnn Phelan, Sr. Creative Director; Ryan Beuschel, Creative Manager; and Anna Maki, Creative Assistant. Photo: Jeff Venable