Signing at My Good Girl
My Good Girl Music has signed songwriter Allison Veltz to an exclusive publishing agreement. My Good Girl Music is a joint venture between producer Mark Bright and Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Veltz is currently working on her debut album, with Bright on board as producer.
(L-R): Mark Bright, My Good Girl's Ashley Hertzog, Allison Veltz, Sony/ATV's Troy Tomlinson, and My Good Girl's Stephanie Greene
a recent finalist on hit singing competition
The Voice, was in Nashville earlier this month for a writing trip. While in town, the ASCAP member stopped by the PRO’s Music Row offices to visit with the creative team. The live finale of
The Voice airs tonight (6/29) on NBC.
Pictured (L-R): ASCAP's Michael Martin, Tim DuBois, Patrick Thomas, ASCAP's Robert Filhart. Photo: Anna Maki
President of Infinity Music Group, has signed songwriter
Brent Baxter to an exclusive publishing deal. The Arkansas native has already had a hit with “Monday Morning Church,” recorded by Alan Jackson. He’s also had cuts by Lady Antebellum (“A Woman Scorned,” “Last Night Last”), Randy Travis, Lonestar, Ray Stevens and Randy Kohrs.
Parker has also tapped longtime publishing executive
Paul Compton and his Music Highway Writer Services company to represent Infinity’s song catalog. Compton previously spent 18 years at Murrah Music, ending as Sr. Vice President. He can be reached at
paul.compton@musichighway.net.
(L-R) Phil Parker, Brent Baxter, and Paul Compton
played cuts from his upcoming album
Rayality to a packed house at East Nashville’s The 5 Spot recently. Scott is managed by Dennis Entertainment and writes for Universal Music Publishing.
Ray Scott onstage at the 5 Spot.
Congratulations to hit songwriter
Chris Tompkins and wife
Jessica on the birth of Emmy Rose Tompkins on June 16. She weighed 8 lbs 2 oz, and joins big brother
Hayes, age 2. Tompkins is a co-writer of the No. 1 songs “Voices” (Chris Young), and “Before He Cheats” (Carrie Underwood).
Photos: Gaskin, Beckett, Y.E.P., Nick 13
/by MichelleColumbia Nashville’s Bradley Gaskin recently debuted his single, “Mr. Bartender” on the Grand Ole Opry. Gaskin wrote the song several years ago while working for a drywall company in Alabama.
(L-R): John Rich (producer); Gary Overton, CEO/Chairman Sony Music Nashville; Gaskin; Pete Fisher, VP/GM Grand Ole Opry and Gaskin's manager Charlie Pennachio. Photo: Joel Dennis
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ASCAP songwriter Jordan Beckett and actor/director/filmmaker Sam Jaeger recently stopped by the ASCAP Nashville office. Beckett’s band, Bootstraps, provided the soundtrack to the feature film Take Me Home, which was written, produced and directed by Jaeger. The film is screening and winning awards at several film festivals across the country. In addition to Take Me Home, Bootstraps’ music has also been featured on the TV show No Ordinary Family and will be heard in several TV shows and films later this year.
(L-R): Jordan Beckett, ASCAP's LeAnn Phelan, and Sam Jaeger Photo: Anna Maki
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BMI hosted a panel discussion on June 28 for Y.E.P.— Young Entertainment Professionals—a new industry networking group created in January by Andrew Cohen, an alumnus of BMI’s Belmont University internship program, Catalog Cast. The panel provided an informal setting for rising music industry staffers to pick the brains of industry experts in a relaxed, after-hours setting.
(L-R): BMI’s Beth Laid, EMI Music Publishing’s Ben Vaughn, Big Machine Record’s Allison Jones, Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino, Y.E.P.’s Andrew Cohen, and Big Yellow Dog Music’s Carla Wallace. Photo: Julie Stuckey
••••
While touring the country in support of his recently released country/western solo debut on Sugar Hill Records, internationally celebrated musician Nick 13 stopped by the Country Music Association offices in Nashville to pledge his membership.
(L-R): Christopher Seay, Membership & Balloting Assistant; Betsy Walker, Sr. Coordinator Member Relations & Services; Nick 13; Bob Doerschuk, CMA Close Up Editor; Gary Paczosa, VP A&R for Sugar Hill Records.
"The Tennessean" Cuts Hit Entertainment Staff
/by Sarah SkatesThe Tennessean was hit hard today (6/30) by lay-offs, with numerous writers exiting the newsroom of the Nashville publication.
The paper cut Sr. Music Writer Peter Cooper to part-time status. After more than 10 years with the publication, Cooper is one of Nashville’s most respected music journalists. He was recently honored with a Charlie Lamb Award for country music journalism during the International Country Music Conference at Belmont University.
Exiting The Tennessean are entertainment writer Nicole Keiper, and Metromix editor Heather Byrd.
Remaining on board are full-time entertainment writers Cindy Watts and Dave Paulson.
Some sources estimate the number leaving the newsroom to be as high as 20, while the Nashville Post is reporting 14 staffers were affected.
Gannett, owner of The Tennessean, announced plans to cut staff last week, but didn’t reveal who would be exiting. As the second quarter ended today, the staff was notified of the changes.
Web Traffic: Gloriana, Eli Young, Aaron Lewis
/by Sarah SkatesIn conjunction with current single, “Wanna Take You Home,” Gloriana and Marco Club Connection are holding a line dance video contest here.
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• • •
For the Fourth of July, he is saluting the military in a new music video for “Country Boy,” exclusively at CMT.com.
His album Town Line has sold over 170,000 copies, and the single is approaching Gold certification.
Thursday Snapshots
/by Sarah SkatesCMT Helps Feeding America
Steel Magnolia, Carter’s Chord, Crystal Bowersox, Jimmy Wayne, Margaret Durante and Coldwater Jane recently visited Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to stuff backpacks for the Feeding America BackPack Program. The event was symbolic of the donation that CMT makes every year on behalf of artists in lieu of having celebrity giftbags at the CMT Music Awards.
Standing (L-R): Steel Magnolia; Carter’s Chord; Crystal Bowersox; Jimmy Wayne; Jaynee Day, CEO, Second Harvest; Coldwater Jane; Margaret Durante; Ron Kelly of sponsor Ladies’ Home Journal. Front: Lucia Folk, Sr. Director, Public Affairs, CMT. Photo: John Russell
CJaye LeRose Performs At MusicRow
Budding country music artist CJaye LeRose recently visited MusicRow to perform for the staff. The Texas native has garnered fans worldwide through social media. She has more than 2.5 million YouTube channel views, over 18,000 Twitter followers, and 15,000 Facebook ‘Likes.’ On July 12 she will independently release her debut album Date With The Tub, featuring single “The Porch.”
(L-R): Back row: MR Pres. Sherod Robertson, MR Art Dir. Christie King, RowFax Mgr. Michelle Stephens, MR Chart Dir. Jon Freeman. Front: MR Publisher David Ross, CJaye LeRose
Jaron and The Long Road To The ACM
The Academy of Country Music welcomed Jaron Lowenstein to the office when he was in Los Angeles last week. While at the Academy, he sang current single, “Beautiful Lies.”
(L-R): Erin Spahn, ACM Executive Director, Lifting Lives; Jaron Lowenstein; and Tiffany Moon, ACM Executive Vice President, Managing Director. Photo: Michel Bourquard
Kolby Gray In The Studio
New artist Kolby Gray has been recording at Starstruck Studios with producer David Huff, who also brought in his brother Dann to co-produce some tracks. Debra Byrd, who has served as the head vocal coach for American Idol, has also been working with Gray. Among the musicians on the project are Chad Cromwell, Tom Bukovac, Mike Rojas, Jonathan Yudkin, Ilya Toshinskiy and Jimmie Lee Sloas.
(L-R): Debra Byrd, Kolby Gray, producer David Huff. Photo: Alan Mayor
GMA Seeks Exec. Director
/by Sarah SkatesThe organization has been without a full-time leader since the September 2009 exit of Pres. and CEO John Styll, a 30-year executive of the Christian music industry.
Earlier this week, the GMA also announced that its Dove Awards show will return to Atlanta in 2012. The event was held there for the first time earlier this year, and was a sold-out success. It is set to air on the Gospel Music Channel.
ZBB Wraps First International Tour
/by Sarah SkatesZBB onstage at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London.
The Zac Brown Band just wrapped its first overseas tour, which included four dates in the UK. The group opened for Nashville based rock band Kings of Leon at London’s Hyde Park on June 22-23, and at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on June 26. ZBB also headlined at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London.
Now that the band is back in the states, its premiering the music video for “Knee Deep.” The song features guest Jimmy Buffett, who also appears in the new video. Shot on-site in Careyes, Mexico under the direction of Darren Doane, the video features the return of Flody Boatwood (from the “Toes” video), along with his “siblings” Brody and Jody, played by guest star Juliette Lewis.
Luke Bryan Shakes It Straight To Gold
/by Sarah SkatesCo-written by Bryan and fellow Georgia native Dallas Davidson, the song is the fastest rising single of Bryan’s career, and debuted at No. 1 with 105,498 downloads. See the full track list from his upcoming Capitol release here.
Bryan is on a roll with three back-to-back No. 1 singles: “Do I,” “Rain Is A Good Thing” and “Someone Else Calling You Baby.” Those tracks are from his Gold-certified Doin’ My Thing, which recently won MusicRow’s Marketing Achievement Award.
Bryan is spending the summer on Tim McGraw’s Emotional Traffic Tour, and will headline CMT On Tour: Luke Bryan Tailgates & Tanlines this fall.
Quonset Hut Hosts Reunion Celebration
/by Sarah SkatesRay Stevens (L) honors iconic guitar player Harold Bradley (R).
Legendary artists and musicians including Harold Bradley, Whispering Bill Anderson, Little Jimmy Dickens and Ray Stevens gathered Monday night (6/27) at Nashville’s famed Quonset Hut for a reunion, swapping stories and songs.
The Curb Foundation, Belmont University and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame arranged the celebration to honor the legacy of the studio and those who worked there. Also on hand for the event were Charlie McCoy, Jim Glaser, David Frizzell, Beckie Foster, Norbert Putnam, Steve Gibson, Ray Edenton and Glenn Snoddy.
Originally purchased in the mid-‘50s by producer Owen Bradley and his “A-Team” guitarist brother Harold, The Quonset Hut played host to sessions by Buddy Holly, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Bob Dylan, Dusty Springfield and Brenda Lee.
After 25 years of churning out hit songs in the country, pop and rock genres, the Quonset Hut doors were shut in 1982, and eventually the building was used for office and storage space. Mike Curb acquired the property in 2005 and had the studio restored back into a recording facility. Belmont University now operates the Quonset Hut for teaching, sessions and events.
MySpace Purchased By Specific Media and Justin Timberlake [Updated]
/by FreemanThe Wall Street Journal says the sale was valued at $35 million in cash and stock, far below News Corp’s $100 million asking price. News Corp. will also retain a small stake in the site going forward.
MySpace was purchased by News Corp. in 2005 at the height of its popularity for $580 million, but has since seen its usage dwindle after the rise of Facebook. MySpace now has about 157 million active users, compared to Facebook’s 600 million.
Following the sale, Myspace CEO Mike Jones will be vacating his post though he plans to work with News Corp. and Specific Media to help the transition. Additionally, MySpace will begin laying off a significant number of its employees.
Timberlake, who recently played Facebook affiliate Sean Parker in The Social Network, will have an office at MySpace’s Beverly Hills headquarters as well as a small staff devoted to developing ideas for the site. Specific Media and Timberlake say plans for MySpace’s future will be unveiled in the next couple of months.
Specific Media was founded in 1999 by brothers Tim, Chris and Russell Vanderhook and assists marketers in buying web, mobile and TV ads. The company’s advertising network is now one of the country’s biggest, and since 2007 it has acquired digital advertising companies, an online video company, and an ad technology company.
Songwriter News
/by Sarah SkatesSigning at My Good Girl
My Good Girl Music has signed songwriter Allison Veltz to an exclusive publishing agreement. My Good Girl Music is a joint venture between producer Mark Bright and Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Veltz is currently working on her debut album, with Bright on board as producer.
(L-R): Mark Bright, My Good Girl's Ashley Hertzog, Allison Veltz, Sony/ATV's Troy Tomlinson, and My Good Girl's Stephanie Greene
The Voice Finalist In Nashville
Patrick Thomas, a recent finalist on hit singing competition The Voice, was in Nashville earlier this month for a writing trip. While in town, the ASCAP member stopped by the PRO’s Music Row offices to visit with the creative team. The live finale of The Voice airs tonight (6/29) on NBC.
Pictured (L-R): ASCAP's Michael Martin, Tim DuBois, Patrick Thomas, ASCAP's Robert Filhart. Photo: Anna Maki
Infinity Music Signing, Hiring
Phil Parker, President of Infinity Music Group, has signed songwriter Brent Baxter to an exclusive publishing deal. The Arkansas native has already had a hit with “Monday Morning Church,” recorded by Alan Jackson. He’s also had cuts by Lady Antebellum (“A Woman Scorned,” “Last Night Last”), Randy Travis, Lonestar, Ray Stevens and Randy Kohrs.
Parker has also tapped longtime publishing executive Paul Compton and his Music Highway Writer Services company to represent Infinity’s song catalog. Compton previously spent 18 years at Murrah Music, ending as Sr. Vice President. He can be reached at paul.compton@musichighway.net.
(L-R) Phil Parker, Brent Baxter, and Paul Compton
Ray Scott Debuts Music At Local Show
Ray Scott played cuts from his upcoming album Rayality to a packed house at East Nashville’s The 5 Spot recently. Scott is managed by Dennis Entertainment and writes for Universal Music Publishing.
Ray Scott onstage at the 5 Spot.
Tompkins Family Tree Growing
Congratulations to hit songwriter Chris Tompkins and wife Jessica on the birth of Emmy Rose Tompkins on June 16. She weighed 8 lbs 2 oz, and joins big brother Hayes, age 2. Tompkins is a co-writer of the No. 1 songs “Voices” (Chris Young), and “Before He Cheats” (Carrie Underwood).