Kayley Green Inks With Sony Music Nashville

Pictured (L-R): Sony Music Nashville’s Ken Robold, Jen Way, Jason McColl; Kayley Green; SMN’s Taylor Lindsey and Randy Goodman. Photo: Adam Davis

Kayley Green has signed with Sony Music Nashville. She is releasing her debut single with the label, “Live Fast Die Pretty,” today (May 24).

Hailing from Florence, South Carolina, Green started singing in church and eventually moved to Nashville and started gigging on lower Broadway. She caught the eyes and ears of superstar Keith Urban, who heard Green singing one night on Broadway and invited her to join him at his next Bridgestone Arena show. Green soon became the topic of conversation among the Sony Music Nashville A&R team in the audience, as Urban gave her the stage to cover “Independence Day” and trade lines with him on “We Were Us.”

She signed with Sony and began working with producer/songwriter Ross Copperman while still holding down a weekend headline slot at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row.

“I’ve never doubted that I was born to sing, but a record deal was something I was afraid to even dream about,” says Green. “It felt unbelievably far out of reach in the bars I played in for so long, so to say that signing with Sony Music Nashville is an actual dream come true is quite the understatement. I am so grateful to be supported by such an incredible team!”

Green is represented by WME.

SongwritingWith:Soldiers Expands Team

Pictured (L-R, top row): Scott O’Neal & Daryl Evans. (L-R, bottom row): Kristin Starling & Jordyn Hay

SongwritingWith:Soldiers, a nonprofit organization that works with veterans and their families through collaborative songwriting programs, has added new team members and made internal promotions.

The organization welcomes Scott O’Neal as VP of Advancement. A Nashville native and Vanderbilt University graduate, O’Neal has held Director roles at Montgomery Bell Academy and Jewish Foundation of Greater Nashville. He also served as COO for The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Daryl Evans has also joined the team as VP of Operations. Evans earned his MBA from University of Alabama, and has since held roles in a diverse array of companies from startups to Fortune 500 companies, focusing on nonprofit leadership. He most recently served as Director of Social Enterprise for Crossroads Campus.

Additionally, the organization’s Kristin Starling has been named President, where she will lead the organization’s growth efforts. Jordyn Hay has been promoted to Program Director.

“Adding these important roles will prepare and position SongwritingWith:Soldiers to do what we are most often asked, ‘How can SW:S deliver more programs and help more veterans?'” shares Starling. “The need remains great, and together we can all do more.”

The U.S. Department Of Justice Sues Live Nation

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), alongside a group of 30 states including Tennessee, has filed a antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation. The suit accuses the live music giant of market dominance, and calls for its split from Ticketmaster.

“We allege that Live Nation has repeatedly wielded its powers to keep its rivals from expanding in the U.S. concert promotions market through threats and retaliation,” shared Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday (May 23) during the lawsuit’s announcement.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster merged in 2010. Their combined dominance in live music has been scrutinized since then, but concerns increased significantly during the ticketing issues that arose with Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour.”

The DOJ alleges that Live Nation has used its market power to stifle competition. In Garland’s remarks on Thursday, he shared that the government will present evidence taken from Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino and Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke as well as Rapino and equity firm Silver Lake capital.

“The threats ultimately succeeded and Silver Lake has tried to sell TEG altogether,” Garland said. “We allege that Live Nation does not maintain its dominance in the live industry by staying ahead of its competition on the merits. It does so by unlawfully eliminating its competition. We allege that Live Nation controls the live entertainment industry in the United States because it is breaking the law.”

Live Nation has rejected the accusations.

“The DOJ’s lawsuit won’t solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices,” the company shared in a statement. “Calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR win for the DOJ in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores the basic economics of live entertainment, such as the fact that the bulk of service fees go to venues, and that competition has steadily eroded Ticketmaster’s market share and profit margin. Our growth comes from helping artists tour globally, creating lasting memories for millions of fans and supporting local economies across the country by sustaining quality jobs. We will defend against these baseless allegations, use this opportunity to shed light on the industry and continue to push for reforms that truly protect consumers and artists.”

Click here to see the DOJ’s full complaint.

This is a developing story.

Blaine Barcus Tapped As President Of Integrity Music

Blaine Barcus

Blaine Barcus has been tapped to lead Integrity Music as President. He takes the helm from Jonathan Brown, who will step into a new role as the label’s Chief Global Officer.

Barcus most recently served as Senior Vice President of A&R at Provident Entertainment, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, after previous stints at Word Entertainment/Warner Music Group and Creative Trust.

He holds a B.A. in communication from the University of Missouri, and moved to Nashville in 1996 to pursue his dream of working in Christian music. Since then, Barcus has worked as a tour manager, drummer, artist manager and label executive. Over the span of his music career, he has worked directly with artists including Zach Williams, Cain, Third Day, Matt Maher, Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West, Building 429, I Am They, David Leonard, Ben Fuller and Seph Schlueter.

“Blaine’s reputation in the Christian music industry for developing and launching artists as well as
shepherding songs to CCLI success is second to none,” says Bill Reeves, CEO of David C Cook, Integrity Music’s parent company. “I’m thrilled to have Blaine join Integrity Music to help expand the label’s opportunities while continuing the great missional work of equipping the church through songs of substance that transform lives.”

“It is truly an honor and blessing to join the amazing team at Integrity Music,” Barcus says.
“Integrity has an incredible legacy of equipping the worldwide church by supporting and serving
worship leaders, artists and songwriters. I hope to play a small part in continuing the Kingdom
impact of this great organization by pouring into the next generation of Christian creatives.”

Starting in 2011, Brown served as Integrity Music’s Vice President/Managing Director until he assumed the position of President in 2017. In this new role, he will expand international partnerships and reach for both Integrity Music and David C Cook.

“Jonathan has led Integrity Music with a strong vision for its missional purpose and global reach,” says Reeves. “It’s that heart for the nations so apparent in his work that I wanted to expand his role to seeking global opportunities for the growth of our music and book publishing business units.”

Dolly Parton & Family To Release New Album & Docuseries

Dolly Parton and Owepar Entertainment are releasing a new album featuring an exploration of her rich family heritage, Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables. The project releases on Nov. 15.

Smoky Mountain DNA will shine a spotlight on the enduring legacy of two families—Dolly’s paternal Parton family and her mother’s family, the Owens. The project traces their origins from the United Kingdom in the 1600s to their home today in the Great Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee. Produced by Richie Owens, Dolly’s cousin, the album features songs performed by various members of Dolly’s immediate and extended family, spanning generations. Some tracks include the voices of beloved family members who have passed, alongside contemporary contributions from today’s generation.

“I cannot believe that it has been 60 years this month since I graduated from Sevier County High School and moved to Nashville to pursue my dreams,” recalls Dolly. “My Uncle Bill Owens was by my side for many years helping me develop my music. I owe so much to him and all the family members past and present who have inspired me along this journey. I am honored to spotlight our families’ musical legacy that is my Smoky Mountain DNA.”

A pre-order will launch June 21 in tandem with the set’s first two instant-grat tracks and the reveal of the full track list. The project will be available on vinyl and CD and via digital download and streaming.

A companion four-part docuseries is also in production and will offer an intimate look at the family’s historical journey from the UK to present-day east Tennessee, enriched by interviews with numerous family members. A particular focus is given to the Reverend Jake Owens, Dolly’s grandfather, who instilled in her and her relatives a profound respect for faith, a deep love of music and storytelling and strong enduring family values.

The docuseries centers around concert performances filmed at Knoxville’s historic Bijou Theater, featuring Dolly and family from the record. The songs are interwoven with narratives about the two families and their individual members, offering viewers a unique and personal glimpse into the roots of the Parton and Owens families.

Vincent Mason Drops Debut EP After Signing Record Deal

Pictured (L–R, back row): UMG Nashville’s Lori Christian, Jake Gear, Chelsea Blythe and Interscope Records’ Matt Morris; (L–R, front row): UMG Nashville’s Rob Femia, Music Soup’s Max Motley, UMG Nashville’s Cindy Mabe, Vincent Mason, Champ Management’s Matt Musacchio, Music Soup’s Sean Lewow, Champ Management’s Kyle Marsh and UMG Nashville’s Mike Harris. Photo: Courtesy of UMG Nashville

Newly-signed Interscope Records/UMG Nashville/Music Soup artist Vincent Mason has dropped his debut EP, Can’t Just Be Me.

Pictured (L–R): Interscope Records’ Sam Riback, Matt Morris, Music Soup’s Val Wang, Champ Management’s Kyle Marsh, Music Soup’s Max Motley, Vincent Mason, Champ Management’s Matt Musacchio, Interscope Records’ Brad Krause and Music Soup’s Sean Lewow. Photo: Alex Oh

Entirely penned and co-produced by Mason, Can’t Just Be Me encapsulates his journey to finding love and the fun he’s having along the way. The six-song project includes his breakout single “Hell is a Dance Floor,” which has amassed more than 17 million combined global streams, as well as tracks “Livin’ Proof” and “May Be.”

“This EP is a great representation of everything that’s happened from when I first started writing songs up until now. I’m thankful to have the opportunity to co-produce for the first time alongside Brett Truitt,” Mason explains. “The music sounds exactly how I envisioned and I’m excited to mark this moment in time and have it to look back on one day.

“I’m so grateful to have Interscope, Universal Nashville and Music Soup to help bring our vision to life and keep building on what we’ve started,” he says of his recent signing. “I couldn’t feel better about the team around me, and I’m excited to get to work.”

Earlier this month, Mason inked a worldwide publishing deal with Hang Your Hat Music and Concord Music Publishing, and signed with WME for global representation.

Additionally, Mason plans open for Miranda Lambert in July before supporting Gavin Adcock on the fall leg of his tour. He is also set to perform at CMA Fest, among other summer festivals.

Can’t Just Be Me Track Listing:
1. “May Be” (Vincent Mason, Jared Scott and Brett Truitt)
2. “Hell is a Dance Floor” (Vincent Mason and Chase McDaniel)
3. “Livin’ Proof” (Vincent Mason, Forrest Finn, Joe Whelan and Brett Truitt)
4. “Take Too Much” (Vincent Mason and Bobby Hambrick)
5. “Can’t Just Be Me” (Vincent Mason)
6. “Really Don’t Love Me” (Vincent Mason, Forrest Finn and Jack Hummel)

Cody Johnson’s ‘Dirt Cheap’ Notches Second Week At No. 1 On MusicRow Radio Chart

Cody Johnson reaches the top spot on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart again this week with his ballad “Dirt Cheap.”

The tune, written solely by Josh Phillips, appears on Johnson’s 2023 album Leather. Johnson is currently headlining his “Leather Tour” with upcoming dates in New Orleans, Louisiana, Panama City Beach, Florida and Bloomington, Illinois. The tour is set to close in University Park, Pennsylvania at the Bryce Jordan Center on Nov. 16.

“Dirt Cheap” currently sits at No. 14 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 13 on the Mediabase chart.

Click here to view the latest edition of the MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

On The Row: Tucker Wetmore Builds Fan Base With Infectious Tunes

Tucker Wetmore. Photo: Anna Schaeffer

Rising country artist Tucker Wetmore recently came by the MusicRow office to share his story and a few tunes.

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Liza Anderson, Madison Hahnen and LB Cantrell; Tucker Wetmore; MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson and John Nix Arledge

The Kalama, Washington native grew up playing sports and teaching himself various instruments including piano, guitar, percussion and even trumpet. After breaking his leg while playing college football in Montana, Wetmore moved back home, where his mother urged him to pursue what made him happy: music. In 2020, he came to Nashville to chase a musical career, and Back Block Music’s Rakiyah Marshall quickly scouted him out.

Since then, Wetmore has released two songs, “Wine Into Whiskey” and “Wind Up Missin’ You,” with both tracks hitting the Billboard Hot 100 back to back. The rising star has already seen major success, crossing the 100 million stream threshold, garnering over 100,000 streams a week and signing a global representation deal with WME’s Carrie Murphy and Braeden Rountree.

“When I first moved to town, I didn’t know anyone at all. I thought my best bet was to put my boots on the ground and hit the bars! I was very blessed to meet some of the best people I have ever met in my life,” said Wetmore. “Rakiyah messaged me on Instagram after finding me on TikTok, and up until that point I was posting covers and only had a handful of songs. I am super blessed—God has put me in the right place at the right time and I owe it all to him, truly.”

Tucker Wetmore and MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson

After teasing his upcoming track “What Would You Do,” Wetmore treated the MusicRow office with his viral hit “Wine Into Whiskey,” which he co-wrote with Jacob Hackworth and Justin Ebach. With over 34 million streams on Spotify, Wetmore gave some insight into his breakout tune.

“This one is about the flip-side of a relationship where everyone is blaming each other. It’s the guy doing a bit of self reflection,” explained Wetmore. “I grew up with four sisters and seeing what they went through in relationships growing up… I thought it would be cool to flip it and write from the perspective of someone that’s thinking, ‘Maybe I am the bad guy.’”

Before performing his final track, “Wind Up Missin’ You,” Wetmore reminisced about his first outing in Nashville, a packed out show at Live Oak, where his burgeoning fan base knew all the words to the infectious tunes they’d heard on TikTok.

Wetmore is currently on the road with shows alongside various artists including Kameron Marlowe, Riley Green, Billy Currington, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Chris Young, Dustin Lynch, Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell and more. He will round out the summer with a performance in Smithton, Pennsylvania on Sept. 28.

Spotify House To Celebrate Fifth Anniversary During CMA Fest 2024

Spotify House will return to Ole Red Nashville during this year’s CMA Fest to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

“It’s hard to believe that we are about to celebrate our fifth year bringing Spotify House to CMA Fest in June,” says Jackie Augustus, Lead, Country & Folk, Artist Partnerships at Spotify. “Since we first started hosting this event in 2018, Spotify House has become a beloved part of our year-round support and dedication to all things country music. We feel so privileged to have been able to present the many incredible artists who have graced our stages, and we are excited to once again bring our playlists to life and showcase some of the best and brightest in country music today.”

Spotify House will be open June 6–8 from 10 a.m.–2 a.m. daily. Hosted by Lily Rose and Cassie DiLaura, shows will be accessible to the public— space will be limited to first-come, first-served—for all three days.

This year’s main stage lineup consists of Rose, Ashley McBryde, Avery Anna, Breland, Brett Young, Brian Kelley, Cole Swindell, Corey Kent, Danielle Bradbery, Dustin Lynch, Dylan Gossett, Ella Langley, Graham Barham, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Koe Wetzel, Lady A, Lauren Watkins, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Mackenzie Carpenter, Mason Ramsey, Matt Schuster, Michael Warren, Mickey Guyton, Midland, Mitchell Tenpenny, Old Dominion, Owen Riegling, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Russell Dickerson, Sam Barber, Tucker Wetmore and Tyler Hubbard, with more to be added.

Additionally, Wyatt Flores will take the main stage for the first time after debuting at the Fresh Finds Rooftop last year. Other rising artists set to make a Spotify House appearance include Shaboozey, Tanner Adell and Dasha.

Industry Ink: Geoff Warburton, Flat River Band, CMA, PLA, Ashleigh Graham

Range Publishing & Big Machine Celebrate No. 1 Hit “Back Then Right Now”

Pictured (L-R): Anna and Alex Heddle, Casey Robison, Sam Drake, Samantha Warburton, Geoff Warburton, Mike Molinar, Michelle Attardi, Lizzy Gallatin, Katherine Godwin, Tim Hunze Photo: Courtesy of Grandstand Media

Range Publishing and Big Machine recently honored Geoff Warburton and his No. 1 hit with Tyler Hubbard, “Back Then Right Now.” The track, written by Warburton, Jessie Jo Dillon, Hubbard, David Garcia and produced by Jordan Smith, marks Range Publishing’s inaugural No. 1 hit on country radio.

 

 

Flat River Band Signs With ASCAP & Moves Catalog

Pictured (L-R): Emilia James, Dennijo Sitze, Duane Hobson, Mary Self, Andy Sitze and Chad Sitze Photo: Courtesy of Adkins Publicity

The Flat River Band has signed with ASCAP and moved their catalog. The news comes as the group gears up for their performance at this year’s CMA Fest at the Hard Rock Stage on Sunday, June 9, shortly before they release their new vinyl record, God Bless the Radio, on June 28.

 

 

Anna-Sophie Mertens Honored With CMA Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award

Anna-Sophia Mertens Photo: Centreline Films

The Country Music Association awarded Anna-Sophie Mertens with the Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award during the Highways Festival in London on Saturday, May 18.

The award, presented Brett Young during the CMA Reception at Highways Festival, honors outstanding achievements made by an individual who has made important contributions to the live music industry by building live audiences for Country Music outside of the United States.

Mertens is the Vice President of Touring for Live Nation U.K. and has worked to bring talent to the forefront of the U.K. live music industry. Mertens established the first ever Country & Americana Festival at the Royal Albert Hall in London, was named “Tomorrow’s New Boss” at ILMC’s 2019 Arthur Awards, was featured on Billboard’s 2019 International Power Players List and was nominated for International Promoter of the Year in 2023’s Pollstar Awards. In 2020, Mertens joined the CMA Board of Directors and has served on their U.K. Task Force since 2018.

 

 

PLA Media Adds Abby Turner As Publicity & Social Media Coordinator

Abby Turner Photo: Courtesy of PLA Media

PLA Media has hired Abby Turner as Publicity and Social Media Coordinator. Turner joins the team with valuable industry experience at Arcade Management, Average Joe’s Entertainment and Neon Coast.

“Abby possesses a work ethic and integrity too rarely seen these days. I would venture to say that she is an old soul,” remarks PLA Media President Pam Lewis.

“The opportunity to join PLA Media was something I was thrilled to jump at,” explains Turner. “To gain experience at a company with an extensive history in the music industry is the perfect place to grow my career.”

 

 

Ashleigh Graham Signs With Pinecastle Records

Bluegrass artist Ashleigh Graham has signed with Pinecastle Records and released her debut single, “Bless Your Little Heart,” to commemorate the announcement. The track, produced by Stephen Burwell, features musicians such as Eli Johnston, John Meador and Kameron Keller.

“‘Bless Your Little Heart’ was just an idea on a blank page in my song book. It had been there at least a couple of years without any lyrics. I had heard that saying so many times from people who loved to gossip,” explains Graham. “In 2020, I wanted to write a fun song that would make me and my audience laugh, so I leafed through my book and found the empty page. In 2021, I finally finished it by developing the melody and adding the chorus. There are about 5 extra verses of fun that can be enjoyed during live performances.”