DISClaimer Single Reviews: Chris Stapleton’s New ‘Stately Ballad Is Exquisite’

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DISClaimer slows things down today as the country stars concentrate on ballads.

Most of them are romances, paced by Disc of the Day winner Chris Stapleton’s heart-warming “It Takes a Woman.” In addition, lend your ears to the highly listenable offerings by Tanner Adell and Colbie Caillat.

Also checking in with a ballad is our DISCovery Award winner, Roman Alexander.

This turned out to be a day for comebacks as Lisa Brokop, Shenandoah and Carolyn Dawn Johnson all return to the scene.

ROBYN OTTOLINI / “Sick of Sex”
Writers: Robyn Ottolini/Emily Reid; Producer: Cameron Jaymes; Label: Empire
– This is a pop ballad that explores a topic I don’t believe has been addressed in song before. It is quite wordy and complex, so I doubt radio will play it.

ZACH BRYAN & THE LUMINEERS / “Spotless”
Writers: Zach Bryan/Wesley Schultz/Jeremy Caleb Fraites; Producer: Zach Bryan; Label: Warner
– This guy is always worth a listen. On this spare, stark, ear-catching ballad he’s joined by the Americana stars who chant along as he unspools this lyric of a downer heading nowhere romantically. If you haven’t listened to his self-titled collection, you should.

MADELINE MERLO / “Tim + Faith”
Writers: Jerry Flowers/Madeline Merlo/Parker Welling/Stephony Smith/Zach Crowell; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: BBR/Wheelhouse
– This lady is a spectacular vocalist, and this dandy slice of romantic nostalgia just might be the tune that lets the whole world know it. The lyric cleverly folds in the power couple’s hit titles. I’m in.

JON PARDI & LUKE BRYAN / “Cowboys and Plowboys”
Writers: Rhett Akins/Cole Taylor/Jacob Rice; Producers: Jon Pardi/Bart Butler/Ryan Gore; Label: Capitol Nashville
– Two hicks swapping country cliches. Probably a hit.

ELVIE SHANE / “Pill”
Writers: Elvie Shane/Lee Starr/Nick Columbia; Producer: Oscar Charles; Label: BBR/Wheelhouse
– The lovely, echoey production and Shane’s captivating voice draw you into a dark tale of a struggle with addiction. Essential listening.

CHRIS STAPLETON / “It Takes a Woman”
Writers: Chris Stapleton/Ronnie Bowman/Jerry Salley; Producers: Chris Stapleton/Dave Cobb/Morgane Stapleton; Label: Mercury Nashville
– This stately ballad is exquisite. Wrap your loved one in your arms and slow dance around the room while his magic voice swirls in the air.

RESTLESS ROAD / “You Don’t Have to Love Me”
Writers: Austin Shawn/Colton Pack/Garrett Nichols/Nate Kenyon/Shawn Austin/Zach Beeken; Producer: Lindsay Rimes; Label: RCA Nashville/1021
– As always with this group, the singing is lustrous and warm. The ultra-romantic ballad is immensely comforting.

COLBIE CAILLAT / “Meant for Me”
Writers: Colbie Caillat/AJ Pruis/Liz Rose; Producer: Jamie Kenney; Label: Blue Jean Baby Records
– The Grammy-winning pop star slips easily into country music on her new Along the Way collection. This lushly produced, romantic ballad from it flows as smoothly as liquid gold.

CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON / “Road Blocks”
Writers: Carolyn Dawn Johnson/Jennifer Lynn Kennard/Oscar Charles; Producer: Carolyn Dawn Johnson; Label: CDJ
– Johnson re-enters the music scene with a snappy country rocker about persevering through difficulties. Well worth your spins.

SHENANDOAH & LUKE COMBS / “Two Dozen Roses”
Writers: Mac McAnally/Robert Byrne; Producer: Noah Gordon; Label: 8 Track Entertainment
– Shenandoah dusts off its chart-topping 1989 hit with a mighty assist from our reigning country Entertainer of the Year. A classic song performed by classic singers.

ROMAN ALEXANDER & KARLY SCOTT COLLINS / “Downtime”
Writers: Zach Beeken/Garrett Nichols/Colton Pack/Mark Holman/Brett Tyler; Producer: Jared Keim; Label: RA
– This sultry slow jam showcases both voices admirably. It’s snuggle, cuddle-up music in front of the evening fireplace. Alexander seems to be specializing in female collaborations, having previously sung with Alana Springsteen and Ashley Cooke. This title tune of his EP was co-written by Beeken, Nichols and Pack, who are collectively better known as Restless Road.

LISA BROKOP & GEORGETTE JONES / “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Heels”
Writers: Lisa Brokop/Max D. Barnes/Troy Seals; Producers: Chuck Rhodes/Buddy Hyatt; Label: BFD
– The Canadian country award winner returns after a 10-year pause between albums. The title tune of her comeback collection is a female version of the iconic George Jones hit from 1985. George’s daughter lends her terrific voice to the track. The whole thing chimes with charisma.

TANNER ADELL / “Luke Combs”
Writers: Derrick Southerland/Evan Cline/Tanner Adell; Producer: Evan Cline; Label: Columbia
– Sweet, touching, vulnerable, lilting and charming. She listens to the radio and wishes she could be “the girl in a Luke Combs song” like “Better Together” or “Forever After All.” This so richly deserves to be a smash.

Luke Bryan Reveals Final Lineup For Crash My Playa 2024

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Luke Bryan will be joined on his Sunday night “Luke & Friends” finale concert at Crash My Playa 2024 by Dierks Bentley and Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry.

The lineup for Bryan’s ninth annual Crash My Playa destination concert in Mexico Jan. 17-20 will also include Ernest, Jon Langston, Mitchell Tenpenny, Ashley Cooke, Avery Anna, Lily Rose, Zach Top and DJ Rock. These performers join previously announced headliners Jon Pardi and Jelly Roll, Dustin Lynch (the only artist besides Bryan who has attended all eight previous years) and Bailey Zimmerman.

Crash My Playa 2024 is once again taking place at the AAA Four Diamond Awarded Moon Palace Cancún, featuring four nights of country music on a private stretch of white sand beach. The resort provides guests with a range of luxury accommodations just steps from Crash My Playa’s state-of-the-art concert venue. The oceanfront destination offers gourmet all-inclusive food and drink, 24-hour room service as well as plenty of activities on both land and sea, including the AWE-Spa and a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.

On Nov. 8, Bryan and NFL superstar Peyton Manning will return to host The 57th Annual CMA Awards to be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Jonas Entertainment Group Launches Red Van Records, Signs Levi Hummon

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Jonas Group Entertainment (JGE) and founder Kevin Jonas Sr. have launched Red Van Records. Under the leadership of JGE CEO, Phil Guerini, the label will operate out of the JGE offices on Music Row.

The namesake for the label came from the red van that the Jonas family originally toured the country in.

“I can’t begin to guess how many hours and miles we logged driving the guys around the country in that van, but it represents the commitment you make to be in the music industry,” says Jonas Sr. “We were always building and in motion and that’s the philosophy of Red Van Records.”

Singer-songwriter and Nashville native Levi Hummon is Red Van Records’ flagship signing. His debut release for the label, “Paying For It” with Walker Hayes, will come out Oct. 27.

“With the values and ideals that are the foundation of Red Van Records, Levi is the perfect artist to launch our label,” shares Guerini. “He is so well respected in the music community as a complete artist, and he has been tireless in his pursuit of music and taking it to the fans on the road. It’s the unrelenting pace and ‘firsts’ of the early days that may seem small at the time, but like the red van, they are the start of something truly special.”

Label services for Red Van Records will be provided by Dan Pearson’s Lakeside Entertainment Group.

BMG Forms Alliance With UMG

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Pictured (L-R): BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld and Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO Universal Music Group

BMG has formed an alliance with Universal Music Group (UMG), under which the companies will explore a range of collaborative initiatives.

The first project the two entities have come together on is moving the distribution of physical formats of BMG’s music—including vinyl and CDs—to UMG’s Commercial Services division, which has operations in 60 countries covering more than 200 markets. The transition of physical products to UMG is expected to commence the second quarter 2024 and will be fully transitioned by the end of 2024.

According to a release, further collaborations between BMG and UMG are already under discussion.

Of the news, BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld shares, “Our alliance with UMG is a significant step to further enhance our service to BMG-signed artists. We are delighted to partner with UMG, the world leader in music-based entertainment on our thriving physical recorded music business. Their scale, technology and commitment promises to further expand opportunities for BMG-signed artists around the world.”

Chairman and CEO of UMG Sir Lucian Grainge, says, “BMG has brought a fresh vision to the music business, and we look forward to partnering with BMG on a variety of initiatives to provide greater opportunities to artists and our respective companies.”

BMG’s recorded music business has tripled its revenues over the past seven years, and is currently enjoying its most successful period yet with strong performances from artists including Jelly Roll (Whitsitt Chapel), Kylie Minogue (Tension), Rita Ora (You & I) and Lainey Wilson (Bell Bottom Country), with releases to come from artists including Jason Aldean, Jennifer Lopez, Chief Keef, Spiritbox and Mötley Crüe.

Veteran P.I. Michael Kenney Releases New Book ‘Think Like A Stalker And Stop Them’

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Veteran Music Row Private Investigator Michael Kenney has released a new book, Think Like A Stalker And Stop Them.

The book, which shot into the Best Sellers list, is now available in paperback on Amazon.com and Good Reads. It provides valuable insight and gives the reader the tools and direction they may need to end the nightmare and learn how to properly document their case of being stalked. An estimated 13.5 million people are stalked in a one-year period just in the U.S. Stalking is a crime of power and control and stalkers employ multiple tactics to threaten, often humiliate and instill fear in their victims. A pioneer in the investigation of stalking, Kenney educates the public by providing practical information throughout the book.

“Often when a person gets a restraining order, they feel safe,” says Kenney. “Sadly, there are many victims found dead that had this piece of paper in their pocket. This inspired me to write this book to help as many people as possible, especially those that cannot afford a PI.”

Kenney has consulted and investigated hundreds of stalking cases all over the country throughout his career. He has also been featured on major TV networks and his cases have appeared on national television shows, including Dateline, 20/20, 48 Hours and more. He was also a presenter for three years at CrimeCon—the world’s top true crime event—and was featured as one of the major investigators on the true crime podcast, Culpable.

CRB Accepting Applications For Rusty Walker Scholarship Program

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The Country Radio Broadcasters are now taking applications for the Rusty Walker Scholarship Program.

Three recipients will be selected, and will receive complimentary registration, hotel and airfare for CRS 2024, Feb. 28 – March 1, 2024, in Nashville. Scholars chosen through this program will also be recognized during CRS 2024.

Eligibility for the Rusty Walker Scholarship is limited to full-time radio station employees who will be attending CRS for the first time. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants are required to fill out an online application through the Rusty Walker Scholarship page on CountryRadioSeminar.com and provide a 500-word or less essay explaining why they should be considered for the scholarship. The application deadline is Nov. 3, 2023.

The Rusty Walker Scholarship Program is a tribute to the late Rusty Walker, a distinguished former CRS board member. Walker was an inductee into the Country Radio Hall of Fame and an influential programmer, consultant and mentor in the music industry. His untimely passing in 2012 left a void that this scholarship program was created to fill, by continuing his legacy of supporting talented young individuals in the industry.

Stephanie Alderman Named Partner At Farris, Self & Moore​

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Stephanie Alderman

Business manager Stephanie Alderman has been promoted to Partner at Farris, Self & Moore (FSM). The firm will continue with its current name, but will now include Alderman in all leadership decisions and high-level initiatives, effective immediately.

Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, Alderman kicked off her career by gaining a wide range of experience spanning artist management, publicity and tour production. She found her stride in business management, and now has helmed finances for established recording artists, major touring acts and up-and-coming songwriters for over 15 years.

“Stephanie Alderman is undeniably one of the best business managers in our business,” share Founding Partners Kella Farris, Stephanie Self and Catherine Moore in a joint statement. “Her ability to relate and listen to her clients, create a financial strategy, and then execute it effortlessly is truly exceptional. Her all-in approach, innovation, and authenticity make her the perfect fit for our leadership team.”

“I’m thrilled to become a partner at FSM and work alongside Kella, Stephanie, and Catherine in growing this exceptional firm,” says Alderman. “We share the same values and vision, and FSM has shown day-in and day-out to be a unique player in the industry — one that offers all-in, exceptional service to clients throughout their lifetime, empowers and invests in employees’ growth, and continually gives back to the entire music industry ecosystem. I’m proud to collaborate with this incredible team and delighted by the opportunity to help scale our impact in the years ahead.”

Alderman can be reached at salderman@fsmnash.com.

Craig Morgan, Clay Walker To Headline New White Pines Music Festival

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Craig Morgan and Clay Walker have been tapped to headline the first-ever White Pines Music Festival at The Old Gray venue in Monterey, Tennessee, on May 24-25, 2024.

Also on the bill for the festival are Nate Smith, Larry Fleet, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Ashley Cooke, The Reeves Bros, Boy Named Banjo and Sam Banks.

“One of the most magical things is to see an idea become a reality in this business,” says White Pines Organizers Gil Cunningham and Bryan Frasher. “The White Pines Music Festival started with a dream, a discussion between Craig Morgan and Chris Landers of The Old Gray. Now we’re at this point where we’re putting tickets on sale at an all-in, transparent price that customers will be very excited about, we have an incredible lineup of talent that’s excited to play this first-ever festival… and that is just the beginning. We hope to develop the festival into the “go to” country music experience of middle Tennessee in the years to come and fans can expect to see some more fun and exciting announcements over the next few months.”

White Pines will feature camping on-site plus fan activations, VIP experiences, up-front general admission opportunities and other experiences, and will also be offering fans an early bird pre-sale for Instagram and Facebook followers with limited quantities available. The pre-sale will begin on Monday, Oct. 23 at 10 am CT and run until pre-sale tickets are sold out. All tickets and camping will go on sale to the public on Oct. 27 at whitepinesfest.frontgatetickets.com.

Blessing Offor To Release New Christmas Collection, ‘Like A Child’

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Blessing Offor is tapping into that childlike wonder of the holiday season with a brand-new collection of Christmas songs, Like A Child, out this Friday (Oct 20).

Like A Child features three Christmas tunes including the striking all-original title track, a song filled with soulful callbacks to a younger perspective on the holidays. Remembering tall Christmas trees, mountainous piles of snow and fleeting moments of bliss, “Like A Child” carries a message of innocence and hope for the Christmas season.

The year has been a notable one for Offor, as his full length debut My Tribe is officially the largest streaming debut from a solo male artist at Capitol Christian Music Group. The album debuted in the top 20 position on three Billboard charts: Christian /Gospel Albums, Top 200 Christian/Gospel Albums and Current Digital Albums charts. His single “Brighter Days” also found mainstream success, hitting top 25 on Mainstream AC radio.

He also garnered three 2023 GMA Dove Award nominations: Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of The Year (“Brighter Days”), Pop/Contemporary Album of The Year (My Tribe) and Short Form Music Video of The Year (Performance) (“The Goodness” with TobyMac).

In This Issue: MusicRow’s 2023 Publisher Issue Features A Legion Of Experts

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MusicRow Magazine’s recently released 2023 Publisher Issue offers a myriad of resources for industry professionals and songwriters.

This annual edition contains a comprehensive Publisher Directory, listing Nashville’s top publishing companies as well as organizations available for songwriters.

In addition to the valuable directory, the 2023 Publisher Issue brings back the State of the Union roundtable, including UMPG Vice President of A&R, Missy Roberts; Warner Chappell Vice President of A&R, BJ Hill; Sony Music Publishing Vice President of Creative A&R, Kenley Flynn; Curb | Word Entertainment Vice President of Country Publishing & Creative, Colt Murski and 50 Egg Music Co-Owner/President, Tali Canterbury.

These top executives discuss the implications of AI on publishing, catalog sales, TikTok, outside songs and more.

When asked about AI, Murski, shared, “It’s a whole new frontier. I feel like I’m just sitting back watching the destruction coming, but it could be a tool. I remember when Napster happened, everybody was afraid of it and they were trying to shut it down. There’s a little bit of that vibe going on, but eventually we had to learn to embrace it. It’s better to just start learning how to embrace it and get on the forefront of the legalities and the creativity of how we’re going to handle it moving forward.”

In a section titled “Doin’ Deals With Derek,” Loeb & Loeb Partner and Co-Manager of the Nashville office, Derek C. Crownover, talks to MusicRow about trending music industry deals and offers some advice.

“We’ve got some artist deals that are changing people’s lives right now,” he said. Creating generational wealth and creating wealth that’s going to stay in Nashville. That’s what I’m excited about.”

Elsewhere, Concord Music Publishing Senior Vice President of A&R, Brad Kennard, speaks about the company’s resurgence in Nashville. Over the last few years, Kennard has worked to grow the Music City roster and staff, resulting in industry-leading deals and successes.

“We’re not looking for redundancy, we’re not looking to just get everything for sale, it’s really intentional,” Kennard shared about building his roster. “Every time an opportunity comes up, we ask ourselves: ‘Are we passionate? Does this person bring something unique to the table? Can we make a deal that makes sense for both parties?'”

Additionally, Anthem Music Publishing’s Gilles Godard spoke to MusicRow about his journey from a staff writer at the company to his promotion to President of the Nashville office last summer. He spoke about his approach to publishing and Anthem’s creative mindset.

Godard shared, “I think the secret to success is nurturing your writers and helping them write up and sign their way to the correct collaborations. Sometimes it’s not by putting them in a room with a No. 1 writer. Sometimes it’s putting them in the room with the writers at their level, which is the next wave of hits.”

In the annual Writers’ Notes section of the 2023 Publisher Issue, MusicRow interviewed Warner Chappell/Home Team Music Publishing’s Parker Welling, Sony Music Publishing’s Madeline Edwards, Big Machine Music’s Matt Dragstrem, Liz Rose Music/Warner Chappell’s Cameron Bedell, UMPG/Back Blocks Music’s Lily Rose and newly-inducted Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Rafe Van Hoy. Each songwriter spoke about their success stories and personal hit-making approaches.

Also included in the 2023 Publisher Issue is a My Music Row Story feature on ASCAP’s AVP of Strategic Services, Nashville Membership Kele Currier, a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund, a look at MusicRow‘s weekly Top Songwriter Chart and more.

COJO Music/Warner Music Nashville artist Cody Johnson graces the cover of the 2023 Publisher Issue.

Single copies of MusicRow’s 2023 Publisher Issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $45, and are included with yearly MusicRow subscriptions.