Jim Catino
When Jim Catino left his position as Executive Vice President of A&R at Sony Music Nashville after 20 years with the company, many in the industry were wondering what he would do next.
Prior to his exit, Catino has spent the majority of his career working in the major label ecosystem, as well as some time at MCA Music Publishing, Giant Records & Publishing and DreamWorks Publishing. One could have assumed that Catino was tired of “the system,” working with and for a big corporation.
But as Catino shared with MusicRow, that isn’t the case—the reality is quite the opposite.
Jim Catino & Dalton Dover
“My history has been at major record labels. My dad was in the music business. He worked at Capitol for decades and was always working with major record labels, so I’m kind of a major label baby,” he says. “[Now at my new company,] I’m a friend to major labels. The goal for the record label side of my company is for my artists to be courted and upstreamed to a major label. I believe in what majors can bring to the table to create superstars.”
Catino’s company is split by his passions for both recording artists and songwriters. On Droptine Recordings, Catino works with buzzy newcomer Cody Hibbard and breakout starling Dalton Dover, who aligned with UMG Nashville late last year.
On the publishing side, via Droptine Music, Catino is partnered with Sony Music Publishing and shares office space with the publishing giant on Music Row. He works with Dover and Hibbard as well as songwriter Tommy Karlas, who has hits with Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry and more, and Russell Sutton, who has written two recent No. 1s, Elvie Shane‘s “My Boy” and Nate Smith‘s “Whiskey On You.” With Sony Music Publishing, Catino also works with Kent Earls and Kane Brown‘s Verse 2 Music on Alex Maxwell. He’s partnered with Warner Chappell on songwriter Wesley Davis.
Through both sides of his business, Catino is able to focus on his favorite part of the job: artist development.
“I left Sony because things had changed so much [in the music business], but also because I was hungry to do something different and hungry to do what I really love to do. As an executive at that level at a major corporate label, I was pulled away from a lot of the day-to-day rituals of A&R: finding new talent, diving into the music and really helping build not just momentum, but the foundation of an artist’s career.”
Catino’s first victory for his company came with a pop artist he met during the end of his tenure at Sony, Thomas Day.
“I had my eye on this guy and had created a really good rapport with him and his family. He’s from Brentwood, Tennessee, which is where I grew up,” Catino says. “When I announced that I was leaving Sony, the family was urging me to [work with him].
“I started fishing around with some of the New York labels to see if there was any interest. There was a little bit of bubbling interest, but nothing solid. [Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO] Randy Goodman was cool enough to say, ‘Let’s make a deal and we’ll upstream this to one of the New York labels. We’ll fund it for you and help get you started. We want to do business with you down the road, so this could be a good way to start it.'”
Pictured (L-R): Rusty Gaston, Jenna Heideman, Cody Hibbard, Jim Catino, Molly Shehan and Cass Scripps. Photo: Courtesy of Droptine Records
Day is now aligned with Arista out of New York, has nearly seven million followers on TikTok and will hit the road with David Kushner in August.
Next came Dover, who met Catino through producer/songwriter Matt McV. With their heads together, the three began independently releasing Dover’s music, which caught the attention of other industry members. When he aligned with UMG Nashville in October of 2022, Dover had earned a place on Spotify’s Hot Country 2022 Artists To Watch list, along with a spotlight as Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month and a nod for MusicRow’s 2022 Discovery Artist of the Year.
After success with tracks “You Got a Small Town” and “Baby I Am,” Dover is currently working his first radio single, “Giving Up On That,” which was the most added song at country radio with 60 first-week stations. The track also garnered over a million streams in the first two weeks of its release.
“Honestly, I didn’t call one record label [about Dalton]. Every label called me once they saw the numbers growing. That’s the goal—to have labels excited and passionate,” Catino says. “I want to help build enough momentum and a good foundation where they’re getting an artist that has the knowledge and the experience to go walk into a radio station or a bigger media look. I want them to understand enough about digital campaigns and socials to jump right into a real business plan at a major record label, so they’re not doing that development time [after they get to] a major.”
With two success stories and bubbling new act, Catino is starting to get calls about Hibbard, who he discovered while diving into streaming services on the lookout for new artists.
Hibbard is a former pipeline worker from Adair, Oklahoma who has made waves with tracks “We Speak Country” and “Looking Back Now.” After aligning with Catino’s Droptine Recordings, he signed a publishing deal with Droptine Music and Sony Music Publishing earlier this year.
“Cody is a fantastic live entertainer and has a really consistent streaming base. [He’s having success] with multiple tracks. It’s not just about one viral moment,” shares Catino.
Two years into this career chapter, Catino is feeling recharged and eager to get to work each day.
“I’m super happy. I’m rejuvenated and excited to be part of young artists’ careers. It’s always been my main passion,” he says. “It’s the most fun when you find something new and help it get to a place where it starts to really take off and grow with the fans. That’s why we all get in the music business at the end of the day.”
The Chicks Postpone Bridgestone Arena Show
/by Liza AndersonThe Chicks. Photo: Robin Harper
The Chicks have announced via Instagram that they must postpone tonight’s (July 27) show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena due to illness, and apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.
An official statement has also been released, encouraging fans to hold on to their tickets for the newly scheduled date.
Rhiannon Giddens Shares New Single From Forthcoming Album, ‘You’re The One’
/by Lorie HollabaughRhiannon Giddens has shared a new single, “Yet To Be,” from her latest upcoming album You’re the One, due out Aug. 18 on Nonesuch Records.
Featuring Jason Isbell, “Yet to Be” tells the story of a Black woman and an Irish man falling in love in America. Giddens chose to collaborate with Isbell due to his steadfast advocacy and support for Black women in the industry, and her admiration of him as a person of great character.
You’re the One features twelve songs written over the course of Giddens’ career bursting with life-affirming energy and drawing from the folk music she knows so deeply. It was recorded with a band composed of her closest musical collaborators from the past decade, alongside musicians chosen by producer Jack Splash, topped off with a horn section.
Collaborators on the album include Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi plus multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell, bassist Jason Sypher and Congolese guitarist Niwel Tsumbu. The album features electric and upright bass, conga, Cajun and piano accordions, guitars, a Western string section and Miami horns, among other instruments, capturing the inclusive spirit that channels through all of Giddens’ work.
Giddens has had a busy 2023 so far. The Grammy winner and MacArthur fellow was recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music for her collaborative opera, “Omar.” Giddens is also featured on Fast Company‘s Most Creative People in Business list and is a host on Arts Talk, a new PBS program on which she, Elvis Costello and Brian Stokes Mitchell discuss their careers.
You’re the One Track List:
1. Too Little, Too Late, Too Bad
2. You’re the One
3. Yet to Be (feat. Jason Isbell)
4. Wrong Kind of Right
5. Another Wasted Life
6. You Louisiana Man
7. If You Don’t Know How Sweet It Is
8. Hen in the Foxhouse
9. Who Are You Dreaming Of
10. You Put the Sugar in My Bowl
11. Way Over Yonder
12. Good Ol’ Cider
Emmylou Harris, Del McCoury Band, More Set For Earl Scruggs Music Festival
/by Lorie HollabaughEmmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Del McCoury Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, and dozens more are set to perform at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival Sept. 1-3 in Mill Spring, North Carolina this Labor Day Weekend.
The festival has revealed its full 2023 schedule, which includes a newly-minted lineup of exclusive workshops featuring members of Della Mae, The Earls of Leicester, and others. Five free festival workshops taking place on the intimate Legends Stage offer fans a chance to hear stories and deep background from top stars, as well as some grassroots figures.
A biographer of Earl Scruggs, journalist and musician Thomas Goldsmith has assembled a docket of discussion topics, including “Secrets of Scruggs Style,” featuring Tony Trischka, top-rank five-string men Charlie Cushman of The Earls of Leicester, and Pete Wernick, co-founder of Hot Rize; “High Lonesome and Beyond: The Evolution of Bluegrass Songwriting,” accompanied by songwriter and educator Louisa Branscomb, featuring Grammy-winning songwriter Jon Weisberger and Della Mae’s Grammy-nominated vocalist and songwriter Celia Woodsmith; plus more.
Last year, Earl Scruggs Music Festival debuted the first-ever Earl Scruggs Revue tribute set, hosted by Fireside Collective. Presented by The Bluegrass Situation, the 2023 installment will feature Tony Trischka Band & Friends delivering The Earl Scruggs Revue’s 1977 Live! From Austin City Limits recording, alongside festival host and artist-in-residence Jerry Douglas, plus a slew of surprise cameos. The not-to-be-missed event takes place at 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon (Sept. 2) on the Foggy Mountain Stage.
Produced in collaboration with the Earl Scruggs Center, WNCW 88.7, and Isothermal Community College, the event supports a two-fold mission to underwrite educational programming and community outreach in Scruggs’ home region while carrying his legacy into the context of modern culture.
Jim Catino On New Venture: ‘I’m A Friend To Major Labels’ [Interview]
/by LB CantrellJim Catino
When Jim Catino left his position as Executive Vice President of A&R at Sony Music Nashville after 20 years with the company, many in the industry were wondering what he would do next.
Prior to his exit, Catino has spent the majority of his career working in the major label ecosystem, as well as some time at MCA Music Publishing, Giant Records & Publishing and DreamWorks Publishing. One could have assumed that Catino was tired of “the system,” working with and for a big corporation.
But as Catino shared with MusicRow, that isn’t the case—the reality is quite the opposite.
Jim Catino & Dalton Dover
“My history has been at major record labels. My dad was in the music business. He worked at Capitol for decades and was always working with major record labels, so I’m kind of a major label baby,” he says. “[Now at my new company,] I’m a friend to major labels. The goal for the record label side of my company is for my artists to be courted and upstreamed to a major label. I believe in what majors can bring to the table to create superstars.”
Catino’s company is split by his passions for both recording artists and songwriters. On Droptine Recordings, Catino works with buzzy newcomer Cody Hibbard and breakout starling Dalton Dover, who aligned with UMG Nashville late last year.
On the publishing side, via Droptine Music, Catino is partnered with Sony Music Publishing and shares office space with the publishing giant on Music Row. He works with Dover and Hibbard as well as songwriter Tommy Karlas, who has hits with Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry and more, and Russell Sutton, who has written two recent No. 1s, Elvie Shane‘s “My Boy” and Nate Smith‘s “Whiskey On You.” With Sony Music Publishing, Catino also works with Kent Earls and Kane Brown‘s Verse 2 Music on Alex Maxwell. He’s partnered with Warner Chappell on songwriter Wesley Davis.
Through both sides of his business, Catino is able to focus on his favorite part of the job: artist development.
“I left Sony because things had changed so much [in the music business], but also because I was hungry to do something different and hungry to do what I really love to do. As an executive at that level at a major corporate label, I was pulled away from a lot of the day-to-day rituals of A&R: finding new talent, diving into the music and really helping build not just momentum, but the foundation of an artist’s career.”
Catino’s first victory for his company came with a pop artist he met during the end of his tenure at Sony, Thomas Day.
“I had my eye on this guy and had created a really good rapport with him and his family. He’s from Brentwood, Tennessee, which is where I grew up,” Catino says. “When I announced that I was leaving Sony, the family was urging me to [work with him].
“I started fishing around with some of the New York labels to see if there was any interest. There was a little bit of bubbling interest, but nothing solid. [Sony Music Nashville Chairman & CEO] Randy Goodman was cool enough to say, ‘Let’s make a deal and we’ll upstream this to one of the New York labels. We’ll fund it for you and help get you started. We want to do business with you down the road, so this could be a good way to start it.'”
Pictured (L-R): Rusty Gaston, Jenna Heideman, Cody Hibbard, Jim Catino, Molly Shehan and Cass Scripps. Photo: Courtesy of Droptine Records
Day is now aligned with Arista out of New York, has nearly seven million followers on TikTok and will hit the road with David Kushner in August.
Next came Dover, who met Catino through producer/songwriter Matt McV. With their heads together, the three began independently releasing Dover’s music, which caught the attention of other industry members. When he aligned with UMG Nashville in October of 2022, Dover had earned a place on Spotify’s Hot Country 2022 Artists To Watch list, along with a spotlight as Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month and a nod for MusicRow’s 2022 Discovery Artist of the Year.
After success with tracks “You Got a Small Town” and “Baby I Am,” Dover is currently working his first radio single, “Giving Up On That,” which was the most added song at country radio with 60 first-week stations. The track also garnered over a million streams in the first two weeks of its release.
“Honestly, I didn’t call one record label [about Dalton]. Every label called me once they saw the numbers growing. That’s the goal—to have labels excited and passionate,” Catino says. “I want to help build enough momentum and a good foundation where they’re getting an artist that has the knowledge and the experience to go walk into a radio station or a bigger media look. I want them to understand enough about digital campaigns and socials to jump right into a real business plan at a major record label, so they’re not doing that development time [after they get to] a major.”
With two success stories and bubbling new act, Catino is starting to get calls about Hibbard, who he discovered while diving into streaming services on the lookout for new artists.
Hibbard is a former pipeline worker from Adair, Oklahoma who has made waves with tracks “We Speak Country” and “Looking Back Now.” After aligning with Catino’s Droptine Recordings, he signed a publishing deal with Droptine Music and Sony Music Publishing earlier this year.
“Cody is a fantastic live entertainer and has a really consistent streaming base. [He’s having success] with multiple tracks. It’s not just about one viral moment,” shares Catino.
Two years into this career chapter, Catino is feeling recharged and eager to get to work each day.
“I’m super happy. I’m rejuvenated and excited to be part of young artists’ careers. It’s always been my main passion,” he says. “It’s the most fun when you find something new and help it get to a place where it starts to really take off and grow with the fans. That’s why we all get in the music business at the end of the day.”
DISClaimer Single Reviews: Chris Stapleton Once Again Confirms His ‘Bonfire Intensity As A Performer’
/by Robert K OermannChris Stapleton. Photo: Becky Fluke
DISClaimer is really mixing it up this week.
We have hip-hopper Tanner Adell, bluegrassy Hailey Whitters, rocking Lanco and balladeers Adam Doleac and Luke Grimes. Black female country speaks up in an excellent effort from Tiera Kennedy. Cody Hibbard is an Asian Pacific American and his hard-country approach wins him a DISCovery Award.
Hibbard was not without competition, since the other newcomers today who turned in solid efforts included Peyton Aldridge, Zoee and The Mizes.
With Chris Stapleton in the lineup, do you even need to ask who owns the Disc of the Day award?
LANCO / “Sound of a Saturday Night”
Writers: Brandon Lancaster/Tripp Howell/Jeremy Spillman/Tate Howell; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Riser House
– Punchy and rocking. This is a summertime romp to crank up with the windows rolled down on a moonlight cruise down a back road. I’d have put more bottom in the mix, but you can’t beat the energy generated by this sound.
BRETT YOUNG / “Let Go Too Soon”
Writers: Brett Young/Chris LaCorte/Jon Nite; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: BMLG Records
– “Dance With You” remains the single, but here’s another foretaste of Young’s Across the Sheets collection, which drops Aug. 4. On this pleasing midtempo track, he muses about a relationship that might have ended before either one of them was ready to move on. His intimate-sounding singing voice is deployed to great affect here. The too-busy backing track is fortunately mixed far enough back so as not to interfere.
HAILEY WHITTERS / “I’m In Love”
Writers: Nicole Galyon/Lee Thomas Miller/Cameron Bedell; Producers: Jake Gear/Hailey Whitters; Label: Pigasus/Big Loud/Songs & Daughters
– ACM New Female Artist of the Year Whitters returns with the delightfully zippy title tune of her new EP (which also includes her breakthrough hit “Everything She Ain’t”). The track bubbles along merrily while she expresses the dizzy, ditzy mood of a star-struck country gal. Totally lovable.
CHRIS STAPLETON / “White Horse”
Writers: Chris Stapleton/Dan Wilson; Producers: Dave Cobb/Morgane Stapleton/Chris Stapleton; Label: Mercury Nashville
– His voice is such a torrent of sound that he can make your heart beat faster without hardly trying. This fiery single blurs the lines between country and southern rock while confirming his bonfire intensity as a performer. Undeniable.
TIERA KENNEDY / “Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist”
Writers: Tiera Kennedy/Emily Falvey/Joe Fox/Trannie Anderson/Emily Landis; Producer: Cameron Bedell; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– As clever as it is catchy. Everyone in town gossips way too much, so the only people she can tell about her busted heart are the three named in the title. The track boasts stuttering rockabilly guitar, loads of happy rhythm and a cheeky vibe that are all irresistible. Her saucy vocal is perfect. To my knowledge, this is the first country song with “therapist” in the title. So cute.
CODY HIBBARD / “We Speak Country”
Writers: Carlton Anderson/Kasey Tyndall/Logan Wall; Producers: Jim Catino/Julian King; Label: Droptine Recordings
– What a breath of fresh air. A for-real country singer with a for-real country song. The thumping rhythm track is joyous. The blue-collar lyric is rousing and anthemic. This would sound splendid as an award-show opening number.
PEYTON ALDRIDGE / “Oh Yeah”
Writers: John Ramey/Jeffrey East; Producer: Russ Zavitson; Label: Puba Records
– This competitor on The Voice combines blues and twang on his new single. The song’s a funky little thing, but doesn’t have a lot of meat on its bones.
ZOEE / “Whatever It Takes”
Writers: Zoee/James House/Stone Aielli; Producers: Zoee/James House; Label: Zoee
– This new Nashvillian hails from Tasmania, Australia. She has a strong, assured country-pop vocal presence with plenty of depth. This single and its parent album Waves both drop a week from tomorrow, so be prepared for a slap of driving rhythm and some wildly catchy melody. The crisp production is superb. A star has started to twinkle.
TANNER ADELL / “Buckle Bunny”
Writers: Tanner Adell/Jesse Thomas/Cameron Bartolini/Louis Bartolini/Leelee/Sean Anthony; Producers: Leelee/Cambo/Louallday; Label: Columbia Records
– This mix of country and trap drops vaguely country/cowgirl images in a production that blends rapping with looped electronics and country-tinged instrumentation. Lyrically, it is utter nonsense. But enjoyable.
LUKE GRIMES / “Hold On”
Writers: Ilsey Juber/Foy Vance; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: UMG Nashville
– Low-key and downbeat, this has an attractive, meditative quality that is soothing to the ears. Like the song, his voice kinda sneaks up on you. Grimes has a fan base from being in the Yellowstone TV cast. But I fear he’s going to have to come up with a song that is more undeniable than this drowsy one is.
THE MIZES / “Hitched Up”
Writers: Logan Mize/Jill Martin; Producer: Daniel Agee; Label: LM
– Solo artist Logan Mize is now also a duet act with his wife, Jill Martin. Their debut single is a hilarious twangfest about a Venus-and-Mars couple. It recalls the funny-fight masterpieces created by Loretta & Conway, Porter & Dolly and George & Tammy. If I were in charge, this would go straight to the top of every hillbilly playlist.
ADAM DOLEAC / “Biggest Fan”
Writers: Adam Doleac/Abe Stoklasa/Andy Skib/Sarah Buxton; Producer: Andy Skib; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– The man can sing. This melodic ballad glows with romance and emotional intimacy. The soul-music touches in the production and eloquently tasteful guitar solo are exquisite additions to the mood. Lend this man your ears.
Larry Fleet Touts Hard Work & Sweat Equity On New Project ‘Earned It’
/by Lorie HollabaughPhoto: Courtesy of Big Loud Records
Larry Fleet is releasing his third studio album Earned It, a 21-track tribute to the working class and a culmination of years’ worth of hard work, tour stops and elbow grease, on Sept. 1 via Big Loud Records, just in time for Labor Day.
A third-generation son of construction and concrete workers, Fleet grew up watching his dad and grandfather put in hard labor everyday to make ends meet, instilling a “built not bought” work ethic in him.
“I’ve been workin’ since I was 14 laying bricks; there isn’t a day in my life I can remember where I wasn’t workin’ toward something or watching someone else earn their keep, whether that was my mom at home providing for us boys or at school teaching art when we got a little older, my dad out at job sites, you name it,” recalls Fleet.
“I believe in taking care of the people you love, earning a life you’re proud of, workin’ hard, and keeping your family and the things that matter first. With this record, I wanted to focus on how we got here and what our work earned us; it’s earned this life for my family, this opportunity for me and my band out on the road, it’s taught me about living well and makes me appreciate the place I come from. Earned It just felt right because I feel like I have; it’s been a long time coming, and by God it was worth it.”
Produced by Joey Moi, the project includes the anthemic title track as well as gratitude-infused “Things I Take For Granted,” twist-laden mid-tempo “Devil Music,” ballad “Grow” and more, in addition to early releases such as “Young Buck,” “Layaway,” “Daddy Don’t Drink” and “Try Texas.”
Fans will get a taste of Earned It tonight (July 27) with the release of four new songs: the title track, “Lucky Dog,” “Ain’t Mad At Jesus” and “Much To Talk About.” The album finds the Tennessee troubadour collaborating with songwriters like Connie Rae Harrington, Luke Laird, Jesse Frasure, Craig Wiseman, Jessie Jo Dillon, Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley and more.
“Nashville’s full of the finest songwriters in the world, so I felt like it might finally be time to showcase some of their work alongside some of mine now that folks have gotten to know me as a songwriter on the first couple records,” Fleet adds. “I’m thankful they’d trust me to tell these stories and hope we did them justice.”
2. “Lucky Dog” (Zach Abend, Smith Ahnquist, Michael Hardy)
3. “Ain’t Mad At Jesus” (Larry Fleet, Josh Miller, Jake Mitchell)
4. “25-8” (Casey Beathard, Nicolette Hayford, Jim Wolf)
5. “Things I Take For Granted” (Larry Fleet, Rocky Block, Jordan Dozzi, Brett Tyler)
6. “Lord Willing” (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brett Tyler)
7. “Two Beer Plan” (Larry Fleet, Thomas Archer, Ryan Beaver, Mark Holman)
8. “Taking The Long Way” (Larry Fleet, Will Bundy, Brett Tyler)
9. “Something He’d Say” (Larry Fleet, Josh Thompson, Jake Mitchell)
10. “Beer Needs A Beer” (Larry Fleet, Brett Tyler, Logan Wall)
11. “There’s A Waylon” (Steve Moakler, Joseph Patton, Logan Wall)
12. “Angels Were Gone” (Rodney Clawson, Jessie Jo Dillon, Joybeth Taylor)
13. “Try Texas” (Jake Mitchell, Larry Fleet, James McNair)
14. “Tennessee On You” (Rocky Block, John Byron, Jacob Durrett, Ashley Gorley)
15. “Muddy Water” (Larry Fleet, Jesse Frasure, Brett Tyler)
16. “Devil Music” (Jessie Jo Dillon, Neil Mason, Brett Tyler)
17. “Layaway” (Larry Fleet, Mark Trussell, Josh Miller)
18. “Much To Talk About” (Tommy Cecil, Jordan Dozzi, Craig Wiseman)
19. “Grow” (Rodney Clawson, Josh Miller, Dallas Wilson)
20. “Daddy Don’t Drink” (Larry Fleet, Derek Bahr, Luke Laird)
21. “Young Buck” (Andy Albert, John Byron, Devin Dawson, Jacob Durrett)
Industry Ink: Bill Anderson, NF, Jennifer Adan, AMR Songs
/by Lorie HollabaughBill Anderson Honored As Longest-Serving Opry Member Ever
Pictured (L-R): Dan Rogers, Jeannie Seely, Bill Anderson and Vince Gill. Photo: Chris Hollo
Country Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson was recognized recently for his indelible 62 years as the longest-serving member in Grand Ole Opry history.
Some of Anderson’s Opry family and friends including Vince Gill, Jamey Johnson and Jeannie Seely paid tribute to him throughout the show, including a Seely/Anderson collaboration on “When Two World’s Collide,” a Johnson/Anderson collaboration on “Everybody Wants To Be 21” and Gill’s performance of his hit “Which Bridge To Cross, Which Bridge To Burn,” co-written with Anderson. Anderson was also presented with a plaque to commemorate the historic achievement.
NF Celebrates 23 RIAA Certs Including New Gold Single
Pictured (L-R): Jeff Krones, CAA; Ashley Pimenta, Element1 Music; Hudson Plachy, CCMG; NF; Brad O’Donnell, CCMG; Chris Woltman, Element1 Music; Lindsey Myers, CAA
Multi-Platinum rapper/producer NF was presented with six plaques to celebrate 23 new RIAA certifications, including his most recent Gold single “Hope” during his recent Bridgestone Arena show in Nashville. NF was joined by his management and CCMG label team to commemorate the momentous occasion. He kicked off the 31-city North American leg of his “Hope Tour,” earlier this month, which is nearly sold out and includes stops in Grand Rapids, Newark, Boston, Anaheim, Denver and more.
NF is touring in support of Hope, his third studio album to debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2, and seven of the album’s 13 tracks appeared on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the week following the album’s release. A global smash, Hope charted at No. 1 in The Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland as well as on the UK’s Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart, and has amassed nearly half a billion combined global streams to date.
Jennifer Adan Inks With Reel Muzik Werks
Reel Muzik Werks’ Teri Nelson Carpenter and Jennifer Adan
Platinum songwriter Jennifer Adan has signed an administrative and publishing deal with Reel Muzik Werks. She has also signed an administration deal with Reel Muzik Werks for her previously existing catalog. Adan penned the Platinum two-week No. 1 hit “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” for Blake Shelton, and her song “Don’t Come Home” was featured on MTV’s The Real World: San Diego. She also collaborated on the song “Metamorphosis” which was featured on Grey’s Anatomy.
“We are so excited to be working with her and can’t wait to see what she does in the future!” shares Reel Muzik Werks’ Teri Nelson Carpenter.
“I am so excited to be a part of the Reel Muzik Werk family,” adds Adan. “I am so thrilled to have such a great team behind me.”
AMR Songs Launches Christian Division/Acquires Catalogs
Tamara Conniff
AMR Songs, founded by music industry veteran Tamara Conniff, has launched a new Christian division and acquired interests in hundreds of songs by top artists and songwriters in the genre, including GMA Dove Award-winner and Grammy-nominated Christian rock band Sanctus Real, GMA Dove Award-winner and Grammy-nominated artist Phil Wickham, GMA Dove Award-nominated Christian artists Christy Nockels and Nathan Nockels, and chart-topping GMA Dove Award-winning hip-hop artist and songwriter Kevin “KB” Burgess.
Of the hundreds of Christian titles acquired by AMR Songs, some of the gems include Sanctus Real’s “Confidence” and “Unstoppable God,” Wickham’s “This is Amazing Grace,” Nockels’ “Lord, I Need You,” KB’s “Church Clap (feat. Lecrae)” and TobyMac’s “Speak Life” (co-written by Ryan Stevenson) and more.
“We are so pleased to announce AMR Songs has launched a new Christian division and acquired interests in songs by some of the most talented and celebrated artists and writers in contemporary Christian music, to include Sanctus Real, Phil Wickham, Christy Nockels and Nathan Nockels, KB, and Ryan Stevenson. It is a complete honor to have been entrusted to take care of these works and ensure the songs continue to reach new audiences for decades to come. AMR’s diverse catalog is a powerful collection of perennial hits and Christian music gems that we’re so proud to represent as we expand into the market,” shares Conniff, AMR Co-Founder and CEO.
Tyler Childers Preps New Project ‘Rustin’ In The Rain’ For September
/by Lorie HollabaughTyler Childers
Tyler Childers is set to release his new album, Rustin’ In The Rain, on Sept. 8 via Hickman Holler Records/RCA Records. In advance of the release, the first single, “In Your Love,” is out today.
“This is a collection of songs I playfully pieced together as if I was pitching a group of songs to Elvis,” says Childers. “Some covers, one co-write and some I even wrote in my best (terrible) Elvis impersonation, as I worked around the farm and kicked around the house. I hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as I enjoyed creating it. Thank you. Thank you very much.”
A new video for “In Your Love,” written and creative directed by Silas House who deleveoped the story idea with Jason Kyle Howard, is out now. The clip depicts a timeless love story of two men set in rural Appalachia in the 1950s. House is a New York Times bestselling author, current Poet Laureate of Kentucky and recipient of the 2022 Duggins Prize—the largest award for an LGBTQ+ writer in the nation.
Homegrown Talent Elevated At Bluegrass Nights At The Ryman
/by LB CantrellDailey & Vincent play Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman. Photo: Eric Ahlgrim
Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman, the annual summer concert series presented by Springer Mountain Farms, comes to an end this evening (July 27) with a show from one of the genre’s giants, Ricky Skaggs.
The tradition started in 1994, with the first Bluegrass Night at the Ryman featuring Bill Monroe and Alison Krauss. Now more than 25 years later, the venue continues to celebrate bluegrass music’s contribution to history with artists and fans alike.
Rhona Vincent plays Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman. Photo: Amy Richmond
Bluegrass is special to the Ryman, as it is a part of the genre’s history. One night over 75 years ago in December of 1945, a young banjo player named Earl Scruggs joined Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys on the Ryman stage for the first time. The combination of their harmonies, upbeat tempos and a new sound referred to as “high lonesome” resulted in a new kind of music that would soon brings fans out in droves to the Mother Church. The venue honors the iconic moment with a life-size statue of Monroe, which was unveiled in 2017.
For 2023’s edition of Bluegrass Nights, stars showed out with their extremely talented pickers in tow.
Sierra Hull kicked things off on June 22 with special guests East Nash Grass. The next week, Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan took the stage. Sam Bush was next on July 6, and the “Queen of Bluegrass” Rhonda Vincent took the stage July 13.
For last week’s show, Daily & Vincent brought the house down with their unmatched harmonies and virtuoso band. They were joined by special guest Rhonda Vincent, sister to the Duo’s Darrin Vincent. The siblings shared from the Ryman stage that they are the only brother and sister who are separately members of the Grand Ole Opry.
Vince Gill also joined Daily & Vincent as a surprise guest. The country star had a marvelous time picking and singing with some of the bluegrass greats.
Skaggs closes this summer’s Bluegrass Nights series. Tickets are still available. For more information, click here.
Inaugural AB Block Party To Celebrate Return Of Live Music To Hillsboro Village
/by Liza AndersonThe inaugural AB Block Party will celebrate the return of live music to Nashville’s Hillsboro Village this Labor Day (Sept. 4), with an emphasis on inclusivity.
AB Hillsboro Village, formerly the restaurant Anzie Blue, is a live music and event venue designed to inspire creativity. The venue holds 250 people and is equipped to host a variety of functions.
Produced by AB Hillsboro Village Co-Owners Marcie Allen and Derek Van Mol, the free festival will be headlined by acclaimed genre-fusionist Joy Oladokun, and feature Grace Bowers, the 16-year-old guitarist who recently organized a Covenant School benefit at The Basement East and raised over $20,000. Nashville mayoral candidate and former Belcourt Theatre Board member Freddie O’Connell will entertain with special DJ set. Brooke Alexx, Daniel Nunnelee, Denitia, Jack Schneider, Leon Majcen, Southern Avenue and Paul McDonald as well as an array of yet-to-be-announced acts will also perform.
The AB Block party will take place from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the parking lot of the Belcourt Theatre with multiple music stages, and a comedy show curated by Josh Black inside AB Hillsboro Village across the street at 2111 Belcourt Avenue. WKRN Anchor Blake Eason will emcee the main stage.
Additionally, the all-ages event will include pop-ups by diverse local businesses and food trucks.
“Our century-old neighborhood was one of Nashville’s original music hubs—the Grand Ole Opry broadcasted from The Belcourt Theatre in the ’30s and Harold and Owen Bradley had their studio here before literally starting Music Row,” says Allen.
“So with AB here now, our block party celebrates the return of live music to Hillsboro Village, and gives the community a rare chance to enjoy a festival created for locals by locals,” adds Van Mol.
With Lightning 100 as a media partner, the block party provides a Labor Day alternative to the Nashville radio station’s now-paused 13-year-old Live on the Green Festival. Tickets are free, with a suggested donation of $20 to support The Belcourt Theatre’s ongoing mission to provide independent cinema and arts education. A ticket is required for entry. For more information, click here.