Kevin Griffin. Photo: Robby Klein
Award-winning songwriter, producer and performer Kevin Griffin has lived a myriad of lives in the music business.
He’s best known as the singer and founding member of the Platinum-selling rock band, Better Than Ezra, whose hits include “Good,” “Desperately Wanting,” “Extra Ordinary” and “A Lifetime.” Griffin is also a hit songwriter with No. 1s such as Howie Day’s “Collide” and Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue.” His songs have been recorded and performed by artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, Dierks Bentley, Christina Perri, Hunter Hayes, James Blunt, and many more.
Additionally, Griffin is a co-founder and partner in Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival located in Franklin, Tennessee, and has served as a writer-in-residence at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Music. Griffin lectures internationally on creativity to groups and companies ranging from Live Nation, Google, Spotify and Disney to Nike, YPO/WPO and Salesforce. So, he knows a thing or two about how to make a career in the entertainment industry.
Griffin culminated his experiences in a business parable called The Greatest Song: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Career, and Transform Your Life, out today (April 25). Though the book is not a memoir and is based on a fictional character, singer-songwriter Jake Stark, The Greatest Song is inspired by Griffin’s life and career.
The book begins as Stark is dropped by his publishing company, MegaMusic Publishing, beginning an epic journey to the pinnacle of creative expression and commercial success. Crushed by being dropped, Stark thinks his career is over until he meets the eccentric young billionaire Sir Daniel Smith-Daniels, who swoops in and offers Stark an opportunity at his avant-garde publishing house, The Row.
In order to secure a contract with this publisher, Stark must complete the five music-writing trials of “The Method,” each demonstrating a key component in both getting and keeping success. What Stark realizes after completing “The Method” is that he has the tools to make the metaphorical song of, not just his career, but also his life, which is the “Greatest Song.”
Griffin was inspired to form the tale of Jake Stark after a friend asked him to speak about his life and career at a corporate meeting.
“They say that nothing good happens in a bar after 2:00 a.m., but I ran into an old friend in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Over some late night jambalaya, he asked me if I wanted to speak to a group of his YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) members,” Griffin tells MusicRow. “I had done some public speaking back in college, but not in the past 20 years. I said ‘yes’ without hesitation and then I realized I needed to speak about something.
“At the same time, I had been mentoring younger writers, going onto podcasts and stuff like that. People were asking me ,’How have you stayed successful in this super fickle business?’ I realized that there were things I could speak about—things that I had to do after getting dropped, going from having hits to having no hits to having hits again.”
The speech was a hit, leading Griffin to deliver it to corporate groups at Live Nation, Google, Nike, Disney and more. The universal message of going after a dream resonated with a lot of folks, no matter what industry they were in. After such a positive reception, Griffin knew that he wanted to write a book.
Inspired by books such as Who Moved My Cheese? and Tuesdays with Morrie, Griffin felt that he could give readers real advice without writing a memoir. His inclination for creativity led him to crafting the story of Jake Stark.
“As a songwriter, I write narratives. I write stories,” Griffin says. “The character Jake Stark is a little bit of me—you write what you know—but it’s fiction. Woven into these different chapters are five different practices that I do that the enigmatic Sir Daniel Smith-Daniels calls ‘The Method.’
“The same week that Jake Stark has been let go of his longtime music publisher, MegaMusic, he is asked to write with these five different writers at The Row [Smith-Daniels’ publishing company], who have become the talk of Nashville. These writers are crushing it in pop and in country. In those five crazy writes with these characters, he turns his career around, but he also turns his life around with his family.”
So, who are these Music City hit-makers and what do they teach Stark? Without giving much away, Griffin breaks it down as creative collaboration, filling the well (or continuing your education/inspiration as a songwriter), changing your attitude, leaving your comfort zone and dare be stupid.
Drawing off of his experiences writing on Music Row, some of Griffin’s characters are loosely based on hitmakers such as J.T. Harding and Brad and Brett Warren.
The songs written by Stark in The Greatest Song have also come to life via real recordings. In addition to housing them on Spotify, the songs can be heard in the audio book.
“In the audio book that Audible is putting out, you hear those songs in the chapters where I talk about them being written. You hear a guitar, a beat and someone humming a melody. The full song is at the end of the chapter.”
Griffin’s hopes for the book is that it resonates with creatives, and helps guide them to success.
“That life-changing song is floating in the room somewhere. You just have to have the tools to allow yourself to capture it. That’s what I wanted to share in the book: how do you stay nimble and open to those crazy ideas? It’s about staying optimistic, listening and daring to be stupid,” Griffin says. “What I really wanted to do in this story was [provide] a real snapshot of what our life is like as songwriters. Where we eat lunch, how it all happens. The sincerity, the insincerity, and the grind of being a songwriter and how awesome it is.”
Griffin’s The Greatest Song: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Career, and Transform Your Life is available for purchase now.
Country Trio Voth Signs With Warner Chappell Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Cody Voth, Hannah Voth, Caleb Voth
Nashville-based country trio Voth has signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.
Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, siblings Caleb, Hannah and Cody, released their first wave of singles in 2018 including the track, “I Choose Us,” which captured the attention of country fans nationwide. Voth released their self-titled EP in 2020 and have opened for artists Walker Hayes, Priscilla Block and Tenille Townes.
“Caleb, Hannah, and Cody, are an undeniably unique group with a distinct style that sets them apart,” says WCM Sr. Director, A&R/Digital, Jessi Stevenson. “We’re excited to welcome them to the Warner Chappell family and help them blaze new paths in their career.”
Cumulus & PickleJar Partner On New Country Radio Show
/by Lorie HollabaughPickleJar Up All Night, a new daily country radio show from Cumulus Media and PickleJar, is set to premiere May 5.
The new show will be hosted by Patrick Thomas, formerly of the Big D and Bubba Show, and is slated to feature rising country artists, top-charting music and the biggest stories in entertainment news, along with exclusive artist interviews and features.
PickleJar Up All Night will air on Cumulus country stations in 47 U.S. markets, including Nashville, Dallas and Detroit. The show will air live from the WKDF-FM studios in Nashville seven nights a week from Midnight to 5 a.m. ET, beginning May 5.
Staying true to PickleJar’s #ArtistFirst mission, the PickleJar Artist Spotlight segment of the program will highlight up-and-coming new artists each hour, who will also be showcased on the PickleJar Live app and PickleJar+ FAST channel. Artists will also appear in-studio to share their latest projects, new music and more.
PickleJar Up All Night will also host events, including concert series with local venues to showcase new music from all corners of the country. Listeners will be able to enter to win contest giveaways, and support local charitable causes through the PickleJar Live app.
“This will be another first for artists and fans of PickleJar,” says Jeff James, CEO and Co-Founder of PickleJar. “PickleJar is growing as a cultural force, and this is a natural extension of our mission to help artists get more exposure. Cumulus Media is an incredible partner that shares in our vision. We are thrilled to be able to bring premium programming to local listeners and music fans around the country.”
“PickleJar and Cumulus will meet at the intersection of emerging artists and excited live audiences,” adds Brian Philips, Chief Content Officer, Cumulus Media. “We’ll add to their platform’s ambitious array of artist-friendly extensions as we build a live, overnight community of impassioned country fans from coast-to-coast. We’ll give rising performers in many parts of America—including those beyond Nashville—a chance to have their music appreciated. We also embrace PickleJar’s mission of unifying every touchpoint of the fan’s experience and rewarding deserving performers. Country radio will always have a special place in this landscape, and Cumulus is proud to step into the lead with PickleJar.”
Metro Council Passes Historic $2.1 Billion Titans Stadium Deal In Final Vote
/by Steven BoeroRendering of new Titans stadium. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans
After months of deliberation and going through the different stages of Nashville’s government, the Nashville Metro Council has approved the $2.1 billion Titans Stadium deal in a final vote, 26-12, early Wednesday morning (April 26).
The vote was Metro Council’s third, and allowed citizens to voice their opinions and concerns about the massive, publicly-funded undertaking on Tuesday night, pushing the council meeting into the early hours of today.
“For more than 25 years, Nashville, Tennessee, has been the Titans’ home, and with the approval of the new stadium agreement, we are grateful to know the Titans will be a part of this great city and state for decades to come,” says Titans Controlling Owner Amy Adams Strunk. “I remember the early days of our time here feeling all the promise and opportunity ahead, and I feel that same enthusiasm and excitement again today. We are thankful for the support of Mayor Cooper, Metro Council, the Sports Authority, the State of Tennessee, and most importantly, the people of Nashville and Tennessee as we all embark on this new chapter together.”
As it stands, ready to be signed into law, the stadium will be paid for in three parts. The state will pay $500 million in bonds with the Titans and the NFL paying around $840 million and the remaining $760 million being paid by Metro government via a stadium sales tax, downtown campus sales tax and a county-wide hotel occupancy tax.
Rendering of new Titans stadium. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans
“Tonight’s final approval of the new stadium agreement allows Nashville to move forward with the revitalization of the East Bank riverfront that East Nashville neighborhoods have been demanding for more than 40 years,” says Metro Nashville Council Member Brett Withers. “We can now replace an aging, 100 percent taxpayer-supported stadium with a new facility that is funded primarily by the team, by visitors to our city and by new revenues arising from campus development that is not possible under the old lease.
“During extensive community engagement that shaped the East Bank Vision Plan, which the Planning Commission unanimously adopted in October of 2022, neighbors who were still learning about the stadium question itself definitively agreed that the prospect of centering the planned Central Waterfront neighborhood not around the current, aging stadium but rather around a new park and multimodal street designed for transit was the better outcome for the future of our thriving city. Relocating the stadium closer to the interstate makes sense for a lot of reasons, but replacing the current stadium with a central community gathering space incorporating green stormwater technology and surrounded by mixed uses including affordable housing is chief among them.”
The stadium agreement includes a new 30-year lease and non-relocation agreement between the Titans and the Sports Authority. The terms of the new agreement remove the current obligation of Nashville’s General Fund to maintain and upgrade the stadium and returns 66 acres of land to the City of Nashville previously restricted by parking lots through 2039. The city has announced plans to include the returned property in the creation of a new neighborhood set along Nashville’s Cumberland River. The neighborhood, through new revenue sources generated by its development, is projected to bring in over a billion dollars to Nashville’s General Fund during its first 30 years of development.
The team will also contribute nearly $48 million over the life of the lease to the Nashville Needs Impact Fund, a fund directed by the Metro Council to support city needs such as public education, public transit, affordable housing and several other areas.
Rendering of new Titans stadium. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans
“Tonight is a huge win for Nashville taxpayers,” says Nashville Mayor John Cooper. “We’ve eliminated a billion-dollar liability created by an aging stadium lease and created a platform for the city to thrive for decades. This was always about more than football. This vote unlocks the East Bank Vision for Nashville’s next generation. It enables a true smart growth plan for the decades ahead. It will expand our transit network, create affordable housing, build parks and civic space, activate the waterfront, and drive resilience and sustainability.
The stadium is currently estimated at 1.75 million square feet, with a capacity of approximately 60,000. It is anticipated to bring in year-round events, with aspirations to host Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, College Football Playoffs, Wrestlemanias and more. It will also continue to host Tennessee State University (TSU) home football games, extending the long-standing partnership between TSU and the Titans. The stadium will include a 12,000 square foot community space to host classes for local schools, job trainings and other community-minded events.
“The Sports Authority is appreciative of all the hard work and due diligence that has gone into vetting this stadium project,” says Metro Nashville Sports Authority Chair Cathy Bender. “We believe the East Bank stadium project is the right deal for our city and look forward to moving into the next phase with the Tennessee Titans.”
Groundbreaking is expected to occur in early-to-mid 2024, with an opening anticipated in 2027. It will set a goal of achieving a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold certification. Titans games and other major events will continue to operate in the current Nissan Stadium until the new building opens.
On The Cover: MusicRow’s 2023 InCharge Issue Features HARDY On Cover
/by MusicRow StaffMusicRow has released its 2023 edition of its flagship print directory, InCharge. Multi-Platinum singer-songwriter HARDY graces its cover.
Big Loud Records’ heavy-hitter HARDY has never been just one thing. Uncaging a new chapter, HARDY soared to new heights with the release of the mockingbird & THE CROW, the critically acclaimed half-country, half-rock sophomore album, adding to over two billion career streams. The dichotomous, 17-track effort debuted top five all genre on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and kinged seven additional Billboard charts in its first week, including Top Country Albums, Top Rock Albums, and Top Album Sales. The pride of Philadelphia, Mississippi has earned his reputation as “a promising purveyor of keeping the spirit of classic heavy Southern rock alive” (American Songwriter), “capable of writing the big hits for radio, obstinate enough to do something completely unexpected, and savvy enough to find the throughline for it all” (Rolling Stone).
A three-time CMA Triple Play award recipient, HARDY is the reigning ACM Songwriter of the Year, the 2022 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year, and a two-time AIMP Songwriter of the Year. HARDY has written 12 No. 1 singles since 2018, including his own double Platinum No. 1 single “ONE BEER” feat. Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson, and chart-topping, Platinum Dierks Bentley and BRELAND collaboration, “Beers On Me.” He’s previously toured with Thomas Rhett, Morgan Wallen, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Cole Swindell, and more, and is headlining his sold-out “the mockingbird & THE CROW Tour” nationwide now.
The annual InCharge guide highlights some of the most influential music industry executives in the Nashville entertainment community. This year’s edition includes 376 profiles which are accompanied by contact information, career biographies, and detailed board and organizational membership affiliations.
The guide also includes a company appendix, record label staff appendix, and a professional categories appendix, which lists executives by their areas of expertise, including label, talent agency, management, music publishing, legal, finance, performing rights organizations, and more.
“The Nashville music industry is a tight-knit community in which those who wear the hat are highly valued. With decades of experience and expertise, these ‘hat wearers’ have played an integral role in creating and sustaining the city’s musical legacy. They understand what it takes to make great music—from songwriting to recording and from producing to marketing—and they’ve worked tirelessly to bring Nashville’s unique sound to the world,” says MusicRow Owner/Publisher, Sherod Robertson. “These pages are filled with our champions and they have deservedly earned the title of InCharge.”
In this issue of InCharge, MusicRow also takes a look at Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it means for the music industry, highlighting both the opportunities and the dangers of AI.
Single copies of MusicRow’s 2023 InCharge issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $110, and are included with yearly MusicRow subscriptions.
Dustin Lynch Pool Situation 2023 To Take Place In Nashville
/by Liza AndersonDustin Lynch has announced that his Dustin Lynch Pool Situation party will take place in Nashville this year from 2-5 p.m. at Margaritaville Hotel Nashville on June 10 during CMA Fest weekend.
In 2021, Lynch launched his first Pool Situation event in Las Vegas with special guests Jordan Davis, Hardy, Brandi Cyrus, MacKenzie Porter and Conner Smith.
Now, Dustin Lynch Pool Situation: Nashville will serve up the long-standing essentials of his seven-year-running Pool Party bash during Luke Bryan’s annual Crash My Playa, mixed with all the “Party Mode” debauchery of his live shows.
“I can’t believe I didn’t think to do this sooner,” Lynch shared with The Tennessean. “Currently, I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had in my career. I’m in control of fun, interactive and pumped-up crowds. I’m ready to make memories with them at whatever heights I dream are possible.”
Members of Lynch’s Stay Country Club will have exclusive first access to tickets. Limited event tickets will be distributed via a random lottery system and the opt-in period for the drawing is open now through this Thursday, April 27 at 5 p.m. ET. Winners will be notified via email this Friday, April 28. Tickets will open to the general public on Monday, May 1 via a sign-up form posted across Lynch and the Stay Country Club’s social media accounts.
George Birge Slates Debut Album For May 12
/by Lorie HollabaughGeorge Birge. Photo: Courtesy of Rich Management
George Birge is prepping for the release of his debut album, George Birge: Mind On You, on May 12.
The upcoming 10-song collection is packed with tales of young love, broken hearts and weathered wisdom, most co-penned by Birge himself. Tracks like the heart-pounding romance of “Forever And A Day,” the slow-burner “Chasin’ A Feeling” and the reflective “You Were Mine” all find a home on the new album, along with his viral smash “Beer Beer, Truck Truck,” the feel-good country anthem that goes far beyond the clichés.
It also includes the title track as well as a fresh, stripped-down remix of the tune. Co-written with Colt Ford, Jaron Boyer and Michael Tyler, “Mind On You” creates the soundtrack of a night spent under the influence of love.
“This album has been a lifetime in the making. From the experiences and people that have influenced me, to finding my voice and knowing who I am, I couldn’t be prouder of this collection of songs,” shares Birge. “I can’t wait to share them with everyone that has helped me get here.”
Additionally, Birge will take the new songs on the road this summer, with dates throughout the summer and festival appearances coming up including Tailgate N’ Tallboys, Beach It! Country Music Festival, Faster Horses Festival and more.
George Birge: Mind On You Track Listing:
* Produced by Ash Bowers
+ Produced by Lalo Guzman
1. Forever And A Day (George Birge, Lalo Guzman, Matt McGinn)+
2. Mind On You (George Birge, Colt Ford, Jaron Boyer, Michael Tyler)*
3. Whiskey Side (George Birge, Jaron Boyer, Michael Tyler, Matt Stell)*
4. Chasin’ A Feeling (George Birge, Michael Tyler, Lalo Guzman, Matt McGinn)+
5. Cowboys Talkin’ (George Birge, Josh Mirenda, Gary Garris)*
6. Didn’t Think I’d Miss (George Birge, Michael Tyler, Ben Stennis)*
7. You Were Mine (George Birge, Chris Bandi, Jaron Boyer)*
8. Reason To Go (Thomas Archer, Michael Tyler, Lalo Guzman)*
9. “Beer Beer, Truck Truck” (George Birge, Erynn Chambers)*
10. Mind On You (Stripped) (George Birge, Colt Ford, Jaron Boyer, Michael Tyler)*
Tanya Tucker Plots ‘Sweet Western Sound Tour’ With ‘Texas Takeover’ Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughTanya Tucker. Photo: Derrek Kupish
Tanya Tucker will kick off her “Sweet Western Sound Tour” this summer with shows in New York, Atlanta, Knoxville, Fayetteville, Vancouver and more to be announced.
The trek will also include a special “Texas Takeover” run with performances at Lubbock’s Buddy Holly Hall, Helotes’ John T. Floore’s Country Store, Houston’s Heights Theater and Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth.
Tickets for the tour will be available for presale starting tomorrow (April 26) with general sales starting this Friday, April 28. For more information, click here.
The shows are in celebration of Tucker’s upcoming album, Sweet Western Sound, which will be released June 2 via Fantasy Records. Produced once again by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings, Sweet Western Sound reunites the award-winning trio following the release of Tucker’s landmark 2019 album, While I’m Livin’.
Chapel Hart, Sam Williams To Play Ty Herndon’s ‘Concert For Love & Acceptance’
/by Caela GriffinGLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, and groundbreaking country artist Ty Herndon have added new names to the performance lineup for the “Concert For Love & Acceptance.” Chapel Hart, Sam Williams, Jamie Floyd, Brandon Stansell and Bryan Ruby join the lineup for Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville on the eve of CMA Fest.
Previously announced, Maddie & Tae, Terri Clark, Pam Tillis, Desmond Child, Wendy Moten, Billy Gilman, Shelly Fairchild, and Justin Fabus will be performing with additional artist announcements forthcoming.
“At a time when there are so many folks trying to divide us, I’m so proud to see the Nashville music community coming together to support love and acceptance for all people,” says Herndon. “This is going to be a great night of music and positivity that celebrates LGBTQ artists, allies and fans—and we’ve still got more exciting announcements ahead.”
Herndon and GLAAD joined together for the first time in 2015 to create the “Concert For Love & Acceptance” to promote LGBTQ visibility and acceptance among the country music community and artists, industry leaders and fans. Held as an annual live event until 2019, the concert was staged as a virtual event in response to the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
The event has featured performances and appearances by LGBTQ artists and allies, including Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Brothers Osborne, Jake Owen, Kristin Chenoweth, Chely Wright, Tanya Tucker, Brett Young, Michael Ray, Mickey Guyton, Chris Daughtry, Lily Rose and many more.
“Although it is currently an extremely turbulent time for LGBTQ people as we are forced to navigate many barriers being brought forth by a wave of anti-LGBTQ bills popping up all over the country, there is still a palpable momentum happening in Nashville and within country music to make it a more welcoming place for queer people,” says Anthony Allen Ramos, GLAAD Vice President of Communications and Talent.
For more information and to purchase tickets for the “Concert For Love & Acceptance,” visit F4LA.org.
Kevin Griffin Paints An Inspiring Picture Of Music Row In New Business Parable [Interview]
/by LB CantrellKevin Griffin. Photo: Robby Klein
Award-winning songwriter, producer and performer Kevin Griffin has lived a myriad of lives in the music business.
He’s best known as the singer and founding member of the Platinum-selling rock band, Better Than Ezra, whose hits include “Good,” “Desperately Wanting,” “Extra Ordinary” and “A Lifetime.” Griffin is also a hit songwriter with No. 1s such as Howie Day’s “Collide” and Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue.” His songs have been recorded and performed by artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, Dierks Bentley, Christina Perri, Hunter Hayes, James Blunt, and many more.
Additionally, Griffin is a co-founder and partner in Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival located in Franklin, Tennessee, and has served as a writer-in-residence at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Music. Griffin lectures internationally on creativity to groups and companies ranging from Live Nation, Google, Spotify and Disney to Nike, YPO/WPO and Salesforce. So, he knows a thing or two about how to make a career in the entertainment industry.
Griffin culminated his experiences in a business parable called The Greatest Song: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Career, and Transform Your Life, out today (April 25). Though the book is not a memoir and is based on a fictional character, singer-songwriter Jake Stark, The Greatest Song is inspired by Griffin’s life and career.
The book begins as Stark is dropped by his publishing company, MegaMusic Publishing, beginning an epic journey to the pinnacle of creative expression and commercial success. Crushed by being dropped, Stark thinks his career is over until he meets the eccentric young billionaire Sir Daniel Smith-Daniels, who swoops in and offers Stark an opportunity at his avant-garde publishing house, The Row.
In order to secure a contract with this publisher, Stark must complete the five music-writing trials of “The Method,” each demonstrating a key component in both getting and keeping success. What Stark realizes after completing “The Method” is that he has the tools to make the metaphorical song of, not just his career, but also his life, which is the “Greatest Song.”
Griffin was inspired to form the tale of Jake Stark after a friend asked him to speak about his life and career at a corporate meeting.
“They say that nothing good happens in a bar after 2:00 a.m., but I ran into an old friend in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Over some late night jambalaya, he asked me if I wanted to speak to a group of his YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) members,” Griffin tells MusicRow. “I had done some public speaking back in college, but not in the past 20 years. I said ‘yes’ without hesitation and then I realized I needed to speak about something.
“At the same time, I had been mentoring younger writers, going onto podcasts and stuff like that. People were asking me ,’How have you stayed successful in this super fickle business?’ I realized that there were things I could speak about—things that I had to do after getting dropped, going from having hits to having no hits to having hits again.”
The speech was a hit, leading Griffin to deliver it to corporate groups at Live Nation, Google, Nike, Disney and more. The universal message of going after a dream resonated with a lot of folks, no matter what industry they were in. After such a positive reception, Griffin knew that he wanted to write a book.
Inspired by books such as Who Moved My Cheese? and Tuesdays with Morrie, Griffin felt that he could give readers real advice without writing a memoir. His inclination for creativity led him to crafting the story of Jake Stark.
“As a songwriter, I write narratives. I write stories,” Griffin says. “The character Jake Stark is a little bit of me—you write what you know—but it’s fiction. Woven into these different chapters are five different practices that I do that the enigmatic Sir Daniel Smith-Daniels calls ‘The Method.’
“The same week that Jake Stark has been let go of his longtime music publisher, MegaMusic, he is asked to write with these five different writers at The Row [Smith-Daniels’ publishing company], who have become the talk of Nashville. These writers are crushing it in pop and in country. In those five crazy writes with these characters, he turns his career around, but he also turns his life around with his family.”
So, who are these Music City hit-makers and what do they teach Stark? Without giving much away, Griffin breaks it down as creative collaboration, filling the well (or continuing your education/inspiration as a songwriter), changing your attitude, leaving your comfort zone and dare be stupid.
Drawing off of his experiences writing on Music Row, some of Griffin’s characters are loosely based on hitmakers such as J.T. Harding and Brad and Brett Warren.
The songs written by Stark in The Greatest Song have also come to life via real recordings. In addition to housing them on Spotify, the songs can be heard in the audio book.
“In the audio book that Audible is putting out, you hear those songs in the chapters where I talk about them being written. You hear a guitar, a beat and someone humming a melody. The full song is at the end of the chapter.”
Griffin’s hopes for the book is that it resonates with creatives, and helps guide them to success.
“That life-changing song is floating in the room somewhere. You just have to have the tools to allow yourself to capture it. That’s what I wanted to share in the book: how do you stay nimble and open to those crazy ideas? It’s about staying optimistic, listening and daring to be stupid,” Griffin says. “What I really wanted to do in this story was [provide] a real snapshot of what our life is like as songwriters. Where we eat lunch, how it all happens. The sincerity, the insincerity, and the grind of being a songwriter and how awesome it is.”
Griffin’s The Greatest Song: Spark Creativity, Ignite Your Career, and Transform Your Life is available for purchase now.
Kylie Dembek Joins ONErpm As Country Music Project Manager
/by Lorie HollabaughKylie Dembek. Photo: Courtesy of ONErpm
Kylie Dembek has joined ONErpm as Country Music Project Manager.
In her new position, Dembek will focus on creating and executing release and marketing strategy for artists by designing marketing plans, setting timelines, managing budgets and focusing on music streaming growth.
She began her career at a country radio station in Boston during college, realizing early on that the music industry was where she wanted to focus her efforts professionally. After securing a summer internship at the Grand Ole Opry, Dembek moved to Nashville. Following a few positions in the industry, she eventually landed at Big Machine Label Group, where she worked as a strategic planning manager helping artists such as Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Brett Young and Shane Profitt develop radio and marketing strategies.
“Kylie is a driven, bright, knowledgeable and outgoing person who will fit in with the personality of our office perfectly,” says Tim Wipperman, ONErpm Nashville Managing Director. “The artists will love working with her.”
“I’ve always loved working directly with artists, particularly new artists,” says Dembek. “So, I’m very excited to dive in with so many emerging country artists at ONErpm.”