Pictured (L-R): SESAC’s Lydia Schultz Cahill, Curb’s Colt Murski, Sony Music Nashville’s Lauren Thomas, Matt Alderman, Jordan Schmidt, Mitchell Tenpenny, Thomas Archer, Riser House’s Jennifer Johnson, MV2 Entertainment’s Tony Harrell, Red Light Managment’s Kristen Ashley and BMI’s Josh Tomlinson. Photo: Steve Lowry
Under a shining sun and clear blue sky, members of the Nashville music community congregated on the BMI rooftop Friday afternoon (April 14) to recognize the hard work behind Mitchell Tenpenny‘s No. 1 hit “Truth About You,” which he wrote alongside Matt Alderman and Thomas Archer.
The warmth of the weather combined with the warmth and smiles brought by attendees was rejuvenating and exuded a sense of relaxed excitement as everyone mingled while enjoying food and refreshments.
BMI’s Josh Tomlinson took the stage to welcome everyone before calling Tenpenny, Alderman, Archer and producer Jordan Schmidt up to join him and congratulating the group. He began by acknowledging the crucial part Schmidt played in the project.
“I would be totally remiss if I didn’t emphasize Jordan’s work on this song and the entire [This Is The Heavy] album.” Turning to Schmidt, he continued, “Literally, there is not a miss on this record and I think that’s due in part to your touch on it, so congrats on an awesome record on top of another No. 1.”
Tomlinson then moved on to salute BMI writers Tenpenny and Archer, complimenting their character as well as their work ethic. SESAC’s Lydia Schultz Cahill was on deck to commend Alderman. She started by thanking BMI for hosting and welcoming Alderman’s family, who were present, to their first No. 1 party.
“On behalf of SESAC, I just want to say congratulations to you Matt. You are a joy to work with. You are so kind and truly a soft, thoughtful person,” she stated while adding “I realize you’re kind of a mystery because you don’t talk about yourself that much, but you don’t need to talk about yourself because your work speaks for itself. You’ve celebrated three No. 1s as a producer, two as a songwriter, and here we are today at your very first No. 1 party.”
Pictured: Columbia Nashville promotion team with Mitchell Tenpenny. Photo: Steve Lowry
Up next was MV2 Entertainment’s Tony Harrell, who took time to thank Clay Bradley and the rest of the BMI team for consistently supporting songwriters and for “ordering in the incredible weather.” He continued by addressing Tenpenny and Schmidt, noting that they “nailed this song.”
“‘Truth About You’ took a minute to get up there but kudos to Sony for standing behind it and taking it all the way to the top. Now it’s Platinum. I first met Mitchell at a studio called the Freeway with Dallas Wilson. It’s been a few years but we knew that night there was something special going on, and tonight you’re playing Nissan Stadium, opening up for Luke Combs, and you’re just getting started. So, congrats to you, congrats to Matt, and a special congrats to Thomas Archer.”
He continued, “Thomas, we at MV2 Entertainment are so grateful we’ve celebrated several No. 1s with you and we’ve got more coming. We’re so proud of you, it’s been great to see you grow as writer. Thomas is a guy who writes before he goes to the write. He shows up armed and ready to roll, and he comes out with a hit song.”
Riser House’s Jennifer Johnson took the mic “to share a few truths” about Tenpenny, inserting a few fun facts about his Nike shoe collection and affinity for Pokemon Go before she announced the truth of the single’s streaming stats.
“This song has streamed over 217 million times, and that’s a testament to all of these amazing songwriters. You guys have written songs that people want to consume and that people love,” she noted. “Thank you for believing in Mitchell as an artist. I know these songwriters create such a great community here. Mitchell also loves to support the songwriting community. He’s always been an advocate for helping songwriters get more pay. He’s always going to be the person who’s going to lead the charge in that, and I just want y’all to know that you couldn’t have a better champion for your community.”
Johnson went on to discuss the efforts and plans Riser House as a whole is making to advocate for songwriters, noting that we will be hearing some things soon from them. She then reminisced on the early days of the record label and acknowledged each team member. “We came together and we started Riser House Records. [Tenpenny] actually named it. He said, ‘You know what, if we come together and do something completely different than anyone else in town and are not afraid, are bold and take chances, we will rise above the noise and rise above all the rest.'” She concluded by explaining Tenpenny’s gratitude and support of the women in his life including his mother, industry veteran Debbie Tenpenny, and his predominantly female team.
Curb’s Colt Murski then congratulated everyone and walked the crowd through the “Truth About You” timeline.
“Feb. 13, 2019, these guys wrote this song. Then about a year later, in February 2020, Matt put a new mix on it and I think that just helped rejuvenate the song and get [everyone] back on the same page about it. In June of 2020, Sony put it on hold. In May of 2020, Mitchell teased it on TikTok and it had this viral moment, which was really cool. I think that’s what really got him back rolling and got Sony really interested in your new music. Y’all released it July 9, and in that first week, it had 3.4 million streams, which was an amazing feat. It went to radio in August of 2021 and went No. 1 in September of 2022.”
Murski moved on to salute his “little brother” Alderman, expressing that being a part of a writer’s firsts is the most special part of the business to him, before acknowledging the work of Tenpenny, Archer, Schmidt and all of the teams involved in the track.
In honor of the No. 1, Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart announced that they plan to make a donation to the 10Penny Fund, which seeks to support cancer patients beyond traditional medical treatments, on behalf of the “Truth About You” writers.
Sony Music Nashville’s Lauren Thomas then stated that “Truth About You” hit No. 1 three weeks after Tenpenny found himself at No. 1 with ACM Award-nominated song “At The End Of The Bar” with Chris Young, which was the shortest span between No. 1s for an artist since May 1982. “We could not ask for a harder working person than you. Thank you for your trust and all of the effort you put in to this,” she said while facing Tenpenny before shouting out the Sony team individually.
Finally, the writers and producer took the floor.
Archer started, acknowledging all of the puzzle pieces it takes to put a song together and thanking his family and all of the tune’s contributors. Next, Alderman took the mic, his first time doing so at a No. 1 celebration, and thanked his family in the crowd as well as Murski and the Curb team, Sony, his cowriters and everyone who supported the song.
Schmidt began by thanking the writers, Sony, the contributors behind the success and his family—including his brother and pregnant wife who were present. Last was Tenpenny, he thanked everyone for being there and expressed his immense gratitude for his team at Sony—noting that they have been his family since he was little—as well as Riser House and his wife, fellow artist Meghan Patrick, among many others.
“It’s just fun to do this with your friends. It’s really cool that we get paid to sit in a room, pick up a guitar and write songs with our best friends. That’s what Nashville is about. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he shared.
FBMM Promotes Dorian Yoanidis To CFO, COO
/by Lorie HollabaughDorian Yoanidis
Entertainment business management firm Flood, Bumstead, McCready and McCarthy Inc. (FBMM) has promoted Dorian Yoanidis from Vice President of Operations to both Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the company.
Yoanidis holds a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Penn State University. He has been a CPA since 1994, and has more than 30 years of experience as a music industry finance and operations leader. In his new positions, he will work with every department at FBMM to ensure employees continue to provide the highest-quality service to clients and is responsible for every aspect of FBMM’s business operations, from finance to IT and everything in between.
“I have worked closely with Dorian since he joined FBMM and have witnessed firsthand his dedication to our clients, staff and the future of the company,” says Duane Clark, FBMM Owner & Business Manager. “He is the embodiment of a servant leader and has made a tremendous impact for our FBMM family and, in doing so, for our clients. His expertise allows our business managers to focus on their clients, and I have full confidence in Dorian as he continues to guide our operations in this new role.”
“Dorian has a people-first mentality, which was critical as he helped strategically guide FBMM through the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Julie Boos, FBMM Owner & Business Manager. “His guidance during the pandemic offered support to our talented staff so that they had all the resources necessary to continue to serve our clients and make sure their businesses ran seamlessly.”
Leslie DiPiero Named President Of Jonas Group Publishing
/by LB CantrellLeslie DiPiero. Photo: Gene Reed
After joining the Nashville creative community in 2020, full service entertainment company Jonas Group Entertainment (JGE) has announced the appointment of Music Row veteran Leslie DiPiero as President of Jonas Group Publishing.
In her new role, DiPiero will sign and develop songwriters and producers, while nurturing the current writers and catalog. Reporting to JGE CEO Phil Guerini, DiPiero and the team plan to expand their overall Nashville footprint with catalog acquisitions, recordings and sync opportunities.
Current JGP songwriters include Franklin Jonas, who recently released his debut single, “Cocaine,” and Terri Jo Box whose recent cuts include “Hillbilly Hippie” (Lainey Wilson) and “God Bless The Boy” (Cody Johnson).
“Working with Phil Guerini and Kevin Jonas Sr. is an honor and privilege for me,” says DiPiero. “These two individuals have a longstanding friendship based on honesty and integrity. What brought us together is a shared passion and inspired direction towards helping creators reach their goals and dreams.”
DiPiero will launch this new chapter of her career on May 31, while simultaneously exiting her position at Tree Vibez Music, where she led the building of a powerhouse publishing company. In her six years as General Manager, Tree Vibez Music produced more than 500 cuts, 50 singles, of which 23 reached No. 1.
“I am so grateful to Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley and the Tree Vibez Music family for giving me the opportunity to serve them and their teams over the past six years,” adds DiPiero. She will continue to work with Hubbard whose songs are currently administered by Warner Chappell Music.
“Leslie has earned the respect of this community which is built on years of unflinching integrity and passion for songwriters and artists,” says Guerini. “Her relationships, creative and business acumen is unparalleled, and we are thrilled to have her lead Jonas Group Publishing.”
Industry Ink: Words & Music, Euphonic City, Pam Lewis, More
/by Lorie HollabaughCountry Music Hall of Fame And Museum Showcases Student Songs From Words & Music Program
Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has released 13 original songs on its website written and recorded by local students through an extension of the museum’s flagship educational program, Words & Music. The songs were created between August 2022 and May 2023 in collaboration with Metro Nashville Public School’s Nashville School of the Arts and funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Through the program, NSA students received guidance and mentoring from songwriters, artists and business leaders. They learned about and experienced every aspect of how a song finds its way to audiences, from the earliest idea and composition to the recording process and performing live. Guest artists, songwriters and recording professionals included Shane Adams, Ellen Angelico, Kyshona Armstrong, Justin Croft, Wesley Dean, Eleonore Denig, Mason Douglas, Caitlin Evanson, Shannon LaBrie, Maestro Lightford, Rachael Moore, Adam Ollendorff, Ebonie Smith, Micah Tawlks and Phil Towns.
Euphonic City Launches With Phil King As First Signing
Euphonic City’s first signing is artist Phil King, whose debut single, “Psalms 23 (I Am Not Alone) ft. Meredith Andrews,” is out now across all platforms. King’s debut single will be followed by a series of singles throughout the summer of 2023, featuring several guest artists including gospel powerhouse Jekalyn Carr. A complete 14-track album is planned for early fourth quarter.
Century Drive Inks With Pam Lewis For Management
Pictured (L-R): Century Drive’s Casey Parnell, Chad Chapin, Pam Lewis, Lonnie Chapin and Corey Parnell
Industry veteran Pam Lewis has relaunched her management division signing the country/rock group Century Drive. The band is comprised of two sets of brothers hailing from Bend, Oregon: Corey and Casey Parnell and Chad and Lonnie Chapin.
Lonnie is the band’s Grammy and Dove award-winning bassist and Gospel Music Hall Of Fame alum as a member of Petra. He also co-wrote the No. 1 hit ”If I Had To Die For Someone” for Petra before becoming a founding member of the band Tait with his brother Chad. Chad is a Dove award winner, twelve-time BMI Music award winner, and recipient of the BMI Song Of The Year award for his song ”To Ever Live Without Me.”
Lead vocalist Corey Parnell has shared stages with Kris Kristofferson, Trace Adkins, and Lindsay Ell, and co-written songs for Danity Kane. His brother, lead guitarist Casey has recorded, written, and produced for Shannon Bex of Danity Kane and Thunderstorm Artis of NBC’s The Voice.
“We are so excited to team up with Pam Lewis for management and PLA Media. From day one, the conversations were so inspiring that we knew it was a good fit for us as a band. Never before have we been this excited about what this team is capable of,” says Chad.
Bradley Gaskin Returns After A Decade With New EP
Pictured (L-R, seated): Brent Mason (electric guitar), Bradley Gaskin; (L-R, standing): Tommy Harden (drums), Travis Humbert (engineer), Michale Rojas (piano), Scotty Sanders (steel guitar), John Kelton (engineer), Glenn Worf (bass guitar), Keith Stegall (producer), Jack Cole (30A Life Records), Joel Key (acoustic guitar), Joshua Weddington (30A Life Records) and Jason Cambron
Bradley Gaskin is returning to the country scene with a new EP via 30A Life Records after stepping away from the spotlight for a decade. Gaskins worked with producer Keith Stegall on the new project, which will mark his first new release since 2011.
Gaskin built momentum by rallying his audience on social media during his years away, earning more than 237.5 million views on TikTok. He continued to write new material, too, penning songs for Sammy Kershaw and Grammy-winning gospel duo Jeff and Sheri Easter. Gaskin first gained notoriety in 2011 with his debut single, “Mr. Bartender.”
Morgxn Signs With Nettwerk Music Group, Releases ‘Beacon’
Morgxn
Nashville indie-pop singer-songwriter Morgxn has signed with Nettwerk Music Group and released his new single “Beacon.” Written by Morgxn with Melissa Fuller and Drew Kennedy, the song is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit. A&R’s Marshall Altman, who also produced the record, and Eric Robinson signed Morgxn to Nettwerk Music Group.
“Morgxn is a pure artist, translating the beauty, hope, and humanity of the modern condition in to lyric, melody, and performance. When we first heard ‘Beacon’ we were immediately struck by the truth of the lyric, the clarion combination of their voice singing a melody of hope and perseverance, and the audaciousness of that message: ‘Sometimes you’re the boat, and sometimes you’re the beacon,’” says Altman & Robinson.
The Nashville-born artist released his debut album Vital in 2018 including the hit lead single “Home” featuring Walk The Moon. The track was a top 10 alternative radio hit, landing on Billboard‘s Alternative Songs and Rock Airplay Charts. It was cited by Billie Eilish as one of the inspirations behind her Grammy-award winning song “Bad Guy.” He then released Meridian [Extended Edition], a deluxe version of his beloved Meridian Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 EPs.
Music Row Sings Praises For Mitchell Tenpenny’s ‘Truth About You’ At No. 1 Party
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L-R): SESAC’s Lydia Schultz Cahill, Curb’s Colt Murski, Sony Music Nashville’s Lauren Thomas, Matt Alderman, Jordan Schmidt, Mitchell Tenpenny, Thomas Archer, Riser House’s Jennifer Johnson, MV2 Entertainment’s Tony Harrell, Red Light Managment’s Kristen Ashley and BMI’s Josh Tomlinson. Photo: Steve Lowry
Under a shining sun and clear blue sky, members of the Nashville music community congregated on the BMI rooftop Friday afternoon (April 14) to recognize the hard work behind Mitchell Tenpenny‘s No. 1 hit “Truth About You,” which he wrote alongside Matt Alderman and Thomas Archer.
The warmth of the weather combined with the warmth and smiles brought by attendees was rejuvenating and exuded a sense of relaxed excitement as everyone mingled while enjoying food and refreshments.
BMI’s Josh Tomlinson took the stage to welcome everyone before calling Tenpenny, Alderman, Archer and producer Jordan Schmidt up to join him and congratulating the group. He began by acknowledging the crucial part Schmidt played in the project.
“I would be totally remiss if I didn’t emphasize Jordan’s work on this song and the entire [This Is The Heavy] album.” Turning to Schmidt, he continued, “Literally, there is not a miss on this record and I think that’s due in part to your touch on it, so congrats on an awesome record on top of another No. 1.”
Tomlinson then moved on to salute BMI writers Tenpenny and Archer, complimenting their character as well as their work ethic. SESAC’s Lydia Schultz Cahill was on deck to commend Alderman. She started by thanking BMI for hosting and welcoming Alderman’s family, who were present, to their first No. 1 party.
“On behalf of SESAC, I just want to say congratulations to you Matt. You are a joy to work with. You are so kind and truly a soft, thoughtful person,” she stated while adding “I realize you’re kind of a mystery because you don’t talk about yourself that much, but you don’t need to talk about yourself because your work speaks for itself. You’ve celebrated three No. 1s as a producer, two as a songwriter, and here we are today at your very first No. 1 party.”
Pictured: Columbia Nashville promotion team with Mitchell Tenpenny. Photo: Steve Lowry
Up next was MV2 Entertainment’s Tony Harrell, who took time to thank Clay Bradley and the rest of the BMI team for consistently supporting songwriters and for “ordering in the incredible weather.” He continued by addressing Tenpenny and Schmidt, noting that they “nailed this song.”
“‘Truth About You’ took a minute to get up there but kudos to Sony for standing behind it and taking it all the way to the top. Now it’s Platinum. I first met Mitchell at a studio called the Freeway with Dallas Wilson. It’s been a few years but we knew that night there was something special going on, and tonight you’re playing Nissan Stadium, opening up for Luke Combs, and you’re just getting started. So, congrats to you, congrats to Matt, and a special congrats to Thomas Archer.”
He continued, “Thomas, we at MV2 Entertainment are so grateful we’ve celebrated several No. 1s with you and we’ve got more coming. We’re so proud of you, it’s been great to see you grow as writer. Thomas is a guy who writes before he goes to the write. He shows up armed and ready to roll, and he comes out with a hit song.”
Riser House’s Jennifer Johnson took the mic “to share a few truths” about Tenpenny, inserting a few fun facts about his Nike shoe collection and affinity for Pokemon Go before she announced the truth of the single’s streaming stats.
“This song has streamed over 217 million times, and that’s a testament to all of these amazing songwriters. You guys have written songs that people want to consume and that people love,” she noted. “Thank you for believing in Mitchell as an artist. I know these songwriters create such a great community here. Mitchell also loves to support the songwriting community. He’s always been an advocate for helping songwriters get more pay. He’s always going to be the person who’s going to lead the charge in that, and I just want y’all to know that you couldn’t have a better champion for your community.”
Johnson went on to discuss the efforts and plans Riser House as a whole is making to advocate for songwriters, noting that we will be hearing some things soon from them. She then reminisced on the early days of the record label and acknowledged each team member. “We came together and we started Riser House Records. [Tenpenny] actually named it. He said, ‘You know what, if we come together and do something completely different than anyone else in town and are not afraid, are bold and take chances, we will rise above the noise and rise above all the rest.'” She concluded by explaining Tenpenny’s gratitude and support of the women in his life including his mother, industry veteran Debbie Tenpenny, and his predominantly female team.
Curb’s Colt Murski then congratulated everyone and walked the crowd through the “Truth About You” timeline.
“Feb. 13, 2019, these guys wrote this song. Then about a year later, in February 2020, Matt put a new mix on it and I think that just helped rejuvenate the song and get [everyone] back on the same page about it. In June of 2020, Sony put it on hold. In May of 2020, Mitchell teased it on TikTok and it had this viral moment, which was really cool. I think that’s what really got him back rolling and got Sony really interested in your new music. Y’all released it July 9, and in that first week, it had 3.4 million streams, which was an amazing feat. It went to radio in August of 2021 and went No. 1 in September of 2022.”
Murski moved on to salute his “little brother” Alderman, expressing that being a part of a writer’s firsts is the most special part of the business to him, before acknowledging the work of Tenpenny, Archer, Schmidt and all of the teams involved in the track.
In honor of the No. 1, Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart announced that they plan to make a donation to the 10Penny Fund, which seeks to support cancer patients beyond traditional medical treatments, on behalf of the “Truth About You” writers.
Sony Music Nashville’s Lauren Thomas then stated that “Truth About You” hit No. 1 three weeks after Tenpenny found himself at No. 1 with ACM Award-nominated song “At The End Of The Bar” with Chris Young, which was the shortest span between No. 1s for an artist since May 1982. “We could not ask for a harder working person than you. Thank you for your trust and all of the effort you put in to this,” she said while facing Tenpenny before shouting out the Sony team individually.
Finally, the writers and producer took the floor.
Archer started, acknowledging all of the puzzle pieces it takes to put a song together and thanking his family and all of the tune’s contributors. Next, Alderman took the mic, his first time doing so at a No. 1 celebration, and thanked his family in the crowd as well as Murski and the Curb team, Sony, his cowriters and everyone who supported the song.
Schmidt began by thanking the writers, Sony, the contributors behind the success and his family—including his brother and pregnant wife who were present. Last was Tenpenny, he thanked everyone for being there and expressed his immense gratitude for his team at Sony—noting that they have been his family since he was little—as well as Riser House and his wife, fellow artist Meghan Patrick, among many others.
“It’s just fun to do this with your friends. It’s really cool that we get paid to sit in a room, pick up a guitar and write songs with our best friends. That’s what Nashville is about. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he shared.
Wallen, Gorley & Vojtesak Maintain Positions On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Ryan Vojtesak, Morgan Wallen and Ashley Gorley.
Morgan Wallen sits atop the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart again this week as a co-writer on 13 currently charting songs.
Ashley Gorley maintains his position at No. 2, Ryan Vojtesak at No. 3, Zach Bryan at No. 4 and Luke Combs at No. 5.
“Handle On You” co-writers Parker McCollum and Monty Criswell move into the top 10 this week as the single continues up the charts.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
BBR Music Group’s Rick Shedd & Renee Leymon Retiring
/by LB CantrellBBR Music Group has announced the retirement of Rick Shedd, who served as the label group’s General Manager for more than 20 years, and Renee Leymon, who has been with the label group for almost a decade and rose to her most recent post of VP/Radio Syndication & Group Strategy in 2016.
Rick Shedd
“After an entire career making my living within the music business, it is time to step back to pursue some personal goals like traveling and reconnecting with friends,” says Shedd. “I am eternally grateful to have had a career that combined so many fun experiences and the opportunity to make lifelong friendships with people that I met along the way. So grateful to those who were supportive and loyal to me on this journey.”
“Rick has been with BBR from nearly the beginning and has played an important role in our growth and success all along the way,” says Jon Loba, President of BMG Nashville. “His steady hand and demeanor were the perfect balance for a scrappy, upstart independent. He’s also been an amazing friend to me and the entire staff. We will miss having him in the office greatly, but so happy he gets to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.”
Congratulate Shedd on his retirement at Summerrick606@gmail.com
Renee Leymon
“It feels good going out riding on the wings of being the No. 1 airplay label in country music for 2022,” says Leymon. “I’ve been blessed way more than I deserve and am thankful for every second of my music business life. I would consider it my biggest professional accomplishment to leave a trail of successors that I might have influenced and that they are better for it. Most of all, thank you to the people that got me here and enabled me to realize a dream beyond my imagination…you know who you are.”
“Renee was always one of the most tenacious and accomplished promotion executives in the business. When she was given the VP of Syndication and Group Strategy stripes, she truly defined what the role was and played a significant part in Broken Bow becoming the No. 1 Radio Airplay Label last year,” continues Loba. “We will all miss her asking each of us, ‘Are you mad at me?’ but excited she gets to reinvent herself working with her son in a different industry.”
“Renee has been such an integral part of our team here for so many years,” says Carson James, SVP of Promotion. “I’m going to miss working with her every day. The passion she has for our artists and the music they create is like nothing else. Renee, we love you, we’ll miss you, and we hate to see you go.”
Congratulate Leymon at calebsmeme1@aol.com.
Reba McEntire Announces New Book & Album
/by LB CantrellReba McEntire revealed details on the Today show Monday morning (April 17) about her upcoming lifestyle book, Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots.
The book is a collection of funny, poignant, and deeply personal stories, photos, lifestyle tips, and recipes from McEntire. It goes on sale Tuesday, Oct. 10.
McEntire will discuss the upcoming project with fellow Oklahoman Garth Brooks during a premiere TalkShopLive livestream event tonight (April 17) at 6 p.m. CT. Viewers can tune in to the discussion here.
In conjunction with the book, McEntire will also release an accompanying album also titled Not That Fancy. Collaborating with Dave Cobb to produce the project, the 14-track collection will feature stripped-down versions of some of McEntire’s most iconic songs in addition to a brand new single, “Seven Minutes In Heaven.” The album is set to release Oct. 6 and is available to preorder now.
Not That Fancy Track Listing:
1. “The Fear of Being Alone (Acoustic Version)”
2. “Consider Me Gone (Acoustic Version)”
3. “Somebody Should Leave (Acoustic Version)”
4. “How Blue (Acoustic Version)”
5. “If You See Him, If You See Her (with Brooks & Dunn) (Acoustic Version)”
6. “Till You Love Me (Acoustic Version)”
7. “Seven Minutes In Heaven”
8. “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia (Acoustic Version)”
9. “Does He Love You with Dolly Parton (Acoustic Version)”
10. “One Promise Too Late (Acoustic Version)”
11. “The Last One To Know (Acoustic Version)”
12. “New Fool At An Old Game (Acoustic Version)”
13. “I’m A Survivor (Acoustic Version)”
14. “Fancy (Acoustic Version)”
KT Mack Launches Park Ave West Songs, Signs Sadie Campbell
/by Lorie HollabaughKT Mack & Sadie Campbell. Photo: Brooke Stevens
Songwriter and musician KT Mack has launched a new publishing company, Park Ave West Songs.
Initially founded in 2020 as a songwriter’s speakeasy to give creatives a space to share and support local writers, Park Ave West Songs has grown into a collaborative outlet for storytellers and music lovers.
Park Ave West Songs Publishing has signed their first artist, Canadian-born singer-songwriter Sadie Campbell. Campbell is currently writing and recording her first full-length album, Metamorphosis, set for release later this year as the follow-up to her 2021 album Darkroom.
“I was first drawn to Sadie’s powerful, raspy voice as an artist, however it was her songwriting voice that got me hooked,” shares Mack. “Her courage and vulnerability as a storyteller are expressed by true life experiences lived through a creative mind. She has something to say and isn’t afraid to say it in any genre. Rock, pop, Americana or country, she writes from an authentic soul and I am extremely excited to work with her.”
“It’s a dream come true to work with someone with such heart, belief and tenacity like KT,” says Campbell. “I am so honored and excited to be part of the Park Ave West team!”
Warner Chappell Music & Twelve 6 Entertainment Sign Emma Klein
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, front row): Katy Wolaver, Emma Klein, Travis Myatt; (L-R, back row): Ben Vaughn, Willow Belenski, Alaina Maggart, Chelsea Junker, Bryce Sherlow
Warner Chappell Music and Twelve 6 Entertainment have signed a global publishing deal with singer-songwriter Emma Klein.
Klein appeared on season two of American Idol, and released her debut single “Call It What It Is” in 2019. The track received a prominent feature on The Bobby Bones Show and now has over two million streams on Spotify alone. That same year she had the opportunity to open for Bobby Bones on his tour throughout the U.S.
She has since become known for her viral TikTok hits, “Mood Swing” and “Still Gonna Love Ya,” which have led to her opening for artists such as Dermot Kennedy.
Of the signing, Katy Wolaver, Sr. VP of A&R at Warner Chappell Music, shares, “Emma has an incredible ability to craft a song with lyrics that are universally relatable with beautiful melodies. She also has a warmth in her voice that pulls you in as soon as you hear the first note and we couldn’t be more proud to be working with her and the Twelve 6 team at this point in her career.”
Travis Myatt, General Manager, Twelve 6 Entertainment, adds, “I’ve had the opportunity to watch Emma Klein grow as an artist and a songwriter over the past couple of years, but what has never changed is Emma’s ability to dig deep and offer a unique perspective through her songs on topics we can all relate to. I am beyond thrilled to partner with Katy and the Warner Chappell team to take Emma to the next level.”
Klein will release her next single, “Living Alone,” on Friday (April 21). She will play at The Analog in Nashville on April 20.
UMG Nashville Elevates Lori Christian & Rob Femia
/by Liza AndersonLori Christian & Rob Femia
UMG Nashville has promoted Lori Christian and Rob Femia to executive positions. Christian will now serve as Executive Vice President of Marketing and Femia has been named Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for the label group consisting of Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, Mercury Nashville and MCA Nashville.
In her new role, Christian will oversee the Artist Development, Brands & Sponsorship, Creative Services, International Marketing and Media Marketing departments for the label group’s artist roster. Christian rose to SVP of Marketing in 2020 after leading UMG Nashville’s Publicity department since the 2012 merger of EMI and Universal Music Group. During her time with the label group, Christian has played a key role in crafting overall messaging and defining narrative for UMG Nashville artists and their music. She has overseen the launches of multi-Platinum-selling, award-winning projects from Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban and Luke Bryan, among others as well as development of artists including Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis and Sam Hunt. Christian has also played an instrumental role in advancing the careers of Mickey Guyton, Parker McCollum, Sam Williams, Tyler Hubbard and The War And Treaty. A Pittsburgh-native and Denison University graduate, her prior career stops include Capitol Records Nashville, where she oversaw the publicity department, and Sony Music, where she handled publicity for the RCA Records label roster.
“Lori’s understanding of storytelling and weaving our artists narratives into framing their stories has been a critical element of UMG Nashville’s success,” says Cindy Mabe, UMG Nashville Chair & CEO. “Artist development is such a defining feature that separates our artists, especially in a world where everyone is looking for immediate gratification. Having Lori in this leadership role to help drive the key tenants of artist development across all of UMG Nashville is going to change our artist growth strategy. I am so excited to see how Lori leads and guides a new era in artist marketing across UMG Nashville.”
Femia has over 15 years of experience practicing entertainment law, an extensive knowledge of the industry and has fostered relationships with artists and their management teams. He joined UMG Nashville in 2013 as Head of Business & Legal Affairs, and rose to to SVP in 2018, and has now earned the role of EVP as he leads the BA department. Femia is a graduate of Rutgers Law School with prior work history at Sony, BMG, Virgin Records/Capitol Music Group/EMI Music North America and Atlantic Records.
“It’s an honor to expand Rob’s leadership abilities beyond his vast business and legal knowledge,” expresses Mabe. “Rob has had a front seat in dealmaking for a while but as we expand the new goals of UMG Nashville, Rob is helping to write and build the next era of country music business. With the industry changing so rapidly, Rob is an essential partner to our future as Universal Music Group Nashville and his alignment and guidance of our staff and artists is critical to our success. It’s an honor to watch Rob shine and lead our company and I am thrilled to have him join our executive team.”