Pictured (L-R, back row): Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston, ASCAP’s Duane Hobson, Universal Music Publishing’s Cyndi Forman, Warner Music Nashville’s Ben Kline, Rogue’s Blythe Scokin, Arthouse Entertainment’s Gabrielle Kelly and BMI’s Clay Bradley; (L-R, front row): Jonny Price, Ingrid Andress and Rykeyz. Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI.
As light faded from the sky Tuesday evening (April 18), it seemed to only get brighter in BMI as the room readied to celebrate Ingrid Andress‘ No. 1 “Wishful Drinking (with Sam Hunt),” which she wrote alongside Jonny Price, JP Saxe, Lucky Daye and Rykeyz, and produced with Jordan Schmidt.
BMI’s Clay Bradley got the night started, welcoming everyone and calling Andress to the stage.
“We’re so glad you’re here, bringing new voices and new sounds to Nashville. Your music and your vibe are important to the growth of country music,” he expressed to the artist. Bradley also noted that although the pandemic kept her from touring, her music traveled all over, specifically her first No. 1 “More Hearts Than Mine,” motivating her to create even more.
Hunt, Saxe and Daye couldn’t make the celebration, but their presence was surely felt through the excitement surrounding their work, which seem to strengthen the connection between not just the industry facets involved but all those present, as Bradley read a sweet message from Saxe stating, “Congratulations to everyone involved in ‘Wishful Drinking.’ It was a pleasure to write this song, and I only wish I was there to celebrate with y’all. Nashville and the country music community have always made me feel immediately at home, so thank you for continuing to do that through this song.”
Before giving ASCAP’s Duane Hobson the floor, Bradley took a moment to recognize Schmidt, who was unable to attend as well, and his “amazing run of success” as this marked his third No. 1 party in three days.
Hobson began with a vibe check, asking how everyone was, and proceeded with gratitude after he received cheers and claps in response as he gave shoutouts to his ASCAP family and other organizations involved in the project, and congratulated the writers. He then apprised us of Rykeyz and Price’s accolades.
A Berklee College of Music grad, Rykeyz has achieved multi-genre success working with the likes of Demi Lovato, Fantasia, Wiz Khalifa, Cody Simpson and Ne-Yo, among others. The Memphis native produced H.E.R and Skip Marley’s “Slow Down,” which went to No. 1 on the R&B charts and earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song.
Price attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, and also has credits across various genres with artists including Liam Payne, Keith Urban, Miley Cyrus, Tim McGraw, Caitlyn Smith, Cheat Codes, Carly Pearce and more.
Prior to introducing Universal Music Publishing’s Cyndi Forman, Bradley acknowledged that Music Row was unable to celebrate Andress’ first No. 1 and thanked everyone for coming.
Forman first thanked the Warner Music Nashville promotion team as well as the management teams involved. She found Warner Music Nashville’s Rohan Kohli in the crowd and declared him “one of the best A&R people out there,” sharing that their team loves working with him. Forman then welcomed some of the writers to country music and congratulated all of them. Turning to Andress, she voiced her admiration of “the consistency, the integrity and the sincerity of [her] writing.” Forman continued to address the artist saying, “I hate that Missy Roberts is not here, she deserves to be up here. You know how much she loves you. She’s proud of you, as we all are at Universal.”
Arthouse Entertainment’s Gabrielle Kelly followed with praise for the writers and a few words for Andress from established industry veteran Kara DioGuardi, who expressed her desire to be there and described the impact Andress’ genre-blending work has had on fans and other creators.
After fortifying the communal energy of the event by encouraging anyone who desired to partake in the tequila housed at the bar to do so, Bradley welcomed “the reverend himself,” Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston, who thanked BMI for hosting No. 1 parties.
“What I love most about Nashville is that it’s called Music City USA. It’s not called Country Music City. It’s not called Christian Music City. It’s called Music City USA. Today what’s so special is that we get to celebrate a group of songwriters that enhance exactly what our city stands for—supporting great creators in all kinds of genres,” explained Gaston as he moved to congratulate each of the writers and contributors.
Up next was Studio Bank’s Rob Cox who announced that the bank made a special donation on behalf of the songwriters to The Caring for Covenant Fund, which seeks to provide financial support to individuals affected by the tragic events that occurred on March 27 at The Covenant School, upon request from Andress.
Warner Music Nashville’s Ben Kline was on deck to honor the hit, expressing gratitude for his team and noting the Platinum song’s 300 million global streams and other benchmarks. He shared, “Thank you to all the writers. Ingrid, you are so important and such a piece of the Warner Music family. We’re thrilled to be able to do this and I’m sorry we couldn’t do this the first time.”
Kline proceeded by shouting out all of the people who helped deliver the hit, naming individuals and taking time to specifically recognize Andress’ manager Blythe Scokin. “Blythe was tenacious about not saying ‘no’ when we didn’t think we’d get single rights,” Kline added as he listed Scokin’s faithful efforts and thanked her immensely.
The mic was then turned over to the group of the hour.
Rykeyz kicked off their speeches by thanking everyone involved, as well as his co-writers for his first country No. 1.
“I want to thank the Nashville community for welcoming us. We’re just a bunch of L.A. guys and you guys really just brought us in,” he expressed as he continued to thank individuals who had a hand in the track as well as his career.
Price was next and thanked the artists for, “putting this song on their backs and carrying it up to the mountain peak, that all songwriters and creators dream of reaching.” He pointed out that none of this would be possible without their skilled teams as well as the organizations behind them. He recalled flying to Nashville in the early days of his career to record three of his songs with Larry Beard. He also thanked his family and his wife, “who for 15 years has made [him] feel like a No. 1 songwriter even though this is [his] first.”
Lastly, Andress made her way to the middle of the stage, joking that she always wanted a No. 1 party but never wanted to give a speech.
“The thing that I love so much about this song in particular is that it started in L.A. and ended up here in Nashville. As a somebody who started their songwriting career here while going back-and-forth to L.A., that is very significant for me in the genre I feel like we’re creating together. I think this song really represents where I would loved to see country go,” she shared.
Andress went on to point out her co-writers’ talents and what makes them a dream team. She then expressed her gratitude for Hunt and Scokin in addition to all of her support system and team members. Bradley then brought up Andress’ co-writers of her first No. 1 “More Hearts Then Mine,” Sam Ellis and Derrick Southerland to finally celebrate the hit.
“I’m so grateful to be a part of this crew and this town,” said Ellis as he thanked his colleagues and family.
Southerland reminisced on first learning the song went No. 1, noting that celebrating is way more fun when you are surround by others. He then drew everyone’s attention to his co-writers.
“I think that friendship is a bi-product of success and our success in a bi-product of our friendship. This song is about bringing someone into your world, into your life, into your family and into your home. Thank for bringing me and bringing us into this home of Nashville. Thank y’all for bringing us into this home of BMI.”
He continued to disclose his unconditional appreciation for his loved ones—music family and actual family, touching everyone with pure tenderness as the evening concluded.
“I think that there’s some magic in this town that somehow rubs off in every handshake and in every hug.”
BBR Ups Shelley Hargis To VP Of Radio Syndication & Group Strategy
/by LB CantrellShelley Hargis. Photo: Cody Heckber
BBR Music Group has announced the promotion of Shelley Hargis to VP of Radio Syndication & Group Strategy.
Previously serving as the VP of Promotion for Broken Bow Records, Hargis will now be responsible for handling all nationally syndicated campaigns and group strategy and promotion for BBR Music Group’s entire artist roster. She will continue to report to SVP of Promotion, Carson James.
Hargis has been with the label group for over two decades. She began her tenure with BBR Music Group as a Southwest Regional of Promotion in 2002, before rising to National Director in 2005. Three years later, she helped to establish the label’s Stoney Creek imprint and later its Red Bow imprint. In 2018, Hargis rose to her most recent post of VP, Promotion for Broken Bow Records, scoring a prolific amount of No. 1 songs and propelling forward the catalogs of Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch, Lainey Wilson and more.
Throughout her career, Hargis has racked up numerous accolades including a nomination for Country Radio Seminar’s VP of the Year and being named to Country Aircheck/Mediabase’s Power 31. Most recently, she played an integral role in Broken Bow Records being named the No. 1 Air-Play Label of the Year by Country Aircheck/Mediabase.
“I’m so excited to have Shelley in this role,” says James. “Her relentless pursuit of airplay is matched only by her relentless desire to serve our clients’ needs. She continuously looks for creative ways to elevate not only our business, but our partners in radio as well!”
Congratulate Hargis at shelley@bbrmusicgroup.com.
Ingrid Andress Commemorates Hits With First No. 1 Party
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L-R, back row): Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston, ASCAP’s Duane Hobson, Universal Music Publishing’s Cyndi Forman, Warner Music Nashville’s Ben Kline, Rogue’s Blythe Scokin, Arthouse Entertainment’s Gabrielle Kelly and BMI’s Clay Bradley; (L-R, front row): Jonny Price, Ingrid Andress and Rykeyz. Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI.
As light faded from the sky Tuesday evening (April 18), it seemed to only get brighter in BMI as the room readied to celebrate Ingrid Andress‘ No. 1 “Wishful Drinking (with Sam Hunt),” which she wrote alongside Jonny Price, JP Saxe, Lucky Daye and Rykeyz, and produced with Jordan Schmidt.
BMI’s Clay Bradley got the night started, welcoming everyone and calling Andress to the stage.
“We’re so glad you’re here, bringing new voices and new sounds to Nashville. Your music and your vibe are important to the growth of country music,” he expressed to the artist. Bradley also noted that although the pandemic kept her from touring, her music traveled all over, specifically her first No. 1 “More Hearts Than Mine,” motivating her to create even more.
Hunt, Saxe and Daye couldn’t make the celebration, but their presence was surely felt through the excitement surrounding their work, which seem to strengthen the connection between not just the industry facets involved but all those present, as Bradley read a sweet message from Saxe stating, “Congratulations to everyone involved in ‘Wishful Drinking.’ It was a pleasure to write this song, and I only wish I was there to celebrate with y’all. Nashville and the country music community have always made me feel immediately at home, so thank you for continuing to do that through this song.”
Before giving ASCAP’s Duane Hobson the floor, Bradley took a moment to recognize Schmidt, who was unable to attend as well, and his “amazing run of success” as this marked his third No. 1 party in three days.
Hobson began with a vibe check, asking how everyone was, and proceeded with gratitude after he received cheers and claps in response as he gave shoutouts to his ASCAP family and other organizations involved in the project, and congratulated the writers. He then apprised us of Rykeyz and Price’s accolades.
A Berklee College of Music grad, Rykeyz has achieved multi-genre success working with the likes of Demi Lovato, Fantasia, Wiz Khalifa, Cody Simpson and Ne-Yo, among others. The Memphis native produced H.E.R and Skip Marley’s “Slow Down,” which went to No. 1 on the R&B charts and earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song.
Price attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, and also has credits across various genres with artists including Liam Payne, Keith Urban, Miley Cyrus, Tim McGraw, Caitlyn Smith, Cheat Codes, Carly Pearce and more.
Prior to introducing Universal Music Publishing’s Cyndi Forman, Bradley acknowledged that Music Row was unable to celebrate Andress’ first No. 1 and thanked everyone for coming.
Forman first thanked the Warner Music Nashville promotion team as well as the management teams involved. She found Warner Music Nashville’s Rohan Kohli in the crowd and declared him “one of the best A&R people out there,” sharing that their team loves working with him. Forman then welcomed some of the writers to country music and congratulated all of them. Turning to Andress, she voiced her admiration of “the consistency, the integrity and the sincerity of [her] writing.” Forman continued to address the artist saying, “I hate that Missy Roberts is not here, she deserves to be up here. You know how much she loves you. She’s proud of you, as we all are at Universal.”
Arthouse Entertainment’s Gabrielle Kelly followed with praise for the writers and a few words for Andress from established industry veteran Kara DioGuardi, who expressed her desire to be there and described the impact Andress’ genre-blending work has had on fans and other creators.
After fortifying the communal energy of the event by encouraging anyone who desired to partake in the tequila housed at the bar to do so, Bradley welcomed “the reverend himself,” Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston, who thanked BMI for hosting No. 1 parties.
“What I love most about Nashville is that it’s called Music City USA. It’s not called Country Music City. It’s not called Christian Music City. It’s called Music City USA. Today what’s so special is that we get to celebrate a group of songwriters that enhance exactly what our city stands for—supporting great creators in all kinds of genres,” explained Gaston as he moved to congratulate each of the writers and contributors.
Up next was Studio Bank’s Rob Cox who announced that the bank made a special donation on behalf of the songwriters to The Caring for Covenant Fund, which seeks to provide financial support to individuals affected by the tragic events that occurred on March 27 at The Covenant School, upon request from Andress.
Warner Music Nashville’s Ben Kline was on deck to honor the hit, expressing gratitude for his team and noting the Platinum song’s 300 million global streams and other benchmarks. He shared, “Thank you to all the writers. Ingrid, you are so important and such a piece of the Warner Music family. We’re thrilled to be able to do this and I’m sorry we couldn’t do this the first time.”
Kline proceeded by shouting out all of the people who helped deliver the hit, naming individuals and taking time to specifically recognize Andress’ manager Blythe Scokin. “Blythe was tenacious about not saying ‘no’ when we didn’t think we’d get single rights,” Kline added as he listed Scokin’s faithful efforts and thanked her immensely.
The mic was then turned over to the group of the hour.
Rykeyz kicked off their speeches by thanking everyone involved, as well as his co-writers for his first country No. 1.
“I want to thank the Nashville community for welcoming us. We’re just a bunch of L.A. guys and you guys really just brought us in,” he expressed as he continued to thank individuals who had a hand in the track as well as his career.
Price was next and thanked the artists for, “putting this song on their backs and carrying it up to the mountain peak, that all songwriters and creators dream of reaching.” He pointed out that none of this would be possible without their skilled teams as well as the organizations behind them. He recalled flying to Nashville in the early days of his career to record three of his songs with Larry Beard. He also thanked his family and his wife, “who for 15 years has made [him] feel like a No. 1 songwriter even though this is [his] first.”
Lastly, Andress made her way to the middle of the stage, joking that she always wanted a No. 1 party but never wanted to give a speech.
“The thing that I love so much about this song in particular is that it started in L.A. and ended up here in Nashville. As a somebody who started their songwriting career here while going back-and-forth to L.A., that is very significant for me in the genre I feel like we’re creating together. I think this song really represents where I would loved to see country go,” she shared.
Andress went on to point out her co-writers’ talents and what makes them a dream team. She then expressed her gratitude for Hunt and Scokin in addition to all of her support system and team members. Bradley then brought up Andress’ co-writers of her first No. 1 “More Hearts Then Mine,” Sam Ellis and Derrick Southerland to finally celebrate the hit.
“I’m so grateful to be a part of this crew and this town,” said Ellis as he thanked his colleagues and family.
Southerland reminisced on first learning the song went No. 1, noting that celebrating is way more fun when you are surround by others. He then drew everyone’s attention to his co-writers.
“I think that friendship is a bi-product of success and our success in a bi-product of our friendship. This song is about bringing someone into your world, into your life, into your family and into your home. Thank for bringing me and bringing us into this home of Nashville. Thank y’all for bringing us into this home of BMI.”
He continued to disclose his unconditional appreciation for his loved ones—music family and actual family, touching everyone with pure tenderness as the evening concluded.
“I think that there’s some magic in this town that somehow rubs off in every handshake and in every hug.”
Luke Combs Sends Fan-Voted Single ‘Love You Anyway’ To Country Radio
/by Lorie HollabaughLuke Combs and team celebrate new RIAA certifications backstage at Nissan Stadium. Photo: David Bergman
Luke Combs has always had a strong bond with his fans, so much so that in a unique move, he let them choose his next single. Combs’ army of fans chose “Love You Anyway,” which shipped to country radio this week.
“I’ve always put a lot of stock in what my fans think,” Combs shares about the single. “After all, they’re the ones who make it all happen and have gotten me to where I am today. This leads me to try and find opportunities to let them have their say in decisions I’m making. I wasn’t sure if letting the fans have a public say in choosing someone’s next single on country radio had ever been done before, but I wanted to let my fans do that for me, especially considering the choices of ‘5 Leaf Clover’ and ‘Love You Anyway.’ They had been very passionate about ‘5 Leaf Clover’ from the beginning, then greatly supported ‘Love You Anyway’ once it came out, so I truly wanted them to tell me which one they preferred and that’s what they did by choosing ‘Love You Anyway.’ Pretty cool stuff.”
With the two options, Combs earned the No. 1 and No. 2 most-added songs at country radio this week (“Love You Anyway” and “5 Leaf Clover,” respectively), setting a modern-era record on the MediaBase, Country Aircheck and R&R charts. This accomplishment comes as Combs’ new version of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” was simultaneously shipped to Top 40 and Hot AC stations, the first time Combs has had a single outside the country genre.
Furthermore, Combs recently earned his record-breaking, 15th consecutive No. 1 single with “Going, Going, Gone” as well as nine new RIAA Platinum certifications: This One’s For You (5x Platinum), “Forever After All” (5x Platinum), “Beer Never Broke My Heart” (5x Platinum), “She Got The Best of Me” (5x Platinum), “The Kind of Love We Make” (Platinum), “Doin’ This” (Platinum), “Houston, We Got A Problem” (Platinum), “Cold As You” (Platinum) and “Six Feet Apart” (Platinum).
Combs’ winning streak continued with his recent Nashville shows, when he broke Nissan Stadium’s two-day and single-day concert attendance records this past weekend in Music City with over 95,000 fans showing up. Combs added an unprecedented surprise second show on Friday at Nissan, which was announced only one week prior.
He will continue his massive “World Tour” this Saturday with a sold-out show at Detroit’s Ford Field, followed by upcoming shows at Chicago’s Soldier Field, Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium and Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium as well as stops in Australia, New Zealand, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France and Belgium.
Ben Simonetti Signs With 50 Egg Music
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Jonathan Singleton (50 Egg Music), Tali Canterbury (50 Egg Music), Joey Harris (50 Egg Music), Luke Combs (50 Egg Music), Ben Simonetti
Ben Simonetti has signed a worldwide publishing deal with 50 Egg Music.
A California native, Simonetti began his career working in both pop and country music. As producer and frequent collaborator of the Zac Brown Band, Simonetti has been a part of multiple No. 1 hits, amassed millions of streams worldwide, and garnered a Grammy nomination for “My Old Man.” Outside of his work with ZBB, Simonetti’s songwriting credits include Luke Combs, Pitbull, Florida Georgia Line, Ingrid Andress, King Calaway, Griffen Palmer, Ian Munsick and more.
“From one of the first times we had the opportunity to work with Ben we knew there was an undeniable connection. Ben’s superior production and songwriting ability, coupled with being incredibly good looking with an award-winning mullet sealed the deal “ says 50 Egg’s Joey Harris.
“I’m super excited to begin this new creative adventure with my 50 Egg Family. I’d been searching for a place to land and I knew this was the place for me right away,” shares Simonetti. “Grateful to be surrounded by so many talented and inspiring people!”
Kane Brown & Co-Writers Toast To Another Chart-Topper, ‘Like I Love Country Music’
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, back row): Cyndi Forman (UMPG), Evyn Johnston (ASCAP), Dennis Reese (RCA Nashville), Ben Vaughn (Warner Chappell Nashville), Kevin Lane (Kobalt Music), Lydia Schultz Cahill (SESAC), Michael Martin (Endurance Music Group), Shannon Sanders (BMI); (L-R, front row): Jordan Schmidt (ASCAP), Kane Brown (BMI), Taylor Phillips (BMI), Matt McGinn (SESAC), Robin Palmer (SMACK). Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI
Kane Brown has had a great month. A few weeks ago, he played to a sold-out crowd during his headlining debut at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Last week he received his first nomination for ACM Entertainer of the Year, on top of four other nominations for Male Artist Of The Year and Single, Music Event and Visual Media Of The Year for his duet with wife Katelyn, “Thank God.”
This week he celebrated his eighth No. 1 hit, “Like I Love Country Music,” which he co-wrote with Jordan Schmidt, Taylor Phillips and Matt McGinn. BMI held the celebration in their lobby. Executive Director Shannon Sanders presided.
“At BMI, we’re passionate about songwriters. We always enjoy seeing their efforts recognized and celebrating them,” Sanders said. “Today’s event is a testament that great music is a collaborative effort.”
Speaking on collaboration, the four songwriters had BMI, ASCAP and SESAC representatives on hand to support. BMI represents Brown and Phillips, ASCAP works with Schmidt and SESAC reps McGinn.
Pictured (L-R, back row): Clay Bradley (BMI), April Britt (Studio Bank), Kari Barnhart (Studio Bank), Aaron Dorn (Studio Bank), Shannon Sanders (BMI), Leslie Roberts (BMI); (L-R, front row): Jordan Schmidt (ASCAP), Kane Brown (BMI), Taylor Phillips (BMI), Matt McGinn (SESAC), Ron Cox (Studio Bank). Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI
“Kane, it’s amazing to watch your star rise and to watch it burn brighter and brighter,” Sanders said. “We’re also super proud to represent another super talented, hit songwriter on this stage: Taylor Phillips,” Sanders added. “‘Like I Love Country Music’ is Taylor’s fourth No. 1 and his third with Kane.”
ASCAP’s Evyn Johnston was on hand to celebrate with Schmidt. “I can always pinpoint a Jordan track. They have a vibe and sound amazing,” she shared. “Congrats on your sixth No. 1.”
SESAC’s Lydia Schultz Cahill spoke about affiliate McGinn. “Congrats on your sixth No. 1,” she said. “We’re very proud of you and we love you.”
Next up it was time to hear from the publishers, starting with UMPG’s Cyndi Forman. She kept it short and sweet. “You guys wrote a fun, uptempo song that says something. Don’t we ask that of you every day?” she said. Phillips quipped, “Every day!”
Warner Chappell’s Ben Vaughn was up next to speak on Phillips, who he referred to as “Captain Hook.” “I’ve been told that writing with Taylor is like sitting across from a verbal machine gun,” Vaughn said. “Everyone should be aware that Taylor Phillips is on fire in country music.”
Endurance’s Michael Martin was on hand to talk about Schmidt. “We just started working with Jordan a few months ago, but we’ve seen first hand how hard he works. Being around his talent has been an absolute joy and a blast for our team.”
Robin Palmer from SMACK Songs joined the stage to give kudos to McGinn. “We’ve worked together for 10 years, which is kind of a record in publishing,” she said to him. “I absolutely love Matt. He always puts in 100%.”
Kobalt’s Kevin Lane, who also works with McGinn, shared, “I haven’t worked with Matt as long as Robin has, but I don’t know that I’ve ever worked with someone who works as hard and cares as much as Matt does.”
Now partnered with BMI, Studio Bank’s Ron Cox was on hand for a presentation. The bank made a contribution to a charity close to Brown’s heart, the Boys & Girls Club, in honor of the song.
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson; Jordan Schmidt, Kane Brown, Taylor Phillips and Matt McGinn with their MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins; MusicRow’s LB Cantrell. Photo: Steve Lowry for BMI
To represent Brown’s label, RCA Nashville’s Dennis Reese spoke about his relationship Brown. Reese recognized the entire Sony team, Martha Earls and her team at Neon Coast and the songwriters.
“This is our eighth No. 1 song together, KB,” he said. “We celebrate these eight together with so much excitement at what is still to come.”
By the time the men of the hour spoke, it was clear which roles they each take in a co-write. Brown sets the intentions for the song, Schmidt brings all the tracks and vibes, Phillips supplies the hook and McGinn polishes the tune until it shines.
When he spoke, Schmidt thanked Brown, his family and publishers. “I want to thank Kane for cutting this song and bringing it life,” he said. “I would like thank Taylor Phillips for always having ideas and always throwing them at you—almost violently. I would like to thank Matt McGinn for setting the bar so high that it normally takes two or three sessions to finish a song.”
McGinn echoed Schmidt’s thanks for the team. He also thanked his publishers and friends, and he also made sure to recognize producer Dann Huff for his work. “I find it serendipitous that the records that made me love country music were made by him, and now most of the records that have changed my life and kept me in country music are made by him.”
Phillips spoke about his journey to becoming a hit songwriter, thanking gatekeepers for both the “yes’s” and the “no’s.” “I’ve been told ‘no’ in this town way more than I’ll ever be told ‘yes,’ but these moments, sitting up here on this stage when you do get a ‘yes’, is enough to keep going.”
When the man of the hour spoke, he talked about his friendships with Schmidt, McGinn and Phillips. “These guys are my boys. We started out together,” he said. “Thank you to everyone that’s here.”
John Esposito Ends Chairman Emeritus & Embraces Retirement, Happily
/by Sherod RobertsonJohn Esposito. Photo: Eric Brown
John “Espo” Esposito, Warner Music Nashville Chairman Emeritus, steps down from his role at the label effective today (April 19) to happily embrace retirement.
Esposito sent out an email to the Warner team letting everyone know he was stepping down as Chairman Emeritus, a role he assumed at the beginning of 2023.
The email reads:
When Esposito’s move to Chairman Emeritus was announced, Warner Recorded Music CEO Max Lousada said, “Under Espo’s brilliant guidance over the past 13 years, our Nashville team has built superstar careers, attracted original new voices, innovated in the digital world, and championed the creative community.”
Last month, Esposito was named the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the T.J. Martell Foundation for Cancer Research.
In June of 2022, music industry veterans Ben Kline and Cris Lacy were announced as successors to the beloved Esposito, who remained Chairman & CEO through the end of the year.
Industry Ink: Bailey Zimmerman, Riley Green, Radney Foster
/by Caela GriffinBailey Zimmerman Surprised With RIAA Plaque
Pictured (L to R): Adi Sharma, Diane Monk, Stephanie Hagerty, Kevin Liles, Scott Frazier, Cris Lacy, Jacob Fain, Tracy Martin, Ben Kline, Gregg Nadel, Chief Zaruk, Jonathan Janis and Simon Tikhman.
Members of the Elektra and Warner Music Nashville teams joined Bailey Zimmerman at the opening night of Morgan Wallen’s stadium tour. They surprised the rising artist with a plaque celebrating his first two singles, “Fall In Love” and “Rock and A Hard Place,” both earning double Platinum certification from the RIAA.
“Rock and A Hard Place” is currently holding the top spot on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart for the fourth consecutive week and continues its reign at No. 1 on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart for the second consecutive week. At its peak last year, “Fall In Love” became the fastest debut single to reach No. 1 since 2015, and the first and only debut hit of 2022 to make it all the way to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart. Zimmerman has already earned nearly 1.8 billion streams in the two years since the release of his first song in 2021.
Riley Green Celebrates Gold & Platinum Records
Pictured (L-R): BMLG Records’ Jimmy Harnen, Riley Green, Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones and BMLG Records’ Ryan Dokke. Photo: Sam Crabtree
BMLG Records presented Riley Green three plaques for his hit songs “Different ‘Round Here” (Gold-certified), “Georgia Time” (Gold-certified) and “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” (double Platinum-certified). Green’s friends, family, co-writers and industry partners gathered Saturday afternoon (April 15) to celebrate the chart-topper’s latest RIAA certifications ahead of taking the Nissan Stadium stage for the second night in a row on the “Luke Combs World Tour.”
He is set to release his next single “Different Round Here (feat. Luke Combs)” on May 11.
Kacey Musgraves Inducts Radney Foster Into Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall Of Fame
Radney Foster & Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Ted Parker, Jr.
In a ceremony at Austin’s Moody Theatre on Feb. 25, Kacey Musgraves joined Radney Foster onstage for “Nobody Wins” and “Texas In 1880” – songs she sang as his background singer at 19. Along with Kelly Willis, Randy Rogers and William Beckmann, who also joined Foster on stage, Musgraves inducted her former boss into the 2023 Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The Texas Heritage Songwriters Association honors Texas songwriters who have helped shape and define the state’s culture. Other performers included Ronnie Dunn, LeeRoy Parnell, W.C Clark, Escovedo, Clawson, Nunn and David Lee.
“The first Foster and Lloyd really changed music for me,” said Darius Rucker in a video tribute. “No one deserves this more. Radney is one of the greatest songwriters of all time.”
Later in the tribute, Keith Urban said, “Radney is the real deal. The first time I heard him sing, I thought, ‘Who is this voice?’ His album See What You Want to See was a game changer, his songwriting really spoke to me. I’ve cut four songs off that record!”
Foster has written multiple number one singles and had countless cuts by Urban, the Chicks, Hootie & The Blowfish, Jack Ingram and others. He joins Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, Rodney Crowell, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Joe Ely, Townes Van Zandt, Lefty Frizzell, Clint Black, Robert Earl Keen, Liz Rose, Aaron Barker, Freddy Powers and more in the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Foster is currently on tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of his solo debut, Del Rio, TX 1959.
Prescription Songs Signs Artist-Songwriter Josie Dunne
/by Caela GriffinPictured (L-R): Group Projects’ Cooper Anstett, Prescription Songs’ Katie Fagan, Josie Dunne, Prescription Songs’ Chris Martignago and Group Projects’ Anthony Manker.
Independent publishing company Prescription Songs has signed Josie Dunne. The Nashville-based artist-songwriter was brought into roster by Prescription Songs’ Chris Martignago.
Originally from Chicago, Dunne’s unique voice and soul-inspired pop music have earned her over a million monthly listeners and more than 100 million streams to date. She has shared the stage with artists such as Julia Michaels, Coin, Ben Rector, Andy Grammer, Jake Scott and Daya. As a writer, Dunne has had cuts with Natalie Imbruglia, Corook, Spencer Sutherland and Brooke Alexx. She also recently worked with artists Corook, Stephen Day, Dave Villa, Jack Newsome, Connor James, Anna Graceman, Jordy Searcy, Dave Thomas Jr, Brigetta, Brett Truitt, Sarah Troy, Ben Kessler, Phil Good, Joan, Luke Fitton, Sara Davis, among others.
“I feel so lucky to be joining the Prescription Songs family!” Dunne shares. “It’s really the perfect home for me to reach new goals as a writer and continue to do what I love as an artist. Prescription has always been the centerpiece of pop music’s growth in Nashville and I’m excited to be a part of that continued growth with the dream team by my side!”
Martignago says, “I’ve known Josie for years and I’m fortunate to have had a front row seat to her growth as an artist during that time. This new chapter is one that I’m so excited about because it will allow us to work on all the amazing dimensions Josie brings to the table as a creative. Her energy is unmatched, and I just know this partnership is going to result in some amazing art for the world.”
“Katie [Fagan] and Chris have been linchpins in the growth of pop music here in Nashville, and we couldn’t be more excited for Josie to join that exciting creative community. Chris and Josie have been in lockstep for years, and to see this evolution of their existing relationship is a full circle moment. We’re looking forward to working together with the Prescription team to amplify Josie’s work as an artist, songwriter and record producer,” says Dunne’s management team at Group Projects, Anthony Manker and Cooper Anstett.
CMHOF Extends Bill Anderson Exhibit Through September
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has extended its “Bill Anderson: As Far As I Can See” exhibit through Sept. 25.
The exhibit traces Anderson’s story from his youth in Georgia as a baseball pitcher to his days as a sports writer in high school and DJ in college, through his contributions as a legendary artist and songwriter. Featured items include historic photos, treasured keepsakes, instruments, manuscripts and more.
Interactive touchscreens also give visitors the opportunity to dive into Anderson’s songs and songwriting process through archival materials, performance clips and exclusive interview footage where he reveals the stories behind his songs. The exhibit opened in December 2021 and was originally scheduled to close this month.
“We’re pleased to extend Bill’s exhibit, which has been popular among visitors,” says Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Bill Anderson is one of America’s preeminent songwriters and most beloved entertainers. We’re excited that our guests will be able to enjoy his exhibit a little longer and take in the breadth and depth of Whisperin’ Bill’s unparalleled career.”
A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Anderson has placed 80 records on the Billboard charts as an artist, with his singles reaching country’s top 20 more than 40 times. His songs have been recorded by James Brown, Elvis Costello, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Louvin Brothers, Dean Martin, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Connie Smith, George Strait and more. As a writer, he’s placed songs on the country charts in seven consecutive decades, collaborating in recent years with artists Kenny Chesney, Jamey Johnson and Brad Paisley, among others.
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Hardy Scores First Rock Chart-Topper With ‘Jack’
/by Lorie HollabaughPhoto: Courtesy of Big Loud Records/Big Loud Rock
Hardy is achieving crossover success in a big way, celebrating his first-ever rock radio No. 1 with his hit “Jack.”
“I can’t believe it, but ‘Jack’ is the number one song in rock ‘n roll,” Hardy shared on social media. “Thank you to rock radio for all the love.”
Named one of the 10 Best Songs of 2022 by Time, “Jack” is from the country half of Hardy’s chart-topping sophomore album, The Mockingbird & The Crow.
The Big Loud artist is having a banner year so far, earning seven nominations for the upcoming 58th Annual ACM Awards – the most of any artist this year – in categories including Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year, for his chart-climbing Lainey Wilson collaboration, “Wait In The Truck,” and a nod in the newly-created category of Artist-Songwriter of the Year.