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Studio Bank Lays Groundwork To Enter Nashville Market

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Pictured (L-R): Aaron Dorn, Studio Bank’s Chairman, President, CEO and Ron Cox, Studio Bank’s Executive VP overseeing Music, Arts, & Entertainment Division.

The team behind Studio Bank recently filed notice with the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions of its intent to apply for a banking charter. This is the first regulatory filing in the process of becoming a bank and, upon approval, will allow organizers to begin raising the bank’s main round of capital as early as next month.

Among those heading the initiative are former Avenue Bank leaders with a strong presence in Nashville’s creative sector and close ties to the music industry. They also have plans to extend beyond the music community to the city’s diverse industries encompassing healthcare, residential construction and development, small to mid-size businesses and the local freelance economy, as well as retail, mortgage and private banking.

The executive team includes Aaron Dorn, Chairman, President, CEO; Larry Dorris, Chief Operating Officer; Richard Bynum, Chief Credit Officer; April Britt, Chief Experience Officer; and Greg Barron, Chief Financial Officer.

Ron Cox, who serves as co-founder of Studio Bank, and was previously co-founder of Avenue Bank, will serve as Executive VP of Studio Bank and oversee the music, arts, and entertainment division.

Dorn has music industry experience and previously served as co-founder and senior leader with Avenue Bank, while also heading marketing and branding initiatives. “I am honored to represent such a phenomenal and growing coalition of community and business leaders who share a passion for this endeavor,” said Dorn. “The company we are creating will reflect the soul of Nashville, which is beloved for its creativity, innovation and collaborative spirit. Imagine a boutique bank that is hyper-local, sophisticated and nimble, with an amazing client experience, tech-savvy products, and bankers who are highly engaged in serving our city—a bank that is social and enjoys making connections, bringing together a diverse community of clients and friends.”

The Nashville music industry is well represented on the bank’s board of directors by CAA’s Rod Essig and THiS Music’s Rusty Gaston, alongside others on the distinguished list (see below).

The team is also assembling a board of advisors who represent Nashville’s signature industries and civic organizations. Additionally, John Ingram, Chairman of Ingram Content Group, has been reported as an investor in the bank by the Nashville Business Journal.

Board of Directors:
• Howard C. Bluver, former President, CEO, and Director, Suffolk County National Bank (NY); former Director, Bank of Georgetown (Washington D.C.)
• Ronald L. Corbin, Principal, RBBC Holdings; former head of All-State Insurance Company’s Southern Region
• Aaron J. Dorn, President & CEO, SFH Pursuit Company, Inc.
• Josh Deutsch, Chairman & CEO, Downtown Records (NYC)
• Patrick G. Emery, President, Spectrum|Emery
• Rodney A. (Rod) Essig, Co-Head & Agent, Creative Arts Agency (CAA), Nashville
• Sara J. Finley, Principal, Threshold Corporate Consulting, LLC; former General Counsel, CVS Caremark Corporation
• John R. (Rusty) Gaston, General Manager & Partner, THiS Music
• Lawson H. (Mike) Hardwick, III, Founder & CEO, Churchill Mortgage Corporation
• Matthew H. Kisber, CEO, Silicon Ranch Corporation; former Commissioner of Economic Development for the State of Tennessee
• Tara Scarlett, President & CEO, Scarlett Family Foundation
• Patricia G. Shea, Founder & Chair, Womens Presidents’ Organization, Nashville; former President & CEO, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee
• Kent D. Wood, Entrepreneur and Investor, ImageQuest, PTS of America, Latitude, Healthcare TTU

Moon Taxi Inks Deal With RCA Records

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Moon Taxi. Photo: Don VanCleave

Nashville-based five-piece rock band Moon Taxi has inked a major label deal with RCA Records.

Their latest single “Two High” has earned nearly 50 million streams on Spotify, and is in the Top 10 at Triple A Radio. The band has four previously-released albums, including 2015’s Daybreaker, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard New Artist chart.

The band’s songs have been used in commercials and TV spots for BMW, MLB, HBO Sports, NFL and McDonald’s, while the bandmembers have performed at festivals and events including Coachella, Governor’s Ball, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Firefly, Hangout and more.

Moon Taxi was founded in 2006 by Trevor Terndrup (vocals, guitar), Tommy Putnam (bass), Spencer Thomson (guitar, programming), Tyler Ritter (drums), and Wes Bailey (keys) while attending Nashville’s Belmont University.

 

Country Music Hall Of Fame Great Don Williams Passes

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Don Williams, known for his mellow, laid-back delivery of more than 30 top-10 country hits during a four-decade career on the charts, has died at age 78.

A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the singer-songwriter was an international ambassador for the genre, achieving enormous popularity in Germany, Sweden, Kenya, South Africa and New Zealand, as well as England and Ireland, His enduring classics include “Tulsa Time,” “I Believe In You,” “I’m Just a Country Boy,” “Good Ole Boys Like Me” and “Amanda.”

A native of Floydada, Texas, Williams began playing guitar as a teenager. During his youth, he worked in oil fields. drove a bread truck, labored in a smelting plant, worked for Pittsburgh Plate Glass and was a bill collector.

In Corpus Christi, he formed the folk trio The Pozo Seco Singers with Susan Taylor and Lofton Kline. The three traveled to Nashville to record with producer Bob Johnston and scored on the pop charts with a series of singles including “Time” (1966), “I’ll Be Gone” (1966), “I Can Make it With You” (1966) and “Look What You’ve Done” (1967).

Following a pair of albums for Columbia Records, Kline departed. Taylor and Williams returned to Nashville as Pozo Seco to record their 1970 LP Spend Some Time With Me at Jack Clement’s studio. Williams returned to Texas to work at his father-in-law’s furniture business. Taylor summoned him back to Nashville to write songs for her emerging solo career. She and Williams were soon signed to Clement’s JMI Records label as individual artists.

Don Williams debuted on the charts with his self-penned JMI single “The Shelter of Your Eyes” in late 1972. The following year, he had the two-sided success “Come Early Morning” and “Amanda.” The first named inspired what is believed to have been country’s first concept video. The latter became an even bigger hit for Waylon Jennings six years later.

In 1974, Williams had his first top-10 hit, “We Should Be Together.” He signed with Dot Records and scored “I Wouldn’t Want to Live if You Didn’t Love Me” as his first No. 1 smash later that same year. He followed it with a country revival of the Brook Benton oldie “The Ties That Bind.”

Between 1975 and 1978, he had seven consecutive No. 1 country hits — “You’re My Best Friend” (1975), “(Turn Out the Lights and) Love Me Tonight” (1975). “Til the Rivers All Run Dry” (1976), “Say It Again” (1976), “She Never Knew Me” (1976), “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend” (1977) and “I’m Just a Country Boy” (1977).

Williams made his movie debut in 1975’s W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings. This appearance led to his adopting his trademark hat. He also appeared in the 1980 film Smokey and the Bandit II. Buoyed by the British success of his singles, Williams traveled to England to appear at The Wembley Festival in 1976. This marked the advent of his wide popularity overseas throughout the remainder of his career. By the dawn of the 1980s, he was also a superstar in Canada.

Dot became ABC/Dot, then ABC and then MCA Records as Williams continued to score hit after hit. In 1978 came “I’ve Got a Winner in You,” “Rake and a Rambling Man” and “Tulsa Time.” The last named was revived by Eric Clapton on the pop hit parade two years later. Don Williams won the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year award in 1978. He finished out the decade with “Lay Down Beside Me,” “It Must Be Love” and “Love Me All Over Again.” “It Must Be Love” turned out to be another evergreen. Alan Jackson brought it back to the top of the charts in 2000.

The Don Williams hit “Good Old Boys Like Me” of 1980 is regarded as one of country’s most poetic lyrics. It was written by Bob McDill, who was also behind 11 of the singer’s other top-10 hits. Others to whom Williams regularly turned for material included Allen Reynolds, Wayland Holyfield and Roger Cook.

Cook and Sam Hogin co-wrote “I Believe in You,” which returned Williams to the pop charts in 1980. It was later revived by Bette Midler. Williams had a banner year in 1981 with “Falling Again,” “Miracles,” “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” and the Emmylou Harris duet “If I Needed You.” That fall, the CMA named his I Believe In You its Album of the Year.

He remained with MCA into the middle of the decade, repeatedly topping the charts with such singles as “If Hollywood Don’t Need You,” “Love Is on a Roll,” “Stay Young” and “That’s the Thing About Love.” Throughout this era, Don Williams records were produced by Garth Funds, and two remained a team when the star signed with Capitol Records in 1986. The hits “We’ve Got a Good Fire Goin,” “Heartbeat in the Darkness” and “Then it’s Love” kicked off his Capitol career. These were followed with 1987’s equally successful “Senorita,” “I’ll Never Be in Love Again” and “I Wouldn’t Be a Man.” In 1988-89 he scored with “Another Place, Another Time,” “Desperately” and “Old Coyote Town.”

Williams moved to RCA in 1989. His last seven top-10 hits were on this label, including “One Good Well” (1989), “I’ve Been Loved by the Best” (1990) and his final one, “Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy” (1991). Josh Turner revived the last-named in 2006.

Although no longer a chart topper, Don Williams continued to perform for sold-out crowds both at home and abroad for the next 20 years. He attempted to retire in 2006, but returned to the road in 2010, the same year he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He also had regular success as a songwriter. Among those who have recorded his songs are Kenny Rogers (“Lay Down Beside Me”), Charley Pride (“The Shelter of Your Eyes”), Lefty Frizzell (“If She Just Helps Me Get Over You”), Johnny Cash (“Down the Road I Go”), Jeanne Pruett (“Lay Down Beside Me”), Sonny James (“If She Just Helps Me Get Over You”) and rock star Pete Townsend (“Til the Rivers All Run Dry”).

Williams returned to recording with the Sugar Hill Records albums And So It Goes (2012) and Reflections (2014). His enduring appeal was reflected in the fact that both made the top-20 on the country album charts. He also released a live CD and DVD in 2016.

He announced his retirement last year. Earlier this year, producer Fundis created a tribute CD to him, titled Gentle Giants as a tip of the hat to the performer’s longtime nickname. It included performances of Williams’ hits by Chris Stapleton, Alison Krauss, Garth Brooks, Keb Mo, Lady Antebellum and Trisha Yearwood, among others.

Don Williams had been in declining health for several months. He died on Friday, September 8. He is survived by his wife Joy and sons Gary and Timmy. Arrangements are pending.

“In giving voice to songs like “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good,” and “Amanda,” Don Williams offered calm, beauty, and a sense of wistful peace that is in short supply these days,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “His music will forever be a balm in troublesome times. Everyone who makes country music with grace, intelligence, and ageless intent will do so while standing on the shoulders of this gentle giant.”

Weekly Chart Report (9/8/17)

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Rodney Crowell To Receive ASCAP Founders Award

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Rodney Crowell is the latest artist to receive the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at the upcoming 55th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards. The exclusive, invitation-only gala celebrating the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed country songs of 2016, will take place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Monday, Nov. 6.

“Rodney Crowell is one of the most treasured voices in American music,” said ASCAP President Paul Williams. “For decades, whether writing No. 1 country hits and collaborating with some of the world’s top artists, or exploring his own musical soul in rich, literary detail, he has crafted a brilliant body of work marked by powerful intimacy, epic scope and profound insight into the human experience. He is a masterful storyteller and musician who continues to elevate the songwriters’ art, and we are honored to present him with the ASCAP Founders Award.”

Crowell is a multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter who has written or recorded 15 No. 1 songs on the country charts. He has won five Americana Music Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting in 2009, and is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His songs have been recorded by country legends (Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, George Strait), current country chart toppers (Tim McGraw, Keith Urban), blues icons (Etta James) and rock legends (Van Morrison, Bob Seger). Crowell’s latest album, Close Ties, was released in March on New West Records.

The Founders Award is one of ASCAP’s highest honors and is presented to songwriters and composers who have made pioneering contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Each recipient is an innovator who possesses a unique style of creative genius, which will enrich generations to come. Previous recipients include Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Melissa Etheridge and Neil Young, among others.

BREAKING: Cris Lacy Promoted at Warner Music Nashville

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Cris Lacy

Warner Music Nashville executive Cris Lacy has been promoted to the role of SVP, A&R where she will continue to sign and develop new artists and the existing roster by helping to identify songs, songwriters and producers while providing A&R resources and creative support. Additionally, Lacy will oversee the day to day operations of the A&R department. She will report directly to EVP A&R, Scott Hendricks.

On her promotion, WMN Chairman and CEO John Esposito said, “Cris is an incredibly gifted A&R executive who also has an amazing leadership skill set. The combination of Cris, Scott, Stephanie Davenport and Rohan Kohli has created the strongest and most diverse ‘ears’ in this town and they will be a driving force behind WMN for many years to come.”

Hendricks added, “Developing artists and executives is actually pretty similar, and Cris has grown into a superstar. Artists sign to this label because of her passion and expertise and seek her council on a daily basis. I’m so proud of Cris and the future of Warner Music Nashville.”

Lacy graduated from Vanderbilt with a degree in English before beginning her first full-time industry job at Tom Collins Music Publishing. She continued her publishing experience at Rick Hall / FAME Publishing, Island Bound Music and Warner/Chappell Music before accepting an A&R position at Warner Music Nashville in 2005. In 2016, Lacy was selected as a “Rising Women on the Row” honoree by MusicRow magazine and was highlighted as one of the “100 Most Powerful Executives” in Billboard’s “Women in Music” feature.

“The musical heroes that shaped my life were signed to Warner before I came to Nashville,” said Lacy. “Under Espo’s and Scott’s leadership that history is not only being preserved, but that artist-friendly culture is flourishing. It’s truly an honor to work with the special artists who’ve chosen to trust us with their music and their hearts. Every facet of this company is made up of people I admire, and I’m excited to move forward with all of them to build what I believe is the best record label in this town.”

Warner Music Nashville is home to Warner Bros. Nashville, Atlantic Nashville, Elektra Nashville and the LoudMouth comedy label.

George Strait Plans Hurricane Benefit Concert Featuring Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton

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George Strait‘s benefit concert for Hurricane Harvey Relief will be held Tues., Sept. 12 at San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre. Joining him for Hand in Hand Texas will be Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen.

Select performances from the Majestic Theatre will air as part of Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief, being broadcast on ABC, CBS, CMT, Fox and NBC on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. EST on the East Coast with a replay on the West Coast at 8 p.m. PST. The telethon broadcast, as well as Strait’s Hand in Hand Texas show will also be available internationally via live stream on Facebook.

Strait, a Country Music Hall of Fame member, pledged to lead the country music world with this concert serving as the start of his ongoing relief efforts, with all proceeds from the show benefiting Rebuild Texas Fund thanks to event sponsor Cavender Auto Family and with assistance from the Majestic Theatre, Ticketmaster, VER, Bill Young Productions and the City of San Antonio.

Tickets to Strait’s Hand in Hand Texas show at Majestic Theatre will go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017 at 10 a.m. CST at ticketmaster.com.

Hurricane Harvey Relief Telethon To Broadcast From Nashville, L.A., And New York

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A massive star-studded Hurricane Harvey relief telethon is set to air on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CMT on September 12 that will include appearances by George Clooney, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand and Reese Witherspoon, among others, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The one-hour special will be based in Los Angeles, with stages in Nashville and New York. The Nashville segment will be co-hosted by Witherspoon and Blake Shelton and will air live from the Grand Ole Opry House.

“Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief,” organized by Houston rapper Bun B and Scooter Braun, will also feature a performance from Texas native George Strait from his own San Antonio benefit concert. The show will broadcast live on the East Coast and replay on the West Coast and will also be streamed online via Facebook and Twitter during the East Coast airing.

Other stars set to appear during the broadcast include Jamie Foxx, Rob Lowe, Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, Julia Roberts, Kelly Rowland, Adam Sandler, Ryan Seacrest, and Michael Strahan, with more stars set to be announced.

Telethon proceeds will benefit the United Way of Greater Houston, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children, Direct Relief, Feeding Texas and The Mayor’s Fund for Hurricane Harvey Relief (administered by the Greater Houston Community Fund) through the Hand in Hand Hurricane Relief Fund managed by Comic Relief Inc. Phone lines, text messaging and digital donations will be open at the beginning of the show and conclude one hour after the show ends.

CMA Awards Final Nominees Revealed

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“The 51st Annual CMA Awards” logo

The final nominees for select categories for this year’s Country Music Association Awards were announced Monday (Sept. 4) on Good Morning America. Brothers Osborne, Lauren Alaina and Dustin Lynch announced the final nominees in the Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Vocal Duo of the Year categories. The full slate of nominations was released immediately following. The CMA Awards air Nov. 8 on ABC.

A full list of nominations is below:

Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Keith Urban
Eric Church
Chris Stapleton

Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

New Artist of the Year
Luke Combs
Old Dominion
Jon Pardi
Brett Young
Lauren Alaina

Music Video of the Year
“Better Man,” Little Big Town
“Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Keith Urban
“Craving You,” Thomas Rhett ft. Maren Morris
“Vice,” Miranda Lambert
“It Ain’t My Fault,” Brothers Osborne

Vocal Duo of the Year
Dan+Shay
Florida Georgia Line
LOCASH
Maddie & Tae
Brothers Osborne

Single of the Year (Award goes to the artist, producer(s), and mix engineer(s))
“Better Man” – Little Big Town; Producer(s): Jay Joyce; Mix Engineer(s): Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” – Keith Urban; Producer(s): Dann Huff, Keith Urban; Mix Engineer(s): Chris Lord-Alge
“Body Like A Back Road” – Sam Hunt; Producer(s): Zach Crowell; Mix Engineer(s): Zach Crowell
“Dirt On My Boots” – Jon Pardi; Producer(s): Bart Butler, Jon Pardi; Mix Engineer(s): Ryan Gore
“Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert; Producer(s): Frank Liddell, Eric Masse, Glenn Worf; Mix Engineer(s): Eric Masse

Album of the Year (Award goes to the artist and producer(s))
The Breaker – Little Big Town; Producer(s): Jay Joyce
From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton; Producer(s): Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Heart Break-Lady Antebellum; Producer(s): busbee
The Nashville Sound – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit; Producer(s): Dave Cobb
The Weight of These Wings – Miranda Lambert; Producer(s): Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf, Eric Masse

Song of the Year (Award goes to the songwriter(s))
“Better Man” — Songwriter(s): Taylor Swift
“Blue Ain’t Your Color” — Songwriter(s): Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey, Steven Olsen
“Body Like A Back Road” — Songwriter(s): Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
“Dirt On My Boots” — Songwriter(s): Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley
“Tin Man” — Songwriter(s): Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall

Vocal Group of the Year (Award goes to the group)
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

Musical Event of the Year (Award goes to each artist)
Craving You – Thomas Rhett (feat. Maren Morris)
Funny How Time Slips Away – Glen Campbell with Willie Nelson
Kill A Word – Eric Church (feat. Rhiannon Giddens)
Setting the World on Fire – Kenny Chesney (with P!nk)
Speak to a Girl-Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

Musician Of The Year (Award goes to the musician)
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Dann Huff (Guitar)
Mac McAnally (Guitar)
Derek Wells (Guitar)

Weekly Chart Report (9/1/17)

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Click here or above to access MusicRow‘s weekly CountryBreakout Report.