Music News (3/26/14)

Tin Pan South 2014 Kickoff Party. Photo: Bev Moser

Tin Pan South is off and running.

The festival’s launch was commemorated on Monday (March 24) with a cocktail party that had it all -– location, food, talented attendees and industrial-strength schmoozing. Sponsored by Regions Bank and ole.

Tin Pan South, the world’s largest songwriting fest, officially began March 25. Its shows take place at 10 Nashville venues – B.B. King’s, Belcourt Taps, the Bluebird Cafe, Commodore Grille, Douglas Corner, the Hard Rock, The Listening Room Café, The Rutledge, Station Inn and 3^rd & Lindsley.

Drop into any one of those, and you’re bound to have your ears pinned back. During the five-day extravaganza, more than 425 song poets are warbling their wares.

Read more at MusicRow.com.

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Pictured: Josh Kear (Songwriter), Marc Driskill (AIMP Exec. Dir./Sea Gayle Music), Congressman Doug Collins, Jessi Alexander (Songwriter), Darcy Anderson (Chief of Staff to Congressman Marsha Blackburn), John Barker (Copyright Society of the South Chairman of the Board/ClearBox Rights), Wynn Varble (Songwriter) / Photo: Drew Maynard

The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) Nashville and the Copyright Society of the South welcomed Congressman Doug Collins (R-Georgia) to discuss his sponsorship of the Songwriter Equality Act (SEA) on Wednesday, March 19 at The First Amendment Center.

This member-only event began with performances by hit songwriters Josh Kear (“Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood, “Need You Now” –Lady Antebellum), Jessi Alexander (“I Drive Your Truck” – Lee Brice, “Mine Would Be You” – Blake Shelton) and Wynn Varble (“Waitin’ on a Woman” – Brad Paisley, “A Little More Country Than That” – Easton Corbin), followed by Congressman Collins’ remarks on the legislation and a question and answer session with the audience. A reception sponsored by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC followed the program.

The Songwriters Equality Act would allow a “rate court” to consider other royalty rates as evidence when establishing digital performance rates for songwriters and composers. It would also adapt a fair rate standard for mechanical reproduction.

Read more at MusicRow.com.

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Front Row: (L-R): Denise Nichols, The Primacy Firm, PLLC; Cassidy Lynn; Denise Stevens, Senior Counsel, Loeb & Loeb LLP. Back Row: (L-R): Wayne Milligan, Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group; Cindy Owen, Partner, Given Entertainment; Mike Sebastian, VP/General Manager, Given Music Publishing.

Given Music Publishing has signed singer-songwriter Cassidy Lynn. Lynn was recently named a “Listener’s Choice” Award Winner in the celebrated NSAI Song Contest Presented by CMT.

Lynn has been featured on BMI’s annual Catalog Cast Comp, which reaches publishers and labels in Nashville. She co-wrote Black River Entertainment artist Glen Templeton‘s debut single, “Ball Cap,” and her self-titled debut EP released July 2013.

Given Music Publishing, a division of Given Entertainment, LLC, was formed in late 2013 by Cindy Owen and business partner Jim Kacmarcik. Sebastian was appointed VP/GM of the Nashville-based company. Tri Star Sports and Entertainment is the exclusive administrator of Given Music Publishing.

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Zeke Duhon

Zeke Duhon, a young singer/songwriter from Tulsa, Okla., has signed his first publishing deal with Big Deal Music in Nashville, TN. Charlie Peacock (Civil Wars) will produce the artist’s first project.

Duhon moved to Nashville in August 2013, and soon became the flagship artist for boutique management firm Nashville Underground Management.

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Paul Williams

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has appointed Paul Williams as Vice President, Communications. He will officially join the company on April 14 and will report to Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of Sony/ATV.

Williams will oversee all of Sony/ATV’s corporate communications and media relations on a global basis, and will be based at Sony/ATV’s offices in London.

Throughout the past 17 years, Williams has held a number of senior editorial roles at Music Week, the UK-based music industry trade publication, and is currently head of business analysis. During his time at Music Week, he has interviewed a number of the world’s leading music business executives, artists and songwriters.