Music News (7/1/15)

Major Bob Music Partners With Tree Vibez Music

Jordan Schmidt

Major Bob Music has announced a creative partnership with Tree Vibez Music, the publishing company recently formed by Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard. Through the partnership, they have signed flagship songwriter and producer Jordan Schmidt.

Sarah Allison Turner Signs with HoriPro and True Bearing

Pictured (front row L-R): Kelly Donley, attorney, Safford Motley; Sarah Allison Turner; Courtney Crist, Hori Pro; (back row): ASCAP’s Robert Filhart; and Hori Pro’s Butch Baker, Lee Krabel, Tim Stehli; and True Bearing’s Blake Chancey

ASCAP songwriter Sarah Allison Turner has signed a joint publishing deal with HoriPro Entertainment and True Bearing Entertainment.

True Bearing Entertainment is owned by producer Blake Chancey (The Dixie Chicks, Montgomery Gentry, Little Big Town, Waylon Jennings, Mary Chapin Carpenter).

Originally from Bluefield, West Virginia, Turner graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Music Business from Middle Tennessee State University in 2014. She was selected to be a part of ASCAP’s Guidance from Publishers for Songwriters (GPS) program in 2013.

Warner/Chappell Signs Sam Hatmaker

Sam Hatmaker

Warner/Chappell recently signed 16-year-old Knoxville native Sam Hatmaker to a publishing agreement.

Round Hill Music Re-signs Wade Kirby

Pictured (L-R): Round Hill Music’s Josh Saxe, songwriter Wade Kirby, Round Hill Music’s Mark Brown, and Round Hill Music attorney Matthew Beckett

Round Hill Music has re-signed hit songwriter Wade Kirby to an exclusive global publishing agreement. Kirby is co-writer of current Parmalee single “Already Callin’ You Mine,” and has also written No. 1 singles for George Strait (“I Saw God Today”) and Blake Shelton (“Doin’ What She Likes”) as well as Easton Corbin’s top 10 single “All Over The Road.”

Kirby’s illustrious career spans over two decades, having signed his first publishing contract in 1988. Stars such as Tyler Farr, Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Craig Campbell, Jackie Lee, William Michael, Kellie Pickler, Brett Kissell, Joe Nichols, Kenny Rogers, Faith Hill, and Billy Currington have also recorded Kirby’s songs.

In addition to Kirby, Round Hill’s Nashville roster includes Marti Frederiksen, Danny Myrick, Lindsey Lee, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Elisha Hoffman, Rachel Proctor, Trey Bruce, and The Moxies, as well as Big Loud Shirt writers Craig Wiseman, Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, Sarah Buxton, and Matt Dragstrem.

MTSU Introduces Student Writers to ASCAP

Pictured (L-R): Top row- Nick Carpenter, Kyle Crownover, ASCAP VP LeAnn Phelan, Zach Russell, MTSU Songwriting Concentration Coordinator Odie Blackmon; Bottom row- Maybe April’s Alaina Stacey, Kristen Castro, and Katy Bishop

Middle Tennessee State University’s student songwriters had a chance recently to showcase their music at a private event hosted by ASCAP for Nashville music publishers. Student writers Nick Carpenter, Zach Russell, Kyle Crownover, and the group Maybe April performed for publishing reps from Sony/ATV, Warner Chappell, BMG, Sea Gayle Music, Creative Nation, and Round Hill Music.

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Hosts Hits From The Hall

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) hosted its second Hits From The Hall show on Tuesday, June 23, at City Winery Nashville.

Hall of Fame member Gretchen Peters (“Independence Day,” “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am,” “The Secret Of Life”) was joined by special guests Jim Collins ( “The Good Stuff”  “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” “Big Green Tractor”) and Shane McAnally  (“Better Dig Two,” “Merry Go ‘Round,” “American Kids”).

Proceeds from the event benefit NaSHOF.

Pictured (L-R): Shane McAnally, Pat Alger, Jim Collins, Gretchen Peters and NaSHOF’s Mark Ford.

The Recording Academy Hosts Roundtable With Martina McBride, Maria Pallante

Pictured (L-R): Matt Maher, Kevin Griffin, Brandon Heath, Laura Segura Mueller, Maria Pallante, Bill Reynolds, John McBride, Martina McBride, Todd Dupler, Alicia Warwick, Jeff Balding and Shannon Sanders.
Photo: Courtesy of The Recording Academy® /Wireimage.com © 2015/ Frederick Breedon

The Recording Academy welcomed Maria Pallante, Register of Copyrights and Director of the United States Copyright Office, to Nashville earlier this week (June 24) to meet with music creators including Martina McBride and the Nashville Creator Roundtable. They discussed issues surrounding music legislation currently before Congress. The Roundtable meeting was created to enable lawmakers to better grasp the challenges that music creators face in music communities around the country.