Music News (8/9/17)

Vern Gosdin, Walt Aldridge, Tim Nichols, Jim McBride Are Newest Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Inductees

Vern Gosdin, Jim McBride, Walt Aldridge and Tim Nichols are the four newest inductees to go into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame this October. The four will be officially inducted during the 47th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Oct. 23 at the Music City Center.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame Gala are $250 each and benefit the nonprofit Nashville Songwriters Foundation. Select seating is available to the public and may be purchased as available by contacting Executive Director Mark Ford at hoftix@nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com or 615-460-6556.

SESAC, RMLC Arbitration Results In New Rates

Arbitration between SESAC and the Radio Music License Committee (RMLC) has resulted in changes to the rate SESAC charges terrestrial radio stations represented by the RMLC, as well as how those fees are calculated.

The new SESAC license agreement will transition from the previous rate card method of determining fees, to a percentage of revenue license structure. The arbitration panel determined that SESAC’s blanket fee for the 2016-18 license period should be set at 0.2557 percent of radio station net advertising revenue. Fees paid to ASCAP and BMI are also determined by a percentage of revenue.

While the total sum paid to SESAC going forward is expected to decrease due to the change in calculation method, the organization says that this is a step in the right direction for all three PROs, because it indicates an increase in the value of music and could be a stepping stone for setting more favorable rates in the future.

Additionally, the SESAC license structure will transition from three separate agreements to a unitary license that will include coverage for over-the-air, HD multicasting and streaming.

This is for the period from Jan. 1, 2016 through Dec. 31, 2018. The decision is retroactive, meaning stations who overpaid will receive a credit.

Read the official press releases from SESAC and RMLC.

Sony Music Nashville Signs Ben Gallaher

Pictured Seated (L-R): Jim Catino, SVP, A&R, Sony Music Nashville; Ben Gallaher; Sony Music Nashville’s Chairman & CEO Randy Goodman and SVP Legal & Business Affairs Angie Magill; Standing (L-R): Gaines Sturdivant, Red Light Management, and Sony Music Nashville’s EVP Marketing & New Business John Zarling, EVP/COO Ken Robold and EVP Promotion & Artist Development Steve Hodges. Photo: Matt Berinato

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Ben Gallaher has signed a long-term recording agreement with Sony Music Nashville. Gallaher was previously signed to a development deal with the label.

On Friday Aug. 11, Gallaher will release his self-titled debut EP on Sony Music Nashville produced by Julian King and Jim Catino. To celebrate this release, he will perform at the Gulf Coast venue Flora-Bama on the Florida and Alabama state line three consecutive nights, Aug. 10-12.

SNG Music Signs Carson Chamberlain, Wyatt McCubbin

SNG Partners Steve Leslie, Marty Dodson, Gary Reamey Seated: Wyatt McCubbin & Carson Chamberlain. Photo: Amber Beckham Photography

SNG Music has added Carson Chamberlain and Wyatt McCubbin to its talent roster.

Chamberlain’s background includes stints as a musician, bandleader, tour manager, and VP of A&R for Mercury Nashville, and he has penned hits including Alan Jackson’s “Love’s Got a Hold on You,” “Everything I Love” and “Between the Devil and Me,” George Strait’s “The Best Day” and Billy Currington’s “Walk a Little Straighter” and “I Got a Feelin’.” Artists who have cut Chamberlain’s songs include Jamey Johnson, William Michael Morgan, Sammy Kershaw, Hank Williams, Jr., John Michael Montgomery, Billy Ray Cyrus, Don Williams, Ronnie Milsap, and more. Chamberlain’s producing credits include projects for Easton Corbin, Mark Wills, and Billy Currington, among others.

Twenty-two year old McCubbin has been traveling to Music City since 2013 after graduating high school in Selma, Ohio. He has continued to perform throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, where he has shared the stage with legends such as the late Merle Haggard and George Jones, as well as Charlie Daniels, Dwight Yoakam, Easton Corbin, The Kentucky Headhunters and Josh Turner. His most recent songwriting credit is the title track of Jake Worthington’s latest EP, Hell of a Highway. McCubbin is gearing up to record his debut album, produced by Chamberlain, later this year.

The two hit-makers join Mark Nesler, Marty Dodson, Zarni DeVette, Gary Reamey and Steve Leslie on the SNG roster.

BBR Music Group, BMG Partner With Kid Rock

Pictured (L-R): Carson James, SVP of Promotion, BBR Music Group; Shelley Hargis, VP of Promotion, Red Bow Records; Rick Shedd, General Manager, BBR Music Group; Dan Gill, GM/SVP Sales, Recorded Music, BMG; Lee Trink, Dare Mighty Entertainment; Kid Rock; JoJamie Hahr, VP of Marketing, BBR Music Group; Lynette Garbonola, VP of Digital Media, BBR Music Group; Jon Cohen, EVP, U.S. Recorded Music, BMG; Jon Loba, EVP of BBR Music Group; Jason Murray, BMG Canada

BBR Music Group and BMG have teamed with Kid Rock to release the multi-platinum rock artist’s new music.

Upcoming new music will be released under the artist’s Top Dog Records in conjunction with BBR Music Group in Nashville and BMG in Los Angeles.

‘Pop Goes Nashville’ Events Aim To Connect Nashville’s Writer Community

Pictured Top Row (L-R): Patty Greer (Razor & Tie), Jennifer Duke (Razor & Tie), Erin McCarley, Amy Stroup, Josh Bruce Williams, Carlos Guevara, Scot Sherrod (RareSpark Media Group), Tyler Johnson, Kourtney Kirkpatrick (Razor & Tie) and Brad Kennard (Razor & Tie). Bottom (L-R): Carly Strickland (RareSpark Media Group), Daniella Mason, Suzanne Strickland (RareSpark Media Group) and Katie Jelen (Secret Road). Photo: Slater Goodson [CLICK TO ENLARGE]

As Nashville’s music scene continues to diversify, three Nashville-based publishers have joined forces to create opportunities for the burgeoning pop music community to come together. Billed as Pop Goes Nashville (PGN), the showcase series celebrated it’s fourth installment on Aug. 3, allowing artists a stage for their talents.

The series was inspired by conversations between independent songwriter and pop artist Kirsten Arian; Suzanne Strickland, Scot Sherrod and Carly Strickland of RareSpark Media Group; Brad Kennard and Jen Duke of Razor & Tie Music Publishing; and Katie Jelen of Secret Road.

During the fourth event, Sponsored by SoundExchange and Razor & Tie, a round was performed by independent singer/songwriter Carlos Guevara, Tyler Johnson (Pulse/Creative Nation), Daniella Mason (Lovefuel Publishing/AYA Records), Erin McCarley (Kobalt Music Publishing) and Amy Stroup (Secret Road).