Subscriber News

>>Congratulations to Simone Lazer who wrote in to tell us about his win in the Live United Song Contest that he read about in Music Row and RowFax. He writes “Thanks to you and the beautiful people at the United Way Nashville, the song I entered, co-written with Joe Vulpis (Lady Ga Ga, & Al Martino etc …) “Life Well Lived’ … won the contest, along with Jeremy McCoy’s (the Fray’s bassist) gorgeous song ‘Hope!’ And both songs will in some tiny way, help The United Way/Nashville with future awareness of flood relief in the hard hit areas of TN. We are so honored.”

Michael Cooper

>>Congratulations to RowFax and Music Row subscriber Michael Cooper, who appears in a speaking role in the movie, The Wait, scheduled for release in 2011. The film stars Jena Malone (Cold Mountain, Pride & Prejudice, Contact, Into The Wild, Step Mom and For Love of the Game) and Luke Grimes (star in the TV series Brothers & Sisters). Michael Cooper has recently had songs recorded by Dave Russell (Cupit Records), Megan Redmond (Porter-Gentry Productions) and Shawn Faler (Visionway Records Nashville) and is a contributing editor for Mix and Electronic Musician magazines.

Music News

Lionel Conway

>>Stage Three Music announced it has signed an agreement that will move its copyrights to Berlin-based BMG Rights Management.

Stage Three is a leading independent publisher run by ex-Virgin and Chrysalis CEO, Steve Lewis. The business is headquartered in London, with offices in Los Angeles and Nashville run by Lionel Conway, former President of Island Music, Polygram Music Inc. and Maverick Music Inc. The Nashville office was headed by Tim Hunze. Ingenious Corporate Finance advised the shareholders of Stage Three on the sale.

Stage Three holds the rights to a variety of contemporary compositions performed by Aerosmith, David Essex, Duffy, The Eagles, Eminem, Eric Clapton, Inner City, James Morrison, Johnny Hates Jazz, Mike Oldfield, Rascal Flatts, Take That and ZZ Top. Music rights include well-known compositions “Walk this Way”, “You Get What You Give”, “Gimme All Your Lovin’”, “La Grange”, “Baker Street”, “Dream On”, “Good Life”, “Sing For The Moment” and 60 country music number one singles. The writer roster includes leading Nashville songwriters Brett James and Bobby Pinson and superstar writer producers Steve Robson, Bernard Butler and Andrew Frampton.

Stage Three is BMG’s third investment of significant size made in 2010 and follows the acquisition of Cherry Lane and the Adage IV catalogue in the US. BMG is a joint venture between the international media company Bertelsmann and an affiliate of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a leading global alternative asset manager.

“It is tremendously important to us to increase our foothold in the UK – the hottest and most competitive music market in the world,” Hartwig Masuch, CEO BMG, said upon signing of the transaction. “Stage Three Music is an iconic music publishing business and one we are very pleased to be buying, not only because of its elite roster of writers but also due to its pro-active approach towards licensing, which perfectly supports our thinking and growth strategy.”

Steve Lewis, CEO Stage Three Music added: “It’s been a privilege to work with such a talented group of colleagues and writers. I’m grateful to our investors for their support and very proud of our achievements and the catalog we’ve assembled over the past seven years. BMG have been very professional purchasers. I’m confident the company is in good hands and I look forward to seeing continued growth under their ownership”.

(L-R): Kevin Lamb and Michael Knox

>>Producer and music executive Michael Knox has joined peermusic as Senior Creative Director. Following his string of recent successes in the studio, Knox will maintain his role as a producer, in addition to his new publisher duties. For peermusic, he will focus on identifying and signing songwriters, and working closely with other staffers in sourcing and developing talent globally.

Knox’s career includes ten years (1992-2002) at Warner/Chappell publishing where he signed artist/writers John Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Emily West and Jason Aldean. Knox has scored several major hits as a producer for Aldean, and has credits on numerous recent singles: Aldean’s “Crazy Town,” Josh Thompson’s “Way Out Here,” Montgomery Gentry’s “While You’re Still Young,” Trace Adkins’ “This Ain’t No Love Song,” Chuck Wicks’ “Hold That Thought” and Frankie Ballard’s “Tell Me You Get Lonely.”

Peermusic VP Nashville, Kevin Lamb, announced the company’s latest hiring. “We are thrilled to have Michael on board,” he says. “Michael and I have been talking about this for some time.

While he’s enjoying great success as a producer, he’s a publisher at heart; he loves working with writers and developing talent. This plays well into our overall strategy for growth as well as Michael’s vision for artist development. More than ever before, it is taking every piece of the artist puzzle to break an artist, or to get a hit on an established artist.”

Peermusic/Nashville has recently purchased several catalogs including Malaco Music, Route Six Music, GrangeHill Music and James Strouds’ WS Music Publishing. They have been honored with SESAC’s Christian Publisher of the Year award for the past three years and received two Dove Awards. Peer’s Nashville based advertising division, overseen by Craig Currier, has provided music for major campaigns with Lincoln, Chrysler, GE, Guitar Hero and Levi’s. Television advertisements currently airing include Volvo and Tostitos.

“Certainly Michael will be a key piece to this puzzle for us,” adds Lamb. “But just as importantly Michael, Craig and I are hoping to utilize our relationships and past successes in the area of advertising to help put this puzzle together.”

“I truly believe,” says Knox, “that the best music out there is music that normally doesn’t get heard. There’s a generation of brilliant talent out there that’s not sure yet where to go or where they fit. Those are the people I want to work with.”

>>Bluewater Music has announced the signing of a worldwide administration and creative placement agreement with Ash Street Music. Ash Street’s extensive catalog includes songs penned by Monty Holmes, Greg Crowe, Ronnie Laws and Andi Zack, as well as singles from George Strait, Randy Travis, Josh Thompson and Will Hoge.

(l-r) Peter Roselli, Bluewater COO; Tom Gould & June McHugh, Ash Street co-owners; Rob Baker, Ash Street attorney.