Music News 5/19/11

BMI held its 59th annual Pop Music Awards in Los Angeles recently (5/17) and for the second straight year, Nashville songwriters wrote the BMI Pop Song of the Year. Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood along with publishers DWHaywood Music, RADIOBULLETSPUBLISHING and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing earned the top honor for Lady Antebellum’s world-conquering “Need You Now.” Previously the award went to Taylor Swift and Liz Rose for “Love Story.”

During the ceremony, David Foster was named a BMI Icon, while Lady Gaga, Jason Derülo, and JR Rotem were all honored as BMI Pop Songwriters of the Year. Sony/ATV Songs LLC was named Pop Publisher of the Year. BMI President/CEO Del Bryant co-hosted the event with BMI VP/GM Los Angeles Barbara Cane and BMI SVP Writer/Publisher Relations Phil Graham, which also saluted the writers and publishers of the year’s 50 most-performed pop songs.

Members of Nashville’s family gathered for a group photo at the 2011 BMI Pop Awards. (L-R): BMI’s Jody Williams, Warner/Chappell Music’s B.J. Hill, Sony/ATV Publishing’s Troy Tomlinson, BMI’s Clay Bradley, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, and Warner/Chappell Music’s Steve Markland.

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The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) is looking to establish a Nashville chapter to join its Los Angeles and New York memberships. The non-profit organization, formed in 1977 is dedicated to providing education and information to its members on current topics, trends and practices in the music publishing industry. To help introduce the organization to the Nashville music community AIMP President Richard Feldman is coming to Nashville to present a panel discussion titled, Music Supervision: Tips On Placing songs in Film and TV.

“One of the AIMP’s long-term goals is to establish a Nashville chapter that would operate alongside chapters in Los Angeles and New York,” said AIMP President Feldman. “With recent encouragement from local publishers here in Nashville, it is time to make this a reality. We believe that the music community here will find value and benefits in the organization’s panels, networking, and advocacy initiatives.”

The free panel, hosted by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC will take place in Nashville on June 14 at the Embassy Suites Vanderbilt from 6-8 p.m. Speaking on the fine art of music supervision, current trends, tips on placing songs in film and TV, and opportunities specifically for Nashville-based talent will be artist Jace Everett, Primary Wave GM Michelle Belcher, plus music supervisors Gary Calamar, Andrea von Foerster and Tony von Pervieux.
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Todd Wilkes

Flat Earth Music has hired Todd Wilkes as Creative Director. He brings experience in music publishing and artist management to the newly created role at the small Nashville publishing company. He took office earlier this month, where he is leading the growing stable of songwriters and pluggers.

Since launching in 2005, Flat Earth Music’s biggest success has been with “Turn On The Radio,” the No. 1 hit recorded by Reba McEntire. Leading Flat Earth Music are company President Greg Flatt and Business Development Director Dave Wilson.

Wilkes’ track record includes work with Randy Travis, George Strait, Martina McBride, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Kenny Chesney, Alison Krauss and many others. He said, “When I met Greg and began to learn about his vision, I couldn’t help but feel compelled to be a part of Flat Earth Music.”

Flatt says he is excited to have someone of Wilkes’ caliber on staff “to provide the creative Yen to my business Yang.”

Visit www.flatearthmusic.com for details.
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(L-R): Don Schlitz, Pat Alger

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members Pat Alger and Don Schlitz have volunteered to provide musical benediction at the grand re-opening of the downtown medical clinic on Friday morning.

Operated by United Neighborhood Health Services, the clinic provides medical, dental and counseling to Nashville’s homeless population. UNHS CEO Mary Bufwack, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Rep. Jim Cooper, UNHS Medical Director Dr. Keith Junior and UNHS Director of Homeless Services Bill Friskics-Warren will preside at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Pat Alger was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010. He has written songs for Brenda Lee, Hal Ketchum, Trisha Yearwood, Kathy Mattea, The Everly Brothers, Dolly Parton, Don Williams, Tanya Tucker, Nanci Griffith and others. Among his hits are “Small Town Saturday Night,” “Goin’ Gone” and “Like We Never Had a Broken Heart.” Alger has co-written four of Garth Brooks’s biggest hits, including “The Thunder Rolls” and “Unanswered Prayers.”

Don Schlitz, a 1993 inductee into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, is the only person named ASCAP Songwriter of the Year four consecutive times (1988-91). He is also the only songwriter to have won three CMA Song of the Year awards. His dozens of hits include “Strong Enough to Bend,” “When You Say Nothing at All,” “Forty Hour Week,” “Give Me Wings,” “Rockin’ with the Rhythm of the Rain” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her.” Schlitz has two Grammy Awards for writing Country Song of the Year winners “The Gambler” and “Forever and Ever, Amen.”

United Neighborhood Health Services is a non-profit network of health centers that has served Nashville for more than 30 years. It operates nine neighborhood clinics, five school clinics, two mobile health units and a clinic in Hartsville, TN, as well as the downtown homeless clinic. UNHS serves approximately 32,000 patients, about half of whom have no health insurance.

The clinic’s renovation was funded by $450,000 from the Federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and $50,000 from the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA). The ceremony will take place on the clinic’s courtyard at 526 8^th Ave. S. on Friday, May 20, beginning at 10 a.m. The public is welcome.