Music News 8/11/11

Dale Bobo

Dale Bobo Takes A New Direction
Music publishing veteran Dale Bobo has started Dale Bobo Music Direction, providing consultation, management, and creative propulsion to music publishers, songwriters and producers. The company’s inaugural client is hit songwriter/producer Jeff Stevens, who has written songs for George Strait, Tim McGraw and others including the recent Luke Bryan No. 1 single “Someone Else Calling You Baby” whom Stevens also produces.

“I’m tremendously excited,” Bobo told MusicRow. “Working with songwriters and producers has always been a strong passion for me and this new company will place me right on the front lines doing what I love the most.”

Prior to his new venture, Bobo was Executive VP of Chrysalis Music Nashville, overseeing all aspects of the Nashville office and working with successful producer/writers Jeff Stevens and Brett Beavers and hit writers Danny Orton, Jim McCormick and Victoria Banks.

He started his career at the Nashville office of Chappell/Intersong, following graduation from Middle Tennessee State University’s Recording Industry Management program. After the acquisition of Chappell by Warner Bros. Music, his A&R efforts lead to numerous singles on the charts. He rose to VP and head of Creative in 1996 and assumed the Warner/Chappell General Manager post in 2003 which he held to 2009.

As SVP/GM at Warner/Chappell Nashville, he lead a formidable staff that celebrated 22 number one records with hit writers Marv Green, Steven Dale Jones, Wendell Mobley, Tim Nichols, John Rich, Wynn Varble, Chris Wallin and others. Under his leadership, the company enjoyed successes such as the ten-week number one smash “Live Like You Were Dying” and the breakout of superstar group Lady Antebellum.

Brett James Inks With Warner/Chappell/Combustion
Warner/Chappell Music, together with its joint venture partner Combustion Music, announces a worldwide co-publishing agreement with Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James. Additionally, Warner/Chappell will co-publish a selection of his past works and establish a co-publishing venture with James’ boutique publishing company, Cornman Music. This venture enables James to sign songwriters to publishing deals with the company.

“Brett James is an incredibly talented and creative songwriter who writes hit songs in all genres,” said Cameron Strang, Chairman & CEO, Warner/Chappell Music. “Brett and Warner/Chappell are already having great success together and we are thrilled to have someone of his character and talent join our roster.”

“Combustion Music is thrilled to establish this new relationship with Brett James,” said Chris Farren, President, Combustion Music. “Brett is one of the most dynamic and intelligent songwriters I know, and for years we have talked about partnering. To finally get that opportunity energizes me and the whole Combustion team beyond words.”

“I am truly excited to join forces with Warner/Chappell and Combustion Music,” said James. “Their combined creative and administrative expertise is second to none and it gives me the chance to work with some of my favorite people in the music business. Additionally, I believe that Warner/Chappell will be an amazing partner for my roster of artists and writers at Cornman Music.”

Brett James has had more than 300 of his songs recorded by some of music industry’s biggest artists including Rascal Flatts, Daughtry, Bon Jovi and Backstreet Boys. James’ songs have appeared on albums with combined sales of more than 100 million with 11 of his singles reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Songs chart. In 2006, “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” which James wrote for Carrie Underwood, received Grammy Awards for “Best Country Song.”

He has been twice-named ASCAP’s songwriter of the year, in both 2006 and in 2010, and appeared in Billboard’s year-end Top Ten Country Songwriters list in seven of the ten years it has been published. As a producer, his credits include Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Josh Gracin and Kip Moore. A native of Oklahoma, where he spent three years in medical school, Brett now lives in Brentwood, Tennessee with his wife Sandy and their four children.

(L-R): BJ Hill (Sr. Director A&R WCM Nashville), Steve Markland (VP A&R WCM Nashville), Nate Lowery (Creative Director Cornman Music), Brett James, Chris Farren (President Combustion Music), Phil May (VP & GM WCM Nashville), Alicia Pruitt (Sr. Director A&R WCM Nashville), Chris Van Belkom (Sr. Creative Director Combustion Music), Kenley Flynn (Catalog/Office Mgr, Combustion Music). Photo: LeeAnn Carlen

AIMP Starts Nashville Branch
The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) has established a Nashville chapter that will operate in tandem with existing bases in Los Angeles and New York. “We are very excited to have Nashville become a valuable part of our organization,” said AIMP President Richard Feldman, in making the announcement. “With encouragement from publishers here in Nashville, and the overwhelming success of our recent panel on licensing songs for film and TV, there has never been a better time to bring the AIMP to Music City. We believe that the large and diverse music community here will find value and benefits in the AIMP’s programs and advocacy initiatives.”

The Nashville chapter will be led by a steering committee until a board of directors is elected. Committee members include veteran music industry executive Jill Napier, Randy Wachtler (President, 615 Music), Walter Campbell (President, Big Garage Music Publishing), Eli Ball (CEO, Lyric Financial), Marc Driskill (VP/GM, ASCAP) and Kevin Lamb (VP, Peer Music), Ross Asher (Creative, Razor and Tie), Josh Collum (Sorted Noise Productions), Jewel Coburn (Co-president Ten Ten Music), Tim Fink (Assoc. VP Writer/Publisher Relations, Sesac), David Preston (Director Writer/Publisher Relations, BMI), Diana Maher (Owner, Moraine Music Group). Membership dues are $74 per year. For more information on AIMP or to become a member, please visit www.aimp.org

Tim Nichols Reaches 30 Million Airplay
Songwriter Tim Nichols recently was honored with a BMI Million-Air Award for more than one million performances of “The Man I Want To Be” recorded by Chris Young. This and other Nichols compositions including “Live Like You Were Dying,” and “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” bring his airplay total to more than 30 million spins.

(L-R) BMI’s Clay Bradley, Tim Nichols, This Music’s Connie Harrington and Rusty Gaston, and BMI’s Bradley Collins. Photo: Drew Maynard

Dallas Davidson’s Eighth No. 1
Dallas Davidson is likely getting used to the view from the top of the charts. Recently he celebrated Justin Moore’s “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” and scant weeks later he’s now parked again in the top spot with his eighth No. 1, Lady Antebellum’s “Just A Kiss.” Davidson is the 2010 Billboard Hot Country Songwriter of the Year and writes for EMI Music.

Rascal Flatts’ Latest No. 1
Big Machine Records and ASCAP celebrated Rascal Flatts’ latest No. 1, “I Won’t Let Go.” The song was written by Jason Sellers and Steve Robson. Also honored were publishers BMG Chrysalis and Sony/ATV. It’s Sellers’ second No. 1 this year after “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” Rascal Flatts producer Dann Huff was also recognized along with the band with the announcement that the new album Nothing Like This had been certified Platinum.

(L-R): Jason Sellers, Jay DeMarcus, ASCAP's Ryan Beuschel, BMG Chrysalis' Darrell Franklin, Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney, Big Machine's Scott Borchetta, Sony/ATV's Troy Tomlinson. Photo: Ed Rode

ASCAP Pop Songwriters Workshop
The ASCAP Foundation is seeking submissions for its 2011 Nashville Pop Songwriters Workshop. The workshop will be held once weekly for six consecutive weeks beginning Sept. 13. Interested writers should submit a CD containing two original songs with typed or neatly written lyrics, and a brief bio including address/phone number/e-mail.

Send complete submission package to:
ASCAP
Attn: Pop Songwriters Workshop
Two Music Square W., 
Nashville, TN 37203

Deadline is 5 p.m. on Fri., Sept. 2, 2011. Those accepted will be notified by Tues., Sept. 6.
Materials submitted will not be returned. For more information, call the Nashville ASCAP office at (615) 742-5000.