Music News 9/22/11

Despite the rain, crowds flocked to the tented parking lot of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Monday (9/19) for its annual salute to songwriters who hit No. 1 in the past year.

With the help of co-sponsors The Recording Academy and City National Bank, the organization honored 74 songwriters responsible for 36 songs that hit No. 1 on Billboard’s charts between July 2010 and June 2011.  Prior to the No. 1 presentations, special recognition was given to four individuals. Country Music Hall of Fame member Jim Foglesong was given NSAI’s President’s Choice Award for making significant contributions for the advancement of songwriters. The Maggie Cavender Award of Service for an individual who has significantly served the interests of the songwriting community was actually bestowed on two individuals: Songwriters Hall of Fame member Cowboy Jack Clement, and songwriter/artist Lorene Mann, who created the NSAI’s famed “It All Begins With A Song” slogan.

NSAI also presented the first Writers Round Host Award to Debi Champion, who has led songwriter nights at the Commodore Lounge for years. “The greatest gift, besides my family and friends, has been meeting these songwriters,” said Champion in her acceptance. Mann also praised the work NSAI on behalf of songwriters, offering an important piece of advice to artists and people in the business: “Treat the struggling songwriter with kindness, because you never know who might be building you a mansion tomorrow.”

For the list of No. 1 songs and songwriters honored, please visit the story on MusicRow.com.

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Mac McAnally

• Hit songwriter and musician Mac McAnally will release his first live recording Live in Muscle Shoals Oct. 11 on Mailboat Records. Recorded during the W.C. Handy Music Festival, the CD includes his hits “Back Where I Come” (Kenny Chesney), “All These Years” (Sawyer Brown), and “Down the Road” (Chesney), as well as “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” and more. McAnally is the reigning and three-time winner of CMA Musician of the Year, and will vie for the trophy again on Nov. 9. He also produced the new album by Mockingbird Sun, The Muscle Shoals EP, featuring lead single “Lucky Guy,” co-written by Liz Rose.

Matt Rogers

• Better Angels Music Group staff songwriter Matthew J. Rogers landed a cut with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. It was released on  iTunes 9/20 as part of the NFL’s Official Gameday Music of the NFL, Volume 2 package. The track, “You Gotta Want It,” was co-written by Chris Weaver.

• Songwriter Katie Herzig is the recipient of this year’s ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn Award for her song “Closest I Get.” The Award, created in 1995, commemorates the life and career of the great lyricist and ASCAP Board member Sammy Cahn. Herzig joins a group of distinguished past recipients that include John Mayer, Josh Ritter, and Lori McKenna. Herzig is currently on the Ten Out of Tenn tour and her fifth album, The Waking Sleep, will be released this month.

Pictured recently at the Bluebird: Beth Nielsen Chapman and Todd Wilkes

• Applications are being accepted for the Jeffrey Steele Songwriting Bootcamp, hosted by 3 Ring Circus Music and BMI. Thirty applicants will be chosen based on songs and applications submitted by Oct. 28. Visit JeffreySteele.com for details.

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(L-R) C.T. Wyatt, J.P. Williams (caricature) and Tim Hunze.

“We are up and running and are looking for great writers,” says Tim Hunze, who now heads up Parallel Music Publishing’s Nashville offices. “We believe being a boutique publisher is perfect for today’s ever changing environment.”

Parallel Music Publishing is a partnership between Hunze, Parallel Entertainment Founder & CEO, J.P. Williams, and C.T. Wyatt, who runs the Nashville office of Parallel Entertainment. Parallel just recently moved into its new office on Music Row, located at 1505 16th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. 615-750-2613. Parallel Entertainment and Parallel Music Publishing will share that office space.

Before Parallel, Hunze worked for Stage Three Music where he helped cultivate the talents of writers like 2009 BMI Songwriter of the Year, Bobby Pinson, and 2010 ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Brett James. He has also worked with hit songwriters Tom Shapiro, Tony Martin, Lee Miller and Jon Mabe.

Parallel Music’s parent company, Parallel Entertainment is a full service talent management and production company. It has produced everything from motion pictures to music albums to programming for a variety of cable television networks, including HBO and Comedy Central. Its talent roster boasts some of comedy’s most notable acts like Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, and Lisa Lampanelli as well as music acts like Zella Day and Warner Music Nashville recording artist, Dean Alexander. It also manages actors including former CMT Insider host, Lance Smith.

“We have extensive contacts in the TV, motion picture, video game, and music industries,” Hunze explains. “The opportunities and possibilities for Parallel Music Publishing’s songwriters are endless. We love country music but we’re not limiting ourselves to any one genre.”