Music News (5/23/13)

Breakthrough Songwriter nominees (L-R): Kacey Musgraves, Jimmy Robbins, Ross Copperman, Jim McCormick, Barry Dean, Brandy Clark, Hunter Hayes

The final nominees of the 2013 MusicRow Awards have been announced, including the category of Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. The award honors a songwriter who for the first time wrote or co-wrote a Top 10 song.

MusicRow and RowFax subscriber members can vote for nominees in the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year category, along with nominees in other MusicRow awards categories, until 5 p.m. on Friday (May 24). Subscribers were sent ballots on Monday (May 20). This year’s MusicRow awards will take place on June 25 at ASCAP’s Nashville office.

This year’s Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year nominees include:

Brandy Clark (“Better Dig Two,” recorded by The Band Perry and “Mama’s Broken Heart,” recorded by Miranda Lambert)

Ross Copperman (“Pirate Flag,” recorded by Kenny Chesney and “Tip It On Back,” recorded by Dierks Bentley)

Barry Dean (“Pontoon,” recorded by Little Big Town)

Hunter Hayes (“Wanted” and “Somebody’s Heartbreak,” both recorded by Hunter Hayes)

Jim McCormick (“You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” recorded by Brantley Gilbert and “Take A Little Ride,” recorded by Jason Aldean)

Kacey Musgraves (“Merry Go ‘Round,” recorded by Kacey Musgraves and “Mama’s Broken Heart,” recorded by Miranda Lambert)

Jimmy Robbins (“Sure Be Cool If You Did,” recorded by Blake Shelton)

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Several members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame were on hand for the grand opening of the gallery. Pictured (L-R): Mark D. Sanders, Gary Burr, Pat Alger, Kenny O’Dell, Sonny Curtis, Rory Bourke and Larry Henley. Photo: Bev Moser

NaSHOF inductee Bob DiPiero and wife Leslie. Photo: Alan Mayor

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame finally has a home. The gallery, which opened Sunday (May 19) at the Music City Center, is the first time the revered hall will have a noteworthy physical location.

“It’s a big day for the Nashville songwriting community,” said Pat Alger, Hall of Fame member and chair of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation. “It took a lot of devoted volunteers a long time to get this done, but after seeing the Hall of Fame Gallery with people standing around it, appreciating the work and using the touch screen displays to learn about the writers behind the songs, I’d say it was well worth it.”

During the grand opening event, several Hall of Fame members were on hand to talk with the visitors, and perform a few of their biggest hits. The Hall of Famers participating included Alger (“Small Town Saturday Night,” “Unanswered Prayers”), Bill Anderson (“The Tips Of My Fingers,” “Whiskey Lullaby”), Rory Bourke (“I Know A Heartache When I See One,” “Shadows In The Moonlight”), Bobby Braddock (“He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “I Want To Talk About Me”), Sonny Curtis (“I’m No Stranger To The Rain,” “I Fought The Law (And The Law Won)”), Larry Henley (“Wind Beneath My Wings,” ‘Til I Get It Right”), Don Schlitz (“The Gambler,” “Forever And Ever Amen”) and Thom Schuyler (“16th Avenue,” “Love Will Turn You Around”).

An estimated 15,000 people visited the newly opened Music City Center’s grand opening. See more of MusicRow’s exclusive coverage.

Established in 1970, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame had a physical location for a brief period decades ago. Each year, four writers are inducted into the Hall. The Hall of Fame is funded and managed by the non-profit Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation. See the complete list of inductees. Read MusicRow.com’s full coverage here.

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Sue Drew

Sue Drew has been promoted to the position of Sr. VP, Creative Services, Membership at ASCAP. Drew will be responsible for overseeing the Membership Creative Services staff in all musical genres and will also oversee the operations of the Los Angeles, New York and Nashville membership offices.

Drew has been with ASCAP since 2009 as Vice President of Membership – Pop/Rock, where she is responsible for signing Paul Epworth, Savan Kotecha and Priscilla Renea to ASCAP and inaugurating several innovative career development programs for ASCAP writers, including an annual songwriting camp for top writers. Prior to joining the staff of ASCAP, Drew worked in the field of A&R for over 20 years.

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Sony/ATV Music Publishing is moving its administrative operations to downtown Nashville to a new space that will serve as the company’s global administration hub. The creative team will remain on Music Row.

Sony/ATV has executed a long-term lease with Amstar for 50,000 square feet of office space in downtown Nashville’s Fifth Third Center, located at 424 Church Street. The company will occupy three floors in the building and is set to move before the end of the year.

Sony/ATV expects to increase overall headcount in Nashville by more than 40 percent in departments including global administration, royalties, copyright, finance, IT and human resources.

The long-term presence of Sony/ATV’s creative offices on historic Music Row, located at 8 Music Square West, will not be affected by this move. However, the building at 65 Music Square West which currently houses the administrative team will be sold.

The need to hire more admin staffers results in part from the company’s acquisition of EMI Music Publishing. Recently Sony Corporation of America and a group of investors acquired EMI Music Publishing, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing administers EMI on behalf of the investor group. Together with EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV owns or administers more than 2 million copyrights.

Commenting on the announcement, Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing said, “We are thrilled to have found such accessible and functional office space in downtown Nashville’s beautiful Fifth Third Center. Our new offices will provide us the necessary room to expand, while still being part of Music City. We’re particularly grateful to the incredible support from Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Governor Bill Haslam for helping us to continue to make Nashville, Tennessee Sony/ATV’s global administration hub.”

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Harrianne Condra

Longtime Tree Publishing executive Harrianne Moore Condra passed away on Monday, May 20 in Nashville. Her career began at WSM radio where, according to her obituary, she helped initiate the first Disc Jockey Convention to commemorate the Grand Ole Opry’s birthday. This annual event evolved into Fan Fair and now the CMA Music Festival. She continued her work in the music industry as Director of Copyright Administration for Tree Publishing, now Sony/ATV. She was a member of Leadership Music and 2003 recipient of the SOURCE Foundation Award honoring women who have been vital contributors to Nashville’s music business.

Visitation with the family will be on Thursday, May 23, 2013 from 4-7 p.m. at the home of Mrs. Joan Neff and Lisa and Tom Neff. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 24, 2013 at the Winchester City Cemetery in Winchester, Tenn. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Alive Hospice of Nashville. Arrangements by Moore-Cortner Funeral Home, 300 1st Avenue NW, Winchester, TN 37398, (931) 967-2222.

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Pictured: Back row, standing (L-R): Freeman Wizer, Creative Director, UMPG Nashville; Whitney Williams, Creative Director, UMPG Nashville; Missy Wilson, Senior Creative Director, UMPG Nashville; Ron Stuve, VP of A&R/Special Projects, UMPG Nashville; Cyndi Forman, Vice President, Creative, UMPG Nashville; Travis Gordon, Creative Manager, UMPG Nashville. Front row, seated (L-R): Chris Lindsey; Kent Earls, Executive Vice President/General Manager, UMPG Nashville

Songwriter Chris Lindsey has signed an exclusive, worldwide publishing agreement for all of his future works with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) Nashville. Kent Earls, Executive VP/General Manager of UMPG made the announcement recently. Lindsey’s catalog of hits includes Lonestar‘s “Amazed,” Martina McBride‘s “This One’s For The Girls,” and many others.