Music News (6/27/13)
MusicRow Magazine presented its 25th annual subscriber-voted MusicRow Awards on June 25 during a ceremony hosted by ASCAP at the organization’s Nashville offices.
25th Annual MusicRow Award Winners
Breakthrough Songwriter—Kacey Musgraves (co-writer of “Merry Go ‘Round,” “Mama’s Broken Heart”)
Producer of the Year—Dann Huff (Hunter Hayes, The Band Perry, Brantley Gilbert, Rascal Flatts, Kelly Clarkson)
Breakthrough Artist—Kacey Musgraves
Song of the Year (tie)—“I Drive Your Truck,” by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Jimmy Yeary (published by Vistaville Music/Happy Tears Music/EMI Blackwood/Watch This Girl Publishing/Great Day At This Time Music/Beattyville Music)
—“Merry Go ‘Round,” by Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne, and Shane McAnally (published by 351 Music/Warner Tamerlane Publishing/Crazy Water Music/Little Blue Egg/Universal Music Corporation/Want A Fresh One)
Keys—Charles Judge
Guitar—Ilya Toshinsky
Steel—(tie) Dan Dugmore and Paul Franklin
Bass—Jimmie Lee Sloas
Fiddle—(tie) Jonathan Yudkin, Larry Franklin, and Stuart Duncan
Drums—(tie) Greg Morrow and Shannon Forrest
Engineer—Justin Niebank
An in-depth look at the award recipients can be found in MusicRow’s June/July 2013 print edition, available now. In addition, the magazine features an exclusive interview with music video director Shaun Silva, owner of Tacklebox Films and Forward, revealing his desire to push the envelope as he and his team expand into new territories. The issue also offers a one-on-one conversation with fashion icon Manuel, who discusses his career and how at age 75, he is launching a new line to help his students showcase their own designs. Single copies of the awards issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $10, and are included with yearly subscriptions at no additional cost. The MusicRow Awards are one of three annual events hosted by MusicRow. Others include Rising Women on the Row and the CountryBreakout Awards.
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Veteran music publisher and Nashville native Arturo Buenahora, Jr. has announced his new publishing company, Little Louder Music, will be opening July 2013. First songwriter signings are Jeff Hyde and, through his overall publishing deal with Sony/ATV, Eric Church.
After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Buenahora began his career at Sony/ATV where he stayed for 10 years and ultimately held the position of Sr. Director of Creative Services and Production. While there, he signed and developed Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift and Eric Church, paving the way for A&R stints at Capitol Nashville and Universal South Records. Buenahora most recently was the GM of Ole Music Publishing where he signed Ryan Tyndell and Charlie Worsham. In addition to Worsham’s debut album, Buenahora has recently worked on Dierks Bentley’s forthcoming album Riser on Capitol Records Nashville and he will continue his Executive Production role on Church’s next studio album. Buenahora is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Music and was recently named to Billboard’s “40 under 40” list.
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Songwriter Jonathan Cain has inked a catalog representation agreement with Dan Hodges Music, LLC. Cain is best-known as a keyboardist and long-time member of the band Journey. Cain has been awarded two BMI Songwriting awards (for “Open Arms” and “Who’s Crying Now”), as well as “The Diamond Award” (commemorating sales of more than 10 million).
Cain’s songs have been recorded by Michael Bolton, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Rogers, Heart, Gregg Allman, Conway Twitty, The Oak Ridge Boys, Colin Raye, Lorrie Morgan and Mariah Carey.
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ASCAP and BMI celebrated George Strait‘s 60th No. 1 single, “Give It All We Got Tonight” on Monday (June 24) at the CMA offices. The ballad became Strait’s 115th career single and was the first release from his 40th studio album, Love Is Everything. The song was penned by ASCAP member Mark Bright and BMI’s Tim James and Phil O’Donnell. It marked the first No. 1 song as a songwriter for Bright, who is well-known for his success as Carrie Underwood‘s producer. Bright received BMI’s customary gift to songwriters who earn their first No. 1, a BMI guitar.
Strait’s longtime producer and former MCA Nashville CEO Tony Brown was on hand for the celebration. This marks Brown’s 19th album with Strait. Current UMG Nashville CEO Mike Dungan was also on hand to honor the artist, label staff and the songwriters.
MCA Nashville’s “60for60” promotional campaign, designed to give Strait 60 No. 1 songs while he was still 60 years old, pushed “Give It All We Got Tonight” to No. 1 on the Mediabase chart the week of May 12- 18, 2013 — just days before Strait’s 61st birthday.
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Still Working Music has signed songwriter Ryan Lafferty. Lafferty, a West Virginia native, moved to Nashville in the summer of 2012; he is currently recording with producer Jeff Stevens.
Category: Music News