Music News (9/28/16)

Rhett Akins Signs Publishing Deal With Warner/Chappell Music

Top Row (L-R): Alison Junker (WC), Will Overton (WC), Matt Michiels (WC), Ben Vaughn (WC), Jon Platt (WC), Rhett Akins, Jess Rosen (Greenberg Traurig LLP), Leslie Roberts (BMI), Steve Butler (WC), Travis Carter (WC), Phil May (WC), Phil Graham (BMI).
Bottom Row (L-R): Lisa Boullt, Alicia Pruitt (WC), Jessi Vaughn (WC).

Rhett Akins has entered a worldwide publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music.

Effective immediately, Warner/Chappell will publish Akins’ future work as well as select catalog.

Akins’ recent hits include No. 1 songs “Huntin’, Fishin’, & Lovin’ Everyday” with Luke Bryan, “Mindreader” with Dustin Lynch, and the most added song at country radio last week, “Dirt On My Boots” with Jon Pardi.

Akins is the recipient of 29 BMI Awards and was named BMI Songwriter of the Year in 2011 and 2014. His songs have been awarded BMI Song of the Year (2011 and 2012) and ASCAP Song of the Year (2012 and 2014), and Akins has received the Triple Play Award five times for having three No.1 singles in a 12-month period.

peermusic Nashville Renews Publishing Deal With Jaron Boyer

Jaron Boyer

peermusic Nashville has extended its exclusive worldwide publishing agreement with songwriter Jaron Boyer.

Boyer has three cuts on Jason Aldean’s album They Don’t Know, including the title track, “When the Lights Go Out,” and “First Time Again” featuring Kelsea Ballerini. “First Time Again” was co-written with fellow peermusic songwriter Michael Tyler, while They Don’t Know was also produced by peermusic Nashville executive Michael Knox.

Boyer signed with peermusic Nashville in 2013. He recently notched a three-week No. 1 hit as a co-writer on Dierks Bentley’s “Somewhere on a Beach.” Othercuts penned by Boyer include “Riot” (Rascal Flatts), “Hell of a Night” (Dustin Lynch), and “Flatliner,” (Cole Swindell ft. Dierks Bentley).

Starstruck Writers Group Re-Ups Liz Hengber, Signs Evan Coffman

Pictured (L-R): Cliff Williamson, Chief Operating Officer, Starstruck; Liz Hengber; Courtney Allen, Creative Director, Starstruck

Starstruck Writers Group has renewed its worldwide publishing agreement with songwriter Liz Hengber.

Hengber has an impressive list of credits that go back 25 years. She’s written five No. 1 singles and had over 75 songs recorded by artists including Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Easton Corbin, Trisha Yearwood, Andy Griggs, Peter Cetera, The Steeldrivers and many more. Her most recognizable songs include “And Still,” “For My Broken Heart,” “Forever Love” and “It’s Your Call,” all recorded by Reba McEntire.

In 2011, Hengber won Song of the Year at the Canadian Gospel Awards for “A Fathers Love” recorded by both Bucky Covington and High Valley. This year she had two songs on The Steeldrivers’ Grammy Award-winning album The Muscle Shoals Recordings. Hengber also co-wrote Ronnie Dunn’s current single, “Damn Drunk” which features Kix Brooks.

Pictured: Bradley Collins, BMI; Courtney Allen, Creative Director; Starstruck; Evan Coffman; Cliff Williamson, Starstruck.

Additionally, Starstruck Writers Group has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with songwriter and producer Evan Coffman.

The southwest Arkansas native moved to Orlando, Florida, in his early 20s and began producing local and national acts like Twenty One Pilots, Halestorm and Matt Hires. In 2015, he moved to Nashville to focus on songwriting. Since then, he has earned cuts with The Lacs (Average Joes Entertainment) and Waterloo Revival (Show Dog Records).

JT Harding Inks Deal With Warner/Chappell Music, THiS Music

JT Harding

Warner/Chappell Music and THiS Music have signed Nashville songwriter JT Harding. His writing credits include Dierks Bentley’s latest hit, “Different For Girls,” featuring Elle King.

Harding also co-wrote Keith Urban’s “Somewhere In My Car,” Kenny Chesney’s “Somewhere With You,” and “Blake Shelton’s “Sangria.”

Harding first moved from his native South Detroit to Los Angeles to pursue music; there, he worked as Marilyn Manson’s assistant, made a demo tape with prize money he won on the VH1 game show Rock & Roll Jeopardy! and was subsequently signed by EMI and Atlantic Records. After penning his first hit, Uncle Kracker’s single “Smile,” Harding relocated to Nashville and joined the city’s songwriting community.

Katie Garfield Signs With Young Guns Publishing

Pictured (L-R): Dave Rose, President, Deep South Entertainment; Micah Wilshire, VP of TV/Film, Young Guns Publishing; Katie Garfield; Cliff Downs, President, Young Guns Publishing; Aubrey Rupe, Creative Director, Young Guns Publishing; Will Hamrick, VP/GM, Young Guns Publishing

Young Guns Publishing has signed singer/songwriter Katie Garfield to its roster.

After moving to Los Angeles at 18, she started working with songwriters and producers such as David Pack and Scott Gordon. Now 23, she has signed her first publishing deal and has been writing songs for TV and film opportunities.

Garfield is also an accomplished actor, having had guest starring roles in television shows such as The Vampire Diaries, Sleepy Hollow, One Tree Hill and Nashville.

This fall she will be seen in Nate Parker’s Nat Turner biopic The Birth of a Nation as Catherine Turner. The film won the Grand Jury and Audience Awards at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and is set to premiere nationwide on Oct. 7.