Music News (12/14/16)

 Dierks Bentley Inks Deal With Kobalt Music Copyright

Pictured (L-R): Willard Ahdritz (Kobalt founder/CEO), Merril Wasserman (EVP, Business Development), Dierks Bentley, Richard Sanders (President, Kobalt North America), Laura Alexander (Senior Creative Director), Stephanie Cox (VP, Creative), Jesse Willoughby (GM, Kobalt Nashville).

Dierks Bentley has inked a deal with Kobalt Music Copyright for representation of his back catalog, including hits such as “I Hold On,” “Home,” “Drunk On A Plane,” “Sideways,” and more, MusicRow has confirmed. Kobalt will also handle administration for Bentley’s future compositions.

Warner/Chappell Music and Sea Gayle Sign Kelley Lovelace

(L-R): Ryan Beuschel (Warner/Chappell), Christina Wiltshire (Sea Gayle), Kelley Lovelace, Ben Vaughn (Warner/Chappell) and Sea Gayle’s Jake Gear, Mike Owens, Chris DuBois, and Brad Paisley in Paisley’s home bar, Ye Olde Potion Room Pub.

Warner/Chappell Music and Sea Gayle Music have signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with Grammy-nominated songwriter Kelley Lovelace. Lovelace’s work has been recorded by Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow, and many others. He has 23 Top 10 hits to his credit, including 16 No. 1s (eight of which were recorded by Paisley). Warner/Chappell and Sea Gayle will also represent a significant part of Lovelace’s back catalog.

Lovelace is the recipient of MusicRow magazine’s Song of the Year award for “He Didn’t Have To Be,” which was co-written and recorded by Paisley. Lovelace has been nominated for country song of the year by all of the major awards shows, including the Grammys, CMA Awards and ACM Awards. Lovelace is represented by attorney Chip Petree.

Magic Mustang Music Signs Radney Foster

(From Top Left, Clockwise): Magic Mustang Music’s Juli Newton-Griffith; BBR Music Group’s Jon Loba; BBR Music Group’s Colton McGee; Radney Foster; BBR Music Group’s Benny Brown.

BBR Music Group has signed Radney Foster to its Magic Mustang Music publishing roster.

The Texas singer-songwriter has crafted numerous chart-topping songs, including hits for Sara Evans (“A Real Fine Place To Start”), and Keith Urban (“Raining On Sunday,” and “I’m In”). Foster has also notched his own hits with 1992’s “Just Call Me Lonesome” and 1993’s “Nobody Wins.”

He has also had cuts by Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, The Dixie Chicks, and Darius Rucker.

Foster is writing a book of short fiction to accompany his upcoming album and is set to make his professional stage debut this winter in Troubadour, premiering at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre on Jan. 18, 2017.

Big Loud Mountain Signs Mat Kearney

Pictured (L-R): Big Loud Mountain partners Seth England and Kevin “Chief” Zaruk, Mat Kearney, Big Loud Mountain partners Craig Wiseman and Joey Moi and Big Loud Mountain’s Troy Johnson

Songwriter/artist Mat Kearney has signed with Big Loud Mountain Management and has new music in the works.

Kearney’s unique blend of hip-hop, adult alternative, and spiritually-based songwriting have garnered a dedicated fanbase during his 10-year career. His current record, Just Kids (released in February 2015), became his fourth-consecutive Top 5 release on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. The prolific writer has also contributed songs to dozens of television shows and movies, including Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, and Soul Surfer. Kearney recently wrapped his run on the COMPADRES 2016 Tour, presented by Needtobreathe. His career breakthrough came in 2006 with his major label debut, Nothing Left To Lose, which has sold over 450,000 copies.

Word Music Publishing Signs Jonathan Lee

Pictured (L-R, back row):Rod Riley, Joel Timen, Janine Appleton, Trevor Mathiesen, Josh Bailey. (L-R, front row): Jonathan Lee, Jonathan Mason

Word Music Publishing has signed a worldwide exclusive songwriting agreement with worship leader and Dove-nominated songwriter Jonathan Lee.

Formerly with Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing and Centricity Publishing, Lee’s songs have been recorded by for King & Country, Newsboys, Selah, and Phillips, Craig & Dean. Lee is a co-writer of for King & Country’s “Proof of Your Love.”

As part of this new partnership, Lee will write songs to lead and release through his own recordings as well as for other artists as a staff songwriter for Word Music Publishing.

Catch This Music Writer’s Ink Signs Trannie Stevens

Catch This Music Writer’s Ink has signed rising songwriter Trannie Stevens. She arrived in Nashville 16 months ago and was the 2016 winner of Texas Songwriter U, a contest judged by Liz Rose, Jack Ingram, and Radney Foster.

Stevens has opened concerts for Toby Keith, Ronnie Dunn, Eric Paslay and Jack Ingram.