Music News (7/5/17)

2017 MusicRow Awards Songwriting Honors

Pictured (L-R): Song Of The Year winners Clint Lagerberg, Steven Lee Olsen and Hillary Lindsey. Moments By Moser Photography

The 29th Annual MusicRow Awards were held Wednesday, June 28 in the new SESAC/CMA event space. Lauren Alaina, Jesse Lee and Hillary Lindsey all won songwriting honors.

The Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year winner was Jesse Lee. The co-writer of “Peter Pan” was cheered at the event by her family. She sent in video greetings from a recording studio in Europe, saying, “I moved to Nashville 15 years ago….I have 15 years of people to thank for this….So it’s nice on days like today.

The inaugural Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year was Lauren Alaina.

“It’s been a crazy year,” Lauren said. “When I was 11 years old, I made my parents bring me to Music Row, where I recorded a really bad record of my songs. Now I don’t have a record with really bad songs on there. So thank you for that and thank you for this.”

The penultimate award of this 29th annual MR ceremony was the presentation of the Song of the Year honor. Often a predictor of CMA and/or Grammy honors, the ballot this year was packed with deserving compositions – “Vice,” “Wanna Be That Song,” “Leaving Nashville,” “Kill a Word” and the winner, “Blue Ain’t Your Color.”

“Man, what a turnout,” said “Blue” cowriter Clint Lagerberg surveying the capacity crowd. “We [songwriters] don’t get to see this mountain-top a lot. But we get to see the valleys. So this is great.”

Lagerberg and cowriters Hillary Lindsey and Steven Lee Olsen then wowed the crowd with a beautifully rehearsed, outstanding, trio-harmony version of “Blue Ain’t Your Color.”

Read more at MusicRow.com.

Josh Phillips Signs With Warner/Chappell And Write Or Die Music

Pictured Back row (L-R): Back: Ben Vaughn (WC), Alicia Pruitt (WC), Will Overton (WC), Chris Kappy (Make Wake Artists). Front row (L-R): Brantley Gilbert (Write or Die), Josh Phillips, Rich Egan (Write or Die)

Warner/Chappell Music and its publishing partner, Brantley Gilbert’s Write Or Die Music, have signed a worldwide co-publishing agreement with songwriter Josh Phillips.

Phillips has already performed nearly 400 shows over the course of his four-year career, opening for acts including Cole Swindell, Chris Janson, Sam Hunt, and Tyler Farr. He’s had songs recorded by Luke Combs and The Voice’s Warren Stone, and has collaborated with Randy Montana, Jonathan Singleton, Love & Theft, Channing Wilson and Kemo Forrest, among others.

Currently touring the country, Phillips is also working on his debut album. He is managed by Make Wake Artists, and booked by WME.

Anna Vaus Signs With Black River Publishing

(L-R:) Belmont University’s Drew Ramsey, Black River’s Gordon Kerr, Attorney Lauren Kilgore, Anna Vaus, Black River’s Dave Pacula, Black River’s Katie Barolak, Attorney Tiffany Dunn and Attorney Mary Lauren Teague)  Photo Credit: Courtesy of Black River Entertainment

Singer/songwriter Anna Vaus has signed with Black River Publishing.

The Poway, California native was chosen in 2016 by Miranda Lambert as the first recipient of the Miranda Lambert Women Creators Fund, awarding a female singer/songwriter a scholarship to attend Belmont University. Vaus is a seasoned performer who has opened for acts like Hunter Hayes and regularly performs at venues around Nashville, including the Bluebird Café.

Chris Bandi Signs With BMG

Front row (L-R): Kos Weaver- BMG, Chris Bandi, Sara Knabe- BMG; Back Row (L-R): Bradley Collins- BMI, Chris Olgesby – BMG, Scott Safford – Safford Motley, Brendan Rich – UTA, Daniel Lee – BMG

Artist/songwriter Chris Bandi has signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG.

Bandi is currently making a splash on Spotify with his song “Man Enough Now” which has soared above 12 million streams and continues climbing. His followup song “Gone Girl” just surpassed one million streams this week.

 
Greylan James Joins Dreamlined Entertainment Roster

(L-R:) Dreamlined’s Jason Campbell, Greylan James, Dreamlined’s Keith Stegall)

Greylan James has signed a publishing deal with Dreamlined Entertainment. James joins Dreamlined’s roster of writers that includes Keith Stegall, Kevin Mac, Jen Ketner and Brian Maher.

A native of Knoxville, TN, James began his music career playing guitar at age 10, and by 13 was playing live, opening for acts like Kenny Chesney, The Band Perry and the Eli Young Band. James appeared on Season 4 of NBC’s “The Voice,” and was ranked in Guitar Center’s Brotherhood of The Guitar Top 20 Guitar Players under 21. He moved to Nashville in 2014 to pursue a career in songwriting and production.

Mark Nesler Inks With SNG Music

SNG’s Gary Reamey, Steve Leslie, Marty Dodson, Mark Nesler (seated)

SNG Music has signed Mark Nesler to its roster of writers. Nesler has penned No. 1 hits for Tim McGraw (“Just To See You Smile”), George Strait (“Go On,” “Living and Living Well”), Keith Urban (“You Look Good In My Shirt”) and Darryl Worley (“I Miss My Friend”), among others.

SNG’s roster also includes SNG Music partners Steve Leslie, Gary Reamey and Dodson, along with Zarni DeVette and SNG Songwriter Emeritus, Bobby Fischer.

Prescription Songs Nashville Signs Quinn Lewis

Prescription Songs’ Katie Fagan and Quinn Lewis

Prescription Songs’ Nashville outpost has signed pop artist Quinn Lewis to their roster. A native of Brisbane, Australia, Lewis has called Nashville his home for three years, as he has been collaborating with pop producers and writers, with plans for his on album in the near future.

He previously released the EP Addicted.