Music News (2/14/18)

Songwriters Renew With Downtown Music Nashville

Downtown Nashville staff and writers (L-R): Marc Beeson, Allen Shamblin, Andy Albert, Sam Ashworth, Steve Markland, Roberto Neri, Tony Esterly, Katie Roth, Natalie Osborne, Kelly Archer, Sara Haze, and FANN

Four Nashville songwriters, including Andy Albert, Kelly Archer, Marc Beeson, and Tony Esterly were among the first songwriters to sign on when Downtown Music Publishing opened their Nashville office in 2014. Now, all four are extending and renewing their deals at Downtown Nashville.

In the past year and a half, veteran writer Archer has had the first two No. 1 hits of her career: “Sleep Without You” (performed by Brett Young) and “Somebody Else Will” (performed by Justin Moore). Marc Beeson has co-written multiple recent Top 10s, including Josh Turner’s 2017 No. 1 “Hometown Girl” and Blake Shelton’s 2016 hit “She’s Got A Way With Words.” The latter Beeson co-wrote with Andy Albert, who himself has seen career peaks since joining Downtown including, “If the Boot Fits” (performed by Granger Smith) and Smith’s current single “Happens Like That.” Writer-producer Esterly has landed over 20 major sync placements in the last year. He is also actively writing and producing several pop/rock development artists for 2018.

 
Jon Santana Signs With Prescription Songs

Pictured (L-R): Rachel Wein, Alexa Stallings, Katie Fagan, Jon Santana, Andrea Quezada, Derek Gridley

Prescription Songs has signed producer Jon Santana.

Santana moved to Nashville in 2015 and started working with local pop breakouts Peter Manos and Cappa, whose collaboration on a “No Scrubs” cover garnered almost 8 million Spotify streams and placement in Forever 21 and Zara stores nationwide.

Santana’s own song “NY90” off his debut EP And There They Were, placed on Spotify Viral Charts in the U.S, Canada, Germany, Norway and Poland. He has had sync placements on MTV and VH1, and recently released his song “Galaxy” via Majestic Casual Records. He is prepping for the release of his next single, which will be an overseas hip-hop collaboration.

 
Sony Music Nashville Signs Rachel Wammack

Pictured (L-R): Sony Music Nashville’s Jim Catino, Dennis Reese, Steve Hodges, Margaret Tomlin, Randy Goodman, Rachel Wammack, Maverick Management’s Clarence Spalding, and Sony Music Nashville’s Ken Robold, Taylor Lindsey and John Zarling.

At Tuesday evening’s (Feb. 6) Sony Music Nashville CRS Guitar Pull at the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the star-studded evening launched with the signing of RCA Nashville’s newest artist Rachel Wammack to a long-term recording deal with Sony Music Nashville.

Wammack, a native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, wrote her first song at age 12. By age 17, she was discovered by a Sony Music Nashville, and now at age 23, she has signed a record deal with the major label.

Performers at the Guitar Pull included Brad Paisley, Chris Young, Maren Morris, Cam, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, LANCO, Walker Hayes and Mitchell Tenpenny.

BBR Music Group Adds Everette To Roster

Pictured (L-R): A celebratory moment with VP/A&R Sara Knabe, BBR Music Group; Colton McGee, Director, Business & Legal Affairs, BBRMG; Brent Rupard, Everette; Anthony Olympia, Everette; Carson James, Sr. VP/Promotion, BBRMG; Jon Loba, EVP, BBRMG. Photo: Sara Kauss

The BBR Music Group/BMG annual CRS party was extra special for newcomer duo Everette. The duo, managed by Homestead/Red Light Management’s Brad Belanger, was added to BBR Music Group’s artist roster on Monday (Feb. 5).

Everette’s Brent Rupard and Anthony Olympia signed with imprint Broken Bow Records, joining superstar talent Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch and Chase Rice.

The duo will soon begin to introduce its brand of country music filled with swampy harmonicas and bluesy guitar licks (co-produced by the band and mostly self-written) to country radio and fans from coast to coast.