Music News (4/25/18)

Brad Paisley Extends Deal With Sony Music Nashville

Pictured (L-R): Sony Music Nashville’s EVP Marketing & New Business John Zarling and EVP/COO Ken Robold; Brad Paisley; Randy Goodman, Chairman/CEO, Sony Music Nashville, Paisley’s manager Bill Simmons; and Sony Music Nashville’s SVP A&R Jim Catino and EVP Promotion/Artist Development Steve Hodges. Photo: Derek Cressman

Brad Paisley has extended his long-term recording agreement with Sony Music Nashville, to continue recording for Arista Nashville, which has been Paisley’s imprint home for the past 20 years.

Backstage at his recent Weekend Warrior World Tour date at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Paisley inked the deal as label group executives and management gathered around.

Paisley released his 11th studio album, Love And War, in April 2017. The album would become country music’s first visual album, via a limited-time exclusive with Apple Music. The project is now available on VEVO.

Paisley’s Netflix comedy special, Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo, debuted Aug. 15, 2017 and the entertainer recently partnered with Boot Barn to develop an exclusive line of jeans, hats, T-shirts, jewelry, belts and woven shirts called Moonshine Spirit by Brad Paisley.

 
Jason Lehning Renews Publishing Deal With Spirit/Fluid

Pictured (L-R): Frank Rogers (President/Founder, Fluid Music Revolution), Jason Lehning, AJ Burton (VP, Fluid Music Revolution), Billy Lynn (VP, Creative, Spirit Music Nashville), Brian Bradford (Sr. Director of Administration, Spirit Music Nashville), Daniel Hill (President, Spirit Music Nashville), Freeman Wizer, Sr. Director of Creative, Spirit Music Nashville, and Michelle Davey (Administration Coordinator/Office Manager, Spirit Music Nashville).

Spirit/Fluid, the Nashville-based joint venture between Spirit Music Group and Frank Rogers’ Fluid Music Revolution, has renewed its publishing deal with Jason Lehning.

Lehning was born and raised in Nashville in a musical family. The son of producer Kyle Lehning (producer for Randy Travis, Jason was exposed to the recording process at an early age. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Lehning returned to Nashville to begin work as an engineer. Lehning’s earliest work as an assistant engineer in several Nashville studios allowed him access on down-time to invite artists to record. His early demos with artist David Mead resulted in a record deal for the singer and Lehning’s first major label job as a producer. Since then, Lehning has been active as a producer, musician, composer, mixer and engineer, contributing to over 350 albums. The diverse range of artists with whom he has worked includes George Jones, Erasure, Mat Kearney, Guster, Bill Frisell, and Alison Krauss. Lehning has won two Grammy awards as an engineer and was nominated for the Best Engineer Grammy in 2008.

Recent cuts by Lehning include “Let’s Do Something Stupid” recorded by Thompson Square off of their upcoming album Masterpiece; “Run” recorded by The Buckleys which hit No. 1 in Australia; “Nag Champa” recorded by Republican Hair; and “Birthday Suit” from Charlie Worsham’s second album, Beginning of Things.

Dan Hodges Music Opens DHM Collective

Pictured (L-R): Trahan, Scire, Miller, Allison, Severson, Swenson, Hodges. Photo: Grannis Photography

Dan Hodges Music has opened DHM Collective, a branch dedicated to promoting writer and artists. DHM Collective’s first signings include Alyssa Trahan and individual agreements with Hannah May Allison, John Miller, Ashley Scire, Clayton Severson and Sean Swenson, all collaborative members of the writing group Smash 30.

“Alyssa is making her mark as a female in a male dominated tracking field,” said Hodges. “She loves a challenge and embraces opportunity. The Smash 30 writer/artists individually win hearts and raise the bar wherever they go…as a group they are a force. Each writer giving rise to our collective creates new rules and seeks to profit the other. They embrace our family philosophy and are knocking the ball out of the park with or without DHM. We are glad to be on board and be a part of their story.”

 
AIMP Announces Initial Agenda for Second Annual Indie Music Publishing Summit

The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) Indie Music Publishing Summit, which will take place in New York City on Tuesday, June 12, has announced its first slate of featured speakers and panels. Featured speakers include a keynote conversation with John Josephson, Chairman/CEO of SESAC, and the slate of panels will cover topics ranging from the current state of the industry and music supervision from both U.S. and international perspectives to New Revenue Opportunities for Independent Music Publishers, Digital Tools of the Trade, an update on international news from CISAC, and more.

Registration for the event is now open with full-priced tickets at $429, increasing to $529 after May 4, which includes a one-year Professional membership in the organization.

Read more at MusicRow.com.