Music News (12/5/18)

Hootie & The Blowfish Sign With UMG Nashville, Announce New Tour

Hootie & The Blowfish. Photo: Todd & Chris Owyoung

Twenty-five years after releasing their iconic hits including “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry,” and “Only Wanna Be With You,” rock band Hootie & The Blowfish have announced they will embark on the 2019 Group Therapy Tour, beginning May 30 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The 44-city tour will welcome Barenaked Ladies in the opening tour slot.

The tour marks the group’s first official outing in more than a decade, and will feature a stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Sept. 7.

Hootie & The Blowfish, led by Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber and Jim “Soni” Sonefeld, has also announced they have signed to Universal Music Group Nashville, home to Rucker’s solo country efforts.

The group’s debut album, Cracked Rear View, released in July 1994, launched a whirlwind of success for the group. The album has now been certified by the RIAA as 21x Platinum and the fifth-most certified studio album of all time, while Hootie & The Blowfish have earned two Grammys and sold over 25 million albums.

Eric Ethridge Joins Ole’s Red Dot Label Roster

Pictured (L-R): ole Sr. VP of Finance & Administration Chris Giansante, ole Senior Director of Creative Licensing Randall Foster, ole VP of Creative John Ozier, Eric Ethridge, ole CEO Helen Murphy, ole Sr. Coordinator of Creative Lauren Lieu, ole VP of Corporate Affairs & Business Development Gilles Godard.

Singer-songwriter Eric Ethridge has signed with ole’s red dot label. The worldwide 360 deal includes exclusive publishing and recording rights, administration of all properties on YouTube, and the acquisition of Ethridge’s self-titled debut EP, which debuted at the top of the iTunes Country charts and was streamed over 3 million times in the first six weeks of its release.

In early 2016, Ethridge was selected as a finalist into the Canadian Country Music Association’s Discovery Program and went on to win the CCMA Discovery Award. The following year, he teamed up with producer/songwriter Brian Howes (Chris Daughtry, Keith Urban) to produce his self-titled debut EP. The EP’s first single, “Liquor’s Callin’ the Shots,” climbed to Top 30 at Canadian country radio, and his most recent single “California” was one of the most-streamed country songs in Canada. Ethridge was also named the Grand Prize winner in the Unsigned Only competition for his song “Girl on Fire,”  selected from over 6,000 applicants from 95 different countries across all genres.

ole operates a robust label services arm under the umbrella of ole label group. The division includes: anthem, the label home of: Rush, Big Wreck, Ian Fletcher Thornley, Steven Page and The Tea Party; anthem LEGACY, which houses catalogues by such artists as Stompin’ Tom Connors, Max Webster, Lighthouse and Ian Thomas, and red dot, which has released, developed and streamed artists including Haley Reinhart, George Canyon, Austin Jenckes, Josh Dorr, Sam Grow, Maddison Krebs and Jordan Davis.

 
Warner/Chappell Nashville Signs Aussie Duo Seaforth

Pictured: Ben Vaughn (Warner/Chappell), Laura Worley (LH7 Management), T.D. Ruth (Serling Rooks), Jessi Vaughn (Warner/Chappell), Poppy (Shenanigoats), Mitchell Thompson (Seaforth), Pimento (Shenanigoats), Olive (Shenanigoats), Tom Jordan, Pippy (Shenanigoats), Alison Junker (Warner/Chappell), Patrick W. Ogilvy (Serling), Katie Jelen (Warner/Chappell), Brian Teefey (LH7 Management). Goats provided by Shenanigoats & featured as a nod to Seaforth’s matching goat tattoos

Aussie duo Seaforth has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Nashville. Earlier this month, Seaforth opened for Kane Brown at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The duo recently released two songs, “Talk to Me” and “Love That,” via RCA Records Nashville.

Seaforth includes childhood friends Mitchell Thompson and Tom Jordan, whose moniker comes from the Australian suburb where they grew up.

Singer-songwriter Bill Luther Signs Co-Pub Deal With BMG

Pictured (L-R): Chris Oglesby, VP Creative, BMG Nashville; Courtney Allen, Creative Director, BMG Nashville; Rakiyah Marshall, Creative Director, BMG Nashville; Bill Luther; Kos Weaver, EVP, BMG Nashville; Chip Petree, Partner, Ritholz Levy Fields

Veteran singer-songwriter Bill Luther has signed a new co-publishing agreement with BMG.

Luther has penned several hits recorded by Tim McGraw, including “My Best Friend,” “‘Let It Go,” “How Bad Do You Want It,” and McGraw’s Grammy award-winning duet with Faith Hill, “Let’s Make Love.” Luther has also co-written the Kenny Chesney Top 5 hit “Who You’d Be Today” and Top 10 “What I Need to Do,” in addition to songs for Joe Nichols, Jo Dee Messina, Clint Black, Lee Ann Womack, Lee Greenwood, and more.