Music News (5/8/19)

Tanya Tucker Signs With Fantasy Records

Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker, Shooter Jennings. Photo: Derrek Kupish

Fantasy Records has signed Tanya Tucker, who is set to release a new album in late summer 2019. Produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings, While I’m Livin’ will mark Tucker’s first release of all new material since 2002’s Tanya.

Concorde Music Group’s Fantasy Records is based in Los Angeles under the direction of president Margi Cheske.

BMI Austin Makes First Songwriter Signing

Pictured (L-R): Mitch Ballard (BMI), Triston Marez, Alex Torrez (Torrez Music Group)

Country singer Triston Marez is the first songwriter added to the new Austin roster of Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). The performing rights organization announced the opening of its new creative office in Austin in a press conference with Texas governor Greg Abbott in March. Marez’s EP That Was All Me was released in January, and he continues to tour throughout the state.

A Houston native, Marez’s EP debuted in the top five on the iTunes country chart. Since its release on Jan. 25, the singer-songwriter has reached a combined one million streams on all platforms. His new single, “Darlin’,” has surpassed 50,000 streams in two weeks.

Rob Beckham, Bill Simmons Form Management Company The AMG

Chris Young. Photo: John Shearer

Industry vet Rob Beckham has reemerged with now independent manager Bill Simmons, who earlier this week, announced the dissolvment of his longstanding Fitzgerald Hartley management company. Together the two have formed “the AMG,” an artist management group. Beckham, former partner and co-head of WME Nashville and Simmons, partner of Fitzgerald-Hartley will continue to manage Simmons’ long-time management clients Brad Paisley and Chris Young.

Since the departure, Larry Fitzgerald has announced he will solely focus on his long-time client, and friend of thirty-five years, Vince Gill.

Carly Pearce Signs With Morris Higham Management

Pictured: Kyle Quigley, Carly Pearce, Clint Higham. Photo: Dustin Stout

Carly Pearce has signed with Morris Higham Management, working with Clint Higham and Kyle Quigley. The Kentucky native is expected to release her sophomore album on Big Machine Records following the success of Every Little Thing. Her latest offering, “Closer To You,” is already Top 30-and-rising at country radio.

Already in 2019, Carly has been nominated for ACM Awards New Female Artist of the Year and iHeartRadio Music Awards Best New Country Artist after winning both 2018 CMT Music Awards Breakthrough Video of the Year and Radio Disney Music Award The Freshest!—Radio Disney Country Best New Artist. She is currently on Jason Aldean’s Ride All Night Tour, amplifying a co-headline run earlier this year and major stints with Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts and Thomas Rhett.

Morris Higham Management oversees the careers of artists including Kenny Chesney, Old Dominion, Ryan Griffin, Brandon Lay, Carlton Anderson, and Michael Ray.

Colt Ford Signs With TKO Artist Management

Colt Ford has signed with Nashville-based TKO Artist Management for management and brand representation.

Ford has written No. 1 songs including Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem” and Brantley Gilbert’s “Country Must Be Country Wide” as well as his own hits “Ride Through The Country” and “Answer To No One.” Ford has also notched several No. 1, Top 5, and Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 albums chart and Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Ford’s career accomplishments also include being an ex-pro golfer and an entrepreneur as well as a partner in Average Joes Entertainment. He is currently in the studio working on new music.

Ford joins TKO’s existing client roster which includes Toby Keith, The Bacon Brothers, Ashley Campbell, Glen Campbell, Krystal Keith, Chris LeDoux, Ned LeDoux, Mac McAnally, and Waterloo Revival.