Music News (4/1/20)

MusicRow Announces New Date For Annual Rising Women On The Row

MusicRow has rescheduled its ninth annual Rising Women on the Row breakfast event to Wednesday, Sept. 23 at the Omni Nashville Hotel, beginning at 8:30 a.m.. The event, originally scheduled to take place in March, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event’s presenting sponsors are City National Bank, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group, and Loeb & Loeb.

A special performance, sponsored by Radio Disney Country, will be confirmed at a later time. Likewise, CMT will make a special presentation at the event.

The ninth annual celebration will honor the 2020 Rising Women on the Row honorees: Jen Conger (FBMM, Business Manager), JoJamie Hahr (BBR Music Group/BMG, VP Marketing), Mandy Morrison (City National Bank, Vice President/Senior Relationship Manager), Missy Roberts (Universal Music Publishing Group, Senior Creative Director), Jennie Smythe (Girlilla Marketing, CEO) and Stephanie Wright (UMG Nashville, Senior VP, A&R).

Read more about the honorees here.
 

King Pen Music, Warner Chappell Music Nashville Expand Partnership

King Pen Music and Warner Chappell Music Nashville have expanded their business partnership. Previously, the two companies partnered to work with three-time CMA Vocal Duo of the Year winners Brothers Osborne. King Pen Music recently signed songwriter Ava Suppelsa.

Kelly King launched King Pen Music in 2011, signing Brothers Osborne as the first act and then adding to the roster with Pete Good and Brandon Ratcliff. The company’s catalog of songs would grow to include tracks recorded by Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, Brothers Osborne, Walker Hayes, Tim McGraw, and others. King also leads A&R for artists including Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, James Otto, Joe Nichols and more. King Pen’s Creative Manager Harrison Sokoloff guides the company in offering a range of creative services for artists from newcomers to superstars.

Kelly King, Harrison Sokoloff.

King launched her career in 1994, serving as Creative Director for companies including AVI Entertainment and Hayes Street Music. She also worked as partner for Teracel Music and My Good Girl Music, two Sony Music Nashville co-ventures.
 

Awarded Songwriter Jessi Alexander Paints A Colorful Tennessee Picture With Decatur County Red

Jessi Alexander. Photo: Kristin Barlowe

Talented and lauded Nashville songstress Jessi Alexander released one of the most purely country albums of the year March 27, which is exactly what she set out to do when she fell into making a record two years ago.

With well-earned songwriting expertise and a rich country sound, Decatur County Red offers Alexander exploring all forms of herself: as a mother, a lover, a Southerner and a respected music-maker. The sound of the record reveals an artist influenced by Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette on “Mama Drank,” Charlie Daniels Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd on “Decatur County Red,” Hank Williams Jr. on “My Problem Is You,” and even Etta James and Otis Redding on “Lonely Out Of Me.”

Click here to read more on musicrow.com.
 

Songwriters Hall Of Fame Reschedules Induction Gala To 2021

The Songwriters Hall of Fame has pushed back their 51st Annual Induction & Awards Gala to next June due to the current pandemic. The gala originally set for June 11, 2020 has now been moved to June 10, 2021, at the Marriott Marquis New York.

The 2021 date will honor previously announced inductees including Mariah Carey, Annie Lennox / Dave Stewart p/k/a Eurythmics, Ernie Isley / Marvin Isley / O’Kelly Isley / Ronald Isley / Rudolph Isley / Chris Jasper p/k/a The Isley Brothers, Steve Miller, Pharrell Williams / Chad Hugo p/k/a The Neptunes, Rick Nowels and William “Mickey” Stevenson. Paul Williams will be receiving the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award and Universal Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jody Gerson will receive the Abe Olman Publisher Award.