Music News (2/9/22)

Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival Announces Venues

The venues have been announced for the 30th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival set to take place in Nashville March 29 – April 2.

Venues hosting numerous rounds throughout the week around town include 3rd & Lindsley, Analog at Hutton Hotel, The Bluebird Cafe, Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole, Elliston Place Soda Shop, Hard Rock Cafe Nashville, The Listening Room Cafe, The Lounge at City Winery, and Station Inn.

The 2022 Tin Pan South lineup will be revealed and week-long passes will go on sale on March 1 at 10 a.m CT. Pricing is $145 for NSAI members and $175 for non-members, and individual admission will be available for most shows at the door. Some partner venues have COVID-related entry restrictions, and the festival will provide specific information through the official Tin Pan South mobile app, social media, and the website tinpansouth.com.
 

Country Rebel Records Launches With Justin Holmes As Flagship Artist

Music and lifestyle brand Country Rebel has launched Country Rebel Records. The company’s founders, brothers Darin and Kevin Blue, also announced singer-songwriter and veteran Justin Holmes as the label’s first signing. His debut single, “Damn Addiction,” is available everywhere now.

Holmes and Country Rebel first connected in 2017 when the brand shared one of Holmes’ Facebook cover videos. After sharing to the Country Rebel network of over 18 million fans, the video went viral.

In 2019 Country Rebel invited Holmes to perform his original song “Damn Addiction” in The George Jones Sessions in which the brand hosted over 30 artists to record acoustic sessions to promote on its platform. In January 2022, the track was discovered by users on SoundCloud and TikTok, and has now been used in over 9,000 videos on TikTok and garnered over 220,000 streams on SoundCloud in a month’s time.

A native of Paducah, Kentucky, Homes got his first guitar at 15 years old, shortly before his father passed away. Quickly becoming an outlet to express himself and feel a sense of release while dealing with his father’s death, he grew very interested in songwriting and singing on stage.

Holmes enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a Security Forces member at age 18 and spent most of his 14 years of service as a weapons instructor. He took his guitar with him and often played for his fellow service members. Songwriting became an emotional outlet for Homes, pulling from past traumas, addiction, his love for his family, and his spiritual beliefs.

“We moved the Country Rebel operations from San Diego to the Nashville area for several reasons,” shares CFO and Co-Founder Darin Blue. “The main two were to be closer to the artists, labels, management companies and publicists we’re so closely allied with and to immerse ourselves in the industry and learn the business side of music from every angle. Creating Country Rebel Records was in our long-term plans, and signing Justin Holmes is the perfect artist to launch the label.”

“We first became aware of Justin through his music and we were incredibly impressed by his talent, songwriting and his character as a father and husband,” adds Co-Founder Kevin Blue. “His authentic character, passion for country music, and God-given talents made him the perfect first signing for Country Rebel Records.”
 

Victoria Banks Inks Admin Deal With Sony Music Publishing

Victoria Banks & Rusty Gaston

Sony Music Publishing has signed songwriter Victoria Banks to an exclusive, worldwide administration agreement.

Banks penned four songs on Mickey Guyton’s Grammy-nominated album, Remember Her Name, and three songs on her preceding Bridges EP. Banks co-wrote the Capitol Records Nashville artist’s 2020 single “What Are You Gonna Tell Her,” which made history with Guyton’s performance on the 2020 ACM Awards.

Banks has had multiple cuts by Sara Evans, including the solo-written “Saints & Angels,” and has written songs for Carly Pearce, Lauren Alaina, Cassadee Pope, Jessica Simpson, Terri Clark and others. She has also been named both Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association.

“I’ve been a published writer in Nashville for almost 25 years now, and I feel like these songs that I’m writing now are some of my best. I’m proud to be joining the Sony family and to have the power of their worldwide representation in support of this catalog,” says Banks. “Rusty Gaston has brought a vibrant new energy to Sony here in Nashville, and I’m really excited to be a part of that.”
 

Reservoir Acquires Buddy Cannon’s Producer Catalog

Buddy Cannon

Reservoir Media, Inc. has acquired the producer catalog of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Buddy Cannon.

The deal includes rights to all of Cannon’s Kenny Chesney collaborations from 1997’s I Will Stand through 2017’s Live In No Shoes Nation. Reservoir’s deal with Cannon does not include his SoundExchange royalties.

Cannon, a decorated songwriter, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021. He was named the Academy of Country Music’s Producer of the Year in 2006, and also received the CMA Song of the Year for George Strait’s “Give It Away.” Cannon has also collaborated with other country music giants, including Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Reba McEntire.

Cannon’s collaborative relationship with Chesney spans more than 20 years, with the music they created accumulating over three billion streams, 31 million album sales, and 36 million track sales. Among the most successful titles Cannon contributed to are 2x Platinum “American Kids,” two-time Grammy-nominated and Platinum-certified “You and Tequila” featuring Grace Potter, and Platinum-certified “When the Sun Goes Down,” as well as recordings across 18 Gold-or-higher certified albums by the country music superstar.

This news comes on the heels of Chesney selling one of his catalogs to Hipgnosis Song Management.

“I have worked very hard with Kenny for the past 25 plus years to make the best music possible and with the help of all the publishers and songwriters who have given us their very best songs we have managed to stay consistently around the top of the charts for a very long time,” shares Cannon. “When I was presented with this offer from Reservoir it seemed like it was the right thing to do and the right time for me to turn over my portion of future Kenny Chesney royalties to them. And now it’s time to make some more records and I promise to continue making the best music that I can make from here on down the road.”

Reservoir Executive Vice President of Creative, John Ozier, adds, “Buddy has created some of country music’s biggest tracks for over two decades. We are honored to be entrusted with rights to his phenomenal legacy and are excited to continue expanding our country catalog with these fantastic songs.”