Music News (3/16/22)

Nominees Announced For Seventh Annual AIMP Awards

The Nashville Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) has announced the nominees for its seventh annual AIMP Awards, which will take place on April 19 from 4 – 6 p.m. CT at The Listening Room Café.

The awards event will open to nominees only, in person, but will be available for livestream at no cost to local members. Access to the livestream will be available for purchase for $6.00 to non-members and AIMP members in chapters outside of the Nashville community.

This year’s categories consist of Rising Songwriter of the Year, Rising Artist-Writer of the Year, Artist-Writer of the Year, Song Champion of the Year, Publisher’s Pick of the Year, Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year.

The most nominated independent publisher this year is SMACKSongs, who takes home nine nominations. Big Machine Music follows with six, and Round Hill Music and Curb | Word Music Publishing both have four. Michael Hardy, who was just named ACM Songwriter of the Year, leads as most nominated individual with four nominations.

Voting for all AIMP Nashville Chapter members will begin today (March 15) and ballots will close at 5 p.m. CT on March 21. See the full list of nominees below:

AIMP Rising Songwriter Of The Year
– Brinley Addington (Spirit Music)
– Sara Davis (Big Machine Music)
– Josh Jenkins (SMACKSongs)
– John Morgan (Play It Again Music Group)
– Brett Tyler (Combustion Music)
– Dallas Wilson (Riser House Entertainment)

AIMP Rising Artist-Writer Of The Year
– Tenille Arts (Noble Vision Music)
– Callista Clark (Big Machine Music)
– Hannah Ellis (Curb | Word Music Publishing)
– Dylan Marlowe (Play It Again Music Group)
– Kylie Morgan (SMACKSongs)
– CJ Solar (Edgehill Music)

AIMP Artist-Writer Of The Year
– Jimmie Allen (Endurance Music)
– Lee Brice (Play It Again Music Group)
– HARDY (Relative Music)
– Walker Hayes (SMACKSongs/Rare Spark Media Group)
– Ryan Hurd (Big Machine Music)
– Morgan Wallen (Big Loud)

Song Champion Of The Year
– Jake Gear (Hang Your Hat Music)
– Lee Krabel (SMACKSongs)
– Cris Lacy (Warner Music)
– Colt Murski (Curb | Word Music Publishing)
– Ciara Shortridge (Curb | Word Records)
– Trina Smith-Dort (MeGusta Music)

AIMP Songwriter Of The Year
– Corey Crowder
– Jesse Frasure
– Ashley Gorley
– Michael Hardy
– Hunter Phelps
– Jonathan Singleton

AIMP Publisher Of The Year
– Big Loud Publishing
– Big Machine Music
– Kobalt Music
– Round Hill Music
– SMACKSongs
– Spirit Music

AIMP Publisher’s Pick Of The Year
– “Bigger Man” written by Joy Oladokun, Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz – Prescription Songs/Heroes and Halos Music/JRM Publishing/Round Hill Music/Big Machine Music – recorded by Joy Oladokun and Maren Morris

– “Briefcase” written by Walker Hayes, Lori McKenna – SMACKSongs/Rare Spark Media Group /Concord Music Publishing/Creative Nation – recorded by Walker Hayes

– “Miles” written by Luke Preston, Elvie Shane, John Sherwood – Anthem Entertainment/Little Louder Publishing/Rome Phrey Publishing – recorded by Elvie Shane

– “Over You is You” written by Tenille Arts, Matt Stell, Ben Stennis, Alex Kline – Young Guns Publishing/Kobalt Music /Noble Vision Music/Endurance Music/Sheltered Music Publishing – recorded by Matt Stell and Tenille Arts

– “Truth About You” written by Matt Alderman, Mitchell Tenpenny, Thomas Archer – Curb | Word Music Publishing/MV2 Entertainment/Riser House Entertainment – recorded by Mitchell Tenpenny

– “Younger Me” written by TJ Osborne, John Osborne, Kendell Marvel – King Pen Music/Concord Music Publishing- recorded by Brothers Osborne

AIMP Song Of The Year
– “Abcdefu” written by GAYLE, Dave Pittenger, Sara Davis – Big Yellow Dog/Art House Entertainment/Big Machine Music – recorded by GAYLE

– “Buy Dirt” written by Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins, Jacob Davis – Anthem Entertainment/SMACKSongs/Combustion Music – recorded by Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan

– “Chasing After You” written by Brinley Addington and Jerry Flowers – Mojo Music/Anthem Entertainment- recorded by Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd

– “half of my hometown” written by Kelsea Ballerini, Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins, Nicolle Galyon, Ross Copperman – SMACKSongs/Tempo Investments/JRM Publishing/Round Hill Music

– “Sand In My Boots” written by Michael Hardy, Josh Osborne, Ashley Gorley – Relative Music/SMACKSongs/Round Hill Music – recorded by Morgan Wallen

– “Til You Can’t” written by Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers – Young Guns Publishing/Anthem Entertainment – recorded by Cody Johnson
 

SixForty1 Builds Team: Signs With Morris Higham, WME, More

Pictured (L-R): Aaron Keiser (Morris Higham Management), Eric Gallimore (Amped Entertainment), Rob Filhart (Toby & Molly Music), Aaron Tannenbaum (WME)

SixForty1 has signed with Morris Higham Management and WME’s Aaron Tannenbaum for representation.

The pop-country duo comprised of Austin Gee and Brooks Hoffman have also individually inked respective publishing deals with Amped Entertainment and Toby & Molly Music.

Formed while attending Murray State University in Kentucky, the duo discovered they had immediate songwriting chemistry. After moving to Nashville in 2018, they soon gained attention from some of Nashville’s power players, including Aaron Keiser at Morris Higham Management and Tannenbaum.

The announcement on their new team follows SixForty1’s 2021 EP release, Started Right Here, which moved the duo’s streaming numbers into the multi-millions. SixForty1 has toured with Brantley Gilbert, Eli Young Band, Michael Ray, Walker Hayes, Niko Moon and Dustin Lynch, and are currently on the road with Tyler Rich on the “Two Thousand (more) Miles Tour.”

“It’s an honor to represent SixForty who are dedicated to their craft,” says Morris Higham Management’s Clint Higham. “Both Austin and Brooks are equally talented songwriters as they are performers. In a day of TikTok and instafamous moments, it’s refreshing to work with Brooks and Austin. They are the real long-term deal.” 

“I am proud to be working with Aaron Keiser and Morris Higham Management to nurture what Brooks and Austin have already established with their unique songwriting and great live show,” says Tannenbaum.

“We are blessed with the opportunity to work with such an incredible team and we are excited to see where we take each other,” shares Gee and Hoffman. “The sky is truly the limit here.”
 

Gable Bradley Signs With Big Yellow Dog Music

Gable Bradley. Photo: Courtesy of Shore Fire Media

Gable Bradley has signed with Big Yellow Dog Music. The singer-songwriter’s upcoming EP, Born Ready, is due out May 6, with the project’s lead single, “Spade,” available now.

“Sometimes things are only meant for a little while, and that’s okay,” shares Bradley. “This song is about soaking up the journey… two runaway hearts looking for love. I think everyone can relate to that.”

Growing up in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Bradley developed an early love for playing music when his mom enrolled him in piano lessons in third grade. At 17, he began teaching himself guitar, and later began playing bars at colleges across the southeast.

In 2016, he moved to Nashville and worked blue collar jobs while immersing himself in the creative community, eventually landing at Big Yellow Dog.