Music News (9/14/22)

HarbourView Acquires Big Loud Mountain’s Publisher Share Of Select Florida Georgia Line Songs

Florida Georgia Line. Photo: John Shearer

HarbourView Equity Partners has announced its acquisition of Big Loud Mountain Music’s publisher share of select songs from Florida Georgia Line‘s catalog.

Big Loud was a key player in the launch and early success of Florida Georgia Line. The duo made their mark on the genre with hit songs such as “Meant To Be,” “This Is How We Roll,” “H.O.L.Y.,” “May We All,” “Dirt” and “Cruise.” Together the duo’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley tallied 19 career No. 1 singles and more than 13 billion global streams. They sold more than 40 million tracks and 4.8 million albums worldwide.

FGL recently ended their chapter as a duo, and have since been working on solo careers.

Since launching just nine months ago, HarbourView has acquired nearly 40 catalogs to date. The firm’s diverse portfolio features thousands of titles spanning numerous genres and decades. Most recently the company acquired catalogs from Brad Paisley and Lady A, as well as Hollywood Undead, Dre & Vidal, and Luis Fonsi.

Big Loud Mountain Music was represented by Derek Crownover, Megan Pekar and John Rolfe of Loeb & Loeb LLP. Alter, Kendrick & Baron, LLP served as legal counsel to HarbourView.

The terms of the transaction, nor the titles of the acquired tracks, were not disclosed.
 

Chips Moman To Be Honored As Sixth Member Of Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Class Of 2022

Chips Moman

Next month, the late Chips Moman will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) at the organization’s 52nd Anniversary gala. Moman was elected in NaSHOF’s new Legacy category which was designed specifically to honor Hall of Fame-worthy candidates who are deceased.

Raised on a farm near LaGrange, Georgia, Lincoln Wayne “Chips” Moman left school at 14 to hitchhike to Memphis where he spent time as a session guitarist before diving into record producing and songwriting. As a songwriter, he scored R&B and pop hits in 1961 with “Last Night” by The Mar-Keys and “This Time” by Troy Shondell. In 1967, Moman and Dan Penn created the classics “The Dark End Of The Street” by James Carr and “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” by Aretha Franklin, which was later a top 20 for Barbara Mandrell.

After moving to Nashville in the early ’70s, Moman earned the 1976 Grammy for Best Country Song for B.J. Thomas’ multi-genre No. 1 “(Hey, Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.” In 1977, Waylon Jennings debuted Moman’s outlaw country classic “Luckenbach, Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love).” In 1978, Thomas topped the AC charts again with “Everybody Loves A Rain Song.” Other songs from Moman’s catalog include “Love Looks Good On You” by David Houston, “The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don’t Want To Get Over You)” by Jennings and “So Much Like My Dad” by George Strait.

Moman will be inducted alongside the previously announced members of the Class of 2022: Hillary Lindsey, David Malloy, Gary Nicholson, Shania Twain, and Steve Wariner. Taking place on Sunday, Oct. 30 at Nashville’s Music City Center, the new inductees-elect will join the 229 existing members of the Hall, which was established in 1970.

Moman was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
 

Chris Stapleton Renews Global Publishing Deal With Warner Chappell

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Becky Fluke

Eight-time Grammy winner Chris Stapleton has renewed his global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.

Born and raised in Kentucky, Stapleton first landed on the scene in 2015 with his now 5x Platinum debut album, Traveller, which includes the RIAA diamond single, “Tennessee Whiskey.” He has gone on to earn 10 RIAA-certified Platinum singles, 14 CMA Awards, eight ACM Awards, and billions of streams.

As a songwriter, Stapleton has penned countless hits, including his 3x Platinum song “Broken Halos,” his 2x Platinum single “Parachute,” and Justin Timberlake’s 3x Platinum single “Say Something.” He has also written songs recorded by Adele, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Peter Frampton, Sheryl Crow, Ed Sheeran, Vince Gill, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and Tim McGraw.

Of the news, Stapleton shares, “Ben Vaughn and the Warner Chappell Music team have been wonderful partners to me and my music over the past eight years. I look forward to our continued relationship.”

Stapleton is represented by his managers Coran Capshaw, Zach Peters, and Clay Hunt (Red Light Management) as well as his attorney Chip Petree (Ritholz Levy Fields).
 

William Michael Morgan Inks Pub Deal With Porchlight Music

Pictured (L-R, back row): Shannon Sanders (BMI) and Freeman Wizer (PLM); (L-R, front row): Tim Medlin (PLM), William Michael Morgan, and Anthony Smith (PLM). Photo: Grayson Green

Porchlight Music has inked a publishing deal with singer-songwriter William Michael Morgan.

Upon signing his first major-label deal at 19 years old, Morgan found himself topping the country radio charts, and ultimately landing at No. 1 on Mediabase with the Gold-certified “I Met a Girl.” He followed that with his 2016 album debut, Vinyl, which earned him a Billboard Top 5.

Throughout his career, he has also penned songs for other artists, including the recent No. 1 “Tractor Town” for Texas country artist Jake Bush. Morgan has performed on the famous Grand Ole Opry stage more than 70 times, and was featured by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as a highlighted artist in the 2017 American Currents exhibit.

Currently produced by Keith Stegall, Morgan is working on a collection of new songs that tap into a variety of musical genres, including country, blues, and soul.