Music News (9/6/23)
John Jarrard To Be Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame
John Jarrard
The late John Jarrard will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) at the 53rd anniversary NaSHOF Gala on Oct. 11 at Nashville’s Music City Center.
Jarrard was elected in NaSHOF’s Legacy category, which is designed specifically to honor hall of fame-worthy candidates who are deceased. He will be inducted posthumously alongside the previously announced members of the Class of 2023 – Keith Urban, Kix Brooks, Casey Beathard, David Lee Murphy and Rafe Van Hoy. The six new inductees-elect will join the 235 existing members of the Hall, which was established in 1970.
A native of Gainesville, Georgia, he moved to Nashville in 1977 to pursue a songwriting career. Within a year the University of Georgia graduate began to lose his sight to diabetes, and by 1979 he was totally blind. Undaunted, Jarrard became a familiar figure on Music Row, negotiating its streets on foot with the use of a cane. His determination never failed, and in 1983 Don Williams scored a chart-topping hit with his song “Nobody But You.”
Throughout the ’80s, more hits followed including “There’s No Way” by Alabama, “What’s A Memory Like You (Doin’ In A Love Like This)” by John Schneider, “Lonely Alone” by The Forester Sisters, “You’ve Got The Touch” by Alabama and “Shouldn’t It Be Easier Than This” by Charley Pride. In the ’90s, Jarrard scored more top five trend hits with “Mirror, Mirror” by Diamond Rio, “Money In The Bank” by John Anderson, “My Kind Of Girl” by Collin Raye and “Blue Clear Sky” by George Strait.
“We’re gratified to see John Jarrard memorialized in this year’s class,” says Rich Hallworth, NaSHOF Board of Directors Chair. “Through memorable songs such as “Money In The Bank” by John Anderson and “Blue Clear Sky” by George Strait, John will be remembered always. He is richly deserving of our ultimate recognition.”
Jarrard is also a 2010 inductee into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
Matt McGinn Signs With Boom Music Group & Cinq Music Group
Pictured (L-R, front row): Joe Fisher (Founder, Boom Music Group), Matt McGinn, Shannan Hatch (SVP, Head of Nashville Creative, SESAC PRO); (L-R, back row): Shaina Botwin (Sr. Director A&R, Boom Music Group), Logan Mulvey (Partner, Cinq Music Group), Lydia Schultz Cahill (Sr. Director, Creative Services, SESAC PRO)
Hit songwriter and producer Matt McGinn has signed a publishing deal with Boom Music Group in partnership with Cinq Music Group.
With many cuts in multiple genres, McGinn has celebrated nine No. 1 songs. Chart-toppers co-written by McGinn include “7500 OBO” recorded by Tim McGraw, as well as several hits recorded by Kane Brown, such as “Like I Love Country Music,” “Homesick,” “One Thing Right” and “Heaven,” the latter of which was the first song to win Song of the Year at all three country awards for ASCAP, BMI and SESAC in 2018. He was named Songwriter of the Year at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards in 2018 and again in 2020.
McGinn currently has a top 3 hit with Brown’s latest, “Bury Me In Georgia” and recently celebrated a 2-week No. 1 at Active Rock radio with Staind’s “Lowest In Me.” Additionally, he co-wrote all ten songs on Staind’s upcoming album, due out in September.
“I used to listen to Matt’s demos on Soundcloud before I even moved to Nashville,” says Shaina Botwin, Sr. Director, A&R at Boom Music Group. “He’s a brilliant songwriter and I’m very excited to partner with him and Cinq for the next chapter of his career!”
“I am honored to join the Boom and Cinq rosters alongside some of my favorite songwriters in Nashville,” says McGinn. “Joe Fisher’s veteran experience and his pragmatic business approach, coupled with Shaina Botwin’s inability to be anything but a badass made this a decision hard for even me to overthink… if only second verses were this easy.”
Curb | Word Music Publishing Announces Staff Promotion & Addition
Sarah Schumacher & Calista Miller
Curb | Word Music Publishing has promoted Sarah Schumacher to Senior Creative Director, Country Publishing, and added Calista Miller as Creative Coordinator, Country Publishing.
Schumacher began her publishing career at Disney Music Group, where she served as Catalog Manager and handled day-to-day writer management. In 2019, the California State University, Northridge graduate formed writer management and development company Darkhorse Music Management. Schumacher then joined Curb | Word Music Publishing in October 2021 as Creative Director, Country Publishing.
Reporting to Ciara Shortridge, VP, Country Publishing/A&R and Colt Murski, VP, Country Publishing & Creative, her responsibilities include managing creative operations of the country songwriter roster and catalog. Most recently, Schumacher signed history-making country writer and producer Alex Kline into the Curb | Word Music Publishing family.
Miller officially joined the Curb | Word Music Publishing team upon her graduation from Belmont University’s Mike Curb College Of Entertainment & Music Business in 2022, after working as an intern her senior year.
Reporting to Schumacher, Shortridge and Murski, her primary responsibilities consist of coordinating and facilitating strategic writing sessions for the country songwriter roster, managing social media strategy for the department, and assisting in pitching/placing writer catalog, in addition to catalog administration duties.
Category: Music News
