Music News (10/4/23)

Matraca Berg To Be Honored At 2023 BMI Country Awards

Matraca Berg

Groundbreaking songwriter Matraca Berg will be honored with the BMI Icon Award during the 71st annual BMI Country Awards. The annual, invitation-only event will be held at BMI’s Nashville office on Nov. 7. BMI’s President and CEO, Mike O’ Neill will host the event with Nashville’s VP of Creative, Clay Bradley.

The Country Songwriter of the Year, Country Song of the Year and Country Publisher of the Year will also be honored during the awards, as will the top songwriters and music publishers behind this past year’s 50 most-performed songs in country music.

The BMI Icon Award is given to exceptional songwriters in recognition of their unique and indelible influence on music makers over many generations. In receiving this award, Berg joins an impressive list of country legends including Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Dean Dillon and Hank Williams, Jr., as well as multi-genre creatives Stevie Nicks, Little Richard, Carole King, Patti LaBelle, Brian Wilson, James Brown, Janet Jackson, Bo Diddley, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Peter Gabriel, Al Green, Van Morrison, Sting, Bryan Ferry, Carlos Santana, Los Lobos and more.

“Matraca Berg’s exceptional songwriting talent has woven the threads of emotion and storytelling into musical tapestries that transcend generations,” says Bradley. “We are honored to present her with this year’s BMI Icon Award in recognition of her ability to capture the essence of life’s joys, trials and tribulations with lyrical depth and emotional resonance.”

Anthem Entertainment Makes Leadership Changes, Promotes Nashville’s Noah Dewey

Pictured (L-R, back row): Jennifer Correia, Gilles Godard, Joanne Kelsey, Andrew Jamal, Andy Hawke, Noah Dewey, Stephanie Haas and Dave Collier; (L-R, front row): Adrian Battiston, Ryan Cain, Tom Leighton, Sal Fazzari, Jason Klein, Andy Curran and Courtney Crist

Anthem Entertainment has made several senior leadership changes across its music publishing and recorded music divisions, including in its Nashville office.

At the helm of Anthem Entertainment is Jason Klein, who is now the company’s permanent Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Prior to becoming CEO, Klein held the role of Senior Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs and General Manager for Anthem’s Canadian operations. He was appointed to the interim CEO position in January.

Sal Fazzari has been appointed permanent Chief Financial Officer (CFO), also following his interim appointment to the role earlier this year. Fazzari was formerly Vice-President Finance and held previous senior roles in Acquisitions and Royalty Administration.

In Music City, Gilles Godard will continue to serve as President of Anthem’s Nashville-based music publishing operation. Noah Dewey has been promoted to a new role as VP, Creative. Courtney Crist will continue as Senior Director, Creative.

“I have had the privilege to be part of this company for the last 16 years and couldn’t be more excited about the new executive team and the entire Anthem organization,” says Godard. “Anthem is a world class music publisher with very talented people, and we have a real opportunity to grow it to the next level with Jason as our new CEO. I am proud to be part of this new leadership team!”

Porchlight Music Signs Singer-Songwriter & Producer Chris Sligh

Chris Sligh

Porchlight Music has signed award-winning artist and producer Chris Sligh to a publishing deal.

Sligh was a top 10 American Idol finalist in 2007, which led to a thriving artist career with a string of Billboard chart hits including “Empty Me,” which received a 2010 Dove Award nomination for Song of the Year as well as the BMI Christian Song of the Year award. In 2009, he scored his first No. 1 with Rascal Flatts‘ “Here Comes Goodbye,” a song that earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals the following year.

In 2019, the multi-instrumentalist began writing with country artist Nate Smith and has since had 78 cuts, including tunes recorded by Smith, Bailey Zimmerman and Josh Ross. Last week, Smith’s “Wreckage,” co-written by Sligh, Smith, Mary Kutter and Paul Wrock was certified Gold by the RIAA.

“Chris is a guy that has had success as an artist coming off the heels of American Idol to having major success as a songwriter and track guy. But in addition to that, he’s someone that we all love being around. He will be a great addition to our offense,” says Tim Medlin, Partner/Co-Founder, Porchlight Music.