Music News (5/28/25)

NMPA To Honor Kacey Musgraves & Rhett Akins

Kacey Musgraves & Rhett Akins

The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) will honor Kacey Musgraves and Rhett Akins at its annual meeting, which is set to take place at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on June 11.

Musgraves will receive this year’s NMPA Songwriter Icon award. The 12-time NMPA Gold and Platinum-certified, Grammy Album of the Year award winner is known for her signature songwriting ability and challenging the boundaries of genre.

Akins will be awarded the NMPA Non-Performing Songwriter Icon Award for his over three decades of contributions to country music. He has amassed 44 Gold and Platinum songwriting certifications to date.

This year’s gathering will feature a special segment dedicated to the Billboard Songwriter Awards which were postponed due to the Los Angeles wildfires. Winners of these awards will be unveiled at the event.

Additionally, Apple Music head Oliver Schusser will sit down for a keynote conversation.

“We are thrilled to honor Kacey Musgraves whose music has always been driven by lyric and melody,” says NMPA President & CEO David Israelite. “A consummate songwriter, she is a successful solo hitmaker and renowned collaborator. Additionally, we look forward to celebrating the career of Rhett Akins whose songwriting has been central to the growth of country music.”

Nick Autry Signs With Spirit Music Nashville

Pictured (L-R, back row): Will Cooper (Sr. Director of Finance, Spirit Music Nashville), Kennedy Murphy (Creative Director, Spirit Music Nashville), Brian Bradford (GM/VP of Admin, Spirit Music Nashville), Mikey Fiorentino (Director of A&R/Production, Spirit Music Nashville) and Lucy Widmann (Creative Coordinator, Spirit Music Nashville). (L-R, front row): AJ Burton (VP Fluid Music Revolution), Nick Autry, Andy Hodges (Creative Director, Spirit Music Nashville) and Frank Rogers (Chief Creative Officer, Spirit Music Group/CEO, Spirit Music Nashville). Photo: Courtesy of Spirit Music Group

Nick Autry has inked a global publishing deal with Spirit Music Nashville.

Hailing from Autryville, North Carolina, Autry spent his teenage years as a touring drummer before heading to music city to kick off his illustrious career as a producer, songwriter and engineer. His engineer work was featured on the Grammy-nominated James Cotton project Cotton Mouth Man, and he has engineered 20+ No. 1 hit country songs for Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt and Chris Young, among others.

“Nick’s multifaceted talent mixed with his unbeatable work ethic makes him a true privilege to work with,” says Andy Hodges, Creative Director, Spirit Music Nashville. “We all can’t wait for the many successes to come for Nick.”

As a songwriter, he has had cuts with Rvshvd, Willie Jones, Brit Taylor and more. He also co-wrote on and produced the chart topping Billboard comedy album for Bobby Bones and The Raging Idiots that features Garth Brooks, Kelsea Ballerini and more.

In 2010, Autry was named General Manager of Sound Stage, where he works with Dolly Parton, Keith Urban and many more. He also mentors aspiring engineers and producers through his time at Sound Stage.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and honored to be on a roster with some of my heroes and some of my best friends,” shares Autry. “The team at Spirit has proven they’re second to none and I can’t believe how lucky I am to get to work with them.”

Producer, Songwriter Chuck Butler Signs With Red Street Publishing

Pictured (L-R): Red Street Records CEO Jay DeMarcus, Mike Craft, Chuck Butler, Red Street GM Alex Valentine and Jason McArthur

Producer, songwriter and composer Chuck Butler has signed with Red Street Publishing.

Hailing from Jackson, Tennessee, Butler began his career as an artist leading a CCM group called Justified followed by the band A Cross Between, earning both his first record deal and publishing contract with Benson Records and Brentwood-Benson Publishing. He’s since worked with artists like India.Arie, The Backstreet Boys, Nick Lachey, Toby Mac, Bethel Music, Kari Jobe, Mandisa, Sanctus Real, Tenth Avenue North and many more.

Butler’s work has been in film and TV in Glee, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Sister Wives, Extreme Makeover, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, NBC election coverage and major ad campaigns like Swarovski with his 2010 band The So Manys. He’s earned three Grammy wins for his contributions to Doe Jones’ “Heart Of A Human,” Toby Mac’s album, This Is Not A Test and Mandisa’s album Overcomer. 

He also holds six Dove Awards, multiple BMI awards and Platinum and Gold certifications for Tauren Wells’ “Hills and Valleys” and “Famous For (I Believe),” respectively. Butler also scored a Top 10 CCLI song with Maverick City Music & UPPERROOM’s “I Thank God,” which was also recorded by Housefires ft. JWLKRS Worship where it held a No. 1 spot on the Christian AC radio charts and was named the 2024 song of the year on the Mediabase Christian AC and Christian Impression charts.