Music News (5/27/26)
Spirit Music Elevates Frank Rogers To CEO
Frank Rogers. Photo: Courtesy of Spirit Music
Spirit Music has elevated Frank Rogers to CEO.
“I am honored and excited to lead Spirit Music into its next chapter” says Rogers. “I look forward to continuing to work with all of our talented writers and staff to build the best independent music publisher in the world. I appreciate Lyric Capital’s support and belief in what we are building together.”
As an executive, Rogers is the former VP of EMI Nashville Productions where he signed artists including Brad Paisley and Darryl Worley. In 1999, Rogers opened up Sea Gayle Music with Paisley and Chris DuBois where he signed artists including Chris Stapleton and Ingrid Andress.
In 2016, he opened Fluid Music Revolution and in 2019 he was named the CEO of Spirit Music Nashville. In 2022, Rogers was named Chief Creative Officer for Spirit Music. In his expanded role as Chief Executive Officer for Spirit Music, he will continue to define the strategic direction to maximize growth, overseeing all aspects of Spirit Music’s global roster and creative and operational activities, while continuing to serve as President of Fluid Music Revolution.
“I have had the privilege of knowing Frank for over 10 years. What began as a Joint Venture has evolved into one of the most rewarding partnerships of my career. There are few creative talents like Frank, who is not only an exceptional creative force but also a top-tier business leader. I am genuinely excited to witness Frank lead Spirit Music into this next and most exciting chapter” says Jon Singer, Chairman Spirit Music and Co-Founding Partner of Lyric Capital Group.
“Frank is a force,” adds Ross Cameron, Co-Founding Partner of Lyric Capital Group. “We are truly lucky to have his exceptional vision and leadership guiding Spirit Music. Frank’s leadership reflects a deep understanding of how to build lasting value for artists, songwriters, and stakeholders alike, and we are excited for the continued impact he will make across our global operations.”
As a producer, Rogers’ work has resulted in 46 No. 1 singles and over 80 top twenty singles, with more than 40 singles and 20 albums being certified by the RIAA as Diamond, multi-Platinum, Platinum or Gold. He has amassed 18 CMA award nominations with one win, and 27 ACM award nominations with five wins. He was awarded MusicRow’s Producer of the Year four times, and Billboard‘s No. 1 Hot Country Producer honor five times.
As a songwriter, Rogers has had songs recorded by artists such as Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Josh Turner, Trace Adkins, Granger Smith, Kenny Rogers, Chris Stapleton, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Hootie and The Blowfish, Cody Johnson, Matthew West, Clint Black, Charlie Wilson, Thompson Square, Scotty McCreery, Maddie and Tae, Julie Roberts, Montgomery Gentry, Steve Holy, Michael Ray, Lee Brice, Kidd Rock, Billy Gibbons, Tim Montana, The Cadillac Three and Frank Ray, among others. He has earned 10 No. 1 tracks, including the recent chart-topper “Bottle Rockets,” recorded by Scotty McCreery and Hootie and the Blowfish. He has received 16 ASCAP Songwriter Awards to date.
Vince Gill & Paul Williams To Be Honored At NSAI’s Nashville Songwriter Awards
Vince Gill & Paul Williams. Photos: Courtesy of NSAI
Vince Gill and Paul Williams will be honored at NSAI’s 9th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards. The event is slated for Sept. 22 at the Ryman Auditorium.
Gill will be honored with the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement award, the organization’s pinnacle honor, given to an individual whose works have made a significant contribution to the American songbook and one who has inspired the careers of others. In total, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, 22 Grammy Awards, and eight Academy of Country Music Awards, and in 2025 was presented with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, Gill was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and in 2007 was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. His compositions earned him entry into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the prestigious BMI Icon award in 2014. Across his career, he has released 21 albums, sold over 30 million albums and charted 45 singles.
Williams will be presented with NSAI’s President’s Keystone Award, in recognition of his significant contributions to the industry for the betterment of all songwriters. Throughout his career, he has won an Oscar, three GRAMMY awards, two Golden Globe awards, earned induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has seen success in film and television. He has served as President and Chairman of the Board of ASCAP for the past 17 years and was personally selected for the award by NSAI Board President, Lee Thomas Miller.
“Having grown up loving and studying songs and the craft of songwriting, it is an immeasurable honor to call Paul Williams a friend,” says NSAI Board President, Lee Thomas Miller. “On a personal note, he has always been one of the warmest, classiest, and most professional rock stars of my career. As a BMI writer myself, it has been a joy to wage the copyright advocacy wars for the American songwriter alongside Paul, who has so often sat in the ASCAP seat. It is a great thrill to present this year’s NSAI President’s Keystone Award to our American treasure, Paul Williams.”
“City National Bank is honored to celebrate the remarkable achievements of this year’s honorees at the Nashville Songwriter Awards,” shares Diane Pearson and Lori Badgett, senior vice presidents, Entertainment & Sports Banking – Nashville, City National Bank. “The President’s Award and the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award represent the highest levels of excellence in songwriting, and we are proud to join NSAI in recognizing the extraordinary Vince Gill and Paul Williams whose work has inspired audiences and shaped the music industry.”
Additional awards, performers and more will be announced at a later date. Tickets go on sale on July 17.
BMI To Acquire Soundmouse
BMI will acquire Soundmouse, a company specializing in music cue sheet reporting and monitoring for the broadcast and entertainment production industries.
The deal is expected to close mid-2026. The transaction will be funded through the company’s operating cash and will not impact BMI’s distributions to its affiliates.
BMI plans to operate Soundmouse as an independent company and will remain one of its biggest clients. Todd Horvath, BMI’s President and COO, will oversee the operations of the company.
“This acquisition is just one element of our plans to invest in technology and expand the services we offer to our songwriters, composers and publishers,” says Mike O’Neill, BMI’s CEO. “The global audiovisual marketplace is one of the fastest growing sectors of our industry, and the income stream it provides for our creators continues to grow in importance. By establishing the most comprehensive cue sheet database in the industry, BMI will be in the best position to collect and distribute the royalties our songwriters, composers and publishers are entitled to whenever their music is used in an AV production, anywhere around the world.”
“We’re very excited for this partnership given the key service Soundmouse provides to music creators, studios, broadcasters and global collective rights organizations,” says Horvath. “Just as we are investing to grow BMI’s business, we will support Soundmouse to ensure it continues to thrive and serve the needs of the industry in the best possible way.”
Haily Harris Joins Combustion Music As Creative Manager
Haily Harris
Haily Harris has joined Combustion Music as Creative Manager.
Harris attended Belmont University in the Music Business program and was hired as Creative Manager of Wrensong Entertainment following her graduation in December 2024. In her first year at Wrensong, she landed a cut on Emily Ann Roberts with “Come Home To You.” Harris also took on the role of Creative Consultant at Jody Williams Songs in 2025 while continuing her role at Wrensong. During that same period, she also served as the Award Show Coordinator for the Association of Independent Music Publishers.
“Haily is wise beyond her years, and I am certain she will prove to be a true difference maker in the coming years….Couldn’t be happier to have her on board,” says Combustion Music President Chris Farren.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Combustion team,” says Harris. “What Chris, Falcon, Keithan, and Kelly have built here is truly inspiring – they champion music they’re passionate about and consistently think outside the box. I’ve long been a fan of these artists and writers, so to now be trusted with their songs is an incredible honor.”
Sela Campbell Signs With Leo33, CAA & Warner Chappell Music
Pictured (L-R, back row): Bryce Gravitt (Warner Chappell Music), Katie Dean (Leo33), Chris Fabiani (Leo33), Ana Shabeer (Leo33), Joseph Manzo (Leo33), Dusty Cantrell (Leo33), Marc Friedenberg (MJF Management), Chris Burrus (CAA) and Kylen Sharpe (CAA). (L-R, front row): Daniel Lee (Leo33), Sela Campbell and Natalie Osborne (Leo33). Photo: Cass Wells
Sela Campbell has inked with Leo33, CAA and Warner Chappell Music.
The 19-year-old Virginia native recently released her debut single, “Diamond In Your Pocket.” Inspired by the sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Miranda Lambert, Campbell has shared stages with 49 Winchester, Kashus Culpepper and Carly Pearce. She is slated to release more music this summer.
“I’m beyond thrilled to begin this next chapter alongside Leo33, CAA, and Warner Chappell Publishing,” shares Campbell. “I’m incredibly grateful to have such an amazing team around me who believes in me. I’m so excited for everything we’re building together.”
“Sela may be young, but between her sharp songwriting and witty delivery, she is primed for success in this industry,” says Katie Dean, Label Head of Leo33. “I look forward to watching her career flourish.”
“Sela Campbell is an absolute force,” adds Bryce Sherlow Gravitt, A&R Manager of Warner Chappell Music. “We are incredibly proud to be a part of her journey and excited to support her in further honing her craft while amplifying her clear, compelling vision. We are eager to see what Sela accomplishes in the years to come, and we cannot wait for everyone to hear what she’s been working on.”
Davis Cook Inks With Warner Chappell Music & Twelve6 Entertainment
Pictured (L-R, back row): Brendan Rich (Rich MGMT), Austen Adams (WCM) and Bryce Sherlow Gravitt (WCM). (L-R, front row): Brooke Pauley (Twelve6), Davis Cook, Travis Myatt (Twelve6). Photo: Courtesy of WCM
Davis Cook has signed a global co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music and Twelve6 Entertainment.
The Jacksonville, Florida native amassed nearly three million streams in 2025 across his catalog. He is set to release his new single, “Light Her Cigarette,” on Friday (May 22).
“So excited to share that I’ll be signing with Twelve6 and Warner Chappell for publishing,” Cook shares. “Travis Myatt and Brooke Pauley were some of the first people I met when I came to Nashville, so it truly feels like a full-circle moment to now be working with them. After connecting with Bryce Gravitt, which led to adding Warner Chappell, I have no doubt that this is exactly where I’m meant to be on the publishing side.”
“I’m pleased to welcome Davis to the Warner Chappell roster in partnership with Twelve6,” adds Bryce Sherlow Gravitt, A&R Manager, WCM Nashville. “Having Rich MGMT on board made this a natural choice given our strong working relationship across other clients. It has been rewarding to watch Davis’s talent grow since we first met, and I look forward to what we will accomplish together.”
“The moment Brooke Pauley introduced me to Davis, I knew he was special,” adds Travis Myatt, President & General Manager, Twelve6 Entertainment. “There was an undeniable spark there, and when I learned he was building alongside Brendan Rich, I felt even more strongly he was onto something. When I found out he was already in conversation with Bryce Gravitt, it felt like a natural fit, especially given the strong relationship we’ve built with our partners at Warner Chappell Music.”
Downtown Music Hosts Nashville Songwriter Camp
Daniel Nunnelee, Jacob Bryant, Cameron Montgomery and Aron Rosing
Songtrust, Downtown Music Publishing and Downtown Artist & Label Services recently teamed up to host its second Nashville Songwriter Camp.
Participants included Songtrust’s Molly Grace, Eliza Harrison Smith, Daniel Nunnelee, Aron Rosing, Austin Pardue, Watson Maack, Anna Kline, Josh Morris and Almost a.m., Downtown Music Publishing’s John Davidson, Jacob Bryant, Cameron Montgomery, Caleb Hearn and Alex Hall, and Downtown Artist & Label Services’ BRYE, Fancy Hagood, Abbey Cone, Dylan Brady and Erin Kinsey.
“I love collaborating when writing new music because other artists’ energy pushes me to take risks, sharpen my craft, and turn rough concepts into songs that feel bigger than any of us alone,” says The Brummies front man, Jacob Bryant. “There was a real sense of trust and excitement in the rooms, and that pressure-free creativity is where my strongest work happens.”
“When you throw a viral pop artist, a country lifer, and a rule-breaking producer into the same room, you don’t get bland—you get evolution,” adds Caitlin Stubner, Head of Songtrust. “This isn’t just Nashville’s sound. It’s what’s next in Nashville.”
Category: Music News
