Music News (04/17/24)

Sony Music Publishing Nashville & Verse 2 Music Renew Global Deal With Josh Hoge

Pictured: Josh Hoge Photo: Peyton Hoge

Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Verse 2 Music have renewed their global publishing deal with award-winning songwriter Josh Hoge.

Hoge has written numerous hits across multiple genres including Chris Young’s “I’m Comin’ Over” and “Think of You,” and Kane Brown’s “Cool Again,” “Used To Love You Sober” and “One Thing Right” with Marshmello. The 2016 SESAC Songwriter of the Year has earned a Grammy nomination for “Think of You” and a CMA Award nomination for “I’m Comin’ Over,” in addition to several RIAA multi-Platinum certifications.

His recent chart successes with Brown’s No. 1 tracks “Bury Me In Georgia” and “Thank God” earned recognition at the 2023 SESAC Music Awards, the latter receiving the title of SESAC’s 2023 Country Song of the Year. Additionally, Hoge’s latest release, “Tie Up” by Zac Brown Band, made its debut at No. 24 on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart.

Expressing his gratitude for the extended partnership, Hoge shares, “I’m very thankful to be continuing this journey with Kent [Earls], Kane, Rusty [Gaston] and the SMP/Verse 2 family! I’ve always been a writer that’s loved when I’ve been able to be exactly who I am and create exactly the way I want, and Kent and team have always let me be myself, which I think that’s a big reason to our success together. It truly is and feels like a family and you can’t find that everywhere. Can’t wait for all that’s still to come!”

The Red Clay Strays Sign With Warner Chappell Music

Pictured (L-R): The Red Clay Strays’ Brandon Coleman, Drew Nix, Andrew Bishop, John Hall and Zach Rishel. Photo: Macie B Coleman

Warner Chappell Music has signed country-rock band The Red Clay Strays to a global publishing deal.

Lead singer Brandon Coleman, electric guitarist Zach Rishel, guitarist/vocalist Drew Nix, bassist Andrew Bishop and drummer John Hall, as well as the band’s main songwriting partner and videographer Matthew Coleman, have been making music together since 2016. They spent years performing in the Gulf Coast music scene before reaching new audiences on TikTok. They independently released their album Moment of Truth in 2022 featuring the breakout song “Wondering Why,” which landed on the Billboard Hot 100 and has garnered more than 100 million streams.

After “Wondering Why” went viral last year, The Red Clay Strays made festival appearances at HWY 30 Fest, Bonnaroo, Peacemaker Festival, Under the Big Sky, Mile-0 Fest, Lollapalooza and CMA Fest. They also opened for Kip Moore, Old Crow Medicine Show, Brothers Osborne, Elle King, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and more.

The band recently signed with RCA Records and is currently working on their next album with producer Dave Cobb. In August they will launch their first-ever European tour, including five shows across the U.K.

Tim Montana Renews Deal With Spirit Music Nashville

Pictured (L-R, front row): Fluid Music Revolution’s AJ Burton; Spirit Music Group’s Kara Jackson, Frank Rogers and Derek Wells; (L-R, back row): Milom Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan PLC’s Leisl Eschbach; Spirit Music Group’s Kennedy Murphy and Gray Schubert; Milom Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan PLC’s David Crow; Spirit Music Group’s Mike Fiorentino and Brian Bradford. Photo: Courtesy of Spirit Music Nashville

Singer-songwriter Tim Montana has renewed his publishing deal with Spirit Music Nashville.

Montana recently scored his first top five on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart with his single “Devil You Know,” and his debut rock album, Savage, will be released July 12 from Music Knox Records/BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.

Montana taught himself to play guitar in an off-the-grid trailer where he lived with his family in Butte, Montana. After a stint at the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles, and his return to Montana, he got his first break in 2007 when David Letterman was at a show and invited him to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman. At 21, he settled in Music City and formed his band the Shrednecks.

At a studio session in 2013, Montana was introduced to ZZ Top founder Billy F. Gibbons, and during an impromptu songwriting collaboration, they co-wrote and recorded the single “This Beard Came Here to Party.” The song became an anthem for the Boston Red Sox, as well as for the Nashville Predators during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Montana and Gibbons also shared credits on the songs “Fifty Fifty,” “Weed and Whiskey” and “Rust and Red,” and Gibbons invited Montana to open for ZZ Top on tour. Montana later released the album Tim Montana and the Shrednecks, featuring Gibbons on four tracks.

Montana also collaborated on tracks with Kid Rock including “Tennessee Mountain Top” and “Greatest Show On Earth” for 2017’s Sweet Southern Sugar, which bowed in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. In 2020, Montana signed a record deal with producer Michael Knox and Music Knox Records/BBR Music Group.