Music News 6/21/12

"You and Tequila" wins Song of the Year. (L-R): MusicRow's Sherod Robertson, Warner/Chappell's Alicia Pruitt, Matraca Berg, her publisher Pat Higdon, UMPG's Kent Earls and Cyndi Forman

24th annual MusicRow Award winners
Breakthrough Songwriters: Johnny Bulford and Phil Barton
Producer of the Year: Frank Liddell
Breakthrough Artist: Eli Young Band
Song of the Year: “You and Tequila,” by Matraca Berg and Deana Carter, published by UMPG and Warner/Chappell

Top 10 Album All Star Musician Awards
Vocals: Perry Coleman
Keys: (tie) Charles Judge and Gordon Mote
Guitar: Ilya Toshinsky
Steel: Paul Franklin
Bass: Jimmie Lee Sloas
Fiddle: (tie) Larry Franklin and Aubrey Haynie
Drums: Shannon Forrest
Engineer: Justin Niebank

Complete coverage of event here.

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Frances Preston in 2007. Photo: Richard Patire

Two legendary music executives passed in recent days. Frances Williams Preston died June 13, at 4 a.m. She passed peacefully at home from congestive heart failure. She was 83.

Preston served as President and CEO of BMI from 1986 until 2004. She founded the company’s Nashville office, initially working from her parent’s home as a young woman. That led to a six-decade career with the performing rights organization, where she headed Nashville operations and later served as president of the company headquartered in New York. Preston retired from BMI in 2004 and returned to Nashville full time in 2007.

Donna Hilley

Former Sony/ATV Nashville President and CEO Donna Hilley died last night (6/20) in Nashville after an extended illness. One of Music Row’s most prominent female executives, she spent 31 years working with Sony/ATV.

Hilley was named EVP and COO of Tree International in 1978, and the company was purchased by Sony in 1989. Hilley negotiated the purchase and assumed the role of President and CEO in 1994. Under her leadership the company made major acquisitions such as Acuff-Rose, Little Big Town, Maypop, and the catalogs of Conway Twitty, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard.

MusicRow extends sincere condolences to their loved ones.

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The NMPA has reached an agreement with Universal Music Group, where UMG will pay songwriters and music publishers when music videos of their songs are played on YouTube and Vevo. UMG is the first major label to reach a licensing agreement of this kind, traditionally songwriters and publishers weren’t paid for video plays, which were considered promotional uses.

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SESAC will kick off CMA Awards Week 2012 by honoring the top songwriters and publishers in Country and Americana at the invitation only 2012 SESAC Nashville Music Awards, which will be held Sunday, October 28 at Pinnacle at Symphony Place.

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Luke and Beth Laird

Songwriting and publishing power couple Luke and Beth Laird have announced the grand opening of their publishing and management company Creative Nation. The company will offer tailored deals for songwriters and producers in an effort to meet each individual’s needs. Creative Nation’s first signing is songwriter/producer Barry Dean.

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Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Pat Alger and songwriting community supporter Mike Dye have been elected to officer positions on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF).

Alger will serve as the Vice President, while Dye has been named Treasurer and Finance Chair. They join Chairman John Van Mol and Secretary Layng Martine, who were re-elected to their respective positions.

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Legendary tunesmith Don Schlitz was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization’s 43rd annual Awards Gala on June 14, and was saluted by Kenny Rogers who performed Schlitz’s classic “The Gambler.” Schlitz also recently signed to Nashville-based Sea Gayle Music, whose VP of Creative Mike Owens was in New York for the celebration.

(L-R): Sea Gayle Music's Mike Owens, Stacey Schlitz, Don Schlitz, ASCAP's LeAnn Phelan and Marc Driskill. Photo: Gary Gershoff.

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Ronnie Milsap and American Songwriter have announced Ronnie Milsap’s Country Cut Contest, going on now. Aspiring songwriters will have the chance to compete to have one of their songs recorded by Milsap for an upcoming album due in fall 2012.

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The recently opened Music Row Country Club on 16th Ave. S. provides a “home base” for songwriters, musicians, artists and industry professionals. Located at 1010 16th Ave. S., MRCC offers seven writer rooms, a business center where members can check their email, surf the web, etc., a coffee lounge, a conference room, and an executive suite. Other amenities include individual business phone lines with answering service and the option to use the facility’s address as a drop off location for song pitches.