Music News (7/31/13)

Pictured (L-R): ASCAP’s Meghan Muse, Alison Toczylowski, Kele Currier, Martin, Phelan, Mary Self, Anna Maki, Suzanne Lee, Mike Sistad and Ryan Beuschel

Belmont University‘s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, along with industry partner ASCAP, honored Belmont alumnus LeAnn Phelan (class of ’89) with the 2013 Music City Milestone Award (MCMA). The award recognizes a Belmont graduate who has achieved success in the entertainment and music industry.

Phelan co-heads the ASCAP creative team with Michael Martin; Phelan has a B.B.A. from Belmont University with an emphasis in music business. She also serves on the NARAS board and the board of Possibilities! Inc., a non-profit organization that aids those struggling with addiction and childhood abuse.

Phelan’s career has included time as a vocalist with Steve Winwood, as well as work with Sony Records, 19 Entertainment, Windswept Pacific and Combustion Music. Throughout her career, she has worked in songwriter management, production coordination, A&R, music supervision, song plugging and writer development. Phelan’s work has impacted artists and songwriters Ashley Gorley, Kings of Leon, Catt Gravitt, Blair Daly, Steve McEwan, Miranda Lambert and Gordie Sampson, among others.

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Justin Levenson

SESAC has promoted Justin Levenson to the position of Director, Licensing Operations. Levenson will be responsible for reviewing the productivity and efficiency of SESAC’s Licensing department utilizing systematic and measurable processes to ensure alignment with SESAC’s Organizational goals. Levenson, who has been with SESAC for over 12 years, previously served as Manager, Licensing Operations.

Levenson is a Leadership Music alumnus and is on the Board of Directors for WO Smith Community Music School as well as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame Troubadour Society Advisory Board and Strategic Outreach Committee Chair. He is a Library of Congress Board Member and is currently President of the Nashville Emerging Leader program (NEL).

In other SESAC news, the PRO partnered with Apple in a free iOS Recording Technology Workshop for artists, songwriters and publishers at the performing rights organization’s Music Row headquarters. Hosted by SESAC’s Tim Fink along with Apple’s Dan Kee and Apogee Digital’s Roger Robindoré, the workshop featured educational demonstrations on creating, recording and mixing music on an iPhone and iPad. The workshop also offered in-depth Q&A and one-on-one sessions with the attendees.

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Independent music publishing company Song Factory has signed six new songwriters to the roster, including Bart Butler, Dillon Carmichael, Olivia Rudeen, Nathan Christopher, Terry Lee Palmer and Larry McCoy.

Song Factory was established in 2008 as the shared vision of Jennifer Johnson and Jim Kaufman. 

Read more at MusicRow.com.

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BMG Chrysalis has signed songwriter and Mercury Records recording artist Canaan Smith. Canaan has secured multiple major label cuts, including “Black Tears” on Jason Aldean‘s Platinum-certified album Night Train and the Top Ten hit “Runaway” by Love and Theft. He was recently in the studio with producers Brett Beavers and Luke Wooten, recording for his forthcoming single and debut album.

Pictured (Front row, L-R): Brett Beavers (Producer), Canaan Smith; (Back row, L-R): Daniel Lee (BMG Chrysalis Senior Creative Director), Kos Weaver (BMG Chrysalis Executive Vice President), Luke Wooten (Producer)

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ole has acquired the music publishing catalog of Nashville-based Better Angels Music Publishing Group. The catalog includes more than 2,000 unexploited songs, as well as more than 100 commercially-released songs, and several master recordings.

Notable copyrights acquired through the deal include several cuts from the debut album from Thompson Square, along with songs from artists Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean and Kip Moore, among others. Active songwriters moving to ole include Josh Thompson, Matthew Rogers and Brian Callihan.

Better Angels Music current General Manager, Gary Ray, will assist ole in integrating and further exploiting the catalog. Shellien Kinsey, who had previously held various positions at Better Angels, has joined ole as Office Coordinator at the company’s Nashville office.