Music News (10/16/13)

Pictured (L-R): Pat Alger, Layng Martine, Jr.,Randy Owen, Jeffrey Steele and Mark Ford. Photo: Bev Moser

On Sunday evening (Oct. 13), the Music City Center hosted its first big music-biz event and hit a homerun. The occasion was the 43^rd annual Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame banquet coupled with the NSAI honors.

Jeffrey Steele’s induction to the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame came first.

Next up was Layng Martine Jr.

Publisher Lance Freed inducted Will Jennings.

In addition to Jamey Johnson, Randy Owen was saluted in song by Kree Harrison and Connie Smith.

Hall of Famers Don Schlitz and Thom Schuyler presented Amy Kurland with the organization’s seventh Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award.

The NSAI’s Bart Herbison and Lee Thomas Miller began the evening by presenting awards to the writers of the “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written,” as voted on by their organization’s songwriter members. The 10 songs honored were “Better Dig Two,” “Cruise,” “Hard to Love,” “Highway Don’t Care,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “Like Jesus Does,” “Mama’s Broken Heart,” “Merry Go Round,” “Pontoon” and “Wagon Wheel.”

Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary and Jessi Alexander expressed emotional thanks when their “I Drive Your Truck” was named the NSAI’s Song of the Year. The song, which received MusicRow‘s Song of the Year honor earlier this year, was inspired by a true story. It is about the heroic combat death of a soldier and his father’s response to it.

The NSAI’s Songwriter of the Year award was given to Rodney Clawson.

Bazillion-selling Taylor Swift set a new record by being named the NSAI’s Songwriter-Artist of the Year for the sixth time. She said she plans to display all six trophies in the Taylor Swift Education Center in the Country Music Hall of Fame, which she opened Saturday morning (Oct. 12).

Read more at MusicRow.com.

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Pictured (L-R): Sea Gayle recording artist Brent Rupard, Jonathan Kingham, UMPG songwriter Ryan Hurd, Jeston Cade, Keith Walker, Sony/ATV songwriter James Ryan, Kris Hitchcock, Sarah Allison Turner, Austin Taylor Smith, Anthony Olympia, Dara Sisterhen, ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan, Chris Drizen, Brian Burke, Jillian Arciero, Brittany Aultman, Bonner Black and ASCAP’s Ryan Beuschel. Photos by ASCAP’s Alison Toczylowski.

The Bluebird Café set the stage to showcase the talents of the ASCAP Guidance from Publishers for Songwriters (GPS) Project recently for the organization’s class of 2013. The 14 participants performed one song “in the row” to a sold-out crowd and included songwriters Jillian Arciero, Brittany Aultman, Bonner Black, Brian Burke, Jeston Cade, Chris Drizen, Kris Hitchcock, Jonathan Kingham, Anthony Olympia, Sony/ATV songwriter James Ryan, Dara Sisterhen, Austin Taylor Smith, Sarah Allison Turner and Keith Walker.

Sea Gayle recording artist Brent Rupard, a member of the inaugural ASCAP GPS class in 2011, and UMPG songwriter Ryan Hurd, a GPS class of 2012 participant, closed out the round with a few songs to showcase the project’s success. Since its creation in 2011, the ASCAP GPS Project has been fundamental in the signing of over a dozen songwriters to publishing agreements.

ASCAP’s Ralph Murphy took the stage mid-show to announce that GPS member Kris Hitchcock will be presented with The ASCAP Foundation Leon Brettler Award at the Foundation’s annual awards gala in December in New York City. The honor, previously awarded to ASCAP GPS Project graduate Rupard, is presented to an outstanding songwriter-performer participating in an ASCAP Foundation Songwriters Workshop.

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Pictured (L-R): Kos Weaver, EVP at BMG Chrysalis Nashville, Jay DeMarcus and Sara Johnson, Sr. Director, Creative at BMG Chrysalis Nashville.

Jay DeMarcus, songwriter, producer and one-third of Rascal Flatts, has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with BMG Chrysalis’ Nashville office.

Rascal Flatts’ hits include “Mayberry,” “Bless The Broken Road,” “What Hurts The Most,” “My Wish” and “I Won’t Let Go.” DeMarcus has also achieved success as a record producer. He has been at the helm for Michael English, James Otto, Jason Crabb, Jo Dee Messina and others, and he produced the 2006 release Chicago XXX for the band Chicago.

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Mike Sebastian

The newly formed Given Music Publishing has appointed veteran music publisher Mike Sebastian as VP/General Manager.

Sebastian was formerly the Senior Director of Catalog for ole music following the sale of his company, Blacktop Music Group, to ole in 2010. Prior to Blacktop, Sebastian was the VP/GM of Starstruck Writers Group until its sale to Warner/Chappell in 2001.

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From L-R (Back Row): Chuck Fleckenstein (Still Working Music General Manager/COO); Daniel Lee (BMG Chrysalis Senior Creative Director); Alex Orbison (Still Working Music President); Sara Johnson (BMG Chrysalis Senior Creative Director); (Front Row): John Allen (BMG Chrysalis Vice President), McBride, Chelsea Kent (Still Working Music Creative Director), Kos Weaver (BMG Chrysalis Executive Vice President).

Songwriter Terry McBride has signed a publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis and Still Working Music. Throughout the course of his career thus far, McBride has had five No. 1 singles and earned 12 BMI awards with cuts for artists including George Strait, Easton Corbin, Joe Nichols, Alan Jackson, and others.

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Mila Mason

Mila Mason has joined the roster of Plateau Music. Mason penned the song, “Do You,” the debut single for fellow Plateau artist Christine Padua that is currently rising up both the Billboard Top 40 Hot AC and CHR charts.

Mason will begin work on a new studio project with Plateau owner Tony Mantor in January 2014 as well as several other multi-media projects as well.