Music News (12/16/15)

Big Deal Music Acquires Words & Music Admin

Pictured (L-R): Pete Robinson, Sr. Vice President/GM Nashville; Kim McCollum-Mele, President, Words & Music; Kenny MacPherson, President, Big Deal Music

Big Deal Music has acquired Nashville-based administration company Words & Music. Words & Music will continue to provide independent administration services, and will assume most of Big Deal Music’s domestic administrative duties beginning January 1. Big Deal’s extension with BMG will remain in effect for territories outside North America.

Jeff Bhasker. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Jeff Bhasker featured on MusicRow.com

Jeff Bhasker has carved a high-powered career out of the diversity of musical genres he’s worked in, with names including Alicia Keys, Drake, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Pink, Ed Sheeran, fun., Bruno Mars and country newcomer Cam peppering his resume.

Read the full interview at MusicRow.com.

Downtown Music Publishing’s Steve Markland. Photo: Steve Lowry

Downtown Music Publishing’s Steve Markland Featured on MusicRow.com

Downtown Music Publishing’s VP of A&R Steve Markland will soon celebrate two years since establishing Downtown Music Publishing’s Nashville outpost in 2014. The 3,000-square-foot Nashville office followed Downtown’s Los Angeles office, which opened in 2013. The company is headquartered in New York City, and was founded in 2007.

Read the full interview at MusicRow.com.

Chord Overstreet Inks Publishing Deal

Chord Overstreet.

Chord Overstreet has inked a publishing deal with a new venture between Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and Safehouse Publishing. The latter organization is a division of Safehouse Records, which is co-owned by entertainment executive Phil McIntyre, Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas.

Overstreet is the first songwriter signed under the new agreement. He is the son of country songwriter Paul Overstreet and known for his role on FOX’s Glee.

Jason Isbell Signs New Publishing Deal

Jason Isbell

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Jason Isbell has inked an exclusive worldwide publishing agreement with Downtown Music Publishing. Isbell’s latest solo album, Something More Than Free, debuted this summer atop the rock, country and folk charts.

Isbell was part of the band Drive-By Truckers before launching a solo career in 2007. In 2014 he took home Americana Music Awards for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (for “Cover Me Up”), and Album of the Year for Southeastern. He is nominated for the upcoming Grammy Awards for Best American Roots Song (“24 Frames”) and Best Americana Album (Something More Than Free).

Naima Adedapo Signs to Given Music Publishing

Pictured (Front row, L-R): Denise Stevens, Partner, Loeb & Loeb LLP; Naima Adedapo; Cindy Owen, Partner, Given Entertainment. (Back row, L-R) Wayne Milligan, Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group; Mike Sebastian, VP/General Manager, Given Music Publishing

Naima Adedapo has signed a publishing deal with Given Music Publishing in Nashville. She was a Top 10 finalist on American Idol in 2011. She released an EP titled Beautifully Made in 2015.

Given Music Publishing, a division of Given Entertainment, LLC, was formed in 2013 by music industry veteran Cindy Owen and business partner Jim Kacmarcik. Tri Star Sports and Entertainment is the exclusive administrator of Given Music Publishing.