Tag: Tequila

Music Row One Sheet Mid-August 2018

Nashville Music News Roundup

Scroll down to read these Music Row One Sheet news items

  • Nashville Songwriter Awards set for Sept 19
  • Half of UMG up for sale
  • Kenny Chesney breaks Nashville attendance record
  • Dan+Shay toast No. 1 with Tequila Tuesday
  • R.I.P. Aretha Franklin
  • Catch these acts on tour
  • Preshias on Y’all Radio podcasts

Scroll down to read these Music Row One Sheet news items

Nashville Songwriter Awards set for Sept 19

The star-studded line-up continues to grow for the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) annual Nashville Songwriter Awards presented by City National Bank.

This event is always a ‘must’ on my calendar as we show our appreciation and respect for Nashville’s incredibly talented songwriters. Country megastar and five-time CMA ‘Male Vocalist of the Year’ Blake Shelton, along with eleven-time GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter Jamey Johnson and ACM, BMI, and CMT Award winning artist Scotty McCreery will participate in the evening dedicated to songwriters. They will join previously confirmed artists Bill Anderson, Chris Janson and LANCO.

Blake Shelton, Jamey Johnson, Scotty McCreery

Awards given will include Song, Songwriter, and Songwriter-Artist of the Year as well as the coveted ‘10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ awards. As previously announced, country legend Bill Anderson will receive the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award.  This year’s Nashville Songwriter Awards will take place on September 19, 2018 at 7:30pm at the historic Ryman Auditorium. More details and tickets available here.

Half of UMG up for sale

If you’ve got some spare cash laying around, here’s an opportunity:  Vivendi is looking for investors to buy 50% of Universal Music Group.  UMG includes: Capitol Music Group, Republic Records, Island Records, Def Jam, UMG Nashville and more.  UMG revenues were up 6.8 percent for the first half of 2018 compared to 2017 (although physical record sales and downloads were down). The 50% share could be worth around ten billion dollars, but would probably not require the new investment partner to come up with anything like that much cash. See a full report at Billboard here.

Kenny Chesney breaks Nashville attendance record

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Six songwriters honored at Number One party

Dan + Shay celebrate two consecutive Number Ones 

What’s better than a Number One party? A DOUBLE Number One party, and that’s what happened Tuesday January 30th for writers of two of Dan + Shay’s recent chart-toppers.  The double-header, co-hosted by ASCAP and BMI, was held at ASCAP’s Nashville HQ.

“From the Ground Up” and “How Not To” are the second and third U.S. Country Airplay chart toppers for Warner Bros. Nashville artists Dan + Shay (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) following 2015’s “Nothing Like You,” a cut from the album WHERE IT ALL BEGAN.  The two latest Number Ones are both cuts on OBSESSED.

The honorees for “How Not To” were songwriters Kevin Bard, Paul DiGiovanni and Adam Hambrick. Publishing honors went to Kevin Bard Music, Ole Red Cape Songs, Paulywood Music, Sony ATV Music Publishing, Red Like The Sunset Music and Universal Music.

Accepting songwriters’ awards for “From the Ground Up” were Chris DeStafano, Shay Mooney and Dan Smyers, while the publishers’ nod went to Beats and Banjos, CDS Words & Music, Shay Mooney Music, Sony ATV Publishing and Warner/Chappell Music Publishing.

Inspired by grandparents’ long-lasting love

From left: Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Chris DeStafano talk during media session. Photo: Preshias Harris

At a pre-presentation media session, Dan, Shay and Chris talked about the origins of “From the Ground Up.” The idea was sparked by a very personal incident. “Driving back from my grandfather’s funeral, we ended up at [Chris] Stefano’s place,” said Dan.  “When Chris stepped outside to take a call, [Shay and I] started talking about how both our grandparents were married for 65 years. it so incredible to married for 65 Years!” It was from that discussion and family memories that the song took shape. “We knew we had something special and it was written in about 45 Minutes,” Dan added.

‘Personal moments’ shape songs

Personal life moments are often the genesis for songs, as Dan and Shay can attest. During the media session, they recalled writing “When I Prayed For You.” The song, about a soon-to-be-father praying for his child, was featured in the movie, “The Shack.”  Shay noted that it was written when he and his wife Hannah were expecting their daughter, Asher. Anticipating the birth of a child in real life added poignancy to the writing, Shay recalled.

Getting back to “From the Ground Up,” Chris DeStefano said, “It’s amazing to me to be part of a song that fans can connect with.” Chris is no stranger to chart toppers, having written or co-written Number One songs for Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Brett Eldredge, Jason Aldean and more. “I won’t ever take it for granted, being a songwriter,” he said.

Wexford, Pennsylvania, native Dan Smyers and James Shay Mooney (from Natural Dam, Arkansas) met in Nashville in December 2012 and began songwriting together. They were quickly signed to Warner/Chappell Music. The following year, their first single – “19 You + Me” – went to Country radio.  Although it never topped any chart, the song continued to sell steadily since then and has since been certified Platinum by RIAA.

Pictured (l-r): Songwriters Chris DeStefano, Paul DiGiovanni, Kevin Bard, Adam Hambrick and Dan+Shay’s Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney. Photo: Ed Rode/ASCAP

On the road with Rascal Flatts

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