Country Update

BILLBOARD COUNTRY UPDATE NOVEMBER 7, 2016 | PAGE 11 OF 24
NASHVILLE & NATIONAL TOM ROLAND
Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” — written about his wife, Lauren
Gregory — claimed song of the year during the 64th annual BMI
Country Awards on Nov. 1. From left: BMI president/CEO Michael
O’Neill, Gregory, Rhett and BMI Nashville vp writer/publisher relations
Jody Williams.
OSBORNES, RHETT GET SONGWRITER WINS
Attendees didn’t know it at the time, but when ASCAP and BMI handed out their
country song of the year awards on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, they were providing a
minor preview of the Country Music Association Award winners.
Brothers Osborne’s “Stay a Little Longer” took the ASCAP honor two nights
before their surprise CMA win as vocal duo of the year, while Thomas Rhett’s
“Die a Happy Man” — co-written with Joe London and Sean Douglas — nabbed
the BMI trophy the night before the CMA recognized it as single of the year.
Those awards provided a fresh coat of paint on the performing rights
organization’s winners lists, which otherwise had an air of repetition at the
top. Ashley Gorley pocketed ASCAP’s songwriter of the year for the third
year in a row during a ceremony at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, after
landing seven songs among the agency’s most-played country titles, including
Dan + Shay’s “Nothin’ Like You,” Jason Aldean’s “Tonight Looks Good on
You” and Frankie Ballard’s “Young & Crazy.”
“It obviously never gets old — totally different songs, totally different year,”
Gorley told Billboard. “I’m very humbled to get it again.”
Ross Copperman swiped BMI’s songwriter trophy for the first time, though
it was his second year in a row at the top of the winners list; he was a co-writer
of the 2015 country song of the year, “Beat of the Music.” Copperman had a
hand in seven of BMI’s top 50 songs this year, including Luke Bryan’s “Strip
It Down,” Billy Currington’s “Don’t It” and Keith Urban’s “John Cougar,
John Deere, John 3:16.”
“In 10 years, when I’m sitting, smoking a cigar, maybe I’ll understand what
a big deal this is,” said Copperman. “But right now, I’m so in it, I’m thinking
about the next five songs. It’s hard for me to soak it in.”
The publisher winners were distinctly familiar. Sony/ATV captured BMI’s
country publisher honors for the 15th year in a row, with a stake in 22 of the 50
titles celebrated among the PRO’s most-performed. Warner/Chappell walked
off with the ASCAP equivalent for the fourth consecutive year after placing
18 titles among that agency’s medallion winners.
Kenny Chesney, Chris Stapleton and Ricky Skaggs were among the special
honorees with tributes that featured the likes of Garth Brooks, Eric Church,
Jamey Johnson and Peter Frampton.
Go here for the full ASCAP story and here for the complete BMI recap.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Envision Networks is launching Collin Raye’s Rewind Country, a vignette
feature that runs on weekdays. For more info, reach Envision marketing
director Amber Wade here … Justin Cole was installed as iHeartMedia/
Chattanooga (Tenn.) senior vp programming, overseeing five stations and
serving as WUSY PD. He moves from Premiere Radio Networks director
of country programming, but will continue to work some Premiere properties
… Erika Beasley was promoted to Beasley/ Fayetteville, N.C., vp/
market manager, overseeing five stations, including country WKML. Beasley
had been WQYK Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., general sales manager. She
replaces Mac Edwards, who was transferred from Fayetteville to become
Beasley/Detroit vp/market manager … Joel “Jax” Lisinski has joined WKTI
Milwaukee in afternoon drive, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported,
arriving after a recent stint at WUSN Chicago. WKTI continues to look for
on-air talent with its lineup in flux. Jillene Khan moved to middays from
weeknights, and Jonathan West grabbed her former shift after handling
weekends. Scripps/ Milwaukee director of marketing J. Pat Miller is serving
as interim PD following Dayton Kane’s departure in October … KSNI Santa
Maria, Calif., morning co-host Jay Turner added PD stripes, according to
RadioInfo.com … Brian Gann was promoted to iHeartMedia/Central Texas
senior vp programming, InsideRadio.com reported. Previously affiliated with
five outlets, he now oversees 15 stations in Austin and San Antonio, including
four country signals: KVET and KASE Austin and KAJA and KRPT San Antonio.
’ROUND THE ROW
Pennington Entertainment hired two new employees for marketing and
management. Kelly Rickert takes over as Nashville-based social media ninja on
Nov. 14 after completing a run as Entercom/Wilkes-Barre, Pa., promotions and
social media coordinator. That job included work
with country WGGY. New executive assistant/special
projects coordinator Danielle Clement is a VSA
Tennessee artistic director. Reach Rickert here and
Clement here … Songwriter Isaac Fox signed a jointventure
publishing deal with Tim Wipperman’s
Rezonant Music and MusInk … Miranda Lambert
extended her relationship with Sony Music Nashville,
establishing the Vanner label, beginning with
FOX
her Nov. 18 album The Weight of These Wings … The
Country Music Association presented its media achievement award to Rolling
Stone Country senior editors Beville Dunkerley and Joseph Hudak. The
award comes as Dunkerley takes a new role as Pandora Nashville industry
relations director … The British Country Music Association recognized Webster
PR president Kirt Webster with its international services to industry
award … Pop singer Kay Starr died Nov. 3 in Los Angeles. She landed two top
five country singles in 1950 by teaming with Tennessee Ernie Ford on “I’ll
Never Be Free” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own” … New Revolution
Southeast regional promotion director Doug Baker died Nov. 2. He spent
two decades in promotion with stops at RCA, Virgin and Capitol following a
radio career that began as a KNIX Phoenix personality and concluded as WSIX
Nashville PD/music director.
John Osborne (left) and T.J. Osborne of Brothers Osborne accepted the
song of the year award for “Stay a Little Longer” at the ASCAP Country
Music Awards on Oct. 31 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
BROTHERS OSBORNE: ED RODE