Maren Morris, Ryan Hurd celebrate No. 1 with songwriters

“Chasing After You” written by Brinley Addington and Jerry Flowers honored at No. 1 party

By Preshias Harris

First of all, Hayes Andrew Hurd is the sweetest, cutest two-year-old you could ever meet!  And speaking of babies… Nine months is a fairly standard gestation period – if you are parents, anticipating the arrival of your bundle of joy.  But if you are a recording artist or a songwriter, nine months can seem like a lifetime, from the moment your song cracks the chart, going for adds, increasing spins, streams and sales, until it finally rises to the top. 

A scene from the official music video for “Chasing After You”

A nine-month chart climb is by no means a record-setter, but it was doubtless a nail-biter for Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris who recorded “Chasing After You” and also for Brinley Addington and Jerry Flowers, the writers of the hit song.

The song’s success was celebrated Tuesday, May 31 at a Number One party on the rooftop of BMI’s offices in Nashville.  Hurd and Morris (with son Hayes) joined friends, music publishers and industry execs to fete Addington and Flowers.

MaryAnn Keen, Associate Director of Writer/Publisher Relations at BMI, was the party’s ‘hostess with the mostest’ and introduced Jerry Flowers and Brinley Addington to the partygoers. Keen noted that she and Addington have been friends since 2008 and have often said, “Cannot wait until we are celebrating [Addington’s] first Number One,” and now it had come to fruition. She also pointed out that this song was the first chart-topper for both Addington as writer and Ryan Hurd as artist.

Continue reading “Maren Morris, Ryan Hurd celebrate No. 1 with songwriters”

‘Inside Track on Music Row’ now posted

Monthly column in NMG has run for more than 25 years

For more than a quarter of a century [!] I’ve written “Inside Track on Music Row,” a monthly column that runs in Nashville Music Guide and on websites around the world. The special CMA MusicFest print edition of NMG will be available in a few days. Visit NMG’s website here. You can also catch the full column at my other websitewww.iknowcountry.comand maybe buy a copy of my country music trivia Q&A book, “I Know Country.”  Here’s a teaser of some of the items in the June 2017 column.

Morgan Evans [left] with WMN’s John Esposito
INDUSTRY NEWS:  WMN CEO John Esposito was happily smiling for a photo opp recently. They have signed Singer/songwriter Morgan Evans to Warner Music Nashville. Evans has a power team around him. Morgan is managed by Fitzgerald Hartley in Nashville and Rob Potts Entertainment Edge in Australia. He’s currently in the studio working on new music with songwriter/producer Chris DeStefano. Find Morgan Evans’ Facebook page here.

Maren Morris receives ‘Breakthrough’ Award from Jim Donio

MUSIC BIZ 2017 AWARD NEWS: Maren Morris and Lukas Graham were the two recipients of the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at Music Biz 2017, presented by the Music Biz Association (formerly known as NARM), during their 4-day seminar in Nashville, May 15-18. Reba McEntire received the Chairman’s Award; the Artist of the Year Award went to Adele; Paula Abdul won the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award; Terry Cutler of Music Millennium received the Independent Spirit Award; and the Presidential Award went to Mike Dungan of UMG Nashville. Awards were presented by Music Biz chief Jim Donio.

NSAI’s Bart Herbison

MUSIC BIZ 2017 NEWS: Bart Herbison Executive Director of the Nashville Songwriters Association said it best: “Music Biz 2017 is one the top Music Conferences around the globe.” Around 1,500 music pros attended the event that annually brings together the influential decision makers from the world of music. More at musicbiz.org

Miranda to host march for shelter pets, June 8

Miranda Lambert

MUTT NATION NEWS: Over the top animal lover and activist Miranda Lambert will host the inaugural MuttNation March June 8, where Lambert and her rescue dogs will walk from Nissan Stadium, over the Nashville Pedestrian Bridge, and end in downtown Nashville. “So many shelter pets need a home, so we are going to march to raise awareness,” says Lambert. “Country music has the best fans in the world and together we can help so many animals find amazing homes.” Fans and their mutts are encouraged to join the walk. Details and registration info here. Additional related events include the MuttNation Foundation Adoption Drive inside CMA Fan Fair X and the MuttNation Shelter Day Sweepstakes, which gives one winner and a guest the chance to win a day with Lambert making over an animal shelter in need.

Read the entire June 2017 column at http://www.nashvillemusicguide.com and  www.iknowcountry.com