Bug Appoints Murrah SVP Nashville

Bug Music Publishing has appointed renowned songwriter and independent publisher Roger Murrah to senior vice president, Nashville. Effective immediately, he will be overseeing the Bug Music office in Nashville and will report directly to CEO John Rudolph in Los Angeles. Under the terms of the agreement, Bug Music has also acquired a portion of Murrah Music and its associated catalogs, with Murrah staff writers Neal Coty, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Jon Henderson, Lisa McCallum, Robert Deitch and Matt Dame set to move to the Bug umbrella.

With over three decades in the music industry, Murrah’s key responsibilities will be directing the overall objectives of Bug Nashville, managing the Bug Music collection of copyrights, and developing staff writers with VP John Allen, and Creative Director Sara Johnson, as well as continuing his own songwriting. He was most recently Chairman of Murrah Music Corporation, the company he founded in 1990. He is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and Chairman of its Foundation, and was honored as BMI’s Songwriter of the Decade for the ’90s.

“I’m delighted to find someone with Roger’s experience, credentials and contacts to enhance our Nashville office, my hometown,” said Rudolph. “This was an innovative deal that will allow us to pursue some really creative opportunities and redefine the way a publishing company operates. Roger has a rare combination of creative and business skills that complement each other very well.”

“I am very excited to be a part of John Rudolph’s vision for Bug Music here in Nashville. I look forward to working closely with John Allen, Kim Hylick, Sara Johnson, and the entire professional and creative staff, as well as the company’s partners and clients here in Nashville,” Murrah said. “Bug Music has a rich history of putting songs and songwriters first, which has always been my guiding philosophy in this business. Bug’s commitment to Nashville is clearly shown by this unprecedented, innovative opportunity John is giving me. I can’t think of another company I’d rather be with.”

Murrah will be based in the Bug Music Nashville office at 33 Music Square West, Suite 104B. He can be reached at 615-313-7676 or rmurrah@bugmusic.com.