Artist Pics (6/11/14)

Lee Brice celebrated his birthday yesterday (June 10) with his Curb and CMT Radio family. The two came together to throw Brice a surprise party.

Pictured (L-R): Curb Records VP Promotion Ryan Dokke, CMT Radio’s Cody Alan, Curb's Annie Sandor, Curb's Savannah Blank, Curb's Samantha DePrez, Curb's Mike Rogers

Pictured (L-R): Curb Records VP Promotion Ryan Dokke, CMT Radio’s Cody Alan, Curb’s Annie Sandor, Curb’s Savannah Blank, Curb’s Samantha DePrez, Curb’s Mike Rogers.

 • • •

Capitol recording artist Jon Pardi received a plaque celebrating his first RIAA Gold record for “Up All Night” on Sunday (June 8) before taking the stage at Riverfront Park for the final day of CMA Music Fest. Pardi’s “Up All Night,” written by Pardi, Bart Butler and Brett Beavers, was the first Top 10 earned by the rising Country star.

Pictured: Jon Pardi, joined by his band The All-Nighters, on set of his “What I Can’t Put Down” video shoot. Photo: Eric Adkins

Pictured (L-R): Red Light Management’s Melanie Wetherbee, Jon Pardi, UMG Nashville SVP & COO Tom Becci

• • •

Florida Georgia Line surprised friend and musician Russell Dickerson during his CMA Music Festival performance at the Hard Rock Cafe on Saturday (June 7) by making an unannounced appearance during his show. FGL’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard co-wrote “That’s My Girl,” which Dickerson featured as the last song in his set.

Florida Georgia Line and Russell Dickerson. Photo: Tyler Seymour

Florida Georgia Line and Russell Dickerson. Photo: Tyler Seymour

• • •

Ricky Skaggs performs with the Marshall Tucker Band. Photo: Thomas Newton

Ricky Skaggs performs with the Marshall Tucker Band. Photo: Thomas Newton


During the Marshall Tucker Band‘s recent hour-long set at the Riverfront stage during Nashville’s CMA Music Festival, fans got an extra treat when the Southern rock group introduced special guest Ricky Skaggs.
Skaggs joined the group on “Fire On The Mountain” and “Can’t You See,” among other Marshall Tucker Band classics.
 

DISClaimer: Veterans Vs. Youngsters

lucy hale

Lucy Hale


Today’s column pits veterans against youngsters. In the former column are such established talents as Craig Bickhardt, Alabama and Gene Watson. In the latter, we have Rachele Lynae, Lucy Hale, and Mickey & The Motorcars. So I’m giving two Disc of the Day awards. The first goes to the enduringly great Gene Watson. The second goes to today’s red-hot Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood.
The DisCovery Award goes to Lucy Hale. TV stars have had a hit-or-miss history of translating their fan followings into country-singing success. Here’s hoping she’s in the “hit” column.
LUCY HALE/You Sound Good To Me
Writers: Ashley Gorley/Luke Laird/Hillary Lindsey; Producer: Mike Daly; Publishers: External Combustion/Out of the Taperoom/Songs of Southside Independent/Songs of Universal/Creative Nation/Twangin and Slangin/BMG Gold, ASCAP/BMI; DMG Nashville
-The Pretty Little Liars TV star delivers the goods with this ultra-catchy toe tapper. The song is super well crafted, and her vocal is full of verve and confidence. Make room for her on your playlists.
JAY JOLLEY/High and Mighty
Writers: Sarah Majors/Phillip Lammons/Matt King; Producer: Chuck Alkazian; Publishers: Tazmaraz/KadaLaNa/Motochez/Brain Twang, BMI/ASCAP; Double J (CDX)
-I have liked this guy several times in the past. As before, he sings with passion and grit here. The production on this country rocker is a little messy sounding, but there’s definite propulsion.
GENE WATSON/Turn Out the Lights (The Party’s Over)
Writers: Hank Craig/Willie Nelson; Producer: Dirk Johnson; Publishers: Glad/Pappy Daily, BMI; Fourteen Carat
-Gene’s new My Heroes Have Always Been Country CD dropped yesterday. On it, he revives songs associated with Lefty Frizzell, Dottie West, Merle Haggard, George Jones and the like. Mostly, they’re not overly familiar songs, which is cool. This Willie Nelson chestnut, for instance, sounds wonderfully fresh in the throat of this master stylist. Here’s my advice: Put this record on, put your feet up, close your eyes and let this awesome voice roll over you, bathing you in country-music greatness.
DAVID LOVING/Potato in Rio
Writers: David Loving; Producer: David Loving; Publisher: Tender Wolf, BMI; Tall Horse (track)
-He can just barely sing. Accompanying his weak, lung-less vocal attempt is a band that seems incapable of locking into a groove.
Lambert and Underwood debut "Somethin' Bad."

Lambert and Underwood debut “Somethin’ Bad.”


MIRANDA LAMBERT & CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Somethin’ Bad
Writers: Chris DeStefano/Brett James/Priscilla Renea; Producers: Frank Liddell/Chuck Ainlay/Glenn Worf; Publishers: EMI April/Sugar Glider/EMI Blackwood/WB/Songs of Brett/External Combustion, Keep It Simple Stupid, ASCAP; RCA (track)
-Country’s two reigning divas team up on a Thelma-and-Louise stomper that will make you reach for a drink and turn up the jukebox. Attitude with pizzazz. Miranda’s entire Platinum CD is a mini masterpiece. Buy it.
MICKEY & THE MOTORCARS
Writers: Mickey Braun/Willy Braun; Producer: Willy Braun with Mickey & The Motorcars; Publishers: none listed; MB
-This has a wide-open-spaces sonic quality that’s attractive. Mickey’s voice isn’t a powerhouse, but has a pleasing drawl. I would have mixed it up above the band more. The way it is now, the guitar playing and drumming are as prominent as the singing, so he sounds like he’s drowning.
WADE BOWEN & BRANDY CLARK/Love In The First Degree
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; Lightning Rod
-This track from last fall’s High Cotton tribute CD to Alabama has become a hit on the Texas charts, and I can hear why. The excellent song has been slowed to a pulsing throbber, and these two voices are perfectly matched. They alternate verses beautifully, and on the choruses Brandy sings lead while Wade provides flawless harmony. Fascinating listening.
gene watson1111

Gene Watson


LUKE BRYAN/Love In The First Degree
Writers: Tim DuBois/Jim Hurt; Producer: Jeff Stevens; Publishers: none listed; Show Dog-Universal
-The High Cotton tribute CD is comprised of Americana artists. Alabama & Friends is its mainstream-country tribute counterpart. Luke Bryan essays the same song as Brandy and Wade, demonstrating by contrast how pedestrian a Nashville approach can be. It’s speeded up slightly, but otherwise apes Alabama’s original arrangement faithfully. For a more creative outing, try Rascal Flatt’s version of “Old Flame.”
CRAIG BICKHARDT/It Opens
Writers: Craig Bickhardt; Producers: Glenn Barratt & Craig Bickhardt; Publishers: Stone Barn, ASCAP; Stone Barn (track)
-Country hit writer and former Schuyler-Knobloch-Bickhardt member (1988’s “Givers and Takers,” etc.) now makes simply produced, singer-songwriter solo CDs. This track from his latest, The More I Wonder, illustrates how thoughtful and enriching his composing continues to be. Persevere through life, it says, and press on because often, “It don’t look like a door, but it opens.”
RACHELE LYNAE/Touch The Stars
Writers: Rachele Lynae/Danick Dupelle/Patricia Conroy; Producer: Jamie O’Neal; Publisher: none listed
-The latest from this ingenue is a rippling, upbeat celebration of young love. Her sunny vocal rides atop a punchy, percolating track. O’Neal’s production touch is just right for this bopping youngster.

Weekly Register: Platinum Perfect

miranda-lambert-album-platinum-2014-400px“Platinum, irrefutably, looks as good on records as it does on me.”
That’s a lyric from the title track to Miranda Lambert’s new album Platinum, which is irrefutably the top album in the country this week. Her fifth studio effort sold 180k (46% digital), to lead the Country album chart as well as the Top 200 overall, according to Soundscan.
This means Lambert scored one of the top selling Country debuts of the year, behind Brantley Gilbert’s Just As I Am which sold 211k units (48k this week), and Eric Church’s The Outsiders, which moved 288k its first week.
WeeklyReg061114The Platinum princess leads a slew of Country album debuts this week, including Now Country 7 (30k), Lucy Hale Road Between (18k), Big Smo Kuntry Livin’ (8.7k) and an EP by twin sisters Megan & Liz Simple Life (1.6k). Smo’s A&E TV series debuts tonight.
Performances on the CMT Awards gave a boost to track sales. The new version of “This Is How We Roll” from the show (FGL ft. Luke Bryan and Jason Derulo) sold 72k. The track (all versions combined) sold 130k TW for a RTD total of 1.450 million. Little Big Town’s latest “Day Drinkin'” debuted with 48k, and Eric Church’s “That’s Damn Rock & Roll” entered with 11.8k.
Also experiencing an uptick in downloads were Jake Owen’s “Beachin'” (72k), Dierks Bentley’s “Drunk On a Plane” (63k) and Lady A’s “Bartender” (62.5k). Luke Bryan’s “Play It Again” held steady with 77k.

pricillapresley

Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley check out Lambert’s new song “Priscilla,” written by Nicolle Galyon, Jimmy Robbins and Natalie Hemby.

Judiciary Committee Music Licensing Hearings Underway

judiciary committee featured

“Music Licensing Under Title 17 Part One,” the first of two House Judiciary Committee hearings regarding music licensing, took place yesterday (June 10) at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The sides presented during these hearings will aid in crafting changes to copyright law, changes that will affect, among other things, emerging business models, how much digital services will pay for music licenses, and whether songwriters and publishers will be paid higher royalty rates.

“With colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I am developing legislation to address the various problems in existing law in one unified bill — a music omnibus, also known as a ‘MusicBus’ — bringing fairness and efficiency to our music licensing system, and ensuring that no particular business enjoys a special advantage against new and innovative technologies,” Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Jerrold Nadler (NY) said. “We can create a better system for radio competitors, for artists and songwriters, and for fans, all of whom depend on a vital healthy market for music and music services.”
Among those appearing to testify were Lee Thomas Miller, Songwriter and President of the Nashville Songwriters Association International; Neil Portnow, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Recording Academy; David Israelite, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Music Publishers Association; Lee Knife, Executive Director of the Digital Media Association; Michael O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer of BMI; Jim Griffin, Managing Director of OneHouse LLC; and Will Hoyt, Executive Director of the TV Music License Committee.
“The current system is unjust and must be changed. Rules established in 1909, largely to prevent one player piano roll company from becoming a monopoly, require me to grant a compulsory license paying 9.1 cents for the sale of a song, which I split with my co-writers and our music publishers, regardless of what the marketplace might say my song is worth,” NSAI’s Lee Thomas Miller stated. “That’s not much of a pay raise from the original two cents paid in 1909. Royalties from my song performed on an Internet radio station are set under consent decrees from World War II. The judges who determine those rates are forbidden from considering what the marketplace says my song is worth. Consequently, I only receive thousandths of a penny for those performances.” The full transcript of Miller’s testimony is available here.
DiMA Executive Director Knife commented, “In the area of competition, the need to protect licensees from anti-competitive behavior may be greater now than in any time in history, due to the recent consolidation in the recording and music publishing industries. Some, particularly in the context of the licensing of musical works, have taken issue with this notion, and even asked that certain requirements imposed under the Department of Justice’s consent decrees be modified. Before taking this considerable step, we would strongly urge policymakers to review the history of the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees—which is attached to this testimony—and also recent federal court cases which have made note of continuing anti-competitive behavior carried out by various parties acting on behalf of the music publishing industry.” His full comments are available here.
Portnow said, “There are many serious discussions about music royalty rates today: which are too low, which are too high, and what is fair. Yet AM/FM terrestrial radio broadcasters continue to deny musicians any right whatsoever to performance royalties for the use of their music, which radio giants use to make billions in annual advertising revenue. Terrestrial radio is the only industry in America that’s built on using another’s intellectual property without permission or compensation. Broadcasters in every other developed country in the world compensate performers. The result is that the U.S., which should be the standard bearer for intellectual property rights, is among such countries as China, North Korea and Iran, which do not recognize these fundamental rights. The National Association of Broadcasters has spent a lot of money lobbying to maintain their free ride. During each session of Congress, they spread myths that never stand up to any reasonable assessment of the facts.”
NAB Joint Chair Charles Warfield, SiriusXM VP/CFO David Frear, and Pandora General Counsel Delida Costin will represent radio during the upcoming second House Judiciary Committee hearing on June 24.

Grammy Camp Nashville To Be Held June 9-13

imgres-1Grammy Camp Nashville will be held June 9-13 at Belmont University. The program brings youth from across the country together with industry professionals for an interactive experience focusing on all aspects of commercial music.
In addition to a faculty of music professionals, students will visit with members of the Nashville Chapter Board of The Recording Academy. Mentors will include: Vice President, Media & Corporate Communications, Sony Music Nashville Allen Brown; co-owner/producer/director, Deaton Flanigen Productions, and Recording Academy Chair Emeritus and GRAMMY Foundation Board Member George J. Flanigen IV; President/CEO of Iconic Entertainment Fletcher Foster; Vice President, A&R, Rounder Records Nashville Tracy Gershon; engineer/owner of The Record Shop Recording Studio, Sean Giovanni; and GRAMMY-winning songwriter/producer Brett James; among others.
The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1988 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture.
To apply, visit grammyintheschools.com.

Proper Management Launches Marketing Division

Screen shot 2014-06-10 at 4.15.06 PM111Nashville based Christian music artist management company Proper Management has expanded its services to include a marketing division to be lead by Bryan Ward.
Before joining Proper Management, Ward served as VP of Marketing at Provident/Sony overseeing Marketing, Radio, Digital Marketing, and Publicity. Prior to Provident, Ward served 16 years at Capitol Christian Music Group (formerly EMI CMG) in artist development, marketing, product marketing, sales and distribution. Over his 20-plus years in the industry, Ward has built branding and marketing strategies for Hillsong United, Hillsong Live, Mandisa, Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, RED, WOW Hits, The Story, Rhett Walker Band, and others.
“Launching this marketing division is in direct response to the needs of the marketplace. As our industry is quickly changing, we wanted to adapt our structure,” said Proper Management’s Mike Jay. “However, Proper Management will always be firmly grounded and committed to our rich history, experience, and passion for artist management and producing quality tours.”
“Over the past few years, Proper Management has been approached by multiple clients looking for marketing services outside the scope of traditional artist management responsibilities. At the time we simply didn’t have the capacity or internal structure to adequately serve these needs,” said Proper Management’s Nick Barre. “However, when Bryan Ward was available to work with us, it was quickly apparent that he would be the perfect person to drive this area of growth for our company.”
Proper Management’s artist roster includes Casting Crowns, The Afters, Anthem Lights, City Harbor, and Selah, among other artists.

RIAA Presents Gold and Platinum Awards

He presented Miranda Lambert with a special album achievement award celebrating her four Platinum albums during her visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

RIAA Chairman and CEO Cary Sherman presents Miranda Lambert with an award celebrating her four Platinum albums during her recent visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.


The RIAA presented several Country artists with Gold and Platinum awards during May.
Capitol Nashville singer Luke Bryan’s Crash My Party album reached 2x multi-Platinum, while four songs from the project secured RIAA Digital Single Awards: “That’s My Kind Of Night” and “Crash My Party” were certified 2x multi-Platinum, and “Play It Again” and “Drink A Beer” notched Platinum. Florida Georgia Line ft. Bryan’s “This Is How We Roll” earned Platinum certification.
Brantley Gilbert earned his first Platinum album award for Halfway To Heaven (The Valory Music Co., 2011). He also saddled up to his third Platinum Digital Single Award for current hit “Bottoms Up.”
Earning their first Gold singles for more than 500,000 downloads and on-demand streams were Frankie Ballard for “Helluva Life” (Warner Bros. Nashville), and three Christian acts: Jamie Grace’s “Hold Me” ft. TobyMac (Gotee Records), Grits’ “Ooh Ahh” ft. TobyMac (Gotee Records) and Newsboys’ “God’s Not Dead (Like A Lion)” (Inpop Records).
Eminem is the first artist to earn two RIAA Digital Single Diamond Awards. He received the second Diamond certification in recognition of “Not Afraid” (Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records) surpassing the 10 million threshold counting song sales and streams. Eminem also holds an 11x multi-Platinum Digital Single Diamond Award for “Love The Way You Lie” ft. Rihanna (Aftermath/Interscope).
Bob Marley & The Wailers earned May’s top album certification. Legend (Island, 1984) was certified 15x multi-Platinum in time for the iconic album’s 30th anniversary re-release.
Cary Sherman, Chairman and CEO, RIAA presented plaques to LeAnn Rimes with a Gold & Platinum Program career award commemorating more than 22 millon certified music sales in the United States recently in Washington D.C.

Cary Sherman presents LeAnn Rimes with a Gold and Platinum Program career award commemorating more than 22 million U.S. music sales recently in Washington D.C.


 

Industry Ink (6/10/14)

Steve Pleshe

Steve Pleshe


Black River Entertainment has added Steve Pleshe as Director West Coast Promotion for the label.
Pleshe’s career in music began as an on-air personality, followed by time as a music director and ultimately program director for CBS Radio/KISS Country. He later worked as Show Producer at Premiere Radio Networks. In 2007, Pleshe moved into the label side of the industry, holding West Coast promotion positions with RCA Records and Streamsound Records.
He will begin with Black River on June 23 and will be located in Fresno, Calif. He can be reached at steve@blackriverent.com or at 599-307-8148.

 • • •

bela fleck1111111

Bela Fleck


Bela Fleck will deliver the keynote address during the International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass 2014 event, which will be held Sept. 30-Oct. 4 in Raleigh, N.C.
“We are thrilled to announce Bela Fleck as the 2014 keynote speaker for IBMA’s Business Conference,” IBMA Executive Director Nancy Cardwell said. “Bela was the first recipient of IBMA’s Banjo Player of the Year award in 1990, and he’s universally recognized as being one of the most gifted musicians in any genre of music. We look forward to hearing Bela’s thoughts about the power of bluegrass music and what this art form and community has to offer the world.”

    • • •

Mandy West

Mandy West


Mandy West has been appointed VP, Operations at Big Sky Media Nashville, and over its related artist service companies, including Way Out West Records, Clif Doyal Agency, CDA Publicity, CDA Booking and Parrot Picks Publishing Group.
In her new role, West will oversee radio consulting and strategies, marketing, publicity, publishing and social media for Big Sky Media Nashville’s various divisions which include independent record label, artist management, booking and publicity. The various companies’ current roster of clients include LiveWire, Shawna Russell, the Oilpatch Festival, Cowboy Troy (non-exclusive booking), Andy Eutsler, Danny Bell, as well as Internet and terrestrial radio stations RDROK.COM and 1600 KUSH-AM.
West can be reached at 615-226-3355 or at mandy.bigskymedia@gmail.com.

 • • •

buzz cason111Buzz Cason will be honored during the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Poets and Prophets series on Saturday, July 5 at 1:30 p.m. The interview and performance, which will be held in the Museum’s Ford Theater, corresponds with the 10th anniversary of the museum’s two-disc compilation Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm and Blues, 1945-1970, a set that highlights Nashville’s rich R&B scene.
Hosted by Museum Editor Michael Gray, the 90-minute program will include recordings, photos and film clips from the museum’s Frist Library and archive.
Poets and Prophets is included with museum admission and is free to museum members, although seating is limited and passes are required for admittance. The interview and performance will be streamed live at countrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.

New Album Pays Tribute To Country Music's 1927 Bristol Sessions

Image of Dolly Parton Recording11111

Dolly Parton


Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited will release in October, and features Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Marty Stuart, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers and Ashley Monroe. The recording project includes 16 of the original songs from the 1927 Bristol Sessions, or, as Johnny Cash referred to it, “the single most important event in the history of Country music.” Also known as the “Big Bang of Country Music,” the recordings by Ralph Peer in Bristol, produced pioneers of the genre, such as Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.
Grand Ole Opry host Eddie Stubbs, along with Commissioner Susan Whitaker, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and Chris Canfield of Virginia Tourism Corporation, made the announcement earlier today (June 10) at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The announcement also featured music from Stuart, The Church Sisters, The Shotgun Rubies, The Chuck Wagon Gang and Carl Jackson.
They also unveiled the Aug. 2 opening of The Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol. This Smithsonian Institution-affiliated Birthplace of Country Music Museum is dedicated to preserve the legacy of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and their lasting influence on American popular music.
The 24,000 square foot facility, located at 520 Birthplace of Country Music® Way in downtown Bristol, houses 12,000 square feet of exhibit space, a rotating exhibit gallery, music mixing and listening stations, multiple theater experiences, and interactive, technology-infused media. BCMM will also host live, year-round performances and educational programming.
“My dear friend Rusty Morrell approached me with the idea to produce a project honoring the original 1927 Bristol Sessions,” Jackson said. “He was very aware and fond of a couple of other multi-artist ‘tribute’ projects I had produced and felt I was the guy who could bring his vision to life. In my opinion, the importance of those ’27 recordings cannot be overstated, and I am truly honored that Rusty asked me to shine a new and loving light on some of those classic works.”

Ballard Celebrates First Chart-Topper "Helluva Life"

Pictured (Back row, L-R):  ASCAP Senior Creative Director Mike Sistad, Producer Marshall Altman, Big Loud Shirt Industries Owner Craig Wiseman, Big Yellow Dog Music Co-Owner/General Manager Carla Wallace, Warner Music Nashville Executive Vice President & General Manager Peter Strickland, BMI Director of Writer/Publisher Relations David Preston, Producer and Warner Music Nashville Senior Vice President of A&R Scott Hendricks, Big Loud Shirt Industries Vice President Seth England, Warner Music Nashville Vice President of A&R Cris Lacy. (Front row, L-R): Josh Kear, Frankie Ballard, Rodney Clawson with daughter Charlie Jo, Chris Tompkins Photo: Ed Rode

Pictured (Back row, L-R): ASCAP Senior Creative Director Mike Sistad, Producer Marshall Altman, Big Loud Shirt Industries Owner Craig Wiseman, Big Yellow Dog Music Co-Owner/General Manager Carla Wallace, Warner Music Nashville Executive Vice President & General Manager Peter Strickland, BMI Director of Writer/Publisher Relations David Preston, Producer and Warner Music Nashville Senior Vice President of A&R Scott Hendricks, Big Loud Shirt Industries Vice President Seth England, Warner Music Nashville Vice President of A&R Cris Lacy. (Front row, L-R): Josh Kear, Frankie Ballard, Rodney Clawson with daughter Charlie Jo, and Chris Tompkins. Photo: Ed Rode


Warner Music Nashville artist Frankie Ballard celebrated not only his first No. 1 as an artist with “Helluva Life,” but also the first chart-topper for Warner Music Nashville’s Team W.A.R., headed by VP/Radio Promotion, Chris Palmer.
Nashville’s Pour House Restaurant hosted the event, which honored the artist, songwriters, record label, producers and publishers behind the chart-topping song. “Helluva Life,” which has already been certified Gold, was penned by Rodney Clawson, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins. It was Clawson’s 13th No. 1 song, Kear’s 8th No. 1, and Tompkins’ 12th.
Pictured (L-R): Josh Kear, Frankie Ballard, Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins. Photo: Ed Rode.

Pictured (L-R): Josh Kear, Frankie Ballard, Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins. Photo: Ed Rode.


“It’s a big risk to write a song, then give it to a new guy and see if he can wrestle it to the top,” said Ballard. “It felt like my song from the start.” Cris Lacy, VP/A&R for Warner Music Nashville, was given a lot of credit for getting the song cut by Ballard. “The whole process was a labor of love. A lot of guts went into this,” she said.
“Helluva Life” was produced by Marshall Altman and Scott Hendricks. Altman recently moved to Nashville from Los Angeles, and has already produced two No. 1 songs in his short time in town. “Helluva Life” marks Hendricks’ 55th No. 1 song.
Warner Music Nashville’s Exec. VP/GM Peter Strickland credited his W.A.R. promotion team for their efforts to get radio on board. 
Ballard is currently climbing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart with his new single “Sunshine & Whiskey.”