Chevel Shepherd Celebrates ‘A Good Ol’ Country Christmas’ On New Album

Chevel Shepherd is releasing a new 12-song holiday album, A Good Ol’ Country Christmason Dec. 11.

The season 15 winner of NBC’s The Voice recorded the collection of holiday cover tunes spanning generations, from Bill Monroe’s 1951 “Christmas Times A Comin’” to the contemporary classic from The Polar Express “When Christmas Comes to Town,” in Durango, Colorado, and co-produced the album.

“This holiday season, more than any other, feels like one we should all give what we can and for me, that’s singing,” shares Shepherd. “My family has several Christmas traditions and singing carols has always been a big part. A Good Ol’ Country Christmas reminds me of home, the people who raised me and the traditions we hold dear.”

Shepherd made her debut earlier this year with “Everybody’s Got A Story,” penned by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark, and “Mama Got the Chair,” a clever call-and-response to George Strait’s 1985 hit “The Chair.”

A Good Ol’ Country Christmas Track List:

  1. Country Christmas
  2. Let It Snow
  3. Mary Did You Know
  4. Up On The Rooftop
  5. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
  6. Rudolph
  7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
  8. Christmas Times A Comin’
  9. It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
  10. Go Tell It On The Mountain
  11. Winter Wonderland
  12. When Christmas Comes To Town

Token Show Partners With WPLN To Air On Sundays

Tokens Show, the Nashville-based radio variety show, has announced a new partnership with Nashville Public Radio WPLN 90.3. The show will air on Sundays starting Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. CT. Guests of the first three episodes include Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill, MacArthur Genius Grant Recipient Jerry Mitchell, Vanderbilt University Professor Amy-Jill Levine, Yale University Professor Willie-James Jennings, Emmy award winning actor Hal Holbrook, beloved Nashville performer Odessa Settles, and more.

“For years, Lee C. Camp and the Tokens Show have wowed Nashville audiences with thought-provoking conversations intertwined with music that matters,” said Anita Bugg, Vice President of Programming at WPLN. “Nashville Public Radio relishes the opportunity to bring this combination to our air.”

With a house band featuring some of Nashville’s finest including Jeff Taylor, Buddy Greene, Chris Brown, Aubrey Haynie, Byron House and Bryan Sutton, the show has hosted an immensely diverse guest list:  Country Music Hall of Famers Gill and Ricky Skaggs, U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith and Irish Poet Pádraig Ó Tuama, Director of the National Institutes of Health Francis Collins, New York Times columnist David Brooks, MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Jerry Mitchell, or musicians such as Drew Holcomb, Keb’ Mo’, Mary Gauthier, and JohnnySwim.

Randy Goodman, Chairman and President of Sony Nashville has long been a supporter of the show. “Lee’s idea for Tokens Show resonated with me from the start,” he says. “A classic radio show rooted in the likes of the Opry or Prairie Home, yet undergirded with a philosophy or theology that is something like Thomas Merton meets Martin Luther King, Jr., and you get a genre-agnostic slate of all sorts of music and conversation that has to be experienced to get it. With Tokens now a part of WPLN’s weekly offerings, a larger assembly will get to discover this treasure.”

Gordie Sampson Extends Deal With Still Working Music, Kobalt

Pictured (Clockwise from top left): Gordie Sampson, Alex Orbison (Co-President, SWM), Sara Beal (Publishing Director, SWM), Emily Olson (Creative Director, SWM), Jesse Willoughby (GM, Kobalt Nashville), Kevin Lane (Creative Director, Kobalt Nashville)

Still Working Music and Kobalt have extended an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Gordie Sampson, who has co-written hits including Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take The Wheel,” Hunter Hayes’ “Storm Warning,” Florida Georgia Line ft. Backstreet Boys’ “God, Your Mama, and Me,” and Luke Bryan’s “Knockin’ Boots.” Most recently he’s had additional songs released by Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack, Lindsay Ell, Adam Hambrick, Scott Helman, Caitlyn Smith, and Mickey Guyton.

“I couldn’t be more excited to extend our deal with Gordie Sampson. He has immense talent and I am looking forward to our continued partnership!” said Still Working Music’s Alex Orbison.

“I am beyond thrilled to continue working with Gordie alongside Emily and the Still Working Music family. Gordie’s talent and drive make him a dream to represent and I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.” said Kobalt’s Kevin Lane.

Still Working Music writers include Jon Randall, Chase Bryant, Lance Miller, Rachel Reinert, and Ian Christian. Still Working Music proudly partners with BMG, Kobalt, and others.

Kobalt is a music and technology company built for artists, songwriters, publishers, labels, film and television production companies, studios and networks as an alternative to the traditional music business model.

Americana Champion Lynsey McDonald Dies

 

Nashville’s Americana community has lost one of its key business figures. Lynsey McDonald, 58, died on Nov. 23 following an eight-year struggle with multiple myeloma.

For most of her career, she worked in artist management, helping to guide the careers of Jason & The Scorchers, Todd Snider, Deana Carter, The Georgia Satellites, Robbie Fulks and Jay Joyce.

She also helped to launch the Americana music radio series Music City Roots. McDonald worked at Praxis International, Vector Management, Rising Tide Records, Thirty Tigers, TomKats catering, CMT, and her own Magnolia Way Management firm.

Born Allison Lynn McDonald, she grew up in Chattanooga. She excelled at competitive fast-pitch softball, basketball and tennis as a high-school student. McDonald graduated from MTSU’s Recording Industry Management program in 1984. Although she had a fine singing voice, she concentrated on the business side of music, initially working with Nashville’s alt-rock bands.

Among her accomplishments was helping to launch the Loveless Barn music venue, which is where Music City Roots began.

McDonald is survived by her son Gates Knight and his father, her former husband Sam Knight. Her parents—Darrell and Marilyn McDonald—also survive her, along with aunts Linda Lesley and Faye McDonald, uncle Roger Coe and numerous cousins.

Donations can be made in her name at Second Harvest Food Bank, 331 Great Circle Road, Nashville 37228.

There will be a memorial service at a later date. In the meantime, friends are encouraged to post pictures, comments and reminiscences at phillipsrobinson.com.

Steep Canyon Rangers, The SteelDrivers, Del McCoury Band To Play The Caverns In 2021

 

The Caverns in Grundy County, Tennessee will host several concerts next year, beginning with shows from the Steep Canyon Rangers (March 28), The SteelDrivers (April 10), and the Del McCoury Band (April 18).

All shows will take place outdoors on a beautiful hillside overlooking Payne’s Cove in socially distanced pods at a new COVID-19 compliant venue on The Caverns grounds—The Caverns Above Ground Amphitheater. Tickets go on sale on Friday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. CT, and more information can be found at thecaverns.com.

“In 2020, we successfully brought back live music in a responsible way with four nights of Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit,” says Todd Mayo, The Caverns owner. “We understand the seriousness of the current situation and have worked hard to plan events with COVID-19 mitigation precautions in place that adhere to the State of Tennessee’s “Tennessee Pledge” based on CDC guidance to reopen responsibly. These amazing bluegrass shows are just the start of a wide variety of programming we’ll present in our new amphitheater in early 2021!”

For the concerts, guests will arrive at staggered times, answer COVID-19 screening questions, receive a temperature check, and enjoy the show from 2-person, 4-person and 6-person socially-distanced pods. Pods are spaced with a minimum of 6’ distance between each other with wide footpaths between pods to maintain social distancing. The seated concerts are “bring your own chair.” Masks will be mandatory, except when guests are in their pods. All concessions and merchandise will be ordered through an app and delivered contactless to pods eliminating lines and limiting the need for guests to leave pods.

Industry Ink: mtheory Nashville, Endurance Music Group, Sheltered Music

mtheory Nashville Adds Chantrel Reynolds

Chantrel Reynolds

mtheory Nashville, the Music City division of the artist management services company, has hired Chantrel Reynolds as Marketing Manager. Reynolds comes to mtheory from RCA Inspiration at Sony Music, where she was the label assistant. For three years, she supported artists like Kirk Franklin, Snoop Dogg, and Rodney Jerkins as well as directly supporting label SVP/General Manager Phil Thornton.

Reynolds can be reached at chantrel@mtheory.com.

 

Endurance Music Group Adds Courtney Kruckeberg As Creative Manager

Courtney Kruckeberg. Photo: Ed Rode

Endurance Music Group has added Courtney Kruckeberg as Creative Manager to oversee day-to-day needs of the Endurance roster of songwriters, in addition to managing EMG’s growing catalog of hits, assisting with pitching songs, and handling back catalog.

Kruckeberg previously worked as Catalog Manager at HoriPro Entertainment Group, which was recently acquired by Mojo Music & Media. Her career has also included time in the royalty department at ClearBox Rights. Since 2018, Kruckeberg has acted as the Administrative Director for the AIMP Nashville Board, and she has been a member of SOLID since 2014, serving on the 2016 Board as Community Outreach Chair.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Courtney into the Endurance family,” said Endurance Music Group President Michael Martin. “Her solid experience and strong relationships are essential to our continued success, and we’re confident she will be an incredible asset to the EMG team. We’re excited to see how her creativity impacts our writers and artists, and proud to be a part of her continued growth.”

Kruckeberg can be reached at courtney@endurancemg.com.

 

Sheltered Music Publishing Signs Kelsey Waters

Kelsey Waters

Sheltered Music Publishing, the Nashville Division of All Clear Music, has signed Kelsey Waters to an exclusive publishing and artist development deal. Waters has been performing since her early teens, and has released songs including “I Pour” and “Rainmaker.”

“I was first drawn to Kelsey’s music by songwriter friend, Greg Becker,” says Sheltered Music EVP Darrell Franklin. “I was immediately taken back at how real and honest her music was, while also pushing the edges musically and lyrically.”

Driver Williams Inks Co-Pub Deal With River House Artists, Jody Williams Songs

Pictured (L-R): Jody Williams (Founder, Jody Williams Songs); Nina Jenkins (Creative Director, Jody Williams Songs); Driver Williams, Zebb Luster (Director of Creative/A&R, River House Artists); Lynn Oliver-Cline (Founder, River House Artists); Kayla Adkins (Publishing Coordinator, River House Artists)

River House Artists (in partnership with Sony/ATV) and Jody Williams Songs (in partnership with Warner Chappell Music) have signed Driver Williams to a new co-publishing agreement, uniting Williams’ existing team at River House Artists with the publishing company launched recently by his father, former BMI VP and industry vet Jody Williams.

Driver Williams has spent the last three years as a River House Artists staff songwriter. With the launch of Jody Williams Songs earlier this year, plans developed between River House’s Lynn Oliver-Cline and Jody Williams to share publishing representation.

“It has long been a dream of mine to work with my father in this kind of creative capacity,” shares Driver. “I am very excited to be part of a new ‘song forward’ company whose aim is to move the needle in our genre, coupled with my unflagging partnership with Lynn and the powerhouse crew at River House Artists.”

As the long-time lead guitarist for 2020 CMA Entertainer of the Year Eric Church, Williams has co-written Church’s Double-Platinum certified “Smoke A Little Smoke” as well as songs recorded by artists including Jon Pardi, Jason Aldean, Drew Parker and more.

“We feel very fortunate to partner with Lynn’s team at River House for this next season of Driver’s songwriting career,” says Jody Williams. “Driver’s determination and skill, coupled with the synergy of our two companies, feels like a perfect storm. Zebb Luster and Kayla Adkins are in it to win it, just like me and Nina Jenkins. And on a personal level, I’m thrilled the time is finally right to get to work with my son. This is going to be fun!”

“I am thankful for the intro to Driver from Jody just a few short years ago,” adds Oliver-Cline, who first formed a close friendship with Jody Williams when the two were BMI writer reps in the late ’90s. “Driver has such depth and a unique perspective. I always look forward to hearing everything he writes. His passion for music is contagious and RHA couldn’t be prouder to continue our relationship with him and his talents as a songwriter.”

“Driver has been a huge asset for the River House family from the beginning,” notes Zebb Luster, RHA Director of Creative/A&R. “His dedication to the team and his ability to help artists and writers really find what they are trying to say in a song is what I love most about him. Driver really gets behind the people he believes in and pushes them to be the best they can be. I couldn’t be more excited to have him around!”

“Driver is a master collaborator,” adds Nina Jenkins, JWS Creative Director. “His daily objective is the relentless pursuit of quality music, brought to fulfillment through thoughtful songwriting and an ever-present positive attitude. He is a team player who lifts up his co-writers and publishers alike.”

In addition to the new publishing deal signed with Driver Williams, Jody Williams Songs represents Ashley McBryde, Nathan Chapman, Jeremy Spillman, Greg Bates, Jason Nix and Pat McLaughlin. Jody Williams Songs is a co-publishing partnership with Warner Chappell Music.

Launched in 2016, River House Artists recently became a joint venture with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Along with Driver Williams, their roster also includes artist writers Drew Parker, Jordan Rowe, Luke Combs’ longtime cowriter Ray Fulcher, as well as Nicolette Hayford, a frequent co-writer of McBryde.

MusiCares Launches ‘Help For The Holidays’ Campaign To Aid Music Community

 

As many music venues remain shut down and tours halted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MusiCares has launched a ‘Help For The Holidays’ campaign to help those in the music community during the holiday season.

As part of the organization’s ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts, MusiCares is offering $250 essential goods e-cards to the first 4,000 applicants, to aid those struggling to meet basic needs during this time.

All applications will be processed in the order they are received, and applications will take 2-3 weeks to process. To be eligible, participants must have at least three years of employment in the music industry, and/or six commercially released recordings (singles) or six commercially or promotionally released music videos.

Applicants must provide detailed music industry background documentation, which can include any of the following: articles, liner notes, letters from employers, biography, paystubs, resume or discography. Applicants must be able to document loss of income from COVID-19 (Acceptable documentation can include the following: copy of contracts, flyers or links to event sites clearly listing your involvement in the cancelled event, letter or email from employer, venue or event identifying cancellation, etc.). Applicants must provide their most recent bank statement.

HARDY Claims His First Chart-Topper As An Artist With “One Beer”

HARDY. Photo: Tanner Gallagher

HARDY is no stranger to the country charts, having co-written seven No. 1 singles for other artists. Now, he’s celebrating a new pinnacle, with his own song “One Beer” featuring Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson reaching the top of the charts and marking his very first No. 1 as an artist.

Penned by HARDY with Jake Mitchell and Hillary Lindsey, and produced by Joey Moi and Derek Wells, the hit sits atop both the Billboard and Country Aircheck/Mediabase country charts this week.

“I am so thankful for the writers and my label for helping me take this song all the way to No. 1,” HARDY said. “My first No. 1 as an artist means so much to me and it’s a feeling I’ll never forget.”

“One Beer” marks milestones across the board for both HARDY and his label Big Loud Records. The newly minted No. 1 is his eighth chart-topper as a songwriter, recently cracking the Top 10 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100 Songwriters chart. For Big Loud Records, the single yields the first set of back-to-back No. 1 country radio hits with different songs taking the top spot for a record label in 2020, following Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown” last week, which was also written by HARDY.

HARDY’s debut album, A Rock, which released in September, has reached over 263 million on-demand streams to date, and was co-written entirely by HARDY.

ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund Gets $2 Million Reopening

 

ACM Lifting Lives has reopened the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund, which recently raised $2 million prior to Giving Tuesday (Dec. 1). The funds will be disbursed to those in the country music community who have been affected by the COVID-19 shutdowns.

The fund was created in April 2020 to help those working in the country music industry, who are facing financial crisis as a result of the pandemic. Since then, $3.5 million was raised and distributed to hundreds of workers in the country music community.

Support from record labels and partners made this second round of relief possible, including generous donations from Amazon, Big Machine Label Group, Broken Bow Records Music Group, Corner Partnership LLC, Country Thunder’s Troy Vollhoffer, Sony Music Nashville, Spotify, Universal Music Group Nashville, Warner Music Nashville and other country music leaders individually who have supported the funding round.

“We are so fortunate ACM Lifting Lives was able to re-open the COVID-19 Response Fund ahead of the holidays, to send financial support to hundreds of applicants looking for a resource during this time,” said Lyndsay Cruz, Executive Director of ACM Lifting Lives. “A huge thank you to our generous partners, and many individual industry leaders for their contributions who were able to quickly join forces with us and see the urgency in making a difference in an unimaginable and ongoing situation. In lieu of gifts for the holidays, if you are able to help, we encourage you to visit ACMLiftingLives.org for more information on how to assist.”

“ACM Lifting Lives has not only shown up for our industry over the years, they have been a light during one our business’ most stressful times, providing immediate aid and support to members of our road families during the pandemic. Supporting them is supporting our musicians, our crews and all those folks who work behind the scenes so we get to bring music to the fans. Please consider giving what you can or sharing word about the great work they do this holiday season. Together, let’s continue to lift spirits and lives in a time our industry needs it most,” said Darius Rucker.

“I am so proud to support and serve such a compelling organization that has continued to not only raise money during this time but strengthen the power of healing through the power of music,” said Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman, who is also an ACM Lifting Lives Board Member. “Due to COVID-19 freezing live music & touring events this year, the music scene has completely shifted causing many members of our country music family to face every day financial crises. To help support the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund, we ask you to join us in lifting spirits by donating as little as $1. Even a small amount can make a big difference, #LetsLiftLives.”