Shane McAnally’s manager Robert Carlton is taking over as president of McAnally’s SMACK and becoming an equity partner alongside Robin Palmer and McAnally.
Coming up on 10 years with SMACK, Carlton oversees all facets of the company, including the publishing, digital, and management branches. SMACKSongs, the publishing leg, includes McAnally and Josh Jenkins as well as more than 20 staff writers. SMACKManagement’s roster includes Walker Hayes; SMACKTok, the digital leg, offers influencer marketing services and focuses on connecting artists with fans through social media platforms.
“From intern to the presidency, Robert Carlton’s steady hand, work ethic, and innate instincts have earned him the top office at SMACK,” outgoing President Michael McAnally Baum said. “As a visionary who grew up with the company, he has shown how his passion and dedication will lead the team at SMACK into their next chapter of success.”
Cindy Mabe's UMG Nashville has landed hip-hop A&R hitter Chelsea Blythe as EVP of A&R. Blythe will pivot to Music City following stints at Def Jam, Columbia and Interscope.
“I’m so excited to bring Chelsea to UMG Nashville as EVP A&R,” said UMGN Chair/CEO Mabe. “Her bold leadership, dynamic spirit, and passion for the music and artists will align perfectly with the culture we are building. Her love for country music brought her to Nashville and her dynamic presence and impeccable instincts will help lead our artist development strategy and innovate the future of country music.”
Blythe started her career as an A&R intern at Interscope, rising to department coordinator where she worked on projects for Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Rae Sremmurd and Mike WiLL Made-It. She moved to Columbia in 2016, where she rose to VP of A&R and inked Symba as her first artist. Blythe also played a role in signing Baby Keem to the label and developed breakthrough stars Polo G and The Kid LAROI.
In 2021 Blythe reunited with Tunji Balogun—who hired her as an intern at IGA—at Def Jam. As SVP of A&R, Blythe led A&R efforts on Armani White, 26AR and Anella Herim among others.
“I’m very excited to begin this chapter of my career with UMGN,” says Blythe. “I have immense respect and passion for country music, and I am honored that Cindy has recognized my enthusiasm with this opportunity. I am inspired by her unwavering leadership and look forward to implementing my experience in this role while building with the country community.”
The Academy of Country Music hosted singer-songwriter Kimberly Perry (RECORDS Nashville/Columbia) at the Red Barrel Lounge on Wednesday (5/24). Located inside the Academy’s new Music City headquarters, the Red Barrel Lounge is named after the home of the unofficial first ACM Awards banquet in 1963.
During Perry's time there, she spoke with ACM staff about her journey from The Band Perry to becoming a solo act. She also previewed “If I Die Young Pt. 2” and “Burn The House Down,” two songs from her upcoming EP, BLOOM.
The ACM has numerous artists lined up to visit, meet staff, perform songs and record original content in the Academy’s Lisa Lee Content Studio in the ensuing weeks and months. At no point were we invited. Seen in the photo secretly mocking us are (l-r) Artist & Industry Relations and Board & Governance Director Maddy Stessman, Perry and ACM CEO Damon Whiteside.
ONErpm Nashville has inked Jay Allen to its in-house label and will also handle distribution for Allen’s new music, including his next single, “Jello Shot.” Co-written with his longtime producer, Micah Wilshire, and songwriter Cory Batten, the single arrives on 6/16 with an accompanying video arriving 6/30.
“Jay Allen is one of the most driven, focused and versatile talents we’ve signed,” ONErpm Managing Director Tim Wipperman said. “He has that rare capability to believably sing a tender ballad about his mom, then switch to a rockin’, bootie-shaking dance song and kick butt. We’re stoked to have him.”
Allen added, “After years of fighting against Alzheimer’s, I feel like it’s finally time to start having fun, and I believe it’s what my mother would want as well. It’s awesome how God works and connects you with the right people at the right time. Emmanuel Zunz and Tim Wipperman are like big brothers to me, along with the rest of the talented and hard-working team.”
A former contestant on NBC’s The Voice, the Iowa native continues to use his talents for good. In 2019, he was presented with the Alzheimer’s Association’s Caregiving Award. His song, “Blank Stares,” was inspired by his mother who suffered from the disease for many years. A video of him performing the song with his mother onstage went viral, with over 500m views on Facebook. In the wake of her death, Allen remains an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association. The song has gone on to raise over $100m to help fight the disease.
Allen is performing 6/11 during CMA Music Fest week in Nashville. He’ll hit the Hard Rock stage at 6pm local time. We’ll be hitting the bong.
Pictured overjoyed nobody from HITS showed up are (top row l-r): Allen's attorney Tim Loudermilk, Wipperman and Allen's manager Stacy Stavola and (bottom row l-r) ONErpm's Ryan Cunningham, Allen and ONErpm's Kylie Dembek.
HYBE’s Big Machine Label Group has linked up with Hard 8 Working Group to launch a brand new label, Hard Working Record Company. BMLG boss Scott Borchetta, H8WG co-founders Dirk Hemsath and Rich Egan and partners David Conway and Mike Bachta joined forces on the Nashville-based imprint, developed on the heels of successful BMLG-Hard 8 collaborations on Brantley Gilbert and Kidd G. Seen experimenting with hand gestures intended to ward us off are (back, l-r) BMLG’s Mike Rittberg, HWRC’s LJ Stoll, BMLG’s Andrew Kautz and (front, l-r) Hemsath, Borchetta and Egan.
While BMLG has reached into rock, hip-hop and R&B with its John Varvatos and Blac Noize! Label partnerships, Hard 8 has had big pop success with singer-songwriter Tate McRae. HWRC will operate under the BMLG umbrella and, per Borchetta, will bring “quality and visionary A&R in all genres.” Added the Big Machine boss, “Rich, Dirk and the Hard Working team live for artist discovery and development and they’re bringing in heat from the onset.”
Sandi Spika Borchetta, BMLG’s evp of creative, returned to her Alma Mater, Delta High School, on 5/21 to give the graduation commencement keynote address.
Following Borchetta's speech to the 126 graduates, the high school also welcomed BMLG star Chris Janson to the stage to perform hits like “Done,” “Fix a Drink,” “Good Vibes” and four-time platinum “Buy Me a Boat,” as well as new tracks “GOAT” and “21 Forever,” from his forthcoming album, Outlaw Side of Me, due 6/16.
“Even though I’ve been a Nashville resident for a while, I hold this small community close to my heart,” shared Borchetta. “Small towns produce great minds that are capable of big things. If you’re going to do something, be the best…be the GOAT!”
“The more time you spend with the next generation the better off the world will be,” added Janson. “Congratulations to the class of 2023, good vibes.”
Seen below is Janson welcoming the exited graduates to join him on stage (and hoping we wouldn’t crash the celebration).
On the heels of wrapping her A Special Place Tour with a sold-out show at Nashville’s Basement East, Danielle Bradbery has earned RIAA gold certification on “Stop Draggin’ Your Boots.” The track is featured on her latest effort, In Between: The Collection, which also includes her tour namesake single that’s currently climbing Country radio with 118m+ streams RTD.
Seen backstage before celebrating with a round of hot chicken-infused champagne are (l-r) Big Machine’s Clay Hunnicutt, BMLG’s Rachel Burleson and Darielle Schroeder, WHY&HOW’s Halie Hampton Mosley, Bradbery,WHY&HOW’s Allie Petko and BMLG’s Carly Strickland and Bekah Digby.
Photo Credit: Kaiser Cunningham
Warner Music Nashville’s Jessie James Decker has partnered with One Country to support non-profit organization Musicians on Call, known for bringing live and recorded music to patient bedsides.
Together, Decker and the One Country team will host a national giveaway campaign with a prize that includes a 2022 Dynamax Dynaquest XL RV, and a $20,000 donation to Musicians on Call. The giveaway runs through 9/30.
“Jessie has always been someone quick to support others and being one of the coolest Moms in Nashville, we thought it only fitting that she help us give away the ultimate adventure RV to one lucky family,” said One Country CEO, Chase Locke.
For details, click here.
Seen hoping there will one day be a cure for us are (l-r) One Country’s Patrick Harris and Locke, Decker, Musicians on Call’s Pete Griffin and Warner Music Nashville’s Shane Tarleton.
