Virgin Music Group has partnered with Trisha Yearwood and her label Gwendolyn Records for new music and her more recent catalog.
The deal also brings Yearwood back to Universal Music Group with Music Corporation of America (MCA), the Nashville-based label she called home from 1990 through 2006, and who will continue to work her catalog.
“I’m honored to join forces with Virgin Music Group as I embark on this exciting new chapter,” said Yearwood. “Bringing my Gwendolyn label into the MCA/Universal family truly feels like coming home. I can’t wait to share my new album, The Mirror. Creating this music has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
“Trisha Yearwood is one of the most talented and enduring artists in the world,” said Jacqueline Saturn, president, Virgin Music Group North America, and executive VP of global artist relations. “We are so proud to have her and her Gwendolyn Records catalog on our roster and are looking forward to her legions of fans hearing this incredible new music.”
To support the release of new music, Yearwood is currently on her first headlining tour in six years.
Pictured above (L-R): John Mayer, Senior Director National Promotion and Streaming, Virgin Music Group; Mandy McCormack, TeamTY; Jordon Isbell, Marketing Director, Virgin Music Group; Jen Bontusa, SVP Label Management, Virgin Music Group.
+ Artist management company Shelter Music Group has signed five new artists to its roster: Cheap Trick, Boys Like Girls, Chiodos, American Hi-Fi and Dead Poet Society.
Shelter has established a global presence with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Nashville and London. The team manage such acts as Fleetwood Mac, ZZ Top, the Buddy Holly Estate and a host of others.
+ Whitaker Elledge has been appointed general manager and senior VP of Dualtone, a division of MNRK Music Group. Elledge steps into the role following the passing of President Paul Roper after his long battle with cancer. Elledge will remain based in Nashville, Tennessee, and will now report directly to MNRK’s COO, Chris Moncada.
Elledge said, “Paul Roper was one of the great human beings and fiercest artist advocates of our time. Because of him, we confidently stride forward, knowing that authenticity and kindness can win the day in this business. Paul said, ‘Pursue art before the pursuit of commerce. Treat people fairly. Be transparent. Work hard. Don’t take yourself too seriously.’ We’re filled with reverence and a roaring fire to continue innovating and being peerless partners for our artists and music community.”
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Nashville, Dualtone’s current roster includes the Lumineers, Langhorne Slim, Gregory Alan Isakov, Houndmouth, Shakey Graves, Kathleen Edwards, Wilder Woods, The Dip, Jack Van Cleaf, Gatlin, Flipturn and Abraham Alexander, among others.
Tuesday, April 29
Icelandic-Chinese artist, composer and producer and multi-instrumentalist Laufey is launching The Laufey Foundation, with the primary mission of supporting young musicians with the resources they need, especially through youth orchestras.
Laufey said, “The support and scholarships I received as a child have directly led to the career I have now. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to provide the next generation with the same support and opportunities. I can’t wait to connect with the young musician community!”
The Laufey Foundation will award inaugural grants to the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, LA Phil’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) program, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and two of Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensembles (NYO2 and NYO Jazz programs, specifically) — all globally recognized and TLF-mission aligned partner orchestras — with a goal of expanding the number and locations of orchestras globally in the the months and years to come.
In addition to her personal contribution to launch the Foundation, Laufey announced AWAL, AEG Presents, and Steinway & Sons as founding partners, as well as Warner Chappell, Catbird, and Gibson Gives as Benefactor Partners through their donations. Moreover, Laufey will also donate a portion of the proceeds of every Mei Mei The Bunny sold.
+ Kosign, the music publishing platform launched by Kobalt, has named music industry veteran Jason Feinberg as its new senior vice president/head of Kosign. Kosign was launched earlier this year to empower artists, songwriters, and producers to collect their publishing royalties flexibly and seamlessly. In its first weeks, Kosign has received applications from writers in 88 countries, with catalogs representing billions of streams.
Feinberg most recently served as a managing partner at 138 Strategic, a company that advises artists and executives on strategy, technology, marketing, ecommerce and direct-to-fan engagement. Previously, he served as senior VP of marketing at Universal Music Group, rebuilding and expanding the marketing department for UMe, the catalog division of the world’s largest music company. Notably, he was also head of artist marketing at Pandora’s AMP.
“Jason has built a successful career at the nexus of artist development, artist relations and technology,” said Laurent Hubert, CEO of Kobalt. “His expertise, track record and deep relationships in the business make him perfectly suited to run KOSIGN as we continue to grow our customer base around the world.”
Monday, April 28
Veteran Nashville music executive Leslie Fram has officially announced her new business venture, FEMco (Fram Entertainment & Music), a consulting collective offering artist development, talent booking and production, and B2B connections to Nashville’s entertainment community.
FEMco will capitalize on Fram’s 13-year tenure in Nashville as SVP of music and talent at CMT/Paramount, as well as her many years working in radio. While at CMT, Fram executive-produced the annual CMT Music Awards, booked CMT Crossroads, Storytellers and more. Most recently, she served as Talent Producer on CBS’ “Ringo & Friends at the Ryman.”
Fram says, “I’ve always wanted to start my own company, one that was intentionally designed as a purpose-driven business that aligns with my personal and professional aspirations. Through my time in radio and television I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge, skills and insights from various roles, industries and projects that are not just a collection of past events but a foundation for this very kind of endeavor.”
FEMco will also create multiple opportunities for female artists to increase their visibility and reach via events, sponsorships and more through its music-focused production arm, FEMco Presents. Its first franchise, FEMcountry is a continuation of Fram’s work in creating critically-acclaimed programs like CMT’s Next Women of Country and her passion for elevating female voices in country music.
+ Veteran entertainment execs Joshua Simons, Dave Lory and Dick Wingate have announced the formation of Worldwide Entertainment Group, a New York-based company providing musical artists with a “holistic management experience.” The company offers a full spectrum of services including talent management, marketing, promotion, licensing, event management and career development. The first projects include Brian Fresco, whose first single “Bad 4 You” features Chance the Rapper and Lil Xel and drops on June 6, and singer/songwriter Hannah Wicklund, who will be recording her new album this month.
Other staffers include president Jeff Riccio as president of WEG Licensed Merchandise Group, Sandy Rizzo as executive VP of WEG Talent Management, Licensed Merchandise and Live Performance Groups, Brad Mooberry as chief marketing officer, and Jenn Federici as GM of artist development. Patrick Clifford will be the company’s representative in Nashville and A&R.
WEG has a distribution deal in place with Jeff Brody, owner of Brody Distribution Group through the Orchard and a merchandise deal with JSR/Forward Merch for the independent artists and projects signed to WEG. WEG also has a partnership in place with Tom Linden, whose company CMMN PPL will be assisting with artist bookings as needed and sourcing touring support opportunities.
+ Billboard has promoted Mike Van to the role of the publication’s first-ever CEO.. In this position, Van will oversee Billboard’s global brand footprint in 15 countries, along with all aspects of strategy, revenue, business operations, live experiences, international licensing, and brand partnerships; he will also oversee both the business and editorial teams, with Billboard’s editor-in-chief Hannah Karp now reporting to him directly, according to the announcement.
Van, who was Billboard’s president since 2022, will report to Jay Penske, Chairman and CEO, Penske Media Corporation. He previously held leadership roles at Pandora, Electronic Arts, and Complex.
“Mike is a one-of-a-kind leader, visionary and partner,” said Penske. “His passion for the Billboard brand and clear vision for its future has always set him apart. Mike has fostered a collaborative environment with a team committed to building a formidable global business – innovating and trailblazing at every level. It has been inspiring to watch Billboard’s seismic growth over the last several years and I look forward to seeing the brand continue to thrive under Mike’s leadership.”
+ Splice has announced the acquisition of Spitfire Audio, a major U.K.-based developer of high-end virtual instrument libraries. The acquisition marks Splice’s entry into the fast-growing plugin space, adding to the company’s Splice Sounds subscriptions and rent-to-own businesses. The companies are set to start work on new products that blend Spitfire Audio’s cinematic and orchestral expertise with Splice’s sample catalog and AI-powered discovery engine.
“The teams at Spitfire Audio and Splice have deep respect for composers, musicians and producers and are committed to celebrating and supporting their work”, said Kakul Srivastava, CEO of Splice. “We’re both sound-first, creator-led companies who believe great software and technology can supercharge the creative experience. Our shared vision is to develop tools that expand—not replace—human creativity.” Srivastava added. “With Spitfire’s expressive instruments and Splice’s AI-powered platform, we’re just beginning to explore what’s possible.”
+ Warner Chappell Music Nashville and Ignition Nashville have signed a global publishing deal with rising singer-songwriter Ethan Escue, who has collaborated with Chase Matthew, Austin Williams, Hayden Coffman, and Brandt Carmichael, among others. He recently penned five songs on Coffman’s “Love and a Heartbreak” album.
BJ Hill, SVP, A&R, WCM Nashville, said: “Ethan paints stories in a way that’s both familiar and memorable. He’s an incredible songwriter – and even more so, an excellent human being. We’re excited to support his growth alongside our amazing partners at Ignition Nashville.”
+ Virgin Music Group has promoted Hannah Thompson-Waitt to senior vice president of commercial strategy at the company. In her new role, Thompson-Waitt will lead the U.S. Commercial team, overseeing the formulation and execution of streaming strategy, release analysis, and fan acquisition strategy for a diverse roster of clients.
“Hannah has an incredible ability to communicate and connect with our diverse group of label and artist partners,” said Zack Gershen, Executive Vice President, Global Commercial & Digital Strategy at the company. “She has been key in delivering innovative commercial strategies and we look forward to her making even greater contributions in this new role.”
Prior to joining Virgin, Thompson-Waitt held the position of VP of digital marketing at Mtheory, the company founded by Virgin Music Group co-CEOs J.T. Myers and Nat Pastor, which she joined in 2017 and was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2022. She began her career in 2014 when she launched her own K-pop media company while still in graduate school.
+ Kobalt has signed Bizzy Crook, a songwriter on frequent collaborator Leon Thomas’ breakout hit “Mutt.”
“Mutt,” released on August 8, 2024, serves as the lead single from Thomas’s sophomore album of the same name. The song has been streamed over 51 million times on Spotify and has garnered widespread acclaim.
“We’re beyond excited to welcome Bizzy Crook to the Kobalt family,” said Genevieve Huguely, Kobalt’s manager, creative. “His talent as a songwriter and storyteller is undeniable, and his work on ‘Mutt’ is a testament to the kind of creativity and vision we love to support. Bizzy brings a fresh perspective and a unique voice to everything he touches, and we’re proud to be part of this next chapter in his journey.”
“Ultimately, after 15 years of grinding, being told no, and never giving up; then finally catching my first #1 record, ownership was important to me,” said Bizzy “I felt like Kobalt best understood my journey, my vision, and my value.”
+ Audio software company Serato and entertainment-focused nonprofit TEC Leimert and streetwear label Undefeated have announced the return of their Audio Affect Series, an immersive workshop program designed to empower the next generation of Black and Brown talent in South Central Los Angeles.
First launched in 2023, the 2025 iteration will take place from July 25-27 at music school 1500 Sound Academy’s state-of-the-art facility Volume Studios located in Inglewood, Calif. Participants will receive mentorship from DJ Khalil (producer for Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Kanye West) and artists DāM-FunK, Iman Omari, Amber Navran, Lyric Jones, Sarah2ill and Oh Gosh Leotus. Additional mentors and guest speakers will be announced at a later date.
Applications for the Audio Affect Series are open now through June 6. 80 spots will be available for LA-based talent.
