No. 1 Party: A Thousand Horses Are Smoking Hot

Pictured: (L-R): (back row): ASCAP’s Jon Nite, ATH’s Graham Deloach, Zach Brown, and Bill Satcher, BMLG’s Katherine Susemichael, Kelsey Hamrick, and Andrew Thoen. (Front row): BMLG’s Matthew Hargis, BMI’s Ross Copperman, BMLG’s John Zarling, ATH’s Michael Hobby, BMLG’s Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Stacy Blythe and Angie Coonrod. Photo: Steve Lowry

South Bar & Restaurant in Nashville was the site for celebrating the No. 1 song “Smoke,” by Republic Nashville’s A Thousand Horses. It is the band’s debut single and their first No. 1.

The event was hosted by BMI and ASCAP and started with Perry Howard recognizing BMI writers Ross Copperman and A Thousand Horses’ Michael Hobby, who co-wrote the song with ASCAP’s Jon Nite. It is also the first No. 1 single produced by Dave Cobb.

“Smoke” marks the first No. 1 for Hobby as a writer and as an artist. It is Copperman’s fourth chart-topper as a writer.

ASCAP’s Mike Sistad took to the stage to congratulate Nite on his fourth No. 1 and said that he currently has four other songs on the chart, and is a 2015 CMA Triple Play Award recipient.

Pictured: (L-R): (back row): Warner Chappell’s Travis Carter, Sony/ATV’s Josh Van Valkenburg, BMI’s Perry Howard, ATH’s Zach Brown, Michael Hobby, Bill Satcher and Graham Deloach. (Front row): Producer Dave Cobb, BMI’s Ross Copperman, ASCAP’s Jon Nite, BMLG’s Scott Borchetta and Jimmy Harnen and ASCAP’s Mike Sistad. Photo: Steve Lowry

Executive Vice President of Republic Nashville, Jimmy Harnen, made it known that this was the 15th No. 1 song for the label in only six years. He thanks the band’s manager Scott McGhee for bringing them to his attention, which led to them being signed to the label.

Harnen introduced Big Machine President and CEO, Scott Borchetta and congratulated him on his 171 No. 1 songs. Borchetta reciprocated by saying, “there isn’t anyone I trust more than Jimmy Harnen. When he came to me and said he wanted to sign this band, I had never heard them but it didn’t matter because Jimmy was so passionate about them.”

Copperman remembered going to see the band for the first time. “I feel like I was watching a historical moment. They are so good for our format.”

Nite said that A Thousand Horses plays rock ‘n’ roll music and “the format that we have today has allowed that to happen. I appreciate you guys for playing the music your soul wants to play.”

Hobby called his band “a band of brothers,” and said, “we’ve been doing this a long time together and to share this experience with you guys is pretty amazing.”

Also making presentations were Travis Carter of Warner/Chappell, Josh Van Valkenburg of Sony/ATV, Country Aircheck’s Lon Helton, and reps from the CMA and CRB.