Industry Ink: Songs And Stories, Lena Stone, Donna Ulisse

The Big 98’s Songs & Stories Benefit Set For April 16

Ashley Gorley, Josh Osborne, Rodney Clawson, Nicolle Galyon, Wendell Mobley, Lee Miller and a surprise guest will perform at this year’s Big 98 Songs And Stories Event April 16 at 3rd & Lindsley. The show is a benefit for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Lena Stone Joins CMA

Pictured (L-R): CMA Manager of Awards & Industry Relations Brenden Oliver, CMA Senior Director of Awards & Industry Relations Brandi Simms, Lena Stone and CMA Awards & Industry Relations Coordinator Angela Strader   Photo credit: Pamela Hothorn

Singer/songwriter Lena Stone is now an official member of the Country Music Association. While attending a Grammy songwriting camp in Los Angeles, Stone connected with hit songwriter Darrell Brown who told her she belonged in Nashville. Since making the move to Music City, she’s penned over 600 songs, with co-writing credit on Kalie Shorr’s SiriusXM breakout tune “Fight Like A Girl,” as well as Shorr’s singles “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “Two Hands.”

Donna Ulisse Joins Billy Blue Records Roster

Pictured (L-R):Kathy Sacra-Anderson (Hadley Music Group), Ed Leonard (President, Daywind Music Group), Donna Ulisse (seated), Jerry Salley (Creative and A&R Director, Billy Blue Records), Rick Stanley

Donna Ulisse has signed with Billy Blue Records as a recording artist. Ulisse has also signed an exclusive songwriting contract with the newly formed publishing company, Billy Blue Publishing.

Ulisse was previously named IBMA Song of the Year Winner (“I Am A Drifter,” 2017), IBMA Songwriter of the Year (2016), and winner of the Just Plain Folks Bluegrass Song of the Year Award (2009). In the early 1990’s, Donna was signed to Atlantic Records as a country artist, and she released a critically acclaimed album, Trouble at The Door.

As a writer, Donna’s songs have been recorded by artists including Claire Lynch, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, The Bankesters, Doyle Lawson, the Larry Stephenson Band and Volume Five. She had a song on the Del McCoury Band’s Grammy-winning album Streets of Baltimore (2014).