Creative Nation Signs Lori McKenna for Publishing, Management

Pictured (L-R): Jeff Skaggs, Beth Laird, Lori McKenna, Luke Laird. Photo: Spencer Combs

Hit songwriter and critically acclaimed artist Lori McKenna has signed a publishing and management deal with independent company Creative Nation.

The Boston-native has writing credits on recent hits/cuts including “Girl Crush,” “Your Side of the Bed” and “Sober” (Little Big Town); “I Want Crazy” (Hunter Hayes) and “God Made Girls” (RaeLynn). McKenna has released eight lauded studio albums.

“I wanted to find a place where I could better balance my career as a songwriter and I’m so excited to start this new venture with Creative Nation,” says McKenna. “It’s a dream come true to be a part of such an amazing team with my friends.”

“The fact that we’ve had such incredible writers come to us and want to work with us and be here, that’s really blown my mind,” said Beth Laird, Creative Nation Co-Owner. “I want to always feel like a family, which can always get bigger as long as you’re just very careful to get different people on the team.”

Previously with Universal Music Publishing Group for the last six years, McKenna tells Billboard, “I’m a singer-songwriter at the end of the day, and when I started talking to Beth as a publisher, she really lit a fire under my artist ass. I’ve always wanted to be the best writer I could be, but now without putting the artist side on the backburner.”

McKenna joins Creative Nation’s roster of artists and songwriters: Luke Laird, Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby, Maggie Chapman, Native Run, Steve Moakler and recently signed Pulse/Creative Nation writer, Tyler Johnson.