Pictured (L-R, front row): Big Machine Label Group President & CEO Scott Borchetta, songwriter-producer and Big Loud Mountain partner Joey Moi, and Black Stone Cherry songwriters John Fred Young, Chris Robertson, John Lawhon and Ben Wells. (L-R, back row): Kentucky Headhunters’ Richard Young, ASCAP’s Michael Martin and LeAnn Phelan, Big Loud Mountain partner Craig Wiseman, Republic Nashville President and Big Machine Label Group EVP Jimmy Harnen, Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, publisher Robot of the Century Music’s Doug Keogh, Warner/Chappell EVP Ben Vaughn, ASCAP’s Ryan Beuschel and Big Loud Mountain partner Seth England. Photo by Ed Rode.
Music industry members gathered at the ASCAP offices on Wednesday, Feb. 12 to celebrate the team behind Republic Nashville duo Florida Georgia Line‘s four-week No. 1 hit single “Stay.” The song was written by Joey Moi along with Black Stone Cherry band members Chris Robertson, Ben Wells, Jon Lawhon and John Fred Young. The track was produced by Joey Moi, and marked Moi’s sixth trip to the top of the charts as a songwriter. It became the first Country chart-topping song for the members of Black Stone Cherry. The #1 party also helped to kick off ASCAP’s 100th birthday celebration on Feb. 13, 2014.
Among those in attendance were FGL’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, BMLG’s Scott Borchetta and Jimmy Harnen, ASCAP’s LeAnn Phelan, Michael Martin and Ryan Beuschel, Big Loud Mountain’s Seth England and Craig Wiseman, Robot of the Century Music’s Doug Keogh and Warner/Chappell’s Ben Vaughn.
“I’ve been working in rock n roll, so what a great way to make my first trip to Nashville,” said Robot of the Century Music publisher Doug Keogh. Moi stated, “We wrote a rock song that we never thought would be on Country radio.”
The song was included on Black Stone Cherry’s 2011 album Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, before Florida Georgia Line covered it for their debut album Here’s To The Good Times. “This was the scariest song for me to cut because I listened to [Black Stone Cherry’s] album and you just killed the vocals,” said Florida Georgia Line’s Hubbard. “It’s cool to have this kind of collaboration between a Country band and a rock band.”
“There are some blurred lines between Country and rock and we are glad to be part of this movement,” said Ben Wells. Indeed, radio listeners and music buyers have responded enthusiastically to new sound; the label group awarded plaques to the group and songwriters to commemorate sales of more than 500,000 copies of the single.
It was full circle, as Black Stone Cherry member John Fred Young’s father is Kentucky Headhunters member Richard Young. Big Machine Label Group president and founder Scott Borchetta promoted the Kentucky Headhunter’s early singles. “This is crazy,” said John Fred Young. “For us to write a song when we were sitting at the house, and then for it to become a success on Country radio. Brian and Tyler are great guys, and we are so proud of the success these guys have had.”
Category: Artist, Featured, Label, Publishing, Radio
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Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
