Industry Ink (7/19/12)

• Chase Rice recently signed with CAA for exclusive representation. Jim Butler and Meredith Jones will be his Responsible Agents. Chase’s debut album Dirt Road Communion, featuring lead single “How She Rolls,” was released March 20 and climbed to No. 6 on the iTunes Top Country Album Charts and No. 48 on the Billboard Top Country Album Chart. Rice is also a co-writer on “Cruise,” the debut single from Republic Nashville duo Florida Georgia Line. Rice’s interesting background includes CBS Survivor: Nicaragua, time as a UNC Chapel Hill football player, and work on the Hendrick Motorsports pit crew for Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson.

• Shaun Silva has a new venture in the works. Currently known as Forward, the project has been in development for about 18 months. The new company will be a standalone venture, separate from his decade old Tacklebox Films, which will remain in its current location with current staff. Details on Forward are coming soon, in the meantime get a preview at weareforward.com. 

Flynnville Train

• Flynnville Train’s latest single, “The One You Love,” was the most streamed and third most downloaded on Play MPE its first week of release. Written by Kentucky HeadHunters members Richard Young, Fred Young and Doug Phelps, the track is the first release from the band’s album due out in early 2013. The single is available via Whiskey Bent Records/Flying Island Entertainment. Flynnville Train’s upcoming appearances include shows with Tracy Lawrence, The Kentucky HeadHunters and Gretchen Wilson.

• Nashville publicist Ed James is rejoining marketing company Cornerstone, with clients including Microsoft and Pepsi. He will resume his role as president and co-founder of the agency’s public relations division. James recently served as VP of Global Public Relations for Gibson Guitar. Prior to that he co-founded the Cornerstone Public Relations agency in 2006 as an extension of the New York based lifestyle marketing company. During his time as president, he signed numerous accounts for the firm and handled campaign strategy and execution for clients including HBO, Bushmills Irish Whiskey, Pepsi, Nike, Reader’s Digest, Converse, Guitar Center and Levi’s.

• First-call studio keyboardist Gordon Mote has released his own album. Songs I Grew Up Singing is available on New Haven Records in association with RSI Music Group.

• The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA) has announced the renewal of a lyrics licensing agreement with LyricFind. Since its launch in 2004, LyricFind has entered into lyrics distribution agreements with major and many independent music publishers. In addition, LyricFind provides licensed lyrics to various digital service providers and has developed successful mobile applications for the iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry Playbook. Using its bulk licensing process, HFA will continue to provide licenses for songs in LyricFind’s extensive database ensuring that music publishers and songwriters are accurately compensated for use of their lyrics.

• Porfirio Piña has been elected President of the Board of Directors of the BMI Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to encouraging the creation, performance and study of music. Piña is currently Senior Director, Writer/Publisher Relations for BMI.