Don Williams Music Group: News

August 11, 2008 Isaac Hayes, the multi-award winning soul singer, songwriter and composer, passed away at the age of 65. Hayes was found in his Memphis, Tennessee, home at 1:00pm on Sunday, August 10th. His cause of death has yet to be determined, but medical officials say it may be linked to a stroke he suffered in 2006.
Hayes’ legacy will be carried on by his 12 children, wife Adjowa as well as his iconic contribution to soul music. He is best known for winning Academy, Golden Globe, Edison and multiple Grammy Awards for the soundtrack to the 1971 movie Shaft. He then began doing guest appearances in film and television. Some of his projects included **Escape From New York, Hustle & Flow and the television show “Miami Vice.” He also offered his vocal talents to the comedic role of Chef on the animated hit television show “South Park.”**
Isaac Hayes will not only be remembered for his musical and artistic prowess, but for his community service endeavors. In 1999, he spearheaded the Isaac Hayes Foundation (IHF), which partners with nonprofit organizations to support global causes and serve the needs of the community. The establishment is dedicated to assisting vulnerable populations in realizing their full potential through grants, technical assistance and program development in the areas of health care, economic, community, environmental and human development (www.isaachayes.com).

June 25, 2008 Dennis Wilson’s Pacific Ocean Blue: Legacy Edition (Caribou/Epic/Legacy) scores impressive positions on both the domestic and international charts one week following its release. The 30th anniversary reissue of the long-out-of-print musical masterpiece from Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson is blowing up both in the U.S. and worldwide following its release on June 17, 2008. A two CD collection featuring the original album in its entirety as well as bonus tracks and the first official release of songs from Bambu, Wilson’s intended follow-up was the #4 rock release for Amazon.com on the day of release. The album is already a top-seller in the UK and Europe having debuted at #16 on the UK album chart, #67 in the Netherlands, #71 in Ireland and #5 in Norway. The album has received four and five star reviews from reputable publications throughout America and the UK. Los Angeles music magazine *Filter* called it “…one of the quintessential L.A. albums…” *Mojo* said, “[Dennis] left behind Pacific Ocean Blue as his masterpiece, a soul-baring document of a disintegrating male psyche that is perfectly poised between pain and transcendence.” The *London Observer* named it the “Holy Grail for many a rock fan” and *Q Magazine* declared it “Heartfelt, confessional and lushly-produced…” It received 4 stars from *Rolling Stone* and 5 stars from *Uncut* and the *Record Collector. The review from Blurt* sums up the album’s success thus far very accurately: “If you don’t already own this long-unavailable 1977 masterpiece… you owe it to your ears and soul to get it immediately. Phenomenal.”

May 14, 2008 Don Williams Music Group welcomes Shaun Christie as an intern and the newest member of the office. Shaun hails from Scotland, where he attended Jewel and Esk Valley College in Edinburgh. It was there that he received a Higher National Degree in Music Business. He also completed an optional A&R course in addition to his course work in Music Law, Marketing, Promotions, Music History, Music Management and Image and Graphics. He has previous experience as an A&R Scout for Ruff World Records in London, a Street Team Leader for Traffic Online Promotions and a Promotions Co-Coordinator for XFM Scotland in Glasgow. Shaun’s current duties at DWMG include inputting digital license and royalty information in the company database, following up with outstanding synchronization license issues, developing regular correspondence with MCPS-PRS in the UK and general administrative tasks. With his vast music industry experience and keen ear for new music, he hopes to gain further knowledge of music publishing and expand his A&R responsibilities in the future.

April 22, 2008 Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins provides the lead vocal to the previously instrumental track “Holy Man,” featured on the new Dennis Wilson Caribou/Legacy dual disc. As a long-time fan of Dennis Wilson, Hawkins was eager to contribute to the project. Gregg Jakobson, a friend and producer of both Wilson and Hawkins, approached Taylor with the suggestion that he do the vocal. “Taylor did a great vocal. Without trying to sound like Dennis, he sounds very much like Dennis,” says Jakobson. “Within a few hours at the mic, he hit it out of the park. Being a fan of Dennis, I know that he felt really good about the session. Hats off to Taylor.” The Taylor Hawkins version of “Holy Man,” as well as a re-master of the original instrumental version, can be found on the new album set for release in June 2008.
April 1, 2008 DWMG client Dave Meniketti and the boys of Y&T will be touring Europe this May and throughout the summer. They will play a short stint in Japan during the month of June with a few North American dates starting in July through the end of August. The North American tour dates will include South Texas Rock Fest with Tesla, and Rock Against Diabetes in Las Vegas with Eric Martin. The final leg of their European tour in September will feature special guests Glyder, an up-and-coming Irish rock band who previously toured with Thin Lizzy, supporting their UK tour dates. Click here for a complete list of Y&T’s summer tour dates.
March 6, 2008 Earl King’s “Big Chief” has lived up to its title as a New Orleans standard. The song was performed by jazz greats Art Neville and Ivan Neville at the NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show, which aired on TNT and NBATV on Sunday February 17, 2008. The event went along with the setting of the game, which was held at the New Orleans Arena. Led by Grammy Award-winning singer and pianist Harry Connick, Jr. and classical saxophonist Branford Marsalis, the show also featured performances by Jonathan Batiste, Marc Broussard and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Davell Crawford, Rebirth Brass Band, Kermit Ruffins, Amanda Shaw, Trombone Shorty, Allen Toussaint, Ellis Marsalis and the legendary Dr. John. Click here to watch this noteworthy performance.
February 15, 2008 Don Williams Music Group has licensed the Robert Lamm song “Saturday in the Park” to American Girl Brands for use in their latest product, American Girl Doll Julie Albright. Julie, one of the company’s historical characters, is from 1974 and includes a record player that plays one minute and 30 seconds of the well-known Chicago tune. Julie dolls are sold at the American Girl website and at American Girl stores nationwide. Pictured here is DWMG Royalty Manager Taylor Rowley, now a proud owner of one of the Julie dolls.
January 24, 2008 Don Williams Music Group takes pride in announcing that twelve original compositions co-authored by Dennis Wilson and writer client Gregg Jakobson will be included on the upcoming Caribou/Legacy release by Dennis Wilson, "Pacific Ocean Blue: Legacy Edition." A May 2008 release is expected for the two-disc package that will contain the late Beach Boy's acclaimed 1977 solo work Pacific Ocean Blue and will feature Wilson’s previously unreleased Bambu LP, described by rock historians as a lost classic. Dennis Wilson co-founded the Beach Boys and personified their quintessential California surfer image. His tragic death in 1983 left behind two solo albums of astonishing beauty. Now as the result of the sustained efforts by Caribou Records label owner Jim Guercio, Sony BMG A&R director Rob Santos and writer/producer Jakobson, both recordings will soon be available to his worldwide fan base.
December 22, 2007 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! As 2007 draws to a close, we take this opportunity to wish all of our friends and associates a happy holiday season. Thank you for protecting and promoting the authors and composers that we represent and the music we publish. As is customary, our offices will be officially closed from December 22, 2007 through January 2, 2008; we will, however, be checking for messages on a regular basis. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
December 7, 2007 DWMG is pleased to announce that, following their 2004 Grammy Award win, Toots & the Maytals received a Best Reggae Album Grammy nomination yet again for their latest release, “Light Your Light.” Toots’ fellow nominees in this category include Burning Spear, Stephen Marley, Lee “Scratch” Perry and Sly & Robbie and the Taxi Gang. Lily Allen, whose debut album features “Knock Em Out,” a replay of the Earl King song “Big Chief,” also received honorable mention at this year’s Grammys with a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. Other nominees include The Arcade Fire, Bjork, The Shins and The White Stripes.

October 11, 2007 DWMG is pleased to have Willis Alan Ramsey’s “Muskrat Love” showcased in this week’s #2 box office movie, “The Heartbreak Kid,” starring Ben Stiller and directed by the Farrelly Brothers (Dumb & Dumber, There’s Something About Mary). The film is a remake of the 1972 comedy written by Neil Simon. It documents the story of Eddie Cantrow (Stiller), who impulsively proposes to someone he believes to be the woman of his dreams, only to find she is not far from his worst nightmare. “Muskrat Love” is featured in a scene where Eddie and his new bride, Lila (Malin Akerman), are driving down to Mexico for their honeymoon. Eddie soon discovers Lila has an annoying habit – singing very loudly to whatever song is on the radio. Other artists featured in this scene are Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Jackson, Sammy Davis, Jr.
August 28, 2007 Danny Seraphine, former drummer and founding member of multi-platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning rock/pop act Chicago has released his debut album with California Transit Authority (CTA). The band’s debut album, *Full Circle, features Chicago classics like “Make Me Smile,” “Colour My World”* and a live version of “25 or 6 to 4” as a bonus track. It also includes cover songs of other popular artists and an original song, as well. CTA features guitarist Marc Bonilla, whose past musical repertoire includes cues for major motion pictures like “Falling Down” and “Spiderman 2.” Seraphine says of Bonilla: “He’s the best guitar player I’ve played with since Terry Kath and in my opinion Terry was one of the top five in the world. Marc’s in that category.” CTA’s bassist Mick Mahan is best known for work as Pat Benatar’s bassist, musical director and bassist for Sophie B. Hawkins and touring bassist for Steve Miller, Alan Parsons and Phillip Bailey. Keyboardist Peter Fish is a six-time Emmy Award-winner for his compositions of television show theme songs. He has also produced albums by Carly Simon, Tony Bennett and Judy Collins. Second keyboardist, Edward Harris Roth also has an impressive list of performing credits (Grammy winners Coolio, Mya and The Brothers Johnson), recording credits (Kristine W., Rob Halford and Jerry Cantrell), and soundtrack and commercial credits (Touchstone Pictures, BET, Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures and Disney). Primarily known as the singer for Tower of Power, Larry Braggs serves as the band’s lead vocalist. He has also performed alongside Morris Day, Kenny Loggins, Millie Jackson and Evelyn Champagne King. Finally, Walter Rodriguez completes the CTA outfit on conga drums. (http://www.myspace.com)
July 10, 2007 Concord Records will release Toots and the Maytals’ “Light Your Light,” the much-awaited follow-up to the 2004 album “True Love,” winner of the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. Toots’ new album is scheduled for release on August 28, 2007.
June 25, 2007 DWMG is proud to announce its sponsorship of Allegra Willis as she begins training for the 2007 Florence, Italy Marathon on November 25, 2007! She is training with the AIDS Marathon program, which raises money for AIDS Project Los Angeles. APLA is one of the most prominent providers of food and health care to those in the Los Angeles area who suffer from the AIDS virus. By training with AIDS Marathon, she is responsible for fundraising $4,200 by August 17, 2007. Want to donate to Allegra’s cause? Simply click here and click on “Donate Now” to have the donation automatically deducted from your bank account. If you do not wish to contribute online, you may download the Donor Form and mail a check to the AIDS Marathon address at the bottom of the form.
May 13, 2007 Don Williams Music Group welcomes Jonathan Dee as the newest addition to its music publishing staff. Jonathan is responsible for maintaining the catalogue reference and assisting Allegra Willis in the fields of copyright, clearance and mechanical licensing. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and earned a Professional Certificate from the Guitar Institute of Technology at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, California. His experience at various music retail stores, including a sales associate position at Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard and an assistant manager position at CD Warehouse, along with his own musical skill as a guitarist and former guitar instructor, gives him the knowledge and work ethic to play a crucial role in the DWMG office. Jonathan continues to enjoy his extracurricular musical pursuits as the vocalist/guitarist of the Los Angeles band A Touch of Brimstone.
February 12, 2007 MCA/Universal has announced a new release date for “Live at Texas Stadium,” the much-anticipated live album featuring Jimmy Buffett teamed up with two of Nashville’s finest artists, Alan Jackson and George Strait. The May 29, 2004 live performance CD is set for a April 3, 2007 release on the Mercury Nashville label, and features a cover of Willis Alan Ramsey’s “Northeast Texas Women.”
January 25, 2007 DWMG has issued a commercial synchronization license to the London-based advertising agency Lowe Worldwide for the use of the Shirley's Music composition “Big Chief” by Earl King Johnson. The classic Professor Longhair version is used in an advertisement for Rexona/Sure/Degree women's deodorant and, according to the ad agency, illustrates "a cross-section of a young and vibrant woman's day." The ad follows the female star's rush from home to work, a lunch meeting, a late-night date and everywhere in between. It will air via television, cinema, internet, and in-store/corporate media in the territories of North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Lowe Worldwide found the 60-second clip of "Big Chief" to be ideal for the fast-paced commercial because it was "upbeat and full of energy."Click here to view a web clip of the advertisement.
January 18, 2007 Don Williams Music Group welcomes Taylor Rowley as the newest member of its music publishing team. Taylor's primary responsibilities will be focused in the areas of royalties, bookkeeping and general accounting. She looks to expand her responsibilities to include international administration. She is a recent graduate of Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelor's Degree in Film Production. Her previous experience as a sales associate for Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard as well as the Program Director for the college radio station 88.9FM KXLU provides her with the music sense and expertise to be a vital member of DWMG. Taylor continues to host a rock radio show on KXLU every Tuesday from 10:00am-2:00pm.
January 8, 2007 Some are reluctant to call it the second British invasion, but no matter what you choose to call it, it is definitely making some waves on American shores. Thanks to the emergence of digital music and social networking sites, it has become much easier for up-and-coming UK artists to reach the ears of young Americans who are hungry for new music. UK singer/songwriter Lily Allen is one artist in particular who is expected to make some waves with the U.S. release of her debut album “Alright, Still” (Capitol), which features the Shirley's Music track “Knock ‘Em Out. ” Should Allen's stateside success match her UK popularity, it might assist the sales of other unique UK acts such as Jamie T, Just Jack, Larrikin Love, and the Holloways. Allen's album is set for release on January 30, 2007.
January 3, 2007 With the 49th Annual Grammy Awards rapidly approaching, DWMG is always pleased to see a nomination offered to one of its own records. This year, the Elvis Costello/Allen Toussaint collaboration, “This River in Reverse” (featuring “Ascension Day,” based on Professor Longhair's “Tipitina”), received honorable mention in the form of a Best Pop Vocal Album nomination. Also competing for the Best Pop Vocal Grammy are Christina Aguilera, James Blunt, John Mayer and Justin Timberlake. The 49th Annual Grammy Awards will air live on CBS from the Los Angeles Staples Center on Sunday, February 11, 2007 at 8:00pm.
December 22, 2006 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Once again it is that time of year to wish all of our friends and associates a happy holiday season. Thank you for your continued support and interest in the authors and composers that we represent and the music we publish. As usual, although our offices will be officially closed from December 22, 2006 through January 2, 2007, we will be checking for messages on a daily basis. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! - Don Williams & the DWMG Staff
November 30, 2006 DWMG is currently seeking a record label to release a collection of songs from the late legendary blues guitarist Verbie Jean “Flash” Terry. Born in Oklahoma in the early 1930s, Flash Terry was inspired by artists like T-Bone Walker. He took up guitar at a young age and played with musicians like Jimmy “Cry Cry” Hawkins, Ernie Fields, and Floyd Dixon in the early 1950s. He released well-known singles such as “Cool It” on Kent Records (record label of B.B. King). It wasn't until the mid-1970s that he signed with Shelter Records, where he became acquainted with acclaimed keyboardist/producer Walt Richmond, who has played with Rick Danko (The Band), Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale, and has co-produced three albums by country western group The Tractors. “He was legendary to me,” Richmond says of Terry, his friend and colleague. “He was the real thing…authentic.” In 1999, Terry and Richmond went into the studio to record what would be Terry's final compilation of recordings. The recording sessions continued for years, right up until Terry's tragic death in March 2003. The soon-to-be released album features a host of notable musicians, including Richmond himself on keyboards, Jim Byfield (writer of Clapton's “Little Rachel”) on guitars, Casey VanBeek (The Righteous Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles) on bass, and David Teegarden (Bob Seger, Eric Clapton) and Chuck Blackwell (Everly Brothers, The Shindogs) on drums/percussion.
November 15, 2006 Peter Cetera's classic ballad “If You Leave Me Now” is featured in Warner Brothers' recent box office hit “Happy Feet.” The animated film, directed by Australian George Miller, grossed $42.3 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada, placing it in the number 1 spot at the box office. Miller's musical documents the story of Antarctic penguins and features the vocal talents of Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving, and Robin Williams, among others. Warner Brothers' distribution president Dan Fellman expresses his surprise at the film's success, especially considering its competitors. “We didn't expect to win the weekend against this kind of competition, and we have not been big in the animation business.” DWMG is proud to have one of its songs featured in this season's surprise hit film.
November 7, 2006 Lily Allen is the name on everybody's lips. With her unique ska/pop/reggae sound and vivacious style, this England-born singer/songwriter has quickly become a pop sensation. Her debut album “Alright, Still," featuring the Shirley's Music track “Knock 'Em Out,” recently reached platinum status in the UK, making her much more than just your average MySpace darling. Allen grew up in various parts of London, where she took an interest in jungle and drum and bass music at a very young age. She soon found that music gave her an opportunity to voice many of the problems she witnessed in society. For this reason, Allen's lyrical concepts are wise beyond her mere 21 years, making her quite a force to be reckoned with.
October 17, 2006 Don Williams Music Group has hired Allegra Willis to assist in the fields of A&R, copyright, licensing and news updates on the company website. Allegra recently graduated from Westmont College with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications. Her experience as an intern for Birdman Records, staff writer for Angst Magazine and Hybrid Magazine, and sales associate for Virgin MegaStore and Tower Records on Sunset Boulevardshould provide her with the means to be a beneficial part of the office staff. She also hopes to learn various aspects of music publishing so that she might take on greater responsibilities in the future.
August 11, 2006 Appalled and inspired by the horrific events of Hurricane Katrina, director Spike Lee sought to create a documentary film of the tragedy entitled “When The Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts.” The movie is organized into four separate acts, each one outlining different facets of the event. Above all, the film aims to capture the community's history of survival amidst catastrophe. One of the key aspects of such resilience lies in New Orleans culture, which would not be complete without traditional music from the city itself. DWMG has licensed Lee several well-known songs by Professor Longhair and Earl King ( such as “Big Chief” ) to add to the film's traditional New Orleans feel. “When The Levees Broke” is scheduled to air on HBO Thursday, November 30 at 7:30 PST .
June 5, 2006 Don Williams Music Group has hired Hilary Kromnick as an executive assistant in the fields of copyright, clearance, and licensing. Kromnick is currently studying Instrumental Performance at New York University, with emphases in Music Theory and Music Business. Due to her knowledge of music and wide range of musical interests, Kromnick has also joined DWMG's diverse staff of A&R representatives. She is in search of new, exciting talent nationwide who are looking for cutting edge publishing representation.
April 7, 2006 DMWG is thrilled to assist with introducing the world to the Irish band, The Guggenheim Grotto. In March the band visited the US to promote their debut release "Waltzing Alone." While in the States, they played at Austin's SXSW festival, peformed for The World Cafe radio program and at LA's Hotel Cafe. Northwestern University 's radio station 89.3 WNUR's 'The Lit Show' has just produced an interview with Kevin May based on his poetic lyrics. Kevin is the first songwriter featured on the show. WNUR reaches a potential audience of almost 3 million and was named Spin Magazine's College Radio Station of the Year. The interview will be posted on their website (www.wnur.org). The band have a radio session broadcasting on XM Radio's program 'The Loft'. The session includes a previously unreleased tune and a wild and raucous Talking Heads cover! Pictured left to right - Melanie Martinez (Creative Development for DWMG) and members of The Guggenheim Grotto: Shane Power (drums/keyboard/vocals), Kevin May (lead singer/songwriter), Mick Lynch (vocals/guitar) and Bill Bergin (bass).
March 18, 2006 DWMG writer/client Frederick “Toots” Hibbert meets with record producer Richard Feldman at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles during his SRO performance on March 16. Richard and Toots are currently working on new recordings in Los Angeles, California. The project will be the highly anticipated follow up record to their Grammy winning “True Love," which won for Best Reggae Album in 2004.
February 15, 2006 New Zealand songbird Suzanne Lynch enters into a worldwide publishing agreement with DWMG affiliate Aotearoa Music Ltd. Under the terms of the agreement Aotearoa Music Ltd will co-publish and administrate songs written by Suzanne and published in her APRA publishing company VoxOffice Music Ltd . After a highly distinguished career in both Europe and New Zealand performing in front of the microphone with artists Cat Stevens, Lulu, Charles Aznavour, Chris DeBurgh and Neil Sedaka, Suzanne teams with Split Enz producer/keyboardist Eddie Rayner and musician/engineer Adrian Stuckey to expose yet another facet of her talent – songwriting. Three Titles: “Fools Lullaby," "Synchronicity” and "Everything I've Loved the Most” are being serviced on an exclusive basis to music producers worldwide.
January 8, 2006 Peter Cetera's well-known love ballad “If You Leave Me Now” fits nicely in the new Ashton Kutcher & Amanda Peet film “A Lot Like Love.” The film was officially released to motion picture theaters in the United States on April 22, 2005 through Touchstone Pictures. The song also appears on the “A Lot Like Love” movie soundtrack CD out on Columbia Records (Columbia #94223). Our apologies to Peter for failing to post this film credit in April 2005.
December 22, 2005 Merry Christmas to all of our friends and associates. We wish you all a happy holiday season and thank you for your interest in the authors and composers that we represent and the music we publish. Although our offices will be officially closed from December 22 through January 2, 2006, we will be checking for messages on a daily basis. MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR! - Don Williams & the DWMG Staff
November 29, 2005 DWMG writer client David “Hawk” Wolinski scores the title song of Vanessa Williams latest Lava Records CD release ‘Everlasting Love.” This classic mid tempo ballad was originally recorded by Chaka Kahn during her tenure with the multi platinum group Rufus. Williams' “Everlasting Love” album will be released January 25, 2005 on Elektra Records. Another of Wolinski's compositions entitled "Hollywood," was adapted by India.Aire and released as the first single “Little Things” from her Voyage To India CD on Motown. Gerald Levert also adapted the title for his "Off The Top Of My Head” composition included on his CD "The G Spot" on Elektra Records.
November 21, 2005 DWMG writer client Bruce Lynch will score Disney's Power Rangers TV series for a fourth season. Lynch is pictured here at the control desk of his Boatshed Studios, located in the Auckland, New Zealand suburb of Bayswater. He recently completed the film score for a three part feature film series entitled “Treasure Island Kids.” Music from both projects is co-published by Aotearoa Music Ltd. and Lynch Music Ltd for the World.
November 11, 2005 DWMG agrees to license its entire collection of Professor Longhair compositions to Benjamin Productions for the purpose of developing a biopic based on the piano wizard's reclaim to fame in the early seventies when Alison Minor and Quint Davis enlisted Longhair to perform as the featured artist at the original New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Benjamin Productions' principle Stuart Benjamin secured a guarantee to obtain the music rights predicated on his biopic production experience which includes Taylor Hackford's Academy Award winning film, “Ray” . Benjamin was also a production associate on Hackford's earlier biopic success, “La Bamba.”
October 19, 2005 Rhino Records has reissued Chicago IX (Rhino 73229) a collection of more than 75 minutes of the best Chicago songs. Among the titles are twelve Top 10 hits as nearly every track cracked the Top 40. While often considered an album oriented band, the seven have had their share of hit singles over the years, as this set aptly demonstrates. With the various musical feels and the fine combinations of lead and harmony vocals, the group stands head above most other "supergroups" musically speaking. In fact, Chicago ranks as one of the few legitimate American super bands . Best cuts : "25 Or 6 To 4," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is," "Saturday In The Park," "Feelin' Stronger Everyday," "Wishing You Were Here," "Beginnings."
October 12, 2005 DWMG writer client Earl King scores again with his New Orleans classic "Big Chief" which serves as the title song for the upcoming Paramount Pictures film “Last Holiday,” featuring Queen Latifah, LL. Cool J, Gerard Depardieu and Timothy Hutton. The movie tells the story of a shy woman who is diagnosed with a terminal illness and decides to take a major European vacation. " Last Holiday " hits theatres on January 13.
September 28, 2005 DWMG writer client Willis Alan Ramsey scores two major covers this month. First Eric Clapton picks Ramsey's previously unreleased composition “Positively” as his contribution to the recently released Mad Dogs and Okies CD on Concord Records. Next veteran Nashville artists George Strait and Alan Jackson team with Jimmy Buffet in a rendition of Ramsey's classic “ Northeast Texas Women ”. The CD entitled, “Live At Texas Stadium,” is slated for a February 7 release on the MCA/Universal label.
September 16, 2005 Don Williams Music Group has hired Laura Pitari as an executive Assistant to supervise international operations, special projects and film and television licensing. Pitari has a background in both music publishing and film production: she worked as the Los Angeles office manager for DWMG between 1996 and 2000 before joining independent film producer Robert Simonds. Pitari's first project is assisting with the development of a DVD project entitled “The Caribou Years,” which chronicles the recording history of the world famous Caribou Recording Studios owned by producer James William Guercio and located in Nederland, Colorado.
September 10, 2005 The Power of Music by Artie Wayne I'm happy to report that the Shelter for the Storm telethon was beautiful in every sense of the word. The commercial and protest free multicast aired in over 100 counties and featured some memorable performances by Paul Simon, Neil Young, Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks and Rod Stewart. In between the unannounced performances, movie and TV stars solicited donations for the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. There coudn't have been a more fitting way to raise money for a community that was built on music, than to have some of their native sons ,daughters and spiritually related cousins come back, and remind us why this tragedy hits so close to home. Although each of us has our own concept of New Orleans, whether we actually have been there or not, we all carry around some piece of its' musical heritage,which we share with people from all over the world. It looks like Randy Newman's haunting "Louisiana 1927", which he performed last night, has become the official "Theme Song" for the relief effort...I've already seen Aaron Neville's version used on several newscasts. Like everybody else, I can't wait to hear the media report that all of the survivors have been relocated and all family, friends and pets have been reunited. The power of music and the generousity of the people cannot be denied. Like Louis Armstrong once said, "It's A Wonderful World!"
August 25, 2005 Toots & the Maytals will be playing two shows in November with the Rolling Stones in support of their "A Bigger Bang" album and tour. The first show will be on November 4th at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The second show will be held on Novermber 11th at Petco Park in San Diego, CA. Both shows are part of the Rolling Stones tour sponosored by Ameriquest which features high-profile artists as a rotating roster of opening acts. The tour also supports the Rolling Stones album of the same name, which is their first album since the 1997 platinum-certified "Bridges to Babylon," and will cover 50 shows in 42 cities. For more information, visit www.rollingstones.com.
August 23, 2005 Veteran drummer and freshman producer Jamie Oldaker spent the day in Los Angeles visiting with Eric Clapton, who is finishing up sessions with J.J. Cale, at an undisclosed studio in Hollywood. After an impromtu photo session with Clapton and Cale, Jamie headed to Concord Records' Beverly Hills offices. There he met with the label's Senior VP/A&R John Burk, Promotion VP David Morrell and industry PR veteran Bob Merlis to discuss the marketing and merchandising strategy for his upcoming Concord release "Mad Dogs and Okies." Clapton and Cale both contributed tracks to the Concord project. Oldaker travels next to Wimberley, Texas to check the progress on another production project. Like "Mad Dogs and Okies," it is a multiyear recording effort, this time with Austin writer-artist Willis Alan Ramsey.
July 30, 2005 Kenny Passarelli's "A Life of Illusion," co-written with Joe Walsh, will be featured in the opening titles for the upcoming movie, "The 40 Year Old Virgin." The movie tells the story of Andy Stitzer (Steve Carrell from The Daily Show, Bruce Almighty, Anchorman) who has a nice, complete life with a solid job and good friends. He has accomplished everything he wanted in life except for one thing - he has never had sex. When his co-workers discover this detail, they believe it is their mission to help Andy find a woman with whom he can finally complete the deed. Things get more complicated when Andy meets a bonafide match in Trish, played by Catherine Keener. "The 40 Year Old Virgin" hits theatres on August 19. For more information, visit www.the40yearoldvirgin.com.
July 26, 2005 Beginning this week, Mark de Clive Lowe will depart for his " Tide's Arising" World Tour, visiting New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and California. You can catch him around the globe playing full live sets in addition to exclusive DJ sets with Bembe Segue on mic. This leg of the tour will conclude with a performance at the San Jose Jazz Festival. Additional dates are tentaviely scheduled in Spain and Poland as well as the Freesoul Sessions at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Atlanta in early September. For additional tour information, visit www.markdeclivelowe.net.
June 24, 2005 Veteran publicist Bobbi Cowan will be working with the venerable and accomplished Bob Merlis on promotions for "Mad Dogs & Okies" on behalf of Don Williams Music Group. Known at various times in her career as the "Queen of the Singing Cats" and the "5th (or was it 6th?) member of Spinal Tap," she has always gravitated toward the unusual, the unconventional, and the unorthodox--and they to her. With 40 years of Public Relations in the music business behind her, Cowan brings an unparalleled insight to the project; she even worked on the original "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" project in the '70s. To learn more about Bobbi Cowan, visit www.bobbicowan.com.
June 17, 2005 Director Michael Murphy's documentary Make It Funky! features two songs from the DWMG catalogue. Earl King's “Big Chief,” performed by Professor Longhair, and Professor Longhair's “Tipitina,” performed by Allen Toussaint and Jon Cleary are both featured in the film, which explores the New Orleans music scene over the past century. The film will be shown in a special screening on June 23rd in Memphis. For information regarding the film, visit www.mmptv.com.
June 10, 2005 DWMG writer client Isaac Hayes is a 2005 inductee of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame for his partnership with David Porter as well as his Academy Award winning solo work. Hayes was a keyboard player in the Stax Records house band after playing on several sessions for Otis Redding.He began his songwriting with Porter soon after and penned numerous classics of the 1960s, including "Soul Man," "Hold On, I'm Coming," and "I Had A Dream." He later won an Oscar for Best Score for the film, "Shaft." To learn more about Isaac Hayes, visit IsaacHayes.com.
June 1, 2005 DWMG writer client Toots Hibbert recently wrapped up a music video in Jamaica with Willie Nelson for Nelson's forthcoming album “Countryman.” The video is for the song “I'm a Worried Man,” a cover of Johnny and June Carter Cash's country music classic. The poignant duet is one of the singles for Nelson's long awaited reggae album. The idea first sprung from a visit Nelson made to Jamaica but was sidetracked during his switch from Island Records to Lost Highway Records. The album will be released August 2, 2005. To listen to sample tracks, visit Lost Highway Records.
May 23 , 2005 Earl King's "Big Chief" is featured in the trailer for the upcoming Warner Brothers release Must Love Dogs. The plot revolves around Sarah Nolan, a young pre-school teacher who is still looking for love. After a series of disastrous, but hilarious dates, she decides to swear off dating for good. Her well-meaning family and friends, however, decide to continue to search on her behalf. They purchase an on-line dating subscription where she meets what could be her perfect man. The only problem is that he loves dogs and his ad states that she MUST LOVE DOGS also. Sarah doesn't really like them; in fact she can't stand them. The film stars Diane Lane as Susan with John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins, Dermot Mulroney and Stockard Channing rounding out the cast.

May 19, 2005 The current issue of Rolling Stone magazine (Issue 974) reviews the Professor Longhair collection "Fess: The Professor Longhair Anthology" in its Hall of Fame section. The set recieved the magazine's highest rating of five stars. To read the article in its entirety, simply click here.

April 8, 2005 Don Williams Music Group has hired Sean O’Malley as an Executive Assistant to support operations in client relations, A&R, and licensing. O’Malley brings a symmetrical background in both business and music; he worked in management for over four years but also worked for a recording studio before building and repairing guitars. He worked in an internship capacity for ASCAP which further broadened his understanding of the music business spectrum. “I consider myself a musician first and foremost,” O’Malley said. “At the same time, my mind is organized. I keep a collection of potential song hooks and lyrics in a physical catalogue; it’s kinda scary.”

February 14, 2005 DWMG writer client Toots & The Maytals won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album of the Year at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards Show. The album, "True Love," edged Jimmy Cliff for his album "Black Magic," musicians Sly and Robbie with The Dub Revolutionaries, Steel Pulse with African Holoucast and the compilation album titled Def Jamaica. Released in 2004, "True Love" is Toots' first release in two years and marks the fourth time his work has been nominated for the prestigious award. The album is a collection of his classic hits, re-recorded as collaborations with well-known international artistes such as Shaggy, Bunny Wailer, Bonnie Raitt, No Doubt, Marcia Griffiths and Willie Nelson.

January 25, 2005 Rhino Records has released a Valentine's Day package titled "Love Songs," a collection of more than 75 minutes of the best Chicago love songs. Among the titles are twelve Top 10 hits as nearly every track cracked the Top 40. Two previously unreleased live tracks ("If You Leave Me Now" and "After The Love Has Gone") round out this perfect Valentine's Day gift. To learn more, vist Rhino Records.