MusicCityNashville.net: BMI Makes It Rain with Mitchell Tenpenny and Gone West

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BMI Makes It Rain with Mitchell Tenpenny and Gone West

by Rich and Laura Lynch

BMI - otherwise known as Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) - has been making it rain for songwriters, composers, and music publishers since its founding in 1939. In the world of collecting royalties they are one of the kings who are instrumental in raking in cash for performing artists. For example, in 2018 BMI collected $1.199 billion in licensing fees and distributed $1.12 billion in royalties for their repertoire that includes over 900,000 songwriters and catalogue of 14 million compositions.

BMI Makes It Rain with Mitchell Tenpenny and Gone West

Nashville's own Mitchell Tenpenny is on top of the world in Music City.

So, a little rain and an inclement forecast wasn't going to get in the way of the season finale of BMI Rooftop on the Row held on August 20, 2019 at the BMI building located on 10 Music Square East in Nashville. In fact, despite a few drops from a slow steady rain during the headliner's set - no one was going anywhere. Of the handful of these events (one that remains one of Music City's favorite VIP parties held multiple times every spring and summer) that we have attended - this one drew the largest crowds that we have seen to date.

Mitchell Tenpenny and his five piece band - worth every penny!

The rooftop revelers came out for local boy made good Mitchell Tenpenny who achieved national attention with his 2018 charting single "Drunk Me" released on Columbia Records Nashville. Tenpenny - along with his five-piece band - played a solid set that also featured fan favorites "Truck" and the humorously titled "Alcohol You Later" and exited the stage just before the downpour became a bit more intrusive.

Gone West is Jason Reeves, Nelly Joy, Colbie Caillat and Justin Young.

If you're like us and were wondering what Grammy-award winning Colbie Caillat is up to - that was answered in Nashville. She has formed the country rock quartet Gone West with her husband and friends and they put the resulting work on display in Music City. The song "Gone West" tells their tale well while "Realize" - a Callait hit from her days as a breakout MySpace artist - worked perfectly in this new configuration. The end result? A successful way to close out the event's third season to make fans and sponsors (George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, Topo Chico, Sam Adams, Texas Roadhouse, Cumulus Media, Lyft, Delta Air Lines, First Tennessee Bank and Yeti) all very happy. See y'all next year at BMI Rooftop on the Row!