NASHVILLE, TN (April 5, 2017) – Spirit/Fluid, the Nashville-based joint venture between Spirit Music Group and Frank Rogers’ Fluid Music Revolution has signed songwriter/producer Erik Belz to an exclusive publishing deal as announced today by Frank Rogers and AJ Burton, Vice President, Fluid Music Revolution.
“We are thrilled to have Erik Belz join the Fluid Music Revolution team,” said Frank Rogers. “Erik brings a unique perspective to writing and producing and I can’t wait for the Nashville and the rest of the world to hear his talents!”
“Erik’s ability to write various genres really intrigued Frank and I. Not only do we think Erik will be a threat in the Nashville market, we also believe that with the help of Spirit Music’s worldwide reach, Erik’s future will be just fine,” said AJ Burton.
“I am beyond thrilled to be working with Frank, AJ, Eric [Hurt] and everyone else at Fluid/Spirit. They have been very supportive of my musical vision from the very beginning and I can’t wait to see what we all do together. Nashville is an amazing city and I’m looking forward to spending more time working there!” said Erik Belz.
Erik Belz is a songwriter, producer born in Memphis, TN and raised in Los Angeles, CA. His songs have been cut by artists such as Pitbull, Austin Mahone, Lia Marie Johnson, Metro Station and Jez Dior to name a few. In 2015, Erik produced and co-wrote Lia Marie Johnson’s single “Moment like you,” which peaked at #2 on the iTunes dance chart. Erik’s music has appeared in such shows such as CSI and Scorpion. Belz has been working professionally as a freelance producer since graduating from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in 2010.
Frank Rogers is a multi-platinum producer and songwriter who has won Billboard’s Hot Country Producer of the Year award five times. He’s also co-written a slew of country hits, including four Hot Country Songs No. 1’s (“I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song)” by Brad Paisley, “Alright” and “This” by Darius Rucker and “Backroad Song” by Granger Smith).
Spirit/Fluid was formed as part of Spirit Music Group’s continuing focus on and investment in country music publishing. In addition to establishing Spirit/Fluid, Spirit Music Group’s deal with Rogers also included the acquisition of Rogers’ one third interest in certain copyrights of the respected Nashville indie publisher Sea Gayle Music, which Rogers co-founded with Chris DuBois and Brad Paisley in 1999. Sea Gayle Music, which was named ASCAP Country Publisher of the Year in 2010 and 2011, features a catalog of 40 No. 1 hits and an impressive roster of artists and writers. Among the many recent hits included in Sea Gayle Music’s catalog are “Lonely Tonight” by Blake Shelton, “Perfect Storm” by Brad Paisley, “Buy Me a Boat” by Chris Janson, “Yeah” by Joe Nichols, “Drink a Beer” by Luke Bryan, “Southern Girl” by Tim McGraw, “Southern Comfort Zone” by Brad Paisley, “Love’s Gonna Make it Alright” by George Strait, to name a few.
ABOUT SPIRIT MUSIC:
Spirit Music Group, founded in 1995, is one of the world’s leading independent music publishers, owning and/or managing more than 75,000 songs spanning seven decades and every musical genre. The company’s repertoire reflects some of the most beloved songs and songwriters of all time, including hits by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley, Dion, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Santana, The Beach Boys, Barbra Streisand, Gladys Knight, Alice Cooper, Pure Prairie League, Chicago, Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Eagles, Brad Paisley, Chaka Khan, Anita Baker, The Go-Go’s, Madonna, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Ricky Martin, Keith Urban, Usher, Dido, Jewel, Jason Aldean and Mary J. Blige; the complete catalogs of such iconic songwriters and writer/artists as Pete Townshend, Marc Bolan, Boz Scaggs, The Marshall Tucker Band, Toto, Billy Squier, Graham Nash, Joe Walsh, Charles Mingus, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Henry Mancini, T.Bone Burnett, Rick Nowels, C&C Music Factory; and the breakthrough work of such newer artists as James Bay, John Newman, Chris Stapleton, Sam Hunt, Scissor Sisters, Matt & Kim, Kodaline, Zooey Deschanel, Eric Paslay, and Big Data.
Spirit has earned a strong reputation as an aggressive royalty administrator and a peerless promoter of its songs into film, television and advertising productions as well as a wide range of new media. In recent years, Spirit has helped transform the publisher’s role beyond royalty collection and song promotion to proactive career and legacy partnership by creating and executing marketing plans to revitalize its clients’ songs and expand their brands.
Spirit Music Group is headquartered in New York with offices in London, Los Angeles, Nashville and the Netherlands. Spirit is a portfolio company of Pegasus Capital Advisors, the New York-based private equity fund manager that has been providing creative capital and strategic solutions to growth companies since 1996.
Media contact:
Heather Glenn
Black Market Creative
310.765.1927 x707
