CTM Outlander strikes global deal with Grammy-nominee, 4x ACM Award winner and 4x BMI Award-winning songwriter and producer Ross Copperman
- Deal includes acquisition of catalogue which encompasses No. 1 hits from Kelsea Ballerini ft Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani and more plus key writer shares
- Go forward deal involves creative partnership with SMACKSongs
- Move further establishes CTM Outlander as one of the top independent music publishers in Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – CTM Outlander today announces another milestone for 2023, striking a new a deal with Ross Copperman, the Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer whose accolades include four-time BMI Songwriter of the Year and four ACM awards for his work as a songwriter and producer.
The new deal includes the acquisition of Copperman’s catalog – ‘Iris in the Sky with Diamonds’ – alongside a publishing deal for his future works. As one of Nashville’s most significant songwriters, Copperman is responsible for 38 No. 1 songs and 50 No. 1 records with artists such as Keith Urban, Tyler Hubbard, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani, Gabby Barrett, Kenny Chesney & P!nk, Dierks Bentley, Brett Young, Darius Rucker and more. As part of the arrangement, CTM Outlander also acquires Copperman’s writer share for songs previously published by Plain Jane, including the No. 1 hits “Love ain’t” by Eli Young Band, “Happy Anywhere” by Blake Shelton ft Gwen Stefani, “Get Along” by Kenny Chesney and “Living” by Dierks Bentley.
Ross Copperman: “I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside remarkable individuals like CTM and SMACK in my new team. CTM’s visionary leadership has already brought us exciting opportunities beyond Country, expanding our horizons. I’ve always held immense respect for SMACK, and I eagerly anticipate the promising collaborations and accomplishments that lie ahead.”
André de Raaff (CEO CTM Outlander) comments: “From the first moment we met Ross we felt his energy, passion and drive for music. His goal is set to break new artists and help creative new opportunities with the ones he’s already been working with. We are here to support him in any type of way and see Ross as somebody that is helping to develop the country music genre into a global genre.”
Mike McKool (Director CTM Outlander): “When we created CTM Outlander, we had no specific agenda as far as genre was concerned. It was only after meeting and developing relationships with the songwriting community in Nashville, that we decided to place an emphasis on country music. As we continue to invest and grow our portfolio, Ross is another example of the kind of artist we want to be in business with. We couldn’t be more excited to work with him moving forward, while also furthering our relationship with SMACKSongs.”
Robert Carlton (President SMACKSongs): “SMACK is proud to further our partnership with CTM through this deal. Ross has been one of the premier writers and producers in Nashville over the last decade. We’ve been fortunate to share quite a bit of success with him through co-writes, but feel truly honored that he chose to entrust SMACK with this next chapter of his career.”
The move further establishes CTM Outlander as one of the top independent music publishers in Nashville after previously acquiring and signing the likes of Shane McAnally, Natalie Hemby, Michael Tyler, Ben Burgess and SMACKSongs with more to come. CTM Outlander is a partnership between the innovative and disruptive Dallas, Texas based Outlander Capital led by Les Ware and Mike McKool and the Dutch-based leading independent music entertainment company CTM, led by industry veteran André de Raaff.
CTM will engage in creating new opportunities for Copperman, in a creative partnership with SMACKSongs.
About Outlander:
Outlander Capital is a Dallas-based company focusing on Rights Management including music and patent royalty streams and Intellectual Property Development, as well as leading brands and properties to innovate using blockchain technology. Outlander Capital is led by Les Ware and Mike McKool. Les is also co-founder and chairman of Marconi, a multi-platform patent management firm that manages the licensing of tens of thousands of patents globally for dozens of Fortune 500 companies and other major IP holders around the world. Mike is also founder of McKool Smith Law Firm and earned a reputation as one of the country’s most prominent trial lawyers and IP litigators, and has vast experience representing musicians, composers and producers throughout his career.
About CTM:
CTM is one of the strongest independent entertainment firms of the world, with its headquarters in The Netherlands and foreign offices in Los Angeles, London, Miami and Brussels. CTM’s activities are leading in music publishing, representing world famous writers and catalogs. Next to that, CTM is active as a record label and management firm for local top artists and actors and is successful as a TV and Film producer. CTM is owned by André de Raaff (former owner and founder of Imagem) and Jitze de Raaff. www.ctm.nl
