Nashville's musical middle class collapses

As an independent songwriter, Jim Reilley lives the kind of precarious year-to-year existence that is now typical of Nashville's working music professionals.

At the same time the New Dylans began recording their first album in 18 years, Reilley, the band's co-founder, was waiting to find out whether his publishing deal would be renewed for another year.

A publishing deal essentially pays a songwriter an annual salary to write songs — Reilley writes dozens per year. His publisher hooks him up with other writers for co-writing sessions, pitches his songs to artists and labels and licenses them for television shows or commercials. Last year, a song Reilley co-wrote was licensed to the ABC television show "Nashville."

But despite his successes, in many ways, Reilley's career trajectory makes him the poster child for the troubled state of the music industry in general and the songwriting profession specifically.

As world-renowned artists like Taylor Swift, the Black Keys and Keith Urban have been hoisted up as evidence of Nashville's it-city status, the music industry has actually been in a state of unrelenting decline.

Since 2000, the number of full-time songwriters in Nashville has fallen by 80 percent, according to the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Album sales plummeted below 4 million in weekly sales in August, which marked a new low point since the industry began tracking data in 1991. Streaming services are increasing in popularity but have been unable to end the spiral.

The result has been the collapse of Nashville's musical middle class — blue-collar songwriters, studio musicians, producers and bands who eke out a living with the same lunch-pail approach that aconstruction professional brings to a work site. In fawning national publications, Nashville has emerged as a glamorous place populated with music celebrities. But in actuality, making a living at music is a rather gritty chore.

Independent songwriters like Reilley work under pressure-packed year-to-year deals. Professional musicians like Chris Autry, who plays bass for the New Dylans, are constantly on the hunt for a shrinking number of well-paying gigs. And working drummers and producers such as Ken Coomer, who plays drums for the band, earn a living project by project.

For each Jack White, Carrie Underwood or Kings of Leon, there are dozens of artists the national media has never heard of, but we know them well in Nashville because they're our neighbors, co-workers, friends and family.

"As a creator it's not the perfect environment for creation. It's Music City, but it's really Music Business City," Reilley said.

Reality of songwriting

Every September, Reilley waits to find out if he has a job.

While the late summer is pressure-packed as he awaits word on a salary, Reilley's livelihood doesn't depend solely on the publishing deal. He also works regularly as a producer mostly for aspiring artists. Since coming to Nashville in 1998, he's produced more than 50 projects.

This year he got good news that his deal was extended.

"That's how I've lived for the last 16 years, living one year at a time," Reilley said. "You can't help but think about that every day."

NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison said Reilley, who has had about three dozen cuts over his career, has been held up as a model by the association.

Herbison said NSAI used to hand aspiring songwriters an essay written by Reilley called "The Reality Check," which showed all of the networking, financial sacrifices and hard work that go into the job. Herbison said he's never seen a harder worker.

NSAI chalks up the decline of the songwriting profession to the rise in music piracy, the loss of album sales and the increase in popularity of streaming services like Spotify that don't pay songwriters as well.

Herbison has been advocating for more favorable federal laws to, as he describes it, pay songwriters a fair market rate for their work.

"I'd challenge the premise that there is much of a middle class anymore," Herbison said. "It's the haves and have-nots."

Meet the New Dylans

• Reese Campbell, co-founder, songwriter, singer, piano: Campbell's other projects include independent rock band Modified Nouns, Djava, Gary Belloma & The Blue Bombers and the Hopheads.

• Jim Reilley, co-founder, songwriter, singer, guitar: Reilley moved to Nashville in 1998 and scored a publishing deal with Curb Music Publishing that ended after eight years. He since has had several iterations of a publishing deal and has produced more than 50 projects for independent bands and artists.

• Ken Coomer, drums: Coomer is a music industry veteran. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, he played in several bands, including rock band Clockhammer. He was a founding member of Wilco and played on the legendary Chicago indie band's early albums. He's played as a studio musician for artists from virtually every genre and carved out steady work as a producer.

• Chris Autry, bass: Autry graduated from Belmont University with a degree in business. He's played bass for artists like Shane McAnally, Craig Morgan, SHeDAISY and most recently Jo Dee Messina, in addition to playing in Nashville jazz groups and other projects.

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