Spirit Music Nashville has promoted Derek Wells to Vice President, A&R/Production and has extended their partnership with Wells’ 2 Mix Music. Wells reports to Frank Rogers, Chief Creative Officer, Spirit Music Group/CCO, Spirit Music Nashville.
A native of Nashville, Derek Wells is a 2X Academy of Country Music Award winning, first call multi-instrumentalist, producer, and music publisher.
Wells is credited on over 100 #1 singles for artists including: Maren Morris, Blake Shelton, Morgan Wallen, Shakira, Kenny Chesney, Scotty McCreery, Carrie Underwood, P!nk, HARDY, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum, Dolly Parton, and Thomas Rhett.
“Derek Wells has been an integral part of Spirit Music’s success the last few years,” said Frank Rogers. “Derek is an amazing musician, producer, publisher, friend and mentor to our staff and writers. I am thrilled to promote him to Vice President A&R/Production and to continue our partnership with 2Mix Music. Here we go again bro!!!”
“I’m excited to continue this journey with Spirit and the world class team that’s been assembled here,” said Derek Wells. “Every writer and staff member in our building represents the kind of person that I want to be associated with. We’ve had a great few years and I know how much excitement we all have about our future and the music being made here! Big thanks to Frank Rogers for the leadership and friendship he shows to our team day in and day out. I couldn’t ask for a better partner in crime! Most fun wins!”
In 2016, Wells was the youngest person in history to win The Academy of Country Music’s Guitar Player of the Year award and also the youngest person to ever be nominated for the CMA Musician of the Year Award. In 2018, he earned the honor of being named Music Row Magazine’s Guitar Player of the year. In 2019, he was awarded his second ACM award, again for Guitar Player of the Year. Wells is currently a nominee for “Musician of the Year” at the 56th CMA Awards.
As a producer, Derek recently celebrated his 3rd consecutive #1 with Scotty McCreery, the 3 week Billboard #1 “Damn Strait” as well as celebrating the release of Maddie & Tae’s “Through The Madness, Volumes 1 and 2, Danielle Bradberry’s “A Special Place” and the newest single from HARDY, “Wait In The Truck” featuring Lainey Wilson
2022 has marked a banner year for Spirit Music Nashville. In September of this year, Spirit Music Group announced the appointment of Frank Rogers to Chief Creative Officer. Over the past year, 70% of Spirit Music Nashville’s current writer roster has had at least one charted single. This includes nine #1 singles, ten Top 10 singles, and 11 Top 30 songs in 2021 as well as ACM Single of the Year “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice (via Jonathan Singleton) and Album of the Year Starting Over by Chris Stapleton. The company also publishes Music Row’s Song of the Year, “Hell of a View” – Eric Church (via Monty Criswell). The company received four CMA nominations for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year and took home six ASCAP Country awards. Spirit Music Nashville/Spirit Fluid writer Frank Ray earned the title of being most added song on country radio by a new artist (by impact day) driven by his single “Country Looks Good On You” (the song was also produced by Spirit Music Nashville CEO, Frank Rogers who is a multi-platinum producer/songwriter in his own right with 43 #1 hits, 75+ Top 20 songs and multiple RIAA certified multi-Platinum/Platinum/Gold records to his list of production/songwriting credits). The company also has a publishing interest in the top two country songs of the decade and top two country albums of the decade with “Meant To Be” and “Body Like A Backroad” and Traveller/Chris Stapleton and Montevallo/Sam Hunt.
“When goliaths like Lady Antebellum put together their all-star session roster for a new record, Wells is at the top of the list.” – Apple Music Country
“As an A&R and production talent, he’s renowned. As a session guitarist, he’s equally successful.” – The Tennessean
