NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Primary Wave Music (PWM), one of the world’s leading indie publishers of music in the world, announced today (April 12) their partnership with legendary singer/songwriter Russ Ballard. The multi-million dollar deal will see the publisher acquire a stake in the singer/songwriter’s music publishing catalog and writer’s share royalties, as well as his writer’s share of public performance.
Included in the deal are some of Ballard’s most well-known and biggest hits, “So You Win Again,” “Since You’ve Been Gone,” “I Surrender,” “New York Groove,” “You Can Do Magic,” the top 10 hit “Liar,” and others.
“New York Groove” was written for the British pop band Hello and later covered by Ace Frehley of Kiss. Frehley’s version of the song became a huge hit in the States and soared to the Top 20 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
The 1982 hit “You Can Do Magic” was recorded by the rock duo America. Ballard also produced the track and was his first major hit as a producer. The song remained in the top ten at Top 40 for five weeks. Ballard’s songs have been covered by an incredible number of award-winning artists including Santana, The Pointer Sisters, and Three Dog Night.
Terms of the deal also include access to Primary Wave’s marketing team and publishing infrastructure, which includes digital strategy, licensing, synch opportunities, and film and TV production.
“I am delighted that I have found the right partner in Primary Wave,” says Ballard. He goes on, “I am looking forward to working with them on many of my future projects. I love their energy and their commitment. I would like to thank Larry and all his team. I would like to thank James Harman and to RG-C. The future looks bright!”
Primary Wave Music’s Robin Godfrey Cass added, “I am so thrilled that Russ Ballard has trusted Primary Wave as the custodian of his legendary catalog, spanning over five decades. We are excited to launch a true partnership and look forward to working with Russ. As if these timeless hits, most of which he is the sole writer, weren’t enough inspiration, Russ’s charm and involvement makes everyone around him want to work even harder.”
