Country radio staple Thomas Rhett has signed an exclusive worldwide publishing pact with Warner Chappell Music. The deal, representing Rhett's new songs going forward, reunites the Georgia native with WCM Nashville president and CEO Ben Vaughn, who a decade ago signed him at EMI Music Publishing (later folded into Sony/ATV).
"Ben has been incredibly instrumental in my career from the very beginning, starting with signing me to my first publishing deal in college," said Rhett. "I'll never forget playing 'Beer with Jesus' for him right after I wrote it and him being the biggest supporter. He's truly one of the most innovative and hardest working guys I've ever had the honor to work with, and am looking forward to this new chapter together."
After establishing himself as a hit songwriter for artists such as Jason Aldean ("1994") and Florida Georgia Line ("Round Here"), Rhett launched his debut album It Goes Like This in the fall of 2013 — containing his first three No. 1s on Billboard's Country Airplay chart ("It Goes Like This," "Get Me Some of That" and "Make Me Wanna"). His followup album, 2015's Tangled Up, scored four more radio No. 1s, including "Star of the Show," co-written with his dad Rhett Atkins.