Miller also announced the formation of J-Wall Records which produces and promotes new recordings of songs from the Ron Miller Legacy Songbook.
Producer/singer/songwriter, Lisa Dawn Miller has announced the launch of a new music publishing company, LDM Publishing (ldmpublishing.com) to market and brand the legacy song catalogue and story of her father, legendary Motown songwriter, Ron Miller (ronmillersongbook.com) as well as her own catalogue of original songs.
Miller also announced the formation of J-Wall Records (jwallrecords.com) which produces and promotes new recordings of songs from the Ron Miller Legacy Songbook, including standards like "For Once in My Life," "Touch Me in the Morning, "Heaven Help Us All," "A Place in the Sun," "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday," "If I Could," "I've Never Been to Me," "Someday at Christmas" and many more, as well as newly discovered gems which have remained unexploited for decades.
J-Wall Records also produces original songs by multiple artists, including Miller herself. The label's first single release, "Rhythm of Me" is from Miller's upcoming EP, "There You Are," a collection of songs about life, loss and moving forward. It is dedicated to James E. Wallace, Jr. (1960-2020), for whom J-Wall Records was named in honor of. James was Lisa's manager and soulmate who passed away suddenly in October 2020 at the very beginning of the new journey they shared together. "Rhythm of Me" and the new EP are due out in May 2021.
Miller is currently working with Sony Music Publishing on her father's catalogue. "I'm really excited to work with Sony to pursue new opportunities and produce new recordings. I love Jon Platt and the whole Sony team, especially Brian Monaco and Audrey Ashby," Miller said. "I'd like to rethink music publishing in this ever-changing business and show that the most successful songwriters moving forward are also the same ones who have been signed for decades. My father's greatest success is in front of us."
"I'm so excited to think outside the paradigm in terms of what is being done with legacy song catalogues," Miller said. "While a lot of resources have been allocated by major music companies to artists who have yet to stand the test of time, songs like my father's continue to hold up the walls of the buildings," she continued. "For every 'For Once in My Life,' there are a hundred songs my father wrote that no one has ever heard - all just as marketable as the hits and all new songs to audiences who haven't heard them. Focused song management is key," Miller said.
"From a business standpoint, we are seeing the value of copyrights increase to record levels as companies such as Hipgnosis, Primary Wave and Round Hill raise large sums of Wall Street money to acquire intellectual properties. Investors have discovered that music copyrights are a good investment because they are not highly correlated to other investment asset classes. Music royalties continue to pay during good economic times and bad," Miller continued.
Part of Miller's success is pure passion. "I think what separates LDM Publishing from other companies which simply purchase intellectual properties is that this is personal for me. I have an emotional and financial stake. I've worked and fought so hard over the past decade to win back the rights to my father's intellectual properties." Miller said. "Who better to preserve and promote his legacy? I'm now an expert on every song in his catalogue."
On the admin side, LDM Publishing has been researching, gathering and cataloguing every song written by Ron Miller. The company's website houses a proprietary online, searchable database which allows logged in users to search, play, share and license songs. As a successful entertainer and show producer, Miller is using her creative talents to develop and produce projects to tell her father's story including a new musical entitled, "For Once in My Life."
Miller will begin to tell her father's story with a new podcast, "One in a Million" (oneinamillionshow.com). The podcast will showcase her father's songs, as each episode explores the origin of her father's lyrics and what it means to listeners today. "My dad wrote songs like 'Heaven Help Us All' fifty years ago but its meaning is even more profound today," Miller said. "My dad was that one-in-a-million story whose songs became the fabric of our lives. I'd like to talk to people about how we can change the world and what could inspire each of us to be the voice of hope and change. That's what my dad would want me to do." The first episode of "One in a Million'' will be available on iTunes, Spotify and the show's website beginning in May 2021.
Miller is the producer and co-star of the critically acclaimed hit musical, "Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack" currently in its 12th season and has written and produced numerous recordings and directed several music videos.
For the latest news on Lisa and LDM Publishing, visit lisadawnmiller.com, ldmpublishing.com and on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Videos