Music producer Tony Brown arrested on domestic assault charge

UPDATE: Nashville music producer Tony Brown was cleared of a charge of domestic violence, according to court records. Brown's charge was dismissed.

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Nashville country music producer Tony Brown was arrested Tuesday on a domestic assault charge in connection with a family member, the second such charge involving the same person since 2013.

Brown, 69, was booked into jail just before 1:30 a.m. on one count of domestic bodily injury stemming from an argument over a photo shoot, according to information from an arrest warrant and the Davidson County Sheriff's Office.

In the warrant, Belle Meade Police Department Officer Shawn Michael O'Brien wrote that a female family member of Brown's dialed 911 about 11:30 p.m. on Monday and told police Brown beat her up.

Arriving officers found the woman sitting in her car with her dog and Brown sitting on the front steps of the residence, the warrant states. The woman told police she and Brown got into a fight because of a photo shoot they had scheduled Tuesday and she was showing him pictures for ideas on poses.

"Brown stated that they were slutty poses, and slapped her on the face," O'Brien wrote.

After that, the warrant continues, Brown grabbed her on the face and then pushed her to the floor where she hit her head. The warrant goes on to state that Brown "got on top of the victim and was pulling her hair" and then dragged her down a hallway.

At some point the woman told police she broke free, grabbed her phone and called her parents, who told her to call the police.

According to the warrant, the woman had "several marks on her body and visible signs of her hair being pulled due to the damage of her hair extensions."

Brown was arrested and police said the woman was transported to St. Thomas Midtown Hospital to be treated for unspecified injuries.

Davidson County Sheriff's Office jail spokeswoman Karla West said Brown was arrested at 12:32 a.m., booked into jail and placed on a 12-hour domestic violence hold

Brown posted a $10,000 bond mid-Tuesday morning and was released at 12:22 p.m.

This is the second domestic violence arrest for Brown. He was arrested and charged in October 2013 with assaulting that same family member.

According to Tennessean archives, the woman told authorities Brown kicked in the door to the room she was sleeping in after they had an argument the night of Sept. 11, 2013. Brown then allegedly pushed and choked her as she tried to flee to a different area.

When the woman got to another room, police believe she attempted to lock the door behind her before Brown pushed it open.

Belle Meade Police later found the woman with multiple scratches on her body, according to the affidavit.

Brown, former president of MCA Nashville and co-founder of Universal South Records (which later merged with Show Dog Nashville), is one of the most prolific record producers of the 1990s. He produced hit albums for artists including Reba McEntire, GeorgeStrait and Vince Gill, and  is working on a country album with '80s pop star Cyndi Lauper.

Brown is slated to appear in Davidson County court next week on the charge.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at 615-259-8072. Follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.