Bobby Bones.

Bobby Bones is returning to American Idol, reports deadline.com. The radio personality—who also just announced his engagement to girlfriend Caitlin Parker—has inked a deal to return as an in-house mentor on Idol.

Bones, host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Bobby Bones Show, joins Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and host Ryan Seacrest. The music competition will return in 2021.

The Bobby Bones Show recently earned its second CMA Award for National Broadcast Personality of the Year and fourth ACM Award for National On-Air Personality of the Year. Bones is the youngest-ever inductee into the National Radio Hall of Fame. In addition to the radio show, he launched the podcast BobbyCast, which includes interview with music industry execs and artists. He won ABC’s Dancing with the Stars (season 27) and also hosts and executive produces the weekly TV program Opry, which airs on Circle Network.

The Grand Ole Opry will return to Friday evening performances, and will expand both its Friday and Saturday evening shows to two hours, starting Nov. 6. The two-hour Saturday evening shows will include a one-hour, 8 p.m. CT Circle and Gray TV station broadcast, which can also be viewed on DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV, and other TV affiliates in addition to a companion livestream on Circle All Access Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The Opry can also be heard on 650 WSM-AM, wsmonline.com, and SiriusXM.

The Opry paused performances that included a live audience on March 14, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Opry House will continue to have limited-capacity in-venue audiences, in compliance with operating plans developed in collaboration with the Nashville Public Health Department that include socially distanced seating, mandatory masks for all guests and staff, as well as enhanced cleaning practices.

Benny Brown‘s Quartz Hill Records has added several music industry veterans to its staff. Quartz Hill Records is Brown’s newly-formed joint partnership with music distribution company The Orchard, as well as industry veteran Paul Brown and songwriter Jason Sellers.

The new hires include April Rider as VP, Promotion & Marketing; Matt Galvin as National Director, Promotions & Marketing; Clay Henderson, National Director, Syndication & Strategic Marketing-Regional Promotion & Marketing; Natalie Kilgore, VP, Publicity & Integrated Marketing; and Josh Brown, Coordinator, A&R Creative/A&R Administration.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to have so many of our former label family on board as we launch Quartz Hill Records,” Brown says. “April, Clay, Natalie and Josh were instrumental in many of our key successes at BBR Music Group and Matt’s great success at RCA speaks for itself. I’m truly excited to announce them as part of our new team and to launch our first Quartz Hill Records artist in the coming weeks.”

Rider previously served as the General Manager of Operations for Brown’s Stoney Creek Records and was responsible for launching Thompson Square’s breakout single, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” which became country radio’s most-played song of 2011. Rider also previously served as the VP of Promotion for Curb Records during which time Tim McGraw was country radio’s most played artist of the decade. She spent six years as a Managing Partner at RPM Entertainment. Rider can be reached at: [email protected]. 

Galvin most recently spent 15 years as the Director of RCA Promotion & Marketing for Sony Music Nashville where he was instrumental in achieving 37 No. 1 records and worked to develop the careers of Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Martina McBride, Chris Young and more. Galvin began his career in radio promotion with Sony Music Entertainment’s Arista Records. Galvin’s first day at Quartz Hill Records is Tuesday, October 13. He can be reached at: [email protected].

Henderson is a 22-year veteran of the country music industry working for both major and independent labels in the fields of promotion, syndication, analytics and marketing. He previously served as the Director of Syndication for Brown’s BBR Music Group as well as Director of Southeast Promotion for Broken Bow Records. His previous stops also include 1608, Southern Ground Artists and as the National Director of Strategic Marketing for Reviver Records. Henderson can be reached at: [email protected].

Kilgore previously served as the VP of Publicity for Brown’s BBR Music Group, developing its first in-house publicity department. Kilgore’s more than 20 years of industry experience also includes stints as the Head of Publicity for Big Machine Label Group, the Communications Director for the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and as the owner of boutique firm Dashboard Media. She most recently served as the Head of Public Relations for The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC). Kilgore can be reached at: [email protected].

Brown moved to Nashville at the age of 18 to pursue a career in the music industry. He worked his way up from the front desk position at BBR Music Group to the role of A&R Assistant. He most recently served as the A&R Administration Coordinator for BMG North America. Brown can be reached at: [email protected].