Industry Ink: Parker McCollum, Texas Regional Radio Awards, Noah Thompson, More

Parker McCollum’s ‘Handle On You’ Certified Gold

MCA Nashville recording artist Parker McCollum‘s rise continues with the RIAA Gold certification of his hit “Handle On You.” On March 29, McCollum was presented with a plaque by UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe and RIAA’s Jackie Jones to commemorate the accomplishment.

“Another Gold record – what an awesome thing to be able to say,” shares McCollum. “I can’t thank the fans enough for always showing up. Y’all keep this whole thing going and I couldn’t do it without you.”

“Parker McCollum is a redefining, culture shaping artist,” shares Mabe. “At a time when star power is being undervalued and streaming metrics are crowned king, Parker proves that you can have, and be, both. Parker is a very important artist for the future of country music and we are beyond blessed that he is helping define our next era of country music at Universal Music Group Nashville.”

“The RIAA is excited to share in this incredible accomplishment with Parker, his team and everyone at UMG Nashville,” shares Jones. “RIAA certifications are earned solely based on what the fans are choosing to listen to. Seeing this song get certified so quickly is a true testament to the impact Parker has on his fans.”

McCollum us celebrating with a performance of “Handle On You” on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight (March 30) and with the upcoming release of his album, Never Enough, on May 12.

Texas Regional Radio Awards

The T3R Texas Regional Radio Report Music Awards held its 13th annual ceremony on March 27 at Texas Live! in Arlington, Texas. Aaron Watson, Bri Bagwell, Wade Bowen, Sarah Hobbs, and radio programming directors from across the nation attended.

Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top received this year’s Living Legend Award. Bowen took home three of the night’s biggest awards—Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, and Song of the Year—for his song “Everything Has Your Memory.” Watson won the Entertainer of the Year award, and Ariel Hutchins received the Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year awards for “Stuck.”

Kin Faux Band, The Great Divide, and William Clark Green were part of the lineup, among others. Several stations won radio awards during the evening including KFWR/Fort Worth, KOKE-FM/Austin, and KRMX/Waco.

The weekend, including the Sunday Gathering worship event and T3R’s Future Faces Show, saw over a thousand attendees. For a full list of winners, click here.

Noah Thompson Featured in Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum

On March 21, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a new exhibition honoring Noah Thompson, American Idol‘s 2022 winner and a Louisa, Kentucky native. The exhibit features singers, songwriters, business owners, and musicians that have made a recent impact on Kentucky music.

“I knew the moment that he auditioned on American Idol that Noah Thompson had a special vocal talent,” recalls Jessica Blankenship, Executive Director. “This young man represented Kentucky in a positive manner and continues to do so. The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame wanted to capture that moment of winning American Idol with a special exhibit.”

“Winning American Idol and being able to do music full time has been a dream come true and something I never imagine could happen,” shares Thompson. “I’m thankful I could make my home state proud.”

Fans will be able to see clothing that Thompson wore on the finale, as well as photos along his journey. The exhibit is open to the public daily and will be up through the end of 2023.

Sac Song & Wine Series Kicks Off May 17 with Lee Thomas Miller, Wendell Mobley

The inaugural Sac Song & Wine Series is set to begin May 17 at Miner’s Leap Winery in Clarksburg, California. Hit songwriters Lee Thomas Miller (“The Impossible” by Joe Nichols, “You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins, “In Color” by Jamey Johnson) and Wendell Mobley (“We Can’t Love This Anymore” by Alabama, “How Forever Feels” by Kenny Chesney, “Fast Cars and Freedom” by Rascal Flatts) are the featured performers.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring this unique music experience to the Sacramento area!  I hope it will become a tradition for friends and family to come together and enjoy amazing wine, incredible country music performed by the most talented songwriters themselves, all while taking in the beautiful sunset framed in the backdrop of Miner’s Leap Winery,” said Randi Moody, Sac Song & Wine Series event producer and owner of rlm events inc.

Songwriters including Nicolle Galyon, Chris DeStefano, Hunter Phelps, Rodney Clawson, Bobby Pinson and more are set to take part in the series that runs through next fall.

Alex Miller Brings ‘Miller Time’ To European Country Station

Alex Miller is launching a new, curated one-hour radio show, Miller Time, for CMR Nashville, one of Europe’s top country music stations. Set to run on the third Sunday of every month this year, each episode will include a broad array of songs from country standards to new artists

“I did a similarly formatted show on my Facebook for a couple of years,” American Idol alum Miller states. “It’s a ton of fun and a lot of folks seem to enjoy it. I just love sharing music, and CMR is giving me a cool way to do that.”

“I am proud to have Alex on board as a special guest presenter,” notes CMA International Broadcaster and CMR founder Lee Williams. “I’ve loved him since American Idol and, as I’ve gotten to know him a bit over the last few years, I’m sure our listeners will love him and his show.”

Alex joins the current CMR Nashville roster, which features Diamond Rio’s Dana Williams. The station’s popular regular presenters include Stuart Cameron, Tim Rogers, Marie Crighton, Johnny Da Piedade and Paul Taylor.

 

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