Industry Ink: Heartland, Del McCoury, Casting Crowns, Ashley Ray

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Heartland’s “I Loved Her First” Reaches Gold, Platinum Status

Pictured (L-R): Manager, Cole Johnstone, Yellowhammer Music Group’s Will Jones, Heartlands’ Craig Anderson, Mike Myerson, Todd Anderson, Brown Lee Entertainment’s Dewayne Brown and Alabama Music Hall of Fame’s Victoria Mitchell. Photo: Rodney Powell

Heartland recently celebrated Platinum, Gold and streaming certifications for the group’s No. 1 hit “I Loved Her First” with a presentation at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia, Alabama. The track was released 18 years ago, and was just recently certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA.

The plaques were presented to the longtime Alabama residents by Alabama Music Hall of Fame Museum Curator Victoria Mitchell. Heartland currently has an exhibit on display in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

The ACM and CMA nominated group recently made its return with core band members, Craig Anderson, Todd Anderson, Mike Myerson and new lead vocalist Lance Horton. “No Tomorrow,” Heartland’s first single in over a decade, was released on Sept. 15 from Yellowhammer Music Group.

 

Grand Ole Opry Tributes Del McCoury With ‘Grand Del Opry 2’

Sam Bush, Tyler Childers, Del McCoury, The Del McCoury Band, and Ricky Skaggs on stage immediately following their finale performance on the “Grand Del Opry 2.” Photo: Chris Hollo

The Grand Ole Opry celebrated Opry member and beloved bluegrass music legend Del McCoury in recognition of his two decades of Opry membership recently with a special “Grand Del Opry 2.” The show featured McCoury along with friends including Bill Anderson, Sam Bush, Tyler Childers, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Jeannie Seely, Ricky Skaggs and The Travelin’ McCourys.

The International Bluegrass Hall of Fame member was inducted into the Opry family on Oct. 25, 2003. The Opry celebrated McCoury in February 2019 on his 80th birthday with the first “Grand Del Opry.” Portions of the “Grand Del Opry 2” show will air as a Saturday night Opry Live in 2024.

 

Casting Crowns Celebrates 20 Years, 15th Gold Single

Casting Crowns and the Provident Entertainement Team

Casting Crowns is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a band this fall, and was recently honored for its 15th Gold single, “Scars In Heaven.” The single is from the band’s last studio project, Healer, that broke global first-day streaming records for a Christian song debut on Amazon Music at the time.

Celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band, the group was also honored by their label, Provident Entertainment, with a special plaque to commemorate the anniversary and more than 13 million albums sold. The group also recently released a legacy album, Lifesongs: A Celebration of the First 20 Years and wrapped the first leg of the “Casting Crowns’ 20th Anniversary Tour: A Live Symphony Experience.” On Nov. 30, the one-night premiere of the band’s documentary, Casting Crowns: Home By Sunday, will be in select theaters nationwide. Home By Sunday shares the stories behind the journey, music and ministry of Casting Crowns.

 

Warner Chappell Hosts Listening Party For Ashley Ray’s Animal

Pictured (L-R): BJ Hill (Warner Chappell), Morgan Mills (CmdShft), Karen Fairchild,
Ashley Ray, Jessi Vaughn Stevenson (Warner Chappell)

Ashley Ray celebrated the release of her new album Animal at a listening party hosted by Warner Chappell on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

“I’m so thrilled Animal will be out in the world tomorrow and proud to have created this album with two of my best friends, Sean McConnell and Karen Fairchild. We put my life, grief, dreams, and our fierce support and devotion of women into words as my life was simultaneously falling apart and coming together,” she shared.

Ray has penned songs for Little Big Town, Lori McKenna, Sean McConnell, Ruston Kelly, Caroline Spence, Wade Bowen, Charles Kelly, Brittney Spencer and blues prodigy Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Alongside friends and fellow artists McConnell and Fairchild, Ray penned Little Big Town’s Grammy-nominated top 40 hit “The Daughters.”

Lorie Hollabaugh
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