CRS New Faces 2024 Showcase Highlights Five Talented Artists

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The New Faces of Country Music Class of 2024, including George Birge, Megan Moroney, Conner Smith, Dillon Carmichael and Corey Kent. Photo: Courtesy of CRB/CRS/Kayla Schoen

To end Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2024, five breakout artists added their names to the history of the New Faces of Country Music showcase.

The annual showcase features five emerging artists who have achieved notable country radio success during the qualification period, which spanned from Nov. 1, 2022, to Oct. 31, 2023, for the 2024 show. The event has served as a pivotal moment in the careers of established country hitmakers since its inception in 1970. On Friday (March 1), Corey Kent, George Birge, Conner Smith, Dillon Carmichael and Megan Moroney added their names to the list.

Corey Kent. Photo: Courtesy of CRB/CRS/Kayla Schoen

RCA Nashville’s Kent was the first artist to take the stage. Before he performed, an introductory video played detailing his journey from Oklahoma to Music City to chase his musical dreams, but it also showed the detour that led him and his young family to Texas, where Kent took a job pouring concrete for a while.

Now, a few years after his music took off and he and his family moved back to Nashville, Kent has celebrated a Platinum-certified No. 1 hit with “Wild As Her,” which he gratefully played to the country radio industry members in the audience. Kent’s set also included his 2020 single “Gold.”

“I believe that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and what you’re doing today matters,” Kent said when introducing his Gold-certified hit “Something’s Gonna Kill Me.” “You’re either getting busy living or getting busy dying.” Before he left the stage, Kent played his brand new radio single “This Heart,” and the radio tastemakers in the room ate it up.

George Birge. Photo: Courtesy of CRB/CRS/Kayla Schoen

Next up was RECORDS Nashville’s Birge. His introductory video also shared a bit about his journey working as a songwriter until breaking through as an artist in recent years. He also took the opportunity to share his gratitude for country radio, thanking them for changing his life and sharing photos with programmers.

Birge kicked off his set with a new song, “Hard on the Bottle.” The Texan also played a few more new songs, including “Damn Right I Do” and his next radio single, “Cowboy Songs.”

“I’ve been dreaming about this day for a long time and damn, it’s good to be here tonight,” Birge said before launching into his first No. 1, “Mind On You,” which topped country radio charts as 2024 began, while also cracking the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

Conner Smith. Photo: Courtesy of CRB/CRS/Kayla Schoen

The Valory Music Co.’s Smith was the next artist to take the stage. His video included footage of the Nashville native singing country covers while growing up, using a broom as a mic stand and yelling out the words to Montgomery Gentry and Kenny Chesney songs.

Smith kicked off his set with the title track of his recently released new album, “Smoky Mountains,” as well as two new songs “Heatin’ Up” and “Roulette On The Heart,” a duet with Hailey Whitters that is set to be his next single.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be on this stage. It means more than y’all know,” Smith said before playing his top-10-and-rising single “Creek Will Rise,” which brought radio tastemakers to their feet.

Dillon Carmichael. Photo: Courtesy of CRB/CRS/Kayla Schoen

Riser House Records’ Carmichael was next up. His video was the best, showcasing the humor he’s become known for. In an episode of “CRS Cribs,” Carmichael took the audience on a tour of his bus—but come to find out, it was actually his tour-mate Justin Moore‘s bus. The video ends with Carmichael welcoming viewers to “CRS Cribs” of his truck.

He kicked off his set with “Raised Up Wrong,” before making everyone laugh again with “Tiny Little Fiddle.” After performing his top 25 single “Son Of A,” Carmichael brought some radio programmers to their feet with “Drinkin’ Problems.”

“What an opportunity this is,” Carmichael said. “Thank y’all so much for giving us a chance. I do understand the gravity of this.”

Megan Moroney. Photo: Courtesy of CRB/CRS/Kayla Schoen

Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records’ Moroney was the last artist to perform, but it didn’t matter—everyone was eagerly awaiting the breakout star’s time in the spotlight. After a video of her reading mean Tweets about herself, Moroney hit the stage singing the title track of her 2023 album “Lucky.”

She lured audience members in with her climbing radio single “I’m Not Pretty,” and impressed them with her well written new release “No Caller ID.”

“Thank y’all so much for the support of me and my songs,” Moroney said before playing “Girl In The Mirror.” She ended her set and the 2024 CRS New Faces showcase with her two-times Platinum No. 1 breakout hit “Tennessee Orange,” leaving the crowd on their feet.

LB Cantrell
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