Industry Ink: Kelsea Ballerini, Anne Wilson, ACM, Scotty Hasting, Lil’ Skinny

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Kelsea Ballerini Honored With RIAA Gold Plaque

Pictured (L-R): Bill Macky, Grace Watson, Rick Froio, Kelsea Ballerini, Gordon Kerr, Doug Johnson and Dawn Delvo

Earlier this month, Kelsea Ballerini was honored with a plaque for her RIAA Gold-certified single, “Mountain With A View.” The song appears on her Grammy-nominated album Rolling Up the Welcome Mat and was written solely by Ballerini.

 

 

Anne Wilson Garners One Billion Global Career Streams

Pictured (L-R): Aaron Stearns, Troy Scott, Becca Redl, Ashley Chiappetta, Maggie Laws, Hudson Plachy, Anne Wilson, Brad O’Donnell, Matthew West, Isabel Pesci, Karrie Dawley and Travis Laws. Photo: Laney Oakes Crosland

Singer-songwriter Anne Wilson has achieved a major milestone by passing the one billion career streams mark. This achievement comes just three years into her career after initially gaining attention for her single “My Jesus” and Grammy-nominated album of the same name.

Recently, Wilson and Lainey Wilson released a live recording of “Praying Woman” off of her Christian country album Rebel. The album, upon release, secured the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 spots on the Christian, country and all-genre charts respectively—putting her in the company of Carrie Underwood, Chris Tomlin and Hillary Scott.

 

 

ACM Continues Celebrations At Nashville Pride Parade

Pictured: ACM staff, friends and family ahead of the Nashville Pride Parade. Photo: Courtesy of ACM

The Academy of Country Music continued Pride Month celebrations on Saturday (June 22) by joining in on the Nashville Pride Parade along with ACM members, friends and family.

This follows the organization’s inaugural “ACM Country For Y’all” showcase on Thursday (June 20) that featured performances from Adam Mac, Brooke Eden, Chris Housman and Denitia.

 

 

Scotty Hasting Honors WWII Veterans At The 80th Anniversary Of D-Day

Scotty Hasting. Photo: Courtesy of Black River Entertainment

Artist and combat-wounded former infantryman Scotty Hasting has returned from a 10-day trip to France, where he honored WWII Veterans on the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy.

Hasting participated in events organized by Operation Democracy, taking steps to remember and preserve our freedom. “Afghanistan Veteran and rising Nashville star Scotty Hasting symbolizes the passing of the torch of Gratitude for our precious remaining WWII Veterans to the Next Generation so they understand the cost of our freedom and the imperative to be vigilant in defense of our Western Civilization,” says Operation Democracy’s Cathy Cyphers Soref. “Scotty’s penetrating rendition of the new classic ‘Red, White and Blue’ evokes the depth of sacrifice made by a few for all of us and a call for all to participate in some form of public service.”

“I was with the 1st Infantry Division 4th Squadron 4th Cavalry out of Fort Riley,” shares Hasting. “I was there from 2010 – 2015. I deployed in 2011 to Afghanistan, where I was shot 10 times—five times in the shoulder, four times in the hip, and once in the thigh. Music has become a form of therapy for me and a way to fight the demons that knock on the door at night. It’s a way for me to get rid of PTSD, depression and anxiety…thank you for all that you do, have done, and continue to do.”

 

 

Lil’ Skinny Signs With Droptine Recordings

Pictured (L-R): Jimmy Ritchey, Lil’ Skinny and Jim Catino

Emerging artist Lil’ Skinny has signed with Droptine Recordings prior to releasing his new single, “Whiskey Pistol,” on July 5.

In a partnership with Jimmy Ritchey, Droptine’s Jim Catino welcomes Skinny to the roster, sharing, “I’m very excited about working with Lil Skinny. He is an amazing talent! Skinny is skilled as a singer-songwriter, musician and performer. I’m looking forward to watching him rise as a country music star. And it is an added bonus to be able to do it alongside my longtime friend Jimmy Ritchey.”

“Working with Jimmy Ritchey and Jim Catino has been a dream come true. The support from Droptine to be able to record the music that I’ve always dreamed of making has been such a blessing. I’m excited to see where the future will take us,” shares Lil’ Skinny.

John Nix Arledge
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