Rhett Akins, Mackenzie Carpenter & Johnny Clawson Join ‘Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley’ Lineup

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Rhett Akins, Mackenzie Carpenter and Johnny Clawson will join previously announced performers Old Dominion and Tyler Hubbard at CRS 2025’s “Bob Kinglsey’s Acoustic Alley” on Feb. 20.

“Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley,” hosted by Fitz from Country Top 40, honors the art of songwriting and showcases performances by some of the most skilled songwriters in the industry. To make the night even more special, Radio Ink will also present its “Top Country PDs” awards during the event.

Georgia native Akins launched his music career in 1994 with Decca Records, quickly gaining attention with two successful albums. His debut, A Thousand Memories (1995), included the No. 1 “That Ain’t My Truck,” followed by Somebody New (1996) and its chart-topping single “Don’t Get Me Started.” As a songwriter, Akins has achieved monumental success, writing over 36 No. 1’s for Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Dustin Lynch, Jon Pardi and more. He’s also had the honor of collaborating with his son, Thomas Rhett, co-writing several of his hits such as “It Goes Like This,” “Life Changes” and “What’s Your Country Song.” Throughout his career, Akins has earned numerous accolades, including the CMA Triple Play Award eight times, the ACM Songwriter of the Decade award and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Hailing from Hull, Georgia, Carpenter fell in love with music as a child, writing songs with her brothers and singing in church. Now, as a singer-songwriter, she’s using her classic country voice to tell her story, backed by an ability to craft songs that resonate deeply with listeners. Raised in a lively, supportive family full of back porch jams and juicy drama, Carpenter embraces the chaos and humor of life, finding beauty in the mess. She kicked off her career as a songwriter with Lily Rose’s 2021 hit “Villain” and has since co-written tracks like “I’m Not Pretty,” “Indifferent” and “28th of June” with Megan Moroney, all while launching her own artist career. After signing with The Valory Music Co. in 2022, she has earned a slew of accolades, including spots on MusicRow’s Next Big Thing Artists Class of 2025, Spotify’s Hot Country 2024 Artists to Watch, CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2023, and Nashville Briefing’s Artists to Watch 2023. She’s also opened for Miranda Lambert, Moroney, Jake Owen, Parker McCollum, Craig Campbell and Ryan Hurd.

Clawson, a Nashville-based songwriter and artist originally from Leesburg, Virginia, signed with SMACK Songs in 2022. He co-wrote Blake Shelton’s current single, “Texas,” along with Ella Langley’s “weren’t for the wind.” His songwriting credits also include tracks for Lauren Alaina, Chris Young, Seaforth, Jon Pardi, Michael Ray, Josh Ross and more. As an artist, his own releases, including “Time Is Money,” have gained notable attention, with the song being featured on Bobby Bones’ Top 30 Countdown.

Drake Hyde, winner of the Loot8 competition, a virtual singer-songwriter contest designed to discover up-and-coming country talent, will also take the stage.

Madison Hahnen
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