Industry Ink: Scotty McCreery, Rob Bowman, Elvis, ASCAP, More
Scotty McCreery & Darius Rucker Surprise C2C Fans With ‘Bottle Rockets’
Darius Rucker and Scotty McCreery. Photo: Alanna Georgette
Scotty McCreery brought out surprise guest Darius Rucker to perform “Bottle Rockets” and “Wagon Wheel” with him during his C2C:Country 2 Country performance in front of a packed crowd at The O2 in London, England on March 13. The performance was the first time the two singers had ever performed “Bottle Rockets” live, which was a No.1 hit for McCreery and Hootie & The Blowfish in 2025. McCreery also performed on C2C Belfast on March 14 and C2C Glasgow on March 15, and the North Carolina native will perform with the Grand Ole Opry at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Friday (March 20).
Rob Bowman Chats About Muscle Shoals Book At Country Music Hall Of Fame Event
Rob Bowman and Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum writer-editor RJ Smith at the museum. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Author, professor and Grammy winner Rob Bowman recently participated in a book talk at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum discussing his new book Land of a Thousand Sessions: The Complete Muscle Shoals Story, 1951–1985. The conversation was led by museum writer-editor RJ Smith. The region is the subject of Bowman’s new book and he dug deep, interviewing studio musicians and stars including David Hood, Millie Jackson, Mick Jagger, Candi Staton, Ray Stevens, Mavis Staples and Bobby Womack to illustrate how so much music came out of this tiny corner of the South. The program was presented in support of the museum’s major exhibit “Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising.”
The King Returns to Studio B: Don Cusic To Explore Elvis’ Nashville Legacy
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley‘s enduring legacy will be the focus of an upcoming lecture at Historic RCA Studio presented by music historian and author Don Cusic on March 24 at 6:30 p.m. The lecture is part of the ongoing Curb Lecture Series in partnership with the Metro Historical Commission and will explore how Presley’s recordings at RCA Studio B helped shape the sound of modern popular music. Cusic brings deep insight to the subject, having authored Elvis and Country Music, a definitive work examining Presley’s influence on country, rock, and American music at large. Admission is $10, with all proceeds benefiting The Nashville Historic Foundation.
New Musical Theater Nashville Showcase Series Features ASCAP Composers
Pictured (L-R): NMTN’s Douglas Waterbury-Tieman, Analog’s Meredith DiMenna, ASCAP’s Emilia James, NMTN’s Sarah Aili. Photo: Jeff Fasano
ASCAP composers Sarah Aili and Meredith DiMenna performed excerpts from their original musical theater works Back in Birmingham (written by Aili and Radney Foster) and I Make Sense in Texas (written by DiMenna) at The First Stage, a new musical theater showcase series, on March 7 at The Analog in Nashville. Spotlighting local Nashville theatrical composers and performers, The First Stage, presented by New Musical Theater Nashville in partnership with ASCAP and Analog at Hutton Hotel, is designed to jumpstart the development of new works for the stage by connecting writers with performers, musicians and audiences in Music City.
Cody Parks & The Dirty South Ink With BLKIIBLK / Frontiers Music
Pictured (L-R): Tim Bailey (Head of Label Management International), Cody Parks, Jeff Stevenson (General Manager, Head of Marketing), Bob Chiappardi (Marketing US). Photo: Mitch Wallis
Country metal band Cody Parks and The Dirty South has signed with BLKIIBLK / Frontiers Music. To celebrate the signing, the band has released their new single “Snake Shaker,” available now on all streaming platforms alongside an accompanying music video.
“I’m beyond excited and blessed to be a part of the BLKIIBLK / Frontiers family,” says Parks. “The opportunity to work with industry veterans Jeff Stevenson, Tom Lipsky, and Bob Chiappardi was a no-brainer. Having a team aligned with my vision for country metal makes this the perfect home for my music, and I can’t wait for the world to hear what we have cookin’.”
Erin Enderlin & Co-Writers Celebrate ‘The Gray House’ At The Opry
Photo: Brooke Stevens
Songwriters Erin Enderlin, Jim “Moose” Brown and Jeff Fahey and musician Jenee Fleenor celebrated Amazon’s The Gray House at the Grand Ole Opry on March 14 with performances of three of their four cuts from the MCA soundtrack, including “Blood In The River,” “I’ll Be Here With You,” and “Heart of America.”
“Watching the Opry is where I really fell in love with country music, and every time I get to step into that circle is a dream come true,” says Enderlin. “To get to celebrate the incredible story of The Gray House and the songs I wrote for the soundtrack with my friends and co-writers on that stage – that’s a memory I will treasure.”
Brooke Lee Sings National Anthem At Texas Indycar Race
Brooke Lee performed the national anthem at the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington on March 15 which featured a 70-lap NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on a street circuit surrounding AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field in Texas. Lee’s new song, “Just Because” releases March 20 and follows recent tracks “Burn To Black” and “Desert Darling.”
Jake Hoot Debuts New Kids Book ‘The Great Big Blowout’
The Great Big Blowout. Artwork Design: Brittney Hoot
Season 17 winner of The Voice Jake Hoot has released his new children’s book, The Great Big Blowout published by Hoot Hollow Story Co. The lighthearted story is inspired by a true family moment that turns an ordinary day at the park into a memorable adventure.
“In my ten years of being a dad, I’ve learned that parenting comes with plenty of stressful and overwhelming moments,” says Hoot. “But in the grand scheme of life, it’s so much better to laugh at those moments. They’re the memories that will last a lifetime. I try to find humor in the little, mundane things. My hope is that parents in every season of parenting know they’re not alone. There are many highs and lows along the way, and the journey becomes a lot more enjoyable when we choose to laugh through it, knowing that not everything will be picture perfect.”
