Chris Janson may keep singing “Buy Me A Boat” not just because the song is his first Top 20, but also because nobody has bought him a boat yet.

The Warner Bros. recording artist recently took a moment to visit MusicRow during a busy schedule, where he may be launching his CD before riding on the lake.

“I had the opportunity to be writing music that I didn’t know would be on an album this year,” said Janson. “It will be out on the best label in town by Thanksgiving…finally!”

The lead single was initially released independently, and led to his Warner Bros. Nashville deal.

After writing “Buy Me A Boat” with Chris DuBois at the Sea Gayle offices a few months ago, Janson cut the song at the tail end of a demo session. After upgrading the recording to a master, Janson uploaded the song online in his kitchen one night after a songwriter friend showed him how. Bobby Bones‘ iHeartRadio show then played the tune and kick-started the craze, leading to Janson becoming the first independent artist featured on iHeart’s On The Verge program, and ultimately his current record deal.

“These fans have been waiting for music forever,” said wife and manager, Kelly Lynn Janson. “The fans don’t understand you have to have a record label to put music out. So [with the release of ‘Buy Me A Boat’] he could at least talk about the new music when he played the Opry or was out on tour.”

Janson has waited 10 years to release an album after being previously signed to Sony Nashville, and the now defunct Bigger Picture Group.

Janson will co-produce the upcoming Warner Bros. Nashville full-length project with DuBois and Brent Anderson, and the remainder will be done with his publisher, Byron Gallimore.

During the visit, Janson also shared a new track “That’s What Love Will Do.” He expects to record the self-written title when he’s not on the road with Toby Keith this summer. He also treated MusicRow to the “oldest song” expected to be on the forthcoming record, titled “Back In My Drinkin’ Days.”

As a songwriter, Janson said his “most prized cuts” are on Hank Williams Jr.’s upcoming Nash Icon album. “He’s my No. 1 artist,” said Janson. “Just that he would ask for songs that I wrote is a big deal for me.” Janson also recorded harmonica on a re-make of William’s “Born To Boogie,” which is expected to be on the icon’s forthcoming record.

Kenny Rogers

When December rolls around you can count on colorful decorations, brightly-wrapped presents, sparkling Christmas trees, candy canes, and, a Kenny Rogers tour. Rogers hits the road every year around that time on his annual Christmas & Hits Tour, which is in its 34th straight year, and this holiday season he will have his first Christmas album in 17 years out to accompany it. The CD, titled Once Again It’s Christmas, will hit retailers this fall, and is Rogers’ first holiday release since 1998.

Rogers collaborates with several special guests on the new CD, including Jennifer Nettles, Alison Krauss, Home Free, Jim Brickman, and Winfield’s Locket.

“I can’t tell you how much fun it was recording a Christmas record again,” Rogers said. “I’m excited for people to hear it. I feel like this is a special group of songs—both old and new—and I was particularly lucky to be joined by many talented guest artists and musicians who each have something unique to say.”

Rogers kicks off this year’s Once Again It’s Christmas Tour featuring Linda Davis in late November. The tour will include both holiday favorites and Rogers’ hits, and will hit cities across the U.S. and Canada. A final schedule of dates will be announced soon.

New York will get a taste of Americana once again this year when the AmericanaFest NYC festival takes place Aug. 7-9. Part of the Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors series, the event is presented by the Americana Music Association and will feature three days of performances capped off by a concert by Lyle Lovett and his Large Band.

The Fairfield Four and The McCrary Sisters bring their soulful sounds to the Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park Bandshell stage Aug. 7 along with Junior Mambazo, and the Saturday two-stage lineup will include performances by Sam Outlaw, the Quebe Sisters, Kasey Chambers, Justin Townes Earle, the Watkins Family Hour, Fiona Apple, Don Heffington, and Sebastian Steinburg. An eclectic tribute to Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited album is also planned, featuring Aimee Mann, Ted Leo, Shawn Colvin, Rodney Crowell, and Pokey LaFarge, with the Watkins Family Hour backing as the house band.

Sunday will include a special late afternoon show by Iris DeMent, followed by closer Lyle Lovett, who will round out the weekend’s performances.

All shows are free and require no tickets, and a full calendar of events can be found at www.americanamusic.org.

Sea Gayle Records/Arista Nashville’s Jerrod Niemann is back on airwaves with new single, “Blue Bandana,” which impacts radio July 27.

Produced by Jimmie Lee Sloas and Niemann, it is the lead track from the artist’s forthcoming album due out in early 2016.

Niemann recalls the first time he heard the demo of “Blue Bandana,” co-penned by Ben Goldsmith, C.J. Solar and Andrew Scott Wills. “This song made me smile and reflect back on concerts I either performed at or attended. The writers did an amazing job working so many cool music festivals into the song. The melody captures an open-air feeling, very liberating and refreshing.”

For a first look at Niemann’s “Blue Bandana” lyric video, click here.