Warner Music Nashville Kicks Off 8th Annual Pickin’ On The Patio With Hunter Hayes May 24

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At long last summer is on its way, and with it comes Warner Music Nashville’s 8th annual Pickin’ on the Patio concert series. Five-time Grammy nominee Hunter Hayes will kick off the season on Wednesday, May 24.

The event, sponsored by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Tiger Beer, Aramark, Mighty Swell Sparkling Cocktails and Dr. Pepper, will start at 5:30 p.m. with doors opening at 5:00 p.m. Pickin’ on the Patio is held the last Wednesday of every month from May through September on the WMN Patio at 20 Music Square East.

Mark your calendars for the next one on June 28. In addition to May 24, and June 28, the Pickin’ on the Patio event will also be held on July 26, Aug. 23, and Sept. 27.

Americana Association Honors & Awards Nominees Announced

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(L-R), Back Row: Mike Cooley (Drive-By Truckers), Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas, Caitlin Canty, Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), Abi Tapia (Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum) / L-R, Front Row: Joey Ryan (The Milk Carton Kids), Jed Hilly, Executive Director (The Americana Music Association℠) and Kenneth Pattengale (The Milk Carton Kids) / Photo: Rick Diamond, Getty Images

The nominees for the Americana Music Association’s 16th annual Honors & Awards were announced on May 9 during an event at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, hosted by Milk Carton Kids’ Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan. Performers during the event included Jerry Douglas, Jason Isbell, and Isbell’s former Drive-By Truckers bandmates Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley.

This year’s ceremony will be held Sept. 13 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, during the Americana Music Festival and Conference, which runs from Sept. 12-17.

This year’s nominees include:

Album of the Year
American Band, Drive-By Truckers, Produced by David Barbe
Close Ties, Rodney Crowell, Produced by Kim Buie and Jordan Lehning
Freedom Highway, Rhiannon Giddens, Produced David Bither, Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell
The Navigator, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Produced by Paul Butler
A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, Sturgill Simpson, Produced by Sturgill Simpson

Artist of the Year:
Jason Isbell
John Prine
Lori McKenna
Margo Price
Sturgill Simpson

Duo/Group of the Year:
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Drive-By Truckers
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives
The Lumineers

Emerging Artist of the Year:
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Amanda Shires
Brent Cobb
Sam Outlaw

Song of the Year:
“All Around You,” Sturgill Simpson, Written by Sturgill Simpson
“It Ain’t Over Yet,” Rodney Crowell (feat. Rosanne Cash & John Paul White), Written by Rodney Crowell
“To Be Without You,” Ryan Adams, Written by Ryan Adams
“Wreck You,” Lori McKenna, Written by Lori McKenna and Felix McTeigue

Instrumentalist of the Year:
Spencer Cullum, Jr.
Jen Gunderman
Courtney Hartman
Charlie Sexton

Luke Combs To Release Debut ‘This One’s For You’ On June 2

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River House Artists/Columbia Nashville artist Luke Combs will release his debut album This One’s For You on June 2. The album includes his debut hit “Hurricane” which is at No. 13 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The North Carolina native co-wrote all 12 tracks on the debut album, including songs such as “One Number Away,” and “When It Rains It Pours.”

This One’s For You is produced by Scott Moffatt, while Sammy Mitchell and Jackie Boyz produced the track “One Number Away.”

This One’s For You follows Combs’ independently released EPs, including Can I Get An Outlaw (2014), The Way She Rides (2014) and This One’s For You – EP (2015).

Combs has already performed at the Tortuga Music Festival and will join Brantley Gilbert’s eight-month Devil Don’t Sleep Tour through September 2017 in addition to performances at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, CMA Music Fest and Stagecoach Festival this summer.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this album. These songs mean so much to me and all my friends who I wrote them with,” shares Combs. “This project has been such a long time in the making and I can’t wait for the fans to hear it. I sincerely hope they enjoy the album because they are the reason I do what I do.”

This One’s For You will be available for pre-order at digital retailers and LukeCombs.com starting April 28.

This One’s For You Track Listing

1. Out There (Luke Combs, James McNair, Ray Fulcher, Jacob Bryant)
2. Memories Are Made Of (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Cody Webb)
3. Lonely One (Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Erin Ashley O’Keefe)
4. Beer Can (Luke Combs, James McNair, Ray Fulcher)
5. Hurricane (Luke Combs, Thomas Archer, Taylor Phillips)
6. One Number Away (Luke Combs, Robert Williford, Sammy Mitchell, Steven Andre Battey)
7. Don’t Tempt Me (Luke Combs, Robert Williford, Joseph Michael Costa)
8. When It Rains It Pours (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Jordan Walker)
9. This One’s For You (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Pat Cooper)
10. Be Careful What You Wish For (Luke Combs, Rob Crosby, Ray Fulcher)
11. I Got Away With You (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Tyler Reeve)
12. Honky Tonk Highway (Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, Rob Crosby)

LOCASH, Maggie Rose Kick Off BMI’s New Rooftop Summer Concert Series

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BMI will present a rooftop concert series at its Nashville office this summer that will kick off May 23 with LOCASH and Maggie Rose.

“Rooftop On The Row” will include five concerts throughout the summer, and will include a mix of up-and-comers and established veterans. William Michael Morgan, Fairground Saints, Emily Earle, Aaron Lewis, and Walker McGuire are among the artists tapped to perform during the summer shows, with many more to be announced.

“We’re excited to host some of Nashville’s best country acts on the rooftop of BMI,” said Mason Hunter, Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships and Events. “We’ve got great music, top notch cocktails and an unbeatable view, making for an unforgettable evening. The whole series is going to be great.”

Cumulus, one of the sponsors of the private, VIP-only event, will offer listeners a chance to win tickets by tuning in to NASH FM. Additional event sponsors include Yeti Coolers, Texas Roadhouse and Topo Chico. George Dickel Whisky is alos presenting the concert.

Warner Music Nashville Promotes Tim Foisset To VP, Streaming

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Warner Music Nashville has promoted Tim Foisset from Senior Director to Vice President, Streaming. The position reports to Senior Vice President, Radio & Streaming Kristen Williams.

“Tim is an integral part of the Radio & Streaming team, especially as we continue to see an evolution in how people discover and consume music,” said Williams. “He greets one of the most quickly-developing parts of our industry with an innovation and dedication that will serve our WMN artists well in the months and years to come.”

Foisset will continue to focus on maximizing marketing opportunities and revenue potential with Warner Music Nashville’s streaming partners including Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Pandora, Amazon, Napster, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, YouTube, VEVO, TouchTunes and more. His role as VP will allow him to drive the overall streaming strategy for WMN’s artists, new releases and catalog, in addition to guiding dedicated members of the Radio & Streaming team to execute.

“I’m excited to continue working with our great partners and artists, and grateful for the opportunity to work closely with Espo, Matt Signore, Peter Strickland, Kristen Williams and the most forward-thinking team in Nashville,” said Foisset. “Streaming is a big part of the future of our business, and I’m truly inspired to help navigate this label toward that future.”

Foisset began his career in 1998 at Burly Bear Network and later joined Fuse Networks as the Manager of Consumer Marketing. He moved to Razor & Tie in 2005 as Director of Digital Marketing, where he managed the label’s relationships with digital partners and oversaw online marketing initiatives.

Leslie Fram, Tracy Gershon, Sarah Trahern, Jessica Sobhraj Join Music Biz’s Leading Ladies Panel

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Music Biz’s Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out event will host a panel titled “Changing the Conversation: The Power of Women and Mentoring in Today’s Music Business” designed to empower the next generation of female executives in the music business, where ideas to overcome and eliminate inequality will be discussed. Moderated by Leslie Fram of CMT, the panel will feature insights from Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association; Jessica Sobhraj, CEO/President of Cosynd/Women In Music; and Tracy Gershon, Manager at Red Light Management and an independent A&R consultant.

The panel, set for Tuesday, May 16, will close the Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out series of panels, which will kick off with a welcome presentation from Erin Crawford, SVP and General Manager of Nielsen Music, who will share exclusive insights, including female-focused data and fan affinity analytics, on the marketability of female artists. Ann Powers, a critic and correspondent at NPR Music, will then lead a keynote conversation with Julie Greenwald, Chairman and COO of the Atlantic Records Group, and GRAMMY-winning recording artist Kelly Clarkson. They will each share their experiences in the music business and discuss their path to success on their own terms.

The full agenda for the Music’s Leading Ladies Speak Out event can be found at musicbiz2017.sched.com.

Music Biz 2017 runs from May 15-18 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

CMT Music Awards Announce Nominees

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The nominees for this year’s CMT Music Awards have been announced.

This year, Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban top the awards this year, with four nominations each.

Carrie Underwood, who holds the title of most CMT Music Awards wins, nabs three nominations this year, along with Florida Georgia Line, Lauren Alaina and Luke Bryan.

Fan voting is live at cmt.com and will continue through Monday, June 5 at 12:01 a.m. ET. The CMT Music Awards will be held Wednesday, June 7 at Nashville’s Music City Center and airing live beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

This year, the show will introduce a new category, Social Superstar of the Year, which honors the most creative and engaging social media posts by an artist. Nominees include Brett Eldredge, Jake Owen, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lauren Alaina and Thomas Rhett.

CMT Video of the Year
Artists of Then, Now, and Forever- “Forever Country”
Brad Paisley- “Today”
Brett Eldredge-“Wanna Be That Song”
Carrie Underwood-“Church Bells”
Cole Swindell-“Middle Of A Memory”
Dierks Bentley and Elle King- “Different For Girls”
Florida Georgia Line-“H.O.L.Y.”
Jon Pardi-“Dirt On My Boots”
Keith Urban – “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Kelsea Ballerini – “Peter Pan”
Little Big Town- “Better Man”
Luke Bryan- “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day”
Miranda Lambert- “Vice”
Thomas Rhett- “Star Of The Show”

Male Video of the Year
Blake Shelton- “Came Here To Forget”
Eric Church- “Record Year”
Jason Aldean-“Lights Come On”
Keith Urban-“Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Luke Bryan- “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day”
Thomas Rhett-“Star Of The Show”

Female Video of the Year
Carrie Underwood-“Church Bells”
Kelsea Ballerini- “Peter Pan”
Lauren Alaina-“Road Less Traveled”
Maren Morris-“80s Mercedes”
Miranda Lambert-“Vice”
Reba McEntire-“Back To God”

Duo Video of the Year
Big & Rich ft. Tim McGraw- “Lovin’ Lately”
Brothers Osborne-“21 Summer”
Dan+Shay-“How Not To”
Florida Georgia Line-“H.O.L.Y.”
LOCASH-“I Know Somebody”

Group Video of the Year
Eli Young Band-“Saltwater Gospel”
Lady Antebellum-“You Look Good”
Little Big Town-“Better Man”
Midland-“Drinkin’ Problem”
Old Dominion-“Song For Another Time”

Breakthrough Video of the Year
Brett Young- “In Case You Didn’t Know”
Jon Pardi-“Dirt On My Boots”
Kane Brown-“Used To Love You Sober”
Lauren Alaina-“Road Less Traveled”
Luke Combs-“Hurricane”
RaeLynn-“Love Triangle”

Collaborative Video of the Year
Artists of Now, Then, and Forever-“Forever Country”
Chris Young ft. Vince Gill-“Sober Saturday Night”
Dierks Bentley ft. Elle King-“Different For Girls”
Florida Georgia Line ft. Tim McGraw-“May We All”
Keith Urban ft. Carrie Underwood-“The Fighter”
Kenny Chesney with Pink-“Setting The World On Fire”

CMT Performance Of The Year
Jason Aldean-“Hicktown” (from CMT Concert Of The Summer)
Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan-“Want To Want Me” (from CMT Crossroads)
John Mellencamp and Darius Rucker- “Pink Houses” (from CMT Crossroads)
Alicia Keys and Maren Morris-“80s Mercedes” (from CMT Crossroads)
Meghan Trainor, Jill Scott and Kelsea Ballerini-“You’re Still The One/Any Man of Mine/Man I Feel Like A Woman” (from CMT Artists of the Year)
Nick Jonas and Thomas Rhett- “Close” (from CMT Crossroads)

Social Superstar of the Year
Brett Eldredge
Jake Owen
Keith Urban
Kelsea Ballerini
Lauren Alaina
Thomas Rhett

‘American Idol’ Finds New Life On ABC

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A little more than a year after American Idol crowned its last singing star and went off the air, the show has been resurrected with a new life at ABC-TV. The network announced its acquisition of the show this morning on Good Morning America ahead of its renewals and series pickup announcements.

“‘American Idol’ on ABC…that has a nice ring to it,” said Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney|ABC. “‘Idol’ is an entertainment icon, and now it will air where it belongs, in ABC’s lineup of addictive fan favorites alongside ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘The Bachelor.’ America, get ready for the return of a bigger, bolder and better-than- ever ‘Idol’.”

No details have been offered yet as to what the new configuration of the popular show, which ran for 15 seasons on Fox, would look like, and no on-camera talent has been announced yet.

The show signed off with a legion of still-loyal viewers, though its numbers had dissipated a bit in recent years. At the height of its popularity, the competition averaged 31 million weekly viewers for each of two telecasts, and ranked No. 1 in adults 18-49 for seven consecutive seasons. Its season premieres regularly out-rated the Oscars as the biggest entertainment telecasts of the year, and even towards the end, it garnered huge ratings, with the final season averaging a 3.0 rating among adults 18-49 and 11.5 million viewers.

”ABC’s passion and enthusiasm make them a perfect home for ‘American Idol,’ said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia Group. “We are excited to be partnering with them to discover the next generation of talented artists. It’s an irresistible combination that means now is the ideal time to welcome back one of the most successful shows in the history of contemporary television.”

No word yet on whether longtime host Ryan Seacrest would potentially return to his hosting duties for the competition, which made household names out of artists like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, since he’s now at Disney as Kelly Ripa’s new full-time Live! co-host.

Watch the announcement below:

Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival Announces Daily Lineup

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The Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival has announced the daily lineup breakdown for its third annual event, slated for Sept. 23-24, 2017 Franklin, Tennessee.

Justin Timberlake, a partner and producer for the festival, will headline on Saturday, Sept. 23. Also on the Saturday lineup are The Avett Brothers, Gary Clark Jr., Walk The Moon, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Better Than Ezra, Shovels & Rope, Jerry Douglas Band, Nikki Lane, Colony House, Karen Elson, Ruby Amanfu with Steelism, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Colter Wall, The Texas Gentlemen, Sinclair, The Shadowboxers, Blackfoot Gypsies, Jillian Jacqueline, The Bros. Landreth, and Bishop Gunn.

The lineup for Sunday, Sept. 24 will feature Eddie Vedder, Ryan Adams, Mavis Staples, Fitz and The Tantrums, The Revivalists, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Valerie June, Langhorne Slim, Joseph, The Sweet Tea Project, Pokey LaFarge, Amanda Shires, Larkin Poe, Muddy Magnolias, The Band of Heathens, Banditos, Kingfish, Devon Gilfillian, The Sisterhood, Towne, and The Settles Connection.

Single Day Pilgrimage Passes, available for $135, go on sale this Friday, May 12 at 10 a.m. CT at pilgrimagefestival.com.

Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Eric Church, More Set For ‘Good Morning America’ Summer Series

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Country will be well-represented on Fridays this Summer during Good Morning America‘s Summer Concert Series, with Florida Georgia Line and Nelly, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Eric Church, and Dierks Bentley all slated to perform on the star-studded Summer lineup.

The GMA Summer Concert Series will kick off later this month with a performance by Green Day, and will continue every Friday throughout the summer with performances by artists from every type of music. The concerts, held at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, are free to attend and can also be viewed on Good Morning America Fridays from 7-9 a.m. on ABC.

GMA Summer Concert Series Schedule:
May 19 – Green Day
May 26 – Florida Georgia Line & Nelly
June 2 – Fifth Harmony
June 9 – The Chainsmokers
June 16 – The Lumineers
June 23 – Little Big Town
June 30 – Bebe Rexha
July 7 – Big Sean
July 14 – Lady Antebellum
July 21 – Zedd featuring Alessia Cara
July 28 – Imagine Dragons
Aug. 4 – Linkin Park
Aug. 11 – Bleachers
Aug. 18 – Eric Church
Aug. 25 – Paramore
Sept. 1 – Jason Derulo
Date TBD – Dierks Bentley*