This week’s edition of The MusicRow Weekly captures Nashville’s ever-evolving music landscape, highlighting new label ventures, publishing signings, executive shakeups and industry honors—all reflecting the momentum of a city that never stands still. Click here to see the full edition.

Ascend Music, a new imprint formed through a partnership between Big Machine Label Group and industry veteran Joel Klaiman, has launched. The label, dedicated to amplifying cross-genre artists, reunites Klaiman with BMLG Chairman Scott Borchetta, a duo whose history includes Taylor Swift’s rise with Fearless and Red.

On the publishing front, Derrick Southerland has signed a global deal with Kobalt, bringing a prolific catalog that includes hits for Ingrid Andress, Mitchell Tenpenny and Kane Brown. Kenny Whitmire has now secured a publishing deal with River House Artists and Sony Music Publishing Nashville. Ana Cristina Cash joins BMG under a worldwide agreement encompassing her bilingual catalog, and Seth Alley enters a joint co-publishing partnership with Endurance Music Group and Tyler Hubbard’s HAYLO Music. Rising songwriter and performer Trey Pendley has inked with WME for global booking and Blue Harbor Music for publishing.

Also making waves this week, Nashville agency FlyteVu has been acquired by Driftwood Music Group, marking a significant growth move that includes a 30% staff expansion. Co-founder Laura Hutfless remains CEO while Linda Knight steps in as Chief Creative Officer.

Brown Sellers Brown—home to Quartz Hill Records and Stone Country Records—has rebranded as Quartz Hill Music Group, with Ash Bowers elevated to EVP. Bowers, whose songwriting and management background spans work with Keith Urban and Dustin Lynch, now leads operations across the company’s labels and management sectors.

In executive partnerships, Dave Kelly and Bekah Digby have teamed up to launch a new digital and streaming consulting co-venture. Elsewhere, Capitol Records Nashville and Lost Highway have bolstered their joint radio team with the addition of Luke Jensen (VP, Promotion) and Megan McCaffrey (Regional Director, Promotion), aiming to strengthen artist development through radio outreach. Neon Coast, the artist management company helmed by Martha Earls, has also expanded its team with the addition of Tyler Corrado and Dawson Simmons.

The Academy of Country Music has revealed winners of its Industry and Studio Recording Awards, which will be celebrated during the 18th annual ACM Honors on Aug. 20. Among the honorees are longtime contributors Ed Warm, Dave Cobb, Brent Mason, and first-time winners such as Drew Bollman and Craig Young.

The CMA Awards nomination process has officially begun. CMA leadership, including CEO Sarah Trahern and SVP Tiffany Kerns, emphasized transparency and participation while rolling out voting updates—most notably, changes to the Song of the Year category, now limited to professionals most involved in song creation during early rounds.

Additional ACM Special Awards recipients were also announced. Eric Church and the late Ben Vaughn will receive the Icon Award, Luke Combs earns the International Award, Jelly Roll receives the Lifting Lives Award, and Randy Travis is honored with the Milestone Award. Others include Rissi Palmer, Cody Johnson, Mac McAnally and more.

In chart news, Luke Bryan claims the top spot on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Country Song Came On.” Explore more chart data here.

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George Strait and longtime Vaqueros del Mar partner, Tom Cusick, are organizing a special benefit dinner and concert in Boerne, Texas in response to the recent Hill Country flooding. “Strait To The Heart” will take place on July 27 at Estancia at Thunder Valley indoor arena.

“The destruction and loss in our community from the recent flood is hard to wrap your head around,” shares Strait. “Our hearts and prayers are with you all. The goal with this event is to raise meaningful, immediate support that can be put directly into the hands of flood victims without delay, while also honoring the first responders that work tirelessly to save lives. Special thanks to our friends and fellow troubadours—William Beckman, Ray Benson, Wade Bowen, Dean Dillon, Riley Green, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Kyle Park, Hudson Westbrook and members of my Ace in the Hole Band—for joining me on stage to lend their talent and their hearts to this mission.”

Cusick adds, “The road ahead will be a long one, however the immediate need is so great that we didn’t want to wait. Together, we can show our neighbors that when hardship strikes, Texas and our Country stand strong, and we stand together.”

The event will be limited to 1,000 guests with tickets and tables available for purchase beginning at $1,000. Donations will be made to 501c3 Vaqueros del Mar Texas Flood Relief Fund and distributed to affected families and established Hill Country funds. Complimentary tickets will be provided to local first-responders.

If you’re interested in purchasing a table or tickets, or making a donation to Vaqueros del Mar Texas Flood Relief Fund, please email Vaquerosdm@gmail.com.

Marcus King Band has slated their latest album, Darling Blue, for release on Sept. 26 via American Records/Republic Records.

In celebration of the announcement, the band has shared two new songs from the album: “Here Today” featuring Jamey Johnson and Kaitlin Butts, and “Carry Me Home,” which reflects on King’s deep love for the Blue Ridge mountains and the place he calls home. Inspired heavily by his home state of South Carolina, the new album incorporates elements of country, folk, psychedelic rock and Motown-era R&B, and continues the conversation on King’s experience with addiction and depression.

“It truly felt like home,” says King. “Like my band and I were just working out songs to perform live but ended up creating a piece of recorded music for our fans to hear. Our goal is always to be a vessel and allow the music to flow through us and tap into something that’s already there in the room. But more than anything I’ve done before, this album felt like a real concerted effort to make music for myself, and for ourselves as a band—creating for the love of creating and being as honest as we possibly can. We put everything we had into making something that we love and we have faith that the audience will feel that and love it too.”

Prior to the album announcement, the band shared “Honky Tonk Hell,” which became the fastest single in King’s career to hit one million streams, as well as “Carolina Honey,” released on the heels of King’s Bonnaroo performance for a crowd of 40,000.

King and the band are also gearing up for their Marcus King Band Family Reunion music festival, which will return for its fourth installment this summer, taking place in Charleston for the first time ever Aug. 23-24. The lineup for this year’s festival will include performances by the Marcus King Band along with Jamey Johnson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Molly Tuttle, Hiss Golden Messenger and more.

Darling Blue Track List:
1. “On & On”
2. “Here Today” ft. Jamey Johnson & Kaitlin Butts
3. “Honky Tonk Hell”
4. “Heartlands”
5. “Die Alone”
6. “Somebody Else” ft. Jesse Welles
7. “Levi’s & Goodbyes”
8. “Carolina Honey”
9. “No Room For Blue”
10. “Blue Ridge Mountain Moon”
11. “Dirt (Nashville version)” ft. Billy Strings
12. “The Shadows” ft. Noah Cyrus
13. “Pretty Petty”
14. “Carry Me Home”

“Opry 100 Honors Charlie Daniels” finale of performers singing “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”

The Grand Ole Opry continued its “Opry 100 Honors,” a series which pays tribute to the icons who have helped shape the Opry’s first century, on July 8 with a tribute to beloved Opry member Charlie Daniels.

“Opry 100 Honors Charlie Daniels” included performances by Opry members Trace Adkins, Jamey Johnson, Eddie Montgomery, Rhonda Vincent and Chris Young, plus Gretchen Wilson, The Travelin’ McCourys and more.

Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta, Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones, Marfa’s Bryce Menchaca, Ascend4M’s Ryan Ramos, Marfa’s Kellen Wall, Ascend4M’s Joel Klaiman. Photo: Nick Rau for Ascend Music

Ascend Music has signed Americana/Rock duo, Marfa. Composed of Bryce Menchaca and Kellen Wall, Marfa serves as the first signing to the newly announced Big Machine Label Group imprint, established in partnership with music industry executive Joel Klaiman.

“Marfa is the first of many groundbreaking artists set to come from Ascend Music,” says Founder, Chairman and CEO of Big Machine Label Group Scott Borchetta. “This was a ‘one-listen, one-meeting, and we have to do this’ moment. These guys are going to blow people away with their musicality and vibe.”

“From the moment I first heard Marfa — the songs, the writing, the depth of their musicianship and the harmony of Bryce and Kellen’s voices — I knew they were something special,” adds Klaiman. “Their sound is both timeless and unmistakably of the moment. I’m thrilled to have them as the first signing to our new venture. They set the tone for the kind of talent, artistry and authenticity we are building the label around.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be a part of something so special and to embark on a dream come true,” shares Menchaca and Wall. “Signing our first record deal with an all-star team of Ascend Music and Big Machine Label Group is something we’re really proud of.”

The duo has released its first track, “Little Miss Two Time,” penned alongside Morgan Nagler.

“This track was inspired by Kellen receiving some unfortunate news following one of our shows, when an ex-girlfriend promptly ended things with him,” shares Menchaca.

Wall adds, “I later found out there was someone else the whole time, so we, along with our co-writer Morgan, made the best out of a bad situation, and ‘Little Miss Two Time’ was born.”