Country-rockers Southall are set to release their brand-new album Kinfolk on May 1.

Southall recorded Kinfolk with producer Wes Sharon, and founder, singer, guitarist and band namesake Read Southall shaped the album to be rooted in old school country and revved up with plenty of rock energy. Playing out like the perfect soundtrack to a cross-country road trip, it explores relatable topics like family, legacy, loss and love, all under an Oklahoma sun. They previewed the new project and paved the way for Kinfolk with the buzzing “Freight Train” and the incendiary and infectious “Burning Bridges.”

“When people are ‘kin’ to you, they’re ‘kin’ for life. It’s an ‘all for one and one for all’ mentality,” says Read. “We’re in this together with anybody who listens to us or comes to a show. When we play live, I often say, ‘Don’t take yourself too seriously, and we won’t either.’ We’re Kinfolk after all.”

The band is heading into spring and summer with a busy tour schedule. They first join co-headliners ZZ Top and Dwight Yoakam for a run of dates this spring, before stepping onto even bigger stages this summer on the “Southern Hospitality Tour” alongside The Black Crowes and Whiskey Myers, the most expansive tour of their career which includes a stop at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on May 21.

Kinfolk Track List:
1. “Burning Bridges” (Reid Barber)
2. “Southwestern Son” (Read Southall)
3. “House Money” (John Tyler Perry)
4. “Worse Things” (Reid Barber)
5. “Freight Train” (Braxton Curliss, Ryan Wellman)
6. “Kinfolk” (John Tyler Perry)
7. “Second Hand” (Reid Barber)
8. “Pocketknife And Pliers” (Read Southall)
9. “Okie Pokin’ Out” (Reid Barber, Jeremee Knipp, John Tyler Perry)

All songs produced by Wes Sharon

Cody Johnson Surprised With New Plaques

Cody Johnson was recently surprised with new plaques from Warner Records Nashville at last week’s listening party for his new album, Bank Of The Trinity.

In total, Johnson has accumulated 69 career certifications including Platinum certifications for Human The Double Album, Ain’t Nothin’ To It and Leather.

 

Lainey Wilson Featured On SiriusXM’s ‘How’s Life’ With John Mayer

Lainey Wilson recently sat down for an in-depth interview with John Mayer on SiriusXM’s “How’s Life.”

During the interview, Wilson opened up about her preparation for headlining Stagecoach and shared the advice she received from Melissa Etheridge at the Grammys.

 

Dasha Performs On ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’

Dasha took the stage on The Kelly Clarkson Show to deliver a performance of “She’s So Gone,” which is featured on Disney’s Main Street Country EP. The episode, which aired on Friday (April 17), showcased the performance recorded in Studio A at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.

 

Amy Grant Previews First Album In 13 Years

Amy Grant previewed her forthcoming album The Me That Remains last week in New York. The project is set to be released on May 8 via Thirty Tigers.

On April 15, Grant appeared on Live with Kelly & Mark to perform the title track from the new album. Additionally, the GRAMMY Museum hosted “A New York Evening With Amy Grant” in partnership with the Americana Music Foundation.

 

Andreea Gleeson Delivers Keynote Address at MMF-US Nashville Summit

Andreea Gleeson delivered the keynote address “Own the Fan: Rewriting the Playbook” featuring recording artist Alexandra Kay and manager Beth Keith of Sound Talent Group as part of last week’s Music Managers Forum – US Nashville Summit. The event brought together artist managers, self-managed artists and music industry professionals for a full day of keynote conversations, panels, presentations, and networking at The MLC’s offices.

“Over the last decade, we’ve watched the music industry completely transform,” Gleeson shared during her speech. “The artists who are breaking through today aren’t just reaching audiences, they’re building direct, durable relationships with fans. And what’s interesting is that the playbook for doing that isn’t theoretical – we’re seeing it happen in real time, and I’ve had a front row seat to one of the clearest examples of this in Alexandra Kay’s career.”

 

A3 Merch Appoints Felix Carrasco As SVP Of A&R And New Business

A3 Merch has appointed Felix Carrasco as SVP of A&R and New Business. In his new role, Carrasco will focus on expanding A3’s global merchandise footprint, enhancing its integrated approach across creative, production, and commerce, and developing new opportunities for artists and brands to connect with audiences.

“Felix brings a rare combination of creative instinct, operational excellence, and deep artist relationships,” says Jon Elliot, co-founder of A3 Merch. “He has been at the center of some of the most impactful merchandise and fan experiences in the industry, and we are excited to have him help shape what’s next for A3.”

“A3 has built something incredibly special, a team that combines creativity, execution, and real partnership with artists,” adds Carrasco. “I’m excited to join at a moment of growth and help push the business forward, building on that foundation to create meaningful, scalable opportunities for our clients.”

Brad Paisley and his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, hosted the “Groceries with Dignity & Comedy Without” benefit for The Store last night (April 20) at Zanies in Nashville.

This year’s sold-out event presented by sponsor Prevost featured comedians Jeff Allen, Bo Johnson and Eeland Stribling, and raised more than $300,000 for the free-referral-based grocery store that aims to empower low-income individuals and families in the Nashville area founded by the Paisleys.

Including this year, the total raised at the annual event over the past four years is now more than $800,000. Featured comedians at previous benefits have included Nate Bargatze, John Crist, Henry Cho, Bonnie Hunt, Kevin Nealon, Dusty Slay, The Groundlings and Aaron Webber, with comedic music performances by Brad, who also emceed the evenings.

The Store operates with the mission of allowing people to shop for their basic needs in a way that protects dignity and fosters hope. In January, a second location of The Store was opened on the campus of TriStar Centennial Medical Center, part of HCA Healthcare.

mtheory, the management services and artist marketing & strategy firm, has promoted Ed Rivadavia to EVP of Marketing & Operations and Kaitlyn Moore to General Manager.

Formerly SVP of Marketing & Digital, Rivadavia was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and has nearly 30 years of experience in the transition to digital business models: from Napster to A.I. He earned his masters from Columbia Chicago and began his career as an intern at Polygram Group Distribution and radio promotion regional for A&M Records. Rivadavia implemented innovative marketing and digital strategies at New York labels including Wind-up Entertainment, Palm Pictures, Roadrunner Records, and RCA Records.

He later accumulated experience in music licensing, editorial, eCommerce, DSPs, and influencer marketing after moving to Austin, and later moved to Nashville, where he led digital marketing efforts at Sony Music and comedy label 800 Pound Gorilla. With the rise of TikTok, Rivadavia took over business development duties and industry relations at Genni/Songfluencer before joining manager services pioneers mtheory as SVP of Marketing & Digital.

Moore was formerly Senior VP of Marketing at mtheory. A seasoned marketing professional who has overseen the development and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies for artists such as Tyler Childers, Kacey Musgraves, Jelly Roll and Alison Krauss, she has been instrumental in managing tour and album marketing, optimizing digital accounts, and collaborating with partners across labels, agencies, and management teams to maximize artist exposure and engagement. Prior to her tenure at mtheory, Moore served as the eCommerce Marketing Manager at Maverick, where she managed digital and merchandise strategies for artists like Brooks & Dunn and Rascal Flatts.

She has also held leadership roles at Checkd.In and Borman Entertainment working in project management, fan engagement, and social media marketing. Moore was named to the Country Music Association’s Women’s Leadership Academy in 2023 and was the first graduate of Syracuse University’s Bandier Program for Music & Entertainment Industries in 2010.

“Titles don’t build companies – people do,” says mtheory CEO Cameo Carlson. “Ed and Kaitlyn have been doing the work at the highest level for a long time, and this is a recognition of the leadership they’re already showing every day. As the industry continues to evolve, we need leaders who can navigate both the complexity and the opportunity, and they bring that rare combination of strategic vision and execution as we build what’s next for mtheory.”

Rivadavia can be reached at ed@mtheory.com, and Moore at kaitlyn@mtheory.com.