John Lomax III Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut

/by

John Lomax III & Riders In The Sky. Photo: James Tristan Redding

John Lomax III recently made his Grand Ole Opry debut, becoming the oldest performer to debut on the stage.

He joined Riders In The Sky to sing “The Streets Of Laredo,” a track originally published by his grandfather in 1910.

“It’s a thrill and honor to represent the Lomax family in paying tribute to the Opry on their 100th year,” shares Lomax. “And it’s beyond my wildest dreams to have Ranger Doug’s Riders backing me. It is a tremendous honor for the Grand Ole Opry to recognize the Lomax family for our 149 years of finding, recording, preserving and presenting the music of America.”

Hangout Festival Cancels 2026 Event

/by

Alabama’s Gulf Shores will not be hosting Hangout Festival in 2026, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft revealed during last night’s (Dec. 8) city council meeting.

“The Hangout Music Festival will not occur in 2026,” he said. “We will not have an event in 2026. We are already approving the event in 2027. We delayed too long, or they did, in their application to be able to get the kind of acts that we required them to have to be successful in 2026. We will refuse to let them go back to the acts that we’ve had before. So they couldn’t do it and so they canceled the 2026 event.

“They’ve got time now to pursue the type of talent we want on our beaches, to invite the right audience that we want on our beaches, that we proved last time, the last event, that could happen,” he continued. “We’re determined if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen that way again.”

In a new statement released today (Dec. 9) by Craft, he states:

“The city’s initial 10-year franchise agreement for the Hangout Music Festival was scheduled to conclude following the 2025 event. The city elected to defer consideration of the requested extension until the festival’s outcomes could be evaluated, with input from our residents.

This year’s festival received overwhelming community support, and in late July, the City Council approved a two‐year extension. However, the compressed timeline created by this decision did not provide organizers sufficient runway to produce a successful festival in 2026. As a result, the producers have elected not to proceed with a 2026 event.

We’re thankful that festival leadership has taken our community’s comments about the event seriously and is committed to delivering a world-class festival. We appreciate that they are being thoughtful in creating a lineup that will be impactful to our local economy. All parties are focused on planning a strong and well‐executed music festival, and we look forward to welcoming them back in 2027.”

“The decision to not move forward with a festival for 2026 was tied to Hangout Festival and the permitting approval timeline for the site,” shared AEG. “We will share news about future events at the site at the appropriate time.”

CMA Presents Several Industry Honors

/by

Pictured (L-R): Sarah Trahern (CMA CEO), Tony Conway and Jennie Smythe (CMA Board Chairman). Photo: Jamie Schramm/CMA

The Country Music Association presented a few special honors last week during its Board of Directors meeting and during a special moment of remembrance at the Grand Ole Opry.

Dr. Chayim Newman. Photo: Jamie Schramm/CMA

At the CMA Board dinner on Thursday, Dec. 4, Tony Conway, President, Conway Entertainment Group, Ontourage Management, received the 2025 J. William Denny Award, presented by CMA Board Chairman Jennie Smythe, Founder and CEO, Girlilla Marketing. The award is presented in recognition and appreciation of a lifetime of dedication, distinguished service, and meritorious contributions to the CMA Board of Directors. Conway served on the CMA Board from 1984-2021, including as Chairman in 1996. He has received the CMA’s President’s Award and the CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Chayim Newman, Co-Founder, Amber Health, was presented with the CMA Chairman’s Award by Smythe. Awarded only at the discretion of the sitting Chairman, this recognition is reserved for individuals whose exceptional service to CMA merits recognition. Dr. Newman is a clinical psychologist who co-founded Amber Health and the Tour Health Research Initiative (THRIV). Beyond his clinical work, he actively mentors and advocates for the well-being of music professionals, showing up in meaningful ways across the country music community.

Pictured (L-R): Charlie Chase, Lorianne Crook and Sarah Trahern. Photo: Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry

The following evening, Dec. 5, at the Grand Ole Opry, Jim Owens was honored posthumously with the Joe Talbot Award. Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer presented the award to his widow, Lorianne Crook, during the Opry celebration. This award is presented in recognition of outstanding leadership and contributions to the preservation and advancement of country music’s values and tradition. The award may be presented to a person in recognition of an initiative or long-term contribution deemed by the CMA Board of Directors to qualify for this award. Known as “Gentleman Jim,” he built a historic library of thousands of hours of programs and photographs that continues to preserve, showcase and connect generations of country music artists and fans worldwide. His work has supported countless artists, songwriters, and production teams while contributing to major productions, museums, and documentaries that celebrate the genre’s legacy.

“This past week, we celebrated individuals whose leadership and dedication have shaped the heart of Country Music,” says Trahern. “Tony, Chayim, and Jim have each preserved our legacy, supported countless artists, and inspired future generations in ways that will continue to echo for years to come. Honoring their contributions is not only a recognition of their work, but a celebration of the spirit that continues to drive our genre forward.”

Weekly Register: Treaty Oak Revival Joins Top 5

/by

Treaty Oak Revival. Photo: Paige Williams

Ella Langley has held on to the top spot on the singles chart this week with “Choosin’ Texas” earning 11 million streams, according to Luminate data. On the albums chart, Morgan Wallen has held onto the top spot with I’m The Problem gaining 71K in total consumption.

On the songs chart, Wallen holds the next three positions. “I Got Better” comes in at No. 2 with 9.4 million streams. His duet with Tate McRae, “What I Want,” takes the No. 3 spot with 8.5 million streams this week. At No. 4 is “I’m The Problem,” which garnered 7.7 million streams this week. At No. 5 is Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” with 6 million streams.

On the albums chart, Wallen also holds the No. 2 spot with One Thing At A Time gaining 27K in total consumption. Treaty Oak Revival’s West Texas Degenerates has taken the No. 3 spot with 27K in total consumption. At No. 4 is Brenda Lee with Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree garnering 24K in total consumption. Rounding out this week’s chart is Gene Autry’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with 22K in total consumption.

Max McNown Inks With Sony Music Publishing In Partnership With Tooth & Nail

/by

Pictured (Front Row, L-R): Tom Luteran (SMP), Max McNown, Tooth and Nail’s Brandon Ebel (Tooth & Nail), Rusty Gaston (SMP). (Back Row, L-R): Leslie Roberts (BMI), Caty Bier (Tooth & Nail), Greg Johnson (Columbia Records).

Max McNown has inked a global publishing agreement with Sony Music Publishing Nashville in partnership with Tooth & Nail Publishing.

“I’m incredibly grateful to be joining the team at Sony Music Publishing,” shares McNown. “You can feel how much they truly care about their artists and how hard they work every day to support honest, authentic artistry. Every dream starts with a song, and Sony creates the space for those songs to grow.”

McNown has garnered over 500 Million worldwide streams to date since his 2023 breakout with “A Lot More Free,” which has been certified Platinum. His track “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes)” charted earlier this year and earned a Gold certification.

“After meeting with several publishers, Max and I immediately felt at home with Sony Music Publishing,” says Brandon Ebel, Founder and President Tooth & Nail Publishing. “Their passion for Max’s music and their alignment with his long-term artistic vision made the decision clear.”

“Max is an artist whose music resonates across multiple genres and generations,” adds Tom Luteran, Sony Music Publishing Nashville Vice President, Creative A&R. “He is the type of artist whose songs will continue to make a major impact on the charts throughout his career. I couldn’t be happier to be working with this amazing, energetic, emerging superstar.”

Mavericks Frontman Raul Malo Dies Following Battle With Cancer

/by

Raul Malo. Photo: Michael Weintrob

Raul Malo, the unmistakable voice and charismatic frontman of the Grammy-winning band The Mavericks, has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 60.

The son of Cuban parents who came to the U.S. in search of a better life, Malo was born in Miami in 1965. He founded The Mavericks with drummer Paul Deakin and bassist Robert Reynolds in 1989, and the band’s genre-defying gumbo of rock and country swirled with Latin horns and beats soon caught the ears of Nashville. After releasing an indie album, they signed with MCA Nashville in 1991, and subsequently released their 1992 debut “From Hell To Paradise.” 1994’s What a Crying Shame yielded the singles “There Goes My Heart” and “O What a Thrill,” which built on their growing popularity.

A talented songwriter and musician, Malo and the band’s 1995 album Music for All Occasions yielded their biggest country hit, “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down,” which was penned by Malo and Al Anderson and featured colorful accordionist and singer Flaco Jiménez. The song hit No. 13 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and became the Mavericks’ signature song during their legendary live performances. The album also helped fuel the band’s consecutive CMA wins for Vocal Group of the Year in 1995 and 1996, and its first Grammy win for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal, for “Here Comes the Rain.”

Malo dominated any stage he stepped on with his inimitable soaring vocals and swaggering style, and the group weathered many changes through the decades and recorded and toured together for over 30 years. Malo’s hits include “Here Comes the Rain,” “What A Crying Shame,” “Dance The Night Away” and “Back In Your Arms Again,” and he also helped write and produce country artist Rick Trevino’s song “In My Dreams” in 2003. The Mavericks disbanded in 2000 for a time, and Malo then pursued a solo career and released nine albums of his own. He also played with the Los Super Seven, a Grammy-winning Latin American collective.

The Mavericks reunited in 2011 and signed with Big Machine Label Group, releasing two albums for the Nashville label, 2013’s In Time and 2015’s Mono. The group has been actively touring and recording since, and in 2018, they won a Grammy for their self-released album Brand New Day in the Americana category. The group lineup of Malo, Deakin, keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden and guitarist Eddie Perez released their latest album, Moon & Stars, in 2024.

Following that release, Malo shared with fans that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer, and after undergoing liver tumor surgery and chemotherapy, in September revealed that the cancer had progressed to leptomeningeal disease, a complication of advanced cancer where fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

Last week just days before Malo’s death, the band carried on with the planned “Dance The Night Away” tribute shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The band issued a statement following his passing, saying: “It’s with the deepest grief we share the passing of our friend, bandmate and brother Raul Malo. Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul’s orbit knew that he was a force of human nature, with an infectious energy. Over a career of more than three decades entertaining millions around the globe, his towering creative contributions and unrivaled, generational talent created the kind of multicultural American music reaching far beyond America itself.”

Malo’s wife Betty also posted a statement on socials: “My love… our boys’ father… a devoted son and brother… and a friend to so many, gained his angel wings. He was called to do another gig — this time in the sky — and he’s flying high like an eagle. No one embodied life and love, joy and passion, family, friends, music, and adventure the way our beloved Raul did, Now he will look down on us with all that heaven will allow, lighting the way and reminding us to savor every moment. Dino, Victor, Max and I — along with our entire family — thank all of you for your love and support through all of this. We felt every bit of it.”

Treaty Oak Revival Slates ‘West Texas Degenerate Tour’ For Next Spring

/by

Treaty Oak Revival. Photo: Paige Williams

Treaty Oak Revival is set to hit the road next spring on their “West Texas Degenerate Tour.” Kicking off February 5th at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, the 25-city trek will hit arenas and amphitheaters across the country, including Baltimore, Seattle, Portland and Nashville.

Ticket presales begin Thursday (Dec. 11) with general on-sale following on Friday (Dec. 12). The tour features support from Wade Forster, William Clark Green, Laredo, Huser Brothers, Gannon Fremin & CCREV, and Parker Ryan, varying by date.

“Our fans have shown up for us in ways we never expected, and this tour feels like the best way to pay that back,” shares the band. “We’re still the same degenerates, just a whole lot louder, and we’re ready to raise hell with everyone who walks through those doors.”

The band released their recent album, West Texas Degenerate, on Nov. 28. To date, the group has garnered over 1.4 billion global streams, 6.8 million monthly Spotify listeners, two self-released, RIAA gold-certified albums and five platinum singles.

“West Texas Degenerate Tour” Dates:
Feb. 5, 2026 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
Feb. 6, 2026 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
Feb. 7, 2026 – State College, PA – Bryce Jordan Center
Feb. 12, 2026 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Feb. 13, 2026 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum
Feb. 14, 2026 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena
Feb. 19, 2026 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
Feb. 20, 2026 – Evansville, IN – Ford Center
Feb. 21, 2026 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
Mar. 12, 2026 – Springfield, MO – Great Southern Bank Arena
Mar. 13, 2026 – North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena
Mar. 14, 2026 – Bossier City, LA – Brookshire Grocery Arena
Mar. 26, 2026 – Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum
Mar. 27, 2026 – Knoxville, TN – Food City Center
Apr. 26, 2026 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
Apr. 30, 2026 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
May 1, 2026 – Spokane, WA – Numerica Veterans Arena
May 2, 2026 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
May 14, 2026 – Southaven, MS – BankPlus Amphitheater
May 15, 2026 – Birmingham, AL – Coca-Cola Amphitheater
May 16, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
May 29, 2026 – Macon, GA – Atrium Health Amphitheater
July 1, 2026 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 11, 2026 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
July 18, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

Old Dominion Wraps Vegas Residency

/by

Old Dominion. Photo: Mason Allen

Old Dominion took the stage at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas over the weekend for “BARBARA. HITS. VEGAS.”

Throughout the two nights, the band played their latest album Barbara, as well as some of their biggest hits. The theater had full-scale Vegas residency production, surprise theatrical moments, Vegas showgirls appearing for “Late Great Heartbreak” and “I Was On A Boat That Day,” and more.

Old Dominion will close out the year with two rescheduled California shows in Ontario and Bakersfield, before kicking off 2026 in Australia and New Zealand.

Old Dominion. Photo: Mason Allen

Old Dominion. Photo: Mason Allen

MusicRow’s 2026 N.B.T. Industry Directory Showcases The Next Wave Of Emerging Leaders

/by

MusicRow has revealed its 2026 N.B.T. Industry Directory list, highlighting a rising class of music industry leaders.

Now in its seventh year, MusicRow’s N.B.T. Industry Directory is the first and only list of its kind, showcasing Nashville music business professionals who occupy important roles at their respective companies. This class of professionals are on a trajectory of excellence to successfully lead the Nashville music industry into the future.

All members of the 2026 N.B.T. Industry Directory are featured in MusicRow’s current Touring & Next Big Thing Issue, which releases today (Dec. 9).

Single copies of MusicRow’s Touring & Next Big Thing print issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $50, and are included with yearly MusicRow subscriptions.

The members of MusicRow Magazine’s 2026 N.B.T. Industry Directory are:

Alex Albanese, Creative Mgr., Publishing – Creative Nation Music
Sally Allgeier, National Dir. of Country Promotion – Red Street Records
Taylor Antle, Dir., A&R – Round Hill Music
Amy Beard, VP, Marketing – Big Loud Records
Sarah Bennett, Sr. Publicist – The GreenRoom PR
Ben Binner, Dir. of Content & Strategy – Sun Label Group
Avery Bon, Sr. Dir. Marketing – WHY&HOW
Michelle Bower, Pres., Strategic Partnerships – The Neal Agency
John Bradley, A&R – Electric Feel Entertainment
Kristi Bradshaw, Publicist – OH Creative
Corey Brewer, VP/Head of Media & PR – Big Loud
Matt Brum-Taylor, Dir. of Digital Marketing – Academy of Country Music
Victoria Cappelli Greiner, Sr. Dir., Digital Marketing – AEG Presents Global Touring
Jeff Cherry, Founder/Artist Mgr. – Hudson Hill Mgmt.
Casey Childers, VP of Digital – ONErpm
Camryn Clark, Manager – Left Right Management
Jen Coen, Sr. Director, Brands & Ventures – HYBE America / Big Machine Label Group
Elizabeth Cook, Creative Dir., Publishing/A&R – Back Blocks Music
Sam Cope, Dir. of Digital Accounts Strategy, Americas – FUGA – a Downtown company
Tyler Corrado, Artist Mgr. – Neon Coast
Saxon Curry, Manager – Sticks Management
Courtney Daly, Dir., Artist & Label Strategy – Stem
Aubrey Daniels, Head of Publishing – Major Bob Music
Sally D’avanzo, Assoc. Business Mgr. – Farris, Self & Moore, LLC
Jennifer Davis, Dir., Live Events & Production – Academy of Country Music
Blake Duncan, Sr. Creative Dir., A&R – Combustion Music
Andrew Farwell, President – Outback Presents
Rhiannon Ferronetti, Asst. Mgr. – WHY&HOW
Brittany Finley, Dir. of Publicity – Elicity Public Relations
Justin Ford, VP Creative, Design & Branding – Big Machine Label Group
Houston Gaither, Dir., Radio Marketing – MCA
Allan Geiger, Sr. Dir., Creative & Content – BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville
Carter Green, Agent – WME
Dillon Goldberg, CEO of The PRNT Company – FNGRPRNT
Ethan Goldish, Music Agent – CAA
Anna Kathryn Groom, Mgr., Music Brand Partnerships – Wasserman Music
Bret Guest, Business Mgr. – Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group
Rummy Le Guevel, Business Mgr. – Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group
Weston Hebert, VP, Touring – AEG Presents
Alex Heimerman, VP of Streaming & Strategic Partnerships – Riser House Entertainment
Eunice Hernandez, Relationship Mgr. – Studio Bank
Duane Hobson, Assoc. Dir., Creative Membership – ASCAP
Ben Huddleston, Assoc. Business Mgr. – FBMM
Connor Hunt, Sr. Dir., Media – MCA
Jordon Isbell, Dir., Marketing – Virgin Music Group
Emilia James, Mgr., Creative Membership – ASCAP
Willie Jones, Associate – Loeb & Loeb LLP
Samantha Kane, Mgr., Artist & Industry Relations – Opry Entertainment Group
Colleen Kelley, Associate – Loeb & Loeb LLP
Brad Krause, Sr. Dir., Digital Strategy – MCA
Taylor Krebs, Coord., Music – United Talent Agency
Courtney Kruckeberg, Creative Dir. – Endurance Music Group
Abby Lamb, Assoc. Business Mgr. – FBMM
Lexi Leatherwood, Publicist – OH Creative
Autumn Ledgin, Manager, Tucker Wetmore – Ledgin Management
Nicole Lewis, Artist Mgr. – One Spark Entertainment
Lauren Lieu, Creative Dir./Publishing – River House Artists
Brooke Mansfield, VP of Digital Strategy – Riser House Entertainment
Liz Mayo, Sr. Dir., Public Relations – Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC)
Lyndsie McClure, Dir. of Development – NSAI
Moira McCravey, Agent – WME
Jaclyn McDonald, Mgr., Sync – Concord Music Publishing
Lili McGrady, President – Humanable
Dylan McGraw, Manager – Fusion Music/Red Light Management
Melissa McGreevy, Dir., Audience & Web Marketing Strategy – Warner Records Nashville
Julia McLeod, VP Artist Marketing – ONErpm
Micah McNair, Creative Dir. – Black River Entertainment
Jenny Methling, Sr. Dir., Strategic Partnerships – Country Music Association
Bryan Mooney, Global VP of A&R – Downtown Artist & Label Services
Matt Musacchio, Manager, Vincent Mason, Jessie James Decker – Red Light Management
Kate Myers, Dir., Strategic Partnerships – Warner Records Nashville
Sam Nasr, Manager, A&R – Universal Music Publishing Group
Walker Newberry, Artist Mgr. – Make Wake Artists
Marita Niemiec, Dir., Digital Marketing – Warner Records Nashville
Yitzi Peetluk, Agent – Wasserman Music
Megan Pekar, Associate – Loeb & Loeb LLP
Trevor Perkins, CEO & Founder – PERK PR + Creative Co
Victoria Powell, Attorney – Gutt Law, PLLC
Alex Quattlebaum, Dir. of Touring – Futureshirts, Inc.
Tahsin Rakib Himi, Dir., A&R Research – BMG
Alyssa Ramsey, Manager – Play It Again Music
Amanda Remo, Senior Client Mgr – Harris, Huelsman, Barnes & Company
Tim Reynolds, VP, Digital – Big Machine Label Group
HB Riordan, Artist Mgr. – Make Wake Artists
Rio Van Risseghem, Label Relations Mgr., Country – Amazon Music
Sam Sarno, Sr. Creative Dir. – SMACK
Camryn Scharnhorst, Owner – The Cam Collective Publicity
Karen Schillinger, Music Agent – CAA
Phil Shay, Sr. Dir. of Development – Belmont University, Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business
Chandler Nicole Sherrill, Sr. Dir. of Creative – Electric Feel Entertainment
Allie Snyder, Creative Dir., Video – Sony Music Nashville
Alyson Stokes, Sr. Brand Communications Mgr. – Ryman Hospitality Properties/Opry Entertainment Group
Lizzy Stone, Account Mgr. – Wiles+Taylor & Co
Lexi Stringer, Dir., A&R – Sony Music Nashville
Caitlin Stubner, Vice President – Songtrust – a Downtown company
Mak Symmonds, Dir. of Marketing / Management Team Member – SMACK
Anna Thiel, Creative Mgr. – Eclipse Music Group
Jessica Turri, Head of Artist and Industry Relations, Nashville – ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Julianna Vaughn, Dir., Promotion, SE/MW – Triple Tigers
Layne Weber, Head of Digital and Experiential Marketing – Q Prime South
Anna Widmer, Dir., Radio Marketing & Promotion – Sony Music Nashville
Carlile Willett, Agent, Brand Partnerships – WME

Zac Brown Band Wraps Sold Out First Weekend Of Sphere Residency

/by

Photo: Courtesy of Alive Coverage

The Zac Brown Band launched their limited engagement at Las Vegas’ Sphere this weekend with two sold out shows on Friday (Dec. 5) and Saturday (Dec. 6). The residency celebrates the band’s new record, Love & Fear, which was released on Friday.

The show opens with a monologue from Brown, closing it with “From darkness to light. From pain to joy. I realized I could create something that connected my journey to others…I stand up here and look into your faces. I see myself in your eyes. We’re all sharing in this human experience. Life is hard, but we’re gonna be okay.”

With a set that spans the band’s over two-decade career, the show explores themes from fear, pain and struggle to clarity, unity, gratitude and love. Throughout the night, Brown took time to honor the late Jimmy Buffet during “Knee Deep” and continued a long-standing tradition of honoring the military community during “Chicken Fried.”

Zac Brown Band’s Love & Fear at Sphere continues with additional dates on December 12 & 13, 2025 and January 9, 10, 16 & 17, 2026. Tickets and information are available here.

Photo: Courtesy of Alive Coverage

Photo: Courtesy of Alive Coverage

Photo: Courtesy of Alive Coverage

Photo: Courtesy of Alive Coverage