Thomas Rhett’s Full Discography Now Available In Spatial Audio On Apple Music

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Thomas Rhett. Photo: John Shearer

Apple Music has made Thomas Rhett’s full career-spanning discography, including his recently released sixth studio album Where We Started, available to stream in Spatial Audio exclusively on the platform. Spatial Audio on Apple Music is a premium listening experience that makes songs feel as though they’re happening all around and above the listener.

“I listened to my first bit of music in Spatial [Audio], and all of a sudden, it’s like you’re listening to music in 3D. That’s the best way I know how to describe it,” Rhett told Apple Music Country host Kelleigh Bannen in a recent interview. “I mean, obviously, I think the new stuff is cool because I feel like every record we make is just so much more detailed and there’s so many parts that, if you’re not intently listening, you might miss something amazing that the bass player did or something amazing the piano player did, or a drum fill that the drummer did that kind of gets lost in the wash. But when I heard my catalog in Spatial [Audio], I was like, ‘Holy crap, these people can play music.’

“Every time you turn your head, it stays centered somehow,” he adds. “You can hear guitar solos blasting in your right ear, but you hear your vocals so clear in the left, but then the guitar’s in the top right hand corner and the bass is in the lower left hand corner, and then it completely flip-flops. It is like listening to music in 3D. That’s the best way I can describe it.”

In conjunction with the release of his new album, Rhett recently announced Where We Started Radio, a new weekly radio series airing on Apple Music Country. Each week, he will break down the making of Where We Started, pulling back the curtain on his own creative process and looking back on how a 20-year-old emerging songwriter with a new record deal became a chart-topping country artists. Guests include famed producer Dann Huff, fellow artists Riley Green and Parker McCollum, Rhett’s wife Lauren Akins, and his father, the celebrated songwriter Rhett Akins.

Where We Started Radio airs every Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT on Apple Music Country.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Takes On Bob Dylan’s Discography On Upcoming Record

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Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Photo: Glen Rose

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will give fans their take on the Bob Dylan songbook later this spring. On May 20, the band will release Dirt Does Dylan, a ten-track album highlighting some of the gems from Dylan’s vast catalog.

In preparation for the full album, Dirt Band’s cover of “I Shall Be Released,” which Dylan originally recorded with The Band during their infamous Basement Tapes sessions, is available everywhere now. The new rendition sees blues-rock duo Larkin Poe lending their voices and lap steel guitar skills to the mix.

The new project will feature three new band members: fiddle specialist Ross Holmes, singer-songwriter and bass player Jim Photoglo who wrote the Dirt Band’s “Fishin’ in the Dark,” and Dirt Band founder Jeff Hanna’s son Jaime Hanna on vocals and guitar. Produced and recorded by Ray Kennedy at Room & Board Studio in Nashville, Dirt Does Dylan finds the band playing alongside Jason Isbell, The War & Treaty, Steve Earle, Rosanne Cash, and more.

The group originally formed in 1966 as a Long Beach, California jug band and scored their first charting single in 1967. Their first major hit came in 1971 with “Mr. Bojangles.” In the 1980s, the Dirt Band reeled off 15 straight top 10 country hits, including chart-toppers “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream),” “Modern Day Romance,” and “Fishin’ in the Dark.”

The band will be criss-crossing around the country through this fall on their headlining tour. For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.

Dirt Goes Dylan Track List:
1. Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You
2. Girl from the North Country
3. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
4. Country Pie
5. I Shall Be Released (ft. Larkin Poe)
6. She Belongs to Me
7. Forever Young
8. The Times They Are A-Changin’ (ft. Rosanne Cash, Jason Isbell, Steve Earle, and The War and Treaty)
9. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
10. Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)

Grand Ole Opry To Celebrate Loretta Lynn’s 90th Birthday

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Loretta Lynn. Photo: Les Leverett

The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate country legend Loretta Lynn‘s 90th birthday on Opry Country Classics on Thursday, April 14 at the Grand Ole Opry House.

The birthday celebration will feature performances by Lynn’s sister and fellow Opry member, Crystal Gayle, as well as The Gatlin Brothers, Elizabeth Cook, Maggie Rose and the Opry debut of duo Twitty and Lynn.

Lynn, a Country Music Hall of Fame member, was born on April 14, 1932 in Butcher Holler, Kentucky. She made her Opry debut on Oct. 15, 1960, was officially inducted as a member on Sept. 25, 1962, and went on to become one of the institution’s most celebrated legends. Of her countless accolades, Lynn has been honored with three Grammy Awards, eight CMA Awards, membership into the Country Music and Songwriters Halls of Fame, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was the first female artist to win the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year prize in 1972.

Twitty and Lynn, who will make their Opry debut at the celebration, is a duo comprised of the grandchildren of Lynn and her frequent duet partner and country legend, Conway Twitty. Tayla Lynn and Tre Twitty have taken to the road to honor their grandparents with their tributes to Lynn and Twitty.

Tickets for “Loretta Lynn’s 90th Birthday Celebration” are on sale now at (615) 871-OPRY and opry.com.

Red Door Music Group, Warner Chappell Music Announce Two New Signings

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Pictured (L-R): Kenton Bryant; Shawn McSpadden, Manager at Red Light Management; Abbey Adams, GM/SVP of Red Door Music Group; Gina Venier; Rian Ball; and Mike Walker. Photo: Jordan Walker.

Red Door Music Group has celebrated a great deal of achievements since its founding in 2020. Now they’re adding the announcement of two new signings.

In partnership with its joint-venture partner, Warner Chappell Music, the publishing house has inked a new deal with ASCAP songwriter Mike Walker. A Belmont graduate, he has had releases with such artists as Luke Bryan, Chase Rice, Morgan Wallen, Ryan Hurd, Lee Brice and more.

Abbey Adams, GM and Senior Vice President of Red Door Music Group, says, “I have been a fan of Mike’s writing for years. I always loved his voice, but I have especially come to appreciate his craft in writing lyrics. I am super excited to be working with him. I think Mike will be a writer we’ll still be talking about generations from now.”

Also joining the Red Door Music Group/Warner Chappell Music family is BMI songwriter Kenton Bryant. A Kentucky native, he came to Nashville eager to learn the craft of songwriting from the best Music City has to offer.

“I was blessed to have the best mentor a young songwriter in Nashville could ask for: Jonathan Singleton. I learned the value of a great song, what it takes to be a studio musician, and most importantly, how working hard pays off,” Bryant shares. “I’m forever grateful for those lessons and proud to be able to call him one of my best friends and someone I’ll always be excited to share my music with.”

Rian Ball, RDMG’s first signing, is celebrating two of his penned songs being released by K-Pop artists in 2021, including “Amnesia” by Kai and “Supplier” by Super Junior D&E. Additionally, Jimmie Allen‘s newest single, “Down Home,” is Ball’s first country radio single. Co-written with Allen, Tate Howell and Cameron Bedell, this song is a heart-felt tribute to Allen’s late father. Ball is also one of the three songwriters in The Boat Boys, along with Holden James and Zack Dyer, who are on tour this spring with Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line.

Additionally, RDMG’s Gina Venier recently released her eighth single through Red Door Music Group/Warner Chappell Music. The song “Nora Jane” tells the true story of Venier’s journey of coming out to her family.

“I feel like people can relate to me when I feel nervous about bringing a girl home to my family. I’ve had people come up to me after I sing it live and say things like, ‘I have a Nora Jane’–and they have a story of their own to tell,” Venier explains. “It feels good knowing that people feel like I am telling their own story too.”

Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Bryan Adams, More Added To CMT Music Awards Lineup

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The CMT Music Awards has revealed a new round of performers and presenters for the upcoming show on April 11 in Nashville, with Jason Aldean, Bryan Adams, Thomas Rhett, Little Big Town and more set to perform.

Aldean, nominated for Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year, will perform with Bryan Adams; Jimmie Allen, nominated for Collaborative Video of the Year, will team up with Monica and Little Big Town; Thomas Rhett, nominated for Male Video of the Year, will take the stage with Riley Green; and Walker Hayes, who is up for Male Video Of The Year, will also perform.

Additional presenters for the show have been announced as well, including Jimmie Allen, Gabby Barrett, Rob Corddry, Jordan Davis, Billy F. Gibbons, Gayle King, Taylor Lautner, Dustin Lynch, Martina McBride, Joel McHale, Kacey Musgraves, Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France + Antoni Porowski, LeAnn Rimes, Dylan Scott and Dennis Quaid.

Fan voting for the six Video of the Year finalists remains open at vote.cmt.com. The top three videos will be announced on April 11, with the winner revealed live in-show. 

Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Anthony Mackie, country music’s only entirely fan-voted award show will broadcast live from Nashville on Monday, April 11 at 7 p.m. CT on CBS. The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Stevie Woodward Joins Runaway June As Lead Singer

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Runaway June. Photo: Gregg Rothe

Country trio Runaway June has added a new face to the group. Stevie Woodward will take over as the lead vocalist and front-woman for the all-female band.

At just 5 years old, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Woodward wrote her first song, and taught herself how to play the guitar by age 10. She began sharpening her live performance skills by playing solo-acoustic shows along the coast of South Carolina as a teenager before moving to Nashville to further pursue a career as an artist. She attended MTSU to study songwriting and has shared stages with the likes of Kip Moore, Scotty McCreery, and more.

The trio shared the news via social media on April 7, saying: “Y’all welcome Stevie… we can’t wait until y’all fall in love with her as much as we have!! It’s been so hard to keep it a secret, but we can’t wait to share the music we’ve been working on!!! Get ready for some harmonies and dueling solos!!! We’ll see you on the road soon!!!!”

 

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This announcement comes after the recent news that former front-woman and original band member Naomi Cooke would be leaving the group to pursue her own solo career after seven years with Runaway June. Former original member, Hannah Mulholland, also left the group in May of 2020, after which current member Natalie Stovall joined.

Now comprised of Woodward (lead vocals/guitar/harmonica/piano), Stovall (vocals/fiddle/guitar), and Jennifer Wayne (vocals/guitar), the band has been nominated for ACM Awards and CMT Awards, as well as performed at Stagecoach, C2C Country To Country, and opened for superstars such as Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson and Carrie Underwood. Honored as a coveted New Face at the 2020 Country Radio Seminar, the trio’s top 5 single “Buy My Own Drinks” was the highest charting song by a female group since The Chicks in 2003.

Opry Celebrates Merle Haggard During Special Wednesday Night Tribute

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Cody Johnson. Photo: Chris Hollo

The Grand Ole Opry celebrated legend Merle Haggard on a special Wednesday night Opry on April 6, which was the anniversary of both Haggard’s birth and his death. Born on April 6, 1937, Haggard passed away on April 6, 2016.

The special Wednesday Night “Opry Salutes Merle Haggard” show featured performances by some of the countless artists who have been influenced by Haggard. Among the performers were Suzy Bogguss, Haggard’s son Marty Haggard, Cody Johnson, Joe Nichols, Eli Paperboy Reed, and Lainey Wilson, among others.

Artists performed Haggard classics as well as their own hits inspired by the Country Music Hall of Famer during the special tribute show, which was filmed to air as a future Saturday night Opry Live on the Circle Network, Circle All Access Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 

Marty Haggard. Photo: Chris Hollo

Lainey Wilson. Photo: Chris Hollo

Joe Nichols. Photo: Chris Hollo

Industry Ink: Charlie Daniels, Big Yellow Dog, Randy Rogers, Milestone Publicity

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The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project Donates $25,000 To UTK’s Veterans Success Center

Pictured (L-R, front row): Brian Goad, Thomas Cruise, Jayetta Rogers; (L-R, back row): Maj. Gen. Max Haston (Ret.), Brig. General Geoff Freeman (Ret.), David Corlew, Zane Tilley, Smokey, Vicki Clark, Trevor Vickery, Sami Devault, Mark Coffey, Katie Thompson, Diana Goad, Leonard Clemons, Lt. Col. Logan Hickman (Ret.). Photo: Courtesy of UT Knoxville

The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (TCDJHP) recently presented the Veterans Success Center at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a $25,000 donation.

The $25,000 donation will go to the creation of a Veterans Success Institute, student veteran transformational grants, a veteran emergency fund, and technology upgrades. The donation is the third and largest gift UT has received from The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project.

“Continuing education has and continues to be an important step in the reintegration of many returning veterans,” explains TCDJHP board members David Corlew, co-founder of the organization and manager for the late Daniels. “Charlie had a close relationship with the University of Tennessee, so it’s our mission to support our veterans that are pursuing their educational needs. The Veterans Success Center is growing daily with Jayetta [Rogers] and the team, and we are proud to be of assistance in any way possible.”

“Charlie Daniels was a tremendous supporter of the University of Tennessee, and we are beyond grateful to receive this gift that will enhance the academic, professional, and personal success of our student veterans while at UT,” notes Rogers, Director of the Veterans Success Center.

 

Big Yellow Dog Music Elevates Two

Nicole Rhodes & Claire Karliak

Big Yellow Dog Music has announced the promotion of Nicole Rhodes to Manager, Sync and Claire Karliak to Manager, Label Services. Rhodes joined BYDM in 2019 and was previously Senior Coordinator in the Sync department, while Karliak joined in 2020 and previously worked as Senior Coordinator, Label Services.

Rhodes’ new responsibilities include a greater focus on communicating with music supervisors in film, TV and trailers, as well as overseeing the development of the company’s sync writers, artist and producers. A native of Illinois, Rhodes graduated as an Entertainment Industry Studies and Music Business major from Belmont University in 2020, where she interned at BYDM.

“Nicole has been such an important asset to our Sync department over the last few years. She has an amazing ear for music and has been successful in placing songs in spots ranging from HBO promos to IKEA to Hulu’s How I Met Your Father. I can’t wait to see her continue to find sync success for our writers,” says Alex Stefano, VP, Sync.

In Karliak’s new role, she will work directly with Big Yellow Dog Music’s DSP and Distribution partners with responsibility for developing and implementing their artist project planning and digital advertising. Originally from Ohio, she graduated from Belmont University as a Music Business major in 2019.

“Claire has shown continued growth in all areas of our label business. She is willing to tackle anything that comes her way and is a real asset to our team,” shares co-owner and CEO, Carla Wallace.

 

Randy Rogers Serves As Honorary Grand Marshal At Annual Texas Cavaliers River Parade

Randy Rogers speaks to the crowd and performs at the Texas Cavaliers River Parade. Photo: Robert Shaw

Randy Rogers served as the Honorary Grand Marshal of the annual Texas Cavaliers River Parade on Monday (April 4).

The Randy Rogers Band frontman delivered remarks and an acoustic performance of the group’s song “San Antone” before joining his family on the Art Contest Winner float, which traveled down San Antonio’s River Walk.

The band is getting ready to kick off a slate of shows through this summer, including a two-night stint in Austin alongside George Strait and Willie Nelson to celebrate the grand opening of the Moody Center on April 29 and 30. For full tour details, click here.

 

Milestone Publicity Ups Jessica Bonner To Account Executive

Jessica Bonner

Milestone Publicity, the Nashville-based full-service public relations firm, has promoted Jessica Bonner to Account Executive. Since joining Milestone in August 2021 as an Associate Publicist, Bonner was quickly elevated to an Account Manager role. In her new role, she will assume more leadership scenarios pertaining to client campaigns and internal company communications.

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire, Bonner had a previous recording contract with Rounder Records. She decided to transition into the business side of music, securing a desk within the public relations field and built her resume with national and regional publicity campaigns for festivals, tours, artists such as Heart and Ozzy Osbourne, and more.

“Jessica has an unparalleled work ethic and passion for what she does,” says the company’s founder and CEO, Mike Gowen. “Her career really began when she was a young artist on Rounder Records, so she has deep empathy and a drive to deliver results for the artists she represents day-to-day. Jessica is a major component to the expansion of Milestone and I couldn’t be more excited about her career growth. She is taking on this new role at Milestone with my complete confidence.”

Bonner’s promotion comes as Milestone expands its team with the appointment of Taran Smith as an Associate Publicist.

Beth Brinker & Harper Smith Launch Creative Agency, Patchwork

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Pictured (L-R): Harper Smith, Beth Brinker. Photo: Claire Schaper

Former ASCAP Creative Director Beth Brinker and award-winning photographer and director Harper Smith have launched Patchwork, a boutique creative agency specializing in creative direction, brand identity and content strategy for the music, entertainment and fashion industries.

Patchwork combines in-house analytics with creative strategy to construct global campaigns and brand identities, while crafting a cohesive narrative through photography, motion, key art and merchandising. The name is a nod to both Brinker and Smith’s extensive background in all aspects of the entertainment industry, from artist development, music publishing and A&R to photography, motion and creative direction. Each partner believes in celebrating and connecting the many unique and colorful pieces of a creator’s life to tell a story—like a patchwork quilt.

“With streaming and social platforms being such a big part of the industry, content is more valuable than ever. Our mission is to make sure that represents the creator,” Brinker says.

“Keeping up with the needs of all the different media possibilities has become quite overwhelming for artists and their teams. We are able to onboard the needs and generate a streamlined schedule of work that takes the pressure off and keeps the creative consistent and well executed,” Smith adds.

At ASCAP, Brinker worked closely with Carly Pearce, Brothers Osborne, Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay and Midland. Smith’s recent roster of clients include Olivia Rodrigo (key art and commercial for Disney+ documentary Coming Home to You), John Mayer (won the 2021 VMA for Best Rock Video for “Last Train Home”), Bruno Mars (key art for Doo-Wops & Hooligans and Unorthodox Jukebox), Silk Sonic (key art and video for An Evening with Silk Sonic), Ewan McGregor (cover story for The Hollywood Reporter), Ralph Lauren and Lacoste.

Some of the clients Patchwork has recently worked with include Midland, Maren Morris, and Hailey Whitters. The company created Morris’ Humble Quest album artwork, and the video for “Circles Around This Town,” as well as all artwork, imaging and videos for Whitters’ recent third studio album Raised.

Reach them at beth@patchworkagency.com and harper@patchworkagency.com, or go to patchworkagency.com.

Dierks Bentley & Lily Rose Join ‘Breland & Friends’ Oasis Center Benefit

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Dierks Bentley and Lily Rose have joined the lineup for the upcoming “Breland & Friends” concert for the Oasis Center, taking place on April 12 at the Ryman.

Benefiting one of Middle Tennessee’s most comprehensive youth development agencies, the show will also feature previously announced guests Tyler Braden, Kane Brown, Russell Dickerson, Mickey Guyton, Charles Kelley, RaeLynn, Restless Road, Seaforth, Brittney Spencer, and more. Tickets for the special evening sponsored by Amazon Music are available here.

Before the benefit, Breland is set to perform this Sunday (April 10) at 8 p.m. CT on the CMT Music Awards Nomination Special, a half-hour celebration of the CMT Music Awards nominees. He’ll also perform his new single “Praise The Lord” on the CMT Music Awards on Monday night (April 11), where he is nominated for three fan-voted trophies.

Oasis Center is at the forefront of helping young people and their families navigate the complex challenges of today, with over 20 programs and services to respond to the area’s diverse needs. Donations to Oasis Center can also be made here, or by texting “Oasis” to 26989.