Inaugural TidalWave Music Festival To Launch With Luke Bryan, Morgan Wallen

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The inaugural TidalWave Music Festival will debut in Atlantic City Beach, New Jersey this summer, featuring headliners Luke Bryan and Morgan Wallen with an additional headliner to be announced in the coming weeks.

The three-day beachfront “Roar On The Shore” will be held Friday, August 12 through Sunday, August 14.

Additional main stage acts announced include Lauren Alaina, Blanco Brown, BRELAND, Travis Denning, Riley Green, Lindsay Ell, HARDY, Jon Langston, Tracy Lawrence, Chase Rice, Runaway June, Elvie Shane, DeeJay Silver, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Lainey Wilson. The festival will also host a second stage, with talent to be announced in the coming weeks.

“TidalWave Music Festival is an experience we’ve been curating for a long time,” said Brian O’Connell, President of Country Touring at Live Nation. “We knew we wanted to bring our country music festival concept to the North East coast but, the location had to be just right. The perfect spot by the ocean in Atlantic City. We can’t wait until next summer to bring these world-class acts, alongside a tailor-made festival experience.”

Three-day passes go on-sale beginning Mon., Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. ET at tidalwavefest.com.

Matthew Morgan Joins UTA As Co-Head Of Nashville Office

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Matthew Morgan

On Friday (Dec. 3) UTA announced that Matthew Morgan has joined the agency as Co-Head of its Nashville office, working alongside Co-Head Jeffrey Hasson, and simultaneously announced the addition of rock agent Buster Phillips to the agency’s Music City headquarters.

Buster Phillips

Morgan has worked with Grammy award-winning hitmakers Zac Brown Band and Lizzo, and was a key player in the latter’s career growth. He has also worked with Anderson East, Breland, Cam, Dean Lewis, GAYLE, Jessie James Decker, JP Saxe, Keane, Kidd G, Michael Franti, Nightly, Noga Erez, Phillip Phillips, Rival Sons, Robyn Ottolini, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and The Revivalists, among others. Morgan previously spent 13 years at CAA and two years at CMT.

Phillips has been an agent for the better part of twenty years. Over that time, he has represented the talents of Devon Gilfillian, Gov’t Mule, Ida Mae, Iron and Wine, Kathleen Edwards, Low Cut Connie, Nicole Atkins and The War and Treaty among many others. Prior to joining UTA, Phillips created the college and festival divisions at Creative Artists Agency and contributed to the festival business at WME.

“Matthew and Buster are well-respected agents with collective decades of experience working with artists across multiple genres. They are fierce advocates for their clients, and we are thrilled to welcome them to UTA,” said David Zedeck, Partner and Co-Head of Global Music. “Our Nashville office is rapidly expanding, and that momentum will continue under Matthew and Jeffrey’s leadership.”

“UTA Music has been on the cutting edge of client service and innovative opportunities, and I am thrilled to be joining the UTA family,” stated Morgan. “With a roster full of world-class artists and bold innovators, the next chapter in Music City will be a special one.”

Phillips added, “This is an exciting time for music in Nashville and I am thrilled to be joining forces with UTA—a company that truly focuses on culture and entrepreneurship. They have done great work for their clients, and I am looking forward to hitting the ground running. The sky’s the limit!”

Morgan and Phillips’ announcement follows UTA’s recent hiring of Nashville-based music agent Scott Clayton as Co-Head of Global Music. The company has further bolstered its music group over the last 18 months through key new hires including agents Hasson, Brett Saliba, Matt Korn, Zach Hartley, and Emily Wright, who are based in Nashville; agents Matt Meyer and Robbie Brown, based in Los Angeles; and Director of Creative Strategy Rebecca Prochnik and agents Carlos Abreu and Matt Lee, based in London. In March 2021, UTA acquired UK-based Echo Location Talent Agency (Echo), which was founded and led by Obi Asika, who now serves as Co-Head of the company’s UK office alongside Neil Warnock.

Additionally, in June 2021 UTA opened its new Nashville headquarters at the historic downtown site of the former Carnegie Library in the heart of Music City.

CMA, Musically Fed Donate Over 1,000 Meals To Nashville Area Nonprofits

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Musically Fed, the Country Music Association and Flavor Catering delivered over 1,000 meals to Nashville area nonprofits during CMA Awards week, collecting excess catering from rehearsals, crew set up, and the award show itself.

Flavor Catering, a consistent Musically Fed partner, worked each day of the week of the CMA Awards to identify and provide individually packaged unused meals, which were picked up by Musically Fed volunteers and delivered to Matthew 25, Room In The Inn and Green Street Church Ministries.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Musically Fed,” says CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “Just like our work with them during the pandemic, we share a dedication to addressing food insecurity in our community and are glad that we could help feed many from our additional resources at the CMA Awards. Nashville is our home and we appreciate Musically Fed helping us support our community in this way.”

“Musically Fed’s partnership with the Country Music Association is a bright and shining example of what a successful collaboration can do to help so many in need,” says Musically Fed Founder Maria Brunner. “By working together to re-purpose unused catering from rehearsals, crew set-up, the Awards show, and tear down, we were able to positively impact many communities in the Nashville area. We are so very thankful for this relationship and look forward to working with the CMA on the next major event.”

Kane Brown Claims No. 1 Spot On MusicRow Radio Chart

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Kane Brown has earned his second MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart No. 1 of the year for “One Mississippi.” This follows his duet with Chris Young, “Famous Friends” which hit No. 1 in May. The single was written by Brown, Jesse Frasure, Levon Gray, and Ernest K. Smith.

Brown has earned several honors this year including ACM Video of the Year for “Worldwide Beautiful,” surpassing 2 billion streams on Pandora, and an NMPA Platinum Anthem for being the most listened to song in the past year for “Be Like That,” which features Swae Lee & Khalid.

Brown is currently on the Blessed & Free Tour with Jordan Davis and Restless Road. 

Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

Hannah Dasher To Rock Country Music Hall Of Fame’s Nightfall At The Hall

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Hannah Dasher will perform at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s ninth annual Nightfall at the Hall concert on December 7.

The after-hours celebration is held exclusively each year for the museum’s Troubadour members, a community of young leaders aged 21 to 45 who collaborate with other like-minded professionals in supporting their community and the museum.

Dasher released her debut EP, The Half Record, earlier this year, which includes the autobiographical song “You’re Gonna Love Me.” She was also named a member of CMT’s Next Women of Country, class of 2021.

Prior to Dasher’s performance, student artist Jazmine Croom will perform a song she wrote with museum staff, “Let’s Go With The Flow.” A Metro Nashville Public Schools student, Croom has participated in a variety of museum songwriting programs since 2019.

Nightfall at the Hall admission is a benefit of Troubadour membership. Young professionals can become a Troubadour member between now and Dec. 14, 2021, at a discounted rate of $5 off an individual Troubadour membership and $10 off a dual membership.

Expanded All-Day “Streaming Summit” To Kick Off CRS 2022

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The 2nd Annual CRS Streaming Summit will kick off CRS week on Wednesday, Feb. 23, featuring targeted, informative sessions and star-studded afternoon and evening music events.

Established last year during CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, the Streaming Summit was popular enough for the CRS Agenda Committee to expand the program to an all-day educational event, accented with the Warner Music Nashville luncheon. A one-day Streaming Summit pass is $249 or is included in a full CRS 2022 registration fee of $649.

“I can confidently say the amount of talent and wide-reaching expertise found in every session at this summit would be difficult to find under the roof of only one conference,” says CRS 2022 Streaming Summit Committee Chair, Annie Ortmeier (UMG Nashville). “Our Streaming Summit team of Sarah D’Hilly, Ali Matkosky, and myself are thrilled with the lineup for 2022 as we align with new partners and new boundary-pushing perspectives, making this day a no-miss.”

Below is an overview of Streaming Summit items confirmed for the CRS 2022 agenda:
Streaming Summit Networking Breakfast
Introducing Chart-metric Panel
Twitch/Live Streaming for Music Panel
Music Discovery Through Streaming: Spotify Fan Study Panel
Warner Music Nashville Lunch and Performance
Talk Data To Me: 2021 In Review Panel
Road To The Next Big Thing: The Connected Car Panel

Confirmed panelists speaking throughout the day include Timothy Babbitt (General Motors), Lauren Black (Country Now), Sung Cho (ChartMetric), Emily Cohen (Amazon Music), Patch Culbertson (Big Loud), Tim Foisset (Warner Music Nashville), Margaret Hart (YouTube Music), Claire Heinichen (Spotify), Brandon Jarrett (MRC Entertainment), Haley Jones (MRC Entertainment), Alison Junker (Spotify), Soy Kim (Spotify for Artists), Allison Laughter (Red Light), Ali Matkosky (Big Loud), Annie Ortmeier (UMG Nashville), Ashton Pierre (AT&T), Vipin Reddy (UMG Nashville), Steve Stewart (Cox Media Group), Jonathan Tarlton (Spotify), Alina Thompson (Pandora), and Taylor Viegut (UMG Nashville).

More details, including the lineup for the Warner Music Nashville Kickoff Luncheon, will be announced soon.

Johnny Cash Museum Partners With National Museum of African American Music For New Ticket Bundle

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Bill Miller‘s Icon Entertainment has formed a strategic partnership between the Johnny Cash Museum and the National Museum of African American Music to aid guests seeking to learn more about the evolution and culture of music.

The partnership begins Dec. 1, and will give guests the option of purchasing a ticket bundle which includes admission to the Johnny Cash Museum and the National Museum of African American Music. The bundle will be offered at $41.85 and will be sold online and in store at both museums.

“I’m proud of the partnership between NMAAM and the Johnny Cash Museum,” said Miller, Icon Entertainment President and CEO. “Johnny was a pioneer in showcasing African American artists on his prime time TV series The Johnny Cash Show, which emanated from the Ryman Auditorium from 1969 through 1971. Louis Armstrong, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Charlie Pride and numerous other legends appeared alongside Johnny to share their art and talent with the world. This partnership will provide a rich and robust experience to guests from around the world.”

“Johnny Cash’s music reflected the lived experience of his life, something that any fan of genres created or heavily influenced by African Americans will recognize. Our alliance with the Johnny Cash Museum is a natural way to ensure that visitors to Nashville can explore music and culture that we all share,” said H. Beecher Hicks, III, NMAAM President and CEO.

Since 2013, the Johnny Cash Museum has welcomed millions of guests and features the largest and most comprehensive collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world. Opened in 2020, NMAAM is the only dedicated museum celebrating the major influence African Americans have played in the growth of American music. Through this partnership, both museums will showcase influential stories in music history to hundreds of thousands of Nashville visitors.

Allie Colleen Delivers Her Debut Album, ‘Stones’

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Singer-songwriter Allie Colleen digitally released her debut album, Stones, on Wednesday Nov. 24 and celebrated with a special celebration at The Local in Nashville.

Songwriters Kelli Johnson, Kimberly Atwood, Steven McMorran and Jason Matthews, who all collaborated on the project, along with Mitch Rossell and Anthony Mossburg joined Colleen to share the stories behind the songs followed by a full band show.

The project was co-produced by Joe Costa and Ben Watts and was recorded at Allentown Recording Studio in Nashville. Throughout the album’s 11 tracks are a variety of songs and topics, including “Only Oklahoma,” which places the Oklahoma native in a position of questioning what her life might be like if she’d have never left home; the seemingly innocent named yet innuendo-filled “Pink Lemonade;” and the powerful anthem “Wildflower,” which provides encouragement to embrace one’s uniqueness.

“I’ve always been drawn to artists that can do it all. Someone who can write their own songs and come into the studio and perform them in a way that moves the listener and makes you believe every single word they sing. That’s Allie Colleen,” shares Costa. “This girl is the whole package, and I couldn’t be more honored and proud to have played a part in helping her vision to come to life.”

“Allie Colleen delivers the goods on her debut album. From moments of angsty blues to soulful ballads and classic country. Allie does it all with raw, heartfelt lyrics and an honest vocal delivery,” adds Watts. “It was a pleasure to play a part in the creation of this project. I’m sure she’s set for a bright journey ahead!”

“I am beyond grateful every day of my life to pursue this dream. This collection of songs holds stories and narratives that are very close to my heart, and it is my hope and intention that they will have their own place in your story as well. So from my heart and all the amazing hands that touched this project, thank you for my life and career,” says Colleen. “I hope you love this album, but at the end of the day-I LOVE this album. Love one another.”

Colleen visited the MusicRow offices earlier this year and shared snippets and stories from her debut album. To read about the visit, click here.

Stones Track List:
1. Stones (I Don’t Give A …) – Sara Brice / De’Leah Shane / Tony McVaney / Allie Colleen
2. Playin’ House – Billy Dawson / Jason Matthews / Allie Colleen
3. Don’t Give Your Heart To A Cowboy – Eric Dodd / Allie Colleen
4. Vagabond Angels – Steven McMorran / Allie Colleen
5. Wildflower – Billy Dawson / De’leah Shane / Sara Brice / Allie Colleen
6. Only Oklahoma – Matt McKinney / Allie Colleen
7. Blame It On The Weather – Allie Colleen
8. Good As It Gets – Carly Rogers / Kelli Johnson / Allie Colleen
9. Well Enough Alone – Kimberly Atwood / Allie Colleen
10. Make Me A Man – Eric Dodd / Allie Colleen
11. Pink Lemonade – Nora Collins / Nick Donley / Matt McVaney

Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson Join Forces On Fiery Duet, ‘Never Say Never’ [Interview]

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Grammy-nominated entertainer Cole Swindell and fast-rising, country songstress Lainey Wilson recently released their fiery new duet, “Never Say Never” via Warner Music Nashville.

For Swindell, the track is his 12th career single following his back-to-back No. 1 hits “Love You Too Late” and “Single Saturday Night.” Meanwhile, Wilson, who won the 2021 MusicRow Discovery Artist of the Year award, is coming off her Gold-certified, No. 1 debut single “Things A Man Oughta Know.”

Swindell co-wrote “Never Say Never” with Jessi Alexander and Chase McGill in 2018. The Zach Crowell-produced track blends Swindell and Wilson’s signature sounds, offering a perfect mixture of country twang and relatability with rocking guitar licks and powerful concert-ready production. The hard-hitting back and forth dialog finds the duo admitting that sometimes you just can’t walk away, even when you know you should.

“I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been in this situation at some point in time,” Wilson says. “I was telling Cole the other day, it’s like that piece of chocolate cake that you know you shouldn’t have but you take it anyway. We’ve all been there, so we can all relate even if you’ve never been in a relationship in your life.” She continues, “It’s hard sometimes to have a rocking song that’s also passionate, and I think this song does that. It makes you feel all the things. It makes you wanna say ‘Hell yeah!’ and it makes you want to kiss somebody.”

YouTube video

Though the two artists have been long-time fans of each other, “Never Say Never” is their first collaboration. It is also Swindell’s first true duet from his seven year career.

“I wrote [the song] with two of our really good friends, Chase McGill and Jessi Alexander. I was in [Lainey’s] hometown in Louisiana playing the last show of the year a couple of years ago, and we wrote this song that weekend. We knew it was special and we could tell it was going to be a rocking song with a lot of energy, but the way we wrote it we knew it had to be a duet,” Swindell says. “We were trying to find the right person that could sing it and make it feel like it needed to. I’ve been a big fan of [Lainey’s] music, so when she popped into my head [we knew that she was it].”

“I take a whole lot of pride in my own songwriting and my own art. People pitch me things and I am a stickler, I’m not going to lie. It’s got to hit me right [in the heart]. It’s gotta make me feel something and it’s gotta make me feel like I wrote it,” Wilson explains. “I listened to the first verse and the chorus and I was like ‘Holy moly! This song is special and it made me feel something.’ I’ve been a fan of his for the longest time and look up to him as a songwriter, entertainer, and artist so I couldn’t say yes quick enough.”

Throughout his career, Swindell has racked up 10 No. 1 singles, multiple Gold and Platinum singles and albums, and nearly 4.5 billion career streams. However, upon its release to country radio, “Never Say Never” earned 91 first-day adds at Billboard and Country Aircheck/Mediabase, making it Swindell’s biggest add day so far in his career.

With “Never Say Never” now out into the world and gaining traction, Swindell and Wilson have many plans in the works and dreams for the project, including a cinematic, attention-grabbing music video and hopes of a 2022 award show performance.

“Never Say Never” is available everywhere now.

Mark Your Calendar—December 2021

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Single/Track Releases

December 3
Sarah Darling/Song Still Gets Me/Be Darling Records

December 6
Brooke Moriber/This Town Made Us/Reviver Records
Walker Hayes/AA/Monument
Richard Lynch/I Saw Santa Balin’ Hay/MTS

December 13
Old Dominion/No Hard Feelings/Arista
Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt/Wishful Drinking/Atlantic/Warner/WEA
Chayce Beckham & Lindsay Ell/Can’t Do Without Me/Wheelhouse/Stoney Creek

 

Album/EP Releases

December 3
Blake Shelton/Body Language Deluxe/Warner Music Nashville

December 10
Hardy & Various Artists/Hixtape: Vol. 2/Big Loud