Jon Randall. Photo: Jess Tomlins

Grammy, CMA, and ACM Award-winner Jon Randall will release his self-titled solo album on Sept. 10. The 9-track collection marks his first solo album in 15 years, as well as his return to the spotlight after his success as one third of The Marfa Tapes with Miranda Lambert and Jack Ingram.

Encompassing decades of writing and showcasing Randall’s gifts for storytelling and vivid scene-setting, the upcoming project was recorded and co-produced with fellow Grammy-winner Brandon Bell (Zac Brown, The Highwomen). From discovering peaceful escape on “Keep On Moving,” to the reflection of simpler times on “Acapulco Blue,” to finding beauty in desperation on “Velvet Elvis Buzz,” each track finds balance in the beauty of being broken.

“This album is for anyone who wants to disappear for a while on the roads somewhere between Texas and Mexico,” says Randall. “They’ll hear some tales about winning and losing, living and dying and falling in love in forbidden places.”

Working out of both his home studio and Southern Ground, Randall cut the collection with an all-star cast of friends including Shane McAnally, Jerry Douglas, Emerson Hart, Travis Meadows, Jedd Hughes, Chad Cromwell, Dan Dugmore, Jerry Roe and Ian Fitchuk, among others.

Randall has spent his decades-long career as the creative force behind some of the genre’s biggest hits from greats like Emmylou Harris, Allison Krauss, Dwight Yoakam, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, to contemporary radio stars Little Big Town, Blake Shelton and Dierks Bentley to emerging artists like his wife Jessi Alexander and Chase Bryant.

Jon Randall Tracklist:
1. Keep on Moving (Jon Randall)
2. Tequila Kisses (Jon Randall / Jeff Middleton / Matthew Lane Fleener)
3. Streets of Dallas (Jon Randall)
4. Driving to Mexico (Jon Randall)
5. Acapulco Blue (Jon Randall)
6. Girls from Texas ft. Jack Ingram (Jon Randall / Shane McAnally)
7. Ranchero (Jon Randall)
8. Velvet Elvis Buzz (Jon Randall / Travis Meadows)
9. The Road (Jon Randall)

Pictured (L-R): John Esposito (Chairman & CEO, WMN); Lisa Ray (Sandbox Entertainment); Cris Lacy (EVP of A&R, WMN); Dan Smyers; Shay Mooney; Ben Kline (EVP/GM, WMN); Jason Owen (Sandbox Entertainment). Photo: Alan Poizner

Dan + Shay have reached another milestone in their red-hot career, as their new album, Good Things, becomes the first country album in the streaming era to achieve RIAA Gold certification at its release. The news comes right as the duo’s current single, “Glad You Exist,” claims the top spot on the Billboard and Mediabase Country Airplay charts, marking their sixth consecutive and ninth career No.1.

“Three years ago, Dan + Shay made history with ‘Tequila’ – and have continued on a meteoric rise ever since,” said Warner Music Nashville Chairman & CEO, John Esposito. “This extraordinary accomplishment is yet another testament to their unparalleled talent and work ethic. The first and only country album in the streaming era to be certified Gold upon release, are you kidding? That’s freaking insane! I couldn’t be one iota prouder that Dan + Shay are part of the Warner Music Nashville family. They are artists of a generation.”

The duo celebrated the new LP in a big way last Friday (Aug. 13) with the Good Things Album Release Concert at The Great Lawn in Centennial Park, marking the first time the Nashville park has ever hosted a major concert. Labelmates Ingrid Andress and Morgan Evans opened the show before the duo came out to a capacity crowd of 10,000 to perform tracks from the new album as well as some previous hits and fan favorites.

Following the performance, Dan + Shay were surprised with several plaques to add to their ever-growing collection, including Gold certification for Good Things, 4x Platinum certification for “10,000 Hours,” Platinum certification for “I Should Probably Go To Bed” and Gold certification for “Glad You Exist.”

“Congratulations to Dan + Shay on Good Things becoming the first country album in the streaming era to be RIAA certified Gold at release!” said Mitch Glazier, Chairman & CEO, RIAA. “Dan + Shay are no stranger to high-ranking Gold & Platinum achievements. Every Dan + Shay album released has been certified Gold or Platinum by the RIAA… Congrats to Dan + Shay and their team at Warner Music Nashville on this awesome milestone, which reflects years of incredible music and hard work.”

Their Dan + Shay The (Arena) Tour will resume this fall with new 2021 dates, beginning Sept. 9 in Greenville, South Carolina. The 30-stop explosive tour includes a night at the famed Madison Square Garden and will feature Atlantic Records’ The Band Camino and labelmate Andress.

Ashley Eicher and King Calaway hold a Q&A at Arrington Vineyards to discuss their upcoming Midnight EP on Wednesday, Aug. 11. Photo: Lydia Farthing

On Wednesday, Aug. 11, with the picturesque backdrop of Tennessee’s prized Arrington Vineyards around them, rising country band King Calaway showcased their upcoming EP, Midnight, to a group of industry friends and supporters. The four-song project releases on Friday, Aug. 27 via Stoney Creek Records.

BMG Nashville President Jon Loba introduced the now 5-piece band to the crowd. “I am personally so proud of the evolution of these men, and have never been more excited about what you’re about to hear and where they are in their career.”

Comprised of Chris Deaton, Simon Dumas, Chad Michael Jervis, Austin Luther, and Caleb Miller, the group shared all four of the tracks featured on the upcoming EP as well as four additional tracks.

“There was a lot of momentum that was happening towards the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020,” shared Jervis. “But through [the COVID-19 pandemic], it reinforced our commitment to each other and our passion for wanting to pursue our career.”

Ashley Eicher and King Calaway hold a Q&A at Arrington Vineyards to discuss their upcoming Midnight EP on Wednesday, Aug. 11. Photo: Lydia Farthing

The band began writing in August of 2020 with most of the songs being born out of Zoom writes. Digging their heels in, the five wrote over 80 songs over the last year.

To record, the five travelled to Asheville, North Carolina to live in a house together for three weeks. Inspired by the southern California, 1970s country sound, the group went to work to bring their new sonic direction to life. With the advice of one of the EP’s producers, Justin Niebank, the five bandmates played every instrument on Midnight, save the pedal steel which was helmed by Paul Franklin, giving the project a deeper sense of honesty and authenticity.

“Justin made it a point to make sure we were all playing it because that made it feel the most authentic,” the band explained. “Instead of making everything perfect, the fact that it all came from one of the five of us made it feel really honest.”

Through the four tracks featured on Midnight, the crowd was taken along a full spectrum of emotions from the lighthearted and easy on the ears “Homegrown” to the powerful and timely anthem, “More People,” encouraging small acts of kindness in our everyday lives.

The edgy, guitar licked “Heartbreaker” takes the EP one shade darker while “Good Time To Me,” which features MusicRow‘s newest CountryBreakout No. 1 artist Lainey Wilson, gives a welcomed bar-stomping, high-voltage energy to the project.

King Calaway. Photo: Courtesy of BBR Music Group

“I think this EP and these songs really represent the journey that we went on over the last year and a half,” Jervis explained. “Through all of the adversity, we stuck together, held it out, and now we’re here today. And we are all so thankful to be here today with all of you.”

Midnight Track List:
1. Homegrown – Chad Michael Jervis, Kevin Griffin
2. More People – Simon Dumas, Ryan Lafferty, Tina Parol Gemza
3. Heartbreaker – Simon Dumas, Neil Medley, Dave Cohen
4. Good Time To Me (feat. Lainey Wilson) – Charles Kelley, Russell Dickerson, Corey Crowder, Steven Lee Olsen

Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire is set to release her new three-part box set, Revived Remixed Revisited, on Oct. 8. The trilogy is a reimagined collection of some of her most iconic songs spanning her entire career. One song from each installment– “Is There Life Out There,” “I’m A Survivor” (Lafemmebear Remix), and “Consider Me Gone”–are available everywhere now.

Revived includes some of McEntire’s biggest hits as they’ve evolved over the years in her live show and features new arrangements of fan favorites, like “Is There Life Out There” and “Can’t Even Get The Blues” recorded with her touring band.

Remixed puts a new spin on songs including “Little Rock” and “I’m A Survivor,” and on Revisited, Reba works with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb to strip back and recut songs like “Somebody Should Leave” and “Consider Me Gone.” The third installment also features McEntire and Dolly Parton on the classic duet “Does He Love You.”

McEntire will join celebrated TV personality Nancy O’Dell on Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. CST for talkshoplive where fans can pre-order special autographed editions of the box set, plus hear stories around the making of the new collection.

Nashville music industry publication MusicRow Magazine has released its 2021 MusicRow Awards, with Warner Music Nashville’s Gabby Barrett gracing the cover.

The MusicRow Awards print issue highlights this year’s MusicRow Awards nominees in a range of categories, including Producer of the Year, Label Group of the Year, Talent Agency of the Year, Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year, Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year, Male Songwriter of the Year, Female Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, Discovery Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and Artist of the Year.

The winners for the 33rd annual MusicRow Awards will be announced virtually among multiple MusicRow platforms on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. Presenting Sponsor of the 2021 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank. This print issue also honors the Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians Awards, which will also be announced on Aug. 19, recognizing the studio players who played on the most albums reaching the Top 10 of Billboard’s Country Albums Chart during the eligibility period.

The 2021 MusicRow Awards print issue features acclaimed photographer John Shearer, celebrates 20 years of Nashville’s indie label Dualtone Records, and catches up with John Zarling and Jackie Campbell on their newest marketing and brand partnership company 615 Leverage + Strategy.

This issue also reassesses the state of independent venues and the touring industry as a whole as it begins to reopen amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and contains an informative roundup of music industry awards.

Single copies of MusicRow’s 2021 MusicRow Awards print issue are available for purchase at musicrow.com for $20, and are included with yearly MusicRow subscriptions.