Ellie Holcomb To Release New Capitol Christian Music Group Project, ‘Canyon’

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Ellie Holcomb is set to release her third studio LP, Canyon, this summer on June 25 in partnership with Capitol Christian Music Group. The project marks the first label distributed release for the indie artist, and today the title track, “Canyon,” is now available along with a video shot at Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park.

Holcomb’s album seeks to capture the sounds and melodies from personal experiences and growth since her last studio project, Red Sea Road in 2017. For Canyon, Holcomb teamed with co-writers Natalie Hemby, Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE and Thad Cockrell, and the project was produced by Cason Cooley along with executive producer and her dad, Brown Bannister. The title-track out today was penned by Holcomb, Cockrell and Cooley.

YouTube video

“Canyon is a record about a deeper sorrow and a higher hope,” said Holcomb. “A tornado tore through our neighborhood, Covid-19 shut down our country and canceled all of our touring, racial tension was high in the wake of George Floyd’s death, Christmas morning began with a bomb that went off in downtown Nashville, the capitol was attacked, and we have had so many family friends lose people they love to the virus. In many ways, writing and singing these songs felt like finding my way through a serious season of suffering and sorrow. I have seen Jesus meet me in the wounds in my own story that I tried to hide or bury, and I’ve experienced the kindness and empathy of God in my most painful places in a palpable way, so these songs are written from a new place of wholeness, healing and freedom. This is the first record I’ve ever made that makes me want to run or dance! I hope it makes people want to dance for the joy of knowing they are beloved.”

“We have been massive fans of Ellie and her music for as long as we’ve known her and always hoped for the opportunity to represent her as an artist,” shares CCMG Co-President Brad O’Donnell. “Canyon is a special project, and it reflects Ellie’s heart and creativity perfectly. We are so excited to be a part of bringing it to the world.”

Hudson Plachy, CCMG Co-President adds, “We are honored to partner with Ellie and support her vision and music. We are so excited for everyone to experience this new music.”

Since her solo debut in 2014, Holcomb has garnered two GMA Dove Awards, including New Artist of the Year, became a best-selling children’s author along with accompanying EPs, has more than 157 million global streams, and performed and interviewed on The TODAY Show with Amy Grant for the Faithful Project. She and her husband Drew Holcomb have also partnered with Tennessee Tourism for a campaign featuring two of their songs earlier this year. In 2020, the Holcombs invited their fans into their home virtually nightly for their now-loved Kitchen Covers during the height of the pandemic.

Tim McGraw’s ‘Here On Earth’ Gets Double Deluxe Treatment With Two New Releases

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Tim McGraw is releasing two digital deluxe versions of his No. 1 album Here On Earth – Here On Earth Ultimate Edition and Here On Earth Ultimate Video Edition, which will be available April 16 via Big Machine Records. McGraw also unveiled a brand-new song “God Moves The Pen” out today.

Here On Earth Ultimate Edition features six new tracks, including “God Moves The Pen,” “Undivided” – McGraw’s latest collaboration with Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard – and two additional bonus movie tracks, “Keep Your Eyes on Me” with Faith Hill from the 2017 feature film The Shack and “Gravity” from the 2018 Academy Award-winning documentary Free Solo. McGraw wrote the former alongside Hill, Lori McKenna and Shane McAnally and the latter with McKenna.

The Ultimate Video Edition will include all tracks on the Ultimate Edition along with videos for six songs: “Here on Earth,” “I Called Mama,” “Gravy,” “Undivided,” “Thought About You,” and “Neon Church.”

Additionally, a special edition 12” vinyl of “Undivided” will be available on June 12 for Record Store Day. McGraw and Hubbard’s first live performance of the upbeat and heartfelt collaboration came during the 2021 Celebrating America TV special following President Joe Biden’s inauguration in January. Most recently, they released a Director’s Cut version of the song’s music video. An acoustic version of McGraw’s hit single “I Called Mama,” originally released in May 2020, will be on the B-side of the vinyl.

McGraw’s Here On Earth, his 16th studio album, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart upon its August 2020 release, and marked his 4th straight decade with a No. 1 album on the Billboard Country Album chart. The album was his 19th worldwide No. 1 and his 17th U.S. No. 1, tying him for second most No. 1 albums in the U.S., just behind George Strait.

Here On Earth Ultimate Edition Track List:
*indicates video featured on Here On Earth Ultimate Video Edition 
1. LA
2. Chevy
3. Here on Earth*
4. Damn Sure Do
5. Hallelujahville
6. Good Taste In Women
7. Hard to Stay Mad At
8. Sheryl Crow
9. Not From California
10. Hold You Tonight
11. 7500 OBO
12. If I Was A Cowboy
13. I Called Mama*
14. Gravy*
15. War of Art
16. Doggone
17. Undivided / Tim McGraw & Tyler Hubbard*
18. Thought About You*
19. Neon Church*
20. Cuttin’ Onions
21. Truth Is
22. God Moves the Pen

Bonus Movie Tracks:
23. Keep Your Eyes on Me / Tim McGraw & Faith Hill from feature film The Shack
24. Gravity from Academy Award-winning documentary “Free Solo”

Blake Shelton Hits No. 1 On MusicRow Chart In 12 Weeks

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In just 12 weeks, Blake Shelton bolts to No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart with “Minimum Wage.” The single, co-written by Nicolle Galyon, Jesse Frasure, and Corey Crowder, will appear on Shelton’s latest album, Body Language set for release on May 21.

April 16, 2021 will mark the 20th anniversary of the day Shelton released his No. 1 debut single, “Austin.” To commemorate the occasion, he is releasing limited edition 7″ vinyl on his website featuring “Austin” on the A-side and “Problems At Home” on the B-side.

Click here or above to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.

Farris, Self & Moore Promote Five, Add Brittney Schoessel As Operations Manager

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Pictured (L-R, top row): FSM Operations Manager Brittney Schoessel, Client Managers Gator Pizer, and Hannah Haggerty. (L-R, bottom row): Client Managers Tina Banjo, Sarah Grissom, and Taylor Baird

Business management firm Farris, Self & Moore (FSM) announced the promotion of five current members and welcomes back Brittney Schoessel in a new operations manager role.

Tina Banjo, Taylor Baird, Gator Pizer, Hannah Haggerty and Sarah Grissom, all formerly client bookkeepers, have been promoted to client manager positions. Schoessel was previously with the company from 2017-2019 as a client manager and returned to FSM in January of this year.

“The energy and excitement at FSM is contagious. We are an energetic group with a touch of spark and inspired form,” says Partner Stephanie Self. “We are so proud of all of our staff and how they handled crises during the pandemic.  We are especially proud of these promotions and are thankful for such a strong team.”

FSM is one of Nashville’s leading boutique business management firms, providing business management and financial planning services to hit songwriters, major touring acts and national recording artists.

Schoessel can be reached at brittney@fsmnash.com

Pizer can be reached at gator@fsmnash.com

Haggerty can be reached at hannah@fsmnash.com

Banjo can be reached at tina@fsmnash.com

Grissom can be reached at sarah@fsmnash.com

Baird can be reached at taylor@fsmnash.com

Industry Ink: Country Music Hall Of Fame, Margo Price, Hannah Klotz

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Country Music Hall of Fame And Museum Promotes Two

Celene Aubry, Dana Romanello

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has promoted Celene Aubry to director of Hatch Show Print and Dana Romanello to associate director of museum sales.

As director of Hatch Show Print, Aubry manages the shop while working directly alongside Hatch Show Print’s printer-designers to create and produce letterpress posters and other design work for clients. She is also responsible for collaborating with museums to leverage the historic print shop’s assets to share its mission through exhibitions, events and educational programming. In her nearly 10 years with Hatch Show Print, Aubry has played a key role in guiding the shop’s educational mission in which students and adult learners alike become familiar with letterpress printing and the shop’s 140-year history. Aubry holds a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College.

Romanello has been named associate director of museum sales. She oversees sales strategies, outreach and entertainment programming for contracted visitation and is responsible for product and experience development for domestic tourism across all museum properties. Romanello joined the museum in 2014 and has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Marshall University and a Student Travel Professional certification from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

 

Margo Price Joins Willie On Farm Aid Board Of Directors

Margo Price. Photo: Danielle Holbert

Margo Price has become the first female artist elected to the Farm Aid Board of Directors. Through a unanimous vote, both Price and Annie Nelson join board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and six industry professionals in a commitment to further the organization’s efforts to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Price is the second artist to ever be added to Farm Aid’s Board of Directors, following Matthews’ appointment in 2001. Since performing at her first Farm Aid concert in 2016, Price has not missed a year of the festival, and her dedication to Farm Aid’s mission stretches back even further. In addition to hosting the annual Farm Aid Festival, she will work closely to help the organization rally against corporate consolidation, deploy funds and resources to strengthen farm families facing ongoing challenges, and nurture a cultural movement that values the people who bring good food to our tables.

“It is always a thrill to perform alongside my heroes on the Farm Aid stage, and it is one of the greatest honors of my life to become a member of the Farm Aid board,” said Price. “It’s been a dream of mine to help family farmers and communities across America ever since my family lost their farm in the fall of 1984—a year before the first Farm Aid concert. I hope to use my voice to shine light on the issues of climate change, our health and the health of our soil and water, and, most importantly, food justice.”

 

Hannah Klotz Joins Copperline Team

Hannah Klotz

Hannah Klotz has joined the global distribution company Copperline as Project Manager. In her new role, she will liaison with distribution partner, The Orchard and is responsible for overseeing and coordinating strategy, creative services, marketing, digital advertising, social media management, and more across a diverse group of independent labels and artists. The Texas native’s career began at DigSin under the late Jay Frank. She joined Oswald Entertainment Group and rose to day-to-day manager for Big & Rich. She was on OEG’s management team for the Woods Amphitheater at Fontanel and was most recently Booking and Entertainment Manager for John Rich’s Redneck Riviera on Broadway.

“I’m so thrilled to be working with Will Edwards and the entire Copperline team,” said Klotz. “They have welcomed me with open arms, and it’s so refreshing to work alongside such a creative and passionate group.”

AmericanaFest 2021 Passes On Sale Now

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Passes for AmericanaFest 2021 are on sale now. As previously announced, the conference, held by the Americana Music Association, is returning on September 22-25, 2021 after having to cancel in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The conference  will be held all week at the Westin Nashville. The three nights of music discovery showcases start on Thursday September 23 in addition to many daytime special events hosted by friends and supporters of AmericanaFest throughout the week.

The Americana Music Association’s critically acclaimed Americana Honors & Awards ceremony will once again serve as the hallmark event of the week on Wednesday, September 22 at the Ryman Auditorium.

“We’re beyond elated to once again be able to celebrate with our incredible community in Music City,” says Jed Hilly, executive director of the Americana Music Association. “As we prioritize having a safe and positive event for everyone involved, we’re looking forward to bringing back exciting music discovery, industry insight and plenty of networking opportunities that our attendees have come to enjoy over the last two decades.”

Photo: Nathan Zucker

Artists interested in showcasing at this year’s festival can apply now through April 30. The first programming announcement for this year’s festival will be revealed later in the summer.

At this time, in accordance with current Metro Nashville and recommended CDC guidelines, the event’s organizers are releasing a limited amount of passes for sale to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of attendees. In addition to local and national safety guidelines, they will also be following each respective venue’s COVID-19 safety protocol for the week of AmericanaFest. The AMA will continue to monitor the situation as the event date approaches.

Conference/Festival Passes and Festival Passes are on sale now. Tickets for the awards ceremony will be on sale at a later date. The Conference/Festival Pass is currently priced at $349 and $249 for Americana Music Association members. Fans who are just interested in the nighttime showcases and select special events, can purchase a Festival Pass instead, currently priced at $175. These pass rates expire after June 28.

Kane Brown To Headline NBA Arenas On New 35-City Tour

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Kane Brown announced he is launching his headlining Blessed & Free Tour on October 1, which will visit 35 cities including all 29 NBA basketball arenas. He made the announcement from the American Airlines Center in Dallas during one of his surprise promotional stops in the upcoming tour markets.

Kicking off in Sacramento, Brown’s Blessed & Free Tour will visit the NBA basketball arenas throughout 2021 and 2022, making him the first country artist in history to headline every NBA basketball arena in a single tour. A life-long basketball fan and former 4-sport high-school athlete, Brown first hinted at the tour during the 2020 NBA All-Star game in Chicago, where he played in the NBA celebrity All-Star game. The country star is set to visit milestone venues from coast-to-coast, including Brown’s first headlining dates at New York City’s Madison Square Garden and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Brown will also return to play the STAPLES Center in L.A. on the tour, and is among only a handful of country artists in the arena’s 20-year history to sell out the venue. In addition to the NBA arenas, Blessed & Free will make stops in Nampa, State College, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Seattle before wrapping in Las Vegas. Jordan Davis will join Brown as support for all 2021 tour dates, with Chase Rice joining the tour in 2022. Restless Road, who Brown signed to his label, 1021 Entertainment, will open all shows throughout the full tour.

Registration for the pre-sale begins today at 10 a.m. CT at kanebrownlive.com.  Tickets for Blessed & Free will go on-sale to the general public Friday, April 16th, at 10 a.m. local time at kanebrownmusic.com. A limited number of VIP Packages will be available that include an amazing selection of tickets, early-access to the General Admission Pit, limited edition merchandise and much more.

Blessed & Free Tour Dates:
Oct. 1 — Sacramento, Calif. – Golden 1 Center
Oct. 2 — Los Angeles, Calif. – Staples Center
Oct. 8 — Nampa, Idaho – Ford Idaho Center
Oct. 9 — Salt Lake City, Utah – Vivint Arena
Oct. 10 — Denver, Colo. – Ball Arena
Oct. 14 — Oklahoma City, Okla. – Chesapeake Energy Arena
Oct. 15 — Houston, Texas – Toyota Center
Oct. 16 — San Antonio, Texas – AT&T Center
Oct. 17 — Dallas, Texas – American Airlines
Oct. 22 — New Orleans, La. – Smoothie King Center
Oct. 23 — Memphis, Tenn. – FedEx Forum
Oct. 24 — Atlanta, Ga. – State Farm Arena
Nov. 4 — Washington D.C. – Capital One Arena
Nov. 5 — Brooklyn, N.Y. – Barclays Center
Nov. 6 — State College, Pa. – Bryce Jordan Center
Nov. 19 — Toronto, Ont. Canada – Scotiabank Arena
Nov. 20 — Detroit, Mich. – Little Caesars Arena
Nov. 21 — Cleveland, Ohio – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
Dec. 2 — Miami, Fla. – American Airlines Arena
Dec. 3 — Orlando, Fla. – Amway Center
Dec. 4 — Charlotte, N.C. – Spectrum Center
Jan. 6 — Indianapolis, Ind. – Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Jan. 7 — Louisville, Ky. – KFC Yum! Center
Jan. 8 — Pittsburgh, Pa. – PPG Paints Arena
Jan. 13 — Philadelphia, Pa. – Wells Fargo Center
Jan. 14 — Boston, Mass. – TD Garden
Jan. 15 — New York, N.Y. – Madison Square Garden
Jan. 20 — Milwaukee, Wisc. – Fiserv Forum
Jan. 21 — Minneapolis, Minn. – Target Center
Jan. 22 — Chicago, Ill. – United Center
Jan 27 — Portland, Ore. – Moda Center
Jan. 28 — Seattle, Wash. – Climate Pledge Arena
Jan. 30 — San Francisco, Calif. – Chase Center
Feb. 3 — Phoenix, Ariz. – Phoenix Suns Arena
Feb. 4 — Las Vegas, Nev. – T-Mobile Arena

CMA Presents Industry Honors To Joe Galante, Kyle Young, Others During Board Meeting

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Pictured (L-R) Joe Galante, Galante Entertainment Organization Chief Executive Officer, with Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, after being presented the J. William Denny Award during CMA’s Board of Directors meeting

The Country Music Association presented industry honors yesterday (April 7) during their Board of Directors meeting. Country Aircheck Chief Executive Officer and host of Country Countdown USA Lon Helton presented Joe Galante, Galante Entertainment Organization Chief Executive Officer, with the J. William Denny Award.

The J. William Denny Award was created in recognition and appreciation of a lifetime of dedication, distinguished service, and meritorious contributions to the CMA Board of Directors. It is named after longtime board member J. William Denny, who has served on the CMA Board since 1961.

Galante has been a member of the CMA Board of Directors since 1978 and the CMA Foundation Board of Directors since 2011. He served as CMA Board President in 1983 and CMA Board Chairman in 1986, as well as CMA Foundation Board Chairman in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020. Galante began his career in the music business with RCA Records in New York in 1971 as a manager of financial analysis. Soon after, he moved to Nashville and climbed the ranks to become the youngest man to lead a major Nashville label when he took over as head of RCA Nashville in 1981. In 1990, he was named president of RCA Records in New York, returning to Nashville four years later as chairman of RCA Label Group/Nashville. Throughout his four decade career, Galante helped launch the careers of Alabama, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Lonestar, Dave Matthews, Martina McBride, K.T. Oslin, Kellie Pickler, SWV, The Judds, Carrie Underwood, Keith Whitley, Wu-Tang Clan, Chris Young and many more. Galante currently works as a consultant in the music business.

“Thank you to everyone on the Board,” said Galante. “Being part of this organization has been so enriching for me on a personal level in terms of friendships, knowledge and contribution, giving back to the town that gave me so much.”

During the meeting Kix Brooks also presented Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Chief Executive Officer Kyle Young with the Irving Waugh Award of Excellence.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Chief Executive Officer Kyle Young. Photo: Courtesy of Kyle Young

The Irving Waugh Award of Excellence is presented to an individual who is the originator and caretaker of ideas and actions that have dramatically broadened and improved country music’s influence on a national or international level for the benefit of the industry. It is the intention that these ideas and actions are ongoing and have a proven historical impact on country music.

In his 45 years with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Young has simultaneously maintained and furthered the integrity and tradition of one of Nashville’s most iconic cultural institutions by directing and overseeing all operations and activities of the organization, including museum, library, research, publications and teaching programs, all museum programming, advertising, marketing and finances. He has served in more key capacities than anyone ever employed by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. A not-for-profit, nationally accredited museum, the organization operates Historic RCA Studio B, Hatch Show Print, CMF Records, the Frist Library & Archive, and CMF Press. Young has served on the CMA Board of Directors since 2003.

“All I can say is that I’m humbled by this,” says Young. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think something like this would happen, so I really appreciate it.”

Additionally, Girlilla Marketing Chief Executive Officer and CMA Foundation Board Vice Chair Jennie Smythe, presented CMA Foundation Artist Ambassador mementos to country artists and CMA Board members Jimmie Allen, Lindsay Ell and Ashley McBryde. The three were honored for their continued support and involvement in the CMA Foundation’s mission to ensure all students have access to quality music education programs. Each artist was selected as a participant in the program and engaged in a variety of virtual activities, using their unique musical experience to share the organization’s awareness and advocacy efforts in support of music educators, students and parents.

Carrie Underwood’s Easter Live Stream Raises Over $112,000 For Save The Children

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Carrie Underwood

This past weekend, on Easter Sunday, Carrie Underwood brought her new album, My Savior, to life with “My Savior: Live From The Ryman,” a virtual live concert performance from the historic Ryman Auditorium. Underwood performed the gospel hymns she grew up singing for this special global concert event which live streamed exclusively on her official Facebook page and raised over $112,000 for Save the Children.

“On a day normally reserved for church congregations and family, Facebook brought Carrie Underwood and her My Savior album directly into people’s homes worldwide in real time to celebrate Easter in an unprecedented way, allowing for both celebration and a direct giving campaign to benefit children in need all over the world,” says UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe. “The results were humbling and powerful and speak to Carrie’s one of a kind ability to connect, shine and uplift audiences around the world.”

Carrie Underwood, Cece Winans

Nearly 2.5 million fans all over the world viewed the full show and millions more viewed exclusive performance clips during the 48-hour window for the free event. Some of these exclusive clips included special appearances by gospel superstar CeCe Winans, who performed “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” with Underwood, as well as singer-songwriter Bear Rinehart, frontman of the rock band, NEEDTOBREATHE, who joined Underwood on “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus.” Southern gospel and harmonica legend Buddy Greene and 10-time CMA Musician of the Year Mac McAnally, both of whom played on My Savior, also appeared with Underwood. Select performance videos from the event can be viewed on Underwood’s My Savior playlist.

My Savior debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country and Christian Charts, as well as No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart this week with 72,644 SPS units. Additionally, the album is No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Albums, Top Country Albums, Top Christian Albums and is the No. 1 Current Digital Album.

Donations were accepted throughout the streaming event and for 48 hours after to benefit Save the Children, which works in over 100 countries to ensure that children grow up healthy, educated, and safe. To date, Save the Children has supported 30 million people affected by coronavirus around the world, including nearly 12 million children, making sure they have enough to eat, can access healthcare, can continue their education, and are protected from violence. Since March 2020, Save the Children has delivered nearly 21 million meals to kids in need across the U.S.

ASCAP’s Belmont University Songwriter Showcase Returns Virtually

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Pictured (L-R, Top to Bottom): Madie Renner, Scott Borel, Grace Elizondo, Matt Mulhare, SJ McDonald, Lila Bowden, Olivia Webb, Shir Czopp, Emma Martin (Producer)

On Thursday, March 25, ASCAP’s Belmont University Songwriter Showcase was held virtually and featured eight finalists selected from 60 Belmont University student demo submissions.

The following week, showcase standouts Madie Renner and Scott Borel were named the showcase winners. Other finalists included Lila Bowden, Shir Czopp, Grace Elizondo, SJ McDonald, Matt Mulhare, and Olivia Webb.

In addition to hit songwriters J.T. Harding and Jason Grantt, the industry judging panel for the showcase also included Beth Brinker of ASCAP, as well as Dale Bobo, Mya Hansen, and Dane Schmidt and Anna Weisband of Sony Music Publishing, who provided mentorship, feedback and encouragement.

Presented by ASCAP and Sony Music Publishing, the two live showcases which hosted viewers from across the globe were broadcast online for only the second time since its debut nearly a decade ago. The evening was produced and hosted by students Emma Martin, Brooke Shuster and Jenna Najera, who serve on the Showcase Council under the guidance of Fallon Nell, coordinator of Live Events & Showcase Series at Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business.