Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. is currently accepting applications for the CRS 2027 Agenda Committee.

The Agenda Committee plays a vital role in shaping and developing the educational programming for next year’s Country Radio Seminar, set to take place March 17–19, 2027. The CRS 2027 Agenda Committee will be led by Brittani Johnson as Chair, alongside Krista Hayes (BMG/Broken Bow Records) and Kevin Callahan (Pamal Broadcasting) as Vice Chairs.

The committee is comprised of volunteers from across all sectors of the country radio, streaming and music industry. Members collaborate to develop compelling panels, discussions and workshops that reflect the evolving landscape of country music and radio.

To be considered, applicants must be available to attend the mandatory in-person planning sessions in Nashville, scheduled for August 3–5, 2026, and must also be available to attend CRS 2027. Committee members will receive complimentary registration for CRS 2027. All travel and lodging expenses remain the individual’s responsibility.

Applications must be submitted by May 1 and can be completed here.

Photo (L-R, back row): Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar, UMPG’s Cyndi Forman, Triple Tigers’ Kevin Herring and Annie Ortmeier, BMI’s Mason Hunter, Studio Bank’s Ron Cox, Concord’s Courtney Allen and Hang Your Hat’s Hillary Lindsey; (L-R, front row): Chase McGill, Josh Kerr, Russell Dickerson and Chris LaCorte; Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI

BMI’s lobby was packed Tuesday afternoon (April 15) as the industry gathered to celebrate Russell Dickerson and the songwriters behind his sixth career No. 1, “Happen To Me.”

BMI’s Mason Hunter kicked off by highlighting Dickerson’s reach, noting that the track has already surpassed 340 million streams and recently earned a nomination for Best Country Song at the upcoming American Music Awards. “This kind of success doesn’t happen by accident,” Hunter said. “It happens when a lot of talent gets in a room and creates a great song.”

Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar and Concord’s Brad Kennard and Courtney Allen also stepped to the mic to offer congratulations. Studio Bank’s Ron Cox announced that in honor of the No. 1, Studio Bank made a donation to Cultivate, an organization that is, “doing very impactful work in our community by feeding the hungry not only physically but spiritually.”

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s John Nix Arledge, Chase McGill, Josh Kerr, Russell Dickerson, Chris LaCorte and MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson; Photo: Larry McCormack for BMI

Other industry leaders who spoke included Universal Music Publishing’s Cyndi Forman and Triple Tigers’ Kevin Herring, who noted the song’s global reach, including five weeks at No. 1 in Canada and four weeks in the UK.

Producer Josh Kerr was the first of the creators to speak, commenting on the energy in the room that day. “I’m a big believer that when someone listens to a song on the radio, they can feel the way that it was made, and I think that directly translated into how the listeners heard it,” said Kerr.

Chase McGill, who had a billion-stream year across his catalog, spoke next. “I was like, honestly, I want to be a small part of elevating that guy’s platform. Russell’s so easy to pull for,” McGill explained.

Co-writer and co-producer Chris LaCorte shared the song’s “origin story,” mentioning a guitar preset called “Spandex and Hairspray” that inspired the track’s 80’s sound. “The coolest thing is seeing the absolute just fun and joy we had writing that song come across and give that to the listener and seeing people just having the time of their lives,” LaCorte said.

Jessie Jo Dillon was unable to attend, but speakers made sure to tout her big year and multiple Songwriter of the Year honors.

Dickerson closed the afternoon by expressing his gratitude for the community that raised him and for the team that supports him. “I love this freaking life so much. I love being an artist. I love being exhausted. I love playing in front of people,” Dickerson said. “This song has absolutely changed my life. I get to do everything that I’ve dreamed of because of these guys and everybody in this room.”

Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum Commemorates 20 Millionth Visitor

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young, Museum Board Member Sara Finley, Trisha Yearwood, Museum Board Member David Conrad and the Sagi Family (Assaf, Yuli, Liat and Tom). Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrated the nonprofit’s 20 millionth visitor since moving downtown in 2001 this week with a commemoration in the museum’s Mike Curb Conservatory. Trisha Yearwood and museum CEO Kyle Young were on hand to mark the milestone, greeting visitors including the Sagi family from Santa Clara, California.

One of Yearwood’s early jobs when she moved to Nashville in the 1980s included being a tour guide at the museum, and her employment application is currently on display in the museum galleries. Attendees to the celebration printed their own keepsake poster from Hatch Show Print, the nearly 150-year-old letterpress print shop owned and operated by the museum. The museum is among the most-visited history museums in the U.S., welcoming nearly 1.4 million visitors in 2025.  Next month will mark the museum’s 25th anniversary downtown.

Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum Hosts Panel On Opry’s Comedy Tradition With Henry Cho & Gary Mule Deer

Gary Mule Deer, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Senior Director of Editorial Paul Kingsbury and Henry Cho at the museum. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Henry Cho and Gary Mule Deer participated in a discussion April 15 about the Grand Ole Opry’s practice of blending humor with musical performances. The comedians shared their own career paths that led them to the world-famous country radio show during a panel at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the conversation was led by the museum’s Senior Director of Editorial Paul Kingsbury.

The Opry has a longstanding tradition of making comedy part of its entertainment mix, and Jerry Clower, Lonzo & Oscar, Mike Snider, Stringbean and Country Music Hall of Fame members Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield are just a few of the many comic talents who have been Opry cast members. In 2023, the Grand Ole Opry brought acclaimed comedians Cho and Mule Deer into the fold. The interview was offered in support of the museum’s Country’s Grandest Stage: The Opry at 100 exhibit.

Dierks Bentley’s ROW 94 Expands Nationwide With Broken Branches Release

Dierks Bentley‘s ROW 94 recently received a 94 rating from Wine Enthusiast magazine. The brand is expanding with the second release of its popular limited edition Broken Branches. Broken Branches, like all ROW 94 releases, is made in partnership with Lofted Custom Spirits at the Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky. Bottled at 100 proof and aged five years, the bourbon also underwent “Branch Aging,” where time-worn, fire-toasted Oak staves seasoned for up to 24 months rested in the barrels to deepen the whiskey’s complexity. In its second release, Broken Branches is expanding to Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas in the coming months.

Jamie MacDonald Makes National TV Debut On ‘Kelly Clarkson Show’

Jamie MacDonald made her national TV debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week, singing “Won’t Let Go” from her self-titled debut album, which was released earlier this year via Capitol CMG. McDonald is set to make her Grand Ole Opry debut on May 1.

Kelli Masters‘ boutique agency KMM Sports has formed a strategic partnership with Borchetta Entertainment Group, the multi-platform company founded by industry titan Scott Borchetta, and veteran media executive Erik Logan, former President of the Oprah Winfrey Network and current CEO of Tony Robbins’ conglomerate, Robbins Research International.

The new partnership gives KMM Sports the brand-building infrastructure, media relationships, and business management capabilities of a world-class entertainment organization while preserving the personal, relationship-driven representation that has defined KMM for two decades. KMM Sports has represented players in every NFL Draft since 2006, and the move positions KMM Sports as one of the only agencies in professional sports to combine NFLPA-certified contract negotiation with entertainment-grade brand management, strategic financial planning, and full-service legal counsel under one roof — from the first college offer through professional career, retirement and into life after the game.

In 2010, Masters became the first woman in history to represent a Top 5 pick in the NFL Draft when Gerald McCoy was selected No. 3 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and in the 16 years since, she has represented more athletes than any woman in the industry, negotiated hundreds of millions of dollars in NFL contracts, and built KMM Sports into one of the most respected boutique agencies in professional sports. Masters, a member of the Cherokee Nation and former Miss Oklahoma, earned her Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Oklahoma and was named one of Bleacher Report’s 25 Most Influential Women in Sports.

“For twenty years, I’ve built KMM on a simple belief: represent the whole person, not just the player,” says Masters. “We’ve done that with heart, with hustle, and with relationships that last longer than any contract. This partnership doesn’t change who we are — it amplifies what we can do. Our athletes now walk into any room with the credibility and infrastructure of an organization that has built some of the biggest names in entertainment. We’re ready to go up against anybody.”

“I built Big Machine Records from nothing — thirteen people, three artists, and a belief that the independents could outwork the majors. We proved that. The same playbook applies here,” says Borchetta. “Kelli has something that no mega-agency can replicate: twenty years of trust, built one athlete at a time. What Erik and I bring is scale — the brand-building infrastructure, the media relationships, and the business management capabilities that turn a great agent into an industry-defining platform. When the world sees the full picture of what we’re building, they’re going to understand why every athlete should be paying attention.”

“Our job is to build the infrastructure around the agency so athletes get the same caliber of brand management, financial guidance, and career strategy that the biggest names in entertainment and music have relied on for decades. This is about giving the athletes a partner for every chapter of their life — not just the seasons they play,” adds Logan.

KMM Sports will now offer athletes a fully integrated platform that spans every stage of their career, including Contract Negotiation & Legal Representation; End-to-End Brand Management; Financial Advisory & Wealth Strategy; Media, Content & Digital Strategy; NIL & College-to-Pro Transition; and Post-Career Transition & Life Planning. The announcement comes as Borchetta Entertainment Group rapidly expands its management division, which now includes artists Carly Pearce, The Band Perry, and a roster of developing artists across country, Americana, and the broader music landscape, giving KMM Sports clients access to an entertainment ecosystem that spans music, media, content creation, and brand partnerships.