Chris Young To Headline Inaugural OC Smoke Show In California

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Chris Young is set to headline the inaugural OC Smoke Show at The Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano, California on Aug. 16. The event will also feature performances by Chris Janson, The Band Perry, Dylan Schneider, Kelsey Hart and Matt Koerner. Presale tickets will be available June 5 at 10 a.m. PT with general on-sale beginning June 6.

The Smoke Show blends high-energy performances with a barbecue food festival. Originally launched by Activated Events in Gilbert, Arizona last year, the event has expanded to Albuquerque, New Mexico and Orange County, California.

“We’re excited to expand our footprint in Orange County with the launch of the OC Smoke Show,” says Steve Thacher, CEO of Activated Events. “The Riding Park is the perfect setting to introduce this brand-new experience, and we can’t wait to welcome fans for a full day of live music, great food, and unforgettable moments. Orange County is where we first started producing shows, so bringing something fresh and exciting back home makes this event especially meaningful.”

Riser House Entertainment Adds Three To Team

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Alex Heimerman, Hayley Irvine and Eliza Charette.

Riser House Entertainment has added three new team members across streaming, product management and label relations.

Alex Heimerman joins as Vice President, Streaming & Strategic Partnerships. Over the course of his career, Heimerman has gained skills in digital strategy, artist development and streaming through roles at The Trenches, Universal Music Group Nashville and Red Light Management.

“I am incredibly grateful and excited to join the Riser House team and contribute to their continued success across their talented roster,” says Heimerman. “I look forward to upholding their commitment to artistry, authenticity and innovation.”

Hayley Irvine joins as Product Manager where she will oversee day-to-day project strategy and execution across the label’s roster. She most recently serves as Manager of Recorded Finance and Project Manager at BMG/Broken Bow Records.

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to join Riser House,” shares Irvine. “There’s nothing better than jumping back into meaningful work with a team that’s all-in.”

Eliza Charette joins as Project and Label Relations Coordinator, where she will help with supporting artist campaigns and label operations. Charette recently worked in Big Loud’s radio promotion department, and she also has previous experience in live ticketing and booking at Madison Square Garden.

“I’m incredibly excited to join the Riser House team at such a pivotal moment in its journey,” adds Charette. “I look forward to growing alongside this passionate and visionary group, and helping bring even more great work to life.”

“At Riser House, we don’t just chase trends — we build legacies,” says Jennifer Johnson, President of Riser House. “As our roster grows with some of the most authentic artists in music, it’s only fitting that our team grows too. We’re thrilled to welcome a powerhouse trio to the Riser House family. Alex brings sharp strategy and electric energy to the room. Eliza has a spark and spirit that turns ideas into momentum. And Hayley? She’s all heart—steady, passionate, and dialed into making the wheels turn. We’re boutique, but make no mistake—we’re building something bold. The future of music is personal to us at Riser House.”

Ashley McBryde & Cody Johnson To Host CMA Fest Television Special

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Ashley McBryde and Cody Johnson will host CMA Fest Presented By SoFi, set to air June 26 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC and streaming on Hulu the following day.

The special will showcase performances from CMA Fest 2025, including special collaborations. The full lineup will be revealed at a later date.

CMA Fest presented by SoFi is a production of the Country Music Association, executive produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Alan Carter. The 2025 airing marks the 22nd consecutive year CMA has produced a summer concert television special. McBryde returns to host for the second consecutive year while Johnson will make his hosting debut.

Spirit Music Group Partners With DeAndre Hopkins & Erik Belz; Signs Flagship Act Lecade

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Pictured (L-R, front row): Erik Belz (Chief Creative Officer, LASA/House of Blues Pub), LECADE (Spirit Music Writer), DeAndre Hopkins (CEO, LASA) and Frank Rogers (Chief Creative Officer, Spirit Music Group/Chief Executive Officer, Spirit Music Nashville). (L-R, back row): Elizabeth Brahan Wright (Manager/VP of Publishing, 10th Street Ent.), AJ Burton (VP Fluid Music Revolution), Andy Hodges (Creative Director, Spirit Music), Brian Bradford (GM/VP of Admin, Spirit Music), Kennedy Murphy (Creative Director, Spirit Music), Austin Wells (Attorney, Lewis Brisbois LLP), Mikey Fiorentino (Director of A&R/Production, Spirit Music), Matt Cottingham (Attorney, Lewis Brisbois LLP), Lucy Widmann (Creative Coordinator, Spirit Music), Will Cooper (Sr. Director of Finance, Spirit Music) and Chris Nilsson (President of 10th Street Ent.).

Spirit Music Group has formed a joint music publishing venture with NFL player DeAndre Hopkins, in conjunction with writer/producer/manager Erik Belz. In the deal, Hopkins has officially established LASA Music, his own music publishing company. Belz will join LASA Music as Chief Creative Officer, collaborating with Spirit Music Group to sign and oversee artists, writers and producers.

As the flagship signing, Lecade has inked a global publishing deal with the venture, including select songs from his catalog as well as future works.

“Spirit Music is thrilled to welcome both DeAndre Hopkins and Lecade to the family,” says Frank Rogers, Chief Creative Officer, Spirit Music Group/Chief Executive Officer, Spirit Music Nashville. “DeAndre brings a passion for music, entrepreneurial vision and a hard working attitude that is infectious.  We are looking forward to teaming up with DeAndre and Erik Belz to bring the world some great music together!  Lecade is perfect artist to kick things off and we are fired up for everyone to hear what he has been working on!”

“So excited to be a part of such a fantastic team,” adds Lecade. “From the moment I met these guys I knew this was where I wanted to be and that we could make some really special things together. I know we’re gonna prove that as we continue to work and grow as a family.”

Signed to Big Machine Records, Lecade is a Nashville based singer-songwriter that combines gritty country with hip-hop. He currently has over 3 million monthly listeners, amassing over 200 million streams to date. His “When I’m Gone” recently received Gold certification, and is currently working on new music.

“The first time I heard Lecade I knew something special was happening,” shares Hopkins. “His music doesn’t just play in the background — it pulls you in, makes you feel every beat, and leaves a lasting impression. Teaming up with Erik Belz, Frank Rogers, and Spirit Music felt like the perfect way to help take my passion for music to the next level. We’re not here to follow trends — we’re here to shake things up and make an impact.”

“I’ve known DeAndre for years and have always admired his taste and instinct — so partnering with him, Frank Rogers, and Spirit Music on this new venture is a no-brainer,” adds Belz, Chief Creative Officer, LASA / House of Blues Publishing. “Lecade is one of the most exciting young artists we’ve come across—wildly talented and refreshingly original—and we’re all in on building something special with him.”

Old Dominion Dig A Little Deeper On New Album ‘Barbara,’ Due In August

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Old Dominion goes a little deeper on their upcoming new 13-song project, Barbara, due out on Aug. 22.

The new album is an exploration of what it means to be positive, to seek the light and own your place in the world without denying reality, and the Shane McAnally/Old Dominion-produced project seeks to understand the way life and love can rise and fall.

“We didn’t want to get all heavy,” says lead singer Matthew Ramsey. “But I think the feeling good means more when you’re looking life straight in the eye. So much is illusion or what we tell ourselves it is, sometimes if you look in your heart though, reality is even richer. And I think that’s as much the point as anything.”

From the opening “Making Good Time,” that recognizes the purity in coming of age and how it shapes who we become, and the euphoria seeing a certain kind of free-spirited woman can induce in “Break Your Mama’s Heart,” to the rhythmic philosophy of what it all means in “Water My Flowers,” and the elegy for a good friend in “Miss You Man,” the collection considers mortality, humanity and the joy of being alive in a more mature way.

That reflective tone that informs “Me Most Nights” “What Doesn’t Kill A Memory” and “Sip in the Right Direction” lead to the feeling better healing of “Crying in the Beach Bar” and “Late Great Heartbreak.” It also paves the way for “Man or the Song,” a song for anyone at a crossroads wondering what their purpose is or just struggling with what matters. And the album closer “Goodnight Music City,” which honors the spirit of a creative community mostly gone, suggests a knowing that inspires even better futures.

“The thing about this crazy career,” says Ramsey, “so many incredible things have happened, but so much life has also happened. We’ve had people pass away, chapters close, people falling in love, obviously health challenges, if you read People. And when we write for others, we just write to write the best song about whatever moment or feeling we’re chasing right then, and yeah that’s fun. But when we write for Old Dominion, especially this time, we’re bringing more of ourselves into the room. These are our songs, so they should be pulled from our lives. You don’t realize as you’re writing necessarily, but when we listened to these 13 songs, we all realized: it’s our most personal record ever.”

Old Dominion’s “How Good Is That 2025 – World Tour” kicks off this weekend.

Barbara Track List:
1. “Making Good Time” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Ross Copperman Ross Ellis)
2. “Water My Flowers” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Jerry Flowers/Jordan Reynolds)
3. “Me Most Nights” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Ross Copperman)
4. “Man or the Song” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Ross Copperman/Shane McAnally)
5. “Break Your Mama’s Heart” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Josh Osborne)
6. “Miss You Man” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Ross Copperman/Matt Jenkins)
7. “Talk Country” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Matthew Dragstrem)
8. “Late Great Heartbreak” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Shane McAnally/Josh Osborne)
9. “Crying in a Beach Bar” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Ross Copperman/Matt Jenkins)
10. “One of Us” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Shane McAnally/Josh Osborne)
11. “What Doesn’t Kill A Memory” (Brad Tursi/Jordan Minton/Mark Trussell)
12. “Sip In the Right Direction” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Ashley Gorley/Ben Johnson)
13. “Goodnight Music City” (Matthew Ramsey/Trevor Rosen/Brad Tursi/Jesse Frasure)

Morgan Wallen Celebrates ‘I’m The Problem’ With London Release Show

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Morgan Wallen. Photo: David Forehand

Morgan Wallen celebrated his newest album release on May 28 with an intimate, sold-out album release show at the Roundhouse in London. With 2,000 tickets claimed in less than one minute, Wallen performed a 19-song, stripped down set.

Kicking off the night with the album’s title track, which is his most recent No. 1 single, Wallen sprinkled multi-platinum hits from his previous two albums throughout the set including Platinum-certified “Cowgirls,” double-Platinum “Sand In My Boots,” four times-Platinum “Cover Me Up,” six-times-Platinum “More Than My Hometown” and nine-times-Platinum “Whiskey Glasses.” Wallen concluded the night with his seven-times-Platinum single “Last Night.” Four songs from the newest record made their live show debut including “20 Cigarettes,” “Kiss Her In Front Of You,” “Eyes Are Closed” and “What I Want.”

Performing an early release from the album, “Superman,” Wallen shared the heartfelt story behind the song he penned for his son.

“I’ve been trying pretty much ever since he was born to write a song that was good enough to dedicate to him. I probably wrote 30 songs that weren’t good enough, so we scratched them,” Wallen shared. “Right before we were getting ready to turn in this record, we started writing this song. Usually once we write a song, I’ll get Charlie to send me the demo so I can listen to it on my way home. He sent this to me…The very first time I heard it back after writing it, I just broke down and was crying. And that’s the first time I had done that writing a song for my little boy. I figured if it touched me that way, hopefully it would touch a lot of you guys the same way.”

In celebration of his first U.K. No. 1 debut on the Official Charts, Wallen thanked fans by saying, “We’ve been trying to make a connection with you guys, and this is by no means a measure of all successes, but I think it says a lot; whenever I dropped One Thing At A Time, it debuted at No. 40 over here. I just dropped I’m the Problem, and thanks to you guys, it debuted at No. 1. I really appreciate every single one of y’all. I thank you for making me feel welcome in your country, and for having the same kind of love for country music and just music in general. It means a lot to me to be able to say what I just said.”

Wallen is set to kick off his “I’m The Problem Tour” in June and will make 20 stops with rotating support from Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett and Koe Wetzel as direct support with Gavin Adcock, Corey Kent, Ella Langley and Anne Wilson as first-of-three across select dates.

Billboard Expands ‘Country Live At Category 10’ Lineup With Second Night Of Performances

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Billboard has expanded the lineup for its “Billboard Country Live at Category 10” event, slated for June 4-6.

The second night of performances on Friday (June 6), dubbed “Country On The Rise,” will include Cooper Alan, Graham Barham, Harper Grace, Jake Worthington, Tayler Holder and Timmy McKeever.

Thursday (June 5) will feature Alexandra Kay, Ashley Cooke, Drew Baldridge, Max McNown and Reyna Roberts as previously announced. The events will kick off with an exclusive gathering honoring Billboard’s Country Power Players, some of the most influential figures shaping the genre on Wednesday (June 4).

Blake Pendergrass Moves Into Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Blake Pendergrass

Blake Pendergrass has moved into the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. The songwriter sits at No. 3 this week with Warren Zeiders’ “Relapse,” Jelly Roll’s “Heart Of Stone,” as well as 15 credits on Morgan Wallen’s new I’m The Problem album including “20 Cigarettes,” “Don’t We,” “Eyes Are Closed,” “Falling Apart,” “Genesis,” “I Got Better,” “Interlude,” “Just In Case,” “Miami,” “Missing,” “Number 3 And Number 7,” “Superman,” “The Dealer,” “Where’d That Girl Go” and “Working Man’s Song.”

Charlie Handsome claims the No. 1 slot this week with “Come Back As A Redneck,” “Don’t We,” “Eyes Are Closed,” “Falling Apart,” “Genesis,” “I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” “I Got Better,” “I’m The Problem,” “Interlude,” “Just In Case,” “Kick Myself,” “Kiss Her In Front Of You,” “Leavin’s The Least I Could Do,” “Love Somebody,” “Miami,” “Missing,” “Smile,” “Superman,” “TN,” “What I Want,” “Where’d That Girl Go,” “Whiskey In Reverse” and “Working Man’s Song,” all off Wallen’s project. Wallen himself sits at No. 2 with “Come Back As A Redneck,” “Don’t We,” “Eyes Are Closed,” “Falling Apart,” “Genesis,” “I Ain’t Comin’ Back,” “I Got Better,” “I’m The Problem,” “Interlude,” “Just In Case,” “Kick Myself,” “Leavin’s The Least I Could Do,” “Love Somebody,” “Miami,” “Missing,” “Smile,” “Superman,” “TN,” “What I Want,” “Where’d That Girl Go,” “Whiskey In Reverse” and “Working Man’s Song.”

John Byron (No. 4) and Riley Green (No. 5) round out this week’s top five.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Roman Alexander Feels The Pull Of The Midwest On New EP Due In August

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Roman Alexander will release his new EP Midwest Calling August 22. He is giving fans another taste of the new project with his second single,“Life Like,” available everywhere now.

“Midwest Calling is a project that feels like home- not always in a comforting way but in the most honest way since I grew up in the Midwest. These songs come from late nights and conversations you don’t forget. Some are about breakups that didn’t end how you planned, others are about just trying to make sense of life when it’s not all mapped out. The Midwest has a way of pulling you back, even when you think you’ve moved on. That’s what this EP is about; Stories that keep calling you back.”

Alexander first made waves with his debut single “Cocktail Conversations,” which has since racked up over 87 million streams to date. He’s continued to drop fan-favorites like the viral “Trying Not To” with Alana Springsteen, and “Between You and Me” with Ashley Cooke. Named one of Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch, he’s spent more time on the Hot Country playlist than almost any other independent artist and even landed on the Spotify US Viral 50.

In support of his new music, Roman will hit the Hard Rock Stage at CMA Fest this week on June 7.

Maoli Signs With WME

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Maoli. Photo: Reggie Villa

Hawaiian singer-songwriter Maoli has signed with WME for global representation.

With a voice fusing island reggae, country soul and Polynesian pride, Maoli is redefining genre lines with a sound all his own. He has amassed over half a billion global streams across nine independent albums, carving out a nearly 15-year career as a beloved performer across the global stage, from the U.S. to the Pacific Islands and Australia.

Inspired by Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and George Strait along with traditional Hawaiian music, Maoli’s sonic journey began with roots-reggae and island pop. A transformative moment in Texas in 2018 sparked a deeper connection to country music, and since then, he has captivated audiences with his rangy, sand-and-soul vocals and emotionally charged covers like Brett Young’s “Mercy” and “In Case You Didn’t Know,” which have amassed more than 28 million Spotify streams combined.

“Maoli is a singular talent whose music effortlessly blends the heartbeat of the islands with the soul of country,” says WME’s Chris Hrovat. “His authenticity, passion and cross-genre appeal are undeniable. We’re thrilled to welcome him to WME and can’t wait to help take his music to new audiences worldwide.”

“Signing with WME is a massive step forward, not just for me, but for everything I represent,” says Maoli. “It’s always been my kuleana – my responsibility – to share the spirit and sound of Hawaii with the world. I’m beyond grateful to take that mission even further with a team that truly understands the vision.”

A veteran of the road, Maoli recently headlined a sold-out show at Navigation Homes Stadium in New Zealand (12,000 capacity), just before returning to the U.S. for a string of sold-out dates on his “Last Sip of Summer Tour.” His Last Sip of Summer album, produced in Nashville by Dann Huff and David Huff, is set to release June 27.