Rising country rocker Ben Gallaher has made his way around Music City and beyond over the last ten years.

A self-taught musician who has played guitar since he was 6, the impressive picker has opened for the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hank Williams Jr., Blake Shelton, 3 Doors Down, and Lee Brice.

“I’ve never really had legit lessons other than a handful when I was young, but I just feel like I was born to do this—play and sing country music,” Gallaher shared in a recent visit with MusicRow. “It’s been a lifelong journey for me. There was never really a backup plan or anything, I was just going to get to Nashville.”

Growing up in small town Pennsylvania on 90s country greats, namely Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, BlackHawk, Tracy Lawrence and more, Gallaher notes that the sonic elements of country music from the 2000s really shaped his artistry. While watching icons like Keith Urban blast on to the Nashville scene with his guitar prowess, Gallaher began writing songs in high school. Though he admits that none of them were any good, he rolled into Nashville at 19 to pursue his musical dreams while also attending Belmont University.

“I feel like most artist-writers when they move to town, one of the first steps is breaking into the songwriting circles. You start co-writing and meeting people,” he explained. “For me, I love songwriting but I’m such a live guy that I would stay up at night trying to figure out how to get out on the road, form a band, and rent a van until I could buy one. I wanted to learn how to work a crowd, so that stuff is what drove me.”

Now, Gallaher is hard at work in the studio ironing out the last batch of songs for his first full-length record. Combing through a few hundred of the songs he’s penned throughout the last few years, he tapped Mickey Jack Cones and Derek George as co-producers for his debut project. However, not all of the songs that make up its track list were written by Gallaher.

“I love writing, but the best song wins. We’re cutting songs that I didn’t write because some of the best, world class writers are in this town. I think it would be stupid to not dig in to some of those catalogs and find the best stuff,” he noted.

Of the songs expected to be included on his upcoming record are a sentimental love song about his wife called “Roots Grow Down,” which was released late last year, and an ode to one’s love for their small hometown in “Til It’s Yours.”

“We were touring in Kansas a couple of years ago and we passed this small town right on the side of the highway. I was in the passenger seat of the van and I was just thinking, ‘How many people pass this small town and they don’t think anything of it?’ But if you’re from that small town, that’s everything to you,” he shared. “Things mean more to you when they’re yours, but to somebody else they may not mean anything. My songwriting mind was like, ‘Man, that’s a country song in the making right there,'” he said with a laugh.

As he’s been traveling on the road over the last ten years, Gallaher has also created his own headlining “Prison Tour.” Visiting the state prisons of Pennsylvania each December, he brings his soulful, rock flare to the inmates through a solo, acoustic set of both originals and well-known covers.

“A friend of mine back in 2011 worked at one of the state prisons in Pennsylvania and asked me, ‘Have you ever thought about coming and playing for the inmates?’ At first I was like, ‘Hell no!’ But it reminded me of Johnny Cash, and I felt like no one was doing that,” he remarked. “There were like 250-300 inmates in the bleachers [the first time I played at a prison] and it was unreal. You could hear a pin drop in there. The raw reaction from these guys was so moving that the following year it naturally spread to the other state prisons.”

Over the last decade, Gallaher has expanded his reach to about a dozen prisons and has quite the stories to tell from his experiences. “This one guy came up to me [at a prison show] and said, ‘I’ve been in here for 20 years and I hate country music, but those songs just changed my whole outlook on life. It gave me a sense of hope and positivity that when I get out of here I can chase my own dreams and be somebody good…’ That’s the power of music right there.”

Now signed to Stone Country Records, Gallaher has released his very first single to country radio: the gravel-infused rocker “Country, Boy.”

“I’ve been on a radio tour for about six or eight months now, running around all over the country. This is the first time going to radio and the first time having a real, full team.” he summed, “It’s all about the team. You can’t do it alone. I know that better than anybody else after being here for this long.”

The heat gave Nashville a break Thursday evening (June 9), making for the perfect breezy summer evening for the first Nissan Stadium show of CMA Fest 2022.

With headlining sets from Shenandoah, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean and Keith Urban, fans were treated to an evening of hits on night one.

Rising star Brittney Spencer got the music started with a hair-raising rendition of the National Anthem. Crook & Chase‘s Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase were delightful hosts for show attendees, while Dierks Bentley and Elle King made a few appearances while performing their hosting duties for the TV special, airing in August.

Shenandoah was the first act to take the main stage. Marty Raybon and the band sounded awesome, and pleased fans with some ’80s country gold. Concert goers clapped and sang along to “Next to You, Next to Me,” “I Wanna Be Loved Like That,” and “Two Dozen Roses.” After closing with a rousing rendition of “The Church on Cumberland Road,” Raybon closed the set with a spirited, “Long live country music!”

Rucker’s set was full of laid-back, feel-good vibes. He sang country hit after country hit, such as “Alright,” “Come Back Song,” “Homegrown Honey,” “This,” and “Beers And Sunshine.” He also thrilled fans by grooving along with some Hootie & The Blowfish hits like “Hold My Hand” and “I Only Wanna Be With You.”

“Who loves country music, huh?” Rucker said before going into his massive, 9x-Platinum “Wagon Wheel.” If you’ve ever been to a Darius Rucker show, you know that the people love “Wagon Wheel.” Fans from the floor of Nissan Stadium to the top of the 300 section were on their feet dancing with the singer to the 2013 hit.

The hits kept coming when Zac Brown Band took the stage. The talented band performed their beloved “Toes,” “Knee Deep,” “Homegrown,” and “Colder Weather,” as well as some newer songs such as “Out in the Middle” and “Same Boat.”

Brown invited a few special guests to join him during his stage, starting with King Calaway, to promo their brand new single “When I Get Home.” Brown co-wrote and produced the track.

He also invited the very talented Marcus King up to perform a song the two co-wrote, “Stubborn Pride.” Brown was giddy watching King get a standing ovation after his incredible guitar solo.

Like Rucker, the Zac Brown Band has a larger than life crowd favorite: “Chicken Fried.” The stadium was thigh-slapping and two-stepping along to the country hit from its opening licks to the moment Brown left the stage.

Next up was Aldean. If fans were getting tired by the time the country rocker took the stage, the energy he brought was enough to wake them up.

Aldean kicked up the volume for his long string of hits, such as “Crazy Town,” “Lights Come On,” “Take A Little Ride,” “Tattoos On This Town,” and “Dirt Road Anthem.” He also played some new tunes, such as the current No. 1 song in the country, “Trouble With A Heartbreak,” and his next single, “What Tequila Does.”

“It’s good to see you guys, back,” the country star said. “This is what June in Nashville is supposed to look like.”

When it came time to sing his monster hit with Carrie Underwood, “If I Didn’t Love You,” Aldean sat at the piano and Underwood appeared on a screen singing her part. The energy never wavered throughout Aldean’s set, and he closed with a one-two punch: “My Kinda Party” and “Hick Town.”

Urban took the stage at about a quarter ’til midnight. He carried on Aldean’s high-energy, running all over the stage and connecting with the crowd.

“I have a feeling you guys might have missed this thing as much as we did,” Urban said to the excited crowd.

The beloved entertainer performed his “Days Go By,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” “Somebody Like You” and “You’ll Think of Me.” For his duet with P!nk, “One Too Many,” Urban also made use of a pre-recorded video for the pop singer’s part.

Urban’s newest hit, “Wild Hearts,” sounded perfect in the stadium. The anthemic tune had fans reaching towards the sky and singing their hearts out.

More performers made use a few other stages throughout the night. Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter performed their smash duet, “Thinking ‘Bout You,” in the middle of the stage.

On the new Platform Stage, Kat & Alex sang their “How Many Times” and “I Want It All,” complete with Spanish versions honoring their heritage. The band mates and spouses exchanged grins at each other, beaming with pride at their Nissan performance.

Priscilla Block also performed on the Platform Stage. “I think I’m about to pee my pants. This is the coolest thing ever done in my whole life,” she said through tears. The smiling and sparkly singer performed her fun “My Bar” and breakout hit, “Just About Over You.”

Taking the Nissan Stadium stage tonight (June 10) will be Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Deana Carter, Carly Pearce, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson.

 

Callista Clark is giving fans a sneak preview of her upcoming debut full-length album Real To Me: The Way I Feel, with the release of a brand new track, “Sad,” out today.

Penned by the rising vocalist with Sarah Buxton and Jimmy Robbins, the young woman in “Sad” is not at all broken up about her recent breakup. “‘Sad’ is one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever written,” explains Clark. “It’s super lighthearted and perfect for summer. I wanted the lyrics of this song to be fun and sarcastic–the exact opposite of how I was feeling while going through a heartbreak. Manifesting not being sad.”

Due out Oct. 14 via Big Machine Records, the new album expands her previously-released Real To Me collection to 10 tracks. Produced by Nathan Chapman, Clark’s debut features songs co-written by Clark with Emily Shackelton, Jonathan Singleton, Chris DeStefano, Liz Rose, and more.

“I couldn’t be more excited to share that my first album ever is coming out Oct. 14! I have been waiting so long and trying my best to get all the new songs as perfect as I can. The Real to Me era is not over yet! Can’t wait for y’all to hear it,” she adds.

Clark continues to make strides as one of country’s hottest newcomers. Billboard has featured her two years in a row on their annual “21 Under 21” list, and she was the youngest member ever named to CMT’s Next Women of Country in the 2022 class.

Real To Me: The Way I Feel Track List:
1. “It’s ‘Cause I Am” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Laura Veltz
2. “Gave It Back Broken” | Callista Clark, Emily Shackelton
3. “Change My Mind” | Callista Clark, Dan Isbell, Jonathan Singleton
4. “Worst Guy Ever” | Callista Clark, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Weisband
5. “Brave Girl” | Callista Clark, Ben Johnson, Emily Landis
6. “Wish You Wouldn’t” | Callista Clark, Emily Falvey, Lalo Guzman
7. “Heartbreak Song” | Callista Clark, Chris DeStefano, Liz Rose, Emily Shackelton
8. “Don’t Need It Anymore” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Melissa Peirce
9. “Sad” | Callista Clark, Sarah Buxton, Jimmy Robbins
10. “Real To Me” | Callista Clark, Casey Robert Brown, Laura Veltz

Whiskey Myers Makes Red Rocks Debut With A Wave Of New RIAA Certifications

Whiskey Myers made their Red Rocks debut earlier this week (June 6) with a sold-out crowd of 9,525.

Delivering 19 genre-bending songs over two hours of music, the six-piece was also surprised pre-show with plaques celebrating four brand-new RIAA certifications. “Stone,” “Ballad of a Southern Man” and “Broken Window Serenade” earned Platinum distinction while “Virginia” was certified Gold.

The band takes their show to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival next weekend (June 17), while continuing to make stops on their cross-country “Tornillo Tour.”

AIMP Nashville Chapter Hosts “The Evolution Of Writer Management In Nashville” Event

The AIMP Nashville Chapter recently hosted its in-person “The Evolution of Writer Management in Nashville” event on June 1 at SESAC’s Nashville offices.

The event brought together writer managers Nate Lowery (Cornman Music), LeAnn Phelan (LP Creative Management), and Shelby Yoder (Milk & Honey South and Top 5 Music Publishing) to discuss the intricacies of the ever-growing world of writer/producer management.

BMI Hosts Industry Mixer For Equal Access Participants

Clay Bradley and Shannan Sanders of BMI hosted a mixer at the BMI offices for participants of mtheory’s Equal Access program.

In addition to mtheory and BMI staff, attendees included those from CMT, Universal Music, Universal Publishing, Symphonic, Nashville Music Equality, The Change Agency, plus several notable songwriters and producers. The mixers serve to give the Equal Access manager and artist participants a chance to meet and work with leaders in the country music industry who want to see it evolve into a more inclusive space.

More of these events with industry partners will take place in the coming months.

Templeton Thompson & Sam Gay Sign With ORiGiN Music Publishing In Australia

Templeton Thompson and Sam Gay have inked a sub-publishing agreement with ORiGiN Music Publishing in Sydney Australia. This agreement includes their Connected at the Hit Songs and BoatPony Music catalogs.

The signing news comes on the heels of their 11 singles on the Australian country radio charts with 10 No. 1s on the iTunes Australia Country chart.

In addition to their hits in Australia, Thompson’s and Gay’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Reba McEntire, Little Texas, Montgomery Gentry, Ricky Van Shelton, and Jo Dee Messina, among others. Individually and collectively, their songs have been used in films such as Dr. Dolittle 3 and the Lifetime Christmas movie Every Other Holiday. Gay also wrote and produced the soundtrack for the film Dogs On The Inside.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this collaboration with the team at ORiGiN!” says Gay. “We’re so grateful to legendary Australian producer Rod McCormack, Aussie country icon Gina Jeffreys, Vixens of Fall and Courtney Keil for doing such an amazing job with the songs we’ve all written! The only missing piece has been a relationship with an Australian publisher. ORiGiN Music is a perfect fit to oversee our catalogs and open the door to even more creative opportunities in that part of the world.”

“We’re so blessed to be working with the wonderful folks at ORiGiN and can’t wait to see what the future holds!” Thompson adds.

iHeartMedia has unveiled the lineup for the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival set for Sept. 23-24 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

This year’s star-studded two-day main stage lineup will feature performances by Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Morgan Wallen, Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL Cool J feat. DJ Z-Trip, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Sam Smith, The Black Keys, and more.

Chase Rice, Carly Pearce, Ryan Hurd, and plenty more are among the lineup for the Daytime Stage on Saturday (Sept. 24) at the new immersive event and entertainment district, AREA15 in Las Vegas. Other artists performing on the Daytime Stage include Maggie Rogers, 5 Seconds of Summer, Big Time Rush, Girl in Red, Lauv, Chlöe, Willow, Latto, Gayle and Lauren Spencer-Smith, with more to be announced.

The Daytime Stage will also include fan zones and interactive experiences by iHeartRadio’s brand partners.

“We’re thrilled to once again return to Las Vegas for a weekend full of great live music with this year’s Festival,” says Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “What makes this festival one of a kind is that we have the best artists from every genre of music that we play on our 860 iHeart stations all on one stage. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see so many legends performing together.”

Each night, the festival will broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country across more than 150 markets, and the CW Network will broadcast a two-night TV special this October. In addition, The CW will exclusively livestream both nights of the festival via The CW app and CWTV.com.

“This is the one music festival that celebrates the best in class in all genres of music,” adds John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia. “Fans love this weekend because they discover new artists and the artists leave with new fans.”

Tickets are available to the general public on AXS.com beginning June 17.