Old Dominion Guitarist & Hit Songwriter, Brad Tursi, Delivers First Solo Album [Interview]

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Brad Tursi. Photo: Marina Chavez

As part of the award-winning, multi-Platinum-selling country band Old Dominion, musician and songwriter Brad Tursi has traveled the world, notched multiple No. 1 hits and won plenty of industry awards.

As one of the group’s chief songwriters and guitarist—as well as a celebrated writer with songs recorded by Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell and more—Tursi is living the dream. Though the music he makes with his band fulfills him, the Connecticut native has found himself needing another creative outlet through the years.

While growing up, Tursi was forged by the music of Guns N’ Roses, James Taylor, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Phish. He found his dad’s guitar in the attic when he was a preteen, beginning his lifelong passions of playing guitar and songwriting.

“I was in a band in college and then another band after college. Then after that, I almost quit music altogether,” Tursi tells MusicRow. “I moved to Nashville to be a songwriter, swearing I would never be in another band.”

Old Dominion celebrates one billion streams among other recent successes. Photo: Mason Allen

He realized he wasn’t going to keep that promise he made to himself when he reconnected with Whit Sellers, who was in a new band called Old Dominion. Tursi joined the group in 2012, and just a few years later, Old Dominion started their spree of hits with “Break Up with Him.” Thus, he and his bandmates were on the fast track to becoming seven-time ACM and six-time CMA Group of the Year winners.

All the while, Tursi started collecting songs that didn’t quite fit the Old Dominion sound. Some of them he pitched to other artists, while some felt like songs only he could sing. On Friday (July 19), he delivered 10 of those songs on his first-ever solo album, Parallel Love, via Sony Music Nashville with the band’s full support.

“Over the years, I just had all these songs that I knew were not right for the band. There was no pressure on me to do it or anything, it was just a passion project,” Tursi says.

He shares that making Parallel Love has been good for him personally, as well as for his position in Old Dominion. “Because a band is such a democracy, you have to compromise a lot. It’s nice to have this other outlet that actually allows you to be more open to compromise in the band setting.”

Parallel Love features co-writes with Stephen Wilson Jr., Dan Isbell, Jessi Alexander, Matt Jenkins and Ben West. Tursi produced the entire project as well, with West and Marc Scibilia co-producing select tracks.

“Church Bells and Train Whistles,” written with Wilson Jr. and West, was pitched around town before Tursi called it his own.

“That song has been pitched around to everyone and their mother. It’s the most commercial one, but I just love that song. I love the production. That’s the only one that I didn’t re-record, that’s just a demo mixed.”

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A stand-out track on the project is “Question The Universe,” a song about meeting someone and watching the potential of a relationship fall apart because of life’s circumstances. Tursi wrote it by himself.

“A buddy and I were at Red Door one fateful night and he met a girl. The next morning, we woke up and they had fallen in love. But that coming weekend, the girl was supposed to move to L.A. to be with her boyfriend who was out there getting everything set up,” Tursi says of his inspiration for the song. “My buddy and her spent the whole week together and then she left.

“She actually ended up breaking up with the dude, and coming back after I wrote the song,” he notes. “I think a lot of people have experienced meeting someone that they wish they could pursue, but it’s just not going to happen for a myriad of different reasons.”

Brad Tursi celebrates new solo album release in Nashville. Pictured (L–R): Sony Music Nashville’s Randy Goodman, Morris Higham’s Buffy Cooper, Brad Tursi, SMN’s Ken Robold, Morris Higham’s Dustin Stout and Clint Higham. Photo: Mason Allen

Another song, “Oh Darlin’,” is broken up into three parts, weaved throughout the album’s 10 tracks. It’s one of Tursi’s oldest songs from the collection, and covers a musician’s fear of irrelevancy once the stage lights go dim.

“I think that’s a fear of a lot of musicians, especially when you’re successful. You ask yourself, ‘Do people like me for me or do they like me because of what I’m doing or who they think I am?'”

Tursi was inspired to write the title track for Parallel Love from a self-help book. “We’re like two wild flowers growing towards the sun. You next to me, me next to you. Lord, I love to watch you bloom, growing in a parallel love,” he sings in the song’s chorus.

“A lot of people think that once they find someone, that’s it—they’re together and everything they do has to be together. The fact of the matter is that people grow separately at different times. That person is there for you to lean on, but at some points, they might be ahead of you or behind you [in their personal growth],” Tursi explains. “I wrote that with Dan Isbell, who’s an old friend of mine. He’s a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy, so he definitely brought some country elements to the song.”

Another standout track from the project is another solo-write, “Lover and a Friend.”

“That one took me a long time to finish. I started it on the guitar, and I just couldn’t finish it. When I finally started playing it on the piano, the tune kind of changed in my mind. It’s nice because it’s just a straightforward lyric—it’s not super metaphorical or anything.”

When looking at his first solo body of work, Tursi is proud of what he’s created as well as excited to continue to carve a new lane where can express his creativity.

“I hope that it’s the start of another little journey. Old Dominion has been so crazy, we’ve accomplished so many things. But the fact that I’m going on tour with this record with my own band in October is crazy. There are [opportunities] I haven’t even thought of, and I’m excited to continue the insane journey of music and life.”

Catch Tursi on the road for his “Parallel Love Tour” starting Oct. 3 in Atlanta, Georgia. Dates for the trek are below.

“Parallel Love Tour” Dates:
*on sale July 26
Oct. 3 – Variety Playhouse (Atlanta, GA)
Oct. 4 – Lexington Opera House (Lexington, KY)
Oct. 10 – Gramercy Theatre (New York, NY)*
Oct. 12 – The Levitt Pavilion for Performing Arts (Westport, CT)
Oct. 13 – Big Night Live (Boston, MA)
Oct. 16 – Egyptian Room (Indianapolis, IN)
Oct. 17 – Carol’s Pub (Chicago, IL)
Oct. 19 – Barnato (Omaha, NE)
Oct. 20 – Gothic Theatre (Denver, CO)
Oct. 25 – The Newberry (Great Falls, MT)
Oct. 27 – Wachholz College Center – McClaren Hall (Kalispell, MT)
Oct. 29 – McMenamins Spanish Ballroom at Elks Temple (Tacoma, WA)
Oct. 30 – Tower Theatre (Bend, OR)
Nov. 1 – Uptown Theatre (Napa, CA)*
Nov. 2 – Carmel-by-the-Sea (Carmel, CA)*
Nov. 3 – Fremont Theater (San Louis Obispo, CA)
Nov. 5 – El Rey Theatre (Los Angeles, CA)*
Nov. 7 – Rialto Theatre (Tucson, AZ)

Sarah Trahern Presented With Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award

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Pictured (L–R): Maurice Miner, Heather McBee, Nan Kingsley, Jeannie Seely, Sarah Trahern, Trisha Yearwood and John Zarling. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry

Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern was presented with the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award last night (July 22) at the Opry House during a special event benefitting the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund.

Trahern has been at the CMA helm since January 2014, serving as an advocate for country music and all those who are part of it while representing the industry on both a national and global level.

Established a decade ago to celebrate the late veteran country radio broadcaster’s career, the Bob Kingsley Living Legend Award has raised over $350,000 to support the Grand Ole Opry Trust Fund’s mission of helping members of the country music community when they need it most. Previous recipients include Joe Galante, Jim Ed Norman, Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase, Clarence Spalding, Lon Helton, Bart Herbison and Erika Wollam Nichols.

In addition to the presentation, the evening’s function featured performances by Tom Douglas, Chris Janson, Ryan Larkins, Craig Morgan, Maura O’Connell, Carly Pearce, Marty Stuart and Trisha Yearwood as well as remarks by Suzanne Alexander, Robert Deaton, Joe Galante, Tiffany Kerns, Jeannie Seely, Susan Swain, Jody Williams and Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell.

Weekly Register: Megan Moroney Takes Top Country Album Debut

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Megan Moroney. Photo: CeCe Dawson

Megan Moroney‘s Am I Okay? takes the top debut on the country albums chart this week, landing at No. 3 with 43K in total consumption (13K album only/38 million song streams), according to Luminate data.

Zach Bryan’s The Great American Bar Scene stays at No. 1 with 88K (2.7K album only/108 million song streams), followed by Morgan Wallen’s One Thing At A Time at No. 2 with 66K (1.4K album only/83 million song streams). Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album descends to No. 4 with 38K (354 album only/49 million song streams), and Shaboozey‘s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going shifts down to No. 5 with 34K (1.1K album only/40 million song streams).

The country streaming songs chart shows no movement among the top five, as Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” rests at No. 1 with 32 million new streams, adding to 478 million ATD. Wallen and Post Malone‘s “I Had Some Help” holds No. 2 with 28 million streams, adding to 423 million ATD, while Wallen’s “Lies, Lies, Lies” continues at No. 3 with 22 million streams, adding to 49 million ATD. Bryan’s “Pink Skies” sits at No. 4 with 18.3 million new streams, adding to 188 million ATD, and his “28” secures No. 5 once again with 18 million streams, adding to 41 million ATD.

In Pictures: 11th Annual Faster Horses Festival Features Current Country Stars

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Lainey Wilson headlining Faster Horses Festival 2024.

Faster Horses Festival returned to Brooklyn, Michigan this past weekend for its 11th annual event. This year’s festival featured headliners Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Hardy along with other current country stars.

Jelly Roll headlining Faster Horses Festival 2024. Photo: Marc Nader

Emerging artist Zach Top kicked off the three-day event on Friday (July 19), followed by Jackson Dean and Tyler Hubbard. The evening commenced with a video tribute to military members, which included special clips from previous festival-goers who are currently on active duty. Cody Johnson also honored our veterans, singing “God Bless America” during his set, with fans cheering. Jelly Roll then took to the stage for his headlining performance, welcoming Hubbard for a special cover of Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” and bringing Johnson back on out for his No. 1 “Son Of A Sinner” and their collaboration “Whiskey Bent.”

Cody Johnson performing at Faster Horses Festival 2024

The Faster Humans Fun Run got the party started on Saturday morning (July 20). As per festival traditional, fans showcased their Faster Horses spirit as they raced around the Michigan International speedway before catching the day’s lineup. Attendees sang along to Alexandra Kay, Sawyer Brown and Shane Smith & The Saints, and Old Dominion treated the crowd fan-favorite tunes as the sun began to go down. Wilson then closed out the night with a bang, entering the stage on top of a vintage orange truck. In addition to performed hits such as “Heart Like A Truck” and “Watermelon Moonshine,” she invited a young fan onstage to crown her “Cowgirl of the Night.”

Hardy headlining Faster Horses Festival 2024

The first two nights ended with dance parties and sets from DJ Rod Youree at the Next From Nashville Stage, which also displayed the talents of Jake Worthington, Sadie Bass, Tanner Adell, Aidan Canfield, Stephen Wilson Jr., Josh Ross and more throughout the weekend.

On Sunday (July 21), the sunshine continued as Tigirlily Gold, Ashley Cooke, Kip Moore and Riley Green rounded out the the festival alongside Hardy. The final headliner wrapped the event on a high with his genre-melding anthems and electrifying live production, comprised of pyrotechnics, rolling smoke and bright strobe lights.

Old Dominion performing at Faster Horses Festival 2024

Sadie Bass performing at Faster Horses Festival 2024

Logan Mize Salutes Small-Town Life On New Album

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Logan Mize has released his new album, Her Heartland, which serves as love letter to small-town life and his upbringing in the midwest.

Produced by Daniel Agee, the 14-track project aims to tell relatable stories of unconditional love, life on the road and more. The Big Yellow Dog Music artist has been slowly teasing Her Heartland with multiple singles over the past year, including “I Hold You” and “Out Of State Plates.” The album also features songs penned by the late Abe Stoklasa as well as Daniel Tashian, Jessie Jo Dillon, Josh Hoge and more.

“Her Heartland is a collection of material we’ve released over the past year,” says Mize. “We’ve stayed in the same lane sonically so the songs all seem to fit together really well. I’m proud of this one and I think it’ll end up having multiple slow burners with a long shelf life.”

Her Heartland Track Listing:
1. “Her Heartland” (Logan Mize, Daniel Agee)
2. “Out of State Plates” (Logan Mize, Daniel Agee, Kyle Sturrock)
3. “Ends in Why” (Randy Montana, Eric Paslay, Charlie Muncaster)
4. “Last Hometown” (Donovan Woods, Colton Venner)
5. “Another Right Now” (Donovan Woods, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins)
6. “If You’re Up” (with Jessie James Decker) (Daniel Tashian, Abe Stoklasa, Sarah Buxton)
7. “Rural Route Kid” (Logan Mize, Daniel Agee, Rob Williford)
8. “American Dream” (Daniel Agee, Logan Mize)
9. “I Hold You” (Stephen Wilson Jr., Derrick Southerland, Jamie Paulin)
10. “Hope I’m Not The Only One” (Jessie Jo Dillon, Jon Nite, Jordan Schmidt)
11. “Just Keep Breathing” (Logan Mize, Daniel Agee, Blake Chaffin, Colton Venner)
12. “Bloodline” (Randy Montana, Django Walker, Josh Hoge)
13. “Heaven On Dirt” (Logan Mize, Blake Chaffin, Andrew Petroff)
14. “The World Just Keeps Getting Better” (Logan Mize, Daniel Agee, Jason Nix)

Randy Rogers Band To Release 20th Anniversary Edition Of ‘Rollercoaster’

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Photo: Backstage Design Studio

Randy Rogers Band will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 2004 album, Rollercoaster, with the release of a remastered and resequenced edition on Aug. 23.

“20 years. They say, ‘don’t blink.’ Yet, that’s exactly how this feels,” shares Randy Rogers. “We all feel so lucky to still be standing up on that stage playing these songs. What a ride. Cheers to you Rollercoaster!”

Produced by Radney Foster, the new edition seeks to capture the original spirit of the band’s seminal album while bringing it into the modern age. Initially released on Aug. 24, 2004, Rollercoaster marked their second full-length album, and helped to launch them into stardom.

In January at The MusicFest in Steamboat, Colorado, Randy Rogers Band performed the collection from top to bottom with help from collaborators Wade Bowen, Cody Canada and Foster. In support of the 20th anniversary release, the group will be hitting the road next month for shows across Texas and beyond, including select dates withParker McCollum, Flatland Cavalry and Ian Munsick.

Rollercoaster 20th Anniversary Edition Track Listing: 
1. “Down & Out” (Randy Rogers, Brady Black, Geoffrey Hill, Jon Richardson, Les Lawless)
2. “Somebody Take Me Home” (Randy Rogers, Radney Foster)
3. “This Time Around” (Randy Rogers, Cade Canada)
4. “Love Must Follow You Around” (Randy Rogers, Radney Foster)
5. “Lay it All On You” (Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen)
6. “Tonight’s not The Night” (Randy Rogers, Radney Foster)
7. “Again” (Randy Rogers, Cody Canada)
8. “Can’t Slow Down” (Randy Rogers)
9. “They Call It The Hill Country” (Kent Finlay)
10. “Ten Miles Deep” (Jon Richardson)
11. “I Miss You With Me” (Randy Rogers)

SOLID Raises $40,000 For CMA Foundation

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SOLID Nashville presents CMA Foundation with a check on June 27, 2024 at the CMA Event Space in Nashville, TN. Photo: Britney Buckwalter/CMA

The SOLID organization revealed that they have raised $40,000 for the CMA Foundation during this year’s CMA Fest.

The Backstage Auction, held at Fan Fair X, offered festival attendees the chance to bid on various items including signed instruments, merch bundles, concert tickets and more. Those who could not make it to Nashville were also able to bid online. The auction was spearheaded by SOLID members Leah Ducey, Mark Thress and Samantha Funderlich. 

“Our record-breaking donation can be attributed to our continued support from CMA as well as the entire SOLID community coming together to ensure that we once again surprise and delight CMA Fest fans with unique offerings in new ways,” says Ducey. “We are so grateful to CMA for providing one-of-a-kind items and support throughout CMA Fest who ensure that fans know where to find our Backstage Auction online and on-site at Fan Fair X. We were thrilled to greet countless CMA Fest fans who return to our booth and look forward to finding items from their favorite country music artists year after year.

“Of course, none of this would be possible without the combined efforts of my co-chairs, Mark Thress and Samantha Funderlich, our entire SOLID 2024 Board and the SOLID organization as a whole for bringing in special items and exclusive experiences from country music’s biggest stars. I would like to take a moment to thank them all and express extra gratitude to our volunteers who truly made the entire Backstage Auction possible all weekend long. We are absolutely elated with the results this year and look forward to our continued partnership with CMA for years to come.”

SOLID President Rio Van Risseghem shares, “Every year our partnership with CMA on The Backstage Auction grows stronger and we are so thankful to be able to work with them once again. With the addition of some highly coveted items donated from CMA, we surpassed our CMA Foundation contribution from last year and finally hit an incredible $40,000 mark. SOLID’s Music Market Chairs, Leah Ducey, Mark Thress, and Samantha Funderlich rallied SOLID’s entire membership in securing donated items and staffing The Backstage Auction with SOLID volunteers for CMA Fest weekend.”

Mac McAnally To Make Headlining Debut At The Ryman In January

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Mac McAnally

Mac McAnally is set to make his headlining debut at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Jan. 31.

During the milestone event, the award-winning creator plans to take the audience through decades of musical work. Tickets are available now. For more information, click here.

McAnally has released a rendition of Jimmy Buffet’s “Oysters and Pearls,” which he and Buffet wrote together, and tune “All The Way Around” this year. Serving as a guitarist and longtime member of Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, he continues to play sold-out shows across the country for his fans and “Parrot Heads,” keeping the spirit of his friend and collaborator alive. In addition to Buffet, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) inductee has penned chart-toppers for the likes of Alabama and Kenny Chesney as well as contributed to albums by Toby Keith, Dolly Parton and George Strait.

McAnally is also involved in Walt Disney World Resort’s revamped Country Bear Musical Jamboree, and is currently producing new projects for Sawyer Brown, Ned LeDoux and more.

Kashus Culpepper To Launch ‘Howlin’ Under The Harvest Moon Tour’ This Fall

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Kashus Culpepper. Photo: Cole Calfee

Kashus Culpepper will hit the road on the “Howlin’ Under The Harvest Moon Tour,” his second headlining journey, this fall.

The Alabama native will be joined by newcomers Coleman Jennings, Anna Graves and Alex Lambert across various dates of the 11-stop tour. The trek will kick off in Austin on Sept. 12, and travel to Dallas, Detroit, Birmingham and more before visiting Nashville on Oct. 12. Tickets go on sale this Friday (July 26), with select presales taking place throughout the week. For more information, click here.

“I’m back,” announces Culpepper. “My second headlining run is coming this fall, and I’m bringing along some artists that I truly love and am excited to sing with. Can’t wait to see y’all out there, and connect with y’all on the road. This year has already exceeded my expectations and it’s all because of y’all, so thank you for all the love and support. Hope to see you out at a show!”

The newly-signed Big Loud Records artist has also released his second single, “Who Hurt You,” and inked with Big Loud Publishing and Warner Chappell Music, after signing with CAA earlier this month.

Tucker Wetmore Announces Inaugural Headlining Tour

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Tucker Wetmore. Photo: Anna Schaeffer

Breakout artist Tucker Wetmore has announced the “Waves On A Sunset Tour 2024,” his first-ever headlining run.

The 16-stop tour will kick off in Statesboro, Georgia on Oct. 4 and visit multiple cities through mid-November. Throughout the journey, Wetmore will be joined by Hannah McFarland, Eli Winders and Ashland Craft.

“I am so excited to be going on my first headline tour! Thank you to my fans and listeners for making this possible,” he expresses. “This has been a dream come true of mine for so long. So excited to bring out some of my friends, Hannah McFarland, Eli Winders and Ashland Craft, on the road with me. God is good!”

Presale tickets will be available this Wednesday (July 24) at 10 a.m. local time, with general sales starting this Friday (July 26) at 10 a.m. local time. For more information, click here.

With his debut radio single “Wind Up Missin’ You” positioned to break into the top 30 in only six weeks, Wetmore continues to release new music. His latest tunes, “Already Had It” and “Steal My Thunder” with Conner Smith, come from the star-studded Twisters soundtrack. Additionally, Wetmore performed for over seven thousand fans at CMA Fest last month.

Ahead of the headlining shows, he plans to support Luke Bryan on his “Farm Tour 2024” as well as Jordan Davis, Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch, Jelly Roll and more on select dates.