Chart Action: Luke Combs’ Surprise Single Continues Its Rise At Radio

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Luke Combs. Photo: Zack Massey

Luke Combs‘ latest single, “Doin’ This,” debuted at No. 53 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart and earned 9 station adds. The CMA Entertainer of the Year surprise-released his new song and debuted it live during The 55th Annual CMA Awards broadcast in November.

A personal reflection on his own life and career, “Doin’ This” continues to receive widespread acclaim with MusicRow‘s Robert Oermann stating, “His heart is so huge, and there are few in the format who are as completely relatable… A masterpiece.” Combs wrote the song with Drew Parker and Robert Williford.

For more chart data, view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly. 

Casting Crowns Unveils Plans For New Album, Tour In 2022

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Casting Crowns

Grammy award-winning Christian group Casting Crowns will release their new album, Healer, on Jan. 14. The upcoming project’s title track is available everywhere now as a sneak peek.

When the world shut down due to the pandemic, Casting Crowns frontman and songwriter Mark Hall knew he needed to write for the moment, sharing his straightforward words and writing from the heart. Aptly named, the project intends to show that healing comes in many different colors and sizes.

“I was walking through the world being shut down, just like everybody else,” shares Hall. “I’ve been a youth pastor for over twenty years and here I was counseling teenagers who’d just lost their senior year, lost their friend groups, felt hopeless for the future. As I started working on this record, I realized all the songs I was writing dealt with healing in some way, something we all need. And more than that, we need a Healer. This whole album is about healing, about how God meets us where we are and what His healing looks like.”

Leading up to the new release, Casting Crowns has already released a handful of tracks, including the powerful “The Power of the Cross” and “Scars In Heaven,” which broke the first-day streaming record for a Christian song debut on Amazon Music.

Supporting the new album, the band, in partnership with Compassion International, will embark on “The Healer Tour” with support from We Are Messengers and Jonathan Traylor in 2022. Tickets will go on sale Dec. 17. Currently, the group is on the KLOVE Christmas Tour along with Mac Powell, Cain, Dante Bowe, and Jordan St. Cyr.

Casting Crowns “The Healer Tour” Dates:
Feb. 17 – Baltimore, MD – Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Feb. 18 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Feb. 19 – Salisbury, MD – Wicomico Youth & Civic Center
Feb. 20 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston PAC
Feb. 24 – Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Civic Center
Feb. 25 – Alexandria, LA – Rapides Parish Coliseum (*on sale Dec 20)
Feb. 26 – Meridian, MS – Temple Theater for the Performing Arts
March 3 – Pompano Beach, FL – Pompano Beach Amphitheatre
March 4 – Gainesville, FL – Exactech Arena
March 5 – Sarasota, FL – Robarts Arena
March 8 – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium
March 10 – Salem, VA – Salem Civic Center
March 11 – Columbus, GA – Columbus Civic Center
March 12 – Johnson City, TN – Freedom Hall
March 17 – Pikeville, KY – Appalachian Wireless Arena
March 18 – Getzville, NY – The Chapel at CrossPoint
March 19 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
March 24 – North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena
March 25 – Tulsa, OK – Mabee Center
March 26 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center
March 27 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry House
March 31 – Cleveland, OH – Playhouse Square
April 1 – Milwaukee, WI – Wisconsin Lutheran College (*on sale now)
April 2 – Corbin, KY – The Corbin Arena

Tim McGraw Plots Amphitheater Tour For Spring

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Tim McGraw. Photo: Robby Klein

Three-time Grammy winner Tim McGraw has announced his “McGraw Tour 2022,” slated to kick off on April 29 at Walmart Amphitheater in Rogers, Arkansas.

Produced by Live Nation, the limited 17-city amphitheater tour will make stops across the U.S. in Charlotte, Atlanta, Bristow and more before wrapping up in Mansfield, Massachusetts at Xfinity Center on June 4. McGraw will be joined by multi-Platinum recording artist Russell Dickerson as direct support, as well as rising artists Alexandra Kay and Brandon Davis as opening acts.

Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Dec. 14 until Dec. 16. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. local time.

McGraw can also be seen across the music festival circuit in 2022, with performances at Winstock Country Music Festival, NEBRASKAland DAYS, Country Jam, and Big Valley Jamboree, among others. He will be featured this winter in the Paramount Plus television series 1883, alongside Faith Hill and Sam Elliott. Written by Taylor Sheridan, 1883 is a prequel to the hit show Yellowstone.

Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam Announces New Thursday Night Kickoff Party For 2022

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The Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam 2022 is adding an additional night of music to its lineup for 2022 in celebration of its 10-year anniversary.

The new Thursday Night Kick-Off Party, presented by Royal American and People’s First Insurance, will be headlined by Brett Young and include performances from Jameson Rodgers, Niko Moon and Casi Low.

The now four-day festival will run June 2-5 at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach and will feature previously announced headliners Florida Georgia Line, Old Dominion and Brooks & Dunn.

“We already had the biggest lineup in our history, and we decided to break tradition and add a fourth day to make our 10th anniversary truly a huge celebration,” says Executive Producer Rendy Lovelady. “We’re excited to have Brett back at the beach, along with all of these other amazing artists.”

In addition to the new Thursday night artists just announced, the full lineup includes Gary Allan, Chris Janson, Scotty McCreery, Jordan Davis, Maddie & Tae, Mitchell Tenpenny, Randy Rogers Band, Frankie Ballard, Tracy Lawrence, Tyler Rich, Darryl Worley, Corey Smith, Ryan Griffin, Steve Moakler, Elvie Shane, Tigirlily, Nate Barnes, Confederate Railroad, Presley & Taylor, Chandler Flint, and the Pepsi Southern Original winner.

Fans who previously purchased a ticket will automatically get admission to the fourth night free as a 10th anniversary gift. Thursday-only tickets will be available starting at$29.

Those who purchased a pass for the 2021 festival–which was canceled due to COVID–who wish to transfer their pass to 2022 will automatically have a bonus $21 added to their registered wristband to spend at the 2022 festival.

Parker McCollum Reaches Top Of MusicRow Radio Chart

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Parker McCollum’s “To Be Loved By You” sits at the peak of the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart after earning 1,680 spins this week and 43,740 total since its release.

McCollum co-wrote “To Be Loved By You” with Rhett Akins and it appears on his latest album Gold Chain Cowboy.

This week, McCollum was named one of the CRS 2022 New Faces of Country Music alongside Gabby Barrett, Walker Hayes, Jameson Rodgers, and Lainey Wilson.

He also announced the launch of an NFT fan club with the help of MusicFX, a new entertainment NFT platform from full service blockchain platform provider CurrencyWorks Inc. Read more about the new venture here.

Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

Ben Cantelon Joins Provident Entertainment As Sr. Director, A&R

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Ben Cantelon

Worship leader, songwriter, and producer Ben Cantelon has joined Provident Entertainment as Senior Director of A&R.

Cantelon has co-written songs with Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Matt Redman, Maverick City, Newsboys, Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, Matt Maher, Michael W. Smith, Passion and many more. He has released five projects as a worship artist with Survivor Records and Kingsway Music, and has also held the role of worship leader and pastor at Soul Survivor, Holy Trinity Brompton, and Worship Central in the UK.

In 2017, Cantelon and his family relocated from the UK to Nashville, where he signed a publishing deal with Capitol CMG.

“We are thrilled to have Ben join us at Provident,” says Blaine Barcus, SVP, A&R at Provident Entertainment. “His diverse background as an artist, worship leader, songwriter, and producer will be a huge benefit to our A&R team and the creatives he will serve/support. Most of all, Ben is a person who loves artists and understands their hearts.”

Nashville Songwriters Association International Recognizes BMG’s Hartwig Masuch

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Pictured (L-R): NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison and BMG Publishing’s CEO Hartwig Masuch

The Nashville Songwriters Association International’s (NSAI) 27-member songwriter Board of Directors has unanimously adopted a special resolution which recognizes BMG Publishing’s CEO Hartwig Masuch for his philosophy and actions to value songwriters.

This is the first time NSAI has recognized a publishing company CEO in this way. His philosophy, which states “BMG works for songwriters and artists. They don’t work for us,” is accompanied by a BMG mission statement that also speaks to transparency when it comes to paying their songwriter partners.

The Resolution reads as follows:

“The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) recognizes Hartwig Masuch, Chief Executive Officer of BMG, a Bertelsmann group division.

The all-songwriter NSAI Board of Directors (unanimously voted) recognizes Masuch for his many contributions, but specifically for his demonstrations of being a creator-friendly industry leader. Under his guidance the company’s stated vision is:

‘A world in which every songwriter and artist gets to achieve their potential and receives a fair reward for doing so. Music isn’t just another business. Music is created by individuals, each of them on their own creative journey taking huge risks. The fruits of that creativity need to be paid for, fairly and efficiently. BMG aligns itself with the interests of the creative community of music.’

NSAI points to Masuch eliminating the so-called Controlled Composition clause, a practice where songwriters are asked to take a reduce royalty rate to have a song placed on an album. BMG also undertook an unprecedented review of its historic recording contracts and accelerated royalty payouts, which NSAI applauds.

Other songwriters specific company philosophies under Hartwig’s watch include:

Ambition: To be the best company in music to do business with. BMG works for songwriters and artists. They don’t work for us.

Fairness: The music industry has not always been known for treating songwriters and artists fairly. For BMG it’s an article of faith running through every department in the company. Fairness means no hidden costs or deductions. Fairness means no backdoor deals designed to enrich the company at the expense of the client. Fairness is treating your clients like partners.

Be in therefore resolved that the NSAI Board of Directors recognizes, appreciates and salutes Hartwig Masuch for his leadership in valuing songwriters, artists and everyone involved in the creative process.”

Reba’s Former Estate At Cherokee Dock To Become 5-Star Event Venue & Resort

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The Estate At Cherokee Dock, the former home of country music star Reba McEntire, is under new management with plans of being transformed into a 5-star luxury event venue and resort by Nashville-based Infinity Hospitality.

Originally built in 1960, the nearly 13,000 sq. ft. Southern Colonial mansion in Lebanon, Tennessee opened as an event center in 2017. Secluded on approximately 15 acres of Old Hickory Lake waterfront property, the estate and venue accommodates up to 30 guests. The estate has hosted various celebrity events over the years with the most recent being ABC’s The Bachelor Ben Higgins’ recent wedding to Jessica Clarke.

The Estate at Cherokee Dock has various entertaining spaces, both indoors and out, including a lakeside dock, original gardens, high-end equestrian facility, paddocks, guest house, pool house, movie theater, outdoor tented pavilion and more.

“Infinity Hospitality is thrilled to provide an event and lodging experience second to none in Tennessee, with full-service event design and planning, an on-site culinary program, custom bar selections, and vendor management for all services needed to create a once-in-a-lifetime event,” says Nathaniel Beaver, CEO of Infinity Hospitality. “In addition, Cherokee Dock’s hospitality director will also coordinate additional on-site amenities such as spa treatments, boating, fishing, golf, horseback riding, corporate team building activities, and live music for any occasion.”

Mickey Guyton Celebrates The Holiday Season With New Cracker Barrel Special

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Mickey Guyton performs “O Holy Night” as part of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store’s “Sounds of the Season: Together Again” holiday special, available on the brand’s YouTube and Facebook channels beginning Dec. 15.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store will present “Sounds of the Season: Together Again,” a holiday special with songs and conversations from three-time Grammy award-winning and multi-Platinum artist Pentatonix and country music entertainer Mickey Guyton.

The artists will showcase their own takes on Christmas songs while sharing their favorite holiday traditions. The 30-minute holiday feature, including new and timeless classics, such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Evergreen,” “O Holy Night,” “How Great Thou Art” and more, will be available to stream on Cracker Barrel’s YouTube and Facebook channels beginning Dec. 15.

“I’m so excited to join Cracker Barrel in spreading holiday cheer and care this holiday season,” shares Guyton. “The holiday season is a special time for families across the country to celebrate together. While we all have our own traditions, it’s been inspiring to come together with Pentatonix to celebrate our unique takes on these holiday favorites.”

“As friends and families reunite this year after spending recent holidays apart, we are excited to celebrate the season through music with Cracker Barrel’s second edition of ‘Sounds of the Season: Together Again,'” Cracker Barrel Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Tate says. “We hope the songs, new and old, as well as the meaningful discussions Pentatonix and Mickey have in this year’s holiday special inspire viewers to consider how they can welcome a diverse range of people, thoughts and traditions to their table this holiday season.”

Country Thunder Roars Back To Bristol With Jason Aldean, Morgan Wallen, More

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After October’s sell-out event, Country Thunder Bristol is expanding into a two-day experience next fall. Headliners Jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen will perform at the historic Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Kameron Marlowe, MacKenzie Porter, and Ian Munsick, are also on the bill for the 2022 show. More artists will be added to the lineup in the coming weeks.

“The fans in Bristol, and indeed, the entire Tri-Cities area have spoken,” says Country Thunder Music Festivals CEO, Troy Vollhoffer. “We have made so many wonderful new friends in this part of the world that we can’t wait to get back. The camping culture is huge in so many Country Thunder markets, and I see it growing here now that we are a multi-day event. Add that to the history and electricity of Bristol Motor Speedway and you have one incredible event!”

General Admission, Platinum Experience, Gold Circle, Camping and all the extras are available now at countrythunder.com to purchase, or by phone at 1-866-388-0007.