Pictured (L-R): Tape Room’s Caroline Hodson, Warner Chappell’s Spencer Nohe, Tape Room’s Blain Rhodes, Ned Cameron, Tape Room’s Ashley Gorley and Kelly Bolton. Photo: Elise Darby

Ned Cameron has signed a global publishing deal with Tape Room Music, in partnership with Warner Chappell Music and Red Light Management.

With over one billion worldwide streams, the Grammy-nominated writer and producer has collaborated with artists including Kid Ink, Machine Gun Kelly, Wiz Khalifa, Sean Kingston and more. Hailing from San Francisco, Cameron found early success in the West Coast hip-hop scene, independently writing and producing with Kid Ink. He has also collaborated with bay area artists such as E-40 and Keak da Sneek, among others.

“Ned brings a unique and fresh sound to country music,” says Ashley Gorley, Founder, Tape Room Music. “He is equally humble, driven and talented, which makes him a great addition to the Tape Room team. We’re fired up to be working with him!”

Spencer Nohe, Senior Director, A&R, Warner Chappell Music Nashville adds, “Ned checks all the boxes you hope for as a publisher – he is talented, humble and hard-working. He burst onto the scene in Nashville and immediately made an impact with his songs and relationships with his co-writers. We are so grateful to help amplify his talents and partner with Tape Room on this deal.”

“I’m beyond excited to join the team. Ashley, Blain [Rhodes], Kelly [Bolton], Caroline [Hodson], Spencer [Nohe], and their entire rosters are superstars, and I’m grateful to be in such good company,” says Cameron. “It’s been a hell of a road so far, and I’m just happy to be here.”

The CMA Songwriters Series will return to the Country to Country (C2C) Festival on March 7, with Charlie Worsham, Colbie Caillat, Lauren Alaina and Stephen Wilson Jr. set to perform and share the stories behind their songs during the show. Tickets for the event are on sale now at gigsandtours.com and axs.com.

The C2C Festival has also announced that the Spotlight Stage will return to London for 2024, with Caillat, Carter Faith, Chapel Hart, Fancy Hagood, Mason Ramsey, Restless Road, Tigirlily Gold and Wyatt Flores all performing in the main arena. The Spotlight Stage seeks to further demonstrate C2C’s commitment to developing country music, as it provides an opportunity for the genre’s rising stars to perform in front of thousands. Chapel Hart, Restless Road, Tigirlily Gold, Flores and Ramsey will also perform in Glasgow.

Since its inaugural event in 2013 at The O2 London, C2C has grown to a three-day, multi-arena event featuring the best in country music and programming, with tens of thousands in attendance each year.

Taking place March 8-10, C2C 2024 will headlined by Alaina, Kane Brown, Brad Paisley and Old Dominion, with Carly Pearce, Jake Owen, Brothers Osborne, Brian Kelley, Elle King, Priscilla Block and Drake Milligan also performing on the main stage across the weekend in London, Glasgow and Belfast.

Ernest performing during his first sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Photo: Corey Miller

Hit singer-songwriter Ernest sold out his back-to-back shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Tuesday (Nov. 28) and Wednesday (Nov. 29). Both evenings were filled with surprises and special guests as fans packed the pews for the “This Fire Tour” stops.

Pictured (L-R): Ally Parsons (Chief Development & Marketing Officer, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee), Nancy Keil (President & CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee), Ernest and Jacquelynn Henderson (Director of Marketing, MAPCO). Photo: Corey Miller

The Big Loud artist performed an array of songs from his growing catalog such as tour namesake “This Fire,” “Miss That Girl,” “Flower Shops” and newest release “Kiss Of Death.”

“What a year we’ve had everybody,” shared Ernest from the historic stage. “As a Nashville kid, there is no more sacred ground than standing on the Ryman Auditorium stage. I can’t ever thank everyone who has supported us over the past few years enough. This is an unbelievable feeling to play here tonight.”

On the first night, he was joined by Keith Urban for a cover of “Slow Dancing In A Burning Room” and Hardy for their co-written smash “More Than My Hometown,” recorded by Morgan Wallen. After surprising the crowd, Ernest was surprised himself as he was recognized backstage with a plaque presented by Big Loud CEO/Partner Seth England and team for amassing over one billion artist career streams.

Giving back to the city he was raised in during his hometown shows, Ernest also presented Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee with a check for $10,000 in partnership with MAPCO as part of GivingTuesday.

Ernest performing with Keith Urban during his first sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Photo: Corey Miller

The second night saw Wallen accompany the headliner for their tracks “Flower Shops” and “Cowgirls.” While on stage, the rising country star was surprised once again when Wallen shared the news that “Flower Shops” had received double-Platinum certification and presented him with another plaque, leading to a standing ovation. Jelly Roll also popped up for their co-written smash “Son Of A Sinner,” along with Charles Kelley, who joined for “Songs We Used To Sing,” and Dean Dillon, who came out for their collab “What Have I Got To Lose.” In addition, Ernest catered to impromptu requests from the audience, breaking into a version of “Comfortable When I’m Crazy,” putting his deep connection to his fans on full display.

Ernest performing with Hardy during his first sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Photo: Corey Miller

Pictured (L-R): Patch Culbertson (SVP/GM, Big Loud Records), Joey Moi (Partner/Producer/ President of A&R, Big Loud), Ernest, Seth England (CEO/Partner, Big Loud), Stacy Blythe (SVP of Radio Promotion, Big Loud Records) and Kimberly Gleason (Senior Vice President, Big Loud Publishing). Photo: Corey Miller

Morgan Wallen presenting Ernest with the “Flower Shops” double-Platinum plaque during his second sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Photo: Corey Miller

Ernest performing with Jelly Roll during his second sold-out show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Photo: Corey Miller

Ricky Skaggs. Photo: Courtesy of Skaggs Family Records

Ricky Skaggs is celebrating the season with his new 2023 holiday tour, “Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Christmas with Special Guests.”

Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder will hit the road this month with nine shows Dec. 7-17, marking his first Christmas tour in seven years. The tour will visit Cincinnati, Charleston, Atlanta, Birmingham, Augusta and more, with a show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Dec. 10.

Fans will hear beloved holiday classics “Silent Night,” “Deck The Halls” and “Let It Snow” during the shows, along with other special Christmas melodies like the bluegrass tune “Christmas Time’s A Comin'” and a rendition of “New Star Shining.”

“Everybody loves Christmas,” notes Skaggs. “It’s the time of year when we think about others and not ourselves. We love singing songs about the greatest birth in history, Jesus Christ. We will be performing some of the old standards we’ve all grown up with, but we will also have some instrumentals and songs that you might not be familiar with. All in all, it will be a great show for the whole family. Get your tickets now and bring someone with you that might not be able to afford a ticket this time of year. You’ll feel great and they will have a fun time too.”

For more information, click here.

Niko Moon

Niko Moon has announced that he is leaving RCA Nashville/Sony Music Nashville after four years to focus on recording as an independent artist. He has also shared that his new album, Better Days, is set for release on Jan. 19, with track “Falling For You” out today (Dec. 1) . Additionally, the singer-songwriter will kick off “The Better Days Tour” on Feb. 1.

Moon broke out as a solo act in 2019, after several years as a member of Sir Rosevelt alongside fellow artists Zac Brown and Ben Simonetti. As a songwriter, Moon has had eight No. 1s and over 40 major label cuts for artists such as Morgan Wallen, Avicii,Dierks Bentley, Pitbull, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts and more. During his time at Sony Music Nashville, he achieved his first No. 1 and RIAA triple-Platinum certification for his single, “Good Time,” and was crowned a SESAC Country Songwriter of the Year. He also co-produced the Zac Brown Band albums, Jekyll+Hyde and Welcome Home. 

“Sony is and will always be the team that helped launch this career and journey I am on, and I am thankful for that. Randy [Goodman] and team have been nothing but supportive of me and my sound, but with the very changing scope of music today, I want the undeniable ability to take my music in any direction possible and deliver it to my fans at a pace that suits me more as a touring artist.”

“Niko has such a great grasp of who he is as an artist and performer,” says Chris Kappy, Chief Navigation Officer, Make Wake Artists. “Niko’s fans are consuming music like crazy and want more and we feel the ability and flexibility to release music that might be outside the genre, would be easier to do as an independent artist. Sony is family and always will be, and we are very pleased that this was done as friends. We all look forward to what the fans will get moving forward!”