Dolly To Celebrate New ‘Rockstar’ Album In Theaters

/by

Dolly Parton. Photo: Vijat Mohindra.

Dolly Parton is celebrating the release of her new album Rockstar with a global first-listen fan event in cinemas worldwide on Nov. 15, with select encores on Nov. 16.

ROCKSTAR: The Global First Listen Event, a unique cinema experience presented by Trafalgar, offers fans a first-listen to selections from Dolly’s upcoming star-studded new album, along with an exclusive interview with the icon. The one-of-a-kind fan event will also feature a never-before-seen performance of a holiday song “Circle Of Love,” plus a rare performance of her classic hit “9 to 5.”

“I am excited to know that my fans around the world will be able to come together and be the first to hear a sneak peek of my Rockstar album,” Dolly says. “I am so proud of this music, and I am humbled by all the wonderful artists who joined me. I cannot wait for people to hear it!”

YouTube video

Tickets to ROCKSTAR: The Global First Listen Event are available beginning today at DollyRockstarEvent.com. In keeping with Dolly’s long-standing commitment to giving back, a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Music Will and their global partner organizations. Music Will is the largest nonprofit music program in the U.S. public school system and works with sister organizations around with world to magnify the power of music education.

“Dolly Parton is such an icon in the music world and to be among the first to hear her new rock music collaborations is something we are so excited to bring to fans. From works with legendary artists including Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Steven Tyler and other friends, this will be a magical evening with Dolly; our beloved grammy winning musical icon,” says Kymberli Frueh, SVP of Content and Programming Acquisitions at Trafalgar Releasing. “The big screen is a wonderful way to bring people together to experience the power of music.”

The album Rockstar includes nine original tracks and 21 iconic rock anthems and will be available as a four-LP set, a two-CD set, digital download and on all streaming services Nov. 17.

Porchlight Music Adds Jenny Hall As Senior Director, Creative

/by

Jenny Hall. Photo: Austyn Jablonski

Porchlight Music has added Jenny Hall to the team as Senior Director, Creative.

Hall is an Indiana native and a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)’s music business program. Prior to joining Porchlight, she spent time as Creative Director at Sheltered Music and Given Entertainment.

In her new role, Hall will oversee the direction and development of the current roster which includes Clint Daniels, Tim James, Chris Sligh, Dan Hutson and Terry Lee Palmer as well as new talent acquisitions. She will also oversee the day-to-day creative operations of signing and developing new talent while managing and developing the current roster.

“Jenny is hard-working, goal-oriented and is going to leave her stamp on the music industry. She is in to win it and has already made a substantial impact at Porchlight Music,” shares Tim Medlin, Partner/Co-Founder, Porchlight Music.

“I’m thrilled to be starting this next chapter of my career with Porchlight Music. After my first conversation with Tim, it was evident how truly passionate he is about the songwriters and forward-thinking goals for the company as well as the trust and runway he lends to creatives on both sides of the aisle,” says Hall. “I’m honored to represent the immensely talented roster here and look forward to being a part of the company’s continued growth and success.”

Hall can be reached at jenny@porchlightmusic.com.

Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, More To Perform During 57th Annual CMA Awards

/by

The initial lineup of performers has been announced for the upcoming 57th annual CMA Awards, and will include Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson.

K. Michelle, Megan Moroney, Tanya Tucker and Carly Pearce will also perform on the show live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Nov. 8, which will be hosted by Bryan and Peyton Manning.

Five-time nominee Jelly Roll is slated to open the show with a performance of “Need A Favor.” Bryan will deliver a medley of hits including “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” “One Margarita,” “That’s My Kind Of Night,” “Play It Again” and “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” while three-time nominee Stapleton will take the stage to perform his single “White Horse.” Wilson, the night’s most-nominated artist, will perform her song “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.”

One of the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Tucker, will be joined by Vocal Group of the Year nominee Little Big Town for a special performance of Tucker’s iconic “Delta Dawn.” Jelly Roll will also take the stage a second time with first-time CMA Awards performer Michelle for a moving rendition of “Love Can Build A Bridge.”

Vocal Group and Music Video of the Year nominees Old Dominion, and New Artist and Song of the Year nominee Moroney will perform their song “Can’t Break Up Now,” while Pearce, nominated for Female Vocalist and Musical Event of the Year, will take the stage to perform her duet “We Don’t Fight Anymore” with Stapleton.

Additional performers and presenters for this year’s CMA Awards will be announced soon.

Industry Ink: Ashley Cooke, Terri Clark, Nashville SC, More

/by

Ashley Cooke Celebrates Gold At Basement East Show

Pictured (L-R, top row): Seth England, Stacy Blythe, Lexi Howder, Ali Nageotte, Rakiyah Marshall; (L-R, middle row): Patch Culbertson, Mike Giangreco, Tori Johnson, Sara Knabe, Candice Watkins, Brianne Deslippe, Matt Cottingham, Austin Wells; (L-R, bottom row): Kris Wiatr, Hillary Lambert, Carrie Murphy, Ashley Cooke, Emily Crews, Drew Magid, Jacob Ringler. Photo: Mick Bodie

Big Loud’s Ashley Cooke played a sold-out headlining show at Nashville’s Basement East last week (Oct. 19) as part of her “Shot In The Dark Tour.”

Cooke’s team presented her with a plaque commemorating the Gold certification for her heartfelt love song “Never Til Now (with Brett Young).” The song was originally released in 2021 and became a SiriusXM The Highway No. 1 song before being released as a duet with Young and making its debut on ABC’s The Bachelorette. 

 

Terri Clark Hosts Bluebird Benefit For Pet Community Center

Terri Clark presents Pet Community Center’s Brandon Dyce with check. Photo: Suzanne Alexander

Terri Clark recently hosted a songwriters’ night at the Bluebird Café, raising over $17,000 for Nashville’s Pet Community Center. The show featured fellow pet enthusiasts and songwriters Derek Ruttan (Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Blake Shelton), Carolyn Dawn Johnson (Chris Stapleton, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea) and new rising star Meghan Patrick. TV personality and national radio guest host Suzanne Alexander, also an animal lover, was emcee.

PCC President and CEO Brandon Dyce said of the special evening, “Everyone deserves to know the love of a pet, so it’s incredibly meaningful to have artists of this caliber lending their voices to help make high-quality veterinary care possible for all pets in our community. We are especially grateful to the Bluebird and to Terri for her longtime support and advocacy of PCC—her generosity will change the lives of thousands of pets and the people who love them.”

 

Nashville Soccer Club & Sony Music Publishing Host Second Writers’ Round At GEODIS

Nashville Soccer Club and Sony Music Publishing are teaming up for the second singer songwriters’ round set for Friday, Nov. 17 at the GEODIS WeHo Club in GEODIS Park in Music City. Songwriters Madeline Merlo (“Champagne Night”), Trannie Anderson (“Heart Like A Truck”), Cole Taylor (“Sippin’ On Fire”) and Neil Medley (“Made For You”) will perform during the special evening. Tickets are available now here.

 

Writers Round Raises Funds For Habitat For Humanity Music Row Build

Pictured (L-R): Makayla Lynn, Rob Hatch, Ree Guyer (Wrensong, Music Row Build Fund founder) Ronnie Bowman, Penny Gattis (Eclipse Music Group, Music Row Build Chair) Neil Medley, Sherry Stinson (Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville)

Rob Hatch, Ronnie Bowman, Makayla Lynn and Neil Medley recently performed a writers round at the Bluebird Cafe for a special evening benefiting Nashville’s Habitat for Humanity Music Row Build.

The Music Row Build’s mission is for the music community to come together to do more for affordable housing in Nashville through education, advocacy and hope in action. Music veterans Renee Bell and Ree Guyer started Habitat’s Music Row Build in 2003, building nine homes before it ended in 2012. Mark Brown reignited the build in 2020 and Penny Gattis became the chair in 2022.

 

Clayton Mullen Inks With CAA, What’s Good Projects

Pictured (L-R): CAA’s Jacob Lapidus, CAA’s Kylen Sharpe, Clayton Mullen, CAA’s Chris Burrus, CAA’s Chad Kudelka, What’s Good Projects, Ryan Kroon

Clayton Mullen has signed with CAA for booking and with Ryan Kroon, of What’s Good Projects for management. The independent singer-songwriter also recently released his latest single “Ballgame.” Penned with Jacob Davis and Josh Miller, “Ballgame” comes on the heels of the success of his previous releases “Where The Time Goes,”  “You Me + Country Song” and “South of Forever.”

Originally from the northeast, Mullen found his sound while attending Texas Christian University, where he garnered attention opening for artists including the Josh Abbott Band, Corey Kent and Randall King. This February, he’ll hit the road opening for Warren Zeiders on the “Pretty Little Poison Tour.”

Scotty McCreery Releases Holiday Track Following Hall Of Fame Induction

/by

Following his induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame last week, Scotty McCreery released his new seasonal track, “Feel Like The Holidays.”

Written by Frank Rogers, Monty Criswell, Derek George, Bobby Hamrick and Jeremy Bussey and produced by Rogers along with Derek Wells and Aaron Eshuis, the new holiday music comes after the release of McCreery’s latest single, “Cab In A Solo” which garnered him the most first-week adds at country radio of his career and is currently climbing the charts.

Scotty McCreery at the 2023 North Carolina Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Photo: Courtesy North Carolina Music Hall of Fame

McCreery was one of six 2023 inductees enshrined in the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame during the annual induction ceremony. The induction ceremony took place at the Mooresville Performing Arts Center in Mooresville, North Carolina, where McCreery gave an acoustic performance of his hits “Five More Minutes,” “This Is It,” “Damn Strait” and current song “Cab In A Solo.”

Other artists honored this year included Loudon Wainwright III, George Beverly Shea, Betty Davis, Bill “Fatback” Curtis and Fetchin Bones. McCreery joins past honorees including Eric Church, John Coltrane, Fantasia, Andy Griffith, Ronnie Milsap, Thelonious Monk, Earl Scruggs, Nina Simone, James Taylor, Randy Travis and more.

“If you know me, you know how much I love my home state of North Carolina,” said McCreery. “There are so many great musical talents from all genres that have come from our state, and I am honored to be inducted alongside them in the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. I have so many musical heroes already in this Hall. This is very special to me and an honor I will always treasure.”

He plans to kick off 2024 by hitting the road on his headlining “Cab In A Solo Tour.”

Restless Road To Kick Off ‘Last Rodeo Tour’ In January

/by

Restless Road will embark on their “Last Rodeo Tour” beginning in January.

The nine-city tour will kick off in Atlanta on Jan. 11 and wrap in Detroit on Jan. 27, with  stops in New York City, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and more as well as a Nashville date at the Brooklyn Bowl on Jan. 12. Special guest Erin Kinsey will be joining the trio on the road.

Tickets for the tour will be available to the public starting this Friday (Oct. 27) at 10 a.m. local time with various presales starting today (Oct. 24).

Restless Road—made up of Colton Pack, Garrett Nichols and Zach Beeken—has released their debut album, Last Rodeo, which features 18 songs including the title track and recently released tunes “You Don’t Have To Love Me,” “Roll Tide Roll,” “I Don’t Wanna Be That Guy,” “Sundown Somewhere,” “On My Way,” their No. 1 Sirius XM hit “Growing Old With You” and fan favorite “Bar Friends.”

The group will close out the rest of the year touring with Russell Dickerson before launching the trek.

Gunnar Latham Inks With CAA [Exclusive]

/by

Gunnar Latham. Photo: Jake White

Texas artist Gunnar Latham has signed with CAA.

A former professional rodeo cowboy turned country artist, Latham signed his first publishing deal in May 2022. Born and raised in the Texas hill country, his influences range from George Strait to Mac Miller.

Latham has self-released seven songs over the last few years and has racked up nearly a million streams across all platforms. His next project, a three-song western saga The Western Trilogy, is set for release this fall.

He is managed by Mike Doyle and Jensen Sessums at Bob Doyle and Associates, has a publishing deal with Major Bob Music and is represented by attorney Scott Safford of Safford, Motley PLC.

The Garth Channel To Relaunch On TuneIn

/by

TuneIn and the SEVENS Radio Network will relaunch Garth Brooks‘ beloved The Garth Channel this fall on TuneIn for free to fans around the globe for the first time ever. The station will return with Brooks’ music and more, including his favorite artists across different genres and personal stories from life on the road.

“The Garth Channel has always been my music, my heroes, my favorites. So, how do you make it better? You make it global for starters so the whole world can see how much I LOVE music and where it comes from,” says Brooks. “More stories…from me and other artists. It seemed what people loved most on The Garth Channel were the stories. The new Garth Channel will now send out invitations for other artists to tell their stories behind the music and their careers.”

He adds, “And saving the best for last, The Garth Channel will be broadcasting from the new Friends In Low Places Bar in Nashville. Some are calling the new channel, The Garth Channel 2.0. Truth is, it’s the new Garth Channel 7.0.”

The Garth Channel is the third station launched on TuneIn in partnership with Brooks and the SEVENS Radio Network. The first station, The BIG 615, brought Brooks’ vision to life for a new authentic take on country radio with host Storme Warren in the driver’s seat. The second, Tailgate Radio, brings listeners anthemic music for game day.

“What Garth has brought to TuneIn is incredible,” says Rich Stern, CEO of TuneIn. “What we have seen already in terms of listener engagement and excitement on The BIG 615 and Tailgate is remarkable. Simply put, people want as much Garth as they can have. However, the one common thing we have heard through social, emails and just people out on the street is ‘When is The Garth Channel coming back?’ We are so excited to finally let them all know that not only is The Garth Channel coming back, but it’s going to be even bigger than before and surrounded by these other stations on the SEVENS Network, to give the most complete Garth Brooks experience anywhere in the world.”

Darius Rucker Presented With 2023 CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award

/by

Darius Rucker receives the 2023 CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award during a visit to The Kelly Clarkson Show. Photo: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal

During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Darius Rucker was presented with the CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award, which goes to an individual who has served as a humanitarian through community leadership, financial support, personal volunteerism and advocacy. The individual honored has evidenced commitment to worthwhile causes that are important to the Country Music Association and the country music community.

While on the show, Rucker spoke about his late mother Carolyn Rucker and explained how the namesake of his new album, Carolyn’s Boy, directly inspired his passion for giving back.

“When I was a kid, she instilled in us that you help people—not people that are less fortunate; you help people that need help,” Rucker shared with Clarkson. “We grew up in a really poor neighborhood with not much and, you know, there was no reason for me to believe that I was gonna be here and make it. But she always instilled in me ‘believe in yourself, you can do whatever you want.'”

YouTube video

Among his many philanthropic efforts, Rucker pledged his support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital after an inspiring firsthand visit 15 years ago and, as a result, created the “Darius & Friends” charity auction, golf tournament and concert in 2010. Taking place each year in the days leading into CMA Fest, the event has now surpassed the $3.6 million mark, raising funds to benefit the research hospital leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Rucker also co-chaired the capital campaign that generated $150 million to help build the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in his hometown of Charleston, South Carolina—an effort directly inspired by his mom’s career as a MUSC nurse—and has advocated for over 200 charitable causes supporting public education and junior golf programs in South Carolina through the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation while also serving as a National Chair for the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville. Rucker is a four-time CMA Awards nominee, taking home the CMA New Artist of the Year honor in 2009.

Cody Johnson Announces Additional 2024 Dates For ‘The Leather Tour’

/by

Cody Johnson. Photo: Chris Douglas

Cody Johnson has added 15 more dates to his upcoming 2024 “The Leather Tour.”

Launching on Jan. 19 in Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center, the added shows on the tour include Indianapolis, Baltimore, Lexington, Memphis, New Orleans, Denver and more. The tour features Johnson’s first headlining date at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Feb. 2 as well, and runs through Aug. 17.

Special guests on the tour include Justin Moore, Chris Janson, Dillon Carmichael and Drake Milligan. Newly announced dates go on sale on Friday, Nov. 3.

Johnson recently revealed the track listing for his upcoming new album Leather, due out Nov. 3. The 12-song project features guest appearances by Brooks & Dunn on “Long Live Country Music” and Jelly Roll on “Whiskey Bent.” Other writers contributing to the album include Wynn Varble, Michael Hardy, Devin Dawson, Chase McGill and more. The leadoff single from the album, “The Painter,” launched its first week with the biggest radio add date of Johnson’s career with 73 stations adding the track.