Hardy Cancels Upcoming Shows After Hospitalization For Anxiety

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Hardy. Photo: Ryan Smith

Hardy announced the cancellation of upcoming shows via a statement released on Instagram yesterday (Oct. 3). The five-time ACM Award-winner canceled his stops in Simpsonville, South Carolina (Oct. 5) and Brandon, Mississippi (Oct. 7) as part of “The Mockingbird And The Crow Tour.” The Big Loud artist was also set to headline the Georgia Rodeo in Athens, Georgia on Oct. 6, which he has rescheduled.

Citing “serious anxiety” heightened in the wake of his tour bus crash from last fall, Hardy shared that he has suffered panic attacks that have landed him in the hospital.

“I need a moment to focus on me and to make myself better for my wife, family and you, the fans,” shares Hardy.

 

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Refunds for tickets both shows are available for fans. The Georgia Rodeo has been rescheduled for April 12, 2024, and purchased tickets will be valid for the new date.

Hardy aims to return to the road in good health by his show in Jonesboro, Arkansas on Oct. 12.

SoundExchange Taps Peter Karafotas To Lead Legislative & Advocacy Efforts

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Peter Karafotas

Peter Karafotas has been appointed Senior Vice President of Government Relations & Public Policy at SoundExchange.

Previously, Karafotas served as Chief of Staff to Ranking Member David N. Cicilline, where he oversaw issues related to intellectual property and music. Karafotas’ career on the Hill includes Communications Director, Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director roles. He has also served as the Vice President of Operations for the media and strategic communications consulting firm Adelstein | Liston. He received his BA from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Karafotas replaces Linda Bloss-Baum, who recently left SoundExchange after nearly a decade with the company to pursue her passion in academia at American University. He will be based in Washington, D.C. and report to SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe.

“Peter will be an incredible asset to SoundExchange with his extensive experience serving on the Hill and tackling some of the nation’s most pressing challenges,” says Huppe. “I am thrilled to have someone with Peter’s expertise at the helm of our Government Relations & Public Policy department at a time when SoundExchange is amplifying our legislative efforts to ensure creators are paid fairly.”

With over 20 years of experience on Capitol Hill, Karafotas will oversee SoundExchange’s global public policy and legislative issues that impact the company. He will lead the development of a proactive public policy strategy to help SoundExchange fulfill its mission of protecting creators and the value of music and will also provide policymakers with a stronger understanding of the international political landscape for the music industry.

“I’m excited to embark on this new journey with SoundExchange,” says Karafotas. “I truly believe this is a great opportunity to utilize my experience to energize SoundExchange’s already formidable advocacy efforts to ensure creators get paid fairly for their work.”

New Alan L. Mayor Photo Retrospective On Display At The Bobby Hotel

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The works of the late, legendary country photojournalist Alan L. Mayor are being presented in a one-of-a-kind exhibit crafted by the Bobby Hotel team, the Americana Music Association, MTSU’s Center for Popular Music and the Alan L. Mayor Estate at the Bobby Nashville.

The exhibition’s opening shot, Dolly Parton at the 1989 CMA Awards. Photo: Alan L. Mayor

Mayor’s extensive archive includes images of iconic country artists reflected through the decades of the country music industry. The exhibit, “The Collection: Alan L. Mayor: A Nashville Retrospective 1974-1999,” went on display Sept. 6 and will remain open through Jan. 6, 2024. The public exhibit is located within the common areas of Bobby Nashville, including the lobby, the Union Tavern Bar and restaurant, as well as the second floor. There is no admission fee.

From the 1970s, Mayor established himself on Music Row as the go-to photojournalist of the Nashville music industry, capturing the personal lives and careers of many Nashville artists before his passing in 2015. Over 60 of his photos are on display, and the exclusive retrospective takes viewers back to a time during country’s evolution as young talents were emerging.

Mayor’s lens captured the wild energy of the outlaw movement, the rise of artists such as Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, and countless other candid moments. Many of the images reflect iconic moments on stage, from Porter Wagoner’s bedazzled suits to a duet with Tammy Wynette and George Jones, while other photos capture more intimate moments behind the scenes such as Ricky Skaggs and wife Sharon White in the crowd at the Station Inn.

Mayor published a collection of photos, The Nashville Family Album, a Country Music Scrapbook during his career. His clients included The Tennessean, Nashville Banner, Billboard, MusicRow Magazine and many more.

Country Music Stars Surprise 2023 CMA Broadcast Award Winners

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CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year (Large Market) winners “Wayne D” Danielson and Tay Hamilton of WSIX in Nashville

The Country Music Association (CMA) has revealed the recipients of the 2023 CMA Broadcast Awards. Nine-time CMA Award nominee this year, Lainey Wilson, and three-time CMA Award nominee this year, Jordan Davis, surprised radio stations and broadcast personalities today with one-on-one calls to reveal the news. 

See below for the full list of 2023 CMA Broadcast Awards winners.

CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year:

Weekly National
Country Countdown USA (Lon Helton) – Compass Media Networks

Daily National  
Angie Ward (Angie Ward) – iHeartMedia

Major Market 
Hawkeye in the Morning with Hawkeye and Michelle (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk and Michelle Rodriguez) – KSCS, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

Large Market 
The Wayne D Show (“Wayne D” Danielson and Tay Hamilton) – WSIX, Nashville, Tennessee

Medium Market 
Mo & StyckMan (Melissa “Mo” Wagner and Greg “StyckMan” Owens) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Small Market
Steve, Ben and Nikki (Steve Stroud, Ben Walker and Nikki Thomas) – WXBQ, Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia

CMA Radio Station of the Year:

Major Market
KEEY – Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota

Large Market
WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio

Medium Market 
KUZZ – Bakersfield, California

Small Market 
WXBQ – Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia

The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Nielsen. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and biographical and impact information. Candidates for Radio Station of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and leadership and impact information.

This year, any full-time, on-air broadcast personalities and radio stations in the United States and Canada were eligible to submit entries, regardless of CMA membership status. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.

CMA Broadcast Awards winners are not eligible to enter the same award category in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2022 were not eligible in 2023.

The 57th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

Music Health Alliance Sets Date For ‘Heal The Music Day’

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Music Health Alliance (MHA)’s sixth annual “Heal The Music Day” has been set for Oct. 20. Music makers across all genres are invited to join Spotify, the Grand Ole Opry, Dave Matthews Band, Keith Urban, Dan Aykroyd, Alabama Shakes, Phish, Vince Gill, Lauren Daigle and more to raise awareness and funding in support of MHA, the music industry’s resource for healthcare.

Funded entirely through individual and corporate donations, grants and fundraising, the nonprofit has provided free healthcare advocacy, resources and mental health support to more than 20,000 working music professionals worldwide for more than 10 years.

Launched in 2017, “Heal The Music Day” is the brainchild of Grammy-winning artist and songwriter Rodney Crowell. Crowell is championing this year’s campaign to raise awareness and support for the emergent and ongoing medical, dental and mental healthcare needs of the music community—76 percent of whom are self-employed or part of a small business—many with limited resources, and often uninsured or underinsured for healthcare. In just six years, “Heal The Music Day” has raised over a million dollars  to provide a lifeline for those struggling with health or mental health issues in the music industry.

YouTube video

“Calling everyone who makes a living in the music industry and those who are passionate fans! We’re at a critical juncture and reaching out to you for your invaluable support. In the past year, our requests for assistance have skyrocketed by a staggering 50 percent, encompassing vital needs such as mental health support, medical bill negotiations, emergent dental care and end of life planning,” says Tatum Allsep, MHA Founder & CEO. “It’s a heartbreaking reality that many in the music industry are forced to make the agonizing decision between putting food on the table and accessing essential medical care. MHA refuses to let this continue, and your commitment to ‘Heal The Music Day’ is key to ensuring that no one in our music community faces such dire choices. Please let the music play and donate to ‘Heal The Music Day.'”

To become a partner in healing, industry members, businesses dependent on the industry and fans can pledge a percentage of a single day’s earnings or event to support MHA’s critical resources and help fellow creators in need.

For every dollar donated, MHA provides $30 in life-saving healthcare resources. Services are free to any person who has worked in the music industry for three or more years. Spouses, legal domestic partners and dependent family members may also qualify. For more information, click here.

Seventh Annual ‘Scott Hamilton & Friends’ Benefit To Celebrate ’90s Country

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Figure skating icon Scott Hamilton is hosting his annual “Scott Hamilton & Friends” show this year on Nov. 19 at Bridgestone Arena with a celebration of  the 1990s, the decade during which he was diagnosed with and treated for testicular cancer.

The event once again will showcase the biggest names in music performing alongside the most decorated stars of figure skating live. Musical guests taking the stage include Trace Adkins, Deana Carter, Jo Dee Messina, Steve Wariner, and The Frontmen featuring Richie McDonald, Larry Stewart, and Tim Rushlow, with house band Sixwire.

World, national, and Olympic champion skaters performing once-in-a-lifetime choreography will include 3x world champion and 2022 Olympic champion Nathan Chen for his first performance at the event, alongside 2x Olympic champion Katia Gordeeva, Olympic champion David Pelletier, Olympic bronze medalist Jeremy Abbott, 2x Olympian and 4x world champion Kurt Browning, world champions and Olympic team medalists Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, 2x world medalists and Olympians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, 3x Canadian national champions and Olympians Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, 2x U.S. national champion and Olympian Gracie Gold, 2x Canadian national champion and Olympian Keegan Messing, U.S. national champion and Olympian Mariah Bell, 2x U.S. national champion Alissa Czisny, and olympian Polina Edmunds. Social media sensation Elladj Baldé will also make his third consecutive appearance in the show.

Tickets for “Scott Hamilton & Friends,” which benefits the Scott Hamilton Cares Foundation, will be available beginning Oct. 6 via Ticketmaster.

Porchlight Music Signs Singer-Songwriter & Producer Chris Sligh

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Chris Sligh. Photo: Courtesy of Porchlight Music

Porchlight Music has signed award-winning artist and producer Chris Sligh to a publishing deal.

Sligh was a top 10 American Idol finalist in 2007, which led to a thriving artist career with a string of Billboard chart hits including “Empty Me,” which received a 2010 Dove Award nomination for Song of the Year as well as the BMI Christian Song of the Year award. In 2009, he scored his first No. 1 with Rascal Flatts‘ “Here Comes Goodbye,” a song that earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals the following year.

In 2019, the multi-instrumentalist began writing with country artist Nate Smith and has since had 78 cuts, including tunes recorded by Smith, Bailey Zimmerman and Josh Ross. Last week, Smith’s “Wreckage,” co-written by Sligh, Smith, Mary Kutter and Paul Wrock was certified Gold by the RIAA.

“Chris is a guy that has had success as an artist coming off the heels of American Idol to having major success as a songwriter and track guy. But in addition to that, he’s someone that we all love being around. He will be a great addition to our offense,” says Tim Medlin, Partner/Co-Founder, Porchlight Music.

Industry Ink: Tim McGraw, Sawyer Brown, Jimmy Carter, More

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Tim McGraw Performs At City Parks Foundation Benefit

Tim McGraw. Photo: Sylvester Zawadzki

Tim McGraw and Train performed recently at the City Parks Foundation’s 2023 benefit fundraiser in Central Park at the flagship SummerStage venue. This year’s event honored Tom Poleman with the SummerStage Icon Award and Devon Eisenberg with the People & Parks Award.

The event raised over $1.3 million in donations, making it their most successful benefit to date, and all funds raised will support City Parks Foundation’s free arts, sports, environmental education and community-building programs produced each year in New York City public parks.

 

Sawyer Brown Celebrates Documentary At Nashville Film Festival

Pictured (L-R): Duncan Cameron, Shayne Hill, Mark Miller, Gregg “Hobie” Hubbard, Joe Smyth, Bobby Randall. Photo: Michael Gomez

Sawyer Brown kicked off its 40th Anniversary celebrations at the Nashville Film Festival with the premiere of its career-spanning, Blake Shelton-produced documentary Get Me To The Stage On Time.

Following the film premiere, Sawyer Brown took the stage for a special acoustic performance of some hits, including “Some Girls Do,” “The Walk,” “Thank God For You” and more that made the band a country music staple in the ’80s and ’90s. The band also debuted the title track from its upcoming record Desperado Troubadours for the audience.

 

Opry Honors Former President Jimmy Carter’s 99th Birthday

Opry member Charlie McCoy Honors Pres. Carter with Performance of “Georgia On My Mind.” Photo: Chris Hollo

The Grand Ole Opry honored President Jimmy Carter on the eve of his 99th birthday Saturday night (Sept. 30) as Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie McCoy dedicated his performance of “Georgia On My Mind” to the former president. The tune is the official state song of Carter’s home state.

The 39th President of the United States visited the Opry before his presidency, during his time as Chief Executive, and in the 42 years since he left office. Carter’s most recent visit to the stage was the capstone of his week in Nashville with Habitat for Humanity in 2019, when more than 20 homes were built for people in need of affordable housing.

“All of us at the Grand Ole Opry are always thankful and humbled to learn when famed personalities from all walks of life are fans of the Opry, perhaps no more so than with a man who has truly dedicated his life to service not only to our country, but to the world,” said show host Mike Terry.

 

HunterGirl Helps Isaiah 117 House At Hometown Video Viewing Event

HunterGirl

HunterGirl recently gave her hometown a special, private viewing of the video for her debut single “Ain’t About You” at the Oldham Theater in Winchester, Tennessee. Along with a private, acoustic performance, the sold-out event raised over $6,000 for the Isaiah 117 House, a local charity that provides foster children awaiting placement a loving and safe home.

“The private viewing of my first official music video for my debut radio single, ‘Ain’t About You,’ was a night I’ll never forget,” says HunterGirl. “I’m so thankful to my hometown for showing me so much love and support! I am happy to say that we raised over $6,000 for the Isaiah 117 House, and we are able to give back to the children in the community. Having the viewing at the Oldham Theater in Winchester, Tennessee, was a full circle moment. Every Sunday night, they hosted American Idol watch parties and cheered me on throughout the competition. I will never forget how much their support pushed me to do my best, so I could make my hometown proud.”

 

BMI Wraps 9th Annual Island Hopper Songwriter Festival

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Dan Spears, City Tavern Assistant General Manager Meghan Fitzmaurice, BMI songwriter Charlie Worsham, iHeart Media Vice President of Events & Client Activation Adam Bauer.

The 9th annual Island Hopper Songwriter Festival wrapped recently with BMI, iHeart Media and the Lee County Visitors and Convention Bureau partnering at the event to help boost the economies of Captiva Island, Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach, communities hit hard by Hurricane Ian last year.

75 BMI songwriters made their way to southwest Florida to help provide support to the business owners who have faced a challenging 12 months, as the local restaurants, bars and hotels worked hard to rebuild their properties to be open in time for this year’s festival. Thousands of fans flocked to the area to connect with the songwriters at the festival, which concluded at the Pink Shell Resort in Fort Myers Beach with a high energy performance by BMI songwriter Chris Janson in front of a record-breaking crowd.

Greyson Chance & Heather Russell Sign With Prescription Songs

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Greyson Chance & Heather Russell

Prescription Songs has signed publishing deals with singer-songwriter and pianist Greyson Chance and singer-songwriter and producer Heather Russell.

Pictured (L-R): Prescription Songs’ Kelly White, Prescription Songs’ Rachel Wein, Greyson Chance, Prescription Songs’ Brooke Webster, Cultiv8’s Alex Ziabko and Prescription Songs’ Katie Fagan

Chance, an Oklahoma-born artist, emerged as a viral sensation at age 12. He introduced himself with his 2011 debut album Hold On ‘til the Night, and realized the power of his voice with 2019’s Portraits, which includes the single “Shut Up” that generated over 95 million Spotify streams and counting, followed by “Yours” with 12 million Spotify streams. Chance recently released the deluxe edition Palladium.

“Working with Greyson is an A&R’s dream; he is unapologetic in his creative vision, yet open to feedback and never afraid to venture into new territory,” says Prescription Songs’ Rachel Wein and Brooke Webster. “As longtime fans, we are thrilled to welcome Greyson into the Prescription Songs family and look forward to building together.”

“I am so grateful and honored to now be alongside the many talented artists, producers and writers at Prescription,” Chance shares. “For me, it was the Prescription team themselves who made me want to pursue my first publishing deal. I feel at home and understood by each and every person in their building, and that’s a special thing to experience in the music industry.”

Pictured (L-R): Brent Burns, Heather Russell and Prescription Songs’ Chris Martignago

Originally from Toronto, 23-year-old Russell’s songs have a vintage, theatrical feel. She has been navigating the industry since signing a major record deal at the age of nine. Her music is inspired by a love of film noir and pop culture. Russell’s upcoming debut Knock, the first of a three-part album, was just released via Kick Kick Snare/42 Records.

“Heather’s voice is one of a kind and she lights up every creative room she’s in,” adds Prescription Songs’ Chris Martignago. “I’m excited to be a part of her journey and to be teaming up with Brent again in a new capacity. We’ve got work to do and I’m excited for us to be in business together to make it happen.”

“Prescription Songs immediately felt like home. My manager, Brent Burns, and Chris Martignago have known each other for over a decade. I’m so grateful to them both, and to everyone in the building for believing in me and welcoming me with open arms,” says Russell. “They are all matched in their professional capacities only by the awesomeness of their personalities! Side effects will absolutely include winning.”

Amazon Music Kicks Off Country Music Month With New Playlist & Programming

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Amazon Music kicked off Country Music Month, a celebration of music and entertainment, by introducing their new Neon Stars playlist, as well as an array of exclusive programming that features the genre’s biggest stars and rising up-and-comers.

Throughout October, fans can listen to Neon Stars, which notably highlights artists whose careers launched on social media and showcases the future voices of country music. The playlist is updated weekly and curated by expert tastemakers.

“Neon Stars brings together artists who have made impressive imprints on both social media and culture,” says Emily Cohen Belote, Principal Music Curator, Amazon Music. “The playlist is designed to go even bigger with both the country genre and a younger demographic. We’re thrilled to continue highlighting the artists that emerge from these spaces and super-serve their fans.”

Country has been a top performing genre on Amazon Music for a while now. The Country Heat playlist emerged as the genre’s flagship for Amazon Music, reaching millions of listeners around the world, and has proven to be a trendsetter for the service. Listeners can expect new Country Heat Weekly podcast episodes, co-hosted by Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton, with wide-ranging interviews and commentary throughout the month. The podcast recently kicked off its fourth season with special guest Tim McGraw, with upcoming episodes to feature Darius Rucker (Oct. 5), Riley Green (Oct. 12), Restless Road (Oct. 19) and Ingrid Andress (Oct. 26).

Additionally, Amazon Music will present a “City Sessions” livestream with Bailey Zimmerman on Oct. 13, and Green will star in the “Breakthrough Live Takeover” livestream on Oct. 17 via the Amazon Music channel on Twitch.