Brandi Carlile‘s “Girls Just Wanna Weekend” concert vacation is set to return next year on Jan. 18-21, 2024.

The fifth anniversary four-night event includes a new host resort, Barceló Resort in Mexico, to accommodate all attendees on one property. The closed “Brandi Land” campus there will provide additional opportunities for immersion as well as a bespoke concert venue, direct beach access, additional activations on-site and premium guest services.

The destination event curated by nine-time Grammy Award-winning Carlile featured all female-fronted acts in its inaugural year to promote a weekend of harmony and give female performers a stage festival experience not often granted to them. The artist line-up for this year as well as the full itinerary of performance times, activities, and local excursions will be announced soon.

Previous “Girls Just Wanna Weekend” performers include Sheryl Crow, Tanya Tucker, Maren Morris, Sara Bareilles, Wynonna, Natalie Hemby, Brandy Clark and Brittney Spencer.

All event packages include luxury resort accommodations, concert access, round-trip airport transportation, bottomless top-shelf  drinks, all inclusive culinary offerings, daily pool parties featuring acts hand-picked by Carlile, artist-curated activities, off-site adventures and more.

For more information about “Girls Just Wanna Weekend,” including booking and payment details, visit girlsjustwannaweekend.com.

Lauren Alaina with ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp participants on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. Photo: Courtesy of the Grand Ole Opry

ACM Lifting Lives hosted its 14th annual Music Camp with Vanderbilt Kennedy Center June 14-20 as well as the SENSE Theatre ACM Lifting Lives 2023 Summer Camp with SENSE Theatre, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and Vanderbilt University Department of Theatre on June 12-24.

Both programs are designed to bring together individuals in Nashville for exclusive experiences, personal interactions with artists and unforgettable live performances, in addition to research opportunities in partnership with Vanderbilt University and other institutions.

Thirty campers from all around the U.S. and one camper from Australia participated in a full-slate of personalized activities, starting with the writing of an original song with some of Nashville’s top songwriters, and culminating with a live performance of the song on the Grand Ole Opry stage in front of a packed audience. Stars who joined the campers throughout the week include Lauren Alaina, Ross Copperman, Charles Esten, J.T. Harding, Tiera Kennedy, Madeline Merlo, Frank Ray, Restless Road, Taryn Papa and Tigirlily Gold.

This year, campers started the week by co-writing a song called “Wrap Me Up” with Copperman, Harding, and Restless Road. Campers recorded “Wrap Me Up” with the help of Papa, Copperman and Harding at Ocean Way Nashville before performing the song on the Opry with Opry member Alaina – and earning a standing ovation from the crowd.

During the SENSE Theatre ACM Lifting Lives 2023 Summer Camp, Copperman, Girl Named Tom and Caleb Lee Hutchinson joined the campers during their rehearsals to learn a song and dance and offer encouragement as they prepared for their stage performances on Friday, June 23-24. The program provides a safe place to learn, explore and practice important life skills for individuals with and without autism.

“Hosting these camps is truly the highlight of the year for those involved, both for the campers and those volunteering and doing the research,” says Lyndsay Cruz, ACM Lifting Lives Executive Director and Taylor Wolf, ACM Lifting Lives Sr. Manager and Music Camp lead. “ACM Lifting Lives has placed an important emphasis on mental health awareness and research, and these camps allow our partners at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center to conduct important research on Williams syndrome and autism, all while providing campers with an experience they can’t find anywhere else. The artists and songwriters in Nashville who donate their time to these amazing summer camps are who make this research and fulfilling experience for campers possible, and we thank them for their positive energy and excitement.”

Kameron Marlowe Releases New ‘I Can Lie (The Truth Is)’ With Erin Kirby

Karmeron Marlowe‘s “I Can Lie (The Truth Is)” took off on TikTok last November, garnering fan responses and a duet video from aspiring singer-songwriter Erin Kirby. Though Marlowe released a solo version of the track earlier this month, he recently surprised Kirby by bringing in her to the studio to record harmonies for the new release.

“A while back I teased this song on TikTok and the next day I got an insane amount of notifications about this girl named Erin Kirby. I listened to her video and immediately said we had to throw her on ‘I Can Lie,’” says Marlowe. “This song wouldn’t be true without her, and she was definitely the missing link to making the story of this song come to life. I’m excited for my first duet to be something the fans made happen and I can’t wait to see how Erin’s career takes off from here. She’s the real deal and I’m very proud of this song.”

Kirby adds, “This has been such a thrill getting to be a part of this song! From the response to me covering the song, to then getting surprised by Kameron to sing with him on it, I’m just so excited to be a part of this and can’t wait for y’all to hear it.”

Additionally, Marlowe invited Kirby to join him for their first joint live performance Tuesday (June 27) at the Grand Ole Opry.

NSAI Hosts Bluebird Cafe Concert for House Judiciary Subcommittee Members

Pictured (L-R): Tim Nichols, Jamie Floyd, Claude Kelly, Chuck Harmony at Bluebird Cafe in Nahsville. Photo courtesy of NSAI.

NSAI hosted members of The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet for lunch and a special performance at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe this week. The members spent two days in Nashville, and attended a rare field hearing, “Five Years Later – The Music Modernization Act” to examine the law’s impact since its signing.

Performers at NSAI’s event included Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, Jamie Floyd, Lee Miller and Tim Nichols.

Mike Richards Signs With Billy Blue Publishing

Pictured (L-R): Ed Leonard, President of Daywind Music Group; Mike Richards; Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director for Billy Blue Publishing; Rick Shelton, Vice President, Daywind Publishing

Billy Blue Publishing has signed multi-award-winning songwriter Mike Richards. With an impressive track record and extensive contributions to the bluegrass genre, Richards brings his exceptional talent to further elevate Billy Blue Publishing’s roster of songwriters.

As a founding member of The Chigger Hill Boys & Terri, Richards has garnered widespread recognition for his songwriting prowess. Richards brings an impressive list of accomplishments to Billy Blue that includes the 1999 GMA Dove Award Song of the Year “He Still Looks Over Me,” contributions to various projects by the legendary Lewis Family and Lee Greenwood. On the gospel side, Richards has had songs recorded by The Freemans, Amber Nelon Thompson, Morgan Easter, the Singing Cookes, Cumberland Quartet, Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet, Mark Trammell Trio and others.

Joe Dan Cornett, Creative Director for Billy Blue Publishing, says, “We are thrilled to have Mike join our Billy Blue Music Publishing family. His exceptional writing skills and profound knowledge of the bluegrass genre will undoubtedly prove to be a huge asset for us and the entire bluegrass community. I eagerly anticipate the impact of his songs on this genre for years to come.”

“I am so very excited to become a part of this elite family of songwriters and staff at Billy Blue Publishing,” comments Richards. “I hope to contribute to their success for a very long time. Thank you to the Billy Blue team for believing in me!”

PLA Media Welcomes Jess Kellie Adams

Pictured (L-R): Mark Logsdon (PLA Media), Ava Hundley (PLA Media), Pam Lewis (PLA Media), Jess Kellie Adams, Becky Parsons (PLA Media) and Dean Sams (Lonestar)

PLA Media has welcomed breakout country singer-songwriter Jess Kellie Adams to its roster.

“When speaking with aspiring musicians, I always say ‘you have to want this for yourself more than I want it for you.’ Talent is just a small portion of what it takes, you have to put in the hard work. Jess has all the components, from looks to personality, talent and verve. I see her dedication and I am betting on her success,” says PLA President, Pam Lewis.

Beyoncé’s Former Musical Director, Bass Player Visits W.O. Smith Music School

Pictured (L-R): W.O. Smith Music Education Director Jordan Morrison, Divinity Roxx, Instrumental Horizons President Luke Putney, and Instrumental Horizons’ Jones Kolbinsky. Photo: Fred Pierson

Grammy-nominated bassist and Beyoncé‘s former Musical Director Divinity Roxx recently spoke and performed for students at W.O. Smith’s Camp Backbeat, a week-long summer camp in Nashville.

The visit was made possible by Instrumental Horizons, a nonprofit that shares the joy of music by donating musical instruments and volunteering services to economically and medically challenged communities around the world. Instrumental Horizons also presented W.O. Smith with a $10,000 donation.

MTSU Alum Medium Build Signed With Island Records

Middle Tennessee State University alum Nick Carpenter—also known as Medium Build—has signed with Island Records. To celebrate, he shared a photo of him singing the contract while holding an MTSU shirt.

Grammy-nominated Odie Blackmon, one of Carpenter’s professor at MTSU and the Commercial Songwriting Coordinator, shares in a social media post, “Nick has turned into everything I hoped for but also something that I couldn’t have envisioned. I can’t express how much I love his music and songwriting. I feel blessed to have played a very small part in his journey, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.”

Medium Build was most recently featured on the X Ambassadors‘ single “Friend For Life.”