Pictured (L-R, back row): Michael Ransom, Kirby Smith, Lauren Spahn, Brandon Perdue; (L-R, front row): Jennifer Johnson, Dylan Wolfe, Drew Baldridge. Photo: Shannon Bradley

Riser House and Drew Baldridge’s Lyric Music Publishing have partnered to sign singer-songwriter Dylan Wolfe to an exclusive publishing agreement.

Wolfe is an independent country-rock artist from Illinois. He has garnered a large following on social media due to his TikTok presence, as well as over 10 million streams on his recent singles such as “Wasting My Time” and “Something To Talk About.” Wolfe also co-wrote Bailey Zimmerman’s “From The Fall” from his 2022 Leave The Light On EP.

“For 7 years I’ve been playing music, writing songs, working a job, traveling back and forth to Nashville from Illinois and I always prayed that someone would hear my stuff, see my hard work and be willing to take a chance with me,” says Wolfe. “That has finally happened and I couldn’t be more blessed! I’m so excited to be a part of the Riser House family and to have my mentor Drew as part of the team as well. My career has only just begun and the expectations are high for the future!”

“Dylan not only brings raw talent, but he is a self starter and has an incredible work ethic,” says Jennifer Johnson, President and Co-Founder of Riser House Entertainment. “I’m honored to be partnered with Baldridge in this publishing venture, and I am very excited for Dylan’s future!”

Established in 2023, Wolfe is the first artist to sign to Baldridge’s Lyric Music Publishing roster.

“I’ve watched Dylan since day 1 cut his teeth playing in the same dive bars that I started playing in back in southern IL,” says Baldridge. “His work ethic is unmatched and he continues to grow everyday in his artistry and songwriting. I’m so excited to be partnering with Jennifer Johnson and her incredible team at Riser House to give Dylan’s music the light it deserves!”

“Dylan has a truly unique voice, both as an artist and a writer, that feels ripe for the current wave of emerging artists,” says Brandon Perdue, Riser House’s SVP A&R + Publishing. “From the first meeting, his work ethic and character really impressed us and he comes in with some impressive relationships already established as well. We’re truly excited to dive in with he and Drew on this partnership!”

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has invited Eric Church to be its 18th artist-in-residence.

The annual artist-in-residence series spotlights an artist with an exemplary body of work and features one-of-a-kind performances over multiple evenings. The museum offers its intimate CMA Theater as a blank canvas for the artist to curate shows incorporating different themes and special guests.

Church will produce and perform two shows on Aug. 29 and 30, and tickets range from $75 to $500 with all proceeds benefiting the nonprofit museum’s educational mission. Museum members and Church’s “Church Choir” fan club will have access to a special pre-sale June 22 at 10 a.m. Tickets to both shows will be available to the public June 23, at 10 a.m. on the museum’s website. Sales are limited to four tickets per transaction on a first-come, first-served basis and are non-refundable.

Past participants of the prestigious artist-in-residence program include Cowboy Jack Clement (who opened the series in 2003), Earl Scruggs, Tom T. Hall, Guy Clark, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill, Buddy Miller, Connie Smith, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, Alan Jackson, Rosanne Cash, Jason Isbell, Miranda Lambert, Marty Stuart and John Prine.

“As a student of the rich history of country music’s most prolific artists, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a shrine of reverence for this songwriter’s heart,” shares Church. “I’m honored and humbled to be included in such esteemed company.”

“Throughout his career, Eric has constantly stretched boundaries with his music and challenged long-standing conventions in his recordings and his live performances,” says Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Our artist-in-residence series offers him the freedom to showcase his ever-evolving creative vision. We’re grateful to him for volunteering his time and fierce individualism to the series, which benefits the museum and its nonprofit mission.”

Church is also the subject of a new exhibition at the museum, Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul, presented by Gibson, which opens July 13 and chronicles his unique path to stardom.

Old Crow Medicine Show will release their latest album Jubilee via ATO Records on Aug. 25.

The band shared the project’s debut single, “Miles Away,” today. The reflective track was co-written by band leader Ketch Secor and bluegrass virtuoso Molly Tuttle with guest vocals from Old Crow Medicine Show co-founder Willie Watson. “Miles Away”marks the first time Watson has recorded with the group in over 10 years. He plans to hit the road with them this fall, performing as an opening act in addition to joining them on stage.

“This is one of those rearview songs where objects in the mirror are closer than they appear,” says Secor. “Twenty-five years of making music on the road means you’re always coming back to the same places as a different person; there’s a reminder of your past self and the choices you made back when. Molly Tuttle and I wrote this one together and when it was through, I asked my Old Crow co-founder Willie Watson to make his first appearance on an Old Crow record in years. After all, this is a song about amends, of bygones being bygones, and of renewal.”

Arriving as the Grammy-winning band gears up to celebrate their 25th anniversary, Jubilee finds the group once again co-producing with Matt Ross-Spang and features appearances from legendary soul singer Mavis Staples and singer-songwriter Sierra Ferrell. Their eighth studio album serves as somewhat of a companion piece to their acclaimed 2022 release Paint This Town, which hit No. 1 on the Americana Radio Albums Chart and debuted at the top of Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart.

Jubilee harnesses the wild exuberance that Old Crow Medicine Show channels in their live show, and finds the band doubling down on their commitment to creating roots music that encompasses everything from jug-band tunes and Irish folk songs to gospel jams. The project showcases the musicality and storytelling that has made Old Crow Medicine Show an influential force in American roots music for more than two decades.

Pictured (L-R): Jake Moss (Daschent), Christine Iyoha (STEM), Dane Schmidt (Daschent), Kyle Clark, Morgan Kenney (WME), Jeff Tobias (STEM)

Rising singer-songwriter Kyle Clark has signed with Daschent for management, WME for booking and Stem for distribution. The news comes on the heels of his sophomore EP release, I Hope It’s Hot Out…Again.

Clark, a Georgia native, moved to Nashville in 2019 and has since garnered cuts from Jon Pardi, Lily Rose, Mitchell Tenpenny, Restless Road and Filmore. Despite the difficulties of starting his music career during the pandemic, Clark found viral success with “Hope It’s Hot Out” in 2022. The track has amassed nearly 30 million collective streams since its release.

His new seven-track EP, I Hope It’s Hot Out…Again, includes previously released tunes “You Don’t Think About That,” “Bad Day to Be a Beer” and the title track, as well as three new songs “Hair Down,” “Tonight I Do” and “Waitin’ All Day.” Notably, in an effort to compensate his co-writers fairly, Clark gives a portion of the master to them.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with KC since he arrived on Music Row, and have no doubt that what he has accomplished in such a short amount of time in town (and despite a global pandemic) is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Dane Schmidt, Founder and Owner of Daschent. “There are so many positive things to be said about Kyle as a songwriter and artist, but it’s who he is as a human being, his values, work ethic, and love for his family and fiance we’re most proud to represent. We look forward to continuing our journey together with Morgan, Jeff and the amazing folks at WME and STEM joining us on what’s going to be a fun ride.”

“Kyle Clark’s brand of country music is one that audiences can’t help but love,” adds STEM’s Country Head of Artist Relations Jeff Tobias. “STEM is thrilled to be working alongside Kyle and the daschent team as they roll out this next wave of exciting new music.”

Clark ended 2022 on tour with Matt Stell and Cooper Alan, and kicked off 2023 on the road with Tyler Farr, Spencer Crandall and Tyler Braden.

“Kyle is one of the most genuine artists out there,” says WME’s Morgan Kenney. “You cannot catch him without a smile. That translates to his touring. His sets not only bring a smile, but upbeat and fun as well. I’m looking forward to his future ahead with WME.”

“I am so excited to announce my partnership with Daschent, STEM, and WME,” says Clark of the signings. “It’s an incredible feeling to know I’m working with people who believe in what I’m building. In this industry, it’s not just about making great music, it’s also about surrounding yourself with great people too. I truly feel like I am surrounding myself with the right pieces that will help continue the growth of my career.”

Pictured (L-R): Michael Lau, Marc Caruso, John Ozier, Tony D. Alexander

The Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) wrapped a successful Global Music Publishing Summit earlier this week at the 3 West Club in New York City.

Highlights include a keynote from the iconic rapper and producer Doug E. Fresh and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee David Porter, a legislative update from the leaders of the NMPA and RIAA, and panels on AI, queer trends in sync, the global success of independent publishers, and much more.

AIMP National Chair and New York Chapter President Michael Lau, former Nashville Chapter President John Ozier, Los Angeles Chapter President Marc Caruso, and Atlanta Chapter President Tony D. Alexander kicked off the event with an update on their Chapters and the national organization.

In addition, AIMP Leadership also announced their stance on AI as part of the Human Artistry Campaign.

AIMP leaders state, “As publishers and songwriters, we are concerned about ensuring the value of the human voice, the human heart and emotion, and that any technology is used as a positive tool for ideation and not to attempt to replicate or replace that which a human songwriter is instrumental in creating. The AIMP stands with our industry counterparts in supporting the Human Artistry Campaign, a coalition of voices dedicated to keeping humans at the center of musical expression and artistry. We encourage all of you to join us and lend your support to this coalition so that as technology advances, we can ensure the future of the human creator.”

Video recordings of each panel will also be available shortly at aimp.org for AIMP members only. More information regarding next year’s event will be announced soon.