CMT Music Awards Announces Lineup Additions

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CMT has added to the increasingly star-packed lineup for the upcoming 2023 CMT Music Awards, airing live from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 2.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the storied CMT Next Women of Country franchise, seven-time Grammy winner Alanis Morissette will make her CMT Awards debut alongside Next Women of Country alum Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Madeline Edwards and Morgan Wade, plus Austin native Jackie Venson on guitar, for a world premiere performance of the female-empowerment anthem “You Oughta Know.”

Global icon Gwen Stefani will also make her CMT debut with a special one-of-a-kind performance alongside nominee Carly Pearce for the duo’s first-ever on-stage collaboration. Stefani last appeared on the show in 2020 with husband Blake Shelton to accept their Collaborative Video of the Year win for their duet “Nobody But You.”

Best-selling female artist of all time Shania Twain will be recognized with the third-ever CMT Equal Play Award, which recognizes an artist who is a visible and vocal advocate for elevating diverse and underrepresented voices in country music. Previous winners of the CMT Equal Play Award include Jennifer Nettles and Linda Martell.

CMT has also revealed the top six finalists vying for the night’s most-coveted Video of Year Award, with fan voting now open at vote.cmt.com. The final six Video of the Year nominees are:

Blake Shelton – “No Body”
Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart”
Cody Johnson – “Human”
Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
Morgan Wallen – “You Proof”

Over the past three weeks, fans have cast their votes across all categories, including Video of the Year, narrowing down to the top six finalists from the original list of 16 nominees. On April 2, the six will be narrowed down to top three, with voting continuing through the live show, leading up to the big reveal at the end of the night.

This year’s top six sees Underwood competing for her fifth consecutive Video of the Year win and tenth overall in the category, as she remains the most awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history with 25 career wins.

Should Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown win, they would make history as the first husband and wife duo to win the coveted award. This would also be the first win for each of them in the category.

A win for Shelton would mark his second time winning Video of the Year, with the first earned in 2018, and a win by Johnson, Hardy, Wilson or Wallen would be their first win in the category.

Jesslee Signs With ONErpm

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Pictured (L-R, front row): Steve Virginia (Black Label Nash Entertainment Group), Jesslee, Tim Wipperman (ONErpm); (L-R, back row): Alex McGinnis (ONErpm), Ryan L Cunningham (ONErpm), Ricky L Vinson (Black Label Nash Entertainment Group), Lisa Vinson (Black Label Nash Entertainment Group). Photo: Brooke Christopher

Singer-songwriter Jesslee has signed with ONErpm. Jesslee’s debut single, “Unmeet You,” is available on all platforms now, and the YouTube video for the single premiered yesterday (March 27).

Jesslee, who appeared for 45 consecutive weeks on Apple Music’s Country Hot Tracks, first appeared on the music scene in 2018 on coach Blake Shelton’s team on season 14 of NBC’s The Voice. Jesslee moved to Nashville and continued developing her craft. Her track “Unmeet You” was penned with her manager, Steve Virginia, and fellow Voice alums, The Swon Brothers.

“Jesslee is a phenomenal singer,” shares Tim Wipperman, Managing Director for ONErpm Nashville. “Her powerful vocals are unparalleled, coupled with the fact that she is one of the best new writers in town.”

“As an Italian American artist,” Jesslee says. “I am so excited to be working with a company that embraces my uniqueness and is dedicated to working with artists to develop something wonderful together.”

Industry Ink: Ronnie Milsap, Elle King, CMA, Jeffrey Steele, BMI

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Grand Ole Opry Celebrates Ronnie Milsap’s 80th Birthday

Pictured: Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Mark Willis andn Little Big Town (Photo: Mark Mosrie)

The Grand Ole Opry celebrated the 80th birthday of legendary member Ronnie Milsap with a special “Ronnie Milsap & Friends” performance on Saturday night. Milsap was inducted into the Opry family on February 6, 1976.

Milsaps’ celebration featured peformances from the legend himself plus Trace Adkins, Mandy Barnett, Little Big Town, Don Schlitz, Jeannie Seely, and Mark Wills. The Show ended with a performance of “Honky Tonk Women” led by Milsap with Adkins, Little Big Town and Wills joining.

Portions of the show will air as a Saturday night Opry Live later this year on the Opry’s television broadcast home, Circle Nework, Circle All ACcess Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Elle King Surprises Beloved High School Teacher in Tulsa

Pictured: Elle King, Cathy Welker-Graham (Choteau High School teacher), Emma Hughes (Choteau Senior Student) (Photo: Corey Bost)

When Elle King received a letter form Chouteau High School senior student, Emma Hughes, praising her teacher, Cathy Welker-Graham, King decided to pay a visit before her Tulsa show last Friday (March 24).

King and her guitarist surprised the student, teacher, and entire student body when she arrived to perform “America’s Sweetheart” and dedicate it to Welker-Graham.

“I didn’t always have the greatest experience in school,” laughed King. “But every few schools I would find a teacher who believed in me, and it gave me confidence and they told me that I could do something great with my life even if I was different. So I think that great teachers should be celebrated. It was important to me that we show this deserving teacher some well-earned gratitude.”

Chouteau High School Principal Clint Hall, who helped to coordinate the surprise said, “As educators, this is why we do what we do. We are here to make positive impacts on our students. It took a lot for me to keep a lid on this. Mrs. Welker-Graham is a rockstar teacher and Emma is a great kid! It could not have come together for two better people. This was priceless! Tears of joy from a lot of people today!”

King went on to record a new song at Tulsa’s legendary Church Studio before her show at Cain’s Ballroom. She performed hits from her new album, Come Get Your Wife, including “Tulsa,” for a sold out audience and special guests Hughes, Welker-Graham, and Hall.

CMA Hosts ‘MemberSIPS’ Focused On The Power of Women and Connection

Women in the music industry gather for a MemberSIPS event focused on “The Power of Women and Connection”

CMA members gathered at CMA’s Nashville headquarters for a ‘MemberSIPS’ event featuring women across the music industry to discuss the power of connection and mentorship last Thursday (March 23).

Moderated by coach and consultant, Jorja White, participants were invited to bring a female colleague that they were impressed with or have mentored. CMA members in attendance, including 2023 CMA Membership Committee Chair Karen Fairchild, then broke into small groups to further network, share stories and provide their contact information so that each attendee left with at least one new connection. The women also had the opportunity to have a complimentary professional headshot taken while at the event.

CMA created MemberSIPS to cater to its members’ professional development needs—offering thematic presentations, discussions and gatherings, and providing members a networking opportunity while enjoying a beverage with one another.  CMA members can look forward to the next MemberSIPS on Wednesday, April 12.

Stars Support 16th Annual Jeffrey Steele Benefit Concert

Pictured: Jeffrey Steel & Friends (Photo: Anthony Scarlati)

The 16th Annual Jeffrey Steele & Friends fundraising concert supporting The Alex LeVasseur Memorial Fund raised nearly $200,000 last Friday (MArch 24). All proceeds go t0 continuing the mission aiding overlooked and at-risk youth in the memory of Steele’s son, Alex LeVasseur, who passed away in 2007.

Country radio personality Storme Warren and Casey LeVasseur hosted the evening. The concert opened with a surprise performance by Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts). Other surprise guests included Shay Mooney (Dan + Shay) country rapper Jelly Roll, and performers Ben Burgess, Steve Dorff, Preston James, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, LOCASH, Lit, Silence X Noise, Bridgette Tatum and The Warren Brothers

“Your generosity over the last 16 years has helped us to not only build a legacy for Alex, but to really make a difference in the lives of our youth in Middle Tennessee and beyond,” says the LeVasseur family. “We have raised more than $1.6 million to help nonprofits in our area who are championing our youth and the kids of our community and in other neighborhoods and communities across the country, to share Alex’s love and light to those who need it most.”

The LeVasseur family announced at the benefit concert that a $200,000 grant to the Brentwood Family YMCA is supporting the building of the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Skatepark.

The Alex LeVasseur Memorial Fund has been able to build partnerships and lend support to many youth-focused organizations. Through the Alex LeVasseur Memorial Grant, they have supported the building of 12 skateparks in underserved communities across the country. With The Beat of Life, a scholarship giving vulnerable youth access to music education, instrument lessons, and more has been established in Alex’s name.

BMI Presents At The Bluebird Cafe Highlights Local Nashville Songwriters

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Shannon Sanders, Tyler Cain, Meghan Linsey, Channing Wilson, and Bluebird Café’s Erika Wollam Nichols (Photo: Heather Freeland)

BMI continued its monthly songwriter showcase at the Bluebird Cafe on March 21 with Channing Wilson, Meghan Linsey, and Tyler Cain.

Linsey, runner-up from Season 8 of NBC’s The Voice, sang her songs “Over the Moon,” “You Ruined That Song,” and “Say It To My Face.” Since her time on The Voice, she’s toured internationally and worked with Chingy and Aloe Blacc.

Nashville songwriter Wilson has cuts with Luke Combs, Travis Tritt, Oak Ridge Boys and more. He performed songs from his latest album, Dead Man, including “A Little More Like Him,” “Good Morning Hot Coffee,” and “Sunday Morning Blues.”

Producer, songwriter, and artist Cain sang “The Dreamer,” “Forever and Always,” and “Suitcase Heart.” His previous collaborations include Darius Rucker, Big & Rich, Ruston Kelly, and Ashley Moore.

The next showcase, again hosted by BMI’s Shannon Sanders, is April 25 with a lineup to be announced in the coming weeks.

Scotty McCreery Teams Up With UScellular To Celebrate Hometown Connections

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Scotty McCreery. Photo: Jeff Ray

Scotty McCreery is teaming up with UScellular for its “Locally Grown, Locally Live” music campaign to showcase artists and the people and places that have shaped who they are today.

The campaign will spotlight McCreery’s hometown connection as well as Greylan James (Knoxville, Tennessee); Kalie Shorr (Portland, Maine); Corey Kent (Bixby, Oklahoma); Hailey Whitters  (Shueyville, Iowa); and Morgan Wade (Floyd, Virginia.)

The campaign kicked off yesterday (March 27) with the “Locally Grown, Locally Live” VIP Fan Experience Sweepstakes and will run through May 28. There are a variety of opportunities for fans to engage with the artists, including a website with artist videos and an original Spotify playlist, curated to showcase the artists. On April 5 at 8 p.m. CT, McCreery will host an “Ask Me Anything” Instagram Live session, where fans will have a chance to ask questions and interact with him. UScellular will also celebrate each artist and their stories on its socials.

“I love how UScellular is creating an opportunity for me and other artists to stay connected with fans in communities across the country,” says McCreery. “The amazing people in my hometown of Garner, North Carolina, helped give me my start in music, and it’s great to see that UScellular is working in a similar way to show how they are committed to enriching the communities they serve.”

There will also be special appearances from all the “Locally Grown, Locally Live” artists at the UScellular Connection Stage, headlined by McCreery, at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 8.

“At UScellular, we connect people to what matters most. The two letters at the beginning of our name speak volumes about who we are as a company and how we show up for our communities” says Verchele Roberts, UScellular Vice President of Brand Management. “Music brings us together, so we’re celebrating artists across the country who cultivate genuine connections with their fans.”

Weekly Register: Morgan Wallen Remains At The Top Of The Charts

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Morgan Wallen. Photo: John Shearer

Morgan Wallen maintains his chart-topping positions this week according to Luminate data.

Wallen’s One Thing At A Time remains at No. 1 on both the country albums chart and all-genre albums chart with 209K in total consumption (12K album only/245 million song streams).

Once again, his Dangerous: The Double Album comes in at No. 2 with 41K (1K album only/51 million song streams) and Zach Bryan‘s American Heartbreak stays at No. 3 with 25K (1K album only/30 million song streams). Taylor Swift‘s Red (Taylor’s Version) lands at No. 4 with 20K (3K album only/21 million song streams), moving Bailey Zimmerman‘s Leave The Light On to No. 5 with 17K (483 album only/22 million song streams).

Wallen’s “Last Night” holds its No. 1 spot on the country streaming songs chart—and moves to No. 2 overall—with 29 million new streams adding to 214 million RTD. “Thinkin’ Bout Me” continues to land at No. 2 with 14 million streams adding to 50 million RTD and “You Proof” stays at No. 3 with 12 million streams adding to 491 million RTD. “Thought You Should Know” rises to No. 4 with 11.7 million streams adding to 296 million RTD and Zimmerman’s “Rock and A Hard Place” jumps to No. 5 with 11.5 million streams adding to 386 million RTD.

Morgan Wallen & Co-Writers Remain At The Top Of The Top Songwriter Chart

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Morgan Wallen. Photo: Ryan Smith

Morgan Wallen remains at No. 1 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week with a whopping 16 currently charting songs. In addition to 14 from his new album, he is also a co-writer on Keith Urban‘s “Brown Eyes Baby” and Corey Kent‘s “Wild As Her.”

Ashley Gorley, who has 12 charting songs on the Wallen project, is at No. 2 and Ryan Vojtesak, who has 14 Wallen cuts, is at No. 3.

Zach Bryan moves back up into the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week, propelled by “Something In The Orange” and “Dawns.”

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Carly Pearce Earns Fourth No. 1 With ‘What He Didn’t Do’

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Carly Pearce. Photo: Allister Ann.

Carly Pearce has earned her fourth career No. 1 with “What He Didn’t Do,” as the song officially tops the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart.

The Gold-certified hit has amassed over 235 million streams to date, and its video is currently nominated for CMT Female Video of the Year. The 10-time CMT Music Awards nominee is also up for Performance of the Year, and will perform at the live show on April 2, which will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ at 7 p.m. CT.

“I wrote ‘What He Didn’t Do’ at a time when I needed to be reminded of my worth and that I deserved better,” says Pearce. “I knew it was special from the moment we wrote it. It is a song about hope, reminding yourself what you deserve moving forward. Out of all of my singles, this one I am most proud of. I am thankful that country radio wrapped their arms around it to allow fans to hear the message.”

Pearce is also celebrating the release of her latest album 29: Written In Stone (Live From Music City), which was released March 24 via Big Machine Records. The project marks Pearce’s first live album and closes the chapter on her pivotal 29 journey.

The Grand Ole Opry member will also return to the Opry stage on April 11 for her landmark 100th performance since making her 2015 debut.

Summerfest 2023 Lineup Announced

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Eric Church, Brett Young, Mitchell Tenpenny and more are among the lineup for Milwaukee’s Summerfest 2023 presented by American Family Insurance, set to take place over three weekends: June 22-24, June 29-July 1, and July 6-8.

Over 100 artists are set to perform during the festival’s 55th anniversary, including Dave Matthews Band, Odesza, Zach Bryan, Imagine Dragons, Santa Fe Klan, Earth, Wind & Fire, Noah Kahan, Ava Max, The Pretty Reckless, Sean Paul, Coi Leray, Japanese Breakfast, Yellowcard, Smokey Robinson, Fleet Foxes and more.

“Celebrating 55 years of live music is a true testament to this festival. Together with the City of Milwaukee, we look forward to hosting music fans from across the globe at Summerfest and delivering a world-class lineup with hundreds of artists during our nine-day run” says Don Smiley, CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.

Tickets for Summerfest are on sale now at Summerfest.com with single day general admission starting at $26. In celebration of the 55th anniversary, the UScellular Power Pass is available for $55 and includes admission for all nine days of the festival, and is available now through Wednesday, March 29.

Boy Named Banjo Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut

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Boy Named Banjo during their Grand Ole Opry debut. Photo: Grand Ole Opry/Chris Hollo

Mercury Nashville band Boy Named Banjo made their Grand Ole Opry debut on Tuesday, March 21.

The Nashville-born quintet of Barton Davies, Ford Garrard, Sam McCullough, Willard Logan and William Reames stepped into the legendary Opry circle for the first time for a special performance of “Go Out Dancing” and “Heart In Motion.”

Boy Named Banjo released their latest track, “Whiskey Dreams,” last week. A vinyl reprint of the band’s major label debut EP, Circles, is available now for pre-order in an exclusive “whiskey smoke” color and will be released this Friday, March 31. The band is currently prepping its next project, out later this year.

“Tonight was such an amazing night! Growing up in Nashville, making our debut at the Grand Ole Opry is such an important milestone for us,” said Davies. “Stepping into that historic circle, playing our original music as a band that’s known each other for years, was an incredible experience I don’t think any of us will forget. And we are all so happy that we got to share this special night with our families and friends who came out to support us.”

Whiskey Myers Partners With SoundWaves Creative To Launch Collectible Art Line

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Sample Proof of the Waylon Jennings Art to Come from SoundWaves Creative

Multi-Platinum band Whiskey Myers has partnered with exclusive art creator SoundWaves Creative to release limited-edition prints and merchandise. These works will celebrate their own live shows and the works of other musicians, namely award-winning singer-songwriter Waylon Jennings. This collaboration will be the exclusive art provider for the Jennings estate, and the inaugural Jennings poster will release this week.

Founded by John Fosco in 2021, SoundWaves Creative is a music-based collectible company that offers music-inspired art with an emphasis on print variants specific to individual live shows and musicians. Limited in number, each creation is hand embossed, authenticated, archived, and custom made.

“We’re so excited to be working with SoundWaves Creative to create some really cool Waylon posters,” shares Shooter Jennings, son of the late Jennings and an accomplished artist. “They create great art and are great folks. The Whiskey Myers guys are old friends of mine from way back and have now collaborated with SoundWaves to allow for some really cool designs for other artists as well, and I’m excited to bring Waylon into the fold!”

“Visual art has always been really important to us as a band,” reflects John Jeffers, Whiskey Myers’ guitarist and designer of the cover art for their self-titled album as well as various tour art for the band. “Whether that’s the design on our album covers or the items at our merch booth, we see art as a way to tell even more of our music’s story. We loved what SoundWaves brought to the table for our own shows, and we’re excited to partner with them to help create art for even more artists.”

“I’m a collector of all things music, and since the inception of SoundWaves we have implemented an archiving system highlighting supply, collaboration and year produced,” notes Fosco. “This system was designed to effectively communicate with the mind of a collector. We create media; we don’t create posters. Our media is created by a team of directors, producers, illustrators, applicators… This creative process was put in place to raise the bar on collectible music-based art.”