Peachtree Entertainment Adds Two

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Brian Lowe & Candice Baker.

Peachtree Entertainment has added Brian Lowe as Talent Buyer and Candice Baker as Director of Touring.

“Candice and Brian each bring a level of experience, judgment, and artist-first thinking that is critical as we continue to grow,” says Dustin Labbe, Senior Vice President of Booking at Peachtree Entertainment. “They’ve both built careers rooted in collaboration and long-term relationships, and that aligns directly with how we approach buying, touring, and developing talent at Peachtree. We’re excited to have them on the team and confident they’ll make an immediate impact.”

Baker joins Peachtree Entertainment after 11 years at Messina Touring Group, where she worked across all departments. During her time at the company, she was a part of Kenny Chesney’s touring team, as well as the head of touring operations for Old Dominion from 2020-2025. Baker is a graduate of Sam Houston State University with a degree in International Business.

Lowe began his 24-year career in marketing before working in various booking and talent buying roles working across marketing, ticketing, finance and production teams. He held his first role at House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, and has since held roles across South Carolina, Ohio and Texas. Lowe joins Peachtree Entertainment from Live Nation, where he worked in marketing and booking. Lowe has a degree in Communications with a minor in Journalism from Coastal Carolina University.

Lainey Wilson, Luke Bryan, Megan Moroney Among RodeoHouston 2026 Lineup

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Megan Moroney, Luke Bryan and Lainey Wilson

RodeoHouston has announced its 2026 artist lineup set to perform at NRG Stadium March 2–22.

Luke Bryan and Tim McGraw are among the longtime returning performers, marking McGraw’s 11th performance and Bryan’s 13th, after receiving a distinguished Star Trail of Fame induction in 2025. Three entertainers are returning this year for the first time in over 20 years: Dwight Yoakam (last appeared in 2004), Kelly Clarkson (2004), and Cross Canadian Ragweed (2006). Riley Green returns for his second consecutive year, and female artists performing in 2026 include Lizzo, Megan Moroney, Clarkson and Lainey Wilson.

Latin artists J Balvin and Pepe Aguilar. are also on this year’s bill, and Aguilar will take the star stage on Go Tejano Day immediately after the Go Tejano Mariachi Invitational Championship. Nine artists will also make their star stage debut in 2026, including Russell Dickerson, Lizzo, Forrest Frank, Megan Moroney, Creed, Shaboozey, Aguilar, Red Clay Strays and Koe Wetzel. Dickerson surprised fans earlier this week with a pop-up performance in Times Square, performing with a full band in front of thousands of people at the iconic Manhattan location at the RodeoHouston Times Square takeover.

Cody Johnson will perform on the 21st with openers Jon Pardi and Randy Houser. Johnson’s concert-only performance is set for March 22, and marks the fourth concert-only performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. There is no rodeo scheduled before the Cody Johnson concert, but all activities including carnival, livestock and horse show competitions and other exhibits/attractions will be open on March 22. Tickets for this concert-only evening are on sale now through the Rodeo’s official ticket provider, AXS, at rodeohouston.com/tickets/.

Meels Inks With Lost Highway Records

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Pictured (L-R): Megan McCaffrey, Lee Einhorn, Casey Thomas, Jake Gear, Meels, Robert Knotts, Jake Heinitz, Vincent Masino. Photo: Courtesy of Lost Highway.

Meels has signed with Nashville-based Lost Highway Records.

Born Amelia Einhorn and raised in Mill Valley, California, Meels picked up the piano at age five and began songwriting soon after. After studying Recorded Music at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute, she began recording original music, a sound she has dubbed “Critter Country.”

She is set to release her new EP, Across The Raccoon Strait, on Jan. 30. The seven-track project was written by Meels, and she produced them alongside Peter Groenwald and Mark Campbell. The EP features previously released tracks “The Wizard,” “Willow Song” and “Vultures.”

“Lost Highway has a legacy that means so much to me, both as a listener and a songwriter,” shares Meels. “I’m incredibly thankful to be working with such a dedicated team and to release music through the same label that once carried so many of my idols.”

“At the heart of her artistry, Meels paints a vivid picture with her music through a lens that simultaneously feels familiar yet uniquely her own,” adds Robert Knotts and Jake Gear, Executive Vice Presidents and Co-Heads of Lost Highway. “With her upcoming project, Across the Raccoon Strait, she invites the listener into a world she has created that feels lived in and at home, and we are excited to help build upon that world and her vision together. Championing unique and artistic voices is paramount to the foundation of Lost Highway and in that spirit, we are honored Meels has agreed to join the Lost Highway family. We cannot wait to bring her songs and artistic voice to the world!”

Following two headline shows, she will open for Margo Price in late February and early March. In April, Meels will join Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their “All The Good Times: The Farewell Tour.”

BREAKING: Big Loud Records Appoints Stacy Blythe & Jordan Pettit As Co-Presidents

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Jordan Pettit & Stacy Blythe. Photo: Robby Klein

Big Loud Records has named Stacy Blythe and Jordan Pettit as Co-Presidents. Both will report directly to Big Loud Partners Seth England, Joey Moi and Craig Wiseman. Blythe and Pettit will lead all label operations, including artist development, A&R, promotion, marketing, merch, strategic planning and special projects.

Blythe joined Big Loud Records in 2015 and has helped build the label from the ground up, most recently serving as EVP of Promotion. As part of her new role, Blythe will continue to oversee the Big Loud Records promotion team.

Pettit joins Big Loud Records from his role as Vice President of Artist & Industry Relations for Opry Entertainment Group where he expanded the company’s programming strategy. He will begin in his new position at Big Loud Records on February 2.

“Stacy’s impact on Big Loud has been felt from the beginning — her dedication, vision and leadership have shaped our culture and our success in profound ways,” says England. “As she steps into this new role, it feels like a win for everyone who has grown alongside her. At the same time, we’re thrilled to welcome Jordan, whose experience and relationships across the industry bring fresh energy and perspective to our team. This combination of homegrown leadership and new expertise positions Big Loud for an incredible future.”

“Stepping into the role of Co-President is an exciting next chapter, and I’m deeply grateful to Seth, Joey and Craig for their continued belief in me, as well as the trust of our artists and team,” shares Blythe. “Doing this alongside Jordan feels full circle — we started in the industry together, and this moment is especially meaningful. Big Loud Records has always been built on bold ideas, deep relationships, and a true artist-first mindset, and forward focus will be on strengthening alignment across the company as we continue to grow. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and energized by where we’re headed.”

“I have long admired Seth, Craig, Joey, Stacy and the entire Big Loud team for the strength of the Big Loud brand and its cultural impact in Nashville and around the world,” adds Pettit. “Over the years, Big Loud has consistently allowed me to feel like part of the family and am truly honored to now join this industry-leading organization. I am thankful to the partners for this opportunity to support the team at Big Loud and its exceptional roster of artists and creatives.”

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Jon Pardi Kicks Off 2026 With ‘Bodacious Single’

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Jon Pardi

It’s a country clash of the titans as DISClaimer kicks off a new year.

Luke Combs, Zach Top, Riley Green and Jon Pardi compete for our attention as we head into 2026. Most of them are performing ballads, as are Hannah McDonald, Jim Lauderdale and Kaitlin Butts. The lone tempo tune in the stack belongs to Jon Pardi, and his bodacious single wins the Disc of the Day.

An honorable mention goes to Jackson Dean, for having the coolest production of the listening session. A tip of the cap to Jesse Welles for carrying on the tradition of the early Bob Dylan.

The DISCovery Award goes to Zandi Holup. She’s kinda masochistic on her single, but there is definite promise in her debut.

JACKSON DEAN / “Make a Liar”
Writers: Jackson Dean/Luke Dick/Randy Montana; Producer: Luke Dick; Label: Big Machine Records
– Very cool. An ear tickling rhythm pattern, haunting guitar work and a range-y, expressive vocal performance add up to a dynamite single. Please make this a massive hit.

BRETT YOUNG / “Yukon”
Writers: Carter Lang/Daniel Chetrit/David White/Dijon Duenas/Dylan Wiggins/John Madara/Justin Bieber/Kejuan Muchita/Marshall Mathers/Robert M. Crawford/Tauheed Epps; Producer: Jimmy Robbins, Keaton Simons; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– This Justin Bieber cover is just as tuneless as the pop original was.

KAITLIN BUTTS / “The Middle”
Writers: James Adkins/Rick Burch/Tom Linton/Zachary Lind; Producer: Oran Thornton; Label: Republic Records
– Acoustic, gentle, comforting and wonderfully soothing. A devout wish/promise that “everything will be all right.” The song was a 2001 hit for the rock band Jimmy Eat World, but she makes it sound much more touching and meaningful.

RILEY GREEN / “Change My Mind”
Writers: Erik Dylan/Randy Montana/Riley Green; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
– Nicely done. He’s completely over her. Yeah, sure he is. Until she seduces him again.

HANNAH McFARLAND / “Called It”
Writers: Ben Williams/Hannah McFarland/Zach Abend; Producer: Zach Abend; Label: Capitol Records/The Core Records
– Riley Green’s tour supporting act and Chase Rice’s recent duet partner returns with a bittersweet ballad about being drawn reluctantly back into a relationship she knows isn’t good for her. Her voice has a certain warmth and an undeniable relatability.

LUKE COMBS / “Giving Her Away”
Writers: Gary Garris/Josh Mirenda/Josh Phillips; Producers: Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs; Label: Columbia Nashville
– The groom speaks to the father of the bride as they stand in church at the wedding. A lovely, heartfelt country ballad from a master of the form. Combs rules.

DALE ANN BRADLEY / “Mary’s Rock”
Writers: Ellen Britton/Will Hopkins; Producer: Dale Ann Bradley; Label: Pinecastle Records
– Bluegrass music’s six-time Female Vocalist of the Year winner submits a moody, mid-tempo mystery song. Mary is forced into marriage by her father, and the groom takes her for a mountain hike from which she never returns. Did she jump? Did she slip and fall? Did he push her?

ZACH TOP / “South of Sanity”
Writers: Carson Chamberlain/Mark Nesler/Zach Top; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Label: Leo33
– He’s a traveling musician whose lover back home is calling it quits in this downbeat ballad. The misery pushes him to the edge of losing his mind. As always, the triple Grammy nominated Top sings like a honky-tonk angel.

ZANDI HOLUP / “Gas Station Flowers”
Writers: Brian Alexander/Stefanie Joyce/Zandi Holup; Producer: Al Torrence; Label: Big Loud Records
– The lyric is rather self destructive, but it’s also compelling listening. The ballad finds her accepting his substance abuse, just so she won’t be lonely. Her cracked and quasi-broken vocal makes the whole thing sound authentic and honest. Highly promising.

JIM LAUDERDALE / “Artificial Intelligence”
Writer: Jim Lauderdale; Producers: Jay Weaver, Jim Lauderdale; Label: Sky Crunch Records
– I’m fairly certain that this is the first country song on this topic. The honky-tonk ballad manages to be both an effective barroom moaner and a witty commentary on our culture. Lauderdale’s uber-cool country delivery and the serio-comic lyric are both essential listening here. “Do we still stand a chance, or has it made up our minds?” he sings. The capper is, “Did I write this song?” I remain a huge fan of this new Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer.

JESSE WELLES / “Join ICE”
Writer: Jesse Welles; Producer: Jesse Welles; Label: JW
– Welles is nominated for four Grammy Awards this year. The Nashville breakout star isn’t afraid to speak his mind politically. He has a protest anthem titled “No Kings” as a duet with the legendary activist Joan Baez. Last month, he introduced this lacerating talking-blues indictment of ICE during his appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Welles was much admired for his performance during BMI’s tribute to John Fogerty in November.

FILMORE & PITBULL / “Yeehaw”
Writers: Armando Perez/Elijah Perez/José Carlos García/Justin Allen Ebach/Mauro Bertran/Tyler Filmore; Producers: Elijah Perez, José Carlos García (IAmChino), Justin Allen Ebach; Label: Mr. 305 Records
– Nashville meets Miami on this slow-groove banger. Filmore does the heavy lifting vocally, but the catchy vibe is hip-hop all the way.

JON PARDI / “Boots Off”
Writers: Jon Pardi/Luke Laird/Wyatt McCubbin; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Rollicking, rump-shaking rhythm and a snappy rocking production, plus a sly, sexy lyric. What’s not to love?

Willie Nelson To Release ‘Country Music’ Album On Vinyl

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Willie Nelson is set to release his 2010 album, Country Music, on vinyl on Feb. 27.

The album comes as a 2-LP set, housed in a gatefold jacket. Fans can find a selection of limited-edition pressings, including Sky Blue Swirl vinyl (exclusively at Barnes & Noble) and Opaque Grass Green (Books-A-Million). Country Music will also be available on CD and hi-res digital on Feb. 27. The album is available to pre-order here.

The album was produced by T Bone Burnett, who aimed for a rustic sound with stripped-down arrangements and traditional instrumentation. Buddy Miller (guitar), Ronnie McCoury (mandolin), Russell Pahl (pedal steel) and Stuart Duncan (fiddle) played on the recordings.

The 15-song tracklist includes “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down,” “Nobody’s Fault but Mine,” “Pistol Packin’ Mama,” Merle Travis’ “Dark as a Dungeon,” and Earnest Tubb’s “Seaman’s Blues,” and more.

In addition to debuting at No.4 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and No.20 on the Billboard 200, the project earned a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album.

Country Music Tracklist (2-LP Vinyl):
Side A:
1. “Man With The Blues”
2. “Seaman’s Blues”
3. “Dark As A Dungeon”
4. “Gotta Walk Alone”

Side B:
1. “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down”
2. “My Baby’s Gone”
3. “Freight Train Boogie”
4. “Satisfied Mind”

Side C:
1. “You Done Me Wrong”
2. “Pistol Packin’ Mama”
3. “Ocean Of Diamonds”
4. “Drinking Champagne”

Side D:
1. “I Am A Pilgrim”
2. “House Of Gold”
3. “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”

Grand Ole Opry Unveils Carnegie Hall Show Lineup

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Scotty McCreery, Rhonda Vincent, Henry Cho, The War And Treaty.

The Grand Ole Opry has announced the lineup for “An Evening with the Grand Ole Opry” show, set for March 20 in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. The night will feature performances from Opry members Scotty McCreery, Rhonda Vincent and Henry Cho as well as Grammy Award-nominated duo The War And Treaty, with additional artists to be announced. Tickets are available here.

The one-night-only occasion is part of Carnegie Hall’s “United in Sound: America at 250” festival celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary and marks the continuation of the Opry’s 100th year.

This event will mark the Grand Ole Opry’s fourth headlining performance at Carnegie Hall. The Opry made its Carnegie Hall debut in 1947 under the billing “Ernest Tubb and the Grand Ole Opry Stars” with a sold-out performance also featuring Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, Minnie Pearl, Red Foley, Eddy Arnold, and The Carter Sisters with Mother Maybelle Carter. A return performance in 1961 benefited the Musician’s Aid Society and was headlined by Patsy Cline in her only Carnegie Hall appearance among other all-stars. The Grand Ole Opry’s 2005 performance celebrating its 80th anniversary showcased Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Trisha Yearwood along with longtime Opry members Charley Pride, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Bill Anderson.

Chase Rice Announces Break From The Road

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Chase Rice

Chase Rice recently revealed to fans on social media that he’s taking a break from touring after 13 years on the road.

Rice decided to step back from life on the road, saying he’s exhausted and needs to take some time for himself. “I’ve lived a dream far greater than I could’ve ever expected. This isn’t a goodbye thing or anything like that to be clear upfront, although it may feel like that, but I’m exhausted. I haven’t been able to be myself on stage in quite a while and really enjoy music and why I got into it in the first place,” says Rice in the post.

“I love songs, I love living them, hearing stories from other people, and figuring out how to put that life into music. After 13 years it’s finally beat me up to the point where I need to step away for a while. I need to go live life so that I have more real experiences to write down. I won’t be touring this year and it wasn’t even really a decision, it was something I know that I just have to do for myself. A lot of artists do this all the time, but it’s new for me so it’s kind of a big deal in my life.”

Rice does have a handful of shows on the books to wrap this year before taking some downtime away from the road.

Hudson Westbrook Unveils Cover Art, Tracks For New EP ‘Exclusive’

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Hudson Westbrook has revealed the cover art for his upcoming new EP, Exclusive, set for release on Jan. 23.

Westbrook has already previewed the EP with early releases “If He Wanted To” and “Pretty Privilege,” and writers contributing to the project include Jesse Frasure, Neil Medley, Lukas Scott, and more. Westbrook’s top 10-and-rising debut single “House Again” continues to soar at country radio, and the budding star has earned over 900 million global career streams in under 18 months.

Westbrook is gearing up for an exciting 2026, hitting the road with Bailey Zimmerman and Morgan Wallen this year on both of their headline tours.

Exclusive Track List:
1. Exclusive (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Lukas Scott, Ryan Beaver)
2. LMWYL (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Jesse Frasure)
3. Lovin’ On Me (Hudson Westbrook, Neil Medley, Beau Bailey, Lukas Scott)
4. If He Wanted To (Hudson Westbrook, Reid Haughton, Dan Alley, Ryan Beaver)
5. Pretty Privilege (Hudson Westbrook, Lukas Scott, Beau Bailey)

Matthew West Shares Testimony In New Short Film From I Am Second

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YouTube video

Matthew West appears in a new White Chair film from the global storytelling ministry, I Am Second, that details the defining yet unexpected moments that led him to discovering his identity and purpose.

As a kid West grew up in the front row of his parents’ church in suburban Chicago, where he felt the constant pressure to perform and live up to a “preacher’s kid” standard. The weight of others’ expectations followed him wherever he went. “From a very early age, I had this feeling that all eyes were on me,” says West. “The pressure that I felt being the preacher’s kid, there were several moments in my life where I was like ‘I don’t want this pressure, I don’t like how this feels.’”

As he entered college and stepped away from the label of pastor’s kid, West sought to define his own identity. He found himself making choices that strayed from his faith—decisions he knew would disappoint his parents and left him feeling ashamed. Recognizing his mistakes, West surrendered control and trusted a higher power with the story of his life.

“I knew that my prayer was sincere and I knew that I wanted what God had for me,” said West. “It was a moment where I was fully embracing his grace and forgiveness in my life.”

More about West’s story can be found at iamsecond.com/film/matthew-west. West’s newest single, “Unashamed,” from his Don’t Stop Praying album is currently climbing the Top 10 on Christian radio, and his ninth book Don’t Stop Praying is slated for release in February.