Lady A
Multi-Platinum and 5x Grammy-winning band Lady A has released their eighth studio album, What A Song Can Do, today (Oct. 22) through BMLG Records.
The 14-song project showcases a refined snapshot of what the highly decorated trio of Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood have experienced since their 2019 album, Ocean, and throughout the turbulent times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The record also finds the 3x consecutive CMA Vocal Group of the Year flexing their songwriting muscle with at least one of them credited on all but one of the tracks. Also present on the record is some of Nashville’s songwriting royalty as well as some of the city’s hottest rising writers, including Ashley Gorley, Nicolle Galyon, Ryan Hurd, Laura Veltz, Jesse Frasure, Natalie Hemby, Alysa Vanderheym, Martin Johnson and Corey Crowder, among others.
“After the first two or three months of the pandemic, it became brutally obvious that it wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon,” Kelley tells MusicRow. “To keep ourselves semi-productive, we decided to just start working on writing for our next project. We didn’t necessarily have a timeline, and it’s always nice to write without any specific pressure of a release date.”
Lady A. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
“Songwriting was the real healing part as we were all going through the collective uncertainty of how long the pandemic would last and how long we’d be at home. Even if it was just on Zoom, songwriting was what gave us hope, purpose, and healing,” Haywood explains. “The songwriting felt sort of therapeutic at the time because we could take what we were all going through and throw it into these songs, whether it was serious or exciting.” He adds, “It was really the one thing that helped us stay connected as a trio and helped us really heal during that time.”
Once again produced by Dann Huff, What A Song Can Do shows Lady A’s most well-rounded collection of songs yet. With vulnerable songs like “Worship What I Hate,” heartfelt ones like “Things He Handed Down,” upbeat tracks like their current radio single “Like A Lady,” and empowering anthems like “Fire,” the trio take fans through a sonic expedition that displays numerous aspects of the human condition and truly shows what a song can do.
“My favorite records always took you through a journey and showed you a bunch of different emotions, and that’s who we are,” Kelley says. “There’s a lot of lighthearted moments on this record and then some moments that make you think or feel a little bit more. The material just feels a little bit stronger this time around. I don’t know if it’s just where we are in our career and our confidence in our sound or if it was because we had written so much for this project and we didn’t rush it at all.”
“Our gratitude’s at an all time high right now because of the catalog of material we’ve built. Those songs have taken us around the world and they have meant a lot to a lot of people,” Haywood offers. “We don’t take that lightly, so [‘What A Song Can Do’] felt like a great summation of where our hearts are right now, the power of music, and how much we all need music right now for healing and hope.”
Within the album’s 14 songs, Lady A takes their first stab at a proper star-studded collaboration, with Thomas Rhett, Carly Pearce, and Darius Rucker making an appearance on “Friends Don’t Let Friends.” The track, masked by a fun, party-filled production, brings attention to the importance of friendship and having people that you can lean on, especially over the last 16 months.
“[The song explains] how important it is to lean on each other when we’re going through anything in life, whether it be a breakup or when you just don’t want to drink alone. You want a friend to come alongside you and sit with you in your feelings… It still rings true, no matter what the circumstances, to how much we really do need each other to get through life,” Scott elaborates. “It’s obviously a really lighthearted and fun take on it, and we get to just sing. I can’t wait until we can perform it live all together at some point.”
“Thomas, our co-writers, and I were at the beach hanging out, and Thomas threw that title out and it wrote itself so fast. We had the chorus written just sitting out there watching our kids play,” Kelley adds. “Later that night we got together with Ashley Gorley and Julian Bunetta and finished the verses up. Once I played it for Darius, he was like, ‘Dude, I’m all in on this.’ Then we needed another strong female to balance out all of the testosterone.”
Lady A. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
He continues, “Those are truly our closest friends in the industry, and it felt like a good, fun song that balanced out the rest of the record.”
What A Song Can Do also marks Haywood’s first crack at the lead vocal on “Workin’ On This Love.” As the track’s sole writer, Haywood wrote the song for his wife for Mother’s Day in May of 2021.
“We were in the last few weeks of making the record with Dann Huff and I sent this song to Charles and Hillary. I said, ‘If you don’t like it, forget I ever had this idea. But what about me taking the lead on one for a different texture and a different character for the album?'” Haywood recalls. “I thought it might be a different flavor to round out the end of the record… We had fun in the studio working out different harmony parts, and I’m honored for people to hear it.”
Though just wrapping up their “What A Song Can Do Tour,” the trio exudes much excitement as they prepare for this next era of new music for Lady A.
“I love being able to envision these songs, getting to put them into our live show and hearing and seeing the response and the songs that people gravitate towards. Sometimes there’s these outliers on the record that really connect in a deep way, and that information is always really exciting for us to take in once the record is out,” Scott shares.
After 15 years, 18 million albums sold, 11 No. 1 songs, and over five billion digital streams, Lady A aims to bring fans hope and healing through What A Song Can Do as the world continues to move through COVID.
“I hope that [the people who listen to this album] find their own story within it and find some songs that can say how they’re feeling better than they can themselves,” Kelley says. “I hope this record meets people right where they are and that it’s something they needed.”
“We’ve all gone through a crazy time,” Haywood adds. “I hope that the songs and the material meets people and gives them some excitement and joy.” He sums, “I also hope that through it they don’t feel alone with the things that they went through and that they feel that we went through it too. We felt it too, and we were all collectively in that together.”
Lady A’s eighth studio album, What A Song Can Do, is available everywhere now.
Abby Anderson Re-Emerges With New Single, Forthcoming Album
/by Lorie HollabaughAbby Anderson. Photo: Alex Berger
Abby Anderson has been through a personal reboot following her debut on the Nashville music scene back in 2018 with her first EP, ironically titled I’m Good.
The singer-songwriter says she realized she wasn’t being her most authentic self with the image she was projecting, so she listened to her heart and made some changes. Those changes shined through in the music she was creating, and are reflected in a new track, “Bad Posture,” the first single from her new album due out early 2022 via Stem.
Written with Anna Vaus and produced by Marshall Altman, “Bad Posture” showcases Anderson’s appreciation for the experiences and early life lessons that have helped her recognize and accept happiness. It also embraces her past and her present with a sound that fully captures who she is as an artist, songwriter and woman who isn’t afraid to stand up tall and say what she stands for.
“I found this photo of me, and don’t get me wrong, I was smiling and the right weight for my frame, dressed the way people thought a girl like me should dress,” Anderson shares. “But it wasn’t me. I felt like I was looking at someone else. I asked, ‘why don’t I recognize this person?’ So, I made some changes. I gave myself permission to be happy, to eat what I wanted and make the music I wanted without trying to fit into some preconceived notion of what a woman should be. Somewhere along the way, I started standing up taller and actually smiling, not just the controlled grin that portrayed a happy version of my best in photos. And when the outside started to reflect what I was feeling inside, it also came out through the music I was writing.”
Along with her album news, Anderson is also celebrating on the personal front, having wed her fiancé Tyler Graham at Saddle Woods Farm in Murfreesboro, Tennessee earlier this month in a ceremony surrounded by family.
Patrick Droney Inks With Mick Management, Plays Hometown Show In Nashville
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (L-R): Jessica Swan, Genevieve Thompson, Patrick Droney, Michael McDonald. Photo: Catherine Powell
Warner Records’ Patrick Droney has officially signed with Nashville-based Mick Management.
Droney’s career began at age 13 after he won a Robert Johnson New Generation Award as Best Young Blues Guitarist. He began sharing stages with the likes of B.B. King, James Brown, The Roots, Taj Mahal, Macy Gray, and Elvis Costello, and eventually attended the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU.
He later moved to Los Angeles and signed a publishing deal, and in 2018 relocated to Nashville to craft a self-titled EP. After signing to Warner Records in 2019, Droney appeared at Bonnaroo and ACL, collaborated with Kygo, and recently reached the 90 million streams milestone.
Following the release of State of the Heart: The Deluxe Edition, Droney played sold out shows in Los Angeles and New York City, as well as a special homecoming show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl on Oct. 20. He will wrap up his fall tour with a sold-out show at Chicago’s Schubas Tavern on Nov. 1.
His upcoming 26-city “State of the Heart Tour” launches on Feb. 11 in Dallas.
Warren Zeiders Leverages TikTok Stardom, Releases Debut EP, ‘717 Tapes’
/by Lydia FarthingWarren Zeiders
Rising country singer-songwriter Warren Zeiders has released his debut EP, 717 Tapes, available everywhere now.
Zeiders’ music has resonated with country audiences, amassing more than 200 million views and 1.3 million followers on TikTok, and over 85 million streams across platforms. His song “Ride the Lightning” is currently at No. 38 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs Chart and No. 18 on its Country Digital Songs Sales Chart.
The 22-year-old’s sound—comparable to that of Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, Morgan Wallen, and Whiskey Myers—taps into the country and Americana sound that the Hershey, Pennsylvania native grew up on.
On the 717 Tapes EP, Zeiders collaborates with some of country music’s most in-demand songwriters, including Eric Paslay, Tim Nichols, Randy Montana and Justin Ebach. “Boys for Life” finds Zeiders knocking back cold ones with his ride-or-die brothers, while he pays tribute to his roots on “Dirt Road Don’t.” Zeiders also walks the line between damnation and salvation on his viral hit, “Ride the Lightning.”
717 Tapes Track List:
1. Never Look Back – Eric Paslay, Lindsay Rimes, Tim Nichols, Warren Zeiders
2. Boys for Life – Justin Walker, Randy Montana, Warren Zeiders
3. Dirt Road Don’t – Erik Dylan, Randy Montana, Warren Zeiders
4. Loving & Hating You – Justin Ebach, Warren Zeiders
5. Ride the Lightning – Eric Paslay, Rob Crosby, Warren Zeiders
Tenille Arts Talks ‘Girl To Girl’ On New Album, Available Now
/by Lorie HollabaughTenille Arts has released her third full-length album, Girl to Girl, available everywhere now on 19th & Grand Records. “Back Then, Right Now,” the album’s debut single, is currently rising up the country charts and is already approaching Top 30 in Arts’ home country of Canada. The track is currently at No. 29 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
Arts co-wrote all 13 tracks on Girl to Girl with Ray Fulcher, Alex Kline, MacKenzie Porter, Brandon Ratcliff, Matt Stell, Ben Stennis, Allison Veltz-Cruz, Parker Welling, and more. The 2021 MusicRow Breakthrough Artist of the Year is also joined by Callista Clark and Matt Stell on “Breakup Songs” and “Over You Is You,” respectively, and AJ Babcock, Nathan Chapman, Kline, and Dave Pittenger share production credits on the project.
“These 13 songs were written as letters to my current and younger self,” Arts shares. “They are songs I wish I had when I was 15 and 16 years old. I wanted to write these like a big sister and share my experiences in hopes that people would feel less alone. Whether you’re 15 years old, my age, or older, I want you to feel seen. I want you to dance to these songs, cry to them, and feel all the feels!”
Girl to Girl follows Arts’ Love, Heartbreak, & Everything in Between album, which yielded her first No. 1 single “Somebody Like That.” The song made history as the first song written, produced and performed by all females to hit No. 1 on the country charts. Tenille was also the first Canadian artist to reach No. 1 in the U.S. since 2007 and first Canadian female to hit No. 1 since Terri Clark in 2004.
2021 kicked off strong for Tenille, who was voted as one of the CRS New Faces of Country Music and was inducted into the CMT Next Women of Country Class of 2021. In February, she received her first award show nomination for the ACM New Female Artist of the Year, and she is also nominated for Amazon Music and Alexa Fans’ Choice and Female Artist of the Year awards at next month’s CCMA Awards in London, Ontario, Canada.
Arts will be performing at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, Oct. 23 and at her Girl to Girl release party at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Girl to Girl Track List:
1. Back Then, Right Now (Tenille Arts, Dave Pittenger, MacKenzie Porter, Parker Welling) Produced by: Dave Pittenger
2. That’s My Friend You’re Talkin’ About (Tenille Arts, Allison Veltz-Cruz, Alex Kline) Produced by: Alex Kline
3. One Bedroom Apartment (Tenille Arts, Alex Kline, Palmer Lee) Produced by: Alex Kline
4. Breakup Songs (feat. Callista Clark) (Tenille Arts, Jason Massey, Nick Wayne) Produced by: Nathan Chapman
5. Life Goes Like That (Tenille Arts, Allison Veltz-Cruz, Alex Kline) Produced by: Alex Kline
6. Girl to Girl (Tenille Arts, Ben Goldsmith, Trannie Anderson) Produced by: Nathan Chapman
7. Heartbreak Regulars (Tenille Arts, Holden James, Palmer Lee) Produced by: Alex Kline
8. Mama’s Boy (Tenille Arts, Alex Kline, Dave Pittenger, Allison Veltz-Cruz) Produced by: Alex Kline & Dave Pittenger
9. Over You is You (feat. Matt Stell) (Tenille Arts, Alex Kline, Matt Stell, Ben Stennis) Produced by: Alex Kline
10. Give It to Me Straight (Tenille Arts, Dave Pittenger, Allison Veltz-Cruz) Produced by: Dave Pittenger
11. High School Sweetheart (Tenille Arts, AJ Babcock, Brandon Ratcliff) Produced by: AJ Babcock
12. Sweet Sixteen (Tenille Arts, Alex Kline, Allison Veltz-Cruz) Produced by: Alex Kline
13. Growing Old Young (Tenille Arts, Ray Fulcher, Shane Sniteman) Produced by: Nathan Chapman
Brooklyn Basement Records Expands With New Management Division
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (top row, L-R): Blair Clark, Ron Pope; (bottom row, L-R): Miko Marks, Emily Scott Robinson
Nashville-based record label and marketing agency, Brooklyn Basement Records, has expanded their newly formed management division roster, which will be led by CEO Blair Clark.
Brooklyn Basement Records will manage the careers of Ron Pope, Miko Marks (Redtone Records), and Emily Scott Robinson (Oh Boy Records).
“I am thrilled to be expanding Brooklyn Basement once again,” says Clark. “It feels like a natural evolution to work with Miko and Emily on a more consistent basis. The manager/artist relationship is so personal and I am extremely passionate about doing all I can to help these amazing women in their careers. After managing Ron Pope for a decade, I’m excited to round out my roster and take everyone to the next level.”
The Brooklyn Basement roster has a busy season ahead. Robinson’s upcoming Oh Boy debut, American Siren, will be available on Oct. 29; Marks is currently recording the follow up to her critically acclaimed Our Country; and Pope will be releasing new music starting in January 2022.
Clark co-founded Brooklyn Basement Records in 2015 after a decade-long career in the independent music space.
Luke Combs Takes “Cold As You” To No. 1 For The Second Time On MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart
/by Alex ParryAfter already reaching No. 1 in August, Luke Combs’ single “Cold As You” makes a triumphant return to the top spot this week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart. The single has earned a cumulative 21,180 spins in 16 weeks on the chart. This is his second two-week No. 1 following “Forever After All.”
“Cold As You” was co-written by Combs, Shane Minor, Randy Montana, and Jonathan Singleton. Singleton is at No. 8 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart for his credit on this single as well as last week’s No. 1 “Same Boat” by Zac Brown Band. Combs appears at No. 14, Montana at No. 53 and Minor at No. 54.
Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
Lady A Shows The Power Of Music Through New Album, ‘What A Song Can Do’ [Interview]
/by Lydia FarthingLady A
Multi-Platinum and 5x Grammy-winning band Lady A has released their eighth studio album, What A Song Can Do, today (Oct. 22) through BMLG Records.
The 14-song project showcases a refined snapshot of what the highly decorated trio of Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood have experienced since their 2019 album, Ocean, and throughout the turbulent times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The record also finds the 3x consecutive CMA Vocal Group of the Year flexing their songwriting muscle with at least one of them credited on all but one of the tracks. Also present on the record is some of Nashville’s songwriting royalty as well as some of the city’s hottest rising writers, including Ashley Gorley, Nicolle Galyon, Ryan Hurd, Laura Veltz, Jesse Frasure, Natalie Hemby, Alysa Vanderheym, Martin Johnson and Corey Crowder, among others.
“After the first two or three months of the pandemic, it became brutally obvious that it wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon,” Kelley tells MusicRow. “To keep ourselves semi-productive, we decided to just start working on writing for our next project. We didn’t necessarily have a timeline, and it’s always nice to write without any specific pressure of a release date.”
Lady A. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
“Songwriting was the real healing part as we were all going through the collective uncertainty of how long the pandemic would last and how long we’d be at home. Even if it was just on Zoom, songwriting was what gave us hope, purpose, and healing,” Haywood explains. “The songwriting felt sort of therapeutic at the time because we could take what we were all going through and throw it into these songs, whether it was serious or exciting.” He adds, “It was really the one thing that helped us stay connected as a trio and helped us really heal during that time.”
Once again produced by Dann Huff, What A Song Can Do shows Lady A’s most well-rounded collection of songs yet. With vulnerable songs like “Worship What I Hate,” heartfelt ones like “Things He Handed Down,” upbeat tracks like their current radio single “Like A Lady,” and empowering anthems like “Fire,” the trio take fans through a sonic expedition that displays numerous aspects of the human condition and truly shows what a song can do.
“My favorite records always took you through a journey and showed you a bunch of different emotions, and that’s who we are,” Kelley says. “There’s a lot of lighthearted moments on this record and then some moments that make you think or feel a little bit more. The material just feels a little bit stronger this time around. I don’t know if it’s just where we are in our career and our confidence in our sound or if it was because we had written so much for this project and we didn’t rush it at all.”
“Our gratitude’s at an all time high right now because of the catalog of material we’ve built. Those songs have taken us around the world and they have meant a lot to a lot of people,” Haywood offers. “We don’t take that lightly, so [‘What A Song Can Do’] felt like a great summation of where our hearts are right now, the power of music, and how much we all need music right now for healing and hope.”
Within the album’s 14 songs, Lady A takes their first stab at a proper star-studded collaboration, with Thomas Rhett, Carly Pearce, and Darius Rucker making an appearance on “Friends Don’t Let Friends.” The track, masked by a fun, party-filled production, brings attention to the importance of friendship and having people that you can lean on, especially over the last 16 months.
“[The song explains] how important it is to lean on each other when we’re going through anything in life, whether it be a breakup or when you just don’t want to drink alone. You want a friend to come alongside you and sit with you in your feelings… It still rings true, no matter what the circumstances, to how much we really do need each other to get through life,” Scott elaborates. “It’s obviously a really lighthearted and fun take on it, and we get to just sing. I can’t wait until we can perform it live all together at some point.”
“Thomas, our co-writers, and I were at the beach hanging out, and Thomas threw that title out and it wrote itself so fast. We had the chorus written just sitting out there watching our kids play,” Kelley adds. “Later that night we got together with Ashley Gorley and Julian Bunetta and finished the verses up. Once I played it for Darius, he was like, ‘Dude, I’m all in on this.’ Then we needed another strong female to balance out all of the testosterone.”
Lady A. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
He continues, “Those are truly our closest friends in the industry, and it felt like a good, fun song that balanced out the rest of the record.”
What A Song Can Do also marks Haywood’s first crack at the lead vocal on “Workin’ On This Love.” As the track’s sole writer, Haywood wrote the song for his wife for Mother’s Day in May of 2021.
“We were in the last few weeks of making the record with Dann Huff and I sent this song to Charles and Hillary. I said, ‘If you don’t like it, forget I ever had this idea. But what about me taking the lead on one for a different texture and a different character for the album?'” Haywood recalls. “I thought it might be a different flavor to round out the end of the record… We had fun in the studio working out different harmony parts, and I’m honored for people to hear it.”
Though just wrapping up their “What A Song Can Do Tour,” the trio exudes much excitement as they prepare for this next era of new music for Lady A.
“I love being able to envision these songs, getting to put them into our live show and hearing and seeing the response and the songs that people gravitate towards. Sometimes there’s these outliers on the record that really connect in a deep way, and that information is always really exciting for us to take in once the record is out,” Scott shares.
After 15 years, 18 million albums sold, 11 No. 1 songs, and over five billion digital streams, Lady A aims to bring fans hope and healing through What A Song Can Do as the world continues to move through COVID.
“I hope that [the people who listen to this album] find their own story within it and find some songs that can say how they’re feeling better than they can themselves,” Kelley says. “I hope this record meets people right where they are and that it’s something they needed.”
“We’ve all gone through a crazy time,” Haywood adds. “I hope that the songs and the material meets people and gives them some excitement and joy.” He sums, “I also hope that through it they don’t feel alone with the things that they went through and that they feel that we went through it too. We felt it too, and we were all collectively in that together.”
Lady A’s eighth studio album, What A Song Can Do, is available everywhere now.
Gary Morris Honored With State-Wide Day Of Recognition On Oct. 23
/by Lydia FarthingGary Morris. Photo: David Abbott
In honor of October’s Red Ribbon Week, Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee has declared Oct. 23 a day of recognition for country artist and Broadway performer Gary Morris.
Morris has used his platform to shed light on and uplift underprivileged, vulnerable communities. His recent partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Educational Foundation provides younger generations with the tools and education to help prevent drug use.
Morris recently anchored the organization’s first virtual fundraisers, which raised over $150,000 in donations to promote and support their arts, sports and extracurricular outreach educational campaigns.
“We honor Gary’s career and his work in the drug prevention education fields by marking Oct. 23, the first day of Red Ribbon Week, as Gary Morris Day here in Tennessee. So, for all of your hard work Gary, I present to you the proclamation from the governor and wish you thanks for your work and congratulations on this honor,” says CMA CEO Sarah Trahern.
Morris has earned five No. 1s, 16 Top 10 singles, a CMA and ACM Song of the Year award, a role in the New York production of Broadway’s La Bohéme and Les Misérables, as well as sold-out shows and stadium performances.
“I am both humbled and surprised by this honor from my adopted state of Tennessee. I have seen the ravages of drugs and have always been happy to donate my time to drug awareness and prevention. Thank you so much,” says Morris.
Industry Ink: Ryan Hurd, Paul Martin, Habitat For Humanity, Natalie Grant
/by Lydia FarthingRyan Hurd’s “Chasing After You” Earns Platinum Certification
Pictured (L-R): Helena Akhtar (Sony Music Nashville Manager Content & National Promo), Meghan Reich (SMN Coordinator Digital Strategy), Jessica Valiyi (SMN Director Digital Strategy), Janet Weir (House of 42/Red Light Management), Ryan Hurd, Randy Goodman (SMN Chairman/CEO), Liz Cost (SMN VP Marketing), Nicole Marinake (SMN Sr. Director Partnership Marketing), Ali O’Connell (Director Regional Promotion, Arista Nashville), Alaina Vehec (SMN Senior Director Digital Sales & Streaming), Caryl Atwood (SMN SVP Sales & Streaming), Ryan Sanders (Specialist, Arista Nashville), Dallas McVey (House of 42/Red Light Management) and Avery Hannon (House of 42/Red Light Management). Photo: Rachel Deeb
Arista Nashville’s Ryan Hurd recently celebrated the release of his debut album, Pelago, as well as the RIAA Platinum certification of his Top 5 and climbing hit “Chasing After You” with Maren Morris. The album was inspired by Hurd’s upbringing on the shores of Lake Michigan, and was produced with childhood friend and longtime creative partner Aaron Eshuis, with further contributions from Jesse Frasure and Teddy Reimer.
The track reached the top of the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart on Oct. 1, 2021.
Hurd is nominated for two trophies at next month’s CMA Awards–Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Chasing After You.” He kicks off his “Tour de Pelago” headline run in January with dates including Chicago’s The Vic, New York’s Irving Plaza, Nashville’s Marathon Music Works and more.
Grammy Winning Musician Paul Martin Honored With Kentucky Music Hall Of Fame Exhibit
Paul Martin. Photo: Marty Stuart
Paul Martin, the former lead singer of country/pop group Exile and a Grammy award–winning artist, will be honored in a new exhibit at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Martin’s exhibit features a large shadow box that will showcase highlights of his career with Exile, Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, and Rockland Road, including stage clothes and one of Martin’s go-to guitars played on all the Exile hits throughout the ’90s.
The exhibit unveiling will be held Friday, Oct. 22, followed by an acoustic performance by Martin’s current band, Rockland Road. The event is free and open to the public, and will also be livestreamed on the museum’s Facebook page.
“When I was a little boy my mom and dad played in a country band, and their guitar player, Dave Reffet, would leave his Gretsch Chet Atkins guitar at my dad’s studio and would encourage me to play it,”recalls Martin. “It was literally the guitar I learned to play on. Seven years ago his family gave me that guitar! I never once thought while I was learning to play, that my love and obsession with music would bring me to the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum today. I’m so thankful for my career and everyone that played a part in getting me here.”
Bob DiPiero, Ronnie Bowman & Payton Smith Play The Bluebird To Support Habitat for Humanity
Pictured (L-R): Mark Brown (Round Hill Music/Habitat for Humanity Music Row Build), Jamie Bruno (Eclipse Music Group/Being Bob Music) Bob DiPiero, Payton Smith, Ronnie Bowman, Penny Gattis (Eclipse Music Group)
Bob DiPiero, Ronnie Bowman and Payton Smith performed at the Bluebird Cafe on Tuesday (Oct. 26) to a sold out crowd and raised money for the Habitat for Humanity Music Row build.
Music Row Build began in 2003 and helped eight local families purchase affordable homes before it ended in 2012. Habitat’s Music Row build reignited in 2020 when Mark Brown, senior vice president and GM of Round Hill Music, decided he wanted to do more to help hardworking Nashville residents have equal opportunities to live in the city in which they work.
Donations are still being accepted here to help meet the fundraising goal.
Natalie Grant’s “Your Great Name” Goes Gold
Pictured (L-R): Dennis Disney (Maximum Artist Management), Kristi Brazell (Maximum Artist Management), Giovanna Randolph (Curb | Word Entertainment), Jeff Tuerff (Curb | Word Entertainment), Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms (Producer), Bryan Stewart (Curb | Word Entertainment), Mitchell Solarek (Maximum Artist Management), John Clore (Curb | Word Entertainment)
Curb | Word Entertainment and Maximum Artist Management recently celebrated Natalie Grant’s RIAA Gold certification for “Your Great Name.” Members of Grant’s team commemorated the milestone with a plaque presentation at the Grand Ole Opry House.
Grant is an eight-time Grammy winner and has remained one of Christian music’s top-selling artists since her 2005 breakout RIAA Gold-certified album, Awaken. Having been named Female Vocalist of the Year by the Gospel Music Association five times, Grant has propelled multiple singles and records to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard album charts.
Grant was nominated for two awards at the 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. Winners will be revealed tomorrow (Oct. 22).
Jaclyn D. Carter Rises To Vice President At Shore Fire Media
/by Lorie HollabaughJaclyn D. Carter
Shore Fire Media has promoted Jaclyn D. Carter to Vice President. Carter, who heads Shore Fire’s Nashville office, previously served as a Director.
A native of Lafayette, Tennessee and a University of Tennessee College of Communications graduate, Carter began her career at Shore Fire as a Publicity Coordinator in 2013. She is responsible for artist and industry relations in Nashville, in addition to leading campaigns for artists Brittney Spencer, Justin Moore, Willie Jones, Natalie Hemby; content curator talent Nabela Noor and Scotty Sire; athletes Shawn Johnson East and Chris Bosh; venues Brooklyn Bowl and The Factory St. Louis; Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest, CreatiVets and more.
She has also spearheaded business development in the influencer arena and was recognized as one of the Top 18 PR Pros and Publicists for Influencers on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok by Business Insider in March 2021.
“Jaclyn is a determined and dedicated professional who always strives for excellence. Over her eight years at Shore Fire, she has led countless successful media campaigns, developed a strong leadership position within the company and led us into new areas of growth. We are delighted to announce her promotion to Vice President,” says Shore Fire Senior Vice President Mark Satlof.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue to evolve with Shore Fire and Dolphin and for the collaboration and learning opportunities within our teams daily,” adds Carter. “Having the ability to flex creativity on a variety of topics — from inspiring personal stories, music and celebrity talent to nonprofits, podcasts and NFTs — is inspiring and motivating, and I am grateful to work with our teams across the country on a variety of topics, genres and perspectives to continue to grow.”