Academy Of Country Music, ACM Lifting Lives Announce 2021-2022 Officers

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The Academy of Country Music and ACM Lifting Lives have announced their newly-elected officers for the 2021-2022 term.

Stepping into these roles are Chair Lori Badgett (City National Bank), Vice-Chair Chuck Aly (Country Aircheck), Vice-President Ebie McFarland (Essential Broadcast Media), Treasurer Carmen Romano (FBMM), Sergeant-at-Arms Gayle Holcomb (WME), Parliamentarian Paul Moore (PGM Connections) and Secretary Tommy Moore (Academy of Country Music).

Stepping into these roles for ACM Lifting Lives are, Chair Troy Vollhoffer (Premier Global Production), Vice-Chair Lorie Lytle (Fridrich & Clark Realty), Vice-President Daniel Miller (Fusion Music), Treasurer Duane Clark (FBMM) and Secretary Taylor Wolf (ACM Lifting Lives).

“After the year the music industry has gone through, we have been so proud of what the Academy and ACM Lifting Lives staff, boards, artists, partners and our community have been able to accomplish. It was incredible to have a front-seat view of the dedication to bringing live music to the forefront both virtually and through our television screens as well as aid to those in need during an ever-changing time,” says past ACM Chair Ed Warm and past ACM Lifting Lives Chair Paul Barnabee. “We look forward to the great future that is in store for both historic organizations and we’re so proud to have ACM and ACM Lifting Lives Boards in the hands of Lori Badgett and Troy Vollhoffer respectively.”

Levon Gray Signs With Kane Brown’s Verse 2 Music

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Pictured (L-R): Verse 2’s Kent Earls, Kane Brown, Levon Gray, Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston

Singer-songwriter Levon Gray has signed with Verse 2 Music, a Sony Music Publishing joint venture helmed by multi-Platinum entertainer Kane Brown and publishing veteran Kent Earls.

Growing up Gray was exposed to various styles of music from salsa, reggae, blues, and country music, which inspired him to write and sing in various styles. After starting his career as a music minister, Gray decided to change course and began to open for Case, KeKe Wyatt and Tamela Mann. In 2018, he provided guitar for Lil Baby’s Street Gossip project.

Gray co-wrote Brown’s new upcoming single, “One Mississippi,” that Brown teased on social media earlier this week.

Gray caught Brown’s attention when he uploaded a video of a song he wrote to social media, tagging Brown and a few other artists. Brown messaged Gray and invited him to co-write in Nashville, telling him if the song was good that he would cut it and perhaps talk about signing him to Verse 2 Music. The opportunity was a much needed positive moment for Gray, who lost his mother recently to COVID.

“He came up to Nashville. I sat back and was in A&R to make sure he knew what he was doing, and he wrote [‘One Mississippi’]. It just means the world to me,” Brown says. “I’m so pumped for him, and to see what this does for him in the future.”

“Levon wowed us from his first co-write, and after getting to know him as a person, he continues to wow us with his graciousness and work ethic,” says Earls. “We’re excited to help achieve all of his hopes and dreams. Welcome to the Family, Levon!”

“I just love making music that can make memories,” says Gray. “The guys at Verse 2 are on the same page, so I’m just grateful to God and them.”

Charlie Worsham Becomes Newest CMA Foundation Artist Ambassador

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Charlie Worsham. Photo: Jason Myers

Charlie Worsham has been named the newest Artist Ambassador for the CMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association.

As a CMA Foundation Artist Ambassador, Worsham will participate in a virtual panel that will be shared with Tennessee Music Education Association (TNMEA) membership later this month. Joined by his mother, Sherry Worsham, and TNMEA Advocacy/Government Relations Chair Christopher K. Dye, the group will discuss the life-changing impact of music on young people. The Worsham’s have witnessed this positive impact first-hand following their 2016 launch of the Follow Your Heart Arts Program, a music education and advocacy program located in rural Mississippi available to elementary and high school students free of charge.

“Charlie has been committed to helping students get excited about and stay involved with music for as long as I’ve known him,” says Tiffany Kerns, CMA Foundation Executive Director. “From his ‘Donuts & Jam’ fan club parties during CMA Fest benefitting the Quest Center for Art & Community Development to his Follow Your Heart Arts Program and Scholarship, Charlie is hugely passionate for this cause. I know his involvement will help us further our mission to serve even more students and educators.”

“From the Mississippi Delta to the halls of power in our nation’s capital, I’ve been proud to work alongside the CMA Foundation to advocate for music education,” says Worsham. “It is critical that we offer the next generation a chance to discover themselves through the power of music.”

Worsham is also participating in season two of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Words & Music at Home, which provides free, digital programming and resources to encourage audiences of all ages to try songwriting as a way of self-expression. His episode will premiere Thursday, Aug. 19.

Worsham joins the CMA Foundation’s Artist Ambassador collective alongside Jimmie Allen, Russell Dickerson, Lindsay Ell, Maddie & Tae, Ashley McBryde and Caitlyn Smith.

50th Anniversary of Elvis Presley’s Final Nashville Sessions Celebrated With New Collection

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Elvis: Back In Nashville, the definitive presentation of Presley’s final Nashville studio sessions in 1971, is being released on Nov. 12 by RCA/Legacy Recordings to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Nashville sessions. “I’m Leavin’,” the first track from Elvis: Back In Nashville, is available now.

The four CD/digital collection features 82 pristine original recordings capturing Elvis and his musicians live in the studio laying down central tracks and performances intended for later release.

Disc One features 18 tracks and includes The Country/Folk Sides, The Piano Recordings, and The Pop Sides while Disc Two features 25 tracks divided between The Religious Sides and The Christmas Sides. Disc Three features 19 tracks and picks up on the country pop repertoire of Disc One, adding some rock ‘n’ roll with a variety of cuts including impromptu performances of “Johnny B. Goode” and “Lady Madonna,” an epic take on Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, (It’s Alright)”, fresh interpretations of “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” “Early Morning Rain” and more. Finally, Disc Four features 20 tracks and includes The Religious Outtakes and The Christmas Outtakes.

A special event will be streamed live from the Guest House Theater at Graceland today (Aug. 12) at 4 p.m. CT. Hosts Tom Brown and mixing engineer Matt Ross-Spang will discuss the new collection and perform an unboxing of the CD and LP packages for a live attending audience. The event will be livestreamed here.

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Reunite To ‘Raise The Roof’ On New Album

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Robert Plant and Alison Krauss are joining creative forces once again on their new album, Raise The Roof, out Nov. 19 on Rounder Records. The first track off the project, “Can’t Let Go,” is available everywhere now.

The new project finds Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Plant and 27-time Grammy-winner Krauss reunited after fourteen years following the success of their first collaboration, Raising Sand  (2007/Rounder), which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, reached Platinum status, and earned six Grammys including Album and Record of the Year.

Raise The Roof  features twelve new recordings of tracks by Merle Haggard, Allen Toussaint, The Everly Brothers, Anne Briggs, Geeshie Wiley, Bert Jansch and more. Highlights include a Plant-Burnett original, “High and Lonesome,” and the classic “Can’t Let Go,” written by Randy Weeks and first recorded by Lucinda Williams.

“We wanted it to move,” Krauss says. “We brought other people in, other personalities within the band, and coming back together again in the studio brought a new intimacy to the harmonies.”

“You hear something and you go, ‘Man, listen to that song, we got to sing that song!’ It’s a vacation, really — the perfect place to go that you least expected to find,” adds Plant.

Like its predecessor, Raise The Roof was produced by T Bone Burnett and is accompanied by drummer Jay Bellerose; guitarists Marc Ribot, David Hidalgo, Bill Frisell, and Buddy Miller; bassists Dennis Crouch and Viktor Krauss; and pedal steel guitarist Russ Pahl, among others.

Plant and Krauss are set to tour together in 2022, with dates to be announced soon.

Raise The Roof Track List:
1. Quattro (World Drifts In)
2. The Price of Love
3. Go Your Way
4. Trouble With My Lover
5. Searching for My Love
6. Can’t Let Go
7. It Don’t Bother Me
8. You Led Me to The Wrong
9. Last Kind Words Blues
10. High and Lonesome
11. Going Where the Lonely Go
12. Somebody Was Watching Over Me

Nominees Announced For 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards

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The nominees for the 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards have been announced. Top nominations include Steven Furtick with ten nominations, Chris Brown with nine, Wayne Haun with eight, seven nominations each for Elevation Worship and Brandon Lake, six to for King & Country, and five nods to CeCe Winans, Ed Cash, Tiffany Hammer (Hudson) and Zach Williams.

Carrie Underwood is among the nominees with two nominations for her critically-acclaimed album of gospel hymns, My Savior. The album is nominated for Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the Year and her duet with CeCe Winans, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” is nominated for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year.

“We are thrilled to welcome back an in-person Dove Awards this year and equally excited about our impressive list of nominees,” says GMA President Jackie Patillo. “As we continue to celebrate the immense creativity and diversity within our community, we’re looking forward to an awards program this year’s nominees deserve.”

Voting for the final winners will run Aug. 19 through Aug. 26, leading up to the live and in-person award show in Nashville on Oct. 19. The broadcast will also air exclusively on TBN, Friday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. CST.

 

Below is the list of this year’s top award nominations. For the complete list of nominees, click here.

Song of the Year
Another In The Fire – Chris Davenport, Joel Houston
Famous For (I Believe) – Alexis Slifer, Chuck Butler, Jordan Sapp, Krissy Nordhoff, Tauren Wells
Graves Into Gardens – Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Tiffany Hudson, Brandon Lake
Speak To Me – Donnie McClurkin, Jeremy Hicks, Johnta Austin, Troy Taylor
Thank You For It All – Aaron Lindsey, Christopher Thomas Leach, Jamone Davis, Marvin Sapp
The Blessing – Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe, Steven Furtick
The Father’s House – Benjamin Hastings, Cory Asbury, Ethan Hulse
There Was Jesus – Jonathan Smith, Casey Beathard, Zach Williams
Together – Joel Smallbone, Josh Kerr, Kirk Franklin, Luke Smallbone, Ran Jackson, Ricky Jackson
Truth Be Told – AJ Pruis, Matthew West

Artist of the Year
Elevation Worship
for King & Country
Lauren Daigle
Phil Wickham
Zach Williams

New Artist of the Year
Brandon Lake
Cain
Dante Bowe
Hope Darst
Maverick City Music

Gospel Artist of the Year
CeCe Winans
Jonathan McReynolds
Kirk Franklin
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Travis Greene

Southern Gospel Artist of the Year
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Gaither Vocal Band
Jason Crabb
Joseph Habedank
Triumphant Quartet

Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
Famous For (I Believe) – Tauren Wells
Good God Almighty – Crowder
Hold On To Me – Lauren Daigle
There Was Jesus – Zach Williams, ft. Dolly Parton
Together – for King & Country, ft. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly

Southern Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
First Church of Mercy – The Sound
I Just Feel Like Something Good Is About to Happen – Gaither Vocal Band
My King is Known By Love – Crabb Family
Religion Isn’t Working – Joseph Habedank
Wake Up – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year
I Got It – Pastor Mike Jr.
Joyful – Dante Bowe
Never Lost – CeCe Winans
Speak To Me – Koryn Hawthorne
Touch from You – Tamela Mann

Worship Recorded Song of the Year
Battle Belongs – Phil Wickham
God So Loved – We The Kingdom
Graves Into Gardens – Elevation Worship, ft. Brandon Lake
Jireh – Elevation Worship / Maverick City Music, ft. Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine
Peace Be Still – Hope Darst

Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year
3:34 – Zauntee
Feared By Hell – Social Club Misfits
His Glory Alone – KB
Restoration – Lecrae
The Divine Storm – Ty Brasel

Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year
Chris Tomlin & Friends – Chris Tomlin
Holy Water – We The Kingdom
Inhale (exhale) – MercyMe
No Stranger – Natalie Grant
To Love A Fool – Cory Asbury

Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the Year
Alone With My Faith – Harry Connick, Jr.
Little More Love – Jordan Family Band
My Savior – Carrie Underwood
Peace At Last – Nelons
Songs of the Times – Isaacs

Spanish Language Album of the Year
Desesperado (Spanish) – Evan Craft
Mil Generaciones – Miel San Marcos, Essential Worship
Renovada – EP – Blanca
Todos Mis Mejores Amigos – Hillsong Young & Free, Hillsong En Español
Uno – Alex Zurdo – Redimi2 – Funky

Worship Album of the Year
Graves Into Gardens – Elevation Worship
Old Church Basement – Elevation Worship / Maverick City Music
Revival’s In The Air – Bethel Music
The Blessing (Live) – Kari Jobe
The People Tour: Live from Madison Square Garden – Hillsong United

Inspirational Film of the Year
A Week Away
Fatima
Mahalia
My Brother’s Keeper
Queen Esther

Lily Rose Signs Publishing Deal With UMPG, Back Blocks Publishing [Exclusive]

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Pictured (L-R): Cyndi Forman (SVP, A&R, UMPG Nashville), Lily Rose, Rakiyah Marshall (Founder/CEO, Back Blocks Music). Photo: Roxy King

Universal Music Publishing Nashville and Back Blocks Music have announced that Big Loud Records / Back Blocks Music and Republic Records recording artist Lily Rose has signed an exclusive, worldwide publishing agreement.

Rose’s debut single, “Villain,” entered the iTunes all-genre and country charts at No. 1. She recently released her latest single, “Know My Way Around,” and will join Chris Lane’s Fill Them Boots tour this fall. The singer-songwriter is managed by Rakiyah Marshall (Back Blocks Music) and Daniel Miller (Fusion Music Management).

“Lily knows exactly who she is as an artist. Her work ethic and her passion for songwriting was evident to our team the first time we met with her. We are excited for the opportunity to represent her music in partnership with Rakiyah,” shares Cyndi Forman, SVP A&R, UMPG Nashville.

“As a songwriter, you are always seeking a publisher that will act as your biggest champion through the highs and the lows,” says Rose. “I couldn’t imagine a better duo of champions for me than Cyndi and Rakiyah. I truly couldn’t be in better hands for my songwriting career!”

“I couldn’t be more proud that Lily chose Back Blocks to be her publishing home alongside Cyndi and the team at UMPG,” adds Marshall. “Lily and her artistry continue to push the envelope and I am thrilled to be a part of the songs she crafts in the years to come.”

The Wild Feathers Set Release Date For Latest Album

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The Wild Feathers Photo by Alex Justice

The Wild Feathers will release their fourth album, Alvarado, on Oct. 8 via New West Records. The 12-track set was produced by the band and follows their 2020 career-spanning odds-and-ends collection Medium Rarities.

To give a preview of the upcoming album, they also released album highlight “Another Sunny Day.” The band’s Ricky Young said, “In a lot of ways, ‘Another Sunny Day’ is a great example of what Alvarado stands for: An optimistic look into the future with the growing pains of being a band for a decade in the past. A wiser and happier group of guys that love what they do.”

Alvarado Track Listing:
1. Alvarado
2. Ain’t Lookin’
3. Over the Edge
4. Side Street Shakedown
5. Out on the Road
6. Get Out of My Own Way
7. Off Your Shoulders
8. Long Shot
9. Top of the World
10. Flashback
11. Midway Motel
12. Another Sunny Day

The Wild Feathers will support Blackberry Smoke and The Allman Betts Band on the Spirit of the South tour and have announced their initial headline tour dates in support of Alvarado. Launching Sept. 15th in Indianapolis, the headline tour features stops at Antone’s in Austin, TX, Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, OK, Thalia Hall in Chicago, IL with more dates to be announced.

The Wild Feathers Tour Dates:
August 10 – Daily’s Place – Jacksonville, FL *
August 12 – MECU Pavilion – Baltimore, MD *
August 13 – The Stone Pony Summer Stage – Asbury Park, NJ *
August 14 – Atlantic Bank Pavilion – Portsmouth, VA ~
August 15 – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre – Charlotte, NC *
August 17 – Red Hat Amphitheater – Raleigh, NC *
August 19 – PNC Pavilion – Cincinnati, OH *
August 20 – Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN *
August 21 – Ameris Bank Amphitheater – Alpharetta, GA *
August 25 – The Rooftop at Pier 17 – New York, NY *
August 26 – Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA *
August 27 – Santander Arena – Reading, PA *
September 15 – Hi-Fi – The Annex – Indianapolis, IN
September 16 – The Bottleneck – Lawrence, KS
September 17 – Boondocks – Springfield, IL
September 18 – Shipyard Music Festival – Cape Giradeau, MO
October 10 – Druid City Music Hall – Tuscaloosa, AL
October 12 – House of Blues – The Parish – New Orleans, LA
October 14 – Tower Theatre – Oklahoma City, OK
October 15 – Kessler Theater – Dallas, TX
October 16 – The Heights Theater – Houston, TX
October 17 – Antone’s – Austin, TX
October 19 – The Wave – Wichita, KS
October 21 – Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK
October 22 – Blue Note – Columbia, MO
October 23 – The Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IN
October 24 – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL
October 26 – Barnato Lounge – Omaha, NE
October 28 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO *
October 30 – Off Broadway – St. Louis, MO
November 11 – Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY
November 14 – The Hamilton – Washington, DC
November 16 – Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY
November 21 – River Road Farm – Franklin, VA

* The Spirit of the South Tour with Blackberry Smoke & The Allman Betts Band
~ Blackberry Smoke & The Wild Feathers Only

 

Industry Ink: Safford Motley, Kane Brown, Riley Green

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Safford Motley PLC Adds Lexie Rigler As Associate Attorney

Lexie Rigler

Safford Motley PLC has added Lexie Rigler as Associate Attorney to the firm.

With experience in entertainment, intellectual property, and business law she brings valuable knowledge to the firm which represents songwriters, recording artists, record labels, publishers, executives and more.

“Lexie is an incredibly bright young attorney with an exceptional work ethic,” says Scott Safford of Safford Motley PLC. “Jonathan [Motley] and I are thrilled to have someone of her caliber join our team.”

Prior to joining Safford Motley PLC, Rigler was the Business Affairs Manager for Yamaha Corporation of America in their Artist Relations division. She was also an event-based employee of the Country Music Association (CMA) for four years where she handled on-site musician compliance paperwork for CMA Fest. Rigler received her J.D. from the Belmont University College of Law and her B.B.A. in Music Business Management.

 

Kane Brown Receives 2021 VMA Nomination For “Worldwide Beautiful”

Kane Brown

Multi-Platinum recording artist Kane Brown has been nominated in the Music Video For Good category at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards for his breakout hit “Worldwide Beautiful.” Among the other nominees are Justin Bieber who racked up seven nominations and Megan Thee Stallion with six.

Notably, Brown is the only country artist represented in the MTV Video Music Award nominees.

Fans can vote for their favorites across 14 categories between now and Sept. 3. The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from Barclays Center in New York City on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. CST.

 

 

Riley Green To Launch Season 2 Of The Golden Saw Series

Season two of Riley Green’s virtual The Golden Saw Series, in partnership with Brut, will launch Thursday, Aug. 12 at 4 p.m. CT. The new season will feature songs from his recently released Behind The Bar EP.

Starting in 2020, the series was created as a way to give fans a glimpse into his hometown roots and give back to those in need through his #GetThatBandABeer initiative. As a teenager, Green’s great-grandparents’ former home was turned into The Golden Saw Music Hall as a performance venue–named after the family’s nearby sawmill–for local musicians to play on Saturday nights. That house provided the inspiration for Green to learn songwriting to the sound of an acoustic guitar.

The Golden Saw Series Release Schedule:
Thursday, Aug. 12 at 4 PM CT – Featuring special guest Jonathan Singleton
Thursday, Sept. 2 at 4 PM CT – Featuring special guests Erik Dylan & Wyatt McCubbin
Thursday, Sept. 30 at 4 PM CT – Featuring special guests Muscadine Bloodline

Kane Brown, Kenny Chesney, Brandi Carlile, More To Appear On New Small Stage Series

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SiriusXM and Pandora are launching a new Small Stage Series, featuring artists from various genres and comedians performing in small, iconic venues around the country.

Launching on Aug. 19 with Dave Matthews live from a secret location and Kane Brown from Nashville, Small Stage Series will feature exclusive performances in cities across the country. Other artists performing as part of the series include Kenny Chesney, Brandi Carlile, Coldplay, Glass Animals, H.E.R., J Balvin, John Mulaney, Shaggy, and Twenty One Pilots. 

The multi-genre spanning lineup of shows will give SiriusXM subscribers and Pandora listeners the chance to see their favorite artists live in intimate settings, along with an exclusive keepsake to commemorate what might be some subscribers’ first live event in a very long time.

“To acknowledge the grit and resilience of people across the country, we are overjoyed to bring our listeners and subscribers a series of unforgettable experiences in very special places, and in the safest way we know how to bring live events back to fans,” says SiriusXM Chief Content Officer, Scott Greenstein. “Access to these shows and performances is the advantage of being a SiriusXM subscriber and Pandora listener, and it is what we love to do. The series is a showcase that represents SiriusXM’s amazing array of audio entertainment, spanning all musical styles and spotlight fan-favorite and top-tier talent performing in secret locations and limited-size iconic venues across the U.S., giving SiriusXM subscribers and Pandora listeners the opportunity to once again safely see their favorites live.”

To maintain the highest public health standards and requirements, SiriusXM will adhere to health and safety protocols for each venue, and all state and local health mandates to protect attendees, staff, and artists.