Drake White is hosting the first-ever Loblolly Fest on Oct. 17 at The Bluff Amphitheater in his hometown of Hokes Bluff, Alabama.

A homegrown festival with a heavy dose of Southern hospitality, Loblolly Fest will feature performances from White, The Marshall Tucker Band, Randy Houser, Kassi Ashton, and more. The festival takes place on a piece of land with deep ties to White’s childhood, as he was raised in a home just behind what is now The Bluff Amphitheater. He first stumbled across the property while exploring the woods as a kid, and today, he’s a co-owner of the newly-revived venue, with dreams of transforming it into a destination centered on music, community, and connection.

“I grew up in the shadows of Muscle Shoals, ’90s Country, and the music that played in my mama’s beauty shop. That music has always been in my soul, and, miraculously, in my backyard,” says White. “After spending years in the music business, I realized that if there wasn’t a festival that felt like home to me, I wanted to build one. So my team and I decided to make our own.”

Named for the loblolly pines that blanket the Appalachian foothills of Northeast Alabama, Loblolly Fest is built to channel the easygoing atmosphere of a fall weekend in the South. Adding another layer to that experience, the festival will feature The Grove — an all-new outdoor sports-bar area where TVs will play that day’s college football games all throughout the afternoon and evening.

“Loblolly Fest is bonfires, bourbon, flannel, cold beer, dancing, and good music. But more than anything, it’s community,” says White. “I want Loblolly to have that wide-open, come-as-you-are spirit: no judgment, everybody’s welcome. If you love music, love people, and want to have a damn good time, come on. We’re building something here that we hope becomes a tradition — a place where we can come back year after year, and make memories worth repeating.”

A portion of proceeds from Loblolly Fest will support The Benefit For The Brain: a nonprofit White founded to raise funds and awareness for charitable organizations devoted to mental and brain health. Four years after suffering an onstage stroke that led to his diagnosis with arteriovenous malformation, White hosted the inaugural “Benefit For The Brain” concert in 2023 that raised over $250,000, with a lineup including Riley Green, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, and Colbie Caillat. Fiercely committed to advancing the conversation around mental and brain health, White will host the third installment of “Benefit For The Brain” on Nov. 16, once again bringing the charity concert to the Ryman.

Bryan Martin will release his new album, OD’in On A Dream, on Oct. 30 via Average Joes Entertainment. Martin is giving fans a taste of the upcoming project with his latest single, “Demons Don’t Sleep (feat. Kasey Tyndall),” out today.

The new song illuminates the exhausting battle of fighting against vices and the ways our demons can haunt us in daily habits, temptations and shame. “’Demons Don’t Sleep’ is a pretty personal song for me,” says Martin. “I’ve had some dark days and some things I’ve had to work through. I know what it’s like to lay there at night with your mind running wide open. If you’ve ever been there too, I hope you hear a little bit of yourself in it.”

OD’in On A Dream unpacks the brutal realities of chasing a dream and the weight that comes with finally living it, and finds Martin confronting where he’s been and shedding the skin of who he was with unflinching honesty as he steps into the life he fought to fully live. Martin penned all but two songs on the 14-track project, pulling from deeply personal experiences like the heartache of divorce, the desire to be a better father, the darkness of addiction, and the burnout and complicated reality of living the life he spent years working toward. Produced by Nick Gibbens, the album features songs co-written by Jason Nix, Ben Roberts, Lydia Vaughan, Will Bundy, Jeremy Bussey and others.

“This album came from one of the darkest parts of my life,” says Martin. “I always try to be raw and real with y’all, and this album is a testament to that. This album is for the ones trying to outrun their demons, the ones trying not to pass along their pain to their kids, the ones who are breaking their backs trying to live their dreams, the ones trying to learn from their past mistakes, and the ones who keep going, no matter what. If you can relate to any of that, I hope this album brings you some comfort in knowing you’re not alone. This album closes a chapter for me and will be the last one like it. I hope y’all enjoy it, and I can’t wait for y’all to hear what’s next.”

Martin has already released several tracks from the upcoming album, including “Complex,” “Rather Be The Fire,” “Take It From Me,” and his current radio single “Tug O’ War.”

OD’in On A Dream Track List:
1. “I Ain’t Changed” (Bryan Martin, Ben Roberts, Joey Hendricks, Joe Ragosta)
2. “Real Man” (Martin, Roberts, Steven Champion)
3. “Tug O’ War” (Martin, Lydia Vaughan, Sam Martinez, Will Bundy, Heath Warren)
4. “Take It From Me” (Martin, Roberts, Champion)
5. “Complex” (Martin, Vaughan, Bundy, Martinez)
6. “Last Train To Heaven” (Roberts, Jason Nix, Jason Gantt)
7. “Old Dog New Tricks” (Martin, Warren, Martinez, Chase Matthew)
8. “If Loving Me Was Easy” (Martin, Jeremy Bussey, Ryan Beaver, Kayla Ray)
9. “Home Sweet Living Hell” (Martin, Champion)
10. “For The Better” (Martin, Paul Sikes, Nate Kenyon)
11. “Rather Be The Fire” (Martin, JT Harding, Adam Wood, Scott Sean White)
12. “OD’in On A Dream” (Martin, Ben Chapman, Cary Barlowe)
13. “Demons Don’t Sleep (feat. Kasey Tyndall)” (Cameron Havens, Kasey Tyndall, Patrick Savage)

CMA Women’s Leadership Academy Celebrates Tiffany Kerns

Members from all five CMA Women’s Leadership Academy classes recently gathered to recognize WLA Founder Tiffany Kerns and thank her for her years of work with CMA and the program. Kerns’ leadership and mentorship have helped support the careers of many women in the music industry while creating a strong and lasting community among WLA members.

 

FEMcountry Debuts At Parton’s Live At SongTeller Hotel

FEMco, the women-focused music platform founded by longtime industry executive Leslie Fram, has partnered with Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel to launch FEMcountry at Parton’s Live, presented by Natural Life. The series opened earlier this week with a conversation featuring two-time Grammy-nominated artist Jo Dee Messina, followed by acoustic performances from Kylie Frey, Ruby Amanfu and Shelly Fairchild.

The event also featured a songwriter round that paid tribute to Parton, with Fairchild performing “Jolene,” Frey singing “9 to 5” and Amanfu performing “Why.” The event marked the first official songwriter round held at the venue. The next FEMcountry at Parton’s Live is scheduled for Oct. 20.

 

Ashley Cooke Performs On ‘Live With Kelly & Mark’

On Monday (Sept. 21), Ashley Cooke appeared on Live with Kelly & Mark to perform her rising single “baby blues.” Co-host Kelly Ripa joined the theme by wearing baby blue. “baby blues” continues to gain momentum, with the song surpassing 63 million global streams.

Cooke recently kicked off her headlining tour, with upcoming dates in Maine, Connecticut, Illinois and more.

 

Braxton Keith Partners With Tru Western For New Cologne

Braxton Keith has partnered with Tru Western to launch Leather Vintage Label No. 5 Canyon Echoes, the latest addition to the brand’s fragrance collection. Inspired by an 889-mile journey through West Texas, including the Big Bend region and Chihuahuan Desert, the cologne features notes of Desert Acacia, Cactus Water and Amberwood.

“West Texas will always be home to me, and it’s a big part of who I am and the music I make,” says Keith. “That’s what made working with Tru Western on Canyon Echoes feel like such a natural fit. The brand celebrates the West in a way that feels authentic to where I come from, and this fragrance captures the landscape and spirit of a place that means a lot to me.”