Artist Action: BRELAND, Scotty McCreery, Chris Janson

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BRELAND’s ‘My Truck’ Gets Chevy TikTok Reboot

Photo: Alaina Mullin

As part of a new partnership with Chevrolet, BRELAND reworked the lyrics to his hit song “My Truck” and created an accompanying music video. Marking the vehicle brand’s TikTok debut, the new version of “My Truck” highlights the Chevy Trucks lineup and has dynamic visuals that feature the Silverado in a starring role.

The “My Truck” video is viewable now on Chevrolet’s new TikTok profile, which launched this February. Chevrolet is one of only a few automotive brands with a channel on TikTok.

 

Scotty McCreery, Branford Marsalis Join ‘Big Night In’ Benefit Lineup

Scotty McCreery, Branford Marsalis, and more are set to perform on “Big Night In For the Arts” on Raleigh’s WRAL-TV on March 11. Money raised will go toward arts programming, initiatives for equity in the arts, and artist/arts organizations’ relief.

“I cannot imagine my life without the arts,” said McCreery. “Just like so many others, I started playing the guitar at an early age and began writing my own songs. I was in choral groups in school and performed in a musical in high school. We all benefit from the arts. They inspire us, enrich our lives, help us to connect, help us to feel, help us to dream, and help us to learn more about each other and the world. I am happy to lend my support to the arts community in my hometown and surrounding area.”

 

Chris Janson To Count Down The Hits

Chris Janson will help reveal America’s 30 favorite songs of the week on Country Countdown USA alongside superstar Luke Bryan, who is filling in on hosting duties, this weekend Feb. 20-21.

Meanwhile, on March 3, Janson will join artists such as Amy Grant and Radney Foster to participate in the American Red Cross (Tennessee Region) Nissan Lifesaver Special, airing on WKRN News 2 at 7 p.m. CT.

His latest single “Waitin’ On Five” is currently climbing the charts.

 

RVSHVD Signs With The Penthouse

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RVSHVD

The Penthouse has signed viral sensation RVSHVD (pronounced Ra-Shaad) for management representation and production. The 23-year-old Georgia native gained national attention for his country version of Roddy Rich’s “Ballin,” which has amassed more than 20 million streams across platforms.

His new single, “Raised Up” was released Friday, Feb. 19 and hit No. 1 on the Country iTunes Singles Chart, following the success of other recent releases “Dirt Road” and “My Side of Town,” which have appeared on multiple Spotify and Apple playlists. RVSHVD has more new music in the pipeline including a collaboration with country singer Trey Lewis.

“When you hear that voice cut through, you know it’s RVSHVD,” says Jonnie Forster, CEO of The Penthouse. “He’s equal parts talent and hustle so when you find a self contained artist like him, you do whatever you can to be on that rocket ship.”

RVSHVD’s influences range from Lil Bow Wow, Eminem and Tupac, to Alan Jackson, George Strait, Jason Aldean, and Keith Urban.

He is represented by attorney Christian Barker, Partner at Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP, with distribution by EMPIRE Nashville.

2021 CRS/Country Aircheck Awards Winners Revealed

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The final winners for the CRS/Country Aircheck Awards have been announced. Winners have been revealed each day of CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience.

Big Loud was named Platinum Label of the Year, and Big Machine Label Group was named Gold Label. Big Loud’s VP of Promotion, Stacy Blythe, was recognized, as was the independent label’s National Dir. of Promotion Ali Matkosky.

The late Warner Music Nashville Regional Tom Starr was posthumously honored.

Read the full list of 2021 CRS/Country Aircheck Awards Winners below:

Station:
KNIX/Phoenix (Major Market)
WSIX/Nashville (Large)
WUSY/Chattanooga (Medium)
WYCT/Pensacola, FL (Small)

Platinum Label: Big Loud

Gold Label: Big Machine Label Group

Operations Manager/Programing Director:
Cindy Spicer, WFUS/Tampa (Major)
Carletta Blake, WGAR/Cleveland (Large)
Ashley Wilson, WAMZ/Louisville (Medium)
Scott Gaines, KGNC/Amarillo, TX (Small)

Music Director:
Caitlin “CJ” Johnson, KKBQ/Houston (Major)
Tyler Reese, WKDF/Nashville (Large)
Melissa “Mo” Wagner, WUSY/Chattanooga (Medium)
Chris O’Kelley, WKXC/Augusta, GA (Small)

SVP-VP/National Promotion: Stacy Blythe, Big Loud

Director/National Promotion: Ali Matkosky, Big Loud

Market Manager/GM:
Sarah Frazier, KILT/Houston (Major)
Allison Warren, WKDF & WSM-FM/Nashville (Large)
Mel Owens, KUZZ/Bakersfield (Medium)
Melissa Kibler, KGNC/Amarillo, TX (Small)

Personality/Show:
Bobby Bones Show (National)
Angie Ward, WUBL/Atlanta (Major)
Marty McFly, WSM-FM/Nashville (Large)
Mo & StyckMan, WUSY/Chattanooga (Medium)
Eddie Foxx, WKSF/Asheville (Small)

Regional Promotion: Tom Starr, Warner/WAR

Independent Promotion: GrassRoots

New Face of Country Music: Nicole Michalik, WXTU/Philadelphia

Tennessee Songwriters Week Starts Sunday

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The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and The Bluebird Cafe will kick off Tennessee Songwriters Week with virtual performances by songwriters from across the state on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m./CT, streaming on YouTube and the cafe’s Facebook page.

Set to perform are Tennessee song contest winners Allen J. Morrell (Murfreesboro), Jay Da Skreet (Memphis), Courtney Holder (Chattanooga), Jacob Vaughn (Reidsville, NC), Beth Snapp (Kingsport), and Adeem Bingham (Knoxville). The winners received a specialty Tennessee Songwriters Week-branded Epiphone guitar, and a free one-year membership and individual mentoring session with NSAI.

More than 1,000 songwriters competed in 39 qualifying rounds, six showcase events and special events on stages from Memphis to Mountain City. The winners won showcases at Puckett’s in Franklin, Lafayette’s Music Room in Memphis, The Bijou in Knoxville, Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga, Ole Red in Gatlinburg, and The Downhome in Johnson City.

Other events for 2021 Tennessee Songwriters Week include Tia Sillers performing on the Songwriter Session at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.

In 2019, a state statute passed designating the last full week of February each year as Tennessee Songwriters Week.

Song contest winners (clockwise from top left): Allen J. Morrell, Jay Da Skreet, Courtney Holder, Jacob Vaughn, Beth Snapp and Adeem Bingham.

Kalie Shorr Releases First Track From Upcoming EP

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Single artwork for Kalie Shorr’s new track, “Amy.”

Kalie Shorr released her new song “Amy” on Friday (Feb. 19). Produced by renowned hitmaker Butch Walker, the song is the first track from her upcoming EP, which will be out later this year on tmwrk records.

Shorr says she had been working on the song idea for about two and a half years, and it finally came to fruition during a “cathartic” writing session with friends Candi Carpenter and John Caldwell. “After we finished it, I randomly decided to put an acoustic version of the song up on TikTok. I didn’t realize how many people had been in a similar position and needed a song to let them know they weren’t alone in that hurt. I never expected that response, I never expected two million people to see it, and I certainly never expected that I would get to record the song with Butch Walker. Anyone who knows me knows that his music (and the music he’s produced) has been the soundtrack to my life. And now it still is, just a lot more literally.”

Shorr’s critically acclaimed debut album, Open Book, was released in 2019 with its deluxe edition, Open Book: Unabridged, following this past December. Self-released by Shorr, Open Book landed on several “Best of 2019” lists including The New York Times and Variety.

Her podcast, Too Much To Say with Kalie Shorr, is produced by iHeartMedia and Bobby Bones.

Maggie Rose Announces Upcoming Album, ‘Have A Seat’

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Maggie Rose. Photo: Ford Fairchild

Maggie Rose has announced her new album, Have A Seat, will be released this Summer on Aug. 20 via Starstruck Records. Rose has released the fiery-horn-groove stomp-filled first track, “Do It,” which is available today (Feb. 19) on all streaming platforms.

Have A Seat is Rose’s third full-length project and was produced by Ben Tanner at the iconic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. In a series of pre-pandemic sessions, Rose recorded with a lineup of heavy-hitters including bassist David Hood of the Swampers (the session musicians who played on records from legends like Aretha Franklin and Etta James), guitarist Will McFarlane (Bonnie Raitt, Levon Helm), and longtime bandmates/collaborators Larry Florman (background vocals/percussion), Alex Haddad (guitars), and Sarah Tomek (drums) of Them Vibes, as well as guests such as Marcus King, and others.

“Working with musicians of that caliber and knowing they were giving my music so much attention definitely made me thrive,” Rose said. “I felt so safe going deep into the emotional places within the songs, and I think you can feel that love and camaraderie when you listen to the record.” At the same time, Have a Seat is undeniably the sound of an artist fully coming into her own, without concession or compromise. “I’ve worked in this industry for over a decade, and I feel like I’ve finally carved out a lane that’s genre-bending and all my own,” she says. “I had to really fight to find that space for myself, and this record is my way of staking my claim.”

Last month, Rose debuted her new podcast, Salute the Songbird, with Osiris Media. The interview-based podcast invites listeners into her world as an indie artist in a male-dominated industry. She hosts conversations with her female musical heroes, opening up about their lives in and out of music, challenging the status quo, and changing the game for women who come up behind them. On Feb. 14, Rose hosted a special Valentine’s Day live concert and taping of her podcast featuring singer-songwriter Elizabeth Cook which was live streamed on Nugs.net and broadcast on Lightning 100.

AMCO Partners with Kameron Marlowe, Nashville Brands to Launch New Series

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Appalachia Made Co., a country lifestyle and destination travel brand that focuses on helping create new jobs in the heart of coal country, has officially launched its 2021 schedule of powersports and live music events in Williamson, West Virginia. The West Virginia town is home to the Hatfield McCoy Trail system, 600+ miles of some of the best off-road vehicle trails in the nation.

AMCO has hired music industry members Lexia Chamryk-Thomas as CEO and Cameron Catron as Head of Artist and Brand Partnership to build a country lifestyle experience and bring the Nashville music scene and top nationwide artists to the region.

North Carolina native and Columbia Nashville artist Kameron Marlowe has aligned with the AMCO movement and brand. “When I first learned about AMCO, I was totally locked in,” Marlowe said. “Mixing my love for country music and outdoor sports, this was a perfect fit. I have a real passion for this, and I’m excited to see this town revamp and come back to life.”

“Over the years, we have seen a significant rise in countrywide and local ridership along with a need for more experiences when the riders get off the trails in our town,” says AMCO co-founder, Dr. Dino Beckett. “We saw this as a perfect opportunity to re-build our once-booming town into a national travel destination and provide locals with new service economy jobs. This will also provide riders from all over the country with lifelong experiences that will keep them coming to our region for years to come and drive significant economic impact.”

“We are so thrilled and humbled to partner with iconic Nashville brands such as Whiskey Jam and Porter Road, as well as Weed Cellars and Riff, to help drive economic impact in a region that has been devastated by the loss of coal jobs and suffered the opiate crisis,” adds Co-Founder Randall Ussery of L37. “I have spent a lot of my life in the Appalachia Mountains, and we have always said if you could bottle up its authenticity, values and beauty, the world would look at this place differently. We have a chance here to reframe the narrative of the region and rebuild it into a thriving and sustainable community. It won’t happen overnight, but we are investing for the long term, in our community, in our trails and in the arts, so that our children will stay or come back after college or the military.”

AMCO will kick off the riding season with the first AMCO Whiskeyfest presented by Weed Cellars, featuring Marlowe on Saturday, March 20 at the historic Williamson Field House in Williamson, West Virginia. Three percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Hatfield McCoy Trail System, Hiring Our Heroes Foundation and the Williamson Community Economic Development Corporation.

Adam Hambrick Releases Debut EP, ‘Flipsides’

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Adam Hambrick‘s major label debut EP, The Flipsides, is out today on Capitol Records Nashville/Buena Vista Records.

The six track-EP features songs penned by Hambrick along with Gordie Sampson, Kelly Archer, David Fanning, Ben Stennis and more, and includes guest vocals by Jillian Jacqueline on one smoldering track, “The Longer I Lay Here.”

Hambrick got his start after graduating from the University of Central Arkansas, when he made an appearance on KATV’s Good Morning Arkansas, and fellow Arkansas native Justin Moore happened to be watching and was impressed by his unique voice and distinctive songs. Soon after, Moore’s producer Jeremy Stover reached out, opening the door for Hambrick to move to Nashville and pursue music full-time. Hambrick has had numerous cuts for other artists including Miranda Lambert and Eli Young Band, as well as No. 1 hits for Dan + Shay (“How Not To”) and Justin Moore (“Somebody Else Will”).

“The Flipsides EP is the blueprint of how I approach country music,” says Hambrick of his new project. “It’s real instruments and colorful songwriting put together in a modern way. After 2020 sidelined most of our plans, it now feels really good to get this project out to my fans, who have been so patient. Now we have something to build on for the future.”

The Flipsides EP Track Listing:
“Broken Ladder” (Written by Adam Hambrick, Ben Stennis)
“The Longer I Lay Here (Featuring Jillian Jacqueline)” (Written by Adam Hambrick, Gavin Slate, Blake Chaffin, Chandler Baldwin, Tripp Howell)
“Kill A Man” (Written by Adam Hambrick, Andy Albert, Andrew DeRoberts)
“Sunshine State Of Mind” (Written by Adam Hambrick, Kelly Archer, Gordie Sampson
“Do The Math” (Written by Adam Hambrick, David Fanning, Nick Donley)
“When It All Sinks In” (Written by Adam Hambrick, Kelly Archer, Gordie Sampson)

Dierks Bentley Hits No. 1 On ‘MusicRow’ CountryBreakout Radio Chart

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Dierks Bentley graces the top of the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this with with his single, “Gone.” The single was written by Nicolle Galyon, Ben Johnson, and Niko Moon.

In his weekly DISClaimer, Robert K Oermann described the single as “Stompin’ on heartache and misery with the emphasis on a shouted chorus that is super catchy. Nicely produced and sung with believability. Dierks strikes again.”

The music video for “Gone” finds Bentley hitting rock bottom as his life plays out before him through some of his favorite TV shows.

Click here or above to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.

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The Erv Woolsey Company Ups Allen Mitchell, Gears Up For 2021

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Erv Woolsey, Allen Mitchell

The Erv Woolsey Company is headed in 2021 with momentum, starting with the promotion of Allen Mitchell to Vice President of New Artist Management & Operations for The Erv Woolsey Company / Rollin’ The Dice Records.

“Allen has great ideas and a strong work ethic. I know he will have tremendous success in all phases of the music business,” said CEO & Founder Erv Woolsey. Mitchell’s career began with Audium / Koch Records and includes experience in the promotion departments at Universal South Records, UMG / Mercury Records, and Bigger Picture Music Group.

The Rollin’ The Dice Records imprint, launched in 2020, was formed in partnership with Copperline Music Group / The Orchard and representing flagship artist Stone Senate, whose “Slow Crusade” lyric video is set to premiere later this month, as well has the Davisson Brothers Band, who will release a music video featuring NASCAR’s Ernie Irvan for their song “Pond Fishing” on March 11.

Looking forward to 2021, EWC’s full slate of artists are set for another remarkable year. Ian Munsick, signed under a co-management deal with Caroline Rudolph Munsick / Not A Public Figure Management, will release his Warner Music Nashville debut album Coyote Cry on Feb. 26 with lead single “Long Haul” shipping to radio in April. Munsick also recently performed at the WMN Virtual Luncheon as part of CRS 2021.

Jaden Hamilton, signed in partnership with Regulator Management, also celebrates the release of new music with “Bad Spot” out today, Feb. 19, via Sony Music Nashville.

Rounding out the talented slate of newcomers, Carnival Music singer songwriter Kylie Frey continues to build on the momentum of her Rodeo Queen EP released in the fall, while Vince Herman, lead singer of American Jam Band Leftover Salmon, has signed with EWC’s Wimberly Publishing for his first solo songwriting venture.