MTSU is launching Bridges to Nashville: Exciting Career Opportunities in Country Music, a five-month pilot program designed to educate college students of color nationwide about the country music industry.

Beverly Keel, MTSU’s Dean of the College of Media and Entertainment, created the initiative and will host the series.

The first session will be held on Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. CT and feature a conversation between artist and hit songwriter Shy Carter and Shannon Sanders, songwriter/producer and executive director of BMI’s Nashville office.

It will be followed by a 5 p.m. panel on record labels that will be moderated by Gina Miller, Sr. VP and GM of Entertainment One, and founding board member of Nashville Music Equality.

“The goal of this program is to educate students of color about country music in hopes that they will consider country music as a viable career path after graduation,” Keel says. “The program will explore what today’s country music is, how the industry operates and what the potential career opportunities are.

“In addition, this program will introduce industry leaders to African-American students who are interested in internships and jobs. The goal is to create more diversity in all areas of the country music industry.”

The 90-minute Zoom sessions will begin at 4 p.m. CT and include a conversation with a creator of color and focus on one segment of the industry. There is no cost to students.

The other program dates are:
March 31—Publishers, Performing Rights Organizations and Songwriters;
April 21—Talent Agencies and Promoters;
May 26—Studios, Producers and Engineers;
June 23—Entrepreneurial Opportunities (Digital Marketing, Publicity, etc.).

Series sponsors are BMI, Change the Conversation, CMT, Country Music Association, Diversify the Stage, Nashville Music Equality and the Recording Academy’s Nashville Chapter.

Details and registration here.

Shenandoah has announced the rescheduled 2021 tour dates for their Every Road Tour. The tour will hit venues in select markets opening up with strict social distancing measures, and will kick off Feb. 19 at the Arena Theatre in Houston.

Led by frontman Marty Raybon and co-founding member Mike McGuire, Shenandoah will perform catalog favorites like “Church on Cumberland Road,” “Sunday in the South” and “Two Dozen Roses” as well as material from their latest album, Every Road on the new dates.

“It has been way too long. It’s been a ‘hard day’s night’ to quote the Beatles, but it’s time to get on the bus, run the highway and listen to the crowd. Excitement is not a big enough word for the way the Shenandoah camp feels. We’re ready to get back to the Big E – entertainment. Y’all come out and capture some of this cooped up energy,” said Raybon.

Every Road marked the group’s first album of all-new music since 1994. Shenandoah released several instant-grat tracks from the 10-song album, produced by Buddy Cannon, starting with the lead single “I’d Take Another One of Those” with Zac Brown Band. The second track, “Every Time I Look At You” with Lady A, debuted on The Kelly Clarkson Show and features a video airing now on CMT.

The Every Road Tour Dates:
Feb. 19 Arena Theatre – Houston, Texas
Feb. 20 Billy Bob’s – Ft. Worth, Texas
March 5 Private Event – Corpus Christi, Texas
March 21 Firefighters Indian River – Vero Beach, Fla.
March 27 The Stone Theater at Keestone Resort – Loretto, Tenn.
April 2 Cotton Country Club – Granger, Texas
April 3 Coyote Country Store – Gail, Texas
April 24 Private Event – Ardmore, Ala.
May 1 ValleyFest Park – Dunlap, Tenn.
May 15 Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass Festival – Sevierville, Tenn.
May 22 Liberty Showcase Theatre – Liberty, N.C.
May 29 Harrah’s Lake Tahoe – Stateline, Nev.
May 30 Rolling Hills Casino – Corning, Calif.
June 5 Green River Live – Greensburg, Ky.
June 18 Ford County Fairgrounds – Melvin, Ill.
June 19 Winstock Country Music Festival – Winsted, Minn.
June 26 Cattle Baron’s Ball – Waco, Texas
July 2 Wild West Festival – Hays, Kan.
July 4 Freedom Celebration – Albuquerque, N.M.
July 9 Huntley Homestead – Huntley, Mont.
July 15 Gardiner Farms – Tuscumbia, Ala.
July 17 Country Jam USA – Eau Claire, Wis.
July 22 Marshall County Fair Campground – Warren, Minn.
July 29 Jackson County Junior Fair – Cottageville, W.Va.
July 30 Country Tonite Theatre – Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
July 31 Warren Sewell Field – Woodland, Ala.
Aug. 5 Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds – Elma, Wash.
Aug. 7 Crook County Fairgrounds – Prineville, Ore.
Aug. 17 State Fair of West Virginia – Lewisburg, W.Va.
Aug. 26 Minnesota State Fair – St. Paul, Minn.
Aug. 27 Minnesota State Fair – St. Paul, Minn.
Aug. 28 Callaway 200 Bicentennial Bash – Fulton, Mo.
Sept. 24 Showplace Theatre at Riverwind Casino – Norman, Okla.
Sept. 28 Brown County Fair – Georgetown, Ohio
Oct. 15 Watson Lake Park – Prescott, Ariz.
Oct. 16 Heber Valley Fest – Heber City, Utah
Oct. 23 Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo – Bryan, Texas
Oct. 30 Live Oak County Fair Grounds & Coliseum – George West, Texas

Artist manager Bruce Kalmick of WHY&HOW is launching Hazel Street Records, a joint label venture with global distributor The Orchard. Spanning various genres, the first two signings are alternative rock band Goldpark, and alt-pop duo Nox Holloway. Kalmick will serve as Hazel Street Records’ CEO.

Laura Bender, most recently General Manager of Hard 8 Management/Folsom Records, will lead the label as General Manager based in Nashville. At Hard 8, Bender worked with Dashboard Confessional, Twin Forks, and Dan Layus while overseeing the company’s team of day-to-day managers as well as digital marketing and touring personnel. Prior to Hard 8, Bender was National Dir., Promotion at Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) after more than a decade in promotion at RRP/Warner Music Group.

Lesley James and MJ Marty will serve as Directors: Radio and Streaming. James previously spent two years at East City Management (alt-J, Wolf Alice, Kodaline) as head of U.S. Radio and Streaming Promotion. Prior to that, he was on-air talent and program director WWCD in Columbus, Ohio.

Marty’s career includes time at Epic Records, Island Def Jam, Columbia Records, and most recently established Realid Records at Warner Music Group. Marty has been integral in promotion efforts and campaigns for Beyoncé, John Legend, and Fall Out Boy.

Andrew de Torres has been named Dir., Digital and Artist Marketing. He spent the last two years at Thirty Tigers (John Prine, Alanis Morissette, Jason Isbell) as digital sales manager, following time as a touring artist signed to Photo Finish Records/Atlantic Records.

Kalmick launched WHY&HOW late last year, which represents Grammy-nominated rock band KALEO, Platinum country-trap artist BRELAND, Southern rock band Whiskey Myers, and genre-bending singer-songwriter ZZ Ward.

“My vision for Hazel Street Records is to find undeveloped talent and do the hard work of building career artists,” said Kalmick. “The Orchard is the perfect partner to build this vision with us. We’ve been lucky enough to assemble a team of some of the most creative people in the industry, led by Laura, who is one of the most innovative and tenacious executives I’ve ever met.”

“When I first began talking to Bruce nearly two years ago, I was impressed by his passion for finding talent, and his track record is a testament to his long-term commitment and dedication to his artists,” said Bender. “We shared a vision of building a label from the ground up as a home to find and develop raw talent. Then 2020 hit, and we were forced to redefine artist development without the prospect of touring. Our artists, in turn, used the time to explore their creative process in new ways, and honed their craft, writing and recording incredible music that we can’t wait to share this year. Through all of it, we are grateful for the support of The Orchard, who were true partners through unprecedented times.”

The label is off to a running start with Goldpark’s first single “Beautiful Desperation,” set for release Friday, Feb. 12. Nox Holloway released “Separate Ways” last summer and is currently working on their debut album.

Bruce Kalmick will be CEO of Hazel Street Records.

for KING & COUNTRY is releasing a new expanded edition of their latest project with Burn The Ships (Deluxe Edition: Remixes & Collaborations), on March 26. The deluxe addition features the duo’s collaborations with Dolly Parton, Timbaland, and more.

Starting with the Grammy-winning collaboration with Dolly Parton in 2019 for the duo’s Platinum-selling No. 1 track “God Only Knows,” Joel and Luke Smallbone have spent the last two years bridging gaps with their cross-genre collaborations. The 17-song project includes guest appearances by Dolly, Timbaland, Tori Kelly, Kirk Franklin, and more.

Recently, for KING & COUNTRY released their latest single and lyric video for “Amen (Reborn) [feat. Lecrae + The WRLDFMS Tony Williams],” a song about renaissance and renewal. for KING & COUNTRY first teamed up with Lecrae on his track “Messengers” in 2015, earning the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song that year. Earlier this year, for KING & COUNTRY continued to expand their palette by joining with label mates Hannah Ellis and Jackson Michelson to release “Together (The Country Collaboration)” – a brand new rendition of the duo’s multi-week No. 1 hit.

“Thank you all for embarking on the Burn The Ships voyage over the last few years,” Joel and Luke shared. “Since the album’s release, there have been wonderful collaborations bringing with them new and fresh musical moments that we felt deserved to be grafted into this record’s story going forward. Our hope is this ‘complete edition’ brings with it a new emotion, depth, and spirit. This album no longer belongs to us or these other incredible voices who lent their talents to it, it belongs to you. It’s your stories, your heartfelt conversations, texts, FaceTimes and gifts that have inspired and re-inspired us along the way – honestly, you have given this catalog of songs a whole new meaning and life, and not only given us the courage to keep stepping forward, but have also helped us find redemption in our own stories.”