Tinti Moffat at the T.J. Martell Foundation 8th Annual Nashville Honors Gala at the Omni Nashville Hotel on February 29, 2016. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for T.J. Martell

The T.J. Martell Foundation and Southern Region Executive Director, Tinti Moffat, have parted ways effective immediately.

John Huie, President of Southeast Region Committee, T.J. Martell Foundation says, “We are losing a great advocate and we appreciate the hard work, passion, and dedication that Moffat has presented on behalf of the T.J. Martell Foundation.”

Huie adds, “Under the guidance of Moffat, the foundation has raised unprecedented funds used to support cancer research. In addition, Moffat was essential in our mission to create a community within the music industry to raise money for cancer research. Moffat’s hard work as well as the dedication of the board, the young professional groups and our community are important to our work of finding more treatments and cures for cancer.”

In 2013, T.J. Martell Foundation hired Moffat as Director of Strategic Development, to raise funds and bring awareness to the Foundation’s mission of funding leukemia, cancer and AIDS research.

Moffat has over 30 years experience in the music industry. Prior to T.J. Martell post, she was as an entertainment consultant for several organizations, including managing Event Production and Business Development for Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville; prior to that position, she was an agent at WME responsible for booking show dates and tours for their roster as well as working with the publishing community to develop and sign new talent.

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will share a stage again and likely some laughs when the two step into the circle together to perform on the Grand Ole Opry’s 4,941^st consecutive Saturday night broadcast on Sept. 5.

Paisley recently released his new single “No I In Beer,” and Underwood is anticipating the release of her first-ever Christmas album, My Gift, on Sept. 25. The two have been buddies since touring together early in Underwood’s career, and enjoyed an impressive 11-year run as one of the most popular and successful hosting duos in CMA Awards history. In 2011, they earned a chart-topper with the ballad “Remind Me.”

This Saturday, Aug. 22, Jon Pardi, Runaway June and Pam Tillis, celebrating her 20^th Opry Anniversary, will step onto the Grand Ole Opry stage at 7 p.m. CT.

Capitol Christian group We The Kingdom released their debut project, Holy Water, on Aug. 7, and the album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Christian Album chart and in the Top 10 on the All-Genre US iTunes Sales chart. The band, which includes Ed Cash, Scott Cash, Franni Rae Cash, Martin Cash and Andrew Bergthold, is also celebrating four nominations at the upcoming 51st annual GMA Dove Awards, including Song of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year, and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. The album, which was produced by We The Kingdom and recorded at their studio, features 12 tracks including their smash hit “Holy Water” and a collaboration with Bethel Music.

Their current radio single “God So Loved” is the No. 1 song on Spotify’s official Top Christian playlist with over 11.8 million global streams to date, and is already Top 10 on the Christian Airplay chart. The album also features the band’s breakout hit and debut radio single, “Holy Water” which spent seven consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Christian AC chart.

The 51st Annual GMA Dove Awards will air exclusively on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) on Friday, Oct. 30. Due to COVID-19, in lieu of the association hosting its annual awards show on TBN live, the show will be a variety of unique pre-recorded performances and acceptance speeches. For more information, visit doveawards.com.

Steve Azar is releasing a new track, “Coldwater,” today (Aug. 20) from his upcoming album My Mississippi Reunion. The newly-recorded track is a collaboration with friend and fellow Mississippian Cedric Burnside.

Burnside is the scion of a family that has been tremendously influential in the blues field. His grandfather was the legendary R.L. Burnside who shed light on North Mississippi’s idiosyncratic hill country blues style, and his father was noted drummer Calvin Jackson. Burnside is the recipient of four Blues Foundation Awards and has been nominated for two Grammys.

“I admire Cedric for everything he represents, not just because he’s a world class musician,” reveals Azar. “He’s a sterling human being and I’ve respected him for years. You’ve got two Mississippians coming together during these times in song. There’s nothing more powerful.”

My Mississippi Reunion includes songs Azar has written and recorded over the years that were inspired by his native state, and is due out Oct. 23. Every song on the album relates to a locale or aspect of the state, and more than a few take their titles from towns including “Midnight,” “Rosedale,” “Flatlands,” “Rena Lara,” “Greenville,” and “Indianola.” Azar wrote “One Mississippi” at the request of Governor Phil Bryant in 2017 as the state’s official bicentennial song, and the state also recognized him with the installation of a Mississippi Country Trail Marker in Greenville at the same time as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Jimmie Rodgers were similarly honored.

Azar organizes and promotes the Mighty Mississippi Festival, a yearly celebration of roots music. This year’s festival, slated for the weekend of October 1, is moving from Greenville to Clarksdale where it will take place on land where Muddy Waters lived before he moved to Chicago.