Belmont University Launches Hope Transforms Campaign

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Andrea Bocelli performs with special guests Trisha Yearwood, CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, Pia Toscano, and Belmont student musicians. Photo: Matt Willoughby.

Belmont University launched the public phase of its Hope Transforms campaign on Oct. 16 with a gala event at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, headlined by Andrea Bocelli. The campaign aims to raise 700 million dollars by 2030 to aid in the University’s mission to become the “leading Christ-centered university in the world.”

The sold-out event also featured performances by alumna Trisha Yearwood along with CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, Pia Toscano, Larisa Martinez and Belmont student musicians.

“Hope Transforms is more than a campaign; it’s a movement,” says Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones. “It’s about forming leaders of character, unleashing transformational creativity and inspiring innovation that serves the common good. This campaign will empower our students, faculty and community to imagine and build a better future.”

The campaign aims to secure Belmont scholarships and faculty positions through a 300 million dollar endowment, invest 200 million dollars into updating and building infrastructure across campus, and raise 200 million dollars for support mission trips, research, service learning, and experiential programs.

The Hope Transforms Scholarship Challenge will match new endowed scholarship gifts of $100,000 or more. The Johnson Academic Challenge is a $30 million matching fund to create up to 20 new endowed professorships.

Sammy Arriaga’s New Country Latino Project ‘Heart In Texas’ Due Oct. 31

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Sammy Arriaga is offering fans a tasty fusion of his country and Cuban roots on his new bilingual album, Heart in Texas, due out Oct. 31 via Dead Rose Records/Walk Off Entertainment.

The 14-track project is an industry-first, offering seven tracks in English and six in Spanish with a Freddy Fender cover of “Before The Next Teardrop Falls,” making the listening experience seamless in its flow from English to Spanish. Along with the 10 songs Arriaga has released through 2025, he recorded two brand new songs: “On Purpose” and “Can’t Turn On The Radio.”

“Heart in Texas comes from a place of patience and purpose,” says Arriaga. “Since releasing my last album three years ago, I wanted to create something that brought both of my worlds together as one. Instead of separating English and Spanish versions, I let them breathe side by side, just like they do in my life. This album has a little bit of everything — fun songs to dance to, heartbreak ones to drink to, and romantic ones to make memories with. I’m proud to stand tall in my roots and to represent the community that sees itself in my story.”

Arriaga also showcases his sound with his “Country Latino Sessions” YouTube series, and has amassed more than two million social followers and recently surpassed 100 Million global music streams across DSPs. Leading up to his new album, he released 12 singles under the label partnership with Walk Off Entertainment, including English and Spanish versions of “Left My Heart In Texas,” “Moves Like Mexico” and “Born Again.”

Heart in Texas Track List:
1.  “Left My Heart in Texas” (Sammy Arriaga, Jennifer Leigh Ricotta, Jared Griffin)
2.  “Moves Like Mexico” (Sammy Arriaga, Sara Brice, Jerrod Niemann)
3.  “Selena” (Sammy Arriaga, Brian Alexander, Brad Wagner)
4.  “Limes” (Sammy Arriaga, Jennifer Leigh Ricotta, Emma Lynn White, Andrew Beason)
5.  “Born Again” (Sammy Arriaga, Christian Yancey, Justin Johnson)
6.  “On Purpose” (Sammy Arriaga, Steve Bogard, Dave Pittenger)
7.  “Can’t Turn On The Radio” (Sammy Arriaga, Katie Cecil, Chris Ganoudis)
8.  “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” (Ben Peters, Vivian Keith)
9.  “Mi Corazón Está En Tejas” (Sammy Arriaga, Jennifer Leigh Ricotta, Jared Griffin, Germán “Mango” Duque)
10. “Así Es En México” (Sammy Arriaga, Sara Brice, Jerrod Neiman, Johan Sotelo, Simon Escobar Uribe)
11. “Cantando Selena” (Sammy Arriaga, Brian Alexander, Brad Wagner, Johan Sotelo, Simón Escobar Uribe)
12. “Vuelvo A Nacer” (Sammy Arriaga, Christian Yancey, Justin Johnson, Germán “Mango” Duque)
13. “Las Ganas” (Sammy Arriaga, Steve Bogard, Dave Pittenger, Johan Sotelo, & Simon Vauri)
14. “Prefiero No Saber De Ti” (Sammy Arriaga, Katie Cecil, Chris Ganoudis, Johan Sotelo)

Ashley Cooke Readies ‘ace,’ Due In November

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Ashley Cooke is set to release her next project, ace, on Nov. 14 via Big Loud Records.

The nine-track project, named for Cooke’s childhood nickname given by her father, marks her first project since her 2023 debut, Shot In The Dark. 

Produced by Dann Huff, Cooke co-penned seven of the nine tracks alongside Emily Weisband, Johnny Clawson and Kyle Sturrock, among others. The project explores themes love, heartbreak and loss.

“It’s been about two and a half years since my debut record was released. So many incredible, bucket-list things filled the days after with the best people I could ever imagine getting to share them with,” Cooke shared during the announcement on her social media. “But life has a funny way of spitting rain when you think it’s gonna be a sunny day. I swear, one thing hit after another. I lost some of the most important people in my life, and health issues in my family piled up left and right. Love came, and love went. This music is derived from those real situations. It’s brutal honesty. It’s a story in chronological order. And it’s a collection of songs welcoming you to the next chapter.”

 

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Earlier this month, Cooke’s “the hell you are” became the most added song at country radio. She released two versions of “tin foil hat” last week, with an official music video release for the “panic attack version.”

The ACM nominated artist kicked off the year with her headlining “Your Place Tour” before hitting the road with Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Lee Brice and more throughout the rest of the year.

ace Track List:
1. “gettin’ old” (Ashley Cooke/Johnny Clawson/Kyle Sturrock)
2. “baby blues” (Ashley Cooke/Johnny Clawson/Kyle Sturrock/Seth Ennis/Joe Fox)
3. “the f word” (Emily Weisband/Lori McKenna/Gordie Sampson)
4. “talk about” (Ashley Cooke/Emily Weisband/Chase McGill/Chris LaCorte)
5. “the hell you are” (Ashley Cooke/Emily Weisband/Chase McGill/Seth Ennis/Joe Fox)
6. “swear words” (Ashley Cooke/Johnny Clawson/Kyle Sturrock/Seth Ennis/Madeline Merlo/Joe Fox)
7. “excuses” (Ashley Cooke/Johnny Clawson/Kyle Sturrock)
8. “tin foil hat (panic attack version)” (Emily Weisband/Seth Ennis/Mike Robinson)
9. “(my worst fear)” (Ashley Cooke/Emily Weisband/Johnny Clawson/Kyle Sturrock/Seth Ennis/Joe Fox)

Lainey Wilson Releases New ‘Peace Love & Cowboys (Holiday Edition)’ EP

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Lainey Wilson is getting in the holiday spirit a little early with the release of her new Peace, Love, & Cowboys (Holiday Edition) EP, out now.

The three-song EP includes a new holiday version of Wilson’s “Peace, Love, & Cowboys,” “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” with Bing Crosby and a rendition of George Strait’s “Christmas Cookies.” A physical version of the EP (12-inch vinyl, 7-inch vinyl and CD) will also be available on Nov. 21, consisting of “Peace, Love, & Cowboys (Holiday Edition)” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” as well as instrumental versions of both tracks.

Wilson will perform the holiday songs live at the Grand Ole Opry on Dec. 10 as part of their special Christmas show, and prior to that, she’ll host the upcoming 59th Annual CMA Awards next month, where she is also tied as the most-nominated artist with six nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (Whirlwind), Single of the Year (“4x4xU”), Song of the Year (“4x4xU”) and Music Video of the Year (“Somewhere Over Laredo”).

She’ll continue to tour through the fall, including upcoming stops in St. Paul, Knoxville, Charlotte and Tampa, before embarking on her extensive headline run across Australia and New Zealand next year.

Ryan Waters Band Inks With Kinkead Entertainment Agency

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Ryan Waters Band and Kinkhead Entertainment Agency team

The Ryan Waters Band has signed with the Kinkead Entertainment Agency for booking representation.

Waters initially achieved success on TikTok after writing the streaming hit “Chevrolet You Down” which racked up over one million views and over nine million streams on Spotify alone. The momentum put Waters in Nashville, where he immersed himself in his craft and followed “Chevrolet You Down” with a string of singles, including 2021’s “Tomorrow’s Not Tonight” (which has over 10 million Spotify streams) and his cover of “Chasing Cars” in 2023 which has over seven million streams.

“Teaming up with one of Nashville’s best, Bob Kinkead, and his incredible crew marks a huge step forward in my career,” says Waters. “From our first conversation, it was clear that Bob and everyone at Kinkead understood my vision, drive, and where I’m headed. Their track record for helping artists grow the right way speaks volumes, and it’s an honor to have them in my corner on the booking front moving forward. I’m beyond grateful for their belief in what I’m doing and genuinely excited to see what we’ll build together.”

Grand Ole Opry To Celebrate 100th Anniversary Of Inaugural Broadcast

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The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate 100 years since its inaugural broadcast with two shows on Nov. 28.

November 28, 2025 marks exactly 100 years since the evening a single fiddle tune performed by Uncle Jimmy Thompson marked the first Grand Ole Opry broadcast.

Slated to appear during the shows is Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson, Mandy Barnett, T. Graham Brown, Steven Curtis Chapman, Henry Cho, The Gatlin Brothers, Vince Gill, The Isaacs, Kathy Mattea, Charlie McCoy, Scotty McCreery, Gary Mule Deer, Riders In The Sky, Ricky Skaggs, Don Schlitz, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, The Whites, Mark Wills, Suzy Bogguss and more to be announced soon.

The Grand Ole Opry has been celebrating Opry 100 throughout 2025 with special shows, more than 60 Opry debuts so far this year, and the Opry’s first-ever live international broadcast from London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall. The celebrations will continue into 2026. A full schedule of Opry 100 events can be found here.

Drake Milligan Readies New Album Due In November

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Drake Milligan will release his new album, Tumbleweed, on Nov. 7. In celebration of the announcement, he released a new track, “Old Flames, Old Whiskey.”

Milligan co-wrote eleven of the fourteen tracks alongside Brandon Hood, Terry McBride, Monty Criswell and Aaron Eshuis, among others.

Written by Brett and Jim Beavers, “Old Flames, Old Whiskey” leans themes of memory and regret.

After opening for Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan throughout 2025, Milligan will kick off “The Tumbleweed World Tour” at his headlining show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl on Nov. 11, which will also serve as his official album release party. The tour will include all forthcoming shows including dates in Paris and Brussels in March 2026 and C2C Festival in Rotterdam, Berlin, London, Glasgow, and Belfast. Milligan will also host a pop-up performance at Ole Red in Orlando, Florida on Nov. 8.

Tumbleweed Tracklist:
1. “Cryin’ Shoulder” (Drake Milligan, Brandon Hood, Terry McBride)
2. “Hearts Together” (Drake Milligan, Jim Beavers)
3. “Tumbleweed” (Bobby Pinson, Cam Newby, Ian Christian)
4. “Turn It Off” (Brian Fuller, Jeb Gipson, Matt Warren)
5. “Like The Moon” (Drake Milligan, Chris Dubois, Thomas Karlas)
6. “Good As Gone” (Drake Milligan, Brandon Hood, Monty Criswell)
7. “Slow Dancing To A Fast Song” (Drake Milligan, Tim Nichols, Marv Green)
8. “Old Flames, Old Whiskey” (Brett Beavers, Jim Beavers)
9. “Girl Like you” (Drake Milligan, Phil O’Donnell)
10. “Hard Headed Cowboy” (Drake Milligan, Aaron Eshuis, Neil Medley)
11. “Lonely:30” (Drake Milligan, Brandon Hood, Phil O’Donnell)
12. “Goodbye Ain’t All That Bad” (Drake Milligan, Brice Long)
13. “Talk Texas” (Drake Milligan, Jim Beavers)
14. “How Much Beer (feat. Randall King)” (Drake Milligan, Luke Laird, Brice Long)

 

Eric Church To Release Live Album

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Eric Church will release a 19-track live album, Evangeline vs. The Machine: Comes Alive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) on Feb. 13, 2026 via MCA. The project will coincide with his IMAX exclusive release of Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive. The first track from the album, “Desperate Man (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)” is available now.

“This live album is special.” says Church. “It has been a while since the band and I had played a large club like the Pinnacle. Those two nights were electric. And listening back, the magic of those nights has definitely been captured. “

Both the album and concert film include Church’s 2025 album Evangeline vs. The Machine, as well as chart-toppers “Desperate Man,” “Give Me Back My Hometown,” “Sinners Like Me,” “Mistress Named Music,” “Springsteen” and more. During the performance across two nights at Nashville’s The Pinnacle, Church was backed by a 6-piece band, 4-piece horns, 4-piece strings, 8-piece choir and vocalist Joanna Cotten.

Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive Track List:
1. “Hands Of Time (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
2. “Bleed On Paper (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
3. “Johnny (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
4. “Storm In Their Blood (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
5. “Darkest Hour (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
6. “Evangeline (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
7. “Rocket’s White Lincoln (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
8. “Clap Hands (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
9. “Desperate Man (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
10. “Give Me Back My Hometown (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
11. “Homeboy (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
12. “Sinners Like Me (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
13. “Creepin’ (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
14. “Knives Of New Orleans (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
15. “Smoke A Little Smoke (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
16. “The Outsiders (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
17. “Hell Of A View (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
18. “Mistress Named Music (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”
19. “Springsteen (Live At The Pinnacle, Nashville, TN / May 24, 2025)”

MusicRow Weekly (Publisher Issue, News, Charts, More…)

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This week’s MusicRow Weekly headlines reflect a dynamic and evolving Nashville, where creative excellence, industry leadership, and historic moments continue to shape the city’s musical legacy. Click here to see the full edition.

This week, MusicRow celebrates one of its most anticipated releases of the year. The 2025 Publisher Issue is officially out, with Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records’ Megan Moroney gracing its cover. As Nashville’s premier resource for the songwriting and publishing community, this annual edition includes the updated Publisher Directory, featuring the city’s top publishing companies and songwriter organizations, along with exclusive features that spotlight the heart of Nashville’s music-making engine. Single copies are available for $50 and are included with yearly subscriptions.

Warner Chappell Music Nashville has promoted Christina Wiltshire to Vice President, A&R. Meanwhile, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group announced a groundbreaking leadership change as CEO and Founder Lou Taylor appointed an all-female C-suite. Peggy Stephens (Chief Operating Officer), Heather Kinder (Chief of Staff) and Deedra Carroll (Chief Deputy Director) now make up one of the only all-female executive teams in the financial and entertainment business management sectors.

BMI has revealed it will honor Clint Black with the BMI Icon Award during the 73rd annual BMI Country Awards, set for Nov. 18 at BMI’s Nashville office. The invitation-only celebration will be hosted by Mike O’Neill, Mike Steinberg, and Clay Bradley.

It was also a night to remember at the Grand Ole Opry earlier this week, where Kathy Mattea was officially inducted by fellow member Terri Clark on Oct. 11. In a heartfelt moment later in the evening, Mattea extended the honor forward, inviting her friend Suzy Bogguss to become the next Opry member. The occasion marked the first time in the institution’s history that both an induction and an invitation occurred in the same night.

Sony Music Publishing Nashville announced a global publishing administration partnership with Sea Gayle Music and Domain Capital Group, providing worldwide administration services to Sea Gayle’s roster and catalog.

Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment also expanded its team with three key hires: Bridget Herrmann as Senior Director of Promotion & Marketing, Dexter Bensman as Head of Digital Marketing and Christina Hunt as Label Coordinator.

The 56th Annual GMA Dove Awards lit up Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 7, honoring the year’s most impactful artists and songs in Christian and Gospel music. Brandon Lake emerged as the night’s top winner with five awards, including Songwriter of the Year (Artist) and Song of the Year for “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” alongside co-writers Jelly Roll, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown and Benjamin William Hastings. Forrest Frank took home Artist of the Year, while Leanna Crawford earned New Artist of the Year honors. Gospel legend CeCe Winans also made a strong showing, winning two awards, including Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year for “Come Jesus Come” with Shirley Caesar. A full list of winners is available here.

In addition, the latest MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart is included. Luke Combs takes the No. 1 spot with “Back In The Saddle.” Explore more chart data here.

The MusicRow Weekly is delivered every Friday, featuring Nashville’s top music industry news, exclusive interviews, song reviews, radio and songwriter charts and more. Sign up for free here.

Ghost Hounds Make Grand Ole Opry Debut

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Photo: Chris Hollo

Country/rock band Ghost Hounds made their debut on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry this week.

The band was introduced by Charles Mattos before stepping into the circle. They performed “She Runs Hot” and “Last Train To Nowhere” fronted by vocalist SAVNT.

Photo: Chris Hollo

“Stepping into that circle, honestly, as I was walking backstage, I just feel grateful, like completely grateful, because it feels like this is the era of my life, I’m living answered prayers,” SAVNT shared with WSM radio ahead of the performance.

“We were all thrilled when we received the offer for Ghost Hounds to be part of the Grand Ole Opry’s 100-year celebration,” says Matt Graham, Founding Partner, Range Media Partners. “It’s always a tremendous honor, and the band’s expansive range of influences and immense talent embody exactly what the Grand Ole Opry is known for showcasing and supporting. We’re so proud of the band’s continued evolution and the way they’re breaking ground across multiple music communities — including country, roots, blues, rock, and beyond. We believe this is just one of many big moments ahead for them.”

The Ghost Hounds will perform on Nov. 1 at The Bay in Sarasota, Florida, alongside Brian Kelley.