The stories below were some of the most-read stories on MusicRow during 2019. Loads of No. 1 parties and events, plenty of big signings and lots of musical chairs in the Nashville music business made for an eventful year to end the 2010s.
Pictured (L-R): BMI Songwriters Channing Wilson, Luke Combs, and Rob Snyder with BMI’s Mason Hunter
Trains thundered by when Luke Combs and co-writers Channing Wilson and Rob Snyder gathered to celebrate Combs’ fourth No. 1 as an artist, “She Got the Best Of Me” on a cold and rainy afternoon at the Corsair Distillery on Tuesday (Feb. 19). In a party sponsored by BMI, friends and family surrounded the grateful and humbled trio…
Scott Borchetta
Scott Borchetta has responded to claims made earlier today by superstar and former Big Machine Records artist Taylor Swift, following the announcement that Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings has acquired Borchetta’s Big Machine Label Group…
Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are involved in another restaurant concept soon to open in Nashville. Both singers are partnering with former MLB player Adam LaRoche for the new Nashville E3 Chophouse, which is set to open later this year at the corner of Wedgewood Avenue and 21st Avenue (1628 21st Ave. S.)…
MusicRow is proud to reveal the honorees ahead of its eighth annual Rising Women on the Row celebration…
Read the recap of the 2019 Rising Women on the Row event, honoring Sandi Spika Borchetta, Janine Ebach, Kelly Janson, Meredith Jones, Lenore Kinder and Jennifer Turnbow here.
Collage created using TurboCollage software from www.TurboCollage.com
66 rising Nashville music industry leaders have been selected as part of MusicRow Magazine’s inaugural N.B.T. Industry Directory…
Ken Burns‘ eight-part Country Music documentary, which premiered Sept. 15 on PBS stations nationwide, reached 34.5 million unique viewers, according to Nielsen’s Live +7 data. During the documentary’s eight-night premiere run, the film delivered an average audience of 6.8 million cross-platform viewers (with an average household rating of 4.4), making the documentary Burns’ most-watched film since 2014’s The Roosevelts…
Pictured (L-R): Jill Trunnell, Glen Rose, Allister Ann, Kenny Chesney, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young, Holly Gleason, Museum Editor Michael McCall and Heather Lose. Photo Credit: Erin Lee Allender for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Kenny Chesney was the center of an intimate time of discussion at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum last Friday (July 26) with members of his fan club No Shoes Nation and members of the museum…
Kris Kristofferson. Photo: Photo Credit: Mary Ellen Mark/courtesy of CMA
Kris Kristofferson will be the latest recipient of the 2019 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming CMA Awards Nov. 13…
The 2019 inductees into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum were announced today (July 16) in Nashville. They will be honored with a concert slated for Oct. 22 at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center…
Carrie Underwood. Photo: Jeff Johnson
“It’s good to be home,” Carrie Underwood told the crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Friday evening (Sept. 27). “It felt so weird waking up in my own bed and now I’m playing at the Bridgestone. This is kind of my second home.”…
CEO of Big Machine Records Scott Borchetta, singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow and John Carter Cash take photos during a special day revealing Sheryl Crow & Johnny Cash’s new song “Redemption Day” at Cash Cabin Recording Studio on April 17, 2019 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Valory Music Co.)
One of the standout vocal collaborations in Nashville music history was introduced Wednesday (April 17) at the Cash Cabin Studio. The invitation-only event was staged to unveil superstar Sheryl Crow’s duet with the late Johnny Cash on her song “Redemption Day.”…
Pictured: Luke Combs, Tali Canterbury, Jonathan Singleton
Luke Combs and Jonathan Singleton are launching a new publishing and artist development venture alongside A&R executive and publisher Tali Canterbury, who will serve as the company’s President…
Tay Keith and James Spencer IV
Recent Middle Tennessee State University graduate Tay Keith has already notched top production credits, and a Grammy nomination, for his work with artists including Drake (“Nonstop”), Eminem (“Not Alike”) and Travis Scott (“Sicko Mode”). While making his own mark on the music scene, he’s also making it a point to help others who aspire to be part of the music industry.
James Spencer IV, an 11th grade student at Nashville Big Picture High School, inked a production agreement with Keith’s production company, Dramatized, on Jan. 23.
Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Kacey Musgraves/Facebook
Kacey Musgraves is set to make history with her Oh, What a World: Tour II headlining tour during the tour’s final stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena tomorrow night. She is set to break the female attendance record of any genre at Bridgestone with 18,373 projected attendees…
Chris Kappy
River House/Columbia Nashville artist Luke Combs celebrated with a No. 1 party for his third consecutive chart-topping single earlier this week in Music City. That milestone is the latest in a steadily-growing number of accolades, including a platinum album (This One’s For You), three platinum singles including “Hurricane,” “One Number Away,” and “When It Rains It Pours,” as well as the album track “Beautiful Crazy,” which has earned Gold certification.
For Combs’ manager, Chris Kappy at Make Wake Artists, the sales numbers and sold-out shows at venues including the historic Ryman Auditorium are a sweet payoff…
Scott Borchetta, Scooter Braun.
Ithaca Holdings LLC., a media holding company led by SB Projects founder Scooter Braun, and Big Machine Label Group, a leading independent record label founded by Scott Borchetta, announced today a finalized contract under which Ithaca Holdings will acquire Big Machine Label Group…
MusicRow is pleased to announce the nominees for the 31st Annual MusicRow Awards, Nashville’s longest-running and now newly expanded industry trade publication honors… Read the recap of the 31st Annual MusicRow Awards here.
Shannan Hatch
Shannan Hatch has been tapped to serve as President for Fourward’s new publishing venture, Fourward Music. Hatch will serve as President with offices in both Nashville and Los Angeles…
The Grand Ole Opry announced today (Jan. 14) via Facebook live-stream that Loretta Lynn will be honored by a tribute show billed as An All-Star Birthday Celebration Concert at Bridgestone Arena on April 1, 2019, in the month of her 87th birthday.
Produced by AEG Presents, the tribute will include music from Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Brandy Clark, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jack White, Martina McBride, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Margo Price, Darius Rucker, Pistol Annies, and more… Read the recap from the event here.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 20: (L-R) Inductees Jerry Bradley, Ray Stevens, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn attend the 2019 Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on October 20, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
Kudos to whoever booked the talent for this year’s Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Staged at the Hall on Sunday evening (Oct. 20), the event marked the official inductions of Ray Stevens, Jerry Bradley and Brooks & Dunn. The performers celebrating them were uniformly awesome…
Trisha Yearwood made a triumphant return to country radio last week with her brand new single “Every Girl In This Town,” which was released on June 6. With 84 total adds, “Every Girl In This Town” marks Yearwood’s highest debut and biggest add day of her career, and the song is Billboard’s highest female debut of 2019 on the Country Airplay Chart, coming in at No. 21, and the No. 4 highest Billboard country radio debut of 2019…
The Academy of Country Music has announced that Pete Fisher is stepping down after almost two and a half years as the head of the organization, which includes his duties with the Academy of Country Music Awards™ show and ACM Lifting Lives®, the charitable arm of the Academy. Fisher plans to pursue new opportunities. R.A. (RAC) Clark, Executive Producer of the Academy of Country Music Awards, has been appointed the interim Executive Director of the Academy, effective immediately…
Pictured: Trisha Yearwood, John Berry, Garth Brooks, Robin Berry. Photo: Rick Diamond Photography/Shutterstock
Tuesday evening (April 23) at Nashville’s City Winery, numerous artists gathered to support cancer survivor John Berry and the nonprofit Music Health Alliance. The sold-out event raised more than $300,000 to aid the organization and to take care of a portion of Berry’s medical bills, stemming from a throat cancer diagnosis in February…
Ray Stevens has sold the last of his properties in the Music Row area to Big Machine Label Group leader Scott Borchetta. According to public records, Borchetta’s Super 98 Holdings LLC paid $6 million for .9 acres of land, including five properties of 1208-1216 17th Ave. S…
MusicRow is proud to reveal its list of artists, who in 2020, are predicted to become the Next Big Thing (NBT)…
Troy Tomlinson, who served as Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville’s President/CEO since 2005, has joined UMPG as Chairman/CEO of its Nashville division. With this appointment, Tomlinson becomes UMPG Nashville’s first-ever Chairman and CEO…
Mike Sistad, Kele Currier
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has announced that longtime ASCAP executive and songwriter advocate Mike Sistad has been promoted to Vice President and will lead its Nashville Membership team, reporting directly to Executive Vice President of Membership John Titta. Sistad has been an integral member of ASCAP’s Membership group for more than eighteen years and has nurtured and signed some of the organization’s top talent, including Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce and more.
Concurrently, ASCAP’s Kele Currier has been upped to the position of Assistant Vice President, Strategic Services, Membership, reporting to Sistad…
Eric Church. Photo: John Shearer
If there’s one thing to know about Eric Church fans, it’s that they’ll show up.
In Nashville, on Saturday (May 25), their loyalty gave Church the footing to set a new attendance record for a concert crowd at Nissan Stadium, to the tune of 56,521 (breaking the 2018 record of 56,112). This nearly tripled his attendance record from two years prior, across town at the Bridgestone Arena…
Forty-nine industry leaders from throughout the country have been tapped for Nashville’s Leadership Music Class of 2020, which begins in September…
Taylor Swift posing in front of her commissioned mural in Nashville. Photo: Instagram / Taylor Swift
Hours before her teased date for new music, Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance at the Gulch in Nashville today (April 25).
Glen Barros To Exit Concord, Launch Exceleration Music
/by Jessica NicholsonConcord’s Glen Barros will leave his role as Chief Operating Officer on Dec. 31, 2019 in order to form a new business venture, Exceleration Music. Through this new venture, Barros plans to invest in music rights while providing strategic services to third party entities, primarily within the independent music community.
Exceleration Music’s first acquisition is the London-based jazz label Candid Records.
Barros’ time with Concord began 25 years ago when Barros, then an executive with Alliance Entertainment, closed a deal to purchase the Concord Jazz label from its founder, Carl Jefferson. Barros assumed the role of President & CEO for Concord Jazz when Jefferson passed away a few months later. From that point forward he implemented a strategy that saw the label grow to become Concord Music Group, one of the largest independent music companies in the world. In 2015, Concord Music Group merged with independent music publisher Bicycle Music. Barros became COO of the new company in 2017 after its acquisition of Imagem Music Group, at which time Concord Music Group, Bicycle and Imagem divisions were all consolidated under the Concord name.
Scott Pascucci, Concord’s Chief Executive Officer, comments, “It’s been my privilege to work with Glen for almost seven years. The care and passion with which he led and grew Concord Music Group for decades has carried on into the current Concord and will surely continue after his departure. We are thankful for his dedication to the company and look forward to collaborating with him in the future.”
Glen Barros states, “I am eternally grateful for all that I’ve experienced over the past twenty-five years at Concord and for the company’s help in allowing me to launch Exceleration Music. It’s been an amazing ride and Concord will forever be in my heart. While leaving is incredibly difficult, I know that Concord is in great hands and will undoubtedly continue to flourish long into the future. When I look forward to my new venture, I’m tremendously excited by the prospect of using my past experiences to help others achieve their strategic goals in the future. And I find it very fitting that I begin this second act of my career the same way that I started the first one…with a great jazz label.”
Rewind: 2019 ‘MusicRow’ CountryBreakout Chart No. 1s
/by Alex ParrySince 2002, the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart has crowned No. 1 songs in the secondary country radio marketplace. MusicRow congratulates each artist, songwriter and label for its accomplishments this year.
Two artists earned the most songs on the CountryBreakout Chart in 2019, Luke Combs with “Beautiful Crazy,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart” and “Even Though I’m Leaving” and Thomas Rhett with “Sixteen,” “Look What God Gave Her” and “Remember You Young.”
Combs’ “Even Though I’m Leaving” spent two consecutive weeks at No. 1 from Oct. 24 – Oct. 31 alongside Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country” which reigned No. 1 on May 23 and May 30.
Meanwhile, Brantley Gilbert & Lindsay Ell‘s “What Happens In A Small Town” was 2019’s most-spun song on the CountryBreakout Chart with 69,204 spins. Dierks Bentley‘s “Living” came in at No. 2 (52,950 spins), Cole Swindell at No. 3 with “Love You Too Late” (52,564 spins), Florida Georgia Line‘s “Talk You Out Of It” at No. 4 with 51,036 spins, and Keith Urban‘s “We Were ” at No. 5 with 50,261 spins.
The 18th Annual MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards, based on radio airplay reported by stations on MusicRow’s radio panel, will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 19 with an invitation-only ceremony.
2019 MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart No. 1’s
Jan. 10: Thomas Rhett, “Sixteen”
Jan. 17: Luke Bryan, “What Makes You Country”
Jan. 24: Riley Green, “There Was This Girl”
Jan. 31: Carrie Underwood, “Love Wins”
Feb. 7: Jon Pardi, “Night Shift”
Feb. 14: Luke Combs, “Beautiful Crazy”
Feb. 21: Brett Young, “Here Tonight”
Feb. 28: Kelsea Ballerini, “Miss Me More”
March 7: Old Dominion, “Make It Sweet”
March 14: Cody Johnson, “On My Way To You”
March 21: Eli Young Band, “Love Ain’t”
March 28: Morgan Wallen, “Whiskey Glasses”
April 4: Kane Brown, “Good As You”
April 11: Chase Rice, “Eyes On You”
April 18: George Strait, “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar”
April 25: Eric Church, “Some Of It”
May 2: Thomas Rhett, “Look What God Gave Her”
May 9: Lee Brice, “Rumor”
May 16: Florida Georgia Line, “Talk You Out Of It”
May 23 & May 30: Blake Shelton, “God’s Country”
June 6: Luke Bryan, “Knockin’ Boots”
June 13: Maren Morris, “GIRL”
June 20: Luke Combs, “Beer Never Broke My Heart”
June 27: Chris Young, “Raised On Country”
July 3: Jason Aldean, “Rearview Town”
July 11: Justin Moore, “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home”
July 18: Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell, “What Happens In A Small Town”
July 25: Carrie Underwood, “Southbound”
Aug. 1: Dan + Shay, “All To Myself”
Aug. 8: Dierks Bentley, “Living”
Aug. 15: Keith Urban, “We Were”
Aug. 22: Lady Antebellum, “What If I Never Get Over You”
Aug. 28: Chris Lane, “I Don’t Know About You”
Sept. 5: Kenny Chesney, “Tip Of My Tongue”
Sept. 12: Chris Janson, “Good Vibes”
Sept. 19: Matt Stell, “Prayed For You”
Sept. 26: Thomas Rhett, “Remember You Young”
Oct. 3: Miranda Lambert, “It All Comes Out In The Wash”
Oct. 10: Jon Pardi, “Heartache Medication”
Oct. 17: Old Dominion, “One Man Band”
Oct. 24 & Oct. 31: Luke Combs, “Even Though I’m Leaving”
Nov. 7: Midland, “Mr. Lonely”
Nov. 14: Jordan Davis, “Slow Dance In A Parking Lot”
Nov. 21: Jason Aldean, “We Back”
Nov. 27: Kelsea Ballerini, “homecoming queen?”
Dec. 5: Brett Young, “Catch”
Dec. 12: Riley Green, “I Wish Grandpas Never Died”
Dec. 19: Sam Hunt “Kinfolks”
Steven Curtis Chapman Performs At the CMA Theater
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto by Amiee Stubbs for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Steven Curtis Chapman performed an acoustic Christmas show at the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Dec. 19, 2019. During his more than 30 years in music, Chapman has earned five Grammy honors, 58 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and an American Music Award. He has also earned 49 No. 1 singles, and sold more than 11 million albums, with 10 RIAA gold and platinum albums.
Rewind: MusicRow Magazine Events 2019
/by Jessica NicholsonMusicRow Magazine honored some of country radio’s most-played artists this year, as well as a few of Nashville’s most industry-impacting female executives and several of the country music industry’s breakthrough artists and publishers in 2019. We take a look back at this year’s awards events.
MusicRow Magazine’s Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards
Pictured: CJ Solar, Kelsea Ballerini, Jordan Davis
The 17th Annual MusicRow Magazine Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards featured performances from this year’s Independent Artist of the Year CJ Solar, as well as fellow indie artist Chance McKinney. The event was held Feb. 13 at The Listening Room in Nashville. This year’s award winners were determined by airplay accumulations on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart in 2018. The event was sponsored by business management firm Vaden Group/Elliott Davis.
2019 MusicRow CountryBreakout Award Winners:
Independent Artist of the Year – CJ Solar
Reporter of the Year – Derek Beck
Songwriter of Year–Shane McAnally
Label of the Year – Capitol Records Nashville
Male Artist of Year – Jason Aldean
Female Artist of the Year – Kelsea Ballerini
Group/Duo of the Year – Florida Georgia Line
Breakout Artist of the Year – Jordan Davis
MusicRow Magazine’s Eighth Annual Rising Women On The Row Awards
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow‘s 2019 Rising Women on the Row honorees Janine Ebach, Kelly Janson, Jennifer Turnbow, Meredith Jones, Lenore Kinder and Sandi Spika Borchetta. Photo: Haley Crow/MusicRow
The eighth annual Rising Women On The Row awards ceremony, held March 26 at the Omni Hotel Nashville, honored six deserving top executives for their impact on the country music industry. The 2019 honorees included Sandi Spika Borchetta (Big Machine Label Group, Sr. VP Creative), Janine Ebach (former Curb|Word Music Publishing, VP), Kelly Janson (Kelly Janson Management, Manager), Meredith Jones (Creative Artists Agency, Agent), Lenore Kinder (Paradigm Talent Agency, Agent), and Jennifer Turnbow (NSAI, Sr. Director of Operations).
City National Bank, Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group, and Loeb & Loeb were the presenting sponsors for the event.
31st Annual MusicRow Awards
Pictured: Robert K. Oermann, Tenille Townes, Sherod Robertson.
The 31st annual MusicRow Awards were held June 26 at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium. The evening’s awards were voted on by MusicRow Magazine members; the evening was co-hosted by MusicRow Magazine’s Sherod Robertson, along with television personality/host Alecia Davis. Television personality Kathie Lee Gifford also made a special appearance. Sponsors included CAA, Vaden Group/Elliott Davis, Keller Turner Andrews Ghanem, City National Bank, Ram Trucks and Todd Cassetty.
2019 MusicRow Awards Winners:
Producer of the Year: Dann Huff
Label of the Year: UMG Nashville
Talent Agency of the Year: CAA
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year: Jordan Reynolds
Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year: Jimmie Allen
Male Songwriter of the Year: Josh Osborne
Female Songwriter of the Year: Hillary Lindsey
Song of the Year: “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” — Songwriter(s): Ashley McBryde, Jeremy Bussey
Robert K. Oermann Discovery Artist of the Year: Tenille Townes
Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Ashley McBryde
Artist of the Year: Luke Combs
Save The Date: MusicRow Magazine’s 2020 Events:
MusicRow Magazine CountryBreakout Meet & Greet and Awards: Feb. 19
MusicRow Magazine’s Rising Women On The Row: March 25
MusicRow Magazine’s MusicRow Awards, presented by City National Bank: Aug. 11
**NEW FOR 2020: MusicRow Summit, presented by City National Bank: Aug. 10 at Cambria Hotel in Nashville. This conference is laser-focused on the Nashville music industry, will enhance the connectivity of industry members, highlight a variety of key issues affecting our business segments and optimize the brain trust on Music Row. Attendance will be limited to 300 registrants to enhance the quality of engagement of the attending industry members.
Rewind: MusicRow’s Top Stories Of 2019
/by LB CantrellThe stories below were some of the most-read stories on MusicRow during 2019. Loads of No. 1 parties and events, plenty of big signings and lots of musical chairs in the Nashville music business made for an eventful year to end the 2010s.
Can’t Stop The Train: Luke Combs Celebrates Fourth No. 1
Pictured (L-R): BMI Songwriters Channing Wilson, Luke Combs, and Rob Snyder with BMI’s Mason Hunter
Trains thundered by when Luke Combs and co-writers Channing Wilson and Rob Snyder gathered to celebrate Combs’ fourth No. 1 as an artist, “She Got the Best Of Me” on a cold and rainy afternoon at the Corsair Distillery on Tuesday (Feb. 19). In a party sponsored by BMI, friends and family surrounded the grateful and humbled trio…
BMLG’s Scott Borchetta Speaks Out Against Taylor Swift Claims
Scott Borchetta
Scott Borchetta has responded to claims made earlier today by superstar and former Big Machine Records artist Taylor Swift, following the announcement that Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings has acquired Borchetta’s Big Machine Label Group…
Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Former MLB Player Adam LaRoche To Open New Nashville Steakhouse
Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan are involved in another restaurant concept soon to open in Nashville. Both singers are partnering with former MLB player Adam LaRoche for the new Nashville E3 Chophouse, which is set to open later this year at the corner of Wedgewood Avenue and 21st Avenue (1628 21st Ave. S.)…
BREAKING: MusicRow Announces 2019 Rising Women On The Row Honorees
MusicRow is proud to reveal the honorees ahead of its eighth annual Rising Women on the Row celebration…
Read the recap of the 2019 Rising Women on the Row event, honoring Sandi Spika Borchetta, Janine Ebach, Kelly Janson, Meredith Jones, Lenore Kinder and Jennifer Turnbow here.
‘MusicRow’ Highlights Rising Execs With Inaugural N.B.T. Industry Directory
Collage created using TurboCollage software from www.TurboCollage.com
66 rising Nashville music industry leaders have been selected as part of MusicRow Magazine’s inaugural N.B.T. Industry Directory…
Ken Burns’ ‘Country Music’ Documentary Reached 34.5 Million Unique Viewers
Ken Burns‘ eight-part Country Music documentary, which premiered Sept. 15 on PBS stations nationwide, reached 34.5 million unique viewers, according to Nielsen’s Live +7 data. During the documentary’s eight-night premiere run, the film delivered an average audience of 6.8 million cross-platform viewers (with an average household rating of 4.4), making the documentary Burns’ most-watched film since 2014’s The Roosevelts…
Kenny Chesney Celebrates New Coffee Table Book With CMHoF Panel
Pictured (L-R): Jill Trunnell, Glen Rose, Allister Ann, Kenny Chesney, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young, Holly Gleason, Museum Editor Michael McCall and Heather Lose. Photo Credit: Erin Lee Allender for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Kenny Chesney was the center of an intimate time of discussion at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum last Friday (July 26) with members of his fan club No Shoes Nation and members of the museum…
Kris Kristofferson To Be Honored With Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
Kris Kristofferson. Photo: Photo Credit: Mary Ellen Mark/courtesy of CMA
Kris Kristofferson will be the latest recipient of the 2019 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming CMA Awards Nov. 13…
Musicians Hall Of Fame Reveals Inductees For 2019
The 2019 inductees into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum were announced today (July 16) in Nashville. They will be honored with a concert slated for Oct. 22 at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center…
Carrie Underwood Brings Hits, Inspiration, And An Entertainer’s Soul To Nashville Show
Carrie Underwood. Photo: Jeff Johnson
“It’s good to be home,” Carrie Underwood told the crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Friday evening (Sept. 27). “It felt so weird waking up in my own bed and now I’m playing at the Bridgestone. This is kind of my second home.”…
Sheryl Crow, Johnny Cash Create Landmark Duet
CEO of Big Machine Records Scott Borchetta, singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow and John Carter Cash take photos during a special day revealing Sheryl Crow & Johnny Cash’s new song “Redemption Day” at Cash Cabin Recording Studio on April 17, 2019 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Valory Music Co.)
One of the standout vocal collaborations in Nashville music history was introduced Wednesday (April 17) at the Cash Cabin Studio. The invitation-only event was staged to unveil superstar Sheryl Crow’s duet with the late Johnny Cash on her song “Redemption Day.”…
Luke Combs, Jonathan Singleton, Tali Canterbury Launch Publishing, A&R Venture
Pictured: Luke Combs, Tali Canterbury, Jonathan Singleton
Luke Combs and Jonathan Singleton are launching a new publishing and artist development venture alongside A&R executive and publisher Tali Canterbury, who will serve as the company’s President…
Producer Tay Keith Signs Nashville High School Student To Production Deal
Tay Keith and James Spencer IV
Recent Middle Tennessee State University graduate Tay Keith has already notched top production credits, and a Grammy nomination, for his work with artists including Drake (“Nonstop”), Eminem (“Not Alike”) and Travis Scott (“Sicko Mode”). While making his own mark on the music scene, he’s also making it a point to help others who aspire to be part of the music industry.
James Spencer IV, an 11th grade student at Nashville Big Picture High School, inked a production agreement with Keith’s production company, Dramatized, on Jan. 23.
Kacey Musgraves Set To Break Attendance Record At Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena
Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Kacey Musgraves/Facebook
Kacey Musgraves is set to make history with her Oh, What a World: Tour II headlining tour during the tour’s final stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena tomorrow night. She is set to break the female attendance record of any genre at Bridgestone with 18,373 projected attendees…
Exclusive: Make Wake’s Chris Kappy Ushers In A Hurricane With Rising Star Luke Combs
Chris Kappy
River House/Columbia Nashville artist Luke Combs celebrated with a No. 1 party for his third consecutive chart-topping single earlier this week in Music City. That milestone is the latest in a steadily-growing number of accolades, including a platinum album (This One’s For You), three platinum singles including “Hurricane,” “One Number Away,” and “When It Rains It Pours,” as well as the album track “Beautiful Crazy,” which has earned Gold certification.
For Combs’ manager, Chris Kappy at Make Wake Artists, the sales numbers and sold-out shows at venues including the historic Ryman Auditorium are a sweet payoff…
BREAKING: Artist Manager Scooter Braun Reaches Deal To Acquire Big Machine Label Group
Scott Borchetta, Scooter Braun.
Ithaca Holdings LLC., a media holding company led by SB Projects founder Scooter Braun, and Big Machine Label Group, a leading independent record label founded by Scott Borchetta, announced today a finalized contract under which Ithaca Holdings will acquire Big Machine Label Group…
BREAKING: Nominees Revealed For 31st Annual MusicRow Awards
MusicRow is pleased to announce the nominees for the 31st Annual MusicRow Awards, Nashville’s longest-running and now newly expanded industry trade publication honors… Read the recap of the 31st Annual MusicRow Awards here.
BREAKING: Shannan Hatch Named President For New Publishing Venture Fourward Music
Shannan Hatch
Shannan Hatch has been tapped to serve as President for Fourward’s new publishing venture, Fourward Music. Hatch will serve as President with offices in both Nashville and Los Angeles…
Loretta Lynn To Be Honored With ‘An All-Star Birthday Celebration Concert’
The Grand Ole Opry announced today (Jan. 14) via Facebook live-stream that Loretta Lynn will be honored by a tribute show billed as An All-Star Birthday Celebration Concert at Bridgestone Arena on April 1, 2019, in the month of her 87th birthday.
Produced by AEG Presents, the tribute will include music from Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Brandy Clark, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Jack White, Martina McBride, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Margo Price, Darius Rucker, Pistol Annies, and more… Read the recap from the event here.
Bobby Karl Works The Room: Country Music Hall Of Fame Inducts Jerry Bradley, Brooks & Dunn, Ray Stevens
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 20: (L-R) Inductees Jerry Bradley, Ray Stevens, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn attend the 2019 Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on October 20, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)
Kudos to whoever booked the talent for this year’s Medallion Ceremony at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Staged at the Hall on Sunday evening (Oct. 20), the event marked the official inductions of Ray Stevens, Jerry Bradley and Brooks & Dunn. The performers celebrating them were uniformly awesome…
Trisha Yearwood Scores Highest Debut Of Career With New Single
Trisha Yearwood made a triumphant return to country radio last week with her brand new single “Every Girl In This Town,” which was released on June 6. With 84 total adds, “Every Girl In This Town” marks Yearwood’s highest debut and biggest add day of her career, and the song is Billboard’s highest female debut of 2019 on the Country Airplay Chart, coming in at No. 21, and the No. 4 highest Billboard country radio debut of 2019…
ACM’s Pete Fisher Steps Down, RAC Clark Named Interim Executive Director
The Academy of Country Music has announced that Pete Fisher is stepping down after almost two and a half years as the head of the organization, which includes his duties with the Academy of Country Music Awards™ show and ACM Lifting Lives®, the charitable arm of the Academy. Fisher plans to pursue new opportunities. R.A. (RAC) Clark, Executive Producer of the Academy of Country Music Awards, has been appointed the interim Executive Director of the Academy, effective immediately…
In Pictures: John Berry’s Nashville Benefit Show Raises Over $300K, Gets Garth Surprise
Pictured: Trisha Yearwood, John Berry, Garth Brooks, Robin Berry. Photo: Rick Diamond Photography/Shutterstock
Tuesday evening (April 23) at Nashville’s City Winery, numerous artists gathered to support cancer survivor John Berry and the nonprofit Music Health Alliance. The sold-out event raised more than $300,000 to aid the organization and to take care of a portion of Berry’s medical bills, stemming from a throat cancer diagnosis in February…
Big Machine’s Scott Borchetta Buys Music Row Properties
Ray Stevens has sold the last of his properties in the Music Row area to Big Machine Label Group leader Scott Borchetta. According to public records, Borchetta’s Super 98 Holdings LLC paid $6 million for .9 acres of land, including five properties of 1208-1216 17th Ave. S…
‘MusicRow’ Reveals 2020 Next Big Thing Artists List
MusicRow is proud to reveal its list of artists, who in 2020, are predicted to become the Next Big Thing (NBT)…
BREAKING: Troy Tomlinson Named Chairman/CEO Of UMPG Nashville
Troy Tomlinson, who served as Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville’s President/CEO since 2005, has joined UMPG as Chairman/CEO of its Nashville division. With this appointment, Tomlinson becomes UMPG Nashville’s first-ever Chairman and CEO…
BREAKING: ASCAP’s Mike Sistad And Kele Currier Promoted, Michael Martin Exits
Mike Sistad, Kele Currier
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has announced that longtime ASCAP executive and songwriter advocate Mike Sistad has been promoted to Vice President and will lead its Nashville Membership team, reporting directly to Executive Vice President of Membership John Titta. Sistad has been an integral member of ASCAP’s Membership group for more than eighteen years and has nurtured and signed some of the organization’s top talent, including Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pearce and more.
Concurrently, ASCAP’s Kele Currier has been upped to the position of Assistant Vice President, Strategic Services, Membership, reporting to Sistad…
Eric Church’s Fan Loyalty Breaks Nashville’s Nissan Stadium Attendance Record
Eric Church. Photo: John Shearer
If there’s one thing to know about Eric Church fans, it’s that they’ll show up.
In Nashville, on Saturday (May 25), their loyalty gave Church the footing to set a new attendance record for a concert crowd at Nissan Stadium, to the tune of 56,521 (breaking the 2018 record of 56,112). This nearly tripled his attendance record from two years prior, across town at the Bridgestone Arena…
Leadership Music Announces Class Of 2020
Forty-nine industry leaders from throughout the country have been tapped for Nashville’s Leadership Music Class of 2020, which begins in September…
Taylor Swift Makes Surprise Appearance At Nashville Mural
Taylor Swift posing in front of her commissioned mural in Nashville. Photo: Instagram / Taylor Swift
Hours before her teased date for new music, Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance at the Gulch in Nashville today (April 25).
Live Nation Settles With Dept. Of Justice To Extend Consent Decree
/by Lorie Hollabaugh“We have reached an agreement in principle with the Department of Justice to extend and clarify the consent decree,” Live Nation said in a released statement. “We believe this is the best outcome for our business, clients and shareholders as we turn our focus to 2020 initiatives.”
As part of the settlement, Live Nation’s ban on threatening retaliation against venues has been tightened and Ticketmaster sales reps are not allowed to discuss content bundle deals with venues or detail how Ticketmaster facilities receive preference for shows. Live Nation can still give Ticketmaster’s venues priority, but can’t punish clients that don’t renew their deals.
The DOJ’s antitrust division will also select a monitor to help ensure Live Nation’s compliance with antitrust orders. Live Nation will also select an internal compliance monitor.
DISClaimer: Christmas Greetings From Keith Urban, Chris Janson, Tenille Townes, Maddie & Tae
/by Robert K OermannCountry music wears its heart on its sleeve all year long, so the sentimentality of Christmas music fits the genre perfectly.
A plethora of country acts issued seasonal songs this year. In addition to the 10 reviewed here, we also have offerings from Lacy J. Dalton, Mags, Darryl Worley, King Calaway, J.T. Hodges, Cam, Paulina Jaye, Wade Bowen, Stephanie Urbina Jones, Temecula Road, The Gibson Brothers, Rachel Wammack, Clare Dunn, Lauren Lucas, Mike Aiken and a bluezillion more.
Our Discs of the Day on the distaff side are the singles by Tenille Townes and Maddie & Tae. The male Disc of the Day winners are Chris Janson and Keith Urban.
KEITH URBAN/I’ll Be Your Santa Tonight
Writers: Urban/Shane McAnally; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; UMG
– This has a cool, retro, doo-wop feel, complete with piano triplets and a bluesy melody. The sound of an instant classic?
THE OAK RIDGE BOYS/Don’t Go Pullin’on Santa Claus’ Beard
Writers: Anderson East/Aaron Raitiere; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publisher: none listed; Lightning
– The Oaks’ new Down Home Christmas album is one of this year’s best. Producer Dave Cobb mixes the quartet’s harmony singing front and center and puts the emphasis on newly composed holiday tunes. This light-hearted one has Joe taking the lead with Richard dipping down low on the title phrase. Also check out the fun, festive “Reindeer on the Roof,” with a video shot at Santa’s Pub, as well as the Jamey Johnson/Bill Anderson/Buddy Cannon tune “South Alabama Christmas.”
THOMAS RHETT/Christmas In The Country
Writers: Thomas Rhett/David Garcia/Ashley Gorley/Chris Tomlin; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Big Machine
– Pleasant, if somewhat routine and forgettable. Mid-tempo pudding.
JENNY TOLMAN/Cowboy For Christmas
Writers: Tolman/Dave Brainard/Bill Whyte; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed
– Sweet, wistful, gentle and yearning. It’s a lovely country waltz wishing that Santa will rope her a wrangler for a present. Smooth as silk.
CHRIS JANSON/Run Run Rudolph
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Warner
– Mr. Energy takes Chuck Berry’s holiday classic out for a rollicking country spin and it is a boatload of fun, fun, fun.
TENILLE TOWNES/One In a Million
Writers: Tenille Townes/Daniel Tashian; Producer: Tashian; Publisher: none listed; Columbia Nashville
– Tenille’s Songs for Christmas includes this dreamy, jazzy ditty wherein her soprano wafts above simple guitar work and cushiony strings. It’s as pretty and seductive as can be.
DYLAN SCOTT/I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Curb
– His collection is titled, simply, Merry Christmas. And it consists, also simply, of his renditions of evergreen favorites such as this classic ballad. Background music lacking any innovation.
MADDIE & TAE/Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Writers: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; Mercury
– Taken at a languid tempo, this classic is lushly arranged. So their vocals sound luminous and sparkly. Nicely done, ladies.
SHANE OWENS/Nothing Compares To Christmas
Writers: Shane Owens/Galen Griffin/Melissa Querry; Producer: Nick Lutz & Melissa Querry; Publishers: none listed; Amerimonte
– His country-as-grits voice delivers the sentiments in this ballad so effectively. A steel sighs and strings softly embellish the mood.
CHARLES ESTEN/On The Road To Bethlehem
Writers: Charles Esten/Mark Collie; Producer: none listed; Publishers: none listed; CE
– This is a stark, guitar-voice performance. Which is cool. Also intriguing/unusual is the fact that the ballad is sung from the point of view of Joseph while he’s on the road with pregnant Mary. Recommended.
Industry Pics: Milk & Honey Management, Jim Halsey, Dustin Lynch
/by Jessica NicholsonMilk & Honey Management Leads Bluebird Cafe Show
Pictured (L-R): Emerson Hart, Shelby Yoder (Head of Milk & Honey Nashville), Pete Griffin (President & CEO, MOC), Dana Sones (Director Of Strategic Partnerships MOC), Lee Thomas Miller, Torianne Valdez (Program Manager MOC), Tarah Duarte (Executive Assistant MOC), Mandy Kresiberg (Fundraising Operations Coordinator MOC), and David Hodges.
Milk & Honey Management spearheaded a sold-out show at the Bluebird Cafe to benefit Musicians On Call. David Hodges, Emerson Hart and Lee Thomas Miller performed, while the show concluded with Hodges being honored with a Platinum RIAA certification plaque to commemorate sales for Kelsea Ballerini’s “Miss Me More,” the No. 1 hit Hodges co-wrote with Ballerini.
Kansas Auditorium Renamed In Honor Of Jim Halsey
(L-R): Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, Jim Halsey, Joe Bonsall
Music manager Jim Halsey is celebrating more than 70 years in the entertainment industry. The 89-year-old Independence, Kansas native was recently honored in his hometown with the 2,000 seat auditorium inside Memorial Hall being renamed to the Jim Halsey Auditorium.
“This honor means more to me than anything else in my life. To be recognized in my home town that I love dearly is the best thing to ever happen to me,” said Halsey.
During his career, Halsey has managed, booked or guided the careers of country artists including Roy Clark, Waylon Jennings, The Judds, Hank Thompson, Merle Haggard, Reba McEntire, Wanda Jackson, Freddy Fender, Roy Orbison, Tammy Wynette, Rick Nelson, Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam, Minnie Pearl, James Brown and The Oak Ridge Boys, who he’s managed for over 45 years.
Dustin Lynch Holds 6th Annual Dustin Lynch & Friends Benefit Concert
Broken Bow Records artist Dustin Lynch returned to his hometown of Tullahoma, Tennessee on Dec. 17 for his 6th annual Dustin Lynch & Friends Benefit Concert. The event raised $36,000 for local charities including Isaiah 117 House and Coffee County Children’s Advocacy Center, in addition to collecting toys for the Tullahoma Fire Department’s Toys for Tots drive.
Dustin Lynch With Tullahoma Fire Department Firefighters And Fire Chief Richard Shasteen
Delta Rae Plans New Album Release ‘The Light’ For 2020
/by Lorie HollabaughDelta Rae will release their new album, The Light, on March 20. The project will be their first since 2015’s After It All, and the group will embark on a mini-tour in April in support of the album, marking their first full tour as an independent band. They’ll visit New York, Boston, Philly, Atlanta and more through April 25.
Conceived as a sister album with The Dark (which will come out in 2021), The Light was crafted using The Tarot’s major arcana as inspiration and tracing the band back to its origins convening in a house in the woods of Durham, N.C., writing songs that were honest explorations of their lives and emotions. Songs like “Back to The Garden – The Empress,” “Stronger Than A Lion – Strength,” and others find the band pivoting between doo-wop and folk in a genre-bending sonic experience.
“Take Me There,” one of the tracks on the new album, can be heard here.
4/9 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
4/10 – Philadelphia, Pa @ Union Transfer
4/11 – New York, Ny @ Gramercy Theater
4/16 – Concord, Nh @ Bank Of New Hampshire
4/17 – Portland, Me @ State Theatre
4/18 – Boston, Ma @ The Royale
4/21 – Hartford, Ct @ Infinity Hall
4/25 – Atlanta, Ga @ Sweetwater Festival
Weekly Radio Report (12/20/19)
/by Alex ParryClick here or above to access MusicRow’s weekly CountryBreakout Radio Report.