Back Row (L-R): BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, Sony Atv’s Josh Van Valkenburg, Sony Atv’s Jon Platt, Warner Chappell’s Ryan Beuschel, The Valory Music Co.’S Chris Palmer, Endurance Music Group’s Michael Martin, Ascap’s Beth Brinker, Triple 8 Management’s George Couri, Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones, The Valory Music Co.’S George Briner, Smack’s Robert Carlton, Combustion’s Chris Farren Front Row (L-R): The Valory Music Co.’S Ashley Sidoti, Bmi Songwriters Ross Copperman And Eli Young Band, Ascap Songwriter Ashley Gorley, Gmr Songwriter Shane McAnally, Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta Photo Credit: Steve Lowry
The Eli Young Band celebrated their fourth career No. 1, “Love Ain’t,” along with some of Nashville’s most decorated songwriters on Monday afternoon (July 15) at the Sutler. The Valory Music Company band commemorated their near 20-year journey and their first No. 1 song in almost six years.
Co-writers Shane McAnally, Ashley Gorley and Ross Copperman were all in attendance. To quote SMACKSongs’ Robert Carlton; “It’s no surprise to see another No. 1 hit for you guys, I think it’s a bigger surprise that we got you all in one place at one time!” Producer Dann Huff was there in spirit.
ASCAP’s Beth Brinker and BMI’s Josh Tomlinson traded off as hosts of the gathering. Brinker got everything started by speaking on the six-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year winner, Ashley Gorley. She announced that Gorley’s tally has climbed to 42 No. 1 songs. “It is so fun to think of new things to say about you,” Brinker said with a grin to Gorley. “I think it’s the hardest job on Music Row and I have it. Give it up for me!” she quipped.
Tomlinson stepped up to the mic to speak on Copperman and the Eli Young Band. Copperman, the two-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year, had notched his nineteenth No. 1 with “Love Ain’t.”
“For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last two decades,” Tomlinson said of the band. “These guys continue to impress and stay incredibly relevant. They maintain an authentic sound on country radio with ‘Love Ain’t’ being the latest addition to their long list of success. BMI is incredibly proud to represent you guys.”
Pinnacle Bank’s David Smith announced that they had made a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in honor of the hit. The philanthropic efforts continued with Endurance Music Group’s Michael Martin announcing a donation in honor of the Eli Young Band to the Wounded Warrior Project and in honor of Copperman to ACM Lifting Lives; Round Hill Music made a contribution to My Life Speaks in honor of Gorley; and SMACKSongs made a donation to Wounded Warrior Project.
Sony/ATV’s Josh Van Valkenburg was on hand to speak about Copperman. “Ross continues to be one of the hardest working guys on Music Row. He’s such a talent as a songwriter, as a producer and as an artist. I think that’s why he’s able to get deep down with these songs and these artists and these producers. Ross, as always, we’re so thankful to get to work with you,” he said.
Combustion Music’s Kenley Flynn spoke on behalf of Gorley. “We’ve been lucky enough to be up here several times with Ashley,” he said. “It’s always an honor. We’re so proud and grateful for our partnership over the years.”
Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta spoke very highly of the Eli Young Band, saying: “What Eli Young Band has done now for 20 years, how do you keep your band cool for 20 years? Well, you never veer from your artistic vision or the integrity of every note that you play.”
Borchetta also made sure to recognize J.R. Schumann at SiriusXM; George Couri and Triple 8 Management; and Allison Jones, Sr. VP, A&R at BMLG, for championing the song.
He also invited Valory Music Co. radio promotion leaders Ashley Sidoti and Chris Palmer to the stage. “I speak on behalf of the entire team when I say that we’ve been long fans of the Eli Young Band,” Sidoti said. She also recognized Brooke Nixon and Christy DiNapoli from the radio promotion team; and a life-size cut out of Valory Music Co. leader, George Briner, appeared from side stage.
“It takes a village!” she said. “Thank you to Allison for finding the hits, Scott for letting us work them, and Mike Rittberg and your team for helping spread the story far and wide with our streaming partners, and all of our marketing efforts.”
“As promo people, when you get a song written by great writers, sung by a great artist, and produced by a great producer, it’s just a sigh of relief,” Palmer said. “Names we look for would be Ross, and Ashley, and Shane, and Dann Huff. To have all four involved on the same record, it was like Christmas day for us. All of us rallied around the song and the band worked their ass off. We couldn’t be more proud to be standing up here.”
When it came time for the co-writers and the band to speak, Copperman kicked it off. “When you write a song with Shane McAnally and Ashley Gorley, you know it’s going to be the best song of all time because these guys are the best writers I think to ever come through Nashville. When you have Dann Huff produce it, and you have Scott Borchetta, and you have Allison Jones and the entire radio team, and you have George Couri calling the label probably every week, and you have one of the best bands in our genre performing the song; you can’t go wrong,” Copperman said.
Gorley listed his family and God first when he stepped up to the mic. He also thanked his army of publishing partners. “This is a special one because more and more as time goes by, there’s mini camps where we’re writing directly with artists or project-focused but this song just kind of serves as a reminder to me, and all of us writers, that if you get together and you just try to write the best song in the room that day…it’s an encouragement to us to continue to just write whatever we can write that day and trust you guys with the results.”
Gorley and Copperman both commented on Mike Eli‘s vocal performance on “Love Ain’t,” with Copperman saying it was made for country radio.
“We are so lucky that this is our job,” McAnally said. “I’m going to echoing what everyone has said but we’re dealing with a real A&R person in Allison Jones. She listens to the songs, and she knows that it’s not ‘one song fits every artist.’ When you hand her a song, I know it’s going to be handled with care and I know that what you tell us is going to be the truth about it.
“That’s also a testament to you, Scott,” McAnally continued. “When Scott Borchetta says something’s going to happen with a song, and that he’s going to get behind it, he does what he says. We obviously can’t predict where these things go beyond that, but you guys always do what you say you’re going to do and I really appreciate that.”
Finally, it was time to hear from Eli Young Band. Mike Eli shared onstage, “Something that we’ve been living by for a long time is, ‘Nothing comes easy.’ That’s just the truth – if it’s worth anything at all.” He continued, “At the end of the day, we wouldn’t be where we are now, we wouldn’t have what we have, and we wouldn’t be involved with the people that we’re involved with—I wouldn’t trade a day in our journey for overnight success.”
Eli made sure to recognize the team that has stuck by them. “While it seems as if the last 20 years has been easy, it has not. There have been a lot of tears, there has been a lot of frustration, there’s been a lot of yelling; but then there’s been a lot of happiness and that’s what has kept us together. We believe in each other and we’re so incredibly lucky to have a lot of people that believe in us.”
Eli named his and his bandmate’s families, Brian Hill and CAA; Couri and Triple 8 Management; their road crew; Borchetta and the BMLG team; their team at Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.; Dann Huff; Sweet Talk PR; country radio and the promotion team; and Schumann and SiriusXM.
And finally, Eli thanked Copperman, McAnally and Gorley; “I love listening to your songs whether we cut them or not,” he said. “Thank you for giving us the song. It’s an incredible tune.”
Eli Young Band Celebrate Fourth Career No. 1 “Love Ain’t”
/by LB CantrellBack Row (L-R): BMI’s Josh Tomlinson, Sony Atv’s Josh Van Valkenburg, Sony Atv’s Jon Platt, Warner Chappell’s Ryan Beuschel, The Valory Music Co.’S Chris Palmer, Endurance Music Group’s Michael Martin, Ascap’s Beth Brinker, Triple 8 Management’s George Couri, Big Machine Label Group’s Allison Jones, The Valory Music Co.’S George Briner, Smack’s Robert Carlton, Combustion’s Chris Farren Front Row (L-R): The Valory Music Co.’S Ashley Sidoti, Bmi Songwriters Ross Copperman And Eli Young Band, Ascap Songwriter Ashley Gorley, Gmr Songwriter Shane McAnally, Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta Photo Credit: Steve Lowry
The Eli Young Band celebrated their fourth career No. 1, “Love Ain’t,” along with some of Nashville’s most decorated songwriters on Monday afternoon (July 15) at the Sutler. The Valory Music Company band commemorated their near 20-year journey and their first No. 1 song in almost six years.
Co-writers Shane McAnally, Ashley Gorley and Ross Copperman were all in attendance. To quote SMACKSongs’ Robert Carlton; “It’s no surprise to see another No. 1 hit for you guys, I think it’s a bigger surprise that we got you all in one place at one time!” Producer Dann Huff was there in spirit.
ASCAP’s Beth Brinker and BMI’s Josh Tomlinson traded off as hosts of the gathering. Brinker got everything started by speaking on the six-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year winner, Ashley Gorley. She announced that Gorley’s tally has climbed to 42 No. 1 songs. “It is so fun to think of new things to say about you,” Brinker said with a grin to Gorley. “I think it’s the hardest job on Music Row and I have it. Give it up for me!” she quipped.
Tomlinson stepped up to the mic to speak on Copperman and the Eli Young Band. Copperman, the two-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year, had notched his nineteenth No. 1 with “Love Ain’t.”
“For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last two decades,” Tomlinson said of the band. “These guys continue to impress and stay incredibly relevant. They maintain an authentic sound on country radio with ‘Love Ain’t’ being the latest addition to their long list of success. BMI is incredibly proud to represent you guys.”
Pinnacle Bank’s David Smith announced that they had made a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in honor of the hit. The philanthropic efforts continued with Endurance Music Group’s Michael Martin announcing a donation in honor of the Eli Young Band to the Wounded Warrior Project and in honor of Copperman to ACM Lifting Lives; Round Hill Music made a contribution to My Life Speaks in honor of Gorley; and SMACKSongs made a donation to Wounded Warrior Project.
Sony/ATV’s Josh Van Valkenburg was on hand to speak about Copperman. “Ross continues to be one of the hardest working guys on Music Row. He’s such a talent as a songwriter, as a producer and as an artist. I think that’s why he’s able to get deep down with these songs and these artists and these producers. Ross, as always, we’re so thankful to get to work with you,” he said.
Combustion Music’s Kenley Flynn spoke on behalf of Gorley. “We’ve been lucky enough to be up here several times with Ashley,” he said. “It’s always an honor. We’re so proud and grateful for our partnership over the years.”
Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta spoke very highly of the Eli Young Band, saying: “What Eli Young Band has done now for 20 years, how do you keep your band cool for 20 years? Well, you never veer from your artistic vision or the integrity of every note that you play.”
Borchetta also made sure to recognize J.R. Schumann at SiriusXM; George Couri and Triple 8 Management; and Allison Jones, Sr. VP, A&R at BMLG, for championing the song.
He also invited Valory Music Co. radio promotion leaders Ashley Sidoti and Chris Palmer to the stage. “I speak on behalf of the entire team when I say that we’ve been long fans of the Eli Young Band,” Sidoti said. She also recognized Brooke Nixon and Christy DiNapoli from the radio promotion team; and a life-size cut out of Valory Music Co. leader, George Briner, appeared from side stage.
“It takes a village!” she said. “Thank you to Allison for finding the hits, Scott for letting us work them, and Mike Rittberg and your team for helping spread the story far and wide with our streaming partners, and all of our marketing efforts.”
“As promo people, when you get a song written by great writers, sung by a great artist, and produced by a great producer, it’s just a sigh of relief,” Palmer said. “Names we look for would be Ross, and Ashley, and Shane, and Dann Huff. To have all four involved on the same record, it was like Christmas day for us. All of us rallied around the song and the band worked their ass off. We couldn’t be more proud to be standing up here.”
When it came time for the co-writers and the band to speak, Copperman kicked it off. “When you write a song with Shane McAnally and Ashley Gorley, you know it’s going to be the best song of all time because these guys are the best writers I think to ever come through Nashville. When you have Dann Huff produce it, and you have Scott Borchetta, and you have Allison Jones and the entire radio team, and you have George Couri calling the label probably every week, and you have one of the best bands in our genre performing the song; you can’t go wrong,” Copperman said.
Gorley listed his family and God first when he stepped up to the mic. He also thanked his army of publishing partners. “This is a special one because more and more as time goes by, there’s mini camps where we’re writing directly with artists or project-focused but this song just kind of serves as a reminder to me, and all of us writers, that if you get together and you just try to write the best song in the room that day…it’s an encouragement to us to continue to just write whatever we can write that day and trust you guys with the results.”
Gorley and Copperman both commented on Mike Eli‘s vocal performance on “Love Ain’t,” with Copperman saying it was made for country radio.
“We are so lucky that this is our job,” McAnally said. “I’m going to echoing what everyone has said but we’re dealing with a real A&R person in Allison Jones. She listens to the songs, and she knows that it’s not ‘one song fits every artist.’ When you hand her a song, I know it’s going to be handled with care and I know that what you tell us is going to be the truth about it.
“That’s also a testament to you, Scott,” McAnally continued. “When Scott Borchetta says something’s going to happen with a song, and that he’s going to get behind it, he does what he says. We obviously can’t predict where these things go beyond that, but you guys always do what you say you’re going to do and I really appreciate that.”
Finally, it was time to hear from Eli Young Band. Mike Eli shared onstage, “Something that we’ve been living by for a long time is, ‘Nothing comes easy.’ That’s just the truth – if it’s worth anything at all.” He continued, “At the end of the day, we wouldn’t be where we are now, we wouldn’t have what we have, and we wouldn’t be involved with the people that we’re involved with—I wouldn’t trade a day in our journey for overnight success.”
Eli made sure to recognize the team that has stuck by them. “While it seems as if the last 20 years has been easy, it has not. There have been a lot of tears, there has been a lot of frustration, there’s been a lot of yelling; but then there’s been a lot of happiness and that’s what has kept us together. We believe in each other and we’re so incredibly lucky to have a lot of people that believe in us.”
Eli named his and his bandmate’s families, Brian Hill and CAA; Couri and Triple 8 Management; their road crew; Borchetta and the BMLG team; their team at Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.; Dann Huff; Sweet Talk PR; country radio and the promotion team; and Schumann and SiriusXM.
And finally, Eli thanked Copperman, McAnally and Gorley; “I love listening to your songs whether we cut them or not,” he said. “Thank you for giving us the song. It’s an incredible tune.”
Maren Morris Celebrates Four RIAA Certifications
/by Jessica NicholsonPhoto credit: Alan Poizner
Columbia Nashville singer/songwriter Maren Morris was surprised with multiple RIAA certification plaques at an intimate reception held in Morris’ honor at Sony Music Nashville Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman’s home in Nashville Monday (July 16). New certifications include Maren Morris’ debut album HERO achieving Platinum, and the Gold status of “GIRL” and “The Bones,” both tracks on her new sophomore album GIRL. Also, certified Gold is “Rich,” Morris’ fourth single from HERO.
Pictured: Maren Morris with SVP Columbia Nashville Promotion Shane Allen, Sony Music Nashville’s COO/EVP Ken Robold and Chairman/CEO Randy Goodman, Morris’ manager Janet Weir, and Sony Music Nashville’s EVP Promotion/Artist Development Steve Hodges and EVP A&R Jim Catino. Photo: Alan Poizner
Maren Morris with Ryan Hurd, Morris’ management team, and the Sony Music Nashville team.
Rebekah Gordon Joins Black River Entertainment
/by Jessica NicholsonRebekah Gordon
Black River Entertainment has hired Rebekah Gordon as Vice President of Publishing. Gordon will oversee the operations of the publishing department and its creative endeavors. She brings more than 15 years of experience to Black River Publishing.
“Today is a great day for Black River Publishing. To have such an outstanding person join our team is an honor,” shares Black River Entertainment President & CEO Gordon Kerr. “We look forward to all of the incredible ways that Rebekah will contribute to Black River and to the songwriting community through our writers.”
In her role as Vice President of Publishing, Gordon will continue to cultivate the careers of Black River Publishing’s roster including hit songwriters-producers Bobby Huff and Josh Kerr, songwriter-artists Eddie Garcia, Willie Jones, Nikita Karmen, Anna Vaus, and Nick Wayne, songwriters Ben Caver and Jacob Davis, songwriters-Black River recording artists Abby Anderson, Carolina Story, Hannah Kerr and Josh Wilson, and promote the catalogues of hit-songwriter-Black River Recording artist Kelsea Ballerini, hit songwriters-producers Doug Johnson, Forest Glen Whitehead, and Grammy-winning songwriter Josh Osborne.
“I am beyond thrilled to begin this next chapter with Black River Entertainment and continue to build upon the stellar talent of the writers, artists and staff,” shares Rebekah. “Black River has created a truly unique and collaborative atmosphere and the results speak for themselves. This is going to be fun!”
Prior to Black River, she had stops at Rezonant and Warner Music Nashville, among others. Gordon played a vital role in placing songs for multiple artists’ projects, including Blake Shelton’s hit songs “My Eyes” and “Guy With A Girl” and Michael Ray’s debut No. 1 hit “Kiss You In The Morning,” as well as chart topper “Think A Little Less.”
Effective immediately, Gordon reports to Black River Entertainment President & CEO Gordon Kerr and can be reached at rgordon@blackriverent.com.
Musicians Hall Of Fame Reveals Inductees For 2019
/by Jessica NicholsonThe 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.
The inductees for 2019 include:
Felix Cavaliere – One of the most renowned rock and roll and R&B keyboardists ever, as well as a Songwriters Hall of Fame member, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member, a soulful singer and an original member of The (Young) Rascals—who charted 18 top 40 hits, 5 top 10 hits, and 3 No. 1 hits.
Steve Wariner – Being honored in 2019 by Gretsch Guitars with his own Steve Wariner Nashville Gentleman model, Wariner is an esteemed guitar player, a singer, a multi-Grammy Award winning Songwriter and was named by Chet Atkins as one of five guitarists to receive the CGP (Certified Guitar Player) title.
The Surfaris (Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly*, Jim Fuller*, Ron Wilson*)– In 1963, surf music was ruling the airwaves from coast to coast. Millions of young musicians were starting garage bands in every neighborhood, in every city and the song most every young drummer and guitarist first learned to play was by this Southern California band. That song is the very first Musicians Hall of Fame Instrumental Song Award Winner—”Wipe Out.”
Don Everly – As one of the most iconic vocal duos in recording history,The Everly Brothers influenced everyone from Simon & Garfunkel to The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. They’ve been recognized for their superb harmonies and their incredible songwriting. The Grammy-award winning duo has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Don is an excellent arranger and rhythm guitarist; and his ground breaking rhythm guitar opening for “Wake Up Little Susie” is this year’s winner of the Iconic Riff Award.
ALABAMA (Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen) – Celebrating 50 years in 2019, Alabama has sold more than 80 million records, charted 43 No. 1 singles—including 21 No. 1 singles in a row—and have won dozens of CMA, Grammy, and ACM awards. They are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and have their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They are world-class philanthropists who have raised millions of dollars for various charities. ALABAMA is currently on the road celebrating five decades of music on its historic 50th Anniversary Tour. In addition to their induction, Cook, Gentry and Owen will receive the first ever Life Time Achievement Award from the Musicians Hall of Fame.
The Original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (David Briggs, Jerry Carrigan*, Norbert Putnam, Terry Thompson, and friends Earl “Peanutt” Montgomery, Joe South*, Reggie Young*) – Speaking of Alabama, who would have ever thought that a little town in North Alabama would have become, at one time, one of the most famous recording centers in the world? Muscle Shoals, AL produced some of the best music ever recorded and it all started with the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, at Rick Hall’s Fame Studios.
Nashville A-Team The Players (Eddie Bayers, Paul Franklin, John Hobbs, Brent Mason, Michael Rhodes) – Nashville is now the undisputed center of the music business, but since its inception, it has always been one of the top music cities anywhere in the world. When the recording business got started in Nashville originally, there were the Nashville A-Team Musicians. That tradition has carried on with these great musicians. Our next group of A-Team studio musicians have recorded on thousands of sessions and performed on countless hit recordings.
The Muscle Shoals Horn Section (Aaron Brown, Harrison Calloway, Ronnie Eades, Charlie Rhodes, Harvey Thompson) – Every good rhythm section needs a good horn section, and in Muscle Shoals, during the 60’s and 70’s, the original Fame Studio Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, along with ‘The Swampers,’ at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio were lucky enough to have these talented musicians.
Owen Bradley* – Nashville would not be the world-renowned city it is today without our incredible music industry. There wouldn’t be that music industry without this visionary and musical genius. The songs he produced in the 50s and 60s sound as timeless today as they did then. Owen Bradley is this year’s Musicians Hall of Fame Producer.
Billy Sherrill – Every great record has a great engineer, and there are a lot of good songs that became great records because of our next Musicians Hall of Fame Inductee. The recipient of this year’s Engineer Award goes to Billy Sherrill.
Bob Taylor – The Industry Icon Award is presented to someone for not only making a difference in the world of music, but also in the world itself. Taylor Guitars co-founder Bob Taylor is a pioneering acoustic guitar maker whose modern innovations have transformed the company from a small shop into a world-class manufacturer. Bob was 19 years old when he and co-founder Kurt Listug started the company that bears his name in 1974. Bob’s slim-profile guitar necks and easy playability helped put Taylor on the map, and in the decades that followed, Bob introduced many groundbreaking refinements to the guitar-making process, establishing new standards of quality and consistency, and making the acoustic guitar more inspiring to players at every level. Today, Taylor is an industry leader and the top-selling acoustic guitar brand in North America. In recent years, Bob has turned his attention to forest conservation and sustainability initiatives, including several pioneering reforestation programs that are planting thousands of trees for the benefit of future generations of guitar makers and musicians.
*Being honored posthumously
Pre-sale tickets will be available beginning Aug. 2, 2019 for Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum members. Tickets will be on sale to the public on Aug. 5, 2019 through the Schermerhorn Symphony Center box office.
Industry Ink: King Song, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Lisa Matassa
/by Lorie HollabaughRich Lafleur Signs With King Song
Pictured (L-R): ROAR’s Ryan O’Nan, Rich Lafleur, Bradley Collins and Whiskey Jam’s Ward Geunther. Photo: Jeff Tobias
Rich Lafleur has entered into an exclusive artist development and publishing agreement with King Song Publishing. Hailing from Clarksville, Maryland, Lafleur moved to Nashville in March of 2018. His debut single, “Worth a Shot,” co-written with Brad Hutsell, recently surpassed 100,000 performances. King Song is an independent artist development and publishing company owned by Whiskey Jam, ROAR and Bradley Collins.
Amy Grant And Michael W. Smith Reunite For Christmas Tour
Lisa Matassa Inks Digital Deal With ONErpm
Pictured (L-R): Ken Madson, Lisa Matassa, Wayne Halper Photo: Jeremy Westby
Lisa Matassa has signed a digital distribution deal with ONErpm. Matassa recorded an album of solo material as well as an album of duets with legendary country artists such as Eddy Raven, The Bellamy Brothers, Johnny Lee, Mickey Gilley, Marty Raybon of Shenandoah and more and will be releasing a variety of projects through ONErpm that will include live recordings and performances filmed at The Wildhorse Saloon in June 2016 during CMA Music Fest.
Stagecoach Festival 2020 Dates Announced
/by Lorie HollabaughStagecoach Festival, 2018
Dates for Stagecoach 2020 have been announced, with next year’s festival taking place Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26 at Empire Polo Club, Indio, Caifornia.
The 2020 festival follows another successful year in 2019 featuring headline performances from Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt and Jason Aldean plus an unforgettable closing weekend set by Diplo featuring the first-ever live performance of “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus.
Tickets and shuttle combo passes go on sale beginning Friday, July 19 at 11 a.m. during the Stagecoach 2020 Advance Sale. Lineup announcements, food and drink reveals, public on-sale information and other surprises will be revealed this fall.
Brandi Carlile To Headline Six Sold-Out Shows At Ryman Auditorium
/by Lorie HollabaughBrandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile will now perform six sold-out shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Jan. 14, 15, 16, 19, 20 and 21 with special guests Kim Richey, Lucie Silvas, Natalie Hemby, Lori McKenna and Courtney Barnett, respectively. Three additional shows were added to the run due to overwhelming popular demand after the first three shows sold-out immediately during last Friday’s on-sale.
Prior to the sold-out Ryman residency, Carlile will make her headline debut at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on September 14 and will perform Joni Mitchell’s Blue in full at Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall on October 14. And in the New Year, Carlile’s sold-out Girls Just Wanna Weekend will take place at the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico from January 29-February 2, 2020. The second annual festival once again features an all female-fronted lineup including multiple sets by Carlile as well as Sheryl Crow, Lake Street Dive, Patty Griffin, Lucius, Wanda Sykes (comedy set), KT Tunstall, Jade Bird, Amanda Shires and Yola as well as special guests Ruby Amanfu, Natalie Hemby and Katie Herzig.
Sam Hunt, Reba McEntire, Dierks Bentley To Perform For NSAI’s Nashville Songwriter Awards
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI) has announced several performers set to take part in the 2nd Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards, presented by NSAI and City National Bank.
Reba McEntire, Sam Hunt, Dierks Bentley, Chris Janson, Lee Brice, David Lee Murphy, Michael Ray and hit songwriter Dean Dillon will be part of the lineup.
Country Music Hall of Fame And Museum To Open Brooks & Dunn Exhibit In August
/by Jessica NicholsonThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will honor Country Music Hall of Fame members-elect Brooks & Dunn with a new exhibition set to open Aug 9.
Brooks & Dunn: Kings of Neon will chronicle the duo’s early solo careers, how they came together to form Brooks & Dunn, their record-breaking awards wins, 20 No. 1 hits, and their electrifying approach to touring. The exhibit will run through July 19, 2020.
Items featured in Brooks & Dunn: Kings of Neon include:
“The combined talents of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have left an indelible mark on country music history. For nearly three decades, the duo’s skillful songwriting, dynamic recordings and rowdy performances have made Brooks & Dunn an enduring success with lasting influence on the genre and its contemporary hit-makers,” said Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “The museum looks forward to exploring the journey of two struggling solo artists brought together by fate and creative vision to become country music’s best-selling duo of all time.”
“It’s so cool to have an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum,” said Dunn. “When you’re reminded that what you have created is part of history like that, it’s beyond humbling. I’m so, so proud.”
“Ronnie and I are really fired up about having an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum,” added Brooks. “We’ve shared some of our favorite things with the museum over the years, and it’s going to be really special for us to revisit those moments from our career, especially in a format like the Hall that reaches all generations of fans.”
Vince Gill, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris To Play All For The Hall Benefit In Los Angeles
/by Lorie HollabaughGill has hosted or co-hosted every All for the Hall concert since he founded the campaign in 2005. Now in his 18th term as president of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Board of Officers and Trustees, Gill launched the All for the Hall initiative by encouraging country artists to contribute the proceeds from a performance to benefit the museum.
The All for the Hall series launched in 2005 and began traveling to Los Angeles in 2009. The series has alternated between Los Angeles and New York, with Gill and Harris serving as hosts in an acoustic format. With Keith Urban, Gill also co-hosts an All for the Hall concert in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena. To date, the concerts have netted more than $4.3 million in support of the museum’s educational initiatives, which directly serve more than 100,000 people annually.
Tickets for this year’s All for the Hall Los Angeles benefit concert go on sale this Friday, July 19 at 12 p.m. CT, and can be purchased via TheNovoDTLA.com.