The Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston Steps Out With Solo Debut ‘The Guest Room’ In November

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The Cadillac Three frontman Jaren Johnston slowed it down and settled into himself on his debut solo album, The Guest Room, set for release on Nov. 13 via Blue Highway Records.

What began with boredom, an old acoustic guitar and a makeshift studio in a guest room became a deeply personal new chapter for one of Nashville’s most accomplished songwriters with The Guest Room. On the new 13-track album Johnston found the freedom and opportunity to explore a quieter, more intimate side of his artistry, and the collection bridges his country songwriting roots with the alternative influences that shaped him.

“I started making The Guest Room in November of 2024. Taking some much-needed time away from the band, the bottle and – for the most part – the outside world, I set up shop in the guest room of our house in Nashville,” shares Johnston. “It was therapeutic, fun, exciting and very chill, and the experience kept me from going crazy being off the road for the first time in 20 years. Making The Guest Room gave me a place to go and just be myself – and maybe figure out who that is along the way.”

To preview the new album, the singer-songwriter is enjoying the view from the truck bed in his new track “Lower,” out today. “Lower” finds Johnston taking inventory of the important things in life that make the pearly gates feel just a little less out of reach, and is a sweet display of gratitude for the everyday joys that bring warmth and peace.

Johnston is a writer on each of the tracks on The Guest Room, and hitmakers Hillary Lindsey, Chris DeStefano, Rodney Clawson, and more also contribute to the new project, which gives the songs, sounds and stories that have lived inside Johnston for years a room of their own. Previously released tracks “Tear Me Up” and “Ridin’, Drinkin’, Kissin’” also appear on the project.

The Guest Room Track List:
1. “Tear Me Up” (Jaren Johnston, Rodney Clawson)
2. “Ride Around” (Jaren Johnston, Justin Ebach, Jordan Schmidt)
3. “Lower” (Jaren Johnston, Ross Copperman, Matt Jenkins)
4. “Make Yourself At Home” (Jaren Johnston, Rodney Clawson, Jordan Schmidt, Brett Tyler)
5. “Memories Like You” (Jaren Johnston, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
6. “Hotter” (Jaren Johnston, Corey Crowder, Alysa Marie Vanderheym)
7. “Two Hearts And A Chevy” (Jaren Johnston, Tyler Filmore, Jake Rose)
8. “Need Ya Tonight” (Jaren Johnston)
9. “Ridin’, Drinkin’, Kissin’” (Jaren Johnston, Daniel Breland, Zachary Kale)
10. “My Kind Of Crazy” (Jaren Johnston, Bob DiPiero)
11. “Call Me If Ya Don’t” (Jaren Johnston, Chris DeStefano, Bobby Pinson)
12. “Cigarette” (Jaren Johnston, Kip Moore, Chris Stapleton)
13. “Fire Works” (Jaren Johnston, Josh Kear, Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins)

Riley Green Claims Another No. 1 On The MusicRow Radio Chart

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Riley Green. Photo: David Higgs

Riley Green notches his second No. 1 of the year on the MusicRow Radio Chart this week with “Think As You Drunk.”

The track is the lead single off of his recent album That’s Just Me and was written by Green, Jessi Alexander, Erik Dylan, Wyatt McCubbin, Scotty Emerick and Toby Keith.

Riley Green will hit the road next year on the “That’s Just Me Tour” in 2027. The 29-date trek will make stops in Seattle, Chicago, Knoxville, Toronto and more.

“Think As You Drunk” currently sits at No. 12 on the Billboard Country Airplay No. 11 on the Mediabase chart.

Click here to view the latest edition of the MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

Miles Hardt Signs With Casual Media Partners & Casual Records

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Miles Hardt & Heather Vassar. Photo: Andy Cher

Singer, songwriter and producer Miles Hardt has inked with Casual Media Partners for management, as well as Casual Records for label services.

Raised in Ventura, California, Hardt grew up around the music industry, watching his father work at Sound City Studios. His music features soft falsetto vocals, lo-fi guitar and personal lyrics, with influences including Bon Iver, Hozier and Noah Kahan. Hardt has amassed more than 250,000 monthly Spotify listeners and over 45 million combined streams across his catalog. His most popular tracks include “Like Yours” with 10 million streams, “Sweet and Dark” with eight million and “Hold Back” with more than three million. On TikTok, he has more than 245,000 followers and two million likes, with his music featured in over 47,000 posts. His most-viewed video has surpassed 15 million views.

“Miles is one of the most honest writers I’ve worked with, and his audience feels that,” says Heather Vassar, Founder and CEO of Casual Media Partners. “He’s already built a real community on his own. Our job is to put the full weight of a team behind him so this new music reaches every person who needs it.”

“Music has always been the place I feel safe,” adds Hardt. “This new music is the most personal thing I’ve made. Having Heather and the Casual team in my corner means I can focus on the songs and on reaching as many people as I can.”

The signing comes with the release of his new single, “Rolling Stone.”

“‘Rolling Stone’ is a song about being so used to not feeling safe in both love and life, and used to living in the fear trauma,” says Hardt. “And the person who comes to love you, who you pray has the patience to love you until you feel safe.”

DISClaimer Single Reviews: Kameron Marlowe Delivers ‘Blazing-hot Soul Singing’

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Kameron Marlowe. Photo: Ben Dartnell

The tide is turning in country music’s favor.

In both the pop and the country worlds, I am detecting a trend toward acoustic sounds. This bodes well for the genre’s most “country” of artists. Several of today’s DISClaimer candidates evidently see the writing on the wall — Jackson Wendell, Waylon Wyatt, Dylan Gossett and DISCovery Award winner Landon Smith all have new singles that are all about simplicity.

The Disc of the Day award goes to my long-time favorite Kameron Marlowe, a vocal powerhouse every time he steps up to the mic.

As a side note: Although this week’s column is devoted to male artists, few of them display the creativity of Megan Moroney, Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Kacey Musgraves, Ella Langley, Emily Ann Roberts, Lainey Wilson, Carter Faith, or many of their other female counterparts.

WILLIAM BECKMANN / “You Only Love to Break My Heart”
Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon/Konrad Snyder/Matt Roy/William Beckmann; Producer: Konrad Snyder; Label: Gatsby Records
– Lushly melodic and echoey atmospheric. It has a dreamy, retro-pop vibe that conjures the spirits of Roy Orbison and/or Gene Pitney.

BRENDAN WALTER / “Model Maniac”
Writers: Brendan Walter/David Pugh; Producer: Taylor Kimball; Label: Records V2
– Nicely produced, pop-rock heartbreak with a double-tracked, pleading tenor vocal.

GAVIN ADCOCK / “Wannabe”
Writers: Brad Clawson/Ernest Keith Smith/Gavin Adcock/Jacob Durrett/Morgan Wallen; Producer: Jay Rodgers; Label: Warner Records Nashville
– He loves his boots, jeans, hat, beer, chewing tobacco, country music, pickup truck, deer stand, bass boat, and everything else that’s redneck. So there.

ZACH JOHN KING / “I’m What You Get”
Writers: Jimmy Robbins/Rhett Akins/Zach John King; Producers: Ryan Wilson, Zach John King; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– The title tune of King’s 20-track debut album is a mid-tempo description of a guy who carries around a lot of small-town attitudes, and can’t/won’t change. The collection’s lilting heartbreaker “Get to Drinkin’” has already become a radio favorite.

KAMERON MARLOWE / “Take You Down With Me”
Writers: Austin Goodloe/Kameron Marlowe/Kendell Marvel; Producers: Austin Goodloe, Kameron Marlowe; Label: Columbia Nashville
– I remain an enormous fan. Blazing-hot soul singing, propulsive percussion and dramatic atmosphere pour from this track. Marlowe stands at the forefront of today’s male country record makers.

DYLAN GOSSETT / “Headed Back to Austin”
Writer: Dylan Gossett; Producer: Dylan Gossett; Label: Big Loud Texas/Mercury Records
– Folkie and mellow. He eases his troubled mind by closing his eyes and imagining himself back in the capital of the Lone Star State.

BLAKE PROEHL / “Hearts Don’t Break Like That”
Writers: Blake Proehl/John Spencer Jordan/Joseph Tounge/Lydia Southerland/Todd Tran; Producer: Todd Tran; Label: MCA
– Kinda half-sung, this wears its hip-hop influences on its sleeve. Five songwriters? Really?

LANDON SMITH / “Don’t Mind Me”
Writer: Landon Smith; Producer: Dave Cobb; Label: Lucille Records
– Sad, poignant, aching, and deeply contemplative. He’s lost everything — family, money, home — and believes he is “less than a memory.” The sighing, gentle, acoustic production is poetry. A stunning debut.

TREY PENDLEY / “Country Boy Friday Night”
Writers: Kendell Marvel/Trey Pendley; Producer: Jacob Bryant, John Davidson; Label: Leo33
– Gently rollicking and relaxing. The track burbles along delightfully, while he croons lovingly about his blue-collar, backwoods lifestyle. Charming and innocent.

DALTON DAVIS / “TouchTunes”
Writers: Dalton Davis/Gabe Walsh/Jake Hess/Travis Chaney; Producer: none listed; Label: Republic Records
– He puts $10 into the jukebox, and it cures his heartache. Several country hits are name-checked — “Back in the Saddle Again,” “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound,” “Redneck Woman,” “Fishing in the Dark,” “Queen of My Double Wide,” “Better Man,” “Heartache Medication,” and so forth.

BLAKE WHITEN / “Bet On That”
Writers: Blake Whiten/Grant Averill/Hoskins/Joe London; Producer: Austin Shawn; Label: Enchntmnt/Warner Records
– She’s a heartbreaker, and he’s not giving her a second chance in this moody ditty. His vocal sounds muffled.

JACKSON WENDELL / “Mr. Middleman”
Writers: Hayden Baker/Jackson Wendell; Producer: Brandon Hood; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Languid, light, introspective and ever-so-slightly jazzy. He’s asking the Good Lord for a little help to get the girl of his dreams. Produced with a deft, spare, simple touch, this goes down mighty smoothly.

WAYLON WYATT / “Dustpiles”
Writers: Brett Truitt/JR Atkins/Waylon Wyatt Potter; Producers: Brett Truitt, JR Atkins; Label: Music Soup/Darkroom Records
– On this title tune of his debut album, the boyish tenor vocalist vows lasting love, one that endures until the two of them are reduced to dust. The fiddle-and-guitar acoustic production of the soft ballad has just the right blend of tenderness and support. Wyatt is booked to play Brooklyn Bowl next Tuesday evening (Oct. 13). 

Carrie Karpinen Finds Her Place Behind The Song [Interview]

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Carrie Karpinen. Photo: David O’Donohue

Carrie Karpinen moved to Nashville from South Florida at 17 and began building her career as a touring drummer. Over the years, songwriting and production became a bigger part of her work, leading to collaborations with artists including Noah Kahan, Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph.

Her relationship with music started early in Boca Raton, where she grew up around church music. Violin was her first instrument, but drums became the one that stuck. By fifth or sixth grade, she was spending hours practicing and teaching herself other instruments along the way.

“I would schedule practice sessions for myself, which was insane [laughs],” Karpinen tells MusicRow. “But I was just so in love with it and I wanted to be as good as I could be at it.”

That dedication eventually brought her to Nashville. She began playing whatever gigs she could find, often loading her drum kit into her Honda Accord and showing up wherever she was needed. She was simply focused on making a living by playing music.

Songwriting, however, had been present much earlier. Karpinen remembers her mother telling her about an incident when she was seven years old, when she called through the bathroom door asking for a pen and paper because she had a song idea. Years later in Nashville, she began seeing friends head into writing sessions and realized songwriting could be a career of its own.

“I was way more comfortable at that period in my life in a supporting role. It felt a lot less scary to be playing drums. Songwriting felt much more vulnerable to me.”

That vulnerability eventually became part of what drew her to songwriting. She signed her first publishing deal in 2020, just as the world shut down, giving her unexpected time to focus on developing as a writer and producer. Production became another part of that evolution.

Her early production education came through producer JT Daly, whom she initially worked for as an assistant. What began with showing up to sessions and helping however she could eventually grew into producing alongside him. Karpinen credits that experience with giving her the foundation she needed.

“When I got to the session, I was told I was going to be the producer that day, I was terrified. I barely knew how to use the studio because it was a studio I’d never been in. Somehow I figured it out, and I ended up making a demo that day.”

That willingness to figure things out has become a defining part of Karpinen’s career. Her credits now span multiple genres, including Kahan’s Stick Season and The Great Divide, PVRIS’ Evergreen, Suki Waterhouse’s “Tiny Raisin” and Wetzel and Murph’s “High Road,” which reached No. 1 on Country Airplay for five consecutive weeks and is now four-times Platinum.

“High Road” was one of those songs where the feeling in the room confirmed that something special was happening.

“It took a second for the chorus to become what it is now, but the first time the chorus was sung in the way that it ended up, I got full body chills and knew it was going to become really special.”

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Her approach to collaboration is similarly flexible. Rather than walking into every session with a fixed process, she focuses on understanding what the artist or writer in the room brings to the table.

That adaptability has also served her while working with Kahan, whose prolific creative process has taught her when to step forward and when to simply make room.

“With Noah, the task is sometimes to not get in the way of his genius. He’s made me a better songwriter, producer and musician.”

Karpinen has also had to navigate assumptions about her role in a largely male-dominated production world. Earlier in her career, she recalls being mistaken for an intern and asked to get coffee for people who entered a session. Rather than letting those moments discourage her, she used them as motivation.

“My whole life, for better or worse, I don’t mind being counted out. That particular experience made me want to make an even better song.”

Now, with years of experience as a drummer, songwriter and producer, Karpinen is still interested in finding new ways to challenge herself. Rather than chasing a specific genre, she is drawn to the idea of stripping things back and rediscovering the excitement she had when she was first learning to produce.

“It would be fun to change it up and do something where I’m extremely limited,” she says. That could mean returning to a simpler setup with fewer microphones and less equipment, an approach that would put the focus back on the song, the performance and the creative process.

Michael McCall To Retire From CMHOFM

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Michael McCall

Longtime writer, editor and curator Michael McCall will retire from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at the end of the year after more than two decades with the organization.

McCall joined the museum in 2006 and currently serves as Associate Director of Editorial. He oversees written content for exhibitions, books, public programs, the website, social media and educational materials. He has curated or co-curated more than 20 exhibitions, including the recent Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker, as well as Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country Rock and Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy.

He has also hosted numerous museum programs and conducted interviews with Country Music Hall of Fame members including Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Charlie Daniels, Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd, Patty Loveless and Hank Williams Jr. McCall co-edited the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Country Music, published by Oxford University Press, and has written exhibition books on Loretta Lynn and Reba McEntire. He also authored a book about the museum’s archival collection.

“From the beginning of his tenure, Michael’s impressive journalistic sensibilities helped to establish the museum’s editorial voice,” says Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “He brings broad historical knowledge with an innate ability to not only understand the music and the people behind it, but also place it within the greater cultural context. Before he joined the museum, he was a talented journalist and well respected by artists and musicians alike. We were lucky to have him and grateful for his two decades of service enlightening and educating us all.”

Before joining the museum, McCall was Senior Editor of Country Music magazine from 1999 to 2003 and contributed to publications including the Associated Press, Journal of Country Music, Los Angeles Times, Nashville Scene, Oxford American and People. From 1984 to 1990, he worked as Senior Music Writer for the Nashville Banner, covering news, opinion and features. During that time, he interviewed artists including Waylon Jennings, George Jones and George Strait. In 1986, he also documented Loretta Lynn’s three-week USO Tour of military bases across Southeast Asia.

“Working at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has been the greatest honor of a career that overshot any of my dreams,” adds McCall. “After arriving in Nashville, I noticed how the museum excelled at interpreting and contextualizing American roots music and its important role in popular culture. I will forever appreciate the opportunity given to me by Kyle Young, Liz Thiels and Jay Orr to work alongside a talented, committed staff in continuing the museum’s sanctified mission.”

McCall received the Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism from Belmont University and the International Country Music Conference in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and English literature from San Francisco State University. Born in Gary, Indiana, McCall attended high school in Jonesboro, Arkansas. His final day with the museum will be Dec. 31.

Brooks & Dunn Return To Australia For First Headlining Dates In Nearly 20 Years This Spring

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Brooks & Dunn. Photo: Matthew Berinato

Brooks & Dunn will play two headline dates in Australia after closing out CMC Rocks QLD’s 20th anniversary next March.

Returning to Australia for the first time in 18 years, the Country Music Hall of Famers will bring their show to Sydney’s Afterpay Arena on March 24, and Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on March 27. Ashley McBryde and Mack Geiger will join as support on both dates.

Brooks & Dunn’s long-awaited return to Australia is the latest milestone in a landmark year for the duo, whose music continues to reach new audiences around the globe. Earlier this year, they performed in the U.K. for the first time ever, headlining Europe’s largest country music festival, C2C, and playing to record-breaking crowds in Belfast, Glasgow and London.

This year, the duo is also celebrating the 35th anniversary of their debut album Brand New Man, and the album’s first-ever vinyl pressing arrives Oct. 23, giving fans a new way to experience the record that launched one of country music’s most celebrated careers.

Mitchell Tenpenny & The Opry Help Raise Awareness, Support For Patients & Families Battling Cancer Diagnosis

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Devin Dawson, Mitchell Tenpenny, Lee Brice, and Ernest Perform Songwriters’ Round. Photo: Chris Hollo for the Grand Ole Opry

Mitchell Tenpenny, his foundation, the 10Penny Fund, and some artist friends teamed up with the Opry earlier this week to raise awareness of the need for emotional, social, and mental health support for patients and their families facing a cancer diagnosis.

Performers during the special evening included Tenpenny, Chris Young, Lee Brice, Devin Dawson, Ernest, Sierra Hull, Jackie Lee and Jo Dee Messina. Macy Page, a cancer survivor and sister-in-law to artist Thomas Rhett, served as guest announcer for the show, and Mitchell, Lee, Ernest, and Dawson performed in a songwriter’s round during the second half of the show, which is a rare occurrence at the Opry, since it has only hosted a round a handful of times during its +100-year history. Tenpenny closed the Opry show with “Walk Like Him,” a song he wrote about his father, whom he lost to cancer in 2014.

After Young’s performance, he announced he would donate $25,000 to the 10Penny Fund, and the Opry is also donating $5 from each ticket sold for the show show to the 10Penny Fund as well. The night also marked the launch of a partnership between Mitchell and Cancer Support Community (CSC), a global nonprofit dedicated to uplifting and strengthening people affected by cancer by providing support, fostering compassionate communities, and breaking down barriers to care. Mitchell’s 10Penny Fund donated $110,000 to CSC and presented the check onstage.

A post-show event was held in Studio A, where Mitchell performed a few additional songs and participated in a Q&A hosted by WSM personality Charlie Mattos. During the event, Mitchell’s wife Meghan Patrick, who gave birth to their first child on Sept. 1, made a guest appearance to perform her song, “Golden Child.”

Mitchell Tenpenny Presents Cancer Support Community with $110,000 Donation from the 10PennyFund. Photo: Chris Hollo for the Grand Ole Opry

Chris Young. Photo: Chris Hollo for the Grand Ole Opry

WSM Announcer Charlie Mattos and Mitchell Post Show Event. Photo: Chris Hollo for the Grand Ole Opry

Sierra Hull. Photo: Chris Hollo for the Grand Ole Opry

Randy Rogers Band & Friends Revitalize Some Career Hits On Latest Project ‘Songbook’

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Randy Rogers Band is breathing new life into 15 of their chart-topping, fan-favorite hits with some help from Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum and more on their latest album, Songbook, due out Jan. 22. The band has partnered with Big Loud Texas for the release of the project.

Often cited as an inspiration to generations of country artists out of Texas, the band is celebrating 25 years of making music by revisiting their legacy-building tracks and teaming up with some notable friends on the new capsule collection spanning two decades of genre-defining music. Produced by Jedd Hughes, Songbook also features guest appearances by Dierks Bentley, Koe Wetzel, Cody Jinks, Gary Allan, Flatland Cavalry, Turnpike Troubadours, Ty Myers, Wade Bowen, Pat Green, William Beckmann, Jake Worthington, Sunny Sweeney, Maggie Antone and Kaitlin Butts. 

“I can honestly say my heart is full of gratitude. When our manager, Enzo, originally had this idea, there was some pushback. I thought, ‘I’m not dead yet—why do this?’ But after we got into the studio and I heard the stories from my friends about how our band played a role in their own journeys, I quickly understood,” Rogers shares. “This wasn’t just about our band. It was about all of us. It was about the songs, and how far and wide they can reach—and the impact they can have on people’s lives. I am eternally grateful for the inspiration I took away from everyone involved. Thank you so much.”

The first release off the upcoming album features McCollum and the band on a revitalized rendition of the epic tale of “Tommy Jackson,” due out tomorrow (Oct. 9). Written by Rogers and originally recorded for the band’s first studio album Like It Used to Be in 2002, the song tells the tragic story of a young man on the run following a fatal whiskey-fueled incident with a woman named Pam, and remains one of the most-requested songs during the band’s live shows.

“When Parker selected ‘Tommy Jackson,’ I wasn’t surprised one bit,” says Rogers. “He’s told me several times over the years how much he dug this song. Story songs are hard to write, and I wrote this one after a chance meeting with Bill Whitbeck, Robert Earl Keen‘s bass player, at Fritz’s Muffler Shop in San Marcos, Texas, when I was a student at Texas State University. I had seen REK at Luckenbach the night before, and I walked away completely inspired to make music my life. All these years later, having Parker cut this song feels like a full-circle moment—not just for me, but for all of us in this genre.”

Songbook Track List:
1. “Kiss Me In The Dark” (feat. Miranda Lambert)
2. “Buy Myself A Chance” (feat. Ty Myers)
3. “Tommy Jackson” (feat. Parker McCollum)
4. “Down & Out” (feat. Turnpike Troubadours)
5. “Too Late For Goodbye” (feat. Flatland Cavalry)
6. “One More Goodbye” (feat. Jake Worthington)
7. “One Woman” (feat. William Beckmann)
8. “Last Last Chance” (feat. Kaitlin Butts)
9. “This Time Around” (feat. Cody Canada and Dierks Bentley)
10. “In My Arms Instead” (feat. Cody Jinks)
11. “Interstate” (feat. Pat Green)
12. “Speak Of The Devil” (feat. Wade Bowen)
13. “Fuzzy” (feat. Gary Allan)
14. “Somebody Take Me Home” (feat. Sunny Sweeny)
15. “I Miss You With Me” (feat. Koe Wetzel and Maggie Antone)

DEK Of Hearts Signs With Red Light Management

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Pictured: Dylan John, Emily Clapp, Kollin Bailey and Tayler Bock. Photo: Courtesy of Red Light Management

DEK Of Hearts, comprised of members Dylan John, Emily Clapp and Kollin Bailey, has signed with Red Light Management.

The group formed in April of 2024 after meeting at Trevecca University in Nashville. After winning the Tennessee Songwriters Week competition showcase in 2025, they went on to be named Top 3 Finalists Season 28 of NBC’s The Voice later that year. This year, the trio made their Grand Ole Opry debut and have opened for Carly Pearce, Brett Young and Niko Moon.

“The talent of DEK of Hearts is unmatched,” says Red Light Manager Tayler Bock. “The work ethic, live performance, and talent of this trio is not something you see every day in our industry. When I first saw this band perform at their Opry debut, I knew they were the real deal and that Red Light Management had to be a part of their career.”

“Being a part of Red Light Management under Tayler Bock solidifies the hard work of our two and a half years as a group,” shares DEK of Hearts. “We are privileged to continue to grow our team with Tayler and the Red Light Management team and learn from his experience working with artists like Gabby Barrett, and Sons of Legion.”

DEK of Hearts released their most recent single “Two Story House” in September and will launch their podcast One of Those Songs in November.