Wendy Moten to Be Honored As Next Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum Nashville Cats Honoree

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Vocalist Wendy Moten will be featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s “Nashville Cats” interview series on May 16 in the museum’s Ford Theater.

The series spotlights renowned musicians and session singers who have played important roles in support of artists in either the recording studio or on concert tours. The interview will be moderated by museum writer-editor Jon Freeman, and will be illustrated with rare photos, film and recordings.

A Memphis native, Moten grew up singing in church and attended Overton High School, where she sang in the school’s famed competition choir, led by Lulah Hedgeman. A professional singer by 16, she signed with EMI and released her self-titled debut album in 1992. Her singles “Come in Out of the Rain” and “So Close to Love” charted in the U.S. and the U.K. Moten continued work as a backup singer, first with Julio Iglesias for 15 years, then for Faith Hill, Martina McBride and Tim McGraw. In recent years, she has served as a featured singer on Vince Gill’s tours.

In studio sessions, Moten has lent her voice to recordings by Garth Brooks, Buddy Guy, Thomas Rhett, Joss Stone, Carrie Underwood, and many others. In the early 2020s, she tried out for the NBC’s The Voice and was chosen to be part of coach Blake Shelton’s team, finishing the season as the runner-up.

“Nashville Cats” is included with museum admission and free to museum members, but seating is limited, and a program ticket is required for admittance. Tickets for the Moten program will go on sale to the public on April 2 here. Following the program, Moten will sign commemorative Hatch Show Print posters.

Luke Combs’ ‘The Way I Am’ Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard Top Country Albums

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Photo: Robby Klein

Luke Combs’ new album, The Way I Am, has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200, Top Album Sales and Top Streaming Albums charts this week.

The project, which is out now via Sony Music Nashville, has sold 100,700 equivalent units.

Combs kicked off his “My Kinda Saturday Night Tour” with a sold-out show at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, which broke the venue’s attendance record with 70,921 fans. Additional tour stops will include three nights at London’s Wembley Stadium, two nights at Edinburgh’s Scottish Gas Murrayfield, two nights at Ireland’s Slane Castle, two nights at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field and stops at South Bend’s Notre Dame Stadium, Knoxville’s Neyland Stadium, Columbus’ Ohio Stadium, Paris’ Accor Arena and Sweden’s Ullevi, among others.

Produced by Combs, Jonathan Singleton and Chip Matthews, the 22-track album includes a collaboration with Alison Krauss as well as previously released songs “Sleepless in a Hotel Room,” “My Kinda Saturday Night,” “Days Like These,” “15 Minutes,” “Giving Her Away” and “Back in the Saddle.” The album explores the challenges of balancing family and career, self-doubt and self-belief, among other topics.

Sony Music Publishing Elevates Shane Knotts

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Shane Knotts

Sony Music Publishing has promoted Shane Knotts to Senior Vice President, Global Royalties, effective immediately. Knotts is based out of the company’s Nashville office and reports to EVP, Worldwide Administration, Dale Esworthy.

In his new role, Knotts will continue to spearhead the company’s Global Royalty Center while also working on developing data accuracy, advancing royalty matching through AI and machine learning, and strengthening systems to support the long-term growth of the company and its songwriters.

Knotts first joined Sony Music Publishing in 1994 as Royalty Manager. Coming off his most recent role as Vice President, Global Royalties, he has played a key role in strengthening the organization’s operational efficiency, improving data management, as well as royalty matching capabilities globally.

“31 years later, I am still working for such a great company, doing something that I truly love,” says Knotts. “The growth that SMP has experienced over those years has been truly remarkable, and I am so very happy to be part of such a great team that continues to go above and beyond for songwriters.”

“Shane’s application of lean principles and love of making everything more efficient has allowed SMP to continually handle increasing volumes of data smoothly and proficiently for our songwriters and clients.” adds Esworthy. “We couldn’t be happier to recognize Shane’s ongoing contributions with this promotion.”

Toby Keith’s ’35 Biggest Hits’ To Get Vinyl Treatment In May

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Toby Keith‘s 35 Biggest Hits will be released on vinyl for the first time on May 22 via UMe.

Originally issued as a two-CD set in 2008, the three album version arrives just in time for Memorial Day. Last July alone, Keith reached an audience of more than two billion, and that success followed the 2024 streaming surge that pushed 35 Biggest Hits to No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200. The Platinum-certified collection has spent 276 weeks on the Top 200, including five weeks in the Top 10.

Featured tracks on 35 Biggest Hits include the recently certified 5x-Platinum “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American),” which peaked at No. 25 on the all-genre Hot 100, and “Who’s Your Daddy?” which peaked at No. 22. Both were multi-week No. 1s on the charts. The collection opens with his debut smash “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” (1993) and runs through the 2006 chart-topper “A Little Too Late.” Also among the 34 signature hits are “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “I Love This Bar” and “As Good As I Once Was.”

Ahead of the 35 Biggest Hits reissue, a Dolby Atmos remix of Blue Moon, Keith’s third album, will be released April 10 to mark its 30th anniversary on April 16. That release featured the No. 1s “Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You” and “Me Too.” Keith’s 11th studio album White Trash With Money celebrates its 20th anniversary on April 11 and features the hit singles “Get Drunk and Be Somebody” and “A Little Too Late.”

Keith will also be honored with the Special Director’s Award during the 65th annual Western Heritage Awards April 11 in Oklahoma City. Presented by the National Cowboy Museum’s board, the honor is presented when an individual’s contributions reach an exceptional level of excellence and for embodying “a profound commitment to preserving, interpreting, and elevating the spirit of the American West, leaving a lasting and enduring impact.”

Toby Keith – 35 Biggest Hits:
LP1
Side A
1. “Should’ve Been A Cowboy”
2. “He Ain’t Worth Missing”
3. “A Little Less Talk And A Lot More Action”
4. “Wish I Didn’t Know Now”
5. “Who’s That Man”
6. “Upstairs Downtown”
7. “You Ain’t Much Fun”

Side B
1. “Big Ol’ Truck”
2. “Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You”
3. “A Woman’s Touch”
4. “Me Too”
5. “We Were In Love”

LP2
Side A
1. “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying”
2. “Dream Walkin'”
3. “Getcha Some”
4. “How Do You Like Me Now?!”
5. “Country Comes To Town”
6. “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This”

Side B
1. “I’m Just Talkin’ About Tonight”
2. “I Wanna Talk About Me”
3. “My List”
4. “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)”
5. “Who’s Your Daddy?”
6. “Beer For My Horses”

LP3
Side A
1. “I Love This Bar”
2. “American Soldier”
3. “Whiskey Girl”
4. “Stays In Mexico”
5. “Mockingbird”

Side B
1. “Honkytonk”
2. “As Good As I Once Was”
3. “Big Blue Note”
4. “Get Drunk And Be Somebody”
5. “A Little Too Late”
6. “She’s A Hottie”

Additional Pre-Event Performers Revealed For 61st Academy of Country Music Awards Week Events

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Photo: Courtesy of ACM

The Academy of Country Music has unveiled additional performers for the ACM Awards Week events including ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends and ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash.

Tickets for all events can be found here.

Lauren Alaina, Rodney Atkins and Randy Houser will join headliner Riley Green at ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends. Set at Topgolf Las Vegas, the show will take place inside the venue’s outfield and benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music.

Ashley Cooke, Dasha, Flatland Cavalry, Braxton Keith, and Tucker Wetmore join previously announced members of the Opry NextStage Class of 2026 including Willow Avalon, Graham Barham, Tyler Braden, Alexandra Kay, Vincent Mason, Emily Ann Roberts and Hudson Westbrook as performers at ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash. Hosted by Cooke and Dasha, ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash is a reimagined fan-favorite outdoor concert experience set to take place at Mandalay Bay Beach and Wave Pool.

Additional ACM Awards and ACM Awards Week performers, as well as nominations, presenters, and the host, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Amy Grant & Vince Gill’s 16th Annual ‘Christmas At The Ryman’ Residency Set For December

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Amy Grant and Vince Gill

Amy Grant and Vince Gill are returning to the Ryman Auditorium for their 16th annual “Christmas at the Ryman” residency this December.

The 12-concert Nashville holiday run is scheduled for Dec. 14-17, 19-20, 22-23 and will once again feature matinee and evening performances. For many years, the “Christmas at the Ryman” shows have been the ultimate holiday tradition, with fans flocking to the historic venue from across the country and around the world to celebrate the season with two of Nashville’s most cherished performers. In years past, the duo has filled the show with Christmas favorites such as “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “O Holy Night,” “Tennessee Christmas,” and “Winter Wonderland.

Grant and Gill have performed over 100 “Christmas at the Ryman” shows, making them the first artists to headline 100 shows at the legendary venue. Tickets for this year’s shows are on sale now exclusively at ryman.com. Tickets are non-transferable for this show, and only tickets purchased directly from the Ryman on AXS.com will be admitted.

2026 “Christmas at the Ryman” Dates:
Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 19 at 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 20 at 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 22 at 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 23 at 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Austin Bianco Inks With Concord Music Publishing

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Pictured (L-R, back row): Claire Buchanan (Concord), Matt Turner (Concord), Brad Kennard (Concord), Ellie Gray (Concord); (L-R, front row): Melissa Spillman (Concord), Austin Bianco and Mike Hagler Jr. Photo: Audrey Spillman

Songwriter and producer Austin Bianco has signed a co-publishing deal with Concord Music Publishing.

A Cleveland native, Bianco discovered his musical talent early. After first learning piano through the Suzuki method, he picked up other instruments including guitar, which he played in both punk bands and a jazz trio in high school. After attending Belmont University where he majored in songwriting and studied music production, Bianco signed his first publishing deal. He quickly started writing songs and producing in various genres including pop, hip-hop, country, and EDM, as well as writing music for film and TV.

Bianco has secured synch placement with credits including Grey’s Anatomy, American Horror Stories, All American, The Bold Type, Netflix’s Elite, HBO’s The New Pope, and more as well as placements in ads for L’Oréal, Ray-Ban, Xbox, and Google. He’s collaborated with Hayley Warner, Sierra Ferrell, Grey Zeigler, Sam Tinnesz, Breland, Fraser Churchill, Jeff Garrison, and many more, and has also had cuts by Madison Mars, Carda, Alexa Cappelli, Hannah Trager, and more.

“Austin fills a variety of roles in the writer room with such excellence and creativity,” says Melissa Spillman, VP A&R at Concord Music Publishing in Nashville. “He’s quickly becoming a favorite among our roster and in Nashville writing circles. We’re excited to add him to the Concord family!”

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the team at Concord,” says Bianco. “It felt like the right creative home from the start. There’s such strong vision and support here and being surrounded by those who truly believe in what I do means everything. I’m looking forward to building something special together.”

Cooper Alan Sells Out Ryman As Part Of Good Noise Weekend Event

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Cooper Alan. Photo: Curt Simshauser

Cooper Alan made his Ryman Auditorium debut to a sold-out crowd in Nashville last weekend as part of his Good Noise initiative.

The Ryman show was part of the second annual weekend event for the Good Noise initiative, which supports the Cooper Alan Foundation. On Friday night, the singer-songwriter hosted a private gala and writers round with intimate performances from Alan as well as Drake White and Jaren Johnston which raised over $500,000 for the foundation. This event was followed by his headlining debut at the Mother Church of Country Music on Saturday evening.

Cooper Alan and family. Photo: Curt Simshauser

The Cooper Alan Foundation is dedicated to improving lives through mental health advocacy, expanding access to resources and support and working to reduce stigma so everyone can receive the care and compassion they deserve. Proceeds from this year are going directly to The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project and Brother’s Keeper, two foundations that directly support veterans mental health.

“Back when I was playing morning shifts on Broadway for tips, I made myself a promise: if this music thing worked out, I’d use my voice for something that mattered,” says Alan. “That’s how the Cooper Alan Foundation started. Every year, we throw Good Noise, a weekend-long party that supports people dealing with mental health challenges, because we believe everyone deserves to get the help they need. Everyone deserves to feel good.”

Alan is gearing up for his “To The Pub Tour” which will visit Dublin, London, Birmingham, Glasgow and more, before heading back to North America for a run of headlining dates.

Kane Brown, Maddie & Tae, More To Be Featured On New Disney EP

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Disney will unveil its new EP, Main Street Country, on April 3 via Walt Disney Records.

Serving as the latest project in the Mickey & Friends music series will feature Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown, Restless Road, Dasha, Maddie & Tae and BRELAND singing Disney classics.

Kane and Katelyn Brown will feature on “Beauty and the Beast” from Beauty and the Beast.

“Our whole family is captivated by the magic of Disney and we go every year for our daughter Kingsley’s birthday,” shares Kane Brown.

“It truly is a dream come true for Kane and I to sing ‘Beauty & The Beast’ together and to be part of such an amazing legacy,” shares Katelyn Brown.

Restless Road will sing “The Climb” from Hannah Montana: The Movie.

“Being part of Main Street Country feels like stepping into a story we grew up believing in,” shares Restless Road. “We’ve always chased songs that feel honest, hopeful, and rooted in real life—and we couldn’t imagine a better one than ‘The Climb.’ Bringing our sound into the world of Disney that celebrates imagination, family, and timeless storytelling is surreal in the best way. It’s an incredible honor to represent country music in a space that reaches so many ears and hearts.”

Dasha will share “She’s So Gone” from the 2011 Disney Channel original movie Lemonade Mouth.

“I think ‘She’s So Gone’ is one of the most iconic songs to come out of Disney Channel,” declares Dasha. “I remember watching Lemonade Mouth for the first time and the whole movie had me plotting how I was going to reinvent myself before school the next day. This track really captures that moment when women find themselves and boldly show the world who they are. I’m so excited to share this with a new generation and remind them that they can reinvent themselves and be exactly who they want to be.”

Maddie & Tae will feature on “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan. The track will serve as one of the duo’s final releases before they split to pursue separate ventures later this year.

“Getting to sing one of our favorite Disney songs feels like coming full circle for us,” says Maddie Font and Tae Kerr. “We grew up on these soundtracks, so to be able to contribute to Disney’s legacy is surreal. And knowing this is one of our final releases together as Maddie & Tae makes it even more meaningful. It feels like we’re honoring the little girls we were, and the magical journey we’ve been on together.”

BRELAND will share “Go the Distance” from Hercules.

“I grew up a bona fide Disney kid, and as the child of two gospel singers, the Hercules soundtrack always really spoke to me,” shares BRELAND. “Getting to create some of that same Disney magic that shaped my childhood while recording ‘Go the Distance’ with a live string section is easily one of the most special things I’ve done as an artist.”

Main Street Country Track List:
1. “Beauty and the Beast” from Beauty and the Beast (1991) performed by Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown
2. “The Climb” from Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009) performed by Restless Road
3. “She’s So Gone” from Lemonade Mouth (2011) performed by Dasha
4. “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan (1999) performed by Maddie & Tae
5. “Go the Distance” from Hercules (1997) performed by BRELAND

Ashley Gorley Jumps Into Top 15 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Ashley Gorley. Photo: Katie Kauss

Ashley Gorley has entered the top 15 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. Thomas Rhett and Jordan Davis’ “Ain’t A Bad Life,” Cody Johnson’s “Blame Texas,” Morgan Wallen’s “Don’t We,” Chris Janson’s “Me & A Beer,” and Kane Brown’s “Woman” all push the hall of fame songwriter to No. 11 this week.

Blake Pendergrass remains in the top spot with “20 Cigarettes,” “Ain’t A Bad Life,” “Brunette,” “Don’t We,” “I Got Better” and “Wish You Well.” Randy Montana remains at No. 2 with “Change My Mind,” “Make A Liar,” “Sleepless In A Hotel Room” and “Time’s Ticking.”

Chase McGill (No. 3), Luke Combs (No. 4) and Ty Myers (No. 5) round out this week’s top five.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.