Mackenzie Carpenter. Photo: Harper Smith
Rising singer-songwriter Mackenzie Carpenter is making a commanding entrance with her full-length debut, Hey Country Queen, released Friday (March 7) via The Valory Music Co. With this 13-track collection, she isn’t just introducing herself—she’s making it clear that Nashville has been missing out.
Carpenter, who co-wrote every song on the album, delivers a confident, dynamic project packed with standout tracks, including the previously-released fan-favorites “Dozen Red Flags,” “Sound of a Heartbreak,” “Only Girl” and “Jesus, I’m Jealous.” While each of these songs showcases the Georgia native’s sharp songwriting and vocal prowess, the full body of work cements her place as a country star on the rise, ready to claim her lane.
She kicks things off with the biting wit of “Dozen Red Flags,” a rollicking anthem that counts off all the ways a man has revealed his true colors—red, to be exact—while cheekily admitting, “man, he was cute and, damn, he was funny.” The track perfectly encapsulates Carpenter’s knack for blending humor and heartache, a skill that has helped her carve out a space in country music.
That songwriting prowess has been on display for years. Carpenter first turned heads by co-writing Lily Rose’s 2021 No. 1 hit “Villain” and has since penned multiple tracks for Megan Moroney, including the top 15 single “I’m Not Pretty” as well as “Indifferent” and “28th of June.” Now, with Hey Country Queen, she steps into the spotlight as an artist in her own right.
Carpenter keeps the energy high with “Boots On,” a playful, sultry invitation to a lover, written alongside the album’s producer Brandon Hood as well as Rhett Akins and Ben Williams. With a wink and a nudge, she delivers a flirty romp that recalls the suggestive charm of Trace Adkins’ 1996 hit “I Left Something Turned On at Home,” balancing sensuality with just the right touch of restraint.
That same mischievous edge takes a darker turn with “Gone Fishing,” a cleverly twisted revenge tale penned with Mia Mantia and SJ McDonald. The song follows a scorned woman who sends her cheating husband to the depths of Nashville’s Percy Priest Lake—and hints that the same fate is coming to his mistress for good measure.
“I was thinking about what my album was missing, and it was my female rage murder song. I needed my ‘Goodbye Earl’ and my ‘Before He Cheats,'” Carpenter quips. “I brought that idea in a couple times to people and nobody was really going for it. Then I took it into my girl’s SJ and Mia and we had so much fun writing it.
“As for the ending, why murder one person and when you could murder two?”
One of the album’s undeniable highlights is its current single, “I Wish You Would” featuring Midland. Carpenter’s smoky, honeyed vocals melt seamlessly into the group’s signature barroom twang, creating a slow-burning waltz that captures the tension between two potential lovers. She says that the tune—written with Jonathan Hutcherson, Jamie Moore and Chris Tompkins—helped her dial in her sound.
“It’s so classic but so unique. It’s given me an exciting thing to look toward and know that I’m really digging in and finding my thing.”
Elsewhere, Carpenter lays bare her vulnerability with “Jesus, I’m Jealous,” a gut-wrenching barroom prayer whispered between sips as she watches her ex dance with someone new. She turns up the volume with “Sound of a Heartbreak,” a full-throttle anthem made for highway speeding and on-stage hair-flipping. On “Guys Like You,” she flips the script with a female-to-female perspective on the pitfalls of comparison, delivering her message with sincerity and strength.
“Sonically this record is very unique, but that’s how I listen to music,” she says of the collection. “When I’m in the car, I’m listening to SZA and then Shania Twain and then Megan [Moroney]. It could be anything from Sabrina Carpenter to Toby Keith. I wanted my record to have different sounds, but obviously like my love is for country music, so that’s the through-line.”
Another standout moment comes with “Red Wine Blue,” co-written with Luke Laird and Anna Vaus. The song’s heartbreak-laden lyrics swirl around Carpenter’s rich, expressive vocals, perfectly capturing the haze of sorrow and Cabernet. The song, Carpenter says, came to her as a gift from a “country queen” in a dream.
“Dolly Parton came to me in a dream and gave me the song idea. She has no clue, but to me, it’s very real,” Carpenter says with a laugh. “After I woke up that morning, I came downstairs and started writing it on my great-grandmother’s old piano. Then I took it into a write with Luke and Anna—it became such a beautiful song.”
She brings the album to a fitting close with “Country Queen,” a feel-good anthem that serves both as an empowering message to listeners and a tribute to the trailblazing women in country music who paved the way.
“I wanted to pay tribute to the country queens that raised me—all the ladies in my life that made me who I am, the country queens on the radio that inspired me to write music and all my best friends that I get to do life with and keep me going.”
Recently named one of MusicRow’s Next Big Thing Artists for 2025 as well as other industry recognitions, Carpenter makes good on that promise with Hey Country Queen. Whether she’s belting out a stadium-sized anthem or laying her heart bare in a ballad, she proves that the magic happens when an artist fully embraces the messiness of emotion—and turns it into country gold.
Willie Nelson To Release Rodney Crowell Dedication Album In April
/by Madison HahnenWillie Nelson will release his new album Oh What A Beautiful World on April 25 via Legacy Recordings, a catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Oh What A Beautiful World features Nelson’s takes on 12 songs written or co-written by Rodney Crowell. This album continues Nelson’s tradition of dedicating entire projects to the work of a single songwriter. The careers of these two Texas singer-songwriters have frequently overlapped, starting when Crowell first heard Nelson’s early songs on the radio and saw him perform in Houston in the mid-1960s. Nelson’s first recording of a Crowell song came in 1983, and their latest collaboration appeared 40 years later on The Border.
The project’s title track, “Oh What A Beautiful World,” available now, features a duet between Nelson and Crowell. Originally released as the final track on Crowell’s 2014 album Tarpaper Sky, “Oh What A Beautiful World” captures the bittersweet nature of time passing. In their new rendition, Nelson and Crowell bring a renewed sense of the profound human desire to cherish the beauty in every moment life presents.
The album includes early Crowell songs like “Banks of the Old Bandera,” originally recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker and the Bob Seger hit “Shame On The Moon,” as well as ’90s tracks such as “What Kind of Love” and “Stuff That Works.” The project also features early 2000s songs written for Keith Urban and Tim McGraw, as well as four tracks from Crowell’s beloved 2010s albums and a song released as recently as 2021.
Produced by longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon, Oh What A Beautiful World highlights Nelson alongside a distinguished studio band, including Bobby Terry (acoustic guitar, steel guitar, electric guitar), James Mitchell (electric guitar), Jim “Moose” Brown (B-3 organ, piano, Wurlitzer), Mickey Raphael (harmonica), Fred Eltringham (drums, percussion) and Glenn Worf (bass, upright bass). Background vocals are provided by Wyatt Beard, Cannon and Melonie Cannon.
Oh What A Beautiful World Track List:
1. “What Kind Of Love” (Rodney Crowell, Will Jennings, Roy Orbison)
2. “Banks Of The Old Bandera” (Rodney Crowell)
3. “The Fly Boy & The Kid” (Rodney Crowell)
4. “Forty Miles From Nowhere” (Rodney Crowell)
5. “I Wouldn’t Be Me Without You” (Rodney Crowell)
6. “Making Memories Of Us” (Rodney Crowell)
7. “Oh What A Beautiful World with Rodney Crowell” (Rodney Crowell)
8. “Ope Season On My Heart” (Rodney Crowell, James Slater)
9. “Shame On The Moon” (Rodney Crowell)
10. “She’s Back In Town” (Rodney Crowell)
11. “Still Learning To Fly” (Rodney Crowell)
12. “Stuff That Works” (Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark)
Applications Open For CMA Women’s Leadership Academy
/by LB CantrellCMA Women’s Leadership Academy Class of 2024. Photo: Drew Noble/CMA
Applications are now open for CMA’s Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA), a free professional development program for up to 16 women that involves interactive group coaching for high-performing, high-potential women leaders within the country music business.
The CMA Women’s Leadership Academy is designed to give participants leadership skills while promoting a culture of community among women. Participants are offered educational sessions, bi-monthly group coaching and more.
Eligible women have at least five years of experience in the industry or are at a senior level in their organization; experience or interest in managing people or a team at some point in the duration of career; ability to attend all curriculum sessions in the WLA program; work mainly in country music genre and be a CMA member.
Applications close on March 31. Click here to apply.
Executive Coaches Lisa Gamble of Gamble Coaching & Consulting LLC and Nicole Provonchee of Bright Blue Consulting return as coaches this year. The two share decades of coaching experience as well as a passion for supporting women leaders throughout their journeys. Topics explored during coaching sessions will include personal branding, career mobility, DEI, conflict navigation, self-advocacy and negotiation in addition to self-promotion and influence.
Hank Williams Jr. Adds Dates To 2025 Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughHank Williams Jr.
Hank Williams Jr. has added six new tour dates to his 2025 tour schedule. The trek features special guests Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, Joe Nichols and Mark Chesnutt.
Williams Jr. will visit Charleston, Macon, Orange Beach and more on the new dates before wrapping in Tulsa at the BOK Center on Aug. 22. Tickets for the added shows will be available beginning Friday (March 14) at LiveNation.com.
In 2022, Williams Jr. released the genre-crossing album Rich White Honky Blues. Debuting at No. 1 on the Country, Americana/Folk and Blues Albums charts, the project was a collaboration between Williams and producer Dan Auerbach. The 12-song-set was recorded live, reprising classics from Robert Johnson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, R.L. Burnside, Muddy Waters, and more, delivering reinvigorated classic blues sounds infused with Williams’ signature rock and country flavor.
Throughout his career Williams Jr. has sold 70 million albums worldwide, and has notched six Platinum albums, 20 Gold albums and 10 No. 1 hits.
New Hank Williams Jr. Dates:
May 9 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium^
Jun 6 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater*
Jun 7 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater*
Jul 25 – Macon, GA – Atrium Health Amphitheater+
Aug 16 – Ridgedale, MO – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena# – On Sale April 11
Aug 22 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center#
+ with Mark Chesnutt
* with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
^ with Joe Nichols
# with Old Crow Medicine Show
‘Music Night: Live from Nashville!’ Makes History Broadcasting Live To Theaters Nationwide
/by Lorie HollabaughBobby Bones. Photo: Nashville Music Network
Music Night: Live from Nashville! made history last Saturday night (March 8) as the first songwriters round broadcast live directly to more than 400+ movie theaters nationwide from the Analog in Nashville.
Brett James, Bobby Bones, Kelly Archer and Matt Jenkins. Photo: Nashville Music Network
Music lovers across the country experienced an unforgettable night of storytelling and song during the live event, whether it was in the room at the Analog or in a theatre in their city. Audiences were treated to a stripped-down, intimate musical experience featuring Grammy and CMA Award-winning songwriters Brett James, Kelly Archer and Matt Jenkins.
They also got to see behind-the-scenes insights, and hilarious and touching stories of how these songs came to be with live performances of their iconic hits including: “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Setting the World on Fire,” “Cop Car,” “Sleep Without You” and more.
Presented by Fathom Entertainment, Music Night: Live from Nashville! took audiences inside the heart of Music City’s legendary songwriter tradition, shining a spotlight on the creative minds behind country’s biggest hits. Hosted by radio and TV personality Bobby Bones, the one-of-a-kind theatrical event offered unfiltered performances and the deeply personal stories behind the songs that have defined a generation.
Kenny Chesney’s Blue Chair Bay Rum Acquired By Next Century Spirits
/by Lorie HollabaughKenny Chesney. Photo: Courtesy of Blue Chair Bay
Kenny Chesney‘s Blue Chair Bay Rum has been acquired by Next Century Spirits, a step towards increasing its presence in the premium rum category.
Blue Chair Bay Rum is the world’s largest independently owned rum, and was created and built by Chesney and has sold millions of cases. Chesney will continue to bring his vision to NCS as one of its largest percentage owners and will play a key role going forward.
“Blue Chair Bay Rum has endless potential, and we’re excited to bring it into the NCS family,” says Anthony Moniello, Co-CEO of Next Century Spirits. “Kenny created something special – a great tasting rum with a rich story. At NCS, we’re building a team of fast-moving entrepreneurs and a portfolio of bold, unique brands for the next generation of spirits drinkers. Adding Kenny and Blue Chair Bay to our vision is another incredible step forward.”
“Blue Chair Bay Rum was created to capture my life, as a spirit to share with friends,” adds Chesney. “This rum is the result of a lot of fun, passion, sunshine, good people and No Shoes Nation energy. Next Century Spirits embraces those same qualities. They have a passion for innovation and going to new places. This is going to be cool.”
Chesney is gearing up for his stint as the first country act to headline Vegas’ Sphere starting May 22.
Zachary Knowles Inks With Concord Music Publishing
/by Madison Hahnen(L-R, back row): Claire Buchcanan (Concord), Garrett Stephenson (Concord), Matt Turner (Concord), Jen Hubbard (Concord), Ellie Gray (Concord). (L-R, front row): Brad Kennard (Concord), Zachary Knowles, Melissa Spillman (Concord). Photo: Audrey Spillman
Nashville-based, alternative, pop and country singer-songwriter Zachary Knowles has signed a global publishing deal with Concord Music Publishing.
The 25-year-old Magnolia, Texas native has been creating and sharing music on SoundCloud since his teenage years. Determined to release music professionally during his freshman year of college, he achieved success with a series of well-received singles that eventually led to his debut EP. Drawing influences from artists like John Mayer, Post Malone and Justin Bieber, Knowles made a significant impact in the pop and indie-R&B scenes. In 2019, he toured as an opening act for Alec Benjamin and garnered attention with his early EPs, Feelings and Magnolia.
“Concord feels like family,” shares Knowles. “When I met Melissa [Spillman], it felt like I’d known her for years. The thing that stuck out to me most was her genuine care, and interest in the human behind the art. She quickly became a champion for the vision and goals I have for my career and hit the ground running long before my signing. Shoutout to Lily Bunta too for believing in my journey and working hard to make things happen. I can’t wait to celebrate big things with this team in the near future and couldn’t be happier with who’s next to me.”
In 2021, Knowles released his debut album, Tendency To Be A Loner, and followed it up in July with his latest EP, Look Mom, No Hands. Knowles has amassed over 50 million global streams and nearly half a million monthly listeners on the Spotify. He’s also built a strong presence on TikTok, gaining over 78,000 followers. His music is deeply rooted in the ethos of his small-town upbringing, young love and the lessons learned through growing up.
“When I first met Zachary, I felt an instant creative connection,” says Spillman, VP A&R at Concord Music Publishing in Nashville. “He is a multi-faceted songwriter and artist who can create great music in so many different genres, and I am thrilled to have him join the Concord family. He is one-of-a-kind, and I look forward to celebrating many successes together!”
Mackenzie Carpenter Shimmers Into The Spotlight With Debut Album [Interview]
/by LB CantrellMackenzie Carpenter. Photo: Harper Smith
Rising singer-songwriter Mackenzie Carpenter is making a commanding entrance with her full-length debut, Hey Country Queen, released Friday (March 7) via The Valory Music Co. With this 13-track collection, she isn’t just introducing herself—she’s making it clear that Nashville has been missing out.
Carpenter, who co-wrote every song on the album, delivers a confident, dynamic project packed with standout tracks, including the previously-released fan-favorites “Dozen Red Flags,” “Sound of a Heartbreak,” “Only Girl” and “Jesus, I’m Jealous.” While each of these songs showcases the Georgia native’s sharp songwriting and vocal prowess, the full body of work cements her place as a country star on the rise, ready to claim her lane.
She kicks things off with the biting wit of “Dozen Red Flags,” a rollicking anthem that counts off all the ways a man has revealed his true colors—red, to be exact—while cheekily admitting, “man, he was cute and, damn, he was funny.” The track perfectly encapsulates Carpenter’s knack for blending humor and heartache, a skill that has helped her carve out a space in country music.
That songwriting prowess has been on display for years. Carpenter first turned heads by co-writing Lily Rose’s 2021 No. 1 hit “Villain” and has since penned multiple tracks for Megan Moroney, including the top 15 single “I’m Not Pretty” as well as “Indifferent” and “28th of June.” Now, with Hey Country Queen, she steps into the spotlight as an artist in her own right.
Carpenter keeps the energy high with “Boots On,” a playful, sultry invitation to a lover, written alongside the album’s producer Brandon Hood as well as Rhett Akins and Ben Williams. With a wink and a nudge, she delivers a flirty romp that recalls the suggestive charm of Trace Adkins’ 1996 hit “I Left Something Turned On at Home,” balancing sensuality with just the right touch of restraint.
That same mischievous edge takes a darker turn with “Gone Fishing,” a cleverly twisted revenge tale penned with Mia Mantia and SJ McDonald. The song follows a scorned woman who sends her cheating husband to the depths of Nashville’s Percy Priest Lake—and hints that the same fate is coming to his mistress for good measure.
“I was thinking about what my album was missing, and it was my female rage murder song. I needed my ‘Goodbye Earl’ and my ‘Before He Cheats,'” Carpenter quips. “I brought that idea in a couple times to people and nobody was really going for it. Then I took it into my girl’s SJ and Mia and we had so much fun writing it.
“As for the ending, why murder one person and when you could murder two?”
One of the album’s undeniable highlights is its current single, “I Wish You Would” featuring Midland. Carpenter’s smoky, honeyed vocals melt seamlessly into the group’s signature barroom twang, creating a slow-burning waltz that captures the tension between two potential lovers. She says that the tune—written with Jonathan Hutcherson, Jamie Moore and Chris Tompkins—helped her dial in her sound.
“It’s so classic but so unique. It’s given me an exciting thing to look toward and know that I’m really digging in and finding my thing.”
Elsewhere, Carpenter lays bare her vulnerability with “Jesus, I’m Jealous,” a gut-wrenching barroom prayer whispered between sips as she watches her ex dance with someone new. She turns up the volume with “Sound of a Heartbreak,” a full-throttle anthem made for highway speeding and on-stage hair-flipping. On “Guys Like You,” she flips the script with a female-to-female perspective on the pitfalls of comparison, delivering her message with sincerity and strength.
“Sonically this record is very unique, but that’s how I listen to music,” she says of the collection. “When I’m in the car, I’m listening to SZA and then Shania Twain and then Megan [Moroney]. It could be anything from Sabrina Carpenter to Toby Keith. I wanted my record to have different sounds, but obviously like my love is for country music, so that’s the through-line.”
Another standout moment comes with “Red Wine Blue,” co-written with Luke Laird and Anna Vaus. The song’s heartbreak-laden lyrics swirl around Carpenter’s rich, expressive vocals, perfectly capturing the haze of sorrow and Cabernet. The song, Carpenter says, came to her as a gift from a “country queen” in a dream.
“Dolly Parton came to me in a dream and gave me the song idea. She has no clue, but to me, it’s very real,” Carpenter says with a laugh. “After I woke up that morning, I came downstairs and started writing it on my great-grandmother’s old piano. Then I took it into a write with Luke and Anna—it became such a beautiful song.”
She brings the album to a fitting close with “Country Queen,” a feel-good anthem that serves both as an empowering message to listeners and a tribute to the trailblazing women in country music who paved the way.
“I wanted to pay tribute to the country queens that raised me—all the ladies in my life that made me who I am, the country queens on the radio that inspired me to write music and all my best friends that I get to do life with and keep me going.”
Recently named one of MusicRow’s Next Big Thing Artists for 2025 as well as other industry recognitions, Carpenter makes good on that promise with Hey Country Queen. Whether she’s belting out a stadium-sized anthem or laying her heart bare in a ballad, she proves that the magic happens when an artist fully embraces the messiness of emotion—and turns it into country gold.
Blackberry Smoke & Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs Announce Co-Headlining Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughBlackberry Smoke. Photo: Andy Sapp
Blackberry Smoke is joining Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs on a special co-headlining tour this summer.
The tour will include stops in Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Charleston, Atlanta and Asheville, among others, including a two-night stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Blackberry Smoke’s fan club will have early access to tickets with pre-sale beginning today, (March 11), with the public on sale following March 14. Full details and ticket information can be found at blackberrysmoke.com.
Blackberry Smoke is currently on the road with upcoming headline shows in New Orleans, Houston, Austin, Dallas and more, and will also join Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Avett Brothers for select dates later this year.
Industry Ink: Steve Hodges, CMA, Randy Rogers Band, More
/by Lorie HollabaughSteve Hodges Joins Craig Campbell Promotion Team
PR Headshots of Steve Hodges
Industry veteran Steve Hodges has joined Craig Campbell‘s promotion team taking his uptempo single “Missing You” to country radio. Hodges, who left his role as Exec. VP of Promotion and Artist Development at Sony Music Nashville at the end of 2024, brings decades of experience as a consultant to Campbell’s team under the Hodges Entertainment umbrella.
“Missing You,” written by Jonathan Singleton, Barry Dean and Dave Barnes, was originally released on Campbell’s 2018 See You Try album. He recorded the updated version of the song, which has been a fan favorite for many years.
CMA Hosts STEAM Education Panel At SXSWedu
CMA panel at SXSWedu
CMA hosted a session, “Backstage Pass: STEAM Behind Country Music’s Biggest Night,” at SXSWedu this year, providing an engaging discussion about the role of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education in the music industry. The conversation was led by Franklin Willis, Emmy winner and Director of Visual and Performing Arts for Metro Nashville Public Schools, and explored how STEAM skills are woven into every part of live event production.
Panel participants included key figures from the CMA Awards production team, including Jessica Basile, Post-Production Supervisor; Danny Rader, Musical Director; and Robert Deaton, Executive Producer. Each offered valuable insights into how the CMA Awards come to life using STEAM, and how these skills shape the future of country.
Randy Rogers Band Celebrates Gold & Platinum At Ryman
Pictured (L-R): Brady Black, Les Lawless, Johnny Chops, Randy Rogers, Kid Rock, Erin Burr – RIAA, Todd Stewart and Geoffrey Hill. Photo: Justin Rice
Randy Rogers Band celebrated three RIAA certifications at their sold-out Ryman Show on Saturday night (March 8), marking three consecutive years selling out shows at the Mother Church of Country Music. The evening began with fellow Texans Josh Abbott Band playing some of their fan-favorite hits and infusing the room with the Lone Star spirit. Kid Rock later walked out on stage joined by Erin Burr of the RIAA to announce the group earned three new RIAA certifications, Gold for “Buy Myself A Chance,” Platinum for “Kiss Me in the Dark” and Platinum for “In My Arms Instead.”
Jason Scott & The High Heat Named Emerging Group of the Year at Texas Music Awards
Jason Scott & The High Heat. Photo: Jessi Chapman
Jason Scott & The High Heat have been named Emerging Group of the Year at the inaugural Texas Music Awards, recognizing their rising impact in the Americana and Texas music scene. With the upcoming release of their new album, American Grin, the group has been turning heads with their blend of heartland rock, roadhouse country and electrified Americana. The Texas Music Awards were created to shine a light on independent artists who don’t always fit into mainstream categories but play a vital role in shaping Texas music.
Roger Cook Spearheads Third Annual Our Place Nashville Benefit March 19
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member Roger Cook is helping empower adults with developmental disabilities by spearheading the third benefit concert for Our Place Nashville March 19 at 3rd & Lindsley. Our Place Nashville partners with nonprofits to provide Friendship Houses, inclusive, affordable housing for adults with developmental disabilities, while also promoting meaningful work opportunities to give residents the means to live independently.
Performing at the in the round at 3rd & Lindsley will be Cook, Pat Alger, Gary Burr and Georgia Middleman, Dickey Lee, Earl Bud Lee, Richard Leigh, Billy Prine and Leslie Satcher. Cook’s daughter Katie, a longtime CMT host, will serve as emcee for the evening. Tickets are available here.
The Cooks’ interest in Our Place Nashville has a personal element—Cook’s older daughter and Katie’s big sister, Joanne, had an intellectual and developmental disability. Though Joanne passed away in 2018 and unfortunately never had the opportunity to live in a Friendship House, one of the Nashville houses is named after her, and she was able to attend one of the benefits before she passed away.
Vince Gill To Perform At 2025 Symphony Fashion Show
/by Madison HahnenVince Gill. Photo: John Shearer
Vince Gill will serve as the featured performer at Nashville Symphony’s 2025 Symphony Fashion Show on April 29 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Alongside Gill’s performance will be a runway show of the fall/winter 2025 collection of evening wear designer Pamella Roland.
Gill currently boasts 22 Grammy Awards, the most by any solo male country artist, along with eight ACM Awards and 18 CMA Awards, including two Entertainer of the Year honors and five consecutive Male Vocalist of the Year wins. He served as the host of the CMA Awards from 1992 to 2003. In 2017, Gill was invited to join the Eagles on tour and remains a member of the iconic band’s lineup.
The evening will be guided by emcee Tracy Kornet, a seven-time Emmy-winning anchor for Nashville’s NBC affiliate, WSMV. With nearly 30 years of experience in television news, Kornet has stepped in for Barbara Walters as host of The View, interviewed three sitting U.S. presidents and anchored one of the 2020 presidential debates.
“The 20th anniversary of the Symphony Fashion Show is an important milestone, and our 2025 event chairs, Katie Crumbo and Laurie Seabury, have planned a beautiful evening with an impressive lineup of talent to support the Nashville Symphony’s vital education and community engagement programs,” shares Nashville Symphony President and CEO Alan D. Valentine. “Vince Gill is a longtime Nashville philanthropist and one of the city’s most talented and best-known voices, and Tracy Kornet is a trusted fixture in our community and on our televisions every evening. It is a joy and honor to welcome them both, alongside world-class designer Pamella Roland, to make the 20th annual Symphony Fashion Show the success we know it will be.”
“The Nashville Symphony is one of Nashville’s greatest treasures,” adds Gill. “I was fortunate enough to be in the audience the night the Schermerhorn Symphony Center first opened. And as a performer, I find the acoustics of the room inspiring. So, it’s always fun for me when I get to perform on that stage. I’m honored to be invited to participate in their annual fundraiser.”
“The Symphony Fashion Show is one of Nashville’s favorite fundraisers, combining timeless fashion and amazing music for the city’s most stylish arts supporters,” says Crumbo and Seabury. “It is an honor to welcome back Pamella Roland for the 20th anniversary, Tracy Kornet is the consummate hostess, and we can’t wait to be serenaded by Vince Gill! It will truly be an evening to remember, and we’re excited to share it with Nashville.”
The Symphony Fashion Show was launched in 2006 to raise awareness and funds for the Nashville Symphony and its educational and community outreach programs, which benefit over 55,000 students and adults each year.
Patrons packages for the Symphony Fashion Show are on sale now, with general admission tickets on sale March 19.