Dustin Lynch. Photo: Connor & Rachel Dwyer

Dustin Lynch has revealed he’ll head to Las Vegas this year for Wynn Nightlife’s first-ever country artist residency.

Beginning Super Bowl weekend (Feb. 7), Lynch is bringing a Club Set to XS Nightclub at Wynn Nightlife with special guest Brandi Cyrus. He’ll bring a live performance Daytime Pool Situation to Wynn’s Encore Beach Club and a Club Set to XS Nightclub throughout the year, with more dates to be added soon. Lynch has already been spotted in DJ booths in Vegas, Miami Beach, and Aspen last year, and popped up at Paris Texas in Toronto last Thursday (Jan. 23).

Lynch has hosted his popular pool parties at Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary, since its inception.

For full ticketing details, click here.

Dustin Lynch’s 2025 Wynn Nightlife Residency Show Dates:
Feb. 7- XS Nightclub
March 14- Encore Beach Club
April 23- XS Nightclub
July 4- Encore Beach Club
Aug. 17- XS Nightclub

Sabrina Butera. Photo: Jessie Manos Photography

Industry veteran Sabrina Butera has launched COLLIDE Talent, an artist and influencer management company. COLLIDE Talent seeks to connect the worlds of creative artistry, business growth and brand collaborations, providing a comprehensive platform for artists, influencers and entrepreneurs looking to broaden their brand presence.

The company’s roster will include country artist Austin Snell, co-managed alongside River House Artists’ Zebb Luster; beauty influencer, entrepreneur and Co-Founder of DIBS Beauty Courtney Shields and Five Marys Ranch, a family-owned business specializing in premium dry-aged meats and clean tallow products, raised from pasture to plate. Butera will play a key role in amplifying the brand’s presence and leading new business initiatives.

“I’ve spent my career building relationships and helping talent thrive, and now, with COLLIDE Talent, I’m excited to bring my vision of merging creativity with business development to life,” shares Butera. “The goal is simple: to combine the creative and commercial worlds, maximizing opportunities for my clients. My focus is not just on managing careers, but also on forging impactful partnerships and driving long-term growth.”

Butera boasts over 14 years of experience representing some of the biggest names in music. During her time as a Music Agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), she worked with artists such as Lauren Alaina, Snell, Austin Williams, Bryce Leatherwood, Walker Montgomery and more. Now, Butera is utilizing her vast network and expertise to craft innovative management solutions for the next generation of talent.

“I’m not just managing talent; I’m focusing on growing it—building brands, expanding opportunities, and creating pathways for success across multiple industries,” Butera adds. “COLLIDE Talent will be a platform where artistry and commerce don’t just coexist—they collide, creating something bigger than the sum of their parts.”

Butera’s career goes beyond artist management. She has played a pivotal role in shaping the future of the music industry through initiatives like CAA’s THE HUBB, a career development and internship program for college students and the ACM LEVel Up: Lifting Every Voice program, which empowers emerging leaders in country music.

The name COLLIDE Talent embodies Butera’s philosophy for the company: the intersection of creativity and commerce, where artists and brands can flourish together. Through this synergy, Butera seeks to create a talent management company that provides tailored guidance and comprehensive business development strategies.

Butera can be reached at sabrina@collidetalent.com.

Pictured (L-R): Vince Gill, Lilly Winwood, Kerry Marx, Mark Beckett, Amy Grant, Wendy Moten, Emmylou Harris, Larry Paxton, Rodney Crowell and Katherine Marx. Photo: Amiee Stubbs Photography

Members of Nashville’s music community gathered at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Theater this week to celebrate the life of lauded songwriter Will Jennings, who passed away in September at the age of 80.

Jennings penned an enormous amount of beloved songs recorded by a wide range of iconic artists like Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Whitney Houston, Roy Orbison, B.B. King, Celine Dion and Tim McGraw to name a few.

The Celebration of Life reflected Jennings’ monumental contributions to music, featuring highlights of his career with personal testimonies from fellow songwriters, artists and friends. Artists who had worked alongside Jennings offered renditions of his classics that spanned decades. Special guest appearances and performances included Rodney Crowell, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Emmylou Harris, Wendy Moten, Steve Winwood and Lilly Winwood.

Jennings, a gifted songwriter with a profound impact on music spanning country to pop, crafted timeless songs that resonated across generations. Born in Kilgore, Texas, and raised in Tyler, he was deeply influenced by B.B. King’s blues but realized three-chord blues alone wouldn’t sustain a career. After earning degrees in poetry, he became an Associate Professor of English and French literature at the University of Wisconsin. Ultimately, his passion for music led him to Nashville, where music publisher Lance Freed signed him to a deal in 1974. In 2023, Freed, All Clear Music and Fuji Music Group acquired full rights to Jennings’ entire catalog.

“On behalf of everyone at Sheltered Music, we have gathered among some of the industry’s top talent to recognize and celebrate Will’s incredible life and legacy,” said Darrell Franklin, SVP at Sheltered Music Publishing. “Will wasn’t just a master of words, but he wrote songs for the common man. He understood that language and spoke to their hearts. His work will undoubtedly continue to inspire songwriters and music lovers for generations to come.”

Read Jennings’ full obituary here.

Pictured (L- R): Josh Nicotra (Lucky Man Management), Harry Woosley (Madison House), Brad Larrison, Katie McCartney (Monument Records), Scottie Bolin, Sam Walker, Jack Kotarba, Jack Cline, Brendan Lamb and Andy Mertz (Lucky Man Management).

Country band Clay Street Unit has signed a record deal with Monument Records, in partnership with Sony Music.

The Denver-based six piece band is led by Sam Walker, who fronts the group as both the lead singer and guitarist. His soulful vocals, paired with the sounds of pedal steel, banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, bass and drums, blend bluegrass, country, folk, and mountain music to craft the band’s sound. Other band members include Scottie Bolin, Brad Larrison, Brendan Lamb, Jack Cline and Jack Kotarba.

“Signing Clay Street Unit is about more than their rootsy soulful style of country music,” shares Monument Records GM Katie McCartney. “It’s about their authenticity and tenacious spirit, their live shows and relatable story. These guys are the real deal, salt of the earth, and we’re thrilled to be helping elevate their sound for the world to hear.”

“Over the years as a band, we’ve been so fortunate to meet some amazing musicians and really come up in the Denver music scene one step at a time,” says Walker. “It was a lot of betting on ourselves, but we couldn’t be more grateful to be at this point in our careers. It was clear from the first meeting  that the team at Monument was on the same page as us, as far as what we want to accomplish and what it’s going to take to get there. We are so excited to be working with such a great team that has a pulse on the Americana and country scenes, and, who we feel, really care about what the future looks like for us.”

While honing their craft in the Denver music scene, Clay Street Unit has built a passionate and growing fanbase. They’ve seen their audiences double and triple, with fans flocking to iconic Colorado venues such as Cervantes Ballroom, and soon, Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The band members come from all across the country, including Montgomery, Charlottesville, Atlanta, Philadelphia and DC, and draw inspiration from Sturgill Simpson, Turnpike Troubadours, The Infamous Stringdusters and Leftover Salmon. Recently, some of these influences have become collaborators and those collaborators have turned into close friends.

Three fan favorite tracks are now available in the band’s new EP, Introducing Clay Street Unit. Walker solo-penned two tracks on the EP, while the third is a cover of The Last Revel’s “Engine Trouble.” 

The band sold out the Basement East in Nashville last night (Jan. 23) and is now heading west for more shows, including a co-headline run with Shadowgrass. They will also make appearances at DelFest, The Big Ponderoo, Hogs For The Cause and Red Bluff, and they will make their Red Rocks debut on May 26.

Introducing Clay Street Unit Track List:
1. “Engine Trouble” (Lee David Henke, Ryan Randall Acker, Vincenzio Edwardo Donatell)
2. “Tired Of Being Tired” (Sam Walker)
3. “1200 Miles” (Sam Walker)

Singer-songwriter John Morgan will release his debut album, Carolina Blue, on April 25, via Broken Bow Records. The project will feature 12 tracks, all co-written and co-produced by Morgan alongside Brent Anderson.

“With Carolina Blue, I hope there’s relatability in the songs we chose and that the lyrics within them strike a chord,” shares Morgan. “I’m a dad and married and in a different stage of life than I was when I first moved from North Carolina to Nashville. I don’t try to be anything I’m not. I’ve never been good at that and know folks can snuff that out pretty quick. I hope these songs give people a message that there’s value in whatever they are doing. Most of the people that hear this are working the blue collar jobs I’d be doing if this wasn’t working, and I want them to hear their stories and feel their worth in this album.”

Morgan’s Carolina Blue explores themes of relationships, both romantic and not, and life’s everyday experiences, capturing a perspective shaped by his North Carolina roots. The record includes previously released tracks such as “I Know Better,” “Long Ride Home,” and the newly released “Crickets,” which combines a tempo-ready groove with a nature-inspired theme.

Along with heading out with Chase Matthew and making his 2025 Stagecoach Festival debut, Morgan just released the official music video for his track with Jason Aldean, “Friends Like That,” his debut radio single that is currently climbing toward the top 10 on country radio and has received praise from MusicRow, the Tennessean, Billboard and more.

Carolina Blue Tracklisting:
1. “Way Out Would” (John Morgan, Will Bundy, Randy Montana)
2. “Long Ride Home” (John Morgan, Tully Kennedy, Kurt Allison, Lydia Vaughan)
3. “Friends Like That” (feat. Jason Aldean) (John Morgan, Brent Anderson, Will Bundy, Lydia Vaughan)
4. “One More Sunset” (John Morgan, Will Bundy, Michael Dulaney)
5. “I Know Better” (John Morgan, Rocky Block, Will Bundy, Lydia Vaughan)
6. “She’ll Always Be” (John Morgan, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Lydia Vaughan)
7. “Carolina Blue” (John Morgan, Smith Ahnquist, Will Bundy, Jeb Gipson)
8. “Kid Myself” (John Morgan, Tyler Hubbard, Jordan Schmidt)
9. “Crickets” (John Morgan, Zach Abend, Lydia Vaughan)
10. “A Lot To Say About You” (John Morgan, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, John Edwards)
11. “Without ‘Em” (John Morgan, Austin Goodloe, Ben Hayslip)
12. “How To Get Her” (John Morgan, Brent Anderson, Will Bundy, Hunter Phelps)