Rodney Atkins is reaching back into the vault and stripping down some of his biggest hits on a new EP, Acoustic Sessions. The four-track project is out now.

Comprised of three No. 1 singles and one fan-favorite, Acoustic Sessions features fresh, front-porch iterations of some of his beloved tunes as he reflects on the past with fond nostalgia and also looks to the future with new music on the horizon. The project includes the triple-Platinum “Watching You,” the top five hit “Farmer’s Daughter” and No. 1 singles “These Are My People” and “Take A Back Road.”

Atkins is currently in the studio working on the follow-up to 2019’s Caught Up In The Country and has been giving fans a glimpse into his creative process across his socials. Brand new tracks previewing the new album are slated to come soon.

Acoustic Sessions Track List:
1. “These Are My People (Acoustic)” (David Berg, Rivers Rutherford)
2. “Take A Back Road (Acoustic)” (Rhett Akins, Luke Laird)
3. “Watching You (Acoustic)” (Rodney Atkins, Steven Dean, Brian White)
4. “Farmer’s Daughter (Acoustic)” (Marv Green, Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins)

Carly Pearce Ignites Jimmy Kimmel Live With ‘Truck On Fire’

Carly Pearce recently stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform her latest single “Truck On Fire” from her fourth studio album Hummingbird. She continues her North American tour visiting cities like Las Vegas, Cleveland and Calgary this fall before heading overseas in February 2025 for an EU/UK run of shows.

 

Dean Dillon, Concerts 4 A Cause Donate Guitars To Huntsville Schools

Country Music Hall of Fame Member Dean Dillon and Justin Ward—executive producer of the recent “Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon” event—gave away 100 guitars to three local school districts in the Huntsville, Alabama area in partnership with Concerts 4 A Cause, Astera and Omaha Steaks. Astera also presented a $10,000 contribution to further support this initiative.

Omaha Steaks, the official sponsor of “Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon,” announced its partnership with Concerts 4 A Cause to continue the efforts to raise awareness and money for music education.

 

Shenandoah Slates Special Hurricane Helene Benefit

Shenandoah is lending some aid to the Hurricane victims in Cocke County, Tennessee, performing at Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville, Tennessee tonight (Oct. 14). Proceeds from the show will go to help those in the area affected by Hurricane Helene.

“The devastation and destruction is unbelievable,” explains Shenandoah frontman Marty Raybon. “The loss of life is more than one can comprehend. But my heart is warmed to see the compassion of those who have come to help in any way they can. People from all over the southeast have come and helped in many different ways. It truly shows the heart of the American spirit.”

 

Tim Montana’s American Thread Sporting Clay Shoot Raises $250K

Tim Montana‘s fifth annual American Thread Sporting Clays Shoot raised over $250,000 for pro-military nonprofit organizations Special Ops Xcursions and Heroes and Horses last weekend. Since its inception five years ago, the event has collectively raised over $1.5 million for causes dedicated to America’s men and women in uniform.

Held on Oct. 1 at the Nashville Gun Club, Montana welcomed several of his celebrity pals to help this year’s cause including Michael Ray, Colbie Caillat, Tyler Farr, Traa Daniels (of P.O.D.), Lewis Brice, Josh Phillips, Ben Gallaher and more.

The Morgan Wallen Foundation (MWF) recently hosted its “Help After Helene” Food Drive in East Tennessee and filled six trucks with 143,423 pounds of food, according to Second Harvest of East Tennessee’s Senior Manager of Engagement & Marketing Michael Torano.

Members of Wallen’s booking agency, The Neal Agency, and his management company, Sticks Management, packed 13 pallets and 1,092 disaster relief boxes disaster relief kits at the Nashville and Smyrna Second Harvest locations. Each box provides six meals, equaling to 6,552 meals and 16,380 pounds of food deployed from Middle Tennessee to affected areas.

Wallen also visited the hard-hit Greeneville community and thanked first responders for their efforts.

Additionally, the MWF Virtual Food Drive has collected over 100,000 meals. To donate, click here.

Madeline Merlo released her latest project, One House Down (From The Girl Next Door), today (Oct. 11) via Stoney Creek Records.

The six-track Zach Crowell produced EP shows Merlo’s most authentic self, showcasing her own vulnerabilities and imperfections. The project tells the story of the healing cycle after a breakup, from moving on from a relationship to the the adjustment to new realities and finally being able to keep the past in the past and look forward.

Merlo is a co-writer on all six tracks, and enlisted the help of some of Nashville’s best songwriters such as Josh Osborne, Sam Ellis, Emily Weisband and more for the project.

“One House Down (From The Girl Next Door) is finally out today, and I am so excited that this little project I’ve held close to my chest for quite some time is finally yours too,” says Merlo. “My hope is that you heal, relate and feel encouraged to find your voice in the pursuit of love. I am so proud of these songs and grateful to all the songwriters, musicians and my producer, Zach Crowell, for helping me create it. And to all my friends who also feel like they’re one house down from the girl next door—I hope it helps you embrace who you are.”

The project features already released “Broken Heart Thing,” a duet with Dustin Lynch. The track, which tells both sides of the story of a breakup, landed on both Spotify and Apple Music Country playlists upon release, and has gained more and more on-demand streams each day.

Another tune, “Same Car,” is the story of a steamy, budding romance ending in dread, while “Middle Of The Bed” tackles the lingering memories of someone no longer in your life. “Bar Fight” is a twist on the typical fists flying, alcohol-induced bar fight, but Merlo uses the notion to tell the tale of the agonizing battle of logic versus loneliness.

The project comes after a whirlwind year for Merlo, who was nominated for the CCMA Female Artist of the Year of 2024 and was selected to be part of CMT’s 2024 Next Women of Country. She has also been touring with Jelly Roll, Dustin Lynch, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Scotty McCreery and Dylan Scott, and released an exclusive jewelry collection with Sunday Club.

One House Down (From The Girl Next Door) Track List:
1. “Broken Heart Thing (feat. Dustin Lynch) (Madeline Merlo, James McNair, Michael Tyler, Lalo Guzman, Zach Crowell)
2. “Bar Fight” (Madeline Merlo, Seth Mosley, Claire Douglas)
3. “Same Car” (Madeline Merlo, Sara Haze, Jason Saenz, Zach Crowell, Josh Osborne)
4. “Middle Of The Bed” (Madeline Merlo, Sam Ellis, Kyle Sturrock)
5. “Good Grief” (Madeline Merlo, Jimmy Robbins, Anna Vaus, Micah Carpenter)
6. “One House Down (From The Girl Next Door” (Madeline Merlo, Seth Mosley, Emily Weisband, James McNair)

Sandbox Succession, the legacy division of Sandbox Entertainment, has signed a partnership deal with the Patsy Cline Estate through Patsy Cline Enterprises (PCE).

Led by Sandbox Succession President Josh Matas, the team will collaborate closely with Cline’s daughter and heir, Julie Fudge, to honor and expand her mother’s legacy across film, television, publishing, merchandising, hospitality and licensing. Gregory Hall of the Cline Estate will remain an integral part of the team, working in tandem with Sandbox Succession. Both a new biography and a documentary are currently in development.

“Patsy is one of the most recognizable and important female voices in music whose career was tragically cut short,” states Matas. “She was an early architect in showing the possibilities in crossing musical genres. We aspire to work with icons, and we are beyond proud to be trusted to continue her voice for generations to come.”

“On behalf of PCE and my brothers Randy and Charlies, Jr., we are pleased and proud to be with Josh and Sandbox Succession for this exciting next step in the continued expansion and promotion of the global legacy of all things Patsy Cline…we are in good company,” says Fudge.

Additionally, Sandbox Succession currently represents the estates of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash as well as racing icon Richard Petty. The division also manages of the estate of Loretta Lynn.