The 2024 nominees for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) have been announced. The new group will be among those honored at the 54th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Music City Center.
In the Contemporary Songwriters category, the nominees are Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, Desmond Child, Jim Collins, Gordon Kennedy, Frank J. Myers, Annie Roboff and Liz Rose. Those in the Contemporary Songwriter/Artists category are Steven Curtis Chapman, Brad Paisley, Phil Vassar and Lucinda Williams.
“We congratulate this year’s nominees in our contemporary categories. Their nominations are so well deserved,” says NaSHOF Executive Director Mark Ford. “We look forward in several weeks to announcing those who will be inducted this fall as members of our Class of 2024.”
A total of two songwriters and one artist-songwriter will be elected from the contemporary categories by members of the Hall of Fame along with other professional songwriters and artists from a variety of genres who are prominently identified with Nashville and who have written/co-written at least one original and significant Nashville song.
In addition, three more will be named to the Class of 2024. A separate body of veteran voters will elect a Veteran Songwriter, a Veteran Songwriter/Artist and a Legacy Songwriter/Artist (deceased), all of whom experienced their first significant songs at least 30 years ago. As part of that process, nominees in those categories are not announced.
For biographical information on the 2024 nominees, see below:
Category 1 – Contemporary Songwriters
AL ANDERSON
“Big Al” Anderson was born in Windsor, Connecticut. Raised by his piano teacher mother and a radio that would get WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, late at night, he devoured all genres of music. He was a member of The Wildweeds in the late 1960s. From 1971 to 1993 he was lead guitarist in the Rock band NRBQ, also releasing several solo albums. He was recognized as one of the top 100 guitar players of the 20th Century by Musician magazine. In the 1990s, Al shifted his focus to country music. In 1993 Al celebrated his first major hit as Carlene Carter took their co-written “Every Little Thing” to No. 3 country. Among Al’s best-known songs are “Should’ve Asked Her Faster” by Ty England, “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” by The Mavericks w/ Flaco Jiménez, “Unbelievable” by Diamond Rio, “Powerful Thing” by Trisha Yearwood, “Big Deal” by LeAnn Rimes, “The Cowboy In Me” by Tim McGraw, “Trip Around The Sun” by Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride (also No. 1 Bluegrass in 2024 for Bronwyn Keith-Hynes w/ Dierks Bentley), “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” by George Strait, and “Loving You Easy” by The Zac Brown Band. Al was named 2000 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year.
SHAWN CAMP
Shawn Camp grew up on a farm outside of Perryville, Arkansas. Shawn picked up a guitar at age five and by age 20 had moved to Nashville, where he found work in the late ’80s as a fiddle player in backing bands for The Osborne Brothers, Jerry Reed, Alan Jackson and Trisha Yearwood. After charting a pair of self-penned singles in 1993 as a Warner Bros. recording artist, Shawn turned his attention to writing songs for other artists—earning his first No. 1 hits in 1998 with “Two Piña Coladas” by Garth Brooks and “How Long Gone” by Brooks & Dunn. In 2006, he had top 5 singles with “Nobody But Me” by Blake Shelton and “Would You Go With Me” by Josh Turner. Shawn also co-wrote Turner’s “Firecracker,” as well as “River Of Love” by George Strait and “Love Done Gone” by Billy Currington. Shawn’s songs have also been hits for Bluegrass artists such as Ricky Skaggs, The Lonesome River Band and Don Rigsby. Shawn’s “We Know Where He Is” by The Del McCoury Band was a 2007 Gospel Music Association (GMA) bluegrass song nominee and his “My Quiet Mind” by The Gibson Brothers was a 2018 Society For The Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) song nominee. Shawn’s “My Love Will Not Change” by Aubrie Sellers with Steve Earle was an Americana Music Association (AMA) song nominee in 2020.
DESMOND CHILD
Desmond Child was born in Gainesville, Florida, but grew up in Miami. By the mid-1970s his obsession with music led him to New York City, where early co-writes with Paul Stanley of KISS yielded 1979’s “I Was Made For Loving You.” By 1986, Desmond’s co-writes with Bon Jovi provided the band with two of their biggest hits—“You Give Love A Bad Name” and “Livin’ On A Prayer.” Desmond continued his ’80s rock/pop success with songs such as “Dude Looks Like A Lady” by Aerosmith and “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett (tweaked in 2013 to become the NBC Sunday Night Football theme). Moving to Nashville in the early ’90s, Desmond celebrated more hits, including “Crazy” by Aerosmith, “Where Your Road Leads” by Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks, “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely” by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera and “Waking Up In Vegas” by Katy Perry. “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin was named 2000 ASCAP Pop Song of the Year and Billboard’s 1999 Latin Pop Track of the Year. Desmond is a 2008 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York and a 2022 inductee into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.
JIM COLLINS
Jim Collins grew up on a dairy farm in Nacogdoches, Texas. Gifted his first guitar at age 10, he played his first professional gig at 12, later moving on to various rock bands throughout high school. In the 1980s Jim began playing country music and writing original songs. He played the Texas music scene until 1995, when he moved to Nashville. Within a few months he had a publishing deal and was an in-demand demo singer. His first cut came in 1997 and his first top 10 two years later. By 2000 Jim had his first No. 1 song with “Yes!” by Chad Brock. Jim’s particular success with Kenny Chesney has yielded hits such as “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” and “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven,” as well as “The Good Stuff,” which was named the 2002 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Single of the Year and the 2003 ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Other hits written by Jim include “Then They Do” by Trace Adkins, “It Just Comes Natural” by George Strait, “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean, “I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today” by Gretchen Wilson (a 2006 Grammy nominee for best country song), “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square (a 2011 Grammy nominee for best country song) and “Damn Strait” by Scotty McCreery. Jim is a 2020 inductee into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame.
GORDON KENNEDY
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Gordon Kennedy moved with his family to Nashville at age one. He grew up spending time at recording sessions with his father, musician/producer Jerry Kennedy. Receiving a Fender Telecaster at age 15, Gordon played his first recording session and wrote his first song while in high school. In 1984 he joined the Christian rock band White Heart, writing five of their top 5 hits, including “Fly Eagle Fly” and “Eighth Wonder.” By the mid-90s, he was a co-writer on the international hit “Change The World” — first recorded in 1995 by Wynonna, then again by Eric Clapton for the 1996 film, Phenomenon. The song spent 13 weeks at No. 1 and earned the 1997 Grammy for Best Song (and also for Record of the Year). Among Gordon’s dozen-plus Garth Brooks cuts are “You Move Me,” “Love Will Always Win” (duet with Trisha Yearwood), “Lost In You” and “It Don’t Matter To The Sun” (the latter two by Brooks’ alter ego Chris Gaines). Gordon has Adult Contemporary singles by Bonnie Raitt (including the top 15 “I Can’t Help You Now,”), as well as bluegrass singles by Ricky Skaggs (“You Can’t Hurt Ham” and “Return To Sender,” a Grammy Gospel song nominee).
FRANK J. MYERS
Frank J. Myers grew up in Dayton, Ohio. His father taught him to play guitar, and by age 14, Frank had formed a band with his brother. After moving to Nashville in 1981, Frank was hired by Eddy Raven as a guitar player—later becoming Raven’s band leader and road manager. During that time, Frank co-wrote 10 top 10 singles for Raven, including “Bayou Boys,” “I Got Mexico” and “Sometimes A Lady.” In 1982, Frank’s “You And I” became a hit for Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle. Other hits from Frank’s catalog include “My Front Porch Looking In” by Lonestar, “Come In Out Of The Pain” by Doug Stone and “Once Upon A Lifetime” by Alabama. The John Michael Montgomery version of “I Swear” earned a slew of awards—1994 Grammy for Best Country Song, 1994 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Song and Single of the Year, 1994 Country Music Association (CMA) Single of the Year, 1994 NSAI Song of the Year, 1995 ASCAP Country Song of the Year—with the All 4 One version topping the Pop chart for 11 consecutive weeks. “I’m Already There” by Lonestar was the 2002 ASCAP Country Song of the Year and the 2002 BMI Country Song of the Year. “Tomorrow” by Chris Young was the 2011 SESAC Country Song of the Year.
ANNIE ROBOFF
Born in Greenburgh, New York, Annie Roboff began her music career writing songs for her bandmates in New York City a cappella group The Bondinis. When the group parted ways, Annie began writing/arranging sports themes for ABC. Soon she was creating music for TBS, CBS and ESPN (the original SportsCenter theme), as well as the Olympics and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Relocating to Los Angeles, Annie shifted her focus to writing songs. Following several pop and R&B cuts, she was signed to Almo/lrving Music in 1994. Later that year, after a writing trip to Nashville, she made the move to Music City and co-wrote her first hit, “Walking Away” by Diamond Rio. By 1998, Annie celebrated several more hits, including “Happy Girl” by Martina McBride, “There Goes My Baby” by Trisha Yearwood, “To Have You Back Again” by Patty Loveless and the multi-genre smash “This Kiss,” by Faith Hill which was honored as 1998 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Single of the Year, 1999 Country Music Association (CMA) Song of the Year and 1999 ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Other hits from Annie’s pen include “That’s The Way” by Jo Dee Messina, “If I Fall You’re Going Down With Me” by the Dixie Chicks, “Unbroken” by Tim McGraw and the Faith Hill hits “If My Heart Had Wings” and “One.”
LIZ ROSE
Dallas-born Liz Rose was raised in Irving, Texas. A non-songwriter at that time, she moved with her songwriter husband to Nashville, where she found work as a songplugger. Encouraged by songwriters and other friends, Liz began writing songs at age 37, and by 2004 she had her first top 20 single, “Songs About Rain,” by Gary Allan. By mid-decade, Liz’s co-writes with newcomer Taylor Swift yielded her debut hits “Tim McGraw” and “Teardrops On My Guitar,” which was named 2008 BMI Country Song of the Year. Their collaborations span nearly 20 cuts, including “You Belong With Me” (2010 BMI Country Song of the Year), “White Horse” (2010 Grammy for Best Country Song) and the 2022 Grammy-nominated “All Too Well (10-minute version from the short film).” Other hits from Liz’s catalog include “Cry Pretty” by Carrie Underwood and the 2019 Grammy-nominated “It All Comes Out In The Wash” by Miranda Lambert. “Crazy Girl” by Eli Young Band was named 2011 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Song of the Year. “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town earned the 2016 Grammy for Best Country Song, the 2015 Country Music Association (CMA) Song and Single of the Year, and the 2015 NSAI Song of the Year. Liz was the 2007 SESAC Country Songwriter of the Year. She is a 2018 inductee into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame and a 2023 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York.
Category 2 – Contemporary Songwriter/Artists
STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
The most awarded artist in Christian music history, Steven Curtis Chapman grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, where he learned to play guitar at a young age by hanging out in his father’s music store. Following a brief college career as a pre-med student, Steven moved to Nashville to pursue music. The 1987 release of his debut album, First Hand, launched a flood of awards for his self-penned hits, including “His Eyes” (the Gospel Music Association’s (GMA) 1989 Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year), “His Strength Is Perfect” (the GMA’s 1990 Inspirational Song of the Year), “The Great Adventure” (the GMA’s 1993 Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year), “Go There With You” (the GMA’s 1994 Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year), “Heaven In The Real World” (the GMA’s 1995 pop/contemporary Song of the Year), “Let Us Pray” (the GMA’s 1998 Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year) and “Dive” (the GMA’s 2000 pop/contemporary Song of the Year). Other award-winning songs from Steven’s catalogue include “I Can See The Hand Of God” by The Cathedrals (the GMA’s 1990 Southern Gospel Song Of The Year) and “Voice Of Truth” by Casting Crowns (the GMA’s 2005 Inspirational Song of the Year). One of the most-honored artists in the history of Christian music, Steven is a 10-time winner of the GMA’s Songwriter of the Year award (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2009), as well as NSAI’s 1999 Songwriter/Artist of the Year. A four-time BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year (2001, 2003, 2004, 2010), he is the first Christian music songwriter to receive the BMI Icon Award (2022). In 2023, “Don’t Lose Heart” became his 50th self-penned No. 1 single as an artist.
BRAD PAISLEY
Brad Paisley was born and raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He received his first guitar from his grandfather, who taught him to play at eight years old. At age 13, Brad wrote his first song, which he performed publicly, and which eventually led him to an eight-year stint performing on Wheeling’s Jamboree USA. After high-school graduation and two years at West Liberty State College, Brad was awarded a fully-paid ASCAP scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville where he majored in music business. A week after graduating from Belmont, Brad signed as a writer with EMI Music Publishing. Following cuts by David Kersh, David Ball and Tracy Byrd, Brad signed with Arista Nashville and soon began to record his own songs. As an artist, he has placed 33 self-penned top 20 songs on the Billboard charts, including 15 No. 1s and 14 more in the top 10. Among those compositions are “He Didn’t Have To Be,” “Alcohol,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Celebrity,” “Ticks,” “Letter To Me,” “Then,” “This Is Country Music,” “Water,” and his duet with Carrie Underwood “Remind Me.” A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Brad was ASCAP’s 2004 Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. He was NSAI’s Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2002 and 2005.
PHIL VASSAR
Phil Vassar was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. During college, he began playing piano and singing in local clubs. Moving to Nashville, Phil found the going slow until 1997 when some of his initial songs were recorded by Blackhawk, Skip Ewing, and The Sons of the Desert. Then in 1998, Phil’s songs started gaining traction as singles for a variety of artists. During the next two years, he garnered six chart-topping hits from Collin Raye, Alan Jackson, Jo Dee Messina (including the #1 “Bye, Bye”) and Tim McGraw (including the No. 1 “My Next Thirty Years”). During that time, he was named NSAI’s 1998 Songwriter of the Year and ASCAP’s 1999 Country Songwriter of the Year. In late 1999, Phil signed a record deal with Arista Nashville. Released the following year, his debut album generated the self-penned hits “Carlene,” “Rose Bouquet,” “Six-Pack Summer,” “That’s When I Love You” and “Just Another Day In Paradise,” Phil’s first No. 1 as an artist. Propelled by that success, he was named ASCAP’s 2001 Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. Other hits by Phil as an artist include “American Child,” “In A Real Love” and “Last Day Of My Life.” He was named NSAI’s 2006 Songwriter/Artist of the Year.
LUCINDA WILLIAMS
Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Lucinda Williams began writing songs at age six, playing guitar at age 12 and performing on stage at age 17. Dropping out of college to pursue music full-time, she played venues in Austin and Houston before moving to Jackson, MS, in 1978 to record her first album of cover songs. Her second album featured all original songs and her landmark self-titled third album produced three hits. The first, her breakout “Changed The Locks,” reached No. 16 rock in 1988 and would become a No. 20 rock hit for Tom Petty nearly a decade later. The second, “The Night’s Too Long,” became a No. 20 country hit for Patty Loveless in 1990. The third, “Passionate Kisses,” became a No. 4 country hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter and earned Lucinda the 1994 Grammy for Best Country Song. By 2001, she charted again as an artist with the No. 9 alternative hit “Essence.” She earned AMA nominations for her songs “Righteously” (2003), “Are You Alright?” (2007) and “East Side Of Town” (2015). She earned Grammy nominations for “Come On” (2007), “Kiss Like Your Kiss” (2010) and “Man Without A Soul” (2020). Lucinda was awarded the 2011 Americana Music Association (AMA) Lifetime Achievement Award (songwriting) and the 2022 BMI Troubadour Award. In 2021, she was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.
Charley Crockett Unveils ‘$10 Cowboy Chapter II: Visions Of Dallas’ Out July 22
/by John Nix ArledgeJust three short months after releasing $10 Cowboy, neo-traditional country artist Charley Crockett will drop his second album of 2024 titled $10 Cowboy Chapter II: Visions of Dallas on July 22 via Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers.
The album will function as a companion piece to $10 Cowboy and feature 10 new songs and two favorites “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “How Low Can You Go.” Along with this, Crockett will drop a cover of “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” on the Twisters soundtrack, releasing tomorrow (July 19) via Atlantic records.
“We recorded the songs during the same sessions as $10 Cowboy down at Arlyn Studios in Austin,” explains Crockett. “Could have released a double record. But then Taylor Grace wrote ‘Visions of Dallas’ in a hotel room overlooking that city. She thought about my relationship to Dallas and the great state of Texas in general, and suggested we do a second album where all the songs tie back to Dallas and Texas. The result is ‘Visions of Dallas.'”
“For a truly independent artist like myself, there are no rules anymore,” Crockett continues. “Why release ‘Visions of Dallas’ now? To indulge myself in artistic freedom. The days of 18-to-24-month release cycles have gone the way of the dinosaur. I’ll have my 14th studio album out next week, and every single one has been released how and when I wanted them to. I see no reason to change now.”
Along with $10 Cowboy’s impressive No. 1 debut on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, Crockett will continue his banner year headlining “The $10 Cowboy Tour” at venues such as Red Rocks, the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, the Salt Shed in Chicago, the new Brooklyn Paramount and the Ryman Auditorium.
Industry Ink: Jesse Atwell, Cody Johnson, Eric Church, More
/by Lorie HollabaughJesse Atwell Launches Atwell Management
Jesse Atwell
Jesse Atwell has launched Atwell Management, a new artist management firm. Prior to launching his new company, he held positions at Sony Music Entertainment, Triple 8 Management and Razor & Tie Records. Most recently, he was CMO at SongVest.
“I look forward to serving talented artists who seek to make change and challenge the status quo,” says Atwell. “It’s more important than ever—in this rapidly changing landscape—to utilize all available tools, strategies, and resources to break new artists and grow existing careers. Atwell Management is committed to using data and cutting-edge marketing strategies to serve artists in new and engaging ways to help them grow their overall businesses.”
Atwell can be reached at jesse@atwellmgmt.com.
Cody Johnson Performs National Anthem at 2024 MLB All-Star Game
Cody Johnson Performed National Anthem at MLB All-Star Game on July 17 at Globe Life Field. Photo: Jay Trevino
Cody Johnson performed the National Anthem at the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas last night (July 17).
He will return to the home of the Texas Rangers when he brings his “Leather Tour” to the stadium on Nov. 9. Jon Pardi joins the date as special guest.
Eric Church’s SiriusXM Outsiders Radio Makes Its IndyCar Debut
Eric Church with the No. 60 Honda Indy Car of Meyer Shank Racing. Photo: Meyer Shank Racing
Eric Church was at the Indy Car races in Iowa Speedway last weekend, where he checked 0ut the No. 60 Honda Indy Car of Meyer Shank Racing, which bore the logo of his SiriusXM channel, Outsiders Radio.
SiriusXM’s Outsiders Radio channel is curated by Church himself, and is a journey through his musical experiences and showcases music from his career, including his vast catalog of nearly two decades. Prior to having his own SiriusXM channel, Church hosted an exclusive monthly show, Outsiders Radio, that launched in 2015 on SiriusXM’s The Highway.
Chris Janson Closes Out Hodag Country Festival
Chris Janson performs at the Hodag Country Festival
Chris Janson recently closed out the Hodag Country Festival, where the fans were in high spirits chanting along to every word of his multi-Platinum hit “Buy Me A Boat.” While finishing his set, he invited all side-stage and VIP attendees to join him on stage to join in the fun.
“Country music is for the fans, and I have the best fans! This is real America,” said Janson. “This is real country music. The energy all around me felt so united and wonderful I just decided to have them all on stage.”
Avery Anna Hosts Immersive Breakup Over Breakfast Event
Avery Anna with fans
Avery Anna hosted a one-of-a-kind, immersive experience on Tuesday (July 16) that gave attendees a peek inside the world of her forthcoming debut album, Breakup Over Breakfast, out this Friday (July 19).
The all-day event at FlyghtHouse in Nashville welcomed industry partners and influencers on a self-guided, open-house walk-through exploring each uniquely themed floor: Sweet, Sour & SAVERY. Anna also invited a select number of lucky fans to attend an exclusive “AntipiTEAparty” at day’s end, featuring a first-listen of her album from start to finish.
BMI’s ‘Rooftop On The Row’ Series Features Ella Langley & Redferrin
/by Lorie HollabaughElla Langley performing at BMI’s “Rooftop On The Row” series event. Photo: Erika Rock for BMI
BMI hosted its third “Rooftop On The Row” event of the year, featuring Ella Langley and Redferrin, on Tuesday night (July 16) for a packed house of industry professionals.
Redferrin performing at BMI’s “Rooftop On The Row” series event. Photo: Erika Rock for BMI
Langley kicked off the evening with “Paint the Town Blue,” followed by two unreleased tracks “Better Be Tough” and “Cowgirl Don’t Cry” from her debut album, Hungover, out Aug. 2. Langley surprised the crowd by welcoming Kameron Marlowe onstage for their current single “Strangers,” and treated everyone to a solo rendition of her viral hit with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me.”
DJ Smoke kept the energy high between each set, and BMI’s Mason Hunter served as emcee. Free food and beverages were provided by the evening’s sponsors Delta Air Lines, Gallagher Insurance, ONErpm, Red Bull Jukebox, Texas Roadhouse, Topo Chico, White Claw and Yeti.
Redferrin closed out the night with a blend of traditional country and modern influences. The Tennessee native performed tracks from his debut EP, Old No.7, such as “Lose Her For Nothin,'” “Champagne In The Morning” and “Just Like Johnny,” which has already garnered 30 million streams. He also teased a string of unreleased songs, including “As Long As There’s A Bar.”
Presented by George Dickel, the “Rooftop On The Row” series returns on Aug. 13 with Josh Ross and Lauren Watkins. The final event on Sept. 17 will officially kick off AmericanaFest. Those set to perform will be announced in the coming weeks.
Pictured (L–R): BMI’s Claire Dodelin, Josh Tomlinson, Leslie Roberts, Clay Bradley, Ella Langley, Redferrin, BMI’s MaryAnn Keen, Mason Hunter and Nina Carter. Photo: Erika Rock for BMI
JUST IN: 2024 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Nominees Revealed
/by LB CantrellThe 2024 nominees for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) have been announced. The new group will be among those honored at the 54th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the Music City Center.
In the Contemporary Songwriters category, the nominees are Al Anderson, Shawn Camp, Desmond Child, Jim Collins, Gordon Kennedy, Frank J. Myers, Annie Roboff and Liz Rose. Those in the Contemporary Songwriter/Artists category are Steven Curtis Chapman, Brad Paisley, Phil Vassar and Lucinda Williams.
“We congratulate this year’s nominees in our contemporary categories. Their nominations are so well deserved,” says NaSHOF Executive Director Mark Ford. “We look forward in several weeks to announcing those who will be inducted this fall as members of our Class of 2024.”
A total of two songwriters and one artist-songwriter will be elected from the contemporary categories by members of the Hall of Fame along with other professional songwriters and artists from a variety of genres who are prominently identified with Nashville and who have written/co-written at least one original and significant Nashville song.
In addition, three more will be named to the Class of 2024. A separate body of veteran voters will elect a Veteran Songwriter, a Veteran Songwriter/Artist and a Legacy Songwriter/Artist (deceased), all of whom experienced their first significant songs at least 30 years ago. As part of that process, nominees in those categories are not announced.
For biographical information on the 2024 nominees, see below:
Category 1 – Contemporary Songwriters
AL ANDERSON
“Big Al” Anderson was born in Windsor, Connecticut. Raised by his piano teacher mother and a radio that would get WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, late at night, he devoured all genres of music. He was a member of The Wildweeds in the late 1960s. From 1971 to 1993 he was lead guitarist in the Rock band NRBQ, also releasing several solo albums. He was recognized as one of the top 100 guitar players of the 20th Century by Musician magazine. In the 1990s, Al shifted his focus to country music. In 1993 Al celebrated his first major hit as Carlene Carter took their co-written “Every Little Thing” to No. 3 country. Among Al’s best-known songs are “Should’ve Asked Her Faster” by Ty England, “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down” by The Mavericks w/ Flaco Jiménez, “Unbelievable” by Diamond Rio, “Powerful Thing” by Trisha Yearwood, “Big Deal” by LeAnn Rimes, “The Cowboy In Me” by Tim McGraw, “Trip Around The Sun” by Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride (also No. 1 Bluegrass in 2024 for Bronwyn Keith-Hynes w/ Dierks Bentley), “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” by George Strait, and “Loving You Easy” by The Zac Brown Band. Al was named 2000 BMI Country Songwriter of the Year.
SHAWN CAMP
Shawn Camp grew up on a farm outside of Perryville, Arkansas. Shawn picked up a guitar at age five and by age 20 had moved to Nashville, where he found work in the late ’80s as a fiddle player in backing bands for The Osborne Brothers, Jerry Reed, Alan Jackson and Trisha Yearwood. After charting a pair of self-penned singles in 1993 as a Warner Bros. recording artist, Shawn turned his attention to writing songs for other artists—earning his first No. 1 hits in 1998 with “Two Piña Coladas” by Garth Brooks and “How Long Gone” by Brooks & Dunn. In 2006, he had top 5 singles with “Nobody But Me” by Blake Shelton and “Would You Go With Me” by Josh Turner. Shawn also co-wrote Turner’s “Firecracker,” as well as “River Of Love” by George Strait and “Love Done Gone” by Billy Currington. Shawn’s songs have also been hits for Bluegrass artists such as Ricky Skaggs, The Lonesome River Band and Don Rigsby. Shawn’s “We Know Where He Is” by The Del McCoury Band was a 2007 Gospel Music Association (GMA) bluegrass song nominee and his “My Quiet Mind” by The Gibson Brothers was a 2018 Society For The Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) song nominee. Shawn’s “My Love Will Not Change” by Aubrie Sellers with Steve Earle was an Americana Music Association (AMA) song nominee in 2020.
DESMOND CHILD
Desmond Child was born in Gainesville, Florida, but grew up in Miami. By the mid-1970s his obsession with music led him to New York City, where early co-writes with Paul Stanley of KISS yielded 1979’s “I Was Made For Loving You.” By 1986, Desmond’s co-writes with Bon Jovi provided the band with two of their biggest hits—“You Give Love A Bad Name” and “Livin’ On A Prayer.” Desmond continued his ’80s rock/pop success with songs such as “Dude Looks Like A Lady” by Aerosmith and “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett (tweaked in 2013 to become the NBC Sunday Night Football theme). Moving to Nashville in the early ’90s, Desmond celebrated more hits, including “Crazy” by Aerosmith, “Where Your Road Leads” by Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks, “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely” by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera and “Waking Up In Vegas” by Katy Perry. “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin was named 2000 ASCAP Pop Song of the Year and Billboard’s 1999 Latin Pop Track of the Year. Desmond is a 2008 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York and a 2022 inductee into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.
JIM COLLINS
Jim Collins grew up on a dairy farm in Nacogdoches, Texas. Gifted his first guitar at age 10, he played his first professional gig at 12, later moving on to various rock bands throughout high school. In the 1980s Jim began playing country music and writing original songs. He played the Texas music scene until 1995, when he moved to Nashville. Within a few months he had a publishing deal and was an in-demand demo singer. His first cut came in 1997 and his first top 10 two years later. By 2000 Jim had his first No. 1 song with “Yes!” by Chad Brock. Jim’s particular success with Kenny Chesney has yielded hits such as “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” and “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven,” as well as “The Good Stuff,” which was named the 2002 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Single of the Year and the 2003 ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Other hits written by Jim include “Then They Do” by Trace Adkins, “It Just Comes Natural” by George Strait, “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean, “I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today” by Gretchen Wilson (a 2006 Grammy nominee for best country song), “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square (a 2011 Grammy nominee for best country song) and “Damn Strait” by Scotty McCreery. Jim is a 2020 inductee into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame.
GORDON KENNEDY
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Gordon Kennedy moved with his family to Nashville at age one. He grew up spending time at recording sessions with his father, musician/producer Jerry Kennedy. Receiving a Fender Telecaster at age 15, Gordon played his first recording session and wrote his first song while in high school. In 1984 he joined the Christian rock band White Heart, writing five of their top 5 hits, including “Fly Eagle Fly” and “Eighth Wonder.” By the mid-90s, he was a co-writer on the international hit “Change The World” — first recorded in 1995 by Wynonna, then again by Eric Clapton for the 1996 film, Phenomenon. The song spent 13 weeks at No. 1 and earned the 1997 Grammy for Best Song (and also for Record of the Year). Among Gordon’s dozen-plus Garth Brooks cuts are “You Move Me,” “Love Will Always Win” (duet with Trisha Yearwood), “Lost In You” and “It Don’t Matter To The Sun” (the latter two by Brooks’ alter ego Chris Gaines). Gordon has Adult Contemporary singles by Bonnie Raitt (including the top 15 “I Can’t Help You Now,”), as well as bluegrass singles by Ricky Skaggs (“You Can’t Hurt Ham” and “Return To Sender,” a Grammy Gospel song nominee).
FRANK J. MYERS
Frank J. Myers grew up in Dayton, Ohio. His father taught him to play guitar, and by age 14, Frank had formed a band with his brother. After moving to Nashville in 1981, Frank was hired by Eddy Raven as a guitar player—later becoming Raven’s band leader and road manager. During that time, Frank co-wrote 10 top 10 singles for Raven, including “Bayou Boys,” “I Got Mexico” and “Sometimes A Lady.” In 1982, Frank’s “You And I” became a hit for Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle. Other hits from Frank’s catalog include “My Front Porch Looking In” by Lonestar, “Come In Out Of The Pain” by Doug Stone and “Once Upon A Lifetime” by Alabama. The John Michael Montgomery version of “I Swear” earned a slew of awards—1994 Grammy for Best Country Song, 1994 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Song and Single of the Year, 1994 Country Music Association (CMA) Single of the Year, 1994 NSAI Song of the Year, 1995 ASCAP Country Song of the Year—with the All 4 One version topping the Pop chart for 11 consecutive weeks. “I’m Already There” by Lonestar was the 2002 ASCAP Country Song of the Year and the 2002 BMI Country Song of the Year. “Tomorrow” by Chris Young was the 2011 SESAC Country Song of the Year.
ANNIE ROBOFF
Born in Greenburgh, New York, Annie Roboff began her music career writing songs for her bandmates in New York City a cappella group The Bondinis. When the group parted ways, Annie began writing/arranging sports themes for ABC. Soon she was creating music for TBS, CBS and ESPN (the original SportsCenter theme), as well as the Olympics and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Relocating to Los Angeles, Annie shifted her focus to writing songs. Following several pop and R&B cuts, she was signed to Almo/lrving Music in 1994. Later that year, after a writing trip to Nashville, she made the move to Music City and co-wrote her first hit, “Walking Away” by Diamond Rio. By 1998, Annie celebrated several more hits, including “Happy Girl” by Martina McBride, “There Goes My Baby” by Trisha Yearwood, “To Have You Back Again” by Patty Loveless and the multi-genre smash “This Kiss,” by Faith Hill which was honored as 1998 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Single of the Year, 1999 Country Music Association (CMA) Song of the Year and 1999 ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Other hits from Annie’s pen include “That’s The Way” by Jo Dee Messina, “If I Fall You’re Going Down With Me” by the Dixie Chicks, “Unbroken” by Tim McGraw and the Faith Hill hits “If My Heart Had Wings” and “One.”
LIZ ROSE
Dallas-born Liz Rose was raised in Irving, Texas. A non-songwriter at that time, she moved with her songwriter husband to Nashville, where she found work as a songplugger. Encouraged by songwriters and other friends, Liz began writing songs at age 37, and by 2004 she had her first top 20 single, “Songs About Rain,” by Gary Allan. By mid-decade, Liz’s co-writes with newcomer Taylor Swift yielded her debut hits “Tim McGraw” and “Teardrops On My Guitar,” which was named 2008 BMI Country Song of the Year. Their collaborations span nearly 20 cuts, including “You Belong With Me” (2010 BMI Country Song of the Year), “White Horse” (2010 Grammy for Best Country Song) and the 2022 Grammy-nominated “All Too Well (10-minute version from the short film).” Other hits from Liz’s catalog include “Cry Pretty” by Carrie Underwood and the 2019 Grammy-nominated “It All Comes Out In The Wash” by Miranda Lambert. “Crazy Girl” by Eli Young Band was named 2011 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Song of the Year. “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town earned the 2016 Grammy for Best Country Song, the 2015 Country Music Association (CMA) Song and Single of the Year, and the 2015 NSAI Song of the Year. Liz was the 2007 SESAC Country Songwriter of the Year. She is a 2018 inductee into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame and a 2023 inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York.
Category 2 – Contemporary Songwriter/Artists
STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
The most awarded artist in Christian music history, Steven Curtis Chapman grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, where he learned to play guitar at a young age by hanging out in his father’s music store. Following a brief college career as a pre-med student, Steven moved to Nashville to pursue music. The 1987 release of his debut album, First Hand, launched a flood of awards for his self-penned hits, including “His Eyes” (the Gospel Music Association’s (GMA) 1989 Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year), “His Strength Is Perfect” (the GMA’s 1990 Inspirational Song of the Year), “The Great Adventure” (the GMA’s 1993 Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year), “Go There With You” (the GMA’s 1994 Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year), “Heaven In The Real World” (the GMA’s 1995 pop/contemporary Song of the Year), “Let Us Pray” (the GMA’s 1998 Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year) and “Dive” (the GMA’s 2000 pop/contemporary Song of the Year). Other award-winning songs from Steven’s catalogue include “I Can See The Hand Of God” by The Cathedrals (the GMA’s 1990 Southern Gospel Song Of The Year) and “Voice Of Truth” by Casting Crowns (the GMA’s 2005 Inspirational Song of the Year). One of the most-honored artists in the history of Christian music, Steven is a 10-time winner of the GMA’s Songwriter of the Year award (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2009), as well as NSAI’s 1999 Songwriter/Artist of the Year. A four-time BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year (2001, 2003, 2004, 2010), he is the first Christian music songwriter to receive the BMI Icon Award (2022). In 2023, “Don’t Lose Heart” became his 50th self-penned No. 1 single as an artist.
BRAD PAISLEY
Brad Paisley was born and raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He received his first guitar from his grandfather, who taught him to play at eight years old. At age 13, Brad wrote his first song, which he performed publicly, and which eventually led him to an eight-year stint performing on Wheeling’s Jamboree USA. After high-school graduation and two years at West Liberty State College, Brad was awarded a fully-paid ASCAP scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville where he majored in music business. A week after graduating from Belmont, Brad signed as a writer with EMI Music Publishing. Following cuts by David Kersh, David Ball and Tracy Byrd, Brad signed with Arista Nashville and soon began to record his own songs. As an artist, he has placed 33 self-penned top 20 songs on the Billboard charts, including 15 No. 1s and 14 more in the top 10. Among those compositions are “He Didn’t Have To Be,” “Alcohol,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Celebrity,” “Ticks,” “Letter To Me,” “Then,” “This Is Country Music,” “Water,” and his duet with Carrie Underwood “Remind Me.” A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Brad was ASCAP’s 2004 Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. He was NSAI’s Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2002 and 2005.
PHIL VASSAR
Phil Vassar was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. During college, he began playing piano and singing in local clubs. Moving to Nashville, Phil found the going slow until 1997 when some of his initial songs were recorded by Blackhawk, Skip Ewing, and The Sons of the Desert. Then in 1998, Phil’s songs started gaining traction as singles for a variety of artists. During the next two years, he garnered six chart-topping hits from Collin Raye, Alan Jackson, Jo Dee Messina (including the #1 “Bye, Bye”) and Tim McGraw (including the No. 1 “My Next Thirty Years”). During that time, he was named NSAI’s 1998 Songwriter of the Year and ASCAP’s 1999 Country Songwriter of the Year. In late 1999, Phil signed a record deal with Arista Nashville. Released the following year, his debut album generated the self-penned hits “Carlene,” “Rose Bouquet,” “Six-Pack Summer,” “That’s When I Love You” and “Just Another Day In Paradise,” Phil’s first No. 1 as an artist. Propelled by that success, he was named ASCAP’s 2001 Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. Other hits by Phil as an artist include “American Child,” “In A Real Love” and “Last Day Of My Life.” He was named NSAI’s 2006 Songwriter/Artist of the Year.
LUCINDA WILLIAMS
Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Lucinda Williams began writing songs at age six, playing guitar at age 12 and performing on stage at age 17. Dropping out of college to pursue music full-time, she played venues in Austin and Houston before moving to Jackson, MS, in 1978 to record her first album of cover songs. Her second album featured all original songs and her landmark self-titled third album produced three hits. The first, her breakout “Changed The Locks,” reached No. 16 rock in 1988 and would become a No. 20 rock hit for Tom Petty nearly a decade later. The second, “The Night’s Too Long,” became a No. 20 country hit for Patty Loveless in 1990. The third, “Passionate Kisses,” became a No. 4 country hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter and earned Lucinda the 1994 Grammy for Best Country Song. By 2001, she charted again as an artist with the No. 9 alternative hit “Essence.” She earned AMA nominations for her songs “Righteously” (2003), “Are You Alright?” (2007) and “East Side Of Town” (2015). She earned Grammy nominations for “Come On” (2007), “Kiss Like Your Kiss” (2010) and “Man Without A Soul” (2020). Lucinda was awarded the 2011 Americana Music Association (AMA) Lifetime Achievement Award (songwriting) and the 2022 BMI Troubadour Award. In 2021, she was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.
UMPG Nashville Signs Solon Holt
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L–R): UMPG Nashville’s Roxy King, Solon Holt and UMPG Nashville’s Troy Tomlinson. Photo: Courtesy of UMPG Nashville
UMPG Nashville has signed singer-songwriter Solon Holt to an exclusive global publishing agreement.
The 20-year-old got his start in the Piney Woods of Texas. As the youngest in a family with a rich musical heritage, Holt was exposed to various genres, including classical, blues, jazz, folk, pop, country and bluegrass. However, it was the time he spent as a teen playing gospel music in an all-Black church each Sunday that helped him to curate his sound.
“Solon exemplifies wisdom beyond his years in every aspect. His songwriting and musical prowess are a true reflection of his upbringing and have an authenticity that cannot be taught,” says Roxy King, Senior Director, A&R, UMPG Nashville. “Solon has an amazing journey ahead of him, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.”
“I would like to thank UMPG for their vision and belief in me,” adds Holt. “I am truly honored to be a part of such a writer-focused team. It means everything to me.”
IBMA Unveils Bluegrass Music Award Nominees & Hall Of Fame Inductees
/by Liza AndersonThe International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) unveiled the nominees for the 35th annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards today (July 17) during a live event at the SiriusXM studios in Nashville.
Reigning Entertainer of the Year Billy Strings earned nominations in multiple categories alongside Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Sister Sadie, Authentic Unlimited and more.
IBMA has also announced Alan Munde, Jerry Douglas and Katy Daley as the latest Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees, and Cindy Baucom, Laurie Lewis, Richard Hurst, ArtistWorks and Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival as the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award recipients.
The full list of IBMA Bluegrass Music Award categories and nominees is available below:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Del McCoury Band
Sister Sadie
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Authentic Unlimited
Sister Sadie
Blue Highway
Del McCoury Band
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
Travelin’ McCourys
East Nash Grass
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Songwriter: Ashley McBryde
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
“Too Lonely, Way Too Long” – Rick Faris with Del McCoury
Songwriter: Rick Faris
Producer: Stephen Mougin
Label: Dark Shadow Recording
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster & Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group
“Kentucky Gold” – Dale Ann Bradley with Sam Bush
Songwriters: Wayne Carson/Ronnie Reno
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
City of Gold – Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Producers: Jerry Douglas/Molly Tuttle
Label: Nonesuch
Last Chance to Win – East Nash Grass
Producer: East Nash Grass
Label: Mountain Fever
Jubilation – Appalachian Road Show
Producer: Appalachian Road Show
Label: Billy Blue Records
No Fear – Sister Sadie
Producer: Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
So Much for Forever – Authentic Unlimited
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“When I Get There” – Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Songwriter: Michael Feagan
Producer: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
Label: Independent
“Thank You Lord for Grace” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Just Beyond” – Barry Abernathy with John Meador, Tim Raybon, Bradley Walker
Songwriters: Rick Lang/Mike Richards/Windi Robinson
Producer: Jerry Salley
Label: Billy Blue Records
“God Already Has” – Dale Ann Bradley
Songwriter: Mark “Brink” Brinkman/David Stewart
Producer: Dale Ann Bradley
Label: Pinecastle
“Memories of Home” – Authentic Unlimited
Songwriter: Jerry Cole
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Rhapsody in Blue(grass)” – Béla Fleck
Songwriter: George Gershwin arr. Ferde Grofé/Béla Fleck
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Béla Fleck Productions/Thirty Tigers
“Knee Deep in Bluegrass” – Ashby Frank
Songwriter: Terry Baucom
Producer: Ashby Frank
Label: Mountain Home
“Panhandle Country” – Missy Raines & Allegheny
Songwriter: Bill Monroe
Producer: Alison Brown
Label: Compass Records
“Lloyd’s of Lubbock” – Alan Munde
Songwriter: Alan Munde
Producer: Billy Bright
Label: Patuxent
“Behind the 8 Ball” – Andy Leftwich
Songwriter: Andy Leftwich
Producer: Andy Leftwich
Label: Mountain Home
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
East Nash Grass
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Wyatt Ellis
The Kody Norris Show
COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
“Brown’s Ferry Blues” – Tony Trischka featuring Billy Strings
Songwriters: Alton Delmore/Rabon Delmore
Producer: Béla Fleck
Label: Down the Road
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited with Jerry Douglas
Songwriters: John Meador/Bob Minner
Producer: Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“Forever Young” – Daniel Grindstaff with Paul Brewster, Dolly Parton
Songwriters: Jim Cregan/Kevin Savigar/Bob Dylan/Rod Stewart
Producer: Daniel Grindstaff
Label: Bonfire Music Group
“Bluegrass Radio” – Alison Brown and Steve Martin
Songwriters: Steve Martin/Alison Brown
Producers: Alison Brown/Garry West
Label: Compass Records
“Too Old to Die Young” – Bobby Osborne and CJ Lewandowski
Songwriters: Scott Dooley/John Hadley/Kevin Welch
Producer: CJ Lewandowski
Label: Turnberry Records
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dan Tyminski
Greg Blake
Del McCoury
Danny Paisley
Russell Moore
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Molly Tuttle
Jaelee Roberts
Dale Ann Bradley
AJ Lee
Rhonda Vincent
BANJO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kristin Scott Benson
Gena Britt
Alison Brown
Béla Fleck
Rob McCoury
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Missy Raines
Mike Bub
Vickie Vaughn
Todd Phillips
Mark Schatz
FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason Carter
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Michael Cleveland
Stuart Duncan
Deanie Richardson
RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Justin Moses
Rob Ickes
Jerry Douglas
Andy Hall
Gaven Largent
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Billy Strings
Molly Tuttle
Trey Hensley
Bryan Sutton
Cody Kilby
MANDOLIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sierra Hull
Sam Bush
Ronnie McCoury
Jesse Brock
Alan Bibey
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Willow” – Sister Sadie
Label: Mountain Home
“Fall in Tennessee” – Authentic Unlimited
Label: Billy Blue Records
“The City of New Orleans” – Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Label: Upper Management Music
“I Call Her Sunshine” – The Kody Norris Show
Label: Rebel Records
“Alberta Bound” – Special Consensus with Ray Legere, John Reischman, Patrick Sauber, Trisha Gagnon, Pharis & Jason Romero, and Claire Lynch
Label: Compass Records
Post Malone Samples New Album At ‘A Night In Nashville’
/by John Nix ArledgePost Malone Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Bud Light
Grammy-nominated artist Post Malone joined forces with Bud Light on Tuesday (July 16) to throw “A Night in Nashville,” where he offered the crowd a sneak peek of his upcoming F-1 Trillion album.
The superstar, rocking a Nashville-appropriate plaid shirt, jeans, boots and camo hat, raised a toast to the crowd and stepped to the mic. “I just want to say thank you so very much for your love and support over these past few years,” he said, before diving into acoustic versions of his smash hits “Rockstar” and “Sunflower.”
Shortly after, Post was inviting up his first guest. “This next gentleman is a good buddy of mine, a really sweet man, and one of the most talented people I’ve had the honor of knowing. Mister Blake Shelton.”
Post Malone Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Bud Light
Shelton took the stage and shared, “It’s a Post Malone world we’re living in,” before the two kicked off their new track, “Pour Me A Drink.” To close out his guest appearance, the duo sang the Shelton fan-favorite, “Some Beach.”
Post kept the guests coming, inviting singer-songwriter Joe Nichols to the stage to perform Nichols’ song “Brokenheartsville,” and Sierra Ferrell to sing both “Never Love You Again” and Johnny and June Carter Cash’s “Jackson.”
The last guest of the night, joining Post in debuting the new song “Would You Hide My Gun,” was Hardy. The two joked about their first meeting in Nashville and their subsequent work on Hixtape Vol. 3: Difftape, which led to their last track together, a cover of the late Joe Diffie’s “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die).”
Post went on to debut another new track titled “Yours”—a heartwarming song inspired by the possibility of his two year old daughter’s future marriage.
The superstar ended with a bang, playing his hits “Congratulations” and current No. 1 track “I Had Some Help.”
“I just want to say thank you to each and every single one of you tonight. Thank you for your love and support over all these years, ladies and gentlemen—it’s been 10 years,” closed Post. “I love you so much and there are so many people that love you. Do whatever you want in this life and express yourself because there is no one else on this planet that is cooler than who you are.”
Wyatt Flores Plots ‘Welcome To The Plains Tour’ For Fall
/by Lorie HollabaughWyatt Flores. Photo: Matt Paskert
Wyatt Flores has plotted his “Welcome To The Plains Tour,” which kicks off this fall.
The trek includes two nights at both Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and Tulsa’s Cain’s Ballroom in December as well as shows at Boston’s House of Blues, Atlanta’s The Eastern, Chicago’s Vic Theatre, Fort Worth’s Billy Bob’s Texas and more.
Presale tickets are available for presale now, with general sales starting this Friday (July 19). Flores has partnered with PLUS1 so that a dollar per ticket goes to the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Foundation to support its work towards agriculture education and development in the United States. For more information, click here.
In addition to his own headlong dates, the rising artist will support Luke Combs’ two-night stint at Washington State’s Gorge Amphitheatre Shows in October. Flores is currently nominated for Emerging Act of the Year at this year’s Americana Music Association Honors & Awards. He also released his new EP, Half Life, earlier this spring via Island Records, and has amassed more than 325 million streams over the last two years.
JD Clayton Inks With Rounder Records
/by Lorie HollabaughJD Clayton
Arkansas native JD Clayton has signed with Rounder Records.
His debut album, Long Way From Home, was released in early 2023 and landed him touring opportunities alongside Dwight Yoakam, Old Crow Medicine Show and many more.
Clayton’s recently-released single, “High Hopes and Low Expectations” tells the story of a young man searching for a better self and greener pastures, leaving his small town for the glamour of the big city.
“JD drew us in from the start,” says Rounder’s President Stephanie Hudacek. “His determination, talent as a songwriter, powerful live performance, and rich, dynamic vocal range make him an artist we couldn’t be more excited to work with.”
“I’m not sure that I’ve ever been this excited,” says Clayton. “Where I come from in Arkansas, dreams like this are really fairytales that live forever in the back of your mind. I can’t wait to be a part of the Rounder family. It’s going to be a crazy adventure.”
Clayton will take his music on the road on his “Blue Sky Sundays Tour” starting Aug. 30 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The trek will also includes dates in Nashville, New York, Chicago and more.
“Blue Sky Sundays Tour” Dates:
August 30 @ White Water Tavern – Little Rock, AR*
September 6 @ Reflection Plaza – Telluride, CO
September 12 @ Carol’s Pub – Chicago IL *
September 13 @ Old Rock House – St. Louis, MO*
September 14 @ Hi-Fi Indy – Indianapolis, IN*
September 20 @ Pretentious – Knoxville, TN*
September 27 @ Zydeco – Birmingham, AL*
September 28 @ The Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC*
October 3 @ Mercury Lounge – Tulsa, OK*
October 5 @ Andy’s Bar – Denton, TX *
October 9 @ Barleycorn’s – Wichita, KS*
October 11 @ Globe Hall – Denver, CO*
October 12 @ Oskar Blues – Colorado Springs, CO*
October 16 @ Mercury Lounge – New York, NY*
October 17 @ Pearl Street Warehouse – Washington, DC*
October 18 @ Club Café – Pittsburgh, PA*
October 19 @ The Foundry – Philadelphia, PA*
October 24 @ The Burl – Lexington, Kentucky*
December 6 @ Exit In – Nashville, TN*
*Leon Majcen opens
On The Row: Country Duo Ryan And Rory Showcase Debut Project
/by John Nix ArledgeRyan Follesé and Rory John Zak
Up-and-coming duo Ryan and Rory recently dropped by the MusicRow office to showcase their self-titled debut EP set to release July 26.
Comprised of Nashville native Ryan Follesé, a double-Platinum singer-songwriter known for his time as the frontman of pop-rock band Hot Chelle Rae, and Rory John Zak, a multi-instrumentalist who became The Carolina Opry’s youngest full-time cast member at only 17, Ryan and Rory are set to make major waves on the country music scene.
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Madison Hahnen and LB Cantrell, Ryan Follesé, Rory John Zak, MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson, John Nix Arledge and Liza Anderson
After a chance meeting at a concert in Raleigh, North Carolina, in which Follesé was playing alongside country music duo Locash, the two met and hit it off. Seven years later, a mutual family friend heard that they were both looking to create something new and reacquainted them.
“I guess it was fate. Everything I wasn’t strong in, he was strong in,” explained Follesé. “The first time we got together I was like, ‘How long have we been playing together, again? It feels like forever.’”
Zak echoed his sentiment. “We have a lot of interests and hobbies in common as well. We are going to be on the road a bunch, so we’ll be playing a ton of golf!”
The duo is already turning heads, joining the ranks of artists like Luke Combs, Gabby Barrett, Parker McCollum and others as SiriusXM The Highway’s “Highway Finds,” and further breaking the mold by scoring a record deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville with just a few songs to their name. The pair had no social media presence, or any traction beyond what they had penned together, making their “old-fashioned” signing an increasingly impressive feat.
Pictured (L-R): Ryan Follesé, Rory John Zak & MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson
“That was huge for us. Music is the most important thing. You can build a following at any time, but to have a label like them say not to worry about it was really great,” shared Follesé.
Ryan and Rory treated the MusicRow team with several of these tracks including their buzzy single “Pour Decisions,” and unreleased tracks “Drunk And Lonely,” “This Town,” “Cowboy Cry” and “Thanks Mama.”
All six tracks on the upcoming project are co-written by Follesé, son of No. 1 songwriters Adrienne and Keith Follesé, and interwoven with Zak’s perfect-pitch harmonies and robust instrumentation.
Soon after the pair release their debut EP, they will hit the road opening back to back shows for Sam Hunt on Friday, Aug. 23 in Memphis, Tennessee at Radians Amphitheater and Saturday, Aug. 24 in Gary, Indiana at Hard Rock Live.