Jo Dee Messina has plotted the final leg of her “Heads Carolina, Tails California Tour.”

After a two-year run, including a celebratory six-date New England homecoming, Messina plans kick off the last round of dates at the Dam Jam Music Festival in Goddard, Kansas this Friday (July 19). She will visit cities across the U.S. and Canada before closing out the journey in Jackson, Michigan on Oct. 27. Tickets are available now. For more information, click here.

“The crowds, the energy…I’m so looking forward to bringing the fun and excitement to folks this fall,” says Messina.

The artist has consistently toured throughout 2023 and 2024, selling out shows coast-to-coast in addition to making various festivals appearances. She recently performed at the “Freedom Over Texas” event in Houston. 

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Gary Burr has penned a new book, Reunion, out now at all booksellers.

The novel, an imaginative story about a Beatles reunion, reached No. 1 in New Releases on Amazon just days before its official release.

In Reunion, a 1980 freak accident on a rainy Hawaiian street leaves a young man dead. His name? Mark David Chapman. 18 years later, Paul McCartney decides to throw a concert honoring his late wife and proposes a Beatles reunion. McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon must navigate old grievances to decide if they can come together once more. The heartfelt rock and roll fairy tale explores the ultimate “what if” for Beatles fans and promises to be a timeless tale for all music lovers, offering a unique blend of nostalgia, humor and heart.

“Reunion is a labor of love, blending my passion for music with the timeless legacy of the Beatles. I can’t wait for readers to dive back into Beatlemania and live in the world I’ve crafted,” says Burr.

With 14 chart-topping hits, Burr has had cuts with Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks and Kelly Clarkson. Named Songwriter of the Year by Billboard, ASCAP and NSAI, he has also been the lead singer of Pure Prairie League, toured with Carole King, co-founded Blue Sky Riders with Kenny Loggins and collaborated on 10 albums with Starr.

Kashus Culpepper has signed a global publishing deal with Big Loud Publishing and Warner Chappell Music.

Raised in Alabama, Culpepper encapsulates the southern sound. His husky, sandpaper growl roars over self-written songs that are raw and real. He grew up singing in church starting at five years old, and in 2020, the singer-songwriter picked up a guitar and started playing covers in Rota, Spain during his deployment in the Navy. After coming back to the U.S., Culpepper played dive bars across the south before landing his first record deal with Big Loud Records. Culpepper released his debut single “After Me?” in June.

Now booked by CAA, Culpepper has played sold out headline club shows, and has shared the stage with Charles Wesley Godwin, Charley Crockett and Needtobreathe. He will be releasing his brand new single “Who Hurt You” this Friday (July 19). The tune originally caught the attention of his social media followers, which led the singer to perform the song for RadioWV last November, captivating country and Americana fans across the country.

“We are beyond excited to be working with Kashus,” says Warner Chappell Manager, A&R, Benji Amaefule. “He is one-of-one, and his stories have an ability to resonate with a wide demographic. His soulful take on country already is connecting with his audience and will continue to reach fans around the country and the world.”

“Anyone who’s heard Kashus sing knows why we had to have him on the label, but his songwriting was just as big of a draw as his voice,” shares Big Loud Records SVP of A&R, Sara Knabe. “It’s raw, it’s real, it’s lived in, it’s emotional, it has so much soul. He’s writing songs that will stand the test of time and we’re all here for it!”

Country artist Mae Estes has renewed her worldwide publishing deal with Kobalt.

She got her start at age seven, singing the national anthem at a rodeo in her home state of Arkansas. After making her way to Music City, Estes began releasing music in 2019, and inked her first publishing deal with Plaid Flag Music and Kobalt a year later.

Her tune “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Cheatin'” marked her first CMT video feature in 2022, and became the first single from her debut EP, Before The Record, last year. Also in 2023, Estes took home her third consecutive Arkansas Country Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year, and signed a global record deal with Big Machine Records. With more than 13 million streams across all digital streaming and social platforms, she is currently working on new music while touring with Jamey Johnson, Dierks Bentley and Lainey Wilson.

“Mae is one of the most exciting new artists to come onto the scene in a very long time,” says Stephanie Cox, General Manager/Senior Vice President of Creative, Kobalt Nashville. “She’s such an authentic songwriter and an important new voice in country music. We’re so happy that Kobalt will remain her home for this exciting new phase of her career.”

“From the very first moment I heard Mae’s voice to the moment I realized what an incredible human she was—I knew Stephanie Cox was the perfect partner and teammate for Mae,” notes Kendall Warren, Estes’ longtime manager. “We are lucky to have Stephanie leading the charge with Mae’s publishing—Stephanie is the best in the business.”

“When I first got to Nashville, I learned quickly that it was important to find my champions in the music industry, and I’m unbelievably grateful to have done just that in partnering with Kendall Warren and Stephanie Cox,” shares Estes. “Kendall and I have so much respect and appreciation for Stephanie and the rest of the incredible Kobalt team. I’m ecstatic to be able to continue to create honest country music I believe in surrounded by some of the best professionals (and humans in general) that Music City has to offer.”

CAA has signed Tyler Braden.

After breaking ground with his Warner Music Nashville debut EP, Neon Grave, containing SiriusXM The Highway’s No. 1 hit “Try Losing One,” Braden is currently making waves with viral track “Devil You Know.” The tune has garnered more than 10 million views across social media in just two weeks, and now boasts over 60 million streams and over 45,000 uses on TikTok.

The rising hit adds to Braden’s 385+ million global streams. Taking his music to stages around the world, the singer-songwriter recently wrapped his first-ever headlining tour, which included five sold-out dates, and will join Brothers Osborne on their “Might As Well Be Us World Tour” in January.

“From day one, we’ve known Tyler is a standout talent. Throughout the last year in particular, we’ve seen him skyrocket, connecting with fans all around the globe who are drawn to his incredible sound. We are thrilled to partner with CAA to capitalize on this momentum and take his career to the next level,” shares Bruce Kalmick, Founder & CEO of WHY&HOW, Braden’s management home.