John Prine. Photo: Rett Rogers

The John Prine Family & The Hello In There Foundation have revealed a new slate of events, collaborations and tributes across Prine’s hometown of Chicago October 7-11 in celebration of his 80th birthday.

The celebrations include multiple screenings of the concert documentary How Lucky Can One Man Get (filmed in 2010 at Prine’s hometown high school gym), a panel discussion of Prine’s contribution to the Chicago folk scene at the Chicago History Museum, the unveiling of a mural of Prine by the artist Jon Langford followed by an all-day celebration at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and a celebration of Prine’s life in the village of Maywood, Illinois, where he grew up and attended high school.

New additions have also been announced for the lineup for “Souvenirs: 80 Years of John Prine,” a concert celebration of Prine’s life and legacy taking place on Oct. 8 at The Chicago Theatre. The sold-out show will feature a community of artists performing their favorite Prine songs, and newly announced performers include Nathaniel Rateliff, Valerie June, Alejandro Escovedo, Hayes Carll, Jordan Davis, Jonas Friddle and John’s brother Billy Prine.

The show will feature host and performer John C. Reilly, Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff, Amos Lee, Andrew Sa, Briscoe, Jon Langford, Josh Ritter, Joy Oladokun, Kathleen Edwards, Margo Price, Noeline Hofmann, Ratboys, Shemekia Copeland, Steve Earle, Sullivan Sisters and The Cactus Blossoms for an evening of song and celebration. All proceeds will benefit The Hello In There Foundation, which has provided $1.4 million in community grants to more than 100 charitable organizations since its establishment in 2021.

Wednesday, October 7 – Celebratory Kick Off Event

Venue and timing to be announced in August.

Wednesday, October 7 – How Lucky Can One Man Get Film Screening
Venue: Gene Siskel Film Center
Time: 8:15PM
Description: The Prine Family will present a special screening of How Lucky Can One Man Get, a concert documentary directed by Jim Shea that features previously unreleased footage from John Prine’s May 2010 benefit concert at his hometown high school, along with reminiscences and storytelling about his time growing up in Maywood, Illinois. Tickets will be on-sale on September 7, 2026.

Thursday, October 8 – Souvenirs: 80 Years of John Prine Tribute Concert
Venue: Chicago Theatre
Time: 7:30PM
Description: Commemorating John Prine’s life and legacy, this concert will pay tribute to an immortal body of work that has inspired, comforted and connected generations. Hosted by John C. Reilly, with proceeds benefiting The Hello in There Foundation’s ongoing grantmaking in John Prine’s memory, the night will feature performances from a community of artists playing their favorite Prine songs, all backed by John’s longtime band.

Friday, October 9 – “John Prine’s Chicago” Panel Discussion
Venue: Chicago History Museum
Time: 1PM
Description: John Prine was born in 1946 in Maywood, a blue collar suburb of Chicago. Twenty-four years later he was writing songs and performing. Where did those songs come from? How did Chicago during that time period impact the character of his music? A conversation will look at the social upheaval in Chicago at the time and, more specifically, the streets, schools, teachers, events, and community of songwriters he knew so intimately and that would both shape his perspective and nurture his songwriting throughout his life.
Ticket Link: HERE

Friday, October 9 – How Lucky Can One Man Get Film Screening
Venue: Gene Siskel Film Center
Time: 6PM and 8:30PM
Description: The Prine Family will present a special screening of How Lucky Can One Man Get, a concert documentary directed by Jim Shea that features previously unreleased footage from John Prine’s May 2010 benefit concert at his hometown high school, along with reminiscences and storytelling about his time growing up in Maywood, Illinois. Tickets will be on-sale on September 7, 2026. Producers Fiona Whelan Prine and John Anderson will appear for an in-person Q&A following the 6 PM screening.

Saturday, October 10 – John Prine Mural Dedication & Local Music Revue
Venue: Old Town School of Folk Music
Time: All Day
Description: Artist Jon Langford will unveil a mural honoring John Prine at the Old Town School, the institution central to John’s early development and Chicago’s folk music community. The dedication will be followed by a day of celebrations for John, featuring Chicago artists and songwriters, grounding the celebration in the scene that shaped John’s voice. A full schedule of events can be found below.

10:30 am – The Magic of the Sublime: John Prine’s Songwriting – Maurer Hall
Join Old Town School of Folk Music songwriting faculty to peek under the hood of John Prine’s songwriting. Teachers will break down some of John’s songs to explore insights into John’s lyrical style, talk about what makes his songs work so well, and even provide burgeoning songwriters with some take-aways to apply to their own craft. While John’s songs seem so natural and have an effortless quality, their timeless appeal comes from the elegance of the craftsmanship and artistry behind the songwriting.

12:00 pm – John Prine Mural Dedication – Daily Bar and Grill Patio
Through support from The Hello in There Foundation and the Illinois Art Council, the Old Town School commissioned artist and musician, Jon Langford to create a work of John Prine, sitting with his guitar, that was recently installed in mural form on the north side of the Old Town School’s West building.

1:00 pm – Enjoy John’s favorite Chicago cuisine – Daily Bar and Grill Patio
Enjoy some of John’s Chicago favorites including Italian Beef and Hot Dogs provided by Nicky V’s. Stop by the Old Town School cafe and purchase a special brew crafted by Hop Butcher for the World in honor of John’s 80th birthday.

2:30 pm – Pretty Good, Not Bad John Prine Sing-a-long – Maurer Hall
Fans are invited to gather in Maurer Hall for an afternoon of sharing John’s music together led by Old Town School teachers and Chicago musicians.

6:00 pm – Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You: The Old Town School and Chicago’s Musical Tribute to John Prine
Fans can continue to soak in the joy and genius of John’s music just a 4-minute walk from the Old Town School at the American Legion, Tattler Post 973, located at the corner of Montrose and Western Ave. The day will end with a musical tribute to John where Old Town School and Chicago musicians are invited to celebrate through song, backed by the Hoyle Brothers.

Ticket Links: HERE

Sunday, October 11 – Maywood, IL Town-Wide John Prine Celebration
Venue: Village of Maywood
Time 10 AM
Description: Maywood, Illinois will host a morning of celebration honoring John Prine in the village where he grew up, to share the streets and neighborhood that shaped his earliest songs. The day will include trolley tours through Maywood’s Prine landmarks, paired with self-guided walking tours for those who want to wander at their own pace. A community volunteer event will follow, offering visitors a chance to give back to the village that raised him.
Ticket Link: HERE

Steve Earle, Ashley McBryde and Chris Stapleton

Steve Earle, Ashley McBryde and Chris Stapleton are among the first set of performers confirmed for the upcoming 9th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards on Sept. 22 at the Ryman Auditorium.

Produced by The Nashville Songwriters Association International with presenting partner City National Bank, the event will feature special performances from over a dozen songwriters, who will perform and celebrate their peers at the celebration. Additional performers for this year’s lineup include Dan Alley, Ryan Beaver, Jacob Davis, Ray Fulcher, Ben Johnson, Chris LaCorte, Chase McGill, Neil Medley, Josh Miller, Blake Pendergrass, Hunter Phelps, Bobby Pinson, Jeremy Stover, Lydia Vaughan and Jordan Walker.

Performances will center around industry honorees, songs celebrated by peers as ones they “wish they had written,” and writers who have achieved top chart performance throughout the past year. Previously announced honorees are Vince Gill (Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award), Paul Williams (NSAI President’s Keystone Award), Pendergrass (Songwriter of the Year) and Riley Green (Songwriter-Artist of the Year).

The ‘Song of the Year’, ’10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ awards, and the ‘Legendary Song’ award honors will be concealed until night-of, revealed through stories and performances from the stage. Tickets for the ceremony will be available for purchase beginning tomorrow (July 17).

Photo: Lauren Rearick for BMI

BMI held the latest installment of its Rooftop On The Row series on Tuesday night (July 14), emceed by Mason Hunter.

DJ Smoke warmed up the crowd for Warner Records Nashville artist Chase Matthew, who took the stage with “County Line,” “Holdin’ It Down” and “Love You Again.” The Nashville native closed his set with his current top 15 radio duet “All My Exes” and his debut chart-topper, “Darlin’.”

Drew Baldridge followed, performing “Diesel & Dirt” and “Maker’s Mark” which both are featured on his upcoming album FARM FAITH FAMILY, out Sept. 18th. He captivated the crowd with his top 10 hit “Tough People” and wrapped the evening with his Platinum–certified No. 1 hit “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” which made him the highest-charting independent artist in Billboard Country Airplay history.

BMI’s Rooftop On The Row series continues with Pynk Beard and Bryan Martin on Aug. 18. The final event on Sept. 15 will serve as the official kickoff to AMERICANAFEST, with performers to be announced in the coming weeks.

Photo: Lauren Rearick for BMI

Photo: Lauren Rearick for BMI

Photo: Lauren Rearick for BMI

Photo: Lauren Rearick for BMI

Ashley Cooke has unveiled the track list to her self-titled sophomore album, due Aug. 14 via Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music.

Written as she processed a number of formative life experiences, the album explores the complicated emotions that come with love, personal growth and self-discovery. She will preview the album with two new tracks, “famous to frances” and “johnny ’n june,” on July 24.

Cooke wrote all 15 tracks alongside Liz Rose, Kyle Sturrock, Ashley Gorley, Emily Weisband, Lauren Hungate, Will Weatherly, Joe Fox and more. Produced by Dann Huff, the project features her current radio single “baby blues,” which ranked among the format’s most-added singles on Mediabase after impacting radio on June 22, as well as “excuses” and “the hell you are” from her 2025 release, ace. Pop singer-songwriter JP Saxe joins Cooke on “man behind the glass.”

Matt Leddo

She revealed the tracklist on social media with a custom jean jacket featuring embroidered patches inspired by the album. Each patch is stitched with hidden references to the LP, including gold stars, a glass of wine, silhouettes of California and Florida, a hotel key tag, an acoustic guitar, a journal and pen, the astrological symbol for Gemini and more.

Cooke will launch her new 28-date “baby blues world tour” beginning Sept. 17 in Cleveland, Ohio, with additional dates in Boston, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Sacramento, Fort Worth and more. The tour concludes in February with a stop at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

ashley cooke Track List:
1. “if i’m being honest” (Ashley Cooke, Johnny Clawson, Kyle Sturrock) ^
2. “high school sweetheart” (Ashley Cooke, Boy Matthews, Cleo Tighe, Lauren Hungate, AFTERHRS) *
3. “baby blues” (Ashley Cooke, Johnny Clawson, Joe Fox, Kyle Sturrock, Seth Ennis)*
4. “famous to frances” (Ashley Cooke, Johnny Clawson, Kyle Sturrock) *
5. “johnny ‘n june” (Ashley Cooke, Lauren Hungate, Emily Weisband, Will Weatherly) *
6. “excuses” (Ashley Cooke, Johnny Clawson, Kyle Sturrock) *
7. “dance around it” (Ashley Cooke, Jacob Durrett, Trevor Rosen, Emily Weisband) #
8. “sleepless in seattle” (Ashley Cooke, Lauren Hungate, Matt Roy, Johnny Clawson) *
9. “man behind the glass (feat. JP Saxe)” (Ashley Cooke, JP Saxe, Emily Weisband, Scott Krueger) + ♡
10. “i’m up and i’m down” (Ashley Cooke, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds, Mark Trussell) *
11. “the hell you are” (Ashley Cooke, Chase McGill, Emily Weisband, Seth Ennis, Joe Fox) *
12. “between the lines” (Ashley Cooke, Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, Liz Rose) *
13. “xs” (Ashley Cooke, Ashley Gorley, Emily Weisband, Will Weatherly) *
14. “when we’re 30” (Ashley Cooke, Will Weatherly, Kyle Sturrock) *
15. “the girl who cried wolf” (Ashley Cooke, Emily Weisband, Lauren Hungate, Joe Fox) ~ ♡
Produced by Dann Huff *
Produced by Will Weatherly ^
Produced by Jacob Durrett #
Produced by Joe Fox ~
Produced by Spacecamp +
Produced by Ashley Cooke ♡

The Mavericks. Photo: Michael Weintrob

The Mavericks’ 2nd annual “Dance The Night Away: A Musical Celebration Honoring Raul Malo” will take place Dec. 4-5 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

The two-night celebration came to fruition last year when a battle with cancer took Mavericks frontman Malo off the road, and the band rallied to fill his final hours on earth with song and celebration. Special guests for the shows, which will serve to celebrate the life, music and legacy of The Mavericks’ fearless leader, will be announced soon.

“I’m so thrilled to be coming back to the Ryman Auditorium again this year to celebrate and honor our dear brother Raul Malo,” says guitarist/vocalist Eddie Perez. “These Mavericks & Friends shows are amongst the most profound and special shows that we do all year and I’m really looking forward to the dates! It’s going to be a big beautiful weekend at the Mother Church!”

“Dance The Night Away” will cap off a year spent celebrating Malo’s legacy with “The Mavericks & Friends,” a nationwide tour combining a unique version of The Mavericks’ past and present lineups with rotating guest vocalists. Featuring Paul Deakin, Robert Reynolds, Eddie Perez, and Jerry Dale McFadden, the tour kicks off this week with guest vocalists James Otto and Emily West and will include stops in Kansas City, Durham, Charleston, Austin, Fort Lauderdale and many more. The ever-evolving live show will showcase the band’s catalog, while saluting Raul Malo’s once-in-a-generation impact and kickstarting a new chapter of The Mavericks’ unfolding story.