Track45 Shares What They ‘Grew Up On’ Through New EP

Country music sibling trio Track45 has released their new EP Grew Up On via BBR Music Group/Stoney Creek Records.

Made up of Ben, Jenna and KK Johnson, the group shares memories of their upbringing while exploring young heartbreak, valuable life lessons and more on the six-track project. They produced the entire collection and co-wrote the majority of the songs alongside Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley, Jonathan Singleton and Taylor Phillips, among others.

“We recorded this collection of songs as we were saying goodbye to many relationships in our lives,” says Track45. “We always want to be honest about the highs and the lows of life and we hope you can hear that in the music. There are some breakup anthems, nostalgic retrospections and some feel good songs mixed in. It’s a journal of us celebrating the experiences and people that have made us who we are and closing the chapter on situations that weren’t right anymore.”

The opening track “Drinkin’ And Thinkin'” finds the band reminiscing on a lost love, while the title track opens a time capsule of memories from their youth and reflects on the traditions that made them who they are today. They put their witty songwriting on display with “Hate Me” and “Last Man In Tennessee.” Grew Up On also includes “PCH,” an ode to a vacation fling and the final track “Family,” a country version of a song the siblings originally wrote for David Guetta that featured Bebe Rexha, Ty Dolla $ign and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, which ends with a message of gratitude for bonds that transcend blood.

Grew Up On Track Listing:
1. “Drinkin’ And Thinkin'”
2. “Grew Up On”
3. “Last Man In Tennessee”
4. “Hate Me”
5. “PCH”
6. “Family”

Ryan Griffin Takes Fans Through The ‘Phases’ Of Love With New EP

Red Street Records flagship artist Ryan Griffin has released his EP Phases after the social media buzz around his current single “Heart to Break.” The EP brings a smooth summer vibe to country and pop listeners.

Griffin describes the inspiration behind the project sharing “We’ve all got our own soundtrack to life as we go through ‘phases’ – we find love, we break up, we heal, we try again – till we find the one that makes us stop looking. I can’t wait for y’all to hear those songs! I hope it’s playing in the background through all the ‘phases’ of your life!”

Produced by Red Street Records CEO Jay DeMarcus alongside Sam Ellis, Jason Massey and Jesse Frasure, the five-track collection tells the story of finding love, with each song representing the different phases of the journey as they move through the stages of heartbreak to finding true love worth living for.

Phases opens with an unreleased track “Been Missing You” followed by “Heart to Break,” “What I Love For,” “God Made Fridays” and closes with the brand new “If All I Ever Do.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of Ryan and this music that we’ve made. It was truly a pleasure to work with such a wonderfully gifted singer and songwriter,” shares DeMarcus. “I loved the chance to get to work with Sam Ellis as well- someone I’ve been a fan of for a long time. What a pleasure to produce this project with him, and I hope people will hear this EP and come to appreciate Ryan for the world-class artist that he is.”

On The Row: Erin Kinsey Belts Her Heart Out To Reach Her Lifelong Dream

Texas-born Erin Kinsey showed up at the MusicRow Magazine office recently with the prowess of a seasoned professional. Although the 22-year-old, multi-instrumentalist is newer to Nashville, she has devoted half of her life thus far to preparing for the country music limelight.

Her parents, though not musically inclined themselves, were overflowing with love and support for their daughter, signing her up for voice lessons over Skype and guitar lessons with a rock guitarist in Dallas.

Kinsey left her hometown of Rockwall, Texas the day after she graduated high school to fulfill a dream years in the making. Hitting the road soundtracked by one of her favorite songwriter Josh Kerr’s hits, her travels over Interstate 40 East inspired her, eventually lending its name to her debut EP, 40 East.

As she arrived in Nashville, she began growing her network and connecting with writers. By the time of her sophomore project, she was writing with Kerr, the very artist whose voice she echoed on her drive. He also produced some tracks on her recently released Bet My Heart EP.

Kinsey performed the best of Bet My Heart while visiting the MusicRow Magazine office, including the hit track “Boys In Boots.” Released during a cold January, this sunny country anthem has found big success. The track has resonated across the nation as a snappy, ear-tingling love song. It has also taken on a new meaning to some fans.

“‘Boots’ has turned into people talking about combat boots or their [partners] that are in the military. It has grown to mean so much more to so many more people,” Kinsey explained, beaming as she reminisced on the song’s success.

Kinsey pens heartfelt songs with stories full of her own life’s intricate details—she wrote “Boys In Boots” alongside Jordan Minton and Travis Wood. At first, she worried that her fans may not connect to the references to the Wrangles or cowboy boots in the song, but her fanbase put their own fairytale spins on it and kept singing their hearts out.

“You always hope that’s always what a song does—that it gets way out of control and way out of your hands—so it’s cool that this one has done that. It has been crazy. It really gained a life when we started playing it live.”

Kinsey worked with Kerr, Micah Carpenter and Sara Davis to write another track on Bet My Heart, “Stayed a Summer.” The relatable tune is about a summer love turned sour.

“It’s about a relationship that I was in, unfortunately, that was years long instead of being a really fun three months for everybody,” she muses. “At least I got a song out of it. Hopefully, you can’t relate at all but if you can, so can I.”

Kinsey says, “This is one was something that I really connected to. I started posting about it a little bit and I couldn’t believe how other people had connected to it.”

Kinsey also performed an acoustic yet high-energy rendition of her rock-inspired “Just Drive.” When writing the heavy-hitting crowd favorite with Josh Ronen and Michael August, the collaborators pulled inspiration from her childhood favorites Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and Paramore, putting heavy guitar riffs and rock motifs throughout. Kinsey celebrates this song as the one that changed her life.

Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Liza Anderson and LB Cantrell; Erin Kinsey; MusicRow’s Caela Griffin and Steven Boero

“I had not been posting on TikTok a ton at the time,” she remembers. “I was trying to be rebellious and different and not do it. I learned there’s a reason why everyone does and it’s silly not to.”

Kinsey’s audience on the platform is now around a quarter million followers, tuning in to hear sneak peaks of her latest projects. “Just Drive” was featured on SiriusXM The Highway’s On The Horizon earlier this spring.

Though the social media success has been a great asset to Kinsey’s career, leading to her signing at RECORDS Nashville, nothing has topped performing live. At the NASCAR Awards and Champion Celebration last December, she opened her high energy set with “Just Drive,” in a move she admits was a little on the nose for the racing event. Donning a black leather jumpsuit and putting her best guitar riffs on display, she rocked out with her fans to fully embrace the moment.

Now, the song has passed 37 million streams and Kinsey has been celebrating all summer. She is bringing her experience on the road back to Nashville writing rooms, as her live shows are the way she sees the response to her music firsthand.

With her music, Kinsey is leaving everything on the line, which inspired the title of Bet My Heart. “Every song on the project is about a time where I bet my heart and it was either a very good thing or a very bad thing. I couldn’t come up with anything that felt like it represented it better,” she says.

Her performance of her music proved this—Kinsey does not hold back when she is belting her heart out with skill and soul.

Stephen Wilson Jr. Pays Tribute To His Dad On New Double Album

Stephen Wilson Jr. will release his debut double album, Søn Of Dad, Sept. 15 via Big Loud Records.

Wilson has shared two new tracks from the upcoming project, “Mighty Beast” and “All The Wars From Now On,” a jangly ode to Wilson’s elders. The album announcement follows the release of “Father’s Søn,” a moving tribute from to his late father.

“’All The Wars From Now On,’ was written for my late grandfather, a Korean War veteran who had his share of scars from the conflict,” Wilson shares. “The origin of the song came from watching a few war veterans at a diner in my hometown go about just like my grandfather once did one random morning. I couldn’t help but see him in their jovial conversations, and the thought hit me that the world would be a peaceful place if men like these were fighting all the wars. I knew he would see the honesty and humor in that scenario and enjoy the Norman Rockwell-ion approach to painting this song.”

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Søn Of Dad features six songs from Wilson’s Bon Aqua EP along with new tracks. At its core, the album, which was co-produced by Wilson and Benjamin West, is a tribute to Stephen Wilson Sr., Wilson’s father who trained him as a boxer from the age of five and was himself a two-time Indiana State Golden Gloves Champion. Informed by Wilson’s diverse background as a boxer, a scientist (he has a degree in microbiology and chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University) and a songwriter, the album is a high-energy rock and roll journey that will be released exactly five years to the day his father died.

“Writing and making this album has been very therapeutic for me to learn who I am and what my existence looks like after my father. Because life has to go on,” Wilson says. “I’m living my own life, but it’s like his death bookended what life he should have had onto mine and I’m carrying it around like a train car.

The new LP comes on the heels of Wilson’s Grand Ole Opry and Stagecoach debuts and dates with The Lone Bellow, Drake White and Charley Crockett. Still to come this year are shows with 49 Winchester, Joss Stone and Larry Fleet, and he’ll also make his Red Rocks debut supporting Midland on Oct. 14.

Søn Of Dad Tracklist
1. The Devil (Stephen Wilson Jr.)
2. Cuckoo (Stephen Wilson Jr., Travis Meadows, Jeffrey Steele)
3. Billy (Stephen Wilson Jr.)
4. Patches (Stephen Wilson Jr., Jeffrey Steele)
5. American Gothic (feat. Hailey Whitters) (Stephen Wilson Jr., Benjamin West, Hailey Whitters)
6. Werewolf (Stephen Wilson Jr., Bryan Simpson)
7. Mighty Beast (Stephen Wilson Jr., Ryan Necci)
8. Year to Be Young 1994 (Stephen Wilson Jr., Benjamin West)
9. Twisted (Stephen Wilson Jr., Jeremy Spillman, Connor Thuotte)
10. Father’s Son (Stephen Wilson Jr., Josh Kerr, Nick Wayne)
11. Grief Is Only Love (Stephen Wilson Jr., Jeffrey Steele)
12. Hang in There (Stephen Wilson Jr.)
13. Calico Creek (Stephen Wilson Jr., Jesse Murphy, Michael Wilkes)
14. Holler from the Holler (Stephen Wilson Jr., Craig Wiseman)
15. Hometown (Stephen Wilson Jr., Marv Green, Tony Lane)
16. Not Letting Go (Stephen Wilson Jr., Andrew DeRoberts)
17. For What It’s Worth (Stephen Wilson Jr., Benjamin West)
18. All the Wars from Now On (Stephen Wilson Jr.)
19. Kid (Stephen Wilson Jr., Lori McKenna, Benjamin West)
20. Henry (Stephen Wilson Jr., Tony Lane)
21. You (Stephen Wilson Jr., Bryan Simpson)
22. The Beginning (Stephen Wilson Jr.)

Josh Ross Leads CCMA Awards Nominations With Six Nods

Pictured (clockwise): Josh Ross, Tenille Townes, Dallas Smith, The Reklaws

Josh Ross leads this year’s Canadian Country Music Association Awards nominations with six nods, while The Reklaws, Dallas Smith and Tenille Townes follow with five nominations each.

Returning to Hamilton for the seventh time, the 2023 CCMA Awards presented by TD showcases and celebrates some of Canada’s biggest stars and homegrown talent. Winners will be announced on Sept. 16 as the awards are broadcast live from Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre exclusively on CTV, CTV.ca and the CTV app.

Ross leads the pack with six nominations, including a nod for TD Aeroplan Visa Fans’ Choice Award, Male Artist of the Year, Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year, Songwriter(s) of the Year, Single of the Year and Video of the Year. Tenille Townes is nominated for TD Aeroplan Visa Fans’ Choice Award, Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Songwriter(s) of the Year and Video of the Year. The Reklaws are up for TD Aeroplan Visa Fans’ Choice Award, Album of the Year, Musical Collaboration of the Year, Single of the Year and Group or Duo of the Year. Smith is nominated for TD Aeroplan Visa Fans’ Choice Award, Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Musical Collaboration of the Year and Video of the Year.

Dean Brody, Jade Eagleson and Tim & The Glory Boys each garnered four nominations this year.

Townes, Smith, Eagleson, James Barker Band, Sam Hunt and rock band Train have been added to the star-studded list of performers set to take the stage at the 2023 CCMA Awards. They join the previously announced performers The Reklaws, Ross, Brody and Carly Pearce.

Chosen by country music lovers across Canada, the fan-driven TD Aeroplan Visa Fans’ Choice Award nominees were also announced today and include Brody, Eagleson, James Barker Band, Tim Hicks, High Valley, Brett Kissel, The Reklaws, Ross, Smith and Townes. Voting for the TD Aeroplan Visa Fans’ Choice Award is now open, and fans can vote online by visiting ccmafanvote.com or by using the appropriate hashtag on Twitter.

“This year’s group of 2023 CCMA Award nominees is a testament to the strength and quality of country music in Canada,” says Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “Returning to Hamilton, a city that has welcomed us so many times before, is truly exciting, and we can’t wait to celebrate with everyone during Canada’s biggest night in country music. None of this would be possible without the commitment of our wonderful sponsors—Bell Media, TD Bank Group (TD), TD Aeroplan Visa, and SiriusXM. Your support is invaluable, and we wouldn’t be able to honour the achievements of our country music community without it.”

Dan + Shay Return With New Album ‘Bigger Houses’ Set For Fall

Dan + Shay are gearing up for a new era with their upcoming album, Bigger Houses. The project was co-produced by the duo’s Dan Smyers and will release Sept. 15 via Warner Music Nashville.

The leadoff single “Save Me The Trouble” is the first offering from the new project, which was created following a turbulent few years that was kept private until the recent surprise release of The Drive, a revelatory short film in which Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney offer up a soul-baring recap of the struggles and triumphs they faced privately behind closed doors.

YouTube video

“Save Me The Trouble” showcases a more live, stripped-down feel for the duo. “I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of a song that I am this one,” says Smyers. “We wanted to have something that was a real moment, and when we started writing this, it felt like it could be something big. I wanted every section to build, and even in the second chorus, when you’re like, ‘Okay, there’s no way it could possibly get any crazier,’ then Shay takes off even further.”

The duo also released two more new songs from Bigger Houses, “Heartbreak On The Map” and title track “Bigger Houses”—along with videos for all three.

“Some of our records have been more pop- or hip-hop/R&B-infused,” Smyers shares, “But on this record, I wanted to make tracks that we could hop up at any bar anywhere with our live band and play the songs as they were recorded. Ultimately, this music, this whole album, is something that I’ll be able to look back on in a decade or two and be really proud of the way it turned out.”

Dan + Shay will be sharing a couple of the new tracks live next Friday (July 21) as part of this summer’s Citi Concert Series on Today. They were also recently announced as coaches for season 25 of NBC’s The Voice, and will join Reba McEntire, John Legend and Chance the Rapper in Spring 2024 as the first-ever coaching duo in the show’s history.

In the 10 years since they formed, Dan + Shay have garnered more than 11 billion career streams globally, multiple international No. 1s, and 49 Platinum and Gold certifications in the U.S. alone.

Bigger Houses Track Listing:
1. “Breakin’ Up With a Broken Heart” – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley
2. “Save Me The Trouble” – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Ashley Gorley, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds
3. “Heartbreak On The Map” – Dan Smyers, Jimmy Robbins, Ernest Keith Smith
4. “Always Gonna Be” – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Ashley Gorley, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds
5. “For The Both of Us” – Dan Smyers, Andy Albert, Jordan Reynolds
6. “Then Again” – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Andy Albert, Lori McKenna, Jordan Reynolds
7. “Heaven + Back” – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Matt Dragstrem, Josh Thompson
8. “What Took You So Long” – Dan Smyers, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds, Jimmy Robbins
9. “Missing Someone” – Trannie Anderson, Adam Doleac, Dylan Guthro, Gordie Sampson
10. “We Should Get Married” – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Andy Albert
11. “Neon Cowgirl” – Dan Smyers, Shay Mooney, Zach Crowell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Ashley Gorley
12. “Bigger Houses” – Dan Smyers, Andy Albert, Jordan Minton, Jordan Reynolds

Carly Pearce To Sing National Anthem At Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

Carly Pearce. Photo: Allister Ann

Grammy Award-winning songwriter Carly Pearce is slated to sing the National Anthem at the third annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix NTT IndyCar Series race on Sunday, Aug. 6 in Nashville. Pearce will perform her stunning rendition of the National Anthem LIVE at 11:11am CST prior to the race.

The announcement comes at an exciting time for the Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) artist who recently released her acclaimed new single “We Don’t Fight Anymore” featuring Chris Stapleton. Pearce was one of the headlining acts at the 2022 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix alongside BMLG artist Brantley Gilbert.

This year, the grand prix will feature performances from Brian Kelley, Chris Janson, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe, Gavin DeGraw, Flo Rida, Jay DeMarcus, Jason Crabb, Consumed By Fire, Cade Thompson, Iveth Luna and Tim Dugger.

Tickets for the Big Machine MCGP are still available including three-day tickets and premium packages, providing the greatest value and access to all on-track activities featuring the NTT IndyCar Series and concerts each night.

Brothers Osborne Slate New Self-Titled Album For September

Brothers Osborne

Brothers Osborne are gearing up for the release of their upcoming fourth studio album, an 11-song self-titled project available Sept. 15 via EMI Records Nashville. The duo shared a track from the new project, “Sun Ain’t Even Gone Down Yet,” today.

The brothers enlisted Mike Elizondo to produce the new collection, which features a collaboration with Miranda Lambert on “We Ain’t Good at Breaking Up,” as well as their chart-climbing current single “Nobody’s Nobody,” which was penned with Elizondo and Kendell Marvel and captures a message of inclusion and acceptance.

YouTube video

“We’ve always had a lot of mystery intentionally around the things we have done, but with this album, we decided to be all in,” says TJ Osborne. “And doing that reminded me of what it was like when I first started playing music, when it was an outlet for my angst or just a way to have fun.”

John Osborne adds, “Since our last record, we’ve been very forthcoming with who we are. By acknowledging TJ’s personal life and my mental health struggles, we are more ourselves creatively and publicly than we’ve ever been.”

Brothers Osborne will celebrate the album release with four newly-announced shows in October, performing in New York City, L.A., Washington D.C. and Nashville. Tickets for New York and Los Angeles are on sale now, and tickets for Washington D.C. and Nashville will be available to The Family, the Brothers Osborne fan club, as an exclusive presale on July 18. General on-sale will begin on Friday, July 21.

Brothers Osborne Track Listing:
1. “Who Says You Can’t Have Everything” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Casey Beathard)
2. “Nobody’s Nobody” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Mike Elizondo, Kendell Marvel)
3. “Might As Well Be Me” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Corey Crowder, Julian Bunetta)
4. “Sun Ain’t Even Gone Down Yet” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Corey Crowder)
5. “Goodbye’s Kickin’ In” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Lee Miller, Mike Elizondo)
6. “Love You Too” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Jessie Jo Dillon, Jesse Frasure)
7. “New Bad Habit” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Lee Miller)
8. “We Ain’t Good At Breaking Up” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Jesse Frasure, Miranda Lambert)
9. “Back Home” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Lee Miller)
10. “Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Jaren Johnston, Lee Miller)
11. “Rollercoaster (Forever And A Day)” (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Jamie Hartman)

Kane Brown Tops The MusicRow Radio Chart With ‘Bury Me In Georgia’

Kane Brown‘s “Bury Me In Georgia” is at No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this week.

Brown co-wrote the anthemic hit with Matt McGinn, Jordan Schmidt and Josh Hoge. It appears on his third studio album, Different Man, which also contains hits “Like I Love Country Music,” “One Mississippi” and “Thank God” with Katelyn Brown.

“Bury Me In Georgia” currently sits at No. 9 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 10 on the Mediabase chart.

Brown recently headlined Boston’s Fenway Park, becoming the first Black artist to headline the historic ball park solo.

Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.

Olivia Lane Gets Morning Show On SiriusXM’s The Message [Exclusive]

Olivia Lane

Singer-songwriter and TikTok star Olivia Lane will be joining SiriusXM as the host of The Olivia Lane Show on the Contemporary Christian channel, The Message.

The Nashville-based artist is known for documenting her transformation from a non-believer to a faithful follower and has a string of viral TikTok posts discussing her story.

The Olivia Lane Show will air Monday through Friday starting July 17 from 5 a.m.-11 a.m. CT on The Message (Channel 63) and anytime on the SXM App. Throughout the show, Lane plans to share songs and stories of encouragement along with the faith, hope and music, as it relates to her own journey that began five years ago.

The Message was the first to break her song “Woman at the Well,” and followed with heavy on-air rotation of the tune. Lane was also named as the channel’s One to Watch in 2022.