Rendy Lovelady. Photo: Mike Fender
Gulf Coast Jam Co-Founder Rendy Lovelady has built a career as a manager, concert producer and entrepreneur, helping shape the careers of artists across multiple genres. He spent 13 years working on the road with artists including Fleetwood Mac, Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Michael Sweet and Stryper, gaining firsthand insight into the demands of touring and the music business.
As a manager, Lovelady represented artists including Dino, Carmen, Jars of Clay, Danny Gokey, Marty Stuart, Michael O’Brien, Shelly Fairchild, Love & Theft, Justifide, FLOORD and The Kicks. He was also instrumental in discovering and developing Grammy-winning country group Little Big Town.
Lovelady later expanded into concert and festival production, producing Tennessee River Run and founding festivals including BamaJam, Gulf Coast Jam, SandJam and SpringJam. Now in its 14th year, Gulf Coast Jam has grown into one of the Southeast’s largest country music festivals. The event has earned recognition from Billboard, People and Music Festival Wizard, while its 2023 and 2024 editions sold out ahead of the festival dates.
He has also supported voter registration efforts through Rock the Vote and his 2002 Love Your Country, Vote campaign. His commitment to the military is reflected through Gulf Coast Jam’s annual military initiatives and enlistment ceremonies. In recognition of his support, Tyndall Air Force Base named him Honorary Commander of the 601st Air Operations Center.
Lovelady earned his undergraduate degree from Mississippi College and a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and lived there through high school.
Tell me a little bit about your upbringing.
My father was a Southern Baptist minister, and my mother worked for South Central Bell. I was raised a preacher’s kid and basically ate, drank and slept football, thinking that was going to be my life’s calling. I also used to play drums in a local rock band in New Orleans.
When I was a kid, I went to work for Messina Presents in New Orleans. I swept floors and pulled cables and did whatever the Messina brothers needed me to do. In high school, I worked with them on promoting some shows.
Where did you go to college?
I went to college in Mississippi and played college football.
How did you decide to go into the music business full-time?
After college, I went back to New Orleans to work for the Messina brothers, which was Pace Concerts at that time. I worked as a promoter rep. I also started going into different roles in touring from tour manager to production manager too.
I did some work with Van Halen, Motley Crue, Fleetwood Mac and Bon Jovi.
What was after Pace Concerts?
After 12 years on the road I started my own management company, Rendy Lovelady Management.
Was the management company how you got to Nashville?
I started the company out of New Orleans but eventually moved to Nashville. When I first moved to Nashville, I was mostly in the rock world. Jars Of Clay was my first client and we had a very successful run.
All the years of experience from road work prepped me to be able to represent my client from all different aspects of reality. Also my work as a promoter helps me understand both the agent and manager perspective. I tried to get wins for everybody.
How did you end up breaking into the country scene?
Karen [Fairchild] and Kimberly [Schlapman] were friends of mine. We sat down and put together a vision and started Little Big Town. We played in clubs and traveled everywhere playing shows. They were absolute troopers. They wanted it bad and went after it. I was with them for 15 years.
After your management company, how did you move into the festival space?
One of my management clients was Darryl Worley, and he created the Tennessee River Run festival. I worked with him on that for a while, and then became a part of the BamaJam enterprise out of Alabama. Bama Jam eventually turned into Gulf Coast Jam, which is where I am now.
Tell me a little bit about those first days of Gulf Coast Jam.
BamaJam had some legal issues come up with the property. So my business partner, Mark Sheldon, and I started looking for a place to move BamaJam. Looking for places that were willing to host a four-day event was a major undertaking.
Panama City Beach became a real strong possibility once we looked at our ticket sales and realized a lot of them were coming out of the Panhandle. So we went there and it was a different kind of festival because it wasn’t a festival that included camping or anything like that. We started a festival that is a tourism-based festival.
We were able to create a package where they will come and stay four to five nights in Panama City Beach, as well as come to a festival. They really welcomed us.
Now we are going into our 15th year, and Panama City Beach is now known for being musically based because of Gulf Coast Jam. We always say our fifth headliner for the festival is the beach.
How has the festival grown over the last 15 years?
The last four years have been our biggest, most successful years, and it’s prospered and grown to where it is now. We have people attend from all 50 states. and nine countries, averaging around 26,000 people per day.
What do you do day-to-day for the festival right now?
Principally my job is to book the talent for the show and then run the entire backstage production area for the show.
What have been the biggest changes over the last 15 years?
The show itself. We just had Post Malone this year, and he bought his whole entire stadium production with him, and it actually mesmerized my crowd. I’ve been in the rock business, country business, production business, show business for 40 something years, and his show was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
Even the direct and indirect support are bringing a whole semi-full of production. Their shows have just gotten so much better. The element of show business and country music is through the roof. We have attendees on our survey mention they aren’t even country music fans, but they love Gulf Coast Jam. It’s a huge compliment.
Who have some of your mentors been?
Louis Messina and Charlie Messina. When I was first learning and young and didn’t have a clue, they had a large influence. Mike Duncan and Mike Krasky both played huge mentor roles as well. Joe Galante as well. He is a part of my ownership team with Gulf Coast Jam, which feels full circle.
In the agency business, John Huie as well. He and I broke Jars of Clay and Little Big Town together. I call him brother and friend, and he played a huge influence in my life.
What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Joe Galante told me “Just make sure you represent the business well.”
What’s a moment that your little kid self would be proud of?
My greatest pride is the pictures of my family. I want my legacy to be not the fact that I have done this business for 40 years and have all this success. I want my legacy to be that I was a good man, I believed in my faith, and I believed in his family.
Kaitlin Butts To Kick Off ‘Hello, Honky Tonk Live And In Person Tour’ This Month
/by Lorie HollabaughKaitlin Butts. Photo: Thomas Crabtree
Kaitlin Butts is celebrating the upcoming release of her new album Hello, Honky Tonk with the “Hello, Honky Tonk Live and In Person Tour,” beginning Oct. 29.
The six-date run kicks off at Nashville’s Skinny Dennis the day before the album’s release, and includes stops at honky tonks across Texas and Oklahoma in December with support from singer/songwriter Meels. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Oct. 2) at kaitlinbutts.com.
“I’ve spent so much time imagining this honky tonk and all the people who inhabit it, so getting to actually bring it to life in the rooms that inspired it feels really special,” says Butts. “I can’t wait to play these songs live and celebrate this record together.”
Hello, Honky Tonk is a love letter to the honky tonks and nightlife that have shaped Butts while becoming a huge part of her life on the road. Recorded in Nashville with producer Tofer Brown, the album brings to life a bar filled with a cast of characters listeners might recognize from the dance floor, behind the bar or from the corner booth. Inspired in part by the vaudeville vignettes of Chicago and Disney World’s Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Butts envisioned Hello, Honky Tonk as a place where all of these characters could coexist.
The upcoming tour follows a string of new music from Hello, Honky Tonk, including the recent releases “What More Could You Want,” “I Wanna Be Bad” and “Never Really Mine.” “What More Could You Want,” a Broadway-ready piano ballad and autobiographical sketch of a performer questioning how much more she has to give, offers an intimate glimpse behind the curtain of the album’s larger-than-life world of characters.
“Hello, Honky Tonk Live and In Person Tour” Dates:
Oct. 29 — Nashville, TN — Skinny Dennis
Dec. 10 — College Station, TX — Harry’s Northgate
Dec. 11 — Helotes, TX — Floore’s Country Store
Dec. 12 — Corpus Christi, TX — Brewster Street Ice House
Dec. 17 — Oklahoma City, OK — Tower Theatre
Dec. 18 — Fort Worth, TX — Billy Bob’s Texas
Mark Your Calendar—October 2026
/by Madison HahnenSingle/Track Releases & Radio Add Dates:
October 1
Kameron Marlowe/Take You Down With Me/Sony Music Nashville
October 2
Noah Kahan/Draw You Out/MCA
Dexter & The Moonrocks (feat. Avery Anna)/Why Don’t You Say So
HARDY/Man In The Box/Big Loud Records
Dustin Lynch & Ashley Cooke/How You Been/BBR Music Group/BMG
Bayker Blankenship/Make Trouble/Santa Anna Nashville
Francesca Battistelli/Won’t Miss A Moment/Curb Records
Thelma & James/Good By Now/Big Loud Records
Ian Harrison/30 or 21/Sony Music Nashville
Timmy McKeever/Drove Her Away/Big Loud Records
Bre Kennedy & Tenille Townes/The Pen
Brendan Walter/Model Maniac/Sony Music Nashville
American Blonde/Delta Home/Southern Halo LLC
Hailey Benedict/Chem History/Local Hay/Big Loud Records
Cook Allender/Building Bridges/VibraHive Records/Symphonic Distribution
Chandler Marie/Ride Away
Joseph Bull/Drinking In Your Name/Santa Anna Nashville
Sarah Hardwig/You Lied
Paul Minnich/Memory Lane
October 4
Canaan/Anymore
October 5
Josh Ross/Drink Things Through/The Core Records/Universal Music Canada/MCA
Jackson Dean/Blacktop Blues/Blue Highway Records
James Tamelcoff/Breaking My Heart Tonight/James Tamelcoff Music
October 6
Jess Williamson/Hum Of The City
October 9
Ethan Burdick/Ditches/Back Blocks Music
Spencer Hatcher/Keep The Sad People Happy/QHMG/Stone Country Records
Byrdie Wilson/Redneck Enough
Thomas Kavanagh/If You Knew
October 12
Miranda Lambert & Ella Langley/Snakeskin Boots/MCA/Mercury Records
Chris Janson (feat. David Lee Murphy)/Fun/Warner Records Nashville/Harpeth 60 Records
Filmore & Pitbull/Yeehaw/Mr. 305 Records/Honey Music
Sam Ferrara/I Need A New Fix
October 15
Hollye B/10,000 Times
October 16
Joe Nichols/Say La V (Radio Edit)/QHMG/Quartz Hill Records
David Allan Coe/A Million Reasons/F3 Entertainment/Symphonic
Angaleena Presley/Murder for Hire
The Dryes/Mud Room
October 19
Casey Donahew/Earnhardt/Almost Country Records
October 23
Matt Cooper/Wonder/QHMG/Quartz Hill Records
Lakelin Lemmings/I Ain’t For Everybody (Piano)/QHMG/Quartz Hill Records
October 26
Paul Cauthen/Ain’t The Denim/Thirty Tigers
Dionya Marie/Leave It All Behind/Billiegee Productions
October 30
2 Lane Summer/How Do I Live/QHMG/Quartz Hill Records
Album/EP Releases:
October 2
Miranda Lambert/Crisco/MCA
Lee Brice/Sunriser/Curb Records
Gavin Adcock/The Day I Hang It Up/Thrivin Here Records/Warner Records Nashville
The Chicks/Taking the Long Way (20th Anniversary Edition)/Legacy Recordings
Flatland Cavalry/Work of Heart – Heartstrings/Lost Highway
Wynonna/The Hard Truth/ANTI- Records
Tauren Wells/Here Comes The Church
Amy Grant/The Me That Remains (Deluxe Edition)/Thirty Tigers
Stephen Day/Stephen Day/Riser House
Josh Tatofi/Paniolo Country/ROCK WALL/EMPIRE
Blake Proehl/Heart’s Don’t Break/MCA
The Wldlfe/Revolver/Riser House Records
Maddie Lenhart/Why in the World
John Leventhal/National Drift
Omer Netzer/Let It Sing: Side A
American Blonde/Delta Home
Highway Home/No More Drinkin’ Songs/Warner Records
Cody Bolden/Menace To Myself
October 9
Skillet/After the Storm
Sheryl Crow/Pick You Up/Old Green Barn Productions LLC
Jackson Dean/Magnolia Sage (In Full Bloom)/Blue Highway Records
John Prine/Found Dogs/Oh Boy Records
Tigirlily Gold/Country & Midwestern/Sony Music Nashville
Todd Snider/My Second Rodeo/Aimless Inc./Thirty Tigers
Jess Williamson/A Mile South of Heaven/New West Records
Naomi Jane/Kinda Sorta Country
Margo Cilker/Little White Cross/Fossil Records
Onoleigh/Love Bomb
Levi Foster/Appalachian Funk Tree
Wyatt Lowe/Deserts
Valerie Ponzio/Reina
James Keith/I Call It Magic When I’m With You
Bay Simpson/The New Normal
October 16
Ashe/The Girl Of Your Dreams/Atlantic Records
Hootie & The Blowfish/Fairweather Johnson (30th Anniversary Edition)
Trace Adkins/Dreamin’ Out Loud: 30th Anniversary/Capitol Records Nashville/UMe
Josh Baldwin/The Underdawg
David Allan Coe/A Million Reasons/F3 Entertainment/Symphonic
Jamie MacDonald/Jamie MacDonald (The Deluxe Album)/Capitol CMG
Jenna Raine/Jeans, Boys & Jesus (Deluxe)
Lil Man J/Worth Everything
K. Michelle/Jesus & Whiskey/BBR Music Group
Mae Estes/The 90s Called/Blue Highway Records
BELLES/Midwestern/East Music Row Records
Wyatt McCubbin/650/Lucille Records/MCA
Presley & Taylor/ACT MY AGE
Shantaia/One Trick Pony
Chloe Kimes/Daredevil
Mary Bragg/Secrets to Strangers/Single Lock Records/Secretly Distribution
Lauren Eliza/Girl From Nowhere
Erin Duvall/Flutter
October 23
Brothers Osborne/Watertown/MCA
Isabel Dumaa/Reverie/Lucille Records/Republic Records
Marfa/We’ll All Be Okay/Big Machine Records/ASCEND Music
Josh Rouse/Museums and Women/New West Records
Jacob Hackworth/What Took You So Long/MCA/Goat Island Sound
Matt Lang/Ain’t That Bad
JP Harris/Shaving A Dead Man/Bloodshot Records
Colby T. Helms/One For The Losers/Photo Finish Records
Wooten Hill/How Did We Get Here/Parker & Yon Records
October 28
Drew Ryder Smith/The Deep End
October 30
Dustin Lynch/Clean Slate/BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville
Jonah Kagen/Eternity of Anything/Arista Records
Bryan Martin/OD’in On A Dream/Average Joes Entertainment
Terri Clark/Terri Clark: Live From The Ryman
Kaitlin Butts/Hello, Honky Tonk/Republic Records
The Oak Ridge Boys/Buried Treasures/Lightning Rod Records
Hunter Flynn/ROOTS/Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
Caleb Lee Hutchinson/Long Line of Losers/Broke Records
JP Harris/Shaving A Dead Man/Bloodshot Records
Industry Events:
October 4-6
IEBA 2026
October 6
GMA Dove Awards
October 26
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala
October 30
WAMCon Nashville
October 30- Nov. 1
AES Show Nashville
Upcoming Nashville Concerts:
The Red Clay Strays. Photo: Robby Klein
October 1
Miranda Lambert/The Truth
Ryan Beatty/Ryman Auditorium
Grupo Duelo/Brooklyn Bowl
Juice/The Basement East
Amelie Farren, Lilith Max & Rabbitology/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
The Brothers Comatose/EXIT/IN
ISAAC SLADE/City Winery
Slothrust/The Blue Room
October 2
Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds/Bridgestone Arena
Umphrey’s McGee/Brooklyn Bowl
Gable Price & Friends/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
Seasick Steve/EXIT/IN
Luna/City Winery
Copeland/The Blue Room
CINEMA STEREO/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 3
Malcolm Todd/The Truth
Umphrey’s McGee/Brooklyn Bowl
Greta Van Fleet/The Basement East
Fox N’ Vead/EXIT/IN
Phoebe Ryan/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 4
Role Model/The Truth
Dadi Freyr/Brooklyn Bowl
Daley/City Winery
October 5
Freya Skye/The Truth
Bleach/The Basement East
Dana and Alden/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 6
Amyl and the Sniffers/The Truth
Audrey Hobert/Ryman Auditorium
Paris Paloma/Marathon Music Works
Revocation/EXIT/IN
Kevin Atwater/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 7
Switchfoot/The Truth
CAAMP/Ryman Auditorium
Willi Carlisle/The Basement East
Elle Varner/City Winery
October 8
Five Finger Death Punch/FirstBank Amphitheater
ZZ Top & Cheap Trick/Ascend Amphitheater
Bleachers/The Truth
Tom Jones/Ryman Auditorium
Artemas/Marathon Music Works
Finn Wolfhard/The Basement East
Lauren Watkins/EXIT/IN
Squirrel Flower/The Blue Room
Ella Boh/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 9
Weezer/Bridgestone Arena
Kylie Cantrall/The Pinnacle
Jack White/The Truth
Deana Carter/Ryman Auditorium
Public Image LTD/Brooklyn Bowl
Jervis Campbell/Cannery Hall (Mainstage)
Elizabeth Nichols/EXIT/IN
Chanel Beads/The Blue Room
65 North Pickers/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 10
Phoebe Bridgers/Bridgestone Arena
Jack White/The Truth
Greta Van Fleet/The Basement East
Brenn!/EXIT/IN
The Bad Plus/City Winery
The Schizophonics/The Blue Room
The Toxhards/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 11
Phoebe Bridgers/Bridgestone Arena
The Doobie Brothers/FirstBank Amphitheater
Dermot Kennedy/Ascend Amphitheater
Limp Bizkit/The Truth
The Beach Boys/Ryman Auditorium
Candlebox/Brooklyn Bowl
verygently/EXIT/IN
Tate Butts/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 12
Limp Bizkit/The Truth
Bright Eyes/Brooklyn Bowl
Russian Circles/The Basement East
Pig/EXIT/IN
Gaelic Storm/City Winery
October 13
Foster The People/The Truth
Sienna Spiro/Ryman Auditorium
Waylon Wyatt/Brooklyn Bowl
Mind Enterprises/The Basement East
Silvana Estrada/City Winery
Greywind/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 14
Rod Wave/Bridgestone Arena
Suki Waterhouse/The Truth
Tauren Wells/Ryman Auditorium
Chelsea Wolfe/Marathon Music Works
Soccer Mommy & Snail Mail/Brooklyn Bowl
Olivia O’Brien/The Basement East
Karina Rykman/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 15
Ole 60/The Pinnacle
The Chicks/The Truth
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Ryman Auditorium
Stryper/Cannery Hall (Mainstage)
Ax and the Hatchetmen/The Basement East
Silent Theory/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
Wyatt McCubbin/EXIT/IN
October 16
Teddy Swims/Bridgestone Arena
Jesse Welles/The Pinnacle
Tedeschi Trucks Band/The Truth
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Ryman Auditorium
Graham Barham/Brooklyn Bowl
L7/Cannery Hall (Mainstage)
The Renaissance Room/The Basement East
Sippy/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
Filmore/EXIT/IN
Supertaste/The Blue Room
October 17
Interpol/The Pinnacle
Tedeschi Trucks Band/The Truth
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Ryman Auditorium
Tank and the Bangas/Brooklyn Bowl
Greta Van Fleet/The Basement East
Melonious Funk/EXIT/IN
Bob Schneider/City Winery
Bayonne/The Blue Room
October 18
MercyMe/Bridgestone Arena
Various Artists/Live On The Green Lawnwarming Party/Ascend Amphitheater
Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen/Ryman Auditorium
After/The Basement East
Rittz/EXIT/IN
Andre Ward/City Winery
October 19
Knocked Loose & Denzel Curry/The Pinnacle
Sting/The Truth
Dope Lemon/Brooklyn Bowl
Abbie Gamboa/Cannery Hall (Mainstage)
The Linda Lindas/The Basement East
Margo Price/City Winery
October 20
Sting/The Truth
Sons of Legion/Ryman Auditorium
Chad Gray/Brooklyn Bowl
Shawn James/EXIT/IN
YHWH Nailgun/The Blue Room
Sex Mex/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 21
JOURNEY/Bridgestone Arena
Rawayana/The Truth
Sons of Legion/Ryman Auditorium
Sugar/Brooklyn Bowl
Aaron Lee Tasjan/The Basement East
Giovannie & The Hired Guns/EXIT/IN
John Scofield’s/City Winery
October 22
The Red Clay Strays/Bridgestone Arena
The Smashing Pumpkins/The Truth
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Ryman Auditorium
Dying Fetus & Sanguisugabogg/Brooklyn Bowl
Chasing Abbey/The Basement East
Kidd G/EXIT/IN
Playlunch/The Blue Room
Carter Rubin/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 23
The Red Clay Strays/Bridgestone Arena
Dom Dolla/The Pinnacle
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Ryman Auditorium
DJ Shadow/Marathon Music Works
Machine Girl/Brooklyn Bowl
Michigander/The Basement East
Pony Bradshaw/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
Sueco/EXIT/IN
Andrew McMahon/City Winery
Wishy/The Blue Room
Dent May/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 24
Dom Dolla/The Pinnacle
Kevin Gates/The Truth
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit/Ryman Auditorium
Stephen Day/Brooklyn Bowl
Adam Paddock/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
Alana Springsteen/EXIT/IN
Lennon Stella/The Blue Room
Dev Lemons/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 25
Morrissey/The Pinnacle
Esdeekid/The Truth
Patrick Droney/Ryman Auditorium
Bethel Music/Brooklyn Bowl
Edgehill/The Basement East
October 26
Mico/Brooklyn Bowl
Wednesday 13/The Basement East
Jackie Evans/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
Vivian Green/City Winery
October 27
Various Artists/Sho-Bud Showcase Live/Ryman Auditorium
Various Artists/Justice Jam/Cannery Hall (Mainstage)
Porch Light/The Basement East
Madds Buckley/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
John Splithoff/City Winery
Growler/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 28
SOMBR/Bridgestone Arena
Shenandoah/Ryman Auditorium
Glaive/Brooklyn Bowl
Kennedy Ryon/City Winery
October 29
HARDY/The Truth
Marc Scibilia/Ryman Auditorium
Donny Benet/The Basement East
BOTTOMLAND/Cannery Hall (The Mil)
West 22nd/EXIT/IN
Rakim/City Winery
Sophie Truax/The Blue Room
Jady/Cannery Hall (Row One Stage)
October 30
Zach Top/Bridgestone Arena
Riley Green/The Pinnacle
HARDY/The Truth
Neko Case & Allison Russell/Ryman Auditorium
Nightly/Brooklyn Bowl
The Bends/The Basement East
Almost Monday/EXIT/IN
Friko/The Blue Room
October 31
Beck/The Truth
Thundercat/Marathon Music Works
Abbie Callahan Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut
/by Lorie HollabaughAbbie Callahan. Photo: Catherine Powell
Singer-songwriter Abbie Callahan made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 25.
The debut coincided with the release of her sophomore EP, And For My Next Trick…, with Callahan performing the title track and the project’s breakout track, “Simon Says.”
The debut happened to fall on Dolly Day, and Callahan honored the late icon by sharing the story of her first concert, a Dolly Parton show, and how that night led to to realize she wanted to become a singer.
With more than 10 million career streams, she has made festival appearances at CMA Fest, Bonnaroo and AMERICANAFEST, and earned Artist to Watch recognition from PEOPLE, Holler and more. She recently wrapped her first headlining run with the “OptiMYSTIC Tour,” and will soon join Willow Avalon and Orville Peck on the road.
Abbie Callahan. Photo: Catherine Powell
Abbie Callahan. Photo: Catherine Powell
Pictured (L-R): Beeline Agency’s Charlotte Bass, Twelve6 Entertainment’s Willow Belenski, Abbie Callahan and Twelve6 Entertainment’s Travis Myatt
My Music Row Story: Gulf Coast Jam’s Rendy Lovelady
/by Madison HahnenRendy Lovelady. Photo: Mike Fender
Gulf Coast Jam Co-Founder Rendy Lovelady has built a career as a manager, concert producer and entrepreneur, helping shape the careers of artists across multiple genres. He spent 13 years working on the road with artists including Fleetwood Mac, Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Michael Sweet and Stryper, gaining firsthand insight into the demands of touring and the music business.
As a manager, Lovelady represented artists including Dino, Carmen, Jars of Clay, Danny Gokey, Marty Stuart, Michael O’Brien, Shelly Fairchild, Love & Theft, Justifide, FLOORD and The Kicks. He was also instrumental in discovering and developing Grammy-winning country group Little Big Town.
Lovelady later expanded into concert and festival production, producing Tennessee River Run and founding festivals including BamaJam, Gulf Coast Jam, SandJam and SpringJam. Now in its 14th year, Gulf Coast Jam has grown into one of the Southeast’s largest country music festivals. The event has earned recognition from Billboard, People and Music Festival Wizard, while its 2023 and 2024 editions sold out ahead of the festival dates.
He has also supported voter registration efforts through Rock the Vote and his 2002 Love Your Country, Vote campaign. His commitment to the military is reflected through Gulf Coast Jam’s annual military initiatives and enlistment ceremonies. In recognition of his support, Tyndall Air Force Base named him Honorary Commander of the 601st Air Operations Center.
Lovelady earned his undergraduate degree from Mississippi College and a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and lived there through high school.
Tell me a little bit about your upbringing.
My father was a Southern Baptist minister, and my mother worked for South Central Bell. I was raised a preacher’s kid and basically ate, drank and slept football, thinking that was going to be my life’s calling. I also used to play drums in a local rock band in New Orleans.
When I was a kid, I went to work for Messina Presents in New Orleans. I swept floors and pulled cables and did whatever the Messina brothers needed me to do. In high school, I worked with them on promoting some shows.
Where did you go to college?
I went to college in Mississippi and played college football.
How did you decide to go into the music business full-time?
After college, I went back to New Orleans to work for the Messina brothers, which was Pace Concerts at that time. I worked as a promoter rep. I also started going into different roles in touring from tour manager to production manager too.
I did some work with Van Halen, Motley Crue, Fleetwood Mac and Bon Jovi.
What was after Pace Concerts?
After 12 years on the road I started my own management company, Rendy Lovelady Management.
Was the management company how you got to Nashville?
I started the company out of New Orleans but eventually moved to Nashville. When I first moved to Nashville, I was mostly in the rock world. Jars Of Clay was my first client and we had a very successful run.
All the years of experience from road work prepped me to be able to represent my client from all different aspects of reality. Also my work as a promoter helps me understand both the agent and manager perspective. I tried to get wins for everybody.
How did you end up breaking into the country scene?
Karen [Fairchild] and Kimberly [Schlapman] were friends of mine. We sat down and put together a vision and started Little Big Town. We played in clubs and traveled everywhere playing shows. They were absolute troopers. They wanted it bad and went after it. I was with them for 15 years.
After your management company, how did you move into the festival space?
One of my management clients was Darryl Worley, and he created the Tennessee River Run festival. I worked with him on that for a while, and then became a part of the BamaJam enterprise out of Alabama. Bama Jam eventually turned into Gulf Coast Jam, which is where I am now.
Tell me a little bit about those first days of Gulf Coast Jam.
BamaJam had some legal issues come up with the property. So my business partner, Mark Sheldon, and I started looking for a place to move BamaJam. Looking for places that were willing to host a four-day event was a major undertaking.
Panama City Beach became a real strong possibility once we looked at our ticket sales and realized a lot of them were coming out of the Panhandle. So we went there and it was a different kind of festival because it wasn’t a festival that included camping or anything like that. We started a festival that is a tourism-based festival.
We were able to create a package where they will come and stay four to five nights in Panama City Beach, as well as come to a festival. They really welcomed us.
Now we are going into our 15th year, and Panama City Beach is now known for being musically based because of Gulf Coast Jam. We always say our fifth headliner for the festival is the beach.
How has the festival grown over the last 15 years?
The last four years have been our biggest, most successful years, and it’s prospered and grown to where it is now. We have people attend from all 50 states. and nine countries, averaging around 26,000 people per day.
What do you do day-to-day for the festival right now?
Principally my job is to book the talent for the show and then run the entire backstage production area for the show.
What have been the biggest changes over the last 15 years?
The show itself. We just had Post Malone this year, and he bought his whole entire stadium production with him, and it actually mesmerized my crowd. I’ve been in the rock business, country business, production business, show business for 40 something years, and his show was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
Even the direct and indirect support are bringing a whole semi-full of production. Their shows have just gotten so much better. The element of show business and country music is through the roof. We have attendees on our survey mention they aren’t even country music fans, but they love Gulf Coast Jam. It’s a huge compliment.
Who have some of your mentors been?
Louis Messina and Charlie Messina. When I was first learning and young and didn’t have a clue, they had a large influence. Mike Duncan and Mike Krasky both played huge mentor roles as well. Joe Galante as well. He is a part of my ownership team with Gulf Coast Jam, which feels full circle.
In the agency business, John Huie as well. He and I broke Jars of Clay and Little Big Town together. I call him brother and friend, and he played a huge influence in my life.
What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Joe Galante told me “Just make sure you represent the business well.”
What’s a moment that your little kid self would be proud of?
My greatest pride is the pictures of my family. I want my legacy to be not the fact that I have done this business for 40 years and have all this success. I want my legacy to be that I was a good man, I believed in my faith, and I believed in his family.
Industry Ink: CMA Foundation, Old Dominion, Kashus Culpepper, Tyler Childers, The Listening Room
/by Lauryn SinkThe CMA Foundation Unveils Investments In Partnership With Lainey Wilson & Zach Top
The CMA Foundation has partnered with Lainey Wilson and Zach Top to further the investments made into music education. The CMA Foundation will make $10,000 investments in music education initiatives connected to each artist.
For Wilson, the CMA Foundation will support Notes for Notes, a nonprofit that provides young people with access to instruments, recording studios and music education. Wilson’s Heart Like a Truck Fund will contribute an additional $5,000 to the organization.
For Top, the CMA Foundation will support Taylor’s Camp, the youth music education program of the Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival in Washington State. A longtime participant in the festival’s bluegrass community, Top was both a student and later an instructor at Taylor’s Camp.
Old Dominion Performs At CMHOFM Annual ‘Nightfall At The Hall’ Celebration
Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Old Dominion recently took the stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 14th annual “Nightfall at the Hall” concert. Before the band took the stage, MJ Crawford, a participant in the museum’s Words & Music program, performed “365,” a song she wrote during the museum’s 2026 summer songwriting camp.
Presented by Maverick Nashville, “Nightfall at the Hall” is an after-hours celebration exclusively for the museum’s Troubadour members, a community of leaders ages 21-45 who collaborate with other professionals in supporting their community and the museum.
Grammy Museum Hosts A NY Evening With Kashus Culpepper
GRAMMY Museum’s A NY Evening with Kashus Culpepper on Monday, Sept. 28 at The Greene Space. Photo: Courtesy of the Recording Academy™️/photo by Rob Kim, Getty Images© 2026
Grammy Museum hosted A NY Evening with Kashus Culpepper on Sept. 28 at The Greene Space. The event featured a stripped-down performance as well as a Q&A with music journalist Erica Campbell.
Tyler Childers Partners With Oxford Pennant
Tyler Childers has partnered with Oxford Pennant for a limited-edition collection that brings Childers’ artwork and lyrics to pennants, hats, pins and other collectible pieces.
The pieces are available through both Childers’ and Oxford Pennant’s online stores.
The Listening Room Launches ‘Off Campus Songwriter Contest’
The Listening Room has launched a new Off Campus Songwriter Contest, spotlighting student songwriters.
The series kicks off with Middle Tennessee State University Night on October 6 at 8:30 p.m., where three student songwriters will perform for the chance to advance to the series finale. Following MTSU, the competition continues with Vanderbilt University on October 13 and Belmont University on October 20. Following each showcase, fans can vote for their favorite songwriter through The Listening Room’s Instagram account.
“Supporting songwriters is what The Listening Room is all about,” shares Chris Blair, Founder & Owner of the venue. “We are excited to partner with local universities to showcase the incredible talent that continues to develop in Nashville.”
Hoofbeat Country Fest Unveils Lineup For 40th Anniversary
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (clockwise): Rascal Flatts, HARDY, Jordan Davis and Parker McCollum
The Hoofbeat Festival in Cadott, Wisconsin has revealed the full lineup for its 40th anniversary, taking place June 24–26.
Newly revealed headliners HARDY and Jordan Davis join previously announced headliners Rascal Flatts and Parker McCollum for the 2027 festival, and Max McNown, Hudson Westbrook, Cameron Whitcomb, Vincent Mason, Corey Kent, Lauren Alaina, David Lee Murphy, Clay Walker, Dylan Marlowe and more are also set to perform.
The 2027 festival marks 40 Years Wild, celebrating four decades of country music, camping and festival traditions in the Cadott hayfield. The music will continue long after the main stage lights go down with the return of Hoofbeat’s campground afterparty, Club fleX, featuring The West Coasters and Pulse Entertainment. Tickets, camping and available add-ons are on sale now at HoofbeatFestival.com.
“Our 40th year is about honoring the fans, the music and the traditions that made Hoofbeat what it is,” says festival promoter Wade Asher. “This lineup reflects that balance: Rascal Flatts returning to the hayfield, artists like HARDY, Parker McCollum and Jordan Davis leading country right now and a strong group of rising voices fans will be hearing a lot more from.”
Dolly’s New Cup of Ambition Coffee Available Online Now & At ‘Sip And Sample Tour’ Stops
/by Lorie HollabaughPhoto: Courtesy of Dolly’s Cup of Ambition LLC
Dolly Parton‘s new coffee line, Cup of Ambition, which was a dream of the late icon’s more than 40 years in the making, is now available for purchase nationwide.
The coffee line was developed with family-owned Community Coffee, and following its debut at Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, is now available for nationwide shipping on CupOfAmbition.com, CommunityCoffee.com, TikTok Shop and other major retailers including Amazon.com and Walmart.com. Available in Light, Medium and Dark Roast varieties, the collection offers a cup for every Dolly fan and coffee lover and is available for pre-order in K-Cup pods and in ground coffee, providing convenient options for a variety of preferences.
“Dolly had a warmth that made you feel like you’d known her forever,” says Donna Saurage, third-generation owner of Community Coffee. “We connected over our love of family, serving our communities and bringing people together, and it was a true joy to help make her dream of a Cup of Ambition coffee become a reality.”
As part of the launch campaign, Dolly’s Cup Of Ambition and Community Coffee are hitting the road for a special “Cup of Ambition Sip & Sample Tour,” with The Dolly Coffee Trolley and coffee carts bringing a unique Cup of Ambition experience to fans across the Southeast. Confirmed stops include an integrated activation at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during the run of its Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker (open through Oct. 4), the Grand Ole Opry, universities including Belmont, Vanderbilt, Fisk and more, select dates of “Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs In Symphony,” “Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol” touring productions, and more.
Every cup of Cup of Ambition coffee helps support Dolly’s Imagination Library and its mission to inspire a love of reading in children from birth to age five. Community Coffee has announced it will serve as the anchor funding partner for Lafayette Parish, expanding its commitment to early childhood literacy in its home state of Louisiana. Consumers can also join in supporting the mission by making an optional donation to Imagination Library at checkout on CupofAmbition.com.
“Cup of Ambition Sip & Sample Tour” Dates:
9/30/26 | Nashville, TN | Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
9/30/26 | Sewanee, TN | Sewanee: The University Of The South
10/1/26 | Nashville, TN | Belmont University (Main Campus)
10/1/26 | Cookeville, TN | Tennessee Tech University
10/2/26 | Nashville, TN | Grand Ole Opry (Plaza Party)
10/2/26 | Clarksville, TN | Austin Peay University
10/3/26 | Nashville, TN | Grand Ole Opry (Plaza Party)
10/4/26 | Nashville, TN | Grand Ole Opry (Plaza Party)
10/5/26 | Nashville, TN | Fisk University
Tyla Rodrigues Inks With Sony Music Publishing Nashville
/by Madison HahnenPictured (L-R): Alex Torrez, Val Rodrigues, Tyla Rodrigues, Matt Cottingham, Aubrey Landon, Alli Sommers and Emily Vincent. Photo: Savannah Spencer
Tyla Rodrigues has signed a global publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing Nashville.
Rodrigues has quickly made a name for herself as one of Australia’s rising country artists, with more than 10 million streams across her catalog. Her single “Can’t Keep Doing This” recently reached No. 9 on Australia’s Country Airplay chart in less than three weeks. She released an EP, Hold On Tight, earlier this year.
Rodrigues has performed at major country festivals throughout Australia and on international stages. Her recent appearances include C2C, CMA Fest, shows in New Zealand and a Canadian run as part of the CCMA International Exchange Program.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Sony Music Publishing family and to be surrounded by such an incredible community,” says Rodrigues. “There are so many artists and writers at Sony whose work I’ve admired for years, and to now be a part of that is really special. I’m so grateful for the team believing in me and my songwriting, and I can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes me.”
“The first time I heard Tyla sing it stopped me in my tracks,” adds Aubrey Landon, Senior Director, Creative A&R, Sony Music Publishing Nashville. “I knew right away that she was special and was eager to be a part of her songwriting journey. She is pure country gold, and I’m so excited to work alongside her in this next chapter!”
She has also grown her profile through collaborations such as “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” with Braxton Keith and “What’s Left To Hold Onto” with The Kruse Brothers. She is now preparing her debut album, which is set for release in 2027, and will hit the road with Braxton Keith in the spring.
Clark Sweat Joins Ryan Seacrest Foundation As Sr. VP Of Partnerships & Marketing
/by Lorie HollabaughClark Sweat
Clark Sweat has been named Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Marketing at the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, a nonprofit that brings interactive media studios into pediatric hospitals to help patients find joy during treatment.
A philanthropic executive with a 30-year record of scaling healthcare and nonprofit organizations, Sweat has raised more than $8 billion for mission-driven causes throughout his career, bringing top-tier brands and healthcare institutions together to solve pressing social impact issues. As the founder and CEO of Cause4Good, Sweat advised leading nonprofits and corporate brands on revenue diversification, corporate social responsibility, and donor engagement strategies that create long-term success. He built multi-million-dollar alliances with Fortune 500 companies, including Walmart, Target, Costco, Marriott, RE/MAX, Johnson & Johnson, CVS, Walgreens, and Delta Air Lines.
Before founding Cause4Good, Sweat held key leadership roles at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, where he served as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer and Chief Revenue Officer. Under his leadership, annual revenue grew to surpass $450 million, and corporate partnerships flourished, significantly expanding the organization’s national footprint. Earlier in his career, Sweat played a critical role at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, spearheading corporate partnerships and international development strategies that drove multimillion-dollar funding growth.
“As we look towards the next chapter of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, Clark’s industry leadership and strategic vision are exactly what we need,” says Meredith Seacrest Leach, CEO and Executive Director of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. “He has spent decades connecting corporate partners with meaningful causes, and his addition to our leadership team will play a vital role in accelerating our impact in pediatric hospitals nationwide.”
“The Ryan Seacrest Foundation is at a pivotal moment in its journey,” says Sweat. “Seacrest Studios have proven to be an indispensable part of patient care and family support in pediatric hospitals. I’m honored to join Meredith and the team as we build new strategic partners and continue to extend our reach to bring this life-changing experience to even more pediatric patients.”
The Ryan Seacrest Foundation was founded in 2009, and operates a national network of 14 Seacrest Studios where patients host podcasts, produce video content, and interview celebrity guests while receiving care. In 2025 alone, RSF delivered 8,406 hours of live programming, helped patients create 265 original shows, and reached approximately 3.1 million patients and family members across its network. New studios are slated to open in New Orleans at Manning Family Children’s Hospital in early 2027 and in Milwaukee at Children’s Wisconsin in 2028.
Brandi Carlile Burns The Setlist On New Trio Tour Launching In November
/by Lorie HollabaughBrandi Carlile. Photo: Collier Schorr
Brandi Carlile is heading out this fall on a special “Burn The Setlist (The All Request Tour),” a trio run with her longtime bandmates and collaborators Phil and Tim Hanseroth.
The tour will include stops in Portland, Tucson, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and more through Dec. 17. Carlile will return to some of the older theaters she loved most early in her career to reconnect with core fans and old friends on the new tour, and every show will be unique, with each setlist comprised entirely of live, in-the-moment fan requests – a format Carlile introduced during her “The Human Tour” earlier this year.
Because Carlile and the twins want to take big risks at the shows and feel free to try difficult things, make mistakes and bond with the audience, the shows will be a phone-free experience, with phones secured in Yondr pouches. Guests will maintain possession of their phones at all times. A QR code will be provided to concertgoers to download three bootlegs from the show in addition to exclusive photos and content, and the full concert bootleg will be available for purchase to attendees and Bramily members only. General on-sale for the shows begins this Friday, (Oct. 2).
Last week, Carlile released Returning To Myself (Sad Gay Version), the deluxe version of her album, Returning To Myself, via Interscope Records/Lost Highway. An exclusive signed rainbow vinyl edition of the deluxe is available to those who pre-order by tomorrow (Oct. 1), with orders set to ship on Dec. 11. The special one-time pressing is only available on Carlile’s website.