Chris Oglesby
The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.
Chris Oglesby has been in the music publishing industry for more than 30 years. He joined BMG in 2013, where he now serves as Sr. VP of Creative, overseeing the creative publishing team in Nashville and furthering the collaborative efforts between BMG’s roster of artists and publishing clients in both Los Angeles and New York, as well as BMG’s BBR Music Group (Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records, Wheelhouse Records).
Oglesby has been involved with numerous hit songs, including George Strait‘s “Check Yes or No;” Kenny Chesney‘s “Young;” Kane Brown’s “Heaven” and “Good As You;” Carrie Underwood’s “So Small,” “Temporary Home,” and “Last Name;” Keith Urban’s “God Whispered Your Name” and “Only You Can Love Me This Way;” and Martina McBride’s “God’s Will.”
Oglesby began his career at Almo/Irving Music, signing Grammy award-winner Craig Wiseman, before joining Dreamcatcher Music. He would later join former BMG Music Publishing where he spent a decade working with a roster of established songwriters and emerging talent.
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I was an Army brat. We moved around a lot. I was born in Hawaii and we moved to Taiwan, Colorado, Illinois [and other places]. After the military, my dad became a minister, so we continued to move around. I claim western Kentucky is home because that’s where my family came from, but I grew up mostly in southern Illinois.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
What brought you to Nashville?
The music industry, of course. I came to be this country music star who was bigger than Kenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap put together. I discovered music publishing, which I knew nothing about, and it changed literally everything about my life as soon as I did.
How did you discover the music industry as a kid?
I grew up singing. My dad was trying to be a star in the music industry, so when he became a minister, our family sang southern gospel music. We traveled with an evangelistic team called the Donaldson Brothers. In a two-pole tent, we would go set up in different communities and our family would sing. When I went to college, I continued to sing. My hope was that I would move to Nashville and be discovered.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
What happened when you got to Music City?
I enrolled in Belmont. I somehow convinced Karen Conrad to give me an internship at AMR Publications. After I was there for a year, she encouraged me to meet and talk to her husband, David Conrad, and I went to work for him. Karen and David really set me on my journey as a music publisher. They had big influence on me—they taught me how to treat people.
Why do you think you fell in love with the publishing aspect?
It’s interesting because I knew nothing about music publishing, but the first time I heard a song being written, being tweaked up a bit, being demoed, put on hold and recorded, and then heard it on the radio—it was unbelievable. Life changing stuff. It was actually a song called “Love Won’t Wait” that was on The Whites‘ greatest hits album. I was there when that was written. I started meeting all these amazing songwriters who wrote these songs that I had just spent five years going through college singing. I started hearing the stories about the songs. Then the creative aspect of music publishing took over. [I was asking myself] what makes this song work for this artist or what makes these writers work together. It’s very creative and the creative part of music publishing is what drew me in.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
After you worked for both the Conrads, where did you go from there?
I went to work for Bob Doyle and Kye Fleming. They had started a little publishing company called Dreamcatcher Music. I did that for a little bit and then went to work at BMG following that.
Now you are head of creative for BMG’s Nashville office. How did you develop your style of music publishing?
I’ve learned so much along the way from different people. Karen had a very unique approach to music publishing, which was very successful. Her approach was blanketing the town with all of the songs, making sure that A&R people are covered with a bunch of new music. David was more of a sharp shooter. His approach was, “Let’s send this one to this person.” They both worked with writers differently. I took a lot of what they did and how I saw them interacting with writers, and then tried to apply as much of it to me as possible. Obviously in those situations you see things that work and you see things that might work well for them, but maybe not well for you, so you’ve just got to mix and match. It was great to see both of their approaches.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
In addition to Karen and David, who have else have been some of your mentors?
Troy Tomlinson has been a massive help, as has Jody Williams, Kerry O’Neil and Tim DuBois. One mentor that I’ve had for probably 25 years that I did not meet until last year—which is kind of a weird thing to say about a mentor—is John Maxwell. All of those people have had a profound effect on me in my path and journey through the music industry.
What moment have you had that your kid self would think is so cool?
I had one of those moments right before Thanksgiving. I went to Kansas City to see Carrie Underwood and Jimmie Allen, and I got to take my 11-year-old niece. It was her very first concert. We were hooked up from top to bottom. I look at that experience through her eyes and I just feel so blessed to be able to do that. To go to those things and be fully in the moment of what’s happening, but at the same time, it’s my job. Sometimes it’s hard to be in both those things at the same time, but how cool is it that we get to go to a concert or No. 1 party? That’s our job!
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
When are you most fulfilled in what you do?
When I see opportunity put in front of a songwriter for growth followed by success—and I had a small hand in it—that’s the most gratifying thing that you can do. Not only do I love it, but somebody’s dreams are coming true. Somebody’s not going to have NES come turn their electricity off. When you can pull all those things together, I can’t think of anything else that would be more rewarding than watching someone else succeed where you played a small role in their success. I love that part of it more than anything.
What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
To live like you’re dying. [Laughs]
In addition to that, just add value to people. When you add value to somebody else, it’s going to come back to you a hundred times over.
What are some of the best attributes about our Music Row community?
The friendly, competitive nature that exists within our community is so healthy. We’re all after the same things. We’re all very competitive, but at the same time, we know that the success of somebody else helps us all. That for me has been incredible to be a part of through my whole journey.
I feel like our two streets have laid an incredibly strong foundation, not only for a genre of music, but how to work together in unison and in a harmony with one another, no pun intended.
Charles Kelley Recounts Addiction Journey In Powerful New Ballad, ‘As Far As You Could’
/by Lorie HollabaughCharles Kelley. Photo: Hodges Usry
Following his decision to begin addiction treatment for alcohol, Charles Kelley, one third of Lady A, has released, “As Far As You Could,” a personal new song and goodbye letter to alcohol.
Co-written and produced alongside bandmate Dave Haywood and Jimmy Robbins, the ballad captures the inner conflict many experience as Kelley recalls the steps along his path. The single relies solely on piano played by Haywood.
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 10 percent of Americans will struggle with addiction at some point in their lives, with ripple effects that touch almost everyone else. Through sharing his story, Kelley hopes it will help spread support and understanding for others.
“For me, the biggest word I’ve been holding on to is gratitude, not pride,” Kelley says “I’m grateful. I finally see the light and am connecting with what life is all about. Some days are hard, but the good so outweighs those bad moments. There’s some beauty in all this and I’ve had time to reflect, time to get healthy, time to write. I’ve probably written 50 songs this fall, and I feel like all of it was leading to this one song.”
Lady A is scheduled to return to the stage for the U.K.’s C2C Festival in March.
Circle Network Announces Fourth Installment Of ‘My Opry Debut’
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Beach Boys make their Opry debut. Photo: Courtesy of Circle
Circle Network is debuting the fourth season of My Opry Debut this Saturday (Jan. 7) at 9 p.m. CT. The new season will continue to give viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into Opry debuts, chronicling the events and emotions artists experience as they prepare for their big moment.
Each episode will feature two artists of different genres and influences, including Opry NextStage Class of 2022 alumni Conner Smith, Nate Smith and Morgan Wade, as well as Dalton Dover who recently received an Opry debut invitation from Blake Shelton live from Ole Red Nashville.
Other artists appearing on the show this season include The Beach Boys, Amythyst Kiah, Morgan Wade, Coffey Anderson, Vince Neil, Erin Kinsey, Leigh Nash, Allison Russell, Randall King, For King & Country, Ben Rector, Shy Carter, Sierra Ferrell, Ian Munsick, Valerie June, Jackson Dean, We The Kingdom, Jordan Fletcher, MacKenzie Porter, Julia Cole, Neon Union and Aaron Raitiere.
“Stepping into the sacred circle on the Grand Ole Opry stage is something artists dream about,” shares Circle Network General Manager Drew Reifenberger. “The feeling of witnessing this great achievement and watching them perform in that circle is something that isn’t easily explained… the happiness you have for these artists is just overwhelming. My Opry Debut is so special in the fact that now more fans can experience this same feeling on Circle.”
“My Opry debut was magical. All of my family, friends, my two babies… they were all there to experience that beautiful moment with me,” adds Dover. “I’ll never forget the feeling I felt stepping in the circle, and having all my people there made it that much more special. I am forever grateful and can’t wait until the next time!”
For a full schedule and program details, click here.
Amazon Music Announces 2023 Breakthrough Artists To Watch: Country Class
/by Liza AndersonAmazon Music has revealed their 2023 Breakthrough Artists to Watch: Country Class.
This year’s class consists of Avery Anna, Dalton Dover, Dylan Schneider, Jackson Dean, Madeline Edwards, Megan Moroney, Nate Smith, and Warren Zeiders.
Breakthrough is Amazon Music’s artist development program intended to advocate for rising artists at the most crucial moments in their careers. The program actively supports artists across a wide variety of genres, such as country, U.K. rap, R&B, indie, and more. Amazon Music works with each Breakthrough artist and their teams to develop a long-term, customized global plan tailored to their specific needs. This includes video and audio content, global marketing support, custom merch stores on the Amazon website, and increased visibility across Amazon Music’s playlists and programming.
New for 2023, Amazon Music will present artist selections on the Breakthrough playlist, further cementing Breakthrough as the Amazon Music premium brand for artists-to-watch throughout the year. In addition to the global Breakthrough list, available exclusively on Amazon Music, the Country Class artists will be a part of the Breakthrough Country playlist.
“Supporting rising country talent is of the utmost importance to Amazon Music,” says Emily Cohen Belote, Principal Music Curator at Amazon Music. “Elevating the new generation of country hitmakers and introducing them to our listeners is an essential part of the work that we do.”
Fans can also expect new Country Heat Weekly podcast episodes featuring conversations with the 2023 Country Class members throughout January and February with hosts Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton, starting with Moroney on Jan. 5.
Bernie Nelson Reveals Divine Inspiration Behind 40 Country Hits In New Book
/by Lorie HollabaughBernie Nelson
Songwriter Bernie Nelson is sharing the stories and inspirations behind some of the biggest hits in country music in his new book, HonkyTonk Angels: Stories of God’s Influence on Nashville’s Most Iconic Songs.
In one chapter, the story goes that Kenny Rogers recorded “Lucille” when he was on his last leg as a pop star. His producer decided to record the song because he had lost in a game of cards to one of the co-writers and owed him a fair sum of money. Rogers recorded the track, and the rest is history.
“My hope in writing the book is, first of all, to give those that have never had an inside view of the songwriting world a peek behind the curtain,” Nelson shares. “Secondly, to show both songwriters and or anyone trying to achieve their goal that God has a perfect plan for you and your gifts and to be both hardworking and patient.”
Nelson has had multi-Platinum cuts by Conway Twitty, Ricky Van Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Wynonna, Collin Raye, Confederate Railroad, Chris Ledoux, Kris Kristofferson, John Anderson and many more. Throughout his career, his songs have sold over 25 million copies.
Second Volume Of Olivia Newton-John’s Greatest Hits Due This Friday
/by Lorie HollabaughOlivia Newton-John‘s Greatest Hits Volume 2 – Deluxe Edition is set for release this Friday (Jan. 6).
Originally released 40 years ago in 1982, the 14-track, remastered collection features the pop and country star’s biggest international hits, as well as her U.S. top 40 hits, including “Physical,” “Magic,” “Hopelessly Devoted To You” and “You’re The One That I Want.”
This second volume of hits follows the October 2022 remastered release of Olivia Newton-John’s Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition.
Olivia Newton-John’s Greatest Hits Volume 2 – Deluxe Edition was Newton John’s first non-soundtrack album to rank in the year-end top 10. It was certified Double Platinum by the RIAA in the U.S. and Platinum in the UK, where it peaked at No. 8 with a 38-week chart run.
“We continue to pay tribute to Olivia’s great legacy with the remastered release of Greatest Hits Vol. 2,” says Blake Davis, General Manager, Green Hill Productions. “This was Olivia’s longest charting album, spending 80 weeks on the Billboard charts, and was the 10th best-selling album of 1983. The songs contained on this release have touched many lives over the past four decades and will continue to do so with new generations of fans.”
A Grammy and CMA award-winner, Newton-John died on Aug. 8 at age 73, following a long struggle with cancer, which began with a breast cancer diagnosis in 1992. Her cancer returned in 2013 and again in 2018, eventually finding that the cancer had metastasized to her back.
She had seven top-10 country hits, including “Let Me Be There” (1973) and “I Honestly Love You” (1974), and sold more than 50 million records worldwide. She was named CMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year in 1974.
Olivia Newton-John’s Greatest Hits Volume 2 – Deluxe Edition (Remastered) Track List:
1. Heart Attack
2. Magic
3. Physical
4. Hopelessly Devoted To You
5. Make A Move On Me
6. Deeper Than The Night
7. Landslide
8. A Little More Love
9. You’re The One That I Want
10. Tied Up
11. Suddenly
12. Totally Hot
13. The Promise (The Dolphin Song)
14. Xanadu
My Music Row Story: BMG’s Chris Oglesby
/by LB CantrellChris Oglesby
Chris Oglesby has been in the music publishing industry for more than 30 years. He joined BMG in 2013, where he now serves as Sr. VP of Creative, overseeing the creative publishing team in Nashville and furthering the collaborative efforts between BMG’s roster of artists and publishing clients in both Los Angeles and New York, as well as BMG’s BBR Music Group (Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records, Wheelhouse Records).
Oglesby has been involved with numerous hit songs, including George Strait‘s “Check Yes or No;” Kenny Chesney‘s “Young;” Kane Brown’s “Heaven” and “Good As You;” Carrie Underwood’s “So Small,” “Temporary Home,” and “Last Name;” Keith Urban’s “God Whispered Your Name” and “Only You Can Love Me This Way;” and Martina McBride’s “God’s Will.”
Oglesby began his career at Almo/Irving Music, signing Grammy award-winner Craig Wiseman, before joining Dreamcatcher Music. He would later join former BMG Music Publishing where he spent a decade working with a roster of established songwriters and emerging talent.
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
I was an Army brat. We moved around a lot. I was born in Hawaii and we moved to Taiwan, Colorado, Illinois [and other places]. After the military, my dad became a minister, so we continued to move around. I claim western Kentucky is home because that’s where my family came from, but I grew up mostly in southern Illinois.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
What brought you to Nashville?
The music industry, of course. I came to be this country music star who was bigger than Kenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap put together. I discovered music publishing, which I knew nothing about, and it changed literally everything about my life as soon as I did.
How did you discover the music industry as a kid?
I grew up singing. My dad was trying to be a star in the music industry, so when he became a minister, our family sang southern gospel music. We traveled with an evangelistic team called the Donaldson Brothers. In a two-pole tent, we would go set up in different communities and our family would sing. When I went to college, I continued to sing. My hope was that I would move to Nashville and be discovered.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
What happened when you got to Music City?
I enrolled in Belmont. I somehow convinced Karen Conrad to give me an internship at AMR Publications. After I was there for a year, she encouraged me to meet and talk to her husband, David Conrad, and I went to work for him. Karen and David really set me on my journey as a music publisher. They had big influence on me—they taught me how to treat people.
Why do you think you fell in love with the publishing aspect?
It’s interesting because I knew nothing about music publishing, but the first time I heard a song being written, being tweaked up a bit, being demoed, put on hold and recorded, and then heard it on the radio—it was unbelievable. Life changing stuff. It was actually a song called “Love Won’t Wait” that was on The Whites‘ greatest hits album. I was there when that was written. I started meeting all these amazing songwriters who wrote these songs that I had just spent five years going through college singing. I started hearing the stories about the songs. Then the creative aspect of music publishing took over. [I was asking myself] what makes this song work for this artist or what makes these writers work together. It’s very creative and the creative part of music publishing is what drew me in.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
After you worked for both the Conrads, where did you go from there?
I went to work for Bob Doyle and Kye Fleming. They had started a little publishing company called Dreamcatcher Music. I did that for a little bit and then went to work at BMG following that.
Now you are head of creative for BMG’s Nashville office. How did you develop your style of music publishing?
I’ve learned so much along the way from different people. Karen had a very unique approach to music publishing, which was very successful. Her approach was blanketing the town with all of the songs, making sure that A&R people are covered with a bunch of new music. David was more of a sharp shooter. His approach was, “Let’s send this one to this person.” They both worked with writers differently. I took a lot of what they did and how I saw them interacting with writers, and then tried to apply as much of it to me as possible. Obviously in those situations you see things that work and you see things that might work well for them, but maybe not well for you, so you’ve just got to mix and match. It was great to see both of their approaches.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
In addition to Karen and David, who have else have been some of your mentors?
Troy Tomlinson has been a massive help, as has Jody Williams, Kerry O’Neil and Tim DuBois. One mentor that I’ve had for probably 25 years that I did not meet until last year—which is kind of a weird thing to say about a mentor—is John Maxwell. All of those people have had a profound effect on me in my path and journey through the music industry.
What moment have you had that your kid self would think is so cool?
I had one of those moments right before Thanksgiving. I went to Kansas City to see Carrie Underwood and Jimmie Allen, and I got to take my 11-year-old niece. It was her very first concert. We were hooked up from top to bottom. I look at that experience through her eyes and I just feel so blessed to be able to do that. To go to those things and be fully in the moment of what’s happening, but at the same time, it’s my job. Sometimes it’s hard to be in both those things at the same time, but how cool is it that we get to go to a concert or No. 1 party? That’s our job!
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Oglesby
When are you most fulfilled in what you do?
When I see opportunity put in front of a songwriter for growth followed by success—and I had a small hand in it—that’s the most gratifying thing that you can do. Not only do I love it, but somebody’s dreams are coming true. Somebody’s not going to have NES come turn their electricity off. When you can pull all those things together, I can’t think of anything else that would be more rewarding than watching someone else succeed where you played a small role in their success. I love that part of it more than anything.
What’s some of the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
To live like you’re dying. [Laughs]
In addition to that, just add value to people. When you add value to somebody else, it’s going to come back to you a hundred times over.
What are some of the best attributes about our Music Row community?
The friendly, competitive nature that exists within our community is so healthy. We’re all after the same things. We’re all very competitive, but at the same time, we know that the success of somebody else helps us all. That for me has been incredible to be a part of through my whole journey.
I feel like our two streets have laid an incredibly strong foundation, not only for a genre of music, but how to work together in unison and in a harmony with one another, no pun intended.
‘Nashville’s Big Bash’ Rings In 2023 With Record Breaking Attendance
/by Lydia FarthingNashville’s Big Bash on Dec. 31, 2022. Photo: Courtesy of NCVC
Music City rang in 2023 earlier this week with the second annual Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, which aired live on CBS and Paramount+.
Following the festivities, Metro Nashville Police and event officials have estimated that a record-breaking crowd of 210,000 attendees were present at midnight, surpassing the event’s 2019 record of just over 200,000. Last year, despite ongoing COVID-19 protocols, approximately 200,000 people packed downtown to celebrate the new year.
The Bash was headquartered at Nashville’s annual free concert and Music Note Drop at Bicentennial Mall, but also moved around to some of Music City’s famed honky-tonks for many of the night’s performances. Grammy-nominated artists Elle King and Jimmie Allen took over the event’s hosting duties alongside Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith.
The five hour special, finished with the renowned Music Note Drop, featured more than 50 performances from some of country music’s brightest stars and more, including Brooks & Dunn, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Jimmie Allen, Dierks Bentley, King Calaway, Sheryl Crow, Flo-Rida, Riley Green, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Steve Miller, Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson, and The War And Treaty.
Last year, the live show for Nashville’s Big Bash generated an estimated $30 million in direct visitor spending, setting a new record and marking an increase of 12 percent over 2019’s record-breaking $26.6 million.
Additionally, the 2021 broadcast placed second among networks in viewers during primetime and earned 4.44 million viewers.
Final viewership and other statistics have not yet been released for this year’s event.
LeAnn Phelan Leads 11th LP Creative Therapy Workshop For Songwriters
/by Liza AndersonLeAnn Phelan. Photo: Rachel Deeb
Music executive LeAnn Phelan is hosting her 11th LP Creative Therapy Workshop for songwriters this week, Jan. 2 – 5.
Over the last 25 years, Phelan has helped to develop songwriters in various roles, including Senior Director, A&R at Sony Records; Co-Head of Creative at ASCAP; and her current role as owner of LP Creative Management.
During the pandemic, she created the LP Creative Therapy Workshop platform to connect songwriters everywhere. Since then, the workshop has featured more than 80 top industry guests and over 200 songwriters from across the globe.
“Our community has a lot of great mentors doing great work. It takes a village to support our developing songwriters and I’m proud to be part of that village,” shares Phelan.
The four-day event consists of hour-long Zoom calls beginning at 5 p.m. CT each day. Highlights and topics include: Five Things Publishers Expect from Songwriters, Five Ways Publishers Find Songwriters, Five Things Most Hit Songwriters Have in Common, Q&As, and special guests.
The first class, which took place yesterday (Jan. 2), featured renowned songwriter Tom Douglas. Those that sign up will be able to replay the classes.
The LP Creative Therapy Workshop is not genre specific and is open to songwriters located all over, as well as to anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of the industry. For more information, click here.
Jimmie Allen Heads Into 2023 With Fourth Career No. 1, ‘Down Home’
/by Lydia FarthingJimmie Allen. Photo: Chris Beyrooty
Multi-Platinum entertainer Jimmie Allen is starting off 2023 by notching his fourth career No. 1 as his current single “Down Home” hits the top of the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart.
Released in March of 2022 via Stoney Creek Records/BBR Music Group, “Down Home” serves as the lead single from Allen’s third album, Tulip Drive. The track serves as a letter to his late father James, who passed away in 2019.
“Dear Dad, I knew you existed and now the world knows too. Thank you to country radio for helping me share the memory of my father through this song,” Allen shared on social media. “My [co-writers] Cameron Bedell, Tate Howell and Rian Ball, I’m thankful to y’all for pushing me to do this song but I also thank you for being patient and writing it with me when I was emotionally ready… To every person that listened to this song, thank you. I read every message about how this song related to you and the person you lost. I’m sending love and peace your way in dealing with your loss.”
The Grammy nominated singer-songwriter most recently performed “Down Home” on New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash on CBS, as well as served as co-host for the star-studded celebration alongside Elle King and Rachel Smith. Nashville’s Big Bash also saw Allen join forces with Flo Rida for the broadcast premiere performance of their collaboration “No Bad Days.”
It was also recently announced that Allen will serve as a keynote commencement speaker at Delaware State University on May 12.
“Delaware State University is where I am proud to say I attended. I met lifetime friends there and learned so much about who I am as a Black man, and navigating my way through life,” Allen shared. “I’m honored to be the keynote speaker and hope I can share something that will inspire the next generation of leaders. Thank you to President [Tony] Allen and the rest of the DSU family for having me. Let’s go Hornets!!”
The CMA and ACM award-winner will return to the road as a special guest on Carrie Underwood’s “The Denim & Rhinestones Tour,” which resumes on Feb. 2 in Miami with stops in New York City, Los Angeles and Nashville.
Muscadine Bloodline Gears Up For New Album, ‘Teenage Dixie,’ In February
/by Lorie HollabaughMuscadine Bloodline. Photo: Matt Turpin
Muscadine Bloodline, the duo of Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton, is set to release their new album, Teenage Dixie, on Feb. 24.
The 16-track project is chock full of stories about family, history and rowdy adolescence, serving as a love letter to their youth and a take on what “dixie” means for two men who grew up in the thick of it. The project was co-written by Muncaster and Stanton alongside collaborators Brent Cobb, BJ Barham (American Aquarium), Adam Hood, and more.
“Teenage Dixie is a collection of stories with an eccentric underlying tone based in the south. Some are autobiographical, some are true in history books, some are fables about real figures, while some are stories told from a grandson of a man who is larger than life,” the pair share. “Regardless of this being inspired by the south, we are all a product of our raising and shaped by our upbringing. This record incorporates some of our favorite elements of a place that, for some, is anything but stereotypical.”
The album’s string of early singles has already notched the duo more than 450 million combined streams and spots on three separate Billboard charts.
Teenage Dixie (Charles Muncaster, Gary Stanton, Ryan Youmans)
Pocketful of 90’s Country (Muncaster, Stanton, Youmans, Zoltan Tobak)
Made Her That Way (Muncaster, Jordan Fletcher)
Me On You (Muncaster, Stanton, Youmans)
Inconvenience Store (Muncaster, Stanton, Youmans, Tobak)
Evinrudin’ (Adam Hood, Brent Cobb, Muncaster, Stanton)
Cryin’ in a GMC (Stanton)
WT vs the Devil (Stanton)
Devil Died in Dixie (Stanton)
Life Itself (Stanton)
Good to Drive (Muncaster, Stanton, Youmans)
Named After Natives (BJ Barham, Muncaster, Stanton)
Old Man Gillich (Stanton)
Azalea Blooms (Barham, Stanton)
Knife To a Gunfight (Stanton, Youmans)
Shootout in Saraland (Stanton)