Jason Aldean performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
The heat gave Nashville a break Thursday evening (June 9), making for the perfect breezy summer evening for the first Nissan Stadium show of CMA Fest 2022.
With headlining sets from Shenandoah, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean and Keith Urban, fans were treated to an evening of hits on night one.
Rising star Brittney Spencer got the music started with a hair-raising rendition of the National Anthem. Crook & Chase‘s Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase were delightful hosts for show attendees, while Dierks Bentley and Elle King made a few appearances while performing their hosting duties for the TV special, airing in August.
Shenandoah was the first act to take the main stage. Marty Raybon and the band sounded awesome, and pleased fans with some ’80s country gold. Concert goers clapped and sang along to “Next to You, Next to Me,” “I Wanna Be Loved Like That,” and “Two Dozen Roses.” After closing with a rousing rendition of “The Church on Cumberland Road,” Raybon closed the set with a spirited, “Long live country music!”
Darius Rucker performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
Rucker’s set was full of laid-back, feel-good vibes. He sang country hit after country hit, such as “Alright,” “Come Back Song,” “Homegrown Honey,” “This,” and “Beers And Sunshine.” He also thrilled fans by grooving along with some Hootie & The Blowfish hits like “Hold My Hand” and “I Only Wanna Be With You.”
“Who loves country music, huh?” Rucker said before going into his massive, 9x-Platinum “Wagon Wheel.” If you’ve ever been to a Darius Rucker show, you know that the people love “Wagon Wheel.” Fans from the floor of Nissan Stadium to the top of the 300 section were on their feet dancing with the singer to the 2013 hit.
The hits kept coming when Zac Brown Band took the stage. The talented band performed their beloved “Toes,” “Knee Deep,” “Homegrown,” and “Colder Weather,” as well as some newer songs such as “Out in the Middle” and “Same Boat.”
Brown invited a few special guests to join him during his stage, starting with King Calaway, to promo their brand new single “When I Get Home.” Brown co-wrote and produced the track.
He also invited the very talented Marcus King up to perform a song the two co-wrote, “Stubborn Pride.” Brown was giddy watching King get a standing ovation after his incredible guitar solo.
Zac Brown Band performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
Like Rucker, the Zac Brown Band has a larger than life crowd favorite: “Chicken Fried.” The stadium was thigh-slapping and two-stepping along to the country hit from its opening licks to the moment Brown left the stage.
Next up was Aldean. If fans were getting tired by the time the country rocker took the stage, the energy he brought was enough to wake them up.
Aldean kicked up the volume for his long string of hits, such as “Crazy Town,” “Lights Come On,” “Take A Little Ride,” “Tattoos On This Town,” and “Dirt Road Anthem.” He also played some new tunes, such as the current No. 1 song in the country, “Trouble With A Heartbreak,” and his next single, “What Tequila Does.”
“It’s good to see you guys, back,” the country star said. “This is what June in Nashville is supposed to look like.”
When it came time to sing his monster hit with Carrie Underwood, “If I Didn’t Love You,” Aldean sat at the piano and Underwood appeared on a screen singing her part. The energy never wavered throughout Aldean’s set, and he closed with a one-two punch: “My Kinda Party” and “Hick Town.”
Keith Urban performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
Urban took the stage at about a quarter ’til midnight. He carried on Aldean’s high-energy, running all over the stage and connecting with the crowd.
“I have a feeling you guys might have missed this thing as much as we did,” Urban said to the excited crowd.
The beloved entertainer performed his “Days Go By,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” “Somebody Like You” and “You’ll Think of Me.” For his duet with P!nk, “One Too Many,” Urban also made use of a pre-recorded video for the pop singer’s part.
Urban’s newest hit, “Wild Hearts,” sounded perfect in the stadium. The anthemic tune had fans reaching towards the sky and singing their hearts out.
More performers made use a few other stages throughout the night. Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter performed their smash duet, “Thinking ‘Bout You,” in the middle of the stage.
On the new Platform Stage, Kat & Alex sang their “How Many Times” and “I Want It All,” complete with Spanish versions honoring their heritage. The band mates and spouses exchanged grins at each other, beaming with pride at their Nissan performance.
Priscilla Block also performed on the Platform Stage. “I think I’m about to pee my pants. This is the coolest thing ever done in my whole life,” she said through tears. The smiling and sparkly singer performed her fun “My Bar” and breakout hit, “Just About Over You.”
Taking the Nissan Stadium stage tonight (June 10) will be Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Deana Carter, Carly Pearce, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson.
Music Row A&R Veteran Al Cooley Passes
/by Robert K OermannLongtime Nashville music executive Al Cooley died on Thursday (June 9) at age 76.
He is perhaps best known for his tenure at Combine Music, the publishing home of such Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members as Dennis Linde, Kris Kristofferson, John Scott Sherrill, Bob DiPiero, Larry Gatlin and Bob Morrison, among others.
Cooley was also an authority on the career of Elvis Presley and had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular-music history, particularly Nashville’s. He was one of Music Row’s great characters and an intense music enthusiast. These qualities made him successful.
“He was the classic picture of a song plugger,” recalls former Combine writer Woody Bomar. “When he believed in a song he was relentless until he got it from the writer’s room to the radio.”
Born Al Bianculli, he was raised in the Bronx and retained a strong New York accent throughout his Music Row career. He first came to Nashville as a music journalist. Cooley was the editor of Zoo World: The Music Megapaper. Published in 1972-75, the bi-weekly periodical was designed as a competitor to Rolling Stone. He profiled the “Nashville underground” in a 1973 edition of Zoo World. In 1975, he wrote liner notes for Billy Swan’s album Rock ’N’ Roll Moon.
His outgoing personality appealed to the industry leaders on Music Row. He was hired by Combine in 1976, and became its widely liked song plugger. He advanced at the publishing company throughout his decade there. The staff songwriters included Bomar, Swan, Thomas Cain, Tony Joe White, Pat McManus, Debbie Hupp, Patti Ryan, Mark Germino and Tim Krekel, as well as the Hall of Famers listed above. Cain became a BMI executive. Bomar now runs Green Hills Music.
Among Al Cooley’s many accomplishments was giving future star Kathy Mattea her first recording sessions by hiring her as a Combine demo singer. In 1981, he helped David Ross launch MusicRow magazine as the periodical’s first columnist. He remained at Combine until 1986, when it was sold to SBK Entertainment (the catalog now resides at EMI).
Cooley also had stints at the MTM Music Group and at MCA Music Publishing. In 1991, he became the A&R Director at Atlantic Nashville Records. The company succeeded with Tracy Lawrence, Neal McCoy, Confederate Railroad, Robin Lee and John Michael Montgomery. He became vice president at the label in 1994.
In 2004, Cooley was named Manager of Koch Nashville’s publishing division. Koch/Audium was associated with such artists as Robert Earl Keen, Dean Miller, Gene Watson, The Tractors, Daryle Singletary, Dwight Yoakam, David Lee Murphy and John Anderson.
Cooley retired, but continued to be involved in the music business as a repertoire consultant for Tracy Lawrence and other acts.
In recent years, Al Cooley had been battling cancer. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Chart Action: Thomas Rhett’s New Single Hits Radio
/by Alex ParryComing off the heels of his 19th career No. 1 with “Slow Down Summer,” Thomas Rhett‘s newest single, “Half Of Me” with Riley Green impacts country radio this week. It debuted at No. 42 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart, earning the most spins and adds out of any other single this week. He earned an addition 53 new station adds on the Mediabase chart.
Rhett co-wrote “Half Of Me” with his father, Rhett Akins, William Bundy and Josh Thompson. It is the second single off his sixth studio album, Where We Started.
Rhett shares, “I’m pretty blown away to be celebrating my 19th No. 1 with ‘Slow Down Summer’ and the release of my new single ‘Half Of Me.’ I wrote both of these songs with my dad, which is special to me, and several other truly incredible songwriters. I hope fans have as much fun singing along to ‘Half Of Me‘ as we did writing it.”
Rhett will embark on his headlining “Bring The Bar To You Tour” this summer with Parker McCollum and Conner Smith.
For more chart data, view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.
Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Zac Brown Band Show Out For CMA Fest Night 1
/by LB CantrellJason Aldean performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
The heat gave Nashville a break Thursday evening (June 9), making for the perfect breezy summer evening for the first Nissan Stadium show of CMA Fest 2022.
With headlining sets from Shenandoah, Darius Rucker, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean and Keith Urban, fans were treated to an evening of hits on night one.
Rising star Brittney Spencer got the music started with a hair-raising rendition of the National Anthem. Crook & Chase‘s Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase were delightful hosts for show attendees, while Dierks Bentley and Elle King made a few appearances while performing their hosting duties for the TV special, airing in August.
Shenandoah was the first act to take the main stage. Marty Raybon and the band sounded awesome, and pleased fans with some ’80s country gold. Concert goers clapped and sang along to “Next to You, Next to Me,” “I Wanna Be Loved Like That,” and “Two Dozen Roses.” After closing with a rousing rendition of “The Church on Cumberland Road,” Raybon closed the set with a spirited, “Long live country music!”
Darius Rucker performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
Rucker’s set was full of laid-back, feel-good vibes. He sang country hit after country hit, such as “Alright,” “Come Back Song,” “Homegrown Honey,” “This,” and “Beers And Sunshine.” He also thrilled fans by grooving along with some Hootie & The Blowfish hits like “Hold My Hand” and “I Only Wanna Be With You.”
“Who loves country music, huh?” Rucker said before going into his massive, 9x-Platinum “Wagon Wheel.” If you’ve ever been to a Darius Rucker show, you know that the people love “Wagon Wheel.” Fans from the floor of Nissan Stadium to the top of the 300 section were on their feet dancing with the singer to the 2013 hit.
The hits kept coming when Zac Brown Band took the stage. The talented band performed their beloved “Toes,” “Knee Deep,” “Homegrown,” and “Colder Weather,” as well as some newer songs such as “Out in the Middle” and “Same Boat.”
Brown invited a few special guests to join him during his stage, starting with King Calaway, to promo their brand new single “When I Get Home.” Brown co-wrote and produced the track.
He also invited the very talented Marcus King up to perform a song the two co-wrote, “Stubborn Pride.” Brown was giddy watching King get a standing ovation after his incredible guitar solo.
Zac Brown Band performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
Like Rucker, the Zac Brown Band has a larger than life crowd favorite: “Chicken Fried.” The stadium was thigh-slapping and two-stepping along to the country hit from its opening licks to the moment Brown left the stage.
Next up was Aldean. If fans were getting tired by the time the country rocker took the stage, the energy he brought was enough to wake them up.
Aldean kicked up the volume for his long string of hits, such as “Crazy Town,” “Lights Come On,” “Take A Little Ride,” “Tattoos On This Town,” and “Dirt Road Anthem.” He also played some new tunes, such as the current No. 1 song in the country, “Trouble With A Heartbreak,” and his next single, “What Tequila Does.”
“It’s good to see you guys, back,” the country star said. “This is what June in Nashville is supposed to look like.”
When it came time to sing his monster hit with Carrie Underwood, “If I Didn’t Love You,” Aldean sat at the piano and Underwood appeared on a screen singing her part. The energy never wavered throughout Aldean’s set, and he closed with a one-two punch: “My Kinda Party” and “Hick Town.”
Keith Urban performs at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, June 9 during CMA Fest 2022 in downtown Nashville.
Urban took the stage at about a quarter ’til midnight. He carried on Aldean’s high-energy, running all over the stage and connecting with the crowd.
“I have a feeling you guys might have missed this thing as much as we did,” Urban said to the excited crowd.
The beloved entertainer performed his “Days Go By,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” “Somebody Like You” and “You’ll Think of Me.” For his duet with P!nk, “One Too Many,” Urban also made use of a pre-recorded video for the pop singer’s part.
Urban’s newest hit, “Wild Hearts,” sounded perfect in the stadium. The anthemic tune had fans reaching towards the sky and singing their hearts out.
More performers made use a few other stages throughout the night. Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter performed their smash duet, “Thinking ‘Bout You,” in the middle of the stage.
On the new Platform Stage, Kat & Alex sang their “How Many Times” and “I Want It All,” complete with Spanish versions honoring their heritage. The band mates and spouses exchanged grins at each other, beaming with pride at their Nissan performance.
Priscilla Block also performed on the Platform Stage. “I think I’m about to pee my pants. This is the coolest thing ever done in my whole life,” she said through tears. The smiling and sparkly singer performed her fun “My Bar” and breakout hit, “Just About Over You.”
Taking the Nissan Stadium stage tonight (June 10) will be Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Deana Carter, Carly Pearce, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson.
Carrie Underwood Brings The Bling To CMA Fest With New Pop-Up Exhibit
/by Lorie HollabaughCarrie Underwood at “The Denim & Rhinestones Experience.” Photo: Jeff Johnson
Carrie Underwood is offering fans a unique experience this week with the opening of “The Denim & Rhinestones Experience” at the Historic Bell Tower in downtown Nashville.
The fun-filled, pop-up exhibit features a bevy of interactive photo installations, wardrobe displays, and a retail boutique celebrating the music of Underwood’s latest album, Denim & Rhinestones, out today (June 10).
“The Denim & Rhinestones Experience.” Photo: Jeff Johnson
“CMA Fest week is always so much fun with so many things going on and this year, we’ve added our album launch to the festivities! To celebrate, we’ve put together ‘The Denim & Rhinestones Experience,’ a pop-up exhibit and retail space for fans which will be open to the public at The Historic Bell Tower in downtown Nashville Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Underwood tells MusicRow.
“We really wanted to bring the music of Denim & Rhinestones to life with some fun, interactive experiences highlighting ‘Ghost Story,’ ‘Crazy Angels,’ ‘Pink Champagne,’ an Infinity Room and, of course, lots of denim and lots of rhinestones. We’ve got some of my favorite wardrobe pieces from my recent performances at The Grammys, CMT Music Awards, Stagecoach, and more on display. Come on down, add some bling to some merch or on a souvenir cup, and we’ll keep you hydrated during the hot days of CMA Fest.”
“The Denim & Rhinestones Experience” will be open to the public from June 10-12.
‘Lucille’ Songwriter Hal Bynum Passes
/by Robert K OermannHal Bynum. Photo: Dennis Wile / Warner Bros. Records
Award-winning Nashville songwriter Hal Bynum died June 2 at age 87.
He is best-known as the co-writer of the Kenny Rogers mega-hit “Lucille,” with collaborator Roger Bowling (1944-1982). Bynum was also a spoken-word recording artist and performer.
Harold Lynn Bynum was born in West Texas in 1934 and attended Texas Tech in Lubbock. He served in the U.S. Navy and began writing country songs as a young man. His first recorded song was “I’m Hot to Trot,” recorded by Terry Fell in 1953. George Jones recorded Bynum’s “The Old, Old House” in 1963, and the songwriter moved to Nashville five years later. “The Old, Old House” subsequently became a bluegrass favorite recorded by Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Peter Rowan, Country Gazette, IIIrd Tyme Out and Marty Stuart.
Country superstar Jim Reeves recorded Bynum’s “Nobody’s Fool” shortly before he died in 1964, and the song became a posthumous top-10 success for Reeves in 1970. The songwriter’s other notable event in 1970 came when Ray Price recorded “You Can’t Take It With You.” This song was also recorded by Wynn Stewart, Johnny Bush, Clinton Gregory and Kenny Price.
Johnny Cash recorded Bynum’s “Papa Was a Good Man” the following year, and it became a top-20 hit. In 1973, Jeanne Pruett recorded “I’ve Been So Wrong For So Long,” and a year later Diahann Carroll introduced “Easy to Love,” which was covered by Tom Jones.
During his career, Bynum wrote more than 200 songs. They were recorded by artists such as Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb, Jimmy Dickens, Curtis Potter, T.G. Sheppard, Dave & Sugar, Charlie Rich, Diana Trask, Cal Smith, John Anderson and Roy Clark.
His songwriting career struck gold with “Lucille.” The song turned Kenny Rogers into a pop and country superstar, won him a Grammy, sold a million, became a country standard and earned Bynum and Bowling the CMA Song of the Year award for 1977.
This success was followed by “There Ain’t No Good Chain Gang,” co-written with Dave Kirby. It rose to the top of the charts in a duet by Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash in late 1978.
Bynum co-wrote 1987’s “As If I Didn’t Know” with Mel Tillis, and it was recorded by Suzy Bogguss, as well as Lee Greenwood. One of the songwriter’s most frequent collaborators was Bud Reneau, with whom he wrote “Chains.” It topped the charts for Patty Loveless in 1990.
In the late 1990s, Hal Bynum began a second career as a spoken-word recording artist. Jim Ed Norman produced Bynum’s philosophical If I Could Do Anything (1998) on Warner Bros. Records. Bynum followed that with two more albums on his own label, The Promise (2002) and An American Prayer (2004). The Promise was also the title of his 2002 autobiography.
Hal Bynum passed away peacefully after a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s and a final stroke. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Rebecca Jan Bynum; his sons, Scott Thomas Bynum of Farmington, New Mexico and Christopher David Bynum of Brooklyn, New York and by two grandchildren and two nieces.
The family will gather at his home in Nashville to celebrate his life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Urantia Fellowship in his name.
Callista Clark Announces Full-Length Debut ‘Real To Me: The Way I Feel’ For October
/by Lorie HollabaughCallista Clark is giving fans a sneak preview of her upcoming debut full-length album Real To Me: The Way I Feel, with the release of a brand new track, “Sad,” out today.
Penned by the rising vocalist with Sarah Buxton and Jimmy Robbins, the young woman in “Sad” is not at all broken up about her recent breakup. “‘Sad’ is one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever written,” explains Clark. “It’s super lighthearted and perfect for summer. I wanted the lyrics of this song to be fun and sarcastic–the exact opposite of how I was feeling while going through a heartbreak. Manifesting not being sad.”
Due out Oct. 14 via Big Machine Records, the new album expands her previously-released Real To Me collection to 10 tracks. Produced by Nathan Chapman, Clark’s debut features songs co-written by Clark with Emily Shackelton, Jonathan Singleton, Chris DeStefano, Liz Rose, and more.
“I couldn’t be more excited to share that my first album ever is coming out Oct. 14! I have been waiting so long and trying my best to get all the new songs as perfect as I can. The Real to Me era is not over yet! Can’t wait for y’all to hear it,” she adds.
Clark continues to make strides as one of country’s hottest newcomers. Billboard has featured her two years in a row on their annual “21 Under 21” list, and she was the youngest member ever named to CMT’s Next Women of Country in the 2022 class.
Real To Me: The Way I Feel Track List:
1. “It’s ‘Cause I Am” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Laura Veltz
2. “Gave It Back Broken” | Callista Clark, Emily Shackelton
3. “Change My Mind” | Callista Clark, Dan Isbell, Jonathan Singleton
4. “Worst Guy Ever” | Callista Clark, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Weisband
5. “Brave Girl” | Callista Clark, Ben Johnson, Emily Landis
6. “Wish You Wouldn’t” | Callista Clark, Emily Falvey, Lalo Guzman
7. “Heartbreak Song” | Callista Clark, Chris DeStefano, Liz Rose, Emily Shackelton
8. “Don’t Need It Anymore” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Melissa Peirce
9. “Sad” | Callista Clark, Sarah Buxton, Jimmy Robbins
10. “Real To Me” | Callista Clark, Casey Robert Brown, Laura Veltz
Parmalee Hits No. 1 On MusicRow Radio Chart
/by Alex Parry“Take My Name” by Parmalee earns a No. 1 Challenge Coin this week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart. This is the group’s first MusicRow No. 1.
“Take My Name” appears on the group’s third album, For You, which was released in July of 2021 via Stoney Creek Records. The single was written by Ashley Gorely, David Fanning, Ben Johnson, and the band’s vocalist Matt Thomas.
“From the jump, the fans have really latched onto this song in such an amazing, life-changing way. Our fans have been the reason for so many of our own major milestones, so it means that much more to us that folks are our song for their proposals and weddings and allowing us to be a part of those major moments in their lives,” says Thomas.
Click here to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
Industry Ink: Whiskey Myers, AIMP, BMI, ORiGiN Music Publishing
/by Lydia FarthingWhiskey Myers Makes Red Rocks Debut With A Wave Of New RIAA Certifications
Pictured (L-R, back row): Eddie Kloesel (Manager, WHY&HOW), Meredith Jones (Agent, CAA), Jamey Gleaves, Jeff Hogg, Cody Cannon, John Jeffers, Bruce Kalmick (Manager, WHY&HOW); (L-R, front row): Tony Kent, Cody Tate. Photo: Khris Poage
Whiskey Myers made their Red Rocks debut earlier this week (June 6) with a sold-out crowd of 9,525.
Delivering 19 genre-bending songs over two hours of music, the six-piece was also surprised pre-show with plaques celebrating four brand-new RIAA certifications. “Stone,” “Ballad of a Southern Man” and “Broken Window Serenade” earned Platinum distinction while “Virginia” was certified Gold.
The band takes their show to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival next weekend (June 17), while continuing to make stops on their cross-country “Tornillo Tour.”
AIMP Nashville Chapter Hosts “The Evolution Of Writer Management In Nashville” Event
Pictured (L-R): ET Brown (SESAC), Chris Van Belkom (Combustion Music), LeAnn Phelan (LP Creative Management), Nate Lowery (Cornman Music), Shelby Yoder (Milk & Honey South and Top 5 Music Publishing) , Tim Hunze (Big Machine Music), Michael Martin (Endurance Music Group), Emily Boardman (AIMP Nashville Treasurer, Hipgnosis Songs), Greg Gallo (Reservoir), and Kendall Lettow (peermusic).
The AIMP Nashville Chapter recently hosted its in-person “The Evolution of Writer Management in Nashville” event on June 1 at SESAC’s Nashville offices.
The event brought together writer managers Nate Lowery (Cornman Music), LeAnn Phelan (LP Creative Management), and Shelby Yoder (Milk & Honey South and Top 5 Music Publishing) to discuss the intricacies of the ever-growing world of writer/producer management.
BMI Hosts Industry Mixer For Equal Access Participants
Indsutry Executives attend mtheory mixer hosted by BMI. Photo: John Jo
Clay Bradley and Shannan Sanders of BMI hosted a mixer at the BMI offices for participants of mtheory’s Equal Access program.
In addition to mtheory and BMI staff, attendees included those from CMT, Universal Music, Universal Publishing, Symphonic, Nashville Music Equality, The Change Agency, plus several notable songwriters and producers. The mixers serve to give the Equal Access manager and artist participants a chance to meet and work with leaders in the country music industry who want to see it evolve into a more inclusive space.
More of these events with industry partners will take place in the coming months.
Templeton Thompson & Sam Gay Sign With ORiGiN Music Publishing In Australia
Templeton Thompson & Sam Gay
Templeton Thompson and Sam Gay have inked a sub-publishing agreement with ORiGiN Music Publishing in Sydney Australia. This agreement includes their Connected at the Hit Songs and BoatPony Music catalogs.
The signing news comes on the heels of their 11 singles on the Australian country radio charts with 10 No. 1s on the iTunes Australia Country chart.
In addition to their hits in Australia, Thompson’s and Gay’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Reba McEntire, Little Texas, Montgomery Gentry, Ricky Van Shelton, and Jo Dee Messina, among others. Individually and collectively, their songs have been used in films such as Dr. Dolittle 3 and the Lifetime Christmas movie Every Other Holiday. Gay also wrote and produced the soundtrack for the film Dogs On The Inside.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this collaboration with the team at ORiGiN!” says Gay. “We’re so grateful to legendary Australian producer Rod McCormack, Aussie country icon Gina Jeffreys, Vixens of Fall and Courtney Keil for doing such an amazing job with the songs we’ve all written! The only missing piece has been a relationship with an Australian publisher. ORiGiN Music is a perfect fit to oversee our catalogs and open the door to even more creative opportunities in that part of the world.”
“We’re so blessed to be working with the wonderful folks at ORiGiN and can’t wait to see what the future holds!” Thompson adds.
BMI Throws Massive Parking Lot Party To Celebrate Nine Luke Combs Hits
/by LB CantrellPictured: Luke Combs performs for 8,000 fans at the BMI Parking Lot Party. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
BMI hosted its biggest No. 1 party ever Wednesday night (June 8) to celebrate nine hits by country superstar Luke Combs.
More than 8,000 fans and industry members flooded the BMI parking lot on Music Row on the hot summer night. Attendees participated in corn hole, sampled yummy food from local food trucks, and heard from talents Hailey Whitters and Drew Parker before Combs made his way to the stage.
Along with 11 talented songwriters, Combs celebrated nine of his latest chart-topping singles: “Beautiful Crazy,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” “Even Though I’m Leaving,” “Does To Me, ”Lovin’ On You,” “Better Together,” “Forever After All,” “Cold As You,” and “Doin’ This.” He performed all nine songs, joined by his co-writers Thomas Archer, Wyatt Durrette, Ray Fulcher, Dan Isbell, James McNair, Shane Minor, Randy Montana, Tyler Reeve, Jonathan Singleton and Rob Williford.
Combs ended the parking lot party with a rousing sing-along of his first hit, “Hurricane.”
Pictured: Luke Combs with fellow co-writers. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
Pictured: BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill, Luke Combs, and Sirius XM’s The Highway Storme Warren at the BMI Parking Lot Party. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Morgan Wallen Among 2022 iHeartRadio Music Fest Lineup
/by Lorie HollabaughiHeartMedia has unveiled the lineup for the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival set for Sept. 23-24 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
This year’s star-studded two-day main stage lineup will feature performances by Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Morgan Wallen, Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL Cool J feat. DJ Z-Trip, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Sam Smith, The Black Keys, and more.
Chase Rice, Carly Pearce, Ryan Hurd, and plenty more are among the lineup for the Daytime Stage on Saturday (Sept. 24) at the new immersive event and entertainment district, AREA15 in Las Vegas. Other artists performing on the Daytime Stage include Maggie Rogers, 5 Seconds of Summer, Big Time Rush, Girl in Red, Lauv, Chlöe, Willow, Latto, Gayle and Lauren Spencer-Smith, with more to be announced.
The Daytime Stage will also include fan zones and interactive experiences by iHeartRadio’s brand partners.
“We’re thrilled to once again return to Las Vegas for a weekend full of great live music with this year’s Festival,” says Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “What makes this festival one of a kind is that we have the best artists from every genre of music that we play on our 860 iHeart stations all on one stage. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see so many legends performing together.”
Each night, the festival will broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country across more than 150 markets, and the CW Network will broadcast a two-night TV special this October. In addition, The CW will exclusively livestream both nights of the festival via The CW app and CWTV.com.
“This is the one music festival that celebrates the best in class in all genres of music,” adds John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia. “Fans love this weekend because they discover new artists and the artists leave with new fans.”
Tickets are available to the general public on AXS.com beginning June 17.