Lady A Partners With Cornerstone Building Brands Partners For Habitat For Humanity

Lady A and Cornerstone Building Brand have pledged a donation of $50,000 in Ply Gem windows and vinyl siding to Habitat for Humanity’s Rockford, Illinois affiliate to support affordable housing in the Rockford community. In addition, Cornerstone Building Brands is contributing $10,000 to support LadyAID’s local, national and global initiatives.

“Home has always been at the heart of our music and our lives,” shares Hillary Scott of Lady A. “We’re honored to partner with Cornerstone Building Brands and Habitat for Humanity to lift up families in Rockford. As we visit each city on our holiday tour, it means a lot to connect the spirit of the holiday season with giving back locally.”

“We’ve seen firsthand how a safe, affordable home can change the trajectory of a family,” adds Keri Asevedo, Executive Director of the Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity. “This contribution of windows and siding will help us deliver durable, energy-efficient solutions that improve comfort, reduce energy costs and support long-term stability for Rockford families. We’re grateful to Cornerstone Building Brands and Lady A for their support of our mission.”

 

Laura Segura Appointed Executive Director Of She Is The Music

Laura Segura has been appointed Executive Director of She Is The Music (SITM), the global nonprofit dedicated to gender equality and increasing the number of women working in music.

As Executive Director, Segura will oversee and expand SITM’s core initiatives. She joins from her position as Executive Director of MusiCares, where she helped found Humans of Hip Hop grant program, the annual Wellness in Music research project, The Day That Music Cares and more. Previously, Segura served as Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations for the Recording Academy.

 

Grammy Museum Mississippi To Debut New Exhibit ‘The Killer, The Preacher and The Cowboy’

The Grammy Museum Mississippi will debut its new exhibit, “The Killer, The Preacher and the Cowboy: The Legacies of Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart and Mickey Gilley,” on Jan. 22.

“Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart and Mickey Gilley each carved out their own distinct place in American culture, whether through music, entertainment or ministry,” says Emily Havens, Executive Director of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. “GRAMMY Museum Mississippi is proud to bring to light the stories of these three remarkable cousins from Ferriday and Natchez. Though all three of these legends have since passed on, they continue to have a lasting impact on generations of fans and followers.”

 

2025 Christmas 4 Kids Tour Bus Show Announces Lineup

Maddox Batson, NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick, Mickie James, Jeff Bates, Craig Wayne Boyd and T. Graham Brown have joined the lineup for this year’s Christmas 4 Kids Tour Bus show. With over 50 entertainers onsite, additional artists can be found here.

The event will take place on Monday (Dec. 15) at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Tickets are available on site the day of the event.

 

FEMco Hosts Holiday Bash At Anzie Blue

FEMco hosted its holiday bash showcase on Wednesday (Dec. 10) at Anzie Blue. The event featured Tenille Arts, Ian Flanigan, Brooke Moriber and Charity Bowden.

 

Pickleball For Porter’s Call To Take Place On Feb. 3

The inaugural “Pickleball for Porter’s Call’ event has been set for Feb. 3 at Pickleball Kingdom South Nashville. The event supports Porter’s Call, the nonprofit offering free care for the mental and emotional health of touring recording artists and their partners.

The event will feature lunch, dedicated free-play courts, and two competitive tournament tracks (limited to 16 teams). Attendees are encouraged to sign up early to secure their spot. All artists, managers, teams, and industry professionals are invited to participate.

“In a fast-moving industry, we saw an opportunity to create an event that would highlight Porter’s Call and build community among industry and artists,” shares Matt Roberts of Jeff Roberts Agency. “We hope to see people come together, have fun and rally support around the mission of Porters Call.”

Jake Owen is set to hit the road next year on the “Dreams to Dream Tour.” Kendell Marvel will join as support.

Kicking off on Feb. 26 in Washington, DC, the tour will make stops in Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama and more on the 12-date trek. The tour steps back from arenas to more intimate venues for a stripped down set in support of his recently released Dreams To Dream album. Tickets are on sale now.

Produced by Shooter Jennings, the new project features guest appearances by Jamey Johnson on “The Jukebox Knows,” and Savannah Conley on “Them Old Love Songs” and writing credits from Ben Chapman and Marvel.

“Dreams To Dream Tour” Dates:
Feb. 26 – Lincoln Theatre – Washington, DC.
Feb. 27 – The Paramount Theater – Charlottesville, VA
Feb. 28 – Appell Center for the Performing Arts – York, PA
March 06 – Walker Theatre – Memorial Auditorium – Chattanooga, TN
March 07 – Von Braun Center – Mars Music Hall – Huntsville, AL
March 08 – Bijou Theatre – Knoxville, TN
March 19 – The Fitzgerald Theater – Saint Paul, MN
March 20 – Capitol Theatre – Davenport, IA
March 21 – Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts – Bloomington, IL
March 26 – Meyer Theatre – Green Bay, WI
March 27 – Hoyt Sherman Place – Des Moines, IA
March 28 – Blue Gate Performing Arts Center – Shipshewana, IN

Lainey Wilson, Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Teddy Swims, Eagles, Rhiannon Giddens, Earth, Wind & Fire and many more are among the jam-packed lineup for the 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, set for April 23 through May 3.

More than 5,000 musicians will perform across 14 stages over eight days at the historic Fair Grounds Race Course, filling the air with everything from jazz and blues to gospel, funk, rock, and zydeco. Beyond the music, Festivalgoers can indulge in local cuisine, art, and tradition, making Jazz Fest not just an event, but a celebration of everything that makes New Orleans unforgettable.

From Katrina to Melissa, Jazz Fest stands in solidarity with the people of Jamaica and is dedicating its 2026 Cultural Exchange Pavilion to the island nation. Entitled “One Love Jamaica,” this special presentation celebrates Jamaica’s vibrant music, rich cultural traditions, and indomitable spirit in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa this fall. The lineup features some of the biggest names in reggae and dancehall, including Ziggy and Stephen Marley, Sean Paul, Burning Spear, Protoje, Original Koffee and Lila Iké, alongside emerging talent and the lesser-known sounds of Jamaican mento, gospel, jazz and Junkanoo.

Outside the Pavilion, festival-goers can visit the Cultural Exchange Artist Demonstration Tent, which will offer a curated selection of craft items supporting artisans affected by the hurricane, and enjoy authentic Jamaican cuisine and beverages at the Cultural Exchange food stand.

Weekend passes and VIP packages go on sale today, (Dec. 12) , at 10 a.m. at nojazzfest.com,  and the festival offers special payment plans starting with just $49 down. Jazz Fest also offers discounted general admission pricing for Louisiana Residents.  Once again Jazz Fest 2026 will include the much-beloved “Locals Thursday” on both weekends of the event, April 23 & 30, for Louisiana residents.

Keith Urban has released his first full-length live album, High And A (Live) today (Dec. 12).

Recorded during his recently-wrapped “High And Alive World Tour,” the new album features every minute of Urban’s two-hour, 20-song concert, and gives fans a chance to experience and/or re-live one of his most explosive concert tours to date. The tour was Urban’s first in nearly three years, and the album captures screaming guitar solos, raucous crowd singalongs, and a cover of the New Radicals “You Get What You Give.”

Some of Urban’s biggest hits like “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” “One Too Many,” “Somebody Like You” and “Wasted Time” are featured on High And A (Live) , including 11 of his 24 No. 1s, a mashup of “Kiss A Girl” and “Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me,” an acoustic version of “You’ll Think Of Me,” as well as songs from his latest album High.

“Playing live is what I live to do,” says Urban. “Looking out from a stage and seeing people singing, forgetting about all the stress in their lives, cutting loose, and feeling ALIVE – that’s what it’s about for me.”

Urban has been the featured headliner on The Road, the new music series he co-produced with Taylor Sheridan and Blake Shelton on CBS. The show highlights Urban’s and Shelton’s journey in search of the next big musician; performing as Urban’s opening act at music venues across America. The Road finale is set to air on Dec. 21.

High And A(Live) Track List:
1. “Straight Line”
2. “Where The Blacktop Ends”
3. “Long Hot Summer”
4. “Messed Up As Me”
5. “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16”
6. “Somewhere In My Car with The Way It Is”
7. “Cop Car”
8. “Chuck Taylors”
9. “Days Go By”
10. “‘Til Summer Comes Around”
11. “Heart Like A Hometown”
12. “Kiss A Girl / Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me”
13. “The Fighter”
14. “Somebody Like You”
15. “One Too Many”
16. “You’ll Think Of Me”
17. “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
18. “Wasted Time with Folsom Prison Blues”
19. “You Get What You Give”
20. “You Look Good In My Shirt”

On Nov. 5, Hillary Lindsey and Ashley Gorley returned to their alma mater, Belmont University, to speak to students at the school’s Master Session event.

The conversation focused on Lindsey’s career from interning with Patrick Joseph Music at age 19 to writing 27 No. 1 tracks. She shared the story behind songs including “Girl Crush,” which was recorded by Little Big Town and broke the record for the most weeks a band with more than three members spent at No. 1 on the country charts. Lindsey was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2024, and Gorley was inducted in 2025.

She credited the community among writers in Nashville for her success. Serving as a moderator for the discussion, Gorley attributed Lindsey’s place in the songwriting community to her willingness to dive into the complexity of situations headfirst when writing.

“Hillary Lindsey’s honesty and transparency about her songwriting journey was so inspiring. Her ability to speak on the struggles that all young songwriters face made the discussion engaging and highlighted the importance of resilience in the industry,” shares Reagan Sheedy, a freshman songwriting major and event attendee.