Pictured (L-R): Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, John Morgan, Lydia Vaughan. Photo: Steve Lowry
Music City songwriters, publishers and other music business professionals gathered in the BMI lobby on Thursday (April 7) to celebrate the award-winning and chart-topping duet, “If I Didn’t Love You.”
Sung by country hitmakers Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood, the track is Aldean’s 26th career No. 1 and Underwood’s 28th. “If I Didn’t Love You” was written by Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy and first-time chart-toppers John Morgan and Lydia Vaughan.
BMI’s Clay Bradley hosted the celebration. Bradley recognized the magnitude of two country superstars joining forces for the hit duet. “[They are] taking their place in the country music history books as one of the greatest duets of all time, alongside Tammy and George, Conway and Loretta, Tim and Faith, Dolly and Kenny, and Johnny and June,” he said. “‘If I Didn’t Love You’ will live on forever.”
Cornman Music’s Nate Lowery was on hand to speak about Vaughan. He spoke about her skill, spirit and work ethic—as well as her love for snacks at the publishing office. “When you first hang out with her, you realize how special she is,” he said. “She’s talented, smart, and humble.”
BMG’s Chris Oglesby got up to speak on Allison and Kennedy, the best friends, co-writers, and bandmates in Aldean’s band. “Kurt and Tully,” Oglesby addressed the songwriters, adding that calling them “Tully and Kurt” wasn’t the correct order. “It’s been an honor to be a small part of your success since BMG came alongside to become a partner and watch you guys work. Your ability to balance road work, producing, writing, and family is exemplary.”
Pictured (L-R): Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood. Photo: Steve Lowry
Aldean put on his publisher hat to speak about his Triple Play writer, Morgan—who is also signed to Aldean’s BBR label imprint, Night Train Records.
“This publishing thing is pretty easy, I’m like two for two,” Aldean joked. “One of the main reasons Kurt, Tully and I decided to start Triple Play was meeting John Morgan.
“From the time I heard his voice and the stuff he was writing, I knew I wanted to create something for [Kurt and Tully] and for him,” he said. “This being his first cut, first single, and first No. 1…You’ve only got one way to go from here, my man.”
BBR head Job Loba recognized Aldean’s partners at Maverick, WME, and Green Room PR, as well as BBR’s entire label staff, making sure to call out many unsung departments in addition to his stellar radio promo team. He let the crowd know that Broken Bow Records was the No. 3 most played imprint in 2021. “You guys crushed it last year, you’re already crushing it this year,” he said.
“Jason and Carrie,” Loba continued. “There is a reason you two are the icons you are. There’s many reasons, but at the base, it’s your uncompromising attention to great songs.”
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, John Morgan, and Lydia Vaughan with their MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins, MusicRow’s LB Cantrell. Photo: Steve Lowry
Next up to speak were the “If I Didn’t Love You” co-writers. Allison kicked things off, thanking Aldean and Underwood, his co-writers, team-members and family.
“I don’t ever want to lose sight of the thankfulness and the gratefulness that I have. I play guitar for a living, I get paid to do that. I go around with my best friends. It’s absurd,” Allison said. “I write songs with some of my best friends—and they’re going to be my best friends for life. Music brought all of us together and made us friends, but now we’re friends that get to make music together.”
Kennedy echoed Allison’s thanks. “I look around the room, and we are so blessed to have been surrounded by the same faces for our entire career. This is a family.”
Vaughan spoke about the gravity of a Aldean-Underwood cut being her first hit. “Jason and Carrie, thank you guys so much for hearing the song, believing in it, and putting your voices on it. You guys have given the song its absolute best life,” she said. “12-year-old Lydia is 100% freaking out knowing that Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean recorded a song she was a part of.”
Morgan concluded the writers’ speeches, specifically thanking Aldean for believing and investing in him. “Being a songwriter is a tough gig, there’s a lot of instability that comes with the industry. I’m so thankful I got in with the people I did when I did.”
Next, industry members got to hear from the hitmakers themselves, Aldean and Underwood.
Aldean told the story of the song’s journey from him hearing it to Underwood recording with him. He thanked Underwood, all of his team members and the writers. “Thank you so much to everyone who worked on the song, believed in it, and made it what it is. Like Clay said, I do think this will go down as one of the biggest duets in country music,” he said. “I’m really proud to be a part of it.”
Underwood recounted her experience hearing the song for the first time—noting that seeing a female as a writer on the track intrigued her and led to more opportunities for Vaughan.
“In this case, the old cliche ‘it all starts with a song’ is exactly how it happened,” she said. “The stars lined up so quickly to make this happen, it was all meant to be. Thanks to everyone who helped give this song the light it deserves, it’s been really fun to be part of it.”
BMI’s partner in No. 1 parties, Pinnacle Bank, made a donation on behalf of the song to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in honor of Aldean, and to Underwood’s C.A.T.S. Foundation.
Kelsea Ballerini Tests Positive For COVID Ahead Of CMT Awards, Kane Brown To Step In As Host
/by Lydia FarthingKelsea Ballerini
Just before the 2022 CMT Music Awards tonight (April 11), co-host Kelsea Ballerini has unexpectedly tested positive for COVID-19. Ballerini is asymptomatic and will continue to co-host the show remotely.
On the live side, last year’s co-host and this year’s most nominated artist Kane Brown will step in alongside Anthony Mackie for tonight’s show, broadcasting live from Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium from 7 – 10 p.m. CT.
In a video posted to social media, Ballerini says she’s “gutted” to have to sit out from in-person hosting duties.
Additionally, the final three nominees for the coveted 2022 Video of the Year award have been announced with fan voting now open via Twitter, using artist-specific hashtags, for the night’s biggest trophy. The nominees are “If I Didn’t Love You” (Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood), “One Mississippi” (Kane Brown), and “‘Til You Can’t” (Cody Johnson)
Brown leads the star-studded nominations this year with four nods; while Ballerini, Mickey Guyton and first-time nominees Breland and Johnson follow with three each. Tenille Arts, Priscilla Block, H.E.R., Paul Klein of Lany, MacKenzie Porter, Elvie Shane, Caitlyn Smith and Brittney Spencer also received their first CMT recognitions. Underwood remains the most decorated artist in CMT history with 23 wins, vying for two additional trophies in the Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year categories, both for her duet with Aldean.
The evening will also feature special performances from some of country music’s best, including newly added Gabby Barrett, Brown, Combs, Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Maren Morris with Ryan Hurd, Carly Pearce, Cole Swindell featuring Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, and more.
The 2022 CMT Music Awards will broadcast on CBS and will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Caitlyn Smith Flies High At Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl
/by Lydia FarthingCaitlyn Smith. Photo: Jared Olson
Monument Records star in the making Caitlyn Smith brought a set of highs, lows, and everything in between to Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday night (April 7). The special show also served as the precursor to the release of her brand new record, High, out now.
On the third stop of Smith’s headlining “The High & Low Tour 2022,” the evening opened with a special all-female, writer’s round-style set from Nashville songwriters Emily Weisband, Jillian Jacqueline, and Caylee Hammack. The trio shared stripped down versions of some of their original songs and swapped stories of their time in Nashville.
Kicking things off in full gear, Smith went straight into her tour and album’s namesake, showing off her soaring vocals early on in her stacked set. Backed by her four-person band and a stunning backdrop of red theater curtains, Smith shot off into fan-favorite, “Damn You For Breaking My Heart,” as well as the new, sexy tune “Good As Us.”
“It is so great to be here at Brooklyn Bowl with you. Thank you for being here tonight,” Smith gushed to the packed room. “We’re gonna go high, we’re gonna go low, we’re gonna feel all of the feelings. So let’s go.”
Knocking out some of her biggest fan-favorites from her first two studio albums, Smith gave glowing performances of “Put Me Back Together” with a mid-song break to sing a chorus of Cyndi Lauper‘s “Time After Time,” as well as a chilling version of “This Town Is Killing Me,” which serves as both her list of grievances and enduring love song to Music City as one of Nashville’s songwriters.
“I’m having the best night ever. Lots of cool things [are happening], and lots of new things! [I have] new music, which I’m really, really excited about,” the Minnesota native shared. “This [album] is really special to me because I decided to take a risk and produce the record myself, which was really fun, terrifying, and a lot of work. It taught me a million things, you guys, and so many lessons. I think the biggest one is that you should never, ever be afraid to just take a chance and just fly.”
Caitlyn Smith. Photo: Jared Olson
Smith broke out into some of the album’s new tracks, including the hopeful “Dreamin’s Free” and the yearning “Maybe In Another Life,” which showcased her abounding vocal range and big notes. She also got comfy, taking a seat at the front of the stage for “Cheap Date” from her 2018 debut album, Starfire.
The night also featured a handful of guest appearances on the stage. She brought the show’s openers back for a stunning four-part harmony version of Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton‘s classic “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” which Smith had a hand in writing for the country music icons.
“The time that I’ve spent in Nashville has been so very cool. There have been a lot of incredible women in my life that I really look up to and who have taken a chance on me and taken me out on the road,” Smith recalled. “That has been a big deal, and I always knew that if I had the opportunity, I would love to bring out incredible women as well. So I’m going to bring out some of my favorite voices in Nashville.”
The shimmery, soulful vocalist, decked out in a pair of stunning four-inch heels, took every opportunity to bust a move with the audience, giving a fun-filled performance of her current single “Downtown Baby,” and the rock-infused, guitar-heavy “Contact High.”
Mixing her signature blend of soul, jazz and country, Smith also surprised the audience with an appearance from rising country artist Shy Carter who lent his vocals to Smith’s first single to country radio, “I Can’t,” which originally featured Old Dominion.
“I want to say a big thank you to country radio. [Country radio] really has changed my life in the last year and I just want to say this Minnesota girl really appreciates it. You’ve made my dreams come true,” she noted.
The ACM New Female Artist of the Year nominee also flexed her larger-than-life vocals on her own rendition of Aretha Franklin‘s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” singing with a level of sultry conviction that commanded the attention of every member of the audience.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here tonight. I know we all could have just stayed home in our yoga pants, so it really means a lot that you guys would come out, look so gorgeous and come hang out and dance with us,” Smith said, smiling from ear to ear. “Thank you, thank you so much. I love you all.”
Smith closed her pitch perfect set with one of her most impressive vocal performances on “Tacoma,” a fan-favorite from her debut record that earned a cut by country legend Garth Brooks. The room hung on to every word as Smith delivered each golden note.
She will continue on “The High & Low Tour 2022” with upcoming stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and more through May. For a full list of dates, click here.
Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood Celebrate Chart-Topping Duet Alongside Songwriters
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, John Morgan, Lydia Vaughan. Photo: Steve Lowry
Music City songwriters, publishers and other music business professionals gathered in the BMI lobby on Thursday (April 7) to celebrate the award-winning and chart-topping duet, “If I Didn’t Love You.”
Sung by country hitmakers Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood, the track is Aldean’s 26th career No. 1 and Underwood’s 28th. “If I Didn’t Love You” was written by Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy and first-time chart-toppers John Morgan and Lydia Vaughan.
BMI’s Clay Bradley hosted the celebration. Bradley recognized the magnitude of two country superstars joining forces for the hit duet. “[They are] taking their place in the country music history books as one of the greatest duets of all time, alongside Tammy and George, Conway and Loretta, Tim and Faith, Dolly and Kenny, and Johnny and June,” he said. “‘If I Didn’t Love You’ will live on forever.”
Cornman Music’s Nate Lowery was on hand to speak about Vaughan. He spoke about her skill, spirit and work ethic—as well as her love for snacks at the publishing office. “When you first hang out with her, you realize how special she is,” he said. “She’s talented, smart, and humble.”
BMG’s Chris Oglesby got up to speak on Allison and Kennedy, the best friends, co-writers, and bandmates in Aldean’s band. “Kurt and Tully,” Oglesby addressed the songwriters, adding that calling them “Tully and Kurt” wasn’t the correct order. “It’s been an honor to be a small part of your success since BMG came alongside to become a partner and watch you guys work. Your ability to balance road work, producing, writing, and family is exemplary.”
Pictured (L-R): Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood. Photo: Steve Lowry
Aldean put on his publisher hat to speak about his Triple Play writer, Morgan—who is also signed to Aldean’s BBR label imprint, Night Train Records.
“This publishing thing is pretty easy, I’m like two for two,” Aldean joked. “One of the main reasons Kurt, Tully and I decided to start Triple Play was meeting John Morgan.
“From the time I heard his voice and the stuff he was writing, I knew I wanted to create something for [Kurt and Tully] and for him,” he said. “This being his first cut, first single, and first No. 1…You’ve only got one way to go from here, my man.”
BBR head Job Loba recognized Aldean’s partners at Maverick, WME, and Green Room PR, as well as BBR’s entire label staff, making sure to call out many unsung departments in addition to his stellar radio promo team. He let the crowd know that Broken Bow Records was the No. 3 most played imprint in 2021. “You guys crushed it last year, you’re already crushing it this year,” he said.
“Jason and Carrie,” Loba continued. “There is a reason you two are the icons you are. There’s many reasons, but at the base, it’s your uncompromising attention to great songs.”
Pictured (L-R): MusicRow’s Sherod Robertson, Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, John Morgan, and Lydia Vaughan with their MusicRow No. 1 Challenge Coins, MusicRow’s LB Cantrell. Photo: Steve Lowry
Next up to speak were the “If I Didn’t Love You” co-writers. Allison kicked things off, thanking Aldean and Underwood, his co-writers, team-members and family.
“I don’t ever want to lose sight of the thankfulness and the gratefulness that I have. I play guitar for a living, I get paid to do that. I go around with my best friends. It’s absurd,” Allison said. “I write songs with some of my best friends—and they’re going to be my best friends for life. Music brought all of us together and made us friends, but now we’re friends that get to make music together.”
Kennedy echoed Allison’s thanks. “I look around the room, and we are so blessed to have been surrounded by the same faces for our entire career. This is a family.”
Vaughan spoke about the gravity of a Aldean-Underwood cut being her first hit. “Jason and Carrie, thank you guys so much for hearing the song, believing in it, and putting your voices on it. You guys have given the song its absolute best life,” she said. “12-year-old Lydia is 100% freaking out knowing that Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean recorded a song she was a part of.”
Morgan concluded the writers’ speeches, specifically thanking Aldean for believing and investing in him. “Being a songwriter is a tough gig, there’s a lot of instability that comes with the industry. I’m so thankful I got in with the people I did when I did.”
Next, industry members got to hear from the hitmakers themselves, Aldean and Underwood.
Aldean told the story of the song’s journey from him hearing it to Underwood recording with him. He thanked Underwood, all of his team members and the writers. “Thank you so much to everyone who worked on the song, believed in it, and made it what it is. Like Clay said, I do think this will go down as one of the biggest duets in country music,” he said. “I’m really proud to be a part of it.”
Underwood recounted her experience hearing the song for the first time—noting that seeing a female as a writer on the track intrigued her and led to more opportunities for Vaughan.
“In this case, the old cliche ‘it all starts with a song’ is exactly how it happened,” she said. “The stars lined up so quickly to make this happen, it was all meant to be. Thanks to everyone who helped give this song the light it deserves, it’s been really fun to be part of it.”
BMI’s partner in No. 1 parties, Pinnacle Bank, made a donation on behalf of the song to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in honor of Aldean, and to Underwood’s C.A.T.S. Foundation.
Black River Publishing Adds Bryan Simpson To Writers Roster
/by Lydia FarthingBryan Simpson
Black River Publishing has signed multi-genre hitmaker Bryan Simpson.
Simpson has made his own records as a singer-songwriter with multiple Grammy winners Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and bluegrass giant Ricky Skaggs. He has also toured and recorded with British folk-rock band Mumford and Sons, and has penned several Billboard chart-topping hits such as Blake Shelton‘s “A Guy with a Girl,” Tim McGraw‘s “Better Than I Used to Be,” and Joe Nichols‘ “Yeah.”
“I’ve been a huge believer in Bryan and his songs for the better part of a decade,” Black River Vice President of Publishing, Rebekah Gordon notes. “His lyrics are compelling, his melodies fresh, and his artistry unmistakable. Bryan is a proven hitmaker, and I’m so thrilled that he is partnering with us at Black River for this next chapter of his career.”
“I’ve been paying attention to who seems to have that hunger to do something great down around Music Row,” Simpson adds. “Trying to sort out which companies embrace songwriters and songs and not just the parties and accolades. Black River kept coming to the forefront, with Rebekah Gordon leading the charge. It made being a part of what they’ve got going on a real no-brainer for me. I’m excited and grateful that the feeling was mutual.”
Tommy Townsend’s ‘Southern Man’ Slated For April 29
/by Lorie HollabaughCountry singer-songwriter Tommy Townsend is releasing Southern Man, a 10-song collection that was originally recorded with producers Waylon Jennings and Jerry “Jigger” Bridges over 20 years ago. The project is due out April 29 on BFD/Audium Nashville.
Southern Man kicks off with an enthusiastic introduction from Jennings, whom Townsend met at age 13 after a show outside Atlanta. Jennings took the aspiring artist under his wing, later inviting him on stage to play guitar or sing a song. Townsend spent the better part of the last 15 years singing lead for Waymore’s Outlaws, comprised of several of Jennings’ touring and studio musicians such as Bridges, the late Richie Albright, Fred Newell, and Carter and Barny Robertson.
Recorded over several years, Jennings and Bridges, his longtime bass player and tour manager, gathered songs from Nashville’s top writers including Dean Dillon, Roger Murrah, Don Schlitz, Troy Seals, and Jennings himself. Many of the top-drawer songs were originally pitched to Jennings, who felt they would be a better fit for Townsend.
“I’m super excited that this album that was produced by my mentors, Waylon Jennings and Jerry Bridges, is finally coming out for everyone to hear after all these years,” said Townsend. “Getting to talk about these songs again after this long has brought back so many great memories of being in the studio with these two legends. I’m thankful to get to share this with all the fans, and especially Jerry ‘Jigger’ Bridges, who is still in my corner cheering me on. Special thanks to Chuck Rhodes and all the staff at BFD/Audium Nashville for bringing this album to the forefront. Y’all rock!”
The title cut first single hit in February, and the song garnered over 100,000 overall streams in a few short weeks. The raucous follow up single, the Jennings/Seals-penned “Trouble With A Capital T,” was released in late March.
Southern Man Track List:
Waylon Jennings Introduction
Southern Man (with Waylon Jennings) (J. Fred Knobloch, Walter Carter)
A Good Love Died Tonight (with Waylon Jennings) (Roger Murrah)
If You Can’t Stand The Heat (Roger Murrah, John Schweers)
Trouble With A Capital T (Waylon Jennings, Troy Seals)
Stompin’ Ground (J. Fred Knobloch, Barry Alfonso)
Could And Still Do (Dean Dillon, Bob Melton)
Holes In My Boots (with Waylon Jennings) (Roger Murrah, Steve Anders)
The Picker (Rob Mashburn)
Lesson In Loneliness (Jerry Bridges, Donnie Epps)
How High This Tree Will Grow (J. Fred Knobloch, Don Schlitz)
Rodney Crowell Goes ‘Word For Word’ In New Lyric Book
/by Lorie HollabaughRodney Crowell is releasing a self-curated book of lyrics, Word For Word, due out Sept. 13 on BMG Books.
In the new book, the path behind Crowell’s legacy is revealed with the stories that brought his most iconic songs to life, including fifteen No. 1 hits. The collection features 150 of Crowell’s most impactful songs in a collector-sized compilation of lyrical poetry and artwork.
Word For Word includes selections such as “Til I Gain Control Again,” “Leaving Louisiana In the Broad Daylight,” “I Ain’t Living Long Like This” and “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” as well as songs covered by Emmylou Harris, the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Etta James and Norah Jones, and hits for Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and Bob Seger.
The book describes his early days in Nashville and distills Crowell’s legendary life’s work down to its essence. The book features additional commentary from Rosanne Cash and a foreword by best-selling author Daniel Levitin, as well as original art, previously unseen photography, personal artifacts such as first drafts of songs, and much more.
A multi-chart topper and Grammy award winner, Crowell is known foremost as a songwriter’s songwriter, and his talents translate to numerous forms of storytelling, as seen in his acclaimed memoir Chinaberry Sidewalks.
Word For Word will be released wherever books are sold, with pre-orders available now. The book is available in both a standard edition, and a collector’s hand-signed and numbered deluxe edition limited to only 1500 copies.
Chart Action: Chris Stapleton Gaining Traction
/by Alex ParryChris Stapleton. Photo: Becky Fluke
Chris Stapleton earns the most adds on the Mediabase and MusicRow radio charts for his latest single “Joy Of My Life.” He brings in 52 new station adds on Mediabase this week and 25 on MusicRow for the past two weeks. “Joy Of My Life” was written by John Fogerty and produced by Stapleton and Dave Cobb.
This follows his success from the 64th annual Grammy Awards where he won three awards for Best Country Solo Performance (“You Should Probably Leave”), Best Country Song (“Cold”, and Best Country Album (Starting Over).
Stapleton’s “All-American Road Show” kicked off in March and will have tour dates every month through October. Various guests will accompany Stapleton, including Willie Nelson, Elle King, Margo Price, Yola, and more.
For more chart data, view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.
Warner Music Nashville Adds Jen Danielson, Jamie Graves To Streaming Team
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Jen Danielson, Jamie Graves
Warner Music Nashville has announced the addition of Jen Danielson and Jamie Graves to its streaming team, led by Sr. VP Tim Foisset. They will start on Monday, April 11.
Danielson joins WMN from Pandora, where she served as the head of country music programming for three years. Prior to her time at Pandora, she spent more than 10 years in music programming and artist relations at CMT. As Sr. Director, Streaming, Danielson will work with Pandora and Amazon Music.
“I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with so many people that I admire in this business, along with artists who top my personal playlists,” Danielson says. “During my time at Pandora, I saw firsthand that the Warner streaming team is committed to being great partners. While it is bittersweet to leave the tight-knit trio of Beville Dunkerley, Alina Thompson and myself, I’m excited to continue to work with them in a different capacity and to expand my relationships with all DSPs.”
Graves began his career at Universal Music Group in 2013. His seven years included a stop at Capitol Christian Music Group and spanned radio promotions, commercial partnerships and digital marketing. He most recently led the streaming and digital marketing efforts at Monument Records. As Director, Streaming, Graves will work with Spotify and Apple Music.
“I’m beyond excited to start this new journey with the Warner Nashville family,” Graves shares. “I’ve been a big fan of how Warner continues to innovate and their ability to sign truly incredible artists. Thank you to Tim for the opportunity to join such an amazing team.”
“Jen and Jamie are two of the most well-respected people within the Nashville streaming community,” adds Foisset. “They bring our team high-level experience and fresh perspective. I am confident that they have the tools to further elevate our relationships and find innovative ways for us to amplify Warner Music Nashville artists.”
Additionally, WMN confirmed that three-year team member Jenni Tay will exit the company for a new opportunity in mid-April.
Thompson Square Inks With Quartz Hill Records
/by Lorie HollabaughThompson Square. Photo: Ford Fairchild
Husband and wife duo Thompson Square have signed with Quartz Hill Records.
The move reunites the multi-Platinum duo, comprised of Keifer and Shawna Thompson, with veteran label head Benny Brown. Alongside Brown they found the biggest success of their career with No. 1 hits in three countries, including “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” “If I Didn’t Have You” and “Everything I Shouldn’t Be Thinking About.”
Thompson Square’s first release on the new label is the upbeat new single, “Country In My Soul,” available everywhere now. Co-written by 2022 ACM Song of the Year winner Lainey Wilson alongside Daniel Ross and James McNair, the track marks Thompson Square’s first single since 2019’s “You Shoulda Been There,” and will impact country radio on April 25.
“We really got back to our roots with the new music. In fact, roots is kind of what this song is all about. We’ve lived a lot of life in the last few years–we had a baby, we both lost parents–and our new music reflects a well-lived life, both the ups and the downs,” the couple share.
The digital release also includes b-side tune “Are We Gonna Dance,” co-written by David Lee Murphy and Jim Collins, the writers behind the pair’s debut hit, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not.”
Jillian Jacqueline Gets Honest On Upcoming Debut Album
/by Lydia FarthingJillian Jacqueline will release her debut album, Honestly, on June 10 through her new deal with Virgin Music.
Ahead of the full album release, Jacqueline has dropped “Better with a Broken Heart,” a duet featuring Brothers Osborne‘s TJ Osborne. Penned by Jacqueline alongside album co-producer Tofer Brown and songwriter Adam James, the track was the first song she wrote during the pandemic.
“I’m thrilled to have TJ of the Brothers Osborne singing with me on it,” says Jacqueline. “I’ve always loved that resonant voice of his, with this emotional tremor to it. He really nailed it in the studio, and hearing us together on the chorus just gives me chills.”
Co-produced with Tofer and Bryan Brown, the eleven track album includes emotionally potent duets with Nashville notables Charlie Worsham as well as Osborne. The album also sees her reunite with superstar songwriter Lori McKenna and includes co-writes with singer-songwriter Madi Diaz and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion.
“It feels like a fresh start for me,” explains Jacqueline. “After 14 years in Nashville, this is my first fully realized album, one that runs the gamut of me as a person and an artist. The passion of making this record was really a creative rebirth, putting me back in touch with what I’ve always loved about music.”
So far in her career, Jacqueline has garnered nearly 100 million streams with a sequence of initial EPs and singles, including “Reasons;” “God Bless This Mess,” which she co-wrote with McKenna; and “If I Were You” featuring Keith Urban.
Honestly Track List:
1. The Ocean featuring Charlie Worsham (J. Jacqueline, Tofer Brown, Hillary Lindsey)
2. When It Rains (J. Jacqueline, T. Brown)
3. Bandwagon (J. Jacqueline, T. Brown, Trevor Rosen)
4. Hummingbird (J. Jacqueline, Daniel Tashian, Andrew Deroberts)
5. Better with a Broken Heart featuring TJ Osborne (J. Jacqueline, T. Brown, Adam James)
6. Magic (J. Jacqueline, T. Brown, Shane McAnally)
7. Sure (J. Jacqueline, Lori McKenna, T. Brown)
8. Compliment (J. Jacqueline, T. Brown, Madi Diaz)
9. Hurt Somebody Else (J. Jacqueline, T. Brown, Justin Parker)
10. Iconic (J. Jacqueline, T. Brown, Kate York)
11. Honeymoon (J. Jacqueline, Rob Persaud, Alex Reid)