
Old Crow Medicine Show. Photo: Kit Wood
MerleFest has announced its second round of lineup additions for the upcoming 2022 event, taking place from April 28-May 1 at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Joining this year’s lineup are Old Crow Medicine Show, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Allison Russell, We Banjo 3, Darrell Scott, Alison Brown, 49 Winchester, Arlo McKinley, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Arcadian Wild, Caleb Caudle, and Dr. Bacon. Tickets for the 2022 festival are on sale now. For more information, click here.
Previously announced performers include Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Rissi Palmer, Andy May, Banknotes, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Donna the Buffalo, Happy Traum, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Joe Smothers, Kruger Brothers, Laura Boosinger, Mark Bumgarner, Mitch Greenhill, Pete & Joan Wernick, Peter Rowan, Presley Barker, Roy Book Binder, Sam Bush, Scythian, T. Michael Coleman, The InterACTive Theatre of Jef, The Local Boys, The Waybacks, Tony Williamson, and Wayne Henderson.
“We are so excited to welcome music fans back to the campus of Wilkes Community College in the spring,” says MerleFest’s new Festival Director, Wes Whitson.
Founded in 1988, MerleFest is a mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel, and blues. Over the years it has expanded to include Americana, classic rock, and many other styles.
Reviver Publishing Brings On Reversion Music For Catalog Representation
/by Lydia FarthingReviver Publishing has employed the services of Reversion Music, LLC to represent the Reviver Publishing catalog. Working directly with Reviver’s President & CEO, David Ross, and Clay Myers of Nashville Music Consultants, Reversion Music’s Matt Lindsey and Jeff Gordon will work collectively to secure syncs placements and pitch music to various artists and commercial opportunities.
Lindsey, partner and co-owner of Reversion Music, brings a wealth of experience in songwriter, artist and catalog development. He is also the founder of MLM, an independent Nashville-based song plugging company. Lindsey previously held executive positions at Big Yellow Dog Music, Forerunner Music, Little Shop of Morgan Songs, and The Mel Tillis Companies.
Gordon, also a partner and co-owner of Reversion Music, previously served as GM of Carlin Nashville. He began his career at MCA Records as an A&R representative for the Nashville division.
“The Reviver Publishing catalog has grown exponentially over the past 2+ years,” says Ross. “Having Matt and Jeff be a part of our creative team will help us with our continued growth.”
Reversion Music is the exclusive music licensor for the Glad Music Company, which boasts titles by Willie Nelson, George Jones, The Big Bopper, Lightning Hopkins and many others. It also represents Hall of Fame songwriters Allen Reynolds and Roger Cook.
Reviver Publishing’s roster currently includes Aaron Goodvin, Ian Flanigan, David Adam Byrnes, Reid Brody, and catalogs of Alex Kline, LoCash, Black Jack Billy, David Devaul, as well as representation for Reviver artists Brooke Moriber and Brian Callihan.
BBR Adds Ellen Mundy Ford As Manager, Syndication & Secondary Promotions
/by Lydia FarthingEllen Mundy Ford. Photo: AE Sharpe Photography
BBR Music Group has hired Ellen Mundy Ford as Manager, Syndication & Secondary Promotions. She succeeds Matthew Holmberg who was recently promoted to Director of Marketing.
Reporting to Renee Leymon, VP of Radio Syndication & Group Strategy, Ford will assist with the label group’s syndication and radio group strategy, leading and executing satellite radio tours, live virtual radio tours, syndication/media days and content days for the label’s roster.
Most recently, Ford worked at WORKS Entertainment as a day-to-day manager and at Reviver Music Group as their SE Manager, Radio Promotion.
“It was obvious that Ellen has a passion for our format and the artists and that’s a perfect fit for us,” says Leymon. “We are really excited to have her.”
Ford can be reached at ellen@bbrmusicgroup.com.
Weekly Register: Kane Brown Continues His Rise To The Top
/by Lydia FarthingKane Brown
Kane Brown continues his steady ascent to the top as his latest single, “One Mississippi,” rises to No. 4 this week on the top country streaming songs chart. The track earns 5.1 million streams this week, contributing to 75 million cumulative streams RTD.
Walker Hayes continues to reign on the top country streaming songs chart with “Fancy Like” earning 8.2 million streams this week. Taylor Swift follows at No. 2 as “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” adds 7.2 million. “Buy Dirt” (Jordan Davis & Luke Bryan) gains 5.6 million this week, coming in at No. 3, while “Flower Shops” (Ernest & Morgan Wallen) debuts at No. 5 with 5 million streams.
Wallen also comes in strong on the country albums front as Dangerous: The Double Album takes the top spot with 42,000 in total consumption (1,800 album only/50 million song streams) and If I Know Me comes in at No. 5 with 14,000. Swift follows in second with Red (Taylor’s Version) gaining 38,000 (11,000 album only/33 million song streams), while Luke Combs takes up the remaining third and fourth spots with What You See Is What You Get adding 17,000 and This One’s For You adding 14,000, respectively.
Deana Ivey Elevated To President Of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
/by Steven BoeroDeana Ivey. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp has promoted Deana Ivey to President as the organization restructures its top leadership. Butch Spyridon remains the Chief Executive Officer of the organization.
Ivey has been with the organization since 1997, previously serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.
“I am honored and humbled to be named President of an organization dedicated to promoting a city recognized as a global destination,” says Ivey. “I appreciate the confidence the NCVC Board of Directors and CEO Butch Spyridon have placed in me, and I look forward to helping realize Nashville’s future possibilities while building on the past successes. It’s a city to which I have devoted my career and love.”
Ivey has received the Nashville Business Journal Women in Music award and the Women in Business award by Nashville Lifestyles. She is a board member of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, Rhythms of the South Corporation and the Academy of Country Music, and is a member of the 2015 Leadership Music class.
“Deana’s advancement is well earned and much deserved,” offers Spyridon. “She has been a committed partner these past 25 years and has been integral in shaping the Music City brand, creating and attracting major events, and marketing Nashville around the world.”
Both Spyridon and Ivey oversaw and coordinated the organization’s marketing and sales efforts as Nashville has become a heralded global destination. The city’s tourism industry has seen dramatic growth to 16.1 million annual visitors and $7.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2019. Together, they have created and produced successful large annual concert events to market the city, including Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th and New Year’s Eve in Nashville.
They co-produced and helped lead creation of two award-winning Nashville documentaries: For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville and It All Begins With A Song. They also played key roles in hosting and promoting the 2019 NFL Draft, creating the Good To Go health and safety program, and bidding on the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“As the organization has grown and Nashville’s profile as a global destination has risen, we saw a need to expand our top leadership,” says Kevin Lavender, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “Butch continues to excel as a leader, putting Nashville in a position to reach record-breaking visitation and convention numbers and exceed expectations–from hosting the 2019 NFL Draft to being on the shortlist to host FIFA World Cup in 2026. The city is fortunate to have Butch and Deana leading the hospitality industry.”
Dailey & Vincent Expand Festival Portfolio, Announce Five 2022 Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughDailey & Vincent
Grammy-nominated group Dailey & Vincent have expanded and rebranded their festival portfolio as “The American Made Music Festival” series.
The new festival series will include five dates and four locations in 2022, kicking off in June with a two-day festival (June 10 & 11) at The Sand Mountain Amphitheater in Albertville, Alabama. The event will feature headliners Martina McBride, Diamond Rio, Statler Brothers member Jimmy Fortune, and hosts Dailey & Vincent.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Jan. 14. Additional lineup announcements, timing, and information will be announced in the coming weeks.
“I can’t begin to explain how excited I am for Dailey & Vincent to announce our ‘American Made Music Festivals,’” shares one half of the group, Jamie Dailey. “We look very forward to bringing our fans five festivals with different lineups of artists, including yours truly. We’ve always believed in working hard to bring our fans different experiences and, along with our team, sponsors and world class promoters, we believe you will enjoy these beautiful venues with ‘American Made Music’ from some of the best in the country, bluegrass, gospel and comedy genres.”
“We’re excited to invite fans to join us as we present some of the best music and entertainment in America at some of the nicest venues,” adds member Darrin Vincent. “Jamie and I, along with a few of our dearest friends, will bring a musical experience fans will love. The venues are easy to access, and offer local accommodations and activities for the entire family.”
The festival series will act as an extension of the group’s three-time Emmy-nominated TV show, The Dailey & Vincent Show. The nationally televised variety hour has long served as an example of the group’s marriage of genres, including country, bluegrass, and gospel record.
Michael Ray Lands Fourth Chart-Topper With ‘Whiskey And Rain’
/by Lorie HollabaughMichael Ray. Photo: Sean Hagwell
Michael Ray has scored his fourth No. 1 single with “Whiskey And Rain.” The tune is the lead single from his seven-song collection, Higher Education, and was written by Josh Thompson and Jesse Frasure.
The hit is currently in the Top 10 on the Country On-Demand Streaming chart, and has surpassed 100 million streams. To celebrate the song’s success, Ray has released an acoustic version of the track.
“I owe this one to the fans who love country music just as much as I do,” shares the Florida native. “I knew when I first heard this song, it embodied everything I love about country music, and I hoped people would find it as relatable and personal as I do. The support for ‘Whiskey And Rain’ has been so overwhelming and exciting. I can’t think of a better way to gear up for 2022 than this: celebrating with a song that’s so special to me.”
The achievement is the latest career accolade for Ray, who has garnered over 1 billion global streams, over 650,000 album equivalents, and over 100 million YouTube views. He also has a total of five RIAA certifications including the Platinum-certified “Think A Little Less,” and Gold-certified songs “Her World or Mine,” “One That Got Away,” “Get To You” and “Kiss You in the Morning.”
Mitchell Tenpenny Extends Headlining Tour With ‘2 Us It Did’ Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughMitchell Tenpenny. Photo: Matthew Berinato
Mitchell Tenpenny will continue his 2021 headlining tour into 2022 with some new dates on the now-named “2 Us It Did Tour.” Alana Springsteen will be the featured opener on the new dates.
The second leg adds 13 concerts through early March, and is named after his “To Us It Did” song from Mitchell’s Midtown Diaries EP, which was released last fall. On this new trek Tenpenny will visit Denver, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and more through March 5.
“Seeing our fans scream back our songs especially ‘Truth About You’ was so special on the first half of the tour,” shares Mitchell. “I’m so excited to extend this tour and live it again. It’s going to be incredible having the talented Alana out with us!”
The first leg of the tour wrapped just before Christmas and included Mitchell’s first-ever, sold-out headline concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The concert raised $32,500 for the 10Penny Fund, which provides inspiration and programs that help build community, motivate patients, and encourage healing for people facing cancer and their loved ones.
Tenpenny has rolled out new music over the past several months in response to fan demand, including a new version of his song “Bucket List” featuring Danny Gokey, and his recently-released Midtown Diaries EP. The project contains his current single, “Truth About You,” which has garnered over 69 million global streams to date.
George Strait, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris Among 2022 RodeoHouston Lineup
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has unveiled the entertainment lineup for the 2022 Rodeo season, running from Feb. 28-March 20.
George Strait, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, and many more are among the star-studded list of performers on this year’s bill. Nearly half of the artists will make their RodeoHouston debut in 2022, as the event celebrates its 90th anniversary with a mix of genres including country, EDM, Latin pop, R&B, Norteño, pop, rock and Christian.
“We are excited about the level of talent and diverse acts who will perform on the RodeoHouston star stage in 2022,” says Chris Boleman, Rodeo president and CEO. “We welcome nine new entertainers who will make their RodeoHouston debut, as well as many fan-favorites, including the ‘King of Country’ music himself, George Strait, who will return to the stage to help celebrate our 90th anniversary.”
Individual RodeoHouston tickets will go on sale to the public on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. at rodeohouston.com.
Monday, Feb. 28 – Cody Johnson
Tuesday, March 1 – Keith Urban
Wednesday, March 2 – Armed Forces Appreciation Day, presented by BHP Tim McGraw
Thursday, March 3 – For King & Country
Friday, March 4 – Ricky Martin
Saturday, March 5 – Jon Pardi
Sunday, March 6 – Go Tejano Day, presented by Fiesta Los Tucanes de Tijuana
Monday, March 7 – First Responders Day, presented by BP Luke Bryan
Tuesday, March 8 – Maren Morris
Wednesday, March 9 – Kane Brown
Thursday, March 10 – Journey
Friday, March 11 – Black Heritage Day, presented by Kroger Bun B’s H-Town Takeover
Saturday, March 12 – RodeoHouston Super Shootout, presented by Crown Royal Parker McCollum
Sunday, March 13 – Dierks Bentley
Monday, March 14 – Sam Hunt
Tuesday, March 15 – Gwen Stefani
Wednesday, March 16 – Khalid
Thursday, March 17 – Chris Stapleton
Friday, March 18 – Marshmello
Saturday, March 19 – RodeoHouston Super Series Championship Brad Paisley
Sunday, March 20 – Concert-only performance George Strait, with special guest Ashley McBryde
Prescription Songs Inks Publishing Deal With JT Daly
/by Lydia FarthingJT Daly
Prescription Songs has inked a deal with Nashville-based producer and songwriter JT Daly. He will be represented by Katie Fagan, Prescription Songs Head of A&R, Nashville, alongside Rachel Wein and Chris Martignago.
Daly has garnered Grammy nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Engineered Album for producing/co-writing K. Flay‘s “Blood in the Cut” and more on her breakout album Everywhere is Somewhere. In winter 2021, JT produced and co-wrote Benson Boone’s debut single “Ghost Town,” which has already accumulated over 100 million streams.
He has also collaborated with PVRIS on her newest track “Snakes” for the top Netflix series Arcane. Other previous releases include collaborations with Grandson, Bren Joy and Quinn XCII. Upcoming releases include work with Why Don’t We, The Regrettes, and Fleurie.
Fagan comments: “JT is an extremely innovative songwriter, producer and artist. We feel incredibly honored and lucky to have such a talent as a part of our roster, especially here in Nashville. There’s a reason that artists continually want him to be a part of their journeys. I can’t wait to see what we will be able to accomplish together.”
“It is with an abundance of joy that I have found a team this hands-on and talented. After a few conversations with Katie Fagan I felt more at home than I ever have before,” shares Daly. “She puts in the time needed to know her writers. Something I will never take for granted.”
Prescription Songs is an independent publisher representing top songwriters and producers across all genres of music. Its current and past roster includes Grammy award-winners and nominees, multiple recipients of ASCAP and BMI Songwriter of the Year Awards, a winner of the 2020 VMA Push New Artist Award, iHeartRadio Producer of the Year, and more.
MerleFest 2022 Adds Old Crow Medicine Show, More To Lineup
/by Lydia FarthingOld Crow Medicine Show. Photo: Kit Wood
MerleFest has announced its second round of lineup additions for the upcoming 2022 event, taking place from April 28-May 1 at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Joining this year’s lineup are Old Crow Medicine Show, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Allison Russell, We Banjo 3, Darrell Scott, Alison Brown, 49 Winchester, Arlo McKinley, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Arcadian Wild, Caleb Caudle, and Dr. Bacon. Tickets for the 2022 festival are on sale now. For more information, click here.
Previously announced performers include Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, Rissi Palmer, Andy May, Banknotes, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Donna the Buffalo, Happy Traum, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Joe Smothers, Kruger Brothers, Laura Boosinger, Mark Bumgarner, Mitch Greenhill, Pete & Joan Wernick, Peter Rowan, Presley Barker, Roy Book Binder, Sam Bush, Scythian, T. Michael Coleman, The InterACTive Theatre of Jef, The Local Boys, The Waybacks, Tony Williamson, and Wayne Henderson.
“We are so excited to welcome music fans back to the campus of Wilkes Community College in the spring,” says MerleFest’s new Festival Director, Wes Whitson.
Founded in 1988, MerleFest is a mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel, and blues. Over the years it has expanded to include Americana, classic rock, and many other styles.