The upcoming 12th annual CMA Country Christmas special will be packed full of holiday favorites and plenty of must-see moments when it airs on Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

First-time host Gabby Barrett will perform “Silent Night” and co-host Carly Pearce will give her version of “O Holy Night,” while also joining forces on a special collaboration of “Sleigh Ride” that will also feature Truman Eltringham, 17, a student from Nashville School of the Arts, and Carter Hammonds, an 8-year-old student at FH Jenkins Preparatory School The pair will join Barrett and Pearce as part of CMA’s longstanding commitment to support equity in music education.

Other numbers include Jimmie Allen with Louis York and The Shindellas on “What Does Christmas Mean,” Breland singing “The Christmas Song,” Brett Eldredge on “Merry Christmas Baby,” Lady A performing “Christmas Through Your Eyes,” Pistol Annies doing “Snow Globe,” Carrie Underwood performing “Mary, Did You Know?” and Lainey Wilson on “Christmas Cookies.”

Taylor Swift shows her wide-sweeping musical power this week as her record-breaking Red (Taylor’s Version) impacts both the top country streaming songs and albums charts. The re-recorded version of Red debuts at No. 1 on the country albums chart and No. 1 overall with 605,000 first-week streams, according to Nielsen. Swift also claims the fifth album this week as Fearless (Taylor’s Version) adds 23,000 streams.

Additionally, Swift sweeps all of the top five country streaming songs. “All Too Well” claims the No. 1 country song, as well as the No. 1 song overall, with an astounding 43 million streams. She follows in second with “Red” earning 14 million streams, “Nothing New” with Phoebe Bridgers racking up 11 million streams, “I Bet You Think About Me” featuring Chris Stapleton garnering 11 million streams, and “Treacherous” earning 9.8 million streams. Zooming out, Swift had the top six streaming country songs this week, as well as No. 8-No. 23.

Morgan Wallen falls to No. 2 on the top streaming country albums this week as Dangerous: The Double Album earns 45,000 streams. Jason Aldean‘s Macon debuts at No. 3 with 37,000 first-week streams. Luke Combs‘ What You See Is What You Get takes fourth with 23,000 streams.

Luke Combs keeps breaking records and adding to his growing list of career accolades as his latest single, “Cold As You,” tops the Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts this week. The feat makes history as Combs’ deluxe album, What You See Ain’t Always What You Get becomes the first album in history to produce seven No. 1 singles at country radio.

The achievement not only breaks the record for most No. 1s to come from the same album, but also marks his twelfth consecutive No. 1 single overall. The accomplishment adds to yet another monumental few weeks for the 6x CMA, 3x ACM and 3x Billboard Music award-winner, who won Entertainer of the Year at The 55th Annual CMA Awards.

What You See Ain’t Always What You Get debuted at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart as well as Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart last fall. The deluxe edition features all 18 tracks from Combs’ double Platinum-certified No. 1 album, What You See Is What You Get, as well as five new songs. Combs reached No. 1 on Rolling Stone’s Top 200 Albums chart, Top 100 Songs chart and Artists 500 chart with the release, making him the first country artist ever to lead all three charts in the same week and the first to top the Artists 500.

Combs also recently made history as the first artist to have their first two studio albums spend 25 weeks or more at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, breaking Taylor Swift’s previously held record of 24 weeks. The achievement came as What You See Is What You Get topped the chart for the 25th time last summer, while his 2017 debut, This One’s For You, had spent 50 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1—tying the record for the longest reign atop the chart with Shania Twain’s Come On Over in 1997.

Deana Carter Headlines First Show At Ryman Auditorium, Earns 2x Platinum Certification For ‘Strawberry Wine’

CMA award-winning artist Deana Carter recently headlined Ryman Auditorium for the first time, performing an intimate 90-minute set for the sold-out crowd, with special guests Charles Esten and Breland, as well as friends and collaborators Terri Clark, Kylie Morgan and Brandon Heath.

Celebrating the release of the 25th Anniversary Edition of her 5x Platinum debut album Did I Shave My Legs for This?, Carter was surprised before the show by Universal Music Group President Cindy Mabe with a 2x Platinum plaque for her mega-hit and CMA award-winning debut single “Strawberry Wine.”

“My 25th anniversary show at the Ryman last night was like a dream,” Carter reflects. “So many friends and family, the faithful fans and I felt so much love in the room in my favorite community, in the best sounding venue on earth! Such an honor and a celebration. I am still floating! Thanks to UMe/Capitol Nashville, all my very special guest artists, the staff, the crew, my band and team. Everyone from the 90s to today, I am just so grateful! Thank you to everyone who made every dream I ever had come true and for making such a remarkable milestone possible. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!!”

 

Chris Janson, Bass Pro Shops Raise Over $300,000 For Families Of Disabled Service Members

Warner Music Nashville’s Chris Janson commemorated Military Family Appreciation Month and Veteran’s Day by joining Bass Pro Shops for an in-store “round-up at the register” campaign. Together, they raised over $300,000 for life-changing scholarships for the spouses and children of fallen and disabled service members.

“I am so thankful for the generosity and support from everyone who donated to Bass Pro Shops ‘round-up at the register’ campaign that my dear friend Johnny Morris (Founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops) put into action,” says Janson. “It does my heart good to know that we raised $300,000 for Folds of Honor and we are able to provide so many scholarships. I look forward to one day being able to meet some of the recipients and tell them personally what their ultimate sacrifice means to me and my family.”

The Janson-led initiative was inspired by his current single “Bye Mom,” a tribute to his friend and co-writer’s mom, who passed away late last year. He will embark on his “Halfway To Crazy Tour” on Feb. 10 with stops across the country running through April 16.

 

Concord Music Publishing Adds Charli Adams To Songwriter Roster

Concord Music Publishing has added rising indie-pop singer-songwriter Charli Adams to its roster. The worldwide agreement, effective immediately, will cover Adams’ full catalog, including her recently released debut album, Bullseye.

Adams is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter who blends genres spanning alternative, indie pop and indie singer-songwriter, while also pulling from ’80s rock and influences such as Tom Petty, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, The 1975 and The Paper Kites. She has had cuts for Chloe Moriondo, Peach Pit, Valley and Addison Grace.

“We are so excited to have Charli join Concord’s roster,” states Jen Hubbard, Director, A&R at Concord Music Publishing. “I’ve been following Charli’s career for some time now and knew I had to work with her. She leaves her thumbprint on any song that she’s a part of, with her distinct pop sensibility layered with authentic and raw songwriting. This album is just the beginning of an amazing career for Charli as both an artist and songwriter.”

“Signing with Concord felt very natural and inevitable. Jen and the rest of the Nashville team have been unbelievably supportive since the very beginning,” says Adams. “They’re like family at this point. I’ve had the chance to travel and meet the Concord team all over the world and there’s a universal sense of community and care for the creative that you don’t find everywhere. I feel extremely supported in my vision and understood for who I am as a writer and artist. I’m very thankful to have Concord in my corner and on my team, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”

 

Big Feat PR Adds Julia Casey As VP

Nashville-based Big Feat PR has added Julia Casey to their staff as Vice President.

Prior to joining Big Feat, Casey ran the publicity department at Verve Label Group in New York City, where she worked with artists including Jon Batiste, Bettye LaVette, Max Richter, Shabaka Hutchings, Sons of Kemet, The Comet Is Coming, Olafur Arnalds, as well as led campaigns for albums such as John Coltrane’s Both Directions At Once, Blue World, and Thelonious Monk’s Palo Alto, among others. She is the recipient of two Clio Awards for Max Richter’s Sleep and Jon Batiste’s winning video “I Need You.”

Casey states, “I am so honored to join forces with Doug, he has cultivated an incredible roster of artists who I respect and admire, artists who have something to say. I’m looking forward to building upon our shared passion for great music, artists and their stories.”

Big Feat PR CEO Doug Hall adds, “Julia is one of the most dedicated, professional and knowledgeable publicists I have ever met in my entire career. She is the smartest person in any room with so many years of experience and countless successful campaigns under her belt. She will be a vital asset to Big Feat PR as we build the agency into all we know it can be. We share a collective vision to work with a select group of renowned and emerging artists and clients, that we genuinely love both musically and personally. I’m beyond excited for all that lies ahead.”

Big Feat PR represents artists including Yola, Marcus King, Robert Finley, S.G Goodman, Arlo McKinley, Liza Anne and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and works with labels including Universal Music Group, Verve, Decca, Concord, Easy Eye Sound, Rounder, Fantasy, Thirty Tiger, Oh Boy and New West.