Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame member Sonny Osborne died Sunday (Oct. 24) at age 83.
Regarded as one of the all-time great banjo stylists, he starred with brother Bobby on the Grand Ole Opry as well as on hit records such as “Rocky Top.” The Osborne Brothers were named the CMA Vocal Group of the Year in 1971.
Roland “Sonny” Osborne was born in the coalfields of Kentucky, but raised in Dayton, Ohio. At age 11, he became passionate about the banjo, practicing 8 to 15 hours a day. He began to appear on local radio and to make records in a duo with his sister Louise.
When he was 14, he joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys band. In 1952, he recorded several classics with the group, including “Memories of Mother and Dad” and “The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake.” He also recorded as a solo artist.
He joined forces with older brother Bobby in 1953. They honed their skills working for Jimmy Martin, Charlie Bailey and Red Allen. The bluegrass classic “Once More” was recorded by Allen with the Osbornes in 1958.
The Osborne Brothers recorded on their own for RCA and MGM during this period. Sonny soon garnered industry recognition for his cutting-edge approach to banjo playing and for arranging the group’s complex harmony vocals. The act’s calling card was brother Bobby’s sky-high tenor lead singing.
Around 1963, Sonny made contact with Doyle Wilburn of Nashville’s hit-making Wilburn Brothers. Wilburn got the brothers a contract with Decca Records, arranged for them to join the Grand Ole Opry (1964) and signed them for publishing and booking.
This coincided with Sonny encouraging his band to modernize. He electrified his banjo and added drums and electric bass to The Osborne Brothers sound. As a result, the group scored hits on the country hit parade and toured with mainstream pop and country acts. Their charted favorites included “Roll Muddy River” (1967), “Rocky Top” (1968), “Tennessee Hound Dog” (1969), “Ruby Are You Mad” (1970), “Midnight Flyer” (1973), “Blue Heartache” (1973) and “I Can Hear Kentucky Calling Me” (1980).
“Rocky Top” was named one of the state songs of Tennessee in 1984. It is performed in Knoxville every time the University of Tennessee Vols score a football touchdown.
In the 1980s, the Osbornes ditched electrified instruments and reverted to acoustic bluegrass. They recorded for niche labels such as CMH, Sugar Hill and Piencastle.
The Osbornes were also recruited to play on records by others. They have backed Conway Twitty, Carl Smith, Charley Pride, Wade Ray, Jethro Burns and Mac Wiseman. They also collaborated with jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton.
Sonny Osborne had a side career as a record producer. He worked on discs for The Pinnacle Boys, The Virginia Squires, Terry Eldredge and multiple bluegrass award winner Dale Ann Bradley.
The Osborne Brothers are believed to be the first bluegrass act to play on a college campus (1960) and to be invited to perform at The White House (1973). They were elected to the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and were presented with a National Heritage award by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1997.
Sonny Osborne was the first to popularize the electrified six-string banjo, the double banjo and instruments combining the banjo with resonator guitar. He underwent rotator-cuff surgery, which caused him to quit playing and to retire from the road in 2004. Since then, he has promoted a line of banjos branded with his nickname, “Chief.”
Brother Bobby Osborne continues to play the Opry with his band The Rocky Top X-Press.
“Sonny Osborne was ‘The Chief,’” says Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “He somehow played with both ferocity and humor, and those things were essential elements of his musicality and his personality. Though he was a staunch advocate for traditional bluegrass, his banjo style moved the genre forward and allowed bluegrass music to reach new audiences. He was also an innovative harmony singer, and when his voice joined with brother Bobby a sound was created that will never be replicated. Sonny Osborne was a lovably ornery delight.”
Sonny Osborne’s death was reported last night. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
Del McCoury Gives A Nod To The Working Man On New Project, ‘Almost Proud’
/by Lorie HollabaughDel McCoury
Del McCoury is gearing up for the release of a new album, Almost Proud, slated for Feb. 18 on McCoury Music. A sneak peek of the new project, “Running Wild,” is available everywhere now. McCoury started working on the song over 15 years ago and decided to finish when his son/band member Ronnie played him a demo that had been forgotten about.
Almost Proud reflects a blue-collar mindset, with four songs about lost love; a love song tribute to his wife of 57 years, Jean; two cheating songs; two drinking songs; one extolling the virtues of hard work; and one about a working-class hero of the early nineteen hundreds.
The project is packed with songs from a wide variety of writers, including a song written by his good friends Eric Gibson and Mike Barber, “Honky Tonk Nights” featuring the high country vocal of Vince Gill, and an obscure song from a recent Kris Kristofferson album called “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”
Over the course of the pandemic, McCoury found himself as engaged and absorbed by music as he was as a teenager, throwing himself into listening to as much music as he could. He listened to well over 200 songs, including some that had been in a neglected box in his music room for over 10 years.
“I’m as excited about listening to new music today as the day I started—finding a new tune or a story that tickles me,” says McCoury. “This album is the best of what I heard while the world was on pause.”
The Del McCoury Band will be back on the road for the remainder of the year, with October stops in Colorado and Wyoming before heading through the Midwest towards the Southeast and East Coast. For a full list of dates and more information, click here.
ACM Announces Submission & Voting Timeline, Category Changes For 2022 Awards
/by Lydia FarthingThe Academy of Country Music has announced the official dates for submissions and ballots for The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards coming in 2022.
Submissions for The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards️ are now open. The Academy will accept entries through Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021 at 5 p.m. CT. To submit, click here.
Additionally, the ACM Board of Directors approved changes to the Academy’s Studio Recording Awards’ Guitar Player of the Year category, now splitting it into two awards—individually recognizing Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year and Electric Guitar Player of the Year.
The previously awarded Steel Guitar Player of the Year will now be considered within the existing Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year Award category.
In the Radio Awards, the National On-Air Personality of the Year category has also been split to now recognize both a National Weekly On-Air Personality of the Year and a National Daily Personality of the Year.
The Academy of Country Music has also updated the voting security protocols for their Awards, implementing a double-authentication process through a mobile number, rather than through an email address.
“As we approach the 57th ACM Awards cycle, ensuring a secure and efficient voting process for our members is a top priority. We look forward to the implementation of our new double-authentication process and the extra safety layer it will offer in maintaining the integrity of our prestigious ACM Awards,” says Tommy Moore, VP Artist and Industry Relations, Governance and Board Administration. “Additionally, we are thrilled to continue to expand our Awards and to open our arms to celebrate even more radio personalities and studio musicians who help keep this industry running. We look forward to recognizing both acoustic and electric guitar players, as well as national weekly and national daily on-air personalities for the first time this year!”
Key dates are as follows:
Submissions Period Opens: Oct. 25, 2021
Submissions Period Closes: Nov. 30, 2021
First Round Voting Main Awards: Jan. 3, 2022 – January 10, 2022
First Round Voting Radio Awards: Jan. 3, 2022 – January 17, 2022
Second Round Voting Main Awards: Jan. 24, 2022 – January 31, 2022
Final Round Voting Radio Awards: Jan. 24, 2022 – February 7, 2022
Final Round Voting Main Awards: Feb. 21, 2022 – February 28, 2022
The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards will be exclusively streamed on Amazon Prime Video, the first major awards show to be broadcast solely via a streaming platform.
Rhett Akins Catapults To Top 5 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by Lydia FarthingRhett Akins
Legendary country hitmaker Rhett Akins jumps from No. 10 to No. 5 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week. Akins is a co-writer on “Tequila Little Time” (Jon Pardi) and “To Be Loved By You” (Parker McCollum).
Ashley Gorley remains at No. 1 this week, while Jesse Frasure rises to No. 2 and Hunter Phelps falls to No. 3.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Scotty McCreery Announces 2022 “Same Truck Tour”
/by Steven BoeroTriple Tigers recording artist Scotty McCreey is hitting the road in 2022 on the “Same Truck Tour,” featuring 15 dates across the U.S. with support from Tenille Arts, Callista Clark, and Kameron Marlowe as direct support with King Calaway as the opening act.
Along the way, fans will be able to hear McCreey’s new single, “Damn Strait,” as well as his fourth consecutive No. 1 single, “You Time,” and more from his fifth studio album Same Truck.
“I am looking forward to kicking off 2022 with my Same Truck Tour,” says McCreery. “I’m also glad to have Tenille, Callista, Kameron and King Calaway joining us for select dates. It’s gonna be a great way to start the new year!”
Tickets go on sale this Friday (Oct. 29) at 10 a.m. local time at ScottyMcCreery.com.
McCreery earned three back-to-back No. 1 hits from his Gold-certified album, Seasons Change: the RIAA Double Platinum-certified “Five More Minutes;” the RIAA Platinum-certified “This Is It,” which stayed at the top of the charts for two weeks; and RIAA Gold-certified “In Between.” McCreey’s single, “You Time,” spent 46 weeks on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart finishing at 19 on Oct. 1.
“Same Truck Tour” Dates:
January 20 // The Ritz*~Raleigh, N.C.
January 21 // American Music Hall*~ Lancaster, Pa.
January 22 // Del Lago Resort & Casino – The Vine*~ Waterloo, N.Y.
January 27 // The Paramount^~Huntington, N.Y.
January 28 // Orange County Fair Speedway^~ Middletown, N.Y.
January 29 // Parx Casino – Xcite Center^~ Bensalem, Pa.
February 3 // Paramount Theater#~ Cedar Rapids, Idaho
February 4 // Treasure Island Resort Casino + Island Event Center#~Welch, Minn.
February 5 // The District#~ Sioux Falls, S.D.
February 10 // The Fillmore Detroit#~Detroit, Mich.
February 11 // The Intersection#~Grand Rapids, Mich.
February 12 // W.D. Packard Music Hall#~ Warren, Ohio
February 17 // Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts, Salina Kan.
February 18 // The Grizzly Rose, Denver, Colo.
February 19 // Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek, Colo.
* Denotes Kameron Marlowe as support
~ Denotes King Calaway as support
^ Denotes Callista Clark as support
# Denotes Tenille Arts as support
Weekly Register: Zac Brown Band Makes Top 3 Debut With ‘The Comeback’
/by Lorie HollabaughWarner Music Nashville’s Zac Brown Band earns this week’s top country album debut with their eighth studio album, The Comeback, coming in at No. 3 with 19,000 streams. The new record ranks at No. 27 overall, according to Nielsen.
Dangerous: The Double Album keeps Morgan Wallen‘s spot at No. 1 on the top country streaming albums and the top album overall, nabbing 42,000 streams and adding to its 50 million streams RTD. Wallen also takes the No. 5 spot as If I Know Me adds 14,000 weekly streams. Luke Combs takes up the second position with What You See Is What You Get and the fourth position with This One’s For You gaining 22,000 and 15,000 streams, respectively.
Monument’s Walker Hayes continues his ride at the top of the country streaming songs chart as “Fancy Like” earns another 13 million streams, totaling 207 million RTD, according to Nielsen. “Chasing After You” (Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris) rises to No. 2 as it adds 7.7 million streams, “Buy Dirt” (Jordan Davis & Luke Bryan) rises to No. 3 with 6.4 million streams, and “If I Didn’t Love You” (Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood) falls to No. 4 with 6.2 million streams this week. Chris Stapleton rounds out the top five as “You Should Probably Leave” gains 5.7 million streams.
Big Loud Records Adds ‘The Voice’ Alum Jake Worthington To Roster
/by Lydia FarthingJake Worthington. Photo: Chris Hornbuckle
Big Loud Records has added rising country artist Jake Worthington to its roster.
Hailing from Texas, Worthington first came on the scene as a finalist on Season 6 of NBC’s The Voice in 2014, and now joins the Big Loud roster that includes Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen, Chris Lane, Hardy, Mason Ramsey, MacKenzie Porter, Ernest, Ben Burgess, Ashland Craft, Larry Fleet, Sean Stemaly, Shawn Austin, Blame My Youth, and Lily Rose.
With over eight million on-demand streams and more than 230,000 social media followers to his credit, Worthington is also signed to Big Loud for publishing and management.
“We’re excited to welcome Jake Worthington to the Big Loud Records family,” Partner/CEO Seth England says. “He’s been putting in the work to build his own authentic brand of country music, and we’re looking forward to teaming up to get his sound on the map.”
“One more piece to the Jake Worthington puzzle has been put down, but it’s not finished,” Manager Troy “Tracker” Johnson shares. “Big Loud Records can’t wait to assist Jake in making what will be the honky-tonk album this city has been waiting for.”
“Country music is all I’ve known for a long while,” Worthington adds. “It’s been my friend, helped me grow and granted me experience and opportunity. I’m honored to work alongside Big Loud Records and am grateful to have a team who wants me to just do what I do—country music. It’s a different feeling knowing that everyone around me believes the music I make has its place in country music. A guy couldn’t ask for more.”
Worthington makes his debut as a Big Loud artist this coming Friday (Oct. 29), featured alongside Ronnie Dunn and Jake Owen on “Jonesin’” in the latest installment of Hixtape: Vol. 2.
The singer-songwriter is currently working on original music with chart-topping co-writers Craig Wiseman, Ernest Keith Smith, Tony Lane and more. Throughout the rest of the year, Worthington will crisscross Texas before visiting The Chelsea in Las Vegas on Dec. 4, Ace of Spades in Sacramento on Dec. 10, and Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa on Dec. 17.
Aaron Lewis Explores Vintage Country Roots On ‘Frayed At Both Ends’
/by Lorie HollabaughAaron Lewis. Photo: Eric Englund
Aaron Lewis is giving fans a taste of his upcoming new album, Frayed At Both Ends, with his new track “Goodbye Town,” featuring harmonica from Mickey Raphael. The new album is set for release Jan. 28 from the Valory Music Co.
Frayed At Both Ends strips back Lewis’ sound with help from guitarists Tom Bukovac, Biff Watson and Seth Taylor, dobroist Ben Kitterman, acoustic slide and baritone Laur Joamets, keyboards from Jim Moose Brown, and acoustic guitar and mandolin from Dan Tyminski.
The 13-track album includes the previously released CreatiVets-penned “They Call Me Doc,” telling the story about a triage soldier that honors the fighting men and women who’ve been injured and those who care for them. With just an acoustic guitar, Lewis is joined by Tyminiski and Vince Gill for the tribute track.
“Big heartache is part of it,” Lewis says. “Country music takes on the tough stuff, the doubts and the working harder to just stay where you are. Writing with guys like Dan Tyminski, who’s sung on some of my earlier records, Jeffrey Steele, Ira Dean, David Lee Murphy and Chris Wallin all have the same sense of what this is, so I can’t wait for people to get to hear this record.
“This is an album of saying things that need to be said about how people actually live,” he continues. “Life isn’t easy. Most people drink to forget, or drive for hours trying to get away from what they can’t let go of or leave behind. Work takes it out of you. Love falls short or destroys you. Disappointments stack up. But still you have to keep going–and how you do that says everything about the man that you are.”
Fans can pre-order the album now and receive “Goodbye Town,” along with “Am I The Only One,” which spent the 4th of July at No. 1 on iTunes all-genre chart, as well as marked only the ninth song since 1958 to debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
1. “Again” | Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, David Lee Murphy
2. “Goodbye Town” | Aaron Lewis, Randy Montana
3. “Everybody Talks To God” | Craig Monday, Chris Wallin
4. “Am I The Only One” | Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Jeffrey Steele
5. “Kill Me Like You Love Me” | Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Dan Tyminiski, Chris Wallin
6. “Pull Me Under” | Aaron Lewis
7. “Life Behind Bars” | Aaron Lewis, Josh Hogue, Matt McGinn
8. “Waiting There For Me” | Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Dan Tyminiski, Chris Wallin
9. “They Call Me Doc” featuring CreatiVets, Vince Gill, Dan Tyminiski | Shaun Bott, Richard Casper, Brian Carper, Jourdan Walker, Johnny McGuire
10. “Get What You Get” | Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Dan Tyminiski
11. “Sticks And Stones” | Aaron Lewis, Paul Barber, Matt McGinn
12. “One In The Same” | Aaron Lewis, Trent Tomlinson
13. “Someone” | Aaron Lewis, Paul Barber, Matt McGinn
Winners Announced For 52nd Annual Dove Awards
/by Lydia FarthingThe 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on Tuesday night (Oct. 19) in Nashville, Tennessee, before airing Friday night (Oct. 22) on TBN.
CeCe Winans and Jason Ingram led the night with four awards. Winans took home Gospel Artist of the Year and Ingram won Songwriter of the Year (Non-Artist). For King & Country notched three awards, including the coveted Artist of the Year. Chris Brown of Elevation Worship and Steven Furtick also won three awards each, including Song of the Year for “The Blessing.” Maverick City Music also claimed New Artist of the Year and Contemporary Artist of the Year went to We The Kingdom. Carrie Underwood won Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for her collaboration with Winans, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”
“I’ve been doing music a long time. This means so much to me because I’ve seen God move in my family in miraculous ways. He is who we hope He is,” said Ed Cash from We The Kingdom.
The music community reunited after last year’s virtual ceremony with live performances from Lauren Daigle, co-host Natalie Grant, and a closing rendition of Worship Recorded Song of the Year, “Graves Into Gardens” by Elevation Worship. A handful of special collaborations also took the stage, including KB with Matt Redman, Jonathan McReynolds with Mali Music, and Dante Bowe with Kelontae Gavin.
Chairman of the GMA Board Roy Morgan presented Jackie Patillo with the first-time Dove Award for Distinguished Leadership. Morgan also announced the new Dove will be an annual award and will be named The Jackie Patillo Leadership Award in the years to come.
“I am speechless. And so honored and so grateful. This is a calling y’all. This is a mission. This is not a job. Even though some days are hard. But, I love you. And I’m grateful,” shared Patillo. “I believe in unity in Christ. I believe we can celebrate our diversity in ways that will show the world that they’ll know we are Christians by our love. I believe in the power of God through the Word and through the message in your songs. So thank you. I’m so grateful and I’m awestruck over this.”
Partial List of 2021 Dove Award Winners:
Artist of the Year: For King & Country
New Artist of the Year: Maverick City Music
Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year: We The Kingdom
Song of the Year: “The Blessing”
Worship Recorded Song of the Year: “Graves Into Gardens” – Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake
Songwriter of the Year (Artist): Brandon Lake
Southern Gospel Artist of the Year: Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Gospel Artist of the Year: CeCe Winans
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” – Carrie Underwood ft. Cece Winans
Inspirational Film of the Year: A Week Away
Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year: His Glory Alone – KB
Southern Gospel Album of the Year: Change Is Coming – Joseph Habedank
Bluegrass Superstar Sonny Osborne Dies
/by Robert K OermannBluegrass Music Hall of Fame member Sonny Osborne died Sunday (Oct. 24) at age 83.
Regarded as one of the all-time great banjo stylists, he starred with brother Bobby on the Grand Ole Opry as well as on hit records such as “Rocky Top.” The Osborne Brothers were named the CMA Vocal Group of the Year in 1971.
Roland “Sonny” Osborne was born in the coalfields of Kentucky, but raised in Dayton, Ohio. At age 11, he became passionate about the banjo, practicing 8 to 15 hours a day. He began to appear on local radio and to make records in a duo with his sister Louise.
When he was 14, he joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys band. In 1952, he recorded several classics with the group, including “Memories of Mother and Dad” and “The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake.” He also recorded as a solo artist.
He joined forces with older brother Bobby in 1953. They honed their skills working for Jimmy Martin, Charlie Bailey and Red Allen. The bluegrass classic “Once More” was recorded by Allen with the Osbornes in 1958.
The Osborne Brothers recorded on their own for RCA and MGM during this period. Sonny soon garnered industry recognition for his cutting-edge approach to banjo playing and for arranging the group’s complex harmony vocals. The act’s calling card was brother Bobby’s sky-high tenor lead singing.
Around 1963, Sonny made contact with Doyle Wilburn of Nashville’s hit-making Wilburn Brothers. Wilburn got the brothers a contract with Decca Records, arranged for them to join the Grand Ole Opry (1964) and signed them for publishing and booking.
This coincided with Sonny encouraging his band to modernize. He electrified his banjo and added drums and electric bass to The Osborne Brothers sound. As a result, the group scored hits on the country hit parade and toured with mainstream pop and country acts. Their charted favorites included “Roll Muddy River” (1967), “Rocky Top” (1968), “Tennessee Hound Dog” (1969), “Ruby Are You Mad” (1970), “Midnight Flyer” (1973), “Blue Heartache” (1973) and “I Can Hear Kentucky Calling Me” (1980).
“Rocky Top” was named one of the state songs of Tennessee in 1984. It is performed in Knoxville every time the University of Tennessee Vols score a football touchdown.
In the 1980s, the Osbornes ditched electrified instruments and reverted to acoustic bluegrass. They recorded for niche labels such as CMH, Sugar Hill and Piencastle.
The Osbornes were also recruited to play on records by others. They have backed Conway Twitty, Carl Smith, Charley Pride, Wade Ray, Jethro Burns and Mac Wiseman. They also collaborated with jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton.
Sonny Osborne had a side career as a record producer. He worked on discs for The Pinnacle Boys, The Virginia Squires, Terry Eldredge and multiple bluegrass award winner Dale Ann Bradley.
The Osborne Brothers are believed to be the first bluegrass act to play on a college campus (1960) and to be invited to perform at The White House (1973). They were elected to the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and were presented with a National Heritage award by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1997.
Sonny Osborne was the first to popularize the electrified six-string banjo, the double banjo and instruments combining the banjo with resonator guitar. He underwent rotator-cuff surgery, which caused him to quit playing and to retire from the road in 2004. Since then, he has promoted a line of banjos branded with his nickname, “Chief.”
Brother Bobby Osborne continues to play the Opry with his band The Rocky Top X-Press.
“Sonny Osborne was ‘The Chief,’” says Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “He somehow played with both ferocity and humor, and those things were essential elements of his musicality and his personality. Though he was a staunch advocate for traditional bluegrass, his banjo style moved the genre forward and allowed bluegrass music to reach new audiences. He was also an innovative harmony singer, and when his voice joined with brother Bobby a sound was created that will never be replicated. Sonny Osborne was a lovably ornery delight.”
Sonny Osborne’s death was reported last night. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
FGL’s Brian Kelley Unveils New Country Musical ‘May We All’ Set For TPAC Debut
/by Steven BoeroFGL’s Brian Kelley and his production company CuzBro Productions, in partnership with Lively McCabe Entertainment, have unveiled their new country musical, May We All, is coming to Nashville’s Tennessee Performing Arts Center next summer.
The musical tells the story of Jenna Coates, a small-town girl whose big-city singing career is over before it even begins. Returning to the people and places of her past, she finds a path to the future. However, lot has changed in Harmony, Tennessee, since she left. To dig themselves out of their current crises, they’re going to need each other and music.
May We All features a score of fan-favorites from Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton, Dolly Parton, Florida Georgia Line, Jessica Andrews, Johnny Cash, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Little Big Town, LoCash, Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Sara Evans, Tim McGraw, The Chicks, and more. As part of the musical, two original songs co-written by FGL’s Kelley and Tyler Hubbard will debut in the production
“I’ve been dreaming and scheming on a musical for a while now, and for May We All to debut in Nashville next June is so surreal. It wouldn’t be a country music party without some special guests and surprises,” shares Kelley. “I’m thrilled to welcome my friends and fellow artists to the cast, and can’t wait to see what each one brings to the character of Bailey Stone.”
The multi-week event will feature a rotating lineup of country music guest artists who will step into the role of Bailey Stone, including Alana Springsteen, Alexandra Kay, Brealnd, Kelley, Canaan Smith, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Chris Ruediger, Cooper Alan, Danielle Bradbery, Jamie O’Neal, Lainey Wilson, Lindsay Ell, LoCash, Nick Fradiani, Scarlett Burke, Thomas Mac, Tigirlily, Trent Harmon, and many more.
Executive Producer Michael Barra adds, “From the very beginning, we created the role of Bailey Stone to be played by a different guest artist at every performance in Nashville. We’re already blown away by the caliber of talent and are looking forward to making these special guest moments fun for both the artist and the audience.”
“We are thrilled to host the world premiere of May We All at Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville next summer, and to be a part of this exciting collaboration,” says Jennifer Turner, TPAC President and CEO. “In Nashville, you never know who is going to appear on the many stages around town. With this impressive list of guest artists making each performance a one-of-kind experience, this engagement is no exception. It’s the perfect fit for Music City.”
Making its world premiere on June 7–July 17, 2022, tickets for the performances go on sale to the general public beginning at 10 a.m. CT on Oct. 29.
Earlier this year, producers also confirmed that a film adaptation is in the works, directed by Andy Fickman. Information on the production, cast, and creative team will be announced soon.