MusicRow will reveal the industry-voted winners of the 33rd annual MusicRow Awards in a series of videos on all MusicRow online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, starting at 9:00 a.m. TOMORROW (Aug. 19).

MusicRow Awards Schedule of Announcements:
9:00 a.m.: Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians Awards
9:30 a.m.: Producer of the Year
10:00 a.m.: Label Group of the Year
10:30 a.m.: Agency of the Year
11:00 a.m.: Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year
11:30 a.m.: Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year
12:00 p.m.: Male Songwriter of the Year
12:30 p.m.: Female Songwriter of the Year
1:00 p.m.: Song of the Year
1:30 p.m.: Discovery Artist of the Year
2:00 p.m.: Breakthrough Artist of the Year
2:30 p.m.: Artist of the Year

Presenting Sponsor of the 2021 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.

Click here to read about the nominees up for each category. The nominees are also profiled in the recently released MusicRow Awards print issue.

The Top 10 Album All-Star Musicians Awards will also be announced on Aug. 19, recognizing the industry’s most in-demand studio players for Bass, Drums, Engineer, Fiddle, Guitar, Keyboards, Steel, and Vocals.

Carly Pearce’s Hometown Of Taylor, Kentucky To Honor The Rising Vocalist

Carly Pearce. Photo: Allister Ann

Newest Grand Ole Opry member Carly Pearce will return to her hometown of Taylor, Kentucky, on Sept. 2 to be honored for her many career accolades earned over the past few years.

Along with Mayor Dan Bell and city commission, Pearce will be welcomed with a special ceremony and signage honoring the local dreamer turned rising country star. Later in the evening Pearce will head to the Ovation Music Pavilion in Newport as support for Lady A’s What A Song Can Do Tour.

The CMA and double ACM Awards winner most recently celebrated 2X Platinum certification of “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” her No. 1 duet with Lee Brice. Her upcoming 15-song project, 29: Written In Stone, is due Sept. 17 on Big Machine Records.

Jim Reilley Joins Plowboy Records As Operations Director

Jim Reilley

Plowboy Records has added industry and creative veteran Jim Reilley as Operations Director. Reilley brings a wealth of knowledge and talent to the imprint and will fill the role left by the passing of the label’s beloved Ben Ewing.

As an artist, Reilley co-founded the revered group The New Dylans in 1986, and as a songwriter—with a stint at Curb Music Publishing—he secured cuts by Vince Gill, Sam Bush, Hal Ketchum, Tim O’Brien, Jack Ingram, and others. He also played bass on numerous recording projects for various artists, most notably Sheryl Crow while helming production on over 40 projects, including several Kerrville and Merlefest award winners. Currently, Reilley is a member of the experimental jazz outfit The Birdwatcher Experiment with Jerry Oliver and a rotating cast that includes Shannon Pollard and Cheetah Chrome of The Dead Boys.

“Jim has had a long and successful career in this business, and he brings a lifetime of experience from the creative side as well,” notes Plowboy Records’ President and co-founder Pollard. “He knows what it takes to put together deals and how to manage a variety of projects. He speaks the language of a musician, but he also speaks ‘industry’ and that is so important to our future.”

“If Shannon and I can realize our vision for Plowboy and become a label in the mold of a classic ‘60s Electra/Asylum, Rounder, Blue Note, Sub Pop, Creation, Dischord or Stax/Volt, especially in this current economic climate, I will consider that an enormous success,” says Reilley. “I’m still excited by and in love with music and am honored Shannon has given me this opportunity.”

Tennessee Bluegrass Band Signs With Billy Blue Records

Pictured (L-R) Aynsley Porchak (fiddle), Lincoln Hensley (banjo), Tim Laughlin (mandolin and vocals), Jerry Salley (Creative and A&R Director, Billy Blue Records), Gracie Meador (bass and vocals), and John Meador (guitar and vocals).

Tennessee Bluegrass Band has signed with Nashville’s Billy Blue Records. Recently formed, the band is comprised of Aynsley Porchak, Lincoln Hensley, John Meador, Tim Laughlin, and Gracie Meador.

“They captured my attention with the very first note from John Meador’s mouth,” says Jerry Salley, Creative and A&R Director, Billy Blue Records. “Tennessee Bluegrass Band had its choice of record labels. They chose Billy Blue, and our team is honored to work with them. We’re excited about their future, and together, we look forward to releasing a stellar debut album very soon!”

“This is a group that I’m very pleased to be a part of,” Porchak says. “With the combination of powerful vocals and exciting instrumental arrangements, the band is formed with powerhouse musicians who have undeniable artistic chemistry. It’s an honor and a privilege to make music with these people, and we’re excited to share our spin on traditional bluegrass, something we like to call, ‘the future of the past!’”

The group is making plans for a debut album for release in early 2022.

The Grand Ole Opry, the world’s longest-running radio show, will mark its historic 5,000th Saturday night broadcast on Oct. 30, 2021. To commemorate the impressive milestone, the Grand Ole Opry will host a month of celebrations, a limited-time exhibit, and a star-studded night of performances on the iconic Opry stage.

WSM began to air the show that would become the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 as a radio show before expanding to television and eventually digital streaming platforms. It has continued to produce original shows for 5,000 Saturday nights through the Great Depression, World War II, two Nashville floods and, most recently, the global COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, when music venues shuttered around the world, the Opry continued airing under strict health and safety protocols through its weekly 650 AM WSM and SiriusXM radio broadcasts. Simultaneously, Opry Live was launched on Circle, bringing comfort to millions of fans around the world and quickly becoming the television network’s landmark series.

“For 5,000 Saturday nights, the Opry has stood as a beacon not just for generations of listeners seeking top-notch entertainment, but for artists with big dreams and even bigger talent,” shares Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment Group. “This stage has witnessed some of the most iconic moments in country music – debuts, duets, and everything in between – and it deserves celebrating. We’re excited for country music fans around the world to be able to join us for this historic occasion.”

The Grand Ole Opry will host a special evening of music on Oct. 30 with performances from Bill Anderson, Terri Clark, Vince Gill, Chris Janson, Jeannie Seely, Connie Smith, The Gatlin Brothers and Chris Young, with more artists to be announced. The ticketed show will be available to stream live on Circle.

Opry Memories: Celebrating 5,000 Saturday Night Broadcasts Exhibit

Today (Aug. 17), the Opry also opened a limited-time exhibit at the Acuff House, Opry Memories: Celebrating 5,000 Saturday Night Broadcasts. The exhibit takes guests on a journey through the inception of WSM-AM radio and the first Grand Ole Opry broadcasts while also covering special moments from milestone broadcast eras of 1,000 broadcasts to present day. The exhibit will feature artifacts and photos from current Grand Ole Opry members including Luke Combs, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce, Trisha Yearwood, and many others, as well as items from some of the Opry’s earliest stars including Roy Acuff, DeFord Bailey, Minnie Pearl, and more.

To purchase tickets for the 5,000th celebration show on Oct. 30 or to the Grand Ole Opry tour featuring Opry Memories, click here.

Nelly is teaming up with some of his longtime friends and collaborators in country music for an upcoming CMT Crossroads episode. The genre-bending artist will be joined by Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, Blanco Brown and Breland on the upcoming episode, which will premiere Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 9 p.m. CT, exclusively on CMT.

Nelly is making his Crossroads debut as the series’ first hip hop headliner. The 60-minute CMT Crossroads: Nelly & Friends special will feature new music from Nelly’s new country-inspired Heartland project alongside high-energy performances of his biggest chart-topping hits, including a few surprises celebrating the 20th anniversary of Country Grammar. The show also marks first-time Crossroads appearances from Kane Brown, Blanco Brown and Breland while FGL returns to the Crossroads stage after teaming up with Backstreet Boys in 2017.

“I’m excited to celebrate my music with my friends and fellow artists on Crossroads! When people talk about me crossing lines and genres, I think about it more that music brings folks together,” Nelly shares.

Later this month, Nelly is slated to drop Heartland. He recently released his second single from the album, “High Horse” featuring Blanco Brown and Breland, plus teased a new song with “Cool Again” collaborator Kane Brown. The EP’s first single, “Lil Bit” with Florida Georgia Line was just awarded RIAA Platinum certification and follows their Diamond collaboration “Cruise.”

Kayle Kiener has been promoted to VP, Recorded Music Royalties at Concord. Formerly Director, Artists Royalties, Kiener will be based in Concord’s Nashville headquarters and will report to Concord’s GM of Global Administration, Jeff Van Driel.

After starting his career as a professional musician, Kiener studied accounting at University of South Florida. His introduction to the music business came at Naxos of America where he led the Global Royalty department and eventually became product manager of business intelligence. Following a brief stint as a royalty auditor for a CPA firm, he most recently worked as the senior manager of Frontline Artist Royalties at Warner Music Group’s newly created Center of Excellence in Nashville.

“I had the pleasure of working with Kayle in a previous lifetime and am so pleased to have him now heading up Concord’s Recorded Music Royalties,” says Van Driel. “He has shown remarkable adaptability, leadership and innovation in the short time he has been at Concord and I look forward to continued success as we prioritize reporting and paying our valued partners in the artist and songwriting communities.”

Kiener comments, “Concord’s ability to manage a diverse catalog and promote an incredible corporate culture is unrivaled and I am proud to be a member of its team. The department is made up of some of the most talented and dedicated people in the business and I am lucky and excited to work alongside them.”