IBMA World Of Bluegrass 2021 To Enforce Vaccination, Mask Requirement

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With the resurgence of COVID-19, IBMA World of Bluegrass 2021, taking place in Raleigh, North Carolina from Sept. 28-Oct. 2, has updated its health and safety protocol requirements for attendees.

This year, attendance and participation in all registered and ticketed activities will now require proof of vaccination, including the IBMA Business Conference, the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble showcase series, the 32nd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards presented by Yamaha, and the main stage at the Red Hat Amphitheater for IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC. After showing proof of vaccination upon check-in to the event, participants will be issued a wristband that must be worn at all events.

In addition to the changes approved by the IBMA Board, the mayor of Raleigh, NC, issued an emergency proclamation on Aug. 13 requiring people to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, in indoor public spaces and businesses. Because of this, masks will also be required for all indoor activities featured during World of Bluegrass.

“As live bluegrass music begins to re-emerge, our emphasis on a safe return cannot be understated,” shares Mike Simpson, IBMA’s Board Chair. “We have been closely monitoring safety guidelines, and in the interest of everyone’s safety, our Board of Directors has taken the unanimous position that participation in this year’s World of Bluegrass begins and ends with safety–requiring proof of vaccination and indoor mask wearing. I am pleased to say that our discussions were strikingly non-political and focused purely on the best safety measures that we could take for all involved.”

“Our internal surveys–conducted in both March and July–found that more than 90% of respondents planning to attend this year’s World of Bluegrass also planned to be fully vaccinated before getting to Raleigh,” explains Pat Morris, IBMA’s Executive Director. “We have been working diligently with our partners in Raleigh to bring the community together for an unmatched bluegrass experience in a safe environment, and the health and safety of our attendees is our number one priority. Some of the changes we have already made include planning for less crowding in the Raleigh Convention Center and Red Hat Amphitheater; streamlined scheduling, larger conference session spaces, and careful consideration of bottleneck areas.”

For those not able to attend in person, there will also be an option to stream select content throughout the week on Swapcard. All virtual attendees will have access to the virtual exhibit hall, conference sessions, and music performances. Details for virtual tickets will be announced in the coming weeks.

IBMA and the city of Raleigh will continue to analyze, update, and adjust health and safety measures for all aspects of IBMA World of Bluegrass over the coming weeks. Anyone who has already purchased registration or tickets but prefers not to participate in the updated health protocols for the 2021 event will be eligible for a refund by visiting the IBMA website.

IBMA World of Bluegrass joins a plethora of other events, businesses, and venues who have enforced similar COVID-19 protocols over recent weeks, including Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, Bonnaroo, Summerfest, Live Nation, AEG Presents, and many more. For more information about COVID-19, the Delta variant, and vaccinations, click here.

Nelly, Kane Brown, FGL, Blanco Brown, Breland To Star In New ‘CMT Crossroads’

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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.”

Publicist Darlene Bieber Announces Retirement

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Darlene Bieber

Darlene Bieber of Bieber Public Relations has announced she will be retiring, effective Sept. 1.

Prior to opening her own company, Bieber was formerly with Schmidt Relations and Starstruck Entertainment, and worked with many stars over the years including Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, the Grand Ole Opry, Montgomery Gentry, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire and many more.

Bieber has handled publicity for Brad Paisley since 2005, and since the inception of her company in 2014 has worked exclusively with Paisley. Her retirement after nearly 30 years as publicist will commence Sept. 1. Paisley will transition to Schmidt Relations for publicity.

Reach Bieber with good wishes at darlene@bieberpr.com.

Concord Elevates Kayle Kiener To VP, Recorded Music Royalties

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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.”

Artist Action: George Strait, Jeannie Seely, Luke Bryan

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George Strait Celebrates 30 Vegas Shows, Adds 4 Additional

George Strait. Photo: Jason Stoltzfus

For the first time since February 2020, George Strait stepped onto the stage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this past Friday, Aug. 13 and Saturday, Aug. 14. With the two long-awaited concerts, Strait surpassed 30 total shows throughout his Strait to Vegas series which began in 2016.

Strait to Vegas will once again return this winter, Strait announced to the crowd, playing back-to-back nights on Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4 as well as Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12. Caitlyn Smith will join the Country Music Hall of Famer in December and Tenille Townes will provide support in February. Tickets to all four dates go on sale next Friday, Aug. 27 at 12 p.m. CT.

As previously announced, Strait will also headline both weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 1 and 8 before taking the stage at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium alongside Eric Church on Nov. 5 for a special The King & The Chief iteration of the ATLive festival. Strait will also return to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on March 20, 2022 for his 31st performance at the event.

 

 

Jeannie Seely Chosen As Featured Display Artist In Music Row’s Regions Bank

Soon-to-be 54-year member of the Grand Ole Opry Jeannie Seely has been chosen as the feature display in the prominent lobby of Regions Bank on Music Row.

The display showcases milestones of her career, which includes the album cover and wardrobe worn on An American Classic, her current album on Curb Records. Also included are many of her awards for her achievements in the music industry and the community, a tour jacket from the 1981 and 1982 Willie Nelson tour, stage production memorabilia and items from hosting her Willie’s Roadhouse segment Sundays With Seely on SiriusXM. Visitors will also see a replica of her star on the Music City Walk of Fame and the diploma for her Honorary Doctorate from Lincoln Memorial University, many personal photographs and Hatch Print posters documenting collaborations of performances on the Grand Ole Opry and television specials, wardrobe selections and original 8-tracks, cassettes, vinyl records and more.

“Regions Bank is excited to pay tribute to Jeannie and her incredible career as a country music legend. Jeannie helped pave the way for today’s women of country and she is still going strong,” says Regions Bank Senior Vice President and Private Wealth Advisor, Lisa Harless.

“What an honor to be featured in this wonderful exhibit space! I cannot thank Lisa Harless and all of her staff enough for allowing me to showcase some of the most memorable moments in my career so far!” shares Jeannie Seely. “I am blessed beyond measure! I’m also grateful to the people who believed in me along the way and gave me all of these opportunities.”

 

 

Luke Bryan Adds Supporting Lineup To 12th Annual Farm Tour

5X Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan has announced additional talent for his 12th Farm Tour taking place in September.

Joining Bryan on this year’s six-show Farm Tour will be Dylan Scott, Whitney Duncan, The Peach Pickers, and DJ Rock. The crew will be stopping in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan between Sept. 9-18. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.

Bryan will continue to perform for fans coast-to-coast on his Proud To Be Right Here Tour this summer while also gearing up for the next season of American Idol.

Stephen Wilson Jr. Signs With River House Artists For Management, UTA For Representation

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Pictured (L-R): UTA’s Brett Saliba, River House Artists’ Alicia Jones, Stephen Wilson Jr., UTA’s Lance Roberts. Photo: Jake Moore

Singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. has signed with River House Artists for management and UTA for representation.

An accomplished songwriter and rising artist, Wilson Jr. has secured cuts with Caitlyn Smith and Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne and Tim McGraw, among others. The Indiana native and BMG Nashville songwriter was recently featured on the single “Made For This” in collaboration with his wife Leigh Nash (Sixpence None The Richer). Wilson Jr. also released two singles in 2020, including “Year To Be Young 1994” and “The Beginning.”

“I have been following Stephen and his incredible songwriting and artistry for some time,” shares Alicia Jones, manager, River House Artists. “He is truly one of the most talented people I’ve ever met and to get the chance to be part of his career is a dream come true.”

“We are beyond excited to get to work with such a prolific writer and artist. I just happened to be watching CMT one afternoon and ‘Year to Be Young 1994’ was on their countdown. I immediately started searching to find out more,” adds Lance Roberts, agent, Nashville Music Leadership, UTA. “Fast forward 12 months and here we are joining the remarkable team he’s built with BMG and River House.”

In 2020, Wilson Jr. served as a co-writer on the title track for Trace Adkins’ EP Ain’t That Kinda Cowboy. Recently in the studio with producer Ben West, Wilson Jr. plans to release new music by the end of the year and will join Brothers Osborne on a European tour in 2022.

“I’m so happy to have found a management home at River House as well as adding an agency like UTA to be part of my team. As a former boxer and fan of the sport, I understand the importance of having the right people in my corner,” shares Wilson Jr. “I am thrilled and honored to be part of the River House and UTA organizations who both bring a unique and exciting set of talents.”

Mitchell Tenpenny Announces To Us It Did Tour With Headlining Ryman Date

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Fresh off announcing his upcoming Midtown Diaries EP out in September, Mitchell Tenpenny has added news of his To Us It Did Tour set for this fall. The shows are slated to kick off in Wantagh, New York on Sept. 23.

The dates will feature opener Drew Green and will hit 12 cities, including a Ryman Auditorium show on Oct. 10. His performance at the historic Mother Church of country music marks the first time Tenpenny will headline the iconic venue. To celebrate, a portion of the concert’s proceeds will go to the 10Penny Fund which supports programs that help motivate patients and encourage healing for people facing cancer and their loved ones.

“It’s been so much fun getting back to live shows this summer,” Tenpenny shares. “I’m grateful for all the technology that allowed me to stay in touch with my fans and to stream performances in the last year, but nothing can replace LIVE music. It feels so good to see all the places we get to play this fall and we are stoked about the shows with Chris [Young], and Dierks [Bentley], too because we love the opportunity to make new fans!”

The tour will route alongside Tenpenny’s special guest dates on Young’s Famous Friends 2021 Tour and two dates on Bentley’s Beers On Me Tour. For a full list of Tenpenny’s upcoming show dates, click here.

Weekly Register: Chris Young Earns Biggest Song & Album Debut Of The Week

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Chris Young. Photo: Jeff Johnson

RCA Nashville recording artist Chris Young celebrates the top country album debut this week with Famous Friends. Young’s eighth studio album scored 24,000 streams, placing it at No. 3 on the country charts and No. 13 overall. Young also earned the top country song debut this week with “At The End Of A Bar,” featuring Mitchell Tenpenny, receiving 3.1 million streams and putting it at No. 39, according to Nielsen.

Morgan Wallen maintains the top spot once again as Dangerous: The Double Album earns another 44,000 streams. His 2016 album, If I Know Me, remains in the top 5 streaming albums, dropping down to fifth with 15,000 streams. Luke Combs takes up No. 2 and No. 4 with What You See Is What You Get and This One’s For You racking up 24,000 and 16,000 streams, respectively.

Monument Records’ Walker Hayes nabs the top country streaming song for a sixth consecutive week as “Fancy Like” adds another 12 million streams this week for 75 million total streams RTD, according to Nielsen. Nelly & Florida Georgia Line hold down the second spot with “Lil Bit” gaining another 7.7 million streams as “Glad You Exist” (Dan + Shay) gains ground and rises to third with 6.8 million streams. “Chasing After You” (Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris) drops to fourth while Combs seals the top five with “Forever After All,” both of which add another 6.6 million streams this week.

Jonathan Singleton Makes Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Jonathan Singleton moves up into the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week, moving into the fourth position. Singleton co-wrote Lainey Wilson’s “Things A Man Oughta Know,” Luke Combs’ “Cold as You,” and Zac Brown Band’s “Same Boat.”

Ashley Gorley stays at No. 1 for the fifth consecutive week with “Good Things” (Dan + Shay), “Country Again” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “Single Saturday Night” (Cole Swindell), “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton), and “Beers On Me” (Dierks Bentley, Hardy & Breland).

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.

Blake Shelton Announced As Featured Guest For CRS 2022 Artist Interview

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Blake Shelton has been announced as the featured artist for The Artist Interview, sponsored by BMI, at CRS 2022. Shelton will sit down with Country Aircheck Publisher/CEO and host of Westwood One’s Country Countdown USA, Lon Helton, and will speak candidly on his career, artistic process, and what’s on the horizon.

“This is one you definitely don’t want to miss! Blake speaks his mind, often surprises, and always, always makes you laugh. Come to CRS and enjoy some quality time with one of our biggest superstars,” CRS Board President, Kurt Johnson comments.

Shelton continues to add to his superstar status with his new album Body Language, available everywhere now. His most recent hit, 4x Platinum “God’s Country,” earned Shelton the 2019 CMA Award and 2020 ACM Award for Single of the Year. As his award wins approach the hundreds, Shelton remains a force in the industry with 5 ACM awards, 10 CMA awards, and 11 CMT awards, among many others.

As a coach for the Emmy Award-winning television show The Voice, Shelton is an eight-time champion, most recently with his contestant Cam Anthony. Shelton has helped raise millions of dollars for children’s hospitals, disaster relief organizations, food banks, and more in his home state of Oklahoma and throughout the entire country. In 2019, he was awarded the CRS Artist Humanitarian Award for his continued outreach in helping to raise millions of dollars for countless causes.

CRS also recently announced the launch of CRS Heads Of State which will feature a mix of some of the industry’s most prominent leaders, including Caroline Beasley (CEO/Beasley), Ginny Morris (CEO/Hubbard), Bob Profitt (CEO/Alpha Media), Bill Wilson (CEO/Townsquare), Scott Borchetta (President/CEO, BMLG), Mike Dungan (Chairman/CEO, UMG), John Esposito (Chairman/CEO, WMN), Randy Goodman (Chairman/CEO, Sony), and Jon Loba (President, BMG).

Registration for CRS 2022 opens tomorrow, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. CT. Every CRS 2022 early bird registration will include a complimentary edition of the not-yet-published Bob Kingsley’s Book of Records, chronicling the living history of the late Bob Kingsley’s decades-long, Hall of Fame country radio career counting down the hits.

Following the success and popularity of CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, CRS will also be offering a virtual track featuring livestream sessions and on-demand content from the 3-day event. Musical performances will only be available in-person and not available through the virtual experience.