Music Biz Conference To Return To Nashville In 2022

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The Music Business Association has announced that their annual Music Biz Conference will return to the JW Marriott in Nashville in-person on May 9 – 12, 2022.

Despite being forced to cancel the 2020 and 2021 editions of Music Biz, the Music Business Association hosted 56 virtual events. Informed by the events of 2020, this year’s program is expected to address the needs of the industry at large, as well as those of the individuals and communities it encompasses.

Registration, call for presentations, and hotel booking for Music Biz 2022 will open in September. The association has automatically credited those who purchased registrations for the cancelled Music Biz 2021 Conference with registrations for Music Biz 2022.

For King & Country To Embark On 2021 Fall Tour

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For King & Country have announced RELATE | The 2021 Fall Tour.

After the success of their 2020 drive-in theater performances, the 24-date trek kicks off in Toledo, Ohio on Oct. 7 and wraps in Rochester, Minn. on Nov. 14. In addition to their already electrifying live shows, the set list will also feature brand new songs from their upcoming studio album, as well as some of their No. 1 hits like “Fix My Eyes,” “God Only Knows,” and “joy.”

“The thought of hitting the road and seeing you again is a thrilling one,” Joel and Luke Smallbone share. “Since we were last together, we’ve been hard at work writing and recording new music, which is going to make RELATE | The 2021 Fall Tour a particularly special one. It’ll look different, feel different, sound different and we’re truly looking forward to seeing you.”

Tickets for RELATE | The 2021 Fall Tour will go on sale to the general public on July 9 at 10 a.m. local time.

The 4x Grammy Award winning, Platinum-selling duo recently broke their own industry record with their sixth consecutive No. 1 single, the multi-chart smash hit “Amen.” The brothers now have five No. 1 hits from their Grammy winning, RIAA Gold certified album Burn The Ships, and nine No. 1 hits overall. “Amen” is currently climbing the mainstream charts, reaching Top 20 on both Billboard and Mediabase’s AC charts.

Kalie Shorr Announces New EP, ‘I Got Here By Accident’

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Kalie Shorr. Photo: Catherine Powell

Acclaimed singer, songwriter, and musician Kalie Shorr will release her anticipated new EP, I Got Here By Accident, on Aug. 13 via TMWRK Records. Ahead of the release, her new song, “Love Child,” is available everywhere now.

Produced by Butch Walker (P!nk, Taylor Swift, Green Day), I Got Here By Accident ushers in a new era for Shorr, who continues to write with vulnerability, but with an elevated pop-rock edge. With these new songs, Shorr shares the reality of being a woman in her 20s – the self-exploration, the relationships and the personal growth she’s experienced. Recorded at Walker’s studio outside of Nashville, the EP features only Shorr and Walker, who performed and recorded all vocals and instrumentation themselves. The duo will also be performing together at the Grand Ole Opry on Aug. 14.

I Got Here By Accident features five new tracks including “Love Child” and “Amy,” which was released earlier this year to critical acclaim after first debuting on TikTok, where it has garnered 3 million views to date.

“If I could only play one song to introduce myself to a stranger, it would be ‘Love Child,’” Shorr says of the track. “It’s a 3-minute autobiography that covers everything from being a first-generation American, to my love for Fleetwood Mac and tarot cards. Sonically, I love the energy of the guitars and the use of all-organic instruments that go back to my 90’s and 2000’s pop rock influences.”

The new EP continues a series of breakout years for Shorr. Her critically acclaimed debut album, Open Book, was released in 2019 with its deluxe edition, Open Book: Unabridged, following this past December. Self-released by Shorr, Open Book received widespread critical praise and landed on several “Best of 2019” lists including The New York Times, Variety, Stereogum, The Bitter Southerner and NPR Music.

Born in Maine, Shorr arrived on the Nashville scene in 2016 with the release of her debut single, “Fight Like A Girl,” and has continued to receive widespread attention since. She’s been included in CMT’s “Next Women of Country,” SiriusXM The Highway’s “Highway Find” and Teen Vogue’s “The New Nashville,” and was named an artist to watch by The Tennessean and HuffPost. She has shared the stage with iconic artists such as Keith Urban, Stevie Nicks, Jason Isbell, LeAnn Rimes, Sara Evans and The Struts, and made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 2018.

I Got Here By Accident Track List:
1. Amy
2. I Heard You Got A Girl
3. I Hate The Way This Feels
4. Love Child
5. Alibi

Nominees Revealed For 2021 IBMA Industry & Momentum Awards

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The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the nominees for this year’s IBMA Industry Awards and Momentum Awards. The winners will be announced during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass running Sept. 28-Oct. 2 in Raleigh, N.C..

“Through these awards, the bluegrass music community celebrates industry professionals and our rising stars,” says IBMA’s Executive Director Pat Morris. “The IBMA Industry Awards recognize the exceptional contributions of those talented professionals who are essential to bluegrass music. The IBMA Momentum Awards highlight early-stage professionals making their mark on bluegrass music and the mentors and others involved in the industry who provide guidance and support. Congratulations to all of our nominees, and we look forward to seeing you in Raleigh!”

The IBMA Momentum Awards recognize both musicians and bluegrass industry professionals who are making significant contributions to or are having a significant influence upon bluegrass music. These contributions can be to bluegrass music in general, or to a specific sector of the industry. The Mentor Award, in contrast to the other Momentum Awards, recognizes a bluegrass professional who has made a significant impact on the lives and careers of newcomers to the bluegrass industry. Nominees are chosen through a multi-stage process by committees made up of respected musicians and industry leaders in the bluegrass world.

The IBMA Momentum Awards will take place Wednesday, Sept. 29 with the IBMA Industry Awards taking place Thursday, Sept. 30. Specific times and additional details for both events and for other IBMA World of Bluegrass events will be announced in the coming weeks.

2021 IBMA Industry Awards Nominees:

Broadcaster of the Year
Kyle Cantrell
Barb Heller
Brad Kolodner
Peter Thompson
Alfred (Big Al) Weekley

Event of the Year
Blueberry Bluegrass Festival
CBA Jam-a-Thon
Porch Pride – A Bluegrass Pride Queer-Antine Festival
TBS (Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars) Online Bluegrass Festival
Friday Nights Live at Lorraine’s Coffee House & Music

Graphic Designer of the Year
Audrey Fletcher
Ellen Silva
Kevin Slick
Grace van’t Hof
Carla Wehby

Liner Notes of the Year
Albert Ihde – Bluegrass Country Soul, Various Artists
Daniel Mullins – Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy, Various Artists
Ted Olson – We Shall All Be Reunited: Revisiting the Bristol Sessions, 1927-1928, Various Artists
Tim Stafford – California Autumn, Tony Rice

Songwriter of the Year
Mark “Brink” Brinkman
Becky Buller
Thomm Jutz
Rick Lang
Jon Weisberger

Sound Engineer of the Year
Scott Barnett
Adam Engelhardt
Anna Frick
David Glasser
Aaron Ramsey

Writer of the Year
Stacy Chandler
Emma John
David McCarty
Dan Miller
Tristan Scroggins

 

2021 IBMA Momentum Awards Nominees:

Mentor of the Year
Louisa Branscomb
Cathy Fink
Rick Lang
Wyatt Rice
Travis Stimeling

Momentum Industry Involvement
Adam Kirr
Kara Kundert
Mary Beth Martin
Maria Wallace

Momentum Vocalist of the Year
Katie Greer
Abby Latocha
Caroline Owens
Jaelee Roberts
Leanne Thorose

Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year (2 selected)
Daisy Caire
Maddie Denton
Jacob Metz
Julian Pinelli
Liam Purcell
Miles Quale
Teo Quale

Momentum Band of the Year
Crying Uncle
The Kody Norris Show
Lindley Creek
Stillhouse Junkies
Theo and Brenna

Hootie & The Blowfish Announce Inaugural HootieFest In Cancun

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Hootie & The Blowfish. Photo: Todd & Chris Owyoung

Hootie & the Blowfish have announced their inaugural destination concert vacation event, HootieFest: The Big Splash, in partnership with CID Presents & On Location.

Hosted Jan. 26 – 29, 2022 at Moon Palace Cancún, the four-day celebration will feature three headlining performances on the beach by the band, as well as appearances by Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Better Than Ezra, Spin Doctors, Toadies, Sister Hazel, and Drivin N Cryin. Additional details, including pool party performances, will be announced in the coming months.

The destination event marks the first live performance by the Grammy Award winning band since their hugely successful Group Therapy Tour in 2019, which marked the 25th anniversary of their Diamond certified debut album, Cracked Rear View, and the band’s first tour in over a decade.

“We were blown away by the response from fans during our last tour,” notes front man Darius Rucker. “It was so special to be back on stage together and to know that people still love the music as much as we do. What better way to keep that celebration going than in Mexico!?”

HootieFest packages will go on sale to the public on Thursday, July 15 with all-inclusive resort accommodations, concert access, roundtrip airport transportation, and more. To browse package options and details, click here.

David Nail, Lee Roy Parnell, More To Play NAMM Kickoff Show Benefit

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David Nail, Lee Roy Parnell, Scooter Brown, JD Shelburne, and more are set to perform at 117 Entertainment’s Summer National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Kickoff Show to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation on Thursday, July 15 at 3rd and Lindsley.

At the age of two, 117 Entertainment Owner Zach Farnum had a benign brain tumor removed, making the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s cause one that hits close to home. Since 1991, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation has provided strategic leadership and funding to accelerate the number of targeted therapies for children battling brain tumors, while equipping families with the patient family education, financial relief, and emotional support they need to navigate their child’s journey.

Tickets are on sale now with 100% percent of the show’s proceeds going to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, including production expenses donated by 3rd and Lindsley owner Ron Brice.

Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament Announces New Date, Keith Urban As Presenting Sponsor

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Organizers for the Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament have announced a new date for the annual charity event, which will now take place on Monday, Sept. 13 at Old Natchez Country Club in Nashville. It was also announced that Keith Urban has signed on as the Presenting Sponsor of the Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament for his fifth consecutive year.

The 34th annual event will once again benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee. Nashville-based boutique investment and development firm E3 Construction Services and Founder/CEO John Eldridge have signed on as host of the longstanding Music Row tradition.

The MRLGT raised over $70,000 in 2019 and has historically raised a grand total of more than $2.3 million for UCP of Middle Tennessee. The event is the single biggest annual fundraiser for UCP of Middle Tennessee and this year’s tournament is more important than ever since the 2020 MRLGT had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Keith Urban’s generous contribution to the MRLGT and UCP of Middle Tennessee is just one of numerous charities that the superstar has long supported. His “All For The Hall” benefit concerts for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum have raised over $3.4 million, and he is the first Ambassador of the CMA Foundation, an advisory board member at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and a longtime supporter of The Mr. Holland’s Opus Fund and The Grammy Foundation.

Registration for the tournament will open on July 26 at $135 per player and team space is limited. To register, sponsor, or for more information, please visit mrlgt.com.

Ash Bowers Exits Records Nashville To Focus Fully On Management

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Ash Bowers

Music executive, songwriter, and producer Ash Bowers has exited his position as President at Records Nashville.

Bowers was tapped in 2020 to start the Nashville office of Barry Weiss‘ New York City-based label, Records. Co-founded in 2015 by Weiss, Records began as a joint venture with Songs Music Publishing, and found early success with their first two signings, Platinum-selling singer Noah Cyrus and legendary hip-hop artist Nelly. In 2017, when Kobalt bought Songs, Sony Music partnered with Records and has since signed a roster that includes 24kGoldn and Lennon Stella. They are also home to 2019’s debut project, Labrinth, Sia & Diplo present…LSD.

Since opening in 2020, Records Nashville has developed a roster that includes Matt Stell, Chris Bandi, Jennifer Smestad, Dylan Brady, Chase Martin, Lathan Warlick and George Birge. Stell has earned more than 415 million cumulative streams across his catalog to date, with back-to-back No. 1 songs including the Platinum-certified track “ Prayed For You” and Gold-certified “Everywhere But On.” He is one of only eight debut country artists in the last six years to have their first two singles top the charts.

According to Bowers, he is stepping away from the company to shift his focus back fully to his management company Wide Open Music. Wide Open handles management for Platinum-selling recording artist and current ACM New Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen in addition to Records Nashville artists Stell, Warlick, Bandi, Martin, and Birge.

“I have a strong passion for managing and developing artists. Shifting all of my focus back to that is undoubtedly the right thing for us all,” Bowers tells MusicRow. “This is not the end of the road for Barry and me. We still have a lot of work to get done together. I am excited to see what’s ahead for us and the artists we’re both involved with.”

Records is looking to fill the position. Click here to apply on MusicRow‘s Job Listings board.

Monument Records Adds Luke Jensen As VP, Promotion

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Luke Jensen. Photo: Robert Chavers

Monument Records has announced the hiring of Luke Jensen as VP, Promotion. Jensen will lead the promotion staff, including three regionals and a coordinator, and report directly to General Manager Katie McCartney. This news comes shortly after it was announced that Drew Bland had exited the position.

Monument’s current roster includes Caitlyn Smith, Walker Hayes, Brandon Ratcliff, Teddy Robb, Tigirlily, Alex Hall, and The Shady Ladies of Music City podcast. Smith just played her single, “I Can’t (feat. Old Dominion),” for the first time live with the band in front of a 9,000-person crowd while on tour and announced her opening slot for George Strait and Eric Church at Mercedes-Benz Stadium later this year. Hayes’ new viral track “Fancy Like” has sat at the top of the iTunes Country Songs Chart for the last three weeks after peaking at No. 1 all genre. The song has been the top selling country song on the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart for three weeks and is top 5 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart.

“We are thrilled to welcome Luke to the team at Monument,” says Co-President Jason Owen. “His experience, expertise, and excitement towards radio promotion is infectious. We can’t wait for him to get started on the hit Caitlyn Smith single ‘I Can’t (feat Old Dominion),’ and the monster coming to radio which is Walker Hayes’ ‘Fancy Like.’”

After spending time at radio stations across the country, including KVOO in Tulsa, WSOC in Charlotte, and KBEQ in Kansas City, Jensen has spent the last five years with Sony Music’s Arista Nashville and the previous four at Blaster Records. Throughout his career, he has worked with an array of artists including country superstars Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, three-time ACM and CMA Vocal Group of the Year Old Dominion, as well as helped newcomers Matt Stell and Lanco achieve their first No. 1 radio singles.

“We’ve known Luke a long time and his passion for our artists and music is unmatched,” says Co-President Shane McAnally. “We couldn’t be more confident that Luke will carry that bright torch for us at country radio.”

“I’m so grateful to Jason, Shane, and Katie for this opportunity,” says Jensen. “I’ve come to know them as some of the brightest minds in this industry, and I couldn’t be more excited to work with them, the rest of the team at Monument, and this amazing roster of artists.”

CBS Announces 2022 Date For Its Inaugural Broadcast Of The ‘CMT Music Awards’

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CBS has announced its inaugural broadcast of the CMT Music Awards will air live from Nashville on Sunday, April 3, 2022. CMT will kick off the company’s first ever Country Music Week, including special programming all week and events capped by exclusive director’s cut airings of the CMT Music Awards later on CMT and various ViacomCBS platforms.

ViacomCBS recently announced that its signature country music award show would move to CBS from CMT after this year’s success. The 2021 CMT Music Awards saw more than a 10% increase in total viewers and was the No. 1 most social program across all of television for the night. Across the six ViacomCBS network simulcast, P18-34 ratings saw a 32% increase over last year’s event.

The CMT Music Awards, country music’s only entirely fan-voted award show, have aired live since 2005. The 2021 show, hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, featured the most first-time collaborations and blended-genre pairings in the show’s history. Standout performances included H.E.R. & Chris Stapleton; Gladys Knight, Mickey Guyton, & Breland; and Needtobreathe & Carrie Underwood, who remains the most-awarded artist in CMT Awards history with 23 wins. For a full recap of this year’s CMT Music Awards, click here.

Additional information about the 2022 CMT Music Awards on CBS will be available in the coming months.