FGL’s Brian Kelley is reaching back to his Florida roots with his solo debut, Sunshine State Of Mind, on Warner Music Nashville/Nashville South Records, Inc., available June 25. Fans can pre-order the new project now.
Six tracks are available for instant download upon pre-order, featuring BK’s Wave Pack – “Made By The Water,” “Party On The Beach,” “Beach Cowboy,” and “Sunday Service In The Sand” – in addition to brand new releases including open ocean anthem “Highway On The Water” and the serenade “Songs For You.” Kelley co-penned and co-produced the project along with Corey Crowder, and writers contributing to this love letter to the beach life include Canaan Smith, Jimmy Robbins, Blake Redferrin, and more.
Kelley welcomed viewers into his “Beach Cowboy” way-of-life by dropping four videos with the Wave Pack, and rolling out two more with the album announcement. Ditching his motorcycle and the asphalt for a “Highway On The Water,” Kelley’s collaborator Ben Christensen stars in and directs the video captured on location in his home base of Phoenix. Christensen also directed the new “Songs For You” video featuring Kelley and wife Brittney, plus local couples they met while exploring Grayton Beach, Florida.
“They say write what you know and this is the first time I really wrote for me. These songs are my babies, y’all,” shares Brian Kelley. “This project came from a real place – my experiences as a kid in Florida, getting away, and finally moving back – and it’s just been a very life-giving thing for me. I hope fans get to know a little more about me, hear my voice, and that Sunshine State Of Mind takes you on a dreamlike vacation as soon as you hit play. Welcome to Season One.”
Sunshine State Of Mind Track List:
1. Boat Names – Brian Kelley, Parker Welling, Casey Brown
2. Made By The Water – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Randy Montana
3. Sunburnt – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin
4. Highway On The Water – Brian Kelley, Blake Redferrin, Jake Rose
5. Real Good Day – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Chase McGill
6. Party On The Beach – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith
7. Don’t Take Much – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Canaan Smith
8. Fish All Day – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith
9. Boat Ride – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Canaan Smith
10. Beach Cowboy – Brian Kelley, Blake Redferrin, Jake Rose *
11. By Boat – Brian Kelley, Jimmy Robbins, Nicolle Galyon
12. Songs For You – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin
13. Say The Word – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Chris Loocke, Blake Redferrin, Joe Clemmons +
14. Horses On The Beach – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Jake Rose
15. Savannah – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith
16. Sunday Service In The Sand – Brian Kelley, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith, Jake Rose
17. Florida Boy Forever – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith, Jake Rose
All Songs Produced by Corey Crowder and Brian Kelley.
* Co-Produced by Jake Rose
+ Co-Produced by Chris Loocke
Verge Recording Artist Jay Allen To Host Benefit For Alzheimer’s Patients
/by Lydia FarthingJay Allen. Photo: Stephen Dillon
Verge recording artist Jay Allen will host a songwriters in-the-round event on Sunday, June 20 at Live Oak in Nashville beginning at 6 p.m. CST. All proceeds from Songs to End Alz will benefit The Longest Day and the Alzheimer’s Association.
Included in the night’s lineup are Allen, Matt Ferranti, Kylie Morgan, Sam Derosa, Zach Stone, Tigirlily, After Midtown, Jason Nix, Kyle Jacobs, Meghan Linsey, Scott Stevens, James Otto, and Nate Kenyon. Jay will also be co-hosting with Victoria Adamson, board chair of Young ProfessionALZ Board Alzheimer’s Association; Tennessee Chapter, who lost her grandfather to Alzheimer’s in 2013.
Songs to End Alz is a 21+ event with free admission. Ticketed VIP sections are available for purchase and include benefits throughout the night, such as special drinks from Jack Daniels Distillery who is sponsoring the event.
Allen lost his mother in February of 2019 to early on-set Alzheimer’s at age 54 and has since helped raise over $35 million for the Alzheimer’s Association through his involvement with the Rita Hayworth Gala, Brain Ball, and numerous other events worldwide.
Clint Black Announces Mostly Hits & The Mrs. Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughClint Black and wife Lisa Hartman Black will embark on their first tour together on the new Mostly Hits & The Mrs. tour beginning November 18 in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The tour will visit Cheyenne, Omaha, Bakersfield, Baltimore, Richmond, New Orleans and more through February 14. Tickets are on sale now at clintback.com/tour, TicketMaster, and at each venue’s website.
“I’m so happy to be doing live concerts again,” shares Black. “I’m even more excited to get to November when Lisa and I will tour together. We have a very special show planned and can’t wait to take it on the road!”
Black recently performed and chatted with Mike Huckabee for his Huckabee show on TBN Networks which is set to air on Saturday, June 12 at 7 p.m. CST and Sunday, June 13 at 8 p.m. CST. His own show, Talking In Circles, airs Saturday nights at 10 p.m. following Opry Live on the Circle Network. Black hosts and co-produces the show, which features conversations with two entertainers talking “shop.”
Chart Action: Lucas Hoge Debuts On MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart
/by Alex ParryLucas Hoge is this week’s highest debut on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart, with his song “Get Lost” landing at No. 62. He earned 6 new station adds this week and a +89 spins.
“After a long year of crazy, all I could think about was packing up and heading out to get lost anywhere, and that’s exactly what inspired this song,” Hoge said. “I think so many of us are ready to find the next chapter in our lives, and I hope this song can help you find it.”
Hoge’s TV series, Hoge Wild will return for a second season this month. Hoge travels the globe to change the narrative around conservation. The show airs in Canada on Friday nights at 11 p.m. ET and re-airs throughout the week on Sportsman Channel Canada. The series can also be streamed on MOTV.
For more chart data, view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.
Women’s Music Business Association To Kick Off Summer Seminar Series
/by Lorie HollabaughThe events will be open to the general public and the first session will kick off next Tuesday (June 15). This session will feature a DEI Conversation with Paradigm’s Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion, Shakira Gagnier (Los Angeles, CA Office) with special guests.
The WMBA Executive Board is led by Chairwoman Brandi Simms (MooTV, Moo Creative & The Steel Mill), and includes Lindsey Clark (Tv/Film Production), Amery Fridenstine (Above Board Consulting), Cameo Carlson (mtheory Nashville), Mary Catherine Kinney (Spotify), and Legal Counsel, Lauren Spahn (Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley, & Norton LLP).
Sandi Spika Borchetta Elevated To Executive VP, Creative At BMLG
/by Lydia FarthingSandi Spika Borchetta
Big Machine Label Group has announced Sandi Spika Borchetta has been elevated to Executive Vice President, Creative. Overseeing all visual elements across multiple imprints and brands since the company’s inception in 2005, Spika Borchetta will continue to spearhead content including film, music videos, live performances, photography, design and graphics for BMLG.
“Sandi has been a critical component of BMLG since the idea of the label”, says BMLG President/CEO Scott Borchetta. “Her undying support and belief in what the label could become has been my rock.” Borchetta continues, “There is nobody that works harder than Sandi and the Creative team and their content output is arguably unmatched.”
Under her leadership, BMLG has scored numerous CMA, ACM and CMT Awards for videos such as Tim McGraw’s “Highway Don’t Care” & “Humble & Kind,” Thomas Rhett’s “Die A Happy Man,” Lady A’s “What If I Never Get Over You,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” and Carly Pearce’s “Every Little Thing.” Additionally, the Creative team has garnered Davey Awards for BMLG Corporate Integrative Campaigns and projects such as Steven Tyler’s “Somebody From Somewhere” lyric video, Sugarland’s “Babe” music video and Cheap Trick’s BANG, ZOOM, CRAZY…HELLO album.
“Big Machine Label Group has been such a rewarding experience,” says Spika Borchetta. “It’s been amazing to be a part of this company from day one in 2005. I feel fortunate and blessed to have worked side by side with my best friend and hero, Scott, for the past 16 years. The BMLG Creative Team is the very best on the planet and I’m grateful for their passionate talents contributing to the success of the entire machine.”
Spika Borchetta has also been inducted into the Tennessee State Museum Costume and Textile Institute recognizing design work for Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood, and Kenny Rogers to name a few.
Tigirlily Set To Drop Debut EP July 9
/by Lorie HollabaughSister duo Tigirlily is releasing their debut, self-titled EP on July 9 via Monument Records. The latest track to release ahead of the forthcoming EP, “Dig Yourself,” which the duo co-wrote with Shane McAnally, Trevor Rosen and Josh Osborne, is out now.
The two North Dakota natives, Kendra and Krista Slaubaugh, made the release announcement last night (June 10) when they returned home to take the stage at the Laughing Sun Brewery in Bismarck, N.D. for a special livestream event. The new project was produced by McAnally and Louis Newman, and features five songs the pair co-wrote, including three penned with fellow Monument Records artists Walker Hayes and Brandon Ratcliff.
“When writing these songs for our EP, we wanted to share hints of who we are as people, artists, and sisters,” says Kendra and Krista. “Our hope is that this EP changes the course of people’s day for the better and brings some light into the world. At the end of the day, we started out as two small town sisters who loved to play and write music… and in 8 years of doing music together, we can honestly say we love it just as much as the day we started Tigirlily. We can’t wait for the world to hear this project!”
Tigirlily EP Track List:
“My Thang” – Kendra Jo Slaubaugh / Krista Jade Slaubaugh / Walker Hayes
“Somebody Does” – Kendra Jo Slaubaugh / Krista Jade Slaubaugh / Zarni deVette
“Dig Yourself” – Kendra Jo Slaubaugh / Krista Jade Slaubaugh / Trevor Rosen / Shane McAnally / Josh Osborne
“Everybody’s On Something” – Kendra Jo Slaubaugh / Krista Jade Slaubaugh / Walker Hayes
“Known You Forever” – Kendra Jo Slaubaugh / Krista Jade Slaubaugh / Pete Good / Brandon Ratcliff
Sony Music Entertainment Launches New Artists Forward Initiative
/by Lydia FarthingTo enhance its level of service under this new initiative, the company also unveiled a Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program, which creates more payment opportunities for artists and participants around the world.
SME announced they will no longer apply existing unrecouped balances to earnings generated on or after Jan. 1, 2021 for eligible artists and participants globally who signed to SME prior to the year 2000 and have not received an advance since then. Through this program, the company hopes to increase the ability of those who qualify to receive more money from the use of their music.
In addition, those eligible for the Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program can join other qualifying Sony Music artists in receiving advances on projected earnings using Real Time Advances. This new feature, available through the Sony Music Artist Portal, enables instant account advances and is currently available in the U.S. and U.K. with additional markets around the world being added later this year. Qualifying users who use the Sony Music Artist Portal will also be able to request a withdrawal of all or part of their payable balance each month as soon as it becomes available using the Cash Out feature.
Artists and participants who qualify for the Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program will be notified of their eligibility separately in the coming weeks.
Chris Young Rallies Some ‘Famous Friends’ For New Album Out August 6
/by Lorie HollabaughChris Young. Photo Jeff Johnson
Chris Young is gearing up for the release of his 8th studio album Famous Friends on August 6.
Led by the rising title track with Kane Brown, the 14-song project includes assists from plenty of Young’s famous friends, including Lauren Alaina and Mitchell Tenpenny, Sarah Buxton, Hillary Lindsey, and Shay Mooney contributing background vocals. Continuing the theme of the new record, Young also co-produced 13 of 14 tracks on the project along with several more of his famous friends – Corey Crowder, Chris DeStefano and Mark Holman.
In addition to “Raised On Country,” “Drowning,” “Town Ain’t Big Enough” and “ Famous Friends ,” which recently won for CMT Music Awards Collaborative Video of the Year, his new song “Rescue Me” is out today ahead of the album’s release in August.
“I know I’ve said it before, but I honestly can’t say it enough – I am so excited to be releasing my new album,” shares Young. “There are so many incredibly talented artists, songwriters and producers – all friends of mine – who helped make this album possible. Having friends share their talents as collaborators, songwriters, producers and more, it’s only natural to call the album ‘Famous Friends.’ I want people to fall in love with it, blow their speakers listening to it, dance to it, party along with it, cry to it, just live it – and I can’t wait to start playing this new music on the road soon.”
Famous Friends Track List:
1. Raised on Country
2. Famous Friends (with Kane Brown)
3. Town Ain’t Big Enough (with Lauren Alaina)
4. Drowning
5. Rescue Me
6. Break Like You Do
7. At the End of a Bar (with Mitchell Tenpenny)
8. Love Looks Good on You
9. One of Them Nights
10. When You’re Drinking
11. Cross Every Line
12. Hold My Beer Watch This
13. Best Seat in the House
14. Tonight We’re Dancing
Brian Kelley Rides Solo Wave With New ‘Sunshine State Of Mind’ Project
/by Lorie HollabaughFGL’s Brian Kelley is reaching back to his Florida roots with his solo debut, Sunshine State Of Mind, on Warner Music Nashville/Nashville South Records, Inc., available June 25. Fans can pre-order the new project now.
Six tracks are available for instant download upon pre-order, featuring BK’s Wave Pack – “Made By The Water,” “Party On The Beach,” “Beach Cowboy,” and “Sunday Service In The Sand” – in addition to brand new releases including open ocean anthem “Highway On The Water” and the serenade “Songs For You.” Kelley co-penned and co-produced the project along with Corey Crowder, and writers contributing to this love letter to the beach life include Canaan Smith, Jimmy Robbins, Blake Redferrin, and more.
Kelley welcomed viewers into his “Beach Cowboy” way-of-life by dropping four videos with the Wave Pack, and rolling out two more with the album announcement. Ditching his motorcycle and the asphalt for a “Highway On The Water,” Kelley’s collaborator Ben Christensen stars in and directs the video captured on location in his home base of Phoenix. Christensen also directed the new “Songs For You” video featuring Kelley and wife Brittney, plus local couples they met while exploring Grayton Beach, Florida.
“They say write what you know and this is the first time I really wrote for me. These songs are my babies, y’all,” shares Brian Kelley. “This project came from a real place – my experiences as a kid in Florida, getting away, and finally moving back – and it’s just been a very life-giving thing for me. I hope fans get to know a little more about me, hear my voice, and that Sunshine State Of Mind takes you on a dreamlike vacation as soon as you hit play. Welcome to Season One.”
Sunshine State Of Mind Track List:
1. Boat Names – Brian Kelley, Parker Welling, Casey Brown
2. Made By The Water – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Randy Montana
3. Sunburnt – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin
4. Highway On The Water – Brian Kelley, Blake Redferrin, Jake Rose
5. Real Good Day – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Chase McGill
6. Party On The Beach – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith
7. Don’t Take Much – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Canaan Smith
8. Fish All Day – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith
9. Boat Ride – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Canaan Smith
10. Beach Cowboy – Brian Kelley, Blake Redferrin, Jake Rose *
11. By Boat – Brian Kelley, Jimmy Robbins, Nicolle Galyon
12. Songs For You – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin
13. Say The Word – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Chris Loocke, Blake Redferrin, Joe Clemmons +
14. Horses On The Beach – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Jake Rose
15. Savannah – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith
16. Sunday Service In The Sand – Brian Kelley, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith, Jake Rose
17. Florida Boy Forever – Brian Kelley, Corey Crowder, Blake Redferrin, Canaan Smith, Jake Rose
All Songs Produced by Corey Crowder and Brian Kelley.
* Co-Produced by Jake Rose
+ Co-Produced by Chris Loocke
Thomas Rhett Remains At No. 1 On MusicRow Radio Chart
/by Alex ParryThomas Rhett‘s song,” Country Again” remains No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this week. This is Rhett’s second single this year to spend two weeks at No. 1 following “What’s Your Country Song,” which peaked in January.
The single is the title track to Rhett’s double album and appears on Side A of the release. Rhett co-wrote every song on Side A, and penned “Country Again” with Zach Crowell and Ashley Gorley.
“It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve written yet and honestly just feels full circle in so many ways… it’s about the crazy journey I’ve been on over the last decade and ultimately finding my way back home,” Rhett says of the song.
Dates have been rescheduled for Rhett’s Center Point Road Tour with Cole Swindell and Gabby Barrett. The tour kicks off in Aug. 13 in Orange Beach, Alabama.
Click here or above to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart.