Opry Entertainment Group and the Grand Ole Opry announced today (June 1) the return of Opry NextStage, a platform created to invest in the discovery and development of new artists.

Opry NextStage initially launched in 2019 with Riley Green, Tegan Marie, Tenille Townes and Travis Denning. The program includes live performances, strategic marketing support and short-form documentary-style storytelling created by Opry Entertainment’s award-winning content team for each selected artist.

This year’s reimagined Opry NextStage will feature one up-and-coming artist per month. It kicks off with Iowa-born, Nashville-based rising country artist Hailey Whitters as the inaugural artist for 2021.

The news was shared today by Whitters who joined Opry’s Director of Artist Relations & Programming Strategy, Jordan Pettit; VP and Executive Producer of the Grand Ole Opry, Dan Rogers; and President of Opry Entertainment Group, Scott Bailey for a virtual panel moderated by singer-songwriter and Runaway June member Natalie Stovall.

“The Grand Ole Opry is a holy place to me. Its story and circle are something I’ve dreamt of being a part of ever since I was a little girl,” says Whitters. “To be named an Opry NextStage Artist is an honor and comes at a time in my career where their investment in my career makes a difference.”

“With Opry NextStage, we want to set the tone for what’s next in country music,” says Pettit. “Our goal is to invest in the next generation of performers and help share their stories with our audience not just at the Opry but across our brands including Ryman Auditorium, 650 AM WSM, Ole Red and Circle Network.

Whitters, who made her Opry debut in 2019, is set to return to the Opry this Saturday, June 5, at 8 p.m. CT. Her performance will also be included on Circle’s weekly Opry Live broadcast and livestream.

Robert Earl Keen has announced the first leg of his Feelin’ Good Again Tour 2021, opening June 3 in Waco, Texas. The troubadour and his band are excited to return to the road, performing tracks from his 19 albums, including the fan-favorite homecoming anthem, “Feelin’ Good Again,” and his signature song “The Road Goes On Forever.”

Keen’s music ranges from country to bluegrass to rock, and his songs have been recorded by artists including George Strait, Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Montgomery Gentry, The Chicks, The Highwaymen, and many more. He has been honored with the BMI Troubadour Award. He is the host and creator of the Americana Podcast: the 51st State.

Tickets for the Feelin’ Good Again Tour 2021 are available for purchase on Friday, June 4, at 10 AM CST at robertearlkeen.com. More dates will be announced soon.

Tour Dates:
June 3* – Waco, TX – The Backyard
June 4* – Christoval, TX – Cooper’s BBQ Live
June 5* – Midland, TX – The Rusty Bucket BBQ and Tavern
June 6* – Bertram, TX – The Globe Theatre
June 26* – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
July 3* – Amarillo, TX – Starlight Ranch
July 4* – Kerrville, TX – Louise Hays Park
July 9* – Austin, TX – Nutty Brown Café and Amphitheatre
July 16 – Belton, TX – Schoepf’s BBQ
July 20 – Jackson, WY – Center for the Arts
July 21 – Jackson, WY – Center for the Arts
July 22 – Helena, MT – Lewis & Clark Brewery
July 23 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge
July 24* – Big Sky, MT – PBR Rodeo
July 25 – Bozeman, MT – Armory Music Hall
July 26 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma
July 27 – Billings, MT – Red Oxx Event Lawn
July 29 – Lander, WY – Chamber Park Stage
July 30 – Denver, CO – Grizzly Rose
July 31 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheatre
Aug 12* – Park City, KS – Hartman Arena **With The Avett Brothers
Aug 13* – Rogers, AR – Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion  **With The Avett Brothers
Aug 14* – El Dorado, AR – Murphy Arts District Amphitheatre  **With The Avett Brothers
Aug 26 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues New Orleans
Aug 27 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric Oxford
Aug 28 – Montgomery, AL – The Hog Days of Summer
Sept 10 – Frankfort, KY – Grand Theatre Frankfort
Sept 12 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
Sept 13 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
Sept 14 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
Sept 15 – Cincinnati, OH – Memorial Hall
Sept 16* – Owensboro, KY – ROMP Festival
Sept 17 – Decatur, AL – Princess Theatre Center
Sept 18 – Eureka Springs, AR – The Auditorium
Sept 24 – Helotes, TX – John T. Floore’s Country Store
*Previously announced

George Birge has signed with RECORDS Nashville, the Music City division of Barry Weiss‘ RECORDS label, and will release his debut single, “Beer Beer, Truck Truck,” on June 18.

An established songwriter, Birge has a publishing and management deal with Wide Open Music. He is a co-writer on Clay Walker’s current single “Need A Bar Sometimes,” and “Catching Up With An Ol’ Memory,” on his upcoming album. Birge has also written songs with Matt Stell, Chris Lane, Gary LeVox and Jay Demarcus, among others.

The impetus for “Beer Beer, Truck Truck,” came after Walker suggested Birge create a TikTok account to drive fans to his music. Soon after joining TikTok, he saw a viral video of a made-up song from influencer and music educator Erynn Chambers, who joked that men in country music only sing about “Beer beer, truck truck, girls in tight jeans.” In response, Birge put a twist on her chorus in his own song, acknowledging the country music stereotypes but also insisting that is not all country is about. His demo of “Beer Beer, Truck Truck” blew up on TikTok with 2.7 million views and earned him 130k followers in just two weeks. He gave Chambers co-writing credits.

“The last few months have been life changing for me,” said Birge. “My favorite part about songwriting is taking something obvious and putting an unexpected twist on it. Collaborating with Erynn and seeing people connect with the story of this song has been absolutely amazing. I couldn’t be more thankful to Records’ Barry Weiss and Wide Open Music’s Ash Bowers and Brendan Rich for believing in me and my music. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store!”

 

 

David Ferguson, a Grammy-winning engineer, composer and studio owner, is stepping from behind the boards and in front of the mic and releasing his own new album, Nashville No More, on Sept. 3.

Ferguson has collaborated with the likes of Johnny Cash, John Prine, Sturgill Simpson, Cowboy Jack Clement, Charley Pride, Eddy Arnold, U2, and many more. Now he’s trying on the role of a recording artist.

The Fat Possum Records project features ten songs, and a preview track from the album, the Pat McLaughlin-penned “Knocking Around Nashville,” was recently released ahead of the new collection. Ferguson recruited plenty of friends to contribute to the new album, including bluegrass power couple Sierra Hull and Justin Moses, who lend their voice and instrumental prowess to album closer “Hard Times Come Again No More.” Margo Price jumps in on “Chardonnay,” and Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Béla Fleck, and Tim O’Brien also play on the album, as well as Mark Howard, Billy Sanford, and Kenny Vaughan.

“I’m so used to doing something and then moving on to the next thing, but I think it’s going to be neat to have a record come out,” Ferguson says. “The hardest thing to do is doing a record on yourself. You’ve got to learn how to listen to it like you’re listening to somebody else. Man, that takes gumption.”

Nashville No More Track List:
Four Strong Winds
Boats to Build
Fellow Travelers
Nights With You
Looking for Rainbows
Chardonnay
Early Morning Rain
Knocking Around Nashville
My Autumns Done Come
Hard Times Come Again No More