Country singer-songwriter Chase Rice will deliver the final installment of his three part, 15-track project, The Album, on May 28 through Broken Bow Records.

With more than 2 million albums sold and over 1.7 billion total streams to date, Rice has established himself as a powerful force in Nashville and beyond over the past eight years. Since The Album, Part 1’s release in January of 2020, the “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” singer will finally bring the project to a close with the addition of the album’s last four tracks.

Rice recently spoke with MusicRow about the new full-length album, how he grew in the last year, and future plans for his music.

MusicRow: What has the last year been like for you?

It’s been interesting. I’ve taken a lot of time off. I didn’t travel a lot last year and had a good group of friends that all hung out together at my farm or their house… I’ve been able to live life for the first time in eight years, so that’s really how The Album, Part 3 came together and that’s how I’m moving towards the next record which is going to be really special.

What gave you the idea to do a graduated release and put out the album in parts?

I wanted each song to have its time. I wanted to release less music, but more often. That’s why I was going to do Part 1 through 4, but Part 4 got derailed because of COVID.

I had this group of songs that were older songs that didn’t have a place yet. “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” was on its own. “If I Didn’t Have You” was three or four years old, but I always wanted to put it out. “The Nights” was one I knew I wanted to finish up what was Part 4–or now, Part 3–with, and “Bedroom” was written during the middle of COVID. I took all of these songs from different places and thought this was a perfect way to end the album.

What was the songwriting process like for this album?

Completely different [than what I’m used to]. The beginning of Part 1 and 2 was showing up at 11:00 a.m., writing with people, and being done by 3:00 p.m. or 4:00 when people have to go get their kids. That was the traditional way of writing songs for me for the last eight years. However, Part 3 came along and completely said ‘no’ to all of that.

“The Nights” was the only song that was written in a normal way, but it’s two or three years old and I knew the day I wrote that song that I wanted that in the final piece. “If I Didn’t Have You” was written in Oklahoma at a hunting camp. “Bedroom” was a Zoom write–one of the only Zoom writes I’ve ever done. Then “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” was written on the back of my tour bus on the last day of tour in 2019. This group of songs are a special group because they were all written differently–they all didn’t have a place. Bringing them together on Part 3 to finalize the album was perfect.

How has COVID changed the way you approach songwriting?

I’m going to take a lot of what I learned last year and apply it, like to stop doing the 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. thing. I’m probably not going to do that very much anymore. I’m going to do writing retreats with no schedules. Let’s go fish. Let’s figure it out and talk about songs. If we don’t get a song that day, who cares? Most of the time when you have that mindset, your creativity finally gets to the front as opposed to your schedule.

That’s what I’m going to take moving forward for the back half of my next record. I’m going to take a lot of the negatives from last year and turn them into positives.

What songs/performances are you most looking forward to sharing with fans?

I’m excited to see how people respond to “Forever To Go” because that one’s been somewhat of an underground hit all of a sudden. I’ve also never gotten to play “American Nights” live, which is awful because it was supposed to be the opener of the whole show.

I played “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.” at the Ryman a couple of weeks ago and it was mind blowing! Everybody stood up and came to the front–I don’t know if that was allowed or not– but we didn’t care. It was a special moment and I haven’t seen a reaction like that since “Ready Set Roll,” to be honest. Even “Eyes On You” didn’t get a reaction like that live. I feel like finally have a party song that’s going to become a hit for the first time since “Ready Set Roll,” which I think is going to be one of the coolest moments during shows.

What do you hope fans walk away with from this project?

I hope they see that I’m finally not chasing anything. I moved to Nashville in 2010 when I had just learned to play guitar and write songs. I was clueless from “Ready Set Roll” and “Gonna Wanna Tonight” through “Eyes On You,” and I’ll be really honest about that. I think “Eyes On You” was really the beginning of my career, so I hope they can see now that I’m not chasing anything. I’m not trying to be anybody else, and I’m just being me.

I hope they can finally grasp through this record who I am a little bit more and I hope they hold onto that because what’s coming next is who I really am. I finally got to really live for a year because I wasn’t touring. I lived an entire year which allowed me to piece The Album, Part 3 together, and that’s also going to allow me to piece my next record together.

CMT unveiled the first round of performers for the 2021 CMT Music Awards airing Wednesday, June 9 at 7 p.m. CST on CMT, MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network and TV Land.

The first slate of performers at this year’s show include, Brothers Osborne and Dierks Bentley; Chris Stapleton; Luke Combs; Maren Morris and JP Saxe; Mickey Guyton and Gladys Knight; and Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram, and Jon Randall. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

The nominees for this year’s CMT Music Awards were previously unveiled, with female powerhouses Morris and Lambert competing for the most accolades with four nods each. Hosts Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown join Little Big Town and Guyton with three nominations.

This year, 13 artists received first-time nominations including Guyton, Dylan Scott, Hailey Whitters, HARDY, Lainey Wilson, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, Niko Moon, Noah Cyrus, Parmalee, Ryan Hurd, Tyler Hubbard and Willie Jones.

Carrie Underwood remains the most decorated artist in CMT history with a total of 22 wins and will compete for two trophies, nominated for her collaboration with John Legend.

Fan voting is now open and continues until Tuesday, June 1.

Needtobreathe has teamed up with Carrie Underwood on their nostalgic new single “I Wanna Remember.” Underwood also appears alongside Needtobreathe in a new video for the track, which exclusively premiered on CMT, MTV, and ViacomCBS’ Times Square billboard.

“‘I Wanna Remember’ is a nostalgic track and takes you back to the moments you never want to forget. We all came from small towns, and those roots have cemented into the fabric of the band and our music,” Needtobreathe shares. “Bear worked with Carrie on some of her recent projects, and we felt like her small town roots and humble beginnings were the perfect addition to this song. As soon as we got into the studio, we felt a connection with her as if she was a long time member of the band. Having someone with her talent and spirit sing on the song is an absolute honor for us.”

“I have been a huge fan of Needtobreathe forever and I was so honored when the stars aligned and Bear agreed to lend his incredible vocals to a song on my recent gospel album,” says Underwood. “Needless to say, I was thrilled when he and the band invited me to be a part of their new project. I love the song and have had the best time getting to know and sing with these amazingly talented guys.”

The track appears on the band’s upcoming new album, Into The Mystery, set for release July 30 via Elektra Records and available to pre-order now. Along with Underwood, the project features collaborations with Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Natalie Hemby of The Highwomen.

The recording of the new project happened over three weeks when the band decamped to a historic house-turned-recording studio in Columbia, Tennessee to begin working on the new music. They resided under one roof, explored their surroundings, and recorded with co-producer and engineer Konrad Snyder. The groups experience was captured for an upcoming documentary which shares the same name as the upcoming album.

The band also announced that they will embark on their Into The Mystery Tour this fall with support from Switchfoot and The New Respects. The 38-city trek will visit venues including Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and L.A.’s Greek Theatre, and includes their first-ever headlining show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The Into The Mystery Tour kicks off September 7 in St. Louis and wraps up on October 30 in Atlanta. For full concert dates and to purchase tickets, click here.

Joe Chambers And The Musicians Hall Of Fame Receive Commissioner’s Award

Joe Chambers and the Musicians Hall of Fame have been awarded the Commissioner’s Award by the Metro Historical Commission. The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville honors all musicians regardless of genre or instrument. Its timeline starts with the beginning of recorded music and inductees are nominated by current members of the American Federation of Musicians and by other music industry professionals.

This award is given to a group, program or project that enhances Nashville’s history and historic resources. Don Cusic from the Metro Historical Commission presented Chambers with the award.

 

 

Adam Doleac Receives First RIAA Gold Certification

Arista Nashville singer-songwriter Adam Doleac has achieved his first ever RIAA Gold certification for his song “Famous.” Doleac was surprised last night at his Grand Ole Opry appearance with a plaque presented by his label team members and management.

“‘Famous’ is one of those songs that opened a lot of doors for me and what better way to celebrate my first Gold record than at the Grand Ole Opry with my team,” shares Doleac.

With more than 160 million cumulative streams across his catalog to date, Doleac continues to share new music and content with fans this year. He will also be hitting the road this summer and fall for shows across the country, including appearances on Zac Brown Band’s The Comeback Tour.

 

 

Collin Raye Named As Spokesperson For Smoke Baum Pellet Grills

Smoke Baum Pellet Grills has recruited Platinum-selling country recording artist Collin Raye to serve as its celebrity spokesperson.

“I am beyond excited to be joining the Smoke Baum Pellet Grills team,” says Raye. “These smokers are revolutionary in how easy they are to operate and in the quality of the food they deliver. The people who own and run this company are the absolute best, and it’s an honor to be associated with them. I’m looking forward to helping promote these incredible products and letting folks know how truly special they are.”

Smoke Baum Pellet Grills utilize innovative upgrades and advanced technology through the use of WiFi, Bluetooth and remote-control technology. The company provides smokers that are more eco-friendly and save on costs by using and burning fewer pellets while cooking in only half the time.

 

 

UK Publishing Company Bucks Music Group Signs Ivory Layne

Bucks Music Group has signed Ivory Layne to an exclusive, worldwide publishing deal.

Layne’s career took flight when her bedroom-produced demos caught the attention of Grammy award-winning producer Ed Cash who helped write, produce, and release her first EP, Volume One. Layne went on to write with some of Music City’s top name’s including Jimmy Robbins, Shane McAnally, and Lori McKenna, and was soon signed to Justin Timberlake’s artist development company, Villa40.

“As an up-and-coming artist, I’m used to being valued for potential and what I could be someday,” says Layne. “Bucks sees what I’m bringing to the table now and meets it with enthusiasm and insight. I couldn’t be happier to be working with this incredible team and look forward to where we’ll go together!”

Bucks Music Group is one of the UK’s leading and longest running international, independent music publishers. Having been responsible for launching and developing the careers of music legends including David Bowie, T‑Rex, The Move, Black Sabbath and Procol Harum, Bucks’ A&R department continues to discover and develop new song writing talent.