On The Row: Walker Montgomery Counts ’40s Crooners & ’90s Country As Influences

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Walker Montgomery

Despite his country music pedigree, Play It Again Entertainment’s flagship artist Walker Montgomery had a pretty normal childhood.

He’s the son of John Michael Montgomery, and the nephew of Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery, but he grew up away from the spotlight in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Between the two of them, brothers John Michael and Eddie have earned around 20 No. 1 songs, multiple Gold and Platinum records, and numerous awards, however Montgomery says the country music business isn’t a big topic of discussion at family reunions.

“Our relationship isn’t really music driven and to be honest, we hardly ever really talk about it. I guess that’s a positive in my life because, obviously they are musical mentors in a way, but they’re just Dad and Uncle Eddie. I think that is special and maybe something that people wouldn’t expect. When we’re together we just talk about hunting, fishing or Kentucky football.”

A big fan of the wildcats, the 21-year-old was discovered performing at a University of Kentucky game after he won a fan-voting contest on Twitter.

“I’m a football guy and my Granddad and I had season tickets starting in 2007 and until 2017—really until I started doing a bunch of shows. That whole time we missed three home games,” Montgomery says. “It was the perfect storm in a way, and the fact that it was a Kroger Field in Lexington makes it all the more special for me.”

Since then Montgomery has released “Wouldn’t Be A Country Boy,” the 2.7 million+ streamed “She Don’t Know,” “Bad Day To Be A Beer,” and his two PIA Entertainment debuts “Saving For A Rainy Night” and “Like My Daddy Done It.”

Produced by The Peach Pickers (Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip), Montgomery channels ’90s country influences and Luke Bryan-esque southern songwriting. However, a surprising favorite genre of Montgomery’s is ’40s crooners and big band music, a taste he got from his mom.

“Mom would always take my sister and I to school and she always would put on The Forties Junction and Seriously Sinatra on SiriusXM. So, along with the Tracy Lawrence’s and John Michael Montgomery’s, I grew up listening to the Benny Goodman’s of the world, Artie Shaw, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby is my mom’s favorite so I love him by association.

“Once I get a solid base, don’t be surprised if I try to convince [Play It Again Music Group CEO Ryan Dokke] to let me put out a standards record,” Montgomery jokes.

On Friday (May 14) Montgomery released “Out of Nowhere,” a song about being brought up in the country. The song, written by Corey Crowder, Joey Hyde, Jared Mullins, and Morgan Wallen, will be included an upcoming collection of new music expected this year.

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Ashley McBryde Announces 35+ Date Tour To Hit The Road In June

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Ashley McBryde. Photo: Daniel Meig

ACM and CMA award winner Ashley McBryde has announced her headlining This Town Talks Tour, kicking off June 12 in Roanoke, Virginia. The 37-city run will weave across the U.S., wrapping up on Jan. 15, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio with the support of Morgan Wade, Priscilla Block, Adam Hambrick and Ray Fulcher along the way.

“AAAAAND we’re back,” exclaims McBryde. “I’ve been waiting so long to be able to say that. We’ve missed you all so much, there aren’t even words to do it justice. These songs were written and recorded to be sang together. Now, let’s be together and make some damn music!”

Since releasing her critically acclaimed sophomore album Never Will in April of 2020, this tour will mark the first time the project has been performed live. Fans can expect McBryde’s set-list to include the RIAA Gold-certified “One Night Standards,” current single “Martha Divine,” and title track “Never Will” among the hard-hitting “American Scandal” and seminal track “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” from her debut album.

The Arkansas-native will also be making her first headlining appearance at the historic Ryman Auditorium on this run with back-to-back nights supported by Lainey Wilson on Thursday, Aug. 26 and Caylee Hammack on Friday, Aug. 27.

Pre-sale tickets for McBryde’s fan-club, The Trybe, begins Tuesday May 18, at 10 a.m. local time, while the Spotify pre-sale will begin Wednesday, May 19 at 12 p.m. local time. General on-sale begins Friday, May 21 at 10 a.m. local time. For tickets and additional information, visit AshleyMcBryde.com.

This Town Talks Tour Dates:
June 12, 2021 – Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridges – Roanoke, Va.*
July 16, 2021 – Gold Nugget Grand Event Center – Lake Charles, La.
July 17, 2021 – Floore’s Country Store – Helotes, Texas#
July 18, 2021 – Nutty Brown Café & Amphitheatre – Austin, Texas#
July 28, 2021 – Bourbon Theatre – Lincoln, Neb.^
Aug. 5, 2021 – Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, Okla.*
Aug. 6, 2021 – Orpheum Theatre – Memphis, Tenn.*
Aug. 7, 2021 – Robinson Performance Hall – Little Rock, Ark.*
Aug. 17, 2021 – Irving Plaza – New York, N.Y.+
Aug. 19, 2021 – Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia, Pa.+
Aug. 20, 2021 – House of Blues – Boston, Mass.+
Aug. 21, 2021 – The Fillmore Silver Spring – Silver Spring, Md.+
Aug. 26, 2021 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.
Aug. 27, 2021 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tenn.
Sept. 2, 2021 – The Pageant – St. Louis, Mo.+
Sept. 3, 2021 – Bogart’s – Cincinnati, Ohio+
Sept. 16, 2021 – The Sylvee – Madison, Wis.^
Sept. 22, 2021 – The Wilma – Missoula, Mont.~
Sept. 23, 2021 – Martin Woldson Theatre at the Fox – Spokane, Wash.~
Sept. 25, 2021 – Showbox – Seattle, Wash.~
Sept. 26, 2021 – Roseland Theater – Portland, Ore.~
Sept. 29, 2021 – Ace of Spades – Sacramento, Calif.~
Oct. 3, 2021 – House of Blues – San Diego, Calif.+
Oct. 5, 2021 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, Calif.+
Oct. 13, 2021 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, Colo.~
Nov. 12, 2021 – The Eastern – Atlanta, Ga.+
Nov. 13, 2021 – Tivoli Theatre – Chattanooga, Tenn.+
Nov. 14, 2021 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, N.C.+
Dec. 8, 2021 – Riviera Theater – Chicago, Ill.+
Dec. 11, 2021 – Mississippi Moon Bar – Dubuque, Iowa+
Dec. 12, 2021 – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre – Indianapolis, Ind.+
Jan. 6, 2022 – Brown Theatre – Louisville, Ky.+
Jan. 7, 2022 – Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, Pa.+
Jan. 8, 2022 – The National – Richmond, Va.+
Jan. 13, 2022 – 20 Monroe Live – Grand Rapids, Mich.*
Jan. 14, 2022 – The Fillmore – Detroit, Mich.*
Jan. 15, 2022 – Agora Theater – Cleveland, Ohio#

*Morgan Wade as support | ^Adam Hambrick as support | +Priscilla Block as support |
~Ray Fulcher as support | #Support to be announced

Cody Johnson Reveals Upcoming Double Album, Releases Duet With Willie Nelson

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Willie Nelson and Cody Johnson

CoJo Music/Warner Music Nashville recording artist Cody Johnson has released the first song from his forthcoming double album, which includes 18 tracks and is due out this fall. The track “Sad Songs and Waltzes,” out now, features musical icon Willie Nelson who originally penned and recorded the track in 1973.

Johnson recalls how close to home it hit him when he first heard the song about a decade ago after he’d played a show at Midnight Rodeo in San Angelo, Texas. “Willie said, ‘Well, I went up to Nashville and I had a pile of songs, and I sang ’em all for the record man, and the record man told me, sad songs and waltzes aren’t selling this year, son.'”

Johnson made the decision to bring that song back and record it with Nelson for his double album. The result is a moving ballad from two distinctive voices, all about the creative process artists go through when they are unwilling to compromise their art.

“Willie was very gracious to do it, and I got to have a very candid conversation with him, and it was one that meant a lot to me,” Johnson says.

Chart Action: Jackson Michelson Debuts On MusicRow Chart

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Jackson Michelson

Curb Records’ Jackson Michelson debuts at No. 57 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart this week with his single “Tip Jar.” The single was written by Michelson, Patrick Mencel, and Justin Morgan. It earns 9 new station adds and a spin gain +141 spins.

Michelson has shared “‘Tip Jar‘ is one of the most ‘me’ songs I’ve released. In 2021, we need music more than ever, especially fun music. ‘Tip Jar’ is exactly that for me.”

For more chart data, read the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.

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Joy Oladokun Signs Record Deal, Releases Maren Morris Collab

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Joy Oladokun. Photo: Noah Tidmore

Nashville-based singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun has signed a joint partnership with Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records.

Born in Arizona, Oladokun taps into her unique perspective she’s gained from living in today’s world as a Black, queer woman, and first-generation child of Nigerian immigrants in her music. Her musical exploration began at age ten when she was inspired to learn guitar after seeing a video of Tracy Chapman—the first time she’d ever seen a black woman play the instrument.

Now, Oladokun has teamed with Maren Morris for her new song, “Bigger Man,” out today (May 14). Written by Oladokun, Morris, Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, the track is the latest unveiled from Oladokun’s forthcoming major label debut album, adding to three additional album tracks released so far this year: “sorry isn’t good enough,” “jordan” and “wish you the best” featuring Jensen McRae.

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Of the collaboration, Oladokun shares, “The day we wrote ‘Bigger Man’ was actually the first day I had met Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, and Laura Veltz. We were bouncing ideas around the room, and I had this song idea that came to mind when I was meditating that morning. The idea was about being the bigger man. In my life, I sometimes experience being the youngest and the most inexperienced, and yet I have to conduct myself as though I am way above my years or my maturity. I think it’s an old feeling, especially for women and people of color, of having to be stronger, better, brighter, and harder working at everything just to get a shot. We wrote from that place and the song was born—I’m really proud of what we did. I’m also excited about the friendship and the things that were born out of it. I hope it helps people in the same way that it has helped me.”

Music Biz And Reeperbahn Join Forces To Amplify Nashville’s Diverse Music Business

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Photo: Courtesy Music Business Association and Reeperbahn Festival International

The Music Business Association (Music Biz) and Germany’s Reeperbahn Festival International came together May 10 – 12 for an exclusive virtual conference focusing specifically on Nashville and its relationship with the global music industry.

Through this partnership, Reeperbahn curated a delegation of executives from the U.K., Germany, Italy, France, Estonia, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway to engage with a curated group of Music Biz’s member companies. Reeperbahn Festival International is supported by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

Music Biz President Portia Sabin opens the event with Reeperbahn International Host & Music Journalist Annette Yang

“Music Biz prides itself on bringing together global decision-makers to create meaningful connections within our business,” says President of the Music Business Association, Portia Sabin. “We’re grateful for our partners at Reeperbahn Festival International for continuing this partnership with us as they expand globally. While we weren’t able to meet physically for the past two Music Biz Conferences, the experience Reeperbahn put together built a virtual bridge from Nashville to the rest of the world, which allowed our members to connect in ways they have never before. We’re looking forward to the next time we can make this happen—which should be in person at Music Biz 2022 in Nashville in May!”

On Tuesday, May 11, the spotlight was shown on the Nashville music community, as international delegates were treated to interactive virtual office visits with diverse teams based in Music City; including Songfluencer, The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), and Big Machine Label Group. Each global company met with the European delegates in a private setting to show them how they operate and discuss what unique factors led them and other sectors of the music business to call Nashville their home base.

Kris Ahrend, CEO, The MLC shows delegates future site of The MLC Office in The Gulch

To close out the conference on May 12, 40 delegates from the United States (approximately half of which hailed from Nashville) met with the 40 delegates from Europe via speed dating-style networking. Nashville-based participants included EMPIRE, Symphonic, Sorted Noise, Big Yellow Dog, Reel Muzik Werks, Reservoir, Anthem Entertainment, Songfluencer, Muziqueen / Nashville Is Not Just Country Music, Resin8, Curb | Word Entertainment, Prescription Songs, Taylor Guttman Law, ISA+JUDE, Ingrooves Music Group, Spotify, The Orchard, Kobalt, mTheory, and Vydia.

Joel Timen, Curb | Word Entertainment; Chelsea Kent, Songfluencer; and Sina Wahnschaffe, Budde Music take part in the Creative Process Panel

“Nashville’s history as an international music city has and continues to be ever present through genre-defying copyrights, genuine artistry, and tech-led business. Conferences focusing on strengthening Nashville’s bonds with the international market, such as Reeperbahn International, spur growth and opportunity for our creative culture. Thank you Reeperbahn and Music Biz for helping spearhead the essential partnership between Nashville and the global creative community!” says Chelsea Kent, Director of European Operations, Songfluencer.

Andrew Jannakos Announces Debut EP ‘Gone Too Soon’

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Andrew Jannakos. Photo: Matthew Berinato

RCA Nashville rising singer-songwriter Andrew Jannakos has announced his upcoming EP, Gone Too Soon, is due out June 4.

To celebrate the announcement, Jannakos fans with a new song from the project, “Somebody Loves You,” which he co-wrote with Jason Afable, Kyle Clark, and Sam Koon.

“My life has changed so much since I released the single ‘Gone Too Soon.’ We built an entire team from scratch, moved to Nashville, and now I get to work with so many amazing people,” shares Jannakos. “I’m very ready for people to hear what we have been working on in the studio with Derek Wells at the helm. These songs mean so much to me, and the fact that I co-wrote each song on the EP makes me even more excited to hit the road and play them for the fans!”

The title track of the EP, which is Jannakos’s current single at country radio, has already amassed over 57 million on-demand streams. Upon its official release, the track earned him a No. 1 debut on Billboard’s Emerging Artist Chart, while the track landed at No. 12 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart.

Gone Too Soon Track List:
1. Gone Too Soon – Andrew Jannakos, Josh Bricker, Jason Afable
2. When The Whiskey Runs Out – Andrew Jannakos, Chris La Corte, Justin Wilson
3. Like Yesterday – Andrew Jannakos, Kyle Clark, Alex Pennington Smith
4. Somebody Loves You – Andrew Jannakos, Jason Afable, Kyle Clark, Sam Koon
5. We’ve Always Loved – Andrew Jannakos, Jason Duke, Alex Pennington Smith
6. Wine Country – Andrew Jannakos, Jason Afable, Eric Mallon, Alex Pennington Smith

Cassadee Pope Finds Herself And New Sound In Upcoming Project [Interview]

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Cassadee Pope. Photo: John Shearer.

Singer-songwriter Cassadee Pope is back with new music that speaks to her musical past, present and future. Her brand new single “What The Stars See” serves as a sneak peek into her new project due out later this fall, distributed through The Orchard.

In the turbulent year of 2020, Pope used the time to think about what kind of music she wanted to pursue and who she wanted to be as an artist going forward. Like a lot of other people, she also used the time to reflect on her career up to this point.

“COVID forced everyone to just be still, think and reflect. Obviously, when you’re reflecting you think of your past, and my past is all pop-punk and touring and Hey Monday,” says Pope.

Before her win with Team Blake on season three of NBC’s The Voice, Pope was the frontwoman for the pop-punk band Hey Monday. Formed in 2008, Pope and her fellow bandmates toured around the world with the likes of We The Kings, The All-American Rejects, The Cab, All Time Low, and others before the group’s hiatus in 2011. However, after coming into town with a new record deal, Pope explains that she had initially shied away from her pop-punk roots.

“I already had a lot of proving to do to show everyone that I’m an artist. I’m a songwriter—I didn’t just sing covers on a reality singing competition show,” Pope shares. “The show really highlighted my story about being in Hey Monday, so people didn’t realize that I sang country as a kid… It was almost like I had to prove to people that I’m a country artist.” Pope continues, “There was a lot of pressure to fit a mold and I became kind of lost a few times in my career because of that.”

Over the last few years, Pope has started becoming comfortable in her own skin and learning to love the things that make her different from what is traditionally associated with country music. Through working on her mental health, Pope thinks that she has finally hit the sweet spot in combining her two musical worlds: country and pop-punk.

Cassadee Pope. Photo: John Shearer.

However, there isn’t a one size fits all when it comes to this new dynamic sound. “Pop-punk has a lot of different versions and so does country,” Pope explains. “I love bands like Blink-182 but I also love bands like Foo Fighters, and they are not the same. I love artists like Little Big Town but I also love Maren Morris, and they aren’t the same.”

In order to figure out this new direction without losing her country sensibilities when it comes to songwriting, Pope began to write with artists and peers from her past, including Kevin Bard from Stereo Skyline, Paul DiGiovanni from Boys Like Girls, and Holiday Parade’s Andy Albert. Pope also teamed up with The All-American Rejects lead guitarist Nick Wheeler to help produce the project.

“I’ve known Nick for like 10 years now, maybe even more. We wrote a few times and every demo that came back sounded like I could release it the next day,” says Pope. “ I was convinced he was the guy and thought it was just meant to be. So I asked him if he would produce and he said yes!”

Accompanying Wheeler, in a surprisingly stunning marriage of music, is Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild. As one of Pope’s mentors and musical inspirations, the country powerhouse serves as co-producer on the upcoming project and even lends her voice as a feature on the album’s lead single.

“Having Nick who is a huge part of my past and where I come from on that pop-punk side, mixed with Karen who’s been a part of my more recent history and a mentor for me here in Nashville… blending those worlds just feels so right and so fun,” she shares.

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Pope has given fans a glimpse into this next era of music with “What The Stars See,” available everywhere now. Teaming up with co-writers Jake Rose and Lindsey Rimes, the trio brought to life Pope’s wish of wanting to see what her exes were doing the night they broke up from the perspective of the stars.

The new track mixes a vulnerable, revealing lyric with a high-energy rock flare that is reminiscent of her Hey Monday days. Accompanied by fellow singer-songwriter Lindsey Ell lending her signature guitar riffs and Fairchild’s complimentary vocals, the new single delivers a striking preview of what to expect from Pope in the months to come as she takes off on her most honest project yet.

She also debuted the music video for the track today (May 14), directed by Ed Pryor and produced by Wes Edwards, which is a colorful take on the famed sci-fi action movie Blade Runner.

Pope is excited to be making the music that feels most authentic to her. “It has been the best experience ever in the studio; it has been the most fun I’ve ever had,” she gushes. “I’ve just been so focused on staying authentic and doing what makes me happy. It’s definitely opened up all these different doors in my brain when it comes to creativity and songwriting.

“I think the project as a whole, the way it’s shaping, is an album that really confronts things from my past that I’ve shied away from writing about until now and letting myself feel sad about it,” Pope admits. “The songs that came out of just that acceptance… I mean, they’re the most powerful songs I’ve ever written, so I think the gist of the album is just letting yourself feel whatever those feelings are and not just surviving but thriving from those experiences.”

Carly Pearce Is ‘Next Girl’ To Receive MusicRow No. 1

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Carly Pearce claims the No. 1 spot this week on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart, earning a cumulative 38,294 spins in the 34 weeks since its release. “Next Girl” spent 15 weeks in the top 10 on the chart. The single was written by Pearce, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, and it appears on her latest project 29.

Pearce and Lee Brice won Musical Event of the Year for “I Hope You’re Happy Now” at both the 54th Annual CMA Awards and 56th ACM Awards. They also received a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America for the single.

Click here or above to view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.

Nashville-Based Band Moon Taxi Announces Silver Dream Tour

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Moon Taxi. Photo: Don VanCleave.

Nashville-based alt-rock band Moon Taxi has announced their national headlining Silver Dream tour.

The tour will launch this month at the World Fair Park in Knoxville, Tennessee, and will continue through into the fall hitting venues such as New York City’s famed Webster Hall, The Ogden in Denver, Delmar Hall in St. Louis, and two nights at the new 2,200-capacity concert hall, The Eastern, in Atlanta, Georgia where the run will conclude.

In January of 2021, Moon Taxi released their sixth full-length album, Silver Dream, via BMG. The band, who has amassed over 240 million U.S. streams to date, will be performing songs from the album, including “Say,” “Hometown Heroes,” “Light Up,” “One Step Away,” and “The Beginning” as well as other songs from their catalog.

Pre-sale tickets for the Silver Dream tour are available now for the band’s newsletter subscribers. To subscribe and receive the pre-sale code, click here.