Brad Paisley. Photo: Justin Kaicles

Brad Paisley is heading back out on the road for his Tour 2021, kicking off on June 5. Jimmie Allen and Kameron Marlowe will be special guests on the new tour.

Launching on June 5 in Panama City Beach at the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, the tour’s second stop will be Nashville’s 4th of July celebration, Let Freedom Sing!, which is slated to be Music City’s first major event of the year. Paisley will also visit Dallas, Tampa, St. Louis, Phoenix and more during the 30-date run.

Fans can purchase tickets for all dates now at bradpaisley.com. A portion of all ticket sales will go to The Store – the nonprofit free-referral based grocery store co-founded by Paisley and wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley. The Store opened for in-store clients on March 12, 2020, following the March 3 tornado that devastated parts of Nashville and was open for only four days when the COVID-19 pandemic became widespread. The Store’s weekly deliveries are currently capped at 450 households and curbside pickup is at 200 per week, six times the initial projection, which equals to over 1.3 million meals distributed.

Paisley recently partnered with Vanderbilt Health in a national PSA to encourage fans to get the COVID-19 vaccine. “It’s been a real difficult year, a nightmare for anyone who makes their living with a group of people. I feel very passionate about the chance we have for normalcy right now with the vaccine—there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I have a band and crew just waiting to get back out on the road. The more of us that Take the Shot the safer it will be for all of us to gather,” he says.

Paisley’s Tour 2021 Dates:
June 5   Panama City Beach, FL  Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam
*July 4    Nashville, TN Let Freedom Sing! Music City – Downtown
July 8     Jacksonville, FL  Daily’s Place
July 9     Tampa, FL  MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
July 10   West Palm Beach, FL  iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
**July 17   Hinkley, MN Grand Casino Hinckley Amphitheater
July 22    Brandon, MS Brandon Amphitheater
July 23     Tuscaloosa, AL Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
July 24   Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
July 30   St Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
July 31    Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
***August 9   Canton, OH Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
August 14    Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
August 15    Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
*August 21   Lima, OH Allen County Fair
August 22    Cincinnati, OH The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park
August 27     Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
August 28     Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
August 29      Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
September 10   Chicago, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
September 11   Clarkson, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
**September 23   Doswell, VA After Hours at The Meadow Event Park
***September 24   West Springfield, MA Court of Honor Stage
****September 26   Bloomsburg, PA Bloomsburg Fair
September 30   Sacramento, CA Toyota Amphitheatre
October 1    Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
October 2    Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 7    Albuquerque, NM ISLETA Amphitheatre
October 8    Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion
October 9    Irvine, CA FivePoint Amphitheatre

*Festival – includes Paisley and multiple artists
** Paisley only
***Co-headline with Lynyrd Skynyrd
****Jordan Davis only

Warner Music Group (WMG) has announced a new partnership with and investment in Wave, one of the leaders in virtual entertainment.

Through this collaboration, Wave will develop virtual performances, experiences, and monetization opportunities for WMG’s global roster of emerging and established artists. This includes new forms of ticketing, sponsorship, and in-show interactions for fans. The duo will also use Wave’s cutting-edge technology to transform participating artists into digital avatars, performing live and taking fans into an immersive virtual experience. The news comes after WMG announced their partnership with Genies, one of the world’s largest avatar technology companies.

“WMG has an incredible history of being a trailblazer in the music industry. They share our vision for pulling the future forward using new technologies that benefit artists and fans alike,” says Adam Arrigo, CEO and co-founder of Wave. “We’re excited to partner with them to create interactive events that are unlike any other virtual concerts ever experienced.”

Wave offers fans unique and interactive offerings including live chats, virtual gifting and voting, as well as real-time audience appearances during artist performances. Through Wave, WMG will be able to forge more powerful artist activations, incorporating new and fan-favorite features into their shows to fuel audience engagement.

“The commercial opportunity in the metaverse has exploded in the last several years, with the past few months seeing a tipping point for mainstream adoption of immersive social experiences and virtual communities,” says Oana Ruxandra, EVP, Business Development and Chief Digital Officer at WMG. “Wave is indisputably a leader in the interactive virtual entertainment space and the right partner to help us grow WMG’s efforts. Our artists and their fans will be getting best-in-class experiences, as we pioneer new forms of consumption and monetization.”

John Byron. Photo: Chris Hornbuckle.

Rising songwriter John Byron has inked his first publishing deal with Big Loud.

Stacking co-writer credits on Sean Stemaly’s recent release, “Hello, You Up,” and Morgan Wallen’s “865” off his record-breaking Dangerous: The Double Album, Byron’s songwriting is centered around clever phrasing and melodies.

“From the moment John started sharing his songs and writing with our writers, working together felt like a perfect fit,” shares Michael Giangreco, senior director of A&R. “John’s attitude and work ethic speak volumes. We couldn’t be more proud that he chose Big Loud to be his publishing home.”

His latest cut, “Summer Job Money,” delivered by multi-Platinum country artist Chris Lane last Friday (April 30), marks Byron’s third consecutive release from a Big Loud Records artist.

“I feel immensely blessed to be a part of one of the most influential companies in the entire industry – Big Loud was the one place I wanted to sign with,” admits Byron. “It honestly still feels like a miracle every time I get to walk into the building; every single night, I thank God for making it part of His plan for me. It’s the same for being a co-writer on these songs. I love and respect these guys who I’m lucky enough to say have become my friends.”

John Prine, Sturgill Simpson

A new version of John Prine’s beloved song, “Paradise,” performed by Sturgill Simpson, is out now on Oh Boy Records.

Simpson’s version of “Paradise” is the last song recorded at The Butcher Shoppe—the studio Prine founded with Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer David Ferguson—before the building’s demolition later this year.

Reflecting on Prine’s influence, Simpson shares, “For myself along with many others, he was a mentor. He was very giving with his time and wisdom, and we were all grateful to get to know him.”

The song—whose proceeds benefit UNICEF USA’s Covid-19 Relief Fund—will be featured on the forthcoming Prine tribute record, Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2, which is set for release on October 8.

Each month ahead of the October release, Oh Boy will unveil a new artist and song that is featured on the tribute album. “Paradise” is the second track released, following Brandi Carlile’s rendition of “I Remember Everything,” which she performed during the 63rd Grammy Awards where the song won two awards: Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance. Written by Prine and his longtime collaborator Pat McLaughlin, “I Remember Everything” is Prine’s first No. 1 single and was recorded by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb and engineer Gena Johnson.

Oh Boy Records, Nashville’s oldest artist-owned label, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Founded in 1981 by Prine and his longtime manager Al Bunetta, the label has since gone on to release more than fifty audio and video recordings while continuing to be a vital part of Nashville’s independent music community.