Singer-songwriter, producer, author, playwright, radio host, actor and activist Steve Earle will be featured as the next Poets and Prophets honoree, a series hosted by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Earle’s interview will take place on Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m. in the Ford Theater.

At 19 years-old, Earle hitchhiked from San Antonio to Nashville to begin his musical journey. Upon arrival, he met his new mentor, Guy Clark. Earle then spent 10 years as a staff writer for various publishing companies, before signing with MCA Records. His debut album Guitar Town included two top 10 singles. Additional album releases followed, including Exit 0, Copperhead Road and The Hard Way.

In 1996, he co-launched record label E-Squared, where he went on to release six albums in eight years. Throughout his career, Earle recorded 22 studio albums, wrote a short fiction book, a novel and a play, and produced 11 albums for other artists, including Lucinda Williams’s Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. As a songwriter, Earle has penned songs recorded by Joan Baez, the Highwaymen, Miranda Lambert, Kathy Mattea, Bob Seger, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless and Ricky Skaggs, among others. He has also appeared on The Wire and Treme in recurring roles, as well as several movie appearances.

Earle has also collected three GRAMMY awards for Best Contemporary Folk Album, is a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, and a Grand Ole Opry member. He currently hosts the Hardcode Troubadour radio show.

The interview will be moderated by Museum Writer-Editor Allison Moorer and will be accompanied by photos, film and recordings. After the program, Earle will sign commemorative Hatch Show Print posters. The program is included with museum admission and free to museum members. Seating is limited, and a program ticket is required for admittance.

Kendra Scott and Dolly Parton Launch “Change It!” Holiday Collection

Kendra Scott has launched the third collection in the brand’s Change It! collaboration with Dolly Parton. The Holiday 2025 collection celebrates Dolly’s creativity and self-empowerment and was inspired by Dolly’s song “Change It,” written for 9 to 5: The Musical.

The holiday line captures the spirit of reinvention with convertible, mix and match designs that reflect Dolly’s ever evolving artistry and timeless optimism. Each piece embodies motifs that define Dolly woven into Kendra Scott’s signature silhouettes and finished in gold tones and jewel-bright hues, from butterfly hoops and the signature patented Elisa pendant, to statement necklaces and tassel lariats, inviting wearers to “change it” their own way: layering, leaning into personal style while finding their inner Dolly.

 

No Ka ‘Oi Festival 2025 Wraps In South Maui

The Second Annual No Ka ‘Oi Songwriters Festival returned to South Maui Nov. 6-9, with performances from Tucker Wetmore, Jessi Alexander, Jeffrey Steele, Randy Houser, Mackenzie Carpenter and more. Proceeds from the island festival benefited LeLe Aloha and the Maui Family YMCA Music Programs.

 

The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project Honors Veterans Day With $100,000 Gift To Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project honored vets on Veterans Day with a $100,000 Gift to Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and a call to support America’s heroes. The foundation recently expanded its mission through a new partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center to establish the Journey Home Project Cancer Research Fund to help aid veterans battling cancer, including cancers believed to be linked to toxic exposure from burn pits at forward operating bases. This groundbreaking collaboration will help advance research and treatment for affected service members, highlighting the vital importance of continued community support to the success of these initiatives.

“These programs are not just changing lives, they’re saving them,” says President and Executive Director of The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project David Corlew. “From post-traumatic stress recovery to the fight against burn pit-related cancers, each effort represents another step forward in honoring the service and sacrifice of our military heroes. It’s a reminder that these trails we blaze together, through compassion, research, and awareness, can be life-changing for veterans and their families.”

 

Alexandra Kay Performs ‘Straight For The Heart’ On The Kelly Clarkson Show

Alexandra Kay recently performed her new single “Straight For The Heart”on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “Straight For The Heart” received 71 first week adds, an accomplishment that puts Kay in the company of Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood among the Top Five of All-Time first-week debuts by a solo female artist on the Mediabase Country chart.

Sony Music Publishing has promoted Dee Hale to SVP, Film & TV Administration. Hale will be based in the company’s Nashville office and continue to report to EVP, Worldwide Administration, Dale Esworthy.

In the new role, Hale will be the primary administrative contact for Sony Music Publishing’s studio clients and provide ongoing support to the company’s UK studio clients. She will also continue her role as co-chair of the Society and Publisher Forum A/V Committee.

Hale has been with Sony Music Publishing for over thirty years, first joining in 1993 as Director of Film & Television Music Administration. During her time at the company, she has worked with a variety of production studios such as Sony Pictures, Tyler Perry Studios, A&E, Discovery, Twentieth Century Studios and Apple. She has also worked with composers such as John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Ennio Morricone, Howard Shore, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Elmer Bernstein, Rachel Portman, John Barry and Brian Tyler. For the past 14 years, she has held the role as Publisher Co-Chair for CISAC’s Audio Visual Data Exchange Workgroups.

“I love working for a great company, with great people, doing something I love! It’s been an honor to work with our amazing studio clients and so many others throughout the world to take this part of the business to a higher level, and I am excited for what’s ahead,” shares Hale.

“Dee’s dedication to songwriters and composers is unsurpassed and unwavering,” adds Esworthy. “Her leadership as co-chair of the Society Publisher Forum’s AV Data Exchange working group has been instrumental in strengthening the global administration practices for composers at SMP and beyond. I look forward to seeing Dee step into this new role and am excited to see what she’ll achieve next.”

Colter Wall has added new dates to his upcoming “Memories and Empties Tour” in February and March.

The run of newly-added dates kicks off Feb. 12 in Midland, Texas, and includes stops in El Paso, San Diego, Indianapolis, and more before wrapping Mar. 14 in Detroit. Hayden Redwine will join as support for the February shows and Kade Hoffman will support on all March dates.

Fans can sign up now to access the artist presale beginning Nov. 18, and additional pre-sales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning Nov. 21.

The new tour follows Wall’s 2025 “Colter Wall and Friends Tour,” which featured sold-out shows across Las Vegas, Seattle, Chicago, Calgary, and beyond. Last week, Wall released his latest single “The Longer You Hold On” from his upcoming album Memories and Empties, out this Friday (Nov. 14) via La Honda Records and RCA Records.

Newly Added “Memories & Empties Tour” Dates:
Feb 12 – Midland, TX –Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center
Feb 13 – El Paso, TX – Abraham Chavez Theatre
Feb 14 – El Paso, TX – Abraham Chavez Theatre
Feb 15 – Albuquerque, NM – Kiva Auditorium
Feb 18 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Theater
Feb 20 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
Feb 21 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
Mar 06 – St. Louis, MO – Stifel Theatre
Mar 07 – Peoria, IL – Prairie Home Alliance
Mar 08 – Evansville, IN – Victory Theatre
Mar 09 – Bowling Green, KY – Southern KY PAC (Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center)
Mar 11 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre

By Design has established a global publishing partnership with Sony Music Publishing. With the deal, Sony Music Publishing will provide global administration services for By Design’s growing roster, as well as collaborate for joint-venture signings.

“Our passion for songwriters and great songs drives everything we do at SMP, and it’s clear that By Design shares the same spirit,” says Rusty Gaston, CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville. “We are thrilled to partner with their team and champion the incredible roster and catalog they’re building.”

“We’ve always said that By Design is more than a label — it’s a creative ecosystem,” shares Josh Bailey, Co-Founder of By Design. “Partnering with Sony Music Publishing allows us to expand that ecosystem, giving our creatives best-in-class support on a global scale. It’s about equipping creatives to tell meaningful stories and providing the infrastructure to bring those stories to life.”

“This partnership reflects what we’ve believed from the beginning — that great art thrives in great alignment,” adds Josh Thompson, Co-Founder of By Design. “Rusty and the SMP team understand the balance between creative excellence and creator care, and together we’re building a foundation that empowers writers to dream boldly and impact culture through their original design.”

The company recently appointed Josh Pauley as Vice President of Publishing and A&R.