Steve Earle & The Dukes will honor Earle’s late son, musician Justin Townes Earle, on the upcoming album, J.T. The album will release Jan. 4, 2021, on what would have been Justin’s 39th birthday. Justin Townes Earle died Aug. 20, 2020 in Nashville.
On the project, Steve Earle and the Dukes cover 10 of Justin’s songs, including “Harlem River Blues,” which earned Song of the Year at the 2011 Americana Music Awards, following Justin’s win in the Emerging Artist of the Year category in 2009. The album closes with “Last Words,” a song Steve Earle wrote for Justin.
All of the artist advances and royalties from the album will be donated to a trust for Etta St. James Earle, Justin and Jenn Earle’s three-year-old daughter. Following the album’s January release, CD and vinyl editions will be available on March 19, 2021.
“The record is called J.T. because Justin was never called anything else until he was nearly grown. Well, when he was little, I called him Cowboy,” explains Steve Earle. “For better or worse, right or wrong, I loved Justin Townes Earle more than anything else on this earth. That being said, I made this record, like every other record I’ve ever made… for me. It was the only way I knew to say goodbye.”
Steve Earle and Justin Townes Earle. Photo: Sara Sharpe
On Dec. 13, Steve Earle, Luck Productions and City Winery will host the sixth annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit Concert for Autism, which will be held virtually this year and feature performances from Steve Earle & The Dukes, Emmylou Harris, Graham Nash, Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, and many more. 100% of donations will go to The Keswell School – an institution close to Earle’s heart at which his youngest son and the event’s namesake, John Henry, is a student.
Steve Earle – J.T. Track Listing:
1. I Don’t Care
2. Ain’t Glad I’m Leaving
3. Maria
4. Far Away In Another Town
5. They Killed John Henry
6. Turn Out My Lights
7. Lone Pine Hill
8. Champagne Corolla
9. The Saint Of Lost Causes
10. Harlem River Blues
11. Last Words
Music Knox Records/BBR Music Group’s Tim Montana To Release ‘Cars On Blocks’ EP Nov. 20
/by Jessica Nicholson“There’s something about this project that just feels really good too. Not only because the music feels so ‘me’ but teaming up with Knox and having the label’s support, everything just feels elevated from what we’ve done before.” Montana says.
Track Listing:
Industry Ink: ASCAP, American Blonde, Fusion Touring
/by Jessica NicholsonASCAP Nashville Hosts Country Songwriters Workshop
Pictured (top row, L-R): Krissy Feniak, Hannah Sears, Theris Coats, Eitan Snyder, Deidre O’Grady; (2nd row, L-R)) Lauren Jaimes, Lauren Phillips, Matt McCartney, Devon Nicholas, Felipe Oliveira; (3rd row, L-R) Annie Defatta, Tom Martin, Meghan VK, Arielle Silver, Emma Jedow; (4th row, L-R) Angela Parrish, Sumiko Sprinkle, Lisa McEwan, Emma Murdoch, Johnny Vallone; (5th row, L-R) Hayley Giovanazzo, Scott Forman, Tawna Goforth, Aniyah Buchanan, Arielle Eden; (bottom row, L-R) Bonnie Baker, ASCAP’s Beth Brinker.
The ASCAP Nashville membership team hosted the annual ASCAP Foundation Country Songwriters Workshop in honor of Garth Brooks on Nov. 14, 2020, as part of an ongoing series designed to enhance the development and education of promising new songwriters.
The one-day virtual event was hosted by longtime ASCAP member, MTSU professor and veteran songwriter Bonnie Baker. Twenty-five songwriters were selected to participate in the event, which focused on the art and craft of songwriting, expanding sources of inspiration, building a network of co-writers, creating a healthy creative life, and a music publishing presentation by LP Creative Therapy founder, LeAnn Phelan.
“The virtual format combined with Bonnie’s thoughtful curriculum created the opportunity for twenty-five songwriters across the globe to meet, collaborate and expand their creative community. In a time when connecting feels more difficult than ever, we were able to bridge that gap and reimagine the entire workshop concept and it was a great success,” said Beth Brinker, ASCAP Associate Director of Membership.
Southern Halo Becomes American Blonde
American Blonde
Trio-turned-duo Southern Halo has now been renamed American Blonde. The sister duo, including Nata and Tinka Morris, recently released the video for their track “Somethin’ In The Water.”
Fusion Touring Signs Kolt Barber
Pictured (L-R): Mike Meade, Co-VP, Fusion Touring; Kolt Barber; Chuck Rhodes, Executive VP/GM, Fusion Touring; Amy Alyward, Co-VP, Fusion Touring – In Absentia
Fusion Touring, a division under the Fusion Entertainment Company (FUSENTCO) umbrella, has signed Kolt Barber (Barbed Wire Entertainment/Maverick Management) to its roster. The Fusion Touring team will represent Kolt Barber and all mutual endeavors, including The Kolt Barber American Cowboy Showdown™ and “Saddle To The Stage”™ television show, in the live entertainment, booking, and sponsorship sectors.
A Thousand Horses To Perform Virtual Concert Live From Nashville’s Exit/In Tomorrow
/by Lorie HollabaughA Thousand Horses. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
A Thousand Horses will perform its first show of the year this Thursday (Nov. 19), hosting a virtual live concert from Nashville’s Exit/In at 8 p.m. CT, featuring a full-band, hour-long set.
The band has also released a new, stripped down version of their current single with “A Song To Remember” (Acoustic From Studio A). The new version was recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, the same location where the song made its TV debut on NBC News’ TODAY with Hoda & Jenna.
The Nashville quartet of Michael Hobby [vocals], Bill Satcher [guitar], Zach Brown [guitar], and Graham DeLoach [bass] has quietly emerged as a Platinum phenomenon with over 100 million streams. Their 2015 debut album Southernality peaked at No.3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and featured their Platinum-certified debut single “Smoke,” which reached No. 1 on both the Mediabase and Billboard Country Airplay charts.
Mickey Guyton To Perform On ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’
/by Jessica NicholsonMickey Guyton. Photo: UMGN
In September, Mickey Guyton released her EP Bridges, filled with powerful, vulnerable songs including “Black Like Me” and “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?.” That same month, Guyton offered a stunning rendition of “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” at the Academy of Country Music Awards, and last week, she earned a shoutout from CMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year winner Maren Morris.
Tomorrow (Nov. 19), Guyton will perform “Salt,” another track from her EP Bridges, on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Guyton co-wrote all six tracks on her EP, including “Salt,” which she penned with Jesse Frasure, Cary Barlowe, and Steven Lee Olsen.
On the swirling, smoldering track, Guyton tries to warn the listener of a woman who will do whatever it takes to get ahead.
Yeah, she’ll break your heart Like it doesn’t matter/Yeah, she’ll play the part Just to climb the ladder/She’s got you blind but I see it all/You think you’re getting sugar But boy, you’re getting salt.
“We’re in an industry where there are beautiful women that work with producers that use their bodies and their beauty to get opportunities. That song’s just like, ‘Be careful, that is a real thing.’” Guyton previously told MusicRow Magazine about the track.
Guyton is also set to perform a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” on tonight’s “Stand Up For Heroes” event, airing at 9 p.m. ET on ABC News Live, TikTok, Facebook Watch, Cheddar, Twitch and Armed Forces Network.
Garth Brooks ‘Backstage And Behind The Scenes’ Radio Special Available Now
/by Lorie HollabaughThe label is offering the special free in support of Garth’s new three-disc, 30 song collection, which features four never-heard moments from his current record-shattering Stadium Tour, and it provides listeners with an unprecedented look “backstage and behind the scenes” via personal insights and reflections from the seven-time CMA Entertainer of the Year. Garth shares what the concert experience is like through his eyes – when he’s onstage, backstage before and after a show, and as he recounts some monumental concert moments.
Stations interested in running the special, which is available for download immediately, should contact their Pearl Records label rep or Maurice Miner at mauricegminer@gmail.com.
Steve Earle & The Dukes To Honor Justin Townes Earle With New Album, ‘J.T.,’ Set For January
/by Jessica NicholsonOn the project, Steve Earle and the Dukes cover 10 of Justin’s songs, including “Harlem River Blues,” which earned Song of the Year at the 2011 Americana Music Awards, following Justin’s win in the Emerging Artist of the Year category in 2009. The album closes with “Last Words,” a song Steve Earle wrote for Justin.
All of the artist advances and royalties from the album will be donated to a trust for Etta St. James Earle, Justin and Jenn Earle’s three-year-old daughter. Following the album’s January release, CD and vinyl editions will be available on March 19, 2021.
“The record is called J.T. because Justin was never called anything else until he was nearly grown. Well, when he was little, I called him Cowboy,” explains Steve Earle. “For better or worse, right or wrong, I loved Justin Townes Earle more than anything else on this earth. That being said, I made this record, like every other record I’ve ever made… for me. It was the only way I knew to say goodbye.”
Steve Earle and Justin Townes Earle. Photo: Sara Sharpe
On Dec. 13, Steve Earle, Luck Productions and City Winery will host the sixth annual John Henry’s Friends Benefit Concert for Autism, which will be held virtually this year and feature performances from Steve Earle & The Dukes, Emmylou Harris, Graham Nash, Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, and many more. 100% of donations will go to The Keswell School – an institution close to Earle’s heart at which his youngest son and the event’s namesake, John Henry, is a student.
Steve Earle – J.T. Track Listing:
1. I Don’t Care
2. Ain’t Glad I’m Leaving
3. Maria
4. Far Away In Another Town
5. They Killed John Henry
6. Turn Out My Lights
7. Lone Pine Hill
8. Champagne Corolla
9. The Saint Of Lost Causes
10. Harlem River Blues
11. Last Words
Warehouse West Entertainment Inks Development, Management Deal With TracieLynn
/by Jessica NicholsonProducer and Warehouse West Entertainment partner Luke Wooten says, “We are incredibly excited to help deliver Tracie’s brand of rowdy, raucous country music to listeners, and ’99 Bottles’ delivers on all fronts. Tracie’s energy and passion are infectious not only in her music, but also in her ability to connect with fans even during an extremely difficult time to do so.”
“What I love about ’99 Bottles’ is that its lyrics are fun, refreshing, and not necessarily expected from a female artist,” says TracieLynn. “But that’s why I decided to grab it by the reins and turn it into something that’s mine. I want it to serve as an inspiration to other rising female country artists, to show that we don’t need to fit into any specific mold.”
TracieLynn has also solidified deals with Gateway Bronco and Star Master Coaches and has had a No. 1 on Radio Disney Country with her single “Good Kind of Crazy.”
Industry Ink: CMT, Deluge Music, Pinecastle Records, Banner Music
/by Lorie HollabaughChase Martin Enjoys Virtual Visit With CMT
Pictured (Top Row, L-R): Katrina Lothamer (CMT Music & Talent), Heather Conley (Monarch Publicity), Jordan Hatton (CMT Music & Talent), Ashlee McDonald (CMT Radio); (Middle Row, L-R): Donna Duncan (CMT Music & Talent), Leslie Fram (CMT Music & Talent), Ash Bowers (Wide Open Entertainment/RECORDS Nashville), Stacey Cato (CMT Music & Talent); (Third Row, L-R): Melissa Goldberg (CMT Digital/Social), Kelsey Hendrix (CMT Digital/Social), Emma Giovino (CMT Digital/Social), Chase Martin; (Bottom Row, L-R): Jordan Walker (CMT Music & Talent), Alison Bonaguro (CMT Digital/Editorial).
Chase Martin virtually visited with CMT recently, sharing her story and playing a few new songs including her debut single, “Levi Denim.” The spirited track, written by Abby Anderson, Matt Stell and Allison Veltz-Cruz, released on Oct. 9 along with a video featuring TV star/beauty entrepreneur Savannah Chrisley.
Theo & Brenna Sign Management Deal With Deluge Music
Pictured: Theo, Chris Alderman, Brenna
Brother/Sister Bluegrass duo Theo & Brenna have signed with Deluge Music for management. Their debut record When You Go introduced the band as a rising staple in the Bluegrass and Americana world, and most recently, the duo released a timely single entitled, “Let Us Breathe Again.” Deluge recently partnered with Chris Alderman of Rough Hollow Management to form Deluge Music Management, whose roster includes Josh Mirenda, Theo & Brenna, Becky Buller and Jake Hoot.
Bobby & Teddi Cyrus Join Pinecastle Records
Bobby and Teddi Cyrus
Bobby & Teddi Cyrus have signed with Pinecastle Records. The husband-and-wife duo is set to release their forthcoming Bluegrass/Americana project in 2021, and the collection features the brand new single, “My Wedding Day,” co-written by Jimmy Sites alongside Jimmy Yeary.
Walker Campbell Joins Banner Music Roster
Pictured (L-R): Camilla Kleindienst, Walker Campbell, Daniel Kleindienst. Photo: Banner Music
Walker Campbell has signed with Banner Music. He is the newest addition to their Banner Believers roster with his single, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and is the youngest Banner Believer at just 11 years old.
“Walker Campbell is a pleasure to work with and we are very excited to work with someone so talented and driven,” says Camilla Kleindienst, CEO of Banner Music.
Carrie Underwood To Debut ‘My Gift’ Christmas Special Dec. 3 On HBO Max
/by Jessica NicholsonUnderwood will offer a mix of traditional holiday favorites as well as original material from her My Gift album, accompanied by her band and a live orchestra and choir, led by musical director Rickey Minor. The special will include Underwood collaborating with John Legend on “Hallelujah,” an original song Legend wrote with Toby Gad, as well as behind-the-scenes moments of Underwood recording “Little Drummer Boy” alongside her five-year-old son, Isaiah.
“I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Playtone and HBO Max to bring My Gift to life,” said Underwood. “Just like the album, I hope this special will help bring some much-needed joy and become part of the soundtrack to people’s holiday festivities this year as it streams throughout the season and beyond.”
“My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood” will be available to stream starting Thursday, Dec. 3 on HBO Max. Underwood is not the only country artist set to premiere a holiday special this year, as Dolly Parton, and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have also announced upcoming holiday specials.
ACM Lifting Lives Board Of Directors Announced For 2020-2021 Term
/by Jessica Nicholson“ACM Lifting Lives is grateful to have our Officers continue for another term. With their service and leadership, ACM Lifting Lives has been able to help hundreds of individuals within the country music community who have been experiencing financial hardships this year,” said Lyndsay Cruz, ACM Lifting Lives Executive Director. “We look forward to continuing the important work of being a resource for those in need.”
The ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors is comprised of ACM Board Members, referred to as representative directors, as well as leaders in non-profit and corporate affairs that aren’t ACM Board Members, referred to as public directors.
This year, there were four representative director positions elected, three public director positions elected, five representative director positions appointed and six public director positions appointed by the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors:
Newly elected Representative directors include:
Newly elected Public directors include:
Newly appointed Representative directors include:
Newly appointed Public directors include:
“I’m honored to continue as Chairman of the ACM Lifting Lives Board and to serve the Industry at this critical time,” said ACM Lifting Lives Chairman Paul Barnabee. “We talk a lot about the influence of music lifting the spirits of those in a time of need and right now it feels more important than ever. The vital work that we do could not happen without the commitment of the artists and industry leaders and their continued support, and we are forever grateful.”
2020-2021 ACM LIFTING LIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Chairman: Paul Barnabee, FBMM
Vice-Chairman: Troy Vollhoffer, Premier Global Production
Vice-President: Lorie Lytle, Fridrich & Clark Realty
Treasurer: Dwight Wiles, Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
Secretary: Taylor Wolf, ACM Lifting Lives
REPRESENTATIVE DIRECTORS
PUBLIC DIRECTORS
PAST CHAIRS