Jason Aldean Racks Up Some Heavy Metal Hardware From The RIAA

Jason Aldean was honored backstage at his sold-out “Double Down Tour” date in Washington, D.C. with two of his biggest hits, “You Make It Easy” and “Dirt Road Anthem,” receiving RIAA Diamond certifications—an official career first for the Georgia native. Aldean was surprised backstage with the Diamond certifications, and the historic achievement comes on the heels of a remarkable run of new RIAA certifications for Aldean. Earlier this month 12 of his albums and singles received new Platinum certifications, including his album My Kinda Party (6× Platinum). Newly Diamond certified “Dirt Road Anthem,” from his multi-Platinum My Kinda Party album, became one of the signature breakthrough anthems of Aldean’s career, while “You Make It Easy” has remained a continuous fan favorite following its release.

“Having two songs reach Diamond status is something I never could have imagined when we were making these records,” says Aldean. “These songs have taken on a life of their own because of the fans. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has listened, streamed, bought the records, come to the shows and made these songs part of their lives. It’s special to have a moment that is still a career first all these years in, especially one that is all due to the fans. Thank you guys so much. We want to keep doing this and keep putting out songs and touring for a long time to come, and we don’t take getting to do this for granted.”

 

Dasha Donates $100,000 To Causes Close to Her Heart

Following her performance at BMI and New Mountain Capital’s night of music and giving at Radio City Music Hall in May, Dasha gifted a $100,000 contribution to three organizations: Cowboy Ranch Rescue in Antioch, Tennessee; Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors; and Pregnancy and Parenting Support organization in her hometown of San Luis Obispo, California. Her gift to Cowboy Ranch Rescue helped save four horses, a donkey named Sherman and two barn cats from slaughter, giving them the chance to live out their lives in safety.

“I’ve always had such a love for animals, and knowing that this money could literally save their lives made it an easy decision,” says Dasha. “There’s something really special about being able to take an opportunity that was given to me and turn it into something that gives someone, or in this case, some very special animals a second chance.”

 

Trey Fanjoy Recognized At 18th Annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recognized Trey Fanjoy last week at its 18th annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum in the museum’s Ford Theater. The forum, which began in 2007, recognizes music industry leaders who continue the legacy of trailblazer Louise Scruggs, a businesswoman who set new professional standards in artist management. Fanjoy discussed her more than 30 years as an award-winning music video and film director, producer and creative director during the in-depth interview with museum writer-editor Allison Moorer.

After working in commercial film production in New York City and Los Angeles, Fanjoy moved to Nashville in the mid-1990s and began as a video producer, which led her to directing. She made CMA history in 2009 as the first woman to receive the Video of the Year award for directing the video for Taylor Swift’s hit “Love Story.” Fanjoy also received CMA Video of the Year awards for her work with Miranda Lambert for “The House That Built Me” and “Bluebird.”

 

Ty Myers Performs At CMA Headquarters

The Country Music Association welcomed Ty Myers to its Nashville headquarters on Aug. 18 for a Q&A and a special solo acoustic performance. Myers chatted about his early love for music and his childhood influences, his passion for songwriting, and his recent CMA Fest performance debut on the Chevy Riverfront stage during the Q&A, then performed a five-song set including his cover of Willie Nelson’s “Always On My Mind,” his breakout hit “Thought It Was Love,” plus an early listen to an unreleased song he wrote just last week, and more.

Stella Lefty will launch her 2027 headlining “Long Way Home Tour” across North America beginning Jan. 9 in Detroit.

The new tour will include stops in Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, San Francisco and more, wrapping with a hometown show at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom on Feb. 20. The artist pre-sale begins on Aug. 27, followed by general on-sale starting Aug. 28 at stella-lefty.com.

The tour announcement comes on the heels of the release of Lefty’s debut album, Long Way Home, which features seven new songs in addition to seven previously released tracks including the hit singles “Boston” and “Thinking ‘bout You.” “Boston” has amassed more than 400 million streams and over a billion video views, while reaching the Top 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track has dominated the charts for the last 19 weeks, while gaining at both country and pop radio.

Lefty made her late night debut with “Boston” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and performed it last weekend with Marcus Mumford on stage at Madison Square Garden, and the song also just received a MTV Video Music Awards nomination in the Best Country category, in addition to her nomination for Best New Artist.

“Stella Lefty: Long Way Home Tour” 2027 Dates:
Sat, Jan 9 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore Detroit
Sun, Jan 10 — Columbus, OH — Kemba Live!
Tue, Jan 12 — Toronto, ON — HISTORY
Fri, Jan 15 — Montreal, QC — MTELUS
Sun, Jan 17 — Boston, MA — MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Tue, Jan 19 — Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Paramount
Fri, Jan 22 — Philadelphia, PA — The Met
Sat, Jan 23 — Washington, DC — The Anthem
Mon, Jan 25 — Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore Charlotte
Tue, Jan 26 — Atlanta, GA — Tabernacle
Thu, Jan 28 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom
Sat, Jan 30 — Houston, TX — House of Blues
Sun, Jan 31 — Austin, TX — ACL Live at the Moody Theater
Tue, Feb 9 — San Francisco, CA — The Masonic
Fri, Feb 12 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Union Event Center
Sat, Feb 13 — Denver, CO — Fillmore Auditorium
Wed, Feb 17 — Nashville, TN — Ryman Auditorium
Sat, Feb 20 — Chicago, IL — Aragon Ballroom

Rhonda Vincent has released her latest album, A Possibility, today (Aug. 24), featuring some friends and special guests.

Steeped in bluegrass tradition with a contemporary flair, A Possibility showcases Vincent’s unmistakable vocals and musicianship across 12 tracks, including a number of special collaborations, including Sierra Ferrell on “Would You Like to Buy Some Flowers.” The album’s original title track features Dan Tyminski on duet vocals, along with his signature guitar style.

Additional guests on the project include Ronnie McCoury of the Del McCoury Band, guitarist Bryan Sutton, banjo master Ron Stewart, and Kelsi Harrigill of Flatt Lonesome. Vincent is also joined by members of her acclaimed band The Rage, as well as her brother and longtime musical collaborator Darrin Vincent of Dailey & Vincent, among others.

“It was a fun new process creating A Possibility,” says Vincent. “I loved having a co-producer, Adam Haynes, who challenged my skills and brought ideas I would have never thought of. And a wonderful surprise was getting the call that Sierra Ferrell would sing on the project the very next day,” Vincent recalls. “We didn’t have a track yet, so we stayed up all night recording ‘Would You Like to Buy Some Flowers.’ I was amazed to hear the vocal blend of Sierra Ferrell and I.”

A Possibility Track Listing:
1. “Far Away From Home”
2. “Any Other Color Than Blue”
3. “A Possibility” (featuring Dan Tyminski)
4. “Thank You For Dreaming of Me”
5. “Scenic Route”
6. “Even If I Tried”
7. “Lonesome Heartsick Blues”
8. “Would You Like to Buy Some Flowers” (featuring Sierra Ferrell)
9. “Vesper Thompson”
10. “Make It Blue”
11. “Long Black Lincoln Dream”
12. “Something You’ll Get Through”

Bailey Zimmerman is set to headline the third annual Wags & Walks Nashville Benefit Concert on Oct. 21 at Skydeck.

Lanie Gardner, and Fancy Hagood are also set to perform at the annual benefit, which unites artists, supporters and animal advocates to raise critical funds for Wags & Walks. Proceeds will directly support the rescue, medical care, foster placement and adoption of dogs in need, and will also support Wags for Good, the organization’s community care initiative that provides accessible veterinary resources to local dog owners, including free and low-cost spay/neuter services, vaccines and veterinary care.

“Nashville has shown up for Wags & Walks in such an incredible way, and this event represents so much of what makes this community special,” says Kathryn Hurley, Wags & Walks Nashville Founder. “Bringing together artists, partners, and animal lovers for a night of great music allows us to celebrate the thousands of dogs whose lives have been changed while raising critical funds that make our work possible. We’re incredibly grateful to Bailey, Lanie, Fancy and everyone lending their time and talent to help us save more dogs.”

General Admission tickets are currently available for $45, with VIP packages starting at $200, and are available here.