Ashley Cooke has inked with The Familie for management representation.

“Ashley represents everything we’re looking for in the artists we partner with,” says Steve Astephen, Founder and CEO of The Familie. “She has an incredible work ethic, an authentic voice, and a clear vision for where she wants to go. She’s built a remarkable connection with fans while continuing to evolve creatively, and we’re excited to help support the next chapter of her career.”

“I’m thrilled to join The Familie and begin this new chapter together,” adds Cooke. “Steve and his team fully understand my vision and the kind of career I want to continue to build, which makes me so excited for the future!”

Cooke released her 15-track self-titled album via Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music in August. The project was primarily produced by Dann Huff and features the country radio singles “the hell you are” and “baby blues,” the latter of which continues to climb the charts. The “baby blues” music video, featuring comedian and actor Matt Rife, premiered last month.

Throughout her career, she has earned ACM Award and iHeartRadio Music Award nominations, toured with Kane Brown and Parker McCollum, and appeared on CBS’ Marshals.

Cooke will continue her “baby blues world tour” this week at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre. The 28-date tour is currently scheduled through Feb. 25, when it wraps at the Ryman Auditorium. Cooke will also take the tour to the UK early next year, with stops at venues including Belfast’s Limelight 1 and London’s KOKO.

Austin-based artist management company Floating Leaf Entertainment, founded by Jeb Hurt, has joined Red Light Management. The move brings Floating Leaf’s roster, which includes Koe Wetzel, Kolby Cooper, Fox & Vead and others, under the global management company founded by Coran Capshaw.

The partnership gives Floating Leaf’s artists access to Red Light’s worldwide team and resources across music, touring, brand partnerships and entertainment. It follows a period of growth for Floating Leaf and its artists. Hurt has played a key role in Wetzel’s rise from a Texas-based breakout to a major country touring act, while also building a roster focused on artists with unique identities and long-term careers.

“This is about taking what we’ve built at Floating Leaf and giving it an even bigger runway,” says Hurt, Founder of Floating Leaf Entertainment. “We’ve always been incredibly focused on the artist — who they are, what makes them different and how we can help build a career around that. Red Light has an incredible history of doing the same thing at a global level. To bring those philosophies together, with the people and resources they have behind them, is really exciting. I couldn’t be more proud of what our team and artists have accomplished to get us here, and I’m even more excited about what comes next.”

“Jeb has built something special at Floating Leaf,” shares Ben Kline of Red Light Management. “He has an incredible instinct for artists and has earned the kind of trust that you can’t manufacture. Koe, Kolby, Fox & Vead and the rest of the roster are a reflection of that. We’re excited to bring the full breadth of Red Light to the table — our people, our relationships, our global reach and all of the opportunities that come with being part of this organization. There’s a lot of momentum around these artists, and we’re thrilled to be part of their careers.”

The deal also gives Floating Leaf new opportunities to grow its roster and expand its reach. By joining Red Light, the company will draw on the management firm’s decades of experience developing artists and building careers across genres and markets.

“This isn’t about changing what Floating Leaf is,” adds Hurt. “It’s about having more at our fingertips to serve the artists we believe in. We’ve got the opportunity to dream a little bigger, move a little faster and think globally about what’s possible. That’s a pretty exciting place to be.”

Laura Veltz’s Songwriter Soup podcast has officially become nonprofit as it kicks off Season 5.

Hosted with Tracy Hackney and Kevin Sokolnicki, the move expands the podcast’s mission beyond its weekly conversations to create new ways to educate, support and advocate for songwriters, with a focus on helping them protect their minds, their money and their legacies. The first episode of Season 5, lovingly dubbed Season 5-01(c)(3), kicks off with Joybeth Taylor, co-writer of Ella Langley’s record-breaking hit “Choosin’ Texas.”

Songwriter Soup has expanded its overall mission, but the podcast isn’t changing the formula that has made it a must-listen for songwriters both in and outside of Nashville. The new nonprofit status gives the team an opportunity to take its mission further while continuing to create the candid, insightful conversations that have become a hallmark of the show.

“The songwriting community is abysmally underserved and incredibly small. That tiny group of creators is who Songwriter Soup has always served,” says Veltz. “Every time we tried to think of the podcast itself as a business we were trying to grow, something just felt off. Converting Songwriter Soup to a nonprofit allows us to keep our mission the same as it’s always been: to protect, inspire, educate and support songwriters so they can navigate, survive and thrive in this kaleidoscopic business. Providing frank, unsanitized, unfiltered conversations about the parts of the job that are seldom talked about is the best way we know how to actually support songwriters at every stage of their careers. That’s what we plan to continue doing.”

As part of the nonprofit launch, Songwriter Soup has also officially established its board, which includes the three hosts along with songwriters Connie Harrington, Thomas Daniel and Ava Suppelsa. Together, the board will help guide the organization as it grows its programming and resources for the songwriting community.

In addition to co-hosting Songwriter Soup, Veltz continues her songwriting hot streak, and among this year’s collaborations are songs with Ella Langley (“Broken”), Shaboozey (“Born to Die”), Stella Lefty (“The Kill”), frequent collaborator Jessie Murph (“Certain Kind of Love”), the faith-driven “Maker’s Mark,” co-written for Drew Baldridge and Anne Wilson, and Bryan Andrews’ “Yeehaw.”

She is also set to host a sold-out round at The Listening Room on Nov. 4, with Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde and Luke Dick in a special night of music, storytelling and giving in support of the M.A.D. Mavericks, a local Nashville 12U baseball team, as they work to make a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Cooperstown Dreams Park in New York next year.

Nashville Symphony has reinstated its 2026-27 season following a $10 million investment from Oracle.

The partnership enables the Symphony to resume the 2026-27 season along with its full-time staff members and all members of the orchestra who were set to be furloughed on Oct. 18 due to a financial emergency.

“Oracle’s commitment is a lifeline for the Nashville Symphony and the community we serve,” shares Mark Tillinger, president and CEO, Nashville Symphony. “Oracle’s partnership gives us the ability to bring our musicians and our music back to the stage, and it gives us momentum as we build toward a stronger, more sustainable long-term future. We’re immensely grateful for Oracle’s belief in the Nashville Symphony.”

“Nashville is a city that understands how music can bring people together,” says Clay Magouyrk, CEO, Oracle. “We are part of this community and understand how important cultural institutions like this are to the residents of Nashville. As Oracle builds its new headquarters on Nashville’s East Bank, we are here to help solve the community’s problems and ensure Nashville remains a vibrant place to live and work for generations to come.”

“It’s an extraordinary relief to be able to welcome a new corporate partner to arts philanthropy in Nashville,” adds Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell. “Oracle’s generosity ensures that the upcoming season will not be lost. For years, the Nashville Symphony has entertained fans—including me—and it’s encouraging to see the steps its new leadership is taking to ensure that remains true for years to come.”