Garth And Blake’s “Dive Bar” Lands At Radio Today

/by

Garth Brooks‘ new song featuring Blake Shelton, “Dive Bar,” is available exclusively at country radio today. Fans can check out the new tune on radio before it becomes available on Amazon Music as part of Amazon Prime Day. “Dive Bar” is taken from Brooks’ forthcoming studio album FUN, and marks Brooks’ first time collaborating with Shelton.

Brooks and Shelton are set to perform the song live for the first time in Boise, Idaho, on July 19 at a stop on the Brooks’ Stadium Tour. Since launching the tour, Brooks has broken attendance records in St. Louis at The Dome at America’s Center, in Glendale, Arizona at State Farm Stadium, in Gainesville, Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, two sold-out nights at Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium and in Denver at Mile High Stadium. Additional upcoming shows are already sold-out in Eugene, Oregon at Autzen Stadium on June 29 with Regina, SK’s Mosaic Stadium show on Aug. 10 and Boise, Idaho’s Albertsons Stadium show on July 20, both selling out in under an hour, averaging just over 75,000 tickets in each city.

Morgan Wallen Raises His Whiskey Glass To Three-Week No. 1 Hit

/by

(L-R) — Back Row: Joey Moi (Partner) Kevin “Chief” Zaruk (Partner), Morgan Wallen, Seth England (Partner), Clay Hunnicutt (President, Big Loud Records), Patch Culbertson (Vp Of A&R)  Front Row: Lloyd Norman (Vp Of Special Projects & Strategic Management, Big Loud), Stacy Blythe (Vp Of Promotion, Big Loud Records), Craig Wiseman (Partner), Troy “Tracker” Johnson (Manager), Candice Watkins (Vp Of Marketing, Big Loud Records)

Morgan Wallen is celebrating his first multi-week No. 1 at country radio this week with his smash “Whiskey Glasses.” Holding atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for the third week in a row, the catchy track was written by Ben Burgess and Kevin Kadish. The third single from his Joey Moi-produced debut album, If I Know Me, the song follows the Platinum-certified, No. 1 “Up Down” featuring Florida Georgia Line.

“The power of this song, my fans, and Country radio continues to just blow me away,” said Wallen. “I can’t even express how grateful I am to everybody who made this all possible. Thank you for my first multi-week #1!”

Wallen will continue on FGL’s Can’t Say I Ain’t Country Tour, then will finish the year as direct support on Luke Combs’ Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour, kicking off in October. He surprised fans last Friday (6/14) with the release of another album cut clip, dropping a live video for the feel-good drinking anthem “Happy Hour” which was filmed at his sold-out Marathon Music Works tour stop in January in Nashville. Coming next to country radio will be Wallen’s fourth single, the fan-favorite “Chasin’ You,” with its accompanying video that has already racked up six million views on Youtube.

Hardy Passes Gorley For No. 1 Spot On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

/by

After Ashley Gorley‘s tenth week at No. 1, Michael Hardy has seized the top spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. With five titles supporting him, including: “Rednecker” (HARDY), “God’s Country” (Blake Shelton), “Talk You Out Of It” (Florida Georgia Line), “I Don’t Know About You” (Chris Lane), and “One Big Country Song” (LOCASH), Hardy earns his spot.

Morgan Wallen’s “Whiskey Glasses” boosts co-writers Ben Burgess and Kevin Kadish to No. 3 and No. 4 this week. Hillary Lindsey rounds out the top five this week with Luke Bryan’s “Knockin’ Boots,” Runaway June’s “Buy My Own Drinks” and Carly Pearce’s “Closer To You.”

Thomas Rhett leaps from No. 44 to No. 13 this week, with six songs from his recently released Center Point Road charting, including: “Center Point Road,” “Beer Can’t Fix,” “Remember You Young,” “Notice,” “Blessed,” and “Look What God Gave Her.”

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity garnered from airplay, digital downloaded track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Weekly Register: Luke Combs Debuts Atop Country Albums Chart With ‘The Prequel’

/by

Luke Combs. Photo: David Bergman for Sony Records Nashville

Luke Combs‘ new EP The Prequel continues his sales surge, as it tops the Nielsen Soundscan country albums rankings this week, with 48K in total consumption (25 million streams). Combs’ debut album, This One’s For You, is at No. 2 with 27K (28 million streams).

Following last week’s debut atop both Nielsen Soundscan’s Top 200 rankings and the country albums rankings, Thomas Rhett‘s Center Point Road falls to No. 3 this week, with 25.5K in total consumption (and 19.5 million streams).

Rounding out the Top 5 country albums this week are Dan + Shay‘s self titled album (18K total consumption/18 million streams) at No. 4, and Morgan Wallen‘s If I Know Me at No. 5 with 14.5K in total consumption.

Morgan Wallen takes over the top spot on the country on-demand streaming songs chart this week with “Whiskey Glasses.” The song earned 11 million streams this week, with an RTD total of 175 million.

Combs’ current single, “Beer Never Broke My Heart” has 10.5 million streams this week, with 94 million RTD total streams to land at No. 2. Blake Shelton‘s “God’s Country” is at No. 3 with 10.5 million streams this week (94 million RTD). Combs’ “Beautiful Crazy” is at No. 4 with 10 million streams (430 million RTD). Meanwhile, Blanco Brown‘s “The Git Up,” which currently sits atop the Spotify Viral 50 Chart, is at No. 5, with 8.8 million streams.

Breaking: Kent Earls Exits UMPG Nashville

/by

MusicRow has confirmed that UMPG Exec. VP/GM Kent Earls is exiting UMPG Nashville, following the appointment of Troy Tomlinson as Chairman/CEO of the division.

“The past 21+ years at UMPG Nashville have been truly incredible. I’m very proud of our many accomplishments while at the helm. We had multiple Grammy wins, Writer and Song of the Year accolades, countless No. 1 singles but the true joy was either signing, developing and furthering the careers of incredibly talented songwriters like Luke Laird, Rivers Rutherford, Chase McGill, Lori Mckenna, Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally, Andrew Dorff and songwriter-artists like Sam Hunt, Keith Urban, Kane Brown, Chris Young, Maren Morris, and so many more. I am also so proud of the staff we assembled in my time there—they are second to none and are the reason we achieved so many highs. I love the Nashville music industry and community and excited to see what the future holds,” Earls says.

Earls joined UMPG in 1997 and rose through the ranks. In 2012, he was promoted to lead the company’s Nashville operations.

Chase Rice To Kick Off AM/PM Tour This Fall

/by

Chase Rice has announced his AM/PM Tour, titled from a line in his latest single,“Lonely If You Are,” the followup to his two-week No. 1 “Eyes On You.” The Fall headlining tour will kick off Aug. 1 and run through Dec. 14, hitting markets across the country including Charlotte, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas and more, including a Nashville stop at Marathon Music Works on Sept. 27.  Cale Dodds, Chris DeStefano, Devin Dawson and Jon Nite will each serve as support on select dates.

Rice’s current Eyes On You Tour continues throughout the summer before he kicks off the AM/PM Tour in East Providence, R.I. He’ll also head overseas on his recently-announced headlining The Pint of Anything Tour in Europe in January.

AM/PM Tour Dates:
Thursday, Aug. 1 – Bold Point Park, East Providence, RI #
Friday, Aug 2. – The Papermill, Baldwinsville, N.Y. #
Sunday, Aug. 4 – Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, Ind.
Thursday, Aug. 8 – Boots & Hearts Festival, Oro Medonte, Ont.
Wednesday, Aug. 14 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, Calif. >>
Friday, Aug. 16 – Del Mar Race Track, Del Mar, Calif.
Saturday, Aug. 17 – Boots in the Park, Fresno, Calif.
Tuesday, Aug. 20 – Central States Fairground, Rapid City, S.D.
Saturday, Aug. 24 – Gympie Music Muster, Queensland, AUS.
Friday, Aug. 30 – Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte, N.C.
Saturday, Aug. 31 – Farm Jam Festival, Colville, Wash.
Sunday, Sept. 1 – Enumclaw Expo Center, Enumclaw, Wash.
Saturday, Sept. 7 – Touchdown and Tunes Tailgate Party, Paducah, Ky.
Thursday, Sept. 26 – The Clyde Theatre, Fort Wayne, Ind. >>
Friday, Sept. 27 – Marathon Music Works, Nashville, Tenn.  >>
Saturday, Sept. 28 – The Vic Theatre, Chicago Ill. >>
Thursday, Oct. 10 – Stage AE, Pittsburgh Pa. °+
Friday, Oct. 11 – Playstation Theater, New York, N.Y. °+
Saturday, Oct. 12 – House of Blues, Boston, Mass. °+
Thursday, Oct. 17 – White Oak Event Space, Greensboro, N.C. >>
Saturday, Oct. 19 – Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre, Wilmington, N.C. >>
Friday, Oct. 25 – Red Rock Casino Resort Spa, Las Vegas, Nev. >>
Saturday, Oct. 26 – House of Blues, Anaheim, Calif. >>
Monday, Nov. 4 – Norwegian Pearl Ship Sixthman Cruise, Miami, Fla.
Saturday, Nov. 16 – House of Blues, Orlando, Fla. >>
Thursday, Nov. 21 – The Sylvee, Madison, Wis. >>
Friday, Nov. 22 – The Masonic Temple, Cleveland, Ohio >>
Saturday, Nov. 23 – 20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids, Mich. >>
Thursday, Dec. 5 – Gillioz Theater, Springfield, Mo. >>
Friday, Dec. 6 – The Bourbon Theatre, Lincoln, Neb. >>
Saturday, Dec. 7 – The Granada Theater, Lawrence, Kan. >>
Thursday, Dec. 12 – The Fillmore Silver Spring, Silver Spring, Md. >>
Friday, Dec. 13 – The Fillmore, Philadelphia, Pa. °+
Saturday, Dec. 14 – The Fillmore, Philadelphia, Pa. °+
>> Cale Dodds
° Chris DeStefano
# Devin Dawson
+ Jon Nite

Shania Twain Launches Las Vegas Residency Beginning In December

/by

Shania Twain is setting up shop in Vegas for a residency on the Vegas Strip at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino beginning December 6. Shania Twain “Let’s Go!” The Las Vegas Residency will combine highlights from her three-decade long career with inspiration from her iconic videos and elements from her 2018 sold-out global NOW tour.

Twain will serve as creative director for the new show, which will take fans on a journey of nostalgia featuring outside-the-box concepts and visual spectacles. Twain, Live Nation Las Vegas and Caesars Entertainment have announced that $1 of every ticket purchased will be donated to Shania Kids Can, which was established in 2010 by Twain. Shania Kids Can (SKC) provides services that promote positive change in children’s lives in time of crises and economic hardship, including one-on-one consultations, academic support, group activities as well as nutritious snacks and meal programs where needed, all in the safe, confidence-building environment that is the Shania Kids Can Clubhouse.

Residency tickets go on sale to the public starting Friday, June 21 at 10 a.m. PT. American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, June 18 at 10 a.m. PT through Thursday, June 20 10 p.m. PT. Caesars Rewards members, Caesars Entertainment’s loyalty program, and Live Nation and Ticketmaster customers will have access to a pre-sale on Thursday, June 20 from 10 a.m. PT through 10 p.m. PT.

Shania Twain “Let’s Go!” The Las Vegas Residency Dates:
Dec. 2019: 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 18
March 2020: 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 25, 27, 28
May 2020: 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30
June 2020: 3, 5, 6

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit Sets Another Headlining Ryman Run

/by

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit will return to the Ryman Auditorium for a seven-night headlining run this fall, marking the longest stand the group has had at the venue to date. The shows will take place October 18-20, 22-23, and 25-26.

The band has sold out 20 consecutive shows at the venue between 2014 and 2018. Last year, they also released a live project, Live From The Ryman, from those shows.  The  Ryman run has become an annual residency featuring different sets nightly and themed opening acts each year. 2018 featured all Nashville-based openers, while 2017 featured all female support. The opening slots for the 2019 shows have yet to be revealed.

This fall, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit will also reissue two earlier projects, including 2009’s self-titled album, and 2011’s Here We Rest. Both projects have been remixed and remastered by producer Dave Cobb.

Tickets for the Ryman shows will go on sale Friday, June 21 at 10 a.m. CST.

Morgan Evans Extends World Tour With Added North American Dates

/by

Morgan Evans is extending his World Tour into North America this winter, with more than a dozen dates set for the U.S. and Canada through December 14. Among the venues Evans will play on his stateside dates are L.A.’s the Troubadour, New Jersey’s Stone Pony, and the Bowery Ballroom in New York.

Further expanding his international fan base, the Australia native will crisscross the globe with 26 shows in eight countries on tap, including previously announced European and Australian dates. The performances mark Evans’ biggest shows to-date in his home country, already selling out one of two Sydney shows, as well as Perth, Adelaide and Toowoomba.

Fan club pre-sale for the new North American tour stops begins Wednesday, June 19, with general on sale Friday, June 21. To purchase tickets, visit MorganEvansMusic.com.

Evans will perform at several festivals this Summer including Country LakeShake, Faster Horses Festival and more before embarking on his West Coast run with Rascal Flatts’ Summer Playlist Tour in July.

Morgan Evans World Tour Dates:
Sept 3 – Dublin, Ireland – Green Room at The Academy
Sept 4 – Glasgow, Scotland – Oran Mor
Sept 5 – Liverpool, U.K. – Arts Club Loft
Sept 6 – London, U.K. – Borderline
Sept 7 – Lutterworth, U.K. – The Long Road Festival
Sept 9 – Berlin, Germany – Frannz Club
Oct 17 – Sydney, NSW, Australia – Enmore Theatre
Oct 18 – Sydney, NSW, Australia – Enmore Theatre – SOLD OUT
Oct 20 – Perth, WA, Australia – Astor Theatre – SOLD OUT
Oct 21 – Adelaide, SA, Australia – The Gov – SOLD OUT
Oct 22 – Melbourne, VIC, Australia – Forum Theatre
Oct 26 – Brisbane, QLD, Australia – Eatons Hill
Oct 27 – Toowoomba, QLD, Australia – Empire Theatre – SOLD OUT
Oct 29 – Auckland, New Zealand – Tuning Fork
Nov 6 – Vancouver, Canada – Venue
Nov 7 – Kelowna, Canada – OK Corral Cabaret
Nov 8 – Calgary, Canada – Cowboys Dance Hall
Nov 9 – Edmonton, Canada – Cook County Saloon
Nov 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
Nov 22 – Las Vegas, NV – Stoney’s Rockin’ Country
Dec 5 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
Dec 6 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
Dec 7 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom*
Dec 12 – Minneapolis, MN – The Varsity Theatre
Dec 13 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed Street
Dec 14 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone
* = tickets for New York, NY go on sale Friday, June 21 at 12:00 p.m. local time

BREAKING: Troy Tomlinson Named Chairman/CEO Of UMPG Nashville

/by

Troy Tomlinson, who served as Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville’s President/CEO since 2005, has joined UMPG as Chairman/CEO of its Nashville division. With this appointment, Tomlinson becomes UMPG Nashville’s first-ever Chairman and CEO. He will begin his new role July 15 and will report to UMPG Chairman/CEO Jody Gerson.

In his new role, he will join UMPG’s global senior management team, with responsibility for the entirety of UMPG’s Nashville operations, including providing leadership to UMPG’s Tennessee-based royalty operations and Christian division. Further, Tomlinson will be a key creative voice throughout Universal Music Group, UMPG’s parent company and the world leader in music-based entertainment.

Gerson said, “Troy’s track record in Nashville is the stuff of legend. He is simply one of the best and most successful creative executives the Nashville publishing community has ever seen. And having worked closely with him during my time at Sony, I know firsthand of his ability to take a promising songwriter with a song and turn them into a career artist. I’m thrilled to have him join UMPG’s senior management team and accelerate our transformation into the most progressive and effective partner to songwriters anywhere.”

Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said, “When it comes to identifying great songs, songwriters and artists, Troy is one of Nashville’s finest. I’m looking forward to him joining us at this pivotal time as we continue to build a home for songwriters like no other, one focused on long term careers and creating global opportunities.”

Tomlinson said, “I’m so excited to join Jody and her exceptional team at UMPG. For me, this is the right time and UMPG is the right place to channel my energy and passion to build something entirely new and dynamic for Nashville’s songwriting community. I’ve long admired Jody even before I had the opportunity to work with her at Sony, and to see what she’s achieved at Universal and the culture she’s created in just the few years since she joined is nothing short of inspiring. To be able to work with her again and contribute to UMPG’s incredible momentum is exciting to say the least.”

Tomlinson joined Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2002 as Vice President of Creative, rising to President and CEO in 2005. During his tenure he oversaw the songwriting careers of artists including Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Gary Levox (Rascal Flatts), Brett Eldredge, Jon Pardi, The Band Perry, Mitchell Tenpenny, Jimmie Allen, Cole Swindell, Randy Houser, Charlie Worsham, High Valley, and Chase Rice.

In addition to Sony/ATV Music Publishing’s writer-artists, Tomlinson guided the careers of songwriters Josh Osborne, Chris DeStefano, Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, Jaren Johnston, Lindsay Rimes, Jim Beavers, Luke Laird as well as Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Bill Anderson and Bobby Braddock and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Tom Douglas, among many others. He was responsible for stewarding the song catalogs of Hank Williams, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Alan Jackson, Guy Clark, Buck Owens, Hank Cochran and the Everly Brothers. Under Tomlinson’s leadership in 2007, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville became the only country music publishing company in history to win the ASCAP Country Publisher of the Year, BMI Country Publisher of the Year, SESAC Country Publisher of the Year, and Billboard’s Publisher and Publishing Corporation of the Year, the same year. Additionally, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville has been named BMI’s Publisher of the Year for an unprecedented 16 consecutive years, as well as Billboard’s Country Publisher of the Year for the same time period.

Prior to joining Sony/ATV, Tomlinson worked at Acuff-Rose Music Publishing where he rose to the position of Executive Vice President. While at Acuff-Rose he worked with famed songwriters Dean Dillon, Skip Ewing, Jim Weatherly, and Whitey Shafer, among others. During his early years at Acuff Rose, Tomlinson discovered four-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, Kenny Chesney.

Before Acuff-Rose, Tomlinson ran the Nashville division of Fame Music Group, the company founded by Rick Hall, the Muscle Shoals studio legend.

MusicRow has confirmed that UMPG Exec. VP/GM Kent Earls is exiting.

“The past 21 + years at UMPG Nashville have been truly incredible. I’m very proud of our many accomplishments while at the helm. We had multiple Grammy wins, Writer and Song of the Year accolades, countless #1 singles but the true joy was either signing, developing and furthering the careers of incredibly talented songwriters like Luke Laird, Rivers Rutherford, Chase McGill, Lori Mckenna, Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally, Andrew Dorff and songwriter-artists like Sam Hunt, Keith Urban, Kane Brown, Chris Young, Maren Morris , and so many more. I am also so proud of the staff we assembled in my time there-they are second to none and are the reason we achieved so many highs. I love the Nashville music industry and community and excited to see what the future holds.” Earls says.

Kent can reached at kentearls@me.com.