Ole Red On The Rise Returns During CMA Fest Week

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Ole Red will host its artist showcase program “Ole Red on the Rise” on June 3 at Ole Red Nashville.

The free “Festival Edition” show presented by Dingo Boots and Sun Cruiser will include performances by Ashley Anne, Sammy Arriaga, Colt Graves, Adam Sanders, Sean Stemaly and Jenny Tolman. The evening will be hosted by WSM Radio personality Eryn Cooper, and will be livestreamed on Ole Red Nashville’s Facebook.

Ole Red has locations in Nashville, on Lower Broadway and at the Nashville International Airport; in Tishomingo, Oklahoma; in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; in Orlando at Icon Park; and in Las Vegas. A seventh location is slated to open in Indianapolis in late 2027.

Shelby Kennedy Releases New Book On Navigating The Music Business

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Veteran music executive and songwriter Shelby Kennedy has penned a new book for aspiring artists, songwriters and entrepreneurs, Gold & Platinum Nuggets of Wisdom: Bite-Sized Perspectives For Navigating The Music Business.  

Kennedy draws from his three decades of experience working with songwriters, artists, publishers, managers, producers and others in the industry in the new book, and offers insights in how to effectively navigate the music industry. Having had an insider’s view to the music business from the time he was small watching and learning from his dad, renowned producer Jerry Kennedy, Shelby possesses a wealth of unique observations and experiences that he shares in the new book.

The perspectives and insights offered up have been gleaned from discussions in the myriad of meetings Kennedy has had throughout his career. Readers will find guidance and helpful directions to aid in finding the best routes and strategies for their path forward. For Kennedy, encouraging people to use all the gifts God gave them to be all they were created to be really is a reward in itself.

“When people try to fit into the music industry, they can get confused and lose sight of what is meant to be their unique contribution. My book is an alternative attempt to have a few meetings with the reader so they can get on the fast-track with better understanding to cut through the clutter in their career path,” says Kennedy.

Gold & Platinum Nuggets of Wisdom: Bite-Sized Perspectives For Navigating The Music Business is available at Amazon Books and other digital platforms now.

Cody Johnson Notches Fifth Career No. 1

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Cody Johnson. Photo: Chris Douglas

Cody Johnson has earned his fifth career No. 1 song with “The Fall.” The track is currently sitting on top of the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

The tune was written by Bobby Pinson, Jeremy Stover and Ray Fulcher, with production from Trent Willmon. “The Fall” follows Johnson’s four previous No. 1 hits, “Til You Can’t,” “The Painter,” “Dirt Cheap” and “I’m Gonna Love You” with Carrie Underwood.

The new hit follows Johnson’s big night at the ACM Awards on Sunday (May 17), where he took home Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year. He also performed “Travelin’ Soldier” during the broadcast.

On June 26, Johnson will release his new album, Banks Of The Trinity, which features collaborations with Luke Combs and Brothers Osborne. His tour schedule continues May 29 with upcoming stops in Grand Rapids, Columbus, Jacksonville and more. He will also make festival appearances at CMA Fest, Braves Country Fest, Cavendish Beach Music Festival and more throughout the summer.

Luke Bryan Plots ‘FARM TOUR’ Fall Dates

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Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan has unveiled the fall dates for his “FARM TOUR.”

Bryan will visit Latrobe, Pennsylvania on Sept. 17, Millersport, Ohio on Sept. 18, and Brookston, Indiana on Sept. 19.

Tickets for all three dates will go on sale this Thursday (May 21) at 8 a.m. CT.

Since the inception of the “FARM TOUR” in 2009, Bryan has raised funds to award 90 college scholarships to children of farming families. Additionally, over 10 million meals have been provided through tour sponsor Bayer’s “Take Care, Now” campaign and the #HerestotheFarmer social initiative.

Bryan will release his new album, SIGNS, on Sept. 18. He will kick off his “Word On The Street Tour” on May 29, with stops in Fort Worth, Albuquerque, Wichita and more. He will also visit San Diego, Washington D.C., Las Vegas and more on the “Double Down Tour” with Jason Aldean. Festival appearances this summer for Bryan include Carolina Country Music Fest, CMA Fest, Winstock Country Music Festival and more.

Amazon MGM Studios Hosts Third Annual ‘I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion’

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Pictured (L-R): James Marsh Jr., Director of Accounts, Warner Records Nashville, Beverly Keel, MŌRIAH, Randy Savvy, Joseph Hudak, Deputy Editor, Head of Country, Rolling Stone and Stephanie Davenport, Senior Director A&R, Warner Music Nashville. Photo: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Amazon MGM Studios, in partnership with Amazon Music and the Academy of Country Music, hosted the third annual “I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion” at Luchini Italian Restaurant at MGM Grand Las Vegas on Friday (May 15).

This year’s celebration recognized the Compton Cowboys, an equestrian collective, MŌRIAH, a Latin-Country artist, Joseph Hudak, Deputy Editor and Head Of Country at Rolling Stone, Beverly Keel, a music journalist and Dean of the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University, James Marsh, National Account Director at Warner Music Nashville, and Stephanie Davenport, Vice President of A&R at Warner Music Nashville.

Hosted by Marcus K. Dowling, the program featured a special performance by artist MŌRIAH and guests enjoyed a curated portrait studio experience photographed by G L Askew II.

The brunch is part of ACM Awards Week, leading up to last night’s ACM Awards.

Prior honorees include Brittney Spencer, Cameo Carlson, Marcus Dowling, Mickey Guyton, Michelle Tigard Kammerer, Alicia Warwick, Armand Hutton, Rissi Palmer, Shannon Sanders, The War and Treaty, Tiera Kennedy and more.

MŌRIAH. Photo: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton. Photo: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Joseph Hudak. Photo: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Pictured (L-R): Michelle Tigard Kammerer, Head of Country Music, Amazon Music, Marcus K. Dowling, James Marsh Jr., Director of Accounts, Warner Records Nashville and Chuck Aly. Photo: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Miranda Lambert Leaps Into Top 15 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Miranda Lambert. Photo: Robert Ascroft

Miranda Lambert has entered the top 15 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter chart. Her Ella Langley collaboration “Butterfly Season” and the ACM Single and Song of the Year “Choosin’ Texas,” as well as her collaboration with Kacey Musgraves “Horses and Divorces” put the singer-songwriter at No. 11 this week.

Langley remains in the No. 1 spot for the fourth consecutive week with “Be Her,” “Bottom Of Your Boots,” “Broken,” “Butterfly Season,” “Choosin’ Texas,” “Dandelion,” “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” “Loving Life Again” and “You & Me Time.” Joybeth Taylor stays at No. 2 with “Broken,” “Butterfly Season,” “Choosin’ Texas,” “Dandelion,” “Empty Words,” “I Can’t Love You Anymore” and “You & Me Time.”

Randy Montana (No. 3), Austin Goodloe (No. 4) and HARDY (No. 5) round out this week’s top five.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download 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.

MercyMe Plots New 24-City Fall Tour

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MercyMe is set to return to the road this fall on the “MercyMe LIVE Tour,” which will kick off in October.

Jeremy Camp, Tim Timmons, and Sam Wesley will join the band on the new dates as they visit 24 cities across the country, including Charleston, Baton Rouge, Colorado Springs, Louisville, Minneapolis, and more through Nov. 15, with a Nashville date set for Oct. 18.

Tickets go on sale this Friday (May 22).

Since launching their breakout single “I Can Only Imagine,” MercyMe has propelled nearly 30 songs to the top of the charts, resulting in more than 65 multi-format No. 1 hits. Holding the record for the most No.1s on Billboard’s Christian Airplay and Christian AC Airplay charts, the collective has accrued a shelf full of accolades including numerous Artist of the Year wins, GMA Dove Awards, K-LOVE Fan Awards, American Music Awards, and a Billboard Music Award.

MercyMe made history in 2014 when “I Can Only Imagine” exceeded 2 million digital downloads, making the now 5x-Platinum hit the first song in Christian music to ever be certified Platinum and double-Platinum digitally.

“MercyMe LIVE Tour” Dates:
October 8 – Columbus, GA
October 9 – North Charleston, SC
October 10 – Tallahassee, FL
October 11 – Charlotte, NC
October 15 – Brandon, MS
October 16 – Duluth, GA
October 17 – Pikeville, KY
October 18 – Nashville, TN
October 22 – Greenville, SC
October 23 – Baltimore, MD
October 24 – State College, PA
October 29 – Rogers, AR
October 30 – Baton Rouge, LA
October 31 – The Woodlands, TX
November 1 – Fort Worth, TX
November 5 – Colorado Springs, CO
November 6 – Park City, KS
November 7 – Springfield, MO
November 8 – Oklahoma City, OK
November 12 – Fishers, IN
November 13 – Louisville, KY
November 14 – Kansas City, MO
November 15 – Minneapolis, MN

Drew Baldridge Offers Fans Chance To Win Private Farm Concerts

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Drew Baldridge. Photo: Riley Mays

Drew Baldridge is offering fans a chance to win free private concerts on their own farms.

Baldridge first launched the idea during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, when he began performing intimate backyard concerts for fans across the country, playing more than 400 shows.

Fans can enter here for a chance to win.

“A few years ago, I posted on social media asking if anyone wanted me to come play in their backyard,” says Baldridge. “Over the span of three years, I received more than 20,000 messages. I only intended to do a few shows, but it grew beyond my wildest dreams. I miss those personal, intimate performances, so being able to give back to the fans who supported me during that time is something I can’t wait to do. We want to visit farms and small towns that may not regularly get concerts at theaters, amphitheaters, or arenas — people who grew up in communities just like I did.”

The select farm concerts will be woven into Baldridge’s 14-date headlining “Farm Faith Family Tour,” which kicks off June 11 in Omaha and runs through October.

In addition to the “Farm Faith Family Tour,” Baldridge will also support Luke Bryan and Cody Johnson on select dates, in addition to appearances at fairs and festivals nationwide. He will also bring the spirit of “Farm Faith Family” back home to Patoka on Sept. 19 for the fourth annual “The BIG Baldridge and Bonfire” festival.

Gary Stewart LP Of Rare Unreleased Tunes, ‘One Track Mind,’ Due In July

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Gary Stewart fans can discover an untold chapter of his incredible story more than two decades after his passing on One Track Mind, a collection of rare and previously unreleased recordings from Delmore Recording Society which will be released July 17.

The first preview track from the album, “Iron Bar Motel,” is available now. The songs on One Track Mind showcase the roots of Stewart, a musician born well outside the realm of Nashville’s Music Row who became one of the singular voices of the country genre in the 1970s. The CD/streaming versions of the project include four bonus tracks and rare country covers of Motown favorites.

One Track Mind finds Stewart toward the beginning of his career as a songwriter, newly arrived in Nashville, signing first with Cedarwood and then Forrest Hills publishing. These songwriting demos, an informal home tape, and even a lone acetate have been preserved from archival sources by producer Mark Linn and Stewart’s close friend Tommy Schwartz. Working primarily with early songwriting partner Bill Eldridge, several songs on the collection were cut, including Del Reeves (“One Track Mind”), Cal Smith (“You Can’t Housebreak a Tomcat”), Jack Greene (“There’s a Whole Lot About a Woman (A Man Don’t Know)”) and Nat Stuckey (“The Snuff Queen”).

Fans who know Stewart through his near-decade run as a recording artist for RCA Victor in the ‘70s and ‘80s will find unique and revealing detours on One Track Mind. The version of “The Snuff Queen” features just Stewart’s voice and guitar, digging into a dark country-blues groove. “Beautiful River” is an unfinished ballad recorded in the trailer he shared with Mary Lou, his beloved wife of more than 40 years, with fingerpicked guitar and a soft, drifting whistle throughout. The vinyl album’s closing track “Williamson County” is a ghostly murder ballad with the singer’s voice stretched into an anguished howl.

Last month, a definitive biography, Gary Stewart: I Am From the Honky-Tonks, was published from writer Jimmy McDonough.

One Track Mind Track List: (previously unreleased except where noted)
* denotes CD/streaming bonus track
1. “One Track Mind”
2. “Kings and Queens”
3. “Woman Will Tear the Heart Right Out of a Man”
4. “Big Bad Train”
6. “Living the Life of a Dog”
7. “Don’t Put a Poor Hand on Me”
8. “Her Apple Pie”
9. “My Mind is on You”
10. “Iron Bar Motel”
11. “The Bottom of the Pile”
12. “There’s a Whole Lot About a Woman (A Man Don’t Know)”
13. “If You Come Back Darling”
14. “You Can’t Housebreak a Tomcat”
15. “The Snuff Queen”
16. “Beautiful River”
17. “WIlliamson County”
18. “Morbid the Great” *
19. “Baby I Need Your Loving” (released on Delmore Recording Society 7″ single DE028, 2018) *
20. “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday” (released on Delmore Recording Society 7″ single DE028, 2018) *
21. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” *

Neil Medley Renews Global Deal With River House Artists & Sony Music Publishing

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Pictured (L-R): Lauren Lieu, Zebb Luster, Neil Medley and Kayla Adkins. Photo: Katie Levine

Neil Medley has renewed his global publishing agreement with River House Artists and Sony Music Publishing.

Medley has penned multiple No. 1 hits, including the recent Hudson Westbrook chart-topper, “House Again,” as well as Luke Bryan’s “Country Song Came On” and Jake Owen’s “Made For You.” Medley has earned additional cuts with Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Cody Johnson, Joe Nichols, Jason Aldean, Tyler Farr, Josh Abbott Band, Brent Cobb and more.

“Ever since I signed, Zebb, Kayla [Adkins] and Lauren [Lieu] have worked tirelessly to put me in the best situations to write my best songs,” shares Medley. “I couldn’t be happier with what we’ve achieved over the past four years and I’m excited about what we’re going to accomplish in the future.”

“Neil is like family to our staff and our writers,” says EVP of River House Artists Zebb Luster. “He brings a level of experience to the writing room that always improves the song they are crafting. We couldn’t be prouder to continue our partnership with Neil. He is a major asset to what we have built at River House.”

“Neil is an exceptional songwriter and a trusted collaborator who consistently elevates the creative process,” adds Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston. “His continued success is a testament to his incredible work ethic and love of great songs, and we’re excited to champion his next chapter.”