SESAC Hosts AmericanaFest Showcase

SESAC celebrated AmericanaFest with a showcase at the Bluebird Cafe on Saturday, September 13. The event featured Sammy Brue, Andrew Combs, and Keifer Thompson and Shawna Thompson of Thompson Square.

 

Riley Green Tops UK Country Music Radio Airplay Chart

Riley Green recently topped the UK country radio charts with “Change My Mind,” from his recently released album Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe). The song garnered one million impressions between Sept. 5-11.

Green is currently midway through his sold-out headline tour of the UK and Ireland which included three nights at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town, plus stops in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin.

 

‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ Earns Platinum Certification

Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was recently certified Platinum by the RIAA. The track became the longest running No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart of all time at 19 weeks.

EMPIRE Founder and CEO, Ghazi, surprised Shaboozey with his plaque on stage at EMPIRE’s 15th anniversary show over the weekend.

 

Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards Dinner Raises Over $600,000 To Support U.S. Veterans

The Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards Dinner, benefiting The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (TCDJHP), returned to Nashville’s City Winery, raising more than $600,000 to fund programs for U.S. veterans, first responders and their families.

Founded in 2014 by the late Charlie Daniels and longtime manager and friend David Corlew, TCDJHP provides resources to help veterans return, rehabilitate and reintegrate into civilian life. This year marked the 11th anniversary of the Patriot Awards, honoring individuals and organizations who embody the nonprofit’s mission of service and support.

“The Patriot Awards are about more than one night—they’re about continuing Charlie’s mission to fight for the men and women who have fought for us,” shared Corlew. “We are honored by the generosity of our supporters and remain committed to ensuring every dollar raised goes directly to programs that provide hope and healing for our veterans.”

 

She Is The Music & FEMco Announce October Anzie Blue Showcase Lineup

She Is The Music, FEMco and Anzie Blue have unveiled the lineup for their upcoming showcase on Oct. 1. The multi-genre line-up includes Ruby Amanfu, Jessie Baylin, Corrina, Angie K and Eliana. Admission to the show is free and open to the public, with limited capacity.

Hosted by FEMco’s Leslie Fram and Anzie Blue’s Marcie Allen, each artist will engage in a brief discussion and perform one song, followed by a post-show mixer.

 

Monarrch Announces AI Royalty Operating System (AIR-OS)

Monarrch has launched a new AI royalty operating system (AIR-OS). AIR-OS works through verification and fingerprinting, transparent real-time usage tracking across the AI ecosystem, consent with artist-approved licensing and automated royalty payments.

“AIR-OS is built WITH artists, not just for them,” says Ken Gay, Founder of Monarrch. “And it extends that protection globally, helping defend U.S. creative property from foreign exploitation, including large-scale IP theft from China.”

“When a new AI work is made, the royalty gets paid. AIR-OS operationalizes the intent of landmark measures like the ELVIS Act and the NO FAKES Act,” Monarrch Founder John Pisciotta adds. “We don’t have to become China to beat China. We just have to build better systems—ones that protect creativity, reward innovation, and uphold the rights of those who inspire the future.”

 

VOTH Launches The Soundup Club

Oklahoma-based sibling trio VOTH has launched The Soundup Club, an organization based in Tulsa dedicated to fostering community and creating a real industry infrastructure for the talent coming out of the state. Their goal is to create a space where creators can come together to create ideas that evolve from song to studio to stage.

The Soundup Club is hosting its first songwriter’s round, The Soundup Roundup, featuring Audra Mae, Natalie Reed and Voth on Sept. 25th at The Church Studio in Tulsa.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has unveiled the full lineup for its silver anniversary in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on Oct. 3-5.

Now in its 25th year, the free music festival will once again present a truly eclectic bill of performers spanning an array of genres, including Emmylou Harris, Jeff Tweedy, Margo Price, Hovvdy, Patty Griffin, The War And Treaty, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle & The Hardly Strictly Dukes, Albert Lee, Buddy Miller, The Felice Brothers, Lola Kirke, Maria Muldaur, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rodney Crowell, Rose City Band, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin and many more.

As a special way of marking HSB’s anniversary, the Haight Street Art Center will present The Big Twang! Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25, a special exhibition running through Oct. 12. Highlights of the exhibition include HSB founder Warren Hellman’s rhinestone jacket as well as his beloved banjo; key posters from HSB concerts over the years; the festival’s famous penny machine; and dozens of photos capturing faces in the crowd by documentary photographer and filmmaker Lizzy Myers.

HSB is also celebrating its anniversary with the release of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25: The Big Twang!, an expansive book of photography and essays capturing the sights and soul of the festival through the lenses of Jay Blakesberg and many other talented photographers.Featuring a heartfelt foreword by Emmylou Harris and an afterword by Steve Earle, the book also includes interviews and essays by Aidin Vaziri, Frances Dinkelspiel, Sylvie Simmons and Tricia Hellman Gibbs.

“For the first time in our history, we have decided to put together a book to share the memories we have made for the past 25 years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass,” says Avery Hellman, Creative Director of the book. “We spent months collecting our favorite photographs of performances and candid moments to share with our audience. This book really tells the story of our unique place in the world of live music; it is guaranteed to delight you, and revive any forgotten memories of HSB.”

As a companion to the exhibition, on Sept. 20, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will co-host a special book launch event with the Haight Street Art Center featuring live music by Yoseff Tucker to celebrate the publication of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at 25: The Big Twang!

HSB will kick off its landmark 25th anniversary weekend celebration this year with a very special sold-out festival eve benefit concert honoring Emmylou Harris – the only artist to perform at each and every edition of the much beloved San Francisco free music festival. Set for Oct. 2 at San Francisco, California’s The Masonic, “A Tribute to Emmylou Harris & 25 Years of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass” will see the 14x Grammy-winner joined by some of her closest friends and collaborators including Allison Russell, Albert Lee, Margo Price, Patty Griffin, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Sam Bush, Shawn Colvin, Steve Earle and other guests.

Morgan Wallen has maintained his spot atop the streaming charts this week, according to Luminate data. His duet with Tate McRae, “What I Want,” remains at No. 1 on the songs chart with 13 million streams this week adding to its 324 million total, while his I’m The Problem record holds its top position on the albums chart with 98K in total consumption.

On the albums chart, Wallen holds the No. 2 spot with One Thing At A Time gaining 33K in total consumption and the No. 3 spot with Dangerous: The Double Album garnering 25K in total consumption. BigXThaPlug takes the No. 4 spot with I Hope You’re Happy garnering 23K in total consumption. Rounding out the albums chart is Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going with 21K in total consumption.

On the songs chart, Wallen holds the top four positions. “I Got Better” takes the No. 2 spot with 12 million streams this week. “I’m The Problem” and “Just In Case” come in at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively with 10 million streams each this week. At No. 5 this week is BigXThaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman’s “All The Way” with 8.6 million streams.

Country hitmaker Drew Parker has revealed that he will switch lanes sonically to pursue a career as a Christian country artist.

Parker co-wrote the Luke Combs’ hits “Forever After All” and “Doin’ This,” Jake Owen’s “Homemade,” Blake Shelton’s “Stay Country or Die Tryin'” and has had several other major country artist cuts. He is also a Grammy and CMA Award nominee.

“For over a year and a half, I’ve felt a stirring I couldn’t shake; a whisper growing louder,” shared Parker in a video to his fans. “God was trying to get my attention, but I wasn’t ready to listen. Now, after 10 years of chasing country music, I’m stepping out. I’m not hanging up the hat. I’m just trading it in for a new one — a hat for Jesus.”

Parker joined The Church of Eleven22’s Pastor Joby Martin’s Deepen podcast to dive deeper into his decision to switch genres. Parker plans to release the first of his new music within the coming months.

The Academy of Country Music co-hosted its first-ever “ACM Presents Wine & Country,” a one-of-a-kind event on Sept. 13 set against the backdrop of California’s historic Hearst Castle featuring a sold-out intimate concert by Miranda Lambert.

The food and wine-filled benefit raised over $420,000 for a coalition of causes including ACM Lifting Lives, Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation, the Hearst Cancer Resource Center and The Foundation at Hearst Castle, which helps preserve Hearst Castle for future generations.

“We’re so thrilled to have gone back to our California roots to celebrate country music and raise money for important charities in this beautiful, unique setting,” says Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside. “We’re grateful for this collaboration with the Hearst Ranch Winery, the Foundation at Hearst Castle, and the most-awarded artist in the Academy’s 60-year history, Miranda Lambert, benefiting such incredible non-profits: MuttNation Foundation, ACM Lifting Lives, the Hearst Cancer Resource Center, and The Foundation at Hearst Castle – each embodying compassion, creativity, and community.”