Luke Combs Becomes Second Artist Ever To Top All Five ‘Billboard’ Country Charts

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Luke Combs. Photo: Jim Wright

This week, Luke Combs became the second artist ever to simultaneously top all five Billboard Country charts. His hit “Beautiful Crazy” topped the Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, Country Streaming Songs and Country Digital Song Sales charts and This One’s For You topped the Top Country Albums chart, all dated March 9, 2019. Kane Brown was the first artist to achieve this impressive feat in 2017.

“Beautiful Crazy” is the first country single shipped to radio already Platinum-certified since Taylor Swift’s “Red” in 2013. His Platinum debut album, This One’s For You, was the highest selling country album in 2018 with 1.1 million equivalent album units sold and the only country album to surpass 1 million album units in 2018. It’s also the most-streamed country album of 2019, so far. Additionally, Combs was recently nominated for two 2019 ACM Awards (Male Artist of the Year and New Male Artist of the Year), won New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards, was nominated for Best New Artist at the 61st Grammy Awards and recently won a CMA Triple Play Award for writing three No. 1 songs in a 12-month period

In celebration of these milestones, Combs recently released an acoustic version of “Beautiful Crazy.”

YouTube video

 

Building 429 Launches Label In Partnership With The Fuel Music, Vasquez Entertainment

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CCM band Building 429 will release its next single, “Fear No More,” on the newly-formed 3rd Wave Music on April 5. The single will be distributed via The Fuel Music to digital and streaming outlets.

The band recently parted ways with former label home Provident Label Group/Sony Music and developed 3rd Wave Music in partnership with Vasquez Entertainment. The new structure will allow the band to do multi-song releases, offering more music to fans, more often.

Building 429 includes vocalist Jason Roy, drummer Michael Anderson, guitarist Jesse Garcia and bassist Aaron Branch.

“It’s been an honor to walk side by side with Building 429 over the last 15 years. In partnership with The Fuel Music, I’m thrilled to see what this next season holds for the band’s music and ministry,” says Gabriel Vasquez, owner and president of Vasquez Entertainment. “The team that has come together around this new endeavor is beyond stellar and we look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie in approaching artist development and releasing music in a new way.”

“Fuel is really excited to partner with Building 429 and Vasquez Entertainment on the launch of 3rd Wave Music,” says Tony Patoto, The Fuel Music founder and CEO. “Building 429 is a highly-sought-after band whose music is brilliant, and Fuel is thrilled to be able to serve their vision and goals and make some history with them.”

The Fuel Music & Management was founded in 2008 as a Nashville-based artist management and solutions company for independent music distribution.

Building 429 released their debut album in 2004. In 2012, the band issued “Where I Belong,” which remained at No. 1 on the Hot Christian Songs charts for 15 weeks. It was later certified Gold by the RIAA. The band has also earned two BMI Song of the Year honors for “Where I Belong” and “Glory Defined.”

Maren Morris To Livestream First Show On GIRL The World Tour

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Maren Morris is inviting everyone to her GIRL The World Tour. The singer-songwriter, whose album GIRL releases this Friday (March 8), will livestream the first show of her GIRL World Tour on Amazon Music’s Facebook page.

The livestream begins March 9 at 9 p.m. CT, as Morris performs live from Chicago’s The Riviera Theatre. The following tour stop will be held at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on March 13.

For her upcoming album, Morris reunited with songwriter-producer busbee, who co-produced her 2016 debut, HERO. busbee co-produced 11 of the album’s 14 songs with Morris, while songwriter-producer Greg Kurstin produced three tracks.

Justin Moore Reveals Track Listing, Writers On Latest Project

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Justin Moore has revealed the track listing for his latest album Late Nights And Longnecks, due out April 26 via The Valory Music Co. The project features backing by an all-star band that includes guitarist Brent Mason and pedal steel player Paul Franklin.

“I’ve never worked with those guys [Mason and Franklin] before, but they’ve played on some of my favorite albums of all time,” says Moore. “We thought it would be really cool to bring them in and record the whole thing at The Castle, this historic studio just south of Nashville where a lot of those legendary hit records were made.”

The raucous album opener “Why We Drink” kicks things off with a wry smile, as Moore rattles off a seemingly endless list of justifications for cracking open a cold one. Alcohol is a constant companion on the record, but Moore paints a complex picture of his characters’ relationship with it, whether its as medication (“Never Gonna Drink Again”); for escape (“Airport Bar”); or to drown out a haunting memory you’d rather forget (“Jesus and Jack Daniels”).

The album also features the tender “That’s My Boy,” which explores the timeless bond a father shares with a son, while the driving “Small Town Street Cred” celebrates the uncomplicated joys of rural living, and the emotional “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” honors the soldiers, nurses, first responders, and teachers who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice in order to help make the world a better place for the rest of us.

Leading up to the release of the new project, Moore will headline arenas and amphitheaters across the U.S., and an extensive 2019 Fall tour will be announced in the coming weeks.

LATE NIGHTS AND LONGNECKS Tracklist:
1. “Why We Drink” | Justin Moore, Casey Beathard, David Lee Murphy, Jeremy Stover
2. “That’s My Boy” | Justin Moore, Casey Beathard, Jeremy Stover
3. “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home” | Justin Moore, Paul DiGiovanni, Chase McGill, Jeremy Stover
4. “Jesus And Jack Daniels” | Justin Moore, Paul DiGiovanni, Chase McGill, Jeremy Stover
5. “Airport Bar” | Justin Moore, Casey Beathard, Paul DiGiovanni, Jeremy Stover
6. “Small Town Street Cred” | Justin Moore, Paul DiGiovanni, Chase McGill, Jeremy Stover
7. “Never Gonna Drink Again” | Justin Moore, Rhett Akins, Paul DiGiovanni, Jeremy Stover
8. “On The Rocks” | Justin Moore, Paul DiGiovanni, Chase McGill, Jeremy Stover
9. “Someday I Gotta Quit” | Justin Moore, Casey Beathard, Paul DiGiovanni, Jeremy Stover
10. “Good Times Don’t” | Justin Moore, Paul DiGiovanni, Chase McGill, Jeremy Stover

Artist Updates: Jennifer Nettles, Trisha Yearwood, Hailey Whitters

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Human Rights Campaign Honors Jennifer Nettles

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, honored Jennifer Nettles on March 2 with the HRC Ally for Equality Award at the 2019 HRC Nashville Dinner. Held at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel, the annual event brings together hundreds of HRC’s most active members and supporters in the Nashville area to raise funds in the fight for LGBTQ equality.

In 2018, Sugarland worked with HRC to help raise awareness of the impact of hate speech and the importance of supporting LGBTQ youth. By adding statistics from HRC’s 2018 survey of LGBTQ youth to Nettles’ performance of the Patty Griffin LBGTQ tribute song “Tony,” she helped confront the issue of LGBTQ teen suicide. Sugarland recently wrapped their Still The Same 2018 Tour across North America, featuring their latest album Bigger.

 

Trisha Yearwood Launches Weekly Show On SiriusXM

Trisha Yearwood has launched a weekly SiriusXM show, Trisha’s Cafe, on Garth Brooks’ exclusive SiriusXM channel, The Garth Channel (channel 55). The show launched Monday, March 4.

Yearwood combines her love for food and music in Trisha’s Café. Each week, the show will feature five songs: an appetizer, today’s special, main course, cocktail and dessert. Yearwood will handpick the first four songs and the fifth song, the dessert, will be chosen by a fan. Listeners will hear music from established stars and upcoming performers from both pop and country music.

Trisha’s Café will air Mondays at 5 p.m. ET on The Garth Channel and through the SiriusXM app. The show will rebroadcast on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. ET, Fridays at 9 a.m. ET, Saturdays at 3 p.m. ET and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

Yearwood recently released Let’s Be Frank, a collection of Frank Sinatra covers.

 

Carnival Music’s Hailey Whitters To Hold Album Preview Concert Tonight

Carnival Music artist Hailey Whitters is prepping the release of her first new music in four years with a preview concert at Nashville’s The Basement on Tuesday, March 5, beginning at 7 p.m. Whitters has released the first single from the project, an autobiographical “Ten Year Town,” with the official single and music video.

YouTube video

 

Alison Krauss, The Avett Brothers, Steve Earle Among Lineup For Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival

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The lineup for Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour summer leg has been announced. The dates will feature performances by Willie Nelson & Family, Phil Lesh & Friends, The Avett Brothers, Alison Krauss, The Revivalists, Counting Crows, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dawes, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Hayes Carll, Casey Donahew, Matt Mays, Colter Wall, Particle Kid and more to be announced in the coming weeks.

The summer leg kicks off in Bangor, Maine, on June 14, 2019 and ends July 3 in Dallas. Each date will feature a unique range of festival attractions including local cuisine, craft beers, and crafts by local artisans to provide fans in each city with an unforgettable experience. Tickets for the general public go on sale Friday, March 8.

“We had so much fun on the Outlaw Music Festival Tour last year that we couldn’t wait to get back out on the road with everyone,” says Nelson.

Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour

JUNE 14
BANGOR, ME – DARLING’S WATERFRONT PAVILION
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
Alison Krauss
The Revivalists
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Particle Kid

JUNE 15
BETHEL, NY – MOUNTAIN JAM
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
The Revivalists
Alison Krauss
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Particle Kid

JUNE 16
HARTFORD, CT – XFINITY THEATRE
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
Alison Krauss
The Revivalists
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
Particle Kid

JUNE 21
TORONTO, ON – BUDWEISER STAGE
Willie Nelson & Family
The Avett Brothers
Alison Krauss
Matt Mays
Opener TBD

JUNE 22
BURGETTSTOWN, PA – KEYBANK PAVILION
Willie Nelson & Family
The Avett Brothers
Alison Krauss
Old Crow Medicine Show
Dawes
Opener TBD

JUNE 23
COLUMBUS, OH – NATIONWIDE ARENA
Willie Nelson & Family
The Avett Brothers
Alison Krauss
Old Crow Medicine Show
Dawes
Opener TBD

JUNE 27
MILWAUKEE, WI – SUMMERFEST
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
The Avett Brothers
Counting Crows
Alison Krauss
Dawes
Opener TBD

JUNE 28
CHICAGO, IL – HOLLYWOOD CASINO AMPHITHEATRE
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
The Avett Brothers
Alison Krauss
Old Crow Medicine Show
Dawes
Opener TBD

JUNE 29
ST LOUIS, MO- HOLLYWOOD CASINO AMPHITHEATRE
Willie Nelson & Family
Phil Lesh & Friends
Alison Krauss
Old Crow Medicine Show
Dawes
Opener TBD

JULY 3
DALLAS, TX- DOS EQUIS PAVILION
Willie Nelson & Family
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Alison Krauss
Casey Donahew
Steve Earle & The Dukes
Hayes Carll
Colter Wall

‘Nashville’ TV Show To Become Broadway Musical

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The Lionsgate/ABC Studios series Nashville, which ran for six seasons on ABC, CMT and Hulu, will soon be adapted as a Broadway musical.

Scott Delman, a 10-time Tony Award winner, will serve as lead producer, and has acquired the live theatrical rights from Lionsgate and ABC Studios. Additional information, including production dates and the complete creative team, will be announced at a later date.

Delman has served as producer or co-producer on 55 Broadway productions, including the musicals American Idiot, Ragtime, Book of Mormon, Hello, Dolly!, and more. Twenty-eight of his productions have garnered Tony Award nominations for best production of their respective categories, and 10 have won.

Nashville represents Lionsgate’s first-ever Broadway production, kicking off a series of live stage productions based on Lionsgate film and television properties.

“Nashville, with its complex, relatable characters and sweeping emotional gestures, has all of the narrative elements that I look for in great theatrical source material. From that rich DNA, we will be building an original story with entirely original music written by major Nashville and Broadway songwriters,” said Delman. “We are particularly excited to deliver Broadway’s first score of true contemporary country music—a genre that has exploded with mainstream audiences in recent years. Lionsgate has a treasure-trove of sterling I.P., and I’m honored to be a part of this new phase of their live entertainment division.”

“Nashville represents a unique opportunity to collaborate with Tony Award-winning producer Scott Delman to bring one of our most beloved properties to the stage in our first-ever Broadway production,” said Jenefer Brown, Lionsgate Sr. VP, global live & location-based entertainment. “It kicks off an exciting slate of iconic Lionsgate properties that we will be bringing to a variety of platforms, transforming them into events that will expand the viewing experience for their fans and take our already successful live entertainment business to the next level.”

For six seasons the award-winning hit show Nashville, created by Callie Khouri, was set against the backdrop of Music City’s music industry scene and followed the lives of country music superstars as well as the up-and-coming performers and songwriters trying to get ahead in the business.

 

Spirit Music Nashville Inks Multi-Faceted Deal With Zach Crowell

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Front Row (L-R): Michelle Davey (Administration Coordinator/Office Manager, Spirit Music Nashville) and Billy Lynn (VP, Creative, Spirit Music Nashville); Middle Row (L-R): Daniel Hill (President, Spirit Music Nashville), Derek Crownover (Attorney, Dickinson Wright PLLC), Zach Crowell, Kelly Bolton (VP, Creative, Tape Room Music), Blain Rhodes (GM, Tape Room Music) and Chip Petree (Attorney, Ritholz Levy Fields LLP). Back Row (L-R): Brian Bradford (Sr. Director of Administration, Spirit Music Nashville), and Cam Caldwell (Attorney, Dickinson Wright PLLC).

Spirit Music Nashville has signed Nashville writer Zach Crowell. As part of this deal, Spirit Music Nashville has also acquired Crowell’s I Love Pizza Music publishing catalog and has formed a co-publishing venture with Crowell and Ashley Gorley‘s Tape Room Music to encompass Crowell’s future works.

Finally, Spirit and Crowell have formed a partnership to allow Crowell to sign and develop talent to his own joint venture under Spirit Music Nashville.

“The opportunity to work with Zach Crowell is a fantastic honor for a publisher,” said Singer. “Zach is an enormously talented, go-to hit-maker who has made many friends in the Nashville music community. We are honored to partner with Ashley Gorley’s Tape Room Music on our deal with Zach and look forward to putting our global resources behind them. The entire worldwide team at Spirit Music Group looks forward to what we will accomplish together.”

“Zach is one of the brightest talents in music today. His abilities both as a songwriter and as a producer are remarkable, and his many achievements and accolades in both fields are a testament to his gifts. The Spirit Music Nashville team and I are proud to be a part of the next chapter of Zach’s career, and we are thrilled to partner on this with Ashley Gorley and Tape Room Music,” said Daniel Hill, President, Spirit Music Nashville.

“I’m fired up to continue working with Ashley Gorley and Tape Room Music and excited to bring my catalog to Spirit – they have a great team and I couldn’t ask for those songs to be in better hands,” said Crowell.

“Zach and I couldn’t be happier to be working with Spirit Music Group through this new venture,” said Gorley. “Their passion for Zach and the belief they have in Tape Room Music is exciting. We appreciate their creativity and support in this partnership.”

Crowell has earned nine No. 1 songs as a writer, and seven No. 1 songs as a producer. His chart-toppers as a writer include Sam Hunt’s “Body Like A Back Road” and “House Party”; Carrie Underwood’s “Heartbeat,” “Church Bells,” and “Dirty Laundry”: Dustin Lynch’s “Where It’s At (Yep Yep)” and “Hell of a Night”; Cole Swindell’s “Middle of a Memory”; Billy Currington’s “Do I Make You Wanna”; and Luke Bryan’s “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset.” Crowell earned the 2018 ASCAP Country Song of the Year for Hunt’s “Body Like A Back Road,” as well as the three CMA Triple Play awards, among many other accolades.

The signing marks the latest in a series of moves by Spirit, including a $350 million recapitalization of Spirit Music Group led by Spirit Music Group Chairman Jon Singer and business partner Ross Cameron in January.

In addition to his independent success, Crowell has been a long-time collaborator with Gorley and the two have co-written numerous songs together. Gorley, one of the most successful songwriters in Nashville history, is credited with writing 39 No. 1 singles. Crowell first began working with Gorley in 2010 when he was the first writer signed to Gorley’s publishing venture Tape Room Music.

Music Biz Conference Makes Nashville Its Home Through 2021

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Pictured (L-R): Quiana Taylor – Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp.; James Donio – President, the Music Business Association; Shelley Bankard-Weaver – JW Marriott, Nashville Photo by Katti Mayberry/Kidtee Hello Photography

The Music Business Association’s annual Music Biz Conference will remain in Music City through 2021 at the recently opened JW Marriott Nashville, the organization has announced. Music Biz 2019 will take place May 5-8, with Music Biz 2020 and 2021 following May 11-14, 2020 and May 10-13, 2021, respectively. The conference recently held its largest event in the past 17 years, with over 2,200 in attendance.

“Music Biz owes a great deal of thanks for the support of former mayors Karl Dean and Megan Barry and now Mayor David Briley, as well as the Nashville Convention & Visitors’ Bureau and the Nashville music community, all of whom have made us feel so welcome in Nashville and have made the process of bringing our Conference to their city so effortless,” offered Music Biz President James Donio. “Nashville has become a hotbed of activity for all aspects of the industry, making it the perfect place for the global content, commerce and creative communities to gather and discuss how our industry can continue to drive collective prosperity.”

The Music Biz Conference first came to Nashville in 2015, and has continued to grow year-over-year while maintaining its high level of educational programming and featured keynote speakers. The Conference continues to draw an ever-increasing representation from the global music business community, with Music Biz 2018 bringing attendees from 17 countries outside of the US to Music City.

For more visit musicbiz.org.

CMA Fest 2019 Performers Revealed

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The Country Music Association has revealed the initial artist lineup for this year’s CMA Fest, set for June 6-9 in downtown Nashville.

Taking the nightly Nissan Stadium stage this year are country artists Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.

The Chevy Riverfront Stage returns once again with a lineup that will keep crowds rocking from 10 a.m.-5:15 p.m. each day including performances by A Thousand Horses, Lauren Alaina, Jimmie Allen, Danielle Bradbery, Lee Brice, Easton Corbin, Jordan Davis, Devin Dawson, Jessie James Decker, Gavin DeGraw, Russell Dickerson, Eli Young Band, Lindsay Ell, Tyler Farr, Gone West, Riley Green, Hunter Hayes, Walker Hayes, High Valley, Home Free, Ryan Hurd, LOCASH, Maddie & Tae, Ashley McBryde, Scotty McCreery, Eric Paslay, Carly Pearce, Cassadee Pope, RaeLynn, Mason Ramsey, Michael Ray, Tyler Rich, Runaway June, Dylan Scott, Granger Smith, Mitchell Tenpenny, Morgan Wallen and Aaron Watson.

Returning for a third year, the Budweiser Forever Country Stage will take place from 11 a.m.-4:45 p.m. daily. Featuring some of the biggest names in country music from recent decades, this year’s lineup includes Keith Anderson, Deana Carter, John Carter Cash, Joe Diffie, George Ducas, Charles Esten, Andy Griggs, Halfway to Hazard, Ty Herndon, Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence, Little Texas, Lonestar, The Marshall Tucker Band, Kendell Marvel, Neal McCoy, Montgomery Gentry, Lorrie Morgan, The Nelsons, Jerrod Niemann, Jamie O’Neal, The Road Hammers, Ray Scott, Shenandoah, Sister Hazel, Ricky Skaggs, Kiefer Sutherland, Thompson Square, Uncle Kracker, Mark Wills, Rita Wilson and Darryl Worley.

Outdoor daytime stages including Chevy Riverfront and Budweiser Forever Country are free and open to the public. All artist lineups are subject to change.

CMA Fest will once again be filmed for a national television special to air on the ABC Television Network this summer; Robert Deaton will serve as executive producer. This is the 16th consecutive year the event has been filmed for a network television

The lineup announcement was first made via the CMA Fest app, as the CMA Foundation celebrates Music In Our Schools Month. For more than 30 years, March has been officially designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) for observance of Music In Our Schools Month, the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation.