Shaboozey. Photo: Daniel Prakopcyk

Shaboozey has established his own record label, American Dogwood, in collaboration with his label home EMPIRE. American Dogwood will spotlight genre-bending and boundary-pushing artists similar to Shaboozey himself.

Shaboozey, Jared Cotter and Abas Pauti. Photo: Daniel Prakopcyk

Shaboozey will lead the label by discovering and mentoring artists alongside longtime collaborators Jared Cotter and Abas Pauti. EMPIRE will support the label’s global infrastructure.

“American Dogwood is a tribute to where we come from, and to the artists, storytellers, and creators who make this life remarkable,” shares Shaboozey. “Our mission is to nurture the next generation of voices and to give them a place to grow, connect, and create. This is the beginning of a new chapter – one I hope always feels like home.”

The first act signed to the label is Kevin Powers, a Nashville based artist originally hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina. He first made his mark in Music City with viral co-penned hits “Walked In” and “How You Been?” He also c0-wrote the Shaboozey & Jelly Roll collaboration “Amen.” Powers sound is often described as “Southern Pop,” blending pop, country and hip-hop.

The first single off the new label will be a collaboration between Shaboozey and Powers titled “Move On,” dropping Sept. 19.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the American Dogwood family,” adds Powers. “My first release, “Move On” featuring Shaboozey, is about what happens when a relationship ends – how some people can let go, while others hold on longer than they should. It’s a story I think a lot of people will connect with, and I couldn’t imagine a better way to begin this journey than sharing it with Shaboozey by my side.”

Pictured (L-R): Carnival Music’s Emily McMannis and Frank Liddell, Scooter Carusoe, EMG’s Lauren Funk and Michael Martin, and Carnival Music’s Brittany Hamlin

Songwriter Scooter Carusoe has signed a worldwide joint co-publishing agreement with Endurance Music Group and Carnival Music.

Throughout his decades-long career, Carusoe has penned cuts for a variety of artists including “Better as a Memory” and “Anything but Mine” for Kenny Chesney, “Wanna Be That Song” and “Mean to Me” for Brett Eldredge, “For the First Time” by Darius Rucker and “You All Over Me” by Taylor Swift, among others. His songs have earned awards from NSAI, ASCAP and SESAC, and have been recorded by Gary Allan, Lee Brice, Kane Brown, Jordan Davis, Eli Young Band, Lady A, David Nail, Rascal Flatts, Chase Rice, Sugarland, Uncle Kracker and more.

Carusoe’s recent cuts include Eric Church’s “Hands of Time,” which reached the top 15 and is currently climbing the Billboard Country Airplay chart, as well as Dierks Bentley’s “Never You” featuring Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum’s “My Blue,” Ty Myers’ “Morning Comes” and Charles Wesley Godwin’s “Better That Way.”

“Honestly, I can’t believe we have the opportunity to join forces with Frank Liddell and Carnival Music for this next creative season with Scooter and Endurance,” says Michael Martin, EMG President and Chief Creative Officer. “The history they have together has made a significant impact on Music Row, and it’s pretty special to have it all come full circle with EMG.”

Emily McMannis, Chief of Creative at Carnival Music, adds, “I spent my childhood trying to figure out who Scooter Carusoe, the guy in my favorite CD liner notes, was, and now it’s my job to really figure out who he is. He’s an artist who evolves and creates and should never be told how or why – just given the space to do. His songs are a big reason why I love country music, and to know that he’s back at Carnival – the company he started with Frank – is beyond amazing. Scooter has what this town needs: great songs. I’m really lucky to work with him.”

“Some relationships transcend the hits, holds, and heartbreaks of this business,” says Carusoe. “That’s what this team represents to me. They are as much family as they are publishing.”

Frank Liddell, Producer and Co-Founder of Carnival Music, simply states, “Welcome home, Scooter.”

Dylan Bourne. Photo: Luis Garcia-Cano

RCA Records has teamed up with Bourne Creatives to sign and develop new artists across all genres.

Dylan Bourne, who formed Bourne Creatives in 2020, will helm the venture. With roots in both Los Angeles and Nashville, his background includes management, label and publishing experience.

This partnership will expand upon RCA’s A&R reach and focus on helping artists build a creative and strategic foundation from the ground up. Independent of this joint venture, Bourne Creatives will continue working with its existing management roster of artists.

“Our ability to identify and cultivate talent in their early stages, paired with the proven artist development team at RCA Records, will provide the tools to build sustainable careers with both cultural and commercial impact,” shares Bourne.

“Dylan and his team have a keen eye for talent discovery and an expertise in grassroots artist development that will enhance our capabilities across multiple genres,” adds John Fleckenstein, COO, RCA Records.

Thirty Tigers is posthumously releasing Luke Bell‘s The King Is Back, a 28-song album of the unreleased recordings that would have made up Bell’s sophomore album, on Nov. 7.

Three years ago, the Wyoming-born singer/songwriter tragically passed away at age 32. The collection captures Bell in his artistic prime, spinning stories about blue-collar workers, heartbroken ramblers, and the personal struggles that bind us together. The project was assembled by Luke’s mother Carol Bell and manager Brian Buchanan, and was produced by Andrija Tokic, Stephen Daly, Justin Frances and Luke Bell, who wrote every song.

The album’s title track “The King Is Back” was just released alongside a video featuring footage of Bell and his best friend, his dog Bill, at the historic TE Ranch west of Cody, Wyoming where he lived and worked during his musical off seasons.

Bell was raised in Cody, Wyoming, and independently released two albums before signing with Thirty Tigers for his self-titled debut, which established him as one of the strongest new voices in country. Bell tragically lost his father to cancer in 2015 and began struggling with severe mental illness, which made it increasingly difficult to play shows and continue living in Nashville. He was ultimately diagnosed as bipolar, and spent the following years tirelessly grappling with his illness, leading to hospitalizations and even a stint in jail. On August 26, 2022, Bell was found dead in Tucson, Arizona, after going missing.

The King Is Back is available for pre-order including a double LP pressed on cloud colored vinyl in a deluxe gatefold jacket, and includes a 24-page lyric booklet with photos and heartfelt liner notes written by Carol Bell. All proceeds from the album release will support The Luke Bell Memorial Affordable Counseling Program, a non-profit founded by Carol and Jane Bell that supports Big Horn Basin residents by providing up to 10 therapy sessions.

“It’s a meaningful way for Luke to give back to his community,” Carol says of the album’s charitable purpose. “A lot of Luke’s songs feature brave, cocksure characters who are hiding some kind of pain, and I think Luke was writing about himself, even though the songs weren’t always autobiographical. I also see traces of Luke in funny songs like ‘Orangutang,’ which might be about a Wyoming kid who wound up in Nashville, feeling like an ape who just escaped the zoo. The willingness to be silly and ridiculous, for the sake of fun – that’s very much like Luke, too. He changed the way we see the world. He helped us see people we didn’t always notice before, and he helped remind us how much they matter.”

On Sept. 11 at AmericanaFest in Nashville, Western AF will present a tribute to Luke Bell at The Basement East featuring many of Luke’s peers as well as his sister, Jane Bell.