For 60 years, Ray Stevens has made audiences howl with his unique brand of humorous storytelling on comedic gems such as “The Streak” and “Santa Claus Is Watching You,” and made them believe in the best life has to offer on sentimental tracks such as “Everything Is Beautiful,” which earned Stevens his first No. 1 hit in 1970.
Stevens’ music career began in the late 1950s; he moved to Nashville in the early 1960s, when he forged friendships with artists and executives such as Chet Atkins. He produced songs for Dolly Parton, recorded with Waylon Jennings and played on recording sessions for Elvis Presley. Throughout his career, Stevens would produce 30 hit songs including classics such as “Misty,” “It’s Me Again, Margaret,” and “Mississippi Squirrel Revival.” He has sold more than 40 million albums.
Along the way, he has built an entertainment empire that has included music venues in Branson and, as of last year, opened his 35,000-square-feet CabaRay Showroom venue in Nashville. The new venue also houses his business offices. Along the way, Stevens has stayed true to his commitment to Music City, watching as it has risen from simply a country music mecca to an overall music powerhouse, and gaining “It City” status. Recently, a reported contract was placed on a portion of Stevens’ Music Row-area properties, which had a listing price of $13 million. He has been adamant that the property continue to serve Nashville’s creative and music community.
Though Stevens will celebrate his 80th birthday on Jan. 24, he shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to weekly shows at CabaRay, he hosts Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville, a 30-minute weekly music and talk show that airs on RFD-TV and public television. In 2018, the two-time Grammy winner was also honored with a star on the Music City Walk of Fame. Stevens recently discussed his new CabaRay venue, his commitment to Nashville, and his plans for his upcoming birthday.
Ricky Skaggs inducts Ray Stevens into the Music City Walk of Fame on Aug. 18, 2018. Photo: Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
MusicRow: You launched the CabaRay Showroom one year ago, and you were highly involved with the design of the venue. How has your stage show evolved or changed since you have been performing there over the past year?
Stevens: I love to perform. When you are out there in front of an audience regularly you learn from them. I thrive on feedback and can tell by audience reactions what works and what really works. It’s all part of the joy of performing so to answer your question, the show is always evolving.
What has been your favorite thing about launching this venue in Nashville?
It’s so great to sleep in my own bed every night and not have to fly and mess with all that entails, these days. I’m 10 minutes from my house when I leave the stage at the CabaRay and that’s really nice!
Of course, CabaRay isn’t your first venue. What things did you learn from running and performing at your Branson venue that you brought to the design of CabaRay?
The two places are really different. Branson was a 2000+ theatre venue and CabaRay is a 700+ showroom where we serve dinner and drinks. They are very different but what I learned is that I need people I trust to run the venue so I can concentrate on the show. I have great people.
Pictured (L-R): Norro Wilson, Chet Atkins, Ray Stevens, Jerry Reed, Bob Beckham, and Harry Warner (aka- The Possum Pack) in the early 1970s.
You recently sold your building on 17th Avenue and you specifically wanted the location to still be a place where the music industry and music creatives can thrive. You built CabaRay in Nashville. What drives you to continue to invest in Nashville and in this creative community you have known for so many years?
I came to Nashville in 1962 and found my home. I love Nashville and the music business here. There is a kind of energy here that produces great creativity. I felt it when I arrived 60 years ago and I still feel it today. This really is MUSIC City.
You have had 60 years of music incorporating various genres—and you have put out box sets before. How will this new set you are working on be different?
I don’t know if anyone has ever put out several albums at the same time but this the culmination of months and years in my studio and rather than space out the releases, I decided to release them all at one time. We’ll have more information on the new music soon.
How much new music might be included on the new set?
Well it’s all new in a sense because it’s done in a very different way. Remember my version of “Misty?” Well this is a step in that direction but it takes that idea a mile down the road instead of just a step. I do have a new comedy song that will be out soon called “The Coco Cabana Band.”
You turn 80 on Jan. 24. How are you planning to celebrate?
I’m pretty low-key about birthdays. My family may have some plans but I just intend to keep focused on the CabaRay and this year’s shows starting on March 14. I’m glad to be here to celebrate, don’t get me wrong, but in many ways it’s just another day to accomplish something good and exciting.
Pictured (L-R): Mel Tillis, Jerry Reed and Ray Stevens with CBS officials in 1971.
Performers Revealed For 17th Annual MusicRow Country Radio Meet & Greet And CountryBreakout Awards
/by Jessica NicholsonCJ Solar, Chance McKinney
MusicRow Magazine, Nashville’s leading music industry publication, is proud to reveal performers for its 17th Annual Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards in February 2019. The event’s presenting sponsor is business manager Vaden Group/Elliott Davis. Sea Gayle Records’ CJ Solar will take the stage alongside independent artist Chance McKinney.
The private event is open to MusicRow Magazine subscribed members, including country radio broadcasters and industry affiliates ahead of the 2019 Country Radio Seminar (CRS). Invitations were sent Jan. 10, 2019.
“CJ Solar and Chance McKinney are two rising talents we are proud to present to radio at MusicRow’s 17th Annual Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards,” said MusicRow Magazine Owner/Publisher Sherod Robertson. “MusicRow’s reporting panel of stations for the CountryBreakout Chart represent the best in secondary radio. This year we are proud to have business manager Vaden Group/Elliott Davis as Presenting Sponsor of one of MusicRow’s flagship events.”
With a blended musical blueprint that incorporates country music, Southern rock and Delta blues, Baton Rouge, Louisiana native Solar’s music has resonated with fans, garnering more than four million streams on Spotify. His hard-driving “American Girls” peaked at No. 15 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart. The song’s accompanying video featured a cameo from country star Jerrod Niemann. “Airplane,” another track from his 2017 EP Get Away With It, also reached the Top 15 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart. Solar co-wrote all five tracks on the Sea Gayle Records release, alongside writers and artists including Bob DiPiero, HARDY, Michael Hobby, and Andrew DeRoberts. As a songwriter, Solar earned his first No. 1 hit with Morgan Wallen’s “Up Down,” featuring Florida Georgia Line. Solar has also co-written singles such as the Top 40 hit “Blue Bandana” with Jerrod Niemann, and Kyle Park’s Texas Chart No. 1, “What the Heaven,” in addition to album cuts with Justin Moore and Texas artist Mike Ryan. When not headlining his own shows, Solar has opened for such artists including The Cadillac Three, Old Dominion and Lynyrd Skynyrd with 38 Special and Hank Williams, Jr.
Transcending blue collar or white collar, cultural heritages and upbringings, McKinney’s music delves into relationships and how we perceive the act of making a living with his most recent projects, I and I². Coined “industrialized country,” McKinney describes his musical blend as country lyrics and vocals mixed over a bed of metal guitars and a keen pop structure. His motivation to create comes from his stance against a type of bullying, as he sees it—someone telling him what he can’t do. The Montana native excelled in academics and athletics in school, but it wasn’t until 2009 when McKinney submitted an evocative piano ballad, “Be Real,” to CMT’s Music City Madness competition. McKinney won the contest, earning more than one million votes from across the country. The victory brought McKinney larger concert bookings, including slots opening for Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, Darius Rucker, Dwight Yoakam, Creedence Clearwater and Lynyrd Skynyrd, among others. On his latest EP, I², McKinney forges his own musical path, built atop passion, determination and an unwavering commitment to his craft.
The event is set to reveal the 2019 CountryBreakout Award winners, tallied from chart performance on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart in 2018. Categories include Male Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Group/Duo of the Year, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Independent Artist of the Year, Label of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for writing the most No. 1 songs on the Chart. Reporter of the Year will be selected by MusicRow from its weekly reporting panel of over 80 country stations in the secondary radio market throughout the United States. Concurrently the winners will be profiled in the 2019 Country Radio print issue.
The 2019 print issue is mailed to subscribers, and available at the event as well as throughout CRS week at the Omni Nashville Hotel. In addition to winner profiles, the annual issue will highlight how secondary radio continues to help country star Granger Smith reach his fans. The magazine will also profile incoming CRS leader R.J. Curtis in addition to outgoing leader Bill Mayne. Elaina Smith from NASH Nights Live talks how she has made her platform available for those women who want to hear women on country radio. CMA Award-winning radio maven, Becca Walls, is also profiled alongside MusicRow chart reporter Arnie Andrews (WCOW-COW97, Sparta, Wisconsin), discussing how his station is seeing the highest revenue in its history.
Subscribed members will receive their copy of the MusicRow Country Radio issue by mail. To be added to the mailing list and to receive your invitation to the 2019 event, subscribe to MusicRow Magazine at musicrow.com.
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour To Continue Through 2019
/by Lorie HollabaughChris Stapleton has extended his sold-out “All-American Road Show” tour through 2019 with newly-confirmed dates this Summer and Fall. The shows will kick off July 9 in Allentown and run through Nov. 2 in Louisville. Special guest openers for the dates include Brothers Osborne, Margo Price, Brent Cobb, The Marcus King Band, and Kendell Marvel.
Fan Club ticket pre-sales will begin Tuesday, Jan. 29, with public on sale beginning Feb. 1. Citi is the official presale card of the tour and Citi cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets for U.S. dates beginning January 29 through January 31 through Citi’s Private Pass Program.
Stapleton is gearing up for another busy year and is nominated in three categories at the upcoming 61st Grammy Awards for Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 2), Best Country Solo Performance (“Millionaire”), and as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his performance on Justin Timberlake’s “Say Something.” The video for “Say Something,” which was filmed in a single shot at L.A.’s historic Bradbury Building, has been viewed over 287 million times.
July 21—Twin Lakes, WI—Country Thunder
July 26—Bethel, NY—Bethel Woods Center for the Arts†
July 27—Canandaigua, NY—CMAC†
Aug. 1—Charleston, WV—Charleston Civic Center Coliseum†
Aug. 9—Holmdel, NJ—PNC Bank Arts Center†
Aug. 10—Burgettstown, PA—KeyBank Pavilion†
Aug. 16—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena‡
Aug. 17—Toronto, ON—Budweiser Stage‡
Aug. 22—Wichita, KS—INTRUST Bank Arena‡
Aug. 23—Little Rock, AR—Verizon Arena‡
Aug. 24—Bossier City, LA—CenturyLink Center‡
Aug. 29—Huntsville, AL—Von Braun Center‡
Aug. 31—Orange Beach, AL—The Wharf Amphitheater‡
Oct. 3—Springfield, MO—JQH Arena§
Oct. 4—Oklahoma City, OK—Chesapeake Energy Arena#
Oct. 5—Memphis, TN—FedEx Forum§
Oct. 10—Jacksonville, FL—Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena#
Oct. 11—Tampa, FL—MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre#
Oct. 12—West Palm Beach, FL—Coral Sky Amphitheatre#
Oct. 17—Charleston, SC—North Charleston Coliseum§
Oct. 18—Virginia Beach, VA—Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach§
Oct. 19—Greensboro, NC—Greensboro Coliseum§
Oct. 25—Peoria, IL—Peoria Civic Center§
Oct. 26—Kansas City, MO—Sprint Center§
Nov. 1—Greenville, SC—Bon Secours Wellness Arena§
Nov. 2—Louisville, KY—KFC Yum! Center§
New York City’s Country Station NASH FM 94.7 Brings Back Kelly Ford as Morning Drive Host
/by Jessica NicholsonKelly Ford
Cumulus Media’s NASH FM 94.7/WNSH-FM, the organization’s flagship country station in New York City, is set to launch a new morning drive show “Kelly Ford In The Morning” on Feb. 4. “Kelly Ford in the Morning” will air weekdays from 6am-10am on NASH FM 94.7.
The move issues in a return to New York City and to NASH FM 94.7 for Ford, who was previously the Nashville-based co-host of Westwood One’s country morning show Ty, Kelly and Chuck (now The Ty Bentli Show).
Ford helped launch NASH FM 94.7 in 2013 as its first Midday Host, before moving to Nashville in 2015 to join “America’s Morning Show” for Westwood One. An advocate for women, Ford has been honored by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation with a national Gracie Award for her work on “Ty, Kelly and Chuck.”
Chad Lopez, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus New York, said, “We are thrilled to have a talented, recognizable name in country music at the helm of our New York–centric morning show. We welcome Kelly back to NYC in a big way, and so will our loyal and passionate country music fans and advertising partners.”
John Foxx, Program Director, NASH FM 94.7, said, “Kelly has built amazing relationships and has created a strong bond with our listeners in New York and New Jersey. Her history in the format and passion for the music really sets Kelly up to create a fun and unique experience around Country Music and this city. It’s exciting having Kelly Ford lead Morning Drive at NASH FM 94.7.”
Kelly Ford said, “When Chad Lopez and John Foxx first proposed the idea of Kelly Ford in the Morning, of course my reaction was “What the Ford?!” And my second was, “Truck yeah!” I can’t thank Chad and John enough for bringing me back and Mike McVay for making it happen. It’s like a full circle moment for me as I was the first LIVE voice heard on NASH FM 94.7. To be able to work again with the New York NASH team, especially Katie Neal and Jesse Addy, it’s like having the (country) band back together again. I respect and trust them as broadcasters and friends. I’m also beyond grateful for so many of the passionate NASH FM 94.7 listeners who fought to bring me back. It’s a great opportunity for them to have the local morning show they deserve with insider access to Nashville and the country stars we love. I’m also excited for Pizza Suprema.”
Ray Stevens Talks 60 Years In Music, Celebrating 80th Birthday
/by Jessica NicholsonStevens’ music career began in the late 1950s; he moved to Nashville in the early 1960s, when he forged friendships with artists and executives such as Chet Atkins. He produced songs for Dolly Parton, recorded with Waylon Jennings and played on recording sessions for Elvis Presley. Throughout his career, Stevens would produce 30 hit songs including classics such as “Misty,” “It’s Me Again, Margaret,” and “Mississippi Squirrel Revival.” He has sold more than 40 million albums.
Along the way, he has built an entertainment empire that has included music venues in Branson and, as of last year, opened his 35,000-square-feet CabaRay Showroom venue in Nashville. The new venue also houses his business offices. Along the way, Stevens has stayed true to his commitment to Music City, watching as it has risen from simply a country music mecca to an overall music powerhouse, and gaining “It City” status. Recently, a reported contract was placed on a portion of Stevens’ Music Row-area properties, which had a listing price of $13 million. He has been adamant that the property continue to serve Nashville’s creative and music community.
Though Stevens will celebrate his 80th birthday on Jan. 24, he shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to weekly shows at CabaRay, he hosts Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville, a 30-minute weekly music and talk show that airs on RFD-TV and public television. In 2018, the two-time Grammy winner was also honored with a star on the Music City Walk of Fame. Stevens recently discussed his new CabaRay venue, his commitment to Nashville, and his plans for his upcoming birthday.
Ricky Skaggs inducts Ray Stevens into the Music City Walk of Fame on Aug. 18, 2018. Photo: Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
MusicRow: You launched the CabaRay Showroom one year ago, and you were highly involved with the design of the venue. How has your stage show evolved or changed since you have been performing there over the past year?
Stevens: I love to perform. When you are out there in front of an audience regularly you learn from them. I thrive on feedback and can tell by audience reactions what works and what really works. It’s all part of the joy of performing so to answer your question, the show is always evolving.
What has been your favorite thing about launching this venue in Nashville?
It’s so great to sleep in my own bed every night and not have to fly and mess with all that entails, these days. I’m 10 minutes from my house when I leave the stage at the CabaRay and that’s really nice!
Of course, CabaRay isn’t your first venue. What things did you learn from running and performing at your Branson venue that you brought to the design of CabaRay?
The two places are really different. Branson was a 2000+ theatre venue and CabaRay is a 700+ showroom where we serve dinner and drinks. They are very different but what I learned is that I need people I trust to run the venue so I can concentrate on the show. I have great people.
Pictured (L-R): Norro Wilson, Chet Atkins, Ray Stevens, Jerry Reed, Bob Beckham, and Harry Warner (aka- The Possum Pack) in the early 1970s.
You recently sold your building on 17th Avenue and you specifically wanted the location to still be a place where the music industry and music creatives can thrive. You built CabaRay in Nashville. What drives you to continue to invest in Nashville and in this creative community you have known for so many years?
I came to Nashville in 1962 and found my home. I love Nashville and the music business here. There is a kind of energy here that produces great creativity. I felt it when I arrived 60 years ago and I still feel it today. This really is MUSIC City.
You have had 60 years of music incorporating various genres—and you have put out box sets before. How will this new set you are working on be different?
I don’t know if anyone has ever put out several albums at the same time but this the culmination of months and years in my studio and rather than space out the releases, I decided to release them all at one time. We’ll have more information on the new music soon.
How much new music might be included on the new set?
Well it’s all new in a sense because it’s done in a very different way. Remember my version of “Misty?” Well this is a step in that direction but it takes that idea a mile down the road instead of just a step. I do have a new comedy song that will be out soon called “The Coco Cabana Band.”
You turn 80 on Jan. 24. How are you planning to celebrate?
I’m pretty low-key about birthdays. My family may have some plans but I just intend to keep focused on the CabaRay and this year’s shows starting on March 14. I’m glad to be here to celebrate, don’t get me wrong, but in many ways it’s just another day to accomplish something good and exciting.
Pictured (L-R): Mel Tillis, Jerry Reed and Ray Stevens with CBS officials in 1971.
Belmont University To Launch Scholarship To Honor Harold Bradley
/by Jessica NicholsonHarold Bradley
Belmont University’s School of Music is set to honor the legacy of guitarist and music executive Harold Bradley, via a new scholarship in the name of the Country Music Hall of Fame member. The honor will be awarded to outstanding students in the university’s music business program, with an emphasis on guitar.
The Harold Bradley Endowed Scholarship at Belmont has received initial funding from an anonymous donor. A ceremony celebrating the new scholarship will be held at Belmont on Friday, Jan. 25. Bradley and his family will be in attendance.
Bradley, along with his brother Owen, laid the groundwork for Nashville’s music industry. They opened their first recording studio in 1955 on 16th Ave. S. Later, they added an Army surplus Quonset hut to the existing building, creating a studio complex that would become the apex of Music Row.
While Owen became the head of Decca Records and a producer for artists including Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee and numerous others, Harold concentrated on playing on records. Harold has played on countless iconic songs and albums, including Alan Jackson’s “Here in the Real World,” Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces” and “Sweet Dreams,” Lefty Frizzell’s “Long Black Veil,” Eddy Arnold’s “Make the World Go Away,” Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” Elvis Presley’s “Devil in Disguise,” Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man,” Conway Twitty’s “Hello Darlin’,” and Burl Ives’ “Holly Jolly Christmas.”
Harold was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1974.
T.J. Martell Foundation’s Nashville Honors Gala Adds Appearances From Amy Grant, Old Crow Medicine Show
/by Jessica NicholsonKings of Leon will be honored with the Spirit of Nashville Award, while Alabama will be celebrated with the Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award. Williams, senior vice president, programming and artist relations for Opry Entertainment, and Grand Ole Opry General Manager, will be honored with the Frances Preston Outstanding Music Industry Achievement Award. Dr. Kathryn Edwards will be honored with the Medical Research Advancement Award, while Sylvia & Al Ganier will be presented with the Lifetime Humanitarian Award.
For more, visit tjmartell.org.
Loretta Lynn To Receive Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award During Nashville Songwriter Awards
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has announced that its Nashville Songwriter Awards presented by City National Bank will return to the Ryman Auditorium in 2019. The star-studded evening is set for Sept. 17, 2019, and if initial award winner announcements are any indication, the event will be one not to miss.
“We are very proud to present this important and exciting event recognizing Nashville’s finest songwriters and their songs again at the hallowed Ryman Auditorium,” said NSAI President, award-winning songwriter Steve Bogard. “It promises to be an amazing night full of memorable performances honoring the best in our business.”
Loretta Lynn will receive the organization’s highest honor, the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award. NSAI has also announced that it will bestow the White Hat Award on United States Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) that evening.
Additional honorees will include the 2019 “Song of the Year,” “Songwriter of the Year,” “Songwriter-Artist of the Year” and NSAI’s coveted “10 Songs I Wish I’d Written,” which are chosen by Nashville’s professional songwriters.
“We have a very long history of supporting songwriters and the creative community,” said Lori Badgett and Diane Pearson, heads of entertainment banking for City National Bank in Nashville. “We are so pleased that many of our friends are being honored at this memorable event. Nashville has always been a special place for creators and City National is so proud to continue to support them.”
Kris Daniels Joins Radio Disney Network
/by LB CantrellRadio Disney Network has announced the addition of Kris Daniels to the new role of senior manager, Music Programming. Daniels will report to Phil Guerini, vice president, music strategy, Disney Channels Worldwide and general manager.
Daniels, who has established deep connections in the music industry, will implement Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country’s music programming, label, artist, management and talent booking strategies while serving as the network’s main liaison to the music industry. She transitions into this role after over 20 years in radio, most recently at Beasley Media Group.
“Kris brings over two decades of experience in various media industry positions,” said Guerini. “Her extensive knowledge of the latest trends in radio and pop culture will play an integral role as we continue to evolve our Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country programming approach and strategies.”
At Beasley Media Group, Daniels hosted KYCE Las Vegas, NV’s “Kris and Mad Dog in the Morning” and served as the station’s programming director. Prior to that, Daniels held music, programming and marketing director and hosting positions at large media companies including Cox Communications, Summit Media, Clear Channel and American General Media.
Trace Adkins Reveals Don’t Stop Tour 2019
/by LB CantrellTrace Adkins announced his 2019 Don’t Stop Tour will begin Feb. 9 in San Antonio, Texas, and will continue across 39 different cities through November.
“I’m excited to get back on the road,” said Adkins. “I am loading up the buses and bringing my band, a new set and new music to my Don’t Stop Tour 2019 and I’m looking forward to seeing the fans again this year and feeling the energy they bring to each and every show.”
The Grand Ole Opry member will also join friend and fellow country star Blake Shelton on his Friends & Heroes 2019 Tour this February, playing alongside the Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson and Lauren Alaina.
Pre-sale tickets for select dates are on sale now. Fans have access early by entering their email address at traceadkins.com to unlock the password.
Don’t Stop Tour Dates:
February 9 – San Antonio Rodeo – San Antonio, TX*
April 4 – Bologna Performing Arts Center – Cleveland, MS*
April 5 – IP Casino – Biloxi, MS
April 6 – Oxford Performing Arts Center – Oxford, AL*
April 11 – Country Thunder – Florence, AZ*
April 12 – Peppermill Concert Hall – West Wendover, NV*
April 13 – Peppermill Concert Hall – West Wendover, NV*
April 27 – Pearl River Resort – Choctaw, MS
May 3 – Suwannee River Jam – Live Oak, FL*
May 17 – Effingham Performance Center – Effingham, IL*
May 18 – J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts – St. Louis, MO*
May 19 – Niswonger Performing Arts Center – Greeneville, TN*
May 24 – Shooting Star Casino – Mahnomen, MN
May 25 – Prairie Knights Casino & Resort – Fort Yates, ND
May 26 – Tree Town Country Music Fest – Forest City, IA*
June 13 – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Tulsa, OK
June 15 – Kansas Star Casino – Mulvane, KS
June 20 – The Paramount Huntington – Huntington, NY
June 21 – Penn’s Peak – Jim Thorpe, PA
June 22 – Hollywood Casino – Charles Town, WV*
June 27 – Country USA – Oshkosh, WI*
June 28 – Jack Cincinnati Casino – Cincinnati, OH
July 2 – San Diego County Fair – Del Mar, CA
July 3 – Alameda County Fair – Pleasanton, CA
July 5 – LRS Music Festival – Paulina, OR*
July 6 – Montbleu Resort Casino – Stateline, NV
July 10 – America First Event Center – Cedar City, UT
July 12 – Chumash Casino – Santa Ynez, CA
July 18 – Great Jones County Fair – Monticello, IA*
July 20 – Country Thunder – Twin Lakes, WI*
July 26 – Shawnee Bluff Vineyard – Eldon, MO*
July 27 – United Wireless Arena – Dodge City, KS
July 28 – Paramount Theater – Denver, CO
July 30 – Sweetwater County Fair – Rock Springs, WY
July 31 – Montana State Fair – Great Falls, MT
August 3 – Inn of the Mountain Gods – Mescalero, NM
August 17 – Chase County Fair – Imperial, NE
August 22 – Genesee County Fair – Mount Morris, MI*
September 10 – Spokane County Interstate Fair – Spokane, WA
September 14 – Blue Gate Theater – Shipshewana, IN
November 13 – Royal Caribbean Poll Deck – Key West, FL*
*Tickets on sale already
For more information and tour dates, visit traceadkins.com.
Welch On Top; Gorley and McAnally Follow On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellHow many ways can you say that Kevin Welch is No. 1 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart? For nine weeks Welch has remained, as the 59 beneath him shift.
Ashley Gorley and Shane McAnally follow at No. 2 and No. 3. Luke Combs appears after them. The top 10 remain the same as last week.
Laura Veltz, the first woman featured on the MusicRow chart, moves from No. 42 to No. 40. It was announced last week that Veltz, along with songwriter Sarah Buxton, had been elected as new members of the Nashville Songwriters Association International’s (NSAI) Board of Directors.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart, published every week, uses algorithms based upon song activity according to 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.