Tracy Lawrence Presents $50,000 To Local Non-Profits

Photo: Evan DeStefano

Tracy Lawrence took to the Ryman Auditorium stage for the third year in a row to perform to a sold-out crowd on Sunday night (May 3).

Lawrence and his charity Mission:Possible took a moment on stage to present $50,000 total to various local non-profit organizations including Brooks House, People Loving Nashville, Open Table, The Village at Glencliff and Room in the Inn.

Parker McCollum Surprises Hometown Nurses

Photo: Courtesy of Create Amor

Parker McCollum recently surprised a group of nurses at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands. The visit was part of the Healthcare Heroes Initiative, a national effort founded by Create Amor to recognize and support nurses. As part of the initiative, a total of 500 nurses were gifted a pair of Create Amor scrubs.

“This community is home to me, and these nurses are a big part of what holds it together,” shares McCollum. “Being here to give back, even in a small way, means a lot.”

Maddox Batson Visits Seacrest Studios In Salt Lake City

Photo: Courtesy of Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital

Maddox Batson recently visited Seacrest Studios, bringing an acoustic set of songs to Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital of Salt Lake City in addition to a Q&A session and rounds of mini golf with patients.

“It was an honor to spend the morning at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. Thank you to the Ryan Seacrest Foundation for giving me the privilege to connect and perform for patients like Piper,” shares Batson. “I was beyond inspired by the determination and joy from the patients, family and entire staff at the hospital. Much appreciation to the child life specialists, doctors and the team at Seacrest for welcoming me.”

“We are always so appreciative to our celebrity partners who are able to come into Seacrest Studios and spend time with patients, with many becoming repeat visitors and friends of RSF,” says Meredith Seacrest Leach, Executive Director & CEO of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. “Maddox has quickly become a friend, and we are so grateful that he has continued to make time to visit as he juggles his busy tour schedule.”

CMHOFM Hosts Program Exploring Woody Guthrie’s Home Recordings

Steve Rosenthal, Erin Osmon, Anna Canoni and Jesse Welles. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Over the weekend, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosted a program exploring Woody Guthrie’s home recordings and the recently released two-volume collection Woody at Home.

Museum Writer-Editor Erin Osmon led a discussion with Guthrie’s granddaughter,  Anna Canoni, and Grammy-winning producer and engineer  Steve Rosenthal, who discussed their work on the collection. Jesse Welles performed during the program.

IBMA Taps Maggie O’Connor As Events Director

Maggie O’Connor.

The International Bluegrass Music Association has named Maggie Carruth O’Connor as Events Director. Based in Chattanooga, O’Connor will lead event production of the IBMA’s major events.

“I moved to Chattanooga from Atlanta in 2019 with my husband and dog and immediately felt at home,” says O’Connor. “The sense of community here, especially in the music world, is undeniable. My work over the past five years has focused on building more equitable, sustainable opportunities for local artists, including founding Highland Park Porchfest, a free festival now in its fifth year that features local bands performing on neighborhood porches. Joining IBMA as Events Director feels like a natural extension of that work. I am excited to support the IBMA team and help bring people together around bluegrass music.”

Industry veteran Donna Hughes is launching her own independent company, Hughes Media. With over 35 years of experience in the country music industry, Hughes aims to support artist storytelling and fan engagement.

“With Hughes Media, my goal is to champion artists by helping them convey their authenticity, equipping them to make the most of every consumer-facing, media-driven opportunity…using those moments to build deep, genuine connections,” Hughes shares. “The love, respect, passion and gratitude I have for this music and industry is at the heart of everything I do, and I’m ready to build something that supports both the artist and the broader country music community.”

Hughes Media offers a specialized suite of services including artist interview content creation, satellite radio tours and tour marketing collaborations. Further offerings include media training, radio programming, and full-scale media day management in partnership with labels and publicity teams.

Hughes most recently served as VP of Touring and Communications at Borman Entertainment. Before that, she held the role of National Director of Radio Marketing at UMG Nashville and Capitol/EMI Records Nashville, where she helped expand the reach of artists including Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, and Chris Stapleton. Her efforts earned her the CRS/Country Aircheck Award for Director/National Promotion of the Year.

Her media career, which also earned her the CMA Media Achievement Award, includes serving as Executive Producer of GAC Nights: Live From Nashville, Senior Producer for Premiere Radio Networks, and on-air talent for Nashville’s Rockin’ Country 102.9. Her background also includes production roles for television staples like Crook & Chase and Music City Tonight.

iHeartCountry Festival 2026. Photo: Rick Kern for iHeartRadio

The iHeartCountry Festival returned to The Moody Center in Austin last Saturday, celebrating country’s hottest artists with performances from Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Shaboozey and many more.

Kane Brown performs at iHeartCountry Festival 2026. Photo: Rick Kern for iHeartRadio

The festival was once again hosted by iHeartMedia’s nationally syndicated personality, Bobby Bones. McCollum kicked off the festival with his hits “What Kinda Man,” “Killing Me,” “Pretty Heart,” “Solid Country Gold,” “To Be Loved” and more. Among the highlights were Gretchen Wilson performing fan favorites “Here for the Party,” “All Jacked Up” and “Redneck Woman;” Lauren Alaina surprising the crowd by bringing out Chase Matthew to perform their song “All my Ex’s” and Russell Dickerson amping up the fans with hits like “Worth Your Wild,” “She Likes It,” “Blue Tacoma,” “Yours” and “Happen To Me.”

Brown got the crowd on their feet with “Like I Love Country Music,” “I Can Feel It,” “Bury Me in Georgia,” “Famous Friends,” “Miles On It” and more. Carly Pearce offered up hits like “Happy Now,” “Truck on Fire,” “What He Didn’t Do,” and thrilled the crowd when she brought out Green onstage for their song “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.”

Luke Bryan performs at iHeartCountry Festival 2026. Photo: Rick Kern for iHeartRadio

Bryan also rocked the iHeartCountry stage with his fan favorites “That’s My Kind of Night” and “Play It Again,” and brought out George Birge to perform their new song “Ride Ride Ride,” then wrapped the set with “Knockin’ Boots,” “Country On” and his classic “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).” Shaboozey had the crowd dancing to his songs “Last of My Kind,” “Amen,” “Good News” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Green closed out the 2026 festival, performing “Different ‘Round Here,” “There Was This Girl,” “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” and bringing out Pearce to sing “Don’t Mind If I Do.”

The Daytime Village at the iHeartCountry Festival also featured performances by Alaina, Birge, Matthew, RaeLynn and Josh Ross. Disney+ and Hulu livestreamed all of the performances, and the event also broadcast across iHeartCountry stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app on May 2.

Shaboozey performs at iHeartCountry Festival 2026. Photo: Rick Kern for iHeartRadio

Bobby Bones at iHeartCountry Festival 2026. Photo: Rick Kern for iHeartRadio