The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) revealed its Class of 2025 inductees this morning (Aug. 6) at press conference on Music Row. It was announced that Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Jim Lauderdale, Don Cook, Steve Bogard and Tony Martin will become members of the esteemed Hall in October.
The six will join the 247 previously-inducted members when they are formally inducted during the 55th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 6, at the Music City Center.
The news was shared by Rich Hallworth, Chair of the organization’s board of directors, and Mark Ford, its Executive Director, at Nashville’s historic Columbia Studio A – part of Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.
“Gathering as we do each year – to reveal and welcome the members of our incoming class – is truly one of the highlights of our calendar,” said Hallworth. “To these outstanding songwriters, we say – thank you for sharing your songs and your artistry with us. We are proud to honor you this fall, when you will officially join your legendary peers in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
Ford introduced each member of the new class at the press conference event. Bogard and Martin were elected in the contemporary songwriter category; Lauderdale in the contemporary songwriter/artist category; Cook as the veteran songwriter, Harris as the veteran songwriter/artist, and Paisley, who was elected in 2024 but deferred at his request to 2025, as the contemporary songwriter/artist.
Below is bio information for each inductee, provided by the NaSHOF:
STEVE BOGARD [electee – contemporary songwriter category]
Florida native Steve Bogard’s songwriting path began in Tampa where his teenage Rock band days led to two solo-penned singles on Scepter Records. Following a move to Memphis, where he scored a top 20 R&B hit with James Carr, Steve made his next move to Miami as a 19-year-old staff writer for Atlantic Records, where he garnered cuts by Rita Coolidge, Delaney & Bonnie, and others. Steve followed with solo albums in Canada and the U.K. Then in 1979, one of his 11-year-old songs, “Touch Me With Magic,” was released by Marty Robbins, reached No. 15 Country, and became a BMI-award winner. Steve moved to Nashville in 1982. His first No. 1, Lee Greenwood’s “Mornin’ Ride,” came five years later and was followed by more No. 1’s: “New Fool At an Old Game” by Reba McEntire, “Carried Away” and “Carrying Your Love With Me” (both by George Strait), “Wherever You Are” by Jack Ingram, and “Seein’ Red” by Dustin Lynch. In 2000, “Prayin’ For Daylight” launched Rascal Flatts’ career as their debut single, and in 2006 and 2007, two of Steve’s songs by Dierks Bentley were nominated for Grammys – “Every Mile A Memory” and “Long Trip Alone.”
TONY MARTIN [electee – contemporary songwriter category]
Born in Georgia and raised in Nashville, Tony Martin has been around country songwriting his entire life. The son of country composer Glenn Martin, Tony grew up at the feet of other stellar songwriters such as Sonny Throckmorton, Mickey Newbury, and Hank Cochran. During his time as a journalist for a Chicago newspaper, Tony was writing parody songs for fun when his father urged him to take his talent more seriously. In 1988, Tony wrote “Baby’s Gotten Good At Goodbye,” which his father successfully pitched to George Strait. The song proved to be the dream scenario for a songwriter. It was Tony’s first demo, first cut, first single, first hit and first No. 1. Since that time, Tony has added more chart-topping hits to his resume. Among those are “A Little More Summertime” by Jason Aldean, “I’ll Think Of A Reason Later” by Lee Ann Womack, “Just To See You Smile” by Tim McGraw, “Living And Living Well” and “Go On” (both by George Strait), “No Place That Far” by Sara Evans, “Settle For A Slow Down” by Dierks Bentley, “Third Rock From The Sun” by Joe Diffie, and “You Look Good In My Shirt” by Keith Urban.
DON COOK [electee – veteran songwriter category]
Don Cook was born in San Antonio, Texas. He was writing songs by age 12, recording his first demo by age 14 and playing various Houston coffeehouses throughout his teenage years. Three days after his graduation from the University of Texas, Don arrived in Nashville. He soon met publisher Don Gant, who signed him to a deal at Acuff-Rose Publishing. When Gant moved to Tree Publishing, Don followed. In his first year at Tree he had 11 cuts, including “Cryin’ Again” by The Oak Ridge Boys and “Lady Lay Down” by John Conlee — Don’s first No. 1 as a songwriter. Other hits followed in the ’80s, including “Julia” by Conway Twitty, “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again” by T. Graham Brown, “Small Town Girl” by Steve Wariner and “Somebody’s Gonna Love You” by Lee Greenwood. In the early ’90s, Don co-wrote “Brand New Man,” the first single for Brooks & Dunn, and began to produce the duo, a collaboration that yielded the co-written No. 1 hits “My Next Broken Heart,” “Only In America” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone,” among others.
JIM LAUDERDALE [electee – contemporary songwriter/artist category]
Born in Troutman, North Carolina, Jim Lauderdale grew up in Due West, South Carolina. After college graduation in 1979, Jim made his way to Nashville for a few months before moving on to New York. By the late 1980s, Jim had joined the national touring production of Pump Boys & Dinettes and relocated to Los Angeles, where he began to find traction musically as a writer and performer. In the early 1990s Jim returned to Nashville, where he began to land early cuts by George Strait. By the mid ’90s Jim’s songs were finding homes on the country chart: “Gonna Get A Life” by Mark Chesnutt, “Halfway Down” by Patty Loveless and “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” by Loveless & George Jones. Near the end of the decade Strait had top 5 hits with Jim’s “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This” and “What Do You Say To That” (originally recorded by Jim on BNA Records in 1998). Across Jim’s career as an Americana recording artist, he has released 37 albums – achieving two Grammy wins for Bluegrass Album of the Year and charting bluegrass hits such as “Mighty Lonesome,” “One Blue Mule” and “Iodine.” His collaborations with Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys have yielded the bluegrass top 10 “I Feel Like Singing Today” and “She’s Looking At Me,” the 2002 AMA Song of the Year. Jim was honored with the AMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
EMMYLOU HARRIS [electee – veteran songwriter/artist category]
Birmingham, Alabama-born Emmylou Harris was raised in North Carolina and Virginia. By high school, she was obsessed with playing guitar. Graduating as valedictorian, she eventually left college for the folk music scene in New York’s Greenwich Village. Signing with Jubilee Records, she released her debut album in 1970 with five self-penned songs. Moving to Washington, D.C., she met Gram Parsons, joined his band, and discovered a passion for country music. Following Parson’s untimely death, Emmylou formed her own band and signed with Reprise Records. Her 1975 release featured her classic “Boulder To Birmingham.” Though Emmylou recorded her own songs sporadically until the 2000s, her “White Line” reached No. 14 country in 1985, and her “Heartbreak Hill” reached No. 8 country in 1989. Her co-written “In My Hour Of Darkness,” recorded by Gram Parsons in 1973, re-emerged in 2007 as a No. 15 bluegrass hit for John Starling & Carolina Star. Emmylou’s “Sweetheart Of The Pines” from 1986 became a No. 17 bluegrass hit for Dale Ann Bradley in 2016. Other songs from Emmylou include “A River For Him,” “Amarillo,” “Red Dirt Girl,” “The Pearl” and “Woman Walk The Line.” She is a 1995 inductee into the SPBGMA Hall of Greats, a 2008 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and a 2018 recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
BRAD PAISLEY [electee – contemporary songwriter/artist category 2024]
Brad Paisley was born and raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He received his first guitar from his grandfather, who taught him to play at eight years old. At age 13, Brad wrote his first song, which he performed publicly, and which eventually led him to an eight-year stint performing on Wheeling’s Jamboree USA. After high-school graduation and two years at West Liberty State College, Brad was awarded a fully paid ASCAP scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville where he majored in music business. A week after graduating from Belmont, Brad signed as a writer with EMI Music Publishing. Following cuts by David Kersh, David Ball and Tracy Byrd, Brad signed with Arista Nashville and soon began to record his own songs. As an artist, he has placed 33 self-penned top 20 songs on the Billboard charts, including 15 No. 1s and 14 more in the top 10. Among those compositions are “He Didn’t Have To Be,” “Alcohol,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Celebrity,” “Ticks,” “Letter To Me,” “Then,” “This Is Country Music,” “Water,” and his duet with Carrie Underwood “Remind Me.” A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Brad was ASCAP’s 2004 Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. He was NSAI’s Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2002 and 2005.
Dolly Parton Named Guinness World Records Icon
/by Lorie HollabaughDolly Parton
Guinness World Records has revealed that in honor of Dolly Parton Day (Aug. 5), Parton has been named a Guinness World Records Icon.
The superstar has earned 11 Guinness World Records titles, and joins a select group of individuals whose world record achievements have transcended their field and inspired people across the globe, with her timeless hits captivating generations for decades. Dolly was presented with her official Icon certificate by GWR spokeswoman Amanda Marcus at her studios in Nashville.
Among Dolly’s latest Guinness titles are: Most consecutive decades with Top 10 album entries on the Billboard country chart (female) – 7, with Rockstar; Longest span of No.1 hits on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart (female) – 46 years 197 days, with Rockstar; Most decades with a Top 20 hit on the US Hot Country Songs chart – 7, with “Please Please Please”; and Most Top 10 entries on the US Top Country Albums chart (female) – 49, with Rockstar.
“Dolly is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated writers and performers in the history of country music, as reflected in her many Guinness World Records certificates, but her reach and influence extends far beyond the musical world,” says Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief at Guinness World Records, “There are so many projects close to her heart – poverty relief, education, medical research and of course the Imagination Library free-books campaign – and it’s these important, life-changing initiatives that propels Dolly into a different league. She truly is a living legend, and it’s an honour to bestow GWR ICON status upon her.”
Previous Guinness ICONS include double amputee triathlete Billy Monger, Polar explorer Preet Chandi, global superstar Taylor Swift and the tallest and shortest women in the world Rumeysa Gelgi and Jyoti Amge.
Public Celebration Of Life Set For Grand Ole Opry Star Jeannie Seely
/by Lorie HollabaughJeannie Seely. Photo: Cyndi Hornsby
A public Celebration of Life for Jeannie Seely titled “Jeannie Seely’s 5,398th Opry Show” will take place for the Grand Ole Opry star and country music legend on Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. at the Opry House in Nashville.
The special event honoring the late Grammy winner will also be available for livestream here. In lieu of flowers, donations in Seely’s name are suggested to a charitable organization that benefits pets and/or to the Opry Trust Fund.
Seely passed away on Aug. 1 from complications of an intestinal infection. She was 85. Seely had battled health issues since last fall which escalated in December following the passing of her husband, Gene Ward, and had undergone multiple back surgeries this spring for vertebrae repairs, as well as two emergency abdominal surgeries.
A beloved Grand Ole Opry star, Seely held the record for the most Opry appearances in history, banking a total of 5,397 performances before her death. Read her full obituary here.
Futureshirts Elevates Matt Pih To Partner & President
/by Lauryn SinkMatt Pih. Photo: Courtesy of Futureshirts
Futureshirts has elevated Matt Pih To Partner and President. Additionally, Cody Johnson, Nikki Glaser and Josh Groban have recently joined the company’s roster, which also includes Journey, Riley Green, Kane Brown, Carly Pearce, Foreigner, TobyMac and more.
“Over the past six years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Matt – an incredible partner, professional and friend, whose dedication and vision have continually inspired me,” says Futureshirts’ Chairman Jon Ekker. “Watching him use his vast knowledge and grow into his new role as Partner and President at Futureshirts is both a proud and exciting moment for me. His leadership, integrity and relentless drive make this next chapter full of promise. I’m excited to see what the future holds and just how far we can go together!”
“Matt has been a driving force in shaping Futureshirts into the company we are today. His leadership, experience and relentless drive to raise the bar make him the perfect Partner and President as we enter our next chapter,” adds Futureshirts’ CEO Corey Neal. “I’m truly grateful to have him by my side and excited for what we’ll accomplish together as we keep building on our mission to make merch easy.”
Since joining Futureshirts in 2019, Pih has spearheaded the company’s strategic shift toward artist services, driving a 165% revenue growth over the past four years. With more than 16 years of diverse experience in the music and live entertainment industry, the Middle Tennessee State University alum has roles from hands-on touring to executive leadership positions with stops at Live Nation Entertainment, Bravado International Group, Manhead and others.
“Since joining Futureshirts, I’ve been committed to building a world-class service that empowers artists and partners to elevate their merchandise strategy across touring, e-commerce and retail,” shares Pih. “What truly sets us apart is our team – every member brings deep experience in merchandise with a true passion for band merch and that love is reflected in our work. I’m honored to step into the role of Partner and President and excited to continue supporting our incredible team, serving our clients and scaling Futureshirts to new heights globally.”
More Performers Added To 18th Annual ACM Honors
/by Madison HahnenMore performers have been added to the 18th annual ACM Honors, taking place Aug. 20 at The Pinnacle.
Those added to the lineup include Carter Faith, Ashley Gorley, K. Michelle and Tucker Wetmore. The four join the previously-announced lineup of Luke Bryan, Russell Dickerson, Karen Fairchild, Amy Grant, Ashley McBryde and Carly Pearce.
All performers will take part in honoring this year’s honorees, Lori Badgett, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Jessie Jo Dillon, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Mac McAnally, Rissi Palmer, Randy Travis, Twisters, Ben Vaughn and Lainey Wilson.
Pearce and Russell Dickerson will co-host the event. Additional performers, presenters and event details will be announced in the coming weeks, and tickets are available here.
Voting Now Open For 2025 MusicRow Awards
/by MusicRow StaffVoting for the 37th annual MusicRow Awards begins today, Wednesday, Aug. 6 and runs through Friday, Aug. 15 at 5:00 p.m. CT. MusicRow subscribers will be receiving their ballots via email.
This year’s winners will be announced online on all MusicRow platforms on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 MusicRow Awards is City National Bank.
To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a subscriber here.
Read about the 2025 MusicRow Award nominees here.
Now in its 37th year, the MusicRow Awards are Nashville’s longest running music industry trade publication honors and celebrate the achievements of songwriters, artists, producers and more.
The final nominees revealed in this announcement are determined by a committee. For the categories of Breakthrough Songwriter and Breakthrough Artist-Writer, outside nominations are also considered. For the Male and Female Songwriter of the Year categories, nominees are based on data from MusicRow’s Top Songwriter Chart.
New this year are the Studio of the Year and Publishing Company of the Year categories.
All nominations are based on projects that were active between the period of June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025. Continuing MusicRow’s tradition of recognizing talent behind the scenes, the Top 10 Album All-Star Musician Awards will be presented in conjunction with the MusicRow Awards. These honors salute Nashville’s most in-demand studio players who performed on the most albums reaching the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart during the eligibility period.
BREAKING: Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Announces 2025 Inductees
/by LB CantrellThe Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) revealed its Class of 2025 inductees this morning (Aug. 6) at press conference on Music Row. It was announced that Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Jim Lauderdale, Don Cook, Steve Bogard and Tony Martin will become members of the esteemed Hall in October.
The six will join the 247 previously-inducted members when they are formally inducted during the 55th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 6, at the Music City Center.
The news was shared by Rich Hallworth, Chair of the organization’s board of directors, and Mark Ford, its Executive Director, at Nashville’s historic Columbia Studio A – part of Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.
“Gathering as we do each year – to reveal and welcome the members of our incoming class – is truly one of the highlights of our calendar,” said Hallworth. “To these outstanding songwriters, we say – thank you for sharing your songs and your artistry with us. We are proud to honor you this fall, when you will officially join your legendary peers in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
Ford introduced each member of the new class at the press conference event. Bogard and Martin were elected in the contemporary songwriter category; Lauderdale in the contemporary songwriter/artist category; Cook as the veteran songwriter, Harris as the veteran songwriter/artist, and Paisley, who was elected in 2024 but deferred at his request to 2025, as the contemporary songwriter/artist.
Below is bio information for each inductee, provided by the NaSHOF:
STEVE BOGARD [electee – contemporary songwriter category]
Florida native Steve Bogard’s songwriting path began in Tampa where his teenage Rock band days led to two solo-penned singles on Scepter Records. Following a move to Memphis, where he scored a top 20 R&B hit with James Carr, Steve made his next move to Miami as a 19-year-old staff writer for Atlantic Records, where he garnered cuts by Rita Coolidge, Delaney & Bonnie, and others. Steve followed with solo albums in Canada and the U.K. Then in 1979, one of his 11-year-old songs, “Touch Me With Magic,” was released by Marty Robbins, reached No. 15 Country, and became a BMI-award winner. Steve moved to Nashville in 1982. His first No. 1, Lee Greenwood’s “Mornin’ Ride,” came five years later and was followed by more No. 1’s: “New Fool At an Old Game” by Reba McEntire, “Carried Away” and “Carrying Your Love With Me” (both by George Strait), “Wherever You Are” by Jack Ingram, and “Seein’ Red” by Dustin Lynch. In 2000, “Prayin’ For Daylight” launched Rascal Flatts’ career as their debut single, and in 2006 and 2007, two of Steve’s songs by Dierks Bentley were nominated for Grammys – “Every Mile A Memory” and “Long Trip Alone.”
TONY MARTIN [electee – contemporary songwriter category]
Born in Georgia and raised in Nashville, Tony Martin has been around country songwriting his entire life. The son of country composer Glenn Martin, Tony grew up at the feet of other stellar songwriters such as Sonny Throckmorton, Mickey Newbury, and Hank Cochran. During his time as a journalist for a Chicago newspaper, Tony was writing parody songs for fun when his father urged him to take his talent more seriously. In 1988, Tony wrote “Baby’s Gotten Good At Goodbye,” which his father successfully pitched to George Strait. The song proved to be the dream scenario for a songwriter. It was Tony’s first demo, first cut, first single, first hit and first No. 1. Since that time, Tony has added more chart-topping hits to his resume. Among those are “A Little More Summertime” by Jason Aldean, “I’ll Think Of A Reason Later” by Lee Ann Womack, “Just To See You Smile” by Tim McGraw, “Living And Living Well” and “Go On” (both by George Strait), “No Place That Far” by Sara Evans, “Settle For A Slow Down” by Dierks Bentley, “Third Rock From The Sun” by Joe Diffie, and “You Look Good In My Shirt” by Keith Urban.
DON COOK [electee – veteran songwriter category]
Don Cook was born in San Antonio, Texas. He was writing songs by age 12, recording his first demo by age 14 and playing various Houston coffeehouses throughout his teenage years. Three days after his graduation from the University of Texas, Don arrived in Nashville. He soon met publisher Don Gant, who signed him to a deal at Acuff-Rose Publishing. When Gant moved to Tree Publishing, Don followed. In his first year at Tree he had 11 cuts, including “Cryin’ Again” by The Oak Ridge Boys and “Lady Lay Down” by John Conlee — Don’s first No. 1 as a songwriter. Other hits followed in the ’80s, including “Julia” by Conway Twitty, “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again” by T. Graham Brown, “Small Town Girl” by Steve Wariner and “Somebody’s Gonna Love You” by Lee Greenwood. In the early ’90s, Don co-wrote “Brand New Man,” the first single for Brooks & Dunn, and began to produce the duo, a collaboration that yielded the co-written No. 1 hits “My Next Broken Heart,” “Only In America” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone,” among others.
JIM LAUDERDALE [electee – contemporary songwriter/artist category]
Born in Troutman, North Carolina, Jim Lauderdale grew up in Due West, South Carolina. After college graduation in 1979, Jim made his way to Nashville for a few months before moving on to New York. By the late 1980s, Jim had joined the national touring production of Pump Boys & Dinettes and relocated to Los Angeles, where he began to find traction musically as a writer and performer. In the early 1990s Jim returned to Nashville, where he began to land early cuts by George Strait. By the mid ’90s Jim’s songs were finding homes on the country chart: “Gonna Get A Life” by Mark Chesnutt, “Halfway Down” by Patty Loveless and “You Don’t Seem To Miss Me” by Loveless & George Jones. Near the end of the decade Strait had top 5 hits with Jim’s “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This” and “What Do You Say To That” (originally recorded by Jim on BNA Records in 1998). Across Jim’s career as an Americana recording artist, he has released 37 albums – achieving two Grammy wins for Bluegrass Album of the Year and charting bluegrass hits such as “Mighty Lonesome,” “One Blue Mule” and “Iodine.” His collaborations with Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys have yielded the bluegrass top 10 “I Feel Like Singing Today” and “She’s Looking At Me,” the 2002 AMA Song of the Year. Jim was honored with the AMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
EMMYLOU HARRIS [electee – veteran songwriter/artist category]
Birmingham, Alabama-born Emmylou Harris was raised in North Carolina and Virginia. By high school, she was obsessed with playing guitar. Graduating as valedictorian, she eventually left college for the folk music scene in New York’s Greenwich Village. Signing with Jubilee Records, she released her debut album in 1970 with five self-penned songs. Moving to Washington, D.C., she met Gram Parsons, joined his band, and discovered a passion for country music. Following Parson’s untimely death, Emmylou formed her own band and signed with Reprise Records. Her 1975 release featured her classic “Boulder To Birmingham.” Though Emmylou recorded her own songs sporadically until the 2000s, her “White Line” reached No. 14 country in 1985, and her “Heartbreak Hill” reached No. 8 country in 1989. Her co-written “In My Hour Of Darkness,” recorded by Gram Parsons in 1973, re-emerged in 2007 as a No. 15 bluegrass hit for John Starling & Carolina Star. Emmylou’s “Sweetheart Of The Pines” from 1986 became a No. 17 bluegrass hit for Dale Ann Bradley in 2016. Other songs from Emmylou include “A River For Him,” “Amarillo,” “Red Dirt Girl,” “The Pearl” and “Woman Walk The Line.” She is a 1995 inductee into the SPBGMA Hall of Greats, a 2008 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and a 2018 recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
BRAD PAISLEY [electee – contemporary songwriter/artist category 2024]
Brad Paisley was born and raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He received his first guitar from his grandfather, who taught him to play at eight years old. At age 13, Brad wrote his first song, which he performed publicly, and which eventually led him to an eight-year stint performing on Wheeling’s Jamboree USA. After high-school graduation and two years at West Liberty State College, Brad was awarded a fully paid ASCAP scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville where he majored in music business. A week after graduating from Belmont, Brad signed as a writer with EMI Music Publishing. Following cuts by David Kersh, David Ball and Tracy Byrd, Brad signed with Arista Nashville and soon began to record his own songs. As an artist, he has placed 33 self-penned top 20 songs on the Billboard charts, including 15 No. 1s and 14 more in the top 10. Among those compositions are “He Didn’t Have To Be,” “Alcohol,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Celebrity,” “Ticks,” “Letter To Me,” “Then,” “This Is Country Music,” “Water,” and his duet with Carrie Underwood “Remind Me.” A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Brad was ASCAP’s 2004 Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. He was NSAI’s Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2002 and 2005.
30A Songwriters Festival Reveals 2026 Headliners
/by Lorie HollabaughAdditional headliners include I’m With Her, Nikki Lane and Paul McDonald & the Mourning Doves. The 30A Songwriters Festival has attracted thousands of live music fans from around the world for the past 17 years to hear songwriters from multiple genres perform their original songs. The beach resort towns along Scenic Highway 30A on the Gulf Coast feature 30 venues that host over 125 songwriters and 300+ solo, band, and in-the-round performances during the annual festival.
“For the headline stage on Saturday and Sunday afternoons of the MLK holiday weekend we have always booked heritage artists, legends from different favorite decades and emerging artists gaining national star status in front of our eyes,” explains Russell Carter, President of Russell Carter Artist Management and Festival Co-Producer. “2026 is no exception. Mavis Staples brings her 70 years of performing brilliance back to 30A, Toad the Wet Sprocket and 10,000 Maniacs are seminal alternative rock bands that emerged from the 90s and rose to the top of the charts with multiple hits. Nikki Lane and Paul McDonald have both developed critically acclaimed careers as they have built regional followings. Both have new breakthrough albums that are now propelling their careers to new heights. It all adds up to two afternoons of very exciting live music.”
Festival Weekend Passes are currently available at 30asongwritersfestival.com. VIP tickets that include premium seating, food and drinks in the VIP tent on Saturday and Sunday afternoons are also available.
The full festival lineup will be announced over the next few weeks.
Watershed Festival Wraps Another Talent-Packed Weekend
/by Lorie HollabaughDierks Bentley. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Watershed Festival made its return to the Gorge Amphitheatre over the weekend Aug. 1-3 with three days of full sun and country music.
Bailey Zimmerman. Photo: Bubba Sellars
The fest kicked off on Friday afternoon with sets from RaeLynn, who brought her signature country swagger to the Main Stage, while local favorites The Woods amped up the crowd on the Next From Nashville Stage. Ian Munsick kept the energy high with a set packed with fan favorites, and the night culminated with a high-octane performance from Jason Aldean, who lit up the stage and closed out the first day in front of a packed crowd of fans.
Saturday started with standout performances from rising stars including Ashley Cooke, Chase Matthew and Zach Top. Dierks Bentley brought the heat Saturday night, kicking off his set with a medley of crowd-pleasers including his latest single, “She Hates Me” before launching into hits like “Living” and “Beers on Me.” In a surprise highlight, Next From Nashville artists The Band Loula joined Bentley on stage for a swampy rendition of the Del McCoury Band’s “Get Down On Your Knees.” He closed out the night with his ’90s alter ego, Hot Country Knights, bringing Top back out for a high-energy cover of John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident).”
Sunday closed out the weekend on a high note with more performances from Drew Baldridge, Jackson Dean and Tyler Hubbard. Headliner Bailey Zimmerman brought the house down with an explosive set filled with genre-blending anthems, high-energy production, and a mix of fan favorites and new music from his upcoming album Different Night Same Rodeo.
The weekend also showcased rising talent at the Next From Nashville Stage, where fans were treated to standout performances from newcomers including Logan Crosby, Spencer Crandall, Karley Scott Collins, Thomas Edwards, Greylan James, Tiera Kennedy, Bryce Leatherwood, Shaylen, Lauren Watkins, The Woods, and local favorites Last Chance Band.
Jason Aldean. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Photo:
Ian Munsick. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Jackson Dean. Photo: Bubba Sellars
RaeLynn. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Tyler Hubbard. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Zach Top. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Ashley Cooke. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Lauren Watkins. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Tiera Kennedy. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Last Chance Band. Photo: Bubba Sellars
Lily Rose Announces Full-Length Album ‘I Know What I Want’
/by Lorie HollabaughLily Rose
Lily Rose is releasing a new full-length album, I Know What I Want, on Oct. 3, and she’s offering a preview of the new project with the release of the confessional new track “Of Course I Do” this Friday (Aug. 8).
Written by Rose, Paul DiGiovanni, Andy Albert and Emily Weisband, “Of Course I Do” showcases the vulnerable side of a breakup, admitting the honest truths that inevitably come with parting ways. The track joins previous releases “End Like This,” “Seein’ Blue,” “Let You Know When I Get There” and the title track from the new 13-song project, which captures a season of clarity and personal truth for the artist.
“I’ve been writing for this project for almost five years now and during that time, I have spanned the spectrum of peaks and valleys,” shares Rose. “Through these years, I have known what I want but have been navigating how to get there… and I feel like I finally made it. When it comes to my catalog of songs, a lot of them were written to bring energy to the live show – ‘Of Course I Do’ is the poster child for that. It’s the song I’m most excited to crank up to 10 in my car and play live.”
In celebration of the new single, Rose will join Jordan Davis on the road for three shows this weekend. Following that Rose will embark on her 17-stop headlining “I Know What I Want Tour.”
I Know What I Want Track List:
1. “Even After Everything” (Lily Rose, Paul DiGiovanni, Andy Albert, Seth Ennis)
2. “Work Like That” (Lily Rose, Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson)
3. “Drinkin Bout” (Matt Dragstrem, Chase McGill, Josh Thompson)
4. “I Know What I Want” (Lily Rose, Paul DiGiovanni, Andy Albert, Emily Weisband, Jaxson Free, Taylor Phillips)
5. “End Like This” (Lily Rose, Emily Weisband, Will Weatherly, Dallas Wilson)
6. “Figure 8” (Lily Rose, Matt Morrisey, Autumn Buysse, Peter Wallevik, Daniel Davidsen)
7. “Only Lonely One” (Lily Rose, Seth Ennis, John Pierce, Paul DiGiovanni)
8. “Climbing Magnolias” (Lily Rose, Paul DiGiovanni, Andy Albert, Seth Ennis)
9. “Seein’ Blue” (Lily Rose, Joybeth Taylor, Michael Whitworth, Will Weatherly)
10. “Of Course I Do” (Lily Rose, Paul DiGiovanni, Andy Albert, Emily Weisband)
11. “East To West” (Lily Rose, Paul DiGiovanni, Andy Albert, Emily Weisband)
12. “Let Ya Know When I Get There” (Ben Stennis, Michael Tyler, Hunter Phelps)
13. “Slow Me Down” (Lily Rose, Seth Ennis, Paul DiGiovanni)
Industry Ink: Anne Wilson, CMHOFM, Paul Ogletree, Luke Cyrus, More
/by Lauryn SinkAnne Wilson Celebrates 2 Billion Streams Following ‘God Story’ EP Release
Pictured (L-R): Story House Collective’s Maggie Laws, CCMG’s Riley Bowman, CCMG’s Brad O’Donnell, CCMG’s Kenny Rodgers, Anne Wilson, CCMG/Capitol Records Nashville’s Candice Watkins, CCMG’s Becca Redl, CCMG’s Garrett Davis, Story House Collective’s Matthew West.
Photo: Isaac Apon
On the heels of her four-song EP release, God Story, Anne Wilson was surprised by her team with two new career plaques commemorating two billion streams across DSPs and social platforms, and celebrating her RIAA Gold certification for fan-favorite single “Sunday Sermons.” The career milestone came during her final weekend on the road opening stadiums for Morgan Wallen’s “I’m The Problem Tour.”
“I’m just in awe… two billion streams and ‘Sunday Sermons’ is now RIAA Certified Gold. All glory to Jesus,” shares Wilson. “When I started this journey, I never imagined the songs that He gave me would reach that many people. There are songs that have deeply impacted my life and who I am today, and it just blows my mind that God has used some of my music to do the same for others. This is only a story that HE could’ve written. Thank you, Jesus.”
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Hosts Program on The Fairfield Four
Pictured (L-R): Jerry Zolten, Levert Allison, George Woods, Joe Thompson, Bobbye Sherrell, Herbert Hobson and Michael Gray. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently hosted a program with Levert Allison, Herbert Hobson, Bobbye Sherrell, Joe Thompson and George Woods, current and recently retired members of the Fairfield Four, discussing the group’s history and legacy. Jerry Zolten, a Penn State educator, author, leading expert on gospel music and producer of two Fairfield Four albums, led the discussion. The program also included a brief performance.
The Fairfield Four are an a cappella gospel quartet founded in Nashville more than 100 years ago. They were recognized as National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows in 1989, received the Tennessee Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and awarded three Grammys.
This program was presented in support of the exhibition Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues Revisited.
Paul Ogletree Joins CountryLine Radio as New Weekend Host
Paul Ogletree.
Paul Ogletree will join CountryLine Radio as a new weekend host. The Nashville-based host and on-air personality recently worked on CountryLine TV before stepping into radio.
“Paul brings the perfect energy for our weekend lineup,” says John Collins, Head of Radio at CountryLine. “He’s knowledgeable, relatable, and flat-out entertaining. He makes country fun, and we’re thrilled to have him on board.”
Luke Cyrus Inks With CESD Talent & Roam Man Management
Pictured (L-R): Scott Adkins, Luke Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus.
Luke Cyrus has inked with CESD Talent. Additionally, he will be managed by Roam Man Management, a joint venture between Billy Ray Cyrus and Scott Adkins.
“Luke Cyrus is a dynamic talent who will be a household name—just like his uncle, Billy Ray Cyrus. He has the drive, charisma and artistry to carve his own path while honoring an iconic family legacy,” shares Adkins.
The BoykinZ Celebrate First Sold-Out Headline Show
Pictured (L to R): Alona; Nytere; Lou Grimes, Live Nation; Kylan, Anale; Craig King, Gentle King Management. Photo: Courtesy of The BoykinZ
The BoykinZ recently celebrated their first sold-out headlining show in their hometown of Atlanta, Georgia at Eddie’s Attic on Aug. 2. A second show has been added for Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Emma Grace Glover Hosts Benefit Concert For Vanderbilt’s Music Therapy Program
Photo: Blueprint Underground Cocktail Club
Last week, Emma Grace Glover headlined Healing Harmonies, a writers round fundraiser at Blueprint Underground Cocktail Club in Printer’s Alley. Joined by fellow artists Zoe Jean Fowler, Sara Douga, and special guest Kix Brooks (Brooks & Dunn), the evening was emceed by The Grand Ole Opry WSM Radio Host and Presenter Eryn Cooper, and directly benefited the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Music Therapy Program.
“Music has always helped me heal, and I truly believe in its power to bring comfort and strength during life’s toughest moments,” shares Glover. “With my grandmother passing from Glioblastoma cancer that’s why I chose to partner with Vanderbilt and support their music therapy program because everyone facing cancer deserves the kind of healing and hope that music can offer.”
“Music is a powerful tool for healing – one that is so unique from other treatments we can provide,” adds Julie Bulger, SeniorProgram Manager for Patient and Family-Centered Care at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. “For someone facing a cancer diagnosis, which can often bring many unknowns and anxiety, music can be a lifeline. Our music therapists at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center use evidence-based research and techniques to help patients manage pain, develop coping skills, reach rehabilitation goals and so much more. We are grateful to Emma Grace Glover and Healing Harmonies for raising awareness and funds to benefit this important work.”