Kelleigh Bannen has partnered with Apple Music for an exclusive EP, Apple Music Nashville Sessions: Kelleigh Bannen.

Recorded in Nashville, this exclusive session includes performances of her 2019 fan favorite “Happy Birthday,” Eric Church’s “Smoke a Little Smoke,” The Red Clay Strays’ “Wondering Why” and “Nothing On” featuring Drake White, a new take on her February 2025 duet with Lady A’s Charles Kelley.

“This session was something I wanted to do for myself and for my daughters. After my oldest daughter was born, I had a really hard time getting my power back as a singer. I was in a vulnerable place. Being pregnant with our second daughter opened up all those insecurities again,” says Bannen. “With the help of my friend Jason Lehning, I was able to surround myself with an incredible foundation of vocalists. Recording this session, especially with this band, was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had. At the end of the day, I want my daughters to see me taking risks, working hard for a dream. That’s exactly what this project felt like.”

A Nashville native, Bannen is a singer, songwriter, and host of Today’s Country Radio and her eponymous show on Apple Music Country.

Each featured song was picked for the project by Bannen.

“‘Happy Birthday’ is one of those songs that got away from me. It’s my favorite song I’ve ever written, and I wanted to give it another look. I loved that we had the chance to really spotlight the harmonies on this version. Eric Church is one of the greats of this generation, as a risk taker, creative, and songwriter. I admire him so much. It was a blast to do a version of ‘Smoke a Little Smoke’ and just let it be loose and fun,” Bannen shares.

She continues, “‘Wondering Why’ by The Red Clay Strays is one of those songs I immediately sent to all my girlfriends saying, ‘You have to listen to this!’ You’re in the middle of the story from the first line. We kept the ‘she’s’ in the lyrics and sang it like a love song to my friend group. My girls keep me afloat and champion me like no one else, this one’s a love letter to them. Drake White brought so much texture and soul to [“Nothing On”]. I love his voice and am obsessed with how it turned out.”

The full EP is available now.

Aaron Armstrong has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Riser House, The Song Factory and hit songwriter/producer Jake Mitchell.

Originally from North Carolina, Armstrong attended Lipscomb University where he interned with Riser House. Outside of school and interning, he started to build his songwriting catalog, eventually penning tunes for Vincent Mason and Eli Winders, among others.

“I didn’t realize Aaron was a songwriter when he started interning with our marketing team,” says Brandon Perdue, SVP of A&R + Publishing at Riser House. “Once we heard some of the songs Aaron was writing, we started placing him in some sessions and consistently received great feedback. After learning that Jake was already starting to mentor Aaron, we jumped at the opportunity to partner on launching Aaron’s career. We see Aaron as a truly special talent who will be a major player in the next generation of hit-makers.”

“I’m beyond grateful for this team and stoked for the journey ahead! Brandon, Kirby [Smith], Allison [Pilotti], and the Riser House crew are the best team I could ever want in my corner, and Jake’s mentorship has been an integral part of helping me grow as a writer,” adds Armstrong. “I’m incredibly thankful to get to do this every day with people I love and respect highly. Let’s get to work!”

“I can’t imagine my career without the encouragement and guidance from peers and mentors who invested time and energy in me. I knew my next step in this industry was to return that investment to the next generation of songwriters,” says Mitchell. “After working with Aaron just a couple of times, it was beyond obvious to me that he’s the flagship writer I wanted to champion. I’m so thankful that Riser House also sees what I see in Aaron, and for their partnership on this deal. I couldn’t be more excited for everyone to get to know Aaron and hear the future of Nashville!”

This signing also signals the official re-launch of legacy publishing company The Song Factory. Their past roster includes Jon Pardi, Ashley McBryde, Dustin Lynch, Bart Butler and more. Riser House CEO Jennifer Johnson brought The Song Factory under the Riser House umbrella upon opening in 2017.

Lainey Wilson Makes Surprise Appearance During CMHOFM Songwriter Session

Lainey Wilson surprised the audience last weekend by joining two of her songwriting collaborators, Jon Decious and Aaron Raitiere, during their Songwriter Session at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Wilson performed “4x4xU” and “Ring Finger” alongside the co-writers.

The Songwriter Session program was presented in support of the museum’s newest exhibition Lainey Wilson: Tough as Nails, which traces Wilson’s story from her upbringing on her family’s farm in Baskin, Louisiana, to her rise to fame. The exhibit is open now until June 2026 and is included with museum admission.

 

Miranda Lambert Notches Biggest Streaming Debut Of Her Career With Chris Stapleton Duet

Miranda Lambert has notched her biggest streaming debut to date with the release of her most recent single, “A Song To Sing.” Lambert tapped co-writer Chris Stapleton to join her on the track.

Racking up more than 3.3 million U.S. streams and over 4.3 million streams globally, the track also topped 27,000 in U.S. track consumption. Co-written by the pair along with Jesse Frasure and Jenee Fleenor, the song also arrives at No. 1 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart.

Lambert made a surprise appearance in Los Angeles on Saturday (July 19), appearing alongside Stapleton at SoFi Stadium for a live debut of the song.

 

Alison Krauss & Union Station Talk Reunion with CBS Mornings

Alison Krauss and Union Station recently sat down with CBS Mornings to discuss their long-awaited reunion, their music-making process and the addition of Russell Moore on co-lead vocals. Krauss also joined Rick Beato for a wide-ranging interview about her early days with Union Station, as well as her approach to harmony, fiddle playing and the unique sound that’s defined her career.

 

Ian Munsick Makes Cheyenne Frontier Days Headlining Debut

Ian Munsick recently became the first Wyoming native to headline Cheyenne Frontier Days. The 22-song set included “Cowboy Killer,” “Long Live Cowgirls” and many more. Travis Tritt opened the show. Munsick surprised the crowd with his dad, Dave, and his brother, Sam, on stage, reunited as The Munsick Boys. The group performed “Prairie Lament i” and a cover of Chris LeDoux’s “Rodeo Moon.”

 

Songwriters Under the Stars Returns to Cheekwood

The “Songwriters Under The Stars” event will return to Cheekwood this year. General Admission tickets are $65 for members and $75 for non-members. Premium package tickets are also available for $150 for members and $175 for non- members. Each Premium Package ticket includes one concert ticket with exclusive, front-of-stage viewing in an Eno Lounger SL chair, two drink tickets, and access to premium parking with a golf cart shuttle to the concert location.

This year’s event will be on will be on Aug. 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. and features Brett James, Trannie Anderson and Tom Douglas, who combined, have over 30 No. 1 hits.

Kelsea Ballerini has released “Patterns (Stripped Session),” an acoustic performance video featuring select songs from her 2024 album, presented by Lululemon.

Filmed during an intimate, fan-only concert with just 50 guests in attendance, the performance includes stripped-down versions of “Baggage,” “Sorry Mom,” “We Broke Up” and “To The Men That Love Women After Heartbreak,” as well as “Patterns,” “Hindsight is Happiness” and “I Would, Would You.”

Patterns was produced by Alysa Vanderheym and written alongside Jessie Jo Dillon, Karen Fairchild and Hillary Lindsey. The record debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

Earlier this year, Ballerini was named a global Lululemon ambassador and currently stars in the brand’s campaign for their Align collection.