Helen Cornelius
Singer Helen Cornelius died on Friday at age 83.
With vocal partner Jim Ed Brown, she earned the 1977 CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year. The team was also nominated for this honor in 1978 and 1979. Its string of top-10 hits included “I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You” (1976), “Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye” (1977), the Grammy-nominated “If the World Ran Out of Love Tonight” (1978), “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (1979), “Lying in Love With You” (1979), “Fools” (1979) and “Morning Comes to Early” (1980).
Born Helen Johnson, she was a native of Missouri who began singing at an early age. As a high-school student, she formed a trio with sisters Judy and Sharon. The siblings competed successfully on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour TV show in 1960.
She married truck driver Lewis Cornelius and channeled her music ambitions into songwriting while working as a housewife and raising children. She was signed as a staff writer by Screen Gems in 1970, and her songs were eventually recorded by such stars as The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Charlie Louvin & Melba Montgomery, Jeannie C. Riley, Lynn Anderson, Barbara Fairchild and Connie Smith, among others.
With her husband and three children in tow, she moved to Music City. Established Grand Ole Opry star Jim Ed Brown was introduced to the newcomer by RCA Records producer Bob Ferguson. The duo clicked with such sexy tracks as “I’ll Never Be Free” (1978), “The Bedroom” (1980) and “Don’t Bother to Knock” (1981) and co-starred as hosts of his Nashville On the Road nationally syndicated TV series in 1976-80.
Brown and Cornelius had an affair, which became embarrassingly public when they broke up in 1980. She became a solo artist with charted singles released by the RCA, Elektra and Ameri-Can labels. She released her debut solo LP in 1985 on Dot Records.
Helen Cornelius became the opening act for The Statler Brothers and for Conway Twitty. In 1984, she starred in a road company production of Annie Get Your Gun that played 64 cities. Cornelius briefly reunited with Jim Ed Brown for a tour in 1988. In 1991, she opened a theater called Nashville South in Gatlinburg. She performed there nightly for the next five years.
Returning to her native Missouri, Cornelius settled in Branson to headline at the Jim Stafford Theater. In recent years, she has often been featured on Larry Black’s Country Family Reunion series on RFD-TV.
Helen Cornelius passed away in Nashville. No cause of death has been reported. She is survived by her children, Christy and Dennis Cornelius, by two grandchildren, by brother Elvin Johnson, and by her beloved dog, Bella.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741 (MichaelJFox.org). Visitation will be held on Friday, July 25 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. with a service immediately following at the Williamson Memorial Funeral Home, 3009 Columbia Ave, Franklin, TN 37064. A private burial will be held after for family and close friends.
Trisha Yearwood & Friends Celebrate Linda Ronstadt & L.A. Country-Rock
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Bernie Leadon, Emmylou Harris, Trisha Yearwood, Patti Scialfa, Rodney Crowell and James Taylor backstage at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Trisha Yearwood hosted a sold-out concert at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater last night (July 22) with some special guests celebrating the music of Linda Ronstadt and the L.A. country-rock scene of the 1960s-’80s.
The concert featured performances by Yearwood, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Bernie Leadon, Patti Scialfa and James Taylor, and was co-produced by Yearwood and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in connection with the museum’s “Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock” exhibit, presented by City National Bank.
Performances from Yearwood included gems like “You’re No Good,” “Blue Bayou,” “It’s So Easy,” “When Will I Be Loved,” “Silver Threads and Golden Needles” and more, including “To Know Him Is to Love Him” by Yearwood joined by Emmylou Harris and Patti Scialfa.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say that Linda Ronstadt is THE reason I became a singer,” says Yearwood. “Celebrating Linda and her fellow L.A.-based musicians alongside some of my biggest musical heroes is a lifelong dream come true for me.”
The concert, which benefited the museum and its educational mission, was filmed and will be released next month on the museum’s website and YouTube channel. “Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock,” which will conclude its nearly three-year run on Sept. 16, explores the L.A.-based communities of visionary singers, songwriters and musicians including Ronstadt, who created and shaped the country-rock sound and made a lasting impact on pop music.
Netflix’s ‘Hitmakers’ Pulls Back The Curtain On The High-Stakes World Of Songwriting Camps
/by LB CantrellHitmakers. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2025
A new docu-series premiering Thursday (July 24) on Netflix goes behind the scenes of the songwriting camps where today’s biggest hits are made. Hitmakers follows 12 top-tier songwriters and producers as they team up in high-pressure writing sessions for major artists like John Legend, Shaboozey and Lisa of Blackpink.
Across six episodes, viewers follow hitmakers including Jenna Andrews, Tommy Brown, Trey Campbell, Ferras, Harv, Ben Johnson, Stephen Kirk, JHart, Whitney Phillips, Sevyn Streeter and Nova Wav as they travel to songwriting camps in the Bahamas, Nashville and Cabo. Split into writing rooms, the creatives are tasked with crafting standout songs—offering a rare, inside look at both the technical craft and emotional grit of hit songwriting.
The series highlights not only the creative process but also the personal dynamics of working in a collaborative, high-pressure environment.
Phillips, a pop songwriter who often works out of Nashville, told MusicRow that the series felt like an overdue celebration of the songwriting community.
“I’ve been part of this community for 13 years. I’ve seen myself and my friends wait tables, drive Ubers and crash on couches, all to keep making music. We’ve given our blood, sweat and tears to an industry that doesn’t always give songwriters their due,” she says. “Hitmakers is a celebration of that grit, that dedication. With streaming and AI reshaping the landscape, this was our chance to show the humans behind the songs. We had a blast, wrote some incredible records, and captured the chaos, the magic and the heart of it all. And I think that’s exactly what the world is going to see.”
Nashville-based songwriter Johnson adds, “I’m excited for more people to discover that the songwriting community exists and hopefully raise some awareness. I love new experiences and challenges, and this was both of those. It was an interesting process integrating reality TV with music creation—I hope I represented Nashville well and that everyone’s entertained!”
JHart shares, “Filming Hitmakers was a terrifying yet exciting experience. Terrifying in the sense that I had to put my talent, my story, and my reputation in the hands of people who I didn’t know, and exciting in the sense that I could be a part of introducing the average viewer to an underrepresented ecosystem they didn’t know existed, and in a format that felt familiar and digestible to them.”
Hitmakers is produced by Done and Done Productions and Harvey Mason Media, with executive producers Adam DiVello, Harvey Mason Jr., Britt Burton, Kimberly Goodman, Kristofer Lindquist, Megan Roger and Skyler Wakil.
Anne Wilson Slates ‘God Story’ EP For August 1
/by Lauryn SinkAnne Wilson will release her newest EP, God Story, on Aug 1.
“I’ve been pouring my heart into these songs over the last year – writing, dreaming and recording in the studio,” shares Wilson. “I’m so excited to finally start sharing this new chapter of music. God Story is full of the stories God’s been writing in my life, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”
Wilson penned the tracks alongside Matthew West, Jeff Pardo and Emily Weisband. The EP follows her sophomore album, Rebel, which was released in 2024. Named after her most recent single, the four-song project comes just ahead of her second weekend on Morgan Wallen’s “I’m The Problem Tour.”
Wilson recently announced that she will return to her home state of Kentucky for a special benefit concert at Corbin Arena on Aug. 11, raising funds for families and communities impacted by the deadly tornado that struck eastern Kentucky this May.
God Story Track List:
1. “God Story” (Anne Wilson, Matthew West, Jeff Pardo)
2. “Til The Road Runs Out” (Anne Wilson, Matthew West, Jeff Pardo)
3. “Devil Is Too” (Anne Wilson, Emily Weisband, Matthew West, Jeff Pardo)
4. “Twenty Three” (Anne Wilson, Matthew West, Jeff Pardo)
Exile Celebrates Emmy Win For ’60 Years Of Music’ Documentary
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Exile: Les Taylor, Marlon Hargis, Sonny LeMaire, Steve Goetzman and JP Pennington. Photo: Mark Conner
Exile has received an Emmy award for the career-spanning documentary Exile: 60 Years of Music, produced by KET (The Kentucky Network).
Through rare photos, home movies filmed over 50 years ago, and rarely seen archival musical footage, the documentary chronicles 60 years on the road with the American country rock legends and Kentucky Music Hall of Fame inductees, original members Sonny LeMaire, JP Pennington, Marlon Hargis, Steve Goetzman and Les Taylor.
“As a band now in our 62nd year of music and friendship, we’ve achieved more than we ever imagined as kids. From unforgettable TV moments on The Midnight Special, Solid Gold, and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, to so many others, we’ve been blessed with a remarkable journey,” says the band. “But our documentary has given us center stage like never before. While we’ve seen many dreams come true, we never imagined an Emmy. We tip our hats to KET and producer/director Tom Thurman for bringing this honor home. We’re proud of our Kentucky roots and deeply grateful to be the subject of an Emmy-winning collaboration with our fellow Kentuckians.”
“As the director of this documentary, I knew that it would be a real challenge covering Exile’s 60 years of history,” says Thurman. “But these men are not only talented musicians and songwriters; they are great storytellers as well. And maybe even more importantly, they are survivors thriving in a very tough business. That’s a filmmaker’s dream right there.”
For fans wanting to enjoy the band’s many hits, the album Exile HITS Anniversary Edition, a remixed and remastered collection of 15 timeless hits, featuring eleven No.1s, is now available in immersive Dolby Atmos sound that allows audio elements to be placed in a 3D space, delivering a more realistic and dynamic experience for fans and content creators alike.
CMA Award Winner Helen Cornelius Passes
/by Robert K OermannHelen Cornelius
Singer Helen Cornelius died on Friday at age 83.
With vocal partner Jim Ed Brown, she earned the 1977 CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year. The team was also nominated for this honor in 1978 and 1979. Its string of top-10 hits included “I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You” (1976), “Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye” (1977), the Grammy-nominated “If the World Ran Out of Love Tonight” (1978), “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (1979), “Lying in Love With You” (1979), “Fools” (1979) and “Morning Comes to Early” (1980).
Born Helen Johnson, she was a native of Missouri who began singing at an early age. As a high-school student, she formed a trio with sisters Judy and Sharon. The siblings competed successfully on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour TV show in 1960.
She married truck driver Lewis Cornelius and channeled her music ambitions into songwriting while working as a housewife and raising children. She was signed as a staff writer by Screen Gems in 1970, and her songs were eventually recorded by such stars as The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Charlie Louvin & Melba Montgomery, Jeannie C. Riley, Lynn Anderson, Barbara Fairchild and Connie Smith, among others.
With her husband and three children in tow, she moved to Music City. Established Grand Ole Opry star Jim Ed Brown was introduced to the newcomer by RCA Records producer Bob Ferguson. The duo clicked with such sexy tracks as “I’ll Never Be Free” (1978), “The Bedroom” (1980) and “Don’t Bother to Knock” (1981) and co-starred as hosts of his Nashville On the Road nationally syndicated TV series in 1976-80.
Brown and Cornelius had an affair, which became embarrassingly public when they broke up in 1980. She became a solo artist with charted singles released by the RCA, Elektra and Ameri-Can labels. She released her debut solo LP in 1985 on Dot Records.
Helen Cornelius became the opening act for The Statler Brothers and for Conway Twitty. In 1984, she starred in a road company production of Annie Get Your Gun that played 64 cities. Cornelius briefly reunited with Jim Ed Brown for a tour in 1988. In 1991, she opened a theater called Nashville South in Gatlinburg. She performed there nightly for the next five years.
Returning to her native Missouri, Cornelius settled in Branson to headline at the Jim Stafford Theater. In recent years, she has often been featured on Larry Black’s Country Family Reunion series on RFD-TV.
Helen Cornelius passed away in Nashville. No cause of death has been reported. She is survived by her children, Christy and Dennis Cornelius, by two grandchildren, by brother Elvin Johnson, and by her beloved dog, Bella.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741 (MichaelJFox.org). Visitation will be held on Friday, July 25 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. with a service immediately following at the Williamson Memorial Funeral Home, 3009 Columbia Ave, Franklin, TN 37064. A private burial will be held after for family and close friends.
Ernest To Return To Ryman This November
/by Lauryn SinkErnest is set to return to the Ryman Auditorium on Nov. 4. Tickets go on sale on July 25 at 10 a.m. CT.
The hometown performance follows his back-to-back nights at the Ryman last year and multiple Stars For Second Harvest shows at the venue.
Ernest recently released Cadillac Sessions, a mixtape-style record with DeVille Records signees Chandler Walters, Rhys Rutherford and Cody Lohden. The album features original songs from the group and additional guests including Snoop Dogg, Miranda Lambert and Jake Worthington.
He is currently on tour as direct support for Old Dominion’s “How Good Is That Tour” and will be hitting the road as an opener for Lainey Wilson this fall for her “Whirlwind Tour.” Ernest recently earned his 13th No. 1 hits as a songwriter and has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS Mornings, LIVE with Kelly and Mark and more. He recently appeared on Sundae Conversation with Caleb Pressley.
RESULTS GLOBAL Adds Four To Team
/by Madison HahnenPictured (clockwise): Molly Fisher, Jessica Vitou, Cami Cradock and Samantha Parrish.
RESULTS GLOBAL has added four new members to its Nashville team.
Molly Fisher joins the team for Special Projects. Fisher began her career as Promotions Director for Beasley Broadcasting Group, before spending seven years as Marketing Project Manager at Big Machine Label Group. Most recently, she served as Marketing Director for Production Technology Partners. Along with her work at RESULTS GLOBAL, Fisher will continue to serve as CMO for her family business venture Dutch Blitz Games.
Jessica Vitou joins the team as Digital & Social Content Specialist. Vitou attended the Savannah College of Art and Design where she graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts in Film and Television. Her previous career stops include SWIFF Film Festival, ZeroEyes and Steal the Sun Productions, where she developed and edited content across music, film, social media, advertising, live events, security and defense tech and digital platforms.
Samantha Parrish joins the team as Digital Marketing Coordinator. Graduating with a degree in Information, Communication, and Technology from Florida State University in 2024, Parrish has held internships at Oak View Group, Big Loud Records and Musicians Corner. During her various roles, she gained experience developing artists’ digital presence, heightened ticket sales through targeted marketing campaigns and produced live events and concerts.
Cami Cradock joins the team as Marketing Assistant. Just graduating from Belmont University in May, she holds a degree in Media & Entertainment Industries. While at Belmont, she served as Director of Marketing for the Belmont Showcase Series for two years, where she led campaign strategy, social content and branding for the program’s major productions. She also held internship roles with WMA and Music City Media where she worked on artist relations, digital strategy and event promotion.
“We are excited to continue the expansion of our team with four stellar individuals,” RESULTS GLOBAL agency Co-Heads John Zarling and Jackie Campbell said in a joint statement. “We’re happy to reunite with former colleague Molly Fisher, who joins us in navigating special projects. Further, we are happy to provide opportunities to three talented associates: Jessica Vitou brings a fresh perspective to content creation; Samantha Parrish onboards as our Digital Marketing Coordinator; and Cami Cradock brings enthusiasm to her role as Marketing Assistant.”
Country Radio Broadcasters Inducts Country Radio Hall Of Fame Class Of 2025
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Ginny “Rogers” Brophey, Sean Powell/Bubba (Big D & Bubba), Derek Haskins/Big D (Big D & Bubba), Rowdy Yates, Gregg Swedberg, Clay Hunnicutt and Mary McCoy. Photo: Kayla Schoen
The 2025 Country Radio Hall of Fame dinner and ceremony hosted by the Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. was held last night (July 21) at the Virgin Hotel in Nashville.
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, this year’s Country Radio Hall of Fame ceremony was a tribute to the legacy and impact of country radio. The evening was filled with heartfelt speeches, moving tributes and unique moments that honored the remarkable careers of this year’s honorees. Inductees included on-air personalities Big D & Bubba, Mary McCoy and Rowdy Yates, alongside radio honorees Ginny “Rogers” Brophey, Clay Hunnicutt and Gregg Swedberg.
Pictured (L-R): RJ Curtis, CRB Executive Director; Jon Loba, President of Frontline Recordings for BMG Americas and Kurt Johnson, CRB/CRS Board President. Photo: Kayla Schoen
This year, Jon Loba, President of Frontline Recordings for BMG Americas, received the honor of the 2025 CRB President’s Award. This award is bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and played a vital role in shaping the success of the Country Radio Seminar and its mission to advance the country format. Loba has played a key role in elevating the presence and power of country music on a global stage.
To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Country Radio Hall of Fame, a series of special events is launching this week in Nashville, including the debut of a 24/7 streaming channel and a three-night songwriter series at the Bluebird Cafe.
Kicking off the celebration, the Legends of Country Radio streaming channel debuted on WSM-AM, honoring five decades of excellence in country radio. The channel features a mix of classic country hits, archived audio, personal stories, and drops from CRHOF members, and classic syndicated programs including Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40, Bob Kingsley Specials, and New Music Nashville Specials produced and hosted by Bob Guerra. The launch was spotlighted during the Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony’s cocktail reception and dinner, hosted by Bill Cody.
Continuing the week’s festivities, The Bluebird Cafe will host a special Bob Kingsley Presents songwriter series celebrating influential figures in country radio. The series begins tonight (July 22) with An Evening Honoring Lon Helton, featuring Matraca Berg, Steve Bogard and friends. On Wednesday, (July 23) An Evening Honoring Nan & Bob Kingsley will showcase performances by Steven Dale Jones, Will Robinson, Bobby Tomberlin, and D. Vincent Williams. The series concludes on Thursday, (July 24) with An Evening Honoring RJ Curtis, featuring The Warren Brothers, Rhett Akins, and Lori McKenna.
Nashville MY PR Lab Adds Artist Management Division, Signs Matt Rogers
/by Lauryn SinkDavid Hawkins and Matt Rogers.
MY PR Lab is expanding into Artist Management with a new division, led by David Hawkins, Founder of MY PR Lab, and Frederico Tonete, Account Executive.
“We’re thrilled to be moving into this new management role with Matt,” says Hawkins. “He’s got the kind of talent and work ethic that makes you want to go all in. As someone who has always thought outside of the traditional PR box, I’m thrilled to apply the same approach to management.”
The organization signed the first client to its management roster, Matt Rogers, earlier this year. His latest single, “Camouflage,” benefits the Brother’s Keeper Veteran Foundation, with 100% of proceeds going toward supporting veterans. Rogers has shared stages with Chris Stapleton, Walker Hayes and Clint Black.
Thomas Rhett Sells Out Fenway Park For Headlining Stadium Debut
/by LB CantrellThomas Rhett sells out Fenway Park. Photo: Corey Miller
Multi-Platinum star Thomas Rhett staged his sold-out, headlining stadium debut this weekend at Fenway Park, bringing more than 35,000 fans to Boston. As part of his “Better In Boots Tour,” the show marked Rhett’s return to the venue after being the first country act to ever set foot on the stage in 2013.
“Saturday at Fenway was the craziest thing ever,” shares Rhett. “I have so many great memories in Boston, but I have dreamt about headlining Fenway my entire career. So, standing there with over 35,000 fans dancing and singing back to me will be etched in my brain for the rest of my life…I love you Boston!”
Pictured (L-R): Sandi Borchetta (BMLG), Andrew Kautz (BMLG), Mitch Glazier (RIAA), Scott Borchetta (BMLG), Lauren Akins, Thomas Rhett, George Briner (Valory Music Co), Allison Jones (BMLG), Ashley Sidoti (Valory Music Co.) and Virginia Bunetta (G Major). Photo: Corey Miller
After opening sets by Teddy Swims, Tucker Wetmore and The Castellows, Rhett’s signature charisma was center-stage for his hit-filled set that included songs from his seventh studio album About A Woman as well as his biggest hits including “Make Me Wanna,” “T-Shirt,” “Beautiful As You,” “Remember You Young,” “Unforgettable” and current top 10 “After All the Bars are Closed.” Swims reappeared later in the night for a performance of the duet “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Woman,” which was also recognized for being certified Gold by the RIAA earlier in the day.
RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier also surprised Rhett earlier in the day with a crystal statuette and a plaque for “Die A Happy Man,” which has officially been certified Diamond, celebrating 10 million units sold and becoming only the 15th country song to reach its status.
The 2015 No. 1 hit song from Rhett’s second studio album Tangled Up has become one of country music’s most enduring modern love songs, earning six major award wins including ACM, CMA and Billboard honors and a Grammy nomination for Best Country Song. Additionally, “It Goes Like This” and “Get Me Some of That” were certified four-times Platinum and “Make Me Wanna” and “T-Shirt” have been certified triple-Platinum for a grand total of 59 million career RIAA-certified units.