Dolly Parton Teams Up With The Wiggles

Dolly Parton recently teamed up with The Wiggles to celebrate the launch of the music video for their cover of “Love Is Like A Butterfly,” featured on the group’s recent country album, Wiggle Up, Giddy Up. This meeting is the first in-person gathering after the collaborators recorded remotely across continents.

The album features two standout collaborations written by and featuring Parton including “Friends” and “We Will Always Be Friends.” In addition to this, the album includes covers of two Parton classics including the tender “Love Is Like a Butterfly” and “Counting 1 to 5,” a playful reimagining of her global hit “9 to 5.”

Joe Nichols Throws Out First Pitch At St. Louis Cardinals Game

Joe Nichols threw out the first pitch at Busch Stadium on June 26 ahead of the Cardinals game against the Chicago Cubs. Joining him on the mound was Cardinals’ pitcher Matt Svanson and Cardinals’ mascot Fredbird.

National Museum Of African American Music Wraps Up Black Music Month Celebration Performance By Kenny Sharp

The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) wrapped up “We Are Music City,” its most ambitious Black Music Month celebration to date, with a performance by Kenny Sharp‘s Brown Liquor Music. The standing-room-only performance ended with dancing, a standing ovation and an hour-long autograph line.

“Music is really blending genres and influences more than ever right now and I feel NMAAM was the perfect venue to host our show,” says Sharp. “I am truly inspired and informed creatively by so many disparate styles and times. It was an honor to pay tribute in that space last night, while also looking forward and allowing us to do our own original music for a blend of the familiar with the brand new.”

“Kenny Sharp’s ‘Brown Liquor Music’ perfectly embodies NMAAM’s mission – celebrating African American musical innovation that transcends boundaries,” adds Dexter D. Evans, Senior Advisor, Strategic Advancement, NMAAM. “There was no better artist to break in our Amplify Lounge than someone who blends so many sounds together, just as our museum celebrates the full spectrum of African American musical contributions. This is what we do at NMAAM – we don’t just preserve history, we actively create the future of music.”

She Is The Music, FEMco & Anzie Blue Team Up To Host Female Showcase

She Is The Music and FEMco, along with music venue Anzie Blue have teamed up for a free showcase on July 16, beginning at 6 p.m.. The multi-genre line-up includes Maggie Rose, Jillian Jacqueline, Summer Joy, Stella Prince, Mary Marguerite and Sinclair.

Admission is free, but tickets are required and available here.

Patrick Mayberry Inks With Provident Entertainment, Releases Debut Single

Worship leader and songwriter Patrick Mayberry has inked with Provident Entertainment and released his debut single “Thank The Lord.” Writing the song on his own, Mayberry aimed to create a piece that was both fun and heartfelt, while recognizing the many ways God has influenced his life.

“One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned is the practice of gratitude. When I take time to acknowledge the blessings in my life—both the big and small ways I see God providing—I become completely overwhelmed with thankfulness,” he shares. “We may not have everything we want, but if we truly stop and look around, we realize we have so much more than we need. This song is a celebration of that—a response of thanksgiving for everything God has done in my life.”

Corey Kent has notched his second No. 1 song at country radio with “This Heart,” following his breakout hit “Wild As Her.” With over 75 million streams, the song reached the top of both the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart and the Billboard Country Airplay chart.

Rising from the red dirt country scene, Kent has amassed over 1 billion career streams and multiple Gold and Platinum certifications.

Kent is set to play two hometown shows this summer alongside a run of festival dates. Additionally, he will join Morgan Wallen later this summer for two dates.

 

ACM Lifting Lives recently hosted its 16th Annual ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp, held in collaboration with Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.

The week-long residential program is designed for musically talented individuals with Williams syndrome, offering enriching musical experiences while also contributing to ongoing research on the rare genetic condition. Artists who joined the campers throughout the week include Roman Alexander, Priscilla Block, Tyler Braden, Ross Copperman, Jackson Dean, Dalton Dover, JT Harding, Bryce Leatherwood, Parmalee, Emily Ann Roberts and Lauren Watkins.

27 campers with Williams syndrome from across the U.S. and Canada came together to take part in a customized lineup of activities, starting with the writing of an original song with some top writers, and culminating with a live performance of the song on the Grand Ole Opry stage in front of a packed Opry House audience.

The week kicked off with campers teaming with Ross Copperman (marking his 12th year participating in the camp), Dalton Dover and JT Harding to co-write “Our Best Year Yet” inspired by Opry’s 100th Anniversary. Later in the week, they joined Lauren Watkins to bring the song to life, recording it at Ocean Way Studios before culminating in a standing-ovation performance on the Grand Ole Opry stage alongside Jackson Dean.

Campers got an inside look at the Nashville music industry through exclusive experiences as Bryce Leatherwood welcomed them to the Bluebird Cafe for a special performance and Q&A, while Parmalee met them at Gold Pacific Studio to share some studio 101 and record vocals on existing tracks. Emily Ann Roberts joined the campers at Seacrest Studios at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where they stepped into the role of radio DJs, asking questions and sharing their voices over the hospital’s internal airwaves. Tyler Braden also surprised campers for karaoke at Riley Green’s Duck Blind, and Roman Alexander and Priscilla Block joined the group for an outing to Topgolf, adding to a week full of connection and lasting memories.

“ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp is a tangible reminder of how unifying, inspiring, and meaningful music is,” shares Taylor Wolf, Director, ACM Lifting Lives. “The campers’ song ‘Our Best Year Yet’ was written in homage to Opry100, and also speaks to the universal feelings of love, singing together, friendship, and how music makes us feel. Thank you to all the artists, venues, partners and supportive teams that made this week possible. We hope you, too, felt the energy and celebration of our best year yet.”

The camp is fully funded by ACM Lifting Lives, in addition to providing scholarships to several campers. These efforts directly support the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families through research, education and community outreach.

Mike McVay of McVay Media and Julie Talbott of Premiere Networks have been unveiled as two of the 2025 inductees into the Radio Hall Of Fame.

Six inductees were determined by a voting participant panel composed of more than 900 industry professionals invited to cast votes and four inductees were voted on by the Radio Hall of Fame 2025 Nominating Committee. Inductees will be honored at an in-person ceremony on Oct. 30 in Chicago. Tickets are available now.

Additionally, Tom Carballo, Alice Cooper, Colin Cowherd, DeDe McGuire, Martha Quinn, Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch, Scott Simon and Shelley “The Playboy” Stewart will be inducted.

“Our 2025 Induction Ceremony and Celebration will be a special, standing room only, event honoring the talents, history and contributions of 11 incredible people,” shares Kraig Kitchin, Co-Chair of the Radio Hall of Fame. “I cannot wait to celebrate the careers and impact of these men and women who’ve made a forever positive impact on the radio industry!”

“It is an honor to induct another amazing class of talented individuals to the Radio Hall of Fame that adds to the history of radio,” adds Dennis Green, Co-Chair of the Radio Hall of Fame. “These Radio Hall of Famers have entertained us, informed us, and helped to bring special moments to our lives through a medium that does this better than any other. I look forward to welcoming this year’s inductees as we honor their legacies and share their stories which will serve as an inspiration for future generations to come.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome this year’s class into the Radio Hall of Fame—an extraordinarily talented and diverse group of broadcasters whose voices have informed, inspired, and entertained listeners across America,” says David Plier, Chairman, The Museum of Broadcast Communications. “This year’s inductees reflect the depth, creativity, and cultural impact of radio across generations and formats. We’re especially excited to celebrate the Class of 2025 as we bring the Induction Ceremony back to Chicago.”