Leiper’s Fork Distillery is expanding to Nashville Yards in a new space that will include on-site whiskey production, a restaurant and bar, a retail store, a private tasting room and a stage to host live music.

A producer of small batch premium whiskeys, Leiper’s Fork Distillery filled their first barrel in 2016 and all of their products are made by hand. The company plans to move the distillery’s existing 500-gallon still named “Ginger” from Leiper’s Fork Distillery to Nashville Yards and install a new 1,000 gallon system in its place.

“As a Tennessee distillery, and as someone who grew up in Nashville, I’m incredibly excited to expand to Nashville Yards,” shares the distillery in a statement. “This move allows us to share our story of authentic grain-to-glass whiskey production with a broader audience in the heart of downtown. With Broadway as the epicenter of Nashville tourism, establishing a presence at Nashville Yards offers us an opportunity to grow our brand and further solidify our reputation for crafting high-quality whiskeys that resonate with both locals and visitors alike.”

The Nashville Yards distillery will overlook Nashville’s historic rail lines and Ascension Saint Thomas Landing, which will include a tiered amphitheater space, dog park, and large open area capable of hosting concerts, movies, farmers and artisan markets, fitness classes, private events, and more. Leiper’s Fork Distillery’s plans for the 9,000-square-foot space include a large patio that will open onto the Landing, a bar, and a regular artist showcase series, building on the brand’s “Still House Sessions” events in Williamson County.

Leiper’s Fork Distillery at Nashville Yards expects to open in mid-2026.

Ty Herndon has inked a new three-album deal with Club44 Records, launching the partnership with a reimagined duet of his 1995 breakout hit “What Mattered Most” featuring LeAnn Rimes.

The single marks the first release from Herndon’s upcoming album via Club44, Thirty, a career-spanning celebration of his 30 years in country music. “What Mattered Most” quickly shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart when it was originally released and the song’s runaway success earned him an ACM nomination for Top New Male Vocalist and launched a career that would include four chart-topping hits, a Grammy nomination, and Dove Awards.

“Recording this song with LeAnn was nothing short of magical,” says Herndon. “She and I go back three decades — we were touring together in the ’90s when her career exploded and she used to come out on stage and sing this song with me. So all these years later, re-recording it as a duet, was a full-circle moment I’ll never forget. Her voice brings depth and beauty to the song, which is breathtaking. We’ve both lived a lot of life since then, and I think you can hear that in every note.”

Thirty will feature newly-recorded versions of Herndon’s most iconic hits, reinterpreted as collaborations with an all-star lineup of musical guests. The project offers both a tribute to Herndon’s past and a powerful step forward for the enduring artist. The album’s release date will be announced later this summer.

Between 1995 and 2002, Herndon charted 17 singles, including a string of Top 10 favorites such as “I Want My Goodbye Back,” “Loved Too Much,” “A Man Holding On,” and “Hands of a Working Man.” He reached the top of the charts again in 1996 with “Living in a Moment” and in 1998 with “It Must Be Love.” Over the following decade, Herndon continued to break new ground with the release of a Greatest Hits collection and the albums Right About Now, Lies I Told Myself, and the Grammy-nominated Journey On.

In 2015, he made history as the first major male country artist to come out as gay, and has since released the albums House on Fire and Got It Covered, as well as launching the annual Concert for Love & Acceptance. His 2022 album JACOB featured the singles “Till You Get There” and “Dents on a Chevy,” a duet with Terri Clark that spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the independent country charts, becoming the top independent country single of 2023.

UTA Celebrates CMA Fest

UTA celebrated CMA Fest performances with its clients last week.

 

Dustin Lynch Returns With CMA Fest Poolside Party

Dustin Lynch brought his poolside party back to downtown Nashville for this third annual CMA Fest event with two back to back shows on the rooftop of the Margaritaville Hotel Nashville.

Lynch surprised fans with performances from Sister Hazel and Deana Carter. With sponsors Coors, Happy Dad and Hey Dude Shoes in the mix, the event also kept traditions alive with the famous mullet barber and a fan-favorite belly flop competition.

 

Bailey Zimmerman Surprised With Eight RIAA Certifications Ahead Of CMA Fest Performance

Bailey Zimmerman was surprised on Sunday (June 8) with eight RIAA certifications ahead of his CMA Fest performance at Nissan Stadium. The new certifications include “Rock and A Hard Place” (6X Platinum), “Religiously” (4X Platinum), “Never Comin’ Home” (Platinum), “Change” (Gold), “Fix’n To Break” (Gold), “Get to Gettin’ Gone” (Gold), “Never Leave” (Gold) and “Chase Her” (Gold).

Zimmerman will release his upcoming album on Aug. 8 and kicked off his “New To Country Tour” last week.

 

Tay Keith Launches Music For Healing Initiative For American Cancer Society

Tay Keith has launched his Music For Healing Initiative in support of the American Cancer Society. This new initiative, created in collaboration with Drumatized Cares and the American Cancer Society, is designed to offer comfort and healing through music to guests during treatment. By integrating music into the care experience, the initiative will travel to Hope Lodge communities across Tennessee, delivering speakers and gift bags to provide a sense of peace during some of life’s most challenging moments.

 

A2IM And Luminate Launch A2im Star Certification Program Recognizing Independent Album Sales

The American Association of Independent Music and Luminate have teamed up to launch the Star Certification program, recognizing the album sale achievements of independent artists. The tiered system includes One Star for 50,000 album sales, Two Star for 100,000 album sales, and Three Star for 300,000 album sales.

“This certification was created to recognize real achievement on terms that truly reflect how the independent sector operates,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, President and CEO of A2IM. “We’re grateful to Luminate for their collaboration and commitment to building a credible, data-driven system that allows our community to celebrate its achievements with integrity.”

The first plaques given out recognized John Prine’s The Tree of Forgiveness (Oh Boy Records) with a Three Star label, Frankie Cosmos’s Next Thing (Bayonet Records) with Two Star, and Spice’s 10 (VP Records) with One Star.

 

Daphne Wraps Residency At Nashville’s The Basement

Combustion Music’s Daphne celebrated the end of her residency at Nashville’s The Basement on June 10.