(L-R): AMS’s Chuck Wicks, Eldredge, AMS’s Blair Garner

Atlantic Records country artist Brett Eldredge paid a visit to America’s Morning Show today (4/28/15) at the NASH Campus in Nashville. Eldredge is a huge fan of Frank Sinatra, so AMS Host Blair Garner surprised him with a karaoke track of Sinatra’s classic “Summer Wind” and asked Brett to sing it.

Artist Brett Eldredge

Brett nailed it! Click here to watch.

Industry insiders are already aware that Eldredge is a top-notch crooner. At a private holiday soiree last year at The Sutler, he wooed the guests by performing classic standards.

Eldredge is out promoting his newest single, “Lose My Mind” impacting May 4 and recently released the song’s video, co-starring Victoria’s Secret model Rachel Hilbert.

Kristian Bush at Ocean Way studio in Nashville.

After reaching multi-platinum sales success as part of acclaimed country duo Sugarland, Kristian Bush has released his debut solo album, Southern Gravity. He’s been making the media rounds (see his performance on Conan below), and working the Top 20 single “Trailer Hitch” to country radio.

Though definitely a pinnacle in his two-decade career, his time with Sugarland is only part of this musician’s background. His songwriting has garnered six BMI Awards, and in 2011 he founded the music publishing company and songwriting collective Songs of the Architect, collaborating with Matt Nathanson, Lucy Hale and more.

As a singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Bush’s career dates back to the early ‘90s when he released two lauded albums on Atlantic Records as part of folk-rock duo Billy Pilgrim.

Fast forward to 2004 when he and Jennifer Nettles exploded onto the country music scene as Sugarland, going on to surpass worldwide sales of 22 million albums, five No. 1 singles and countless trophies (Grammy, CMA, ACM, AMA, CMT).

Today as a solo act, Bush has reworked his team: moving from Mercury Records Nashville to Streamsound Records, from Gellman Management to Red Light Management, and tapping Jensen Sussman’s Sweet Talk Publicity.

What hasn’t changed is his knack for entertaining audiences and writing catchy country/pop hooks that attracted fans to Sugarland. Just check out the singalong chorus in “Trailer Hitch”: “I don’t know why everybody wanna die rich… you can’t take it with you when you go, never seen a hearse with a trailer hitch.”

Streamsound’s Byron Gallimore, veteran producer of Sugarland, executive produced Southern Gravity, while Bush and longtime friend/engineer Tom Tapley shared production duties.

Bush is headlining shows nationwide with his Put Your Soul In It tour and is teaming with Armed Forces Entertainment in May to perform for military bases in Japan and Hawaii. He is set for a 10 a.m. performance on Saturday, June 13 at the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage during this year’s CMA Music Festival.

Kristian Bush visits The Talk on April 21.
Photo: Courtesy of Kristian Bush

Pictured (L-R) Back: Brett Eldredge, Mat Kearney, Chef Jonathan Waxman, wine host and TJ Martell supporter Tom Black, Kix Brooks; front: Dierks Bentley, Steve Cropper, Tommy Shaw, Jana Kramer, President & CEO of Warner Music Nashville John Esposito, T.J. Martell CEO Laura Heatherly, and Capitol Christian Music Group president/CEO Bill Hearn. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

The T.J. Martell Foundation’s 16th Annual Nashville Best Cellars Dinner took place last night (April 27) at Nashville’s City Winery.

Dierks Bentley, Brett Eldredge, Jana Kramer, Steve Cropper and Kix Brooks were among attendees celebrating a night of exclusive wine and food pairings to benefit life-saving cancer research at the Frances Williams Preston Labs at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The event pairs “Best Sellers” (chart-topping artists) and “Best Cellars” (top wine collectors) who shared rare wines from their collections with guests at their tables.

The Best Cellars Dinner was created by Nashville wine enthusiast and music executive Billy Ray Hearn in 1999. Hearn, who passed away last month, was recognized during a special moment last night. Guests at the event enjoyed a gourmet dinner created by Chef Jonathan Waxman, founder and chef-owner of Adele’s in Nashville.

Pictured (L-R): Jana Kramer, Casey James, Mike Posner.

YouTube will host a night of live performances during the Music Biz 2015 seminar on Wednesday, May 13, beginning at 9 p.m. CT at The Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville.

The event will feature acts from all three major labels including Casey James (Sony Music Entertainment), Jana Kramer (Warner Music Group), and Mike Posner (Universal Music Group). Additionally Tony Joe White will perform from Redeye.

“Live music has always been such an important part of Music Biz, with a wide range of artists and genres represented in years past,” said James Donio, President of Music Biz. “Bringing the convention to Music City USA makes live performances an even more important component of the event. The Wildhorse show will be a fun and entertaining experience for everyone. We’re especially grateful to YouTube and our member labels for coming together to produce what is certain to be a wonderful night of collaboration and camaraderie.”

“Nashville is one of the most important cities in the world when it comes to the creation and performance of music,” said Vivien Lewit, Head of Artist and Label Relations, YouTube. “Fans today experience music in so many ways online, but a live show always promises to deliver a special connection between the artist and fans. That’s why we can’t wait to host ‘Live at the Wildhorse’ to celebrate incredible artists with our friends in Nashville’s music community.”

Music Biz 2015 will be held in Nashville for the first time from May 12-14. Registration is available online.

Nelly

Music fans already know rapper Nelly for his singles such as “Country Grammar,” “Hot In Herre,” and “Grillz.” They may soon hear a more country-tinged style of music from the rapper’s next project.

According to a recent Billboard interview with Atom Factory co-president J. Erving, Nelly has split from his deal with Universal, and is now an independent artist. His next album will feature more of a country flavor.

“He’s a free agent on the label side now, and is working on a country-based Heartland EP, which should be really interesting,” Erving said. “He may be one of the first hip-hop artists to jump into that space in an authentic way with Florida Georgia Line and Tim McGraw, so we think he has an opportunity to grow that base even more.”

In 2004, McGraw and Nelly teamed for the song “Over and Over,” which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. More recently Florida Georgia Line released a remix of their smash hit “Cruise” featuring Nelly. The song earned an American Music Award for Single of the Year in 2013.