The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMHoF) debuted its latest exhibition Thursday night, March 26, titled, Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City Presented by Citi.

Charlie Daniels and Charlie McCoy kicked off the evening in the upstairs Event Hall, with performances of songs featured in the large-scale exhibit. Afterward VIP attendees were allowed an exclusive preview of the new exhibition, which officially opens today (March 27).

Pictured (L-R): Nashville Cats David Briggs, Lloyd Green, and Mac Gayden; CMHoF curator Michael Gray; Nashville Cats Wayne Moss and Norbert Putnam; and guest co-curator Pete Finney. Photo: Jason Davis, Getty Images

Pictured (L-R): designer Jeff Stamper; CMHoF’s Warren Denney; artist Jon Langford; and the CMHoF’s Carolyn Tate, Mick Buck, and Kyle Young. Photo: CK Photo

Nashville Cat Charlie Daniels (background) browses the galleries with CMHoF’s Carolyn Tate (foreground). Photo: Jason Davis, Getty Images

Pictured (L-R): Nashville Cats Mac Gayden, Lloyd Green, Wayne Moss, Charlie Daniels, and Charlie McCoy; CMHoF’s Kyle Young; Marcie Allen Van Mol, President of MAC Presents; CMHoF’s Carolyn Tate; and Nashville Cat David Briggs. Photo: Jason Davis, Getty Images

Pictured (L-R): CAA’s Rod Essig, CMHoF’s Lisa Purcell, and the Grand Ole Opry’s Pete Fisher. Photo: CK Photo

Emmy Lou Harris (L) with Jo Walker-Meador (R). Photo: CK Photo

Bobby Braddock (L) with Harold Bradley (R). Photo: CK Photo

Pictured (L-R): Alexandra Guralnick, historian and author Peter Guralnick, and the CMHoF Mick Buck. Photo: CK Photo

Darius Rucker’s fourth solo album, Southern Style, will be released on March 31. Produced by Frank Rogers and Keith Stegall, the project features the Top 5 and climbing single “Homegrown Honey,” which Rucker co-wrote with Nathan Chapman and Capitol Nashville labelmate Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum. Rucker co-penned all 13 tracks on Southern Style with some of country music’s most notable songwriters including Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, Rivers Rutherford and too many others to list (see below).

Rucker will launch the album with national media appearances including NBC’s Today Show (3/31), ESPN’s Mike & Mike, First Take and SportsCenter (3/31), CNN Headline News (4/1), The Dan Patrick Show (4/1), The Ellen DeGeneres Show (4/6) and ABC’s The Chew (4/16).

Southern Style track listing:

1. Homegrown Honey (Darius Rucker, Nathan Chapman and Charles Kelley)
2. Good For A Good Time (Darius Rucker, Kendal Marvel and Jeremy Spillman)
3. Baby I’m Right (Featuring Mallary Hope)* (Darius Rucker, Mark Nesler and Phillip White)
4. Southern Style (Darius Rucker, Rivers Rutherford and Tim James)
5. High On Life (Darius Rucker, Josh Thompson and Jessi Alexander)**
6. Perfect (Darius Rucker, Ashley Gorley and Rhett Akins)
7. You, Me And My Guitar (Darius Rucker, Ashley Gorley and Rhett Akins)
8. Low Country (Darius Rucker, Troy Verges, Blair Daly and Hillary Lindsey) **
9. Need You More (Darius Rucker, Jonathan Singleton and Deric Ruttan)
10. Half Full Dixie Cup (Darius Rucker, Frank Rogers and Monty Criswell)
11. Lighter Up (Darius Rucker, Drew Davis and Blake Bollinger) **
12. You Can Have Charleston (Darius Rucker and Frank Rogers)
13. So I Sang (Darius Rucker, Rivers Rutherford and Tim James) **

Produced by Frank Rogers
**Produced by Keith Stegall

Now a fully independent music artist, Chris Janson‘s latest single, “Buy Me A Boat” hit No. 1 on the iTunes country charts, No. 7 overall Friday morning (March 20).

The tune shattered digital sales with over 20K sold as registered by the Sunday close of Soundscan. The feat was achieved without radio promotion or label support, as his Bigger Picture record label shuttered last year. After the singer’s departure from the label, fan demand was to the extent that Columbia Nashville released an EP, Take It To The Bank, from a prior deal.

Not completely without support of radio, Bobby Bones of his own syndicated morning show gave the single a boost in exposure, noted as saying: “We played [“Buy Me A Boat”] twice in a half hour, which is a no-no…And I’ll be damned it hit No. 1 and took down Sam Hunt, which has been the No. 1 song for weeks.”

Social media also offered support for the feat. Toby Keith, ABC’s Nashville actor Charles Esten, RaeLynn, Luke Laird and Ben Hayslip additionally tweeted in support of Janson’s “Buy Me A Boat,’ which was co-written with Chris Dubois.

Janson is currently focusing on his summer tour and writing songs for his debut album. Catch the high-energy entertainer on the road April 3-4 at the Grand Ole Opry, followed by Country Thunder (Florence, Ariz.), April 11; and Stagecoach (Indio, Calif.), April 26.

Listen to the single below.

LOCASH To Release Signature Wine Line

Reviver Records band LOCASH is making their love of wine official, with the arrival of their signature wine line, Shipwrecked. The band partnered with Stonum Vineyards, Inc. (Lodi, Calif.), and will released five wines under the Shipwrecked label in 2015-2017, including a Sauvignon Blanc, which is now available, a Cabernet blend, Chardonnay, old vine Zinfandel and Syrah.

“We have always been huge wine guys,” said LOCASH’s Preston Brust. “A good bottle of wine is like a good song – its various ‘notes’ and aromas take your mind and senses to new depths. It’s a creative experience. I think that’s why we like it so much.”

In 2014, around the time they signed their new record deal with Reviver Records, the duo met Jonathan Ozor, who along with his cousin, artisan winemaker Michael Stonum, owns and operates Stonum Vineyards, Incorporated.

Willie Nelson To Launch Fine Marijuana Brand

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson will soon open his new business venture, Willie’s Reserve, his own brand of fine quality marijuana.

According to an interview with The Daily Beast, the plan includes the opening of stores in states where marijuana is legal over the course of the next year. The plan also includes offering branded bongs. Michael Bowman, spokesperson for the fledgling brand, said Willie’s Reserve would be about meeting quality standards. “Let’s just call it the anti-Walmart model. Personally, internally, that’s what we call it. A certain standard by which growers have to account for carbon and such, in a way that empowers small growers who are doing the right thing.”

Jason Aldean To Honor Local Breast Cancer Survivors On Burn It Down 2015 Tour

Jason Aldean

Jason Aldean will honor a breast cancer survivor and a guest at each stop on his Burn It Down 2015 Tour, which launched last month. As he’s done on previous tours, Aldean will set aside a portion of ticket sales from his Burn It Down 2015 Tour to support breast cancer programs by a Susan G. Komen local affiliate. This year, Aldean will donate concert proceeds to Komen’s South Florida affiliate, supporting breast cancer programs in the West Palm Beach area.

Additionally, Aldean announced his 10th annual Concert for the Cure will be held during his tour stop at Coral Sky Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Oct. 24.

In honor of his friend Melissa who died of breast cancer, Aldean has supported the work of local Komen programs for more than 10 years.