Pictured (L-R, back row): Bart Herbison, Ralston Wells, Bryan Mitschell, James Maltese, Gabe Walsh, Jake Arthur, Maxwell Trotter, Grayson May, Adam Epstein, Dewey Longuski, Jessie Brackin, Philip Morgan, Sharon O’Donnell and Josie Bisto. (L-R, front row): Lauren Murray, Tracy Richardson, Sarah Arnold, Natalie Flynn, Allison Barrett, Garland, Jonathan Olivares, Megan Kelley, Jill Moody, Abbey Rowe and Julia Keefe. Photo: NSAI/Tom Turk

NSAI recently held its annual member awards at 3rd and Lindsley Nashville, honoring over a dozen individuals, including standout NSAI members and industry supporters.

After a welcome address, the ceremony began with a performance from NSAI Board Member and songwriter Lydia Vaughan as she shared a few songs and words of inspiration with the audience.

Dewey Longuski was the first honoree, receiving the Ones To Watch Award. Megan Kelley stepped on stage to receive the Bob Kingsley Top 40 Award for receiving the most song placements on Bob Kingsley’s NSAI Top 40 lists in 2025. Longtime NSAI member Jonathan Oliveres was honored with the Volunteer Award, given to a member that has extended assistance and support with their time and efforts for the organization.

To honor the newest Friend of NSAI Award recipients, songwriter Brooke Hatala surprised Ralston Wells with a performance, Adam Epstein was honored with a song by hit songwriter Victoria Shaw, and Julia Keefe, Partner, Edgehill Music Publishing, was honored with a performance by Willie Morrison.

This year NSAI recognized Gabe Walsh, Jacob Rice, Abbey Rowe, Philip Morgan and Jessie Brackin with Milestone Awards.

Additionally, Carl Slack was given the Online Pitch award, Bella Garland nabbed the Mentor Award, and Bryan Mitschell took home the Online Song Feedback Award. Various competitions and challenge winners from the past year were also recognized, including Sharon O’Donnell and Josie Bisto, the Grand Prize winners of the 25th annual NSAI Song Contest, NSAI’s 2025 Chapter Challenge winners, James Maltese and Jake Arthur, and the latest recipient of the Todd Givens Memorial Scholarship, Grayson May.

To close out the event, Song of the Year was given to James Maltese for his song “Grass Roots.”

Vince Gill receives Ken Burns American Heritage Prize.

Vince Gill was recently awarded the 2026 Ken Burns American Heritage Prize at an event held on May 6 at the American Museum of Natural History.

The honor recognizes an individual whose body of work has advanced our collective understanding of the indomitable American spirit.

“Tonight, we are celebrating two vital American traditions—the arts and conservation, both of which act as a kind of conscience to our nation,” Burns shared from the stage. “This is why I’m particularly delighted to present this prize to Vince Gill tonight. I can spot the kinship of a storyteller a prairie mile away.”

“In Country Music, we explored the idea that this quintessentially American art form is simply ‘three chords and the truth.’ But every once in a while, an artist comes along who elevates that truth into something transcendent,” he continued. “He is a master of his craft, a keeper of the flame, and quite simply, one of the finest souls I’ve had the privilege to work with, document, and learn from. It is my distinct honor to present this year’s American Heritage Prize to a man whose heart is as big as the Montana sky.”

“With a grateful heart, thank you for this amazing honor,” Gill shared. “I think the world of Ken Burns and I think the world of what you’re doing – and you’re trying to make this place better, trying to make it matter, trying to make us have some reverence for what’s been around for a long, long time.”

Throughout the night, Sting, Rosanne Cash, Marty Stewart, Keith Urban and Amy Grant shared well wishes through videos. Gill took the stage to perform “One More Last Chance” and “Whenever You Come Around.”

Burns, a revered visual historian and documentary filmmaker, has directed and produced films including The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The War, The National Parks, America’s Best Idea, Prohibition, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, The Vietnam War, Country Music, The U.S. and the Holocaust, The American Buffalo, Leonardo da Vinci, and The American Revolution.

Dan + Shay will release their new album Young on Aug. 21 via Warner Records Nashville. The title track from the new project is available everywhere tomorrow (May 15).

The first single from the album, the personal and hope-filled leadoff track, “Say So,” is top 30 and climbing at radio now, and continues to ignite national and community awareness about suicide prevention. The ACM Duo of the Year nominees will perform “Say So” on the ACM Awards this Sunday (May 17).

Young follows the duo’s journey as they’ve navigated family, faith, and chasing their dreams during one of the most prolific seasons of their 13-year career. The project was co-produced by Smyers alongside longtime collaborator Scott Hendricks.

“Young is by far our most personal album yet, and we are beyond excited for our fans to hear it,” they share. “Every song is inspired by a true story, and gives a real-time snapshot of exactly where we are in our lives.”

The new album follows the duo’s acclaimed fifth studio album Bigger Houses, which included the Grammy-nominated No. 1 title track. Throughout their career the duo has amassed more than 14 Billion global streams and 139 worldwide career Multi-Platinum, Platinum and Gold certifications to date, including 60 U.S. RIAA and 81 international awards.

Shania Twain will release Little Miss Twain, her seventh album, on July 24 via Republic Nashville.

The album’s lead single “Dirty Rosie” is out now.

“A lot of Little Miss Twain is reflective of my teens, my roots as well as the energy of the rock and R&B I loved so much, but still with that Western twang,” Twain says. “Where I’m from you don’t go anywhere on a horse — you go on a snowmobile. I was dreaming about the Western lifestyle and I was living in a very different world than where I ended up.”

In 2017, Twain ended a 15-year break from releasing music with NOW. She followed it in 2023 with Queen Of Me, and kicked off the global “Queen Of Me Tour,” which ranked among the Top 10 highest-grossing country tours of the year. In between tours, she also launched sold-out Las Vegas residencies.

Ahead of release, Twain will return to the road, joining Harry Styles for a 12-night stand at London’s Wembley Stadium. She will follow the London shows with a special one-off headlining performance in Ireland, at Limerick City’s Thomond Park Stadium.

Lauren Alaina will release her new album, Stages, on Aug. 28 via Big Loud Records.

“I’m fifteen years into a ten-year town and 31 years into a lifelong dream,” shares Alaina. “Stages represents every version of me along the way: the dreaming, the breaking, and, ultimately, the becoming. There’s something on this album for everyone, no matter what stage of life they’re in. Stages is letting everyone see behind the curtain of the girl in the spotlight. It’s a reflection of the moments that shaped me and the dream that carried me through. It’s always been the same dream, different stages.”

The project was produced by Joey Moi and Ben Johnson, and showcases the defining moments of Alaina’s life through her honest lyrics and powerhouse vocals. The album explores themes of coming of age, early performing on Broadway, starting a family and more.

Featured on the album is her current top 25 radio single “All My Exes” feat. Chase Matthew, and the newly released “Raining Whiskey.”

Alaina will perform at ACM Lifting Lives On The Green this week, before taking the stage as a presenter at the ACM Awards this Sunday. She will also support Darius Rucker on select dates this summer, and is slated to make festival appearances at CMA Fest, Rock The Country, The Back Road Music Festival and more throughout the summer.