Brothers Osborne. Photo: Natalie Osborne
DISClaimer is rocking this week.
Putting on their dancing shoes are Ashland Craft, Don Louis, Ernest with Snoop Dogg, The Bellamy Brothers with The Isaacs and DISCovery Award winner Preston Cooper.
Best of all is the rocker by Brothers Osborne, which rolls along with the Disc of the Day award.
LUKAS NELSON / “Ain’t Done”
Writers: Aaron Raitiere/Lukas Nelson; Producer: Shooter Jennings; Label: 6 Ace Records/Sony Music Nashville
– This has a very cool, rootsy sound, a blend of shambling percussion, sawing fiddle, acoustic piano and steel guitar. Nelson sings strongly, driving the quasi-spiritual message of perseverance, faith and enduring wonder. This artist grows more powerful with each release.
JON PARDI / “She Drives Away”
Writers: Jimi Bell/Jordan Minton/Seth Ennis/Zach Abend; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Dad watches his daughter go off on a date and get married, thinking back to when he brought her home as a newborn. Gently touching.
ASHLAND CRAFT / “Lie a Little”
Writers: Bryan Simpson/Kelly Archer/Mark Irwin; Producers: Ashland Craft, Lee Starr, Jess Grommet; Label: Leo33
– Slinky, bluesy, gritty and sassy, this twang fest rolls with a steady groove. She has a soulful nonchalance that seethes with charisma. I bet she’s a blast in performance.
BROTHERS OSBORNE / “Finish This Drink”
Writers: Alysa Vanderheym/TJ Osborne; Producers: John Osborne/TJ Osborne; Label: EMI Music Nashville
– This RAWKS. Lightning-bolt lead guitar and flamethrower fiddle electrify the instrumental passages. TJ’s tongue-in-cheek drawl spits a potent, rollicking, frothing tune of a wayward honky tonker while John’s audio stew heats up to boiling.
SCOOT TEASLEY / “Dirt Road Dropout”
Writers: Brett Truitt/Kelly Archer/Scoot Teasley; Producer: Brett Truitt; Label: Amigo Records
– This newcomer is one of my favorites among the 2024 group of Black country stylists. Teasley’s youthful sound is hale and hearty on this upbeat ode to his rural roots. Well worth your spins.
DYLAN SCOTT / “I Hate Whiskey”
Writers: Geoff Warburton/Jaxson Free/Jon Kraft/Michael Ray/Taylor Phillips; Producer: Jacob Durrett; Label: Curb Records
– The reason he hates hard liquor is that it burns, but it doesn’t burn away her memory. A clever twist on a honky-tonk trope, delivered by a solid country hit maker. I also like the soft, spoken-word interjections in the percussive production. Scott always delivers the goods.
DON LOUIS / “She Ain’t Crazy Yet”
Writers: Autumn Buysse/Danielle Blakey/Don Louis; Producer: Kipp Williams; Label: Empire
– A steady, thumping percussion track underscores a splendid vocal performance that shifts between baritone growls and yearning tenor hooks. Louis has been batting a thousand with every release, and this lively tempo tune sounds like a star maker.
DAN SEALS / “Steal a Little Thunder”
Writers: Brian Whitcomb/James Seals; Producer: Kyle Lehning; Label: Melody Place
– The late Dan Seals left behind some unissued music when he passed away from lymphoma in 2009. The creator of more than a dozen major country hits began his career as “yacht rock” performer England Dan. This tune recalls that pop heritage, which is not surprising since it was co-written by his late brother Jim of the pop duo Seals & Crofts. I’m a fan, no matter what style he’s performing.
KARLEY SCOTT COLLINS / “American Boy”
Writers: Alex Kline/Joybeth Taylor/Karley Scott Collins; Producers: Karley Scott Collins, Nathan Chapman; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Sultry and sensuous. Collins has such a gripping voice that she doesn’t know how to deliver anything less than a masterful performance. Here’s she’s simmering with desire as she contemplates her bad-boy crush. Everything she has released has been terrific. What does this woman have to do to get your attention?
THE BELLAMY BROTHERS & THE ISAACS / “Normal Ain’t Comin’ Back”
Writer: David Bellamy; Producers: Randy Hiebert, The Bellamy Brothers; Label: Bellamy Brothers Records
– It’s a honky-tonk toe tapper with a jaunty tune and a witty lyric that tackles politics, the pandemic, the economy and more. “Normal ain’t coming back, but Jesus is,” they all sing in a waving prairie of vocal harmony. The Bellamys reality TV series Honky Tonk Ranch is now airing on the American Country Network (on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings). Their Old Hippie Stash brand of medical marijuana includes the blends Reggae Cowboy, Big Love, Afterglow, Rattler, Blue Rodeo and Bird Dog.
TIM O’BRIEN & JAN FABRICUS / “Lonesome Armadillo”
Writers: Jan Fabricius/Tim O’Brien/Tom Paxton; Producer: Tim O’Brien; Label: Howdy Skies Music
– Tim’s yodeled lead vocal is the focus of this folkie, acoustic bopper. The armadillo tries to make it in Music City, but strikes out because he hates hot chicken, can’t buy records at Ernest Tubb’s, doesn’t own a Manuel jacket and rejects the winter climate. The song, as well as most of the duo’s Paper Flowers album, is cowritten with folk legend Tom Paxton, who is now 87. Two-time Grammy winner and West Virginia Music Hall of Fame member O’Brien is also the subject of the recent biographical book, Traveler. He plays the Station Inn next Wednesday (April 16).
ERNEST & SNOOP DOGG / “Gettin’ Gone”
Writers: Ben Hayslip/Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr./Ernest Keith Smith/Mark Holman/Rhett Akins; Producer: Jacob Durrett; Label: DeVille Records/Big Loud Records
– Rockabilly meets hip-hop in this merry, rollicking invitation to get stoned.
PRESTON COOPER / “One for the Road”
Writers: Brad Warren/Brett Warren/Preston Cooper; Producer: Brett Warren; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Dirty rock guitar work, pile-driving rhythm and a fiery, snarling lead vocal characterize this barn burner. Cooper’s debut album, Toledo Talkin, drops next month.
Bill Anderson Receives TSAI Lifetime Achievement Award
/by Lorie HollabaughBill Anderson Accepts TSAI Lifetime Achievement Award
Bill Anderson received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tennessee Songwriters Association International this week during a ceremony at Harken Hall.
Songwriter Bobby Tomberlin gave a rousing performance of a few of the hits Anderson has penned over the past 70 years, and songwriter Danny Wells presented the honor during the special event.
“I have been trying to write songs for most of my adult life, so to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, especially from other songwriters, is a very special and humbling honor. My sincere appreciation to the members of TSAI for recognizing me with such a meaningful award,” says Anderson.
Country Music Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry titan Anderson is the rare songwriter whose first major label cut went to No. 1 on the charts, was named Song of The Year and sparked a writing career that is currently in its seventh decade. With songs like “City Lights,” “Tips Of My Fingers,” the Grammy-nominated “Once A Day,” “Saginaw, Michigan,” “That’s What It’s Like To Be Lonesome,” “I Missed Me,” “Cold Hard Facts Of Life,” (which earned him another Grammy nomination,) “Mama Sang A Song,” “Still” and more, he was voted country Songwriter of the Year six times during his first decade in Music City and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
John Morgan & Jason Aldean Top The MusicRow Radio Chart
/by John Nix ArledgeJohn Morgan rises to No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart alongside Jason Aldean with their track “Friends Like That.”
The song is the lead single for Morgan’s upcoming album Carolina Blue and was written by Morgan, Brent Anderson, Will Bundy and Lydia Vaughan.
Morgan is set release his debut album later this month on April 25, via Broken Bow Records. The project will feature 12 tracks, all co-written and co-produced by Morgan alongside Anderson.
“Friends Like That” currently sits at No. 5 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 3 on the Mediabase chart.
Click here to view the latest edition of the MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
Turnpike Troubadours Release New Album
/by Lauryn SinkTurnpike Troubadours. Photo: David McClister
Turnpike Troubadours has released their new album, The Price Of Admission, today (April 11) via Bossier City Records/Thirty Tigers. The album is now out digitally, with a physical pre-order launch soon.
Produced by Shooter Jennings, this marks the group’s seventh studio album and the first since the 2023 release of A Cat In The Rain.
Hailing from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the band, consisting of Evan Felker (vocals, guitar), Kyle Nix (fiddle), Ryan Engleman (electric guitar), RC Edwards (bass), Gabe Pearson (drums) and Hank Early (steel, accordion), has amassed over 2.2 billion streams globally and over 1.7 million equivalent units sold to date. The band was recently inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and has been featured on Yellowstone and Paramount’s Landman.
The album follows the band’s sold-out, four-night run at Stillwater, Oklahoma’s Boone Pickens Stadium, “The Boys From Oklahoma,” which begins April 9. Turnpike Troubadours will continue to tour throughout the summer with headline dates at Red Rocks Amphitheater and several dates with Zach Bryan. The band will join Willie Nelson’s “10th Anniversary Outlaw Music Festival Tour” this summer.
The Price Of Admission Track List:
1. “On The Red River” (written by Evan Felker and Ketch Secor)
2. “Searching For A Light” (written by Evan Felker and John Fulbright)
3. “Forgiving You” (written by Evan Felker)
4. “Be Here” (written by Evan Felker)
5. “Heaven Passing Through” (written by Evan Felker)
6. “The Devil Plies His Trade (Sn 6 Ep 3)” (written by Evan Felker and Kyle Nix)
7. “A Lie Agreed Upon” (written by Evan Felker)
8. “Ruby Ann” (written by RC Edwards & Lance Roark)
9. “What Was Advertised” (written by Evan Felker)
10. “Leaving Town (Woody Guthrie Festival)” (written by Evan Felker & Dave Simonett)
11. “Nothing You Can Do” (written by Kyle Nix)
Industry Ink: Locash, John Oates, The Wildmans, Perk PR
/by Lorie HollabaughLocash Talks New Album Bet The Farm During Media Blitz
Fox & Friends Co-Hosts Ainsley Earhardt (L) & Steve Doocy (R) with Locash.
Locash went on a TV blitz, stopping at the networks to chat about their No. 1 single “Hometown Home,” their fifth studio album Bet The Farm and the nuances of starting their own record label, Galaxy Label Group.
The pair visited CBS Mornings Plus on April 7, appeared on Fox & Friends chatting about their album Bet The Farm on April 8, then sat down with ABC News Live and discussed all things real life and career. They also touched on their “One Big Easter Egg Hunt.” Playing off the traditional hunt, the duo has expertly hidden 16 secret “Easter Eggs” within their Bet The Farm album cover, and the lucky grand-prize winner will receive a private Locash concert in their hometown.
BMI & NAB Honor John Oates & The NFL At 75th Annual Dinner & Induction Ceremony
NAB’s President & CEO Curtis LeGeyt; NFL Network’s Rich Eisen accepts Television Hall of Fame Award for the NFL; BMI songwriter and Radio Hall of Fame inductee John Oates and BMI’s President & CEO Mike O’Neill at the BMI/NAB 75th Anniversary Dinner held at Encore Las Vegas. Photo: Lester Cohen for BMI
BMI and the National Association of Broadcasters held a 75th Anniversary Dinner and its induction ceremony for new members of the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame on April 8 in Las Vegas. Part of the 2025 NAB Show, the evening honored the National Football League (NFL) in television, and legendary BMI singer-songwriter John Oates in radio. The ceremony was a tribute to their profound impact on their respective industries, both shaping the media landscape and inspiring future generations. The event marked the end of BMI’s historic run hosting the dinner, with plans for NAB to continue the Hall of Fame tradition moving forward.
The Wildmans Sign With New West Records
The Wildmans. Photo: Magnolia Ellenburg
The Wildmans have signed to New West Records and will release their label debut, Longtime Friend, on July 11. The 12-song set was produced by Nicholas Falk and features a sound at the sonic crossroads of Americana, alt-country, bluegrass and folk.
The brother-sister duo of Aila and Elisha Wildman was joined by Dori Freeman, Jeff Hill, Sam Leslie, Sam Fribush, Redd Volkaert and Nicholas Falk on the new project. The first single leadoff track from the album, “Take Me,” is out now.
Perk PR & Raised Rowdy Team Up for Writers Round Takeover
Matt Burrill (Raised Rowdy), Trevor Perkins (PERK PR & Creative), Nick Tressler (Raised Rowdy)
Raised Rowdy and PERK PR & Creative Agency teamed up for a special writers round takeover on April 1 at Riley Green’s bar in Midtown, Duck Blind. Special performances included acoustic sets by Tatum Scott, Dylan Jakobsen, Chris Andreucci, Carson Beyer, Rebecca Burner, Jordyn Mallory, Mary Sarah, Cody Cozz, Connor Hicks, Ashley Anne, Tommy Archer, Riley Roth, KIANA, Taylor-Rae, Sheyna Gee, and Fuller.
Outback Presents Names New Board Of Directors
/by Lauryn SinkOutback Presents has expanded its Board of Directors. New appointees include Dimitri Cohen (Principal/CIO, Raven Capital), Constance Schwartz-Morini (Co-Founder/CEO, SMAC Entertainment), Jermaine Preyan (Record Executive and Entrepreneur), Ignacio Meyer (Univision Television Networks Group) and Austin Rosen (CEO, Electric Feel Entertainment).
The announcement follows a record-breaking year for the company, with close to 1,700 shows produced across 283 cities and over 4.5 million tickets sold.
“These appointments represent our commitment to maintaining Outback Presents’ leadership position and ensuring our long-term success in a rapidly evolving industry,” says Leigh Feuerstein, Chairman Of The Board.
“We are incredibly proud to welcome our new Board members, each driven by a shared passion for comedy, music and the transformative power of live entertainment. Their diverse expertise and experience will be invaluable as we continue our mission to deliver exceptional service and produce award-winning entertainment,” share Mike Smardak and Brian Dorfman, Co-Chief Executive Officers of Outback Presents.
Fourth Annual ‘You Got Gold: Celebrating The Songs Of John Prine’ Set For October
/by Lorie HollabaughThe John Prine family has announced the fourth annual “You Got Gold: Celebrating the Songs of John Prine” event will take place in Nashville Oct. 9-12.
The benefit will feature performances at some of the city’s most legendary venues, including the Ryman Auditorium on Oct. 10 (John’s birthday), The Basement East on Oct. 9, The Bluebird Cafe on Oct. 9 and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater on Oct. 11. The event will showcase performances by an array of surprise artists, paying tribute to John Prine’s extraordinary legacy while highlighting the vibrant community he nurtured over the years, and the week-long celebration will also include various community-focused activities and events, details of which will be announced soon.
Proceeds from the week will benefit The Hello in There Foundation, which was established by John’s family as a way for his fan network, friends and family to celebrate his memory and generous spirit through a philanthropic commitment to community care. The foundation’s mission is to support marginalized communities and individuals who are often overlooked or discriminated against.
Tickets for the Ryman Auditorium, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater, and Basement East shows will be available for venue pre-sale today (April 10) with general on-sale, including tickets for the Bluebird Cafe show, beginning April 11. Full details and ticket information can be found at yougotgold.johnprine.com/
“Five years without John has been both incredibly difficult and full of moments of gratitude,” says Fiona Prine. “The love and support from my family and the work we’ve done at the Hello in There Foundation have kept me moving forward. I’m proud to share that we’ve reached $1 million in grants to 71 community groups. As we approach the fourth You Got Gold celebration this October in Nashville, I’m reminded of how John’s legacy continues to inspire generosity, kindness, and love. Thank you for helping us keep his spirit alive.
Since its inception in 2021, The Hello in There Foundation has made a significant impact, having donated over $1 million in grantmaking. Last year’s “You Got Gold” event raised over $300,000 to support the foundation’s mission.
DISClaimer Single Reviews: Brothers Osborne ‘RAWK’ Disc Of The Day
/by Robert K OermannBrothers Osborne. Photo: Natalie Osborne
DISClaimer is rocking this week.
Putting on their dancing shoes are Ashland Craft, Don Louis, Ernest with Snoop Dogg, The Bellamy Brothers with The Isaacs and DISCovery Award winner Preston Cooper.
Best of all is the rocker by Brothers Osborne, which rolls along with the Disc of the Day award.
LUKAS NELSON / “Ain’t Done”
Writers: Aaron Raitiere/Lukas Nelson; Producer: Shooter Jennings; Label: 6 Ace Records/Sony Music Nashville
– This has a very cool, rootsy sound, a blend of shambling percussion, sawing fiddle, acoustic piano and steel guitar. Nelson sings strongly, driving the quasi-spiritual message of perseverance, faith and enduring wonder. This artist grows more powerful with each release.
JON PARDI / “She Drives Away”
Writers: Jimi Bell/Jordan Minton/Seth Ennis/Zach Abend; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
– Dad watches his daughter go off on a date and get married, thinking back to when he brought her home as a newborn. Gently touching.
ASHLAND CRAFT / “Lie a Little”
Writers: Bryan Simpson/Kelly Archer/Mark Irwin; Producers: Ashland Craft, Lee Starr, Jess Grommet; Label: Leo33
– Slinky, bluesy, gritty and sassy, this twang fest rolls with a steady groove. She has a soulful nonchalance that seethes with charisma. I bet she’s a blast in performance.
BROTHERS OSBORNE / “Finish This Drink”
Writers: Alysa Vanderheym/TJ Osborne; Producers: John Osborne/TJ Osborne; Label: EMI Music Nashville
– This RAWKS. Lightning-bolt lead guitar and flamethrower fiddle electrify the instrumental passages. TJ’s tongue-in-cheek drawl spits a potent, rollicking, frothing tune of a wayward honky tonker while John’s audio stew heats up to boiling.
SCOOT TEASLEY / “Dirt Road Dropout”
Writers: Brett Truitt/Kelly Archer/Scoot Teasley; Producer: Brett Truitt; Label: Amigo Records
– This newcomer is one of my favorites among the 2024 group of Black country stylists. Teasley’s youthful sound is hale and hearty on this upbeat ode to his rural roots. Well worth your spins.
DYLAN SCOTT / “I Hate Whiskey”
Writers: Geoff Warburton/Jaxson Free/Jon Kraft/Michael Ray/Taylor Phillips; Producer: Jacob Durrett; Label: Curb Records
– The reason he hates hard liquor is that it burns, but it doesn’t burn away her memory. A clever twist on a honky-tonk trope, delivered by a solid country hit maker. I also like the soft, spoken-word interjections in the percussive production. Scott always delivers the goods.
DON LOUIS / “She Ain’t Crazy Yet”
Writers: Autumn Buysse/Danielle Blakey/Don Louis; Producer: Kipp Williams; Label: Empire
– A steady, thumping percussion track underscores a splendid vocal performance that shifts between baritone growls and yearning tenor hooks. Louis has been batting a thousand with every release, and this lively tempo tune sounds like a star maker.
DAN SEALS / “Steal a Little Thunder”
Writers: Brian Whitcomb/James Seals; Producer: Kyle Lehning; Label: Melody Place
– The late Dan Seals left behind some unissued music when he passed away from lymphoma in 2009. The creator of more than a dozen major country hits began his career as “yacht rock” performer England Dan. This tune recalls that pop heritage, which is not surprising since it was co-written by his late brother Jim of the pop duo Seals & Crofts. I’m a fan, no matter what style he’s performing.
KARLEY SCOTT COLLINS / “American Boy”
Writers: Alex Kline/Joybeth Taylor/Karley Scott Collins; Producers: Karley Scott Collins, Nathan Chapman; Label: Sony Music Nashville
– Sultry and sensuous. Collins has such a gripping voice that she doesn’t know how to deliver anything less than a masterful performance. Here’s she’s simmering with desire as she contemplates her bad-boy crush. Everything she has released has been terrific. What does this woman have to do to get your attention?
THE BELLAMY BROTHERS & THE ISAACS / “Normal Ain’t Comin’ Back”
Writer: David Bellamy; Producers: Randy Hiebert, The Bellamy Brothers; Label: Bellamy Brothers Records
– It’s a honky-tonk toe tapper with a jaunty tune and a witty lyric that tackles politics, the pandemic, the economy and more. “Normal ain’t coming back, but Jesus is,” they all sing in a waving prairie of vocal harmony. The Bellamys reality TV series Honky Tonk Ranch is now airing on the American Country Network (on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings). Their Old Hippie Stash brand of medical marijuana includes the blends Reggae Cowboy, Big Love, Afterglow, Rattler, Blue Rodeo and Bird Dog.
TIM O’BRIEN & JAN FABRICUS / “Lonesome Armadillo”
Writers: Jan Fabricius/Tim O’Brien/Tom Paxton; Producer: Tim O’Brien; Label: Howdy Skies Music
– Tim’s yodeled lead vocal is the focus of this folkie, acoustic bopper. The armadillo tries to make it in Music City, but strikes out because he hates hot chicken, can’t buy records at Ernest Tubb’s, doesn’t own a Manuel jacket and rejects the winter climate. The song, as well as most of the duo’s Paper Flowers album, is cowritten with folk legend Tom Paxton, who is now 87. Two-time Grammy winner and West Virginia Music Hall of Fame member O’Brien is also the subject of the recent biographical book, Traveler. He plays the Station Inn next Wednesday (April 16).
ERNEST & SNOOP DOGG / “Gettin’ Gone”
Writers: Ben Hayslip/Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr./Ernest Keith Smith/Mark Holman/Rhett Akins; Producer: Jacob Durrett; Label: DeVille Records/Big Loud Records
– Rockabilly meets hip-hop in this merry, rollicking invitation to get stoned.
PRESTON COOPER / “One for the Road”
Writers: Brad Warren/Brett Warren/Preston Cooper; Producer: Brett Warren; Label: The Valory Music Co.
– Dirty rock guitar work, pile-driving rhythm and a fiery, snarling lead vocal characterize this barn burner. Cooper’s debut album, Toledo Talkin, drops next month.
U.S. Congress Reintroduces ‘NO FAKES Act’ Bill
/by Madison HahnenPhoto: Dan Swartz
U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), as well as US Representatives María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-1) and Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large) have reintroduced the NO FAKES Act.
Randy Travis, his wife Mary Travis and Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl traveled to Washington D.C. to promote a consensus bill that supports IP and AI, and also backs the NO FAKES Act mission.
Building on last year’s legislation and cross-sector collaboration, the revised NO FAKES Act uses a balanced strategy to shield Americans from harmful AI deepfakes while minimizing legal disputes and fostering innovation in AI. The Act has earned support from both the creative and tech sectors, including major players like OpenAI, Google, Amazon and IBM. The RIAA, Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and more have also shown support for the bill. The NO FAKES Act will empower U.S. AI companies to compete globally, while also protecting American people.
The NO FAKES Act will give every American the right to protect their voice and likeness from invasive AI deepfakes and voice clones, reduce litigation by allowing UGC platforms to avoid liability by promptly removing unauthorized deepfakes and expressly protect First Amendment uses such as for news reporting and satire.
“This bill proves that we can prioritize the growth of AI and protecting American creativity at the same time,” shares Mitch Glazier, RIAA Chairman & CEO. “We applaud Senators Blackburn, Coons, Tillis and Klobuchar; Representatives Salazar, Dean, Moran, Balint and bipartisan colleagues for their incredible leadership on driving this legislation that provides balanced and effective protections for all individuals against exploitative uses of their voice and likeness while supporting free speech, reducing litigation and achieving the promise of AI technology.”
“I applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar and Dean for their leadership in introducing the NO FAKES Act,” adds Kynci. “This bill reflects what can happen when tech and creative industries come together – foster cutting edge innovation while protecting human identity and artistry. We look forward to working with key members of the US Senate and House to help pass the NO FAKES Act this year.”
‘Austin City Limits’ Caps 50th Anniversary Celebrations With Special Episode Honoring Garth Brooks
/by Lorie HollabaughGarth Brooks. Photo: 8 Ten, Inc.
Austin City Limits is capping off its 50th Anniversary celebrations with a special episode, Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors Garth Brooks that will premiere May 3 at 7 p.m. CST on PBS.
The revered music institution first premiered on PBS in 1975 and commemorates its legacy as the longest-running music series in television history, offering audiences a front-row experience of live performances for the past fifty years. Brooks brings his stadium-size show to the ACL stage to celebrate the landmark occasion, offering up fan-favorites and the stories behind his hits in a singalong hour. Recorded live at ACL’s studio home ACL Live in Austin, Texas, the special will be available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits.
The special opens with highlights showcasing Brooks’ ACL performances over the decades, alongside commentary from Brooks, his wife, Trisha Yearwood, and longtime ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. Brooks made his series debut in 1990 and returned a decade later to both open and close ACL’s milestone Season 25 with two hour-long episodes. He returned to ACL in 2021 for a pair of intimate, non-broadcast events to close Studio 6A on the University of Texas campus, the fabled soundstage where the program first started recording in 1974. Brooks carved his name into ACL’s history with the final performances in the historic studio that was the show’s home from 1974 to 2010, before a move to downtown Austin. He performed the special benefit shows solo acoustic to a sold-out audience of 200 fans per night.
“You can’t tell the story of Austin City Limits without Garth Brooks,” says Lickona. “Garth gets it. He gets what makes Austin City Limits special, and why it’s an honor for an artist to step onto that stage and deliver the best performance of their life. And it’s an honor for us to share that stage with artists like Garth, who have so much to offer.”
“Always try to associate your name with a name greater than your own,” shares Brooks. “Being associated with ACL has been one of the greatest assets of my career. I can’t thank Terry and the gang enough for all the years and all the love.”
Hit Country Songwriter Larry Bastian Passes
/by Robert K OermannLarry Bastian
Longtime Major Bob Publishing songwriter Larry Bastian died on Sunday (April 6) at age 90.
Bastian co-wrote such Garth Brooks hits as “Unanswered Prayers,” “Rodeo” and “The Old Man’s Back in Town” in 1991-92. The superstar recorded many other Bastian songs, as did a who’s-who of country music.
Larry Bastian was born and raised in California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, and he lived throughout his life in the Springville/Porterville area. He was from a farming family. Following high school, he spent his early years farming and cowboying. Bastian then worked for 15 years as a biologist for the Department of Agriculture for Kern and Tulare Counties.
But he always made music. Touring country artists who heard his songs, encouraged him to send his music to Nashville. In the 1970s, Larry Bastian decided to devote himself to songwriting.
His first notable success was when his “This Ain’t Tennessee and He Ain’t You” was recorded by Janie Fricke in 1980. Although never a hit, it became the songwriter’s most recorded song, with a version by Tom Jones, among several other notables. In 1981, Sammi Smith’s recording of “Sometimes I Cry When I’m Alone” became the songwriter’s first top-40 hit. Shortly afterward, David Frizzell & Merle Haggard recorded “Lefty,” Bastian’s tribute to Lefty Frizzell, who was David’s brother and Merle’s idol.
Bastian songs also charted for Ray Price, Wyley McPherson and The Kendalls in the 1980s. In 1988, Conway Twitty had a top-10 smash with “Saturday Night Special.” Garth Brooks began his run of Bastian-penned successes in 1991. Sammy Kershaw had a top-20 hit with “Yard Sale” in 1992 and repeated the feat with “If You’re Gonna Walk, I’m Gonna Crawl” in 1997. Bastian’s last notable chart success was in 2004 with Craig Morgan’s version of “Look at Us.”
During his songwriting career, Larry Bastian’s works were also recorded by George Jones, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, Vern Gosdin, Eddy Arnold, Buck Owens, Tammy Wynette, Tracy Byrd, Lacy J. Dalton, Moe Bandy, Rhett Akins, The Whites, Neal McCoy, Con Hunley and many others.
His songs also found a home in bluegrass music.
Larry Bastian passed away in Porterville, California. No funeral arrangements have been announced.