Cole Swindell will kick off his new headlining “Happy Hour Sad Tour” on September 4 in Toledo. Priscilla Block will join as direct support for all dates, with Logan Crosby and Greylan James each joining on select dates.
Named after a new song on his upcoming fifth album for Warner Music Nashville, Spanish Moss, the new tour will visit Lexington, Macon, Cedar Rapids, St. Augustine and more through Oct. 26.
“I cannot wait to get out on the road this year for the ‘Happy Hour Sad Tour’,” shares Swindell. “Getting to write songs and make music for a living is a dream come true, and there are so many folks that make that happen! I hope the fans that spend their hard-earned money to come out and support us know how much we appreciate it and how much we love seeing them out there having fun. It’s always a new level of excitement to be touring with a new album out so I expect this fall to be one to remember. I’m pumped to have Priscilla, Logan and Greylan out there with us, 3 artists I really believe in, getting the crowd fired up for a great night.”
Spanish Moss features Swindell’s current top five single, “Forever To Me,” which he co-wrote with James and Rocky Block to celebrate his engagement and wedding to his wife Courtney last year. The track holds even greater significance now, as it also honors the upcoming birth of their first child, a daughter, this fall. The proud husband and soon-to-be father released a special digital-only remix of “Forever To Me (Our Version)” last month.
Pre-sale tickets for Swindell’s fan club will be available beginning tomorrow (April 8), with general sale on Friday (April 11).
“Happy Hour Sad Tour” Dates:
Sept. 4- Toledo, OH- Huntington Center
Sept. 5- Canton, OH- Memorial Civic Center
Sept. 11- Huntington, WV- Marshall Health Network Arena
Sept. 12- Erie, PA- Insurance Arena
Sept. 13- Wilkes-Barre, PA- Mohegan Sun Arena
Sept. 18- Lexington, KY- Rupp Arena
Sept. 19- Athens, GA- Akins Ford Arena
Sept. 20- Macon, GA- Atrium Health Amphitheater
Sept. 25- Brookings, SD- Dacotah Bank Center
Sept. 26- Cedar Rapids, IA- Alliant Energy PowerHouse
Sept. 27- Grand Forks, ND- Alerus Center
Oct. 2- Loveland, CO- Blue FCU Arena
Oct. 3- Casper, WY- Ford Wyoming Center
Oct. 4- Bozeman, MT- Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
Oct. 9- Everett, WA- Angel of the Winds Arena
Oct. 10- Kennewick, WA- Toyota Center
Oct. 11- Nampa, ID- Ford Idaho Amphitheater
Oct. 24- Hollywood, FL- Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard
Oct. 25- Clearwater, FL- The Baycare Sound
Oct. 26- St. Augustine, FL- The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Ned LeDoux Braves Some Emotional Territory On New Album ‘Safe Haven’
/by Lorie HollabaughNed LeDoux creates a bit of joy amidst life’s tragedy and loss on his new album, Safe Haven, out now.
Produced by Mac McAnally and named after his late daughter, Haven Jo, Safe Haven features a magical duet with his late father, Chris LeDoux, and introduces a more risk-taking, bolder style of songwriting than LeDoux’s country style, opening listeners up to a deeper side of the man.
LeDoux has released several tracks from the project, including the spiritual “Real As I Believe,” and “Boys Growing Up,” an anthemic return to the heyday of good, earnest country music. Along with acknowledging his daughter and his dad, he also dedicates some space on the album to the ranching life he grew up with and still immerses himself in when he’s not on the road or in Kansas with his wife.
“Music can be a powerful thing,” say LeDoux.“It opened me up and exposed me in ways I never expected. Very spiritual for sure.”
Safe Haven Track List:
1. “Boys Growing Up” (Corey Kent / Jamie Kenney / Lee Miller)
2. “My Father’s Boots” (Chris August / Drew Kennedy)
3. “One Hand In The Riggin’” (Bruce Bouton / Brenn Hill)
4. “Legend Born” (Mark Sissel / Ned LeDoux)
5. “Workin’ Man’s Dollar” (Chris LeDoux)
6. “Story of the Hired Hand” (Ned LeDoux)
7. “Real As I Believe” (J.P. Williams / Kenna Turner West / Lonnie Fowler)
8. “Haven’s Lullaby” (Ned LeDoux)
9. “Long Ride” (Scotty Emerick / Clint Daniels / Ned LeDoux)
10. “New Roads” (Ned LeDoux)
11. “Traveling Man” (Ned LeDoux)
12. “Six Bucks A Day” (Bob Frank)
Morgan Wallen Hits Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by Madison HahnenMorgan Wallen. Photo: Spidey Smith
Morgan Wallen has entered the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. “I Had Some Help,” “I’m The Problem,” “Just In Case,” “Love Somebody” and “Smile” all put the singer-songwriter at No. 5 this week.
Ashley Gorley stays at No. 1 with “Fix What You Didn’t Break,” “I Had Some Help,” “Liar,” “Love Somebody,” “Not At This Party,” “Park,” “She Hates Me” and “This Town’s Been Too Good To Us.” Riley Green remains at No. 2 with solo-penned “Worst Way.”
Charlie Handsome (No. 3) and Taylor Phillips (No. 4) round out this week’s top five.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Jordan Fletcher Maps Out ‘State Road 13’ Release For April 18
/by Lorie HollabaughRising singer-songwriter Jordan Fletcher is gearing up for the release of his new EP, State Road 13, on April 18. Fletcher is giving fans a taste of the new project with his latest track, “What Do I Know,” out now.
The tongue-in-cheek single is a light-hearted look at things once believed to be tried and true that get turned on their heads. Fletcher has also released a new video for the song revealing life on the road with him and his band as they unwind, making the memories that leave scars.
“I wrote ‘What Do I Know’ with Eric Arjes and Austin Nivarel. We went into the studio wanting to create something that sounded like the music we grew up listening to,” says Fletcher. “The song has an easy going sound to kind of balance the lyrics which are about a breakup. I’m incredibly proud of how this song turned out.”
State Road 13 Track List:
1. “What Do I Know” (Jordan Fletcher, Eric Arjes, Austin Nivarel)
2. “No Question” (Jordan Fletcher, Michael Lotten, Justin Wilson)
3. “Sunset to Me” (Jordan Fletcher, Lindsay Rimes, Phil Barton)
4. “Rather Be Broke” (Ian Christian, Stephen Carey, Jordan Fletcher)
5. “Hometowns Don’t” (Jason Nix, Phil Barton, Jordan Fletcher)
6. “Lost Boy” (Jordan Fletcher, Lindsay Rimes, Phil Barton)
Cole Swindell Slates ‘Happy Hour Sad Tour’ For Fall
/by Lorie HollabaughCole Swindell will kick off his new headlining “Happy Hour Sad Tour” on September 4 in Toledo. Priscilla Block will join as direct support for all dates, with Logan Crosby and Greylan James each joining on select dates.
Named after a new song on his upcoming fifth album for Warner Music Nashville, Spanish Moss, the new tour will visit Lexington, Macon, Cedar Rapids, St. Augustine and more through Oct. 26.
“I cannot wait to get out on the road this year for the ‘Happy Hour Sad Tour’,” shares Swindell. “Getting to write songs and make music for a living is a dream come true, and there are so many folks that make that happen! I hope the fans that spend their hard-earned money to come out and support us know how much we appreciate it and how much we love seeing them out there having fun. It’s always a new level of excitement to be touring with a new album out so I expect this fall to be one to remember. I’m pumped to have Priscilla, Logan and Greylan out there with us, 3 artists I really believe in, getting the crowd fired up for a great night.”
Spanish Moss features Swindell’s current top five single, “Forever To Me,” which he co-wrote with James and Rocky Block to celebrate his engagement and wedding to his wife Courtney last year. The track holds even greater significance now, as it also honors the upcoming birth of their first child, a daughter, this fall. The proud husband and soon-to-be father released a special digital-only remix of “Forever To Me (Our Version)” last month.
Pre-sale tickets for Swindell’s fan club will be available beginning tomorrow (April 8), with general sale on Friday (April 11).
Sept. 11- Huntington, WV- Marshall Health Network Arena
Sept. 13- Wilkes-Barre, PA- Mohegan Sun Arena
Sept. 18- Lexington, KY- Rupp Arena
Amazon Music To Livestream Stagecoach 2025
/by Madison HahnenAmazon Music will return as the exclusive livestream partner for this year’s Stagecoach Festival, taking place April 25-27 in Indio, California.
Through the livestream, fans from anywhere around the globe will be able to see sets from Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, Lana Del Rey, Carly Pearce, Brothers Osborne, Nelly, Creed, Dasha, Sturgill Simpson, Backstreet Boys, Midland, T-Pain, Tigirlily Gold and Scotty McCreery, among others.
The livestream will be available on Twitch, Prime Video and the Amazon Music app, and will kick off at 6 p.m. CST each day. Hosted by Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson from Country Heat Weekly, the stream will also feature conversations with many of the festivals’ artists.
New this year, Amazon Music will also be replaying the full broadcast of the festival each day for fans worldwide starting at 2 a.m. CST each day on April 26-28.
Amy Smartt To Retire From CMA
/by LB CantrellAmy Smartt
After nearly two decades of service, the Country Music Association’s Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration, Amy Smartt, has announced she is retiring. Her last day will be Wednesday (April 9).
Throughout her tenure at CMA, Smartt has played a vital role in CMA’s growth and impact, overseeing key departments including Finance, Accounting, IT and Operations. She has provided strategic leadership for both CMA and the CMA Foundation by guiding financial planning, overseeing budgeting processes, managing long-range forecasting and more.
Smartt shares, “I’m deeply thankful for the incredible CMA team, whose dedication and excellence make this organization what it is. The past 11 years working alongside Sarah Trahern have been especially meaningful, and I’m beyond grateful for her partnership and friendship. And our Board members guidance and support have been instrumental in CMA’s success. I will always cherish those partnerships.
“To quote an unknown author, ‘Retirement is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of the open highway,'” she adds. “While I will miss my wonderful coworkers and the incredible relationships I’ve built, I’m looking forward to embracing this next chapter and am excited about the new possibilities ahead. It’s been an incredible ride, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! Country Music is built on storytelling, and I’m forever grateful to have been part of this incredible story.”
After April 9, reach Smartt at afsmartt@gmail.com.
Ben Balch, CMA Vice President of Finance and Administration has assumed Smartt’s finance and accounting responsibilities, effective immediately.
Luke Bryan Announces Fall ‘Farm Tour’ Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughLuke Bryan. Photo: Jim Wright
Luke Bryan has announced his “Farm Tour 2025” fall dates are set for Sept. 18-20.
The “Fall Farm Tour” will take place on farms in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. Bryan will bookend his “Country Song Came On Tour” with May’s “Farm Tour” run, (which will occur for the first-time ever in California), and the newly-announced “Farm Tour” fall dates in September.
Tickets for the dates will be on sale April 11 at LukeBryan.com. Pre-sale tickets for Luke’s Fan Club (the Nut House) and fan app are available now until public on sale at LukeBryan.com/all-access-pass.
Throughout his career, Bryan has amassed a total of 22.6 billion global streams, 11.5 million global album sales and 55.5 million track sales worldwide. He is the most digital single RIAA-certified country artist of all time, with 96.5 million digital single units and 18 million album certified units for a total of 114.5 million.
“Farm Tour” Fall Dates:
Sept 18 – Brooklyn, Wisconsin/ Klondike Farms
Sept 19 – Prairie Grove, Illinois/ Berning Family Farms
Sept 20 – Lansing, Michigan/ Kubiak Farm
Folk & Bluegrass Great Tracy Schwarz Passes
/by Robert K OermannTracy Schwarz
Best known for his work in The New Lost City Ramblers, fiddler/singer Tracy Schwarz passed away on March 29 in Elkins, West Virginia at age 86.
Raised in New Jersey and Vermont, Schwarz took up the guitar as a pre-teen after listening to country radio stations. He mastered the fiddle in the 1950s, and immersed himself in the bluegrass scene in Washington, D.C. while attending college there.
After serving in the Army for two years, he joined Mike Seeger and John Cohen in forming The New Lost City Ramblers in 1962. The group began as old-time music revivalists, but soon absorbed the bluegrass, folk and Cajun influences that Schwarz brought to the band.
The New Lost City Ramblers became one of the mainstays of Folkways Records. The band recorded nine albums for the label between 1964 and 2009. The New Lost City Ramblers collaboration with country-music legend Cousin Emmy was a highlight in 1968.
Tracy Schwarz and Mike Seeger also recorded as members of The Strange Creek Singers in 1972. That group was the launchpad for the feminist old-time duo Hazel & Alice (Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard), who influenced The Judds.
During his career’s 50+ additional years, Tracy Schwarz also recorded four solo albums, four others with Cajun master Dewey Balfa and three with Schwarz’s musical family.
He was an enthusiastic educator of traditional music styles and made several fiddle instruction albums. The Folkways website printed this as a eulogy: “He fervently believed that anyone who was interested in learning how to play an instrument or sing, could.
His infectious enthusiasm and innovative methods helped generations of students around the world to develop their skills.”
Little Big Town Heads Into Summer On New 22-City Tour
/by Lorie HollabaughLittle Big Town. Photo: Blair Getz Mezibov
Little Big Town is set to embark on their “Summer Tour ’25,” which kicks off July 24 in Rogers, Arkansas.
The tour marks the band’s first full summer headline run since 2019, and will feature direct support from Wynonna Judd, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde and Russell Dickerson, with Carter Faith and Shelby Lynne opening select shows.
The 22-city tour will visit St. Louis, Saratoga Springs, Toronto, Cincinnati, Tampa, Salt Lake City and more through Sept. 13, and tickets will be available starting with the Little Big Town pre-sale April 8-10, with additional pre-sales running throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning April 11 at littlebigtown.com.
Little Big Town “Summer Tour ’25” Dates:
July 24 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP *
July 25 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater *
July 26 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *
July 31 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC †
August 1 – Syracuse, NY – Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview †
August 2 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater †
August 7 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion ‡
August 8 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center *
August 9 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theatre *
August 14 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage †
August 15 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre †
August 16 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center †
August 21 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre §
August 22 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre ‡
August 23 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater §
August 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre †
August 29 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre †
August 30 – Colorado Springs, CO – Ford Amphitheatre †
September 4 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre #
September 5 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre #
September 6 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre #
September 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center †
September 12 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live †
September 13 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion †
*With support from Carly Pearce and Carter Faith
† With support from Wynonna Judd and Shelby Lynne
‡ With support from Carter Faith
§ With support from Ashley McBryde and Carter Faith
# With support from Russell Dickerson and Carter Faith
The Neal Agency Adds Michelle Bower As President, Strategic Partnerships
/by LB CantrellMichelle Bower. Photo: Kristina Moss
The Neal Agency has tapped Michelle Bower, an executive with 15 years of experience leading brand development and brokering innovative partnerships for products and artists alike, to its team as President, Strategic Partnerships. She is now based in Nashville.
Over the course of her career, Bower has been responsible for the creation and execution of integrated communications strategies for a diverse roster of brands, spanning Premium & Luxury Spirits, Fashion & Beauty, Jewelry, Consumer Packaged Goods, Tech and Corporate Communications verticals. She most recently served as Associate Senior Vice President at LaForce, leading campaigns for Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon, Madewell, YSL Beauty, Motorola and Tinder. Prior to joining LaForce, Bower held leadership roles at Jonesworks, Dittoe Public Relations and Fleishman-Hillard.
“The entire Neal Agency team exudes passion, energy and excellence when it comes to representing our roster of artists and building a company culture that fosters creativity and empowerment,” Bower shares. “It’s an honor to join such a well-respected group of individuals in the industry to usher in a new era of innovative partnerships and successes for our notable and emerging clients.”
TNA Co-Head and Founder Austin Neal adds, “We are excited to have Michelle join our team as the President of Strategic Partnerships. Her deep industry knowledge and proven ability to build meaningful relationships will be invaluable as we continue to expand our reach and create new opportunities for clients. We look forward to the impact she will make in shaping the future of the agency.”
Reach Bower at Michelle@TheNealAgency.com.