Pictured: (L–R, top row): Emily Witters, Eryca Schebler and Kim Wiggins; (L–R, second row): JD Groover, Brandon Gregg and Chris Dubois. (L–R, third row): Tammi Kidd Hutton and Lynn Hutton; (front): Cam Newby

Cam Newby has signed a joint publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music and Magnolia Sky Music Group.

Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Newby always knew his future would be in Nashville. As a child, he would sit in the back of his brother-in-law’s Bronco, memorizing every song on whatever burned CD was playing. He became captivated by Mark Chesnutt’s storytelling, Tracy Lawrence’s voice and how James Taylor could evoke emotion with an acoustic guitar. As Newby grew older, he began to explore everything from red dirt-country to ’80s pop, and knew he wanted to master music for the rest of his life.

Newby made the move to Nashville when he was 18, and hasn’t looked back. After graduating from Belmont University, he immediately began writing songs. Over the years, Newby has had the chance to learn from his heroes, with some becoming his closest collaborators.

“If I told 15-year-old me, hacking away on a cheap Washburn guitar in his bedroom, where God was going to take him one day—I’m not sure he would ever believe me,” he shares. “Chris DuBois, Lynn Hutton and Tammi Kidd [Hutton] have changed my life in ways that I’m not sure words can even describe. The opportunities I have in this building stretch far beyond songwriting, and I will forever be grateful to Sea Gayle and Magnolia Sky for believing in me. I came to town looking for a career and wound up finding a family. Every second of the wait was worth it.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Cam Newby to the Sea Gayle family,” says DuBois, Sea Gayle Music Founder & CEO. “Cam is an exceptionally talented singer-songwriter with a unique gift for storytelling that resonates with everyone. We’re incredibly grateful to Lynn and Tammi Hutton for partnering with us on Cam’s journey, and we’re thrilled to be a part of his musical path moving forward.”

“Cam is an exceptional songwriter with an incredible work ethic,” adds Lynn Hutton, Magnolia Sky Music Group Co-Founder. “I’m very proud to be working with him, and I can’t wait for the town to finally see what I already know.”

In 2024, the Americana Music Foundation and its partner, Salt Lick Incubator, collaborated on the inaugural AmericanaFest grant program and selected the first recipients.

Grant applicants represented 39 states and seven different countries, and the first group of winners included 11 members of the music community including musicians, songwriters, talent buyers, managers, media members, label representatives and more.

The grant recipients received a Silver Pass to the festival that included access to nightly showcase performances, daytime conference panels, opportunities to attend exclusive RSVP events and a ticket to the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony, plus a $1,000 travel stipend. With the support of the Americana Music Foundation, Salt Lick Incubator facilitated the application process and administered the grants.

The Americana Music Foundation also matched generous contributions from Brandi Carlile and Catherine Shepherd, founders of the Looking Out Foundation and David Macias, Co-Founder and President of Thirty Tigers, to create this fund.

Applications will open again in spring 2025.

Eddie Kloesel

Eddie Kloesel has been named as Partner at full-service artist management and music company WHY&HOW by Founder & CEO Bruce Kalmick.

Kloesel joined WHY&HOW when it launched in 2020 as Vice President of Touring & Sponsorships, and has since risen to Executive Vice President.

“Eddie and I have been in business together for a long time. He’s a trusted strategic thinker who approaches our clients’ business like an entrepreneur. He’s always thinking outside the box, and has brought forward opportunities that are not only lucrative for our clients but are also unique within the industry,” says Kalmick. “When I launched WHY&HOW, bringing Eddie on board was an obvious decision, and his promotion to Partner has been a long time coming.”

“For nearly 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from Bruce, whose leadership is defined by empowering the team around him. Being named Partner is both a profound honor and a deeply meaningful milestone. Together, I look forward to continuing to elevate WHY&HOW and the incredible clients we serve. For a kid from Vidor, Texas with a lifelong dream of making it in the music industry, this is a moment I’ll cherish and build upon with immense gratitude,” shares Kloesel.

He has played a key role in defining and executing the company’s long-term strategic goals, seeking to identify and capitalize on opportunities that contribute to the company’s growth and profitability. He has also overseen brand partnerships and touring strategy for WHY&HOW clients, including Whiskey Myers and Chase Rice. Kloesel helped to secure a partnership between Rice and Coors Banquet, a first-of-its-kind deal for the legacy Molson Coors brand, which has since been renewed, and assisted in establishing Whiskey Myers’ relationship with American sprint car racing series High Limits Racing.

He has overseen the release of 11 independent albums across the rock and country genres, including Rice’s I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell and Go Down Singin’, Southall’s For the Birds and self-titled 2023 album, as well as five Whiskey Myers collections, including the band’s 2019 self-titled release. His clients’ projects have collectively earned six Gold, 11 Platinum, three double-Platinum and four triple-Platinum RIAA certifications.

On the touring front, Kloesel managed Whiskey Myers’ 2022-2023 tour, which saw the band become one of the few independent acts to headline arenas and sell out a debut show at Red Rocks in under 36 hours. He also helped to book Rice as an opener for Garth Brooks at Ford Field in 2020, after working to book Whiskey Myers as an opener for The Rolling Stones at Soldier Field in 2018.

“I’ve known Eddie since we were both very new in this industry. We’ve seen each other both change and grow to the point we are hardly recognizable from what we were 10 years ago,” says Rice. “He has been a massive part of me getting out of the machine that I was in, to creating music that is true to who I am to my core. There will be songs released at some point that are five to 10 years old simply because he continues to send me old stuff occasionally, reminding me how great some of my earlier writing was. He’s old school in a new world, and I believe this world needs more men like him. He’s not just my manager, he’s family, and I’m proud to call him a friend. He’s earned this.”