Kacey Musgraves. Photo: Natasha Moustache/CMAs

Kacey Musgraves took over Bridgestone Arena this weekend for two sold-out shows, wrapping up her “Deeper Well Tour.” She turned the arena into outdoor enthusiasts’ playground.

Bluegrass trio Nickel Creek were the first to take the stage, treating fans to a string of original tunes like “Scotch & Chocolate,” “Where The Long Line Leads,” “Helena” and “This Side.” They also shared their own rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” as well as the fan-favorite “Smoothie Song.” The band wrapped up their 30 minutes with a cover of Mother Mother’s “Hayloft,” before ending with “The Fox” and “Destination.”

Indie rock band Lord Huron was on next, opening their 45-minute set with hit “Meet Me In The Woods,” as well as original tunes “Dead Man’s Hands” and “Ends Of The Earth.” For “Secret Of Life,” lead singer Ben Schneider used a payphone turned microphone, adding an exciting element into the stage. “I Lied” and “Let The Devil Come” delighted the crowd before the payphone came back out for “Wait By The River.” The band ended the night on a three-track run of “The World Ender,” “The Night We Met” and “Not Dead Yet,” exciting their fans and also making new ones before exiting the stage.

As the full arena was buzzing with anticipation, a curtain of the tour logo was lifted up and Musgrave’s band began to take the stage. From the very first moment, the production was superb, with the video wall displaying a starry sky above a moonlit structure, creating a striking outer space landscape. A silhouette of Musgraves falling from the sky flashed down the screen, as the singer stepped onto the stage herself for her opening track “Cardinal.” After drawing the crowd in from the first note to the last, Musgraves was lifted up into the air, mimicking the earlier silhouette graphic.

The video wall lit up with graphics of butterflies flying around as she graced the audience with “Butterflies” from her Golden Hour album, showcasing her vocal range right off the bat. After a roaring applause from the crowd after the fan-favorite, Musgraves reflected on her time on the road this year.

“I’m a little emo about it. If I think about it too much, I might get a little sad,” shared Musgraves. “We started this tour back in May in Ireland and now we’re here. I’m so honored to be here tonight and to have all your faces here in this sold-out room.”

Musgraves continued to show off her masterful performance skills with more tracks off her Deeper Well album including “Sway” where she led the crowd in a swaying motion, “Giver/Taker,” utilizing the video wall to show a house in the hills, and “Too Good To Be True” before displaying a colorful sunset background for “Golden Hour.”

“Do you ever feel like you’re feeling two really big, very different emotions at the same time and you just don’t know what to call it?” Musgraves asked to the crowd before “Happy & Sad,” displaying the beautifully written lyrics in the background. Musgraves wrapped up the first part of her set with “Lonely Weekend” and “Lonely Millionaire” before walking through the crowd over to her B-stage.

In the center of the arena stood Musgraves’ second stage, a lush grassy setup with Saturn suspended above it. She opened her time on the stage with the powerful “Follow Your Arrow” off her Same Trailer Different Park album, acknowledging her day-one supporters and new fans alike.

“I had a song planned, but I think I’m gonna see what you guys want to hear,” Musgraves said as she started to walk around the stage. She asked two fans dressed as giving trees which song they would like to hear, resulting in Musgraves playing “Dinner With Friends,” drawing a huge reaction from the arena. Before the next track, Musgraves’ band exited the center platform, leaving just the singer-songwriter and her guitar.

“I had time to write one more song for Deeper Well,” she began. “I wrote this next song with two of my really good friends Josh [Osborne] and Shane [McAnally]. To be honest, this song was written a couple weeks after the Covenant School shooting happened here. This song is just a big question mark, how much control do we really have?” Following the emotional story, she brilliantly performed “The Architect.” You could hear a pin drop in the room as she had the entire crowd locked in.

With the final performance on the center stage, Musgraves brought her band back out as well as Nickel Creek, where the group performed an exciting cover of SZA’s “Kill Bill,” with the whole crowd singing along. She then made her walk back through the crowd to the main stage.

“Jade Green” got things kicked back off, before fan-favorite “Slow Burn” took over the arena, with everyone swinging their arms back and forth and singing at the top of their lungs. With fog blasting through the air, Musgraves gave a flawless performance of “Space Cowboy.”

It was time to pull another album out of Musgraves’ impressive catalog, with the singer performing “Justified” off her Star-Crossed project. As Musgraves walked towards the back of the stage, a moon was displayed in the background as she sang Brooks & Dunn’s “Neon Moon.” Afterwards, Bridgestone Arena was turned into a rave for “High Horse,” with giant balloons being tossed around the pit, a disco ball hanging over a line dancing Musgraves and confetti cannons shooting off.

“I really can’t tell you how much this community means to me,” she explained. “I wouldn’t be who I am without Nashville and the songs and home its given me.” After introducing her band, Musgraves wrapped up her 90-minute enthralling show with “Deeper Well” and Rainbow” as a colorful background illuminated the star.

Opry NextStage Class of 2024 with Lainey Wilson and Danae Hays. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry held its 2024 “Opry NextStage Live” in front of a sold-out crowd on Monday night (Dec. 9).

Hosted by Opry NextStage alum Lainey Wilson, the event featured performances from the Opry NextStage Class of 2024, including Anne Wilson, Charles Wesley Godwin, Chase Matthew, Ella Langley, Josh Ross, Madeline Edwards, Wyatt Flores, 49 Winchester and Flatland Cavalry, as well as a performance by Wilson.

Additionally, Nashville-based comedian Danae Hays hosted the livestream backstage to give fans an exclusive look behind the scenes during the evening.

Founded in 2019, the Opry NextStage program has previously featured Riley Green, Parker McCollum, Tenille Townes, Megan Moroney, Priscilla Block, Breland, Callista Clark, Chapel Hart, Travis Denning, Niko Moon, Restless Road, Jameson Rodgers, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith, Nate Smith, Morgan Wade and Hailey Whitters, among others.

Lyric Lane at Motif on Music Row

The boutique hotel Motif on Music Row wrapped its inaugural Songwriters Week with a book signing for author/songwriter Bernie Nelson last week, as well as a songwriters’ round featuring Nelson, Doug Johnson and Black River artists Pryor Baird and Scotty Hasting, and more events.

The week also included the unveiling of Lyric Lane, a permanent and ever-growing display of hit songs on various mediums by the songwriters who wrote them. The new collection contains approximately 40 hit songs from some of Nashville’s biggest songwriters including “Ships That Don’t Come In,” “Murder on Music Row,” “The Letter,” “Riding with Private Malone,” “Check Yes Or No,” “Some Fools Never Learn,” “I Don’t Mind The Thorns (If You’re The Rose),” “Two Pina Coladas,” “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” “Strawberry Wine,” “What’s Forever For,” “Baby, I Lied,” “We’re In This Love Together” and more.

Pictured (L-R, front row): Songwriters Jerry Salley, Roger Murrah, Wood Newton, Bernie Nelson, Garth Shaw, Rick Huckaby, Deborah Allen and Makky Kaylor; (L-R, back row): Triumph Hospitality President Katie Schultz, Motif on Music Row General Manager Caitlin Hughes, Sila Development/Motif on Music Row Partner Andy Bhakta, Singer Ariel Jade, Songwriter Trey Bruce, PLA Media CEO Pam Lewis, Songwriters Alan Rhody, Benita Hill, Becky Hobbs, Rafe Van Hoy and Sila Development/Motif on Music Row Partner Jay Patel

Notable attendees of Songwriters’ Week included Bart Herbison, Jerry Salley, Trey Bruce, Wood Newton, Roger Murrah, Alan Rhody, Benita Hill, Becky Hobbs, Rafe Van Hoy, Rick Huckaby, Deborah Allen, Garth Shaw, Jan Buckingham, Shannon McCombs, Nathalie Cox, Dave Mahanes and many more.

“Lyric Lane is our small way of giving back and celebrating the creativity and uniqueness of Music Row, while honoring the incredible work of songwriters whose music has touched all our lives,” says Andy Bhakta, Principle Partner of Sila Developments. “People often forget that the everyday music we listen to would not be possible without songwriters. Music holds immense therapeutic power, shaping our emotions and everyday experiences. We feel truly blessed to have received these heartfelt lyrics from so many talented songwriters, as well as the support of the PLA team, in bringing ‘Lyric Lane’ to life here at The Motif on Music Row.”

“Motif on Music Row is honored to display handwritten song lyrics, album covers, signed head shots, and other cherished pieces of music history,” states President of Triumph Hospitality Katie Schultz. “We look forward to showing off these items and educating our guests on Music Row’s incredible contribution to Nashville and to the world. We hope all of our neighbors will come visit and take a stroll down Lyric Lane.”

In addition to the installation of Lyric Lane and Songwriters Week, in honor of its history, Motif on Music Row’s presidential suite was named the “United Artists Suite,” and more music-related initiatives will be announced in the near future.

Kayla Adkins, Lauren Lieu

River House Artists has promoted Kayla Adkins to Senior Director, Creative/A&R, and hired Lauren Lieu as Director, Creative.

Rising to her new position from Creative Director, Adkins joined River House in 2018 and has played a pivotal role in the career development of the River House publishing roster and artists like Pillbox Patti, Austin Snell, Hudson Westbrook, Zach Seabaugh, Knox and more.

Lieu joins the publishing team alongside Adkins and Creative Coordinator Hailey Rama to help support the roster. Originally from Athens, Georgia, Lieu graduated from MTSU in 2016 and joined Ole Music as Creative Coordinator in 2018. In 2021, she joined Play It Again, where she oversaw the publishing department. She has worked with writers and artists including Dallas Davidson, Dylan Marlowe, John Morgan, Kyle Fishman, Lee Brice, Tyler Farr, Justin Wilson and John Edwards.

“We are so excited to announce Kayla’s new position and the addition of Lauren to the team,” says Lynn Oliver-Cline, River House Artists President and Founder. “Kayla’s relationships with our writers and her peers are more than impressive. She has an innate sense for music publishing and has been an essential part of the growth of our roster. Lauren’s experience and passion for songs and writers perfectly complement the reputation RHA has built in our ever-expanding industry. I appreciate them trusting Zebb and me in the process of achieving more than we could have imagined!”

“Zebb and Lynn were two of the first people I connected with when I started my career in publishing, and I have always admired their vision for songwriters and creatives,” says Lieu. “I’m excited to join RHA and can’t wait to be a part of their incredible growth!”