Brooks & Dunn. Photo: Matthew Berinato
The celebrated work of Brooks & Dunn has sparked inspiration in country creators for decades. Their tunes have transcended generations and continue to reach new audiences, as they were crowned Vocal Duo of the Year at the 58th CMA Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 20).
The honor, which led the pair and Chris Stapleton to tie for the most CMA Award wins of all time with 19 total each, came just after the release of their Reboot II collection, the sequel to 2019’s Reboot album, via Sony Music Nashville.
Reboot II follows the same format as the first project, but features collaborations with a new, genre-spanning group of acts, including Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Marcus King Band, Megan Moroney, Jelly Roll, The Cadillac Three, Halestorm, The Earls of Leicester, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Hardy, A Thousand Horses and more. The Country Music Hall of Famers let each artist choose the Brooks & Dunn number they’d like to lead on the 18-track collection, and gave them the space to put their own spin on it. Kix Brooks recently took some time to discuss the development of Reboot II with MusicRow.
He recalls their manager, Clarence Spalding, coming to them with the idea for the original Reboot project when artists like Luke Combs and Kacey Musgraves began covering their hits during their live shows. After reaching out to various teams, Spalding returned with an extensive list of interested acts.
“It was one of the most enjoyable experiences we ever had in the studio. Dann Huff is a great traffic cop and a brilliant producer,” states Brooks. “All o these acts are really good, and some of them tell us that they’re fans and have been listening to our music for long time, which makes you feel good. But there’s never any real fanboy/fangirl stuff going on, just professionals that are really good at what they do.”
After seeing the success of the initial album, Spalding and the duo decided to curate a sequel, this time expanding to other genres and allowing the collaborators to bring their own producers and bands. Brooks describes the selections that surprised him and how impressed he was with everyone.
“This was a really different experience. Some of these songs are deep cuts, and it’s really fun doing stuff we play live and rock out hard to with our Brooks & Dunn band like ‘She Like to Get Out of Town,'” he notes.
“I wanted Jaren [Johnston] on this record because I just love The Cadillac Three, and sure enough, they showed up and picked that song,” Brooks says. “I was looking forward to seeing how they were going to sling it and man, he kicked off this deep swamp groove. I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding. I freaking love this,’ and grabbed a harp and jumped all over it with him. We had a lot of fun doing that one.”
A reimagined “Play Something Country” with Lainey Wilson opens the new body of work. As a fellow Louisiana native, Brooks says he’s been hearing about the CMA Female Vocal of the Year for a decade now and truly enjoyed working with her.
“She made a pair of bell bottoms out of that flame shirt that I wore on the Hardworking Man album cover, which was just hysterical,” he reflects. “She came in with so much energy and lit it up.”
When it comes to uniquely different takes, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” with rock group Halestorm comes to mind.
“Halestorm is a badass, headbanging rock band. Once they tuned their stuff up and hit the downbeat, it was on. That control room just exploded,” Brooks shares with a laugh. “Engineers were grabbing nobs with both hands trying to get a handle on what was going on. I’m really proud of Ronnie [Dunn]. He stepped up and went toe to toe with [Lizzy Hale]. Singing backgrounds was easy compared to what he was up to.”
Brooks shares that he could talk for hours about how fun each collaboration was, as well as what they learned from the creation process.
“We don’t feel like we’re the old guys on the block, we’re all doing the same thing. We’ve been doing it a few years longer, but that doesn’t change anything,” says Brooks. “Some of these acts that are really hot on this record aren’t posturing because they’re the hottest thing out there right now. The bottom line is we’re all just trying to make good music, and there’s a reason that these acts are popular. It does make you step up because you want to be your best and show them that you’ve still got it, and they want to do their best and show you they do have it.”
He continues, “I didn’t feel any ego ever, and you’d expect me to say that, but that’s the truth. Everybody just came in and said, ‘Let’s make a record, let’s do this.’ It gets fun pretty quick. It’s our job to make people feel comfortable in a situation like this, and there’s no reason that they shouldn’t feel comfortable because we really respect all the acts that are on this record.”
Through these collaborations and their storied career, Brooks & Dunn have amassed new fans, who are sure to come see them perform live when the pair embarks on their “Neon Moon Tour” this spring.
“One night last year, I was just looking at the crowd and it just looked so young, so I asked, ‘How many of y’all are at your first Brooks & Dunn show?’ Almost 70% of that crowd put their hands in the air,” Brooks recalls. “I said, ‘Wow, welcome to the party,’ and ask that every night now.
“It’s fun to think that there’s an audience out there that’s just now getting familiar with our music and hearing us play for the first time.”
Reboot II Track Listing:
1. “Play Something Country” with Lainey Wilson
2. “Neon Moon” with Morgan Wallen
3. “Rock My World (Little Country Girl)” with Marcus King Band
4. “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” with Megan Moroney
5. “Brand New Man” with Warren Zeiders
6. “Believe” with Jelly Roll
7. “She Used to Be Mine” with Riley Green
8. “She Likes to Get Out of Town” with The Cadillac Three
9. “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” with Halestorm
10. “Ain’t No Way To Go” with Mitchell Tenpenny
11. “How Long Gone” with The Earls of Leicester
12. “I’ll Never Forgive My Heart” with Jake Worthington
13. “She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind” with Hailey Whitters
14. “Hard Workin’ Man” with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
15. “Hillbilly Deluxe” with Hardy
16. “Indian Summer” with Ernest
17. “Drop in the Bucket” with A Thousand Horses
18. “Only In America” with Corey Kent
Brantley Gilbert To Launch ‘Tattoos Tour’ In February
/by Lorie HollabaughBrantley Gilbert. Photo: Brian Vaughan
Brantley Gilbert will kick off his “Tattoos Tour 2025” on Feb. 27 in Everett, Washington. Special guests Travis Denning, Black Stone Cherry, Austin Snell, Colt Ford and Payton Smith will join Gilbert on select dates.
The multi-Platinum star will be taking his seventh studio album from coast-to-coast across the country, visiting cities including Bloomington, Illinois; Salem, Virginia; Athens, Georgia; Albany, New York; Huntsville, Alabama and more. Tickets will start at $25 plus applicable fees.
“My hope is that with tickets starting at $25, people can step away from everyday stresses and enjoy themselves—whether it’s making it a fun evening with the family or giving mom and dad the chance to hire a babysitter and have a night out just for them,” says Gilbert. “Music has always been about bringing people together and offering a break from the grind, even if it’s just for a few hours.”
Fan club pre-sales for BG Nation begin today, (Nov. 25,) and general on sale begins Nov. 29 at BrantleyGilbert.com.
Brantley Gilbert “Tattoos Tour 2025” Dates:
Feb. 15 – Brighton Field Day Festival 2025 // Okeechobee, FL%
Feb. 27 – Angel of the Winds Arena // Everett, WA*+
Feb. 28 – Adams Center // Missoula, MT*+
March 1 – Toyota Center // Kennewick, WA*+
March 6 – Toyota Arena // Ontario, CA*+
March 7 – Findlay Toyota Center // Prescott Valley, AZ*+
March 8 – Mullett Arena // Tempe, AZ*+
March 13 – Grossinger Motors Arena // Bloomington, IL^+#
March 14 – Alliant Energy PowerHouse // Cedar Rapids, IA^+#
March 15 – Cable Dahmer Arena // Independence, MO^+#
March 20 – Salem Civic Center // Salem, VA^+#
March 21 – Akins Ford Arena at The Classic Center // Athens, GA^+#
March 22 – The Orion Amphitheater // Huntsville, AL^+#
March 27 – Tsongas Center // Lowell, MA*+
March 28 – Cross Insurance Arena // Portland, ME*+
March 29 – Total Mortgage Arena // Bridgeport, CT*+
April 24 – MVP Arena // Albany, NY*~
April 25 – Adirondack Bank Center // Utica, NY*~
April 26 – Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza // Wilkes-Barre, PA*~
June 8 – Carolina Country Music Fest 2025 // Myrtle Beach, SC%
June 20 – WYRK Taste of Country 2025 // Buffalo, NY%
July 10 – Country Concert // Fort Loramie, OH%
* Travis Denning
^ Black Stone Cherry
+ Austin Snell
# Colt Ford
~ Payton Smith
% Festival Date
Tyler Hubbard Wraps ‘Strong World Tour’ With Sold-Out Ryman Show
/by Madison HahnenTeams from UMG Nashville and Borman Entertainment present a plaque to Hubbard celebrating recent RIAA certifications and streaming successes.
Tyler Hubbard wrapped his headline “Strong World Tour” with a sold-out hometown show at the iconic Ryman Auditorium Thursday night (Nov. 21).
After an opening set by Alana Springsteen, Hubbard gave a 90-minute show in front of fans, family, friends and his team. He played songs from his Strong album, as well as his self-titled debut album. Hubbard also performed renditions of some of his biggest hits as a songwriter including Jason Aldean’s “You Make It Easy,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” and Bebe Rexha’s “Meant To Be.”
Prior to taking the stage, Hubbard’s team from UMG Nashville presented him with a plaque commemorating his 1.7 billion global streams, as well as his recent RIAA certifications including his double-Platinum singles “Dancin’ In The Country” and “5 Foot 9,” his Gold self-titled debut album and Gold single “Back Then Right Now.”
Hubbard is on tap to play a host of festivals in 2025, including Country Thunder Saskatchewan, Boots In The Park and Country To Country Festival, among many others.
Kix Brooks Details Latest ‘Reboot’ Of Brooks & Dunn Classics & Reaching New Audiences [Interview]
/by Liza AndersonBrooks & Dunn. Photo: Matthew Berinato
The celebrated work of Brooks & Dunn has sparked inspiration in country creators for decades. Their tunes have transcended generations and continue to reach new audiences, as they were crowned Vocal Duo of the Year at the 58th CMA Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 20).
The honor, which led the pair and Chris Stapleton to tie for the most CMA Award wins of all time with 19 total each, came just after the release of their Reboot II collection, the sequel to 2019’s Reboot album, via Sony Music Nashville.
Reboot II follows the same format as the first project, but features collaborations with a new, genre-spanning group of acts, including Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Marcus King Band, Megan Moroney, Jelly Roll, The Cadillac Three, Halestorm, The Earls of Leicester, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Hardy, A Thousand Horses and more. The Country Music Hall of Famers let each artist choose the Brooks & Dunn number they’d like to lead on the 18-track collection, and gave them the space to put their own spin on it. Kix Brooks recently took some time to discuss the development of Reboot II with MusicRow.
He recalls their manager, Clarence Spalding, coming to them with the idea for the original Reboot project when artists like Luke Combs and Kacey Musgraves began covering their hits during their live shows. After reaching out to various teams, Spalding returned with an extensive list of interested acts.
“It was one of the most enjoyable experiences we ever had in the studio. Dann Huff is a great traffic cop and a brilliant producer,” states Brooks. “All o these acts are really good, and some of them tell us that they’re fans and have been listening to our music for long time, which makes you feel good. But there’s never any real fanboy/fangirl stuff going on, just professionals that are really good at what they do.”
“This was a really different experience. Some of these songs are deep cuts, and it’s really fun doing stuff we play live and rock out hard to with our Brooks & Dunn band like ‘She Like to Get Out of Town,'” he notes.
“I wanted Jaren [Johnston] on this record because I just love The Cadillac Three, and sure enough, they showed up and picked that song,” Brooks says. “I was looking forward to seeing how they were going to sling it and man, he kicked off this deep swamp groove. I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding. I freaking love this,’ and grabbed a harp and jumped all over it with him. We had a lot of fun doing that one.”
A reimagined “Play Something Country” with Lainey Wilson opens the new body of work. As a fellow Louisiana native, Brooks says he’s been hearing about the CMA Female Vocal of the Year for a decade now and truly enjoyed working with her.
“She made a pair of bell bottoms out of that flame shirt that I wore on the Hardworking Man album cover, which was just hysterical,” he reflects. “She came in with so much energy and lit it up.”
When it comes to uniquely different takes, “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” with rock group Halestorm comes to mind.
“Halestorm is a badass, headbanging rock band. Once they tuned their stuff up and hit the downbeat, it was on. That control room just exploded,” Brooks shares with a laugh. “Engineers were grabbing nobs with both hands trying to get a handle on what was going on. I’m really proud of Ronnie [Dunn]. He stepped up and went toe to toe with [Lizzy Hale]. Singing backgrounds was easy compared to what he was up to.”
Brooks shares that he could talk for hours about how fun each collaboration was, as well as what they learned from the creation process.
“We don’t feel like we’re the old guys on the block, we’re all doing the same thing. We’ve been doing it a few years longer, but that doesn’t change anything,” says Brooks. “Some of these acts that are really hot on this record aren’t posturing because they’re the hottest thing out there right now. The bottom line is we’re all just trying to make good music, and there’s a reason that these acts are popular. It does make you step up because you want to be your best and show them that you’ve still got it, and they want to do their best and show you they do have it.”
He continues, “I didn’t feel any ego ever, and you’d expect me to say that, but that’s the truth. Everybody just came in and said, ‘Let’s make a record, let’s do this.’ It gets fun pretty quick. It’s our job to make people feel comfortable in a situation like this, and there’s no reason that they shouldn’t feel comfortable because we really respect all the acts that are on this record.”
Through these collaborations and their storied career, Brooks & Dunn have amassed new fans, who are sure to come see them perform live when the pair embarks on their “Neon Moon Tour” this spring.
“One night last year, I was just looking at the crowd and it just looked so young, so I asked, ‘How many of y’all are at your first Brooks & Dunn show?’ Almost 70% of that crowd put their hands in the air,” Brooks recalls. “I said, ‘Wow, welcome to the party,’ and ask that every night now.
“It’s fun to think that there’s an audience out there that’s just now getting familiar with our music and hearing us play for the first time.”
Reboot II Track Listing:
1. “Play Something Country” with Lainey Wilson
2. “Neon Moon” with Morgan Wallen
3. “Rock My World (Little Country Girl)” with Marcus King Band
4. “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” with Megan Moroney
5. “Brand New Man” with Warren Zeiders
6. “Believe” with Jelly Roll
7. “She Used to Be Mine” with Riley Green
8. “She Likes to Get Out of Town” with The Cadillac Three
9. “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” with Halestorm
10. “Ain’t No Way To Go” with Mitchell Tenpenny
11. “How Long Gone” with The Earls of Leicester
12. “I’ll Never Forgive My Heart” with Jake Worthington
13. “She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind” with Hailey Whitters
14. “Hard Workin’ Man” with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
15. “Hillbilly Deluxe” with Hardy
16. “Indian Summer” with Ernest
17. “Drop in the Bucket” with A Thousand Horses
18. “Only In America” with Corey Kent
‘CMA Country Christmas’ To Return To ABC Next Month
/by Lorie HollabaughPhoto: Robby Klein/ABC
The hosts and performers have been announced for the 15th annual CMA Country Christmas special, set to air Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC and the next day (Dec. 4) on Hulu and Disney+.
This year’s special will be hosted by Amy Grant and Trisha Yearwood, feature performances by For King & Country and Carin León (“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”), Cody Johnson (“White Christmas“) and (“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”), Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer (“Man With The Bag”), Jon Pardi (“Horsepower Sleigh”) and CeCe Winans (“Joy To The World”).
The hosts will perform “Sing Your Praise To The Lord” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” Grant will also treat the crowd to “Tennessee Christmas,” while Yearwood delivers a Christmas medley during the show.
Triple Tigers Records Hosts CMA Awards Happy Hour
/by LB CantrellTriple Tigers artists Jordan Fletcher and Russell Dickerson
Triple Tigers Records celebrated this year’s CMA Awards with an intimate happy hour at The Late Great speakeasy located in The Virgin Hotel.
The Triple Tigers artist roster and staff mixed and mingled alongside many friends and family.
KYGO’s Brian Micheal and Triple Tigers artist Scotty McCreery
Pictured (L-R): Triple Tigers’ Blake Nixon, Laura Hostelley, Hope Garrison, Annie Ortmeier, Jordan Fletcher, Kevin Herring, Raffaella Braun, Liz Scherff and Mackenzie Cooper
Pictured (L-R): Triple Tigers’ Annie Ortmeier, Jordan Fletcher, Spotify’s Dustee Jenkins and Triple 8 Management’s George Couri
Pictured (L-R): Triple Tigers’ Laura Hostelley, Hope Garrison, Russell Dickerson and Annie Ortmeier; Range Media Group’s Shawn McSpadden; Triple Tigers’ Liz Scherff and Mackenzie Cooper; Kailey Dickerson
Industry Ink: Kane Brown, Mitchell Tenpenny, Logan Mize, More
/by Lorie HollabaughKane Brown Performs At 2024 ARIAs With Troy Cassar-Daley
Kane Brown performs at ARIA Awards
Kane Brown took the stage in Sydney, Australia on Nov. 19 at the 2024 ARIA Awards to perform a special rendition of his smash hit “Miles on It” with Australian country artist Troy Cassar-Daley. The performance coincides with his trip Down Under for his arena-headlining “In The Air Tour,” in which he has performed in both New Zealand and Australia to sold out crowds, with major stops in Melbourne and Perth this week.
With a whirlwind year on his back, Brown released a new single “Body Talk” featuring his wife, Katelyn Brown today (Nov. 22.) The track will also be featured on Brown’s forthcoming fourth studio album, The High Road, due Jan. 24.
Mitchell Tenpenny Raises Some Cane Before CMAs
Mitchell Tenpenny performs “We Got History” and “Truth About You” during pre-CMA Awards show “shift” at Raising Cane’s Nashville flagship store
Mitchell Tenpenny tried his hand as a Raising Cane’s crew member earlier this week before the CMA Awards as he worked a pre-awards “shift” at Raising Cane’s Nashville Flagship on lower Broadway. Tenpenny served fans from the front counter as a cashier and worked in the kitchen, then strummed his songs “We Got History” and “Truth About You” for patrons of the Nashville flagship restaurant.
Logan Mize Enjoys Golden Moment With ‘Grew Apart’
Donovan Woods, Logan Mize and Alexandra Kay
Big Yellow Dog Music artist Logan Mize‘s 2020 song “Grew Apart,” has received an RIAA Gold certification, which is his second Gold track following “Better Off Gone.” Co-written by Donovan Woods, Travis Wood and Logan Wall, “Grew Apart” featuring Woods tells a story of two people falling out of love, and has resonated with fans who have streamed the track more than 110 million times.
Mize also offered fans a revamped version of the track in November 2020, featuring a duet with viral country artist Alexandra Kay.
Songwriter Greg Barnhill Receives ‘Music Has Power’ Award
Greg Barnhill. Photo: KGB Photography/Kenneth Brown
Nashville songwriter Greg Barnhill received the prestigious “Music Has Power” award this week at an event in Times Square that brought together top minds in music therapy, neuroscience and senior healthcare. The Emmy-winning songwriter is also the Chief Creative Officer of InnerWave Neurosciences, a new company at the forefront of the emerging neuro arts field. InnerWave collaborates with partners across technology, music, sound, virtual reality, and academic research, bridging the arts, medical community and psychology.
“We know that by using certain frequencies and the combinations thereof, we will be able to find new non-pharmaceutical treatments,” says Barnhill. “We also know that music is one of the greatest healing elements in the world. Frequencies and resonance take that to an even deeper level.”
Backdrop Entertainment Celebrates Anniversary, New Staffer
Lauren Sieh
Backdrop Entertainment celebrates its first anniversary this month. Founded by music and touring industry marketing veteran, Tamara Moore, the company has grown substantially during its first year in business. Backdrop Entertainment recently announced a new addition to the team, Lauren Sieh. The company is is dedicated to connecting events, tours, brands and artists with their fans through full-service marketing services including radio partnerships, digital advertising, social media, fan engagement strategies, DSP relationships, touring growth and brand development.
“Starting Backdrop Entertainment last year was a dream come true,” shares Moore “I’ve been thrilled with what Tara and I have been able to accomplish in the last year for our clients. Lauren and I worked together previously and I knew she was the perfect person to add to the team as we grow and continue to expand what we do.”
Old Dominion Plots Seven-Show Ryman Residency
/by Madison HahnenOld Dominion.
2024 CMA Vocal Group of the Year Old Dominion will play a seven-show Ryman Auditorium residency Feb. 3-6, 2025, to celebrate their seventh CMA Award.
“When you’re looking at the Oak Ridge Boys, who are a lot like Mount Rushmore,” shares lead singer/guitarist Matthew Ramsey, “you realize what an incredible family you’re a part of. To have won this award, which they’ve won, Alabama’s won, the Chicks won, so many great bands have won, let alone seven times in a row, that’s a blessing.
“At this point, the best way to celebrate something like this—for us—is to play, to give ourselves and the fans a way to come together in these songs and to help raise resources for some great charities that are out there spreading goodness around trying to help people.” he continues. “But rather than doing a big show, we wanted to give ourselves the permission to strip it all the way back, create songwriter-type shows that aren’t about production, but the songs; to take even more requests and be spontaneous, to create once in a lifetime experiences every single show. Where better to do that than at the Ryman?”
While showcasing stripped down versions of hits like “I Was On A Boat That Day,” “Break Up With Him,” “Memory Lane” and more, the band will also be raising money with each show for a selection of nonprofits, including MusiCares, Save The Music, Backline Care, the Opry Trust Fund, CMA Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the The Ramsey Foundation.
Ramsey also adds, “How crazy is it? Do something fun, help causes you really love and believe in? Sign us up! We can’t wait. We’re getting all the ideas together—but obviously, bring your signs. See all the Odies at the Ryman in February. It’s gonna be awesome.”
The band will play two shows each night Feb. 3-5, with the final show taking place on Feb. 6. Tickets for all seven shows are available now.
Shaboozey Named 2024 SoundExchange Breakout Artist
/by Lorie HollabaughShaboozey receives the SoundExchange Breakout Artist Award. Photo: JJ Tanaka
Shaboozey has been honored as a 2024 SoundExchange Breakout Artist.
The award recognizes Shaboozey’s undeniable success this year, from his smash single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and latest album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, to his standout appearances on Beyoncé’s star-studded country album, Cowboy Carter and more. “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” recently marked its 18th consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is the longest in history by a solo artist with no accompanying credited acts.
“Shaboozey has literally changed the game, marrying hip-hop and country music to create a unique sound that has rocketed him into the consciousness of the mainstream,” says Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “He’s a prolific creator, unafraid of pairing big, exciting hooks with relatable storytelling and staging memorable live performances. We are proud to present Shaboozey with the SoundExchange Breakout Artist Award, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.”
“Thank you to SoundExchange for this honor and naming me 2024’s Breakout Artist,” says Shaboozey. “It’s been an incredibly fulfilling year with still, lots to come, and I deeply respect the work that you do to ensure artists get paid fairly for the use of their work.”
The first-ever Black artist to simultaneously top Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart and the Hot 100, Shaboozey will headline the Thanksgiving Halftime Show powered by Verizon at the Detroit Lions’ annual holiday football game on Nov. 28 on CBS. His North American tour wraps Dec. 16 in Philadelphia. He will also play Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House on Jan. 18 to kick off 2025, and has a European tour slated for March.
Spotify Holds Nashville Industry Brunch During CMA Awards Week
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, top row): Anthony Langone, Miller Guth, Tim Foisset, Gemma McIntruff, Sulinna Ong, Rachel Whitney, Ampah Edwards. Greg Sieme, Jackie Augustus and John Stein. (L-R, bottom row): Claire Heinichen, Monica Damashek, Dustee Jenkins, Meagan Bennington, Jacqueline Ankner and Kimberly Summers at Spotify’s Nashville Industry Brunch at Harriets @ The 1 Hotel. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Spotify
Spotify hosted a brunch for Nashville music industry members earlier this week, leading up to the 58th annual CMA Awards.
The event was help at Harriet’s at 1 Hotel. Guests dined on brunch food and coffee, and enjoyed a DJ and bloody mary bar.
Pictured (L-R): Annie Ortmier and Dustee Jenkins attend Spotify’s Nashville Industry Brunch at Harriets @ The 1 Hotel. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Spotify
Pictured (L-R): Olivia Hanceri and Kelly Bolton attend Spotify’s Nashville Industry Brunch at Harriets @ The 1 Hotel. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Spotify
Pictured (L-R): Marcel Pariseau and Katie McCartney attend Spotify’s Nashville Industry Brunch at Harriets @ The 1 Hotel. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Spotify
A view of the atmosphere during Spotify’s Nashville Industry Brunch at Harriets @ The 1 Hotel. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Spotify
CMA Presents Three More 2024 International Awards
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L–R): CMA’s Sarah Trahern, Meredith Goucher, Gold & Gold Productions’ Ron Sakamoto, Kip Moore and CMA’s Milly Olykan. Photo: Zach Whitmore/CMA
The Country Music Association presented three more 2024 CMA International Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 20).
Kip Moore was honored with the 2024 CMA International Artist Achievement Award during the CMA International Reception in downtown Nashville. This award recognizes outstanding achievement by a U.S.-based artist who has demonstrated the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of America. Moore has forged new paths for the genre in South Africa, having first toured the country in 2023, and headlined the first-ever country music festival in South Africa, Cape Town Country Festival (CTC), earlier this year.
Also during the International Reception, Gold & Gold Productions President Ron Sakamoto was presented with the 2024 CMA Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award by Old Dominion’s Matthew Ramsey. This accolade recognizes outstanding achievements made by an individual who has made important contributions to the live music industry by extending performance opportunities and building live audiences for the country format outside of the United States. Throughout his career thus far, Sakamoto has worked to promote individuals and groups across Canada.
Pictured (L–R): CMA’s Meredith Goucher, Josh Ross, CMA’s Milly Olykan and Luke Bryan. Photo: Zach Whitmore/CMA
Later that night on the CMA Awards Red Carpet, Josh Ross was surprised with the 2024 CMA Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award by host Luke Bryan. This award recognizes outstanding achievements by a country music artist who is originally based internationally and currently signed outside of the United States. Ross has surpassed 300 million streams, toured with Bryan and Nickelback, among others, and was named as the 2024 CCMA Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
The remaining 2024 CMA International Awards will be presented throughout the next several months.