Post Malone, Beyoncé and Shaboozey
The nominees for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards were announced this morning (Nov. 8), with Beyoncé (11), Charli xcx (7), Billie Eilish (7), Kendrick Lamar (7), Post Malone (7), Sabrina Carpenter (6), Chappell Roan (6), Taylor Swift (6) and Shaboozey leading the pack.
With their respective country albums, Beyoncé and Post also led the country categories, with the former earning a nod for Best Country Solo Performance (“16 Carriages”), Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus), Best Country Song (“Texas Hold ‘Em”) and Best Country Album (Cowboy Carter), and the latter represented in Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“I Had Some Help” with Morgan Wallen), Best Country Song (“I Had Some Help”) and Best Country Album (F-1 Trillion).
Beyoncé also garnered nods in other genres, as well as the general field Song of the Year and Record of the Year with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and Cowboy Carter in Album of the Year. With this group of nominations, the artist became the most-nominated artist in Grammy history with 99 total nods.
Shaboozey racked up six nods, including the only country representation in the general field category of Best New Artist. His “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was nominated for the general field Song of the Year as well as Best Country Song, Best Country Solo Performance and Best Remixed Recording. His collaboration with Beyoncé “Spaghettii,” which also features Linda Martell, was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Kacey Musgraves garnered nominations in the Best County Song and Solo Performance with “The Architect,” and her Deeper Well album appeared in Best Country Album, as well as nods in Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical and Best Americana Performance (“Don’t Do Me Good” with Madi Diaz). Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind was recognized in Best Country Album, and Jelly Roll‘s “I Am Not Okay” received Best Country Song and Solo Performance nods.
Chris Stapleton‘s Higher appeared in Best Country Album and “It Takes A Woman” in Country Solo Performance. Also included in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance are Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan (“Cowboys Cry Too”), Brothers Osborne (“Break Mine”) and Dan + Shay (“Bigger Houses”).
In the Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical category, two Nashville writers prevailed with Jessi Alexander and Jessie Jo Dillon being included. Ian Fitchuk was nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. The country mega-soundtrack for Twisters garnered some nods, with Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media and Best Song Written for Visual Media (“Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma”).
Notably absent from the country categories this year were Cody Johnson, who was a top nominee for the CMA Awards later this month, as well as Megan Moroney. Luke Combs was only nominated for his song on the Twisters soundtrack, “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma.” Other than his nods with Post Malone, 2024 CMA Award nominee leader Morgan Wallen also did not receive any nominations.
Mickey Raphael To Play First-Ever Headline Show This December
/by Madison HahnenMickey Raphael. Photo: Jon Morgan
Storied musician Mickey Raphael will host his first-ever headline show on Dec. 3 at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, with backing by The Honchos, Chris Stapleton’s band. Special guest performances will be announced at a later date.
Raphael, best known for his harmonica contributions on Willie Nelson’s records for the past three decades, has worked tirelessly across genres. He has collaborated with Stapleton, Paul Simon, Elton John, Mötley Crüe, Snoop Dogg, Bob Dylan, Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Billy F Gibbons, T Bone Burnett and more. He will also be heard on Ringo Starr’s forthcoming Look Up album.
Tickets will go on-sale this Thursday (Nov. 14) at 10 a.m. CST. A portion of proceeds will benefit Outlaw State of Kind, Chris and Morgane Stapleton’s charity supporting a variety of causes including American Red Cross, Creativets and Musicares Foundation, among many others.
Riley Green, Keith Urban, Hardy & Bailey Zimmerman To Headline Country Thunder Arizona
/by LB CantrellThe lineup has been revealed for Country Thunder Arizona, the four-day festival taking place in Florence on April 10-13, 2025.
Riley Green, Keith Urban, Hardy and Bailey Zimmerman will headline the festival, with Drew Green, Chayce Beckham, Ashley Cooke, Dillon Carmichael, Josh Ross, Owen Riegling, Bayker Blankenship, Angie K and Nolan Sotillo also on the bill. More are scheduled to be announced.
“We have the best fans in Arizona, and we wanted to make sure they get the best country music experience out there,” says Troy Vollhoffer, CEO of Country Thunder Music Festivals. “This lineup is a tribute to all the incredible fans who come back year after year. We’ve brought together country music’s biggest stars, beloved legends and fresh faces that are going to blow you away”.
Country Thunder Arizona is just one of the franchise’s multi-day festivals. Other locations include Wisconsin, Alberta, Florida and more.
Click here for more details on Country Thunder Arizona.
Ashley Anne To Release Sophomore EP On Friday
/by Madison HahnenRising artist Ashley Anne will release her sophomore EP, Call Me When You Land, this Friday (Nov. 15).
The six-track project follows Anne’s Dear Dolly EP, released earlier this year. All co-penned by Anne, the new collection dives into the susceptibility and progression of relationships. In her developed narrative style, she will bring listeners on a story containing themes of uncertainty, self-doubt and finding genuine connection and love.
Each track on the project parlays like chapters in a budding romance, exploring the raw and messy emotions that develop when opening your heart to someone new. Starting off with songs that tell apprehension and introspection, the EP moves into stories of affection and trust, highlighting Anne’s talent for capturing moments that resonate universally.
“The Call Me When You Land EP is a journey that takes you through the stages of a developing relationship song by song and step by step,” shares Anne. “The project begins with songs about uncertainty, nervousness, fear and self doubt, and closes with songs about falling in love and finding your person.”
The release of the project will be encapsulating a monumental year for Anne, who joined Charles Wesley Godwin and Avery Anna on select tour dates throughout the year. She has also shared the stage with Lanco, Sara Evans and Tigirlily Gold, and made her CMA Fest debut on the Hard Rock Stage, along with her performance on Spotify House’s Fresh Finds Rooftop stage.
Call Me When You Land Track Listing:
1. “Left My T-Shirt” (Ryan Kohn, Averie Bielski, Olivia Daponte, Ashley Anne)
2. “Makeup Off” (Averie Bielski, Mitch Crego, Trent Wayne, Ashley Anne)
3. “Don’t Ruin This Record” (Ashley Anne, Caroline Watkins, Dylan Guthro)
4. “Call Me When You Land” (Ashley Anne, Axel Diehl, Brandon Ashley)
5. “I Can Be A Woman” (Ashley Anne)
6. “Drive You Anywhere” (Ashley Anne, Alex Angelo, Madelyn Paquette)
Clint Black Announces Final Leg Of ‘Celebrating 35 Years Of Killin’ Time Tour’
/by Lorie HollabaughClint Black. Photo: Ari Lyon
Clint Black has announced the final run of dates for his “Celebrating 35 Years Of Killin’ Time North American Tour,” culminating in 2025.
Black will perform songs from his 1989 debut album Killin’ Time, along with his greatest hits on the tour, which will visit Long Beach, Rapid City, Midland, Evansville and more through March 1.
The hitmaker has charted more than three dozen songs, including “A Better Man,” “Killin’ Time,” “Where Are You Now,” “When My Ship Comes In,” “A Good Run of Bad Luck,” “Summer’s Comin’,” “Like the Rain” and “Nothin’ But the Taillights,” part of a catalog that produced 22 No. 1 singles. Along the way, Black sold over 20 million records and racked up billions of streams, earned more than a dozen Gold and Platinum awards in the U.S. and Canada and received stars on the Hollywood and Nashville Walks Of Fame. In 2023 Black received the ACM Honors Poets Award.
2025 “Celebrating 35 Years Of Killin’ Time North American Tour” Dates:
January 24 – Midland, TX Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center
January 30 – Visalia, CA Fox Theater
February 2 – Long Beach, CA Terrace Theatre
February 7 – Pueblo, CA Memorial Hall*
February 12 – Helena, MT Helena Civic Center
February 13 – Rapid City, SD Monument Performing Arts Center
February 14 – Sioux Falls, SD Washington Pavilion
February 15 – Peoria, IL Peoria Civic Center
February 27 – Saginaw, MI Dow Theater
February 28 – Erie, PA Warner Theater
March 1 – Evansville, IN Aiken Theater
Dan Marshall Inks With Jonas Group Publishing
/by Madison HahnenPictured (L-R, back row): Kevin Jonas Sr. (Founder/Chairman Jonas Group Entertainment), Emily Peacock (Sr. Creative Dir., JGP) and George Kreis (Pres., JGE); (L-R, front row): Erin Mooring (Manager, Steelhouse Management), Dan Marshall and Leslie T. DiPiero (Pres., JGP). Photo: Cole Barnhill
Singer-songwriter Dan Marshall has signed an exclusive publishing deal with Jonas Group Publishing.
Marshall began his musical journey at a young age, first playing piano at 12 years old. The Virginia native grew up listening to country and classic rock, shaping his artistry. After learning how to play guitar at 18, Marshall began sharing his self-penned material at 21.
After playing linebacker on the Virginia Tech football team, Marshall auditioned for American Idol, becoming a season 20 top 10 finalist. Marshall moved to Nashville in the fall of 2022, and in 2023, he released his debut track “She Wants A Ring,” co-written with Reid Sorel and William Sims. Later on, he followed that with “Heaven’s Honky Tonk,” which racked up over one million views on TikTok and became a viral hit. The tune was co-penned with Matt Gorman and Taylor J. Smith.
“From the very first moment I walked in, everyone made me feel right at home,” says Marshall. “It truly felt like family. I want to thank Leslie [DiPiero], Kevin [Jonas Sr.], and the entire team for wholeheartedly believing in my vision as a writer and artist. Let’s get to work!”
“Dan has that elusive X-Factor,” shares DiPiero, Jonas Group Publishing President. “It is obvious that music flows through him naturally. He was born and raised listening to country music, and he honors that tradition through his melodic storytelling. We are all so excited for the journey ahead!”
36th Annual Pollstar Award Nominations Unveiled
/by John Nix ArledgeMorgan Wallen on tour. Photo: Matt Paskert
Live entertainment publication Pollstar has unveiled its nominees for the 36th annual Pollstar Awards which recognizes artists, tours, companies, venues and executives for their innovation and success. The ceremony will be held on Feb. 19, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles as a part of the three-day Pollstar Live! Conference.
A new honor this year is the Maxie Solters Award – Touring Publicist of the Year, recognizing the achievement of a public relations executive in the live touring industry in the honor of the Scoop Marketing publicist who died earlier this year at the age of 37.
Key Nominee Categories:
Major Tour Of The Year:
Coldplay – “Music of the Spheres World Tour”
Morgan Wallen – “One Night At A Time 2024”
Noah Kahan – “We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Guts World Tour”
Taylor Swift – “The Eras Tour”
Zach Bryan – “The Quittin Time Tour”
Rock Tour of the Year:
Blink-182 – “The More Time Tour”
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – “2024 World Tour”
Coldplay – “Music of the Spheres World Tour”
Foo Fighters – “Everything or Nothing at All Tour”
Green Day – “The Saviors Tour”
Metallica – “M72 World Tour”
Hip-Hop Tour of the Year:
$uicideboy$ – “Grey Day Tour 2024”
Drake – “It’s All A Blur Tour”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Hot Girl Summer Tour”
Missy Elliott – “Out of This World – The Missy Elliott Experience”
Nicki Minaj – “Pink Friday 2 World Tour”
Travis Scott – “The Circus Maximus Tour”
Pop Tour of the Year:
Billie Eilish – “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour”
Charli XCX & Troye Sivan – “Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present: Sweat”
Justin Timberlake – “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Guts World Tour”
P!nk – “Summer Carnival 2024”
Taylor Swift – “The Eras Tour”
Country Tour of the Year:
Chris Stapleton – “All-American Road Show”
Jelly Roll – “The Beautifully Broken Tour”
Kenny Chesney – “Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour”
Lainey Wilson – “Country’s Cool Again Tour”
Morgan Wallen – “One Night At A Time 2024”
Tyler Childers – “Mule Pull ‘24 Tour”
Zach Bryan – “The Quittin’ Time Tour”
Latin Tour of the Year:
Bad Bunny – “Most Wanted Tour”
Carin León – “Boca Chueca Tour 2024”
Fuerza Regida – “Pero No Te Enamores Tour 2024”
Karol G – “Mañana Será Bonito Tour”
Luis Miguel – “Luis Miguel Tour 2023-24”
Peso Pluma – “Éxodo Tour 2024”
Comedy Tour of the Year:
Gabriel Iglesias – “Don’t Worry Be Fluffy Tour”
Jim Gaffigan – “Barely Alive Tour”
Matt Rife – “ProbleMATTic World Tour”
Nate Bargatze – “The Be Funny Tour”
Nikki Glaser – “Alive and Unwell Tour”
Sebastian Maniscalco – “It Ain’t Right”
Residency of the Year:
Adele at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace/Neue Messe München
Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden
Dead & Company at The Sphere
Eagles at The Sphere
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Ryman Auditorium
U2 at The Sphere
Support/Special Guest of the Year:
Chappell Roan for Olivia Rodrigo
Ciara/Timbaland for Missy Elliott
Gracie Abrams for Taylor Swift
Paramore for Taylor Swift
The Smashing Pumpkins for Green Day
Zac Brown Band for Kenny Chesney
Additional categories include Family, Event or Non-Music Tour of the Year; Music Festival of The Year; International Music Festival of The Year; Nightclub of the Year; Theatre of the Year; Arena of the Year; Red Rocks Award for Outdoor Concert Venue of the Year; Stadium of the Year; Casino/Resort Venue of the Year; New Concert Venue of the Year and International Venue of the Year.
Pollstar subscribers can vote through Pollstar.com and view all nominees at news.pollstar.com. Voting is open now through Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. CT.
Warner Music Nashville Signs Braxton Keith
/by LB CantrellPictured (L–R, back row): Patrick Worstell (Director of Marketing, WMN), Cris Lacy (Co-Chair/Co-President, WMN), Victoria Mason (SVP Marketing & Analytics, WMN), Patrick Sabatini (SVP Legal & Business Affairs, WMN) and Mason Domke (A&R, WMN); (L–R, front row): Alex Torrez (Torrez Music Group), Braxton Keith, Emily Vincent (Torrez Music Group) and Stephanie Davenport (VP A&R, WMN). Photo: Kate Bowling
Warner Music Nashville has signed rising honky-tonk vocalist Braxton Keith. To celebrate, he has released his major-label debut track, “Fall This Way,” which will be featured on his upcoming EP, Blue, available everywhere on Dec. 6.
Keith has been turning heads with his ‘80s country sound and aesthetic as well as his live shows. The Texas native, who splits his time between San Antonio and Nashville, learned how to play piano from his grandmother and grew up singing family-friendly tunes like “The Carroll County Accident.”
“There’s something romantic about the country music scene in Texas—it’s that connection with that crowd,” Keith shares. “It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is, whether it’s an old raggedy bar or wherever the hell you are, they’re going to show up, and I fell in love with creating moments with those fans. I just try to imagine it’s a 90-minute show for me, but it’s a lifetime experience for them.”
Leaving school behind to earn his place in Texas’ live-music scene, Keith and his band have now been touring nonstop since 2020. His relentless nationwide touring and self-released singles and EPs have earned him a solid social media following. He arrived in Nashville for the first time in 2021, and has since been fine-tuning his songwriting.
Keith is planning to release more music in 2025. He is managed by Alex Torrez and Emily Vincent at Torrez Music Group, and represented by Andrew McWiliams at Evergreen Artist Group.
Colter Wall Extends Tour With New 2025 Dates
/by Liza AndersonColter Wall. Photo: Neon Jackrabbit
Platinum artist Colter Wall has extended his “Colter Wall & Friends Tour” with new 2025 dates.
Produced by Live Nation and FPC Live, the run will kick off on Jan. 14 in San Jose and visit cities across North America, including Seattle, Chicago, Calgary and more, before wrapping in Edmonton, Alberta on March 2.
Fans can sign up now for access to a ticket presale, which starts this coming Tuesday (Nov. 12) at 10 a.m. local time. Additional presales will take place throughout the week ahead of general sales, beginning Friday (Nov. 15) at 10 a.m. local time. For more information, click here.
Wall has played festivals, such as Under The Big Sky, Two Step Inn, and Dusty Boots. He has also partnered with organizations like the National Western Stock Show to sell concert tickets with rodeo tickets, in order to help make those tickets more accessible to working people.
“Colter Wall & Friends Tour” 2025 Dates:
Jan. 14 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Civic
Jan. 15 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Sacramento
Jan. 17 – Portland, OR – Theater Of The Clouds
Jan. 18 – Pendleton, OR – Vert Auditorium
Jan. 19 – Spokane, WA – First Interstate Center for the Arts
Jan. 21 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Jan. 22 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Jan. 24 – Victoria, BC – Royal Theatre
Jan. 26 – Kelowna, BC – Kelowna Community Theatre
Feb. 19 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre
Feb. 20 – Milwaukee, WI – Miller High Life Theatre
Feb. 21 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Resort & Casino
Feb. 22 – Duluth, MN – DECC Symphony Hall
Feb. 24 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
Feb. 26 – Saskatoon, SK – TCU Place
Feb. 28 – Medicine Hat, AB – Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre
March 1 – Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Resort & Casino – Grey Eagle Event Centre
March 2 – Edmonton, AB – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Beyoncé, Post Malone & Shaboozey Lead Country Grammy Nominations
/by LB CantrellPost Malone, Beyoncé and Shaboozey
The nominees for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards were announced this morning (Nov. 8), with Beyoncé (11), Charli xcx (7), Billie Eilish (7), Kendrick Lamar (7), Post Malone (7), Sabrina Carpenter (6), Chappell Roan (6), Taylor Swift (6) and Shaboozey leading the pack.
With their respective country albums, Beyoncé and Post also led the country categories, with the former earning a nod for Best Country Solo Performance (“16 Carriages”), Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus), Best Country Song (“Texas Hold ‘Em”) and Best Country Album (Cowboy Carter), and the latter represented in Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“I Had Some Help” with Morgan Wallen), Best Country Song (“I Had Some Help”) and Best Country Album (F-1 Trillion).
Beyoncé also garnered nods in other genres, as well as the general field Song of the Year and Record of the Year with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and Cowboy Carter in Album of the Year. With this group of nominations, the artist became the most-nominated artist in Grammy history with 99 total nods.
Shaboozey racked up six nods, including the only country representation in the general field category of Best New Artist. His “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was nominated for the general field Song of the Year as well as Best Country Song, Best Country Solo Performance and Best Remixed Recording. His collaboration with Beyoncé “Spaghettii,” which also features Linda Martell, was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Kacey Musgraves garnered nominations in the Best County Song and Solo Performance with “The Architect,” and her Deeper Well album appeared in Best Country Album, as well as nods in Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical and Best Americana Performance (“Don’t Do Me Good” with Madi Diaz). Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind was recognized in Best Country Album, and Jelly Roll‘s “I Am Not Okay” received Best Country Song and Solo Performance nods.
Chris Stapleton‘s Higher appeared in Best Country Album and “It Takes A Woman” in Country Solo Performance. Also included in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance are Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan (“Cowboys Cry Too”), Brothers Osborne (“Break Mine”) and Dan + Shay (“Bigger Houses”).
In the Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical category, two Nashville writers prevailed with Jessi Alexander and Jessie Jo Dillon being included. Ian Fitchuk was nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. The country mega-soundtrack for Twisters garnered some nods, with Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media and Best Song Written for Visual Media (“Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma”).
Notably absent from the country categories this year were Cody Johnson, who was a top nominee for the CMA Awards later this month, as well as Megan Moroney. Luke Combs was only nominated for his song on the Twisters soundtrack, “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma.” Other than his nods with Post Malone, 2024 CMA Award nominee leader Morgan Wallen also did not receive any nominations.
Jamey Johnson Releases New LP ‘Midnight Gasoline’
/by Lorie HollabaughJamey Johnson. Photo: Ben C
Jamey Johnson is releasing his debut Warner Music Nashville album, Midnight Gasoline, today (Nov. 8), his first new solo studio project in 14 years.
CMT is also debuting the video for a track from the album, “Someday When I’m Old,” across its platforms, including CMT, CMT Music and CMT Equal Play, as well as the Paramount Times Square Billboard. Johnson served as the video’s executive producer and developed the concept for the cutting-edge video that depicts him giving advice to his younger self. Joel Robertson directed the clip, which was shot in Nashville.
“The idea behind the video is if I could go back and meet the younger version of me, what would I say?” Johnson says. “Or would I?”
The video uses AI technology and post-editing effects to feature Johnson both as a young man and as he is today. Johnson supplied about 30 photos of his younger self that were digitized and processed through AI software to “de-age” him. This visual was placed over a stand-in actor in the video and blended with post-editing effects. The clip features many aspects of Johnson’s real life, such as his beloved guitar Ole Maple, the 1986 Dodge truck he owned when driving to Nashville for the first time and the clothes he wore in the video for “The Dollar” (which are worn by the “young” Johnson). The photos featured in both wallets are Jamey’s photos of his daughter.
Midnight Gasoline is the first of Johnson’s Cash Cabin Series, which is a collection of albums recorded at the famed studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, that was owned by Johnny and June Carter Cash and is now owned by their son, John Carter Cash. The album contains the tracks “21 Guns,” “What a View,” “Trudy,” “Sober” and “Saturday Night in New Orleans,” all of which were released during the last few months.