Shaylen Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut

/by

Shaylen during her Grand Ole Opry debut. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry

Singer-songwriter Shaylen made her Grand Ole Opry debut during back-to-back shows on Saturday night (Oct. 5).

Grand Ole Opry member Chris Young, who invited the Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment artist to make her debut last month, surprised her and the crowd with an introduction as she stepped into the circle for the first time.

“It’s my honor to be able to stand up here on this stage as a member of the Grand Ole Opry and talk about somebody that I think is absolutely fantastic,” shared Young. “She has an amazing voice, [she’s a] great songwriter, great person; y’all make her feel welcome for her very first Grand Ole Opry performance.”

Pictured (L–R): Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment’s Ryan Dokke, Big Machine Label Group’s Sandi and Scott Borchetta, Shaylen, Two Hats Music Group’s Andrew Albert and Jordyn Elliott, Grand Ole Opry’s Samantha Kane and Dan Rogers. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry

Shaylen performed unreleased track “Country Enough,” a rock-tinged tune about the lifelong magnetic pull she’s had to country music. Being one to pen tunes that come straight from her journal, she was overcome with emotion seeing one of those “super big” dreams come to fruition before her eyes, telling the crowd, “It’s crazy to see journal pieces come to life.” Choking back tears, Shaylen closed her set with top-streaming independent release “What If I Don’t,” which she wrote while in the “most broken place” she’s ever been in where she chronicled the tough questions that swirl around your head after a difficult breakup.

She recently lent her vocals to “Second Time Around,” her duet with labelmate Noah Hicks, and released “To Tell You The Truth.” The songstress is also currently in the studio working on her debut project with the Big Machine Label Group imprint.

BREAKING: Steve Hodges To Exit Sony Music Nashville

/by

Steve Hodges

Exec. VP of Promotion and Artist Development, Steve Hodges, will exit Sony Music Nashville at the end of the year.

“As proud as I am of the historic last nine-and-a-half years, I’m equally excited about future endeavors and possibilities,” he shared with Country Aircheck.

Hodges joined Sony Music Nashville in 2015, and has overseen the Columbia and RCA Nashville promotion teams. He has 12 years of experience in radio and programming, and previously spent more than 20 years as an executive at Capitol Records Nashville.

The news follows that of Chairman & CEO Randy Goodman’s retirement that was announced in September.

The Listening Room Cafe Ups Savannah Norman

/by

Savannah Norman. Photo: Zach Anderson

The Listening Room Cafe has promoted Savannah Norman to Chief of Staff.

In her new role, the University of Tennessee graduate will oversee all day-to-day operations of the venue. She previously served as Marketing Director, and will continue to work closely with the same executive team.

“I’m excited to step into this new role and guide The Listening Room’s growth while staying true to Chris Blair‘s vision of creating a space that celebrates songwriters and the stories behind their songs,” says Norman. “I value the unique strengths each of our team members bring to the table and will focus on aligning efforts to support the venue’s long-term success with our company core values top of mind.”

“After working with Savannah in a couple different roles with us, it became very clear that she was the best person for this role,” shares Blair, Founder & CEO, The Listening Room Cafe. “Her organization and leadership skills align with exactly what I need to allow me to focus on visionary and high level CEO duties with no worries about operations with her leading the team.”

The Listening Room Cafe is currently looking to fill Norman’s previous role. For more information, click here.

Sturgill Simpson Slates North Carolina Benefit Show

/by

Sturgill Simpson. Photo: Semi Song

Sturgill Simpson has added a second night at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, North Carolina on Monday, Oct. 21, for a special benefit concert supporting disaster relief efforts in the state following the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

Tickets for the show will be available beginning with a local venue pre-sale on Oct. 10 with general on-sale following Oct. 11. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, aiding Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

Simpson was originally scheduled to perform at Asheville’s ExploreAsheville.com Arena on Oct. 21, but due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, that show has been canceled. Fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster for the Asheville date will have refunds processed automatically. Those who bought tickets through other sources should contact their point of purchase. Once the concert is rescheduled, priority access will be granted to fans who held tickets for the original date.

Flatland Cavalry Commemorates 10-Year Anniversary With New Album ‘Flatland Forever’

/by

Flatland Cavalry. Photo: Fernando Garcia

Flatland Cavalry is celebrating a decade together with a special new album, Flatland Forever, due out Nov. 8 via Interscope Records. In advance of the release, a new song from the project, “Three Car Garage,” will be released this Friday (Oct. 11).

The record, which the band first announced on stage during their recent headline debut at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, not only tributes their past 10 years together, but also looks ahead to the next phase of their career. In addition to fan-favorites from each of the band’s previous albums, the project also includes four new songs, alternate versions of previously-released tracks and commentary from the band about each stage of their career.

In the past year, Flatland Cavalry received their first ACM Awards nomination for Group of the Year, wrote and recorded songs for two major film soundtracks: Twisters and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes). They debuted at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and earned their first Gold RIAA certification for “A Life Where We Work Out.”

They’ve also garnered over 500 million streams, had their track “Mountain Song” featured on Yellowstone and toured relentlessly including shows with Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, Midland and more.

CMA Reveals 2024 Broadcast Award Winners

/by

CMA has revealed the winners of the 2024 Broadcast Awards. The winners were surprised with the news by Brothers Osborne, who made personal, one-on-one phone calls throughout the morning.

The categories are broken out by market size based on population as ranked by Nielsen. Nominees for Broadcast Personality of the Year and Radio Station of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and biographical and impact information. 

Any full-time, on-air broadcast personalities and radio stations in the United States and Canada were eligible to submit entries, regardless of CMA membership status. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.

CMA Broadcast Awards winners are not eligible to enter the same award category in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2023 were not eligible in 2024.

The 58th Annual CMA Awards hosted by Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning and Lainey Wilson will air live from Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

2024 CMA Broadcast Personality Of The Year Winners:

Weekly National
Crook & Chase Countdown (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) – Jim Owens Entertainment

Daily National
The Bobby Bones Show (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, “Lunchbox” Dan Chappell, Eddie Garcia, Morgan Huelsman, “SZN Raymundo” Ray Slater, “Mike D” Rodriguez, Abby Anderson, “Kick Off Kevin” O’Connell and Stephen “Scuba Steve” Spradlin) – iHeartMedia

Major Market
Frito & Katy (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas

Large Market
Jesse & Anna (Jesse Tack and Anna Marie) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio

Medium Market
Steve & Gina In The Morning (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa

Small Market
The Eddie Foxx Show (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.

2024 CMA Radio Station Of The Year:

Major Market
WYCD – Detroit, Michigan

Large Market
WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

Medium Market
WUSY – Chattanooga, Tennessee

Small Market
WYCT – Pensacola, Florida

Cross Canadian Ragweed To Unite With Turnpike Troubadours For Oklahoma Residency

/by

Cross Canadian Ragweed. Photo: Jim Wright

Country-rock band Cross Canadian Ragweed will unite with the Turnpike Troubadours for a four-night run at Oklahoma State University’s Boone Pickens Stadium, marking the venue’s first concert event. Taking place April 10–13, the stint will also include performances by The Great Divide, Mike McClure Band, Stoney LaRue and Jason Boland & The Stragglers.

The group released a total of 10 albums from 1998 until 2010, and toured with ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sammy Hagar, Jonny Lang, Robert Earl Keen and Dierks Bentley. Additionally, their music has been featured in commercials, television shows and films.

“The thing that sticks out the most to me about Ragweed was all the people that we met. People that I’m still friends with, from Portland, Oregon, to Ybor City, Florida and from New York to San Diego. That’s why there’s a part of me that never wants to quit doing this. I’m nostalgic for that. I think that everybody should have a little nostalgia in their life,” says Cody Canada of Cross Canadian Ragweed. “So, let’s get together, and let’s make sure that we sound really good and let’s make people smile. Let’s make ourselves smile, and let’s make McClure and Jason and Stoney and the Turnpike boys smile too.”

He adds, “I knew people wanted a reunion. I had no idea it would be this big. I’m beside myself with all of this love. We won’t disappoint you.”

“We are excited to bring the first-ever concert to Boone Pickens Stadium this spring and look forward to hosting this fantastic Oklahoma-based lineup in the home of the Cowboys,” expresses Chad Weiberg, Director of Athletics for Oklahoma State University. “We are grateful to the team at Doussan Music Group for helping make this happen. This show will benefit OSU’s NIL efforts, and will also be a great event for our student-athletes, student body, alumni, fans and the community of Stillwater.”

“I’ve been in the business for 31 years. I’ve been part of some major projects, and I have never witnessed anything like this before, and the show is still six and half months away,” shares Russell Doussan, President of Doussan Music Group. “I was part of the Guns N’ Roses reunion tour, I did their stadium show in New Orleans, and this is beyond that.”

Adrien Nuñez Signs With WME

/by

Pictured (L–R, back row): Doug Neff, Braeden Rountree, Carlile Willett, Michael Coughlin and Adam Fisher; (L–R, front row): Moira McCravey, Sloane Logue, Adrien Nunez, Dillon Goldberg and Carrie Murphy. Photo: Kara Lusk

Singer-songwriter Adrien Nuñez has signed with WME for exclusive representation.

Nuñez grew up in Brooklyn, New York and played guard on the University of Michigan basketball team. He came onto the music scene earlier this year with his viral hit “Low Road.” The track accumulated over 50 million views across all platforms in the first weekend and nearly eight million streams in the first month.

“I’m very excited to partner with the agents at WME,” shares Nuñez. “What drew me to the company was their team-centric approach and the successful careers they have been able to build from the early stages.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to partner with someone as incredibly talented and multifaceted as Adrien. There’s no limit to what he can achieve!” says Braeden Rountree, Partner at WME.

Nuñez just released his latest tune “Minnesota.” A TikTok posted by the singer with a preview snipped has already gained nearly eight million views. He will also support Dasha and Avery Anna for select dates on their respective tours later this year.

He is managed by Dillon Goldberg with FNGRPRNT.

IEBA Celebrates Winners At 2024 Honors & Awards Ceremony

/by

Pictured (L-R): David Kells, Keith Levy, Stacy Vee, Sonia Grover, Kiely Mosiman, Lacy Hayes and Chuck Morris. Photo: Ed Rode

IEBA honored the best in live entertainment at its Honors & Awards Ceremony on Tuesday night (Oct. 8), capping off its annual conference in Nashville.

Eric Church and Louis Messina. Photo: Ed Rode

The IEBA Industry Awards, which were emceed this year by comedian Dusty Slay, celebrate those who work tirelessly behind the scenes of the concert business. Categories are voted on by IEBA members.

“The 2024 award winners represent the very best in live entertainment, showcasing an unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation,” says IEBA’s Executive Director Pam Matthews. “Their remarkable achievements have set the standard for our industry, and we are honored to celebrate their contributions.”

The event also commemorated the induction of two new IEBA Hall of Fame members: Red Rocks Amphitheatre and pioneering concert promoter Louis Messina. Messina was interviewed by his friend and client, Eric Church, for the conference keynote earlier in the day.

IEBA 2024 Awards Winners:
Club of the Year: Troubadour
Casino of the Year: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Hollywood, Florida)
Theater of the Year: (tie) Ruth Eckerd Hall and Orpheum Theatre Rick Hansen (Minneapolis)
Arena of the Year: Barclays Center – Corey Humpage
Amphitheater of the Year: Hollywood Bowl
Fair/Expo of the Year: Minnesota State Fair – Nate Dungan and Theresa Weinfurtner
Festival of the Year: Bourbon & Beyond Del Williams
Club Buyer of the Year: Sonia Grover, First Avenue
Casino Buyer of the Year: Andrew Saunders, Hard Rock/Seminole Gaming
Special Events/Corporate Buyer of the Year: EastCoast Entertainment (ECE) Mark Letson and Brad Strouse
International Buyer of the Year: Jim Cressman, Invictus Entertainment
Fair/Expo Buyer of the Year: Lacey Hayes, Romeo Entertainment Group
Festival Buyer of the Year: Stacy Vee, Goldenvoice
Venue Executive of the Year: David Kells, Bridgestone Arena
Music & Entertainment Industry Educator of the Year: Chuck Morris, Colorado State University
Agent of the Year: Keith Levy, Wasserman Music
Promoter of the Year: Rich Shaefer, AEG Presents
Young Professional of the Year: Kiely Mosiman, Wasserman

Position Music Puts Boots On The Ground In Nashville With Chandler Thurston Hire [Exclusive]

/by

Chandler Thurston

Tyler Bacon, President & CEO of Position Music, has hired Chandler Thurston as a new member of the A&R team. Thurston is the first A&R hire for the independent publisher and label’s new Nashville location.

Thurston will be working out of Position Music’s Nashville office on Music Row, which is currently under construction and projected to open in 2025. The location includes eight offices and two studios.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Position Music is home to artists, songwriters and producers such as Cannons, Tinashe, Erik Ron, Joe Kearns, John “Feldy” Feldman, Austin Powerz, Khalid Yassein, Jordan Suaste, NoMBe, Elohim, Kyle Dion, Ryan Oakes, Layto, Hunter Metts, Welshly Arms, ¿Téo?, Judah & The Lion, Jack LaFrantz, Fantastic Negrito, Yonatan Watts, Dru “Falconry” DeCaro, Sam Tinnesz and more.

“Over the past year and a half, Tyler Bacon and myself have made several trips to Nashville looking for the right creative executive to launch our new office,” shares Mark Chipello, Partner/Head of A&R, Position Music. “We have built Position Music for over 25 years now and Tyler started his career in Nashville before that, so it’s incredibly important to us to enter the Nashville writing and publishing ecosystem in a way that truly brings value and service to the community.

“As I met with people and explained what we are looking to accomplish, I began to hear one name recommended over and over—Chandler Thurston,” he adds. “Chandler is an immensely-respected publisher who deeply cares about songwriters and their craft. We are excited to see how Chandler has already impacted our existing roster of writers while also working hard on developing a roster of new signings. I have the utmost confidence in Chandler and love how aligned our vision is for how we want to build the future together.”

Before joining Position Music, Thurston served as Senior Creative Director at Anthem Entertainment, where he worked with a roster of talent that included Jordan Davis, Jamie Paulin, Luke Preston, Joey Hyde, Shane Profitt and Meghan Patrick. Prior to Anthem, he worked in A&R at Major Bob Music.

“I am incredibly excited to be in this new role and am looking forward to helping Position Music establish itself in Nashville,” says Thurston. “Tyler and Mark have created a business model that truly values creatives and it’s an honor to be a part of this innovative team as we prepare to make our mark on Music Row. Can’t wait to get to work!”