Mason Ramsey. Photo: Alex Crawford
Calling Mason Ramsey’s viral moment in 2018 a “meme” may miss the point. While an 11-year-old yodeling on aisle four was certainly unexpected, what left people talking was how exceptionally well he did it.
The Golconda, Illinois native has come a long way since his Walmart-yodeling days. In the aftermath of his sudden viral fame, he made appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and performed at Coachella, Stagecoach and the Grand Ole Opry, quickly becoming a household name.
“It was a domino effect, really. It opened a door for me to get a taste of the music industry. After that, I got to be a feature on ‘Old Town Road,’ do a Grammy appearance in early 2020 and then COVID happened,” Mason shares with MusicRow. “That was a good time for me to practice my music and listen to other artists. Between new musical influences and my voice changing, my style of music changed.”
Mason Ramsey. Photo: Alex Crawford
After three years of honing his musical chops, writing songs and settling into his deeper voice, Ramsey decided it was time to make his way back into the public eye with a new outlook on his music. Now, Ramsey is determined to bring back big collars, vintage mics and Elvis-inspired tunes—and his execution of that interest is intriguing fans.
“I found my natural sound, a sound that I really like, earlier this year and I have just been sticking with it,” he says. “I wouldn’t consider myself a commercial country artist. I would just consider myself an artist—with unique sounds and styles of music.”
In pursuit of his natural sound, Ramsey found himself influenced by the likes of Elvis, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison and, recently, Donny Hathaway. Taking these inspirations to his producer Dan Fernandez, they got to work crafting a sound reminiscent of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.
“I really didn’t know how my fans were going to react to [this change]. We posted a video online to tease ‘Blue Over You’ a little bit and everyone loved it. So, we released it and it sort of went viral.”
The now 17-year-old star is obviously no stranger to virality. Since his original hit video, Ramsey has continued to create moments for himself. His contribution to the remix of internet sensation “Old Town Road” along with artists Young Thug, Billy Ray Cyrus and Lil Nas X came over a year after he sprung into the spotlight. In 2022, his track “Before I Knew It,” from his 2019 EP Twang gained traction on TikTok after he used it in a few “life update” videos.
“Every time that I’ve had something go viral, I’ve always gotten really excited. I don’t know if that’s just the kid in me, but I love it,” Ramsey says. “Every now and then you will get a few hate comments, but if they’re hating on you, they’re still your fans.”
Growing up in a small town of only 700 people, Ramsey’s positive outlook on fame transcends his comment section and seeps into real-world interactions with fans.
“Meeting fans is such an amazing thing for me. There have been several times where I’ve been in downtown Nashville and someone will say, ‘Are you Mason Ramsey?’ I am always happy to take pictures with them. I love meeting new people, going to new places and doing different shows. I love what I do.”
Mason Ramsey. Photo: Alex Crawford
This kind of recognition will not soon slow down. Since its release in February, Ramsey’s “Blue Over You” has garnered over 18 million streams on Spotify alone. He even joined Grammy Award-winning artist Lana Del Rey on stage at Boston’s Fenway Park to perform the track in July. Adding to this surge, Ramsey was recently featured on the Twisters soundtrack with his song “Shake Shake (All Night Long),” joining stars like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and more.
“I’ll never forget when I got the call [to be featured on Twisters: The Album]. It was such a big moment for me and we hadn’t even planned for it. It was a ‘they picked me’ moment—I was in shock that they had picked me. It was such a huge honor and I thank them for thinking of me.”
Ramsey has even more on the horizon. He is soon to hit the road on his “Falls Into Place Tour Pt 2” and will release his first-ever album on Friday (Sept. 20). Titled I’ll See You In My Dreams, the project includes 14 tracks, all of which Ramsey co-wrote.
“This is my ‘coming of age’ album. I’ve done EPs, but I have never done an album before, so this has been a work in progress for several years now,” Ramsey notes. “It definitely leans into the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s feel, however, we did end up writing a few country songs that just kind of happened. I am really happy with it, and I am so excited for fans and people who have never heard my music before to hear it.”
BMI Honors John Oates With 2024 Troubadour Award
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R): Clay Bradley, BMI’s Mason Hunter, Troubadour John Oates, BMI’s Mike Steinberg and BMI’s Mike O’ Neill. Photo: Erika Goldring/BMI
BMI awarded John Oates with its coveted Troubadour Award last night (Sept. 16) during a private dinner reception at BMI’s Nashville location. Designed to recognize songwriters on the mastery of the American musical landscape, Oates’ legacy was celebrated by a bevy of performers and speakers.
Guthrie Trapp, Sam Bush and Tom Bukavoc jam at the 2024 BMI Troubadour Awards. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
BMI’s President and CEO, Mike O’ Neill, alongside BMI Nashville’s VP of Creative, Clay Bradley, presided over the evening.
“A Troubadour is someone who mixes knowledge with memories and puts that into songs to help us better understand the connections we all share,” Bradley said. “John Oates is the epitome of that. For the past 15 years, he has deepened the Americana community with his timeless albums like Arkansas and Reunion and he continues to raise the bar with music that transcends time.”
Oates’ musical footprint was highlighted throughout the evening with performances by Bekka Bramlett (“Stand Strong”), Sam Bush (“Arkansas”), AJ Croce (“Reunion”), Wendy Moten with Rome Ramirez (“She’s Gone”) and Molly Tuttle (“Out of Touch”). The honoree himself closed out the night with a performance of his new song “Mending,” featuring Devon Gilfillian.
Molly Tuttle performs at the 2024 BMI Troubadour Awards. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
Former BMI President and Chief Executive Officer, Del Bryant, shared words about Oates, as did longtime friends and collaborators James Burton, Roger Daltrey, Chris Epting and The War & Treaty. The evening’s band was compromised of prolific instrumentalists Tom Bukovac, Guthrie Trapp, Steve Mackey, Greg Morrow, Russ Pahl and Jimmy Wallace.
Now a Troubadour Award recipient, Oates joins the ranks with Billy F Gibbons and Robert Earl Keen, who were in the audience last night, along with John Hiatt, John Prine and Lucinda Williams. Also in attendance were many BMI affiliates like Ronnie Bowman, BMI Icon Bob DiPiero, The Band Loula, She Returns From War, SistaStrings, Liz Rose and Daniel Tashian.
The Troubadour Award serves as a precursor to AmericanaFest, which takes over Nashville Sept. 17-21.
Devon Gilfillian and 2024 BMI Troubadour John Oates debut a new song. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
Wendy Moten and Rome Ramirez perform. Photo: Erika Goldring for BMI
‘Hometown To Hometown’ Event To Honor Ali Harnell, Brittney Spencer & Maren Morris
/by Liza AndersonThe Save The Music Foundation has announced that its fifth annual “Hometown To Hometown” fundraising event, taking place on Oct. 15 at City Winery Nashville, will honor President of Live Nation Women Ali Harnell as well as singer-songwriters Brittney Spencer and Maren Morris.
Harnell is longtime Save The Music Advisor who has produced tours for Morris, Brandi Carlile and Oprah Winfrey, among others. Along with her efforts to elevate female-led tours and events, she has helped to raise tens of millions of dollars collectively for causes and nonprofit organizations, producing large-scale benefit events annually.
Save The Music will recognize rising songstress Spencer, who performed at both the “Hometown To Hometown” and “Music Saves L.A.” event last year, for her consistent support, and multi-Grammy nominee Morris for her industry achievements and music education advocacy.
Co-hosted by CMT’s Leslie Fram and artist Angie K, the fundraiser will feature acoustic performances by Spencer, Morris, Abbey Cone, Allison Russell with Ruby Amanfu, Brandy Clark and Joy Oladokun in addition to appearances by Morris’ mother Kellie, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)’s Beverly Keel and more.
For over 25 years, Save The Music has donated more than $78 million in instruments and music technology equipment to over 2,800 public schools nationwide. All proceeds from this year’s event will go toward music technology programs in under-resourced high schools in Nashville, Baltimore and Dallas. Tickets are available now until Oct. 14. For more information regarding tickets and sponsorship packages, click here.
Spotify’s ‘Countdown To’ Celebrates Successful Debut With Jelly Roll & MGK
/by LB CantrellJelly Roll and MGK converse on Spotify’s Countdown To podcast. Photo: Courtesy of Spotify
Countdown To, Spotify’s new original video interview series, celebrated a successful launch with its debut episode featuring an interview with Jelly Roll conducted by Machine Gun Kelly (MGK). The show was No. 9 on the overall podcast music charts, including all podcasts available on Spotify, on the day of its premiere. It was also the No. 1 listened-to new episode on Sept. 15 in the U.S., Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and No. 2 in the U.K. and Ireland.
On the Countdown To podcast, artists sit down with a fellow artist or collaborator, family member or friend to discuss the themes, musicality and inspirations that drove the creation of their latest project. The series acts as the first introduction to an artist’s album on the platform before its release date.
The episodes live on artist’s Countdown Pages, a Spotify destination where fans can pre-save an artist’s upcoming album, preview the track list, watch clips, purchase merch and see the timer count down to the release moment. Once an artist’s new album drops, Spotify sends a push notification to all pre-savers and adds it straight to their libraries—which is advantageous because, according to Spotify, nearly 70% of users who pre-save an album stream it in the week following its release.
In the debut episode of Countdown To, Jelly Roll and MGK go deep into the former’s upcoming album, Beautifully Broken, out Oct. 11. The two talked over Jelly’s creative process, jokingly sparred about their now-quelled artistic rivalry and spoke about their desires to grow with their projects. The full episode is available to watch or listen to here or on YouTube.
“The debut success of Countdown To is a testament to the importance of fan and artist connection globally on Spotify,” shares Sarah Patellos, Head of Spotify Music Studios. “The series is a first-of-its kind for Spotify, and our team is so thankful that Jelly Roll trusted us in unveiling this deeply-personal conversation. We’re excited to continue to provide more artists the space to tell these meaningful stories and resonate with their fans around the world.”
Brett Eldredge Announces New Holiday Album ‘Merry Christmas (Welcome To The Family)’
/by Lorie HollabaughBrett Eldredge. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
Brett Eldredge is helping us usher in the holidays in glamorous style once again this year, releasing Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family), his third Christmas album.
The new collection of eight holiday originals is the first on his own label, Warm and Cozy Records. A duet with Kelly Clarkson, “Sweet December,” is available now before the album’s release.
“After singing ‘Under the Mistletoe’ together, I knew there was no one else in the world I wanted to sing this song with…Kelly’s voice has this soulful retro feeling,” says Eldredge. “I’ve never done a Christmas song in this style, and I really love it.”
Clarkson adds, “I’ve been fortunate enough to record songs with Brett, go see him live, and have him on my show! He has one of my favorite voices and I will sing with him anytime, anywhere! I hope people dig ‘Sweet December’ as much as we do!”
“I had a story in my head of introducing a stranger to my really wacky experience of going home for the holidays and meeting all of the interesting, crazy, beautiful, and awesome characters in my family,” explains Eldredge about the new album’s title. “I had just experienced another Christmas with 50 people in my house. We opened presents, went to Christmas service, and everybody was sleeping in the attic. At the end of the song, I introduce everyone to my family, everyone from my brother and mother to Uncle Jim and Aunt Margo.”
This year, Eldredge invites fans to unplug and gather around the kitchen table with Welcome to the Family: The Game, an exclusive board game printed onto the inner gatefold of the album’s vinyl edition. Fans who roll Santa’s special virtual die could win surprise holiday prizes, and the vinyl will be accompanied by a printed inner sleeve and will be available in a website exclusive signed Christmas splatter LP, retail exclusive Evergreen LP, Amazon exclusive red LP and black LP. The signed Christmas splatter LP will only be available to members of the Locals Fan Club, a community for Eldredge fans.
Eldredge has served up two fan-favorite holiday albums in years past, Glow [2016] and Mr. Christmas [2021]. Among the highlights are his cover of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside!” featuring Meghan Trainor, which emerged as a staple and generated over 207 million Spotify streams and counting. Glow ignited the spark for his annual holiday “Glow Tour” as well.
Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family) Track List:
1. “Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family)”
2. “It Must Be Christmas”
3. “Sweet December (featuring Kelly Clarkson)”
4. “Warm and Cozy”
5. “The Night St. Nick Got Sick”
6. “Season of Lights and Wonder”
7. “Who Will You Be Kissing on New Year’s Eve? (featuring Idarose)”
8. “Welcome to the Family (Reprise)”
Mason Ramsey Details Viral Fame & Retro Revival [Interview]
/by John Nix ArledgeMason Ramsey. Photo: Alex Crawford
Calling Mason Ramsey’s viral moment in 2018 a “meme” may miss the point. While an 11-year-old yodeling on aisle four was certainly unexpected, what left people talking was how exceptionally well he did it.
The Golconda, Illinois native has come a long way since his Walmart-yodeling days. In the aftermath of his sudden viral fame, he made appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and performed at Coachella, Stagecoach and the Grand Ole Opry, quickly becoming a household name.
“It was a domino effect, really. It opened a door for me to get a taste of the music industry. After that, I got to be a feature on ‘Old Town Road,’ do a Grammy appearance in early 2020 and then COVID happened,” Mason shares with MusicRow. “That was a good time for me to practice my music and listen to other artists. Between new musical influences and my voice changing, my style of music changed.”
Mason Ramsey. Photo: Alex Crawford
After three years of honing his musical chops, writing songs and settling into his deeper voice, Ramsey decided it was time to make his way back into the public eye with a new outlook on his music. Now, Ramsey is determined to bring back big collars, vintage mics and Elvis-inspired tunes—and his execution of that interest is intriguing fans.
“I found my natural sound, a sound that I really like, earlier this year and I have just been sticking with it,” he says. “I wouldn’t consider myself a commercial country artist. I would just consider myself an artist—with unique sounds and styles of music.”
In pursuit of his natural sound, Ramsey found himself influenced by the likes of Elvis, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison and, recently, Donny Hathaway. Taking these inspirations to his producer Dan Fernandez, they got to work crafting a sound reminiscent of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.
“I really didn’t know how my fans were going to react to [this change]. We posted a video online to tease ‘Blue Over You’ a little bit and everyone loved it. So, we released it and it sort of went viral.”
The now 17-year-old star is obviously no stranger to virality. Since his original hit video, Ramsey has continued to create moments for himself. His contribution to the remix of internet sensation “Old Town Road” along with artists Young Thug, Billy Ray Cyrus and Lil Nas X came over a year after he sprung into the spotlight. In 2022, his track “Before I Knew It,” from his 2019 EP Twang gained traction on TikTok after he used it in a few “life update” videos.
“Every time that I’ve had something go viral, I’ve always gotten really excited. I don’t know if that’s just the kid in me, but I love it,” Ramsey says. “Every now and then you will get a few hate comments, but if they’re hating on you, they’re still your fans.”
Growing up in a small town of only 700 people, Ramsey’s positive outlook on fame transcends his comment section and seeps into real-world interactions with fans.
“Meeting fans is such an amazing thing for me. There have been several times where I’ve been in downtown Nashville and someone will say, ‘Are you Mason Ramsey?’ I am always happy to take pictures with them. I love meeting new people, going to new places and doing different shows. I love what I do.”
Mason Ramsey. Photo: Alex Crawford
This kind of recognition will not soon slow down. Since its release in February, Ramsey’s “Blue Over You” has garnered over 18 million streams on Spotify alone. He even joined Grammy Award-winning artist Lana Del Rey on stage at Boston’s Fenway Park to perform the track in July. Adding to this surge, Ramsey was recently featured on the Twisters soundtrack with his song “Shake Shake (All Night Long),” joining stars like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and more.
“I’ll never forget when I got the call [to be featured on Twisters: The Album]. It was such a big moment for me and we hadn’t even planned for it. It was a ‘they picked me’ moment—I was in shock that they had picked me. It was such a huge honor and I thank them for thinking of me.”
Ramsey has even more on the horizon. He is soon to hit the road on his “Falls Into Place Tour Pt 2” and will release his first-ever album on Friday (Sept. 20). Titled I’ll See You In My Dreams, the project includes 14 tracks, all of which Ramsey co-wrote.
“This is my ‘coming of age’ album. I’ve done EPs, but I have never done an album before, so this has been a work in progress for several years now,” Ramsey notes. “It definitely leans into the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s feel, however, we did end up writing a few country songs that just kind of happened. I am really happy with it, and I am so excited for fans and people who have never heard my music before to hear it.”
Nashville Yards To Open The Pinnacle Music Venue In February
/by Liza AndersonRendering of The Pinnacle
The Pinnacle, Nashville Yards’ 4,500-capacity music venue presented by AEG, is set to open the weekend of Feb. 28 with a surprise artist to be announced at a later date.
Equipped with cutting-edge lighting and video systems, the venue is designed host private events and live television productions in addition to a variety of concerts. It also features an open-air rooftop space and bar.
Following its grand opening, The Pinnacle will welcome the Turnpike Troubadours, Journey, T-Pain, Russell Dickerson, Megan Moroney and more to its stage in the spring.
“We see The Pinnacle being a complementary piece of the music and special events landscape. A venue to showcase programming that resonates within the city’s rich musical history and is simultaneously a home for all genres of music,” says Mike Ducharme, AEG Regional Vice President. “Our aim is to become an artist and fan favorite and part of the fabric of the Music City scene.”
Presale tickets for the shows will be available this Thursday (Sept. 19) at 10 a.m. CT, with general sales starting this Friday (Sept. 20) at the same time. For more information, click here.
Award-Winning Producer, Director & Filmmaker Jim May Passes
/by Lorie HollabaughJim May
Nashville producer, director, filmmaker and co-owner of Ruckus Films, Jim May, passed away on Sept. 9 in his home. He was 78.
May spent his early years in the southeast, moving frequently with his family from Florida to Alabama before eventually settling in Athens, Georgia. He earned degrees from the University of Georgia and Harvard Divinity School, and took his passion for theology and transformed it into an unexpected yet fitting career as a filmmaker.
May and his partners at RuckusFilm were among the early members of Nashville’s film community. His career ran more than 50 years and his work won numerous awards in the fields of advertising, music videos and TV production, including Addy Awards, Clios and several Emmys. He was also a sought-after Director of Photography as well as an award-winning Producer/Director who produced several successful feature films and TV specials. May was an early adopter of new technology, techniques and equipment, and worked with artists including the Drive-By Truckers, Aerosmith, Alan Jackson and Kathy Mattea.
May is survived by his three children, Emma Bradley (John), Georgia May Fleming and Oliver Fleming; along with his siblings, Mary Love Helms (Jim), Bo May, Martha Giardina (Gary), Deanie Fincher (Bill), Marianne May Causey, Tom May (Linda) and Joe May (Liz). He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. May leaves behind his business partners of over 30 years, Coke Sams, Clarke Gallivan and Jana Laiolo.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Oz Arts Nashville. A celebration of life will be planned soon and his ashes will be spread per his wishes in Carrabelle, Florida.
Jordan Davis Headlines 12th Annual ‘Nightfall At The Hall’
/by LB CantrellJordan Davis performs at “Nightfall At The Hall.” Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Jordan Davis took the stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s 12th annual “Nightfall at the Hall” concert last night (Sept. 16).
Pictured (L-R, back row): Troubadour Advisory Council Leadership Team Vice-Chair Zach Farnum, Troubadour Advisory Council Leadership Team Chair Patrick Thomas, Jordan Davis, Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships at the CMHOFM Marie Bradshaw and Vice President of Development at the CMHOFM Ben Hall; (L-R, front row): Executive Vice President of External Affairs at the CMHOFM Lisa Purcell with Troubadour Advisory Council Leadership Team Vice-chairs Elizabeth Lombardi and Nina Jenkins Fisher. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The event, presented by Maverick Nashville, is an after-hours celebration exclusively for the museum’s Troubadour members, a community of 21 to 45-year-old leaders who collaborate with other like-minded professionals in supporting their community and the museum.
Prior to Davis’ performance, student artist Miley Henderson performed a song that she wrote with guidance from museum staff as part of the museum’s flagship educational program, Words & Music. The 17-year-old from Clarksville, Tennessee, participated in the museum’s summer intermediate-to-advanced songwriting camp this year.
“Nightfall at the Hall” admission is a benefit of Troubadour membership. Young professionals can become a Troubadour member until Sept. 22 at a discounted rate of $5 off an individual Troubadour membership and $10 off a dual membership. Troubadour corporate partnerships are also available.
The Frontmen & Terri Clark To Celebrate The Season In ‘A Country Christmas Dinner Show’
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Frontmen, Terri Clark
The Frontmen and Terri Clark will headline Gaylord Opryland’s 41st annual “A Country Christmas Dinner Show” series during its holiday celebration this December.
This year’s dinner show will feature two distinct performances for visitors to choose from, The Frontmen’s “Holidays & Hits” show and Clark’s “It’s Christmas…Cheers!” show. The shows are held in the 2,888-room resort’s Tennessee Ballroom where guests will enjoy a holiday meal prepared by Gaylord Opryland’s culinary team followed by the performances.
Guests can enjoy The Frontmen’s show on Nov. 25-26 as well as Dec. 2-3, 15-16 and 23-25. The band’s three singers, Richie McDonald formerly of Lonestar, Tim Rushlow formerly of Little Texas and Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, will be ringing in the season with holiday tunes and powerhouse hits from their storied careers, as well as songs from their newly released self-titled debut album.
“I’m looking forward to ‘A Country Christmas’ with my brothers in The Frontmen,” says Stewart. “Richie, Tim and I will perform some of our big number one hits along with some of the greatest Christmas songs ever written. I know it will be a magical evening!”
Clark will take the stage for 17 performances during her “It’s Christmas…Cheers!” show on Nov. 23-24 and 27-30 as well as Dec. 1, 4-6,and 17-22. She will blend her major hits with timeless Christmas classics during the special holiday shows.
“I’ve been living in Nashville for so long now that I’ve seen Gaylord Opryland do their Christmas show for many years,” shares Clark. “To get to be a part of it this year feels so amazing. I am so excited to bring our Christmas show to Nashville and play songs from my first Christmas album released in 2020, as well as some other favorites of mine that aren’t on the album but are staples in my home during the holidays. I’m already planning to ask some friends to get up on stage and get into the spirit of the season with us as well.”
Tickets are on sale now and for reservations, room offers and dinner show dates and times.
NOW OPEN: Applications For MusicRow’s 2025 N.B.T. Music Industry Directory
/by MusicRow StaffApplications are now open for MusicRow’s N.B.T. (Next Big Thing) Music Industry Directory.
MusicRow‘s N.B.T. Music Industry Directory showcases Nashville music business professionals who are rising through the ranks. This class of industry members occupy mid-level roles at their respective companies, and are on a trajectory of excellence to become future leaders in the Nashville music industry. Applicants should ideally have a minimum of five or more years experience in the music industry.
The final list will be featured in MusicRow‘s Touring/Next Big Thing print issue, which releases on Dec. 3. The print edition also includes the annual Next Big Thing artist list, with editorial features focused on the touring segment of our industry as well as professional development.
To apply for inclusion in this year’s edition of the N.B.T. Music Industry Directory, please click here to access the application form.
Please note that not all submissions are guaranteed to be listed in the directory. If you are submitting multiple candidates, you will need to click on SUBMIT at the bottom of the form before entering another candidate. Head shots can be sent to art@musicrow.com.
New submissions for the directory close on Friday, Sept. 27. For questions, email directory@musicrow.com.
To reserve ad space in the 2024/2025 Touring/Next Big Thing issue, contact srobertson@musicrow.com. Rate card information is available here.