Pictured (L-R, top row): Jimmy Buffett, Bill Cody and Colin Reed; (bottom row): The Fairfield Four
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp have announced the Music City Walk of Fame will induct Jimmy Buffett, gospel quartet The Fairfield Four, Ryman Hospitality Properties’ Colin Reed and Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody this fall.
Members of the public are invited to view the ceremony on Oct. 30 at Music City Walk of Fame Park. Reed and Cody will be recognized in tribute to the Grand Ole Opry’s upcoming 100th anniversary. Buffett, who passed away last year after a four-year battle with cancer, will be inducted posthumously.
“From Jimmy Buffett’s island-infused melodies to the soulful acapella harmonies of The Fairfield Four, this is an exceptional group,” says Ken Levitan, Chairman of the NCVC Board of Directors and Founder of Vector Management. “We are especially proud to induct two Grand Ole Opry icons. Colin Reed’s contributions to the growth and success of the hospitality industry, including his leadership in reopening the Opry after the 2010 flood, are unparalleled. Bill Cody has been instrumental in preserving and promoting Nashville’s music legacy as a revered Opry host, country music historian and long-time emcee of the Music City Walk of Fame ceremonies.”
The inductees, honored for their work preserving Nashville’s musical heritage, mark the 105th, 106th, 107th and 108th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. Music City Walk of Fame member and former Buffett band member, Mac McAnally, will induct Buffett and BMI Nashville’s Shannon Sanders will induct The Fairfield Four. Additional presenters and an additional inductee will be announced at a later date.
Buffett, with hits such as “Come Monday” and “Margaritaville,” moved to Nashville after college to further his career in country music and release his first album, Down to Earth, in 1970. The Fairfield Four, composed of members Joseph Thompson, Levert Allison, Larrice Byrd and Bobbye Sherrell, have earned three Grammy Awards, two Lifetime Achievement Awards and a spot in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Reed currently serves as Executive Chairman of the Board at Ryman Hospitality Properties after serving as CEO since 2001 and Board of Directors Chairman since 2005. Cody is well-known as the voice of the Grand Ole Opry and the host of the Music City Walk of Fame induction ceremonies.
The Music City Walk of Fame, established in 2006, is located on Nashville’s Music Mile and features star-shaped medallions honoring inductees. The project is run by Music City Inc., with support from founding partner Gibson along with BNA, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks. Public nominations are accepted in categories such as Artist, Musician, Songwriter and Producer/Executive, and are reviewed by a selection committee.
Breland Drops New Single, Slates Six-Track Project For October Release
/by John Nix ArledgeSingle art for “Icing.” Photo: Johnnie Izquierdo
Artist, writer and producer Breland has released his new single “Icing” as a first taste of his upcoming Project 2024 EP, set to release Oct. 18 via Bad Realm Records/Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville. The up-tempo track features driving rhythms, dirty guitars and Breland’s signature vocals.
Co-written by Breland, Jared Griffin, Rufio Hooks and Autumn Buysse and produced by Sam Sumser, Sean Small and Noby Sidez, “Icing” details a euphoric relationship with a partner who has it all.
“I’ve always loved playing around on the periphery of country music, and ‘Icing’ has all my favorite flavors of southern gospel with an old-school soul flare,” shares Breland. “It was a simple concept—this woman has everything you could want; work ethic, faith, a good head on her shoulders, she’s even got a 401k. The fact that she’s got cake is just the icing. Once I hit that run at the end of the chorus, I knew I had to follow it up with a proper scream, because this song is pure energy to me.”
A special remix of the track was showcased on CBS’s NFL Today broadcast last Sunday (Sept. 8), along with a video package featuring NFL Today’s hosts.
Currently, Breland is on the road with Teddy Swims’ “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy Tour” throughout the summer and fall. The tour includes stops in Madison, Wisconsin; Columbus, Ohio; Albany, New York and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Project 2024 EP Track List:
1. “Grandmaman’em”
2. “Icing”
3. “What You’ve Been Through”
4. “Motion”
5. “Run”
6. “Same Work (Feat. The War And Treaty)”
In Pictures: Luke Bryan Celebrates Upcoming Album With A Fun Afternoon On The Farm
/by LB CantrellLuke Bryan celebrates new album. Photo: Evan Harney
Earlier this week, Luke Bryan invited industry members out to Green Door Gourmet in west Nashville to hear some new tunes from his forthcoming eighth studio album, Mind Of A Country Boy, out Sept. 27 via Capitol Records Nashville.
Photo: Evan Harney
Attendees enjoyed themed cocktails and beers, boiled peanuts and other snacks in the beautiful weather. They were also able to select a custom embroidered hat and take home peanuts and farm vegetables as party favors.
Bryan performed a few songs from Mind Of A Country Boy inside the barn at Green Door Gourmet. Some of the songwriters that helped craft the 14-track project were in attendance, and the singer highlighted them throughout the afternoon.
“Thank you to everybody who was a part of this album and all of my albums,” Bryan said to the room of supporters. “It’s an honor to have you guys here.”
Photo: Evan Harney
He performed the album’s title track, his 30th No. 1 hit “Country On,” his rising radio single “Love You, Miss You, Mean It” and new ones “Country Song Came On,” “Pair Of Boots,” “Kansas” and “She’s Still Got It.”
Bryan will launch his 15th annual “Farm Tour” next week, taking his new and beloved music to stages in the fields of local farms. Special guests this year include Conner Smith, Tucker Wetmore, the Peach Pickers (songwriters Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip and Rhett Akins with guest Rodney Clawson) and DJ Rock.
Photo: Evan Harney
Photo: Evan Harney
Jordan Fletcher To Unveil New EP ‘Classic’
/by Lorie HollabaughJordan Fletcher is gearing up for the release of his sophomore EP, Classic, on Sept. 27 via Triple Tigers.
Fletcher, who is an accomplished songwriter with cuts by Jake Owen, Megan Moroney and Ella Langley, is taking the reins as an artist and forging his own path in country with the new project.
“Classic is a reflection of my evolution as a person, a songwriter, and an artist,” says Fletcher. “It captures the sounds I grew up with and paints the story I’ve spent my entire career trying to tell. That being said, I hope it takes you back home, I hope it takes you somewhere new, I hope it makes you think, and most of all, I hope you love it as much as we do.”
He has released two tracks from the EP, summertime love story “Fall in the Summer” and poignant “About Jill.”
Classic Track Listing:
Kelli Belles Signs Publishing & Record Deal With Deluge Music
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L–R): Deluge Records Nashville’s Sam Grow, East Music Row Records’ Johnny Gates, Deluge Music’s David Robkin, Kelli Belles, Deluge Music’s Stephanie Greene and Deluge Records Nashville’s Brad Austin
Kelli Belles, known by her stage name Belles, has signed a global publishing deal with Deluge Music as well as a global record deal with its label arm, consisting of Deluge Records Nashville and East Music Row Records.
With her mother being a part of the sister pop group Mulberry Lane, the Nebraska native was surrounded by music at a young age and started to gain experience by touring with her mother’s group and performing as a mother-daughter duo.
Since moving to Nashville in 2018, Belles has worked alongside established writers, such as Reid Isbell, Jenn Schott, Heath Warren, Johnny Gates and Ned Cameron, and has shared the stage with celebrated country acts, including Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldridge and Lee Brice.
Having amassed 70 million cumulative views and streams of her original songs on all platforms, she aims to write music that makes her audience feel empowered, confident and understood and hopes to keep sharing more original work this fall on her “Trust Issues Tour.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Belles to the Deluge family. Her authentic storytelling, captivating voice and undeniable talent make her a perfect fit for our roster,” says David Robkin, Deluge Music Founder. “We’re excited to support her as she continues to turn heads in the country music world.”
“I am beyond excited to join Deluge Music, Deluge Records Nashville and East Music Row Records. This partnership feels like the perfect fit, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with such a passionate and supportive team,” shares Belles. “I’m excited for the journey ahead, and I’m ready and excited to embrace the future of my music career.”
Clint Black, Scotty McCreery, More Perform At CMHOFM ‘All For The Hall Dallas’ Benefit
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Scotty McCreery, Clint Black, Carly Pearce and Robert Earl Keen at “All for the Hall Dallas.” Photo: Celeste Smith for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Clint Black, Robert Earl Keen, Scotty McCreery and Carly Pearce took the stage at the second ever “All for the Hall Dallas” event on Tuesday night, (Sept. 10) at Gilley’s Dallas.
The intimate guitar pull and auction raised more than $375,000 for the nonprofit museum’s educational programs, including its flagship Words & Music program, which is provided within the Dallas Independent School District and beyond and promotes language arts by pairing professional songwriters with school classrooms to create original songs.
Black set the tone for the main event of “All for the Hall Dallas” as he chatted amiably with the crowd at Gilley’s Dallas before performing his first song, his 1997 hit “Something That We Do.” He made it clear that this concert would be an informal and intimate experience — just the performers, their guitars and their observations on music and life. The four artists traded songs they had written, and also plenty of humor throughout the 75-minute show.
For the audience at “All for the Hall Dallas,” those special moments also included Black encouraging the crowd to guess the rhymes in his 2015 song “Better and Worse;” Pearce refusing to play her final song until Black, who used his last song to cover Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Williams, sang his own classic, “Killin’ Time;” and Keen, despite the holidays still being more than two months away, jovially performing “Merry Christmas from the Family.”
The two-day musical event kicked off on Sept. 9, with a performance by Midland at a Patron Party at the home of Anne and Steve Stodghill, honorary co-chairs of the event.
Dasha Drops ‘What Happens Now? Deluxe’
/by Lorie HollabaughDasha. Photo: Acacia Evan
Dasha has expanded her What Happens Now? album with five new tracks on a new deluxe edition, out now via Warner Records.
Her latest single “Bye Bye Bye” finds her wrestling with the ups and downs of a toxic relationship.“Leaving Don’t Mean Goodbye” aims to highlight her delivery with a delicately-plucked banjo. On “Way Too Drunk,” she attempts to piece together a hazy night with a smile, and plunges listeners headfirst into some man drama with “Ain’t No Friend of Mine.”
“I’ve never really felt at home in any other space until the country genre. Releasing the deluxe version of What Happens Now? Feels like the end of an era,” says Dasha. “I’m really proud of this project and the chapter we created together, and it has set me up for even better and brighter things in the future. The world of country generously opened their arms so big for me and my debut. Artists like Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini and Keith Urban have really encouraged me to go bigger and bolder while doing what I love as a human and an artist. For that, I’ll be forever thankful.”
Her smash hit “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” just picked up a Platinum certification in the U.S. and seven countries around the globe.
Dasha is also set to take the stage at the Canadian Country Music Awards tomorrow (Sept. 14) and make her Grand Ole Opry return next Wednesday (Sept 18) in addition to continuing her “Dashville, USA” tour later this fall.
Music City Walk Of Fame Announces 2024 Inductees
/by John Nix ArledgePictured (L-R, top row): Jimmy Buffett, Bill Cody and Colin Reed; (bottom row): The Fairfield Four
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp have announced the Music City Walk of Fame will induct Jimmy Buffett, gospel quartet The Fairfield Four, Ryman Hospitality Properties’ Colin Reed and Grand Ole Opry announcer Bill Cody this fall.
Members of the public are invited to view the ceremony on Oct. 30 at Music City Walk of Fame Park. Reed and Cody will be recognized in tribute to the Grand Ole Opry’s upcoming 100th anniversary. Buffett, who passed away last year after a four-year battle with cancer, will be inducted posthumously.
“From Jimmy Buffett’s island-infused melodies to the soulful acapella harmonies of The Fairfield Four, this is an exceptional group,” says Ken Levitan, Chairman of the NCVC Board of Directors and Founder of Vector Management. “We are especially proud to induct two Grand Ole Opry icons. Colin Reed’s contributions to the growth and success of the hospitality industry, including his leadership in reopening the Opry after the 2010 flood, are unparalleled. Bill Cody has been instrumental in preserving and promoting Nashville’s music legacy as a revered Opry host, country music historian and long-time emcee of the Music City Walk of Fame ceremonies.”
The inductees, honored for their work preserving Nashville’s musical heritage, mark the 105th, 106th, 107th and 108th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. Music City Walk of Fame member and former Buffett band member, Mac McAnally, will induct Buffett and BMI Nashville’s Shannon Sanders will induct The Fairfield Four. Additional presenters and an additional inductee will be announced at a later date.
Buffett, with hits such as “Come Monday” and “Margaritaville,” moved to Nashville after college to further his career in country music and release his first album, Down to Earth, in 1970. The Fairfield Four, composed of members Joseph Thompson, Levert Allison, Larrice Byrd and Bobbye Sherrell, have earned three Grammy Awards, two Lifetime Achievement Awards and a spot in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Reed currently serves as Executive Chairman of the Board at Ryman Hospitality Properties after serving as CEO since 2001 and Board of Directors Chairman since 2005. Cody is well-known as the voice of the Grand Ole Opry and the host of the Music City Walk of Fame induction ceremonies.
The Music City Walk of Fame, established in 2006, is located on Nashville’s Music Mile and features star-shaped medallions honoring inductees. The project is run by Music City Inc., with support from founding partner Gibson along with BNA, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks. Public nominations are accepted in categories such as Artist, Musician, Songwriter and Producer/Executive, and are reviewed by a selection committee.
Jelly Roll To Kick Off ‘Amazon Music Live’ Season Three
/by Lorie HollabaughJelly Roll will kick off season three of the “Amazon Music Live” series on Oct. 17.
Sponsored by the all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks, the concert series will air each week after Thursday Night Football and conclude with a season finale after Black Friday Football. The series will stream live from L.A. and air exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch at 9 p.m. PT on Thursdays. Additional performances will be announced in the weeks to come.
“I am kicking off the third season of ‘Amazon Music Live’ after Thursday Night Football on Oct. 17,” says Jelly Roll. “Can’t wait to take the stage and perform songs from the new album, Beautifully Broken, and some surprises as well. Thank you everyone, for this massive opportunity. Let’s go!”
“When we first conceived ‘Amazon Music Live’ three years ago, we wanted to make Thursday night an event. For music fans, Thursday nights are the first moment to hear new music from their favorite artists, and for football fans, it’s the kickoff to another week of drama and suspense. Three years on and millions of viewers later, fans know that ‘AML’ is a can’t-miss event after the biggest game of the week,” says Kirdis Postelle, Global Head of Content for Amazon Music. “We know Jelly Roll is going to bring the house down with his season premiere, and that’s just the beginning. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store for the rest of the season.”
Little Big Town To Deck The Halls With New Christmas Album
/by Lorie HollabaughLittle Big Town is offering up some extra holiday joy this year with the release of their first-ever Christmas album The Christmas Record, due out Oct. 4 via Capitol Records Nashville.
A taste of the new album, “Christmas Night With You,” is available now on all DSPs.
From the warm, inviting opening track “Glow” to the irresistible groove of closer “Holiday,” the 11-track album is packed with country classics and festive originals to keep the celebration going through the New Year and beyond. Favorites like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Tennessee Christmas” and “If We Make It Through December” get the LBT treatment on the new project, which was produced by Dave Cobb.
Band members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook will also be ringing in the holidays with NBC on their one-of-a-kind special, Little Big Town’s Christmas at The Opry. The two-hour holiday special will feature performances from the beloved group along with some special guests.
This fall, they will hit the road for the “Take Me Home Tour,” which kicks off Oct. 24 in Greenville, South Carolina and makes stops at arenas nationwide with special guest Sugarland.
The Christmas Record Track List:
1. “Glow”
2. “Santa Claus Is Back In Town”
3. “If We Make It Through December”
4. “Someday At Christmas”
5. “Christmas Night With You”
6. “Believe In Christmas”
7. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
8. “Tennessee Christmas”
9. “Christmas Time Is Here”
10. “Evergreen”
11. “Holiday”
Jamie Younger Joins The Core Records
/by Liza AndersonJamie Younger
Jamie Younger has joined The Core Records as Vice President of Artist Development.
Effective immediately, Younger’s appointment to the new role follows her 12-year stint at Warner Music Nashville, where she helped to develop the careers of Zac Brown Band, Bailey Zimmerman, Ashley McBryde, Gabby Barrett and The Castellows. She also led campaigns for Zimmerman’s record-setting debut album Religiously and Barrett’s Platinum-selling project Goldmine, among others.
Additionally, the former GrammyNext member has also served on the MusiCares Fundraising Committee for the Recording Academy’s Nashville Chapter and worked as a mentor for GrammyU.
“Younger’s ability to navigate the evolving music landscape has consistently resulted in history-making projects. We are excited to have such a visionary joining our team,” says Chief Zaruk and Simon Tikhman, Co-Founders & CEOs, The Core Entertainment. “Her expertise will be invaluable as we continue to develop and break new artists on a global scale.”
“I’ve had a front-row seat working alongside Chief and Simon as they’ve continued to grow and build an amazing roster of talent at The Core Entertainment,” shares Younger. “The opportunity to be a part of the launch of The Core Records was simply something I couldn’t turn down. From the company’s culture to the depth of the roster, it’s a testament to the team’s ability to nurture multi-genre talent, and I can’t wait to be a part of the team developing the next wave of superstars at The Core Records.”