Ella Langley and Jo Dee Messina will share their respective journeys to success in “The Conversation,” a keynote session at CRS on March 19 at 2:30 p.m.

Designed as a true one-on-one conversation, the session will feature Langley and Messina asking each other questions in a candid, unscripted dialogue.

Langley’s rapid career rise has been marked by major milestones including four CMA Awards, five ACM Awards, and becoming the first female artist in history to simultaneously top the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. Throughout her career, Messina has logged nine No. 1 hits, and awards and nominations from the ACM, CMA, AMA, Billboard, and the Grammys.

Now in its third year, “The Conversation” pairs artists from different career stages for a candid discussion. Previous installments have featured Trisha Yearwood with Lainey Wilson and Eric Church with Jelly Roll.

Singer-songwriter Will Terry has inked with The Neal Agency for booking.

“I couldn’t be more grateful to be working with The Neal Agency,” shares Terry. “Brian [Carothers] and Haley [Teske] felt like my people from the first time we met. I can’t wait to get to work with them by my side.”

“Will brings a big vibe to any room he’s in, and an even bigger vibe to the stage,” adds Carothers. “He’s sitting on a mountain of great songs yet to be heard. Haley, the entire TNA team and I are thrilled to be on board and are excited for what’s ahead.”

Throughout his career, Terry has opened for Tyler Farr, Jon Langston and Chayce Beckham at his hometown venue in Rome, Georgia, and recently performed at Whiskey Jam.

His newest single “Hell and This Point” was featured on Spotify’s Coming Up Country and Fresh Finds Country, where he was on the cover of Fresh Finds. Terry is currently working on new music with producer Will Bundy.

He is managed by TRACK mgmt, represented by TNA, and published by RX Songs / 7 Hills Music.

Kylie Morgan and Breland are joining forces this spring for a run of co‑headlining shows across New York and the Carolinas.

The limited‑date tour will kick off April 17 in Jordan, New York and will showcase some collaborative moments and high‑energy performances. The tour will also include stops in Buffalo, Wilmington, Isle Of Palms and Raleigh.

Morgan continues her independent rise with over 500M global streams. She recently released the video for her deeply personal single “Like My Own. Since breaking through with his 2019 viral hit “My Truck,” Breland has amassed over 1.2 billion streams, and collaborated with Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Lady A, Nelly and more and, written for artists such as Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign, Trey Songz, Jacquees, and more.

Kylie Morgan x Breland Tour Dates:
April 17 — Jordan, NY — KEGS Canal
April 18 — Buffalo, NY — Showplace Theater
May 14 — Isle of Palms, SC — The Windjammer
May 15 — Wilmington, NC — Bowstring
May 16 — Raleigh, NC — Bowstring

Country Music Hall Of Fame Hosts Program With Photographer Ed Rode

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosted a program last weekend with photographer Ed Rode, who discussed his career and photography with museum writer-editor Angela Stefano Zimmer in the museum’s Ford Theater. Following their conversation, songwriters Tony Arata, Matraca Berg and Don Henry, all of whom Rode has photographed, performed.

Rode’s 2024 book, Songwriter Musician: Behind the Curtain with Nashville’s Iconic Storytellers and Players, features decades of stories captured on camera: playing snooker with John Prine, celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans with Brad Paisley, traversing Tennessee with Ketch Secor and documentarian Ken Burns, and more. The program was offered in support of the museum’s exhibit “Writers, Pickers, and Stars: The Photography of Ed Rode,” which runs through July, and features photos from Rode’s book.

 

Brantley Gilbert & Real American Beer To Launch RAB Zero

Brantley Gilbert has become an investor and equity partner of Real American Beer, and will launch Real American Beer ZERO, the company’s first non-alcoholic beer. Fourteen years sober, Gilbert approached the opportunity with intention and wanted something that reflected how he actually lives. The launch is anchored by a new national partnership with the USO, reinforcing RAB’s commitment to American pride and community. Through the program, RAB will donate $1 per case sold of RAB ZERO to the USO and ongoing donations tied directly to sales, supporting active-duty service members and their families.

 

We The Kingdom Celebrates RIAA Gold Certification For ‘God So Loved’

We The Kingdom was recently presented with an RIAA Gold plaque at the Capitol Christian Music Group offices recognizing the impact of the group’s breakout hit “God So Loved” from their album Holy Water. “God So Loved” has notched major milestones across radio, streaming, and fan engagement, including a No. 1 radio single on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart. The song has generated over 18 million views across socials, received a Dove Award nomination, and continues to draw more than three million streams per month to date. The plaque presentation capped an afternoon of celebrating the band’s new album, Dear Jesus at CCMG, marking a milestone moment for We The Kingdom as they enter a new season.

 

Sarah Marie Burke Launches SARMAR Management

Sarah Marie Burke has launched SARMAR Management. With over two decades of experience in A&R Production, Burke founded SARMAR to deliver reliable, organized Production Management services that support artists and creative teams across both studio and live productions. Through SARMAR, Burke oversees recording projects from pre-production through final delivery, managing schedules, budgets, booking, union coordination, metadata collection, and label communication.

Additionally, she provides live show Production Management, drawing on years of experience producing and advancing shows at venues including the Ryman Auditorium, The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. With the launch of SARMAR, Burke has also partnered with VEVA Sound, a music tech company known for audio verification, archiving, and metadata integrity for sound recordings. Burke will utilize VEVA Collect, VEVA Sound’s secure, cloud-based collaboration and asset management platform built specifically for music production workflows.

Brent Cobb will bring the South of Atlanta Fest back to Macon, Georgia on May 1-2 at the Robins Financial Capitol Theater.

“Macon’s always had something special in the air,” Cobb shares. “There’s a rich musical history there, and there are some incredible artists making music in this town right now. I love getting to record here, see shows here, and now bring folks together to celebrate it. South of Atlanta Fest is about honoring that legacy while shining a light on what’s happening in Macon today.”

The event will feature performances from Cobb, American Aquarium, Tobacco Road and Kristina Murray among others across various stages and songwriter rounds.

Pre-sale for festival wristbands and individual show tickets will begin on Thursday (March 5) and general on-sale begins on Friday (March 6). Find more ticket information here.