Dallas Smith during his Grand Ole Opry debut. Photo: Jessica Hood

Dallas Smith stepped into the historic Grand Ole Opry circle for the first time last night (June 12), and played a few songs from his 2023 self-titled album to the sold-out crowd.

The Big Loud artist started his career as the frontman of Platinum-selling rock band Default before going solo. Starting his solo journey in his home country of Canada, Smith notched three consecutive CCMA Entertainer of the Year awards. Now in the U.S., he has amassed over 520 million global streams and over two million album equivalents. Smith has also gone on to earn 18 Gold-certified singles, seven Platinum-certified singles and four Gold-certified albums.

Additionally, he is set to take his music to several festivals this year, including Headwaters Country Jam, Country Thunder Florida, Country Thunder Alberta and more.

Drew Parker plans to deliver his debut full-length project, Camouflage Cowboy, on July 12 via Warner Music Nashville.

Produced by Jacob Rice, Camouflage Cowboy aims to authentically introduce Parker as an artist. As a songwriter, Parker puts an emphasis on hard-hitting country lyricism. He seeks to depict his life as father, a husband and a storyteller with the album, collaborating with hitmakers such as Jon Nite, Lindsay Rimes, Chris Destefano and Lee Thomas Miller, among others.

The 14-track collection includes singles “The Truck” and “Love The Leavin'” as well as “Better On A Boat,” a summer tune the artist wrote alongside Rice and Dan Isbell that is set for release tomorrow (June 14).

“I am so excited about this record,” says Parker. “[Camouflage Cowboy] is all about my family, my friends, my faith, my struggles and the way I grew up. I hope that you can connect to the songs and the stories, and it helps you along your journey in this life.”

Additionally, he will join Luke Combs on his “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour” and hit the road for his own headlining dates this year.

Camouflage Cowboy Track Listing:
1. “The Truck” (Drew Parker, James McNair, Lindsay Rimes, Dylan Marlowe)
2. “Fishin’ On A River” (Drew Parker, Cole Taylor, David Fanning)
3. “Tomorrow” (Drew Parker, Harley Parker, Jon Nite, Lindsay Rimes)
4. “Whiskey Proof” (Drew Parker, Jon Nite, Andrew DeRoberts)
5. “Love The Leavin’” (Drew Parker, Matt Rogers, Lindsay Rimes)
6. “Better On A Boat” (Drew Parker, Dan Isbell, Jacob Rice)
7. “Luck Don’t Live Around Here” (Neil Thrasher, Kelley Lovelace, Chris DeStefano)
8. “The Time We Had” (Drew Parker, Billy Dawson, Lee Thomas Miller)
9. “Camouflage Cowboy” (Drew Parker)
10. “Hillbilly Billionaires” (Drew Parker, Jacob Rice, Jordan Walker)
11. “Clearly Confused” (John Morgan, Jeb Gipson)
12. “Hill I’m Climbing” (Drew Parker, Lindsay Rimes, Cary Barlowe)
13. “Running On The Wild Side” (Drew Parker, Casey Beathard, Phil O’Donnell)
14. “What A Day That Will Be (feat. The Isaacs)” (Traditional Hymn)

Black Opry Records, Jett Holden. Photo: Kai Lendzion

Artist collective the Black Opry, started by industry veteran and advocate Holly G, has launched a record label in partnership with Thirty Tigers. The first artist signed to Black Opry Records is Jett Holden, who will deliver his debut album The Phoenix in October.

The Black Opry is an organization and touring collective focused on celebrating and supporting Black roots and country artists. When Founder Holly G first heard Holden’s music online, he had just given up pursuing an artist career.

“I found the first verse and chorus for ‘Taxidermy’ and asked if he planned on finishing the song,” she says. “He told me he wasn’t sure, so I got him a grant to finish and record it.” Holly G reached out to Rissi Palmer, Founder of the Color Me Country Artist Fund, who was so moved by Holden’s songwriting that she awarded him the funds to complete the track, setting him off on what has now become a full-circle journey.

As such, The Phoenix opens with the song that started it all. “Taxidermy” is a powerful anthem written in response to police brutality. Its vulnerability fits in well with the collection of songs that reflect on Holden’s experience as a Black, queer man growing up in the rural south.

“The title The Phoenix represents the resurrection of my career,” he says. “When Holly found me, when the Black Opry found me, I had quit music. I was done. This whole process pulled me back into music. Everything feels possible now.”

To celebrate the signing announcement, Holden has released the album’s debut single, “Backwood Proclamation.” The song was co-written with his friend and fellow queer singer-songwriter Roger Dale Locklear and features Charlie Worsham and John Osborne on electric guitar.

“We were playing a line of Mother’s Day shows in North Carolina. One morning, he’d gone out to the dollar store and I got the idea for a song about loving someone who feels like home whenever they’re around,” Holden recalls of writing the song with Locklear.

Recorded at Cartoon Moon Recording Studio in east Nashville, The Phoenix was produced by CMA and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Will Hoge, who asked Holden to collaborate on the record after the Black Opry opened for him at Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley.

“From the first time you hear Jett you realize how genuine he is,” Hoge says. “You feel the honesty. That comes through in the songs he writes. It comes through in the way he sings them. He’s a special artist and it’s exciting to get to watch the world discover it.”

The Phoenix Track Listing:
1. Taxidermy
2. Necromancer
3. Karma (feat. Cassadee Pope)
4. Perfect Storm
5. Scarecrow
6. When I’m Gone (feat. Emily Scott Robinson)
7. Better Off
8. 65611
9. West Virginia Sky
10. Backwood Proclamation (feat. Charlie Worsham, John Osborne)

The Morgan Wallen Foundation has made a $100,000 donation to the Jefferson City, Tennessee community, where Wallen’s little league team would often play All-Star games, to improve and renovate two local baseball fields.

The renovations will include new infields, bases, dugouts, press boxes, backstop padding, fencing and more, with $80,000 going toward the Roy Harmon Field via the City Parks Department and $20,000 toward the New Market Field via Jefferson City Little League. The donation is reflective of the impact the area left on Wallen, who references Jefferson City in his quadruple Platinum No. 1 hit “Thought You Should Know.”

With more than 20 years passing since the field last saw updates, the improvements will impact approximately 300 kids, enabling them to play ball once again in their local community. Due to the fields’ conditions, they have been used as practice fields only for the past seven years, forcing kids to travel five miles down the road to New Market for all games.

“Local little league is a pillar of the community – it creates a foundation for families to come together and enjoy an American pastime while teaching our youth skills that go beyond baseball,” shares Robbie Britt, Jefferson City Little League President. “We’d like to thank Morgan Wallen Foundation for all of their support.”

“Jefferson City is pleased to be a recipient of funding from the Morgan Wallen Foundation. This engagement is not only a financial donation, but an investment in the future health of our City,” adds Mitch Cain, Mayor of Jefferson City. “This resource allows us to install much needed improvements in our recreational facilities. These investments will benefit our kids, their families and this community for years to come.”