Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment Promotes Sam Featherstone

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Sam Featherstone

Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment (formerly BMLG Records) has promoted Sam Featherstone to Sr. Director, Commercial & Digital Partnerships.

Featherstone joined the Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) imprint in 2023 as Director, Streaming, and currently oversees its streaming initiatives. The Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) alum previously served as Associate Director of Commercial Partnerships at Sony Music Entertainment, where he worked with acts such as Kirk Franklin, Zach Williams, Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music and was involved in collaborations with Dolly Parton, H.E.R, Walker Hayes and more.

“Sam brought a fresh energy to the team when he started and has continuously challenged the others around him to dig deeper,” shares Jimmy Harnen, Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment President. “Sam has become an integral member of our team and we have seen incredible growth since he came on board!”

CMT Plots ‘Next Women Of Country’ Tour With Kimberly Perry

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CMT has revealed their plans for the “CMT Next Women of Country Presents: Kimberly Perry (of The Band Perry) Tour.”

Perry, a multi-Platinum selling artist, will hit the road with support from members of CMT’s Next Women of Country, including Abbey Cone, HunterGirl, Jenna Paulette, Madeline Merlo and Tanner Adell. Support will vary by city.

Formerly of Grammy-winning trio The Band Perry, Perry has sold over 2.5 million albums and 13 million singles, and has amassed over two billion streams. She solo-penned their hit single “If I Die Young,” which is currently certified nine-times Platinum. Perry released her first solo artist project Bloom in 2023.

The tour will kick off on Aug. 15 in Birmingham, Alabama, and will make stops in 25 cities including Nashville, Chicago and Las Vegas before wrapping up in West Hollywood on Oct. 12. Tickets will be available starting this Friday (April 12) at 10 a.m. CST. Additional cities and artists will be announced soon.

2024 “CMT Next Women of Country Tour Presents: Kimberly Perry” Dates:
August 15 – Birmingham, AL * – WorkPlay Soundstage
August 16 – Knoxville, TN * – Bijou Theatre
August 17 –  Lexington, KY * – Manchester Music Hall
August 21 – Charlotte, NC + – Neighborhood Theatre
August 22 – Asheville, NC + – The Grey Eagle
August 23 – Atlanta, GA + – Buckhead Theatre
August 24 – Nashville, TN $^ – The Basement East
September 7 – Des Moines, IA ! – Wooly’s
September 8 – Minneapolis, MN ! – Fine Line
September 9 – Green Bay, WI! – Gather on Broadway
September 12 – Chicago, IL $ – Joe’s on Weed Street
September 13 – Ann Arbor, MI $ – The Ark
September 14 – Rootstown, OH $ – Dusty Armadillo
September 15 – Annapolis, MD $ – Rams Head On Stage
September 17 – Cambridge, MA $ – The Sinclair
September 19 – New York, NY $ – Gramercy Theatre
September 20 – Homer, NY $ – Center for the Arts of Homer
September 21 – Uncasville, CT – Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Resort
October 2 – Denver, CO # – Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
October 4 – Las Vegas, NV – Stoney’s Rockin’ Country
October 5 – San Juan Capistrano, CA # – The Coach House
October 8 – San Martin, CA # – Clos LaChance Winery
October 9 – Roseville, CA # – Goldfield Trading Post
October 10 – Bakersfield, CA # – The Nile Theater
October 12 – West Hollywood, CA # – Troubadour

Tanner Adell *
Jenna Paulette +
Madeline Merlo !
Abbey Cone $
HunterGirl ^
To be announced #

BREAKING: Nominees Revealed For 59th ACM Awards

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The Academy of Country Music revealed nominations for the 59th ACM Awards on The Bobby Bones Show this morning (April 9).

Luke Combs leads the group with eight nods. Morgan Wallen and Megan Moroney follow with six each. Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson earned five nods each.

The ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience on Prime Video on Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. CT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. A limited number of tickets to the 59th ACM Awards are available for purchase on SeatGeek.

The following is the full list of nominees for the ACM Main Awards, Studio Recording Awards and Industry Awards categories:

MAIN AWARDS:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty

GROUP OF THE YEAR
Flatland Cavalry
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kassi Ashton
Ashley Cooke
Hannah Ellis
Kylie Morgan
Megan Moroney

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ernest
Kameron Marlowe
Dylan Scott
Conner Smith
Nate Smith

NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Neon Union
Restless Road
Tigirlily Gold

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
Producer: Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs
Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
– Higher – Chris Stapleton
Producer: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton
Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville
– Leather – Cody Johnson
Producers: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville LLC
– One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
– Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) – Kelsea Ballerini
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– “Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum
Producer: Jon Randall
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
– “Fast Car” – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
– “Last Night” – Morgan Wallen
Producer: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
– “Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Producer: Austin Nivarel
Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
– “Fast Car” – Luke Combs
Songwriters: Tracy Chapman
Publishers: Purple Rabbit
– “Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson
Publishers: Sony / ATV Countryside; Songs of Riser House; Songs of Wild Cat Well Music
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Songwriters: Chase McGill, Greylan James, Jordan Davis, Josh Osborne
Publishers: Family Farm Songs; Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music; Songs of Universal Inc.
– “The Painter” – Cody Johnson
Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins
Publishers: Big Music Machine; BMG Platinum Songs US; Nashblonde Music; Pompano Run Music; Songs for Ellie May; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Group; Well That Was Awkward Music
– “Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney
Songwriters: Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins
Publishers: 33 Creative; Bone Bone Creative; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
– “Can’t Break Up Now” – Old Dominion, Megan Moroney
Producers: Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Ross Copperman, Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Three Up Three Down, LLC / Columbia Nashville
– “Different ‘Round Here” – Riley Green (feat. Luke Combs)
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Company-Label: BMLG Records
– “I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (feat. Kacey Musgraves)
Producer: Zach Bryan
Record Company-Label: Belting Bronco Records / Warner Records, Inc
– “Man Made A Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church)
Producer: Joey Moi
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Mercury Records / Republic Records
– “Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
– “Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum
Producers: Christen Pinkston &Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
– “Human” – Cody Johnson
Producer: Christen Pinkston &Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
– “In Your Love” – Tyler Childers
Producer: Kacie Barton, Whitney Wolanin, Nicholas Robespierre, Ian Thorton, Silas House
Director: Bryan Schlam
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Producer: Jamie Stratakis
Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)
– “Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney
Producer: Lauren Starr, Saul Levitz, Laura Burhenn
Director: Jason Lester

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessie Jo Dillon
Ashley Gorley
Hillary Lindsey
Chase McGill
Josh Thompson

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Zach Bryan
Ernest
Hardy
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

The 2024 ACM Studio Recording Awards and Industry Awards will be presented to recipients at the 17th Academy of Country Music Honors, a special event held annually in August in Nashville. More details about this year’s show will be announced in the coming months.

STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS:

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tony Lucido
Steve Mackey
Lex Price
Jimmie Lee Sloas
Craig Young

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Fred Eltringham
Evan Hutchings
Greg Morrow
Jerry Roe
Nir Z

ACOUSTIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Todd Lombardo
Danny Rader
Bryan Sutton
Ilya Toshinskiy
Charlie Worsham

PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jim “Moose” Brown
David Dorn
Charlie Judge
Billy Justineau
Alex Wright

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dan Dugmore
Paul Franklin
Josh Matheny
Justin Schipper
Bryan Sutton

ELECTRIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tom Bukovac
Kris Donegan
Jedd Hughes
Rob McNelley
Sol Philcox-Littlefield

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Drew Bollman
Jeff Braun
Jim Cooley
Jason Hall
Buckley Miller
F. Reid Shippen

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Charlie Handsome
Dann Huff
Joey Moi
Jon Randall
Derek Wells

INDUSTRY AWARDS:

CASINO OF THE YEAR – THEATER
Choctaw Grand Theater – Durant, OK
Deadwood Mountain Grand – Deadwood, SD
Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, CT
Lucas Oil Live at WinStar World Casino and Resort – Thackerville, OK
Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV

CASINO OF THE YEAR – ARENA
Golden Nugget Lake Charles – Lake Charles, LA
Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena – Atlantic City, NJ
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
Mystic Lake Casino Showroom – Prior Lake, MN

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Carolina Country Music Fest – Myrtle Beach, SC
CMC Rocks – Ipswich, Queensland
Crash My Playa – Riviera Cancun, Mexico
Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Windy City Smokeout – Chicago, IL

FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR
Auburn Rodeo – Opelika, AL
Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, WY
Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, IA
Minnesota State Fair – Falcon Heights, MN
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – San Antonio, TX

CLUB OF THE YEAR
8 Seconds Saloon – Indianapolis, IN
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
Georgia Theatre – Athens, GA
Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL
Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO

THEATER OF THE YEAR
Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
The Franklin Theatre – Franklin, TN
Moody Theater – Austin, TX
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA

OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR
Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
Saint Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL
Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL

ARENA OF THE YEAR
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX
Hertz Arena – Estero, FL
KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, KY
T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO

DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
Gil Cunningham
Andrew Fortin
Nicole More
Stacy Vee
Ed Warm

PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Jered Johnson
Patrick McDill
Brian O’Connell
Aaron Spalding
Adam Weiser

Josh Phillips Cracks Top Ten On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Josh Phillips

Songwriter Josh Phillips has entered the top 10 on this week’s MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. His solo-penned “Dirt Cheap,” recorded by Cody Johnson, has earned Phillips the No. 7 spot this week.

Chayce Beckham keeps the No. 1 spot this week with his hit single “23.” iHeartRadio Music Awards Songwriter of the Year winner Ashley Gorley is at No. 2 this week with “Last Night,” “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” “This Town’s Been Too Good To Us,” “Truck Bed,” “World On Fire,” “Young Love & Saturday Nights” and “Bulletproof.”

Hunter Phelps (No. 3), Tracy Chapman (No. 4) and Michael Hardy (No. 5) round out this week’s top five.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Kara DioGuardi, Kelly Archer, Jordan Reynolds, More Close Out Tin Pan South 2024

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Pictured (L-R): Jeff Trott, Kara Dioguardi, Marti Frederiksen, Jeff Cohen. Photo: Courtesy of NSAI.

The 32nd edition of Tin Pan South came to a close this weekend, with shows taking place across Nashville on Friday (April 5) and Saturday (April 6). This year’s festival featured over 400 songwriters in a variety of genres performing in 98 rounds.

On Friday, 3rd & Lindsley patrons were treated to music from Kelly Archer, Sarah Buxton and Matt Mulhare at the early show before handing things off to Jeff Cohen, Kara DioGuardi, Marti Frederiksen, Jeff Trott with surprise guests, including pop sensation Gayle, for the late show.

Sarah Buxton. Photo: Courtesy of NSAI.

Mitch Allan, Ben Burgess, Nathan Chapman, Kevin Kadish and Jake Rose played The Listening Room before Jeff Hyde, Matt Jenkins, Bryan Simpson and Ryan Tyndell took the stage. Tanner Adell, Allison Veltz Cruz, Abram Dean and Derrick Southerland performed at the Hard Rock Cafe before Obeezy De Master, Marcela Pinilla, Rachel Rodriguez and Rosa Rodriguez closed out the venue. Buddy Brock, Preston Reed and Rob Snyder closed out the Station Inn.

Pictured (L-R): Nathan Chapman, Ben Burgess, Mitch Allan, Jake Rose, Kevin Kadish. Photo: Courtesy of NSAI.

Other songwriters that performed on Friday included Cameron Jaymes, Russell Sutton, Callista Clark, Dave Pittenger, Ryan Griffin, Renee Blair, Melissa Fuller and many more.

On Saturday, Shawn Byrne, Katie Cole, Ronny Criss and Tabitha Meeks kicked things off at the Analog at Hutton Hotel before Michael Dulaney, Brandon Kinney, Jesse Murphy and Jon Wood closed out the venue.

Pictured (L-R): Brandon Kinney, Jesse Murphy, Michael Dulaney, Jon Wood. Photo: Courtesy of NSAI.

Jay Brunswick, Jeremy Bussey and Patrick Murphy played Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole. Deanna Bryant, Marla Cannon-Goodman and Marty Funderburk closed out the Station Inn. Chandler Baldwin, Dillon Carmichael, Michael Whitworth and Dallas Wilson played The Lounge at City Winery. Leah Blevins, Colin Healy, SJ McDonald and Ben Williams closed out Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole.

Pictured (L-R): Jay Brunswick, Jeremy Bussey, Patrick Murphy. Photo: Courtesy of NSAI.

Other songwriters that played rounds on Saturday include Jordan Reynolds, David Hodges, Gretchen Peters, Emily Landis, Jeff Middleton, Jason Duke, JHart, Lance Miller and more.

Tin Pan South 2025 will take place March 25-29, 2025.

BMI Launches New Nashville-Based Affiliate Customer Service Department

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Erin Crawford. Photo: Nathan Zucker

BMI has launched a new call center as part of a broader growth plan to enhance its overall affiliate customer service experience. A new phone system is in place with a centralized toll-free number (844-BMI-4255).

BMI’s newly-promoted AVP of Affiliate Customer Service Experience Erin Crawford is spearheading the new Nashville-based customer service department.

Crawford’s promotion was the first step in BMI’s multi-phased initiative to modernize and enhance the customer service experience for affiliates. According to BMI, callers can expect quicker response times and call routing, so inquiries go to the appropriate case specialist, and call monitoring to ensure that quality standards are consistently met.

The call center team is expected to be fully staffed by June. It will include bilingual agents, and will handle initial affiliate inquiries, while multiple case specialists will also be available to address more detailed royalty administration questions. The team is currently available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT, with plans in place for operating hours to expand later this year.

BMI is also working on a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, building an affiliate self-service portal and deploying a chat function to better handle incoming calls and questions.

“I’m thrilled to be leading BMI’s new customer service initiative to offer our affiliates a best-in-class full-service experience and am proud of the significant progress we have made so far,” says Crawford. “With the new centralized number, contact center software and a team of dedicated agents available to answer questions and direct inquiries to the right place, we are well on our way to making that happen. I’m very excited to continue with the momentum of this important initiative and roll out the next wave of customer service enhancements to assist our incredible roster of music creators.”

Crawford joined BMI in 2020 as Executive Director, Distribution & Administration Services, where she led teams responsible for writer/publisher affiliations, repertoire quality and online services support. Prior to that, she spent 18 years with The Nielsen Company and was most recently SVP & General Manager of Nielsen Music, where she led commercial client relationships with Billboard and hundreds of major and independent record labels, publishers, business managers, concert promoters, digital service providers, media companies, consumer brands and various agencies.

Callista Clark Signs Production & Exclusive Management Deal With Dreamcatcher

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Callista Clark

Callista Clark has signed a production as well as an exclusive management deal with Dreamcatcher. The entertainment company plans to keep the door open to partnerships and upstream while supporting Clark’s career with the resources it feels are necessary to be competitive in the major music marketplace worldwide.

Dreamcatcher expanded its distribution relationship with Stem, and released Clark’s single, “Bless Your Heart,” on Feb. 16. Her song “Reckless,” which she wrote alongside Laura Veltz and its producer Sam Ellis, will be available this Friday (April 12). Clark is set to share more new music this year, including a forthcoming collaboration as well as an EP in September.

CEO Powell Hedley and Co-Founder Jim Mazza remain at the helm of Dreamcatcher, and will oversee Clark’s team.

“My professional career in the music business has spanned my entire adult life—Without question, Callista Clark makes it all worth it,” says Hedley. “Very grateful for the partnership we have built together, and we are just getting started. On behalf of all of us at Dreamcatcher, we are blessed and humbled to be a part of bringing her gift to people all over the world.”

“I truly couldn’t be more excited to work with Dreamcatcher! I’ve been writing nonstop over the years, and I can’t wait to share more of the songs I’ve created,” says Clark. “Thank you to Powell, Jim and everyone at Dreamcatcher for believing in me! I can’t wait for this next chapter.”

The company has also hired Meg Combs to work with the artist in a day-to-day capacity. Combs can be reached at Meg@dreamcatchermanagement.com.

Additionally, Clark recently joined the lineup for Live In The Vineyard Goes Country (LITVGC), taking place April 23-25 in Napa Valley, California.

59th ACM Award Nominees To Be Revealed Tomorrow

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The nominees for the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards will be revealed tomorrow morning (April 9) on The Bobby Bones Show starting at 8 a.m. CST. The nominees will also be announced the ACM social media platforms.

The 59th ACM Awards will take place Thursday, May 16, live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and will stream live on Prime Video globally.

Parker McCollum Scores Fourth Straight Chart-Topper With ‘Burn It Down’

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Parker McCollum. Photo: Jim Wright

Parker McCollum has racked up his fourth consecutive No. 1 with his hit, “Burn It Down,” which tops both the Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts this week.

Written by McCollum, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose, “Burn It Down” is the smoldering track from his most recent album, Never Enough, and follows the album’s first single, the heartbreaking and vulnerable “Handle On You,” which also reached the No. 1 spot. The rising star’s other No. 1s include “Pretty Heart” and “To Be Loved By You.”

McCollum took the stage at the 2024 CMT Music Awards with special guest Brittney Spencer to perform “Burn It Down.” He recently announced 13 additional stops on his current “Burn It Down Tour,” taking him to the west coast and some of the biggest venues in the country.

Newly Added Tour Dates:
9.13.24 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
9.14.24 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
9.19.24 – Portsmouth, VA – Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion
9.20.24 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Ampitheatre at Hertiage Park
9.21.24 – Orlando, FL – Addition Financial Arena, University of Central Florida
9.27.24 – Evansville, IN – Ford Center
9.28.24 – Springfield, MO – Great Southern Bank Arena
10.10.24 – Washington, D.C. – Theater at MGM National Harbor
10.11.24 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
10.12.24 – Philadelphia, PA – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
10.24.24 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
10.25.24 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
10.26.24 – Stateline, NV – Tahoe Blue Event Center

2024 CMT Music Awards Take Over Austin, Texas [Recap]

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Jelly Roll poses with his awards during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for CMT

The 2024 CMT Music Awards took place Sunday night (April 7) at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

Jelly Roll was the night’s big winner, taking home three trophies for “Need A Favor,” including the coveted Video of the Year as well as Male Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year.

Kelsea Ballerini speaks onstage during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. Photo: Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT

Other winners included Lainey Wilson (Female Video of the Year with “Watermelon Moonshine”), Dan + Shay (Duo/Group Video of the Year with “Save Me The Trouble”), Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton (Collaborative of the Year for “We Don’t Fight Anymore”) and more.

Kelsea Ballerini served as host for the evening, her fourth time guiding the show. She kept things bright and exciting, with her bubbly personality serving as the perfect presence for the fan-voted and fan-focused award show.

The 2024 CMT Music Awards started with a blitz of performances. Cody Johnson kicked things off with a rousing performance of “That’s Texas.” Viewers were then taken outside the arena for Jason Aldean‘s performance of “Let Your Boys Be Country,” and came back inside to for Megan Moroney to sing “No Caller ID.”

Lainey Wilson performs onstage during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. Photo: Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT

The first televised award of the night went to Pearce and Stapleton for Collaborative Video of the Year with “We Don’t Fight Anymore.” Pearce brought up the video’s director, Alexa Campbell, when accepting the honor.

For the next performance, rising star Brittney Spencer joined Parker McCollum on his fiery hit “Burn It Down.” This marked the first of many musical collaborations. Later on in the night, Moroney joined Old Dominion for their duet “Can’t Break Up Now,” and rock band NeedToBreathe collaborated with Jordan Davis for a mashup of the band’s “Brother” and Davis’ “Next Thing You Know”—CMT Crossroads-style.

The best collaboration, and perhaps the best musical moment, came when Little Big Town and Sugarland joined forces for their new rendition of Phil Collins’ “Take Me Home.” It was also revealed that the groups would be heading out on the road together during the show.

Trisha Yearwood accepts the June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award onstage during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. Photo: Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT

Ashley Cooke gleefully took the stage to receive the Breakthrough Female Video of the Year award for “Your Place,” and Warren Zeiders accepted the male equivalent for “Pretty Little Poison.”

Trisha Yearwood was presented with the first-ever June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award during the show. The new award recognizes an artist, duo/group or industry veteran who demonstrates dedication to their community and fellow artists, embodying her spirit as a fierce advocate and initiator in paying it forward, helping others find their voice and using their platform to inspire and uplift others.

When accepting the award, Yearwood said, “My hope is that we all can learn a little big from June Carter Cash’s legacy and be a little bit more real, a little bit more vulnerable, be a little bit less about me and more about us… I look at this as a challenge and a calling to be better.”

Pictured (L-R): Ronnie Dunn, Sammy Hagar, Kix Brooks, Lainey Wilson, Riley Green, Roger Clemens, Lukas Nelson Mica Roberts and Toby Keith’s band members toast Keith onstage during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. Photo: Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT

Wilson notched another great awards show performance with “Country’s Cool Again” and Bailey Zimmerman brought the energy for “Where It Ends.” After a performance from Keith Urban of a new song called “Straight Line,” Jelly Roll won his first trophy of the night for CMT Performance of the Year.

Sam Hunt emulated Johnny Cash’s iconic Folsom Prison concert with a performance of his new single “Locked Up,” and host Ballerini took viewers back outside to sing her reimagined 2014-hit “Love Me Like You Mean It.” Then Beyoncé collaborators Spencer, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts presented the next award to Dan + Shay for Duo/Group Video of the Year (“Save Me The Trouble.”)

Next up was a tribute to the iconic Toby Keith. With emotional commentary from his friend and baseball star Roger Clemens, some of Keith’s biggest hits were performed. Brooks & Dunn took on “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” Sammy Hagar showed his admiration with “I Love This Bar” and Wilson perfectly embodied the spirit of “How Do You Like Me Now.”

Pictured (L-R): Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman, Jennifer Nettles, Karen Fairchild, Kristian Bush and Philip Sweet perform onstage during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. Photo: Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT

After a fun performance of her viral hit “Austin” from Dasha, Jelly Roll was back up on stage accepting Male Video of the Year. As has become custom for the star, he gave a hair-raising acceptance speech, giving a shout out to those in the juvenile detention centers in Nashville and Austin.

“It’s important I stand up here and represent those that are looking for second chances,” he said, turning his attention to the juvenile detention centers. “I’m cheering y’all boys on! You can turn it around, I promise you!”

Female Video of the Year was presented to Wilson. She made sure to share how hard she knew each of her fellow nominees work, and thank fans for supporting women in country music.

“They work their tails off and dedicate their loves to creating music and creating a vision and bring it to life,” she said. “Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for supporting women in country. It’s a big dang deal.”

Jelly Roll made a triumphant finish for the show, accepting his Video of the Year honor one minute and tearing the house down with a performance of “Halfway To Hell” the next, ending the show on a high note.