Grammy-winning sound mixer and audio engineer Craig Alvin has joined forces with entertainment industry veteran Jason Spiewak of Noble Steed Music to open Noble Steed Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Noble Steed Studios is a recording facility that offers artists a wide range of modern and old-world equipment. Inspired by the rich history of Muscle Shoals, the studio features one-of-a-kind gear including a Universal Audio (UA) 610 console, the type originally used by acts such as The Rolling Stones when they recorded in the area.

The studio’s large format console is a Harrison Series 12 console, which was used on multiple big country albums including The Chicks’ albums Wide Open Spaces and Fly. Additionally, Randy Travis’ “You And You Alone” was mixed on that actual Harrison board. Noble Steed Studios also includes an exclusive guest house available to artists and crew members.

Spiewak established himself during his time at indie labels Artemis Records, Studio E Records and TVT Records. He has worked with artists including Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz, Pitbull, Kittie, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle and Ying Yang Twins. Spiewak co-founded the Warner Music (ADA) distributed-label Rock Ridge Music in 2004 and was later named the company’s President, signing Rachel Platten, Sister Hazel, Reel Big Fish, Barry Manilow and Run DMC.

With a career spanning three decades, Alvin has worked with roster of well-known artists spanning various genres. His recording credits include Hanson, Little Big Town, Amy Grant, Vanessa Carlton, Will Hoge, Andrew Belle, Brittany Howard. Alvin also won two Grammys for his engineering on Kacey Musgraves‘ Golden Hour album in 2019.

Additionally, Spiewak and Noble Steed Music have signed musician Sol Philcox-Littlefield. Philcox-Littlefield is an accomplished session musician with over 60 Platinum- certified and 300 Gold-certified records to his name. He has contributed to over 25 No. 1 songs on country radio, hundreds of Billboard charting records, and was nominated for the 2023 ACM Electric Guitar Player of the Year as well as honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame. His collaborators include Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Hunt, Midland, Luke Bryan, Nate Smith, Jelly Roll, Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Dustin Lynch, Parmalee, Jon Pardi, Cole Swindell and more.

Kelsea Ballerini & Carly Pearce Celebrated At ASCAP Grammy Brunch

Country stars Kelsea Ballerini and Carly Pearce were celebrated last week at the ASCAP Grammy Brunch in Los Angeles for their Grammy nominations. ASCAP President & Chairman of the Board Paul Williams and ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews hosted the celebration.

Lenny Kravitz, Dan Nigro, Theron Thomas, Deputy, Alexander 23, Andrew & Polly, Ashley Gorley, Autumn Rowe, Blessing Offor, Cimafunk, Claudia Brant, Desmond Child, Emily Bear, Emily Warren, Fito Páez, Jermaine Dupri, KentheMan, Natalia Lafourcade, Patti Austin, Ryan Ellis, Shawn “Clown” Crahan of Slipknot and Snow Wife were also in attendance.

MTSU Alumni Bring Home Multiple Grammy Awards

During the 66th annual Grammy Awards, Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) alumni took home multiple Grammys across genres. Julien Baker, a member of indie group Boygenius, took home three awards alongside band mates Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. The group won Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song and Best Alternative Music Album. Christian artist Lecrae won two awards for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.

Jason Hall and Jimmy Mansfield were recognized by the Recording Academy for their engineering, mixing and vocal work on Lainey Wilson‘s Bell Bottom Country, which won Best Country Album. Along with Hall and Mansfield, Josh Kear also was also featured on Wilson’s album with his composition work on “Watermelon Moonshine.”

Tenille Townes Raises $418,000 For The Sunrise House

CCMA Award-winning artist Tenille Townes held her 13th annual “Big Hearts For Big Kids” benefit, where she raised $418,000 for The Sunrise House.

Dean Brody, Caylee Hammack and Eric Paslay played a writers’ round at the event before a headline set from Townes.

The artist was 15 years old when she first started the annual benefit, which is held in her hometown of Grand Prairie, Alberta. The Sunrise House is an emergency youth shelter in the singer’s hometown, and the annual event has seen nearly three million dollars donated. With the funds raised, the shelter recently opened a new facility and is now able to serve triple the amount of youth.

“The youth shelter in my hometown has always been incredibly important to me and I started ‘Big Hearts For Big Kids’ because I believe that everyone is worthy of love, belonging and a little help when we need it,” says Townes. “I grew up in a community that taught me how to look out for each other, and putting on this event through the past 14 years has shown me the power of a small group of people coming together. I’m so proud of the way everyone continues to show up, gather around some music, bid on some auction items and change the course of many kids lives because of it.”

Song Suffragettes, Nashville’s weekly all-female, singer-songwriter show, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a one-night-only show honoring Wynonna Judd on March 27 at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.

Judd will participate in an on-stage Q&A and perform some of her favorites songs from her career. She will also receive the Song Suffragettes’ 2024 Yellow Rose of Inspiration Award, which is presented annually to a woman who has been a musical inspiration to the Song Suffragettes collective of creators. Past recipients include Ashley McBryde, Kelsea Ballerini, Laura Veltz, Liz Rose and Natale Hemby.

Additionally, Song Suffragettes alumnae Tenille Arts and America’s Got Talent finalists Chapel Hart as well as songwriting stars Rose and Matraca Berg will perform. More performers will be announced in coming weeks.

For a decade, Song Suffragettes has showcased over 400 women with over 60 alumnae going on to receive publishing deals and 40 landing recording contracts, including Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Carly Pearce, Brittney Spencer, Megan Moroney and Gayle.

“Hitting the 10-year milestone was never something we knew would happen,” says Todd Cassetty, Songs Suffragettes’ Founder. “Song Suffragettes was started simply to provide the best women singer-songwriters a place to be heard and seen with the hope that more opportunities would come from that exposure. After 10 years, we’re humbled by our front row seat watching the evolution of some of the most successful women in music today, and are reinvigorated to keep fighting for the underserved female talent that permeates the Nashville music community. We’re thrilled to celebrate the amazing talent that has graced our Song Suffragettes stage. And to have the iconic Wynonna Judd join us is not just a surprise and an honor, it’s a testament to what we see time and time again in this town: women supporting women.”

Tickets are available now. For more information, click here.

Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) and W!zard Radio Media have partnered to develop and launch a slate of new podcasts.

As part of the partnership, the two entities will handle the production, distribution, marketing, promotion and ad sales functions of their podcast slate and provide creators with an array of knowledge.

The partnership launched with A Game of No Halves, a sports-comedy podcast hosted by British broadcasting veteran “Whispering” Bob Harris, who served as manager of the North London FC football club for 35 years, and his son Miles Myerscough-Harris. The podcast follows the history of North London FC as well as their own family stories. The first episode dropped on Jan. 3 and shot into the top 30 of Apple Podcast’s U.K. Sports charts. New episodes are released every Wednesday.

The new partnership also includes the re-launch of Songwriter Soup, the podcast hosted by songwriter Laura Veltz, financial advisor Tracy Hackney and producer Kevin Sokolnicki. The trio speaks with a selection of songwriters and artists such as Ashley Gorley, Lori McKenna, Luke Dick, Jordan Schmidt, Luke Laird, Emily Weisband and more during frank discussions about finding success in the industry. The first episode of Songwriter Soup season two was released on Jan. 8 and shot into the charts internationally, including the top 100 of Apple Podcast’s Music charts in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. New episodes are released every Monday.

“We are excited to be partnering with Big Machine Label Group to push podcasting forward with incredible storytellers, including Bob Harris, Miles Myerscough-Harris, Laura Veltz, Tracy Hackney and Kevin Sokolnicki,” says James Gilmore, Founder & Managing Director, W!zard Radio Media. “To work with a group of people who are looking towards innovation and disruption as much as we do is a delight; working together has been a seamless and perfect fit and we cannot wait to launch even more projects as a team.”

“I’ve always been inspired by W!zard’s commitment to creating high-level, meaningful content and their industry-leading approach to business. James’ determination and passion for business inspires our entire team to push the boundaries of innovation every day,” says Alexandra Hannaby, Head of U.K., Big Machine Label Group. “I’m looking forward to us collaborating on further projects and excited to see where this partnership takes us.”