The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will unveil the latest installment of its annual “American Currents: State of the Music” exhibit on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The exhibit will be open in the museum’s ACM Gallery until February 2025.
“Through the eighth annual ‘American Currents’ exhibit, the museum looks at the country music landscape through a wide-angle lens— encompassing developments in mainstream country, Americana, bluegrass and related roots music,” says Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Our curators and historians examine the year’s major events and achievements, allowing the museum to assemble an exhibit that reflects the genre’s current impact, history and continued evolution.”
Featured in this year’s exhibit is a selection of artists, musicians, songwriters and initiatives that were prominent in the country music format over the course of 2023. The selection includes Oliver Anthony, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Bush, Tyler Childers, Luke Combs, S.G. Goodman, Nat Myers, Nickel Creek, Joy Oladokun, Jelly Roll, Allison Russell, Broadway musical Shucked, SistaStrings, Billy Strings, Taylor Swift, Molly Tuttle, Morgan Wallen, Kelsey Waldon, The War And Treaty, Lucinda Williams and Lainey Wilson.
A section of the exhibit titled “Unbroken Circle” will highlight the musical connections of artists, including those who have influenced them or share musical perspectives. Featured pairings consist of Jessie Jo Dillon and Cindy Walker, C.J. Lewandowski and Bobby Osborne, Megan Moroney and Kacey Musgraves and Hailey Whitters and Martina McBride.
“American Currents: State of the Music” also includes a video compilation of important country music moments from 2023. In addition, the exhibit recaps the year’s chart-topping country albums, singles and highest-grossing tours.
In support of the exhibit’s opening, the museum will host related programming, including a Songwriter Session with Waldon on Saturday, March 2 and a Musician Spotlight with Lewandowski on Sunday, March 3.
For more information, click here.
Ashley Anne Signs With WME For Global Representation
/by Madison HahnenPictured (L-R, front row): Lindsey Dodge (WME), Adam Fisher (WME), Ashley Anne, Dillon Goldberg (FNGRPRNT), Janelle Flint (WME); (L-R, back row): Chloe Schueler (WME), Carlile Willett (WME), Jon Folk (WME), Braeden Rountree (WME), Moira McCravey (WME)
Rising singer-songwriter Ashley Anne has signed a global representation deal with WME. The deal includes support in the company’s various departments, including touring, brand partnerships, digital and client strategy.
“I’m so extremely grateful and excited to be working with the amazing people at WME,” says Anne. “They are wholeheartedly the kindest of people and I am blessed to have them be apart of my team.”
Alongside the signing, Anne has also released her debut EP, Dear Dolly, today (Jan. 19). The EP includes the singer’s viral hit “She Ain’t Texas.” Since moving to Nashville at 18, Anne has earned herself the reputation of a natural storyteller and has connected with listeners through her heartfelt and relatable lyrics.
“Ashley is both a dynamic artist and an incredible storyteller,” shares Anne’s team at WME. “We are huge fans of her authenticity and looking forward to supporting her career journey across WME.”
Dear Dolly Track Listing:
1. Dear Dolly
2. Mary Jane’s Been Talkin’ (interlude)
3. Never Learned How To Sew
4. Prayed Harder
5. American Dream
Chase Matthew To Remind Us That ‘We All Grow Up’
/by Liza AndersonPhoto: Courtesy of Warner Music Nashville
Chase Matthew will share his new EP, We All Grow Up, on Feb. 16.
Co-writing four of the six songs on the EP, the Warner Music Nashville artist opens up throughout the collection. Claiming the country lifestyle with determination, his sound straddles the line between down-home and downtown with a take-it-or-leave-it identity.
“This project has been a blast to put together. Each one of these songs makes you feel something,” shares Matthew. “‘We All Grow Up’ feels reminiscent. ‘Small Town Shit’ might make you feel like a hometown badass. ‘Darlin” is one of my favorites because I’ve been in that situation before. I’ve had a great time working on this one with some great friends. Can’t wait for y’all to hear it!”
We All Grow Up Track Listing:
1. “We All Grow Up” (Chase Matthew, Alex Maxwell, Jake Angel, Will Pattat)*
2. “Darlin'” (Chase Matthew, Alex Maxwell, Hunter Huff, Ciaran Wilkie)*
3. “Makin’ You Miss Me” (Chase Matthew, Alex Maxwell)+
4. “I Don’t Carolina” (Michael Rotundo, Adam Ernst, Rose Falcon, Brian Bunn)^
5. “Small Town Shit” (Jaxson Free, Jessie Jo Dillon, Taylor Phillips, Daniel Ross)#
6. “Dirt Road Does” (Chase Matthew, Brock Berryhill, Jaxson Free, Dylan Marlowe, Taylor Phillips)**
* Produced by Alex Maxwell & Jake Angel
+ Produced by Alex Maxwell
^ Produced by Austin Shawn
# Produced by Alex Maxwell & Jake Angel, Co-Produced by Daniel Ross
** Produced by Austin Shawn & Brock Berryhill
‘Belmont At The Opry’ To Celebrate 50 Years Of Music Business Excellence
/by Madison HahnenPictured (L-R, top row): Trisha Yearwood, Tyler Hubbard and Hailey Whitters; (L-R, bottom row): Nicolle Galyon, Ashley Gorley and Hillary Lindsey
Belmont University will take over the Grand Ole Opry during “Belmont at the Opry,” taking place on April 9. The event will celebrate the 50th year of Belmont’s pioneering music business program.
“We are thrilled to team up with the Opry for this momentous occasion, celebrating 50 years of Music Business at Belmont,” says Brittany Schaffer, Dean of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business. “This program started as a partnership between Belmont and Music Row, and it is a joy to honor that legacy by highlighting the diverse accomplishments of our talented alumni on country music’s most famous stage.”
The lineup features some of Belmont’s most notable alumni. Country acts Trisha Yearwood, Tyler Hubbard and Hailey Whitters will take the stage. In addition, there will be a songwriter’s round featuring Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey and Nicolle Galyon.
Launched in 1973, Belmont’s music business program has created a legacy within the industry. With support from former University President Dr. Herbert Gabhart, program-founder and professor Bob Mulloy, industry executive Cecil Scaife and Mike Curb, the program has graduated more than 6,000 alumni throughout its 50 years. Specialized programs include audio engineering technology, songwriting, creative & entertainment industries, film and more, totaling 11 undergraduate and two graduate programs.
Tickets for “Belmont at the Opry” are on sale now.
Dolly Parton Celebrates Birthday With ‘Rockstar Deluxe’ Release
/by Lorie HollabaughPhoto: Courtesy of Big Machine Records
Dolly Parton is celebrating her birthday this year by surprising fans with an expanded version of her Rockstar album, Rockstar Deluxe, which is available now on all streaming platforms.
Rockstar, Parton’s first-ever rock album, became her highest-performing album in sales during its debut week and racked up six No. 1s on the Billboard charts. The 39-song collection features an all-star roster of artists revisiting 21 classic rock tunes alongside 13 of Parton’s own original tracks. Rockstar also landed at No. 5 on Billboard‘s Top-Selling Country Albums of 2023 list.
Rockstar Deluxe includes nine additional tracks—five previously exclusive retail tracks and four that have never been released. Among the extra tunes are “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “Two Tickets To Paradise,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This).”
“It’s my birthday so I’m going to give you a present! I’m releasing four never-released songs for my birthday, to go with the Rockstar album, and a few others that you may have heard before that were not on the album,” says Parton. “I hope you enjoy them, and I hope you all have a happy birthday for me! LOL thanks for everything!”
Rockstar Deluxe Additional Tracks:
31. “Rockin’ It (Live)”
32. “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”
33. “Mama Never Said”
34. “Two Tickets To Paradise”
35. “Jolene (featuring Måneskin)”
36. “Stay Out Of My Bedroom”
37. “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
38. “The Entertainer”
39. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”
‘Where The Wild Things Are’ Spends Third Week At No. 1 On MusicRow Radio Chart
/by LB CantrellLuke Combs is at No. 1 again on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart for the third consecutive week with “Where The Wild Things Are.”
Written by Randy Montana and Dave Turnbull, the song appears on Combs’ Gettin’ Old album.
Next month, Combs will compete for Best Country Solo Performance at the 66th annual Grammy Awards for his version of Tracy Chapman’s song “Fast Car.” In April, he will return to the road with his “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old” U.S. stadium tour, which sold over a million tickets in the first weekend on-sale.
“Where The Wild Things Are” currently sits at No. 8 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and No. 5 on the Mediabase chart.
Click here to view the latest edition of the MusicRow Weekly containing the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart.
Phillip Lammonds To Ride Into Spring With ‘Cowboy Things’ Collection
/by Lorie HollabaughSinger-songwriter Phillip Lammonds is releasing a new album, Cowboy Things, on April 5. The title track is available now.
“Cowboy Things” was “pure, divine intervention,” according to Lammonds, and was inspired by his young son dressing up as a cowboy for Halloween. Tucking his wannabe-roper in that night—still dressed in his chaps made out of a fuzzy toilet seat cover from Walmart—Lammonds was inspired as soon as he heard his sleepy boy say, “Dad, the coolest things are cowboy things.”
The Lee Brice-produced project features heartfelt, plainspoken tracks from across Lammonds’ career. He boils the big picture down to bite-sized chunks of truth with help from buddies including Brice, Darius Rucker, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and actor Bill Murray.
“This album is everything I can’t write for radio,” Lammonds admits with a laugh. “It feels like it [was recorded] in your den. I didn’t know that’s what we were doing, and I didn’t know that’s what would happen. But when it did happen, I guess I’d have to admit that I love it.”
Inspired by Randy Newman, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bill Monroe, he began his career with a homespun Americana roots outfit called the Blue Dogs. During the ’90s, Lammonds traveled from South Carolina to Nashville for regular writing sessions. He eventually began scoring cuts with artists such as Kip Moore and Josh Turner and bluegrass acts like The Infamous Stringdusters and Steep Canyon Rangers.
Cowboy Things Track Listing:
“Love Is Love (feat. Darius Rucker)”
“Coffee Black”
“Supposed To Fall In Love”
“I’d Give Anything”
“Forever Ain’t That Far Away”
“What I’d Pay To Do”
“Train Of Sweet Tomorrow”
“Cowboy Things”
“Light At The End Of The Tunnel”
“Hell’s Kitchen”
“Salt”
CMHOF To Unveil Latest ‘American Currents: State Of The Music’ Installment
/by Liza AndersonThe Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will unveil the latest installment of its annual “American Currents: State of the Music” exhibit on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The exhibit will be open in the museum’s ACM Gallery until February 2025.
“Through the eighth annual ‘American Currents’ exhibit, the museum looks at the country music landscape through a wide-angle lens— encompassing developments in mainstream country, Americana, bluegrass and related roots music,” says Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. “Our curators and historians examine the year’s major events and achievements, allowing the museum to assemble an exhibit that reflects the genre’s current impact, history and continued evolution.”
Featured in this year’s exhibit is a selection of artists, musicians, songwriters and initiatives that were prominent in the country music format over the course of 2023. The selection includes Oliver Anthony, Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Bush, Tyler Childers, Luke Combs, S.G. Goodman, Nat Myers, Nickel Creek, Joy Oladokun, Jelly Roll, Allison Russell, Broadway musical Shucked, SistaStrings, Billy Strings, Taylor Swift, Molly Tuttle, Morgan Wallen, Kelsey Waldon, The War And Treaty, Lucinda Williams and Lainey Wilson.
A section of the exhibit titled “Unbroken Circle” will highlight the musical connections of artists, including those who have influenced them or share musical perspectives. Featured pairings consist of Jessie Jo Dillon and Cindy Walker, C.J. Lewandowski and Bobby Osborne, Megan Moroney and Kacey Musgraves and Hailey Whitters and Martina McBride.
“American Currents: State of the Music” also includes a video compilation of important country music moments from 2023. In addition, the exhibit recaps the year’s chart-topping country albums, singles and highest-grossing tours.
In support of the exhibit’s opening, the museum will host related programming, including a Songwriter Session with Waldon on Saturday, March 2 and a Musician Spotlight with Lewandowski on Sunday, March 3.
For more information, click here.
Grammy Museum To Rename Rooftop Terrace After Ray Charles
/by Liza AndersonRay Charles
The Grammy Museum plans to rename its rooftop terrace after Ray Charles to honor the music icon’s legacy and celebrate a two million dollar donation from the Ray Charles Foundation.
Funds from the gift will go towards the museum’s Campaign For Music Education, which launched in October 2022 and aims to expand access to the museum’s education programs including Grammy In The Schools programming.
“As the Grammy Museum celebrates our 15th anniversary, more than ever we are leaning into expanding music education and access to our renowned programs,” says Michael Sticka, President & CEO of the Grammy Museum. “We are incredibly grateful to our partners, the Ray Charles Foundation, for their generosity and investment towards the museum’s Campaign For Music Education, which will help us further our educational mission. It’s an honor to deepen our longstanding relationship.”
“The Grammy Museum embodies the spirit of our mission to empower young people through education,” says Valerie Ervin, President of the Ray Charles Foundation. “We are thrilled to be able to continue our partnership with the museum and help them achieve their goal of expanding music education and fostering a love of music in our next generation.”
The rooftop terrace serves as a resource for the museum and the community. Boasting 180-degree views of downtown Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign, the space hosts over 150 functions each year.
An official event honoring the terrace renaming will take place on Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m., ahead of the 66th Grammy Awards. The ribbon-cutting celebration, hosted by Grammy-winning producer Jimmy Jam, will feature a red carpet, cocktail reception, music curation by Grammy winner DJ Khalil and a performance by Grammy nominee Aloe Blacc of Charles’ biggest hits.
The MLC Issues Notices Of Intent To Audit Digital Service Providers
/by LB CantrellThe Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) has issued notices of intent to conduct audits of Digital Service Providers (DSPs) that started operating under the compulsory blanket license administered by The MLC in 2021.
This audit will review usages under the blanket license that occurred between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023, the first three years of The MLC’s full operations.
By sending audit notices to both the DSPs and the United States Copyright Office, The MLC is exercising a key right granted by Congress in the Music Modernization Act (MMA). This right enables The MLC to conduct audits of DSPs operating under the blanket license to ensure the DSPs have accurately reported and paid royalties.
Members of The MLC will not bear any of the audit costs; these will be covered by The MLC’s operational budget, which is funded by DSPs at no cost to songwriters or music publishers under the MMA. Should an audit reveal an underpayment of any amount, The MLC will distribute the full amount of any recovery to the impacted rightsholders, without deducting any audit costs or fees.
“Ensuring DSPs have reported royalties accurately is one of The MLC’s statutory responsibilities under the MMA,” says Kris Ahrend, Chief Executive Officer of The MLC. “The MLC has tapped music industry audit veteran, Jane Bushmaker, a member of The MLC’s Analytics & Automation team, to oversee DSP audits, which will be conducted by experienced outside audit firms,” he continues.
Alisa Coleman, Chair of the Board of Directors of The MLC says, “The MLC’s audit right is a first in the 115-year history of the U.S. compulsory mechanical license and provides enhanced protection for songwriters and music publishers. The audit notices filed by The MLC mark the beginning of its fulfillment of this important function.”
Tyler Braden To Hit The Road On ‘Real Friends Tour’ In March
/by Lorie HollabaughTyler Braden is heading out on his “Real Friends Tour 2024” in March, with Graham Barham joining on select dates.
The trek will include 17 stops in Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas, Charlotte, Minneapolis and more through May 4, and will include back-to-back performances in Australia for the CMC Rocks QLD music festival.
Tickets for the “Real Friends Tour” will go on sale tomorrow (Jan. 19). Fans eligible for the Spotify or artist presale can purchase tickets now. For more information, click here.
Braden has already accumulated upwards of 260 million global streams, and his debut single “Try Losing One” hit No. 1 on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown. The Alabama native recently shared the new track “Friends,” which is currently climbing the charts on SiriusXM’s The Highway.