Jessie Jo Dillon. Photo: Noah Needleman
When Grammy nominations were revealed a few months ago, Nashville had an impressive showing. In the Songwriter of the Year category, an all-genre award introduced at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2022, Music City was represented by two stellar songwriters: Shane McAnally and Jessie Jo Dillon.
Jessie Jo, who had been nominated for the Grammy’s Best Country Song award three times prior, says she was shocked by the nomination—but she shouldn’t be. In 2023 she co-penned Old Dominion’s No. 1 hit “Memory Lane,” Jelly Roll‘s anthem “Halfway To Hell,” Catie Offerman’s debut single “I Just Killed A Man” and Megan Moroney’s critically-acclaimed “Girl in the Mirror,” plus tunes released by Hardy, Brandy Clark, Lori McKenna, Nate Smith, Jake Owen and more. She also celebrated her co-written 2021 smash “10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber crossing the one billion stream mark on Spotify, among other career wins.
Her past year of success is the culmination of many years of hard work. The daughter of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) and Country Music Hall of Fame member Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo has been toiling away at making her own mark in the genre since 2010. She notched her first No. 1 hit in 2018 with Cole Swindell‘s “Break Up in the End,” which also earned her an ACM Awards Song of the Year nomination and the NSAI Song of the Year award. Thus began a chain reaction of wins for the songwriter, with 2023 being her banner year.
Jessie Jo says that when she was looking forward to 2023, she was ready to put her head down and grind.
“I remember feeling like I was going to work harder than I’ve ever worked. I made a conscious decision to do that—to really throw myself into writing as much as possible with whoever and whenever. I do feel like I did that this year,” she tells MusicRow.
At the beginning of the year, Old Dominion’s “Memory Lane,” which Jessie Jo wrote with the band’s chief songwriters Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen and Brad Tursi, began its journey.
“I’ve known those guys for so long. I met them through Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark when I was younger. We’ve always written together, but I’m pretty sure it was the first time we had written just the three of them and me.
“They say ‘Memory Lane’ was my title—I don’t remember that, but I guess I’ll take their word for it,” she quips. “At the time, I was going through a breakup and I remember delving into all of that. It’s cool now, the life that it’s had, because it took something sad and made something beautiful. I love seeing all the videos of it live and how much fans seem to love it.”
While the moody, wistful “Memory Lane” climbed the charts, a song Jessie Jo wrote with Jelly Roll, Matt Jenkins and Jesse Frasure, “Halfway To Hell,” began to pick up steam with fans after Jelly’s Whitsitt Chapel album released.
“Man, I love that song. I love Jelly Roll. I feel like I’m his number one fan,” Jessie Jo says. “That song is about owning both the [bad] and good parts of you. It’s a very honest song and he is an honest artist. It was really cool to get to explore all that with him.”
Jelly Roll’s label Stoney Creek Records announced a few days ago that “Halfway To Hell” would be his next single. “I’m just so over the moon for him and look forward to seeing what the song brings for him in the new year,” Jessie Jo shares.
Another track that earned a big reaction last year was Megan Moroney’s “Girl in the Mirror,” a reflective song about losing yourself in a bad relationship. It served as a deeper moment on the artist’s breakout album Lucky, and has become a fan favorite.
“That was the first day Megan and I met. We bonded so much over the subject matter of the song. It was a cool experience—two women meeting for the first time and just being vulnerable,” Jessie Jo says. “I’m such a fan of her and her artistry.”
Other songs that helped Jessie Jo earn her Songwriter of the Year nomination were “Neon Cowgirl” (Dan + Shay), “Screen” (Hardy), “I Just Killed A Man” (Catie Offerman), “The Town In Your Heart” (Lori McKenna) and “Buried” and “Up Above The Clouds” (Brandy Clark).
“I’m proud of all of those songs. It is crazy to hear them all read down because they’re great songs,” Jessie Jo shares. “I feel proud and I feel like I did my job as a songwriter to try to help these artists tell their story.”
On the day the nominations came out, Jessie Jo had a rare day off.
“It was so nuts. A couple people texted me 30 minutes before [so I could watch], and then I couldn’t get my internet to work and I missed the songwriter announcement,” she says with a laugh. “All of a sudden my phone was like ‘ding ding, ding, ding.’ Kelsea Ballerini FaceTimed me and was crying. I was like, ‘Oh my God, did you guys get album?’ She said, ‘You just got songwriter!'”
After hearing the news, Jessie Jo hurried over to Kelsea’s house to celebrate with her friends. By the time she got there, Kelsea and Alysa Vanderheym were celebrating their nod for Best Country Album (Rolling Up the Welcome Mat) and Jessie Jo had received another nomination for Best Country Song (“Buried”).
“We had the best day. We had mimosas and called Lainey [Wilson], FaceTimed Jelly and called Brandy. It was just a cool day for the whole crew,” she says. “[Sharing it with my friends] felt like the best part of it. So many people that I love got nominations I feel like they deserved.”
When asked about being nominated alongside Shane McAnally, Jessie Jo shares that she feels honored to be in a category with someone she admires so much.
“He is one of the best songwriters I’ve ever known. He is so unique and he taught me so much. I met him when I was like 22 or 23. and he was one of the first people to ever really believe in me and bring me into writes,” she says. “He’ll be in the Hall of Fame one day for sure.”
Jessie Jo, Shane and all of the deserving nominees will head to to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 4 for the 66th annual awards. Voting for Grammy winners closes Thursday (Jan. 4).
Oak Ridge Boy Joe Bonsall Officially Retires From Touring
/by Lorie HollabaughJoe Bonsall. Photo: Brandon Wood / Indie Bling Studio
Joe Bonsall, tenor singer for The Oak Ridge Boys for the past 50 years, has officially announced he is retiring from touring.
Bonsall shared this message with Oak Ridge Boys fans: “Many of you know I have been battling a slow onset (over four years now) of a neuromuscular disorder. I am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road. It has just gotten too difficult. It has been a great 50 years, and I am thankful to all The Oak Ridge Boys, band, crew, and staff for the constant love and support shown to me through it all. I will never forget, and for those of you who have been constantly holding me up in prayer, I thank you and ask for you to keep on praying. There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he needs your love and encouragement … his sound is different than mine, but he brings a ton of talent to the table! The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the ‘Farewell Tour’ without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!”
During a Dec. 30 concert in Greenville, Mississippi, fellow Oaks Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban introduced James to an enthusiastic audience at Harlow’s Casino Resort.
The Oak Ridge Boys are planning a full touring calendar for their “American Made: Farewell Tour” beginning Jan. 20. They anticipate returning to the studio with Dave Cobb in late January, their fifth pairing with the super-producer.
Carrie Underwood Launches Workout Music Channel On SiriusXM
/by Lorie HollabaughCarrie Underwood has launched a second SiriusXM channel, Carr-Dio By Carrie’s Country, available to stream anytime exclusively on the SiriusXM app and on satellite channel 105 beginning Jan. 5-8.
Expanding on the popular Carr-Dio show from Carrie’s Country, the new fitness music channel plays high-energy workout tracks alongside fitness advice from Underwood herself. She curated the songs on the new channel, and reveals that one of her personal favorites to work out to is “Watch The World Burn” by rock band Falling In Reverse.
“One of the easiest ways to spice up a workout is with music,” says Underwood. “If you find the right jam and you get into it and you can dance in between sets and have a good time with it… Listen to music that makes you happy or pumps you up, and go for it! It’s all about just picking music that makes you feel good. I like stuff that I can either dance to or get mad with—it kind of depends on my mood and what I’m doing.”
Underwood has other fitness ventures as well, including her community-powered fitness app Fit52, which follows her fitness routines and offers hundreds of healthy recipes to help nourish the body, mind and soul while achieving personal wellness goals. For more information, click here.
Jessie Jo Dillon Looks Back On 2023: ‘I Did My Job As A Songwriter’ [Interview]
/by LB CantrellJessie Jo Dillon. Photo: Noah Needleman
When Grammy nominations were revealed a few months ago, Nashville had an impressive showing. In the Songwriter of the Year category, an all-genre award introduced at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2022, Music City was represented by two stellar songwriters: Shane McAnally and Jessie Jo Dillon.
Jessie Jo, who had been nominated for the Grammy’s Best Country Song award three times prior, says she was shocked by the nomination—but she shouldn’t be. In 2023 she co-penned Old Dominion’s No. 1 hit “Memory Lane,” Jelly Roll‘s anthem “Halfway To Hell,” Catie Offerman’s debut single “I Just Killed A Man” and Megan Moroney’s critically-acclaimed “Girl in the Mirror,” plus tunes released by Hardy, Brandy Clark, Lori McKenna, Nate Smith, Jake Owen and more. She also celebrated her co-written 2021 smash “10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber crossing the one billion stream mark on Spotify, among other career wins.
Her past year of success is the culmination of many years of hard work. The daughter of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) and Country Music Hall of Fame member Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo has been toiling away at making her own mark in the genre since 2010. She notched her first No. 1 hit in 2018 with Cole Swindell‘s “Break Up in the End,” which also earned her an ACM Awards Song of the Year nomination and the NSAI Song of the Year award. Thus began a chain reaction of wins for the songwriter, with 2023 being her banner year.
Jessie Jo says that when she was looking forward to 2023, she was ready to put her head down and grind.
“I remember feeling like I was going to work harder than I’ve ever worked. I made a conscious decision to do that—to really throw myself into writing as much as possible with whoever and whenever. I do feel like I did that this year,” she tells MusicRow.
At the beginning of the year, Old Dominion’s “Memory Lane,” which Jessie Jo wrote with the band’s chief songwriters Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen and Brad Tursi, began its journey.
“I’ve known those guys for so long. I met them through Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark when I was younger. We’ve always written together, but I’m pretty sure it was the first time we had written just the three of them and me.
“They say ‘Memory Lane’ was my title—I don’t remember that, but I guess I’ll take their word for it,” she quips. “At the time, I was going through a breakup and I remember delving into all of that. It’s cool now, the life that it’s had, because it took something sad and made something beautiful. I love seeing all the videos of it live and how much fans seem to love it.”
While the moody, wistful “Memory Lane” climbed the charts, a song Jessie Jo wrote with Jelly Roll, Matt Jenkins and Jesse Frasure, “Halfway To Hell,” began to pick up steam with fans after Jelly’s Whitsitt Chapel album released.
“Man, I love that song. I love Jelly Roll. I feel like I’m his number one fan,” Jessie Jo says. “That song is about owning both the [bad] and good parts of you. It’s a very honest song and he is an honest artist. It was really cool to get to explore all that with him.”
Jelly Roll’s label Stoney Creek Records announced a few days ago that “Halfway To Hell” would be his next single. “I’m just so over the moon for him and look forward to seeing what the song brings for him in the new year,” Jessie Jo shares.
Another track that earned a big reaction last year was Megan Moroney’s “Girl in the Mirror,” a reflective song about losing yourself in a bad relationship. It served as a deeper moment on the artist’s breakout album Lucky, and has become a fan favorite.
“That was the first day Megan and I met. We bonded so much over the subject matter of the song. It was a cool experience—two women meeting for the first time and just being vulnerable,” Jessie Jo says. “I’m such a fan of her and her artistry.”
Other songs that helped Jessie Jo earn her Songwriter of the Year nomination were “Neon Cowgirl” (Dan + Shay), “Screen” (Hardy), “I Just Killed A Man” (Catie Offerman), “The Town In Your Heart” (Lori McKenna) and “Buried” and “Up Above The Clouds” (Brandy Clark).
“I’m proud of all of those songs. It is crazy to hear them all read down because they’re great songs,” Jessie Jo shares. “I feel proud and I feel like I did my job as a songwriter to try to help these artists tell their story.”
On the day the nominations came out, Jessie Jo had a rare day off.
“It was so nuts. A couple people texted me 30 minutes before [so I could watch], and then I couldn’t get my internet to work and I missed the songwriter announcement,” she says with a laugh. “All of a sudden my phone was like ‘ding ding, ding, ding.’ Kelsea Ballerini FaceTimed me and was crying. I was like, ‘Oh my God, did you guys get album?’ She said, ‘You just got songwriter!'”
After hearing the news, Jessie Jo hurried over to Kelsea’s house to celebrate with her friends. By the time she got there, Kelsea and Alysa Vanderheym were celebrating their nod for Best Country Album (Rolling Up the Welcome Mat) and Jessie Jo had received another nomination for Best Country Song (“Buried”).
“We had the best day. We had mimosas and called Lainey [Wilson], FaceTimed Jelly and called Brandy. It was just a cool day for the whole crew,” she says. “[Sharing it with my friends] felt like the best part of it. So many people that I love got nominations I feel like they deserved.”
When asked about being nominated alongside Shane McAnally, Jessie Jo shares that she feels honored to be in a category with someone she admires so much.
“He is one of the best songwriters I’ve ever known. He is so unique and he taught me so much. I met him when I was like 22 or 23. and he was one of the first people to ever really believe in me and bring me into writes,” she says. “He’ll be in the Hall of Fame one day for sure.”
Jessie Jo, Shane and all of the deserving nominees will head to to Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 4 for the 66th annual awards. Voting for Grammy winners closes Thursday (Jan. 4).
Red Street Publishing Signs Brian White
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L-R): Mike Craft, Don Koch, Madison Policastri, Kelly Rich, Brian White, Alex Valentine and Jay DeMarcus
Red Street Publishing has added seasoned hitmaker Brian White to its roster.
White has more than 400 cuts to date, including 16 No. 1s. His credits include Michael English‘s “Holding Out Hope To You” and The Martins‘ “The Promise,” both of which took home a Dove Award for Song of the Year, as well as Rodney Atkins‘ “Watching You,” which was named SESAC Country Song of the Year, and Jason Aldean‘s chart-topper “Blame It On You.”
White’s work has been recorded by other Christian artists such as We Are Messengers, Ben Fuller, Consumed By Fire, Danny Gokey, Kutless, 7eventh Time Down, Avalon, Point of Grace, Mandisa, 4Him, Larnelle Harris, Karyn Williams and Selah, among others. He has also scored more cuts in the country and pop markets with Rascal Flatts, Trace Adkins, Gary Allan, The Swon Brothers, Steve Holy, Earl Scruggs, Terri Clark, Kix Brooks and BlackHawk.
Additionally, White worked as a touring artist with the band Brian White And Justice for 15 years.
“Brian and I grew up as writers together in the mid ’80s. He has become one of the few in Nashville who write Christian and country music equally well. I am proud to have him as a part of our Red Street writing team,” says Don Koch, Red Street’s EVP of Publishing/A&R.
“I’m beyond grateful to be a part of the Red Street family,” shares White. “They have put together an amazing team and I’m excited about the opportunity to work together with them. I have a lot of musical history with both Jay [DeMarcus] and Don and I’m looking forward to adding to our story!”
George Birge Achieves First Chart-Topper With ‘Mind On You’
/by Lorie HollabaughGeorge Birge
Rising country artist George Birge’s single “Mind on You” has become his first No. 1 on the Mediabase country chart. It has also debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 88. To celebrate, a new remix version of the song featuring charlieonnafriday and Kidd G is out now.
Birge reacted on socials to the news saying “My FIRST NUMBER ONE on the LAST day of the year… Y’all I have dreamed of this day my entire life and there were at least a hundred sleepless nights where I thought it might never come true. Y’all never quit on me and believed in me even when I didn’t and today we have the NUMBER ONE SONG IN AMERICA…”
Birge’s “Mind on You” is RECORDS Nashville’s third No. 1. Birge is also one of five artists who will be featured on the upcoming CRS 2024’s New Faces of Country Music Show.
“We are so thrilled for George Birge and this major accomplishment,” says Josh Easler, Executive Vice President of Promotion & Commercial Strategy at RECORDS Nashville. “His years of hard work and honing his craft have paid off with his first number one single. I’m proud of George, and am proud of the RECORDS team as well for their incredible efforts.”
Another rising artist at RECORDS, singer-songwriter/rapper Dax, whose new single “To Be A Man” (featuring Darius Rucker) was just released in December, has begun his ascent thanks to robust streaming numbers, with 100 million streams and 400,000 singles sold to date. Following his recent performance debut on NBC’s The Today Show, the track also returned to No. 1 on the country iTunes chart. Dax has over 10 million followers on TikTok and close to six million YouTube subscribers. His 2022 single, “Dear Alcohol” (featuring Elle King), also earned him his first Platinum certification, with “To Be A Man” rapidly approaching Gold status.
“We are thrilled with these milestones from two very deserving artists,” says David Enriquez, Senior Vice President at RECORDS. “So much of today’s market is driven by moments and trends, but George Birge and Dax’s successes were years in the making and we couldn’t be happier to be partners in the process of helping develop two amazing acts who will be around for years to come.”
Weekly Register: Christmas Collections Climb The Country Albums Chart
/by Liza AndersonChristmas collections have climbed the country albums chart to close out 2023. Brenda Lee‘s Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree takes No. 2 with 42K in total consumption (127 album only/53 million song streams), and Burl Ives‘ Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer follows at No. 3 with 39K (494 album only/50 million song streams), according to Luminate data.
Morgan Wallen‘s One Thing At A Time reigns at the top with 60K (4.8K album only/70 million song streams). Zach Bryan‘s self-titled project shifts to No. 4 with 38K (4.1K album only/43 million song streams), and Taylor Swift‘s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) descends to No. 5 with 36K (20K album only/21 million song streams).
On the country streaming songs chart, the top five remain the same.
Bryan and Kacey Musgraves‘ “I Remember Everything” maintains its No. 1 status with 15 million new streams, adding to 374 million ATD, and Wallen’s “Last Night” holds No. 2 with 11 million streams, adding 1.116 billion ATD. Bryan’s “Something In The Orange” stays at No. 3 with 10 million new streams, adding to 1.140 billion ATD, followed by Wallen’s “Thinkin’ Bout Me” at No. 4 with 8.9 million streams, adding to 534 million ATD. Jessie Murph and Jelly Roll‘s “Wild Ones” continues at No. 5 with seven million new streams, adding to 561 million ATD.
Looking For A New Job In 2024? Check Out MusicRow’s Job Board
/by LB CantrellWith another year upon us, new job opportunities are opening up.
MusicRow wants to encourage its readers who are either looking for a music industry job or have an open position to fill to check out its Job Listings Board, located in the top menu bar on the MusicRow website.
Those who have full-time, part-time or temporary job opportunities can submit a form to list a job on the Job Listings Board. All job listings are free-to-list and will be posted for 60 days. Listings are accepted and published at the discretion of MusicRow.
‘Earl Scruggs’ 100th Birthday Celebration’ To Air Live Exclusively On Veeps
/by Lorie HollabaughA star-studded lineup of bluegrass and country artists will unite at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to celebrate Earl Scruggs‘ 100th birthday this Saturday (Jan. 6). The special tribute concert will air live, one time only, exclusively on Veeps.
The show will feature musical direction by Jerry Douglas, with performances by The Earls of Leicester, Del McCoury Band, Gena Britt, Alison Brown, Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Stuart Duncan, Jimmie Fadden, Bela Fleck, Jeff Hanna, Sierra Hull, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Jim Mill, Justin Moses, Jerry Pentecost, Todd Phillips, Harry Stinson, Bryan Sutton, Tony Trischka and more.
All Access subscribers can access the show for free, otherwise individual tickets are on sale for $14.99. The concert will air live on Saturday at 8 p.m. CT. For more information, click here.
Proceeds from the event will benefit The Earl Scruggs Center, which is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Scruggs’ remarkable life and contributions to music. Scruggs was considered to be one of the most influential banjo players in the world. His duo Flatt & Scruggs provided the banjo-driven music for the theme song of the television series The Beverly Hillbillies, and the 1967 blockbuster film Bonnie and Clyde featured their 1949 recording of Scruggs’ composition “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.”
Scruggs was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985, the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 1991, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) in 2007 and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009. The Recording Academy presented him with four Grammys and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Scruggs was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.
Black Opry Revue Announces 2024 Tour Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughBlack Opry Revue
The Black Opry—the organization that seeks to create equity and opportunities for Black artists working in the country, Americana, folk and roots music industries—has announced the first 2024 dates for “The Black Opry Revue Tour.”
The Black Opry Revue will perform across the country, with each show featuring a unique lineup of mostly acoustic performances showcasing the value of diversity within music. The tour will visit Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Colorado, Michigan and more through March 29.
After three stand-alone shows in late 2021, the “Black Opry Revue Tour” launched in January 2022. The tour has gone on to play over 100 venues and festivals with stops across the entire U.S. Notable venues and festivals the revue has played include Dollywood, CMA Fest, Newport Folk Fest, Americana Fest, Willie Nelson’s Luck Ranch and The Troubadour.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at BlackOpryRevue.com.
John Michael Montgomery To Retire From The Road In 2025
/by LB CantrellJohn Michael Montgomery. Photo: Carrie Wilson/CMW Photography
’90s country staple John Michael Montgomery will retire from touring by the end of 2025.
Montgomery’s illustrious career spans more than 30 years, and encompasses 16 million album sold as well as 36 radio singles and seven No. 1 hits. His enduring classics include “I Swear,” “I Love the Way You Love Me,” “Be My Baby Tonight,” “I Can Love You Like That,” “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)” and more.
The country star shared the news with his fans via social media on New Year’s Day (Jan. 1).
“I’ll never forget the first time I stepped foot on a tour bus for my first show back in 1992, with my first single ‘Life’s A Dance’ just coming out on radio. It was so surreal to me. And of course like any new artist would, I worried about how long it would last and hoped it would not be a ‘flash in the pan’ career,” Montgomery shares. “So every album, every song and every year of being able to do what I love for so many years, and for the fans who have supported me and my music, I’ve cherished those moments very deeply. So, a BIG thank you to them all!”
Montgomery confirmed that his road life will dwindle to a close, but he may still perform here and there. He is set to start a farewell tour in 2024, with some dates already announced. For more information, click here.
The artist says, “I’m not saying I’m never gonna step on stage and perform again, I still love that feeling of entertaining and the crowd cheering and singing along with my songs as much as that first show over thirty years ago, and it all started when my parents got me on stage when I was a kid. So I’m sure there will be some situations where I just need to do a show here and there because I’ll miss that too much. But I just feel the time has come to say goodbye to the road life.”