Oliver Anthony, the overnight national sensation behind “Rich Men North of Richmond,” will go out on his first headlining international tour next year. The “Out of The Woods Tour” will span more than 40 dates with shows in six countries.

Anthony made headlines this year when he became the first artist in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard charts without previously having a song on the charts. Nominated for two awards at the upcoming Billboard Music Awards, Anthony is the first living male songwriter to chart 13 songs simultaneously in Billboard’s Top 50 Digital Song Sales.

“Rich Men North of Richmond” has been streamed more than 200 million times across streaming platforms and YouTube. Five of Anthony’s other songs have made iTunes’ top 10 list, with “I’ve Got to Get Sober” reaching No. 3 and “Ain’t Gotta Dollar” claiming No. 2 as well as taking the No. 1 spot on Spotify’s Viral 50 list.

“It’s been challenging understanding what my purpose is and what I’m supposed to do with the opportunity I’ve been given. I don’t deserve one bit of any of this,” Anthony says.

“In 2024, I feel compelled to connect with other lost souls like me. The people battling sobriety, depression, debt, divorce. The ones being taxed to death but ignored. The blue-collar and middle-class families who can’t get ahead because the system in place is getting ahead instead, at their expense.”

Tickets for the tour go on sale this Friday (Nov. 17).

“Out of The Woods 2024 Tour” Dates:
Feb. 1 – Stockholm, SE – Cirkus
Feb. 2 – Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene
Feb. 5 – Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg
Feb. 7 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowlands
Feb. 8 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
Feb. 10 – London, UK – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Feb. 12 – Belfast, UK – Ulster Hall
Feb. 13 – Dublin, IE – Vicar St.
Feb. 21 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Feb. 22 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Feb. 29 – Plant City, FL – The Florida Strawberry Festival (on sale Dec 7 8AM ET)
March 2 – Jupiter, FL – Abacoa Amphitheater
March 3 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena
March 8 – Alexandria, LA – Rapides Parish Coliseum
March 9 – Brandon, MS – The Brandon Amphitheater
March 16 – Queensland, AUS – CMC Rocks QLD 2024 (on sale now)
April 4 – Ft. Worth, TX – Billy Bob’s Texas
April 5 – Round Rock, TX – Round Rock Amp
April 6 – Lubbock, TX – Cook’s Garage
April 12 – Tupelo, MS – Cadence Bank Arena
April 13 – Jonesboro, AR – First National Bank Arena
April 19 – Albany, GA – Albany Civic Center
April 20 – Savannah, GA – Bulls, Bands & Barrels
April 26 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum Complex
April 27 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
May 3 – Huntington, WV – Mountain Health Arena
May 4 – Beaver Dam, KY – Beaver Dam Amphitheater
May 10 – Corbin, KY – The Corbin Arena
May 11 – Pikeville, KY – Appalachian Wireless Arena
May 17 – Doswell, VA – Atlantic Union Bank at the SERVPRO Pavilion
June 14 – Marion, IL – MTN Dew Park
June 15 – Camdenton, MO – Ozarks Amphitheater
June 16 – Council Bluffs, IA – Westfair Amphitheater
June 22 – Canandaigua, NY – CMAC
June 28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE Outdoors
July 19 – Cullman, AL – Rock The South (on sale now)
Aug. 16 – Lewisburg, WV – State Fair of West Virginia
Aug. 21 – Put-In-Bay, OH – Bash on the Bay (on sale now)
Aug. 23 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
Aug. 24 – Saginaw, MI – Dow Event Center
Sept. 1 – Palmer, AK – Alaska State Fair
Sept. 13 – Allegan, MI – Allegan County Fair

Warner Music Nashville Holds Partner Luncheon

Warner Music Nashville (WMN) hosted its ninth annual partner luncheon featuring Avery Anna, Chase Matthew and Matt Schuster last Wednesday (Nov. 8). The three up-and-coming artists performed for a packed audience of radio and streaming guests at Nashville’s Riverside Revival, where Bailey Zimmerman also made a surprise guest appearance.

 

Jake Worthington Wins Two-Fold At The Texas Country Music Awards

Big Loud recording artist Jake Worthington took home two trophies at Sunday night’s (Nov. 12) Texas Country Music Awards at Billy Bob’s Texas. The Lone Star state native was awarded Male Artist of the Year and Country Album of the Year for his debut, self-titled album.

“I just want to thank everybody here,” shared Worthington from the stage. “I believe in country music with all my heart. It’s about the only thing that ever made any sense to me. Walking through Billy Bob’s today, there’s so many people here that I have been inspired by, and I’m honored to be amongst everybody here. Here’s to the honky tonker, here’s to believer of country music, and here’s to every single one of us here tonight.”

Adding to the monumental evening, Worthington’s steel guitar player Adam Goodale also took home the win for Steel Guitar Player of the Year.

 

ACM & Spencer Crandall Join Ashley To Support Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee

The Academy of Country Music and Ashley—one of the top furniture, mattress and home furnishing brands—partnered together with Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee to celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary on Saturday (Nov. 11), with the help of country music artist Spencer Crandall.

At Saturday’s event, Crandall played music for those in attendance and interacted with those on site, including those receiving support from Gilda’s as well as friends of Gilda’s. Ashley donated $10,000 in furniture to furnish and decorate Gilda’s offices, including the complete revamp of the new support group room, which has been designed to meet the immediate needs of individuals navigating the challenges of cancer.

“Our 25th Anniversary Fall Festival was a spectacular event attended by hundreds of people facing cancer and their loved ones, community supporters, and volunteers. We are honored to be celebrating a quarter-century of providing cancer support at no charge to anyone in Middle Tennessee,” says Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee President & CEO Harriet Schiftan. “This event was made possible by the support of community sponsors ACM Lifting Lives and Ashley. Their contributions have played a vital role in ensuring that cancer support remains accessible to all. Spencer Crandall not only lifted spirits with his original songs but also became a part of the Gilda’s family.”

 

Shy Carter Unites Latin Business Leaders At Music Row Mixer

On Thursday (Nov. 9), the Tennessee Latin American Chamber of Commerce (TLACC) and Encore Bank presented the first Music Row Mixer, featuring special guest, Warner Music Nashville (WMN) and Truth Management Project artist Shy Carter.

Carter delivered an intimate performance of his new song, “Jesus At The Taco Truck,” both in English and Spanish, along with “One Call Away”—a song he co-wrote with Charlie Puth. The event marked the first collaborative mixer between country music and the Latíne C-suite and entrepreneur community put together by the TLACC board.

“Shy Carter knocked it out of the park, delivering soulful performances during our intimate gathering last week hosted by our friends at Encore Bank on Music Row,” says Jackie Marushka, TLACC Board member. “Hearing Shy sing in English and Spanish just blew everyone away. Shy has a huge new fan base within the Latin American business and entrepreneur community. Welcome, Shy!”

Songwriters-producers Stephen Kirk of Sixteen Sound and Jenna Andrews of Jennasis Music have signed Morgan Johnston and Tyler Jordan in a joint venture partnership with Warner Chappell.

Kirk has written and produced for BTS (“Butter,” “Permission to Dance”), Jessie Murph (Platinum “Always Been You,” “Pray”) and Dixie D’Amelio, and has over 3.6 billion streams, 8.4 billion TikTok views and 9.6 million Shazams cumulatively. He is also in a band Sunset West with his brother signed to Virgin Records. Kirk discovered Jordan in Nashville through a close friend and found Johnston at a writers round in Nashville.

Andrews has worked as a producer, A&R/creative consultant, songwriter, arranger and executive producer. She served as the vocal producer on BTS’ Grammy-nominated global smash, “Dynamite,” as well as the South Korean superstars’ chart-topping smash “Butter” and collaborated with Ed Sheeran on writing “Permission to Dance.”

Jordan grew up in Possum Kingdom, South Carolina, where he began singing, then picked up guitar and banjo before he was a teenager, performing and writing with influences including Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Eric Church and Stevie Nicks. Jordan has written with Walt Aldridge Jr., Gary Baker, Jenna Andrews, Mickey Guyton, Mark Nesler and more.

Johnston moved to Nashville in 2016 from her hometown of Sandwich, Massachusetts. She was part of ASCAP’s GPS Program, Class of 2020. She has written with writers including Jessie Murph, Kyle Schlienger, Kaylin Roberson, Mark Narmore and more, and opened for Lainey Wilson, Dustin Lynch, Sawyer Brown and more.

The sixth annual Dance Party to End ALZ, the event founded by Kimberly Williams-Paisley, took place on Sunday (Nov. 12) at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon, and raised over $300,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant program.

The party was hosted by Hallmark actor and director Ashley Williams and Hallmark actor, producer and writer Nikki DeLoach, and emceed by Apple Music radio host Kelleigh Bannen. Williams and DeLoach opened the evening with a surprise performance of “Party In the U.S.A.” before welcoming guests and sharing why co-hosting the event meant so much to them after both losing a parent to dementia. Williams’ mom, Linda, passed away with Alzheimer’s in 2016, and DeLoach’s dad, David, passed away with Pick’s Disease, a rare form of dementia, in 2021.

“We are beyond grateful to the Nashville community, performers, generous sponsors and attendees near and far who joined us at the sixth annual Dance Party to End ALZ,” said the co-hosts. “Everyone coming together for this cause means the world to us and our families. Together, we raised awareness and funds to support the Alzheimer’s Association’s research grant program, which is helping us get one step closer to ending Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.”

Dressed in 2000s fashion, performers took to the stage with Wildhorse Saloon’s house band, Three Lane, and covered throwback hits.

Jay Allen gave his take on “Kryptonite,” and was joined by wife, fellow artist Kylie Morgan, to perform his song “No Present Like the Time.” Melinda Doolittle performed her versions of “Crazy In Love” and “Since You’ve Been Gone,” while Charles Esten channeled Billie Joe Armstrong for “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” Paul Freeman sang his rendition of “Mr. Brightside,” and Paul Greene put his spin on “Seven Nation Army.” Ginna Claire Mason performed “Before He Cheats,” MaRynn Taylor serenaded the crowd with “Complicated,” while Alicia Witt channeled Britney Spears for “Lucky.”

The function also featured Noah Thompson’s take on “Move Along,” the Hallmark stars’ “I Gotta Feeling” group number and a group finale to “Beautiful Day.”

Williams-Paisley was also in attendance along with Benjamin Ayres, Brooke D’Orsay, Cindy Busby, Danica McKeller, Erich Hover, Erin Cahill, Jen Lilley, Jesse Hutch, Kristoffer Polaha, Melissa Joan Hart, Riley Weston, Sarah Drew and Trevor Donovan.

This year’s Event Committee included Williams; DeLoach; Annie Howell, Chief Communications Officer, Hallmark Media; Blake McDaniel, Music Touring Agent, CAA; Andrew Walker, actor, producer and Co-Founder, Little West; and Jay Williams, CEO & Apiarist, Williams Honey Farm.

To date, Dance Party to End ALZ has raised more than $2.1 million to fund diverse and exciting Alzheimer’s research—from studying the impacts of genetics and sleep on the brain, to developing a smartwatch-based intervention for dementia risk reduction.

Multi-Platinum artist Dustin Lynch has earned his ninth career No. 1 at country radio as “Stars Like Confetti” tops the Country Aircheck/Mediabase chart this week. He also reigns No. 1 on the Countrytown Hot 50 in Australia.

Penned by Josh Thompson, Thomas Rhett and Zach Crowell, “Stars Like Confetti” was first heard on Lynch’s 2022 album Blue In The Sky, which also delivered the 2x Platinum, six-week No. 1 collaboration “Thinking ‘Bout You (feat. MacKenzie Porter)” and hit “Party Mode.”

“What a way to cap off what has been an incredible year for us! Country radio friends and fam, thank YOU for another No. 1! Big shout-out to Josh Thompson, Thomas Rhett, and Zach Crowell for bringing this one into existence and their surrounding support systems,” shares Lynch. “Speaking of support systems, I’ve got the best. Thank you to my team, band, crew, and the best damn radio folks in the biz—Broken Bow Records. If y’all need me, I’ll be gone huntin’.”

Lynch recently released his sixth studio album, Killed The Cowboy, and is on deck to support Blake Shelton’s “Back To The Honky Tonk Tour” this winter. Lynch’s headlining “Killed The Cowboy Tour” will kick off on April 2 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.