Nominees Announced For 57th Annual CMA Awards

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The final nominees for the 57th annual CMA Awards have been revealed. Lainey Wilson leads the list with nine nominations, becoming the only artist in CMA Awards history to top the nominations list in their first two appearances on final ballot.

Other top nominees include first-time nominee Jelly Roll with five nominations, while Luke Combs and Hardy collect four nominations each. Jordan Davis, Ashley McBryde, producer/mix engineer Joey Moi, songwriter/producer Jordan Schmidt, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and musician/producer Derek Wells secure three nominations a piece.

Vying for the night’s highest honor, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Combs is nominated again in the category alongside Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Wallen and Wilson.

The 57th CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, will broadcast live from Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 8-11 p.m. ET on ABC.

First-time CMA Awards nominees include Jelly Roll, Mason Allen, Trannie Anderson, Renee Blair, Michael H. Brauer, Katelyn Brown, Zach Bryan, Tracy Chapman, Josh Ditty, David Fanning, Nicki Fletcher, Greylan James, Paul Jenkins, Gena Johnson, Chase McGill, Cameron Montgomery, Megan Moroney, Austin Nivarel, Eivind Nordland, John Osborne, Hunter Phelps, David Ray Stevens, Patrick Tohill, Alysa Vanderheym, The War And Treaty, Hailey Whitters, Ben Williams, Dallas Wilson and Charlie Worsham.

Winners of the 57th annual CMA Awards will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible CMA members. The third and Final Ballot will be emailed to CMA Professional members on Monday, Oct. 2. Voting for the CMA Awards Final Ballot ends Friday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. CT.

Final Nominees for the 57th annual CMA Awards are below:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
– Luke Combs
– Chris Stapleton
– Carrie Underwood
– Morgan Wallen
– Lainey Wilson

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
– “Fast Car” – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
– “Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
– “Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Producer: Austin Nivarel
Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
– “Wait In The Truck” – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
Mix Engineer: Joey Moi

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
– Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde
Producers: John Osborne, John Peets
Mix Engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
– Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
– Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
– One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery
Mix Engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland
– Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
Mix Engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym

SONG OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Songwriter(s)
– “Fast Car”
Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
– “Heart Like A Truck”
Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
– “Next Thing You Know”
Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
– “Tennessee Orange”
Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
– “Wait In The Truck”
Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
– Kelsea Ballerini
– Miranda Lambert
– Ashley McBryde
– Carly Pearce
– Lainey Wilson

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

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
– Lady A
– Little Big Town
– Midland
– Old Dominion
– Zac Brown Band

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

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
– “Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
– “She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina
Producer: Zach Crowell
– “Thank God” – Kane Brown (with Katelyn Brown)
Producer: Dann Huff
– “Wait In The Truck” – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
– “We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce (featuring Chris Stapleton)
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
– Jenee Fleenor
– Paul Franklin
– Rob McNelley
– Derek Wells
– Charlie Worsham

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
– “Light On In The Kitchen” – Ashley McBryde
Director: Reid Long
– “Memory Lane” – Old Dominion
Directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
– “Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll
Director: Patrick Tohill
– “Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis
Director: Running Bear
– “Wait In The Truck” – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
Director: Justin Clough

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
– Zach Bryan
– Jelly Roll
– Parker McCollum
– Megan Moroney
– Hailey Whitters

Finalists for the CMA Broadcast Awards were also announced today. The winners will be determined by a final round of judging this month. Entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions. The winners will be revealed in October and recipients will be honored at the CMA Awards.

2023 CMA Broadcast Awards – Finalists For Broadcast Personality Of The Year (by market size):

Weekly National
– American Country Countdown (Kix Brooks) – Cumulus/Westwood One
– Country Countdown USA (Lon Helton) – Compass Media Networks
– Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence (Tracy Lawrence and Patrick Thomas) – Silverfish Media
– On The Horizon with Buzz Brainard (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM
– Y’all Access with Kelly Sutton (Kelly Sutton) – Firefly Media/Silverfish Media

Daily National
– Angie Ward – iHeartMedia
– The Big D and Bubba Show (Derek “Big D” Haskins, Sean “Bubba” Powell, Patrick Thomas, and Carsen Humphreville) – Silverfish Media
– Katie & Company (Katie Neal) – Audacy
– Nights with Elaina (Elaina Smith) – Westwood One
– The Sam Alex Show (Sam Alex) – Sam Alex Productions, LLC

Major Market
– Chris Carr & Company (Chris Carr, Kia Becht, and Sam Sansevere) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
– Frito & Katy (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas
– Hawkeye in the Morning with Hawkeye and Michelle (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk and Michelle Rodriguez) – KSCS, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
– Josh, Rachael & Grunwald (Josh Holleman, Rachael Hunter, and Steve Grunwald) – WYCD, Detroit, Mich.
– Scotty Kay (Scotty Kay) – WUSN, Chicago, Ill.

Large Market
– The Big Dave Show (“Big Dave” Chandler, Ashley Heiert, and Jason “Stattman” Statt) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
– The Morning Drive with Mike Kellar and Jenny Matthews (Mike Kellar and Jenny Matthews) – KBEQ, Kansas City, Missouri
– Scott and Shannen (Scott Dolphin and “Shannen O” Oesterreich) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, Wisconsin
– Tim & Chelsea In The Morning (Tim Leary and Chelsea Taylor) – WIRK, West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Florida
– The Wayne D Show (“Wayne D” Danielson and Tay Hamilton) – WSIX, Nashville, Tennessee

Medium Market
– Cait & Bradley Morning Show (Cait Fisher and Matt Bradley) – KWEN, Tulsa, Oklahoma
– Clay & Company (Clay Moden, Rob Banks, and Kadie Daye) – WYRK, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York
– Ellis and Bradley Show (Bill Ellis and Beth Bradley) – WSSL, Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina
– Mo & StyckMan (Melissa “Mo” Wagner and Greg “StyckMan” Owens) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tennessee
– Steve & Gina In The Morning (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa

Small Market
– The B100 Morning Show with Brittney Baily (Brittney Baily) – WBYT, South Bend, Indiana
– The Eddie Foxx Show (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, North Carolina
– Officer Don & DeAnn (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
– Steve & Tiffany in the Morning (Steve Waters and Tiffany Kay) – WFLS, Fredericksburg, Virginia
– Steve, Ben and Nikki (Steve Stroud, Ben Walker, and Nikki Thomas) – WXBQ, Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia

2023 CMA Broadcast Awards – Finalists For Radio Station Of The Year (by market size):

Major Market
KCYY – San Antonio, Texas
KEEY – Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota
KKBQ – Houston, Texas
KSCS – Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
WXTU – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Large Market
WIRK – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Florida
WKDF – Nashville, Tennessee
WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wisconsin
WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio
WWKA – Orlando, Florida

Medium Market
KUZZ – Bakersfield, California
KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa
WGGY – Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Pennsylvania
WPCV – Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida
WQMX – Akron, Ohio

Small Market
KCLR – Columbia, Missouri
WBYT – South Bend, Indiana
WKML – Fayetteville, North Carolina
WXBQ – Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia
WYCT – Pensacola, Florida

Darryl Worley To Headline Residency For Opryland’s ‘A Country Christmas’

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Darryl Worley. Photo: Amy Allmand

Darryl Worley is headlining a brand-new, multi-week dinner show residency as part of Gaylord Opryland’s 40th annual “A Country Christmas” beginning Nov. 23.

“Darryl Worley & Friends: Home For The Holidays” will feature Worley performing holiday classics and many of his career chart-toppers as well as special guests Lorrie Morgan, The Isaacs, Deana Carter, Billy Dean, Andy Griggs and Billy Gilman performing with Worley on select dates.

“Christmas has always been a special time for my family,” explains Worley. “Growing up, we never had a lot of excessive things, but my parents made sure Christmas was not just about the presents but about the experience and meaning of the season. I am so grateful to Gaylord Opryland for giving me a chance to share that Christmas spirit with all the people who visit Nashville during the holidays!”

Gaylord Opryland’s “A Country Christmas” kicks off on Nov. 10,  and Worley will headline 33 live dinner shows through Christmas Day. Held in the iconic 2,888-room hotel’s Tennessee Ballroom, guests will enjoy a holiday meal prepared by the resort’s culinary team followed by Worley and Friends’ performances. Tickets are available now. For more information, click here.

On The Row: Megan Moroney Highlights Her Creative Talents Beyond Making Music

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Megan Moroney. Photo: David McClister

Megan Moroney first took the country music scene by storm with her breakout smash “Tennessee Orange,” captivating fans with her strong yet soft sound and clever writing style.

With songs such as the witty “I’m Not Pretty” and the uniquely relatable “Hair Salon,” she has maintained her superstar momentum. As “I’m Not Pretty” hit the airwaves, Moroney took some time to share a little about herself and her career thus far with MusicRow, serenading us with the radio-ready tune and more, including “No Caller ID,” a vulnerable track that she co-wrote with Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillion and Connie Harrington about an ex spontaneously-yet-constantly reaching out.

Megan Moroney. Photo: Courtesy of MusicRow

Born and raised in Douglasville, Georgia, the singer-songwriter began playing guitar at age 16, after her dad suggested it as an outlet to process post-breakup emotions and taught her how to play. Moroney then began posting covers on social media, some featuring three-part harmonies with her dad and brother.

The University of Georgia alum was known as “the country singer” in college. One of her first live performances was at her sorority’s spring philanthropy event. There she caught the attention of country star Chase Rice, who asked if she would open for him at the Georgia Theatre the following month. In the time leading up to her supporting appearance, Moroney started writing her own songs.

She then shifted her studies from accounting to marketing, digital marketing and music business. Through the music business program, Moroney met her current producer Kristian Bush as well as his brother Brandon Bush, and served as their publishing intern in Atlanta during the second semester of her senior year.

After graduation, she made the move to Nashville in June of 2020. Moroney spent her first year in Music City writing and working as an influencer. Kristian then reached out and introduced her to her now manager Juli Griffith, who connected her with some of her frequent collaborators. One of them being Ben Williams, who has co-written many songs with Moroney.

Last year, Moroney began to gain traction with “Tennessee Orange” and her Pistol Made of Roses EP, which led to a record deal with Columbia Records/Sony Music Nashville. She has since been named one of CMT’s Next Women of Country for 2023, released her debut album Lucky, made multiple fairs and festivals appearances and opened for the likes of Brooks & Dunn and more.

“Hearing people sing my songs back to me has been the coolest [part of my career] so far,” says Moroney.

Growing up, Mononey’s father had her analyzing songs by The Eagles, James Taylor and other great acts at a young age, showing her how to identify the various riffs and patterns that draw fans in. During her time as an influencer, Moroney was able learn and hone in on other creative components that get people’s attention. As a result, she brings a blend of those skills into her music career. When it came to developing her first full-length project, Moroney had full creative control over every aspect.

“I have everything to do with every single creative [element] you see. All the visuals are 100 percent me,” she shared. “When I thought of “Lucky” I [could picture] line dancing in a casino and knew I could create a whole world around it.”

Moroney co-directed the recently released video for “I’m Not Pretty” alongside Jeff Johnson, which stars the artist in a dual role as the song’s protagonist and the mean girl trying to put her down.

YouTube video

“[When] I started writing songs, I was seeing music videos in my head. I feel like [that’s the case] with a lot of my songs, I can [usually] visualize what they’re going to look like,” she expressed. “To have creative control and be with a label that trusts me creatively is really fulfilling for me, because I love that side of it just as much as songwriting.”

Moroney recently unveiled “Can’t Break Up Now,” a collaboration with Old Dominion, and will continue to pour her heart into her songs and bring her visions to fruition this year as she hits the road on her headlining trek, “The Lucky Tour,” which kicks off Sept. 20 with her New York City debut at The Bowery Ballroom.

Carly Pearce & More To Celebrate 15th Annual ‘Opry Goes Pink’

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The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate the 15th anniversary of “Opry Goes Pink” in support of breast cancer research on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning Opry member Carly Pearce, who has performed over 100 times on the famed stage, will flip the switch on the Opry’s signature barn backdrop, turning it pink for the night.

In partnership with Susan G. Komen For the Cure and presented by Humana, “Opry Goes Pink” will donate five dollars from every ticket sold to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to aid in the fight against breast cancer.

Additional artists scheduled to perform include Opry members The Isaacs, Gary Mule Deer, Riders In The Sky, Priscilla Block and more.

Tickets are on sale now. For more information, click here.

Darius Rucker, Don McLean, Duane Eddy & Joe Galante Going To Music City Walk Of Fame

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Pictured (clockwise): Darius Rucker, Don McLean, Joe Galante, Duane Eddy

Four more stars will be added to the Music City Walk of Fame this fall when three-time Grammy Award-winner Darius Rucker, Don McLean of “American Pie” fame, rock and roll guitarist Duane Eddy and former record-label executive Joe Galante are inducted.

The induction ceremony will bestow the 101st, 102nd, 103rd and 104th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame. Inductees are recognized for their significant work of preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and for contributing to the world through song.

The induction ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. at Music City Walk of Fame Park. Members of the public are invited to view the ceremony.

“This exceptional inductee class for the Music City Walk of Fame embody iconic moments in the history of music—from Darius Rucker’s rendition of “Wagon Wheel” to Don McLean’s classic “American Pie” to the distinctive twang of Duane Eddy’s guitar,” says Ken Levitan, Chairman of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp Board of Directors and Founder and Co-President of Vector Management. “Nashville’s music industry would not be the dominant force it is today without Joe Galante, who solidified country as a leading genre in the record industry and who continues to nurture the next generation of music leaders through tech startups and entrepreneur programs.”

“Darius, Don, and Duane have not only given us the gift of their music and inspired new generations of musicians, but they have also given back generously over their career to important causes that matter to all of us” adds Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson Brands. “Joe has broken boundaries all throughout his career, developed some of the most iconic country artists of all time, and is a driving force in our community. All of us at Gibson are proud to join Music City Walk of Fame in honoring Darius, Don, Duane and Joe.”

Professional wrestler Ric Flair will be in attendance to induct Rucker. Connie Valens, the sister of the late Ritchie Valens whose death was immortalized in “American Pie,” will present McLean. Grammy Award-winner and Music City Walk of Fame member Steve Wariner will induct Eddy. Vince Gill, 22-time Grammy Award winner and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Music City Walk of Fame, will induct Galante.

Matt McGinn Signs With Boom Music Group & Cinq Music Group

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Pictured (L-R, front row): Joe Fisher (Founder, Boom Music Group), Matt McGinn, Shannan Hatch (SVP, Head of Nashville Creative, SESAC PRO); (L-R, back row): Shaina Botwin (Sr. Director A&R, Boom Music Group), Logan Mulvey (Partner, Cinq Music Group), Lydia Schultz Cahill (Sr. Director, Creative Services, SESAC PRO)

Hit songwriter and producer Matt McGinn has signed a publishing deal with Boom Music Group in partnership with Cinq Music Group.

With many cuts in multiple genres, McGinn has celebrated nine No. 1 songs. Chart-toppers co-written by McGinn include “7500 OBO” recorded by Tim McGraw, as well as several hits recorded by Kane Brown, such as “Like I Love Country Music,” “Homesick,” “One Thing Right” and “Heaven,” the latter of which was the first song to win Song of the Year at all three country awards for ASCAP, BMI and SESAC in 2018. He was named Songwriter of the Year at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards in 2018 and again in 2020.

McGinn currently has a top 3 hit with Brown’s latest, “Bury Me In Georgia” and recently celebrated a 2-week No. 1 at Active Rock radio with Staind’s “Lowest In Me.” Additionally, he co-wrote all ten songs on Staind’s upcoming album, due out in September.

“I used to listen to Matt’s demos on Soundcloud before I even moved to Nashville,” says Shaina Botwin, Sr. Director, A&R at Boom Music Group. “He’s a brilliant songwriter and I’m very excited to partner with him and Cinq for the next chapter of his career!”

“I am honored to join the Boom and Cinq rosters alongside some of my favorite songwriters in Nashville,” says McGinn. “Joe Fisher’s veteran experience and his pragmatic business approach, coupled with Shaina Botwin’s inability to be anything but a badass made this a decision hard for even me to overthink… if only second verses were this easy.”

Industry Ink: Jordan Davis, Hardy, Fall Copyright Symposium, More

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Jordan Davis Celebrates Billionaire Streaming Status At Ascend Nashville Show

Jordan Davis and UMG Nashville Chair & CEO Cindy Mabe. Photo: Caleb Cockrell

Jordan Davis successfully launched his headlining “Damn Good Time Tour” over Labor Day weekend with a sold-out show at The Roxy in Atlanta (Aug. 31), then at Nashville’s riverfront venue Ascend Amphitheater (Sept. 1). At the Music City show, Davis was surprised by UMG Nashville Chair & CEO Cindy Mabe with a commemorative plaque celebrating his more than 5 billion career streams since first breaking out onto the scene with his RIAA Gold-certified debut album Home State.

With the February 2023 launch of his Gold sophomore album Bluebird Days, Davis has now earned six No. 1s, including the 2x Platinum hit “Singles You Up,” Platinum hits “Take It From Me” and “Slow Dance in A Parking Lot,” as well as the multi-week No. 1s “Buy Dirt” (2x Platinum), “What My World Spins Around” (Gold) and “Next Thing You Know” (Platinum). He has also earned a Top 5 Platinum hit with “Almost Maybes” and will support Luke Combs’ 2024 stadium tour.

 

Hardy Receives Platinum Surprise With Lainey Wilson At Knoxville Show

Hardy and Lainey Wilson. Photo: Tanner Gallagher

Hardy launched his headline “The Mockingbird & The Crow Fall Tour” this past weekend across the south. With Lainey Wilson and Dylan Marlowe along for the ride, he greeted 11,325 fans over the tour’s first two nights.

His 21-song set was backed by upgraded visuals, pyrotechnics, and a three-piece band, delivering No. 1 hits, deep cuts, and fan favorites across the 90-minute headline sprint. Backstage at the Knoxville, Tennessee show on Aug. 31, Hardy and Wilson were surprised with a plaque celebrating their Platinum No. 1 “Wait In The Truck,” that earned the pair multiple ACM awards and a CMT Collaborative Video of the Year award this year.

 

Fall Copyright Symposium Set For Sept. 11 At Belmont

The Fall Copyright Symposium with Copyright Society of the South will be held at Belmont University on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Janet Ayers Academic Center Conference Room (Ayers C & D).

The three session event will feature Judge Steve Ruwe, one of the three current judges on the Copyright Royalty Board, as well as John Riley, Assistant Attorney General at the Copyright Office. Space is limited. To sign up to attend, RSVP here or email copyrightsocietyofthesouth@gmail.com.

 

Steven Champion Signs With Average Joes Entertainment

Steven Champion. Photo: Julian Mendoza

Steven Champion, formerly known as Tainted Lyric, has signed a deal with Average Joes Entertainment. In conjunction with the announcement of his signing, Champion has shared his debut single, “Tired Of Losing,” on all major digital platforms.

After 12 years of working as a nightshift boiler operator in the lumber industry, the Alabama native first gained traction on TikTok after the release of his single, “This Road I’m On,” which has earned over four million worldwide streams since its release in February of 2021. Champion has amassed a following of more than 750,000 across TikTok and Instagram.

“I’m very excited to join the Average Joes family,” shares Champion. “I can’t wait to get to work and some things I’ve been working on with my fans!”

 

Michael Johnathon Joins PLA Media Roster

Michael Johnathon of WoodSongs

Singer-songwriter, performer, screenwriter and broadcast personality Michael Johnathon has signed with PLA Media for representation.

PLA Media previously worked with Johnathon on a number of projects, including the launch of his radio show WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour, which is aired on over 500 stations, public TV coast-to-coast, and more. PLA also supported him through the release of his 15th studio album Legacy, which includes the nine-minute title track about the history of songwriters.

“I am so happy to be rejoining forces with the PLA Media team. We have a wonderful synergy and I look forward to their support of my many initiatives including a new season of WoodSongs, WoodSongs Kids TV, the 8th annual gathering of SongFarmers, my 20th studio album and more,” says Johnathon.

John Jarrard To Be Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame

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John Jarrard

The late John Jarrard will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) at the 53rd anniversary NaSHOF Gala on Oct. 11 at Nashville’s Music City Center.

Jarrard was elected in NaSHOF’s Legacy category, which is designed specifically to honor hall of fame-worthy candidates who are deceased. He will be inducted posthumously alongside the previously announced members of the Class of 2023 – Keith Urban, Kix Brooks, Casey Beathard, David Lee Murphy and Rafe Van Hoy. The six new inductees-elect will join the 235 existing members of the Hall, which was established in 1970.

A native of Gainesville, Georgia, he moved to Nashville in 1977 to pursue a songwriting career. Within a year the University of Georgia graduate began to lose his sight to diabetes, and by 1979 he was totally blind. Undaunted, Jarrard became a familiar figure on Music Row, negotiating its streets on foot with the use of a cane. His determination never failed, and in 1983 Don Williams scored a chart-topping hit with his song “Nobody But You.”

Throughout the ’80s, more hits followed including “There’s No Way” by Alabama, “What’s A Memory Like You (Doin’ In A Love Like This)” by John Schneider, “Lonely Alone” by The Forester Sisters, “You’ve Got The Touch” by Alabama and “Shouldn’t It Be Easier Than This” by Charley Pride. In the ’90s, Jarrard scored more top five trend hits with “Mirror, Mirror” by Diamond Rio, “Money In The Bank” by John Anderson, “My Kind Of Girl” by Collin Raye and “Blue Clear Sky” by George Strait.

“We’re gratified to see John Jarrard memorialized in this year’s class,” says Rich Hallworth, NaSHOF Board of Directors Chair. “Through memorable songs such as “Money In The Bank” by John Anderson and “Blue Clear Sky” by George Strait, John will be remembered always.  He is richly deserving of our ultimate recognition.”

Jarrard is also a 2010 inductee into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Curb | Word Music Publishing Announces Staff Promotion & Addition

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Sarah Schumacher & Calista Miller

Curb | Word Music Publishing has promoted Sarah Schumacher to Senior Creative Director, Country Publishing, and added Calista Miller as Creative Coordinator, Country Publishing.

Schumacher began her publishing career at Disney Music Group, where she served as Catalog Manager and handled day-to-day writer management. In 2019, the California State University, Northridge graduate formed writer management and development company Darkhorse Music Management. Schumacher then joined Curb | Word Music Publishing in October 2021 as Creative Director, Country Publishing.

Reporting to Ciara Shortridge, VP, Country Publishing/A&R and Colt Murski, VP, Country Publishing & Creative, her responsibilities include managing creative operations of the country songwriter roster and catalog. Most recently, Schumacher signed history-making country writer and producer Alex Kline into the Curb | Word Music Publishing family.

Miller officially joined the Curb | Word Music Publishing team upon her graduation from Belmont University’s Mike Curb College Of Entertainment & Music Business in 2022, after working as an intern her senior year.

Reporting to Schumacher, Shortridge and Murski, her primary responsibilities consist of coordinating and facilitating strategic writing sessions for the country songwriter roster, managing social media strategy for the department, and assisting in pitching/placing writer catalog, in addition to catalog administration duties.

Tyler Childers Confirms Global ‘Mule Pull ’24 Tour’

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Tyler Childers and The Food Stamps. Photo: Sam Waxman

Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Tyler Childers and his longtime band, The Food Stamps, will embark on their global “Mule Pull ’24 Tour” next year. Stops on this tour include New York’s Madison Square Garden, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena (two nights), Inglewood’s Kia Forum, Austin’s Moody Center, Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena and London’s Eventim Apollo as well as shows in Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Norway and more.

Special guests on the tour include Medium Build, Hayes Carll, Sylvan Esso, 49 Winchester, John R. Miller and Allison Russell.

The upcoming tour adds to yet another monumental year for Childers, who was just presented with Pandora Radio’s Billionaire Award and is set to release his highly anticipated new album, Rustin’ In The Rain, this Friday, Sept. 8 on Hickman Holler Records/RCA Records. In celebration of the record, Childers hosted a special “Tyler Childers & Friends” show at the Grand Ole Opry last night (Sept. 5), performing alongside S.G. Goodman, Margo Price, Erin Rae and The Travelin’ McCourys, all of whom are also featured on the new album.

“This is a collection of songs I playfully pieced together as if I was pitching a group of songs to Elvis,” says Childers, reflecting on his new album. “Some covers, one co-write, and some I even wrote in my best (terrible) Elvis impersonation, as I worked around the farm and kicked around the house. I hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as I enjoyed creating it. Thank you. Thank you very much.”

Continuing to receive widespread attention, Childers recently unveiled breakthrough lead single, “In Your Love,” alongside an official music video, which debuted as YouTube’s No. 1 trending music video. Since then, the song has garnered over 5.9 million video views and 30 million on-demand streams along with critical acclaim from outlets such as NPR Music, Billboard, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Consequence, The Advocate, OUT, LGBTQ Nation and Rolling Stone.

Watch the official music video, written and creative directed by Silas House, and starring Colton Haynes and James Scully here and “The Making of ‘In Your Love’,” a special behind-the-scenes look at the video here.

In addition to “In Your Love,” the record also features new renditions of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and S.G. Goodman’s “Space and Time” as well as special guest vocals from Goodman, Margo Price and Erin Rae (“Luke 2:8-10”) and Ronnie McCoury, Jason Carter and Alan Bartram of the Travelin’ McCourys (“Percheron Mules”).

Tickets for the U.S. dates of the “Mule Pull ’24 Tour” will be available for pre-sale starting next Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. local time through 10 p.m. local time, with general on-sale following Friday, Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. local time. General on-sale for the Knoxville show will begin Sept. 15 at 12 p.m. local time. Registration for pre-sale access is open now via Ticketmaster, full details can be found at www.tylerchildersmusic.com/tour.

To help fans get tickets at the original prices and limit professional reseller activity, the tour will use Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange for resale. If needed, fans will be able to use the Exchange to resell tickets to other fans at the original price paid. Tickets for all shows (excluding New York) will be mobile only and restricted from transfer. In New York, tickets will be transferable, but Face Value Exchange is still encouraged to maintain original pricing.