Singer-songwriter Tyler Booth is set to release his Keep It Real EP on Sept. 15. One of the tracks, “G.O.B. by the G.O.G.,” is available now.
The Campton, Kentucky native wrote the song, which stands for “good ol’ boy by the grace of God,” alongside Wesley Davis and Russell Sutton.
“One of the cool things about country music is it sheds light on things that people don’t necessarily look past but don’t acknowledge,” he says. “It could be the simplest things like loving somebody or getting your heart broke, but ‘G.O.B. by the G.O.G.’ sheds light on a way of life. I wanted to write a song that was the anthem of the way me and everybody that I grew up around in Kentucky live and how we see things.”
His upbringing made Booth who he is today, and contributes to his resolute values and a work ethic. The Sony Music Nashville artist shared that the distinctive style of music born in Appalachia trickles into his own songs, since it’s part of who he is. When recording Keep It Real, Booth even played mandolin on several tracks.
“Mandolin is an instrument I grew up around. I had a cousin who played mandolin for Keith Whitley, and I just thought it was so awesome. It’s cool that it traces back to where I come from in East Kentucky, and it’s a full circle thing that it fits into my new music so well.”
The project will also include previously released tracks “Bring On The Neon,” “Different Kind Of Blue” and “Real Real Country.”
When creating Keep It Real, Booth leaned in to who he is at his core and allowed that to lead the way.
“I’ve been circling around myself as an artist and a songwriter for so long, and now I feel like I’ve found my voice in songwriting and singing and I think it comes from writing so many songs, and writing so many of them by myself so they’re completely true to me. Then getting to perform them live and see what the crowds react to has been incredible,” he shares.
Booth is currently supporting Jake Owen on his “Loose Cannon Tour,” and has recently shared stages with Brooks & Dunn, Darius Rucker, Dwight Yoakam and Cody Johnson.
Jenna Paulette Makes Grand Ole Opry Debut
/by LB CantrellJenna Paulette. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry
Country singer-songwriter Jenna Paulette made her Grand Ole Opry debut Friday night (Aug. 18).
Paulette grew up on a ranch in Texas inspired by the music of George Strait, Reba McEntire, Gene Autry, The Chicks and Miranda Lambert. Her upbringing lent itself to the blend of toughness and sensitivity that shows up in her music.
Jess Ogden, Taylor Morton, Jenna Paulette, Emily Miller, Taylor McAdams. Photo: Wes Walker
Paulette settled in Nashville in 2015, where she struck up a relationship with hit songwriter Ashley Gorley. His mentorship ultimately led to her publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music in June 2021. Now having written with Will Bundy, Rhett Akins and Jessie Jo Dillion, as well as having opened for Parmalee, John Michael Montgomery, Clay Walker and Aaron Watson, Paulette released her debut album, The Girl I Was, in March to critical acclaim.
For her Opry debut, Paulette pulled out “Country In The Girl” and “The Girl I Was.”
She shared the bill with Carrie Underwood, Dustin Lynch, Herb Alpert and Riders In The Sky. After her performance, Paulette and her team celebrated at an after party in The Circle Room at the Opry, sponsored by her Justin Boots and Lone River Ranch Water partners. There was an edible boot cake, Lone River Ranch Water cookies, Texas state cookies and Grand Ole Opry circle cookies, as well as food from Texas staple Whataburger.
Gorley, Swift & Chapman Reign On The MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by Caela GriffinAshley Gorley, Taylor Swift, Tracy Chapman
The songwriters filling the top 10 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart are led once again by Ashley Gorley.
With writing credits on ten tracks, including songs by Morgan Wallen, Parmalee, Dan + Shay and more, Gorley notches his second consecutive week atop the chart on this run.
Taylor Swift takes the No. 2 spot with six songs from her Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) album contributing to her ranking. Following at No. 3, Tracy Chapman cinches another week among the industry’s top songwriters with her solely written “Fast Car.”
Jordan Schmidt holds this week’s No. 4 slot ahead of Ryan Vojtesak at No. 5. Chase McGill, John Byron, Jason DeFord, Jessi Alexander and Julian Bunetta hold the remaining top 10 spots for another week.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Zach Bryan To Release Self-Titled Album This Friday
/by Liza AndersonSinger-songwriter Zach Bryan plans to reveal his new self-titled project this Friday (Aug. 25) via Warner Records.
The 2023 ACM New Male Artist of the Year shared the track listing, which includes collaborations with The War And Treaty, Sierra Ferrell, Kacey Musgraves and The Lumineers, in an Instagram post.
Bryan’s “Something In The Orange” recently notched 65 consecutive weeks on Billboard‘s Hot 100, making it the the longest-charting country single for a male artist on the chart. The quadruple-Platinum track is featured on his Platinum-certified debut album American Heartbreak, which remained in the U.S. top 10 for over a year after its initial release.
Originally from Oklahoma, the Navy veteran mixes classic folk melody and outlaw elements to tell his story through a unique sound all his own. To date, he has collected 6.3 billion global streams and 11 total RIAA song and album certifications.
Bryan is currently hitting the road on his headlining journey, “The Burn, Burn, Burn Tour.” He visits Oakland, California tonight (Aug. 21) and Los Angeles on Wednesday (Aug. 23), before stopping in Glendale, Arizona on the album’s release day.
Tyler Braden Shares One-Take Covers On New Project
/by Lorie HollabaughTyler Braden is sharing his fan-favorite, stripped-down “One Song, One Take” covers on his new five-track project, One Take Sessions: Vol. 1, out now on all streaming platforms.
The impetus for the collection comes from Braden’s popular live performance videos on YouTube, in which he’s tackled everything from post-grunge covers to his own stadium-ready anthems. The performances have earned him nearly 100,000 subscribers, and have always been exclusive to YouTube – until now.
“The ‘One Song, One Take’ videos started during quarantine as a way to try and bring back the live music feel while we couldn’t actually play live music or go to shows,” explains Braden. “If I messed up the take, it went up anyways because that’s how a live show works. No re-dos. When we saw how it was received on YouTube, it only made sense to elevate the videos a little for a limited run and include the band. We had a lot of fun, and I’m excited that people will be able to listen to them anytime they want now. May even do some more down the road!”
One Take Sessions: Vol. 1 follows Braden’s Neon Grave EP, released earlier this year. The Warner Music Nashville had a hand in penning all six cuts on the project, including one solo credit.
Braden has already accumulated more than 230 million global streams, and his debut single “Try Losing One” hit No. 1 on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown. The gritty country rocker has also toured with Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley and Mitchell Tenpenny this year, and is currently supporting Luke Bryan on select dates of his “Country On Tour.”
Wynonna To Launch ‘Back To Wy Tour’ This Fall
/by Lorie HollabaughWynonna Judd. Photo: Jim Wright
Wynonna Judd will kick off her 15-city theatre tour, “Back To Wy,” on Oct. 26 in Indianapolis.
The tour will feature songs off Wynonna’s first two solo albums—Wynonna (1992) and Tell Me Why (1993)—performed track by track, front to back, followed by a finale of her other hits along with The Judds classics.
“Getting to share this tour with the fans who have been with me for 40 years, means the world to me. Deep diving into my first two solo albums, Wynonna and Tell Me Why, track by track, will be a trip down memory lane. As I sit and listen to these two records, I’m flooded with the memories that surrounded that time in my life. The fans held me up and supported me through that season of change in 1992, and I now see ‘herstory’ repeating itself. This music healed me then and is healing me now. The circle of life continues…”
The trek will include stops across the U.S. in San Antonio, Dallas, Louisville, Austin, Oklahoma City and more before wrapping up in Knoxville at the Tennessee Theatre on Friday, Dec. 1. Fan club presale tickets will be available on Aug. 22, and general sales start Aug. 25 on Wynonna.com. A variety of different VIP packages and experiences including premium tickets, commemorative laminate and concert ticket as well as a special cocktail set.
Tyler Booth Plans To ‘Keep It Real’ This September
/by Liza AndersonSinger-songwriter Tyler Booth is set to release his Keep It Real EP on Sept. 15. One of the tracks, “G.O.B. by the G.O.G.,” is available now.
The Campton, Kentucky native wrote the song, which stands for “good ol’ boy by the grace of God,” alongside Wesley Davis and Russell Sutton.
“One of the cool things about country music is it sheds light on things that people don’t necessarily look past but don’t acknowledge,” he says. “It could be the simplest things like loving somebody or getting your heart broke, but ‘G.O.B. by the G.O.G.’ sheds light on a way of life. I wanted to write a song that was the anthem of the way me and everybody that I grew up around in Kentucky live and how we see things.”
His upbringing made Booth who he is today, and contributes to his resolute values and a work ethic. The Sony Music Nashville artist shared that the distinctive style of music born in Appalachia trickles into his own songs, since it’s part of who he is. When recording Keep It Real, Booth even played mandolin on several tracks.
“Mandolin is an instrument I grew up around. I had a cousin who played mandolin for Keith Whitley, and I just thought it was so awesome. It’s cool that it traces back to where I come from in East Kentucky, and it’s a full circle thing that it fits into my new music so well.”
The project will also include previously released tracks “Bring On The Neon,” “Different Kind Of Blue” and “Real Real Country.”
When creating Keep It Real, Booth leaned in to who he is at his core and allowed that to lead the way.
“I’ve been circling around myself as an artist and a songwriter for so long, and now I feel like I’ve found my voice in songwriting and singing and I think it comes from writing so many songs, and writing so many of them by myself so they’re completely true to me. Then getting to perform them live and see what the crowds react to has been incredible,” he shares.
Booth is currently supporting Jake Owen on his “Loose Cannon Tour,” and has recently shared stages with Brooks & Dunn, Darius Rucker, Dwight Yoakam and Cody Johnson.
Brothers Osborne To Receive St. Jude’s 2023 Angels Among Us Award
/by Caela GriffinBrothers Osborne will be recognized with the 2023 Angels Among Us Award this October, honoring the Grammy Award-winning country duo for their outstanding commitment to the children and families of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The artists join an exemplarily group of past winners including Randy Owen, Scotty McCreery, Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Jake Owen, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Lon Helton and Bill Mayne.
“What an amazing honor to receive the Angels Among Us Award from St. Jude,” says John Osborne. “We constantly find inspiration when spending time with the patients and families of St. Jude. Together with other artists and country radio listeners, we can make a difference in helping ensure no family receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food, allowing the focus to be on helping their child live. It’s an incredible mission, and we are grateful to be in a place to support such an amazing cause.”
John and TJ Osborne have been dedicated to the St. Jude mission throughout their career, first touring St. Jude in 2014, two years before releasing their first album. They have participated in the #ThisShirtSavesLives campaign, spent time with St. Jude patients, called in and attended radio events, provided auction items and played at benefit concerts.
The brothers will receive the award at the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids seminar, an annual gathering of music artists and industry professionals who lend their voice and platform to raise funds and awareness for St. Jude. This year’s seminar takes place Oct. 12-14 on the St. Jude campus in Memphis.
The chart-topping duo is slated to release their upcoming self-titled album on Sept. 15 via EMI Records Nashville. The reigning CMA and ACM Duo of the Year winners penned all 11 tracks of their fourth studio album, including the chart-claiming single “Nobody’s Nobody,” which highlights themes of inclusion and acceptance.
Ian Munsick Releases Fan-Requested ‘Western Wedding’ EP
/by Lorie HollabaughIan Munsick is sharing some romantic fan favorites on a new EP, Western Wedding, out now.
The eight-track project of love ballads features both instrumental and piano-driven versions of four of his original songs. Western Wedding follows his Me and A Fiddle EP, which was released in June alongside intimate live performance videos filmed in Sun Valley, Idaho.
“Over the last few years, requests for me to make ‘piano versions’ of my love ballads have overflown my inbox,” shares Munsick. “I’m always so honored when couples use my music for their wedding soundtrack, or when one of my songs epitomizes a relationship between two people. All of these instances have inspired my Western Wedding EP. May your love grow as tall as the Rockies and last as long as the rivers winding through them.”
Fans can catch Munsick on Morgan Wallen’s “One Night At A Time World Tour” Aug. 30 at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park. This fall, he’ll embark on his headlining “The Buffalo Roams Tour,” which will feature a rotating lineup of special guests including Giovannie & The Hired Guns, Randall King, Triston Marez, Catie Offerman, Tanner Usrey, Jake Worthington and Chancey Williams.
Western Wedding Track Listing:
1. “Me Against the Mountain – Piano/Vocal”
2. “Me Against the Mountain – Instrumental”
3. “Ranch Hand – Piano/Vocal”
4. “Ranch Hand – Instrumental”
5. “More Than Me – Piano/Vocal”
6. “More Than Me – Instrumental”
7. “Long Haul – Piano/Vocal”
8. “Long Haul – Instrumental”
Industry Ink: Morgan Wallen, Brad Paisley, CMA, More
/by Lorie HollabaughMorgan Wallen Caps Fenway Shows With Grant to Red Sox Foundation To Renovate Local Field
Pictured (L-R): Kate Reilly, Red Sox Foundation; Martha Velez, City of Lawrence; Julio Ramos, Lawrence Red Sox Foundation; Morgan Wallen; Jamie Uliano, Lawrence RBI League President, Coach & family; Lidia Zayas, Red Sox Foundation; Jenn Jacob, Red Sox Foundation; Adderly Gonzalez, City of Lawrence; Michelle Adamic, Lawrence Sports Alliance. Photo: Courtesy of the Morgan Wallen Foundation
Morgan Wallen celebrated three consecutive nights at Boston’s Fenway Field last week by giving back to the local community via his Morgan Wallen Foundation. Along with CVS Health Charity Classic, MWF provided grant funding to the Red Sox Foundation to renovate the Howard Playstead Fields (Playstead Park) in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Playstead Park is home to the Lawrence Red Sox Foundation Nike RBI program, and the field enhancements will improve programming for youth baseball and softball leagues across Lawrence.
“Our goal with the Morgan Wallen Foundation is to be sure that kids have access to sports and music programs. I played baseball most of my life. It’s where I learned perseverance, patience, sacrifice, among many other things that I carry with me to this day. We are honored to partner with the Red Sox Foundation to renovate these ballfields in Lawrence. Where kids for generations to come will learn similar qualities and hopefully become good ball players in the process,” Wallen shared. “And I couldn’t be more excited to play three shows at Fenway. It’s a dream come true for this baseball player.”
Brad Paisley Celebrates Re-Opening Of WVA’s Herbert Hoover High School
Brad Performs for Herbert Hoover High School’s re-opening. Photo: Derek Cressman
Brad Paisley returned to his home state of West Virginia last weekend to participate in the grand re-opening and dedication of Herbert Hoover High School in Elkview after the historic flood of 2016 destroyed the school. Paisley toured the school, participated in the dedication ribbon cutting ceremony, attended the football scrimmage (against his alma mater John Marshall High School) and performed after the game in the stadium’s end zone.
“This is the nicest high school I have ever seen,” Paisley shared. “I can’t tell you how amazing it is to see something that devastating and that terrible turned into something so inspiring. I think an enormous gift has been given to the students of this school. High school can be a very difficult time in a student’s life because it’s filled with trivialities. You’re worried about how you’ll fit in, about what you are wearing, if you’re popular and doing well in classes. But what you’ve been given here is something much larger. It’s been a glimpse of the real world and the wonderful things that human beings can do for one another in the face of disaster. That should over shadow all the trivialities of high school for you. And never lose sight that good people came together to build this for you and your future.”
CMA Hosts Latest MemberSIPS Event On Social Media & Digital Marketing
Pictured (L-R): Ashley Alexander, Chief Marketing Officer at Girlilla Marketing; Lindsey Feinstein, Account Director at Girlilla Marketing; Chad Meholic, Director of Audience Development & Growth at Red Light Management; Jess Keifer, Director of Digital Marketing at Sony Music Nashville. Photo: Emily April Allen/CMA
CMA hosted its latest MemberSIPS event for members at its Nashville headquarters last week. The event featured a discussion around the ever-changing nature of social media and digital marketing in the music business, as well as humanizing the individuals behind brands and artists. Moderated by Ashley Alexander, Chief Marketing Officer at Girlilla Marketing, the event featured a panel of industry experts including Lindsey Feinstein, Account Director at Girlilla Marketing, Chad Meholic, Director of Audience Development & Growth at Red Light Management, and Jess Keifer, Director of Digital Marketing at Sony Music Nashville.
CMA created MemberSIPS to cater to its members’ professional development needs—offering thematic presentations, discussions and gatherings and providing a networking opportunity while enjoying a beverage with one another.
Eric Paslay & Trent Tomlinson Play “Sac Song & Wine Series”
Pictured (L-R): Nate Deaton, General Manager of 95.3 KRTY, San Jose’s HOT Country; Randi Moody, Owner of RLM Events and producer of “Sac Song & Wine Series;” Trent Tomlinson; Eric Paslay
The inaugural “Sac Song & Wine Series” took place recently with Eric Paslay and Trent Tomlinson at the Miner’s Leap Winery in the town of Clarksburg, California, just outside of Sacramento. Upcoming events bringing a taste of Nashville to California include a Sept. 13 show with Charles Esten and Jon Nite, and an Oct. 4 show with Rodney Clawson and Nicolle Galyon.
Nate Smith Joins The Neal Agency’s Roster
/by LB CantrellNate Smith. Photo: Matthew Berinato
Sony Music Nashville artist Nate Smith has joined The Neal Agency’s growing roster.
Since Smith made his way to Nashville, he has made a huge splash with songs such as his Platinum-certified multi-week No. 1 hit “Whiskey On You.” Now aligned with The Neal Agency, Smith joins Morgan Wallen, Hardy, Riley Green, Bailey Zimmerman and more.
“We are honored to add Nate to The Neal Agency family. He is a rare talent and is one of those artists it only takes one time to meet and listen to until you immediately fall in love,” share agents Adi Sharma and Evan Kantor. “We could not be more excited to see what the future holds for Nate!”
Smith adds, “I couldn’t be more excited to be teaming up with the best agents in the game. They have a real plan for me, and it’s gonna absolutely change my life and career. The Neal Agency is family, and the craziest part is that we’ve already worked together earlier on, so this is a real full circle moment for all of us! I’m grateful, and extremely lucky to have the best of the best in live entertainment!”
In addition to Sony Music Nashville and TNA, Smith is represented by The Core Entertainment for artist management. The Core Entertainment’s Simon Tikhman and Chief Zaruk share, “We are excited to work with Adi and the Neal Agency. What the Neal Agency has built in such a short time is a testament to their hard work and dedication to their artists. The future is very bright for their partnership with Nate Smith.”
As his current single “World On Fire” remains in the top 40 and climbing on country radio, Smith has embarked on Thomas Rhett’s “Home Team Tour ‘23” and will support Cole Swindell on select dates of his “Twelve Tour” this fall. Having previously opened for Wallen at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium last April, Smith will once again support the country star on Nov. 16 at The Moody Center in Austin, Texas.