Carrie Underwood To Star In 11th Show Open For NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’

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Carrie Underwood. Photo: Danny Ventrella/NBC Sports

Multi-Platinum country artist Carrie Underwood will star in the Show Open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football for the 11th consecutive season, starting Sept. 10 on NBC and Peacock as the Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants.

The Show Open will include an updated rendition of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” and a concert performance interspersed with augmented reality highlights displayed across a halo scoreboard. Underwood, who performed the open from The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, home of her ongoing residency, has also added a surprise new element this season.

“Once again, the incredible Sunday Night Football team came up with a fresh, exciting visual concept that really gave us a chance to play,” says Underwood. “I loved shooting the show open again this year at our home away from home, The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, and can’t wait for another season of football!”

“We’re thrilled to work with Carrie to capture a new vision for this season’s show open. It sets the tone for the broadcast and pays tribute to the teams, star players and fans in a fun and dynamic way,” says Tripp Dixon, Creative Director of the Sunday Night Football Show Open.

Parmalee Slates ‘For You 2’ For September

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Parmalee. Photo: Joseph Llanes

Parmalee is releasing an extended version of their latest album For You on Sept. 22.

The expanded version, For You 2, features 18 tracks, including the two No. 1 singles double-Platinum “Just The Way (feat. Blanco Brown)” and the Platinum-certified “Take My Name” as well as current hit “Girl In Mine” from the original album. All of the songs were produced by David Fanning, with Andrew Goldstein and Kevin Bard serving as co-producers on “Greatest Hits (feat. Fitz)” and Ben Johnson co-producing “Boyfriend.”

“The support from our fans for this album has been amazing,” says lead singer Matt Thomas. “It’s been two years, almost to the date, that we released For You and we just weren’t ready to be done with it. So, we’re excited to announce that we’re gonna add ‘Girl In Mine’ and four new tracks, and For You 2 will be out Sept. 22.”

With a full slate of summer festivals and shows, Parmalee will take their set on tour with Train later this summer.

“We’re thrilled about the tour with Train, and we’ve been fans of them and their music for a long time,” adds Thomas. “They share a band mentality, just like we do, and I feel like we’re cut from the same cloth in a lot of ways. We’re excited to play our music for their fans.”

For You 2 Track Listing: 
*new tracks
1.“For You” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Justin Wilson)
2. “Just the Way” – (Matt Thomas, Kevin Bard, Nolan Sipe)
3. “Backroad Girl” – (Matt Thomas, Tommy Cecil, Blake Bollinger, Brinley Addington)
4. “Take My Name” – (Matt Thomas, Ashley Gorley, David Fanning, Ben Johnson)
5. “I Do” – (Tyler Hubbard, Matt Thomas, Corey Crowder, David Fanning)
6. “Miss You” – (Michael Tyler, Matthew McGinn, David Fanning)
7. “Greatest Hits (feat. Fitz)” – (Matt Thomas, Kevin Bard, Nolan Sipe, Andrew Goldstein, Michael Fitzpatrick)
8. “Better With You” – (Matt Thomas, Ashley Gorley, David Fanning)
9. “Forget You (feat. Avery Anna)” (Matt Thomas, Shane Minor, David Fanning, Thomas Archer)
10. “Alone Like That” – (Matt Thomas, Tommy Cecil, David Fanning, James McNair)
11. “I See You” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Justin Wilson, Steven McMorran)
12. “I’ll Take The Chevy” – (Matt Thomas, Josh McSwain, Barry Knox, Zachary Kale, James McNair, Josh Mirenda)
13. “For You”– (Matt Thomas, Barry Knox, Josh McSwain, Scott Thomas, David Fanning)
*14. “Girl In Mine” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Casey Brown, Travis Wood)
*15. “Gonna Love You” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Abram Dean, Andy Sheridan)
*16. “Is It Just Me” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson)
*17. “Boyfriend” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps)
*18. “Wish I Never Loved You” – (Matt Thomas, David Fanning, Ashley Gorley, Andy Sheridan)

Cumulus Media Kicks Off Latest ‘Your Music First’ Audio Series With Dan + Shay

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Dan + Shay. Photo: Robby Klein

Cumulus Media is launching the seventh installment of its exclusive audio series, “Your Music First,” featuring Dan + Shay’s brand new single, “Save Me The Trouble.”

The multi-part series will air over the next four weeks across Cumulus country stations nationwide and will include Dan + Shay’s personal insights into how they made the single and how they have grown after 10 years in country. The series reveals behind-the-scenes stories and personal insights into newly-released music and brings additional dimension to the songs.

“’Save Me The Trouble’ by Dan + Shay is the perfect song for Cumulus’ next ‘Your Music First’ campaign at country radio,” says Greg Frey, VP of Music Partnerships, Cumulus Media. “The song features a soul-stirring melody and some of the strongest harmonies in modern country. Shay’s vocals, Dan’s production, and world-class songwriting combine to create an incredible musical moment. I thank our partners at Warner Music Nashville for this collaboration of music and exclusive artist content to bring this song to our fans in a powerful way.”

“Dan + Shay’s new album Bigger Houses is an absolute masterpiece of down-home truths set against larger-than-life music,” adds Kristen Williams, SVP, Radio, Warner Music Nashville. “Their new single ‘Save Me The Trouble’ has the explosive passion of a live performance, and it is already translating to listeners. The track has earned them the biggest add day of their careers, not to mention the biggest add day for any country single released this year. We are incredibly grateful that Cumulus has recognized its magnitude and selected it for the ‘Your Music First’ campaign.”

Cumulus Media debuted the “Your Music First” campaign in February to highlight new music in a unique way by sharing the thoughts of the biggest stars in different formats in a series of revealing and exclusive vignettes across the AC, Alternative, CHR, Country, Hot AC, Rock and Urban formats. The shows feature artist commentary on the song, with artists presenting different aspects of their song’s personal meaning, the inspiration behind the music and insights on their life and career.

Previous campaigns have featured Thomas Rhett’s “Angels (Don’t Always Have Wings), Shania Twain’s “Giddy Up!,” Darius Rucker’s “Fires Don’t Start Themselves,” Thirty Seconds To Mars’ “Stuck,” Janelle Monáe’s “Lipstick Lover” and Lainey Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine.” 

Brian Kelley, Michael Franti, More To Perform At Elevation Beaver Creek

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Elevation Beaver Creek, the event combining music, wine and adventure Oct. 1-3 in Beaver Creek, Colorado, has unveiled its first round of performers.

The 2023 lineup include Brian Kelley, The War And Treaty, Matt Stell, Billy Currington, Michael Franti, Dylan Schneider, Coffey Anderson, George Birge, Jordana Bryant, Liddy Clark, Alex Hall, John Hollier, HunterGirl, Ryan Larkins, Stephanie Quayle, Jobi Riccio and Josh Ross.

“Our carefully chosen artists will deliver authentic performances, while attendees immerse themselves in the beauty of Beaver Creek, making this a truly unique experience,” says Bobbii Jacobs, President of FF Entertainment. “As we reveal the first round of performers, I couldn’t be more excited about the diverse lineup that will leave a lasting impression on all attendees.”

Born from the success of Live In The Vineyard and Live In The Vineyard Goes Country (LITVGC), Elevation will also feature premier travel destinations and culinary delights, winemaker pours and uniquely curated activities. The event seeks to bring music supervisors, radio programmers, DSP curators, label executives, VIPs, corporate hospitality groups and more from all over the country together.

It strives to bring elements of Napa and transcend them to other hand-selected markets and locations where the artists and industry members can embrace the local culture. Artists’ interests and passions are a focus within the event, intertwining exploration into the programming with select artist-engaged adventures, such as hiking, skeet shooting, golf outings and more.

BBR Music Group Adds Misti Douglas & Regan Donato To Promotions Teams

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Misti Douglas & Regan Donato

BBR Music Group (BBRMG) has added Misti Douglas as Director of Midwest/Northeast Promotion for the label’s imprint Broken Bow Records, and Regan Donato as Promotions Coordinator for all three imprints–Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records and Wheelhouse Records. Both new hires are already on the job.

In her new role, Douglas reports VP of Promotion Lee Adams and works to promote the Broken Bow Records roster of Chase Rice, Craig Morgan, Dustin Lynch, Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, Tyler Farr and more.

Douglas joins the label with over a decade of music industry experience from AdLarge Media, where she worked as the company’s Radio Content Producer, with previous stops at Cumulus Media, where she served as a radio personality and Social Media Manager, Blaster Records, Westwood One and All Access Music Group.

“Misti’s passion for the business and especially for BBRMG reminded me of why I’m in promotions,” says Adams. “Her exuberance is infectious, and her work ethic is strong. I look forward to her being a member of the BBR team and can’t wait for her to meet our wonderful radio partners.”

In her new position, Donato supports the promotional efforts and radio initiatives for the three imprints under SVP of Promotion Carson James.

Having developed an array of skills and a wealth of music industry knowledge from internships with Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Red Light Management and Curb Records, Donato came to straight to BBRMG following her graduation from Belmont University in May of this year.

“Regan was an obvious choice for this position,” says James. “Collectively, all of our Promotion VPs were impressed, just as I was. Her aptitude, confidence and thirst for knowledge makes her the perfect fit for us.”

Douglas can be reached at misti@brokenbowrecords.com, and Donato can be reached at regan@bbrmusicgroup.com.

Mark Your Calendar—August 2023

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Single/Track Release Dates: 

August 4 
Avery Anna/Worst In Me/Warner Music Nashville
Kelsey Hart/Country In Business/Curb Records
MaRynn Taylor/Shakin’ In My Boots/Black River Entertainment
Jillian Cardarelli/If I Could Talk to Elvis (feat. Larry Stickland)/JC Music
Caroline Kid/Whiskey Lies
Kasey Tyndall/Dirt Road to Hell
Re Mattei/Ya Got Two Wheels

August 5 
Myranda Christi/Take Me Down/MC1 Nashville

August 7
Megan Moroney/I’m Not Pretty/Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records
Mickey Guyton/Nothing Compares To You (feat. Kane Brown)/Capitol Records Nashville
Aaron Goodvin/Country Dance/Warner Music Canada/Sakamoto Music
Chance Tomke/Behind Bars/Pine Ridge Records
Teddy Robb/Question the Universe

August 11
Matt Jordan/Steering Wheel/ONErpm
Jordana Bryant/Best Friend/Riser House
Ashlie Amber/Chevy
James Robert Webb/Gentlemen Start Your Weekends
Erin Duvall/Girls Weekend

August 14 
Lukas Nelson + POTR/Sticks and Stones/6ACE Records/Thirty Tigers
Trey Lewis/Always You/River House Artists
Julianna Rankin/New Money/17th Avenue
Cutter Elliott/Come On Home/TCM Records

August 18 
Cody Hibbard/Bend/Droptine Recordings
Megan Barker/Once Upon A Miller Lite
Pamela McNeill/Give Back My Love
Rob Wolf/Destiny

August 21 
Turnpike Troubadours/Chipping Mill/Bossier City Records/Thirty Tigers
Landon Parker/Back At The Bar/Bad Ass Records
Annie Vander/He Himself & Him/VanderFire Records
Drew Baldridge/She’s Somebody’s Daughter

August 25 
Josh Mirenda/In A Beer/Average Joes Entertainment
Kendall Tucker/Dragging Me Down (feat. Jelly Roll & State of Mine)
Bryan Ruby/Centerfield

August 28 
Michael Ray/Spirits and Demons (feat. Meghan Patrick)/Warner Music Nashville
Alabama/Jesus and John Wayne (feat. The Oak Ridge Boys)/Gaither Music Group

 

Album/EP Release Dates: 

Photo: Robby Klein

August 4 
Vince Gill & Paul Franklin/Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys/MCA Nashville
Brett Young/Across The Sheets/BMLG Records
King Calaway/Tennessee’s Waiting/BBR Music Group
Hannah Dasher/The Other Damn Half

August 11 
The Darrell Scott String Band/Old Cane Back Rocker/Soundly Music
O.N.E The Duo/Blood Harmony/Visionary Media Group

August 18 
Warren Zeiders/Pretty Little Poison/Warner Records
Ricochet/Ricochet Then & Now…The Hits & More/Smith Music Group
Voth/Memories Of You

August 25
Tim McGraw/Standing Room Only/Big Machine Records
Turnpike Troubadours/A Cat in the Rain/Bossier City Records/Thirty Tigers 
Morgan Wade/Psychopath/Sony Music Nashville
Shania Twain/Come On Over (Diamond Editions)/Mercury/UMe
Various Artists/Gaither Tribute, Honoring the Songs of Bill & Gloria Gaither/Gaither Music Group
Old Crow Medicine Show/Jubilee/ATO Records
Danny Burns/Promised Land/Bonfire Music Group
Patrick Droney/Subtitles For Feelings/Warner Records
The Mizes/Hitched Up
Exile/A Million Miles Later

 

Industry Events: 

August 14 
Music Row Ladies Golf Tournament

August 23
ACM Honors

August 29
20th Anniversary SOURCE Hall of Fame Awards

Aldean, Wallen & Combs Make History On Billboard Hot 100 Chart

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Jason Aldean, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs

For the first time since the chart’s inception in August of 1958, the top three songs on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 songs chart are country songs.

The No. 1 song this week is Jason Aldean‘s contentious “Try That in a Small Town,” which rises from its debut position at No. 2. The single and its accompanying music video have remained a topic of controversy since CMT pulled its video from rotation.

The backlash and public conversation surrounding “Try That in a Small Town” has resulted in a surge of attention. With the song, written by Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher, Tully Kennedy and Kurt Allison, Aldean scored his first Hot 100 No. 1, with his 40th entry on the chart. “Try That in a Small Town” also notched the largest digital sales week for a country song since Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise” featuring Nelly, released in July of 2013.

Following Aldean, Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” is at No. 2 this week after 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart. Luke Combs‘ cover of Tracy Chapman‘s “Fast Car” is at No. 3 after three weeks at its No. 2 high. The three country artists beat out singles from Travis Scott, Bad Bunny, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice.

According to Billboard, the Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations.

New A2IM Artist Pro Program Offers Insurance Options For Indie Artists

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A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.) is launching the A2IM Artist Pro program, an initiative designed to provide support to artists by granting them access to its Benefits Store, including health insurance programs and a la carte options, including dental, vision, personal items protection, renters and home insurance, legal services, pet insurance and more.

With annual membership dues of $99.00, A2IM Artist Pro members will have the opportunity to gain entry to an exclusive network of resources, support and opportunities that can support their professional journey.

Recognizing the challenges that artists face in securing reliable health coverage, A2IM is taking proactive steps to bridge this gap. Building on the success of last year’s launch of affordable health insurance for executive members, A2IM Artist Pro ensures artists can tailor their coverage to suit their unique needs and priorities, giving them peace of mind as they pursue their artistic endeavors.

“We are extremely excited to unveil the Artist Pro program as a testament to our unwavering dedication to empowering and uplifting independent artists,” says Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, President, and CEO of A2IM. “Independent artists play a pivotal role in the recorded music industry, and our mission is to guide them towards success by offering invaluable resources and an array of exclusive benefits.”

To provide more background on the Benefits Store, A2IM will be hosting two webinars on Aug. 9 at 11 a.m. central and 2 p.m. central. As part of the Artist Pro launch, A2IM is partnering with Nashville is Not Just Country Music on their upcoming Writers Round and Networking Event this week in Nashville.

A2IM is also offering exclusive access to additional services supporting artists with discounted access to their services via the A2IM Artist Pro tier. Click here to learn more.

Warner Music Nashville’s Stephanie Davenport & Rohan Kohli Earn VP Stripes

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Stephanie Davenport & Rohan Kohli

Warner Music Nashville has appointed Stephanie Davenport and Rohan Kohli as the label’s new Vice Presidents of A&R. They will continue reporting to Cris Lacy, WMN Co-Chair & Co-President.

“Stephanie and Rohan are incredible artist champions who have been the backbone of the A&R department for years,” Lacy says. “Ben [Kline] and I are excited to announce these well-deserved promotions.

“Stephanie has an innate acumen for recognizing and signing unique storytellers whose authenticity becomes the bar by which other artists are measured. She is a driven, inclusive, and strategic leader both within the Warner family, the Nashville community, and the music industry at large,” Lacy adds. “Rohan’s ability to elevate superstar artists and newcomers alike speaks to his expertise in development at all levels of an artist’s career. Guided by his deep multi-genre tastes, he is always on the cutting edge of music that is urgent and important.”

Davenport joined the Warner Music Nashville team as a coordinator in 2011. Now, nearly 12 years later, she has developed a roster comprising some of the most talked-about rising artists in country music, Ian Munsick, Randall King, Madeline Edwards, Austin Snell and more. Davenport started in the industry at William Morris Endeavor (WME) after graduating from Belmont University.

“I am so proud of our entire roster at Warner Music Nashville and am so grateful to the artists, publishers and songwriters who trust us to help bring their amazing music to the world,” Davenport says. “I’m truly blessed to have spent more than a decade working for and with leaders like Cris Lacy and Ben Kline, whose belief in me continues to inspire and push me to be the best A&R I can be for the best artists in country music.”

Kohli began his career at Ozone Entertainment in New York as a manager for bands including Boys Like Girls, Cartel and Hey Monday as well as songwriters/producers Sam Hollander and Dave Katz. Kohli moved to Los Angeles and transitioned into full-time writer/producer management before settling in Nashville, where he worked with Andy Albert, Paul DiGiovanni and more. He started in A&R at Warner Music Nashville in 2018, launching Dan + Shay into superstardom and introducing the world to talents such as Bailey Zimmerman, Ingrid Andress and Avery Anna.

“I am beyond thankful to work alongside the best team in the business,” Kohli shares. “I’m grateful to Cris Lacy, Scott Hendricks, Stephanie Davenport and Mason Domke for showing me every day how to lead with heart, knowledge and passion. Thank you to Cris and Ben Kline for their mentorship and the opportunity to continue to grow with Warner Music Nashville. I’m looking forward to many more years of success together.”

Jameson Rodgers To Jump On The ‘Whiskey Train’ This Fall

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Jameson Rodgers is hitting the road on his new “Whiskey Train Tour,” kicking off Aug. 31 in Starkville, Mississippi. Lauren Watkins, Greylan James and John Morgan will open for Rodgers on select dates.

“This one is called the ‘Whiskey Train Tour’ because the tone of that song matches the tone of the shows. I’ve got some of my favorite artists/friends opening up these shows with Lauren, Greylan and John. It’s going to be a blast and I can’t wait to see everyone there,” says Rodgers.

Tickets for the “Whiskey Train Tour” go on sale this Friday, (Aug. 4) with pre-sales beginning Wednesday, Aug. 2.

Rodgers is releasing a brand new song, “Whiskey Train,” in conjunction with the new tour on Sept. 1. Produced by David Garcia and co-written by Rodgers, Smith Ahnquist, Will Bundy and Lynn Hutton, the rowdy new track captures that Friday-after-five feeling.

“The idea for ‘Whiskey Train’ came at about 1 a.m. on a writing retreat. Lynn Hutton asked Smith Ahnquist if he wanted another beer, and Smith said, ‘Nah man I’m on that whiskey train,’” Rodgers explained. “Will Bundy and I looked at each other and we all immediately started writing. I’m excited for the world to get on the whiskey train September 1.”

In addition to the newly-announced headline dates, Rodgers will join Jordan Davis, Old Dominion and Darius Rucker on select dates throughout the fall.

Jameson Rodgers “Whiskey Train Tour” Dates:
Aug. 31 – Starkville, MS *
Oct. 6 – Springfield, IL ^
Oct. 7 – Indianapolis, IN ^
Oct. 13 – Warrendale, PA +
Oct. 14 – Rootstown, OH +

* With Lauren Watkins
^ With Greylan James
+ With John Morgan