Gary LeVox & Russ Hayworth. Photo: Patrick Carroll

Country star Gary LeVox has partnered with Hayworth Estate Wines to launch a new wine collection, LEVOX WINES.

LeVox has a long-time friendship with Russ Hayworth, the founder of Oregon winery Hayworth Estate Wines. Their collaboration, LEVOX WINES, includes a pinot noir and pinot gris, available now exclusively via Hayworth Estate Wines.

LeVox shares, “Russ Hayworth and I have known each other for over 20 years. His beautiful vineyard, Hayworth Estate Wines, in Oregon is a staple in the community and I’m so excited to see this wine collection finally come to life. We’ve been working on this collaboration for quite some time now and have prepared an amazing Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris that are out of this world—aged and prepared just right. I can’t wait for everyone to get a hold of them and try some!”

“All of us at Hayworth Estate Wines are honored and excited to be working with Gary to launch LEVOX Wines,” adds Hayworth. “It’s the perfect blend, because good wine and good music are the product of artist passions coming together.”

The LEVOX 2021 Pinot Noir is a signature red wine grown in Oregon’s world-renowned Willamette Valley. It is aged in French oak for a rich and smooth body, and has subtle floral notes of dark cherry and strawberry, combined with a warm balance of earthy truffle and mushroom.

The LEVOX 2022 Pinot Gris is a very popular Oregon varietal, delivering very distinct notes of a floral bouquet on the nose followed by crisp notes of apple, pear, and citrus with a smooth clean finish.

Tim McGraw. Photo: Robby Klein

Tim McGraw has announced his new album Standing Room Only is set for release on Aug. 25 via Big Machine Records. He’s giving fans a taste of the new project with the new song “Hey Whiskey,” out now.

Standing Room Only features 13 brand new tracks and was produced by McGraw and longtime producer Byron Gallimore. Among the writers contributing to the new album are Craig Wiseman, Jaren Johnston, Lori McKenna, Chase McGill and Kameron Marlowe.

The new album, his 17th studio project, marks McGraw’s first new record since 2020’s Here On Earth, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart. In tandem with the pre-save going live today, fans can purchase a collectors bundle with their vinyl or CD, featuring a new t-shirt, collectible trading card and poster.

“As an artist, I always want to dig deeper and get better every time I make a new record – it’s a big part of what drives me, and I really believe this is one of the best projects we’ve made. I’ve been working on this album since 2020, and this collection of songs are some of the most emotional, thought-provoking, and life-affirming music I’ve ever recorded,” McGraw shares. “I’m excited to have ‘Hey Whiskey’ out so fans can start hearing more of what we’re working on – and maybe even more before August…”

Today’s release of “Hey Whiskey” and its lyric video follows the album’s first single/title track “Standing Room Only,” which was released in March and is climbing through the Top 20 on the charts. “Standing Room Only” marks McGraw’s 92nd entrance into Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart. Throughout his career, McGraw has amassed 68 Top 10s and holds the Mediabase record for the most weeks at No. 1 with all titles, totaling 73 weeks, and also holds the record for second-most No. 1 albums in the U.S. just behind George Strait.

Standing Room Only Track List:
“Hold On To It” (Written by Ryan Larkins, Seth Mosley, Jimmy Yeary)
“Standing Room Only” (Written by Tommy Cecil, Patrick Murphy, Craig Wiseman)
“Paper Umbrellas” (Written by Monty Criswell, Drake Milligan)
“Remember Me Well” (Written by Heather Morgan, Jimmy Robbins)
“Hey Whiskey” (Written by Brad Hutsell, Joel Hutsell, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
“Her” (Written by Jason Gantt, Tim Nichols, Jimmy Yeary)
“Fool Me Again” (Written by Kameron Marlowe, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Rob Williford)
“Small Town King” (Written by Jaren Johnston, Jenn Schott, Jeremy Stover)
“Beautiful Hurricane” (Written by Mike Lane, Tony Lane)
“Cowboy Junkie” (Written by Bill Luther, Lance Miller, Justin Weaver)
“Nashville CA/L.A. Tennessee (Featuring Lori McKenna)” (Written by Tim McGraw, Lori McKenna, Bob Minner)
“Some Songs Change Your World” (Written by Mark Irwin, Josh Kear, Lance Miller)
“Letter From Heaven” (Written by Chase McGill, Lori McKenna, Parker Welling)

A new Willie Nelson studio album Bluegrass is slated for release on Sept. 15.

The project features Nelson performing 12 of his favorite self-penned classics with a bluegrass ensemble, and the first track from the album, “You Left Me a Long, Long Time Ago,” was released yesterday (June 22).

His 151st album, according to Texas Monthly’s interactive All Willie Nelson Albums Ranked list, Bluegrass presents classic Nelson compositions including “On the Road Again,” “Yesterday’s Wine,” “Still is Still Moving to Me,” “Good Hearted Woman” and more, re-interpreted by Nelson and his bluegrass band.

Produced by longtime musical collaborator Buddy Cannon, Bluegrass features musicians including Barry Bales (upright bass), Ron Block (banjo), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle), Rob Ickes (dobro), Josh Martin (acoustic guitar), Mickey Raphael (harmonica), Seth Taylor (mandolin), Bobby Terry (acoustic guitar, gut string guitar), Dan Tyminski (mandolin); and backing vocals by Wyatt Beard, Buddy Cannon and Melonie Cannon.

The album’s cover art was done by Micah Nelson—Willie’s son, a multimedia artist and musician—whose previous artwork for Willie includes the albums I Don’t Know a Thing About Love and First Rose of Spring, as well as 2013’s autobiographical New York Times bestseller Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road.

Bluegrass Track Listing:
1. No Love Around
2. Somebody Pick Up My Pieces
3. Good Hearted Woman (cowritten with Waylon Jennings)
4. Sad Songs And Waltzes
5. Home Motel
6. You Left Me A Long, Long Time Ago
7. Yesterday’s Wine
8. Bloody Mary Morning
9. Slow Down Old World
10. Still Is Still Moving To Me
11. On The Road Again
12. Man With The Blues

Pictured (L-R): Jennifer Turnbow (Chief Operating Officer, NSAI), Kelly Archer (songwriter/NSAI Board Member), Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Emily Shackelton (songwriter/NSAI Board Member), Bart Herbison (Executive Director, NSAI)

Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) and Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) re-launched have relaunched the Songwriters Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, establishing a group of like-minded lawmakers who support songwriters.

To celebrate the launch, Reps Lieu and Cline welcomed songwriters and representatives from various songwriter advocacy organizations to Capitol Hill, where the Members announced the formation of the caucus and heard songs performed by the songwriters who were present.

“My district in Southern California is home to many talented songwriters whose work contributes so much to our culture and society,” says Rep. Lieu. “I’m thrilled to join Congressman Ben Cline in co-chairing the new bipartisan Congressional Songwriter’s Caucus, which will work to support America’s brilliant songwriters by ensuring they can protect their work and make a living doing what they love. Music contributes so much to our way of life, and we must ensure those creating it are compensated fairly. I’m grateful to the numerous songwriter advocacy organizations who’ve partnered with us on the creation of this caucus and look forward to working together to support our artists.”

“Making art, specifically music, is a powerful way to leave a mark on the world,” said Rep. Cline. “It’s a part of our everyday lives, from what we listen to on our commutes in the morning, to the music we select for our most important life events, such as birthdays, weddings, and funerals. But today’s modern music landscape can make it more difficult for certain artists, especially independent songwriters, to make a living. That is why I’m proud to co-chair the Congressional Songwriters Caucus, which will play an important role in promoting the songwriting community by working to ensure the creative rights of songwriters are protected.”

The Congressional Songwriters Caucus is supported by Nashville Songwriters Association International(NSAI), National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), the Recording Academy, BMI and ASCAP.

In a statement to MusicRow, NSAI shares, “Since the Songwriters Caucus was initially launched 20 years ago technology has completely changed the way music is delivered. American songwriters still face challenges in the digital era and we are very grateful to Congressmen Cline and Lieu for their bipartisan support.”

NMPA President & CEO David Israelite says, “We applaud Representatives Cline and Lieu for leading the Congressional Songwriters Caucus and we are excited about today’s launch. NMPA is the leading advocate for music publishers and their songwriter partners and we greatly look forward to working with the Caucus to advance policy interests that will protect creators and ensure that songwriters thrive.”