Journalist John Nova Lomax died on Monday (May 22) in Houston, Texas at age 53.
For more than two decades, he chronicled the music and lifestyles of the Lone Star State. He authored two books and was a senior editor at Texas Monthly in 2015-2019. He was at The Houston Press for a dozen years, 2000-2012 as both the music editor and staff writer. During this period, he became a mentor to aspiring music journalists. He also wrote for Texas Highways, Houstonia, Spin, The New York Times, The Village Voice and L.A. Weekly.
Nova was an authority on the culture of Houston. One of his books was Houston’s Best Dive Bars: Drinking & Diving in the Bayou City. The other was Murder & Mayhem in Houston (co-witten with Mike Vance). He authored a blog called “Sole of Houston,” which was about seeing his hometown on foot, mile by mile. This also ran as a Houston Press series. He was a regular contributor to the Texas Monthly radio program “Talk Like a Texan.”
He wrote vividly about everything from the downfall of country singer Doug Supernaw to the woes of the Houston Texans football team. He skills as a music writer were reflected in profiles about Johnny Nash, Bobby “Blue” Bland, blues guitarist Goree Carter and many other locals. He was also an eloquent food reporter. His 2007 story about Supernaw won ASCAP’s prestigious Deems Taylor Award for excellence in music writing.
Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly wrote, “Lomax—and that’s what those who knew him best called him—was one of those writers who, if he was interested in something, could make you interested in it too. Some writers have good ideas but can’t execute; some writers are good enough with words but lack the singularity of vision that makes readers want to follow them anywhere. Lomax had both.”
John Nova Lomax was born in Houston in 1970, but was raised in Nashville. He is the son of noted Nashville journalist, artist manager, performer and author John Lomax III. His “big brothers” were Steve Earle and the late Townes Van Zandt, both of whom were managed by his father.
The Lomax family also includes his great-grandfather John Avery Lomax, the dean of American folklorists and the discoverer of Leadbelly. His grandfather, John II, managed John Lee Hooker and founded the Houston Folklore Society that launched Guy Clark, K.T. Oslin, Earle and more. Great uncle Alan Lomax guided the Library of Congress Archive of American Folksong, wrote prolifically and was a recording artist. Great aunt Bess Lomax Hawes became a leading authority on children’s folklore, a manager at the National Endowment for the Arts and co-wrote The Kingston Trio hit “M.T.A.”
Nova’s mother was Julia Plummer Taylor, known as Bidy. She became an alcoholic who lived on the streets of Nashville before she was struck and killed while trying to cross Interstate 40 in 1998.
Nova had returned to Houston to attend high school in 1985. He dropped out of the University of Texas in Austin and drifted professionally until his father offered him a writing job penning a liner-notes essay. He pursued writing full-time from 2001 onward.
John Nova Lomax struggled with alcoholism his entire life. He went through a recurring cycle of hospitalizations, recoveries and relapses. These accelerated as he got older, but he often hid his problems from loved ones. His liver and other organs began to fail last year, and he entered Intensive Care.
His father posted a final update on Monday. “After a long hard fight in which he defied all doctor’s predictions, John Nova Lomax passed away peacefully early this morning with his former wife, Kelly Graml, at his side,” John Lomax III wrote. “He was in no pain at the end and slipped peacefully away to another realm.”
The medical bills are significant. There is a GoFundMe account. The family plans to distribute any remaining funds after funeral expenses and medical bills to Nova’s children, John Henry and Harriet Rose. He is also survived by his sister, Mandy, a Nashville visual artist.
John Lomax III says they plan to have a quiet family service for his gifted son, followed at some point by a memorial celebration with music. The family is also hoping to put out a book of Nova’s writings.
Colbie Caillat Makes Solo Grand Ole Opry Debut
/by Lorie HollabaughPhoto: Grand Ole Opry/Chris Hollo
Singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat made her solo debut at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, May 20.
Caillat performed three songs during her segment, including her current single “Worth It” as well as her Platinum-selling hits “Bubbly” and “Try.” She was joined backstage during the evening by “Worth It” co-writers Liz Rose and AJ Pruis, who came to show support on her special night.
Produced by Jamie Kenney, “Worth It” was released last month and has already racked up over 3.5 million streams across all platforms. Caillat will also perform “Worth It” at the National Memorial Day Parade this Monday, May 29, at 1 p.m. CT live nationwide across ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW stations.
Grand Ole Opry Salutes The Troops At Special Tuesday Night Celebration
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Locash’s Chris Lucas, William Lee Golden of The Oak Ridge Boys, Michael Trotter Jr. of The War And Treaty, John Conlee, Tanya Trotter of The War And Treaty, Rhonda Vincent, Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys, Jason Crabb and Locash’s Preston Brust. Photo: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry honored our service men and women with a special Tuesday Night Opry Salute The Troops performance.
The red carpet was led by a drumline and special guests including Richard Casper, a United States Marine Veteran, Purple Heart recipient, artist and CreatiVets co-Founder/Executive Director, as well as retired Army General Keith Huber, who served 38 years as an Infantryman and Green Beret with tours in Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Haiti, Honduras, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Huber is a senior advisor for the veterans and leadership initiatives at MTSU and was a guest announcer representing The Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center at MTSU.
Performers for the special evening included Opry members John Conlee, The Oak Ridge Boys and Rhonda Vincent as well as Craig Campbell, Jason Crabb, Locash and The War And Treaty—the husband-and-wife duo of U.S. Army veteran Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter.
The Opry and sponsor Humana partnered with CreatiVets to invite men and women of the U.S. military and CreatiVets members, as well as spouses, children and parents of service members to walk the red carpet into the Opry House for the evening’s show.
Highlights of this year’s Opry Salute the Troops will air as a special Opry Live on Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 27) on the Opry’s TV broadcast home, Circle Network, Circle All Access Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Texas Music Journalist John Lomax IV Passes
/by Robert K OermannJournalist John Nova Lomax died on Monday (May 22) in Houston, Texas at age 53.
For more than two decades, he chronicled the music and lifestyles of the Lone Star State. He authored two books and was a senior editor at Texas Monthly in 2015-2019. He was at The Houston Press for a dozen years, 2000-2012 as both the music editor and staff writer. During this period, he became a mentor to aspiring music journalists. He also wrote for Texas Highways, Houstonia, Spin, The New York Times, The Village Voice and L.A. Weekly.
Nova was an authority on the culture of Houston. One of his books was Houston’s Best Dive Bars: Drinking & Diving in the Bayou City. The other was Murder & Mayhem in Houston (co-witten with Mike Vance). He authored a blog called “Sole of Houston,” which was about seeing his hometown on foot, mile by mile. This also ran as a Houston Press series. He was a regular contributor to the Texas Monthly radio program “Talk Like a Texan.”
He wrote vividly about everything from the downfall of country singer Doug Supernaw to the woes of the Houston Texans football team. He skills as a music writer were reflected in profiles about Johnny Nash, Bobby “Blue” Bland, blues guitarist Goree Carter and many other locals. He was also an eloquent food reporter. His 2007 story about Supernaw won ASCAP’s prestigious Deems Taylor Award for excellence in music writing.
Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly wrote, “Lomax—and that’s what those who knew him best called him—was one of those writers who, if he was interested in something, could make you interested in it too. Some writers have good ideas but can’t execute; some writers are good enough with words but lack the singularity of vision that makes readers want to follow them anywhere. Lomax had both.”
John Nova Lomax was born in Houston in 1970, but was raised in Nashville. He is the son of noted Nashville journalist, artist manager, performer and author John Lomax III. His “big brothers” were Steve Earle and the late Townes Van Zandt, both of whom were managed by his father.
The Lomax family also includes his great-grandfather John Avery Lomax, the dean of American folklorists and the discoverer of Leadbelly. His grandfather, John II, managed John Lee Hooker and founded the Houston Folklore Society that launched Guy Clark, K.T. Oslin, Earle and more. Great uncle Alan Lomax guided the Library of Congress Archive of American Folksong, wrote prolifically and was a recording artist. Great aunt Bess Lomax Hawes became a leading authority on children’s folklore, a manager at the National Endowment for the Arts and co-wrote The Kingston Trio hit “M.T.A.”
Nova’s mother was Julia Plummer Taylor, known as Bidy. She became an alcoholic who lived on the streets of Nashville before she was struck and killed while trying to cross Interstate 40 in 1998.
Nova had returned to Houston to attend high school in 1985. He dropped out of the University of Texas in Austin and drifted professionally until his father offered him a writing job penning a liner-notes essay. He pursued writing full-time from 2001 onward.
John Nova Lomax struggled with alcoholism his entire life. He went through a recurring cycle of hospitalizations, recoveries and relapses. These accelerated as he got older, but he often hid his problems from loved ones. His liver and other organs began to fail last year, and he entered Intensive Care.
His father posted a final update on Monday. “After a long hard fight in which he defied all doctor’s predictions, John Nova Lomax passed away peacefully early this morning with his former wife, Kelly Graml, at his side,” John Lomax III wrote. “He was in no pain at the end and slipped peacefully away to another realm.”
The medical bills are significant. There is a GoFundMe account. The family plans to distribute any remaining funds after funeral expenses and medical bills to Nova’s children, John Henry and Harriet Rose. He is also survived by his sister, Mandy, a Nashville visual artist.
John Lomax III says they plan to have a quiet family service for his gifted son, followed at some point by a memorial celebration with music. The family is also hoping to put out a book of Nova’s writings.
DeFord Bailey Avenue Unveiled In Nashville
/by Lorie HollabaughDeFord Bailey Ave. street sign is unveiled. Photo: Ramona Whitworth Wiggins
The city of Nashville renamed Horton Avenue to DeFord Bailey Avenue, to honor “harmonica wizard” DeFord Bailey, one of the original stars of the Grand Ole Opry and its first African American performer.
The new street name was officially unveiled on May 20 in a public ceremony, immediately followed by a free outdoor concert. The dedication and celebration was held at the north end of the William Edmondson Homesite Park, which borders on Horton Avenue, and featured country and R&B performances by two of Bailey’s grandsons, Carlos DeFord Bailey and Herchel Bailey, along with guest artist Smokin’ Otis.
DeFord Bailey was one of the most popular performers on WSM’s Grand Ole Opry radio program from its early days in 1926 until 1941, when he was abruptly dismissed by WSM management. Bailey was born in 1899 in rural Smith County, eventually moving to Nashville, where he lived in the Edgehill neighborhood until his death in 1982. In 2005, Bailey was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Invited speakers and special guests at the event included members of the Bailey family, the Mayor’s office, Metro Council sponsors, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, National Museum of African American Music, and the Grand Ole Opry.
DeFord Bailey biographer David C. Morton also also attended. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently reissued the long-out-of-print biography DeFord Bailey: A Black Star in Early Country Music, written by Morton with Charles K. Wolfe.
Morgan Wallen Continues To Shatter All-Genre Records With ‘One Thing At A Time’
/by LB CantrellMorgan Wallen performs at American Family Field. Photo: David Lehr
Morgan Wallen continues to make history as his third studio album, One Thing At A Time, notches its 11th consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The last album to spend 11 consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 came in 1987 with Whitney Houston‘s Whitney, which featured mega-hits “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “So Emotional.” Prior to that it was 1976 into 1977 as Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, featuring “Isn’t She Lovely” and “I Wish,” logged its first consecutive 13 weeks at No. 1.
Wallen’s 2021 sophomore album, Dangerous: The Double Album, notches its 120th non-consecutive weeks in the Billboard 200 Top 10, second in longevity only to 173 weeks held by the Original Cast Recording, My Fair Lady, in 1956. The five-time Platinum project also continues to surpass records previously held by Adele and Bruce Springsteen.
“These stats are all so humbling and being mentioned in the same sentence as Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston is something I never could have imagined,” Wallen says. “But I’m most grateful to everyone who listens to my music. That’s the connection that means the most to me and it’s the best compliment out there—the fact that you guys like it.”
One Thing At A Time has yielded three No. 1 hits, including the 10-week No. 1 “You Proof,” three-week No. 1 “Thought You Should Know” and the latest pop-crossover hit “Last Night.” The latter became the fastest-climbing No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay charts since 2015 at just 11 weeks, has spent six non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and now claims the longest Hot 100 reign—surpassing Kenny Rogers’ “Lady” and Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans,” which spent six week at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1980 and 1959, respectively.
After a period of vocal rest, Wallen will take his record-breaking music back out on the road with his “One Night At A Time World Tour” picking back up on June 22 at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Big Machine Label Group Partners With Hard 8 Working Group For New Label Venture
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, back row): Big Machine Label Group’s Mike Rittberg, The Hard Working Record Company’s LJ Stoll, Big Machine Label Group’s Andrew Kautz; (L-R, front row): Hard 8 Working Group’s Dirk Hemsath, Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta and Hard 8 Working Group’s Rich Egan. Photo: Nick Rau
Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) has partnered with renowned management company Hard 8 Working Group (H8WG) to form a new venture, The Hard Working Record Company.
The new label venture will focus on discovering, developing and publishing pop acts as well as other genres, and will be helmed by BMLG’s President/CEO/Founder Scott Borchetta and H8WG’s Co-Founders Dirk Hemsath and Rich Egan, along with partners David Conway and Mike Bachta.
The venture is a progression of the relationship between BMLG and H8WG, which started when the two entities worked together on Brantley Gilbert and Kidd G. Based in Nashville, the new imprint will fall under the BMLG umbrella. The Hard Working Record Company has brought on LJ Stoll to serve as General Manager and VP of A&R.
“Our continued growth and dominance depend on quality and visionary A&R in all genres,” says Borchetta. “Rich, Dirk and the Hard Working team live for artist discovery and development and they’re bringing in heat from the onset.”
“Rich and I had been toying with the idea of starting a label again, since that’s the world we both came from. We had been working closely with Scott and Big Machine on the artist Kidd G and Scott mentioned he wanted to start a more pop-leaning imprint, and that’s the world we’ve been in heavily for the last few years most recently building pop star Tate McRae,” says Hemsath.
H8WG was founded in 2017 when Hemsath and Egan combined their management companies, The Working Group and Hard 8 Management. Both entities had a huge impact on the careers of artists such as The Working Group’s Billie Eilish, Morgan Wallen and Daughtry and Hard 8’s Jakob Dylan, Mac Miller and Gilbert.
The Hard Working Record Company joins other enterprises Borchetta has recently invested in. He chartered his rock imprint, Big Machine/John Varvatos Records, in 2017, and established a partnership with Blac Noize! to sign and develop hip-hop and R&B acts in 2022.
NMPA To Honor Brandi Carlile, Ashley Gorley At Annual Meeting In June
/by Lorie HollabaughBrandi Carlile, Ashley Gorley
The National Music Publishers’ Association has announced the honorees and keynote for its Annual Meeting at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on June 14.
Nine-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and producer Brandi Carlile will receive this year’s NMPA Songwriter Icon Award. Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl will deliver a keynote conversation, and the event will also feature the first-ever NMPA Non-Performing Songwriter Icon Award presented to mega hit-maker Ashley Gorley. RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier will also be presented with the NMPA Industry Legacy Award.
The event will feature surprise tribute performances and in-depth panels. An impactful lawmaker will be presented with the NMPA President’s Award, which this year will go to Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) for his leadership on the Music Modernization Act and CASE Act. This year’s State of the Industry address will examine the new streaming rates which recently went into effect.
“Brandi Carlile is in a class of her own,” says NMPA President & CEO David Israelite. “A critical success who has become a cultural and commercial force, she consistently has delivered stunning lyrics and vocals that cut to the heart of the human experience. We are thrilled to celebrate what she has given and continues to give to the craft of songwriting.”
He adds, “We are also honored to celebrate the success of Ashley Gorley, a singular talent in songwriting. A recipient of an astonishing 210 Gold & Platinum songwriting certifications, he is easily the most successful songwriter in country music. His dominance comes from honing influences from hip hop to rock and incorporating them into his unique style. He is responsible for widening and growing the entire genre.”
Save The Date: Recording Academy’s 22nd Annual Nashville Chapter Block Party
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy will host its annual Block Party on Wednesday, May 31, 5 p.m. at Nashville’s 6th & Peabody.
The Block Party is a private, industry-only event, providing members an experience that helps preserve the sense of community that is unique to the Nashville music industry by bringing back the “block party” tradition. Members gather for a night filled with food, drinks and extraordinary music from Nashville’s numerous musical genres.
Breland, Brothers Osborne and Blessing Offor will perform at this year’s Music City event. Guests will also be treated to a 50th Anniversary Hip-Hop tribute by Tim Gent, Chuck iNDigo and Daisha McBride as well as special guests DJ, Megan Coleman, and the TSU Aristocrat of Bands. Party host Wendy Moten will round out the celebration.
In addition to the performances, guests will enjoy tasty food and beverage offerings at the private, invitation-only event for Recording Academy Nashville Chapter Voting and Professional Members.
Spotify House Returns To 2023 CMA Fest With Star-Studded Lineup
/by Lorie HollabaughSpotify is returning to CMA Fest with their four-day Spotify House event from June 8-11 at Ole Red in downtown Nashville.
Spotify House will kick off on Thursday, June 8 and will present a daily and nightly lineup on the main stage featuring a mix of emerging artists, top country stars, exclusive late-night jam sessions and surprise special performances throughout the weekend.
Fan favorites who will perform on the main stage throughout the weekend include Brad Paisley, Brothers Osborne, Dierks Bentley, Hailey Whitters, Ingrid Andress, Jordan Davis, Luke Grimes, Mickey Guyton, Old Dominion, Lady A and Ruston Kelly.
The full main stage lineup will include Alana Springsteen, Ashley Cooke, Avery Anna, Brett Young, Brian Kelley, Chase Rice, Chayce Beckham, Chris Young, Colbie Caillat, Conner Smith, Dalton Dover, Danielle Bradbery, Dylan Marlowe, Dylan Schneider, Ella Langley, Ian Munsick, Jon Pardi, Josh Ross, Kameron Marlowe, Kylie Morgan, Lily Rose, Mackenzie Carpenter, Mitchell Tenpenny, Restless Road, Riley Green, Sam Hunt, Tanner Adell, Tenille Arts, Warren Zeiders, and 49 Winchester.
Spotify House will also treat fans who want to show off their latest country dance moves to several exclusive late night DJ sets including Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley and Cheat Codes + Friends. As part of Spotify’s commitment to supporting rising talent and music discovery, fans will be able to see new acts from the Fresh Finds Country playlist perform live throughout the weekend.
“The Spotify House has become a CMA Fest staple and we couldn’t be more excited to be returning to Ole Red again this year,” says Jackie Augustus, Lead, Country & Folk, Artist Partnerships at Spotify. “As always, we wanted the lineup to reflect the trends and discoveries that listeners have been making on platform. Every year the genre expands into new influences and sounds, so we’re looking forward to giving the fans an opportunity to experience 2023 country in its fullest. And as always, we have a few surprises up our sleeves, so you never know who might show up on our stage.”
Country fans can stop by Spotify House Thursday, June 8-10 from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. CT daily, and Sunday, June 11 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. All shows will be open to the public, and space will be limited to first-come, first-served.
Riser House Records Signs Lanco
/by LB CantrellPictured (L-R, back row): Eleanor Kohl, Bryan Coleman, Alex Seif, Jennifer Johnson, Megan Schultz, Lauren Spahn and Brandon Perdue; (L-R, front row): Jared Hampton, Tripp Howell, Brandon Lancaster and Chandler Baldwin. Photo: Shannon Bradley
Lanco, the band behind the multi-Platinum, two-week No. 1 “Greatest Love Story,” has signed with Riser House Records.
The Nashville-based group came to prominence in 2017 with the hit off their No. 1 debut album Hallelujah Nights. Following the success of the project, Lanco won the ACM Award for New Vocal Duo or Group and has since been nominated for CMT, CMA, AMA and iHeart Radio Awards.
The news of Lanco’s new record deal begins a new era for the band, whose forthcoming single, “Sound of a Saturday Night,” is set for release on June 2.
“We spent the past couple of years writing with each other and some of our favorite songwriters, getting back in the studio with Jay Joyce and pushing ourselves harder than we ever have to make music that represents who we are today,” says Lanco. “Riser House shares our vision for the future and we couldn’t be more thankful for an incredible team that will help us introduce this new chapter of Lanco to the world. We back.”
“We are so thrilled to work with Lanco,” says Riser House Entertainment President & Co-Founder Jennifer Johnson. “They are a great group of humans with a vast fanbase. Brandon Lancaster has a clear vision and path for their brand and sound. Their music is uniquely compelling and we are excited to take them to the next level.”