Studio A. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
When stepping from under the forest green awning into the infamous Hilltop Studios during a session, creativity fills the air and stimulating tempos welcome you inside, evoking that sense of unity music often provides.
Founded in the mid-1960s by veteran music engineer Jack Linneman and his son Billy, Hilltop celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, making it one of the longest-running recording studios in the Nashville area. Located just outside of Music City in Madison, Tennessee, the studio has remained in the same spot since its inception, and boasts a hefty client list of both rising and renowned stars such as Bill Anderson, Dolly Parton, Jeannie Seely, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Vince Gill and many more.
Seely, a frequent client of Hilltop Studios, shares with MusicRow, “Hilltop remains my go-to studio. I feel so comfortable there, the sound is always great, John Nicholson is always so accommodating and knowledgeable, and the vibes are just there! The history alone gives you a sense of belonging. I’ve made so many memories there and I look forward to making more.”
Hilltop Studios. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
Today, Hilltop is managed by Nicholson, an established engineer and Hilltop’s former owner. He has help from staff engineer Matt Huitt, who oversees the studio’s social media platforms and has his own production company in partnership with Hilltop, Huitt Productions. MusicRow recently sat down with both of them to talk about the history of Hilltop and sit in on a session at the iconic studio.
Hilltop founder Jack Linneman got the idea to build the studio while working as an engineer for country label Starday King Records.
“Jack saw the need to create a quality recording studio for a clientele including independent artists and people who didn’t have huge budgets, but nevertheless wanted to make a good record,” notes Nicholson. He then left Starday to build Hilltop from the ground up. The bottom floor served as a studio while the top floor served as Linneman’s residence. In the early days, he worked with many legendary artists prior to their record deal signings.
“Our bread and butter ever since day one—and what I believe has contributed to our longevity— is catering to independent artists. That’s still our business model today,” Nicholson continues.
Born and raised in Hohenwald, Tennessee, Nicholson began his music career as a self-taught drummer in a local band, eventually finding himself more interested in the audio and production side of things. After high school, he attended the Nashville School of Broadcast Technique with an initial goal of becoming a television cameraman. But when the school debuted a course called “How To Be A Recording Engineer,” his dreams quickly shifted back to music.
Nicholson began his job search following graduation, flipping through the phone book and calling every Nashville studio his finger landed on. Not many were hiring at the time, but he continued to make calls. Finally, his finger found Hilltop, and as fate would have it, Linneman answered the phone while their secretary was away from the desk—a rarity—and shared that they could use somebody.
Jack Linneman with Johnny Cash and music industry members. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
In March of 1981, he moved in with his brother, who lived only a few miles from the studio, and met with Linneman. The two hit it off and he began work immediately. Nicholson learned the ropes from both Jack and Billy, as well as Kevin McManus, one of the chief engineers during that time. Nicholson was manning the console within a month of starting and has now been with the studio for over 40 years, working with an array of world-class musicians.
“Even to this day [the sessions] are all fun. When you’re working with studio musicians that are the world’s best—and they all are—every time we have a session it’s always made up of that caliber. That makes a session fun everyday,” he says. “There’s some notable people I’ve worked with that have been fun. I know it’s cliché to say that they’ve all been great, but for the most part, they have been. I can’t think of one I’ve enjoyed more than another.”
Studio B. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
In 1994, Nicholson bought Hilltop from the Linnemans and ran it as an owner for nearly two decades. He updated the decor as well as the technology as it evolved from analog tape to Pro Tools and computer recording, and added isolation booths to the space. He shares that he didn’t want to mess with the physical properties of the studio too much because everything already sounded great acoustics-wise. In 2013, he sold Hilltop to music and production company Virginia Dreams, LLC, who said they would only purchase it if he agreed to stay on and run it.
Hilltop currently houses two studios, Studio A and Studio B. Studio A is located on the ground floor and includes a 56 channel SSL 9000J analog recording console. It is the larger of two and the one that primarily caters to all of the musicians with its stunning Yamaha C7 grand piano and four isolation booths. The stone walls that frame the control room give it a cabin-like, comfortable and cozy feel. Studio B is a smaller extension of Studio A located on the second floor. With a Digidesign Pro Tools HD system, C24 control surface and two isolation booths, it’s designed to record mainly vocals and is where most of the mixing takes place.
What separates Hilltop from other recording studios in Music City is that it is “off the beaten path” and gives a sense a privacy that can be hard to find. As long as he’s been in charge, Nicholson has only ever had one other main person helping him. He keeps the team lean partially as a result of low staffing need due to technology advancement, but mostly because he wants clients to truly get to know the members of the Hilltop team, so that they make recording experiences more intimate and personal. Today, he and Huitt are the only primary team members.
Huitt has been with Hilltop for more than a decade now, and his love for music production shines through his work ethic and the way he communicates with his clients.
“Matt reminded me of myself in a way. He would kind of just hang out [at Hilltop] because he just wanted to learn. We would invite him to come watch sessions and help here and there,” Nicholson recalls.
Pictured (L-R): Matt Huitt & John Nicholson. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
Clients quickly got to know and trust Huitt as he took on more and more projects. “I like to say if you hang out here long enough, you’ll end up working here,” jokes Nicholson. In 2021, he was encouraged by Nicholson to start Huitt Productions in partnership with Hilltop to help expand their production services.
“For me, this is a dream career, going way back to when I loved the audio of the drums and learning how to make sound. The thing that is most rewarding everyday is working with world-class musicians. It makes me realize just how good we have it to be able to do this everyday,” Nicholson shares. “There’s nothing better than watching a song start off as an idea and grow all the way into a radio production.”
Huitt says what he loves most about his job is, “watching somebody’s dream come true, because most of the time, we’re dealing with an independent person who has saved up a lot of money and they are working hard to record. To see the look on their faces when they say, ‘It has always sounded like that in my head,’ [is fulfilling.]”
The walls of Hilltop Studios have heard many a song and story, and plan to continue to for hopefully 60 more years and beyond.
Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, More To Play Alabama’s June Jam
/by LB CantrellAlabama’s Jeff Cook, Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry. Photo: Rick Diamond
After announcing the return of their beloved concert event June Jam, Alabama has revealed the first round of entertainers that will take the stage in Fort Payne, Alabama at the VFW Fairgrounds on June 3.
At June Jam, Alabama’s Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry will be joined by Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Frontmen, Exile, Mark Wills, Neal McCoy, Dailey & Vincent, Home Free, The Malpass Brothers and Dee Jay Silver. Randy Travis will also make a special appearance. More performers are expected to join the bill.
As in years past, June Jame will benefit those in need and disaster relief efforts across the state of Alabama. Last held in 1997, the 2023 revival of the event marks its 17th year. Tickets are on-sale now via ticketmaster.com, as well as the Alabama Fan Club & Museum in Fort Payne.
In the days preceding June Jane, Alabama will be celebrated with a Fan Appreciation Week, which will include Teddy Gentry’s Singing with the Stars Talent Contest (Thursday, June 1 at 6 p.m. at the Fort Payne City Hall Auditorium), the Fans Songwriter Showcase Spectacular (Friday, June 2 at 7 p.m. at the Fort Payne City Hall Auditorium), and a brunch at Cook Castle for the Jeff & Lisa Cook Foundation (Friday, June 2 at 11 a.m.).
Additionally, a public celebration of life will be held for Jeff Cook on Saturday, June 3 at 12 p.m. at the VFW Fairgrounds. Cook passed away in November at age 73.
Hilltop Studios Celebrates 60 Years [Interview]
/by Liza AndersonStudio A. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
When stepping from under the forest green awning into the infamous Hilltop Studios during a session, creativity fills the air and stimulating tempos welcome you inside, evoking that sense of unity music often provides.
Founded in the mid-1960s by veteran music engineer Jack Linneman and his son Billy, Hilltop celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, making it one of the longest-running recording studios in the Nashville area. Located just outside of Music City in Madison, Tennessee, the studio has remained in the same spot since its inception, and boasts a hefty client list of both rising and renowned stars such as Bill Anderson, Dolly Parton, Jeannie Seely, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Vince Gill and many more.
Seely, a frequent client of Hilltop Studios, shares with MusicRow, “Hilltop remains my go-to studio. I feel so comfortable there, the sound is always great, John Nicholson is always so accommodating and knowledgeable, and the vibes are just there! The history alone gives you a sense of belonging. I’ve made so many memories there and I look forward to making more.”
Hilltop Studios. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
Today, Hilltop is managed by Nicholson, an established engineer and Hilltop’s former owner. He has help from staff engineer Matt Huitt, who oversees the studio’s social media platforms and has his own production company in partnership with Hilltop, Huitt Productions. MusicRow recently sat down with both of them to talk about the history of Hilltop and sit in on a session at the iconic studio.
Hilltop founder Jack Linneman got the idea to build the studio while working as an engineer for country label Starday King Records.
“Jack saw the need to create a quality recording studio for a clientele including independent artists and people who didn’t have huge budgets, but nevertheless wanted to make a good record,” notes Nicholson. He then left Starday to build Hilltop from the ground up. The bottom floor served as a studio while the top floor served as Linneman’s residence. In the early days, he worked with many legendary artists prior to their record deal signings.
“Our bread and butter ever since day one—and what I believe has contributed to our longevity— is catering to independent artists. That’s still our business model today,” Nicholson continues.
Born and raised in Hohenwald, Tennessee, Nicholson began his music career as a self-taught drummer in a local band, eventually finding himself more interested in the audio and production side of things. After high school, he attended the Nashville School of Broadcast Technique with an initial goal of becoming a television cameraman. But when the school debuted a course called “How To Be A Recording Engineer,” his dreams quickly shifted back to music.
Nicholson began his job search following graduation, flipping through the phone book and calling every Nashville studio his finger landed on. Not many were hiring at the time, but he continued to make calls. Finally, his finger found Hilltop, and as fate would have it, Linneman answered the phone while their secretary was away from the desk—a rarity—and shared that they could use somebody.
Jack Linneman with Johnny Cash and music industry members. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
In March of 1981, he moved in with his brother, who lived only a few miles from the studio, and met with Linneman. The two hit it off and he began work immediately. Nicholson learned the ropes from both Jack and Billy, as well as Kevin McManus, one of the chief engineers during that time. Nicholson was manning the console within a month of starting and has now been with the studio for over 40 years, working with an array of world-class musicians.
“Even to this day [the sessions] are all fun. When you’re working with studio musicians that are the world’s best—and they all are—every time we have a session it’s always made up of that caliber. That makes a session fun everyday,” he says. “There’s some notable people I’ve worked with that have been fun. I know it’s cliché to say that they’ve all been great, but for the most part, they have been. I can’t think of one I’ve enjoyed more than another.”
Studio B. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
In 1994, Nicholson bought Hilltop from the Linnemans and ran it as an owner for nearly two decades. He updated the decor as well as the technology as it evolved from analog tape to Pro Tools and computer recording, and added isolation booths to the space. He shares that he didn’t want to mess with the physical properties of the studio too much because everything already sounded great acoustics-wise. In 2013, he sold Hilltop to music and production company Virginia Dreams, LLC, who said they would only purchase it if he agreed to stay on and run it.
Hilltop currently houses two studios, Studio A and Studio B. Studio A is located on the ground floor and includes a 56 channel SSL 9000J analog recording console. It is the larger of two and the one that primarily caters to all of the musicians with its stunning Yamaha C7 grand piano and four isolation booths. The stone walls that frame the control room give it a cabin-like, comfortable and cozy feel. Studio B is a smaller extension of Studio A located on the second floor. With a Digidesign Pro Tools HD system, C24 control surface and two isolation booths, it’s designed to record mainly vocals and is where most of the mixing takes place.
What separates Hilltop from other recording studios in Music City is that it is “off the beaten path” and gives a sense a privacy that can be hard to find. As long as he’s been in charge, Nicholson has only ever had one other main person helping him. He keeps the team lean partially as a result of low staffing need due to technology advancement, but mostly because he wants clients to truly get to know the members of the Hilltop team, so that they make recording experiences more intimate and personal. Today, he and Huitt are the only primary team members.
Huitt has been with Hilltop for more than a decade now, and his love for music production shines through his work ethic and the way he communicates with his clients.
“Matt reminded me of myself in a way. He would kind of just hang out [at Hilltop] because he just wanted to learn. We would invite him to come watch sessions and help here and there,” Nicholson recalls.
Pictured (L-R): Matt Huitt & John Nicholson. Photo: Courtesy of Hilltop Studios
Clients quickly got to know and trust Huitt as he took on more and more projects. “I like to say if you hang out here long enough, you’ll end up working here,” jokes Nicholson. In 2021, he was encouraged by Nicholson to start Huitt Productions in partnership with Hilltop to help expand their production services.
“For me, this is a dream career, going way back to when I loved the audio of the drums and learning how to make sound. The thing that is most rewarding everyday is working with world-class musicians. It makes me realize just how good we have it to be able to do this everyday,” Nicholson shares. “There’s nothing better than watching a song start off as an idea and grow all the way into a radio production.”
Huitt says what he loves most about his job is, “watching somebody’s dream come true, because most of the time, we’re dealing with an independent person who has saved up a lot of money and they are working hard to record. To see the look on their faces when they say, ‘It has always sounded like that in my head,’ [is fulfilling.]”
The walls of Hilltop Studios have heard many a song and story, and plan to continue to for hopefully 60 more years and beyond.
Luke Combs Enters Top Five On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellLuke Combs. Photo: Jeremy Cowart
Luke Combs jumps two positions to join the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week. He is a co-writer on seven of his charting songs, such as “Love You Anyway,” “Going, Going, Gone,” “5 Leaf Clover,” “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old,” “Joe,” “You Found Yours” and “Hannah Ford Road.”
Morgan Wallen heads back to the No. 1 spot this week as a co-writer on 13 charting songs. Ashley Gorley (No. 2), Ryan Vojtesak (No. 3) and Zach Bryan (No. 4) complete the top five.
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.
Rebels & Renegades Music Festival To Return In October
/by Lorie HollabaughThis year’s lineup includes headliners Turnpike Troubadours, Whiskey Myers and Wilco as well as Elle King, Ole Crow Medicine Show, Brent Cobb, Whiskey Myers, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, The Infamous Stringdusters, Vincent Neil Emerson and more.
Expanding to three days, fans will be able to hear and see their favorite bands play the same iconic stage on which Jimi Hendrix set his guitar aflame at 1967’s Monterey Pop Festival.
“What was once just a dream has now become a reality,” says the festival’s promoter Dan Sheehan. “The lineup for Rebels & Renegades 2023 is one of the best lineups I have developed for any of our festivals. It was quite the process putting it together over the last 4 months and I am really excited to share it with the world.”
Presale signup is available now and tickets will go on sale on tomorrow, April 11. For more information, click here.
Titans & Nissan Stadium Name SeatGeek As Official Primary Ticketing Partner
/by Steven BoeroNissan Stadium. Photo: by Gabriel Tovar
The Tennessee Titans and Nissan Stadium are moving on from Ticketmaster and have named SeatGeek as their official primary ticketing partner starting April 1, 2023. The new deal marks SeatGeek’s sixth NFL partnership as its Official Ticketing Partner, starting with the 2023 season. SeatGeek will also power all concerts and other events in Nissan Stadium, excluding any events already on sale prior to April 1.
“We’re in the business of making memories, and live events have an incredible capacity to bring people together and mark those special moments in time,” says Titans Chief Revenue Officer, Adam Nuse. “When looking for a new ticketing partner, we knew we needed a like-minded team that looked beyond the technology of today—a partner that could evolve alongside us, creating innovative products for today’s fans, but also for generations to come. We are confident SeatGeek will provide our fans with a superior live event experience that perfectly exemplifies the spirit of Tennessee.”
Fans entering Nissan Stadium will take advantage of SeatGeek’s mobile app to create the ultimate live event experience. Fans can use SeatGeek’s Deal Score algorithm to browse the best prices for the best tickets. By leaning into SeatGeek’s Rally technology, the Titans aim to improve game-day communication with fans and make stadium entry faster and more convenient with digital scanning to get more fans in seats before kickoff.
As part of the deal, SeatGeek’s backend technology platform, Unify, will help the Titans and venue staff manage their sales and inventory efficiently to deliver a customized live event experience for today’s fans, with SeatGeek’s vertically integrated platform helping the team capture better economics.
“Nashville is an extraordinary city, filled with some of the country’s most passionate sports and music fans, and we’re thrilled to be part of its culture,” says Danielle du Toit, President at SeatGeek. “The Titans and venue staff at Nissan Stadium are looking years into the future, implementing state-of-the-art technology that will impact the live event experience for today’s fans and the fans of tomorrow. With our comprehensive customer database and fan-first features, we’re excited to help the Titans usher in the next generation of football fanatics and concert-goers, exceeding the expectations of fans stepping off Broadway and into the stadium.”
SeatGeek showed remarkable success in 2022, announcing 16 new partnerships with sports organizations and their respective venues, including the Utah Jazz, Baltimore Ravens, NHL’s Florida Panthers and more. The company also recently announced marketplace partnerships with Major League Baseball (MLB) and Paciolan, the largest ticketing company in college athletics, expanding SeatGeek’s reach to new audiences.
This article also appears in MusicRow‘s sister publication, The Sports Credential.
Weekly Register: Morgan Wallen Marks Fifth Week Atop Country Albums Chart
/by Liza AndersonThis week marks Morgan Wallen‘s fifth consecutive week at No. 1 on the country albums chart with One Thing At A Time, which also landed at No. 1 overall once again, with 173K in total consumption (7.9K album only/207 million song streams) according to Luminate data.
The rest of the country albums top five also remains the same.
Luke Combs‘ Gettin’ Old stays at No. 2 with 54K (7.8K album only/57 million song streams) and Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album notches No. 3 again with 45K (1.7K album only/55 million song streams). Zach Bryan‘s American Heartbreak rests at No. 4 with 27K (2.8K album only/32 million song streams) and Taylor Swift‘s Red (Taylor’s Version) continues at No. 5 with 20K (4K album only/21 million song streams).
On the country streaming songs chart, Wallen’s “Last Night” persists at No. 1 with 29 million new streams adding to 273 million RTD and “Thinkin’ Bout Me” stays at No. 2 with 14 million streams adding to 78 million RTD. “You Proof” remains at No. 3 with 13 million streams adding to 518 million RTD. Bryan’s “Something In The Orange” jumps to No. 4 with 11 million streams adding to 586 million RTD and Bailey Zimmerman‘s “Rock and A Hard Place” moves to No. 5 with 11 million streams adding to 407 million RTD.
Jordan Davis Announces ‘Damn Good Time Tour’
/by Liza AndersonJordan Davis has announced his “Damn Good Time Tour,” which will kick off Aug. 31 in Atlanta at the Roxy before heading to Nashville for Labor Day weekend as well as Philadelphia, New York and Boston before wrapping in Las Vegas in October. Avery Anna, Gabby Barrett, Danielle Bradbery, Flatland Calvary, Greylan James, Dylan Marlowe, Kameron Marlowe, Mike Ryan, Connor Smith and Georgia Webster will all serve as support on select dates.
Davis’ official fan club, The Parish, will have first access to tickets on their website. The Parish Gold presale will start tomorrow, April 11 at 10 a.m. local time, and the Digital Membership presale will begin Wednesday, April 12 at 10 a.m. local time. Tickets will go on sale to the public Friday, Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. local time. For more information, click here.
Industry Ink: Warner Music Nashville, Love Rising, Austin Luther
/by Lorie HollabaughWarner Music Nashville & Pearl-Cohn High School Team To Release ‘Guitar Sale’
Arielle B with Warner Music Nashville and Pearl-Cohn High School team members.
Warner Music Nashville celebrated the release of Pearl-Cohn High School-affiliated artist Arielle B’s new single “Guitar Sale” last week at the Warner Music office on Music Row. The release of “Guitar Sale” is the culmination of a long-standing partnership between the record label and the entertainment magnet school, which began in 2013 under Warner Music Nashville Chairman Emeritus John Esposito. The event included key members of the metro school district and staff from both Pearl-Cohn and Warner Music Nashville, including a speech by Co-Chair & Co-President Ben Kline.
“I am so proud of Arielle B. and the amazing students and staff at Pearl Cohn for helping us achieve this incredible milestone together,” said Stephanie Davenport, Warner Music Nashville A&R and Project Manager. “Releasing this song has been ten years in the making, and I hope it is the first of many for our partnership. I see great things in the future for Arielle B. and all of the students that had a part in ‘Guitar Sale!'”
Love Rising Raises Over $500,000 For LGBTQ+ Tennessee Organizations
Love Rising, a benefit concert for the Tennessee Equality Project, Inclusion Tennessee, OUTMemphis and The Tennessee Pride Chamber, took place on March 20 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Love Rising raised over $500,000 and counting for these LGBTQAI+ organizations and continues to raise funds via its Propeller Auction.
Allison Russell, Amanda Shires, Brittany Howard, Hayley Williams, Hozier, Jason Isbell, Joy Oladokun, Julien Baker, Maren Morris, Mya Byrne, Sheryl Crow, Yola and many more performed to raise money for the cause. Additionally, the Looking Out Foundation supported the event by accepting donations and doubling contributions received, up to a maximum of $100,000.
Austin Luther Inks With Deluge Music
Pictured (L-R): Deluge Music’s Stephanie Greene, Austin Luther and Deluge Music’s David Robkin
Austin Luther has signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Deluge Music.
Luther is a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, originally hailing from Marshall, Minnesota. After attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, he spent four years in Los Angeles touring with Sabrina Carpenter and Rachel Platten. Luther currently resides in Music City where, in addition to producing and writing, he plays bass in Winona Fighter, a Nashville-based punk band.
‘AIMP Nashville Pubcast’ Launches Season Six With Guest Hannah Babitt
/by Lorie HollabaughHannah Babbit
The Nashville Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) has launched the sixth season of their podcast series, AIMP Nashville Pubcast, with guest Hannah Babitt.
As Founder & CEO of boutique management company Babz, Babbitt, who works in both Nashville and Los Angeles, represents this season’s expanded scope to new locations and genres. In addition to launching Babz in Los Angeles in 2020, and expanding with a Nashville branch earlier this year, Babitt has consulted for Big Machine Music and worked with crossover songwriters Laura Veltz, Sara Davis and Geoff Warburton, among others.
Hosted by Tim Hunze, Vice President of Publishing at Big Machine Music and an AIMP Nashville Board Member, the bi-weekly series features interviews with prominent songwriters and music publishing industry figures in Nashville and beyond. The AIMP Nashville Pubcast aims to provide insight to songwriters on their careers, inform listeners on the issues facing the music industry, and share lessons learned from their guests’ own experiences.
The next three episodes will feature Brandon Perdue (SVP, A&R + Publishing, River House Entertainment) on April 17, Jeffrey Hasson (Co-Head, UTA Nashville) on May 1 and David Israelite (President & CEO, NMPA) on May 15. Guests for the remainder of the season will be announced soon.
“It is my privilege to lead the AIMP Nashville Pubcast into Season Six with the help of so many incredible guests,” says Hunze. “Our show is only as good as the generous people willing to sit down and share their time and expertise, and I can’t wait for listeners to hear all of the amazing conversations we have on deck for this season. With how quickly our industry is always evolving, the best way we can serve our independent music publisher and songwriter communities is by providing a platform and space for conversations and idea sharing. We’re confident we’ve accomplished that with the Pubcast and Season Six!”
The AIMP Nashville Pubcast can be found on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher and Soundcloud.
George Strait Returns To Fort Worth On November 17 & 18
/by Steven BoeroGeorge Strait. Photo: by Jill Trunnell
Country music legend George Strait has announced a two-night-only event in his home state, with back-to-back concerts set for Friday, November 17 and Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena. The Country Music Hall of Famer will be joined by special guest Caitlyn Smith for both dates.
The two-night stand is a reprise of Strait’s two nights at Dickies Arena in 2022, which both sold out within hours of going on sale to the public. Tickets to the 2023 shows go on sale to the general public Friday, April 14 at 10 a.m. CT via Ticketmaster.com. American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, April 11 at 10 a.m. CT through Thursday, April 13 at 10 p.m. CT.
The news follows the announcement that Strait will team up with Chris Stapleton to perform one-off stadium dates this year in Phoenix, Seattle, Denver, Milwaukee, Nashville (two nights) and Tampa. Joining the King of Country and Stapleton for all dates are special guests Little Big Town.
Since his record-breaking “Cowboy Rides Away Tour” in 2014, Strait has performed for limited engagements outside of his 36-and-counting “Strait to Vegas” shows at T-Mobile Arena, including headlining both weekends of the Austin City Limits Music Festival in 2021 plus his 31st appearance at the Houston Rodeo in 2022. With an unmatched 60 singles hitting the top of the charts—more than any other artist in any genre—during the span of his 30+ year career, Strait has collected 33 Platinum or multi-Platinum-selling albums, more than any other country artist and ranking third across all genres behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley.
The Texas troubadour is the only artist or act in history to have a Top 10 hit every year for over three decades and earned his 100th entry on the Billboard Country Airplay chart with his 2019 single, “The Weight of the Badge.” He has sold nearly 70 million albums and earned more than 60 major entertainment industry awards.
Monument Records powerhouse vocalist Smith has won a Critics’ Choice Award, been nominated for an ACM Award, and written songs for Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Meghan Trainor, John Legend and Garth Brooks. Last year, she released her self-produced project High, and this spring, completed the second half of that album, adding six new songs to make her full record, High & Low, out April 14.