Darius Rucker Announces Summer Tour With Ryan Hurd, Tenille Townes, More As Special Guests

Darius Rucker. Photo: Keith Griner

Darius Rucker has announced a run of 14 dates across the U.S. and Canada this summer from July through September.

He’ll bring along a bevy of rising Nashville stars on the shows, including Tyler Booth, Daves Highway, Larry Fleet, Caylee Hammack, Ryan Hurd, Jameson Rodgers, Elvie Shane and Tenille Townes.

Rucker make three Nashville appearances this summer, with his “Darius And Friends” benefit at the Ryman on June 6, a CMA Fest appearance on June 9, and a Bridgestone Arena show as part of the “Brooks & Dunn Reboot Tour” on June 18.

Tickets to most newly-announced dates go on sale to the public beginning April 22 at 10 a.m. local time via DariusRucker.com.

Darius Rucker Tour Dates:
June 6 – Nashville, Tenn. | Ryman Auditorium (Darius and Friends)
June 9 – Nashville, Tenn. | Nissan Stadium (CMA Fest)
June 18 – Nashville, Tenn. | Bridgestone Arena (Brooks & Dunn Reboot Tour 2022)
June 23 – Cleveland, Ohio | Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica (with Tyler Booth)*
June 24 – Huber Heights, Ohio | Rose Music Center at The Heights (with Tyler Booth)*
June 25 – Interlochen, Mich. | Interlochen Center for the Arts (with Tyler Booth)
June 29 – Anchorage, Alaska | Backyard Country BBQ
July 8 – Cavendish, P.E.I. | Cavendish Beach Music Festival
July 15 – Memphis, Tenn. | venue TBA#
July 16 – Rogers, Ark. | Walmart AMP (with Ryan Hurd & Elvie Shane)*
July 21 – Paso Robles, Calif. | California Mid-State Fair (with Lindsay Ell)
July 22 – Phoenix, Ariz. | Arizona Federal Theatre (with Caylee Hammack)*
July 28 – Bend, Ore. | Hayden Homes Amphitheater (with Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack)*
July 30 – Cowichan, B.C. | Sunset Music Festival
July 31 – Merritt, B.C. | Rockin’ River Music Festival
August 25 – Tryon, N.C. | Night in the Country Carolinas
August 26 – Wilmington, N.C. | Live Oak Bank Pavilion (with Larry Fleet & Tyler Booth)*
August 27 – Doswell, Va. | Meadow Event Park (with Larry Fleet & Tyler Booth)*
September 2 – Bridgeport, Conn. | Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater (with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane)*
September 3 – Bethel, N.Y. | Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane)*
September 4 – Gilford, N.H. | Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane)*
September 9 – Tulsa, Okla. | Paradise Cove at River Spirit Casino Resort (with Tyler Booth)^
September 10 – Camdenton, Mo. | Lake Ozarks Amphitheater (with Tyler Booth)^
*On sale April 22
^On sale May 6
#On sale information TBA

Trace Adkins Celebrates 3x Platinum Status At Sold Out Ryman Show

Trace Adkins. Photo: Emma Delevante

Multi-Platinum entertainer Trace Adkins brought his “The Way I Wanna Go Tour” to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Friday, April 8 to a sold-out crowd.

The show, which marked Adkins first Ryman visit since 2012, was full of heartfelt emotion, baritone vocals and the playful spirit which has attributed to so much of his success. Throughout the night, Adkins was surprised when Terri Clark interrupted the show to share the news that his monster 2005 hit, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” has officially been certified triple-Platinum by the RIAA.

Pictured (L-R): Cameo Carlson, Mtheory; Trace Adkins; Mickey Jack Cones, Verge Records; Terri Clark. Photo: Catherine Powell

“Performing at the Ryman is always a highlight, but a sold-out crowd made it even more special,” explains Adkins. “Then, my good friend, Terri Clark, walked on stage and caught me totally off guard. Hell, I didn’t know what she was up to! Am I supposed to be singing a song with her? Is she going to slap me? Surprising me with news of the certification on the Ryman stage was a moment I will cherish.”

To celebrate the momentous honor, Adkins has released a special EP, Honky Tonk Badonkadonk: The Remixes, which reimagines the anthem in five new ways–from “Country Club” to “‘70s Groove” and more.

Live streamed via Mandolin, the show also served as the kickoff to a new leg of “The Way I Wanna Go Tour,” which now continues through October. The Grammy-nominated vocalist will make his way across the US, Canada and Mexico, as he continues to follow up his acclaimed 25th anniversary album, The Way I Wanna Go. For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.

In De Goot Entertainment Expands To Nashville

Bill McGathy. Photo: Jennie McGathy

Artist management company In De Goot Entertainment, home to many successful rock and alternative artists such as Shinedown and Halestorm, has announced their expansion to Nashville. The company also counts Big Machine/John Varvatos Records artist Ayron Jones as part of their roster.

In De Goot Entertainment, led by President, Owner and industry veteran Bill McGathy, is headquartered in New York, and has a presence in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Detroit, London, and now, Music City.

Additionally, In De Goot has announced promotions for several staff members. Of those in the Nashville office, Michael Iurato has been elevated to President of A&R and Artist Development, and Adam Lebensfeld to President of Promotion.

“This is an exciting time for In De Goot. We are positioned to bring the legacies of our established acts to new heights and to break emerging and exciting talent. Our recent staff promotions are well deserved, and our team has made so many important contributions to growing the company and guiding our artists to success. We look forward to an incredible upcoming year of new music and live entertainment, and this is just the beginning of elevating our entire In De Goot team,” says McGathy.

Wade Bowen & Friends Raise $500,000 For Texas Nonprofits

Pictured (L to R): Laura Houle, William Clark Green, John Michael Whitby, Sean Sankey, Nick Gardner, Josh Abbott, Lee Roy Parnell, Wade Bowen, Deana Carter, Jamie Lin Wilson, Geoff Queen, Todd Laningham, Caleb Jones). Photo: Todd Purify

Wade Bowen recently celebrated the return of his annual charity concert, “Bowen Musicfest,” and raised more than $500,000 to benefit local nonprofits in Texas.

Taking place at Baylor University’s McClane Stadium Touchdown Alley, Bowen performed alongside some of his friends. Performing alongside the popular singer-songwriter were ACM New Male Artist of the Year and fellow Texan Parker McCollum, multi-Platinum songstress Deana Carter, reigning ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year winner Lainey Wilson, and Grammy Award-winning band Shenandoah. The event closed with the ever-popular “Wade Bowen & Friends All-Star Jam” featuring Carter, Josh Abbott, William Clark Green, Casey Donahew, Stoney LaRue, Jamie Lin Wilson, Lee Roy Parnell and Randy Rogers, plus surprise guests Cledus T. Judd, William Beckmann and Cody Jinks.

“When we launched our annual ‘Bowen Musicfest’ and Bowen Classic golf tournament, I never dreamed that we’d still be at it twenty years and millions of dollars later,” shares Bowen. “I’m so proud of the way my family, friends and hometown continue to step up with hearts and hands to help make Waco a better place. At the Bowen Family Foundation, we believe that Music Heals and I can’t wait to see the good we can do for the community with the funds raised thanks to this incredible group of musicians.”

To date, the annual “Bowen Musicfest” has allowed the Bowen Family Foundation to help children and families in and around Waco by raising a total of more than $6 million for beneficiaries including March of Dimes Waco, CASA of McLennan & Hill Counties, City of West Disaster Relief, Boys & Girls Clubs of Waco, Inspiración, The Mentoring Alliance and more.

Bowen just released his six-song EP, Where Phones Don’t Work, which continues to impress fans and critics alike.

Stephanie Quayle Reflects On Her Past & Looks Forward To The Future On Upcoming Album

Stephanie Quayle. Photo: Audrey Hall

Big Sky Music Group recording artist Stephanie Quayle will release her self-titled album on April 22.

This collection of music, including singles “By Heart,” “Wild Frontier” and “I Want The World For You,” along with brand new material such as “Hang My Hat,” serve as a reflection of where the singer-songwriter is at this point in her life as she sets the stage for her next chapter.

“As many of us know, 2020 and 2021 changed the course of our live music experiences. Now in 2022, we have so much catching up to do with our fan family. This album is for them,” says Quayle. “It was requested by them and made with them in mind. This collection of music includes some songs they’ve heard, and a few they haven’t. It’s those new songs that really complete this chapter, and sets up what comes next. I hope each listener finds a piece of themselves in this album and the songs become the soundtrack to new memories and moments in their lives.”

In addition to her upcoming album release, Quayle has also announced a new line of boots in partnership with Lucchese Bootmaker. Growing up in Montana, Quayle brings the western spirit to her new collection, which includes styles such as the Buford, Rider, Dreamer and a revamped version of a classic-style boot, Quayle. The collection will be available beginning April 21.

She will also once again partner with Lucchese for their special concert series, the “Lucchese Listener Lounge Series.” In her second headlining series, kicking off in May, Quayle will visit Lucchese locations in Austin, Fort Worth and Willow Park, Texas with additional dates to be announced.

Matthew West To Release New Book, ‘The God Who Stays,’ This Fall

Matthew West. Photo: Sean Hagwell

Five-time Grammy nominated artist Matthew West has unveiled his sixth book, The God Who Stays, will be released on Sept. 6.

Published by ‎W. Publishing Group, an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, the new book is his most personal to date. West was inspired by the events of 2020 to go on a journey of rediscovery and revival inspired by the words of his hit song “The God Who Stays.”

YouTube video

West’s single, “Me On Your Mind,” is sitting at No. 17 on the Billboard Christian Airplay Chart and has surpassed 3 million streams across all digital streaming platforms. He has had 8 No. 1 singles as an artist, including his most recent multi-week No. 1 song “What If.” It followed back-to-back No. 1 hits with “The God Who Stays” and “Truth Be Told,” which he later recorded a duet version with country superstar Carly Pearce.

West is the reigning ASCAP Christian Songwriter of the Year, which is his fourth time with this honor in his career. In addition to his several RIAA Gold-certified and Platinum singles, he is currently traveling the country on his “Brand New Tour.” For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.

Eric Paslay: ‘I’ve Always Considered Being A Songwriter & Being An Artist The Same Thing’ [Interview]

Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb

Platinum-selling, Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Eric Paslay has been a familiar face in the Nashville songwriter and artist community for many years.

Since his first No. 1, Jake Owen‘s “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” topped the charts in 2011, Paslay has had a hand in writing some of Nashville’s biggest hits, including Eli Young Band‘s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” Charles Kelley‘s “The Driver,” Rascal Flatts‘ “Rewind,” Love & Theft‘s “Angel Eyes,” and Keith Urban‘s “Wild Hearts,” among countless others. He’s also had success as an artist with songs such as 2014’s “Friday Night” and “She Don’t Love You.”

Now, as an independent artist, Paslay is putting his own spin on some of his biggest hits as he releases the third and final installment of Even If It Breaks Your Barefoot Friday Night. The project marks the first time he has recorded many of the songs made famous by his contemporaries, and also features some of his own tunes revisited.

With a busy spring ahead of him as he gears up for a trek across the UK with The Shires and the third release in his cutting-edge NFT series, Paslay recently caught up with MusicRow to discuss his new projects, upcoming plans, and his outlook on being a true singer-songwriter.

MusicRow: How did you first get into writing? When did you know that’s what you wanted to do professionally?

I grew up in Texas loving music and I’ve always been drawn to songs. I always thought that every singer wrote what they sang, so if I wanted to be a singer, I thought I needed to write songs. At 15, I got my first guitar and started writing, which led people to say, “Oh, you can sing and you can write songs? You could pull a Willie Nelson and have other people record your music.”

To me, though, I just pictured being a singer and a writer as the same thing. From the moment I started creating music, playing and performing, I’ve just written and have gotten really lucky that other people have recorded my songs.

When did you first get to Nashville and really immerse yourself into the songwriting world?

I moved to Murfreesboro in 2003 and finished up school for music business at MTSU. Brian Gowen was a guy that lived in my hometown that had a deal on Curb and his wife worked for DreamWorks. They were my inside look into realizing that this is a hard business, but [they told me] that I was really good at singing and writing. They encouraged me to find a reason to stick around.

Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb

I went to school for music business so that way if I was on the creative side, that’s great, but if I’m not, then I would still be working with music. I was trying to find any way that I could stick around and it worked out that I got to sing and write.

A fun thing that people don’t know is that I actually had a record deal before I ever had a cut. I was signed to Capitol before I ever had a song recorded, which is crazy. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” went No. 1 before I had “Friday Night” go No. 1. Most people think I rode the coattails of being a songwriter, but I actually had a record deal first.

You’re about to release the third installment of Even If It Breaks Your Barefoot Friday Night. What made you want to embark on this project and put your own spin on these songs?

Thanks to Jake [Owen], Eli Young Band, Rascal Flatts, Love & Theft and Charles [Kelley], I know how much goes into getting a song to No. 1. It takes hard work, luck, the stars, God, and everything else lining up at once—and a pocket book.

I get to play five No. 1s every night, and fans of mine have always asked, “Why don’t you record a studio version of ‘Barefoot’ or ‘Breaks Your Heart’?” I just decided to do it. The timing was now and I was able to legally re-record songs that I’ve recorded in the past. It sounded like a challenge, too. I play those songs the same way every night so I wanted to see if I could change it up a little bit. Mitch Furr, who produced the album, did amazing. He’s incredibly talented. I love him, I love the project, and I love how all the songs turned out. We didn’t recreate them too much but we didn’t copy them exactly either.

Do you consider yourself an artist or a songwriter first?

I’ve never considered them separate. I feel like I can get stuck in the, “You’re such a great songwriter. Oh, you sing too? That’s great! Anyway, what about your songs?” I’ve had hits as a singer, but I’ve always considered being a songwriter and being an artist the same thing. If you’re a singer, you’ve got to have something to sing, and I definitely put my time into trying to be as good of a writer as I can be.

People ask, “Man, why didn’t you cut ‘Barefoot?’” But the reality is that even if I did, and I recorded the exact same way with the exact same voice, it still might not have been heard because the stars didn’t line up. Maybe the team wouldn’t have been right or who knows. I mean, Lady A cut “Friday Night” and that was never singled, but I did and it worked out.

YouTube video

You’ve started releasing your own series of NFTs, the last of which comes out April 20. What do you think the future of that endeavor looks like?

It’s been really cool learning about that. With blockchain technology, the most simple way I can say it is that it’s an undeniable receipt. In the world of music, with ticket sales and all of that, I’m looking at mine as the never ending ticket.

With the first one, there were 100 of them. It’s $25 for private concerts from me. It’s the cheapest, best ticket I’ve ever sold. In a way, they’re a fan club. I’m trying to add never ending value to that and, hopefully, it’s worth a whole lot of money someday but no one will ever want to sell it because it’s too much fun to be in the club.

For the second one that we did, I built 10 lights out of antique string ball holders and used the black walnut base from a tree that fell from a tornado that hit us a couple years back. I actually gave one of them away and auctioned off the other nine.

Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb

With the third NFT drop, which is ridiculous and I’m probably way ahead of legal things and losing a fortune, I’ll be the first country artist to ever sell parts of my album. We’re auctioning off 10% of the net profits from the album. There’ll be 10 of those so people are literally getting an album with five guaranteed No. 1, two Grammy-nominated songs, a couple of CMA nominated ones and a couple ACM nominated ones.

Are there any plans for new music from you as an artist in the works? Is that something you’re interested in?

We’re already working on music before this one’s even been released. I’m definitely in the mindset of create, create, release, release while I’m able to do that independently. I don’t have a deal on a major right now, but if that occurs, I know that it’s more difficult to put out music, so right now I’m building a catalog of released music.

It’s fun because I keep my head down, write, and go perform. Last week I wrote with Charles and Dave [Haywood] from Lady A and Corey Crowder. We wrote an amazing song. That day I was writing with Lady A in mind, but if they don’t want to record it, then maybe I’ll record it someday or [someone else will.] That’s where the magic is. I love being able to create because there’s endless possibilities for a song. It has forever to be heard. In 200 years some kid on Mars might hear my song and go, “Wow, what an amazing song.” I love music because of that. I love getting to create it, whether I’m recording it or writing it.

Chart Action: Kelsea Ballerini Most-Added, Jackson Dean Highest Debut

Kelsea Ballerini impacts country radio this week with “Heartfirst.” The track launched with 182 radio stations on board across the Billboard, Mediabase, and MusicRow charts, making it the most-added song at radio. The song also hit No. 1 on the iTunes Country Chart and No. 6 on the all-genre iTunes chart upon release.

Ballerini co-wrote “Heartfirst” with Alysa Vanderheym and Little Big Town member Karen Fairchild. She was recently named the newest face of Covergirl cosmetics, which will includes a yet-to-be-announced collection from Covergirl out this spring, and a multi-year partnership with the brand.

Jackson Dean

Jackson Dean‘s debut single “Don’t Come Lookin’,” also enters the Mediabase Chart at No. 39 which marks the highest entry for a new artists’ first single since 2015. The song, written by Dean and Luke Dick, was featured on Paramount Network’s Yellowstone and Netflix’s The Ice Road soundtracks. “Don’t Come Lookin'” is the lead track from his latest project, Greenbroke, released via Big Machine Records.

For more chart data, view the latest edition of The MusicRow Weekly.

 

Abbey Cone Announces Debut Collection, ‘Hate Me’

Abbey Cone. Photo: Bethany Reed

Abbey Cone puts her truest self on display with her debut collection Hate Me, due April 22 via The Valory Music Co.

The EP includes the heartfelt “Rhinestone Ring,” as well as the emotional breakup song and title track “Hate Me.” In conjunction with the announcement of new music, Cone has also released another tune from the collection titled “King Of The World,” available now. Throughout the project’s six tracks, the release covers the full spectrum of love with Cone serving as a co-writer and co-producer on every song.

“This project is me. I felt the feelings, I wrote the songs, I co-produced, I co-directed and co-created every part of this release with my team, incredible cowriters, my family and my best friends. I could never release something that didn’t feel undeniably me,” Cone explains. “I have a vision for every part of my career. I love how involved I was in creating this project and no matter where it lands in the musical universe, I’ll always be proud of it.”

Cone first made the trek to Nashville at age 12 from her home state of Texas. A CMT Next Women of Country Class of 2020 inductee, she was also named one of Pandora’s 10 Country Artists To Watch in 2022. The rising singer-songwriter most recently spent time on the road with Brittney Spencer.

Hate Me Track List:
1. In A Room With You | Abbey Cone, Nicolle Galyon, Nathan Spicer
2. King Of The World | Abbey Cone, Aaron James Babcock, Peter Christian Good
3. Rhinestone Ring | Abbey Cone, Heather Morgan, Nathan Spicer
4. The One | Abbey Cone, Jessie Jo Dillon, Nathan Spicer
5. Thought About You | Abbey Cone, Nate Cyphert, Nathan Spicer
6. Hate Me [Explicit] | Abbey Cone, Jessie Jo Dillon, Nathan Spicer

Michael Ray, Lee Greenwood, More To Honor Jeff Carson At Musical Memorial

Artists, fans, and industry friends alike will gather to honor country music hitmaker and ACM award-winner Jeff Carson at “A Music Memorial For Jeff Carson” on May 10 at 7 p.m. CT at The Nashville Palace.

Carson, a ’90s singer-songwriter, died from a heart attack at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, Tennessee in March of 2022. He was 58.

Set to join the celebration are Michael Ray, Lee Greenwood, Ty Herndon, Wade Hayes, Rhett Akins, Ricochet, Craig Campbell, and more. Throughout the night, performers will share, celebrate and honor their times with Carson through the years.

Danielle Peck of SiriusXM’s Y2K and T. Graham Brown of SiriusXM’s Prime Country will be hosting the event to benefit the Law Enforcement Assistance Partnership (LEAP), a nonprofit organization that assists officers of the FPD during unexpected life events. After retiring from country music, Carson pursued his other lifelong dream and joined the Franklin Police Department where he remained a dedicated officer until his passing.

“I am so happy that many of Jeff’s friends and peers are coming out to honor his memory and, at the same time, raise money for this charitable cause,” shares Carson’s wife, Kim Carson. “Jeff would be so thrilled with what we are doing. He loved his country music family and he loved his law enforcement family, so this will be a really special night.”

Tickets for the special evening are on sale now. For those who cannot make it to the event, an online auction has been set up and donations can be made in Carson’s honor.