Chase Locke

One Country, the country music media and giveaways platform, has tapped Chase Locke as CEO. He succeeds Rich Morris, who moves to become the CEO of One Country’s sister company Studio 1C.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Chase assume this role,” shares Patrick Harris, One Country President & Co-Founder. “He has been a critical part of the growth we’ve experienced this past year. More than anything we’re grateful to have someone of his character representing the company. If you know Chase, you understand that integrity and excellence are at the core of who he is and our partners experience that firsthand.”

After launching in 2012 as a country music news publisher, One Country added sweepstakes to its product offerings in 2019 before debuting a membership in 2020. Members are auto-entered every month into all new giveaways and have access through One Country’s mobile app to weekly challenges, exclusive video content, podcasts and more.

In addition to prize winners, One Country also makes financial contributions to designated nonprofit partners tied to campaigns. In the last six months, the company has executed multiple campaigns featuring Walker Hayes, Parker McCollum and Reba McEntire.

“The sweepstakes space has historically shown to be a valuable marketing channel. But it’s never had stronger promotional value than it does now. We see the win-win in strategically aligning giveaways with the brands and names consumers value in a way that drives new content creation and gives back,” Locke shares.

Harris adds, “The key is not just to execute a giveaway, but to use its attraction to tell the stories surrounding the artists and spotlight the causes they care about most.”

Billy Gilman

Billy Gilman, two-time Grammy-nominated artist and runner-up on NBC’s The Voice, has signed a recording contract with Pinecastle Records.

Gilman recently finished recording his first bluegrass album, and the project’s first single, “Roller Coaster,” will be released to radio on March 15.

“We are so excited to have an incredible artist like Billy on our label,” says Ethan Burkhardt, President of Pinecastle. “Billy has not released an album in almost 10 years, and coming off The Voice, he has had options to release an album in almost any genre that he wants. But it is a great win for bluegrass that this is where his heart genuinely is and where he wants to release an album.”

“I am more excited about this than anything I have ever done in music,” shares Gilman. “I grew up around bluegrass music since my grandparents would play it all the time, and it just feels so natural to me.”

Gilman sold 10 million records, and has won an American Music Award and four Billboard Music Awards throughout his career, and reports he plans to do a deep dive into bluegrass.

“This record isn’t just a one-time thing,” he adds. “This is where my heart is right now. I plan to get to know everyone I can in the industry, to put the work in, and make many more bluegrass albums in the years to come.”

Kristian Bush will release the final installment of his four-album collection, 52-This Year, on March 10 via Big Machine Label Group.

Bush shared the album’s lead single, “Already Yours,” today (Feb. 20) on all streaming services. The melody-driven track celebrates true and instant love, and was co-written by Bush with Andy Alberts and Andrew DeRoberts.

“It’s strange that we don’t have names for certain feelings even with all of the words we have in the English language,” Bush says. “But the feeling you get when you realize someone you have just met feels like someone you’ve known for lifetimes is the feeling this entire song is about.”

With 52-This Year, the solo artist and Sugarland founder will have completed four albums within the span of one year—the same number of albums released by Sugarland to date. Across the 52 songs (one for each year of his life) and especially in the final 14, Bush embraces the wisdom and experiences accumulated from decades spent in the music business.

The album title draws its name from the lyrics of the album’s final song, the deeply personal “New Year’s Resolution #7,” which Bush penned on New Year’s Day 2016 while both reflecting and looking to the future.

“I was making a list of the things I wanted to do, what I wanted to change, and what I thought I got right last year that I should keep up,” Bush says. “It is the truth of me, the closest you will probably ever get to knowing me, so it seems appropriate as the title to this final volume of 52.”

Along with juggling his four-album release, Bush launched and hosts his weekly podcast, 52-The Podcast, that explores the connection between his new songs and past hits, produces Megan Moroney, leads his label/publishing company Songs of the Architect, writes, records and performs with his rock band Dark Water and his folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim. He is also gearing up for Sugarland’s impending 20-year anniversary.

52- This Year Track List:
“Can’t Fix” | Kristian Bush, Connie Harrington
“Already Yours” | Kristian Bush, Andy Alberts, Andrew DeRoberts
“This Is How Love Sounds” | Kristian Bush, Jeff Cohen, Jon Nite
“The Space Between Us” | Kristian Bush, Benji Shanks
“If I Could Be” | Kristian Bush, Connie Harrington, Paul Plissey
“Let It Be Me” | Kristian Bush, Brandon Bush, JT Harding
“Love and Blue Jeans (feat. Billy Pilgrim)” | Rodney Clawson, Luke Dick, Shane McAnally
“Going Out of Business” | Kristian Bush, Jeff Trott
“Victory Lap” | Kristian Bush, Jeff Trott
“First Glass of Wine” | Kristian Bush, Benji Shanks
“Longneck with Jesus (feat. Billy Pilgrim)” | Kristian Bush, Marty Dodson, Paul Overstreet
“What Love Is” | Kristian Bush, Phil Barton, Liz Rose
“If You Gotta Go Now” | Kristian Bush, Jeff Cohen, Matt Thiessen
“New Year’s Resolution #7” | Kristian Bush

Ashley McBryde performs “Dandelion Diner” with the backing bluegrass band. Photo: Katie Kauss

Ashley McBryde brought her spectacular Lindeville project to the Ryman Auditorium last week for two sold-out crowds.

McBryde and her collaborators staged a carnival of sights and sounds to the music of her Grammy-nominated project Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville. The album is a look at the town of Lindeville, created by McBryde and her co-writers, that is the home to vibrant characters with engrossing storylines. A collaborative project, McBryde is joined by a host of talents on the album, including Brothers Osborne, Brandy Clark, Pillbox Patti, Caylee Hammack, Aaron Raitiere and more. It was nominated for Best Country Album at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

Ashley McBryde performs Lindeville Live at Ryman Auditorium. Photo: Katie Kauss

The Ryman stage looked like the set of a play, with “Lindeville” written out on a banner behind the band, the album’s trademark purple dinosaur set up by the steel guitarist and a special radio station booth in the corner set for Storme Warren. The radio exec put on his acting hat to play the part of radio announcer for Lindeville’s WTF (What The Fuzz) radio.

The evening started with the album’s cover star, Audrey Byrd, dancing across the stage and plopping down on a chair to begin to read a story. As she read, narration from McBryde played.

McBryde said, “Three little misfits had an idea one muggy as hell afternoon. The idea, it was weird, but they weren’t ‘a-feared,’ for they knew another weirdo or two. They figured they knew just exactly the few they would call to chorale and explore. The phone calls were made and if you ask them, they’ll say, ‘The stars lined up too good to ignore.’ Soon there were six at a small kitchen table in a cabin, mysterious and quirky. They toiled away all hours of the day, helping themselves to tequila and jerky. It wasn’t long before song after song came falling right out of the ether – onto sketch pads and laptops and guitars and keyboards about pawn shops and strippers and preachers. What they had on their hands, through some kind of plan, was so magic, it grew legs and wings. So Ash called a friend who said he was in, he built the band and asked her who should sing. There was just one more dream these weirdos could dream, and it’s all yours tonight. You’ve got good timing. Ladies and gents, we proudly present: ‘Lindeville Live.'”

Hilarity ensued when McBryde appeared to perform “Brenda Put Your Bra On” alongside Pillbox Patti and Lainey Wilson. Bras of all shapes, colors and sizes were flung up on stage while the women kicked off the night’s music.

Next, Aaron Raitiere appeared to perform “Jesus Jenny.” A scorned lover heckled Raitiere from the crowd as he sang the witty tune.

Pictured (L-R): John Osborne, Caylee Hammack, Ashley McBryde, Pillbox Patti and Shelly Fairchild perform. Photo: Katie Kauss

There were several moments of transition through the evening as the next slate of performers got ready to entertain. Like on the album, McBryde crafted several commercials for the businesses in Lindeville. A bluegrass band comprised of Charlie Worsham, TJ Osborne, Tim Sergent, Dan Hochhalter, Ben Helson and Jerry Pentecost joined McBryde to promote Lindeville’s Dandelion Diner, Ronnie’s Pawnshop and Forkem Family Funeral Home while everyone else got set for the next number. Each commercial was funny, hokey and delightful.

Speaking of bands, the Lindeville house band was electric. Brothers Osborne‘s John Osborne served as the eager bandleader. Chris Harris, Matt Helmkamp, Joe Andrews, Caleb Hooper, Quinn Hill and Preston Wait joined him.

TJ Osborne appeared at one point to sing the sincere “Play Ball.” He sounded beautiful singing about a caretaker of the local baseball park, who has been through trials but feels blessed to be alive.

Another impactful moment came when Benjy Davis gave a stoic performance of “Gospel Night At The Strip Club.” As Davis sang the first chorus of the tune, “Jesus loves the drunkards and the whores and the queers,” a dazzling group of local drag queens showed up in various sections of the Ryman. They smiled out at the crowd and sang along. It was enough to make audience members cry.

One of the night’s funniest moments came when Raitiere and Shelly Fairchild acted out “The Missed Connection Section of the Lindeville Gazette.” While pretending to grocery shop, the two traded verses about missing their connection with each other at the store. “Man seeking woman who won’t tell his wife,” Raitiere sang while Fairchild echoed, “Woman seeking man who won’t tell her husband.”

McBryde was joined by her fellow female performers for an epic rendition of “Bonfire At Tina’s.” The anthem about small town women gathering together in solidarity for a drunken bonfire was one of the rowdiest points of the night, with audience members raising their fists and singing along.

To tribute the album’s namesake, the illustrious songwriter Dennis Linde, McBryde led a performance of one of his beloved tunes, The Chicks‘ “Goodbye Earl.” The campy spirit of the song fit the night’s setlist perfectly.

Cast and characters of Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville Live. Photo: Katie Kauss

Before closing, McBryde performed her breakout hit, “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.” McBryde paused at the line, “I hear the crowd,” to soak in the community she has built with her music, before concluding the event with a heartfelt thank you.

McBryde’s Lindeville album is undoubtedly one that will stand up as time passes. The un-barred artistic expresion, brilliant songwriting and camaraderie between herself and her collaborators will draw listeners for decades to come.

Click here to listen to Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville.