Kelsea Ballerini. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT

Kelsea Ballerini will star in the third installment of CMT Storytellers, set to premiere Thursday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. CT on the network.

The show features never-before-heard stories behind Ballerini’s most career-defining songs, and takes fans along on a musical journey from her Platinum debut album The First Time (2015) through her latest project Subject To Change (2022). She performs hits “Peter Pan,” “Homecoming Queen?,” “Half of My Hometown” and “If You Go Down” on the show, which was filmed in front of an intimate audience outside of Nashville, and opens up about her evolution as a singer-songwriter, her writing process, and navigating life and career in the special one-hour concert.

“Songwriting is my therapy, my haven, my best friend and my exhale,” says Ballerini. “It’s the purest part of what I do, and I am grateful to join a lineup of storytellers I’ve learned from as I tell mine.”

Brooks & Dunn kicked off the revival of CMT Storytellers this spring, followed by an episode with Darius Rucker. The Storytellers franchise originally aired on VH1 from 1990 to 2015 and quickly became a cultural touchstone, featuring some of the biggest names in music including Garth Brooks, The Chicks, Pearl Jam, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift, among others.

Ballerini will also return as co-host of the CMT Music Awards for the third consecutive year, and is set to appear as part of the concert event “The Judds: Love Is Alive – The Final Concert” this spring. This Sunday (Feb. 5), she’s also up for her first Grammy in the “Best Country Solo Performance” category for “Heartfirst.” Ballerini is set to embark on the second leg of her headlining “Heartfirst Tour” this spring, in addition to joining Kenny Chesney on his “I Go Back Tour.”

BMI Kicks Off Bluebird Cafe Series With ‘New Faces Of Nashville’ Show

Pictured (L-R): BMI’s Shannon Sanders, Harper Grae, Tony Evans Jr., Lindsey Hinkle and BMI’s Clay Bradley. Photo: Edwin Keeble

BMI kicked off their 2023 showcase series, BMI Presents at the Bluebird Cafe, with a “New Faces of Nashville” set on Tuesday evening (Jan. 31). The show featured performances from Music City newcomers Lindsey Hinkle, Harper Grae and Tony Evans Jr.

BMI Presents at the Bluebird Cafe spotlights a diverse group of Nashville-based, emerging singer-songwriters each month at the historic venue.

“BMI is proud of our partnership with the Bluebird. We’re mutually committed to the support of our songwriter community,” shares BMI Nashville Executive Director, Creative, Shannon Sanders.

The event marked Hinkle’s Bluebird Cafe debut. She serenaded audience member with her songs including “Power of a Woman,” “Bound to Fall,” and “Leave Me Alone.” The self-taught musician has written her own music since she was 13, and has opened for acts including Keith Urban, Lady A, Sugarland and Darius Rucker.

Grae spoke about her childhood tribulations, singing about her mother’s struggle with addiction and being raised by her grandparents. Her emotional set included “Monster,” “Bloodline,” and “Dying on the Vine” and more from her EP Buck Moon Medleys.

Evans Jr. closed out the show with songs centered around heartbreak and “that knot in the stomach we feel when a relationship ends.” The Georgia native performed three tracks during his set — “We’ve Never Danced,” “Hard to Sleep Alone” and “Kids We Never Had.”

Laurie Gregory Joins Smokin’ Oaks Organic Farms As Director of Marketing & Events

Laurie Gregory

Music and hospitality industry veteran Laurie Gregory has joined Smokin’ Oaks Organic Farms as Director of Marketing & Events.

Gregory served as a founding producer of Music City Roots and previously managed events for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. In her new role, Gregory will be responsible for promotions and events for the farms as well as the Nashville storefront located on 8th Avenue South.

Owned by Justin Head, Smokin’ Oaks features a full-service butcher shop, deli and grocery as well as an area used for lunch seating, ticketed events, tastings and live music. Everything in the store is carefully sourced to be top quality clean, nutrient-dense products. All meats are from the owner’s farm, where the animals are 100 percent pasture-raised in a healthy environment.

“Smokin’ Oaks is a true farm-to-table business,” says Gregory. “Just like the authentic musicians and creatives I have worked with all these years, our team’s dedication to clean local food and support of other farms inspire me to develop opportunities for the public to experience. I have the dream job of combining my favorite things: food, music and community.”

Gregory can be reached at laurie@smokinoaksorganicfarms.com.

Matt Freedman Inks With Forward Music Management

Matt Freedman and Brad Austin.

Matt Freedman has joined Forward Music Management’s roster.

Freedman has been working on his music since he was a teenager. His songs combine a unique blend of country, rock, Americana, pop and blues. He and his band The Herd have opened for artists including Miranda Lambert and Brett Young.

“Matt is uniquely positioned for 2023 and beyond. He’s a bit of a renaissance artist with one foot firmly planted in the roots of country, pop and Americana music yet the other foot is pointing squarely towards the future. I’m excited for people to hear what’s next from Matt!” says Forward Music Founder Brad Austin.

Ginmarc Publishing Signs Addy Prado

Pictured (L-R): Ginmarc’s Jennifer Rai, Addy Prado and BMI’s Leslie Roberts. Photo: Michael Miller

Jennifer Rai and her husband, producer Mark Bright, have launched independent publishing company, Ginmarc. Singer-songwriter Addy Prado is Ginmarc first signee, inking an exclusive publishing deal with the company.

Ginmarc seeks to support the creativity and development of songwriters and producers. Rai served as Creative Director of Mark Bright Productions for years, and recently held the same position at Adair Publishing. She has also served as A&R Director & Production Coordinator on multiple major label projects.

Prado is a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, guitar, oboe, and more, and grew up singing with her sister from an early age. She is currently touring with her friend Matthew Fowler and sister Tana in a trio. Since signing with Ginmarc she has written with Bright, Marc Beeson, Chuck Butler, Michael Farren and more, and has already earned cuts with Canadian country artist Emilie Naimark and rising pop artist Garrett Adair.

“Addy is pure creative energy,” says Rai. “Her voice, as an instrument, is as strong as her writing instincts. I am just thrilled to have the privilege of signing her as my first writer and supporting her creativity.”

Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Nickelback are set to headline the Boots and Hearts Festival Aug. 10-13 at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, Ontario.

Rock artists Big Wreck and JJ Wilde round out the list of main stage headliners, while Breland and Tyler Joe Miller are newly confirmed to headline the Front Porch Stage for the very first time.

Previously announced artists included Riley Green, Lauren Alaina, Blanco Brown, Dallas Smith, and more. This year, the festival will host over 24 first-time artists including Bailey Zimmerman, Travis Denning, Kylie Morgan, Seaforth, Ashland Craft, and many more.

“Since starting the festival in 2012, we’ve focused on delivering a premium festival experience and offering once in a lifetime moments,” says Eva Dunford, Founding Partner, Republic Live. “This year, we are expanding on the musical experience to ensure there is something for everyone. A day trip to see the hottest acts in country and rock or a weekend of nostalgia with Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Nickelback. I believe there’s a genuine love affair with country and rock. We’re thrilled to host Nickelback’s only Ontario performance date and celebrate such a special moment with the global superstars.”

With over a decade of #BootsLife under its belt, the four-day, multi-stage Boots and Hearts Music Festival is Canada’s largest camping music festival