Pictured (L-R, back row): Pillbox Patti, Prana Supreme and Tekitha of O.N.E The Duo, Angie Keilhauer, Roberta Lea, Catie Offerman, Georgia Webster and Kimberly Kelly; (L-R, front row): Kasey Tyndall, Alana Springsteen, Mackenzie Carpenter, Carter Faith, Avery Anna, Ashley Cooke, Julie Williams, Megan Moroney and MaRynn Taylor. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT
Marking the 10 year anniversary of CMT’s landmark Next Women of Country (NWOC) program, CMT has unveiled its largest class in program history with 16 new female artists joining the fold.
Among the rising stars named to the Class of 2023 are Alana Springsteen, Angie K, Ashley Cooke, Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Catie Offerman, Georgia Webster, Julie Williams, Kasey Tyndall, Kimberly Kelly, Mackenzie Carpenter, MaRynn Taylor, Megan Moroney, O.N.E The Duo, Pillbox Patti and Roberta Lea.
The 2023 class was revealed last night (Jan. 17) at City Winery Nashville to a crowd of industry and VIP guests, alongside NWOC alums Brittney Spencer (2021), Brooke Eden (2015), Caitlyn Smith (2017), Ingrid Andress (2019), Kelsea Ballerini (2015), Maddie & Tae (2015) and Mickey Guyton (2015) as well as songwriter-artist-producer Nicolle Galyon.
CMT Next Women of Country: 10-Year Anniversary & Class of 2023 reveal at City Winery Nashville. Photo:Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT
“Each year, it’s extremely gratifying to welcome a new wave of fiercely independent females to our Next Women of Country program, all of whom are blazing their own paths and playing by their own rules,” Leslie Fram, SVP of Music & Talent, CMT explained. “Tonight we’re introducing our largest class of inductees ever as we celebrate with the return of our first in-person event in over three years—and this group of accomplished artists is absolutely worth the wait!” She continued, “Reaching this historic 10th anniversary milestone with CMT Next Women is a testament to the hard work of those gatekeepers in our industry who have locked arms and worked tirelessly toward a level playing field for women. I’m so proud of this franchise for continuing to be at the forefront of this imperative dialogue and look forward to continuing our fight toward greater progress and true equity for all underrepresented voices in country music.”
Over the next year, the new class will receive cross-brand support for their music and videos across the CMT platform and social channels as well as cross-promotional opportunities for Paramount Media’s MTV Entertainment Group brands, such as live events, the Paramount Times Square NYC Billboard and more. As part of the brand’s CMT Equal Play initiative, the class will also be given access to social impact and artist advocacy opportunities designed to assist them in supporting charitable causes and social issues. CMT will also partner with City Winery Nashville to continue a series of fan-focused showcases featuring NWOC throughout the year.
CMT first launched its Next Women of Country campaign in 2013 to support and expose developing female talent, both signed and unsigned, in a male-dominated format. The initiative has grown since its inception, showcasing emerging female artists across all CMT screens, various digital series and seven tours anchored by superstar acts including Jennifer Nettles, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tanya Tucker and Maddie & Tae.
This year’s 2023 class marks a total of 111 female acts that have been named as part of the program, including notable alumni such as Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Spencer, Eden, Smith, Carly Pearce, Gabby Barrett, Andress, Kacey Musgraves, Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, Madeline Edwards, Maren Morris, Guyton, Morgan Wade, Miko Marks, Tenille Arts and more.
CMT’s flagship series, CMT Hot 20 Countdown, hosted by Cody Alan and Rissi Palmer, will air a dedicated Next Women of Country three-hour special episode introducing the Class of 2023 with exclusive interviews and performances from each new inductee. The episode is slated to air Feb. 11 at 7 a.m. CT with an encore presentation on Feb. 12 at 8 a.m. CT on CMT.
Doug Howard & Family Establish ‘Dean’s Choice’ Endowed Scholarship At Belmont University
/by Lorie HollabaughThe Douglas J. Howard “Dean’s Choice” Endowed Scholarship has been established by the Howard family with a $100,000 gift to the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University.
Given by Howard, wife Linda and daughter Gracelyn, the scholarship will support a rising sophomore, junior or senior student with a minimum 3.0 GPA or higher studying in the Curb College. To contribute, click here.
“We are deeply grateful for the Howard family’s generosity and are excited to continue Doug’s legacy at Belmont through this endowed scholarship,” notes University President Dr. Greg Jones. “Doug has been a tremendous asset to Belmont and Curb College through his innovative spirit, transformational leadership, passion and energy. Through the Howard family’s investment, more students will have the opportunity to study music and entertainment in the world-class Curb College.”
“During my service as Dean, I witnessed the generosity of many of our Curb alumni and industry partners who provided financial support for our students,” Howard explains. “In the scholarship award process, however, I became acutely aware there is a large gap and a great need to provide even more scholarship support for an ever-growing number of qualified and deserving students. My family desires our gift to inspire and encourage additional alumni and friends to create new endowed scholarships or to support one of the existing Curb scholarships. Any gift amount will support the many exemplary Curb students who seek aid each year in their quest to earn their degree and pursue their dream career.”
Howard graduated from Belmont College in 1979, where he studied music business and management before receiving his MBA from Vanderbilt University and his JD from the George Washington University School of Law After a career as a music industry executive, Howard returned to Belmont in 2015 where he served as dean of Curb College until his retirement last fall. His tenure as dean was marked by the college’s significant growth, a deepening of industry connections, the opening of a state-of-the-art facility and consistent national acclaim.
The scholarship arrives just before the 50th anniversary of the University’s music business program, with celebrations slated for the 2023-2024 academic year.
CMA To Honor John Huie With Lifetime Achievement Award
/by LB CantrellJohn Huie
Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Music Agent and Co-Founder of the CAA Music Nashville office John Huie will be honored by the Country Music Association with its 2022 CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award. Huie will be presented the honor at the 2022 CMA Touring Awards on Jan. 30 at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works.
It was also announced that twelve-time CMA Awards winner and two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban will host the awards. The previously revealed nominees for the CMA Touring Awards include many professionals in different roles in the touring world.
The CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award is for an individual who has accomplished the highest level in the country music field of touring. The award was established to recognize an individual who has achieved both prominence and stature at the highest level. The individual receiving this award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on country music fans and the industry alike, and whose presence will have a long-term positive impact on the genre and CMA for generations to come.
“It’s a humbling experience,” Huie shared of the honor. “It gave me a sense of pause and reflection. It’s an exclamation mark on a career. It’s nice to be honored and humbly accepted.”
He began his career at CAA in 1992, joining Ron Baird in opening the first satellite office for CAA. Since that time, the CAA Nashville office has grown to become a dominant industry force. He has helped guide the growth of the agency’s Music City operations from two employees to more than 80 specializing in booking, tour marketing, and brand partnerships.
In 1978, Huie began his career in Macon, Georgia, at The Paragon Agency, where he booked tours for acts like The Charlie Daniels Band and The Allman Brothers. After a year, he moved to New York City and opened Frontier Booking International (F.B.I.) with Ian Copeland. While at F.B.I., Huie was instrumental in breaking artists such as The Police, The Go-Go’s, and Joan Jett. In 1984, he left F.B.I. and created his own agency, H-1, where he led the contemporary Christian music industry in crossing over artists such as Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith into mainstream appeal. In 1987, H-1 was purchased by International Creative Management (ICM) and Huie moved to Los Angeles where he ran ICM’s Contemporary Music division for five years.
In 1999, Huie won a Grammy Award for Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album for The Apostle soundtrack, for which he served as a producer. He has been honored numerous times throughout his career, including being named Pollstar’s Third Coast Agent of the Year eight times. In 2015, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. In 2022, he was awarded the GMA Leadership Award.
Huie served on the Country Music Association Board of Directors as well as the CMA Foundation Board, which focuses on equitable access to music education. He is President of the Southern Chapter of the T.J. Martell Foundation for Cancer Research and serves on the boards of The Onsite Foundation and The Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation. Additionally, he is an Advisory Board member of Lipscomb University’s College of Entertainment & The Arts and Porter’s Call, a counseling service for artists.
Weekly Register: Morgan Wallen Continues To Lead Country Albums Chart
/by Lydia FarthingMorgan Wallen. Photo: David Lehr
The hitmakers in upper echelons of the country albums and streaming songs charts hold steady this week.
As he did for much of 2022, Morgan Wallen takes the top spot on the country albums chart as Dangerous: The Double Album adds another 43K in total consumption (1.5K album only/53M song streams), according to Luminate data. Wallen also claims two spots on the top country streaming songs chart: No. 3 with “You Proof” nabbing 10 million streams and No. 5 as “Wasted On You” tacks on another 7.7 million streams.
Zach Bryan‘s “Something In The Orange” maintains its spot at No. 1 on the streaming songs chart, notching another 15 million streams and now totaling 436 million streams RTD. Bailey Zimmerman‘s “Rock And A Hard Place” keeps its spot at No. 2 with 11 million, and Kane & Katelyn Brown‘s “Thank God” remains at No. 4 with 7.9 million streams.
On the top country albums chart, American Heartbreak (Zach Bryan) keeps the second spot and adds 33K in total consumption. Leave The Light On (Bailey Zimmerman) keeps its spot in third with 21K in total consumption. Luke Combs fills in the final two spots as Growin’ Up claims fourth with 18K and This One’s For You takes fifth with 15K.
CMT Marks 10 Years Of Next Women Of Country With New Class Of 16 Rising Females
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (L-R, back row): Pillbox Patti, Prana Supreme and Tekitha of O.N.E The Duo, Angie Keilhauer, Roberta Lea, Catie Offerman, Georgia Webster and Kimberly Kelly; (L-R, front row): Kasey Tyndall, Alana Springsteen, Mackenzie Carpenter, Carter Faith, Avery Anna, Ashley Cooke, Julie Williams, Megan Moroney and MaRynn Taylor. Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT
Marking the 10 year anniversary of CMT’s landmark Next Women of Country (NWOC) program, CMT has unveiled its largest class in program history with 16 new female artists joining the fold.
Among the rising stars named to the Class of 2023 are Alana Springsteen, Angie K, Ashley Cooke, Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Catie Offerman, Georgia Webster, Julie Williams, Kasey Tyndall, Kimberly Kelly, Mackenzie Carpenter, MaRynn Taylor, Megan Moroney, O.N.E The Duo, Pillbox Patti and Roberta Lea.
The 2023 class was revealed last night (Jan. 17) at City Winery Nashville to a crowd of industry and VIP guests, alongside NWOC alums Brittney Spencer (2021), Brooke Eden (2015), Caitlyn Smith (2017), Ingrid Andress (2019), Kelsea Ballerini (2015), Maddie & Tae (2015) and Mickey Guyton (2015) as well as songwriter-artist-producer Nicolle Galyon.
CMT Next Women of Country: 10-Year Anniversary & Class of 2023 reveal at City Winery Nashville. Photo:Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT
“Each year, it’s extremely gratifying to welcome a new wave of fiercely independent females to our Next Women of Country program, all of whom are blazing their own paths and playing by their own rules,” Leslie Fram, SVP of Music & Talent, CMT explained. “Tonight we’re introducing our largest class of inductees ever as we celebrate with the return of our first in-person event in over three years—and this group of accomplished artists is absolutely worth the wait!” She continued, “Reaching this historic 10th anniversary milestone with CMT Next Women is a testament to the hard work of those gatekeepers in our industry who have locked arms and worked tirelessly toward a level playing field for women. I’m so proud of this franchise for continuing to be at the forefront of this imperative dialogue and look forward to continuing our fight toward greater progress and true equity for all underrepresented voices in country music.”
Over the next year, the new class will receive cross-brand support for their music and videos across the CMT platform and social channels as well as cross-promotional opportunities for Paramount Media’s MTV Entertainment Group brands, such as live events, the Paramount Times Square NYC Billboard and more. As part of the brand’s CMT Equal Play initiative, the class will also be given access to social impact and artist advocacy opportunities designed to assist them in supporting charitable causes and social issues. CMT will also partner with City Winery Nashville to continue a series of fan-focused showcases featuring NWOC throughout the year.
CMT first launched its Next Women of Country campaign in 2013 to support and expose developing female talent, both signed and unsigned, in a male-dominated format. The initiative has grown since its inception, showcasing emerging female artists across all CMT screens, various digital series and seven tours anchored by superstar acts including Jennifer Nettles, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tanya Tucker and Maddie & Tae.
This year’s 2023 class marks a total of 111 female acts that have been named as part of the program, including notable alumni such as Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Spencer, Eden, Smith, Carly Pearce, Gabby Barrett, Andress, Kacey Musgraves, Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, Madeline Edwards, Maren Morris, Guyton, Morgan Wade, Miko Marks, Tenille Arts and more.
CMT’s flagship series, CMT Hot 20 Countdown, hosted by Cody Alan and Rissi Palmer, will air a dedicated Next Women of Country three-hour special episode introducing the Class of 2023 with exclusive interviews and performances from each new inductee. The episode is slated to air Feb. 11 at 7 a.m. CT with an encore presentation on Feb. 12 at 8 a.m. CT on CMT.
Ruston Kelly’s Third Project, ‘The Weakness,’ Slated For April
/by Lorie HollabaughRuston Kelly. Photo: Alysse Gafkjen
Ruston Kelly will release his third album, The Weakness, on April 7 via Rounder Records. The project’s first single, its title track, is out now.
The new project was created following a period of solitude where Kelly spent time processing the life-altering changes he’d endured over the past few years, including a very public divorce, as well as major upheaval in his immediate family. He moved into an old Victorian bungalow Portland, Tennessee to carve out the songs that would make up the candid album.
On The Weakness, Kelly collaborated for the first time with producer and songwriter Nate Mercereau, who welcomed the artist into his Los Angeles-based Studio, Tujunga.
“I felt a real need to understand myself a little better, and to rediscover the true foundation of who I am. The way I’d always worked in the past is that the song comes first, and the production helps to lift its meaning and intent,” Kelly explains. “But this time there was a much greater focus on creating a sonic atmosphere that speaks just as loudly and feels just as emotional as the lyrics and voice.”
He continues, “The overall narrative of the record is that there’s a variety of weaknesses that I need to deal with, and a variety of strengths that I need to bolster. I truly do believe that acknowledging your weaknesses and digging deeper to understand yourself goes hand-in-hand with becoming a greater human being.”
Kelly is currently on tour with Noah Kahan, and will support The Weakness with new tour dates to be announced soon.
Walker County Unveil Debut EP, ‘No Smoke And Mirrors,’ Due In February
/by Lydia FarthingNearly a decade after signing their major label record deal with Warner Music Nashville, sister duo Walker County will release their debut EP on Feb. 10.
With Sophie sitting in on the drums and Ivy showcasing her soulful vocals, No Smoke And Mirrors creates a blend of country music inspired by the sounds of their native middle America.
Made up of five tracks, the EP includes the recently released “You and Jesus” featuring Greylan James. The pair also shared “Mirror Mirror,” another of the project’s tunes, last week along with its official music video that sees the pair embracing their natural beauty. The sisters penned the empowering ballad alongside Autumn McEntire and Jennifer Schott.
“It’s so important to us to be good examples for the next generation,” Sophie shared on social media. “Even though we love getting glam and wearing fun makeup looks, we realize that in today’s world there is an immense pressure on women and young girls. Our society’s beauty standards are impossible to keep up with, and we never want to contribute to that. We believe that each and every one of us are divinely created. YOU are beautiful and you are one of a kind. We hope anyone who watches this video, man or woman, knows that this is true. Please be kind to yourself, you are the only you there is, and you are loved just the way you are!”
The CMT Listen Up and Next Women of Country artists have spent much time on the road opening for the likes of Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Martina McBride, Old Dominion and more. They’ve already earned millions of streams with fan-favorite tracks like “Bits & Pieces” and “Drag It Out.”
No Smoke And Mirrors Track List:
1. Stoned
2. Mirror Mirror
3. Between Boyfriends
4. Yours Tonight
5. You and Jesus
20th Anniversary SOURCE Hall Of Fame Awards Set For The End Of August
/by Liza AndersonThe SOURCE Hall of Fame Awards have celebrated women in the music industry for two decades now. This year’s select group of honorees will be inducted into the SOURCE Hall of Fame during the 20th Anniversary SOURCE Hall of Fame Awards ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 29.
The ceremony will take place at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. The event will once again be presented by Springer Mountain Farms. Names of the 2023 inductees and ticket information will be announced in the coming weeks.
Founded in 1991 by Shelia Shipley Biddy, Judy Harris and Pat Rolfe, SOURCE is the longest running organization for females in the Nashville music industry, and is dedicated to fostering relationships and opportunities for its members through education, networking and community service initiatives.
In 2003, Kay Smith established the SOURCE Awards to honor the women who have helped to shape and build upon Nashville’s entertainment industry. Honorees are nominated and inducted based upon peer recommendations, biographies, accomplishments, reputation, the number of years they have worked within the industry and their level of community involvement.
For more information, click here.
Industry Ink: Randy Travis, Larry Gatlin, Annie Brooks, More
/by Lydia FarthingPickleJar To Celebrate Randy Travis Tonight At Tribute Tuesday
PickleJar will host its newest installment of Tribute Tuesday tonight (Jan. 17) at Live Oak Nashville to celebrate Country Music Hall of Famer Randy Travis. Featuring a lineup of Thompson Square, Shawna Thompson, Timmy Brown, Dave’s Highway and Landon Wall, artists will perform one original song in addition to a cover of their favorite Travis track.
Fans can tune in live to watch the show on the PickleJar app. All donations on the PickleJar app will go directly to the Randy Travis Foundation, which raises awareness for viral cardiomyopathy and provides arts and music enrichment for children.
Larry Gatlin To Teach Master Class At University Of Texas Permian Basin
Larry Gatlin and UTPB President Dr. Sandra Woodley (left of Gatlin) gather with University faculty, staff and students.
The University of Texas Permian Basin will debut its latest faculty member, Grammy-winning recording artist Larry Gatlin, on Jan. 23 as he begins his own eight-week songwriting master class.
Gatlin was born in Seminole in 1948 and graduated from Odessa High School. He attended the University of Houston on a football scholarship where he majored in English, which later served him well in his songwriting. Along with brothers Steve and Rudy, collectively known as the Gatlin Brothers, Gatlin racked up hits and banked prestigious awards in the industry. He penned every Gatlin Brothers hit and has written songs that were later recorded by Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Charlie Rich, Johnny Mathis, Dottie West and more. In 2019, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
“Grammy Award-winning musician Larry Gatlin will be sharing his art of creative writing and storytelling with students this spring—all the skills that made him a Hall of Fame singer-songwriter,” explains UT Permian Basin President, Dr. Sandra Woodley. “As UTPB’s new Professor of Practice, he will lead an exciting new master class to share his experiences and encourage people from all walks of life to explore their own creativity and passion. We are thrilled about this partnership.”
“I believe there are only two kinds of people in the world … rocks and sponges,” quips Gatlin. “I am a sponge, and I am going to squeeze myself out on those kids at UTPB in the hopes that some of them are sponges too.”
Annie Brooks Joins Dreamcatcher Artists As Promotion Manager
Annie Brooks
Dreamcatcher Artists has added Annie Brooks as Promotion Manager. She can be reached at annie@dreamcatcherartists.com.
Dreamcatcher Artists is the full-service record company division of Dreamcatcher Entertainment Group, which also encompasses Dreamcatcher Management. Tenille Arts is the debut artist signed to the record company arm.
The Crew Raises Over $22K For Musicians On Call At Annual CMA Awards Viewing Party
Pictured (L-R): Brendan Lewis, Morgan Brasfield, Jeremy Groves, Camille Kenney, Courtney Allen, Jason McColl, Synnovea Halsel, Tarah Duarte, Jaede Brereton, Mandy Mullins, Kendall Warren, Kara Jackson, Kelly Lyons and Lexie Rigler. Photo: Audrey Spillman
The Crew hosted their 12th annual CMA Awards Viewing Party in November, which raised over $22,000 for Musicians On Call. The benefit event hosted more than 600 guests to watch the award show alongside fellow industry executives, artists and songwriters at Tin Roof Nashville Downtown.
The Crew is a group of music executives from all aspects of the industry. Current crew members include Jason McColl (Sony Music), Lexie Rigler (Safford Motley PLC), Kelly Lyons (Combustion Music), Camille Kenny (Big Loud Records), Kendall Warren (Plaid Flag Music), Courtney Allen (Concord Music Publishing), Kara Jackson (Spirit Music), Synnovea Cleveland (Sony Music Publishing), Jeremy Groves (SMACKSongs) and Morgan Brasfield (Kobalt Music).
Larry Fleet’s Debut Single Goes Gold
Larry Fleet and his team at Big Loud Records + Good Company Entertainment.
Big Loud Records’ Larry Fleet recently gathered with his label and management teams to celebrate his debut single, “Where I Find God,” earning RIAA Gold certification. The track has amassed over 28 million official music video views.
Fleet just wrapped his first-ever headlining “One For The Road Tour,” following stints on the road opening for Darius Rucker, Jon Pardi, Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen and more. He will headline the stage again this year on his 11-date spring run, “Larry Fleet Live,” and will open tours for Pardi and Parker McCollum nationwide.
Zach Bryan Leads The Way On First MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart Of 2023
/by Lydia FarthingZach Bryan
It’s a clean slate this week as we mark the first MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart of 2023. However, this week’s top five includes a familiar crop of hitmakers.
Leading the way, and continuing steam from sitting atop the chart for the last 13 weeks of 2022, is Zach Bryan. The Oklahoma native has five of his own songs currently at play on the chart, including “Something In The Orange,” “Oklahoma Smokeshow,” “Sun To Me,” “The Good I’ll Do” and “Burn, Burn, Burn.” As the only writer on each of the tracks, he receives all of the points earned from airplay, digital download track sales and streams on the Songwriter Chart.
Following at No. 2 is Morgan Wallen with seven entries this week, including his own “One Thing At A Time,” “Tennessee Fan,” “Thought You Should Know,” “Wasted On You” and “You Proof.” The Big Loud singer-songwriter also has a co-writing credit on Keith Urban’s “Brown Eyes Baby” and Corey Kent’s “Wild As Her.”
Filling out the remainder of the top five are Ashley Gorley (No. 3), Ernest Keith Smith (No. 4) and Luke Combs (No. 5).
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.
Willie Nelson Puts New Spin On Harlan Howard Classics On Upcoming Project
/by Lorie HollabaughWillie Nelson. Photo: Pamela Springsteen
Willie Nelson is reimagining some Harlan Howard classics on his upcoming album, I Don’t Know A Thing About Love, set for release March 3.
Nelson and his band recorded fresh interpretations of 10 songs penned by Howard, who famously defined a great country song as “three chords and the truth.” The project was produced by Nelson’s longtime musical collaborator Buddy Cannon.
In a career spanning six decades, Howard wrote enduring standards for a variety of artists, and in 1961 alone had 15 songs on the country charts, earning him 10 BMI awards. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973, and in 1997, was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
I Don’t Know A Thing About Love includes the album’s first single, “Busted,” out now. Written in 1962 about a poor farmer bemoaning his while maintaining hope for the future, the song first became a hit in 1963 initially for Johnny Cash with the Carter Family on Billboard‘s Hot Country Singles chart and then a top 10 smash for Ray Charles on the Billboard Hot 100.
This year should be another big one for Nelson, who turns 90 in April. Willie Nelson & Family, a new five-part film documentary series, is premiering later this week at Sundance Film Festival 2023.
He is also nominated for four Grammys from three separate projects: Best Country Solo Performance (“Live Forever” from Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver); Best Country Song (“I’ll Love You Till The Day I Die,” songwriting award, from A Beautiful Time); Best Country Album (A Beautiful Time); and Best Roots Gospel Album (The Willie Nelson Family).
1. Tiger By The Tail
2. The Chokin’ Kind
3. Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got A Heartache)
4. Life Turned Her That Way
5. I Don’t Know A Thing About Love
6. Streets Of Baltimore
7. Busted
8. She Called Me Baby
9. Too Many Rivers
10. Beautiful Annab