Billy Strings Confirms 2023 Spring Tour With Eight Arena Shows

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Billy Strings. Photo: Joshua Wilkins Black

Billy Strings is extending his headline tour through spring with 22 newly-confirmed shows, including eight arena dates.

Upcoming stops in 2023 include two nights at Mobile’s Mobile Civic Center, Tampa’s Yuengling Center, three nights at St. Augustine’s St. Augustine Amphitheatre, Phoenix’s Arizona Financial Theatre, Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, two nights at Austin’s Moody Center, Tulsa’s BOK Center, St. Louis’ Chaifetz Arena and Chicago’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, among others. Tickets for the shows are on sale now at billystrings.com/tour.

The spring dates follow Strings’ winter tour, which will include 15 additional arena shows with stops at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for two sold out nights, Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, Charlottesville’s John Paul Jones Arena, Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, and Charleston’s North Charleston Coliseum, among others. Strings will also return to the Ryman Auditorium on Feb. 26 for a third sold-out Nashville show.

Strings released Me/And/Dad, the first album he’s recorded with his dad Terry Barber, last month via Rounder Records. The album was a longtime dream of Strings, and features new versions of 14 bluegrass and country classics that the two have been playing together since Strings was a young child.

Billy Strings 2023 Tour Dates:
April 13—Southaven, MS—Landers Center
April 14—Mobile, AL—Mobile Civic Center Arena
April 15—Mobile, AL—Mobile Civic Center Arena
April 18—Tampa, FL—Yuengling Center
April 20—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre
April 21—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre
April 22—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre
May 17—Phoenix, AZ—Arizona Financial Theatre
May 19—Los Angeles, CA—Greek Theatre
May 20—San Diego, CA—Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
May 21—San Diego, CA—Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
May 24—Las Vegas, NV—Brooklyn Bowl
June 2—Austin, TX—Moody Center
June 3—Austin, TX—Moody Center
June 7—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center
June 9—St. Louis, MO—Chaifetz Arena
June 10—Indianapolis, IN—TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
June 11—Indianapolis, IN—TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
June 13—Cleveland, OH—Jacobs Pavilion
June 14—Cleveland, OH—Jacobs Pavilion
June 16—Clarkston, MI—Pine Knob Music Theatre
June 17—Chicago, IL—Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

Larry Fleet To Hit The Road On His Second Headline Run In 2023

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Larry Fleet. Photo: Matt Paskert

Singer-songwriter Larry Fleet will hit the road again in 2023 on his second headlining tour, “Larry Fleet Live.”

The 11-date trek, presented by Black Buffalo, will begin Feb. 23 in Little Rock, Arkansas, with Fleet’s fellow Big Loud Records label-mate Ben Burgess opening all shows. Tickets for “Larry Fleet Live” are available now.

Fleet also plans to open shows across the nation for Jon Pardi and Parker McCollum in the new year.

“We played almost 100 shows this past year and spent even more days than that out on the road, and I’ll tell ya, I felt grateful every single night,” shares Fleet. “Having y’all show up and hearing you singing these songs back to us will just never get old. I can’t wait to see you in the new year and keep sharing the music we’ve got cookin’ for 2023. See you out there!”

While on his first headline journey, the “One For The Road Tour,” Fleet dropped his acoustic collection The Live Sessions: Vol. 1., which includes songs from his Stacks Of Records album. He recently released a new version of the Stacks Of Records‘ track “Quittin’ Ain’t Workin,” featuring Mike Ryan.

Bailey Zimmerman, Zach Bryan, More Among SiriusXM Class Of 2022

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Pictured (L-R, top row): Zach Bryan and Jelly Roll; (L-R, bottom row): Nate Smith and Bailey Zimmerman

SiriusXM has revealed its Class of 2022, consisting of artists that SiriusXM was first to commit airplay and playlist support to throughout the year and who subsequently went on to have a major breakthrough year.

Representing country music on the 2022 list are Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Jelly Roll, Nate Smith and Zach Bryan.

In 2022, SiriusXM’s The Highway played Zimmerman’s music more than 2,500 times and featured multiple singles, including “Fall in Love” in March—which, in less than three months, went on to reach No. 1 on the channel’s Hot 30 Countdown and reached No. 1 on the country charts in early December. The Highway was one of the only outlets in June to play “Rock and a Hard Place,” which also reached No. 1 on the Hot 30 Countdown. Upon the song’s release in mid-September, The Highway became the first and only outlet to play “Never Leave.”

Pandora has also heavily supported Zimmerman by becoming one of the first platforms to add “Fall In Love” to curated playlists, which has led to the track receiving more than 67 million streams. The track also landed on Pandora’s Top Thumb Hundred of 2022, the annual ranking of the most-loved songs by Pandora listeners.

The Highway was first to play Corey Kent’s “Wild As Her” in March, which quickly moved into regular rotation. In August, the song landed at No. 1 on the channel’s Hot 30 Countdown, and in mid-December the song cracked the top 25 on the country charts. Support continued in October when “How You Know You Made It” debuted with The Highway being the only outlet to support the track to date.

SiriusXM’s Octane was the first national, hard-rock outlet to embrace Jelly Roll’s track “Dead Man Walking” by naming it an Octane Accelerator in October of 2021. Since then, it has been played more than 1,500 times. In April, the song reach No. 1 multiple times on the channel’s listener-voted weekly Big Uns Countdown, over a month before it reached No. 1 on the national active rock chart. SiriusXM also championed the artist on The Highway, providing early support for his track “Son Of A Sinner,” which reached No. 1 on the channel’s Hot 30 Countdown.

Starting in early May, The Highway began championing Nate Smith and his music by being the first national outlet to commit significant airplay to his song “Whiskey On You.” The Highway has since gone on to lead the nation in airplay with over 1,200 spins. In September, the song reached No. 1 on the channel’s Hot 30 Countdown and is finishing the year by cracking the top 5 on the country charts. The Highway is the only outlet to support his songs “I Found You” and “Wreckage,” both of which had their national debut on the channel.

In early January, SiriusXM’s The Spectrum became the first to commit airplay to Zach Bryan’s song “Heading South,” and has since played the song–which in late April reached the top 15 at Triple A charts– more than 1,000 times. The Spectrum continued their support in March by becoming the first to play and amplify his song “From Austin.”

Also among the Class of 2022 are Arin Ray, Becky Hill, Fred again.., Jax, Leah Kate, Muni Long, Nicky Youre, Ryan Castro, Sleazyworld Go, Wage War, and Wet Leg.

Blake Shelton Partners With Propeller & Save The Music For ‘Back To The Honky Tonk Tour’

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Blake Shelton has partnered with digital marketing and social impact platform, Propeller, to support Save The Music, a nonprofit organization that helps students, schools, and communities through the power of making music.

Through this campaign, ticket holders for Shelton’s upcoming “Back To The Honky Tonk Tour” can be entered to win prizes throughout the trek, including a trip to see Shelton’s hometown show in Oklahoma City on March 17, VIP packages, signed merchandise, ticket upgrades, and more.

“I’m proud to announce that my ‘Back To The Honky Tonk Tour’ will partner with Propeller to support the work of Save The Music, a national nonprofit dedicated to building school music programs in underserved communities,” Shelton shares. “Music is the greatest healer, and I know my fans will be just as excited as I am to work together to give the gift of music to as many children across the country as possible.” He continues, “Music in schools is something I strongly support and believe in, and I’m so glad they are partnering with Propeller to be part of our tour!”

For more information and access to other special rewards from Shelton, click here.

“Back To The Honkey Tonk Tour” 2023 Dates:
February 16 – Pinnacle Bank Arena | Lincoln, Nebraska
February 17 – Denny Sanford Premier Center | Sioux Falls, South Dakota
February 18 – Xcel Energy Center | St. Paul, Minnesota
February 23 – Greensboro Coliseum | Greensboro, North Carolina
February 24 – Thompson-Boling Arena | Knoxville, Tennessee
February 25 – Legacy Arena at the BJCC | Birmingham, Alabama
March 2 – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena | Jacksonville, Florida
March 3 – Amalie Arena, Tampa | Florida
March 4 – Amway Center, Orlando | Florida
March 9 – KFC Yum! Center | Louisville, Kentucky
March 10 – Nationwide Arena | Columbus, Ohio
March 11 – Gainbridge Fieldhouse | Indianapolis, Indiana
March 16 – Simmons Bank Arena | North Little Rock, Arkansas
March 17 – Paycom Center | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
March 18 – T-Mobile Center | Kansas City, Missouri
March 23 – Heritage Bank Center | Cincinnati, Ohio
March 24 – PPG Paints Arena | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
March 25 – KeyBank Center | Buffalo, New York

Landon Parker Caps A Busy 2022 With Debut EP, ‘Hits Home’

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Landon Parker. Photo: Brian Kaplan

Emerging singer-songwriter Landon Parker has released his debut EP, Hits Home, via Bad Ass Records.

Featuring a mix of classic and cutting-edge country sounds, each of the six tracks were co-written by Parker and produced by Grammy award-winner Blake Chancey. Hits Home pairs three previously released tracks with three fresh cuts, including “Beer By Beer,” the project’s title track, and “Godsend.”

“When it comes to making music, it takes hard work and patience,” shares Parker. “I’ve worked on these songs day in and day out! I’m so excited the world gets to hear what I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into. Every track has a different story to it. From good times to break ups to finding love and being back home. I’m proud to say I was a writer on every song on this EP. You might even hear me playing on it! So crank it up and enjoy!”

Throughout 2022, the Yadkinville, North Carolina native was featured at TidalWave Music Festival, Milwaukee’s SummerFest, CMA Fest and more.

Parker is signed to EM.Co, the management firm behind superstar Tim McGraw, as well as McGraw’s publishing company, Free Dive, in partnership with TriScore Music.

Hits Home Track List:
1. “Beer By Beer” (Landon Parker, Carlo Colasacco)**
2. “Hits Home” (Landon Parker, Josh Gramling, Adam Smithwick)*
3. “Caught Me At A Good Time” (Landon Parker, Blake Chancey, Josh Hoge)*
4. “Godsend” (Landon Parker, Josh Gramling, Adam Smithwick)*
5. “Good Beer Drinkin’” (Landon Parker, Cody Gregg)*
6. “Up For Anything” (Landon Parker, Cody Gregg)*
* Produced by Blake Chancey
** Produced by Blake Chancey and Carlo Colasacco

Garth Brooks Surprises Mitch Rossell With Opry Debut Introduction

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Mitch Rossell and Garth Brooks. Photo: Courtesy of Mitch Rossell

Mitch Rossell received some high praise during the introduction for his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday night (Dec. 17) as Garth Brooks took the stage right before his debut began.

Mitch Rossell. Photo: Chris Hollo

Before Rossell stepped into the coveted circle for the first time, Brooks appeared from stage left, surprising him and the audience, as Opry Announcer Mike Terry handed over the introduction to Brooks.

“Tonight, I’m getting to do something I’ve never got to do,” Brooks said. “I am getting to introduce a guy for the first time ever on this stage. It is my honor to introduce a great talent and even greater friend, please make welcome Mitch Rossell.“

“I was not expecting that,” says Rossell after giving Brooks a heartfelt hug. “I was having a hard enough time collecting myself back there. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to stand here. I know that’s probably cliché to say, but the energy coming up through this floor;  It’s unbelievable. I am just really grateful to be here.”

Rossell went on to perform his songs, “All I Need To See,” and his latest single “Son,” an emotional ballad that tells a multi-generational story of love, family, and loss, based on the actual events of Rossell’s life.

The singer-songwriter and Brooks share some history together, with Rossell penning Garth’s No. 1 hit “Ask Me How I Know,” that was released in 2017 and became his first chart-topper in a decade.

 

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Last Minute Gift Idea: A MusicRow Subscription

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If you’re still looking for a gift for a loved one this holiday season, consider a subscription to MusicRow Magazine.

The MusicRow subscription includes six annual print issues, twice-daily emails, breaking news alerts, the CountryBreakout Radio Chart, Top Songwriter Chart, voting eligibility for the annual MusicRow Awards, and more. Among the six annual print issues, MusicRow delivers the Country Radio & Streaming issue, InCharge, Artist Roster, Publisher Issue, MusicRow Awards Issue, and the Touring/Next Big Thing (N.B.T.) Issue.

A one-year subscription to MusicRow is $159. For two years, it is $270.

To subscribe, click here.

CMA Announces 2023 Board Of Directors

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The Country Music Association has announced their 2023 Board of Directors.

New board members include songwriter Rhett Akins, Onsite Entertainment’s Debbie Carroll, Pink Dog Entertainment’s Curt Jenkins, Warner Music Nashville’s Ben Kline, CLLD, LLC’s Chris Lisle, BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville’s Jon Loba, Monument Records’ Katie McCartney, Maverick’s Chris Parr, Grand Ole Opry’s Dan Rogers, Sony Music Publishing’s Josh Van Valkenburg, Press On Publicity’s Wes Vause, and musician Charlie Worsham.

The 2023 CMA Board Officers are Charlie Morgan, Kella Farris, Jennie Smythe, and Virginia Bunetta. Morgan will serve as Chairman, Farris will serve as President, Smythe will serve as President-Elect, and Bunetta will serve as Secretary/Treasurer.

For the full list of the 2023 CMA Board of Directors, click here.

Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, More To Honor George Jones At ‘Still Playin’ Possum’ Event

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The one-night concert event “Still Playing Possum: Music and Memories of George Jones,” is set for April 25 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The special television taping event, serving to honor the legacy and music of the country icon, will include performances from Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Jamey Johnson, Justin Moore, Lorrie Morgan, Mark Chesnutt, Michael Ray, Sam Moore, Tanya Tucker, Trace Adkins, Tracy Byrd and Tracy Lawrence, with more artists to be announced.

“George Jones died on April 26, 2013, in Nashville, Tennessee. It will be ten years since he left us with just his songs, so to produce this night of music to honor his legacy is perfectly fitting,” says Nancy Jones. “George made history and influenced artists from all genres and many of them will celebrate with us in April. The night will bring lots of emotion for the fans, our family, and anyone who just loved country music.”

Tickets go on sale Dec. 22 at 10 a.m. CT with VIP upgrades also available for purchase.

Industry Ink: ASCAP, KFGE, Pennington Distilling Company

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ASCAP Nashville Hosts Christian Music Songwriters Workshop

Pictured (L-R, top row): Randall Buffam, Farris Blount, Jr, Joseph Smith, and Nicole Thomas; (L-R, second row): Angelica Wilshire, Matthew Soileau, Jason Houser, and Naomie Celestin; (L-R, third row): Michael Flowers, Sharon Erlenmeyer, Kele Currier (ASCAP), and Cas Weinbren; (L-R, bottom row): James Jurado, Chidiya Ohiagu, and Noel Cohen.

The ASCAP Nashville membership team virtually hosted The ASCAP Foundation Christian Music Songwriters Workshop on Dec. 8-9.

Now in its 13th year, the workshop included 15 up-and-coming Christian songwriters led by award-winning ASCAP songwriter, motivator, and facilitator Jason Houser. The two sessions covered navigating creative life, developing a unique voice as a songwriter, writing with courage, and more. Each attendee played a song for the group, and Houser gave insightful feedback on potential revisions for each song.

“We had an incredible group of songwriters–from New York to California–for The ASCAP Foundation Christian Music Songwriters Workshop. It’s so important for us as creatives to collaborate and receive coaching in order to grow in our craft,” Houser shares. “In my opinion, ASCAP is the best PRO–this is just one example of how they provide meaningful growth opportunities for their members.”

 

KFGE Raises Over $13K For Local Charities In Lincoln, Nebraska

Pictured (L-R, top row): Megan King and Brooke Summers; (middle row): Cory Edmondson; (L-R, bottom row): Johanna Buresh and Gary Greenwood.

NRG KFGE/Lincoln, Nebraska Froggy 98 recently raised $13,550 in items and monetary donations for local charities, just in time for the holidays. Each member of the on-air staff picked a local charity and competed for donations.

The “Charity Chase” was sponsored by John Henry’s Plumbing, Heating and Air, who donated an extra $1,500 which was split between each team’s charity in the order they placed.

Morning show producer, Megan King, came in first place for Supportive Services for Veteran Families, Central Nebraska Community Action Partnership, Inc. Afternoon host, Brooke Summers came in second with People’s City Mission. In third place was APD/Mid Day host Cory Edmondson with BraveBe Child Advocacy Center. Morning host, Johanna Buresh finished in fourth place with MilkWorks, and morning host, Gary Greenwood, came in fifth place for Boys & Girls Clubs of Lincoln/Lancaster County.

Pennington Distilling Company Donates $10,000 To Music Health Alliance

Pictured (L-R): Shelia Shipley Biddy, Jenny Pennington, Tatum Allsep, and Carla Denham.

Pennington Distilling Company recently made a $10,000 donation to Music Health Alliance (MHA) in support of the nonprofit’s work to provide free healthcare advocacy and support to those within the music industry.

“We value our long-term relationship with Jeff and Jenny Pennington and the Pennington Distilling Company and all of the good they do for our music community. We’re thrilled that the 2022 Picker’s Vodka Nashville product fundraiser raised $10,000 for MHA which will allow us to provide $300,000 to help heal the music with life-saving healthcare advocacy and resources,” notes Tatum Allsep, Music Health Alliance Founder & CEO.

Jeff and Jenny Pennington, co-founders of Pickers Vodka, add: “We are thankful to continue our support of Music Health Alliance and their amazing work in providing healthcare advocacy and access to healthcare resources and insurance, mental health support, and financial resources for any musician in need.”

Additionally, Pennington Distilling Company will donate $1 of every bottle of Pickers Original Vodka sold in all their Nashville accounts that support live music to MHA in 2023.