Ellen Truley
The “My Music Row Story” weekly column features notable members of the Nashville music industry selected by the MusicRow editorial team. These individuals serve in key roles that help advance and promote the success of our industry. This column spotlights the invaluable people that keep the wheels rolling and the music playing.
Ellen Truley serves as Chief Marketing Officer for The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), where she works closely with The MLC’s Leadership Team, CEO, Board and Advisory Committee members. In her role, she also leverages her wealth of experience in marketing, brand strategy, digital initiatives, advertising, public relations and industry relations to direct a robust and proactive communications operation that engages both the music community and the public at large.
Prior to joining The MLC, Truley was the founder and CEO of ETC Consulting, a leading music industry marketing firm focused in the entertainment relations niche, consulting with music, tech and entertainment companies in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles and London. Previously, Truley served as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations for SESAC Holdings, Inc., overseeing global marketing initiatives for all corporate entities, including the Harry Fox Agency, Rumblefish, SESAC PRO and Mint Digital Services. During her 20 years with SESAC, Truley noticeably elevated the organization’s brand through collaborations with industry partners and advertisers that maximized its visibility.
Her many achievements include being named one of Billboard Magazine’s Women in Music on numerous occasions and honored at the Nashville Business Journal’s Women in Music City Awards for several years. She currently serves on the Global Board of Women in Music, the leading industry nonprofit working to advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts, and is a member of the Leadership Music class of 2022.
Reba and Ellen Truley
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
Nashville. Born and raised.
Did you grow up wanting to be in the music business here?
I thought I would not be in the music business. Growing up here I was like, “I’m not into that.” Then, lo and behold, I found myself right smack in the middle of it. My first job out of college, I worked at an ad agency for just a short time. That quickly led to a position at Billboard. I worked there for a couple years and that’s really where I fell into the music industry. Then I joined SESAC.
You spent over two decades at SESAC, rising to Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations. What was that time like?
That’s really where I grew to love songwriters and their stories. I grew to understand their huge role in our ecosystem and of the music industry. I’m just a huge fan of singer-songwriters.
Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick with Ellen Truley
Who were some of the songwriters that you first fell in love with?
Obviously the Nashville songwriters, but I had such a great opportunity working at SESAC because I worked in all genres. I was exposed to music that I probably wouldn’t have necessarily been before. Everything from jazz musicians to pop and rock; as well as film and TV composers. I never would’ve crossed paths with them. That has been really a cool thing.
Just the other night I saw a film and TV composer, Jonathan Wolf, who wrote the theme song for Seinfeld. He was in town for the CMA awards. It was good to see him again.
You left SESAC in 2018. What were the next steps for you?
I had my own company for a couple of years where I did a lot of industry relations and helped people who wanted to get into the music industry.
From there, I got a call about The MLC. I knew it was happening because I knew about the Music Modernization Act from 2018. I had been following that closely because I knew it was going to affect songwriters and publishers, and that was my world. So when they called, I was really interested. Anything that helps creatives get paid, I was behind. So I started with The MLC in March of 2020—right as the world was shutting down.
Pictured (L-R): Kris Ahrend, CEO of The MLC; songwriter Even Stevens; Ellen Truley, CMO of The MLC; songwriter Steve Bogard; Jennifer Turnbow, COO, NSAI; Erika Wollam-Nichols, GM, Bluebird Cafe
What was that first year like?
I was employee number five. We’re now at 105, so it’s grown a lot very quickly. It’s been a great ride. Building something from the ground up and seeing this piece of legislation and this mandate come to life has been really rewarding.
I started in March of 2020 and we officially started operations January of 2021. We started paying publishers and songwriters in April of 2021 and we’ve been paying every month since. We distribute royalties once a month.
When you signed on, what were you specifically tasked with?
Part of the legislation said we had to get out in the marketplace and educate people about The MLC. We had to do a lot of education and outreach. My role is marketing, but that includes the education and outreach as well as traditional marketing and PR. It’s about educating people on who we are and what we do, which has been a challenge. We’re kind of this unknown organization, brand new to the landscape of the music industry. We had to tell people what we do and why it was important to sign up so they could get paid.
Blanco Brown and Ellen Truley
What are the hardest things to get people to understand?
Some people thought we replaced a PRO. We do not. We work alongside a PRO and we work alongside SoundExchange. We are another way creators can get paid.
Specifically we pay a “digital audio mechanical royalty.” You say those words and people are like, “What does that mean?” We break it down—a mechanical used to mean physical sales. But a digital audio mechanical pertains to streaming.
People think if they’re signed up with a PRO, that they’re going to get that money. They do get a stream of royalties from a PRO, but there’s a performance royalty and a mechanical royalties associated with a stream. So letting people know they have two ways to get paid when a song is streamed is really important. A lot of people didn’t realize that. Hopefully we’ve opened up a lot of eyes and we’re getting more people paid.
What’s the most fulfilling part of being part of The MLC?
It’s a couple of things. One is that we’ve been able to, literally from the ground up, bring this organization to life. That was a tall order. There was lots to do. It was a great accomplishment to be part of the team that launched on time, when we were supposed to, even with the pandemic going on, and started paying people. That’s been really rewarding. To see a songwriter’s eyes light up when you tell them you have money for them, that’s pretty rewarding too.
Hillary Scott, Ellen Truley
What is some of the best advice you’ve ever received?
Never burn bridges. Always be respectful to everyone. You never know how you might end up working with someone down the road.
What’s the coolest part about working in this field?
I think a lot of people, when they hear you work in the music industry, they think that’s really cool. But it’s not all going to parties and attending the CMA Awards like we just did. There’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
Yes, it’s great to go to the CMAs but the rewarding part and what makes it cool is you’re playing a small part in bringing music to the people. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Industry Ink: Carrie Underwood, Kane Brown, Matt Stell, ‘An Evening with Brett James & Friends’
/by Lydia FarthingCarrie Underwood Wraps First Leg Of “The Denim & Rhinestones Tour”
Carrie Underwood. Photo: Jeff Johnson.
Carrie Underwood has wrapped the first leg of her “The Denim & Rhinestones Tour,” following 19 arena dates. The trek launched with a sold out show in Greenville, South Carolina on Oct. 15.
The nearly two-hour set features hits from all phases of her career, as well as songs from her new album, Denim & Rhinestones, which she co-produced. The high-energy tour production finds Underwood soaring above the crowds while performing aerial acrobatics, in addition to the multitude of wardrobe looks and changes that Underwood has become known for.
Promoted by AEG Presents, the tour will resume in 2023 on Feb. 2 at Miami’s FTX Arena, making stops in 25 additional cities, including New York’s Madison Square Garden, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena before concluding in Seattle, Washington on Mar. 17. Tickets for future dates, including a limited number of exclusive VIP Packages, are available now.
Following the tour’s last performance for 2022, Underwood delivered a high-flying performance on the 2022 American Music Awards with “Crazy Angels” from her Denim & Rhinestones album. She was nominated for Favorite Country Album and Favorite Female Country Artist at the AMAs.
Kane Brown Adds Seven Dates To “Drunk Or Dreaming Tour,” Including Special Fenway Park Show
Kane Brown. Photo: Diwang Valdez
Multi-Platinum entertainer Kane Brown has announced seven additional dates of his “Drunk or Dreaming Tour,” including a special stadium show at the historic Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Special guests for the added shows include Darius Rucker, Gabby Barrett, Restless Road and LoCash on select dates.
The tour will kick off in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Mar. 16, hitting 29 U.S. cities before wrapping in Mount Pleasant, Michigan on Aug. 3. During the tour, Brown will perform his first solo, headlining arena show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Mar. 31. He is currently on the international leg of the tour, which will wrap up in Stockholm on Jan. 31 after stopping in Sydney, London, and Toronto.
The new tour follows the success of Brown’s “Blessed & Free Tour,” which saw the award-winning artist visit all 29 NBA basketball arenas, making him the first country artist in history to do so on a single tour and one of 10 other country acts to sell out L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena.
Pre-sale for the new dates begins Nov. 28, with general on-sale starting Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. local time. For more information and a full list of dates, click here.
Matt Stell’s “Prayed For You” Reaches Double Platinum Distinction
Pictured (L-R): Andrew Saltman (Records), David Enriquez (Records), Brendan Rich (Wide Open Music), Barry Weiss (Records), Matt Stell, Ash Bowers (Wide Open Music), Josh Easler (Records Nashville), and Sara Gil (Records).
Records Nashville singer-songwriter Matt Stell recently celebrated his multi-week No. 1 “Prayed For You” reaching double Platinum certification from the RIAA. While visiting his label’s New York City office, Stell was surprised with a plaque before performing at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh, New York during his 17-date “The Man Made Tour 2022.”
“If I told you when we sat down to write ‘Prayed For You’ that I knew it would one day go double Platinum, I’d be lying,” shares Stell. “I’ve said it before, but it takes so many people doing a great job to have success in this business. It starts with a song, but it certainly doesn’t end there. I‘m lucky to be on this team and get to celebrate with everyone because this is a win for us all.”
Stell’s current single, “Man Made,” is in the top 40-and-climbing at country radio. He has three more dates remaining for 2022.
Brett James, Chris DeStefano, & Jon Nite Band Together For “A Veterans Tribute”
Brett James, Chris DeStefano, and Jon Nite host “A Veterans Tribute: An Evening with Brett James & Friends.” Photo: Courtesy of Legacy Consulting, PR & Events
Award-winning songwriters Brett James, Chris DeStefano, and Jon Nite recently joined Infinity Hospitality Group to host “A Veterans Tribute: An Evening with Brett James & Friends.” The event raised $550,000 and benefited Aerial Recovery, a special operations veteran-led international disaster relief and anti-human trafficking nonprofit based in Nashville.
“I got lucky enough to go to one of [Aerial Recovery’s] planning meetings this summer, and I was all in,” notes James. “Having the expertise of these Special Operations guys, going in, and doing what they do, working their magic, in a way that helps other people is mind-blowing, it’s such a cool concept. They have all this talent and expertise. I’ve been doing this a long time, I’ve done hundreds of benefits in Nashville, but this is the first time I bought a bunch of tickets and invited all my friends. I want everyone to know about Aerial Recovery.”
“Thanks to the support of our customers–and thanks to the partnership of some truly incredible charitable organizations–we will donate $1,000 per day in support of those who champion freedom & self-reliance and those who devote their time and energy to lifting up their fellow Americans,” shares 4Patriots co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Erin Baler.
To date, Aerial Recovery has conducted disaster response missions to hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, earthquakes, and other natural and man-caused disasters in countries such as Haiti, Honduras, Afghanistan, the Bahamas, the United States, Tajikistan, St. Vincent, the British Virgin Islands, Pakistan, Cuba, and Ukraine.
Musicians Hall Of Fame & Museum Celebrates 2022 Class Of Inductees
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Kenny Vaughan; Harry Stinson; Mick Conley, The Fabulous Superlatives; Marty Stuart; Chris Scruggs, The Fabulous Superlatives; Linda Chambers, CEO/Co-Founder Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum; Vince Gill; Billy F Gibbons; Don McLean; Ray Stevens; producer James William Guercio; and engineer George Massenburg. Photo: Royce DeGrie
The Musicians Hall Of Fame & Museum inducted a new class of talents on Tuesday night (Nov. 22) at Nashville’s Historic Municipal Auditorium.
ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons, Don McLean, Marty Stuart and The Fabulous Superlatives (Chris Scruggs, Harry Stinson, Kenny Vaughan, and Mick Conley), Ray Stevens, Vince Gill, engineer George Massenburg, and producer James William Guercio were all honored during the ceremony, which was emceed by Phil Vassar.
Billy F Gibbons. Photo: Royce DeGrie
The special evening featured performances by inductees Gill, McLean, Stevens, and Stuart, along with special guests Rodney Crowell, Mike Farris, Home Free, Steve Miller, Wendy Moten, Ryan Wariner, Steve Wariner, and Chris Willis.
Attendees were also treated to a two-song set from Gibbons, who was presented with the Iconic Riff Award by Wariner in recognition of the many contributions he’s made to music, including his signature riffs heard on ZZ Top songs like “Tush,” “Sharp Dressed Man” and “La Grange.”
“The Musicians Hall of Fame is strong and will stay strong because of the quality of inductees like we have tonight,” notes Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum CEO and Co-Founder Linda Chambers.
My Music Row Story: The MLC’s Ellen Truley
/by LB CantrellEllen Truley
Ellen Truley serves as Chief Marketing Officer for The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), where she works closely with The MLC’s Leadership Team, CEO, Board and Advisory Committee members. In her role, she also leverages her wealth of experience in marketing, brand strategy, digital initiatives, advertising, public relations and industry relations to direct a robust and proactive communications operation that engages both the music community and the public at large.
Prior to joining The MLC, Truley was the founder and CEO of ETC Consulting, a leading music industry marketing firm focused in the entertainment relations niche, consulting with music, tech and entertainment companies in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles and London. Previously, Truley served as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations for SESAC Holdings, Inc., overseeing global marketing initiatives for all corporate entities, including the Harry Fox Agency, Rumblefish, SESAC PRO and Mint Digital Services. During her 20 years with SESAC, Truley noticeably elevated the organization’s brand through collaborations with industry partners and advertisers that maximized its visibility.
Her many achievements include being named one of Billboard Magazine’s Women in Music on numerous occasions and honored at the Nashville Business Journal’s Women in Music City Awards for several years. She currently serves on the Global Board of Women in Music, the leading industry nonprofit working to advance the awareness, equality, diversity, heritage, opportunities and cultural aspects of women in the musical arts, and is a member of the Leadership Music class of 2022.
Reba and Ellen Truley
MusicRow: Where did you grow up?
Nashville. Born and raised.
Did you grow up wanting to be in the music business here?
I thought I would not be in the music business. Growing up here I was like, “I’m not into that.” Then, lo and behold, I found myself right smack in the middle of it. My first job out of college, I worked at an ad agency for just a short time. That quickly led to a position at Billboard. I worked there for a couple years and that’s really where I fell into the music industry. Then I joined SESAC.
You spent over two decades at SESAC, rising to Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations. What was that time like?
That’s really where I grew to love songwriters and their stories. I grew to understand their huge role in our ecosystem and of the music industry. I’m just a huge fan of singer-songwriters.
Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick with Ellen Truley
Who were some of the songwriters that you first fell in love with?
Obviously the Nashville songwriters, but I had such a great opportunity working at SESAC because I worked in all genres. I was exposed to music that I probably wouldn’t have necessarily been before. Everything from jazz musicians to pop and rock; as well as film and TV composers. I never would’ve crossed paths with them. That has been really a cool thing.
Just the other night I saw a film and TV composer, Jonathan Wolf, who wrote the theme song for Seinfeld. He was in town for the CMA awards. It was good to see him again.
You left SESAC in 2018. What were the next steps for you?
I had my own company for a couple of years where I did a lot of industry relations and helped people who wanted to get into the music industry.
From there, I got a call about The MLC. I knew it was happening because I knew about the Music Modernization Act from 2018. I had been following that closely because I knew it was going to affect songwriters and publishers, and that was my world. So when they called, I was really interested. Anything that helps creatives get paid, I was behind. So I started with The MLC in March of 2020—right as the world was shutting down.
Pictured (L-R): Kris Ahrend, CEO of The MLC; songwriter Even Stevens; Ellen Truley, CMO of The MLC; songwriter Steve Bogard; Jennifer Turnbow, COO, NSAI; Erika Wollam-Nichols, GM, Bluebird Cafe
What was that first year like?
I was employee number five. We’re now at 105, so it’s grown a lot very quickly. It’s been a great ride. Building something from the ground up and seeing this piece of legislation and this mandate come to life has been really rewarding.
I started in March of 2020 and we officially started operations January of 2021. We started paying publishers and songwriters in April of 2021 and we’ve been paying every month since. We distribute royalties once a month.
When you signed on, what were you specifically tasked with?
Part of the legislation said we had to get out in the marketplace and educate people about The MLC. We had to do a lot of education and outreach. My role is marketing, but that includes the education and outreach as well as traditional marketing and PR. It’s about educating people on who we are and what we do, which has been a challenge. We’re kind of this unknown organization, brand new to the landscape of the music industry. We had to tell people what we do and why it was important to sign up so they could get paid.
Blanco Brown and Ellen Truley
What are the hardest things to get people to understand?
Some people thought we replaced a PRO. We do not. We work alongside a PRO and we work alongside SoundExchange. We are another way creators can get paid.
Specifically we pay a “digital audio mechanical royalty.” You say those words and people are like, “What does that mean?” We break it down—a mechanical used to mean physical sales. But a digital audio mechanical pertains to streaming.
People think if they’re signed up with a PRO, that they’re going to get that money. They do get a stream of royalties from a PRO, but there’s a performance royalty and a mechanical royalties associated with a stream. So letting people know they have two ways to get paid when a song is streamed is really important. A lot of people didn’t realize that. Hopefully we’ve opened up a lot of eyes and we’re getting more people paid.
What’s the most fulfilling part of being part of The MLC?
It’s a couple of things. One is that we’ve been able to, literally from the ground up, bring this organization to life. That was a tall order. There was lots to do. It was a great accomplishment to be part of the team that launched on time, when we were supposed to, even with the pandemic going on, and started paying people. That’s been really rewarding. To see a songwriter’s eyes light up when you tell them you have money for them, that’s pretty rewarding too.
Hillary Scott, Ellen Truley
What is some of the best advice you’ve ever received?
Never burn bridges. Always be respectful to everyone. You never know how you might end up working with someone down the road.
What’s the coolest part about working in this field?
I think a lot of people, when they hear you work in the music industry, they think that’s really cool. But it’s not all going to parties and attending the CMA Awards like we just did. There’s a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
Yes, it’s great to go to the CMAs but the rewarding part and what makes it cool is you’re playing a small part in bringing music to the people. It doesn’t get any better than that.
WMG Corp. Q4 Results: Total Revenue Sees Double-Digit Increase For 2022 Fiscal Year
/by Lydia FarthingWarner Music Group Corp. has announced its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results for the periods ended Sept. 30, 2022.
For the fourth quarter, WMG revenue was up 8.8%, which was driven by digital revenue growth of 6.8% across Recorded Music and Music Publishing. Total streaming revenue increased 3.5%, primarily driven by growth in Music Publishing streaming revenue of 29.8%. Recorded Music streaming revenue decreased by 0.4%. Digital revenue represented 66.1% of total revenue in the quarter, compared to 67.3% in the prior-year quarter.
When looking at the fiscal year as a whole, total revenue increased 11.7%, and was driven by digital revenue growth of 9.2% across Recorded Music and Music Publishing. Total streaming revenue increased 9.1%, due to growth across Recorded Music and Music Publishing. Recorded Music streaming revenue increased by 6.3%, while Music Publishing streaming revenue increased by 28.9%, which includes a benefit of $20 million resulting from the ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board in Phonorecords III. Digital revenue represented 65.3% of total revenue, compared to 66.8% in the prior year. Revenue increases in the year were also attributed to growth in Recorded Music licensing and physical revenue, as well as Music Publishing performance, synchronization and mechanical revenue.
“Our strong fourth quarter and full year results were driven by our talented artists, songwriters, and teams, across a wide range of genres, geographies, and generations,” explains Steve Cooper, CEO, Warner Music Group. “Against the backdrop of a challenging macro environment, we once again proved music’s resilience, with new commercial opportunities emerging all the time. We’re very well positioned for long-term creative success, and continued top and bottom line growth. We’re excited to have Robert Kyncl joining next year as WMG’s new CEO, as we enter the next dynamic phase of our evolution.”
“We’ve delivered double-digit revenue growth on a constant currency basis and robust cash flow, driven by excellent operating performance across the company. The momentum in our business is strong, underpinned by global subscriber growth, subscription price increases, and the expansion of emerging platforms,” adds Eric Levin, CFO, Warner Music Group. “As we look ahead, we’re excited to share amazing releases from the world’s hottest artists, as well as innovative tech collaborations that will strengthen our position at the intersection of music, film, TV, social media, fitness, and gaming.”
Financial Highlights:
– Strong Quarterly Performance Highlighted by Growth across All Revenue Lines and Margin Expansion in Constant Currency
– Solid Double-Digit Growth in Adjusted OIBDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the Quarter and Full Year
– Continued Momentum in Music Publishing with Double-Digit Revenue Growth
– Robust Operating Cash Flow Growth Which Outperformed Full-Year Expectations
For the three months ended Sept. 30, 2022:
– Total revenue grew 9% or 16% in constant currency
– Digital revenue grew 7% or 12% in constant currency
– Net income was $150 million versus $30 million in the prior-year quarter
– OIBDA increased 37% to $245 million versus $179 million in the prior-year quarter or 52% in constant currency
– Adjusted OIBDA increased 22% to $265 million versus $218 million in the prior-year quarter or 33% in constant currency
– Adjusted EBITDA increased 16% to $276 million versus $237 million in the prior-year quarter
– Cash provided by operating activities increased 78% to $406 million versus $228 million in the prior-year quarter
For the twelve months ended Sept. 30, 2022:
– Total revenue grew 12% or 16% in constant currency
– Digital revenue grew 9% or 13% in constant currency
– Net income was $555 million versus $307 million in the prior year
– OIBDA increased 15% to $1,053 million versus $915 million in the prior year or 21% in constant currency
– Adjusted OIBDA increased 13% to $1,149 million versus $1,018 million in the prior year or 18% in constant currency
– Adjusted EBITDA increased 10% to $1,196 million versus $1,090 million in the prior year
– Cash provided by operating activities increased 16% to $742 million versus $638 million in the prior year
Morgan Wallen & Greater Good Music Donate 2,000 Meals To Families In Need
/by Liza AndersonMorgan Wallen. Photo: John Shearer.
Morgan Wallen teamed up with Greater Good Music to supply 2,000 families in need with turkeys and Thanksgiving meals ahead of the holiday this week.
Greater Good Music is a nonprofit organization that partners with music artists on tour to supply healthy food distributions to low-income families and disaster victims nationwide. Earlier this year, Greater Good Music worked with Wallen and his foundation to help communities in need on several stops of “The Dangerous Tour.” Identifying food insecure communities and organizing food distributions donated by Wallen, they were able to feed more than 500,000 people before show time on tour destinations across America.
Joining forces again, the 2022 AMA Favorite Male Country Artist and Greater Good Music provided turkeys to over 300 families waiting in line at Waverly High School, in Waverly, Tennessee on Sunday (Nov. 20). Residents have been working to rebuild Waverly after the town was devastated by flooding last year. Volunteers from Joseph’s Storehouse food ministry were on hand to distribute turkeys, stuffing, fresh fruits, and vegetables to families who were impacted by the flood disaster near Nashville.
Families line up to receive meals in Sneedville, Tennessee. Photo: Randy Ball.
Other Tennessee communities also received food deliveries including Wallen’s hometown of Sneedville, where 450 families received meal boxes. The distributions took place over the weekend at local high schools and food pantries. In addition, 600 families in Pike County, Kentucky, who also lost their homes due flooding this summer, received complementary holiday dinners.
Thomas Rhett Nabs 20th Career No. 1 At Country Radio
/by Lydia FarthingThomas Rhett has notched his 20th career No. 1 as his current single “Half Of Me (feat. Riley Green)” hits the top of both the Billboard and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts this week.
The track, which can be found on his sixth album, Where We Started, has also become the longest active consecutive No. 1 on the Country Aircheck chart. Written by Thomas and his father Rhett Akins, alongside Will Bundy and Josh Thompson, “Half Of Me” hit No. 1 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart on Oct. 7.
The second generation hitmaker has made 20 trips to the top of the country charts in less than 10 years. In 2013, he scored his first No. 1 single, “It Goes Like This.” Thomas wrote the track with Akins, Ben Hayslip and Jimmy Robbins, standing out as the first No. 1 written by a father and son. From there, he has continued to grow his collection of hits, including the record-breaking “Die A Happy Man,” “Craving You (feat. Maren Morris), “Beer Can’t Fix (feat. Jon Pardi),” and “Be A Light (feat. Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, and Keith Urban), among others.
“20 No. 1’s in 10 years is mind-blowing,” Thomas shares. “The support since 2012 by radio, songwriters, my team, and all the fans has been incredible. This is insane and I’m so grateful for this wild ride! I can’t wait to see what the next decade has in store.”
For King + Country, CMT Partner For Special Christmas Episode Of ‘CMT Crossroads’
/by Lorie HollabaughA special holiday episode of CMT Crossroads starring For King + Country is set to premiere on Dec. 12 on CMT.
CMT Crossroads Christmas: For King + Country & Friends will feature Breland, Chrissy Metz, Natalie Grant and Rebecca St. James performing renditions of time-honored Christmas classics, including “Joy To The World,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Angels We Have Heard On High,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” “Silent Night” and more. Known for their electric onstage drumming, the duo also turns in a show stopping performance of “Little Drummer Boy.”
During the special For King + Country’s Luke and Joel Smallbone and their guests will share Christmas memories, family traditions and what the holiday means to them, as well as heartfelt messages of peace and hope.
“What does Christmas mean to you? For us, it sounds like the most meaningful songs ever written,” the duo shares. “It looks like different genres, family members and cultures coming together–reunited under love, joy and the redemption of a baby boy. We linked arms with our country comrades at CMT to put together a special night that does just that… grateful.”
The one-hour episode will air at 9 p.m CT, with encores scheduled for Dec. 12, Dec. 18 and a special Christmas Eve airing on Dec. 24.
The multi-Grammy winning duo recently earned a nomination for the 2023 Grammy Awards alongside Hillary Scott of Lady A for their song, “For God Is With Us.” The single is up for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song and marks the duo’s seventh career nomination.
In Pictures: Grand Ole Opry Celebrates 2nd Annual NextStage Live In Concert
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Restless Road’s Colton Pack, Zach Beeken & Garrett Nichols; Hailey Whitters; Priscilla Block; Conner Smith; Breland; Nate Smith and Elvie Shane. Photo: Lindsey Patkos
The Grand Ole Opry celebrated its 2nd annual Opry NextStage Live In Concert on Sunday night (Nov. 20) with performances from members of the 2022 NextStage class, including Breland, Restless Road, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith and Nate Smith.
Breland performs at second annual Opry NextStage Live In Concert. Photo: Danielle Piazza
Highlights from the evening included Conner Smith’s standing ovation for his song “Dear Grand Ole Opry,” which he called “a love song” to the hallowed stage; Shane’s performance of his Platinum hit “My Boy;” and special performances from host and NextStage alumna Priscilla Block, as well as fellow alumna Hailey Whitters, who sang her single “Everything She Ain’t.”
“We feel so honored to be on stage here. Being an Opry NextStage artist is absolutely unbelievable and to get to stand on the same stage as many of these other artists who are here tonight is an absolute blessing,” Restless Road shared during the special evening.
The NextStage Live In Concert event showcases some of country’s rising stars who have been a part of the NextStage artist discovery program.
Highlights of the 2022 class include Breland receiving his first CMA nomination for Musical Event of the Year alongside Dierks Bentley and Hardy, Nate Smith reaching the top 12 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart for his single “Whiskey On You,” and Callista Clark being named the youngest member of CMT’s 2022 Next Women of Country class.
The complete Opry NextStage 2022 class included Breland, Callista Clark, Restless Road, Elvie Shane, Conner Smith, Nate Smith and Morgan Wade.
Restless Road. Photo: Danielle Piazza
Applications & Nominations For 2023 ACM LEVel Up Cohort Now Open
/by Liza AndersonThe Academy of Country Music’s LEVel Up: Lifting Every Voice program is currently accepting applications and nominations for its 2023 cohort through Wednesday, Nov. 30.
The program is designed to drive the next generation of leaders in the music industry and empower participants to play a pivotal role in expanding the horizons into new audiences that transcend demographics and geography.
Rising leaders are encouraged to apply if they are established in the industry, willing to contribute to and able to benefit from the program, and have demonstrated a commitment and passion for making country music accessible and welcoming to all. Peers are encouraged to nominate candidates as well.
The first year of ACM LEVel Up is spent learning while collaborating to develop a proposed plan to expand country music’s reach into new and underrepresented audience segments. The next year is spent implementing the developed plan.
Members of the 2023 cohort will have the opportunity to learn from established executives from across the music industry and will serve as ambassadors for diversity, equity, and inclusion in country music.
For more information, click here.
Chris Janson, Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, More Among Opry Country Christmas Lineup
/by Lorie HollabaughCharlie McCoy. Photo: Chris Hollo
Opry Country Christmas is set to return to the Grand Ole Opry House for eight shows this year, beginning Nov. 27 and running through Dec. 22.
Mandy Barnett. Photo: Chris Hollo
Spotlight Artists for this year’s run include Steve Wariner (Nov. 27), Lauren Alaina (Dec. 1), Scotty McCreery (Dec. 4), Steven Curtis Chapman (Dec. 8), Chris Janson (Dec. 11), Josh Turner and Chris Young (Dec 15), Lorrie Morgan (Dec. 21), and Ricky Skaggs (Dec. 22). Additional artists scheduled for various Opry Country Christmas shows include John Berry, Jason Crabb, Louise Mandrell, Kathy Mattea, Jeannie Seely, and Rhonda Vincent.
Madame Tussauds Nashville will also be showcasing lifelike wax figures of Reba McEntire and Keith Urban in the Opry House Lobby during the Dec. 11 and 15 shows.
Tickets are on sale now, and all of the shows will air on WSM Radio, WSM, and Opry digital platforms.