Jackie Jones. Photo: Carly Glazier

Jackie Jones has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Artist & Industry Relations at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Following a 17-year-tenure at Viacom’s CMT, Jones joined the RIAA in April 2019. She has since executed notable events, created artist partnerships and helped generate music business opportunities for students at Tennessee State University. Additionally, as part of the RIAA Gold & Platinum program, Jones recently helped honor Missy Elliott as the only female hip-hop artist with six Platinum-certified albums. In September, she led RIAA Honors: Pioneers of Hip-Hop, including Grandmaster Flash and MC Lyte, at a celebration in Washington, D.C.

Based in Nashville, Jones remains the association’s chief representative in the market and has successfully built relationships with artists and their teams across the U.S. in support of RIAA’s advocacy mission.

“Jackie is a championing force whose deep ties in Music City are unparalleled. Her creativity and ability to engage labels, artists and community partners is a great asset to the work of RIAA. We are delighted to celebrate her talents with this promotion,” says RIAA’s Chief Policy Officer Morna Willens.

“While at RIAA, I have learned how vital it is to help policymakers understand the ways labels support and partner with artists and all the work our industry does to strengthen and grow the creative community and economy. Advocating on behalf of the recorded music industry every day is an honor. I look forward to fostering an even more inclusive community that knows the importance of supporting and protecting the rights of creators and innovators,” Jones adds.

Jones will continue reporting to Willens and can be reached at jackie.jones@riaa.com.

Pictured (L-R, back row): Matt Turner (Concord), Ashley Nite (Concord), Melissa Spillman (Concord), Shawn Thompson (Concord), Jen Hubbard (Concord), Hayley Corbett (F2 Entertainment Group) and Tiffany Dunn (Loeb & Loeb LLP); (L-R, front row): Brad Kennard (Concord), Courtney Allen (Concord), Jennifer Wayne and Fletcher Foster (F2 Entertainment Group).

Concord Music Publishing has inked a deal with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jennifer Wayne. The worldwide deal will cover her future works.

Jennifer Wayne is best known as the founding member of the multi-ACM nominated group, Runaway June, alongside Natalie Stovall and Stevie Woodward. Wayne co-wrote several of Runaway June’s hit singles including “Lipstick,” “Wild West,” and Gold-certified “Buy My Own Drinks.” Their latest single “Broken Hearts (Do Broken Things)” was released on Oct. 28 and has already become a fan-favorite, flipping the script on post-breakup blues, and kicking off a bold new era for this chart-topping trio.

In addition to songwriting credits with Runaway June, Wayne, granddaughter of film icon John Wayne, has penned songs for artists including Marie Osmond, Eric Paslay, RaeLynn, Brittney Spencer, and The Shires. Just last week, Wayne was honored at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards for co-writing Keith Urban’s hit single “Wild Hearts,” which reached No. 2 on the U.S. Country radio airplay charts and No. 1 on Australia’s Country Hot 50 and Canada Country.

Courtney Allen, Director of A&R at Concord Music Publishing in Nashville, notes, “It is rare that you meet a person who every single person in this town loves and is a champion of. Jen’s talent, kindness, perseverance, work ethic and positivity are unmatched, and she is an absolute dream to work with. Our whole team is thrilled to be a part of the next chapter of her career that is sure to be filled with more success as both an artist and a songwriter!”

“I’m over the moon about signing with Concord. It’s a family and they are so passionate, creative, supportive, and work as a team to win for their writers,” Wayne shares. “I have to highlight Courtney Allen. I know firsthand there is no one that works harder for their writers than she does. I really can’t imagine being surrounded by better people. I have the ultimate dream team!”

Outside of music, Wayne has been featured in the Emmy Award-winning competition TV show CBS’s The Amazing Race, CMT’s I Love Kellie Pickler, and in the 2014 feature film Like A Country Song. She was also recently announced as the co-host of The Design Network’s Flip U, a new series that will premiere in 2023.

On Dec. 5, the Grammy Museum will host a special preview event of They Called Us Outlaws, the upcoming, 12-hour documentary on the history and legacy of the Outlaw country-rock movement.

The event will feature a special appearance by the series’ Executive Producer and Grammy Hall of Fame Award Recipient Jessi Colter, as well as a screening from the film that focuses on her life and work. The evening will also feature performances from Tyler Childers, joined by fellow Appalachian singer-songwriters John R. Miller and Abby Hamilton, along with Shooter Jennings.

“Eric Geadelmann has spent countless hours and years of his life perfecting an expansive portrait of the history of the country music independent’s rebellion,” Jennings explains. “He came to us with a vision and has delivered a study of the artists and the paths they took to change the face of the music they loved. Coming together to celebrate this historic work will surely be a highlight of any true music lover’s year. I’m excited to be a part of it and the music world will be better for it.”

Filmmakers Eric Geadelmann and Kelly Magelky will also participate in a roundtable discussion, along with former Kings of Leon band member Chris Coleman, creator of the film series’ original music score. Jack Ingram, the film’s narrator and an executive producer of the project, will also moderate the panel and perform.

“I’m super excited to be part of this evening’s event,” adds Childers. “It’s an honor to not only be asked to be in this film, but to also be asked to play some music and share the stage with Jessi Colter. I’m real stoked to see all my buddies too.”

The documentary series features over 100 interviews with the era’s most iconic figures and those who carry the torch today, including Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Miranda Lambert, Billy Joe Shaver, Eric Church, Margo Price and Matthew McConaughey, along with Colter, Childers, and Jennings. It also features rare performance footage from Austin’s legendary music venue the Armadillo World Headquarters.

The six-part series is executive produced by Colter, Ingram and 9x Grammy winner Ray Benson, in partnership with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Devin Dawson. Photo: Tyler Conrad

Platinum-selling singer-songwriter Devin Dawson has revealed that for the last ten months, he has been struggling with dysphonia, a voice disorder.

The Warner Music Nashville recording artist recently sat down with Storme Warren on SiriusXM’s The Highway to discuss the disorder and his journey over the last year.

“It’s something that I’ve realized isn’t common, but it definitely happens to people. But no one ever really talks about it,” Dawson shared. “I’ve never had an issue being vulnerable, honest or authentic, but it just felt like time to open up.”

He later took to his own socials to comment further, explaining that dysphonia is a muscle condition which affects how people talk and/or sing. Dawson noted that his experience has “severely” affected his talking and singing voice in the lower ranges.

“When all this started, I hoped it would be a couple [months of] recovery and that I would do all the work to find my way through,” he said. “Although I’m way better than I was a few months ago, I’m still not where I need to be to give y’all 100%, which is what y’all deserve.”

He continued by sharing that throughout this journey, he has been very open about it with his Nashville friends and family, explaining that from the beginning it wasn’t something that he wanted to hide or be ashamed of. Though there have been a lot of hard moments along the way, he explains there have also been some positives, including perspective, clarity, humility and being able to “sharpen other swords.”

“I’ve still been writing every day and been lucky enough to work with some amazing people [and] some insanely talented artists, writing some of the best songs I’ve ever written mostly for others, but a few special ones for myself when they come to me,” he noted. “I want to say thank you to y’all for always making it known that y’all believe in me—even if I disappear from the spotlight for a bit. I’ve learned a lot from this and I will continue to learn more.”

Dawson closed by sharing his exciting for a new record, though he’s not sure when it’ll be just yet.

For the full conversation with Warren, click here.

Rising Warner Music Nashville artist Drew Parker will bring his live show to cities across the country this winter on his headlining “At The End of the Dirt Road Tour.”

Kicking off Jan. 19 in Athens, Georgia, the trek will include stops in the Carolinas, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, Kentucky, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Illinois and more through the beginning of March. Noah Hicks, Sarah Allison Turner and Meghan Patrick will join for select dates. Tickets for the trek are on sale now.

Parker shared the touring news earlier this week after earning Song of the Year honor at the 2022 BMI Country Awards for Luke Combs’ “Forever After All.” The multi-week No. 1 was written by Parker, Combs and Robert Williford.

Earlier this year, the Georgia native released songs “Raised Up Right” and “Little Miss Saturday Night,” with more new music to come. The tunes follow his seven-track EP While You’re Gone, of which the title track served as Parker’s first major-label single.