Sony Music Publishing Announces One New Hire, One Promotion In Creative Department

Aubrey Rupe & Synnovea Halsel

Sony Music Publishing Nashville has announced an addition and promotion within its creative team. Aubrey Rupe has joined the team as Senior Director, Creative, and Synnovea Halsel has been promoted to Manager, Creative.

“We are incredibly lucky to welcome Aubrey to the team and for Synnovea to take on this new role,” notes Josh Van Valkenburg, EVP Creative, Sony Music Publishing Nashville. “Aubrey is highly respected within the Music Row community as a champion of great songs and a rainmaker for songwriters. Synnovea’s rapid ascent among the next generation of publishing creatives has been exciting to see, and this is just the beginning. I look forward to working alongside Aubrey and Synnovea as we continue to deliver exceptional service to all SMP Nashville’s songwriters.”

In her new role, Rupe is responsible for advancing the company’s A&R initiatives, signing and working closely with talent, and delivering opportunities for collaboration and creative development across SMP Nashville’s roster. Previously, she spent nine years at Young Guns Publishing, where she served as VP, Creative and worked alongside writers Ben Stennis, Jared Mullins and singer-songwriter Jackie Lee.

“I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to grow as a publisher under the incredible leadership of Rusty Gaston, Josh Van Valkenburg and the entire Sony Music Publishing team,” adds Rupe. “The writers, artists and catalog here are unmatched, and I am fired up to be able to represent them. The team here already feels like family and I’m proud to be a part of it!”

Halsel, who joined the company in 2021, has recently signed top emerging talent, including breakthrough singer-songwriter Madeleine Edwards, while also working closely with songwriters including Jaren Johnston, Zach Kale, and Ella Langley.

“I am so grateful that Rusty Gaston and Josh Van Valkenburg have given me the opportunity to work with some of the best songwriters in town,” shares Halsel. “As a Nashville native, it’s truly a privilege to work in an industry that I’ve grown up admiring with a team that has poured into me from the start.”

Adam Doleac Inks With UTA

Pictured (L-R): Jeffrey Hasson (Co-Head of UTA Nashville), Scott Clayton (Partner & Co-Head of Global Music, UTA), Elisa Vazzana (Music Agent, UTA), Adam Doleac, Brett Saliba (Music Agent, UTA) and Eric Garcia (Manager, Light Cave Entertainment)

Singer-songwriter Adam Doleac has signed with UTA for representation.

The Arista Nashville artist’s debut album, Barstool Whiskey Wonderland, was just released. The project features 18 tracks, including his Gold hit “Famous,” as well as the singles “Drinkin’ It Wrong,”  “Another,” “Coulda Loved You Longer,” and “Famous,” which has amassed nearly 50 million streams.

Doleac has also had cuts by Kane Brown, Gabby Barrett, Darius Rucker and more, and penned 150 songs during the process of recording Barstool Whiskey Wonderland.

Doleac is represented by Eric Garcia at Light Cave Entertainment.

Industry Ink: Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Avery Anna, Tee Roy Williams

Dolly Parton Breaks Two Of Her Own Guinness World Records

Dolly Parton and her manager Danny Nozell. Photo: Courtesy of True Public Relations

Earlier this week, the legendary Dolly Parton was surprised with two new Guinness World Records.

Parton broke two of her own records, expanding her chart success. She holds the world records for the most decades on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with seven, as well as the most hits by a female artist on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with 109.

 

 

Carrie Underwood Teams Up With iHeartRadio For A Special Performance

Pictured (L-R): iHeart’s Maynard, John Sykes, Rod Phillips, UMG Nashville’s David Friedman, Bobby Young, Cindy Mabe, Mike Harris, Carrie Underwood, UMG Nashville’s Rob Femia, Royce Risser, iHeart’s Jackie Tigue, UMG Nashville’s Mike Dungan and iHeart’s Gator Harrison. Photo: Adrianna Casiano for iHeartRadio

In celebration of her recent chart-topping album, Denim & Rhinestones, Carrie Underwood collaborated with iHeartRadio to present “iHeartRadio LIVE with Carrie Underwood.”

Underwood performed live from Nashville’s Analog at the Hutton Hotel on Sept. 29. She sang some of her hits, as well as new music, giving fans a preview of what’s to come on the “The Denim & Rhinestones Tour” kicking off Oct. 15.

The radio special is available on Meta Horizon Worlds and iHeartRadio’s Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

Rising Artist Avery Anna Makes Her Grand Ole Opry Debut

Pictured (L-R, back row): Warner Music Nashville’s Patrick Worstell, Rohan Kohli, Avery Anna, Warner Music Nashville’s Shane Tarleton and Grand Ole Opry’s Dan Rogers; (L-R, front row): Warner Music Nashville’s Cris Lacy and 33 Creative’s Tina Crawford. Photo: Anna Clary

On Friday night (Sept.30), Warner Music Nashville’s Avery Anna made her Grand Ole Opry debut.

Nearly 60 of her friends and family sat in the audience as the Arizona native sang her breakout hit “Narcissist.” She followed with a cover of “Have I Told You Lately” dedicated to her grandfather, who was among those in the audience, and earned a standing ovation.

Her debut EP, Mood Swings, will be released Friday, Oct.7.

 

 

Music Row Celebrates Fifth Annual Tee Roy Williams Event In Michigan

Pictured (L-R): Townsquare’s Kurt Johnson, 16camino’s Ryan Barnstead, Beasley’s John Reynolds, Curb’s RJ Meacham, SiriusXM’s Buzz Brainard, Shane Allen, Warner Music Nashville’s Michael Chase, Sony Music Nashville’s Mark Gray, 16camino’s John Ettinger, Tyler Braden, Stone Country’s Kerry Wolfe, Hannah Ellis, Alpha’s Bo Matthews and Audacy’s Tim Roberts. Photo: Courtesy of 16camino.

Industry members came together in Traverse City, Michigan this past weekend to celebrate the fifth annual Tee Roy Williams event. This year’s event consisted of performances from Curb’s Hannah Ellis and Warner Music Nashville’s Tyler Braden.

The event is named after late artists Troy Gentry (T-Roy) and Don Williams, who passed away on the same day and on the same day as the inaugural event in 2017.

Kylie Morgan Surprises Fans With New Marriage-Inspired EP

Kylie Morgan was so inspired by her upcoming marriage that she decided to surprise fans with a new five-track EP, Songs To Say I Do, via EMI Records Nashville.

Out everywhere Oct. 14, the project features four new songs all co-written by Morgan, as well as her recently-released viral smash “Bridesmaids,” her call-out to the best friends that keep her world spinning. Released after fan demand, Morgan co-wrote the tune with one of the real-life bridesmaids in her upcoming wedding, Sam DeRosa, as well as KK Johnson.

The initial viral TikTok has racked up 8.2 million views with over 1.2 million likes, while more than 156,000 fans have created their own videos using the sound, including nods to wedding parties, favorite musicians, family members, pets and more.

Morgan’s debut single “If He Wanted To He Would” continues to heat up on country radio, and she’s currently on the road with Tyler Rich on his “Thinkin’ We’re In Love Tour.” She’ll take the stage this weekend with stops in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Songs To Say I Do Track List:
1. “Fireworks” (Kylie Morgan, Jeff Garrison, Caroline Watkins)
2. “Good Hands” (Kylie Morgan, Ben Johnson, Emily Shackleton)
3. “Bridesmaids” (Kylie Morgan, Sam DeRosa, KK Johnson)
4. “Always Been You” (Kylie Morgan, Ben Johnson)
5. “That’s My Man” (Kylie Morgan, Cameron Bedell, Micah Carpenter)

Mitchell Tenpenny Fires Up The Cornhole Boards To Help Fight Cancer

Mitchell Tenpenny. Photo: Matthew Berinato

Mitchell Tenpenny is hosting a corn hole fundraising tournament on Oct. 11 at the Sony ATV parking lot in Nashville. Proceeds from the event will go to Tenpenny’s own 10Penny Fund to help fight cancer.

All cornhole game boards are already sold-out, but all are invited to come out and join in the fun. Those wanting to help can also purchase an event t-shirt and/or consider making a donation.

The Riser House/Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville artist recently released his 20-track This Is The Heavy album, which includes his current single “Truth About You.” Tenpenny co-wrote every song on the record with some of Nashville’s finest, including Thomas Archer, Rodney Clawson, Devin Dawson, Chris DeStefano, Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley, Josh Kear, Laura Veltz, and more. He also produced the project with Jordan M. Schmidt.

Tenpenny’s debut single, “Drunk Me,” was a double Platinum No. 1 hit that has amassed nearly 580 million on-demand streams and appeared on his debut album, Telling All My Secrets. He also has over 1.3 billion total career on-demand streams to date, and at the close of 2021 was the No. 5 most-played artist on SiriusXM’s The Highway, behind superstars like Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, and Chris Stapleton.

Legendary Loretta Lynn Passes

Loretta Lynn. Photo: Les Leverett

Revered music icon Loretta Lynn died on Tuesday (Oct. 4) at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. She was 90.

A statement from Lynn’s family reads: “Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills.”

Known to millions as “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” the iconic singer-songwriter rose from mountain poverty to become a member of The Country Music Hall of Fame. Her feisty songs made her a feminist heroine. The film based on her autobiography, Coal Miner’s Daughter, took her story around the world and won an Academy Award.

Among her enduring compositions are such country evergreens as “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin,’” “Fist City,” “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and “You’re Lookin’ at Country,” as well as her signature song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”

She also immortalized songs by others, such as “One’s On the Way,” “Blue Kentucky Girl,” “The Pill” and “Love Is the Foundation.” In addition, Lynn had strings of hits as the duet partner of her fellow Hall of Fame members, Ernest Tubb (1914-1984) and Conway Twitty (1933-1993).

Born Loretta Webb in 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, she was raised in a mountain cabin with seven brothers and sisters. She was just a teenager when she married Oliver “Doolittle”/”Mooney” Lynn (1927-1996). He believed in her singing talent, bought her a guitar, urged her to begin writing songs, pushed her to perform live and entered her in talent contests near their home in Washington State.

Buck Owens (1929-2006) began to feature her on his Takoma television show. A Canadian businessman saw her on it and financed a trip to L.A. to record her self-penned 1960 debut single “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl.” Husband “Doo” found a list of country radio stations and drove her across the country to visit them one-by-one.

Released on tiny Zero Records, the single made the national country charts and brought her to Nashville. Lynn made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry singing it on Oct. 15, 1960.

Established Opry stars The Wilburn Brothers took her under their wings and signed her to management and publishing contracts. Teddy Wilburn (1931-2003) helped her polish her songwriting. Doyle Wilburn (1930-1982) engineered a Decca Records contract with producer Owen Bradley (1915-1998). The duo promoted her and her resulting Decca singles on their nationally syndicated TV series.

Loretta Lynn. Photo: Russ Harrington

Produced by Bradley, “Success” became her first Decca success. On the strength of that 1962 hit, the Wilburns lobbied the Opry to add her to its cast. She became an Opry member on Sept. 24, 1962. “Before I’m Over You” (1963) and “Wine, Women and Song” (1964) were her next big hits.

Superstar Ernest Tubb chose her as his duet partner, and the team succeeded with “Mr. and Mrs. Used To Be” (1964), “Our Hearts Are Holding Hands” (1965), “Sweet Thang” (1967) and “Who’s Gonna Take the Garbage Out” (1969). Lynn’s solo singles continued to thrive as well. “Happy Birthday,” “Blue Kentucky Girl” and “The Home You’re Tearin’ Down” all became hits in 1965.

By the late 1960s, Loretta Lynn was steamrolling the country charts. “Dear Uncle Sam” (1966), “You Ain’t Woman Enough” (1966), “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’” (1967), “If You’re Not Gone Too Long” (1967) and “What Kind of Girl” (1967) led to a CMA Female Vocalist of the Year award in 1967.

Owen Bradley called her “the female Hank Williams.” He continued to produce such disc classics as “Fist City” (1968), “You’ve Just Stepped In” (1968), “Your Squaw Is On the Warpath” (1968), “Woman of the World” (1969), “To Make a Man” (1969) and “Wings Upon Your Horns” (1969).

Decca hoped lightning would strike twice by signing her brother Jay Lee Webb (1937-1996) and sister Peggy Sue, both of whom had country chart hits. Baby sister Crystal Gayle (Brenda Gail Webb) also began her career at Decca, but didn’t rise to stardom until the 1970s on United Artists.

Loretta Lynn’s own star rose ever higher in the 1970s. She began the decade with 1970’s “I Know How,” “You Wanna Give Me a Lift” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” all major hits.

She began singing duets with Conway Twitty and instantly hit the top of the charts with 1971’s “After the Fire Is Gone,” which won a Grammy Award. The two went on to have more than a dozen hits together, including “Lead Me On” (1971), “Louisiana Woman Mississippi Man” (1973), “Feelin’s” (1975), “I Can’t Love You Enough” (1977), “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly” (1978) and “Lovin’ What Your Lovin’ Does to Me” (1981). The team earned four Duo of the Year awards from the CMA in 1972-75.

In 1971-73, Lynn scored such solo blockbusters as “I Wanna Be Free,” “You’re Lookin’ at Country,” “One’s on the Way,” “Here I Am Again,” “Rated X,” “Love Is the Foundation” and “Hey Loretta.” These resulted in Female Vocalist of the Year honors from the CMA in 1972 and 1973. Furthermore, in 1972, she became the first woman to win the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year prize.

The mainstream media took notice. She was featured in Ms magazine and made the covers of Newsweek (1973) and Redbook (1974). Her infectious personality, plain-spoken honesty and down-home wit made her a favorite on the TV talk-show circuit. She starred in national TV commercials for Crisco. Her 1976 autobiography became a New York Times best-seller.

Her fan club became an industry model. It morphed into the umbrella International Fan Club Organization (IFCO) and backed the establishment of Fan Fair (now the CMA Music Festival) in 1972.

Lynn’s devotion to her fans became legendary, but it came at a price. The pressures of stardom, constant travel and unending work took a toll on her physical and mental health. In 1976, she suffered a complete breakdown while on stage in Illinois. She was hospitalized several times for exhaustion.

But the country hits continued uninterrupted as Lynn scaled the charts with “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like My Daddy” (1974), “Trouble in Paradise” (1974), “The Pill” (1975), “When the Tingle Becomes a Chill” (1976) and “Somebody Somewhere” (1976).

Patsy Cline (1932-1963) had been Lynn’s female mentor early in her career. Loretta Lynn’s tribute LP to the legendary singer resulted in the 1977 hits “She’s Got You” and “Why Can’t He Be You.”

Lynn finished the decade with the country hits “Out of My Head and Back in My Bed” (1977), “Spring Fever” (1978), “We’ve Come a Long Way Baby” (1978), “I Can’t Feel You Anymore” (1979) and “I’ve Got a Picture of Us in My Mind” (1979).

Coal Miner’s Daughter became a film triumph in 1980, and Sissy Spacek won an Academy Award for portraying Lynn. Another wave of media attention ensued.

Lynn formed her own booking agency and song publishing company. She established western-wear clothing stores and opened the Loretta Lynn Dude Ranch on her antebellum property in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

The hits slowed in the 1980s, but she still scored top-20 hits with “Cheatin’ on a Cheater” (1980), “Somebody Led Me Away” (1981), “I Lie” (1982), “Making Love From Memory” (1982) and “Heart Don’t Do This to Me” (1985).

During this same period, a series of major honors and accolades commenced. In 1980, the Academy of Country Music named her its Artist of the Decade for the 1970s. She was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983. She entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988.

Collaborations with others also kept her in the news. In 1987, the Grammy-nominated “Honky Tonk Angels Medley” teamed her with k.d. lang, Brenda Lee and Kitty Wells. Also applauded and Grammy nominated was her 1993 collaboration with Tammy Wynette and Dolly Parton, Honky Tonk Angels and its single/video “Silver Threads and Golden Needles.”

A famously hard-working concert artist, Loretta Lynn largely stayed off the road between 1991 and 1996 to care for her ailing husband. After his death, she was so numb with grief that she became almost completely uncommunicative for a year.

She rebounded on disc with her CD Still Country (2000), which contained songs about her mourning. She made the charts with its single, “Country in My Genes.” She was 68 years old at the time, which made her country’s senior charting female artist.

Loretta Lynn. Photo: David McClister

Lynn received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003. The following year, she was given a BMI Icon Award. She issued two more books, Still Woman Enough (2002) and You’re Cookin’ It Country (2004).

Even more notoriety came with the release of her 2004 album Van Lear Rose. Produced by rock star Jack White, it won two Grammy Awards. She was inducted into New York’s mainstream Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008 and won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. President Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

A 2010 Loretta Lynn tribute album resulted in her last chart appearance to date, a remake of “Coal Miner’s Daughter” with Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow. This made her the only female country artist to chart in six consecutive decades.

Since then, Lynn has published another book, 2012’s Honky-Tonk Girl: My Life in Lyrics. She resumed her recording career with Full Circle (2015), White Christmas Blue (2016) and Wouldn’t It Be Great (2018). These were co-produced by John Carter Cash and daughter Patsy Lynn, the latter of whom also served as her mother’s manager in recent years.

Loretta Lynn has released more than 60 albums, written more than 160 songs, had 16 No. 1’s and 50 top-10 hits, been awarded six Gold Records and charted 82 titles. She has sold a reported 45 million units.

In May 2017, the superstar suffered a stroke. She recovered enough to induct Alan Jackson into the Country Music Hall of Fame five months later. In January 2018, Lynn fell and broke her hip. She began making media appearances to promote Wouldn’t It Be Great that fall, but was briefly hospitalized with a respiratory infection in October 2018.

Her oldest son, Jack Benny Lynn, died in a drowning accident in 1984. Her songwriter daughter, Betty Sue, passed away in 2013. She is survived by son Ernest Ray Lynn, who worked as her opening act on the road. Lynn is also survived by daughters Cissy and her singing twins Peggy and Patsy, as well as by 27 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Lynn was buried in her family’s cemetery on her Hurricane Mills on Oct. 7. A public memorial is expected to follow.

The family has asked for privacy during this time, as they grieve. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to the Loretta Lynn Foundation.

Jon Pardi Closes ‘Ain’t Always The Cowboy Tour’ With Special Nashville Night

Jon Pardi performs at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater. Photo: Kirsten Balani

Capitol Records Nashville hitmaker Jon Pardi brought his “Ain’t Always The Cowboy Tour” back home to Nashville on Saturday night (Oct. 1) with a sold-out show at Ascend Amphitheater.

After a set from Pardi’s charming label-mate Priscilla Block, which included her breakout hits “Just About Over You” and “My Bar,” Lainey Wilson took the stage. Her high-energy set showed just why Nashville has fallen in love with the Broken Bow Records artist.

Wilson entertained the already packed crowd with the exciting “Straight Up Sideways,” “Neon Diamonds” and two awesome covers of Merle Haggard‘s “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink” and 4 Non Blondes‘ “What’s Up?”

She thrilled the crowd with her newest single “Heart Like A Truck” and closed her awesome set with her ACM Song of the Year winner, “Things A Man Oughta Know.”

When it came time for Pardi to take the stage, the audience was good and ready for some more neotraditional country music. The weather at the outdoor arena was perfect, making for a comfortably chilly night.

The multi-Platinum entertainer wasted no time teasing the audience with a sizzle reel or long introduction. As soon as he appeared on the Ascend stage, he was singing the opening line of his No. 1 hit “Night Shift.”

Throughout the show, Pardi maintained simplicity—keeping to the basics of good country music and a good time. The crowd danced along to songs new and old, such as “Up All Night” and “What I Can’t Put Down” from his 2014 debut studio album Write You a Song.

Pictured (L-R): Legina Chaudoin (Partner, O’Neil Hagaman), Royce Risser (EVP Promotion, UMG Nashville), Cindy Mabe (President, UMG Nashville), Mike Dungan (Chairman & CEO, UMG Nashville), Jon Pardi, Melanie Wetherbee (Red Light Management), Maggie Hunt (Red Light Management). Photo: Kirsten Balani

Pardi also played many of his hit songs from his third studio album, Heartache Medication, which was officially certified Gold by the RIAA earlier in the night.

Much to the audience’s amusement, Pardi played plenty of tunes from his recently released fourth studio album, Mr. Saturday Night. Because he was in Music City, he made sure to give a shout out to the songwriters and publishers who worked on the record. A definite highlight of the night came when Pardi played the album’s title track.

In addition to his already stellar fiddle player, Pardi enlisted the help of renowned fiddle master Jenee Fleenor for a lot of the performances Saturday night. The two fiddles, steel guitar and Pardi’s country twang sounded great on Pardi’s next single, “Your Heart Or Mine.”

During a quiet moment, the crowd started chanting “Pardi.” It seemed to catch the singer by surprise, as he aw-shucked back to the mic and grinned.

“I guess we’re all here tonight because we love traditional country, ’90s country, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam and all that good stuff,” Pardi said, noting that he had been dreaming about playing Ascend for some time.

Jon Pardi performs at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater. Photo: Kirsten Balani

Another highlight of the evening came when Pardi was alone on stage with just his acoustic guitar. He played “Starlight,” a tune about chasing your dreams with the help of a guardian angel. He then played “When I’ve Been Drinkin'” and the surprisingly tender “Reverse Cowgirl,” from his new album.

The last half of the show was a blitz of Pardi hits. He smiled and grooved along to the dancing mariachi band of skeletons on the video wall behind him on “Tequila Little Time.” He ran all over the stage during “Beer Can’t Fix,” shuffled along to “Heartache Medication” and grooved some more to “Last Night Lonely.”

After walking off-stage as if to end the night, Pardi returned to the piano riff of “Still D.R.E.” that quickly morphed into the beginning of “Dirt On My Boots.” CASE Bulldozers, from the construction equipment company that sponsored the tour, were shown pushing dirt on the video screens behind the country singer.

Before closing with his enduring hit “Head Over Boots,” Pardi gave a hair-raising performance of the tour’s namesake “Ain’t Always The Cowboy.” As is true at many Jon Pardi concerts, couples swayed and danced along together in the grassy yard as the Platinum country star painted a picture of longing for them.

Miko Marks’ New Album ‘Feel Like Going Home’ Set For October 14

Miko Marks. Photo: Squint

Miko Marks is set to release her new album, Feel Like Going Home, on Oct. 14.

The new project is a glimpse at the ebb and flow of Marks’ past, present and future, capturing new stories along the way. The album follows on the heels of her EP, Race Records, released in October 2021.

Marks was named to CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2022, and in April stood alongside five other artists and managers chosen to participate in the inaugural Equal Access Development Program, a program designed by mtheory and CMT to foster and support marginalized communities underrepresented in country music.

She will make her Grand Ole Opry debut the day of her album release (Oct. 14).

Feel Like Going Home Track List:
1. Feel Like Going Home
2. One More Night
3. River
4. This Time
5. Peace of Mind
6. Trouble
7. The Good Life
8. Deliver Me
9. The Other Side
10. Lay Your Burdens Down
11. Jubilee

Zach Bryan Seals Second Week Atop MusicRow Songwriter Chart

Zach Bryan. Photo: Rachael Polack

For a second week, Zach Bryan claims the No. 1 spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. The burgeoning songwriter has three currently charting songs, all of which he is the sole writer on. They include “Something In The Orange,” “Oklahoma Smokeshow” and “Burn, Burn, Burn.”

Ashley Gorley follows once again in the second spot. The Nashville mainstay is credited on eight current chart songs, including Parmalee’s “Take My Name” and “Girl In Mine,” Brett Young’s “You Didn’t,” Michael Ray’s “Holy Water,” Dierks Bentley’s “Gold,” Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof,” Cole Swindell’s “She Had Me At Heads Carolina” and Carly Pearce’s “What He Didn’t Do.”

Morgan Wallen rises one spot to No. 3, Ernest Keith Smith falls to No. 4 and Bailey Zimmerman rises one spot to 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.

Billy Strings & His Father Set To Release New Album In November

Terry Barber & Billy Strings. Photo: Joshua Black Wilkins

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Billy Strings has announced that Me/And/Dad, the first album he’s recorded with his father, Terry Barber, will drop on Nov. 18 via Rounder Records.

A longtime dream of Strings and Barber, the 14-track collection will feature versions of bluegrass and country classics that the two have been playing together since Strings was a child. The father-son duo’s new versions of bluegrass traditional “Long Journey Home” and George Jones“Life To Go” are available now.

YouTube video

“As long as I can remember, [I’ve] wanted to make a record with my dad. I’ve been burning up and down the highways the last 12 years, and as time slips away, you start thinking, ‘I need to make time.’ It’s been a bucket list thing for me, something I’ve been afraid I wouldn’t find the time to do. And that scared me; not doing this record scared me,” shares Strings.

Recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio, the album, produced by Strings and Gary Paczosa, finds the pair alternating both guitar and vocal leads. Additionally, the record features an all-star band, including bassist Mike Bub, mandolinist Ron McCoury, banjo player Rob McCoury and fiddler Michael Cleveland, as well as special appearances by Jerry Douglas, Jason Carter and Strings’ mother, Debra Barber, who sings on the final track, “I Heard My Mother Weeping.”

Me/And/Dad follows Strings’ Renewal, which was one of the Top 50 Most Played Albums at Americana Radio last year. A respected musician across many genres, Strings has also collaborated with a wide variety of artists, including Bill Kreutzmann, Luke Combs, Del McCoury, Fences, RMR and more.

Me/And/Dad Track List:
1. Long Journey Home (bluegrass traditional)
2. Life To Go (written by George Jones)
3. Way Downtown (written by Doc Watson)
4. Little Blossom (written by Hank Thompson)
5. Peartree (written by Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson, Gaither Carlton)
6. Stone Walls and Steel Bars (written by Ray Pennington, Roy Eugene Marcum)
7. Little White Church (written by Eugene Wellman)
8. Dig A Little Deeper (In The Well) (written by Jody Emerson, Roger Bowling)
9. Wandering Boy (written by A.P. Carter)
10. John Deere Tractor (written by Lawrence Hammond)
11. Frosty Morn (bluegrass traditional)
12. I Haven’t Seen Mary In Years (written by Damon Black)
13. Little Cabin Home On The Hill (written by Lester Flatt, Bill Monroe)
14. Heard My Mother Weeping (written by Carl Story, Lowell Blanchard)