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Your Inside Track on Music Row, November 2024

Hot new Country singles and albums tour updates and more

By Preshias Harris

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Undeniably, I’m a country singer; I’m a country songwriter. But I feel like I make country music for people who like country music and for people who don’t.” – Kasey Musgraves

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. – Psalms 57:7

Can it be November already? With Thanksgiving fast approaching and Christmas just around the corner?! SO much to get to in this edition of ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ the longest continuously-running monthly country music column in the USA. Scroll down to check out a whole bunch of new albums and singles to listen to, plus tour updates, Opry news, songwriter pub deals, Christmas music and a lot more. As always, my heartfelt thanks to the artists and songwriters and their reps who keep me in the loop about what’s new with you! So let’s kick off with a roundup of some albums you need to know about…

ALBUM NEWS

KELSEA BALLERINI: When you write songs from your own life, it takes a lot of living to come up with something special. Thankfully, for multiple Grammy nominee and Country Music Association award winner Kelsea Ballerini, a 30-something who never stops, inspiration is never hard to come by. Having created a deep dialogue with her fans, a lot has happened since the Grammy-nominated Rolling Up The Welcome Matand Rolling Up The Welcome Mat (For Good).

Teaming with producer and longtime collaborator Alysa Vanderheym, Ballerini opted for an all-girl approach to PATTERNS. Crystalizing after a songwriting retreat with Vanderheym, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Hillary Lindsey, GRAMMY Songwriter of the Year nominee Jessie Jo Dillon and Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, the honey blond superstar decided to create an album that focused on female friendship, being vulnerable and honest, owning one’s jagged spaces and the way relationships really are, not the way they look on Instagram.

“There was an unpresumed feeling of knowingness that happened on that retreat,” Ballerini reports. “I felt safe, so then I was able to feel honest, and then more so, creative. We were all, as songwriters, in tandem but more so as women just in a real heart flow of it all. Having these heroes and friends champion the process and the guts of it all has been one of the joys of my career.” Pre-order exclusive PATTERNS on vinyl and CD here via Black River Entertainment. Listen/download the single “First Rodeo” here, and watch the evocative music video here. #KelseaBallerini

MEGAN MORONEY: The much-anticipated release of Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) — the deluxe edition of Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records singer/songwriter Megan Moroney’s widely acclaimed sophomore album – dropped in early October. Featuring three brand-new tracks, the newly expanded version of Am I Okay? arrives just months after Moroney scored the year’s third-biggest Billboard 200 debut from a female Country artist. Listen to Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) here.

Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) includes a selection of songs she’s recently teased during her must-see live show and on social media. Both written by Moroney, David “Messy” Mescon, Rob Hatch, and Ben Williams, “Break It Right Back” and “I’ll Be Fine” offer the latest evidence of her enormous talent for penning truly unforgettable heartbreak ballads. To that end, “Break It Right Back” takes the form of a piano-laced stunner about the shattered hopes of falling for someone too good to be true (inspiring over 22k creates after Moroney teased it on TikTok), while “I’ll Be Fine” serves as a heavy-hearted response to the album’s wildly hopeful and Country radio-dominating title track.

Moroney will soon release Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) on vinyl on December 13. Pre-order the vinyl here. Tour/ticket updates at Megan’s website and more on social media. #MeganMoroney

GEORGE JONES: Fans of George Jones are in for a treat with the announcement of the new album, George Jones: The Lost Nashville Sessions set to release on November 15 on Country Rewind Records. Preorder / stream the album here. Originally recorded for radio airplay in the 1970s, these tracks have been enhanced, capturing Jones’ signature sound by bringing the audio quality up to twenty-first-century standards. This was achieved by subtly adding instrumentation and background vocals beneath Jones’ voice where needed.

Nominees and show hosts named for CMA Awards

Lainey Wilson to join Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning

By Preshias Harris

The Country Music Association (CMA) has announced the nominations for the upcoming CMA Awards. The 58^th CMA Awards presented by the Country Music Association will take place Wednesday, November 20 and will be broadcast 8/7CT on ABC-TV from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The show will stream on Hulu the next day.

Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning will reprise their hosting duties for the show, this time joined by co-host Lainey Wilson, as announced in this video directed by George Flanigan.

Read my full story about the upcoming CMA Awards at Center Stage Mag here, where you can also link to a list of the entire roster of nominations, in case you want to follow along as you watch the show.

Those with the most nominations include Morgan Wallen (seven nods; four as collabs with Post Malone), while Cody Johnson and Chris Stapleton are both nominated for five awards. Find the details at Center Stage Mag here where you can also catch up on previous stories posted under the Preshias On The Row header.

Preshias Harris is an advocate for songwriters and a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com. @PreshiasHarris #PreshiasHarris

Songs, songwriters honored at Nashville Songwriter Awards

“The Painter” wins Song of the Year

by Preshias Harris

It is the one night a year when songwriters step into the spotlight to be recognized by their peers and the music industry for the amazing songs they create that can literally change the lives of so many people. It’s a sad fact that many of those people have no idea who wrote the songs they hear, performed by the recording artists they love.

On September 24, the 7th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards, produced by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and presented by City National Bank, took over the stage at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

*Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins and Ryan Larkins (holding their awards) prepare to sing “The Painter” the Number One hit recorded by Cody Johnson. Photo: Tori Perry*

Read my full report, including red carpet interviews, full details about the award winners and all eleven (!) of the ‘Ten Songs I Wish I’d Written’ at Center Stage Mag here.

The prestigious ‘Song of the Year’ Award went to “The Painter” penned by Benny Davis, Kat Higgins and Ryan Larkins, recorded by Cody Johnson, topping the Billboard Country Airplay charts.

*Ashley Gorley makes his acceptance remarks after receiving ‘Songwriter of the Year’ Award for the eighth time. Photo: Tori Perry*

Songwriter phenom Ashley Gorley received the Songwriter of the Year Award for a record-setting eighth time. Ashley, who is overdue for inclusion in the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame (just sayin’!), has scored at least seventy-nine Number One hits in a career that is still going strong.

*Denise Jackson reacts to hubby Alan Jackson’s remarks during the ceremony. Photo: Tori Perry*

Alan Jackson was honored with the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award (four days before the sad news of the passing of Kristofferson himself).

New albums! New singles! Tour updates!

‘Inside Track on Music Row’ October 2024

By Preshias Harris

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I still have my first paycheck. It was just, I think, a dollar or two that I got when I started as a songwriter with BMI, and I had some songs there that I had through the company, and in the mail I got this big old check for, like, a dollar and a half or something. Somebody had recorded one of my songs.” – Dolly Parton

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”. – Romans 15:13

SO much to get to this month! A heapin’ helpin’ of new albums from Luke Bryan, Amy Grant, Midland, Miranda Lambert, Mitchell Tenpenny and Drake White… a stack of new singles from Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Bryce Leatherwood, Dave Lenahan, Joe Nichols, Sofia Scott and Billy Strings… plus all the People’s Choice Awards winners, NSAI Song Contest News, tour updates and more. Scroll down to catch up…

ALBUM NEWS:

LUKE BRYAN: Five-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan released his newest album, Mind Of A Country Boy, September 27, 2024. (Listen/Add the album here.) Bryan invited industry peers and songwriters who have cuts on the album to a launch party held at the Green Door Gourmet in Nashville, September 10. The bash featured country themed elements as tips to Luke’s upbringing and lifestyle including boiled peanuts and farm vegetables as take away party favors, Luke-themed cocktails and his performance held in the barn on the property.

During the launch party, Bryan performed some news songs from Mind Of A Country Boy. Before the party Luke spoke to media and expressed this album, “reflects the more mature me with song selections that best represent where I am in life.”

Now, Luke is launching his fifteenth Farm Tour as he sets up stages in the fields of local farms and a creates a mini city for the day. Special guests this year include Conner Smith, Tucker Wetmore, the Peach Pickers (songwriters Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip and Rhett Akins with guest Rodney Clawson), and DJ Rock. Find all tour dates here. #LukeBryan

AMY GRANT: Six-time Grammy-winner Amy Grant released the House Of Love Expanded Anniversary Edition on September 27. Listen here. Previously released is the digital single “Politics Of Kissing,” which, like several selections on this edition, has never been available digitally and was originally only released on the UK version of House Of Love in 1994.

“Gathering the materials for this Expanded Anniversary Edition of House Of Love brought a flood of memories back to me,” recalls Grant. “Those days were full of dreams coming true and lots of irons in the fire. A circle of extended family and friends helped us share the load of caring for our young family, planning a big tour and creating music that would be the follow-up to the magical time of Heart In Motion. We were managing the joyful chaos of life; riding a big wave and hoping not to wipe out. I love the songs on House Of Love and am excited to release all the music made in that time…the B-sides, all the remixes and the newly re-imagined versions of select songs.”

Bellamy Brothers, Gene Watson honor classic country artists

“Forever Ain’t Long Enough” features tribute photo album

by Preshias Harris

The 1990 album, Reality Check, from The Bellamy Brothers featured the song “Forever Ain’t Long Enough” written by David Bellamy, one half of the country duo.

Now, David and Howard Bellamy have poured new life into the fan-favorite track, releasing a new version of “Forever Ain’t Long Enough” with fellow country icon Gene Watson joining the Brothers on vocals. Read my full story about the song and the video at Center Stage Mag here.

David Bellamy said that having Gene duet with him and Howard on the song was a dream come true. “He’s one of the few real classic country singers that understands songs like this,” he noted.

In addition to a live performance of the song, the accompanying video showcases a unique “photo album” of many of country’s most revered artists, from Keith Whitley, Merle Haggard and Chris LeDoux to Ferlin Husky, Charlie Daniels and George Jones… plus many more. Watch the unique video at YouTube here.

*Gene Watson, center, sings with The Bellamy Brothers*

Meanwhile, remember to check out the full story at Center Stage Mag, and find updated Bellamy Brothers tour and ticket info here.

Preshias Harris is an advocate for songwriters and a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com @PreshiasHarris #PreshiasHarris

Inside Track on Music Row for September 2024

Longest continuously-running country music column in the USA, ready to read now!

by Preshias Harris

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “You always have to work to become a better singer, songwriter and performer.” – Luke Bryan

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16

There is SO much news to catch up on in this month’s column! New singles from Caylee Hammack, Dylan Scott, Megan Moroney, Zach Top and Jeremy Parsons, long-awaited Ryman debut for Terri Clark, the latest music video from Chris Stapleton, albums from Thomas Rhett, Joe Nichols, Wyatt Flores and the Cactus Blossoms, Russell Dickerson drops a new EP, Jake Worthington brings Texas to The Cannery, plus much more including a really cute baby! Scroll down to catch it all…

ADVANCE ALBUM NEWS: Rising country artist Wyatt Flores released his new single, “Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight,” on August 30, alongside an official music video. Listen to the song here and watch the video here. The single is the first unveiled from Flores’ highly anticipated full-length debut album, Welcome To The Plains, which will be released October 18 via Island Records and is now available to pre-save/pre-order here.

The album takes listeners to the corner of the world that this 23-year-old country-folk singer-songwriter knows best – Oklahoma. “Welcome To The Plains is all about my fight to come home,” said Flores. “The struggle of coming from home – the little towns – and going out in the real world. Just being lost in it all.”

A 14-song trek through tales of fiery love, small-town truths and lighthearted mortality, Welcome To The Plains captures the grounded, sincere storytelling forged by Flores in-part during formative years in his hometown, Stillwater, Oklahoma. He was raised on time-tested rock ‘n’ roll, like the Eagles and John Mellencamp. At age 12, his sister passed him a copy of Turnpike Troubadours’ sophomore album, Diamonds & Gasoline, unlocking a love for roots music that later extended to artists like Jason Isbell, 49 Winchester and Sturgill Simpson.

The record will also be available on special limited-edition vinyl, which includes photos from the studio, exclusive original art and much more. More about Flores on Facebook. #WyattFlores

ADVANCE ALBUM NEWS PART 2: Three-time Grammy-nominated, multi-Platinum selling artist Joe Nichols’ 11th career studio album, Honky Tonks and Country Songs, will be released on Friday, October 25. The official pre-save/pre-add for Nichols’ Honky Tonks and Country Songs will be live on Thursday, September 6, across all digital streaming and retailer partners.

Produced by Mickey Jack Cones (Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett) and Derek George (Randy Houser), the album highlights Nichols’ steadfast commitment to country music that has made him one of Nashville’s most honest and versatile voices, regarded for his warm and distinctly country tone by everyone from Dolly Parton to Post Malone — he’s sung with both.

Blonde: the hot summer album from Tigirlily Gold

“Blonde is a state of mind – and anyone can join the blonde party!”

by Preshias Harris

Tigirlily Gold has released their debut album, Blonde, a project several years in the creation. The album, released July 26 on the Monument Records label, comes as the latest achievement in Tigirlily Gold’s ten-year journey from their early gigs around their hometown in North Dakota to increasingly larger venues across the USA.

Read Tigirlily Gold’s revealing Q&A about the new album at Center Stage Mag.

In May 2024, they received the New Duo or Group of the Year award at the 59th Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards and made their national award show performance debut during the live show. Watch Tigirlily Gold’s ACM performance here.

*Tigirlily (Kendra & Krista Slaubaugh) at the album launch party. Photo: Preshias Harris*

Sisters Kendra and Krista Slaubaugh – who together are known as the duo Tigirlily Gold – released two EPs and a pair of hot singles (“Shoot Tequila” and “I Tried a Ring On”) leading up to the release of Blonde. The album was produced by Alex Kline and Pete Good and executive produced by Monument Records’ co-founder, the legendary songwriter Shane McAnally.

I was with the media who met up with Krista and Kendra at Monument Records’ Nashville offices the day before the album’s official release date to listen to the tracks and to talk with the sisters about the new project and their musical journey. You can read my full report on that event and Tigirlily Gold’s in-depth comments and thoughts about their music in my story poster at Center Stage Mag here. They even explain how one of the tracks on the album was inspired by songs by Faith Hill and Aerosmith. Really!

As Kendra and Krista assured us at album launch party: “Blonde is a state of mind – and anyone can join the blonde party!” Sounds like a pretty cool party to join. Listen to Blonde here.

Tigirlily Gold is on tour this summer with Walker Hayes, Parker McCollum, Gabby Barrett and Brad Paisley.

Keep up with Tigirlily Gold on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

It’s August! Here’s this month’s Inside Track

Inside Track on Music Row for August 2024

by Preshias Harris

Scroll down to read a LOT of news about HARDY, Reba McEntire, Megan Moroney, Jake Owen, Opry Country Christmas, Chris Tomlin, Nu-Blu, Lauren Watkins, Bobby Marquez, Ashley McBride, Alex Miller, Morgan Wallen, Allie Colleen, Justin Moore and much more!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I’ve ended up as a songwriter. This is my job. How did I get this lucky? What a great job!” – Paul McCartney, in an interview with Annie Clark (St. Vincent) on Instagram Live. [reported in American Songwriter, April 16, 2021]

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! – Psalm 100: 1-2

ALBUM NEWS: Acclaimed singer-songwriter Amos Lee will release his eagerly awaited new album, Transmissions, available Friday, August 9 on his own Hoagiemouth Records via Thirty Tigers. Lee’s 11th studio album and first new collection of original songs in more than two years, Transmissions is heralded by the premiere of the graceful first single, “Hold On Tight,” available everywhere now. Listen now at Play MPE and watch the official video here.

Transmissions sees Amos Lee continuing to expand his sonic range while sharpening his closely observed lyrics that squarely address death, aging, and love. Self-produced by Lee for only the second time in his chart-topping, RIAA Gold-certified career (following 2013’s Spirit), the Philadelphia, PA-based artist returned to an old-school style of recording, working with his longtime band in a studio in rural Marlboro, NY, built by drummer Lee Falco and his dad out of reclaimed wood from an old church. Playing live on the floor for long hours in close quarters, Lee and his fellow musicians were able to capture the album’s twelve songs in less than a week. Lee augmented his band’s soulful, folk-funk sound with arrangements that extend the scope of songs, from autobiographical to upbeat and jam-powered. Music, tour dates and more at Amos Lee’s website. Pre-order Amos Lee’s Transmissions here. #AmosLee

ALBUM NEWS Part Two: Megan Moroney’s Am I Okay? debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 — the definitive all-genre chart for U.S. album sales. Released on July 12 to widespread acclaim, the Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records singer/songwriter’s sophomore LP also shot to the No. 3 spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart — a feat that makes Am I Okay? the fifth-biggest Country debut of 2024 and the year’s third-biggest debut from a female Country artist (after Beyoncé and Kacey Musgraves). Go here to stream/download Am I Okay? now. With nearly 43K in consumption units in its first week — including 37.6 million streams — Am I Okay? has earned massive praise from many of the music world’s leading publications, including Rolling Stone, Variety, The Tennessean and the print editions of American Songwriterand The New York Times.

Also lauded by Billboard, MusicRow, and more, Am I Okay? turned up on coveted lists like “New Music Friday: The best albums out July 12” from NPR’s All Songs Considered. In addition, Associated Press declared that “[y]ou’d be hard-pressed to find a more relatable voice in contemporary country music for young women” and hailed Am I Okay? as “a heartbreak-filled rollercoaster ride of a sophomore album, filled with quotable kiss-offs and evolved compositions.” Moroney has earned nearly 1.5 billion total global streams to date. More at Megan Moroney’s website and on social media. #MeganMoroney

AMERICANA NEWS: The Americana Music Association has announced its performers for the 23rd annual Americana Honors & Awards, taking place in Nashville on Sept. 18 at the famed Ryman Auditorium. This year’s Honors & Awards will deliver performances from award-winning legends, buzzworthy new artists, and longtime fan favorites including Blind Boys of Alabama, Brandy Clark with SistaStrings, Charles Wesley Godwin, Dave Alvin, Dwight Yoakam, Fantastic Negrito, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Jobi Riccio, Kaitlin Butts, Larkin Poe, The Milk Carton Kids, Noah Kahan, Sarah Jarosz, Shelby Lynne, Sierra Ferrell, Turnpike Troubadours, The War And Treaty, Waxahatchee with MJ Lenderman, and Wyatt Flores.

In addition to the annual “Of the Year” awards presented during the program (view the nominees here), the 2024 Honors & Awards will include this year’s Lifetime Achievement Honorees: Blind Boys of Alabama, Dave Alvin, Don Was, Dwight Yoakam, Rev. Gary Davis, and Shelby Lynne. Rev. Gary Davis (honored posthumously) will receive the Legacy Award in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music and will be recognized with a performance by Fantastic Negrito. Additionally, the program will be filmed for broadcast on PBS in the Austin City Limits time slot in November. Tickets to the Americana Honors & Awards are on sale now here. For more information on the association or to purchase passes to AMERICANAFEST, visit www.americanamusic.org.

Inside Track on Music Row July 2024

Inside Track on Music Row July 2024… right here and ready to read!

Due to a technical glitch, Nashville Music Guide was unable to publish my column this month. So… here it is in full! Apologies to my readers and to the labels and artists’ representatives who share their news with me so I can bring it to you in this, the longest continuously running country music column in America!

Scroll down for news about George Strait, Morgan Waller, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Luke Combs, HARDY, Brantley Gilbert, Phil Vassar, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Jelly Roll and many more!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I didn’t know if it would be a successful one, or what the stages would be, but I always saw myself as a lifetime musician and songwriter.” – Bruce Springsteen

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly, I will sing your praises. – Psalm 22:22

ACOUSTIC VERSION NEWS: After putting fans first with the social media-driven Find Another Bar Tour: College Edition, multi-Platinum artist Chris Lane delivers another surprise with the release of From Where I’m Sippin’ (Deluxe) (Red Street Records/Voyager Records). Listen to From Where I’m Sippin’ (Deluxe) here. Watch Chris Lane’s performance video for “Mistake (Acoustic)” here. “I’ve always been a big fan of stripped-down versions of songs, and how the track can take on a new life while also giving me a new connection to it,” shares Lane. “I’m excited to add three acoustic versions to the From Where I’m Sippin’ EP, and hope y’all enjoy them.”

Lauded by Billboard as “veering slightly from hip-hop infused, polished pop-country to a sound with a ragged rock edge, while still residing squarely in his musical wheelhouse” with his new music, From Where I’m Sippin’ poured five fresh-Country concoctions – four of which were co-written by the top-shelf hitmaker – produced by Derek Wells with additional production from Michael Lotten. Now serving up three brand-new acoustic versions with the 2023 EP release, Lane adds an intimate element to stripped-down renditions of fan-favorites “Mistake,” “Way to Go Girl,” and current chart-rising single “Find Another Bar” – that’s nearing Top 35 at Country radio. Music and tour info at Chris Lane’s website. #ChrisLane

ALBUM NEWS: Country superstar Luke Combs’ new full-length album, Fathers & Sons, is out now on Columbia Nashville. Stream/purchase here. A collection of 12 poignant tracks, Fathers & Sons was recorded entirely live and features Combs most personal songwriting to date, as he reflects on his own experiences being a dad to his two sons and the unique bond between parents and their children. Ahead of the release, Combs unveiled new song, “The Man He Sees In Me,” which The Tennessean says is “redefining his level of superstardom.”

The album adds to yet another landmark year for Combs, who recently released his new radio single, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” which will be featured on the soundtrack for the new Twisters movie (out July 19) and is the subject of a new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opening July 11. The exhibit, entitled Luke Combs: The Man I Am, will feature a variety of photographs, childhood memorabilia, instruments, set lists and more from throughout Combs’ life and career. Combs has also partnered with Opry Entertainment Group to open a massive multi-level entertainment complex in downtown Nashville later this summer. Music and tour updates at Luke’s websiteand socials. #LukeCombs

Nashville Songwriter Awards set for Sept 24

Alan Jackson, Buddy Cannon and ’10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’

By Preshias Harris

Superstar singer-songwriter Alan Jackson and songwriter-producer Buddy Cannon have been revealed as honorees at the upcoming 7^th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards. The announcement was made by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), alongside presenting partner City National Bank, who will again bring the music industry and fans together at the Ryman Auditorium on September 24, 2024.

Read my full article about the 7^th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards at the Preshias On The Row page at Center Stage Magazine here.