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“Inside Track on Music Row” ready to read now

May 2024 edition posted now!

ICYMI: The May ’24 edition of my monthly music column, Inside Track on Music Row, is now posted and ready to read. The longest continuously-running country music column in America is posted at Nashville Music Guide here.

Among the news items in this month’s column:

Elvie Shane took a test-drive in a hybrid Corvette E-Ray and talked to Rolling Stone magazine about his widely-praised new 13-track album Damascus…

Sturgill Simpson’s landmark 2014 album, Metamodern Sounds In Country Music, will be reissued May 10 celebrating its 10th anniversary ahead of his headlining slot at Outside Lands fest Aug 9-11…

Johnny Cash‘s album, Songwriter, will be released June 28, consisting of previously-unreleased, newly rediscovered tracks from some 30 years ago…

Terri Clark: Take Two is the title of an 8-song project from Country icon Terri Clark, arriving May 31, featuring duets with Lauren Alaina, Lainey Wilson, Ashley McBride and more…

ERNEST has released Nashville, Tennessee, a 26-track tribute to his hometown, following his 2021 debut Flower Shops (The Album) building on his billion+ on-demand streams…

T. Graham Brown will release a new studio album August 2 titled From Memphis to Muscle Shoals, featuring duets with icons such as Eddie Floyd, Bettye Layette, Little Anthony, Tanya Tucker, Dwight Yoakam and more…

Lacy J Dalton has released “What Don’t Kill Ya,” from her album, For the Black Sheep, set to drop June 21. Outlaw country icon Dalton will join the Country Music Cruise Jan 19-25, 2025…

Clay Walker is now a Pandora Billionaire: in addition to 11 No. 1 singles, 6 Platinum and Gold albums, Clay received the award marking his music being streamed over 1 billion times on Pandora…

“Hometown Home,” the new single from LOCASH on their new label, Galaxy Label Group, will impact Country radio May 13 as they announce a bunch of new tour dates, a mix of festivals and standalone dates…

Brantley Gilbert is extending his Off the Rails Tour into the fall, announcing 15+ additional dates where he will be joined by Adam Calhoun and Demun Jones…

Moe Bandy is celebrating the 45th anniversary of “Just Good Ol’ Boys,” his hit single with Joe Stampley as he talks about his current album, Thank You Lord, featuring special guests…

Plus many more news items including: Chris Stapleton‘s track on the the new Tom Petty tribute album… “The World’s Most Notorious Rock Band,” Mötley Crüe signs with Big Machine Records… Chart Toppers is an album of No. 1 songs recorded live at The Wildhorse Saloon… shows celebrating the late John Prine set for October… K-Love Fan Awards weekend set for May 24-26… news about Rick Monroe & The Hitmen, Molly Lovette, Chris Lane, Maddie Tree, Ashley Cooke, Colton Dixon, Randall King, Sam Grow and more.

Find the entire May 2024 edition (and previous editions) of my monthly column Inside Track on Music Row at Nashville Music Guide 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

Indie Country Showdown Week 3 set for March 7

One more round of top Indie talent before the Grand finale

by Preshias Harris

The competition is heating up! It’s time for Week Three of the Indie Country Showdown. Round Three is set for March 7, 2024 at 7:00 pm at Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom, Nashville, Tenn.

Presented by O’Reilly’s Amish Furniture and Center Stage Magazine, the Indie Country Showdown is unlike any live performance shows ever presented in this area: Nashville’s finest undiscovered independent artists will perform for industry judges, and three finalists will make it into the Grand Finale on Thursday, March 14^th.

Congratulations to Kayla Wass, Week One Winner and CJ Garton, the winner of the Week Two competition. They will join the winner of Week Three in the Grand Finale.

The artists competing in Week Three are: Allie Lamb, Brooke Spencer, Lexi Lew, Seth Alexander, Andy Pursell, John Haywood and Charlie McNeal. There will also be guest performances by Abby Leigh Anderson, Boomtown Saints and Keith Burns.

Indie Country Showdown Week 2 set for Feb 22

Kayla Wass Week 1 Showdown winner

By Preshias Harris

Congratulations to Kayla Wass, winner of Week One of the Indie Country Showdown presented by O’Reilly’s Amish Furniture! Kayla will go on to compete against the winners of the Week 2 and 3 rounds in the Grand Finale to be held March 14 at Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom.

But now, get ready for Week Two, set for Thursday, February 22, 7:00 p.m. at Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom, located at 5724 River Road Nashville, TN 37209, just 14 minutes (8.5 miles) from downtown Nashville via I-40. Find tickets for all Indie Country Showdown shows here.

Competing in the Week Two show on Feb 22: Doug Miolen, Kendra Neece, Mia Brown, Ethan Vincil, Jon Statham, CJ Garton and Chad Wilson. There will be guest star performances by Rick Monroe & the Hitmen, Keith Burns and Abby Leigh Anderson.

Standard tickets with reserved seating are $25.00. VIP tickets at $65.00 are also available with reserved seating closer to the stage. VIP tickets also include Meet & Greet with the performers plus a surprise goodie bag of items from the Showdown artists. Tickets and details here.

Tin Pan South is back with new features for ’24

98 shows at 10 venues, April 2-6, 2024

By Preshias Harris

Once again, Nashville will be where you’ll find songwriters and the people who love them, as they descend on venues across Music City in April for the 32nd Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival presented by Regions – and a new venue has been added to the program.

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has announced details about the Festival that will take place April 2 through April 6, 2024. As in previous years, it features a five-day festival of highly-anticipated songwriter performances, along with some additional events that are new to Tin Pan South this year. Scroll down for venues and new ticketing info.

New programs for 2024

For the first time, festival programming will include two midday events diving deeper into the world of songwriting. Hosted by Analog at the Hutton Hotel, at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 there will be a Legislative Panel featuring Danielle Aguirre (EVP & General Counsel, National Music Publishers Association), Mitch Glazier (Chairman & CEO, Recording Industry Association of America) and Bart Herbison (Executive Director, Nashville Songwriters Association International). Later the same day, there will be a Songwriter Conversation featuring Siedah Garrett (“Man In The Mirror”, “Love You I Do”) at 2:00pm with an option to also purchase a lunch add-on for the afternoon.

Additionally, Tin Pan South has partnered with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to present a Poets and Prophets program featuring singer-songwriter (and an inductee in both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Kentucky Music Hall of Fame) Jackie DeShannon on Saturday, April 6 at 2:30pm. Festival ticket-purchasers can purchase discounted museum admission and reserve tickets to the program here. This ticket includes museum admission with an entry time of 12:45pm, followed by the program.

Venues and ticketing

For the evening performances that attendees have come to know and love, this year promises to bring incredible talent to the stages of several returning venues and a new addition to the festival family, Anzie Blue. Returning venues include: 3rd and Lindsley Nashville, Analog at the Hutton Hotel, The Bluebird Cafe, The Lounge at City Winery Nashville, Commodore Grille, Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole, Hard Rock Cafe, The Listening Room Café and The Station Inn.

Indie Country Showdown debuts at Ray Stevens CabaRay Feb 15

Showcasing up-and-coming country talent + special guest stars

By Preshias Harris

An exciting new talent contest, The Indie Country Showdown (presented by O’Reilly’s Amish Furniture and Center Stage Magazine) is happening in Nashville, and you can be in the audience to see the rise of the next generation of country stars. There will also be guest stars performing on stage at every show (see below).

You will see and hear some of the most talented indie country artists compete in three rounds to earn a spot as one of the three finalists facing off in the grand finale! All three rounds and the Finale will be held at Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom. Tickets for all shows are now available here. Here are the show dates for the Indie Country Showdown:

Week One: Thursday, February 15, 7:00 p.m.
Week Two: Thursday, February 22, 7:00 p.m.
Week Three: Thursday, March 7, 7:00 p.m.
Grand Finale: Thursday, March 14, 7:00 p.m.

Week One Contestants and Guest Performances

The contestants for Week One on Feb 15 are: Eric Burgett, Corey Davis, Jay Jones, Brooklyn Summer, Kayla Wass and Charlotte Morris. The star guest performers are Keith Burns (founding member of Trick Pony), Donovan Chapman, Bryan Martin and Abby Leigh Anderson from The Bobby Bones Show who will debut her brand new single during the show. Get tickets here.

February ‘Inside Track on Music Row’ posted now!

40+ items of music news you can use

The February 2024 edition of my column Inside Track on Music Row is ready to read right now here at NashvilleMusicGuide.com! It’s the longest continuously-running country music column in the USA, thanks to readers like you!

Among the 40+ music news stories you can read in this month’s column:

Chris Young is readying his upcoming album for release March 22 and you can pre-save now from a link in the story…
Tracy Lawrence, David Adam Byrnes and Rodney Carrington are encouraging you to let loose and take chances with their new single, “Kick A Little,” from their upcoming Little Texas tribute album…
John Michael Montgomery is giving fans advance notice of his upcoming retirement from touring after 30+ years on the road, 16 million albums and seven No. 1 hits…
BRELAND will return to the Ryman Auditorium for a third time with his BRELAND & Friends 2024 concert in March 2024. Tickets are available now…
Brooks & Dunn, the best-selling duo of all time, have announce the dates for their upcoming REBOOT 2024 Tour and we have a link to the tour and ticket info…
Moe Bandy is celebrating the 45th anniversary of his hit single “It’s A Cheating Situation,” a duet with Janie Fricke, released in January 1979…
John Berry has re-released three of his most popular albums in partnership with StarVista Music, saying, “This will give some of my favorite songs a breath of new life”…
Springer Mountain Farms “Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman” is returning to Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium for its 30th year and tickets are available now…
Cody Johnson is now out on the road on The Leather Tour with a string of dates through September while his current single “The Painter” has scored more than 95 million global streams…
Plus much more, including news about new singles from Spencer Crandall, Lacy J. Dalton, Waylon Hanel, Jessie G, Walker Montgomery, Mitchell Tenpenny, HARDY, and more…

Find the February 2024 Inside Track on Music Row column at Nashville Music Guide 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 here Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com @PreshiasHarris #PreshiasHarris

Nashville Songwriter Awards honor year’s best songs and writers

Bobby Braddock receives Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award

By Preshias Harris

The 6^th Annual Nashville Songwriter Awards took over the hallowed stage of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, September 26, 2023. The glittering event honors and recognizes the extraordinary men and women who are the driving force behind the songs usually associated with the artists who perform them. The Awards show was produced by Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and presented by City National Bank.

Front row L-R: David Israelite (2023 NSAI Advocacy Award recipient), Sonya Isaacs, Steve Bogard (NSAI, Board President), Bobby Braddock (2023 NSAI Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award recipient), Nicolle Galyon, Emily Shackelton, Ashley Gorley (2023 NSAI ‘Songwriter of the Year’ recipient), Megan Moroney, Trannie Anderson (NSAI 2023 ‘Song of the Year’ recipient), Ben Burgess, Jennifer Turnbow (NSAI, Chief Operating Officer).

Back row L-R: Jimmy Yeary, Bart Herbison (NSAI, Executive Director), Ben Johnson, Dallas Wilson (NSAI 2023 ‘Song of the Year’ recipient), Ben Williams, Mark Holman, Hunter Phelps, David Fanning, Paul Jenkins. Photo credit: Jason Davis

Songwriter of the Year Ashley Gorley. Photo: Tori Perry Photography

Kentucky’s own Ashley Gorley seems to be setting an unmatchable level of achievement, receiving the Songwriter of the Year Award for a record seventh time. As of this writing, Ashley has notched up a record-breaking sixty-four Number One hits, a score that has probably increased by the time you read this.

Morgan Wallen was honored with the Songwriter-Artist of the Year and the NSAI Advocacy Award went to David Israelite, President and CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association. Tim McGraw was NSAI President’s Keystone Award recipient.

The Song of the Year Award went to Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson and Lainey Wilson for “Heart Like A Truck” recorded by Wilson.

Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival draws 25,000+ fans

Here’s our photo journal of musical highlights

by Preshias Harris with photos by Tori Perry

It was a full weekend of amazing music and much more on Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24, 2023 at the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival.

*Ashley McBryde takes the stage on Day Two of the Pilgrimage Festival. Photo credit: Tori Perry* *Photography*

The Festival – held once again at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee – was a ‘sold out’ success with more than 25,000 attendees. In addition to the music coming from three stages, visitors could find more than forty food and beverage vendors set up in the Park, many offering local cuisine. Others headed for Makers Village to check out a number of offerings from artisans and crafters from Nashville and the Southeast.

*Better Than Ezra rock the stage. Photo credit: Tori Perry Photography*

The Lumineers headlined Saturday’s event along with a full slate of star acts that included The Black Crowes, The Head and The Heart, Yola, Better Than Ezra, James Bay, Hailey Whitters, Boy Named Banjo and more.

*A moody moment during the Lumineers’ Saturday night set. Photo credit: Tori Perry Photography*

Zach Brown topped the bill on Sunday with surprise guests The War & Treaty and even invited an audience member up on stage to join him at the mic. Among other surprises, Charlie Worsham was joined by his buddy Dierks Bentley and singer-songwriter Ian Munsick.

Indie Country Showdown to focus on emerging talent

Center Stage Live talent search kicks off Oct 16

By Preshias Harris

Here’s some great news about an upcoming talent contest to focus on emerging country artists.

Scroll down for info on how to register as a contestant and tickets to attend the live shows.

Center Stage Live has announced the Indie Country Showdown talent show to be held at the Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom in West Nashville with a portion of the proceeds supporting Folds of Honor. Four straight weeks of intense competition as Center Stage Live presents the Top 15 Rising Indie Country Artists in the greater Nashville region chosen by a mix of fan vote and Nashville music industry professionals. Highlights from each show and special live-stream segments with the contestants will be featured on Center Stage Magazine’s website and to the tens of millions of viewers that engage with Center Stage Magazine’s social media properties each year.

You can also follow the Indie Country Showdown weekly from Oct. 15th on The Big Country 98 and on iHeart Digital Media with Wayne D and Tay on Big Country 98 who will be interviewing contestants on air from Oct 15 to Nov 16. An expert panel of celebrity judges and music industry professionals will determine the winner over the intense four-week competition.

Tickets can be purchased by those wishing to attend the shows at Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom in person and are available now here.

Ashley McBryde premieres ‘The Devil I Know’

New album set for release September 8

By Preshias Harris

Ashley McBryde brought her band to Analog at Nashville’s Hutton Hotel on August 30 to play her new album in its entirety. The project, titled The Devil I Know, is set for release September 8 via all digital platforms.

The Hutton was packed with friends, family and music industry people at the event hosted by Warner Music Nashville.

In her opening remarks, WMN Co-Chair & Co-President Cris Lacy mentioned just some of Ashley’s notable achievements and recognitions, including two CMA Awards, and two ACM Awards and nominations for six Grammy Awards, and a win for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Never Wanted to Be That Girl,” with Carly Pearce in 2023.

*Ashley McBryde at Analog at The Hutton Hotel. Photo credit: Preshias Harris*

“The New York Times calls her Country’s most down-to-earth songwriter,” said Lacy. “The LA Times [calls her] ‘one of Nashville’s most reliable and sophisticated songwriters’ and Billboard magazine has dubbed her ‘one of Country’s greatest storytellers without ever compromising.’ The Devil I know has already been named one of the most anticipated albums by New York magazine and the LA Times, while ‘Light On In The Kitchen’ landed on Rolling Stones all-genre Best Songs of 2023 so far.”