Music news you can use now
By Preshias Harris
My monthly column – Inside Track on Music Row – has graced the pages (and now the website) of the Nashville Music Guide longer than any other continuously-running country music column. The full column will be at NMG in a few weeks. Meanwhile, check out some special news items I couldn’t wait to share…
Loretta Lynn celebrates her 90th at Opry… Chris Stapleton adds “Concert for Kentucky”… Garth Brooks honky-tonk set for Nashville’s downtown… Morgan Wallen‘s album sets chart record… The Judds head out on tour… Struts sign with BMLG… Scroll down to read more!
Opry celebrates Loretta Lynn’s 90th birthday
The Grand Ole Opry celebrates the 90th birthday of one of its most beloved and iconic Opry members, Loretta Lynn on Opry Country Classics on Thursday, April 14 at the Grand Ole Opry House. Lynn’s 90th birthday celebration will feature performances by Lynn’s sister, Opry member Crystal Gayle, The Gatlin Brothers, Elizabeth Cook, Maggie Rose and the Opry debut of duo Twitty and Lynn, the grandchildren of famed duo Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty.
Lynn, born on April 14, 1932 in Butcher Holler, KY, made her Opry debut on October 15, 1960 and was officially inducted as a member on September 25, 1962. She went on to become one of the Opry’s most celebrated legends. Her countless accolades include three Grammy Awards and eight Country Music Association Awards. In 1972, she became the first female artist to win the Country Music Association’s coveted Entertainer of the Year award. Now a member of the Country Music and Songwriters Halls of Fame, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
The show can be heard on https://www.opry.com and wsmonline.com, SiriusXM Willie’s Roadhouse, and the show’s flagship radio home, WSM Radio.
Chris Stapleton adds “Concert for Kentucky” and more tour dates
8x GRAMMY Award-winner Chris Stapleton will extend his “All-American Road Show” tour, produced by Live Nation, with newly confirmed shows at Tuscaloosa’s Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, Orange Beach’s The Wharf Amphitheater, Gilford’s Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (two nights) and Houston’s Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Tickets for the new dates go on-sale Friday, April 15 at 10:00am local time. Citi is the official card of the “All-American Road Show” tour.
Among many additional dates: “A Concert for Kentucky”—a special performance to be held at University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field on April 23. The concert is the first ever held at UK’s Kroger Field and will feature very special guests Willie Nelson and Family, Sheryl Crow and Madeline Edwards. 100% of the concert’s net proceeds will benefit Stapleton’s Outlaw State of Kind Hometown Fund. See below for complete tour itinerary.
The performances add to another triumphant year for Stapleton, who won three awards at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards: Best Country Album (Starting Over), Best Country Solo Performance (“You Should Probably Leave”) and Best Country Song (“Cold”).
See https://www.chrisstapleton.com for tour updates and tickets. @chrisstapleton
Garth Brooks set to join Nashville’s honky-tonk row
Looks like Garth Brooks is on the way to seeing his name on a bar/eatery in Nashville. He has announced the upcoming opening of a three-story, 40,000 square foot venue located at 411 Broadway that was previously occupied by Paradise Park. Garth is reportedly partnering with Strategic Hospitality on the new venture. With Garth’s wife Trisha Yearwood enjoying a ‘side gig’ with her Food Network TV show, Trisha’s Southern Kitchen, her involvement in the project is a possibility.
The Garth honky-tonk, as yet un-named, will join other venues such as Blake Shelton’s Ole Red, Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar, Dirks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge Food + Bar, Florida Georgia Line’s FGL House, Kid Rock’s Big A** Honky Tonk Rock n’ Roll Steakhouse and more. News about Garth, including stadium tour updates, at https://garthbrooks.com @garthbrooks
Morgan Wallen breaks record for most weeks atop Country Album charts
Morgan Wallen’s ‘Dangerous: The Double Album’ has broken Billboard’s Top Country Albums record for the most weeks at No. 1.
Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album now holds the Billboard Top Country Albums record for most weeks at number one, for an amazing 51 weeks, beating the record previously shared with Luke Combs’ This One’s for You, and Shania Twain’s Come On Over.
Most Weeks at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums Chart:
- 51 – Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen Jan. 23, 2021
- 50 – This One’s for You, Luke Combs, June 24, 2017
- 50 – Come On Over, Shania Twain, Nov. 22, 1997
- 43 – Always & Forever, Randy Travis, June 20, 1987
- 41 – No Fences, Garth Brooks, Oct. 13, 1990
- 37 – What You See Is What You Get, Luke Combs, Nov. 23, 2019
- 36 – Fly, Dixie Chicks, Sept. 18, 1999
- 35 – Fearless, Taylor Swift, Nov. 29, 2008
- 35 – O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Soundtrack, Feb. 24, 2001
- 34 – Some Gave All, Billy Ray Cyrus, June 6, 1992
Tour dates and more at https://morganwallen.com @morganwallen
The Judds set for first tour in ten years
GRAMMY®-winning iconic duo, The Judds, will set out on their first tour in over a decade, The Final Tour. The 10-date arena tour, produced by Sandbox Live and Live Nation, kicks off on Friday, Sept. 30 in Grand Rapids, Mich. at Van Andel Arena, making stops in Toledo, Green Bay, Fort Worth, and more before concluding in Nashville, Tenn. at Bridgestone Arena on Friday, Oct. 28. Martina McBride will join as a very special guest on select dates. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning April 15th at TheJudds.com. Fans can sign up for pre-sale ticket access at https://www.thejudds.com/#!.
“The fans have always been my family of choice. I love them dearly, so I’m chompin’ at the bit to belt out our hits and reconnect with them once again. The cherry on top is singing with my beloved, wild and extremely talented daughter… the best singer of any genre, Wynonna! She asked me if I was still going to twist, twirl and crack jokes. I answered, “Heck yeah! I’m too old to grow up now!” Naomi shared.
“What I’m looking forward to most is celebrating Judd music with the fans. Mom and I have had quite the journey over the last 38 years, and the fans have been with us through it all. This tour is a celebration for them!” said Wynonna.
The Judds, one of the most successful duos in country music history, made a triumphant return to the CMT Music Awards stage, performing their international hit and chart-topping single, “Love Can Build A Bridge” with the iconic landmark of Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame as their background, a nod to the duo’s upcoming 2022 induction.
The Struts sign with BLMG
Formed in Derby, England circa 2012 with a recent creative surge in Los Angeles, The Struts have signed to leading independent record label Big Machine Label Group, a subsidiary of HYBE America. The tongue-in-cheek swagger of singer Luke Spiller, guitarist Adam Slack, bassist Jed Elliott, and drummer Gethin Davies joins Big Machine Records wide-ranging roster — superstar Sheryl Crow, renegade poet Ray Wylie Hubbard, Metal slinger John 5, chart-topping act Badflower, supercharged hitmaker Ayron Jones and electrifying rockers Starcrawler.
Influenced by a mix of Queen flair and Oasis audacity, their name was born from a rehearsal observation as Spiller innately strut around the room as they performed in their earliest days. Since, they have found themselves massively embraced by some of the greatest icons in Rock & Roll history, opening for Foo Fighters, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Guns N’ Roses, Mötley Crüe. Big Machine Label Group Chairman & CEO Scott Borchetta shares, “I’ve always loved this band’s sound and swagger and Luke is one of the best front men in Rock.” More at https://thestruts.com.
But wait, there’s more! These are just a few music news items to keep you up to date. Stand by for a LOT more in the full May 2022 edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row – the longest continuously running country music column in the USA – that will be published by Nashville Music Guide.
Preshias Harris is a music journalist and 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