New Music Archives - Nashville Music Line

Inside Track on Music Row bonus April edition!

But wait, there’s more… country music news you can use

By Preshias Harris

April is showering us with a cloudburst of new music! In fact, it was SO much that it overflowed the April 2025 edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row. I couldn’t let it get away, so here’s my “Special Added Extra Bonus Supplement” edition. Here you’ll find news about and links to new music from Lainey Wilson, Brandi Carlile & Elton John, Tucker Wetmore, Allison Krauss & Union Station, Jason Isbell, Onoleigh, Junior Sisk, Larkin Poe, Lauren Watkins, Caroline Jones, Bryan Ruby, Maddie Riccardo, Bobby Rush & Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Shane Smith & The Saints plus tour updates, Opry news and more. It’s all here so keep scrolling. (If you missed the ‘real’ April 2025 column, you’ll find it directly below this post.)

ALBUM NEWS

JASON BOLAND & THE STRAGGLERS

JASON BOLAND & THE STRAGGLERS: Texas-via-Oklahoma band Jason Boland & The Stragglershave released their new album The Last Kings of Babylon, out now via Thirty Tigers. Listen / play Last Kings of Babylon here. The album marks a full circle moment for the band as they reunite with legendary producer Lloyd Maines, who produced the band’s debut album Pearl Snaps.

The release of The Last Kings of Babylon arrives on the heels of the band’s 25th anniversary. A quarter of a century ago, Boland and his Stragglers cemented themselves in the alt-country and Red Dirt scenes with the release of their 1999 breakthrough Pearl Snaps. Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the country scene’s most multidimensional songwriters,” Boland would go on to sell more than half a million albums and collaborate with Shooter Jennings and Robert Earl Keen over the course of his career.

In 2024 alone, Boland and his band mounted a 30-date anniversary tour, released a live album Live From Cain’s Ballroom, and cemented their status as one of the pillars of the Red Dirt movement with “The Boys of Oklahoma” concerts which have sold over 180,000 tickets. Tour and ticket info at https://thestragglers.com. #JasonBolandTheStragglers

JASON ISBELL

JASON ISBELL has released his first entirely solo acoustic album, Foxes in the Snow, out now via his own Southeastern Records. Listen/play Foxes in the Snow here.

No foolin’! April’s country music news

New releases, tour updates music news and more!

by Preshias Harris

It’s April in Nashville and this is Inside Track on Music Row, America’s longest-running monthly country music column.

You’ll find links to listen to new releases from Trace Adkins, Lauren Alaina, Walker Montgomery, Tucker Wetmore and Rascal Flatts (teaming up with Blake Shelton)…. There’s tour and ticket info about stars out on the road including Brooks & Dunn, Kane Brown, Wyatt Flores, Megan Moroney and Zach Top… New albums from Rebecca Lynn Howard, Willie Nelson (his 154th!) and Cole Swindell… plus news about country stars such as Joe Nichols, Cody Johnson and Jeannie Seely as well as rising artists like Huneyfire, Something Out West and more. Scroll down and catch up!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I feel like every time I’m [writing], it peels back a layer of who I am. I find something that I didn’t know was there. Whenever you get the song completed, there’s no more holes in it.” – singer-songwriter Koe Wetzel in an interview with Melinda Newman, Executive Editor Nashville, Billboard, March 8, 2025

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

ALBUM NEWS

REBECCA LYNN HOWARD

REBECCA LYNN HOWARD: A new album is on the way from two-time Grammy and IBMA winner Rebecca Lynn Howard. Howard — a songwriter who has written hits for country royalty and “possesses one of country music’s most powerful voices” (Billboard) — released the song “Seventeen” on February 28^th(play/download here). The official music video for “Seventeen” was released a week later and has already surpassed 1.2 million views. “Seventeen” is from her 11-track album, I’m Not Who You Think I Am, due out May 2 via Lee Brice‘s imprint, Pump House Records. Pre-save/add the album here. The album was produced by Howard’s husband, Elisha Hoffman and executive produced by Brice.

“When I wrote ‘Seventeen’ almost 20 years ago, I had no idea that I was penning a song for my future self,” shares Howard. “This song has just the right amount of longing and nostalgia to fill my heart to the brim. I’m instantly transported to my youth…a more innocent time, when my parents were annoyingly right all the time. It’s humbling to reflect on how far I’ve come and how many ups and downs I’ve survived along the way since then. They say you can’t go back, oh but I do, every time I sing this song.” Follow Rebecca Lynn Howard at Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Spotify and TikTok.

WILLIE NELSON

WILLIE NELSON: Legacy Recordings is set to release Willie Nelson’s latest studio album, his 77th solo studio album and 154th overall. Oh What A Beautiful World will be available on April 25th, just in time for his 92nd birthday. Pre-save the album here. The album is the latest in Willie’s storied history of focusing entire records on a single songwriter’s work, this time featuring new interpretations of 12 classic songs written or cowritten by Rodney Crowell.

February ‘Inside Track on Music Row’ brings the love!

Inside Track on new albums, singles and tour updates

By Preshias Harris

February is for lovers… music lovers that is! And there’s plenty to love. Touring updates from Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson, Oak Ridge Boys, Dylan Scott and more. Read about hot singles from Lee Brice, Kane Brown, Larkin Poe, LOCASH and Walker Montgomery among others. There are new albums from LANCO, Craig Morgan, Tyler Rich, Six Gun Sally, Mary Chapin Carpenter… Keep reading for all that and more!

ALBUM NEWS

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: “A Heart That Never Closes,” the new song from Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis and Karine Polwart, is out now. Listen/share here. The track is the latest unveiled from the trio’s first collaborative album, Looking For The Thread, released January 24 via Thirty Tigers (pre-order/pre-save here). In celebration of the project, the trio will play six shows in the U.K. in March including sold-out dates in Sunderland and Edinburgh. “An Evening with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis, and Karine Polwart” will feature tracks from the new album, as well as songs from across their respective catalogues, accompanied by their transatlantic band. Full details can be found at www.marychapincarpenter.com.

Conceived in the remote west of Scotland and recorded at the renowned Real World studios, Looking For The Thread is a rich, resonant and unique record, one that supports and illuminates the core characteristics of each artist while bringing forth a powerful collective identity.

Produced by Bonny Light Horseman’s Josh Kaufman, Looking For The Thread is grounded in mutual respect stretching back decades, as Polwart and Fowlis are dedicated fans of Carpenter, while Carpenter, in turn, has long admired the pair. After first setting up a Dropbox to share ideas remotely, the three convened in January 2023 then headed north to a writing retreat at Kinlochmoidart House, where Looking For The Thread was born. #MaryChapinCarpenter

LANCO

LANCO: Good things come to those who wait. After seven years of anticipation, multi-Platinum selling band LANCO released their long-awaited sophomore album, We’re Gonna Make It, on Friday, January 17, 2025, via Riser House Records. The 14-track album features fan favorites such as “Low Class Lovers” and “Sound of a Saturday Night,” along with the recently released “We Grew Up Together,” featuring Grammy-nominated artist Cory Asbury. Get the album here.

Produced by Jay Joyce, Jared Conrad, and LANCO, We’re Gonna Make It follows the band’s award-winning debut album Hallelujah Nights (2018). Over the past seven years, the band has experienced significant personal and professional growth, which is reflected in the introspective and deeply relatable themes found throughout the new album. The number seven, often associated with insight, intuition, and wisdom, feels like a fitting symbol for this milestone in the band’s journey.

“We’ve poured our experiences, lessons, and emotions from the past few years into this album,” says lead vocalist Brandon Lancaster. “Life isn’t always sunny … but it’s all worth it for the sense of resilience that comes from making it through those tough times and creating an album that reflects our truth. Fans have been so patient with us while we crafted something that truly captures who we are today—fathers, husbands, sons, friends, and so much more.” Music, tour and ticket info at lancomusic.com. #LANCOmusic

CRAIG MORGAN

CRAIG MORGAN: Some people just know innately who they are and what they stand for. Within a few minutes of any interaction with Craig Morgan, it’s readily apparent God, family and country are his foundation. The Country Music hitmaker will continue to celebrate those pillars on his new EP, American Soundtrack, releasing February 28 on BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. Pre-add/pre-save Craig Morgan’s American Soundtrack EP here. Morgan co-wrote all but one of the EP’s six tracks, and each song on American Soundtrack is infused with the singer and soldier’s faith and patriotism. The EP was produced by Phil O’Donnell and Craig Morgan.

New albums, new singles for the New Year!

Inside Track on Music Row hits the ground running for January 2025

By Preshias Harris

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “As a songwriter, you have to live to write songs. You can’t just make this stuff up. It just feels inauthentic, and people can see through that; country fans can see through that faster than anybody else if a song feels contrived.” – Dierks Bentley, interviewed by Annie Reuter, American Songwriter, March/April 2023

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

It’s a brand new year and there are new albums from Kane Brown, The Coward Brothers, Charles Esten, Joe Nichols and Flatland Cavalry… new singles from Logan Mac, Aaron Halliday, Runaway June and Morgan Wallen… plus news about Dolly Parton, Thomas Rhett, Brooks & Dunn, Bill Anderson, Dustin Lynch, Brian Kelley, The Opry 100 Celebration, Tin Pan South and more. Scroll down and catch up!

ALBUM NEWS

KANE BROWN

KANE BROWN: Global superstar, Kane Brown has unveiled the tracklist for his highly anticipated forthcoming record, The High Road out January 24, via Sony Music Nashville (pre-add, pre-save here). The bold body of work features collaborations with Brad Paisley, Khalid, Jelly Roll, Marshmello, and Brown’s wife, Katelyn Brown, who is featured on “Body Talk,” and “Do Us Part.”. Full tracklist at Brown’s website.

Of the record, Kane previously shared, “This album, The High Road, is my favorite album I’ve ever made. I get to explore all sides of my story and styles of my music. Every song is important to me and every collaboration means something personal to me. I’m so incredibly proud of this record.”

The news follows on the heels of Brown’s recent single release, “Body Talk with Katelyn Brown,” (Listen here) which was released last month to widespread critical acclaim. Of the song, Billboard praises, “They return with another pop-heavy groove on this sensuous, dance-worthy track that further evinces that Katelyn’s airy, velvety vocal is a standout, and when paired with Kane’s vocal, brings out the grittier, sultrier notes in his voice.”

Eager to hit the road following his acclaimed In The Air Tour and recent JingleBall performances, Brown is gearing up to deliver electrifying live performances on The High Road Tour which kicks off on March 13, 2025, in San Diego, CA. #KaneBrownMusic

THE COWARD BROTHERS

THE COWARD BROTHERS: The new, self-titled album from The Coward Brothers — better known as T Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello — is now available on LP and CD everywhere. Pick up a copy from your favorite store today and enjoy it one week before the digital release. More information and purchase options here.

In conjunction with the Audible Original releasing, the album features all-new music from The Coward Brothers and boasts an all-star cast which also includes Edward Hibbert (The Prestige, Earthworm Jim), Stephen Root (Barry, Office Space), and Kathreen Khavari (Avengers Assemble, Big Little Lies). The Elvis Costello scripted musical-comedy series will be available exclusively for Audible listeners beginning November 21.

The soundtrack is available on CD, regular black vinyl, limited-edition “Licorice Red” vinyl and Barnes & Noble-only “Pink Bubblegum” vinyl. Notice how those latter variants tying in with satirical song titles on the release. See The Coward Brothers performances (and an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert) at their YouTube channel. #TheCowardBrothers

CHARLES ESTEN

CHARLES ESTEN: Lauded by Grammy.com as delivering an independent debut album, Love Ain’t Pretty, that’s “the purest representation of his artistry possible,” multi-talented entertainer Charles Esten is set to drop a double vinyl for the one-year anniversary of the acclaimed release. Available on January 24, 2025, fans can preorder the Love Ain’t Pretty Deluxe Edition here.

Christmas albums, singles, live shows!

‘Tis the season for the sounds of Christmas!

By Preshias Harris

It’s getting to feel a lot like Christmas… and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet! I just couldn’t wait to start setting the Holiday mood, so – ahead of my December column – here is the news you can use to start jingling the bells! Scroll down for Christmas albums from Gabby Barrett, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldridge, Megan Moroney and Dolly Parton… seasonal singles from George Birge, Mackenzie Carpenter, Randall King, Tori Martin, Hillary Scott, Sophia Scott, Blake Shelton and Bailey Taylor. Plus news about star-studded live Christmas shows at Gaylord Opryland, the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry and more! Keep scrolling!

HOLIDAY ALBUM ROUNDUP

GABBY BARRETT: Warner Music Nashville’s Gabby Barrett gives a warm welcome to the holidays with the release of her first-ever Christmas album, Carols and Candlelight. Available now, the 11-song collection includes a lovingly curated selection of cherished Christmas carols, time-honored Advent hymns, and joyous songs of celebration — all spotlighting the multi-Platinum star’s unforgettably beautiful talent. Listen hereand check out the adjoining videos.

Carols and Candlelight opens with Barrett’s poignant rendition of “Mary, Did You Know?” (written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene, and produced by Ross Copperman). Listen here and watch the visualizer. With its poetic contemplation of the relationship between Mary and her son, “Mary, Did You Know?” brings her distinct sensibilities to the modern Christmas classic, blending her bright and soulful vocals with a gorgeously subtle arrangement of pedal steel, piano, strings, and more. Along with showcasing the phenomenal range and nuance of her voice, the slow-burning and richly detailed track makes for a prime introduction to the full-length project’s stellar musicianship.

With its era-spanning mix of Christmastime favorites, Carols and Candlelight also includes standouts like “Go Tell It On The Mountain” (for KING & COUNTRY feat. Gabby Barrett) – an exultant Gospel number nominated for Christmas Recorded Song of the Year at the 55th Annual GMA Dove Awards. More at Gabby’s website and updates on social media. #GabbyBarrett

DAN + SHAY: It’s another ‘first’ from Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney (aka Dan + Shay). They have released their first-ever Christmas project, titled It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album (listen/stream/download here) and is available as a CD and a two LP package pressed in opaque red and green vinyl. The vinyl version comes with printed inner sleeves in a two-pocket gatefold jacket. Signed copies of both versions at Dan + Shay’s official website.

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.

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.

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.