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 

Chris Young, co-writers celebrate 2X Platinum “Famous Friends”

Surprised with Platinum award for “Drowning” too!

By Preshias Harris

What could better than being honored at a party with a Double Platinum Award?  For Chris Young, it was being surprised with a second Platinum Award, this one for his single “Drowning.”

Chris Young expresses his heartfelt thanks upon receiving his 2X Platinum Award. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

Multi-platinum, global entertainer Chris Young took some time to celebrate this week as his award-winning collaboration “Famous Friends” with Kane Brown scored Double Platinum status by the RIAA. Chris’s co-writers Corey Crowder and Cary Barlowe joined for the celebration, where Chris was also surprised with a Platinum plaque for his “soul-shattering” (People) song “Drowning,” which was co-written by Corey Crowder and Josh Hoge. “Famous Friends” and “Drowning” can be found on Chris’s recently released Famous Friends (Deluxe Edition). Chris’s newest single, “At The End Of A Bar” with Mitchell Tenpenny, is approaching Top 5 on the country radio charts this week, adding to the celebration.

(L to R): “Famous Friends” songwriters Corey Crowder, Cary Barlowe and Chris Young with their 2X Platinum RIAA Awards. Photo: Jeff Johnson

“Any day I get to celebrate big milestones with my co-writers and friends is a good day,” says Chris. “I’m really proud of how hard everyone has worked on this entire project and excited about playing all of the new music live and the rest of 2022.”

Continue reading “Chris Young, co-writers celebrate 2X Platinum “Famous Friends””

‘Inside Track’ mid-month update

Elvie Shane at No. 1, Chris Young and Kane Brown celebrate… and more

By Preshias Harris

Here’s a quick round-up of some of the stories that will be in my column in November. Scroll down for news about Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Chris Young, Kane Brown, this year’s NSAI Annual Song Contest, the 2021 inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame … and “My Boy” Elvie Shane’s long climb to No. 1!

“My Boy” tops Billboard Airplay chart

Elvie Shane is No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart dated Oct. 23, 2021!  Elvie’s debut single, “My Boy” (Wheelhouse), leaps from No. 5 to No. 1 for its 54th week on the chart, according to MRC Data. That’s right: a nail-biting fifty-four week climb!

On Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (blending airplay, streaming and sales data), “My Boy” rose from No. 7 to No. 4.  Written by Elvie along with Nick Columbia, Lee Starr and Russell Sutton, “My Boy” is a track from Elvie’s upcoming album Backslider, set for release Oct. 29.

Earlier on Instagram, I proudly posted:

Sharing a plaque of memorable photos with Elvie Shane

So excited for @elvieshanemusic. He has the #1 #countrymusic song for #Myboy. I gave him this 2021 music milestone plaque when he, Mandy and their baby stopped by the office a couple of weeks ago.  Photos are of his first tour bus, his first Grand Ole Opry appearance, Bonnaroo stage, and Elvie, Mandy and Caleb in a People Magazine exclusive. I watched him work hard all these years and wanted to give him something to remind him how truly special 2021 has been for his career and his family.  I was blessed to be there at the journey’s start. Love y’all Elvie.

“My Boy” was written from Elvie’s perspective as a stepfather. “We’ve been told for five years that this song was a No.1,” Shane told Billboard. “I always found it hard to believe that I could be part of something like that.”

Preorder/presave Backslider here.

NSAI’s Song Contest open for entries

Continue reading “‘Inside Track’ mid-month update”

Loretta Lynn, Chris Young, Elvie Shane and more on the Y’all Show with Preshias

The first Y’all Show of 2021

Preshias is back on the Ya’ll Show for the first show of 2021, talking about what’s happening in Nashville and the world of country music. There was a lot to catch up on after the Christmas and New Year’s break! Y’all Show host Jon Rawl is on hand to ask @PreshiasHarris what’s up on Music Row. Watch the latest Y’all Show with Preshias at the Y’all Show YouTube Channel or at the Y’all Show website. Among this week’s topics…

  • The Grammys have been postponed thanks to the Coronavirus. The Recording Academy has set a new date in March…
  • Loretta Lynn is Still Woman Enough and this week she took to Twitter to talk about her upcoming album and the women of Country who’ll be featured on the project…
  • Shenandoah marked a ‘high’ point in a ‘low’ year for me with the 2020 release of their album Every Road featuring Luke, Blake, Carly, Brad and more of their friends…
  • Broken Bow’s Elvie Shane premieres the music vid – directed by video veteran Peter Zavadil – for his moving debut single, “My Boy”…
  • Former Bee Gee Barry Gibb’s Nashville album Greenfields: The Gibb Brothers Songbook, Vol. 1 produced by Dave Cobb drops January 8 featuring a who’s who of Music City’s finest…
  • Blane Howard is a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan and his single “Run It Back” is his tribute to his favorite team, when he isn’t singing “Promise To Lover Her” to his wife…
  • We take a lot back at how 2020 treated Chris Young – and it treated him pretty well with a stack of Gold and Platinum discs for his album I’m Coming’ Over and a bunch of singles…
Continue reading “Loretta Lynn, Chris Young, Elvie Shane and more on the Y’all Show with Preshias”

Brett Eldredge, Bill Anderson, Chris Young, in the news

Catching up around Nashville’s Music Row

Despite the continued restriction on touring due to the pandemic, there is still a lot going on in country music. Among the good news: streams in the country music genre are up 21% for the first six months of 2020 vs the same period last year! But wait, there’s more. Including:

  • Tyler Childers’ hilarious new animated music video for “Country Squire”
  • ‘Nash trash’ duo Hasting & Co. sport a new “Canadian Tuxedo”
  • Brett Eldredge takes fans on a Sunday Drive” with new single
  • Chris Young test-markets “If That Ain’t God” on social media
  • Whisperin’ Bill Anderson reimagines big hits on his 73rd album
  • We need music more than ever during pandemic
  • Stars and fans honor Charlie Daniels at memorial service
  • An I Know Country Q&A to test you Country IQ!
  • …and more. Scroll down to continue reading

Need a reason to smile?  You need to take a look at the official music video for Tyler Childers’ “Country Squire”! The hilarious animation is directed by Kentucky-based comic book artist, Tony Moore (known for his award-winning work on The Walking Dead, The Exterminators and Fear Agent), “Country Squire” is Moore’s first music video project and was created in partnership with Bomper Studio. Watch the animated video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxuLRkHn7rQ  

A scene from Tyler Childers’ “Country Squire” video
Continue reading “Brett Eldredge, Bill Anderson, Chris Young, in the news”

June ‘Inside Track’ ready to read

Vince Gill, Brett Young, Garth, Chris Young and more in June column

The June edition of my column, “Inside Track on Music Row,” is now available! The column is published monthly at Nashville Music Guide’s website.  You can find copies of the print edition of June’s NMG at many music venues throughout Nashville.

You can read a free PDF version of the entire print edition of the magazine here. NMG is full of music news, reviews and info.  My column appears on pages 29 through 36.

Inside Track is the longest-running monthly country music column in America.  The June column features dozens of news items about new releases, upcoming tours and more.

Among this month’s music news items…

  • New Vince Album set to drop in August
  • Brett Young launches Acoustic Sessions videos
  • John Paul White is The Hurting Kind 
  • Zach Stone offers “Hands On” track
  • and much more in my seven page column of music news at Nashville Music Guide 

New Vince Album set to drop in August

ALBUM NEWS:  Vince Gill is set to release his new album, ‘Okie,’ on Aug. 23.  The word ‘Okie’ was once a derogatory term to refer to inhabitants of Oklahoma who migrated to the west coast as a result of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Gill is an Oklahoma native and has proudly appropriated the term for the upcoming album that embraces his Oklahoma roots.  Gill wrote or co-wrote all 12 tracks on the album.  “I thought this was going to be a songwriter record, not a concept album,” Gill says. “It wound up being more information than I’d envisioned.” Continue reading “June ‘Inside Track’ ready to read”

Chris Young “Hangin’ On” for eleventh No. 1

Celebrates with co-writers at Number One party

It was party time for Chris Young and co-writers Corey Crowder and Josh Hoge on Monday, April 29, as they were feted at a Number One party for “Hangin’ On.” This was a party with a slight difference: it was a lunchtime event, instead of the usual afternoon or early evening get-togethers. The party was co-hosted by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.

(Left to right) Front row: Liz Rose (Liz Rose Music), Corey Crowder, Chris Young and Josh Hoge. Back Row: Michael Martin (Vice President ASCAP Nashville), Beth Brinker (Associate Creative Director ASCAP), Scott Ponce (Liz Rose Music) and Mike Sistad (Senior Creative Director ASCAP). Photo credit: Preshias Harris.

In answer to a question at the press briefing before the party, Young spoke about the unusual timing of the party. “It’s the only time when all of us can get together,” he said. “It’s not like it’s not a huge, huge deal and people don’t dream of getting up one day and writing a song that goes to number one.  That’s why these [No. 1 parties] are so important, no matter what form they take. It’s something so special for all that stuff to come together at once and you’d have a number one.  I had a [number] 37, a 52 and a 37 at the start of my career, so a number one feels really, really good and we should celebrate it.”

“Hangin’ On” is Young’s eleventh No. 1 as an artist and his ninth as a songwriter.

“The first place I wrote a song”

(L to R) Corey Crowder, Chris Young, Josh Hoge at the press briefing. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

The celebration took place at BMI’s Nashville office, and Young noted that it seemed to be the perfect location as it marks a special place on his career trajectory.  “This building we’re in right now [BMI Nashville]; this was the first place I wrote a song,” he revealed.  He went on to explain how that first writing session came about. Continue reading “Chris Young “Hangin’ On” for eleventh No. 1”