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Inside Track on Music Row March 2020

by Preshias Harris

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Songs write themselves, we just hold the pen” – Garth Brooks on stage at the 2020 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN.

My column, Inside Track on Music Row, is the longest-running country music column in the USA and now worldwide on the Internet! Send me music stuff, I love to get it!

Preshiaswriter@hotmail.com TN/USA. Google “Preshias”

Here, below, are just some of the news items in the March 2020 column that is published by Nashville Music Guide. Scroll down to continue reading…

Lauren & Thomas Rhett welcome baby Lennon Love
Love Lives On tells stories of fallen warriors’ survivors
Cody Purvis on “Drinkin’ Terms” with Billboard Indicator chart
Brandy Clark: “Love Is a Fire” can warm you or burn you
“Copper Coil” new song from duo Band Steele
CJ Solar’s “Watered Down Whiskey” heralds new EP
Outlaw music from Billy Don Burns
Chris Bandi’s first step on hallowed Opry stage
Tin Pan South tix going fast: grab yours now
Scroll down to read these news stories from Inside Track on Music Row

BABY NEWS

County singer Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins welcomed their third daughter last month. Her name is Lennon Love Akins, and she weighed 9lbs 2oz and a head full of dark hair and blue eyes. His father Rhett Akins and his wife Sonya are expecting a boy in March… More baby news… Shay Mooney (Dan+ Shay) and wife Hannah welcomed their second child, another boy, named Ames Alexander on February 21st in Nashville. He joins big brother, three-year-old Asher James.

Inside Track on Music Row

November 2019 ‘Inside Track’ posted at Nashville Music Guide

My column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ is the longest-running country music column in the USA. The November 2019 edition is now posted at Nashville Music Guide. You can read the full column here.

Among the many news items in this month’s column…

Jason Aldean’s new album, 9, set for release November 22. Jason says, “Early on I always thought if we ever got to make nine albums, I’m going to call it 9. It was my baseball number growing up, and it’s just kind of always been my lucky number”…

Chris Young made his directorial debut with the music video for his newest hit, “Drowning.” Co-directed with Native 31 Films Producer and Director Jeff Johnson, the video opens with Young holding a photo of Adam Carnes, his longtime friend whose loss is memorialized in the song’s lyrics…

Steven Curtis Chapman, Gospel music’s most awarded artist, continued bringing home the hardware with his 59th Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Bluegrass / Country / Roots Album of the Year, Deeper Roots: Where the Bluegrass Grows…

Clint Black has released Still Killin’ Time featuring eight live recordings of Clint’s hits and two studio recordings of songs that nearly made it onto his debut album Killin’ Time…

Tracy Lawrence’s Mission: Possible Charity Concert will be held on Tuesday November 26 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. This year marks the 14th year that Tracy has hosted his Mission: Possible event that assists feeding homeless men, women and children…

2019 Christmas 4 Kids concert headliner is “Just Another Day in Paradise” hitmaker Phil Vassar. He is the face of the nonprofit fundraising event, with Matt Ramsey of Old Dominion, Lonestar, Eddie Montgomery, Craig Wiseman, Jeffrey Steele and more set to appear…

Read the full versions of the news items listed above and many more. Click here to go to the full column at Nashville Music Guide.

Inside Track on Music Row October

October column ready to read now!

The October edition of my monthly column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ is now posted at Nashville Music Guide’s website. It is the longest continually-running monthly country music column in the USA.

Thanks as always to Amanda and her crew for making ‘Inside Track’ the best looking (and most read) country music feature on the Web!

Among this month’s music news items in the column…

Singer-songwriter, Phil Vassar, is bringing his 20 years of hits to venues across the country with Stripped Down, an intimate, acoustic show in 14 cities from coast to coast with more dates to be added… Read the full story here.
Jason Aldean has revealed more details behind his next effort 9 (Macon Music/Broken Bow Records), to be released Nov. 22. ACM “Artist of the Decade” Aldean offers 16 interwoven tracks in an era of stand-alone singles… Read the full story here.
Lady Antebellum’s forthcoming album Ocean, set for release Nov. 15 on BMLG Records, marks a new beginning that brings the multi-Platinum trio back to their roots… Read the full story here.
The late Ralph Murphy will be honored with the Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Monday, Oct. 14. Ralph Murphy lived his life in service to songwriters… Read the full story here.
Christmas 4 Kids, a non-profit organization that benefits hundreds of underprivileged children in Middle Tennessee, announced its all-star concert lineup. They including Phil Vassar, Matt Ramsey of Old Dominion, Lonestar, Eddie Montgomery, Craig Wiseman, Jeffrey Steele and more. The show is set for Monday, November 25 at the Ryman Auditorium… Read the full story here.

Plus so many more music news items. See them all in the October Nashville Music Line.

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

Midland, Highwomen, Phil Vassar, TG Sheppard, Hannah Bethel on Inside Track

Your first look at at October’s Inside Track on Music Row

by Preshias Harris

October will be here before we know it, and so will the October edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row in Nashville Music Guide. It’s the longest continually-running Country music column in the USA. Here’s you first chance to read just a few items that will be included in the column.

Double GRAMMY® nominees Midland return with Let It Roll, their second critically-lauded project. … Scroll down to read more
The Highwomen—the acclaimed collaborative movement formed by Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires—released their highly anticipated self-titled debut album … Scroll down to read more
TG Sheppard released Midnight in Memphis on September 20. The new project is his first solo country album in more than 20 years … Scroll down to read more
Independent Country/Americana singer-songwriter, Hannah Bethel, has been named as a Featured Artist endorsee of the legendary Gretsch Guitars brand … Scroll down to read more
Singer-songwriter, Phil Vassar, is bringing his 20 years of hits to venues across the country with Stripped Down, an intimate, acoustic show … Scroll down to read more

Continue reading “Midland, Highwomen, Phil Vassar, TG Sheppard, Hannah Bethel on Inside Track”

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”

‘Inside Track on Music Row’ March 2019

30+ music news items you’ll want to read

The March edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row, is now ready to read at Nashville Music Guide. Inside Track is the longest-running monthly Country music column in America. This month’s column includes dozens of news items about upcoming tours, new releases and music industry news.

Among this month’s 30+ music news items…

Johnny Lee’s tell-all autobiography
Marty Brown’s new single from upcoming album
LA trio Honey County is ‘High On The Radio’
Brooks & Dunn share more details on Reboot album
Music Biz 2019 convention set for May 5–8
Tin Pan South hits Nashville March 26-30

BOOK NEWS: Johnny Lee racked up 17 Top 40 country hits in the early and mid 90s. His 1980 single “Lookin’ For Love” became a crossover hit, making it to the Top 5 of Billboard’s pop charts and No. 1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. Now, Lee has written “STILL Lookin’ For Love: Johnny Lee: An Autobiography” with Scot England. In it, he tells of the highs and lows of his life as a country artist… continue reading here.

CD NEWS: Marty Brown returns to Country radio via Play MPE with “Umbrella Lovers,” a hypnotic new single from his upcoming CD, AMERICAN HIGHWAY (Plowboy Records). The track combines a laid-back, big-city vibe with Brown’s distinctive vocal. Jangling guitars, a slight “island vibe” and easy vamps keep the track moving along with a “live” room sound. Fans can hear “Umbrella Lovers” on SoundCloud now… continue reading here.

CD RELEASES: LA-based trio Honey County’s new EP, ‘High on the Radio,’ is loaded with six tracks of California cool and southern spice. The EP showcases the girls’ stacked harmonies and layered musical styling. The girls of Honey County, Dani Rose, Devon Jane and Katie Stump, have released a plethora of videos throughout the past two years leading up to this release… continue reading here.

DUO NEWS: The best-selling duo of all time Brooks & Dunn have revealed more details regarding their upcoming album REBOOT. The duo shared with fans their collaborator for each timeless track, with each artist contributing their own unique spin. Available on April 5, the 12-track release will see the duo team up with… continue reading here.

INDUSTRY NEWS: Entertainment Industry’s Convention– Music Biz 2019 is set for May 5 – 8 in Nashville. Every year, these efforts to support the business culminate at the Music Biz conference, four days of insightful presentations and powerful discussions on the most pressing topics affecting our industry… continue reading here.

TIN PAN SOUTH NEWS: The 27th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival just bumped the scheduled show count up to triple digits. Fans will have the opportunity to choose between over 300 songwriters performing at over a 100 shows at ten of Nashville-area music venues featuring hit-makers from all genres of music. The popular week-long Fast Access passes are now on sale… continue reading here.

To read the entire column, visit Nashville Music Guide.

Nashville Music Guide Special CRS edition

February ‘Inside Track on Music Row’ ready to read now

Just in time for Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2019, the February issue of Nashville Music Guide is now available with a special print edition in addition to the online version.

Click here, then click on the picture of the February cover. You can then read the entire magazine on any device. My column, ‘Inside Track on Music Row,’ appears on pages 25 through 35, with plenty of full-color photos.

You can also pick up a print copy at Nashville music venues and at CRS, taking place at the Omni Hotel, Nashville, February 13 through 15.

Meanwhile here are just a few of the items in my February column. Read the full column at NMG!

Randy Houser’s new album ‘Magnolia’ marks new era
Bluebird Café’s 37th year as Nashville icon
Marshall Tucker Band: no sign of slowing down
Marty Brown signs with Plowboy Records
TG Sheppard: “I Wanna Live Like Elvis”

Scroll down to read these brief excerpts, then check out the entire column at Nashville Music Guide.

ALBUM NEWS

Randy Houser’s highly anticipated new album, ‘Magnolia’, is now available to stream in its entirety via NPR Music’s First Listen. Houser performed his favorite song from the album, “No Stone Unturned” on Good Morning America in January, and has been making appearances in Nashville, Los Angeles, New York City, Dallas, Houston, New York City (again) and Baltimore in support of the new album including performances on Sirius XM Play, iHeart Radio Theater and NASH FM.

This album marks a new era for Randy. Feeling impassionate, Houser opted to slow things down and set up camp in his good buddy and co-producer Gattis’ studio in East Nashville to recalibrate and rediscover his passion for creating music. He spent nearly two years fully invested in his songwriting which resulted in ‘Magnolia’ and a new sound that is un-polished yet authentically Houser. Continue reading “Nashville Music Guide Special CRS edition”

Music Row’s ‘Inside Track’

January 2019 column now posted at Nashville Music Guide

My column “Inside Track on Music Row” is the longest continually-published monthly Country music column in the USA. You can read the full column at Nashville Music Guide, here. Meanwhile, here are a couple of excerpts…

Esquire’s 10 Best Country Albums of 2018
Alabama’s 5 Decades of Music
Chris Young’s Single & Tour News
Marshall Tucker Band’s 2019 Concert Dates

Esquire’s 10 Best Country Albums of 2018

ALBUM NEWS: Esquire Magazine announced their “10 Best Country Albums of 2018” in December. And the list doesn’t exactly match current Country Radio airplay, either. Esquire’s pick for No. 1 on their list: ‘Best Years of My Life’ by Pistol Annies ( Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley). ‘Desperate Man’ from Eric Church is No. 2 and Brandi Carlile’s ‘By The way, I Forgive You’ takes third place. Also in the magazine’s top ten: albums by Willie Nelson, Brothers Osborne, Dierks Bentley, and more. Read the full article here.

Alabama’s 5 Decades of Music

ICONIC MUSIC NEWS: Iconic Country Band, ALABAMA will celebrate five decades of music in 2019. Their “50th Anniversary Tour,” will sweep the United States with nearly 30 live concerts already on the books. “We never thought playing for tips at The Bowery in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that 50 years later we would still playing arenas, stadiums and festivals,” says ALABAMA frontman Randy Owen. The Charlie Daniels Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Oak Ridge Boys, Restless Heart, Chris Janson, Tracy Lawrence and Exile will join ALABAMA on select dates during the tour. It kicks off on January 10 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Additional dates will be announced soon. Tour updates here.

Chris Young’s Single & Tour News

SINGLE NEWS: ‘Raised On Country’ is Chris Young’s newest single, and he’s getting fans amped up with a fun new contest online. “I reference a whole lot of artists that I grew up listening to in the song by name, so I’m going to post this link, you guys can go vote, and every week, whoever gets the highest number of votes, artist-wise, I will go record one of my favorite songs of theirs that I grew up on and really made me raised on country,”

In the promo video, Chris says the new single is coming “very, very soon, although I’m not going to say exactly when yet. Very soon!” Chris’ latest number one single from the “Losing Sleep” album is, “Hangin’ On.” Young also announced a limited series of concerts slated for the U.K. in 2019. Chris will take his headlining Losing Sleep World Tour overseas in May of 2019 for shows in Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and London, accompanied by support act Lindsay Ell. Tickets for the U.K. leg of the Losing Sleep World Tour on sale at Young’s official website.

Marshall Tucker Band’s 2019 Concert Dates

SOUTHERN ROCK NEWS: Legendary southern rock group The Marshall Tucker Band has revealed the first leg of live concert dates for its newly announced Through Hell & High Water… And Back Tour 2019. The first round of dates includes stops in Las Vegas, NV, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Verona, NY, Scottsdale, AZ, Glenside, PA, Mobile, AL, Charleston, SC, and the 2019 Southern Rock Cruise. Entering their 48th year on the road with nearly 30 live concerts already on the books, the iconic band shows no signs of slowing down.

“When we started the band in the early 70s, we did it for beer money on the weekends,” reminisces Marshall Tucker Band lead singer Doug Gray. “Never in a million years would I have believed that we’d still be out here jammin’ for as long as we have. What a journey… onward we ride!” The tour kicks off on January 4 in Clearwater, FL at the Capitol Theatre. More dates will be announced soon at www.marshalltucker.com.

That’s just a small taste of the 25+ news items in my January column, “Inside Track on Music Row” now posted at Nashville Music Guide.

Catch up with my column and much more at the NMG website.

Loretta Lynn, Skynyrd, more on Inside Track

October’s ‘Inside Track on Music Row’ sneak peek

‘Wonderful Women Who Write’ at The Bluebird
Martina McBride’s new Christmas album
Loretta Lynn: CMT’s ‘Artist of a Lifetime’
Lynyrd Skynyrd bid farewell
and much more

Catch up on more than thirty music news items in the October 2018 edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row. The entire column (and a whole lot more) is now posted here at Nashville Music Guide, complete with photos, videos and graphics. Thank you NMG editor Amanda Andrews! You always make the column look SO good.

The column is the longest-running Country music column in America. Scroll down for a sneak peek at just a few of the items in the October column.

Bluebird to host ‘Women Who Write’

Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Carlene Carter will host an October residency at Nashville’s famed Bluebird Cafe. Aptly titled ‘Wonderful World of Women Who Write,’ the series will feature some of her favorite female songwriters and collaborators. Lilly Hiatt and Elizabeth Cook will be featured at the October 2 show. Lauren Morrow and Pam Tillis are scheduled for October 16, and Gretchen Peters and Matraca Berg will join Carter on October 30. All shows are 9 p.m. Central. Reservations will be available on a pre-paid basis for $25.00 one week ahead of each show date at The Bluebird Cafe website. bluebirdcafe.com.

It’s Christmas in October for Martina McBride

Martina McBride did not let the Nashville summer heat ruin her Christmas spirit, and begins her gift giving with the release of ‘It’s The Holiday Season.’ The 9-song holiday set will be released on October 19, the first with her new record label partner, BMG. McBride also continues her ‘The Joy of Christmas Tour’ tradition, this time bringing to life the harmonic, orchestral sounds on the album by using local symphonies on each stop. For this album, McBride collaborated with the late Patrick ‘Pat’ Williams to arrange a set of classic Christmas songs with accompaniment from more than 40 world-class musicians at the famed Capitol Studio in Los Angeles and Blackbird Studio in Nashville. Details here.

CMT honors Loretta Lynn

Continue reading “Loretta Lynn, Skynyrd, more on Inside Track”

Inside Track on Music Row September 2018

Tour updates, album releases, awards, music industry news and more

Scroll down for news on Thomas Rhett, Brett Young, Scotty McCreery, Dan+Shay, Bill Anderson, Kenny Chesney, Charlie Daniels, LANCO, plus plenty more.

This is the September 2018 edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row, the longest-running country music column in the USA. It is published in Nashville Music Guide and on websites around the world. Check out previous columns at Nashville Music Guide’s website and at my ‘I Know Country’ website.

Send me music stuff, I love to get it! / Preshiaswriter@hotmail.com

VERSE OF THE MONTH: ‘Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. – Colossians (3:16)

Album News

Thomas Rhett’s latest album LIFE CHANGES has earned RIAA Platinum Certification, hitting the noteworthy sales mark less than a year from its release. An instant hit out of the gate, LIFE CHANGES debuted at No. One on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, marking the first Country release to take the top spot in 2017, also drawing a 2018 Grammy nomination for Best Country Album.

Resonating with fans, each of the album’s three singles have soared to the top of the charts, bringing Thomas Rhett’s No. One tally to 10. His latest Gold-certified hit ‘Life Changes’ is Top-5-and-climbing at radio, becoming his 12th song to earn an RIAA sales certification. “I found out LIFE CHANGES went PLATINUM and the single was GOLD the same day I got to play Nissan Stadium at home in Nashville, so that was a really special moment for me,” Rhett said. More info at ThomasRhett.com.

Americana Music News

The AMA’s 18th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference will take place September 11-16, 2018 gathering thousands of artists, fans, and industry professionals from all over the world in Nashville, TN. It is a must-attend event for anyone who loves the melting pot of Americana’s influences including roots, folk, country, blues and soul-based music. Each year, AMERICANAFEST℠ brings together legendary artists, the next generation of rising stars, fans, and industry professionals for six days of music and education.

AMA receives enormous support from the Tennessee Department of Tourism, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC among others. AMERICANAFEST℠ will feature 500+ live performances at almost 60 of Nashville’s most prominent venues and much, much, more. The Americana Honors & Awards Show will take place September 12th at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. For more info on the Americana Music Association℠ and to become a member, visit the official website Facebook Twitter and Instagram.

Artist News

Continue reading “Inside Track on Music Row September 2018”