Chase Rice made his debut at Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe in on Thursday night (10/24). The performance follows the surprise release of his Fireside Sessions album featuring all 25 songs from both 2023's I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell and Go Down Singin' as live, single-take versions with co-writers Lori McKenna, Jackson Dean, Hunter Phelps and Randy Montana, among others.
Pictured trying to fly away from us are (l-r) Why & How Management's Eddie Kloesel and Rhiannon Ferronetti, Rice, Why & How's Avery Bon and Halie Hampton Mosley and Essential Broadcast Media's Ebie McFarland.
Country Cares for St. Jude Kids held its 35th anniversary event in Memphis this week. During the swanky soirée, the organization announced it has raised more than $1b for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital over the last 35 years. Country stars Brad Paisley, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi and Megan Moroney were on deck to provide music for the celebratory occasion.
As part of the notable milestone, a studio on the St. Jude campus has been dedicated in honor of Randy Owen and his wife, Kelly. Owens, a member of the band Alabama, helped found the Country Cares program in 1989 and its signature Angels Among Us award recognizing country music professionals for their commitment and service to St. Jude.
“What the country music community has been able to achieve through Country Cares is breathtaking,” Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president/CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, said. “We are deeply honored and grateful for Randy Owen's passion and dedication in answering the call from our founder Danny Thomas to get involved and for rallying fellow artists, radio stations and fans for over three decades to support St. Jude.”
Pictured thanking the heavens HITS couldn't afford a flight to Graceland are (l-r) Republic’s Gary Spangler and Alex Coslov, Back Blocks’ Rakiyah Marshall, Big Loud’s Seth England, Republic’s Lucas Romeo, Mercury’s Tyler Arnold and Republic’s Mary Catherine Kinney.
Luke Combs (pictured), Jelly Roll and Keith Urban will have some fun in the sun at the 2025 edition of the Tortuga Music Festival, which will be held 4/4-6 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Rounding out the bill for the Rock the Ocean/Live Nation-produced event are Gary Allan, Rodney Atkins, Marcus King, Ludacris, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, Yelawolf and Ezra Ray Hart, the occasional pairing of Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, Better Than Ezra's Kevin Griffin and Tonic's Emerson Hart.
Attendees can also sample up-and-comers at the Next From Nashville Stage, including Jenna LaMaster, Charlie Worsham and Jade Eagleson.
Since launching in 2013, Tortuga has donated nearly $5m to support ocean conservation and sustainability efforts. Tickets for this year's fest go on sale 11/1.
The Core Records and Capitol Music Group have signed rising country artist Hannah McFarland through a joint venture. McFarland’s next single, “Hey Highway,” will mark the first official release from The Core Records as a newly established label.
“From the moment we heard Hannah’s music, we knew she had something special,” The Core Co-Founders Chief Zaruk and Simon Tikhman remarked in a joint statement. “Her unique voice, compelling storytelling, and undeniable talent make her a perfect fit for The Core. We’re excited to partner with Capitol Music Group to bring her music to a global audience.”
CMG Chairman/CEO Tom March called McFarland “a brilliant and talented musician” and expressed how the JV is the “perfect launchpad” for the Nashville-based artist’s blossoming career.
McFarland has been building industry buzz since her move to Nashville in 2016. Her momentum surged when Zach Bryan invited her on stage in Birmingham to perform his hit "I Remember Everything" earlier this year. She’s also shared stages with the likes of Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion and Travis Tritt. Her current tour includes Brett Young, Tucker Wetmore and Kip Moore, with dates throughout the fall. She’s also working on her first full-length project. “Hey Highway,” which serves as the lead single, drops Friday (10/25). Coincidentally, someone just shouted "hey loser" at us.
Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville signee Bailey Zimmerman got a double shot of love on 10/22 when BMI celebrated his scoring dual #1s with “Where It Ends” and “Religiously” at its Nashville HQ.
Both tracks come from Zimmerman’s platinum-certified 2023 album Religiously, which stands as the biggest country streaming debut of all time and biggest all-genre streaming debut since 2021.
The event, which was co-sponsored by ASCAP, also generated honors for the Illinois native’s co-writers on the tracks, including Grant Averill (BMI), Joe London (BMI), Marty James (BMI), Alex Palmer (BMI), Austin Shawn (BMI) and Frank Romano (ASCAP).
Zimmerman, who’ll stage his next headlining show on 12/6 at the Stifel Theatre in St. Louis, has served as support on some of 2024’s biggest tours, including Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour and Luke Bryan’s Mind Of A Country Boy Tour. He’ll be part of the Concert for Carolina, which is livestreaming from Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, starting at 2 p.m. ET.
For tickets to the Concert for Carolina livestream, go to Veeps.com.
Pictured (l-to-r):
L-R – Chief Zaruk (The Core Entertainment co-founder and CEO), Clay Bradley (BMI), Bailey Zimmerman, Gregg Nadel (Warner Music Nashville), Simon Tikhman (The Core Entertainment co-founder and CEO)
Last week, the Academy of Country Music welcomed UMG Nashville’s Tucker Wetmore to its headquarters in Nashville, where the breakout newcomer treated staff to a performance of his single “Wind Up Missin’ You,” and previewed forthcoming music from the ACM Red Barrel Lounge Stage. Seen hoping we wind up missing are (l-r) ACM’s Director of Industry Relations & Awards Haley Montgomery, EVP/Chief Business Officer Gil Beverly; Wetmore; ACM’s Chief of Staff/VP of Industry Relations & Awards Tommy Moore and UMG Nashville’s Chair/CEO Cindy Mabe.
Peep the full performance here.
Photo: Courtesy of ACM
The ACM and BMI Nashville recently teamed for a showcase celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in Music City.
The intimate gathering, held at the Nashville offices of Warner Chappell on 10/10, featured performances by MORIAH, Alejandro Sierra, Ana Cristina Cash, and Matt Castillo, who closed the program with acoustic versions of his Texas Country Radio #1 tracks, “Corazon,” “Te Necesito” and “Go Get Her,” ahead of his still-untitled forthcoming project, which arrives in 2025.
The program was co-hosted by BMI’s Shannon Sanders alongside Marushka Media and Hispanic Entertainment Alliance founder Jackie Martinez Marushka, who said “I can’t thank Shannon, BMI, and the ACM enough for opening doors for these artists to share their music, voice and culture. Thank you, Warner Chappell, for making your showcase space available for such a special event, as it’s so important to highlight Hispanic voices in country music, and there’s no better time for it than Hispanic Heritage Month.”
Pictured Top Row [l-to-r]: Shannon Sanders (BMI), Jackie Martinez Marushka (Marushka Media, Hispanic Entertainment Alliance), Fletcher Foster (F2 Entertainment Group), Kortney Toney (ACM);
Bottom Row [L-R]: Alejandro Sierra, Ana Cristina Cash, MORIAH, Matt Castillo
Big Machine Records has inked Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ryan Hurd, who's penned hits for the likes of Blake Shelton, Jordan Davis, Luke Bryan, Lady A, Morgan Wallen, Conner Smith and Breland, among others.
“Ryan has been part of our extended Big Machine family for quite some time as he’s been a significant writer and contributor to our publishing company, Big Machine Music,” Big Machine Label Group Chairman/CEO Scott Borchetta said. “Adding his recorded artistry to the Big Machine Records roster is truly an honor.”
Hurd has accumulated more than 1b on-demand career streams, collected multiple award nominations and scored several #1s. His debut album, Pelago, reached the Top 5 of Spotify’s most-streamed country albums.
“I’m beyond excited to welcome Ryan Hurd to the Big Machine Records family,” Big Machine Records EVP/General Manager Kris Lamb added. “This is more than just a milestone—it’s a full-circle moment.”
Hurd’s latest single and first for Big Machine, “This Party Sucks,” arrives 10/25, while a full-length project is expected in 2025.
Pictured in the back row trying to duck us are (l-r) Big Machine Records’ Erik Powell, Lamb and songwriter/producer Aaron Eshuis; front row (l-r) Big Machine Music’s Mike Molinar, Borchetta, Hurd and Big Machine Label Group’s Megan Joyce.
