Grab your cowboy hats as we present, in words and pictures, an exhibition of Nashville artists and creatives earning Grammy buzz.

This first batch features Brandy Clark , Anne Wilson, LeAnn Rimes, Ashley McBryde and Brent Maher.

UMPG Nashville has inked Matraca Berg to an exclusive, global publishing deal.

With a career spanning nearly four decades, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and BMI 2023 ICON Award recipient has accumulated 11 BMI Millionaire Awards.

Her credits include chart-toppers like Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine,” Trisha Yearwood’s Wrong Side of Memphis” and “XXX’s and OOO’s,” Patty Loveless’ “I’m That Kind of Girl” and Kenny Chesney’s “You and Tequila” f/Grace Potter.

“Cyndi Forman has known and worked with Matraca for more than 20 years. She and I were discussing songwriters that we both loved and respected, and it became obvious to both of us at the same moment that we needed to work with Matraca,” said UMPG Nashville Chairman/CEO Troy Tomlinson.

“I’ve been with the same publisher since my early 20s. Pat Higdon has always had my back. Finding another home after all these years was daunting,” added Berg. “It feels good and natural to be at Universal Music Publishing now. Troy and Cyndi have the same love of songs and deep respect for the music.”

Berg joins a roster that includes Chase McGill, Paul DiGiovanni, Troy Verges, Brad Tursi, Benjy Davis, Ray Fulcher, Jacob Davis, John Pierce, Caitlyn Smith, Brandy Clark and more.

Photo: Glen Rose

Eric Church has dropped a surprise single called "Darkest Hour (Helene Edit)" he said is dedicated to “the unsung heroes, the people who show up when the world’s falling apart," a reference to the carnage Hurricane Helene has inflicted on his home state of North Carolina. The BigEC/EMI Nashville artist signed over all of his publishing royalties from the song “to the people of North Carolina."

Hurricane Helene devastated much of the Southeast last weekend and left more than 200 people dead.

"From Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, Upstate South Carolina, parts of Georgia and even Florida, which took a direct hit, there are so many places that were impacted," Church said in a statement. "Specifically in the area that I'm from, the mountains of western North Carolina were devastated. There are places that are just biblically gone. These are our family members, they're our friends, they're our neighbors — and they're in dire need of help."

He added "it didn't feel right to wait" to release "Darkest Hour" next year along with more new music, explaining, "Sometimes you give songs their moment, and sometimes they find their own moment."

Church's organization, Chief Cares, also pledged assistance "in all states and communities affected, from Appalachia to the Gulf." His good deed follows Dolly Parton's promise to donate $1m to Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing immediate assistance to Hurricane Helene flood victims. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this disaster. Please check in if possible and let us know if and how we can help.

In the meantime, read more about Chief Cares here and listen to "Darkest Hour" below.

Ten-time Grammy nominee Jamey Johnson has inked with Warner Music Nashville through his record label, Big Gassed Records.

The signing comes ahead of the 10/4 arrival of his new single, “Someday When I’m Old,” which follows recent tracks like “21 Guns,” “What a View” and “Trudy” and “Sober.”

“For 14 years, those of us in the industry, and fans outside of it, have been begging Jamey Johnson to release another solo studio album,” said WMN co-chair/co-president, Cris Lacy. “Warner Music Nashville has the great honor of reintroducing this incomparable artist to a worldwide audience...on his terms...proof that great things are worth waiting for!”

“The reason I signed with Warner Music Nashville is Cris Lacy,” addedJohnson. “She is one of my longest-term friends I’ve had in the music business. We started our careers around the same time. She has been a friend to me and has only ever tried to help.”

Having penned songs recorded by the likes of George Strait, Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, James Otto, Joe Nicholsand more, the Grand Ole Opry member is also one of only two people in the history of country music—along with Kris Kristofferson—to win two Song of the Year awards in the same year, for “Give It Away” and “In Color” from the ACMsand the CMAs.

Pictured above are (l-) Lacy and Johnson.

Photo: David Bradley

UMG Nashville and Timbaland’s Mosley Music have launched their previously announced partnership with the signing of Kentucky-based singer-songwriter Colt Graves.

Graves, the grandson of Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Josh Graves, will release a new single, “Burning House," on 10/18.

The gritty, genre-jumping Graves did plenty of grassroots work on his own before aligning with Timbaland Management, where he’s handled by Gary Marella. His PorchFest performance of “Dirt on Me” surpassed 200K streams on Spotify and earned a plaque from Amazon Music for hitting #2 on the country new release chart." His song Lonesome Roads” passed 100K streams on Spotify as well.

UMGN Chair/CEO, Cindy Mabe said, “Colt is a gifted storyteller who mixes the backdrop and musical influences of his Owensboro, Kentucky lifestyle with a gritty fusion of country, hip-hop, rock and folk. He’s really a special artist.”

Added Graves, “It’s been a hell of a journey to get to this point and I’m so grateful to Timbaland, my team and the UMG Nashville team for believing in me and being part of this journey."

Smiling politely rather than getting their freak on are (l-r, front) Mabe, Timbaland, Graves and UMGN’s Charlene Bryant, and (l-r, back) Marella, UMGN’s Lori Christian, Bluestone Publishing’s Eric Spence and UMGN’s Rob Femia and Chelsea Blythe.

The Valory Music Co.’s Conner Smith has plenty to celebrate as the singer-songwriter has earned an RIAA gold certification for his multi-week chart-topper “Creek Will Rise.” The track is featured on his 12-song album, Smokey Mountains, which dropped earlier this year. Next up, he’s gearing up to release The Storyteller on 10/4, which marks his third project this year, before he hits the road for his tour of the same name on 10/8. Seen hoping this photo wouldn't land in our inbox are (l-r) The Valory Music Co.’s George Briner, Pioneer Artists’ Jake Kinney, BMLG’s Allison Jones, Smith, BMLG’s Scott Borchetta and Make Wake Artists’ Chris Kappy.

Photo: Eden Gerlock for The Valory Music Co.

The Academy of Country Music has opened its 2025 membership window. New applications and renewals must be submitted by 11/15 at 10am CT to ensure eligibility for voting in the 60th ACM Awards next year.

Accepted and active members get exclusive perks, including voting rights, early access to ACM event tickets, industry discounts, data insights, networking events and more.

“The upcoming year for the Academy of Country Music is sure to be one of the most exciting and important in the Academy’s history with the landmark 60th ACM Awards and celebrations surrounding and celebrating the 60th all year long. This will also mark sixty years of our members influencing, impacting, and steering the future of Country Music,” said Annie Ortmeier, Chair of the ACM Membership Committee. “On behalf of the ACM Membership Committee, I can’t wait to see what the next year brings, and I hope this membership class will be the most engaged, excited, and diverse membership class yet.”

This year’s membership drive is supported by the multi-platform campaign "The Academy is Me," highlighting the diverse community within the ACM. Peep it below.

To apply for or renew your membership, click here.

Amazon Music will go more than a little bit country with special programming for Country Music Month.

Much of the action will center around the streamer’s flagship “bonfire” playlist, including new livestreams, Amazon Music Originals and videos from the artists who drive the content.

The programming includes such Amazon Music Originals as Dylan Gossett’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” which drops on 10/4, and "Love and Learn," an Amazon Music exclusive by Lainey Wilson that will land 10/25.

On 10/11, Amazon Music will release on-demand video of of seven-time Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves’ recent Climate Pledge Arena concert in Seattle, a Prime Video exclusive. Jelly Roll will then kick off a third season of Amazon Music Live on 10/17 in support of his upcoming Beautifully Broken (Stoney Creek/BBR/Republic). The show will stream on Prime Video and Amazon Music's Twitch channel.

Fans can also expect Country Heat Weekly podcast episodes co-hosted by Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton featuring interviews with Gossett, Joy Oladokun, Wyatt Flores and Kelsea Ballerini.

“Leaning into our strength in country music, ‘bonfire’ allows us to speak to a wider, more diverse music customer with a unique, mood-based, genre-blending playlist," said Emily Cohen Belote, lead music curator at Amazon Music. "Sitting at the intersection of country, indie, and alternative, bonfire was created because these genres have more in common than not and belong together in one home.”