Members of the Nashville Supergroup — Joined by Special Guests Luke Sheets, Cheyenne Medders and Lisa Torres
Deliver Music and Goodwill to the Balkan Country

Pictured L-R: Cheyenne Medders, Lisa Torres, Jamie L. Harpootlian (U.S. Ambassador to Slovenia), Nicole Witt, Michael Logen, and Luke Sheets at Wild West Fest On Fire

Nicole Witt and Michael Logen of the Six One Five Collective, along with special guests Luke Sheets, Cheyenne Medders and Lisa Torres, traveled to Slovenia as United States Cultural Ambassadors. They worked closely with the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana, Slovenia, making an appearance on local TV and performing six shows all over the country, acting as creative goodwill ambassadors.

“The incredible food, the Venetian architecture and the small towns and villages were amazing to visit and breathe in the local culture,” says Nicole Witt. “With visits to Murska Sobota, Wild West Fest on Fire at Lake Zbilje, Lake Bled, the Cultural Center in Trbovlje, the Noordung Space Center in Vitanje & Celje, Slovenia we got to see a lot of what this beautiful country has to offer. Ultimately though it was the people we met and the spirit of Slovenia that we’ll carry with us.”

The program was implemented in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, The U.S. Embassy in Slovenia, and American Voices.

Public Engagement Specialist Mateja Jurič (Public Affairs Office, U.S. Embassy Ljubljana, Slovenia), says, “Cultural programs like the one we just did with Six One Five Collective in Slovenia are extremely important and crucial as they foster mutual understanding between the United States and Slovenia. Music helps bring people together and has the unique ability to represent a culture as a whole, especially in times of uncertainties. It was a true pleasure and a great honor to work and spend time together with such an amazing group of musical talents and wonderful people. A profound thank you to Nicole, Michael, Lisa, Luke and Cheyenne, on my behalf and on behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Slovenia, for making the Six One Five Collective tour around Slovenia such a success. In one of their songs they sing: ‘share a little kindness, share a little light.’ Well, from the reactions we received from everyone who had met them, it is clear that Six One Five Collective shared a lot of kindness and a lot of love around Slovenia! Najlepša hvala (thank you very much)!”

Chargé d’Affaires Melania Arreaga says, “What an awesome opportunity to spend an afternoon with Six One Five Collective at the Wild West Fest in Slovenia. From seeing all the enthusiastic line dancers on the dance floor it was clear that I wasn’t the only one. Music unites the global citizens of the world under one rhythmic flag. The U.S. Embassy in Slovenia is proud to have supported this creative endeavor, especially during these challenging times when we need unity and mutual understanding more than ever.”

“To host the Six One Five Collective at the festival Izrekanja this year was an immense pleasure and great honor,” says Kristian Koželj, who hosted the Six One Five Collective in Celje, Slovenia. “Since the festival’s main goal is to explore and present the ways poetry connects to other arts and resonates through them, the experience of Six One Five Collective music was an overwhelming journey into poetic language that presents itself in the form of lyrics. The authenticity and genuinity of Nicole’s, Lisa’s, Michael’s, Luke’s and Cheyenne’s art is a shiny reflection of its creators and their warm and humble characters. It’s as if their performance on the opening night of the festival opened the hearts of everyone present and that feeling expanded throughout all following days. They made the festival and everyone attending it better with their music. Thank you, Six One Five Collective, we can’t wait to have you back!”

Now stateside, Witt and Logen will celebrate the Six One Five Collective’s upcoming single “Coastin’” (Sept. 9) with a show at Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley on Sept. 1 — tickets available here.

Pop-Up Single Drops to DSPs and Radio Tonight –
LIVE Debut Friday Aug. 26 @ Gillette Stadium’s Closing Double

 It took three stops, countless routings and re-routings, two names and a whole lot of patience; but in the end, Kenny Chesney’s record-shattering Here And Now 2022 Tour was one coast-to-coast stadium-sized revival. Having shared the stadium experience with the reigning five-time Academy of Country Music and four-time Country Music Association Group of the Year Old Dominion, Chesney thought their multiple stadium summers should be celebrated.

“There are people you meet and just click,” Chesney says of the five-piece who share his good vibes feel. “Matt (Ramsey) and Brad (Tursi) have been singing ‘Save It for a Rainy Day’ with me on all these tours, and that’s always – every single night – one of the highlights of the show for me. You can feel the energy, so I started thinking we better catch that while we can.”

“Beer With My Friends” embodies that kicking back, letting go reality with a thumping back beat and the kind of savor-the-revel chorus that’ll have fans singing along from the second round. Opening with a big electric guitar riff, Chesney and Old Dominion directly drop into a gang-chorus to kick-off what’s destined to be a working class, whistle blowing anthem.

“We’ve all been there,” Chesney offers with a laugh. “It doesn’t matter if it’s four years or yesterday, there’s nothing like hitting that local bar with your friends. That’s what this whole tour has felt like – every city, every face, every song – as we’ve taken it back out to No Shoes Nation. It’s so much more than a show or a concert, it’s really letting go –  and I wanted to capture that in a song. ‘Beer With My Friends’ is all of it.”

With fist-pumping exuberance, the David Lee Murphy/Shy Carter/Bryan Simpson industrial shuffle promises, “We’re gonna get that old jukebox working hard / Before it’s over I’ll know everybody in this bar…” as it slides into the happiest kind of happy hour. Life affirming, the opening verse stacks all the good things in life, but when the chorus swings around, Chesney confesses, “Sometimes I need to slip away and get a different view / There’s really something to that honky tonk attitude / It pulls me out of that everyday sinking sand…”

Ramsey gets his own turn to witness to the redemptive glories of drinking with buddies, confessing, “After I work my poor fingers down to the bone / Last thing I wanna do is go home and drink alone.” Then the all-sing chorus swoops back in, as the tourmates raise their voices in praise of fun, fellowship and a few cold ones.

With Chesney showing up semi-regularly at Old Dominion’s surprise pop-up shows along the Here And Now 2022’s stadium cities, “Beer With My Friends” was almost inevitable. More than the memories, jamming onstage and backstage mischief, “Beer With My Friends” distills coming together, hanging out and forgetting about what bothers you – the feel that’s defined this entire summer’s reality.

“I’ve never seen anything like this summer,” Chesney marvels. “Before it’s over, I wanted to give everyone something to remember it by, a song that we can all sing wherever we are – and know there’s nothing like these moments we’ve shared. All you gotta do is put it on, turn it up and we’ll all be right back there; bringing OD in reinforces it all. So, here’s to kicking it all off at Gillette Stadium this weekend.”

Jordan Davis, Little Big Town, Luke Combs, Parmalee, Alana Springsteen Added To Stellar Line-Up of Performers

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has revealed their Decade honorees, announcing TAYLOR SWIFT as the ‘Songwriter-Artist of the Decade’ and ASHLEY GORLEY as the ‘Songwriter of the Decade.’ Their achievements will be honored at the Ryman Auditorium on September 20, 2022 with special segments during the 5th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards presented by City National Bank.

With nearly 20 previously announced performers set to take the stage to honor their favorite writers and award-winners, the line-up continues to grow with the additions of JORDAN DAVIS, LITTLE BIG TOWN, LUKE COMBS, PARMALEE, and ALANA SPRINGSTEEN. Previously announced performers include: Pat Alger, Tony Arata, Babyface, Kent Blazy, Jacob Davis, GAYLE, HARDY, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins, Matt McGinn, Thomas Rhett, Matt Rogers, Jenn Schott, Nathan Spicer, Matthew West, and more to come.

Decade award winners are determined by their cumulative songwriting success between the designated years (2010-2019), where points are given by calculating the percentage of songwriting credit in a Nashville-associated song and tracking each song’s performance on a week to week basis in the Top 20 of the Billboard Country Airplay Chart, Billboard Pop Songs Chart, Billboard Christian Airplay Chart or Billboard Rock Airplay Chart. For the ‘Songwriter-Artist of the Decade’ award, there is the additional requirement that they must be the recording artist as well as a credited songwriter of the song for points to count.

Taylor Swift’s incredible success between 2010-2019 now puts her in the company of previous decade award recipients: Toby Keith (2000-2009) and Vince Gill (1990-1999). This decade honor adds to her long list of NSAI achievements which most-notably includes being named NSAI’s ‘Songwriter-Artist of the Year’ a record-breaking seven times. Swift has also received three ‘10 Songs I Wish I’d Written’ awards (2020: “Lover” [written and recorded by: Taylor Swift]; 2017: “Better Man” [written by: Taylor Swift / recorded by: Little Big Town ]; 2015: “Shake It Off” [written by: Max Martin, Shellback, Taylor Swift / recorded by: Taylor Swift]).

Chart-topping songwriter Ashley Gorley will be honored as NSAI’s ‘Songwriter of the Decade’ an award fitting for the songwriter who has earned the title of NSAI’s ‘Songwriter of the Year’ five times in the past eight years.

In addition to celebrating the aforementioned decade winners, the evening will also honor the 2022 song, songwriter, and songwriter-artist of the year, as well as previously announced recipients, GARTH BROOKS (Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award) and Sony Music Publishing Chairman & CEO, Jon Platt (NSAI President’s Keystone Award).

 ‘90s Inspired Video Features a Retro Shelton

Blake Shelton moved to Nashville in the 1990s to follow his country music dreams. With the release this week of his new single, “No Body,” Shelton once again feels like a teenager. “I get excited and feel like a kid every time we release new music,” said Shelton. “But this song in particular takes me back to the ‘90s when I was in high school and first moved to Nashville, because it feels like what the music sounded like at that time.”

Written by Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear, “No Body” tells the story of a guy who doesn’t want to be with “No Body” but the person he’s with. “The hook confused me the first time I heard it – I’m hoping it’s the same way for everyone else so they have to listen to it a bunch of times to figure it out!” laughed Shelton.”

Both the song and the official music video will be available on Friday, Aug. 19. Filmed in a country bar in the Los Angeles area, the video harkens back to that ‘90s era when country establishments were filled with patrons line dancing. The video is authentic to the time and finds Shelton wearing a cowboy hat on top of his infamous mullet.

In addition to the new music, Shelton, who is celebrating his 12^th year as a Grand Ole Opry member, will return to the Opry stage in Nashville on Saturday, Sept. 10 for performances in both the early and late shows. Shelton will no doubt perform his new single as well as several of his 28 No. 1 singles.

Upcoming programming focusing on the music of Arkansas will take place at the association’s 22nd annual music festival and conference event, Sept. 13-17 in Nashville, Tenn., presented in partnership with Arkansas Tourism and Visit Bentonville

This year, the Americana Music Association has selected the state of Arkansas as the regional music focus for its 22nd annual AMERICANAFEST, Sept. 13-17 in Nashville, Tenn. In partnership with Arkansas Tourism and Visit Bentonville, the destination music festival and conference event previews this special programming today that features multiple panels, special events and a music showcase over four days. Highlights include a panel focusing on the life and legacy of Johnny Cash; a special event with the brightest, upcoming Arkansan artists that are pushing the Americana genre forward; and an evening showcase of music with a star-studded tribute to Levon Helm. A full slate of programming can be found below.

“We’re beyond thrilled to spotlight the state of Arkansas at this year’s festival and celebrate its rich musical heritage,” said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association. “Through this programming, attendees will be able to experience the sounds of delta blues, rockabilly and Ozark folk, as we welcome our friends from the Arkansas tourism, music and creative industries who have built and are expanding the tradition of Americana.”

The Natural State has produced some of the most diverse and iconic pioneers of American music and contributors to the American songbook. From Sister Rosetta Tharpe, considered to be the birthmother of rock and roll, to Louis Jordan who ignited the move from rhythm and blues to rock and roll. Directly influenced by these local pioneers, Arkansas gave the world Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, Al Green, Levon Helm, Ronnie Hawkins, Glen Campbell, Albert King, Howlin’ Wolf and many more. Two of the most significant artists mentioned in any of the writing about the roots of Americana music are Levon Helm (and The Band) and Johnny Cash, both Arkansas natives.

The Arkansas spotlight begins at the three-day conference portion of AMERICANAFEST on Wednesday, September 14, with music executive, visionary and Arkansas native Al Bell as a featured panelist for “Wattstax Now And Then: Celebrating 50 Years of Wattstax and Americana Music by Black Artists.” Bell, the former owner and CEO of the historic Stax Records, was born and raised in Brinkley, Arkansas before he became a disc jockey in Little Rock. He then propelled his Sunday morning DJ shifts into a lifelong career in the industry, working in promotions and producing records before making his way to the top of Stax Records. Hear from Bell and other contemporaries about the historic ’72 Wattstax festival that restored the Watts community spirit following the neighborhood rebellions outside of Los Angeles, California.

Additionally, Wednesday will include Arkansas musician Rev. Greg Spradlin moderating “Arkansas Creatives,” a discussion on creative influences that developed the Americana sound in The Natural State, with panelists Bonnie Montgomery, Jason Weinheimer (Fellowship Hall Sound) and Arkansas music historian Stephen Koch. The session will focus on how the Arkansas culture spawned the musical creativity that led to multiple influential artists carving a distinct Americana sound.

Peering into the past, industry veteran Sharon Corbitt will lead a history lesson during “Arkansas’ Delta Roots” on the innovators and originators of the southern delta sound. From gospel to country to blues, Larry McCray, Munnie Jordan (King Biscuit Blues Festival) and more panelists to be announced will discuss the artists that had a direct impact on the foundation of Americana.

Thursday is full of musical performances at 3rd and Lindsley. Sponsored by Arkansas Tourism and Visit Bentonville, the day begins with a special day party hosted by The House of Songs. The “Arkansas Extravaganza” will have appearances from Dylan Earl, David Starr, Shannon Wurst and more.

Following a glimpse into the future of Americana, the festivities continue in the evening with Arkansas showcasing acts taking the stage, which includes Willi Carlisle, Erin Enderlin, Larry McCray, Rev. Greg Spradlin and Bonnie Montgomery. The night closes with a special tribute honoring the career of Arkansas native Levon Helm. Backed by an Arkansas All-Star house band, Mike Farris, Allison Moorer, Autumn Nicholas, Webb Wilder, Oliver Wood and more will salute the legendary artist.

Kicking off the festivities on Friday, musician, writer and performer Robert Burke Warren will lead the charge on “Johnny Cash: An Arkansan Icon Endures,” with a deep dive into Cash’s historic career. Nearly 20 years after his passing, the Man in Black’s impact and influence still crosses genres, backgrounds and generations. His legacy as an Arkansan lives on through film, books and social media. AMERICANAFEST brings together Beverly Keel (MTSU), Adam Long (A-State Heritage Sites) and Robert K. Oermann to look at how his legacy has stood the test of time.

Returning on Saturday, September 17, The House of Songs hosts the “Arkansas Explorer Day Party” that will wrap up the week-long celebration and highlight the very best that The Natural State has to offer. Sponsored by Arkansas Tourism and Visit Bentonville, songwriters and Arkansas natives spotlight the sights, sounds and more with performances at InDo Nashville.

Those interested in attending AMERICANAFEST panels can purchase a 2022 Conference Registration (currently priced at $499 / $399 for Americana Music Association members), giving access to over 45 industry panels, more than 175 nightly showcases and close to 65 special events across town in Nashville. Music fans who are just interested in the nightly music showcases can purchase a Festival Wristband at $175, which allows entry into official showcases and select special events.