MAGNOLIA MUSIC GROUP LAUNCHES

Randy Houser Signs as Flagship Artist

Magnolia Music Group launches today with Platinum-selling Country musician Randy Houser as its flagship artist. Heather Propper and Kimmie Trosdahl join as Co-VPs of Radio Promotion; Emily Hoch signs on as Coordinator and Kyleigh Roberts joins as Director of Content.

“We are thrilled to have Heather and Kimmie onboard, as they personify the passion, experience, work ethic and talent that will position Magnolia to thrive,” shares Nick Hartley, Steadfast founder and manager for Houser. “The timing couldn’t be better for Magnolia to ramp up radio, streaming and visual roles as Randy gets ready to deliver the best music of his career, all while preparing for an aggressive touring schedule and roles in two major feature films due later this year.”

“I couldn’t be more excited about the creation of Magnolia Music Group and feel like it’s time to be more present than ever,” shares Houser. “Magnolia’s commitment to artistry is very important to me and has been a cocoon of safety for me while writing and recording new music. I can’t wait to emerge and share what we’ve been creating!”

Propper spent five years at KMLE/ Phoenix, followed by over a decade at Stoney Creek/BMG and Warner Music Nashville. Trosdahl was most recently with Warner Music Nashville, with prior stops at Wheelhouse/BMG and Bigger Picture, while Roberts’ previous stops include Roy Orbison’s Still Working Music Group.

Magnolia will leverage data and new technologies as it positions itself for long-term sustainability across label, publishing and catalogue divisions. Magnolia will be distributed by Empire and utilize Thinkswell’s marketing services.

Magnolia is currently hiring additional positions in radio, streaming and visual departments, with new team members to be announced soon.

Breakout Country Music Star Priscilla Block Receives Her First RIAA Gold Certification for Hit Single “Just About Over You”

Gold Certification Follows First-Ever ACM Nomination for New Female Artist of the Year

Mercury Nashville recording artist and ACM New Female Artist of the Year NomineePriscilla Block, hit another milestone in her thriving young career on Friday (Feb. 18) while joining SiriusXM’s Buzz Brainard for The Highway’s Music Row Happy Hour. In the studio to surprise Priscilla, RIAA’s Jackie Jones popped into the live broadcast saying, “I am here to do one of my favorite things – to give an artist their very first certification. I’d like to congratulate you on your first Gold record!” and presented Priscilla with a “Just About Over You” Gold Certification plaque for the hit single.

“I’m at a loss for words!” shared a stunned Priscilla. “This is because of y’all [family, friends, supporters, and fans] MY FIRST CERTIFIED GOLD SINGLE. Thank y’all for keeping music alive and continuing to buy and stream my music and letting me have a dang career doing what I love!”

Making it all the sweeter was getting to share the moment with her friends at SiriusXM, who pegged Priscilla as one of its Highway Finds back before she had fully caught the attention of Music Row.

Since exploding onto the Country music scene in 2020 and building a fanbase via TikTok with hit viral songs like “Thick Thighs,” “PMS” and “Just About Over You,” Priscilla has landed on numerous Artist to Watch lists including Amazon Music, CMT, MusicRow, Spotify, Sounds Like Nashville, Pandora and more. Her major label debut album, Welcome to the Block Party, is available now, her brand-new single “My Bar” is currently playing on country radio, and fans can find Priscilla on the road headlining her first-ever Welcome to the Block Party Tour.

ACM LIFTING LIVES® ANNOUNCES TOPGOLF TEE-OFF & ROCK ON PRESENTED BY CANTEEN SPIRITS SET FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 6

Three-Time ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan to Headline Aristocrat Gaming Stage
with Additional Performances by Jordan Davis, Lainey Wilson and More

ACM Lifting Lives®, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music®, today announced the return of Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On Presented by Canteen Spirits, set to take place on Sunday, March 6 at Topgolf Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, ahead of the 57th ACM Awards®. In addition to the reimagined golf tournament experience fans have come to love in prior years, the event will also feature expanded programming with live entertainment on the Aristocrat Gaming Stage headlined by three-time ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan plus additional performances by Jordan Davis, Lainey Wilson and even more artists to be announced in the coming weeks.

Now in its third year and returning for the first time since 2019, the ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On event will bring together artists, industry members and fans for a golf skills competition and an extended day of live entertainment.

“ACM Lifting Lives has helped so many people in our industry through the years, especially when touring was restricted over the pandemic,” says Bryan. “I am thankful for their work and honored to be able to help in this way.”

“The support of the Country music community is instrumental in making the philanthropic work of ACM Lifting Lives, possible” notes Executive Director Lyndsay Cruz. “We’re incredibly thankful to Luke, Jordan and Lainey for being so eager to be part of this event and can’t wait to get back to Las Vegas to celebrate with the fans.”

Individual tickets and fan golf bays are available for purchase starting this Friday, Feb. 18 via Ticketmaster. All proceeds benefit ACM Lifting Lives.

The ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On precedes the 57th ACM Awards, hosted by Dolly Parton together with Jimmie Allen & Gabby Barrett and airing live and without commercial interruption from Allegiant Stadium on Monday, March 7 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Prime Video.

In addition to Canteen Spirits and Aristocrat Gaming, the ACM Lifting Lives Topgolf Tee-Off & Rock On event is also supported by official partner 1000 Stories Wine.

For more information, visit ACMLiftingLives.com. For general Academy of Country Music information, visit ACMcountry.com and follow the Academy on social media @ACMcountry.

 

ASHLEY McBRYDE EARNS THREE NOMINATIONS FROM THE ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC

Receives Nods for Female Artist of the Year, Video of the Year + Music Event of the Year for “Never Wanted To Be That Girl”

With multiple sold-out shows during the first leg of her 50+ dates on the This Town Talks Tour, including a milestone three-night headlining debut residency at Ryman Auditorium, Ashley McBryde continues her ascension in the format with three 2022 nominations from The Academy of Country Music, including her third nomination for Female Artist of the Year, Video of the Year and Music Event of the Year for “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” her chart-climbing duet with Carly Pearce.

“What an honor to be recognized by our peers and the Academy. There’s nothing better than celebrating alongside all the powerhouse female artists in this category,” shares the three-time Female Artist of the Year nominee, “and what a treat to be nominated with my friend Carly for Video of the Year and Music Event of the Year on a song we wrote together. Thank you to the fans for listening to our stories and for sharing yours in return. These moments wouldn’t exist without you.”

In between tour dates, McBryde has been writing and recording new music to be announced later this year. Dubbed “one of the most empathetic songwriters of her generation” by NPR, the Arkansas-native has been dropping hints and sharing some behind-the-scenes photos from her time in the studio with her band Deadhorse on social media, encouraging fans to get excited for the first taste of new music in nearly two years.

As the follow-up to 2018’s breakthrough major-label debut Girl Going NowhereMcBryde’s Never Will  (Warner Music Nashville) was released to critical acclaim, earning a title early on in 2020 as one of the best albums of the year to-date by SPINVarietyBillboardPasteEsquireStereogum and American Songwriterand ultimately receiving the title of Best Album from Nashville Scene’s 21st Annual Country Music Critics’ Poll.

The 11-track collection also earned a spot in the Top 20 of Rolling Stone’s all-genre “Best Albums of 2020,” celebrating the record as “this year’s most adventurous mainstream country album” while landing at No. 1 on Rolling Stones “Best Country and Americana Albums of 2020,” proclaiming it “re-creates the trick McBryde pulled off on her stellar debut: proving that honest-to-goodness country songs can have commercial appeal.”

“Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” McBryde’s duet with fellow nominee Pearce, continues to climb the charts at Country radio, currently in the Top 15 on the Country Aircheck chart and at No. 17 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. The song was dubbed by Rolling Stone as a “spiritual descendant of Reba McEntire and Linda Davis’ classic ‘Does He Love You’” that “ditches the campy melodrama for a bracing jolt of regret and clarity,” while MusicRow sums it up with a similar sentiment: “In a word, sensational…For the love of country music, play this.”

McBryde headlined over 30 shows in 2021 along with supporting dates on Luke Combs’ What You See Is What You Get Tour. The This Town Talks Tour continues tonight at The Bluestone in Columbus, Ohio with Ashland Craft as support on the remaining shows. Additional dates and tickets are available at AshleyMcBryde.com.

POWERHOUSE VOCALIST CAITLYN SMITH EARNS FIRST ACM NOMINATION WITH NOD FOR NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Teases Music to Come with Self-Produced Track “HighPlots Headlining High & Low Tour 2022

When singer-songwriter Caitlyn Smith arrived in Music City she quickly made a name for herself in writing rooms around town, penning songs for the likes of Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Meghan Trainor and John Legend and Garth Brooks and releasing two critically acclaimed albums of her own, 2018’s Starfire and 2020’s Supernova.

Now after more than a decade of song, Smith scores her first ever ACM Award nomination with a nod for New Female Artist of the Year. The news follows the release of “High” from her forthcoming self-produced project. The arena-ready new track was written by Smith along with Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Erin Decilveo (originally released by Cyrus on her album Plastic HeartsMusicRow notes “this single confirms the widely admired songwriter’s status as a first-rate record maker.”

“I came to Nashville over a decade ago with a dream to write and sing songs,” shares Smith. “The journey since then from the stages I’ve played, to the incredible artists I’ve had the privilege to work with have gone far beyond my wildest dreams. This nomination is definitely another one of those pinch me moments, and I’m so humbled and grateful to be recognized by our country music family.”

After spending the last year opening for George Strait, Reba, Little Big Town and Old Dominion where she played stadiums and arenas across the country, Smith just announced her own headlining High & Low Tour 2022 which kicks off in her hometown of Minneapolis, Minn. on April 1. The 13-city tour includes stops at New York’s Gramercy Theatre and at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.

About Caitlyn Smith
After winning a Critics Choice Award and writing songs for the likes of Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Meghan Trainor and John Legend, Garth Brooks, and Jason Aldean, Caitlyn Smith has established herself as one of Nashville’s brightest rising stars. Undeniably one of the best vocalists of this generation, Smith’s 2018 Starfire and 2020’s Supernova saw her in the pages of TIME Magazine and The New York Times, and had her named to Rolling Stone’s 10 country artists to know and Paste’s 10 country artists to watch. Her latest single, “High,” is available everywhere now. Visit CaitlynSmith.com for more information and follow along on Instagram and Twitter @caitlynsmith or @caitlynsmithmusic on Facebook and TikTok.

LEWIS BRICE RELEASES ‘PERFECT VALENTINE’S DAY SOUNDTRACK’ WITH NEW SINGLE “CALL ME YOURS”

Just in time for February 14, singer-songwriter Lewis Brice releases new single “Call Me Yours,” the “perfect Valentine’s Day soundtrack (Taste of Country).” Taste of Country exclusively premiered the track, noting “Call Me Yours” is a lyrical confession of a man’s past romantic transgressions, wedded to a chorus in which he reveals that he’s changed thanks to the love of a good woman.”

When you called me yours, everything changed
Rolled off your lips and I’ll never be the same
Ain’t no way I could ever go back
When you go and say a thing like that
Ain’t that man anymore
Thought I’d heard it all before
Then you call me yours, yours, yours
Then you call me yours, yours, yours

“I may not have been the writer of this song, but I felt like it was the perfect continuation of a love story that came to life with some of my other singles, ‘It’s You’ and ‘That’s a Given,'” shares Brice. “My buddies Rob Hatch, Ben Simonetti and Adam James wrote it on a writers retreat we were all on, and I just fell in love with it and am so stoked to release it right in time for Valentine’s Day!”

The song is another romantic single from the country singer, with previous single “It’s You” amassing more than 15 million streams, as covered in People, the video featured Brice’s fiancé Denelle Manzer. “Call Me Yours” is the second release of a forthcoming album from Brice, set for release in August of this year.

Brice has been named one of Rolling Stone Country’s “2017’s New Country Artists You Need to Know” and Billboard’s “Country Artists to Watch in 2018”. Tracks from the EP were featured on SiriusXM The Highway, CMT Music, and Spotify’s New Boots & Wild Country playlists, and its lead single ‘Best Ex Ever’ reached the Top 40 of MusicRow’s Country Breakout radio chart. 

In October 2021, Double Down Music, a publishing division of PIA Music Group (PIA), partnered with Pump House Music to announce the signing of Brice to the new publishing company.

ABOUT LEWIS BRICE:
Lewis’s debut self-titled EP, produced by himself and his brother Lee Brice, was released via Pump House Music on July 14th, 2017 to glowing reviews, landing at No. 11 on the US iTunes Country chart. Since then, Lewis has been named one of Rolling Stone Country’s “New Country Artists You Need to Know” and Billboard’s “Country Artists to Watch in 2018”. Tracks from the EP were featured on SiriusXM The Highway, CMT Music, and Spotify’s New Boots & Wild Country playlists, and its lead single ‘Best Ex Ever’ reached the Top 40 of MusicRow’s Country Breakout radio chart. The next chapter of Lewis’ music was unveiled with “Blessed” as the first single from his forthcoming second collection of songs and was introduced to the world by a special Thanksgiving acoustic performance premiere with his brother Lee Brice. The single was also recognized internationally when Brice received a British Country Music Award for International Song of the Year. Followed by “It’s You,” a huge streaming success, amassing more than 18 million streams since its release and placement on key playlists including Spotify’s Global Viral, Hot Country, US Viral, Breakout Country and New Boots, Apple Music’s Breaking Country, Pure Country Radio, Pandora’s New Country Radio playlists and many more. Brice’s streaming continues to flourish as his music garners nearly 33 million overall streams. With more new music on the horizon, 2022 promises to be the best year yet for Lewis Brice!

CHRIS YOUNG LEADS AS MOST NOMINATED ARTIST AT ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

SEVEN NOMINATIONS INCLUDING ALBUM OF THE YEAR AND SINGLE OF THE YEAR FOR FAMOUS FRIENDS

Multi-platinum, global entertainer Chris Young is thrilled with this morning’s Academy of Country Music Awards nominee news, as he leads with the most nominations totaling seven, including the coveted Album of the Year (Artist and Producer – Famous Friends), and Single of the Year categories (Artist and Producer – “Famous Friends”).  Young is also up for Music Event of the Year (Artist and Producer) and Video of the Year, sharing three of the nominations with friend and collaborator, Kane Brown, for their Platinum-certified multi-week No. 1 which also topped the Billboard year-end Country Airplay Songs.

Marking his second ACM Album of the Year nomination, his 8th studio album Famous Friends set a career first-week streaming record for Young at release. The 14-song project features several of Chris’s famous friends, including collaborations with Lauren Alaina (“Town Ain’t Big Enough”) as well as Mitchell Tenpenny on new single, “At The End Of A Bar,” plus background vocals from Sarah Buxton and Hillary Lindsey. Chris co-wrote 13 songs on the new record and co-produced the entire project, including a solo producer credit on the final track.

The multi-nominated title track cataloged an astounding 15 weeks inside the Top 5 on Billboard’s country radio chart and amassing over 200 million streams, “Famous Friends,” the “upbeat salute to the small town folks who keep the real world running” (Tennessean), took home the trophy for the fan voted CMT Collaborative Video of the Year and numerous CMA and AMA nominations. The song is also nominated for Country Song of the Year at the 2022 iHeart Radio Music Awards.

An anthemic tribute to the names, faces, and legendary stories that make up each hometown, “Famous Friends” is Chris and Kane’s first collaboration since working together on Kane’s 2017 song “Setting the Night On Fire.” Additionally, the song reunites the former tour mates from Chris’ 2018 Losing Sleep Headlining Tour — which included a sold-out hometown show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena — and is a full-circle moment since Kane’s first live concert experience as a young Country fan was a Brad Paisley and Chris Young tour stop.

ABOUT CHRIS YOUNG: Multi-platinum RCA Records Nashville global entertainer Chris Young has accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments, including membership in the iconic Grand Ole Opry, nearly 5 Billion on-demand streams, 13 Million singles sold, 12 career No. 1 singles, 22 R.I.A.A. Gold/Platinum/Multi-Platinum certified projects, 6 Country Music Association nominations, 4 Academy of Country Music nominations and 2 Grammy nominations,  along with wins for Performance of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards. These accomplishments and more landed him in the Top 20 of Billboard’s top country artists of the decade.

“Famous Friends,” – Chris’s platinum-certified, multi-week chart-topping song with Kane Brown – is the title track to his “most personal album to date” (Forbes). The track earned the top spot on Billboard’s year-end Country Airplay Songs chart. In addition, the “booming duet” (Tennessean) “At The End Of A Bar” with Mitchell Tenpenny is the newest single from his 8th studio album, Famous Friends.

Named “one of his era’s finest traditionalists” by the Associated Press, Chris is an international ambassador for country music, performing to capacity crowds around the world. With a hit-packed set that highlights his twelve chart-toppers — including back-to-back No. 1s “Losing Sleep,” “Sober Saturday Night,” “Think Of You,” and “I’m Comin’ Over” — the Grammy and ACM nominated vocalist’s most recent headlining tour played to over 400,000 fans in 3 countries.

ABOUT KANE BROWN: continues to expand the perception of Country music and break musical boundaries. Noted as the “future of Country” (Billboard) and one of “31 People Changing the South” (Time), the chart-topping entertainer earned an ACM Album of the Year nomination for Mixtape Vol. 1, (2020) and won an ACM Video of the Year Award for his anthem “Worldwide Beautiful.” Brown first broke through with his No. 1 self-titled debut album, which spent 13 weeks at the top of the chart and helped him become the first artist in Billboard history to top all 5 Billboard Country charts simultaneously. Brown’s “Heaven” and “What Ifs” are the 3rd and 7th most streamed country songs of all time. Brown’s sophomore album Experiment debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and solidified Brown as the only male country artist in more than 24 years to achieve this all-genre chart feat. Experiment produced three back-to-back Double Platinum No. 1 hits and was ranked by The New York Times as one of the Top 10 Best Albums of the Year. One of only 10 country artists to sell out Los Angeles’ famed STAPLES Center (recently renamed CRYPTO.com Arena), Brown recently repeated this milestone on his newly launched Blessed & Free  headlining tour, where he is the first country artist to visit all NBA Arenas in one tour.  Brown’s current top 5 and climbing hit, “One Mississippi” released on the heels of his three-time ACM and CMA nominated multi-week Platinum-certified No. 1 single with Chris Young, “Famous Friends.” Brown recently released his latest collaboration, “Blessed & Free” with Grammy and Oscar Award winning artist, H.E.R. to critical acclaim from the The New York TimesBillboardRolling StoneAmerican Songwriter and UPROXX. For more information on Kane Brown, visit www.kanebrownmusic.com.

RICKY SKAGGS & STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN TO HOST TORNADO RELIEF BENEFIT CONCERT ON FEB. 20 AT HEARTLAND CHURCH IN PADUCAH, KY.

LINEUP ALSO INCLUDES JASON CRABB, LARRY STEWART AND MORE

ALL PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT MAYFIELD, KY. TORNADO VICTIMS VIA SAMARITAN’S PURSE

Devastated by the damage from the Dec. 10 tornado in Mayfield, Ky.Ricky Skaggs and Steven Curtis Chapman have organized a benefit concert on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m. (CT) at Heartland Church in Chapman’s hometown of Paducah, Ky. Skaggs and Chapman enlisted friends, Jason Crabb, Larry Stewart and more, for the lineup. All proceeds will benefit victims of the tornado via Samaritan’s Purse. To purchase tickets, click HERE.

Blue Wolf Capital Partners, The State Group and the family of companies throughout Kentucky (Rick’s Electric, Beltline Electric, Comstock Electric and Delta Services) are pleased to sponsor the Kentucky tornado relief benefit concert. They are committed to helping this region fully recover from the devastation caused by the storms and their thoughts and prayers go out to all who were affected.

“As a boy who was born and raised in Paducah, Ky. (and spent a lot of my childhood in Mayfield), I have been broken-hearted to see the devastation caused by the tornadoes that swept through my home state back in December. I’ve been praying for the folks back home and have wanted to find a way to encourage them and show them some love. So I reached out to my ‘bluegrass big brother’ and fellow Kentuckian, Ricky Skaggs, and said, ‘let’s go play some music and try to raise some money to love on the people there’…and thankfully he agreed! I’m also very grateful to be joined by two other Kentucky brothers, Jason Crabb and Larry Stewart (also from Paducah) for this one night only Kentucky tornado relief benefit, with proceeds going to Samaritan’s Purse to help the work that they’re doing there for those who have been most devastated and affected by these tornadoes,” shared Chapman.

“I’m really glad to be coming back again to help the people of Mayfield, Ky. I came with Franklin Graham and Samaritan’s Purse on Christmas Eve, but I knew I just had to come back. My heart broke when I saw the devastation. This benefit concert will be a great opportunity for the people of Kentucky and the surrounding states to come and help our neighbors that have lost so much. Bring your friends and help all you can, as they really need us right now,” stated Skaggs.

“I am a Kentucky boy, through and through. The moment I heard about the destruction and loss of life from the tornadoes, I went to help. Thankfully, great friends and organizations like Jentezen Franklin, God’s Pit Crew and Samaritan’s Purse jumped right in. And now, my friends – and fellow Kentucky brothers – Steven Curtis Chapman and Ricky Skaggs are pitching in to help even more people through this benefit concert. I sure hope you’ll come out, open up your hearts and join us to make a difference. It’s going to take all of us to rebuild,” added Crabb.

“As Kentucky families continue to recover, we are incredibly grateful for the talent and generosity of Steven Curtis Chapman and Ricky Skaggs,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “The proceeds of this concert will go toward our ongoing efforts to help tornado victims return home while reminding them that God loves them and they are not forgotten.”

Based in Boone, N.C., Samaritan’s Purse responds to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations, especially in locations where few others are working. Led by President and CEO Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution. For more information, visit SamaritansPurse.org.

Jason Aldean Named Country Radio Broadcasters 2022 Artist Humanitarian Award Recipient

Multi-Platinum entertainer Jason Aldean has been named Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) 2022 Artist Humanitarian Award recipient.
CRS/CRB Board President Kurt Johnson commented, “Jason Aldean doesn’t have to brag about his songs or his concert tours. They speak for themselves. He also doesn’t call attention to his massive philanthropic work. So we will. Join us at CRS as we shine a light on all the good that Jason does and the good people he supports.”
While many of Aldean’s efforts are removed from the public eye, his charitable acts have gained recognition throughout the years. Aldean has contributed to numerous organizations over the course of his career, including Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olsen Children’s Hospital, GA’s Children’s Hospital, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, ACM Lifting Lives, Red Cross, and more.  In his hometown of Macon, Georgia, Aldean raised over $2 million for Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olsen Children’s Hospital, GA’s Children’s Hospital. GA’s Children’s Hospital is the region’s only dedicated pediatric facility, serving Central and South Georgia, enhancing the lives of children through patient care, research, and education.
Aldean is also an avid supporter toward the fight against breast cancer, putting the spotlight on Susan G. Komen chapters across the country. For over a decade he has supported the foundation, raising more than $4.1 million through ticket sales and events. Watch Aldean speak to Robin Roberts about Breast Cancer Awareness here. Aldean’s support however, doesn’t stop there, as he has contributed to countless causes over the years, rallying around children’s causes, veterans and first responders, struggling working class families, and his unsung connection to those affected by the tragedy at Las Vegas’s Route 91 Festival. In 2021, Aldean funded the six-day triumph over tragedy workshop, led by the onsite foundation at their emotional wellness retreat center in Tennessee. It is the first of its kind, specifically designated for those who were at Route 91 Harvest music festival.

The CRB Artist Humanitarian Award was created in 1990 by the organization’s board to honor those Country music artists who have exhibited exceptional humanitarian efforts during their career. Past recipients include Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Lady A, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Trace Adkins, Randy Owen, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Reba, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, and Charlie Daniels, among others.

Jason Aldean will be recognized with the Artist Humanitarian Award during CRS Honors Wednesday, February 23 at 2 p.m. CT. Following his award presentation, Aldean will reveal the Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2022 inductees, who will be honored during the annual Country Radio Hall of Fame Ceremony on June 30, 2022, at the Virgin Hotel.

Kicking off CRS Honors will be a special performance of the National Anthem by Big Machine Record’s Callista Clark. Clark was recently named an iHeartCountry On The Verge Artist, and her debut single, “It’s ‘Cause I Am,” has entered the Top 20 as Country radio’s most successful new artist debut of 2021. CRS 2022 marks Clark’s first-ever appearance at Country Radio Seminar. Musically Fed is a sponsor of CRS Honors.

DAN + SHAY CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE GOOD THINGS

3x GRAMMY Winners Nominated for 4th Consecutive Year for “Glad You Exist”; Reigning All-Genre Best Duo/Group of the Year Nominated Again at 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards

3x GRAMMY winning duo Dan + Shay celebrated countless Good Things in 2021 with the release of their fourth studio album, which shattered records as the first country album in streaming history to reach RIAA Gold status upon release. With 2022 now in full swing, the good news just keeps coming – as their current Top 30 single “Steal My Love” climbs the country charts and most recent No.1 “Glad You Exist” is up for a GRAMMY nom, global sensation “Tequila” continues to shine, receiving 7x Platinum certification and becoming the 10th most-streamed country song of all time.
“Tequila” has remained a fan favorite for live shows, striking some of the biggest crowd reactions during their massive headlining Dan + Shay The (Arena) Tour. The 33-date run garnered 400,000 total tickets with the final weekend including four consecutive sold-out dates. The tour started in March 2020 with two consecutive sold-out shows at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and went on to sell out other iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City and STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Dan + Shay will move up to stadiums this April on labelmate Kenny Chesney’s Here and Now Tour 2022, making stops across the country.
Released just six months ago, Good Things is one of the only 12 albums all-genre to be released and go Gold in 2021 and is quickly approaching Platinum status. Featuring 12 imaginatively crafted songs with breathtaking production helmed by the duo’s Dan Smyers, the album includes 4x Platinum global smash “10,000 Hours” with Justin Bieber, Platinum hit “I Should Probably Go To Bed” and Platinum tune “Glad You Exist,” all of which add to the album’s one billion+ global streams in 2021 alone. The 2021 releases stretched into the holiday space as well with two brand new original tracks “Officially Christmas” and Amazon Original “Pick Out A Christmas Tree,” the latter of the which claiming the title of the most-streamed new Holiday release in 2021 in the US across all genres. “Officially Christmas” reigned over the airwaves as the No.1 country airplay holiday release of 2021. The duo has garnered over 200 million global streams on holiday music in the past two years.
In the eight years since they formed, Dan + Shay have garnered nine billion global career streams to date, 42 total RIAA certifications and achieved nine No. 1 singles at country radio. They are climbing the country radio charts once again with their current single “Steal My Love.” The track has garnered over 70 million global streams to date and follows their sixth consecutive No.1 “Glad You Exist.” The chart-topper is currently up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards, a category that the duo has won for the past three consecutive years, making them the first artist to do so 3x consecutively since the category’s inception. The reigning ACM, AMA and BBMA Country Duo of the Year winners just recently received a nomination for all genre Best Duo/Group of the Year at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards, which they claimed last year, also receiving the 2021 iHeart Titanium Award, signifying one billion audience spins, for the track that keeps on giving… “Tequila.”