ANNUAL SPRINGER MOUNTAIN FARMS BLUEGRASS NIGHTS AT THE RYMAN RETURNS JUNE 23

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Lineup Includes Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Dailey & Vincent, The Steeldrivers and More 

Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman returns to Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium this Thursday, June 23, and continues each Thursday night through July 28. The series kicks off with The Del McCoury Band, followed by Dan Tyminski, Earls of Leicester, Dailey & Vincent and The Steeldrivers, leading up to the final night with a performance from GRAMMY Award-winning Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder.

All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. CT and will follow a 6 p.m. CT pre-show “Pickin’ on the Plaza” event sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms and Farm Bureau Health Plans on the Ryman’s PNC Plaza, featuring live music from local bluegrass artists and bands presented by 650 AM WSM. Single ticket prices start at $35.

Over 75 years ago in December of 1945, Bluegrass was born on the famed Ryman stage when a young banjo player named Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys on stage for the first time. As they combined harmonies, upbeat tempos and a new sound referred to as “high lonesome,” the result was a new, energetic sound of country music that lifted crowds from the Ryman’s historic church pews to their feet. “Bluegrass” was born, and the Ryman became forever known as the “Birthplace of Bluegrass.” The venue honors Monroe’s legacy with a life-size statue on site, unveiled in 2017. Learn more about Monroe and his legacy HERE.

After sitting vacant for nearly two decades after the Grand Ole Opry relocated to its new home, the Ryman underwent renovation and reopened its doors on June 3, 1994. That same year, the venue introduced the first of what would become its annual “Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman,” which featured Bill Monroe and Alison Krauss. Now more than 25 years later, the Ryman continues to celebrate bluegrass music’s contribution to music history with artists and fans alike.

Springer Mountain Farms Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman 2022 Lineup:
June 23 – The Del McCoury Band
June 30 – Dan Tyminski with Hawktail
July 7 – Earls of Leicester with East Nash Grass
July 14 – Dailey & Vincent
July 21 – The Steeldrivers with Troubadour Blue
July 28 – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Joe Nichols Makes His Big Screen Debut in Murder At Yellowstone City

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Film Releases June 24, 2022

Multi-Platinum Quartz Hill Records’ Joe Nichols is set to make his big screen debut in the new western film, Murder At Yellowstone City, out on June 24 in select theaters, on Amazon Prime and Apple TV and more. Written by Eric Belgau (Robert The Bruce), the film was directed by Richard Gray (Robert The Bruce), starring Gabriel Byrne (Hereditary, The Usual Suspects), Thomas Jane (The Expanse, The Predator), Isaiah Mustafa (It Chapter Two, Shadowhunters), Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws, Mr. Holland’s Opus), Nat Wolff (The Fault In Our Stars, The Stand), Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect, Good Girls Revolt), Aimee Garcia (Lucifer, Dexter), Emma Kenney (The Conners, Shameless) and Zach McGowan (Shameless, Black Sails).

Filmed on location on a site that was known as Yellowstone City in the 1860s, Murder At Yellowstone City is the first production to be shot on the new western backlot in Montana. Nichols plays Colin Hodge, the son of a dirt farmer and the grandson of a defender of the Alamo.  He came for the gold, but since surviving the mine collapse he’s fallen on hard times – living in a tent on the edge of town and drowning his memories and nerves in alcohol.  He is the living picture of a broken dream…and yet his constant singing, beautiful in its sadness, is a fixture in town – a part of its soundtrack and its soul.

“I am so excited for everyone to see the film,” says Nichols.  “It was a lot of fun to make.  I loved old westerns as a kid and had a great time on set.”

In Murder At Yellowstone City, a former slave who arrives in Yellowstone City, Montana, a desolate former boomtown now on the decline, looks for a place to call home. On that same day, a local prospector discovers gold – and is murdered.

The film premieres on the heels of Joe Nichols recently releasing his new album Good Day For Living. Nichols’ inaugural project with new label home and tenth studio album ushers in a new era of classic-influenced country music from Nichols, one of the format’s most-lauded 21st-century traditionalists.  His first new full-length project in four years, the 13-song collection reunites Nichols with acclaimed music producers Mickey Jack Cones and Derek George, who helmed his 2013 album Crickets containing back-to-back number 1 GOLD-certified hits “Sunny and 75” and “Yeah.” Cones also produced Nichols’ follow-up album, critically acclaimed Never Gets Old.

The title track, “Good Day For Living,” penned by Dave Cohen, Bobby Hambrick, and Neil Mason, ranked among the most added in its debut week and is currently climbing the national country radio charts.

Catch that song and more on the live show on the Good Day For Living 2022 Tour spanning coast to coast and new shows being added daily. For tickets and information for the Good Day For Living 2022 Tour visit JoeNichols.com.

PREVIOUSLY-UNRELEASED ORIGINAL LIVE RECORDINGS OF FIRST CHARLIE DANIELS VOLUNTEER JAM SET TO DROP THIS SUMMER

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Charlie Daniels & Friends: Volunteer Jam 1 – 1974 – The Legend Begins Available August 26, 2022; Pre-Order Now HERE

On October 4, 1974, country and southern rock icon Charlie Daniels held the first Volunteer Jam at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Now, nearly 50 years later, the complete performance from that evening will see the light of day for the very first time. Charlie Daniels & Friends: Volunteer Jam 1 – 1974 – The Legend Begins drops on August 26, 2022, via Blue Hat Records and BFD / Audium Nashville.
The 12-track album includes live performances from The Charlie Daniels Band with special guests or “volunteer” musicians Toy Caldwell and Paul Riddle of The Marshall Tucker Band, The Allman Brothers’ Dickey Betts, and Jamie Nichol. The previously unreleased project includes “Tennessee Waltz,” “Whiskey,” “Long Haired Country Boy,” “Caballo Diablo,” “Jambalaya,” “The South’s Gonna Do It (Again),” and more.
“The Volunteer Jam was a magical evening,” says Daniels’ longtime manager and Blue Hat Records president David Corlew. “There was no other event like it. There has never been and will never be. This is the first one. The beginning, where it all started. So let this first Jam be your melodic introduction to a musical legend like no other.”
Pre-order Charlie Daniels & Friends: Volunteer Jam 1 – 1974 – The Legend Begins HERE.
Additionally on August 26, Blue Hat and BFD / Audium Nashville will release a special vinyl edition of Charlie Daniels & Friends — Duets, exclusive to Walmart stores. Originally released last July, the nineteen-track album features Daniels dueting with Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn, Darius Rucker, Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Brenda Lee, Gretchen Wilson and more. Pre-order HERE.
Charlie Daniels & Friends: Volunteer Jam 1 – 1974 – The Legend Begins Track Listing:
1. Tennessee Waltz
2. Whiskey
3. Way Down Yonder
4. Long Haired Country Boy
5. New York City, King Size Rosewood Bed
6. Caballo Diablo
7. Jambalaya
8. Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)
9. No Place To Go
10. The South’s Gonna Do It (Again)
11. Orange Blossom Special
12. Don’t You Lie to Me

LUCAS HOGE’S SERIES “GSM’S HOGE WILD” SEASON 3 PREMIERING MONDAY, JUNE 27

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Billboard No. 1 charting artist and avid outdoorsman Lucas Hoge is back with season three of his series, “GSM’s Hoge Wild,” premiering Monday, June 27 at 6:30 CT/ 7:30 ET on Sportsman Channel. Hoge, who is the creator and executive producer, shares his passion for wildlife conservation throughout the series, changing the narrative around the hunting lifestyle.

“GSM’s Hoge Wild” follows the singer-songwriter on his epic adventures throughout the globe. Hoge filmed throughout Central and South America and South Africa, Alaska, San Antonio and the Dominican Republic with special guests including Orel Hershiser and Rick Honeycutt of the LA Dodgers, Keesey Timmer, Rob Mayes and more. Hoge is excited to also be adding Remington Ammunition as a new partner.

This season kicks off with Hoge visiting the Dominican Republic with Orel Hershiser and Rick Honeycutt of the LA Dodgers to shoot clays, deep sea fish and enjoy some golf around the scenic community of Casa de Campo. Hoge will also be doing a sweepstakes for two to win a trip to Casa de Campo. From there, Hoge will head over to South Africa with Doug McComb, sponsor and owner of Camelot Ridge Resort, where Hoge hunts later in the season.

The series is produced by Forge Entertainment Group and Fall West Collective. Partners for the series include Batteries Plus, Millkeeper Wine, GSM Outdoors, Stealth Cam, Muddy, Walkers, Houge Knives, Southwest Airlines, Sherwood Scuba, OTS Ocean Technology Systems, Remington Ammo, Kanati Taxidermy, Pnuma, Camelot Ridge, Mustang Survival, Ozark Ag, Trophy Scan, Heated Core, Wyld Gear and more.

Steven Curtis Chapman Honored as BMI Icon at 2022 BMI Christian Awards

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Hillary Scott and CAIN Pay Tribute to the Songwriting Legend 
“There Was Jesus,” Jason Cox, Ethan Hulse, and Essential Music Publishing Among Honorees at the Annual Event in Nashville

BMI’s Leslie Roberts, BMI Icon Steven Curtis Chapman, and BMI’s Mike O’Neill at the BMI Christian Awards. Photo Credit: Steve Lowry for BMI

Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI)® presented its 2022 BMI Christian Awards this evening, honoring the prolific musical career of BMI Icon Award recipient Steven Curtis Chapman and the Christian Songwriters, Song, and Publisher of the Year. The annual event, held in BMI’s Music Row office, also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the 25 most-performed Christian songs of the previous year. BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill hosted the ceremony at the Company’s office in Nashville, along with Leslie Roberts, AVP, Creative, Nashville.

Chapman, who was named the first Christian BMI Icon Award honoree, was celebrated for his unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers. During the evening, country star and member of Lady A Hillary Scott and Christian country trio CAIN paid musical tribute to Chapman. Scott brought her signature voice to “Who You Say We Are” while CAIN serenaded the crowd with “Great Adventure” and “I Will Be Here.” In receiving this award, Chapman joins an elite list of songwriters including Barry Manilow, Brian Wilson, Carole King, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Sting, Nile Rodgers.
In addition to the performances in honor of Chapman, attendees were also treated to performances by The Four: Battle for Stardom on FOX winner Evvie and Provident recording artist Ben Fuller. Evvie gave a powerhouse rendition of her song “Do It Again,” followed by Fuller with a powerful version of his latest single “Who I Am.”
The coveted Songwriter of the Year award was presented to first-time winner Jason Cox and Ethan Hulse, who took home the honor for the fourth consecutive year in a row. Cox and Hulse are each responsible for three of this year’s award-winning songs. Jason Cox’s writing credits include The Crabb Family’s “I See Revival,” The Nelons’ “If God Pulled Back the Curtain,” and the Tribute Quartet’s “The Healer Hasn’t Lost His Touch.” Hulse, who also took the title this year, is responsible for Andrew Ripp’s “Jericho,” Jeremy Camp’s “Out Of My Hands,” and CAIN’s “Rise Up (Lazarus).”
“There Was Jesus” was named the 2022 BMI Christian Song of the Year. Written by BMI Songwriters Casey Beathard, Jonathan Smith, and Zach Williams, the immensely successful track, performed by Dolly Parton and Zach Williams, was the most-performed Christian song of the year. The song previously won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
Taking home the Publisher of the Year accolade was Essential Music Publishing, which is responsible for 11 of the 25 most-performed songs of the year, including “Alive & Breathing,” “Amen,” “Battle Belongs,” “Famous For (I Believe),” “Graves into Gardens,” “Jericho,” “Less Like Me,” “Out of My Hands,” “Peace Be Still,” “Rise Up (Lazarus),” and “There Was Jesus.” During the ceremony, BMI also saluted the songwriters and publishers of the 25 most-performed Christian songs of the year.
For a complete list of 2022 BMI Christian Awards winners, please visit https://www.bmi.com/christian2022

Cherish Lee Releases New Music Video For “Father’s Daughter” Honoring Johnny Lee

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Premiered Digitally by Taste of Country and This Weekend on Heartland TV

Country music singer/songwriter Cherish Lee honors her father, Urban Cowboy singer and ACM winner, Johnny Lee, with the release of her latest music video for “Father’s Daughter.” The video features the close relationship Cherish and Johnny share, with clips of the two singing in front of crowds together and their special moments backstage. Cherish’s emotion proves just how proud she is to be Johnny’s daughter. The sentimental song lays out Johnny’s life from early childhood to hitting the road as a musician and highlights the significant impact he has had on Cherish. The video was premiered digitally by Taste of Country and will debut on Heartland TV this Saturday, June 18 at 6 pm ET with an encore on Father’s Day morning at 8 am ET.

Listen/stream/buy HERE.

To view Cherish Lee’s premiere with Taste of Country, visit HERE.

“Cherish called me one day and started asking a bunch of questions,” shares Johnny Lee. ”I didn’t know what she was doing until she played the song. It means a lot, especially coming from my daughter. I love you Cherish.“

“My dad means so much to me,” shares Cherish Lee. “To the world, he is Johnny Lee, but to me- he’s dad. My Papa Bear! He has made a tremendous mark in the entertainment and country music world. But he has made an even bigger imprint on me. This song was my way of honoring him, his life, with the language we speak together…..music. I love you, Papa Bear. Happy Father’s Day!”

Johnny Lee, known for his dynamic stage presence and No. 1 smash crossover hit “Lookin’ for Love,” recently released his highly anticipated new album, Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright by BFD/Audium Nashville distributed exclusively through Orchard. Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright consists of fourteen songs, some written or co-written by Johnny, that he has saved throughout the years for the perfect album that truly reflects his life. Each of the fourteen tracks showcases a different side of Lee, allowing his listeners to experience a journey that draws on his past, but more importantly highlights the future. Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright premiered on Taste of Country and is available on all streaming platforms at orcd.co/JohnnyLeeEverythingsGonnaBeAlright

JON PARDI SETS FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM, MR. SATURDAY NIGHT, FOR SEPTEMBER 2

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Lead Single “Last Night Lonely” Is Top 15 And Climbing At Country Radio

Capitol Records Nashville Multi-Platinum hitmaker Jon Pardi will release his anticipated fourth studio album, Mr. Saturday Night, on September 2nd. Beginning today, fans can pre-order a physical copy here. The 14-song collection will feature his chart-climbing single “Last Night Lonely,” latest release “Fill ‘Er Up” and 12 additional new tracks.

“A lot of time was spent living with the songs on this record,” shares Pardi. “There is more life experience on Mr. Saturday Night than any album I’ve released before. I chose ‘Mr. Saturday Night’ as the title track because it’s special to me. I’ve been hanging onto it for three years and can’t wait for people to hear it, and the rest of these songs.”

Setting the tone for Mr. Saturday Night, the project’s lead track “Last Night Lonely” has already hit Top 15 at country radio, while tallying more than 55 Million global streams. Pardi recently brought the fiddle and steel-drenched song to life with the official music video, hitting the famed Las Vegas strip.

Mr. Saturday Night is produced by Bart Butler, Ryan Gore and Pardi, the same team behind the boards of his critically acclaimed third studio release Heartache Medication. Nominated for Album of the Year by both the CMA and ACM, Heartache Medication was named one of the best albums of 2019 by Rolling Stone and Los Angeles Times. Sure to further his “long-lasting mark on the genre” (MusicRow) with Mr. Saturday Night, Pardi continues to prove “the kind of country music multiple generations came to know, and love can still work on a mass scale.” (Variety)

Pardi is set to bring his fan-favorite hits and new music coast to coast on his AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY TOUR, kicking off July 14 in Irving, TX. Along with Lainey Wilson and Hailey Whitters, he will hit the stage in major markets including Las Vegas, Boston, New York and more, wrapping with an October 1 show at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater.

KIMBERLY KELLY PREMIERES VIDEO FOR “SUMMERS LIKE THAT” TODAY ON CMT

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On the heels of the announcement of her label debut, I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen, arriving July 8 via Show Dog Nashville in partnership with Thirty Tigers, singer/songwriter Kimberly Kelly debuts the music video for album track “Summers Like That” exclusively, today on CMT. Watch HERE. Fans can also catch Kelly every Tuesday in June for her residency at Nashville’s legendary venue, The Basement. Performances begin at 7 pm on June 21 and 28. For more information visit, thebasementnashville.com.

Directed by Tyler Barksdale, the video brings the nostalgic song to life…capturing what young love looks like. “Tyler did an amazing job using subtle imagery that mirrors the song’s lyrics and the story in addition to what the actors are doing,” Kelly shared exclusively with CMT. “The carnival scene wasn’t planned either— it just happened to be set up nearby the weekend we shot. The carnival alone added a whole other level of charm to the story and song.”

“Summers Like That,” which left Billboard praising Kelly’s “warm, lifting voice,” was written by Karyn Rochelle and Bobby Tomberlin and produced by Brett Tyler. The song not only name checks a number of classic 90s country hits but is also sonically, reminiscent of some of Kelly’s biggest influences, artist like Trisha Yearwood, Pam Tillis, Brooks & Dunn and Deana Carter. Listen to “Summers Like That” HERE.

A native of Lorena, Texas, Kelly spent years in both the Texas and Nashville music scenes earning an education in experiences that have made her both fearless in her approach to creating and unafraid to defy convention when it comes to industry expectations. Those years of hard work, all while also earning a Master’s degree and working fulltime, culminated last summer in a long-awaited record deal with Show Dog Nashville. Now she is set to make her label debut. Pre-order or pre-save I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen HERE.

The album is already earning kudos including praise from legendary singer/songwriter and fellow Texan, Radney Foster, who shared, “If you like your Country music with fiddles and steel guitars, melodies that soar and a singer who unapologetically sings with a twang, you will love Kimberly Kelly. She’s a great songwriter and her timeless voice delivers power and emotion on this fun but often poignant collection. Don’t try to drive while you’re listening to ‘Person That You Marry.’ Don’t ask me how I know.”

Off stage Kelly possess an inviting warmth mixed with sly self-deprecation, a winsome combo only earned with some life experience, self-awareness and nothing to prove on stage just the goods to stop a listener in their tracks. “This is not my first rodeo,” Kelly says of her label debut. “I worked really hard in Texas before I came to Nashville. I wrote songs, put out records, did a radio tour, and played every weekend while going to school and working full-time.”

The album’s title, I’ll Tell You What’s Gonna Happen, is a clever nod to her friend and fellow Texas musician, the late Country Music Hall of Famer, Billy Joe Shaver. The abbreviated quote comes from the better-than-fiction-true story of Shaver forcing his way into a Waylon Jennings recording session after the star tried to renege on recording some of his songs. Brushing off a $100 bill to go away, Shaver said to Jennings, “I’ll tell you what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna either listen to these songs or I’m gonna whip your ass.” Waylon agreed to listen to one. The rest is history in the form of Jennings’ 1973 Honky Tonk Heroes album, on which every song but one was written by Shaver.

“I landed on this album title on a dare,” Kelly says. “I was like, ‘Sure. What do I care?’ I did the Texas music scene, I’ve done time in Nashville, and I thought my time had passed when I got offered my record deal. My husband could keep writing songs and I’d just be a speech therapist. So I made this album like it’s the last one I’ll ever get to make and the title is my mantra so to speak. I love good songs, and I let the best ones win whether I wrote them or not. It’s a compilation I’m proud of, and I’m thrilled for people to hear them!”

GIBSON INTRODUCES THE EVERLY BROTHERS SJ-200

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The Everly Brothers paved the road for The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Rolling Stones. Combining Appalachian country with the all-new rock ‘n’ roll, Phil and Don Everly produced 15 top ten hits in only five years. Driven by their soaring harmonies and propelled by their matching Gibson acoustic guitars, the brothers’ influence and success earned them the honor of being among the original ten artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There was no one else like them.

To celebrate their musical legacy, the Gibson Acoustic Custom Shop is proud to announce a special limited-run Everly Brothers SJ-200.

The Everly Brothers SJ-200 features AA flame maple back and sides paired with a thermally aged Sitka spruce top, which is capped with the dual pickguards that the Everly Brothers made famous. This guitar also has essential SJ-200 cosmetic features, such as the classic mother of pearl graduated crown inlays on the rosewood fretboard, as well as a Moustache bridge with four-bar mother of pearl inlays. The bridge saddle, nut, and bridge pins are bone, while Gold Grover Rotomatic tuners ensure solid tuning stability. An SJ-200 hardshell case is also included.

Dolly Parton Donates $1 Million to Pediatric Infectious Disease Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

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Dolly Parton is donating $1 million to pediatric infectious disease research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), another transformative gift aimed to help in the fight against serious infectious diseases such as coronavirus that have worldwide ramifications.

Ongoing research in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases includes understanding how viruses and bacteria cause disease, understanding and preventing resistance to antibiotics, preventing and treating infections, diagnosing and treating infections in children with cancer and research to define the impact of childhood infections throughout the world.

“I love all children. No child should ever have to suffer, and I’m willing to do my part to try and keep as many of them as I can as healthy and safe as possible,” Parton said.

A legendary country music singer-songwriter, Parton made a previous $1 million gift to VUMC in April 2020 in honor of her longtime friend, Naji Abumrad, MD, professor of Surgery, to increase scientific knowledge and advance the battle against COVID-19 by supporting research teams working urgently to perfect treatments and cures.

VUMC’s researchers have tested an array of already existing drugs in urgent clinical trials aimed at reducing life-threatening symptoms associated with COVID-19 and focused on entirely new therapies that could effectively treat and prevent the infection.

“We are deeply honored by Dolly’s contribution to our research mission,” said Mark Denison, MD, professor of Pediatrics and director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “For over 40 years our division has been a national and international leader in studies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of life-threatening infections, and this gift will accelerate our work and support new ideas.”

Among Parton’s other gifts to VUMC was a transformational contribution to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Pediatric Cancer Program in honor of Abumrad and her niece, Hannah Dennison, who was successfully treated for leukemia as a child at Children’s Hospital.

“Dolly’s previous support to infectious disease research, and also our pediatric cancer program, has already saved countless lives,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO of VUMC and Dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “This new gift will bolster our defenses against future threats to the safety of this region and society as a whole. It speaks volumes about her passion for people, and we couldn’t be more thankful.”