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The Biggest Weekend In Christian Music Is Back, Live And In Person, Anchored By The K-LOVE Fan Awards, May 28-30 In Nashville

Nashville, TN… May 17, 2021 – The biggest weekend in Christian music is back – live and in person, May 28-30 in Nashville, anchored by the K-LOVE Fan Awards. On Friday, May 28, a kick-off concert will commence the fan-focused weekend, the first in Nashville since March 2020, followed by a songwriter’s showcase, worship service and more – all at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.  Nashville’s iconic Grand Ole Opry House will once again welcome the star-studded fan awards show on May 30, with Matthew West hosting and airing on TBN on June 4 (8pm and 10pm eastern). Coca-Cola Consolidated is sponsoring the show for the fourth consecutive year.  For all updates on the 2021 K-LOVE Fan Awards and weekend events, stay tuned to www.klovefanawards.com, and for information on the broadcast, please visit TBN.org.

Nominees for the K-LOVE Fan Awards were announced today, with newcomers Maverick City Music leading with four, including Group of the Year, Artist of the Year, Breakout Single of the Year and Worship Song of the Year.  for KING & COUNTRY, TobyMac and Zach Williams followed with three nominations each.  Fans nationwide are now able to begin voting for their favorites – a full list of nominees is following:

2021 K-LOVE Fan Awards / Final Nominees:

Male Artist of the Year      
Crowder
Danny Gokey
Matthew West
Tauren Wells
TobyMac
Zach Williams

Female Artist of the Year
Kari Jobe
Lauren Daigle
Leanna Crawford
Mandisa
Natalie Grant
Riley Clemmons

Group of the Year
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Maverick City Music
MercyMe
We The Kingdom

Breakout Single
Andrew Ripp “Jericho”
CAIN “Rise Up”
Evvie McKinney “Look No Further”
Maverick City Music “Man Of Your Word”
We The Kingdom “Child of Love” (feat. Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE)

Worship Song of the Year
Chris Tomlin feat. Lady A “Who You Are To Me”
Cory Asbury “The Father’s House”
Maverick City Music “Man of Your Word”
Michael W. Smith “Waymaker”
Phil Wickham “Battle Belongs”
Tauren Wells feat. Jenn Johnson “Famous For (I Believe)”

Song of the Year
Crowder “Good God Almighty”
Elevation Worship & Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens”
for KING & COUNTRY, Tori Kelly & Kirk Franklin “Together”
Kari Jobe “The Blessing” (feat. Cody Carnes)
TobyMac “Help Is On The Way (Maybe Midnight)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton “There Was Jesus”

Artist of the Year
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Lauren Daigle
Maverick City Music
TobyMac
Zach Williams

Film & Television Impact
A Week Away
Church People
The Chosen
I Am Patrick
I Still Believe

Book Impact
Annie F.Downs “That Sounds Fun”
Bob Goff “Dream Big”
John L. Cooper “Awake & Alive To Truth”
Lecrae “I Am Restored”

About The K-LOVE Fan Awards:
The K-LOVE Fan Awards mission is to create a fan experience that celebrates and promotes artists, athletes, authors and entertainers who, with excellence, engage and impact popular culture for Jesus Christ. This year’s show will be hosted Matthew West. The annual awards show is a John Sanders LLC production presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated.

About K-LOVE:
K-LOVE creates compelling media designed to inspire and encourage people to develop a meaningful relationship with Christ. K-LOVE is listener-supported and delivers Christian music through its almost 600 signals across 50 states, the K-LOVE App, smart devices, klove.com, and       K-LOVE On-Demand offering positive and encouraging music

About the Trinity Broadcasting Network:
Trinity Broadcasting Network is the world’s largest and most watched faith-and-family broadcaster, reaching over 175 nations across the earth with inspirational and entertaining programming 24 hours a day in 14 languages and on 32 global networks. As the world’s most influential non-profit religious broadcaster, TBN has led the way in expanding the impact of faith-based television across the earth through the creation of innovative content designed to reach every viewer demographic with the life-changing message of hope and grace. To find out more about the TBN Networks, visit us at tbn.org.

About Matthew West:                                                                                                  Matthew West is a five-time GRAMMY nominee, a multiple ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year winner, and a 2018 GMA Dove Award Songwriter of the Year (Artist) recipient and has two RIAA® Gold-certified and a RIAA Platinum-certified singles. He has received an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, a K-LOVE Fan Award, and named Billboard’s Hot Christian Songwriter of the Year. West also received a Primetime Emmy® Award nomination for Original Music & Lyrics for the title track for the feature film “The Heart of Christmas.”

West recently released the 32-track Brand New Deluxe Edition (Story House Collective/Provident Label Group). Encompassing live and acoustic versions along with the originals from the Brand New album, the deluxe version also offers West’s individually released songs from the past year, “Take Heart,” “Quarantine Life,” and his duet with CMA Awards® winner and three-time ACM® Awards nominee Carly Pearce for “Truth Be Told.”

In addition to his own recording career, he has more than 130 songwriting credits to his name, authored five books, and hosts his own podcast, “The Matthew West Podcast,” on Annie Downs’ That Sounds Fun Network. Along with his father, Pastor Joe West, they founded POPWE, a non-profit ministry helping others to craft, share, and live a more meaningful life. Please visit popwe.org for more information. For all things Matthew, visit his site at MatthewWest.com.

Get Connected with the 2021 K-LOVE Fan Awards:
Website // KLOVEFanAwards.com
Hashtag // #klovefanawards
Facebook // Facebook.com/KLOVEFanAwards
Twitter // Twitter.com/KLOVEFanAwards
Instagram // Instagram.com/KLOVEFanAwards

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CMT Unveils Nominations For “2021 CMT Music Awards” Airing Wednesday, June 9th At 8p/7c

NASHVILLE, TN — (May 13, 2021— CMT today unveiled the highly-anticipated nominations for the “2021 CMT Music Awards,” country music’s only entirely fan-voted award show. Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, the show airs Wednesday, June 9th at 8:00PM ET/7:00PM CT on CMT, with a five channel simulcast across MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network and TV Land. Each winner is selected by the fans, with voting now open at vote.cmt.com.

Female powerhouses Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert lead the pack for the most accolades of the evening, with four nominations each, including “Female Video of the Year,” “Collaborative Video of the Year,” and two nominations each for “Video of the Year.” Artists with three nominations include show co-hosts Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, alongside Little Big Town and first-time nominee Mickey Guyton.

The “2021 CMT Music Awards” continues to spotlight the next wave of music’s biggest stars with 13 first-time nominees including Guyton, Dylan ScottHailey Whitters, HARDYLainey WilsonMargo Price, Nathaniel RateliffNiko MoonNoah CyrusParmaleeRyan Hurd, Tyler Hubbard and Willie Jones.

The first round of nominees for the highly-coveted “Video of the Year” award includes 14 acts, most notably Carrie Underwood, who continues her reign as the most-awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history with 22 wins, who is nominated this year for her collaboration with John Legend.

Well-known for its tradition of embracing one-of-a-kind collaborations, the “2021 CMT Music Awards” again celebrates a wide range of talent from outside musical genres, with Elle King, Halsey, John Legend, Nathaniel Rateliff, Noah Cyrus, and P!nk receiving nominations.

The two-and-a-half hour show will also feature “Breakthrough Video of the Year” nominees Dylan Scott, Hailey Whitters (feat. Little Big Town), HARDY, Lainey Wilson, Niko Moon and Mickey Guyton.

The nominees for the “2021 CMT Music Awards” are:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top five nominees, from the first round of voting, will be announced on June 1. Top 3 nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on June 8. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.

  • Carrie Underwood with John Legend – “Hallelujah”
  • Dierks Bentley – “Gone”
  • Elle King and Miranda Lambert – “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”
  • Ingrid Andress – “Lady Like”
  • Kane Brown – “Worldwide Beautiful”
  • Keith Urban with P!nk – “One Too Many”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “hole in the bottle”
  • Kenny Chesney – “Knowing You”
  • Maren Morris – “Better Than We Found It”
  • Mickey Guyton – “Heaven Down Here”
  • Miranda Lambert – “Settling Down”
  • Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris – “Chasing After You”
  • Sam Hunt – “Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s”
  • Willie Jones – “American Dream”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

  • Carly Pearce – “Next Girl”
  • Gabby Barrett – “The Good Ones”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “hole in the bottle”
  • Maren Morris – “To Hell & Back”
  • Mickey Guyton – “Heaven Down Here”
  • Miranda Lambert – “Settling Down”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

  • Chris Stapleton – “Starting Over”
  • Darius Rucker – “Beers and Sunshine”
  • Kane Brown – “Worship You”
  • Luke Bryan – “Down To One”
  • Luke Combs – “Lovin’ On You”
  • Thomas Rhett – “What’s Your Country Song”

 

DUO/GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists

  • Brothers Osborne – “All Night”
  • Lady A – “Like A Lady”
  • Little Big Town – “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
  • Old Dominion – “Never Be Sorry”
  • Parmalee and Blanco Brown – “Just The Way”
  • Runaway June – “We Were Rich”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)

  • Dylan Scott – “Nobody”
  • Hailey Whitters feat. Little Big Town – “Fillin’ My Cup”
  • HARDY – “Give Heaven Some Hell”
  • Lainey Wilson – “Things a Man Oughta Know”
  • Mickey Guyton – “Black Like Me”
  • Niko Moon – “GOOD TIME (Ride Along Video)”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists

  • Carrie Underwood with John Legend – “Hallelujah”
  • Chris Young and Kane Brown – “Famous Friends”
  • Elle King and Miranda Lambert – “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”
  • Keith Urban with P!nk – “One Too Many”
  • Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris – “Chasing After You”
  • Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard – “Undivided”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

  • From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs “1, 2 Many”
  • From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Dan + Shay “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
  • From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Jimmie Allen and Noah Cyrus “This Is Us”
  • From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Kelsea Ballerini and Halsey “The Other Girl”
  • From the 2020 CMT Music Awards – Little Big Town “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
  • From CMT Crossroads – Nathaniel Rateliff and Margo Price “Twinkle Twinkle”

Performers and presenters to be announced at a later date.

“2021 CMT Music Awards” is executive produced by CMT’s Margaret Comeaux, Switched On Entertainment’s John Hamlin and Amy Lin Johnson; the Executives in Charge of Production are Jackie Barba and Heather D. Graffagnino.

For more information, visit CMT.com, follow @CMT on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, use hashtag #CMTawards and ‘like’ the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

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About CMT:
CMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are, including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT.com) and social (@CMT on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube). CMT is a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC) (“ViacomCBS”). For more information, please visit cmtpress.com.

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Superstars Kelsea Ballerini And Kane Brown To host “2021 CMT Music Awards” On Wednesday, June 9th At 8p/7c

Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini set to host the 2021 CMT Music Awards. Photo credit: John Shearer/Getty Images

NASHVILLE — (May 12) — CMT today announced country superstars Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown will take the stage as hosts of the “2021 CMT Music Awards,” country music’s only entirely fan-voted award show, airing Wednesday, June 9th at 8p/7c on CMT. The show will also air as a five network simulcast across the following MTV Entertainment Group brands: MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network and TV Land. This year marks Ballerini’s first time hosting the CMT Music Awards, as Brown returns for his second consecutive year.

 

“Kelsea and Kane are two of the brightest, most sought-after stars in country music today and we’re thrilled to welcome them both as hosts of the 2021 CMT Music Awards,” shared CMT producers. “This dynamic duo reflects the show’s revitalized energy as live music returns to center stage in a night filled with incredible outdoor performances, cross-genre collaborations and a few surprises!”

Ballerini adds: “I’m so excited to be hosting the 2021 CMT Music Awards with Kane! The CMT Awards are so special because they are truly fan voted. Following a year plus where we have not been able to be with the fans and share music together, will make this night even more special.”

 

Shared Brown: “I loved getting a chance to host the CMT Music Awards last year and I’m excited to be back this year with Kelsea. The CMT Music Awards are special to me – it’s the first industry award I won and getting on that stage was an amazing feeling. I love that the fans get to have their voices heard as we celebrate the best in country music.”

Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini set to host the 2021 CMT Music Awards in Nashville.
Photo credit: John Shearer/Getty Images

Nominations for the “2021 CMT Music Awards” will be announced tomorrow, Thursday, May 13th at 11a/10c, in tandem with the start of fan voting at vote.cmt.com. Voting will run through Tuesday, June 1st at 12p/11c. Performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

“2021 CMT Music Awards” is executive produced by CMT’s Margaret Comeaux, Switched On Entertainment’s John Hamlin and Amy Lin Johnson; the Executives in Charge of Production are Jackie Barba and Heather D. Graffagnino.

 

For more information, visit CMT.com, follow @CMT on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, use hashtag #CMTawards and ‘like’ the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

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Kelsea Ballerini set to host the 2021 CMT Music Awards. Photo credit: John Shearer/Getty Images

About Kelsea Ballerini:
Kelsea Ballerini is recognized as one of the most influential women in country music today and has consistently made history since the start of her career. Following the release of her debut album, she became the only female country artist to hit #1 with the first three consecutive singles from a debut album. She has platinum and gold album certifications, a career total of eleven gold and platinum singles certifications and has accumulated total streams exceeding 3 billion to date. Ballerini has garnered two GRAMMY® Award nominations, won two ACM Awards and has also received multiple career nominations from the ACM Awards, American Music Awards, CMA Awards, CMT Awards and the People’s Choice Awards. Most recently, she received a 2021 ACM Award nomination for “Female Artist of the Year” and was also welcomed as the Grand Ole Opry’s youngest current member.

 

Kelsea Ballerini released two acclaimed albums in lockdown last year. In March of 2020, she debuted her self-titled third album kelsea (Black River Entertainment). Her most personal effort to date, the album was met with critical praise, including from NPR who opined, “Kelsea Ballerini is definitely one of the most influential women in country right now… she’s defining the sound of the genre.” The debut single from the album, “homecoming queen?”, which the New York Times deemed “excellent,” was certified platinum, marking her fastest single to achieve this milestone yet. Her third single from the album, “hole in the bottle” recently reached Gold RIAA certification and earned Kelsea her sixth #1. Her latest single from the release, “half of my hometown” features a special guest vocal appearance from eight-time Entertainer of the Year and fellow East Tennessee songwriter/superstar Kenny Chesney. While under quarantine, Ballerini created the second half of that story, ballerini. On this album, she carefully deconstructed each song from the kelsea album and re-recorded everything with minimal accompaniment. Co-producing the release, Ballerini showed another side of herself with this reimagined take, highlighting the lyrical power of kelsea as she stripped all of the songs down to the bare essentials.

Kane Brown set to host the 2021 CMT Music Awards. Photo credit: John Shearer/Getty Images

About Kane Brown:
Noted as the “future of Country” (Billboard) and one of “31 People Changing the South” (Time), the chart-topping entertainer recently earned his first ACM Album of the Year nomination for Mixtape Vol. 1, as well as a Video of the Year win for his anthem “Worldwide Beautiful.” Brown first broke through the country charts with his #1 self-titled debut, which spent 13 weeks at the top of the chart and made Brown the first artist in Billboard history to Top all 5 Billboard Country charts simultaneously. That same year Brown earned three AMA Awards and produced two of the most streamed country songs of all time–the 7X platinum #1 hits “Heaven” and “What Ifs.” Brown’s sophomore album Experiment debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 all-genre chart and solidified Brown as the only male country artist in more than 24 years to debut at the top of the Billboard 200. Experiment produced back-to-back #1 hits and was ranked by The New York Times as one of the Top 10 Best Albums of the Year. His latest project, Mixtape Vol. 1 features Brown’s Top 10 pop radio hit “Be Like That” featuring Khalid and Swae Lee, his co-written duet “Last Time I Say Sorry” with John Legend, and his current hit at Country radio “Worship You.” Brown recently announced his Blessed & Free Tour, where he will headline all the NBA arenas in one tour-a first in music. Blessed & Free marks the first tour for Brown since his Worldwide Beautiful Tour, which earned critical praise during its international run.

About CMT:

CMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT.com) and social (@CMT on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter andYouTube). CMT is a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC) (“ViacomCBS”). For more information, please visit cmtpress.com.

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Rodney Atkins Celebrates 2 Billion Pandora Streams W/ May 25 Dreamstage Concert In Nashville

Rodney Atkins

Nashville, Tenn. (May 11, 2021) – Curb Records recording artist Rodney Atkins will celebrate 2 billion Pandora streams with a Dreamstage concert in Nashville, Tenn. on May 25, 2021 during which he will be presented with a Pandora Billionaire plaque. Fans can join Atkins at 8 PM CST at Ole Red in Downtown Nashville, both virtually and in-person. Purchase a general admission virtual or in-person ticket HERE.

 

“With more than 2.5 million streams per week and 2 billion overall, Rodney is a Pandora powerhouse,” says SiriusXM & Pandora’s Head of Country Talent Relations, Beville Dunkerley. “We are excited to celebrate this milestone with an artist whose music has consistently connected with our listeners.”

 

Atkins also shares, “A billion of anything is a lot, but 2 billion streams on Pandora is more than I can imagine! I am honored and thankful to Pandora for the support and to the fans out there who listen.”

 

Atkins can add this major accomplishment to his many other accolades, including 8 Top 5 singles, 6 No. 1 singles, 10 career RIAA certifications, and a BMI “Million-Air” award.

 

About Rodney Atkins

With eight Top 5 singles, six No. 1s, and 1 Billion career on-demand streams under his belt, Atkins is one of Country music’s most prominent artists. Continuing to be recognized as a powerful voice on Country radio, his Platinum-selling No. 1 “Watching You” earned the songwriter a BMI “Million-Air” award and the top spot on Country Aircheck’s top-played songs of the decade list. Atkins was the second most-played male artist of the decade overall. He has also sold over 11 million units and earned ten career Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum RIAA certifications to date, including his latest Gold-certified single, “Caught Up In The Country (feat. The Fisk Jubilee Singers),” which also set the record for longest-running single in Billboard Country Airplay history at 57 weeks. Atkins has performed on NBC’s TODAY Show, GMA’s Strahan & Sara, and FOX & Friends. Rodney’s latest single “A Little Good News” is available now.

 

About Curb Records:
Celebrating 57 years in business, Curb Records is one of the world’s leading independent music companies. Owned and operated by Mike Curb since 1964, Curb Records has achieved 435 number one records, over 1,500 Top Ten records and charted over 4,500 total records. With over a half century in operation, Curb Records has been influential in the careers of some of the biggest names in music, including: Tim McGraw, Hank Williams, Jr., Rodney Atkins, Lee Brice, LeAnn Rimes, The Judds, Dylan Scott, Sawyer Brown, Wynonna, Lyle Lovett, Jo Dee Messina, Hal Ketchum and Desert Rose Band, among many others. Today’s roster includes some of the top names across multiple genres of music. For more information, visit www.curb.com.

 

About Pandora:

Pandora, a subsidiary of SiriusXM, is the largest ad-supported audio entertainment streaming service in the U.S.  Pandora provides consumers a uniquely-personalized music and podcast listening experience with its proprietary Music Genome Project® and Podcast Genome Project® technology.  Pandora is also the leading digital audio advertising platform in the U.S. Through its own Pandora service, its AdsWizz platform, and third party services, such as SoundCloud, the Company connects brands to the largest ad-supported streaming audio marketplace in the country. Pandora is available through its mobile app, the web, and integrations with more than 2,000 connected products.

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Cole Swindell Releases Acoustic Video For “Single Saturday Night”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (April 9, 2021) – Grammy-nominated multi-Platinum superstar Cole Swindell released an acoustic video TODAY for his popular fan-propelled smash hit “Single Saturday Night” across all of his social platforms. Click HERE.

The Georgia native originally released his single “Single Saturday Night,” written by Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy and Mark Holman, for his fans to give them new music after he had to pause his headlining Down To Earth Tour and come off the road amidst the current COVID19 crisis. The fans, led by his core Down Home Crew, single-handedly propelled “Single Saturday Night” to No. 7 on the all-genre iTunes chart during the week of its digital release. The groundswell of support to the song was so overwhelming, enormous and positive, the song officially became the hitmaker’s 11th career single.

“Single Saturday Night” debuted on the Spotify US Viral 50 chart this week and as the only country song on the list. Pandora reports that “Single Saturday Night” has been the No. 1 Top Thumbed Song on its New Country Station for four consecutive weeks.

“Single Saturday Night” is currently available across all digital platforms and streaming services and has been applauded by not only fans but media as well.

Click HERE for “Single Saturday Night.”

Photo credit: Robbie Klein
# # # 
 
For complete information and upcoming tour dates, sign up for the Down Home Crew at www.ColeSwindell.com.
 
For more information and tour dates, please visit www.coleswindell.com and follow @coleswindell on Twitter, @coleswindell on Instagram and on Facebook.
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Music City Grand Prix Announces Big Machine As Title Sponsor

Inaugural Festival Set to Take Place August 6-8, Tickets on Sale Now

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – APRIL 06: A race car is lifted by a crane at the press conference announcing Big Machine as the title sponsor for Music City Grand Prix at the Four Seasons Private Residences on April 06, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Big Machine Label Group)

Today the Music City Grand Prix announced that leading entertainment and spirits company Big Machine will be the title sponsor of the inaugural Music City Grand Prix this summer. The Nashville-based multimedia conglomerate includes the Big Machine Label Group with superstar recording artists Tim McGraw, Florida Georgia Line, Lady A and Carly Pearce; its rapidly-growing spirits company, Big Machine Distillery; and Big Machine Racing. The Big Machine brand aligns with Music City Grand Prix’s philosophy of combining the best of entertainment with racing for the first-of-its-kind festival in Nashville.

Pictured (L-R): Radio Host Shawn Parr, Lady A’s Charles Kelley, President & CEO of Big Machine Label Group Scott Borchetta, Carly Pearce, Executive Vice President of Big Machine Distillery Mark Borchetta, and CEO of Music City Grand Prix Matt Crews
Photo Credit Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Big Machine Label Group

For more information on the Music City Grand Prix visit musiccitygp.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @musiccitygp. Ticket packages are on sale now. Fans can purchase Music City Grand Prix three-day ticket packages, starting at $119, and festival add-ons at musiccitygp.com/tickets, Ticketmaster.com or by calling the Tennessee Titans’ ticket office at 615-565-4650.

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The Listening Room, The Big 98 And 103-3 Country Present: Jameson Rodgerd & Friends Slated For April 23

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Columbia Nashville/River House Artists breakout singer-songwriter Jameson Rodgers will host two special performances benefitting the Music Venue Alliance-Nashville on April 23 at The Listening Room in Nashville. Local radio stations THE BIG 98 and 103-3 Country will present performances at 6:00 p.m. CT and 8:30 p.m. CT, respectively. Guests include Carly Pearce, Jimmie Allen, Jordan Davis, and Tenille Townes.

“This last year has been extremely difficult for all kinds of businesses and individuals, but independent music venues have possibly suffered the most,” said Rodgers. “I played one of the last shows at Kanza Hall in Kansas City in February 2020 before it permanently closed due to the pandemic. Douglas Corner, where I played for the first time ever in Nashville, also closed last year. When I heard Exit/In may be going up for sale I knew I had to do something to help struggling independent music venues in Nashville. We came across MVAN and knew that was the perfect partner to get funds into venues’ hands. I’ve spent years touring in clubs and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. We can’t let all these venues close and suffer. I’m really grateful to The Listening Room, THE BIG 98 and 103-3 Country for presenting, hosting and donating the proceeds from this show. A big shout out to my fellow artist friends for donating their time to raise funds for these clubs that are important to each of us.”

Tickets are available now at ListeningRoomCafe.com for both shows (Pearce will appear at 6:00 p.m. performance only). One hundred percent of ticket proceeds will benefit Music Venue Alliance-Nashville, a coalition working to ensure no Nashville independent music venue closes its doors permanently due to COVID-19.

“We are excited to join forces with THE BIG 98, 103-3 Country and these artists to raise money for such a worthy cause,” said Chris Blair, owner and operator of The Listening Room, which is a member of MVAN. “Nashville’s independent music venues are a crucial piece of the city’s history and music landscape. MVAN needs the community’s support to keep local venues and independent music alive in Nashville.”

The announcement comes on the heels of Rodgers’ recent AIMP-Nashville nomination for Rising Artist-Writer of the Year, where his Gold-certified, No. 1 debut single “Some Girls” is also nominated for Song of the Year. “Some Girls” was the first of only two solo male debut singles to reach the top of the charts in 2020.

Meanwhile, his latest Top 40 single, “Cold Beer Calling My Name” featuring Luke Combs, continues its rise at country radio and has notched more than 27 million on-demand streams. The “feel good party song” (Billboard) has been celebrated as “just what you need to crack open a good time” (Sounds Like Nashville) and “blue-collar magic” (NY Country Swag). Country Now praised the single as one of the 11 Best Country Songs of Summer 2020, and Rolling Stone echoed “it’s the escapist chaser that many of us can use these days.”

Rodgers ended the year in the Top 5 of Billboard’s Top New Country Artist chart and has been tapped as an artist to watch in 2021 by The Boot, MusicRow, and more.

About Jameson Rodgers: Columbia Nashville/River House Artists singer and songwriter Jameson Rodgers continues to blaze his trail to stardom following his breakout, Gold-certified No. 1 debut hit “Some Girls.” The track helped earn Rodgers a Top 5 spot on Billboard’s 2020 Top New Country Artist chart, the 2020 MusicRow Discovery Artist of the Year Award and a spot in the outlet’s Next Big Thing Class of 2021. Rodgers’ new single “Cold Beer Calling My Name” features label mate Luke Combs and has been celebrated as one of the 11 Best Country Songs of Summer 2020 (Country Now) and praised by Rolling Stone as “the escapist chaser that many of us can use these days.” Initially making his mark on Music City as a behind-the-scenes songwriter, Rodgers has co-penned Platinum-selling hits for Florida Georgia Line (Top 10 single “Talk You Out of It”) and Chris Lane (No. 1 smash “I Don’t Know About You”), along with “Camouflage Hat” on Jason Aldean’s most recent album 9 and the title track of Luke Bryan’s latest release Born Here Live Here Die Here. Rodgers spent 2019 supporting Combs on the sold-out BEER NEVER BROKE MY HEART TOUR, playing more than 60 arenas and amphitheaters, and is currently working on his debut full-length album with producers Mickey Jack Cones, Chris Farren, and Jake Mitchell.

JamesonRodgers.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

About The Listening Room : The Listening Room first opened its doors in historic Franklin, TN, in 2006. As a singer and songwriter himself, Founder and President Chris Blair realized a need for a venue that supported the local community of songwriters, while offering top quality acoustics and technology. In 2008, Blair relocated the venue to Cummins Station, where it grew quickly in popularity and took its place as one of the best venues in Nashville to hear both established and up-and-coming songwriters play their own original songs. The Listening Room now resides in the vibrant neighborhood of SoBro, just a stone’s throw from the popular Broadway strip. Continuing to grow in reputation and demand, The Listening Room is now one of the city’s most popular attractions for locals and tourists alike. For more information, visit www.listeningroomcafe.com.
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Brantley Gilbert Hosts Trail Ride For ACM Lifting Lives Covid-19 Response Fund

HUNTSVILLE, TN (March 25, 2020) – In his 15-year career, Brantley Gilbert has always made a point to celebrate and uplift those that deserve additional recognition and support: servicemen and servicewomen; veterans and veteran farmers; and his fans, BG Nation, made up of blue-collar and hard-working individuals. With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in difficult times for those in the entertainment industry, the Georgia-native decided to get creative with a way to reconnect with his fans while providing relief to those now out of work.

On Saturday, April 17, the multi-Platinum country artist will host 500 fans on three separate trail rides at Brimstone® Recreation in Huntsville, Tenn., followed by a live show presented by Whiskey Jam. Entry tickets are available for $50 per person and all proceeds will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of The Academy of Country Music, going directly to their COVID-19 Response Fund. Tickets are available HERE.  Entry tickets do not include the $28 Brimstone® Recreation trail pass required to participate. They can be purchased HERE.

“I wanted to come up with a way to give back during this difficult time in our industry, and I also wanted to give folks something safe and fun to look forward to,” shares Gilbert. “All my fans know I’m a bit of an enthusiast when it comes to cars, bikes and off-road vehicles, so a trail ride in the great outdoors is the perfect adventure.

“I’m so grateful for our partners who have come aboard to help us make this a meaningful event for ACM Lifting Lives,” he continues. “They’ve done so much since the start of this pandemic, and we wanted to help them support even more folks until we can all get back on the road.”

“Brantley has been such a wonderful partner to our fund,” shares Lyndsay Cruz, Executive Director of ACM Lifting Lives. “He and his team came to us at an important moment to lend their help finding ways to raise money for our colleagues who are still in immediate financial need due to the pandemic. We are grateful to be the beneficiaries of his inaugural trail ride.”

A longtime partner of the “Hard Days” singer and songwriter, Polaris is supporting Gilbert’s event, providing swag bags to the first 130 ticket buyers, along with a RZR Trail S 1000 Ultimate that will be available for auction, while Camping World will donate an off-road vehicle trailer for auction. Additional partners include Gander Outdoors, Traeger Grills, Whiskey Jam and Appalachia Made Co. Items for auction will be available for bids later this spring on Prizeo.

As the largest RV dealer in the United States, Camping World utilizes its platform to assist many great causes. “We’re so thrilled to be able to participate in this incredible event providing relief to those in the entertainment industry who have lost work due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” shares SVP of Camping World Earl Williams. “We look forward to seeing Brantley’s fans on April 17.”

Since the original launch of the Fund, $3.5 million was raised and distributed thanks to many sponsors and individuals. Funds were quickly dispersed to hundreds of people in the Country music community in need and who met the criteria.

Gilbert released Fire & Brimstone (Deluxe Edition) via The Valory Music Co. nearly one year after the release of his fifth studio album, featuring two new songs, including latest single “Hard Days,” currently making its way up the charts, and “Old Friends,” a somber, reflective ballad written after the passing of Gilbert’s longtime friend and crewmember Al Ditch.

Fire & Brimstone explores love and family, redemption and life in a small town, with all 15 tracks written or co-written by Gilbert. Lead single “What Happens In A Small Town” featuring Lindsay Ell marked his fifth No. 1 as an artist, seventh No. 1 as a songwriter and earned nominations for the 2019 CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year and 2020 ACM Award for Music Event of the Year.

The “Brantley Gilbert Selects” quarterly subscription box is available now, featuring hand-picked and custom limited-edition items that reflect the singer-songwriter’s hard-working yet fun-loving mindset, starting at $59.99 HERE.

About Brantley Gilbert
With back-to-back Platinum albums and a grassroots following millions strong, Brantley Gilbert’s music has been shared, covered and adopted as the soundtrack to Saturday night and Sunday morning by audiences around the world. The Georgia native who started as the defiant life-of-the-party can still go ‘til sunrise, but he’s also emerged as something far greater: the leader of a massive tribe of hard-working, fun-loving believers for whom electric guitar-shredding, rapping, and twang can go hand-in-hand-in-hand. They call themselves the BG Nation, and when the BG Nation watches Gilbert on a stage, they don’t just see a star. They see themselves. Seven No. 1 hits punctuate his career: “Country Must be Country Wide,” “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” CMA Awards Song of the Year nominee “Dirt Road Anthem,” “My Kinda Party,” RIAA 5x Platinum-certified “Bottoms Up,” “One Hell of an Amen” and collaboration with Lindsay Ell “What Happens In A Small Town.” Gilbert’s landmark record Just As I Am clinched the 2014 American Music Award for Favorite Country Album. Earning praise from the New York TimesNPRAmerican Songwriter, and more, Gilbert has mined a rich vein of conflict between the party and the pew on all of his albums. Instead of toiling in limbo, unable to enjoy good times for fear of Judgment Day, Gilbert fully lives––rowdy friend, man of faith, devoted husband, smitten new father––just as he is. FIRE & BRIMSTONE, out now via The Valory Music Co., is Gilbert’s most mature and complex exploration of his world to date. His current single “Hard Days” is available everywhere now and featured on the newly released FIRE & BRIMSTONE (DELUXE EDITION). For additional information, visit BrantleyGilbert.com or follow him on Instagram and Twitter @BrantleyGilbert and on Facebook @BrantleyGilbertMusic.
About ACM Lifting Lives®
ACM Lifting Lives® is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. Through partnerships with artists and strong ties in the music industry, ACM Lifting Lives® funds music health programs while also serving members of the music community who face unexpected hardships through its Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund. With generous donations and the support of artists and fans, ACM Lifting Lives has funded national music therapy programs serving various mental and physical health organizations. Some of the recipients have included patients at children’s hospitals and other healthcare facilities, recovering veterans, people with Williams syndrome and individuals with mental illness. For more information, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org.
About Brimstone® 
Camp, Ride, Kick Back and Cut Loose™. As a premier adventure destination, nationally recognized Brimstone® Recreation, LLC manages and promotes the recreational use of over 19,196 acres nestled in the remote wilds of Northeast Tennessee and located in the Heart of Appalachia. With over 300 miles of OHV trails and roads with numerous overlooks and culture exploration points of interest. Brimstone® offers the adventure seeker the ultimate outdoor experience.  Brimstone® is committed to preserving nature through good stewardship and sharing nature with thousands of outdoor enthusiasts every year who seek to experience adventure in its purest environment. Brimstone® offers outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to explore the untamed wilderness of the Appalachian Mountains while enjoying a wide array of recreational activities.  OHV enthusiasts from throughout North America gather twice a year in Huntsville, TN for the annual White Knuckle Event™ and Brimstone® Paragon to enjoy the Cumberland Mountains, competitive events and the latest country hits from Nashville’s finest. Brimstone’s events are tagged as the “Woodstock of ATV and SXS Events.”  For more information, please visit www.BrimstoneRecreation.com.
About Whiskey Jam®
Whiskey Jam® began in Nashville, TN in 2011 as a weekly music event in the burgeoning Midtown Nashville area. Built on the idea of “Good Music, Good Friends, Good Party,” what began as an underground, word-of-mouth writer’s night quickly became a musical mainstay of the city’s world-renowned scene. Since then, the Whiskey Jam stage has seen over 3000 unique artists, including Chris Stapleton, Ashley McBryde, Aaron Lewis, Luke Combs, Riley Green, The Cadillac Three and many more. Whiskey Jam has grown through the years, expanding into areas including music festivals, media, music publishing and a merchandise lifestyle brand with sales shipping to all 50 states & over a dozen countries, world-wide.
About Appalachia Made Co.  (AMCO)
During the first half of the 20th century, billions of tons of coal flowed in and out of Mingo County by rail. Today, rails and mining roads have been replaced with some of the best off-road trails and fun times in the nation. Add a river runs through it and some of the most down to earth people you will ever meet, and you could say it is almost perfect. We feel really lucky that our community is where Mother Earth takes her vacations and we welcome one and all to explore our beautiful playground, hear some country music and take a little slice of AMCO Heaven with them. Whether you need lodging, rentals, trail information or looking for that country lifestyle experience, visit us at www.amcoheaven.com.
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Sarah Trahern To Receive 2020 CRB President’s Award During “CRS Honors” Officially Launching CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience

Sarah Trahern CMA

(Nashville, Tenn. – Jan. 21, 2021) The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. has announced Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern as the 2020 CRB President’s Award recipient. The award will be presented during “CRS Honors,” the official launch to CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. CT, immediately following the morning sessions of the all-new CRS Streaming Summit.

Trahern was named CMA CEO in 2014 following stops at Great American Country (GAC), The Nashville Network (TNN), and C-SPAN. She helms CMA’s three network television properties (CMA Fest, CMA Country Christmas and the CMA Awards), leads one of the biggest music festivals in the world and serves as President of the CMA Foundation. As a trade association, CMA represents every aspect of the Country Music industry and Trahern has made community outreach a priority, whether it is providing members affordable healthcare options or offering online tools and resources for music professionals displaced by COVID-19 shutdowns. Her vision and leadership have been instrumental in launching CMA’s Music Industry COVID Support (MICS) initiative. She was recently recognized as one of the Nashville Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs. Trahern is consistently included on various Billboard lists, including Women in Music and Country Power Players, on which she was profiled as “Executive of the Year” in 2017. In 2011, she was the subject and honoree of the prestigious Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum by the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum.

The CRB President’s Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the marketing, production, growth, and development of the Country Radio Seminar and the multiple services that Country Radio Broadcasters provides to the country radio and music communities.

CRB/CRS Board President, Kurt Johnson, commented, “Sarah is the epitome of this award. Her selfless and tireless work on behalf of artists, songwriters, labels, managers, touring professionals, and Country Radio, and her steadfast support of CRB and Country Radio Seminar make her a highly deserving honoree. I am blessed to call her colleague, confidant and friend. And all of us in Country are blessed to have her as a true leader in our genre.”

Rascal Flatts

The 2020 CRB Artist Career Achievement Award recipient, Rascal Flatts, will also be recognized during the Opening Ceremonies.  The CRB Artist Career Achievement Award is presented to an individual artist or act who has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of country music and country radio through their creativity, vision, performance, and/or leadership. On the heels of celebrating their 20th Anniversary Year, Rascal Flatts was named the 2020 Artist Career Achievement Award recipient during a surprise announcement made at Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2020’s Opening Ceremonies. President/CEO of Big Machine Label Group, Scott Borchetta will present the award to Rascal Flatts.

Hailed as one of the most influential groups in modern country history, superstar vocal group Rascal Flatts are a chart-topping trio created by vocalist Gary LeVox, multi-instrumentalist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney. Since their founding in 2000 and subsequent breakout with the Top 5 hit, “Prayin’ for Daylight,” the band has gone on to infuse country’s traditional mainstream with smooth-pop textures, arena-rocking energy and faithful positivity, impacting countless fans and fellow artists along the way. They’ve racked up 17 Number One hits, over 23.4 million albums sold, 35 million digital downloads, 2.2 billion streams worldwide and 4.4 billion streams solely on Pandora, while also selling over 11 million concert tickets and earning more than 40 trophies from the ACA, ACM, AMA, CMA, People’s Choice and more, making them the most awarded country group of the past decade. For more information visit rascalflatts.com.

Mickey Guyton

Capitol Records Nashville recording artist Mickey Guyton is also confirmed to open CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience with a performance of the national anthem, sponsored by Veterans Matter.

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where the CRB President’s Award and Artist Career Achievement awards are historically given, could not be held in person and is subsequently being held virtually during CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience.

Registration for CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience is $199 per person and is available for purchase at www.CountryRadioSeminar.com. Country Radio Broadcasters have also made available an Unemployment, Student, and Young Professional rate.  To apply for one of these special rates, interested parties must apply at Country Radio Seminar’s registration page (here) no later than Feb. 12.  Registrants will need to select the rate they are applying for as the registration type to be considered for the discounted rate.  Contact Ashley Bourque at (615) 329-2615 or ashley@crb.org for any questions about the application.

About Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.®: The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring radio broadcasters from around the world together with the Country Music Industry to ensure the vitality and promote growth in the Country Radio format.

About Country Radio Seminar: Country Radio Seminar is an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas and business practices in the Country music industry, with specific emphasis on issues relevant to Country Radio. Country Radio Seminar 2021 will be held Feb. 17-19 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. For more information, visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com, and follow CRS on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram. Additional information can be obtained by calling 615-327-4487.

About Mickey Guyton: Mickey Guyton was born in Arlington, Texas and began singing in church at a young age. She was drawn to a variety of artists with big voices including Dolly Parton, Cece Winans, Whitney Houston and LeAnn Rimes. After signing to Capitol Records Nashville, Mickey’s first appearance was an all-star concert at the White House captured by PBS. In 2015 she released her self-titled EP featuring her debut single “Better Than You Left Me.” The following year she was nominated for her first Academy of Country Music Award for New Female Vocalist. Mickey returned to the ACM Awards in 2019 performing “I’m Standing With You” from the BREAKTHROUGH movie soundtrack alongside Chrissy Metz, Carrie Underwood, Lauren Alaina and Maddie & Tae. This last year, Mickey performed her first solo ACM Awards performance of “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” with labelmate Keith Urban’s accompaniment on piano.  The performance, which HITS called “…a Whitney Houston/Beyoncé power-vocal rendition of the glass-ceiling reckoning…” was named one of the best performances of the night. Mickey released her EP, Bridges, on September 11, which includes “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?”, hailed by Variety as “country music’s song of the year”, as well as, “Black Like Me,” a song Mickey co-wrote in March 2019 at a cross-genre writing camp. Due to demand, “Black Like Me” was released in June and was named one of the Top 5 songs of 2020 by NPR and The Associated Press. Mickey recently made history as the first Black female solo artist to earn a GRAMMY nomination in a country category (Best Country Solo Performance) for “Black Like Me.” Mickey and her music have been featured recently by The New York TimesCBS This MorningNPRTodayBillboardThe Los Angeles TimesEntertainment WeeklyELLE, The Washington Post, Paste, Rolling StoneThe Wall Street JournalAmerican Songwriter, and Pollstar.

About Veterans Matter: Veterans Matter provides justice for homeless veterans by providing housing to those who risked all but are now living on the streets of our nation. Their mission is simple: House as many veterans as they can, as fast as they can in permanent housing, with a 91% success rate keeping them housed. They never quit fighting for us, they will never quit fighting for them.

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Lady A Invited To Become Newest Members Of Grand Ole Opry; Honor Part Of NBC’s “Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years Of Country Music”

Lady A asked to join the Opry.  Photo credit: Chris Hollo for Grand Ole Opry

Nashville, Tenn. – January 21, 2021 –  GRAMMY®-winning group Lady A was surprised with an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry during the group’s performance taping for the upcoming two-hour NBC special, “Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music” airing Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Opry member Darius Rucker extended the invitation to Hillary, Charles and Dave on the Opry stage today and announced their membership is effective immediately. The invitation and the group’s first performance as an Opry member will be shared with fans and viewers everywhere as very special moments during the television special. Lady A made their Opry debut on Nov. 2, 2007.


Introducing the group for their performance in the special, Rucker said, “What can you say about three friends of yours who together have become one of the biggest groups in Country Music history? Well, how about this? This trio are multi-platinum superstars, seven-time Grammy Award winners and seven-time CMA Award winners too. And I feel so honored to stand here in the Opry House and hope they accept the invitation I am thrilled to be offering them tonight. So, what do you say, Lady A? Would you like to become members of the Opry?”

“This is the best surprise we could ever ask for,” Lady A’s Hillary Scott said. “I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl so to say we are honored is an understatement. We are so truly grateful to officially be a part of this amazing family.”

Grand Ole Opry members Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton will serve as co-hosts for “Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music,” honoring the iconic Nashville show and the incredible country stars that call it home.  The two-hour special is set to air Sunday, Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
The “Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music” telecast is a production of Grand Ole Opry and Brad Lachman Productions with Lachman serving as executive producer. Along with Lachman, Dan Rogers and Scott Bailey are executive producers. Bill Bracken, Brad Lachman Productions, is co-executive producer.

ABOUT LADY A
Over the course of their decade-plus career, Lady A has become one of the 21st century’s premier vocal groups, blending deeply felt emotions with classic Country sounds. While ushering more than 18 million album units, 34 million tracks sold and nearly five billion digital streams, the trio recently earned their 11th career No. One with the multi-week chart topper “Champagne Night.” Additionally, the trio earned the biggest first week streams of their career with their critically acclaimed No. One album OCEAN. Known for their 9X Platinum hit “Need You Now” which is the highest certified song by a Country group, they have earned CMA “Vocal Group of the Year” trophies three years in a row and countless other honors including five GRAMMY awards, Billboard Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards and a Tony Award nod. The trio recently announced details for their newly formed LadyAID Scholarship Fund, supporting students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. With the hopes of helping relieve financial barriers to higher education and empower Black communities around the country, the applications will be available in early 2021 and more info can be found here. For more information visit www.ladya.com.

ABOUT THE GRAND OLE OPRY
Opry presents the best in country music live every week from Nashville, Tenn. The Opry can be heard at opry.com and wsmonline.com, Opry and WSM mobile apps, SiriusXM, and its flagship home, 650 AM-WSM. The Grand Ole Opry is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE: RHP). For more information, visit opry.com.

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