September’s “Inside Track on Music Row” is now posted and ready to read. It’s my monthly roundup of country music news and is the longest-running monthly country music column in America. You can read the entire column (and previous columns) at my “I Know Country” website, and it is also posted at Nashville Music Guide. (Thank you, NMG, for the Inside Track logo, above!) Here are three quick column items as a ‘teaser.’
KENTUCKY MUSIC HALL of FAME NEWS

In my homestate of KY, The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame has announced their ‘Class of 2018’ inductees. They are: Grand Ole Opry Star David “Stringbean” Akeman; 5-time IBMA Female Bluegrass artist of the Year Dale Ann Bradley; Grammy & Dove Award winner Jason Crabb; superstar recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus, hit songwriter and recording artist Jackie DeShannon; and “Boy with the Lute” Opry member Bobby Lewis. The induction ceremony will be held May 11, 2018, at the Center For Rural Development in Somerset, KY. The KMHoF honors Kentucky-born performers, songwriters, publishers, promoters, managers and other music professionals who have made significant contributions to the music industry locally and around the world. Former inductees include Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, Florence Henderson, Clarence Spalding, Rosemary Clooney, and many more.
ROAD NEWS:

Dierks Bentley’s 2017 WHAT THE HELL WORLD TOUR has proven to be a force to be reckoned with as crowds of 25,000+, the biggest of his career, continue to flood arenas and amphitheaters across the country. He claimed the top spot on Billboard’s “Hot Tours” list selling more than half a million tickets before summer concert season even began. From impromptu bluegrass sets in disguise to dancing in aisles with security guards, to touching salutes for military members to backstage antics with Jon Pardi, Bentley once again proves it’s the spontaneous moments that count. “I don’t want security, I don’t want anyone pushing people around. I’d rather risk bodily harm than have anyone be pushed or shoved,” said Bentley. “I’m dancing with girls in the aisles; I’m giving massages to the security people, like chop sueys on their backs.” Tour details at dierks.com.
R.O.P.E AWARD NEWS:

Rex Allen Jr., noted as “the Golden Voice of Country and Western Music,” is among some of the most legendary names in music on the 2017 R.O.P.E. Award Show Ballot. Allen is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, as well as Songwriter of the Year. Allen is nominated alongside a long list of legends, including Leona Williams, Jeannie Seely, Gene Watson, The Osborne Brothers, Bill Anderson, Dallas Frazier and Willie Nelson. Voting is underway now. Winners will be announced October 5th at R.O.P.E.’S 30th Annual Golden Banquet at the Al Menah Shrine Temple in Nashville, Tennessee. The event will include a special tribute for Country Music Hall of Fame Member Mac Wiseman. Rex Allen Jr. is currently on his farewell tour, Sunrise to Sunset, but continues to record. Tour info and more at rexallenjr.com
… and the full column can be found on the ‘blog’ page at iknowcountry.com.








This week we would like you to meet one of our Individual Creator Members, Preshias Harris. (From the
To read the full Q&A article, and to find out more about the great work that Copyright Alliance does on behalf of songwriters, recording artists and every genre of creativity, visit 
“Yours If You Want It” made it to the top of Billboard and Country Aircheck/Mediabase Country Airplay charts. Adding to the trio’s kudos, the song marked their second back-to-back chart-topper, following their summer anthem, “I Like The Sound of That.”
Rascal Flatts also announced that their new single, “Back To Us,” will impact Country radio Monday, August 21. The song, co-written by Cary Barlowe, David Hodges and Josh Thompson, is the title track from the trio’s tenth studio album, BACK TO US.
At the Number One party, a smiling Gary LeVox said, “We’re really looking forward to the Venetian residency.” The trio has been touring almost non-stop, racking up more than ten million tickets sold. The Las Vegas residency will give them a well-earned opportunity to stay in one place, if only for a few weeks.
At an August 15 press conference, Dolly announced the release of I BELIEVE IN YOU, her first album written and recorded specifically for kids (and presumably also for the young at heart). A digital release of the new album on Dolly Records/RCA Nashville will be available September 29 and the physical album will street worldwide on October 13. All 14 tracks on the album were written and performed by Dolly Parton.





Aldean’s most recent album, THEY DON’T KNOW, follows each album release earning PLATINUM certification or better, tallying more than 15 million total album sales and 19 No. One hits. The longevity of his career reached new heights as he debuted at the No. One position on Billboard’s all-genre Top 200 Album chart for the third consecutive time. In addition to his THEY DON’T KNOW TOUR, the
My dear friend Lisa Wysocki reminded me about
1. Gift and organic products sold through
EmiSunshine, the extraordinary talent who burst into stardom four short years ago as a nine-year-old via viral video, is set to release her new album, RAGGED DREAMS (her fourth studio recording), on August 25, 2017. The little girl with a big voice, who recently celebrated her 13th birthday, has made her mark shattering preconceived notions of youthful imagery that embraces gleeful innocence and optimism.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Hope Nation Radio will host a fundraiser at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville on Wednesday September 6, 2017. Doors open at 6:00 pm and the show starts at 7:00 pm. The show will benefit the
About Live4Tay Foundation: The foundation financially supports families who have children with cancer by raising money and awareness through benevolent fundraising events. They have helped 110 families in Tennessee and raised around $200k for local families. They also assist other organizations in financing research for preventing and curing cancer, especially in children. Find out more about the live4Tay Foundation
As you know, virtually all other countries get by with one P.R.O. The USA has three: ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Actually, there are four, if you include Global Music Rights (GMR) an invitation-only organization formed by Irving Azoff in 2013. Although all the P.R.O.s have a good working relationship, there have been limited instances of any of them truly working together. Until now.
We now have what appears to be good news for songwriters, publishers and those wishing to more easily identify information to, say, acquire sync licenses. The announcement came a few days after news that Rep Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis) had introduced the Transparency in Music Licensing and Ownership Act that was not viewed favorably by the P.R.O.s representing songwriters and publishers.
