Country music’s hottest new albums, singles and tours!

By Preshias Harris

SO much great music news! How can we fit it all in?! New albums, singles, tours and more from Gabby Barrett, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson, Shaboozey, Lady A, CJ Solar, Alana Springsteen, Brad Paisley, Little Big Town, Cody Jinx, Allie Colleen, Riley Green, The Highwomen, Don Williams, Ashley Cooke, Vince Gill, LOCASH & Parmalee plus new releases from emerging artists, upcoming music festivals and more. Thank you for making Inside Track on Music Row the longest continuously-published monthly country music column in the USA!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I feel, as a songwriter, it’s one of the hardest things to do – to sit down and say how you feel.” – Bruno Mars

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. – Psalm 74:17

RILEY GREEN

RILEY GREEN: Amid another massive year of touring sold-out arenas, new career feats, and major award show milestones, Country superstar Riley Green announces his fourth studio album, That’s Just Me out September 18th (pre-save/pre-order here). Produced by Dann Huff and Green, the project will be released via Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment. Alongside the announcement, Green also released the second track from the record, “Think As You Drunk” (listen here).

Written and recorded during a pivotal year in Riley Green’s life and in the midst of the biggest tour of his career to date, That’s Just Me is a deeply personal multi-faceted body of work that captures the many sides of Green as an artist, but more importantly as a songwriter. Rooted in his signature Country storytelling with a strong western spirit, the record moves effortlessly between tender moments of yearning, brooding, and heartbreak, carefree beachy anthems, and the fun-loving drinking songs fans have come to love. Reflecting a season of change and growth, That’s Just Me showcases Green at a defining moment, revealing new layers while staying true to the authenticity that has always driven his music. Follow Green on FacebookXInstagramTikTok and YouTube.

  • See also Number One News, below. 

VINCE GILL

VINCE GILL: Music icon Vince Gill has released A Mother’s Prayer, the newest in his year-long EP series titled 50 Years From Home. Gill also launched his 50 Years From Home tour in June, a 27-city run including a six-night residency at the historic Ryman Auditorium. A complete list of dates can be found here.

Each of Gill’s EP releases thus far have centered around a unifying idea and theme. The glue holding the seven songs on the eighth installment, A Mother’s Prayer, is a bit more subtle, but the connection is revealed after listening all the way through and considering the context. Like the other 50 Years From Home EPs, A Mother’s Prayer was produced by Gill at his home studio near Nashville, with engineers Justin Niebank and Matt Rausch.

“I think with each of these EPs, I’m working toward pairing the songs that will sit together, that flow together, that sequence well,” Gill explains. “I like the theme of these songs, what they’re about. Where they came from. There are definitely some very personal ones on A Mother’s Prayer.” More at vincegill.com and on FacebookInstagramX, and YouTube.

THE HIGHWOMEN

THE HIGHWOMEN, the acclaimed collaborative movement formed by Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby, share their new live album, Live at The Gorge 2023—available to stream everywhere: listen here. Alongside the digital album, a new live music video for “Redesigning Women” is available here.

“We weren’t planning on releasing a live album,” shares the group, “But in preparing for our upcoming reunion we recently listened back to The Gorge, and whatever happened out there that night came rushing right back…the adrenaline, the near misses, the harmonies locking in at exactly the right second, and the sound of thousands of people singing like they meant every word with their whole chest. The recordings sound wild, emotional, electric, human and exactly how that night felt…We could really feel the connection, the community and that rare oneness where everybody carried each other for a little while … Just us, the crowd, the canyon, and whatever that feeling was. We sure hope you feel it.” More at TheHighwomen.com and InstagramFacebook and YouTube.

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Tin Pan South is back with new features for ’24

98 shows at 10 venues, April 2-6, 2024

By Preshias Harris

Once again, Nashville will be where you’ll find songwriters and the people who love them, as they descend on venues across Music City in April for the 32nd Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival presented by Regions – and a new venue has been added to the program.

The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has announced details about the Festival that will take place April 2 through April 6, 2024.  As in previous years, it features a five-day festival of highly-anticipated songwriter performances, along with some additional events that are new to Tin Pan South this year. Scroll down for venues and new ticketing info.

New programs for 2024

For the first time, festival programming will include two midday events diving deeper into the world of songwriting. Hosted by Analog at the Hutton Hotel, at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 there will be a Legislative Panel featuring Danielle Aguirre (EVP & General Counsel, National Music Publishers Association), Mitch Glazier (Chairman & CEO, Recording Industry Association of America) and Bart Herbison (Executive Director, Nashville Songwriters Association International). Later the same day, there will be a Songwriter Conversation featuring Siedah Garrett (“Man In The Mirror”, “Love You I Do”) at 2:00pm with an option to also purchase a lunch add-on for the afternoon. 

Hit songwriter Jackie DeShannon

Additionally, Tin Pan South has partnered with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to present a Poets and Prophets program featuring singer-songwriter (and an inductee in both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Kentucky Music Hall of Fame) Jackie DeShannon on Saturday, April 6 at 2:30pm.  Festival ticket-purchasers can purchase discounted museum admission and reserve tickets to the program here. This ticket includes museum admission with an entry time of 12:45pm, followed by the program.

Venues and ticketing

For the evening performances that attendees have come to know and love, this year promises to bring incredible talent to the stages of several returning venues and a new addition to the festival family, Anzie Blue. Returning venues include: 3rd and Lindsley Nashville, Analog at the Hutton Hotel, The Bluebird Cafe, The Lounge at City Winery Nashville, Commodore Grille, Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole, Hard Rock Cafe, The Listening Room Café and The Station Inn.

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Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival draws 25,000+ fans

Here’s our photo journal of musical highlights

by Preshias Harris with photos by Tori Perry

It was a full weekend of amazing music and much more on Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24, 2023 at the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival.

All photos © 2023 Tori Perry Photography. May not be reproduced without express written permission

Ashley McBryde takes the stage on Day Two of the Pilgrimage Festival. Photo credit: Tori Perry Photography

The Festival – held once again at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee – was a ‘sold out’ success with more than 25,000 attendees. In addition to the music coming from three stages, visitors could find more than forty food and beverage vendors set up in the Park, many offering local cuisine. Others headed for Makers Village to check out a number of offerings from artisans and crafters from Nashville and the Southeast.

Better Than Ezra rock the stage. Photo credit: Tori Perry Photography

The Lumineers headlined Saturday’s event along with a full slate of star acts that included The Black Crowes, The Head and The Heart, Yola, Better Than Ezra, James Bay, Hailey Whitters, Boy Named Banjo and more.

A moody moment during the Lumineers’ Saturday night set. Photo credit: Tori Perry Photography

Zach Brown topped the bill on Sunday with surprise guests The War & Treaty and even invited an audience member up on stage to join him at the mic.  Among other surprises, Charlie Worsham was joined by his buddy Dierks Bentley and singer-songwriter Ian Munsick.  

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