Elvie Shane’s “My Boy” continues chart climb

Opry debut, hot EP… and a new baby!

By  Preshias Harris

Elvie Shane continues his steady rise up the country charts with his debut single, “My Boy,” released on Wheelhouse Records, a BBR Music Group imprint. For the survey dated Aug 14, 2021, “My Boy” climbs 15 to 13 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in its forty-fourth consecutive week charting there.

For the same week, “My Boy” jumps 22 to 19 after sixteen weeks on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart that combines sales, airplay and streaming data compiled by MRC Data.

Elvie’s success means a great deal to me personally. I first heard “My Boy” when he sang and played it to me in my office in Nashville, where he and I were working on developing his music career.  His star quality and – equally important – his strength of character and vision were undeniable even in those early days.

One day, Elvie invited me to lunch. But when we were in the car, he had a surprise for me.  “We’re not going to lunch,” he said. “I’m taking you with me when I sign my record deal at Broken Bow.”

Preshias Harris with Elvie Shane as he prepares to sign with Broken Bow Records. Photo credit: Cody Heckber

I shed tears of joy that day, and the photo commemorating that special event takes pride of place in my office today.  He is an inspiration to my current roster of emerging songwriters and artists who can see that a successful career in music is attainable despite the many challenges.

Continue reading “Elvie Shane’s “My Boy” continues chart climb”

Inside Track Summer Edition now posted

Warm weather, hot music news

Inside Track on Music Row, my monthly music column, is now posted and ready to read at Nashville Music Guide. This month’s column is a special ‘Summer Edition’ with even more news than usual including info on upcoming tours, album releases, artist and songwriter news and more. Inside Track is the longest running monthly country music column in the USA. Read the entire column here. Meanwhile, here is a teaser with just a few of the stories in this month’s column…

  • Country’s top stars pay tribute to Charlie Daniels on new album
  • Thomas Rhett and dad Rhett Akins team up on “Things Dads Do”
  • Doyle Lawson set to release final album before retiring
  • Male trio Texas Hill‘s 8-song collection Stabal Session (Live Acoustic)
  • Buck Owens albums from the 60s and 70s re-released on CD & digital
  • Chris Lane will kick off Fill Them Boots Tour in October

scroll down to read these items…

ALBUM NEWS: Walmart is helping pay tribute to the late Charlie Daniels by exclusively carrying an upcoming collaborative album that features the Country Music Hall of Fame member dueting with some of the biggest stars in country music, bluegrass, and southern rock. The physical edition of Charlie Daniels & Friends – Duets (via Blue Hat Records & BFD / Audium Nashville) will be available for purchase in all Walmart stores and walmart.com on Friday, July 16.

“It goes without saying that it’s been a rough year for my mom and I, our CDB family and dad’s fans,” says Daniels’ son, Charlie Daniels Jr. “But his music will live on forever, and we’re happy that this Duets collection will add to his legacy.” The nineteen-track compilation features Daniels singing and pickin’ with a slew of top-notch stars including Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn, Darius Rucker, Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Brenda Lee, Gretchen Wilson, Marty Stuart and more. Album details and pre-order info here

Continue reading “Inside Track Summer Edition now posted”

Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw, LANCO and more in the news

‘Inside Track on Music Row’ May 2021 now posted!

The May 2021 edition of ‘Inside Track on Music Row’ is now posted at Nashville Music Guide! It’s the longest continuously-running monthly country music column in the USA, and as always Amanda and her team at NMG have added all the ‘bells and whistles’ with links, videos, photos and music you won’t find anywhere else. Read the entire column here at NMG.

Among the content you will find there…

  • Chris Stapleton takes home Album of the Year Award at the ACM Awards for Starting Over, produced by Dave Cobb…
  • Share a “First Beer” with LANCO as their current single reminisces about “our first drink and the people we were with”…
  • Alan Jackson asks Where Have You Gone with his first studio album of new music in six years, set for release May 14…
  • Kolt Barber is on the road, combining his traditional brand of country with rodeo on The American Cowboy Showdown
  • Larry Gatlin reveals that he was the ‘unnamed country singer’ with a cocaine addiction in Matthew McConaughey’s new memoir Greenlights
  • Exile – my favorite Kentucky group – announced a VIP live online concert set for May 20, 2021…

…plus a whole lot more, ready for you to read right now. Hop on over to Nashville Music Guide’s website here and catch up with the news on my ‘Inside Track on Music Row.’

 Preshias Harris  is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at   www.collegeofsongology.com   Follow her blog at  www.nashvillemusicline.com

Josiah Siska is out to “Get a Girl” with new single

The country baritone voice that touches listeners’ hearts

By Preshias Harris

“For me, the greatest reward from performing is the satisfaction of realizing people in the crowd understand you,” says Josiah Siska, the Black River Entertainment recording artist and songwriter.  He explains, “When I write songs, when I play my music or when I cut a song, it’s always something that I can relate to; a story from my life, something that I’ve lived or an experience, a mood or a love that I’ve felt.”

That’s also what draws Josiah to songs written by other songwriters such as “To Get A Girl.” It’s his current single written by Danny Myrick, Josh Ronen, and Landon Wall and released by Black River in early March 2021. Watch the official lyric video here

“I’m not too great at communicating with strangers all the time,” Josiah admits, “But when I play my music on stage, the people in the crowd get to hear me. When they tell me that it’s good, I feel real good.  That’s the most rewarding thing about being an artist for me.”

The Gwinnett, Georgia, native is a multi-instrumentalist. He plays electric, acoustic and classical guitar, as well as the banjo and piano. He was working at a Dacula, Georgia, golf club when he auditioned for Season 15 of American Idol, impressing the judges with his rendition of “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” It was the first big step on his musical journey. 

Idol: A leap of faith

“It was kind of a blind leap, just blind faith,” he says of his decision to try out for Idol. “I went out to Hollywood by myself. I auditioned when I was seventeen, I turned eighteen when I got accepted on the show and I did it all on my own.”

Continue reading “Josiah Siska is out to “Get a Girl” with new single”

‘Inside Track on Music Row’ January 2021

Check out this month’s Nashville Music Guide

Kickin’ off the New Year with a whole bunch of country music news in my column, Inside Track on Music Row, the longest continuously-running monthly country music column in the USA. Click here to read it in the January edition of Nashville Music Guide.

Among the many news items in this month’s column:

  • New albums from Brandy Clark, Chris Stapleton, Alex Hall and Bill Anderson
  • A look at Shenandoah’s 2020 all-star project, Every Road
  • The Grammys are set for Jan 31 and here’s a glance at all the nominations in the country music categories
  • Two new syndicated radio shows from Hope Radio: 90s Country Flashback and 615 The Grind
  • 2020 was a great year for Curb’s ‘golden boy’ Lee Brice. Or should that be ‘platinum boy’?
  • Dates announced for Tin Pan South 2021
  • Brady Seals (Little Texas) releases new autobiography, God Blessed Texas and Me Too
  • Plus Matt Stell, Eric Church, Blane Howard, Old Dominion, Chris Young and more. Catch the entire column in the January 2021 Nashville Music Guide.

Preshias Harris  is an advocate for songwriters and a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at   www.collegeofsongology.com   Follow her blog at  www.nashvillemusicline.com

@PreshiasHarris #PreshiasHarris

Dangerous! Morgan Wallen’s new 30-track double album

Preshias talks country music with Y’all Show host Jon Rawl

Another busy week on Music Row. @PreshiasHarris and Jon discuss a bunch of topics on this week’s livestream that you can watch now on the Ya’ll Show website or the Y’all Show YouTube channel. Among the topics:

  • Morgan Wallen’s new double album includes collaborations with some of Nashville’s biggest writers and artists
  • Terry McBride – of McBride & the Ride – releases a new album, and the Ride’s entire catalog is now available on Spotify
  • Tim McGraw and FGL’s Tyler Hubbard are “Undivided” on a new heartfelt song of unity
  • Three sad losses for Nashville: the passing of Ed Bruce, Jamie O’Hara and Misty Morgan
  • Thomas Rhett launches Dos Primos tequila and joins the list of country artists in the wine and liquor business
  • Lady A’s “Champagne Night” takes the charts by storm after Songland TV show
  • Plus an “I Know Country” Q&A, some country artists celebrating birthdays this week, the Top 5 Country Airplay songs and more. Scroll down to read the program notes, and watch the livestream at the Y’all Show website or the Y’all Show YouTube channel.
Continue reading “Dangerous! Morgan Wallen’s new 30-track double album”

Cassadee, Tanya, Darius, Reba and more

Country music news with Preshias on the Y’all show

Preshias and Y’all Show host Jon Rawl talk about what’s happening in the world of country music in this week’s livestream.

Among the topics:

  • Cassadee Pope faces her fear of cooking
  • Carrie Underwood’s My Gift album debuts at No. 1
  • Mac Davis ‘buried in his blue jeans’ in Lubbock
  • Tanya Tucker’s live version of “Delta Dawn”
  • Reba McEntire & Darius Rucker to host CMA Awards
  • A country music Q&A from Preshias’ book, “I Know Country” and more

Watch the show at the Y’all website or on YouTube.

 Preshias Harris  is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at   www.collegeofsongology.com   Follow her blog at  www.nashvillemusicline.com

Inside Track on Music Row: what’s new in Nashville

October’s Inside Track by Preshias now posted at NMG

You’ll find around 30 news items in this month’s column that I have been writing for more than a quarter of a century! Inside Track on Music Row is the longest continuously-published monthly country music column in America – and probably the world.

Thanks, as always, to Amanda Andrews and her crew at Nashville Music Guide for making Inside Track on Music Row look SO good every month. For October, you’ll find the entire column with added music, videos, photos, graphics and more.

Among the many news items and stories in the October 2020 Inside Track:

  • Keith Urban’s new album, The Speed of Now
  • Reba McEntire’s 30th Anniversary edition of Rumor Has It
  • Ashley Gorley named Songwriter of the Year for a record fifth time
  • New music from Shenandoah, their first in 26 years
  • Chris Stapleton drops another single, ahead of the November release of Starting Over
  • Hit writer Kent Blazy (“If Tomorrow Never Comes”) releases Authentic album
  • Christmas albums from Dolly, Carrie, Maddie & Tae and more
  • Updates on rescheduled tours for Scotty McCreery, Lee Brice
  • The only 2020 live gig for superstar group Alabama
  • New single, video and Neon Town album from David Adam Byrnes
  • Ray Stevens is livin’ it up in quarantine with hit song and video
  • UK trio Essex County crossing the pond with “Love at First”

Plus more ‘news you need to know’ for music industry insiders and country music fans. It’s all in the October Inside Track on Music Row at Nashville Music Guide Magazine (print and online). Find the October edition of Inside Track on Music Row by Preshias here.

NMG has been publicizing Singers, Musicians, and Writers to Nashville’s Music Row and Beyond Since 1995.

 Preshias Harris  is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at   www.collegeofsongology.com   Follow her blog at  www.nashvillemusicline.com

David Adam Byrnes lights up ‘Neon Town’

New album and single from a country artist on the rise

By Preshias Harris

 Recently, I caught up with David Adam Byrnes, a singer-songwriter on the verge of major stardom with a new album, Neon Town, set for release in October.

I have known Arkansas-born David Adam for years, both as an industry friend and a fan of his music. I sent him a “12 Pack” of questions, and reading his answers (via e-mail) made me laugh and smile!  It was definitely my dose of sunshine for the week.

But first, the big news about his new album. From a small-town Arkansas kid to a mainstream songwriting scholarship in Nashville to a return to his independent country music roots, David Adam Byrnes is making the scene in Texas with singles flying up the Texas radio chart.

On October 2nd, Byrnes released his new album Neon Town, and for several months its presence has already been felt with three back-to-back #1 hit singles.  The very week the second single, “I Can Give You One,” hits #1 in Texas, the virus pandemic hits the world.  Shows canceled, album release canceled…life as we know it, canceled.  After months of shutdown David decided that the show must go on. On April 10th he released his new single “Neon Town,” the title track to the new album, and it has also reached the #1 spot.

Continue reading “David Adam Byrnes lights up ‘Neon Town’”

Preshias talks about this week’s Nashville news

Mac Davis passes, new albums from Chris Stapleton, Shenandoah and Dolly, the Opry at 95 and more

Watch the show on YouTube here.

Among the topics they discussed:

  • The sad loss of singer-songwriter Mac Davis at age 78
  • “Cold,” the new song from Chris Stapleton’s upcoming album, Starting Over
  • Every Road is the title of the new album from Shenandoah – their first album of all-new music in 26 years
  • The Grand Ole Opry celebrates its 95th year with a lot of stars but not much of a ‘live’ audience
  • Carrie Underwood is set to perform songs from her Christmas album, My Gift, on an HBO Max Special
  • Time-Life is releasing a 19-DVD deluxe set titled Dolly: The Ultimate Collection, and Dolly Parton’s Holly Dolly Christmas album arrives October 2nd
  • An “I Know Country” Q&A from Preshias’ book of the same name, and more!

Find this week’s Y’all Show on YouTube here or see the show and read the program notes at the Y’all website here.

 Preshias Harris  is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at   www.collegeofsongology.com   Follow her blog at  www.nashvillemusicline.com