Labor Day music news update

A roundup of music news you can use for Labor Day and beyond

by Preshias Harris

As summer draws to a close, there’s still plenty of music and shows plus a lot of upcoming Fall tours! Scroll down to read a digest of music news you can use about Michael Ray‘s live duet video, Trace Adkins‘ 20th year as an Opry member, Drake White‘s single and tour update, a new book about George Jones, the new Craig Campbell album, a Mariachi twist on “Rhinestone Cowgirl,” news items about BRELAND, Alana Springsteen, Matt Stell, Sam Grow, Kendall Tucker, Brent Cobb, the Grand Ole Opry‘s 98th birthday bash and so much more! A big ‘Thank You’ to all the artists’ reps and publicists who keep me in the loop with what’s happening!

Michael Ray releases ‘live’ video of “Spirits and Demons” video with Meghan Patrick

During CMA Fest, Michael Ray treated fans to an “upclose and personal” performance of all the tracks on his new EP, Dive Bars & Broken Hearts. The highly-anticipated event was held at the “off Broadway” location, The 5 Spot.  Now Michael has sent out this message to fans who wanted to relive the moment, or for those who were unable to attend:  

“Back in June I took the stage with my friend Meghan Patrick to perform our new song ‘Spirits And Demons’ for the first time. Since y’all continue to show this song so much love, we wanted to release the original performance video!” – Michael Ray

Watch the “Spirits And Demons” video here and listen to Michael Ray’s Dive Bars & Broken Hearts EP here.  Tour and ticket info and more about Michael at his website. #MichaelRay

Trace Adkins marks his Opry 20th anniversary; releases “Somewhere in America” video

Trace Adkins celebrates his 20th anniversary as an Opry member

Multi-Platinum entertainer and TV/film actor Trace Adkins has marked another career milestone, appearing on the iconic Grand Ole Opry to celebrate his 20th anniversary as an Opry member. Invited in 2003 by the late Little Jimmy Dickens – who stood on a stepladder to ask the towering star face-to-face – Adkins was officially inducted on August 23 that year by his personal hero, Ronnie Milsap, and has gone on to proudly represent the Opry family with countless performances since.

Needless to say, his latest appearance was a special one.  During the show, Adkins delivered two separate performances to a roaring crowd and nationwide audience – including “Kiss You All Over” with Exile, plus a special four-song set to close the show featuring mega hits “Songs About Me” and “You’re Gonna Miss This.” Surprising Adkins in between songs, the Opry rolled a congratulatory video message from Blake Shelton, where he joked “I’m so happy that I could not be there.”  Adkins shared onstage what being an Opry member for 20 years meant to him. “For me, it means that I’m a better man than I would have been had I not been a member of the Grand Ole Opry because I take it very seriously.” See Adkins’ tour details here.  #TraceAdkins

Trace Adkins. Photo credit: Sharia Pruitt Higgins

Adkins recently released the video for “Somewhere In America,” filmed on location at Adkins’ Somewhere In America: A Concert For Mayfield presented by KIOTI Tractor, which took place on May 20, helping lift up this Western Kentucky region after a deadly 2021 tornado claimed more than 50 lives and displaced thousands from their homes. Watch the video here. #TraceAdkins

Drake White’s tour follows single release, “Benefit for the Brain” Ryman show

Country-Soul singer Drake Whites inspiring “Benefit for the Brain,” a one-night-only charity concert took the stage Monday, August 28 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Featuring performances by White, Riley Green, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson and more, the event served as an encouraging night raising funds and awareness for mental and brain health – a deeply personal cause for White, who survived an onstage stroke in 2019. 

Continue reading “Labor Day music news update”

NAMM Oral History Program posts 5,000th interview

Kevin McGinty, Opry audio engineer, shares wit and wisdom

By Preshias Harris

It seems hard to believe, but NAMM has been around for more than a hundred and twenty years.  The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) was founded in 1901 with a mission to strengthen the music products industry and promote the pleasures and benefits of making music.

Since those early days, NAMM has achieved national (and now international) acclaim, not only for the stunning annual music industry trade shows, but increasingly for the development of relevant educational programs for NAMM members. NAMM also focuses on promoting music education as a right for all children in the face of cutbacks at school districts nationwide.

2000 saw the launch of the NAMM Oral History Program with the stated goal of preserving the rich history of the music industry through first-person accounts of the people with the hands-on experience in music product creation, pro audio, live sound, entertainment technology, recording artists and more.

The NAMM Oral History Program recently celebrated an amazing milestone: their 5,000th interview.  Think about that: it’s an achievement that would be the envy of any television network, but as a project produced with the sole focus on the music industry, it’s even more remarkable.

Grand Ole Opry audio engineer Kevin McGinty

In this special 5,000th edition, the program features Kevin McGinty, famed audio engineer, and Front of House for the Grand Ole Opry that presents the best in country music live every week from Nashville.

Continue reading “NAMM Oral History Program posts 5,000th interview”

‘Inside Track’ mid-month music roundup

Sneak peek at April’s Inside Track on Music Row

By Preshias Harris

Lots of news about Country artists and songwriters, record labels, upcoming albums, singles and tracks, and all of it will be in the April 2022 edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row, the longest-running country music column in the USA, published by Nashville Music Guide.  Scroll down for a sneak peek at some of the news items already scheduled for the April column – and check out the March 2022 column, posted here at Nashville Music Guide, with my thanks to Amanda and her crew at NMG for always making the column look SO good!

Opry to celebrate life of Merle Haggard April 6

Merle Haggard in 21971. Photo: Wikipedia

The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate one of country music’s most influential artists, Merle Haggard, on the anniversary of both his birth and his death, Wednesday, April 6. Haggard was born on April 6, 1937 and passed away April 6, 2016.

The special Wednesday Night Opry will feature performances by just a few of the countless artists who have been influenced by the legend including Suzy Bogguss, his son Marty Haggard, Cody Johnson, Joe Nichols, Eli Paperboy Reed, and ACM New Female Artist winner Lainey Wilson, among others. Artists will perform Haggard classics as well as their own hits influenced by the Country Music Hall of Famer.  Tickets for the “Opry Salutes Merle Haggard” Wednesday Night Opry are on sale at (615) 871-OPRY and https://www.opry.com.  The special Wednesday night show is part of a special three-week run of Wednesday Night Opry shows during the spring break period. Wednesday shows are scheduled to return for an extended run this summer. The special Wednesday Night Opry can be heard on opry.com and https://wsmradio.com,  SiriusXM Willie’s Roadhouse, and the show’s flagship radio home, WSM Radio.  

Continue reading “‘Inside Track’ mid-month music roundup”

Kentucky Headhunters make Grand Ole Opry debut

Thirty years later…

By Preshias Harris

Grammy Award-winning southern rock, blues and country group The Kentucky Headhunters have officially made their debut on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

Wait, what?!

That has to be a misprint, surely. Three decades at the top of their game and it wasn’t until December 2021 that the Headhunters made it to the Opry? Well, it might be hard to believe but yes, it’s true.

However, they almost played the Opry way back at the beginning of the band’s climb to stardom. Apparently, bluegrass icon Bill Monroe was impressed with their debut album, Pickin’ on Nashville, and suggested that the Opry invite them to appear. In an interview with the Nashville Tennessean, Headhunters co-founder Richard Young said, “I wasn’t there, [but] it was said that Roy Acuff said, ‘They’re probably pretty good boys. They’ll do a fine job, but let’s get ’em a haircut first.”

Much as they would have loved to appear at the Opry, those long-haired country boys weren’t about to get a haircut, even for Mr. Acuff.  They weren’t asked again – at least, not for thirty years.  They finally stepped onto the Opry stage as 2021 drew to a close, long hair still uncut but a little greyer than it used to be.

Continue reading “Kentucky Headhunters make Grand Ole Opry debut”

Opry NextStage announces first artist in the Class of 2021

Hailey Whitters’ “12-year journey in a 10-year town”

By Preshias Harris

As the Grand Ole Opry gets back to entertaining full-capacity audiences, some rising ‘next generation’ stars will be taking the stage.

During a Zoom meeting on June 1, Jordan Pettit, the Director of Artist Relations for Opry Entertainment Group, announced the first artist to be part of the class of 2021 in the Opry NextStage program.

Pettit introduced Hailey Whitters, a singer-songwriter from Ville, Iowa. She recalled visiting the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 15. Backstage, she boldly went up to Little Jimmy Dickens and told him, “I’m going to be in country music someday.” Dickens told her to keep on saying it. Two years later, she moved to Nashville and played her first gig at Ri’chards Café in Little Creek, Tennessee. A few years later, she was back at Ri’chard’s, but this time she was waiting tables and keeping her dream alive.

As Pettit pointed out, Whitters is “now twelve years into a ten-year town” and the release of her album, The Dream, showed the depth of her creativity as an artist and a songwriter.  In his introduction, Pettit described Whitters as “so vulnerable, bold, honest and raw.”  Whitters said that being part of country music and performing on the Opry stage “was all I ever wanted to do.” She made her Opry debut on August 7, 2019 and will take the stage for the Opry’s Saturday show on June 5.

Continue reading “Opry NextStage announces first artist in the Class of 2021”

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

‘Breaking Artists’ series offers inspiration

NATD brings in panel of experts with straight talk

By Preshias Harris

Being ‘good’ is not good enough. Aspiring artists heard that sobering statement from the platform as they met with members of Nashville’s music community at an NATD seminar on Tuesday, July 06.

The event was part of the NATD Speaker Series on the subject of ‘Breaking Artists.’ The series, presented by the National Association of Talent Directors (NATD) focuses on the various pathways available to artists in the country music space, both signed and independent.

The meeting was preceded by a pop-up two-song showcase by Avenue Beat. See note, below.

There were words of encouragement as well as some home truths from members of the panel about the do’s and don’ts of developing a successful career in music.

The featured speakers were:

  • Leslie Fram, Senior Vice President of Music Strategy and Talent, Country Music Television (CMT)
  • Phil Guerini, Vice President Music Strategy, Disney Channels Worldwide, and General Manager, Radio Disney Networks
  • Jordan Pettit, Director of Artist Relations and Programming Strategy, Grand Ole Opry

The event was moderated by Todd Cassetty of Cassetty Entertainment.

Artists “must be ready”

It was apparent that all three organizations represented by the panelists make a point of recognizing and developing new talent.  But they all agreed that, too often, emerging artists come to them before they are ready. Continue reading “‘Breaking Artists’ series offers inspiration”

Mark Wills to join Opry

Surprised on stage by Vince Gill

Plus… scroll down for a sneak peek at items from the January edition of my column, Inside Track on Music Row.

  • Mark Wills ‘reduced to tears’ by Vince Gill
  • Bryan Wayne’s very special album
  • Tour news from Jimmie Allen, LANCO, Kip Moore

Mark Wills to be inducted into Opry

Photo credit: Grand Ole Opry

Congrats to my friend Mark Wills who will be the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.  Vince Gill surprised Mark with the invitation on stage at the Opry on December 21. Mark was speechless with emotion, falling to his knees and covering his face with his hands. “I always liked him,” said Vince. “Now I like him even more. He’s a crybaby like me!”

I am so happy for Mark. We have known each other since the 1990s and he has always been a big supporter of the Opry (as Vince mentioned during his invitation). Mark released his first single – “Jacob’s Ladder” – way back in 1996, and chalked up two No. 1 hits, “19 Something” and “She’s in Love.” Other chart hits include “I Do (Cherish You),” “Back at One,” “She’s In Love” and “Places I’ve Never Been.”  The formal induction ceremony is set for January 11, 2019, at the Grand Ole Opry. Find tour info and more here.

Bryan Wayne, fighting ALS, releases special album

The release of Bryan Wayne’s ‘While You Wait’ album was celebrated at SESAC’s Nashville office recently. Diagnosed with terminal ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) last year, Bryan recorded the album for his wife, two boys and an industry that continues to support his dreams. The 14-song collection is available here.

“I made this record, because I knew I’d lose my voice and I wanted my boys, friends and family to hear me singing my songs forever no matter what,” said Bryan. “So many friends and family over the years had asked me when was I ever going to make a record of my own too, so here it is!”  At the celebration, Wayne was joined by friends that included Ashley Gorley (who performed the title cut), Neil Thrasher, Bonnie Baker, Jason Blaine, Joanna Janet and Big & Rich. Donations may be made to Bryan Wayne Galentine and Family by sending a check (made payable to Bryan Wayne Galentine) to: Bryan Wayne Galentine  c/o Chris Burch, 1012 16th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. A Gofundme account has also been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/thebwaynetrain

Tour news: Jimmie Allen, LANCO, Kip Moore

Continue reading “Mark Wills to join Opry”

MAGS is ‘Strong Enough’ to make her mark on Nashville

Singer, dancer, multi-instrumentalist plays her first CMA Fest 

MAGS, performing live

Mags McCarthy, known professionally simply as MAGS, grew up on a farm like many country artists. However, this farm wasn’t in Alabama, Georgia or Tennessee. Her family farm is in County Cork, Ireland.

Recognized at a young age as an accomplished dancer, singer and instrumentalist (primarily the violin) she joined the world-famous Irish dance troupe, Rhythm of the Dance, touring with them all over the world.

Branching out to become a solo performer, she has continued to tour worldwide and has performed before members of the British Royal Family, the President of Ireland and at the White House for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. She has racked up more than 600 tour dates in the past two years, often breaking into a dance as she sings and plays her fiddle, passed down to her by her grandfather.

She played to enthusiastic audiences during CMA Fest in Nashville where she now makes her home since moving here in January 2018. We met on Music Row to talk about her new single, ‘Strong Enough,’ and what brought her to Nashville.

Need to be in Nashville

Preshias Harris: You’ve toured the world as a principal dancer with Rhythm Of The Dance and as a solo performer.  What drew you to Nashville?

MAGS, with her grandfather’s fiddle. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

MAGS: I always wanted to come to Nashville. I grew up listening to Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline all my life. I was always a singer and songwriter and I always felt that I need to come to Nashville for the songs. As a singer, it is the place that everyone wants to go to – Nashville.  I lived in Los Angeles for a few years but I’ve always felt that I wanted to be in Nashville because of the music I grew up with.  So I made the big move in January and I haven’t looked back since. I absolutely love it here.

PH:  So you think it was meant to be, for you to be here?

MAGS: I do. One hundred percent.

PH: Do you feel a connection between the traditional folk music of Ireland and the Country and Bluegrass music in the States?

MAGS: Oh, it’s massive. Even my style of playing [the fiddle] I have that connection, a sort of Bluegrass playing.  I was born and raised playing Irish music but I feel that connection of where Bluegrass originated from. I think that’s one of the reasons why Ireland is so big into country music. It’s that connection to Bluegrass music.

PH: What can the audience expect to see and hear when they come to a MAGS show?

MAGS: When you come to my show, you can expect fun, energy, dancing. I love for an audience to leave feeling they’ve been fully entertained by my show, from my singing, my songwriting, my fiddle playing.  I am a bit of a ’live wire’ on stage! People have said that to me. I want them to go home having seen an artist they haven’t seen before. And that’s what I’ve always tried to portray with my talents, whether it’s my Irish dancing and playing my fiddle at the same time, or singing my own songs. I love the audience to get energized, to be happy, to feel they’ve had a night’s entertainment and I made them feel welcome.

Audience energy feedback

PH: Do you get an ‘energy feedback’ from the audience?

MAGS: Oh, one hundred percent! When I see the audience happy, it makes me want to entertain more and more and more and get them involved! The audience can ‘feed’ you and it gives you confidence.  When you go out on stage at first, you are hoping they’re going to like you.  You’re praying, oh my God, I’ll do my best here, but I’ve always tried to make them feel welcome to me and make that connection.

PH: You have a wide range of musical influences from traditional to pop to Country.  Can you tell us about how some of those influences have defined your music?

MAGS: I grew up listening to traditional Irish music and pop music as well as country. Over the years I have incorporated [the influence of] Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley, one of my favorite artists of all time. People have said to me ‘you have your own sound,’ but it’s because I’ve incorporated all of what I’ve listened to growing up all my life into my music today. That’s created my own sound from listening to Springsteen, Shania Twain, Dolly, Elvis, even to the Doobie Brothers. I listened to all that music, and to pop music today from Katy Perry to all the music kids listen to today. A huge range of genres of music. While I was performing during CMA Fest, one of the crew guys came over and was very complimentary and said, ‘you sound like Linda Ronstadt,’ and I thought that was a huge compliment.  They said I was different. I said, ‘I hope I’m not too different!’

 ‘Make it to the Opry’

‘Strong Enough’

PH: Tell us about your new single, ‘Strong Enough.’

MAGS: I’m delighted with the response I’m getting from it. People have been very supportive. I’m very, very grateful to the people who support me and follow me on social media.

 PH:  What is one of your favorite songs you’ve recorded?

MAGS: One of my favorite songs that’s precious to me is ‘Opry.’ It’s a song about my whole life story. I grew up on a farm back home and the first verse is about me growing up and wanting to go to Nashville. The chorus is:

No, nothing’s going to stop me, til I make it to the Opry

Because I know there’s always room for one more song

On stage with Garth and Dolly, I’ll be there with everybody

Please won’t somebody listen to my song

The Grand Ole Opry’s the place where I belong

And the second verse goes on about how I played in bars for tips and meals, and got taken in by crooked deals, and so on! So it pretty much tells my life story of where I am today. It’s the dream of every artist to be at the Grand ole Opry. It’s definitely my dream.

# # #

MAGS is one of the most dynamic new personalities to enter Nashville’s music scene and is set to make a major impact on country music fans in the USA and overseas. Listen to MAGS singing her new single, ‘Strong Enough,’ at her website.

 

Follow MAGS on Twitter here, on Instagram here,  and on Facebook here.  Catch her pro reel at YouTube here.

Note: I originally posted this story here on the European website for Country Music News International magazine and radio show.

# # #

Preshias Harrisis 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

Persistence pays off for Carly Pearce

Invested years building toward success

“I wouldn’t change anything about my personal journey in the industry. I had to figure out who I was as an artist. I’m glad this didn’t happen when I was twenty-one. I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now.” – Carly Pearce

It’s a long way from Taylor Mill, KY to Nashville, TN, but perseverance paid off for the 28-year-old singer-songwriter who never gave up on her dream.

[L to R] busbee, Carly Pearce and Emily Shackelton celebrate. together. Photo credit: Ed Rode
Nashville’s music community came out to celebrate the success of Carly Pearce’s ‘Every Little Thing’ (Big Machine Records) on Monday, March 19.  The Number One party, co-hosted by ASCAP and BMI was held at the CMA’s headquarters on Music Row, to honor Carly and her co-writers, Emily Shackelton and busbee.

The party celebrated ‘Every Little Thing’ topping Mediabase and Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.  Not only was it Carly’s first No. 1 single, it was also the first No. 1 for one of her co-writers, Emily Shackelton. busbee, who also produced the song, is a music industry veteran with a string of hits both as a songwriter and producer.

Carly’s whole life, she told us, has focused on music. She was speaking at a media session before the awards presentation. “I dreamed about being on stage since I was nine years old,” she said.

Carly Pearce in front of the ‘Country Forever’ wall at the CMA Offices on Music Row. Photo Credit: Preshias Harris

“I’m an only child, and my parents have always supported my dreams,” Carly said. When she was sixteen, her family relocated from Taylor Mill in Kenton County, KY, to East Tennessee so she could follow her dream by finding work at Dollywood, the entertainment complex and theme park owned by Dolly Parton. When that dream took her from Pigeon Forge to Nashville, she had to find ways to support herself, often with menial jobs such as cleaning Air B&Bs. She said that her parents’ support and encouragement kept her going, even when she became disheartened and didn’t feel she could go on.

Long way from Dollywood to Number One

It’s been a long journey from those days in her mid-teens at Dollywood to standing on a stage, holding an award for a Number One hit song. There have been ups and downs in her career, but “I wouldn’t change anything about my personal journey in the industry,” she said. “I had to figure out who I was as an artist. I’m glad this didn’t happen when I was twenty-one. I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much as I do now.”

Speaking about this special occasion, Carly revealed, “I’ve dreamt of what it would be like to have a No. 1 song since I moved to Nashville.” She continued, “If I am living proof of anything, it’s that one song can change everything. I have experienced that with my peers over the years and have listened to the stories behind the songs that changed other people’s lives.” She added that, at the time she recorded ‘Every Little Thing’ she had no idea that was going to be the song that changed her life.

Carly was scheduled to appear at The Grand Ole Opry the next evening. I asked her if it will be different this time, with a GOLD-certified single to her credit.

“I’m nearing my 50th Opry performance,” she said. “The Opry has always showed me support, even when I didn’t have a record deal or a publishing deal [and] I had nothing going on. It’s a special time every time I step on the Opry stage.”

Carly added, “I dream of being an Opry member one day.”

The song’s co-writer and producer, busbee, has written or produced songs for artists such as Christina Aguilera, Tony Braxton, Adam Lambert, Lady Antebellum and Gwen Stefani. I asked Carly what it was like working with busbee. Carly said that, when she first met him, she thought, “he’s more pop and I’m country. I’m not sure he’s going to ‘get’ me.”  However, she soon realized that it was a great working relationship. “It was amazing,” she said. “Like it was meant to be.”

ACM nomination: “I just screamed!”

Carly Pearce fields media questions before the Number One party. Photo credit: Preshias Harris

Carly was asked how she found out she had been nominated for an ACM award in the ‘New Female Vocalist of the Year’ category. She said she was in-flight on a plane when she received the news. “It’s hard to explain my feelings,” she said. “I just screamed!” She said that she used to sit on her couch, watching the show and dream of being nominated one day.  Even if she does not win, “Being recognized in an honor on its own,” she emphasized.

Carly also talked about her experiences as part of Blake Shelton’s ‘Country Music Freaks Tour’ with Trace Adkins and Brett Eldridge. She said that Blake and Gwen Stefani were so kind to her. “Gwen is the most ‘down to earth’ person I’ve ever met, even though she’s a megastar,” Carly recalled. However, she admitted she was ‘too scared’ to ask Stefani for any fashion tips!

Learning how to ‘work’ an audience

Asked what she learned from the tour, Carly said, “I’m stronger than I think I am. I can go with less hours sleep than I thought I could!”  She added that she learned a lot just from watching Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins.  “They know how to ‘work’ an audience,” she said.

“If I am living proof of anything, it’s that one song can change everything.” – Carly Pearce

Carly is a true ‘country’ girl, born and raised in the small town of Taylor Mill in northeastern Kentucky, and is ‘pure country’ to her soul. Her next single, ‘Hide the Wine,’ is already climbing Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.  More at https://www.carlypearce.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

  • Emily Shackelton

    Co-writer Emily Shackelton, a native of Biwabik, Minnesota, is signed to Liz Rose Music/Warner-Chappell publishing in Nashville. In addition to ‘Every Little Thing,’ her first No. 1, her songs have been recorded by Wynona Judd, Sara Evans, Cassadee Pope and X-Factor winner Tate Stevens, among others.