On Thursday, September 10, the Country Music Association will reveal the nominees for “The 60th Annual CMA Awards.” The announcement will shine a spotlight on the artists, songwriters, producers, mix engineers, musicians and video directors whose work has made an impact on Country Music over the past year, with nominations determined by their peers through CMA’s Professional voting membership.

Industry executive Brittani Johnson has joined MCA as VP of Streaming. Johnson most recently served as a Day-To-Day Manager at The Core Entertainment, following her time at Big Loud, where she played a key role advocating for artists such as Morgan Wallen, Ashley Cooke, HARDY and Charles Wesley Godwin.

River House Artists, in partnership with Sony Music Publishing Nashville, have announced the renewal of their worldwide publishing agreement with Dan Alley. Originally from Miamisburg, Ohio, Alley moved to Nashville in 2018 at just 21 years old to pursue a career in songwriting. Since then, he has earned cuts with prominent artists including Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Jon Pardi, Hudson Westbrook, Braxton Keith, Joe Nichols, Craig Morgan, Randall King, Austin Snell, Drake Milligan, Tyce Delk and more.

Riser House Entertainment has announced the addition of Anna Widmer as Vice President of Promotion, effective at the beginning of September. Widmer joins the Nashville-based company as Riser House continues to strengthen its promotion team and expand its presence at country radio.

WME has signed Katie Atkin and her country music podcast and digital brand 'Girls in Low Places' for global representation. Founded in 2024, 'Girls in Low Places' has seen significant growth, now reaching a community of more than 100,000 followers. The multifaceted media platform combines humor, personality and a unique perspective to give fans a closer look at country music through candid artist conversations and much more.

Following three years as General Manager at The Neal Agency (TNA), Ryan Beuschel has been elevated to Co-Head alongside Adi Sharma and Austin Neal. As General Manager, Beuschel oversaw significant company growth, including the expansion of the roster to over 30 clients and the establishment of TNA Music Publishing and their artist development arm, Cervidae Records.

On the heels of the release of her debut single, “Cigarettes,” singer-songwriter Jaid Joice has signed with WME for global representation. “I am beyond excited to join the WME family. The artists WME has worked with have been a huge inspiration to me from a young age,” shared Joice. “I am grateful for the journey to come, with a team built on perseverance and a true love for live music!”

The Neal Agency (TNA) has announced a partnership with WIN Artists, which will further The Neal Agency’s roster integrations across the broader entertainment industry. WIN Artists is the next-generation representation firm built to support entrepreneurial, multidisciplinary artists and athletes on future projects. The firm, a division of Patrick Whitesell and Jason Lublin’s agency, WIN Sports Group, was started by Josh Pyatt to support its partners in growing enduring careers across performance, content, IP, brand, and business building.

Nashville’s newest music venue,The Truth, is set to open in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood on Thursday, October 1. The 4,400-capacity venue will welcome Lambert as its inaugural artist for a one-night-only performance. The GRAMMY Award winner is set to perform a full set featuring her catalog of hits alongside a preview of select tracks off her forthcoming album, 'Crisco.'

Tape Room Music has promoted Caroline Hodson to Vice President of A&R. “Caroline is one of the best young executives in our business,” shares Blain Rhodes of Tape Room Music. “She is a fierce champion of songwriters and the ultimate teammate. She has been vital in the success of our writers and entirely deserving of this promotion.”

On September 15, Big Loud will hold an AMERICANAFEST showcase in partnership with Aviator Nation Dreamland. Beginning at 4 PM, the event will feature performances by Kashus Culpepper, Thelma & James, Coleman Jennings, Alex Lambert, Nathan Bess and Waylon Payne and admission is free on a first-come first-served basis.

Independent label and management company VERSION III has announced its next chapter, with co-founder Ben Farber joining the company full time alongside co-founder Josh Epple. Farber has departed from Warner Records, where he served as Vice President of Streaming Strategy & Revenue, to dedicate his full attention to VERSION III and its growing roster of artists.

Koe Wetzel’s new single, “Jaded,” featuring Ella Langley, is off to a massive start. Released Friday, the collaboration is today’s most added song at Country radio, with 107 stations adding the track. Meanwhile, its first-day streaming performance marked a new career high for Wetzel, outpacing “High Road,” which went on to hold the No. 1 spot for five weeks enroute to becoming the most-played song of 2025.

HEY NOW Records has announced that Los Angeles-based Dilan “Hef” Ames will serve as Vice President of Artist & Repertoire, while Texas native, Nashville-based Alyssa Ramsey joins as Director of Artist Development.

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Worsham, Academy of Country Music award-winner for Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year, Country Music Association award-winner for Musician of the Year, and a CMA Touring Award-winner for Touring Musician of the Year, was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, August 8, by his friend, mentor and Opry member, Vince Gill, while on stage at the Ryman Auditorium.

Rising singer-songwriter Lucas Ball has inked a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM) Nashville and Twelve6 Entertainment. The signing comes on the heels of his breakout single, “You Only Call When It’s Raining.” “I’m so happy to be a part of the fantastic Warner Chappell and Twelve6 teams. I never thought I’d be in this position in life. Everyone has been so welcoming to me, and I’m excited to see where this road leads,” shares Ball. “God Bless Country Music.”