With over 400M streams to date and back-to-back No. 1 hits with “Mind On You” and “Cowboy Songs,” George Birge has inked with Black River Entertainment. “From the first visit with the Black River Entertainment team, I had no question that this is where I wanted to write my next chapter,” he shares. “The passion and vision of this group is a perfect match for big plans that we have in store, and I have a sneaky feeling the best is yet to come!”

Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel and Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum will officially open on September 29 in Nashville. Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel features 245 unique guest rooms and suites, two live entertainment venues, a café and vibrant spaces designed to celebrate Dolly’s career and the spirit of Music City.

Lainey Wilson will return to host “The 60th Annual CMA Awards,” marking her third consecutive year in the role and second consecutive year as solo host. Wilson will lead the star-studded evening as the CMA Awards celebrate 60 years of shining a spotlight on the industry’s outstanding talent and unforgettable moments. The awards will broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18.

Last night, HARDY wrapped his ‘COUNTRY! COUNTRY! TOUR’ in New Braunfels, Texas. The pride of Philadelphia, Mississippi entertained 400,000 fans over 39 stops in Canada and across the nation with openers Cameron Whitcomb, Tucker Wetmore, Mitchell Tenpenny, Muscadine Bloodline, Jake Worthington and McCoy Moore along for the ride.

HEY NOW Records has signed 22-year-old artist Kyle Schuesler. Having signed to Liz Rose Music after releasing 12 individual singles on his own, Schuesler has been gaining traction and recently opened for Vance Joy, Alana Springsteen, Evan Honer, Jonah Kagen and Logan Crosby. “Kyle has such a unique way of merging styles,” says HEY NOW Records’ President and Co-Founder Kris Lamb.

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.