2022

Singer, songwriter and entertainer Toby Keith has earned his share of awards and accolades in a storied career, but it’s a tight few that have meant the most – and 2022 brought the most recent. At November’s 2022 BMI Country Awards, Keith received the night’s biggest honor, the BMI Icon Award. Presented for “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers,” the award’s prior recipients include Stevie Nicks, David Foster and Paul Simon (Pop); James Brown, Patti LaBelle and The Jacksons (R&B); and Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Merle Haggard (Country). For an artist who prizes songwriting most among his prodigious talents, it was a moment. “I didn’t know that I’d make it as an artist, but I knew if I wrote as good as the next guy, somebody might sing one of my songs,” Keith said while accepting the honor. “I got [to Nashville] with that in mind, and it just so worked out that I ended up with a vehicle that could deliver those songs.” Having built one of the most successful self-directed careers of all time – writing, singing, producing and releasing music on his own label, Show Dog Nashville – he admitted how much he learned and gained when he finally connected with Nashville’s songwriting community. “The only regret I had was I never left Oklahoma,” Keith said. “I would have probably made it at 21 or 22 instead of 28 or 29 had I not been so damn hard headed and moved out here, because the best songwriters in the world are out here.” In closing, he noted honors he received in 2015 and 2021, respectively, as part of a piece with his latest: “All I ever cared about was Songwriter Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame and BMI Icon.” His speech at the event as well as a short surprise performance at a restaurant while attending The Breeders’ Cup earlier that week confirmed his ongoing recovery from the stomach cancer that set him back earlier in the year. He told CMT’s Cody Alan of the impromptu show, “we did alright.” As to a 2023 tour, Keith added, “I’m thinking about getting back to fighting shape. I need a little bit of time to rest up, to heal up. Pretty debilitating to have to go through all that. As long as everything stays hunky dory, then we’ll look at something good in the future.” Prior to the November BMI gathering, the performing rights organization confirmed that Keith has 100 million terrestrial radio spins. And in the digital world, he has exceeded 10 billion streams. Those numbers are currently being boosted by his single “Oklahoma Breakdown,” which continues to rack up airplay and consumption numbers. In putting the song on his latest album Peso In My Pocket and releasing it as a single, Toby has taken the local favorite by Mike Hosty to the national stage. “A singer-songwriter around my hometown does a bunch of songs with some local flair,” Keith explains. “Mike was playing somewhere and I saw him do it, so it reminded me. The song has some miles on it, so I called him and asked if he wanted to play on it if I cut it. I figured everyone in that part of the world would get a kick out of him being on the record. So that’s him on rhythm and that slide solo.” Also this, the 18th annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic in May raised another $1.45 million – among the highest totals ever – to benefit OK Kids Korral, the cost-free home for families of children being treated at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center. In September, Keith was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the SabesWings Foundation founded by Major League Baseball pitching legend Bret Saberhagen and wife Kandace. Like his own Toby Keith Foundation, SabesWings assists cancer patients in a trying time of life.

Acclaimed Austin-based ensemble Wild Child release their tender new single ‘Wearing Blue’, out now on Reba’s Ranch Records. The track follows the release of lands month’s soulful single ‘Photographs’, which is the debut track from a new record set for release next year. ‘Wearing Blue’ is the first song written with Wild Child’s newest member, John Calvin Abney, who joins the band’s core writing duo Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins. Beginning with a soft sigh and a delicate piano melody, the song soon unfurls – trading in the horn-backed sound of “Photographs” for a sweeping string section that emphasises a lived-in quality to the music that the band has come to perfect. “John entered our orbit so effortlessly and his unique mix of genuine charisma and talent ignited a fire on the writing of our new material,” Beggins explains. “As such, ‘Wearing Blue’ happened in the first 30 minutes of officially getting the band back together. John shared a hauntingly beautiful piano riff that he had been holding onto for years and within a few minutes, Kelsey had found the perfect words and melody, as if they had fallen from the cosmos. The chemistry was undeniable and it marked a seamless transition into a new world of Wild Child.” Wild Child is known for spreading its infectious blend of Americana/indie-pop and ear-worm melodies across the international music scene, charting viral hits to the tune of over 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify and over 100 million streams to date. The band first formed in 2010 when the group’s core duo of Wilson and Beggins wrote and released their first album, Pillow Talk (2011). Since then they’ve released three additional albums, The Runaround (2013), Fools (2015), and Expectations (2018), which saw the band welcome other artists like Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie), Scott McMicken (Dr. Dog), Matthew Logan Vasquez (Delta Spirit), and Max Frost into the fold. Along the way, Wild Child has become a live act that’s not to be missed, as seen during their episode of Austin City Limits, which has earned the band a diverse and dedicated fan base.

Mercury Nashville / Range Music recording artist Luke Grimes releases his debut country song “No Horse To Ride” today, Dec. 16. Grimes, who wrote the new tune with Jonathan Singleton and Tony Lane, is also credited with percussion and acoustic guitar on the Dave Cobb produced track. “I think of music as sort of a first love; it was my first creative outlet,” shares Grimes. “To be at the start of this journey, putting my own music out into the world, is beyond a dream come true. I’m grateful to the people who helped make this happen and to anyone who connects with these songs, I will do my best to keep them honest.” Grimes, widely known for his role as Kayce Dutton on TV’s #1 show Yellowstone, has made no secret of his love of music and now, his own song “No Horse To Ride” is set to be featured on the show’s mid-season finale on Jan. 1 (Paramount Network). When not on set, Grimes can be found spinning his favorite country albums and songwriting at home in Montana or in Nashville writing with some of Music Row’s elite including Jonathan Singleton, Tony Lane, Randy Montana, Brent Cobb, Jamey Johnson, Love Junkies, Josh Osborne, Jon Randall, and Jessie Alexander. Grimes grew up playing music in the church as the son of a Pentecostal pastor. His father also laid the foundation for the music he loves, introducing him to the works of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings. The Ohio native is now finding his own voice and style as an artist, inspired by the likes of Colter Wall, Ruston Kelly, Paul Cauthen, and the late Townes Van Zandt. “No Horse To Ride” is the first song on Grimes’ forthcoming project with Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Dave Cobb.

Rising country newcomer Dalton Dover continues to earn accolades and benchmarks among a series of milestones in a pivotal year as Pandora names him a 2023 Artist to Watch while CMT welcomes him as a member of their 2023 LISTEN UP class. Earlier this month, Dover made his Grand Ole Opry debut with a performance of two new songs, “Giving Up On That” and “Dirt Roads And Jesus,” the latter being the first single he will release in 2023 via Universal Music Group Nashville/Mercury Records, who he signed with earlier this year. “I never thought in a million years that I’d be standing right here in this circle,” Dover shared on stage. “I brought my family last year, and we walked through on the tour here at the Opry. Little did I know that a year later, I’d be making my Opry debut. It’s pretty special to say the least.” In August, Dover was on the final night of his Ole Red residency, performing across the Nashville, Gatlinburg and Orlando locations, when legendary country artist Blake Shelton dialed in on the red phone at Ole Red Nashville and interrupted Dover’s set with an invitation to make his Grand Ole Opry debut. He tearfully accepted, replying, “I’ll be there, I promise.” His debut invitation was a full circle moment for Dover, as Shelton marked one of the first milestones in his career on Season 16 of “The Voice,” where the Georgia native earned a chair turn from the coach for his performance of Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes.” After being named a 2022 Spotify Artist to Watch, he released “Hear About A Girl,” earning praise from Billboard noting, “Dover’s voice is both intimate and commanding on this track,” while MusicRow asserts it confirms “we’re in the presence of a master country talent when this man sings…Make him a star. Now.” He followed the song with “Damn Good Life,” with The Boot sharing, “Dover is savoring every moment in his uplifting new single,” while Country Now observes, “Between the optimistic narrative that Dover delivers through his crisp vocals and the carefree tune highlighted by the impressive guitar strum, nothing but a good time can be had when this song comes through the speakers.” Dover has honed his captivating live show with two performances at CMA Fest, opening for Luke Comb’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium show in Atlanta, Ga. and joining Priscilla Block’s Welcome To The Block Party Tour. In 2023, he prepares to make his international debut in March at C2C: Country to Country Festival’s CMA Songwriters Series before joining Chase Rice on the Way Down Yonder Tour in April. In addition to a deal with UMG Nashville, Dover has signed with Sony Music Publishing in partnership with Droptine Music Publishing along with United Talent Agency.

On the heels of wrapping his first headlining arena tour in November, the GRAMMY Nominated Walker Hayes announces his new headlining Duck Buck Tour for 2023. The 22-show trek will feature direct support from 4x GRAMMY nominee singer-songwriter Ingrid Andress, with platinum-selling, Amazon Music Breakthrough Spotlight Artist BRELAND and hit songwriter and artist Ray Fulcher joining select dates. Country chart-topper Chris Lane and ACM award winning songwriter Nicolle Galyon will make a special appearance during a one-of-a-kind performance at Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre on May 5. The tour will kick off on April 13 in Rosemont, IL, with tickets on sale this Friday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. CT. Visit walkerhayes.com for more details. “I can’t wait to get back out on tour,” says Hayes. “Headlining an arena tour for the first time this past year was a dream come true. The whole family was able to come out and the road has become our new home away from home. All the fans that have come out or will come out are making this dream a reality. I owe it all to them, and this next tour will be the biggest and best. I don’t take for granted that they spent their hard-earned money on my shows, and I plan to make it well worth it!”The new tour gets its name from the chorus of the title track off Hayes’ most recent album, Country Stuff The Album, in which the Mobile, AL native celebrates the trademarks of life in the country. Relishing his love of “Country Stuff,” Hayes sings, “I like shooting ducks and bucks / I like mud tires on my trucks / I like old blue jeans, guitar strings and dirt roads.” Since the release of the track, the Duck Buck has become Hayes’ signature, showing up on his merch, across his socials, and in his music videos after fans latched onto the visual. Always listening to fan feedback, the Duck Buck is now the name of Hayes’ next arena tour.Hayes’ 2023 tour will celebrate the power of songwriting, while championing female talent with Andress joining 20 dates and Galyon performing at the legendary Red Rocks tour stop, which will also feature superstar Lane. BRELAND and Fulcher will split dates throughout the tour, showcasing some of the best country music that the genre has to offer.One of the top streaming artists in country music last year, Hayes single “Y’all Life” is steadily climbing the charts, currently sitting in the top 30 on country radio’s Mediabase chart. His most recent release, “Face In The Crowd ,” is an ode to his biggest fan who remains side stage during many of his tour dates, his wife Laney. The song is especially meaningful after a breakthrough year for Hayes and his family that saw the superstar earn a GRAMMY nomination, six Billboard Music Award nominations, five ACM Award nominations, a CMT Award nomination, a CMA nomination and his first No. 1 at Country radio. Listen to “Face In The Crowd” HERE.