Sam Hunt hosted a free street party presented by Bose® in downtown Nashville last night in celebration of an incredible year since the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album Montevallo (MCA Nashville).

Over 10,000 fans packed the street to sing along with Hunt as he performed hits including his three consecutive No. 1 Platinum-selling singles “Leave the Night On,” “House Party,” the Double-Platinum “Take Your Time,” his current Top 25 and climbing Gold-selling single, “Break Up In A Small Town,” songwriting hits “We Are Tonight” and “Cop Car,” and many more, filling the nearly two hour performance.

Hunt took a moment to introduce one of his earliest believers to the crowd, Katelyn Carter. Carter took it upon herself to distribute copies to anyone who requested Hunt’s early work – his give-away mixtape Between The Pines. Between The Pines became the blueprint of Hunt’s major label debut album, Montevallo, and in recognition of its significance, Hunt reissued the 15-track acoustic mixtape earlier this week. Purchase Between The Pines HERE.

Sam then treated party-goers to a duet of “Burning House” with his good friend and rising country newcomer, Cam.

Sam is currently nominated for three CMA awards (New Artist of the Year; Single of the Year; Song of the Year) and three AMA awards (New Artist of the Year; Favorite Male Artist – Country; Favorite Album – Country). Fans can see Hunt perform on next week’s CMA Awards, live on ABC Nov. 4.

For more information, touring news and updates on Sam Hunt, please visit www.SamHunt.com.

www.SamHunt.com | facebook.com/SamHuntMusic | twitter.com/SamHuntMusic | instagram.com/SamHuntMusic

Photo Credit: Steven Worster

This morning on “America’s Morning Show,” the talented John and TJ Osborne of Brothers Osborne announced they are releasing their highly-anticipated debut album, Pawn Shop, January 15 on EMI Nashville. Pawn Shop includes the CMA Vocal Duo of the Year nominees’ current Top 15 single “Stay A Little Longer” and the pair’s playful summer sing-along, “Rum.”

“Stay A Little Longer” is drawing critical acclaim with Billboard commending John’s “masterful shredding” of his guitar and brother TJ’s “melting vocals.” Industry critic Bob Lefsetz calls TJ’s vocals “outstanding,” and regarding the infectious track he admits, “I’ve got to hear it again and again and AGAIN!”

“It’s challenging to have an entire life’s work summed up in 11 songs so we really focused on having every track on this album held together by what John and I do,” states TJ. “We want it to be different scenes on each track but to keep each one honest and from our perspective.”

“Our upbringing certainly influenced the theme of this record,” notes John. “It’s who you’re with and who you are that makes you happy. For us, as long as you’re able to enjoy yourself with family and friends you’re really living the good life.”

Brothers Osborne’s rural blue-collar upbringing infiltrates the music they make as a twang-and-crunch duo that blends equal parts country and rock into one of the freshest, most identifiable sounds to come out of Nashville in recent years.

“Their music, while country, has a certain air that gives it a more modern feel,” notes the Providence Journal while Rolling Stone states that Brothers Osborne are “at the crest of the wave, ready to sweep across an audience that’s grown thirsty for something new.” Former tourmate Erich Church adds, “My favorite thing about Brothers Osborne is that they don’t sound like anyone else. They are singularly distinctive.”

John and TJ co-wrote all 11 tracks on Pawn Shop and partnered with producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Little Big Town, Zac Brown Band) on the project Nashville Lifestyles highlights as one of the most anticipated upcoming releases.

Pawn Shop Track Listing:

1. Dirt Rich (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Barry Dean)
2. 21 Summer (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Craig Wiseman)
3. Stay A Little Longer (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Shane McAnally)
4. Pawn Shop (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Sean McConnell)
5. Rum (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Barry Dean)
6. Loving Me Back (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Casey Beathard)
7. American Crazy (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Ross Copperman)
8. Greener Pastures (John Osborne, TJ Osborne, Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris)
9. Down Home (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Jessi Alexander)
10. Heart Shaped Locket (TJ Osborne, Lisa Carver and Andi Zack)
11. It Ain’t My Fault (John Osborne, TJ Osborne and Jessi Alexander)

To pre-order an exclusive Pawn Shop album package, visit: http://umgn.us/4Dnu

Brothers Osborne have previously toured with artists including Darius Rucker, Little Big Town and Kacey Musgraves, and currently, fans can catch the Maryland natives on the road with Jon Pardi as part of the All Time High tour. Upcoming stops include Cincinnati, OH and Myrtle Beach, SC. For a full list of tour dates, news, images and more, visit www.BrothersOsborne.com

A trumpet on a school shelf sits silent without a teacher showing a student how to play.

Early in the creation of the CMA Foundation the focus was on purchasing instruments, primarily in Metro Nashville Public Schools, which hadn’t received new instruments in decades. Five years and thousands of instruments later, the CMA Foundation Board has made the strategic shift to focusing not only on providing instruments, but expanding efforts to support sustainable, quality music education through partnerships with in-school and after-school programs nationwide.

Tuesday night at the annual conference of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), which represents 60,000 music teachers across the country, the CMA Foundation and Country star Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum announced a $150,000 grant from the CMA Foundation to the Give a Note Foundation, which was created by NAfME in 2011 to nurture, grow, and strengthen music education opportunities through grants, scholarships, and research. The research grant will bring the CMA’s music education funding in 2016 to a record $2.6 million.

“We couldn’t think of a better platform to talk about the importance of supporting sustainable music education programs than sharing this expanded strategy with the teachers who are on the front line of this important issue every day,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

The grant will fund a national study on access to music education that can be analyzed and made available to organizations who wish to make informed decisions for philanthropic gifts in music education – where the need exists, and where the infrastructure exists to make gifts sustainable and impactful.

“It has become clear as we review hundreds of grant applications each year that being able to identify those regions and cities with the greatest need would be very beneficial – not just to the CMA Foundation, but to many other grant-making organizations,” said Ron Samuels, Chairman of the CMA Foundation Board of Directors. “The need for music education programs is clear. Determining where the need is the greatest will help us better focus our resources.”

The research grant was made on behalf of CMA’s artist community.

“The CMA continuing their mission to support music education is something all of us artists are proud to be part of,” said Kelley. “But, what really takes it to the next level for me is that they continue to reevaluate where the money is going so that the resources can be used where they are most valuable. I think that evolution of giving makes an even bigger impact on these kids.”

Kelley recently released his first solo single, “The Driver,” as Lady Antebellum wraps their successful “Wheels Up” tour. “The Driver,” which features Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay, is the lead song ahead of an EP set for release in early 2016.

The research will be a statistically valid national survey of school districts. The initial survey research will take place over several months. In addition to the national sample, the Give a Note Foundation will select six communities to conduct additional studies to better understand best practices in music education in underserved areas. 

“On behalf of the Give a Note Foundation board and staff, we are deeply grateful to the CMA Foundation for their support and partnership in our work to equip all students to be successful by strengthening music programs across the U.S.,” added Give a Note Foundation President and Board Chair Beth Slusher. “This grant will make a big difference in how we reach students, teachers, and communities with the help they need for their music programs to thrive.”

With the research funding, Kelley announced that the CMA Foundation’s charitable giving in 2016 is poised to exceed $2.6 million – bringing the organization’s total contributions to $13.6 million. The CMA Foundation will announce 2016 grant recipients in the coming months.

CMA created the nonprofit (501C3) CMA Foundation in 2011 as the charitable giving arm of CMA. Funds for the Foundation are provided by CMA on behalf of the hundreds of artists who perform and make appearances during CMA Music Festival for free.

“Our artist community is embracing this program like never before,” said Trahern. “Their participation in the Festival makes these donations possible, but they are also stepping up to be ambassadors for music education across the country by visiting programs, including student musicians in their performances, and creating a national dialogue about the importance of music education in media interviews and TV appearances.”

Studies show students who participate in the arts are more likely to graduate, have better attendance rates, and higher GPAs than students not enrolled in arts classes. The CMA Foundation recognizes the importance of music education in keeping kids engaged and in school as well as providing access to higher education through scholarships.

Guided by the generosity of the Country Music community, the CMA Foundation focuses on improving and sustaining music education programs everywhere while supporting worthwhile causes important to the Country Music Association.

Since 2011, Give a Note Foundation has conducted national awareness campaigns and raised funds to support and strengthen music education programs across the U.S. The programs have reached millions of parents and students and provided more than $1 million in direct grants to schools. Learn more about Give a Note Foundation at www.giveanote.org. Help give the gift of music! Text “MusicEd GAN” to 20222 to donate $10! Message & Data Rates May Apply. Details: http://www.giveanote.org/contribute/. You can follow Give a Note on Twitter www.twitter.com/giveanote, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/giveanote.

After immediately selling out all six of his 2016 “Strait to Vegas” shows, George Strait is already looking to extend his exclusive concert series at the Las Vegas Arena into 2017, announcing today the addition of two shows slated for Friday, Feb. 17, 2017 and Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. Tickets for the new dates will go on sale to the public Friday, Nov. 6 at 10:00 a.m. PT, with pre-sales beginning this Friday, Oct. 30 at 10:00 a.m. PT and ending Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10:00 p.m. PT while supplies last.

“I’ve missed stepping on stage and playing that first note…hearing the crowd sing in unison…there’s just nothing like it,” said Strait, who announced his return to the stage at a September press event in Las Vegas. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to know that the fans have missed me too.”

Fans and critics alike have shared effusive praise for Strait’s latest chart-topping album, Cold Beer Conversation, and current single of the same name. The New York Times proclaimed the album “finds Mr. Strait at his most pulpy and resonant” and the Associated Press calls Cold Beer Conversation “vintage Strait,” noting that the “King of Country Music” maintains “such a strong vocal presence… the highlights prove that Strait remains at the top of his game: From the casual way he captures a meaningful talk between buddies on the title cut to the melodic intimacy of ‘Let It Go’ to the jaunty swing of ‘It Takes All Kinds,’ the album adds another gem to one of country music’s deepest, most entertaining catalogs.”

Cold Beer Conversation is available now at all digital retailers and Walmart.

Strait will be among the first performers to appear at the Las Vegas Arena, which opens in April 2016. GRAMMY, CMA and ACM Award-winning singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves will join Strait as support for the 2016 dates, with support for 2017 to be announced soon. Current “Strait to Vegas” dates include:

Friday, April 22, 2016
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Friday, Sept. 9, 2016
Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016
Friday, Dec. 2, 2016
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016
Friday, Feb. 17, 2017
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017

With 60 No. 1 singles and nearly 70 million records sold, Strait is the most-nominated artist in CMA Awards history and was the first country music artist honored with Billboard’s “Legend Of Live” Award. His last show, which took place at AT&T Stadium on June 7, 2014, shattered the North American attendance record for an indoor concert with 104,793 ticket-holders.

For information on “Strait to Vegas” and more, visit www.georgestrait.com and www.straittovegas.com.

Luke Bryan and the sponsors of his “Bayer Presents Luke Bryan Farm Tour 2015” are joining forces to raise funds to purchase food and supplies to help those affected by the flooding in South Carolina. Luke’s originally planned Farm Tour concert on October 3rd in Columbia, South Carolina will now play this Sunday, November 1st at Colt Creek Farm in Pelion, South Carolina.

The “Bayer Presents Luke Bryan Farm Tour 2015” sponsors, led by Red Gold Tomatoes pledge of $20,000 of canned tomatoes, including Bayer, Cabela’s, CMS Nashville, Miller Lite, ATG, Citibank, Bad Boy Buggies and Red Gold’s can suppliers Ball Corp., are all jumping in to support South Carolina.

To donate:  https://www.youcaring.com/harvest-hope-451442 Proceeds from the donation drive will go to the Harvest Hope Food Bank located in Columbia, South Carolina. As the state’s largest food bank, Harvest Hope provides for the needs of hungry people by gathering and sharing quality food with dignity, compassion and education. Since 1981, its mission has been to feed the hungry across 20 counties of South Carolina. In the last year alone, Harvest Hope distributed over 28 million pounds of food and is continuing its effort by aiding victims of the flood disaster.

Citi® is the official credit card of the “Bayer Presents Luke Bryan Farm Tour 2015.”  For more information visit www.citiprivatepass.com.  For additional “Bayer Presents Luke Bryan Farm Tour 2015” information, including where to get tickets, go to www.lukebryan.com/farmtour

Sam Hunt has experienced an extraordinary year since the release of his debut album, Montevallo, one year ago today (October 27th). In recognition of the album that launched Hunt into the country music forefront, the Georgia native released today a digital reissue of his original acoustic mixtape Between The Pines, which served as a blueprint for the then forthcoming Montevallo.

Sam co-wrote all 15 tracks on Between The Pines, which was originally released via his website as a free download to   In addition to many of the well-known hits from Hunt, the acoustic mixtape includes “Raised On It,” a tune adopted early by Sirius XM, “Cop Car,” the Top 10 hit for Keith Urban, “We Are Tonight,” the No. 1 smash for Billy Currington, and Hunt’s first Nashville cut, “Come Over,” the powerful No. 1 for Kenny Chesney.

Hunt built on Between The Pines to create his first major label release with the critically-acclaimed Montevallo. Montevallo landed on multiple “Best of 2014” lists including the Associated Press, Billboard, Country Weekly, Los Angeles Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, SPIN Magazine, Village Voice and The Washington Post, and the album has so far produced three consecutive No. 1 Platinum-selling singles with “Leave the Night On,” “House Party” and the double-Platinum “Take Your Time,” plus Hunt’s latest Top 25 and climbing Gold-selling single, “Break Up In A Small Town.” The monumental album has also spent 51 of the past 52 weeks in the Top 10 on the country album sales chart – nine of those weeks at No. 1.

In the past year, Hunt has made astronomical leaps in his career  – from attending his first ever awards show at last fall’s CMA Awards to this year performing on the live broadcast and being a nominee in three categories including New Artist of the Year, Single of the Year (“Take Your Time”) and Song of the Year (“Take Your Time”).

Hunt proved his universal appeal when named the Cycle 5 winner of Spotify’s Emerge program – a first for a country artist in the all-genre competition. Remaining a heavy-hitter on the streaming charts, Hunt’s “Take Your Time,” “House Party” and “Leave the Night On” are the No. 1, 3 and 5 most-streamed country singles year-to-date.

In celebration of an unprecedented year, Hunt is hosting a free street party tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at a pop up stage on 5^th Ave. S between Demonbreun St. and Korean Veterans Blvd. in downtown Nashville.

Between The Pines Track Listing:

1. Raised On It (Acoustic)
   2. Cop Car (Acoustic)
   3. Ex to See (Acoustic)
   4. House Party (Acoustic)
   5. Leave the Night On (Acoustic)
   6. We Are Tonight (Acoustic)
   7. Make You Miss Me (Acoustic)
   8. I Met a Girl (Acoustic)
   9. Bottle It Up (Acoustic)
   10. Saturday Night (Acoustic)
   11. Speakers (Acoustic)
   12. Vacation (Acoustic)
   13. Vandalizer (Acoustic)
   14. Goodbye (Acoustic)
   15. Come Over (Acoustic)

To purchase Between The Pines, visit http://umgn.us/Mixtape.

For more information, touring news and updates on Sam Hunt, please visit www.SamHunt.com.

Keith Urban announced today that his eighth studio album will be called Ripcord.  Speculation surrounding the details of the release began back in June when Urban put out “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” billed as the first song from the forthcoming album – which became his 19^th No. 1.  It not only set an historic country radio mark for the highest one-week spin count and point total on Country Aircheck/Mediabase, it extended Urban’s lead as the artist with the most consecutive top 10 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart, a streak that started in August of 2000.

Just this past week Urban released the melodic, mid-tempo ballad “Break On Me,” the second single from Ripcord.  The song debuted as the #1 most added single at country radio.

You can catch Keith perform on The 49th Annual CMA Awards with John Mellencamp live on November 4th at 8pm ET on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. There’s no word on what song the two will perform together, but Mellencamp’s moniker, John Cougar, is actually referenced in Urban’s latest chart-topper, “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16.”

Luke Bryan’s “Strip It Down” is spending a second consecutive week at No. 1 on both the Billboard and Country Aircheck country charts. The song, which he co-wrote with Ross Copperman and Jon Nite, is the second chart-topping single from his latest album, Kill the Lights.

“Nothing is better than when you hear that song and you’re at a place in your artist career where you know the second you hear it, ‘Bam! That’s gonna be on there,’” says Luke. “There’s no way around me not recording that song and that’s a fun feeling.”

Luke is nominated for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year at next week’s CMA Awards. The 49th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, November 4th at 8pm ET on ABC.

Little Big Town and Dierks Bentley have been added to the list of performers at next week’s CMA Awards. They’re joined on the bill by Florida Georgia Line and Zac Brown Band.

Three-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town (Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook) have been nominated in the category every year since 2006 and received a nomination again in 2015. Adding to their list of 21 total nominations are industry nods this year for Single of the Year for “Girl Crush,” which was produced by Jay Joyce; Album of the Year for Pain Killer, which was produced by Joyce; Musical Event of the Year with Miranda Lambert for “Smokin’ and Drinkin’”; and Music Video of the Year for “Girl Crush” which was directed by Karla Welch and Matthew Welch. Little Big Town and Eric Church are tied for the most nominations for 2015.

Dierks will be joined by electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling during his performance n the show. The Phoenix native, a 15-time nominee and two-time winner including the Horizon Award in 2005 (now New Artist of the Year) and Music Video of the Year in 2014 for “Drunk on a Plane,” collects his fourth Male Vocalist nomination in 2015. His performance will include a special appearance by Stirling, an electronic violinist whose YouTube channel has exceeded 7 million subscribers with over 1 billion total views and whose most recent album Shatter Me, reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart. She has been named in Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 In Music: The Class of 2015.

Previously announced performers include Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban with John Mellencamp, , Eric Church with Hank Williams, Jr., Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Maddie & Tae and Thomas Rhett with Fall Out Boy.

The 49^th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, November 4th at 8pm ET on ABC.