HARDY, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson Hit A Homerun in Nashville

HARDY, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson performed three sold-out concerts at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

Taking flight, his sets hit every note, bringing fans along for a 90-minute thrill ride of “airtight country hooks and….pure rock-fueled adrenaline” (SPIN). From backroad debut EP deep cut “4X4,” to chart-topping hits “wait in the truck” performed with opener Lainey Wilson and “ONE BEER” with pop ups from collaborators Lauren Alaina + Devin Dawson, and his sister Madison Dennis on Saturday night, to crowd-pleasing aggro rock risers “RADIO SONG” and “KILL SH!T TILL I DIE,” to current hard-charged radio singles “TRUCK BED” (Top 25 at country) and “SOLD OUT” (Top 5 at rock), the night solidified HARDY's reputation as "a force in the bigger and more lucrative world of country" (The New Yorker).

The Tennessean put it simply in their rave review of the headline show: "If there are two things Michael Wilson Hardy can do, it's write a song and put on one heck of a show."

Making history, HARDY's weekend of consecutive sell-outs puts him in legendary company as the artist with the second-most ticket sales in a single run at Nashville Municipal Auditorium behind the King of rock 'n roll himself, Elvis Presley, and the artist to play the most shows in a single weekend at the venue.

All Photos by Ryan Smith

Soaring to new heights, the accolades keep rolling in for HARDY, who earned his first-ever Billboard Music Awards nomination for Best Rock Album with the mockingbird & THE CROW last week. He is additionally nominated for four 2023 CMA Awards at next week's Nov. 8 ceremony for Song of the Year, Single of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year, all for double platinum, career-changing hit “wait in the truck” feat. Lainey Wilson.

Jeannie Seely Receives the Joe Talbot Awards by the CMA

The 56-year Grand Ole Opry member and well-loved air personality on Sirius XM’s Willies Roadhouse, Jeannie Seely, renowned for her unwavering commitment, outstanding leadership and the preservation and advancement contributions to Country music's values and tradition has been awarded the prestigious Joe Talbot Award. The special award was presented by Country Music Association Board of Directors President Kella Farris, who surprised Seely on the Grand Ole Opry stage following her set on Saturday evening.

Photo Credit : Chris Hollo/Grand Ole Opry

The Joe Talbot Award was created in 2001 and bestowed posthumously to its namesake, Joe Talbot, a lifetime member of the CMA Board of Directors, who passed away in 2000. The award was first presented in 2001 with Jeannie Seely being the 12th person honored since its inception. Prior recipients include Ken Burns, Dayton Duncan, Charlie Monk, Janette Carter, Kitty Moon Emery, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Louise Scruggs, Marty Stuart and Joe Talbot.

“How wonderful to be honored for doing what you love to do and love to share with others! My surprise was obvious since I am rarely at a loss for words, but this caught me totally speechless!” exclaimed Jeannie Seely. “While Country music will always, and must always evolve, we must always remember the Grand Ole Opry is the cornerstone our industry was built on with music that represented the people. I sincerely appreciate CMA and the folks who recognized how much I care, and I’m proud to be in such great company! Thank you!”

X Ambassadors Team Up with BRELAND for New Song, "Alcohol"

Acclaimed band X Ambassadors unveil a new single, “Alcohol” in collaboration with platinum-selling Country singer/songwriter/producer BRELAND

photo credit: Tyler Jay Hanson

Of the collaboration, Sam shares, “I wanted to write something that got right to the heart (and humor) of what it feels like when you’re being extra extra dramatic and desperately need to find a way to drown your sorrows. When I brought the rough concept to BRELAND and Dan, they helped bring it to life. BRELAND is a true wunderkind, so quick and clever and has got a voice like butter; we finished the chorus and wrote verses in under 2 hrs. Dan is one of the kindest, most creatively intuitive human beings I have ever met. This song was so much fun to write with the two of them, and I couldn’t be more excited for it to be out in the world as the final episode of this season of (Eg).”

BRELAND adds, “sometimes when I step into a studio with new people, I don’t know what to expect. Chemistry isn’t always there and rarely do great songs come out of those sessions. ‘Alcohol’ did. I knew from the minute we started working on it that Dan, Sam, and I were onto something special. It felt like every idea we had during the creative process ended up making the final cut of the song. I’m so proud to have this one out in the world.”

The song is the latest installment of their multi-part collaboration series, Eg, which welcomes listeners into conversations between two artists. Thus far, the series has found the band collaborating on “Happy People” with Teddy Swims & Jac Ross, “Friend For Life” with Medium Build, and “Devastation” with PAMÉ.

“A songwriting session always starts with a conversation,” says X Ambassadors’ Sam Nelson Harris. “You get to know one another a little bit. You bullshit about your day and where you’re from. Soon, you ask ‘What’s your story?’ These exchanges are hidden behind every song you hear, and I love that. We’re excited to explore them with Eg.”

He continues, “Each song is also a discussion between the two artists involved. We’re aiming to get to the core personality traits of each collaborator and showcase them in some way shape or form. Those traits are why the songs match the artists, and it’s what we’re striving for.”