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E
Music folks work hard. It’s heard in the lyrics of songs like “Workin’ Man Blues” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” It’s seen in the dreamers playing open mics in Nashville bars. And it’s lived by fans listening to their favorite Country station on their way to their jobs. With the Academy’s triumphs, like the many this summer, it’s clear that the hours of dedication of artists, industry staff and fans whose creativity, efforts and support yesterday mean success today, tomorrow and for years to come.
In August, the 15th Annual ACM Honors returned to television for the first time in five years and made its debut on FOX as a two-hour primetime TV special. Our ACM Staff and Board went to work to deliver an intimate behind-the-scenes event to millions of Country Music fans nationwide, which proved to be heartwarming, empowering and, of course, entertaining with its iconic performance tributes and uplifting honoree speeches.
The Academy also brought ACM Party for a Cause® benefiting ACM Lifting Lives back to Nashville for the second year in a row. With a stellar lineup of performers including Brothers Osborne, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Sara Evans and more, fans closed out the summer season filling up Ascend Amphitheater and gave back while doing so. And the ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp returned to in-person after being held virtually for three years, proving the power of sharing live music. Read about it on P. 54.
In this issue, we hear from up-and-coming artists Hannah Ellis and Kameron Marlowe. They are each growing in popularity not only because of their exceptional talent, but also because of a whole lot of hustle. Read about these artists-to-know starting on P. 60.
This industry’s hard workers are also the ones who continue to push Country forward and well past its boundaries. With the passing of the Queen of Country Music, Loretta Lynn, it’s even more evident how key individuals impacted and continue to impact the trajectory of Country Music and, arguably, the world. Read about her legacy on P. 1 of the flip side of this issue.
As we look forward to the upcoming 58th ACM Awards in May at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and continue pushing the Academy into uncharted territories, we are proud of the work the Academy has done and we are determined to keep it up.
Whether you’re a diehard fan, an industry professional, an artist or someone who’s just beginning to like this Country Music thing, thanks for working with us!
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The Academy of Country Music® had an incredibly busy and successful summer with lots for our Membership, Board and Staff to celebrate!
We just wrapped the 15th Annual ACM Honors which made its way back to broadcast television through a partnership with FOX. It was one of the best and most special shows we’ve done as we celebrated our Industry Award and Studio Recording Award winners, and honored our impressive list of Special Award Honorees including Shania Twain, Chris Stapleton, Duane Clark, Paul Barnabee, Dwight Wiles and several more, in addition to our Triple Crown winner, Miranda Lambert, and Songwriter of the Year winner, HARDY. It was a sold-out house at Ryman Auditorium on August 24, and nearly 2 million more people tuned in live to watch the show on September 13 on FOX.
In other awards show news, the Academy announced earlier this summer that the 58th ACM Awards will be making its return to Texas through a unique and exciting new partnership with the Dallas Cowboys. Next year’s show will take place at Ford Center at The Star, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Frisco, Texas, and will also make a date move back to its past timing on May 11, 2023. Along with that, we are thrilled that based on the success of the 57 th show’s move to streaming, our partners at Prime Video renewed us for another ground-breaking year. We couldn’t be more excited to continue innovating the future of this landmark show with our new location, new date, new partners, new executive producer, Raj Kapoor, and return to our home on Prime Video.
Our ACM Lifting Lives® team has also had a busy summer with lots of important initiatives. First, the 13 th Annual ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp made its return to an in-person event back in June. Our partners at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center helped to keep the campers busy once again with a full week of fun and creative activities, including writing and recording a special song with Walker Hayes, Ross Copperman, Runaway June and more. The camp ended with the performance of their song, “Reunion,” live on the Opry stage with Filmore! It was a week
that the campers, the ACM, ACM Lifting Lives Staff and Board Members will never forget.
Party for a Cause® made its second annual return to Ascend Amphitheater on August 23 as part of ACM Honors™ week in Nashville. The event featured a stellar lineup of artists including Brothers Osborne, Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans and more. Thousands of fans sang and danced the night away under the stars, all in support of the great work of ACM Lifting Lives. Speaking of that great work, we also launched a new series this summer featuring several top artists sharing their emotional and personal stories about their experiences with mental health, called “The Check-In.” Look for it on the Academy’s YouTube channel.
As the summer winds down and we enter the fall season, the Academy is also proud to announce another first in its history. After nearly 60 years based on the West Coast, the ACM headquarters are opening in Nashville to better serve our Members, Board and artists. Our beautiful new space is in Wedgewood Houston, and we will be announcing an official grand opening this November, so be on the lookout!
The Academy’s motto of “pivot and innovate,” which was adopted during the pandemic’s challenges, continues to be our guiding principle, and I could not be more proud of our passionate ACM Staff and Board, who continue to serve this organization and, in turn, continue to serve our Members.
Finally, I’d like to take a moment to remember the legendary Loretta Lynn. The true Queen of Country Music had a massive impact on the history and legacy of not only the Country Music industry, but also the Academy. She earned 14 ACM Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1975, making her the first female to win that coveted trophy. She was also honored with the ACM Artist of the Decade Award for her fearless and legendary work in the 1970s — again the first and only female to achieve that. While we all feel the deep loss of an icon, Loretta’s spirit will continue to guide today’s artists and songwriters for decades to come.
With thanks, Damon Whiteside Chief Executive Officer
Everything’s bigger in Texas! That’s why we decided to bring Country Music’s Party of the Year ® to Frisco!
The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards™ will take place on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Ford Center at The Star. The state-of-the-art venue is the home of the Dallas Cowboys and serves as their practice facility. The ACM Awards® will be the first awards show to take place at Ford Center at the Star. Raj Kapoor will serve as the executive producer of the awards show. The show will be streamed on Prime Video, making this the second ACM Awards to be globally livestreamed, in partnership with Amazon. Stay tuned for additional information regarding award submissions timeline, hosts and performers, and ticket sale details, which will be announced in the weeks ahead.
The Academy of Country Music Honors™ made its debut on FOX for the first time on Tuesday September 13. The star-studded event, dubbed “the Country Music industry’s favorite night,” recognized several special honorees, including ACM Triple Crown Award recipient Miranda Lambert, ACM Spirit Award recipient Chris Stapleton, ACM Poet’s Award recipient Shania Twain and ACM Milestone Award recipient Morgan Wallen. Other performers and presenters included Kelsea Ballerini, Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, HARDY, Wynonna Judd, Avril Lavigne, Little Big Town, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson and more. ACM Honors made a strong return to television with nearly 2 million live viewers.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Haley Montgomery (ACM), Lauren Black (Country Now), Jess Keifer (Sony Music Nashville), Leah Ducey (Universal Music Group), Marissa Turk (Artist Manager, SmackTOK), Jackie Augustus (Meta), Damon Whiteside (ACM)
Thank you to everyone who applied for or renewed their ACM membership. We appreciate your continued support of the Academy.
Awards submissions and voting timelines for the 58th ACM Awards will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit acmcountry. com/membership for more information.
With the Academy’s headquarters relocation to Nashville comes more frequent in-person member events and panels to further enrich the Country Music community. ACM Members met at the Jackalope Brewing Company on September 26 to discuss the importance of artists using short-form content to further their promotional and project strategies. Country Now Editor in Chief Lauren Black moderated the panel, which consisted of Jackie Augustus (Meta), Leah Ducey (Universal Music Group), Jess Keifer (Sony Music Nashville) and Marissa Turk (Artist Manager, SMACKTok).
ACM Members gathered at the Musician’s Hall of Fame on August 9 for an exclusive conversation with 10-time ACM Award winner Dann Huff. Huff reflected on his career, including his time as a studio guitar player with Michael Jackson, Faith Hill, Shania Twain and more, as well as his transition to becoming a producer for artists including Keith Urban, Taylor Swift and even Megadeath. The conversation was moderated by Musician’s Hall of Fame founder and CEO Joe Chambers. We are grateful to have had Joe’s participation and continued support of the Academy before his passing. Read his obituary on P. 64.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Tommy Moore (ACM), Haley Montgomery (ACM), Damon Whiteside (ACM), Dann Huff (Producer, ACM Award Winner), Joe Chambers (Musicians Hall of Fame), Chuck Aly (Country Aircheck)
ACM Lifting Lives® teamed up with Wirtgen America for the 15th Annual Wirtgen Charity Golf Classic on October 6–7. The event kicked off Thursday, October 6, with a prereception dinner at Nashville Palace and an intimate performance from Michael Ray. The dinner included both a silent and live auction. The golf tournament followed on Friday, October 7.
ACM Lifting Lives recently premiered a new short-form original digital series called “The Check-In,” releasing the first episode with John Osborne of the Brothers Osborne in May. “The Check-In” provides a space where artists can candidly delve deep into their own mental health experiences and challenges over the recent years, while sharing how music has played a crucial role in their healing process. Watch episodes featuring Jimmie Allen, Brett Eldredge, Lindsay Ell, John Osborne of Brothers Osborne, Michael Ray, Elvie Shane, Caitlyn Smith and Rachel Wammack on the Academy of Country Music’s YouTube channel. Future conversations with additional artists will be released in the coming months.
youtube.com/c/ academyofcountrymusicawards
this episode and
Not only did the evening's performances pay tribute to our honorees, the looks paid homage too, including Kelsea Ballerini wearing Shania's iconic 1999 Grammys dress and Avril Lavigne rocking some leopard print similar to Shania's "That Don't Impress Me Much" catsuit. Take another venture down the red carpet to see all the fantastic looks.
Easton Corbin
Let's Do Country Right
November 11
Adam Doleac Barstool Whiskey Wonderland Out Now
Kameron Marlowe We Were Cowboys Out Now Craig Morgan God, Family, Country (Deluxe Edition) November 11
Avery Anna
Swings
Pillbox Patti Florida Out Now
Brandon Ratcliff Tale of Two Towns January 6, 2023
Mitchell Tenpenny This Is The Heavy Out Now
Lainey Wilson Bell Bottom Country October 28
Jennifer Hart 1992 Out Now Georgia Webster Chapter 1: Things
Out Now
George Birge “Mind On You” Impacting radio Out Now
George Birge featuring Neal McCoy “That Drink” Out Now Dax “Depression” Out Now Erin Kinsey “Reason For Leaving October TBD Nelly featuring Chris Lane “Birthday Girl” Out Now Matt Stell “One Of Us” Out Now
If you are an ACM member and would like your artists’ upcoming releases and tours featured in the next issue of ACM Tempo , please email libby@acmcountry.com.
George Birge
September 30 | Bemidji, Minn. (Sanford Center)
LANCO Support
September 23 | Isle of Palms, S.C. (The Wind Jammer)
September 24 | Greenville, S.C. (Cowboy Up)
Matt Stell Support
November 10–18
Luke Combs World Stadium Tour (2023) March 25–October 19
Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Flatland Cavalry and Brent Cobb support March 25–July 29
Cody Johnson and Lane Pittman support
August 9–26
Kameron Marlowe We Were Cowboys headlining tour this fall
Craig Morgan
God, Family, Country Tour September 16–November 18
God, Family, Country Book Tour September 26–October 1
Kat & Alex
Select dates this fall opening for Chris Young and Scotty McCreery
Erin Kinsey (w/ Dylan Scott) September 28–October 15 (with Home Free’s Road Sweet Road tour) October 16–29
Dylan Scott Amen to That Tour September 28–November 19
Matt Stell Man Made Tour September 30–December 3 Chase Matthew Support October 13–14
Brothers Osborne Support October 15
Elvie Shane Support October 19–23
Mitchell Tenpenny Support for Luke Bryan September 29–October 28 This is the Heavy Tour (2023) January 26–February 25
Georgia Webster Direct Support for Kelsea Ballerini’s Heartfirst Tour September 24–October 14
Lainey Wilson Direct Support for Jon Pardi’s Ain’t Always the Cowboy Tour July 14 – October 1
Direct Support for Luke Combs’ The Middle of Somewhere Tour October 14 – November 5
The 15th ACM Honors™ took place August 24, 2022, at Ryman Auditorium recognizing 11 Special Award Honorees, whose contributions to the Country Music industry have truly impacted and help shaped the genre. Read on to learn about these individuals.
Miranda Lambert received the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award after taking home her first ACM Entertainer of the Year trophy at the 57th ACM Awards® . She is only the eighth artist ever to be honored with the award. Lambert qualified for the Triple Crown Award after winning ACM Top New Female Vocalist, ACM Female Vocalist of the Year and ACM Entertainer of the Year throughout her career. She continues to reign as the most decorated artist in the history of the Academy of Country Music®
Connie Bradley is the recipient of the ACM Icon Award, which honors the contributions of Cliffie Stone, who was known for his producing work along with his Country Music career. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader who, throughout their career, has advanced the popularity of the genre through their contributions in multiple facets of the industry. Bradley served more than three decades at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), championing songwriters. A true trailblazer, Bradley began her career with ASCAP as the company’s first female membership representative, eventually rising to Senior Vice President and head of the Nashville office. Under her leadership, ASCAP signed Country powerhouses like Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Amy Grant, Alan Jackson and many more.
Paul Barnabee and Dwight Wiles are the recipients of the Lifting Lives Award, which honors the contributions of Gary Haber, known as a business manager and past president of ACM Lifting Lives. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit and is committed to serving others. It is voted on by the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors.
Having served two consecutive years as the Chair of the ACM Lifting Lives Board of Directors, Barnabee’s passion and investment played an instrumental role in jump-starting the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund in 2020, bringing financial security to many in the Country Music community during their time of need. Barnabee has 30 years of diverse industry experience in many divisions including Polygram Records, Sony Music and FBMM.
Wiles’ start of service to ACM Lifting Lives dates to more than a decade ago. Wiles played an integral role in shaping the organization’s charitable efforts after the 2008 rebrand, building many of the core tenets of ACM Lifting Lives that remain today, including Party for a Cause® , the Grant Cycle and Music Camp. Having served the longest tenure as Treasurer on the Board of Directors, Wiles’ financial leadership enabled ACM Lifting Lives to give generously to the Country Music community throughout the years.
Morgan Wallen is the recipient of the ACM Milestone Award, honoring the contributions of Gene Weed, who directed and produced the ACM Awards for more than 30 years. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader for a specific, unprecedented or outstanding achievement in the field of Country Music during the preceding calendar year. Wallen’s critically acclaimed Dangerous: The Double Album launched the Country Music singer’s career to new heights in 2021. Landing at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for 10 weeks following its release, Dangerous: The Double Album continues to make history. The album remains at the top of the charts, recognized as the Country album with the most weeks (60) in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 all-genre chart and the most weeks (59) at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart, to date. It also won ACM Album of the Year at the 57th ACM Awards in March 2022.
Duane Clark received the ACM Service Award, which honors the contributions of songwriter Mae Boren Axton and her service to the Academy. This award is presented to an outstanding Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader in recognition of years of dedication and service to the Academy of Country Music. An award-winning business manager and trusted adviser, Clark has been a co-owner of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. (FBMM) for more than a decade. As President and Chief Operations Officer at FBMM, Clark has provided counseling and strategic support to his roster of clients, including top recording and touring artists, ensuring their financial management and security for years to come. His long history of dedicated service to the Country Music industry is evident through his 13-year tenure on the Academy of Country Music Board of Directors, beginning in 2009.
Both Sonny Throckmorton and Shania Twain were named ACM Poet’s Award honorees. This award is presented to a Country Music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of Country Music.
Sonny Throckmorton’s legendary songwriting career began in the late 1970s when he had 150 songs cut within a nine-month span. Throughout his storied career, Throckmorton had more than 1,000 songs recorded by an astounding list of artists, including Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, The Judds, George Strait, Tanya Tucker and more. He also co-wrote classics such as Merle Haggard’s “The Way I Am,” Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Middle Age Crazy,” George Strait’s “The Cowboy Rides Away,” and The Judds’ 1984 ACM Song of the Year, “Why Not Me.” Throckmorton has received countless accolades for his contributions to the Country Music genre and in 1985, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
International superstar Shania Twain has established her career as one of Country Music’s most versatile and invigorating songwriters, with instantly recognizable hits and an undeniable crossover appeal that has earned her three ACM Awards and five Grammys. The release of her album The Woman in Me in 1995, featuring her breakthrough hit single “Any Man of Mine,” was awarded ACM Album of the Year, the same year Twain took home the title of ACM Top New Female Vocalist. Twain has released five total albums, becoming the first artist in history to release three consecutive diamond-certified albums. With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, Twain remains the top-selling female Country Pop artist of all time. Twain just finished up her second Las Vegas residency titled “Let’s Go!” in September.
Yellowstone received the ACM Film Award, which honors the contributions of Tex Ritter, who was known for both his acting career and Country Music career. This award recognizes an outstanding television movie, series or feature film that prominently features Country Music. Yellowstone tells the compelling story of the Dutton family as they navigate treacherous conflict to maintain control of their beloved family-owned Montana ranch. The SAG- and PGA-nominated series is co-created by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, along with John Linson. Andrea von Foerster serves as music supervisor, while Oscarwinning actor and seasoned musician, Kevin Costner, stars as patriarch, John Dutton. Artists including Zach Bryan, Hayes Carll, Turnpike Troubadours, Whiskey Myers and ACM New Female Artist of the Year Winner Lainey Wilson have all had their music featured in the show.
Chris Stapleton received the ACM Spirit Award, which is an award that honors the contributions of Merle Haggard by following his/her own path, crafting great songs and epitomizing Haggard’s “outlaw spirit” through genuine performances and great storytelling. Stapleton’s commanding presence and refreshing authenticity has made him one of the most respected and beloved musicians of Country Music today. Stapleton has maintained the traditional, outlaw edge of the genre while appealing to wider audiences with innovative crossover collaborations including features with Taylor Swift, Adele and others. An eighttime Grammy and 13-time ACM Awardwinner, Stapleton’s monumental career has been lauded across every major music awards stage. His highly acclaimed 2020 album, Starting Over, also won Stapleton three Grammys at the 67th Annual Grammys, as well as Album of the Year at the 56th ACM Awards as both an artist and producer.
HARDY received the ACM Songwriter of the Year Award. This award is presented to an individual known predominately as a songwriter, and is selected by a professional panel of judges composed of songwriters, publishers, producers and performing rights organization (PRO) representatives. HARDY has emerged as one of Country Music’s most distinctive and creative talents, gaining career momentum through major cuts by Florida Georgia Line, Chris Lane, Blake Shelton and Cole Swindell. His collaborative spirit most recently carried him to No. 1 as a songwriter and featured artist on Dierks Bentley’s “Beers on Me.” HARDY placed multiple songs, including “More Than My Hometown” and “Sand in My Boots,” on Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album. He has co-penned 11 No. 1 singles since 2018, including his own chart-topping, double platinum-certified single “ONE BEER” featuring Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson. This is HARDY’s first ACM Songwriter of the Year Award. ●
ACM SPIRIT AWARDThe 15th Annual ACM Honors once again brought the Nashville Country Music community together in celebration of each other's accomplishments
BY ALISON BONAGURO
If there were an unofficial theme to the 15th Academy of Country Music Honors show, it was this: It’s worth all the hard work.
Every artist, songwriter, musician and industry champion honored during the August 24 show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium had a story to tell about the dedication they’d put in, and how it all pays off in the end. Not overnight, but eventually.
HARDY, who received the ACM Songwriter of the Year Award, shared one of the night’s best examples of that theme after thanking his family in the audience. They’d encouraged him to move to Nashville from Mississippi when he’d only writ ten two songs. “I didn’t know how full circle this moment was gonna be. If you are an aspiring songwriter, I want to tell you: Never quit. If you want to chase your dream, chase your dream. Don’t have a plan B, just do it until it happens,” he said. “In 2015, I didn’t have a pot to piss in. I was playing a songwriter round in Flora-Bama, with a tip jar on the front of the stage. Nobody that played on that stage that night had a hit, we just played original songs. We might’ve made $10 in tips. But one person wrote ‘quit’ on a napkin, and they put it in that tip jar.” Holding up his trophy, HARDY said, “And tonight, that ‘quit’ napkin will be sitting right beside this (expletive) trophy.”
Miranda Lambert, who won the ACM Triple Crown Award, shared a similar tale of what it took to get where she is now. She has won more ACM Awards than any other artist in the Academy’s history, with 37 ACM Awards. And as Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild added for emphasis, “And she’s a girl.”
“I came to Nashville when I was 15 … I came to observe and to learn,” Lambert said, “and I’m still doing that. I hope that I’m part of the next generation of observing and learning. At 19, I was trying to set everything on fire and firing my pistols on all cylinders, and now I see the girls my age bringing their daughters to my shows ... I hope we continue that for years to come because this stage is what it was all built on — this building and this town and this industry. So, thank y’all for loving Country Music. We appreciate you all so much.”
Brooks & Dunn honored her with their fiery performance of “Kerosene,” and Little Big Town did the same with Lambert’s ACM Song of the Decade, “The House That Built Me.”
The hit television series, Yellowstone , received the ACM Film Award, which honors the contributions of Tex Ritter, who was known for both his acting career and Country Music career. In that spirit, it was only fitting that Lainey Wilson, who will join the Yellowstone cast on the anticipated fifth season, honored the series with a rocking performance of her song “Overtime,” which has been featured on the show.
Shania Twain echoed the show’s sentiment with a candid speech about her arduous path to stardom, when she won the night’s ACM Poet’s Award. “Expect to be rejected,” Twain said. “Accept criticism. Right or wrong, you’ll grow from that. Because right or wrong, know there are always writers better than you, so learn from them. There probably won’t be a marked path or welcoming signage to follow on the road to songwriting success, but if you take the word ‘follow’ out of your thought vocabulary, you’ll realize you’re already on the right path. Your own path.
“From the very beginning of my childhood, I grew up fantasizing about what this would look like in real life,” she said, recalling her first time on the Ryman Auditorium stage in 1993 as a back-up singer for Steve Wariner and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. “When I first came here, I was an outsider. I was a Northern girl from some snowy goldmining town, and I knew it would take perseverance and tough skin, and I had to remind myself to keep my chin up and stay positive.”
Some of Twain’s biggest fans and stars themselves — Kelsea Ballerini, Avril Lavigne and Tiera Kennedy — honored Twain throughout the show with spirited performances of songs, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” “No One Needs to Know” and “From This Moment On,” respectively.
When it was Morgan Wallen’s turn to pick up his trophy for the ACM Gene Weed Milestone Award, which honors outstand ing achievement in Country Music during the past year, he did so with grace and humility, as he was surprised with having the award presented to him by his hero, Eric Church.
“I had a whole speech that I had typed up before I knew that any of this was going on,” Wallen said. “My first concert I ever went to was an Eric Church concert in Knoxville. It seemed to me like I could feel what he was feeling when he was singing. It changed my life. So, for you to be up here presenting this to me now is more special than I can put into words,” he said. “I get to do this in front of my parents who are here tonight. Thank you, guys, for always supporting me and thank you to everybody who is on my team, and my songwriting friends, HARDY and Ern. We’ve known each other a long time now and we’ve written 100 songs together.
“Me and God, we’ve had some interesting do-si-dos, I guess you could say,” Wallen laughed. “I really am grateful for the opportunities that have been given to me and for those who have made it possible. It’s been an incredible year. Awards are awesome, but my true measure of success is my fans I get to see every single night out on the road. Thank you, guys, for supporting me.”
Wallen’s album Dangerous: The Double Album landed and stayed No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for 10 weeks following its release and was crowned the ACM Album of the Year at the 57th ACM Awards. His friends and consistent collaborators, HARDY and ERNEST, honored him with a medley of a few of his most revered songs, “Sand in My Boots,” “Wasted on You” and “More Than My Hometown.”
Another big win of the night went to the always humble Chris Stapleton, who received the ACM Spirit Award, following a moving performance by Vince Gill of the never-released song, “You Don’t Want to Love a Man Like Me,” which the two penned together. The common thread of the night was woven into Stapleton’s speech about the songwriters who took him under their wing, like Gill. “He got me into songwriter rounds with people I had no business being in songwriter rounds with, like James Taylor and Joe Walsh. Why did you do that?” he asked Gill. “You could’ve called somebody else, but you called me. Everybody has done so much to lift me up to be the one you’re giving this award to, and I’m certainly grateful for it.”
Throughout the four-hour show, Country artists paid homage to the winners with renditions of their songs, but they also shared a few of their own. Carly Pearce, the Honors host for the second year in a row, performed her latest single “What He Didn’t Do.”
Dan + Shay sang “Glad You Exist,” paying tribute to ACM Service Award honoree Duane Clark, co-owner of Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc. (FBMM) and longtime ACM Board member. In a heartwarming speech, Clark trumpets the support of the diverse individuals who have helped him along the way.
“I also feel that it is important to acknowledge that the majority or a vast number of these people who helped me get here, to get to stand in front of you today, are brilliant women, people who may not have the same skin color as I have or come from a different cultural background than I do, or are people that live their best lives in loving relationships, regardless of gender or who their partner identifies with,” Clark said. “My career, and I assure you our industry, would not look the same without these professionals, friends and colleagues.”
Additionally, Dierks Bentley played his new song “Gold” in honor of ACM Icon Award honoree Connie Bradley, who began her career at American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) as the company’s first female membership representative, eventually rising to Senior Vice President and head of the Nashville office.
“We remember Connie as a great businesswoman and one heck of a human being, and although we miss her, we know just how lucky we were to have her friendship,” Bentley said. “She always made me feel like gold.”
Bradley’s granddaughter, Lillian Grace Bradley, accepted the award on her behalf. “She loved her job. She nurtured the careers of songwriters for more than 30 years. She was a leader, and she was a pioneer amongst women. But it was not just a job to her. It was her passion and her purpose. Connie also had a talent for being direct. She was always honest, kind, and she never said anything that she didn’t mean. If I could’ve talked to Connie tonight and told her I was coming here, she probably would’ve had one thing to say to me. ‘Well? Is that what you’re gonna wear?’ She was beautiful, inside and out. She was fearless, funny, strong and smart. And that’s how we’ll remember her.”
The other award honorees included Paul Barnabee and Dwight Wiles who were awarded the ACM Lifting Lives Award.
To honor Barnabee, songwriting duo The Warren Brothers played an acoustic take on their penned hit “Highway Don’t Care.” After an energetic performance, complete with a few improvised guitar duets, the pair presented the award. Barnabee, who was recognized for his role in jump-starting the ACM Lifting Lives COVID19 Response Fund in 2020, mentioned the Board’s desire to help as many people as they could.
“Everyone drew in inspiration from different places. For me, it came from being a business manager and being on the phone with band and crew of our clients and hearing firsthand the desperation in their voices as they navigated unemployment,” Barnabee explained. “As Board Members, we read applications of heart-wrenching stories of people that needed financial assistance, and some of them having to decide whether they were going to sell a car just for food and medication. We were all inspired to push the limits.”
In another touching speech, Dwight Wiles, an ACM Lifting Lives Board Member for more than a decade, declared just how much the organization means to him.
“My involvement with Lifting Lives has been a high light of my life, and I will continue to be a champion of this amazing organization,” he said.
The awards didn’t stop there. Studio Recording Award winners Jimmie Lee Sloas (bass player), Evan Hutchings (drummer), Charlie Worsham (acoustic guitar), Tom Bukovac (electric guitar player), David Dorn (piano/keyboards player), Paul Franklin (specialty instruments player), Jim Cooley (audio engineer), Dann Huff (producer), and Industry Award win ners Choctaw Casino & Resort (Casino of the Year-Theatre), Mohegan Sun Arena (Casino of the Year-Arena), Windy City Smokeout (Festival of the Year), San Antonio Rodeo (Fair/ Rodeo of the Year), Basement East (Club of the Year), Ryman Auditorium (Theater of the Year), Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Outdoor Venue of the Year), Bridgestone Arena (Arena of the Year), Todd Boltin (Don Romeo Talent Buyer of the Year) and Brian O’Connell (Promoter of the Year) were all celebrated in the Mother Church.
The Academy also took time to honor and reflect on the Country artists who passed away in 2022: Mickey Gilley, Olivia Newton-John and Naomi Judd.
In one of the night’s most emotional moments, legendary Country songwriter Sonny Throckmorton summed up the feeling of being onstage holding one of the weighty Poet’s Award trophies from the Academy of Country Music. After Wynonna Judd played The Judds’ “Why Not Me,” one of the thousands of songs Throckmorton wrote, he climbed up the stairs to the stage as if he’d never been so honored.
“I think I’m a poet with nothing to say,” he said, visibly moved, as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
With touching speeches, unforgettable performances, and powerful messages throughout the show, fans at the Mother Church certainly went home with a deeper understanding and appreciation of what Country Music is all about. The show even returned to broadcast television for the first time in five years, not only bringing the contagious spirit of Country Music into more than 2 million homes worldwide, but also sharing its clear impactfulness. ●
TEMPO: It must be such an honor to be asked to host ACM Honors again. What did it feel like to get that phone call?
CARLY: Hosting is something I’ve always wanted to do, and a goal of mine outside of songwriting, sing ing and touring. So, to get to do it the first year, last year, was so awesome. But I feel like when you get the call the second year in a row, you think, “They must’ve liked what I did.” So I was very excited.
TEMPO: Were there parts of the show that were how-is-this-my-life moments for you?
CARLY: I will tell you the exact moment I felt like that. Shania was giving her acceptance speech and she was talking about all the artists who had honored her, and, out of nowhere, she said, “Carly, I don’t know where you are, but I think you’re amaz ing.” And then she gave me a standing ovation when I sang my own song. That was just kind of crazy.
TEMPO: Were there more moments like that?
CARLY: Just being around your heroes and all the people who you think are amazing. So when I got to stand up on the stage and talk about Miranda and all of her accolades, she looked at me and mouthed to me, “Thank you.” And then Vince Gill saw me backstage and said, “Hey, pal.” I was just thinking, “These people that I love made me feel like I’m in this little family now.”
TEMPO: What was going on backstage throughout the night?
CARLY: Honestly, we all just watched the show from backstage and the side of the stage. It was just the kind of show you really wanted to watch. People were more interested in the show than anything else and did not want to miss a minute.
This past August, the 15th Annual ACM Honors celebrated the 58th ACM Industry and
The
(voted on by
include:
Party for a Cause benefiting ACM Lifting Lives returned for a second time to Ascend Amphitheater this past August and proved once again that “partying” is fun, but “Partying for a Cause” is so much sweeter. The Country Music Party of the Summer brought the heat with an amazing lineup of classic acts as well as Country newcomers, both spreading good vibes all night long.
Returning host Storme Warren of SiriusXM’s The Highway brought his radio disc jockey skills to the stage, keeping the crowd engaged all night long — even giving the audience ample chances to open their wallets and donate to this good cause. Warren reminded the crowd, “The ACM Lifting Lives foundation ponied up $4 million to our musician friends; not just the artists but the backstage crews, the bus drivers, the people living check by check, throughout the pandemic because of you guys coming out to these shows.”
Kicking off the music was SiriusXM The Highwa y’s “Highway Find,” Hailey Whitters, who gave an acoustic rendition of her song, “How Far Can It Go.” Although her duet partner on the song, three-time ACM Award Winner Trisha Yearwood, wasn’t in attendance, her spirit was surely felt when Whitters threw in a few lines of “She’s In Love With The Boy” for all the ’90s Country fans in the crowd.
She ended her set with her first single in Country radio as an artist, the playfully fun and sassy, “Everything She Ain’t.”
Country Music’s newest vivacious redhead, Caylee Hammack, began her set with her song “Forged in the Fire,” which was based on her real-life experience of losing her home and belongings in a tragic fire. Hammack said the song was about “finding God’s wings even when they feel like they’ve gone out” and the messages of strength and perseverance in the song were palpable. Closing her set, she treated fans to an unreleased single, “Good Things,” which she joked had a lot of sponsorship potential given the use of the line, “Crockpot’s cookin’ in the kitchen, ain’t nothin’ needing my attention.”
“Mr. David Ashley Parker from Powder Springs” himself, Travis Denning, continued to keep the party going with his clever revenge-breakup smash “ABBY.” He followed up with the more subdued, confessional style song “Buy A Girl A Drink,” which is the story of how he met his soon-to-be wife after buying her a drink. So he encouraged the guys in the audience to “buy one of these pretty Country girls a drink.”
Taking a break from the music, Warren introduced the incredibly talented house band, Sixwire, dubbing them “the house band of all house bands,” which was a nod to their many features on the show Nashville as well as their notoriety around town. The crowd also got to meet the evening’s social media correspondent, viral TikTok star and Country artist, Cooper Alan, who was bringing the ACM Party for a Cause worldwide on the Academy’s Instagram channel. Known for his Country Music mashups, Alan and Warren played a little game of Country Music “human jukebox” with Warren naming an artist and Alan responding by singing one of their songs.
“You guys ready to rock this out on a Tuesday night?” Ingrid Andress asked the crowd and received a few “I love you’s” along with the applause and roars from the crowd. Andress began her set with her single “Ladylike,” which she was inspired to write after her move from the West Coast to the South and realizing “there was such a thing as a Southern belle.” Taking a seat behind the keys, she followed up with her critically acclaimed ballad, “More Hearts Than Mine.” In typical Nashville fashion, the crowd sang along with Andress in beautiful harmony and managed to capture her attention mid-song, gushing, “Y’all sound so good!” Keeping the mid-tempo vibes going, Andress closed out her performance with a solo rendition of her power ballad duet with two-time ACM Award Winner Sam Hunt, “Wishful Drinking.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Hailey Whitters; Travis Denning; Storme Warren and Cooper Alan; Ingrid Andress; Caylee Hammack
Blanco Brown brought his infectious energy to the stage as he sang “The Git Up” and had the crowd up on their feet minutes from the “git” go, dancing along to his viral TikTok dance. Reminiscing that the first time he performed at Ascend was in 2019, he expressed his gratitude for being able to continue to perform and encouraged the crowd saying, “Never let someone dim your light. Manifest it. See yourself through and you too can be whatever you want to be.” Brown went right into his song “Nobody More Country” and had the crowd dancing and whooping with him throughout the song. He ended his set with his slowed-down upcoming love song “I’ll Never,” which was reminiscent of the ’90s R&B ballads mixed with a little Country flair.
In the spirit of fund-raising for a cause, Warren turned from host to auctioneer, starting an impromptu live auction for stage seats for Darius Rucker’s upcoming set. Enticing the crowd, Warren shouted, “his sweat will be on you!” After the bidding was complete, two generous fans pooled their resources and donated $15,000 total so that they, along with two, others could enjoy Darius’ set, up close and personal. Over the course of the night, Warren realized he “created a monster,” and kept the auctions going for stage-side seats for Sara Evans, Brothers Osborne and Brad Paisley. ACM Lifting Lives received over $30,000 of on-the-spot donations from the auction that night.
Next, Warren brought ACM Award Winner Scotty McCreery to the stage. He launched his set with one of those recent No. 1 hits, a very autobio graphical “Me and You Time.” Clearly enjoying the night, McCreery took a break between songs to tell the crowd, “If I wasn’t playing up here, I’d be right out there with y’all! You get Country Music and a good cause. Does it get any better?” Introducing his next song, “This Is It,” McCreery shared the story of how he wrote it to propose to his wife, outlining his proposal plan step by step, never planning to release the song due to its personal and special meaning. But good songs always win, and he thanked the crowd for bringing it to No. 1 on the Country charts. Closing out his set with his mid-tempo homage to the cowboy himself, exclaiming, “We havin’ a good time tonight at ACM Party for a Cause? ‘Damn Strait’!”
Two-time ACM Award Winner Darius Rucker kept the party rolling on with one of his first singles as a solo Country artist, “Alright,” followed by “Same Beer Different Problems.” He jokingly dedi cated the next song to “all the old people out there. I’m one of you, so this is for y’all” and surprised fans with a well-loved classic from his Hootie days, “I Only Wanna Be With You,” complete with an impressive jam session provided by house band, Sixwire. Based on the audience response, it’s safe to say all in attendance were thrilled to hear the throwback track that has withstood the test of time. Rucker closed his set with his rendition of Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel” and had fans singing and harmonizing right along with him.
ACM Award Winner Sara Evans was next to grace the stage, bringing fans back to the 2000s era with her No. 1 hit “Born to Fly.” She dedicated her song “A Little Bit Stronger” to those in the audience who “have ever been through a heart break or just a hard time, because you just have to get stronger every time you walk through it.” After two years of the pandemic, we can bet the message rang true for many in the crowd. Ending the set with a song “about a girl who broke her mother’s heart and left the ‘Suds in the Bucket,’” Evans had the crowd on their feet, dancing and clapping along to the classic tune.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Blanco Brown; Darius Rucker; Sara Evans; Scotty McCreery
Seven-time ACM Duo of the Year Award winner Brothers Osborne brought their signature guitar shredding to the stage, kicking off their set with the title track of their deluxe album, Skeletons. The Brothers kept the audience on their feet and active with their hit “Ain’t My Fault,” and had the crowd clapping along. Anyone who has ever seen the Brothers Osborne live knows that one of the best parts of their shows is an extended jam session, and, of course, they delivered. Ending their set with the extended version of “Stay,” there is no doubt that the audience was wishing they could “stay” in that moment for just a little longer.
Keeping the feel-good vibes flowing, 15-time ACM Award Winner Brad Paisley brought us back into the early 2000s with his hit single “Mud On The Tires,” and, of course brought some of his signature guitar shredding to the Ascend stage. Clearly happy to be back to the normalcy of tour life, he exclaimed to the crowd, “Look at your beauti ful faces! You look so much better than you do on a Zoom screen!”
Taking the energy down a notch, he performed a beautiful acoustic rendition of “Whiskey Lullaby” with Caylee Hammack. “Look out, Reba, there’s another redhead in town!” Brad exclaimed to the crowd, clearly impressed with Caylee’s take on the song. Bringing the crowd back up again for his final number, “Alcohol,” Brad made an on-the-spot lyric change to poke some fun at our MC, singing, “and also for those naked pictures of Storme Warren at the beach,” which got a good laugh from the crowd.
This year’s Party for A Cause was truly a hit. Fans sang, danced, partied and, most importantly, raised money for a fantastic cause that continues to improve lives through the power of music by providing support for those in times of need across the nation.
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The ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp in partnership with Vanderbilt Kennedy Center returned for its 13th year and to its first in-person format since 2019. Campers reunited to enjoy a week jam-packed with events immersing them in every aspect of the music process, including writing and recording a song, and, to top it all off, a performance at the Grand Ole Opry. The camp also enables the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center to advance its mission of improving the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families through research, training and service.
Campers began the week with recording artist Walker Hayes and songwriter Josh Jenkins. Longtime camp supporter Ross Copperman was unable to attend in person but was there in spirit as his track served as the foundation for the campers’ song entitled “Reunion.” Hayes and Jenkins guided the campers through a brainstorming session and, soon enough, an uplifting, hopeful and infectious song was born. After the song was written, Hayes and Jenkins answered questions from the campers about songwriting and their careers. Of course, Hayes couldn’t leave without teaching the campers his viral “Fancy Like” dance. The day continued with a visit from artist Hannah Ellis, where campers practiced the song and their performance.
Day two of camp began in the heart of Music Row at the legendary Ocean Way Recording Studio. Campers began with some vocal warmups with vocal coach Jason Catron. Behind the sound board sat two-time ACM Award winner, producer and sound engineer, F. Reid Shippen. Campers were surprised with a visit from trio Runaway June, who sat in on the recording session of their song “Reunion” and even sang along with the campers. After their session, the campers were taken to the famed Bluebird Cafe, which was celebrating its 40th birthday. Lindsay Ell led the campers in singing “Happy Birthday” to the Bluebird, played a couple of her songs and answered questions from the campers.
On Wednesday, the campers got to hang out at the Listening Room Cafe with Restless Road, Dylan Schneider and the team from Seacrest Studios. There, they took part in a little media training. The campers interviewed the artists and took photos in front of the step-and-repeat. After some more sightseeing in Nashville, the crew ended their day at Winners Bar & Grill, where they showed off their karaoke with Rod + Rose.
No trip to Nashville is complete without seeing some professional guitars. So, on Thursday, the campers headed to the Gibson Garage for a behind-the-scenes tour of the shop and the guitarmaking process. Post-tour, they got to hang out in the Gibson Greenroom and have a guitar lesson-turned jam session with artist Marty Schwartz.
end the week, campers got to experience one of the
milestones
any Country Music artist —
in the circle of the Grand Ole Opry. To further prove the power of reunions, campers, along with artist Filmore, shared “Reunion” and its powerful message. The standing ovation the campers received was a clear indicator of how powerful live music can be. ●
TEMPO: Where did your love of Country Music come from?
ELLIS: Oh, man. I’m originally from Campbellsville, a small town in Kentucky, and both of my parents were singers growing up. In my family, that was a big deal, for us all to be singers. But, you know, there’s all these contests and state fairs and county fairs that you can compete in when you’re younger. So, I got really involved in those. My dad loved Country Music and I feel like GAC and CMT were just on the TV all the time in my house growing up. So, I really just fell in love with it super naturally, and as I got older and started compet ing in these contests. I would sing Martina McBride songs and Jo Dee Messina, even Tammy Wynette, which all the band guys would laugh at me because I was an 11-year-old singing “Stand By Your Man,” but I thought I meant it. But, when I got older, I went to the University of Kentucky. I kind of already made the decision to pursue music right before college, but I had a full-ride scholarship to UK, so my parents were like, “We abso lutely support your decision to pursue music as a career, but we would really love if you went to college as well.”
So, I decided to do both. I was doing music as much as I could, so I would schedule my classes Tuesdays through Wednesdays as much as possible so I could get down to Nashville and start getting to know the community down here. I graduated in December of 2012, moved to Nashville in 2013, which was amazing … I just started writing songs with whoever would write with me and as
that progressed, I got a publishing deal in 2015 and start ing really touring and pursuing music on the artist side. I always was an artist, but after I got my publishing deal in 2015, I really focused on songwriting because that’s what they were paying me to do, and I wanted to honor that contract. I ended up getting cuts with Carly Pearce and Russell Dickerson and Cassadee Pope. So, once I had done that, I felt like I was able to shift my focus back to putting out music of my own, which I did in 2017. I put out a selftitled EP of the first music I really put out as a Nashville artist and then I signed my record deal with Curb Records in March of 2020.
TEMPO: Wow, that’s quite a story. It sounds like you really like to hustle — I love that. I know that you were on The Voice, too. What led you there and how was that experience?
ELLIS: I actually got connected through a friend that said “Hey, they’re looking for some Country females to try out for the show.” I feel like I learned a lot about myself as an artist because my nature is to be very accommodating and a little people-pleasy. So, when I got out there, the producers had picked out a song they wanted me to sing and how they wanted to present me and I was like, “Absolutely. Totally,” even if it wasn’t exactly what I would have chosen. So, when I didn’t get a chair turn, I kind of decided that if I was going to fail, I would like to fail because of my own decisions. But my experience there was great and everybody on the show was truly wonderful.
TEMPO: What a learning experience. It sounds like, for the most part, your career and coming up in the Country Music scene was pretty steady, but did you ever have some really big blows or anything that made you think that this wasn’t the right path for you?
ELLIS: Oh, absolutely. I think that’s the whole music industry — massive blows, you know? Whether it’s you think you’re building relationships with a record label and they sign someone else or a song you think is going to get cut by a big artist. My now-husband and I were just dating at the time, but we wrote a song together that got cut by Keith Urban when we were way young … and we were like, “This is going to change our life,” and then it didn’t come out on the record. Then Tim
McGraw and Faith Hill cut it and even used it in their promo videos, and then it didn’t come out on the record. So, you have these moments where you’re like, “This is it! This is it! This is going to be the moment,” but it all works out beautifully and how it’s supposed to, and my husband ended up putting that out on his first artist project. So, it’s cool and it’s the industry and, yeah, there’s definitely those moments where you’re just like, “Is it all worth it?” But it absolutely is. It absolutely is.
TEMPO: I know that you mentioned your husband is a singer-songwriter. Do you feel like your life is consumed by Country Music, or do you have other hobbies that take your mind off the music every once in a while?
ELLIS: I would say the music industry itself is very all-consuming, especially because, like you said, we both do music. But yes, actually, I love to golf and so does he. I love food and travel and just exploring the world, so it’s really nice because even if I’m out on the road, I’m trying to dive into the culture of every city that I go to and that keeps it exciting. Also, I love to scrapbook, which is kind of random. I don’t have much time for it right now, but I do really love it.
TEMPO: That’s awesome. You started out in this industry as a songwriter, but do you prefer songwriting over performing?
ELLIS: I am a performer over everything. That’s what I started doing as a child. The youngest videos that exist of me are me singing before I could hardly even form full sentences. It started there and then songwriting kind of came later for me and then once I found it, I was like, “Oh, this is magic.”
TEMPO: Your latest single “Country Can” came out not too long ago. What’s the story behind it?
ELLIS: It’s just a really special song. I actually wrote it with my husband as well. Him and my producer, Jason Massey, and Parker Welling, and we wrote it on a retreat. We were just sitting around talking about Country Music and how it really can do something that nothing else can. It brings us together, all walks of life, from across the country. You can travel anywhere and meet someone that loves Country Music. We were just discussing this and “Country Can” was born. ●
TEMPO: Just to kick things off, I would love to hear about your story. How did you get started in Country Music?
MARLOWE: For me, music has always just been a part of my life, where even if I wasn’t doing music as a job, I was always playing music at bars any time I could to make side cash. I did The Voice back in 2018. I did that and I didn’t really think anything of it, but what it really did for me was introduce me to songwriters. I had written songs by myself, but I had never seen an actual songwriters’ room. These people are out here writing and enjoying that aspect of the music while we were all out there. So, for me, I was like, “I want to learn how to get into that situation.” So, I started coming to Nashville as much as I could, probably about three times a week, if my job allowed me, and I kind of just fell in the music industry. I started meeting as many people as I could. I started writing more songs and ended up getting a manager and a record deal and publishing deal. I just kind of fell into the music industry, honestly.
TEMPO: That’s an awesome story and I feel like it’s so unique, too. Between doing The Voice and moving to Nashville, was there any moment that you wanted to give up or was it always something that you knew you wanted to do?
MARLOWE: I think when I came into town and realized it was normal that all these people were chasing the music industry, I think that’s when I really realized that I’m going
BY LIBBY GARDNERto go for this and I’m going to go for broke. I’m going to try until someone tells me I need to leave.
TEMPO: Obviously, you’re an artist, but you’re also passionate about songwriting. So, what does your songwriting process look like and what are you inspired by?
MARLOWE: My songwriting process changes daily. Some days, it’s very standard, in the sense of writing first verse, chorus. Other days, we’ll start with the chorus and then go to the verse. I like to describe it as trying to put pieces of a puzzle together. You really don’t know where to start, but you know how it ends.
TEMPO: Yeah, for sure. I know you have an album coming up soon, so what did that writing and recording process look like?
MARLOWE: For this project called We Were Cowboys, this was basically my life story of all my 25 years of life, things that I’ve done, the way that I grew up, the feelings I’ve had about certain people. I guess I can only describe it as my life story. I did it, in a sense, of where all my influences kind of meshed. There’s a little rock, there’s a little Country, there’s a little blues. There’s everything truly meshed to make one cohesive record. I’m super excited about it. I was trying to make this record nostalgic and really make it something that would last ‘til the tales of time.
TEMPO: That’s awesome. You talked a little bit about being inspired by rock and certain Country elements. Do you have any artists or bands that you really look up to and admire?
MARLOWE: Absolutely. My favorite artist in the world is probably George Jones, so I have some of that in this record. I have some Kings of Leon kind of sound. I have some Lynyrd Skynyrd sounds. I have some Stevie Ray Vaughanstyle music. There’s a lot of everything on this record.
TEMPO: That’s awesome. I’m excited to listen to it. What else do you have going on this fall?
MARLOWE: This summer, I finished up the Morgan Wallen tour and had a stadium show with Luke Combs.
I’ve started my headline tour, which has been exciting. We’re going to promote this record and play as many shows as we can.
TEMPO: Yeah, that sounds great. I know you have just gotten started working in this industry and touring. Has it been what you expected it to be or is it different in any way?
MARLOWE: I think my opinion changes on that daily. Every day is something new and something that I have to learn. But I wouldn’t trade anything in this industry for anything. I mean, this is my life now and I will always fight to preserve my place in Country Music. ●
Thom Bresh, a celebrated guitarist and enduring entertainer, died on May 23, 2022. He was 74. Born and raised in Southern California, Bresh entered show business early, working as a movie stuntman as a child. He began appearing on local TV shows at age 11 and performed in Hank Penny’s band in Las Vegas at 16. Although he recorded multiple singles in his early 20s, he earned his first hit in 1976. Released on Farr Records, “Home Made Love” reached No. 6. He earned an ACM nomination for Top New Male Vocalist and charted nine Country singles through 1982. The son of Country Music Hall of Fame member Merle Travis, Bresh carried on his father’s famous “Travis-picking” style on records, television and instructional videos.
Joe Chambers, founder of the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, died on September 28, 2022. He was 68. Although he played in a rock band as a teenager, he learned about Country Music through a friendship with producer Billy Sherrill, who headed CBS Records. In addition to an A&R role at the label, Chambers observed Sherrill as he worked in the studio, thus sparking a lifelong interest in session musicians. As a songwriter, he placed cuts with Ricky Van Shelton, Randy Travis and more. In 1985, he opened Chambers Guitars, which evolved into a small retail chain. Chambers opened the museum in 2006 to honor notable session players, engineers and producers in Nashville, Los Angeles, Detroit, Muscle Shoals, Philadelphia and other music capitals.
Hal Bynum, who co-wrote Kenny Rogers’ classic hit “Lucille,” died on June 2, 2022. He was 87. Born in Texas, the Navy veteran moved to Nashville in 1968 after landing cuts like George Jones’ “The Old, Old House” and Jim Reeves’ “Nobody’s Fool.” Written by Bynum and Roger Bowling, “Lucille” vividly captures a moment between the title character in a Toledo bar and the heartbroken husband who confronts her. Among its accolades, “Lucille” collected the 1977 ACM Single and Song of the Year awards. Bynum’s other writing credits include Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings’ 1978 single, “There Ain’t No Good Chain Gang,” as well as Patty Loveless’ 1990 No. 1 hit, “Chains.” He also had songs recorded by Suzy Bogguss, Lee Greenwood and Ray Price.
Al Cooley, a multifaceted music industry figure whose career spanned across decades, died on June 9, 2022. He was 76. Cooley grew up in the Bronx and moved to Nashville in the early 1970s. After working as editor of a biweekly publication called Zoo World: The Music Megapaper, Cooley joined Combine Music in 1976 as a song plugger. In that role, he hired a then-unknown Kathy Mattea to sing demos and wrote a column for David Ross’ fledgling publication MusicRow. After Combine’s sale in 1986, Cooley continued in publishing until landing an A&R job in 1991 at Atlantic Nashville, the label that launched the careers of Tracy Lawrence, Neal McCoy and John Michael Montgomery. Departing after a label merger, Cooley accepted a position at Koch Nashville in 2004.
1927–2022
Ray Edenton, a rhythm guitarist who played on more than 10,000 recording sessions, died on September 21, 2022. He was 95. Edenton was born and raised in Mineral, Va. After serving in the Army during World War II, Edenton performed at barn dances and on radio shows before moving to Nashville in 1952. His steady playing style elevated signature hits by Webb Pierce, The Everly Brothers, Patsy Cline, Roger Miller, Kenny Rogers, Loretta Lynn and more. Although he rarely played lead in the studio, his vibrant guitar solo on Marty Robbins’ “Singing the Blues” confirmed his spot among Nashville’s A-team of session players. Edenton retired in 1991. Recognizing his studio achievements, the Country Music Hall of Fame honored Edenton in its “Nashville Cats” series in 2007.
1949–2022
Ed Hardy, the media executive who expanded the reach of Great American Country (GAC) as its president, died on July 31, 2022. He was 73. Hardy worked at WJW Radio in Cleveland, Ohio, at the start of his career, then broadened his broadcasting footprint across the Pacific Northwest. After selling his radio group to Citadel Radio, he served as president and CEO of MeasureCast and consulted for MediaBlue/Nox. Joining GAC in 2004 after its acquisition by the Scripps Network, Hardy immediately fueled the cable channel’s growth nationally and negotiated a multi-year deal to broadcast the Grand Ole Opry. Following his retirement in 2012, he was recognized with the CMA Chairman’s Award in 2013 and the President’s Award from the Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc., in 2014.
1947–2022
Eddie Edwards, a 1985 ACM Award recipient for Disc Jockey of the Year , died on June 19, 2022. He was 75. Born in San Diego as Ernest Edward Drennan, he spent more than 50 years in the radio industry. His on-air career began in a broadcasting class at San Diego State University, and later, a small station in Barstow, Calif. Under his guidance as program manager at WNOE, the station helped establish New Orleans as a strong market for Country Music. He also hosted a long-running morning show, billed as Crazy Eddie and the Breakfast Flakes. Edwards was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2013. He continued to stay active in the radio industry, most recently working mornings at WUUU in Covington, La.
1939–2022
Don Howard, a former ACM Board Member who launched his music industry career in Hollywood, died on April 16, 2022. He was 83. Howard was born in Floyd, Texas, but moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s. His mother, Bea Terry, had already established herself in Country Music circles as a magazine columnist, publicist and radio promoter, among other roles. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Howard developed his own career as a booking agent, manager,and music publisher. He met his wife of 54 years, Marti, at the famed Palomino Club. In 1978, Howard and his family relocated to Sanger, Texas, where he worked in construction and real estate. At the time of his death, he was preparing to publish a memoir entitled Bea and Me
1942–2022
Jody Miller, one of the most versatile singers of her era, died on October 6, 2022. She was 80. As a teenager, she nurtured her singing talent in coffee houses in Oklahoma before moving to Los Angeles. Capitol Records signed her as a folk artist in 1962. She charted a pop single, “He Walks Like a Man,” in 1964 and appeared on American Bandstand . The following year, she placed a Top 5 Country crossover hit with the Grammy-winning “Queen of the House.” Miller received 1965 and 1968 nominations for ACM Top New Female Vocalist. With Billy Sherrill producing, an Epic Records contract yielded five more Top 10 hits in the early 1970s. She retired from touring in the 1980s but continued to record gospel albums.
1949–2022
Olivia Newton-John, an internationally recognized entertainer who charted 15 Country singles in the 1970s, died on August 8, 2022. She was 73. Born in Cambridge, England, and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Newton-John first gained attention with a British hit version of Bob Dylan’s “If Not For You” in 1971. She entered the American Country chart in 1973 with “Let Me Be There,” which won a Grammy for Country Female Vocal Performance. Newton-John also received the 1973 ACM Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist and earned a 1974 nod for Top Female Vocalist. In addition to her iconic music hits like “Physical,” “I Honestly Love You” and her iconic Grease duet with John Travolta, “You’re the One That I Want,” she was also an inspiration to millions, thanks to her public and brave battle with breast cancer.
1949–2022
Glenn Meadows, one of Nashville’s most prolific recording engineers, died on July 7, 2022. He was 73. Meadows grew up on Long Island, N.Y., and studied at Georgia Tech. After launching an engineering career at the Sound Pit in Atlanta, he moved to Nashville in 1975. Taking a position at Masterfonics, he positioned himself as a leading mastering engineer. He acquired the company in 1989 and worked with innumerable pop and Country artists, ranging from Merle Haggard, The Judds and George Strait, to Jimmy Buffett, Amy Grant and Steely Dan. In 1995, he opened the Tracking Room, a multimillion dollar recording studio near Music Row. With engineering credits on more than 1,600 albums, Meadows accepted the Audio Engineering Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
Bil VornDick, a producer and champion for Americana, bluegrass and folk artists, died on July 5, 2022. He was 72. A Virginia native, VornDick signed as a staff songwriter to Cedarwood Publishing at age 19. He then moved to Nashville with the encouragement of Chet Atkins, who helped VornDick enroll in the music business program at Belmont College. After graduating in 1979, VornDick accepted a position as chief engineer at Marty Robbins’ studio. He soon aligned himself with an auspicious class of acoustic artists who emerged in Nashville in the 1980s, including Béla Fleck and Jerry Douglas, and he produced Alison Krauss’ first two albums. He shared a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album for his engineering work on The Earls of Leicester’s 2014 self-titled debut.
Bill Walker, known for his graceful touch as a composer and arranger, died on May 26, 2022. He was 85. Born and raised in Australia and employed by RCA Victor in South Africa, Walker relocated to Nashville in 1964 to work with Jim Reeves. However, the Country legend was killed in a plane crash on the same weekend Walker arrived. Eddy Arnold then helped establish Walker as a notable arranger and composer on lush recordings like 1965’s “Make the World Go Away.” After serving as music director of The Johnny Cash Show, Walker produced Donna Fargo’s “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.,” the 1972 ACM Single of the Year. In the 1990s, Walker lent his orchestral composition talent to TNN’s top-rated The Statler Brothers Show
Kathryn Ortiz
Studio
Best known as the venerated Queen of Country Music with No. 1 songs such as “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Fist City” and “Don’t Come Home a ‘Drinkin’ (with Lovin’ on Your Mind,)” Loretta Lynn created a brand that defined the genre — and did so with both beauty and grace.
Born April 14, 1935, in a one-room cabin in the coalmining community of Van Lear, Ky., Loretta Webb arrived as the second of eight children. When she was 13 years old, she met Doolittle “Mooney” Lynn and married him a month later. He would serve as the inspiration for many of her songs to come.
Her early music caught the attention of Zero Records in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, who sent the young couple to Los Angeles to record four songs. After the records were pressed, they drove from L.A. to Nashville and handed out the copies along the way. By the time they reached Nashville, the single “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” had become a national hit. The 1960 song peaked at No. 14 on Billboard’s country airplay chart, and that same year, Lynn made her Grand Ole Opry debut. Two years later she became an official member.
In the early 1960s, Lynn left Zero Records and signed to Decca. By the end of the decade, she’d earned three No. 1 hits: “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” “Fist City” and “Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone).”
The 1970 anecdotal classic “Coal Miner’s Daughter” set the tone for Lynn’s career throughout the next decade. She returned to No. 1 throughout the 1970s with songs including “One’s on the Way,” “Rated ‘X’,” “Love Is the Foundation” and more.
In 1975, she stirred up controversy with “The Pill,” an upbeat tune about birth control, a taboo topic of the era, that also reached No. 1. That same year she earned the ACM Entertainer of the Year Award, making her the first woman to win that rare award. She also received four ACM trophies for female vocalist of the year (1971, 1973, 1974 and 1975) and another trophy for her album Feelings in 1975.
In 2000, Lynn returned with album, Still Country and followed it with a second memoir in 2021, Still Woman Enough, her 46th and final studio album.
With record sales of more than 45 million worldwide and a staggering 51 Top 10 hits, Lynn received a total of 14 ACM Awards throughout her career and is currently the only woman to be named ACM Artist of the Decade. Most recently, she was honored with the ACM Poet’s Award in 2021. A member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Lynn’s impact on Country Music and American culture cannot be understated. ●
|1| Loretta Lynn performs "Naked In The Rain" at the 15th ACM Awards in 1980 |2| Lynn poses with her ACM Artist of the Decade trophy in 1980, awarded for her career achievements in the 1970s |3| Lynn takes home four trophies at the 10th ACM Awards in 1975 for Album of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Top Female Vocalist of the Year and Top Vocal Group (with Conway Twitty) |4| Lynn and Vince Gill perform at the 45th ACM Awards in 2004 |5| Lynn after she was awarded the Pioneer Award at the 30th ACM Awards in 1995 |6| Lynn performs "Miss Being Mrs." at the 45th ACM Awards in 2004 |7| Lynn poses with ACM Crystal Milestone Award trophy on the red carpet at the 9th ACM Honors in 2015
Carly Pearce @carlypearce
She showed us all how to unapologetically tell the truth. One of the greatest there will ever be. I’ll be signing “Dear Miss Loretta” with a little extra love tonight at the @opry Now she really is a Honky Tonk Angel #RIP
There simply is not another female artist whose songwriting and artistry have blazed more of a trail or had more impact on the Country Music industry — and the world — than Loretta Lynn. The true “Queen of Country” had a massive impact on the history and legacy of the Academy, earning 14 ACM Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1975, making her the first female to win that coveted trophy. She was also honored with the ACM Artist of the Decade Award for her fearless and legendary work in the 1970s, again the first and only female to achieve that. I was personally honored to work with her family last year for ACM Honors when we celebrated Loretta’s groundbreaking contributions as a songwriter by honoring her with the ACM Poet’s Award.
I’m in Australia, so I’m a day ahead. But somehow also way behind. Bad news ignores the international dateline. Thank you @lorettalynnofficial for your fearlessness, your music, and your story. It will live forever. And inspire so many more generations. God bless you my friend. #lorettalynn
So sorry to hear about my sister, friend Loretta. We’ve been like sisters all the years we’ve been in Nashville and she was a wonderful human being, wonderful talent, had millions of fans and I’m one of them. I miss her dearly as we all will. May she rest in peace.
#LorettaLynn was a TRUE American artist. She never sanded her rough edges, but instead, with her lyrics, put a magnifying glass on all the things that were imperfect in her life. She was an inspiration to millions, and the embodiment of the American Dream
#CoalMinersDaughter
Mama and Loretta Lynn were four years apart, Mama being the oldest. They always reminded me a lot of each other. Strong women, who loved their children and were fiercely loyal.
Now they’re both in Heaven getting to visit and talk about how they were raised, how different country music is now from what it was when they were young. Sure makes me feel good that Mama went first so she could welcome Loretta into the hollers of heaven!
I always did and I always will love Loretta. She was always so nice to me. I sure appreciate her paving the rough and rocky road for all us girl singers.
@mirandalambert
I’m so heartbroken to hear about Loretta’s passing. She was so kind to me and blazed so many trails for all of us girls in Country Music. Thanks for all the songs. Miss you. Fly high.