Music Business Association & COVID Eric Church Loretta Lynn Gene Watson

from NMG Radio Special Issue 2021

Adam Sanders Tim McGraw Hardy Lee Brice

Tyra’s next single, “Hostage,” is a mid-tempo tune - which showcases the Kentucky native’s powerful pipes backed by an earworm, hard-to-shake melody - was co-written by Sam Ellis, Sarah Haze, and Ben Caver, and was produced by Brad Hill and Dave Thomson (Brothers Osborne, Maren Morris, Brett Young). “Hostage” follows a string of successful single releases dating back to 2018, including debut “Ain’t No Dime,” “Saturdays Are for the Girls,” “Right Girl Wrong Time,” “Ain’t That Lonely Tonight,” and the ballad “Lightning.”

See https://www.tyramadison.com/ and social media. Listen to Tyra Madison on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube Music.

INDUSTRY NEWS:

The Music Business Association (Music Biz) has announced the formation of the Music Business Mental Health Fund, established in partnership with Music Health Alliance (MHA) and the Scars Foundation. The fund was created to help Association members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic gain access to important mental health services, including screenings and therapy sessions.

The Music Business Mental Health Fund is open to qualified employees of Music Biz member companies, individual professional members, and people who were furloughed or laid off from a Music Biz member company in 2020. Nashville-based non-profit Music Health Alliance, which provides free healthcare advocacy and support to the nationwide music community, will administer the fund with 100% confidentiality, overseeing applications for assistance and disbursement of funds.

For more information on the fund, a full list of qualifications, and access to the application, visit https://www. musichealthalliance.com/.

“The increased stresses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have shed more light on something we’ve already come to know: access to mental health services is essential in sustaining our professional success and, more importantly, our individual well-being,” said Music Biz President Portia Sabin.

LABEL NEWS: (Capitol/EMI Nashville)

After confirming plans for his highly anticipated three-part project, Heart & Soul, in a video message directly to fans in his Church Choir last week, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year and current GRAMMY nominee Eric Church continues to reveal elements of the collection with the release of a new song off the Heart album, “Heart On Fire.” Pre-orders for Heart (set for release Friday, April 16) and Soul (set for release Friday, April 23) are now open.

The middle album, titled &, is set for release Tuesday, April 20 as a vinyl record available exclusively to Church Choir members.

In addition to releasing new music, Church also took to the field at Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium Sunday, February 7 to perform the National Anthem with R&B star Jazmine Sullivan at Super Bowl LV. For the latest information and to learn how to join the Church Choir, visit www.ericchurch.com and follow him on socials.

LEGEND NEWS:

2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” As part of the celebration, Loretta will release her new album, Still Woman Enough, on March 19. The album features collaborations with Reba McEntire, Margo Price, Tanya Tucker, and Carrie Underwood. Coincidentally, it will be her 50th studio album, including ten with duet partner Conway Twitty.

PBS will premiere the documentary of Loretta’s rags-toriches story titled Loretta Lynn: My Story in My Words on February 27. The documentary will trace Loretta’s rise to fame from her childhood in a one-room cabin in eastern Kentucky. It will include new and archived audio and ‘classic’ performances.

MEDIA NEWS:

It was January 2020 when country music legend and celebrated vocalist, Gene Watson, received the invitation of a lifetime: to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Vince Gill surprised Watson on stage at the Ryman Auditorium during the Opry’s Friday night show, and the rest is history. He celebrated that anniversary in 2021 as a guest on Jeannie Seely’s show on Willie’s Roadhouse, SiriusXM.

“Being invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry is the highlight of my music career,” shared Watson. “When Vince Gill surprised me with the news, I was so shocked I don’t know how I was able to sing. As a kid, I used to sit by the radio with my family and listen to the Opry and now it’s my proud honor to be a member. Right after my induction, the