Music News (9/9/26)

2026 MusicRow Awards Winners

MusicRow Magazine revealed the winners of the 38th annual MusicRow Awards last Wednesday (Sept. 2) on its online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and X.

City National Bank is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 MusicRow Awards.

The MusicRow Awards are Nashville’s longest-running music industry trade publication honors and celebrates the achievements of songwriters, artists, producers and more. Winners are voted on by MusicRow’s subscribers.

All the MusicRow Award nominees are profiled in the recently-released MusicRow Awards print issue.

See the full list of winners here.

 

Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame To Honor George Strait

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) will honor George Strait with the Career Maker Award during the organization’s annual gala on Oct. 26 at Music City Center.

Strait will receive the award for his longtime impact on the careers of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members. The Career Maker Award recognizes individuals outside the Hall whose artistic work has helped songwriters achieve their goals of Hall of Fame induction. Strait joins Reba McEntire (2018) as the only recipients of the honor.

Throughout his more than 40-year career, Strait has recorded 264 songs, including 65 top 40 singles, written or co-written by 72 NaSHOF songwriters. Of those writers, 44 were not members of the Hall when Strait first recorded their songs.

“Throughout his phenomenal career as an artist, George Strait has played an integral role in helping more than 40 songwriters achieve induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,” says Rich Hallworth, Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. “Which is why we want to express our gratitude to him on Nashville Songwriting’s Most Legendary Night.”

“Having George Strait record a song of mine, especially so early in my career, felt like nothing less than a stamp of approval from Country music itself,” shares Hall of Fame songwriter Gretchen Peters, Board Vice Chair and co-writer of Strait’s “The Chill Of An Early Fall.” “It said, ‘You belong here; you’ve earned your bona fides.’ George is so deeply rooted in the traditions of Country music, so beloved and respected and unassailable in his song choices. Every song he touches becomes, de facto, a George Strait song. To a young songwriter, that meant the world.”

“I’m so honored to be receiving the Career Maker Award from the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame,” adds Strait. “I look forward to being there with some of the most talented Hall of Fame songwriters I’ve been so lucky to be associated with throughout my career. You folks definitely make the world a better place through your amazing abilities as songwriters and artists. See you there.”

The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala benefits the nonprofit Nashville Songwriters Foundation and honors each inductee with tributes and acoustic performances from guest artists.

Recent performers and participants have included John Anderson, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, The Del McCoury Band, Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Olivia Newton-John, Thomas Rhett, John Rich, Blake Shelton, Marty Stuart, Taylor Swift, The Isaacs, The Oak Ridge Boys, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Trisha Yearwood.

 

‘The Songwriters’ Returns Sept. 5 For Fourth Season With Kent Blazy, Rafe Van Hoy, More

The Songwriters, a weekly TV series celebrating the artistry, stories and lasting impact of some of Nashville’s most influential songwriters, returns for its fourth season beginning in early September.

Distributed to an estimated 85% of U.S. households through PBS affiliate stations and hosted by long-time journalist Ken Paulson, The Songwriters goes behind the scenes with members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame exploring the lives, careers and creative journeys of writers whose songs have become part of the fabric of American music.

Season Four features Sharon Vaughn (“My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys”), Mike Reid (“I Can’t Make You Love Me”), Kent Blazy (“If Tomorrow Never Comes”), John Scott Sherrill (“Nothing But the Wheel”), Tom Shapiro (“Never Give Up on a Good Thing”), Rafe Van Hoy (“What’s Forever For”), Steve Bogard (“Carrying Your Love With Me”) and Gary Burr (“Queen of Hearts”). The season also shines a spotlight on two legendary songwriters—two episodes celebrate the remarkable body of work of Jimmy Webb, while two additional episodes explore the enduring legacy of John Prine.

The Songwriters is produced at the Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University, where Paulson is dean emeritus. All in-studio production is done by students in the college’s Media Arts department and direction is provided by department Chair Robert Gordon.

“If you’re a fan of great songwriting, you will love this archive of interviews with some of the best, all of whom have a deep connection to Nashville, the modern mecca for songwriters of all genres,” says Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Member Pat Alger. “Ken’s one of the best in the business, and he takes you up close and personal to hear intimate performances and the stories behind the many iconic songs created by these elite writers.”

Katlin Owen Inks With Song Hunter Publishing & Warner Chappell Music

Artist, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Katlin Owen has signed a joint-venture publishing deal with Brian Kelley‘s Song Hunter Publishing and Warner Chappell Music.

“I’ve watched Katlin put in the work on the road and in the studio, and I’ve seen his songwriting grow every step of the way,” says Kelley. “I’ve always believed in supporting your tribe and giving talented people opportunities when you know they’ve earned them, and I’m fired up to keep pushing forward with Katlin through this new partnership with Warner Chappell.”

Owen originally signed with Song Hunter in 2o24, becoming the company’s first outside songwriter.

“The team at Warner Chappell and I are thrilled to partner with Brian Kelley and Song Hunter to showcase the incredible talents of Katlin Owen,” adds Benji Amaefule, A&R Manager, WCM Nashville. “He’s been an integral part of so many standout songs in our community, whether in the writing room, on the road, or in the studio. After years of sharpening his craft, this partnership with Brian will give Katlin the platform to create at the highest level. We can’t wait to see what this next chapter holds!”

Owen has worked as a guitarist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter on projects by major artists including Florida Georgia Line, Jon Pardi, Riley Green and Chris Young, among others. He has also co-written several songs with Kelley, including “Teal,” “Quality Of Life,” “King Ranch,” and “My Kind Of Country.” Owen also produces, plays, and sings on Kelley’s records.

Hailing from Liberty, South Carolina, Owen brings the honesty and character of his upbringing to his music. He is also the flagship artist signed to Nashville South Records, an artist-first label founded by Kelley in 2021. Owen has continued to showcase his talent with songs including “Speed of a Tractor,” “Just a Hat,” and his latest release “So Many.”

30A Songwriters Festival Reveals 2027 Headliners

St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, S.G. Goodman and more are set to headline the 2027 30A Songwriters Festival set for Jan. 15-18.

30A Songwriters Festival will celebrate its 18th year with performances on the main stage at Grand Boulevard’s Town Center in Miramar Beach with headline performances from Welch & Rawlings, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Larkin Poe, Booker T. Jones, and Tommy Emmanuel, along with Friday Festival kickoff headline performances at Seaside Amphitheater featuring Dawes, Goodman, and Paul McDonald & the Mourning Doves.

Artists initially confirmed for evening performances include Robyn Hitchcock (with band), Rainbow Girls, Shawn Mullins, Gary Louris (Jayhawks), Kim Richey, Rhett Miller (Old 97’s), Jeffrey Steele, The Mammals, Danny Schmidt, Eliot Bronson, Jennifer Lynn Simpson, Erin McKeown, Gurufish, and more. Ticket information is available here.

During the festival the beach resort towns along Scenic Highway 30A on the Gulf Coast will become a music haven featuring 30 venues presenting over 160+ songwriters and 300+ solo, band, and in-the-round performances throughout the weekend. Over 160 additional artists participating will be announced this fall.

“The 30A Songwriters Festival is unlike any other music event in the region. It spans more than 20 miles, brings together 30 unique venues, and features more than 160 acclaimed songwriters from across the country,” says Jennifer Steele, Festival Co-Producer and President & CEO of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County. “We’re thrilled to announce this year’s headliners, who will join that lineup in bringing the art of songwriting to unexpected places—from a town hall or converted restaurant to two iconic main stages at SEASIDE and Grand Boulevard.

“But the Festival is about more than what happens in January,” she continues. “It is the Cultural Arts Alliance’s largest fundraiser, with net proceeds reinvested in programs and services that help ensure Walton County remains a creative community year-round. To date, those funds have helped the CAA award more than $923,000 in Art For All grants and scholarships to artists, students, teachers and arts organizations. They also support Beyond Bars, which brings songwriting into Walton Correctional Institution and has engaged more than 300 participants in producing over 100 original songs – along with many other programs that expand access to the arts throughout our community.”

Category: Music News