(Nashville, Tenn. – Jan. 29, 2021) Country Radio Seminar has announced additional performers joining multi-platinum performer and 2020 ACM Entertainer of the Year, Thomas Rhett, on the annual “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley.” Hosted by Fitz of “Country Top 40’s” legendary countdown, the event will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 17 during CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience. Thomas Rhett’s special guests who are set to appear are Rhett Akins (“Get Me Some of That,” “Boys ‘Round Here,” and “When She Says Baby”) and Parker Welling (“Blue Tacoma,” “Love You Like I Used To” and “Every Little Thing”). This year’s “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley” is sponsored by Country Top 40 with Fitz and First Horizon.
Reigning ACM Awards “Entertainer of the Year” Thomas Rhett’s most recent release, his GRAMMY-nominated fourth studio album CENTER POINT ROAD continued to propel his meteoric career as “few singers have played a larger role in defining the sound of country music over the past half-dozen years” (Rolling Stone), debuting atop the Billboard 200 and spawning three No. One hits including its PLATINUM lead single, “Look What God Gave Her,” which was first introduced on SNL. Thomas Rhett has scored nearly 10 BILLION total career streams, 16 career No. One hits and received two CMA Triple Play awards for penning three No. One songs within a 12-month period, adding to his collection of trophies from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Billboard Music Awards, CMT Music Awards and more. Following the record-breaking success of his Top 10 single “What’s Your Country Song,” additional new music is expected this year. “At the top of his musical game” (Winnipeg Free Press), the in-demand superstar has headlined multiple nationwide and international tours as well as major festivals. For more information, visit www.thomasrhett.com.
Rhett Akins has had an extremely impressive career. He’s not just been a successful solo artist, he’s also written chart-topping hits for some of the biggest names in Country music. Akins has had 31 No. 1 singles, including Luke Bryan’s “Huntin’ Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” Dustin Lynch’s “Small Town Boy,” Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee,” Jason Aldean’s “When She Says Baby,” John Pardi’s “Dirt On My Boots,” and many more. Akins celebrated with Thomas Rhett and fellow co-writers his 29th number one, “Life Changes,” in 2018; his 30th #1 in the summer of 2019 with “Look What God Gave Her;” and his 31st #1 with Brantley Gilbert’s “What Happens In A Small Town.” This impressive list hasn’t gone unnoticed in the music industry. He is the recipient of renowned awards and titles and has received 40 BMI Awards, 2-time BMI Songwriter of the Year, ACM Songwriter of the Year, ACM Songwriter of the Decade, and 7 CMA Triple Play Awards.
Nashville-born and raised on southern tradition, Parker Welling has a colorful understanding of the makings of a song that bleeds through the lines of genre. She was mentored by legendary hall of fame songwriter Jeffrey Steele and has partnered with Home Team Publishing (a team comprised of manager Virginia Bunetta, Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, and Warner Chappell). Her songs collectively have nearly a billion streams and she was nominated for Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music for Russell Dickerson’s hit song “Yours.” Parker has been featured in the Country Power Players issue of Billboard Magazine, was nominated for the Canadian Country Music Association’s 2020 Songwriter of the Year and has landed a nod for MusicRow’s Female Songwriter of the Year for the past three years. She has written four platinum and double platinum #1 singles by Russell Dickerson, including “Yours”, “Love You Like I Used To”, “Blue Tacoma”, and “Every Little Thing”. Additionally, she penned a handful of songs for Zach Williams on his 2018 Grammy Award Winning Christian Album of the Year, “Chainbreaker”. In 2019, Welling landed another No. 1 on Billboard’s Canada Country chart with Mackenzie Porter’s platinum single “These Days.” Currently, Parker has a Top 10 and rising single with Thomas Rhett “What’s Your Country Song” along with cuts with several of Country music’s biggest stars releasing in 2021.
Each year, “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley,” brings together highly-awarded songwriters who perform some of their most popular hits while sharing the stories behind the songs. The event has become one of Country Radio Seminar’s most anticipated events.
CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience will be held Tuesday, Feb. 16, through Friday, Feb. 19. The New Faces of Country Music® Show closes out the event on Friday, Feb. 19. Registration for CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience is $199 per person. Country Radio Broadcasters have also made available an Unemployment, Student, and Young Professional Organization Member rate. To apply for one of these special rates, interested parties must apply at Country Radio Seminar’s registration page (here) no later than Feb. 12. Registrants will need to select the rate they are applying for as the registration type to be considered for the discounted rate. Contact Ashley Bourque at (615) 329-2615 or ashley@crb.org for any questions about the application.
All registrations include access to “Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley” and the 2021 New Faces of Country Music® Show, and are available for purchase at www.CountryRadioSeminar.com.
For more information on CRS 2021: The Virtual Experience, visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com and follow CRS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additional information can be obtained by calling 615-327-4487.
About Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.®: The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring radio broadcasters from around the world together with the Country Music Industry to ensure the vitality and promote growth in the Country Radio format.
About Country Radio Seminar: Country Radio Seminar is an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas and business practices in the Country music industry, with specific emphasis on issues relevant to Country Radio. Country Radio Seminar 2021 will be held Feb. 16-19. For more information, visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com, and follow CRS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Additional information can be obtained by calling 615-327-4487.
Country Top 40 with Fitz: CT40 with Fitz is country music’s longest-running national radio show that continues to change the landscape of countdown shows as its host, Fitz, begins writing the next chapter of this treasured and storied brand. With Fitz at the helm, CT40’s legacy heads into a new decade with fun, captivating new features that remember the country stars of yesterday and introduce the stars of tomorrow. The 45+ year legacy of the countdown continues as listeners coast to coast and around the globe rely on Fitz to play the hits, and take them on a journey to number 1. The program, which airs on 300+ stations nationwide, is syndicated by Skyview Networks. For affiliation information, reach out to affiliation@skyviewsat.com, and to learn more about Skyview Networks’ portfolio of syndicated programs, visit skyviewnetworks.com.
About First Horizon:
Being a part of the music industry is like no other job. There’s a creative energy and a passion for breaking new ground that drives everything. But it can be unpredictable, especially financially, which can make planning for your future a constant challenge. At First Horizon Bank, our art is taking the disconnected and sometimes confusing parts of your financial life or that of your business and blending them together in a way that feels like pure harmony. Our Music Industry Group is dedicated to serving the music industry exclusively and has extensive, hands-on experience hitting the right financial notes for our clients. To learn more visit www.firsthorizon.com/music
