Jeremy Rice
Cox Media Group RIF In Progress
Details are sketchy but ALL ACCESS can confirm that a number of high-profile people are no longer with COX MEDIA GROUP.ALL ACCESS can confirm that longtime CMG Top 40 Coordinator and WBLI/LONG ISLAND PD JEREMY RICE has left the building after a 20+ ...
Six Stations Earn Double Nominations In Canadian Country Music Association Awards
The CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION has revealed the winners in the radio categories for its 39th annual CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION AWARDS. National brand PURE COUNTRY and six ...
The vibrant melody and lyrics of Parmalee's new single, "Take My Name," illustrate that once in a lifetime feeling of falling in love at first sight. The words, written by the band's Matt Thomas along with Ashley Gorley, David Fanning and Ben Johnson, imply that this is the first time the song's narrator has felt this way, and he knows he's "the last guy anybody thinks might ever be talking like this." The first verse cuts to the chase, letting the lady know that he isn't going to waste any time or take it slow; He knows she's the one for him. "I hope you don't think it's a little bit crazy / Saying this all so soon / But baby, it's the right time, knew it from the first time / That I laid eyes on you / It's okay, let 'em say what they want / They might think I should wait, but I don't / No, I don't wanna waste a minute / Girl, I want you in every single part of my world." The narrator in this mid-tempo track is completely infatuated with this girl. He has no doubt that this is his soulmate and the person he wants to marry. Hence, "Take my name and make it yours / Take my days, baby, take my nights / Go and take the rest of my life." Though not all of us may feel this way about someone right now, the catchy "Take My Name" will give you butterflies as if you do.
A midtempo song inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic is the first official radio single for Mississippi-bred sister duo American Blonde (formerly part of a trio known as Southern Halo). Written by duo member and principal songwriter Nata Morris and her frequent collaborator, Jimmy Nash, the song showcases the foreground vocals of Nata and sister Tinka Morris as they sing, “We’re living in a wasteland / Losing everything we had / We were on solid ground / But that ain’t how it feels right now / It’s like we’re standing in quicksand.” While ostensibly about a relationship, the song also aptly describes living through these challenging times. Said Tinka, “You can take it strictly as a story about fighting to save a relationship – or you can take a deeper look and compare it to the state of our country right now.” Nata told 
Having grown up in Camp Hill, PA, Ben Gallaher is no stranger to a small town. Miles away from the big city, where some think not much happens, Gallaher reminds us in his debut radio single, “Every Small Town,” that there’s a lot more that goes on in such places than you may think. The catchy chorus reminds us, “In America, we’re the backbone / We’re the rock this country was built on / We’re the underdog, we’re the little guy / With the flag flying high 365 / We’re the wake up with the sun, go and get the job done / Cold beer crowd in every small town in America.” Imagine the last road trip you were on, the last flight you took. How many towns did you drive by or fly over? Towns that appeared to have nothing more than a stop sign and Subway/gas station combo. Look a little deeper and find out, as Gallaher reminds us, that in every small town, “There’s a dream, we all dream / You work hard, and you can have anything / Little house on the hill, little left after bills / Yeah man that’s a big deal, in every small town.” Now, more than ever, wouldn’t it be nice to sing an anthem that reminds us of positivity? A song that reminds us that no matter how little of a place we come from, we are truly important. That we can be proud of the work we put in each day. Find that anthem right here. Co-written by Gallaher, alongside Ash Bowers and Jim Collins, “Every Small Town” celebrates the tight-knit communities filled with hard workers and their families whose blood, sweat and tears are the backbone of America. Your listeners will be able to make it their own, starting September 27th. 
It's almost effortless to take the little moments for granted and put our dreams on hold trying to keep afloat in the fast-paced world we live in, until we are left looking back at those moments after they're gone. Cody Johnson's new single, "'Til You Can't," penned by Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers, reminds us that we only have so much time in this life to take that fishing trip with our dad or chase after the girl of our dreams before it's too late. The track starts out slowly with the first verse, "You can tell your old man / You'll do some largemouth fishing another time / You just got too much on your plate to bait and cast a line / You can always put a rain check in his hand / 'Til you can't / You can keep putting off forever with that girl who's heart you hold / Swearing that you'll ask someday further down the road / You can always put a diamond on her hand / 'Til you can't." The 3:39 gem gathers speed as it transitions to the chorus, emphasizing with its lyrics the importance of recognizing that none of us is guaranteed tomorrow, so take the chance, chase the dream, say the things you need to say and hold the people you love closely. "Don't wait on tomorrow 'cause tomorrow may not show / Say your sorries, your I-love-yous, 'cause man you never know," he sings. When asked about his reason for cutting the song, Johnson said, “I chose to record ‘'Til You Can’t’ first because of the positivity in the message ... In our world today, we could use more positivity. Secondly, because of how dynamic the melody was. I took it and ran with it. I hope y’all enjoy!” Look for this thought-provoking single to be climbing the Country radio charts this fall as Johnson pushes us to follow our own wildest dreams.
Two women are sharing the same man, unbeknownst to both of them. That scenario makes for a special kind of heartbreak song, as the title of “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” suggests, and Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde knock the delivery out of the park, conveying every ounce of the regret, guilt and self-doubt such a situation would inevitably cause. Beginning with McBryde, the two rising stars trade verses before blending their powerful voices beautifully in the chorus. The song’s best lines come in that revealing chorus, where they sing, “Being the other one when there's another one / God, this feels like hell / I thought I knew who I was / But it's getting hard to tell.” But an unusual bridge, where they each take every other line, seals the angsty deal as they sing, “I feel stupid / I feel cheap / I feel used / I feel weak.” The song was written by its two singers alongside co-producer Shane McAnally. “Ashley is such a great drop-into-the-moment writer, she was able to bring that reality bomb truth to what we were doing,” said Pearce of the writing session. “She’s fearless, and she understands human nature in a way that let us both really write to the hurt of realizing we’ve been lied to by someone we’re intimate with.” McBryde returns the compliment, saying, “As a writer [Carly is] willing to get in there and get very honest … Seriously, nobody wants to be the other woman. And when you find you are … damn. It’s such a gut punch.” So is this song, but in the best possible way.
We’ve all been there. The principal’s office. A timeout. Grounded. Being in a place where we’ve had time to think about a choice we made. In his debut single, co-written alongside Daniel Ross, newcomer Conner Smith helps us reflect and wonder if some of those choices were the right ones. The upbeat intro grabs attention, as only :12 in he sings about the first time, “I got some backside discipline for shattering a window with a baseball / Had to stay after class, call mom and dad / Made me tell 'em how I mouthed off.” As we move on to the chorus, you can’t help but jump into your mental time machine and head back to being right there in a similar moment. “Yeah we learn from it, all of 'em days when we were young and wild / Yeah we turned up in that little town with all those Friday nights / 'Cause growin’ up with nothin’ to do makes you play with fire a little / 'Til we get burned from it / But yeah we learn / Yeah we learn from it.” It doesn’t matter if you need to change the lyric from “little town” to “big city,” or change “shattered a window” to “broke the TV wrestling in the living room,” this 3:02 memory “bringer-backer” is sure to evoke childhood nostalgia as it climbs the Country charts. Smith was born to write songs. Growing up in Nashville, he watched his mother interview musicians and remembers being transfixed as he heard stories of where those hooks came from. At just 6 years old, he too was writing songs, and he signed to BMI at age 9. From the sounds of it, his early start to writing may equal early success with his debut single at Country radio.
For most of us, the age of 23 is a quiet tiptoe from the wild, fast-paced college years into our first attempt at navigating the responsibilities of adulthood in the "real world." In Sam Hunt's newest single, "23," he looks back fondly on a relationship when he was "in-between real love and real life." The mid-tempo love ballad, penned by Hunt, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne and Chris Lacorte, is relatable, as it instantly makes us think of that time in our own lives. Hunt immerses us in warm sentiment as he freezes time, remembering his lover the way she was when the two were 23, despite the passage of time. "And you can find some grown up friends / And drink some wine in California / But even if you cut it shorter / You’ll always have long blond hair / You’ll always be Memphis queen / You’ll always be my first time ... in New Orleans," he sings. At the 1:28 mark, Hunt lyrically depicts their memories as being so unforgettable that he knows she looks back at the love and happiness the two shared at 23 and feels the same way he does. "But I bet you when you drink too much / I bet you’re thinking 'bout back when / I really hope you’re happy now." Hunt makes it clear that he will never look back at the age without thinking of his young love and the special impact she had on him. "No matter where I go, no matter what I do / I’ll never be 23 with anyone but you / You can marry who you want / Go back to Tennessee / But you’ll never be 23 with anyone but me," he sings. Look out for this nostalgic and tender single, Hunt's first release since his 2020 album, "Southside," to climb the charts while we play it on repeat and reminisce on our own first loves.
Everyone has their favorite childhood memory. It may be the first time you broke your arm. It may be a family vacation to Walt Disney World. It may be your first kiss. But, looking back on your childhood, can you think of a better memory than the first time you realized how amazing your mom was? A mother’s love is truly special. In Chris Janson’s latest single, “Bye Mom,” we take a trip down that memory-filled road through many stages of a mother-child relationship, all the way through to its inevitable, sad conclusion. The reminiscing starts early in his life as he sings, “Bye mom / That's what I said at five years old the first day of school / Already then I thought I was way too cool.” The first verse brings you close to tearing up, but you hold strong. But good luck making it thru the chorus without grabbing a box (or four) of Kleenex: “Oh that's just the way it is, when you think you're grown but you're still a kid / And you don't know you're somebody / That somebody loves more than themselves / And there's a beauty in the innocence, of not knowing that the time they spent / Is more than one could ask for, and that's a special kind of love / And it's only there for a lifetime then it's gone / And it's bye mom.” All the feels as Janson pulls at our collective heartstrings, reminiscing on our favorite moments with mom. Janson and Brandon Kinney wrote the song, inspired by the loss of Kinney's mother earlier this year. It's the first single from Janson's upcoming fourth album. Put this one on repeat as you get in the car and make the trip across town, or across the country to give your mom a big hug. If yours happens to no longer be with you, make sure to crank this one up all the way to let her hear it way upstairs.
At first listen, you'll get that it's catchy and clever. But, when you really listen to the lyrics of Laci Kaye Booth’s “Shuffle,” its modern day playlist premise and numerous references to popular song titles of the past by female artists remind listeners of how quickly emotions can shift in a relationship. Thirty seconds in, the chorus highlights all the levels of a high-powered, emotions-fueled rollercoaster: “I'll always love you and you're still the one, to / Before he cheats and ready to run / I'm in love with the boy, but this one's for the girls / Between stand by your man and goodbye, Earl.” That's quite a range, and Booth reminds you of this with the ending hook of the chorus, “My Country playlist Is real persuasive / Boy, you're in trouble / My heart's on shuffle, babe.” Eenie, meenie, miny, moe, which emotion will she bring to the table today? The second verse continues with equal parts love and hurt, “I might fall to pieces, sip some strawberry wine / Call mе Patsy crazy, 'cause any man of mine / He bеtter love that, that's right / ‘Cause I'm kind of like that tonight.” The Texas native and "American Idol" alum is off to a promising start with her radio debut. Co-written by Booth, Sam Ellis and Derrick Southerland, this anthem aims to provide some clarity to a relationship that may be anything but clear. 
As Morgan Wallen makes his return to radio, “Sand In My Boots” seems to have raised its hand as the obvious next single. The song had 51 stations on board on its impact date, but 22 of those had begun spinning the song even before that. It was the fourth most added single that week. Written by Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy and John Osborne, “Sand” utilizes a lovely melody and evocative lyrics to tell the story of an apparent beach vacation romance that looks like it might have a promising future, only to fizzle out just before the narrator heads home. “Now I'm dodging potholes in my sunburnt Silverado / Like a heartbroke desperado, headed right back to my roots,” Morgan sings plaintively in the chorus. “Somethin' bout the way she kissed me tells me she'd love Eastern Tennessee / Yeah, but all I brought back with me was some sand in my boots.” Before its inevitable heartbreak, the song paints a picture of the couple holding hands while wading into the blue sea, drinking bottom shelf whiskey at a beach bar and gazing at the stars. But the gut punch comes in the bridge, where Wallen sings, “I said ‘Meet me in the morning’ / And she told me I was crazy / Yeah, but I still thought that maybe she'd show up.” We’ve all had that kind of sand in our boots.
The life-consuming pursuit of dreams that a young Keith Urban chased is lyrically illustrated in his newest single, "Wild Hearts." The track begins by referencing the initial spark of Urban's dreams while attending a Johnny Cash concert with his father: "Saw the man in black, spotlight in the air / Heard a thousand screams, I saw my daddy stare / Feel like I've been runnin' since the day that I was born / Eagle on my back, phoenix on my arm." The upbeat and infectious tempo lies behind the inspirational advice Urban gives to "the drifters, dreamers, wild cards and wild hearts" who have been told that their dreams are too impractical to become a reality. "I'm here to tell you anything can happen in this life / If you got that heart and the passion and a God-lit fire inside," he sings. The premise of the song, co-written by Urban, with Old Dominion's Brad Tursi, Runaway June's Jennifer Wayne and Eric Paslay, is to awaken the flare of hope for those who have dreams like Urban's, which the chorus embodies. "This goes out to the drifters / And all of the dreamers ready to fly / All those born to be rock stars / Lifting their guitars and painting the sky / Can you hear me? / All of you lost ones who aren't really lost ones / Keep shining your light / This goes out to the wild cards and all of the wild hearts / Just like mine." It's truly difficult to listen to Urban's story in "Wild Hearts" and not feel compelled to follow your own wildest dreams.
Warner Music Nashville/WAR's Dan + Shay deliver a fun, upbeat and not-so-typical love ballad with their next single, "Steal My Love," off of their brand-new album, "Good Things." The premise of the track -- written by Dan Smyers, Andy Albert, Ashley Gorley and Jordan Reynolds -- is the overwhelming feeling of being in love, so consuming that you would give up anything in your life for your soulmate. The catchy and repetitive chorus will have you dancing to the beat without even realizing it. "My car, my clothes, my money / Take it all, but there ain't nobody gonna steal my love," they sing in the chorus. Despite all of the sentiment and emotion in the lyrics, the duo's Dan Smyers calls it "one of the most fun songs we've ever recorded. Anybody we've played it for -- our wives, our family, our friends, our team -- basically gets out of their chair and starts dancing when that first chorus hits." If you had to describe the swooning feeling of infatuation and not wanting anybody else in the world besides that one person, this song embodies that. Dan + Shay assure their significant others that their love is forever and won't be going anywhere, as depicted in the first verse: "Can't take my eyes off you / Even if I wanted to / I swear I'm staring at heaven / Holding you here tonight / Watching all the stars align / I wanna stay for forever / Yeah, the sky could be falling / The world could unravel / But you'll still be safe in my arms." If you're a "Steal My Love" fan, be sure to check out the duo's other brand-new tracks from their album "Good Things," available on our 
All the evidence of a sultry night before is revealed in the harsh light of day in Midland’s latest single, written by the band’s Jess Carson alongside Jessi Alexander and Aaron Raitiere. The opening lines set the scene: “There’s a half cigarette swimming in red wine / The record still spinning, the scene of the crime.” In the chorus, singer Mark Wystrach completes the picture, crooning, “The moon saw it all through a thin piece of glass / And the stars must have blushed when you kissed me like that / We can't hide the evidence / It's scattered everywhere in all its naked glory / The night knows the truth / The sunrise tells the story.” But while the lovers appear to have started out the evening as strangers, the song’s bridge offers at least a hint that the previous night’s events could be the start of a relationship. “Is it a book or a chapter, a few words on a page? / Don't know where it's going, I just want you to stay,” he sings. The song will leave you rooting for the couple. But even more so, it’ll leave you rooting for this Texas trio to have another Country radio hit.
The Valory Music Co.'s newly-signed Kidd G is coming in hot to the Country scene, fusing together Country and Hip-Hop to create his own unique sound. After landing a place on Spotify's "Country Artists To Watch In 2021" list, Kidd G delivers an upbeat and fun-loving summertime single with "Summer In A Small Town." The 2:57 track takes us to the 1,130 population Hamilton, GA, where the 18-year-old spent summers with his friends "five deep in a Wrangler Jeep," and lyrically illustrates why there "Ain't nothing funner than a summer in a small town." The catchy chorus depicts the lively and rebellious experiences of being 18, "Cheap shades and fake IDs / Daisy Dukes and cut-off jeans / My baby's hotter than a hundred degrees / Ain't no wonder, ain't no wonder / We keep the cops awake all night / We pour up, we get drunk, and we fight / We're fallin' like the stars we're under." If you've ever spent a teenage summer ignoring no trespassing signs or drinking beer purchased with a fake ID, you get it. And even if you haven't, "Summer In A Small Town" will make you feel like you have.
Newcomer Frank Ray has a story. One of the chapters takes place in New Mexico, where Ray spent a decade serving and protecting others as a member of the Las Cruces Police Department. Another chapter begins August 23rd, the day his debut single, “Country’d Look Good On You,” is impacting Country radio. The song's backroad swagger and contemporary Country groove, with a time of 3:22, will be a delight to programmers nationwide looking to find that new, fresh, sound. The catchy chorus hits us not even 30 seconds in, “I bet country’d look good on you / Tearing up an old lane or two / Stars shooting cross those baby blues.” You can’t help but feel as though these lyrics were written for your weekend adventure: “Talking blanket in the bed underneath the pines / Once we get out there girl we can stay out there all night / Full moon shining on you night sky so clear / Get you where I want you ‘cause it ain’t in here.” As we listen and form our own opinion of what the lyrics mean to us, Ray lets us know, "This song, with all of its country imagery, really celebrates that country lifestyle. I'm excited for y'all to hear it .. I hope it'll even convince a few folks to convert to our country way of life." Produced by Frank Rogers, this could become your most requested song, beginning August 23rd.
My Gift (Special Edition)
