Friday

The Chicks

The Chicks are Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines and Emily Strayer. Superstars, renegades, innovators, heroes, villains, and moms, they have grown from a band into a cultural phenomenon. Since the release of their debut album, WIDE OPEN SPACES in 1998, The Chicks’ music has stirred emotions in fans around the world, making them one of the biggest and most influential bands of our time. Earning universal recognition as the biggest-selling U.S. female band of all time, The Chicks have sold more than 30.5 million albums and are among an elite group of acts to achieve multiple “diamond” selling (ten million copies) releases. After 14 years, The Chicks released their fifth studio album, titled GASLIGHTER, in 2020.

Billy Strings

Raised in Michigan and now based in Nashville, Billy Strings is one of music’s most compelling artists, acclaimed for his boundary-pushing musicianship and dynamic live performances. Strings’ new album, So Much For Goodbyes—produced with T Bone Burnett (John Mellencamp, Gregg Allman, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)—finds him channeling a deeply personal period into his most musically mature and reflective body of work to date.

Sam Barber

With more than 2B global streams to date, Sam Barber claimed his space in the country spotlight with the breakout success of his RIAA Gold-certified 2024 debut album, Restless Mind — a 28-song tour-de-force highlighted by such smash singles as the 2x RIAA Platinum certified “Straight and Narrow,” “Better Year” (an emotionally charged anthem featured on Paramount Network’s blockbuster TV show Yellowstone), and the RIAA Platinum-certified “Indigo (Feat. Avery Anna),” the latter of which has proven a worldwide sensation with over 500M global streams, also earning Platinum certification in Australia and 2x Platinum certification in Canada while spending 14 weeks and counting among the upper reaches of country radio airplay charts nationwide and reaching the top 40 on Billboard’s overall “Hot 100.”

Dexter and the Moonrocks

They dreamed of being pool cleaners their entire lives. Instead, Dexter and The Moonrocks ended up being one of alternative rock’s most undeniable breakout acts. At any given gig, you’ll find goth chicks, cowboys, headbangers, heshers, rebels, and outcasts of all ages singing along to every word, tearing up, and generally rocking out in the moment. In barely five years, the Abilene, TX quartet unassumingly went from playing a local watering hole for less than 50 people to cracking the Billboard Hot 100, going mega-viral multiple times, and selling out shows nationwide.

Chance Peña

Born and raised in East Texas, Chance Peña is a 25-year-old artist, songwriter and producer whose music bridges traditional storytelling with modern sonic influences. After signing with Secret Road Music Publishing at 17, he quickly gained traction with early placements like “Up, Up & Away” in the film Five Feet Apart and later earned a Grammy nomination for co-writing John Legend’s song “Conversations in the Dark.” Peña has since released three EPs, numerous singles, and his 2024 debut album Ever-Shifting, Continual Blossoming, amassing over a billion Spotify streams to date and selling out tours across the US, UK, and Europe. He's collaborated with artists across various genres, from working with KYGO and Julia Michels on 2024’s “Louder,” to joining country-rock singer/songwriter Sam Barber for the duet “Better Than the Floor.”

Danny Worsnop

Blending the intensity of rock with the storytelling backbone of country, Danny Worsnop delivers a vocal style that is both commanding and unfiltered. As the frontman of Asking Alexandria, he became one of modern rock's most recognisable voices before stepping away in search of something more authentic. His solo records The Long Road Home (2017) and Shades of Blue (2019), followed by "I Tried To Write A Sad Song" and "Somewhere in the Middle," traced that search, settling into a country and roots-driven sound shaped by storytelling, blues and classic rock. Now a gravel-voiced country-rock artist with a live-wire delivery, Danny is preparing his most expansive body of work to date. "This is me... for maybe the first time ever," he says.

Taylor Acorn

In order to make it in the music industry, you don’t just need talent, you also need to possess a consuming desire to perform that’s ingrained in your DNA. That’s especially true for Taylor Acorn, who has made bold sacrifices in order to pursue her musical dreams. Acorn became interested in performing as a teenager living in Northern Pennsylvania where she started her first pop-punk band and began performing as a solo artist. However, her career breakthrough came when she relocated to Nashville in 2014 and connected with producer Dan Swank (All Time Low, Cassadee Pope) and the duo instantly bonded over their mutual love of early 2000s pop-punk.

Mountain Grass Unit

The album’s release year has brought a run of landmark moments. After receiving an invitation from Del McCoury, the band made its Grand Ole Opry debut in August 26. Mountain Grass Unit also made its Ryman debut, performed at Bonnaroo—including Kesha’s pop-focused SuperJam—supported Dierks Bentley, and contributed to Shania Twain’s 2026 album Little Miss Twain. In October, the group performed for the Nashville Predators’ Jerry Garcia Night at Bridgestone Arena.

Ian Harrison

Ian Harrison is a singer-songwriter from Columbus, OH. He recently signed a record deal with Sony Records. Stylistically, Ian is reminiscent of country, indie, alt and folk. He brings high energy and big, anthemic choruses to any stage he gets to play!