2016 Shaping Up Fast

The 2016 stories are already flying in. With three months to go, Music Row and the world, for that matter, seems to be ready for the next big thing ... or in this case, year.

Better stop and small the roses, the song once said. No time left for that. Presidential election year is already a two-alarm fire with 15 months to go. Super Bowl and Grammy planning well underway with Ton Hank a possible Oscar candidate again with the end-of-year movie season about to kick in.

On Music Row, the booking for next year and the tour set-ups are going more public. This week the first stadium show of 2016 with the master of the road, Kenny Chesney.

His machine booked Miranda and Sam Hunt and they are off to Auburn University for an April 23rd 2016 show. The first time the school has ever allowed much of anything in that stadium except football. Tickets go on sale 10/2. That show will be huge. April in Alabama can mean just about any kind of weather FYI.

2016 July 31st -- Carrie Underwood is already booked for the great Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alberta. The festivals will be huge again in 2016. The Bayou Country Superfest is May 28, 29th. No star listed yet.

Maybe a Country version of Bonnaroo, then there is the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival. Too many to name.

One festival lowered the flag this week. Bayfest in Moble. Cancelled and they say they are gone for good.

The Summer of 2015 was hot and full of discontent. The Summer of Divorce. The growing divide within the format of classic vs bro-country. The Americana Awards this week showed off acts few of the mainstream folks know little of.

Sturgill Simpson, for one, was the big winner. It is still a lineup that needs more publicity. CMA Nominee Chris Stapleton is ringing bells like Sturgill. Passion for the Americana is very high among its loyal supporters. Still too early to say if this is a trend or just a place for the rebels.

Classic Country fan /Stone Keith Richards has a new documentary shot in Toronto and Nashville. "Under the Influence" telling stories about /Chicago Nashville from the eyes of a fan. Free from Netflix!

A new book that's been a long time coming: The Beatles and Country music ... Nashville and the Beatles history are intertwined. Belmont's Don Cusic wrote it. They were rock Gods playing a Chet Atkins Gretsch and trying to be like Carl Perkins and the Everly Brothers. Great Christmas gift.

The CMA election ... or CMA award season ... off and running. Dust settles and things lineup politically. Keep your eyes open this time of year. It gets very interesting.