Romance And The New Kids...

What a great week for the Music Row new kids ... Maren Morris is one of the brightest lights to come along in a while. She's getting married to RCA artist Ryan Hurd this weekend.

Ryan even released a song on the eve of the wedding, "Diamonds or Twine" ... Wish them continued success!

Two other new folks got Gold records this week. My former Belmont student Devin Dawson and LSU's Jordan Davis. They are selling product and how great is that.

Devin is up for an ACM New Artist award and I wish all of the nominees luck.

Getting to the point where you can sell any kind of record on a major label is huge. The talent show folks catch a lot of grief for going the easy way, but that's a bunch of ... Baloney.

Let we not forget that Chris Young and Miranda lambert graduated from TV shows ... Kellie Pickler and Scotty McCreery did ... and of course, Carrie Underwood ... Danielle Bradberry is still going and there are others...

Blake Shelton has added extra value to his judging position. You go with him, you might go on tour with him or even as one did sing backup. You might get help with your record deal and now you may be earning cash working at his string of new restaurant/bar/live music venue. Ol' Red is going to hire some of these artists and Blake says they will work on their craft in front of real audiences. How great is that? We need more places for musicians to play and get paid!

The Weather Channel was sold this week. Maybe the new folks will bring back good break and bump music. The NBC bosses nearly killed that channel.

Garth Brooks dipped his toe in the Parkland shooting debate this week. Others have tried. Let's see if Garth's message of "Do. Not. Let. Hate. Win." can get through.

If you ever need to reboot and remember what Country music used to sound like. Buck Owens estate is releasing Buck Owens and the Buckaroos The Complete Capitol Singles: 1967-1970. May 11...

The Country Music Hall of Fame will name three new members on Tuesday the 27th. 10a CT ... They will livestream. Will refrain from the guessing. It almost seems hurtful if the ones you guess doesn't make it in...

But one name ... I never hear any drumbeat to right the wrong: John Denver. One of the original CMA Award winners. His music is more Country than anything out there right now. It's great. "Thank God Im a Country Boy?" PLEASE ... It is so wrong that he is not remembered for his music ... "Back Home Again?" "Leaving on a Jet Plane?" "Rocky Mountain High" ... Maybe as big a boo-boo as any ever made. Should have been in 20 years ago!