Handle With Care: Tom Petty Tribute - A Benefit for Backline

Once dubbed by Rolling Stone as "the greatest female country singer since Patsy Cline," Country Music Hall of Fame member Wynonna Judd is one of the most celebrated artists in Country Music history. Wynonna first rose to fame as part of one of the most successful music duos of all time, "The Judds," becoming music royalty to fans and critics alike.

Respected by the millions of fans who are drawn to her music and undeniable talent, Wynonna's rich and commanding voice has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, holding multiple gold, platinum, and multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA. A five-time Grammy Award winner and New York Times Bestselling Author, Wynonna is the recipient of over 60 top industry awards, countless charting singles and 21 #1 Hits including "Mama He's Crazy," "Why Not Me," and "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Ole Days)."

As a Baltimore native, Brittney Spencer is known for her free spirit and standout ability to mold life, truth, and wild imagination into songs. She has earned praise by The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and others, and she’s appeared on CBS Mornings with Anthony Mason, as well as performed on NBC's Today Show, The Late Show (After Dark), the CMA Awards, ACM Awards and more. Spencer was featured as part of Victoria’s Secret Global “UNDEFINABLE” campaign, and she appeared in Amazon’s “For Love & Country” Documentary. Deemed a “one to watch” by PEOPLE Magazine, Spencer has shared stages with Jason Isbell, The Highwaymen, Willie Nelson, Reba, Bobby Weir, and Maren Morris to name a few. She’s also performed the National Anthem at The 148th Kentucky Derby, the Preakness in 2022 alongside Megan Thee Stallion and Lauryn Hill, and the 2023 NFL Draft. As an outspoken advocate for her community and the planet, Brittney is an active supporter of many causes, including Habitat for Humanity, the Women's March, CARE, and more. in 2023, Brittney will continue touring globally and is slated to release her debut album, which will feature A-list writers, creatives and producers.

For a while there, Charles Wesley Godwin was in something of a funk. A typically prolific writer, and one who over his first two critically-acclaimed albums had proven himself to be a reflective and soulful songwriter and singer — a storyteller in the vein of his heroes like Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Bruce Springsteen— Godwin found himself in a state of stasis last year. To hear him tell it, he was frozen in place — unable to find the words to what he hoped would become his new songs and under a level of pressure he’d never previously experienced. And yet, what would ultimately inspire the man was right in front of him all along: family. “I had to get back to the basics,” says the introspective, self-aware artist of what finally set him and his new songs free. “I decided I was going to write about my life and my family. It’s where my heart was guiding me: to be super personal and dig right into the weeds of my life.” The resulting LP, Family Ties —Godwin’s forthcoming third album, set for release on September 22 via Big Loud Records — is a truly stunning achievement, and the culmination of years of hard work to arrive at this point. Demo’ed on a Tascam 4-track (thanks to his love for Springsteen’s seminal Nebraska) and then recorded with his bandmate and longtime producer, Al Torrence, at one of his dream studios, Echo Mountain in Asheville, North Carolina, Family Ties is a portrait of home, of relationships, of lessons learned and lived. Perhaps most excitingly, the 19-track release showcases a tunesmith at the peak of his powers — melding melody with memories, workmanship with wisdom. “All it was was just a matter of time and continued grinding,” Godwin says without hesitation of what he believes has now allowed him to meet this moment — ready to unveil his most intensely personal and accomplished material yet, all while continually playing to some of the biggest crowds of his career. The songs that comprise Family Ties are themselves portals into Godwin’s life — tuneful tales of the native West Virginian’s friends, family and foundation. Yes, Family Ties is an intensely intimate affair — images set to tune, so many of them specifically created for his own family members. There’s the unflinching “Miner Imperfections,” penned for his father; the mournful and contemplative “The Flood” for his mother; the beatific “Gabriel” for his son (“I guess what I am saying/is I am here to stick with you/if I could I’d never utter a single word that isn’t true”); the mournful yet hopeful “Dance in Rain” for his daughter; and the love letter that is the slow-rolling “Willing and Able” for his wife. “It feels like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Godwin declares of the fortunate place he and his musical journey have taken him. There’s confidence behind this statement, to be sure, but Godwin can readily admit it was hardly a given he’d ever make it here. Having not taken up the guitar until roughly age 20, and only performing for others when his friends encouraged him one night to do so while studying abroad in Estonia, building his career has been a steady — albeit highly fruitful — climb. He started gigging intensely in the mid-2010s and independently released his stunning debut album, Seneca, in 2019. Like so many musicians however, the pandemic would put a wrinkle in his plans: Godwin explains how he was unable to properly tour behind Seneca and, in turn, couldn’t build up the momentum and fanbase he’d hoped for. Thankfully, hard work and dedication rarely go unnoticed: when musicians were able to return to the stage, Godwin and his longtime band, the Allegheny High, hit the road behind his second album, 2021’s How The Mighty Fall, and pounded the pavement in a major way. They rarely took breaks from the road, performing every night “as if we were at Madison Square Garden” even when the crowds weren’t always massive. It helped that he had the support of his bandmates: Godwin’s affection for Allegheny High is palpable. “They’re my ride-or-dies,” he says of the Allegheny High. “They believed in me enough to go out on the road with me even when I couldn’t afford to pay a band. Other people aren’t willing to do that.” “To me, the live show has been the great equalizer,” Godwin continues. “After COVID, we went out there and just played our asses off everywhere all the time, every week. The tour never stopped. And we just built it ear by ear. We were just making this thing grow organically by putting on such a good show with so much heart. Eventually, I got momentum back on my side and just kept on going.” This trend — building up his fanbase in a grassroots manner and letting the music and live show speak for itself —continues to this day: whether he’s headlining his own rowdy, raucous gigs, or opening for close friend and musical comrade, Zach Bryan, Godwin says his live performances have never been more rewarding. Or lively, for that matter. Perhaps it’s because, as he proudly says, the brand of music he traffics in — namely story songs with a head full of heart and history — seems to be having a true moment. “My shows will range from like 18-year-olds to 80-year-olds,” Godwin notes with a smile of his diverse, highly-enthusiastic and ever-growing fanbase. “That’s a pretty unique thing.” As for how his life has changed in recent times? Godwin says if anything it’s just become ever even more fulfilling. “There’s a lot more people at my shows and they’re a lot more excited than ever before,” he says with a sense of satisfaction. “I don’t feel like a fish out of water anymore. I had fun when it was just 100 people back in 2021. Now that it’s 10 or 20 times that, it’s just even better.”

Sierra Hull is widely regarded to be a as a master of her instrument; A two-time Grammy Nominated artist and songwriter, recognized for both her most recent projects, 25 Trips (2020) and Weighted Mind (2016), she is also the 4x recipient of IBMA’s Mandolin Player of the Year, the first woman to ever receive this distinction. A pioneer for acoustic music throughout her already impressive multi-decade career, she has graced the country's most iconic stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, and the White House. Her virtuosic abilities have garnered respect from genre-defining trailblazers, friends, and collaborators such as Alison Krauss, Sturgill Simpson, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Bela Fleck, Bobby McFerrin, and Brandi Carlile. Originally hailing from Byrdstown, Tennessee, her unique sound is rooted in bluegrass, and she is widely considered one of acoustic music’s most inventive artists.

Vince Herman is out to have some fun. 33 years after founding Leftover Salmon, Vince released an album of his own and hit the road to play a batch of songs developed in his new Nashville home. It’s a bit of a departure from the “Salmon sound” as he digs into his idea of what country music is. There’s some bluegrass and Cajun influences and honky tonk ballads all piled atop great players taking the tunes for a ride.

“With his immersion into Nashville, Herman’s also peeling back the pages of Music City history, harkening back to the early days of country music, where the genre lines were blurred or not yet defined by record labels and marketing teams,” writes Rolling Stone’s Garret K. Woodward.

“I’m gonna try to keep my solo repertoire separate from Leftover Salmon so people can expect something different than they would see at a Salmon show,” says Vince to Relix Magazine’s Mike Greenhaus. “I want them to live in different worlds, but one of the reasons I made this record is that I’m a fan of country music. And I’ve always thought of Salmon as a country band. You can look at the Grateful Dead as a country band—to me, bluegrass, cajun music, ballads and all that stuff is what makes up country music… But, though I’ve always seen Salmon as somewhat of a country band, the country and jamband worlds are absolutely miles apart—not so much musically, but culturally. And at this point, so much of this country needs to come together, with all the walls between the different sides and all the perceived little niches that we’re supposed to stay in, man. We need to come together as a country. And music can play a big role in that. So I guess you can say that I want to bring the hippies to country. I want to say, ‘We’re kind of doing the same thing here, folks. Can we talk?’”

Vince formed a craft band consisting of some of Nashville’s finest musicians, all also vocalists, to take on the road! Joining him in the Vince Herman Band for their Fall tour dates are Nathan Graham (upright bass), Dakota Holden (pedal steel), Ian Cory (banjo/fiddle), his son Silas Herman (mandolin/guitar), Alex Johnson (drums) [Sept Tour], and Lawrence Nemenz (drums) [October/November].

Josiah and the Bonnevilles is a musical project led by singer-songwriter Josiah Leming. Josiah was born in Morristown, Tennessee and as a child, Josiah was fascinated by music and began playing the piano and guitar at a young age.

Josiah's musical talents became evident to his family and friends, and he began performing as a teenager catching the attention of music industry professionals. In 2010, he formed Josiah and the Bonnevilles, which presented a unique blend of Folk, Americana, and Country that draws from his roots as a true Appalachian artist, embracing honesty and putting life's realities into his songwriting.

In 2015, Josiah and the Bonnevilles released its debut album, "On Trial." The album was praised for its raw, vulnerable lyrics and its combination of acoustic and electric instruments that underpinned the storytelling. The band went on tour in support of the album with the artist LP, performing at various venues across the United States and Europe.

Since the release of "On Trial," Josiah and the Bonnevilles have continued to make music and tour, gaining a devoted fan base along the way. Josiah remains grounded and focused on his music. He has spoken openly about his struggles with mental health, addiction, and the music industry as a whole and uses his songwriting as a form of therapy. He continues to inspire his fans with his honesty and vulnerability, and his music has touched the hearts of people around the world.

"The 29-year-old performer is cresting a fast-rising wave of acclaim and claiming her place as a thoughtful singer-songwriter in country's mainstream." – The Tennessean

Since breaking onto the scene at the 55th CMA Awards, Madeline Edwards has experienced a remarkable rise, performing on some of the genre's biggest stages and earning widespread accolades. Featured on the Spotify "Hot Country Artists to Watch" and CMT's "Next Women of Country" lists, Edwards was also selected as a Top 20 Breaker artist on NPR. Her Opry debut earlier this year was lauded as one of the "best of all time" (Country Living), and she was recently featured as Billboard's Rookie Of The Month and an Apple Music Country Riser. In a recent profile for The Tennessean, Edwards was noted for "cresting a fast-rising wave of acclaim and claiming her place as a thoughtful singer-songwriter in country's mainstream."

The California-born, Texas-raised artist is noted for her unique ability to transcend musical boundaries and blend of jazz, soul, gospel and country music. Her initial five song EP, released in June 2022, featured Edwards' "captivating" (Music Row) single "Port City," where "Edwards lends her pure siren of a voice to a retelling of her own journey to Nashville" as well as well as her breakout hit, "The Road."

Edwards released her highly anticipated debut album, Crashlanded, with Warner Music Nashville on November 4. The 12-song project was "designed for people embracing not just the journey, but their power," she notes. "The hardest thing wasn't what was going on the record, but the order. I still believe in albums — and the cohesion of how songs hold together. We spent months going over the order, because I wanted people to feel all of it."

With the release of Crashlanded, Edwards continues to solidify her place in Nashville. In addition to opening for Chris Stapleton's All American Road Show tour, Edwards brought her show to SXSW as one of Rolling Stone's "Best of…" She also performed at The Long Road Festival in the UK as well as Moon River Festival and Americana Fest. Upcoming tour dates, including Stagecoach 2023, can be found at www.MadelineEdwardsMusic.com.

Wyatt Flores carries around old memories, the ghosts of loved ones, and dreams of a better future in his music. This Mexican-American Oklahoma-born troubadour sings from the gut, telling stories against a gritty country soundtrack. His unfiltered thoughts on life, death, addiction, pain, and joy emerge through his delivery. 
 
“I’m only getting one chance at life, so I try to be present,” he proclaims. “There’s more to existence than what the average person experiences. Death is always riding in the passenger seat... I choose to be friends with it." 
 
He grew up surrounded by music in Stillwater, OK. Influenced by family and artists like Turnpike Troubadours, Tyler Childers, and Jason Isbell, he developed his style. He attributes his character to Oklahoma's history of resilience. 
 
During COVID, he left OSU, working on a ranch and writing songs. At 19, his debut "Travelin’ Kid" gained traction. "Please Don’t Go" caught fire online, leading to The Hutson Sessions EP. He then released "Break My Bones" and "Ain’t Proud," amassing millions of streams. Along the way, he inked a deal with Island Records. 
 
“It’s gone from absolutely nothing to everything” 
 
Life Lessons' title track reflects his non-conformist approach to life. Other songs like "3/13," detail personal lows and learning from mistakes.  
 
Flores' music calls to live fully, embodying his journey and learning. Life Lessons symbolizes his evolution and growth. 

Rett Madison’s new album, One for Jackie, pays tribute to her mom, who passed by suicide in 2019, leaving her only child with an unbearable sense of responsibility to understand her mother better as she mourned her. “My mom struggled with depression, PTSD, and alcoholism all my life, but her death was shocking and unexpected,” Madison says. “Writing this album, I was moving through grief; it was part of my healing process.”

Over 12 songs, Madison distills the weeks and months following her mother’s death, drawing inspiration from the storytelling she admires in Appalachian folks traditions of her home state, West Virginia, the ‘70s output of Bob Dylan and Dusty Springfield, as well as the music her mother raised her on. Beyond borrowing from the past, One for Jackie cements itself as a modern American classic, for fans of acts like Angel Olsen, Phoebe Bridgers, and Brandi Carlile. While Madison describes her debut, Pin-Up Daddy, as a collection of songs she’d sporadically written between the ages of 19 and 21, without a single underlying narrative tying the tracks together, One for Jackie is a story best heard front to back, preferably played loud. Recorded in Tornillo, TX at the storied Sonic Ranch and produced by the Grammy Award-winning Tyler Chester, One for Jackie further elevates Madison’s dextrous musicianship, while her singular voice commands a room from the outset on opening piano ballad “Jacqueline." Her lyrics are at once gutting, openhearted, and wry, giving listeners a multifaceted look at the irreducible process of grieving such immense loss.

The collaboration between Madison, Chester, and an assortment of studio musicians creates a seamless vision, as Madison’s already exceptional guitar and piano playing are joined by synths, assorted percussion instruments, strings, organ, mournful slide guitar, and more. The guilt of having lost a parent to suicide, and not being able to prevent that death, haunted Madison. “My lyrics are pretty confessional and straightforward,” she says. “I want these songs to find people who have been in this situation and need to be reminded that it’s not their fault, and it’s normal to have conflicting feelings.” Storytelling is a part of Madison’s cultural inheritance, and throughout One for Jackie, she openly takes on the perspective of others, imagining herself into moments she never experienced firsthand. “How it All Began” sounds off to early Springsteen, as Madison envisions Jackie’s young adulthood, while the album’s spare and heartrending acoustic closer, sung by Iron & Wine, finds Jackie speaking directly to her daughter, who she called “Kiki.” One for Jackie gives the listener an uncanny sense of familiarity, as if immersing ourselves in Madison’s grief, in her memories, allows us to know a little bit of Jackie, too. This is a testament to Madison’s lyricism; she is specific, exacting, and wise even in her most unguarded moments. In death, we tend to flatten people, turn them saintly and pure and faultless, but One for Jackie does something better: it brings her to life.