NATALIE HEMBY

Country star Maren Morris didn't want to make the leap to playing arenas this year after an extended time off from the road, saying she's trying not to overshoot too quickly.

This week’s new entertainment releases feature music from Grammy-winning songwriter Natalie Hemby and two pop star documentaries — “Justin Bieber: Our World" and the concert film “Madonna: Madame X.”.

Musical multi-hyphenate Brandi Carlile has another trophy for her shelf as she won artist of the year at the 2021 Americana Honors and Awards show.

British-born singer Yola fully embraces a multi-genre style on “Stand For Myself."

Carrie Underwood brought the Academy of Country Music Awards to church.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Highwomen won three awards, including album, song and duo/group of the year, at the Americana Honors and Awards. The late John Prine was given artist of the year honors. The Americana Music Association announced the winners online on Tuesday this year after their awards show, normally held in Nashville, Tennessee, was cancelled because of the pandemic. Prine, who died in April due to complications from COVID-19, was a titan among the Americana music community, having won artist of the year three times previously and received a lifetime achievement award in 2003. The band is also nominated for three Grammys this year, including album of the year and record of the year.

Country singer Cam poses in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 to promote her second album The Otherside. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The five-year journey between albums for country singer Cam was an evolution in coming to grips with hard truths about a music industry that had left her a bit bruised but not broken. But two years ago, Cam decided to walk away from Sony Nashville’s imprint Arista citing different values, but remaining under Sony on the RCA Record label based in New York. The title track, a meticulously crafted country dance track, was co-written with acclaimed Swedish dance artist Avicii, whose real name was Tim Bergling. She knew what she was getting into when she heard Smith’s easily recognizable voice on the demo for “Happier For You,” a melancholic country song that fit well with Cam's aesthetic of moody and introspective country tunes.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ashley McBryde, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Sam Hunt and Thomas Rhett top the 2020 CMT Music Awards nominations with three each. In nominations announced Wednesday for the pandemic-delayed show, 14 videos are vying for the top prize of video of the year. The fan-voted show will air on CMT and other networks on Oct. 21 with outdoor performances. The Highwomen, a group made up of Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires, also got their first nomination for group video. Electronic producer and DJ Marshmello also earned a nomination in collaborative video for the crossover hit “One Thing Right" with Kane Brown.