One of my favorite parts of my job is meeting rising artists and knowing that great things are in store for them. I was blown away when I first heard 13-year-old Josie Sal and was surprised to learn that she is relatively new to the music scene. Sal never aspired to be a singer. At just 10 years old, Sal took a dare from her father to sing in front of a crowd in Florida, sparking a passion for music that quickly transformed into a promising career. After her impromptu performance of "Dance Monkey" captivated the audience, Sal began taking vocal and guitar lessons and performing at venues across Pittsburgh and Florida. Being the youngest of four children, she was always entertaining her family.

When I met KC Johns at CRS 2025, I was instantly drawn to her energy. More importantly, her music matched her electrifying can-do attitude. Johns was born in Memphis and raised in Hernando, Mississippi, a small town along the Tennessee-Mississippi line. Most of her family hails from Florida. Her mother and stepfather met on the rodeo circuit, where her mother participated in barrel racing, and her stepfather was a bull rider. While neither of her parents was a musical performer, she was always surrounded by it and was even named after KC and the Sunshine Band.

Ira Dean comes from a musical family. His brother is Billy Dean, but not that Billy Dean. "It's a joke because Billy Dean's royalty checks used to go to my brother," Ira Dean said. But his brother and father were both very much in the business. His father played guitar, sang, and even had his own radio show when he was 13, so the music business is all Dean's ever known. "It was either make it or wear a hairnet and say, 'Do you want fries with that?'" he joked.

The leap from rodeo bullfighter to country music singer may not be as vast as you think. Lane Smith was raised in Branch Springs, Texas, just north of San Antonio. The tough, unpredictable nature of rodeo culture mirrors the challenges of building a country music career from the ground up. He soon realized he couldn't be a bullfighter forever. Country music and rodeo go hand in hand, with concerts following most rodeos. Smith saw them and thought, "I really want to be an artist."

Two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and Columbia Nashville artist Luke Combs was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame this week.

When I first heard a few Six Gun Sally songs, I knew immediately that this band was meant to be heard live. The members, who have various musical pursuits, remind me of a supergroup bringing the best of what they do together to create the rowdy, eclectic southern rock band Six Gun Sally.

Kelsey Hart never had the goal of being a country music singer. Right out of high school, the Kentucky native went to barber school and got his license. His friend who lived right down the street had a guitar and often stopped by the shop where the pair would sing together to pass the time. This led to them starting a hometown band. For a year, Hart was the frontman for their local band, but by age 20, he decided he needed to learn the guitar. The hometown band eventually fizzled out, but by then, Hart knew enough songs on guitar that he could play solo at bars or wherever they would have him.

Country singer-songwriter Tyler Rich last week released his sophomore album, Hello California. This 10-track independent project tells the story of a California native who found his voice in Nashville. It's the first half of a double album, with the second half set to be released later this year.

I have long been a fan of Taylor Hughes since I first interviewed her in 2021. Her rich contralto adds a unique depth to her songs, making them resonate with listeners who enjoy the blend of truth and grit, all with an authentic Southern drawl.

Lily Rose came across my radar in 2021 when her mega-hit “Villain” hit the airwaves. She was soon named to the 2022 CMT Next Women of Country.