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Pop music icon Lionel Richie has revealed that he’s planning a return to country music, nearly seven years after his last country project became a huge hit.

Richie was on hand to present the trophy for Entertainer of the Year at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville during the 2018 CMA Awards on Wednesday night, November 14th, and in a red carpet interview, he told Nashville’s Tennessean newspaper that he’s “about to make that move right now.”

Richie says he’s had many questions since as to whether he might be interested in doing more.
“They keep asking me over and over again … A lot of times, people try to make up something to make it happen,” he shares. “But I’m getting it from country radio: ‘When are you gonna do it?’ So let’s not play around. Keep your ears open. It’s gonna be something surprising.”

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CMT have announced their list nine new female acts named to its Next Women of Country 2019 class; Ingrid Andress, Lauren Duski, Emily Hackett, Stephanie Quayle, Tenille Townes, Leah Turner, Anna Vaus, Rachel Wammack and Lainey Wilson have all been selected for the program that’s supportive of up-and-coming female artists in the genre.

Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild announced the newest group of artists on November 13th, during an annual showcase at City Winery in Nashville. The 2019 class is a diverse mix of artists, some whom are signed to record deals, while others are working independently. Duski competed on Season 12 of The Voice and is now an independent artist, while Townes spent the summer of 2018 opening for Miranda Lambert and LBT on their collaborative Bandwagon Tour. Her new single “Somebody’s Daughter” has been making waves on the charts, and the same can be said for Wammack’s debut single, “Damage.”

“Everyone says, ‘Let the best songs win,’ and we truly believe that, male or female, let the best songs win, but we do need that equal playing field,” Next Women of Country founder Leslie Fram said during the event. “We need that to enact fairness on the charts, playlists and not to have to hear there’s only one slot for a female.”

CMT’s Next Women of Country began back in 2013. In the years since, powerhouse acts including Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Cam, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde and more have been part of it. The yearly program culminates with the CMT Next Women of Country Tour, and Cassadee Pope will serve as the headliner for 2019, with Clare Dunn and Hannah Ellis joining her on the tour.

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