Dale Morris, the legendary Nashville artist manager who helped build the superstar careers of Alabama and Kenny Chesney, has died. He was 89.
Morris died peacefully in his sleep Friday night (Aug. 21), his representatives said. A specific cause of death was not provided.
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Management in Country Music
“He lived a big, bold, beautiful, blessed life, and I’m holding onto that right now,” Clint Higham, president of Morris Higham Management, said in a statement about his mentor and longtime business partner. “It’s the end of an era.”
Morris began his career in the music industry as a songwriter, penning Johnny Paycheck’s 1967 single “Don’t Monkey With Another Monkey’s Monkey” before turning his attention to the business side.
After launching Dale Morris & Associates, Morris was introduced to the up-and-coming band Alabama in 1979 at The Bowery in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Under his management, Alabama went on to score 33 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart — the most among duos or groups — and became an unstoppable touring force, bringing production values on par with those of the era’s biggest rock acts.
In the early 1990s, Morris forged a professional relationship with aspiring country singer Chesney, who would go on to become a Country Music Hall of Famer and one of the highest-grossing country touring artists of all time, according to Billboard Boxscore. Chesney also holds the record for the most No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, with 33.
Morris’ other clients included Martina McBride, Barbara Mandrell, Jake Owen, Old Dominion, Brandon Lay, Ryan Griffin and Walker County.
“He was larger than life, and never met a dream he couldn’t build,” Higham said. “Dale Morris gave me my first internship, and I never wanted to go anywhere else. He saw things in people, in me, in Kenny, and inspired everyone to reach beyond what we thought possible. Maybe it’s how much he loved life, loved his family, loved us.”
In 2018, Paradigm (now called THE·TEAM) acquired Dale Morris & Associates, the in-house booking business of Morris and Higham’s firm, Morris Higham Management.
During his career, Morris also received the T.J. Martell Foundation’s Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award in 2014.
Morris was married to his wife, Earline, for 68 years. He was preceded in death by his son, Tim. He is survived by his daughter-in-law, Jennifer; grandchildren Zack, Colton (and wife Mary Blair), Nick (and wife Shelby) and Kendall; and great-grandchildren Mary Dee and Gus.
“We’re so blessed to have had 90 years with him as the patriarch of our family,” his grandson Zack Morris said in a statement. “Thank you to our music industry family and to his vast community of friends in Nashville, Boca and beyond for loving him all these many years.”
A celebration of life is being planned for later this fall, with details to be announced in the coming weeks. In lieu of flowers, Morris’ family is asking for donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Olivia Rodrigo is dropping new music ahead of her upcoming Daisy Chain Fields festival.
On Friday (Aug. 21), the 23-year-old singer-songwriter surprise-released her new song “Serena Joy” as a limited-edition CD available exclusively at Analog Music Shop in Tustin, California.
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The store is located about eight miles from Irvine’s Great Park, where Daisy Chain Fields will take place on Aug. 29.
Analog Music Shop announced on Instagram Friday that Rodrigo had supplied the retailer with 500 copies of the Handmaid’s Tale-inspired track. The store later shared another post announcing that all copies had sold out.
“When we heard that Olivia Rodrigo was bringing an all-women music festival to Orange County, we were honestly just excited to see something this special happening right here in our hometown,” Analog Music Shop wrote. “As one of the closest record stores in the area, we wanted to find a way to support Daisy Chain Fields.”
The store said it was especially grateful to have been chosen to exclusively sell physical copies of “Serena Joy” three days before the song’s wider release, noting Rodrigo’s history of supporting independent record stores.
“More than anything, we’re grateful for what this represents: An artist building a stage for women in music and raising funds for women and girls,” the shop wrote. “An artist willing to support a local independent record store. And a hometown getting to be part of something really special. That means a lot to us.”
“Serena Joy” was recorded for Rodrigo’s third album, You Look Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in June, but ultimately didn’t make the final tracklist.
“I actually really love [‘Serena Joy’]. It didn’t fit on the album,” Rodrigo told Etalk. “The record was very much a chronicle of a relationship — beginning, middle and end. But I hope that it’ll be a part of something else down the line.”
Rodrigo hadn’t commented on the CD single release of “Serena Joy” at press time, but Analog Music Shop seemingly teased that the song will receive a wider release on Monday (Aug. 24).
Rodrigo will headline the all-women Daisy Chain Fields festival on Aug. 29. Other performers include Chappell Roan, Garbage, Doechii, The Breeders, Mitski, Bikini Kill, KATSEYE and others, along with “special guests” Karen O, Sarah McLachlan and Stevie Nicks.
Whether you first encountered Kehlani through her era-defining Cloud 19 mixtape or her 2025 career-crowning smash hit “Folded” — which earned her two Grammys (her first after five previous nods) and became her highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 hit (No. 6) — the Oakland-bred R&B powerhouse was glad that you bought a ticket to her ongoing, 44-date world tour.
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Mounted in support of her eponymous fifth studio album — which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums — the Kehlani World Tour will visit arenas and amphitheaters in major cities across North America, Europe and Australia through the end of the year.
But at Friday night’s (Aug. 21) sold-out Barclays Center show in Brooklyn, New York, the cover star of Billboard‘s 2026 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players issue narrowed the scope of her storytelling to the emotional ebb and flow of a night out and the morning after, still finding space to honor the current wave of momentum mainstream R&B is enjoying and bridge that power with the iconography of eras past.
Before she entered the stage like a ’00s R&B fantasy to the tune of “Anotha Luva,” Kehlani ceded the stage to her dazzling support acts: Grammy winner Durand Bernarr, DJ Waseel, ascendant R&B singer-songwriter TheARTI$T and Oscar-nominated songwriter DIXSON. Waseel served as master of ceremonies for the entire night, soundtracking interludes with Kehlani deep cuts like “You Know Wassup,” feeding the day-one fans and keeping the energy high. TheARTI$T brought her signature ethereal sound to Barclays Center, playing cuts like “Sober” and “Love Is” and maintaining the thread of queer R&B that ran through the show. DIXSON played a few of his own cuts (“Cherry Sorbet”), as well as mashups of songs he helped write (like Beyoncé’s “Morning Dew”), before reappearing later in the show to assist on background vocals during Kehlani’s showstopping rendition of “Still.”
Bernarr, who played cuts from last year’s BLOOM (“Generous”) and this year’s BERNARR. (“Am I Okay?”), fully leaned into his rockstar proclivities, packing in gravity-defying riffs, an intensely physical stage presence (he was literally busting out kip-ups) and rollicking musical arrangements. The Cleveland vocalist was the final support act to hit the stage before Kehlani kicked off her nearly two-hour set — and he certainly knew a thing or two about properly preparing the space.
In her tracing of the pre-game, the night out, the comedown during the walk home, and the at-times questionable decisions that come in the wee hours of the morning, Kehlani performed nearly every track from her new LP, making sure to incorporate older catalog cuts. From 2017’s SweetSexySavage (“Piece of Mind”) and 2019’s While We Wait (“Footsteps”) to 2022’s Blue Water Road (“Everything”), nearly every era of Kehlani’s discography got some shine.
Not only did the setlist smartly weave the quasi-concept album feel of Kehlani with the narrative threads of her larger catalog, but it also allowed the htimaker and her music director to incorporate nods to ’00s R&B classics like Aaliyah’s “Rock the Boat” and Ne-Yo’s “So Sick.” That commitment to grounding the success of “Folded,” its parent album and accompanying tour, to R&B’s rich history extended to the choreography, helmed in part by Dominique Battiste and Darius “Dario” Boatner, who packed in homages to both Michael and Janet Jackson. Oh, and a surprise Cardi B appearance was simply the cherry on top.
From heart-melting vocals to an indescribably warm presence, Kehlani gifted Brooklyn a night of soul, gratitude and, most importantly, safety. A decade-plus in the making, the Barclays Center stop of the Kehlani World Tour was the ultimate proof of concept for unabashedly queer, vocal-forward contemporary R&B headlining and selling out arenas.
Here are the five best moments from the Kehlani World Tour in Brooklyn.
Holly Humberstone will return to Australia in early 2027 for what will be her largest headline run in the country to date, promoter Secret Sounds announced.
The four-date theater tour opens at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 4, before stops at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on Monday, Feb. 8, Melbourne’s Forum on Wednesday, Feb. 10, and Perth’s Astor Theatre on Friday, Feb. 12. Melbourne artist Holly Hebe, who opened Humberstone’s Australian shows last year, returns as special guest.
Presales begin Monday, Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. local time via artist, Mastercard and Vodafone presales, followed by a Secret Sounds presale on Tuesday, Aug. 25. General tickets go on sale Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m. local time.
The run supports Cruel World, Humberstone’s second studio album, released April 10 through Polydor Records. The record marked a sonic shift toward brighter, more upbeat pop while exploring themes of belonging, repair and self-reclamation, and it debuted at No. 4 on the U.K. Albums Chart. She followed it in June with It’s a Real Cruel World, a companion EP featuring reimagined versions of four album tracks, including “White Noise,” “Red Chevy,” “To Love Somebody” and the title track.
The 2027 dates arrive on the back of the most visible stretch of Humberstone’s career. The Lincolnshire singer-songwriter won the BRIT Award for rising star in 2022 following her early EPs Falling Asleep at the Wheel and The Walls Are Way Too Thin, then released her 2023 debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black, which reached No. 5 in the U.K. Since then she has become a fixture on major stages and U.S. television, performing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Later… With Jools Holland and the first-season finale of SNL UK, and playing Coachella and Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
Her live résumé leans heavily on high-profile support slots. Humberstone opened for Olivia Rodrigo on the Sour Tour, joined Taylor Swift at Wembley Stadium on the Eras Tour in 2024, and has supported Sam Fender in Australia and at his St. James’ Park hometown show. She was also announced this year as an opener on Gracie Abrams‘ Look at My Life Tour.
Holly Hebe arrives with her own momentum, having recently topped the ARIA Australian Albums Chart with her EP Mood Ring following sold-out shows in Melbourne and Sydney.
Holly Humberstone’s 2027 Australian tour dates, with special guest Holly Hebe:
Robbie Williams will perform at this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup Day — Australia’s premier horse racing event — on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the Victoria Racing Club announced, giving the British star a warmup slot days ahead of his Australian arena tour.
Williams will headline the Elms Live Stage at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse after the day’s final race, then deliver a second performance in the mounting yard as part of the Nine Network broadcast, immediately before the Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy presentation. The VRC is billing the mounting yard set as the biggest pre-Cup performance ever staged at the venue. Both appearances are included in the price of general admission.
“Australia, I’m coming in hot. Lexus Melbourne Cup Day will be my first stop before the Britpop Australian tour, and I’m ready to make it unforgettable,” Williams said in a statement. “Expect big songs, big energy and a massive celebration after the race that stops the nation.” VRC chief executive Kylie Rogers called it “the perfect way to celebrate the prestige and significance of Lexus Melbourne Cup Day,” noting it marks Williams’ first performance at Flemington.
The Cup Day date lands during a career-defining run for Williams. His 13th studio album, Britpop, arrived via Columbia Records in January — released three weeks ahead of schedule in a surprise drop timed to avoid competing with Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl. The gambit paid off: Britpop debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart, giving Williams his 16th career chart-topper there and making him the outright record-holder for the most No. 1 albums in the chart’s history, surpassing the Beatles’ longstanding mark of 15. The album, featuring guest turns from Chris Martin, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi and Mexican duo Jesse & Joy, drew some of Williams’ strongest reviews in years.
Williams’ Australian and New Zealand dates are part of his Britpop Tour, a stadium run marking his first tour of mainly outdoor venues since 2017’s Heavy Entertainment Show Tour. The Australian leg will feature support from Manchester’s The Lottery Winners and Melbourne artist G Flip, with Wellington group Drax Project joining for the New Zealand shows.
Melbourne Cup Carnival runs across four days this year: Victoria Derby Day on Saturday, Oct. 31, Cup Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Crown Oaks Day on Thursday, Nov. 5, and TAB Champions Stakes Day on Saturday, Nov. 7, when Australian DJ FISHER performs. Additional Carnival entertainment is expected to be announced.
Jorja Smith will return to Australia in November 2027 for a three-date arena and amphitheater run, her first visit to the country since 2024.
The East Coast tour opens at Brisbane’s Riverstage on Saturday, Nov. 6, continues at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Tuesday, Nov. 9, and closes at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 13. Fans who purchase What Are the Odds through Smith’s website get early ticket access starting Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 12 p.m. AEST, followed by a Handsome Tours presale Thursday, Aug. 27 and general sale Friday, Aug. 28.
The dates follow the Wednesday (Aug. 21) release of What Are the Odds, Smith’s third studio album and her first as a fully independent artist, released via FAMM/The Orchard. Produced entirely by longtime collaborator P2J, the 12-track record marks a full pivot toward dance music, moving through U.K. garage, grime, 2-step, funky house and Afro house. “This album came together really naturally,” Smith told Billboard ahead of release. “There was never a big plan; it was just me making music that felt right in the moment. Working with P2J, we started experimenting with different sounds, pulling from U.K. garage, grime and house, and it all grew from there.”
Smith released the album the same night she co-headlined London’s All Points East with Tems, and Australian audiences will hear tracks including “What’s Done Is Done,” “Alive” — featuring Wizkid — and “I Lied, You Lied” live for the first time.
The tour caps a milestone year for the Walsall-born singer. Smith marked the 10th anniversary of her breakout debut single “Blue Lights” in 2026, opened six stadium dates for Harry Styles in Mexico City, and appeared as a musical guest on the debut season of Saturday Night Live UK. Her catalog carries real chart weight in her home market: 2018 debut Lost & Found reached No. 3 on the U.K. Albums Chart and earned her the Brit Critics’ Choice Award, while 2019 brought a Grammy nomination for best new artist and the Brit Award for British female solo artist. Follow-up Falling or Flying (2023) also hit No. 3 in the U.K.
Smith last toured Australia in October 2024 on her Falling or Flying run, playing a sold-out arena show in Melbourne, a stacked Adelaide date and a sold-out Sydney close, plus a set at Promiseland Festival. She made her Australian debut in 2019.
