SONG NEWS…. 

Multi award-winning Bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent will be including a song of Byron’s on her upcoming album, set for release on August 14, 2026. More news and details on this as we get it.

Famed Bluegrass musician/songwriter Louisa Branscomb has been in the studio recording her new special album of guest artists singing her songs. A song she wrote with Byron was recorded with a stellar list of players; Eddie Bayers (Drums), Matt Menefee (Banjo), Shaun Richardson (Acoustic Guitar/Mandolin), Mark Burchfield (Bass), Wanda Vick (Dobro/Fiddle), and Bradley Walker of Brothers Of The Heart on lead vocals. Other artists will be added on backgrounds. More on this soon!

American Songwriter magazine published an article (7/14/26) entitled 4 Country Songs From the 80s That Still Break Our Hearts Every Time. Among the four songs listed was “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis). “A lot of people do say still that it’s one of their favorite George Strait songs,” Hill told The Tennessean (newspaper). “And also, that intro, everyone knows what it is when it happens. I think that little fiddle kickoff has filled a lot of dance floors through the years.”

Country artist David Timms has released his new album Don’t Sell Your Saddle on Rhythm Road Records (June 26, 2026), containing the song “Heaven’s A Small Town” (Hill/Lawson).

George Strait’s 2004 album 50 Number Ones has surged to No. 74 for the week of July 4, 2026, a ten-spot jump from No. 84 the week before in the Billboard 200 chart. The album has now spent 390 weeks on the Billboard 200 across its lifetime, according to Parade Magazine. It arrived in October 2004 and debuted at No. 1, according to Forbes Magazine. The album gathers his first 50 chart-topping singles, starting with “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis).

Check out the new article (May 27, 2026) in American Songwriter Magazine, commemorating the release of George Strait’s first #1 on May 27, 1982.  The following is from the article; “I had recently written and produced a track for a movie called The Exterminator, and the same production company came back to me for another song for another movie called The Soldier,” he recalled. “Thanks to ATV Music’s Gerry Teifer, MCA Records’ Jim Fogelsong, and Producer Blake Mevis, a deal was done to give a young, new MCA recording artist a cameo role in the movie singing a song that was specially written for the movie, and would hopefully be a hit single,” he explained. “That new MCA artist was George Strait.”-Byron Hill

Twenty years ago on May 23, 2006, Rhonda Vincent’s All American Bluegrass Girl album was released on Rounder Records, containing the song “Till They Came Home” (Byron Hill/Mike Dekle). The album was produced by Rhonda Vincent and Brian Vincent, and was nominated for a Grammy Award as “Best Bluegrass Album” in 2007. The album also went #1 on the Bluegrass Album chart.

Thank you American Songwriter Magazine (May 18, 2026 – by Clayton Edwards) for mentioning the song “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis)  in the article entitled Born in Texas on This Day in 1952, the High School Rocker Who Became the Undisputed “King of Country Music”. 

The song “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis) was mentioned by The State online magazine (May 2, 2026 – Carly Silva), in the article entitled 1982 Classic Ballad Was This Country Icon’s First No. 1 Hit-And It Still Holds Up. The article says “It was recorded by Strait and included on his album Strait From the Heart, becoming a massive commercial success and one of his landmark hits. It hit the Hot Country Songs chart in June 1982, reaching No. 1 in August of that year. In 2023, “Fool Hearted Memory” was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)”. The State is published in Columbia, SC. 

Thank you American Songwriter Magazine (May 1, 2026 – by Kat Caudill) for mentioning the song “Politics, Religion and Her” (Hill/Martin)  in the article entitled 4 Underrated Songs That Made Me Fall in Love With 90s Country All Over Again. 

Forty years ago on April 12, 1986, the song “Nights” recorded by Ed Bruce for RCA Records, made its debut on the Billboard Country chart. The recording was produced by Blake Mevis, and went to #4. Byron co-wrote the song with British songwriter Tony Hiller, and it won an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of 1986.

American Songwriter Magazine has just listed George Strait’s (1982) ‘Strait From The Heart’ album in their March 9, 2026 article entitled “These 4 Country Albums From the 1980s Should Be Required Listening for Every Country Music Fan”. The three other albums listed were ‘9 To 5 And Odd Jobs’ by Dolly Parton, ‘Always On My Mind’ by Willie Nelson, and  ‘Storms Of Life’ by Randy Travis.

On March 1, 2026, Byron signed a worldwide administration deal with Sony Music Publishing.

Thank you to Indie Acoustic Project (IAP) for naming the song “But Not Today” (Hill/Duncan) as “one of the best songs of 2024-2025”. The IAP’s mission is to generate increased awareness of indie artists and record companies by promoting and recognizing outstanding works of innovative, independently produced acoustic music. 

Listen for the newest single by award-winning bluegrass duo Darin & Brooke Aldridge, titled “It Can’t Be Wrong” (Aldridge/Aldridge/Hill) has charted on BanjoRadio.com, and is gaining airplay on Bluegrass Junction, Sirius/XM Ch.77. 

The International Bluegrass Music Association – IBMA, (February 11, 2026) has announced the 2026 class of Leadership Bluegrass, its premier professional development program designed to cultivate the next generation of industry leaders. Each year, 25 participants are selected to take part in this immersive three-day experience featuring panels, strategic discussions, and collaborative activities focused on the business of bluegrass and its place in the larger world of entertainment. Since its founding in 2000, Leadership Bluegrass has graduated more than 500 alumni representing every sector of the industry. Byron has graduated in the Class of 2026!

Billy Blue Records (January 30, 2026), has announced the release of the newest single from award-winning bluegrass duo Darin & Brooke Aldridge, titled “It Can’t Be Wrong.” Co-written fellow North Carolinian Byron Hill. The song is from their current album, Talk of the Town, and continues the duo’s tradition of blending lyrical depth, vocal precision, and uplifting emotion. Known for their impeccable harmonies and signature warmth, Darin & Brooke Aldridge once again deliver a song that’s as encouraging as it is musically compelling. The new single is now available to all radio programmers, and should be heard soon on Bluegrass Junction, Sirius/XM Ch.77. 

The Sound is a Dove Award winning band comprised of Levi, Jacob, and Rob Mills. Their distinct, country-pop inspired music has captured the attention and affection of fans around the world. They’ve performed live for thousands and, through television and social media, have entertained millions. Interest in the ban has taken off since their stairwell vocal harmony recordings being posted on Instagram and other media outlets. Check out their January 14th 2026 recording of “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis). Absolutely beautiful!

George Strait’s classic album, “50 Number Ones,” made its way back onto the the Billboard Top 200 (1/11/2026) chart at position 112. The album was originally released in October 2004, debuted then at number one and has spent a total of 365 weeks on the chart. According to Music Charts Archive, “50 Number Ones” features Strait’s first 50 number one singles, starting with his 1981 hit “Fool Hearted Memory”.

Calgary, Alberta folks will surely enjoy the show Strait from Me to You: A Tribute to George Strait, featuring Gil Grand, at the Deerfoot Inn & Casino on March 6, 2026. Gil has been promoting the show with his version of George’s first #1 hit “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis).

We love it when stuff like this happens. Thank you to South Dakota journalist Benjamin Chase of The Huron Daily Plainsman, for referring to the song “Politics, Religion And Her” (Hill/Martin, recorded by Sammy Kershaw) as an example in his 12/21/2025 article “Say The Weird Thing”. Benjamin Chase says “As we anticipate gathering for Christmas this coming week, many across the nation, and certainly in the Heartland, hold a similar code to family discussions at those gatherings. Well, at least in the politics and relationship mess departments.  …We see enough division in our world without any attempt at resolution. Let’s use our family time to talk through these divides in a healthy, productive way rather than avoiding those closest to us due to disagreements. Let’s say the really weird thing, ‘I don’t agree, but I love you still’.”

Thank you to Country super-star Ella Langley for posting a beautiful acoustic version of her performing “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis). Ella fans can see her post on Instagram and Facebook (posted 12/7/2025). Dozen’s of industry publications released articles on the post. Country Thang Daily said this… “Ella Langley lit up the internet this week with a stripped-down cover of George Strait‘s 1982 classic “Fool Hearted Memory,” and she did it without pyrotechnics, big lights, or even a studio mic. It was just her, seated in a dimly lit room, singing one of King George’s most aching heartbreakers like she had lived it herself.”

Christian Bluegrass group Chosen Road, have recorded the patriotic song “Till They Came Home” (Hill/Dekle) for Daywind Records. More on this as we get it.

Canadian country artist Gord Bamford’s 2007 single “Blame It On That Red Dress” (Turner/Bamford/Hill) has been certified Gold by Music Canada. 

On Thanksgiving Day 2025, fans of RFD-TV saw programming featuring a re-cap of the 98th National FFA Convention, special airings of favorite music programs, and a “Lonesome Dove” marathon. Also included the day of programs was Presleys’ Country Jubilee, during which the George Strait hit “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis) was performed by Tim Gregg. 

Primetime TV viewers can hear one of Byron’s songs in the current CBS series Fire Country. Season 3, Episode 19 includes the full version of the Alabama band recording of “Born Country” (Hill/Schweers).

Texas Music artist Kendall Shaffer has released a song co-written with Byron on all popular digital outlets. Look for Kendall Shaffer – “A New Song To Sing” (Shaffer/Hiller).

According to Songwriter Magazine (article 10/13/2025), George Strait set and still holds the record of 60 number one singles, more than any other artist, in any genre. Strait’s first No. 1 single, “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis), came out in 1982. 30 years later, Strait celebrated his 60th No. 1 single!

Thirty years ago, on September 12, 1995, MCA Records released the George Strait 4-CD box set entitled “Strait Out Of The Box”. The box set contained 71 songs, including George’s first #1 “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis). The collection was certified Platinum x 8 by the RIAA on July 29, 2003, and it became the best-performing country music box set of all time.

Calling all Ukulele players! The website Ukutabs has published the chord positions and scrolling PDF Lyric accompaniment to the song “Born Country” (Hill/Schweers), as recorded by Alabama. 

We’ve received a sync license quote request for one of Byron’s songs in a future season of the music reality show The Road. The show was developed by Taylor Sheridan and Blake Shelton with CBS/ MTV Entertainment, and includes performances by Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, and Gretchen Wilson, and follows the performances of 12 talented new and emerging artists.

Thank you to multi award-winning author  Bruce Snider’s new book of poetry Blood Harmony, where in Chapter 1 he mentions the song “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis). Bruce’s books are published by the University of Wisconsin Press, he lives in Baltimore and teaches at Johns Hopkins University.

Did you catch the September 4th, 2025 article on George Strait in Taste Of Country? It includes some very nice story material on George and photos of his home in Texas. Also mentioned is his first #1 “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis). 

Artist Rachel Lipsky released her new rock single on August 28, 2025, entitled “Welcome To The Fun House” (Lipsky/Hill). The single has been added to the Symphonic Singer Songwriter playlist on Spotify. The playlist includes selections by Stephen Bishop, Dar Williams, The Wildwoods, Striking Matches, and more.

Thank you to HANK 97.1 FM (Indianapolis, IN) for including the Alabama hit “Born Country” (Hill/Schweers) on their August 29, 2025 post of suggested End Of Summer Country Hits….adding “The 1980s brought us fun, rowdy anthems and feel-good tracks that still bring people together. These songs are perfect for backyard BBQs or late-night bonfires”.

It is always a nice surprise when someone quotes a song. Thank you to blogger Jason Hahr and his blog The Voiceless Minority for quoting a line from the song “Born Country” (Hill/Schweers) in his Aug 19, 2025 article Camping and The Outdoors May Finally Be Accessible To All: A Guide To Adaptive Camping.

Thank you to Bluegrass artist Shannon Slaughter for including the song “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis) in his shows. Shannon has performed as a member of several notable bands… Lost and Found, Larry Stephenson Band, Melonie Cannon, and Lonesome River Band. Thank you ALSO to Bluegrass banjoist Trevor Watson for recording and releasing the song “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis) on his  Out Of The Shadows album. The album got a very nice review in Bluegrass Today Magazine. Trevor is a band member of the Shannon Slaughter Band.

Thirty years ago, the song “If I Was A Drinkin’ Man” (Hill/Rudd) recorded by Neal McCoy, made its debut on the Billboard Country chart on August 12, 1995. The recording was produced by Barry Beckett. The song won an ASCAP Award for being among the most performed country songs of 1995.

In August 2025, Warner Brothers Records released the previously independent released James Dupre album entitled  It’s All Happening, which contains the song “Ring On The Bar” (Hill/Baxter). Congratulations James! 

Artist Bentley Lewis has announced that he will be releasing a collection of 50 recordings. According to the announcement… “the album contains lots of gems…many wonderful songs written by Nashville’s finest… songs written by legends: Alan Jackson, Keith Whitley, Jim Glaser, Vern Gosdin, Mark Chesnutt, Conway Twitty, Reba McEntire, Cody Jinks and more, as well as from incredible writers Curly Putnam, Waylon Jennings, Nick Nichols, Don Cook, Hugh Prestwood, Hank Cochran, Whitey Shaffer, Byron Hill, Bill and Sharon Rice, and Bruce Springsteen to name a few.”

Thirty years ago, on July 18th 1995, Tracy Byrd’s “Love Lessons” album was released on MCA Records, containing the song “Walkin’ In” (Byron Hill/Zack Turner). The album was produced by Tony Brown. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on September 21, 1995.

The new single “No Place I’d Rather Be” (Collins/Hill/Dubuisson) recorded by Chas Collins was released on Virgin Distribution in June 2025, and started going for radio adds after July 4, 2025.

Duo Kelsey DiMarco and Lisa Butler released their second single on June 13, 2025 called “Cold Day In Mexico” (Byron Hill/D. Vincent Williams). The music video was shot on July 15th in Puerto Rico.

It’s always cool when these kinds of articles pop up. Apparently there is a viral clip of Sammy Kershaw’s recent performance of one of Byron’s songs “Politics Religion And Her” (Hill/Martin).  Parade Magazine (6/2/25) says….“He’s been touring since May, and at a recent performance, Kershaw, now 67, left fans in awe by singing another highly-successful tune, “Politics, Religion, and Her.” As one fan perfectly stated, the song is “Pure country gold.”  SoapCentral.com (6/2/25) also chimed in… “The buzz started when Kershaw, currently on tour, performed his hit song ‘Politics, Religion, and Her’. The clip made its way online, and it didn’t take long before fans flooded the comments with praise. One viewer summed it up perfectly, calling the moment ‘pure country gold’. Another fan shouted, ‘He is the man!!!!’

Thank you to American Songwriter Magazine and writer Clayton Edwards for the May 27, 2025 article on George Strait and the song “Fool Hearted Memory”. Clayton says: “On this day (May 27) in 1982, George Strait released “Fool Hearted Memory.” The song went on to be the first of many No. 1 singles for Strait. More than that, it introduced a more confident and mature performer to the world of country music, cementing his place as one of the best the genre had to offer. Written by Byron Hill and Blake Mevis, Strait released “Fool Hearted Memory” as the lead single from his sophomore album, Strait from the Heart. The track debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 19, 1982. A little more than two months later, on September 28, 1982, it peaked at No. 1 and stayed there for a week.”

Congratulations to Australian Country star Kirsty Lee Akers for her single “Marlboro Man” (Hill/Anderson) has reached #1 on the 2TM Top 20 in Australia! Kirsty says….“I’ve always been drawn to stories of love that are both beautiful and bittersweet. Marlboro Man tells the story of a romance where you fall for someone who sweeps you off your feet, only to realize they’re not the one who stays. Writing this song with Byron Hill was especially meaningful to me. Byron has penned many of the classic country hits I grew up singing, and he was the very first person I co-wrote with when I first arrived in Nashville as a teenager back in 2005. To still be writing together all these years later is a very special feeling.” 

Thank you to author Ashley Whitaker for mentioning the song “Born Country” (Hill/Schweers), recorded by Alabama in her new novel Bitter Texas Honey. Ashley is a writer from Texas. She received an MFA from the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan. Her work has appeared in Tin House, and she’s had a residency at Ragdale. She lives in Austin with her husband and children.

This year (2025) marks the 50th anniversary of Austin City Limits on PBS, the longest-running music series in American television history. Byron will have several songs airing on Austin City Limits during an expanded PBS Video On Demand licensing campaign.

Ten years ago on April 27th 2015, Dailey & Vincent’s “Alive! In Concert” album was released on Rounder/Cracker Barrel Records, containing the song “Till They Came Home” (Byron Hill/Mike Dekle). The album went #1 on the Bluegrass chart.

Warmest condolences to the family of songwriter/musician/artist Mac Gayden, who passed away on April 16, 2025. Mac and Byron were friends and had co-written a couple of songs together in recent years, including one on his latest album.

Hey check this out! Radio stations around the country are posting Alabama’s Live in Concert 25 Tour Setlist:
“Tennessee River”
“If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)”
“The Closer You Get”
“Sad Lookin’ Moon”
“Forever’s as Far as I’ll Go”
“When We Make Love”
“Song of the South”
“Love in the First Degree”
“Angels Among Us”
“Can’t Keep a Good Man Down”
“Orange Blossom Special”
“Born Country” (Hill/Schweers)
“Why Lady Why”
“You Are So Beautiful”

A website called Remember-Tunes Blogspot posts historical data on chart-topping songs from the past. The April 18, 2025 post reflects on chart-topping records from April of 1981: “Rapture” – Blondie, “Woman” – John Lennon, “The Best of Times” – Styx, “Kiss on My List” – Daryl Hall & John Oates, “Just the Two of Us” – Grover Washington, Jr./Bill Withers, “Morning Train” – Sheena Easton, “Being with You” – Smokey Robinson, “Angel Of The Morning” – Juice Newton, “While You See A Chance” – Steve Winwood, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” – Police, “A Headache Tomorrow (Or a Heartache Tonight)” – Mickey Gilley, “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” – David Frizzell & Shelly West, “Texas Women” – Hank Williams, Jr., “Old Flame” – Alabama, and Byron’s “Pickin’ Up Strangers” – Johnny Lee. Byron also had a song on the B-Side of the above listed “Angel Of The Morning” #1 Pop single by Juice Newton, when B-Sides were a “thing”!

The new single “The Storm” (written by Byron Hill/Glen Duncan) went to Bluegrass radio, media, and industry folks on March 11, 2025. Thank you so much for your support! Friends can hear the single (from the current album “That Old Mountain”) at their favorite streaming service, and hopefully real soon you’ll be hearing it on your favorite Bluegrass radio stations and Bluegrass shows. Enjoy!

Thank you to the Roots Music Charts, for ranking Byron’s album That Old Mountain among the Best of 2024!

Check out the March 12, 2025 review in Bluegrass Today of artist Jason Hannan’s album Heading South, which includes the song “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis). Thank you Jason!

Thank you to American Songwriter Magazine for the nice Feb 28, 2025 article ‘4 Nostalgic Country Songs That Helped Put Legendary Artists on the Map’. Journalist Clayton Edwards lists these four songs; “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” by Loretta Lynn (1966), “Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)” by Dolly Parton (1970), “A Better Man” by Clint Black (1989), and “Fool Hearted Memory” by George Strait (1982), “Fool Hearted Memory” was the lead single from Strait’s sophomore album Strait from the Heart and his first number one single, written by Byron Hill and Blake Mevis.

Syndicated radio host/interviewer Shannon McCombs had Byron as a guest on her show. As seen and heard on CMT, CBS, NBC, ABC, TNN, GAC, SiriusXM, and radio stations all over the world, Shannon is a renowned broadcaster with interviews of many famous artists and songwriters.

Radio station 93.3 WIL in St. Louis, Missouri, publishes a regular Artist Spotlight article on their website. The February 1st spotlight was on Stoney Creek Records artist Drew Baldridge. Thanks again to Drew for referencing Byron’s song “Born Country” (Hill/Schweers) as a major influence in his career. The article says…Not bad for a kid from Patoka, IL who grew up singing in church and talent shows and found his life forever changed when he heard the Alabama hit “Born Country”. “That song said, ‘I’ve got 100 years of down-home running through my blood.’ My grandpa called the area where we grew up, where we did all our farming ‘down home.’ That was the first time it really hit me: Country music is my life!” -Drew Baldridge

The single “Younger” (Hill/Duncan) from Byron’s album That Old Mountain reached #8 (1.26.25) on the Hotdisc chart with airplay many Country Music and Celtic/Country Music radio stations and shows across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Broadcasters can find the single on the Hotdisc (#313) compilation.

We’re very proud for Jonesboro High School (Jonesboro, TX) students Braxton Dossey and Clayton Herring for winning first place at the Bosque River District Talent Show in December 2024 by performing the George Strait #1 hit “Fool Hearted Memory” (Hill/Mevis).

Bluegrass friends!…check out the new January 2025 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine (the issue with John Hartford on the cover). Journalist Bill Foster reviewed the new album That Old Mountain! You can read the review here under the STORE > CD Reviews menu link.

Ongoing stuff:

If you’re a Gary Allan fan, you will definitely enjoy his episode on season four of The Song. Gary very kindly mentions Byron in one of the interview segments and also mentions the Lion D’or club in Downey, CA where together they set things in motion back in 1993 for Gary to record some songs in Nashville. The recordings led to Byron landing Gary offers from four labels, one of which was Decca Records. Byron continued as co-producer with Gary on his first three albums on Decca Records, earning three Gold albums, one Platinum album, two Gold singles, and one Platinum single. The Song is a syndicated series available on various networks in various markets. To find the show in your area go to:  hwww.thesong.tv/station-finder. 

Byron was recently included in a series of songwriter interviews for the Center For Popular Music archives at Middle Tennessee State University. The center is one of the world’s oldest and largest research centers devoted to the study of American folk and popular music. The archive holds over one million items related to American vernacular music traditions, in formats that include sheet music, song books, sound recordings, video recordings, manuscripts, photographs, periodicals, posters, and catalogs.

Look for Bill Cody’s new series Bill Cody Presents on Circle TV. Season 1 features musical guests Ray Benson (Asleep At The Wheel), Kathy Mattea, Pam Tillis, Marty Stuart, Brenda Lee and Ronnie Milsap. Kathy takes a walk down Music Row with Bill Cody and talks about Byron’s involvement in her career start. Thank you Kathy!

The weekly TV series The Songwriters, hosted by Ken Paulson spotlighting members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, has returned to Nashville Public Television with Season 2. Look for Byron’s interview and performance on your local PBS affiliate station airing now. For friends in Byron’s hometown area and other areas of North Carolina, the series is airing on Spectrum TV Channel 1276 (the North Carolina Channel).

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