Headlines: Phillip Phillips Songwriting in Nashville

Keith Urban, Vince Gill announce sixth All for the Hall – Keith Urban is in the midst of judging “American Idol,” completing his new album “Ripcord” and planning his tour — but the Grammy-nominated “Break on Me” singer will still make time to give back to the Country Music Hall of Fame. And, for the sixth time, he’s doing so with Vince Gill. This year’s theme is “Mashville: The Music City in 2016.” The event will feature performances from Urban, Gill, Luke Bryan, Peter Frampton, Florida Georgia Line, Emmylou Harris, Sam Hunt, Jason Isbell, Maddie and Tae, and Maren Morris. – Read more at The Tennessean

Phillip Phillips Songwriting.

Maybe the season 11 winner has sorted out his legal issues with 19 Entertainment

Nashville, Nashville. We’re becoming good friends.

— Phillip Phillips (@Phillips) January 21, 2016

Jordan Smith Recording Debut album

If he’s already laying down vocals, chances are, as some of you have noted, it’s a covers album. Or, maybe he’s picked up songs that have been laying around for awhile or rejected by other artists. In any case, it appears new songs on the album, helmed by David Foster, will be at a minimum.

Wake up. Sing. Sleep. Repeat. Today I am seeing my album really take shape and it feels good.… https://t.co/yWny0aOz2S

— Jordan Smith (@JordanSmithLive) January 21, 2016

Gospel singer Mandisa is refreshed, ready to tour – Your career was given a huge boost by your appearance on “American Idol” a few years ago. How do you feel about this being the final season of the show? A: It’s bittersweet for me, but I think the show has run its course. It really hasn’t been the same the last couple of years. However, there is no other show that has produced the kind of stars that “American Idol” has. As much as I enjoy “The Voice,” you don’t really hear much from the winners after the season is over. I will miss that platform to introduce new artists the way they have. – Read more at Houston Chronicle

Luke Wade more than just a ‘Voice’ – “It depends on what your career’s like. If you’re like a cool kid, like if you’re a teenager, and you’re like in an indie-rock band or something, and you went on the show, it may not be great for you. You may not get anything out of it at all. There are certain people who are like ‘Oh, you were on TV,’ and they wanna not do stuff for you because they don’t like that culture,” he explains. “I run into that some in the industry – booking agents or manager or labels, and really the core of that is that there are no prerequisites for being on ‘The Voice.” “But there were a lot of people who were basically singing in front of people for the first time on the show. They’re thrown out into the wild the same as I am,” he says, “and someone who’s gonna book them might also book me, and whereas they don’t have a show, they don’t have a band, they don’t have songs, they don’t have a lot of the things that you really have to have to try to have a career as an artist.” – Read more at Cincinnati.com

Avalon Young looks to Hollywood on ‘American Idol’