Lindsay Ell, Jimmie Allen Lead 2019 ‘CRS New Faces’ Show
Lindsay Ell and Jimmie Allen are among the five artists selected to perform during the 2019 New Faces show, the event that closes out the annual music industry confab Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. Also performing at the showcase will be Lanco, Dylan Scott and Russell Dickerson.
Each of the five performers has enjoyed significant breakthrough success in the previous year through some combination of radio or streaming visibility, or joining a high-profile tour. Allen recently enjoyed a two-week Number One hit for his debut single “Best Shot,” while Lanco, Scott and Dickerson have all had chart-topping songs of their own. Ell scored a Number One in her Canadian homeland with “Criminal” (which cracked the Top 20 in the U.S.) and released a full-album remake of John Mayer’s The Continuum in May.
Ell’s inclusion among the final performers comes as something of a surprise, considering she was the only woman listed in the original spate of nominees. That group of 13 performers included Jordan Davis, Chris Lane and Morgan Wallen, but the lack of women on the ballot drew sharp criticism for its perceived imbalance. Country radio has been the topic of considerable debate in recent years for its overwhelmingly male playlists, a fact that has the effect of leaving even fewer opportunities for women — who occasionally have to endure sexual harassment just to present their music to programmers.
Country Radio Seminar 2019 is set for February 13th through 15th at the Omni Hotel in downtown Nashville.