Jimmie Allen

Hop Springs and Nashville radio’s 103.3 sure know how to pick ’em. The two have teamed to present a free series of affectionately-titled “Pickin’ Parties.” In these, an artist plays to an in-person crowd at Hop Springs (typically for about an hour), but also to the far reaches of the wild blue online yonder. And if the track record thus far is any indication, the station is shaping up to prove picky in their “Pickin’ Party” choices.

Jimmie Allen, winner of the ACM’s 2021 New Male Artist of the Year award, steps up to amazingly grace the stage on May 8 with songs including his No. 1 hits “Best Shot” and “Make Me Want To” plus “Freedom Was a Highway” (his current single, a duet with Brad Paisley), and (hopefully) the impassioned recent fan-favorite “Pray.” Show reservations for this one are booked as of press time, but 103 has a history of mysteriously discovering a few more last-minute spots.

Other guests have included Jameson Rodgers (“Some Girls”), Adam Doleac, Kameron Marlowe (an event recorded with 3D spatial audio technology) and ACM award winner Carly Pearce. Pearce’s piercing performance had toes tapping throughout the crowded taproom (and patio, and beyond . . .) at the end of April, days before she merrily claimed both single of the year and music event of the year honors in front of a national TV audience for “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with Lee Brice.

Fresh off earning a No. 1 spot for her song “Somebody Like That,” ACM New Female Artist nominee Tenille Arts joins the local party on May 22. “Somebody” has the distinction of being the first No. 1 country radio single to be written, performed and produced by an all-female team (written by Arts with co-writers Allison Veltz Cruz and Alex Kline; Kline, who plays multiple instruments on and also produced the single, is a published writer on MTSU grad Erin Enderlin’s company 10,000 Hours and Reba McEntire’s Starstruck Publishing co-venture).

Free reservations for the Pickin’ Parties will be available through Eventbrite, with 103.3 Country posting updates with more information and as to when new video broadcasts of the on-location recordings are available (typically via the station’s Facebook page for a limited time before being archived to lemonade.tv). Some streams are interactive with the artist but that is subject to change per event. Select party merchandise is available for purchase through lemonade.tv as well.

Hop Springs is located at 6790 John Bragg Hwy. For more information, visit 1033country.com.