Texas Country Music Magazine Appoints Mattie Elder as ExecutiveEditor
TCMA President Linda Wilson states, “I’m very excited that Mattie Elder has taken on the title and responsibilities of Executive Editor at Texas Country Music Magazine. Mattie will be heading up all operations for the magazine, including artist and industry-related interviews, content creation, photography, advertising, sponsorships, event coverage, and more. We’re sure that with her background and degree in Broadcast Journalism, she will advance TCMM to a whole new level and beyond.”
Originally from Uvalde, TX, Mattie says, “Growing up in South Texas played a major role in shaping who I am today. Rodeo, animals, and the western way of life have always been a huge part of who I am. My father was a hunting outfitter, so the ranch lifestyle was all I really knew until I moved to Fort Worth to attend Texas Christian University.”
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She goes on, “Attending TCU was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. During my time there, I worked in student media, where I wrote, anchored, and produced video content for TCU News Now. That experience ultimately led me to pursue a career in journalism, majoring in broadcast journalism. While balancing school and student media, I was also a member of the TCU polo and rodeo team and participated in the intramural tennis league. For as long as I can remember, country music, especially Texas country music, has been a defining part of my life and who I am. I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to be a part of Texas Country Music Magazine, Texas Country Network, and part of the Texas Country Music Association’s team as a sales associate and editor of the magazine. I am incredibly excited to bring my experience and passion to help grow the network!”
Mattie will work closely with other TCMA-related entities, such as the Texas Country Networkand the Texas Country Music Awards, along with all other projects that TCMA organizes that bring the Texas Country Music industry together.
Texas Country Music Magazine is an online digital format at www.texascountrymusicmagazine.com that features TCMA Members, new music, events, and other industry news and happenings.
To find out more about Texas Country Music Magazine and to subscribe to e-blasts or submit contributing articles for insertion consideration, and to learn about advertising, visit www.texascountrymusicmagazine.com or email Mattie directly at mattie.elder@texascountrymusic.org.
The Texas Country Music Association is the only trade organization and primary advocate for the Texas Country Music industry. To learn more about the Texas Country Music Associationor to join, please visit www.texascountrymusic.org.
2026 TCMA Songwriter Contest Open For Entries!
The 2026 TCMA Songwriter Contest is now OPEN FOR ENTRIES in Country and Christian Country music categories! Winners in each category are invited to perform on the main stage at the 2026 Texas Country Music Awards on November 8, 2026, at Billy Bob's Texas in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards and all top 10 finalists will be recognized. Enter Early!
Songs are reviewed on an as-received basis. All entries submitted must be the contestant's original works. Songs are judged on creativity, lyrics, melody, arrangement, originality, and overall technique. Visit www.texascountrymusicassociation.org/2026songwriter
2026 Texas Country Music Industry Awards Nominations Open Until Feb 28
Nominations are open for the 2026 Texas Country Music Industry Awards! The Industry Awards are to honor and recognize those who work so hard alongside the artists to create, manage, and promote their music.
TCMA Members and other verifiable Texas Country Music Industry Stakeholders may place nominations.
The 2026 Texas Country Music Industry Awards is set to take place on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Rhinestone Saloon in the Fort Worth Stockyards, followed by a concert by TCMA Member Clay Hollis.
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Suzanne’s Band
“The Kenny Store”
Suzanne’s Band has released their new single, “The Kenney Store,” now available and currently debuting on YouTube. Released January 12, 2026, the track serves as the lead single from the Texas-based Americana group’s upcoming ten-song album Bandana Woman, set to arrive February 17. Upon release, “The Kenney Store” was added to rotation on Texas Brew Radio, where it will remain on air through February.
Lively, expressive, and deeply rooted in Texas country tradition, the song captures the charm of discovering a hidden gem off the beaten path. Band leader, songwriter, and Recording Academy voting member Mia Suzanne Walker shares that the song was written before she ever visited the real-life Kenney Store, with the fiddle and overall mood standing out as her favorite elements of the arrangement.
Amber Westerman
“Barefoot days”
On her latest single, “Barefoot Days,” released January 16, 2026, Amber Westerman leans fully into her Americana roots, blending a modern folk sensibility with a subtle country edge. While much of today’s industry chases trends, Westerman stays grounded in her purpose , writing songs that invite listeners to slow down and reconnect with their hearts.
Texas-born artist Amber Westerman, known as the “Americana Sunflower,” creates modern Americana rooted in warmth, soul, and honest storytelling. Inspired by artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Jason Mraz, Sarah Jarosz, and Brandi Carlile, her music balances front-porch intimacy with a main-stage lift. In live settings, she blends country foundations with dreamy textures and hints of coastal rhythm, reflecting a life shaped by both adventure and home.
The Will Carter Band
“Hourglass”
“Hourglass” was written during a stay at the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles and marks the second song the band wrote together, following “Had Me at Goodbye.” (Fun fact: their third collaboration, “Ain’t All That Lonely,” also came together at the casino on that same trip bonus material, indeed.)
While holed up in the hotel room, phrases from a running notes list were tossed around, and one word immediately caught everyone’s attention: Hourglass. From there, the song poured out quickly an hour (glass) later, it was written and recorded as a rough hotel-room demo.
Driven by a rock-ballad melodic sensibility, “Hourglass” paints a vivid, heartbreak-filled story you can almost see as it unfolds. Its dramatic minor-key verses build into a powerful major-key chorus, capturing the moment when the narrator confronts and conquers the pain by finally naming the loss. It remains one of the band’s favorite songs for its emotional weight and cinematic storytelling.
TCMA Member Amberlynn Browning and Her Band, Amberlynn and her Texas Highwaymen, are keeping Honky-Tonk Alive!
Amberlynn Browning and Her Band, Amberlynn and the Texas Highwaymen, Are Keeping Honky-Tonk Alive Born and raised in Texas, Amberlynn Browning’s music is steeped in history, family, and a deep respect for the country greats who came before her. With her third studio album, Honky Tonky Fever, set to release this spring, Browning is stepping confidently into a new chapter of her career while staying firmly rooted in the traditional sound that defines her artistry.
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With six generations of Texas history behind her, Texas isn’t just a place for Browning — it’s part of her identity. That deep connection to land, heritage, and tradition is unmistakable in her music.
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This Week's Texas Country Music Chart
The Texas Country Music Chart is the only Texas-based, digitally-monitored airplay chart for Texas Country Music and is a service of the Texas Country Music Association.
