With Big Loud / Back Blocks Music country artist Ashley Cooke, it’s best to know what you’re getting into – because this emerging star is the definition of more than meets the eye. A graceful exterior matched by a casual-cool nature. Skillfully crafted lyrics and a knack for unforgettable performance. Effortless vocal beauty and a bold sense of internal grit, freely mixing it up with the boys while she rallies the girls. And most important, a passion for capturing the magic between heartbeats, each moment as unique as she is. Still early in her journey, being herself has already served Cooke well. It’s led to chart-climbing hits like “your place” and “Never Til Now” with Brett Young, national TV appearances on ABC’s The Bachelorette, tours with Cole Swindell, Jordan Davis and more. Hailing from Parkland, Fla., Cooke embraces the energy of pop and depth of country. Vivid and emotionally pure, her sun-kissed blend of two-lane pop is often inspired by true tales of love, loss, and living, matching raw relatability and deeply addictive hooks. Fully capturing the essence of a daring twenty-something growing up, chasing her dreams and taking risks, her striking debut album shot in the dark has garnered Cooke praise from Billboard who named her the July 2023 Rookie of the Month. Cooke went on to win her first CMT Award for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year at the 2024 CMT Awards before being nominated for ACM New Female Artist of the Year, adding to previous recognition as one of MusicRow’s 2023 Discovery Artist of the Year and Next Big Thing as well as iHeartCountry’s On The Verge artist. Meanwhile, her award-winning single “your place” continues to take her career to new heights as she notches her first career No.1 song at Country radio and takes her headlining your place Tour to cities nationwide.

Back Blocks Music announced the signing of its flagship songwriter Blake Pendergrass to an exclusive, worldwide publishing agreement. This is Pendergrass’ first publishing deal and comes on the heels of the success of the BMI-affiliate’s first major cut: Morgan Wallen’s “865.”

“From the very first playlist of demos I heard I became a fan of Blake’s and knew I needed to work with him. I loved his dynamic songwriting, work ethic, and the versatile network of writers he is building—it felt like a perfect fit,” says Rakiyah Marshall, Founder/CEO of Back Blocks Music. “I am thrilled to have Blake be a part of the Back Blocks family and the first publishing client. There are big things to come and I’m excited for our future together.”

A Raleigh, North Carolina native, Pendergrass moved to Nashville to study commercial music at Belmont University. At the end of 2020, Pendergrass got word he earned a coveted spot on Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album. He was the only un-signed writer on the 30-song project. Pendergrass also has cuts with Chris Lane and newcomer Ashley Cooke.

Ethan Burdick is a rising 20-year-old singer-songwriter and artist whose distinctive sound and captivating voice are quickly making an impression. Originally from Vancouver, Washington and now based in Queen Creek, Arizona, Ethan is preparing to relocate to Nashville to further develop his career. His music currently leans towards folk influence, but he’s also exploring a more pop-influenced direction, similar to artists like Noah Kahan. As he grows as an artist, Ethan is focused on refining his sound and building a strong foundation for a long-term career in music.

Having notched back-to-back spots on Billboard's Hot 100 chart with his RIAA Platinum certified debut singles “Wine Into Whiskey” and “Wind Up Missin' You” and surpassing 732M streams in less than a year, Washington-born singer-songwriter Tucker Wetmore is well on the way to becoming a certified breakout country star. Wetmore signed a major-label record deal last summer with UMG Nashville in partnership with Back Blocks Music, had two songs featured on the star-studded Twisters soundtrack (“Already Had It” and “Steal My Thunder” (with Conner Smith)), made his Grand Ole Opry debut and delivered his first EP, Waves on a Sunset. He brought his music directly to fans on tour with Kameron Marlowe and Luke Bryan before selling out his first-ever headlining tour Waves on a Sunset Tour 2024. Now, in 2025, the skyrocketing talent will extend his headlining efforts with dates in the UK, US and Europe before joining Thomas Rhett’s BETTER IN BOOTS TOUR 2025 as direct support. Wetmore will continue releasing new music, with songs that reflect his cross-genre musical upbringing, embracing all manners of country, reggae, rock and hip-hop, albeit anchored by classic country storytelling. Wetmore enters 2025 as One to Watch by Billboard, MusicRow, VEVO, Spotify and more, with his debut single “Wind Up Missin’ You” already earning him his first No.1 on the Mediabase Country chart.