NEWS
Granger Smith
Jeremy CowartPremiere Networks will conclude a seven-year affiliation with CMT after Dec. 31, 2021, a rep tells Billboard. Premiere Networks will end its syndication of the nightly radio program CMT Radio Live after Dec. 31, a move that coincides with the upcoming departure of media personality Cody Alan from CMT After MidNite With Cody Alan at the end of 2021 (After MidNite will also drop its CMT branding after Dec. 31, 2021).
Billboard has also learned that CMT Radio Live will be put on hiatus, pending a rebranding of the show.
Beginning in January, Premiere’s After MidNite will welcome BBR Music Group artist Granger Smith as the new host and will rebrand as After MidNite With Granger Smith.
“I’m incredibly honored to take the reins of After MidNite!” Smith said in a statement. “The unique opportunity to bring great music and speak to such a wide variety of listeners from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. can have a profound impact on people’s lives and that responsibility is not lost on me. I’m so excited to get started!”
In addition to his new role on After MidNite, Smith will continue to host and produce his Granger Smith podcast and his family YouTube show The Smiths. He also oversees the apparel/lifestyle brand Yee Yee Apparel that he launched with his brothers Parker and Tyler.
“We couldn’t be happier to welcome a multi-platform talent of Granger’s caliber to our Premiere family,” said Julie Talbott, president of Premiere Networks. “His unique point of view as a country music artist will undoubtedly resonate with our loyal listeners, and we’re confident he’ll bring a new level of energy and excitement, and a connection with people that will really shine on After MidNite.”
Alan announced his upcoming departure from After MidNite via Instagram on Tuesday, stating, “I’ll be hosting my last After MidNite Show for iHeartRadio on New Years Eve—excited to bring you something new in 2022!”
After MidNite, which has 200 affiliates, launched in 1993 and was hosted by Blair Garner through 2013. The show then rebranded as CMT After MidNite With Cody Alan following a partnership between Premiere parent company iHeartMedia and CMT.
As part of that agreement, Premiere also began syndicating CMT Radio Live With Cody Alan. After MidNite airs Monday through Sunday, from midnight to 6 a.m., as well as on the American Forces Network and the iHeartRadio app.
A rep for CMT stated, “Cody Alan is a valuable member of the CMT family, most notably remaining as host of the top-rated weekend show CMT Hot 20 Countdown, with a just-announced contract renewal into 2022. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Cody into the new year and beyond on a variety of projects.”
The estate of Prince has shared a previously unheard recording of “With This Tear,” a track the late icon originally wrote before passing it on to Celine Dion in the early 1990s.
The newly revealed version, released through NPG Records and Legacy Recordings, presents Prince’s own recording of the piano driven ballad, fully written, produced and performed by him. It was initially recorded at Paisley Park in November 1991 and had stayed in the vault until now.
Dion’s interpretation of “With This Tear” was included on her 1992 self titled album, highlighting one of many moments where Prince created songs for other artists while holding back his own versions. His original recording feels more minimal, putting the focus on his vocals and piano arrangement.
The newly issued version has been given an updated mix by Grammy nominated producer Chris James, who has worked on several Prince related releases before. This drop is part of the Prince Estate’s ongoing effort to open up more of his deep archive of unreleased music.
The release arrives at a meaningful moment, just ahead of the 10th anniversary of Prince’s passing. Since 2016, a consistent flow of archival material including deluxe reissues, vault recordings and rare collaborations has kept his legacy active in today’s music landscape while offering a closer look at how much he created.
“With This Tear” also highlights Prince’s long established role as a songwriter for others. Across his career, he wrote and produced tracks for a wide range of artists, often shaping songs that evolved into entirely new identities outside his own discography.
The release comes amid growing attention around Prince’s archive in recent years. In 2024, a demo of “Baby Doll,” an unreleased collaboration between Prince and Kylie Minogue, surfaced online and showed just how much material still remains unheard.
While there has been no official confirmation of a larger vault project, reports continue to suggest that more archival releases could be on the way.
