WHAT’S THE LATEST ON THE TRIO OF TALENTS WITH TIES TO THE CHATTANOOGA AREA PURSUING PROFESSIONAL MUSIC CAREERS?

Kane Brown: He and Lauren Alaina picked up a Collaborative Video of the Year for “What Ifs” at the CMT Music Awards in June, the latest accolade for a year that saw him set a record as the first artist to ever lead all five of Billboard’s main country charts simultaneously. In July, he was getting attention for an Instagram video of him dancing with fiancée Katelyn Jae to Drake’s “In My Feelings.” The pair announced their engagement in April 2017 but haven’t revealed their wedding date, though Taste of Country predicts it will be later this year, likely in the fall.

Lauren Alaina: She’s engaged! On July 21, the 23-year- old singer announced the news of her engagement to longtime sweetheart Alex Hopkins, also 23, a Nashville- based actor and model. “Being yours forever has a nice ’ RING’ to it. #HoppilyEverHopkins @_ alex_ hopkins WE ARE ENGAGED. EEEK,” the pun- loving Alaina wrote in an Instagram post. The two have been dating since 2012.

Professionally, she has spent the summer on tour with Jason Aldean’s High Noon Neon Tour, carving out stops in Nashville in June for a CMA Fest performance and in July for a Capitol Fourth performance of “Road Less Traveled” in Washington, D.C. In August, she’ll co- host the 2018 ACM Honors ceremony with Jon Pardi. When the Alden tour ends in September, she’ll pick up the Reason to Drink … Another Tour with Cole Swindell and Dustin Lynch in October.

Jordan Smith: The Season 9 winner and top-selling artist in the history of NBC’s “The Voice” released “Only Love,” a song that “has been in my heart for a long time,” at the end of June. The new single is the first release from his new album of the same name coming later this summer. “‘Only Love’ was written as a reminder that there is a common thread running through all of us to love and be loved,” the Kentucky native and former Lee University student told People magazine. “I can’t imagine a better song to release after nearly two years of writing music.” Smith honed his skills as a songwriter for the new album, writing six of the 12 tracks. During this time, he also co-wrote Celine Dion’s “Ashes” for “Deadpool 2.”