Author Archives: Country Music News

10 Random Questions with Jack Ingram

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Get to Know Jack Ingram a Little Better with These 10 Random Questions! From the lonestar state of Texas, Jack Ingram puts a unique twist on the country music sound. In 2005 his single “Wherever You Are” was in the top 40 on the U.S Country Chart. A few other hits you may remember, “Lips Of An Angel” a brilliant Hinder remake and “Barefoot & Crazy.” In 2008 Jack won the Academy Of Country Music Award for top new male artist. What has Jack been up to lately? Well we decided to check in with him for our 10 random questions and find out. 1. How would you describe your music career using only three words? Good, getting better. 2. What is your favorite song that you’ve written? It’s a 3 way tie: the next song, the last song and whichever one is your favorite. 3. What is your favorite album of all time? Of mine?! If I could have all things come together the way they did for “ELECTRIC” every time- I wouldn’t never b**ch about any of my albums. 4. What artists do you currently listen to? I love John Fullbright. Always listen to my favorite singer/songwriters. 5. Do you have any bad habits? I drive way too fast! 6. Beer, Whiskey or Wine? Beer, whiskey and wine…but mostly Bud Light! 7. Where is your favorite vacation place? Anywhere my wife & kids wanna go! My job is pretty d**n good so I don’t sit around dreaming about an escape route! 8. Describe yourself in three words? Inside my head. 9. What are your future plans? Any new music coming our way? I WILL RELEASE NEW MUSIC IN 2013. THAT IS A PROMISE. From that point forward I plan on releasing more and more music consistently. I am also working on a movie project that could be a ton of fun and include a bunch of my musician friends! 10. Is there anything you would like the Jack Ingram fans to know? If you love everything I do- you’re right! If you hate everything I do- you are as well! If you never really think of me at all- I wish you would! If you are looking forward to hearing Jack’s new music for 2013 be sure to follow him on Twitter @JackIngram for all the latest information! Head back to 2009 and enjoy Jack Ingram’s “Barefoot and Crazy”! Brittany is a guest contributor! You can find more from her via Twitter.

10 Random Questions with Billy Gilman

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Checkin’ In with Billy Gilman with 10 Random Questions! We all remember Billy Gilman from back in 2000 when his song “One Voice” was a top 20 hit on the Billboard Country Music Charts. The Rhode Island native can be found in the Guinness Book Of World Records for the youngest singer to reach No.1 on the top country album chart. His latest song “The Choice” features 18 other country artists including Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire and Leann Rimes. The song is about giving to those who are needy, and each song downloaded will buy 1 pair of shoes for children in need. Gilman has a big voice but an even bigger heart. We caught up with him for our 10 random questions, and this is what he had to say: 1. How have you changed or grown since we first heard you at 11 years old singing “One Voice?” I think between the ages of 12 and the age I am now, which is 24, everyone makes those natural leaps in maturity .I got to see a lot of the world at a very young age, and dealt with more adults in a business sense, so i think I matured at a pretty young age. But also, I really have become more chill. I was always a hyper and very animated kid. Kind of embarrassing when I look back lol. 2. What is your favorite song that you’ve written? I’m proud of them all but of course certain ones stand out. Like The Choice. I’m very proud of that song and the mission it supports. 3. What other artists do you currently listen to? Just downloaded The Lumineer’s new record. It’s great. 4. Where is your favorite place to perform? I think The Grand Ole Opry. There’s something spiritual about it. 5. Any new projects in the works? I have some songs that I am really proud of that will hopefully be heard in early 2013 keep your fingers crossed. At the end of the day I have to believe that the people and companies that release my new music are releasing it because they see the growth and they see the future. Not just a fast dollar. That’s hard to find. 6. Where is your favorite place to eat? I love mom and pop kind of places and home cooked food. I also like to cook so I stay home. In RI I love West Bakery and in Nashville I love Mafiosso’s — I love pizza that’s good. 7. If you could duet with any female artist who would it be? There’s a few I think would be cool to sing with. I have always liked Allison Krauss’ voice. 8. If you could have a superpower what would you pick? To find one good politician. 9. Do you consider yourself trendy? Do you follow clothing trends? Some people say I am, but I don’t feel I am nor try to be. I don’t follow anything — I just Continue reading 10 Random Questions with Billy Gilman→

10 Random Questions with Chris Janson

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10 Random Questions with Country Up and Comer Chris Janson! Missouri native Chris Janson has really made a name for himself in the country music world. He takes songwriting very seriously, and it’s something he is extremely good at. Performing since age eleven, he knew exactly what he wanted to do at a young age. Not only did he write Tim McGraw’s recent hit “Truck Yeah“, he’s also the spokesperson for Scentblocker and Mossy Oak. His new song titled “Better I Don’t” explains his personality perfectly, crazy, funny, and down to earth! He is also brave enough to answer my 10 random questions. At what age did you know that you wanted to pursue music? At 18 I headed to Nashville, started at Tootsie ‘s. Who were your influences growing up? Merle Haggard , Hank Jr , Guns n Roses. What artists do you currently listen to? Justin Moore and Tim Mcgraw If you could duet with any female artist who would it be? Noone. If you were a drink, what drink would you be? Moonshine – cause I ‘m authentic and come from the woods What is your favorite song that you have written? “Holdin Her” – cause it’s about my wife , my proposal and my baby girl Georgia . I wrote it with my best friend James Otto. Do you have any nicknames? Rocking Randel and Kelly calls me picky pants cause on the road I only like Mountain Dew , Bo Jangles and Crawfish. Do you have any bad habits? Mountain Dew Where do you like to shop? Do you have a favorite store? Adel Outfitters Is there anything you would like the fans to know? Yes. I’m a Christian. To keep up with Chris, find him on Twitter: @janson_chris! Listen to Chris Janson’s “Better I Don’t” Now! Brittany is a guest contributor! You can find more from her via Twitter.

Meet the Moonshine Bandits: Interview

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Meet New On The Scene, Duo Moonshine Bandits – Exclusive Interview! Take some Johnny Cash and add little bit of the Beastie Boys, and you have The Moonshine Bandits! Although, you can’t really compare them to anyone because obviously, they are in a lane all to itself. Tex & Bird are two California boys just trying to make a name for themselves in the world of music. What genre you ask? Well, it’s safe to say they’re avoiding labels and have decided to do things their own way. Their music is country with a hip hop flavor, and that’s just how they like it. Their video “My Kind Of Country” made it to the #1 spot on CMT, and the fellas have also reached the No. 65 spot on the Country Billboard charts. I refer to their music as “cali country” or “country hip hop.”, I enjoy it because I feel it’s real. They’re just being who they want to be. They work hard and play even harder, and that’s heard in most of their music. So, I decided to ask the boys a few questions so we can get to know them better, check it out below. How do you know each other? We went to high school together in a small town called Los Banos, California. What genre do you consider yourself? There is no genre for our style of music……Yet. How long have you been performing together? Since 1999 we started performing at house parties and country parties. How many tattoos do you have? Way too many to count. We have a sponsorship deal with Dos Changos Locos Tattoo in Modesto, California. Whenever we find free time, we pop in there and they hook us up. They have very talented artists and they are like family to us. What do you usually do in your free time? We bbq, spend time with our familiy or visit our Shiners Bar we just opened. We don’t have much free time really. What artists influenced you growing up? Beastie Boys, Kid Rock, Johnny Cash, a lot of West Coast Hiphop as well. Is there anything you want the world to know about the Moonshine Bandits? Yes, there is a huge family that is growing world wide and it’s known as Shiner Nation. It’s a group of loyal people that has helped our career crush obstacles and we are forever grateful for them. Come join the Shiner Nation family and see that the hype will become a reality for you as well. The Moonshine Bandits are nothing short of rowdy outlaws that like to party! So, for all you party animals out there be sure to join Shiner Nation at www.moonshinebandits.com. If you haven’t had a chance to check out their music, I would totally recommend it. It’s wild, crazy and has plenty of personality! Watch their video for “My Kind Of Country” below, and hear for yourself. Moonshine Bandits, “My Kind Of Country” Official Video.

10 Random Questions with Greg Bates

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Interview with Country Music Newbie Greg Bates in 10 Random Questions! 24-year-old Tennessee native Greg Bates has a lot to be proud of right now! With his first single “Did It For The Girl” moving up on the country charts, fans seem pleased with how genuine his music is, and this pearl snap wearing country boy is definitely just as sweet and genuine as his music! I would describe Greg using the three “P’s”: polite, patient & passionate, but deep down inside, I’m sure there is a wild side he wants to let out, right? Well, let’s ask him some questions and get down to business! How does it make you feel to hear people talking about how “genuine” your music is? It’s the biggest compliment anyone could give to me and my music. When I was writing these songs and making this record, I really wanted people to listen to it and feel like they were getting to know me. My music is a representation of who I am and if “genuine” is the word that people choose to use then that’s alright by me. Describe yourself in three words! Happy, Sarcastic & Stubborn If you were stranded on an island and could only have one country album with you, what album would you pick? Randy Travis “Storms of Life”. You seem like such a nice well behaved kinda guy, do you ever let your wild side out? I have been known to let the wilder side of me show, but even then I’m pretty tame. I’m just an easy going guy that tries his best to stay out of trouble. What is the one food you can’t live without? Bacon. Where do you do most of your shopping? Do you keep up with clothing trends? I would hardly consider myself “trendy” when it comes to clothes. I’m pretty much a t-shirt, blue jeans, baseball hat, and cowboy boots kinda guy so I do most of my shopping at Target ha! If you had to pick only one, would you go hunting or fishing? Fishing! It’s way more relaxing and half the work! If you could do a duet with a female artist (past or present) who would you pick & why? Either Patty Loveless or Tammy Wynette. Both to me are the perfect example of classy ladies with the purest voices I’ve ever heard. Is there anything you want the world to know about Greg Bates? Anything you want your fans to know? I play country music because that’s what I love and that’s what I’m a fan of. Every note I play or sing is because somebody in the history of country music has influenced me and all I ever want to do is make country fans proud of my music. There ya have it! It seems Greg is just a good ol’ country boy looking to stay out of trouble. Feel free to follow Greg on Twitter and on Facebook! We can’t wait to hear what Continue reading 10 Random Questions with Greg Bates→

Hank III – Another Country

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An inside look at what’s new with Hank III, including FOUR new albums! It’s tough to be saddled with a famous pedigree and expected to walk the line, so to speak, on that same path blazed by your forebears. Worse still, fate doubled own on Hank III– he’s compared not just to his grandfather, the great Hank Williams, but to his father as well, populist and welder of the southern rock to country, Hank Williams Jr. Like any rebellious child, Hank Williams III squirmed for a bit, indulging his heavier side with projects like Assjack and Superjoint Ritual. But genetics are hard to duck, and even the sludgy Assjack had a weird kind of “cow metal” sensibility. With 1999’s solo outing Risin’ Outlaw, Hank III took his rock and roll attitude, impolite subject matter, and applied it to country. Like his own song says, “If the shoe fits/ wear it,” the man has since etched out a career in C&W’s gutter. What fans may not have known was that the situation between Williams III and his label Curb Records had turned acrimonious since they first paired up for Risin’ Outlaw. After refusing to release the Hank III album This Ain’t Country when it was turned in to the label in 2003, Curb has decided to push the record out this year under the name Hillbilly Joker. But the real joker having the last laugh will no doubt be Hank himself, who is releasing not one, but three new records this year. Notably, Ghost to Ghost/Gutter Town is actually a double album, bringing that count up to four. Attention Deficit Domination is purportedly a doom metal record, and 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin’ falls somewhere between the two in a genre christened “cattle core.” Finally in charge of his own production, Hank III created his own label (appropriately titled Hank3) to manage his discography. We can only hold on tight and see where Hank III takes his sound next. Adam Schragin is the editor of MadeLoud, which features its own stable of country musicians.

Concert Seating – Does it Pay to Wait?

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Jim Nash V wants tips on getting the best concert seat in the house! In my last article I mentioned that Carrie Underwood was performing on Long Island on November 5th. Since I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make the show, I did not purchase tickets right away. The Monday before the concert I start checking Ticketmaster to see what kind of seats were still available. Each day I checked and every result only offered tickets near the rafters just about parallel with the stage. Not the best seats for a concert. Friday afternoon around 3:00pm I find out that I WOULD be able to make the show, and decide it’s better to have lousy seats than miss it all together. Back on to Ticketmaster. You know the drill. Enter the number of tickets. Select Best Available section. Click Find Tickets. Attempt to enter in the virtually impossible to decipher – even as humans – security check nonsense words (thanks scalpers) and click Continue. Wait for the spinning Searching… graphic to come to a halt (is it just me or does it feel like we’re playing slots at this point?) Eventually, the best available tickets appear and to my amazement, they are in section 101 (right off the floor section, 2 rows back but not quite parallel to the stage.) For 5 hours before the show, these are pretty darn great seats! I complete the transaction without incident and enjoyed the show. I’ll relay 2 other experiences. A few years ago, as soon as tickets for a Brad Paisley show at a Live Nation open amphitheater in New Jersey went on sale, I go online right at Public Onsale and scored what I thought were pretty good seats. The day of the show, we find out 2 friends want to join us so I go online and got them tickets. Guess whose seats were better? Guess who swapped seats? The most frustrating experience was at a Tim McGraw show. Same scenario as the Paisley show – Live Nation event, open amphitheater, get tickets minutes after Public Onsale. Our seats were last two right next to the wall. We sat there for the 2 opening acts waiting for the 23 other seats in our row to fill up. By the time Tim McGraw got on stage we moved to the complete other end of the row, closer to center stage. The row was still otherwise completely empty. Unbelievable! And we got the best seats? Anyone else have experiences like these? Why are the best seats not released first? I’ve heard from fellow concert goers that if you wait until the last minute, you can still get decent seats – but you run the risk of the show getting sold out though. Are tickets held because of hoarding scalpers or some other secret reason? Or do you need to join every fan club to get good seats? Keeping it Countriversy, Jim Nash V. Jim Nash V is a contributing Continue reading Concert Seating – Does it Pay to Wait?→

Southern Country Music VS All the Other Country Music

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I’m from Long Island, the New York State Eastern land mass appendage which feels like a Country Music black hole. I say that because, typically, country music acts avoid Long Island like the plague. We haven’t had our own country music radio station since 1987 and our last big act to play on the Island was in the Summer of 2009 when Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert appeared at our main outdoor beach theater. Heck, we were lucky to get Chesney’s 3-D movie in local theaters! But this Friday, November 5th, Carrie Underwood’s “Play On” tour rides into town with Billy Currington and Sons of Sylvia in saddlebags. So while watching our local news, a newscaster who was reviewing this weekend’s upcoming events mentioned the concert. Then another newscaster commented (regarding Carrie Underwood) , and I quote, “I’m not a Country Music fan but I like her songs.” That got me thinking. What is it about Carrie Underwood that they like, but dislike about country music? Is it the twang? The Southern drawl? Which artists are they considering country music artists? The newscaster mentioned identifies Carrie Underwood as a country artist, but on Long Island she is in standard rotation on our Top 40 and AOR radio stations – as are Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum. Now country music purists have been up in arms over the country crossover artist claiming that it dilutes the genre (maybe why there are so many sub categories in iTunes?) And I’ve argued, what makes the crossover artists country if they sound more Pop than country? The only commonality I can come up with, is that they are (mostly) from the South and are all on Nashville record labels. Then I got to thinking about the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Charlie Daniels Band. They are not considered “Rock”, they are “Southern Rock.” A-ha! So I think yet another music genre needs to be created. One that separates the country crossover artists from the “country” label, yet identifies their music as Nashville or Southern oriented. Maybe something like Country Pop or Southern Pop. Everyone’s happy. What do ya’ll think? Keeping it Countriversy, Jim Nash V. Jim Nash V is a contributing writer with a passion for country music. Jim works to promote line dancing and country music in Long Island New York. For more on Jim, find him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jim.nash.vafeas or visit www.YeeHawLI.com.Country Music Photo Gallery

CMA New Artist of the Year 2010 (or 2007?)

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Jim Nash V. explores the reason an artist on his 3rd year of major success is just now getting a “Best New Artist” nomination. As new artists are signed up to perform at this years CMA Awards, I took a look at the nominations. Under New Artist of the Year I saw Luke Bryan. Uhh….. Luke Bryan? New Artist of the Year? This is 2010. Don’t they mean of 2007? Did someone forget to update their calendars? For reference, Luke Bryan release his first full length CD “I’ll Stay Me” on August 14, 2007. His released singles from that Album were “All My Friends Say” and “Country Man”, both of which did pretty well. Now, with an August CD release it’s not unusual that he did not make the CMA cut for New Artist (or the Horizon Award as it was known back then) in 2007, but why not a nod in 2008? So Luke releases his sophomore CD on October 6, 2009 and has so far seen success with “Do I”, “Rain is a Good Thing” and most recently “Someone Else Calling You Baby”. Now I like Luke. He’s a good country act complete with a pedal steel and fiddle player. We’ve seen him open for Sara Evans in 2007 and Dierks Bentley in 2008 and is currently opening for Jason Aldean on his Farm Tour. But has why is Luke getting New Artist recognition in 2010, on his second CD, and 3 years after he broke onto the scene? Anyone have any answers? Remember to watch The 44th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday. November 10th on ABC at 8:00pm/7:00pm Central time. http://www.cmaawards.com. Keep it Countriversy, Jim Nash V. Jim Nash V is a contributing writer with a passion for country music. Jim works to promote line dancing and country music in Long Island New York. For more on Jim, visit YeeHawLI.com Glad you asked Jim! Here’s the official word from the Country Music Association: NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR – This Award is to the artist, whether individual or a group, who is known primarily as a Country artist, who has for the first time demonstrated the most significant creative growth and development in overall chart or sales activity (of a debut or sophomore album), live performance, professionalism and/or national media recognition related to the launch of their career. Any artist who has previously won a CMA Award (except Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Video of the Year) or who has twice been a final nominee for the Horizon Award or New Artist of the Year Award is ineligible for nomination. Country Music Photo Gallery

Too Country for Rock or Too Rock for Country Music?

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Jim Nash V is back as a guest writer, exploring the border-pushing definition of country music. In a follow-up to my article from last week, “Country Music on iTunes”, I’ve decided to explore some of these categories a bit more. The Country Pop Rock category can be a pretty large umbrella. When I think of Country Rock, I think of songs that rely more on a heavier guitar sound that drives the song. One of the earliest examples I can think of would be Garth’s Ain’t Going Down ( Ti’l the Sun Comes Up). The guitar parts are full-steam ahead, in your face rock-n-roll style (not unlike his concerts) and include traditional guitar “riffs or hooks”. Without Garth’s vocals, this could easily be a classic rock song. (Remember his duet with Huey Lewis on Working for a Living a few years ago? Not a big stretch.) Now fast forward to modern day and you have artists pushing that heavy guitar sound even further. Most notably Big & Rich, Carrie Underwood (before you disagree, how about Last Name?), Rascal Flatts (Life is a Highway), Randy Houser, Trace Adkins and Jason Aldean. Even Keith Urban, who’s early music with the Ranch is much more Country sounding than his stuff today. These artists are using multiple distorted guitar tracks, using the “wah” effect, detuning their guitars to give them a deeper, more ominous sound and are writing guitar hooks and solos into their songs that sound nothing like Country. Jason Aldean’s She’s Country stands out as a song that, without the obligatory fiddle parts and the title, could easily pass as a Nickelback or Soundgarden track. So when does a song become too Rock for Country? And if fiddle, pedal steel or banjo is added to a “heavy” country song and the singer comes from South of the Mason / Dixon line, is that enough to keep it Country? Is this what Country music has to do to build the younger generation fan base so that the overall genre lives on? Is the umbrella too large though or do we need yet more categories like Country Modern Rock? Country Alternative Rock? Country Metal? Keep it Country, Jim Nash V. Jim Nash V is a contributing writer with a passion for country music. Jim works to promote line dancing and country music in Long Island New York. For more on Jim, visit YeeHawLI.com Country Music Photo Gallery