Author Archives: Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

About Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena is a freelance writer for both Country Music News and Country Music On Tour. Want to collab on some content? Email me. Want my rates for commercial promo work? Get them right here.

Country Music News Blog is Shifting Gears!

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CMNB Launches Country Music Bloggers Industry Platform - A resource for lead opportunities, blogging education, industry contact management, and customized tools made just for our country music blogging community.

Ten years ago country music had little to no representation in the online world. CMT and GACTV both had companion websites to expand on their televised content, and Country Weekly had a landing page to drive print magazine subscriptions. That’s when CountryMusicNewsBlog.com was born, out of a need for fan-driven immediate access country music updates. It’s amazing how far country music has come in just one decade. We’ve taken over mainstream music in ways we never thought would happen, with prime time network shows like Nashville, our award shows being some of the highest rated events in television, and country concert tours proving there’s still an entire touring market out there, even in a recession. And Country Music News Blog has been there for it all. We’ve helped break artists like The Band Perry, Kacey Musgraves, and Zac Brown Band. We’ve had exclusive interviews and releases with hundreds of artists, and launched several video series that give fans an inside look into the lives of country music stars. [bctt tweet=”@CMNBlog Launches #CountryMusic #Bloggers Industry Platform Beginning Jan 1st 2016!”] But our shining moment… the moment we are most proud of was when we found a way to collaborate with other country music bloggers for our #BlogRodeo events. Working with other writers and sites in the field really helped separate our industry from the rest in the way that we all put our own drive for success aside. It wasn’t competitive, it was a community, where we took the time to examine specific areas of the country music environment as a team and helped shape the immediate future of country music entertainment. It is with that in mind that I would like to announce that Country Music News Blog is permanently changing our focus. Where we once stood alone in the beginning, we are now surrounded by hundreds of fellow country music news sites, and each has their own strong points and unique coverage abilities, all focused on the end country music fan. What we find lacking now, and are working hard to create, is a solid resource for those country music sites. A resource for lead opportunities, blogging education, industry contact management, and customized tools made just for our country music blogging community. We will be the place new bloggers can go to learn the best practices and web etiquette, where publicists can go to reach their campaign goals, and where experienced writers can go to share their experience and discuss the industry as a whole from a professional’s perspective. We will be holding all new content until New Year’s Day 2016 when we re-launch CMNB as a country music blogging industry platform! Bloggers and writers: Be a part of the driving voice behind the country music industry, join us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/countrymusicnewsblogs/   or email us at CMNB.  As always, we love to directly involve our publicist and sponsor friends. Please email us to see how you can be a part of this rebirth!

Blake Shelton to Host 2016 Nickelodeon ‘s Kids Choice Awards

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It seems television can’t get enough of Blake Shelton as he gets tapped to host the 2016 Kids Choice awards. Country Music superstar and coach on the Emmy winning NBC’s The Voice, Blake Shelton, will host Nickelodeon’s 2016 Kids’ Choice Awards, airing live on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Super-sized surprises will take over this year’s Kids’ Choice Awards honoring favorites from the worlds of film, music, and television, and giving kids a front-row seat to slime, stunts and celebrities.  The show will be seen by kids around the globe on Nickelodeon channels in more than 180 countries and territories. Additional Kids’ Choice Awards news will be announced in the coming months. Said Shelton of his hosting duties: “I’ve been on countless stages throughout my life, but none have promised the madness, excitement and endless slime as Nick’s Kids’ Choice Awards, which is undoubtedly the ultimate party for kids.  There is only one team here, and it’s Team Kids’ Choice so bring it on Nickelodeon!

Kenny Chesney Releases Spread the Love 2016 Tour Dates

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Kenny Chesney and Miranda Lambert release the first round of 2016 “Spread the Love” tour dates! Kenny Chesney and co-headliner Miranda Lambert made the big announcement today. The first series of stadium tour dates in 2016, starting with an April 23rd concert at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama. The Spread the Love tour rolls on from there, with Chesney visiting an additional 10 stadiums — including Chase Field in Phoenix, Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City — before the summer comes to a close [bctt tweet=”@KennyChesney and @MirandaLambert release the first round of 2016 #SpreadtheLove tour dates!”]

Shooter Jennings Touching Goodbye to Former Art Teacher

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Shooter Jennings shares a heartfelt goodbye via twitter to a teacher that became a great friend. When a teacher makes an amazing impact on us, we carry that throughout our whole lives. If we are lucky, we take an opportunity to tell them what an amazing difference they made for us. And when we lose them, it breaks us. It hurts as much as any family member or loved one’s passing does, and then a little bit more in ways theirs can’t, because it impacts the very thing inside of us they helped to awaken. With that being said, our hearts at CMNB go out to Shooter Jennings as he and most likely countless other former students mourn the passing of his beloved art teacher Mr. Gene Sizemore. It's w great sadness that I hear of my good friend and art teacher Gene Sizemore's passing. I will never forget my dear friend + blues fan. I used to go visit Mr. Sizemore after I graduated, anytime I was in town really. We would smoke cigarettes and listen to the radio and talk about music, and playing music, and bands we loved and Jesco White. He was always my favorite. Anytime I had a day off in town I would him down and hang out with him. I WANTED to hang out with him as much as I could. He was one of those guys who got me, and I got him. It was as simple as that. I had no idea he was sick. I remembered when I quit smoking one time and I felt so guilty that I couldn't smoke with him. Then the next time he had quit and I was smoking by myself. I knew we would remain friends forever. I just saw him about two and a half yrs ago when I played at the USN auditorium. I'm happy he got to meet Misty . He was just the coolest, and I'm really gonna miss him. Please take the time to visit the teachers that mattered to you in school whenever you can. They give their lives over to expanding minds and opening hearts to the unknown. They need to know it was appreciated. It's w great sadness that I hear of my good friend and art teacher Gene Sizemore's passing. I will never forget my dear friend + blues fan. — Shooter Jennings (@ShooterJennings) October 21, 2015 I used to go visit Mr. Sizemore after I graduated, anytime I was in town really. We would smoke cigarettes and listen to the radio and talk — Shooter Jennings (@ShooterJennings) October 21, 2015 about music, and playing music, and bands we loved and Jesco White. He was always my favorite. Anytime I had a day off in town I would track — Shooter Jennings (@ShooterJennings) October 21, 2015 him down and hang out with him. I WANTED to hang out with him as much as I could. He was one of those guys who got me, and Continue reading Shooter Jennings Touching Goodbye to Former Art Teacher→

Bob Woods gives Impromptu Impresario Performance at 80

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Sometimes we have to step out of the mainstream and just enjoy music for the sake of music. That’s definitely the case with this fantastic and fun video featuring 80-year old guitar picker Bob Woods, who wowed music shop customers and staff in the British Audio Service shop in Nashville, TN with his sweet sweet licks. [bctt tweet=”See the 80 year old that blows @British_Audio customers away on guitar! #Epiphone #Shredder #CountryMusic”] The video may be a year old by now, but still deserves a lot more recognition than it’s gotten so far! Cheers to you Bob!

Taylor Swift Joins the Rockabye Baby Artist Line-up

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Taylor Swift becomes the newest artist to be featured in Rockabye Baby’s extensive collection of relaxing country music renditions for kids. Restless kids keeping you up at night, parents? Just shake it off. If you feel like you’re never, ever going to get back to sleep, spin these lush lullaby versions of Taylor Swift’s biggest hits. Because a peaceful night never goes out of style. [bctt tweet=”Sample the naptime notes of #Rockabye @TaylorSwift13 right here at CountryMusicNewsBlog!”] Taylor Swift Lullaby Tracklist 1. Blank Space 2. Bad Blood 3. Shake it Off 4. 22 5. I Knew You Were Trouble 6. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together 7. Style 8. Mean 9. Our Song 10. Mine 11. You Belong With Me 12. Love Story

Merle Haggard Surprises Audience at Grand Ole Opry

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Merle Haggard steals the Opry spotlight and surprises the audience with a few of his classic hits. Country music legend Merle Haggard gave Grand Ole Opry attendees a treat last night when he took the stage and performed some of his most-loved hits including “Big City,” Silver Wings,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink,” and “The Fightin’ Side Of Me.” Haggard, a Grammy®-winner and Kennedy Center honoree, had a night off as he rolled through Nashville and wanted to honor the Opry’s 90th Anniversary celebration with a performance on the storied stage. [bctt tweet=”@MerleHaggard Warms up for tour by stealing the @Opry spotlight! #CountryMusic”] The Country Music Hall of Fame member will begin his much anticipated joint tour with fellow music legend Willie Nelson tomorrow (Oct 19) in Roanoke, VA and continues on to Detroit (Oct 20), Bloomington, IL (Oct 21), Pikeville, KY (Oct 23), Milwaukee, WI (Oct 24) and Green Bay, WI (Oct 25). The tour is in support of their new album, Django and Jimmie. Haggard and Nelson are nominated for this year’s CMA Musical Event of the Year award. The Opry is in the midst of its 90th Anniversary celebration, which is set to continue throughout 2015. Among those coming soon to the Opry stage are Rascal Flatts, Loretta Lynn, Alison Krauss, David Nail, Old Crow Medicine Show, Radney Foster, Montgomery Gentry, Easton Corbin, Kacey Musgraves, Lauren Alaina, Del McCoury Band, Lorrie Morgan, and more. Additional information is available at 800-SEE-OPRY and opry.com.

Spotlight on Songbyrd Music House: Washington DC

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The late afternoon sun drifts lazily through the large open windows of the Songbyrd Music House on 18th Street NW in Adams Morgan. Bartenders and chefs are preparing for the evening’s business, and owner Joe Lapan and publicist Peter Lillis sit at a high top table drinking coffee from the adjacent Record Café. [bctt tweet=”Read about #WashingtonDC’s newest #record café, restaurant & bar, and #musicvenue, @SongByrdDC “] This weekend marks the opening of the third piece of the Songbyrd Music House and Record Café—the performance space—and with a capacity to support around 200 people, it brings a new venue to Adams Morgan. Though Songbyrd first opened in April of this year, it did so merely as a place to buy some records, snack on a sandwich, and, uh, record your own vinyl track on a 1947 Voice-O-Graph machine. “We thought Adams Morgan deserves a decently sized music venue beyond what it currently has,” Lapan says. “You have your venues where you’re going to get live music that are similar size to ours, but not necessarily in this geography.” But Songbyrd is much more than just a larger venue for Adams Morgan, and all three aspects—record café, restaurant and bar, and music venue—work together as a complete home for music lovers. “Think about your house,” Lapan says, “it has these separate spaces that all function differently, but they’re all where you live.” Lapan’s metaphor is an apt one. The bar and café are comfortable and feel more akin to someone’s living room than commercial establishments, with cushioned seats, dim lighting, and exposed brick. Records are everywhere. This aesthetic carries even further into the music venue, where deep reds and dark woods have the look and feel of a ’70s basement. Coupled with the comfortable aesthetic is the emphasis that Lapan and co-owner Alisha Edmonson have placed on sound quality. The desire to provide high fidelity audio across a variety of genres and media led Lapan and Edmonson to have a sound system installed by ITI Audio, the folks responsible for the sound at U Street Music Hall. This sound system allows for everything from DIY punk bands to DJs spinning R&B and Soul to really elevate their sound and performance… Read more at WashingtonCityPaper.com