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.

The McClymonts: My Life Again

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Australian trio The McClymonts, release a special edition EP titled “My Life Again” at CRS 2010 Award Winning Australian Country Group, The McClymonts, Release “My Life Again: Special Edition EP“. On the heals of their U.S. Country Radio Seminar 2010 debut held in Nashville, multi-award winning CMA Australia vocal group, The McClymonts, release a special digital EP titled, My Life Again: Special Edition EP, available on iTunes now. The special digital EP contains their U.S. debut single “My Life Again, “Ghost Town,” the acoustic version of “My Life Again,” as well as their music video. “My Life Again,” co-written with Adam Anders and hit producer/writer Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift,) has been well-received by American audiences across the country with the video reaching the #2 spot on CMT’s Pure Country Pure 12-Pack Countdown. The McClymonts are among the top viewed new artists featured on Music Choice On-Demand and the debut U.S single is currently a featured download in People Magazine’s Country Edition—on stands now. “Their pop blended country sound is everything that mainstream radio is right now and the kiss off lyric will surely attract many of the female gender. If this single is any indication, then The McClymonts are definitely a band to watch in 2010.” –Jeffrey Curtis, Today’s Country Magazine The McClymonts, made up of three sisters from Grafton, on the New South Whales north coast of Australia, have spent their young lives pursuing their musical dreams. Winning CMA Australia Awards in 2007-2009 for Best Group or Duo (2007, 2008, 2009 winners) and New Talent of The Year (2007 winners,) Brooke, Mollie and Sam McClymont have officially arrived on the U.S country airwaves with plans of their Executive Music Nashville album debut to arrive in Spring 2010. For more information on The McClymonts, visit www.themcclymonts.netCountry Music Photo Gallery

2010 BamaJam LineUp

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BamaJam 2010 has announced its artist lineup. Headliners include Kenny Chesney, Hank Jr, Miranda Lambert and MORE! Concert officials have finally announced the headlining acts for the 2010 Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music and Arts Festival! Catch Kenny Chesney in one of a very few live performances this year. Also tearin’ up the mainstage will be a trio of country ass-kickers: Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, and Bocephus himself! 2010 BamaJam Performers Kenny Chesney Hank Williams Jr. Jake Owen Blackberry Smoke Colt Ford Miranda Lambert LoCash Cowboys Jamey Johnson Dierks Bently Randy Houser The Verizon Wireless BamaJam Music and Arts Festival is a 3-day / 3-night music extravaganza on June 3 – 5, 2010 created to celebrate the human spirit through music and arts and to provide financial support to help serve the needs of the people of Coffee County and the surrounding area. The centerpiece of BamaJam will be Bama Village with booths, displays and activities that include: Bama Food Courts offering great food, some of the best shopping including an assortment of quality arts and crafts from local and regional craftsman and artisans and various vendors as well as official festival and artist merchandise. BamaSlam Saloon where the music never stops and the fun goes on until the wee hours of the morning. BamaJam Sponsors Plaza offering information about our sponsors and their products. BamaJam Camping Park is the on-site camping area for Tent Campers and RVs alike. For more details, visit www.bamajammusicfestival.comCountry Music Photo Gallery

Trace Adkins band in fatal crash in Caddo Parish

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Two men killed after a head-on collision with Trace Adkin’s band bus. Two lives are lost this morning after a pickup truck somehow swerved then collided head on with the tour bus carrying Trace Adkins band members through Caddo Parish, Louisiana. No members of the band suffered serious injuries although one required several stitches. Trace Adkins was not on board the bus at the time of the accident. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of all involved. For more details and to leave your condolences, please visit the KTBS website.Country Music Photo Gallery

Canadian Ragweed and Reckless Kelly Join for Tour

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Cross Canadian Ragweed and Reckless Kelly have long led the Red Dirt Revolution and, after partnering for charitable events and awards shows in years past, the two bands will finally join together for a truly Ragged and Reckless tour beginning March 3 in Nashville, Tennessee. “I’ll probably come back with a couple of good stories from [that run], I imagine,” laughs Willy Braun of Reckless Kelly. “It’s been a while since we’ve done a full-on tour with those guys, so that will be pretty fun.” The decision to tour together arose after both bands returned from the sold-out 2010 MusicFest in Steamboat Springs where they shared the stage with Robert Earl Keen, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Knight, Dean Dillon and more. However, the relationship between the two bands extends to early days when they had similar performance circuits, including Lucy’s in Austin, Texas—where both bands now call home. “We’ve toured with a ton of bands,” remarks Cross Canadian Ragweed’s Cody Canada. “The two that we would tour non-stop with year round is Robert Earl Keen and Reckless Kelly. We first saw Reckless Kelly in 1998 in Dallas and our jaws dropped, and we said that’s who we need to jam with. After a couple of years of chasing those guys we finally got to be friends with them. There’s not a harder working band of brothers than our two bands and we wear that like a badge of honor. We look forward to this run and the rehab that follows.” Country Music Photo Gallery

Joey + Rory New Album News

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Joey+Rory take on double duty, realeasing Album #2 and opening for Zac Brown Band on the Brakeing Southern Ground tour this summer! Husband/Wife duo Joey+Rory have an exciting year planned with a 2010 ACM nomination under their belt already, a U.S. arena tour this spring and the upcoming release of their sophomore album. Set for an early summer release (exact date TBA), the CD is simply titled “Album #2” and is produced by legendary, Grammy award-winning producer Carl Jackson who also produced their debut album. That album titled The Life of a Song debuted #10 on the Billboard Country Album Chart and remained on the charts for 50 weeks selling 200,000 copies. “This is our sophomore album and the title cut is a humorous take on the pressure put on artists when they make their second album,” explains Rory. “Rather than worry about it or avoid it, it’s more our nature to just face it head on, and even find the humor in it.” Known for bringing beautiful harmonies, authenticity and romance back to country music, the Vanguard/Sugar Hill recording artists will hit the road this spring with Grammy award-winner Zac Brown Band for the “Breaking Southern Ground” tour. Joey+Rory will not only perform but will act as emcee for the tour. “We’re beyond excited about going on tour with the Zac Brown Band,” says Joey. “Over the last year, we’ve become good friends. They’re the real deal. They don’t compromise. We love that.” “And although there are differences in our music,” adds Rory. “We’re cut from the same cloth.” “Probably some ol’ worn out jean material that feels good and has been around a while,” laughs Joey. Coming off the heels of their success in 2009, Joey+Rory are nominated for a 2010 Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Vocal Duo. The award is fan-voted and ballots open on February 26th.Country Music Photo Gallery

Miranda Lambert Concert Tour 2010!

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The Miranda Lambert Concert Tour “Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars” Kicks Off March 18th in Beckley, WV Miranda Lambert brings her “Roadside Bars And Pink Guitars” Tour to her fans this Spring. Gearing up on March 18th in Beckley, WV, the tour will make stops in at least 22 cities and more to be announced. This is Lambert’s first official headlining tour. She will be joined by David Nail, James Otto, Randy Houser and Wade Bowen among others. In addition to her own headlining tour, Lambert will take part in the prestigious Lilith Fair Tour and joins an A-list lineup including Kings of Leon, Jay-Z, Dave Matthews Band and Norah Jones, performing at this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival in June. “In the last 5 years, I have learned so much from all the amazing artists I’ve toured with,” said Lambert. “Now it’s my turn to venture out and do more shows of my own. I’m happy that there are a lot of great new artists who are willing to come out and support my tour.” Fans, critics and peers agree it’s time for the award-winning Texas singer/songwriter to take center stage. Recent performances have garnered such praise as “one of modern country’s most formidable talents” from The Oklahoman and from the Dallas Morning News “She can command a stage as good as any of the genre big boys.” Last week, Lambert, who’s latest single “White Liar” from her album REVOLUTION recently hit #1, taped an episode of ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition, which airs this spring and was a presenter at the Grammy Awards, where she was also nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her self-penned song “Dead Flowers.” While in Los Angeles as part of Brad Paisley’s “American Saturday Night” Tour, she will tape two upcoming shows for the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (air dates TBA.) The three-time GRAMMY nominee received rare perfect reviews for REVOLUTION from countless publications including 4 stars from Rolling Stone and USA Today, an A from Entertainment Weekly and exuberant praise from SPIN, NY Times, Washington Post and more. Many claimed REVOLUTION the “Best Album of 2009” in any genre including NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Amongst the many accolades, the Nashville Scene Critics Poll voted Miranda Lambert’s REVOLUTION as the year’s best album and her “White Liar” as the year’s best single; they also named her Female Vocalist of the Year and runner-up Artist of the Year. Miranda Lambert’s Concert Tour Stops: Beckley, WV Ft Worth, TX Wichita Falls, TX Kennewick, WA Medford, OR Duluth, GA Orlando, FL Airway Heights, WA Florence, AZ Cincinnati, OH Akron, OH Kalamazoo, MI Amarillo, TX Belton, TX Houston, TX Jonesboro, AR Bossier City, LA Stillwater, OK Spencer, IA Mankato, MN Davenport, IA New Braunfels, TX Country Music Photo Gallery

Reckless Kelly: Somewhere In Time

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Reckless Kelly will release their seventh studio album SOMEWHERE IN TIME tomorrow, Tues., Feb. 9. Reckless Kelly is quickly gaining ground in mainstream country radio, but they are certainly not newcomers! On the eve of their seventh studio album critics and fans are rallying to support their favorite newfound classics! Billboard praised Reckless Kelly as “a group that has the chutzpah and chops to properly honor Idaho singer/songwriter Pinto Bennett.” Currently gracing the cover of Best In Texas magazine where SOMEWHERE IN TIME is called “classic Reckless, songs about cowboys, lovin’, cheatin’ and drinking.” Best In Texas continues by saying TIME “features Willy Braun’s well-aged-scotch and honey voice, along with guitar and fiddle-driven swing.” Best of Texas spotlights Reckless Kelly in Eavesdropping Texas where the band is praised for creating “a record that might be their most honest and true work to date.” Additional reviewers like Country Weekly are also raving, “the Texas roots-rockers manage to pay an admirable musical tribute to the songs of Idaho cult favorite Pinto Bennett and his Famous Motel Cowboys while infusing them with fresh touches of Texas twang and Western swing.” Praise from reviewers and fans predict SOMEWHERE IN TIME may be the band’s best record yet. On SOMEWHERE IN TIME, the band digs deep into its roots, revisiting the music of Pinto Bennett, who with his band the Famous Motel Cowboys influenced a generation of musicians in the Northwest and served as a mentor and idol to Willy and his brother Cody, whose fiddle, mandolin, harmonica and vocal work help propel Reckless Kelly. In the company of their bandmates, David Abeyta on lead guitar and mandolin, Jay Nazz on drums, and Chris Schelske on bass, they explore their country influences and re-introduce Bennett’s music to a new generation of fans while placing their indelible, rock-edged stamp on it. That new generation of fans includes audiences participating in the band’s Feb. 8-12th Listening Party on AOL’s The Boot. “While this is Pinto’s material, this is very much a Reckless Kelly record. It’s simply a bunch of great songs we thought people should hear,” explains Cody. “A lot of Texas bands have been pushing country more toward rock,” says Jay, “but to go back to playing real country music turned out to be extremely rewarding for us as a band.” “It’s not too far a departure from what we’ve done in the past,” adds Willy. After nearly a year of recording the 12 track self-produced disc, the Austin, TX-based band will hit the road for a slew of in-store visits, radio appearances, and shows—including a performance at Terminal 5 in New York’s Midtown on Saturday, February 27th. Reckless Kelly is currently touring in support of their single, “Best Forever Yet,” that entered the Americana chart at #33 and is the first radio release from TIME. You can preview the single at http://www.ebmediapr.com/reckless-kelly-single.html. Fans can follow Reckless Kelly on tour and as they prepare to launch SOMEWHERE IN TIME at www.recklesskelly.com or on Twitter at @RecklessKelly.Country Continue reading Reckless Kelly: Somewhere In Time→

Zac Brown Band will headline the 2010 Moondance Jammin Country Fest

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Zac Brown Band called on to headline the 2010 Moondance Jammin Country Fest in Walker, MN Zac Brown Band has been tabbed as the closing night headliner for this year’s Moondance Jammin’ Country Fest, which will take place June 17-19, 2010 in Walker, Minnesota. Tickets are now available in a variety of packages. Concert goers can purchase Rockstar All Access, three-day V.I.P, three-day general admission and single day admission, as well as camping sites and parking passes by contacting the Jam office in Walker. At the festival, general admission tickets get you front row access-there is no VIP in-front seating in Walker. An official announcement concerning the entire festival line-up is due sometime later this month. Expect 15 bands to play the main stage over three days and many more side stage acts to be added in the coming months. Moondance Jammin’ Country Fest has been held at the same site as The Moondance Jam in Walker since 2007. This year marks the fourth year of the festival, which was started by resident Bill Bieloh. The events help bring thousands of music fans to the Walker area every summer. Situated on a large, beautiful piece of land near a huge lake located three hours northwest of Minneapolis, the site houses thousands of campers during the festivals, and has been cited by many as to why they return year after year to Walker for the shows.Country Music Photo Gallery