Category Archives: Artists

Hank Williams Jr TV Tune-In Alert!

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IT’S ABOUT TIME FOR HANK WILLIAMS JR. TO LIGHT UP TV Icon’s New Album Available January 15 Upcoming Appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The View, CBS This Morning and Audience All Access NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 14, 2016) – Country legend Hank Williams Jr.’s new album IT’S ABOUT TIME will be available Friday, January 15 in stores and across digital retailers. The Nash Icon Records’ project marks his 37th studio album and includes the current single “Are You Ready for the Country” featuring Eric Church. “I couldn’t be more excited about this album,” exclaimed Hank Jr. “I have been doing this a long time but I promise this is the best album yet and fans will not be disappointed.” [bctt tweet=”#ItsAboutTime for @hankjr @FallonTonight @JimmyFallon #FallonTonight MON 1/18 @The View #TheView TUE 1/19″] The legendary entertainer will be making national television appearances the week of January 17 in support of the album. TUNE-IN Sunday, January 17 Audience All Access – 8:00pm CT/9:00pm ET on AT&T’s Audience Network (DIRECTV Ch 239 / AT&T U-verse Ch 1114) @att Monday, January 18 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – 10:35pm CT / 11:35pm ET on NBC @FallonTonight | @JimmyFallon | #FallonTonight Tuesday, January 19 CBS This Morning – 7am CT/7am ET on CBS @CBSThisMorning | #NewsIsBack The View – 10:00am CT / 11:00am ET on ABC @The View | #TheView *Check local listings Hank Jr.’s extremely impressive resume has spawned 70 million albums sold worldwide, six PLATINUM albums, 20 GOLD albums and 13 chart-topping albums. He has been named ACM Entertainer of the Year, CMA Entertainer of the Year and BMI Icon in addition to winning a GRAMMY and being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Follow @HankJr on Twitter, LIKE him on Facebook and visit www.HankJr.com for more information.

Brett Eldredge Premieres ‘Drunk on Your Love’ Video

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People Exclusive: Brett Eldredge Premieres ‘Drunk on Your Love’ Video – and Jokes Arresting His Brother Was His Favorite Part (NEW YORK) – After restraining himself in a straitjacket for his previous video, Brett Eldredge was looking for a little more freedom when it came time to shoot the clip for his next single. “I had that crazy idea for ‘Lose My Mind,’ not realizing I painted myself into the corner of having to actually wear the straitjacket for the whole shoot,” the singer-songwriter tells PEOPLE with a laugh. “I wanted to do something different for ‘Drunk on Your Love’ – it’s a lighthearted, fun, feel good song and I wanted the video to reflect that.” Directed by Joel Robertson and shot in Charleston, South Carolina, the clip takes its inspiration from the 1996 film Multiplicity, in which Michael Keaton’s character is cloned until the duplications eventually overwhelm him. “We came up with the idea of multiple versions of me competing against myself for the attention of this beautiful, sweet, girl,” Eldredge, 29, explains. Playing a florist, a cop, a chef, a musician and a taxi driver, the shoot required “a lot of different locations and wardrobe changes.” So which setup was his favorite? The one that featured a cameo from his older brother, Brice. “I loved being the cop and arresting my brother. They told Brice, ‘Act like you’re resisting’ so I got to rough him up a little bit too and give him some jabs back,” he jokes. &q uot;I had to cuff him – I tried to act like I was legitimately arresting somebody, but I could not figure out the handcuffs to save my life. We were all laughing – that was my favorite, being Officer Brett for a minute.” While staging scenes for the video the day prior to the shoot, Eldredge took his florist persona to heart. “I started walking down the street in Charleston and thought, ‘I’m going to see how many people will take a flower if I pass them out.’ We had a ca mera crew with us and they caught up and followed me. I would say 95 percent of people loved getting a flower, whether they knew me or not,” he tells PEOPLE. “It was just crazy to see the reactions on people’s faces – a little thing to make their day better or make them smile. I’m trying to figure out ways to spread the love a bit more this year.” Not everyone was impressed, though. “One girl was on her cellphone and didn’t have time to take a flower. Maybe one day I’ll find her again,” jokes Eldredge. When he’s not busying himself with bouquets, the musician is preparing to hit the road again in support of his sophomore album, Illinois. A European leg this spring will be followed by another summer tour with Keith Urban, and Eldredge is looking forward to both. “I’ve never been to Europe – it’s all brand-new to me. I always hoped Continue reading Brett Eldredge Premieres ‘Drunk on Your Love’ Video→

GRANGER SMITH TAKES AIM WITH WHEELHOUSE RECORDS ALBUM DEBUT REMINGTON

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GRANGER SMITH TAKES AIM WITH WHEELHOUSE RECORDS ALBUM DEBUT REMINGTON In Stores – MARCH 4, 2016. CMT Hot 20 Countdown World Premieres Video for Top 10 Hit “Backroad Song” This Weekend PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Ryan Anderson  / COVER DESIGN BY: Sarah & Shauna Dodds NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 14, 2016) – Country music trailblazer Granger Smith rounded out a banner year in 2015 and, today, confirms the release of his Wheelhouse Records debut album Remington, due out March 4, 2016. Following their acclaimed collaboration on Smith’s 4×4 EP, Remington is co-produced by Granger and the esteemed Frank Rogers (Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Darius Rucker). The album features the hit single “Backroad Song,” which continues its ascent at Country Radio, catapulting into the Top 10 on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Mediabase charts this week. Remington delivers immensely relatable material through Granger’s vivid songwriting. “I’ve always thought of my albums as diaries of my life,” says Granger. “Some songs are easy and light-hearted, while others are painful and personal. During this time, we welcomed the birth of my little boy, and we lost my dad. “My life was such a roller coaster during my time writing and recording Remington, and you can hear that journey in these songs.” Granger effortlessly takes the listener on a ride with songs like “Tractor,” a poignant ode to his father and the impact he had on his life; and with “Blue Collar Dollars” by painting an authentic picture of small towns, hard work and young love. And fans are sure to rave about “Merica,” a brand new track featuring Granger’s wildly popular alter-ego, Earl Dibbles Jr. Adding to the excitement surrounding the single, CMT will world premiere the official “Backroad Song” music video (directed by Chris Hicky) this weekend on CMT Hot 20 Countdown. Tune-in at 9am ET/8am CT this Saturday, January 16 and keep up with the conversation on Twitter using hashtag #CMThot20. The show will encore Sunday, January 17 at 9am ET/8am CT. Fans can also watch the “Backroad Song” premiere via Granger Smith’s CMT artist page at: http://www.cmt.com/artists/granger-smith/ Accolades continue to pour in for the fast-rising star. Granger has been named Rolling Stone Country’s “New Country Artists You Need To Know,” MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing,” Billboard’s “Artist To Watch,” Huffington Post’s “Top 20 Artists To Watch,” Taste of Country’s “Hottest New Act of 2016” and Myspace’s “10 Country Artists That Should be on Your Radar in 2016.” Granger recently celebrated another milestone in his prolific career making his Grand Ole Opry debut, delivering back-to-back performances at the legendary Ryman Auditorium also known as the “mother church.

Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Sam Hunt to Headline iHeartCountry Festival

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Miranda Lambert on Country Music News Blog

People Exclusive: Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Sam Hunt Among Performers Headed to Austin for iHeartCountry Festival Buckle up, Austin. Country’s biggest stars are headed your way in April. For the third year in a row, the iHeartCountry Festival is set to take place at the Frank Erwin Center. This year, the superstars hitting the stage include Miranda Lambert, Lee Brice, Chris Young, Keith Urban, Zac Brown Band, Florida Georgia Line, Brett Eldredge, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett and Cole Swindell. Tickets for the festival go on sale today, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. CT on Ticketmaster.com. But for those who can’t make it, iHeartMedia’s country radio stations will be broadcasting the event live.

SISTER C Offer Fans Free Download of "Even a Broken Heart Beats"

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COUNTRY MUSIC TRIO SISTER C OFFER FANS FREE DOWNLOAD OF “EVEN A BROKEN HEART BEATS” Country music trio Sister C hit the ground running in the New Year posting their first Blue Room Sessions video of their brand new song “Even a Broken Heart Beats” to their Facebook page and the fan response with likes, comments and shares has been more than the real-life sisters expected with over 650K people reached in the last week and still growing. The demo version of the song, written by Cirby, Carli and Celbi who make up Sister C and Pete Sallis (Phillip Phillips, Bucky Covington), will be on their upcoming EP. For the next two weeks fans can get the live acoustic Blue Room Sessions version of “Even a Broken Heart Beats” for free by going to http://www.sisterc.com/subscribe. Fans can also check out Sister C’s Blue Room Sessions video at http://tinyurl.com/SisterCVideo. “We wrote “Even A Broken Heart Beats” with Pete Sallis and it was one of those songs that almost just wrote itself because the lyrics are so real and relatable, who hasn’t had their heart broken?” said Sister C. “We taped the song for our Blue Room Sessions and the response from everyone with all the likes, comments and shares on Facebook have been incredible! This really is why we started shooting and posting the sessions to begin with, to get our music out there and see what people thought of it. As a way of saying thank you to the fans from the bottom of our hearts we wanted to give this song away as a free download!” “Even a Broken Heart Beats” was written from a place of personal experience with heartbreak by all the girls and has clearly struck a chord with the fans who have come out in droves to praise the song. But the girls have already been garnering major attention with their contagious single “Faint of Heart,” which is currently being spun in heavy rotation at the Dallas-Forth Worth Cumulus owned KSCS in their home state of Texas and peaked at #12 on SiriusXM The Highway. The single, written by Sister C along with Victoria Banks (Sara Evans, Billy Currington and Jessica Simpson), was produced by multi-platinum selling country star Lee Brice and Nashville hitmaker Jon Stone (Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts). “Faint of Heart” is nothing short of an anthem that every woman will sing along with and relate to and is the bonus track on Sister C’s EP set for release soon, also produced by Brice. Fans can purchase the single fans can go to http://tinyurl.com/SisterCFaintofHeart. Sister C, who were first discovered as finalists on the second season of X Factor working with coach Simon Cowell, are seasoned songwriters, performers and musicians who have been creating music together since their early days in a small Texas town. Their undeniable talent is clear with every note they sing. They have steadily been winning over fans, radio and media alike as a new group to watch Continue reading SISTER C Offer Fans Free Download of "Even a Broken Heart Beats"→

Bart Crow Kicks Off 2016 On High Note

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Apple Music Chooses The Parade as one of the “Best of 2015: Americana BART CROW KICKS OFF 2016 ON HIGH NOTE Apple Music Chooses THE PARADE As One of the “Best of 2015: Americana” “Life Comes At You Fast” #1 Most Played Song of 2015 on Texas Music Chart “Dear Music,” Goes for Radio Adds January 11 NASHVILLE, TN – January 6, 2016 – Fresh from returning from his second Ireland tour (Red Dirt Pub Crawl), Alt-country singer/songwriter Bart Crow received a string of good news about the success of his album The Parade as well as the debut single “Life Comes At  You Fast” to wrap up 2015. Apple Music chose The Parade as one of the “Best of 2015: Americana” albums. The album entered the AMA Americana Airplay chart at No. 40 and made an impressive leap 13 spots to No. 27 after only one week in early November. The album was still charted at No. 36 on the last chart of 2015. Crow’s debut single “Life Comes At You Fast” from The Parade peaked at No. 2 on the Texas Music Chart, remaining in the Top 5 for a record six weeks, but still became the No. 1 Most Played of 2015 on the Texas Music Chart. “Life Comes At  You Fast” was on the Texas Music Charts for over 28 weeks making it arguably the longest running song in 2015 on the chart. The Parade also received recognition from No Depression as one of the albums of “New Music You Need,” and the Houston Press named The Parade as one of the Best Albums of 2015. “Dear Music,” (the song Starbucks chose to feature in their Overhead Music Program in late 2015) will be released on Monday, January 11 as the next single from The Parade.  “I wanted to profess my love of and to music,” Crow explains in writing ‘Dear Music,’ “I wanted to write about its charm, its calming and healing abilities and its ability to wrap itself around most memories. Good or bad. Big and small. It’s completely my open diary to the one universal gift.” In 2015, the same year he realized a dream of being invited to make his debut on the Grand Ole Opry, Crow also received a huge honor in his home state with the invitation to add his name to the infamous “backstage pass” wall at the world’s largest honky-tonk – Billy Bob’s Texas joining the ranks of many music legends to have earned the honor including Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn,  Alan Jackson, Alabama, Hank Williams, Jr., Chris LeDoux, Blake Shelton, Dwight Yoakam, Charlie Robison, and Marty Stuart among others. The Parade is available now at iTunes. To find out more about Bart Crow go to BartCrowMusic.com: or follow him on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK. Check out all of his music at iTunes. Click HERE to see the video for “Life Comes At You Fast” and HERE to watch Bart Crow: Making of The Parade.

Eli Young Band Kicks Off 2016 With Back To Back SOLD OUT Shows

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ELI YOUNG BAND KICKS OFF 2016 WITH BACK TO BACK SOLD OUT SHOWS SELLING OVER 11,000 TICKETS Nashville, TN — January 6, 2016 — Valory Music Artist Eli Young Band rang in the New Year in style with a pair of SOLD OUT shows in Dallas-Fort Worth, at the legendary dancehall Billy Bob’s Texas, selling over 5,500 tickets a night.  The first show was a full band, high energy, hit laden blow out.  The second show was a special acoustic co-headline with Josh Abbott Band that included both bands on stage at the same time. On the second night, the two bands kicked off the show, without their lead singers, performing a cover of The Beatles “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.” As the song merged into “A Little Help from My Friend,” singers Eli and Abbott joined the stage.  With a playful camaraderie established, the bands swapped songs for nearly 2 hours while the enthusiastic crowd sang along. “It was the perfect way to close out 2015 and a great way to kick off the New Year,” said James Young.  “We’re blessed to have such loyal fans and a successful, growing career.  Can’t wait to get our new music out to the fans in 2016!”  The band will head back into the studio this month to finish recording with producers Ross Copperman and Jeremy Stover.  The new album is due on Valory Music Company this year. The band recently wrapped their headline Winter 2015 Tour and will resume touring next Tuesday in Charlotte, NC.  Later this month, the band will be in Nashville performing at the 2016 All Star NHL All Star Concert Series on Sunday, January 31st. For more information on EYB log onto:  www.eliyoungband.com

COUNTRY’S FAMILY REUNION – TRIBUTE SERIES

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“COUNTRY’S FAMILY REUNION” TRIBUTE SERIES PAYS HOMAGE TO THE LATE JIM ED BROWN, LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS, GRANDPA JONES AND BILLY WALKER “Country’s Family Reunion” 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise January 31 to February 7 Officially Sold Out! NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 6, 2016) – 2015 was a year of great loss amidst the country music community with the passing of “Pop A Top” hit-maker Jim Ed Brown in June, and Opry legend Little Jimmy Dickens, just a day after New Year’s Day. In 2016, hit music performance show “Country’s Family Reunion,” hosted by Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, pays homage to both legends in its commemorative Tribute Series. Episodes will also honor the extraordinary careers of “Hee Haw” star and renowned country/Gospel performer Grandpa Jones and “Charlie’s Shoes” singer, Billy Walker. Tune in to RFD-TV in January for the upcoming new episodes in the Tribute Series. Check your local listings for the RFD-TV network here. [bctt tweet=”#CountrysFamilyReunion Pays Tribute To #JimEdBrown #LittleJimmyDickens #GrandpaJones & #BillyWalker @OfficialRFDTV “] The annual “Country’s Family Reunion” Cruise to the Western Caribbean is officially sold out. The 7-night cruise includes stops in Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico will kick off this month on January 31 and end February 7. Aboard the ship to perform and meet-and-greet with fans will be country star John Conlee, T. Graham Brown, Moe Bandy, EXILE, Rhonda Vincent, Mark Wills, Gene Watson, Johnny Lee, and many others. “Country’s Family Reunion” episodes air on Fridays and Saturdays in January. The renowned television series was developed in 1996 by long-time disc jockey Larry Black, founder of Gabriel Communications. Its purpose was to bring America’s favorite country, bluegrass and Gospel artists together in one room to reunite and share their favorite memories about their music careers. While on the show, they also share exclusive, intimate performances while the cameras role. The result has been pure magic, documenting history in a way unlike any other program. pcoming “Country’s Family Reunion” airdates: January 8, 9 – “Tribute Series – Jim Ed Brown” January 15, 16 – “Tribute Series – Little Jimmy Dickens” January 22, 23 – “Tribute Series – Grandpa Jones” January 29, 30 – “Tribute Series – Billy Walker” Air times are 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET on Fridays, and 11 p.m. CT / 12 a.m. ET on Saturdays. Scheduled line-ups are subject to change. Purchase the entire “Country’s Family Reunion” Tribute Series which honors the legacy of other artists, both living and deceased, including Bill Anders on, Roy Clark, Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, Charley Pride, The Whites, Ricky Skaggs and many more by visiting cfrvideos.com or clicking here. ABOUT “COUNTRY’S FAMILY REUNION”: Gabriel Communications, started in 1996 by long-time disc jockey Larry Black, is the producer of the popular “Country’s Family Reunion” and “Larry’s Country Diner” series. Black first applied the “Reunion” concept to the legends of country music in 1997. The idea was simple: bring America’s most-treasured artists together into one room to reunite and reminisce about their careers, perform signature songs Continue reading COUNTRY’S FAMILY REUNION – TRIBUTE SERIES→

Kenny Chesney 2016: Tour Inspired by No Shoes Nation!

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Kenny Chesney Says Fans Driving 2016 Production – Inspired by The Big Revival, No Shoes Nation Defines Live Show NASHVILLE, Tenn. (December 31, 2015) — After only 57 dates, albeit 23 stadiums, Kenny Chesney found himself the only country artist making Billboard’s Top 5 Touring Acts of 2015 – alongside Taylor Swift, One Direction, U2 and the Rolling Stones. Of course as the only country artist on Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Last 25 Years, that shouldn’t be surprising when considering the man who began headlining NFL Stadiums in 2005 – and what makes him always among the Top 5 tours every year is one thing: the fans. “What people don’t see about these tours,” the 8-time Entertainer of the Year says, “is when they’re coming into the stadium that last month, we’re already thinking about how we’re going to rock the fans, really take them new places next year. Between the lights, the entrance, the stage, the videos, I work with one of the most incredible teams to find ways to really give the No Shoes Nation the kind of night that really makes their summer what they want it to be.” Beyond the dollars, Chesney’s Big Revival 2015 tour played to the third highest number of fans – 1,335,022 – after list-topper Swift’s 1,982,076 for 71 shows and #2 One Directions’ 2,337,938 for 80 shows. He believes the key to continuing to attract those numbers is really taking in what the fans give him and the band, and always reflecting that back. “This year, the No Shoes Nation was at a whole new level in terms of the energy they threw at us,” says the songwriter from East Tennessee. “Every night when the screen would drop, when they’d hear the music, they almost knocked us back a few feet. That’s powerful – and we found ourselves talking about it after the shows a lot of nights. “It spoke pretty loudly to me as we were looking at renderings, thinking about the tricks. Because in the end, it was the music and the moment they were responding to – not the flying, not the lasers, not the videos, but the songs. So when we got to decision-making we all realized: what the No Shoes Nation really wants is… the music.” Pausing, he continues, “So this year, we are as lean as we’ve ever been! The stage is clean. Nobody’s flying. The sound is building on last year’s incredible system – and the lights are going to be really focused on making the music stand out. I want as little between me and the fans as possible, and I think we’ve managed to achieve that in a really good way. It’s going to be more intense than ever, but it’s going to be about the songs, the band, the moment and the energy we give each other. This is going to be a year to remember… and we’ve not played the first note.” Hailed as “Two parts Mick Jagger, one part Bruce Springsteen and one part Billy Graham” by The Dallas Morning News, Chesney’s Big Revival broke nine records this summer – including several of his own – including 120,206 over two Continue reading Kenny Chesney 2016: Tour Inspired by No Shoes Nation!→

Craig Strickland’s Family Clinging to Hope After His Dog Is Found Alive

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For Immediate Release 12/29/2015 at 2:45 pm EDT People Exclusive: Craig Strickland’s Family Clinging to Hope After His Dog Is Found Alive: ‘It’s a Good Sign,’ Bandmate Says (NEW YORK) – Craig Strickland‘s family and friends have not given up hope he’s alive. While the search for Strickland continues after he went missing during a duck hunting trip that claimed the life of his friend Chase Morland, Strickland’s family is taking a little bit of comfort in the fact that his beloved black lab Sam, who was also on the trip, was found safe and sound, walking the bank of the Arkansas river. “Craig’s dog being found alive is a very good sign,” Strickland’s friend and Backroad Anthem bandmate Toby Freeman tells PEOPLE. “That’s a piece of hope that we’re actually clinging on to.” “Dog being man’s best friend is a saying that’s so common, but it’s actually so true in this case,” he says. “Sam’s an older lab and for him to make it in such harsh conditions – it’s just so amazing and we’re clinging on to that.” The family has gathered at the search site northwest of Tulsa and is praying they find Strickland, 29, alive. “Craig and his dad Randy are so close. They pretty much do everything together when he’s home,” says Freeman. “They are a very faith-based family. God is their center. I know Randy’s clinging to hope, but his heart is just broken. It’s such a gut-wrenching accident and it’s so tragic. His wife Helen is struggling so much, she’s just hoping and praying that they find Craig.” Though a meteorologist told the family the wind in the area where Strickland’s small duck hunting boat was found capsized was gusting up to 45 mph and the wind chill put the temperature under 20 degrees, Freeman says it wouldn’t be out of character for Strickland to pull through such harrowing conditions. “Anything that Craig put his mind to he could accomplish,” says Freeman. “He’s so passionate about his wife, his family, the band – he had a fire in him for the things he loved.” For more, go to: http://www.people.com/article/craig-strickland-dog-found-alive-family-holding-out-hope?xid=socialflow_facebook_peoplemag