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Josh Abbott Band Ready to Take on The World With New Album!

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

JOSH ABBOTT BAND TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM UNTIL MY VOICE GOES OUT ON AUGUST 18TH Listen to the first song “Texas Women, Tennessee Whiskey” HERE Josh Abbott Band will release their new album, Until My Voice Goes Out, on August 18th. Produced by Dwight Baker, Until My Voice Goes Out is a hopeful look into the future, a roll-up-the-sleeves-and-move-forward embrace of life and its potential. “This album is about appreciating the moment and your family and your friends, and living life the right way,” Abbott says. “It’s really all about finding clarity and focusing on what’s important.” As Josh Abbott Band moved into the final stages of work on Until My Voice Goes Out, lead singer Josh Abbott’s personal life took a couple significant twists that underscored where JAB finds itself professionally. Abbott’s father suffered a stroke while the album was being recorded, and Josh split his time between the studio and the hospital bedside, finishing all the lead vocals shortly before his dad passed away. Two months later, Josh welcomed his first child into the world. Those developments in the spring of 2017 nutshelled the circle of life, and in a way, that’s how Until My Voice Goes Out operates. As the band observes 10 years since recording its first single, “Taste,” Voice finds the seven-piece Texas ensemble ending one chapter and beginning another. Experiencing life at its fullest includes taking risks, and Josh Abbott Band does that successfully on the new album incorporating strings and a horn section for the first time. Arranger Rob Mathes – noted for his work with Tony Bennett, Sting and Bruce Springsteen – worked up a handful of mood-setting string preludes and added to JAB’s range. Mathes’ preludes became an important emotional glue for the project, and the titles that bookend the project – “An Appreciation of Life” and “Farewell Father” – helped bring a cohesiveness to the album and its back story. “Until My Voice Gives Out” is, after all, a song about embracing life lessons learned and using them to make a better future. Josh Abbott intends to do that in a way that supports his daughter, who arrived as JAB completed the album. The band is making a statement through the entire risk-taking album – about its continued growth and evolution as it moves forward, a decade after that first single gave Texas a taste of JAB’s brand of country. JAB’s last album ‘Front Row Seat’ debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and garnered high praise across the board. The band performed singles from the album on national television on both Jimmy Kimmel Live and Conan. Hailed as one of the top Texas country acts, Josh Abbott Band is renowned for heartfelt songwriting and traditional instrumentation. The independent band has accumulated over 68 million total streams, 15 million YouTube/VEVO views has over 1.5 million single sales and 200,000 album sales. Additionally, the band has sold over 1.2 million concert tickets the last two years. Josh Abbott Band is Continue reading Josh Abbott Band Ready to Take on The World With New Album!→

Kellie Pickler To Join All-Star Cast for PBS’ A Capitol Fourth!

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

Joining the all-star line-up for the 37th annual edition of PBS’ A CAPITOL FOURTH, broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, are acclaimed country music singer and songwriter Kellie Pickler, Grammy-nominated gospel legend Yolanda Adams and Broadway star and two-time Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes (BANDSTAND). Pickler, the AMERICAN IDOL alum, DANCING WITH THE STARS champion, and star of the hit TV show I LOVE KELLIE PICKLER will perform “This Land is Your Land” and “Small Town Girl” from her Gold-certified debut album. Adams, one of gospel’s seminal voices, will perform “Battle Hymn of the Republic” with Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music. Osnes will be featured in a patriotic medley and will also perform alongside the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags during the fireworks finale. A CAPITOL FOURTH airs on PBS Tuesday, July 4, 2017 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard live in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide. In addition, the concert will be live-streamed online on Facebook Live and http://www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth and available as Video on Demand for a limited time only, July 4 to July 18, 2017. Emmy Award-nominated actor and producer John Stamos (FULLER HOUSE, SCREAM QUEENS) will host A CAPITOL FOURTH, featuring performances by: soul men Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi of The Blues Brothers; iconic multi-platinum selling music legends The Beach Boys, with special guests John Stamos (drums) and Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath (vocals); legendary Motown stars The Four Tops; country music star and Grammy-nominated member of the Grand Ole Opry Trace Adkins; THE VOICE Season 12 winner Chris Blue; and multi-talented actress and singer Sofia Carson (DESCENDENTS 2); with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly. The program is a co-production of Michael Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C. Executive producer Michael Colbert has assembled an award-winning production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television’s most prestigious entertainment awards shows including the GRAMMY AWARDS, COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, TONY AWARDS, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, and more. About Capital Concerts Capital Concerts is the production force behind two of television’s longest-running and highest-rated live programs commemorating America’s most important holidays. THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT, the nation’s tribute to our men and women in uniform, and A CAPITOL FOURTH, our country’s biggest birthday party, have become American traditions that have consistently ranked among the highest rated programs on PBS over the past decade. The holiday specials have been honored with over 80 awards including the New York Film Festival Award, the Telly Award, the Golden Cine Award, the Videographer Award, the National Education Association Award, the Aurora Award, the Christopher Award, the Communicator’s Award, the AXIEM Award, the Omni Award and the Writer’s Guild of America Award. Underwriters A CAPITOL FOURTH is made possible by Continue reading Kellie Pickler To Join All-Star Cast for PBS’ A Capitol Fourth!→

Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo Announced for Netflix

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

Brad Paisley Announces Netflix Comedy Special to Debut August 15 Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo With Special Guests Nate Bargatze, John Heffron, Jon Reep, Sarah Tiana and Mike E. Winfield And Special Appearances by David Hasselhoff and Reba McEntire Nashville, TN (June 23, 2017) – Country music superstar Brad Paisley announced today, via his socials, that his Netflix one-hour comedy special, Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo, will debut on August 15. The hilarious show includes special guests and fellow comedians Nate Bargatze, John Heffron, Jon Reep, Sarah Tiana and Mike E. Winfield. Actor David Hasselhoff and multi-talented Reba McEntire make special appearances. The show was filmed earlier this year when Paisley hosted two comedy shows at Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville as part of the Wild West Comedy Festival.

Bobby Bare Gets Sirius XM Special Celebrating Him As One Of Country Music’s Top 100 Artists of All Time!

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

BOBBY BARE CELEBRATED AS ONE OF ‘100 GREATEST COUNTRY ARTISTS OF ALL TIME’ BY ROLLING STONE, FEATURED WITH MAJOR SIRIUS XM SPECIAL NEW ALBUM, THINGS CHANGE, SPOTLIGHTED ON POPULAR SPOTIFY PLAYLIST AND CMT.COM SXM Willie’s Roadhouse, SXM Outlaw Country, Spotify’s New Traditions – Country Heroes and CMT’s Tim Ghianni Celebrate the Music of Bare’s “Things Change” NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 26, 2017) – Influencers and critics agree, “Bobby Bare’s Outlaw Spirit Remains Undiminished” (Tim Ghianni, CMT.com) with the release of his newest album, Things Change. This past weekend saw a Bare takeover on Sirius XM with a subscriber-special airing numerous times on both Willie’s Roadhouse and Outlaw Country featuring performances by the legend and hosted by the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Peter Cooper from the SiriusXM Music City Theatre. Streaming giant Spotify added album cut “Ain’t No Sure Thing” to the popular New Traditions – Country Heroes playlist. Fans can hear the new music and add it to their own playlists on Bare’s Spotify page HERE. Rolling Stone honored Bobby Bare as one of the ‘100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time’ recently. The Country Music Hall of Famer and GRAMMY® winner was ranked number 43 on the list which also included many friends and collaborators including Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Things Change features 10 tracks written by Bare and a slew of talented songwriters including Hoyt Axton, Mary Gauthier, Guy Clark and the producer of the project, hit singer/songwriter Max T. Barnes. The album features a collaboration on Bare’s iconic hit, “Detroit City,” with Chris Stapleton. The song was written by Mel Tillis and Danny Dill and was originally released by Bare in 1963 and would become one of his most highly requested songs at live shows to this day. “Detroit City” won a GRAMMY® in 1964 for Best Country/Western Recording and is one of many Grammy nods for the country legend. Things Change can be purchased at digital retailers and on BobbyBare.com. “In a career that has been marked with recordings from writers such as the afore-mentioned [Tom T.] Hall, Mel Tillis (‘Detroit City’) and the late Shel Silverstein (‘Marie Laveau,’ among many from the late tunesmith), Bare has always had a knack for finding a great song.” – Chuck Dauphin, Billboard Magazine “Bobby Bare has been one of country music’s most consistent – and most respected – singer/songwriters for over 50 years.” – Adrian Peel, Digital Journal About Bobby Bare Country Music Hall of Famer, Bobby Bare is one of the most iconic country artists of our time, with chart-topping songs like “Detroit City,” “500 Miles,” “Shame On Me” and many more. Artists from Little Jimmy Dickens and Hank Williams to big band acts like Phil Harris and the Dominoes all influenced his unique style leading to nearly five dozen top 40 hits from 1962 to 1983. The often referred to “Bruce Springsteen of Country” went on to earn multiple Grammy nominations and wins along with induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013 among many other awards and Continue reading Bobby Bare Gets Sirius XM Special Celebrating Him As One Of Country Music’s Top 100 Artists of All Time!→

Kenny Chesney Launches Belmont and Tennessee State University Scholarship Contest

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

When it was time for a video for Kenny Chesney’s “All The Pretty Girls,” from Cosmic Hallelujah, the man The Wall Street Journal called “The King of the Road” could’ve gone the usual route. But in thinking about the song’s spirit and his own wild college days, it dawned on him: take “All The Pretty Girls” to the people living it, and have them make the video. “The best moments of being young and having fun should be captured,” says the songwriter from East Tennessee. “But nobody ever talks to the people who are right in the moment of living it about this kind of thing. Rather than look back, we oughta just go to the people living it.” Knowing how many young people come to Tennessee trying to get close to the dream, Chesney decided to reach out to the students at Nashville’s Belmont and Middle Tennessee State Universities, both schools with strong engagement in the music industry and invite them to create his next music video. And the winning entry – chosen by a blue-ribbon panel from Sony Nashville, CMT: Country Music Television and Chesney’s team – will receive a $5000 scholarship, as well as having their video world premiere on CMT: Country Music Television. Any student at Belmont University or Middle Tennessee State University may submit a video they’ve created for the song. Lyric, live action, notion, animation or something we’ve never thought of. As Chesney says, “Get creative. Get real. Get inside the song, and show us how ‘All The Pretty Girls’ looks, feels, and resolves.” For Chesney, who world-debuted the John C. McGinley pre-ambled album cut “Rich & Miserable” on the SiriusXM platform, seeking different ways to consider video speaks to his desire to create innovation in how supporting music is done. Now he wants to engage young filmmakers, music lovers and communicators to offer both a scholarship and a platform for their work to be seen. “I remember driving over the state line to West Virginia, playing in a restaurant, breaking down, driving back and parking in the music store lot, so I could turn in the sound system and get to class,” Chesney says. “When you have a dream, you’ll do whatever it takes. I’d like to bring some college students a little bit closer than I got… and I can’t wait to see the creativity everyone brings to this song.” “All The Pretty Girls” is the latest single from Chesney’s No. 1 Cosmic Hallelujah. Belmont and MTSU students can click here: www.KennyChesneyAllThePrettyGirls.com. Contest deadline is July 23. Winner will be announced July 31. “I wanna help a student filmmaker with school,” Chesney says. “And I want to give people a chance to get creative this summer.”

DAVID GRAY & ALISON KRAUSS ANNOUNCE FALL 2017 U.S. CO-HEADLINING TOUR

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

David Gray and Alison Krauss on Country Music News!

21 CITY TOUR KICKS OFF SEPT. 18 IN HERSHEY, PA & INCLUDES SHOWS IN NEW YORK CITY (RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, SEPT. 19), NASHVILLE (RYMAN, OCT. 1-2) & LOS ANGELES (GREEK THEATRE, OCT. 17) BEFORE ENDING IN BERKELEY, CA ON OCT. 19 Multi-Platinum artists Alison Krauss & David Gray will be touring together throughout the United States this fall. The 21 city, co-headlining tour kicks off on September 18 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and finishes up in Berkeley, California on October 19, including concerts at Radio City Music Hall in New York City (September 19), the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles (October 17), and two nights at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville (October 1-2). Ticketing information can be found at www.alisonkrauss.com and www.davidgray.com. ALISON KRAUSS Alison Krauss effortlessly bridges the gap between roots music and genres such as pop, rock, country and classical. She has released 14 albums and has sold more than 12 million records to date. With 27 wins, she is the most awarded female artist in GRAMMY history. Krauss recently released the critically acclaimed record Windy City, a collection of 10 classic country songs carefully selected with producer Buddy Cannon. Windy City debuted at #1 on the Country and Bluegrass Billboard charts. She has received a multitude of other honors throughout her career, including nine Country Music Association awards and 14 International Bluegrass Music Association awards. Alison has also contributed songs to numerous films, including O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Cold Mountain. Her 2007 platinum album Raising Sand with Robert Plant won six GRAMMY Awards including Album of the year, and was followed by 2011’s chart-topping, Paper Airplane with her longtime collaborators Union Station. DAVID GRAY David Gray has established himself as one of the UK’s leading artists both at home and overseas with a 25-year career marked by critical praise, numerous accolades and multi-platinum sales over the course of 10 album releases. The GRAMMY-nominated artist is known for his dynamic live shows and the energy behind his concerts exemplifies his deep and heartfelt music. David Gray’s latest studio album Mutineers, found the singer-songwriter steering into unfamiliar territory while cultivating a respectful relationship with his own history. The release was hailed by The Guardian, who declared that there is “a rare comfort in hearing an artist in pursuit of joy.” In 2016, David released a greatest hits collection entitled The Best of that included a re-recorded 25th Anniversary version of “Shine” and new tracks “Smoke Without Fire” and “Enter Lightly.” David promoted the album with a multi-city North American tour and a performance of his international hit “Babylon” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. David is currently in the studio recording a new album which is set for release in 2018. Tour Dates: September 18 – Hershey Theatre – Hershey, PA September 19 – Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY September 20 – The Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA September 22 – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA September 23 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD September 24 – Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre – Cary, NC September 28 – St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL September 29 – Continue reading DAVID GRAY & ALISON KRAUSS ANNOUNCE FALL 2017 U.S. CO-HEADLINING TOUR→

APA Nashville Signs Hudson Moore

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

RISING COUNTRY RECORDING ARTIST HUDSON MOORE SIGNS WITH APA NASHVILLE Hudson Moore, the singer/songwriter who was recently named one of the 10 New Country Artists You Need To Know by Rolling Stone (click here), has signed with APA Nashville, it was announced today by Steve Lassiter, Partner and Head of Concerts for APA Nashville. Hudson, whose Spotify and Pandora streams have exceeded 3 million while his “Sand in the Bed” video accrued nearly 3 million views on YouTube, is known for his energetic and engaging live performances. The multi-instrumentalist was recently chosen for CMT’s Artist Discovery Program, and he has played alongside country superstars such as Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride and Hunter Hayes. “As a listener, I’ve always been equally drawn to the music, hooks and melodies as I have the lyrics,” says Moore. “Growing up listening to guys like Keith Urban and Vince Gill, I noticed the guitar was always at the forefront of their songs. That really stuck with me, and I think a lot of that sound has made its way into my music.” “Hudson Moore is the perfect addition to the APA Nashville family,” commented Lassiter. “His instrumental dexterity and passion for creating music set him apart in this industry, and we’re very excited to have him join our growing roster.” Moore continues to make waves in the country music scene and has captured the attention of national publications, including: Southernliving.com Fender Nash Country Daily Taste of Country The Boot AXS OneCountry Moore is also managed by Shawn Pennington of Pennington Entertainment. You can catch him on the road this summer on the following upcoming tour dates: June 17 – New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheater w/ Pat Green + Mike Ryan July 4 – St. Louis, MO – Fair St. Louis w/ Dan + Shay & Jake Owen August 17 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston w/ Frankie Ballard August 18 – Dallas, TX –Granada Theatre w/ Frankie Ballard For more information and a complete list of tour dates, visit http://www.hudsonmoore.net/.

Mighty Is The Pen: Shane McAnally

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

These days you can’t highlight one country music artist over another on social media without the inevitable “That’s not country music” comment getting spat back out at you from the readers, and to be honest, a lot of times us journalists tend to agree. For the fans, you listen to an hour or two (some quite a bit more) of country radio a day on your commute to work or as background music to get you through the things that need done. Meanwhile we get both the pleasure AND torture of listening to the flood of sounds coming out of Nashville and beyond nearly all day every day with the specific task of analyzing and tearing it apart to see what it’s made of. It’s a labor of love and sometimes we stumble across patterns long before the fans figure them out. For example, those artists that you love so much… that your soul finds shelter in the songs they sing… well, they’re getting by with the help of a particular friend and a mighty powerful pen! Enter Shane McAnally. He’s the guy that writes the songs that make the young girls cry. Or dance. Or laugh. Or raise a glass. While looking for the writing credits on a particular playlist we noticed that his name kept popping up on almost EVERY hit being played on Nash.FM. For example, here’s a list of songs Shane has written or co-written that you might not have realized were his: Body Like a Backroad – Performed by Sam Hunt Fingerprints – Performed by Eli Young Band Something’s Going On – Performed by Trace Adkins Black – Performed by Dierks Bentley Cosmic Hallelujah – Performed by Kenny Chesney Girl Problems – Performed by Chris Lane Hero – Performed by Maren Morris If I Told You – Performed by Darius Rucker Ripcord – Performed by Keith Urban Vice – Performed by Miranda Lambert 35 MPH Town – Performed by Toby Keith Kill The Lights – Performed by Luke Bryan Love Somebody – Performed by Reba McEntire Cold Beer Conversation – Performed by George Strait Tangled Up – Performed by Thomas Rhett 747 – Performed by Lady Antebellum For a complete list visit AllMusic.com The list goes on and on, and he markedly managed to manifest what seems like the entire soundtrack of the hit TV show Nashville, as well as held the pen behind literally HUNDREDS of chart-topping hits over the last decade. Next time you want to celebrate the song that soothed your soul, or curse the fact that so many these days sound the same, take a look at who’s behind the curtain… I’m pretty sure Shane McAnally will be there.

Shania Twain Reveals New “NOW” Album Cover

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

Shania Twain album art on Country Music News!

Canadian country songstress Shania Twain took to twitter to debut the cover art for her upcoming album. The record, simply titled “NOW” is set to release on September 29th, 2017, while the first single from the album is expected to impact country radio nationwide tomorrow, June 16th. Take a look at the cover art below and let us know what you think!

Charlie Daniels To Release New Version Of “Ragged Old Flag” On July 4th

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

Few musical performers epitomize the American spirit with more passion and fervor than Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie Daniels. The singer, who has sung of his unabashed patriotism time in and time out during his career, is showcasing his love of the Red, White, and Blue once again in his latest recording that will be available for sale digitally on July 4th via iTunes, Amazon, Google Play among other digital platforms. Daniels has recorded a stirring version of the Johnny Cash standard “Ragged Old Flag.” Written and recorded by “The Man In Black,” the song hit No. 31 on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1974. The song still garners airplay during the summer months on Classic Country stations nationwide, particularly around the Fourth of July. Recording this song allowed Charlie to combine two of his biggest passions – his country and his love of Johnny Cash. Charlie is joined on this track by Mark “Oz” Geist, Benghazi Warrior/Survivor and co-author of “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi.” “These lyrics are just as timely today as they were when Johnny originally recorded them over four decades ago,” said the Grand Ole Opry star. “The song demonstrates the passion and the love that we all should have for this country – and the freedoms that we enjoy with it,” he said. “Of course, it is always a joy to record a song written by the great Johnny Cash. He was an American original, and someone that I consider myself humbled and honored to call friend. Good songs, such as his, continue to remain in style.” Having just turned 80 last fall – just a few weeks after his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Daniels is not slowing down in the slightest. He continues to tour across the country, and will release a new book, Never Look At The Empty Seats on October 24. The book will document his legendary career, as well as several of his many trips abroad in support of the United States Military.