Category Archives: Featured
Danny Wimmer Presents & Front Gate Tickets Announce Multi-Year Partnership For U.S. Festivals
FRONT GATE TICKETS AND DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP FOR U.S. FESTIVALS LOS ANGELES, Calif. – March 7, 2016 –Front Gate Tickets, North America’s leading festival ticketing platform, has announced a multi-year partnership with Danny Wimmer Presents, a prominent festival production company. The partnership adds nine North American festivals to Front Gate’s roster, including Louder Than Life, Chicago Open Air, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville, and Monster Energy Aftershock. “We are excited to begin a partnership with Front Gate Tickets, one of the most innovative and respected names in the ticketing industry. Their ability to handle high-volume festival on-sales and complex ticketing options, while still making the online buying process intuitive and seamless for patrons, is unparalleled,” said Danny Hayes, CEO, Danny Wimmer Presents. “There is no doubt that Front Gate will be an integral part of DWP’s continued growth and enhancement of the festival experience.” “Danny Wimmer Presents touches hundreds of thousands of rock & rollers in music-loving cities across the country. We couldn’t be happier about our partnership and the opportunity to continue this journey of growth together. We are thrilled to enable cutting-edge technology for DWP to manage ecommerce, access control, concessions, sponsorship activations, and digital advertising and to provide actionable customer insights so that DWP may – in turn – provide world-class experiences for its fans,” said Maura Gibson, President, Front Gate Tickets. With over 500,000 fans attending Danny Wimmer Presents festivals in 2015, the company has become recognized within the industry for delivering high-quality entertainment experiences to fans, artists, sponsors, partners and host cities. Front Gate Tickets offers features specifically tailored to the festival market, including RFID-powered access control, experiential marketing and cashless POS systems that streamline festival entry, sponsorship activations, and concession sales, benefiting organizers, partners and fans alike. Front Gate Tickets was founded in 2003 as an alternative ticketing service for venues in Austin, Texas. Its clients include such top-tier partners as Electric Daisy Carnival, Coachella, Austin City Limits, Electric Forest, Lollapalooza, RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest and X Games. Front Gate Tickets was acquired by Ticketmaster in 2015, expanding Ticketmaster’s ticket offering to the festival vertical. About Ticketmaster Ticketmaster is the global market leader in live event ticketing, digital marketing, and mobile fan engagement tools that drive over 530 million ticket transactions per year. Through exclusive partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports leagues, and arts and theater tours, Ticketmaster delivers unparalleled access to the most iconic live events to millions of fans worldwide. Ticketmaster is a division of Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company. About Danny Wimmer Presents Since 1993, music industry veteran Danny Wimmer has been producing concerts and festivals, both large and small. In 2011, he formed Danny Wimmer Presents, which now produces several of the largest rock and alternative festivals in the U.S. DWP creates memorable and all-encompassing festival experiences, leaving both consumers and partners with lasting and meaningful impressions. DWP festival portfolio includes Rock On The Range, Monster Energy Aftershock Festival, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville, Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion, Louder Than Continue reading Danny Wimmer Presents & Front Gate Tickets Announce Multi-Year Partnership For U.S. Festivals
Kenny Chesney Hits Creative Vein; In-Studio to Follow BIG REVIVAL
KENNY CHESNEY RETURNS TO STUDIO After 1.3 Million Fans Played To in 2015, It’s Back To Music! Nashville, Tenn. (March 7, 2016) — “You have to take time to live and breathe, to fill up your tanks to be creative,” says multi-platinum country songwriter/vocalist Kenny Chesney. “Otherwise, you’re just on a treadmill churning out what you’ve already done… Who needs that? For me, especially after the success of The Big Revival, I want to move the music, the songs, the discussion forward!” Having hit a nerve with the GRAMMY-nominated “American Kids,” the triple rhythm, double hook song that celebrated America’s freewheeling nature, and “Wild Child,” which embraced the free spirit of women instead of the short shorts, The Big Revival was a CMA Album of the Year nominee that spawned four straight No.1s. Chesney felt like he’d set the bar for what his music can be. To that end, Chesney has spent the last several months writing and seeking songs in Austin, the islands, and the road. He’s also joined with longtime co-producer Buddy Cannon (Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard) in the studio in Los Angeles and Nashville. “There’s a moment you feel a record grab hold, and take shape,” Chesney says. “You can have great songs and not have an album. You can have a killer record that won’t move people on the radio. The ide a is to balance both, then hopefully create something that does both, that also says something as a whole. I think we’re on our way.” Drawing on David Lee Murphy (“Living In Fast Forward,” “Pirate Flag”), Josh Osborne (“Wild Child,” “Come Over,” the GRAMMY-winning “Merry Go ‘Round”) and Shane McAnally (“Somewhere With You,” “American Kids,” “Come Over”) Chesney has also mined Matraca Berg (“You & Tequila”), the Oscar-nominee Allison Moorer and Americana Artist of the Year nominee Hayes Carll, as well as a few surprises. “There are a few writers who get me, who get my life and my soul,” Chesney says. “And I was lucky enough to have time to write with them. But I also got to hear a lot of great songs, some different writers, so there was a lot of music this time to draw from and be inspired by.” “When we came off the road and I listened back to The Big Revival, all I could think was, ‘Man, we covered a lot of ground, went pretty cool, as well as new places musically,’” continues the man who’s notched 28 No. 1s. “I knew we couldn’t repeat, but I also wanted to find more new ways and new things to record!” Kenny Chesney has created trends instead of following them since his breakthrough No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems and When the Sun Goes Down. Always seeking something fun that didn’t sacrifice innovation, he’s teamed with Dave Matthews, Uncle Kracker, the Wailers and Grace Potter on a series of outside the lines No. 1s. Look for new music sometime this spring.
Reba McEntire, Alison Krauss, Buddy Miller, Larry Gatlin, Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings Added To The Life & Songs Of Kris Kristofferson Lineup
MUSIC STARS REBA McENTIRE, ALISON KRAUSS, BUDDY MILLER, LARRY GATLIN, JESSI COLTER, SHOOTER JENNINGS ADDED TO POWERHOUSE LINEUP FOR THE LIFE & SONGS OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON THESE ARTISTS JOIN THE ALL-STAR LINEUP OF PERFORMERS INCLUDING LADY ANTEBELLUM, DIERKS BENTLEY, RYAN BINGHAM, ROSANNE CASH, ERIC CHURCH, EMMYLOU HARRIS, JACK INGRAM, JAMEY JOHNSON, TOBY KEITH, MARTINA McBRIDE, WILLIE NELSON, JENNIFER NETTLES, DARIUS RUCKER, HANK WILLIAMS JR., AND LEE ANN WOMACK ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME CONCERT EVENT TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE FINAL BLOCK OF GREAT SEATS NOW AVAILABLE VIA TICKETMASTER.COM NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (Tuesday, March 8, 2016) – Music stars Reba McEntire, Alison K rauss, Buddy Miller, Larry Gatlin, Jessi Colter, and Shooter Jennings have been added to the all-star lineup of The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson on Wednesday, March 16, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The all-star concert event taping will pay tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter and actor with performances by Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Ryan Bingham, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, < strong>Jack Ingram, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Darius Rucker, Hank Williams Jr., and Lee Ann Womack. Kristofferson will take the stage to perform with a number of special guests throughout the evening. A final block of great seats is now available at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster locations and at the Bridgestone Arena box office. Citi is the official credit card of The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson. Proceeds from a range of charity initiatives will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation, the official charity partner of the show. For more information, visit http://songsofkristofferson.com/charitybuzz. The T.J. Martell Foundation, the music industry’s largest foundation, funds innovative medical researc h focused on finding cures for leukemia, cancer and AIDS. For more information, visit www.TJMartell.org. Kristofferson, a Country Music Hall of Fame member, is considered a true poet who helped modernize the genre with songs such as “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” “Me and&n bsp;Bobby McGee” and “Lovin’ Her Was Easier.” These are the songs of heartbreak and despair, of love and loss, of yearning and hope. These are the songs so honest that we adopted them as our own. They are the songs of a life led unlike any other: An All-American athlete, Golden Gloves boxer, Army Ranger, helicopter pilot, singer-songwriter, social activist, humanitarian and movie star. Keith Wortman is creator and executive producer of the show. Grammy Award-winner Don Was will serve as music director and will lead an all-star band that includes featured artist and Grammy Award-winner Buddy Miller backing the performers at this incomparable concert event taping. The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson will be filmed and recorded for multi-platform distribution throughout traditional media (worldwide broadcast, music and digital). FOR ALL SHOW DETAILS AND THE OFFICIAL CONCERT EVENT WEBSITE, PLEASE VISIT: songsofkristofferson.com #songsofkristofferson About Kris Kristofferson: Kristofferson is a Country Music Hall of Famer who ranks among the most versatile of American talents. Continue reading Reba McEntire, Alison Krauss, Buddy Miller, Larry Gatlin, Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings Added To The Life & Songs Of Kris Kristofferson Lineup
Rascal Flatts Announce Summer Tour With Kelsea Ballerina & Chris Lane
Rascal Flatts wrapped their second wildly-successful Vegas Residency this weekend at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Following enthusiastic feedback to the group’s stripped-down setup in Vegas, the guys announced that their headlining RASCAL FLATTS: RHYTHM & ROOTS TOUR will kick off in Charlotte, NC on 6/17 and the trio have invited red-hot newcomers Kelsea Ballerini and Chris Lane to join them out on the road. Don’t miss your chance to see the guys LIVE this summer!
What Is the Country Megaticket and How Does It Work?
You see listings for The Country Megaticket every time you look up your favorite artists’ tour dates, but at those prices, you KNOW it has to be a pretty big deal… but what is it exactly? Well, CountryMusicNewsBlog.com is here to answer just that! As the recession started to rise and our wallets started to empty, the country music industry was determined to find a way to keep it possible for their artists to tour and the fans to afford it, so they came up with a plan. The Country Megaticket: A series of major headliner concerts spreading over the course of the entire summer, all at one venue, and all for a one-time ticket purchase. You buy one Country Megaticket, and get admission to the entire concert series at that venue all summer long. This year we are excited to announce top performances from country music megastars Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, and many MANY more! What is the Country Megaticket? Every year LiveNation and AEG get together to bring country music fans the summer of a lifetime by gathering the hottest acts in the industry in a series of country concerts held at spectacular venues across the nation. A single ticket grants fans access to a series of concerts that span the entire summer beginning in May and sometimes stretching all the way into October. 2018 Country Megaticket Performers: Jason Aldean Dierks Bentley Luke Bryan Kenny Chesney Alan Jackson Lady Antebellum Darius Rucker Miranda Lambert Little Big Town Brad Paisley Rascal Flatts Keith Urban. 2018 Country Megaticket Venues: Verizon Amphitheatre Alpharetta, GA Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Bethel, NY Jiffy Lube Live Bristow, VA PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte, NC Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, OH Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Starplex Pavilion Dallas, TX Darien Lake Amphitheater Darien Center, NY XFINITY Theatre Hartford, CT PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel, NJ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center Indianapolis, IN Southern California Los Angeles, CA XFINITY Center Mansfield, MA Shoreline Amphitheatre Mountain View, CA BB&T Pavilion Philadelphia, PA Ak-Chin Pavilion Phoenix, AZ KeyBank Pavilion Pittsburgh, PA Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek Raleigh, NC USANA Amphitheatre Salt Lake City, UT Mattress Firm Amphitheatre San Diego, CA Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Springs, NY Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre St. Louis, MO Lakeview Amphitheater Syracuse, NY Budweiser Stage Toronto, ON Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, VA Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, NY Coral Sky Amphitheatre West Palm Beach, FL Toyota Amphitheatre Wheatland, CA
Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa Wraps in Mexico
Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa Wraps in Mexico Luke Bryan along with Dierks Bentley and Cole Swindell Headline Concerts during Sold-Out Fan Experience Reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan wrapped the second annual sold-out, four-night concert event, Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, in Riviera Maya, Mexico on Monday night. The concert destination weekend featured two headline shows by Luke as well as headline concerts by Dierks Bentley and Cole Swindell. Additional performers included Craig Campbell, Brett Eldredge, Sam Hunt, Dustin Lynch, Chris Stapleton and DJ Rock. “The band and I really look forward to Mexico and these Playa shows,” shared Luke. “We like our tradition of launching into the new year this way.” Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa musical vacation delivered a special setting for an unforgettable fan experience. The four-night tropical getaway and concert experience was designed and produced by CID Presents as the ultimate all-inclusive Caribbean concert vacation. Guests were treated to nightly beachfront concerts at The Barecló Maya Beach Resort, airport transportation, 24-hour concierge, optional daily activities and off-site adventures. The event was self-produced by the production arm of CID Entertainment, the premier music travel and fan-focused experiential agency. Having developed and implemented VIP and travel packages for Luke’s tours for years, CID was the perfect partner for Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, designing a country music festival where fans could see their favorite artists on stage and enjoy the sun, beach, food and adventures with their friends.
Artists Added to the ACM Party for a Cause Festival
TALENT ADDED TO ACM PARTY FOR A CAUSE® LINEUP Brandy Clark, Brett El dredge, Martina McBride, Maren Morris, Chase Rice and A Thousand Horses have just been added to the already star-studded lineup for this year’s ACM Party for a Cause® Festival! Taking over the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, the three-day fest will include multiple stages, ongoing LIVE country music performances, interactive games, a country marketplace and more. The music kicks off on Friday, April 1, with Carrie Underwood headlining a special “ACM Women of Country Night” featuring an all-female lineup of performers. ACM Awards co-host Dierks Bentley will continue the party as headliner on Saturday, April 2. On Sunda y, April 3, Kenny Chesney will close out the festival with a full set that will take place simultaneously with the 51st ACM Awards. If you haven’t already booked your trip to Vegas for the ACM Party for a Cause Festival, you’ll definitely want to do it now because tickets are selling fast! Get your TICKETS today! For a full list of the weekend’s performers and for more information about the festival, CLICK HERE. Can’t wait to see y’all in April for The Week Vegas Goes Country®!
WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE Performed Live On Nashville’s WRLT Lightning 100 Today (1/27)
WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE PERFORMED LIVE ON NASHVILLE’S WRLT LIGHTNING 100 SET HIGHLIGHTED SONGS FROM THEIR DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 12 American music icon and five-time GRAMMY Award-winner WYNONNA JUDD and her band The Big Noise previewed new music from their self-titled album WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE today Wednesday, January 27 with a live performance on Nashville’s WRLT Lightning 100. The performance was recorded live from the WRLT studio and live-streamed via YouTube . Listeners experienced the album’s eclectic spirit–cuts written by the band, as well as Americana innovator Julie Miller to R&B’s Raphael Saadiq to Music Row legend John Scott Sherrill and multiple CMA Awards-winner Chris Stapleton–coupled with WYNONNA’s commanding and incomparable voice. WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE is due out Friday, February 12 via Curb Records in digital and physical formats including vinyl. The CD and vinyl versions of the album–which feature special guests Derek Trucks, Jason Isbell, Susan Tedeschi and Timothy B Schmit–is available now for pre-order at Amazon and iTunes. “In 25 years of WRLT Nashville’s broadcast history, having a legend like Wynonna and her band The Big Noise was a career highlight for our station and our staff,” said Gary Kraen, VP of Operations and Programming. “They sounded amazing.” To celebrate the release of the record, the band has debuted a series of performance videos for focus tracks available now to fans that pre-order the album on iTunes. This past Friday (1/22), WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE partnered with LATIMES.COM to reveal the video for “Things That I Lean On,” the song that features a duet with Jason Isbell on the upcoming album. Los Angeles Times‘ writer Randy Lewis notes, “Singer Wynonna Judd opens a new chapter in her long career with her forthcoming album Wynonna & The Big Noise, her first with a full band of her own…the sound, however, is a departure, more stripped to the bone and rootsy, more contemporary American…” Watch the “Things That I Lean On” video here: [youtube LtCwb5D1uag]. Of the song and experience of working with Isbell, WYNONNA shares, “When I began my journey to self-discovery in 2003, I got involved in 12 Steps. So when I heard the words in this song [“Things That I Lean On”] — ’12 Steps and the 23rd Psalm’ — I knew they spoke to everyone who’s trying to be perfect in their program. Our theme is ‘progress, not perfection.’ The spirituality of imperfection is what this song is about. But with Jason Isbell, our voices are so blended, it is perfect.” Album producer, drummer for The Big Noise and husband to WYNONNA, Cactus Moser adds: “I’ve played this song for grown men. They look me in the eye and I watch tears come down their cheeks, just from listening to this song.” For more information on WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE, visit: www.wynonnaandthebignoise.com www.facebook.com/wynonnajudd www.twitter.com/WynonnaMusic www.instagram.com/wynonnajudd Performance Videos: “Things That I Lean On”: [youtube LtCwb5D1uag] “Ain’t No Thing”: [youtube HdN8esuHT-g] “You Make My Heart Beat Too Continue reading WYNONNA & THE BIG NOISE Performed Live On Nashville’s WRLT Lightning 100 Today (1/27)
THE OAK RIDGE BOYS ANNOUNCE 2016 U.S. TOUR
THE OAK RIDGE BOYS ANNOUNCE 2016 U.S. TOUR Iconic Country Music Hall of Fame Members Spotted Over Weekend Serenading Former President at Texas Restaurant NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 27, 2016) – Just like their 1983 mega-hit, The Oak Ridge Boys are “American Made,” and today the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame announce they are planning to bring their multi-platinum selling and GRAMMY® Award winning repertoire of hits to an American city near you. Their 2016 United States tour will stretch all the way from Louisiana to California to Florida to Virginia. Performing over 150 dates per year for over 40 years, The Oak Ridge Boys are looking forward to bringing their critically acclaimed high-energy show to a city near you! For a full list of dates and information on how to buy tickets, visit www.oakridgeboys.com/tour. [bctt tweet=”The @OakRidgeBoys Announce 2016 Celebration Tour!”] Known for their iconic and multi-platinum selling hit “Elvira,” along with other chart-toppers like “Bobbie Sue,” “Thank God For Kids,” and “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight,” The Oak Ridge Boys have achieved a decorated career, winning five GRAMMY® Awards, and multiple CMA, ACM and Dove Awards for their cross-over brand of pop, country and gospel music that spans multiple generations. Made up of members Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban, who’s unmistakable bass on the lyric “oom poppa, mow mow,” has become one of music’s most recognized sing-alongs an international scale, The Oak Ridge Boys are members of the Grand Ole Opry and achieved arguably country music’s highest honor in October 2015 when they were inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. In addition to their 2016 U.S. tour announcement, The Oak Ridge Boys revealed via Twitter on Sunday night (January 24), they met up for dinner with a notable U.S. couple — their long-time friends, former president George H.W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush at Taste Of Texas restaurant in Houston, Texas. According to the group’s Joe Bonsall, The Oak Ridge Boys and the Bush’s enjoyed “a great meal with some lively and fun conversation,” and ended the night with a tableside serenade from The Oak Ridge Boys with a soulful version of “Feeling Mighty Fine,” a song off of the legendary group’s 1997 gospel album, Revival. The Oak Ridge Boys have given many command performances throughout their legendary career, from performing for King Gustaf of Sweden, to Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline of Monaco, to Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Great Britain and five U.S. presidents: Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton and W. Bush. “We have been singing songs for George H.W. Bush since 1982 when he was Vice President, and our love for him has only grown over all of these years. We have stated many times that we are ALL better Americans for having known him and Barbara,” said Bonsall. “It was another memorable night for The Oak Ridge Boys… one that we will never forget. Thanks to the owners of Taste of Continue reading THE OAK RIDGE BOYS ANNOUNCE 2016 U.S. TOUR