Category Archives: Featured

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Amber Hayes Added To 16-City Nothing But The Hits Holiday Tour

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Joins Ronnie McDowell, Deborah Allen, Jeff Bates and More (Nashville, Tenn. – Oct. 21, 2015) – Country artist Amber Hayes has been added to the 16-city Nothing But The Hits holiday tour. Performing alongside big names like Ronnie McDowell, Deborah Allen, Jeff Bates, Ken Mellons and others, Hayes is in her element. Coming off of her fourth Top 40 Country music single, “Running Out of Memories” and her newest release “Hero’s Heart,” there’s no doubt Hayes fits right in with the tour’s lineup. A 15-piece band will be accompanying the artists as they perform their hits and Christmas favorites. The show will also be in the traditional Country camp, satisfying listeners yearning for what promoter Danny Rasberry calls “real” Country music. “There is a void and a need for ‘real’ Country music,” said Rasberry. “With this tour, we put together some of the most sensational voices in music. I know the fans will love what will be coming their way!” Hayes and a hearty dose of Christmas spirit will be coming your way as the tour kicks off Nov. 28 in Stillwater, Okla. The tour will make its last stop in Newberry, S.C. on Dec. 19, hitting towns throughout Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina on the way. To purchase tickets, call 601-649-2822 or visit www.NothingButTheHits.com. Nothing But The Hits Christmas Tour Dates: Nov. 28 – Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State tailgate party – Stillwater, Okla. Nov. 30 – Brown Grand Theatre – Concordia, Kan. Dec. 1 – Knuckleheads – Kansas City, Mo. Dec. 2 – Gillioz Theatre – Springfield, Mo. Dec. 4 – Crystal Theatre – Okemah, Okla. Dec. 5 – Poncan Theatre – Ponca City, Okla. Dec. 7 – King’s Opera House – Van Buren, Ark. Dec. 9 – Saenger Theatre – Hattiesburg, Miss. Dec. 10 – Private Event – Biloxi, Miss. Dec. 11 – Natchez Center of Performing Arts – Natchez, Miss. Dec. 12 – Grand Opera House of the South – Crowley, La. Dec. 15 – Kentucky Opry – Benton, Ky. Dec. 16 – Cox Capital Theatre – Macon, Ga. Dec. 17 – Gem Theatre – Calhoun, Ga. Dec. 18 – Morton Theatre – Athens, Ga. Dec. 19 – Newberry Opry House – Newberry, S.C. About Amber Hayes: Over the past few years, the Oklahoma native has been touring and performing at fairs, festivals and performance venues across the country. She has performed as the opening act for one of her biggest musical influences, Reba McEntire, and she has entertained fans overseas at military bases and International festivals, including the Country Gold Festival in Japan and the Scandinavian Country Music Festival in Sweden. She has made multiple appearances performing the national anthem at NFL and NBA games. Her first break at Country radio was with her debut EP C’mon in 2010, which landed her two Top 40 singles (“C’mon,” “Wait”) on the national MusicRow Country Breakout chart. In 2012, she released her sophomore album, titled Any Day Is A Good Day. Her Continue reading Amber Hayes Added To 16-City Nothing But The Hits Holiday Tour→

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→

TUNE-IN ALERT: Travis Tritt Discusses Firsthand Paranormal Encounters On Lifetime Movie Network’s “The Haunting Of…” on Oct 29

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Travis Tritt on Country Music News Blog

Kim Russo Visits Tritt’s Blue Ridge Mountains Cabin And Uncovers Dark History (Nashville, Tenn. – Oct. 19, 2015) Travis Tritt is scheduled to appear on “The Haunting Of…” on Oct. 29 at 9 p.m. EST / 9 p.m. CST. The one-hour episode, airing on Lifetime Movie Network (LMN), will feature the award-winning music star discussing strange occurrences he’s encountered at his lakeside cabin in The Blue Ridge Mountains. In this episode, world-renowned psychic-medium Kim Russo visits the house and uncovers the dark history of the secluded residence. “The Haunting Of…” is an original series featuring Kim Russo as she gives an exclusive look at celebrities who have had their lives changed by paranormal events. To view a trailer featuring snippets of this season’s “The Haunting Of…” visit here. For more information on Travis Tritt, visit his website TravisTritt.com and follow him on Twitter and FaceBook.

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

Hunter Hayes to release The 21 Project November 6th 2015

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Hunter Hayes has been exploring different ways to share new music with fans throughout the summer, and on Friday, Nov. 6 the Atlantic / Warner Music Nashville artist will offer up his latest creation with the release of The 21 Project. Featuring three discs – one acoustic, one studio and one live – the special collection will showcase the life of seven songs through each variation. Tracks will include Hayes’ current Top 25-and-climbing single, “21,” as well as a brand new song, “I Mean You.” [bctt tweet=”So excited for @HunterHayes #the21project! How about you? #CountryMusic”] “This project has been a lot of fun for me, because it really brings the focus back to the music and shows how a song grows from its original form into something we play on stage,” said Hayes, who co-produced The 21 Project with Dann Huff. “We’re making our fall tour all about the music and connecting with fans in a closer setting, and just enjoying music together.” The 21 Project is available for pre-order now at http://smarturl.it/HH21ProjectPR with a track listing as follows: 1.“21” (Dallas Davidson, Kelley Lovelace, Ashley Gorley, Hunter Hayes) 2.“Young And In Love” (Hunter Hayes, Dan Omelio, Dave Barnes) 3.“Saint Or A Sinner” (Hunter Hayes, Lori McKenna, Barry Dean) 4.“Where It All Begins (feat. Lady Antebellum)” (Hunter Hayes, Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott) 5.“Suitcase” (Hunter Hayes, Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman) 6.“The Trouble With Love” (Lori McKenna, Hunter Hayes) 7.“I Mean You” (Hunter Hayes, Jimmy Robbins, Ashley Gorley) Hayes will embark on his 21 Tour on October 22, playing a limited run of dates. The always-innovative entertainer collaborated with Spotify to help route his upcoming tour, targeting college markets with high densities of fans who stream Hayes’ music. Current dates for the 21 Tour include: Thursday, Oct. 22 – Western Carolina University – Cullowhee, N.C. Friday, Oct. 23 – Kent State University – Kent, Ohio Saturday, Oct. 24 – West Point Eisenhower Hall Theater – Highland Falls, N.Y. Thursday, Oct. 29 – Purdue University – West Lafayette, Ind. Friday, Oct. 30 – Aebersold Recreation Center at Slippery Rock University – Slippery Rock, Pa. Thursday, Nov. 5 – Western Kentucky University – Bowling Green, Ky. Friday, Nov. 6 – Notre Dame University – Notre Dame, Ind. Saturday, Nov. 7 – Illinois State University – Normal, Ill. Saturday, Nov. 14 – University of Oklahoma – Norman, Okla.

Hot New Music from Country Music News Blog!

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It’s a great time in country music with many artists pushing out brand new albums before the 2015 CMA’s kick off! We’ve compiled a list of the hottest new albums that are already out, out today, and coming soon to help you find what you love! Of course, these are Amazon links so if you purchase from one of our links you will help support our operating expenses here at CMNB, but hey… something’s gotta keep the lights on! Cheers! ~WC~