Press Releases – Page 83 – Country Music News

JUSTIN MOORE GOES UNDERCOVER TO MEET HIS BIGGEST FAN IN PREMIERE OF "THE ED BASSMASTER SHOW" ON CMT

Posted on April 14, 2016 by admin

JUSTIN MOORE GOES UNDERCOVER TO MEET HIS BIGGEST FAN IN PREMIERE OF “THE ED BASSMASTER SHOW” ON CMT NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 14, 2016) – YouTube star and prankster Ed Bassmaster helps country music’s Justin Moore go undercover to meet his biggest fan in the premiere episode of “The Ed Bassmaster Show,” airing Thursday, April 14 at 10pm ET/PT on CMT. It will re-air throughout the weekend. For a full list of airdates, visit cmt.com. Click to view the trailer. In the new show, comedian Ed Bassmaster debuts his unique and hilarious characters including Skippy, Mumbles The Waiter and Bushman. Jaws will drop when they see what Justin looks like disguised as someone on his tour who is slightly less famous, all in an effort to surprise one of his long-time fans with a personal meet and greet. [bctt tweet=”@JustinColeMoore goes undercover to surprise biggest fan on @EdBassmaster PREMIERE on @CMT Apr. 14 @ 10pm ET/PT!”] Full of laugh-out-loud moments, fans will get to see the funny side of Justin, platinum-selling, No. 1 hit-maker known for his current single “You Look Like I Need A Drink,” and former hits, “Small Town U.S.A.,” “Backwoods,” “Point At You,” “’Til My Last Day,” “Bait A Hook,” “I Could Kick Your A**,” and “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away.” Justin’s latest “You Look Like I Need A Drink” is swiftly climbing up the country charts, currently at the No. 25 position. If you haven’t seen the Wild West-themed music video for the song, check it out on cmt.com/videos. “This may be my favorite video I’ve ever shot. I am a huge Western fan, and we shot one with a dose of comedy,” he said. Tune in and be part of the conversation with #EdBassmasterShow and follow @JustinColeMoore on Twitter and Instagram. For more information on Justin Moore, visit justinmooremusic.com. About Justin Moore Arkansas native and 2014 ACM New Artist of the Year Justin Moore recently released his newest single, “You Look Like I Need a Drink” which is currently making its way up the Country radio charts. This follows his second consecutive #1 album release with OFF THE BEATEN PATH. The project produced Justin’s fourth and fifth GOLD-certified #1 hits, “Point At You” and “Lettin’ The Night Roll.” Combined with two previous GOLD–certified albums, he’s sold over 7 million digital downloads. The Valory Music Co. recording artist has been featured on The Voice, Nashville, NFL Rewind, The Washington Post, People Country, USA Today, Fox & Friends and more. He has earned multiple ACM, ACA and ACC Awards nominations. In 2015, Justin was direct support on Brad Paisley’s CRUSHIN’ IT WORLD TOUR. Justin will join Colt Ford on the road this summer for Brantley Gilbert’s TAKE IT OUTSIDE TOUR. For tour dates and more visit, JustinMooreMusic.com.

Inaugural Oklahoma Songwriters Festival announced for Oklahoma City

Posted on April 11, 2016 by admin

Inaugural Oklahoma Songwriters Festival announced for Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, OK (April 11, 2016) – The Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) is proud to sponsor the inaugural Oklahoma Songwriters Festival, the first-of-it’s kind for Oklahoma. This three-day festival will kick off Thursday, April 28, 2016, with a sponsor reception and conclude with a special “writer round” songwriter showcase on Saturday, April 30 at the ACM@UCO Performance Lab at 7:00 p.m. featuring performances by several talented Oklahoma songwriters and prolific Nashville songwriters including Festival founder and Ada, Oklahoma native, Zac Maloy. “Part of our goal is to create momentum and broaden relationships with the Oklahoma music community, while providing a unique set of performances not readily available to the local music scene in Oklahoma,” said Maloy. “Oklahoma has produced a tremendous lineup of talented songwriters, ranging from J.J. Cale and Leon Russell to Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood,” Governor Mary Fallin said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for budding songwriters to learn from professionals and for all to share ideas and tips. Oklahoma is proud to host this creative and fun event. Who knows? A hit as big as ‘Oklahoma Hills’ or ‘Okie from Muskogee’ may have its origins at the Oklahoma Songwriters Festival.” Several Oklahoma songwriters were invited by the festival organizers to participate in daytime writing sessions with Nashville songwriters. Artists will spend time creating new material with the goal of taking it back to Nashville to be pitched to industry tastemakers and major record labels. OF+MO Director, Tava Maloy Sofsky, notes that, “It is an honor to have my brother, Zac, bring his friends from Music City back home to mentor and work with our ever-so-talented local music community.” The first performance of the festival was curated by Greg Johnson, owner of OKC’s legendary listening room, The Blue Door, Thursday, April 28 at 8:00 p.m, featuring an Oklahoma Songwriter showcase with Michael Fracasso, Kierston White and a special appearance by Beau Jennings. Two music industry panels will be held on Saturday morning, April 30, at ACM@UCO’s Performance Lab at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Distinguished panelists include three Nashville songwriters and a publisher, Greg Johnson and ACM@UCO CEO and Executive Director, Scott Booker, who are all honored to support this opportunity for Oklahoma songwriters. “Songwriting is a key element of the music industry that is easily forgotten. Songwriters are often the Oz behind the curtain helping turn an artist into something even more magical,” said Booker. The panel discussions are free and open to the public, though reserved seating is required. Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m., the festival will head to the ACM@UCO Performance Lab, also in Bricktown, for intimate “writer round” style performances, a format frequently used in Nashville as it allows songwriters the opportunity to perform their original songs, often made popular by chart-topping artists, and tell the stories of how the songs were created. At this showcase, new music will be performed by acclaimed Oklahoma singer songwriter JD McPherson; Marcus Hummon who wrote the Continue reading Inaugural Oklahoma Songwriters Festival announced for Oklahoma City→

The Rides’ (Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Barry Goldberg) new record "Pierced Arrow" out May 6 on 429 Records; US tour this spring

Posted on April 11, 2016 by admin

THE RIDES’ PIERCED ARROW OUT MAY 6 ON 429 RECORDS – GROUP FEATURES STEPHEN STILLS, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD AND BARRY GOLDBERG “PIERCED ARROW” TOUR KICKS OFF MAY 2 photo credit Eleanor Stills “a diesel-fueled jam”—Rolling Stone “[Stills] spits out lyrics with joyful abandon…slow, soulful blues don’t get more scorching than Stills’ cracked, craggy vocals and riveting dueling solos.”—American Songwriter The Rides, the project of two time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stephen Stills, five time Grammy nominated guitar great Kenny Wayne Shepherd and celebrated Chicago rock/blues keyboardist Barry Goldberg, are set for the May 6 release of their sophomore album Pierced Arrow on 429 Records. Pierced Arrow, the album title referencing the 1920s classic American car, follows the group’s chart-topping 2013 record Can’t Get Enough (#1 on the Billboard, Amazon and iTunes Blues Charts and a top 40 Billboard debut). The new record, which also includes performances by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton, features more original material from Stills, Shepherd and Goldberg. The record’s first single, “Virtual World,” recently premiered via Relix and can be streamed/shared at http://bit.ly/1YpEEID. The group will celebrate the album’s release with a 16-date U.S. tour, kicking off May 2 in Minneapolis. Please see below for a complete list of dates. For Stills, Shepherd and Goldberg, the process of writing songs from scratch and touring behind their first album opened an exciting new feeling of intimacy that fueled the creative process of writing and recording Pierced Arrow. “We had so much fun playing on stage, we had to do it more,” explains Stills. “Lots of freedom. Kenny and I found a wonderfully exciting knack for playing lead at the same time without a real ‘arrangement,’ just sort of instinctive guessing, from watching each other’s hands. Neil Young and I used to do this with Buffalo Springfield. And the grooves are always right on the money, never rushed or jittery.” Shepherd adds, “For me, it’s a liberating dynamic that’s different from my live solo band because I’m sharing the vocals and guitar playing with Stephen. I love being part of a unit where everyone weighs in with thoughts and opinions.” Goldberg also notes, “It’s so great to be back recording and playing live on this high level again with Stephen and Kenny Wayne, and we’re really excited about the music on Pierced Arrow. The chemistry is just so good between the three of us. We all have so much respect for each other.” A passion for rock and the blues isn’t the only thing The Rides have in common. Stills and Shepherd share a mutual love of classic cars which inspired both the band’s and the new record’s name. Pierced Arrow is a riff on the famed Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company, a maker of luxury cars in the first four decades of the 20th Century; it served as the ultimate musician’s mode of transportation in the ‘20s and ‘30s. PIERCED ARROW TRACK LIST 1. Kick Out of It 2. Riva Diva 3. Continue reading The Rides’ (Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Barry Goldberg) new record "Pierced Arrow" out May 6 on 429 Records; US tour this spring→

Little Big Town Suprised by RIAA with 2x Platinum Plaque for "Girl Crush"

Posted on April 11, 2016 by admin

LITTLE BIG TOWN SURPRISED BY RIAA WITH DOUBLE-PLATINUM PLAQUE FOR GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING HIT, “GIRL CRUSH” Photo ID L-R: LBT’s Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook, RIAA EVP Public Policy & Industry Relations Michele Ballantyne, LBT’s Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet Photo Credit: Becky Fluke NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 11, 2016) – Prior to their performance at Baltimore’s Royal Farms Arena Friday night, the GRAMMY Award-winning group Little Big Town received a surprise visit from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet were presented with an RIAA Double Platinum certification plaque celebrating their smash hit, “Girl Crush.” “Girl Crush,” written by Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose, landed on multiple year-end “Best of” lists and was the most downloaded country single of 2015. It garnered two CMA Awards (Single of the Year and Song of the Year), was nominated for GRAMMY Song of the Year and earned the title of GRAMMY Best Country Song. The group also took home a GRAMMY for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the record-breaking tune. “Girl Crush,” the second single off Little Big Town’s Gold-selling sixth studio album PAIN KILLER (Capitol Records Nashville), remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for 13 consecutive weeks, setting the longest run in the top spot for a group since 1959. To preview and purchase “Girl Crush” and Pain Killer, click HERE. Little Big Town is the three-time, reigning ACM Vocal Group of the Year, the four-time, reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year, and was recently awarded with the ACM Crystal Milestone Award. Little Big Town is currently on the Kill The Lights Tour with Luke Bryan, with upcoming dates in Toledo, Ohio; State College, Pa. and Charlottesville, Va. For more information, please visit www.LittleBigTown.com.

Carrie Underwood Joining Keith Urban on Tour in Australia

Posted on April 11, 2016 by admin

CARRIE UNDERWOOD JOINING KEITH URBAN ON TOUR IN AUSTRALIA Nashville, TN – (April 11, 2016) – Seven-time Grammy winner Carrie Underwood recently extended her critically acclaimed Storyteller Tour-Stories in the Round tour through this fall including stops in Los Angeles (STAPLES Center), Nashville (Bridgestone Arena), and New York City (Madison Square Garden). It was also just announced that she will close out her year of touring playing arenas with Keith Urban on the Australian leg of his “ripCORD World Tour 2016.” This will be Carrie’s third trip to Australia, having been there before for extensive album promotion in 2011 and again in 2012 when she also took her “Blown Away Tour” to Melbourne, Tamworth, Brisbane, and Sydney — wrapping with 2 sold-out nights at the iconic Sydney Opera House. ripCORD World Tour 2016 Australia Tour Dates: Tuesday, December 6th – Adelaide – Entertainment Centre Thursday, December 8th – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena Saturday, December 10th – Canberra – GIO Stadium Monday, December 12th – Sydney – Allphones Arena Friday, December 16th – Brisbane – Entertainment Centre Saturday, December 17th – Brisbane – Entertainment Centre Ticketing information The Telstra Thanks pre-sale, for Telstra customers starts 2pm Tuesday 12th April. Head to www.telstra.com/music for more details on how to purchase. Tickets will be available to the general public at www.ticketek.com.au from 2pm, Friday 15th April. About TEG Live: TEG Live is wholly owned by TEG Pty Limited, Australia’s leading integrated live entertainment solutions company with superior capabilities in ticketing, digital, data and the promotion of live sport and entertainment events. TEG Live has been designed to enhance the quality of the Australian live entertainment and events industry through the development and commercialisation of live content across all entertainment genres. TEG Live is uniquely positioned to drive commercial benefits to its clients through its core service provisions, including brand partnerships, sponsorship and corporate hospitality, event management and consulting. About Carrie Underwood: Carrie Underwood emerged from the promise of her 2005 American Idol win to become a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, and film. A seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner, she has amassed over 100 major honors, sold 58 million records worldwide, and recorded 23 #1 singles, 13 of which she co-wrote, with a catalog of songs that have been streamed more than 1.5 billion times worldwide. The first female artist to be twice named the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year, Underwood was recognized as Pollstar’s top female country touring artist for her headlining tours in 2008, 2010, and 2012. Her first four studio albums, Some Hearts, Carnival Ride, Play On, and Blown Away – each certified multi-Platinum or Platinum, and each an American Music Awards winner as Country Album of the Year – tallied an incredible 38 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. In 2013, Underwood starred as Maria von Trapp in NBC’s three-hour holiday blockbuster, the Emmy®-winning The Sound of Music Live!, whose airings attracted 44 million viewers. In December of 2014, Continue reading Carrie Underwood Joining Keith Urban on Tour in Australia→

Luke Bryan’s "Kill The Lights Tour" Breaks Venue Records and Celebrates 3 Sold-Out Weekend Dates as Tour Resumes

Posted on April 11, 2016 by admin

Luke Bryan’s “Kill The Lights Tour” Breaks Venue Records and Celebrates 3 Sold-Out Weekend Dates as Tour Resumes Nashville – (April 11, 2016) – Four-time Entertainer of the Year winner Luke Bryan took his “Kill The Lights Tour” back on the road this past weekend after a short hiatus to co-host the ACM Awards on April 3 in Las Vegas. All three weekend concerts sold-out including the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York where Luke set a record with the largest single day country concert attendance and the largest single day country concert gross in the venue’s history. During the tour break, Luke was named the Country Artist of the Year at the iHeart Radio Music Awards, also held on April 3, and dominated as the most-nominated artist with seven category nods for the upcoming American Country Countdown Awards set for May 1. Luke’s “Kill The Lights Tour” resumes this weekend in Toledo and will go on to play six stadiums concerts before wrapping in the fall. 2016 “Kill The Lights Tour” Ticket Dates 4-14 – Toledo, OH – The Huntington Center 4-15 – State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center 4-16 – Charlottesville, VAJohn Paul Jones Arena 4-20 – Missoula, MT – Adams Center 4-21 – Missoula, MT – Adams Center 4-22 – Bozeman, MT – Brick Breeden Fieldhouse 4-23 – Bozeman, MT – Brick Breeden Fieldhouse 4-29 – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion 4-30 – Fresno, CA Save Mart Center 5-1 Indio, CA Stagecoach 5-12 – Omaha, NE – CenturyLink Center 5-13 – Wichita, KS – INTRUST Bank Arena 5-14 – Oklahoma City, OK Chesapeake Energy Arena 5-20 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheater 5-21 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheater 5-27 – Baton Rouge, LA Bayou Country Superfest* 5-29 – Daytona Beach, FL Country 500 6-2 Holmdel, NJ – P.N.C. Bank Arts Center 6-3 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall 6-4 Hershey, PA – Hershey Park Stadium 6-9 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach 6-10 – Washington, DC Jiffy Lube Live 6-11 – Washington, DC Jiffy Lube Live 6-17 – Oshkosh, WI – Country USA* 6-19 – Columbus, OHBuckeye Country Superfest* 6-24 – Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre 6-25 – Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre 7-7 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest* 7-8 Indianapolis, IN Klipsch Music Center 7-9 Indianapolis, IN Klipsch Music Center 7-15 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium*** 7-16 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium*** 7-17 – Bangor, ME – Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion 7-21 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain 7-22 – Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion 7-23 – Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion 7-29 – Philadelphia, PA BB&T Pavilion 7-30 – Philadelphia, PA BB&T Pavilion 7-31 – Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center 8-11 – Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center 8-12 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center 8-13 – Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center 8-14 – Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center 8-19 – Minneapolis, MN U.S. Bank Stadium 8-21 – Calgary, AB – Country Thunder Calgary* Continue reading Luke Bryan’s "Kill The Lights Tour" Breaks Venue Records and Celebrates 3 Sold-Out Weekend Dates as Tour Resumes→

Cole Swindell’s YOU SHOULD BE HERE Available For PreOrder Now

Posted on April 8, 2016 by admin

Swindell Tops Billboard and Mediabase Charts with title track “You Should B COLE SWINDELL’S FORTHCOMING ALBUM YOU SHOULD BE HERE AVAILABLE FOR PRE ORDER NOW NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (April 7, 2016) – Rising country superstar Cole Swindell’s forthcoming album, You Should Be Here, is available for pre order now. The twelve-song collection, including its multi-week #1 hit and title track, was produced again by songwriter and fellow musician Michael Carter. You Should Be Here, the follow-up to Swindell’s Platinum certified self-titled debut, is being released May 6th (Warner Bros. / Warner Music Nashville) celebrating with five songs available for fans who pre-order the album. Those who pre-order now will instantly get a download of the title track, and every we ek beginning this Friday with “Flatliner,” a brand new track will be delivered leading up to the release date. “You Should Be Here,” which Swindell performed at Sunday’s 51st Academy of Country Music Awards, again tops the Billboard Country Chart for the second week in a row, along with topping the Mediabase Country Chart this week. Swindell’s fifth consecutive No. 1 single of his solo career also keeps its #1 position on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (which includes streaming, radio airplay and digital sales) for the fourth week. The career-defining single, co-written by Swindell and Ashley Gorley, has sold over 460,000 copies and racked up more than 25 million streams. The video for the song has streamed over 12 million times on Swindell’s YouTube channel alone. Revealing his album cover and tracklisting (full tra ck list below) directly to fans this weekend from the ACM’s, Swindell also launched his “You Should Be Here” Scavenger Hunt with Shazam, representing the first musical artist ever to do so. Fans can Shazam select Cole Swindell images and audio now through April 18th for a chance to win a trip to New York City for his album release. “You Should Be Here” follows Swindell’s first four consecutive No. 1 singles as a solo artist (including his latest Gold-certified No. 1 smash “Let Me See Ya Girl,” along with Platinum-certified mega hits “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight,” “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” and “Chillin’ It”), all from his Platinum-certified self-titled debut album. In the two short years since debuting his self- titled debut album, Swindell has earned over 250 million streams and sold over 4 million tracks. Additionally, he has co-written eight of the biggest No. 1 songs in country music for some of the format’s hottest starts, including his five chart-toppers as well as Luke Bryan’s “Rollercoaster,” Florida Georgia Line’s “This Is How We Roll” and Thomas Rhett’s “Get Me Some of That.” For more information and tour dates, please visit www.coleswindell.com and follow @coleswindell on Twitter, @cswinde2 on Instagram and on Facebook. YOU SHOULD BE HERE TRACK LISTING 1. Flatliner 2. Middle Of A Memory 3. Broke Down 4. Home Game 5. Up 6. Party Wasn’t Over 7. Stay Downtown 8. You Should Be Here 9. Stars 10. Making My Way To You 11. No Can Left Behind 12. Remember Boys Continue reading Cole Swindell’s YOU SHOULD BE HERE Available For PreOrder Now→

CHARLE DANIELS BAND, EXILE, AND NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND SET TO PERFORM AT NIGHTLY CONCERTS AT NISSAN STADIUM DURING CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Posted on April 8, 2016 by admin

CHARLE DANIELS BAND, EXILE, AND NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND SET TO PERFORM AT NIGHTLY CONCERTS AT NISSAN STADIUM DURING CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL The Oak Ridge Boys set to sing National Anthem on opening night at Nissan Stadium NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 8, 2016) – CMA Music Festival’s Nightly Concerts just got even bigger. CMA Announced via the CMA Music Festival app that Charlie Daniels Band, Exile, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will perform as part of the Nightly Concerts at Nissan Stadium. In addition, Country Music Hall of Famers The Oak Ridge Boys will sing the National Anthem for the opening night of the Festival. [bctt tweet=”@CharlieDaniels, @exileofficial & @GrittyDirt set to perform @NissanStadium during @CountryMusic’s #CMAfest 2016 “] They join previously announced fellow Country Music stars Jason Aldean, Frankie Ballard, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Clint Black, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Marshall Tucker Band, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Ray Stevens, Cole Swindell, Steven Tyler, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Hank Williams, Jr., and Chris Young who will perform during the Festival’s Nightly Concerts at Nissan Stadium. Artists and schedules are subject to change. Daniels, who was announced March 29 as a 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, will lead the charge with the first set Thursday night. Thanks to the announcement on the CMA Music Festival app, fans are already clamoring over the news that the Nitty Gritty Dirt band joining the Saturday night lineup, and Exile hitting the stage Sunday. The 2016 CMA Music Festival runs Thursday through Sunday, June 9-12 in downtown Nashville. While the Festival boasts numerous free stages and unique fan experiences, the most anticipated events are the Nightly Concerts at Nissan Stadium, which sell out long before talent is announced. This year’s app is now available in the App Store for iPhone and Android and includes features that allow fans to create individual concert schedules and be the first to know which of their favorite stars will be appearing on the various Festival stages. Funds generated through CMA Music Festival ticket sales benefit music education. Since 2006, CMA and the CMA Foundation have donated more than $13.6 million to support sustainable music education initiatives across the country on behalf of the artists who participate in the event for free. Fans who were not able to purchase tickets to the Nightly Concerts are still able to enjoy non-stop music, fan engagement, and artist experiences through numerous FREE stages and events across town and by experiencing Fan Fair X in the Music City Center. Tickets to Fan Fair X are available now at CMAfest.com (Fan Fair X admission is included in four-day CMA Music Festival tickets). Fan Fair X tickets are $10 per day or $25 for a four-day pass. For the second year, fans will be able to purchase a four-day pass to the Fan Fair X that includes a general admission ticket to the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Continue reading CHARLE DANIELS BAND, EXILE, AND NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND SET TO PERFORM AT NIGHTLY CONCERTS AT NISSAN STADIUM DURING CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL→

Blackberry Smoke Teams with Gov’t Mule for the Smokin’ Mule 2016 Summer Tour

Posted on April 6, 2016 by admin

Blackberry Smoke Teams with Gov’t Mule for the Smokin’ Mule 2016 Summer Tour NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 6, 2016) – Fronted by visionary Grammy-winning artist and guitar legend, Warren Haynes, Gov’t Mule has announced the Smokin’ Mule 2016 Summer Tour with very special guest, Blackberry Smoke. Kicking off August 11 in Portland, Maine, the Smokin’ Mule Tour will include stops in Philadelphia and Des Moines on the way to their August 25 show with moe. at Colorado’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheater. [bctt tweet=”@blackberrysmoke join @govtmuleband for the #SmokinMule2016SummerTour “] Despite touring together for the first time, the two groups are no strangers. In 2014 Blackberry Smoke joined Gov’t Mule at Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston, Mass., and Warren Haynes performed with Blackberry Smoke on stage at 2015’s acclaimed Christmas Jam in Asheville, N.C. This August, they will come together again to rekindle the magic with ten shows across the United States and more dates to be announced soon. Fan Club pre-sale tickets for the Smokin’ Mule Tour will be available starting Wednesday, April 6th, 12pm ET at Mule.net with tickets on sale Friday, April 8th at 12pm ET.* Smokin’ Mule Summer Tour 2016 dates: August 11 Portland, Maine Maine State Pier August 12 Asbury Park, N.J. Stone Pony Summerstage August 16 Utica, N.Y. Saranac Brewery August 17 Philadelphia, Pa. River Stage at Penn’s Landing August 18 Pittsburgh, Pa. Stage AE Outdoors August 19 Rochester Hills, Mich. Meadow Brook Amphitheatre August 20 Huber Heights, Ohio Music Center at the Heights August 22 Peoria, Ill. CEFCU Center Stage August 23 Des Moines, Iowa Simon Estes Amphitheater August 25 Morrison, Colo. Red Rocks Amphitheater (with moe.) *Hubert Heights, OH will be available on April 13th for pre-sale with tickets on sale April 15th. Philadelphia on sale at April 8th 1pm ET. About Blackberry Smoke: Blackberry Smoke has evolved from rough-edged club act to arena-ready rock ‘n’ roll juggernauts, while steadily extending and expanding the Southern rock tradition. Since the group’s formation in 2000, the band has never shied away from hard work, playing more than 250 shows a year and building an ever-expanding audience on the strength of its live shows. In addition to winning fans and friends throughout the United States, they’ve toured Europe multiple times and performed for the first time ever in Austr alia in 2016 to sold-out crowds. blackberrysmoke.com facebook.com/blackberrysmoke instagram.com/blackberrysmoke twitter.com/blackbe rrysmoke About Gov’t Mule: Gov’t Mule has showcased its virtuosity, intelligence and breadth over the course of 15 studio and live albums, millions of album and track sales and thousands of performances. The flexible interplay in the studio and on stage amongst Warren Haynes, drummer Matt Abts, keyboardist Danny Louis and bassist Jorgen Carlsson provides the band’s sonic foundation and makes them a true living, breathing ensemble. 20 years strong, Gov’t Mule has become a human encyclopedia of great American music while adding to that cannon with their signature sound. mule.net facebook.com/govtmule instagram.com/govtmule twitter.com/govtmuleband

Dear Musicians, Stop Crowd-Funding Your Careers!

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

*This is an opinion piece from our editor-in-chief, Shauna “WhiskeyChick” Castorena. The opinions reflected here do not necessarily reflect those of CMNB as a whole. I will never understand why it is now socially acceptable for bands to crowd fund the recording of an album. I dream one day of being a Hemmingway-esque narrator of life’s great introspect, but if I were to start a crowd fund for my paper, typewriter ribbon and whiskey, that request would fall dead flat in the abyss of the internet. Let’s take this back one step, and define “crowd funding“. Thanks to the power of the internet, panhandling has now gone high tech. Sites like Indiegogo, Kickstarter, and GoFundMe make it simple to put a dream out there and solicit friends, family, and strangers to donate money to make that dream become a reality. It has its place in the innovative world of product development and charitable causes, but no matter how many reward levels you set up in a campaign, making music is the one place where this kind of fundraising is an insult to the fans that support that art. Make your art. Present your art. Let the people decide if your art is worth their hard-earned dollars. In my opinion, crowd funding has helped to over-saturate the musical market with bands that didn’t have to work as hard as their predecessors to earn and pay for studio time, production and distribution. There’s a reason “robust self-indulgent artists” doesn’t ever show up on a success story, and “struggling starving artists” do. Hunger makes you mean. It makes you dig. It makes you fight. I guess I just expect more work upfront and a little more realistic view of band economics. Write music. Practice music. Play music live. Pool your money. Pay for practice space. Practice more. Play better. Play bigger shows. Get paid for shows. Buy merch. Practice more. Write more songs. Play more shows. Sell merch. Get paid for shows. Practice more. Book bigger shows. Promote shows well. Play shows. Sell merch. Buy better merch. Practice more. Book shows. Play shows. Sell merch. Book a tour. Practice more. Promote the tour. Play the tour. Sell merch. Book studio time. Practice more. Play more. Sell more merch. Buy more merch. Play more. Practice more. Record. Play more. Sell more merch. Pay for production and distribution. Play more. Sell more. Play more. Sell more. Play more. Sell more. Go back to go. Do not collect $200 cause your damned van needs new tires. For those that DO go the crowd funded route, at least know what you’re getting yourself into. Besides most likely making your fans pay twice for the same output (fund my album production, then come buy the album at our shows), you’re also committing to giving away your time, your gear, your future ticket/door sales, digital download sales at full price, AND laying the groundwork for an ugly audit from the IRS. *I apologize if this offends the individual musicians Continue reading Dear Musicians, Stop Crowd-Funding Your Careers!→