Voting Still Open for CMT Music Video of the Year!

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CMT Music Awards 2017 on Country Music News Blog!

It’s not too late to say you care… about who wins Video of the Year at the 2017 CMT Music Awards! Take a gander at our nominees below, then click on over to CMT.com to cast your vote! Carrie Underwood – “Church Bells” Artists of Then, Now & Forever – “Forever Country Cole Swindell – “Middle of a Memory” Florida Georgia Line – “H.O.L.Y.” Keith Urban – “Blue Ain’t Your Color” Luke Bryan – “Huntin, Fishin, and Lovin Every Day” Miranda Lambert – “Vice” With just a few hours until show time, CMT today revealed the finalists for the highly-coveted ‘Video of the Year’ award at the “2017 CMT Music Awards,” the loudest night in country music. Fan votes narrowed the pack down to Carrie Underwood, Cole Swindell, Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and the CMA- produced 50th anniversary video, “Artists of Then, Now & Forever.” If Underwood wins she will maintain her record of most “Video of the Year” wins, with seven won.  Finalists were announced this morning on the Today Show with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, which aired lived from Nashville. Voting is now open at CMT.com for these seven finalists and voting will continue through the live show.

Brantley Gilbert Announces Baby Boy With A Blast!

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Brantley and Amber Gilbert Baby Gender Reveal on Country Music News Blog!

Brantley Gilbert has never seemed like much of a traditionalist, so when it came time to let friends and family know the gender of his and wife Amber’s coming first born, of course he thought outside of the box! Surrounded by around 40 of his closest friends and relatives, Brantley carefully loaded a rifle, took aim at a specially loaded Tannerite target in the distance, and fired. The moment the resulting cloud of blue smoke came bellowing up, cheers and tears started flowing all around! “Everybody was crying,” Gilbert exclusively told People Magazine about the reaction. “I turned around, and I think that’s when it hit me that everybody’s wanted this for us as much as we did for so long. When the blue cloud went up, well, that made it even more real. Now we know it’s a little boy, and he’s going to have to get ready for a whole lot of love.” “It seemed like a fun, different way to do the reveal,” says the man with the back-to-back platinum albums of shooting the target “about the size of a beef jerky container” packed with powder. “And it felt like something that I’d really do. But I don’t think any of us thought we would get so emotional.” Read more about Brantley Gilbert’s big baby gender reveal from our friends at People Country!

Wynonna Judd Releases First Music Video in 14 Years ‘Keeps Me Alive’

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Wynonna Judd on Country Music News Blog

In a day full of hot news, it doesn’t get any hotter than this for me! As a lifelong nearly obsessive fan of The Judds, finding out about Wynonna‘s first new music video in 14 years in the same moment you hear that The Judds are releasing their All-Time Greatest Hits on June 30th, my head and heart are both in a whirl. The mother-daughter duo has been hands-down one of the most sensational acts in country music for decades and there’s no reason why their music should live on in today’s Nashville landscape. Let’s dig in deeper as we take a closer listen to Wynonna’s sultry, bluesy “Keeps Me Alive” which just sends chills down my spine. From Wynonna’s press team: Wynonna Judd releases her first music video in 14 years, “Keeps Me Alive.” Along with her band, The Big Noise, this special project also features American guitarist Derek Trucks. The visually captivating video was shot at the historic Oaklands Mansion in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and directed by Todd Cassetty of HiFi Fusion. Over the weekend (June 3), the video premiered on AMC’s after The Son which stars Pierce Brosnan. More about The Judds All-Time Greatest Hits: Together, Country Music icons Wynonna and Naomi Judd made musical history throughout their career receiving eight Gold and eight Platinum records, selling over 20 million albums and scoring twenty Top 10 hits between 1984-1990. Now, Curb Records is excited to bring fans the ultimate collection of those years together. The Judds – All-Time Greatest Hits will be released on Friday, June 30 – and will feature each of the classic hits that helped to make them a household name on Country Radio in the 1980s and 1990s. “Some things continue to get better with time, like fine wine and the Judds music,” says Naomi Judd. “I’m so proud that our music has stood the test of time. It makes my heart smile when I turn on Country Radio and I can sing along with our hits.” The twenty-one song set will feature each of the duo’s top ten hits, as well as “You Can’t Go Home Again (Flies On The Butter),” a recording from 2011. Beginning with the classic #1 hit “Mama, He’s Crazy” in 1984, and continuing through 1991’s “One Hundred and Two,” the duo established a career that will stand with one of the top duets in Country Music history. Fourteen times the duo topped the Billboard Country Singles chart, and each of their five studio albums were certified Gold or Platinum. Along with their sales and airplay success, The Judds also dominated the awards shows like no artist before their time. Starting in 1984, the duo netted nine CMA Awards, including a run from 1985-1991 as either Vocal Duo or Vocal Group of the Year. Their trophies also include the 1985 Single of the Year “Why Not Me,” which is also included on The Judds – All Time Greatest Hits. They also won seven straight trophies from the Academy of Continue reading Wynonna Judd Releases First Music Video in 14 Years ‘Keeps Me Alive’→

Stephanie Quayle To Embark on 2017 Winnebago Tour

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Stephanie Quayle on Country Music News Blog!

Country newcomer Stephanie Quayle sounds like anything BUT a newcomer as she brings roadtrip adventures to life in a smooth southern way on her new single “Winnebago”, which also serves as the title to her debut headlining tour. Calling from obvious influences like LeeAnn Womack and Tammy Wynette, Quayle’s simple storytelling style is as clean and honest as country gets, and is just another signal that Nashville is backing away from that flash and fire pop sound they’ve been drowning in lately. Take a look at this live performance from Stephanie Quayle and find out more about her in the press release below! STEPHANIE QUAYLE ANNOUNCES 2017 HEADLINING “WINNEBAGO” TOUR: POWERED BY THE RV LOFT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WINNEBAGO, KAMPGROUNDS OF AMERICA AND POLAROID  TOUR KICKS OFF AT CMA MUSIC FEST  IN NASHVILLE THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 10   QUAYLE TO PERFORM OPENING DAY OF WINNEBAGO’S 2017 GRAND NATIONAL RALLY  Nashville, TN—June 5, 2017- In celebration of her infectious new single, “Winnebago,” Rebel Engine recording artist Stephanie Quayle is kicking off the summer in style with the announcement of her 2017 headlining “Winnebago” Tour: Powered By The RV Loft, in partnership with Kampgrounds Of America (KOA), Winnebago and Polaroid. The “Winnebago” tour will launch this Saturday, June 10 at CMA Music Fest in Nashville on the Hard Rock Stage at 5:30pm CT. From there, Quayle will crisscross the U.S. performing at KOA locations nationwide– “from the Empire State to the Golden Gate” —all in the comfort of a Winnebago with her Winnie Drop in tow, provided by co-sponsors The RV Loft and Winnebago. On July 17, Quayle will perform for opening day of Winnebago’s 2017 Grand National Rally in Forest City, IA. We’ll camp out on the open road From Buffalo all the way to Tupelo Ain’t never seen the Hoover Dam before We’ll take a Polaroid picture under Mt Rushmore I wanna kiss you on the Golden Gate Hold your hand at the top of the Empire State Come on baby we don’t have to wait So whatcha say, hey whatcha say Hop on in to my Winnebago We’re gonna go wherever the wind blows Recently lauded as an “Artist You Need To Know,” by Rolling Stone Country, Quayle will be living out the lyrics to her new single making stops at each of the national cities and landmarks namechecked in the song including Buffalo, Tupelo, the Hoover Dam, Mt. Rushmore, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State Building, and more. “With ‘Winnebago,’ I love that it’s roll your windows down and sing along,” Quayle tells Rolling Stone Country. “If that song doesn’t make you smile, then I don’t know what will.” Quayle has teamed up with Polaroid who will be sharing photos of her adventures on the tour through Polaroid-owned social media channels. Fans can follow Quayle along on her journey via the Polaroid Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages (@Polaroid). KOA will also be featuring Facebook LIVE videos to chronicle Quayle’s appearances at each of their campsites. Exclusive content will be posted across Quayle’s own social media platforms Continue reading Stephanie Quayle To Embark on 2017 Winnebago Tour→

Clark Hill to Release New Single “Perfect To Me”

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Clark Hill on Country Music News Blog!

One of the best things about CMAFest season is the flood of new artists that fills our submission box, and CMA’s emerging artist Clark Hill is certainly no exception. Reminiscent of an early Tracy Lawrence, Clark’s smooth emotional voice melts event the hardest of listeners as he pours his heart out on this current single, “Perfect To Me”. Hear the song here: Perfect To Me on Soundcloud and find out more about Clark Hill in the press release below. Break The Cycle Entertainment’s Clark Hill will release his new single, “Perfect To Me,” co-written by the GRAMMY-nominated artist Chris Young and esteemed songwriter/musician Mike Rogers, on June 9th via iTunes, Spotify, and all other digital retailers. “I can’t think of a greater honor than to cut a song written by an artist as amazing as Chris Young and our friend, songwriter, and producer Mike Rogers,” said Hill. “ They have given me the gift of placing my stamp on country music with one of the best songs I’ve had the privilege to record.” The track will be the first single from Hill’s forthcoming debut album, People Like Me, expected for release later this year.  The project was fully recorded at CTM Studios (Catch This Music) in Nashville and produced by Rogers, co-writer of “Perfect To Me” and drummer for Craig Morgan. “This is one of the best songs I’ve ever been a part of,” said Rogers. “Writing it with Chris Young while on a USO tour was so fun! With Clark Hill’s vocal, it’s sure to be a hit.” The track came into fruition while Young and Morgan were providing entertainment overseas for the United Service Organization when a wounded warrior by the name of Joe Bowser approached. (Bowser decided to have his right leg amputated in 2004 after a 122 mm rocket that landed on base lodged a piece of shrapnel in his lower calf/heel.) While in Iraq, Young and Rogers were talking about potential material for a song; Young had the chord progression, but no lyrics. That’s when Bowser suggested a topic inspired by his wife, Michele. “As the words came together, the song became more personal to me,” said Bowser. “I have heard her talk about how she can’t stand to look in the mirror, but I would tell her, ‘You’re perfect to me.’’  A music video is currently under production and will be released this summer. Originally from Starke, Florida, he came of age while working on his family’s farm planting and harvesting vegetables. Beginning in second grade, Hill took the initiative to perform in local talent shows as an Elvis Presley impersonator—hair dyed black, jumpsuit, the whole package. He went on to join the children’s choir and lead the praise band in church before performing regularly for the holidays at Walt Disney World in high school choir. A truly compelling performer, between 2013-2016, Hill has played over 300 concerts in about 100 different venues across the globe and traveled internationally throughout the fall/winter of 2016 Continue reading Clark Hill to Release New Single “Perfect To Me”→

CMA Fest, Vince Gill, Johnny Lee, Ray Scott, Jason Aldean And More Featured In “The Pickup”

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The Pickup on Country Music News Blog!

Watch the latest episode of The Pickup here. CMA FEST, VINCE GILL, JOHNNY LEE, RAY SCOTT, JASON ALDEAN AND MANY MORE FEATURED IN THE NEWEST EPISODE OF “THE PICKUP” Continuing the tradition of bringing you the latest news in country music, the latest episode of “The Pickup” features a look inside CMA Fest, Vince Gill’s latest musical pairing, Johnny Lee still lookin’ for love, Ray Scott’s latest album, and so much more of country’s top stories. One of country music’s biggest names, Vince Gill, will be the newest member of the Eagles, one of the best-selling bands of all time. Gill can be seen performing with the band throughout the month of July. With CMA FEST right around the corner, “The Pickup” has a list of must-dos for the week. This list includes paying a visit to the Cracker Barrel Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater to see classic acts such as The Oak Ridge Boys and Billy Ray Cyrus for free. Also on that list is the CMA Fest Family Feud: Country Stars vs Reality Stars featuring Darryl Worley, Jeannie Seely and Ray Stevens Sunday at the CMA Close Up Stage. John Conlee was recently honored by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association for his song “Walkin’ Behind the Star” in support of the women and men in blue. Ray Scott talks about his newest album Guitar For Sale that is set to release on June 9. He has also released a lyric video to “Livin’ This Way” that features a look at the recording process. Country legend Johnny Lee is releasing his autobiography titled Still Lookin’ for Love and speaks with “The Pickup” about the meaning behind the title. The Country Music Hall of Fame has a new exhibit chronicling Jason Aldean’s life and career that will be open until November. Aldean talks to “The Pickup” about his thoughts on the exhibit, Asphalt Cowboy. “Things Change” is the title track to the latest album from living legend Bobby Bare. Bare shares the secrets to his distinctive country voice with Adam Wurtzel from “The Pickup.” Stay tuned for our next episode for a look inside CMA Fest. It will be one you don’t want to miss! Check out the latest episode of The Pickup here. ABOUT THE PICKUP: Launched in early 2015, The Pickup, a syndicated country video news series produced by The Hot Seat, highlights today’s stars and classic country artists making news today. New episodes are posted on the 1st and 15th of each month. The Pickup, hosted and produced by Adam Wurtzel, can be seen on the websites of broadcasters across the country including over 160 stations, as well as online media blogs, RFD-TV, the U.K.’s SKY Television and the Heartland Network.

Making Moonshine: A Renegade Art

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Mile Hi Distillery on Country Music News Blog!

This summer sure did sneak up on us here at CountryMusicNewsBlog.com and as every summer does, this one seems to be packed full of festivals, campouts and bonfires. As we sat around going over our event calendars and telling stories from parties past, the subject of that evil little pass-around jar came up, and that got us thinking. For an activity that operates on the edges of the law, the moonshine trade is still running at full speed in the Midwest. We reached out to our friends at Mile Hi Distilling to ask what the current legal landscape is for shiners, and if they had anything to say on the matter, and here’s what we got back!   It may bum you out to hear that distilling in the comfort of one’s own home has been illegal since the years of prohibition, even though home brewing, or “craft brewing” has been legal since 1979. Don’t be bummed! Distilling is not straight out illegal; down to the root of it, distilling is separating a liquid through the process of vaporizing the liquid, condensing, and collecting the vapor put off. It’s the same process you would use to purify water, in fact! It’s a harmless, and legal, hobby so long as you follow a few guidelines.   What all the “illegality” talk boils down to is good ole’ fun taxes. 5% of the United States revenue comes directly from alcohol taxes. Such a hefty contribution keeps home distilling illegal, resulting in fines that can make you stop in your tracks, a visit or two to the nearest jail, and seizing of your personal property. And yet, moonshining in the hidden rooms of homes all around hasn’t let up one bit!   Of course, if you don’t have the intent to do anything naughty, this is purely academic. You’d probably be amazed to hear that there’s an estimated 200,000 US moonshiners in full operation. While we do not condone taking on home moonshining and risking it all for a sip of “white whiskey” made with your own two hands, there are some that are putting in all their innocence chips and getting their shine on! The equipment used for distilling is a work of art in it’s own right. To see for yourself, check out our website Mile HiDistilling.com! In order to produce this beautiful equipment, we have a team of artisan welders on hand that make their delicate work look easy. As we say at Mile Hi, “let’s take a walk in the moonlight.” So basically, our thoughts in the office were right… While it’s one of those things that where it’s fine to own the equipment, and fine to fail at the art, it’s getting good at it that gets you into dangerous territory. Of course when has that ever stopped the party? Now we want to know… When did you last get YOUR shine on?

2017 CMT MUSIC AWARDS” TO FEATURE SUPERSTAR PAIRINGS

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CMT Music Awards

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE AND THE CHAINSMOKERS, KEITH URBAN AND CARRIE UNDERWOOD, LADY ANTEBELLUM AND EARTH, WIND & FIRE – LIVE FROM NASHVILLE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7 AT 8PM ET/PT CMT today announced that breakout artists, The Chainsmokers, will perform with superstar duo Florida Georgia Line for the first time on television during the “2017 CMT Music Awards.” In a performance sure to span multiple decades, Lady Antebellum will jam out with Earth, Wind & Fire, while country royalty, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood, will perform live together for the first time on any CMT stage. They join previously announced superstars Blake Shelton, Brett Eldredge, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett from Nashville’s Music City Center on Wednesday, June 7 at 8pm ET/PT. Additional performers will soon be announced.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Baby Got Gone” video premieres at CMT; new album out 8/4 + North American tour

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The video for “Baby Got Gone,” the first single from Lay It On Down, five-time Grammy nominee and critically acclaimed guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s forthcoming ninth album, is premiering on TV via CMT Music and online at CMT.com. Watch/share the video at http://bit.ly/2qcQs6S. Lay It On Down is due August 4 on Concord Records. Recorded at Echophone Studios in Shepherd’s hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana and produced by Shepherd with Marshall Altman (Matt Nathanson, Natasha Bedingfield, Kate Voegele), the album was largely recorded live in the studio to analog tape. Shepherd’s band on Lay It On Down features his long-time lead vocalist Noah Hunt, the rhythm section from Shepherd’s supergroup side project The RIDES, Chris Layton (drums) and Kevin McCormick (bass), and keyboardist Jimmy McGorman. “I’m proud of the album we have delivered to the fans and I think they’ll be excited by what they hear,” notes Shepherd. “The band we’ve assembled did a fantastic job bringing these songs to life and conveying the musical message to the listener. Now we are looking forward to bringing this new music to the live show to watch it develop even more.” Shepherd further discusses the writing/recording process in the new album’s video trailer, watch/share it at https://youtu.be/xW6HfiJ-WYQ. Shepherd will celebrate the album’s release with a U.S. tour that kicks off August 9 in Westbury, NY. See below for a list of dates; additional shows to be announced shortly. Lay It On Down finds Shepherd two decades into a recording career that began when he was 16. Shepherd has sold millions of albums worldwide and, in addition to his five Grammy nominations, he has won two Billboard Music Awards, a pair of Orville H. Gibson awards, the Blues Foundation’s Keeping The Blues Alive award and two Blues Music awards. He’s had six #1 blues albums and a string of #1 mainstream rock singles, and his acclaimed documentary project 10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads was the top-selling blues album of 2007. Shepherd’s last release, 2014’s Goin’ Home (Concord Records), debuted at #25 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart and spent several weeks at #1 on the Billboard Blues chart. LAY IT ON DOWN TRACK LIST Baby Got Gone 2. Diamonds & Gold 3. Nothing But The Night 4. Lay It On Down 5. She’s $$$ 6. Hard Lesson Learned 7. Down For Love 8. How Low Can You Go 9. Louisiana Rain 10. Ride Of Your Life THE KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD BAND LIVE August 9  Westbury, NY  The Space at Westbury August 10  Albany, NY     The Egg August 11  Northfield, OH   Hard Rock Live August 12  Peoria, IL       Riverfront Park August 14  Annapolis, MD Rams Head on Stage August 15  Annapolis, MD Rams Head on Stage August 16  Morristown, NJ  Mayo Performing Arts Center August 18  Portland, ME   Aura August 19  Northampton, MA Calvin Theatre August 20  Derry, NH   Tupelo Music Hall August 22  Bar Harbor, ME  Criterion Theatre August 23  Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse August 25  Harrisburg, PA   Whitaker Center August 26  E. Continue reading Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Baby Got Gone” video premieres at CMT; new album out 8/4 + North American tour→

Eric Church to Finish “Holdin My Own” Tour With Two-Night Blowout!

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Eric Church on Country Music News Blog

ERIC CHURCH WRAPS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH TWO SOLD OUT SHOWS IN NASHVILLE POP-UP STORE OFFERING RARE ITEMS RETURNS AROUND NASHVILLE  SHOWS AND CMA MUSIC FEST Church unveils brand new These Boots by Lucchese design during Bridgestone shows; will stream sneak peek of pop-up store via Facebook Live Thursday, May 25 at 11 a.m. CT NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Having played 60 shows in just four months, Eric Church will end his tour with two sold-out shows at Nashville, Tennessee’s Bridgestone Arena this Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27. The final two cap-off his cross-continent, completely sold-out Holdin’ My Own Tour. The double-set/sans-opener show will deliver three+ hours of music pulling from Church’s full discography. The No. 1 most attended music tour in the world so far this year (Pollstar) has been dominating charts and breaking records occupying ALL top five spots on May 15’s Billboard’s Country Boxscore with Church’s sell-outs of his April & May shows in Tampa, Fla.; Greenville, S.C.; Uncasville, Conn.; Pittsburgh, Pa. and Cincinnati, Ohio totaling more than 81,000 fans in attendance for those five shows alone. On May 5, Church shattered Florida’s Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena’s attendance record with an unprecedented 13,591 in capacity. The tour has also sold out every tour stop despite cancelling more than 33,000 tickets listed on the secondary market in an effort to reduce the activity of ticket scalpers. Just hours away from his tour finale, Church will once again open a pop-up store in East Nashville (address: 218 South 11th Street) for the third consecutive year in celebration of his performance at the Nissan Stadium during this year’s CMA Festival with a portion of the proceeds benefiting he and wife Katherine’s non-profit Chief Cares that serves over 2.5 million people around the globe with charitable giving. For more information on Chief Cares Fund, visit www.ericchurch.com/chiefcares. The pop-up store will be open Friday, May 26 through Sunday, May 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. where it will feature rare items including Church’s Gibson Hummingbird Dark Signature autographed guitar and custom Jack Daniel’s barrels. The store will open again Thursday, June 8 through Sunday, June 11 during the same hours and will feature exclusive merchandise unavailable anywhere else, like a custom Orion Cooler and vintage tour T-shirts and posters. Mr. Misunderstood’s devotees have one more chance at making it to one of the sold-out Holdin’ My Own finale shows at Bridgestone Arena. If they come in to the Nashville pop-up store beginning May 26, and purchase the store’s exclusive poster, they have a chance of finding a pair of tickets to that night’s show. There will be hidden tickets for both the Friday and Saturday shows. This year Church will debut a never-before-seen design of his These Boots by Lucchese cowboy boot line Bridgestone Arena shows May 26 and 27. The design is called The Chattanooga Lucy after the “the most thrilling country dance tune to come along in ages” (Rolling Stone Country) from his fifth studio album, Mr. Misunderstood. During CMA Festival store hours, fans will be able to purchase a pair of The Chattanooga Lucy design as well Continue reading Eric Church to Finish “Holdin My Own” Tour With Two-Night Blowout!→