Waylon Jennings & Jessi Colter Memoir – Outlaw and a Lady

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Jessie Colter on Country Music News Blog

The memoir, An Outlaw and a Lady: A Memoir of Music, Life with Waylon, and the Faith That Brought Me Home, will be released April 11th, 2017. Written with David Ritz—whose known for his collaborative biographies with folks like Willie Nelson and Ray Charles, the book covers Colter’s innovative musical career from singing in church to performing beside Waylon, Willie, and Johnny Cash as part of the Wanted: The Outlaws phenomenon. Jessi was the first woman ever to receive the Album of the Year Award from the CMA (Country Music Association) and played a critical role in the formulation of women in country in the 70s, and was an integral part of the “outlaw” country movement that included her husband Waylon, as well as Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Along with Wanted: The Outlaws becoming the first ever platinum-selling record in country music history, Jessi Colter achieved success beyond the shadow of the big male-dominated Outlaw names with #1 and top 10 hits. It’s public knowledge that Waylon struggled with heavy drug and alcohol addiction throughout his life. An Outlaw and a Lady tackles the tumultuous condition of their marriage at times, and how their faith and music weaved within that. Colter still lives in Arizona where Waylon eventually got clean, and where he was laid to rest in 2002. The daughter of a Pentecostal evangelist and a race-car driver, the book also chronicles Jessi’s return to faith, and how Waylon shared that faith with her in the latter stages of his life. This is a special memoir because no one has ever heard their story. She has a new album releasing this month as well to coincide with the book.

Billy Dean Officially Inducted Into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame

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Country music hitmaker Billy Dean has been officially inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.  On February 23 in Gainesville, Dean entered this year’s class alongside former Eagles member Don Felder, country legend Jim Stafford, and poet/anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins. About Billy Dean In his music career spanning more than 25 years, Dean has claimed eleven top ten Billboard country singles, including five #1 hits: “I Miss Billy The Kid,” “Somewhere In My Broken Heart,” “If There Hadn’t Been You,” “You Don’t Count The Cost” and “It’s What I Do.” Dean recorded eight major label studio albums, three of which have been certified gold by the RIAA, as well as a greatest hits album which is also certified gold. Earlier in his career, the Academy of Country Music named Dean Top New Male Vocalist and also awarded him Song of the Year for “Somewhere In My Broken Heart.” In 2000, Dean sang harmony vocals alongside Alison Krauss on Kenny Rogers‘ rendition of “Buy Me A Rose,” which earned a GRAMMY®. In addition to his successful recording career, Dean has also acted in several movies and appeared in numerous television shows.

TIN PAN SOUTH 2017 PERFORMERS & SCHEDULE RELEASED

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25th Anniversary Features Over 400 Writers #TINPANSOUTH25 Organizers of The 25th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival Presented by Regions Bank pulled out all stops for the Silver Anniversary, and the 100 shows and more than 400 writers have been announced and are now available at TinPanSouth.com. Set for March 28-April 1, 2017, writers representing virtually every genre will perform at 10 of Nashville’s top music venues. CMA Vocal Duo of the Year winners Brothers Osborne will entertain at 3rd & Lindsley, and “Nashville” television show stars Charles Esten, Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen will appear at the Hard Rock Cafe and The Listening Room Cafe, respectively. Grammy Award-winner Keb’ Mo’ will bring his unique Blues style to The Country, and Rock legend Jim Peterik returns to perform at Whiskey Rhythm. Country hitmakers Jake Owen, Craig Campbell, Maddie & Tae, Danielle Bradbery, Mo Pitney, Kristian Bush, Love and Theft, Mickey Guyton, Luke Combs and others will hit various stages, and legends like Larry Gatlin, Lee Roy Parnell and Mac Davis will tell fascinating stories behind their biggest hits. After a two-year absence, BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, producer, music publisher, author, Broadway performer and TV personality Kara DioGuardi is set to perform. Dove and Emmy Award winner Brandon Heath will delight with his story telling, and former Sixpence leader Leigh Nash returns to Tin Pan. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on April 1, 1967, the museum is offering Fast Access Pass holders free admission on Saturday, April 1. 2017. The Tin Pan South Fast Access Passes permit patrons to bypass the cover charge at the door and allow advance entrance, space permitting. Most venues offer cash admission for individual shows not already at the posted capacity, and single show tickets will be available at the door and range from $­10 – 20. The free Tin Pan South Festival App is now available for IOS and Android devices and features: The ability to add individual events to a personal schedule; News and social media feeds to stay informed of festival happenings; Real-time notifications on the status of show changes; Festival map and venue information; Explore Music City with a list of landmark recommendations. Tin Pan South is set to run March 28-April 1, 2017 at 10 of Nashville’s top music venues.Produced by Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), Regions Bank returns for the tenth year as the presenting partner of the Festival. For up-to-date lineups, tickets, venues, schedules and other festival information, download the Festival App or visit tinpansouth.com. Updates can also be found on the Tin Pan South Facebookpage, Twitterand Instagram. The Tin Pan South program will be published in the March 22, 2017 issue of the “Nashville Scene.” Organizers of the 25th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival would like to thank the following Platinum and Gold Corporate Partners: Regions Bank – Presenting Partner Southwest Airlines – Official Airline Partner News Channel 5 – Official Broadcast Partner Vident Continue reading TIN PAN SOUTH 2017 PERFORMERS & SCHEDULE RELEASED→

Zac Brown’s Camp Southern Ground Unveils New Expansion

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Zac Brown Band on Country Music News Blog

Sitting atop a knoll of rolling pastureland, Camp Southern Ground’s Peterson Dining Hall has been described as “an open-armed gesture of welcome to those arriving at camp”. Offering breathtaking views of the campus’s dense greenery, the completion of the Dining Hall marks a major milestone for Camp Southern Ground. With its opening, we can offer a transformational experience not just to our campers, but anyone looking for a unique venue in a beautiful, natural setting. A Note From Zac Brown As a former camp counselor, I know how a positive camp experience can transform a child’s life. My dream is that children of all abilities will have an opportunity to experience the magic of the outdoors. Thank you for helping us create an amazing place for kids to learn and grow. – See more at: http://www.campsouthernground.org/#sthash.F0cFz6c0.dpuf THE VISION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE A two-story, state-of-the-art design, Zac Brown’s vision for the Peterson Dining Hall was brought to life by world renowned architectural firm Perkins + Will, along with the construction teams at DPR and Structor Group. This one-of-a-kind, 100-year build features materials sourced locally, including a natural zinc exoskeleton with a terraced boulder waterfall feature, as well as an interior ceiling made with sustainably harvested sapele mahogany donated by Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars. Acting as the interior focal point is a 26-foot-high brick fireplace flanked on either side by large windows – allowing for an overabundance of natural light to flood the room. FAMILY-STYLE DINING For our campers, the dining hall offers an additional space to connect with new friends, as they dine family-style on nutritious and gluten-free meals prepared using the produce harvested from our organic garden.  The food will be served from the lower level kitchen utilizing ultra-modern dumbwaiters. The dining hall is an extension of our Programs of Purpose: Nutrition, in which our campers will experience a meal created from start to finish – understand where their food is coming from, as well as the nutritional value behind it – all while dining in an unparalleled space. COOKING UP NEW IDEAS The dining hall will also serve as Camp Southern Ground’s culinary headquarters. Our talented chefs will work in the hi-tech kitchen to grow the camp menu to reflect our gluten-free nutrition plan for entrées, side dishes, and baked goods as well. When camp officially opens, the dining hall will be able to serve up to 300 campers plus 150 counselors, staff and volunteers. PLAYING HOST In 2016, the Peterson Dining Hall hosted two major events at the new venue: The 2016 Cattle Barons Ball to benefit the American Cancer Society and the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group. American Cancer Society’s Cattle Barons Ball The American Cancer Society proudly hosted the very first event in the Peterson Dining Hall on the campus of Camp Southern Ground. On November 5th, more than 360 guests and 40 volunteers donned their favorite western attire to dance the night away at the Cattle Baron’s Ball.  Guests enjoyed live music, dancing, bidding Continue reading Zac Brown’s Camp Southern Ground Unveils New Expansion→

Australian Country Music Festival, CMC Rocks Queensland, Sells Out 10th Anniversary Event

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CMC Rocks

While celebrating its 10th Anniversary, CMC Rocks Queensland has sold out for its second consecutive year. The Australia-based Country music festival will host more than 15,000 music lovers across three days at Willowbank, with headline performances from Dixie Chicks, Little Big Town, Kip Moore and local stars Lee Kernaghan and Morgan Evans, and will feature MCs Storme Warren and Mike Carr & Grizzly Adams. The festival is set for Friday, March 24, 2017 to Sunday, March 26. With expanded camping areas, an extended camper’s entertainment program, and more of the best food and beverage suppliers, CMC Rocks QLD has increased its capacity by 2,000, up from last year’s 13,000 maximum capacity crowd, and is the only country music festival to ever sell out in Australia. “It is very exciting to see the growth of Country Music around the world, and for us to have an event in Australia that truly reflects this with chart topping artists from USA, UK, Canada, NZ and Australia all performing at this year’s 10th Anniversary CMC Rocks QLD Festival”, said promoter Rob Potts. “Aussie country music fans from each State and Territory will be joined by visiting country fans from around the world; North America, UK, Europe, South East Asia, New Zealand and more, as they all come together to celebrate the best of country music at the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest international country and roots festival. Sold out for the second year in a row, Chuggi and I look forward to presenting and evolving the next ten years of CMC Rocks!” Foxtel Arts & Music Channels Manager, Fraser Stark said, “Foxtel and CMC (Country Music Channel), congratulates Rob Potts Entertainment Edge and Chugg Entertainment in securing an extraordinary line up of local and international country music artists which sees the festival go from strength to strength. We are proud of our strong partnership with CMC Rocks as it heads into its tenth successful year with Foxtel’s 7th Annual CMC Music Awards pre-empting the festival.  It is a relationship with a long standing commitment and tremendous vision to broaden this genre of music in Australia and bring the best of country music to both these live events as well as on Foxtel screens.” Music lovers will turn out in force to watch some of the biggest names in country music hit the stage. With 16 international acts playing alongside a plethora of established and up-and-coming local artists, 2017 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet. Joining Dixie Chicks (USA), Little Big Town (USA), Kip Moore (USA) and Lee Kernaghan (Australia) on 2017’s A-List international roster are Tyler Farr (USA), Craig Campbell (USA), Charles Esten (USA), Michael Ray (USA), Eric Paslay (USA), Granger Smith (USA), Drew Baldridge (USA), The Shires (UK), Ward Thomas (UK), Gord Bamford (Canada), Chris DeStefano (USA) and Brett James (USA). Local legends and rising stars round out the lineup: Morgan Evans, Adam Harvey, The McClymonts, The Wolfe Brothers, Jasmine Rae, Caitlyn Shadbolt, Brothers 3, Christie Lamb, Col Finley, Doug Bruce & Continue reading Australian Country Music Festival, CMC Rocks Queensland, Sells Out 10th Anniversary Event→

Luke Bryan’s Official Video for “Fast”

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ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee and four-time show co-host Luke Bryan released a poignant music video for single “Fast” today. The video features an acoustic performance by Luke on a bare stage as photos of his early childhood, career and family flow through as the music plays. “Fast” was the tenth Luke video directed by Michael Monaco and was written by Luke, Rodney Clawson and Luke Laird and is the sixth single off his Platinum selling KILL THE LIGHTS album. Watch it here: “Nothing makes me happier than knowing my family is safe and content,” says Luke. “Life does go too fast so we have to remind ourselves to stop and take in what is happening around us in our careers and our families lives.” Earlier this week, Luke performed “Fast” for radio programmers in Nashville for Country Radio Seminar, revealed his wax figure at Madame Tussauds in New York City, played a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden and performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. This weekend, Luke continues the final leg of the “Kill The Lights Tour” with shows in Manchester, New Hampshire and Providence, Rhode Island.

Rascal Flatts “Back To Us” Available for Pre-Order

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Rascal Flatts announced today that their new album Back to Us, featuring their hit song, “Yours If You Want It”, will be released on May 19th! “There was a nostalgic feeling between the three of us while in the studio for this record, a feeling that was more reminiscent of our first albums,” said Jay DeMarcus. “The journey we’ve all been on together is unreal and I can honestly say I’m even more excited about what is ahead for us. ‘Back To Us’ is not only a title of a song on the album, but a feeling that has been building around this new music. It just fits in so many ways.” You can also tune in today, Friday, March 3rd to see Rascal Flatts on the Ellen Degeneres Show! Find what time the Ellen show airs in your local area here.

Mountain Soul Vocal Competition Honors Dolly Parton’s Songwriting Career

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Dolly Parton

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, in Sevierville, Tenn., Dolly drew much inspiration from her “Tennessee Mountain Home” and wrote about the beautiful scenery and Appalachian culture that surrounded her. To honor her incredible songwriting, her hometown will once again host the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition, now in its 13th year. This year’s competition will feature contestants who are asked to sing a song written by Dolly Parton in the style of his or her own choosing (country, rock, rap, bluegrass, etc.). Contestants may enter in the 13 and up age division or the 12 and under division for this competition. “This competition is truly unique and draws competitors from all corners of the United States,” says Chamber Marketing Director and event organizer Amanda Marr. “Since Dolly Parton is Sevierville’s hometown girl, holding a competition that honors her songwriting ability was a natural fit for us.” As far as event organizers know, this is the only vocal competition in the world that specifically honors the songwriting of Dolly Parton.  Winning competitors take home cash and prizes including a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee. Auditions, sent by mail, will be judged by a panel of entertainment professionals who will identify 30 finalists – 20 in the ages 13+ division and 10 in the ages 12 and under division. The entry deadline for the preliminary round of the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition is Friday April 7, 2017. Those finalists will then perform during the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition Finals near the bronze statue of Dolly Parton at Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass on Saturday, May 20, 2017. For a complete list of Dolly’s songs, competitors – and those that are interested – should visit www.dollymania.net. It is not necessary, nor is it encouraged to impersonate Dolly Parton, either physically or vocally. Interested vocalists may obtain an application online at www.BloominBBQ.com or by calling the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at 1-888-889-7415. Return the application and entry fee along with an audition CD, DVD, or Digital File on Jump Drive / Thumb Drive of the contestant singing a song written by Dolly Parton in the style of his or her own choosing to the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. Entries must be postmarked by April 7, 2017. The Mountain Soul Vocal Competition is part of Sevierville’s 13th Annual Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass event May 19-20, 2017. For more information about the Mountain Soul Vocal Competition or Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass, visit www.BloominBBQ.com.

In Honor of Texas Independence Day, RodeoHouston Headliner Announces Recording of Live CD/DVD of Performance

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RodeoHouston Details on Country Music News Blog

THE UNDERDOG AARON WATSON TO RECORD LIVE CD AND DVD OF RODEOHOUSTON PERFORMANCE In celebration of the release of his latest album, Vaquero, The Underdog Aaron Watson announces that he will be recording a live CD/DVD on Tuesday, March 7 during his opening night performance at RodeoHouston. Fans are invited to be a part of this historic night and can purchase tickets here. Vaquero debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Country Albums chart, as well as No. 2 on the iTunes All Genre Albums chart. The album is the follow-up to the history-making album The Underdog, which debuted as No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, making Watson the first-ever independent, male country artist to debut in the coveted top spot. Texas Monthly  shares an in-depth story about the honky-tonk kid’s impressive rise in their March print issue. Event Details: Who: Aaron Watson What: Live CD/DVD Taping at RodeoHouston When: Tuesday, March 7 Where: NRG Park, Houston, TX Tickets: For more information on ticket sales, click here.

Cole Swindell Celebrates His Record-Breaking Sixth No. 1 Single “Middle of a Memory”

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Only Solo Artist in the history of Country Aircheck/Mediabase to top the chart with his first SIX singles! Award-winning songwriters Cole Swindell, Ashley Gorley and Zach Crowell (each recent CMA Triple Play Award winners) gathered with fans, friends and industry notables Tuesday night at the Warner Music Nashville office to celebrate the No. 1 hit “Middle of a Memory,” from Swindell’s recently certified RIAA Gold album You Should Be Here. “Middle of a Memory” became Swindell’s record-breaking sixth consecutive No. 1 single (breaking his own record) and ninth overall as a songwriter. Swindell, the six-time Platinum-selling No. 1 hit songwriter is the only solo artist in the history of Country Aircheck/Mediabase to top the chart with his first SIX singles. “Middle of a Memory,” recently certified Gold® by the RIAA, is the followup to the Platinum-certified, 1+ Billion-reaching smash single “You Should Be Here.” Each of the six singles and two albums Swindell has released since he signed with Warner Bros. Records three years ago have not only all gone to No. 1 on the country charts but have been certified by the RIAA for reaching Gold (500,000+) and/or Platinum (1,000,000) status. You Should Be Here includes the Platinum-certified, multi-week No. 1, over 1 Billion-reaching smash single “You Should Be Here,” his Gold-certified multi-week No. 1 “Middle of a Memory” and his current single “Flatliner” which features his friend/mentor and current tour mate Dierks Bentley. His Platinum-certified self-titled debut album includes his three No. 1 Platinum-selling singles “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight,” “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey,” “Chillin’ It,” and his No. 1 Gold-certified “Let Me See Ya Girl.” Swindell is currently on Dierks Bentley’s “What the Hell World Tour.” Click HERE for Cole Swindell’s Playlist.