ACM Awards Announces Additional Performers – 4/3/16

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The Academy of Country Music® and dick clark productions announced that current two-time nominee Brett Eldredge and current four-time nominee Chris Young with Cassadee Pope will perform on the 51ST ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, Country Music’s Party of the Year®, on Sunday, April 3rd at 8:00PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. [bctt tweet=”Next round of performers @bretteldredge @ChrisYoungMusic w/ @CassadeePope announced for @ACMawards @CBSTweet”] BRETT ELDREDGE AND CHRIS YOUNG WITH CASSADEE POPE TO PERFORM ON THE 51ST ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS®, COUNTRY MUSIC’S PARTY OF THE YEAR® BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA IN LAS VEGAS SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2016 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK Encino, CA (March 16, 2016) – The Academy of Country Music® and dick clark productions announced Brett Eldredge and Chris Young with Cassadee Pope have been added to the incredible lineup of artists scheduled to perform at the 51ST ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, Country Music’s Party of the Year®. The ceremony, co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 3 at 8:00PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. These artists join previously announced performers incl uding Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Cam, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sam Hunt, Tim McGraw, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Florida Georgia Line. Additional acts and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information on the ACM Awards and all ACM events, visit www.ACMcountry.com, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter at @ACMawards for more immediate updates. About the Academy of Country Music Awards: The 51st Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

Jägermeister is Recruiting Nashvillians to Join Pop-up Agency

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JÅGERMIESTER RECRUITING NASHVILLIANS TO JOIN POP-UP AGENCY LAUNCHING CONCEPT56 MARKETING CAMPAIGN NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Thursday, March 17, 2016) –Nashville-based creatives are invited to apply for Jägermeister’s Concept56 campaign beginning today until March 30th. Concept56 originated in Amsterdam, landed in the United States for the first time this past December in Detroit, and has selected Nashville as its second stop. The project will bring together five talented individuals, aged 21 and up, for six months to learn real-world marketing skills and run a unique local campaign. Once hired, the team will operate out of an East Nashville pop-up office designed by Kate Mills (Kate Mills Designs), receive a salary and full-time coaching from local professionals, and participate in weekly inspiration sessions led by influential members of the community such as Mike Grimes (The Basement East and Grimey’s), Bryan Deese (Rex2), and Andrew Mischke (Show This). Structured like a traineeship, Concept 56 participants will gain a hands-on experience by truly immersing themselves into the ins and outs of the creative industry while making key decisions and overseeing a budget. The team will gain mentorship from local firms such as FoxFuel Creative, redpepper, and ST8MNT. The positions available include: project manager, copywriter, graphic designer, marketer and event manager. Applicants must be able to commit to at least three days per week beginning in May and extending into October. To be considered, an application must be submitted by March 30th. Before announcing the team, hopefuls will be invited to interview and make a case for why they would be the right person to participate in this unique project. The selection process is highly competitive. Only five of Nashville’s top talents will be selected. For more information, please visit www.concept56.net.

Third Annual Buckin Wild Music Fest Returns to Lost Creek Ranch and Arena April 15-17

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THIRD ANNUAL BUCKIN WILD MUSIC FEST RETURNS TO LOST CREEK RANCH AND ARENA FOR THREE FULL DAYS OF LIVE MUSIC, CAMPING, BULL RIDING, MUD BOGGING AND MUD DRAGS With Headlining Performances by JAMEY JOHNSON, Platinum Selling Country Duo LOVE AND THEFT and JW LANE AND COUNTY ROAD X NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Dubbed by Great American Country (GAC) as one of its Top Tours, Festivals + Rockin’ Road Trips, the Third Annual Buckin Wild Music Fest returns to the Lost Creek Ranch and Arena on historic Route 66 west of Erick, Oklahoma, April 15-17. Capturing the hearts of fans all over Western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle and beyond, with 5,000+ in attendance in its first two years, the highly anticipated festival remains one of the first and only festivals in the area to combine live Country and Red Dirt music, bull riding, camping, and new this year, mud drags and mud bogging, capped off with a high-dollar mud bog bounty hole. Many avid festival-goers have already staked out their campsites from years past, claiming Buckin Wild Music Fest as their own annual tradition. “What’s happening now continues to validate our vision for the Buckin Wild Music Fest of keeping it real,” said Donny G. Liles, the festival’s founder and producer, and Managing Partner of ALL Entertainment LLC. “In just three years, we already have a first-rate lineup of great talent to deliver fantastic entertainment. This is part of what makes Buckin Wild unique – the connection among the artists and the fans. On and off the stage, everyone has a great time.” The All-American, home-grown festival is proud to announce its 2016 line-up with headliner, Jamey Johnson, 11-time Grammy Nominee, whose ACM and CMA award winning songs, “In Color” and George Strait’s “Give it Away,” earned him a place in the hearts of Country and Texas music fans forever, is set to perform on the main stage Saturday night. Joining Johnson on Saturday is the CMA, ACM and CMT nominated Country duo Love and Theft, whose latest single, “Whiskey on My Breath,” a life affirming song of overcoming addiction and experiencing grace is gathering steam. Recently signed to the iconic Curb Records, Love and Theft is in hot pursuit of another #1 spot on the Billboard charts following their 2013 #1 hit “Angel Eyes.” The duo’s current single shot to the #2 spot on iTunes downloads in January and the video is chugging along toward two million views on YouTube. Click image to watch “Whiskey On My Breath” Friday night also brings a fired-up roster with headliner, JW Lane and County Road X, with the success of their first two singles, “Weeds” and “Up and Gone,” produced= by Mike McClure (The Great Divide), and their recent single, “Tease,” this band is a first-rate crowd pleaser with nowhere to go but up. Other hit makers to perform include Ray Scott, Steve Brack, Kaitlin Butts, Elaina Kay, Tyler Wilhelm, Ward Davis, Crossroads and SHEP. Amarillo-based bands Shotgun Rider and Mike Chism and Hollow Continue reading Third Annual Buckin Wild Music Fest Returns to Lost Creek Ranch and Arena April 15-17→

Stars of Television’s "Nashville" To Stage First-Ever International Tour

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STARS OF TELEVISION’S “NASHVILLE” TO STAGE FIRST-EVER INTERNATIONAL TOUR Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack, Charles Esten, Sam Palladio To Play  Nashville – (March 11, 2016) – Stars of the hit series “Nashville” are set to play for audiences in England and Scotland during a first-ever international tour in June.  Launching June 13 in Manchester, England, the tour will feature cast members Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack, Charles Esten, and Sam Palladio performing songs from the series and original material.  Later stops include Birmingham, Glasgow, Bristol and London. All shows go on sale Friday, March 18. “Nashville” staged sold-out tours across the United States in 2014 and 2015. “The ‘Nashville’ cast is comprised of individuals who excel as actors, musicians, songwriters, and performers,” said Steve Buchanan, President, Opry Entertainment. “Since the first night the series went on the air, the cast members have also become incredible ambassadors for our Tennessee home, connecting with viewers around the world via television. Everyone is thrilled about the opportunity to be face to face with our fans throughout the UK during these intimate, exciting performances celebrating the best of Nashville.” All shows go on sale Friday, March 18 at 9am at www.gigsandtours.com; www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.axs.com. The tour is produced by Opry Entertainment. “Nashville” airs on six continents and in more than 70 countries, including the United Kingdom, which will air season four this spring. During its third season in the U.K., the series beat the network’s primetime average by 22% and reigned as its #1 10 p.m. show for women 16+ as well as the #2 show at 10 p.m. for total viewers. Since its debut, the show has inspired seven “Music of Nashville” soundtracks as well as a Christmas album, which have collectively sold more than one million soundtracks and millions more single tracks to date. About “Nashville” Now in its fourth season, the critically-acclaimed series “Nashville” is set against the backdrop of the city’s music scene and follows Rayna Jaymes and Juliette Barnes. Both women face personal and professional challenges as they navigate their paths as artists and individuals. Surrounding them and often complicating their lives are their family, friends and, in some cases, lovers, as well as the up-and-coming performers and songwriters trying to get ahead in the business. Music City can mean so many things to different people. In “Nashville,” musicians and songwriters are at the heart of the storm driven by their own ambitions. Some are fueled by their creativity and passion for fame. Others struggle to cope with the pressures of success and doing everything in their power to stay on top. “Nashville” stars Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O’Connor, Chris Carmack as Will Lexington, Will Chase as Luke Wheeler, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Maisy Stella as Daphne Conrad, Lennon Stella as Maddie Conrad and Aubrey Peeples as Layla Grant. “Nashville” is executive-produced by Dee Johnson, Callie Khouri and Steve Buchanan. Buddy Continue reading Stars of Television’s "Nashville" To Stage First-Ever International Tour→

Brantley Gilbert announces May ‘Blackout Tour’

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Brantley Gilbert on Country Music News Blog

Brantley Gilbert Brings International Blackout Tour In May with support from Broken Witt Rebels Latest single ‘Stone Cold Sober’ out now Watch the video here Having rocked last year’s C2C Festival at The O2 in London last year, hard-hitting country outlier BRANTLEY GILBERT will return to the UK this May as part of his international Blackout tour. Among the concerts is a date at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire. UK DATES Thu 05 May 2016 – Glasgow Oran Mor SOLD-OUT Fri 06 May 2016 – Manchester Academy 2 Sat 07 May 2016 – Birmingham O2 Institute 2 Sun 08 May 2016 – London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire Gilbert is a force to be reckoned with. He’s notched six number one singles, including Jason Aldean’s ‘My Kind of Party’ and the CMA Song of the Year nominee ‘Dirt Road Anthem’, and earned back-to-back platinum albums with Halfway To Heaven and Just As I Am, the latter being the 2014 American Music Awards Favourite Country Album. With a storied stage show, one that is high velocity as it is long on songs drawn from the rough hewn artist’s own life, the Jefferson, Georgia-born and –raised songwriter believes in cutting deep veins of truth into his music. “People everywhere like to raise hell and have a good time,” says Gilbert. “It’s one of the things, no matter where I go, people seem to agree on. But they also want their music to dig a little deeper – and maybe show a little bit more of how life really is. I may write drinking songs and fighting songs, but I also write songs about faith, about hitting your knees and being lost and trying to be the best man I can be. I think the most hardcore rowdy people, when you look inside, need that just as much. I know I do… These songs are all about making my way through world, so they’ve been road-tested.” Just As I Am topped Billboard and iTunes’ Country Albums chart upon release, ultimately becoming the third-highest Country seller of 2014 Featuring the Multi-Platinum number one ‘Bottoms Up,’ the nearly-double platinum number one ‘One Hell Of An Amen’ and Gold-certified ‘Small Town Throwdown,’ Just As I Am remained in the Top 5 best-selling Country Albums of 2015 as well. Given the demand for his music – and wanting to deepen the story, Brantley released Just As I Am – Platinum Edition on May 19, one year after the original album’s release. Having written each of the 19 tracks on the expanded version, The Platinum Edition shared a more intimate glimpse into this chapter of his life with songs like the title track ‘Just As I Am,’ as well as his current single ‘Stone Cold Sober’. WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘STONE COLD SOBER’ Given his loyal fanbase and ever-expanding BG Nation, last year Gilbert took home the first ever fan-voted Renegade Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Recognizing artists who break boundaries while remaining true to themselves, Gilbert was honored to given an award Continue reading Brantley Gilbert announces May ‘Blackout Tour’→

2016 ACM Award Nominees

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The 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards sure are shaping up to be a greandbreaking party! This year’s nominees run the complete gambit from traditional country to hick hop and everything in between. We know our favorites of course, but what we really want to know is yours! Check out the ACM class of 2016 and tell us who gets YOUR vote! Entertainer Of The Year Eric Church Garth Brooks Jason Aldean Luke Bryan Miranda Lambert Male Vocalist Of The Year Brett Eldredge Chris Stapleton Dierks Bentley Eric Church Jason Aldean Female Vocalist Of The Year Carrie Underwood Jana Kramer Kacey Musgraves Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Vocal Duo Of The Year Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line Joey + Rory Maddie & Tae Vocal Group Of The Year Eli Young Band Little Big Town Old Dominion Rascal Flatts Zac Brown Band New Male Vocalist of the Year Brett Eldredge Chase Rice Chris Janson Chris Stapleton Thomas Rhett New Female Vocalist of the Year Cam Kelsea Ballerini Mickey Guyton RaeLynn New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year A Thousand Horses Brothers Osborne Maddie & Tae Old Dominion Parmalee Album Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company-Label(s)] I’m Comin’ Over Chris Young Montevallo Sam Hunt Mr. Misunderstood Eric Church Tangled Up Thomas Rhett Traveller Chris Stapleton Single Record Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company-Label(s)] Burning House Cam Buy Me A Boat Chris Janson Die A Happy Man Thomas Rhett Girl Crush Little Big Town I’m Comin’ Over Chris Young Take Your Time Sam Hunt Video Of The Year [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award) Biscuits Kacey Musgraves Burning House Cam Girl Crush Little Big Town Mr. Misunderstood Eric Church Riser Dierks Bentley Vocal Event Of The Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company-Label(s)]*(Off Camera Award) Hangover Tonight Gary Allan Featuring Chris Stapleton Home Alone Tonight Luke Bryan Featuring Karen Fairchild Raise ‘Em Up Keith Urban Featuring Eric Church Smokin’ And Drinkin’ Miranda Lambert Featuring Little Big Town Wild Child Kenny Chesney With Grace Potter SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)] Burning House Cam Girl Crush Little Big Town Nobody To Blame Chris Stapleton Raise ‘Em Up Keith Urban Featuring Eric Church She Don’t Love You Eric Paslay Songwriter of the Year Ashley Gorley Josh Osborne Shane McAnally Rodney Clawson Ross Copperman NOMINEES FOR INDUSTRY AND SPECIAL AWARDS BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR : Jimmie Lee Sloas Mark Hill Michael Rhodes Tony Lucido Tully Kennedy DRUMMER OF THE YEAR Chad Cromwell Chris McHugh Fred Eltringham Nir Zidkyahu Shannon Forrest GUITARIST OF THE YEAR Danny Rader Derek Wells Jerry McPherson JT Corenflos Kenny Greenberg PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR Charlie Judge Gordon Mote Jim ‘Moose’ Brown Matt Rollings Steve Nathan SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR Aubrey Haney Dan Dugmore Danny Rader Glen Duncan Larry Franklin STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR Mike Johnson Paul Franklin Russ Pahl Steve Fishell Steve Hinson AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Derek Bason Justin Niebank Reid Shippen Steve Marcantonio Vance Powell PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Continue reading 2016 ACM Award Nominees→

2016 ACM Awards: Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley to Host

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The 51st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will feature superstar hosts Luke Bryan and his good friend Dierks Bentley. This will be Dierk’s first time hosting a live TV event, so he’ll really be leaning on Luke to help him pull it off. The 2016 ACM Awards will broadcast live from the fabulous Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 8:00 PM ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. “When we found ourselves searching for a new co-host I didn’t have to look much further than my own circle of friends so Dierks was a natural choice,” said Bryan. “We have a lot of fun together and I know the fans will be in for something special.” “I think everyone knows Luke is the guy you call when you want to have a good time,” said Bentley. “If we have half as much fun hosting together as we do backstage, it’s going to be a great night.” In the days leading up to the big night, the Academy will also be hosting the 4th ACM Party for a Cause® Festival featuring headliners Carrie Underwood on Friday, April 1st, Dierks Bentley on Saturday, April 2nd and Kenny Chesney on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at the new Las Vegas Festival Grounds. For more information and to view the full performer lineup, fans can go to www.ACMPartyForaCause.com. The Academy will release the full schedule of The Week Vegas Goes Country® events soon, but you can be sure that it will be a week you won’t want to miss! Just this past year, the 2015 milestone 50th ACM Awards telecast on April 19 and ACM Presents: Superstar Duets on May 15th together reached nearly 21 million viewers, combined. The Awards telecast on April 19th delivered the largest audience since 1998, according to Nielsen, reaching nearly 16 million viewers. Also, the 50th ACM Awards ranked as the most social broadcast of April 19, according to Nielsen Social.

Danny Wimmer Presents & Front Gate Tickets Announce Multi-Year Partnership For U.S. Festivals

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FRONT GATE TICKETS AND DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP FOR U.S. FESTIVALS LOS ANGELES, Calif. – March 7, 2016 –Front Gate Tickets, North America’s leading festival ticketing platform, has announced a multi-year partnership with Danny Wimmer Presents, a prominent festival production company. The partnership adds nine North American festivals to Front Gate’s roster, including Louder Than Life, Chicago Open Air, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville, and Monster Energy Aftershock. “We are excited to begin a partnership with Front Gate Tickets, one of the most innovative and respected names in the ticketing industry. Their ability to handle high-volume festival on-sales and complex ticketing options, while still making the online buying process intuitive and seamless for patrons, is unparalleled,” said Danny Hayes, CEO, Danny Wimmer Presents. “There is no doubt that Front Gate will be an integral part of DWP’s continued growth and enhancement of the festival experience.” “Danny Wimmer Presents touches hundreds of thousands of rock & rollers in music-loving cities across the country.  We couldn’t be happier about our partnership and the opportunity to continue this journey of growth together.  We are thrilled to enable cutting-edge technology for DWP to manage ecommerce, access control, concessions, sponsorship activations, and digital advertising and to provide actionable customer insights so that DWP may – in turn – provide world-class experiences for its fans,” said Maura Gibson, President, Front Gate Tickets. With over 500,000 fans attending Danny Wimmer Presents festivals in 2015, the company has become recognized within the industry for delivering high-quality entertainment experiences to fans, artists, sponsors, partners and host cities. Front Gate Tickets offers features specifically tailored to the festival market, including RFID-powered access control, experiential marketing and cashless POS systems that streamline festival entry, sponsorship activations, and concession sales, benefiting organizers, partners and fans alike. Front Gate Tickets was founded in 2003 as an alternative ticketing service for venues in Austin, Texas. Its clients include such top-tier partners as Electric Daisy Carnival, Coachella, Austin City Limits, Electric Forest, Lollapalooza, RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest and X Games. Front Gate Tickets was acquired by Ticketmaster in 2015, expanding Ticketmaster’s ticket offering to the festival vertical. About Ticketmaster Ticketmaster is the global market leader in live event ticketing, digital marketing, and mobile fan engagement tools that drive over 530 million ticket transactions per year. Through exclusive partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports leagues, and arts and theater tours, Ticketmaster delivers unparalleled access to the most iconic live events to millions of fans worldwide. Ticketmaster is a division of Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company. About Danny Wimmer Presents Since 1993, music industry veteran Danny Wimmer has been producing concerts and festivals, both large and small. In 2011, he formed Danny Wimmer Presents, which now produces several of the largest rock and alternative festivals in the U.S. DWP creates memorable and all-encompassing festival experiences, leaving both consumers and partners with lasting and meaningful impressions. DWP festival portfolio includes Rock On The Range, Monster Energy Aftershock Festival, Monster Energy Welcome To Rockville, Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion, Louder Than Continue reading Danny Wimmer Presents & Front Gate Tickets Announce Multi-Year Partnership For U.S. Festivals→

Kenny Chesney Hits Creative Vein; In-Studio to Follow BIG REVIVAL

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KENNY CHESNEY RETURNS TO STUDIO After 1.3 Million Fans Played To in 2015, It’s Back To Music! Nashville, Tenn. (March 7, 2016) —  “You have to take time to live and breathe, to fill up your tanks to be creative,” says multi-platinum country songwriter/vocalist Kenny Chesney. “Otherwise, you’re just on a treadmill churning out what you’ve already done… Who needs that? For me, especially after the success of The Big Revival, I want to move the music, the songs, the discussion forward!” Having hit a nerve with the GRAMMY-nominated “American Kids,” the triple rhythm, double hook song that celebrated America’s freewheeling nature, and “Wild Child,” which embraced the free spirit of women instead of the short shorts, The Big Revival was a CMA Album of the Year nominee that spawned four straight No.1s. Chesney felt like he’d set the bar for what his music can be. To that end, Chesney has spent the last several months writing and seeking songs in Austin, the islands, and the road. He’s also joined with longtime co-producer Buddy Cannon (Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard) in the studio in Los Angeles and Nashville. “There’s a moment you feel a record grab hold, and take shape,” Chesney says. “You can have great songs and not have an album. You can have a killer record that won’t move people on the radio. The ide a is to balance both, then hopefully create something that does both, that also says something as a whole. I think we’re on our way.” Drawing on David Lee Murphy (“Living In Fast Forward,” “Pirate Flag”), Josh Osborne (“Wild Child,” “Come Over,” the GRAMMY-winning “Merry Go ‘Round”) and Shane McAnally (“Somewhere With You,” “American Kids,” “Come Over”) Chesney has also mined Matraca Berg (“You & Tequila”), the Oscar-nominee Allison Moorer and Americana Artist of the Year nominee Hayes Carll, as well as a few surprises. “There are a few writers who get me, who get my life and my soul,” Chesney says. “And I was lucky enough to have time to write with them. But I also got to hear a lot of great songs, some different writers, so there was a lot of music this time to draw from and be inspired by.” “When we came off the road and I listened back to The Big Revival, all I could think was, ‘Man, we covered a lot of ground, went pretty cool, as well as new places musically,’” continues the man who’s notched 28 No. 1s. “I knew we couldn’t repeat, but I also wanted to find more new ways and new things to record!” Kenny Chesney has created trends instead of following them since his breakthrough No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems and When the Sun Goes Down. Always seeking something fun that didn’t sacrifice innovation, he’s teamed with Dave Matthews, Uncle Kracker, the Wailers and Grace Potter on a series of outside the lines No. 1s. Look for new music sometime this spring.