Brantley Gilbert announces May ‘Blackout Tour’

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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.

Reba McEntire, Alison Krauss, Buddy Miller, Larry Gatlin, Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings Added To The Life & Songs Of Kris Kristofferson Lineup

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MUSIC STARS REBA McENTIRE, ALISON KRAUSS, BUDDY MILLER, LARRY GATLIN, JESSI COLTER, SHOOTER JENNINGS ADDED TO POWERHOUSE LINEUP FOR THE LIFE & SONGS OF KRIS KRISTOFFERSON THESE ARTISTS JOIN THE ALL-STAR LINEUP OF PERFORMERS INCLUDING LADY ANTEBELLUM, DIERKS BENTLEY, RYAN BINGHAM, ROSANNE CASH, ERIC CHURCH, EMMYLOU HARRIS, JACK INGRAM, JAMEY JOHNSON, TOBY KEITH, MARTINA McBRIDE, WILLIE NELSON, JENNIFER NETTLES, DARIUS RUCKER, HANK WILLIAMS JR., AND LEE ANN WOMACK ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME CONCERT EVENT TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE FINAL BLOCK OF GREAT SEATS NOW AVAILABLE VIA TICKETMASTER.COM NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (Tuesday, March 8, 2016) – Music stars Reba McEntire, Alison K rauss, Buddy Miller, Larry Gatlin, Jessi Colter, and Shooter Jennings have been added to the all-star lineup of The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson on Wednesday, March 16, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The all-star concert event taping will pay tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter and actor with performances by Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Ryan Bingham, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, < strong>Jack Ingram, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Darius Rucker, Hank Williams Jr., and Lee Ann Womack. Kristofferson will take the stage to perform with a number of special guests throughout the evening. A final block of great seats is now available at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster locations and at the Bridgestone Arena box office. Citi is the official credit card of The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson. Proceeds from a range of charity initiatives will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation, the official charity partner of the show. For more information, visit http://songsofkristofferson.com/charitybuzz. The T.J. Martell Foundation, the music industry’s largest foundation, funds innovative medical researc h focused on finding cures for leukemia, cancer and AIDS. For more information, visit www.TJMartell.org. Kristofferson, a Country Music Hall of Fame member, is considered a true poet who helped modernize the genre with songs such as “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” “Me and&n bsp;Bobby McGee” and “Lovin’ Her Was Easier.” These are the songs of heartbreak and despair, of love and loss, of yearning and hope. These are the songs so honest that we adopted them as our own. They are the songs of a life led unlike any other: An All-American athlete, Golden Gloves boxer, Army Ranger, helicopter pilot, singer-songwriter, social activist, humanitarian and movie star. Keith Wortman is creator and executive producer of the show. Grammy Award-winner Don Was will serve as music director and will lead an all-star band that includes featured artist and Grammy Award-winner Buddy Miller backing the performers at this incomparable concert event taping. The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson will be filmed and recorded for multi-platform distribution throughout traditional media (worldwide broadcast, music and digital). FOR ALL SHOW DETAILS AND THE OFFICIAL CONCERT EVENT WEBSITE, PLEASE VISIT: songsofkristofferson.com #songsofkristofferson About Kris Kristofferson: Kristofferson is a Country Music Hall of Famer who ranks among the most versatile of American talents. Continue reading Reba McEntire, Alison Krauss, Buddy Miller, Larry Gatlin, Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings Added To The Life & Songs Of Kris Kristofferson Lineup→

Rascal Flatts Announce Summer Tour With Kelsea Ballerina & Chris Lane

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Rascal Flatts on Country Music News Blog

Rascal Flatts wrapped their second wildly-successful Vegas Residency this weekend at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Following enthusiastic feedback to the group’s stripped-down setup in Vegas, the guys announced  that their headlining RASCAL FLATTS: RHYTHM & ROOTS TOUR will kick off in Charlotte, NC on 6/17 and the trio have invited red-hot newcomers Kelsea Ballerini and Chris Lane to join them out on the road. Don’t miss your chance to see the guys LIVE this summer!

What Is the Country Megaticket and How Does It Work?

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2018 Country Megaticket Venues and Lineup

You see listings for The Country Megaticket every time you look up your favorite artists’ tour dates, but at those prices, you KNOW it has to be a pretty big deal… but what is it exactly? Well, CountryMusicNewsBlog.com is here to answer just that! As the recession started to rise and our wallets started to empty, the country music industry was determined to find a way to keep it possible for their artists to tour and the fans to afford it, so they came up with a plan. The Country Megaticket: A series of major headliner concerts spreading over the course of the entire summer, all at one venue, and all for a one-time ticket purchase. You buy one Country Megaticket, and get admission to the entire concert series at that venue all summer long.   This year we are excited to announce top performances from country music megastars Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, and many MANY more! What is the Country Megaticket? Every year LiveNation and AEG get together to bring country music fans the summer of a lifetime by gathering the hottest acts in the industry in a series of country concerts held at spectacular venues across the nation. A single ticket grants fans access to a series of concerts that span the entire summer beginning in May and sometimes stretching all the way into October. 2018 Country Megaticket Performers: Jason Aldean Dierks Bentley Luke Bryan Kenny Chesney Alan Jackson Lady Antebellum Darius Rucker Miranda Lambert Little Big Town Brad Paisley Rascal Flatts Keith Urban.  2018 Country Megaticket Venues: Verizon Amphitheatre Alpharetta, GA Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Bethel, NY Jiffy Lube Live Bristow, VA PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte, NC Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, OH Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Starplex Pavilion Dallas, TX Darien Lake Amphitheater Darien Center, NY XFINITY Theatre Hartford, CT PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel, NJ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center Indianapolis, IN Southern California Los Angeles, CA XFINITY Center Mansfield, MA Shoreline Amphitheatre Mountain View, CA BB&T Pavilion Philadelphia, PA Ak-Chin Pavilion Phoenix, AZ KeyBank Pavilion Pittsburgh, PA Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek Raleigh, NC USANA Amphitheatre Salt Lake City, UT Mattress Firm Amphitheatre San Diego, CA Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Springs, NY Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre St. Louis, MO Lakeview Amphitheater Syracuse, NY Budweiser Stage Toronto, ON Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach Virginia Beach, VA Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, NY Coral Sky Amphitheatre West Palm Beach, FL Toyota Amphitheatre Wheatland, CA

Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa Wraps in Mexico

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Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa Wraps in Mexico Luke Bryan along with Dierks Bentley and Cole Swindell Headline Concerts during Sold-Out Fan Experience Reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan wrapped the second annual sold-out, four-night concert event, Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, in Riviera Maya, Mexico on Monday night. The concert destination weekend featured two headline shows by Luke as well as headline concerts by Dierks Bentley and Cole Swindell. Additional performers included Craig Campbell, Brett Eldredge, Sam Hunt, Dustin Lynch, Chris Stapleton and DJ Rock. “The band and I really look forward to Mexico and these Playa shows,” shared Luke. “We like our tradition of launching into the new year this way.” Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa musical vacation delivered a special setting for an unforgettable fan experience. The four-night tropical getaway and concert experience was designed and produced by CID Presents as the ultimate all-inclusive Caribbean concert vacation. Guests were treated to nightly beachfront concerts at The Barecló Maya Beach Resort, airport transportation, 24-hour concierge, optional daily activities and off-site adventures. The event was self-produced by the production arm of CID Entertainment, the premier music travel and fan-focused experiential agency. Having developed and implemented VIP and travel packages for Luke’s tours for years, CID was the perfect partner for Luke Bryan’s Crash My Playa, designing a country music festival where fans could see their favorite artists on stage and enjoy the sun, beach, food and adventures with their friends.