Brian Davis Joins Brantley Gilbert On Tour

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Brian Davis Hits The Road With Brantley Gilbert & Kip Moore For The 2013 Hell On Wheels Tour. Brian Davis will be hitting the road with Brantley Gilbert again on his 2013 Hell On Wheels Tour. This is the second time Davis will be rocking on this tour, as he was part of the first leg in 2012. Davis will be opening for Kip Moore when the tour kicks off January 31 in Independence, MO. “I am really excited to be rolling back out with Brantley Gilbert and having the opportunity to KICK OFF the PARTY every night on the ‘Hell On Wheels Tour’ as well as sharing the stage with Kip Moore,” said Brian Davis. “We had such a great time meeting so many cool fans out on the first leg of the tour. I can only imagine how crazy this next one’s gonna be!” Davis has recorded and released six albums on his own. His current, Under The Influence is on iTunes. We will be getting the chance to see a live show from Davis tomorrow when he opens for Lee Brice in Fort Smith, Ark. Be looking for a show review in the near future!

Randy Houser How Country Feels Album Review

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Randy Houser’s New Album How Country Feels Well Worth the Wait! With the first few guitar strums and drum beats of “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight“, the first track on Randy Houser‘s new album How Country Feels, country fans are sure to be hooked. This first song has more of a pop edge than I expected from Houser, but its feel good, live in the moment lyrics immediately made me feel warm and happy (despite the cold January chill right outside my window!). From that first song, the record just gets better and better as it balances between a variety of sounds, themes and rhythms. Upbeat and Living In The Moment. Tracks like “Growin’ Younger,” “Top Of The World” “Absolutely Nothing,” “Goodnight Kiss,” and “Let’s Not Let It” keep things on the livelier side going back and forth between pop-ish (“Goodnight“) and more rock-ish (“Growin“). Lyrically, these songs encourage focusing on the important things in life and living in the moment in that way only a country song seems to be able to do. Anyone of these songs would be perfect for a Friday night bonfire or a lazy afternoon, and country fans are sure to have them playing on repeat. Slow and Bittersweet. On the other hand, Houser, slows things down and strikes a bittersweet note with the lovesick tune “The Singer“,  almost ballad-esque tracks like “Power of A Song,” and “Like A Cowboy,” and the gospel tinged “Along For The Ride.”  The music and lyrics of these tracks add an extra dimension to the album when placed along the faster songs, and proves that Randy Houser is capable of offering fans more than just one brand of country. Southern Rock Vibe. This album also embodies a broad spectrum of a southern rock vibe that is distinctly heard in three of the songs, title track “How Country Feels, “Shine” and “Sunshine On The Line.” If you were to put these three songs on that southern rock spectrum “How Country Feels” is at the least intense end with more pop-country mixed in with the electric guitar. “Sunshine On The Line” rests at the opposite end of that spectrum bordering on an almost hard rock sound opening with an intense guitar riff and raw vocals from Houser. “Shine” features a blue collar storyline, noticeable keyboards and more electric guitar than you hear from the average mainstream country tune. It’s not quite as intense as “Sunshine” and lacks any of the radio pop friendly elements in the title track, so it rests in the middle of the spectrum. Altogether, this southern rock vibe just adds yet another layer to Randy’s already complex sound heard throughout the album. A Heck of a Duet. One of the best moments on this album, though, is the powerful duet between Houser and CMNB favorite Kristy Lee Cook on “Wherever Love Goes“! Houser’s and Cook’s voices blend perfectly and compliment each other wonderfully. One thing I really appreciate is the mellow production on this song, the music is toned Continue reading Randy Houser How Country Feels Album Review→

Blackberry Smoke Pretty Little Lie Video

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Blackberry Smoke Release Video for Pretty Little Lie from Current Album The Whippoorwill. There is no doubt that Blackberry Smoke hit an absolute home run with their current album, The Whippoorwill, their first release on Zac Brown‘s Southern Ground Artists label. One of my favorite songs on the record is their current single, “Pretty Little Lie” which the band is prepping to hit country radio on January 28th. Blackberry Smoke recently released a video for the single…so get a peek at it below before it even hits radio! Watch: Blackberry Smoke Pretty Little Lie Music Video. Want more? Read my review of The Whippoorwill!

Connor Christian & Southern Gothic Sheets Down Video

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Atlanta Based Connor Christian & Southern Gothic Release Video for Single Sheets Down! The talented Atlanta, GA based Connor Christian & Southern Gothic (CCSG for short!) have a new album titled New Hometown coming out February 12th, and they’re giving country music fans a little taste of what’s to come with single, “Sheets Down.” The song expresses roots and Americana influences that give this band a full bodied sound accompanied by lyrical themes that are simultaneously upbeat and slightly bittersweet. We’re currently working on a full review of the new record (spoiler alert: it’s fantastic), but in the meantime watch the brand new video for “Sheets Down” below! Watch Now: Connor Christian & Southern Gothic Sheets Down Music Video.

Ben Wells Teams Up With Ernie Ball

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Ben Wells And Lead Guitarist Partner With Guitar String And Accessories Company. Ben Wells and his lead guitarist, Stephen DeLoach have partnered up with one of the biggest guitar string manufacturing companies around, Ernie Ball. Just releasing his debut, self-titled album, Wells is very excited to be hitting the road with Ernie Ball premium strings and accessories. The company also has their own line of guitars, Music Man. DeLoach is now a proud Music Man artist. “It is an honor and blessing to be able to take Ernie Ball/Music Man on the road. It’s crazy to have our names next to some of these artists. I only hope, one day, we’ll be on the same playing level. Until then, we’re just thankful to have our name associated.” -Wells Ernie Ball endorses many major artists including Brad Paisley, Kid Rock and Kenny Chesney. The company was founded by Roland S. Ball (Ernie) and started manufacturing strings over 50 years ago.

Kelly Clarkson Performs At 2013 Inauguration

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Watch Kelly Clarkson Performs My Country Tis of Thee at 2013 Presidential Inauguration. Vocal power house, Kelly Clarkson, was one of a select group of performers at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration of President Barack Obama. The pop/maybe-country-crossover singer performed “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee’” in super cold weather in Washington, D.C. True to form, Kelly tweeted out to fans about the experience. What an honor to be a part of history! Obama’s presence was powerful and his words unforgettable. It’s a proud day for America! — Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) January 21, 2013 Watch: Kelly Clarkson Sings “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.’”

Josh Abbott Band I’ll Sing About Mine-Video

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The Official Music Video For Josh Abbott Band’s “I’ll Sing About Mine.” Josh Abbott Band’s single, “I’ll Sing About Mine,” just hit #1 on the Texas Music Chart. The band also just released the video for the single. “I’ll Sing About Mine” comes from JAB’s latest album, Small Town Family Dream. The song basically says that there are some artists out there singing about things that they have never experienced and trying to make them sound glamorous, but really are just making them sound ridiculous. Whether you agree with the lyrics or not, it is a pretty catchy tune. “I’ll Sing About Mine” was written by Adam Hood and Brian Keane. Watch the video below and tell us what you think!

Country Music Blog Rodeo: Word Of Mouth In 2013

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How Word Of Mouth Can Impact Artists In 2013. 2013 is in full swing, and I couldn’t be happier. There are so many things that I want to do both for work and as a fully devoted country music fan. One of my big goals is to introduce people to new music. I am a fan of mainstream country, but I also really enjoy some artists, that I feel, don’t get enough attention. This is not to say that I discovered someone or was listening to someone years before they became popular. It just means that if someone is good, then I think they should get to be heard by as many people as possible. Nothing irritates me more than when somebody says, “I was listening to such and such for years and now everybody listens to them.” People say that as if it is a bad thing. Why would you want to keep something good from everyone else? If anything, I would think it would be a compliment on your taste in music. I think that word of mouth is a huge asset for musicians and artists. Without it, a lot of national acts wouldn’t be where they are today. So in 2013 I will continue to share my opinions on artists I listen to and come across, and I hope more than anything that fellow country music fans will do the same thing. Blog Rodeo Roundup: See What Everyone Else Is Saying About Country Music in 2013! CountryMusicTattleTale.com: 2013 Will Bring A New Sound to Country Music! CMchatLive.com: 2013 – Insights From Country Music Industry Experts! FocusOnThe615.com: Artist to Watch in 2013! TwangNation.com: Americana’s Influence On Country Music! UrbanCountryNews.com: Roots On The Rise – The Most Exciting Music Trend of 2013! UkCOUNTRYmusic.net: Country2Country Festival-A Potential Turning Point for US Country Music In The Uk! KeepinItCountryBlog.com: 2013 The Year of Country Crossover! CountryMusicPride.com: Country Music In 2013! ForTheCountryRecord.com: Country Music & Twitter! CountryMusicNewsBlog.com (WhiskeyChick): 2013 – The Year of Social Media In Country Music! CountryMusicNewsBlog.com (MissMolly): 2013 North of Nashville – The Ozarks Go Country! CountryMusicIsLove.com: Country Artists Passing The Torch In 2013!

Country Music Blog Rodeo: 2013-The Year of Social Media in Country Music

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For the first installment of Blog Rodeo, host CountryMusicNewsBlog asks “What are we really looking forward to in 2013?”. My answer: Country music fans truly embracing social media! Over the award show and tour seasons through 2012 we saw artists, news outlets, and record companies dabble with social media sites, trying to figure out that magic formula that pop music seems to have down to a science. We’ve seen award shows and televised performances with twitter hashtags displayed throughout the broadcast. We followed along as Jana Kramer used Instagram to build a buzz about her album release through photo challenges. We’ve gotten to know the sass and crass of artists like Blake Shelton and LeAnn Rimes thanks to their sharing (and sometimes oversharing) across the board. We’ve even seen the rise of Google+ hangouts featuring live interviews from stars as big as Taylor Swift. Heck, just last week Dierks Bentley used facebook to successfully find his lost dog Jake! To put it plainly, country stars want in on social media action and they’re trying hard to get fans to join them! The common thread among all of these things is that the artists are able to be themselves in a public space without losing control over their privacy, and this allows them to reach fans on a more personal level. Never before have fans had such open access to get a message to their favorite artist, or receive a direct response. It’s a power many pop celebrities have built their career around, but country music seems to be just a bit late to the game. There’s a lot of reasons for this, but those reasons are getting less relevant every day. While much of the online interaction between stars and fans has followed a natural growth, 2013 is the year the guys behind the scenes will learn how to take advantage of this limitless guerrilla marketing tool. We’ve had time to tinker and see what fans respond to, and how to best get the attention of the masses, and weigh the results of some not-so-popular online moments. Top Country Music Social Media Engagement Trends to Expect in 2013: So after the disorganized experimentation that our industry has done in the past, what I expect from 2013 is a real focused strategic effort at connecting fans with their favorite stars by directing marketing toward encouraging social engagement. You will see a lot more Easter Eggs, for example, Carrie Underwood’s album Blown Away featured a promotion where if you scanned the album cover with a special app on your iphone, android, or other tablet device, the artwork would “come to life” and conveniently link you to the album purchase options on iTunes. I expect to see a lot more of this Easter Egg kind of content that teaches fans how to use technology in new and innovative ways to get more out of the album-buying experience. You will also see artists making a more genuine effort to express themselves over social media Continue reading Country Music Blog Rodeo: 2013-The Year of Social Media in Country Music→

Country Music Blog Rodeo: 2013 North of Nashville – The Ozarks Go Country

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2013 North of Nashville – The Ozarks Go Country with New Festivals, More Concerts and Local Talent On The Rise! To answer the question of what will be big for country music in 2013, I decided to look close to home, Fayetteville, AR that is, and the closely surrounding area, the Ozarks, River Valley, etc. With so much already happening this year from big album releases to even bigger tours to country stars new and seasoned shining brighter than ever, I think you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t think the next few months are going to be huge for country music. What has me excited though, is the potential for our area up here, north of Nashville, to become a go to spot for for all things country music! Local Festivals: Thunder On The Mountain. If there is one thing we’re excited about in Northwest Arkansas for 2013, it’s the upcoming and brand new country music festival, Thunder On The Mountain! Nestled into the beautiful Mulberry Mountain, this fest will encapsulate the best of the area: beautiful views, a wonderful landscape and live country music! The festival claims a really impressive line-up that includes Toby Keith, Luke Bryan, JT Hodges, Big & Rich, Montgomery Gentry, Justin Moore, Gretchen Wilson, Easton Corbin and so many, many more. Taking place June 6th – 8th, this festival is going to be one of the major events for the surrounding states of the summer! We’re proud to welcome them to our backyard, and can’t wait to experience the new country fest front and center. Local Venues: The Amp & Georges Majestic Lounge. Truth be told, there are a lot of amazing venues in “our area” (which we broadly claim to be anywhere between the Ozarks, Northwest Arkansas, OKC, Tulsa and everything in between!) from the newly opened Longhorn Saloon in Ft. Smith, AR to the historic Cain’s Ballroom in Tusa, OK, on any given weekend there is going to be a country concert to attend. Today, though, I want to highlight two specific venues, mere miles from our HQ in Fayetteville, The Amp (Arkansas Music Pavilion) and Georges Majestic Lounge. Last year, The Amp hopped locations moving from a concrete spot to greener pastures, and it’s clear they are on the verge of unleashing something big. This something “big” has a whole lot to do with a whole lot more country acts coming to this area. In 2012 they quietly unveiled the 1st ever Taste of Country Festival bringing such popular folks as Miranda Lambert along with the Pistol Annies, Randy Houser, noteworthy songwriter Chris Knight and on the rise Adam Hood. Outside of this one night shindig, they also brought other big names to the area like Hank Williams Jr. and Luke Bryan. Their new concert season will kick off in the spring, and they already have Little Big Town scheduled as the first country act to perform on the new grounds in 2013. If last year is any indication, Continue reading Country Music Blog Rodeo: 2013 North of Nashville – The Ozarks Go Country→