Country Bites News snippets Feb 12 - Feb 18, 2012

Country Bites News snippets Feb 12 - Feb 18, 2012

LINKS / SOURCES shown in RED

UK NEWS

The Band Perry will be playing Kings College London on March 20^th and in Dublin at the Workmans Club Mar 24 - Tickets They as part of the Big Machine Records stable are following in the footsteps of Taylor Swift who performed to a small intimate crowd at the same London college which was her first ever concert in the UK back in Sept 3rd 2008. The Band Perry will release both the single 'If I Die Young' and their self-titled debut album in the UK on 19th March. The release will coincide with a show in London and Dublin.

Terri Clark - UK dates show a venue change for the Manchester gig - Tickets

Bluegrass news: This year’s Sore Fingers Week runs from April 9th - 13th and bookings are still being taken (classes for banjo, mandolin, fiddle and guitar, as well as courses for dobro, autoharp, singing and bass)



Lisa McHugh



DONEGAL country music singer Lisa McHugh is off to the States - after an invite to appear at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

She has been invited by country music legend Gene Watson to appear as his guest at the venue on March 6.

Lisa was one of the star attractions at the recent All-Ireland Country Music Awards in Mullingar, where she picked up a gong for 'Female Vocalist of the Year.' Singer Daniel O'Donnell - who did a duet with Lisa in December - is delighted for the Donegal woman.

"Appearing at the Grand Ole Opry is a great thrill for any country singer at any stage of their career, but it must be really exciting for Lisa who is at the start of a very promising life as a singer," said Daniel in a newspaper column. Added Daniel: "I had the pleasure of recording a duet with Lisa called I'll Be Home With Bells On and I think she's just a fabulous young artist."

Amy Wadge, (pronounced „Woj’), established acoustic singer-songwriter dishes about Ed Sheeran prior to the Brit Awards on Tuesday – Read the blog

The UKCountryRadio.com Listeners' Club Award 2012 -  Voting is now underway for the Listeners' Club Award.
This is an award for a song promoted through UKCountryRadio.com during 2011. Each artist has been allowed to select one of their promoted songs for inclusion in the voting.

See the full listing and sample the eligible songs - http://www.ukcountryradio.com/award

Voting ends midnight on May 31st.

I would have liked to have voted for 3 artists/songs but was informed by station head Allan Watkiss that there is only one winner and hence it is ONLY ONE VOTE per person.

The five songs which have the most votes go through to the final at UKCountryRadio’s Fifth Birthday Party in September.

Cambridge Folk Festival 2012 (Thurs 26th Jul 2012 to Sun 29th Jul 2012) - The 2012 line-up features:

Thursday: Billy Bragg (celebrates Woody Guthrie's 100th birthday as part of the US folk raconteur's 100th birthday celebrations)

Friday: June Tabor & The Oyster Band (BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Winnners)

Saturday: Clannad, The Proclaimers

Sunday: Joan Armatrading, Loreena McKennitt (renownedCanadian singer, composer, harpist, accordionist and pianist whose music has Celtic and Middle Eastern themes), Nic Jones

More names will be confirmed in due course - cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk

AUSSIE NEWS

 Taylor Swift, who is currently headlining sold-out stadiums and arenas on the North American leg of her blockbuster TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011 has announced that in response to strong fan demand she will extend the tour into 2012 with capital city dates around Australia.

The four-time GRAMMY winner’s SPEAK NOW performance is a two-hour theatrical presentation, reminiscent of a Broadway experience. The show features elaborate costumes, dancers, aerialists, changing sets, and innovative choreography and instrumentation showcased on a multi-level stage.

Taylor plays five different guitars in the show, plus two banjos, the ukulele and the piano, and changes costumes nine times over the course of the evening.

Taylor Swift’s 12 date ‘Speak Now’ Australian Tour 2012: Friday March 2 Burswood Dome (Perth), Sunday March 4 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Tues March 6 & Weds March 7 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Friday March 9 & Saturday March 10 -Sydney Acer Arena, Mon March to Weds March 14 Melbourne Rod Laver Arena , Fri March16  to Sunday March 18 - Vector Arena – Auckland

Chugg Entertainment and Rob Potts Entertainment Edge today announced the addition of a second Tim McGraw & Faith Hill performance in Melbourne, to take place on Wednesday 21st March at Rod Laver Arena.

"There is so much excitement surrounding this tour, I think because it's more than just a concert - it's an event," said Michael Chugg. "The first time that they've toured together here and the first time that Faith Hill has ever performed here – I know that I wouldn't want to miss it."

The Tim McGraw & Faith Hill / Australia 2012 tour will be the first time the country music superstars have toured together outside of North America, will be Hill’s first time touring Australia and will include them performing separately and together.

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill / Australia 2012 will mark almost five years since the power couple last toured together and will be only the fourth time they have ever done it – first in 2000, then 2006 and 2007.

Australian Country Music golden girl Beccy Cole has received a very impressive six nominations for the 40th Jayco CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia, announced in Sydney last week.

Beccy’s nominations include ‘Album of the Year’, ‘Female Artist of the Year’, Vocal Collaboration of the Year’, ‘APRA Song of the Year’ and ‘Heritage Song of the Year’.

Beccy won a Golden Guitar for ‘Female Artist of the Year’ for Songs & Pictures, as well as Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Kasey Chambers for their duet ‘Millionaires’. (winners photo)

 Multiple Golden Guitar winner, Beccy Cole is one of Australia's most rewarded and revered country artists.  Her new album, Songs & Pictures is already considered by many to be a classic, and she's set to perform songs from it as well as hits from her tremendous back catalogue across the country. Gina Jeffreys and Catherine Britt will join Beccy on her tour. -

Video 

Jetty Road - The leading Australian group and Golden Guitar Award for Best Group at the CMAA Awards have now dominated the 2012 Victorian and National Country Music Awards at Whittlesea on Saturday night taking home no less than five of the awards up for grabs. (Photo with Kim Richey) 

Fresh from their second Golden Guitar win at Tamworth in January, the four piece of Lee and Paula Bowman, Simon Ross and Julian Sammut (Photo) won the group awards in both the Victorian and National sections, Best Independent Release for Far Away Places in the National section, Best Album for the album of the same name in the Victorian section and the prestigious Victorian Entertainer of the Year title.

“We’ve always prescribed to the motto ‘the harder you work, the luckier you get’ and winning awards is always going to be an amazing boost for us, but to win this many lately, we are really pinching ourselves” Paula said. “We are completely gobsmacked to tell you the truth, and also extremely grateful for everything that has been happening.”

Jetty Road have also hung onto to #1 spot this week on the National Country Tracks Chart with I’m A Dreamer, making it 7 weeks at the top with one of the biggest hits of the past year on Australian Country Radio. Official Video Youtube 

The theme of this years’ Tamworth Country Music festival ‘Looking Forward, Looking Back’, gave Jetty Road good reason to sit and reflect on the past year or so and some of the highlights :  " Looking back, we’ve travelled countless miles to play concerts in countries such as Canada, U.S.A, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, plus in our own backyard Australia "  ..." But if you asked us to name our biggest milestone to date, we’d have to say our latest album Far Away Places. It was recorded on the tail end of our 2010 international tour at The Factory Studios in Vancouver, Canada (in the very same studio as Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, Aerosmith’s Pump and ACDC’s Thunderstruck!!! Not very country, we know, but it sure helped with the high notes!). 

And it was the first time we ventured into writing songs outside the group (we have always written our songs internally in the past). Two of the biggest superstars in Canadian Country Music, Jason McCoy (The Road Hammers) and George Canyon came on board to help us out, and it was a really great experience (Ladies, they’re not too bad on the eyes either) "

NEWS

The Tennessean has reported (13 Feb) that Kenny Rogers has filed a suit against his former record label, Capitol Records, in federal court in Nashville. He is alleging breach of contract for underpayments on digital song royalties which stretch back over 30 years.

Chris Young has received RIAA GOLD certifications (shipped units) for his chart-topping singles “You” and “Voices.” The GOLD-certified single “You,” was written by Young with Luke Laird and the singers fifth consecutive #1 song.

The Pistol Annies (trio of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angeleena Presley) "Hell on Heels" has reached gold status in February for indicating 500,000 digital downloads, they released their single on RCA Nashville in June 2011.

Martina McBride Affected By Positivity – 13 Feb 2012

There was a time in Martina McBride’s career when she says she could physically feel that some of her support team had given up on her and made her feel like her career had run its course. She admits even she started questioning whether she was done and had contributed all she was meant to contribute with her music. But when she signed with a new management company and a new record label all of that changed. Martina felt revitalized and she started writing a lot more.

She says, “I think when you surround yourself with people who believe in you and who have passion for what you do, that positivity is so contagious and it’s so important. And, yeah, I think it empowered me to say, ‘Wow, I’m gonna turn this record in and good things are gonna happen with it cause people are excited about it.’”

Although Martina did not have a hand in writing her current single, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” (currently at #7 on the charts), she co-wrote six of the eleven songs on her current CD, Eleven.

Ummmm is Martina positive about her album sales? Her album ELEVEN fell out of the Billboard charts weeks ago and her latest HIT & MORE after 3 weeks has sold 20,817 copies and has dropped to #186 on the chart BUT she is touring with KING GEORGE (Strait) !

The Tennesean reports that country songwriter Danny Morrison has died after suffering a sudden heart attack on Tuesday Feb 14, 2012. He penned notable country songs including Kenny Rogers’ “Blaze of Glory” Youtube and Joe Diffie’s “Is It Cold In Here” . He was an industry veteran, Mr. Morrison (FB photo) was raised in Nashville and attended East High School. He produced and managed country star Joe Diffie, and his songs were recorded by artists including Alabama, Lee Greenwood and Johnny Paycheck. “You were truly one of a kind,” wrote executive, musician, songwriter and producer Tim DuBois (Former ASCAP Vice President and Managing Executive), on Mr. Morrison’s Facebook page. “A lover of songs and writers.”

In addition to his songwriting acumen, Mr. Morrison was known as a jovial and affable Music Row presence. He and close friend Johnny Slate (co-writer of “Blaze Of Glory”) wrote a book together called Song Writing From The Inside/Out.

Visitation will be Sunday from 2-6 p.m.at Phillips-Robinson Funeral Home on

Gallatin Road

and from 10 a.m. to noon at Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn. The funeral will be Monday at noon at Long Hollow Baptist Church.

Danny Morrison Songwriting credits:

Co-wrote “Blaze Of Glory” with Larry Keith and Johnny Slate recorded by Kenny Rogers (Album-Share You Love-1981)

Co-wrote “Is It Cold In Here” with Joe Diffie and Kerry Kurt Phillips and “Next Thing Smokin’ with Danny Morrison and Johnny Slate” recorded by Joe Diffie (Album-Regular Joe-1992)

Co-wrote “I’ve Seen Better Days” with Red Lane recorded by Reba McEntire (Album -Whoever’s In New England-1986), George Jones & Tammy Wynette (Album-Golden Ring 1976), Johnny Paycheck (2 on 1 CD 1976 11 Months and 29 Days and 1977's Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets.

Co-wrote the title cut  “I Need Some Good News Bad” with Red Kane recorded by Bobby Bare in 1971.

Co-wrote “Alabama Sundown” with Dave Kirby recorded by Dolly Parton one her 1973 album Bubbling Over.

Co-wrote “Friends” with Johnny Slate recorded by Razzy Bailey (Album Makin’ Friends 1981)

Co-wrote “I Ain’t Got No Business Doin’ Business Today” with Johnny Slate, recorded by George Jones (Album-Bartender’s Blues- 1978), Razzy Bailey (Album-If Love Had A Face” -1979) and Alabama (Album-Pass It Down-1990)

Co-wrote “Little by Little” with Larry Keith and “Sailing Home To Me” with David Kirby  recorded by Gene Watson (Album-This Dream’s On Me-1982) 

Co-wrote “Where Have All The Hoboes Gone” with Dave Kirby recorded by Merle Haggard (Album-My Love Affair with Trains-1976)

Co-wrote the title track “You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’ with Jeff Silbar and Van Stephenson recorded by Lee Greenwood in 1984.

Mel Tillis with President Obama

Country great Mel Tillis was honored by President Barack Obama at the WHITE HOUSE on 13^th Feb. Obama honoured several artists, writers and organizations for their contributions to the nation.

Nashville, TN – Feb. 15, 2012 – Award winning singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley takes the No. one position this week on Billboard’s Country Albums chart with his sixth studio album HOME, marking Bentley’s fourth career debut in the top spot.
“Bentley always utilizes banjo, fiddle, mandolin and especially dobro in his music, but with a modern beat and energy that, along with his distinctive voice, gives him a compelling sound of his own.” – Associated Press

Rascal Flatts have revealed the track listing for their upcoming eight album, “CHANGED,” due in stores April 3. The album will be available in both a regular edition, and a deluxe edition that contains four additional songs. 

For the release of “Changed,” the band has partnered with 'ZinePak to produce a small-format magazine featuring photos, interviews, lyrics and a set of Rascal Flatts guitar picks. The magazine, which includes the “Changed Deluxe” album, will be on sale exclusively at Walmart beginning April 3. There are unconfirmed rumours of possible European dates around May.

Taylor Swift's new album will be about love, hurt, rejection and frustration. And how you feel all of those differently in every different relationship. She told MTV News that much, and added that "as you grow, you change in the way that you process emotion."
When the question was raised about what inspired her songwriting on her next project, Swift said, "Love is always gonna be a huge theme in what I write about, just because there are no two similar relationships. There are no two times that you feel love the same way. Or hurt the same way. Or rejection the same way. Or frustration. It's all different, and I'm fascinated by that."
This time around Tay-Tay is writing with people she has always wanted to work with from all different places in music - "I'm 22 and I want to learn as much as I can, and constantly be around people who I feel like are amazing at what they do"

Steve Wariner and Keith Urban closed down the RYMAN AUDITORIUM one last time on Feb 7th, before the stage began being replaced the following morning. Steve was due to close the show, but then beckoned Keith back on stage to join him on “Let My Guitar Do The Talking.” WARINER has also recently released “Guitar Laboratory.” The DALLAS MORNING NEWS said, "STEVE WARINER is the warmest of guitarists. No matter what six-string he's playing or what musical genre he's attempting, the INDIANA-born picker coaxes his fingers into producing a clear, soothing and warm guitar tone."

THE VALORY MUSIC CO. has announced that the label has added Country group THE MAVERICKS to its roster of artists. The label is working with the group on an album that will be released later this year. The VALORY project will mark the 20th anniversary of THE MAVERICKS 1991 self-titled debut album. In celebration of the announcement, VALORY MUSIC CO. also announced that THE MAVERICKS will perform a private, invite-only show in NASHVILLE on the night of TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21st, during Country Radio Seminar (CRS).

MCA/Nashville artist David Nail’s singles “Red Light” and “Let It Rain” have been certified Gold by the RIAA for over a half-million downloads each. With “Let It Rain” spending over 48 weeks climbing to the top of the country charts, the slow build has seen both songs benefiting from the extended rise. “It was funny to see ‘Red Light’ starting to pick up downloads again,” Nail says of his double certification, “but I think when people heard or bought ‘Let It Rain,’ they went back and found it. It makes me feel good that the songs I’ve recorded have staying power. It’s not just about being a hit, but it’s the moments the songs contain being kind of timeless.”

PRESS RELEASES



Marty Stuart Album Artwork 



Marty Stuart will release his second album for Sugar Hill Records entitled Nashville, Volume 1: Tear The Woodpile Down on April 24th.  The ten song collection, almost entirely written by Marty, features his touring band of musical missionaries The Fabulous Superlatives.  Nashville staples Buck Trent, Kenny Lovelace, and Robbie Turner are joined by country music royalty Hank Williams III and Lorrie Carter Bennett (The Carter Family) on harmony vocals to fill out the cast.  Stuart celebrates 40 years in music city proving that “The most outlaw thing you can do in Nashville, Tennessee today is to play Country Music”
Marty Stuart arrived in Nashville on Labor Day weekend, 1972.  “I came to Nashville from the land of Jimmie Rodgers, looking for a place, a place to belong inside the world of country music.  It was a country boy Hollywood, the air castle of the South, a dream factory.”  40 years, a decade worth of hits and a full round of hillbilly stardom later, Stuart has hillbilly rocked himself back to the bosom of traditional country music.

Marty and the Fabulous Superlatives playing "Tear The Woodpile Down" backstage at the Grand Ole Opry - Youtube Video

Billy Dean announced the official kickoff date for his at-home “Live From Our Living Room” concert series.  On March 31, in celebration of his 50th birthday, the country star launches the first official live date of the on-going series that will take place at his farm, ‘Dean Acres’ located just outside of Nashville in Liberty, TN.

“When I said the ‘Dean Acres’ concert events were going to be a barnburner, I didn’t mean it literally,” says Dean. “Despite the loss of our onsite barn and guesthouse, we’re going to kick this thing off at the end of March.  I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 50^th birthday.”  This past holiday season while Dean was touring with Kenny Rogers, the ‘Dean Acres’ barn (which would have doubled as a guesthouse for concertgoers) burned to the ground.  The barn was a total loss with Dean losing thousands of dollars in farm equipment in addition to career memorabilia from his early years as a recording artist.

Tim Mcgraw, Zac Brown Band and Kid Rock will headline BAMAJAM 2012, a three-day entertainment music festival to be held in Enterprise, AL from JUNE 14th through 16th. Darryl Worley will perform and host the opening night of as well.

INTERVIEW

The Civil Wars talk Grammy wins and future plans with Paste Magazine

WATCH

Shooter Jennings - Family Man EPK gives a taster of what to expect on his new album due out March 13^th - Youtube

PHOTO

Post Grammys Lady Antebellum tweet (Feb 16, 2012) “And this awesome cake to kick off the show is perfect. Thank you Denver “ See photo

Own The Night 2012 World Tour - San Antonio, TX Rodeo 2.17.12 - Photo