Country Bites News snippets February 24 – March 2, 2014
SOURCES / LINKS
shown in RED
Updated March 5, 2014
UK & IRISH News
Kata Hay heading for the UK – Born in 1987, Kata Hay (pronounced KAY-tuh) the 26-year old Skiatook, Oklahoma
native and Knoxville, Tennessee based Country/ Rock/ Pop singer-songwriter is
embarking on her first tour of the UK in March!
 |
| The stunning Kata Hay |
Thanks to the help of a
successful Kickstarter fan funded project (28 backers
pledged $2,161 of a $2,000 goal) it has secured money for tour travel,
merchandise and marketing expenses.
"I really feel like this tour could greatly
impact my career, and I ain't no chick anymore ;). lol Time to seize the
moment, as they say" she shares.
Her dates indicate
she will begin her tour on Weds 19th
March 2014 with a Phoenix FM
Interview finishing up on Sun 30th March at the Colchester
Arts Centre in Essex.
Kata (back then
Kata Huddleston) made Skiatook a household name for weeks in 1993 when she not
only appeared on but became the youngest person to ever win "Star Search
with Ed McMahon". She was only five years old when she won and she didn't
stop there. Over the years Kata has: Held the #1 spot on the Western Music
Charts and won five International Yodeling Championships.
At age 18, Kata
made the move to Tennessee, and met Robbie
Helton, who became her bass player, co-writer, and eventually 2 years
later, her husband. They formed the band Kata & The Blaze (Image) in 2006 and opened for legends such
as Merle Haggard, Wanda Jackson and played for over a million people in 2008
alone. The stunning Okie songstress stays busy writing and recording new music,
and is working on her first solo album in over 7 years. She also tours with the
bluegrass/rock fusion band The Grassabillies, and performs nightly at the
Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Fued Show in Pigeon Forge, TN.
Kata is the
reigning Dolly Parton Mountain Soul Vocal Champion (photo) winning 1st Place in the 13+
Category when she sang “I Will Always Love You”
Kata and Robbie
Helton will take their entertainment across the pond for 9 performances in
different UK cities each night over 12 days. A grueling travel and performance
schedule but one they look forward too with excitement. Hay said "It's been a dream of mine just to visit the
UK for a long time and now to actually get the honor of entertaining in some of
the historic cites and venues we are is more than I can ask for."
Kata and Robbie
will be bringing the UK to the US as well. They will be filming "Hatfields Loose in
London" video segments in which they ask random UK residents
what they know of The Great Smoky Mountains. To see how random UK folks react
to their antics, tune into the Hatfield McCoy Facebook page (March 20th - 30th)
for the daily video uploads.
Over the past 9 years
Kata has performed in front of over 5 million people in The Smoky Mountains,
performing up to 500 shows per year.
Kata has two supporting
acts for the tour both fronted by females one from Israel (Lilac
Sheer) & one from The Netherlands (Meryl and A bit Of Yellow) making this
truly a International melting pot of a tour. "I can't wait to get over there and entertain the people of the
United Kingdom!" Helton said, "I have always loved the music that came out of the UK. In my
partnership with INNOVATION strings (a UK based musical instrument string
maker) over the last eight years I really
wanted to tour there."
Kata has also
partnered with Washburn Guitars to giveaway a guitar to
one lucky UK fan. When Kata gets off the plane in London, Washburn will give
her the guitar and she will play it on all nine dates as well radio and media
appearances.
At the end of the
Colchester Arts Centre show Kata will select the winner over a live internet
stream. "I know it would mean a
little more to me knowing it's the one someone actually played on the tour and
not just some random guitar." Hay said. (Via Press
Release)
Her UK set list
will consist of mostly originals off a new CD and a few previous single
releases such as "Cannibals" (2011), "Smoke when I Drink"
(Aug 2012) and "Drives Me Crazy"
recently released on Feb 2, 2014.
Kata will also be
doing some covers, such as some Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones, and even throw in
some yodeling before the night is through!
 |
| CLICK to ENLARGE |
A brand new single
title "RE-RUN" (>>
sample on soundcloud)
has just dropped on Feb 27, 2014 its now available on cd
baby - Amazon UK - Amazon.com
The 13 track album
“Cowboys, Guitars, And A Lil Bit Of Swing” which was released December 2005 is
available on UK iTunes and on Amazon as MP3 for £4.99 and the hard copy CD is in the collectors item class priced
at a mere £722!
Get the Look: Her curve-hugging bodycon Mini dress was sourced
from rue21 off the bargain rack for just $5! The
Super hot Rhinestone Swirl Platform stiletto Heels were $25 (www.rue21.com) Yes this drop -dead look was
just a $30 outfit! Kata exclusively shares "I'm a deal finder, LOVE second hand stores. But Rue21 is a GREAT place
to find NEW FASHIONS at reasonable prices. As a working musician gotta take a
deal when you can get it!
Recently UKCountryRadio.com
were featuring music by Kata and they have
announced an exclusive Listeners' Club Newsletter Competition,
when they are giving away a pair of
tickets to see her live in concert, and a copy of her album.
>> Listen to presenter Simon
Large playing one of her songs:
Watch "Cannibals" by Kata Hay (Original Song)
published March 2011 (5000 views) and "Drives
Me Crazy" her single (released Feb 2, 2014) available on
iTunes
BUY: UK iTunes
UKCountryRadio.com's Live Music Nights launch in March month at Ye
Olde Anchor Inn in Upton upon Severn in Worcestershire.
Join them on the third
Saturday of each month for some great music in keeping with their Live Music
Nights values - ie all-live music, in quality environments, with no
interruptions for bingo or raffles and no musical boundaries.
First up will be Merseyside trio The
Good Intentions on Saturday 22nd March - fresh from their sell-out show at
UKCR's Live Music Night at Ambience Cafe Bistro in York in February.
March sees UKCR's next Live Music Night at Kenny's Fish & Chip
Restaurant, Conisborough, Doncaster. Their artiste on Sunday 30th March will be
Henley's very own The Lynne Butler Band
(country/ Bluegrass, blues, rock 'n' roll)
UKCountryRadio.com's Spotlight UK Artists to be featuring each weekend
during March:
March 7-9: The Proposition / March 14-16: Adrian Duffy / March 21-23:
Lynnette Marie /March 28-30: Derek Ryan
Read more in UKCountryRadio.com's Listeners' Club
Newsletter for March 2014 - http://eepurl.com/PtAGj
Irish star Derek Ryan
releases his first country single in the UK, "100 Numbers". It's a
self-penned track, about being popular and busy, having 100 numbers in your phone,
but still feeling lonely and isolated. The song is one of 14 tracks on Derek's
Top 10 Official UK Country album chart album titled "Country Soul"
For the week
commencing Saturday 1st March 2014
on the BBC
Radio 2 Playlist C2C headliners
Zac Brown Band's "All
Alright" from The GROHL SESSIONS EP has been added to the Radio 2 "B"
playlist
Carolynne Poole has announced
her C2C stage
slots: Sat 15th March 13:35 - 14:05 (O2 Phone Shop) and Sun 16th
March (Brooklyn Bowl Stage) 15:30 - 16:00
Lisa Redford: Country to
Country Festival Pop Up Stages - March 15th. The O2, London.
Saturday March 15th: 13:45 – 14:15 O2 Phone Shop stage & 15:40 –
16:10 Town Square stage
Sunday March 16th: 15:30 - 16:00 the Armadillo stage
C2C Event - In addition,
panels for aspiring singers and songwriters presented by CMA on Saturday, March 15 (14:00
-15:00) featuring Striking Matches (Sunday
14:30 – 15:30) and music executives
at the British Music Experience at
The O2. Attendees (250 people each day) will hear about what it takes to be a
successful songwriter and panelists will explore the steps to hit-making (Note:
This is a ticketed Event). The price also includes entry into
the BME and Taylor Swift exhibition.
C2C presents CMA Songwriter Series Indigo2,
Greenwich, Fri 14 Mar 2014, 19:00 with Martina McBride, Brett James, Striking
Matches and series host Bob DiPiero! Tickets still available on Ticketmaster UK
http://tidd.ly/40505f4b
The Standard London-based band Curran say music lovers should forget all the
stereotypes as they prepare to play at Britain’s biggest country
music festival. Frontman and founder Mark Curran said the group were thrilled
to be performing at the Country to Country festival, which is at the O2 on March
15 and 16. “People tend to think of
10-gallon hats and cowboy boots with country but it’s not that way any more,”
he said. Curran, 30, an Irish-American who lives at London Bridge, said: “I’m primarily a rock artist but my view is
that today’s country music fans and rock fans are the same audience. Today’s
country sounds like rock and roll in the Seventies.
Brad Paisley and Friends
Presented by Bob Harris: An opportunity to see country superstar Brad
Paisley in an intimate acoustic setting, playing and talking about his hits
with the people who wrote them with him, all recorded exclusively for BBC Radio
2. The ticket giveaway (25 pairs of FREE tickets)
is open from now until Thursday 6 March at 11.55pm.
Where & When: Monday 17th March at the BBC Radio Theatre,
Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London
W1A 1AA
Eric Church Looking to
Conquer Europe from the Ground Up: Eric Church has the #1 album in America
right now with The Outsiders, so why is he spending the next few weeks playing small clubs in Europe? After
testing the waters with a well-attended show in London awhile back, Eric grew
excited at the prospect of building a European fan base using the same
grassroots methods that led him to superstardom in the U.S. Eric explains,
"I'm doing it the way acts over
there are doing it. We're going to go play their club, their rock club,
wherever those acts play, that's where we're gonna play. And we're gonna do it
the way we used to do it. So, I'm excited about it. A little nervous, but I'm
excited about it."
Eric recalls sometimes playing for just about eight people a night, so
he's not concerned with performing for small crowds. He is a little worried
about playing in non-English speaking territories like Germany and Norway.
Dolly Parton will play this
year's Glastonbury
Festival, organiser
Emily Eavis has confirmed that country star.
Speaking to BBC 6 Music at Wednesday night's NME Awards, Eavis said the
singer had confirmed the "amazing news" earlier that day. "We're really, really excited because it's
been something we've been wanting to happen for a long time. And she finally
said yes," said Eavis. Parton later told her three million followers
the news via Twitter.
"I'm incredibly excited to FINALLY announce that the
#BlueSmokeWorldTour is coming to @GlastoFest on June 29th! ;) Stay tuned for
more info…" she wrote.
Parton will perform in Sunday afternoon's renowned "legend slot"
on the Pyramid Stage, which last year featured fellow country star Kenny
Rogers.
I’m incredibly excited to FINALLY announce that the #BlueSmokeWorldTour is coming to @GlastoFest on June 29th! ;) Stay tuned for more info…
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) February 27, 2014
UK CHART NEWS
Official UK Singles Top 100 (Weeks Ending March 8, 2014)
Avicii‘s “Hey
Brother” which features uncredited vocals from Dan Tyminski fell 14-21 in 23rd chart week
Official UK Albums Top 100 (Weeks Ending March 8, 2014)
Rosanne Cash’s THE RIVER
& THE THREAD (Decca) slipped back 47-69 in her third week.
Eric Church made a debut with THE OUTSIDERS at No.70
US
country rock band Blackberry Smoke with the Deluxe album THE WHIPPOORWILL (Earache) fell 55 places 30-85 in their second
week on the chart.
Sheryl Crowe’s FEELS LIKE HOME
fell off the chart from No.79 after
enjoying a 4-week run.
Official UK
Country Album Chart (Week Ending March 8, 2014)
Rosanne Cash new album THE
RIVER & THE THREAD moved back to the top 2-1 in her third replacing Blackberry Smoke with
the Deluxe album THE WHIPPOORWILL which made a No.1 debut and strangely no longer appears on the chart.
Eric Church made with THE OUTSIDERS enters at No.2
Sheryl Crowe with FEELS LIKE HOME (Warner Brothers) hold at No.3 on
her 10th chart week.
Suzy Bogguss with her
$75,000 Kickstarter fan funded album of Merle
Haggard songs LUCKY (Proper) fell
back 6-11 in her second week.
On the Hotdisc Chart
(March 2, 2014 Chart)
Billy Yates retained the No.1 spot on the Hotdisc Top 40 for a fourth
week with his self penned “The Man I
Used To Be"
Branch & Dean held at No.2 with "Glad She's Not An Angel “and are creeping
closer with their 4th Hotdisc single.
David Wood with his cover of an old Dean Martin song, "Memories Are Made Of This" climbed
5-4.
Andy Griggs cover of the Hank Williams song “Ramblin’ Man” fell 3-5.
Female duo Moore & Moore
with “Mississippi Missing You” moved
inside the Top 10 with a 3 slot hop 11-8.
Lost Hollow have reached the upper tier as their
excellent single “Water And Oil”
made a 5 place leap 15-10.
Hot
act Justine Blazer continued to burn an upward path with “On The Edge With You” (co-written with
Brando Henegar), taken from her album GASOLINE, which climbed 18-16.
Breelan Angel made further progress with a 4 place rise (24-20)
with her self released co-write “Halfway
To Wasted”.
UK COUNTRY ALBUM RELEASES
(14 Jan 2014) Lone Justice -
The Vaught Tapes 1983 CD - Amazon.com
Archive recording from the
L.A.-based Roots Rock band fronted by Maria McKee. Recorded direct to 2-track
tape in December, 1983 by engineer David Vaught and with no overdubs, those
twelve tracks can finally be heard in their entirety as This Is Lone Justice:
The Vaught Tapes, 1983.
(28 Jan 2014) North 40 - Sing Your Own Song
(Rhymetown Entertainment)
13 Tracks/ Time:
47:23 CD - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(18 Feb 2014) Clayton Anderson - Right Where I Belong
(No Hassle Love Castle Records) 7 Tracks/ Time:
24:08 MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(18 Feb 2014) Lydia Loveless - Somewhere Else
(Bloodshot Records)
10 Tracks/ Time:
42:17 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(3 March 2014) Deana Carter - Southern Way of Life
(Red River Entertainment)
10 Tracks/ Time:
37:08 CD - MP3 - Smart Choice Music - Amazon.com (First released 2nd Dec 2013 in
America)
(3 Mar 2014) Drive-By Truckers - English Oceans (ATO Records)
AAA/ Americana / Rock 13 Trks/ Time: 1:00:22 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(3 March 2014) Albert Lee & Hogan's Heroes -
Frettening Behaviour (Heroic Records)
(4 March 2014) Kevin Fowler - How Country Are Ya?
(Kevin Fowler Records-Thirty Tigers)
15 Tracks/ Time: 44:42 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes (single) Amazon.com
15 Tracks/ Time: 44:42 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes (single) Amazon.com
(4 March 2014) Sundy Best - Bring Up The Sun (eOne)
15 Tracks/ Time:
55:34 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(4 March 2014) Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie - Dancin'
Annie (Rural Rhythm)
12 Tracks CD - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
BLUEGRASS NEWS
Irene Kelley: February was the month of Love. In The Round at
The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Americana Airplay chart, album release day
, Fox 17 TV appearance, The Station Inn CD release show and Folk Alliance
International. Read her latest Fan Newsletter
"Irene’s
discography is MOST IMPRESSIVE but this newest album is one that seems to have
struck a chord with those inside and outside the music industry. PENNSYLVANIA
COAL is RIVITING. Its organic homegrown feel beckons the listener to listen….to
REALLY LISTEN." - Kathy
Sands-Boehmer, NoDepression.com
BUY: CD - Amazon.com >> YouTube Preview - Press Release
AUSSIE NEWS
If the journey to
making an album was measured in distance, Christie
Lamb has circumnavigated the planet a couple of times over. Since releasing
her debut EP late in 2011, the Sydney singer-songwriter has made multiple trips
to the home of country music in Nashville, to work on and hone her performing
and writing skills.
Now those long
trips and hundreds of man hours have culminated in the release of her debut
album, ALL SHE
WROTE, which she'll releasing unto the world with a launch party at
Rooty Hill RSL. Read her CMC interview
Huge news for duo O'Shea: In addition to performing in
The Hideout at this year's Houston Rodeo, they are going to be hosting a
Youtube video series for RODEOHOUSTON
called Rodeo Unplugged! The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the largest
Rodeo in the world with an annual attendance of more than 2 Million & this
year's performers include Maroon 5, Usher, Keith Urban, Robin Thicke, Luke Bryan
just to name a few!
NEWS
- Snapshot Country Aircheck's Insider News:
February 25, 2014 - February 28, 2014 - March 4, 2014
- The fire department was called to Loretta Lynn‘s ranch in Humphreys
County, Tennessee on the morning of Feb 25th morning to battle a fire at her
home, according to Nashville’s News Channel
5. The report indicates that the fire broke out around 9:30 am local time
and that everyone inside the home was able to escape the flames without
injury. Update: According to WKRN, Lynn, 81, was at home during the fire
and suffered minor burns to her hands. The fire was caused by an
overturned candle that ignited a chair at her home. She reportedly heard a
crackling noise and used a pillow to put out the flames.
- David Nail
celebrated his latest #1 hit, "Whatever She's Got," at a party
in Nashville Wednesday, and this time his lifelong battle with depression
didn't keep him from getting in on the fun. During an interview prior to
the event, David said he decided to get help shortly
after his song, "Let It Rain," hit the top of the charts a few
years back. Fast forward to 2014 and David's new outlook on life is
reflected on his new album, I'm a Fire, due out next week. The second
single from that project, "Kiss You Tonight," will hit the
airwaves soon.
- Talk about paying your dues. Before
moving to Nashville, Randy Houser
cut his teeth playing rough clubs and bars near his home in Lake,
MS. The brawls in those spots sometimes turned deadly while Randy was on
stage. "I've seen a lot of
crazy stuff over the years," Randy told ABC News Radio. "I've seen people shot. I've seen
people's throats cut." The throat-cutting incident took place one
night when a guy named Rocky was hanging out at the bar watching Randy
sing. Says Randy, "Wasn't
really doing nothing wrong. He was just a little drunk. And this one guy
from another town came up and busted a beer bottle and slit his throat
right there in front of us." At that point, Randy jumped off the
stage and threw the guy with the beer bottle up against the wall. "He could have easily, probably cut my
throat, too," Randy says. "We all had to grab Rocky and put
something around him. Keep him from bleeding to death."
TOURS
Blake Shelton will set off on his Ten Times Crazier tour June 20 in
Austin, Texas. The Band Perry, Neal McCoy and new duo Dan + Shay will be his
special guests.
BABY NEWS
Inside Music Row
presenter Bailey is taking some time after the birth of her first child. Rhodes
Eli McNeely was born February 17, 2014 at 12:21 am. He weighed in at 8 pounds even, and measured
20 inches long - Photo
MUSIC NEWS
Background to Avicii and Dan Tyminski’s collaboration on electronic dance music hit “Hey Brother.” :
It all started
with a phone call from an associate of 24-year-old Swedish DJ, remixer, and
record producer Tim Bergling. The caller said that Avicii, as Bergling is known
as to his many millions of fans, wanted Tyminski as lead vocalist on an
upcoming track.“I’m always flattered when
someone wants to work with me,” said Tyminski. “But my first reaction was
‘great, but this may be a little too far out of my genre.’” But the basic track
was done, so Tyminski listened to it. “It
was in the perfect key for me,” said Tyminski, whose second reaction was,
“Am I crazy, or is this something that seems like it would work?”
After texting his
daughter Kathryn, 20, to see if she knew of Avicii, Tyminski was in. “She just
went crazy. Her level of excitement raised my interest dramatically.”
Hey Brother was
released as a single in October 2013 and has since hit number one on the pop
charts in Europe as well as topping the dance charts in the United
Kingdom.....Tyminski’s pleased to once again be one to give worldwide music
listeners a drop of the pure stuff for the first time. “I think it really breaks new ground, merging EDM with bluegrass,”
he said. “There’s nothing out of place,
all the pieces fit perfectly.”
SINGLE / ALBUM NEWS
Early Winters sophomore album 'Vanishing Act' is out NOW at UK iTunes !
The new band from acclaimed UK singer Carina Round (Puscifer/Tears for
Fears), three time Juno nominated Justin Rutledge, Grammy Nominated L.A.
producer/musician Dan Burns and highly acclaimed musician Zac Rae (Lana Del
Ray, Gotye) had their first single off the album "Love Won't Leave Me
Alone" premiered at Spin Magazine, who proclaimed it "lush with
well-placed harmonies...", their compilation EP with songs off the new
album was featured on Noisetrade, and American Songwriter is streaming the
entire album, listen
Early Winters
'Vanishing Act' Trailer (1min Version) which shows one of the band members
swallowing a scorpion. Yikes.
"Round and Rutledge evoke a mellow Lindsey
Buckingham & Stevie Nicks harmonious vibe and the songs tie together
sumptuous dream pop, Hotel Cafe melodies and vintage Laurel Canyon folk/rock..."
- Direct Current Music
Variables which
follow the already costly recording of an (amazing) album, such as radio, PR,
ads, video’s etc. Without these factors, self releasing a record can be akin to
“releasing a single baby sea turtle in a meadow in Ohio” (As our friend Peter
Mulvey so eloquently puts it) – Check out their Pledge Music Project
Four-time Grammy
winning band the Doobie Brothers
with Michael McDonald are teaming up with country’s biggest stars
including Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, Sara Evans, Chris Young,
Jerrod Niemann, Love and Theft, and more to be announced for an album of
all-new recordings of the Doobie Brothers’ biggest hits. Releasing later this year on Sony
Music Nashville, the album was announced during last week’s Country
Radio Seminar at Sony Music Nashville’s annual, invitation-only show aboard the
General Jackson Showboat, which treated radio, media, and industry VIPs to a
surprise performance by the Doobie Brothers collaborating with album stars
Paisley, Evans, and Young.
British Columbia
native Dallas Smith released his brand new EP TIPPIN’ POINT
(March 3rd) across the U.S. and Canada. Produced by Joey Moi (Florida Georgia Line,
Jake Owen), the six-song project features the top-selling single “Tippin’
Point.” Co-written by Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard along
with The Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston, the title track has already sold
nearly 100,000 digital copies. It follows his breakout Canadian country debut
(604 Records/Universal Music Canada), JUMPED RIGHT IN, which produced the GOLD
single “Jumped Right In” and netted five 2013 CCMA award nominations plus a
2013 JUNO Award nomination for Country Album of the Year.
PRESS RELEASES
- March Line-Up
Offers Bluegrass, Traditional Country and Lots of Laughs at Larry's
Country Diner.
- Rural Rhythm Records (March 4th New Releases) Bill Emerson & Sweet Dixie - DANCIN' ANNIE his fourth
album (12 songs featuring two new original songs) and Jim & Jesse and the
Virginia Boys (celebrating 50 Years as members of the Grand Ole Opry this
year) release RADIO SHOWS (First recorded in 1962 it contains 24 songs on
one compact disc re-mastered from the original master tapes)
ARTICLES
CMA Close Up - New Artist Spotlight: Charlie Farley It’s official: Rap has crossed over to Country. What
was a novelty just a few years ago is now a subgenre, whose ties to hip-hop are
as fascinating as they are controversial. Charlie Farley gets both forms of
music. Stylistically, this native of De Queen, Ark., vocalizes with complete
authenticity, from the rhythm of his rhymes to the hints of melody that
emphasize key words and cadences...............
REVIEWS
For The Country Record The Music of Nashville – Season 2, Volume 1 – Album Review
Tampa Bay.com Review: Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles goes solo, gets soulful at Ruth Eckerd Hall in
Clearwater
Yahoo.com Queen of country dazzles Down
Under - Dolly Parton
played the madam of the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, so it was little
surprise the Smoky Mountains Songbird was prepared to work blue at the final
performance of her Australian tour. Introducing her country cover of Bob
Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's All Right to 11,000 fans at the Perth Arena,
Parton joked that she was thinking about a full album of the Minnesota
Minstrel's tunes - Dolly Does Dylan.
Parton, 68, but
parts of her are younger, thought twice about the titillating tribute, but
cackled: "I might shake my pompoms at him."...the hardest working
little lady in showbiz left us with the towering ballad I Will Always Love You.
She also left us with no doubt that, once again, Parton did Perth.
When Travis
Kitchens got the assignment from City Paper to write about Jason Aldean’s February 1 performance at the Baltimore Arena, the country music
writer and filmmaker was hoping he would be pleasantly surprised by the
mainstream C&W superstar. “If I liked
it, I thought, it would make my traditional folkie friends go crazy,” said
Kitchens. But instead he found the evening a disaster, with musicians “who play like the American Idol house band”
and Aldean making “a horrifyingly awful attempt at rapping.” “A lot like watching a two-hour beer
commercial. . . a mindless dopamine rush as precise in its effects as
methamphetamine,” Kitchens wrote. “He struts around the stage with his prop
guitar like a rockstar android wiggling his ass in a manner so contrived it
makes Madonna look like Miles Davis in comparison.” Those observations come
from Kitchens’ scathing
review, published on February 4 on City Paper’s website, but taken
down after a week – under pressure, CP editor-in-chief Evan Serpick and others
say, from “two big advertisers.” LiveNationDC (who promoted the concert) and
Under Armour (a sponsor of
Aldean)...Read
more baltimorebrew.com
INTERVIEWS
Rising country
artist Maggie Rose left Potamac,
Maryland — where she was singing in a Bruce Springsteen cover band — for
Nashville on the advice of music mogul Tommy Mottola, an early supporter.
There, she cut her debut album Cut To Impress, with the help of veteran
producers Blake Chancey and James Stroud. Rose chatted with American Songwriter about songwriting,
Calvin and Hobbes, her early material and more.
Jessie
Lee Cates, born and raised in the hill country of Hamblen
County, Tennessee, was determined to use her God-given vocal talents to enrich
others’ lives with her music. She took second place at Kelly Pickler’s Kellioke
Contest in Knoxville, and sang her songs at well-known Tennessee festivals such
as the Foothills Fall Festival, where she opened for Jason Aldean, and at the
East Tennessee Farm Relief concert, sharing the stage with Aaron Tippin. While
performing in a local pub, she was discovered by Mike Hammond of Knoxville’s
Q100 radio station
The Nashville TN
recording artist has been promoting her single “Scotland” to Europe via Hotdisc
with a Hot
Shot debut at No.5 and a #4 peak, taken from her Nov 28, 2013
released 6 track EP titled LET YOUR COUNTRY OUT.
>> Listen to her interview conducted during Country
Radio Seminar (CRS) week in Nashville with Lee Williams (photo) first broadcast on CMR Nashville (Europe's #1 Country
Music Radio Station) on Feb 28, 2014.
BUY: “Let You Country Out” CD Import - MP3 - Amazon.com - CD BABY
Justine Blazer a Detroit, MI native Country/Rock artist is a statuesque
5-foot-10 twenty something stunner and former model who has been preparing for
super stardom in the entertainment business virtually since day one. Raised in
Canton, Mich., outside Detroit, her mother, Cynthia, was a onetime Ford model
and dancer who operated her own dance studio. Justine started writing songs at
8, playing piano at 10, studying opera at 12.
Her family moved
to Nashville when she was two. “That’s probably where the country roots
started”
Justine is a
national recording artist, BMI songwriter, guitarist, entertainer and musician
performing at high-end venues, festivals and concerts. She has opened for
numerous national acts such as Lonestar, Josh Gracin, Terri Clark, Jason
Aldean, Bucky Covington and Lee Roy Parnell.
She is currently
promoting her single "On the Edge With You" to Europe from her
self released 11 track album Gasoline which dropped March 6, 2013. It has
continued to climb the Hotdisc Top 40 chart and is now at #16 in its 4th week.
>> Listen to her CRS
interview in Nashville with Lee Williams first broadcast on CMR Nashville on
Feb 28, 2014.
BUY: UK iTunes – Amazon.com
Cumbernauld Glasgow Pop/Country duo Raintown (28 year old Claire McArthur and husband
to be 34 year old Paul Bain) the current 2013
BCMAwards Duo of the Year spoke live on the phone (Sunday March 2nd) from
London with Graham Dryburgh on
East Coast FM Community Radio
Station in East Lothian, Scotland on the My Kinda’ Country Sunday Evening show
(10 – Midnight).
 |
| Click to Enlarge the Cover art |
They spoke about
their plans to:
a) Selective tour dates in Canada in late June, early July including playing a July 1st Canada Day Festival.
b) To bring the beautiful Aussie artist Aleyce Simmonds - PHOTO - and 2014 CMAA Female Artist Of The Year nominee over to the UK to play some dates together
c) Exclusive news of a new single to be released very soon titled “If This Was A Love Song”, which they have been playing and working up >> live , known to the band members as The Daffodil song.
>> Listen to the Phone interview:
#ThrowbackThursday Our cover for our very first single "Just One Kiss" back in 2010.
a) Selective tour dates in Canada in late June, early July including playing a July 1st Canada Day Festival.
b) To bring the beautiful Aussie artist Aleyce Simmonds - PHOTO - and 2014 CMAA Female Artist Of The Year nominee over to the UK to play some dates together
c) Exclusive news of a new single to be released very soon titled “If This Was A Love Song”, which they have been playing and working up >> live , known to the band members as The Daffodil song.
>> Listen to the Phone interview:
#ThrowbackThursday Our cover for our very first single "Just One Kiss" back in 2010.
Hope you like it.
Love Claire/Paul Image
>> Stream/
Download << their 2010 single “Just One Kiss” (Radio Edit) if
it passed you by on Valentines!
Listen to other East
Coast FM interviews at Soundcloud.com
BOOKS
Martina McBride has captured
her passion for cooking and entertaining in a new cookbook called Around the Table. The book comes out October 7 featuring Martina's
recipes and tips for recreating a Red, White and Blue Backyard Cookout or Retro
Valentine's Day Supper Club. Martina says, "I have a passion for food and entertaining, and I'm so excited to be
putting everything I love onto the pages of my new book”.
Josh Turner will release
his first book, man stuff: thoughts on faith, family, and fatherhood, on April
29. Jase Robertson of A&E’s Duck Dynasty pens the forward - Press Release
FREE DOWNLOADS
Americana Singer/Songwriter Mary
Gauthier is offering up, for an email share via Noisetrade, the whole of her “Live At Blue Rock”
album first released on ITunes on February
5, 2013. Check out more music in this Noisetrade Newsletter
WATCH
- Zac Brown Band
"All
Alright" (Official Lyric Video) from ZBB's latest
album 'The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1' produced by Dave Grohl.
- Cassadee Pope
performing "I Wish I Could Break Your Heart"
(Republic Nashville)
- Aussie duo, O'Shea's "It
Never Goes Away" is the 4th single from husband and
wife second album, One + One
- "Spinning"
by 17 year old Ashley Leone,
filmed in Philadelphia.
- Kevin Fowler's
official music video new single, "Love Song"! From the new album,
"How Country Are Ya?," in stores March 4. Fowler wants you to
know what he thinks about when he thinks ‘love’ a pretty girl in Daisy Dukes, drinking
beer and getting wild. The video, shows a bartender who falls in love with
a “beer-drinking, hell-raising, heart-breaking, butt-shaking” wild,
smoking hot girl in cowboy boots and Daisy Dukes!
- Country fans have become familiar with
the bluesy tones of Joshua Scott
Jones' voice through his work as part of the duo Steel Magnolia.
Together with Meghan Linsey, the duo enjoyed success with "Keep On
Lovin' You." Now, Jones (who previously went into rehab) is putting
his solo foot forward with the release of his debut single, "Honk (If
You're Tonky)." - Billboard Exclusive
- Stella Parton
has released her first ever dance album, "Resurrection". This video was filmed live at the album release party in Atlanta. Dance remixes to past hits as well as new, never recorded songs. Mixed by legends Gomi, Thomas CW, M.Mor and Puffdog. Stella like you have never heard her before! Its available at CD BABY and UK iTunes. Meanwhile her self-penned song, “Tell It Sister, Tell It” has climbed to No.2 on the Power Source Magazine Inspirational Country charts. The title cut song first released in 2011 (available on CD BABY) shares the title of her inspirational memoir and is an uplifting, hand-clappin’, anthem that touches the heart much like her book (Tell It Sister Tell It, Audiobook (6 Disc).
- Tuesday 11am GMT and it means its time to pop the Kettle on and time for another Ashton Lane Kitchen Session, watch "All Of Me" (a John Legend cover taken his fourth R&B studio album Love in the Future (2013) which was #1 in Australia, #9 on Official UK Singles Chart and a #4 US Billboard Hot 100 hit). After leaping 72-28, Legend's All Of Me slipped to No.29 but now resumes its dynamic growth, spurting to No.9 (25,445 sales). It is the introductory hit from his latest album and has finally surpassed the #28 slot in which it debuted 25 weeks ago, and becomes the third Top 20 album of his career, jumping 29-15 on sales of 5,536 copies.
- Josh Thompson‘s
‘Cold Beer With Your Name on It’ isn’t
your typical tale of lost love. The singer is reaching out for a woman
he’s lost, but he’s not asking for forever — he just wants to spend the
night enjoying a cold beer (and maybe a dance) with her. Looking at the
model/ actress in the vid who can blame him! The single was promoted to
Europe on the Hotdisc #177 September 2013 disc and peaked at No.4 on the
Top 40.
Sizzling hot Lindsay Ell’s debut video for her first
single, “Trippin’
on Us” currently #46 on Billboard Country Airplay.
“I’m a guitar player, so it has a lot of
guitar in it,” she told Country Weekly. “And I’ve always been told I’m this happy, smiley girl, so having a song
that was positive and happy was really important to me.”.
The 24-year-old
Calgary native and Stoney Creek Records’ artist opened for The Band Perry on
their UK, European and North America "We Are Pioneers" World Tour (20
shows, 9 countries, 30 days during Nov/ Dec 2013).
Can a talented,
guitar-slinging, songwriting, attractive ball of fire from Canada bust through
the existing brick wall for female artists in Country music? The guys at Stoney
Creek answered that question with a resounding,
"Ell Yeah!" What struck us immediately was that thing you can't
quantify or explain; that thing that separates talented artists from superstar
acts, the 'It Factor' we're all looking for in this business," remembers
Broken Bow Records Music Group
EVP Jon Loba.
"Lindsay has that in spades and it jumped out at us instantly. We invited
her to come and play for the entire label and they had the same reaction. We
offered Lindsay a deal that day."
COUNTRY GOSSIP
According to Life
& Style (and a “friend” they use as a source) Carrie Underwood and her hockey husband Mike are hoping for baby to
make three in 2014. “During
the holidays, they told friends and family that 2014 was going to be the year
they had a baby!” a pal reveals to Life & Style.
Trisha Yearwood was asked why more female artists aren't at the top of
the charts right now and she said, "I
don't understand and I don't have an answer.” Carrie Underwood was only a
child when Trisha had her first hit and Carrie says, “I’d really love to see
more females doing really well. The ones who are out there, myself, Miranda,
Reba, Taylor, are doing really well but I’d love to see more! It makes me a
little sad when I look at the charts and only see one female in the Top 20.”
Unlike most
artists, Kacey Musgraves rarely has
to say goodbye to her boyfriend since he's also a member of her band.
Kacey and her beau, Misa Arragia, came together as musical partners before
things turned romantic.
Kacey told ABC News Radio, "We were friends for a couple years at least
before seeing each other in that kind of light. It just so happens that we are
really inspired by the same things."
How Taylor Swift Made "Downton Abbey" Star
Cry: Michelle Dockery, who
plays Lady Mary Crawley on Downton Abbey, tells People magazine that the last time
she cried was at one of Taylor's shows.
Why? She explains, "My
godchildren went to see [her] in concert and got to meet her. They literally ran toward her and hugged her,
and it was amazing."
"I got big bonus points for that,"
Dockery adds. "I'll remind them when they are teenagers."
TWEETS
Dear Garth Brooks... For the love of god and all that's holy, please get your music on iTunes. PLEASE! It's 2014!!!! #frustratedfan
— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) February 1, 2014
Earlier this
month, Blake Shelton tweet expressed his frustration over not being able to
download Garth Brooks’ music online.
“I thought, man, I want to buy, I
don't remember what it was. 'Shameless' or something,” he shares. “I got on
iTunes and it's like tribute bands, and it's like, ‘What?’ So, then I got on Spotify, and it's not
there. It's not on YouTube. It's not anywhere.”
Bringing Garth’s
music into the digital age is especially important to Blake, since he consider
the superstar his inspiration.
I don't even have
a CD player anymore. I don't even own one, I don't think. If I do, it's broke.”
“My ultimate fear is, and I've had friends
tell me that their kids didn't know who Garth Brooks was, and that upsets me. I
don't like that. I think it's because kids are walking around with their
iPhones and their iPods, and if they can't get it on there, then they probably
don't know it exists.”
Blake goes on to
say he understands how the superstar feels about making his music available
digitally, but he believes there could be some compromise.
“I know Garth's stance on it, which is he
wants people to go buy the album and have the album experience. I still don't
know why you can't do that on iTunes too.”
According to a
tweet sent Feb. 27th by her label Big Machine, Taylor Swift is indeed “in the studio.” This is the second hint that
Taylor is working on her follow-up to Red. On
Valentine’s Day, she posted a photo to Instagram of her drinking champagne and
eating sweets with Max Martin and Johan Schuster, better known as Shellback,
with the caption “It’s a studio Valentine’s Day.” Both those guys helped her go
a little more pop on Red with the songs “22,” “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “We
Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
PHOTO
Dolly Parton on the cover of Playboy Magazine for #ThrowbackThursday circa
1978! - Image
Ashton Shepherd with Bob Doerschuk (CMA Close Up) and Stephanie Webb
(image) (Mrs. Williamson County crowned Mrs. Tennessee America 2014) at The Johnny Cash
Museum for the "Seventeen Again" single launch during CRS
week on Tues Feb 18, 2014 - PHOTO
Stephanie
surprised her crowning her Prom Queen and Ashton's husband Prom King - PHOTO
The tables - image were themed "17" at the
special Candlelit Dinner Event. Thank you country radio and media for a great
single launch party for my new single "Seventeen Again." I hope I
took ya'll back to when you were 17" shares Ashton see all the Facebook gallery photos (Bev J Moser ,
Moments By Moser Photograph/ Lee Smoot Photography)
Yallwire host
Stephanie Langston caught up with Ashton before the special evening kicked off
to talk about bringing back her authentic country southern sound, her CD
"This is America," and country cooking. >> Watch the "I'm A Real Lady" interview.
Joey Martin (Joey + Rory) …. hello Indy, I'm your mommy...PHOTO
BIRTHDAYS
March 3: Royal Wade
Kimes (1951)
March 6: Skip Ewing
(1964), Kimmie Rhodes (1954), the
late Bob Wills (1905; died May 13,
1975 (aged 70))
March 7: Kathy
Chiavola (1952), Townes Van Zandt
(1944)
March 8: Randy Meisner (1947, member of The Eagles, Poco),
March 9: Marty Martel
(1939), Mickey Gilley (1936)
R.I.P
Country singer Penny DeHaven died Sunday, Feb. 23, at the age of 65
(According to publicist Vernell Hackett, Penny died of cancer) . Best known for
a series of singles recorded for United Artists and Mercury Records in the
1970s, DeHaven had her biggest hit in 1970 as the duet partner of the late Del
Reeves (1933-2007) on “Land Mark Tavern.”
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