Country Bites News snippets March 3, 2014 - March 9,
2014
SOURCES / LINKS
shown in RED
UK & IRISH News
UK sensational talent Sam
Hollyman has just signed a deal with KEMC Records (Republic of
Ireland) who will help Sam develop his career and launch his music to the
commercial market in The UK and Ireland in the coming weeks. Sam caught the
attention of CMR Nashville CEO Lee Williams "The first time I met Sam was at the 2013 BCM Awards with his American
producer Justin Johnson. It was also great to see that this sound was actually
recorded in Liverpool with British musicians" states Lee who met with
Sam and his family and agreed to manage him. (Via Press Release).
For the week
commencing Saturday 8st March 2014
on the BBC
Radio 2 Playlist C2C headliners Brad
Paisley with “Mona Lisa”and Zac
Brown Band's "All Alright" from The GROHL SESSIONS EP remain on the Radio
2 “A” and "B" playlists respectively , Rascal Flatts “Rewind” satys on the “C” list.
The Phil Mack Show announced on
Facebook (after completing negotiations on Friday Feb 28th) big changes for
April 1st. They will be working with a new Channel and intend to produce
two Phil Mack International Country Shows each week, going out at peak viewing
times. Each will be a new show. One of the worlds largest Music labels are
coming on board, giving the show the access to the biggest names in Country
music.
New Maverick Magazine editor Laura Bethell wished Alan Cackett a “long and happy retirement” in her forward on the
latest issue. In reply Alan writes : Contrary to a recently published article
where I was wished a happy retirement, I want to make it very clear that I am
far from retired and want you all to know that I am as busy as ever writing
about music and publishing features and reviews on my website - www.alancackett.com and also working on CD compilations
and liner notes for various labels with more than 60 titles commissioned for
2014 already.
Cackett has just published his review of Eric Church's “amazing concert” at
London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire that took place on Sunday March 2, 2014.
This includes some “amazing photos” taken by frography.xthefrog.com
Adrian Duffy & The Mayo
Brothers and their single "United We Fall" was played on the March 2nd
Bob Harris Sunday Show (graveyard shift) in the early hours as part of his
"listening Booth" show segment. "It's a great record" said Bob.
Listen:
Their great video “Someone Like You” has been shown on The Phil
Mack International show this week.
UKCountryRadio.com announced in
their Listeners' Club Newsletter for March 2014 that
they will be Spotlight
UK Artists over Friday March 14th – Sunday 16th.
Dierks Bentley: Riser At
Cineworld At The O2 London: See the 45 minute screening of RISER, with Dierks Bentley in
attendance, at 12:30pm on Saturday 15th
March at Cineworld at The O2. The
screening is FREE for 50 lucky fans on a first come, first served basis. Simply
show up at level one of Cineworld at The O2 between 11am and 12.15pm to get
your ticket!
Country To
Country (C2C) announced the Mainstage and Pop Up Stage timings
There was no sign of popular Swedish country star Jill Johnson who according to her website now has a concert in Stockholm,
Sweden on March 15th!
C2C 2014 Arena Stage Times, THE O2,
LONDON
Saturday 15th March 2014
Doors 15:45
Martina McBride: 16:45 - 17:30
/ Dierks Bentley: 18:00 - 19:00 /
Dixie Chicks: 19:30 - 20:45
and Zac Brown Band: 21:15 - 22:45
Sunday 16th March 2014
Doors 15:30
Chris Young: 16:15 - 17:00
/ The Band Perry 17:30 - 18:30 /
Rascal Flatts 19:00 - 20:15
and Brad Paisley 20:45 - 22:15
People attending the C2C event in Dublin feel like the poor relations
and somewhat short changed with no Pop-Up artists and no Martina McBride
(London only)
Country fan Chris Harris writes and points out: Well that just adds to the annoyance I feel about the Dublin event and
adds to the disappointment. So not only does Dublin not get any of the Popup
acts or stalls, we actually get 80 mins less of the main acts compared to
London, taking into account that Dublin seems to get 30 mins more of Zac Brown.
Anne Laure comments: WTF with
Dublin's shorter concerts ???!!! Are there any reasons? It's totally unfair !
Martina McBride 45 mins London only (45mins
lost)
Dierks Bentley 1hr London, 1hr Dublin
Dixie Chicks 1hr 15 London, 1hr Dublin (15 mins
less)
Zac Brown 1hr 30 London, 2hrs Dublin (+30mins)
Chris Young 45 mins London, 40 mins Dublin (-5
mins)
The Band Perry 1 hr London, 50 mins Dublin
(-10mins)
Rascal Flatts 1hr 15 London, 55 mins Dublin
(-20mins)
Brad Paisley 1hr 30 London, 1hr 15 Dublin (-15
mins)
Country / Americana duo Ward
Thomas with their new radio single “The
Good and the Right “ were played on Weekend Wogan on Sunday March 9th (see playlist) and will be appearing on the
show on Sunday March 23rd! Listen to the clip here:
>> Listen to the track in full on soundcloud.com
The English Hampshire duo who comprise 19-year old test tube twin
sisters Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas will be appearing at
the C2C Pop Stages and will release their first UK EP on 7th April (iTunes) with a debut full length album due
to drop this Summer. Ward Thomas embarked on a UK tour in February 2014.
The 4-song EP features three original songs co-written by the girls and
recorded out in Nashville and a cover of Dougie MacLean’s classic ‘Caledonia’. Musicians
include Dan Dugmore and Chris Rodriquez (Keith Urban) with guest appearances
from Michael Omartian and Vince Gill. Unusual for two British 19-year olds to
be so into Country music but we love the sound and the stories – and cows,
chickens and goats have the same language in rural Hampshire as they do below
the Mason-Dixon line!” they share.
@BBCRadio2 The Good And The Right just played! You have made our Sunday!! Can't wait to come in on the 23rd #music #bbc #terrywogan
—Ward Thomas Music (@wardthomasmusic) March 9, 2014
The much hyped Scottish duo Raintown winners of the 2013 BCMAwards Duo of the Year who comprise Claire McArthur and Paul Bain have a 13th March 2014 London gig “Country Collective At Canary Wharf” (East Wintergarden, 43 Bank Street) with Hannah Jane Lewis and Gary Quinn.
On March 5th Raintown
announced that BBC Essex Radio Presenter, Steve
Cherelle will be joining them at the 'Country Collective'. Steve will be
compering the evening and will also be performing on the night. Cherelle has
already previously championed the duo on his “Big Country” BBC show. In their Blurb Raintown write: Country Collective introduces its main act, Raintown, with its strong
country vocals and its hearty country band. Paul and Claire, both from Glasgow, are the hottest
new duo to the Country/Americana
scene in the UK and performed at the inaugural Country2Country Festival in
London with headliners Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood.
Raintown formerly under the name
of pop act "OMNI" Myspace won two awards at the criticized and now
defunct Scottish New Music Awards (fan voted), including Record of the Year (Traditional Folk) embrace a “Country/Americana” stance in the publicity for the “Country Collective” event. They did not
share the same stage as superstars Tim & Carrie at the Country2Country Festival but played the
sidelined busking/ Pop Up Stages at the O2 Complex in March 2013.
It did not come as
a great surprise that Steve dedicated a large chunk on his first hour inviting
Claire and Paul to join him on Sunday’s
show (March 9th) to talk about their music, awards and goals
for the future.
In the phone
interview Steve asked:
Is this your full time work Claire, music, singing and
songwriting, is this ALL that you do?
Claire McArthur: We get to play and write songs for a
living. We’re touring all the time, we’re really busy, we’re really lucky,
we’re really fortunate to be travelling around with a great band behind us as
well. There are seven of us that get out on the road and we love what we do.
Trying to get a
band of that size together is difficult and the logistics of it all, so does it
pay OK, are you making a living from this?
Paul Bain: What it is we view everything as an investment for
the future. So every time we do a gig and an opportunity we get to play in front
of people our country music and original country music then its always worth
doing so. Its about investment and re-investment and we just try and keep
going.
Would you say
you’re a country or folk act, what would you describe yourself as Paul?
Paul Bain: I think we’re proudly a CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY act
that’s what we are. We got some great advice early on in Nashville from a
record company CLEARLY mark your door who you are and stand up and be proud
about and that’s what we've done from the start.
With what aim,
what is the ultimate goal of this would you say?
Our goal is constantly to increase our standards and
increase what we’re doing and try and represent British Country music as the
very best we can. We want to play on the International Stage. We make no bones
about it. Our goal, I’m looking in our office here at our goal chart and the
top goal is to represent and win a CMA Award.
Of the UK?
Paul Bain: CMA fest thing in Nashville Tennessee
UK CHART NEWS
Official UK Albums Top 100 (Weeks Ending March 15, 2014)
Rosanne Cash’s THE RIVER
& THE THREAD and Eric Church with THE OUTSIDERS fell of the Top 100.
Official UK
Country Album Chart (Week Ending March 15, 2014)
Eric Church with THE
OUTSIDERS moved up 2-1 to top
the chart.
Rosanne Cash new album THE
RIVER & THE THREAD switched places with Church slipping back 1-2 in her
4th week.
Sheryl Crowe with FEELS LIKE HOME (Warner Brothers) held at No.3
on her 11th chart week.
Singer/Songwriter,
Alt/ Country/ Americana artist Dawn Landes is new on the chart at No.13 with BLUEBIRD (Western Vinyl) - Review - Watch the Title
cut
On the Hotdisc Chart
(March 9, 2014 Chart)
Branch & Dean climbed 2-1 with "Glad She's Not An Angel “to snag their third Hotdisc Top 40 number
No.1.
They replaced Billy Yates with his self penned “The Man I Used To Be" who fell back 1-3 after spending four
weeks atop the summit.
Fergal Flaherty made a 3-2 hop and enjoyed a sixth week at No1 on the
British & Irish Chart list with "Hey
Son”.
As the brand new
tracks from the Hotdisc #183 March 2014
promo disc began to impact saw M Callahan take home the Hotshot Debut trophy landing at
No.5 with “Chicken On A Chain”, the
title of a new EP, co-written with Michael Hunter Ochs.
Bertie Higgins (USA) made his British comeback at No.7 with "Just Another Day In Paradise" (co-written
with Sonny Limbo), a newly re-recorded country version of one of his big
American hits from the 1980s.
Notable new
entries in the Top 20:
American artist Chuck Hancock
with his self penned “Sometimes Me And
My Conscience Disagree” made a bow at No.12.
British
singer-songwriter Katie Nicholas with her
self written “Chemistry” arrived at
No.13
Dutch band Ezzcape
celebrated with “What Lies Beneath”
(written by R Wezenbeek and H Hendriks) which flew in at #20. The track is
drawn from their album Head Over Heels.
UK COUNTRY ALBUM RELEASES
(10 Feb 2014) Jarrod Dickenson - Songs from Willow St
(EP - self release)
(March 3, 2014) Bill Anderson - Life! (Red River
Entertainment)
10 Tracks CD - Amazon.com
(4 March 2014) John Gorka - Bright Side of Down (Red
House)
12 Tracks/ Time
34:57 CD - MP3 - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(March 4, 2014) Jim & Jesse & The Virginia Boys
- Radio Shows (24 Fan Favorites Recorded in 1962) (Rural Rhythm)
26 Tracks CD - MP3 - Amazon.com
(10 March 2014) Brad Paisley - Wheelhouse UK Tour
Edition (Sony Music CMG) CD
This special UK
Tour Edition bundles Wheelhouse into a 2CD set, which comes complete with a
bonus disc of 14 of his best-loved Studio Hits-
(10 March 2014) Sara Evans - Slow Me Down (Sony Music
CMG)
CD -
UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(10 March 2014) David Nail - I'm A Fire
(Wrasse/Humphead)
CD
- Amazon.com
CANADIAN NEWS
Codie Prevost has done the Unthinkable! The Independent Canadian
country artist reached the Top 10 on Itunes, music's largest online store
situating himself next to household names like Eric Church, Keith Urban &
Luke Bryan. After hosting a 12 hour online CD release party on March 1st the
independently released album “All Kinds Of Crazy” debuted at #6 on the Itunes
Canada Country Album Chart. The online CD release party included giveaways,
chats, and 4 mini concerts on Ustream. (via Press Release)
NEWS
- Snapshot Country Aircheck's Insider
News: March 4, 2014 – March 7, 2014
- Country Star Trivia - What is Carrie Underwood's middle name?
ANSWER: Marie.
- Rascal Flatts'
new song, "Compass,"
will be featured in the upcoming film, Heaven Is for
Real, hitting theaters Wednesday, April 16. The song will be included on
the new album, Rewind, due out May 13. Heaven Is for Real stars Greg
Kinnear and is based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same
name.
- Vince Gill, Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney, Craig Campbell, and Alabama's Teddy Gentry are among the artists on the bill for the 22nd
Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival in
Nashville (March 25 - 29) in clubs all over Music City. Country newcomer Leah
Turner is also participating.
- CMT's Next Women of Country campaign
continues with Lucy Hale, Angaleena
Presley, Lindsay Ell, Natalie Stovall and the Drive, and Nikki Lane joining the initiative.
- APA
has signed the sister trio Michaelis.
The Michaelis sisters –
Meagan (25), Mallory (21) and Madeline (18) – are currently featured in
Season 3 of the national syndicated documentary series, Troubadour, TX,
where they appear along with Kris Kristofferson, Wade Bowen, Roger
Creager, Randy Rogers and others. APA Nashville’s Cass Scripps has signed
on as the trio’s agent. “These young
ladies are a breath of fresh air,” he says. “Incredible harmonies, stand-out songwriting and a vibrant stage
presence are the trio’s calling cards, and we’re excited to be on board so
early in their career.” Michaelis collaborated with producer Dave
Brainard (Jerrod Niemann, Brandy Clark) before releasing their single,
“Shoot Straight,” in July 2013. It’s impossible to manufacture something
as genuine or as damn-straight cool as the sister trio Michaelis.
TOURS
- Toby Keith launches his Shut Up and Hold On tour May 25
with special guests Colt Ford and his daughter, Krystal Keith. The trek
runs all summer long through a September 27 show in Philadelphia.
- Keith Urban
will head out on the road this year and the Raise ‘Em Up Tour will have
openers Jerrod Niemann and Brett Eldredge.
MUSIC NEWS
Sam Bailey the 2013 'X Factor' winner discovered she was expecting her
third child after taking a pregnancy test in an ASDA supermarket and
couldn't wait to tell her husband Craig. The former prison officer told
The Sun newspaper: "I went and did
it in the toilet while he was getting all the food. "I came out and went,
'Yep - I'm pregnant'. It wasn't planned." Sam, who is ten weeks pregnant,
has had to delay her tour, which was planned for October, and feared her
management would be disappointed by the news. She said: "When I got into
the car I was really upset because I thought I'd let everyone at my management
and the record label down.
"But they were really good about it. I was
going to go on tour solo at the end of October - but I have to move it until
January."
The songbird, who
also has daughter Brooke, eight, and son Tommy, five, with Craig, 40, insists
despite their initial shock, her and her husband are excited about the
pregnancy.
She said: "He thinks it's a New Year's Eve baby and he
could be right. I've always wanted three kids. "Obviously I'm getting
bigger. I didn't want people to think I'd just got far. That would make me feel
insecure again."
Sam, who will
release her debut album THE POWER OF LOVE (Syco) on March 24th (Perfectly
timed for Mothering Sunday on the 30th surprise surprise not!), revealed one of
the first people she told was 'X Factor' mentor Sharon Osbourne.
The record from
the 36-year old Bexley "Cell Block Songstress" includes covers of
Jennifer Rush's 'The Power of Love', Brenda Russell's "Get Here", Faith Hill's 'There You'll Be', Shania Twain's "From This Moment
On" and her latest single Compass' (written by Diane Warren). The Power of
Love also features collaborations with Michael Bolton on 'Ain't No Mountain
High Enough' and Nicole Scherzinger on the Dreamgirls song 'And I'm Telling
You'. "The whole experience was a really chilled affair as we worked on it
with people from the show," .
Supertramp's
"Lord Is It Mine", was chosen in memory of Sam's father, Ronnie, who
died from cancer in 2008. "It was played her dad's funeral. Bailey
recently told Digital Spy of recording the album.
"The album itself is a mixture of
everything. There are new songs and covers, but I think they'll be covers that people
won't have heard in a long time."
Bailey recently
supported a Beyoncé gig in Birmingham, where she wowed the crowd with her
rendition of 'And I'm Telling You'.
>> Listen to
a 10 min Album sampler
PledgeMusic on
Monday rolled out a redesign that de-emphasizes the crowdfunding
features of its platform, a sign that crowdfunding has potentially reached the
limit of its utility for musicians as they seek new ways to generate revenue
directly from fans.
The new site
instead lets artists offer a "bento box" menu of merchandise, limited
edition memorabilia, private concerts, tickets and, of course, music. Artists
can still hold crowdfunding campaigns to help finance the production of new
albums, but that is now just one of several direct-to-fan options bands can
raise money on the PledgeMusic platform.
President and
Founder Benji Rogers said crowdfunding also limits the type of things bands can
sell, usually to finished albums and some accompanying merchandise. Instead,
PledgeMusic has redesigned its platform to let artists capture revenue even as
they're making the album, through update releases or VIP access to studio
recording sessions, for example. "Our
new motto is 'music as it happens,'" Rogers said in an interview.
SINGLE / ALBUM NEWS
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee John Oates (Hall & Oates Fame)
will release his latest solo project GOOD ROAD TO
FOLLOW on MARCH 18th.
What started as a year long series of digital singles has turned
into a three-disc set of genre-specific EPs aptly named Route 1, Route 2
and Route 3. The country "carpet bagger" Oates collaborated with
a broad variety of music makers on the cross-genre musical trip, ranging
from songwriter-producer-rocker Ryan Tedder (Onerepublic), to Pop Band Hot
Chelle Rae to Country music icon Vince Gill, to Americana legends Jerry
Douglas and Jim Lauderdale.
- Jewel
launches a crowdfunding campaign to bring fans to Nashville to watch her
"make a record that is really pure and me" … The
singer-songwriter also tells Billboard she's writing an
autobiography. Jewel's next album will be a companion piece to her 12-times
platinum 1995 debut "Pieces of You," "kind of like
'Harvest' and 'Harvest Moon' were for Neil (Young)," she tells
Billboard.
- Miranda Lambert’s new album, PLATINUM, will be released
on June 3. She wrote or co-wrote eight songs and chose the others
based on how they reflected her personality or world view. The first
single, "Automatic," suggests returning to a slower time and way
of thinking. She contemplates her self-image in "Bathroom
Mirror," takes on tabloid scrutiny in "Priscilla" and teams
up with several guests on songs that underscore her range and willingness
to experiment. The collaboration with Carrie Underwood on "Something
Bad" brings together two of country's most popular stars. (Source
Chris Talbott Associated Press)
- Here' comes another one: Jason Michael Carroll has launched a new Kickstarter campaign to fund
his upcoming fourth album. So far 182 backers have pledged $20,988 of a
$40,000 goal with 24 days left
- On April 15th Marty Stuart will be releasing a new collection of gospel
songs titled "The Gospel Songs of Marty Stuart".
PRESS RELEASES
- Chris Young goes global, packs his bags for return
trip overseas
- Americana act The Howlin’ Brothers Ian Craft (Banjo, Mandolin, Fiddle,
Kick-drum, Vocals), Jared Green (Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Vocals) and Ben
Plasse (Upright Bass, Vocals) are to release a new album TROUBLE
April 29 in the U.S. and Canada. A year after the release of their
critically acclaimed HOWL, acoustic trio with indie edge returns with 13
new original songs >> Exclusive stream
- Country’s Family Reunion: Simply Bluegrass to Premiere on RFD-TV March 7. The series includes performances by Dierks
Bentley, Dailey & Vincent, The Whites, Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Rhonda
Vincent, The Roys (Lee & Elaine), Jerry Douglas, The Grascals etc
- Last year’s Toyota Star Maker winner
New Zealander Kaylee Bell and
ARIA award winner, singer songwriter Mike Carr have been announced as
finalists in the country category of the International Songwriting Competition
2013 with "Little Bit Small Town", the second single Kaylee’s
Star Maker album Heart First. See all the categories and nominated artists/songs - You need to
"Like" the Facebook Page to vote. Kaylee will
perform on the CMC Oz Artist Stage following Nashville stars Thompson
Square [Main Stage] at CMC Rocks The Hunter, Saturday, March 15
- Tori Martin
has a big voice and an undeniable Country music presence. Tori has
recently been selected and added to Big Fuss
Records roster as an "Artist To Watch" for 2014 in
favor of her single "Restless Soul". Tori Martin's rich tonal
clarity can squeeze coal into diamonds. She stands out among the fray of
upcoming Country artists in the stampede for center stage with
unadulterated vocals and songwriting that can light a fire under the
coldest heart.
- Dolly Parton has
topped the New
Zealand all-genre album chart with the release
of her latest album Blue Smoke. In addition, the musical masterpiece
topped the Australian Country album chart for four consecutive weeks and
hit #7 on the overall all genre album chart. Blue Smoke will be released
in the United States on May 13, 2014.
- Shantell Ogden
a Nashville-based singer-songwriter is releasing “Looking for My Last” from her
new album BETTER AT GOODBYE as a single to European radio. The single
(included on the March promo Hotdisc 183) will be promoted by Lee Williams
of CMR Nashville/Django Promotions, a UK based company. “The best thing about making music is
sharing it with others, and I’m so excited to be releasing a single with
the help of CMR Nashville,” said Shantell. “Looking for My Last is
about being a ‘last love’ for someone instead of a first.
- On April 15th The Oak Ridge Boys first live album Boys Night Out is released on Cleopatra Records.
- Mel Tillis the
Country Music Hall of Famer is recovering in Nashville following heart surgery.
ARTICLES
Billboard 615 Spotlight: Sundy
Best Shine on 'Until I Met You,' Talk Eclectic New Album
Sundy Best's Kris
Bentley and Nick Jamerson know that their musical blend covers much musical
ground. "That's what we were shooting for," says Kris. "We've been influenced by so many different
sounds that it just comes out in our writing and singing. We don't want to be
in a box." Jamerson says that fans who pick up their new album,
"Bring Up The Sun" (out this week) will definitely find something to
their liking – no matter their musical taste.....
REVIEWS
NY Times: The Philharmonic and Friends Go for a Ride in the Country...Mary Chapin Carpenter Performs Her
Latest Songs in Concert
Eric Church & The Cadillac Three at The Ritz, Manchester, UK (March 1st,
2014) – Review
Ags Connolly - How About Now – Read the 5 STAR CD of the Month Review from Country Music
People. Editor Duncan Warwick reviewed the album as being “one of the best records you are likely to hear this year” while
stating that “Ags Connolly is the closest
we’ve ever come to an English Willie Nelson”. “a masterpiece of British country” - Maverick
Magazine.
BOOKS
Country Music Broke My Brain: A Behind-the-Microphone Peek at
Nashville's Famous and Fabulous Stars [Kindle Edition]
Gerry House (Author), Reba
McEntire (Foreword) Nashville is filled with stars and lovers and writers and
dreamers. Nashville is also teeming with lunatics and grifters and dip wads and
moochers. Gerry House fits easily into at least half of those categories.
Someone would probably have to be brain-damaged or really damn talented to try
to entertain professional entertainers over a decades-long radio show in Music
City, USA. Kindle/ Hardback - Amazon.com
MAGAZINES
Dustin Lynch in the March 2014 issue of NKD Naked Magaz (p56 –
61)
LISTEN
Country /
Americana / Folk outfit New Reveille
was founded by songwriter Daniel Cook and vocalist Amy Kamm in late 2012. They
were soon joined by Autumn Rose on violin, Kaitlin Grady on cello, and George
Hage on guitar. Their debut "Cannonball LP" is now available on
iTunes, and received praise from Country Music Magazine. Listen to
"Babylon" now on reverbnation
or stream the Official
video
midtownraleighnews Article - Raleigh bluegrass-country band sees ‘so much
potential’ after debut (Published Feb 25)
CONNECT with New Reveille on: FACEBOOK
Waco, TX native and Nashville, TN based Mickey
Guyton "Unbreakable" (EP) >> YouTube
Preview
Born in Arlington,
Texas, Mickey Guyton moved around the Lone Star state due to her father’s job
but music was a constant in her nomadic life. She began singing in church and
was drawn to a variety of artists including John Denver, Dolly Parton, Whitney
Houston and BeBe and CeCe Winans. Mickey’s first national television appearance
was an all-star concert at the White House captured by PBS. Her riveting
rendition of Patsy Cline's classic "Crazy" was one of the highlights
of the night.
Mickey will
release an acoustic EP, Unbreakable, in conjunction with her iTunes Festival
performance in Austin, TX on March 15. She is currently working on her debut
album with producer Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Lady
Antebellum).
WATCH
Jessie Lee Cates promotional Video "Scotland",
a Top 5 hit on the Hotdisc Top 40 chart.
COUNTRY FASHION
Taylor Swift and Keds continue their footwear collaboration with a
new line of shoes in time for spring. The new designs (image) include oversized polka dots, nautical
stripes, and a chevron pattern with a scribble edge. A floral-print shoe
features a blooming peony while another design boasts an animated songbird
taking flight. Taylor says of the new designs, "I think it's fun to experiment with your style. Shoes are an
opportunity to add a pop of color or something unexpected."
Each shoe comes
with a special charm incorporating Taylor's favorite number, 13, or her logo.
The shoes come out this month -
COUNTRY GOSSIP
Taylor Swift has obtained a temporary restraining order (image) against a man who claims to be her
husband.
In court documents
obtained by TMZ, Swift claims Timothy Sweet has been
harassing her with a barrage of letters, emails and social media posts since
January 2011.According to Swift’s legal documents, one of Sweet’s messages
reads, “My wife, Taylor Swift (Sweet) and
I live in Beverly Hills. I am in love
with her. In conclusion, we treat each other with dignity and respect. I will carry a gun to protect her the rest of
my life.”
Blake Shelton and Miranda's
home near Nashville in Brentwood has 5 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, 11,000-sq-ft, an
outdoor pool and it’s on an Arnold Palmer golf course. They paid over $2.2
million - Image
Carrie Underwood got her amazing legs by squats, lunges, cherry
pickers, skater hops, jumping up a flight of stairs and pulsing Sumo Squats. To
get those incredible stems, Carrie works out with her longtime trainer, Erin
Oprea, several times a week. Check out her Workout Moves for Miniskirt-Ready Legs
at glamour.com
Johnny Cash's son says another film about his father's life could be
made. John Carter Cash says he would be open to another film being made about
the life of his country musician father Johnny Cash. John Carter believes there
could be another movie made about his legendary dad - who died in 2003 at the
age of 71 - and he would like to see a biopic made that focused on his father's
latter years.
Hayden Panettiere has "always dreamed" of her wedding day.
Hayden (Juliette Barnes in the Nashville ABC drama) hasn't started planning her
wedding yet, but she has "always dreamed" about her big day. Actress/
singer Panettiere is engaged to boxer Wladimir Klitschko, 37, and though they
haven't yet started planning their nuptials, she already has some ideas of what
she wants for her big day. She told People magazine: "I have always dreamed of a wedding day! Not over the top or crazy, but
yeah, I've always thought about it”.
Post Jana Kramer: Brantley Gilbert now has a new best
friend named, Sylo. The country star got the puppy in December, and Brantley has
been documenting Silo's growth on social
media...Zzzzzzzz
Chris Young, on his first trek across the pond last year, made the mistake of randomly choosing a cheese sandwich
from the menu at a London hotel. He explained, "I'm like -- cheese, pickle, bread. Can't mess that up, right?"
When the sandwich arrived, Chris was surprised to see shredded cheese on the
sandwich along with an odd pickle spread. "It wasn't like a pickle," Chris says. "It was pickled chutney or something. So, I
basically opened it, looked at it, and went, "I'm not eating that,"
and went back to sleep. I was just like, 'Well,
that's a swing and a miss.'"
BIRTHDAYS
March 10: Ralph Emery
(1933), Daryle Singletary (1971), Carrie Underwood (1983)
March 11: Darden
Smith (1962)
March 13: Liz
Anderson (1930), Jan Howard
(1930), Michael Martin Murphey
(1945), Billy Yates (1963)
March 15: Meredith
Edwards (1984)
March 16: Ray Benson
(1951), Tim O'Brien (Hot Rize)
(1954), Patty Griffin (1964), Sasha McVeigh (1994) UK
R.I.P
Nashville woke up
in mourning of March 6th as the news of fellow singer songwriter Lorna Flowers passing travelled through Facebook and over
the telephone.
Lorna was a huge
presence in Nashville. The former teacher arrived in Nashville in 2004 from Sheffield, England with her British
accent and huge contagious smile. She quickly made her way into the hearts of
many of the other songwriters with her warm spirit and kind ways. She was
always there to help everyone and did.
Lorna hosted
songwriter nights and when she was diagnosed with cancer seven years ago, she announced
she would fight for her life with everything she was and she did.
She always had a great attitude and fought the monster with everything she had inside of her.
She always had a great attitude and fought the monster with everything she had inside of her.
Robyn Taylor Drake
from Lorna’s publishing company had this to say: “Last evening we lost our friend—our hero—Lorna Flowers. She entered
Sarah Cannon Hospital for a biopsy but her body was too weak to recover
from the procedure. She left the way she lived; surrounded by loving friends.
Her family has now been notified and per her wishes, she will be buried in her
beloved Nashville Friday March 7th”.
Lorna has written
mostly in the pop and country genres, with her most frequent successes being in
country music. Voted NCM magazine
Country Songwriter of the Year in 1998 and several songs hitting the
European Country Radio charts (including 3 #1 songs and several top 10s) .
Lorna began to work out of Nashville as often as possible, starting to write with name and hit writers such as Bob Welch (ex Fleetwood Mac), Hall of Fame writer Roger Cook, Grammy Winner John Peppard and others such as Jim Femino, Joie Scott, Dwight Liles, Michael Puryear and others.
Lorna began to work out of Nashville as often as possible, starting to write with name and hit writers such as Bob Welch (ex Fleetwood Mac), Hall of Fame writer Roger Cook, Grammy Winner John Peppard and others such as Jim Femino, Joie Scott, Dwight Liles, Michael Puryear and others.
- Flowers had produced demo projects
since 1997, and was a co-producer on Sue James‘ UK debut 5 Stars and the
Moon. She was producer for Blue Orchid‘s UK release of “Slow Down For A
While,” which gained a Best Album nomination at the UK Country Radio
Awards in 2004.
- She performed in UK/Europe on tours
and festivals with Charley Pride, Gail Davies, George Hamilton V, Rivers
Rutherford.
- She gained a staff writing deal in May 2005, Lorna continued to write with
name and hit writers such as Brian White, Jon Robbin, Kirsti Manna, the
late Tim Johnson, Arlos Smith, Steve Dean and others.
- In 2007, Lorna had another ‘first’
with a #1 song in Australia (and #2 in Poland) via Lucie Diamond’s recording of “Don’t Even Think About It”
(written by Shelley Jacobson and Lorna Flowers) and had her first US cuts
in 2008 (adding to her 40 cuts worldwide) with world renowned Bluegrass
artist Kathy Chiavola and LA artist Heather Wilkins.
- Lorna was a UK Country Radio Song of the Year Winner (sponsored by
Southern Country Magazine) in February 4th 2007. The song "Touch Me
With Your Tenderness" was co-written with the late John McCane.
- Lorna set up her own demo production
company – Lorna
Flowers Productions
- In 2012, she made her debut on the
prestigious Pensacola and Frank Brown International songwriter festivals.
- PROs: SESAC (N.America) / PRS (rest of
world). Other: NSAI, CMA, WMBA.
A graveside
service was held Friday, March 7th at Sherith Israel cemetery, 2111 15th Avenue
North, Nashville, TN 37208. Hundreds of Lorna’s friends attended the service.
The Nashville music community and others touched by Lorna’s life are honoured their
friend and family member. Read the tributes Music Community Pays Tribute To Nashville Songwriter Lorna
Flowers
>> Watch
Lorna Flowers - On
Songwriting
In Memory of Lorna
Flowers 3-6-2014 - YouTube
Fellow Yorkshire songwriter Edwina Hayes paid tribute: So very sad and shocked to hear that the lovely Lorna Flowers passed away suddenly yesterday. A colleague and a friend for many years and the hardest working songwriter I ever met, she will be very much missed xx — Photo with Edwina Hayes and Lorna Flowers.
>> Listen to two archived
Lorna Flowers interviews with Allan Watkiss on the former "Your
Country" show on BBC Radio Sheffield
First broadcast 13th September 2009 she talks about
cutting demos and recording in Nashville and playing songs written by Lorna.
First broadcast on 23rd January 2011 on a visit to the UK she updates her progress after 6.1/2 years living in Nashville.
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