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News, UK Chart News, Album Releases, Canadian News, Country News (Awards, TV), Music
News, Country Fashion, Gossip, Birthdays, Links to Articles, Reviews, Books, Magazines
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For the latest Billboard Country Charts Blog Post go HERE
This year the Amazon.co.uk Black Friday Sale will run from 17th to 26th November – 10 days of incredible deals!
The Amazon.co.uk Black
Friday Deals Store will be open from 00:00 on Friday the 17th November until 23:59
on Sunday the 26th. Amazon will have new ‘Deals of the Day' every day
throughout the period, ranging from Amazon devices, electronics, and pet
supplies to kitchen and home & garden items. There will also be thousands
of ‘Lightning Deals' - products available at a discount, in limited quantities,
for short periods of time - introduced throughout the sale, with new deals
becoming available as often as every five minutes. Some of the most popular
Black Friday deals from last year included Fire TV Stick, FIFA 17, and Amazon Echo
Dot.
Deals available in this
year's Black Friday Sale
will be announced closer to the launch date. We recommend that you regularly
check the Deals Store page
for the latest offers.
£64.99 - £499.99 - 20% off
Sony, Samsung, Motorola and Nokia Smartphones - View
Deals
LG, Sony and Hisense TVs
from £369 - View Deals
UK & IRISH News
For a full listing of 2017 UK Tour dates PLEASE check out our Tour Dates Page
(7 Nov 2017) UK
Americana Awards to honour Robert Plant
The AMA-U.K. have announced their honorees and nominees ahead of the ceremony for the third annual U.K. Americana Awards on February 1 at Hackney Empire in London.
Among them are honorees Robert Plant (U.K. Americana Lifetime Achievement Award) and The Wandering
Hearts (Bob Harris Emerging Artist
Award).
Shortlisted artists include
The War On Drugs, Courtney Marie Andrews and Imelda May.
It has also been announced
that the Americana Music Association UK
had chosen Robert Plant to receive
the 2018 UK Americana Lifetime Achievement Award.
“The award is our highest
honour and it couldn’t be going to a more deserving recipient,” said Stevie
Freeman, CEO Americana Music Association UK. “Over the course of a legendary
career, from his early love of blues and rock ’n’ roll, through the ’70s with
rock pioneers Led Zeppelin, to a solo career that has never stood still, Robert
Plant has introduced countless millions of music lovers to American roots
music.
“In 2007 he released the
iconic Raising Sand album with bluegrass star Alison Krauss, creating new
fusions in the Americana world and garnering six Grammys along the way. His
latest album, Carry Fire, continues to combine elements of American roots and
blues with folk styles from the UK and beyond.”
The Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award will be given to up-and-coming
London based four-piece The Wandering
Hearts.
Newly-established for 2018
and selected by the AMA-UK board members, The Grass Roots Award celebrates
unsung heroes of the UK Americana scene. It is presented to people working in
the industry who have made outstanding efforts to support Americana music from
the grass roots up. The first winners are Come Down & Meet The Folks, Alan
Tyler & Big Steve.
The awards launch was held
at Gibson Studio in London and co-presented by US singer-songwriters The Secret Sisters with broadcaster Baylen Leonard. >> Watch the Facebook Video
The awards show will be
hosted by Bob Harris, and will feature performances from nominees and award
winners, including Robert Plant and The Wandering Hearts.
To celebrate the second
anniversary of the Official Americana Albums Chart, the bestselling UK Americana album of 2017 will be recognized
with a special award.
The full list of nominees
is below:
UK
Album of the Year
BRILLIANT LIGHT by Danny & The Champions of The World
(produced by Chris Clarke)
I’LL MAKE THE MOST OF MY
SINS by Robert Vincent (produced by
Robert Vincent, Michael Gay and Etienne Girard)
PROUD DISTURBER OF THE
PEACE by William The Conqueror
(produced by Ruarri Joseph and Harry Harding)
SWEET KIND OF BLUE by Emily Barker (produced by Matt Ross-Spang)
International
Album of the Year
A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING by The War On Drugs (produced by Adam
Granduciel)
HONEST LIFE by Courtney Marie Andrews (produced by
Courtney Marie Andrews)
SO YOU WANT TO BE AN OUTLAW
by Steve Earle & The Dukes
(produced by Richard Bennett)
THE NASHVILLE SOUND by Jason Isbell (produced by Dave Cobb)
UK
Song of the Year
Devon
Brigade by Police Dog Hogan (written
by James Studholme)
Endless
Road by Worry Dolls (written by
Zoe Nicol, Rosie Jones and Jeff Cohen)
Home by Yola Carter (written by Yola Carter)
Moonshine by Foy Vance (written by Foy Vance)
International
Song of the Year
Pa’lante by Hurray For The Riff Raff (written by Alynda Segarra and Pedro Pietri)
Ready
To Die by Aaron Lee Tasjan (written
by Aaron Lee Tasjan)
Thirteen
Silver Dollars by Colter Wall (written by
Colter Wall)
Tenderheart by Sam Outlaw (written by Sam Outlaw)
UK
Artist of the Year
Danni Nicholls, Danny &
The Champions of The World, Emily Barker, Laura Marling
International
Artist of the Year
Angaleena Presley, Courtney
Marie Andrews, Imelda May, Rhiannon Giddens
UK
Instrumentalist of the Year
Georgina Leach, Kit Hawes, Harry
Harding, Thomas Collison
Nathan Carter will be returning to
Ireland for his Christmas tour and
dates are already released see below:-
Thurs 23rd Nov: Silver Birch Conference Centre Omagh Co
Tyrone
Fri 24th Nov: TLT Theatre
Drogheda Co Louth
Sat 25th Nov: TLT theatre
Drogheda Co Louth
Sun 26th Nov: Cork Opera
House (sold out)
Wed 29th Nov: Elim Complex,
Bangor Co Down
Thurs 30th Nov: University Conference Hall Limerick
Fri 1st Dec: University
Conference Hall Limerick (Sold Out)
Sat 2nd Dec: Slieve Russell
Hotel Ballyconnell Co Cavan
Thurs 7th Dec: Lyrath
Convention Centre Kilkenny
Fri 8th Dec: Mullingar Park
Hotel Mullingar
Sat 9th Dec: Great Northern
Hotel Bundoran Co Donegal
Thurs 14th Dec: Millennium
Forum Derry
Fri 15th Dec: Nuremore
Hotel Carrickmacross Co Monaghan
Sat 16th Dec National Opera
House Wexford
Sun 17th Dec National Opera
House Wexford
Fri 29th Dec: Elim Complex
Coleraine Co Derry
Sat 30th Dec: TF Theatre
Castlebar Co Mayo
Sun 31st Dec: INEC
Killarney
Thurs 25th January 2018 - Billingham Forum Theatre - Sun 18th March 2018 - Clacton sea West Cliff theatre
Check out full details on Tour Dates Page
Nathan's new DVD recorded at the 3 Arena was released (Amazon) on Oct 20th from Sharpe Music. Live at 3Arena was filmed live at Nathan's sold out gig in Dublin earlier this year! 20 Tracks live - Bonus songs and exclusive behind the scenes film of the gig.
UK CHART NEWS
Official UK Top
100 Singles Chart (Week Ending
16 November 2017)
10 November 2017 - 16 November 2017
With paid-for sales increasing for the 14th week in a
row but streams down slightly, Camila
Cabello's "Havana" topped the singles chart for the second straight
week. With 50,997 sales (including 30,236 from sales equivalent streams +
20,761 download sales), and lengthened its lead over former incumbent, Rockstar
– Post Malone's collaboration with 21 Savage – which held at No.2 (40,917
sales).
Taylor Swift's sixth album, REPUTATION, was released on Friday
(10th), but not before another instant-grat track, "Call It What You Want",
became the fourth cut from the album to chart, debuting at No.29 (12,515 sales) to become Swift's 29th chart entry.
Official UK Top
100 Albums Chart
(Week Ending
16 November 2017)
10 November 2017 - 16 November 2017
Eight weeks after its introductory single Too Good At Goodbyes debuted atop the
chart for Sam Smith, his second
album, THE THRILL OF IT ALL, did
likewise.
With a first frame of 97,328 sales (60,641 CD, 1,961 vinyl, 21,035 downloads and 13,691
from sales-equivalent streams), The Thrill Of It All has the fifth-biggest
opening of 2017 for an artist album, trailing Ed Sheeran's ÷ (671,542 sales), Rag'N'Bone Man's HUMAN (117,101 sales), Take
That's WONDERLAND (113,211 sales) and Liam Gallagher's AS YOU WERE (102,660
sales).
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra worked their magic on
Roy Orbison,
with their newly-recorded contributions to A Love So Beautiful (which features
the Radio 2 "A" playlisted single Drove All Night (feat. Ward Thomas) propelling the set to a No.2 debut on
sales of 31,762 copies. Helmed by
producers Don Reedman and Nick Patrick – who were responsible for the same role
on the Presley albums – and with additional instrumental flavourings from
Orbison's sons, Wesley, Alex and Roy Jr. – A Love So Beautiful arrived in the
Top 10 nearly 29 years after Orbison's death, and exactly a year to the week
after his career-spanning compilation The Ultimate Collection peaked at No.10.
BBC Radio 2 gave country singer Kelsea Ballerini's latest single "Legends" great
support with "B" playlisting. It helped the 24-year-old from
Tennessee to make her album chart debut with her newly release second album, UNAPOLOGETICALLY (No.50, 2,161 sales).
In her sixth frame former No.1 Shania Twain with NOW fell 47-53
(2,000 estimated sales; 6-week total 35,700)
Margo Price with ALL
AMERICAN MADE fell off the Top 100 after a debut at #86 the previous week.
Official UK
Country Album Top 20 (Week Ending
16 November 2017)
10 November 2017 - 16 November 2017
Margo Price with ALL AMERICAN MADE climbed 3-1 (3
weeks; #1 peak)
Kelsea Ballerini with UNAPOLOGETICALLY made a debut at
No.2
Glen Campbell with ADIOS fell 1-3 (22 weeks; #1 peak)
Lucinda Williams with THIS SWEET OLD WORLD fell 2-4 (3
weeks; #2 peak)
White Buffalo with DARKEST DARKS LIGHTEST LIGHTS rose
6-5 (4 weeks; #2 peak)
Lady Antebellum with HEART BREAK held at #7 (22 weeks; #2
peak)
Lee Ann Womack with THE LONELY THE LONESOME & THE
GONE rose 9-7 (2 weeks; #7 peak)
Darius Rucker with WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME fell 4-8 (3
weeks; #4 peak)
Wayward Sons with GHOSTS OF YET TO COME rose 11-9 (8
weeks; #2 peak)
Chris Young with LOSING SLEEP fell 5-10 (3 weeks; #5
peak)
Outside the Top 10
Dolly Parton with I BELIEVE IN YOU fell 10-11 (4 weeks;
#4 peak)
Blake Shelton with TEXOMA SHORE made a debut at #12
Willie Nelson with WILLIE AND THE BOYS - WILLIE'S STASH
- 2 fell 8-17 (3 weeks; #8 peak)
Kid Rock with SWEET SOUTHERN SUGAR made a debut at
#18
Official
Americana Albums Chart Top 40 (Week Ending
16 November 2017)
10 November 2017 - 16 November 2017
This Week/ Last Week/ Title/
Artist
1 1 Carry Fire Robert
Plant #9 Official Album Chart #34 Official Album Chart
2 NEW Bridges Not Walls Billy Bragg [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]
3 4 Life Love Flesh Blood Imelda May [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]
4 3 Roll With The Punches Van Morrison [Tagged Blues]
5 5 Lotta Sea Lice Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile [Tagged Alternative]
6 8 A Deeper Understanding War On Drugs [Tagged Alt]
7 NEW Songs From Different Times Jack Savoretti [Tagged Pop]
8 6 Adios Glen
Campbell [Tagged Country]
9 NEW Live At Rockpalast Richard Thompson Band
10 2 All American Made Margo Price [Tagged Country]
Outside The Top 10
11 NEW Truth Is A Wolf Mollie Marriott [Tagged Rock]
12 10 A/B Kaleo
[Tagged Alt]
14 7 Turn Out The Lights Julien Baker [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]
16 9 This Sweet Old World Lucinda Williams [Tagged Singer/Songwriter Alt/Folk]
36 NEW Fifteen Wailin'
Jennys [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]
UK Country
iTunes Chart
November 12, 2017
Songs
1. Keith Urban
- The Fighter (#386 overall UK Singles chart)
2. Dolly Parton
& Kenny Rogers - Islands In The Stream (#415 overall UK Singles chart)
3. Mark Wills
- Like There's No Yesterday (#455 overall UK Singles chart)
4. Dolly Parton
- 9 To 5 (#541 overall UK Singles chart)
5. Taylor Swift
- I Knew You Were Trouble (#606
overall UK Singles chart)
6. John Denver
- Take Me Home, Country Roads (#663 overall UK Singles chart)
7. Dolly Parton
- Jolene (#701 overall UK Singles chart)
8. Luke Combs
- When It Rains it Pours (#726 overall UK Singles chart)
9. Keith Urban
- Female (#730 overall UK Singles chart)
10. Johnny Cash
- Hurt (#756 overall UK Singles chart)
UK Country
iTunes Chart
November 12, 2017
Albums
1. Various
Artists - The Country Album (#104 overall UK Albums chart)
2. Old Dominion
- Happy Endings (#133 overall UK Albums chart)
3. Kelsea
Ballerini - Unapologetically (#188 overall UK Albums chart)
4. Luke Combs
- This One's For You (#211 overall UK Albums chart)
5. Chris
Stapleton - Traveller (#238 overall UK Albums chart)
6. Shania Twain
- Greatest Hits (#245 overall UK Albums chart)
7. Blake
Shelton - Texoma Shore (#271 overall UK Albums chart)
8. Thomas Rhett
- Life Changes (#349 overall UK Albums chart)
9. Lady
Antebellum - Need You Now (#399 overall UK Albums chart)
10. Old
Dominion - Meat and Candy (#310 overall UK Albums chart)
Outside the Top 10
14. Shania
Twain - Now (Deluxe) (#589 overall UK Albums chart)
UK COUNTRY
ALBUM RELEASES
(6 Nov 2017) Wes
Nickson - Good and Ready (bFLAT Records)
7 Tracks UK iTunes
Debut Fri 10 Nov: #158 US Country iTunes
(9 Nov 2017) Beth
Thornton - Something You Don't Know (Single) UK
(10 Nov 2017) Shane
Richie - A Country Soul (East West Records) UK
Debut Fri 10 Nov: #28 overall UK Albums chart
Best known for his portrayal as Alfie Moon in EastEnders
and its spin-off drama Redwater, Shane Richie is a familiar face to many.
Shane Richie talked about his debut country on The One
Show on Weds Nov 8, 2017 (BBC Page)
The beloved actor, singer and all-round entertainer
Shane Richie fulfils a lifelong ambition releasing his contemporary country
music album ‘A Country Soul’ >> YouTube
Entertainment-focus.com
(Rating: 4/5 STARS): Let’s talk about the elephant in the room before I
get stuck into this review. Shane Richie has been in EastEnders. There we go,
I’ve said it so you don’t have to. In some corners that seems to have given
people the idea that because Richie is known for one thing, he shouldn’t be
trying to do anything else. Despite having been an all-round entertainer since
the mid-80s, when Richie announced he was releasing not just a new album, but a
Country music album, people seemed to be surprised. Without hearing any of the
music, people were quick to criticize Richie but the last laugh is on them
because he’s about to prove everybody wrong with A Country Soul......
(10 Nov 2017) Jim
White - Waffles, Triangles & Jesus (Loose Music)
11 Tracks/ Time: 53:40 Americana/ Rock Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut Fri 10 Nov: #20 UK Country iTunes
(10 Nov 2017) Parker
McCollum - Probably Wrong (2017 Parker McCollum)
10 Tracks/ Time: 39:14 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut Fri 10 Nov: #16 US Country iTunes
(10 Nov 2017) Jeff Bates - Troublemaker (SKYDANCER ENTERTAINMENT)
7 Tracks/ Time: 24:55 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(10 Nov 2017) Billy
Ray Cyrus - Set The Record Straight (2017 Flatwoods Records)
16 Tracks/ Time: 1:03:15 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Cyrus’ latest release features collaborations with Joe Perry, George Jones, Loretta Lynn,
Bryan Adams and Miley Cyrus. The 15-song offering also includes updated versions of
his signature “Achy Breaky
Heart,” with Ronnie Milsap playing piano on a Muscle
Shoals mix, and Jencarlos Canela featured on the “Spanglish” version.
Billy Ray performed on "The Tonight Show Starring
Jimmy Fallon" on Thurs 5 Oct with his daughter Miley as the country icon
geared up for the release.
(10 Nov 2017) Various
- Mud Digger Field Party Vol. 1 (Average Joes)
12 Tracks/ Time: 46:56 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
The 12-song compilation includes Cypress Spring’s “Way
of Life” featuring The Lacs and Danny Boone, The Lacs’ “Field Party” and Colt
Ford’s “Reload” featuring Taylor Ray Holbrook.
(10 Nov 2017) Tracy
Lawrence - Good Ole Days (Lawrence Music Group)
11 Tracks/ Time: 35:36 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut Fri 10 Nov: #2 UK Country iTunes (#220 overall
UK Albums chart)
The 11-track duets album features two new songs and
nine of Lawrence’s hits, including “Time Marches On,” “Paint
Me a Birmingham” and “If the World Had a Front Porch.”
Lawrence’s guests include Jason Aldean
(“Can't Break It To My Heart”), Tim
McGraw (“Time Marches On”), Luke
Bryan (“Sticks & Stones”), Justin Moore (“Alibis”) and Kellie Pickler (“Stars Over Texas”).
Craig Morgan lends his vocals and heartfelt raw
emotion on “Finally Home,” one of the two new tracks and an ode to U.S.
military members. Tracy and Craig debuted the song together in a performance on
the stage of the Grand Ole Opry® in
August.
A portion of the proceeds from “Finally Home” will be
donated to Operation FINALLY HOME, a national, non-profit organization
providing mortgage-free, custom-built homes to wounded, ill and injured
veterans or widows of the fallen, thanks to their unique network of experienced
builders, suppliers, and supporters dedicated to honoring heroes with homes
(10 Nov 2017) Lorrie
Morgan & Pam Tillis - Come See Me and Come Lonely (Goldenlane Records)
Debut Fri 10 Nov: #21 UK Country iTunes (#771 overall
UK Albums chart)
Two female legends of contemporary country music have
combined forces on a new album, combining voices, vision and talents again
after their critically-acclaimed 2013 project Dos Divas. Altogether, these two
artists have sold well over 10 million albums worldwide, not to mention they
both come from country royalty - Pam is the daughter of icon Mel Tillis and
Lorrie, the daughter of hitmaker George Morgan. The two of have chosen some of
their favorite country songs including those originally made famous by Dottie
West, Billie Jo Spears' "Blanket On The Ground," and Dwight Yoakam's
"Guitars, Cadillacs" plus early rock favorites such as Roy Orbison's
"It's Over" and The Everly Brothers' "Walk Right Back." The
project includes special guest appearances by Joe Diffie & Darryl Worley as
well.
(10 Nov 2017) Assembly
Lane - Northbound UK
Assembly Lane (WEBSITE - FACEBOOK) brings
together four young Newcastle-based musicians immersed in the shared musical
traditions of The British Isles and North America. Their dynamic arrangements
of traditional and contemporary material from both sides of the Atlantic
effortlessly blend ancient ballads and progressive bluegrass with rich vocal
harmonies and instrumental flair. They’re definitely one to watch for. Assembly
Lane are Matthew Ord (guitar, vocals), Tom Kimber (mandolin), Niles Krieger
(fiddle, vocals) and Bevan Morris (double bass)....read more at www.folkradio.co.uk
(10 Nov 2017) Faren
Rachels - Faren Rachels (River House Artists)
5 Tracks/ Time: 18:52 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Single “Free Drinks” garners over 105K streams
Faren Rachels has a full calendar week as she released
her self-titled debut EP today and joins Luke
Combs for the second half of his “Don’t Tempt Me With A Good Time” Tour.
Recently named one of Rolling Stone’s 10 New Artists You Need To Know , Rachels
is excited to share her new music with fans as she opens a string of 14 sold
out dates, hitting markets like Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Charlotte before
wrapping December 16th in Luke’s hometown of Asheville, NC at the US Cellular
Center Arena. The Georgia native also had the honor of opening for Dwight
Yoakam several times this year, including stops in North Carolina last
week. The self-titled EP features her
first two singles “Free Drinks” and “If It Ain’t Fixed,” which were
released simultaneously last month. Within a couple weeks, “Free Drinks”
reached over 105k streams and was featured on Taste of Country, which praised
the tune as “an anthem for every woman.” Having penned 4 of the 5 songs,
Rachels is proud to share her long-awaited debut project, produced by Aaron
Goodvin and Sammy Mitchell.
(10 Nov 2017) Summer
Brooke and The Mountain Faith Band - The Sounds of Christmas (Mountain
Fever Records) CHRIS
16 Tracks/ Time: 44:54 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com - DVD
(10 Nov 2017) Twin
Kennedy - Twin Kennedy Christmas (Twin Kennedy Entertainment) CAN CHRIS
9 Tracks/ Time: 24:48 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
(10 Nov 2017) Fifth
Floor - Heartbreak Talks (2017 Fifth Floor) SWE
CANADIAN NEWS
(6 Nov 2017) Danielle Marie "As
Long As I'm Awake"
(7 Nov 2017) 2017 continues to be a banner year for
Ontario country music artist Tianna Woods. Following the release of her latest
single "20 Bucks and a Tank of Gas" earlier this year, she is
turning heads and grabbing international attention in country music circles.
Tianna Woods has received multiple awards &
nominations in her career from industry giants like the CMAO, CCMAs and the
Toronto Independent Music Awards. In 2017 Tianna was again nominated by the
Toronto Independent Music Awards in the "Best Country" category, an
award she won in 2016.
(8 Nov 2017) New This Week! Kelley Mooney “Christmas In The Country”
Writer: Kelley Mooney
4 Parts Cancon
“Christmas In
The Country” is from Kelley’s first Christmas album, Caroling which is
scheduled for release in November 2017.
Caroling is a collection of Christmas carols together with a few of
Kelley’s new favourites. Kelley also
penned 2 songs on this record that paint a picture of Christmas past and
present in the Mooney home.
Kelley has chosen the Food Bank in Charlottetown, PEI
as her charity of choice for this Christmas campaign. She will be donating a portion of all
Christmas album sales.
On Sunday, November 5th, close to 800 people came out
to support the food bank and celebrate the release of Kelley’s new Christmas
record, Caroling at the Trinity United Church in Charlottetown, PEI! They raised almost 1,300 pounds of food and
over $1,600 in cash donations! It was a great success!
Kelley Mooney is a singer/songwriter from Iona Prince
Edward Island where the acoustics were great in the hollow, but they were best
in the kitchen where her Dad would pay a quarter a song whenever anyone stopped
by.
She’s
definitely got country leanings, but she also shows influences from music she
grew up listening to. From Swan Lake to Foreigner Four; John Prine to ABBA; and
of course, the Judds, Martina McBride and Reba McIntyre which results in a
style all her own. Clear, soaring highs and soulful lows full of depth are her
signature. With these vocal qualities
and the emotion she clearly feels when she’s singing, she’s been compared to
Joan Baez, Eva Cassidy, Sarah MacLauchlan and Martina McBride.
Visit www.kelleymooney.com
NEWS
(6 Nov 2017) Jake
To Big Loud: After five albums with RCA, Jake Owen has
signed with Big Loud Records. The
move immediately made him the label's most accomplished artist and reunited him
with Big Loud partner and producer Joey
Moi, who produced Owen's Barefoot Blue Jean Night album. That collection
generated four No. singles.
"The
passion for success that everyone has in the building is contagious,"
Owen said. "Combining what I already do with Big Loud’s expertise is
exciting, and I am eager to get to work with Joey Moi again."
"This is an unbelievable moment for all of us as
true fans of Jake Owen," says Big Loud President Clay Hunnicutt.
"When we created Big Loud over two years ago, this is exactly the type of
‘home’ we wanted to create for someone like Jake, who is a unique and
unparalleled entertainer and person, and who has a clear vision of who he is as
an artist." The Big Loud roster also includes Chris Lane, Morgan Wallen
and Jillian Jacqueline.
(7 Nov 2017) Compass Records Group Acquires Red House
Records
Compass Records
Group has announced the addition of Red House Records to its label family.
The 34-year-old ST PAUL, MN-based imprint is an iconic brand in Americana and
folk music. Its roster has included The Wailin’ Jennys, John Gorka, The Cactus
Blossoms, Larry Campbell And Teresa Williams, Eliza Gilkyson, Lucy Kaplansky,
Robin And Linda Williams and Greg
Brown.
Officially established in 1983 by Bob Feldman after
meeting singer/songwriter Brown, Red House went on to become one of the most
iconic labels on the folk and Americana scene. Feldman, up to his death in
2006, became widely recognized as a leading advocate for roots music and a
leader in the independent label community.
(7 Nov 2017) Warner
Music Nashville recording artist Tegan Marie visited
her label home Monday (Nov 6) to preview her new music. Surrounded by WMN
Chairman and CEO John Esposito, EVP A&R Scott Hendricks, her WMN family and
Sweety High management team Frank Simonetti and Veronica Zelle, she shared her
can’t-stop-singing melodies and beyond-her-years lyrics. Recently celebrating a
birthday, Tegan Marie’s label home surprised the rising singer with a 14th
Birthday cake and spirited rendition of "Happy Birthday." Tegan Marie
(born in Detroit, Michigan in 2003) is expected to release new music in the New
Year.
(8 Nov 2017) Amazon Music Reveals Alexa's Most-Requested
Country Lyrics, Announces New Chart & Playlist
One of the basic tenets of country music is storybook
lyricism and on Wednesday, Amazon Music released its Top 25 Country Lyrics
Chart to show the genre’s most requested lyrics of 2017 via Alexa. Luke Combs nabbed the top spot with
his hit single “Hurricane.” - Billboard.com
(8 Nov 2017) The self-titled track of Lukas Nelson &
Promise of the Real moved into the
#1 spot on the Americana Airplay Chart
this week (Monday, Nov 6, 2017), see full chart here.
AWARDS
(7 Nov 2017) That's the Way Love Goes: CMA
posthumously honored Country Music Hall of Famer Merle Haggard with the 2016 Joe
Talbot Award, presenting it to Haggard’s widow, Theresa Haggard. The award
recognizes outstanding leadership and contributions to the preservation and
advancement of Country Music's values and traditions.
(8 Nov 2017) The Ameripolitan Awards announced
the nominees for their 2018 distinctions, and once again they have clearly
honored their founding commitment to shining a light on artists with a strong
roots influence that otherwise get overlooked by the rest of the industry. Read
more at Saving Country Music
TV
(7 Nov 2017) Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, More To Perform At
'CMA Country Christmas'
Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson,
Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Chris Young, Brett Eldredge, Kelsea
Ballerini, Dustin Lynch, Dan + Shay, Trisha Yearwood, and more have been announced as
performers for this year's "CMA Country Christmas." The sold-out event
will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Tuesday, November 14th
and will be filmed for television.
ABC-TV will air "CMA COUNTRY CHRISTMAS" on
Monday, November 27th at 8p (ET). The show will be hosted by Reba McEntire.
(13 Nov 2017) Arista's Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
appeared on CBS-TV's Sunday
Morning (Nov 12). Watch the interview here.
MUSIC NEWS
(10 Nov 2017) Taylor Swift releases her new album
"reputation"
Taylor Swift - she attracts everyone's attention!
After the single "Look What You Made Made Me Do" and the songs "
Ready For It" and " G eorgous " the long awaited new album
" reputation " released Friday Nov 10! Three years after her last
work " 1989" (# 1 on the iTunes charts in 96 countries, over 10.1
million units), Taylor Swift's " reputation " is the next chapter in
her incredible career.
" reputation" shows the singer, songwriter,
producer and musician in her best form and as multi-faceted as ever, and also
includes colleague Ed Sheeran, who is to be heard together with Taylor and
rapper Future on the album song" End
Game . "As a co-producer she invited Jack Antonoff, Max Martin and
Shellback into the studio. Taylor previewed the album for selected fans - you
can watch it >> here
(10 Nov 2017) As Ticket Bundles Become a Go-To Chart
Boost, Not Everyone Is Celebrating
Billboard wrote: Packaging albums with concert seats
can bump artists' chart positions, but promoters sweat higher ticket prices and
premature tour sales.
This week, Kenny Chesney's new
concert album, LIVE IN NO SHOES NATION,
became the first live album to top the Billboard 200 in seven years and the
biggest-selling live album since Paul McCartney's Back in the U.S.: Live 2002.
The reason: The country star bundled it into the price of tickets for his upcoming tour,
a decade-old tactic that artists are now using with increasing success as the
concert business booms and labels become savvier about getting fans to redeem
their offers for CDs and digital albums. The album's cost, which is baked into
the ticket price, isn't visible to fans.......
In October, P!nk's
new album, BEAUTIFUL TRAUMA, debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200, with
two-thirds of her 384,000 albums sold tied to ticket sales, while about 80,000
of the 134,000 copies of Shania Twain's NOW album sold in its first week came
from ticket bundling, according to Nielsen Music. Katy Perry, Arcade Fire
and The Chainsmokers all topped the
chart with bundles, too. "Every couple days, I get a new request,"
says One Live Media's Andy Martel, who helps artists create ticket bundles.
For a bundled album to be eligible for the Billboard
200, the ticket purchaser has to download or redeem it. Kevin Leflar
with Official Community, which helps artists bundle, says he recommends artists
bundle one album with every pair of tickets, because trying to deliver an album
for every single ticket sold can be cost prohibitive and a logistical
nightmare. About 20 percent to 30 percent of fans tend to redeem their album
offers, with most favoring CDs or vinyl over downloads, though nudges on email
and social media can drive better results.
"It's just
a flat-out scam," says indie concert promoter Seth Hurwitz, who owns and operates Washington, D.C.'s Anthem
venue. Hurwitz says bundling forces people to buy music so acts "can jack up first-week album sales,"
but in doing so "people are putting tours on sale way before they ought
to."
"The tour onsales are suffering greatly, and then
those shows' momentum is gone forever. It becomes a house that's on the market
too long," said Hurwitz. Meanwhile, "it adds to the ticket price
without adding anything to the gross," says Emporium Presents promoter Dan Steinberg.
Taylor Swift flipped the script this fall, telling
fans to buy her merch and pre-order her new album to improve their chances
of scoring her concert tickets after the album released Nov. 10.
(10 Nov 2017) Billboard: Taylor Swift is, as her new single, “…Ready for It?,” rocketed back onto Billboard’s Streaming Songs
chart dated Nov. 18 at No. 19, earning 16.2
million streams in the tracking week ending Nov. 2, according to Nielsen
Music. The 106% streaming gain is due in large part to the release of the
song’s >> music video,
which premiered Oct. 26. Sixty-five percent of the track’s views for the week
came via YouTube (though it saw gains in most other streaming metrics, too).
SINGLE / ALBUM
NEWS
(10 Nov 2017) A.C. Jones Debut Single “Buses and Trains”
Goes to Country Radio
Listen to the single now at country radio on Soundcloud
"I’ve always looked at the music as a way to
serve our fans and not be served by them," explains A.C. "I’ve always wanted to develop a sense
of family that goes beyond music and the stage by serving our communities and
the people in it."
On Thursday May 11, 2017, it was announced that Jones
was signed to independent country label, SSM
Nashville Records. The Music Row company boasts an artist roster that
includes talent with over 40-years’ experience and millions of records sold.
Jones will join other SSM Nashville artists which include Andy Griggs, Branch and Dean,
Alexandra Demetree, Redhead Express and Wes Hayden.
Jones and her Family Band have been performing for
years from Ohio to Nashville. They have played the fairs, festivals and a long
list of music venues along the way, and last week made her way to Scotland to
perform at the Vamos Festival in Edinburgh. The three-day event
celebrated American music of many genres, and Jones brought her Country music
to their stage for performances on both Saturday and Sunday.
Jones released her debut CD in December of 2015 (under
the name Amanda Jones). The CD titled THE
ROAD LESS TRAVELED (released Jan 9, 2016; Amazon
UK | iTunes | Spotify) was
a glimpse at the recording power of her vocals on music that explored themes of
people having to make life-changing decisions, love, and more. - facebook/ACJonesMusic/
ARTICLES
(7 Nov 2017) Rosanne Cash stopped
by Garden & Gun's Whole Hog
podcast to talk about the art of storytelling, the influence of her iconic
father, finding her political voice and more. Listen here
INTERVIEWS
(6 Nov 2017) Building Our Own Nashville
Interview: Talking to Shane Richie about
his album A COUNTRY SOUL, his
favourite country artists and more
(12 Nov 2017) 10 Questions
with ... Tracy
Lawrence
BOOKS
(7 Nov 2017) Snuggle up with "Cowboy, It's Cold
Outside"
A Twilight, Texas Novel by
Lori Wilde | Price: $7.99
Release date: Oct 31, 2017
Kindle, Paperback, Hard Copy:
Everyone in town knows that Christmas in Twilight has a way of bringing lovers together . . . but will its magic bring this pair from “I won’t” to “I do”?
Wearing a too-tight “Santa
Baby” costume held in by a double pair of Spanx, Paige MacGregor runs headlong
into a gorgeous, grey-eyed hunk of a long, tall cowboy. And not just any
cowboy, but country-western star Cash Colton, visiting Twilight to perform in a
charity concert. Most women would melt at his feet, but Paige knows all too
much about self-assured men with cocky attitudes, so she tells him to get lost.
Cash is in town, nursing
his own broken heart, but Paige has knocked him off his feet. He’s convinced
she’s perfect—someone to inspire his music and share his now-empty bed. True,
he’s not marriage material, but he’s determined to convince her that they’re
perfect together—at least for a while. But what he doesn’t count on is falling
in love with the one woman who isn’t about to give him the time of day! Source:
www.avonromance.com
MAGAZINES
(8 Nov 2017) The latest issue (Issue 07 Dec/Jan; Margo
Price Front Cover) of Country Music is now available to read at
Pocketmags! If you are a subscriber your issue will be
ready for download in My
Magazines at www.pocketmags.com
and in your library in-app. A single issue is £4.99 with a FREE Sample issue of
Country Music!
Christmas gift offer: Annual Direct Debit (£26.95) and
a FREE M30X Headphones worth £77! – https://shop.anthem-publishing
Cover star Margo Price is a relatively young 34, yet
her music is sure to appeal to seasoned listeners who grew up listening to
Loretta Lynn. Likewise Midland, a throwback to the 70s country rock of The
Eagles and classic George Strait, are suddenly the hippest thing in town. Who’d
have thought that?
The magazine also have the established queens of kings
of country. They speak to the living legend that is Dolly Parton and they look back at the remarkable formation of The Highwaymen, the “Mount Rushmore Of
Country Music” that was Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris
Kristofferson.
Elsewhere, there are features on Kip Moore and Thomas Rhett,
the remarkable White Buffalo, the
fast-rising Courtney Marie Andrews
and a full report from October’s Country
Music Week in London. If that’s not enough, they journey to the edge of
sanity and talk to TV “geezer” Shane
Richie about his new country album. As well as the regular in-depth reviews
section, they have Country Music magazine’s choice of the 30 Best Albums Of 2017.
WATCH
(7 Nov 2017) Danielle Bradbery -
Sway
published on Oct 15, 2017 (803K YouTube views) >> YouTube
(8 Nov 2017) Ryan Hurd reveals
personal side in new music video for “Love In A Bar” >> YouTube
Black-and-white video shot at Hurd’s family lake house
in Michigan offers an intimate glimpse at life off-the-road with fiancé Maren
Morris.
Emerging singer/songwriter Ryan Hurd partnered with
VEVO and Rolling Stone for the premiere of his new music video for “Love In
Bar” featuring his fiancé, Maren Morris. Filmed at Hurd’s family lake house in
west Michigan where the GRAMMY & CMA-nominated songwriter spent summers
growing up, the video offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes glimpse at life off
the road for the two country stars who met and fell in love as songwriters in
Nashville, Tennessee. Earlier this year on a trip to the lake house, Hurd
popped the question to Morris while on a trip out on the canoe boat featured in
the music video.
“This video
means so much to me because this song is the story of how Maren and I met and
fell in love. Returning back to my family’s lake house where Maren and I got
engaged was really special. It’s cool to have such a special place, special
person and special song all come together in one spot,” shares Hurd. “While the
song is our story about falling in love in a bar, I love that we got to make a
music video about what happened after that and hope that people can see their
own love stories in these moments.”
COUNTRY FASHION
(7 Nov 2017) A
Dreamy Cowgirl Wedding in Durango Boots
This couple tied the knot in their favorite Durango Boots and the photos (at Cowgirl Magazine)
and video are to die for!
(8 Nov 2017) Urban
Cowgirl: Western & Co.'s new leather pieces are the perfect
juxtaposition of everything Americana, 70’s vintage, honky tonk, 90’s country,
and the old desert west...Cowgirl Magazine
(8 Nov 2017) Sassy Custom caps at Cowgirl Magazine
COUNTRY GOSSIP
(7 Nov 2017) Chely Wright turned to Twitter to
vent her anger and frustration after the mass
shooting at a Texas church on Sunday (Nov. 5), writing that she's "ashamed of my country" over its
inability to pass tighter gun laws. 26 people died on Sunday morning (Nov 5)
when 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley carried out a methodical shooting spree
at First Baptist Church in the tiny town of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The
victims ranged in age from 17 months to 77 years old, and at least 12 of them
were children.
(9 Nov 2017) Garth Brooks has
admitted he lip synced his
performance at the CMA (Country Music Association) Awards on Wednesday night
(Nov 8, 2017).
The 55-year-old singer was just one of the winners at
the ceremony, which was also televised, taking home the top award for
Entertainer of the Year. However, Garth attracted criticism from fans when he
performed his track Ask Me How I Know, with many slamming him for clearly not performing
live.
"Really, @garthbrooks.... REALLY?? Everyone's up
there shouting u out for being a 'legend' and you're gonna freaking lip sync
overdramatically like a fool to your own song?? #Over. #CMAS #CMAawards
#GarthBrooks #Garth #Nashville," one wrote.
Another tweeted, "Garth Brooks is REALLY bad at
lip syncing", while a third posted, "Worst lip syncing I’ve ever
seen. #GarthBrooks #CMAawards."
Speaking to journalists backstage after his
performance, Garth admitted he had used a pre-recorded live track to lip sync
to, citing sickness and his 12 show run in just 10 days as the reason he made
the compromise.
Anderson East is offended that Garth Brooks lip-synced
at the 2017 CMA Awards. Miranda Lambert says if you can't sing, then don't.
This truly offends me," East said on Instagram.
"I was told country music is three chords and the truth."
In his comments section Lambert congratulates her
boyfriend of two years for taking a stand, adding her take: "If you can’t sing then don’t. It’s better to
be honest than to pretend. I think it’s bull s—t. My favorite performances in
the show were live live. The truth."
(10 Nov 2017) Keith Urban was unaware of song's Weinstein
inspiration before recording it
Singer Keith Urban had
no idea the writers behind his new track Female had drawn inspiration for the
song from the sex scandal surrounding disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
The country singer debuted the tune onstage at Wednesday's
(8 Nov 2017) Country Music Association Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, but when
he first recorded it, he was unaware of the real motivation which drove Shane
McAnally, Nicolle Galyon, and Ross Copperman to pen the track.
Instead, he just thought Female was a beautiful,
empowering piece of music - and that's how he prefers to view it.
"When I
heard the song I knew nothing about its back story, and I don't think that is
needed for the song," Keith explained to U.S. breakfast show Good
Morning America. "The song for me
was far more celebratory than anything else, so that's what really moved me."
Lyrics from the song include the lines: "When
somebody laughs and implies that she asked for it/Just cause she was wearing a
skirt/Oh is that how that works?"
Revealing the track's inspiration at the BMI Country
Awards on Tuesday, songwriter Ross explained he and his collaborators came up
with the idea for Female after reading about the sexual harassment and assault
accusations made against Hollywood producer Weinstein in a New York Times
expose last month.
"It's from the Weinstein announcement," he
said on the red carpet. "We're in a room and we're like, 'What can we do
about this?' And that's the one thing we can do, is write songs."
PHOTO
(9 Nov 2017)
About
Last Night:
RCA's Miranda Lambert and P!nk at the Sony Music Nashville CMA
Awards after party Weds night (Nov 8). Pictured (l-r) are Sony Music
Entertainment CEO Rob Stringer, P!nk, Lambert and Sony/Nashville's Randy
Goodman.
Capitol Gains:
Capitol's Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood
and Keith Urban at UMGN's CMA Awards after party last night (11/8) at the
Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum. Pictured (l-r) are Cindy Mabe, Rucker,
Mike Dungan, Underwood, Urban and Boyd Muir.
BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays in the week ahead
November 13: Ray Wylie Hubbard (1946), Raymond
Froggatt (1941
November 14: Gretchen Peters (1957), Judith
Edelman (1964)
November 15: C W McCall (1929), Hank
Wangford (1940), Jack Ingram
(1970), Sara Johns (1970)
November 16: Troy Seals (1938)
November 17: Gordon Lightfoot (1938),
November 18: Laura Lynch (ex Dixie Chicks; original member) (1958), Jessi Alexander (1972)
November 19: Katy Moffatt (1950), Billy
Currington (1973)
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