Wednesday, 28 March 2018

NRA Country removes its artist roster from Digital Presence

The National Rifle Association has quietly removed the roster of musicians associated with the organization from its website, according to the Democrat biased and social darling of the intelligentsia Rolling Stone reported.
NRA Country's list of partnered artists once included everyone from Luke Bryan (Former Buck Commander) and Blake Shelton to Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line. Before it vanished last week, the list featured 37 artists.
NRA Country LOGO
After an update on March 16, 2018 the list of talent currently partnered with or connected to NRA Country -- the initiative anchored on the cultural ties between the NRA and country music -- is absent, and no mention of any affiliated artists can be found save for the "Events" section offering details for scheduled performances. None of the artists Rolling Stone reached out to had been made aware of the change, which eliminated NRA Country's "Featured Artist" distinction entirely from the current site design and signaled a shift in the campaign's messaging. See Billboard Article

Most of these artists' names appeared on the website after agreeing to one-off cross-promotions in which the artists received free marketing and publicity from the NRA in exchange for the NRA's continued ability to promote their association with a growing list of prominent country music celebrities.
"NRA Country did a great job at marketing themselves as being about gun safety," says an industry veteran. "A lot of artists signed up without really thinking about how actions have consequences."
Over the past five years, many of NRA Country's most prominent artists have disappeared from the website during similar periods of heightened scrutiny.
In the spring of 2013, a few months after the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, Blake Shelton and Luke "Huntin’ Fishin’ Lovin Everyday" Bryan's name disappeared from the organization's website.

Hundreds of thousands of students and their parents (over 850K) descended on the U.S. capital on Saturday (March 24) to protest gun reform and safety in the wake of the Florida shooting incident and demanded gun control in the nationwide March for Our Lives movement.
Remember Parkland! Remember Sutherland Springs! Remember Las Vegas! Remember Orlando! Remember Charleston! Remember Sandy Hook! Remember Virginia Tech! Remember Columbine!
#MarchForOurLives See Twitter Photo




NRA COUNTRY Recent times:

 "Guns & Roses" artist Drew Baldridge was chosen as NRA Country’s Featured Artist for Oct 2017, See promo Video:



 Michael Ray, was chosen as NRA Country’s Featured Artist for August 2017 (see Blog).
Gretchen Wilson was NRA Country’s Featured Artist for June 2017 (See Blog).
Aaron Watson was NRA Country's Featured Artist in March 2017 (See Blog)
Country To Country 2018 Festival artist and rising country star Luke Combs was NRA Country’s Featured Artist for November 2016. “I am so proud to be named an NRA Country artist,” said Combs in a press release.  “I love what they stand for especially supporting our troops.  I will always be there to do anything I can to help the men and women who serve this great nation.  I am Luke Combs and I am NRA Country.” http://eepurl.com/coZxOD
Aaron Lewis was NRA Country’s Featured Artist in Sept 2016 (See video; See Blog)
SMO was chosen as NRA Country’s Featured Artist in July 2016 (See Blog)









































Nobody can accuse Brantley Gilbert of being anti-gun rights, but in an article about country music's relationship with gun culture, the singer revealed the surprising reason he refused to officially partner with NRA Country. Gilbert is one of country music's loudest voices when it comes to gun ownership and the importance of supporting the Second Amendment.


He even has a massive, all-encompassing back tattoo of the Second Amendment, featuring two large pistols aimed downward, followed by the text of the amendment. Even the UKs Country King and Radio 2 presenter Bob Harris (OBE) jokingly spoke of visiting Gilbert's tattooist following Brantley's 2nd appearance at the C2C Festival in London.

In May 2016 world-class country vocalist Brett Eldredge made waves at The Belvedere at Waterfront Park in Louisville, Kentucky with special guest Jana Kramer for the NRA COUNTRY JAM, (See Blog) presented by historic firearm manufacturer Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC. Prior NRA Country Jam performers included country stars Hank Williams, Jr., Colt Ford, Craig Morgan, Eli Young Band, Jerrod Niemann, Joe Nichols, Kevin Fowler and Trace Adkins.

As an NRA Country Featured Artist, Hank Williams, Jr. joined some of country music’s biggest acts including Florida Georgia Line, Lee Brice, Frankie Ballard, Love and Theft, Easton Corbin, Eric Paslay, Craig Morgan, Chase Rice, The Swon Brothers, Jon Pardi, Montgomery Gentry, Blackberry Smoke (NRA Country Featured Artist Sept 2015), LOCASH and many more in teaming up to celebrate their support of our brave men and women in uniform, appreciation for the great outdoors, and love of family. - 

Accomplished singer/songwriter and proud US Navy SEAL, Pete Scobell, was chosen as NRA Country’s Featured Artist for July 2015.












































Every year since 1972, country music fans have made a pilgrimage to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Country Music Association's 4-Day CMA Music Festival. In 2017 with 11 stages and at the epicentre of country music, at the corner of Broadway and 4th Avenue in Nashville, hung an NRA Country banner looming over all.
In April 2017 the now shuttered Webster Public Relations announced the signing of NRA Country to its roster for publicity representation. “I am pleased to announce a partnership with NRA Country,” said the firm’s former disgraced president and Nashville publicist, Kirt Webster. “Many of our artists have had long-standing relations with NRA Country, and I look forward to representing their brand and bringing information about them to the masses.”

NRA Country put on different events that promoted their partnership with the format – NRA’s Country Jam: Story Behind The Song was one of those. Singer-songwriters that participated included newly Grand Ole Opry inductee Chris Janson (“Buy Me A Boat”), Josh Thompson (“Way Out Here”), Lindsay Ell (“Worth The Wait”), and songwriter Cary Barlowe (Lady Antebellum’s “American Honey”). See Press release
In October 2015 NRA Country excitedly partnered with Bass Pro Shops to bring live music to the 10-day World’s Hunting & Waterfowl Festival from Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid in downtown Memphis, 
Tennessee. The event, which ran October 16th through the 25th, offered family entertainment, outdoors seminars and sales on outdoors merchandise. Country music duo Big & Rich brought their high energy and hit-packed show to the NRA Country Stage for a free outdoor concert sponsored by Raymond James. Other artists lined up to entertain festival attendees included: Mo Pitney (10/20), Tim Dugger (10/21), Liz Moriodo and Matt Stillwell (10/22). - http://eepurl.com/bBMyZP

FULL NRA COUNTRY Sound Stage Concerts have witnessed appearances by:

 Rachele Lynae, Doug McCormick, Jacob Powell, Josh Thompson, Logan Brill, Josh Dorr, Aaron Goodvin, Ricky Gunn, Cheryl LuQuire, Morgan Mills, Todd O'Neill, Sarah Ross, Keni Thomas, Emerald Blue, Bucky Covington, Jacob Davis, Tim Dugger, JJ Lawhorn, Chancie Neal, Abbi Scott, Andy Velo, Crawford County, Phoenix Drive, Radio Romance,  Zach Dyer, Matt Jordan & Levi Riggs.

Photo (L) NRA Country Girl Morgan Mills
Facebook Photo: 'On Location' host Morgan Mills! #CountryGirl #NRACountry



UK crowd favourite singer/songwriter Drake White was chosen as NRA Country’s Featured Artist for October 2015. "The knowledge, confidence and responsibility that comes with being an accomplished hunter has no doubt armed me with the character that this world requires to be called a man,” said White.  “I am Drake White and I am NRA Country.” 

Others who have landed Featured Artist spots or associations with NRA Country include: Lucas Hoge, Lee Brice, Tara Thompson, Craig Morgan, Craig Campbell, William Michael Morgan, Jerrod Niemann, Ronnie Dunn, Hank Williams Jnr. (Artist of the Month; Jan 2016),  Chuck Wicks, LoCash, Heidi Newfield (NRA Country Artist of the Month Oct 2012 Countrys Chatter NRA Feature | www.rttnews.com), Jon Pardi, Frankie Ballard, Colt Ford, Justin Moore (Artist of the Month Feb 2016), Thomas Rhett, Kevin Fowler, Tyler Farr, Tate Stevens (The X Factor winner in 2012), Love and Theft and TV personality Storme Warren.

Justin Moore - Photo Credit: Big Machine Records






































Sunny Sweeney Former NRA Country Artist? www.nracountry.com/sunny-sweeney
Before the CMA Awards Nov 2017 ceremony, the CMA threatened to remove journalists asking about the Las Vegas shooting. Despite a reversal, it raised questions about the industry’s close connections with the NRA
Read More: www.theguardian.com

 Outside of NRA Country, which began in 2010, gun culture has been inextricable from country music from its inception and continues to figure prominently in many acts’ material. Miranda Lambert sang about getting “the first buck of the season".

 According to the Congressional Research Service, as of 2009 there were roughly twice as many guns per capita in the United States as there were in 1968: with more than 300 million guns in all.

 The mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct 1, 2017 between 10:05 and 10:15 p.m. PDT was officially deemed the deadliest in American history, but tragic events like this one have become all too common. At this point, according to Vox, there are more guns than people in the United States, an overwhelming statistic for those hoping to curb gun violence with new regulations.
In 2015, The Washington Post estimated the number of firearms nationwide at 357 million. That's already a staggering figure, but it becomes even more so when compared with the country's population, which at that time was 317 million.
That gives Americans the highest rate of per capita firearm ownership in the world, with about one gun for every American. But that's rather misleading with just 3% of American adults who own a collective 133 million firearms (around 37%).

When the shooting began, at the Route 91 Harvest music festival country singer Jason Aldean was giving the closing performance. Born in Macon, Ga., Aldean has always had a passion for country music. Easily recognizable name in the Country Music world, when he's not selling out stadium shows and breaking attendance records, he could be found hanging out with the Buck Commander crew. As an official Buckman, Jason shared his zeal for hunting and the outdoors through the Buck Commander videos and TV show. 
See More www.buckcommander.com

PHOTO - Jason Aldean: pinterest.com | www.buckcommander.com

Taylor Swift gets political for March For Our Lives Rally
Meanwhile former country superstar Taylor Swift offered up her support to the students planning to march in Washington, D.C. on Saturday (24Mar18), insisting no kid should have to go to school in "fear of gun violence".
The singer, who is coming the UK in May & June (4 Dates; Swansea [BBC Music's Biggest Weekend], Manchester, Dublin & London), made her rare political statement via Instagram on Friday (March 23), revealing she had made a big donation to the March For Our Lives movement, which was launched after the Parkland high school massacre in Florida last month (Feb18).
Sharing the March For Our Lives logo on Instagram, Swift wrote: "No one should have to go to school in fear of gun violence. Or to a nightclub. Or to a concert. Or to a movie theater. Or to their place of worship.

"I've made a donation to show my support for the students, for the March For Our Lives campaign, for everyone affected by these tragedies, and to support gun reform.

"I'm so moved by the Parkland High School students, faculty, by all families and friends of victims who have spoken out, trying to prevent this from happening again."
Hundreds of thousands of students and their parents are expected to descend on the U.S. capital on Saturday to protest gun reform and safety in the wake of the Florida shooting incident.

Taylor's pal Selena Gomez also backed the campaign online, writing: "Protect kids, not guns! #MarchForOurLives."

About
March For Our Lives is a movement dedicated to student-led activism around ending gun violence and the epidemic of mass shootings in our schools today. On March 24, 2018 we took to the streets to demand that our safety become a priority.
General Information
The March For Our Lives Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization. Donations to the March For Our Lives Action Fund will cover all expenses associated with the march taking place in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, March 24th. The funds will also be used to fight for comprehensive gun safety legislation at the local, state, and federal level, and will also include voter education, ballot initiatives, and lobbying state legislatures and Congress to protect America’s kids.

WEBSITE: https://marchforourlives.com/
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/marchforourlives
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AMarch4OurLives

In Contrast the NRA Posted:



Digital Music News (Dated Feb 27, 2017) 37 Country Artists Who Still Actively Endorse the NRA
As part of the NRA’s community outreach efforts, the organization sponsors and supports a significant group of country artists.  The demographic match makes sense, and artists need the money.
Accordingly, on the NRA website, a total of 37 country artists are/ were publicly listed as NRA advocates.
Here are the 37 country artists that publicly endorse the NRA and receive funding from the group.
The group of artists that were proudly listed on the organization’s site (before deletion), many posed with guns and NRA hats.
Frankie Ballard dropped out but was quickly replaced by another country talent, Drew Baldridge.

Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Frankie Ballard, Drew Baldridge (new), Lee Brice, The Swon Brothers, Craig Campbell, Luke Combs, Easton Corbin, Tyler Farr, Colt Ford, Kevin Fowler, Lucas Hoge, Angie Johnson,
Aaron Lewis, LoCash, Love and Theft, Montgomery Gentry, Justin Moore, Craig Morgan, Heidi Newfield, Jon Pardi, Eric Paslay, Michael Ray, Chase Rice, Pete Scobell, Granger Smith, Big SMO, Blackberry Smoke
Tate Stevens, Sunny Sweeney, Josh Thompson, Storme Warren, Aaron Watson, Drake White, Chuck Wicks, Hank Williams, Gretchen Wilson

ABOUT NRA COUNTRY:
NRA Country is a celebration of American values. Respect. Honor. Freedom. It’s a lifestyle and a bond between the country music community and hard-working Americans everywhere.

 It’s powered by pride, freedom, love of country, respect for the military, and the responsibilities of protecting the great American life. We celebrate these values with concerts and other events that benefit gun safety programs for kids, youth hunting and education programs, efforts to support our armed services, and other worthy causes. NRA Country will be involved in causes that defend our values and it will empower our artist friends who promote these values to encourage our next generation of leaders.

Get NRA Country Connected at www.nracountry.com and get the latest artist info and exclusive events on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

NOTE: The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a formidable opponent, however, when it comes to grass-roots organizing. It has more than 4 million members who feel passionately about gun rights. Nearly 90 percent of NRA members oppose the banning semi-automatic weapons.

A Brief History of the NRA
Dismayed by the lack of marksmanship shown by their troops, Union veterans Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate formed the National Rifle Association in 1871. The primary goal of the association would be to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis," according to a magazine editorial written by Church.
After being granted a charter by the state of New York on November 17, 1871, the NRA was founded. Civil War Gen. Ambrose Burnside, who was also the former governor of Rhode Island and a U.S. senator, became the fledgling NRA's first president.
An important facet of the NRA's creation was the development of a practice ground. In 1872, with financial help from New York State, a site on Long Island, the Creed Farm, was purchased for the purpose of building a rifle range. Named Creedmoor, the range opened a year later, and it was there that the first annual matches were held.
Political opposition to the promotion of marksmanship in New York forced the NRA to find a new home for its range. In 1892, Creedmoor was deeded back to the state and NRA's matches moved to Sea Girt, New Jersey.
The NRA's interest in promoting the shooting sports among America's youth began in 1903 when NRA Secretary Albert S. Jones urged the establishment of rifle clubs at all major colleges, universities and military academies. By 1906, NRA's youth program was in full swing with more than 200 boys competing in matches at Sea Girt that summer. Today, youth programs are still a cornerstone of the NRA, with more than one million youth participating in NRA shooting sports events and affiliated programs with groups such as 4-H, the Boy Scouts of America, the American Legion, Royal Rangers, National High School Rodeo Association and others.
In 1990, NRA made a dramatic move to ensure that the financial support for firearms-related activities would be available now and for future generations. Establishing the NRA Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization, provided a means to raise millions of dollars to fund gun safety and educational projects of benefit to the general public. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible and benefit a variety of American constituencies including youth, women, hunters, competitive shooters, gun collectors, law enforcement agents and persons with physical disabilities.

While widely recognized today as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, the NRA has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world. But our successes would not be possible without the tireless efforts and countless hours of service our nearly five million members have given to champion Second Amendment rights and support NRA programs. As former Clinton spokesman George Stephanopoulos said, "Let me make one small vote for the NRA. They're good citizens. They call their congressmen. They write. They vote. They contribute. And they get what they want over time."
Sources Read More | Pinterest/NRAofficial

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