UK & Irish
News, UK Chart News, Album & Single Releases, Country News, TV news, Awards
News, Press Releases, Gossip, Birthdays.
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UK & IRISH
News
For a full listing of 2018 UK Tour dates PLEASE check out our Tour Dates Page
On the BBC Radio 2 Playlist for the week commencing Saturday 30 June
2018
A Playlist:
Carrie Underwood - Cry Pretty added to the "A" Playlist
Kylie Minogoe - Golden added to the "A"
Playlist
OUT
Dan + Shay - All To Myself removed from the "B"
playlist
Album of the Week: Various
Artists - Restoration: The Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin Amazon UK
(24 June 2018) Ward Thomas will release their new single ‘Lie Like Me’ on the 5th
of July.
(25 June 2018) REVIEWS:
Buckle, Boots and Black Deer: A Tale of Two Festivals - Brits In Boots
(26 June 2018) Laura Oakes shared on Facebook
If you’d have told
me when I was 17, flying 4000 miles away to watch Carrie Underwood live in
Nashville on my 18th birthday, because I never thought she wouldn’t even come
over to play shows in England, that one day my name would be written under hers
at a Country Music festival in the UK and that we’d be sharing the same stage
at that festival - you’d have made my wildest dreams come true. I honestly
danced around my living room for that 17-year-old girl when I saw this on
Monday and for all the 17 and 27 and 37 and so on year olds who’s country music
dreams are coming true In The UK at last! It’s happening guys! and the fact
that the festival is called The Long
Road is ironically brilliant and hilarious and true! I cannot wait for
September - this is going to be a really special one for me!! So grateful to
The Long Road Festival Hope to see you all there!
See BLOG: Carrie Underwood announced as The Long Road Festival Saturday headliner on Sept 8th!
See BLOG: Carrie Underwood announced as The Long Road Festival Saturday headliner on Sept 8th!
UK CHART NEWS
Official UK Top
100 Singles Chart (Week Ending 5
July 2018)
29 June 2018 - 5 July 2018
His debut hit, Budapest, reached No.3 in 2013; his
most recent hit, Paradise, reached No.2 in April; and this chart frame George Ezra completed his collection of
medal positions and secures his first No.1 with Shotgun.
Helped – as were the last two No.1s – by a reduction
to 59p at iTunes, Shotgun’s consumption increased 41.97% to 53,696 last week
(18,823 pure sales), including 34,873 from sales-equivalent streams, enough to
end the one-week reign of Clean Bandit’s Solo (feat. Demi Lovato), which
retreats again to No.2 but still has impetus, with sales up 13.20% week-on-week
at 47,059.
Official UK Top
100 Albums Chart
(Week Ending
5 July 2018)
29 June 2018 - 5 July 2018
Kylie Minogue with GOLDEN
fell 36-66 (1,500 estimated units)
in her 12th week.
Bebe Rexha has participated in seven Top 75 hits, and cumulative
UK sales of tracks on which she is featured stand at 3,173,470. Her debut
album, EXPECTATIONS, housed just one
of those hits - the No.11 Florida Georgia Line collaboration "Meant To
Be" and opened its account at No.33 (2,555 sales).
In their 10th week at retail The Shires
with ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE fell
off the top 100 from previous weeks No.89 (700 estimated units; 10-week total
34,500; chart run 3-14-32-41-41-32-33-54-89-below 100). It was placed at No.2
on UK Country iTunes chart (#331 UK itUnes all-genres). By comparison their last album MY UNIVERSE
after 10 frames was at No.48 with a 10-week total of 48,500 Chart Run:
3-7-14-27-36-45-43-48.
Official UK
Country Album Top 20 (Week Ending
5 July 2018)
29 June 2018 - 5 July 2018
The Shires with ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE held at #1
(10 weeks; #1 peak)
Dan + Shay with Dan + Shay made a debut at #2
Kacey Musgraves with GOLDEN HOUR rose 4-3 (13 weeks; #1
peak)
Sugarland with BIGGER fell 2-4 (3 weeks; #2 peak)
Neko Case with HELL-ON held at No.5 (4 weeks; #2
peak)
Luke Combs with THIS ONE'S FOR YOU TOO climbed 8-6 (4
weeks; #5 peak)
Willie Nelson With LAST MAN STANDING fell 6-7 (9 weeks;
#2 peak)
Brothers Osborne with PORT SAINT JOE rose 10-8 (10 weeks;
#2 peak)
Dierks Bentley with THE MOUNTAIN fell 3-9 (3 weeks; #3
peak)
Gretchen Peters with DANCING WITH THE BEAST fell 7-10 (6
weeks; #2 peak)
Outside the Top 10
The Wandering Hearts with WILD SILENCE rose 15-13 (20 weeks; #1
peak)
Ashley McBryde with GIRL GOING NOWHERE fell 9-16 (8
weeks; #4 peak)
Official
Americana Albums Chart Top 40 (Week Ending
5 July 2018)
29 June 2018 - 5 July 2018
1 1 Blow Your Mind Wilko Johnson [Tagged Rock]
2 4 God's Favourite Customer Father John Misty [Tagged Alternative]
3 NEW Passwords Dawes
[Tagged Alternative]
4 2 The Blues Is Alive And Well Buddy Guy [Tagged Blues]
5 5 From The Fires Greta Van Fleet [Tagged Rock]
6 6 Ruins First
Aid Kit [Tagged Alternative]
7 3 Tearing At The Seams Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night [Tagged Rock]
8 7 Be More Kind Frank
Turner [Tagged Alternative]
9 8 The Prodical Son Ry Cooder [Tagged Rock]
10 11 Nation Of Two Vance Joy [Tagged Alternative]
Outside The Top 10
14 10 Part of The Light Ray Lamontage [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]
18 9 Please Don't Be Dead Fantastic Negrito [Tagged Rock]
29 NEW Plays Well With Others Lera Lynn [Tagged Singer/Songwriter]
COUNTRY ALBUM
& SINGLES RELEASES
For a full listing of 2017 Country/Alt/ Americana albums
forthcoming and past releases PLEASE check out our Country Music Store Page
(25 June 2018) Hannah
Paris - L.A. (Single; Hannah Paris Music) UK
Time: 4:10 UK iTunes
She played at the Isle of Wight Festival 2018 on Thurs
June 21 and Shakey's Sessions Unplugged Stage at Fling Fest 2018 in Chelmsford.
On Weds 4 July she will play at The Slaughtered Lamb,
London (34 - 35 Great Sutton St. Clerkenwell, London, EC1V 0DX) with Danny
McMahon. Both artists are nominated for UK Country Artist of the Year at the
UKCountryRadio.com sponsored UK Country Music Awards.
https://www.facebook.com/hannahparismusic/ (2,370 Likes)
(29 June 2018) The
Wild Feathers - Greetings from the Neon Frontier
10 Tracks/Time: 36:44
Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: June 29: No.19 UK Country iTunes Charts
(#747 UK iTunes all-genre),
Formed in 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee around the
talents of Ricky Young, Joel King, and Taylor Burns, all of whom had served as
lead singers in their previous bands, the Wild Feathers came together out of a
shared love for all things Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, the Band, and
the Allman Brothers.
(29 June 2018) Riley
Green - In A Truck Right Now (EP; BMLG Records)
4 Tracks/ Time: 13:37 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: June 29: No.2 US Country iTunes Charts
(#14 UK iTunes all-genre)
Produced by Dann Huff, the EP features four songs, all
of which were co-written by Green (“There Was This Girl,” “Same Old Song,”
“Break Up More Often” and “In A Truck Right Now”).
(29 June 2018) Ryan
Montgomery - Ryan Montgomery (EP; 2018 Ryan Montgomery)
6 Tracks/Time: 18:35 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: June 29: No.13 US Country iTunes Charts
(#98 UK iTunes all-genre)
(29 June 2018) Cody
Canada & The Departed - 3 (2018 Underground Sound)
14 Tracks/Time: 54:04 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: June 29: No.7 US Country iTunes Charts
(#57 UK iTunes all-genre)
(29 June 2018) Shane
Owens - It's a Southern Thing (EP; Amerimonte Records LLC)
6 Tracks/Time: 21:22 Amazon
UK – UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: June 29: No.34 US Country iTunes Charts
(#328 UK iTunes all-genre)
(29 June 2018) Cloverdayle
- Cloverdayle (2018 Cloverdayle LLC)
16 Tracks/Time: 59:19 Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: June 29: No.113 US Country iTunes Charts
(#1062 UK iTunes all-genre)
(29 June 2018) Cory
Michael - Cory Michael (EP; Self Release)
4 Tracks/Time: 12:46 Country/POP Amazon
UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com
Debut: June 29: No.200 US Country iTunes Charts
CANADIAN NEWS
(27 June 2018) The Canadian Country Music Association
(CCMA) reigning "Male Artist of the Year," Brett Kissel announced part two of his extensive We Were That Song tour, which will kick-off in September 2018. The
first leg of the tour, which took Kissel across Canada earlier this year was
marked as one of Canada’s most extensive tours. For the first time in recent
history, Kissel’s tour will reach nationwide status, with every province and
territory hosting a Brett Kissel show. Earlier this year, Kissel received the
CIMA Road Gold Award for part one of the Canadian tour, recognizing a high
level of achievement during a touring period.
NEWS
(28 June 2018) Larry Gatlin Offers Reward For Stolen Grammy
In 1977, Larry Gatlin, eldest of the Gatlin Brothers,
took home a GRAMMY® Award for "Best Country Song" thanks to his
self-penned classic hit, "Broken Lady."
In an exclusive interview with The Tennessean, Gatlin
revealed his prized award was actually stolen from the Gatlin Bros. Music City
restaurant in the Mall of America in the 1990s. Now, two decades later, he's on
a mission to get it back.
The country legend is promising a monetary reward for
the safe return of his golden gramophone, and he won't notify authorities.
"I'll give
you a written statement that I won't prosecute you," Gatlin told The
Tennessean's Cindy Watts. "You can just say you bought it at a pawn
shop."
(28 June 2018) Fort Worth, Texas – Billy Bob’s Texas continues to bring America’s Music to the World’s
Largest Honky-Tonk throughout the month of July. As Texas and the nation
celebrate America’s Independence, Billy Bob’s Texas is proud to announce these
All-American concerts:
July 06 – Tyler Farr | July 07 – Gary Allan | July 13
– Kevin Fowler | July 14 – Mark Chesnutt
July 20 – Koe Wetzel | July 21 – Tracy Byrd | July 27
– Josh Weathers | July 28 – Terri Clark
(28 June 2018) Country music legend Moe Bandy was set to appear on the nationally televised
variety show Huckabee (TBN) on Saturday, June 30 at 8:00 PM/ET. Bandy will
showcase (moebandybook.com)
his new autobiographical book, appropriately titled LUCKY ME, and will perform his hit song "Americana."
Bandy's
"Americana" is what initially sparked his relationship with the Bush
family. George H. W. Bush personally invited Bandy out on the campaign trail
with him to perform the song live at rallies, and ultimately won the
presidency. Bandy's new book details his 30-year friendship with President Bush
and the late First Lady Barbara Bush, who wrote the book's foreword. The
Texan's segment will re-air Sunday, July 1 at 8:00 PM/ET.
(28 June 2018) Big Machine Records Teams Up With John Force
Racing
Big Machine
Records has partnered with JOHN FORCE RACING (JFR) NHRA drivers Brittany Force and Courtney
Force for the 2018 race season.
"Teaming up with fastest family in motorsports is
a natural for BIG MACHINE," said BIG MACHINE LABEL GROUP (BMLG)
President/CEO Scott Borchetta. "John Force is the biggest star the drag
racing world has ever seen, and daughters Brittany and Courtney are real racers
and big stars in their own right.
AWARDS
(26 June 2018) The Recording Academy has implemented
changes for the 61st Annual Grammy
Awards in 2019.
These include: The expansion of nominees from five
to eight in the Record, Album, Song of the Year and Best New Artist
categories. An expansion of the criteria for several categories, including Best
Alternative Music Album.
TV
(28 June 2018) In Case You Missed It: Capitol's Keith Urban performed "Coming Home" on NBC's The
Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Tuesday night (June 26). Watch here.
PRESS RELEASES
(26 June 2018) Dierks Bentley’s “Burning Man” Featuring
Brothers Osborne Explodes At Country Radio
Already Praised by Critics as Dierks Bentley's “Most
Affecting Song” (Rolling Stone), the New Single Off No. One Selling Ninth
Studio Album THE MOUNTAIN Follows 17 Career Chart Toppers
Multi-PLATINUM
singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley's “Burning Man” (featuring Brothers Osborne)
from his No. One selling album THE MOUNTAIN was released as his next single at
Country radio. "This song hits hard on so many levels for me and having
Brothers Osborne be a part of it makes it even better,” said Bentley.
"This has become one of my favorite moments in our live show and I can’t
wait to see the crowd’s reaction over the rest of the summer.”
(30 June 2018) Gene Watson Joins Willie Nelson's 4th Of
July Picnic Lineup, Extends North American Tour
Country legend Gene Watson is
extending his North American tour with additional dates, including a performance
next Wednesday, July 4 at Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic at Circuit of The
Americas in Austin, Texas. Watson joins Willie
Nelson & Family, Sturgill
Simpson, Margo Price, Billy Joe Shaver and many more for the
star-studded cavalcade of Willie Nelson's friends.
“I’ve always admired Willie for his unique style and
his formidable talent as a songwriter.
As a fellow Texan, I feel like it’s a homecoming to perform at his 4th
of July Picnic. We just added that date and several more, so we’re looking
forward to seeing everyone out on the road this summer and fall,” Gene Watson
shared.
REVIEWS
(21 June 2018) W21 Music LIVE REVIEW: Gretchen Peters /
Kim Richey live at Cadogan Hall
INTERVIEWS
(28 June 2018) Yorkshire Evening Post Music interview – Jade Helliwell: ‘Nashville has helped get younger audiences
into country music’
“All of the songs on the
record in the end related to different aspects of infatuation,” said Jade Helliwell the Leeds-based country singer. “Whether you’re
infatuated with somebody who’s returned or if you’re infatuated with somebody
who doesn’t pay any attention to you or you’ve been infatuated and you’re
heartbroken afterwards. I thought it was a good theme to tie all the songs
together.”
Infatuation has already
garnered “quite a few good reviews” and some airplay on the likes of Chris Country Radio as well as several
Spotify playlists and the iTunes country chart…..
Read more at: Yorkshire Evening Post
FREE DOWNLOAD
(1 July 2018) Gretchen Peters July’s
free download is “Say Grace”, featuring Kim Richey on harmony and Colm McClean on
electric guitar. Recorded live at City Varieties in Leeds, UK on 30 May 2018.
Get it at www.gretchenpeters.com
WATCH
(27 June 2018) Gretchen Peters -
Arguing
With Ghosts (>> Official Music Video) Directed
and edited by Joshua Britt & Neilson Hubbard/Neighborhoods Apart
COUNTRY FASHION
2018 Radio Disney Music
Awards Red Carpet Fashion BLOG
COUNTRY GOSSIP
(26 June 2018) Wynonna Judd's Daughter Sentenced to 8 Years
in Prison
Wynonna Judd's 22-year-old daughter, Grace Pauline Kelley, has been sentenced to eight years in prison
after breaking the terms of probation she received on drug charges in 2017.
Radar Online reports that Kelley pleaded guilty to the
manufacture, delivery, sale and possession of methamphetamine with intent to
distribute on May 26, 2017, in Williamson County Court in Tennessee. Williamson
County is an affluent rural county outside of Nashville that is home to a
number of country music stars, including Wynonna Judd.
She also faced charges of manufacturing and delivering
meth in nearby Maury County, but entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of
possession.
Kelley received a suspended sentence of 11 months and
29 days in jail and a fine of $3,092.50.
(26 June 2018) Ashley McBryde Suffers Devastating Family
Loss
Ashley McBryde's older brother Clay has died. The
"A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega" singer has shared few details about
the 53-year-old's death other than to suggest those who'd like to send flowers
make a donation to a charity called Mission 22 instead. Mr. MCBRYDE was a 25-year
veteran of the Russellville Police Department in Russellville, AR and a veteran
of the U.S. ARMY.
An obituary for William Clayton McBryde, Jr., shares
that the Russellville, Ark., native died on June 20 at his home, leaving behind
a wife of seven months, one son, one grandson and many siblings including the
country singer. William McBryde, Sr., also survives his son.
(1 July 2018) Taylor Swift recently performed a secret gig
in Chicago, Illinois as she took a break from her Reputation Stadium Tour.
28-year-old Taylor Swift played
for just 200 fans at an acoustic show on Thursday (28Jun18), according to The
Blast.
Taylor played five songs - Delicate, Gorgeous, All Too
Well, New Year’s Day and Shake It Off - and told fans she was trying to rest
her voice for the rest of her Reputation Stadium Tour, which will resume on
Saturday (30Jun18) at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
One superfan who attended the secret gig documented
the event on Twitter - despite having phones confiscated - and revealed Taylor
posed for photos with all of the audience to make up for not performing more
songs.
"They confiscated all of our stuff. And then they
bussed 200 of us off to the top secret location," the unnamed fan wrote.
"They brought us in an alley way and then brought camera men on the bus.
They filmed us getting off the bus and walking into the event.
Surprise! 🎉 It’s @TaylorSwift13! More exclusive footage from the secret show in Chicago, coming soon to #TaylorSwiftNOW. 💙 pic.twitter.com/pZjq6OE8P7— AT&T (@ATT) 29 June 2018
TWEETS
(1 July 2018) Cam tweeted:
Night 2 at MSG with @samsmithworld Still just a kid. Having the f**king time of
my life. #thrillofitalltour
Arista's Cam joined Sam
Smith on 22 dates of the North American leg of his The Thrill Of It All
Tour, which kicks off June 18 in Toronto. Cam sang with Smith during his London
shows earlier this year, performing the song they co-wrote with Tyler Johnson,
"Palace."
BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays in the week ahead
July 2: Fred Maddox (Maddox Bros)
July 3: Johnny Lee (1946), Aaron
Tippin (1958), Sarah Buxton
(1980), Trent Tomlinson (1975)
July 4: Ray Pillow (1937)
July 6: Jeannie Seely (1940)
July 7: Linda Williams (Robin & Linda)
(1949), the late Charlie Louvin (July
7, 1927; died Jan 26, 2011 (aged 83)), Dave Haywood (Lady Antebellum)
July 8: Toby Keith (1961), Joan Osbourne (1962), Eve Selis, Maddie Marlow (Maddie & Tae) (1995)
July 8: Toby Keith (1961), Joan Osbourne (1962), Eve Selis, Maddie Marlow (Maddie & Tae) (1995)
