Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

The T.J. Martell Foundation is proud to announce that five-time Entertainer of the Year George Strait and acclaimed singer/songwriter Brad Paisley will perform at the 9th Annual T.J. Martell Foundation Nashville Honors Gala taking place at the Omni Hotel on Monday, February 27, 2017.

This year’s honorees are as follows:

Janet Miller – Spirit of Nashville Award

Dr. Joseph Smith – Medical Research Advancement Award

Scott Hamilton –Humanitarian Award

Rod Essig – Frances Preston Outstanding Music Industry Achievement Award

Louis Messina – Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award

The Nashville Honors Gala is one of the T.J. Martell Foundation’s premier events that

pays tribute to outstanding community leaders – each honoree is celebrated with a musical performance and a heartwarming presentation. The event has raised more than $4 million for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research since its inception in 2009. The 9th Annual T.J. Martell Foundation’s “Nashville Honors Gala” is co-chaired by Ali Harnell and Danielle Bouharoun.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to be co-chairing one of the most anticipated events in Nashville each year,” Harnell says. “The T.J. Martell Foundation is one of the most respected organizations in the country that continues to raise unprecedented funds and awareness in its efforts to find a cure for leukemia, cancer and AIDS. We are saluting altruism at its finest with this great group of honorees.”

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (January 13, 2017) Students from Wadsworth High School, Ohio choir group, pose with five-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town and Mickey Mouse as they kick off Music In Our School Tour at Disney. (L-R) Jane Mell Balek, Give a Note CEO, Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, Terry Dola, Disney Performing Arts vice president, Kalyn Davis school choir director, Philip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO and Radio Disney host, Savanah Keys (far right).

Little did Ohio students from Wadsworth High School know, as they finished up an exciting Disney Performing Arts workshop Friday at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort Performance Hall, that the next inspiring words they would hear would come from five-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town (Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Philip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook). In a surprise visit that was part of Give a Note Foundation’s 2017 Music In Our Schools Tour, the superstar Country quartet shared their own experiences with music education and the importance of music in the lives of all students.

This was the most exciting kickoff event to-date for the now fourth annual Music In Our Schools – Music Inspires Tour. This event, founded by the Give a Note Foundation, an affiliate of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), continues to grow each year thanks to the generosity of contributors such as Disney Performing Arts, Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country, and now the CMA Foundation.

“Music education is a right of every student,” said Fairchild, who also serves on the CMA Foundation Board of Directors. “It helps them develop creativity and self-expression. It builds skills like collaboration and critical thinking that help them succeed in life. For me, my music teacher in high school pushed me out on stage for the very first time to sing a solo, and it changed my life. So I’m very grateful for music education and the power that it had on my career.”

The band’s words of wisdom aligned perfectly with the theme of the workshop, “Disney Sings,” in which students are immersed in a “real world” performance experience and record a portion of a Disney film soundtrack.

“I cried when I saw them walk in. I’m a really big Country Music fan, and so they have been some of my idols. I love listening to their music,” said Claire Doyle, choir student at Wadsworth High School.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (January 13, 2017) Five-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year winner Little Big Town and Mickey Mouse, kick off the Music In Our Schools Tour by surprising Wadsworth High School Choir during a Disney Performing Arts music workshop at Saratoga Springs Resort Performance Hall at Walt Disney World.

“Thanks to our generous partners who have worked tirelessly with Give a Note,” said Jane Mell Balek, Give a Note CEO, “the Foundation has been able to bring music into the lives of more students every year. In its five years, Give a Note has provided over $1.2 million in grants to reach more than 45,000 students in underserved communities across the United States. And we cannot wait to see the incredible impact this year’s Music In Our Schools Tour will have.”

“Every year the launch of the Music In Our Schools Tour at Walt Disney World Resort grows bigger and more exciting,’’ said Terry Dola, Disney Performing Arts vice president of group sales and marketing. “It was a thrill of a lifetime for these students to spend time with such an award-winning group such as Little Big Town, and it’s another example of the kinds of extraordinary experiences students receive with Disney Performing Arts.’’

Six schools will receive a $2,500 grant from Give a Note Foundation, which will be matched by the CMA Foundation. Additionally, Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country will join in celebrating the talented students with select hosted performances.

Ramona High School, Riverside, CA
Joliet Central High School, Joliet, IL
Salina South Middle School, Salina, KS
James Otis Elementary School, Boston, MA
Tar River Elementary School, Franklinton, NC
Wenatchee High School, Wenatchee, WA

Kretschmar® Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses is once again delivering legendary country music experiences to consumers with the Kretschmar Country campaign. The brand has reenlisted three-time American Country Award winner Easton Corbin as a brand ambassador for 2017, along with rising stars Ruthie Collins, Kelleigh Bannen, and Natalie Stovall.

Throughout the year, Kretschmar Country will offer a wide variety of country music experiences, including a consumer sweepstakes. Kretschmar Country artists will be extensively involved with Kretschmar public relations and marketing activities in 2017, which will include concerts, radio remote appearances, and supporting the brand’s partnership with Make-A-Wish®.

“We’re proud and excited to have Easton, Ruthie, Kelleigh, and Natalie back in our lineup,” said Michael J. Sargent, Kretschmar Deli senior brand manager. “This allows Kretschmar to build on our commitment to quality and excellence, and provide our customers with amazing country music experiences. Easton Corbin and the Kretschmar Country team certainly complement our plans with energy and enthusiasm.”

Easton hit the music scene in 2009 with the No. 1 single, “A Little More Country Than That” and won several Breakthrough Artist awards. Since then, Corbin has released three hit albums with songs including, “Roll With It,” “Lovin’ You is Fun,” and “All Over the Road.” Corbin spent 2016 on one of the biggest tours in country music, Carrie Underwood’s The Storyteller Tour, and is currently working on new music for his fourth studio album.

Easton just released his new single, “A Girl Like You.”

Brothers Osborne has hit the airwaves with their latest song, “It Ain’t My Fault,” which they co-wrote with songwriter Lee Miller.

“We just wanted something that was a little more kind of gritty and kind of had some attitude to it, and the whole song is just about clearly all of these things you are blaming on the other, but you are the person that is making this happen,” says TJ Osborne. “You are the person who is to blame, but you’re just so hell bent on having a good time or going forward and not being boggled down by all of the things that would stop a normal person. You kind of just get in the surreal moment of denying any bit of blame.”

“It Ain’t My Fault” is from the duo’s debut album, Pawn Shop.

The pair received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “21 Summer.” The 59th Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in L.A. February 12th at 8pm ET on CBS.

Sam Hunt will join The Chainsmokers will perform at Club Nomadic in Houston surrounding the festivities leading up to Super Bowl 51 February 2nd. Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift are also scheduled to perform during the temporary club’s run before closing February 4th.

Kacey Musgraves will be a guest on a live broadcast of Prairie Home Companion, hosted by Chris Thile. Joining her at the Pasadena (California) on Saturday (January 21st) will be Ryan Adams and Kevin Nealon. Click here for more information.

Keith Urban is scheduled to perform at the annual Legends Day concert before the start of the Indy 500 on Saturday, May 27th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’s also set to play the Country 500 festival May 28th at Daytona International Speedway. Kid Rock, Kip Moore, Easton Corbin, Eric Paslay and many more will also perform.

Shania Twain will be the subject of a new exhibit set to open at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum June 26th. “Being able to revisit favorite costumes, photographs and memories from my career has been a special feeling, especially as this year will see a new stage for me with a brand-new album,” says Shania of her upcoming exhibit.

Dierks Bentley recently made his annual Polar Plunge, but he was a few days late, 13 to be exact, so he decided to “punish” himself by staying in the cold water for 13 minutes, and he added one additional minute for the heck of it. At Percy Priest Lake outside of Nashville, Dierks was dressed in just a pair of shorts and a ballcap when he walked into the 36-degree water. Check out the video of his 15th plunge below.

Dierks just released the video for his latest song, “Black,” and he’s about to hit the road for his What the Hell Tour, featuring Jon Pardi and Cole Swindell. The trek kicks off in Dayton, Ohio on Thursday (January 19th).

lake jump 2017! better late than never. thanks #wimhof for helping me do 14 mins in 36 degree water. pic.twitter.com/HUZ3zF57OF

— Dierks Bentley (@DierksBentley) January 13, 2017

Billy Currington will hit the road on his headlining Stay Up ‘Til the Sun tour beginning March 9^th, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri.  Billy’s energetic live shows always invite the audience to what feels like a great family reunion that turned into a raucous party.

Currington released his sixth studio album, Summer Forever, on Mercury Nashville in June 2015.  The first single off of Summer Forever, “Don’t It,” climbed to number 1 on the country airplay charts, followed by the album’s second single “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To,” marking his 10^th & 11^th career #1 singles. Currington’s latest single from the album, “Do I Make You Wanna,” is a “lay back and take it easy” track with lyrics that provided his latest tour’s title.

Over the course of his career, Currington has celebrated eleven No. 1 hits, platinum-selling albums and ACM, CMA and GRAMMY nominations. Currington’s series of chart-toppers include “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To,” “Don’t It,” “Good Directions,” “Let Me Down Easy,” “Must Be Doin’ Something Right,” “People Are Crazy,” “Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll,” “Hey Girl,” “Don’t,” and “We Are Tonight.”

Billy will visit more than 20 cities including the below:

3/9/17               St. Louis, MO                          Peabody Opera House
3/10/17             Dubuque, IA                           Five Flags Center
3/11/17              Kansas City, MO                     Uptown Theater
3/23/17             Northfield, OH                        Hard Rock Live
3/24/17             Roanoke, VA                            Berglund Performing Arts Theatre
3/25/17             Sayerville, NJ                           Starland Ballroom
4/6/17               Pittsburgh, PA                         Stage AE
4/7/17               Silver Spring, MD                   The Fillmore
4/8/17               Strousburg, PA                        Sherman Theater
4/20/17            Houston, TX                             House of Blues
4/21/17             Oklahoma City, OK                 The Criterion
5/11/17              Philadelphia, PA                      The Fillmore
5/12/17             Huntington, NY                       The Paramount
5/13/17             Hampton Beach, NH               Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
5/19/17             Richmond, VA                          Center Stage
5/20/17             New York, NY                          Playstation Theater
6/1/17               Atlanta, GA                               The Tabernacle

Billy Currington – Possessing one of the smoothest and most distinct voices in any genre of music, Currington is equally skilled at delivering upbeat summertime anthems as well as exploring the complexities of life and love with a poignant ballad. The talented Georgia native has spent more than a decade in the spotlight proving he’s truly a man for all seasons. Since his self-titled debut album bowed on Mercury Records in 2003, Currington has scored eleven No. 1 singles, including such memorable hits as “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To,” “Don’t It,” “Good Directions,” “Let Me Down Easy,” “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right,” “People Are Crazy,” “That’s How Country Boys Roll,” “Hey Girl,” and “We Are Tonight.” Throughout his career, he has amassed an impressive list of accolades. He won the “Hottest Video of the Year” honor at the fan-voted CMT Music Awards for “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right.” The same year, he received an ACM nod for Top New Male Vocalist. His hit duet with Shania Twain, “Party for Two,” earned nominations from both the CMA and ACM. “People Are Crazy” took Currington’s already hot career to another level. He earned Grammy nominations for Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song in addition to being nominated for Single and Song of the Year from the Country Music Association.

For additional information, please visit BillyCurrington.com

Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color” will be included on this year’s Grammy 2017 Nominees album, which is set for release January 20th. The compilation also features songs by Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett, as well as Adele, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber and The Chainsmokers, among others.

Keith says he wanted “Blue Ain’t Your Color” to be different than a traditional waltz, and he accomplished it by using a drum machine. “It’s a waltz, basically Mmm, da da, mmm da da da It’s a waltz, it’s a waltz. It’s a slow waltz, and I didn’t want it to sound like a typical waltz would sound,” he said. “We played it with drums and bass and a few other things, and it just always sounded kind of like I’ve heard it before. And the drummer I was using – Matt Chamberlain – programmed this drum machine he had, and the sort of machinery sound of it was much more appealing with the acoustic instruments. So, what you really hear is a drum machine and real drums. Real drums do come in at the chorus and play along with I t, but sort of like those old Casio keyboards that had those dink, dink, dink, those things in there, ‘cause I was interested in kind of keeping it a bit minimal and robotic, really.”

A portion of the album’s proceeds will benefit the MusiCares Foundation and the GRAMMY Museum Foundation.

Keith is nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best Country Album (Ripcord), Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Blue Ain’t Your Color.”

The 59th Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in L.A. February 12th at 8pm ET on CBS.

Eric Church wastes no time bringing music to his fans in 2017 as he embarks on his Holdin’ My Own Tour this weekend. The tour will kick off at Lincoln, Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank Arena this Friday, Jan. 13. The “Kill a Word” singer will see 60+ cities in North America and will be without any opening acts for the entire tour. The award-winning singer/songwriter and his band will bring their two-set show that New York Times says is “fuel for love, for anguish and, naturally, for other music,” to both coasts before ending with a two-night blowout at Nashville, Tennessee’s Bridgestone Arena in May.

All fans who hope to see “one of country’s smartest, most ambitious singers and songwriters,” (Vulture) from beginning to end on the Holdin’ My Own Tour, need to ensure they take their seats by 8:00 p.m. local time, as Church will kick the show off promptly with a huge moment, without any opening support preceding. The double-set show will feature a 360-degree stage that offers fans great views from anywhere in the arena.

Continuing his ambitious war against ticket scalpers for this year’s tour, Church has ensured that more fans have the chance to see the show at face value, already revoking thousands of tickets bought by scalpers and re-releasing them to the public. Church continues to combat scalpers with his proprietary presale process and delayed delivery tickets, making it tough on them to resell.

For the first time on a tour, concert-goers will be able to purchase Church’s custom boot line at the venue (no longer a VIP-only experience). In September of 2014, Church partnered with Lucchese Boots to launch his exclusive signature boot line, These Boots by Lucchese. Each pair has the lyrics to the song “These Boots” in Church’s handwriting laser etched into the sole, and are handmade in El Paso, Texas. Fans can pre-order boots ahead of time and get fitted at the venue by our team of boot specialists. For more information and to pre-order visit www.ericchurch.com/theseboots.

The Holdin’ My Own Tour comes on the heels of Church winning Album of the Year at the CMA Awards with his critically acclaimed, surprise-release album, Mr. Misunderstood. His most recent single, the thought-provoking ballad, “Kill a Word,” highlights, as Billboard claims, Church’s “impressive voice, as well as his songwriting skills.” Church also released a live album in November, Mr. Misunderstood On the Rocks Live & (Mostly) Unplugged, recorded at Morrison, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, where the singer/songwriter announced his 2017 tour directly to his fans at the show.

2017 Holdin’ My Own Tour dates are as follows:
Friday, January 13: Lincoln, Neb. Pinnacle Bank Arena
Saturday, January 14: Sioux Falls, S.D. Denny Sanford Premier Center
Sunday, January 15: Grand Forks, N.D. Ralph EngelstadArena
Thursday, January 19: Des Moines, Iowa. Wells Fargo Arena
Friday, January 20: Minneapolis, Minn. Target Center
Saturday, January 21: Green Bay, Wis. Resch Center
Wednesday, January 25: Philadelphia, Pa. Wells Fargo Center
Friday, January 27: Brooklyn, N.Y. Barclays Center
Saturday, January 28: Boston, Mass. TD Garden
Tuesday, January 31: Kansas City Mo. Sprint Center
Thursday, February 2: Tulsa, Okla. BOK Center
Friday, February 3: Dallas, Texas. American Airlines Center
Saturday, February 4: Little Rock, Ark. Verizon Arena
Thursday, February 16: Duluth, Ga. Infinite Energy Center
Friday, February 17:  Birmingham, Ala. Legacy Arena at BJCC
Saturday, February 18: Southhaven, Miss. Landers Center
Thursday, February 23: Indianapolis, Ind. Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Friday, February 24: Cleveland, Ohio. Quicken Loans Arena
Saturday, February 25: Auburn Hills, Mich. The Palace of Auburn Hills
Tuesday, February 28: London, ONT Budweiser Gardens
Thursday, March 2: Toronto, ONT Air Canada Centre
Friday, March 3: Ottawa, ONT Canadian Tire Centre
Saturday, March 4: Montreal, QUE Bell Centre
Tuesday, March 7: Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
Thursday, March 9: Saskatoon, SK SaskTel Centre
Friday, March 10: Edmonton, AB Northlands Coliseum
Saturday, March 11: Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
Tuesday, March 14: Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
Thursday, March 16: Portland, Ore. Moda Center
Friday, March 17: Spokane, Wash. Spokane Arena
Saturday, March 18: Tacoma, Wash. Tacoma Dome
Wednesday, March 22: Bozeman, Mont. Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
Friday, March 24:Boise, Idaho. Taco Bell Arena
Saturday, March 25: Salt Lake City, Utah. Vivint Smart Home Arena
Tuesday, March 28: Phoenix, Ariz. Talking Stick Resort Arena
Thursday, March 30: Sacramento, Calif. Golden 1 Center
Friday, March 31: Los Angeles, Calif. STAPLES Center
Tuesday, April 4: Casper, Wyo. Casper Events Center
Wednesday, April 5: Denver, Colo. Pepsi Center
Friday, April 7: Wichita, Kan. INTRUST Bank Arena
Saturday, April 8: Omaha, Neb. CenturyLink Center Omaha
Wednesday, April 12: Moline, Ill. iWireless Center
Thursday, April 13: Chicago, Ill. Allstate Arena
Friday, April 14: Milwaukee, Wis. BMO Harris Bradley Center
Thursday, April 20: Buffalo, N.Y. KeyBank Center
Friday, April 21: Pittsburgh, Pa. PPG Paints Arena
Saturday, April 22: Cincinnati, Ohio. US Bank Arena
Thursday, April 27: Uncasville, Conn. Mohegan Sun Arena
Friday, April 28: Uncasville, Conn. Mohegan Sun Arena
Saturday, April 29: Manchester, N.H. SNHU Arena
Thursday, May 4: Tampa, Fla. Amalie Arena
Friday, May 5: Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
Saturday, May 6: Greenville, S.C. Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Thursday, May 11: Grand Rapids, Mich. Van Andel Arena
Friday, May 12: Peoria, Ill. Peoria Civic Center
Saturday, May 13: St. Louis, Mo. Scottrade Center
Thursday, May 18: Reading, Pa. Santander Arena
Friday, May 19: Washington, D.C. Verizon Center
Saturday, May 20: Greensboro, N.C. Greensboro Coliseum Complex
Thursday, May 25: Louisville, Ky. KFC Yum! Arena
Friday, May 26: Nashville, Tenn. Bridgestone Arena
Saturday, May 27: Nashville, Tenn. Bridgestone Arena

photo credit: Reid Long