• CMA MUSIC FEST 2015: Darius, Dierks, Easton, Church, Paslay, Josh, Keith, Lady A, LBT, Luke, Scotty

    It’s that time again! The CMA Music Festival begins this week in Nashville, and the stars are ready to come out to perform and check in with their fans!

    Audio / Darius Rucker is making a couple of appearances during this year’s CMA Music Festival. On Monday (June 8th), he hosts his 6th annual Darius and Friends concert at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon and his golf tournament. Proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Darius is also set to perform at LP Field (home of the Tennessee Titans) on Sunday, June 14th where he will entertain the crowd with his list of hits.

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    Darius Rucker (CMA Music Fest) OC: …awesome. :48
    “Music Fest is like nothing else. I say all the time that country music is the only genre that could have something like that. It’s truly amazing, when I come that weekend, people are everywhere and they want to be your best friend. It’s always cool and I love coming here. The thing that always gets me is the show. The fact that you can get that many superstars at one show all playing for free, for the same goal, to entertain those people that are in that stadium that come here for the whole week from all over the world. They come here for one week to see country music, and it’s amazing that those artists say on Friday and Saturday night, this is country music come on out. That’s awesome.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley talks about the lengths that fans will go to show their appreciation.

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    Dierks (fans) OC: …commitment. [laughs] :22

    “I know a lot of the early fans by name, because we played a lot of shows at a lot of small venues where we’d be around a lot after the shows. I’m not gonna say her name ‘cause I don’t know if she’d want me to or not, but she has like a dog print of Jake, my dog’s Jake, but she has this dog print on her shoulder with my name in the middle of the tattoo. So, tattoos are always, that’s a big deal when somebody gets your name tattooed on part of their body or something. It’s kind of a scary thing, because it’s kind of a lifelong commitment. [laughs]”

    Audio / Easton Corbin says his fans are very important to him.

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    Easton Corbin (fans) OC: …being here. :24
    “My fans mean a great deal to me, especially the fans that come out to the shows and the ones that make it to every show around their home or in that vicinity. And I even have people come here that I know every time, in this meet-and-greet lines or maybe at that fence over there by the fence where you’re getting off the red carpet, I try to always make it a point to recognize those fans, and just let them know how much that I care and I appreciate them being here.”

    Audio / Eric Church, who’s performing at LP Field (home of the Tennessee Titans) on Sunday (June 14th), says CMA Music Festival is special and unique to country music.

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    Eric Church (CMA Music Fest) OC: …to see. :32

    “Well, I think it’s what makes country music unique. Find me another format that happens in, it’s just not something that happens. I think it’s because country music is really the one format that the fans…the music is really about them. And we’re them; we’re not different than them. You got a lot of rock stars and a lot of the other guys where they’re their own person, they’re their own agenda…they’re not like the people that are listening to them. It’s different in country, we are. We come from there, we are that. I think it’s just a great thing for them to be able to come to our town and to get just this barrage of music.”

    Audio / Eric Paslay recalls the first autograph he ever received.

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    Eric Paslay (1st autograph) OC: …first autograph. :42
    “The first autograph that I ever got was in Branson, Missouri, and it was Shoji Tabuchi, and he’s a great fiddle player, and I always remember that, you know if you go to Branson, you know who he is. But I was a 9, 10 year old kid, and I always remember that. Every time I meet a kid, I don’t know if it’s their first concert. It could be their 100-thousandth, but whenever I sign an autograph for a kid, I really make sure it’s special and memorable, and with anybody, but especially with kids. I still have that Shoji Tabuchi autograph, you know? Because it meant that much to me. I didn’t know who he was until we saw him, but he tore the place down playing the “Orange Blossom Special.”

    Audio / Josh Turner recalls one of the weirdest things he’s ever had to sign from one of his fans.

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    Josh Turner (weirdest thing he’s been asked to sign) OC: …Sharpie, though. :10
    “A toothpick, an unused toothpick, let me throw that out there – an unused toothpick. It was quite challenging, actually, and it didn’t look anything like my autograph. It took a really small Sharpie, though.”

    Audio / Keith Urban, who is performing Sunday night (June 14th) at LP Field (home of the Tennessee Titans), says he loves attending CMA Music Festival.

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    Keith Urban (CMA Music Fest) OC: …always love it. :25
    “I love it! It’s like summer camp. I mean, it is! It’s just a chance to obviously see a lot of people I don’t normally see, I don’t know. It’s just palpable. Since Fan Fair, it’s just been that sort of week-plus of energy, the whole town just explodes, and what it is we love about this genre and the community aspect of it. I always love it.”

    Audio / Lady Antebellum, who are scheduled to perform at LP Field on Friday (June 12th) in front of a sold-out crowd, talk about performing on the big stage during CMA Music Fest.

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    Lady Antebellum (Music Fest) 1 OC: …over the world. :14

    “The electricity in LP Field every year for that, you can’t really beat it. It’s so much fun to be there, and to have a stadium full of the most die-hard country fans you could ever imagine, from all over the world.”

    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott talks about her early Fan Fair (now CMA Music Festival) memories.

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    Lady A (Fan Fair Memory – Hillary) OC: …extra special. :23
    “I have been raised as being at the fairgrounds with no air conditioning and actually helping take photos of the fans with my mom. I would like stand and take everybody’s camera, so I was a part of it. And actually in high school, I volunteered at the City of Hope, the softball game, for a couple of years. So, I mean, born and raised in Nashville, this has been a part of my life, my whole life, so now to be a part of it as an artist is extra special.”

    Audio / Little Big Town recall their first appearance at Fan Fair (aka CMA Music Festival). The group will be making several appearances, including their performance at LP Field on Saturday (June 13th).

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    Little Big Town (CMA Music Fest) OC: (Phillip) …the best, man. 1:43
    KIMBERLY: “We played at the fairgrounds. I guess it was the last year at the fairgrounds. We had just gotten our record deal.” PHILLIP: “I remember we were just about to walk out on stage, and we had to play acoustic. I mean there was no backing band.” KIMBERLY: “We were at Mercury. They wanted us to play before Wynonna sang.” PHILLIP: “I remember, my hair was short and Wynonna walked by and tuffed my hair and was like, ‘Oh that’s cute…cute red hair boy.’ [laugh] I was like, ‘Oh great.’ Like little puppy dog, ‘You’re gonna be OK, kid.'” KIMBERLY: “We were nervous.” KAREN: “Oh my gosh, were so nervous. We were so green.” KIMBERLY: “We didn’t have many songs at that point. Maybe three songs, which is what we sang. It was all we knew at the time which is what we had worked up. Because literally we got our record deal in May, and that was June.” KAREN: “And they were like, ‘Why don’t you guys sing a couple songs?’ And, we’re like, ‘Good, because a couple is what we know.’ That was fun. And then moving form that to the stadium shows, to me that the most fun you can ever have…CMA Fest, Stadium shows. It is an energy unlike anything else. It was over the top and I could just come out of my skin at those moments. KIMBERLY: “Me too.” KAREN: “It’s like you just want to float.” PHILLIP: “And it’s like the best country crowd you could ever compile. Every country fan from all over the world wants to be there. That’s like the crux of country music awesomeness. I’m telling you it is the best fun.” KAREN: “It’s the best feeling out there.” KIMBERLY: “They let them line up and all come across the stage so you have all these people that are so giddy, crazy giddy, because they get to walk up close to the stage.” PHILLIP: “And they’re waving and their arms are about to fall off. They’re just so excited. It’s the best.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan, who performs at Nashville’s LP Field on Friday (June 12th), explains the name of his fan club.

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    Luke Bryan (fan club name) OC: …words, you know. :13
    “That’s the name of my fan club – the Nut House, because they’re nutty and my Daddy’s a peanut farmer. I figured I spent my whole life hauling around peanuts, I would name…just a play on words, you know.”

    Audio / Scotty McCreery talks about his fans.

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    Scotty McCreery (fan support) OC: …back to us. :31
    “My fans are incredible. I tell them that every night on stage, and a lot of artists say thanks to the fans and ‘you’re the reason I’m here,’ but for me, it’s literal because they voted me through (American Idol), they’ve been with me since then. They’ve helped make the album platinum, the album gold, come to my concerts. In a sense, I really owe all this to them. They’ve really kind of helped make me who I am. I enjoy the chance to go out there and make music for them. I enjoy going out there to sing a concert for them. The biggest thing for me is when I look out and see the fans and they’re smiling, having a good time. Dancing, singing the songs back to us.”

  • MEMORIAL DAY AUDIO: Dierks, Church, Keith, Kelleigh, LBT, Luke, Sam

    School is letting out for a few months; dads are firing up the bar-be-cues; pools, lakes and beaches will be packed with families celebrating warm days together. It’s the unofficial kick-off to summer…and it’s Memorial Day Weekend.

    Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. However, by the turn of the 20th century, Memorial Day celebrated Americans who have sacrificed their lives in all wars. The holiday also typically marks the start of the summer vacation season.

    Some of your favorite country artists talk about their favorite summertime activities – besides traveling around and performing for fans – as well as what it means to be free because of the brave men and women willing to fight and sacrifice for our freedom.

    Audio / Dierks Bentley, whose own father was a World War II veteran, talks about the sacrifices made by U.S. servicemen and women.

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    Dierks (Memorial Day) OC: …upon them. :37
    “On the most basic level, I think, for me on the road, I just think about being gone two, three days at a time, maybe a couple of weeks at a time, you know. That seems like a long time when you have kids and family, but these soldiers, they’re gone for months and years at a time – they’re doing 12 to 15 to 18 months — and they have family back home. That, in itself, is such a huge sacrifice, and that’s just the beginning of it. That’s just scratching the surface of what these guys [and gals] are doing every day – preparing for battle, actually being in battle, being wounded in battle, sometimes dying in battle. So, this country obviously, we would not exist without those courageous men and women, and our future depends upon them.”

    Audio / Eric Church says we should celebrate our freedom AND the people fighting for our freedom.

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    Eric Church (Memorial Day) OC: …those freedoms.
    It’s about, especially the soldiers I come in contact with on the road. And not only that, to be able to make the music that I’m able to make, to say what I want to say, and that freedom to be able to do those things and to be in a country where we’re able to do that and to be in a country where we’re able to play that stuff on the radio. I don’t think you’re going to have any America argue that America isn’t the best place to live, and I’m certainly one of them. I’m very proud to be from here and very proud that we have the soldiers. I know there are a lot of other countries out there in the world that don’t want to live the way we do, and that’s fine, they can keep living the way they are, but I’m very proud of it. I think that’s a time to celebrate being proud to be an American and celebrate those freedoms…and celebrate the people that are over fighting for those freedoms.”

    Audio / Keith Urban wrote and recorded “For You” a few years ago for the film, Act of Valor, which was inspired by real life events and stars a group of active-duty Navy SEALs. After hanging out with the SEALS, he was very impressed with their commitment of service.

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    Keith Urban (SEALS mantra) OC: …conviction. :30
    “They have a mantra, and they say ‘the only easy day was yesterday’ and they had this spirit of brotherhood and that’s a particular thing that’s the way in which, I think, it exists is very specific to the Seals. I mean, military in general have this very strong brotherhood code; it’s a particular kind of thing in the Seals. As was the testament, to Lt. Roark who is the lead guy in the film; when he was interviewed talked about funerals he had been to, and he says ‘there isn’t really any one of us who isn’t just a little bit jealous of the guy who’s died,’ and ok, I heard that, that’s a particular way of being that I cannot relate to. That is an unbelievable depth of commitment and conviction.”

    Audio / Kelleigh Bannen says she’s very thankful for our men and women in uniform.

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    Kelleigh Bannen (Memorial Day) OC: …our families. :10
    “I am so thankful for our men and women in uniform, and it is their sacrifice and them putting their lives on the line that allow us to be able to celebrate with our families.”

    Audio / Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild says they’re overwhelmed by the huge sacrifices that both the military and their families make in order to be free.

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    LBT (Memorial Day) OC: …whenever we can. :44
    KAREN: “It’s such a huge sacrifice what these men and women do for us, not only the ones that are serving, but the families that are left here at home. Kimberly and I met a young girl…she’s 21 years old, and she has a third baby, and her husband has served multiple times overseas. She’s raising these children at home and doing a great job and the best that she can, and he’s serving our country. He’s making a monstrous sacrifice, but so is she, and so are those children. And we just can’t take it for granted. I mean, it’s just a huge commitment that they make, and what an honor. We love to be able to sing for them and entertain them and to say thank you whenever we can.”

    Audio / While Luke Bryan’s on the road on his Kick The Dust Up Tour, he’ll most likely check out some places where he can catch up on his favorite pastime – fly-fishing.

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    Luke Bryan (favorite summer activities) OC: …the family. :10
    “My favorite summer activity is definitely the opportunity to go fly-fishing out West when I’m out there touring, or really, just fly-fishing anytime…and obviously, getting a week off down at the beach with the family.”

    Audio / Sam Hunt talks about his grandfather who served during World War II.

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    Sam Hunt (Memorial Day) OC: …those freedoms. :40
    “My granddad was in World World II. He was on the USS Texas battleship, and he was over at Normandy and over near Japan and he spent a lot of time right in the thick of World War II. He really took pride in what that meant, and it was something I got to see it first hand, as somebody who got to experience that; somebody who had that galvanized American trait. It’s hard to describe it. It was just somebody who’s been through that, seen that and really appreciates what that means. I try to channel that into my life, because I haven’t fought in any war, but I have a ton of respect for folks who have, folks who’ve sacrificed, families who’ve lost lives and just sacrificed years of their own lives and time and effort to maintain those freedoms.”

    Audio / Sam Hunt talks about Memorial Day weekends growing up in Georgia.

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    Sam Hunt (Memorial Day) 2 OC: …experience. :47
    “I spent a lot of Memorial Day weekends on the lake especially as I got a little order in high school and on into college, and it was always that summer inauguration celebrating the beginning of what would be summer. And even though I’m finished with school, when May comes around, I get that kind of ‘school’s out’ feeling, even now. So, when summer’s here, it’s always an exciting time of year. I think it’s just an extra reminder just the freedom in that and the good times and it’s usually with your buddies and you’re celebrating all these great things and about what it means to be a product of all the sacrifices that people have made in years past and in the wars past that we can now experience.”


    Sam Hunt (Memorial Day) 2 OC: …experience. :48
    “I spent a lot of Memorial Day weekends on the lake especially as I got a little order in high school and on into college, and it was always that summer inauguration celebrating the beginning of what would be summer. And even though I’m finished with school, when May comes around, I get that kind of ‘school’s out’ feeling, even now. So, when summer’s here, it’s always an exciting time of year. I think it’s just an extra reminder just the freedom in that and the good times and it’s usually with your buddies and you’re celebrating all these great things and about what it means to be a product of all the sacrifices that people have made in years past and in the wars past that we can now experience.”

  • ERIC CHURCH SCORES ANOTHER ATTENDANCE RECORD ON HIS OUTSIDERS WORLD TOUR.

    LINCOLN, Nebraska (May 21, 2015) — With a simple yet propitious promise that no two nights will ever be the same, Eric Church has fans repeatedly coming back for more. Last night’s The Outsiders World Tour stop at Lincoln, Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank Arena further proved why the man Stereogum called “our greatest working rock star” has notched his fourth North America venue attendance record of 2015 with 15,823 present–a record previously held by Sir Elton John (November 23, 2014; attendance 14,368).

    With his fervent band backing him the majority of the night, Church performed over two hours of original music with hits “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Smoke A Little Smoke” interspersed by deeper album cuts like “Longer Gone” and “Livin’ Part of Life” emerging from his vast arsenal.

    “I’m humbled by the success this tour has had,” Church adds. “The records it has set, by some of my muses and heroes, it’s [all] very surreal. As an avid music fan, I’m not sure it’s deserving in comparison to those I adore musically.  I can only say this happened because, in my opinion, our fans are second to none.”

    The Outsiders World Tour topped Billboard’s Hot Tours last month after Church set a new attendance record at Chicago’s Allstate Arena on March 20 with over 18,626 present. Church also shattered Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena attendance on January 10 with an unprecedented 18,411 fans assembled for what has now become the first of three sold out shows in 2015 in Music City (Church is opening Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater with two back-to-back sold out shows July 30 & 31). On April 7, he also broke the attendance record in North Dakota’s Ralph Engelstad Arena, which was previously set by Sir Elton John’s 2012 show. Since launching his tour in September of 2014, Church has performed to over 800,000 fans in more than 65 cities with nearly 20 stops continuing through September 2015.

    The CMA and four-time ACM Award winner finished 2014 as country music’s top-selling artist, with the year’s highest debut and sales of any release in the format as the critical and commercial success The Outsiders reached Platinum status, marking more than one million albums sold. Debuting at No. 1 on both the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and Top Country Albums chart, The Outsiders garnered GRAMMY, CMA, and ACM Top Album nominations and features his No.1 hits “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Talladega” as well as his current single “Like A Wrecking Ball.” The Outsiders is the follow-up to Church’s Platinum-certified Chief, (named the 2012 Album of the Year by both CMA and ACM, and GRAMMY-nominated for Best Country Album) which featured five Top 20 singles: “Homeboy” (certified Platinum for sales in excess of one million singles); the Top 10 “Like Jesus Does” and the Top 5 “Creepin’” (both certified Gold for sales in excess of 500,000 singles each); and two No. 1 hits “Drink in My Hand” (certified Platinum) and “Springsteen” (certified Double Platinum for sales in excess of two million singles). Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me (2006) and his sophomore album Carolina (2009) are both RIAA Gold-certified. Carolina had three hit singles: the Top 10 “Hell on the Heart” as well as Top 20 hit “Smoke A Little Smoke” and Top 10 smash “Love Your Love The Most,” which were both certified Gold. Sinners Like Me spawned three Top 20 singles: “How ‘Bout You,” “Two Pink Lines,” and “Guys Like Me.”

    For more information on Church, visit www.EricChurch.com.

    Video / The Outsiders World Tour

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  • MEMORIAL DAY LINERS: Billy, Brothers, Darius, Easton, Church, Paslay, Jon, Josh, Keith, Lauren, LBT, Luke, Sam

     

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Billy Currington (Memorial Day)
    “Hey guys, I’m Billy Currington. I just wanted to say thank you to all our servicemen and women and their daily service to our country.”

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Brothers Osborne (Memorial Day Wkend)
    “Hey! What’s up guys? We’re Brothers Osborne, wishing you a very happy Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Memorial Day) 2

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    LINER Brothers Osborne (Memorial Day) 2
    “Hey! What’s up guys? We’re Brothers Osborne. We just wanted to send our thanks to all you service men and women and the ones who’ve gone before you for sacrificing time with your families, sacrificing your own needs and even sacrificing your lives so we can be free to do what we want to do. It means more than you’ll ever know. Happy Memorial Day!”

    Audio / LINER Darius Rucker (Memorial Day Weekend)

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    LINER Darius Rucker (Memorial Day Weekend)
    “Hey y’all, it’s Darius Rucker, hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER Easton Corbin (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Easton Corbin (Memorial Day)
    “Hey everybody! It’s Easton Corbin here, wishing you a happy and safe Memorial Day, and I also want to send a special thanks out to our men and women in our Armed Forces.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Church (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Eric Church (Memorial Day)
    Hey everyone, this is Eric Church hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

    Audio / LINER Eric Paslay (Memorial Day Weekend)

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    LINER Eric Paslay (Memorial Day Weekend)
    “Hey! This is Eric Paslay, hope you have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Memorial Day Weekend)

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    LINER Jon Pardi (Memorial Day Weekend)
    “Hi! It’s Jon Pardi, hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER: Josh Turner (Memorial Day)

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    LINER: Josh Turner (Memorial Day)
    “This is Josh Turner, wishing you a safe and Happy Memorial Day holiday.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Keith Urban (Memorial Day)
    “Hi everyone, this is Keith Urban. Now please take time to remember all those who sacrificed their lives during this Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER Lauren Alaina (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Lauren Alaina (Memorial Day)
    “Hey! This is Lauren Alaina, wishing you a Happy Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER LBT (Memorial Day)

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    LINER LBT (Memorial Day)
    “Hi! This is Little Big Town, take time to remember our fallen heroes during this Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Luke Bryan (Memorial Day)
    “Hey! It’s Luke Bryan, hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.”

    Audio / LINER Sam Hunt (Memorial Day)

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    LINER Sam Hunt (Memorial Day)
    “Hey everybody! This is Sam Hunt, with hopes for a happy Memorial Day Weekend.”

     

  • SONGS BY LUKE BRYAN, DARIUS RUCKER, ERIC CHURCH, LADY ANTEBELLUM, KEITH URBAN. ERIC PASLAY, SAM HUNT AND MORE WILL APPEAR ON ‘NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL COUNTRY, VOLUME 8’ OUT NEXT MONTH.

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – On June 9th, Universal Music Group Nashville will release Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 8, the latest installment in the popular NOW series. Country music fans can hear hits by some of their favorite artists including Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Eric Church, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Cole Swindell, Lady Antebellum and more.

    Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 8 includes 14 No. 1 hits and 18 total tracks from today’s country music superstars and exciting new artists:

    1. Luke Bryan                                         Roller Coaster
    2. Jason Aldean                                     Just Gettin’ Started
    3. Sam Hunt                                           Leave The Night On
    4. Darius Rucker                                   Homegrown Honey
    5. Florida Georgia Line                         Sun Daze
    6. Jake Owen                                          Beachin’
    7. Brantley Gilbert                                  Bottoms Up
    8. Eric Church                                         Give Me Back My Hometown
    9. Lady Antebellum                               Bartender
    10. A Thousand Horses                          Smoke
    11. Cole Swindell                                     Ain’t Worth The Whiskey
    12. Keith Urban                                       Somewhere In My Car
    13. Miranda Lambert                             Automatic
    14. Brad Paisley                                       Perfect Storm
    15. Tyler Farr                                           A Guy Walks Into A Bar
    16. Lee Brice                                            Drinking Class
    17. Chris Young                                       Lonely Eyes
    18. Eric Paslay                                          She Don’t Love You

    The project is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. This release is part of the multi-platinum NOW That’s What I Call Music! compilation series, the world’s best-selling multi-artist albums with sales topping 250 million worldwide and 94 million in the U.S.  The seven previous NOW That’s What I Call Country releases have debuted in the Top 3 of the Billboard Country albums chart.  Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 8  is distributed by Universal Music Group. NOW and NOW That’s What I Call Music! are registered trademarks of Universal Music Group and its affiliates.

    Audio / Luke Bryan says “Rollercoaster” is one of the best songs on his Crash My Party album.

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    Luke Bryan (Roller Coaster) OC: …’Rollercoaster.’ :51
    “‘Rollercoaster’ is what I feel like is just a dang, just a masterpiece from front to back. It has all the levels of going back to young love and that feeling of sitting on the beach and young love that you lost, that you’ve let slip through your hands. And so many people have done that, and the way they hook it, ‘girl, you’ve got me twisted like an old beach rollercoaster,’ is just when you hear that line snap down in me, it’s just chill bump city, a visual city. You could see them living that scene of having to part ways with one another.  Man it’s powerful! The second I heard it, I knew I was going to cut it. I drove right over to my producer’s house, I said, ‘This is one for the album,’ and we never even once wavered on whether or not to record ‘Rollercoaster.’”

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    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley describes the differences between the lyrics and the melody of their No. 1 hit, “Bartender.”

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    Lady A (Bartender) 2 OC: …something different. :20
    “It’s always cool when you can capture kind of what feels like a fun track, but the lyrics are a little darker. When you really listen to the lyrics…it’s definitely a head-bopper, and then you kinda listen, and you’re like, ‘Man, this girl’s talking about literally drinking the pain away.’ And so I think those songs are always kind of cool when you can have that juxtaposition between the feel of a track and the lyrics being something different.”

  • ERIC CHURCH SELLS OUT SECOND SOLO SHOW IN NASHVILLE.

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Wed., May 13, 2015) – When Eric Church, the seven-time GRAMMY nominee and the entertainer New York Magazine called “one of the brightest lights in any genre,” announced he was doing a rare, solo acoustic show on July 30 to inaugurate the new Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, it sold out in less than five minutes. In order to accommodate as many fans as possible, a second show on July 31 was just added last week, and in only three days of tickets being on sale, the second show has now completely sold out as well.

    This is the third sold out Nashville concert this year for the top selling country music artist of 2014. On January 10, the ACM and CMA Award winner set a new venue attendance record of 18,411 when his The Outsiders World Tour performed at the Bridgestone Arena.

    Known for creating a different set list for each show, Church recently told Rolling Stone, “I think it’s good that we’re getting a lot of people in the rooms. I still say that it’s what you do then. It’s one thing to get ’em in the room, it’s quite another one that they’ll leave there and want to come back, and that’s really what I focus on. I don’t care if it’s 1,000 or 100,000, it’s about making sure whatever that room is, that they have a unique experience. And changing the show enables the possibility that there can be that spiritual connection, that thing that nobody can name that happens at a show.”

    Earlier today it was announced that Church was nominated for a CMT Music Award for Best Male Video for “Talladega,” his second No. 1 hit from his Platinum-selling The Outsiders album.  This is the latest in a solid string of GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, and ACC Award nominations for the critically-acclaimed album that Entertainment Weekly calls his “most brazen, brilliant disc yet” and caused NPR to exclaim that “Eric Church is working on a level that few other country artists of his generation can touch.”

    The CMA and four-time ACM Award winner finished 2014 as country music’s top-selling artist, with the year’s highest debut and sales of any release in the format as the critical and commercial success The Outsiders reached Platinum status, marking more than one million albums sold. Debuting at No. 1 on both the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and Top Country Albums chart, The Outsiders garnered GRAMMY, CMA, and ACM Top Album nominations and features his No.1 hits “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Talladega” as well as his current single “Like A Wrecking Ball.” The Outsiders is the follow-up to Church’s Platinum-certified Chief, (named the 2012 Album of the Year by both CMA and ACM, and GRAMMY-nominated for Best Country Album) which featured five Top 20 singles: “Homeboy” (certified Platinum for sales in excess of one million singles); the Top 10 “Like Jesus Does” and the Top 5 “Creepin’” (both certified Gold for sales in excess of 500,000 singles each); and two No. 1 hits “Drink in My Hand” (certified Platinum) and “Springsteen” (certified Double Platinum for sales in excess of two million singles). Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me (2006) and his sophomore album Carolina (2009) are both RIAA Gold-certified. Carolina had three hit singles: the Top 10 “Hell on the Heart” as well as Top 20 hit “Smoke A Little Smoke” and Top 10 smash “Love Your Love The Most,” which were both certified Gold. Sinners Like Me spawned three Top 20 singles: “How ‘Bout You,” “Two Pink Lines,” and “Guys Like Me.”

    For more information on Church, visit www.EricChurch.com.

  • MOTHER’S DAY AUDIO: AJ, Darius, Dierks, Church, Paslay, Jon, Keith, Lady A, LBT, Shania and more!

    Some of your favorite country stars will be celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday (May 10th). Check out Mother’s Day memories and moments from our artists, including Alan Jackson, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Eric Paslay, Jon Pardi, Keith Urban, Lady A, Little Big Town and Shania Twain, among many others.

    Audio / Alan Jackson’s wife Denise wrote a book, It’s All About Him: Finding The Love Of My Life, that chronicled the couple’s relationship and marriage. It was a huge success, debuting at number-one on The New York Times Best-Sellers List when it was released several years ago. Alan believes her accomplishment set a really good example for their three daughters, showing that a mom can do things outside of the household, too.

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    AJ (Mday) OC: …to see that. :30
    “I think it’s been great for them to see her do something out there that’s, again, not typical for a parent at all. But she’s a great role model for them anyway and always has been, whether she did anything professionally or not. I could see it in their eyes, you know, that they were surprised — very surprised, and also, I could see them with interest looking at her thinking it was special for her to do that. So, I think it was a very good thing for the kids to see that.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about not disappointing his beloved mother, who passed away a few years ago.

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    Darius Rucker (Mother’s Day) OC: …killed me. :17

    “I think that’s the main reason I am how I am…an innate fear of disappointing my mom.  My mom’s not even alive, and I have a fear of her looking down from heaven and going, ‘Man I’m just disappointed in my son.’ She could have said anything in the world to me, but if she would have said, ‘Son, you just disappointed me,’ That would have killed me. It would have killed me.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker says the best thing he can give his wife on Mother’s Day is his time…and to take the kids off her hands for a little while.

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    Darius Rucker (wife on Mother’s Day) OC: …try to do. :20

    “I think the best Mother’s Day gift my wife would say I’ve given her is to let her not have to deal with her kids. [laughs] But, I’m not really a good gift-giver. I’m not gonna lie. And my wife and I have a deal that if you want it, just get it, so when it’s time to buy gifts, it’s hard to do. But, I think my time is the best thing I can give to my family, because I’m on the road so much. So, that’s what I try to do.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley talks about Mother’s Day in regards to his wife, Cassidy.

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    Dierks (Mother’s Day) OC: …something great. :23
    “When it’s your actual mom, you know, there’s some slack there, but when with your wife – any touring husband, anyone who tours who has kids and a wife back home, it’s tough man. It’s a lot of work. So, I definitely need to step up to think of something great to do this Sunday, for sure. But nothing yet. As usual, I’ll probably get something last minute and hopefully, it’ll be great, though. She deserves something great.”

    Audio / Eric Church says he’s learned quite a bit from his mom.

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    Eric Church (Mother’s Day) OC: …as a man. :57
    “My mom, even though my dad won’t like this, my mom is by far the toughest person that I’ve met. She’s tough. One of those people that’s been through a lot in her life, adversity wise and never complains, always really resilient with anything that’s happened to her. And it’s just that attitude, the positive attitude, regardless of what has happened that I think is the one thing that I got from her. With career, she’s always been a person that’s been really positive through times that I couldn’t find a positive streak, [laughs] and she was always really positive, and very much believes in tough it out, keep working hard, and that’s her motto with stuff like that. I’ve always been impressed with that stuff. Then musically, she’s where I get my talent from, musically. She sings great, always has, her mom sang great. I owe my musical chops to her. And she still sings some. So, career-wise, I owe her everything. And just in life-wise she’s given me a lot of the qualities that it has taken for me to get me where I am. Not only as a musician, but as a man.”

    Audio / Eric Paslay talks about his mother, Donna.

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    Eric Paslay (Mother’s Day) OC: …it’s good. :21
    “I wanna thank my mom for giving me faith, laughter and pride in the family I came from. She’d be the fun Mom, just goofing off in the sprinklers outside or we’d go out and play in the rain and all that stuff growing up. She’s always good to be around; always happy, and it’s good.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi says his mother, Shelly, is an angel.

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    Jon Pardi (Mother’s Day 2015) OC: …worrying about me. :29
    “My mom’s always been there for me. First of all, she’s a great mom. She’s an angel. She takes care of people that aren’t even in the family. She’s always been like that, and she’s a great mother. She’s always proud, and she’s always there supporting and being a great mom. She’s just a good human being. There’s not one mean bone in her body. And she cries about every time I talk to her. She always worries about me. I have to tell her, ‘Stop worrying about me.’”

    Audio / Keith Urban explains why his wife Nicole Kidman is an extraordinary mother to their two children, Sunday and Faith.

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    Keith Urban (Nicole is extraordinary mother) OC: …to see. :45
    “She’s an extraordinary mum, she really, really is. Those girls are very, very lucky, and I feel very lucky that the children I should have in this world happen to be with Nic. I don’t know anything about raising kids and Nic does, and that comes in extremely, um, it’s really made for an experience I wouldn’t have had without that. Her patience, her recognizing them as people and not just little kids is really extraordinary. Her attention to honoring their feelings and listening to them right from day one – really being attentive to that is not how I was raised at all, so it’s really beautiful to see.”

    Audio / With Mother’s Day on Sunday, Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley explains he and his brothers – Josh and John -- owe their mother a lot for all of their childhood antics.

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    Lady Antebellum (Charles Kelley-Mother) OC: …playing music. :23
    “We were honestly, at times, pretty hard to handle, both of us. We used to play our music loud up above on the second floor [of the house], bang on the drums and the guitar. And my mom’s just one of those people, she’ll do anything for her family and she sacrificed a lot for us boys. Anytime we needed something, she made it happen. And so, we owe her a lot. She’s definitely the reason we’re playing music.”

    Audio / Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman says she always dreamed of being a mother…and her dream came true nearly eight years ago when she gave birth to daughter, Daisy (July 27, 2007).

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    LBT (Mother’s Day) OC: …for my mother. :34
    “Being a mother is a life-long dream for me. When I was a kid, that’s what I wanted to be is a mama. It took a long time. I wasn’t ever sure that I would be, but I am now, and it’s the greatest gift of my life. And as I’m a mother now, I see what my mother gave up and her sacrifices and her love and how she made us the most important thing in her life, and that’s what I strive to do for my little girl. It’s the most important job I have, and it’s the most responsibility that I have, and I try to live up to a great example that I had for my mother.”

    Audio / Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild says being a mother to Elijah Dylan Westbrook is the best feeling in the world.

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    LBT (Mother’s Day-Karen) OC: …every day. :23
    “There isn’t anything that means more to me than sitting on the bench and eating a grilled cheese sandwich with this little guy who calls me Mama. There isn’t anything better than that. He’s just a little miracle. I went from dreaming about him to eating grilled cheese sandwiches and ketchup with him, and I could never have dreamed this up – how good it could be, and it just gets better every day.”

    Audio / Shania Twain says it’s such a joy to be a parent.

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    Shania Twain (joy to be a parent) OC: …means everything. :14
    “It’s such a joy to be a parent. So, I relate to all the mums out there who are getting all their love and appreciation from their kids, and I hope, when you’re a kid, a child of somebody, show your mum you love her, because it means everything.”

  • MOTHER’S DAY LINERS: Brothers Osborne, Canaan, Darius, Dierks, Church, Paslay, Strait, Jennifer, Jon, Josh, Keith, Kelleigh, LBT, Luke, Scotty, Shania

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey! What’s up guys! We’re Brothers Osborne, wishing all you mothers out there a very, very Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Canaan Smith (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey! What’s up, guys? I’m Canaan Smith. Happy Mother’s Day!”

     

    Audio / LINER Darius (Mother’s Day) 2

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    “Hey! What’s up? This is Darius Rucker, wishing all you mothers a Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Dierks (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey, y’all! This is Dierks Bentley, wishing all you mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Church (Mother’s Day) 1

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    “Hey everybody! This is Eric Church, wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day, mom!”

    Audio / LINER Eric Paslay (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Eric Paslay. Happy Mother’s Day to all you awesome Mom’s out there.”

    Audio / LINER George Strait (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is George Strait, wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jennifer Nettles (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Jennifer Nettles, and I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Jon Pardi. I want to wish all the mamas out there a very Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Josh Turner (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Josh Turner, wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hi everyone, it’s Keith Urban. Hoping all the mothers out there have a very, very Happy Mother’s Day. Love ya, Mom!”

    Audio / LINER Kelleigh Bannen (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hi! I’m Kelleigh Bannen, hoping you have a Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER LBT (Mother’s Day)

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    “(ALL) Hi! This is Little Big Town. (KIMBERLY) We want to wish all you mothers out there a Happy Mother’s Day. I love ya, Mama!”

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Mother's Day)

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    “Hey! It’s Luke Bryan, hoping all you mothers out there have a Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Scotty McCreery (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Scotty McCreery. Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Shania Twain (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Shania Twain. Happy Mother’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Kacey Musgraves (Mother's Day)

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    “Hey! It’s Kacey Musgraves. To all you mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day!”

     

  • KEITH URBAN FELT ‘RAISE ‘EM UP’ WAS A PERFECT COLLABORATION WITH ERIC CHURCH.

    One of Keith Urban’s favorite records is Eric Church’s Chief, and the two became friends over the course of the past few years. The two started sharing music that the other one may not have heard, which led to their collaboration on Keith’s latest album, Fuse.

    “He’d be turning me on to new music, and I’d be texting him about something, ‘You’ve got to listen to (1975’s) Bankrupt by Dr. Hook.’ We’re trying to hip each other to records that we love that the other guy hasn’t heard,” says Keith. “That sort of banter started happening fairly regularly, and I thought I’d really like to do something with Eric on my record, if I find the right song. And this song called ‘Raise ‘Em Up’ came along.”

    “Raise ‘Em Up” didn’t start out as a duet, but Keith said it “struck” him as the perfect song for him and Eric to record together.

    “There’s a particular theme really in the song, particularly in the second verse that I felt was just perfect for Eric. I sent him the song, and he loved it. And I was really happy that he came in and sang on it.”

    “Raise ‘Em Up,” the fifth single from Fuse, is poised to hit the top of the country charts.

    Audio / Keith Urban and Eric Church share a love of music.

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    Keith Urban (Raise ‘Em Up) 4 OC: …came along. :42
    Chief was one of my favorite records over the last, easily over the last 10 years, if not more. Just top to bottom, it’s just a great, great record. So, we became friends…our families, our wives and stuff would go out and have dinner, and he’d be turning me on to new music, and I’d be texting him about something, ‘You’ve got to listen to (1975’s) Bankrupt by Dr. Hook.’ We’re trying to hip each other to records that we love that the other guy hasn’t heard. That sort of banter started happening fairly regularly, and I thought I’d really like to do something with Eric on my record, if I find the right song. And this song called ‘Raise ‘Em Up’ came along.”

    Audio / Keith Urban said ‘Raise ‘Em Up’ was the perfect song for him and Eric Church to do together.

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    Keith Urban (Raise ‘Em Up) 3 OC: …sang on it. :15
    “It wasn’t written as a duet, but it just struck me as the perfect song. There’s a particular theme really in the song, particularly in the second verse that I felt was just perfect for Eric. I sent him the song, and he loved it. And I was really happy that he came in and sang on it.”

  • ERIC CHURCH ADDS A SECOND NIGHT TO HIS ASCEND AMPHITHEATER DATE.

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Friday, May 1, 2015) – NPR has time-after-time praised Eric Church declaring his music “transcends the genre,” New York Magazine’s deemed him “not just the most consistent male country star of his generation but one of the brightest lights in any genre,” andSPIN Magazine praised him “the most exciting, sonically fearless singer in Nashville,” but Nashville? Right now they just call for MORE!

    After announcing a rare solo performance opening Nashville’s new Ascend Amphitheater show one week ago for Thursday, July 30, ticket on-sales this week swiftly sold out in less than five minutes – too quick, actually, for many of the 7-time GRAMMY nominee’s own Church Choir to secure seats.

    “I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t listen to my fans, and this time they spoke up loud and clear,” shares Church. “I am keeping with the tradition of The Outsiders Tour in that no show will be the same, but I am adding a second night to ensure we can get all our friends in for this performance.”

    Ascend Amphitheater has added a second night, Friday, July 31, 2015, with tickets going on sale to general public Thursday, May 7 at 10:00 a.m. CT. General admission pit and reserved seating is priced at $85 and general admission lawn seats are $45. For tickets, please visitTicketmaster.com.

    The CMA and four-time ACM Award winner finished 2014 as country music’s top-selling artist, with the year’s highest debut and sales of any release in the format as the critical and commercial success The Outsidersreached Platinum status, marking more than one million albums sold. Debuting at No. 1 on both the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and Top Country Albums chart, The Outsiders garnered GRAMMY, CMA, and ACM Top Album nominations and features his No.1 hits “Give Me Back My Hometown” and “Talladega” as well as his current single “Like A Wrecking Ball.” The Outsiders is the follow-up to Church’s Platinum-certified Chief, (named the 2012 Album of the Year by both CMA and ACM, and GRAMMY-nominated for Best Country Album) which featured five Top 20 singles: “Homeboy” (certified Platinum for sales in excess of one million singles); the Top 10 “Like Jesus Does” and the Top 5 “Creepin’” (both certified Gold for sales in excess of 500,000 singles each); and two No. 1 hits “Drink in My Hand” (certified Platinum) and “Springsteen” (certified Double Platinum for sales in excess of two million singles). Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me (2006) and his sophomore album Carolina (2009) are both RIAA Gold-certified.Carolina had three hit singles: the Top 10 “Hell on the Heart” as well as Top 20 hit “Smoke A Little Smoke” and Top 10 smash “Love Your Love The Most,” which were both certified Gold. Sinners Like Me spawned three Top 20 singles: “How ‘Bout You,” “Two Pink Lines,” and “Guys Like Me.”

    For more information on Church, visit www.EricChurch.com.