• ACM AWARDS 2020 WILL BE A STAR-STUDDED SHOW.

    The Academy of Country Music will present its annual awards show on Wednesday night (September 16th). The show was postponed from April in Las Vegas to September in Nashville due to the global pandemic (COVID-19).

    For the first time in the show’s history, the awards will take place in Nashville, broadcasting from three iconic Country Music venues: Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. The reigning Entertainer of the Year, Keith Urban, will host the show from The Grand Ole Opry House.

    Performances include a star-studded medley from the night’s Entertainer of the Year nominees – Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett – to kick off the show, as well as other performances by Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Pink, Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani, Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Riley Green, Tenille Townes, Thomas Rhett with Jon Pardi, Eric Church, Mickey Guyton, Morgan Wallen, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown, Florida Georgia Line, Trisha Yearwood, Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan.

    Eric Church is set to perform the anthemic “Stick Tat in Your Country Song,” while Luke Bryan will sing his multi-week No 1 summer smash “One Margarita.” Taylor will perform her Top 40 country hit, “betty,” and Carrie Underwood will turn in a medley of songs by the format’s most iconic female artists, including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. Mickey Guyton will sing the critically-acclaimed “What Are You Gonna Tell Her,” and the night’s host Keith Urban will perform with P!ink on his new song, “One Too Many from his upcoming album, The Speed of Now Part 1.

    Newcomer Caylee Hammack picked up her first ACM Award for Music Event of the Year for the Miranda Lambert-led collaboration, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” which also featured Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes and Elle King.

    Universal Music Group Nashville is celebrating its honorees (see below).

    Eric Church leads our nominees with three, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. He was also nominated as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “Some of It” – marking his eighth and ninth nominations in the category.

    Reigning Female Artist of the Year Kacey Musgraves earned three nominations including her seventh nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she received her first Single of the Year nomination as both artist and producer for “Rainbow.”

    Carrie Underwood is nominated for a pair of awards, including Entertainer of the Year, as well as Female Artist of the Year.

    Little Big Town also picks up a pair of nods for Group of the Year and Video of the Year for “Sugar Coat.”

    Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley and Keith Urban are nominated for Male Artist of the Year; Jon Pardi is up for Album of the Year for Heartache Medication; and Brothers Osborne and Maddie & Tae are up for Duo of the Year.

     

    The 55th ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, hosted by Keith Urban, will be broadcast Wednesday, September 16th (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on CBS  and will be available to stream on demand on CBS All Access.

     

    ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

    Luke Bryan

    Eric Church

    Luke Combs

    Thomas Rhett

    Carrie Underwood
    FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Kelsea Ballerini

    Miranda Lambert

    Maren Morris

    Kacey Musgraves

    Carrie Underwood
    MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Dierks Bentley

    Luke Combs

    Thomas Rhett

    Chris Stapleton

    Keith Urban
    DUO OF THE YEAR

    Brooks & Dunn

    Brothers Osborne

    Dan + Shay

    Florida Georgia Line

    Maddie & Tae
    GROUP OF THE YEAR

    Lady Antebellum

    Little Big Town

    Midland

    Old Dominion

    The Highwomen
    ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett

    Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Thomas Rhett, The Stereotypes, Cleve Wilson

    GIRL – Maren Morris

    Producers: busbee, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris

    Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi

    Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi

     

    What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs

    Producer: Scott Moffatt

    Wildcard – Miranda Lambert

    Producer: Jay Joyce

     

    SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    God’s Country – Blake Shelton

    Producer: Scott Hendricks

    One Man Band – Old Dominion

    Producer: Shane McAnally

    Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves

    Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian

    Rumor – Lee Brice

    Producers: Lee Brice, Dan Frizsell, Kyle Jacobs, Jon Stone

    What If I Never Get Over You – Lady Antebellum

    Producer: Dann Huff

     

    SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

    10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

    Songwriters: Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers

    Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Shay Mooney Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI), Big Machine Music (BMI) / Buckeye 26 (ASCAP), Jreynmusic (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Bieber Time Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music (ASCAP) / Poo B Z Inc. (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP).

    Girl Goin’ Nowhere – Ashley McBryde

    Songwriters: Jeremy Bussey, Ashley McBryde

    Publishers: Songs of Song Factory (BMI) / Universal Tunes (SESAC).

    God’s Country – Blake Shelton

    Songwriters: Devin Dawson, Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt

    Publishers: Relative Music Group (BMI), Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing (BMI) / WB Music Corp. / Georgia Song Vibez / We-volve Music (ASCAP) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Neon Cross Music (BMI).

    One Man Band – Old Dominion

    Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi

    Publishers: WB Music Corp/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing. Rezsongs/Reehits World/Smacktown Music, a division of Smack Blue, LLC/Unfair Entertainment  (ASCAP) adm. by Me Gusta Music. We’re Really Doin’ It Publishing (ASCAP) adm by Words & Music. Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing.

    Some Of It – Eric Church

    Songwriters: Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Bobby Pinson

    Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music, admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music/Little Louder Songs, admin. by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music/Not A Track Guy Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights (BMI).
     

    MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

    Producers: Dan Smyers

    Record Label: Warner Music Nashville

    Dive Bar – Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton

    Producers: Garth Brooks

    Record Label: Pearl Records, Inc.

    Fooled Around And Fell In Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King

    Producer: Jay Joyce

    Record Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville

    Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

    Producers: Michael Trent Reznor, Atticus Matthew Ross, YoungKio

    Record Label: Columbia Records

    What Happens In A Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell

    Producer: Dann Huff

    Record Label: The Valory Music Co.

    Audio / ERIC CHURCH TALKS ABOUT THE ENERGY EXCHANGED BETWEEN HIM AND HIS FANS IN THE AUDIENCE AT HIS SHOWS.

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    Eric Church (performing energy) OC: …type of crowd. :40
    “Well, I think for me every night I try to empty the tank. There’s always that energy floating around. It’s a palpable thing, and it’s up to me to start that exchange and get the crowd to give it back to me and then watch it build on itself and just to have that experience. We have one night here in whatever city we’re in, you know, we’ve got this night. I’m not gonna see you for a while you’re not gonna see me for a while, you know? And I love being able to capitalize on that moment and trying to live in that moment and get as much energy exchange between myself and the crowd as we can. I love that. That’s my favorite part of what we do. I love being around people, I’m very passionate about my music, and I love people who are passionate about the music too and I love playing a show for that type of crowd.”

    Audio / LAST YEAR, CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKED ABOUT HER ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION FOR LAST YEAR’S CMA AWARDS…AND THE SAME SENTIMENT HOLDS TRUE FOR THIS YEAR’S ACM AWARDS.

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    Carrie Underwood (Entertainer nod 2019) OC: …sorry boys! (laughs) :28
    “I personally feel like entertainer. It’s everything, right? So, I feel like people kind of narrow it down to tours, but I feel like there’s so many more components to it. And, you know, I’m blessed and lucky to be nominated, obviously, and fantastic company. It would be amazing, but of course, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it. (laughs) Sorry boys.” (laughs)

    Audio / A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, LUKE BRYAN TALKED ABOUT BEING NAMED ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR FROM BOTH THE ACM AWARDS AND CMA AWARDS.

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    Luke Bryan (Entertainer wins) OC: …got it right. :49
    “The title is what it is, you know? I mean, my focus in life when I’m on stage is entertaining these fans. If it’s my smile and my demeanor, if it’s my song that does it, if it’s me picking up a child out of the audience and letting them sing, it’s not being so premeditated that you can see it from a mile away. I mean, my main thing is be a fan up there that just gets to sing. That’s kind of how I’ve always approached it, and being called the Entertainer of the Year makes me want to do that to the best of my ability every night for the rest of my life as long as I’m on stage. I want people to leave my shows and go, ‘You know what? Whoever’s voting him Entertainer of the Year, they got it right.’”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack, who was nominated for a pair of awards going into this year's ACM AWARDS, has won her first for Music Event of the Year.

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    Caylee Hammack (ACM Music Event of the Year win) OC: …of women. :42
    “Getting to recreate this song with women that inspire me so very much was already a huge blessing for me. To get to perform it every night for the encore of Miranda Lambert’s show that I got to be on tour with her for, it was already this huge blessing for me and then to be nominated was a huge deal and now, we’ve won an ACM for vocal event of the year, this is unreal. And I wish there was another word I could use for it, but unreal is truly it. This is so very special, and I’m just so honored to be in this group of this caliber of women.”

    Audio / KACEY MUSGRAVES SAYS SHE WROTE “RAINBOW” AS A MEMO TO HERSELF, BUT SAYS IT CAN HELP PEOPLE ACTUALLY SEE THE SUN THROUGH THE CLOUDS.

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    Kacey Musgraves (Rainbow) 1 OC: …make it through. :48
    “The song ‘Rainbow’ was actually written a handful of years ago as sort of a little bit of a memo to myself. I think we can all get stuck in a mindset that things are never gonna improve or you can easily focus on kind of the bad parts of whatever you’re going through and not really realize that if you pulled your head above the water you’d see that the sun is actually shining and that everything’s actually okay. I think one of the reasons that people may relate to the song a lot is because, though it was written to myself, I think that it can take the shape of like whatever someone’s going through – whether it’s coming out and not having the support or just any kind of a situation that they don’t feel like they may make it through.”

    Audio / ERIC CHURCH TALKS ABOUT HIS SONG "SOME OF IT."

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    Eric Church (Some of It coming of age) OC: …figure it out. :56
    “That’s a song, a coming-of-age song, it’s an adult song. It’s adult music. If you listen to the thematics in that and what it’s about, it’s about being older and having some wisdom about you. I think that’s something that I appreciate in my fan base now that early on probably wasn’t there. We were young and drunk and fighting and stupid. But I think now to see them grow – to see the fan base grow – it’s just one of those songs that came along at the right time. And again, it was such a blessing that happened. It wasn’t going to be on the album. It was just one of those freak things that I put it on the album, the last song on the album. The album was done, and all of a sudden it becomes the pillar, one of the pillars on the album. I think again, you go back to it’s one of the great things about music, is you just never know what’s going to happen until it’s all said and done. You can try to plan all you want to, but you’ll probably not going to figure it out.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi is excited for his ACM Album of the Year nomination.

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    Jon Pardi (nominated for ACM AWARD for album) OC: …it’s awesome. :32
    “Being nominated for an ACM Award is always awesome, especially when it’s for Album f the Year. From all the hard work we put in to making this record to seeing it as a nominee for Album of the Year is amazing. It’s such a great honor to just have a nomination – to still be in the game is what I’m saying, and I put in a lot of hard work and it’s just so fun. It’s my favorite category to be in and the most, it’s the one I want to be in because that means all the songs help you get that nomination. I think that’s so great, and we work so hard on picking songs. So, it’s awesome.”

    Audio / MADDIE MARLOW OF MADDIE & TAE TALK ABOUT BEING NOMINATED FOR THE ACM DUO OF THE YEAR AWARD.

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    Maddie & Tae (ACM 2019) OC: …this year. :35
    “Being in the Duo category, especially being the only females in that category, is really, really special. We are just in such good company. Every single duo that’s nominated this year, we are really good friends with and we love and support and root for, but just the fact the industry acknowledges what we’re doing, especially after the crazy past couple of years we’ve had, just to get that nod saying, ‘Hey! You’re doing good. Keep doing what you’re doing,’ is so special. We do not take that for granted ‘cause we didn’t expect that at all, and so it was a huge shock for us and such good news for us this year.”

    Audio / BROTHERS OSBORNE SAYS IT'S AN HONOR TO BE NOMINATED AT THIS YEAR'S ACM AWARDS.

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    Brothers Osborne (being nominated) OC: (TJ) …but it really is. :26
    JOHN: “One of the things I love about the country music genre is “It sounds cliché to say it’s an honor, but it really is that it’s a family. We’re all really, really close. We’re all a bunch of misfits thrown together. We’re all a little different, but we love one another and respect one another, and I’m just honored for the both of us to be a part of this awesome family.” TJ: “I will say to add on that, it sounds cliché to say it’s an honor to be nominated, but it really is.”

  • JON PARDI ANNOUNCES THE DELUXE VERSION OF HIS CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED ALBUM HEARTACHE MEDICATION DUE OUT ON OCT. 2ND.

    Platinum-selling triple threat Jon Pardi is announcing the release of Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version), due out on October 2nd. Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version) is the extended version of Pardi’s critically-acclaimed album Heartache Medication,” which debuted among the top albums on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and garnered the “hero in the making” (Variety) a double nomination as both artist and producer for ACM’s Album of the Year category and a nod for CMA’s Album of the Year. Oct. 2nd is the one year anniversary since Pardi, for the first time, headlined back-to-back nights of the Ryman Auditorium during his album release week for Heartache Medication, and it’s also the night he got engaged.

    Pardi delivers the Deluxe Version with his previously released 14 tracks, plus three new bonus tracks including “Bar Downtown,” “Beer Light,” and a new version of his current hit single “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” (Western Version). Fans can pre-save Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version), here: https://strm.to/JPHeartacheMedicationDeluxe. The pre-order will be available on Sept. 18th. *View the full tracklisting below.

    With the release of his highly-lauded album Heartache Medication, Pardi doubled-down and “…cut a path through modern country by stubbornly sticking to fiddles, steel guitar, and dive-bar jukebox energy” (The New York Times). Critics hailed his blend of “honky-tonkin’, boot-stompin’ tracks about whiskey, women and song” (The New York Times), naming him the only country artist/album represented in The Los Angeles Times “Best Albums of the Year” list (#4) and called him an artist that “…proves that Country music is still thrillingly alive” (Rolling Stone). Critics continue to laud his impressive “state-of-the-art blend of traditional instrumentation and progressive grooves that points to country’s future” (Rolling Stone), saying;

     

    “Like a nicely aged Tennessee Whiskey, Pardi’s music is strong stuff.” –Associated Press

     

    “A hero in the making” –Variety

     

    “the kind of country music multiple generations came to know, and love can still work on a mass scale” –Variety

     

    “Jon Pardi brings Authenticity back into country music.” –People

    “Jon Pardi’s hyperactive honky-tonk brings the past into the present.” -NPR

     

    “Pardi continues to apply new ideas to country’s old sounds” –Los Angeles Times

     

    “ Pardi…deserves credit for combining throwback twang with modern production techniques in a way that appeals to country music fans of all ages and listening preferences.” –Wide Open Country

     

    Paving his way as an all-encompassing producer, singer and songwriter – Pardi co-wrote “Beer Light” and co-produced the three additional tracks with longtime collaborators Bart Butler and Ryan Gore.

     

    The ACM/CMA winning artist recently became the first country artist to have two #1 singles on Country Radio in 2020. Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version) follows the release of “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” (Western Version) and Pardi’s RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS– an eight-song album that features a combination of songs Pardi is both inspired by, and loves to perform-and his ACM/CMA nominated album, HEARTACHE MEDICATION. For more information visit www.jonpardi.com.

     

    Heartache Medication (Deluxe Version) Tracklist*

    1. Old Hat (Jeff Hyde, Matt Jenkins and Ryan Tyndell)
    2. Heartache Medication (Jon Pardi, Barry Dean and Natalie Hemby)
    3. Nobody Leaves A Girl Like That (Bart Butler, Marv Green and Jimmy Yeary)
    4. Ain’t Always The Cowboy (Brandon Kinney and Josh Thompson)
    5. Me And Jack (Jon Pardi, Rhett Akins, Bart Butler and Luke Laird)
    6. Don’t Blame It On Whiskey (Featuring Lauren Alaina) (Eric Church, Michael Heeney, Luke Laird and Miranda Lambert)
    7. Tied One On (Bart Butler, Chase McGill and Jamie Paulin)
    8. Oughta Know That (Jon Pardi, Bart Butler and Luke Laird)
    9. Tequila Little Time (Jon Pardi, Rhett Akins and Luke Laird)
    10. Buy That Man A Beer (Clint Daniels, Justin Lantz and John Pierce)
    11. Call Me Country (Jon Pardi, Bart Butler and Driver Williams)
    12. Just Like Old Times (Jon Pardi, Jeff Hyde and Michael Heeney)
    13. Love Her Like She’s Leaving (Bart Butler, Dean Dillon and Jessie Jo Dillon)
    14. Starlight (Jon Pardi, Bart Butler and Jeffrey Steele)
    15. Bar Downtown (Josh Osborne, Josh Thompson, Matt Dragstrem)
    16. Beer Light (Jon Pardi, Brice Long, Jeff Hyde)
    17. Ain’t Always The Cowboy (Western Version) (Brandon Kinney and Josh Thompson)

     

    Audio / Jon Pardi talks about how well "Bar Downtown" and "Beer Light" will fit on the deluxe version of his ACM AND CMA-nominated album, Heartache Medication.

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    Jon Pardi (Bar Downtown and Beer Light on HM Deluxe) OC: …awesome. :23
    “‘Bar Downtown’ is awesome. I love this, and I heard this song back when we could go downtown. I thought it was great, and it was just an infectious melody and it’s that wondering where she is kind of song, and I love those kind of songs so I’m glad it made it on the Heartache Medication Deluxe. But I felt like these two songs fit on the Deluxe and when they come out, hearing them all together with the Heartache Medication playlist, it’s gonna be awesome.”

  • JON PARDI IS THRILLED TO BE “IN THE GAME” WITH HIS ACM NOMINATION FOR ALBUM OF THE YEAR.

    Jon Pardi is nominated for Album of the Year for his third studio album Heartache Medication at this year’s ACM Awards (and CMA Awards). The collection, which was released last fall, spawned the No. 1 hit with the title track. He is really honored to be nominated and “still in the game.”

    “Being nominated for an ACM Award is always awesome, especially when it’s for Album of the Year,” says Jon. “From all the hard work we put in to making this record to seeing it as a nominee for Album of the Year is amazing. It’s such a great honor to just have a nomination – to still be in the game is what I’m saying, and I put in a lot of hard work and it’s just so fun. It’s my favorite category to be in and the most, it’s the one I want to be in because that means all the songs help you get that nomination. I think that’s so great, and we work so hard on picking songs.”

    The 55th ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, hosted by Keith Urban, will be broadcast September 16th (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on CBS  and will be available to stream on demand on CBS All Access.

    The California native is currently making his way up the country carts with his latest single, “Ain’t Always the Cowboy,” which is from his ACM- and CMA-nominated album, Heartache Medication.

    Audio / Jon Pardi talks about being nominated for ACM Album of the Year for Heartache Medication.

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    Jon Pardi (nominated for ACM AWARD for album) OC: …it’s awesome. :32
    “Being nominated for an ACM Award is always awesome, especially when it’s for Album f the Year. From all the hard work we put in to making this record to seeing it as a nominee for Album of the Year is amazing. It’s such a great honor to just have a nomination – to still be in the game is what I’m saying, and I put in a lot of hard work and it’s just so fun. It’s my favorite category to be in and the most, it’s the one I want to be in because that means all the songs help you get that nomination. I think that’s so great, and we work so hard on picking songs. So, it’s awesome.”

  • LABOR DAY 2020

    For many decades, Labor Day was seen as a day for workers to voice their complaints and discuss better working conditions and pay.

    U.S. Congress declared Labor Day a national holiday in 1894, and on Monday, September 2nd, we will once again celebrate the people in every occupation whose work and dedication make this nation great. Labor Day in the United States is a holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers.

    Labor Day weekend also signals the unofficial end to summer, and many of the hottest country stars are taking a look back at some of the toughest jobs they had prior to making their mark in music or their dream job now.

     

    Audio / Adam Hambrick talks about one of his summer jobs when he was growing up in Arkansas.

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    Adam Hambrick (Labor Day) OC: …that summer. :41
    “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a bad job. I don’t think I had a bad job, ‘cause I actually enjoyed this job ‘cause I was actually sitting in the air conditioning all day over the summer in Arkansas. It was very monotonous, because I was spending every summer day repairing old fallen-apart medical charts in a heart clinic in Little Rock. I would take all these photos of all these records and re-sort them page-by-page and put ‘em back in the manila folder and re-alphabetize ‘em. But I did bring my computer and watch movies while I did it, so I drank a lot of soda and watched a lot of movies that summer.”

    Audio / Alan Jackson says that working man values have always been a part of his music.

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    AJ (working people songs) OC: … appreciate that. :28
    “I’ve always written songs and recorded songs, other people’s songs, about workin’ people, and workin’, the workin’ life ’cause I mean, that’s where I’m from. I mean, I worked…I’d already had jobs and worked as a grown person before I ever even thought about bein’ in the music business, so I come from that background, and…although I hadn’t had a job in a long time (laughs), I still remember a lot about it, you know, and I remember what the lifestyle is, and I still appreciate that.”

    Audio / Billy Currington recalls some of the jobs he had before landing his record deal in 2003.

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    Billy Currington (Labor Day) OC: …record deal. :40
    “I started working like at [age] 12, landscaping. This was summer, every summers, and roofing. I started when I was about 16 roofing houses, and that was probably one of my toughest jobs because down there in South Georgia, it gets hot, so doing that every day all summer long. The pawn shop when I moved to Nashville was one of my favorites, even though it was one of my least favorites. The concrete job was my least favorite of all – six years of that, and I couldn’t take it no more. After that job, that was my turning point. Either I’m going to do something else for a living [laughs] or quit and try to really focus on music and get this record deal.”

    Audio / BRANDON LAY SAYS HE’S ALWAYS ENJOYED THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

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    Brandon Lay (Labor Day) OC: …a good one. :13
    “You know, I can’t complain too much about Labor Day, ‘cause usually doing landscaping and it had slowed down a little, but the water’s still warm enough to hit the river. I’ve gotten to spend some time out on the lake for Labor Day, so Labor Day’s a good one.”

    Audio / CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKS ABOUT THE JOBS SHE HAD GROWING UP AND HER BEST JOB -- PERFORMING FOR HER FANS.

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    Carrie Underwood (Labor Day) OC: …born to do. :59
    “I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad job. I’ve had hard jobs. I’ve had jobs that worked random hours. My first job was at a gas station, and that was a lot of fun actually. While I was working at the gas station, I took another job at a hotel down the street. There was nobody else working there. I had one day of training and then the next day I came in, and the lady that had worked there the longest and was training me just didn’t show. So, the second day at work I was now in charge ‘cause I was now the senior member that was working at the hotel. So, I feel like that one was really challenging to figure my way through it, but I did. My best job is definitely what I do now. I really like being on stage. I really like performing for people and just having fun and singing, because that’s what I feel like I was born to do.”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack says her worst job truly smelled bad.

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    Caylee Hammack (Labor Day-worst job) OC: …worst job. (laughs) :38
    “My worst job was working in a nursery, actually. I love kids so I thought I’d be really good at it, but wen you’re the new person coming in, you have to change all the diapers first. So, I was changing 45 diapers a day and it got to the point where everything smelled like baby poop. It literally drove me crazy. I would walk my dog and I would have to go to pick up her poop, and it would smell like baby poop, and I just couldn’t handle it, honestly. The smell of poop warded me away. The children were lovely, but the smell of poop lingered, and I couldn’t handle that job. That was my worst job.” (laughs)

    Audio / Darius Rucker recalls one of his worst jobs before turning to music.

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    Darius Rucker (Labor Day) OC: …pizza. :15
    “I was fifteen, and I worked at a pizza place, and the guy decided that at fifteen, that I could not only clean the floors and wash the dishes, but I also had to make pizza. So, for two months, he taught me how to make pizza.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley makes a living performing for his fans, and he can’t say enough about them.

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    Dierks Bentley (Labor Day) OC: …generosity. :26
    “Personally, the fans give me amazement. That’s the only word to really sum it up. I look out in the crowd, you know, usually see a lot of faces and fans are cheering. I know each one of these like from the road-the signs are from California…Michelle and Kayla live up in the Ohio area. They’re all, I just see them, and I’m like, ‘Wow!,’ they’re all from different regions. You know when you’re in a different region of the country and you just see certain fans. These people are way more hard core than I am, and I’m just amazed by their generosity.”

    Audio / Eric Church talks about one of his worst job.

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    Eric Church (Labor Day-odd jobs) OC: …bought at 2am. 1:27
    “I had an awful job. I’ve had a lot of awful jobs…my worst one was when I first came to Nashville. I got a job at the Shop at Home Network. I worked midnight, graveyard, midnight to eight. That was bad enough but then I would work all night, go home, shower and then I had writing appointments all day because I was trying to get a career started. I’d go write songs and get meetings just trying to get signed. And end up getting done at 3 of 4 with all of that, I’d go home, take a shower or sleep for a little bit and then I had to be at work again at midnight. So the schedule was bad enough, however, what I had to do at the job…I sold knives from midnight to 7 or 8am. And, anytime somebody calls you at 3 or 4am and needs 200 knives for $19.95, it’s automatically an alarming situation. And I just, I was young and I’d been in a lot of these people’s shoes, I had done this…I knew they were drunk. I knew what they had done. They’d just come home from the bar, flipped on Shop at Home and said, ‘You know what? I need that.’ So the reason the job didn’t last long for me is that I was maybe the worst salesmen in history because I ended up talking a lot of these people out of it, I’d say, ‘I’ll tell you what man, go to bed, call me, I’ll be here in the morning. If you get up in the morning and want these knives you call me back.’ Because I knew what was going to happen, you know. They bought 200 knives for $19.95…first of all some of these people you didn’t know whether you should call the cops. What do you need 200 knives for? Even though I’m selling them…what do you need them for? So, it was awful doing that job. And then they got rid of me because, they were like, ‘You’re the worst. I can’t believe you’re talking people out of it.’ I was like, ‘Man I know…I’ve been there.’ [laughs] I’d want some to talk me out of buying some of the stuff I’ve bought at 2am.”

    Audio / GEORGE STRAIT’S CAREER HAS SPANNED DECADES AND 60 NO. 1 HITS, BUT HE CAN RECALL HEARING ONE OF HIS SONGS ON THE RADIO AND HOW COUNTRY RADIO HAS SUPPORTED HIM.

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    George Strait (first time on radio) OC: …records I’ve put out. :26
    “I took it to a radio station in San Antonio KKYX, and a guy named Jerry King put it on and played it while I ran out to the car to listen to it on the radio. So, it’s just been relationships like that through the years that I’ve had with different people. I don’t know, they’ve just supported me so much and have been very open to the records I’ve put out.”

     

    Audio / JON LANGSTON TALKS ABOUT WORKING FOR HIS FAVORITE FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT...FOR A SHORT TIME.

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    Jon Langston (Labor Day) OC: …is the bomb. :45
    “The worst job – it wasn’t bad – I could just say growing up and stuff and in high school, I was working for my dad. It was a great job, working at the shop. One day I got tired of working for my dad. I thought it’d be smart to go work for somebody else and so I went to work at Chik-fil-a for a family friend, and I’m just not made for cooking chicken. But, I told my dad, ‘Hey, can I come back to work?’ (laughs) So, yeah, I mean, Chik-fil-a a great place to work if you’re into that kind of thing, but not me. But Chik-fil-a is m favorite fast food restaurant of all time. I mean, I will go to war for Chik-fil-a. I eat there probably three or four times a week. Chik-fil-a is the bomb.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi talks about his worst job, which was at a grocery store.

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    Jon Pardi (Labor Day) OC: …so bored! :17
    “The worst job I ever had was at Hometown Grocery Store. I didn’t want to work, I was 15, and I did not want to work at the grocery store. Bagging was fun, but they sent me down the aisles to pull up cans and turn ‘em around and face ‘em, and I would just get so bored!”

    Audio / JORDAN DAVIS TALKS ABOUT HIS WORST JOB.

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    Jordan Davis (Labor Day) OC: …worst job. :41
    “[My] worst job was probably whenever I got out of school I started working for an environmental group in Baton Rouge, and I was doing actual environmental work at first. I went to my boss probably about four months in and told him that I was going to move to Nashville and write songs. Luckily enough, he let me stay on, but I became the weedeater guy for the landscaping side of the business. I seriously weedeated eight hours a day. The only break I would get would be in-between yard to yard. So, like we would be in the car and I would try to doze off for like 10 minutes. I was covered in grass in the middle of the summer in Baton Rouge. It was awful. That was definitely the worst job.”

    Audio / KEITH URBAN TALKS ABOUT PERFORMING FOR FANS.

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    Keith Urban (Labor Day) OC: …amazing. :22
    “Seeing people connect to the music is absolutely, hands-down the biggest reward for me, especially when you go to a place you’ve never been to before and it’s all these people, I mean lots of people out there. You’ve never met a single one of ‘em and they’re singing every word, and you realize that it’s not just a pretty melody and everything, but they get the songs. It’s amazing.”

    Audio / Kip Moore recalls his worst job...ever.

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    Kip Moore (Labor Day-worst job) OC: …than that. :21
    “I’d have to say my worst job ever was laying sod in the south Georgia heat. There’s nothing than that, especially when somebody would think that you’re waiting for the next sod patch to be thrown to you and you got your back turned, and all of a sudden, that big ole piece of sod hits you right on the back. You got nowhere to clean up, and you’re just stuck with dirt on your back for the rest of the day. It doesn’t get any worse than that.”

    Audio / NEWCOMER KYLIE MORGAN SAYS BEING ON THE ROAD AND TRAVELING TO GIGS IS TRULY WHAT MAKES HER HEART HAPPY.

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    Audio / Luke Bryan talks about the different jobs he worked in and around Leesburg, Georgia, before heading to Nashville to pursue a career in music.

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    Luke Bryan (Labor Day-jobs) OC: …Nashville… 1:07
    “At age 12 thru 13, I worked at Rubos IGA Supermarket in Leesburg, GA. I worked during the summers on Monday and Tuesday. I stocked and cleaned up the produce.  They paid me under the table…I peeled off all of the brown lettuce. Let’s see, when I was 15, I was a cashier at K-Mart for two months. I worked at K-Mart for two months, and then I reverted back to Rubos because it didn’t really make sense for me to drive all the way into Albany and work for K-Mart. The benefits were great though-you’d get an hour-long on the blue light special. So I started back at Rubos, and then I quit Rubos and worked for my Dad-just awful just driving tractors through cotton all day, and spraying pesticides that eventually would turn your hair green. And then at some point, I started playing guitar. And well, after college I went back and worked for my dad and continued to spray and haul fertilizer around. And then I moved to Nashville…”

  • THE NOMINATIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S CMA AWARDS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.

    The nominees for this year’s CMA Awards have been announced, and Keith Urban has earned three nods this year, bringing his total count to 50 nominations and 12 wins. He is now a 13-time Entertainer of the Year nominee, bringing home the trophy two times previously. He has now been nominated 16 times for Male Vocalist of the Year with three wins. Keith received his sixth Musical Event of the Year nomination for Thomas Rhett’s “Be A Light,” which features Keith, Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin. He has previously taken home the Musical Event award four times.

    Eric Church and Carrie Underwood each earned two nods apiece – both scored an Entertainer of the Year nomination, as well as Male Vocalist and Female Vocalist, respectively. As did Chris Stapleton, who is up against Church for Male Vocalist, but also garners a Music Video nomination for his LEGO-filmed “Second One to Know.”

    Brothers Osborne, Caylee Hammack, Little Big Town, Maddie & Tae, Reba McEntire, Kacey Musgraves and Jon Pardi also earned nominations.

     

     

     

    https://twitter.com/MaddieandTae/status/1300796991467925505

     

    Winners of “The 54th Annual CMA Awards” will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting CMA members. The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA members Thursday, October 1st. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends Tuesday, Oct. 27 (6:00 PM/CT).

    For more information on the CMA AWARDS go to cmaawards.com.

    “The 54th Annual CMA Awards” will be broadcast live November 11th at 8pm ET on ABC.

     

     

    ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

    • Eric Church
    • Luke Combs
    • Miranda Lambert
    • Carrie Underwood  
    • Keith Urban   

     

    SINGLE OF THE YEAR
    Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer

    • “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
      Producer: Dan Smyers
      Mix Engineer: Jeff Juliano
    • “Beer Never Broke My Heart” – Luke Combs
      Producer: Scott Moffatt
      Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
    • “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
      Producer: Jay Joyce
      Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
    • “The Bones” – Maren Morris
      Producer: Greg Kurstin
      Mix Engineer: Greg Kurstin
    • “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett
      Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale
      Mix Engineer: Buckley Miller

    ALBUM OF THE YEAR
    Award goes to Artist and Producer(s) 

    • Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
      Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi 
    • Never Will – Ashley McBryde
      Producers: Jay Joyce, John Peets
    • Old Dominion – Old Dominion
      Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion
    • What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
      Producer: Scott Moffatt
    • Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
      Producer: Jay Joyce

     

    SONG OF THE YEAR
    Award goes to Songwriters 

    • “Bluebird”
      Songwriters: Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert
    • “The Bones”
      Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz
    • “Even Though I’m Leaving”
      Songwriters: Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Ray Fulcher
    • “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
      Songwriters: Luke Combs, Randy Montana, Carly Pearce, Jonathan Singleton
    • “More Hearts Than Mine”
      Songwriters: Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis, Derrick Southerland

     

    FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

    • Miranda Lambert
    • Ashley McBryde
    • Maren Morris
    • Kacey Musgraves  
    • Carrie Underwood   

     

    MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR  

    • Eric Church   
    • Luke Combs
    • Thomas Rhett
    • Chris Stapleton  
    • Keith Urban    

    VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

    • Lady A
    • Little Big Town  
    • Midland
    • Old Dominion
    • Rascal Flatts

    VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

    • Brooks & Dunn
    • Brothers Osborne  
    • Dan + Shay
    • Florida Georgia Line
    • Maddie & Tae

    MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
    Award goes to Artists and Producer(s) 

    • “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
      Producer: Dan Smyers
    • “Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban
      Producer: Dann Huff
    • “The Bones” – Maren Morris with Hozier
      Producer: Greg Kurstin
    • “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” – Miranda Lambert (feat. Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack)
      Producer: Jay Joyce
    • “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
      Producer: busbee

    MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

    • Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle
    • Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
    • Rob McNelley, Guitar
    • Ilya Toshinskiy, Guitar
    • Derek Wells, Guitar

    MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
    Award goes to Artist(s) and Director 

    • “10,000 Hours” – Dan + Shay (with Justin Bieber)
      Director: Patrick Tracy
    • “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
      Director: Trey Fanjoy
    • “Homemade” – Jake Owen
      Director: Justin Clough
    • “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce and Lee Brice
      Director: Sam Siske
    • “Second One To Know” – Chris Stapleton
      Director: David Coleman 


    NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR 

    • Jimmie Allen
    • Ingrid Andress
    • Gabby Barrett
    • Carly Pearce
    • Morgan Wallen

     

  • LABOR DAY 2020 LINERS

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Adam Hambrick (Labor Day)
    “Hey guys! It’s Adam Hambrick, hoping you have a Happy Labor Day weekend.”

    Audio /

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    LINER Billy Currington (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all! It’s Billy Currington, wishing you a very happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Brandon Lay (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all! This is Brandon Lay, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

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    LINER Brothers Osborne (Labor Day)
    This is TJ, and I’m John, and we are Brothers Osborne, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

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    LINER Carrie Underwood (Labor Day Weekend)
    Hey everyone! I’m Carrie Underwood, hoping you have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Caylee Hammack (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all! This is Caylee Hammack. I’m wishing you a fun and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Chrissy Metz (Labor Day)
    Hi, I’m Chrissy Metz, wishing you a work-free Labor Day Weeend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Darius Rucker (Labor Day)
    Hey! It’s Darius Rucker, and I hope you have a have a happy work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Eric Church (Labor Day)
    Hey! It’s Eric Church, and I hope you have a have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Jon Langston (Labor Day)
    Hey! I’m Jon Langston. Hope you have a Happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Jon Pardi (Labor Day weekend)
    Hey! It’s Jon Pardi, and I hope you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Jordan Davis (Labor Day)
    Hey! I’m Jordan Davis, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Kacey Musgraves (Labor Day weekend)
    Hey! It’s Kacey Musgraves, hoping you have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Keith Urban (Labor Day weekend)
    Hi everybody! This is Keith Urban, wishing you a very happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Kip Moore (Labor Day)
    Hey—what’s happening guys? This is Kip Moore, wishing you a happy and work-free Labor Day Weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER LBT (Labor Day)
    Hi! We’re Little Big Town, hoping you have a work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Luke Bryan (Labor Day)
    Hey! It’s Luke Bryan, and I hope you have a have a happy Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Maddie & Tae (Labor Day)
    Hey everybody! I’m Maddie, and I’m Tae, and we’re Maddie & Tae, hoping you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Sam Hunt (Labor Day)
    Hey everybody! I’m Sam Hunt. Have a great and work-free Labor Day weekend.

    Audio /

    Download

    LINER Travis Denning (Labor Day)
    Hey y’all. It’s Travis Denning, hoping you have a happy and work-free Labor Day weekend.

     

  • JON PARDI RELEASES THE WESTERN VERSION OF HIS LATEST HIT, “AIN’T ALWAYS THE COWBOY.”

    Platinum-selling triple threat Jon Pardi brings his acclaimed blend of “fiddles, twangy Bakersfield-style guitars and swinging pedal steel” (Associated Press) to a new version of his current hit single with today’s surprise release of “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” (Western Version). Originally appearing on Pardi’s critically-lauded, ACM-nominated album HEARTACHE MEDICATION, the track pays homage to the 1984 George Strait classic “The Cowboy Rides Away” with “a clever twist” (Billboard). With “Ain’t Always The Cowboy,” the 2X ACM Album of the Year nominee “proves that Country music is still thrillingly alive” (Rolling Stone) with “…a song of female empowerment wedged into a breakup storyline…It figuratively turns a classic on its ear since the full hook.” (Billboard). To listen to “Ain’t Always the Cowboy (Western Version) visit https://strm.to/JPAintAlwaysTheCowboyWesternPR.

     

     

    “Like a nicely aged Tennessee Whiskey, Pardi’s music is strong stuff.” – Associated Press

     

    “A hero in the making” (Variety),

     

    “He proves that Country music is still thrillingly alive.” -Rolling Stone

     

    “Jon Pardi cut a path through modern country by stubbornly sticking to fiddles, steel guitar, and dive-bar jukebox energy.” – The New York Times

     

    “Jon Pardi brings Authenticity back into country music.” -People

     

    “Jon Pardi’s hyperactive honky-tonk brings the past into the present.” -NPR

     

    “ Pardi…deserves credit for combining throwback twang with modern production techniques in a way that appeals to country music fans of all ages and listening preferences.” -Wide Open Country

     

    The ACM/CMA winning artist recently became the first country artist to have two #1 singles on Country Radio in 2020.“Ain’t Always the Cowboy” (Western Version) follows Pardi’s latest release, RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS– an eight-song album that features a combination of songs Pardi is both inspired by, and loves to perform-and his ACM nominated album, HEARTACHE MEDICATIONHEARTACHE MEDICATION debuted among the top albums on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and was named on Rolling Stone’s “Best Albums of the Year” and The Los Angeles Times “Best Albums of the Year” (#4) list as the only country artist/album represented. A “hero in the making” (Variety), Pardi is noted for his “long-lasting mark on the genre” (Music Row) and his impressive ability to carve out his own path creating “the kind of country music multiple generations came to know, and love can still work on a mass scale” (Variety). Filled with fiddle, twang and steel guitar, Pardi continues to “apply new ideas to country’s old sounds” (Los Angeles Times) and “bring authenticity back into Country music” (People).

  • JON PARDI SELECTS STRAIT SONGS FOR NEW PROJECT IN MEMORY OF HIS GRANDMOTHER AND A LESSON IN SONG SELECTION.

    Jon Pardi recently surprised fans by releasing the unannounced album RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS, which features music that he is inspired by, and also loves performing. Two of the songs on the 8-track project, are from George Strait, “Marina Del Rey” and “Right or Wrong.” Both songs were from George’s albums from the 1980s, and had a Texas Swing style, which Jon enlisted his fiddle player Billy’s help in perfecting that musical sound for the songs. But “Right or Wrong” made the album for a very special reason—it reminds Jon of growing up with his grandmother. While George’s influence, not only on Jon, but all of country music, is quite evident, Jon wanted to make sure he put that song among this group of songs.

    “One of my favorites because it reminds me of growing up with my grandmother, and it also reminds me of just that early Strait sound that kind of links me back to a time period, and I know everybody who listens to music has that feeling, that you hear a song and it reminds you of your grandma’s backyard. And I wanted to learn the jazz chords, and stuff. ‘Right or Wrong’ was a Texas swing — lots of jazz, so Billy (his fiddle player), taught me a lot of — here’s how you play Texas swing, and that’s not something everybody can do,” says Jon. “So, it was more of a stretch now in doing something hard and fun in a song you grew up doing and from one of your heroes. George, like all these guys we covered, he wrote a little bit of his stuff, but he also covered all kinds of songs and he also cut outside songs, and he’s just been a guys I always looked up too. I love his music, and he taught me a lot about song selection, you know, I think he’s taught everybody in country music about song selection.”

    While you’re checking out RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS, you can also check out Jon’s other song “Ain’t Always the Cowboy” which is climbing the charts as a top 20 hit!

    Audio / Jon Pardi says George Strait songs remind him of growing up with his grandmother.

    Download

    Jon Pardi (Strait song Grandma) OC…selection. 1:03
    “One of my favorites because it reminds me of growing up with my grandmother, and it also reminds me of just that early Strait sound that kind of links me back to a time period, and I know everybody who listens to music has that feeling, that you hear a song and it reminds you of your grandma’s backyard. And I wanted to learn the jazz chords, and stuff. ‘Right or Wrong’ was a Texas swing — lots of jazz, so Billy (his fiddle player), taught me a lot of — here’s how you play Texas swing, and that’s not something everybody can do. So, it was more of a stretch now in doing something hard and fun in a song you grew up doing and from one of your heroes. George, like all these guys we covered, he wrote a little bit of his stuff, but he also covered all kinds of songs and he also cut outside songs, and he’s just been a guys I always looked up too. I love his music, and he taught me a lot about song selection, you know, I think he’s taught everybody in country music about song selection.”

     

  • JON PARDI RELEASES SURPRISE ALBUM RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS.

    Platinum-selling, 2x ACM nominee Jon Pardi surprised fans today (8/14) with RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS, an eight-song album that features a combination of songs Pardi is both inspired by and loves performing. Produced by Pardi, the project was recorded live during a one-night live jam session with his touring band from his home base in Nashville, “Rancho Fiesta.” The CMA and ACM award-winning artist brings his musical interpretation to a unique range of cover songs, including songs recorded by Dwight Yoakam, George Strait, Tom Petty, Prince and more.

     

    Listen to RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS HERE

    “All these covers are of artists that I admire, and I look up to. There are all kinds of great names and styles of songs on here- from legends. I think the magic and the fun of it is all is in these eight covers of songs that I really like, or grew up singing,” says Pardi.

    “It’s all my band on this whole album. We mainly did it to have fun and record, and it sounds like we’re in your backyard, playing for you.” Adding also, “I hope the fans really have fun when they listen to it, and they enjoy it and turn it up. This one was for the fans, to let them hear something different… songs you may have heard before but, haven’t heard them like this. It turned into something special because it’s a year where we are off the road, and we recorded it live in real time, out at my house.”

    Of the album, Pardi also explains, “I nicknamed my place out here Rancho Fiesta because it was fun and sounded uplifting. We recorded this at the shop out here and I thought it made sense to reference where the project was recorded.”

    RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS follows Pardi’s critically-acclaimed album, HEARTACHE MEDICATION which debuted among the top albums on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and was named on Rolling Stone’s “Best Albums of the Year” and The Los Angeles Times “Best Albums of the Year” (#4) list as the only country artist/album represented. A “hero in the making” (Variety),  Pardi is noted for his “long-lasting mark on the genre” (Music Row) and his impressive ability to carve out his own path creating “the kind of country music multiple generations came to know, and love can still work on a mass scale” (Variety). Filled with fiddle, twang and steel guitar, Pardi continues to “apply new ideas to country’s old sounds” (Los Angeles Times) and “bring authenticity back into Country music” (People).

    RANCHO FIESTA SESSIONS Track listing:

    1. “The Bottle Let Me Down” – As performed by Merle Haggard
    2. “Honky Tonk Man” – As performed by Dwight Yoakam
    3. “Right or Wrong” – As performed by George Strait
    4. “Marina Del Rey” – As performed by George Strait
    5. “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)” – As performed by Joe Diffie
    6. “Somebody’s Doin’ Me Right” – As performed by Keith Whitley
    7. “The Waiting” – As performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
    8. “Nothing Compares 2 U” – As performed by Prince

    Audio / Jon Pardi talks about how His Rancho Fiesta Sessions project came about.

    Download

    Jon Pardi (how RF Sessions came about) OC: …in my shop. :56
    “It came about right when the quarantine, kinda everything shut down. so it got kinda weird, ya know, not seeing the guys, not playing music. So, we just got together maybe twice a month, and we started just jamming and playing songs and recording while drinking. And then started sharing it around to management and just friends and such everybody loved it. And we all thought after the second time we did it that maybe we should just make an album out of this and just get it out as fast as we can, ‘cause it is live. You’ll hear us laughing in the back of the track or you’ll hear me yell or you can hear the room. So it’s just kinda fu.  I think that’s what some of the magic is, that it was all recorded at once and we did three or four takes of one song. We recorded all those songs at the same night there wasn’t any other session and it was all in my shop.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi explains how he came up with the title of his Rancho Fiesta Sessions.

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    Jon Pardi (RF title) OC: …we recorded. :14
    “I just kind of nicknamed my place out here where I live Rancho Fiesta, because it was just kinda fun and kinda uplifting sounding. We recorded it at my big shop, and so I thought it’d be cool if we had Rancho Fiesta Sessions because that’s where we recorded.”

    Audio / Jon Pardi reveals the magic of Rancho Fiesta Sessions.

    Download

    Jon Pardi (magic of RF) OC: …all around. :23
    “I think the magic and the fun of it is all in these eight cover songs that I really liked or I grew up singing and some of them are just not really your standard covers, so I think that’s kinda fresh for this project. I don’t know, I think it’s gonna be fun. I think people are gonna be like, ‘Damn, you did this, you did that.’ It’s kinda all around.”

  • TUNE IN! JON PARDI TO PERFORM “HEARTACHE MEDICATION” ON NBC’S “TODAY” SHOW ON MONDAY.

    Award-winning artist Jon Pardi will perform his hit #1 single “Heartache Medication” off his ACM nominated Album of the Year on NBC’s “Today” show this Monday (8/10). “Heartache Medication” is the title track off of Pardi’s critically-acclaimed Heartache Medication albumNamed by The New York Times as “one of the most anticipated albums of the season,” Heartache Medication debuted among the top albums on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and was named on Rolling Stone’s “Best Albums of the Year” and The Los Angeles Times “Best Albums of the Year” (#4) list as the only country artist/album represented.

    A “hero in the making” (Variety), Jon Pardi is lauded as an artist with an impressive ability to carve out his own path. Hailed for his potential to leave “a long-lasting mark on the genre” (Music Row), as well as his talent creating “the kind of country music multiple generations came to know and love can still work on a mass scale” (Variety). Filled with fiddle, twang and steel guitar, Pardi continues to “apply new ideas to country’s old sounds”(Los Angeles Times) and “bring authenticity back into Country music” (People).