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  • KIP MOORE RELEASES HIS LATEST SINGLE ‘I’M TO BLAME.’

    Kip Moore
    Kip Moore doesn’t mind admitting when he’s wrong and the ACM “New Artist of the Year” nominee proves just that with his lead single “I’m To Blame.”  The song is available at digital retailers now and is the second most added song this week at country radio, marking Moore’s biggest first week for a new single.  The song features Moore’s signature raspy voice over a driving back beat highlighted with a rolling banjo.  Moore wrote the song with Justin Weaver and Westin Davis, and the refreshingly honest lyrics are personal for the multi-platinum selling artist.
    “I’ve learned that sometimes when you’re in a relationship, especially if you’re trying to keep the relationship, it’s better just to admit that something was your fault so everybody can move on,” said Moore.  “I thought that sort of truth-telling was a good way to set the tone for the new album.  I’m excited about the new path we’re taking for this next record.   I have written so many songs over the past two years, and I really had to step back and look at all of them and make some hard decisions about what would make the album and what would get cut.  It has turned out to be a totally different record than the one I set out recording, and I think a better one.”
    The MCA Nashville singer/songwriter capped off last year by winning “Breakthrough Artist Of The Year” at the American Country Countdown Awards on FOX and notched two PLATINUM certifications with “Hey Pretty Girl” selling over 1 million and “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck” earning DOUBLE PLATINUM status.  Moore’s sold-out headlining CMT ON TOUR: UP IN SMOKE garnered high praise for his “high energy set” (Rolling Stone) with Minneapolis Tribune declaring him a “country music contender” and Chicago Sun Times noting he is “carving his own niche in country music.”  This summer, Moore will hit the road with Dierks Bentley for his 2015 Sounds of Summer Tour.  He is currently nominated for “New Artist of the Year” at this year’s ACM Awards, fan voting is open now through Feb. 10 at voteacm.com and VoteACM.CMT.com. Moore’s sophomore album will be released later this year.

  • LUKE BRYAN IS NO. 1 WITH LATEST SINGLE.

    Audio
    Luke Bryan

    Luke Bryan climbs to the top of both country charts this week with his latest smash, “I See You.” The song is the sixth No. 1 song from his multi-platinum album, Crash My Party.

    Luke is excited to get out there and play his latest hit for his fans. “‘I See You,’ for me, I felt like I wanted to play it live. I just loved the intensity of how edgy the song is. I had never went that far with almost kind of a rock feel, and I just felt like it was a hit, and I just really wanted to get it in the hands of my fans.

    Luke is getting ready to hit stores with his latest – and final – Spring Break album, Checkin’ Out March 10th.

    Audio / Luke Bryan wants to see how his latest No. 1 single, “I See You,” does on the road.

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    Luke Bryan (I See You) OC: …the road. :22
    “‘I See You,’ for me, I felt like I wanted to play it live. I just loved the intensity of how edgy the song is. I had never went that far with almost kind of a rock feel, and I just felt like it was a hit, and I just really wanted to get it in the hands of my fans. And now I’m excited to see how it does on the road.”

     

  • LADY ANTEBELLUM ADD A STOP AT NASHVILLE’S BRIDGESTONE ARENA TO THEIR WHEELS UP TOUR.

    Audio
    Lady Antebellum
    Nashville, TN  – Feb. 2, 2015 –- ACM “Vocal Group of the Year” nominee Lady Antebellum announced this morning their first-ever Bridgestone Arena show in Nashville on Sept. 11TH.  The stop has recently been added to their 65-city WHEELS UP 2015 TOUR presented by Quicken Loans, which takes flight in Europe on Feb. 28 and descends on North America in May.  Special guests Hunter Hayes and Sam Hunt round out the stacked lineup. Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 6 at 10am CST throughwww.ticketmaster.com.”A show at the Bridgestone has been on our bucket list for a long time,” said Dave Haywood. “We have worked so hard over the years building up our fan base all over the world, but nothing feels better than coming home!””We love Nashville so much for so many reasons,” continued Hillary Scott. “We got our start playing a little club about four blocks from that building, so it is definitely a full circle moment.  We are looking forward to making it a really special night surrounded by our fans and friends in Nashville.”

    “The Wheels Up Tour is taking us to a lot of cool places in Europe, Australia and North America the next few months,” said Charles Kelley. “By the time we make it back to Nashville in September…on my birthday, no less….we’ll be firing on all cylinders.  I hope everyone can come out and celebrate this tour and all this new music with us.”

    The band’s latest single, “Freestyle” is quickly climbing the charts, following their PLATINUM certified multi-week No. one smash hit “Bartender.” The seven-time GRAMMY winning group’s fifth studio album, 747, is available now and follows over 11 million albums sold worldwide, nine trips to No. one on the country radio charts, six Platinum singles and “Vocal Group of the Year” honors from both the CMA and ACMs three years in a row.  For more information and a full list of tour dates visitwww.ladyantebellum.com.

    Audio /

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  • DIERKS BENTLEY HEADS INTO GRAMMY WEEK WITH BI-COASTAL TELEVISION APPEARANCES.

    Press
    Dierks Bentley

    Nashville, TN  – Feb. 2, 2015  – GRAMMY nominee Dierks Bentley is gearing up for back-to-back national television appearances this week with The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2/3, check local listings), the Late Show With David Letterman (2/4 at 10:35pm CST on CBS), and the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards (2/8 at 7pm CST on CBS) where he is nominated for “Country Album of the Year.”

    Bentley is also the most nominated male artist for the upcoming ACM Awards (4/19 at 7pm CST on CBS) with seven nominations including Single Record of the Year for “Drunk On A Plane,” Vocal Event of the Year for “The South,” Video of the Year for “Drunk On A Plane,” Song of the Year for “I Hold On,” Album of the Year for “RISER” and Male Vocalist of the Year.

    The singer/songwriter’s critically acclaimed album RISER, which has “elevated him above the rest of the country pack”(People) has already spawned two consecutive Platinum certified No. One hits with “I Hold On” and “Drunk On A Plane.” Bentley’s six previous studio albums have sold more than five million copies, notched 12 chart-topping singles, earned 12 GRAMMY nominations, countless CMA, ACM and CMT nominations and membership at the Grand Ole Opry. He recently announced his headlining 2015 SOUNDS OF SUMMER TOUR, which launches June 5 in Raleigh, NC and runs through the summer. For a full list of upcoming tour dates and appearances, visit www.dierks.com.

  • ERIC CHURCH GIVES FANS IN SALT LAKE CITY A VERY SPECIAL SHOW!

    Press
    Eric Church
    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – (Feb. 1, 2015) – Eric Church knows what a bummer it is to have your Saturday night plans ruined by a concert cancelation. So rather than pull the plug last minute on his show in Salt Lake City Saturday night after a stomach bug knocked out most of his band and crew, Church gave the crowd something specialand promised them more to come.
     
    “If you’ve seen our show so far on this tour, you’re probably wondering what the hell is going on right now. Well, so am I,” Church told the crowd. “Here’s the deal: Yesterday we had the stomach flu strike our band, our crew, everyone. We had no one to hang video, lights, nothing. But I’m still here. I’m still standing. We’ve talked about how every show on THE OUTSIDERS TOUR is different. Well, tonight will be the most different one. Shit there’s nobody left. It’s just me. I’m going to give you everything I got.” 

    He then announced he’d be back Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, with a full band, and launched into a mostly solo set alone on a stage built for eight with just his acoustic guitar. He gave his fans a stripped-down performance reminiscent of his days as a scrappy club performer. Back then, Church would give his band a break during their six-hour sets and hold the stage alone.

    Church played acoustic versions of current hits “Give Me Back My Hometown,” “Drink In My Hand,” “Cold One” and his most recent No. 1 hit “Talladega.” He also played deep-cut favorites such as “These Boots,” “How ‘Bout You” and “Livin’ Part of Life” from early in his career.  
    Halestorm opened the show with a full 45-minute set. The production and stage were scaled back – only four spotlights and a minimal floor lighting package showcased Church in this unique setting. Guitar players Jeff Hyde, Jeff Cease and Driver Williams joined Church for a few songs and Lzzy Hale came onstage for a remarkable acoustic rendition of “That’s Damn Rock and Roll.” Church worked six mic positions (scaled back from the normal 14), still performing to every section of the 360-degree setup. 

    Saturday’s complete set list is as follows:  
    “Talladega”
    “Drink In My Hand”
    “Guys Like Me”
    “How ‘Bout You”
    “I’m Getting’ Stoned”
    “Creepin’”
    “Like Jesus Does”
    “Cold One”
    “Livin’ Part Of Life”
    “Give Me Back My Hometown”
    “That’s Damn Rock and Roll”
     “Before She Does”
    “Homeboy”
    “These Boots”
    “Like A Wrecking Ball”
    “Jack Daniels”
    “Smoke A Little Smoke”
    “Thunder Road”
    “Springsteen” 

    Fans looking to experience Church’s prowess as a live performer have a unique chance to catch him at the GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 8 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The North Carolina native is up for four GRAMMYs, including Best Country Album and Best Country Song, and will play a yet-to-be-announced song on the CBS broadcast.

    THE OUTSIDERS WORLD TOUR returns to the road on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California.  
    Supporting acts for the May 25 bonus show in Salt Lake City will be announced at a later date. Fans wishing to attend should hold onto all physical tickets. Those unable to attend that show can seek a full refund at point of purchase beginning Wednesday, Feb. 4, until 5 p.m. day of concert.

    Tickets are available at www.ericchurch.com, all Smith’s Tix outlets, www.smithstix.com, the arena box office or by phone at (800) 888-TIXX or (801) 467-TIXX. To learn more about Church, visit www.facebook.com/ericchurch, or follow @EricChurch on Twitter.  

  • SCOTTY McCREERY SCORES PRE-SUPER BOWL GIG AND TICKETS.

    Press
    Scotty Mccreery

    Scotty McCreery is a lifelong New England Patriots fan and will be rooting for them in Sunday’s Super Bowl. He comes by it honest, since his father Mike grew up in Maine and raised the young singer to love all New England sports teams.

    Scotty scored a sweet gig performing for Kraft and the Patriots’ management team at their pre-Super Bowl event Thursday night near Phoenix. All of the fun began a couple of weeks ago when Scotty’s uncle scored two AFC playoff tickets in Foxboro. He and his Dad went and were invited to visit the field while the team was in the middle of pre-game warm-ups.

    Scotty doesn’t want to leave the Seattle Seahawks out – he’s a fan and friend of Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, a former North Carolina State student and has personally wished the QB good luck in the big game.

    Scotty is planning on attending Sunday’s game, even though he flew to Nashville for his scheduled Grand Ole Opry appearance on Friday (January 30th). 

  • ACM AWARDS NOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.

    Audio
    Dierks Bentley / Eric Church / Kacey Musgraves / Lady Antebellum / Little Big Town / Luke Bryan

    The nominations for the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards have been announced, via its social media outlets.
    The awards show will take place April 19th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan return to co-host the event.

    Entertainer of the Year
    Jason Aldean
    Garth Brooks
    Luke Bryan
    Miranda Lambert
    Florida Georgia Line

    Male Vocalist of the Year
    Jason Aldean
    Dierks Bentley
    Luke Bryan
    Eric Church
    Brad Paisley
    Blake Shelton

    Female Vocalist of the Year
    Brandy Clark
    Miranda Lambert
    Martina McBride
    Kacey Musgraves
    Carrie Underwood

    Group of the Year
    Lady Antebellum
    Little Big Town
    Rascal Flatts
    The Band Perry
    Zac Brown Band

    Album of the Year

    Old Boots, New Dirt, Jason Aldean
    Producer: Michael Knox
    Record Label: Broken Bow Records

    Pain Killer, Little Big Town
    Producer: Jay Joyce
    Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

    Platinum, Miranda Lambert
    Producers: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf
    Record Label: RCA Nashville

    Riser, Dierks Bentley
    Producers: Ross Copperman, Jaren Johnston
    Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville

    The Outsiders, Eric Church
    Producer: Jay Joyce
    Record Label: EMI Records Nashville

    Vocal Duo of the Year
    Brothers Osborne
    Florida Georgia Line
    Dan + Shay
    Maddie & Tae
    The Swon Brothers

    New Artist of the Year (currently open for fan voting)
    Brett Eldredge
    Tyler Farr
    Sam Hunt
    Kip Moore
    Thomas Rhett
    Chase Rice
    Cole Swindell
    Dan + Shay

    Single Record of the Year (awarded to artist/producers/record company)

    “American Kids” Kenny Chesney
    “Automatic” Miranda Lambert
    “Dirt” Florida Georgia Line
    “Drunk On A Plane” Dierks Bentley
    “I Don’t Dance” Lee Brice

    Vocal Event of the Year
    Lonely Tonight – Blake Shelton Featuring Ashley Monroe, Producer: Scott Hendricks, Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
    Meanwhile Back At Mama’s – Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill,  Producers: Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw, Record Label: Big Machine Records
    Somethin’ Bad – Miranda Lambert Duet With Carrie Underwood, Producers: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf, Record Label: RCA Nashville
    The South – The Cadillac Three Featuring Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley & Mike Eli, Producers: Dann Huff, Justin Niebank, Record Label: Big Machine Records
    This Is How We Roll – Florida Georgia Line Featuring Luke Bryan

    Video of the Year
    American Kids – Kenny Chesney. Director: Shaun Silva, Producer: Don Lepore
    Cop Car – Keith Urban, Director: John Urbano, Producer: Michelle Abnet
    Drunk On A Plane – Dierks Bentley, Director: Wes Edwards, Producer: Clarke Gallivan
    I’m Not Gonna Miss You – Glen Campbell, Director: James Keach, Producer: Julian Raymond
    Somethin’ Bad – Miranda Lambert Duet With Carrie Underwood, Director: Trey Fanjoy, Producer: Trent Hardville

    Audio / Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet talks about his hopes for Pain Killer.

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    LBT (hopes for Pain Killer) 2 OC: …test of time. :24
    PHILLIP: “Winning awards and having success, commercial success with Tornado, I think, gave us a bigger platform, and for me, I hope that platform – I’m really proud that we made Painkiller, because it’s the best thing we’ve ever done and that we have a platform to share it on is amazing. So, I think we wanted to step up to the challenge and know there’s a great platform here, what are we going to put on it? And we wanted something to stand the test of time.”

     

    Audio / Kacey Musgraves is passionate about her song, “Follow Your Arrow.”

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    Kacey Musgraves (Follow Your Arrow) 2 OC: …accepting other people. :43
    “I get like fired up when I talk about this song, because it’s so fun to play and it’s always interesting. I’m always wary whenever I play it a little bit because it does push some buttons, but people young and old seem to get a kick out of it and just appreciate that fact that like I’m showing love to people who don’t usually get that in our genre. And, too, it’s just funny because no matter what side of the coin you’re on, gay, straight, left, right, black, white, anything, I mean there’s always going to be an opposing opinion so it doesn’t matter. Like society is going to have an opinion either way. You’re never going to make society happy completely. I mean if you’re too fat, then you need to lose weight, but if you lose too much weight, then oh, she’s on crack. It’s just about being who are and accepting other people.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley says his ACM-nominated album Riser is a snapshot of his life at the moment.

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    Dierks Bentley (Riser snapshot) OC: …decided for me. :45
    “I think every record I’ve made has always been a little bit of a Polaroid snapshot of where I was at that place and time when I made it. This particular album just has a lot of scenery in the picture. I mean there’s a lot that’s gone on in the last two years, more so than any other time in my life. You look at some of the bookends of the making of this record – my Dad passing away at the start of the process and then my son Knox being born at the end of the process. It was unexpected…when I made this record I just wanted to have the best songs. I wasn’t sure what they were going to be about, but I wanted them to be the best. I wanted to write my best songs, I wanted to write a lot of songs. I wanted to listen to a lot of outside songs and find the best songs that I could for whatever I was going to write about, but I wasn’t sure what it was gonna be, and then life came along and decided for me.”

    Audio / Eric Church says the story of his ACM-nominated “Give Me Back My Hometown,’ appeals to him as a songwriter.

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    Eric Church (Give Me Back My Hometown) OC: …songwriter. :41
    “I love that it’s about ‘Give Me Back My Hometown,’ but it’s about a guy that’s still in his hometown. He’s in the most familiar place, the place he knows better than anything, but because his female lover left him there, all those places that he knows so well, become so haunting and foreign to him. The loneliness and sadness of it, it’s one of the sadder songs we’ve ever done. To be at the place that you grow up at that is your home, and the person that left you there took that from you, there’s nothing lonelier than that. So, I love that dichotomy of ‘Give Me Back My Hometown,’ when the person’s in it, they’re standing in it, and that appealed to me as a songwriter.”

    Audio / Luke Bryan talks about one of his favorite songs on the album, “Drink a Beer.”

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    Luke Bryan (Drink a Beer) OC: …the album. :50
    “‘Drink a Beer’ is the best way I can describe it is — it’s the coolest sad song I’ve ever heard.  It’s the saddest sad song you’ve ever heard but it’s like it could be played at any really environment and you’re not going to tank the mood. You’re just going to make people reflect and the perfect way you’re going to make them revert back to somebody that they lost, whether it’s their granddad that they used to sit on a boat and drink a beer with. It’s whoever in your life that you’ve lost that you would have shared a beer with, and I think it’s just a perfectly written sad song, and it’s one of those that I’m honored that it found its way to me and I’m honored that it can be on the album.”


  • KIP MOORE IS TO ‘BLAME,’ AS HE TAKES REVENGE ON DIERKS BENTLEY.

    Video
    Dierks Bentley / Kip Moore

    If you happen to pull up beside Dierks Bentley driving his beloved Big White truck, you may want to plug your nose! It may just smell like a barnyard animal, and Kip Moore would be to “Blame.” You see, Kip plotted and conspired and retaliated against Dierks for making him participate – along with Sounds of Summer tourmates Canaan Smith and Maddie & Tae — in his annual Polar Plunge when they jumped into Nashville’s freezing cold Percy Priest Lake earlier in January.

    While Kip was on the road in Montana on his own headlining tour, he had his team fill Dierks’ truck with packing foam peanuts, wrap it in plastic wrap and cover with graffiti and putting a live goat in the bed of the truck, which was filled with hay while the “Say You Do” singer was at a writing appointment.

    “We were thinking about some cool things we could do around the new song, and since Dierks enjoyed watching us jump in the freezing cold lake so much, he immediately came to mind as my first target,” Kip tells Rolling Stone Country.  “The tour hasn’t even started yet, so it could be a long summer but seeing that goat in the back of Big White was worth it.”

    Dierks vows that the first month of the tour, which kicks off June 5th in Raleigh, North Carolina, will be pretty rough for Kip, even threatening his favorite surf board.

    The video showing Kip’s revenge premiered exclusively on Rolling Stone Country Thursday (January 29th).

    Kip, who just released his new single, the aptly titled “I’m to Blame,” is up for the ACM Best New Artist Award, alongside Sam Hunt, Brett Eldredge, Tyler Farr, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Chase Rice and Dan + Shay. You can vote for the award at VoteACM.com and VoteACM.CMT.com.

    Video / Kip Moore gets Dierks Bentley back for lake jump.

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  • GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES OF KEITH URBAN’S LATEST SINGLE, ‘RAISE ‘EM UP,’ FEATURING ERIC CHURCH.

    Video
    Eric Church / Keith Urban

    Check out the behind-the-scenes of Keith Urban‘s latest single, “Raise ‘Em Up,” which features pal and labelmate Eric Church. The song is from Keith’s latest album, Fuse.

    Video / Raise 'Em Up -- Behind the Song

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  • THE 50TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY.

    Audio
    Sam Hunt

    WHAT:  The fourth annual ACM digital press conference, hosted by the Academy of Country Music, CBS Television and dick clark productions via ACM social media channels to announce the nominees for the 50TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, Country Music’s Party of the Year®.

    Hosted by four-time ACM Award winners Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, the ACM Awards will be broadcast LIVE from AT&T Stadium in North Texas on Sunday, April 19th, 2015 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

    WHEN:        Friday, January 30, 2015 at 8:30AM ET / 7:30 AM CT / 5:30AM PT  

    WHERE:  ACM Facebook Page:     www.facebook.com/AcademyOfCountryMusic

                       ACM Instagram Page:    www.instagram.com/ACMawards

                       ACM Twitter Feed:         www.twitter.com/ACMawards

    A full list of nominations for the 50th ACM Awards will be revealed immediately following the nominations announced via social media on www.acmcountry.com.

    MORE:   About the Academy of Country Music Awards

    The 50th Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry.  The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark and Barry Adelman are executive producers.  Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

    The first round of fan voting for New Artist of the Year is underway at VoteACM.com and voteacm.CMT.com and will close Tuesday, February 10th at 6:00pm ET. The final three nominees will be announced in the coming weeks and will move on to compete in the final round of voting for the New Artist category at VoteACM.com. The final round of fan voting begins April 8th and will close on April 19th.

    Audio / Sam Hunt says he’s overwhelmed just being acknowledged in the initial category for ACM New Artist of the Year, along with Kip Moore, Brett Eldredge, Tyler Farr, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell, Dan + Shay and Chase Rice.

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    Sam Hunt (prelim ACMs) OC: …is special. :34
    “I really don’t know what to think about [the initial nomination], in a similar way that I didn’t know what to think about being on the radio when I had my first song on the radio. Growing up, I listened to the radio and watched the award shows, so those are the two biggest, I guess, outlets that represented the top of the top in the country music world. So, to be even potentially affiliated with the ACMs and the other associations that do so much for country music in a category that also has so many talented artists that are at the top of their game in country music. Just to be acknowledged in that community is special.”