Sam Hunt released a new acoustic version of his smash hit, “Hard To Forget.” Currently racing up the country airplay charts and one of the country streaming leaders, “Hard To Forget” is the latest off of Hunt’s chart-topping album SOUTHSIDE.
Named one of US Weekly’s Best Albums of 2020 so far, SOUTHSIDE is Hunt’s second No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart following his 3x Platinum debut album MONTEVALLO. Like MONTEVALLO, Hunt wrote every track on SOUTHSIDE including “Hard to Forget,” the record-breaking “Body Like A Back Road,” and his most recent No. 1 “Kinfolks.”
The New York Times says SOUTHSIDE is “a reminder that Hunt is a Nashville provocateur who can write better songs than almost everyone he’s trying to provoke,” while Rolling Stone pegs Hunt as “an innovator who has remade country in his own image and also figured out how to reclaim its past.” Billboard notes, “his ace storytelling and ability to incorporate hip-hop influence into a more modernized form of country are still intact,” and Stereogum indicates, “Hunt’s formidable charisma and world-building ability” as the through lines of SOUTHSIDE. The album has also earned praise from American Songwriter, Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, NPR and more. Listen to SOUTHSIDE HERE
Sam Hunt is climbing the country charts with his latest smash, “Hard to Forget,” and he says his new album SOUTHSIDE pretty much fell into place when he and his co-writers finished the song.
“I heard the Webb Pierce sample and knew I had to write a song with that sample included in the track,” says Sam. “I didn’t have an idea at the time but I had started this other song with another couple buddies of mine, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, and we started this song and bounced around this idea hard to for ‘Hard to Forget’ and it didn’t sound anything like the version on the record. I had this track and knew I needed a classic title like ‘Hard to Forget’ that just was a play on words. And I’ve done that with other titles but I wanted a classic country title with a play on words like ‘Hard to Forget.’ So, I took that title and highjacked it from the original song and scrapped everything and started over with this Webb Pierce track and this just came out really quickly and that was that. Honestly, the record was all over the place at that point and as soon as that song was finished it all seemed to come together – I think I wrote three or four more songs quickly after that. It was like ‘Okay, we got a record. Let’s go.’”
SOUTHSIDE is the first full album since Hunt’s critically acclaimed, GRAMMY-nominated, Triple-Platinum-selling debut, Montevallo, which was released nearly six years ago in 2014.
Audio / Sam Hunt says when they finished “Hard to Forget,” the new record just fell into place.
Sam Hunt (Hard to Forget) 2 OC: …Let’s go. 1:12 “I heard the Webb Pierce sample and knew I had to write a song with that sample included in the track. I didn’t have an idea at the time but I had started this other song with another couple buddies of mine, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, and we started this song and bounced around this idea hard to for ‘Hard to Forget’ and it didn’t sound anything like the version on the record. I had this track and knew I needed a classic title like ‘Hard to Forget’ that just was a play on words. And I’ve done that with other titles but I wanted a classic country title with a play on words like ‘Hard to Forget.’ So,I took that title and highjacked it from the original song and scrapped everything and started over with this Webb Pierce track and this just came out really quickly and that was that. Honestly, the record was all over the place at that point and as soon as that song was finished it all seemed to come together – I think I wrote three or four more songs quickly after that. It was like ‘Okay, we got a record. Let’s go.’”
“Hey! It’s Jon Pardi, wishing all the fathers out there a very Happy Father’s Day. Here’s to you, Senior. Insert beer can opening sample (sound effect). (laughs)
CMT aired their CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special on Wednesday night (June 3rd) with numerous appearances and performances by such artists as Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt, Darius Rucker, Brothers Osborne, Little Big Town, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, Jason Aldean, Lee Brice, Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Florida Georgia Line Cand many more. The special honored heroes on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, including doctors, nurses, teachers, first responders and more.
Brandon Lay will be performing on Country Outdoors Live on the Outdoor Channel on Friday (May 29TH) beginning at 7pm ET/6pm CT.
Jordan Davis will be answering your questions about his new self-titled EP tonight (May 29th) on Instagram beginning at 7pm ET/6pm CT.
Caylee Hammack is joining fellow Georgian Trisha Yearwood this weekend as a guest on “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen.” Airing tomorrow (May 30th) on Food Network at Noon ET/11am CT, Hammack and Yearwood share stories of their roots and indulge in a menu that takes them back to their days in Georgia. Hammack was a guest on Yearwood’s tour late last year and the two bonded over small town life in Georgia.
Little Big Town will perform their new single, “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: At Home Edition on Monday (June 1st).
Brothers Osborne will be holding their 2020 Family Reunion fan club party virtually. The party will be on http://BrothersOsborne.com, exclusively for all members of The Family. The guys will also be doing a virtual m&g with a few lucky premium members.
Keith Urban and Reba McEntire have been added to the list of artists taking part in CMT CELEBRATES OUR HEROES: AN ARTISTS OF THE YEAR SPECIAL, premiering Wednesday (June 3rd) at 8pm ET/PT on CMT and will simulcast on Paramount Network, Pop TV and TV Land. The two-hour special will also include appearances by Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen, Lee Brice, Sean Penn, Gary Sinise, Scarlett Johansson, Olivia Munn and Zac Brown. Previously announced artists include Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker,
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 honored Americans who have sacrificed their lives in all wars.
“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.”
Eric Church (grandfathers in WW2) OC: …touching to me. :21 “Both of my grandfathers were World War II veterans. I mean, that’s something that’s very rare. I’m not unique, you know. There’s a lot of people out there like that that their grandfathers served. The way that I was raised was very much red, white and blue and very patriotic, and I think that it’s the fact that what they give up is the real thing that’s very touching to me.”
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.”
Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker and Sam Hunt have been added to the star-studded list of performers for the CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special. They will be joined by Luke Combs, Kane Brown, actress Kristin Bell, Brandi Carlile and Lauren Daigle, as well as previously announced performers Brothers Osborne, Little Big Town, Florida Georgia Line, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett.
CMT Celebrates Our Heroes: An Artists of the Year Special will honor pandemic heroes through virtual tributes, call-outs and performances. All talent will film directly from their respective homes. The special will recognize COVID-19 heroes in the following categories: Healthcare, Education, Business, Community Leaders, Food Industry, Infrastructure, First Responders, US Military, and more.
The special will air Wednesday, June 3rd beginning at 8pm ET/PT.
Atlanta-based singer/songwriter BRELAND revs up his breakout single “My Truck” with a fresh remix featuring Country superstar Sam Hunt. Released via Bad Realm/Atlantic Records, the magnetic collaboration comes hot on the heels of the already viral country-trap smash that’s amassed over 50 million streams and more than 11 million music-video views to date. “My Truck (feat. Sam Hunt) [Remix]” is now available at all digital music retailers and streaming services HERE. Upping the ante, BRELAND and Hunt have joined forces, starring in a visualizer for the track — watch now on BRELAND’s YouTube channel HERE.
Building on the original version’s gritty guitar work and hard-hitting beats, “My Truck (feat. Sam Hunt) [Remix]” further reveals BRELAND’s genre-bending ingenuity and supreme skill as a songwriter. In a perfect counterpart to the 24-year-old artist’s powerful vocals, multi-platinum-selling hitmaker Hunt turns in a soul-stirring performance showcasing the incredible range that’s earned him multiple Grammy Award nominations. The collaboration follows the release of Hunt’s chart-topping sophomore album SOUTHSIDE.
As noted by The New York Times, Hunt took notice of “how quickly and freely Breland improvised melodic lines” and for him “it was a rare opportunity to collaborate with someone who approached the country-rap divide from the other side.”
Seeing Hunt’s support as a stamp of approval, BRELAND shares “Sam is one of my favorite artists and a pioneer in country music. I couldn’t think of a more fitting artist to be on this type of genre-bending song. I think he brings an incredible energy to it!”
To celebrate the release, tune in to BRELAND’s Instagram for a must-see IG Live chat with Sam Hunt today at 4p ET / 1p PT.
Since exploding onto the scene with the independent release of “My Truck” in late 2019, BRELAND has shown the tremendous depth of his talent, matching his massive appeal with tightly honed musicianship. Igniting a viral moment with over 520,000 TikTok visuals created to date, “My Truck” soon emerged as a worldwide smash, rising to #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 and US Viral 50 charts and landing on Spotify’s biggest country playlist “Hot Country” (5.7m followers).
Continuing the excitement, BRELAND’s debut EP is expected for release in May.
Sam Hunt recently released critically acclaimed sophomore album SOUTHSIDE. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, SOUTHSIDE is the best-selling country debut of 2020 thus far. Daring in both its emotional heft and sonic explorations, SOUTHSIDE features 12 tracks all written by the multi-platinum-selling star including No. 1 hit “Kinfolks,” the 6x Platinum, record-breaking “Body Like A Back Road,” and current radio hit “Hard To Forget,” a song already being called the Song of the Summer (NPR). SOUTHSIDE follows Hunt’s GRAMMY-nominated, Triple-Platinum-selling debut album, MONTEVALLO, which also topped the Billboard Country Albums Chart in its first week and it remains the best-selling debut album for a country artist since 2011
