• FATHER’S DAY 2016, PART 1: AJ, Canaan, Darius, Dierks, Eric Church, Eric Paslay, Keith, Kip, Lady A, Luke, Sam

    Father’s Day is Sunday (June 19th), and we have thoughts, memories and more with many of your favorite country stars! Check them out and download below.

    Audio / Alan Jackson allows his three daughters to live and learn.

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    AJ (parenting style) OC: …what they did.  :19
    “We try to be just not pushy hands-on parents. We let them live and be their own way. I’m not stern with them. You know, I’m funny and light, and try to give them guidance and let them live and learn their own ways. And that’s something, I think, my parents did. It was accidental, but that’s what they did.”

    Audio / Canaan Smith says his father is a big inspiration.

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    Canaan Smith (Father’s Day) OC: …I love him. :35
    “My dad, I think is just the greatest man. He’s always provided for us. He was always there. He was always a great dad. He worked his butt off, you know, and showed me what it was like to work hard and provide for a family, and I just hope I can do that one day too. We’ve always had a special bond. He’s been a songwriter and a singer too for a long, long time, and so I got to grow up listening to him do his thing, sitting in the other room while they do band rehearsal. I’d be sitting on the couch in the other room just taking it all in, dreaming one day to be behind that microphone, so he’s definitely been an inspiration. I love him.”

    Audio / Canaan Smith (Father’s Day) 2 OC: …learned that too. :45

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    “I learned that music scores chicks. [laughs] My dad had a rehearsal one time at his piano player’s house, and I was sitting on the couch in the living room, and the piano player had two daughters that were around my same age, and they were sitting on either side of me on the couch. I thought I was king of the world, you know, watching this rock and roll band and a girl around each arm, and I was like six-years-old, eight-years-old something like that, old enough to know that was pretty awesome! My dad, he taught me hard work too. It took rehearsals. It took dedication. You can’t just get up on a stage and fly by the seat of your pants. You have to be prepared, and so I learned that too.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker says his kids would say he was a fun dad, unless they did something wrong.

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    Darius Rucker (Father’s Day) OC: …loving dad. :41
    “I think if you asked my kids what kind of Dad I was they would probably say…Danny would say that I was a fun Dad. My little daughter would say that I was a fun dad; she thinks I’m a lot of fun. I think if you caught them at the right moment they would say I was mean [laughs] because when I’m home I’m not afraid to discipline them. I’m all fun until it’s not fun anymore and then daddy’s not the fun guy. I think that they’d say that I was a fun Dad, I’m a loving Dad and I think they would say that. I’m gone so much that when I’m home, I just shower love upon my kids. I say ‘I love you’ probably fifty times a day. We hug, we kiss all the time. I’m always wanting them to know how much I love them. So I’d hope they’d say that I was a loving dad.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker says his mother made him a good father to his three children.

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    Darius Rucker (mother’s qualities makes him a great father) OC: …my mom. :45
    “She had a lot great qualities, but she was always, family was first for her. She was always a rock and making sure she took care of us and making sure we had things we needed to have to survive – food and clothes and a home – and seeing that and seeing how hard she worked and all the things she did just really made me the father that I am today. I mean, I’m so crazy and hands-on with my kids. I think it all comes from watching my mom have to struggle so much to support us. And so now, I don’t want me or my wife to ever have to struggle, and I don’t want my kids to ever want or wonder where I am or where there mom is. I want them to always know where we are and always be taken care of, and that all comes from my mom.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley, the father of three, is very grateful to his own dad for turning him on to country music as a kid.

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    Dierks (Father’s Day) OC: …that’s for sure. :10
    “My dad was my biggest influence in country music because my dad loved country radio. So, we always drove around listening to country radio and George Strait, Hank Williams and Randy Travis and all these guys, so. Without him, I wouldn’t be doing this, that’s for sure.”

    Audio / Dierks Bentley explains how being a father (to three children) has changed him.

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    Dierks Bentley (how fatherhood has changed him) OC: …different. :07
    “There’s a whole kind of different universe that has opened up that I never knew existed, and I’m not the center of it, which is really cool. It just makes you look at things totally different.”

    Audio / Eric Church describes his father and the qualities he admires in him.

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    Eric Church (Father’s Day) OC: …always admired. :29
    “My dad is a, I’m trying to find the right words to describe him. My dad is a great guy, honest guy, very call it like he sees it, which is where I get a lot of that. No BS. I’m gonna tell you how I feel whether you like it or not. I’m that guy, I’m me…My dad’s that way, so I get a lot of that from him. There’s also an honesty and an integrity that my dad carries himself with that I’ve always admired. I think the both of them combined, and they’ve been married for I think 40 years, to be together that long in this day and time is a feat in itself.”

    Audio / Eric Paslay says his father taught him how to work hard and to do a lot of things himself, such as electrical work and other handyman tasks.

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    Eric Paslay (Father’s Day) OC: …ceiling fan. :23
    “He just taught me that working hard and sticking it out, even when you know things aren’t right, that if you stick it out, it’s worth it in the end. And he just taught me to work hard, and there’s a lot of things that you don’t have to pay someone else to do, and it feels more rewarding when you’re able to put in new light fixtures or paint your own walls or put in a new ceiling fan.”

    Audio / Keith Urban – father to daughters Sunday and Faith -- says there are a number of things that are at the top of the list of being a dad.

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    Keith Urban (Father’s Day) OC: …experience that. :36
    “The first thing is probably just having someone call you dad. I’m like, ‘Omigosh! I’m her dad! That’s amazing.’ That’s probably the first thing to me. I don’t know, I mean, the different personalities that our two daughters have, that’s amazing. It’s such a long list I think. I always say…I think for the people that haven’t had kids – which I hadn’t for a long, long time. I didn’t have kids ‘til later on, and being around it is not the same as having them, you know? I realize that it’s not something that can be explained until you actually sort of have it, so I’m glad I got to experience that.”

    Audio / Kip Moore talks about his father’s influence on his music career, and how he’d play classics on their fishing trips.

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    Kip Moore (Father’s Day-dad’s influence) OC: …of us singin’ ‘em. :29
    “He would just play all those classic records – Little River Band, Jackson Brown, Springsteen, Seeger, Willie Nelson, the Red-Headed Stranger, Kristofferson, Sam Cook – like classic music. He’d be singing the songs and telling us why it was such good music. And I looked up to him so much, that’s the music I gravitated towards and that’s what I continue to listen to. Whenever I think about those old fishing trips, that’s what I think about is on the way down there, him singing those songs and all of us singin’ ‘em.”

    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood says his father was a big influence both personally and musically, and he wants to pass along those qualities to his own children.

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    Lady A (Father’s Day-Dave) OC: …like that. :39
    “My dad was a really hard worker growing up and was always great, however hard he worked, he’d always make important time for family, important time to be home for dinner and be there for a lot of special moments for us growing up. For all the money he would make, he would always give a portion of it back to charity or to the church, and so that was always important for me to watch. We had a great relationship growing up. My dad plays guitar; he’s very musical. I learned how to play acoustic guitar with him playing ‘Day Tripper’ by the Beatles and all these old songs we’d play together when he’d show me how to play these James Taylor songs and things like that. So, definitely want to pass along music, of course, to my children, as well, like that.”

     

    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott says her father is a great communicator.

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    Lady A (Father’s Day-Hillary) OC: …my children. :33
    “I definitely got my Type-A personality from my dad. He’s the same way, but one thing I’m so appreciative of – especially from a father-daughter relationship – my dad always, always talked to me, even when I didn’t want to talk to him. He would force me to communicate and talk through things, and not always the easy stuff, which is such a rare quality in a man, truthfully. And so, I am very, very thankful for that. I think it helped me find the right husband for me, and I also know that it will help me be that much of a better communicator to my children.”

    Audio / While Luke Bryan has a show in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday (Father’s Day), he says all he wants or needs on this special day is to be with his family.

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    Luke Bryan (Father’s Day 2016) OC: …I’m happy. :39
    “Well, I’m doing a show but the boys will be there. As long as we’re together as a family, and my wife is so great about wanting to, like, if it were up to her every moment like that would be fireworks and balloons filled, cakes and all that. They’re gonna come up to our show, and then we’ve got a couple days together. Just as long as I get to be with my family on important days, whether it’s birthdays or anniversaries or stuff like that or certainly Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, that’s all I need. Just let them make me a cup of coffee in the morning and I’m happy.”

    Audio / Sam Hunt says his father taught him a lot about being a man and knowing the right thing.

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    Sam Hunt (Father’s Day) OC: …he’s great. :27
    “I’m obviously biased about my parents, but I’ve been around a lot of great men of integrity, but he is by far the best man that I know. He’s just taught me so much about being a man, doing the right thing, knowing the difference between right and wrong. And even though I don’t always follow his lead, I definitely know better because of him, and that means a whole lot to me. I was just really fortunate to have him as a dad, and he’s great.”

  • CMA MUSIC FEST 2016: Eric, Chris and Sam

    Numerous country artists performed, met with and signed autographs for hundreds of thousands of fans from around the world. On Friday, not only did Eric Paslay, Clare Dunn, Canaan Smith, Mickey Guyton, Easton Corbin, Alan Jackson and Lauren Alaina take part in CMA Music Fest, but at Nissan Stadium were performances by Eric Church, Sam Hunt and Chris Stapleton, among others.

    Eric Church made a surprise appearance at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop following his stadium performance and performed The Band’s “Ophelia” with Charlie Worsham.

    Chris brought the crowd to his feet performing songs from his award-winning album, Traveller. “It’s a remarkable thing to get to be a part of a mass of people who wanna listen to music,” says Chris.

    Sam Hunt says coming to CMA Music Festival years ago inspired him to move to Nashville. “I was here several years ago for the first time for CMA Fest as a fan. I came out to the show, did the full experience, and it really was one of the big reasons I decided to move to Nashville,” he says. “It kind of made the idea of being a songwriter more tangible and realistic, and also I fell in love with the city, Nashville, so I knew it’d be a place I’d be happy living, and also because of the music. So, yeah, that week here really inspired my move here, and it was a significant part of my life.”

    Chris  is currently on the airwaves with his latest single, “Parachute,” while Sam is making his way up the charts with “Make You Miss Me.”

    Audio / Chris Stapleton says it’s “remarkable” people come to Nashville for a week to celebrate country music.

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    Chris Stapleton (CMA Music Fest) OC: …It’s great. :20
    “It’s a weird thing, you know, like I can’t think of any other word, other than that I live down the street, so just gonna drive down to the football stadium and play for 25 minutes, you know. Yeah, it’s a remarkable thing to get to be a part of a mass of people who wanna listen to music. It’s great.”

    Audio / Sam Hunt says his first trip to Nashville for CMA Music Fest was what inspired him to move to Nashville.

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    Sam Hunt (CMA Music Fest-move to Nashville) OC: …good week for Nashville. :38
    “You know, I was here several years ago for the first time for CMA Fest as a fan. I came out to the show, did the full experience, and it really was one of the big reasons I decided to move to Nashville. It kind of made the idea of being a songwriter more tangible and realistic, and also I fell in love with the city, Nashville, so I knew it’d be a place I’d be happy living, and also because of the music. So, yeah, that week here really inspired my move here, and it was a significant part of my life. But since then, I’ve been to every CMA Fest since, I think, and it’s a good week for Nashville.”

  • MEMORIAL DAY 2016

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

    Some of your favorite country artists talk about what it means to be free because of the brave men and women willing to fight and sacrifice for our freedom.

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

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

    Audio / Eric Church, whose grandfathers served in World War II, says the sacrifices the men and women in the military make are really touching.

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    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.”

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

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

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

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

    For liners, go to https://pressroom.umgnashville.com/news/memorial-day-liners-billy-brothers-darius-easton-church-paslay-jon-josh-keith-lauren-lbt-luke-sam/

    For other soundbites go to https://pressroom.umgnashville.com/news/memorial-day-audio-dierks-church-keith-kelleigh-lbt-luke-sam/

     

  • NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL COUNTRY VOLUME 9 DUE JUNE 10TH.

    On June 10th, Universal Music Group Nashville will release Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 9, the latest installment in the popular NOW series. Country music fans can hear hits by some of their favorite artists including Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney and more. The album is available for pre-orderHERE.

     Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 9 includes 18 of today’s hottest country hits including 15 #1 singles plus a bonus track from NOW’s What’s Next artist, Clare Dunn.

    1.      Luke Bryan                             Strip It Down

    2.      Sam Hunt                                Take Your Time

    3.      Carrie Underwood                  Smoke Break

    4.      Cam                                         Burning House

    5.      Little Big Town                      Girl Crush

    6.      Chris Young                            I’m Comin’ Over

    7.      Kenny Chesney                       Save It For A Rainy Day

    8.      Brad Paisley                            Country Nation

    9.      Dierks Bentley                        Drunk On A Plane

    10.  Granger Smith                         Backroad Song

    11.  Chris Janson                            Buy Me A Boat

    12.  Maddie & Tae                         Girl In A Country Song

    13.  Kelsea Ballerini                       Dibs

    14.  Jana Kramer                            I Got The Boy

    15.  Brothers Osborne                    Stay A Little Longer

    16.  Billy Currington                      Don’t It

    17.  Old Dominion                         Break Up With Him

    18.  Rascal Flatts                            I Like The Sound Of That

     

    NOW presents What’s Next

    19.  Clare Dunn                              Tuxedo

    The project is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. This release is part of the multi-platinum NOW That’s What I Call Music! compilation series, the world’s best-selling multi-artist albums with sales topping 98 million in the U.S.  Last year, NOW That’s What I Call Country Vol 8 debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country albums chart.  Now That’s What I Call Country Vol. 9 is distributed by Universal Music Group.NOW and NOW That’s What I Call Music! are registered trademarks of Universal Music Group and its affiliates.

  • MOTHER’S DAY LINERS 2016

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Canaan Smith (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Clare Dunn (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey! What’s up? This is Clare Dunn, hoping you have a Happy Mother’s Day.”

     

    Audio / LINER Darius (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, what’s up? This is Darius Rucker, hoping you have a Happy Mother’s Day.

    Audio / LINER Dierks (Mother’s Day)

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

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

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

    Audio / LINER Eric Paslay (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER George Strait (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Josh Turner (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Kacey Musgraves (Mother’s Day)

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

     

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Kelleigh Bannen (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER LBT (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Mother’s Day)

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

    Audio / LINER Sam Hunt (Mother’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Sam Hunt, wishing you a very Happy Mother’s Day.

    Audio / LINER Shania Twain (Mother’s Day)

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

  • LUKE BRYAN AND SAM HUNT ARE BIG WINNERS AT THIS YEAR’S ACC AWARDS.

    Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt took home a pair of trophies each at Sunday night’s American Country Countdown Awards. Luke, who performed his latest single “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” was presented Male Vocalist of the Year award, as well as the night’s top honor, Artist of the Year. Sam performed his latest single, “Make You Miss Me,” and was awarded Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Digital Album of the Year for Montevallo.

    Chris Stapleton’s Traveller was named Album of the Year, while Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” won Digital Song of the Year.

    Toby Keith wrapped the night with a tribute to the late Merle Haggard. He performed a medley of some of Merle’s biggest hits — “Mama Tried,” “Today I Started Loving You Again,” “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink,” “Workin Man Blues,” “Silver Wings” and “Okie From Muskogee.”

    Other winners included Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion and Florida Georgia Line.

    The show is based on country music’s longest-running radio countdown show, American Country Countdown. Winners were determined by radio airplay charts, sales and streaming data from April 1st, 2015 to March 28th, 2016.

    Photo credit: Sounds Like Nashville

  • SAM HUNT INVITES SPECIAL GUESTS DURING HIS SET AT THIS YEAR’S STAGECOACH MUSIC FESTIVAL.

    During Sam Hunt’s Stagecoach performance over the weekend, he surprised the crowd with appearances by rapper Snoop Dogg and pop stars G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha, the latter singing their hit “Me, Myself & I.” Snoop then performed his classic “The Next Episode” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” The four then shared their talents on Sam’s hit “House Party.” The idea for the on-stage collaboration came from Sam and Bud Light Music as part of the beverage company’s Stage Moments series.

    anheuser-busch-stagecoach-20160430-043316-405

    (Sam Hunt, Snoop Dogg, Bebe Rexha, and G-Eazy pose for a photo backstage at Stagecoach 2016. Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch)

    Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton and Eric Paslay also performed over the weekend at Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California.

    Sam is climbing the country charts with his latest single, “Make You Miss Me,” from his Montevallo album.

  • SAM HUNT LEADS THE LIST OF COUNTRY NOMINEES FOR THIS YEAR’S BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS.

    Sam Hunt leads the list of nominated country artists at this year’s Billboard Music Awards with four nods. He’s nominated for Top Country Artist, Top Country Album for Montevallo and two nominations in the Top Country Song category for “Break Up in a Small Town” and “Take Your Time.”

    Luke Bryan and Chris Stapleton follow with a pair of nods, including Top Country Artist and Top Country Album for Kill the Lights and Traveller, respectively, while Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” is up for Top Country Song.

    The 2016 Billboard Music Awards will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas May 22nd.

    2016 Billboard Music Awards Nominations:

     

    Top Country Artist:
    Zac Brown Band
    Luke Bryan
    Sam Hunt
    Chris Stapleton
    Carrie Underwood


    Top Country Album:
    Chris Stapleton, Traveller
    Luke Bryan, Kill The Lights
    Sam Hunt, Montevallo

    Zac Brown Band, Jekyll + Hyde
    Carrie Underwood, Storyteller

     

    Top Country Song:
    Sam Hunt, “Break Up In A Small Town”
    Sam Hunt, “Take Your Time”
    Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”
    Thomas Rhett, “Die A Happy Man”
    Chris Young, “I’m Comin’ Over”

  • SAM HUNT IS ADDED TO THE LIST OF PERFORMERS AT THIS YEAR’S ACC AWARDS.

    Sam Hunt has been added to the list of performers at this year’s American Country Countdown Awards next month. He’ll be joined by Martina McBride, Kelsea Ballerini, Cam, Dan + Shay and Cole Swindell. Previously announced performers include Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line.

    Luke is leading the list with seven nominations, while Sam follows with five.

    The 2nd Annual ACC Awards will air live from The Forum in Inglewood, California May 1st beginning at 8pm ET/PT delayed.

  • LUKE BRYAN LEADS THE LIST OF NOMINEES AT THIS YEAR’S ACC AWARDS.

    Finalists for the 2016 American Country Countdown Awards were announced today. Luke Bryan leads the nominees with seven nods, including the night’s biggest honor, Artist of the Year. Sam Hunt has five, while Thomas Rhett and Zac Brown Band each have four.

    The American Country Countdown Awards are based on country music’s longest-running radio countdown show, “American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks,” which has recognized the best in country radio for more than 40 years. This year’s host and additional performers and presenters will be announced soon.

    The 2016 American Country Countdown Awards will air live from the Forum in Los Angeles, California May 1st at 8pm ET/PT delayed on FOX. (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. Tickets for the American Country Countdown Awards at the Forum are on sale now atwww.ticketmaster.com.
    ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Blake Shelton

    Florida Georgia Line

    Jason Aldean

    Luke Bryan

    Sam Hunt 

     

    MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

    Blake Shelton

    Jason Aldean

    Luke Bryan

    Sam Hunt

    Thomas Rhett

     

    FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

    Cam

    Carrie Underwood

    Jana Kramer

    Kelsea Ballerini

    Miranda Lambert
    GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR

    A Thousand Horses

    Dan + Shay

    Florida Georgia Line

    Old Dominion

    Zac Brown Band
    BREAKTHROUGH MALE OF THE YEAR

    Chris Janson

    Michael Ray

    Sam Hunt

     

    BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE OF THE YEAR

    Cam

    Jana Kramer

    Kelsea Ballerini

     

    BREAKTHROUGH GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR

    A Thousand Horses

    Dan + Shay

    Old Dominion

     

    SONG OF THE YEAR

    “Stay A Little Longer” – Brothers Osborne

    “Home Alone Tonight” – Luke Bryan featuring Karen Fairchild

    “Strip It Down” – Luke Bryan

    “Die A Happy Man” – Thomas Rhett

    “Homegrown” – Zac Brown Band

     

    ALBUM OF THE YEAR

    “Storyteller” – Carrie Underwood

    “Traveller” – Chris Stapleton

    “Kill the Lights” – Luke Bryan

    “Montevallo” – Sam Hunt

    “Jekyll + Hyde” – Zac Brown Band

     

    DIGITAL SONG OF THE YEAR

    “Girl Crush” – Little Big Town

    “Kick The Dust Up” – Luke Bryan

    “Die A Happy Man” – Thomas Rhett

     

    DIGITAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

    “Anything Goes” – Florida Georgia Line

    “Montevallo” – Sam Hunt

    “Tangled Up” – Thomas Rhett

     

    TOURING ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Garth Brooks

    Kenny Chesney

    Luke Bryan

    Shania Twain

    Zac Brown Band

     

    AMERICAN COUNTRY COUNTDOWN AWARDS finalists and winners for all categories are based on radio airplay charts, sales and streaming data from April 1, 2015 to March 28, 2016 provided by BuzzAngle Music. Touring data is from Pollstar “The Concert Hotwire.” The NASH Icon Award is chosen by The American Country Countdown.