In celebration of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, MCA Nashville recording artist Clare Dunn is happy to announce a new addition to the family: Conner, a young pit bull who was scheduled to be euthanized this week.

The singer/songwriter/producer was touring the East Coast last week, prepping for another show on the acclaimed 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour, when she came across Conner’s picture on Instagram. She was immediately drawn to him. “There was just something special about him. He had the sweetest face but I could also tell he had a broken spirit. I had to help him,” said Clare.

The problem? Conner was nearly 3,000 miles away, housed in the Riverside County Animal Services shelter outside of Los Angeles. He’d been there for several weeks, too, and had recently been moved to the shelter’s kill list.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter @ClareDunnMusic flew into LA & adopted a special-needs pooch from us on #NationalAdoptAShelterPetDay.❤️ pic.twitter.com/PEk1R7w5fw

— RivCO animalSERVICES (@helpinRIVcoPETS) May 1, 2019

Dunn contacted a dozen friends, hoping to find someone who could help save the dog. When those attempts failed, she hopped on a flight at 6 a.m. on Tuesday  — National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, coincidentally — and headed straight to California. By the afternoon, she’d officially adopted Conner, and by the evening, Conner was fast asleep in Clare’s lap.

Animals have always played a role in Dunn’s life. Years before launching her country music career in Nashville, Dunn spent her childhood on the family farm in Two Buttes, Colorado, growing up alongside dairy cattle, horses, and dogs. As Conner’s new owner, she continues a lifelong association with the pit bull breed, while also providing a home for an animal who nearly lost his life.

Dunn’s passion for animals is only matched by her passion for music. A triple-threat frontwoman who writes her own songs, plays her own guitar solos, and co-produces her own recordings, she’s made serious strides this spring, racking up more than a quarter-million streams for her newest track, “My Love,” and plays sold-out shows at venues like the Gramercy Theater in New York City. She’ll continue touring this spring and summer…and will probably have to find a dog bed for the bus.

Clare’s upcoming tour dates include:
May 2 | Evansville, IN | K.C.’s Marina Point
May 3 | Des Moines, IA | Wooly’s
May 4 | Columbia, MO | Blue Note
May 30 | Pittsburgh, PA | Tequila Cowboy
May 31 | Columbus, OH | Tequila Cowboy
June 1 | Southern Pines, IL | Sunrise Theater
June 15 | Brookfield, MO | Summerfest
June 21 | Chicago, IL | Country Lake Shake Festival
June 27 | Oshkosh, WI | Country USA 2019
June 29 | Lansing, MI | Common Ground Music Festival
July 13 | Decorah, IA | Winneshiek County Fair
August 3 | Fort Collins, CO | Sundance Steakhouse & Saloon
August 10 | Galva, IL | The Back Road Music Festival
August 16 | Pullman, WA | National Lentil Festival
June 15 | Brookfield, MO | Summerfest
August 16 | Pullman, WA | National Lentil Festival
September 14 | Louisville, KY | Hometown Rising

About Clare Dunn:
MCA Nashville singer/songwriter/producer Clare Dunn is known for her transfixing live shows, powerful vocals, and unparalleled guitar playing.  As part of CMT’s 2019 Next Women of Country Tour, Clare is taking her “big voice” (The Boston Globe) on the road with Hannah Ellis and Cassadee Pope to cities including New York, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Boston. The Colorado native who “can do it all” (CMT) with “swaggering confidence and soulful vocals” (Rolling Stone) caught the attention of rock legend Bob Seger who, after hearing her sound check only once, invited her to open his Ride Out Tour. Clare has been named “One to Watch” by USA Today, Billboard, The Boston Globe and Rolling Stone.

Follow Clare on Social Media: 
www.ClareDunn.com
instagram.com/claredunnmusic
Facebook.com/ClareDunnMusic
Twitter.com/ClareDunnMusic

Adam Hambrick, Billy Currington, Clare Dunn, Kassi Ashton and Travis Denning have been added to the list of performers at this year’s CMA Fest, running June 6th – 9th in downtown Nashville. Check out when and where you can find these free performances, plus many others below.

Chevy Breakout Stage at Walk of Fame Park, Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Bridgestone Plaza and Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage will feature over 110 performances Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9, highlighting fan favorites and rising Country stars daily.

Located at Walk of Fame Park, the lineup at the Chevy Breakout Stage will highlight rising artists from 11:10 AM – 4:55 PM on Thursday, and 10:30 AM – 4:55 PM Friday through Sunday including Carlton Anderson, Tenille Arts, Kassi Ashton, Drew Baldridge, Chris Bandi, Kelleigh Bannen, Bailey Bryan, Austin Burke, Dillon Carmichael, Adam Craig, Travis Denning, Cale Dodds, Adam Doleac, Clare Dunn, Brooke Eden, Filmore, HARDY, Jillian Jacqueline, James Barker Band, Austin Jenckes, Brett Kissel, Love and Theft, Tegan Marie, Steve Moakler, Muscadine Bloodline, Brandon Ratcliff, Brandon Ray, Teddy Robb, Noah Schnacky, Dylan Schneider, Seaforth, Smithfield, Matt Stell, Sweet Tea Trio, Tenille Townes, Rachel Wammack, Waterloo Revival, The Wild Feathers and Carter Winter. Gates for the Chevy Breakout Stage will open to the public at 10:40 AM Thursday, June 6 and 9:30 AM Friday, June 7 through Sunday, June 9. In addition, Miranda Lambert will lead MuttNation’s Mutt March on Thursday, June 6 from 8:30 to 10:30 AM.  Starting at Nissan Stadium, the parade of pups will wind its way across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and into Walk of Fame Park, where Storme Warren will interview Lambert in a live broadcast from the Chevy Breakout Stage on SiriusXM’s The Highway. Register for the MuttMarch here: https://www.MuttNationFoundation.com.

The Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Bridgestone Plaza entertains fans from 10:45 AM – 4:30 PM daily, with the “BMI Tailgate” performances Thursday, June 6 from 2:45 PM – 5:10 PM, which includes Colin Elmore, House Whiskey, Josh Phillips and Dan Smalley. Additional acts taking the stage include The Adelaides, Jay Allen, Roan Ash, Gabby Barrett, Stephen Carey, Troy Cartwright, Crowder, Kyle Daniel, Jaida Dreyer, Ross Ellis, Everette, Fairground Saints, Ray Fulcher, Noah Guthrie, Adam Hambrick, Levi Hummon, Hunter Brothers, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Lauren Jenkins, Willie Jones, King Calaway, The Last Bandoleros, Leaving Austin, Baylee Littrell, Hayley Orrantia, Drew Parker, Stephanie Quayle, Faren Rachels, Elvie Shane, Kalie Shorr, The Sisterhood Band, The Swon Brothers and Lainey Wilson. Gates for the Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Bridgestone Plaza will open to the public at 9:45 AM each day, Thursday through Sunday.

The Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage, located inside the NCVC Visitor Center at Bridgestone Arena, will take place daily from 11:00 AM – 4:40 PM. Thursday’s performances are presented by ASCAP and feature Haley Mae Campbell, Seth Cook, Cross Atlantic, Jobe Fortner, Makayla Lynn, Jill Martin, David Ray, Maggie Renfroe, Joe Robinson and Anna Rose. Friday’s performances are presented by SESAC and feature Blanco Brown, Nora Collins, Spencer Crandall, Erin Enderlin, Aaron Goodvin, Kelly McGrath, Tom O’Connor, Jake Rose, Scott Stevens and Jenny Tolman. Saturday and Sunday’s lineups includes Beoga, Jordan Brooker, Brown & Gray, Shy Carter, Robert Counts, Crawford & Power, Hannah Dasher, Larry Fleet, Kylie Frey, Tony Jackson, Angie Keilhauer, Cory Marks, Jaden Michaels, Emily Ann Roberts, Shane Runion, SixForty1, Tiera, Tyler Reese Tritt, Anna Vaus and The Wandering Hearts.

Additional performers at CMA Fest include Billy Currington at the Chevy Riverfront Stage on Thursday, Randy Houser at Firestone Country Roads Stage at Ascend Amphitheater Presented by BBR Music Group on Thursday and Pam Tillis on the Budweiser Forever Country Stage on Sunday.

All outdoor daytime stages including the Budweiser Forever Country Stage, Chevy Breakout Stage at Walk of Fame Park, Chevy Riverfront Stage, Maui Jim Broadway Stage at Bridgestone Plaza and Nashville Acoustic Corner Stage are free and open to the public. All stage lineups are available in the Official CMA Fest App. Additional stage lineups, Xfinity Fan Fair X activities and more will be announced in the coming weeks. All artist lineups are subject to change.

Artists performing at CMA Fest donate their time so a portion of ticket proceeds can directly benefit high-quality music education initiatives across the United States through the CMA Foundation.

Don’t miss a beat by staying connected with CMA on CMAfest.com, the Official CMA Fest App, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and sign up for CMA Country Connection emails to receive the latest news as soon as it’s announced.

It’s been a wildly prolific month for Clare Dunn. The acclaimed musician with a “big voice and serious guitar prowess” (Boston Globe) turned heads at the seventh-annual Tortuga Music Festival this weekend, earning rave reviews for a fiery set that included crowd favorites, Led Zeppelin covers, and an epic performance of her newest single, “My Love.” This week, Dunn is unveiling even more new material with an acoustic version of her original song “More,” whose video just premiered exclusively on CMT.  Watch the new clip — and note the version you’re listening to is Clare’s first-take vocal recording — here: “More.” 

“In what might have been the day’s most welcome surprise, Clare Dunn’s blend of country, rock, soul, and pop, combined with spirited stage antics and a message of empowerment, sucked in passersby like a vortex,” wrote the Miami New Times of Dunn’s daytime set at Tortuga Music Festival. The praise didn’t stop there, with the paper going on to praise Dunn’s “gruff, sexy voice and swagger like Jagger,” as well as her “masterful vocals and crushing guitar that can only be described as an amalgam of the best of both Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.”

Those accolades arrive on the heels of America’s ecstatic reception for Dunn’s newest single, “My Love,” which earned a standing ovation during her April 3rd performance on the Grand Ole Opry. Inspired by big-voiced singers like Adele, the song was dubbed a “supersized country-pop anthem” by Rolling Stone. It’s also been warmly received by Spotify, where a number of country-themed playlists — including New Boots, New Music Nashville, and Wild Country — added the song during its first two weeks of availability.

A true “triple threat” who writes, sings, produces, and plays lead guitar on her own country-rock songs, Dunn is currently touring America alongside Cassadee Pope and Hannah Ellis as part of the 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour. Dates for the ongoing tour, which kicked off last weekend in Tampa, Florida, are below.

April 18 | Atlanta, GA | Terminal West
April 19 | Charlotte, NC | The Underground
April 20 | Lexington, KY | Manchester Music Hall
April 25 | Boston, MA | Paradise Lounge
April 26 | New York City, NY | Gramercy Theatre
April 27 | Washington, DC | U Street Music Hall
May 2 | Evansville, IN | K.C.’s Marina Point
May 3 | Des Moines, IA | Wooly’s
May 4 | Columbia, MO | Blue Note

About Clare Dunn:
MCA Nashville singer/songwriter Clare Dunn is known for her transfixing live shows, powerful vocals, and unparalleled guitar playing.  As part of CMT’s 2019 Next Women of Country Tour, Clare is taking her “big voice” (The Boston Globe) on the road with Hannah Ellis and Cassadee Pope to cities including New York, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Boston. The Colorado native who “can do it all” (CMT) with “swaggering confidence and soulful vocals” (Rolling Stone) caught the attention of rock legend Bob Seger who, after hearing her sound check only once, invited her to open his Ride Out Tour. Clare has been named “One to Watch” by USA Today, Billboard, The Boston Globe and Rolling Stone.

Luke Bryan is toting some heavy metal. His song “Drunk On You” was certified five-times platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). In addition, the Georgia native’s “Light It Up” and “Most People Are Good” was certified platinum, while his “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” have been certified gold. On the album side, Luke’s What Makes You Country has been certified gold.

Maddie & Tae, Travis Denning and Clare Dunn are scheduled to perform at the Tortuga Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this weekend (April 12th – 14th).

Dierks Bentley will release the music video for his new song “Living,” on Friday.

Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill are among the artists helping the Grand Ole Opry kick off its CMA Fest Week, beginning June 4th and running through June 8th. More artists will be unveiled in the coming weeks at opry.com.

When Clare Dunn hits the road next week as part of the highly-anticipated 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour, the MCA/Universal Nashville recording artist will be bringing a new song along for the ride.

Released on April 5th, “My Love,” Dunn’s latest is a summertime anthem that was co-written, co-produced, and arranged by the multi-talented musician herself. Written alongside Eric Paslay and Jesse Frasure, the song nods not only to the passionate country-rock chops that landed Dunn a coveted opening slot on Bob Seger’s Ride Out Tour and admiration of magazines like Rolling Stone, who praised her “willingness to reach far beyond country’s borders,” but it also shines a light on her soulful roots. It’s a showcase for her supersized voice, too — an instrument that’s every bit as electrifying as her critically-acclaimed work on the electric guitar. Boston Globe recently lauded Dunn for her “big voice and serious guitar prowess.” Listen to “My Love” HERE.

“‘My Love’ is about passion,” explains Dunn, who wrote and recorded the song during breaks in a touring schedule that’s kept her busy for years, sharing shows with Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Bob Seger, Luke Bryan, and others. “It’s about being fearless and opening yourself up to live and love passionately. It can be intimidating to feel passionately about something because it can be looked at as a risk, but I always want to encourage people that it’s a risk worth taking.”

“MY LOVE” is here!!! ❤️ https://t.co/vdswGc7m7z
This song is all about passion & where it can take you. Don’t be afraid to love and to live passionately. I love y'all and am excited for you to hear it!!! Can’t wait to rock out to this one on the road!!
All “My Love”,
Clare pic.twitter.com/lc4QJLBVBw

— Clare Dunn (@ClareDunnMusic) April 5, 2019

Dunn has built her career upon the willingness to take risks. Raised in the western town of Two Buttes, Colorado, she worked on the family farm for years before moving to Nashville, where she earned tuition money for college by driving a silage truck. A powerful performer onstage, she’s earned a reputation as a hotshot producer, too, co-producing every track on her 2015 EP (a release that doubled as her Top 40 debut) while also handling the record’s vocal, guitar, and songwriting duties. She juggles those responsibilities once again with “My Love,” a modern, melody-driven song whose soulful chorus was inspired by big-voiced icons like Adele.

The 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour, which will also feature sets by Cassadee Pope and Hannah Ellis, kicks off on April 11 in Tampa. The full dates and markets are:

April 11 | Tampa, FL | Orpheum

April 12 | Orlando, FL | The Plaza Live

April 18 | Atlanta, GA | Terminal West

April 19 | Charlotte, NC | The Underground

April 20 | Lexington, KY | Manchester Music Hall

April 25 | Boston, MA | Paradise Lounge

April 26 | New York City, NY | Gramercy Theatre

April 27 | Washington, DC | U Street Music Hall

May 2 | Evansville, IN | K.C.’s Marina Point

May 3 | Des Moines, IA | Wooly’s

May 4 | Columbia, MO | Blue Note

About Clare Dunn:
MCA/UNIVERSAL Nashville singer/songwriter Clare Dunn is known for her transfixing live shows, powerful vocals, and unparalleled guitar playing.  As part of CMT’s 2019 Next Women of Country Tour, Clare will take her “big voice” (The Boston Globe) on the road with Hannah Ellis and Cassadee Pope to cities including New York, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Boston. The Colorado native who “can do it all” (CMT) with “swaggering confidence and soulful vocals” (Rolling Stone) caught the attention of rock legend Bob Seger who, after hearing her sound check only once, invited her to open his Ride Out Tour. Clare has been named “One to Watch” by USA Today, Billboard, The Boston Globe and Rolling Stone.

Follow Clare on Social Media: 

www.ClareDunn.com

Facebook.com/ClareDunnMusic

Twitter.com/ClareDunnMusic

MCA/Universal Nashville recording artist Clare Dunn made a splash at two high-profile events over the last two weeks. The artist, dubbed “absolutely magnetic” by Rolling Stone, delivered a powerful halftime performance during the Dallas Mavericks’ Country Night, presented by Budweiser, on February 22nd.  The CMT Next Women of Country alum — who joins Cassadee Pope and Hannah Ellis on the road next month — performed a four-song set at American Airlines Center, bringing the crowd to its feet in applause as she closed.

Cassadee Pope, Clare’s 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour-mate says, “Clare Dunn is just phenomenal and has been really grinding it out over the last few years. I’ve always looked at her as such a hard working woman in music, so I’m really excited to go out on the road with her and see her in action.”

A passionate live performer (lauded by The Boston Globe for her “big voice and serious guitar prowess”), Clare followed that arena standing ovation with a performance she’s dreamed of: a spot on the stage of RFD-TV’s The American — the world’s richest one-day rodeo — before an audience of nearly 30K.

“I watched the very first American a couple years ago on TV, while on the phone to my sister, like it was a Super Bowl game. I think the idea of allowing ‘unknown’ and underdog western athletes to compete on one of the biggest stages in rodeo is really cool. I think it’s encouraging for anyone out there wanting to get into the sport — you have a chance if you have the determination.”

RFD-TV’s The American is an annual rodeo event held each year at Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The American is now “the world’s richest weekend in Western Sports” and pays out $2.35 million through a series of qualifiers, The Semi-Finals, and the final event: RFD-TV’s The American. The event unites the top athletes in the world from the PRCA and pits them against underdogs who advance from The American Semi-Finals, together to battle for the biggest single paycheck of their lives.

“Being a part of the Cavender’s event this weekend was so cool for me. I’ve shopped at Cavender’s since I was little so to have done an event with them before the rodeo was surreal – they’re fantastic folks. Then to step on the American stage before 30k rodeo fans, was absolutely a blast!!! I loved every second of it and it was just an honor to play in front of all those hardworking people.”

Prior to her Sunday, March 3 performance, Clare was a special guest at Cavender’s “Kickoff for The American” party at the Cavender’s Stock Yards store (Saturday, March 2). The event hosted top western vendors, media and fashion influencers from around the country. Clare performed an acoustic set and even had a duet partner — 3-year-old Lydia, the daughter of Rodeo Athlete Blake Knowles and wife Whitney.

The 2019 CMT Next Women of Country Tour kicks off on April 11 in Tampa. A full list of dates and markets are listed below:

April 11 | Tampa, FL | Orpheum
April 12 | Orlando, FL | The Plaza Live
April 18 | Atlanta, GA | Terminal West
April 19 | Charlotte, NC | The Underground
April 20 | Lexington, KY | Manchester Music Hall
April 25 | Boston, MA | Paradise Lounge
April 26 | New York City, NY | Gramercy Theatre
April 27 | Washington, DC | U Street Music Hall
May 2 | Evansville, IN | K.C.’s Marina Point
May 3 | Des Moines, IA | Wooly’s
May 4 | Columbia, MO | Blue Note

About Clare Dunn:
MCA/UNIVERSAL Nashville singer/songwriter Clare Dunn is known for her transfixing live shows, powerful vocals, and unparalleled guitar playing.  As part of CMT’s 2019 Next Women of Country Tour, Clare will take her “big voice” (The Boston Globe) on the road with Hannah Ellis and Cassadee Pope to cities including New York, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Boston. The Colorado native who “can do it all” (CMT) with “swaggering confidence and soulful vocals” (Rolling Stone) caught the attention of rock legend Bob Seger who, after hearing her sound check only once, invited her to open his Ride Out Tour. Clare has been named “One to Watch” by USA Today, Billboard, The Boston Globe and Rolling Stone.

Follow Clare on Social Media:
www.ClareDunn.com
Facebook.com/ClareDunnMusic
Twitter.com/ClareDunnMusic
Instagram.com/ClareDunnMusic

Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry will be featured in a new half-hour American Idol special on ABC to air ahead of the 91^st Oscars on Sunday (February 24th). In American Idol: A New Journey Begins, Seacrest sits down with judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie to discuss the Season 2 return of the series and share a preview of this year’s crop of new talent. The panel also will answer fan questions and share behind-the-scenes secrets. It will air at 4pm ET Sunday. In addition, ABC will air a musical performance featuring some of the auditionees from the upcoming premiere episode to air during the live broadcast. The new season of American Idol will premiere March 3rd at 8pm ET.

Speaking of the Oscars, don’t forget to tune-in on Sunday to watch Kacey Musgraves present at this year’s Oscars. The 91st Academy Awards will air live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday (February 24th) at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ABC.

Kip Moore will be featured in a new special on the Audience Network on DirecTV/UVerse on March 1st, which will include performances from his show at L.A.’s Wiltern Theater, as well as footage from his Journey to Slowheart documentary. The special will air at 9pm ET/PT.

Darius Rucker has been announced as the recipient of the Music Business Association’s Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award for his years of charitable contributions, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and MUSC Children’s Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina (Darius’ hometown). He will accept the honor during the annual Music Biz 2019 Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner May 7th in Nashville. Previous recipients of the Humanitarian Award include Martina McBride, Melissa Etheridge, Annie Lennox and Bonnie Raitt, among others.

Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Lauren Alaina, Clare Dunn and Kassi Ashton are among the artists playing the first annual Hometown Rising Country Music & Bourbon Festival September 14th and 15th in Louisville, Kentucky. Tim McGraw, Dwight Yoakam, Brett Young and Jake Owen will also perform. For ticket information, go to hometownrising.com.

Kassi Ashton, Travis Denning, Clare Dunn and Caylee Hammack are on the bill for the “Next From Nashville” stage at this year’s Country LakeShake Festival in Chicago June 21st-23rd.