Luke Bryan has pulled back the curtain somewhat to showcase what drives his music in a new online series.
Episode 1 finds the four-time Entertainer of the Year talking about the inspiration behind his music, featuring “Waves,” from the album Born Here Live Here Die Here (Deluxe Edition), out now!
The deluxe version was released this past Friday (April 9th) and features six new tracks.
Taylor Swift sent fans on a huge Easter Egg/Scavenger hunt before unveiling the track list for Fearless (Taylor’s version), which is set for release this Friday (April 9th). “The vault door is about to be unhinged as you’ll think I am after you watch this video,” she tweeted.
The vault door is about to be as unhinged as you’ll think I am after you watch this video.
Level: Expert
Happy decoding! pic.twitter.com/xBXBXGVcdb
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 2, 2021
Her fans immediately decoded the clues and revealed Keith Urban would also be included on the album. The only song previously released from the re-recordings is “You All Over Me (From The Vault),” featuring Maren Morris on background vocals.
The global superstar commended her fans on socials and wrote, “Here’s the full track list, my friends. I’m really honored that @keithurban is a part of this project, duetting on That’s When and singing harmonies on We Were Happy. I was his opening act during the Fearless album era and his music has inspired me endlessly. I’m counting down the minutes til we can all jump into this brave world together, filled with equal parts nostalgia and brand newness.”
You cracked the codes and guessed all the From The Vault titles. 👏👏👏 Here’s the full track list, my friends. pic.twitter.com/lC3awlRmm2
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 3, 2021
.@jackantonoff and @aaron_dessner asked if I’d join their band and I said hell yes!! They said you’re gonna love our lead singer – she’s fearless 😉 We got to sing together and were so happy, and I said that’s magic when stars align like that !!!!! https://t.co/wFKvKtKTgT
— Keith Urban (@KeithUrban) April 3, 2021
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) will include Fearless‘ original 20 songs (19 tracks from the Platinum edition and “Today Is a Fairytale”), plus six newly recorded songs that she had written around the time of the Fearless sessions.
Taylor is also currently making her way up the country charts with her single, “no body, no crime” from her recently released album, evermore.
Taylor Swift (explains why Fearless rerecorded first) OC: …time around. :45
“Deciding on what album to re-record first was pretty easy for me. I always gravitated towards Fearless, because I think that as an album, it was a real coming-of-age and I look back on that album, and it filled me with such pride. It was an album about hope and lessons learned and the effervescence of teenage youth and all that, so what more fun than to go back and explore that? And I think that I tried to keep it as close to the original as possible, and the additional songs that I’ve added are songs that I think add insight into what the album almost was; because every time you make an album, you leave songs off, and I think that it’s really cool that the fans will get to have the full picture this time around.”
One of America’s most beloved bands, GRAMMY-winning Hootie & the Blowfish have announced a new livestream performance together with Sessions, on sale now. The virtual performance will be an online presentation of the tour-closing performance from their hugely successful 2019 Group Therapy Tour, broadcast exclusively via Sessions Live on Friday, April 23rd at 8 p.m. CT.
The acclaimed group will perform some of their greatest hits, including “Hold My Hand,” “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Time” and “Let Her Cry” in never-before-aired footage from their sold-out homecoming stop in Columbia, South Carolina – the band’s first return to playing the city where it all began in almost 20 years. Fans who missed out on attending the live shows, or who want to relive those fun nights they shared together, can tune in to experience this live stream.
“We loved every minute of being back on stage together – especially in Columbia,” shared lead singer Darius Rucker. “We all miss live music right now, so we’re really excited to be able to offer this show to our fans who can now experience the energy of that night from home.”
“We’re thrilled that Hootie & the Blowfish have chosen to make Sessions the home for this very special performance,” said Sessions co-Founder Tim Westergren. “Live streaming continues to integrate ever more closely with physical performances as globally popular artists discover the value of an infinite virtual stage.”
Early-bird GA tickets priced at $15 are on sale now at SessionsLive.com/Hootie/tickets. GA ticket prices will increase to $20 on April 20 at 8 p.m. CT. VIP ticket packages priced at $250 are also available, which include access to the live stream as well as an autographed tour pass and access to an exclusive virtual afterparty Q&A session with the band.
Formed at the University of South Carolina in 1986 in Columbia, the band broke through with their Billboard chart-topping 1994 debut Cracked Rear View, which has been certified Diamond and remains among the top 10 best-selling studio albums of all time. The band’s blend of rock, blues, soul, and pop music endeared them to fans worldwide, helping them sell more than 25 million records to date. In addition to the sold-out Group Therapy Tour, the band also released new album Imperfect Circle in late 2019 under a new record deal with Universal Music Group’s Capitol Nashville.
For more information, visit www.Hootie.com, and follow on Facebook @hootieandtheblowfish, Twitter @HootieTweets and Instagram @hootieofficial.
Award-winning actress and EMI Records Nashville recording artist Chrissy Metz releases new song “Girl Go” today. Written by Metz with Dan Fernandez, Faren Rachels and Lainey Wilson, “Girl Go” stems from Metz’s appreciation in her own life’s story of receiving that extra little nudge of encouragement to go out and chase her dreams.
“‘Girl Go’ was inspired by the beginning of my journey from Gainesville, Fla. to Los Angeles and just needing somebody to believe in me and to say ‘go – go and do it, be bold, be brave, be courageous,’” recalls Metz. “I remember being that bright-eyed, very eager, excited girl to pursue her dreams and this really encapsulates that moment.”
Listen to Chrissy Metz’s “Girl Go” HERE
“Girl Go” is the latest track from Metz who spent much of 2020 writing and recording in Nashville, Tenn. working towards her first full music project. Metz can be found in the current issue of Garden & Gun magazine discussing her childhood in the south and discovering her love of music and singing. While an award-winning actress well-known for her role as “Kate Pearson” on NBC’s This Is Us, Metz has always called music her “first love.” Additional music from the star includes “Talking To God,” “Actress,” “Feel Good,” plus a recent “Feel Good” Dave Audé remix.
For more information, visit www.ChrissyMetzMusic.com.
Chrissy Metz socials: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
Chrissy Metz (Girl Go) OC: …relate to it. :35
“So, ‘Girl Go’ was actually inspired by the beginning of my journey from moving from Gainesville, Florida to Los Angeles and really having these big dreams coming from a small town and just needing somebody to say, ‘Go! Go do it. Be brave. Be bold. Be Courageous.’ And who doesn’t need that? Sometimes we need somebody to believe in us before we can believe in ourselves, even when we feel as if we’re never going to get to the place that we are meant to be. I hope you love this song, and I hope you can relate to it.”
Seven-time Grammy winner Carrie Underwood is returns with a new album of gospel hymns, My Savior, as well as a special live virtual concert on Easter Sunday. Joining NBC’s TODAY live, she says “I got to go into the studio to sing these songs that are so hopeful and so peaceful … I hope people find some peace and comfort in these songs.”
She gave a special performance of “Just As I Am” among others from the new album on the show. Check it out below.
Country superstar Alan Jackson will release his first album of all new music in six years this spring – Where Have You Gone arrives May 14th. Packed with 21 performances, Where Have You Gone is Jackson’s 16th studio album – his 25th in a storied career that includes two Christmas albums, two gospel albums, three Greatest Hits collections, a bluegrass album, and one boxed set.
Jackson – a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame – penned 15 of the album’s songs, including the title track. Keith Stegall, his longtime producer, once again plays that role on Where Have You Gone.
“It’s a little harder country than even I’ve done in the past,” Jackson admits. “And it’s funny, I was driving and listening to the final mixes Keith sent me, and I started to tear up. I was surprised to get so overly emotional, but I just love this kind of music.”
“This kind of music” on Where Have You Gone runs the gamut of what embodies true country music. “When I write, I visualize back home and growing up,” the Country Music Hall of Fame member says. “Real country songs are life and love and heartache, drinking and Mama and having a good time…but it’s the sounds of the instruments, too. The steel and acoustic guitar, the fiddle – those things have a sound and a tone…and getting that right, the way those things make you feel, that’s country, too.”
“Alan’s taken his experiences over the last six years and implemented his poet’s perspective to weave together a masterful love letter to country music,” says UMG Nashville President Cindy Mabe. “This is Alan’s story but it’s also the story of country music. This music love letter was written about the most universal experiences in life, almost exclusively with Alan’s own pen, and it’s once again a reminder of what a one-of-a-kind creator he truly is.”
Led by the self-penned title track, Where Have You Gone is highlighted by such songs as the poignant and thoughtful “Things That Matter” and the heartache-filled “Way Down in My Whiskey.” Never one to shy away from reflecting real life in his music, “You’ll Always Be My Baby” and “I Do” were written for his daughters’ weddings…while “Where Her Heart Has Always Been” was written for his mother’s funeral and includes a recording of her reading from The Bible. There’s also plenty of fun to be had on barnburners like “Livin’ On Empty,” “Back” and “Beer:10.” And, in the spirit of the album’s overall sound, “That’s the Way Loves Goes (A Tribute to Merle Haggard)” is a bonus track. Watch the lyric video for “Where Have You Gone” HERE.
Pre-orders for Where Have You Gone begin today (April 2) and are available HERE.
ALAN JACKSON’S WHERE HAVE YOU GONE Track List:
Produced by Robert Keith Stegall
*Produced by Keith Stegall
ABOUT ALAN JACKSON:
A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Alan Jackson’s membership among music’s all-time greats is part of a long line of career-defining accolades that include three CMA Entertainer of the Year honors, 30 years of membership in the Grand Ole Opry, a Billboard ranking as one of the Top 10 Country Artists of All-Time, induction to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Heritage Award as the most-performed country songwriter-artist of ASCAP’s first 100 years.
The man from rural Newnan, GA has sold nearly 60-million albums worldwide, ranks as one of the 10 best-selling male vocalists of all-time (rock, pop and country). He has released more than 60 singles – registering 50 Top Ten hits and 35 #1s (including 26 Billboard chart-toppers). He has earned more than 150 major music industry awards – including 19 Academy of Country Music Awards, 16 Country Music Association Awards, a pair of Grammys and ASCAP’s Founders and Golden Note Awards.
Jackson is one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music. He’s also the man behind one of Nashville’s most-popular tourist stops, AJ’s Good Time Bar, a four-story honky-tonk in the heart of downtown featuring daily live music and a rooftop view of Music City.
Multi-Platinum-selling country duo Maddie & Tae release “Woman You Got” today. The brand-new track, written by Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Font and Taylor Kerr along with Laura Veltz and Mark Holman, is light-hearted fun as the singers reveal their “imperfections” using humor and charm while still showcasing their often-celebrated signature harmonies. The new tune impacts country radio April 19th.
Listen to Maddie & Tae’s “Woman You Got” HERE
“This song is the most autobiographical song we have ever written,” says Maddie. “Our hope is that this song is an anthem for all our fans, male and female!”
“Woman You Got” is the first new song from the award-winning pair since last year’s holiday project, We Need Christmas, and their critically acclaimed album, The Way It Feels. The Way It Feels received widespread praise from Associated Press, Billboard, Esquire, NPR, People, Rolling Stone, The Tennessean, The Washington Post and more, and it includes Maddie & Tae’s standout Platinum-selling No. 1 hit and one of Billboard’s Top 10 Country Songs of 2020, “Die From A Broken Heart.”
Maddie & Tae were also recently announced as CMA Foundation Artist Ambassadors. The duo will work with students and teachers on the value and positive influence of music, share experiences about their journey in the music industry, and help further the CMA Foundation and its mission to provide equitable opportunities and access to music education for students across the country.
For more information on Maddie & Tae, visit MaddieandTae.com.
Maddie & Tae (Woman You Got) OC: (Maddie) …to date. :31
TAE: “‘Woman You Got’ was a shocker to us to be the first single off of our third project because we’ve always enjoyed the song, but it was one of those that we (MADDIE: “It was a sleeper, I call it.”) Yes, it was a sleeper, a sneaky one that you really don’t know what you’re going to get into when you go into the studio, but after we cut it and did our vocals, we just really felt like it had come to life and something that we wanted to release first as our first single from this project. And it’s a really fun love song; very autobiographical of Maddie & I just…” MADDIE: “Definitely the most autobiographical song we’ve ever released to date.”
ACM Lifting Lives®, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music®, is set to premiere a public service advertisement (PSA) during the upcoming ACM Awards together with the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative in an effort to encourage all Americans to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines at GetVaccineAnswers.org and get a vaccination when it’s available to them.
Featuring Eric Church, Ashley McBryde and Darius Rucker at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry House, the new PSAs are part of the national campaign, “It’s Up to You,” and emphasize the important role education about COVID-19 vaccinations plays in a return to live music.
“We are so grateful to Eric, Ashley, Darius and the team at ACM for lending their talent for this extraordinary partnership. Together, we will help increase awareness about the COVID-19 vaccines and connect audiences to resources where they can get answers to their top questions,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “Millions of Americans are looking forward to getting back to seeing live music again, and getting educated on the vaccines is one of the best steps to getting there.”
“ACM Lifting Lives is proud to partner with the Ad Council in educating the public on the COVID-19 vaccinations and how they can play a role in ending the pandemic,” said Lyndsay Cruz, ACM Lifting Lives Executive Director. “With the support of the Country Music industry and artists, we have worked tirelessly this past year to provide over $3.5 million in financial aid to families in need within the Country Music community. By joining the Ad Council and this campaign, we are continuing our commitment to providing a brighter future for these families and fans. We would like to thank each of the artists for making this message impactful and supporting us in achieving this goal.”
According to Ad Council research fielded by Ipsos in February, approximately 40% of the American public remain undecided about getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Of that undecided population, only 56% say they feel confident they have enough information to guide their decision about getting a COVID-19 vaccination, compared to 96% of those already committed. A majority (over 80%) are eager to get back to the moments and people they miss.
First launched in February, the “It’s Up To You” initiative is the largest and most significant communications effort in U.S. history. Developed pro bono by ad agency Pereira O’Dell, the new PSA will direct audiences to GetVaccineAnswers.org for the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccines.
ACM Lifting Lives continues to support the Country music community during the ongoing pandemic with the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund, which has distributed more than $3.5 million to those in the industry suffering a financial crisis during this time, made possible with support from both corporate sponsors and individual donors.
Broadcasting live from Nashville on the CBS Television Network, the “56th Academy of Country Music Awards” hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton will feature exciting performances, unprecedented collaborations, surprising moments and more to be announced in the coming weeks.
The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ global streaming service.
For more information, visit ACMcountry.com and ACMLiftingLives.org. Fans can also like the Academy of Country Music on Facebook, follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
Since first revealing that he was working on new music in early 2020, reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Eric Church has slowly peeled back the curtain to reveal his forthcoming Heart & Soul triple album born from a month-long session during which he wrote and recorded a song from start to finish each day in an effort push the limits of creativity. With “Break It Kind Of Guy,” available everywhere today, March 26th, as the final instant grat track off the forthcoming project, that unconventional method informed the lyrics of the song itself.
“I was writing with Luke Dick and Casey Beathard – who had never written together before, which was another cool thing about this process,” shares Church of the song’s creation. “Luke was talking about how refreshing it was and how creative he felt in that setting, and then he said ‘I’m so surprised you would do it this way because normally people are like ‘if it’s not broke’ – and when he said that, I went ‘you break it.’ We’ve got three songwriters in the room so immediately it turned into ‘if it’s not broke, I’m a break it kind of guy.’ It was a neat thing for the song to be born in that moment.”
With a twangy guitar driven by an uptempo beat and a playful banter between Church and longtime backing vocalist Joanna Cotten during the falsetto chorus, “Break It Kind Of Guy” is signature defiance and rebellion from the Chief:
Hold up on rollin’ up the streets in this town
I got a bucket full of paint left and a match to burn it down
When it comes to raisin’ hell I’m ‘bout to take you all to school
Ain’t big on all your laws and don’t care about your rules
Yeah, I tell my eagle where to fly
If it’s not broke, I’m a break it kind of guy
“Break It Kind Of Guy” is featured on Church’s forthcoming Soul album, set for release Friday, April 23 following the release of Heart which kicks off the three-part collection on Friday, April 16. In keeping with his longtime commitment to put fans first, Church created the middle album of the trilogy, &, specifically for the Church Choir and will make it available exclusively to those fans and only as a vinyl record on Tuesday, April 20.
For the latest information and to learn how to join the Church Choir, visit www.EricChurch.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter @ericchurch and Instagram @ericchurchmusic.
Heart Track List
Lyrics linked HERE, songwriters in parentheses
& Track List
Lyrics linked HERE, songwriters in parentheses
Soul Track List
Lyrics linked HERE, songwriters in parentheses
About Eric Church
Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year and 10-time GRAMMY nominee Eric Church has spent the past year releasing new music at a relentless pace; providing a glimpse into the results of a marathon session during which he spent nearly a month writing and recording a song per day – including current single “Hell of a View” – while sequestered in a rural North Carolina cabin, and fueling speculation of his highly anticipated new three-part project, Heart & Soul, set for release this April.
Just as unique as Church’s approach to recording and releasing music is his tenacity on the road. During his most recent outing, 2019’s Double Down Tour, Church played back-to-back nights of two unique shows in each market sans opening act, giving every city’s fans six-plus hours of his iconic music. The tour also featured a massive stop at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, where he broke the venue’s concert attendance record with more than 56,000 fans in attendance and became the first artist to sell out the venue with a solo lineup. Church also recently took to the field at Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium to perform the National Anthem with R&B star Jazmine Sullivan ahead of Super Bowl LV.
A seven-time ACM Award winner, four-time CMA Award winner, and 10-time GRAMMY nominee, Church has amassed a passionate fanbase around the globe known as the Church Choir as well as a critically acclaimed catalog of music. His most recent album, Desperate Man, earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album (his third nod in the category) and produced his most recent No. 1 hit, “Some Of It.” Previous releases include the Platinum-certified Sinners Like Me (“How ’Bout You,” “Guys Like Me”), Carolina (“Smoke a Little Smoke,” “Love Your Love the Most”) and Mr. Misunderstood (“Record Year,” “Round Here Buzz”), the Double-Platinum certified The Outsiders (“Like a Wrecking Ball,” “Talladega”) and the 3x Platinum-certified Chief (“Springsteen,” “Drink In My Hand”), as well as 22 Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum certified singles.
Jordan Davis is sitting inside the Top 15 on the country charts with his latest single, “Almost Maybes,” which is a look back at some of his own “almost maybes” that led him to his wife, Kristen. However, Jordan doesn’t remember many of the negatives of those past relationships, but took away more of the positive memories.
“It’s really cool to see where I’m at now – a beautiful little daughter, a wife that I love, and I’m able to kind of replay those almost maybes every time I hear it on the radio. It’s just kind of cool,” says Jordan. “It’s not that I’m trying to bash anybody. It’s not that I’m trying to look bad on any of my past relationships. I think we all learn things through those relationships, and it’s kind of a good thing. I think if you just take out all the negatives out of any relationship, you really don’t grow or find any positives out of it. All those girls were amazing girls, and it’s cool now with social media, I can go back and check in with them and they’re all doing great.” He also admits “…and I was one of their ‘Almost Maybes.’”
“Almost Maybes” is the follow-up to three consecutive No. 1 songs, “Singles You Up,” “Take It From Me” and “Slow Dance in a Parking Lot.”
Jordan Davis (Almost Maybes look back) OC: …their ‘Almost Maybes’.” :40
“It’s really cool to see where I’m at now – a beautiful little daughter, a wife that I love, and I’m able to kind of replay those almost maybes every time I hear it on the radio. It’s just kind of cool. It’s not that I’m trying to bash anybody. It’s not that I’m trying to look bad on any of my past relationships. I think we all learn things through those relationships, and it’s kind of a good thing. I think if you just take out all the negatives out of any relationship, you really don’t grow or find any positives out of it. All those girls were amazing girls, and it’s cool now with social media, I can go back and check in with them and they’re all doing great…and I was one of their ‘Almost Maybes.’”